The NorthMet mine proposes changes, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her faces sexual harassment claims, and the State Fair becomes a bit more accessible.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
[JEFF COULTER, UMN EXTENSION OFFICE: KERNELS SPECIES THAT WERE SET… THEY CAN BE LOST. THEY CAN DRY UP—WITHER AWAY.]
PART OF THIS YEAR’S CORN CROP COULD DIE BEFORE HARVEST… BECAUSE OF A “FLASH DROUGHT.”
THE WARNING COMES FROM UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION EXPERTS.
A LACK OF RAIN – COMBINED WITH THE HEAT – IN MANY PARTS OF THE STATE HAS CREATED WHAT’S CALLED A ‘FLASH DROUGHT’...WHICH HAPPENS WHEN RAPID DRYING DEVELOPS WITHIN DAYS OR WEEKS.
76-PERCENT OF MINNESOTA IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING A DROUGHT ... 35-PERCENT OF IT IS SEVERE.
WHILE THE WORST OF THE NEAR-RECORD HEAT WAVE IS EASING…THE DROUGHT DAMAGE IS PREDICTED TO GET WORSE..
[JEFF COULTER, UMN EXTENSION OFFICE: BASICALLY, NO CHANCE OF RAIN IN A LOT OF PLACESIT'S GONNA GET PROGRESSIVELY DRIER.]
ONE YEAR AGO, JUST TWO-PERCENT OF THE STATE WAS IN A DROUGHT..
THE U-S-D-A SAYS DAMAGE GOES BEYOND CROPS...
THE AMOUNT OF POOR OR VERY POOR LIVESTOCK PASTURE MORE THAN DOUBLED IN ONE WEEK...
THIS PUTS FEED PRESSURE ON LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS... AND CAN PUSH PRICES HIGHER FOR CONSUMERS.
--FEWER MOSQUITOES BUT NOT DISEASE --
AND THE DROUGHT HAS BROUGHT FEWER MOSQUITOES… BUT NOT LESS DISEASE RISK.
TWIN CITIES COUNTS ARE BELOW AVERAGE… BUT FOUR NEW WEST-NILE-POSITIVE MOSQUITO POOLS WERE FOUND LAST WEEK IN DAKOTA… HENNEPIN… AND RAMSEY COUNTIES.
THE WEST NILE RISK PEAKS IN AUGUST.
--KAOHLY HER INVESTIGATION--
SAINT PAUL’S MAYOR KAOHLY HER SAYS SHE IS … AND HAS BEEN … COOPERATING WITH AN INVESTIGATION INTO SEXUAL-HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS MADE AGAINST HER SINCE APRIL.
POLICE CHIEF AXEL HENRY IS ACCUSING MAYOR HER OF SEXUALLY HARASSING CITY EMPLOYEES... INCLUDING MEMBERS OF HIS DEPARTMENT.
CHIEF HENRY FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT BACK IN APRIL … ACCUSING HER OF SENDING INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES TO SUBORDINATE CITY EMPLOYEES … INCLUDING POLICE DEPARTMENT STAFF.
MAYOR HER RELEASED A STATEMENT ACKNOWLEDING SOME OF HER ATTEMPTS AT HUMOR FELL SHORT OF HER OWN STANDARDS … BUT SAID SHE IS CONFIDENT THE INVESTIGATION WILL REVEAL WHAT SHE CALLS THE FULL FACTS.
AN OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT LAWYER IS CONDUCTING THE INVESTIGATION.
--NORTHMET MINE--
AFTER DECADES OF COURT FIGHTS AND NO MINING … THE ‘NORTHMET MINE’ IS BEING REDESIGNED.
THE PROPOSED COPPER-NICKEL MINE IS ABOUT SIX MILES NORTH OF HOYT LAKES ON NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA’S IRON RANGE.
THE MINING COMPANY SHARED AN UPDATED PLAN WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES WEDNESDAY …
IT WOULD CHANGE EXPECTED ORE PRODUCTION FROM 32-THOUSAND TO 40-THOUSAND TONS A DAY … WHILE SHORTENING THE MINE’S EXPECTED LIFE FROM 20 TO 16 YEARS.
THE D-N-R SAYS THE AGENCY NEEDS TO DETERMINE HOW THE REDESIGNED PROJECT DIFFERS FROM THE DECADE-OLD ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY..
[JESS RICHARDS, DNR: AND SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO IF WE GO INTO ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW IS MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE THOROUGHLY, AS WE ALWAYS WOULD, LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THE CHANGES AND THEN HOW THEY MIGHT AFFECT ANY OTHER PREVIOUS ANALYSIS THAT WE DID.]
THE D-N-R EXPECTS TO DECIDE WITHIN ABOUT A MONTH WHETHER THE REDESIGN REQUIRES ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW…
--ASSISTED-LIVING RESIDENT OVERSERVED--
STATE INVESTIGATORS SAY A CENTRAL MINNESOTA ASSISTED-LIVING FACILITY NEGLECTED A RESIDENT BY CONTINUING TO POUR HIM SHOTS OF ALCOHOL UNTIL HE ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS ‘COVERED BRIDGE’ STAFF IN HOLDINGFORD … NORTHWEST OF SAINT CLOUD … GAVE THE RESIDENT SIX SHOTS OF ALCOHOL ... THEN ... TEN MORE SHOTS AND A BEER THE NEXT MORNING.
HE WAS LATER FOUND ON THE FLOOR.. WITH A BLOOD-ALCOHOL LEVEL OF POINT-TWO-THREE … NEARLY THREE TIMES THE LEGAL DRIVING LIMIT.
THE FACILITY IS APPEALING THE FINDING … SAYING IT’S NOT A TREATMENT CENTER ... AND RESIDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE THEIR OWN LAWFUL CHOICES.
--WILDFIRE UPDATES--
JUST OVER TWO WEEKS AFTER WILDFIRES CLOSED THE ENTIRE BOUNDARY WATERS IN NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA … ACCESS EXPANDS AGAIN TODAY.
FIFTEEN MORE ENTRY POINTS WILL OPEN FOR DAY TRIPS IF FIRE CONDITIONS HOLD ... 41 ARE ALREADY OPEN FOR DAY OR OVERNIGHT USE.
THE FIRES ARE 56-PERCENT CONTAINED… WITH MORE THAN ONE-THOUSAND FIREFIGHTERS STILL WORKING HARD EVERYDAY...
--DAIRY PUBLIC COMMENT --
A WEST-CENTRAL MINNESOTA DAIRY FARM WANTS TO MORE THAN DOUBLE IN SIZE—TO MORE THAN 19-THOUSAND COWS!!??!!?
NOW.. THE STATE IS ASKING WHAT IMPACT THE PROPOSED EXPANSION OF WEST RIVER DAIRY...NEAR MORRIS...WILL HAVE ON THE COMMUNITY.
THE AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT IS NOW TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT THE PROPOSED EXPANSION.
SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS ON THE AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT’S WEBSITE THROUGH OCTOBER FIRST.
--STATE FAIR ACCESSIBILITY --
AND FINALLY …
THE GREAT MINNESOTA GET-TOGETHER IS WORKING TO LIVE UP TO ITS NAME.. BY MAKING MORE OF THE FAIR ACCESSIBLE.
THIS YEAR’S STATE FAIR WILL OFFER ADULT-SIZE CHANGING TABLES … MORE A-S-L INTERPRETATION FOR LIVE MUSIC … AND HUMAN GUIDES, BRAILLE SIGNS, AND AUDIO DESCRIPTIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE LOW VISION.
AND WHILE YOU’RE AT THE FAIR ... BE SURE TO STOP BY OUR AMPERS RADIO BOOTH IN THE EDUCATION BUILDING.
AMPERS PRODUCES NORTH STAR STORIES ... AND REPRESENTS AND SUPPORTS 17 INDEPENDENT NON-COMMERCIAL COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS THROUGHOUT MINNESOTA.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.