Minneapolis prepares to say goodbye to local radio personality Charles “Chaz Millionaire” Dillon, Minneapolis Public Schools could close 16 schools, and the state’s Oromo population welcomes in its new year and a change of seasons.
Transcript
WITH TODAY’S HEADLINES… I’M XAN HOLSTON.
FROM FINAL FAREWELLS AND A JOURNEY OF REMEMBRANCE… TO UNCERTAINTY IN MINNEAPOLIS SCHOOLS…
[OUR DISTRICT IS SPREAD TOO THIN.]
AND A COMMUNITY FEAST FOR ALL…
[IT’S LIKE A FAMILY REUNION]
HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING ACROSS MINNESOTA…
--CHAZ MILLIONAIRE FUNERAL--
THE TWIN CITIES IS PREPARING TO SAY GOODBYE TO A RADIO VOICE WHO SPENT MORE THAN FOUR DECADES PUTTING OTHER PEOPLE IN THE SPOTLIGHT…
[KIMBERLY HOLIFIELD: SO MANY PEOPLE JUST KNEW HIM AND LOVED HIM, YOU COULD SEE IT ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA. AND ALL AROUND THE WORLD.]
CHARLES DILLON… KNOWN AS CHAZ MILLIONAIRE .. DIED LAST MONTH AT 61.
BEHIND THE MICROPHONE ON AMPERS AFFILIATE K-M-O-J… FOR 44-YEARS ON METRO AREA AIRWAVES....HIS FRIENDS AND CO-WORKERS SAY HE WAS THE HEARTBEAT OF THEIR COMMUNITY ...
K-M-O-J HOST KIMBERLY HOLIFIELD … SAYS HIS WORK HELPED TO PRESERVE AND NOURISH THE CITY’S BLACK CULTURE… BUT HIS GREATEST LEGACY WAS BUILDING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS.
[KIMBERLY HOLIFIELD: CHAZ MADE PEOPLE FEEL IMPORTANT. HE MADE US FEEL LIKE OUR WORK MATTERED. AND THAT’S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD NEVER FORGET.]
THIS MORNING THE MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL PASSED A FORMAL RESOLUTION... RECOGNIZING THE EXTRAORDINARY COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS OF CHARLES ‘ CHAZ MILLIONAIRE’ DILLON...
HIS PUBLIC CELEBRATION OF HIS LIFE IS SATURDAY AT ONE… AT HENNEPIN AVENUE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
--VETERANS HONOR FLIGHT--
TWO MINNESOTA KOREAN WAR VETERANS RECEIVED A HIGH HONOR IN THE NATION’S CAPITOL YESTERDAY….
THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA PRESENTED THEM WITH THE KOREAN AMBASSADOR FOR PEACE MEDAL.
THE TWO WERE AMONG 88 VETERANS ON A NORTH STAR HONOR FLIGHT OUT OF ROCHESTER... .
THE GROUP VISITED ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY AND SIX WAR MEMORIALS… ON THE ALL-EXPENSE PAID TRIP.
--HOMELESS VETERANS FLIGHT--
THE HONOR FLIGHT REMEMBERS AND RECOGNIZES WHAT VETERANS HAVE GIVEN TO THEIR COUNTRY...
AND...NOW... NEW FEDERAL FUNDING IS HELPING TO PROVIDE WHAT MANY VETERANS STILL NEED AT HOME... LIKE... A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE.
THE V-A AWARDED NEARLY NINE-MILLION DOLLARS TO THREE MINNESOTA ORGANIZATIONS… TO SUPPORT WORK PREVENTING EVICTIONS.. AND REHOUSING VULNERABLE VETERANS ... AS WELL AS SECURING TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IN MINNEAPOLIS AND SAINT CLOUD.
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
--MPS CLOSURE PLAN--
THE MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT INTRODUCED NEW PLANS THIS WEEK THAT COULD CLOSE A *QUARTER OF ITS SCHOOLS.
DISTRICT LEADERS SAY RESOURCES ARE SPREAD TOO THIN AND ENROLLMENT IS TOO LOW TO SUPPORT ALL ITS BUILDINGS … AND RELEASED THREE POSSIBLE PLANS … WHICH WOULD CLOSE OR COMBINE UP TO 16 SCHOOLS.
THE DISTRICT IS TAKING PUBLIC FEEDBACK FOR 30-DAYS … THE BOARD IS EXPECTED TO VOTE IN NOVEMBER.
BUT... NATASHA DOCKTER WITH THE MINNEAPOLIS FEDERATION OF EDUCATORS … SAYS FAMILIES AND STAFF NEED MORE TIME.
[NATASHA DOCKTER, MFE: THERE ARE 11 SCHEDULED DAYS FOR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, WHICH IS FEWER THAN THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS THEY’RE PROPOSING TO CLOSE.]
THE UNION WANTS THE BOARD TO PAUSE THE PROCESS AND MAKE A PLAN TO KEEP AND ATTRACT STUDENTS.
ANY CHANGES WOULD BEGIN NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
--THIEF RIVER FALLS DATA-CENTER MORATORIUM--
IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA... THIEF RIVER FALLS WANTS DATA-CENTER RULES IN PLACE... BEFORE AN APPLICATION STARTS THE CLOCK.
THE CITY APPROVED AN 18-MONTH BAN ON NEW PROJECTS IN ORDER TO STUDY AND DECIDE WHAT THE COMMUNITY SHOULD REQUIRE FROM ANY DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT.
AT LEAST A DOZEN CITIES ACROSS MINNESOTA HAVE ENACTED MORATORIUMS ON DATA CENTERS..
THE CITY COUNCIL SAYS TIMING MATTERS... BECAUSE THE CITY OF INVER GROVE HEIGHTSIS FACING A MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR LAWSUIT AFTER IT TRIED TO CANCEL A PENDING DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT. ... AND THE STATE DEADLINES ALSO POSE SOME RISKS..
MAYOR MIKE LORENSON SAYS FIVE PROSPECTIVE DEVELOPERS HAVE APPROACHED THIEF RIVER FALLS... BUT NONE OFFERED A FAIR DEAL.
[MIKE LORENSON, THIEF RIVER FALLS MAYOR: LOOKING TO GET ELECTRIC AT OUR COST... NOT PERMANENT DWELLING, SO NO PROPERTY TAX TO THE COMMUNITY.]
[MUSIC TRANSITION]
--HMONGTOWN MARKET FORECLOSURE--
A ST. PAUL MARKET THAT’S BEEN A GATHERING PLACE FOR MINNESOTA’S HMONG COMMUNITY FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS COULD LOSE ITS HOME.
STEARNS BANK IS SUING TO FORECLOSE ON HMONGTOWN MARKETPLACE.
THE BANK SAYS THE OWNER OWES NEARLY SIX-POINT-SIX MILLION DOLLARS AFTER FAILING TO REPAY A LOAN …
THE MARKET OWNER DISAGREES WITH THE BANK’S ASSESSMENT ...
NO FORECLOSURE HAS BEEN ORDERED.
--OROMO FALL FESTIVALS--
AND FINALLY …
THE OROMO ARE ETHIOPIA’S LARGEST ETHNIC GROUP … AND MINNESOTA IS HOME TO THE LARGEST OROMO COMMUNITY IN THE U-S.
THIS WEEK … TWO CELEBRATIONS AT POWDERHORN PARK IN MINNEAPOLIS MARK THE CHANGING SEASONS IN THEIR EAST AFRICAN HOMELAND.
THURSDAY EVENING’S GUBAA BONFIRE WELCOMES THE BRIGHTER SEASON AFTER THE RAINS …
WHILE SATURDAY’S IRREECHAA MALKA IS A THANKSGIVING FOR COMING THROUGH THOSE RAINS … AND A CHANCE TO REUNITE.
[JETTA: FAMILIES WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN EACH OTHER IN, YOU KNOW, SIX OR NINE MONTHS, COME TOGETHER AND THEY SHARE TRADITIONAL FOOD AND TRADITIONAL DRINK.]
ORGANIZERS INVITE *EVERYONE TO COME EAT … DANCE … AND MAKE NEW FRIENDS
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.