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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 A SPECIAL EDITION OF NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
REP. BAHNER: I FOUND SOME VIDEOS I WASN’T EXPECTING… AND THOSE VIDEOS MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE HAD BEEN AT MY DOOR.
XAN HOLSTON: EACH DAY THIS WEEK, NORTH STAR STORIES IS EXPLORING THE ONGOING IMPACT THE POLITICAL ASSASSINATION OF FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER MELISSA HORTMAN HAD ON OUR STATE.
TODAY … WE HEAR FROM REPRESENTATIVE KRISTEN BAHNER.
AFTER SHOOTING THE HOFFMANS … AND BEFORE MURDERING THE HORTMANS … VANCE BOELTER SHOWED UP AT REPRESENTATIVE BAHNER’S HOME.
THAT’S THE ONLY TIME WE’LL NAME THE CONFESSED KILLER. THE REST OF OUR COVERAGE FOCUSES ON THE VICTIMS, THE SURVIVORS, AND THE CITIZENS OF MINNESOTA.
REPRESENTATIVE BAHNER SAYS HER FAMILY RARELY AGREES ON ANYTHING. BUT, SURPRISINGLY, HER PARTNER, CHILDREN, AND GRANDCHILDREN ALL AGREED TO LEAVE FOR A TRIP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
A DECISION SHE SAYS LIKELY SAVED THEIR LIVES.
REP. KRISITN BAHNER: WE DID NOT GO ON VACATION. I KNOW FOLKS HAVE SAID THAT, BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT TRIVIALIZES THINGS. WE LEFT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS TO BE WITH FAMILY AND WE AT THE LAST MINUTE DECIDED TO LEAVE A DAY EARLY.
WE CALLED THE KIDS TOGETHER AND WE HAD THE CONVERSATION THE NIGHT BEFORE AND TOLD THEM THAT IF WE LEAVE TOMORROW MORNING, IT MEANS WE’RE GOING TO ALL HAVE TO GO TO BED EARLY AND DRIVE A REALLY LONG WAYS. BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I DON’T KNOW HOW WE GOT THESE CHILDREN TO AGREE TO IT, BUT THEY DID…
IF THE INFORMATION I HAVE IS ACCURATE, HE MISSED US GOING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY BY MAYBE 15 MINUTES.
I WOKE UP TO THE CHIEF TELLING ME THAT MARK AND MELISSA WERE GONE, AND JOHN AND YVETTE WERE NOT DOING WELL …
I WASN’T REALLY WORRIED ABOUT ME, IN ALL HONESTY, I WAS WORRIED ABOUT MY PARTNER, I WAS WORRIED ABOUT MY CHILDREN, I WAS WORRIED ABOUT HOW THEY WERE … AND WHETHER IT WAS SAFE FOR THEM TO COME BACK…
POLITICAL VIOLENCE IS… I DON’T KNOW IF I UNDERSTAND ALL OF IT… WE CREATE HEROES AND VILLAINS … I’M NOT GOING TO CLAIM TO BE THE HERO, BUT I CAN GUARANTEE YOU I’M NOT THE VILLAIN….
BUT WE DON’T EXPECT OUR FAMILIES TO BE IN HARM’S WAY. AND KNOWING THAT DOING THE WORK THAT I LOVE EVERY DAY PUT MY FAMILY IN DANGER … KNOWING THAT IT COULD HAVE HURT MY GRANDCHILDREN, MY PARTNER, THAT’S REALLY HARD TO PROCESS.
I WISH WE WOULD HEED THE LESSONS OF WHAT HAPPENED IN MINNESOTA … THAT WE WOULD USE THAT TO BE JUST A LITTLE BIT KINDER TO ONE ANOTHER, … BUT I’M NOT GOING TO LET IT STOP ME FROM HELPING MY NEIGHBORS. I’M NOT GOING TO LET IT STOP ME FROM SERVING MY COMMUNITY…
WE HAVE DONE OUR UTMOST TO PRESERVE THE LEGACY OF SPEAKER HORTMAN… AND WHAT I KNOW IS SHE WOULD NOT WANT US TO QUIT.
XAN HOLSTON: THAT WAS REPRESENTATIVE KRISTIN BAHNER … IN HER OWN WORDS.
TOMORROW… OUR SERIES CONTINUES WITH A LOOK AT THE RISE OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE… AND WHY LAWMAKERS SAY THE ANSWER IS NOT TO WALK AWAY FROM PUBLIC SERVICE… BUT TO MAKE IT MORE HUMAN.
FORMER MINNESOTA SENATOR AND CONVICTED BURGLAR NICOLE MITCHELL MAY BE TRYING TO GET BACK INTO POLITICS IN A SAINT PAUL SUBURB.
HER WEBSITE NOW LISTS A CAMPAIGN FOR WOODBURY CITY COUNCIL … AND DIRECTS DONATIONS TO “NICOLE MITCHELL FOR CITY COUNCIL.”
SHE RESIGNED FROM THE SENATE AFTER BEING CONVICTED LAST SUMMER OF BURGLARIZING HER STEPMOTHER’S HOME.
NORTH STAR STORIES REACHED OUT TO MITCHELL FOR COMMENT … BUT DID NOT HEAR BACK.
AFTER A TENSE MEETING EARLIER THIS YEAR ABOUT A PROPOSED GOOGLE DATA CENTER ... SO TENSE POLICE HAD TO INTERVENE …
THE PINE ISLAND CITY COUNCIL IS ENACTING NEW RULES ON PUBLIC SPEAKING.
THE COUNCIL VOTED TUESDAY TO LIMIT COMMENTS TO TWO MINUTES PER PERSON … FOR 20 MINUTES TOTAL.
THE NEW RULES ALSO PROHIBIT COMMENTS ABOUT CITY OFFICIALS OR STAFF.
THE COUNCIL SAYS IT MAY SCRAP THE COMMENT PERIOD ALTOGETHER IF SPEAKERS DON’T FOLLOW THE NEW RULES .
PINE CITY’S MAYOR ALSO RESIGNED UNEXPECTEDLY MONDAY … SAYING HE WASN’T ABLE TO GIVE THE JOB THE ATTENTION IT NEEDED.
PINE CITY IS LOCATED IN THE EAST CENTRAL PART OF THE STATE. [:36]
AND FINALLY...
IT’S MAYFLY SEASON ON THE MISSISSIPPI … AND MNDOT IS TRYING TO AVOID A BUG-RELATED SLIP-AND-SLIDE.
THREE SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA BRIDGES ARE GOING DARK ON PURPOSE… WITH OVERHEAD LIGHTS TURNED OFF IN RED WING… WABASHA… AND WINONA IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE.
MAYFLIES SWARM THE LIGHTS… DIE IN PILES… AND CAN MAKE BRIDGE DECKS SLICK.
THE I-90 DRESBACH BRIDGE WILL STAY LIT BECAUSE OF HIGHER SPEEDS AND A BUSIER INTERCHANGE.
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.