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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... THIEF RIVER FALLS WANTS ITS STORM SHELTER TO WELCOME THE WHOLE FAMILY... WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS.
[CHIEF RICK BEIER: SNAKES, SPIDERS, THINGS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY POISONOUS, DANGEROUS.]
XAN HOLSTON: THE PET POLICY IS UP FOR A VOTE TODAY...
BUT FIRST...
A WOMAN’S ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ENDED IN ANOTHER WOMAN’S DEATH... AND NOW... A FELONY CHARGE.
POLICE SAY A NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA WOMAN WAS TRYING TO ESCAPE HER ABUSIVE EX-BOYFRIEND AT A GRAND RAPIDS GAS STATION...
SHE TOLD POLICE SHE GOT BEHIND THE DRIVER’S WHEEL WHEN HE WAS INSIDE THE STORE... AND DROVE OFF QUICKLY.
OFFICIALS SAY THE EX-BOYFRIEND ALLEGEDLY CLIMBED INTO THE TRUCK BED... SMASHED THE REAR WINDOW... FORCED HIS WAY INTO THE TRUCK CAB... AND PUNCHED THE FEMALE DRIVER IN THE HEAD.
THE DRIVER SAYS SHE DOESN’T REMEMBER ANYTHING AFTER THAT.
POLICE SAY THE TRUCK SHE WAS DRIVING CROSSED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC... KILLING J... A 42-YEAR-OLD MOTHER OF THREE.
‘THE FEMALE DRIVER NOW FACES A CHARGE OF FELONY CRIMINAL VEHICULAR HOMICIDE … WHILE THE EX-BOYFRIEND IS FACING CHARGES FOR THIRD-DEGREE MURDER AND THREE OTHER FELONIES.
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
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XAN HOLSTON: FOR THOSE TRYING TO ESCAPE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE SOUTHEASTERN PART OF THE STATE... THERE IS MORE ROOM IN A SAFE PLACE.
THE ‘WOMEN’S SHELTER AND SUPPORT CENTER’ OPENED A NEW EMERGENCY SHELTER LAST WEEK … NEARLY DOUBLING CAPACITY TO 75 BEDS.
THE SHELTER DIRECTOR SAYS THE NEW BUILDING HAS CAN OFFER MORE IN-HOUSE SERVICES … FROM LEGAL ASSISTANCE … TO COUNSELING … TO HELP FINDING TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
[ARTYCE THOMAS: WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS CREATE A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE REDUCING AS MANY BARRIERS AS POSSIBLE … THAT WE'RE NOT JUST PASSING ALONG A PHONE NUMBER AND SAYING, OH YEAH, CALL SO AND SO AT THIS NUMBER.]
XAN HOLSTON: SHE SAYS THE SPACE IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST AN EMERGENCY SHELTER … AND THAT ANYONE EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WHO NEEDS HELP CAN REACH OUT … ANONYMOUSLY.
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
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A POLITICAL FIGHT IS SPROUTING FROM THIS YEAR’S MINNESOTA STATE FAIR’S RECORD-SETTING CROP-ART SHOW... WITH 594 ENTRIES.
AN ENTRY READING “EIGHTY-SIX FORTY-SEVEN” IS DRAWING OUTRAGE FROM CRITICS WHO CALLED IT A THREAT AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP...
86...A SLANG NUMBER MEANING TO GET RID OF SOMETHING AND 47 REFERENCING PRESIDENT TRUP AS THE 47th US PRESIDENT.
SUPPORTERS ARE CALLING IT “ART’... WITH A MESSAGE TO REMOVE HIM POLITICALLY.
THE ARTIST ASKED THE FAIR TO TAKE DOWN THE PIECE ON SUNDAY... AFTER REPORTS OF DOXXING AND DEATH THREATS.
DESPITE ONLINE CLAIMS THAT TAXPAYERS FUNDED IT... THE POLITICAL ARTWORKS ARE INDEPENDENTLY CREATED AND SUBMITTED BY THE INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS...
AND.. THE STATE FAIR, .. ITSELF... HASN’T RECEIVED ANY STATE FUNDING OR APPROPRIATIONS SINCE 19-49.
IT IS SELF-SUPPORTING WITH ITS OWN YEAR-ROUND STREAMS OF REVENUE.
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NORTHEAST OF BRAINERD... A BAR OWNER AND HIS GIRLFRIEND ARE ACCUSED OF SETTING FIRE TO “THE PUB” IN THE SMALL TOWN OF ‘REMER FOR INSURANCE MONEY.
INVESTIGATORS SAY THE FIRE STARTED IN TWO PLACES... WITH A PETROLEUM PRODUCT FOUND IN ONE.
BOTH FACE ARSON CHARGES … THE OWNER ALSO FACES ATTEMPTED INSURANCE FRAUD.
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A SAINT PAUL MOTHER AND SON FACE FELONY CHARGES AFTER POLICE FOUND THE STOLEN BRONZE BUST OF OLYMPIC CHAMPION SUNI LEE IN A BEDROOM CLOSET.
CREATED BY A HMONG ARTIST... THE STATUE HONORS LEE... THE FIRST HMONG AMERICAN TO WIN OLYMPIC GOLD.
THE MOTHER CLAIMS SHE FOUND IT IN BUSHES AND PLANNED TO RETURN IT.
BOTH ARE CHARGED WITH RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY... NOT THE ORIGINAL THEFT.
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A NORTHWEST MINNESOTA STORM SHELTER IS PROPOSING A NEW POLICY THAT WOULD ALLOW THE FAMILY’S FURRY MEMBERS TO RIDE OUT THE STORM... TOO.
THIEF RIVER FALLS CITY COUNCIL IS SET TO APPROVE THE NEW PET POLICY FOR ITS EMERGENCY STORM SHELTER TODAY...
THE SHELTER DOUBLES AS THE HIGH SCHOOL’SHOCKEY ARENA... AND OPENS FOR TORNADO WARNINGS... OR STORMS WITH DESTRUCTIVE WINDS OR LARGE HAIL…
FIRE CHIEF RICK BEIER (BIRE) SAYS NON-POISONOUS, FRIENDLY FAMILY MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.
[FIRE CHIEF RICK BEIER, THIEF RIVER FALLS: ,PEOPLE HAVE ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT PETS AND SOME OF THEM JUST DON’T PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS NEITHER, SO... WE JUST WANT IT TO BE A SAFE PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GO.]
HOUSEHOLD PETS MAY COME... BUT OWNERS MUST STAY ONSITE AND HANDLE THEIR CARE.
CRATES ARE RECOMMENDED... OR PETS MUST BE LEASHED.
AGGRESSIVE ANIMALS... LIVESTOCK... LARGE SNAKES AND SPIDERS ARE OUT.
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AND... FINALLY... SPEAKING OF LIVESTOCK...
[SFX: MOOS]
XAN HOLSTON: THERE’S NO SWIMSUIT ROUND... BUT THE STATE FAIR’S NEXT SUPREME CHAMPIONS WILL NEED STRONG LEGS... A SHINY COAT... AND AN IMPRESSIVE DAIRY PEDIGREE.
HEIFER JUDGING STARTS TODAY... WITH SEVERAL BREEDS ENTERING THE WARNER COLISEUM RING.
MILKING COWS COMPETE TOMORROW... BEFORE THE BREED WINNERS RETURN THURSDAY MORNING FOR THE SUPREME CHAMPION SELECTION.
AT THE GREAT MINNESOTA GET-TOGETHER... IT’S THE CREAM OF THE CROP...
[sfx: MOO] …LITERALLY.
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.