A highway honors the Hortmans, early voting breaks a midterm record, and Duluth sends rotten ideas up in smoke.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
--COLD OPEN--
COMING UP …
EARLY VOTING CHANGES THE ELECTION GAME …
[CHRIS MANN, CENTER FOR ELECTION INNOVATION AND RESEARCH: CANDIDATES ARE GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT EARLIER. THEY'RE TALKING TO VOTERS OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.]
AND … DULUTH SENDS “ROTTEN IDEAS” UP IN SMOKE.
BUT FIRST …
--HORTMAN MEMORIAL HIGHWAY 610--
[ZAK STEPHENSON: NO HIGHWAY, NO BUILDING, NO TRIBUTE THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY COME UP WITH COULD FULLY ENCAPSULATE THE AMAZING LEGACY THAT MELISSA LEAVES.]
FINISHING HIGHWAY 610 WAS ON FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER MELISSA HORTMAN’S CAMPAIGN CHECKLIST TWENTY YEARS AGO.
NOW … THE ROAD SHE HELPED COMPLETE WILL CARRY HER AND HER HUSBAND MARK’S NAMES. A GUNMAN MURDERED MELISSA AND HER HUSBAND LAST JUNE.
FAMILY AND STATE LEADERS ON THURSDAY DEDICATED THE “HORTMAN MEMORIAL HIGHWAY” IN THE NORTHWEST TWIN CITIES SUBURBS …
D-F-L REPRESENTATIVE ZAK STEPHENSON SAYS WHILE NOTHING CAN DO HER LEGACY JUSTICE … NAMING THE ROUTE IS A FITTING TRIBUTE.
[ZAK STEPHENSON: IT GOES RIGHT THROUGH THE HEART OF HER OLD DISTRICT, LITERALLY CONNECTING THE TWO COMMUNITIES THAT SHE REPRESENTED.]
HORTMAN WORKED FOR YEARS TO FINISH 610 … WHICH CONNECTS BROOKLYN PARK AND COON RAPIDS.
[PNS: EARLY VOTING INTRO]
MINNESOTA HAD THE SECOND HIGHEST VOTER TURNOUT IN THE NATION BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION. SECOND ONLY TO MAINE.
BUT AS MIKE MOEN REPORTS, HOW MINNESOTANS ARE VOTING IS CHANGING.
[PNS: EARLY VOTING]
[MIKE MOEN: LEADING UP TO ELECTION DAY, MINNESOTA OFFICIALS REPORTED RECORD EARLY VOTING NUMBERS. NATIONWIDE, NEARLY 60 MILLION BALLOTS WERE CAST AHEAD OF TUESDAY, TOPPING PREVIOUS MIDTERMS. CHRIS MANN OF THE CENTER FOR ELECTION INNOVATION AND RESEARCH SAYS STANDOUT NUMBERS HAVE BEEN MORE COMMON IN RECENT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. HE ADDS THAT RESEARCH SHOWS THE APPEAL TO EARLY VOTING HAS STAYING POWER.]
[CHRIS MANN: ONCE PEOPLE TRY THEM, THEY TEND TO STICK WITH THEM. SO I THINK THAT ONCE PEOPLE HAVE DISCOVERED THE CHOICE, THE CONVENIENCE OF THESE OPTIONS, THAT'S WHY OVER TIME IT HAS BEEN GROWING.]
[MIKE MOEN: MEANING THAT FIRST-TIME EARLY VOTERS THIS YEAR COULD ADD TO THE GRADUAL INCREASE, NO MATTER THE ELECTION. I'M MIKE MOEN.]
--EARLY VOTING TAG--
MINNESOTA’S SECRETARY OF STATE REPORTS IT ACCEPTED NEARLY ONE-MILLION ABSENTEE AND MAIL-IN BALLOTS AS OF TUESDAY.
THAT’S NEARLY 50 PERCENT MORE THAN IN THE 2022 ELECTION … AND A NEW STATE MIDTERM RECORD.
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
--BIPOC FARMER MICRO GRANTS--
A FIVE-HUNDRED-DOLLAR BOOST IS AVAILABLE TO HELP FARMERS OF COLOR KEEP THEMSELVES … AND THEIR FARMS … GOING.
THE MIDWEST FARMERS OF COLOR COLLECTIVE IS OFFERING SMALL GRANTS … WITH THE FIRST PAYMENTS FOCUSED ON MINNESOTA COMMUNITIES THAT WERE AFFECTED BY OPERATION METRO SURGE.
THE MONEY CAN COVER RENT … FOOD … COUNSELING … OR OTHER URGENT NEEDS.
THE GROUP DOES NOT ASK ABOUT IMMIGRATION STATUS … AND OFFERS TRANSLATION HELP.
APPLICATIONS CLOSE NOVEMBER FIFTEENTH.
--VITAL NORTH FOOD SUPPORT--
UP NORTH … COOK COUNTY’S TOURISM SEASON IS WINDING DOWN AFTER A TOUGH SUMMER … AND SOME FAMILIES’ GROCERY BUDGETS ARE SHRINKING WITH IT.
LOCAL NONPROFIT “VITAL NORTH” PROVIDES WEEKLY FOOD PACKS AND PRODUCE VOUCHERS FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN DEALING WITH FOOD INSECURITY.
VITAL NORTH’S DIRECTOR TELLS AMPERS MEMBER STATION W-T-I-P ITS PROGRAM IS FOCUSED ON SUPPORT … NOT CHECKING INCOME … AND ASKS SIMPLY:
[VITAL NORTH DIRECTOR ANNA CARIAD BARRETT: IS IT CHALLENGING FOR YOUR FAMILY TO AFFORD GROCERIES RIGHT NOW? WOULD YOU BENEFIT FROM SOME SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT? AND THAT'S IT.]
THE PROGRAM EXPANDED COUNTWIDE THIS SUMMER … REACHING 156 CHILDREN … UP FROM 22 LAST YEAR.
FAMILIES CAN REGISTER FOR SUPPORT AT VITAL NORTH DOT ORG.
--FIREARM DEER HUNTING SEASON--
MORE THAN 400-THOUSAND HUNTERS ARE EXPECTED OUT THIS WEEKEND WHEN THE STATE FIREARMS DEER SEASON OPENS SATURDAY … WITH SOME BIG CHANGES TO RULES.
RIFLES ARE NOW ALLOWED IN WHAT USED TO BE SHOTGUN-ONLY ZONES … BUT SOME COUNITES HAVE LOCAL RESTRICTIONS … SO CHECK BEFORE HEADING OUT.
THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IS ALSO URGING HUNTERS TO BUY THEIR LICENSES EARLY … BECAUSE FIRST PURCHASES THROUGH ITS NEW ELECTRONIC SYSTEM MAY TAKE LONGER.
AND HUNTERS WON’T ATTACH A PHYSICAL TAG TO DEER THIS YEAR.
INSTEAD … RECORD THE KILL IN THE APP OR ON PAPER BEFORE MOVING IT. YOU STILL NEED TO REGISTER THE DEER WITHIN 48 HOURS … AND BEFORE PROCESSING.
--CWD TESTING REQUIREMENTS--
IF YOU’RE HUNTING IN SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA … THERE’S ONE MORE STEP THIS WEEKEND.
ANY DEER HUNTERS TAKE THIS WEEKEND THAT’S AT LEAST A YEAR OLD MUST BE SAMPLED FOR CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE.
--DULUTH ALL SOULS NIGHT--
AND FINALLY …
[MATCH LIGHTS, FIRE CRACKLES]
INSTEAD OF LETTING YOUR BAD IDEAS TAKE YOU DOWN IN FLAMES … WHY NOT SEND THEM UP IN SMOKE ?
DULUTH’S 19TH ANNUAL “ALL SOULS NIGHT” RETURNS SATURDAY … WITH ITS BURNING OF “ROTTEN IDEAS” …THINGS PEOPLE WISH WOULD JUST GO AWAY.
THE MULTICULTURAL RIFF ON THE CATHOLIC TRADITION OF ALL SOULS’ DAY BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER TO REMEMBER THE DEAD … AND CELEBRATE THE LIVING.
IT KICKS OFF AT FOUR AT THE DEPOT … YOU CAN BURN YOUR “ROTTEN IDEAS” AT SEVEN … WITH FIRE DANCING AND BRASS BANDS TO FOLLOW.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.