In today’s segment, an update on the suspect accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses. Then, is the current political climate deterring Minnesota’s youth from politics? And, a Northwest scenic overlook reopened for public view.
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 segment, an update on the suspect accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses. Then, is the current political climate deterring Minnesota's youth from politics? And, a Northwest scenic overlook reopened for public view.
I'm Gracie J.
Officials say when they searched property belonging to the man accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, they found more than 50 guns, five body bags, and nearly 18-thousand dollars in cash. Vance Boelter faces state and federal charges for the murders of Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, as well as shooting Minnesota Senator John Hoffman and his wife. Some in the Hoffman family are questioning why Boelter isn't facing attempted murder charges for Hope Hoffman, the couple's daughter. Family members say Hope was in the line of fire. We reached out to the Hennepin County Attorney's office. A spokesperson told us they're still determining if they will file additional charges.
Next, after political violence rocked Minnesota, young people are considering what pursuing politics means. Xan Holston has more on their concerns and what draws them in despite the current situation.
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Xan Holston: Earlier this month, a gunman shot and killed Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband in their home. The same person shot and critically injured State Senator John Hoffman and his wife.
Melisa Lopez Franzen: Something was taken from us, our sense of security, our sense of safety.
Xan Holston: Former Senate Minority Leader Melisa Lopez Franzen said the violence shook everyone. For young people interested in politics, it was a reminder of how different things can look from the outside, especially when most of what the public sees comes through a screen.
Wesley Friberg: There's a lot of portrayal of government as always being cutthroat, and everyone is always arguing with each other, and you know, nothing's ever getting done.
Xan Holston: Seventeen-year-old Wesley Friberg has spent the past five years in YMCA's Youth in Government program. He sat in committee meetings, been on the House floor, and last year, served as a page at the capitol. He said the public narrative doesn't match what he experienced.
Wesley Friberg: You really see that the capitol is a family where everyone is working together to get things done.
Xan Holston: He's watched lawmakers disagree across party lines and within them, and still find ways to collaborate. But that cooperation doesn't always break through the noise of online discourse.
Wesley Friberg: People see the side that is not real, and that's dangerous and unfortunate.
Esha Vibhakar: A lot of the people that I do talk to aren't as well informed, and believe the first thing that they see either on social media or they hear from their parents.
Xan Holston: Esha Vibhakar is another 17-year-old veteran of the YMCA program. She's serving as youth governor in the upcoming session. She said the influence of online opinions and lack of one-on-one interaction since COVID has damaged how young people view politics.
Esha Vibhakar: It's hard to find middle ground and just have a conversation instead of a fight over what our beliefs are.
Xan Holston: That frustration is reflected in national numbers. According to a Harvard Youth Poll from this year, less than a third of young people approve of the President and Congress, and more than half believe the country is off track. Vibhakar said the attacks make the thought of being in politics scarier, but that students like her don't want things sugar coated. They want the truth.
Esha Vibhakar: The older generation tends to hide the hard parts because they want to protect us. I think we would appreciate the honesty and knowing the hardships before we have to figure them out by ourselves.
Xan Holston: Lopez Franzen knows those hardships well. Earlier this year, she dropped out of the race for Senator Tina Smith's open seat. She said safety issues were a real concern.
Melisa Lopez Franzen: Because it takes a big toll, not just on the person on the ballot, but all the family members and all the spouses and children that are involved.
Xan Holston: But Lopez Franzen said political engagement doesn't have to mean being the most visible person, and civic engagement doesn't begin and end with elected office. She said it can be behind the scenes in community and advocacy, or--
Melisa Lopez Franzen: Sometimes it's that staffer that knows the subject matter that's grown within the role.
Xan Holston: She believes young people have a role to play, especially now.
Melisa Lopez Franzen: Do not turn a blind eye on this moment. This is when we need you the most.
Xan Holston: For North Star Stories, I'm Xan Holston.
ANCHOR: You are listening to North Star Stories.
The public can once again get a clear view of what many call the Grand Canyon of the North. Hull Rust Mine View, the world's largest open pit iron ore mine, is located on the north edge of Hibbing, which is northwest of Duluth. City officials had to find a safer, more accessible scenic overlook after closing the original site in 2016. The new public viewing area features several buildings, which include mining equipment and lookout windows.
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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.