Mary Moriarty spent her career in the public defender’s office while Martha Holton Dimick spent years as a prosecutor and judge. They beat out an unusually crowded field in the primary election to advance to the November 8 general election.
Posted inHEALTH
How does long COVID affect Black and Latino people? A new University of Minnesota brain project will look for answers–a process that starts by changing who participates in COVID studies.
People of color are overrepresented among COVID cases, but drastically underrepresented in COVID medical research. (A major long COVID study this year, for example, looked at 100,000 people–96 percent of them white.) In new research funded by the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Gulin Oz plans to use MRI technology to learn more about brain health and long COVID symptoms like headaches and brain fog. She’ll also be assembling a diverse cohort of Black and brown participants. “We don’t want to learn about long COVID only in the white population,” Dr. Oz says.
Posted inBUSINESS & WORK
Amazon employees walk out at Eagan warehouse over planned layoffs.
Employees said the company plans to lay off about 30 workers who can’t switch from day shifts to a night shift. It’s the latest in a string of walkouts at local Amazon warehouses over workplace conditions.
Posted inDEMOCRACY & POLITICS
Election Day is Tuesday, November 8. Here’s what you need to know to vote in Minnesota.
Here’s how to find where you should vote and who’s running to represent you in federal, state, county, and city offices.
Posted inBUSINESS & WORK
Asia Mall plans a soft opening this month after summer debut was delayed.
Asia Mall will hold a limited-capacity soft opening from November 10 through the 19th, operating from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. each day. A grand opening is scheduled for November 20.
Posted inCULTURE & COMMUNITY
State Capitol honors Día de los Muertos for the first time
Organizers say the first ‘Altar de Muertos’ honors both deceased loved ones and the contributions of Latinos.
Posted inBUSINESS & WORK
Making It in Minnesota: Why a Turkish immigrant left her graduate studies at Notre Dame to open a housewares boutique in St. Paul.
Melek Petek moved to the U.S. for graduate school, but a job at Anthropologie changed her career track. She talked to Sahan Journal about her new downtown pop-up store, Petek Trading Co., and how selling Turkish crafts at a fair price here can help Syrian refugees back home.
Posted inDEMOCRACY & POLITICS
Minnesota faith leaders denounce ‘race-baiting’ in GOP ads for attorney general campaign
Interfaith leaders called on Republican attorney general candidate Jim Schultz to “rebuke and demand” that the ads be taken down. The Minnesota DFL has questioned whether Schultz worked with an independent political fund to place the ads.
Posted inCULTURE & COMMUNITY
‘There’s no spirit left in a Twinkie’: Expanding my view on Indigenous food
MPR Fellow Robyn Katona learns about ‘First Medicines,’ Native peoples’ traditional diet at an Indigenous conference.
Posted inPOLICING & JUSTICE
Here’s a list of all the people who have pleaded guilty in the Feeding Our Future fraud investigation.
Fifty people have been charged with allegedly embezzling $250 million in federal funds earmarked to feed underprivileged children. Five defendants have pleaded guilty to their roles.
Posted inPOLICING & JUSTICE
Fourth defendant pleads guilty in Feeding Our Future fraud investigation.
Abdul Abubakar Ali pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was charged in the alleged embezzlement of $250 million in federal food-aid money earmarked for underprivileged children.
Posted inINSIDE SAHAN JOURNAL
Sahan Journal is seeking an entrepreneurial Director of Donor Relations to join its development team.
Building on its successful work producing quality journalism for Minnesota’s diverse communities, Sahan Journal is looking for a Director of Donor Relations to design an individual giving program. Help us create sustainable news coverage through encouraging higher levels of community support.
Posted inCULTURE & COMMUNITY
A century after a Black church burned in Hastings, the community gathers to remember.
The only place where Black residents of Hastings could worship, the Brown’s Chapel AME Church, was burned by arsonists in 1907.
Posted inCLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT
White Earth Tribal College becomes a bright spot for solar-energy job training.
As alternative-energy jobs expand across Minnesota, a new program offered at a northwestern Minnesota reservation college is connecting Native and other workers to good-paying work.
Posted inDEMOCRACY & POLITICS
Hennepin County voters poised to elect county’s first Black sheriff in November.
Dawanna Witt and Joseph Banks said they each bring years of law enforcement experience and unique perspectives to the sheriff’s post. Witt is considered a frontrunner in the race, having won 57 percent of the vote in the August primary compared to Banks’ 23 percent.
Posted inBUSINESS & WORK
CenturyLink offers slower internet service to Black and brown neighborhoods in Minneapolis, new report claims.
Families in low-income and high-income neighborhoods may pay the same price for CenturyLink internet service. But in whiter and wealthier neighborhoods, Minneapolis consumers can get internet speeds 50 times faster for the same price.
Posted inPOLICING & JUSTICE
How an Ojibwe grandmother’s adoption fight in Minnesota ended up in the U.S. Supreme Court
For six years, a Native woman from the White Earth Band fought for custody of her granddaughter. In November, her struggle will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. The case, Brackeen v. Haaland, threatens the federal law protecting the bond between Native American children and their families and tribes.
Posted inPOLICING & JUSTICE
Prosecutors charge 50th defendant in Feeding Our Future fraud investigation.
Abduljabar Hussein was charged Wednesday. His wife, Mekfira Hussein, was charged last month in the fraud case. Prosecutors allege that they stole millions of dollars from the federal government.
Posted inCHANGING MINNESOTA
Afghan Cultural Society’s first-ever office space offers hope and healing with a touch of home and a cup of tea.
The Afghan Cultural Society is hosting the grand opening of its office space on October 20. Deep red rugs and matching cushions swath the space, where guests drink green tea while sitting on the floor.
Posted inCULTURE & COMMUNITY
Singer-songwriter Ondara finds alter ego, a need to move with ‘Spanish Villager.’
Ondara put down his guitar and took up dancing on stage for his latest album, “Spanish Villager No. 3.” The singer-songwriter says he’s compelled “to stay in motion.”
Posted inDEMOCRACY & POLITICS
Refugees arriving in Minnesota this year came mostly from Somalia, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Most of the 533 refugees Minnesota settled in the last fiscal year came from Somalia, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. But that number doesn’t include Afghan and Ukrainian refugees who arrived in the state through a different process.
Posted inCULTURE & COMMUNITY
Laura Yuen: Mom and son explore the complexities of international adoption
Adopted son, Aa Tiko’ Rujux-Xicay, and mother Laurie Stern, created the “All Relative: Defining Diego” podcast to examine their own journey and ask uncomfortable questions about international adoption.
Posted inEDUCATION
Here’s how to apply for student loan forgiveness through a new online application.
The debt forgiveness application launched last week by President Joe Biden’s administration is in a test phase. The application will be refined as needed before its official launch sometime later this month.
Posted inCLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT
Zero to hero: Sabathani Community Center transitions to clean energy example and resilience hub.
South Minneapolis’ historic Black community center had a zero energy efficiency rating, but is now becoming an example of green infrastructure and a potential refuge during weather emergencies.
Posted inCULTURE & COMMUNITY
Dakota activist and artist Zitkála-Šá celebrated in new opera film debuting in Minneapolis Friday.
A movie about Zitkála-Šá will be shown at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Water Works Park in downtown Minneapolis. She was born in 1876 on the Yankton Reservation in South Dakota.
Posted inCULTURE & COMMUNITY
Cala Farm preserves tradition by growing flowers that honor the dead.
Rodrigo Cala’s greenhouse at Cala Farm will bloom 1,000 cempasuchil that will adorn altars in homes, businesses, and the state capital on Día de los Muertos.
Posted inPOLICING & JUSTICE
First guilty pleas entered in Feeding Our Future investigation; three admit to fraud.
Three defendants pleaded guilty Thursday to one count each of wire fraud. They agreed to different prison terms that could range from about two years to nearly five years.
Posted inMedia
Sahan Journal receives Rising Star Award from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.
Sahan Journal was among five recipients that were recognized at an event in New York City. The awards recognize leaders in the news media and legal fields whose work embodies the values of the First Amendment.
Posted inHEALTH
A different kind of healthcare: New St. Paul clinic will stress culturally competent providers and take all patients regardless of whether they have insurance. Plus, you won’t be left twiddling your thumbs in the waiting room.
Julia Joseph-Di Caprio has helped shape Twin Cities health coverage as an executive for large providers and insurers. Now she is going back to her first love, treating children and teens.
Posted inCULTURE & COMMUNITY
The secret ingredient is time: Minneapolis chef Gustavo Romero shares the family recipe that you won’t find at his hit Minneapolis taqueria, Nixta.
Gustavo Romero has turned Nixta into what might be the best Mexican restaurant in Minneapolis. Behind that success lies a belief that food starts with family and a commitment to preparing dishes by hand, with traditional ingredients. Romero told Sahan Journal and BIPOC Foodways how he—and, of course, his mother—prepares huauzontles: a dish too exacting to put on the menu.
Posted inCULTURE & COMMUNITY
Local Hazara community members and others protest violence against the ethnic group in Afghanistan.
About 100 protestors marched through the streets of Minneapolis to call attention to a suicide bombing in Afghanistan that killed more than 25 Hazaras. Most of the victims were young women.
Posted inCULTURE & COMMUNITY
Indigenous People’s Day kicks off with sunrise ceremony at Bde Maka Ska.
About 70 community members gathered at the shore of the Minneapolis lake for prayers and songs.
Posted inDEMOCRACY & POLITICS
‘This needs to happen yesterday’: Advocates push for swift passage of bill to protect Afghan refugees.
Bipartisan legislation before Congress would help America’s wartime allies who fled Afghanistan gain permanent residency in the United States.
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Posted inEDUCATION
Sharpen your pencils: Here’s your study guide to electing the next Minneapolis school board
Months after a historic teacher strike, Minneapolis voters will choose five new members to serve on the nine-person school board. The school board’s first big task: choosing the next superintendent.
Posted inEDUCATION
KerryJo Felder: ‘We should be opening up our schools to the community’
KerryJo Felder, who previously served four years on the school board, wants to stop bullying and raise behavior standards in schools to bring kids back to the Minneapolis Public Schools.
Posted inPOLICING & JUSTICE
Federal food-aid fraud investigation points to the involvement of another organization and players who haven’t been charged.
Feeding Our Future has garnered most of the attention in a $250 million food-aid fraud investigation, but court documents name “Sponsor A” as a secondary suspect. A multitude of court filings identify Partners in Quality Care as a potential player.
Posted inEDUCATION
Lori Norvell: ‘I’m a recent former educator and a parent, so I can see this from different lenses.’
Lori Norvell left her job teaching math in Minneapolis Public Schools last year. Now, she hopes to bring teachers’ voices to the school board.
Posted inEDUCATION
Laurelle Myhra wants to see Minneapolis schools ‘partnering with culturally responsive organizations already doing really good work’
Laurelle Myhra, a marriage and family therapist who directs the Mino Bimaadiziwin Wellness Clinic, wants to bring her culturally responsive mental health skills and business acumen to the Minneapolis school board.
Posted inEDUCATION
Abdul Abdi: ‘I am someone who can collaborate, listen, and make sure that our kids have a good future.’
Abdul Abdi, running unopposed for a Northeast Minneapolis school board seat, hopes to engage parents and build strong relationships with the community.
Posted inEDUCATION
Collin Beachy: ‘I’m a teacher. Right now, we don’t feel like anyone has our back.’
Collin Beachy, a candidate for an at-large school board seat, wants to bring more culturally responsive education and more transparency to Minneapolis Public Schools.
Posted inEDUCATION
Lisa Skjefte: ‘I can bring community voice, and I have experience with system change.’
Lisa Skjefte, who leads community impact and engagement work at the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center, hopes to bring her experience working to close health disparities to the Minneapolis school board.
Posted inEDUCATION
Sonya Emerick: ‘The first thing we need to do is actually address the inequities.’
Sonya Emerick, the parent of a 7-year-old student receiving special education services at home, decided to run for school board to make sure their child, and all children, can receive equitable access to education in Minneapolis Public Schools.
Posted inImmigration
Rochester sisters reach $80K settlement with federal government for abuse and mistreatment they suffered at the border.
The lawsuit filed in 2021 by Kerlin Sanchez Villabolos and her sister Y.S. was the first one in the country where migrant children sued the federal government for treatment at the Mexico-Texas border.
Posted inHEALTH
Burnsville boy with mystery illness is airlifted from Kenya to Mayo Clinic thanks to family, friends, and strangers.
Mustafa Omar, 13, was visiting Somalia with his family this past summer when he complained of fatigue and fell into a coma. Doctors in Somalia, Kenya, and the United States haven’t been able to diagnose his illness.
Posted inCLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT
Environmental justice advocates push state transportation department to go big on Rethinking I-94 project.
State officials say the Minnesota Department of Transportation will not pursue a federal grant this year that helps local governments replace urban highways. Two community groups have proposed different options for replacing a stretch of Interstate 94 that displaced St. Paul’s thriving Black Rondo neighborhood decades ago.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Biltong, a dried meat snack from southern Africa, comes to Minnesota.
Mwila Kapungulya co-founded Zambezi Biltong to bring biltong to Minnesota. The meat is cured in salt and vingear.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Native American communities prioritize traditional healing to treat mental health.
Exact numbers are hard to come by, but there are likely only 200 to 300 Native American psychologists in the entire country, out of a population of several million people.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Over 1 million Minnesotans will receive $487 in pandemic bonuses.
Beginning this week, Minnesotans will receive pandemic bonus payments.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Billionaire settles University of Minnesota student’s lawsuit alleging rape.
Ahead of opening statements scheduled for Monday, Chinese billionaire Richard Liu settled a lawsuit filed by a former University of Minnesota student alleging Liu raped her.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Jazz pioneer Oscar Pettiford shaped the Minneapolis sound and American music.
Oscar Pettiford was born 100 years ago today. His career started on Twin Cities’ stages.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Library, mural honors former St. Paul School Board Chair Marny Xiong.
Washington Technology Magnet School honors former St. Paul School Board Chair Marny Xiong with a mural in the school’s library. Xiong died from COVID-19 in June 2020.
Posted inCLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT
How happy is your commute? If you’re on a bike, chances are it’s high. In a car? Good luck. A UM researcher dives into transportation happiness.
University of Minnesota professor Yingling Fan’s research shows that environmentally friendly commutes are among the happiest, although bus commutes rank low. Car commutes fit somewhere in the middle.
Posted inDEMOCRACY & POLITICS
Mercado Central demands that gubernatorial candidate Scott Jensen remove its image from his ads.
The Mercado Central board of directors says Scott Jensen neither asked for nor received permission to film inside the building on Lake Street.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Students, staff say cultural competency is key for Minnesota educators.
Opponents have accused the state of using cultural competency training to indoctrinate teachers.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Frey nominates Newark deputy mayor as next Minneapolis police chief.
Brian O’Hara, deputy mayor of Newark, New Jersey, is Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s choice to become the next Minneapolis police chief.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Jury selection begins in University of Minnesota student’s lawsuit alleging Chinese billionaire raped her.
Jury selection begins Thursday in downtown Minneapolis in a lawsuit filed by a former University of Minnesota student who alleges that she was raped by Chinese billionaire Richard Liu.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
From carving pipes to starting businesses, new center in Lower Sioux Community unites generations.
Cansayapi Wicoicage Oti, a new community center at the Lower Sioux Indian Community, is an intergenerational place of belonging.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Minneapolis woodshop for women, nonbinary people reopens in Prospect Park.
Jess Hirsch and a team of others at Fireweed’s Community Woodshop are rebuilding what may be the Twin Cities’ only place to learn woodworking that’s dedicated to marginalized genders—this time at a location three times as large in Prospect Park.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Minnesota appeals court rules that racial imbalance in Twin Cities schools doesn’t violate constitution unless intentional.
The Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled against lead plaintiff Alejandro Cruz-Guzman and other parents who argue that racial and socioeconomic segregation in schools led to achievement gaps between children of color and those living in poverty and white students.
Posted inDEMOCRACY & POLITICS
Minnesota Republican candidates called for an independent probe into the state’s handling of alleged fraud in a COVID-related meal program.
Republican candidates Scott Jensen and Matt Birk called for an investigation into how the Walz administration’s reacted to alleged fraud in a federal nutrition program that has resulted in dozens of federal indictments.
Posted inPOLICING & JUSTICE
Deeq Darajo, a prominent Minneapolis journalist, was charged in connection with Feeding Our Future investigation.
Deeq Darajo, the owner of Xogmaal Media Group, becomes the 49th person charged as a result of the sprawling investigation that began with the now-defunct nonprofit Feeding Our Future.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Most defendants in the Feeding Our Future investigation were spared jail time.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minneapolis says three of the suspects have left the country, but prosecutors don’t consider most of the others are flight risks, and have not asked judges to detain them.
Posted inDEMOCRACY & POLITICS
What the federal charges say about how Feeding Our Future found an opportunity at Minneapolis City Hall
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced criminal charges Tuesday against three political appointees connected to the Minneapolis Mayor’s office. The federal indictments also lay out new details of how a City Council member’s defunct nonprofit allegedly turned into a tool for the embezzlement of several million dollars.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Minnesota vigils mourn Mahsa Amini, whose death sparked protests in Iran.
Mahsa Amini was detained in Tehran by the country’s morality police that enforces a strict dress code. Amini was arrested for allegedly wearing her hijab too loosely. She died on Sept. 16.
Posted inPOLICING & JUSTICE
Mekfira Hussein defended her work feeding needy children. Prosecutors now accuse her of buying a Tesla and other goods with money intended for those kids.
Mekfira Hussein told Sahan Journal in early 2022 that her experience with hunger as a child refugee inspired her to feed underprivileged children. Federal charges unsealed this week allege that she used government money intended to feed such children on personal purchases instead.
Posted inINSIDE SAHAN JOURNAL
Resources for Minnesotans to stay connected online: A Sahan Journal community conversation.
Not all households have the same access to technology, an issue that became heightened during the COVID pandemic when people were forced to work or attend school from home. Experts at a community conversation hosted by Comcast and Sahan Journal share several tips and resources to improve digital equity.
Posted inPOLICING & JUSTICE
Governor Walz ‘would hope’ for investigation into judge who presided over Feeding Our Future lawsuit.
Governor Tim Walz expressed frustration with the judge who presided over a lawsuit between Feeding Our Future and the Minnesota Department of Education. The judge found the state in contempt of court in 2021, and ordered it to pay Feeding Our Future $47,500 in fines and fees.
Posted inPOLICING & JUSTICE
Forty-eight suspects, $250 million allegedly stolen, and 257 pages of allegations. Eight interesting things about the alleged food-aid fraud scheme involving Feeding Our Future.
Tuesday’s unsealed charging documents revealed new details about the alleged $250 million food-aid fraud scheme in Minnesota. It involves at least 48 co-conspirators, three of whom have left the country.
Posted inPOLICING & JUSTICE
Charges in alleged federal food-aid fraud are rich in detail, but complex issues could confuse jurors, legal scholars say.
Local law professors say it will be a challenge for prosecutors to walk through how allegedly stolen funds were used for personal gain. They also suspect that with 48 defendants, many will defend themselves by pointing the blame at higher-ups in their organizations.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Recovery awareness growing in East African community as opioid crisis takes toll.
Advocates like Farhia Budul sounded the alarm Saturday at the Minnesota State Capitol about the opioid crisis. Hundreds gathered at the capitol grounds to participate in the Walk for Recovery.
Posted inPOLICING & JUSTICE
Need a refresher on the Feeding Our Future allegations? Here’s what to know about the alleged food-aid fraud in Minnesota.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced charges against 47 suspects in a sweeping food-aid funding fraud investigation Tuesday. How much money was allegedly stolen, where was it supposed to go, and how did the scam operate? Sahan Journal has answers.
Posted inNews
Who’s been charged in the Feeding Our Future food fraud investigation?
Fifty people have been charged in the Feeding Our Future food-fraud scandal, for an array of crimes including conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and bribery.
Posted inNews
Timeline: How feeding underprivileged children turned into a sweeping federal investigation.
The Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office indicted several suspects in the alleged theft of millions of federal dollars. The money was supposed to go towards feeding underprivileged children, but investigators believe suspects used the money on cars, homes, and vacations.
Posted inNews
Aimee Bock of Feeding Our Future charged in alleged food-fraud case
The indictment against Bock, executive director of the now-defunct nonprofit Feeding Our Future, is part of a sweeping federal investigation into the alleged theft of money from two programs meant to feed mostly children in daycare and afterschool settings.
Posted inNews
Federal authorities charge 48 people in Feeding Our Future investigation—allegedly ‘largest pandemic fraud in the United States.’
Following a sprawling eight-month investigation, federal authorities on Tuesday announced a wave of criminal charges related to the alleged embezzlement of more than $250 million from federal nutrition programs. The indictments, many connected to a nonprofit called Feeding Our Future, have implicated prominent local leaders in politics, housing, business, and education.
Posted inHEALTH
Confused about the new COVID booster? Here’s what to know and how to get one.
The new bivalent COVID-19 booster is available at state-run sites in Bloomington, Rochester, Moorhead and Duluth. Appointments are required.
Posted inDEMOCRACY & POLITICS
Election for Minnesota Secretary of State will affect immigrant voting access
Kim Crockett, the Republican candidate, has questioned whether people who can’t read English should be able to vote in Minnesota. Steve Simon, the Democratic incumbent, cites his record expanding translation and interpretation services for immigrant voters.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Rondo’s ‘lady of line dance’ keeps community grooving.
Tina Jackson has been teaching soul line dancing for more than 15 years. She’s helping folks get their groove on at the Oxford Community Center in St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood.
Posted inCOMMUNITY VOICES
Trinity Hanif: Progressive voters must turn out in November despite primary losses.
Progressives must turn out for issues like abortion access, gay marriage, and contraceptives, writes Trinity Hanif.
Posted inHEALTH
Nurses of color on a historic strike share why they’re fighting for increased staffing, higher wages, and better patient care.
Around 15,000 Minnesota nurses went on strike for three days this week. Some say it’s not all about getting higher pay. They cite the need for better staffing and working conditions so they can provide patients the best care.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Minnesota artist has deep roots in Chicano art movement.
Jimmy Longoria’s art hangs in U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s office and in actor Cheech Marin’s private collection. Now, Minnesota Twins fans have a Longoria design, too–signed T-shirts.
Posted inDEMOCRACY & POLITICS
An end to Senator Omar Fateh’s ethics investigation: Senate committee passes resolution requiring him to undergo campaign finance training.
The Senate Rules and Administration Committee dismissed the ethics complaints seven Republicans filed against Senator Omar Fateh. But it found that he failed to disclose $1,000 in payments for political ads.
Posted inNews
Minnesota Department of Education failures ‘magnified’ multi-million dollar food aid fraud, new Senate report finds.
A report from the Senate Education Finance and Policy Committee says the Minnesota Department of Education failed to follow state and federal laws in administering federal money earmarked to feed underprivileged children.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Willmar schools hire teachers from the Philippines, Nicarauga to address shortage.
Roosevelt Elementary School in Willmar, Minnesota, hired teachers from the Philippines and Nicaragua to fill open teaching positions. The teachers are adjusting to Minnesota life, but are worried about winter.
Posted inNEWS PARTNERS
Artist Inkpa Mani resigns from Minneapolis park project amid claims of cultural appropriation.
Inkpa Mani, née Javier Lara-Ruiz, was awarded a $400,000 commission to create a stone sculpture in downtown Minneapolis. A few months later, his contract came to an abrupt end when some critics questioned his ties to the Dakota community.
