Power cuts for wildfire evacuees, four years of the state’s suicide and crisis hotline, and Chaska celebrates 50 years of River City Days.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
COMING UP …
[THE FABULOUS ARMADILLOS PLAYING A COVER OF SEALS AND CROFTS’ “SUMMER BREEZE”]
THE FABULOUS ARMADILLOS BRING A SUMMER BREEZE TO CHASKA ‘RIVER CITY DAYS’ THIS WEEKEND …
BUT FIRST …
--RAMSEY COUNTY SOMALI MEETING UPDATE--
ABOUT 200 PARENTS, NEIGHBORS AND GRIEVING FAMILIES CAME TOGETHER LAST NIGHT FOR A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION WITH RAMSEY COUNTY SHERIFF BOB FLETCHER AFTER HIS COMMENTS ABOUT VIOLENCE AND WHAT HE CALLS SOMALI YOUTH GANGS.
THE SHERIFF LINKS 12 GROUPS TO 14 KILLINGS AND MORE THAN 100-SHOOTINGS OVER TWO YEARS IN THE ARDEN HILLS AREA.. JUST NORTH OF SAINT PAUL.
SAHAN JOURNAL PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTER MOHAMED IBRAHIM (IBB RAH HIM) TELLS NORTH STAR STORIES THE CONVERSATION WAS PRODUCTIVE WITH MANY PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ENGAGING IN THE CONVERSATION.
[MOHAMMED IBRAHIM: THERE WAS CURIOSITY ABOUT THE ISSUE ITSELF AND WHY IT'S HAPPENING, AS WELL AS SADNESS ABOUT HOW MANY KIDS HAVE BEEN LOST TO THIS VIOLENCE. THERE WAS A SMALL OUTBURST OR CONFRONTATION WITH SHERIFF FLETCHER, UM, BETWEEN, UH, WITH SOME FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE STILL UPSET ABOUT THE WORDS THAT SHERIFF FLETCHER USED TO DESCRIBE THIS ISSUE. BUT THE OVERWHELMING SENTIMENT WAS TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX THIS ISSUE.]
THERE WILL BE ANOTHER MEETING IN A FEW WEEKS TO FOCUS ON SOLUTIONS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE STORY.
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
--FORESTVIEW FUNERAL--
AS THE CENTRAL MINNESOTA COMMUNITY OF BRAINERD SEARCHES FOR ANSWERS AFTER TWO FORESTVIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS DIED BY SUICIDE OVER THE PAST MONTH.. FRIENDS AND FAMILY OF 13-YEAR-OLD LEXI THORNTON ARE PREPARING TO SAY GOODBYE.
LEXI’S CELEBRATION OF LIFE IS TOMORROW (FRIDAY/JULY 24) AT WHIPPLE BEACH IN BAXTER… JUST WEST OF BRAINERD.
THE FAMILIES SAY LEXI AND 11-YEAR-OLD AVA BOTH EXPERIENCED BULLYING..
THE DISTRICT IS PLANNING TO ADD MORE MENTAL-HEALTH COUNSELORS.
--9-8-8 ANNIVERSARY--
STATE HEALTH DATA SHOWS THE SUICIDE RATE OF TEN TO 14-YEAR-OLDS HAS DOUBLED IN JUST THE PAST YEAR...
AND THERE IS HELP AVAILABLE.. ANY TIME.. FOR ANYONE..
ANYONE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS ... OR ANY ISSUE ... CAN SPEAK WITH A MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR BY CALLING 9-8-8 ... THAT’S MINNESOTA’S SUICIDE AND CRISIS HOTLINE
9-8-8 DIRECTOR EMILY LINDEMAN SAYS THE LINE IS ALWAYS OPEN.. ALL CALLS ARE FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL...
[EMILY LINDEMAN: YOU DON'T NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT SUICIDE OR IN AN IMMEDIATE CRISIS TO USE 988. SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE CALLING BECAUSE THEY'RE FEELING STRESSED, OVERWHELMED, OR ALONE.]
9-8-8 LAUNCHED FOUR YEARS AGO ... IT CONNECTS CALLERS IN NEED WITH COUNSELORS AND, IF NECESSARY, MOBILE RESPONSE TEAMS … AND OFFERS INTERPRETERS IN 200 LANGUAGES.
THE HOTLINE HAS ANSWERED *83-THOUSAND CALLS SO FAR THIS YEAR.
--WILDFIRE UPDATES AND POWER OUTAGES--
THE WILDFIRE EMERGENCY STILL STRETCHES ACROSS COOK... LAKE... AND SAINT LOUIS COUNTIES IN THE NORTHEASTERN PART OF THE STATE.
U-S FOREST SERVICE HAS EXTENDED THE CLOSURE OF THE BOUNDARY WATERS THROUGH OCTOBER FIRST... BUT MAY REOPEN SMALLER, INDIVIDUAL AREAS... IF SAFE.
GO EVACUATION ORDERS REMAIN IN AREAS EAST OF ELY... AND PARTS OF THE ECHO TRAIL... WITH READY AND SET ZONES ELSEWHERE.
CREWS CONTINUE TO PROTECT HOMES AND LODGES NEAR THE FIRE LINES ON THE GROUND AND FROM ABOVE.
--TRANSITION INTO MINNESOTA POWER--
MINNESOTA POWER IS WARNING CUSTOMERS NEAR EVACUATION ZONES TO PREPARE FOR POSSIBLE EMERGENCY ELECTRICITY SHUTOFFS.
WHEN A ‘SET’ EVACUATION ZONE MOVES TO GO... THE POWER WILL BE SHUT OFF AFTER EVACUATION.. SO LIVE POWER LINES DO NOT ENDANGER FIREFIGHTERS
CUSTOMERS NEED TO MAKE BACKUP PLANS NOW FOR REFRIGERATED ITEMS, ESPECIALLY MEDICINE, AS WELL AS POWER-DEPENDENT MEDICAL DEVICES.
ELECTRICITY COULD REMAIN OFF FOR DAYS AFTER EVACUATION ORDERS ARE LIFTED WHILE CREWS INSPECT LINES AND MAKE REPAIRS.
IF A SHUTOFF HAPPENS … PEOPLE SHOULD REMOVE FOOD FROM REFRIGERATORS AND UNPLUG ELECTRONICS TO AVOID POWER SURGE DAMAGE.
--CENTURYLINK UPDATE--
AFTER WEEKS OF FRUSTRATION... TELEPHONE AND INTERNET SERVICE HAS FINALLY BEEN RESTORED TO CENTURYLINK CUSTOMERS IN AND AROUND WACONIA... JUST WEST OF THE TWIN CITIES.
THE COMPANY SAYS ALL AFFECTED CUSTOMERS WILL RECEIVE BILL CREDITS.
BUT WHEN NORTH STAR STORIES ASKED CENTURYLINK WHAT CAUSED THE OUTAGE... OR WHY SOME PEOPLE WENT MORE THAN A MONTH WITHOUT SERVICE... CENTURYLINK DECLINED TO ANSWER.
LOCAL OFFICIALS SAY PUBLIC PRESSURE HELPED PUSH THE REPAIRS FORWARD.
--CHASKA RIVER DAYS--
AND FINALLY …
[THE FABULOUS ARMADILLOS PLAYING A COVER OF SEALS AND CROFTS’ “SUMMER BREEZE”]
COVER BANDS … ARMORED COMBAT … AND A 150-DRONE LIGHT SHOW … WILL BE AMONG THE ATTRACTIONS AT THIS WEEKEND AT CHASKA’S ‘RIVER CITY DAYS’ 50TH ANNIVERSARY.
THE SOUTHWEST METRO FESTIVAL ALSO FEATURES FIREFIGHTER WATER FIGHTS … A PETTING ZOO … AND KNIGHTS BATTLING WITH STEEL WEAPONS.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.