A hunger strike to shut down a Minneapolis trash incinerator, Owatonna’s petition to stop new police and fire buildings, and there’s no place like … the Iron Range Earth Fest.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
ONE GROUP OF NEIGHBORS IS REFUSING FOOD TO FORCE A VOTE
IN A YEARS-LONG COMMUNITY FIGHT OVER HEALTH AND POLLUTION.
[SHIORI KONDA: GETTING RID OF THE INCINERATOR IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS A ZERO-WASTE FUTURE.]
BUT FIRST...
--WHITE BEAR LAKE STUDENT FORGERY--
A 22-YEAR-OLD MAN ACCUSED OF POSING AS A TEENAGER AT WHITE BEAR LAKE AREA HIGH SCHOOL IS NOW FACING FELONY FORGERY CHARGES.
RAMSEY COUNTY COURT DOCUMENTS RELEASED WEDNESDAY SAY KELVIN LUEBKE USED A FAKE I-D AND FALSE RECORDS TO CLAIM HE WAS 17.
RAMSEY COUNTY INVESTIGATORS SAY THE CASE BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER 20-25 ... AFTER A TIP THAT AN ADULT MAY BE ATTENDING CLASSES UNDER A FALSE NAME.
SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAY HE WAS ENROLLED FOR 19 DAYS AND TOOK PART IN FOOTBALL PRACTICES BEFORE THE DECEPTION WAS UNCOVERED.
HE NOW FACES TWO COUNTS OF AGGRAVATED FORGERY AND ONE COUNT OF FORGERY USING FALSE IDENTIFICATION.
--BURNSVILLE SCHOOL EMPLOYEE ARREST--
A BURNSVILLE SCHOOL EMPLOYEE FACES CHARGES IN A CHILD SEX STING.
CARVER COUNTY PROSECUTORS SAY BRIAN STEWART GAY, OF HASTINGS, WAS A PARAPROFESSIONAL AT BURNSVILLE STEP ACADEMY ... THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR SAYS HE IS NO LONGER AN EMPLOYEE.
INVESTIGATORS SAY HE SPENT ABOUT NINE DAYS MESSAGING SOMEONE HE BELIEVED WAS A 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL …
WHEN HE SHOWED UP IN CHANHASSEN FOR A PLANNED SEX MEETING, THEY ARRESTED HIM INSTEAD.
HE IS DUE BACK IN COURT APRIL TENTH.
--ST CLOUD SCHOOL ARSON UPDATE--
SAINT CLOUD ARSON INVESTIGATORS SAY THE FIRE AT WESTWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ... WAS STARTED BY A STUDENT IN A BATHROOM.
THE MARCH 31ST FIRE FORCED THE ENTIRE SCHOOL TO EVACUATE AND CLOSE FOR THE WEEK DURING THE INVESTIGATION AND CLEANUP.
DAMAGE IS ESTIMATED AT NEARLY THREE-MILLION-DOLLARS.
--HERC HUNGER STRIKE--
A GROUP OF NEIGHBORS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS IS DEMANDING THE CLOSURE OF A CONTROVERSIAL TRASH INCINERATOR …
AND THEY PLAN TO BEGIN A HUNGER STRIKE FRIDAY.
MEMBERS OF THE ZERO BURN COALITION SAY THEY WILL NOT EAT UNTIL THE HENNEPIN COUNTY BOARD AGREES TO HOLD A PUBLIC VOTE ON THE PERMANENT CLOSURE OF THE HENNEPIN ENERGY RECOVERY CENTER …
COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE ‘HERC’ … AN INCINERATOR FACILITY LOCATED NEAR TARGET FIELD.
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE PREDOMINANTLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS NORTH OF THE CENTER SAY THE INCINERATOR HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THEIR HIGHER RATES OF ASTHMA AND OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS FOR DECADES.
[SHIORI KONDA: THEY HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FOR THE LAST 37 YEARS, AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO SUFFER IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW.]
SHIORI KONDA … A NURSE WORKING WITH THE GROUP … SAYS THEY’RE DEMANDING THE BOARD VOTE PUBLICLY TO SET A DATE TO CLOSE THE HERC BY THE END OF 2027.
THE COUNTY BOARD PASSED A RESOLUTION IN 2023 SAYING IT WOULD CLOSE THE INCINERATOR SOMETIME BETWEEN 2028 AND 2040.
--CARVER CITY DATA CENTER MORATORIUM--
CARVER IS THE LATEST MINNESOTA CITY TO HIT PAUSE ON DATA CENTERS … APPROVING A ONE-YEAR MORATORIUM ON ANY NEW FACILITY OR EXPANSION OF A DATA FACILITY ... BEFORE THEY EVEN HAVE A PROPOSAL.
CITY LEADERS SAY DURING THIS NEXT YEAR ... THE MORATORIUM GIVES THEM TIME TO STUDY ZONING, WATER AVAILABILITY, NOISE, UTILITIES, AND LAND-USE ISSUES.
CARVER’S CITY ATTORNEY WARNED ANY FIGHT OVER A DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT COULD GET EXPENSIVE — FAST.
[CARVER CITY ATTORNEY: THESE GIGANTIC COMPANIES WHO HAVE UNLIMITED RESOURCES AND WHO MIGHT NOT BLINK IF IT MEANS MAKING AN EXAMPLE OUT OF A CITY WHO WOULD PROHIBIT THESE THINGS SO THAT OTHER CITIES DON’T FOLLOW SUIT.]
THE CITY OF CARVER’S DECISION FOLLOWS A SIMILAR ONE-YEAR DATA CENTER MORATORIUM IN EAGAN.
--WINONA CYBER ATTACK--
MEANWHILE ... A SECOND CYBER ATTACK SINCE JANUARY IN WINONA COUNTY PUSHED GOVERNOR TIM WALZ TO SEND IN THE MINNESOTA NATIONAL GUARD TO HELP.
COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY 9-1-1 AND EMERGENCY SYSTEMS ARE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY … AND STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES ARE WORKING TO CONTAIN THE BREACH AND RESTORE SYSTEMS.
--OWATONNA REFERENDUM VOTE--
A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR PLAN FOR NEW POLICE AND FIRE STATIONS IN OWATONNA HIT A SNAG … AFTER A GRASSROOTS PETITION FOR A PUBLIC VOTE.
THE CITY IS NOW REVIEWING THE PETITION SIGNATURES.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS ONLY NEEDED 721 SIGNATURES … BUT MORE THAN 27-HUNDRED SIGNED THEIR NAMES TO FORCE THE VOTE.
CITY OFFICIALS APPROVED NEW TAXES TO PAY FOR THE 65-MILLION DOLLAR POLICE AND FIRE CENTERS BACK IN MARCH … AFTER YEARS OF PLANNING TO REPLACE THE AGING FACILITIES.
AT A RECENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING, COMMUNITY MEMBERS SPOKE ABOUT THEIR CURRENT FINANCIAL STRUGGLES … SAYING THEY CAN’T AFFORD TO PAY FOR NEW PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDINGS.
[COMMUNITY MEMBER: I’M STANDING IN HERE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ON SOCIAL SECURITY THAT DON’T HAVE THE INCOME TO PAY FOR THIS BIG INCREASE IN TAXES.]
ONCE PETITION SIGNATURES ARE CERTIFIED … THE ISSUE OF A NEW TAX FOR THE FACILITIES WOULD GO TO VOTERS IN AN ELECTION LATER THIS YEAR.
--BRAINERD SHELTER--
FOR THE FIRST TIME … BRAINERD’S OVERNIGHT HOMELESS SHELTER WILL STAY OPEN YEAR-ROUND.
THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A ONE-YEAR PERMIT FOR THE “BRIDGE ON 7TH” … WHICH HAD PREVIOUSLY CLOSED DURING THE SUMMER.
CITY LEADERS SAY THE MOVE COMES WITH CONDITIONS … INCLUDING OVERSIGHT AND A REQUIRED ANNUAL REPORT … AS THEY BALANCE COMMUNITY CONCERNS WITH THE NEED FOR SHELTER SERVICES.
--HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES--
MINNESOTA’S HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 20-25 SET A GRADUATION RECORD...
THE STATE SAYS 84-POINT-9 PERCENT OF SENIORS EARNED THEIR DIPLOMA IN FOUR YEARS.
THAT’S UP FROM 84-POINT-2 PERCENT THE YEAR BEFORE.
FOUR-YEAR GRADUATION RATES WERE LOWER IN SOME DISTRICTS... INCLUDING SAINT CLOUD, MINNEAPOLIS, AND ST. PAUL.
--CANNABIS SALES--
MINNESOTA IS HITTING NEW HIGHS WITH ITS CANNABIS SALES.
NEW STATE DATE SAYS RECREATIONAL CANNABIS SALES TOPPED 50-MILLION DOLLARS SINCE SEPTEMBER 2025 … WHEN THE OFFICE OF CANNABIS MANAGEMENT ISSUED ITS FIRST LICENSES.
THE STATE HAS ISSUED AROUND 180 LICENSES … MOSTLY FOR RETAIL BUSINESSES … AND THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE SAYS ITS BROUGHT IN 27-MILLION DOLLARS IN TAXES SINCE LAST YEAR.
--HIGHWAY 280 CLOSURES--
A MAJOR HIGHWAY 280 CONSTRUCTION PROJECT BEGINS NEXT WEEK IN ST. PAUL AND ROSEVILLE... AND PREPARATION WILL CLOSE SOME HIGHWAY RAMPS STARTING FRIDAY NIGHT...
TWO RAMPS CLOSE FRIDAY NIGHT AT TEN THROUGH MONDAY AT MORNING AT FIVE A-M…
THE RAMP AT SOUTHBOUND 280 TO EASTBOUND I-94… AND THE RAMP AT FRANKLIN AVENUE TO EASTBOUND I-94.
THEN STARTING MONDAY, APRIL 13TH AT 5 A-M… THE RAMPS FROM I-94 TO UNIVERSITY AVENUE CLOSE THROUGH LATE AUGUST.
THE ROAD WORK IS SCHEDULED TO PAUSE OR BE COMPLETED BY THE START OF THE STATE FAIR.
--IRON RANGE FESTIVAL--
THE IRON RANGE IS THROWING A LITTLE LOVE LETTER TO “HOME” THIS MONTH — AT THE 18TH ANNUAL IRON RANGE EARTH FEST.
IT’S SATURDAY, APRIL 18TH, FROM 9 TO 3 AT THE IRON TRAIL MOTORS EVENT CENTER IN VIRGINIA…. IT’S ALSO FREE, WITH COMMUNITY SPEAKERS, A LOCAL MARKETPLACE, AND LIVE MUSIC.
THIS YEAR’S THEME IS “NO PLACE BUT HOME”… ORGANIZERS SAY TO THINK “WIZARD OF OZ,” BUT WITH REAL-LIFE IDEAS LIKE WASTE-LESS LIVING, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, AND TAKING CARE OF THE PLACE WE ALL SHARE.