The “Minnesota 15” have their first day in federal court, Big Stone Lake produces a record bluegill, and the state says goodbye to trailblazing lawmaker Karen Clark.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
--KAREN CLARK OBIT--
MINNESOTA HAS LOST A FIRST AMONG LAWMAKERS... A LEADER WHO FORGED A PATH TO CHANGE WHO COULD MARRY IN THIS STATE..
KAREN CLARK DIED TUESDAY... LEAVING A LEGACY OF BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER...
[KAREN CLARK: I DON'T SEE IT AS A DIVISIVE ISSUE — I SEE IT AS A UNIFYING ISSUE.]
KAREN CLARK WAS FIRST ELECTED TO THE MINNESOTA HOUSE IN 1980 … AND WENT ON TO SERVE 19 TERMS REPRESENTING THE PHILLIPS, POWDERHORN, SEWARD, AND WHITTIER NEIGHBORHOODS IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS.
SHE WAS A LONGTIME ADVOCATE FOR GAY RIGHTS … LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS … PEOPLE OF COLOR … AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES.
ALONG WITH SENATOR SCOTT DIBBLE SHE AUTHORED THE 2013 MINNESOTA FREEDOM TO MARRY ACT … WHICH LEGALIZED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IN THE STATE.
[KAREN CLARK: I WOULDN'T BE BRINGING THIS BILL FORWARD IF I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WHAT IT WILL DO WILL BE TO STRENGTHEN MINNESOTA'S FAMILIES. IT WILL REALLY STRENGTHEN US. IT WILL BRING US TOGETHER.]
GOVERNOR MARK DAYTON SIGNED THAT BILL INTO LAW 13 YEARS AGO.
CLARK RETIRED IN 2019 … AS THE LONGEST-SERVING OPENLY LESBIAN STATE LEGISLATOR IN THE COUNTRY.
SHE DIED TUESDAY AFTER A BRIEF ILLNESS. REPRESENTATIVE KAREN CLARK WAS 80 YEARS OLD.
--“MINNESOTA 15”--
[SUPPORTER PROTEST: THEY THINK THAT THEY CAN SCARE US INTO SUBMISSION BY MAKING EXAMPLES OF THESE PEACEFUL PROTESTORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS … AND WE CANNOT LET THAT STAND.]
A LARGE GROUP RALLIED OUTSIDE THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE IN DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS IN SUPPORT OF A GROUP OF IMMIGRATION-ENFORCEMENT PROTESTERS KNOWN AS THE “MINNESOTA 15” ... WHO NOW FACE FEDERAL CHARGES.. THE SUPPORTERS SAY THE FEDERAL CASE CRIMINALIZES PROTESTING.
[SUPPORTER PROTEST: AND ONCE AGAIN, IF THEY’RE GUILTY, WE’RE ALL GUILTY!]
FOURTEEN OF THE ‘MINNESOTA 15 GROUP’ MADE THEIR FIRST APPEARANCE IN COURT WEDNESDAY.. ALL PLEADED NOT GUILTY.
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ACCUSES THEM OF BEING PART OF “DIRECT ACTION MINNESOTA” … A MINNEAPOLIS-BASED GROUP PROSECUTORS SAY HAS ANTIFA TIES...
FEDERAL PROSECUTORS CHARGED THEM WITH CONSPIRING TO INTERFERE WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICERS.. SAYING THE GROUP TRACKED AND DISRUPTED AGENTS DURING OPERATION METRO SURGE LAST WINTER.
THE CHARGES INCLUDE CONSPIRACY … THREATS … STALKING … AND IN TWO CASES … ASSAULTING A FEDERAL OFFICER.
THE MINNESOTA CASE COMES AS THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT PURSUES ANTI-I-C-E PROTEST CASES NATIONALLY... INCLUDING A MUCH MORE SEVERE TEXAS CASE INVOLVING A SHOOTING AT AN IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTER.
--ALLINA DOCTORS STRIKE VOTE--
A POSSIBLE DOCTORS STRIKE COULD HIT ONE OF THE NORTH METRO’S BUSIEST HOSPITAL SYSTEMS..
MORE THAN 130 UNIONIZED PHYSICIANS AT ALLINA HEALTH’S MERCY AND UNITY HOSPITAL CAMPUSES IN COON RAPIDS AND FRIDLEY VOTED TO ‘AUTHORIZE A STRIKE’… THE UNION SAYS MORE THAN 90-PERCENT VOTED YES.
MERCY CAMPUSES SERVE MORE THAN 350-THOUSAND RESIDENTS IN ANOKA COUNTY AND SURROUNDING AREAS... WITH MORE THAN 85-THOUSAND E-R VISITS A YEAR.
THE DOCTORS UNION SAYS TWO YEARS OF TALKS HAVE NOT PRODUCED A CONTRACT ON WAGES … BENEFITS … AND WORKING CONDITIONS.
DOCTORS HAVE TO GIVE ALLINA 10 DAYS’ NOTICE BEFORE WALKING OUT.
THE VOTE COMES AS ALLINA IS SEEKING REGULATORY APPROVAL TO JOIN CALIFORNIA-BASED SUTTER HEALTH IN A DEAL TO CREATE A 39-HOSPITAL SYSTEM.
--TEENS / PARK VANDALISM--
SUMMER BREAK OFTEN TURNS PARKS... REC CENTERS AND SHOPPING AREAS INTO TEEN HANGOUTS.. AND COMMUNITIES FROM UP NORTH IN THE IRON RANGE... TO THE WEST METRO ARE REACHING OUT TO PARENTS TO HELP KEEP THEIR KIDS FROM GETTING INTO TROUBLE BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE..
IN THE NORTHERN CITY OF VIRGINIA … OFFICIALS SAY PORTABLE BATHROOMS AT LOCAL PARKS HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY VANDALIZED … DRIVING UP MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR COSTS.
CITY OFFICIALS MADE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS... ASKING PARENTS TO TALK WITH THEIR KIDS ABOUT RESPECTING PUBLIC PROPERTY AND CONSEQUENCES OF VANDALISM.
IN CARVER COUNTY … WEST OF THE TWIN CITIES … SHERIFF’S LIEUTENANT TYLER STAHN SAYS GROUPS OF LOCAL TEENS KEEP GATHERING AROUND BUSINESSES … PARKS … AND REC CENTERS.
HE SAYS MOST DO THE RIGHT THING … BUT SOME POLICE CALLS START WITH DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR.
[LT. TYLER STAHN/CARVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE: WE’RE NOT LOOKING TO ENFORCE UNLESS THE SITUATION TRULY WARRANTS IT … WE’RE GOING TO COME OUT, WE’RE GOING TO TALK TO THEM, WE’RE GOING TO SAY, HEY, HERE’S WHAT’S GOING ON, HERE’S WHY IT’S A PROBLEM. (:14)]
STAHN SAYS DEPUTIES TRY TO LOOP IN PARENTS AND BUSINESSES …BEFORE SMALL SUMMER PROBLEMS TURN INTO BIGGER ISSUES.
--STATE RECORD BLUEGILL--
FISHING IS A GREAT WAY TO STAY OUT OF TROUBLE... AND TO REEL IN A SUMMERTIME BRAGGING-RIGHTS STORY.
A WESTERN MINNESOTA BLUEGILL IS NOW OFFICIALLY IN THE STATE-RECORD BOOKS …
THE D-N-R SAYS CHRIS MULCAHEY OF WATERVILLE CAUGHT THE TWO-POUND BLUEGILL ON BIG STONE LAKE … ALONG THE SOUTH DAKOTA BORDER.
MINNESOTA BLUEGILLS AVERAGE FOUR TO EIGHT INCHES... AND A HALF-POUND.
THIS ONE MEASURED A WHOPPING FOOT LONG... WELL... ELEVEN AND THREE QUARTERS INCHES… WITH A GIRTH OF MORE THAN 14 INCHES.
THAT’S A BIG BLUEGILL … AND A LIFETIME OF BRAGGING RIGHTS.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.