Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
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 … THE LATEST ON NORTHERN WILDFIRES ... AND OFFICIALS NOW KNOW WHO STARTED A WILDFIRE IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA EARLIER THIS YEAR.
[SHERIFF ERIC KLANG: I'M NOT SURE IF THEY WERE TO MAKE S'MORES OR WHAT HAVE YOU, BUT THEY STARTED A SMALL FIRE, AND THEN FROM THERE IT ESCALATED.
XAN HOLSTON: BUT FIRST...
IN THE CENTRAL MINNESOTA COMMUNITY OF BRAINERD ... GRIEF OVER TWO YOUNG LIVES IS BECOMING A CALL FOR CHANGE.
TWO FORESTVIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT DIED BY SUICIDE WITHIN THE PAST MONTH ... THEIR FAMILIES SAY BOTH GIRLS EXPERIENCED BULLYING.
COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL DISCUSSIONS ARE FOCUSING ON MENTAL HEALTH ... YOUTH SUICIDE ... AND BULLYING PREVENTION …
AMPERS MEMBER STATION K-A-X-E REPORTER MEGAN BUFFINGTON SPOKE TO MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND TO THE MOTHER OF ONE OF THE VICTIMS.
MEGAN BUFFINGTON: OUTSIDE LEXI THORNTON'S SOUTH BRAINERD HOME, BALLOONS, FLOWERS, AND STUFFED ANIMALS ARE WOVEN INTO THE CHAIN LINK FENCE.
XAN HOLSTON: DESPITE THE STIFLING HEAT, FORMER NEIGHBORS SIMONE AUNE AND HER SON STOPPED TO ATTACH A PURPLE PAPER HEART.
WRITTEN ON IT WERE WORDS LIKE “TALENTED,” “SMART,” “BEAUTIFUL,” “LOVING,” “UNIQUE,” AND “FOREVER 13.” WATCHING OVER IT ALL WAS LEXI'S MOM, CHANTEL SMITH.
CHANTEL SMITH: I BROUGHT MY BABY HOME IN A CAR SEAT, AND NOW I BROUGHT HER HOME IN A BOX
MEGAN BUFFINGTON: THE LOSS OF LEXI CAME JUST WEEKS AFTER ANOTHER FOREST VIEW MIDDLE SCHOOLER DIED BY SUICIDE. AVA WAS 11.
XAN HOLSTON: ON THURSDAY, A SMALL GROUP OF WOMEN GATHERED FOR A COMMUNITY FORUM AT WISHING WELL THERAPY SERVICES. OWNER MIRANDA AULIE SAYS THE WHOLE TOWN JUST FEELS HEAVY
MIRANDA AULIE: WHEN YOU FEEL THAT BIG OF HURT. WE'RE LIKE WITHIN OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY. IT'S JUST THAT FEELING LIKE SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE.
XAN HOLSTON: AULIE EXPLAINED HOW TO TALK TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT SUICIDE. DON'T SHY AWAY FROM IT. LET YOUR KIDS GUIDE THE CONVERSATION AND ASK THEM DIRECT QUESTIONS.
AVA AND LEXI'S PARENTS SAY THEIR DAUGHTERS WERE BULLIED. SMITH SAYS LEXI, WHO WAS BLACK, WAS BULLIED ABOUT HER SKIN TONE AND APPEARANCE.
CHANTEL SMITH: THEY SAID THAT HER SKIN COLOR WAS TOO DARK, OR HER NOSE WAS TOO BIG, OR DIDN'T FIT HER FACE.
MEGAN BUFFINGTON: THERE'S BEEN A WAVE OF OUTRAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA FROM PEOPLE UPSET WITH HOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HANDLES BULLYING.
XAN HOLSTON: SMITH SAYS SHE HOPES ANYONE WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH SUICIDAL THOUGHTS ASKS FOR HELP. DESPITE HER GRIEF, SHE'S WILLING TO OFFER IT.
CHANTEL SMITH: ANYTHING TO KEEP OUR BABIES STILL HERE ON EARTH, BECAUSE WE DON'T WE DON'T WANT TO BURY ANY MORE BABIES.
MEGAN BUFFINGTON: MEGAN BUFFINGTON, KAXE NEWS.
THE WILDFIRES ACROSS NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA HAVE SCORCHED NEARLY 69-THOUSAND ACRES .. ACCORDING TO UPDATED INFRARED MAPPING…
US FORESTRY OFFICIALS SAY LIGHTNING STARTED MOST OF THE ROUGHLY 15 FIRES THAT ARE STILL BURNING
NEARLY 800-FIREFIGHTERS ARE PATROLLING COMMUNITIES FROM ELY TO THE GUNFLINT TRAIL. AND RESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO TALK WITH THEM TO STAY INFORMED OF THE LATEST CHANGES… AS EVACUATION ORDERS ARE CHANGING.
THE BOUNDARY WATERS ARE CLOSED THROUGH FRIDAY... AND THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES HAS BANNED ALL BURNING ACROSS THE REGION ... EVEN ON PRIVATE PROPERTY...
BUT.. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICES SAYS AIR QUALITY SHOULD IMPROVE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS...
AND... INVESTIGATORS SAY IT WAS A CAMPFIRE THAT STARTED ‘THE FLANDERS FIRE’ IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA IN MAY... WHILE CROW WING COUNTY WAS UNDER BURNING RESTRICTIONS.
NOW... FIRE OFFICIALS SAY A 72-YEAR-OLD MAN AND HIS FAMILY STARTINED A SMALL CAMPFIRE THAT QUICKLY SPREAD OUT OF CONTROL ... BURNING NEARLY TWO-THOUSAND ACRES ... AND CAUSING NEARLY FIVE-MILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGE. THEY DID NOT RELEASE THE FAMILY’S NAMES.
SHERIFF ERIC KLANG TOLD COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THAT ANY CRIMINAL CHARGES WOULD BE MINOR AND PROSECUTORS PROBABLY WON’T PURSUE THEM ...
COMMISSIONER STEVE BARROWS: I’M GUESSING THEY DON’T HAVE 4.6 MILLION DOLLARS …
SHERIFF ERIC KLANG: THAT’S CORRECT … EXACTLY.
XAN HOLSTON: THE FIRE MAINLY DESTROYED COUNTY-OWNED FOREST LAND.
IN ROCHESTER... THE TRIAL IS UNDERWAY FOR A WOMAN AT THE CENTER OF A NATIONAL DEBATE OVER RACISM AND FREE SPEECH.
JURY SELECTION BEGAN YESTERDAY FOR SHILOH HENDRIX... WHO FACES TWO COUNTS OF DISORDERLY CONDUCT...
LAST YEAR... A VIDEO OF HENDRIX WENT VIRAL OF HER REPEATEDLY USING A RACIAL SLUR AGAINST AN 8-YEAR-OLD BLACK CHILD..
HENDRIX FACES A MAXIMUM OF 90 DAYS IN JAIL AND A TWO-THOUSAND-DOLLAR FINE.
SHE RAISED NEARLY A MILLION DOLLARS THROUGH AN ONLINE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN, SAYING SHE NEEDED MONEY TO PROTECT HER FAMILY.
WITH THE HOT WEATHER OUTSIDE… IT’S THE PERFECT TIME TO TAKE A DAY TRIP WITH THE KIDS TO ENJOY SOME SOMALI ART AND STORYTELLING THIS WEEK….
THE SOMALI MUSEUM IN MINNEAPOLIS IS HOSTING “KIDS HOUR” THURSDAY AFTERNOON, WITH HANDS-ON ART, CRAFTS, STORYTELLING AND CREATIVE PROJECTS FOR CHILDREN FIVE AND UP.
THE MUSEUM SAYS THE SUMMER SERIES IS DESIGNED TO SPARK CREATIVITY, CURIOSITY AND IMAGINATION… WHILE HELPING KIDS EXPLORE SOMALI CULTURE.
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.