Blizzard cleanup in the Northland, a memorial targeted by arson in Minneapolis, and new limits on masked officers in St. Paul — the stories shaping Minnesota today.
Transcript
I’m Xan Holston with headlines from around the state.
--NORTHERN MINNESOTA SNOW--
SNOW BLANKETED NORTHERN MINNESOTA THIS WEEK, WITH BETWEEN SIX INCHES AND THREE FEET OF WET, HEAVY SNOW BURYING MANY PARTS OF THE REGION.
THE NORTH SHORE TOWN OF HOVLAND WAS HIT HARDEST, WITH 38 INCHES — ENOUGH SNOW TO BURY A SMALL CHILD.
THE SNOWSTORM KNOCKED OUT POWER TO SOME FIVE-THOUSAND HOMES, SHUTTERED SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES, AND BRIEFLY CLOSED HIGHWAY 61 FROM DULUTH TO THUNDER BAY.
NEWS DIRECTOR KALLI HAWKINS AT AMPERS MEMBER STATION WTIP SAYS PEOPLE ARE IN RECOVERY MODE NOW:
[KALLI HAWKINS: A LOT OF HARD WORK BY A LOT OF HOMEOWNERS AND RESIDENTS AND PLOW TRUCK DRIVERS AND PEOPLE JUST GRABBING A SHOVEL AND DIGGING THEMSELVES OUT OF TWO-TO-THREE-FOOT SNOW DRIFTS … SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN’T SEEN OR EXPERIENCED IN QUITE SOME TIME, I WOULD SAY…]
THE AREA EXPECTS A FEW MORE INCHES INTO THE WEEKEND, BUT THAT SNOW SHOULD BE LIGHT AND DRY.
--RENEE GOOD MEMORIAL ARSON--
POLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR THE PERSON OR PEOPLE WHO SET FIRE TO A MEMORIAL HONORING RENEE MACKLIN GOOD IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS.
AUTHORITIES SAY SOMEONE DOUSED PARTS OF THE MEMORIAL WITH GASOLINE AND TRIED TO SET A PILE OF WOOD ON FIRE.
FLAMES CHARRED A WOODEN FENCE BEFORE A CARETAKER PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE FENCE AND MEMORIAL ARE IN FRONT OF A HOUSE IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
CITY OFFICIALS ARE WORKING TO FIND A WAY TO PRESERVE THE MEMORIALS FOR BOTH GOOD AND ALEX PRETTI.
--ST. PAUL MASK BAN--
ST. PAUL’S CITY COUNCIL IS MAKING IT ILLEGAL FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO WEAR MASKS — A MOVE AIMED PRIMARILY AT FEDERAL AGENTS OPERATING IN THE CITY.
THE NEW RULE REQUIRES ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO SHOW THEIR FACES AND IDENTIFICATION — WITH EXCEPTIONS FOR UNDERCOVER OR SWAT WORK AND HEALTH OR SAFETY NEEDS.
[I THINK EVERYONE WANTS OUR RESIDENTS TO FEEL SAFE, TO FEEL PROTECTED, AND TO BE ABLE TO MOVE AROUND FREELY WITHOUT FEAR OF MASKED SECRET AGENTS IN OUR CITY.]
VIOLATIONS WOULD BRING FEES — NOT ARRESTS.
DEMOCRATS AT THE CAPITOL ARE PUSHING SIMILAR LEGISLATION.
--EICHORN UPDATE--
DISGRACED FORMER STATE SENATOR JUSTIN EICHORN LOST HIS MOST RECENT BID TO HAVE CHARGES AGAINST HIM DISMISSED IN A PROSTITUTION-STING CASE.
POLICE ARRESTED EICHORN LAST MARCH — ALLEGEDLY SEEKING SEX FROM AN UNDERCOVER OFFICER POSING AS A 17-YEAR-OLD GIRL.
EICHORN CLAIMS HE WAS TARGETED BECAUSE HE WAS A SENATOR. HE’S BACK IN COURT ON MARCH 30.
--DULUTH CHLORIDE--
WINTER ROAD SALT IS DAMAGING DULUTH’S TROUT STREAMS.
STATE POLLUTION OFFICIALS SAY FIVE CREEKS NOW EXCEED CHLORIDE LIMITS. FEDERAL REGULATIONS NOW REQUIRE THE CITY TO CUT POLLUTION BY AS MUCH AS 80 PERCENT IN SOME CREEKS.
THE REPORT COMES AS DULUTH PREPARES TO PAY A 12-THOUSAND-DOLLAR FINE FOR A 2024 CHEMICAL SPILL THAT KILLED MORE THAN A THOUSAND FISH.
--NITRATE POLLUTION--
STATE LAWMAKERS ARE ALSO TRYING TO PROTECT OUR WATER.
MINNESOTA OFFICIALS ARE WEIGHING TOUGHER FERTILIZER RULES — AND THEY’RE ASKING THE PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN.
THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IS REVIEWING ITS GROUNDWATER PROTECTION RULE AFTER A COURT ORDERED THE STATE TO DECIDE WHETHER IT DOES ENOUGH TO STOP NITRATE POLLUTION IN DRINKING WATER.
HIGH NITRATE LEVELS CAN POSE HEALTH RISKS — ESPECIALLY FOR INFANTS AND PREGNANT PEOPLE.
THE STATE IS SEEKING EVIDENCE-BACKED SUBMISSIONS TO GUIDE POLICY. THE PUBLIC-COMMENT PERIOD CLOSES AT THE END OF MARCH.
--BWCA MINING--
THE U.S. SENATE IS TAKING UP THE FUTURE OF MINING NEAR THE BOUNDARY WATERS.
LAST MONTH, THE U.S. HOUSE — LED BY MINNESOTA REPRESENTATIVE PETE STAUBER — PASSED A BILL THAT WOULD OVERTURN A 20-YEAR BAN ON MINING AROUND THE BWCA. THE SENATE COULD VOTE ON THE PLAN SOON.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSERVATION GROUPS RALLIED AT THE STATE CAPITOL THIS WEEK, URGING LAWMAKERS TO KEEP THE BAN IN PLACE.
SENATOR TINA SMITH SAYS THE LEGISLATION WOULD UNDO YEARS OF PUBLIC INPUT AND BIPARTISAN SCIENTIFIC REVIEW.
[TINA SMITH: EVEN THE DESCENDANTS OF TEDDY ROOSEVELT HAVE COME TOGETHER AND SIGNED A LETTER SAYING THAT THIS IS THE WRONG MOVE TO MAKE.]
STAUBER SAYS IT WOULD CREATE NEW JOBS AND REDUCE U.S. RELIANCE ON FOREIGN MINERALS.
--HIBBING UNION UPDATE--
ONE-HUNDRED-FIFTEEN HIBBING SCHOOL EMPLOYEES FILED A LETTER OF NO CONFIDENCE AGAINST THEIR SCHOOL BOARD WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
[WE CALL ON THE BOARD TO IMMEDIATELY TAKE UP AND RATIFY THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT … OUR MEMBERS REMAIN DEDICATED TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS DISTRICT, AND WE CONTINUE TO BELIEVE IN COLLABORATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY.]
THE UNION SAYS THE PREVIOUS SCHOOL BOARD LEADERSHIP RATIFIED A NEW CONTRACT LATE LAST YEAR — AND THEN RESIGNED.
THE SCHOOL BOARD’S NEW SUPERINTENDENT SAYS THERE WAS NO CONTRACT — AND WANTS THE UNION TO RENEGOTIATE WITH A MEDIATOR.
THE UNION FILED AN UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES CHARGE LAST WEEK.
--U.S. WOMEN’S OLYMPIC HOCKEY--
AND FINALLY … SIX MINNESOTA WOMEN’S HOCKEY PLAYERS WILL BE RETURNING WITH GOLD MEDALS.
[HOCKEY ANNOUNCER: UNITED STATES … WINS GOLD IN MILAN!]
[DROP BENEATH NARRATION]
MEGAN KELLER SCORED THE OVERTIME GOAL TO GET THE GOLD. SHE PLAYS FOR THE BOSTON FLEET — BUT WE STILL LIKE HER AS IF SHE WERE ONE OF OURS.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.