Activists win a temporary pause against a Google data center in Pine Island, Fond Du Lac gets a big investment to expand its Ojibwe language program, and mental health advocates remind us that care looks different for everyone.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
--PINE ISLAND DATA CENTER TRO--
A JUDGE PAUSED WORK ON ONE OF MINNESOTA’S BIGGEST AND MOST CONTROVERSIAL DATA CENTER PROJECTS.
A GOODHUE COUNTY JUDGE ISSUED A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER BLOCKING CONSTRUCTION WORK ON “PROJECT SKYWAY” … A NEARLY 500-ACRE-GOOGLE-BACKED DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT IN PINE ISLAND... NORTH OF ROCHESTER.
THE MINNESOTA CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY SUED THE CITY AND DEVELOPER RYAN COMPANIES ... SAYING ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW DID NOT GO FAR ENOUGH ON QUESTIONS ABOUT WATER.. POWER.. NOISE.. LIGHT.. POTENTIAL POLLUTION... AND OTHER IMPACTS... LIKE TRAFFIC.
THE CITY SAYS THE PROJECT WENT THROUGH AN ALTERNATIVE URBAN AREAWIDE REVIEW.
RYAN COMPANIES SAYS... IT IS REVIEWING THE ORDER AND CONSIDERING NEXT STEPS.
--IGH DATA CENTER PAUSE--
MEANWHILE … INVER GROVE HEIGHTS DELAYED A DECISION ON WHETHER ITS DATA CENTER MORATORIUM SHOULD APPLY TO A PROJECT THAT WAS ALREADY FILED.
‘QLEVR’ IS SEEKING CITY APPROVAL FOR A 54-THOUSAND-SQUARE-FOOT DATA CENTER AT THE FORMER TRAVEL TAGS BUILDING …
BUT SOME COUNCIL-MEMBERS WANT THE PROJECT INCLUDED INTO A ONE-YEAR MORATORIUM WHILE THE CITY DEVELOPS ITS DATA CENTER RULES.
[COUNCILOR: IT PROTECTS HEALTH AND SAFETY AND WELFARE OF OUR RESIDENTS, GIVES US TIME TO STUDY THIS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR DATA CENTERS IN INVER GROVE HEIGHTS.]
QLEVER’S ATTORNEY SAYS IT SUBMITTED ITS APPLICATION BEFORE THE MORATORIUM ... ZONING ALLOWS DATA CENTERS AT THE CURRENT SITE … AND WARNED DELAYING THE PROJECT FOR REASONS OTHER THAN ZONING.. COULD EXPOSE THE CITY TO LEGAL RISK.
THE COUNCIL TABLED THE ISSUE TUESDAY NIGHT … AND PLANS TO REVIEW IT AGAIN JUNE EIGHTH.
--CARBON CAPTURE--
RURAL ORGANIZERS SAY MINNESOTA COMMUNITIES CONSIDERING DATA CENTERS SHOULD LEARN A LESSON FROM THE CARBON PIPELINE FIGHT.
SUMMIT CARBON SOLUTIONS SWITCHED ITS PREVIOUS CARBON STORAGE PIPELINE ROUTE FROM MINNESOTA AND THE DAKOTAS ... TO NOW RUN THROUGH IOWA AND NEBRASKA TO WYOMING.
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP ‘CURE’ MINNESOTA’ TELLS PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE THE SHIFT SHOWS WHY COMMUNITIES SHOULD PRESS BIG COMPANIES FOR ENFORCEABLE DETAILS... NOT JUST PROMISES.. INCLUDING WATER.. ENERGY..LAND USE... AND LONG-TERM LOCAL COSTS.
SUMMIT CARBON SAYS MINNESOTA COULD STILL BE PART OF A FUTURE PIPELINE PHASE.
--FINAL BILLS SIGNED TO LAW--
FROM SOCIAL MEDIA RULES FOR KIDS … TO A WAY FOR FOOD SHELVES TO RECEIVE MORE EGGS … A NEW BATCH OF 2026 SESSION BILLS IS NOW LAW.
GOVERNOR TIM WALZ SIGNED BILLS ALLOWING GROCERS TO DONATE EGGS TO FOOD SHELVES UP TO 30-DAYS PAST THEIR QUALITY ASSURANCE DATE …
ANOTHER LAW SETS REQUIREMENTS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS USED BY CHILDREN 15 AND UNDER.. INCLUDING PARENTAL CONSENT...
AND VOTERS WILL DECIDE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THIS FALL ASKING WHETHER TO INCREASE SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNDING FROM THE PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND... BY TWO PERCENT WITHOUT RAISING INCOME OR PROPERTY TAXES.
A FEW OTHER END-OF-SESSION BILLS ARE STILL AWAITING A SIGNATURE.
--SNAP AND SUNBUCKS--
AS SCHOOL LETS OUT... MINNESOTA FAMILIES WHO RELY ON FOOD HELP HAVE A COUPLE OF WAYS TO STRETCH THE GROCERY BUDGET THIS SUMMER.
ABOUT 100 FARMERS MARKETS ACROSS THE STATE ACCEPT SNAP BENEFITS... AND THROUGH MARKET BUCKS... SHOPPERS USING E-B-T CAN GET A DOLLAR-FOR-DOLLAR MATCH... UP TO 10 DOLLARS PER MARKET VISIT.
RACHEL HOLMES WITH THE FOOD GROUP TELLS PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE FRESH PRODUCE OFTEN COST MORE AT GROCERY STORES .. AND FARMERS MARKETS CAN BALANCE COST WITH THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF FRESH PRODUCE.
[RACHEL HOLMES: MORE ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOODS CAN REDUCE CHRONIC ILLNESSES, KEEPS MEDICAL COSTS DOWN, AND ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN, ACCESS CAN SUPPORT A HEALTHIER CHILD GROWTH.]
MINNESOTA FAMILIES WHO QUALIFY FOR SUMMER FOOD ASSISTANCE SHOULD WATCH FOR SUN BUCKS E-B-T CARDS IN THE MAIL...
ELIGIBLE CHILDREN RECEIVE 120-DOLLARS FOR SUMMER GROCERIES LOADED ONTO A SUN BUCKS CARD.
MOST ARE AUTOMATICALLY ENROLLED IF THE HOUSEHOLD ALREADY PARTICIPATES IN SNAP... M-F-I-P... FOSTER CARE... OR FREE AND REDUCED-PRICE SCHOOL MEALS.
--FOND DU LAC GRANT--
FOND DU LAC TRIBAL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS GETTING A 9-POINT-TWO-MILLION DOLLAR BOOST FOR OJIBWE LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION.
THE CLOQUET COLLEGE SAYS THE BUSH FOUNDATION GRANT WILL SUPPORT AN EIGHT-YEAR EFFORT FOCUSED ON ADULT LANGUAGE LEARNERS … IMMERSION AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS … AND PRESERVING THE VOICES OF FIRST-LANGUAGE SPEAKERS.
PART OF THE PLAN INCLUDES A NEW OJIBWE LANGUAGE DOCUMENTATION AND PRESERVATION RESEARCH CENTER.
THE COLLEGE ALSO PLANS TO EXPLORE A BACHELOR’S DEGREE PROGRAM IN OJIBWE LANGUAGE.
--MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH--
AND FINALLY …
GETTING KIDS OUTSIDE COULD BE PART OF THE PRESCRIPTION FOR BETTER MENTAL HEALTH THIS SUMMER.
AS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH WINDS DOWN... AND SUMMER RAMPS UP… OLMSTED COUNTY’S “PARK R-X" OR PARK PRESCRIPTION” PROGRAM ENCOURAGES HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO RECOMMEND TIME OUTDOORS AS PART OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING.
AND … BECAUSE SUPPORT DOES NOT LOOK THE SAME FOR EVERYONE.
THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS... OR NAMI... OFFERS MINNESOTANS THE “COMPARTIENDO ESPERANZA” PROGRAM USING SPANISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURALLY GROUNDED CONVERSATIONS TO HELP HISPANIC AND LATINO FAMILIES TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH .. STIGMA..AND SUPPORT.
WHILE MAY IS THE NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.. ADVOCATES SAY THE WORK TO STAY MENTALLY HEALTHY CONTINUES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.