Minnesota briefs: La Crescent to review trail plans for bluff area

The trails would connect to existing routes and open up areas north and south of downtown for silent sports recreation, including mountain biking, Nordic skiing and hiking.

It's all meant to build the city's brand as a place of scenic bluffs, a sustainable and attractive downtown and a home for active families, said longtime Planning Commission Chairman Donald Smith. Should the council approve the plans, more discussion with the county and private landowners will follow. "A lot of this starts with conversation and a common vision," said Smith.

Matt McKinney

City Council members are considering making Duluth the third city in the state to pass an earned sick and safe leave policy for workers.

A task force recommended two the council last week that businesses with a physical location in the city and five or more employees should be required to provide all workers with one hour of paid sick and safe time for every 30 hours worked, available either immediately or 30 days after the employee is hired.

A second option would allow employers to cap the leave at three days a year for full-time employees, prorated for part-time employees.

The cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul already passed similar regulations to allow workers to stay home if they are sick, need to care for a sick family member or deal with certain safety crises. Duluth council members will discuss the issue at a meeting at the end of the month.

Leaders for Mille Lacs County and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe have agreed to meet in mediation Monday in hopes of reaching a new law enforcement agreement.

After working with tribal police for 25 years, the county severed ties with the Ojibwe force last year because of concerns about tribal police work. Since then, negotiations over a new agreement deadlocked, mediation ended in an impasse and Gov. Mark Dayton unsuccessfully intervened to urge both sides to end what he called a "public safety crisis." With no working agreement, tribal police can't be dispatched on 911 calls, take someone to the county jail or work investigations.

Last week, band members and supporters rallied at the Capitol to draw attention to the issue — part of a broader dispute over reservation boundaries. Earlier this month, the band filed a federal lawsuit against the county, asking a judge to allow tribal officers to do their jobs without county interference.

The county said last week that the lawsuit is without legal merit, and the Sheriff's Office has provided public safety coverage "directly comparable" to that of tribal police.