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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.
LIVY CLARKE: RIGHT NOW IT’S PRETTY SURREAL TO NOT HAVE THE PARKING LOT FULL.
XAN HOLSTON: AS THE WILDFIRES UP NORTH RAGE ... THE FINANCIAL IMPACT IS SPREADING ... SHUTTING DOWN PEAK-SEASON BUSINESS … SOME BOUNDARY WATERS OUTFITTERS ARE SCRAMBLING TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO BRING IN MONEY.
AT THE END OF THE GUNFLINT TRAIL … VOYAGEUR CANOE OUTFITTERS HAS SHIFTED TO SELLING MERCHANDISE ONLINE … SELLING PROPANE FOR AND MAINTAINING FIRE-SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS … AND LOOKING FOR BRUSH-CLEARING AND CABIN WORK.
SEASONAL CREW MEMBER LIVY CLARKE SAYS THE BUSINESS IS ALSO CANCELING TRIPS AND REFUNDING DEPOSITS.
LIVY CLARKE: WE’RE NOT TAKING IN ANY BUSINESS, AND THEN WE’RE ALSO DOING A LOT OF SENDING MONEY BACK OUT.
XAN HOLSTON: CLARKE SAYS THE CLOSURES HAVE WIPED OUT SOME OF THE BUSIEST WEEKS OF A SEASON FOR THE OUTFITTERS UP NORTH ...THAT ONLY LASTS FIVE OR SIX-MONTHS TOTAL.
SHE SAYS THE EXTRA JOBS ARE HELPING TO KEEP THE CREW WORKING … BUT ODD JOBS DO NOT REPLACE A NORMAL SUMMER.
THE U-S FOREST SERVICE HAS CANCELLED ALL BOUNDARY WATERS PERMITS FOR ANOTHER WEEK AS IT CONTINUES FIGHTING THE WILDFIRES.
EVACUATION AREAS AND ROUTES CONTINUE TO CHANGE AS THE FIRE MOVES AND THE WINDS CHANGE.. AIR QUALITY WARNINGS CONTINUE TO CHANGE AS WELL ... THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
FIREFIGHTERS SPENT THE WEEKEND BUILDING CONTAINMENT LINES AND PREPPING FIRES-SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS AT DOZENS OF HOMES AND LODGES … INSTALLING SPRINKLERS AND CLEARING BRUSH … WHILE AERIAL CREWS CONTINUED TO DROP WATER TO SLOW FIRES FROM SPREADING.
OFFICIALS SAY FIRE GROWTH WAS MINIMAL OVER THE WEEKEND … GIVING CREWS TIME TO STRENGTHEN THEIR LINES BEFORE WINDS SHIFT THIS WEEK.
AN ELY SUMMER TRADITION IS THE LATEST CASUALTY OF THE WILDFIRES.
ORGANIZERS CANCELED THIS WEEKEND’S 46TH ANNUAL BLUEBERRY ART FESTIVAL … SAYING EVACUATIONS AND THE STRAIN ON LOCAL EMERGENCY RESOURCES MAKE IT TOO RISKY TO CONTINUE.
THE THREE-DAY EVENT TYPICALLY DRAWS 30- TO 40-THOUSAND PEOPLE … WITH MORE THAN 200 ART AND CRAFT VENDORS.
FROM WILDFIRE RESPONSE IN THE NORTH TO ONGOING CLEAN-UP FROM THE JULY SIXTH TORNADO THAT HIT THE DETROIT LAKES AREA IN WEST-CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
MULTIPLE HOMES AND PROPERTY OWNERS SUFFERED DAMAGE IN THE SEVERE STORMS... BECKER COUNTY IS NOW OFFERING FINANCIAL HELP.
RESIDENTS MAY QUALIFY FOR DISASTER FUNDS … PROPERTY-TAX RELIEF … AND FREE DEBRIS REMOVAL.
PEOPLE WITH DAMAGE SHOULD GO TO THE BECKER COUNTY WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
JUST WEST OF MINNEAPOLIS … THE RED CROSS IS PROVIDING TEMPORARY SHELTER FOR RESIDENTS AFTER A MAJOR FIRE DESTROYED ABOUT 90-APARTMENTS
FLAMES BROKE OUT JUST BEFORE FIVE O’CLOCK THURSDAY AFTERNOON AT THE HELIX APARTMENT COMPLEX IN SAINT LOUIS PARK..
THERE WERE NO FATALITIES.. BUT THREE INJURIES.. THE CAUSE REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.
MINNESOTA ELECTION OFFICIALS ARE POINTING TO SAFEGUARDS VOTERS CAN SEE FOR THEMSELVES IN ALL LOCAL ELECTIONS STATEWIDE…
IN BROWN COUNTY … IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA … OFFICIALS PUBLICLY TESTED ELECTRONIC BALLOT COUNTERS ON FRIDAY – AHEAD OF THE AUGUST 11TH STATE PRIMARY.
THEY RAN PRE-MARKED PAPER BALLOTS THROUGH EACH TABULATOR … THEN VERIFIED THE MACHINE TOTALS MATCHED THE KNOWN RESULTS.
ABSENTEE VOTING IS ALREADY UNDERWAY.
EARLIER THIS MONTH … PRESIDENT TRUMP REMOVED ALL THREE MEMBERS OF THE U-S ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION.
THE BIPARTISAN FEDERAL AGENCY HELPS STATES TEST AND CERTIFY VOTING SYSTEMS … SETS VOLUNTARY SECURITY STANDARDS … AND HELPS LOCAL OFFICIALS REPLACE AGING EQUIPMENT.
IN NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA, CASS COUNTY ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR PAMELA SMITH SAYS THE ELIMINATION OF THE COMMISSION COULD ULTIMATELY IMPACT OUR STATE’S AGING VOTING EQUIPMENT,
PAMELA SMITH: YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE, AND IN A YEAR IT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE UPDATED — AND THAT’S JUST THE SAME THING WITH ELECTION EQUIPMENT.
XAN HOLSTON: MINNESOTA SECRETARY OF STATE STEVE SIMON SAYS HE DOES NOT EXPECT ANY IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON THIS STATE'S ELECTIONS … BUT WARNS THE LOSS OF THE COMMISSION'S LEADERSHIP COULD SLOW FEDERAL CERTIFICATION, RESEARCH AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT AHEAD OF THE MIDTERMS.
THANK YOU TO PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS REPORT.
AND IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA … RED LAKE NATION LEADERS HAVE CERTIFIED RESULTS OF THE JULY 15TH RUN-OFF ELECTION.
TWO INCUMBENTS ARE RETURNING TO OFFICE … AND TWO NEW MEMBERS WILL JOIN THE TRIBAL COUNCIL.
DARRELL SEKI SENIOR WON ANOTHER TERM AS CHAIRMAN …
THE TRIBAL ELECTION BOARD SAYS THE WINNERS WILL BE SWORN IN AT THE NEXT REGULAR TRIBAL COUNCIL MEETING …
AND FINALLY …
A FIRE CAPTAIN FROM SOUTHERN MINNESOTA IS HEADING TO THE NATIONAL STAGE AFTER A RECORD-SETTING SHOWING IN INDIANA.
CAPTAIN KURT WALLACE OF ALBERT LEA WON FOUR MEDALS AT THE FIREFIGHTER CHALLENGE MIDWEST REGIONAL … SETTING A NEW INDIVIDUAL STATE RECORD AND TWO REGIONAL TEAM RECORDS ALONG THE WAY.
THE CHALLENGES INCLUDED HAULING HOSES UP FIVE STORIES … MOVING A 160-POUND STEEL BEAM … AND DRAGGING A 175-POUND MANNEQUIN.
CAPTAIN WALLACE WILL NOW TAKE HIS SKILLS TO THE U-S NATIONALS … BEFORE REPRESENTING TEAM U-S-A AT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP THIS FALL.
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