In today’s stories, health officials warn of an unusually high West Nile Virus risk. Then, are United States executive orders moving the country into martial law? And, you’re recycling to try and protect the earth. But are you doing it correctly?
—–Executive Producer: Victor Palomino Producer: Jose Ozoria Anchor: Chantel SinGsReader scripting: Xan Holston Fact checking: Joel Glaser, Victor Palomino Editorial support: Emily Krumberger Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood
Transcript
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HOST: You're listening to North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live, a daily newscast about what it means to live in Minnesota.
ANCHOR: In today's stories, health officials warn of unusually high West Nile virus risk. Then, are the executive orders moving the country into martial law? And, you're recycling to try and save the earth. But are you doing it correctly?
I'm Chantel SinGs.
West Nile virus is surging early in the Twin Cities. Mosquito control officials say about one in four mosquitoes tested in the seven-county metro area are carrying the virus. That's one of the highest rates ever recorded and more typical of late August. Many infected people don't get seriously ill, but some can develop fever, headaches, or even severe neurological illness. The disease is more dangerous for the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. Experts urge residents to wear repellent, wear long sleeves, and avoid being outdoors at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.
Next, two recent executive orders have sparked a debate regarding the militarization and expanded powers of local law enforcement, potentially opening the door to US Military involvement in local law enforcement. Jose Ozoria has more.
Karoline Leavitt: The first EO will strengthen and unleash America's law enforcement to pursue criminals and protect innocent citizens. The second EO is centered around protecting American communities from criminal aliens, and it will direct…
Jose Ozoria: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. In the first 100 days of his presidency, President Trump signed 143 executive orders, the most of any president in that time span. The language in two of those orders has many concerned about the possibility of martial law. While the orders don't explicitly establish military rule, nor do they suspend civilian legal processes, many feel that these executive orders blur the lines of how and when the United States military can be utilized for local law enforcement.
Lindsey Greising: The power to the states has always been a really important part of the US structure.
Jose Ozoria: Lindsey Greising is Policy Counsel for the Advocates for Human Rights. She points out how the division of power between the federal and state governments is defined by the Constitution.
Lindsey Greising: I think by demanding that states use their resources to implement federal policy, it is a concerning violation, and I think that's the reason that you know states like Minnesota have pushed back against it.
Karoline Leavitt: If those sanctuary cities are breaking federal law, well, then the Office of Management and Budget is going to look at their federal spending.
Bill Glahn: Hopefully they'll facilitate the workings between state authorities, local authorities, cities, counties and the Feds on their efforts to enforce our nation's immigration laws.
Jose Ozoria: Bill Glahn is a policy fellow with the Center of the American Experiment. He believes that these executive orders support the federal government's immigration policy.
Bill Glahn: The idea behind the naming of sanctuary communities and sanctuary states is identifying those who need to do better, if you will, in cooperating with immigration authorities, with the implication being that at some point it might impact their bottom line.
Jose Ozoria: An executive order is a written directive signed by the president that orders the government to take specific actions to ensure the laws will be faithfully executed. However, the Constitution states that they cannot override federal laws and statutes.
Lindsey Greising: Part of the reason that Minnesotans have fought so hard to make sure that our police are not using their resources for federal immigration enforcement is that they want people to feel safe calling the police
Jose Ozoria: Miss Greising adds that she worries that these executive orders will create this very fear by introducing actual military personnel into areas that they traditionally have not been utilized.
Lindsey Greising: When we talk about militarization, we're talking not only about like kind of making law enforcement have a different look, but then we're also in the immigration context now seeing actual military being used, and that's something very different than what our structures have historically said should be.
Jose Ozoria: Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed by states. The suits challenge the President's various executive orders, as well as other actions taken by the administration. For North Star Stories, I'm Jose Ozoria.
ANCHOR: You are listening to North Star Stories.
Recycling officials are asking everyone to make sure they are taking the steps to do so correctly. It's important to wash and rinse the items before you recycle them. Officials say unwashed items can cause mold and other contaminants that become a danger to waste workers. Recycling is a vital step to conserving Minnesota's resources, especially our water. Environmental officials say creating a product from scratch wastes far more water than utilizing recycled materials. But, they say it's important that you wash items before recycling them.
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HOST: 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.