Water fatalities over the Fourth of July weekend, plans move forward on a new Anishinabe Academy, and federal funding claw-back fears in rural healthcare.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
COMING UP …
WHY YOU SHOULD KEEP A “LOON LOOK-OUT" WHEN ON THE WATER.
BUT FIRST …
--WATER INCIDENTS ACROSS THE STATE--
FUN AND FIREWORKS OVER THE FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND ENDED WITH AT LEAST THREE PEOPLE DROWNING OR DYING AFTER GOING UNDER OR BEING PULLED OUT OF LAKES AND RIVERS IN WATER RELATED EMERGENCIES.
THE D-N-R'S OPERATION DRY WATER INITIATIVE RAN JULY THIRD THROUGH THE FIFTH ... TARGETING IMPAIRED BOATERS ... THOSE RESULTS HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED.
THE THREE DEATHS WERE REPORTED ON MOVIL LAKE NORTH OF BEMIDJI … LAKE ANN IN CHANHASSEN … AND THE SAINT CROIX RIVER EAST OF THE TWIN CITIES.
AND A MARYLAND WOMAN WAS ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY ATTEMPTING TO DROWN HER 15-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WEST-CENTRAL MINNESOTA’S BATTLE LAKE … THE TEEN WAS TREATED AND RELEASED.
IN MINNEAPOLIS … A 16-YEAR-OLD BOY WAS LAST REPORTED IN CRITICAL CONDITION AS OF YESTERDAY AFTER BEING PULLED FROM THE WATER BELOW MINNEHAHA FALLS … WHERE OFFICIALS SAY SWIMMING IS NOT ALLOWED.
IN A STATEMENT TO NORTH STAR STORIES, THE MINNEAPOLIS PARK AND RECREATION BOARD SAYS IT IS CONSIDERING NEWS AND MORE PERMANENT SIGNS TO WARN PEOPLE ABOUT THE DANGERS BELOW AND AROUND THE POPULAR WATERFALL. VANDALS COMMONLY DAMAGE THE SIGNS AND FENCING...MAKING IT EASIER FOR VISITORS TO PUT THEMSELVES IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.
--ROCHESTER PUBLIC TRANSIT--
IN ROCHESTER... NEARLY 100 WORKERS ARE WONDERING ABOUT THEIR JOBS AS CITY LEADERS MAKE CHANGES TO ITS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM...
AT LAST NIGHT’S COUNCIL MEETING... CITY LEADERS MADE OFFICIAL CHANGES TO WHO RUNS THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF ROCHESTER PUBLIC TRANSIT.... AS THE CITY BUILDS A LONG-TERM GROWTH PLAN TO INCLUDE RAPID BUS TRANSIT.
THE CURRENT OPERATOR NOTIFIED THE STATE THAT 84 ROCHESTER WORKERS COULD BE AFFECTED WHEN ITS LOCAL OPERATIONS END IN LATE AUGUST.
WHEN ROCHESTER STARTED THE PLANNING PROCESS LAST FALL … TRANSIT AND PARKING DIRECTOR RACHEL FAUTSCH SAID THE FOCUS WAS TO PUT PEOPLE FIRST AS THE CITY EXPANDS ITS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.
[RACHEL FAUTSCH: TRANSIT IS MORE THAN NUMBERS ON A PIECE OF PAPER ... THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO RELY ON OUR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO GET TO WORK, TO GET TO DOCTORS’ APPOINTMENTS TO GET TO SEE THEIR PARENTS, TO SEE THEIR FRIENDS ... SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A PEOPLE FIRST APPROACH.]
THE CITY SAYS THE TRANSITION IS DESIGNED TO KEEP SERVICE RUNNING FOR RIDERS AND PROTECT EMPLOYEES THROUGH THE HANDOFF.
THE COMPANY SAYS IT EXPECTS THE INCOMING OPERATOR TO KEEP MOST OF THE WORKERS TO CONTINUE CURRENT SERVICES. BUT.. THERE’S NO CERTAINTY.
--ALLINA HOSPICE STRIKE--
ALLINA HEALTH IS CURRENTLY FACING TWO SEPARATE LABOR FIGHTS…ONE WITH DOCTORS AT ITS MERCY AND UNITY HOSPITALS IN MINNEAPOLIS.
THE OTHER WITH HOSPICE NURSES … WHO HELD A ONE-DAY UNFAIR-LABOR-PRACTICE STRIKE YESTERDAY.
ABOUT 65 HOSPICE NURSES WALKED OUT FOLLOWING STALLED CONTRACT TALKS.
SEPARATELY … DOCTORS AT ALLINA’S MERCY AND UNITY HOSPITALS AUTHORIZED A STRIKE LAST WEEK… BUT HAVE NOT ANNOUNCED ANY WALK-OUT DATES.
ALLINA SAYS PATIENT CARE REMAINS ITS TOP PRIORITY..
--NORTH SHORE HEALTH CHANGES--
NEW FEDERAL MONEY IS SUPPOSED TO HELP RURAL HOSPITALS PAY FOR OTHER FUNDING CUTS TO MEDICAID … BUT NORTH SHORE HEALTH’S C-E-O SAYS IT COMES WITH RISK AND UNCERTAINTY.
THE GRAND MARAIS HOSPITAL RECENTLY APPLIED FOR NEARLY ONE-POINT-FIVE MILLION ON DOLLARS THROUGH THE NEW ‘FEDERAL RURAL HEALTH TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM’ … WHICH CONGRESS JUST CREATED TO ADDRESS CONSEQUENCES FROM MEDICAID CUTS AT RURAL HOSTPITALS IN THE PRESIDENT’S SO-CALLED BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL.
SPEAKING TO AMPERS MEMBER STATION W-T-I-P... HOSPITAL C-E-O KIMBER WRAALSTAD SAYS THE PROGRAM WORKS BY REIMBURSEMENT … MEANING HOSPITALS HAVE TO SPEND MONEY FIRST … THEN GET PAID BACK LATER.
BUT... WRAALSTAD SAYS FEDERAL OFFICIALS CAN RECLAIM FUNDS IF THEY QUESTION A HOSPITAL’S PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
[KIMBER WRAALSTAD: I’M CONCERNED BECAUSE IF THEY CLAW FUNDS BACK AND YOU’VE SPENT THEM, THEN NOW WHAT DO YOU DEAL WITH?]
STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE STILL WORKING TO CLARIFY THE RULES.
--ANISHINABE ACADEMY MEETING--
THE NEW ANISHINABE ACADEMY IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS IS ONE STOP CLOSER TO BECOMING A REALITY.
THE DISTRICT WANTS TO TEAR DOWN THE OLD COOPER ELEMENTARY BUILDING … AND REPLACE IT WITH A BRAND-NEW PRE-K THROUGH EIGHTH-GRADE SCHOOL.
THE NEW ANISHINABE ACADEMY WOULD SERVE ABOUT 650 TO 700 STUDENTS … WITH A FOCUS ON DAKOTA AND OJIBWE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE.
THE SCHOOL BOARD VOTED LAST MONTH TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT DESPITE BUDGET CHALLENGES.
THE DISTRICT IS SHARING MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE PROJECT AT SANFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL TOMORROW AT 6PM.
--BABY LOON SAFETY--
AND FINALLY …
JULY IS PRIME TIME FOR BABY LOONS TO START SWIMMING AROUND...
WHILE CUTE... THEY ARE OFTEN DIFFICULT TO SEE FROM A BOAT WHILE OUT ON THE WATER.. AND THE CHICKS ARE TOO LITTLE TO DIVE DOWN OR FLY AWAY IN ORDER TO ESCAPE BOATS..
THE BEST WAY TO HELP IS TO SLOW DOWN... AND LOOK-OUT.
THE D-N-R SAYS GIVE LOON FAMILIES PLENTY OF ROOM BECAUSE BOAT TRAFFIC CAN FORCE LOONS OFF NESTS AND PUT CHICKS IN DANGER.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.