Ice on the Great Lakes freezes up shipping lanes, a northern Minnesota school make a hard choice, and a new twist to the drunk driving arrest of Representative Elliott Engen.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
GREAT LAKES ICE FREEZES UP SHIPPING LANES …
AND NORTHERN MINNESOTA SCHOOL MAKE A HARD CHOICE …
BUT FIRST …
--ENGEN AND HUDSON DRUNK DRIVING ARREST--
A NEW TWIST TO THE DRUNK DRIVING ARREST OF REPRESENTATIVE ELLIOTT ENGEN OF WHITE BEAR LAKE…
A NEWLY RELEASED POLICE REPORT SAYS REPRESENTATIVE WALTER HUDSON WAS A PASSENGER IN ENGEN’S PICK-UP... AND THAT HUDSON WAS ARMED WITH A CONCEALED 9-MILLIMETER HANDGUN … AND HAD ALSO BEEN DRINKING.
THE REPORT SAYS HUDSON CLAIMED A BOTTLE OF ALCOHOL DISCOVERED IN THE CAR ... THAT HUDSON WAS COOPERATIVE … TOLD POLICE HE WAS ARMED … AND SURRENDERED HIS GUN.
POLICE FOLLOWED ENGEN AFTER HE LEFT A BAR … AND PULLED HIM OVER FOR SPEEDING, EXPIRED TABS, AND A BROKEN HEADLIGHT.
OFFICERS SAY ENGEN DENIED DRINKING, CLAIMED HE WAS “SOBER CABBING” THE PASSENGERS … THEN FAILED A FIELD AND MULTIPLE BREATHALYZER TESTS...
POLICE RELEASED HUDSON AND ANOTHER, UNNAMED PASSENGER AT THE DEPARTMENT LOBBY … BUT ARRESTED ENGEN AND BOOKED HIM INTO THE RAMSEY COUNTY JAIL.
THE MINNESOTA REFORMER REPORTS .... BOTH LAWMAKERS APOLOGIZED AND ADMITTED TO MAKING POOR DECISIONS.
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
--TITLE IX LAWSUIT--
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS ESCALATING ITS FIGHT WITH MINNESOTA OVER TRANSGENDER ATHLETES, FILING A FEDERAL LAWSUIT THAT SAYS THE STATE IS VIOLATING TITLE NINE.
[US AAG HARMEET DHILLON: WHAT BETTER WAY TO END WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH THAN TO BY SUING THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.]
THE 45-PAGE COMPLAINT NAMES THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE MINNESOTA STATE HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE, AND SAYS MINNESOTA’S POLICIES ALLOW TRANSGENDER GIRLS IN GIRLS’ SPORTS AND FEMALE-ONLY SPACES
THE FILING SAYS MINNESOTA WAS WARNED LAST FALL, REFERRED FOR ENFORCEMENT IN JANUARY, AND GETS MORE THAN THREE BILLION DOLLARS IN COMBINED FEDERAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH FUNDING.
MINNESOTA ATTORNEY GENERAL KEITH ELLISON SAYS STATE LAW PROTECTS TRANSGENDER STUDENTS ... AND THE EXECUTIVE ORDER DOES NOT OVERRIDE STATE LAW.
ELLISON SAYS THAT FORCING SCHOOLS TO EXCLUDE TRANSGENDER STUDENTS WOULD ITSELF VIOLATE MINNESOTA’S CIVIL RIGHTS LAW.
--INSTATE TUITION DOJ SUIT DISMISSED--
A JUDGE DISMISSED A D-O-J LAWSUIT THAT TRIED TO PREVENT MINNESOTA FROM GIVING IN-STATE TUITION TO UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS WHO MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA.
[MN AG KEITH ELLISON: MINNESOTA HAS THE LEGAL RIGHT TO DEFINE A RESIDENCY AND TUITION ELIGIBILITY — AND WE WILL PROTECT THAT RIGHT.]
U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE KATHERINE MENENDEZ DISMISSED THE LAWSUIT ... SAYING FEDERAL LAW DOES NOT PRE-EMPT STATE LAW.
IN MINNESOTA … UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS CAN ACCESS STATE FINANCIAL AID AND IN-STATE TUITION IF THEY … INCLUDING ATTENDING A MINNESOTA HIGH SCHOOL FOR THREE YEARS AND GRADUATING … AND SHOWING THAT THEY’VE APPLIED FOR LAWFUL IMMIGRATION STATUS.
THE JUDGE ALSO RULED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MISREAD THE FEDERAL STATUTE ... AND LACKED STANDING TO FILE SUIT AGAINST THE GOVERNOR AND ATTORNEY GENERAL BECAUSE THEY DO NOT THEMSELVES CONTROL THE TUITION LAWS.
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
--HIBBING: GREENHAVEN & AFSCME--
AFTER WEEKS OF DEBATE AND EMOTIONAL PUBLIC TESTIMONY … THE HIBBING SCHOOL BOARD VOTED MONDAY TO CLOSE GREENHAVEN ELEMENTARY.
THE DISTRICT IS FACING A TWO-MILLION-DOLLAR DEFICIT … AND SAYS CLOSING THE SCHOOL WOULD SAVE IT ABOUT 500-THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THE SCHOOL BOARD ALSO VOTED TO RATIFY A NEW CONTRACT FOR DISTRICT’S 115 SUPPORT STAFF … ENDING THE THREAT OF A STRIKE.
A COUPLE OF HOURS WEST IN BEMIDJI … THE SCHOOL BOARD THERE ALSO VOTED TO CLOSE J-W SMITH ELEMENTARY
--MANKATO STUDENT RE-DETAINED – MOHAMMED HOQUE--
A MINNESOTA STATE – MANKATO COLLEGE STUDENT WAS ARRESTED BY ICE A SECOND TIME, DESPITE AN EARLIER FEDERAL COURT ORDER REQUIRING HIS RELEASE.
COURT DOCUMENTS SHOW THE STUDENT, MOHAMMED HOQUE... WAS ARRESTED A SECOND TIME DURING JANUARY’S IMMIGRATION SWEEP...DESPITE A COURT ORDER THAT HE COULD NOT BE ARRESTED WHILE HIS CASE WAS BEING REVIEWED. A
HOQUE SAYS MASKED AGENTS ENTERED HIS FAMILY’S MANKATO HOME WITHOUT A WARRANT... HANDCUFFED HIM AND TOOK HIM IN….. EVEN AFTER HE TOLD THEM ABOUT THE ORDER.
THE JUDGE ORDERED HIM RELEASED IMMEDIATELY... AND THAT HOQUE COULD NOT BE REMOVED OR TRANSFERRED FROM MINNESOTA WHILE THE MATTER WAS REVIEWED.
--SUPERIOR SHIPPING LANES --
LAKE SUPERIOR SHIPPING LANES ARE JAMMED BY LATE-SEASON ICE … WITH A DOZEN VESSELS REPORTED STUCK JUST DAYS AFTER THE NEW SHIPPING SEASON OPENED.
THE LATE-SEASON ICE IS CHOKING WHITEFISH BAY AND ST MARYS RIVER … THE ONLY ROUTE INTO LAKE SUPERIOR.
THIS ICE TROUBLE HAPPENS MOST YEARS AROUND THIS TIME ... BUT BIG BACKUPS LIKE THIS ARE WORSE IN HEAVY-ICE YEARS OR WHEN ICEBREAKERS ARE UNAVAILABLE.
AND.. THE COAST GUARD SAYS THREE OF ITS ICEBREAKERS ARE CURRENTLY IN FOR REPAIR.
--MANKATO SHELTER--
A SOUTHERN MINNESOTA ORGANIZATION HELPING UNHOUSED PEOPLE GET BACK ON THEIR FEET … AND STAY THERE … IS ASKING FOR HELP.
MANKATO’S CONNECTIONS SHELTER SERVES NEARLY 50 PEOPLE AND FAMILIES EVERY NIGHT ... BUT IS ONLY OPEN FROM OCTOBER TO MAY.
IT NEEDS 200-THOUSAND-DOLLARS TO PROVIDE YEAR-ROUND SERVICES.
A DONOR WILL MATCH DONATIONS DOLLAR-FOR-DOLLAR FOR THE FIRST 35-THOUSAND DOLLARS GIVEN … IF YOU WANT TO HELP ... GO ONLINE TO: CONNECTIONS SHELTER DOT ORG.