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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.
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
ANNUNCIATION LIGHT
AS THE ONE-YEAR MARK APPROACHES … ANNUNCIATION CATHOLIC SCHOOL PARENTS ARE REFLECTING ON THE ATTACK …
THE PARENT-LED “ANNUNCIATION LIGHT ALLIANCE” IS COLLECTING PERSONAL ACCOUNTS … HOPING THEY CAN HELP FUTURE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED AND ITS LASTING IMPACT.
THE MASS SHOOTING HAPPENED LAST AUGUST 27TH … WHEN A GUNMAN FIRED THROUGH THE CHURCH WINDOWS DURING THE SCHOOL’S FIRST ALL-SCHOOL MASS … KILLING TEN-YEAR-OLD HARPER AND EIGHT-YEAR-OLD FLETCHER.
THE ALLIANCE SAYS THE PROJECT HONORS THE STUDENTS LOST … WHILE BUILDING AN UNDERSTANDING OF GUN VIOLENCE.
PRIMARY UPDATE
MINNESOTA’S PRIMARY BROKE A NON-PRESIDENTIAL-YEAR EARLY-VOTING RECORD BEFORE POLLS EVEN OPENED YESTERDAY… WITH MORE THAN 241-THOUSAND BALLOTS ACCEPTED.
IT’S ALSO THE FIRST STATEWIDE ELECTION IN WHICH EVERY MINNESOTA VOTER HAD ACCESS TO THE NEW 18-DAY EARLY-VOTING SYSTEM.
YESTERDAY’S PRIMARY ELECTION ALSO BROUGHT FEDERAL ELECTION MONITORS…SOMETHING SECRETARY OF STATE STEVE SIMON SAYS ISN’T NEW.
SECRETARY OF STATE STEVE SIMON: THIS HAS BEEN DONE THE LAST SEVERAL ELECTION CYCLES UNDER MULTIPLE PRESIDENTS… INCLUDING PRESIDENT BIDEN.
WHAT WAS DIFFERENT... HENNEPIN AND RAMSEY COUNTIES REFUSED THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT’S REQUEST TO PUT MONITORS INSIDE POLLING PLACES...
ABOUT 20-FEDERAL STAFF REMAINED OUTSIDE A ONE-HUNDRED-FOOT BOUNDARY...
WHILE THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE SENT STAFF TO OBSERVE THE FEDERAL TEAMS.
RIGHT TO REPAIR
A PROPOSED ‘RIGHT TO REPAIR’ MEASURE IS BACK ON THE BALLOT FOR SAINT PAUL’S NOVEMBER ELECTION... AT LEAST FOR NOW.
A RAMSEY COUNTY JUDGE ORDERED THE CITY TO PUT THE QUESTION BEFORE VOTERS...
IF APPROVED ... RENTERS COULD MAKE CERTAIN REPAIRS THEMSELVES AND DEDUCT THE COST FROM THEIR RENT WHEN A LANDLORD DOESN’T ACT IN TIME.
LAST WEEK, THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO BLOCK THE BALLOT QUESTION AFTER THE CITY ATTORNEY WARNED IT CONFLICTS WITH STATE LAW.
ORGANIZER COLE HANSON SAYS THE PROPOSAL IS AIMED AT BASIC REPAIRS.
COLE HANSON: WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PUTTING IN NEW ADDITIONS TO YOUR APARTMENT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REPLACING THE FLOAT VALVE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REPLACING A WINDOW SCREEN.
THE STATE SUPREME COURT DENIED THE CITY’S EMERGENCY REQUEST TO BLOCK THE ORDER … THE CITY CAN STILL APPEAL.
ANOKA SCHOOL REFERENDUM
SAINT PAUL ISN’T THE ONLY PLACE WHERE A NOVEMBER BALLOT QUESTION IS NOW IN COURT..
NORTH-METRO GROUP ‘PARENTS FOR GOOD’ GATHERED MORE THAN THREE-THOUSAND SIGNATURES TO TRY TO FORCE A PUBLIC VOTE ON ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE ANOKA-HENNEPIN SCHOOL DISTRICT.
BUT … A JUDGE RULED ONLY THE SCHOOL BOARD CAN PUT A FUNDING QUESTION ON THE BALLOT.
THE GROUP IS APPEALING.
LUIGI MANGIONE TRIAL
JURORS WILL REMAIN ANONYMOUS TO THE PUBLIC IN THE MURDER TRIAL OF THE MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING MINNETONKA-BASED UNITED HEALTH CARE’S C-E-O BRIAN THOMPSON.
LUIGI MANGIONE WAS IN COURT YESTERDAY FOR HIS LAST APPEARANCE BEFORE HIS TRIAL IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN NEXT MONTH.
THE JUDGE CITED THREATS... HARASSMENT... AND CONCERNS ABOUT POSSIBLE JUROR INTIMIDATION WHEN HE MADE HIS RULING
MANGIONE HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY OF INTENTIONALLY SHOOTING AND KILLING THOMPSON OUTSIDE A MANHATTAN HOTEL IN DECEMBER 2024.
DULUTH SHORT-TERM RENTAL BAN
DULUTH IS TRYING TO STOP MORE SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES FROM BEING CONVERTED INTO SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTALS.
A NEW CITY COUNCIL PROPOSAL WOULD BAN NEW WHOLE-HOME... NON-OWNER-OCCUPIED SHORT-TERM RENTALS.. INCLUDING THOSE LISTED ON SITES LIKE AIR-B-N-B AND VRBO.
THE CITY PUT A ONE-YEAR FREEZE ON THAT TYPE OF LICENSE LAST FALL ... THE PAUSE EXPIRES IN NOVEMBER.
CITY OFFICIALS SAY SHORT-TERM RENTALS PUT PRESSURE ON THE RESIDENTIAL HOUSING MARKET.
JON OTIS: WE’RE TRYING TO PROTECT OUR HOUSING STOCK. AND OUR MOST VULNERABLE ARE THOSE SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES.
THE PROPOSAL WOULD STILL ALLOW OWNER-OCCUPIED HOME SHARES … AND EXISTING LICENSED VACATION RENTALS.
A VOTE ON ORDINANCE LANGUAGE COULD COME LATER THIS MONTH.
DULUTH “FRESH DOLLARS”
AND SOME SHOPPERS IN DULUTH CAN DOUBLE THEIR BUYING POWER ON FRESH PRODUCE …
‘WHOLE FOODS CO-OP' AND ESSENTIA HEALTH HAVE LAUNCHED “FRESH DOLLARS” .. A PROGRAM MATCHING PRODUCE PURCHASES DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR UP TO TEN DOLLARS.
PEOPLE ENROLLED IN PROGRAMS INCLUDING SNAP … WIC … AND MEDICAID CAN VISIT THE WHOLE FOODS CO-OP WEB SITE FOR ELIGIBILITY DETAILS.
NEW MMIR DIRECTOR
MINNESOTA IS LOOKING FOR A NEW PERMANENT DIRECTOR FOR ITS OFFICE OF MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS RELATIVES.
STATE SENATOR MARY KUNESH… WHO HELPED LEAD THE EFFORT THAT CREATED THE FIRST-IN-THE-NATION OFFICE… SAYS THE OFFICE IS REVIEWING OPTIONS FOR A NEW LEADER.
THE OFFICE WORKS WITH TRIBAL NATIONS… LAW ENFORCEMENT… AND FAMILIES TO ADDRESS VIOLENCE AGAINST INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.
APPLICATIONS FOR THE PERMANENT JOB CLOSE AUGUST 31ST.
BWCA PHASE SEVEN REOPENINGS
AND FINALLY …
UP NORTH ENTHUSIASTS … REJOICE!
STARTING TOMORROW …THE U-S FOREST SERVICE WILL HAVE REOPENED 15-HUNDRED CAMP SITES IN THE BOUNDARY WATERS … THAT’S ABOUT 75-PERCENT OF THE WILDERNESS AREA.
SOME AREAS REMAIN CLOSED FOR SAFETY REASONS..
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.