Red Lake Nation moves toward solar energy sovereignty, the legislature hits its final days, and smelt take to the streets of Duluth
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
COMING UP.... FANTASTICAL FISH TAKE TO THE STREETS OF DULUTH
[JIM OURAY: A SMELT LUMBERJACK AND A SMELT DOCTOR.]
BUT FIRST...
AS MINNESOTANS WATCH ENERGY COSTS AND ELECTRIC DEMANDS KEEP RISING ... RED LAKE NATION IS MOVING TOWARD GENERATING MORE OF ITS OWN POWER...
RED LAKE NATION IS BREAKING GROUND TODAY ON ITS “MAKWA SOLAR ARRAY” … A THREE-MEGAWATT, TRIBALLY OWNED SOLAR PROJECT THAT WILL SELL POWER IT GENERATES … BRINGING INCOME AND FUTURE ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES BACK TO THE RESERVATION...
THE TRIBE PARTNERED WITH COMPANY ‘SOLAR BEAR’... PRESIDENT ROBERT BLAKE SAYS THE PROJECT IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD TRIBAL ENERGY SOVEREIGNTY.
[ROBERT BLAKE: ANY WAY THAT TRIBES CAN START GENERATING AND START THINKING OF OUTSIDE THE BOX, WAYS OF BRINGING IN INCOME TO SUPPORT PROGRAMMING ON THE RESERVATION. I BELIEVE ALL HANDS ON DECK RIGHT NOW.]
BLAKE SAYS THE PROJECT WILL ALSO USE “AGROVOLTAICS” … ESSENTIALLY GROWING FOOD BENEATH AND AROUND THE SOLAR PANELS FOR SCHOOL LUNCHES AND FOOD SHELVES.
THE MAKWA ARRAY IS THE TRIBAL NATIONS MOST AMBITIOUS PROJECT … AFTER BUILDING SMALLER 70- AND 200-KILOWATT PANEL SYSTEMS OVER THE PAST DECADE.
THE PROJECT COMES AS RENEWABLE ENERGY CONTINUES TO GROW STATEWIDE.
CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY MINNESOTA’S 2026 FACT SHEET SAYS RENEWABLE SOURCES PROVIDED 33-PERCENT OF MINNESOTA’S ELECTRICITY ... WHILE ZERO-CARBON SOURCES PRODUCED THE MAJORITY OF THE STATE’S ELECTRICITY FOR THE SIXTH STRAIGHT YEAR.
--WHITE EARTH NATION STATE OF THE NATION--
IN THE WHITE EARTH NATION’ STATE OF THE NATION IN MAHNOMEN THIS WEEK ... CHAIRMAN MICHAEL FAIRBANKS SAYS FOCUS IN THE NEXT YEAR WILL INCLUDE DEVELOPING INDEPENDENT ENERGY PRODUCTION.. AS WELL AS HEALTH CARE ... ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ... AND HOLDING ANCESTRAL LANDS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
[WHITE EARTH NATION CHAIRMAN MICHAEL FAIRBANKS: EVERYONE WANTS LAND BACK. IT'S ABOUT SELF-DETERMINATION. IT'S ABOUT US TAKING THE REIGNS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.]
FAIRBANKS AND OTHER LEADERS ... LIKE DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE LAURA LEE ERICKSON SAY PLANNING WILL FOCUS ON EDUCATION AND KEEPING DECISIONS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY....
[LAURA LEE ERICKSON: THERE’S STILL A LOT OF IMPORTANT WORK FOR US TO BE DONE, BUT WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO CONTINUING THIS JOURNEY, ADDRESSING THE ONGOING NEEDS, AND BUILDING ON THE FOUNDATION WE HAVE SET FOR YOU.]
--LEGISLATIVE UPDATE--
MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS ARE MOVING THROUGH THE FINAL STRETCH AT THE CAPITOL.
A WORKERS’ COMPENSATION BILL CLEARED BOTH CHAMBERS AND IS HEADED TO GOVERNOR TIM WALZ....AS WELL AS A HUMAN SERVICES POLICY BILL FOCUSED ON DISABILITY SERVICES…AND A VETERANS BENEFITS BILL
WALZ IS ALSO EXPECTED TO SIGN A BILL MAKING IT A FELONY TO IMPERSONATE A PEACE OFFICER.. USE A FAKE SQUAD CAR… POLICE LIGHTS OR SIRENS.
LAWMAKERS AND WALZ REACHED THE FRAMEWORK FOR A DEAL TO STABILIZE HENNEPIN COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER.. BUT IT’S NOT FINAL YET.
IT STILL NEEDS TO BE WRITTEN INTO A BILL.. AND PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE BEFORE THE SESSION DEADLINE.
A BILL ALLOWING GROCERY STORES TO DONATE EGGS TO FOOD SHELVES... UP TO 30 DAYS PAST THE QUALITY DATE IS STILL ALIVE. IT’S SCHEDULED FOR A FINAL VOTE SATURDAY.
A PACKAGE OF GUN SAFETY BILLS STALLED AFTER PASSING THE SENATE.
HOUSE D-F-L MEMBER JAMIE LONG SAYS HOUSE SPEAKER REPUBLICAN LISA DEMUTH OF PLAYING PROCEDURAL GAMES.
[REP. JAMIE LONG: AND I’M WONDERING IF YOU’RE GOING TO ALLOW A VOTE BEFORE THE END OF SESSION ON SENATE FILE 4067.]
[REP. LISA DEMUTH: THE BILL IS BEING REVIEWED.]
-- --
--EICHORN CHANGE OF PLEA--
FORMER MINNESOTA STATE SENATOR JUSTIN EICHORN PLEADED GUILTY IN FEDERAL COURT TO A LESSER CHARGE THAT MAY REDUCE HIS POTENTIAL PRISON SENTENCE.
THE GRAND RAPIDS REPUBLICAN PLEAD GUILTY TO ‘ATTEMPTED POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY’... INSTEAD OF THE PREVIOUS SOLICITATION RELATED CHARGE.
HE WAS ARRESTED LAST YEAR IN A SEX STING ... AND RESIGNED FROM OFFICE.
HE FACES UP TO 21-MONTHS IN PRISON... A SENTENCING DATE HAS NOT BEEN SET.
--BIRD MIGRATION --
A MASSIVE SPRING BIRD MIGRATION IS MOVING OVER MINNESOTA…
YOU CAN WATCH IT HAPPEN ON RADAR.
BIRDCAST ESTIMATES MORE THAN 44-MILLION BIRDS CROSSED THE STATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT… WITH MILLIONS MORE EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING.
WILDLIFE EXPERTS SAY BRIGHT LIGHTS CAN CONFUSE NIGHT-MIGRATING BIRDS AND DRAW THEM INTO BUILDINGS.
HELP OUT BY TURNING OFF UNNECESSARY LIGHTS FROM ELEVEN P-M TO SIX A-M THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND. CHECK THE LIVE MAPS AT BIRDCAST-DOT-ORG.
--RUN, SMELT, RUN!--
AND FINALLY …
THE SMELT ARE RUNNING IN DULUTH … AND SO ARE THE PUPPETS.
THE MAGIC SMELT PUPPET TROUPE’S ANNUAL “RUN, SMELT, RUN!” PARADE RETURNS FOR ITS THIRTEENTH YEAR SUNDAY TO CELEBRATE THE TINY SILVER FISH … WITH GIANT FISH PUPPETS … A BRASS BAND-LED SECOND-LINE PARADE … AND A WHOLE SILVER-CLAD SMELT KINGDOM MARCHING DOWN THE LAKEWALK.
TROUPE FOUNDER JIM OURAY SAYS THE PARADE STARTED AS A PLAYFUL TAKE ON THE REAL SPRING SMELT RUN … WHEN SMELT MOVE OUT OF LAKE SUPERIOR AND INTO STREAMS TO SPAWN.
OURAY SAYS PART OF THE FUN IS SEEING WHAT PEOPLE BRING FROM HOME.
[JIM OURAY: LAST YEAR, THERE WAS A BASEBALL SMELT … AND WE’VE HAD AN ASTRONAUT SMELT … AND THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO JUST MAKE THEIR COSTUMES AT HOME.]
OURAY ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO COME DRESSED FOR THE PARTY … AND TO WEAR SILVER.
THE PARADE STARTS NEAR THE AERIAL LIFT BRIDGE … AND ENDS WITH A SMELT FRY AND CELEBRATION AT ZEITGEIST ARTS.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.