Suspected mosque arsonist in custody

Happening today

☀️ A sunny and windy day. High temperatures around 60. Clear to partly cloudy this evening. A low pressure system to the East will keep the weather here pretty stable in Minnesota for the next few days with highs rising gradually over the week.

⚖️ The Minnesota Supreme Court will be hearing oral arguments in Cruz-Guzman v. Minnesota. The case began in 2015 when Alejandro Cruz-Guzman and other families sued the Minnesota Legislature, the state government, and the Minnesota Department of Education. They argue the state created an unequal education system by allowing and enabling segregation in public schools.

🏛️ The MN House is set to vote on a statewide Paid Family and Medical Leave policy. This bill would make it possible for every Minnesotan, including small business owners, to receive a paycheck while also doing things like caring for a new child, being with family during the end of their life, and taking care of themselves during medical issues.  

🖊️ Governor Walz will visit a labor union in St. Paul to sign a bill into law improving worker safety at oil refineries. 

🍹 Margaritaville Resort’s 10ft high iconic blown-out flip flop with a pop top is making a guest appearance in Minnesota. TPI Hospitality, the Minnesota-based developer and hotel management company behind the construction of Margaritaville Beach Resort in Fort Myers Beach, will unveil the sculpture at the company’s annual leadership conference held in Maple Grove, Minnesota.

Islamic community breathes sigh of relief after mosque arson suspect arrested

• Last week, police released photos of the person suspected of setting a fire at the Masjid Omar Islamic Center. Crews were also called out to the Masjid Al Rahma mosque for a fire.
• Both mosques are both located in the Phillips neighborhood, about a block apart.
• The suspect, Jackie Rahm Little, is a 36 year old with a troubled history of arson and mental illness.

Fortunately, no one was injured, but the blaze, one of two fires set in cherished Muslim gathering spaces in just a few days, created a ton of fear in the community. The suspect, Jackie Little, captured on surveillance video, was arrested in Mankato over the weekend. Some are questioning why, with his history of setting fires and apparent mental illness, Little was not in a secured facility, to begin with.

Court records show the non-profit, Minnesota Freedom Fund, has previously helped him make bail. In a statement to FOX 9, fund leadership wrote, “We strongly condemn harm against all people in our community, especially harm that is based on identity… We will continue to practice accountability and solidarity with our Muslim neighbors who were harmed by these acts of arson at their places of worship.”

The Freedom Fund wouldn’t specifically address Little’s case, explaining broadly that it will provide support to those experiencing mental health challenges, as sometimes pre-trial release is often the “only way to access needed treatment.”

Little remains in custody as of Monday and is scheduled to return to federal court Thursday.