The state is failing in how it grades assisted-living facilities, Minnesota is well-equipped for a presidential push to end protections for gray wolves, and the DNR wants to pay you for your Norway Pine pinecones.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
DEADLY MALTREATMENT... HIDDEN BEHIND AVERAGE STAR RATINGS AT MINNESOTA ASSISTED-LIVING FACILITIES.
[KIRCHNER: BUT ONLY SOME FACILITIES HAVE MALTREATMENT INVESTIGATIONS.]
--STATE ASSISTED-LIVING AUDIT--
MINNESOTA’S OFFICIAL REPORT CARDS FOR ITS ASSISTED-LIVING FACILITIES GET A FAILING GRADE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR… FOR A STAR-RATING SYSTEM THE AUDITOR SAYS MISLEADS RESIDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES… AND HIDES PROVEN CASES OF MISTREATMENT.
THE RATINGS SYSTEM RUNS FROM ONE TO FIVE STARS ACROSS FIVE CATEGORIES.
BUT THE SCORES EXCLUDE DOCUMENTED CASES OF MALTREATMENT AND OTHER SERIOUS CARE VIOLATIONS … AND MAY NOT FLAG A SUSPENDED OR REVOKED LICENSE.
ONE FACILITY KEPT AVERAGE, THREE-STAR HEALTH, SAFETY AND STAFFING SCORES EVEN AFTER FIVE INCIDENTS IN 18-MONTHS ... ONE RESIDENT DEATH AND FOUR HOSPITALIZATIONS.
THE INVESTIGATOR TOLD LAWMAKERS THE STAR SYSTEM CONCEALED OR EXCLUDED IMPORTANT FINDINGS.
[KIRCHNER: THAT’S NOT A FACILITY THAT WE FELT SHOULD BE GETTING A THREE- OR FOUR-STAR RATING, RIGHT? BUT NONE OF THAT STUFF WAS INCORPORATED INTO HOW THEY DID THE STARS.]
THE STATE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT SAYS IT LINKS USERS TO THE MALTREATMENT FINDINGS... BUT KEEPS THEM OUT OF THE STARS... CITING CONCERNS ABOUT MAKING FAIR COMPARISONS BETWEEN FACILITIES.
THE AGENCY SAYS IT WILL CONSIDER CHANGES BY THE END OF 2027.
--MEDICAID/MEDICAL ASSISTANCE ENDS --
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE COVERAGE FOR SOME LAWFULLY PRESENT *NON-CITIZENS WILL END THIS MONTH UNDER A NEW FEDERAL LAW.
THE CHANGE TAKES EFFECT SEPTEMBER 30TH... FOR SOME ADULTS... INCLUDING REFUGEES AND ASYLUM-SEEKERS.
STATE OFFICIALS SAY MANY STILL MAY QUALIFY FOR MINNESOTACARE.
LAWFULLY PRESENT CHILDREN AND ALL PREGNANT PEOPLE REMAIN ELIGIBLE.
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
--MN FARMERS GLOBAL VS LOCALIZATION--
MINNESOTA HAS MORE THAN 400 FARMERS MARKETS AND TEN-THOUSAND VENDORS ACROSS THE STATE AND ITS TRIBAL NATIONS.
BUT ... AS PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE’S MIKE MOEN REPORTS ... FARM LEADERS SAY A TRULY REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM ALSO REQUIRES MORE LOCAL PROCESSING AND DISTRIBUTION.
--PNS – MN FARMERS PACKAGE --
[THE GLOBAL CONSCIOUS FOOD SYSTEMS ALLIANCE HELD ITS FIRST MULTI-DAY MEETING IN SOUTH ASIA.
DELEGATES FROM MORE THAN 60 NATIONS CALLED FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGES WITHIN FOOD PRODUCTION SYSTEMS.
MINNESOTA FARMERS UNION PRESIDENT GARY WERTISH SAYS DOMESTICALLY THAT THINKING IS CONTINUING TO CATCH ON, INCLUDING AMONG CONSUMERS.
[GARY WERTISH: CONSUMERS ARE LOOKING TO BUY MORE LOCAL DIRECT FROM THE FARMER. THEY FEEL MORE SECURE. I DO THINK YOU KNOW WE DO NEED TO GET BACK TO MORE OF A REGIONAL SYSTEM.]
AS CONSUMERS MONITOR FOODBORNE ILLNESS OUTBREAKS WHILE STILL STRUGGLING WITH VOLATILE COSTS, WERTISH SUGGESTS IT'S TIME TO RETHINK THE VALUE OF LEANING ON A VAST SYSTEM WITH OVERLAPPING SUPPLY CHAINS.
HE RENEWS CALLS FOR MORE LOCAL MEAT PROCESSORS TO BOOST FOOD PRODUCTION RESILIENCY.
I'M MIKE MOEN.]
--HEALTH DEPARTMENT RABIES TESTING --
SOME PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE TWIN CITIES AREA MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO RABIES...
THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS CUSTOMERS OF THE WILDLIFE-REMOVAL COMPANY... A-S-A-P WILDLIFE SERVICES M-N ... MAY HAVE RELIED ON INVALID RABIES TEST RESULTS AFTER CONTACT WITH BATS OR OTHER WILD MAMMALS.
OFFICIALS SAY THE COMPANY DID NOT CONSISTENTLY SUBMIT THOSE ANIMALS FOR TESTING... AND AT LEAST ONE CUSTOMER GOT A NEGATIVE RESULT FROM A LAB THAT IS NOT CERTIFIED TO TEST ANIMALS FOR RABIES.
CUSTOMERS SINCE SEPTEMBER FIRST OF LAST YEAR SHOULD CALL THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY TO DETERMINE THEIR EXPOSURE RISK... AND WHETHER THEY NEED RABIES-PREVENTION SHOTS.
--TRUMP PROPOSES ENDING WOLF PROTECTIONS --
STATE AND FEDERAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS BROUGHT MINNESOTA’S GRAY WOLF POPULATION BACK FROM THE BRINK.
NOW.. THAT RECOVERY COULD FACE A NEW RISK/TEST.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS ORDERED THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT TO DECIDE WITHIN 90-DAYS WHETHER GRAY AND MEXICAN WOLVES HAVE RECOVERED ENOUGH TO REMOVE OR REDUCE FEDERAL PROTECTIONS.
THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES SAYS ANY POTENTIAL CHANGE *WON’T UNRAVEL DECADES OF STATE CONSERVATION WORK.
[DAN STARK: IT DOESN’T CHANGE HOW WE MANAGE WOLVES, OR WHAT OUR STRUCTURE IS IN PLACE FOR ONCE THEY COME OFF A FEDERAL ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST.]
DELISTING GRAY WOLVES WOULD RETURN MANAGEMENT TO MINNESOTA … WHICH HAS STRONG STATE PROTECTIONS AND LONG-TERM POPULATION GOALS.
AGGRESSIVE HUNTING AND GOVERNMENT BOUNTIES NEARLY WIPED OUT GRAY WOLVES ACROSS MOST OF THE LOWER 48 STATES BY THE 1970S
… BUT,,, MINNESOTA HELD ONTO THE REGION’S LAST KNOWN REPRODUCING POPULATION... AND WOLVES NEVER LEFT MINNESOTA.
FEDERAL PROTECTION HELPED THE STATE GROW ITS POPULATION BACK FROM FEWER-THAN ONE-THOUSAND WOLVES … TO STABLE POPULATION OF ABOUT 25 HUNDRED TODAY.
[DAN STARK: IT WAS CONSIDERED A CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORY OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT.]
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
--DNR RED PINECONES $95 A BUSHEL --
AND... FINALLY.
MONEY DOESN’T GROW ON TREES … BUT RED … OR NORWAY PINECONES DO … AND RIGHT NOW THEY’RE WORTH 95 DOLLARS A BUSHEL.
THE D-N-R IS BUYING RIPE … UNOPENED RED PINECONES … AS IT LOOKS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE STATE TREE’S BEST CROP IN A DECADE.
THE AGENCY HOPES TO BUY ONE-THOUSAND BUSHELS… AND SAVE THE SEEDS FOR FUTURE REFORESTATION PROJECTS.
WOULD-BE CONE HUNTERS MUST REGISTER FIRST … AND CHECK WHETHER THEIR LOCAL D-N-R OFFICE IS STILL BUYING.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.