A survey of Cook County businesses shows nearly $10 million in losses during July’s wildfires, the FBI launches a new program to help solve cold cases in Indian Country, and Barnesville celebrates 35 years of “Potato Days.”
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
[COOK COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LINDA JUREK: THE BREAD AND BUTTER FOR OUR OUTFITTERS IS JULY AND AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, AND THEY LOST MOST OF JULY.]
ONE MONTH OF WILDFIRE DISRUPTIONS WIPED OUT NEARLY 10-MILLION DOLLARS IN BUSINESS REVENUE FOR GRAND MARAIS, LUTSEN, AND OTHER COMMUNITIES IN COOK COUNTY …
THAT’S ACCORDING TO A NEW SURVEY FROM THE COOK COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND VISIT COOK COUNTY.
THE SURVEY SAYS JULY REVENUE FELL ACROSS EVERY MAJOR BUSINESS SECTOR … WITH THE SHARPEST LOSSES AMONG OUTFITTERS.
IN AN INTERVIEW WITH AMPERS MEMBER SATION W-T-I-P’S KALLI HAWKINS … CHAMBER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LINDA JUREK SAYS THERE MAY BE NO WAY FOR SOME OUTFITTERS TO FULLY MAKE UP WHAT THEY LOST.
[COOK COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LINDA JUREK: A LOT OF THEM WERE SAYING THAT THEY COULD MAYBE MAKE IT SIX – THEY WOULDN'T MAKE UP THEIR DEFICITS FOR SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS, IF EVER.]
THE DAMAGE EXTENDS WELL BEYOND THE OUTFITTING INDUSTRY …
LODGING AND CAMPGROUNDS … RETAIL … AND DINING ALL REPORTED AROUND 30-PERCENT DROPS IN JULY … AND 35 PERCENT OF BUSINESSES SAY THEY CUT EMPLOYEE HOURS OR STAFFING.
THE CHAMBER IS NOW WORKING WITH STATE LAWMAKERS ON POSSIBLE FINANCIAL RELIEF … WHILE ALSO TRACKING WHETHER LOSSES CONTINUE THROUGH AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
--VOICES NOT FORGOTTEN--
THE FBI IS PUTTING FORTH A NEW EFFORT TO CRACK UNSOLVED MURDERED AND MISSING PERSONS CASES IN NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES…INCLUDING RIGHT HERE IN MINNESOTA.
TRYING TO CAPITALIZE ON THE POPULARITY OF THE BUREAU’S TOP TEN MOST WANTED LIST, THE NEW INITIATIVE…CALLED VOICES NOT FORGOTTEN…INCLUDES A NEW WEBSITE AND A 25-THOUSAND-DOLLAR REWARD TO ANYONE WHO HELPS SOLVE THE TOP SIX CASES.
THE BUREAU IS OFFERING SMALLER REWARDS FOR HELP SOLVING OTHER CASES LIKE THE MURDER OF 31-YEAR-OLD JACOB JEFFREY HUNTER WHO WAS KILLED ON THE RED LAKE NATION IN 2020.
SPECIAL AGENT CHRISTOPHER DOTSON SAYS EVEN OLD OR SEEMINGLY MINOR INFORMATION CAN HELP MOVE AN UNSOLVED CASE FORWARD.
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[SPECIAL AGENT CHRISTOPHER DOTSON: BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO SOME OF THESE OLDER CASES IS JUST ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET MORE TIPS. AND WE ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO EVEN THE SMALLEST DETAIL IS IMPORTANT TO US … SOMEBODY KNOWS SOMETHING OUT THERE.]
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YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT VOICES NOT FORGOTTEN ONLINE AT FBI DOT GOV.
--NIRON MAGNETICS SIOUX COMMUNITY LOAN--
THE NEW NIRON MAGNETICS PLANT IN SARTELL NEAR SAINT CLOUD... IS EXPECTED TO BECOME THE WORLD’S FIRST FULL-SCALE FACTORY FOR RARE-EARTH-FREE IRON-NITRIDE PERMANENT MAGNETS.
AND ... THE SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY IS PUTTING 150-MILLION DOLLARS BEHIND THE FACTORY.
THE TRIBE SAYS IT SUPPORTS THE NEW MAGNET TECHNOLOGY THAT IS MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE ... AND AIMED AT CUTTING AMERICA’S RELIANCE ON FOREIGN RARE-EARTH SUPPLIES.
THE COMPANY SAYS FUNDING WILL SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT AND OPERATIONAL READINESS ACTIVITIES AT THE PLANT.
PRODUCTION IS PLANNED TO START IN NEXT YEAR... CREATING ABOUT 175 JOBS.
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
--AI NUDIFICATION HEARING--
A FEDERAL JUDGE IS CONSIDERING WHETHER OR NOT TO BLOCK MINNESOTA’S ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE “NUDIFICATION” BAN...
ELON MUSK’S COMPANY X-A-I IS SUING THE STATE SAYING THE LAW IS TOO BROAD. AND SPENT TWO HOURS YESTERDAY TRYING TO CONVINCE A JUDGE OF THAT.
THE STATE SAYS MINNESOTA’S FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND-LAW REGULATES HARMFUL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGY... NOT PROTECTED SPEECH.
THE TECHNOLOGY IS USED TO REMOVE A PERSON’S CLOTHING IN A PICTURE SO THEY APPEAR NUDE AND IS OFTEN USED TO EXPLOIT CHILDREN.
THE JUDGE HEARING THE CASE SAYS HE’LL RULE ON MONDAY.
--STATE FAIR GANG BAN--
SEVEN PEOPLE ACCUSED OF BELONGING TO TWO RIVAL SAINT PAUL GANGS HAVE AGREED NOT TO ATTEND THIS YEAR’S MINNESOTA STATE FAIR … AFTER BEING SUED BY THE STATE AND RAMSEY COUNTY.
COURT FILINGS SAY THREE PEOPLE LINKED BY PROSECUTORS TO “MUDDY” … AND FOUR LINKED TO RIVAL GROUP “THE VILLE” … ALL SIGNED AGREEMENTS TO STAY AWAY.
THE AGREEMENT ALSO KEEPS THEM OUT OF A SURROUNDING SAFETY ZONE THROUGH THE END OF THE FAIR.
ALL SEVEN DISPUTE THE CLAIM THAT THEY ARE GANG MEMBERS.
--LINDELL RECOUNT--
GOVERNOR HOPEFUL MIKE LINDELL SAYS HE WILL TRIGGER A STATEWIDE HAND RECOUNT … AFTER LOSING THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY TO LISA DEMUTH BY MORE THAN 45-THOUSAND VOTES.
IN A CAMPAIGN NEWS RELEASE … LINDELL CLAIMS ELECTRONIC RESULTS SHOWED IRREGULARITIES … AND THAT HE PLANS TO PAY ABOUT 825-THOUSAND-DOLLARS FOR THE RECOUNT.
LINDELL HAS UNTIL MONDAY TO FORMALLY SUBMIT AND PAY FOR THE RECOUNT.
--MIDWEST BLACK BOOK FAIR--
BOOK LOVERS HAVE A NEW REASON TO HEAD TO NORTH MINNEAPOLIS THIS WEEKEND.
THE FIRST-EVER MIDWEST BLACK BOOK FAIR IS HAPPENING SATURDAY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA’S UROC CENTER (PRONOUNCED ‘YOU ROCK’) … WITH BLACK AUTHORS AND BOOKSELLERS … READINGS … AND WORKSHOPS.
THE FREE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENT RUNS FROM NOON TO FIVE.
--BARNESVILLE POTATO DAYS--
AND FINALLY …
[CHRIS SWAN: I LOVE BARNESVILLE” SONG]
IF YOUR WEEKEND PLANS ARE FEELING A BIT HALF-BAKED … HEAD TO BARNESVILLE FOR ITS 35TH ANNUAL “POTATO DAYS FESTIVAL.”
THE NORTHWEST MINNESOTA TOWN IS CELEBRATING THE SIMPLE SPUD TODAY AND SATURDAY … WITH POTATO PICKING AND PEELING COMPETITIONS … A MASHED-POTATO EATING CONTEST … AND YOU KNOW IT WOULDN’T BE A PARTY WITHOUT MASHED POTATO WRESTLING.
CONSIDER THAT THE GRAVY ON AN ALREADY LOADED WEEKEND.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.