A community leader explains why the boycott against Target is still on, the common loon gets its flowers, and an immigrants’ rights organization sues the federal government.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
[NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG: WE SPEAK FOR US]
A COMMUNITY LEADER EXPLAINS WHY THE BOYCOTT AGAINST TARGET IS STILL ON … BUT FIRST …
--ROCKET DOCKET--
IMMIGRANTS’ RIGHTS ORIGINATIONS SAY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS SECRETLY … AND ILLEGALLY … FAST-TRACKING ASYLUM HEARINGS FOR SOMALI NATIONALS THROUGH WHAT SOME ARE CALLING A ROCKET DOCKET.
LEGAL RIGHTS GROUP … THE ADVOCATES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS … SAYS THE GOVERNMENT IS EXPEDITING SOMALI ASYLUM CASES BY USING ONLINE HEARINGS WITH OUT-OF-STATE JUDGES … AND THEN BLOCKING PUBLIC ACCESS TO THOSE HEARINGS … WITHOUT GIVING REASONS.
[MADELINE LOHMAN: IF THEY ARE DECIDING TO CLOSE THE HEARING THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF RECORD SO THAT IT CAN BE EVALUATED THAT THEY’RE DOING THIS FAIRLY AND OPENLY.]
THE GROUP IS NOW SUING THE GOVERNMENT … SAYING LEGAL COURT OBSERVERS HAVE BEEN DENIED ACCESS BOTH ONLINE AND IN-PERSON IN VIOLATION OF RULES FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS.
THE COMPLAINT ALSO SAYS DAILY HEARING SCHEDULES POSTED AT IMMIGRATION COURT ARE SOMETIMES INACCURATE OR INCOMPLETE.
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS TOLD NORTH STAR STORIES IT DOESN’T COMMENT ON PENDING LITIGATION.
--TARGET BOYCOTT CONTINUES--
IN OTHER NEWS ... MINNESOTA ACTIVISTS SAY THE NATIONWIDE BOYCOTT OF TARGET IS NOT OVER … DESPITE WHAT OTHER GROUPS DO OR SAY.
[NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG: WE SPEAK FOR US AND WE WILL NEVER SELL OUT FOR CRUMBS OR A SEAT AT TARGETS CORRUPT TABLE.]
CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG IS THE LEADER OF A MINNESOTA-BASED NATIONAL BOYCOTT AGAINST RETAILER TARGET.
ARMSTRONG’S STARTED HER INITIATIVE LAST JANUARY AFTER TARGET DISMANTLED ITS DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROGRAMS.
THE ORGANIZER OF A SEPARATE CAMPAIGN … GEORGIA PASTOR JAMAL BRYANT … ANNOUNCED HE REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH TARGET TO END HIS BOYCOTT FOCUSING ON TARGET’S COMMITMENT TO BLACK-OWNED BUSINESS.
SOME LOCAL AND NATIONAL MEDIA THEN ANNOUNCED AN END TO THE BOYCOTT.
NATIONAL NEWS OUTLET AXIOS REPORTS THAT TARGET TOLD THEM, “IT HAD NOT REVERSED OR REINSTATED ANY POLICIES AS A RESULT OF ITS CONVERSATIONS WITH BOYCOTT LEADERS.”
LEVY ARMSTRONG WANTS TO CLEAR UP ANY PUBLIC CONFUSION … SAYING THE BAN WILL CONTINUE UNTIL TARGET REINSTATES ITS DIVERSITY COMMITMENTS
[NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG: SO WE ARE ASKING PEOPLE: CONTINUE TO DOUBLE DOWN AND HOLD TARGET ACCOUNTABLE.]
THE BOYCOTTS APPEAR TO BE IMPACTING TARGET … WHICH REPORTED WEAKER SALES AND LOWER YEARLY PROFITS THROUGH MUCH OF LAST YEAR.
--PRAYER CAMP UPDATE--
THE NATIVE AMERICAN PRAYER CAMP AT MNI OWE SNI AT FORT SNELLING WILL END THIS WEEKEND.
CAMP LEADERS REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH LAKOTA SPIRITUAL LEADER … ARVOL LOOKING HORSE … TO HAVE FOUR UNINTERRUPTED DAYS OF PRAYER … AND THEN LEAVE.
FOR MORE THAN A MONTH … THE CAMP HAS SPARKED HEATED DEBATE ABOUT INSTITUTIONAL TRIBAL POWER … LAND PRESERVATION … AND WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO ACCESS SACRED SPACE.
--MPLS EVICTIONS & RENTAL ASSISTANCE--
MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR JACOB FREY VETOED A CITY COUNCIL POLICY THAT EXTENDED AN EVICTION MORATORIUM FROM 30 TO 60 DAYS … SAYING THE POLICY WOULD CREATE MORE PROBLEMS FOR RENTERS LATER.
SOME ADVOCACY GROUPS AGREE WITH THE MAYOR ... SAYING THE PREVIOUS PANDEMIC-ERA MORATORIUM JUST DELAYED EVICTIONS.
INSTEAD, FREY PROPOSED A PARTNERSHIP WITH A NONPROFIT FOUNDATION THAT WOULD ADMINISTER A TOTAL OF TWO MILLION DOLLARS IN RENTER AID.
--SENATE RENTAL ASSISTANCE--
MEANWHILE AT THE CAPITOL … MINNESOTA SENATORS SIGNED OFF ON 40-MILLION DOLLARS IN EMERGENCY RENT HELP FOR MINNESOTANS WHO LOST INCOME DURING OPERATION METRO SURGE.
BUT THAT FUNDING WILL LIKELY FACE STRONG OPPOSITION IN THE EVENLY DIVIDED HOUSE.
SUPPORTERS LIKE SENATOR LINDSEY PORT SAY IT COULD HELP FAMILIES STAY IN THEIR HOMES AND HEAD OFF A BIGGER ECONOMIC EVICTION PROBLEM DOWN THE ROAD.
[SEN LINDSAY PORT: PREVENTING EVICTIONS AND HOMELESSNESS IS GOOD POLICY.]
OPPONENTS LIKE SENATOR STEVE DRAZKWOSKI SAY...
[DRAZKOWSKI: THIS IS A FAKE, FRAUDULENT CRISIS STEMMING FROM A SELF-INFLICTED ECONOMIC WOUND COORDINATED BY DEMOCRATS IN MINNESOTA.]
THE MEASURE NOW GOES TO THE HOUSE.
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
--VETERAN SUICIDE--
NEW CONCERNS ABOUT OUR STATE’S VETERANS.
A RECENT STUDY SAYS MINNESOTA LOSES NEARLY ONE-HUNDRED VETERANS TO SUICIDE EACH YEAR … PART OF A MUCH BIGGER NATIONAL CRISIS.
AT THE CAPITOL WEDNESDAY, THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS UNVEILED A FOUR-YEAR PREVENTION PLAN FOCUSED ON EARLIER INTERVENTION, BETTER ACCESS TO CARE, AND STRONGER COORDINATION ACROSS COMMUNITIES.
ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT FEDERAL DATA AVAILABLE ... NEARLY 64-HUNDRED VETERANS DIED BY SUICIDE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN 2023,
--BCA RECORDS RELEASET--
THE MINNESOTA BUREAU OF CRIMINAL APPREHENSION SAYS A COMPUTER PROBLEM ACCIDENTALLY MADE SOME PRIVATE RECORDS PUBLIC.
THE AGENCY SAYS RECORDS TIED TO ALMOST 600-PEOPLE SHOWED UP ON THE STATE’S CRIMINAL HISTORY WEBSITE FOR DIFFERENT LENGTHS OF TIME.
SOME VENDORS ALSO GOT THAT DATA THROUGH PUBLIC-RECORD REQUESTS.
OFFICIALS SAY THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM.
BUT ... THE CASE RAISES FRESH CONCERNS ABOUT HOW QUICKLY SENSITIVE COURT INFORMATION IS SHARED PUBLICLY.
--NATL LOON DAY--
AND FINALLY …
[NAT SOUND: LOON]
SIXTY-FIVE YEARS AFTER MINNESOTA DECLARED THE COMMON LOON THE STATE BIRD … THE ICONIC FOWL IS GETTING ITS OWN NATIONAL HOLIDAY.
TODAY IS THE INAUGURAL NATIONAL LOON DAY … A CELEBRATION ORGANIZED BY A TWIN CITIES JEWELER.
THE DAY ISN'T FEDERALLY BACKED … SCHOOLS AND BANKS WILL STILL BE OPEN … AND PARKING METERS WON’T BE FREE. BUT THE STATE’S BIRD GETS THE NATION’S SPOTLIGHT.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.