Episode
St. Paul Halts Streetlight Repairs | Minneapolis News
- Published
- Jul 18, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 102
- Processing state
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- https://sources.thednn.ai/621edfea1c9cf374
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Summary
St. Paul’s streetlights are going dark — not from power outages, but copper theft. Millions spent over the past few years, with $1.4 million alone last year just to fix stolen wiring — up from a mere $100K annually before the crisis. Business owners on Payne Avenue say it’s becoming a nightly ordeal, with pitch-black streets deterring customers and raising safety concerns. The Parks and Recreation department’s budget’s been crushed, spending $2.5 million on repairs that often vanish within days as thieves strike again. Crews show up, check things, and leave — with no lasting fix. Officials blame a spike in vandalism starting in 2024, and while they’ve reduced outages, the cost is unsustainable. Now, repairs are on hold as the city looks for a long-term solution — possibly in next year’s budget — with remote parks like Como and Phalen hit hardest. Listen in comfort: Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: [email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting. Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates: https://sources.thednn.ai/621edfea1c9cf374