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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.
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.
FOOD INSECURITY IS GROWING ACROSS THE STATE... HOW ONE ORGANIZATION IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA WILL HELP FEED MORE FAMILIES. AND LAWMAKERS VOTE TO MEMORIALIZE A SOUTHERN MINNESOTA FIRST RESPONDER...
BUT FIRST, AFTER 80-YEARS.... A FALLEN WORLD WAR TWO SOLDIER RETURNS TO A HERO’S WELCOME IN HIS SOUTHERN MINNESOTA HOME... CAPTAIN WILLIBALD “BILL” BIANCHI IS FINALLY BACK IN NEW ULM… A MOTORCADE ESCORTED CAPTAIN BIANCHI’S REMAINS ON THE TRIP FROM THE MINNEAPOLIS AIRPORT ... HONORED BY CROWDS LINING HIGHWAYS AND SMALL-TOWN STREETS… SALUTING AND WAVING FLAGS AS HE PASSED. THE WELCOME-HOME PROCESSION STOPPED FOR REFLECTION OUTSIDE THE NEW ULM AMERICAN LEGION POST THAT BEARS HIS NAME. THE TOWN ALSO HAS A STREET NAMED IN HIS HONOR. THE MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT FOUGHT THROUGH SOME OF WORLD WAR TWO’S MOST BRUTAL BATTLES IN THE PHILIPPINES…BEFORE BEING KILLED IN A FRIENDLY FIREBOMBING OF A PRISON SHIP NEAR TAIWAN. CAPTAIN BIANCHI’S REMAINS WERE IDENTIFIED WITH D-N-A TESTING FROM A MASS GRAVE AT THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY OF THE PACIFIC IN HAWAII… WHERE HE HAD BEEN BURIED AS UNKNOWN. CAPTAIN BIANCHI WILL RECEIVE A PUBLIC MILITARY TRIBUTE AND BURIAL WITH FULL MILITARY HONORS AT THE NEW ULM CITY CEMETERY, SATURDAY, MAY SECOND.
MEANWHILE … THE TOWN OF ZUMBROTA LOOKS TO HONOR ITS OWN FALLEN HERO BY RENAMING A STRETCH OF HIGHWAY 58 “THE GARY SCHROEDER JUNIOR MEMORIAL HIGHWAY.” SCHROEDER WAS A VETERAN POLICE OFFICER AND FIREFIGHTER IN ZUMBROTA FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES ... HE SUFFERED FROM P-T-S-D ... AND DIED BY SUICIDE. ADVOCATES HOPE IT WILL HONOR THE LONG-TIME COMMUNITY LEADER ... WHILE ALSO RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE. REPUBLICAN SENATOR STEVE DRAZKOWSKI SAYS SMALL-TOWN POLICE OFTEN CARRY TRAUMA HOME … BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THEY RESPOND TO ARE A PART OF THEIR DAILY LIVES.
[STEVE DRAZKOWSKI: THE PEOPLE YOU TRY TO HELP ARE NOT STRANGERS. THEY ARE YOUR FAMILY, YOUR NEIGHBORS AND YOUR FRIENDS, AND THAT CAN TAKE ITS TOLL. (4:38, 9S)]
XAN HOLSTON: THE BILL NOW HEADS TO GOVERNOR TIM WALZ’S DESK.
A FAKE NUDE IMAGE COULD SOON CARRY A VERY REAL PRICE TAG IN MINNESOTA. THE MINNESOTA HOUSE PASSED A BILL TARGETING SO-CALLED “NUDIFICATION” TECHNOLOGY … ARITIFCIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS THAT CAN MAKE A PERSON IN A PHOTO OR VIDEO APPEAR NAKED. THE BILL DOESN’T CRIMINALIZE USERS DIRECTLY … INSTEAD IT GOES AFTER THE WEBSITES AND APPS WHERE PEOPLE CAN CREATE THE IMAGES … AND BANS THEM FROM OFFERING THE APPLICATIONS IN MINNESOTA. BILL AUTHOR REPRESENTATIVE JESSICA HANSON SAYS THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY NON-CONSENUAL FAKE NUDES IMAGES CAN BE DEVASTATING.
[REP. JESSCA HANSON: WOMEN'S LIVES ARE BEING RUINED, SOMETIMES BY STRANGERS AND OFTENTIMES BY MEN THEY TRUSTED FOR DECADES. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE. (29:06, 10S)]
XAN HOLSTON: THE BILL WOULD ALLOW VICTIMS TO SUE FOR DAMAGES … AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL COULD SEEK CIVIL PENALTIES OF UP TO 500-THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE BILL PASSED WITH BROAD SUPPORT.
[NAT: MUSIC TRANSITION]
XAN HOLSTON: SOMALI MINNESOTANS ARE GATHERING AT THE STATE CAPITOL TODAY FOR THE THIRD ANNUAL SOMALI DAY AT THE CAPITOL. ORGANIZERS ARE CALLING ON STATE LEADERS TO RENEW THEIR COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING SOMALI AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS … AND WORK TO STABILIZE LOCAL BUSINESS AND THE ECONOMY IN THE WAKE OF AGGRESSIVE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. THE RALLY RUNS FROM 10 TO NOON IN THE CAPITOL ROTUNDA IN SAINT PAUL.
WITH MORE FAMILIES TURNING TO FOOD SHELVES ACROSS THE STATE … A NONPROFIT CROW WING COUNTY IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA IS EXPANDING ITS REACH. THE LAKES AREA FOOD SHELF OPENED A SECOND LOCATION IN BAXTER LAST WEEK … REDUCING THE DRIVE MANY BRAINERD FAMILIES WERE MAKING. AMPERS MEMBER STATION KAXE’S CHELSEY PERKINS BRINGS US TO THE NEW SITE.
CHELSEY PERKINS: TAMARA LARSON SAT DOWN LATE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON FOR WHAT SHE SAYS FELT LIKE THE FIRST TIME IN TWO DAYS.
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LAKES AREA FOOD SHELF OVERLOOKED THE NEW LOCATION FROM UPSTAIRS AFTER SPENDING THE LAST YEAR BRINGING THE VISION TO LIFE.
TAMARA LARSON: JUST BEYOND MY WILDEST DREAMS, I THINK.
LARSON SAYS THE EXPANSION TO TWO LOCATIONS IN CROW WING COUNTY WILL HELP THOUSANDS OF HOUSEHOLDS EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY.
CHELSEY PERKINS: SINCE THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC, FOOD SHELVES OPENED THEIR DOORS TO EVERYONE IN NEED INSTEAD OF JUST THOSE IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. THIS LED TO A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN PATRONS AT THE FOOD SHELF’S PEQUOT LAKE SITE,
TAMARA LARSON: PRETTY MUCH ALL OF 2025, 40 PERCENT OF THE SHOPPERS THAT WERE COMING TO PEQUOT WERE FROM BRAINERD: 56401.
CHELSEY PERKINS: A WOMAN IN HER EARLY 30S WHO WAS SHOPPING WEDNESDAY SAYS A LOT OF WORKING PEOPLE ARE TREMENDOUSLY IMPACTED BY INFLATION RIGHT NOW.
WOMAN AT FOOD SHELF: SO THIS HELPS US TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK ON OUR FEET AND BE ABLE TO AFFORD SOMETHING.
CHELSEY PERKINS: SHOPPING APPOINTMENTS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO MINIMIZE WAIT TIMES. THE BAXTER LOCATION IS OPEN NINE TO TWO TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS AND ONE TO SIX ON WEDNESDAYS.
THE GITCHIGAMI REGIONAL LIBRARY HAS INSTALLED ITS SECOND “FOOD FOR THOUGHT” FREE LIBRARY AT THE BAXTER FOOD SHELF WHERE VISITORS CAN ALSO BROWSE AND SELECT FROM A COLLECTION OF FREE BOOKS.
CHELSEY PERKINS, KAXE NEWS.
XAN HOLSTON: AND FINALLY… A NEIGHBORHOOD CONTROVERSY ON DULUTH’S PARK POINT MAY BE OVER SOON. BILLIONAIRE CARGILL FAMILY MEMBER KATHY CARGILL LISTED HER 57-HUNDRED SQUARE-FOOT BEACHFRONT HOME FOR FOUR MILLION DOLLARS… NEIGHBORS AND CITY LEADERS SAY CARGILL CAUSED A BIG NEIGHBORHOOD BROUHAHA WITH PLANS TO BUY AND DEMOLISH MULTIPLE NEARBY HOUSES FOR HER FAMILY MEMBERS. SHE HAS SINCE CANCELLED THOSE PLANS. AND PUT HER HOUSE UP FOR SALE.
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON... THANKS FOR JOINING US.
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.