The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office (MMEO) stepped into the limelight to tender their annual report to the county board, as reported by the official website of Anoka County. Dr. Quinn Piper, who's been at the helm of MMEO since 2009, shared insights on their work, which includes death investigations and postmortem exams, and discussed the education and consultations they provide across the Minnesota counties under their jurisdiction.
But the ripple effects of the MMEO's influence are breaching state lines with the board's approval of their contract with Gogebic County, Michigan. This new alliance, penned for initiation on January 1, 2026, appoints Dr. Piper and the MMEO as Gogebic's go-to for medicolegal death investigation and autopsy services for an initial two years, potentially extending to four.
Generosity isn't a stranger to the county's dealings, and the Anoka County Library system stands testament to that with an infusion of over $25,000 in donations. Backed by the Friends of Anoka County Library, Anoka Women of Today, and the patrons who are the lifeblood of these institutions, these funds will likely go a long way.
Even in death, the county displays its heart through acts of kindness, with resident James Printy bequeathing two burial plots at Morningside Memorial Gardens in Coon Rapids to Anoka County, a notable move when considering Minnesota's laws around the cremation and burial of the indigent. The county shoulders this responsibility in instances where the family cannot.
The board also approved an extension to the Shelter Funding Grant in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Human Services until June 30, 2026, further aiding the Community Social Services and Behavioral Health Department (CSSBH). Originally sanctioned in 2018, this allotment enables the CSSBH to bolster support for homelessness through Stepping Stone Emergency Housing, providing a 66-bed shelter on Anoka County's Rum River Human Service Center campus. Details regarding this effort are available here.
In other news, the Anoka County Crime Prevention Coalition made a marked contribution to support law enforcement, with a $1,600 donation to the Sheriff’s Office. This, along with the significant savings of over $200,000 thanks to a 5-year contract with Prepared for their 911 technology platform, and the introduction of a roundabout in Fridley at the intersection of Mississippi Street and 7th Street NE, encapsulates a series of moves enacting a stronger, safer, and more accessible community.
