BenanAv’s Ex-Lover storms office, throws Potted plant

A woman with whom City Council member Jay Benanav had an affair confronted him in his office and damaged personal items on the evening of Feb. 25.

Rachel Goligoski worked with Benanav on his re-election campaign last year. The two had an affair that ended in January.

According to a Feb. 26 article in the Star Tribune, Goligoski came to Benanav’s office to attempt to persuade him not to attend the March 2 precinct caucuses because of the number of people in attendance who knew about their relationship.

A confrontation ensued and Goligoski threw a potted plant, damaged a wall hanging and scattered other items in the office. Police classified the action as a property crime. As of Feb. 26, no charges had been filed.

The confrontation disrupted a City Council public hearing down the hall from Benanav’s office. Dozens of citizens attended this meeting.

According to the Star Tribune, Benanav has apologized for the affair and he and his wife have been seeking help for the past two months.

Benanav also told the Star Tribune that both his colleagues and his constituents have been supportive and that the incident will not impede his ability to do his job.

“They recognize the work I have done,” Benanav said in a Feb. 26 article. “As long as I can continue to represent their needs and the needs of this community, I will continue in that capacity.”
 

Dean Makes request for student award nominations

Student Affairs staff and the Dean of Students Office are sponsoring a convocation and awards ceremony to recognize students and organizations for their extracurricular contributions to Macalester.

The Dean’s Recognition Convocation and reception will occur on April 22 from 11:45 a.m.–1 p.m. in the Weyerhaeuser Memorial Chapel.

Students may nominate themselves or be nominated by faculty, staff and other students. Nominations are due by March 15. The nomination form can be found on the Dean of Students web site.

According to the Student Recognition Committee’s web site, student awards include the Presidential Leadership Award for Outstanding Seniors, which recognizes seniors for their scholarship and commitment to Macalester, the Ann Bolger Vision Award, a leadership award, and the Dean of Students Award, which recognizes students for upholding one or more of the pillars of Macalester College.

Additional student awards include the Servant-Leader Award, which recognizes students for setting an example through leadership and the Distinguished Student Employee Award.

Awards for organizations include the Collaboration Award, the Community Service Award, the Education Award, for generating campus awareness of an issue, the Organizational Growth Award and the Multiculturalism Award.

For more information, contact Assistant Director of Campus Programs and chair of the Student Recognition Committee Tara Stormoen.
 

City honors Schultz with final year of statues

For the fifth and final summer, the St. Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau will pay tribute to St. Paul native Charles Schultz by displaying statues featuring characters from his Peanuts comic strip.

The theme for this year is “Doghouse Days of Summer.” This year’s statues will feature Snoopy lying atop his doghouse with Woodstock on his stomach.

Past statues have showcased Charlie Brown, Linus and Lucy.

The design this year is different from past years because the statues will feature two characters and Snoopy’s doghouse, creating a larger surface for the local artists who decorate each one.

During the past four summers, over 2 million visitors from all 50 states and 60 countries have come to St. Paul to see the statues, according to the bureau’s web site. The bureau expects about half a million visitors this summer.

The statues will be on display until Sept. 19. At this time, the local businesses that sponsor the statues have the option of keeping the statues or auctioning them off at the city’s Landmark Center.

According to the bureau’s web site, proceeds from the auction will benefit the Charles M. Schultz Fund, which is dedicated to creating and maintaining permanent bronze sculptures of the Peanuts characters in the city’s Landmark Plaza and to funding scholarships for emerging artists.

Artists painting the statues will participate in a Paint-Off from May 19-24 at River Center. The event will be open to the public.