NSS Weekly: How a tick bite can make you allergic to meat

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INTRO: You are listening to North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live, a weekly newscast about what it means to live in Minnesota, produced by AMPERS, Minnesota's community radio stations.

HOST: This is North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live.

SARA BERHOW: There are some inherent risks with being outside, but the benefits far outweigh those risks.

VICTOR PALOMINO: This week, a tick-borne illness that creates a rare meat allergy is raising new concerns.

BRITT AAMODT: And we’ll look at how to stay safe while enjoying Minnesota’s outdoors and waterways. I’m Britt Aamodt.

VICTOR PALOMINO: And I’m Victor Palomino. But first, North Star Stories’ Xan Holston has a look at the headlines from around the state.

XAN HOLSTON: U.S. Forest Service says it's evaluating reopening portions of the Boundary Waters but did not give a timeline. State Senator Grant Hauschild and Representative Roger Skraba will join the Ely Chamber of Commerce for a roundtable discussion on the financial impact of the wildfires. The dangerous air quality and mandatory evacuations are also interrupting some mail and package deliveries, with all major delivery services and the U.S. Postal Service saying their workers' safety comes first. U.S. mail is paused just east of Ely and Winton and may be delayed in other areas as evacuation orders change. The Winton post office is not officially closed but mail may be temporarily disrupted. UPS also tells North Star Stories it's not delivering in mandatory evacuation zones until it's safe for delivery workers. Customers should hold, redirect, or track the status of their packages at ups.com. Amazon and FedEx say customers should track packages on their websites.

Community members packed a courtroom to support the state's effort to revoke Northern Iron's air permit. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency moved to cancel the permit last fall, saying the foundry hasn't fixed long-running emissions problems and has given regulators incomplete and misleading information. Northern Iron says it's been working to improve its pollution controls and meet the state's demands and has filed a motion to stop the agency from taking its permit. Dave Sader of the Saint Paul Federation of Educators says people in the neighborhood are glad the case is moving forward but still have concerns.

DAVE SADER: It's also extremely frustrating that Northern Iron is allowed to continue operating while there's this ongoing litigation, which could be drawn out for however long.

XAN HOLSON: The judge is expected to decide in the coming weeks whether to dismiss the MPCA's effort to revoke Northern Iron’s permit or allow the case to continue.

Minnesota farmers may soon get the software and tools to fix their own John Deere tractors or hire any mechanic they choose. Minnesota and the Federal Trade Commission have reached a proposed right-to-repair settlement with Deere and its dealers. They sued on behalf of farmers in January 2025, accusing the company of withholding diagnostic software and forcing farmers to use authorized dealers. If a judge approves the deal, farmers and independent shops would get access to the technology for 10 years.

Minnesota election officials are pointing to safeguards voters can see for themselves in all local elections statewide. In southern Minnesota, Brown County officials publicly tested electronic ballot counters ahead of the August 11 state primary. They ran pre-marked paper ballots through each tabulator, then verified the machine totals matched the known results. Absentee voting is already underway. Earlier this month, President Trump removed all three members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. The bipartisan federal agency helps state test and certify voting systems, sets voluntary security standards, and helps local officials replace aging equipment. In North Central Minnesota, Cass County Election Administrator Pamela Smith says the elimination of the commission could ultimately impact our state's aging voting equipment.

PAMELA SMITH: You have a cell phone in a year; it probably needs to be updated, and that's just the same thing with election equipment.

XAN HOLSTON: Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon says he does not expect any immediate impact on the state's elections but warns the loss of the commission's leadership could slow federal certification, research, and technical support ahead of the midterms. Thank you to Public News Service for contributing to this report.

And in northern Minnesota, Red Lake Nation leaders have certified results in the July 15th runoff election. Two incumbents are returning to office, and two new members will join the tribal council. Darrell Seki Sr. won another term as chairman. The tribal election board says the winners will be sworn in at the next regular tribal council meeting.

SHERIFF BOB FLETCHER: I really want to talk to the community leaders and Somali community leaders and parents about what's the best way to address the problems that we have in our community.

XAN HOLSTON: In the Twin Cities area, Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher is calling for a public meeting while standing behind comments he made about what he says is a small but growing Somali gang problem across the metro. Fletcher says his department is tracking about 300 young people who he says are tied to about a dozen gangs and says community leaders need to find a solution. Somali leaders say violent crime must be addressed but warn broad ethnic labeling can make the environment more hostile for families. A community meeting is scheduled for later this month.

Wilmer Public Schools is among the first districts in the state to offer students a way to anonymously report safety threats right from their phones or computers. A new state law requires school districts to develop public safety reporting tools and policies by July 2028. But Wilmar School District announced it already has a program in place. It's called Say Something. It allows students to anonymously report threats, bullying, or concerns about self-harm through an app online or a phone call.

And finally, as fire crews fight to protect northern Minnesota's forest above ground, a debate is opening up to the public, focused on what could happen underground. Minnesotans can now weigh in on a reworked plan for what could be the state's first nickel mine. Talon Metals has been working for years to mine nickel underground near Tamarack, about 50 miles west of Duluth. Under its new plan, the company would ship the ore out of state for processing, meaning no waste would be stored in Minnesota. But tribes and environmental groups warn the mine could still threaten water and wild rice. Public input is needed. You can submit your comments on the state's Department of Natural Resources website through September 14th. For North Star Stories, I'm Xan Holston.

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BRITT AAMODT: Alpha-gal syndrome, a tick-borne illness that can cause life-threatening food allergies, is moving from the southern states to other regions in the country, including Minnesota.

VICTOR PALOMINO: Reporter Jules Yaeger us about the illness and how to avoid it.

KAYLA CHRISTENSEN: It was some, like, nausea, some acid reflux. The rashes and the itching were written off as, "Oh, it's my skin reacting to something.” The most extreme that it gets are some facial swelling, vomiting, a lot of hives.

JULES YAEGER: Twin Cities resident Kayla Christensen had been dealing with these symptoms for years. She had no idea what could have been causing them until she finally noticed a pattern.

KAYLA CHRISTENSEN: It took a really long time to put two and two together that all of these things were happening hours after meat consumption.

JULES YAEGER: She got an allergy back scratch test that revealed it was a reaction to red meat. She avoided the foods that triggered the symptoms but questioned the seemingly sudden onset of a strange allergy. It wasn't until years later that a blood test found the cause.

KAYLA CHRISTENSEN: I did a big autoimmune workup, and that was just one of the ones that happened to be included.

JULES YAEGER: That one was alpha gal syndrome, an allergy that causes a reaction to types of meat and sometimes dairy. It's caused by a tick bite but that only raised more questions for Kayla.

KAYLA CHRISTENSEN: I was an indoor girl just because I didn't notice one, I guess doesn't mean it didn't happen at some point. I just have no idea when.

JULES YAEGER: Dr. Benjamin Clarke is a professor of immunology at the University of Minnesota. He's an expert on tick-borne illnesses like alpha gal. He says Kayla's experience is not an uncommon one.

DR BENJAMIN CLARKE: More than likely, it's going to be from the immature tick, a nymph. It's not much bigger than a pepper granule to maybe small poppy seed. It's going to take a small amount of blood drop off, and then it'll molt to go on into an adult. You may never notice that. And so it plants that time bomb, and it takes your body a while to develop the types of cells that are going to respond to the alpha gal.

JULES YAEGER: In order to cause food sensitivities like alpha gal, the saliva of ticks actually rewires human immune systems.

DR BENJAMIN CLARKE: The proteins that make up things like our muscle and stuff like that, it's not just a pure strand of protein, but protein that's decorated with sugar groupings. All of the mammals they have this alpha one three gal grouping. There's something magical about the actual tick bite itself. It actually manipulates your immune system, so you become hyper vigilant to these kinds of sugar coatings on the protein.

JULES YAEGER: There aren't many treatment options beyond avoiding the food products that trigger the reactions. In Kayla's experience, doctors mainly recommend standard allergy remedies.

KAYLA CHRISTENSEN: It's mostly one of those like just avoid it, and if it's something a lot less severe, they'll be like carry around some Benadryl. If it's a severe reaction, they'll give you epipens.

JULES YAEGER: For a long time, scientists thought it was only the lone star tick, which is usually found in southern states, that could pass along alpha gal syndrome, but that's not the case.

DR BENJAMIN CLARKE: The CDC has shown that the deer tick, the same tick that passes on Lyme disease, is capable of causing this problem.

JULES YAEGER: Minnesota and Wisconsin are both home to counties which have a moderate to high number of suspected cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The change in tick populations means that what used to be an illness concentrated in the southern United States is now spreading north to the Midwest and Northeast.

DR BENJAMIN CLARKE: They've had a population boom. A couple of things for the deer tick that would cause it is that there's more rodents, lots of wood piles, lots of grass, less predators. However, the Lone Star tick was predominantly found in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio. The appearance of this alpha gal has been progressively moving north, and the Lone Star tick has also been moving north. So that is an issue that very likely is from climate change.

JULES YAEGER: A 2025 National Institutes of Health study found that alpha gal syndrome rates are up over 5,000 percent nationally compared to five years ago. Other tick-borne illnesses like Lyme have seen increases too. Scientists attribute some of that growth in diagnosis to increased awareness of alpha gal in the medical field. But a Mayo Clinic study still deems alpha gal underrecognized by physicians in Minnesota and recommends that it be given more consideration while diagnosing patients with allergy symptoms. Kayla says she's more attuned to ticks than she was before, and it's made her safer.

KAYLA CHRISTENSEN: I'm wearing layers. I'm making sure that I have like repellent on my shoes, on the bottoms of my pants. Also, hat. They do end up in like low-hanging branches. Very easy for them to just drop into your hair, and you would never know.

JULES YAEGER: Dr. Clarke recommends all the standard tick safety protocols too.

DR BENJAMIN CLARKE: Avoid tall grass, particularly at the edge of the wood. Be vigilant. Do a good body check. Long pants. Tuck the cuffs under the socks. That always works. You can always use a good repellent. DEET is good.

JULES YAEGER: He says ticks don't like heat, so they're more active in fall and spring than in summer, and around dawn and dusk than midday. He has some unique tick safety tips too.

DR BENJAMIN CLARKE: Good warm bath doesn't hurt. If the tick hasn't attached, there's a good chance that you'll be able to flush him off. One of those lint brushes, rub it over, because we're talking about something that's you know you might think it might be a like a little mole or some dirt on you, and it turns out it's a tick.

JULES YAEGER: To prevent tick-borne illness, practice good tick safety, and if you find a tick on your body, medical experts say, don't throw it away or flush it. Tape it to a piece of paper like an index card in case it needs to be identified later. As Dr. Clarke says, be vigilant. For North Star Stories, I'm Jules Yaeger.

BRITT AAMODT: After the break, heading outdoors? What you need to know to stay safe across Minnesota parks and waterways.

VICTOR PALOMINO: This is North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live, produced by AMPERS, Minnesota’s Community Radio Stations, with support from the State of Minnesota. We’ll be right back.

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AMPERS is Diverse Radio for Minnesota's Communities. We are an association of 17 independent community radio stations in Minnesota, with over 300,000 listeners. We support our stations through revenue, training, and original news, arts, and cultural programs. AMPERS programming is produced for and by the communities in our stations' regions and aims to correct narratives about historically underrepresented groups. Check out what we're up to online at AMPERS.org, on Instagram and Facebook.

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BRITT AAMODT: You are listening to North Star Stories. I’m Britt Aamodt.

VICTOR PALOMINO: And I’m Victor Palomino. Tick-borne diseases aren’t the only concern when camping or spending time outdoors. Minnesota’s parks and campgrounds are home to a wide range of wildlife.

BRITT AAMODT: To help us better understand how to stay safe while enjoying Minnesota’s outdoors, we’re joined by Sara Berhow, Integrated Public Relations Supervisor with the Parks and Trails Division at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Thank you for joining us.

SARA BERHOW: Thanks so much for having me.

BRITT AAMODT: Well, when people prepare for camping, which is a big thing here in Minnesota in the summer, they often think about bug spray and sunscreen. But what should they keep in mind when it comes to wildlife in the areas they're visiting?

SARA BERHOW: There are a lot of critters. Some of them small, like the little chipmunks, and some of them bigger, like maybe even bears, depending on what part of the state you're in, who are really interested in what humans are eating. So you can avoid having wildlife coming into your campsite first and foremost by doing a good job of storing your food properly when you're camping, or even if you're just going to a park for a day and you're bringing a picnic with you. And these animals sometimes have really, really good sense of smell, and it doesn't matter that your food is inside of a cooler; they can smell it's there, and they know how to open a cooler. So that is not secure food storage. So if you're at a picnic area or a campsite where your car is nearby, storing your food in your car is a good option. If you are camping in the backcountry and your car isn't right there, oftentimes campsites have food storage lockers, and it's important to remember not only to safely store food, but other things that are not food to us humans but might be considered food to wildlife. They might smell like food. Maybe it's your minty toothpaste or a fruit-scented lip balm or something like that.

BRITT AAMODT: That's good to know. Good advice. Well, I think one of the reasons we like to go out into the wild is that we enjoy spending time with the wildlife. But how can we enjoy wildlife without putting themselves or ourselves at risk?

SARA BERHOW: So if you happen to see wildlife of any kind, give that animal its space. You might want to take some photos or look at it through a camera lens but don't approach wildlife. Give it its space and admire it and watch it from afar. Staying on trails if you're hiking is another safe way. The wildlife, they learn where people are often going in parks, and also, especially if you have a dog with you, keep your dog leashed and keep your dog on the trail too.

BRITT AAMODT: Here's a really specific question. I was out for a jog one time, and I'm sure this has happened to other people in Minnesota, and the next thing I look up, and there was a bear crossing the road about six feet in front of me. I was lucky because the bear decided not to even look at me, and it ignored me and crossed the road. What if somebody were to encounter a bear? I mean, do you have any sort of advice for those encounters?

SARA BERHOW: So we only have black bears in Minnesota. We don't have grizzly bears, and that is a good thing if you're going to have an encounter with a bear. The black bears are more timid. If you run across one, again, give it its space. Don't run away. Don't give them something to chase. Also, black bears are often scared away by loud noises. So if you yell and scream, clap your hands really loudly. If you can bang pots and pans together, just do things to kind of create a ruckus, and they'll usually be scared and run away.

BRITT AAMODT: So this time of year, like in this story, we talk a lot about ticks and tick-borne diseases. But Minnesota is also known for its mosquito population. What are the health risks from mosquito bites, and how can we protect ourselves against those?

SARA BERHOW: So there are mosquito illnesses, just like there are tick-borne illnesses. West Nile virus is one of the most common of those. So the DEET or permethrin that you would use also to repel ticks are great options for mosquitoes you can use on yourself or on your gear. One word of caution about permethrin: it is not selective on the insects that it kills, and so you know, spraying it all over your tent and on your backpack and everything may protect you. I would not necessarily go overboard because it will also kill helpful insects. It will kill the harmful and the helpful. It doesn't distinguish between them. So, those really helpful pollinators or butterflies and other things will be affected by that as well. And if you use that permethrin on any of your equipment, don't wash things out in the water because permethrin is also highly toxic to aquatic animals. So we'd want to, you know, take it home and launder those things or clean those things at home instead of in natural water sources.

BRITT AAMODT: I'm glad that you're reminding us to protect our insect species because they're very important. We don't have a lot of dangerous snakes or spiders in Minnesota. I think we have a rattlesnake down towards the south. Is that correct?

SARA BERHOW: Yes. The only venomous snake that exists in Minnesota is the timber rattler, and they are found in the driftless region down in Bluff Country in southeast Minnesota. They have a pretty small range within our state, and as far as scary snakes go, these are really not the worst ones. They don't grow to be overly large, they're also pretty timid snakes, so they would only, you know, strike or attack if they really feel threatened. So again, stay on the trails, and they will often know that you are there long before you know they are there.

BRITT AAMODT: We've asked several questions here. Are there any pointers that you'd like to add that we haven't brought up?

SARA BERHOW: I would say in general that seeing wildlife and being in nature has so many benefits to it. There are just countless health and wellness benefits to spending time outside that I think, you know, taking a few preventative steps is really worth it. There, there are some inherent risks with being outside, but the benefits far outweigh those risks. I hope nobody decides not to spend time outside because of these risks, because there are really some very strong benefits as well.

BRITT AAMODT: Well, you mentioned that they can find some information online. What is a good site?

SARA BERHOW: Sure. There's a wealth of information on the DNR website, so that's mndnr.gov. And for some of those other information about tick-borne diseases or diseases from mosquitoes, things like that, the Center for Disease Control or the Minnesota Department of Health have really great websites with information on those as well.

BRITT AAMODT: Great advice. Thank you so much for joining us, Sara.

SARA BERHOW: Thank you.

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BRITT AAMODT: Minnesota is known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and this time of year, thousands of people head to the water to cool off.

VICTOR PALOMINO: To talk about how to stay safe in and around the water, we’re joined by Lisa Dugan, Boat and Water Safety Outreach Coordinator with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Thank you for being here.

LISA DUGAN: Thank you for having me. Absolutely.

VICTOR PALOMINO: We are now in the middle of summer, and there have been already some reports about drownings and boating incidents in our state. So let's start with the basics, what are the most important safety tips that people should keep in mind before they get into Minnesota waters?

LISA DUGAN: If you're starting with the most basic tips, it's always a good idea to include planning in a part of your day because as boaters go out, whether you know you're paddling, kayaking, going out tubing for the day, everybody takes the time to plan their day on the water. So always include safety in that. That's making sure that there's enough life jackets on board for everybody, and that they fit the people that are on board. So if you have, you know, kids and adults, there should be specific life jackets for each of those people. You know, making sure that some of your basic safety equipment works. Your navigation lights that you have a sound-producing device, and then boats that are greater than 16 feet, they need to have a throwable within reach.

VICTOR PALOMINO: When we think about life jackets, sometimes you hear people decide like, "I'm a really good swimmer. I don't need this.” Does everybody needs a life jacket?

LISA DUGAN: Everybody needs a life jacket, and it's really important not just to bring it with you, but also to wear it. And that probably is one of the most I think people you know tell me that when I ask them why don't you wear a life jacket, they're like, "I'm a really good swimmer.” And it's an unfortunate statistic that we see that each year people who are really good swimmers, you know, for whatever reason, go into the water and never emerge. And it's one of those things where you're jumping off your boat. Somebody lost their hat. Like it's something simple like that, and they dive in and they just don't resurface. We can talk about water temperatures having an effect. Right now, it's the middle of summer, so it's really great because we have warm water. But there's a lot of factors that come into play, you know. If you're swimming in a river and there may be hazards that you're aware of, that there's drop-offs, things can happen unexpectedly. So really, having that life jacket on is the most important piece of equipment you can bring with you.

VICTOR PALOMINO: And if somebody finds themselves in trouble in the water, what will be the first thing they need to do?

LISA DUGAN: If you are observing somebody who's in a bad situation in the water, you know, immediately call for help, get the professionals there. Don't put yourself in danger. Don't add another victim to the situation. And that's why you know those throwables and the life jackets in the boat. If you see somebody who's struggling and you're able to throw them something quickly, so that they can keep their head above water with drowning. And you know whether you're in a boat or at a beach, it's so different than I think it's portrayed in. We see it in movies where somebody's in the water and they're waving their hands and they're screaming and calling for help. Drowning is actually really silent and it can happen so quickly. So having you know a designated person who's watching, you know those that are in the water swimming.

VICTOR PALOMINO: Can people be cited for operating a boat under the influence or similar to a DUI on the road?

LISA DUGAN: Yes, absolutely. The same consequences for operating a motorboat under the influence is the same as operating a vehicle, but you're able to have open bottles in your boat. So the passengers can be drinking, even the operator can be drinking. But they have to, you know, remain under that 0.08 and not be under the influence of substances and be able to be in control. The boat, the weather being out in the sun affects you differently when you're out on the water. So drinks affect you differently on the water. So you maybe just have one drink, but with the sun and no water, it might affect you differently than you know if you're sitting at a bonfire at home or something. So keeping that in mind too, and either designate a sober operator or just keep alcohol on shore because you don't want to be getting out of your boat and then trying to load your boat and get off the launch and have somebody who is impaired getting back on the road.

VICTOR PALOMINO: Are there any particular places or conditions like certain lakes, rivers of water, where people should be cautious?

LISA DUGAN: Rivers just operate in such a different way for boaters than a lake might because the conditions are always changing. There's hazards that you might not be aware of. There's submerged logs that you might not see from the surface, and depending on fluctuation of water, if we get a nice rain, you know, we might get like debris that comes into the rivers. So it just, it changes constantly, and taking into account people's swimming ability, if you're going in an area that you're not familiar with, it's okay to you know ask people about it. To you know if there's a bait shop close by, ask them like, are there hazards that I need to be aware of from planning on going on this launch, or just be okay with changing your plans too. But it is you know with lakes too. Lake Minnetonka has specific regulations just for Lake Minnetonka. So do some research ahead of time. See if there's any regulations for the body of water that you're going to be on. Again, that planning can go really far away to making your day the best it can be on the water.

VICTOR PALOMINO: Lisa, is there anything else that we haven't brought up in this conversation?

LISA DUGAN: It's always good to let somebody know where you're going and when you expect to be back, and bring a buddy too. So if it's if it's a day that you're just kind of like trying to get out on the water, bring a friend with, or you know, let someone know if you're going out by yourself that this is where you're going to be parking. This is how long you plan to be gone, so that if something does happen, you know that they have a place to a point of reference to start with. You know, get people's contact information if they're in the boat with you and you're taking kids with you, other family members or friends. The cutoff engine switch is one. Always keep that attached to the operator. So then, if something does happen, you know, the engine automatically dies and the boat doesn't get away from the operators. People get into really bad situations then too.

VICTOR PALOMINO:

Before we finish, any website, any place that people can go and find this information?

LISA DUGAN: Yeah, we have actually a lot of really great information and videos on like how to size a child in a life jacket, pick an appropriate life jacket at mndnr.gov/boating safety.

VICTOR PALOMINO: Well, Lisa, thank you again for your time and for contributing all of this for the safety of our listeners in the waters of Minnesota. Thank you so much.

LISA DUGAN: Thank you for talking about safety. I appreciate it.

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BRITT AAMODT: And finally, your next island getaway could be in Carver County, and no passport or paddle is required. Carver County Parks, in the western metro, has added two more free pontoon shuttle days to Coney Island on Lake Waconia, along with all of its picnicking amenities.

VICTOR PALOMINO: The rides run August 22nd and September 19th, from 11 am to 4 pm, leaving from Paradise Commons at Lake Waconia Regional Park. It’s first-come, first-served, and the history hike is included.

BRITT AAMODT: This is it for today’s program. If you missed any part of today’s newscast, you can find this and past episodes at AMPERS.org or listen wherever you get your podcasts. You can also get North Star Stories Daily on our website or check your favorite station's schedule.

VICTOR PALOMINO: Thanks for listening, and we’ll be back next week with more stories and voices from the North Star State.

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OUTRO: North Star Stories is produced by AMPERS, Minnesota's community radio stations with support from the state of Minnesota. Online at AMPERS.org.