In today’s newscast, why employees in Minnesota can refuse to attend a mandatory meeting at work. Then, those who fought secretly for the US military in Vietnam earn long-awaited veteran status in our state. And a reminder about the importance of getting well water tested.
—–Executive Producer: Victor Palomino Producer: Jamad Jama Anchor: Chantel SinGs Reader scripting: Victor Palomino Fact checking: Joel Glaser, Victor Palomino Editorial support: Emily Krumberger Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood
Transcript
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HOST: This is North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live. Today in Minnesota…
ANCHOR: …Why employees in Minnesota can refuse to attend a mandatory meeting at work. Then, those who fought secretly for the US military in Vietnam earn long-awaited veteran status in our state. And a reminder about the importance of getting well water tested.
I'm Chantel SinGs.
An appeals court has ruled that Minnesota employees have the right to refuse to attend a meeting if their employer is pushing a political or religious view or trying to discourage them from unionizing. Some employers filed a lawsuit challenging the law that the state legislature passed two years ago. The court ruled 2–1 that the lawsuit could not proceed because no state enforcement action had been taken, rendering the case hypothetical. Minnesota's Attorney General called the ruling "a win for working people," saying the law protects employees from being punished for refusing political, religious, or anti-union meetings.
Next, earlier this year, Minnesota lawmakers granted official veteran benefits to Hmong veterans who served in the secret war. What does that mean for these veterans and their communities? Reporter Jamad Jama has the story.
Rep. Jay Xiong: Today marks a historic moment for Minnesota. We are proud to include a provision that officially recognizes the service special gorilla units who fought alongside US forces during the Secret War in Laos.
Jamad Jama: This spring, Minnesota lawmakers made the landmark decision to recognize Hmong veterans, known as Special Guerrilla Units, or SGU's, who served with American forces during the Secret War, a covert conflict that happened at the same time as the Vietnam War. Representative Jay Xiong, co-chair of the House Veterans and Military Affairs Division, and a sponsor of the bill, went on to explain why this step is so meaningful.
Rep. Jay Xiong: And so recognizing the SGU isn't just symbolic, it's a long overdue act of respect and a critical step toward equitable veteran support.
Jamad Jama: The bill recognizes them as veterans today. But their story goes back decades to the Secret War. Many of these veterans were recruited as teenagers and young boys, and their experiences were rarely acknowledged for years.
Mai Huizel: My name is Mai Huizel. I am the Executive Director of Hmong Museum. This was considered a Secret War, because it was a war that was not sanctioned by Congress. It was the result of the United States going into Laos and trying to get some support there for the Vietnam War.
Jamad Jama: These Hmong soldiers, sometimes as young as 10, were usually on the front lines of a covert conflict, facing extreme risk, hunger and danger.
Mai Huizel: Many of the Hmong soldiers ended up being killed. Those who survived the Special Guerrilla Unit are some of the youngest soldiers at that time. It was secret. It wasn't really sanctioned, but yet it is the Hmong people, whose people were sacrificed.
Jamad Jama: These soldiers fought on behalf of the United States, often expecting that the US would provide benefits or long-term help in return.
Mai Huizel: They helped a lot with the American effort, and yet they were not being recognized for the work that they did.
Ya Lee: I was one of the 37 Hmong pilots trained by the United States Air Force during the Secret War in Laos. Despite our vital contribution, we Hmong veterans have never been granted a full recognition we deserve.
Jamad Jama: That's veteran Ya Lee who testified on behalf of the bill passing in April. Of 37 pilots trained back in the early 70s, only 10 are alive today. Lee is one of them.
Ya Lee: We carry not only the scar of battle, but the burden of being forgotten.
Jamad Jama: The bill officially passed in April of 2025, giving Secret War veterans recognition under Minnesota state law. Some of these benefits include getting special designations on their driver's licenses, veteran burial ceremonies and grave markers. Ultimately, the legislature created an Advisory Task Force that will determine eligibility criteria. For North Star Stories, I'm Jamad Jama.
ANCHOR: You are listening to North Star Stories.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture, or MDA, offered free well water testing at FarmFest earlier this month. During the three-day festival near Marshall, in Southwest Minnesota, MDA staff tested 107 private wells. More than a dozen safety concerns were detected. MDA officials say unsafe nitrate levels can threaten infants and pregnant women, and they cannot be detected by taste or smell. About three in four Minnesotans rely on wells for their drinking water. Community groups interested in hosting free well testing should contact the state's Department of Agriculture.
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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.