Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily digest of important, overlooked, and/or interesting Minnesota news stories.
AI Escapades at the U (and Sometimes, Why)
Weird one outta the University of Minnesota: Former student Haishan Yang is suing the school and his professor after he was expelled for allegedly using ChatGPT on a paper—allegations he denies completely. Yang, an international student who already has a master's degree and a PhD, was working on a PhD in health services when he was accused of cheating by professor Hannah Neprash, leading to his expulsion and the loss of his Visa, according to Fox 9.
Here's where it gets interesting: Yang's advisor, Bryan Dowd, has been on the university's faculty for 45 years, and he's behind his former student all the way. Dowd says there's no strong evidence that Yang cheated, and, in a support letter obtained by Fox 9, writes, "Dr. Yang is the best-read student I have encountered in my time on the University of Minnesota faculty."
"My final point concerns the treatment of Dr. Yang by faculty in our Division," his letter continues. "This is not the first attempt to expel Dr. Yang from our program." Apparently a previous expulsion attempt resulted in the U issuing a letter of apology to Yang, while the school's attorneys asked for his assurance that he wouldn't sue. Hmmmmm...
Yang, who's currently in Africa, says there's no way the university can possibly prove he used the AI program on the paper and accuses Dr. Neprash of submitting altered evidence. He's seeking $660,000 from the professor in that defamation suit. "I tried myself—I put the question through the ChatGPT ... it's not possible to replicate the evidence," he tells Fox 9.
Hennepin Homeless Shelters Are at Capacity
For years now, Minneapolis and Hennepin County officials have justified encampment closures by insisting that there are plenty of beds available for those who want them. (Here's one recent example; here's another.) But folks who are homeless, and those who advocate for them, have pushed back on those claims—and they would know, wouldn't they?
A must-read story from the Minnesota Star Tribune's Susan Du and Louis Krauss (gift link) confirms what the unhoused and their advocates have been saying: Shelter beds in Hennepin County are fully booked. And not only that, but the county has stopped tracking the number of people it turns away, figures the Strib reported in 2022 and 2023. And not only that but the paper has submitted a data request for daytime turn-away times in 2024, and that request has been pending for four months.
So, the reporters took matters into their own hands, calling Adult Shelter Connect at noon "nearly every weekday" in October and November. "Most days, there were zero beds available for men and one to 10 for women," according to Du and Krauss's reporting. Interesting! In order to hear officials trying to worm their way out of half-truths and outright lies, you really oughta read the whole thing.
How Many Coffee Shops Can Uptown Handle?
Under-caffeinated in Uptown? Not for long! First came the November opening of Queermunity, an LGBTQ+ community space and cafe at 3036 Hennepin Ave. in the long-dead and/or long-dying Minneapolis shopping district. Moona Moono, a coffee/boba shop and general store, is scheduled to open this March just a few doors down at 3048 Hennepin Ave. S. Now, Christine Schuster at Bring Me the News reports that the former home of the gift shop Scout, which is sandwiched between those new establishments at at 3040 Hennepin Ave., is about to be occupied by Mosaic Coffee, according to a "coming soon" sign in the window.
There's very little info out there about Mosaic at the moment, though an Instagram account promises "coffee w/ intention" and says an announcement is coming soon regarding a winter opening. Can the neighborhood sustain three cafes within a half-block of each other? The shops will certainly have to grind... otherwise there might be trouble brewing in this (pour)oversaturated area.
Wanna Buy a Tiny Cabin on Tiny Northeastern MN Island?
If your idea of an "island paradise" is less warm and tropical and more off the grid and remote, then 5322 Ely Island S. in Tower, Minnesota could be the property for you! This one-bedroom, 434-square-foot Saint Louis County cabin is located on its own pint-sized island (the parcel includes an additional nine-ish acres on shore). It's hitting the market for the first time in 50 years, according to this property listing, and was renovated in 2017 with new foundation supports, roof, windows, loft, front porch, screened-in back porch, and steps.
Are fishing, swimming, and hanging out with abundant wildlife on your home/cabin escape-buying checklist? This tiny cutie has access to all of the above, plus it's close to multiple hiking, biking, and ATV trails. Worried about schlepping your stuff out here by boat? It comes mostly furnished. (Racket reached out to the listing agent for additional info, but never heard back.) Asking price is $239,000—let's see what your money gets ya with some photos from Vermilion Land Office:
