A real estate broker accused of religious discrimination goes on trial, the University of Minnesota forges a new partnership with Fairview, and a preview of next week’s coverage remembering Melissa Hortman.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
--HORTMAN LAST DAY AT THE CAPITOL...--
IT HAS BEEN ONE YEAR SINCE FORMER MINNESOTA HOUSE SPEAKER MELISSA HORTMAN’S LAST DAY AT WORK INSIDE THE STATE CAPITOL.
THE LEGISLATURE WAS CALLED TO A SPECIAL SESSION ON JUNE NINTH AND TENTH TO FINISH THE BUDGET AND OTHER MAJOR BILLS IN ORDER TO AVOID A PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN ON JULY FIRST.
REPRESENTATIVE GINNY KLEVORN REMEMBERS HOW FORMER SPEAKER HORTMAN ALWAYS ENCOURAGED HER COLLEAGUES .. AND HOW SHE STARTED THE SPECIAL SESSION THAT MORNING.
[REP. GINNY KLEVORN: SHE JUST LOOKED AT US AND SAID, ‘ITS GOING TO BE A GOOD DAY. WE’RE GOING TO GET THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA DONE. AND, SHE WAS EXCITED. WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PASS A BUDGET AND GET THE WORK DONE.]
REPRESENTATIVE KLEVORN SAYS THAT WAS THE LAST DAY THAT SPEAKER EMERITA AND DFL LEADER MELISSA HORTMAN WORKED IN THE MINNESOTA CAPITOL BUILDING.
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF JUNE 14TH... A GUNMAN SHOT AND KILLED HORTMAN, HER HUSBAND AND THE FAMILY DOG-- --... THE SUSPECT THEN SHOT AND SEVERELY WONDED SENATOR JOHN HOFFMAN AND HIS WIFE IN THEIR HOME.
--BOELTER – NO DEATH PENALTY--
FEDERAL PROSECUTORS ANNOUNCED THEY WON’T PURSUE THE DEATH PENALTY FOR VANCE BOELTER.. THE MAN ACCUSED OF MURDERING THE HORTMANS AND ATTEMPTING TO MURDER THE HOFFMANS..
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE DEATH PENALTY IS NOT AN OPTION BECAUSE UNDER CURRENT FEDERAL CASE LAW.. THE CHARGES DO NOT QUALIFY FOR THE DEATH PENALTY.
NO TRIAL DATE HAS BEEN SET.
--SPECIAL SERIES NEXT WEEK – POLITICAL ATTACKS, ONE YEAR LATER--
TO RECOGNIZE THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE TRAGIC EVENTS OF LAST YEAR ... WE WILL HAVE A SERIES OF SPECIAL REPORTS NEXT WEEK... WE’LL EXPLORE THE LEGACY THAT SPEAKER HORTMAN LEFT, THE RISE IN POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND THE CHANGES THE SHOOTINGS PROMPTED IN AND AROUND OUR STATE CAPITOL
--FAIRVIEW U OF M AGREEMENT--
AFTER MONTHS OF TENSE NEGOTIATIONS … ONE OF THE STATE’S LARGEST HEALTH CARE PARTNERSHIPS IS MOVING WILLE FORWARD.
THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA … FAIRVIEW … AND ‘M PHYSICIANS’ HAVE AGREED TO A NEW 10-YEAR DEAL …
THE LONG-HELD PARTNERSHIP SERVES PATIENTS IN EVERY MINNESOTA COUNTY... ABOUT ONE-POINT-TWO MILLION PEOPLE A YEAR …
AND SUPPORTS THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA'S MEDICAL SCHOOL … WHICH TRAINS ABOUT 70-PERCENT OF MINNESOTA’S DOCTORS.
UNDER THE DEAL … FAIRVIEW WILL INVEST ONE-BILLION DOLLARS IN UNIVERSITY MEDICAL FACILITIES OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS … AND SPEND 50-MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR ON THE MEDICAL SCHOOL … WHILE ‘M PHYSICIANS’ WILL REMAIN THE SOLE PRACTICING GROUP.
THE DEAL ALSO MEANS PHASING OUT THE “M HEALTH FAIRVIEW” BRAND … AND RENAMING FOUR MEDICAL CENTERS.
THE AGREEMENTS STILL NEED BOARD APPROVAL.
--WOMAN RELEASED FROM DETENTION – OVARIAN CYST--
A SOUTH METRO WOMAN DETAINED ON HER WAY TO WORK — DAYS BEFORE A SCHEDULED OVARIAN CYST SURGERY — IS NOW OUT OF ICE CUSTODY.
ANDREA PEDRO-FRANCISCO IS A 23-YEAR-OLD ASYLUM SEEKER FROM GUATEMALA WHO HAD BEEN LIVING IN BURNSVILLE.
HER ATTORNEYS AND SOME MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS SAY SHE WAS DETAINED FEBRUARY FIFTH DURING OPERATION METRO SURGE … THEN SENT TO EL PASO, TEXAS … HER SURGERY WAS SET FOR FEBRUARY ELEVENTH.
SENATOR TINA SMITH’S OFFICE PUSHED FOR HER RELEASE AND SAYS PEDRO-FRANCISCO HAS NO CRIMINAL RECORD AND CAME TO THE U-S SEEKING ASYLUM.
ICE HAS NOT PUBLICLY COMMENTED ON HER RELEASE.
--BANKEN REAL ESTATE BROKER FRAUD TRIAL--
A REAL ESTATE BROKER ACCUSED OF USING TRICKING PEOPLE INTO BAD REAL ESTATE DEALS IS ON TRIAL THIS WEEK.
THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE SAYS BROKER AND BUSINESS OWNER CHADWICK BANKEN TARGETED SOMALI AND EAST AFRICAN MUSLIM BUYERS WITH DECEPTIVE OR FRAUDULENT REAL ESTATE CONTRACTS … MARKETED AS COMPLIANT WITH ISLAMIC FINANCIAL TEACHINGS.
HE’S ACCUSED OF DECEPTIVE PRACTICES ... CONSUMER FRAUD ... AND RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION.
THE A-G'S OFFICE SAYS BANKEN’S LOAN CONTRACTS INCLUDED HIDDEN COSTS, BALLOON PAYMENTS, LARGE DOWN-PAYMENTS... AND WORSE TERMS THAN OTHER BUYERS RECEIVED.
BECAUSE THIS IS A CIVIL CASE, BANKEN DOES NOT FACE PRISON TIME.
HE CONTINUES TO DENY ANY WRONGDOING... THE TRIAL CONTINUES.
--RED LAKE NATION STATEMENT ON ROSEAU PILOT CHARGES--
MEANWHILE, IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA … RED LAKE NATION IS MAKING ITS FIRST PUBLIC STATEMENTS ABOUT THE ROSEAU PILOT WHOSE PLANE WAS SEIZED AFTER AN EMERGENCY LANDING.
IN A LENGTHY STATEMENT ON FACEBOOK … THE TRIBE SAYS DARRIN SMEDSMO WAS TRESPASSING WHEN HE LANDED ON TRIBAL LAND LAST OCTOBER … BUT TRIBAL PROSECUTORS DECIDED NOT TO CHARGE HIM.
THE TRIBE SAYS IT RETURNED THE PLANE JUNE FOURTH … AND DENIES CLAIMS THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION THREATENED LEGAL ACTION TO FORCE ITS RETURN.
--COVID KIDS STILL BEHIND--
MINNESOTA RANKS AMONG TOP STATES IN THE NATION HELPING HOUSEHOLDS WITH KIDS ESCAPE POVERTY.
BUT.. FINDINGS FROM THE LATEST ‘ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION’S KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK’ REVEAL EDUCATION RESULTS ARE STRUGGLING TO RECOVER TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS.
THE NATIONAL RESEARCH SHOWS MINNESOTA RANKS SECOND IN THE NATION FOR ECONOMIC SECURITY.
THE CASEY FOUNDATION’S LESLIE BOISSIERE SAYS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT CONCERNS ARE A BIG REASON WHY POLICY MAKERS CAN’T LET UP IN MAKING SURE KIDS HAVE ACCESS TO BASIC NEEDS.
[LESLIE BOISIERE: IF A CHILD IS HUNGRY OR IF THEY'RE IN AN UNSTABLE HOUSING SITUATION, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO FOCUS IN SCHOOL]
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THE FOUNDATION SAYS EDUCATION RESULTS HAVE DECLINED IN NEARLY EVERY STATE SINCE 2019.