Measles cases rise in the state, airplane drama up north, and the DNR implores you to be “BearWise” this summer.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
--MEASLES CASES ARE RISING IN MINNESOTA--
MEASLES CASES ARE CLIMBING IN MINNESOTA.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH NOW CONFIRMS 17 CASES SO FAR THIS YEAR … COMPARED TO 26 IN *ALL OF LAST YEAR.
ALL CASES ARE LISTED AS EXPOSURE WITHIN THE U-S.
ONLY 26 CASES WERE REPORTED IN ALL OF 2025
HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY MEASLES SPREADS VERY EASILY … ESPECIALLY IN SCHOOLS, CHILD CARES AND OTHER GROUP SETTINGS.
FAMILIES ARE URGED TO CHECK M-M-R – MEASLES, MUMPS, AND RUBELLA - VACCINE RECORDS. TWO DOSES OF M-M-R PROVIDE STRONG PROTECTION.
SYMPTOMS INCLUDE FEVER … COUGH … RUNNY NOSE … RED EYES … AND A RASH THAT USUALLY STARTS ON THE FACE.
ANYONE WHO THINKS THEY MAY HAVE MEASLES SHOULD CALL A CLINIC BEFORE-- --LEAVING HOME AND POTENTIALLY SPREADING THE DISEASE.
--FUNERAL UPDATE--
A WORLD WAR TWO NAVY PILOT WHO WAS MISSING FOR NEARLY 83 YEARS IS FINALLY BACK HOME IN MINNESOTA WITH HIS FAMILY.. A PUBLIC MILITARY BURIAL SET FOR TOMORROW IN JACKSON.
IN 1943... LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE THOMAS ARTHUR RUTH WAS 26 WHEN HIS F-4-F WILDCAT CRASHED DURING A DOGFIGHT IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS.
FOR DECADES… HIS FAMILY BELIEVED HE HAD BEEN LOST AT SEA.
BUT IN 2013… A P-O-W / M-I-A TEAM FOUND A WILDCAT CRASH SITE ON NEW GEORGIA ISLAND.
THE DEFENSE POW / MIA ACCOUNTING AGENCY LATER DISINTERRED HIS REMAINS AND TOOK HIM TO HAWAII… DNA CONFIRMED RUTH’S IDENTIFICATION LAST YEAR.
HIS NEPHEW AND NAMESAKE… 83-YEAR-OLD THOMAS ARTHUR RUTH THE SECOND… SAYS THE FAMILY IS GRATEFUL THE MILITARY CONTINUES LOOKING FOR WORLD WAR TWO SERVICEMEMBERS.
[THOMAS ARTHUR RUTH II: THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT NEVER GAVE UP THE SEARCH… THEY WERE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO IDENTIFY AND FIND THESE PEOPLE AND RETURN THEM HOME.]
HE WILL BE BURIED WITH FULL MILITARY HONORS TOMORROW MORNING AT ELEVEN AT RIVERSIDE CEMETERY.
--RED LAKE PLANE--
A DISPUTE OVER TRIBAL LAND … FEDERAL AIRSPACE … AND AN EMERGENCY LANDING IS ESCALATING IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA.
RED LAKE NATION SEIZED A SMALL PLANE AFTER PILOT DARRIN SMEDSMO SAYS ENGINE FAILURE FORCED HIM TO LAND ON RESERVATION PROPERTY IN OCTOBER.
THE TRIBE SAYS SMEDSMO VIOLATED A 1978 TRIBAL RESOLUTION BARRING AIRCRAFT FROM FLYING BELOW 20-THOUSAND FEET OVER TRIBAL LAND.
BUT... FEDERAL AVIATION RULES GIVE PILOTS BROAD AUTHORITY TO DEVIATE FROM NORMAL FLIGHT RULES IN AN EMERGENCY... AND THE F-A-A SAYS FEDERAL LAW CONTROLS U-S AIRSPACE.
THE AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION HAS ASKED FEDERAL OFFICIALS TO INTERVENE.
--FIREBOMBER NO-FLY AREA--
A NO-FLY ZONE CURRENTLY SURROUNDS A SINGLE HOME IN SAINT LOUIS COUNTY...FOR PILOT SAFETY.
THE D-N-R IS KEEPING ITS OWN PLANES AWAY FROM THE HOME OF THE MAN ACCUSED OF SHOOTING ONE OF THE FIREFIGHTING PLANES DURING THE WILDFIRES LAST WEEK.
DANIEL PETTIT IS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING THE FIREBOMBER AS IT SCOOPED WATER FROM KJOSTAD LAKE.
CHARGING DOCUMENTS SAY PETTIT TOLD INVESTIGATORS HE WAS “CROW HUNTING” … AND SAID IF HE ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE PILOT … “TOO BAD.”
THE PILOT WAS NOT HURT.
PETTIT IS OUT OF JAIL … AND BARRED FROM POSSESSING FIREARMS..
--BIO FERTILIZER – EZFEN --
A MANKATO-AREA COMPANY SAYS IT HAS A NEW WAY TO TURN FOOD AND FARM WASTE INTO FERTILIZER.
“EASY ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS” SAYS ITS ‘EASY-FEN SYSTEM CONVERTS LOCAL ORGANIC WASTE INTO TERREPLENISH.. A LIQUID MICROBIAL FERTILIZER.
THE COMPANY SAYS THE TECHNOLOGY COULD HELP COMMUNITIES MAKE MORE FERTILIZER LOCALLY... AND REDUCE DEPENDENCE ON PETROLEUM-BASED PRODUCTS. MORE U-S FIELD-TESTING IS PLANNED.
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION NOTES BIOLOGICAL SOIL PRODUCTS CAN BE PROMISING.... SO FARMERS SHOULD TEST FIELD BY FIELD.
--FARM FAILURES --
FARM BANKRUPTCIES ARE CLIMBING … BUT A MINNESOTA AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIST SAYS THE COURT NUMBERS ONLY TELL PART OF THE STORY.
MINNESOTA HAD 13 CHAPTER 12 FARM BANKRUPTCY FILINGS LAST YEAR. BUT USDA DATA SHOWS THE STATE LOST 13-HUNDRED FARMS IN 2025 … EVEN AS THE AVERAGE FARM GOT BIGGER.
MINNESOTA FARMERS UNION’S SAMUEL PORTER TELLS REPORTER MIKE MOEN THE PROBLEM CAN GET WORSE WHEN FARMS CHASE MORE ACRES AND HIGHER YIELDS …
[SAMUEL PORTER: IF YOU’RE POURING ALL OF YOUR MONEY IN EXTENDING AND YOU HAVE REALLY BIG COSTS FOR EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT IN ORDER TO MEET THESE GROWING OPERATIONS, THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY DRIVE PROFITABILITY DOWN.]
[PORTER SAYS THE KEY IS A SMARTER STRATEGY: HEALTHIER SOIL, BETTER EQUIPMENT DECISIONS, LESS WASTED FERTILIZER AND STRONGER MARKETING.]
--BEARWISE--
AND FINALLY …
THE MINNESOTA D-N-R SAYS BLACK BEARS ARE EXPANDING THEIR TERRITORY SOUTH AND WEST IN THE STATE … AND A FEW ARE APPARENTLY TAKING THE SCENIC ROUTE.
AFTER RECENT SIGHTINGS IN MOORHEAD AND ALEXANDRIA … THE D-N-R IS REMINDING MINNESOTANS TO BE “BEARWISE” THIS SUMMER.
BLACK BEARS ARE USUALLY SHY … AND ATTACKS ARE EXTREMELY RARE.
BUT … BEARS LOVE AN EASY MEAL. THE AGENCY SAYS KEEP FOOD AND TRASH SECURE … DOGS LEASHED … AND IF YOU SEE A BEAR … DON’T RUN.
BACK AWAY SLOWLY … OR WAVE YOUR ARMS AND YELL, “HEY BEAR” … WHICH IS BASICALLY MY APPROACH TO ALL PROBLEMS.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON