In today’s segment, Governor Walz heads to Washington, why it’s always a good time to prioritize mental health, and who gets to cash in on cannabis in Minnesota?
Transcript
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HOST: You're listening to North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live, a daily newscast about what it means to live in Minnesota.
ANCHOR: In today's segment, Governor Walz heads to Washington. Why it's always a good time to prioritize mental health. And who gets to cash in on cannabis in Minnesota. I'm Chantel SinGs.
Governor Walz is heading to Washington next month, and it looks like he'll be in the hot seat. The US House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has called on Minnesota's Governor to testify about the state's sanctuary city policies. Sanctuary cities are municipal laws designed to protect undocumented immigrants from deportation or prosecution. While Minnesota doesn't have a state-wide sanctuary state policy, many cities and counties within the state have sanctuary policies and ordinances. The federal committee has also called on the Governors of New York and Illinois to testify as well.
Next, as we face economic uncertainties, more people are experiencing stress and anxiety. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Katharine DeCelle looks at ways to cope with the additional stressors.
Noel Nix: Folks have a number of different things that bring them anxiety. I have seen an increase in the number of folks who were indicating that the election and some of the rhetoric around the election being a source of anxiety. That anxiety escalated after we had the election result.
Katharine DeCelle: Therapist Noel Nicks has been witnessing firsthand how current events impact mental health.
Noel Nix: A lot of what I share with my clients are some of the things that I actually do for myself. So really being mindful about media consumption, it can feel so out of our control that it can be a source of anxiety. So I've switched from watching a lot of cable news and checking a lot of national news across America, to trying to stay more focused on local news. I'm not encouraging folks to bury their head in the sand, but just being mindful about where and how we're taking in information about what's going on.
Katharine DeCelle: Noel says that we all have things that are much more in our control than we often realize.
Noel Nix Whether that be our household or our block, there are things that we can do just as part of our everyday lives that can impact not only our lives for the better, but the lives of those around us by connecting with others who are working to make things better. Rebuilding that sense of resiliency can be a foundation, if someone wants to eventually push against some of the things that are happening nationally.
Katharine DeCelle: May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the Minnesota Department of Health has created a toolkit to prioritize mental health with a goal of being more aware of feelings and emotions. Noel says a great way to gain more self-awareness is through journaling.
Noel Nix: Just getting thoughts out of our head and finding a different way to articulate them. Not only does that help us move past some of the loops in our head, but it allows us to engage with those thoughts in a different way. Being it written down is different than just turning the thoughts or the words over in your head.
Katharine DeCelle: What does it look like to challenge those thoughts if you're feeling overwhelmed or anxious? Noel says mindful box breathing helps.
Noel Nix: Breathe in for four seconds. Hold for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, hold for four seconds. By conscientiously engaging in a very controlled breath, we're able to re-regulate our brains, which can help us to shift our mood.
Katharine DeCelle: The Minnesota Department of Health's 2025 Mental Health Awareness Month toolkit provides more resources and shareable content to help raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention. It's available online at www.health.state.mn.us. For North Star Stories, I'm Katharine DeCelle.
Anchor: You are listening to North Star Stories.
A lottery will soon decide who gets to cash in on cannabis in Minnesota. On June 5, the Office of Cannabis Management will livestream drawings to award cannabis licenses, finally clearing the way for non-Indigenously owned businesses to grow and sell recreational cannabis. Half the licenses will go to general applicants. The other half is reserved for social equity candidates, including veterans, people from high-poverty areas, and those affected by past cannabis-related convictions. The state has received hundreds of applications.
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HOST: North Star Stories is produced by AMPERS, diverse radio for Minnesota's communities, with support from the McKnight Foundation and the State of Minnesota. Online at ampers dot org.