Irreplaceable Dakota language archives are safe after a fire, St. Paul public schools announce possible staff cuts, and a shipwreck emerges in Lake Superior.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
COMING UP…
GREEN ENERGY SQUARES UP AGAINST UTILITIES …
[MIDWEST TRIBAL ENERGY RESOURCES ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DANIEL WIGGINS JR: TRIBES ARE ALWAYS GOING TO PROBABLY FLEX THAT SOVEREIGNTY MUSCLE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE BEST THINGS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR UTILITIES, THAT MIGHT MEAN REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT.]
FEWER STUDENTS LEAVE A HOLE IN SAINT PAUL’S SCHOOL BUDGET …
AND AN ALTERNATIVE TO VIEWING THE WRECK OF THE EDMUND FITZGERALD
BUT FIRST …
[FAWN YOUNGBEAR-TIBBETS: SOMETHING WAS PROTECTING OUR LANGUAGE.]
--CHIPPEWA TRIBE BUILDING--
A ROOM FULL OF DAKOTA LANGUAGE TEACHING MATERIALS SURVIVED A FIRE SUNDAY THAT DEVASTATED THE OFFICES AROUND IT INSIDE THE MINNESOTA CHIPPEWA TRIBE BUILDING IN MINNEAPOLIS.
FAWN YOUNGBEAR-TIBBETS DIRECTS A DAKOTA AND OJIBWE LANGUAGE-IMMERSION PRESCHOOL PROGRAM WITH OFFICES THERE.
SHE SAYS THE CURRICULUM ROOM THAT HOUSED THE DAKOTA LANGUAGE ARCHIVES ESCAPED DAMAGE … EVEN AS THE FIRE DESTROYED COMPUTERS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT.
[FAWN YOUNGBEAR-TIBBETS: THE SPRINKLER DIDN’T EVEN GO OFF. IT’S THE ONLY ROOM IN THAT BUILDING THAT WAS NOT DESTROYED.]
SHE SAYS OTHER MATERIALS REMAIN IN QUESTION … INCLUDING TAPE RECORDINGS OF ELDERS WHO HAVE SINCE DIED AND CEREMONIAL ITEMS.
THE FIRE STARTED AT AND GUTTED THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR TO THE CHIPPEWA TRIBE BUILDING.
YOUNGBEAR-TIBBETS SAYS FLAMES BROKE THROUGH THE FIREWALL SEPARATING THE TWO BUILDINGS … THE DAMAGE ALSO DISPLACED THE FOND DU LAC AND BOIS FORTE BANDS’ URBAN OFFICES … AND A WHITE EARTH ELDER’S COUNCIL SPACE.
[FAWN YOUNGBEAR-TIBBETS: BOTH OF THEIR OFFICES ARE DECIMATED.]
SHE SAYS BEYOND THE OFFICES … THE BUILDING SERVES AS A GATHERING PLACE WITH COMMUNITY MEALS … A FOOD SHELF … AND SPACE FOR FUNERALS.
VOLUNTEERS ARE HELPING RECOVER WHAT CAN BE SALVAGED FROM THE BUILDING … WHILE THE ORGANIZATIONS SEEK TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT SPACE NEARBY.
YOUNGBEAR-TIBBETS SAYS THE PRESCHOOL’S CLASSROOMS ARE AT ANOTHER LOCATION … AND CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES WON’T BE AFFECTED.
--SAINT PAUL BUDGET CUTS--
SAINT PAUL PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS FACING A BUDGET CRUNCH AND CONSIDERING CUTTING STAFF … AFTER A DRAMATIC DECREASE IN STUDENTS.
IN A LETTER … THE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT SAYS MANY OF THE STUDENTS WHO HAVEN’T RETURNED ARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS.
SHE POINTS TO OPERATION METRO SURGE … IMMIGRATION CHANGES … AND FEWER NEW FAMILIES SETTLING IN SAINT PAUL AS FACTORS.
LOWER ENROLLMENT MEANS LESS FUNDING … THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL REVIEW POSSIBLE STAFFING CUTS AND OTHER REDUCTIONS AT ITS MEETING NEXT TUESDAY.
--EDEN PRAIRIE SHOOTING UPDATE--
THE MAN ACCUSED OF SHOOTING TWO PEOPLE OUTSIDE EDEN PRAIRIE HIGH SCHOOL’S HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME MUST NOW WEAR AN ELECTRONIC MONITOR.
A JUDGE ADDED RELEASE CONDITIONS AT HIS FIRST COURT APPEARANCE MONDAY … AFTER HE POSTED A 100-THOUSAND-DOLLAR BOND OVER THE WEEKEND.
HE FACES ASSAULT AND RIOT CHARGES … AND RETURNS TO COURT IN DECEMBER.
FOUR OTHERS ARE NOW ALSO FACING RIOT CHARGES FOR THE FIGHT THAT BROKE OUT BEFORE THE SHOOTING … INCLUDING ONE OF THE TWO PEOPLE SHOT.
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
--TRIBAL ENERGY INDEPENDENCE – INTRO--
A TRIBAL NATION’S PUSH FOR CLEAN ENERGY IS TESTING HOW MUCH CONTROL IT HAS OVER ITS *OWN POWER SUPPLY. MIKE MOEN REPORTS.
--TRIBAL ENERGY INDEPENDENCE – PNS--
[MIKE MOEN: THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION RECENTLY FOUND THAT MINNESOTA VALLEY COOPERATIVE LIGHT AND POWER ASSOCIATION ACTED UNLAWFULLY BY THREATENING TO DISCONNECT THE UPPER SIOUX COMMUNITY OVER ITS BEHIND-THE-METER SOLAR AND BATTERY PROJECT.]
DESPITE THE OUTCOME, HUDSON KINGSTON, WITH THE RULE-FOCUSED GROUP CURE, SAYS A LEFTOVER ISSUE IS WHETHER TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO SWITCH UTILITIES.
HE SAYS THE COMMISSION DIDN'T MAKE A CALL ON THAT QUESTION.
[HUDSON KINGSTON: IT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE UTILITIES ARE RISK AVERSE, AND WITHOUT THAT SORT OF CLEAR CERTAINTY, THERE IS AMBIGUITY.]
[MIKE MOEN: HE SUGGESTS THAT COULD MAKE IT HARDER FOR ALL OF MINNESOTA'S TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS WANTING TO PURSUE RENEWABLES AND STILL PARTNER WITH A RECEPTIVE UTILITY.]
KINGSTON ALSO EXPECTS THE PUC OUTCOME TO BE CHALLENGED BY THE COOPERATIVE.
I'M MIKE MOEN.
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
--DNR HUNTING--
MINNESOTA’S YOUTH DEER SEASON OPENS TOMORROW … GIVING HUNTERS AGES TEN THROUGH SEVENTEEN A *SHOT BEFORE THE REGULAR SEASON STARTS.
THE FOUR-DAY EARLY SESSION RUNS THROUGH SUNDAY … YOUNG HUNTERS MUST BE LICENSED AND ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT.
AND FOR DUCK HUNTERS … THE SIX-DUCK DAILY LIMIT REMAINS.
THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES HAD PROPOSED A THREE-A-DAY LIMIT REGARDLESS OF SPECIES OR SEX … BUT DROPPED THE PLAN AFTER REVIEWING HUNTER FEEDBACK.
--A.H. PITZ SHIPWRECK VISIBLE--
AND FINALLY …
[GORDON LIGHTFOOT “THE WRECK OF THE EDMUND FITZGERALD”]
IT’S NOT THE WRECK OF THE EDMUND FITZ … IT’S THE A-H PITZ.
THIS SUMMER’S DROUGHT MEANS LOW WATER AT THE MOUTH OF THE AMNICON RIVER ON LAKE SUPERIOR’S SOUTH SHORE NEAR SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN … EXPOSING THE SCATTERED REMAINS OF THE TUGBOAT.
THE PITZ WAS BUILT IN WISCONSIN IN 1923 … LATER MOVED TO DULUTH … AND WAS ABANDONED AND BURNED AT THE RIVER’S MOUTH IN 1951.
IT MAY NEVER LIVE IN LEGEND LIKE THE FITZ … BUT THE PITZ IS GETTING ITS MOMENT IN THE SUN.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.