A Minnesota marine lost at sea is declared dead, Minnesota clamps down on pet imports in response to rising New World Screwworm outbreaks, and would you like to buy a 65-foot Ferris wheel in Minneapolis?
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
COMING UP …
[BEN BELLAND: IT’S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE A GREAT TOOL FOR SEARCHING FOR LOST PEOPLE, BUT ALSO OUR BIG FIRES.]
ADDING EYES IN THE SKY WITH A NORTHLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT
BUT FIRST …
--MISSING MARINE DECLARED DEAD--
A MINNESOTA MARINE IS DECLARED DEAD AFTER DAYS OF SEARCH MISSIONS OFF THE COAST OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
U-S MARINE OFFICIALS IDENTIFY THE MISSING MARINE AS 21-YEAR-OLD LANCE CORPORAL ARMANDO ORTIZ CANSECO.
HE DISAPPEARED ON JUNE 25TH FROM THE U-S-S ANCHORAGE DURING TRAINING EXERCISES..
OFFICIALS SAY THE SEARCH SPANNED ABOUT 24-HUNDRED SQUARE MILES OVER TWO DAYS … WITH SHIP AND AIRCRAFT SUPPORT FROM THE NAVY, MARINES, COAST GUARD, AND AIR FORCE.
OFFICIALS ARE INVESTIGATING.
LANCE CORPORAL CANSECO WAS DECLARED DEAD ON JUNE 27TH..
13TH MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT COMMANDING OFFICER, RICHARD ALVAREZ EXTENDED DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO FAMILY AND LOVED ONES.
--LUTSEN FIRE DRONE--
EARLY SUMMER WILDFIRES HAVE THE COOK COUNTY FIRE CREWS OUT PREPARING FOR THE NEXT NORTHLAND AREA EMERGENCY... WITH A NEW SET OF EYES IN THE SKY.
THE LUTSEN FIRE DEPARTMENT NOW HAS A NEW DRONE TO HELP WITH REMOTE RESCUES.. WILDFIRES .. AND OTHER EMERGENCIES... AND WILL SUPPORT FIRST RESPONDERS THROUGHOUT COOK COUNT
.
AMPERS MEMBER STATION W-T-I-P’S KALLI HAWKINS TALKED WITH FIRST RESPONDER AND DRONE PILOT BEN BELLAND WHO SAYS THIS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY IS MORE THAN JUST A VIEW FROM ABOVE.
[BEN BELLAND: IT HAS THE ABILITY TO DROP MEDICINE IF WE NEED IT … LIFE JACKETS … AND THEN WE CAN ALSO USE IT FOR THERMAL IMAGING … SO IF WE NEED TO FIND LOST PEOPLE IN THE WOODS OR FOR FIRE SCENES FOR HOT SPOTS.]
THE DEPARTMENT PAID ABOUT 76-THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A THREE YEAR CONTRACT FOR DRONE LEASING WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNDS AND DONATIONS...
THE DRONE IS F-A-A REGISTERED AS “SHARON” … AFTER THE VOLUNTEER WHO HELPED LEAD THE FUNDRAISING.
--169 PETITIONS--
A DEADLY CRASH NEAR GRAND RAPIDS IS ADDING NEW URGENCY TO CALLS FOR SAFETY CHANGES ON HIGHWAY 169.
TWO DRIVERS DIED SATURDAY IN A HEAD-ON CRASH OUTSIDE OF GRAND RAPIDS … ABOUT 80 MILES NORTHWEST OF DULUTH.
NOW … A CHANGE-DOT-ORG PETITION IS URGING MNDOT TO ADD A DEDICATED TURN LANE ON HIGHWAY 169 … BETWEEN WALMART AND HARRISTOWN ROAD.
THE PETITION STARTER SAYS DRIVERS TRYING TO TURN THERE CAN BE FORCED TO SLOW OR STOP IN A HIGH-SPEED TRAFFIC LANE.
THE PETITION GAINED HUNDREDS OF SIGNATURES IN LESS THAN A DAY.
ANOTHER PETITION STARTED IN EARLY JUNE IS ALSO CALLING FOR SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS FARTHER NORTH … AT HIGHWAY 169 AND HIGHWAY 65 NEAR NASHWAUK … AFTER ANOTHER SERIOUS CRASH.
--VIRGINIA TAX AUDIT--
IN CONTINUING COVERAGE UP NORTH … NEARLY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS IN SALES TAX MONEY MEANT FOR VIRGINIA’S ‘IRON TRAIL MOTORS EVENT CENTER MAY HAVE ENDED UP IN THE WRONG BANK ACCOUNT …
NOW CITY LEADERS ARE HIRING AN OUTSIDE AUDITOR TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED.
THE CITY CREATED A ONE-PERCENT LOCAL SALES TAX ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO TO HELP PAY FOR THE EVENT CENTER … BUT ABOUT THREE-POINT-SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS FROM THAT FUND MAY HAVE BEEN USED FOR GENERAL CITY EXPENSES INSTEAD.
AT A SPECIAL MEETING YESTERDAY … THE COUNCIL APPROVED A REQUEST FOR BIDS FROM ACCOUNTING EXPERTS TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED.
COUNCILOR ANNIE BACHSCHNEIDER SAYS THE FINANCIAL AUDIT WILL BRING MORE TRANSPARENCY SO PEOPLE HAVE THE FACTS.
[ANNIE BACHSCHNEIDER: I THINK THAT THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF THINGS SAID BY A LOT OF PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SPECTRUM OF WHAT’S HAPPENING.]
A SUBCOMMITTEE WILL REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS BEFORE MAKING A FINAL RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL COUNCIL
--LOBBYING FIRMS UNDER INTERIM LEADERSHIP--
THE TWO BIGGEST BUSINESS LOBBYING ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR STATE ARE UNDER INTERIM LEADERSHIP HEADING INTO THE MID-TERM ELECTIONS.
FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER KURT ZELLERS, FORMER SPEAKER OF THE MINNESOTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ABRUPTLY RESIGNED FROM AS CEO OF THE MINNESOTA BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP.
THIS COMES LESS THAN A MONTH AFTER LONG-TERM HEAD OF THE MINNESOTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT.
ACCORDING TO THE MINNEAPOLIS SAINT PAUL BUSINESS JOURNAL, THE BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP DIDN’T GIVE AN EXPLANATION FOR ZELLERS DEPARTURE. TAX DOCUMENTS SHOW ZELLERS EARNED MORE THAN $600-THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.
--NEW WORLD SCREWWORM--
A FLESH-EATING PARASITE IS PROMPTING MINNESOTA TO TIGHTEN ITS PET IMPORT RULES..
STATE ANIMAL HEALTH OFFICIALS IS NOW RESTRICTING DOGS AND CATS COMING FROM PARTS OF TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO AFTER CASES OF ‘NEW WORLD SCREWWORM’ SHOWED UP IN THE SOUTHWEST.
STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS WARN NEW WORLD SCREWWORM CAN INFECT LIVESTOCK, PETS, WILDLIFE … AND EVEN PEOPLE.
THE NEW WORLD SCREWWORM IS A FLY LARVA THAT BURROWS INTO SMALL SKIN LESIONS ON ANIMALS … AND EAT THE SKIN TISSUE.
DOGS AND CATS FROM AFFECTED AREAS OUTSIDE MINNESOTA ARE SUBJECT TO STRICTER IMPORT REQUIREMENTS... INCLUDING FIVE DAYS QUARANTINE ALONG WITH A VETERINARY INSPECTION AND VACCINATION RECORDS..
--BETTY DANGER FERRIS WHEEL--
AND FINALLY …
IF YOU EVER WANTED TO OWN YOUR OWN FERRIS WHEEL.. WITH A RESTAURANT.. NOW IS YOUR CHANCE!
THE FORMER BETTY DANGER’S PROPERTY- A NORTHEAST MINNEAPOLIS LANDMARK – IS BACK ON THE MARKET .. INCLUDING THE BUILDING.. PUTT-PUTT COURSE.. AND THE ICONIC 65-FOOT-FERRIS WHEEL WITH DINING GONDOLAS.
THIS CAN ALL BE YOURS... FOR THREE POINT ONE MILLION DOLLARS.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.