A sentencing date is set for the man who killed former House Speaker Melissa Hortman, Inver Grove Heights has to decide if it will risk a 150-million-dollar lawsuit, and learn to speak “bird” in Bemidji this weekend.
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WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
COMING UP …
LEARN TO SPEAK “BIRD” IN BEMIDJI …
--BUT FIRST... --
THE CONFESSED POLITICAL ASSASSIN WHO MURDERED FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER MELISSA HORTMAN AND HER HUSBAND, MARK, WILL BE SENTENCED IN FEDERAL COURT NEXT MONTH.
VANCE BOELTER IS SCHEDULED TO BE SENTENCED JULY 23 IN MINNEAPOLIS.
HE PLEADED GUILTY EARLIER THIS MONTH TO THE HORTMAN MURDERS AND THE SHOOTINGS OF SENATOR JOHN HOFFMAN AND HIS WIFE, YVETTE.
AS PART OF THE PLEA AGREEMENT, FEDERAL PROSECUTORS AGREED NOT TO SEEK THE DEATH PENALTY. BOELTER FACES THE LONGEST PRISON TERM ALLOWED UNDER THE AGREEMENT.
HE STILL FACES SEPARATE STATE CHARGES, INCLUDING MURDER AND ATTEMPTED MURDER.
--CHILD PORN INDICTMENT--
A LONGTIME EMPLOYEE OF THE MINNEAPOLIS CHILDREN THEATRE COMPANY IS FACING FEDERAL CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES.
A FEDERAL INDICTMENT ACCUSES RICKY MCALLISTER OF POSSESSING AND RECEIVING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY PREVIOUSLY... IN 2022 AND 2025.
MCALLISTER WORKED AT THE THEATRE FOR 24-YEARS. HE STOPPED WORKING THERE IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR ... AFTER THE FEDERAL INVESTIGATION STARTED. HE HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY. THE NEXT HEARING IS SET FOR AUGUST.
THE THEATRE SAYS HE IS NOT ACCUSED OF ABUSING ANY STUDENTS OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THERE.
THIS CASE IS UNRELATED TO A CHILD SEX ABUSE SCANDAL AT THE THEATRE IN THE 1970S AND ‘80S.
--INVER GROVE HEIGHTS MEETING--
A CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN THE SOUTH METRO SUBURB OF INVER GROVE HEIGHTS ERUPTED IN “BOOS” AFTER THE COUNCIL DELAYED A FINAL VOTE ON PAUSING THE DEVELOPMENT OF DATA CENTERS FOR A YEAR.
THE VOTE FOR A MORATORIUM COULD AFFECT A CITY DEAL WITH “QLEVR” … A COMPANY SEEKING TO BUILD A 54-THOUSAND-SQUARE-FOOT DATA CENTER.
THE CITY WANTS TIME TO STUDY THE IMPACT OF DATA CENTERS … INCLUDING NOISE AND WATER AND ELECTRICITY USE.
QLEVR IS THREATENING TO SUE THE CITY FOR 150-MILLON DOLLARS BECAUSE IT SUBMITTED ITS APPLICATION BEFORE THE MORATORIUM …
THE CITY REQUIRES THREE VOTES ON ALL CITY RULES … THE COUNCIL HAS PREVIOUSLY VOTED TWICE TO STOP THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW DATA CENTERS … THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FINAL VOTE.
COUNCIL MEMBER JOHN MURPHY SAYS THE COUNCIL RECIEVED NEW INFORMATION IT NEEDS TO CONSIDER BEFORE IT DECIDES.
[COUNCIL MEMBER JOHN MURPHY: I THINK THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO RIGHT NOW WOULD BE TO RECESS.]
THE COUNCIL WILL VOTE FRIDAY MORNING.
--BACKYARD CHICKENS IN MANKATO--
MANKATO CITY COUNCIL’S BACKYARD CHICKEN DEBATE IS MOVING TO A PUBLIC HEARING.
THE COUNCIL IS DEBATING WHETHER TO ALLOW RESIDENTS IN SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES WITHIN THE CITY TO KEEP UP TO FOUR HENS … BUT NO ROOSTERS.
CITY MANAGER SUSAN ARNTZ SAYS THE NEW ORDINANCE WOULD ALSO EXPAND THE CITY’S BROADER ANIMAL CODE.
[CITY MANAGER SUSAN ARNTZ: WE'VE ADDED EXCEPTIONS FOR CERTAIN SMALL ANIMALS THAT ARE COMMONLY KEPT AS PETS ... I THINK MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT OUR FAMILY KEPT A HEDGEHOG, FOR EXAMPLE.]
THE PROPOSAL WOULD REQUIRE CHICKENS TO BE KEPT IN A COOP OR RUN IN THE BACKYARD …
PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE INVITED AT THE JULY 13TH MEETING.
--MINNESOTA HOSPITALITY BUSINESS OUTLOOK--
MINNESOTA’S HOTELS, RESORTS, RESTAURANTS AND TOURISM BUSINESSES ARE HEADING INTO SUMMER WITH A GRIM FINANCIAL OUTLOOK.
A NEW SURVEY BY THE MINNEAPOLIS FEDERAL RESERVE FINDS MORE THAN HALF OF HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES REPORTED LOWER REVENUE AND PROFITS COMPARED WITH LAST SPRING.
MANY SAY CUSTOMERS ARE GETTING MORE PRICE-SENSITIVE … WHILE FOOD, SUPPLY AND OPERATING COSTS KEEP CLIMBING.
THE FED SAYS MOST BUSINESSES ARE STILL HIRING FOR SUMMER … BUT THEIR SIX-MONTH OUTLOOK IS MORE PESSIMISTIC THAN OPTIMISTIC.
--BLUE LINE TRAINS CLOSE--
IT MAY TAKE LONGER TO GET TO SOME BUSINESSES BETWEEN TARGET FIELD AND MALL OF AMERICA FOR THE NEXT SEVEN WEEKS… THE METRO TRANSIT BLUE LINE IS SHUTTING DOWN FOR TRACK REPAIRS.
STARTING JUNE 29TH … BUSES WILL REPLACE TRAINS ON THE BLUE LINE ... THAT RUNS BETWEEN TARGET FIELD AND MALL OF AMERICA…
BUSSES WILL RUN THROUGH AUGUST 19TH … WHILE METRO TRANSIT UPGRADES TRACK SIGNALS AND EQUIPMENT.
PARTS OF THE GREEN LINE WILL ALSO HAVE REPLACEMENT BUS SERVICE IN JULY AND AUGUST.
PLAN EXTRA TIME … AND CHECK THE METRO TRANSIT WEBSITE FOR UPDATES.
--CERTS GRANTS--
CLEAN ENERGY MONEY IS SPREADING TO SMALL PROJECTS ACROSS MINNESOTA … FROM MAHNOMEN TO MANKATO.
THE CLEAN ENERGY RESOURCE TEAMS… OR CERTS, AS ITS CALLED… SAYS IT HAS AWARDED FIFTY-TWO GRANTS TO ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE STATE FOR LOCAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS.
PROJECTS RANGE FROM L-E-D LIGHTING AND WEATHERIZATION … TO E-CARGO BIKES IN ROCHESTER … AND TRIBAL ENERGY WORK IN GRAND PORTAGE AND LOWER SIOUX.
--BIRD LANGUAGE 101--
AND FINALLY …
A BID TO BEMIDJI BIRDERS TO BECOME BILINGUAL … IN CHIRPS, TWEETS, AND CHEEPS.
THE MISSISSIPPI HEADWATERS AUDUBON SOCIETY IS HOSTING ‘BIRD LANGUAGE 101” THIS SATURDAY …
TO TEACH PEOPLE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT BIRDS ARE SAYING — EVERYDAY AROUND US.
LEARN TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MATING SONGS AND ALARM CALLS … AND HOW BIRDS ARE THE “C-N-N" OF THE WOODS.
ORGANIZERS SAY THE COURSE IS DESIGNED FOR EVERYONE … WHETHER YOU’RE A SEASONED BIRDER … OR DON’T KNOW AN BARRED OWL FROM A BLUE JAY.
MORE INFO AT THE MISSISSIPPI HEADWATERS AUDUBON SOCIETY WEBSITE.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.