The St. Paul Fire Department's Rescue Squad 2 is back on the chopping block, after disagreement between the firefighters union, and the fire chief and Mayor Chris Coleman, the Pioneer Press reports. The mayor sent a letter to the firefighters union on Tuesday saying the specialty rescue squad would be decommissioned for budget reasons. No firefighters will lose their jobs as a result of cutting Rescue Squad 2, the city said.

At about 3 A.M. two men lowered themselves into a network of tunnels under an old Pillsbury flour mill in Minneapolis. At about 5:30 the fire department arrived to rescue one of them, who suffered muscle fatigue and was unable to climb out of the tunnel. The men may face trespassing charges.

Two Minneapolis City Council committees were to discuss how to improve the city's fire department Monday. Independent consultants found the department "consistently provides excellent service" but they also flagged some areas that need improvement. The report found eight of the city's 19 fire stations are in poor condition. It also found that Minneapolis has fewer firefighters per capita than other comparable cities.

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman has avoided a planned protest at the annual mayor's budget address Monday thanks to an agreement with the firefighter's union. Union officials were angry this week after Coleman announced he would decommission Rescue Squad 2 and leave only two rescue squads in the city. The squad will remain with the agreement, but have one less member.

The cost of that overtime comes out to $43,500. The police department has also taken officers from other precincts, special operations division and strategic information center away from their daily duties to focus on protest duties.

A bartender at Erick's Bar in St. Paul cut off a customer and tried to escort him out, then the man stabbed him in the stomach. Other patrons darted after the suspect, tackled him and wrestled the knife away. The man apologized and told police he lost control.