PINE CITY
THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2017 VOL. 132 NO. 18 www.pinecitymn.com $1.00
FUTURE OF CITY HALL: Pine City officials ask for public’s input through survey. P8
Teens charged with Hinckley stabbing BY MIKE GAINOR EDITOR@PINECITYMN.COM
Two female teenagers – the focus of a statewide manhunt after allegedly stabbing a man in Hinckley then fleeing the scene – have been charged with attempted murder and may be
tried as adults. The two teenagers have been identified by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Aseil Cynthia-Salmea Abuhamed. 17, and Tayah Valorose Thomas, 16, have each been charged with one count of second-degree attempted mur-
der, one count of first-degree assault and one count of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. According to the criminal complaint filed in Pine County Court, on the afternoon of April 26 the victim called 911 and reported that one of the
two teenagers had stabbed him in the chest multiple times and in the arm once while the other held a pillow over his face. He told the dispatcher that he was lightheaded from loss of blood and was “leaking like a faucet.” SEE STABBING, PAGE 13
County, Band officials struggle with truancy crisis BY AILENE CROUP AND MIKE GAINOR NEWS@PINECITYMN.COM
LANCE FURBER | THE PIONEER
Track squads fly high at Chengwatana Logan Schaaf lofts over the pole vault beam at the Chengwatana Invitational. Both the boys and girls Dragon track teams took first place at the April 29 meet in Pine City.
At a meeting with Pine County Commissioners, Pine County Probation Director Terry Fawcett said he recently met with Mille Lacs Band’s interim Police Chief Sarah Rice to discuss the truancy crisis in Pine County. Fawcett provided these statistics to the Pioneer: • The 2015-2016 school year report for Hinckley Elementary School showed that the school had 482 students of which 111 were American Indian. Of the 111, 28 had seven or more full day unexcused absences. Out of the 371 other students, eight students had seven or more full days unexcused • Hinckley-Finlayson High School had 335 students, 54 of which were American Indian. Of the 54, 22 had seven or more full days unexcused. Six of these students had from 22 to 68 unexcused absences. Of the 281 other students, 14 students had seven or more full days unexcused. • East Central Elementary School had 385 students and 37 of those were American Indian. Of the 37, 29 had seven or more full day unexcused absences. Five of those students had 26.5 to 37.5 unexcused absences. Of the 348 other students, nine students had seven or more full days unexcused.
• East Central High School had 269 students and 16 of those were American Indian. Of those 16, 13 students had seven or more full day unexcused absences. Four of those students had 21.5 to 30.5 unexcused absences. Of the 253 other students, 25 students had seven or more full days unexcused/. • No numbers were collected for Pine City because the truancy officer indicated that the number of American Indian students is very low in that school district. • The number of Pine County American Indian juveniles entering probation during this time was 21 percent, 15 of the 71 total. Added to the probation cases opened in 2014, the total rises to 51 percent American Indian of the total juvenile probation cases. • Pine County has a total American Indian population of three percent. According to Fawcett, Pine County Probation and Pine County Health and Human Services are working to evaluate proposals for a community coach. This person would serve the native youth of the Mille Lacs Band and their families in Pine County. The coach would support and assist juveniles and their families referred to this program to insure they attend court dates and do not commit additional offenses. The board approved posting for a cultural community coach.
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