Echo
SENIOR HONORS RELATIVE
Zosha Skinner changes name after family loss PAGE 5
SWIMMERS FIND SUCCESS
Underclassmen support boys’ swimming season PAGE 8
‘LA LA LAND’ EXCITES
Golden Globe-winning movie impresses, thrills PAGE 12
Wednesday, January 11, 2017 Volume 90 Issue 6 St. Louis Park High School 6425 W. 33rd Street St. Louis Park, MN 55426
Water plant shut down What’s wrong with the plant?
Why was it shut down?
Is the water safe to drink?
What’s the city doing?
In early 2016, levels higher than those set by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) for some types of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were discovered at Water Treatment Plant #4.
The city has been working to lower VOC levels at Water Treatment Plant #4. Certain VOC levels were found to be lowered. Recent testing revealed an increase in other VOCs, leading the city to close the treatment plant.
The plant was removed from service as an act of caution and to preserve citizens’ trust in the city‘s water quality. MDH confirmed the water meets safe drinking water standards set by the EPA.
St. Louis Park took Water Treatment Plant #4 out of service Dec. 28, 2016. The plant is set to recieve upgrades, including air strippers to remove VOCs, which will most likely be completed by summer 2018.
Infographic Devin Raynor Photo Makayla Jones-Klausing Source City of St. Louis Park
Potential contamination leads city to take action
Officials cite vinyl chloride and PAH in city water Nietzsche Deuel & Sam St. Clair nietzschedeuel@slpecho.com samstclair@slpecho.com
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unior Olivia Bruse said she cautiously drinks St. Louis Park water because of incidents with contamination. “I don’t really know what’s in it and knowing that in the past of St. Louis Park there was a lot of industry and factories,” Bruse said. According to St. Louis Park public works Superintendent Mark Hanson, Water Treatment Plant #4 and well SLP4 were taken out of service because of contamination from volatile organic compounds (VOCs). According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) website, water samples taken show the contaminants in the water are vinyl chloride and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). The VOCs (vinyl chloride, tetrachlorethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethylene) and PAH are carcino-
genic, which increase the likelihood of having cancer. Hanson said St. Louis Park water quality is within the limits set by the Clean Water Act of 1972. He said the well was shut down by the city in an act of caution. “Our water meets all of the EPA safe drinking water act requirements,” Hanson said. “I would stress that the water is absolutely safe to drink here at St. Louis Park.” Sophomore Maxwell Dean said he is not concerned with the water because he is aware of the contamination levels. “I do (feel safe drinking the water) because you hear all the time that it’s at safe levels so it’s fine to drink,” Dean said. According to Thornley, the contaminants in the water are from two unrelated sources. “(The plumes) are completely different, the only commonality is their relative geographic location,” Thornley said. Hanson said the solvent plume carrying VOCs caused well SLP4 to be shut down. “We only have well four that shows VOC contaminants and it will be out of service until the air strippers get installed,” Hanson said. According to the Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency (MPCA) website, the source of the solvent plume is unknown. AP Environmental Science teacher Alan Wachutka said he is not worried about the water quality. “I’d be as concerned about any water in America as I would about St. Louis Park’s water,” Wachutka said. Wachutka said he recalls the oil and tar spills from before the plant was shut down. “You’d see the oils and the tars in the ditches and any water,” Wachutka said. “There was a huge Superfund cleanup site and the odds of getting it all were slim to none.” Thornley said he thinks people should treat their water as they see fit. “So much of it comes down to people’s own comfort levels with what the risk is,” Thornley said. “Home treatment options are always available to people and we don’t recommend for or against filters.” Hanson said the city should stress keeping water quality high. “As we go forward, let’s make sure we are really protecting that water and not leaving future generations to have to deal with it,” Hanson said.
District looks into new lunch program Coordination with Hopkins for advice begins Sumaya Mohamed & D’aviyan Robinson sumayamohamed@slpecho.com daviyanrobinson@slpecho.com
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hen junior Ella Trotter walks into the lunchroom, she hopes the school will provide better food options. “Instead of having processed and healthier foods, you should just have real foods. Get real stuff,” Trotter said. Superintendent Rob Metz said plans are underway to implement a lunch program similar to that
of Hopkins Public Schools. “We are contracted with the head of school nutrition in Hopkins to advise us. Hopkins prepares nearly all their school lunches from scratch, and it is our goal to do the same someday,” Metz said. Metz said a central kitchen is being discussed in order to establish a system similar to Hopkins’. “We will have a referendum next fall, and it will likely include money to build a new central kitchen. The central kitchen would allow us to prepare a majority of our food from scratch,” Metz said. Hopkins Public Schools director of nutrition and lifestyle services Barb Mechura said the
Photo Nathaniel Sturzl
New nutrition: Jill Beal serves lunch to freshman Michael Johnson Jan. 9. According to Superintendent Rob Metz, the Learning Design Team prioritizes school nutrition and will be making improvements to the current lunch program by partnering with Hopkins High School. changes were made in Hopkins because of the important impact lunches have in students’ lives. “Science has shown that food and activity are two of the most important influences on our overall health and brain skills,” Mechura said. “These two choices affect everything.”
Trotter said she thinks considering natural options and ingredients would be valuable. “(Lunch) would be tastier and better for you if they were like natural foods,” Trotter said. According to Metz, a twoyear strategic plan is being written for this project.
SLPECHO.COM
Second hijab incident occurs
Victim, adminstration comment on proper handling of policy Ethan Brown ethanbrown@slpecho.com
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fter a second incident involving the pulling of a hijab Dec. 16, Principal Scott Meyers said the administration took steps to ensure policy was followed appropriately. “We were aware of the incident. We interviewed both students and then we met with the families today to discuss what had happened,” Meyers said. The victim, a senior, said the incident occurred in Meredith Webster’s third hour study hall. “Some kid came in, and that kid bothers me way too much, and I gave him too many chances,” the victim said. “I told the two girls in Somali, ‘if this kid talks to me today, it’s done, because I’m not in the mood.’” The victim said the perpetrator, a freshman, pulled the bun of her hair, causing her hijab to slide back. “Right when I said that, he came and grabbed the (bun in my hair) and my neck flew back,” the victim said. “He pulled on the bun, and the hijab’s on top, so basically it slid back.” The victim said the perpetrator admitted to involvement in the incident. The victim said she believes the incident wasn’t related to her religion. “No (it wasn’t related to religion). I wrote (that) down on one of the papers (I used to report the incident),” the victim said. The victim said she reported the incident to the Principal’s office. “I reported it, and then the police talked to me (and) asked me if I wanted to press charges,” the victim said. “I said ‘No, I don’t want to take it that far.’” The victim said she spoke with Meyers alone and then spoke with Meyers and Superintendent Rob Metz together. The victim said she and the perpetrator didn’t meet for mediation Dec. 16. “If I want (mediation) to happen he has to want it, too. (It may happen) next time we see each other,” the victim said. “I told them I do want to talk to him.” Meyers also said if both students agree, students may meet for mediation in the future. “The students did not meet (Dec. 16). There may be a meeting in the future if that’s desired,” Meyers said. For more content go to slpecho.com