Today is primary day, lake levels are low across the state, and it’s time for parents to make sure kids are up to date on vaccines before the school year starts.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
COMING UP …
[LA THOMMAVONG: BEING DEPORTED WOULD BE A DEATH SENTENCE.]
A ROCHESTER MAN’S FIGHT TO AVOID DEPORTATION TO LAOS
BUT FIRST …
--PRIMARY ELECTION DAY--
MINNESOTA IS HEADING INTO PRIMARY DAY WITH RECORD EARLY TURNOUT FOR A NON-PRESIDENTIAL-YEAR PRIMARY.
POLITICAL ANALYSTS SAY WITH SEVERAL CROWDED RACES, A SMALL SHARE OF MINNESOTA VOTERS COULD DECIDE WHO EVERYONE GETS TO CHOOSE FROM IN NOVEMBER.
PARTISAN PRIMARIES INCLUDE RACES FOR U-S SENATE ... GOVERNOR AND STATE LEGISLATURE.
LOCAL NON-PARTISAN PRIMARIES ARE NARROWING FIELDS.. TOO..
POLLS ARE OPEN UNTIL EIGHT PM. THAT MEANS AS LONG AS YOU ARE IN LINE BY 8PM YOU ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE.
--LA THAMMAVONG PARDON --
A ROCHESTER MAN WHO SAYS DEPORTATION TO LAOS COULD KILL HIM ... IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO A PARDON.
THE STATE CLEMENCY REVIEW COMMISSION VOTED SEVEN-TO-ONE TO RECOMMEND A PARDON FOR LA THAMMAVONG …
HE CAME TO THE U-S LEGALLY AS A CHILD REFUGEE IN 1989.
THAMMAVONG IS THE PRIMARY CARETAKER FOR HIS WIFE AND FATHER …
HE ALSO HAS SERIOUS HEART AND KIDNEY PROBLEMS … AND TAKES MORE THAN A DOZEN MEDICATIONS AFTER A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT.
[LA THAMMAVONG: MY DOCTOR SAID THE MEDICATION TREATMENT I NEED IS NOT AVAILABLE IN LAOS, AND IF DEPORTED, MY ORGAN WILL FAIL AND RESULT IN DEATH RAPIDLY.]
THAMMAVONG FACES DEPORTATION RELATED TO CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS FOR ASSAULT AND FOR THEFT IN THE 1990s AND FOR A THEFT CHARGE IN THE EARLY 2000s … HE HAS HAD NO NEW CONVICTIONS IN ABOUT 25 YEARS.
THE STATE BOARD OF PARDONS STILL HAS TO ACT … AND EVEN A PARDON MAY NOT STOP HIS DEPORTATION.
THE U-S GOVERNMENT DEPORTED ANOTHER LAOTIAN MAN LAST MONTH DESPITE HAVING RECEIVED A PARDON IN MINNESOTA.
--E-BIKE FLASH MOB --
IN MINNEAPOLIS...
WHAT STARTED WITH A SOCIAL MEDIA INVITATION FOR A ‘SCOOTER MEET-UP’ TURNED INTO MORE OF A ‘FLASH MOB’... WITH SCOOTERS AND E-BIKES CARAVANNING DOWN I-35-W SATURDAY NIGHT.
ORGANIZER JOHAN VARGAS SAYS HE EXPECTED ABOUT 200 RIDERS … BUT MORE THAN 500 SHOWED UP AFTER HIS TIKTOK POSTS.
HE SAYS AFTER HE LEFT AROUND TEN ...
STATE TROOPERS LATER RESPONDED TO REPORTS OF HUNDREDS OF RIDERS ON THE FREE WAY.
VIDEOS ON SOCIAL MEDIA SHOW A NUMBER OF COLLISIONS, INCLUDING A SCOOTER CRASHING INTO A SQUAD CAR.
POLICE REPORTED NO ARRESTS OR CITATIONS.
--RAMSEY COUNTY SUES GANGS --
RAMSEY COUNTY AND ATTORNEY GENERAL KEITH ELLISON WANT A JUDGE TO KEEP MEMBERS OF TWO GROUPS THEY IDENTIFY AS RIVAL GANGS APART AT THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR.
THE CIVIL CASES TARGET “MUDDY” AND “THE VILLE” … AND CITE AN INSTAGRAM POST PROMOTING A “BATTLE.” ON AUGUST 29TH.
PROSECUTORS WANT THE GROUPS DECLARED PUBLIC NUISANCES.
HEARINGS ON THE REQUESTED INJUNCTIONS ARE SET FOR THURSDAY.
--HEMP BAN DELAY --
AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL ... CONGRESS IS STILL WRESTLING WITH HOW TO BEST HANDLE HEMP. ..
WE TOLD YOU LAST WEEK A FEDERAL BAN ON MOST HEMP-DERIVED THC PRODUCTS WAS LOOMING IN NOVEMBER.
NOW ... THE U-S SENATE HAS VOTED TO DELAY THE BAN UNTIL DECEMBER 11.
IF THE HOUSE AGREES..IT WILL BUY MINNESOTA HEMP FARMERS AND BUSINESSES ANOTHER MONTH WHILE CONGRESS LOOKS FOR A LONG-TERM FIX TO A BILL THAT COULD REDUCE T-H-C LIMITS IN THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY.
--LOW LAKE LEVELS--
THIS SUMMER’S DROUGHT ISN’T JUST DRYING OUT OUR FARM FIELDS ... IT’S PULLING DOWN LAKE LEVELS.
A THIRD OF MINNESOTA IS IN A SEVERE DROUGHT … ANOTHER THIRD IS IN A MODERATE DROUGHT …
AND THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES SAYS MUCH OF NORTH-CENTRAL MINNESOTA IS IN A “STORAGE DROUGHT” ... MEANING GROUND WATER HAS BEEN DEPLETED FROM LAKES ... SOIL … AND GROUNDWATER.
THE D-N-R SAYS IT WOULD TAKE MONTHS OF HEAVY RAIN TO RESTORE LAKE LEVELS AND SOIL MOISTURE … AND MAY TAKE YEARS TO FULLY REVERSE THE LOSS.
THE AGENCY IS ASKING PEOPLE TO REFRAIN FROM BOATING AND ACTIVITIES THAT CAN ALTER THE SHORELINE WHILE WATER LEVELS ARE LOW.
--BACK TO SCHOOL VACCINES --
BACKPACKS, PENCILS … AND VACCINES.
AS MINNESOTA FAMILIES GET READY FOR A NEW SCHOOL YEAR … HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY DON’T FORGET THE VACCINE CHECKLIST.
WHEN STUDENTS RETURN TO CROWDED CLASSROOMS … THEY’RE ALSO BACK TO SHARING PLENTY OF GERMS.
MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH’S JAYNE GRIFFITH SAYS NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE SURE CHILDREN ARE CAUGHT UP.
[JAYNE GRIFFITH/MDH EPIDEMIOLOGIST: AS WE START THINKING ABOUT BACK TO SCHOOL TIME, THAT’S ANOTHER… KEY TIME FOR PARENTS TO REALLY THINK ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THEIR KIDS ARE UP TO DATE ON VACCINES.]
GRIFFITH SAYS FALL IS WHEN RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES BEGIN SPREADING MORE EASILY... BECAUSE KIDS ARE BACK TOGETHER.
--SAX-ZIM BOG --
AND FINALLY …
FALL MIGRATION IS ABOUT TO BEGIN AT ONE OF MINNESOTA’S MOST FAMOUS BIRDING DESTINATIONS.
SAX-ZIM BOG... ABOUT 50 MINUTES NORTHWEST OF DULUTH, IN SAINT LOUIS COUNTY... ISN’T ACTUALLY ONE BOG…
IT’S A MORE-THAN-300-SQUARE-MILE PATCHWORK OF BOGS... FORESTS... FARMS... AND MEADOWS.
FRIENDS OF SAX-ZIM SAYS MORE THAN 42-HUNDRED SPECIES HAVE NOW BEEN DOCUMENTED THERE ... INCLUDING ITS CELEBRITY RESIDENT... THE GREAT GRAY OWL
MIGRATION BEGINS MID-AUGUST AND RUNS ... OR FLIES ... THROUGH NOVEMBER.
EXPLORE MINNESOTA LISTS FIELD TRIPS AND NATURE PROGRAMS THIS WEEKEND THROUGH THE FALL...
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON