A verdict for an attack on an ice cream shop is in, legislators look to lock in prescription drug discounts at hospitals statewide, and security cameras at schools that can “see” through bags.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
COMING UP... THE VERDICT IS IN FOR THE ATTACK ON AN ICE CREAM SHOP.
AND...
FROM SCHOOL SAFETY TO RURAL HOSPITALS AND DRUG PRICES ... WE LOOK AT LEGISLATIVE BATTLES TOUCHING MINNESOTAN FAMILIES ACROSS THE STATE.
[SEN. MATT KLEIN: THIS IS A DAVID VS GOLIATH BILL.]
BUT FIRST …
--SCHOOL SECURITY CAMERAS--
OUR TOP STORY... A DEBATE OVER SCHOOL SECURITY THAT HAS, WHAT SOME MAY CALL, ‘BIONIC VISION.’
LAWMAKERS WANT TO KEEP GUNS AND KNIVES OUT OF SCHOOLS … AND SOME SAY A-I CAN HELP DO IT.
THE HOUSE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE DEBATED A FOUR-MILLION-DOLLAR PILOT PROGRAM THAT WOULD USE SURVEILANCE CAMERAS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO SCAN FOR WEAPONS OUTSIDE SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
SUPPORTERS SAY THE TECHNOLOGY CAN DETECT … OR “SEE” … CONCEALED WEAPONS THROUGH BACKPACKS OR JACKETS … WITH A COMBINATION OF WI-FI AND A-I TECHNOLOGY ... AND THAT IT WOULD STOP THREATS BEFORE THEY GET INSIDE SCHOOL DOORS.
-- --
[DR. TIMOTHY CHILDS: BY COMBINING THESE TWO TECHNOLOGIES, WE CAN SEARCH FOR SEEN AND UNSEEN WEAPONS.]
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OPPONENTS ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY IS STILL EXPERIMENTAL ... AND A-I HAS A HISTORY OF MISIDENTIFYING WEAPONS … AND BIAS AGAINST STUDENT OF COLOR.
[KHULIA PRINGLE: PREDICTIVE A-I CAN ONLY USE PAST DATA — IT CANNOT INNOVATE. THIS MEANS BIAS CAN ONLY BE SCALED, NOT CORRECTED.]
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IF THE FUNDING FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM PASSES … CAMERAS WOULD BE SET-UP IN EIGHT SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE … WITH RESULTS IN EARLY 20-27.
--WILLMAR STUDENT ARRESTS--
AS LAWMAKERS DEBATE HOW TO KEEP SCHOOLS SAFE … THREATS TO SEVERAL SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE RECENTLY SHUT DOWN CLASSES.
NOW ... THREE STUDENTS AT WILLMAR MIDDLE SCHOOL IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA ARE UNDER ARREST AND FACING FELONY CHARGES.
POLICE SAY THE STUDENTS LEFT A THREATENING NOTE IN A SCHOOL BATHROOM.
THE NOTE FORCED SCHOOLS TO CLOSE TUESDAY … BUT CLASSES RESUMED WEDNESDAY.
--HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES--
THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS FROM MINNESOTA’S HIGH SCHOOLS.
THE GRADUATING SENIORS OF THE CLASS OF 20-25 SET A STATE RECORD...
THE STATE SAYS 84-POINT-9 PERCENT OF SENIORS EARNED THEIR DIPLOMA IN FOUR YEARS... UP FROM 84-POINT-2 PERCENT THE YEAR BEFORE.
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
--340B PROGRAM EXTENDED--
MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS ARE TRYING TO KEEP ACCESS TO DISCOUNT PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FOR RURAL MEDICAL CLINICS AND HOSPITALS STATEWIDE ... BY PUSHING BACK ON BIG PHARMA.
THE BILL WOULD PERMANENTLY BLOCK DRUG COMPANIES FROM LIMITING HOW DRUGS PURCHASED THROUGH THE FEDERAL 340B DRUG PRICING PROGRAM REACH PHARMACIES.
UNDER THE 340-B PROGRAM … HOSPITALS BUY MEDICATIONS AT A DISCOUNTED RATE ... BUT ARE REIMBURSED AT STANDARD RATES ... AND USE THE SAVINGS TO FUND HEALTHCARE SERVICES.
SENATOR MATT KLEIN … SAYS THE PROGRAM KEEPS PRICES MORE AFFORDABLE FOR EVERYONE.
[SEN. MATT KLEIN: IT SUPPORTS CARE THEN FOR RURAL, LOW-INCOME AND HIGH-RISK COMMUNITIES, EVERYWHERE FROM WINONA TO HENNEPIN COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER, TO LAKE OF THE WOODS.]
OPPONENTS SAY DRUGMAKERS WILL RAISE THEIR PRICES ELSEWHERE TO MAKE MINNESOTANS PAY FOR THOSE DISCOUNTS
[SEN. JORDAN RASMUSSON: IT IS POSSIBLE THAT DRUG MANUFACTURER INCREASE LAUNCH PRICES IN RESPONSE TO OFFERING 340B DISCOUNT PRICES.]
THE BILL PASSED THE SENATE WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT..
THE HOUSE PUT IT IN AN OMNIBUS BILL.
--MINNESOTA SOLDIER KILLED IN KUWAIT--
[ADM. BRAD COOPER, CENTCOM COMMANDER: FINALLY, I WANT TO CLOSE BY REMEMBERING AND HONORING OUR 13 FALLEN WARRIORS WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE DURING OPERATION EPIC FURY.]
THAT’S U-S MILITARY CENTRAL COMMAND FOR OPERATION EPIC FURY IN A VIDEO STATEMENT POSTED ON THURSDAY ... JUST AS NEW REPORTS EMERGE ABOUT THE DRONE-ATTACK THAT KILLED MINNESOTA BORN ARMY MASTER SERGEANT FIRST CLASS NICOLE AMOR IN KUWAIT ON MARCH FIRST.
CBS NEWS REPORTS AN INJURED SOLDIER IN THAT SAME ATTACK AS AMOR ... SAYS THE SITE WAS THINLY FORTIFIED AND UNPR EPARED... AND THAT THE ATTACK DID NOT UNFOLD THE WAY THE PENTAGON FIRST DESCRIBED IT.
CENTRAL COMMAND HAS NOT ANSWERED ANY MEDIA QUESTIONS DIRECTLY, INCLUDING CBS.. BEYOND THAT VIDEO PRAISING THE OPERATION AND HONORING THE DEAD... WITH NO MENTION OF THE WOUNDED OR RESCUED PILOTS INJURIES.
--FLETCHER’S ICE CREAM SHOP BOMBING CONVICTION--
THE MAN ACCUSED OF FIREBOMBING AN ICE CREAM SHOP ... TWICE... IS GUILTY.
IT TOOK A FEDERAL JURY LESS THAN TWO HOURS TO FIND FIROMSA UMAR GUILTY OF ARSON AND THROWING MOLOTOV COCKTAILS AT FLETCHER’S ICE CREAM PARLOR.
PROSECUTORS CONVINCED JURORS HE TARGETED FLETCHER’S BECAUSE OF ITS LARGE L-G-B-T-Q PRIDE FLAG IN THE FRONT WINDOW … THAT WILL BE FACTORED INTO SENTENCING … A DATE FOR THAT IS NOT YET SET.
--BRAINERD SHELTER--
FOR THE FIRST TIME … BRAINERD’S OVERNIGHT HOMELESS SHELTER WILL STAY OPEN YEAR-ROUND.
THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A ONE-YEAR PERMIT FOR THE “BRIDGE ON 7TH” TO REMAIN OPEN ALL FOUR SEASONS.
CITY COUNCILLORS WILL KEEP OVERSIGHT AND VOTED TO REQUIRE AN ANNUAL REPORT … AS THEY BALANCE COMMUNITY CONCERNS WITH THE NEED FOR SHELTER SERVICES.
--HIGHWAY 280 CLOSURES--
AND FINALLY …
A MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT ON HIGHWAY 280 BEGINS NEXT WEEK IN ST. PAUL AND ROSEVILLE ... AND PREPARATION WILL CLOSE SOME HIGHWAY RAMPS STARTING THIS EVENING...
TWO RAMPS CLOSE TONIGHT AT TEN THROUGH MONDAY AT MORNING AT FIVE A-M…
[ONE IS: THE RAMP AT SOUTHBOUND 280 TO EASTBOUND I-94 … THE OTHER IS THE RAMP AT FRANKLIN AVENUE TO EASTBOUND I-94 ...]
MORE CLOSURES ARE COMING NEXT WEEK … WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.