Brooklyn Park police searching for missing woman, 20
State trooper to take witness stand in Derrick Thompson trial, and more headlines
State trooper to take witness stand in Derrick Thompson trial, and more headlines
State trooper to take witness stand in Derrick Thompson trial, and more headlines
Police in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, need the public's help to find 20-year-old Precious Urrutia, who went missing on Wednesday.
Urrutia was last seen near the area of Queen's Garden North and 92nd Crescent, just south of Noble Sports Park.
Precious Urrutia
Brooklyn Park Police
Police say Urritia is an Indigenous woman standing 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing about 200 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes.
She was last seen wearing a maroon and cream-colored varsity jacket and black leggings.
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call police at 763-439-8222 or 911.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Utah's relationship with Ute Indian Tribe shows a different approach to Trump-New York mascot debate
The Trump administration stepped into a fight between New York's Education Department and a Long Island high school that didn't want to change the name of its mascot, the 'Chiefs,' after the state said it would withhold money from schools that didn't shed Native American monikers. The debate over whether sports teams should continue using Indigenous imagery has led to a variety of different outcomes. For some teams and schools, the dispute has triggered change. The former Cleveland Indians, Washington Redskins and St. John's University Redmen, for example, are now the Guardians, Commanders and Red Storm, respectively. But for other teams in the midst of the Native American mascot debate, there's been cooperation and agreement. Locally, a mutually-beneficial agreement between the Ute Indian Tribe and the University of Utah has proven elemental in the state's flagship university retaining its official nickname: 'The Utes.' Central Michigan University — home of the Chippewas — has a similar, longstanding partnership with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. This approach may show another way forward as the fight between Trump administration and the state of New York heats up. During a recent visit to New York's Massapequa High School, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said the state is discriminating against the school district that refuses to jettison its Native American 'Chief' mascot — and threatened it could risk losing federal funding. McMahon said an investigation by her agency has determined that New York officials violated Title VI of the federal civil rights law by banning the use of Native American mascots and logos statewide, The Associated Press reported. Title VI prohibits discrimination based on race, color and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal funds. The Education Department's civil rights office argues the New York state ban is discriminatory because names and mascots derived from other racial or ethnic groups — such as the 'Dutchmen' and the 'Huguenots' — are still permitted. In front of an audience of students and local officials at the Massapequa High School gymnasium, McMahon said the school's 'Chiefs' mascot was an 'incredible' representation of Native American leadership, according to the AP. 'The Trump Administration will not stand idly by as state leaders attempt to eliminate the history and culture of Native American tribes,' she said. McMahon reportedly added that her department is putting the state on notice to sign an agreement rescinding its Native American mascot ban — and apologizing to Native Americans for having discriminated against them and attempting to 'erase' their history. JP O'Hare, a spokesperson for the New York education department, dismissed McMahon's visit as 'political theater' — saying the school district failed to get even 'basic facts' about the area's Native American population right, according to The New York Times. The National Congress of American Indians, considered the country's oldest and largest Native American advocacy group, reaffirmed its long-standing opposition to the use of unsanctioned Native American imagery. Such depictions are not tributes — but, instead, are rooted in racism, cultural appropriation, and intentional ignorance, the organization said in a statement. 'Native people are not mascots,' said NCAI President Mark Macarro. 'We have our own languages, cultures, and governments — our identities are not anyone's mascot or costume. No political endorsement or misguided notion of 'honoring' us will change the fact that these mascots demean our people, diminish the enduring vibrancy of our unique cultures, and have no place in our society.' Trump ordered McMahon's agency to launch an inquiry into the Massapequa mascot dispute last month, making the coastal suburb 'an unlikely flashpoint in the enduring debate over the place of Indigenous imagery in American sports,' The Associated Press reported. The Long Island, New York, village — which is roughly 90% white — is named after the Massapequa, who were part of the broader Lenape, or Delaware, people who inhabited the woodlands of the Northeastern U.S. and Canada for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. Notable Massapequa High School alums include comedian Jerry Seinfeld and Hollywood's Baldwin brothers. Native American mascots and imagery are, of course, also part of Utah's historical sports landscape. Most prominently, the University of Utah changed its nickname from 'Redskins' to 'Utes' in 1972 after receiving approval from the Ute Indian Tribe. A 'Memorandum of Understanding' between the Ute Indian Tribe and the University of Utah was updated and signed in 2020. 'The Ute Indian Tribe encourages the University of Utah to use the Ute name for the University's sports programs with its full support. The University recognizes that the Ute name is at the core of the cultural identity of the Tribe and its members, and that it constitutes an inseparable element of their rich cultural traditions. 'The University is honored to be allowed to continue to use the Ute name with due respect and integrity.' The memorandum added that the relationship between the Ute Indian Tribe and the University of Utah is twofold: 'First, to build genuine respect and understanding of the tribe's history, culture and contributions to the state (past, current and future); and second, to have the university assist tribal members in helping their children lead healthy lives and be prepared to pursue a college education.' The University of Utah also committed to use the Ute name 'in a considered and respectful manner — reflecting the pride and dignity of indigenous people and their traditions.' Additionally, the University of Utah pledged to support Ute Indian and other Native American students through scholarships to the school — along with financial support to enhance Ute Indian Tribe educational programs and opportunities. The school has also agreed to provide 'enrichment and educational opportunities' for Ute Indian Tribal Member youth on both the Ute reservation and the university campus — including summer youth programs for students. Cultural programs on the University of Utah campus included the Ute Proud campaign. Each football season, the school designates a Ute Proud game to honor the Ute Indian Tribe culture. Players wear a specially designed Ute Proud helmet for the game — and members of the Northern Ute Tribe perform a traditional dance at halftime. The issue of Native American mascots and imagery at Utah high schools has also grabbed headlines. In 2020, Bountiful High School's Braves mascot was retired after months of study, public meetings and private meetings that included seeking the input of representatives of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation, Bountiful High School students, faculty, staff and community members. Bountiful's mascot is now 'The Redhawks.' And last April, the Iron County School District Board of Education, in a split vote, opted to maintain Cedar High School's current wolf mascot and 'Reds' moniker, setting aside a proposal to restore the school's historical 'Redmen' name. Five years earlier, the 'Redmen' name was retired by a 3-2 vote of the then-school board, but the change was divisive and members of the community often raised the issue during the public comment portion of the school board's meetings. The Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah asked the Iron County board not to reinstate the 'Redmen' name. At least two Utah high schools use Native American mascots. North Summit High School in Coalville uses 'The Braves' — while Escalante High School goes by 'The Moquis.'
The Hill
5 hours ago
- The Hill
Brazil's Lula signs law to expand affirmative action, boosting quotas for Blacks in government jobs
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Tuesday signed a new law to expand the country's affirmative action policies, increasing the quota for government jobs reserved for Blacks from 20% to 30% and adding Indigenous people and descendants of Afro-Brazilian enslaved people as beneficiaries. The changes apply to candidates applying for permanent and public employment positions across Brazil's federal administration, agencies, public foundations, public companies and state-run mixed-capital companies. As approved by Congress, the quota will be revised in 2035. 'It is important to allow this country for one day to have a society reflected in its public offices, in the Prosecutors' Office, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the Attorney-General's Office, in the Internal Revenue Service, everywhere,' Lula said at the presidential palace in the capital, Brasilia. 'We still have few women, few Black people, almost no Indigenous people.' Brazil's first law on racial quotas for government jobs was approved in 2014 by then President Dilma Rousseff, and it extended to public administration positions an affirmative action policy that was in place for access to state-run universities. Brazil's government said in a statement that Blacks and mixed-race people held 25% of top government jobs in 2014, a figure that rose to 36% in 2024. 'Still, Black people are under-represented in the public service and hold lower-wage positions,' the government added. Management and Innovation Minister Esther Dweck said the new law was needed due to a low number of new government jobs being opened for candidates in the last decade, when the previous quota was in place. 'We could not reverse the scenario of low representation (for minorities) in the public service,' Dweck said in a speech Tuesday. Brazil's government said 55% of the country's population is made up of Black or mixed-race people. It added that more than 70% of Brazilians living below the poverty line are also Black or mixed race, while only 1% of people from those ethnicities are in leadership positions in the private sector. ____ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at
Politico
5 hours ago
- Politico
Mexico's ruling party headed toward control of newly elected Supreme Court, vote tallies show
MEXICO CITY — Mexico's ruling Morena party appeared to be heading toward control over the Supreme Court, preliminary vote tallies of the country's first judicial election indicated. While votes were still being counted Tuesday for the majority of the 2,600 federal, state and local judge positions up for grabs in Sunday's elections, results rolled in for the nine Supreme Court positions. The majority of the newly elected justices share strong ties and ideological alignments with the ruling party, shifting a once fairly balanced high court into the hands of the very party that overhauled the judicial system to elect judges for the first time. Experts warned the shift would undercut checks and balances in the Latin American nation: The governing party would now be close to controlling all three branches of government, and President Claudia Sheinbaum and her party would have an easier path to push through their agenda. 'We're watching as power is falling almost entirely into the hands of one party,' said Georgina De la Fuente, election specialist with the Mexican consulting firm Strategia Electoral. 'There isn't any balance of power.' Despite that, officials have continued to fiercely reject democratic concerns. Some of those headed toward election were members or former members of the party. A number of them, who were Supreme Court justices prior to the election, were appointed by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Sheinbaum's mentor who pushed through the judicial overhaul last year. Others were advisers to the president or the party or campaigned with politically aligned visions for the judiciary. Not all of the prospective winners were explicitly aligned with Morena. One standout was Hugo Aguilar Ortiz, an Indigenous lawyer from the southern state of Oaxaca. He has no clear party affiliation, though Sheinbaum said repeatedly she hoped to have an Indigenous judge on the court and said on Tuesday she was happy to see he would be. Critics had feared that Morena would emerge from the election with control of the judiciary. The vote came after months of fierce debate, prompted when López Obrador and the party jammed through the reforms for judges to be elected instead of being appointed based on merits. The overhaul will notably limit the Supreme Court as a counterweight to the president. Judges, experts and political opposition say the reform was an attempt to take advantage of high popularity levels to stack courts in favor of Morena. Sheinbaum and her mentor have insisted that electing judges will root out corruption in a system most Mexicans agree is broken. On Tuesday, Sheinbaum brushed off complaints by Mexico's opposition – which called for a boycott of the vote – that the Supreme Court was now unfairly stacked against them, saying 'they're the ones who decided not to participate in the election.' The elections were marred by low participation — about 13% — and confusion by voters who struggled to understand the new system, something opponents quickly latched onto as a failure. De la Fuente said Morena is likely to use its new lack of counterweight in the high court to push through rounds of reforms, including reforms to Mexico's electoral systems, a proposal that has stirred controversy and was previously blocked by courts. Guadalupe Taddei Zavala, chief counselor of Mexico's electoral authority, on Tuesday rejected democratic concerns. 'I don't see any (constitutional) crisis after the election,' she said. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 93% of the ballots had been tallied.
