Mankato
Business group issues warning over ADA suits
The Mankato chamber of commerce warned its membership last week about a spree of lawsuits alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The chamber encouraged its members to check their ADA compliance, and warned against ignoring the suits, which can stem from seemingly minor violations.
At least eight Mankato businesses have been sued since March 23 by the Disability Support Alliance, the same group that has filed at least 60 ADA suits statewide since it was formed last summer. The DSA has at least three members; two of them, Marshall, Minn., residents Melanie Davis and Zach Hillesheim, have filed the Mankato suits.
The suits are often dismissed after businesses pay cash settlements. The lawsuits and the group's strident tactics have alarmed disability advocates. The DSA's attorney, Paul Hansmeier, is under investigation by the state board that cites lawyers for ethical violations both for the ADA lawsuits and for suits he filed that targeted men for alleged copyright violations for downloading pornography.
Matt McKinney @_mattmckinney
Brainerd
FedEx facility expected to deliver about 100 jobs
A FedEx sorting facility is coming to Brainerd. City officials say the company will soon break ground on a 54,000-square-foot sorting and distribution complex in the Brainerd Industrial Park, which hasn't seen any activity since the recession.
FedEx isn't talking about its plans yet, but City Council President Gary Scheeler said the new facility could bring 100 jobs.
"This is what we need to move the city forward," Scheeler said.
