A new exhibit contemplates a statue of President Lincoln in Mankato, pharmacists may soon join the first line of defense in the fight against opioid addiction, and federal agents come back to the Twin Cities.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
COMING UP...
CONTEMPLATING THE UNIQUELY MINNESOTAN LEGACY OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN IN MANKATO...
AND... HOW PHARMACISTS MAY SOON JOIN THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST OPIOID ADDICTION...
[REP. BAKER: THIS WILL PROVIDE PEOPLE TO GET THROUGH THE WORST PART OF THEIR JOURNEY TO RECOVERY.]
BUT FIRST....
IN A SHOW OF FEDERAL FORCE NOT SEEN IN MINNESOTA SINCE OPERATION METRO SURGE … FEDERAL AGENTS CAME BACK TO TOWN... FOCUSING ON FRAUD TUESDAY.
--FBI CHILD CARE RAIDS - STATE OF STATE TIMING?--
FBI RAIDED 22-LOCATIONS ACROSS THE TWIN CITIES TODAY... INCLUDING CHILD CARE, ADULT CARE AND AUTISM-SERVICE BUSINESSES...
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE RAIDS ARE PART OF A COURT-AUTHORIZED FRAUD INVESTIGATION... NOT IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
MANY OF THE BUSINESSES TARGETED BY THE F-B-I ARE SOMALI-RUN CHILD AND DAYCARE CENTERS THAT RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDING.
GOVERNOR TIM WALZ SAYS STATE AGENCIES SHARED RECENT INVESTIGATION FINDINGS AND COORDINATED WITH FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS IN THE ONGOING CRACKDOWN ON FRAUD.
THE FEDERAL CAME ON THE SAME DAY AS GOVERNOR WALZ DELIVERED HIS STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS.. AND DISCUSSED THE STATE EFFORTS TO CRACKDOWN ON FRAUD.
A DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SPOKESPERSON TELLS NORTH STAR STORIES “NO STONE WILL BE LEFT UNTURNED” … BUT DECLINED TO COMMENT FURTHER.
--POPE COUNTY CHILD CARE FUNDING--
THE SHORTAGE OF QUALITY CHILD CARE IS A GROWING WORKFORCE PROBLEM…. BUT IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA’S POPE COUNTY … A LOCAL PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IS BUILDING A SOLUTION.’
MINNEWASKA AREA SCHOOLS, IN-HOME PROVIDERS, AND NINE LOCAL BUSINESSES HAVE LINED UP ABOUT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS TO OPEN A NEW CHILD CARE CENTER NEXT TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN GLENWOOD.
THEY SAY THE PACKAGE INCLUDES ONE MILLION FROM POPE COUNTY AND MORE THAN ONE MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANTS.
CONSTRUCTION IS SET TO START THIS SUMMER.
--VETERANS BILL --
A NEW LAW DESIGNED TO HELP MINNESOTA’S VETERANS RECEIVES UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FROM LAWMAKERS... AND AWAITS THE GOVERNOR’S SIGNATURE.
[THE NEW VETERANS BILL FOCUSES ON THREE URGENT PROBLEMS: FOOD INSECURITY, HOMELESSNESS, AND SUICIDE PREVENTION.]
THE MEASURE LETS THE COMMISSIONER OF VETERANS AFFAIRS DIRECT NON-CASH AGENCY RESOURCES TO HELP VETERANS IN THOSE AREAS.
IT ALSO REQUIRES A YEARLY REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE BY OCTOBER 15TH.
--SCHOOL COUNSELOR SENTENCED--
A FORMER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL COUNSELOR ADMITTED TO SECRETLY RECORDING A 13-YEAR-OLD STUDENT WHILE SHE CHANGED CLOTHES IN HIS CLASSROOM.
COURT DOCUMENTS SAY 50-YEAR-OLD JASON GARY POLZIN WAS WORKING AT MARANATHA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY IN NORTH METRO SUBURB BROOKLYN PARK WHEN HE RECORDED VIDEO OF THE GIRL CHANGING CLOTHES IN HIS CLASSROOM BEFORE SOFTBALL PRACTICE.
INVESTIGATORS SAY THE GIRL DISCOVERED THE PHONE RECORDING HER ... AND THE VIDEO ALSO SHOWS POLZIN TRYING TO HIDE THE PHONE IN ORDER TO RECORD THE CLASSROOM.
POLICE SEARCHED HIS HOME AND FOUND DOZENS OF PHOTOS OF THE GIRL AND COMPUTER-GENERATED NUDE IMAGES USING HER FACE.
IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS GUILTY PLEA... POLZIN WAS SENTENCED TO JUST 90 DAYS IN THE HENNEPIN COUNTY WORKHOUSE.. IS BARRED FROM WORKING IN A SCHOOL ... AND MUST REGISTER AS A SEX OFFENDER...
--FENTANYL SENTENCING--
THE MAN U-S ATTORNEYS CALL THE RINGLEADER OF A MASSIVE CHICAGO-TO-DULUTH DRUG PIPELINE WILL SPEND 14-AND-A-HALF YEARS IN PRISON…
EZELL “CASH” LUCAS WAS SENTENCED FOR RUNNING THE OPERATION FROM 2021 TO EARLY 2024… SHIPPING FENTANYL AND METH INTO THE TWIN PORTS…AND SELLING IT THROUGHOUT THE AREA IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA.. .. HE’S THE LAST OF SEVEN DEFENDANTS TO BE SENTENCED.
IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE LARGEST DRUG BUSTS IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA.
--PHARMACIST OPIOID TREATMENT --
OPIOID ADDICTS MAY SOON HAVE A BETTER CHANCE AT RECOVERY...
HOUSE LAWMAKERS UNANIMOUSLY PASSED LEGISLATION TO ALLOW PHARMACISTS TO PRESCRIBE DRUGS THAT TREAT OPIOID USE DISORDERS.
SUPPORTERS SAY THE CHANGE COULD BE A LIFELINE IN RURAL MINNESOTA… WHERE PEOPLE MAY LIVE HOURS FROM A METHADONE CLINIC… LIMITING ACCESS.
REPRESENTATIVE DAVE BAKER SAYS PHARMACISTS ARE OFTEN THE HEALTH PROVIDER PEOPLE SEE MOST ... ESPECIALLY GREATER MINNESOTA... AND THE BILL WOULD PUT DRUG ADDITION TREATMENT WITHIN REACH--.--
[REP. BAKER: THOSE MEDICALLY ASSISTED TREATMENTS HAVE PROVEN TIME AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN HAVING THAT ACCESS TO THAT RIGHT AT THE TIME WHEN YOU NEED IT IS LIFE CHANGING.]
THE BILL NOW MOVES ON TO THE SENATE.
--MANKATO LINCOLN EXHIBIT--
AND FINALLY
A NEW EXHIBIT IN MANKATO ASKS WHAT A LINCOLN STATUE MEANS … ON A CAMPUS WITH DEEP TIES TO DAKOTA HISTORY.
“THIS STATUE IN THIS PLACE” IS NOW OPEN AT MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY, MANKATO’S MEMORIAL LIBRARY.
AFTER THE U-S DAKOTA WAR OF 1862 … PRESIDENT LINCOLN SPARED HUNDREDS OF DAKOTA MEN FROM DEATH SENTENCES … BUT APPROVED THE EXECUTION OF 38 IN MANKATO.
IT REMAINS THE LARGEST MASS EXECUTION IN U-S HISTORY.
THE EXHIBIT WAS BUILT OVER FIVE YEARS… WITH STUDENTS HELPING WRITE AND REVISE THE PANELS… IT INVITES VISITORS TO THINK ABOUT LINCOLN’S LEGACY ALONGSIDE THE HISTORY OF THE DAKOTA PEOPLE.
IT’S FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF MEMORIAL LIBRARY DURING REGULAR HOURS.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON