Bemidji starts its Inclusive Fire Brigade, a judge rules in favor of gender affirming care, and state lawmakers race to repeal César Chávez day.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
[WE DON’T JUST SIT ON THE SIDELINES, WE GET TO PLAN, SPEAK, AND TAKE ACTION.]
A NEW, INCLUSIVE FIRE PROGRAM IN BEMIDJI …
BUT FIRST...
TROUBLING ALLEGATIONS AGAINST AN ICONIC LABOR UNIONIST AND ACTIVIST HAVE STATE LAWMAKERS TRYING TO REPEAL HIS HOLIDAY…
--CÉSAR CHÁVEZ DAY--
FARM WORKERS’ RIGHTS AND UNION ACTIVIST CESAR CHAVEZ MAY SOON BE STRIPPED OF THE DAY NAMED IN HIS HONOR.
ALLEGATIONS SURFACED LAST WEEK IN THE NEW YORK TIMES THAT CHAVEZ SEXUALLY ABUSED WOMEN AND CHILDREN YEARS AGO.
THE MINNESOTA HOUSE FAST-TRACKED A VOTE TO ELIMINATE CESAR CHAVEZ DAY... WHICH PASSED UNANIMOUSLY ... THE SENATE PLANS TO HEAR THE BILL TODAY … AND GOVERNOR WALZ SAYS HE IS READY TO SIGN IT.
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF UNIDOS MINNESOTA EXPRESSED DEVASTATION OVER THE CHAVEZ REVELATIONS:
[EMILIA GONZALEZ: BUT HONORING OUR HISTORY DOES NOT MEAN WE STOP TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT IT. IT MEANS THAT WE TELL THE WHOLE TRUTH. BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY OUR CHILDREN, DESERVE NOTHING LESS]
LAWMAKERS HAD TO MOVE QUICKLY BECAUSE MARCH 31ST IS RECOGNIZED CEASER CHÁVEZ DAY IN THE STATE.
THE ST PAUL CITY COUNCIL TELLS NORTH STAR STORIES IT IS ALSO CONSIDERING RENAMING CESAR CHAVEZ STREET … BUT IS LOOKING FOR INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY FIRST.
--TEAMSTERS DAIRY STRIKE RESOLVED--
IN OTHER FARM-LABOR NEWS … WORKERS AT A CENTRAL MINNESOTA DAIRY ARE BACK ON THE JOB AFTER A BRIEF STRIKE.
TEAMSTERS AT THE LARGEST FARMER-OWNED CHEESE CO-OP IN THE COUNTRY VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY TO APPROVE A NEW CONTRACT … ENDING A WALKOUT THAT STARTED SATURDAY.
THE STRIKE FOLLOWED A YEAR OF NEGOTIATIONS OVER STAGNANT WAGES.
A UNION SPOKESPERSON SAYS UNDER THE NEW DEAL WORKERS WILL SEE SIGNIFICANT WAGE INCREASES … LOWER HEALTH CARE COSTS … AND JOB PROTECTIONS IF THE PLANT IS SOLD.
--ICE, AIRPORTS, TRUMP--
PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS HE IS PLANNING TO TARGET SOMALIS AT U-S AIRPORTST... BLAMING DEMOCRATS FOR HOLDING BACK FUNDING FOR AIRPORT SECURITY NATIONWIDE.
THE POST COMES AS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED IT IS SENDING ICE AGENTS TO SOME OF THE NATION’S AIRPORTS TO REDUCE HIGH WAIT TIMES CAUSED BY THE PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.
TRUMP’S BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN STRUCK A MORE LIMITED TONE SUNDAY … SAYING ICE WOULD HELP WITH SECURITY SUPPORT LIKE GUARDING EXITS … BUT OFFERED FEW OTHER DETAILS.
THE METROPOLITAN AIRPORTS COMMISSION SAYS IT’S NOT AWARE OF ANY PLANS FOR ICE TO OPERATE AT THE MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT … AND SAYS SECURITY LINES HAVE REMAINED RELATIVELY SHORT.
--RONDO LAND TRUST BUYS SEARS--
A LANDMARK SITE IN SAINT PAUL IS CHANGING HANDS … WITH COMMUNITY CONTROL IN MIND.
THE RONDO COMMUNITY LAND TRUST NOW OWNS THE LONG-VACANT SEARS DEPARTMENT STORE BUILDING … BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE STATE CAPITOL.
THE LAND TRUST SAYS THIS DEAL MARKS A STEP TOWARD RETURNING LAND IN THE HISTORICALLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD TO COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP.
THE ORGANIZATION SAYS IT’S STILL EARLY IN THE PLANNING PROCESS … BUT INTENDS TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS IT TURNS THE SITE INTO A MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT.
ON SATURDAY, THE LAND TRUST HELD THE GRAND OPENING OF THE RONDO EXCHANGE … A BUSINESS INCUBATOR FOCUSING ON BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES.
--DNR FIRE BILL--
THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IS CHARGING A WOMAN 150-THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR EXPENSES RELATED TO A WILDFIRE THAT BURNED MORE THAN TWO-THOUSAND ACRES.
INVESTIGATORS SAY THE FIRE BEGAN AS A ROUTINE BURN, BUT IT SPREAD QUICKLY … AND THE WOMAN TRIED TO PUT IT OUT BEFORE CALLING 9-1-1.
FIRE PREVENTION SPECIALISTS SAY THIS IS A REMINDER THAT SMALL FIRES CAN ESCALATE FAST … AND MINNESOTANS ARE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COSTS IF THEY START A WILDFIRE.
[SOT: OVER 90 PERCENT OF WILDFIRES ARE CAUSED BY PEOPLE … AND IT’S OFTEN UNINTENTIONAL.]
THE SIX-FIGURE BILL INCLUDES FIREFIGHTING COSTS LIKE STAFFING, MATERIALS, AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. WILDFIRES CAN EASILY COST INTO THE MILLIONS.
THE STATE IS FINING A MAN FOR THE COST OF ANOTHER WILDFIRE.
--MN AG – GENDER CARE AFFIRMED--
GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE IS LEGAL AGAIN IN MINNESOTA.
MINNESOTA AND 21 OTHER STATES SUED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LATE LAST YEAR … AFTER THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ESSENTIALLY BANNED THE USE OF GENDER-AFFIRMING MEDICAL TREATMENTS.
THE POLICY THREATENED HOSPITALS WITH A LOSS OF FEDERAL FUNDING … INCLUDING MEDICARE AND MEDICAID … IF THEY CONTINUED PROVIDING TREATMENT TO TRANS YOUTH.
A FEDERAL JUDGE RULED THE FEDS OVERSTEPPED ITS AUTHORITY AND FAILED TO FOLLOW LEGAL PROCESSES.
--BEMIDJI INCLUSIVE FIRE BRIGADE--
A NEW FIRE PROGRAM IN BEMIDJI IS SHOWING THAT DISABILITY DOESN’T MEAN SITTING ON THE SIDELINES IN AN EMERGENCY.
THE “INCLUSIVE FIRE BRIGADE” IS A NEW TRAINING PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE BEMIDJI FIRE DEPARTMENT AND AN ORGANIZATION THAT TRAINS YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO BE COMMUNITY LEADERS.
ORGANIZERS SAY THE PROGRAM WILL HELP BREAK DOWN BARRIERS BEYOND JUST THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
[DANIEL NORTON: TO START THINKING ABOUT WHAT AN INCLUSIVE CITY LOOKS LIKE, AND HOW YOU CAN BE A CHAMPION FOR INCLUSION, AND A PARTNER IN THIS WORK.]
THE PROGRAM WILL TEACH YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS TO LEARN SKILLS LIKE CPR, FIRST AID AND HOW FIRE DEPARTMENTS OPERATE.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.