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North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live is comprised of a weekly 30-minute magazine-style newscast and daily, five-minute headlines segments that shine a spotlight on the stories and perspectives of Minnesota’s diverse communities, including Black, Latine, Asian American, East African individuals, people living with disabilities, LGBTQIA2S+ residents, laborers, veterans, and those from Greater Minnesota.
INTRO: YOU ARE LISTENING TO NORTH STAR STORIES: VOICES FROM WHERE WE LIVE, A DAILY NEWSCAST ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE IN MINNESOTA.
XAN HOLSTON: WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS SUMMER … AUTHORITIES HAVE FOUND A BODY BELOW ONE OF THE NORTH SHORE’S MOST POPULAR CLIFFSIDE OVERLOOKS.
LAKE COUNTY FIRST RESPONDERS FOUND 64-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL MORSE OF DULUTH ON THE ROCKS BELOW PALISADE HEAD … INSIDE TETTEGOUCHE STATE PARK.
OFFICIALS ARE STILL INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF HIS DEATH .
AMPERS MEMBER STATION W-T-I-P’S KALLI HAWKINS SAYS THERE’S CONCERN IT’S BECOMING TOO COMMON.
KALLI HAWKINS: THIS SUMMER, ON MAY 27 THE BODY OF A MINNEAPOLIS MAN IDENTIFIED AS SETH PEOPLE WAS RECOVERED NEAR THE BASE OF THE CLIFFS. THE LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE TOLD WTIP RADIO THAT THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S FINAL SUMMARY REGARDING THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF PEOPLE'S MANNER OF DEATH WAS DETERMINED TO BE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO MULTIPLE BLUNT FORCE INJURIES FROM THE FALL. REPORTING FOR WTIP RADIO IN GRAND MARAIS, THIS IS KALLI HAWKINS.
XAN HOLSTON: MEANWHILE A BALTIMORE WOMAN ACCUSED OF TRYING TO DROWN HER 15-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER ON WEST BATTLE LAKE IN WEST-CENTRAL MINNESOTA THIS WEEKEND NOW FACES ATTEMPTED MURDER AND ASSAULT CHARGES.
PROSECUTORS SAY THE MOTHER AND DAUGHTER GOT INTO A PHYSICAL FIGHT AFTER THE MOM THREW HER DAUGHTER’S PHONE IN THE WATER .
WITNESSES TELL POLICE THEY PULLED THE MOM OFF THE GIRL … WHO SURVIVED.
THE MOM IS SCHEDULED TO APPEAR IN COURT NEXT MONTH..
BACK UP NORTH … A FORMER IRON RANGE PRINCIPAL IS BEING CHARGED WITH SEXUALLY ABUSING A STUDENT OVER SEVERAL YEARS.
CHRISTOPHER CHAD OF EVELETH IS CHARGED WITH THREE FELONY COUNTS OF CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONDUCT.
PROSECUTORS SAY THE ALLEGED VICTIM TOLD INVESTIGATORS CHAD SEXUALLY ASSAULTED THEM MULTIPLE TIMES BETWEEN 2021 AND 2023 … STARTING WHEN THE STUDENT WAS 14 YEARS OLD.
INVESTIGATORS SAY CHAD WAS THE STUDENT’S TEACHER, SPEECH COACH, AND PRINCIPAL DURING THAT PERIOD … AND THAT THE TWO EXCHANGED THOUSANDS OF MESSAGES THROUGH GRINDR AND SNAPCHAT ONLINE MESSAGING APPS.
A JUDGE ISSUED A WARRANT FOR CHAD’S ARREST MONDAY … BUT COURT DOCUMENTS SHOW HE IS IN A GEORGIA JAIL ON UNRELATED CHILD EXPLOITATION CHARGES.
SHERIFF BOB FLETCHER: I REALLY WANT TO TALK TO COMMUNITY LEADERS … AND SOMALI COMMUNITY LEADERS AND PARENTS …ABOUT WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
XAN HOLSTON: IN THE TWIN CITIES AREA… RAMSEY COUNTY SHERIFF BOB FLETCHER IS CALLING FOR A PUBLIC MEETING WHILE STANDING BEHIND COMMENTS HE MADE THIS WEEK .ABOUT WHAT HE SAYS IS A SMALL BUT GROWING SOMALI GANG PROBLEM ACROSS THE METRO..
FLETCHER SAYS HIS DEPARTMENT IS TRACKING ABOUT 300 YOUNG PEOPLE.. WHO HE SAYS ARE TIED TO ABOUT A DOZEN GANGS… AND.. SAYS COMMUNITY LEADERS NEED TO FIND A SOLUTION.
SOMALI LEADERS SAY VIOLENT CRIME MUST BE ADDRESSED… BUT WARN BROAD ETHNIC LABELING CAN MAKE THE ENVIRONMENT MORE HOSTILE FOR FAMILIES.
A COMMUNITY MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR LATER THIS MONTH.
WILLMAR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS AMONG THE FIRST DISTRICTS IN THE STATE TO OFFER STUDENTS A WAY TO ANONYMOUSLY REPORT POSSIBLE SAFETY THREATS RIGHT FROM THEIR PHONES OR COMPUTERS.
A NEW STATE LAW REQUIRES SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO DEVELOP PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTING TOOLS AND POLICIES BY JULY 2028 … BUT WILLMAR SCHOOL DISTRICT ANNOUNCED IT ALREADY HAS A PROGRAM IN PLACE.
IT’S CALLED ‘SAY SOMETHING’ ... IT ALLOWS STUDENTS TO ANONYMOUSLY REPORT THREATS, BULLYING, OR CONCERNS ABOUT SELF-HARM THROUGH AN APP, ONLINE OR PHONE CALL.
A PORTION OF THE STATE’S TIMBER PROGRAM USUALLY HELPS FUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS … BUT A SEVEN-MILLION-DOLLAR INCREASE IN PROGRAM EXPENSES LAST YEAR WIPED OUT ITS PROFITS.
THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES FORESTRY DEPUTY DIRECTOR ANDREW ARENS TOLD LAWMAKERS TUESDAY THE SCHOOL TRUST LANDS COST NEARLY 20-MILLION DOLLARS TO MANAGE IN 2025 ... BUT ONLY GENERATED 13 MILLION IN REVENUE ... LOSING ABOUT SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS TOTAL.
THE SCHOOL TRUST LAND REVENUES ARE SUPPOSED TO HELP FUND MINNESOTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS … GENERATING MONEY FROM TIMBER, MINERALS, AND OTHER STATE-OWNED RESOURCES.
ARENS SAYS LAST YEAR’S SHORTFALL IS PARTIALLY DUE TO UPDATED ACCOUNTING PRACTICES … BUT ALSO SAYS FOREST MANAGEMENT IS NOT A YEAR-TO-YEAR BUSINESS.
ANDREW ARENS: SOME PEOPLE THINK IN WEEKS, MONTHS, AND QUARTERS. FORESTERS THINK IN DECADES TO MORE THAN A CENTURY.
XAN HOLSTON: ARENS ALSO POINTED TO A WEAK TIMBER MARKET … AS WELL AS HIGHER LABOR, FUEL, AND REPLANTING COSTS.
THE PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND PAID MORE THAN 58-MILLION DOLLARS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS LAST YEAR … THAT MONEY CAME FROM INVESTMENT EARNINGS AND OTHER TRUST REVENUE … ESPECIALLY MINING.
AND FINALLY …
YOUR NEXT ISLAND GETAWAY COULD BE IN CARVER COUNTY… AND NO PASSPORT OR PADDLE IS REQUIRED.
CARVER COUNTY PARKS ... IN THE WESTERN METRO ... HAS ADDED TWO MORE FREE PONTOON SHUTTLE DAYS TO CONEY ISLAND ON LAKE WACONIA…. ALONG WITH ALL OF ITS PICNICKING AMENITIES.
THE RIDES RUN AUGUST 22ND AND SEPTEMBER 19TH… FROM 11 TO 4… LEAVING FROM PARADISE COMMONS AT LAKE WACONIA REGIONAL PARK.
IT’S FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED… AND THE HISTORY HIKE IS INCLUDED.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
OUTRO: NORTH STAR STORIES IS PRODUCED BY AMPERS, DIVERSE RADIO FOR MINNESOTA'S COMMUNITIES WITH SUPPORT FROM THE MCKNIGHT FOUNDATION AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. ONLINE AT AMPERS DOT ORG.