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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. COMING UP, A CLOSED-DOOR MEETING IN SAINT PAUL ENDS WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS LOOKING FOR ANSWERS.
[SOT: NEITHER THE COUNCIL NOR THE PUBLIC HAS SEEN THE FINDINGS OF THIS REPORT.]
XAN HOLSTON: PLUS... RECENT COLLEGE GRADS WHO ARE NUTS ABOUT TRAVELING... WE HAVE A SHELL OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU ABOUT...
AND.. THE LATEST RESULTS FROM FEDERAL VOTER FRAUD INVESTIGATIONS...
BUT FIRST...
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MINNESOTA’S ‘TRUTH COUNCIL’ IS NOW DEVELOPING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LAWMAKERS AFTER FINISHING ITS PUBLIC HEARINGS …
[VANITA GUPTA, FORMER U.S. ASSOCIATE AG: THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S ACTIONS AND FAILURE TO ACT MEAN THAT FOR NOW, IF LAWS HAVE BEEN VIOLATED, ANY MEANINGFUL ACCOUNTABILITY WILL HAVE TO COME FROM STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES.]
XAN HOLSTON: DOZENS OF PEOPLE SHARED WHAT THEY PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED DURING OPERATION METRO SURGE ... AT A FINAL HEARING YESTERDAY IN ROCHESTER.
THE TESTIMONY FOCUSED ON FEDERAL POLICIES RANGING ... FROM LACK OF OVERSIGHT IN ENFORCEMENT… TO COURTROOMS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC.
[CLAIRE TRICKLER-MCNULTY, FORMER SENIOR ICE OFFICIAL: WHAT HAPPENED IN MINNESOTA WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT, AND IT WAS NOT INEVITABLE — IT WAS A PRODUCT OF CHOICES AND DIFFERENT CHOICES ARE POSSIBLE.]
[RYAN WOOD, FORMER IMMIGRATION JUDGE: IF THE AGENCY CANNOT FOLLOW ITS OWN PUBLIC RULES, IT INVITES THE QUESTION OF WHETHER IT'S FOLLOWING THE RULES NO ONE CAN SEE. AND WHEN THE PUBLIC CANNOT WATCH, THE ONLY ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED IS THE ONE THE AGENCY KEEPS.]
XAN HOLSTON: A FINAL REPORT WITH RECOMMENDATIONS IS DUE DECEMBER FIRST.
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SAINT PAUL’S CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO APPROVE HIRING AN INDEPENDENT... OUTSIDE LAW FIRM TO DEFEND MAYOR KAOHLY HER…
POLICE CHIEF AXEL HENRY IS SUING HER AND THE CITY... ALLEGING SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND RETALIATION... INCLUDING UNWANTED TOUCHING AND SEXUAL COMMENTS...
THE CITY’S RECENTLY RELEASED SUMMARY OF ITS INVESTIGATION SAID IT FOUND INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT... BUT DID NOT SUBSTANTIATE SEXUAL HARASSMENT OR RETALIATION...
THE COUNCIL SAYS ONE BIG UNRESOLVED ISSUE AT THIS POINT IS THAT THE ACTUAL REPORT IS STILL A SECRET.
[IN THE SIX MONTHS DURING WHICH THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC HAVE BEEN KEPT ENTIRELY IN THE DARK BY THE ADMINISTRATION, AN EXTERNAL LAW FIRM HAS ALREADY BEEN ENGAGED AT THE TAXPAYERS' EXPENSE TO INVESTIGATE THE ALLEGATIONS.]
XAN HOLSTON: THE COUNCIL IS DEMANDING ACCESS TO THE FULL REPORT BEFORE ITS NEXT MEETING...
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
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THE U-S ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE ANNOUNCED FEDERAL VOTER-FRAUD CHARGES TODAY AGAINST TEN NONCITIZENS IN MINNESOTA...
NINE ARE ACCUSED OF VOTING ILLEGALLY... ONE OF FALSELY CLAIMING CITIZENSHIP TO REGISTER...
THE ALLEGATIONS INVOLVE ELECTIONS IN TWENTY-TWENTY-TWO... TWENTY-TWENTY-FOUR... AND THE PRIMARY THAT JUST TOOK PLACE IN AUGUST...
ALL TEN ARE LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENTS......
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IN A SEPARATE ELECTION ISSUE IN PINE COUNTY...
MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED VOTERS IN THE CITY OF FINLAYSON RECEIVED MAIL BALLOTS FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTION THEY CAN’T VOTE ON.
THE BALLOTS INCLUDE A HOSPITAL DISTRICT BOARD RACE MEANT ONLY FOR FINLAYSON TOWNSHIP.
THE COUNTY SAYS IT WILL CORRECT THE MISTAKE BY NOT COUNTING CITY VOTES.
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THE FINLAYSON MIX-UP COMES AMID FEDERAL EFFORTS TO RESTRICT MAIL-IN BALLOTS …
THE MOST RECENT FEDERAL REPORT FROM THE U-S ELECTION ADMINISTRATION COMMISSION SHOWS THE PRIMARY REASONS MAIL-IN BALLOTS WERE REJECTED IN THE 20-24 NATIONAL ELECTION... WERE SIMPLE ERRORS... NOT INTENTIONAL FRAUD... INCLUDING.. SIGNATURE OR WITNESS PROBLEMS... OR BALLOTS ARRIVING TOO LATE.
MINNESOTA REJECTED TWO PERCENT OF MAIL IN BALLOTS.. COMPARED TO THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF JUST ONE PERCENT
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LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIALS SAY FEWER PEOPLE ARE MAILING-IN THEIR BALLOTS THIS YEAR...
IN ITASCA COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY MORE VOTERS ARE CHOOSING TO HAND-DELIVER THEIR VOTES AS MIDTERMS APPROACH.
REPORTER MIKE MOEN HAS MORE.
[MIKE MOEN: THE U.S. SUPREME COURT RECENTLY BLOCKED THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM REQUIRING THE POSTAL SERVICE TO ADD RESTRICTIONS FOR PROCESSING MAIL-IN BALLOTS.
DESPITE THAT OUTCOME, A NEW POLL THIS MONTH SAYS JUST 49% OF AMERICANS EXPECT A FREE AND FAIR MIDTERM ELECTION.
ITASCA COUNTY ELECTION SPECIALIST KATIE JOHNSON SAYS THE AUGUST PRIMARY OFFERED CLUES ABOUT HOW VOTERS ARE RESPONDING TO FEDERAL ACTIONS.
[KATIE JOHNSON: WE SAW, I WOULD SAY, AT LEAST A 75 PERCENT INCREASE OF PEOPLE COMING INTO THE COURTHOUSE TO PHYSICALLY DROP OFF THEIR BALLOTS RATHER THAN SEND THEM THROUGH THE MAIL.]
MIKE MOEN: JOHNSON ECHOES COLLEAGUES WHO SAY UNLESS YOU HEAR AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE MINNESOTA SECRETARY OF STATE, VOTING BY MAIL IS STILL A VIABLE OPTION.
THE SEPTEMBER CONFIDENCE POLL WAS FROM THE CENTER FOR TRANSPARENT AND TRUSTED ELECTIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO.
I'M MIKE MOEN.]
XAN HOLSTON: MINNESOTA’S SECRETARY OF STATE SAYS MAIL-VOTING PROCEDURES REMAIN UNCHANGED FOR THE 2026 ELECTION …
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
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XAN HOLSTON: AND FINALLY … HERE’S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COLLEGE GRADS TO CRACK OPEN A NEW CAREER AND COME OUT OF THEIR SHELLS AND SEE THE COUNTRY...
HORMEL... THE AUSTIN-BASED MAKER OF SPAM... WANTS THREE “PEANUTTERS” TO DRIVE AROUND THE COUNTRY IN ITS 26-FOOT PEANUT SHAPED ‘NUTMOBILE’... PROMOTING ITS PLANTERS NUTS.
THE YEAR-LONG GIG STARTS NEXT JUNE … IT PAYS SALARY AND BENEFITS … SO YOU WON’T BE WORKING FOR PEANUTS.
APPLICATIONS CLOSE NOVEMBER FIRST.
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.