>> "ALMANAC" IS A PRODUCTION OF TWIN CITIES PBS FOR THE STATIONS OF MINNESOTA PUBLIC TELEVISION ASSOCIATION.
>> ERIC: ON TONIGHT'S SHOW, A LOOK AT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S FINDING THAT MINNEAPOLIS POLICE ENGAGED IN RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR.
AN UPDATE ON THE WILDFIRE BURNING IN THE BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA WILDERNESS.
A U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION WITH MINNESOTA TIES.
AND MARY LAHAMMER CONTINUES TO DISSECT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
>> Mary: ANOTHER ASPECT OF SESSION THAT MADE HISTORY WAS A BONDING BILL FOR STATE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND IT'S THE ONLY BILL THAT REQUIRED A BIPARTISAN SUPERMAJORITY.
>> IT'S NOT A REAL LASHY ITEM OR -- BUT IT'S VERY, VERY BIG DEAL TO GREATER MINNESOTA.
>> Mary: THAT'S COMING UP ON "ALMANAC."
♪♪ >> "ALMANAC" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY MEMBERS OF THIS PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION.
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AND EDUCATION MINNESOTA: THE VOICE FOR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
MORE AT EDUCATIONMINNESOTA.ORG.
>> ERIC: IN THE NEXT HOUR, WE'LL CHECK ON THE WILDFIRE IN THE BOUNDARY WATERS AND HEAR ABOUT CLOSURES IN THE WILDERNESS AREA.
WE'LL TALK WITH A LEGAL EXPERT ABOUT THE U.S. SUPREME COURT RULING UPHOLDING THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT.
AND WE'LL HEAR ABOUT ONE OF MANY JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE STATE.
BUT WE START WITH BIG NEWS OUT OF MINNEAPOLIS EARLIER TODAY.
U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK GARLAND WAS IN TOWN TO ANNOUNCE THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S FINDING IN THEIR INVESTIGATION OF THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE WAKE OF THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD.
>> GEORGE FLOYD SHOULD BE ALIVE TODAY.
SHORTLY AFTER I WAS SOX IN SWORN IN AS ATTORNEY GENERAL, I ANNOUNCED THAT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAD OPENED A SEPARATE CIVIL INVESTIGATION INTO WHETHER THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE M.P.D., AND THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS ENGAGED IN A PATTERN OR PRACTICE OF UNCONSTITUTIONAL OR UNLAWFUL POLICING.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ANNOUNCE THE FINDINGS OF THAT INVESTIGATION.
I M ALSO ANNOUNCING THAT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS, AND HE M.P.D.
HAVE AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO NEGOTIATE TOWARDS A CONSENT DECREE.
SPECIFICALLY, WE FOUND THAT M.P.D.
AND THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS ENGAGES IN A PATTERN OR PRACTICE OF: USING EXCESSIVE FORCE, UNLAWFULLY DISCRIMINATING AGAINST BLACK AND NATIVE PEOPLE IN GOARMT ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES, VIETING THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE -- AND DISCRIM DISCRIMINATING AGAINST PEOPLE WITH BEHAVIORAL DISABILITIES AND RESPONDING TO THEM -- WHEN RESPONDING TO THEM IN CRISIS.
>> CATHY: JOINING US WITH MORE ON WHAT THESE FINDINGS AND AN ADDITIONAL CONSENT DECREE MAY MEAN FOR POLICING IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS IS YOHURU WILLIAMS.
HE'S A HISTORIAN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS, THE DIRECTOR OF THE SCHOOL'S RACIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE, AND ONE OF HIS AREAS OF EXPERTISE IS THE HISTORY OF POLICING.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, PROFESSOR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WELL, FORGOT YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, FOLKS IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN MINNEAPOLIS HAVE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT FOR YEARS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING.
YOU KNOW?
SO NO SURPRISES HERE FOR YOU?
>> NO SURPRISES AT ALL, IN FACT, I THINK IT'S VALIDATION FOR A LOT OF FOLKS IN COMMUNITY WHO HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND YOU HEARD SOME OF THAT TODAY FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IN HINTING AT THE VOLUMINOUS EVIDENCE THEY BE COLLECTED, THE STORIES FROM COMMUNITY ABOUT THESE TYPES OF PRACTICE BY THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE FORCE, IN PARTICULAR.
SO I THINK IT WAS GOOD IN THAT SENSE.
IT JUST VALIDATED WHAT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS AND REALLY PUT SOME NUMBERS BEHIND THAT IN A WAY THAT IS TANGIBLE AND LEGIBLE FOR THE COMMUNITY AS WOAL.
EXPWHE >> Eric: HE SAID IS FINDING IS AS ARE DEEPLY DISTURBING AND MADE WHAT HAPPENED TO GEORGE FLOYD POSSIBLE.
>> ABSOLUTELY, AND THAT WAS REALLY CHILLING, AND WHAT HE IS INDICATING THIS WAS INEVITABLE.
OF COURSE WE KNOW THAT.
WE CAN GO BACK TO 1975, ARTHUR CUNNINGHAM SAYING THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE HAVE DECLARED WAR ON BLACKS AND INDIANS.
MERRICK GARLAND WAS SPECIFIC IN SAYING THAT GEORGE FLOYD WOULD IS A LIVE.
SO THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THAT DEPARTMENT.
HOPEFULLY THESE TWO CONSENT DECREES WILL WORK IN TANDEM TO CLEAN SOME OF THAT UP.
>> Cathy: HOW MIGHT IT DOVE-TAIL WITH WHAT IS ALREADY IN PLACE ON THE STALE LEFT.
>> THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE FEDERAL INVESTIGATION, THE D.O.J.
REPORT WILL FOCUS ON CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING, THE FIRST AND FOURTH AMENDMENTS.
THAT'S WHY THERE WAS SO MUCH REFERENCE TODAY TO -- THE PROBLEM WITH CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING AS OPPOSED TO RACE-BASED POLICING, HOWEVER, IS THAT THAT'S THE FLOOR.
WE SHOULD ANTICIPATE OR EXPECT THAT POLICE WILL ABIDE BY THE U.S. CONSTITUTION IN ENGAGING THE PUBLIC.
BUT YOU CAN HAVE CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING AND STILL HAVE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION.
IT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROCEDURAL DO YOU KNOWS AND SUBSTANTIVE DUE PROCESS.
SO WHETHER OFFICERS ARE CONDUCTING STOPS CORRECTLY IS ONE THING.
WHETHER THEY ARE TARGETING A SPECIFIC COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF RACE IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT ENTIRELY.
WE ACTUALLY NEED BOTH OF THESE IN ORDER TO HAVE REAL CHANGE IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> Eric: YOU HAVE STUDIES THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT'S CULTURE OVER TIME.
WHERE DO YOU START TO UNWEAVE THAT?
>> WELL, THIS IS GREAT BECAUSE WITH THESE ADDITIONAL 28 THINGS THAT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS IDENTIFIED, IT REALLY GIVES YOU SOME TANGIBLE THINGS THAT THEY CAN WORK ON WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
WE KNOW THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS, FOR EXAMPLE, TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING, BUT HUMAN TRAINING.
IT HAS TO BE IN PERSON.
IT HAS TO REALLY BE INVOLVED WITH THIS HUMAN ELEMENT THAT POLICING HAS TO INVOLVE.
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ECHOS SOME OF THAT.
AND SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG PROCESS.
BUT A PROCESS THAT WILL REALLY GET AT THE HUMAN LEMENT OF WHAT IS AT THE HEART OF THIS.
DO WE WANT GOOD APPLICATIONING OR DO WE WANT PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS MUCH MORE EXPANSIVE THAN JUST POLICING.
IT'S ABOUT A COMMUNITY RESPONSE.
THAT'S WHY THAT FOURTH POINT THAT MERRICK GARLAND RAISED TODAY, ABOUT THE TREATMENT OF PEOPLE DEALING WITH BEHAVIORAL DISABILITIES IS ALSO IMPORTANT.
THIS IS VERY COMPREHENSIVE AND AGAIN, A POET YENTD ONE-TWO PUNCH THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF RIGHTS AND THE D.O.J.
NOW.
>> Cathy: MAYOR JACOB FREY SAID THIS MARKS A NEW CHAPTER.
WHAT HAS PAST HISTORY SAID, THOUGH, ABOUT ATTEMPTS TO CHANGE?
>> PAST HISTORY WOULD LEAD US TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS NOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE OPTIMISTIC.
HOWEVER, WHAT'S DIFFERENT N THIS MOMENT IS THAT WE HAVE TWO CONSENT DECREES.
THIS IS LIS TOMORROWIC, NOT JUST FOR THE STIFF OF MINNEAPOLIS.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN THE NATION'S ISTORY THAT YOU HAD HAD TWO CONSENT DECREES.
ALSO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, AND SOME CREDIT NEEDS TO GO TO THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS FOR THIS, I DON'T THINK, AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN HISTORICALLY, CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING INVESTIGATIONS FOCUSED SO SQUARELY ON THE ISSUE OF RACE AS WE DID IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.
SO THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE BOTH THE D.O.J.
AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS HIGHLIGHTING RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IS CRITICAL.
>> Cathy: HOWEVER, I'M WONDERING, YES, THAT'S -- THIS IS HOW IT'S DIFFERENT THIS TIME AROUND.
BUT THEY STILL NEED TO NEGOTIATE TOWARD A CONSENT DECREE.
ACCORDING TO THE NEWS BIELT.
NEWS BITE.
THAT COULD GET KIND OF MESSY.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY CAN'T COME ONE AN AGREEMENT HERE OR THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE O, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO, AND ONCE YOU HAVE THIS IN PLACE, THE CITY CAN'T BACK OUT.
WHAT WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT IN THIS MOMENT AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, CATHY, IS THAT IF THERE IS A LACK OF WILL ON THE PART OF THE POLICE UNION, IF THE STAKEHOLDERS, FOR EXAMPLE, TRY TO FIND WAYS TO RESIST, THIS COULD ELONGATE THIS PROCESS.
WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE EXAMPLE OF OAKLAND UNDER CONSENT DECREE FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS.
SO THIS COULD BE A VERY, VERY LONG PROCESS.
THERE'S SOME THINGS IN PLACE HERE IN MINNEAPOLIS THAT I THINK ARGUE FOR SUCCESS.
THE FACT THAT WE HAVE POLICE CHIEF IN O'HARA WHO FROM NEWARK HAS EXPERIENCE IN KIND OF NEGOTIATING AND NAVIGATING THE CONSENT DECREE, A NEW COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
BUT MERRICK GARLAND SAID TODAY, THIS IS ABOUT COMMUNITY.
WE ALL HAVE TO BE INVESTED IN THIS WORK.
>> Eric: SO GLAD TO HAVE YOUR EXPERTISE ON THIS TONIGHT.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR COMING OVER.
>> CATHY: IT WAS ANNOUNCED EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT FORMER RAMSEY COUNTY JUDGE MARY LOUISE KLAS DIED LAST FRIDAY AT THE AGE OF 93.
KLAS WAS THE FIRST FEMALE JUDGE IN RAMSEY COUNTY AND A LONGTIME ADVOCATE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
BACK IN 1991, JUDGE KLAS WAS PROFILED ON THE TPT SERIES "PORTRAIT."
HERE'S AN EXCERPT FROM THAT INTERVIEW.
>> I WAS THE OILEDDER OF OLDER OF TWO BOY GIRLS.
MY MOTHER HAD A MISCARRIAGE AND THAT CHILD WOULD HAVE BEEN A BOY CHILD.
SO I ONLY IN LATER YEARS LOOKED BACK AND THOUGHT WHY IS THAT I AM SUCH A A-TYPE AND HAVE TO KEEP MOVING?
AND THEN I BECAME WHAT I BECOME?
AND I THINK IT WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS NO MALE CHILDREN.
NOBODY EVER SAID THAT'S MAN'S WORK, THAT'S'S WOMAN'S WORK.
NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT MARY LOU.
AND THE SCHOOLS THAT I WENT TO, ST. JOE'S ACADEMY WHICH WAS A GIRLS SCHOOL.
THERE WERE WONDERFUL ROLE MODELS, AND NO ONE EVER SAID, NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT MARY LOU.
SO I STILL THINK I CAN DO THINGS, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT PROBLEMS BIKE BECOME ABUSE OR THE MANY OTHER PROBLEMS OF HOMELESSNESS AND OTHER THINGS IN OUR SOCIETY, IT GIVES ONE PAUSE.
>> DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE VERY NAIVE?
>> SURE.
SURE WAS.
YEP.
I MEAN, I GREW UP, AS YOU SAID, VIOLENCE WAS NOT A PART OF MY HOME WHEN I WAS GROWING UP.
IT'S NOT A PART OF THE OF MY MARRIED HOME LIFE.
I JUST DIDN'T -- I KNEW IT EXISTED THEORETICALLY, AND INTELLECTUALLY.
BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THE EXTENT OF IT UNTIL I BEGAN SEEING THESE PETITIONS DAY AFTER DAY.
>> SO AS JUDGE, WHAT DO YOU DO, IF IT'S ABOUT CHANGING, VERY FUNDAMENTAL ATTITUDES AND VERY FUNDAMENTAL DIE NAMICS OF POWER AND CONTROL BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN.
YOU'RE ONE PERSON, A WOMAN, SITTING AT THE BENCH.
>> CHANGING ATTITUDES, ESPECIALLY SUCH DEEPLY HELD CULTURAL ATTITUDES AS THIS, IS A BIG JOB.
♪♪ >> ERIC: A WILDFIRE IN THE BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA WILDERNESS HAS LED THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE TO CLOSE A LARGE AREA OF THE WILDERNESS BEGINNING TODAY.
ABOUT 20 ACRES ARE CURRENTLY BURNING BETWEEN SPICE AND OGISH LAKES.
THE AREA IS LOCATED TEN MILES WEST OF THE END OF THE GUNFLINT TRAIL.
THE FIRE REMAINS RELATIVELY SMALL, BUT EXTREMELY DRY CONDITIONS AND THE REMOTE LOCATION OF THE FIRE REMAINS A HIGH CONCERN.
FIREFIGHTERS ARE ON THE GROUND AND IN THE AIR ACTIVELY SUPPRESSING IT.
JOINING US WITH MORE FROM THE INCIDENT COMMAND CENTER NEAR THE END OF THE GUNFLINT TRAIL, FOREST SERVICE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER TIM ENGRAV.
TIM, ARE YOU WITH US?
>> YES, I AM, I CAN HAIR YOU.
THANKS.
>> Eric: GIVE US THE LATEST.
>> SURE.
FIREFIGHTERS ON THE GROUND, AS YOU MENTIONED, HAVE MADE REALLY GOOD PROGRESS TODAY.
THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK DIRECTLY ALONG THE FIRE'S EDGE.
THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS WHERE THEY'VE BEEN WORKING.
AND THE REPORT TONIGHT IS 30% CONTAINMENT.
IT'S -- IT IS DIFFICULT WORK.
BECAUSE OF THE DRY CONDITIONS.
BUT WE'VE DEFINITELY MADE SOME GOOD PROGRESS TODAY.
AND WE'LL KEEP AFTER IT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.
>> Cathy: TIM, HIS IS CATHY WURZER.
WE'RE SEEING SOME PHOTOS TAKEN FROM SOME OF YOUR AERIAL FOLKS.
ANDS I'M WONDERING,, IT'S NOT A TERRIBLY LARGE FIRE, BUT I HEAR IT'S DEEP IN THE GROUND.
IS THAT A AREA OF CONCERN?
>> IT IS.
WHEN THE GROUND AND FOREST CONDITIONS ARE SO DRY, FIRES LIKE THIS RE BURNING -- CAN BURN REALLY HOT.
AND DEEP DOWN INTO THE SOIL.
AND THEY'LL ALSO BURN IN THE ROOT SYSTEMS OF THE TREES, AND DOWN INTO THE DUF.
AND THAT JUST MAKES IT CHALLENGING FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS TO EXTINGUISH HOT SPOTS AND SEEK OUT AND PUT THEM OUT.
WHAT WE CALL MOPPING UP.
SO THAT'S SLOW AND METICULOUS WORK THAT'S EXAGGERATED BY THESE DRY CONDITIONS.
>> Eric: ADVICE FOR FOLKS WITH A CAMPING PERMIT OR WANT TO GO FISHING OR OR HIKING?
WHAT SHOULD THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS?
>> SO WE DO HAVE A CAMP FIRE BAN OR RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE ACROSS NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA INCLUDING THE BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA WILDERNESS.
CAM AME OF ANTICIPATE FIRES ARE NOT ALLOWED.
THERE'S A FEW PLACES LIKE DEVELOPED CAMPGROUNDS, RESORTS AND PRIVATE PROPERTY WHERE THEY CAN STILL, BUT WE'RE ENCOURAGING EVERYONE TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS IN FLEECE THESE YEARN MINNESOTA WITH THESE DRY CONDITIONS AND NOT LEAVE ANY CAMP FIRES UNATTENDED.
>> Cathy: I'M WONDERING HERE, TIM, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT, ARE ENTRY POINTS CLOSED AT THIS JUNCTURE AS WELL?
AND HOW MANY CAMP SITES ARE CLOSED.
DO YOU KNOW?
>> SO THE FOREST HAS IMPLEMENTED A CLOSURE AREA.
IT DOES AFFECT ABOUT 80 CAMP SITES.
AND A LOT OF LAKES, INCLUDING SOME LARGE ONES.
PARTS OF NICE LAKE.
KEKAKBEK LAKE IN ITS ENTIRELY, AND THEN VER TOWARDS THE EAST WITH OGISH LAKE AND SEVERAL OTHER SMALLER ONES.
ALL THE ENTRY POINTS ARE STILL OPEN BUT THIS LARGER AREA IS CLOSED TO PUBLIC USE RIGHT NOW FOR PUBLIC AND FIREFIGHTER SAFETY.
>> Cathy: GOT IT.
BY THE WAY, I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE BEEN KIND OF ON WATCHING THE SITUATION.
IT'S SO DRY UP THERE.
AND YOU'VE HAD NOT ONLY DROUGHT CONDITIONS, YOU KNOW, LACK OF RAIN OBVIOUSLY, BUT ALSO LIKE THAT SPRUCE BUD WORM - HAS REALLY DONE DAMAGE TO YOUR SPRUCE TREES UP NORTH TOO WHICH I WOULD PRESUME ADDS THE TO THE FIRE SITUATION.
DOES ALL THIS PORTEND BAD SEASON MOST MOST MOST OFFING FORWARD HERE?
>> WE'VE DEFINITELY HAD A PRECIPITATION OR RAINFALL DEAF SET THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AND THAT'S CONTINUING ON TO JUNE.
COMBINED WITH THE DRY POCKETS OF FOREST, WITH THE BUD WORM FIR KILLS -- CAN ABE COMBINATIONA COMBINATIONOF A CHALLENGING SITUATION FOR FIRES TO TART.
IF WE GHET GET ANY LIGHTNING THAT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE A CONCERN AND WE'LL BE WATCHING TO SEE IN ANY NEW STARTS OCCUR FROM THAT.
AS WE KNOW, THE WEATHER CAN CHANGE PRETTY QUICKLY IN MINNESOTA.
BUT RIGHT OW, WE SEEM TO BE CONTINUING TO TREND DRYER WITH NO SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION IN THE TEN-DAY FORECAST.
>> Eric: TIM, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE UPDATE.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU.
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
THANK YOU.
WE'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THE OVERALL WEATHER PICTURE AND STATEWIDE AIR QUALITY ISSUES DUE TO WILDFIRES FROM PAUL DOUGLAS A LITTLE LATER IN THE HOUR.
WE'RE GOING TO GET OUR NEXT GUEST SETTLED IN, AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
♪♪ >> CATHY: A U.S. SUPREME COURT +-L RULING EARLIER THIS WEEK UPHELD THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT, A 1978 LAW DESIGNED TO KEEP NATIVE FAMILIES TOGETHER.
ONE OF THE CASES INVOLVED A CUSTODY FIGHT HERE IN MINNESOTA BETWEEN NON-NATIVE FOSTER PARENTS AND THE MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER OF A MEMBER OF THE WHITE EARTH BAND OF OJIBWE.
HERE WITH MORE ON THE DECISION AND ITS IMPORTANCE, ANGELIQUE EAGLEWOMAN, DIRECTOR OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN LAW AND SOVEREIGNTY INSTITUTE AT MITCHELL HAMLINE SCHOOL OF LAW IN ST. PAUL.
WELCOME, PROFESSOR.
IT'S GOOD TO ESEE YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE WITH YOU BOTH.
AND TO CELEBRATE THIS GREAT VICTORY.
7-2 TO IN THE U.S. SUPREME COURT IS SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT.
>> Cathy: SMASKT, YOU AS A MAT OF FACT, YOU AND I TALKED ON MPR, EXPERTS THOUGHT IT WOULD BE OVERTURNED.
>> THEY WERE VERY WORRY SOME AS THEY WERE COMING UP.
THANKFULLY THE U.S. SUPREME COURT FELL RIGHT IN LINE WITH FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF TRIBAL NATION, U.S.
RELATIONSHIPS, AND WE HAVE A 7- HAVE A 7- HAVE A 7- HAVE A 7- 2 AND WE HAVE A 7-2 ON SOLID GROUND.
>> Eric: WHY IS THIS NEEDED?
>> SO THERE'S A LONG HISTORY OF TARGETING NATIVE AMERICAN FAMILIES AND ESPECIALLY OUR CHILDREN.
THERE WAS A WHOLE POLICY AROUND THE INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL ERA, TAKING CHILDREN FROM THEIR FAMILIES IN THE 1800S FOR CIVILIZATION TRAINING.
FOUR GENERATIONS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THAT.
WE'RE TILL RECOVERING.
AND THEN IN THE 1950s AND 19650s, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY FUNDED AN INDIAN ADOPTION PROJECT WITH STATE SOCIAL WORKERS.
WHO DETERMINED THAT FAMILIES HAD TO LITTLE OF AN NICK OR THEIR CHILDREN WERE VISITING A RELATIVE FOR TOO LONG AND SO THAT WAS NEGLECT OR ABANDONMENT AND THEY WOULD TAKE THE CHILDREN AND THEY WOULD ADOPT THEM OUT.
AND IT WAS HEART-BREAKING FOR GENERATIONS.
TRIBAL LEADERS RESPONDED TO THIS BY LOBBYING GRESES AND HAD THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT AS A RESULT IN 1978.
BUT SINCE THE ACT HAS BEEN PASSED, WE'VE SEEN CHALLENGE AFTER CHALLENGE AFTER CHALLENGE.
AND SO IT'S NOT WELL DISOODZ DISOODZ WELL UNDERSTOOD THAT TRIBAL COMMUNITIES NEED OUR CHILDREN.
SO THAT WE CONTINUE TO EXIST.
BUT OFTEN WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE WELL FUNDED AND ANTI--TRIBAL THAT SEEK TO STEP IN AND CHALLENGE THE LAW.
>> Cathy: HAS THE LAW, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY KIDS IN THE MINNESOTA FOSTER SYSTEM WHO ARE NATIVE, IS THE LAW HELPING THOSE KIDS IN THE SYSTEM RIGHT NOW?
>> YES, IT IS HELPING THEM.
SO WHAT THE LAW DOES IS IT SAYS, IF THE CHILD IS IN THE STATE COURT SYSTEM, THEN THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT COMES INTO PLAY.
AND SAYS, STATE COURT, YOU MUST NOTIFY THE CHILD'S TRIBE AND THEIR PARENTS.
AND THEN THE TRIPE AND THE PARENTS COME IN, AND THEY CAN GIVE PLACEMENT PREFERENCES.
ALSO, THE TRIBE CAN COME IN AND REQUEST THAT THE WHOLE CASE BE TRANSFERRED BACK TO THE TRIBAL COURT.
IF IT'S NOT, THEN IT STAYS IN THE STATE COURT AND THE TATE COURT IS THEN TO FOLLOW THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT AND THE PLACEMENT PREFERENCES.
HERE IN MINNESOTA, TRIBAL ATTORNEYS AND LEGISLATORS HAVE BEEN VERY MUCH CONCERNED AND HAVE PASSED THE MINNESOTA INDIAN FAMILY PRESERVATION ACT.
AND THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR DECADES.
IT'S RECENTLY BEEN AMENDED WITH MUCH STRONGER LANGUAGE.
AND IT HAS MORE DETAIL.
SO IT IS A REAL POSITIVE TO SEE, AND ABOUT TEN STATES HAVE SUCH COMPANION LEGISLATION.
>> Eric: IS THIS GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION?
IT'S OFTEN HIT AND MISS BROADLY SPEAKING.
HAS IT BEEN PRETTY GOOD COMMUNICATION AND COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWIEBL GOVERNMENTS AND THE STATE?
>> STLIEWL.
WE HAVE A VERY STRONG RELATIONSHIP I WOULD SAY WITH THE GOVERNOR AND THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND THEY'VE REALLY PRIORITIZED CONSULTATION.
AND MINNESOTA IS ONE OF THE VERY FERN STATES THAT HAS IS A AN ACTUAL LAW ON THE BOOKS FOR TWIEBL CONSULTATION.
AND SO JUST BEING AT THE TABLE, BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE IN THE CONVERSATION, THAT REALLY DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
WE ARE PERMANENT NEIGHBORS.
THE TRIBES AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE.
MINNESOTA IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
AND SO IT MAKES SENSE FOR ALL OF US TO COLLABORATE.
>> Cathy: SO YOU MENTIONS THAT IN THE PAST, OVER THE YEARS, THIS HAS BEEN CHALLENGED.
IT PROBABLY WILL BE CHALLENGES AGAIN, DON'T YOU SUPPOSE?
AND UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS MIGHT -- WHETHER CLAUSES OF THE CONSTITUTION MIGHT THIS BE CHALLENGED?
>> WELL, WHAT WE'VE SEEN, WE'VE SEEN THREE CHALLENGES SO FAR IN THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.
AND ONE WAS ABOUT DOMICILE, WHETHER A MOTHER WHO WAS PREGNANT WHO HAD HER CHILDREN OFF RESERVATION PURPOSEFULLY TO ADOPT THEM OUT IF THE TRIBE CONTINUED TO HAVE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION UNDER THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT.
THE COURT SAID YES IN 1989.
IN 2013, WE HAD A CHALLENGE BY A FATHER WHO WAS IN THE MILITARY, DIDN'T KNOW HIS GIRLFRIEND WAS ADOPTING OUT THE CHILD.
CAME ACK, TRIED TO GET IN THE COURT CASE.
GOES UP TO THE SUPREME COURT, AND THE SUPREME COURT SAYS, YOU WERE NONCUZ TOADAL.
SO YOU DON'T GET THE BENEFIT OF THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT.
THAT WAS A HEART BREAKER, I'LL TELL YOU.
SO THIS IS THE THIRD.
7-2.
CONGRESS HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ENACT THE LAW.
AND ALL OF THE RACIAL CLASSIFICATION ARGUMENTS WERE SORT OF THROWN UP AGAINST THE WALL TO SEE IF THEY WOULD SYSTEM STICK, AND THERE WERE SOME FEDERAL JUDGES THAT GAVE THAT SOME PLAY IN THE FIFTH CIRCUITED AND IN THE DISTRICT OF TEXAS.
SO THAT WAS VERY CONCERNING.
BUT THIS SUPREME COURT CASE REALLY LAYS ALL THAT TO REST AND SAYS THERE'S NOTHING HERE THAT YOU CAN REALLY DO ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS UNDER CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORITY.
AND IT'S UNDER THE U.S. CONSTITUTION SUPREMACY CLAUSE, WHERE FEDERAL LAW, THE U.S. CONSTITUTION, AND TREATIES ENTERED INTO BY THE UNITED STATES ARE THE SUPREME LAW THE LAND AND STATE JUDGES MUST FOLLOW THE SUPREMACY CLAUSE.
>> Eric: GREAT EXPLANATION FOR US TONIGHT.
THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
♪♪ >> ARON: IT'S BEEN A RATHER HOT AND SMOKEY COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I REGRET TO SAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS, I RELENTED AND FINALLY BOUGHT... AN AIR CONDITIONER.
NOW, SOME OF YOU MAY BE HEARING THIS AND THINKING, "WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?"
BUT THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE RAISED RIGHT KNOW THAT AN AIR CONDITIONER IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO WASTE MONEY IN THE SUMMER.
WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY, EVERY SUMMER, I WOULD ASK MY MOTHER, "WHY CAN'T WE TURN ON THE A.C.?"
AND SHE'D SAY, "YOUR LAST NAME IS WOLDESLASSIE, NOT XCEL.
WHY WASTE ALL THAT MONEY?"
AND SHE WAS RIGHT.
SO FOR YEARS, I WENT WITHOUT A.C. AND BUILT CHARACTER IN THE PROCESS.
BUT THIS YEAR WAS VERY HOT.
I TRIED EVERYTHING TO COOL DOWN.
I TOOK COLD SHOWERS.
I SAT IN THE SHADE.
I EVEN GOT A HAIRCUT.
THANK YOU FOR NOTICING.
BUT NONE OF IT WORKED.
SO AFTER ALL THAT, I FINALLY RELENTED AND BOUGHT AN A.C. UNIT.
IT WAS NICE.
COOL, EVEN.
BUT THEN THE VERY NEXT DAY, THE WORLD WAS COVERED IN SMOKE!
LIKE THE PHARAOH, I KNEW I'D OFFENDED SOME HIGHER POWER.
BEFORE THE A.C. UNIT, YOU TOOK A BREATH OF FRESH AIR.
AFTER THE A.C. UNIT, IT LOOKED LIKE MOTHER NATURE PICKED UP A PACK OF MENTHOLS.
IT WASN'T JUST AN AIR CONDITIONER.
IT WAS 5,000 B.T.U.s OF SIN!
WHO WAS I TO SAY WHAT WAS OR WASN'T THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE FOR MY APARTMENT?
HOW POMPOUS COULD I BE TO THINK THAT I -- JUST A MAN -- SHOULD CONDITION THE AIR?
SO AFTER A LITERAL WEEK, I RETURNED THE INFERNAL BOX.
AND THINGS... HAVEN'T GOTTEN BETTER.
YEAH, TURNS OUT WHAT I PERCEIVED AS DIVINE RETRIBUTION WAS ACTUALLY HUNDREDS OF CANADIAN WILDFIRES, WHICH IS JUST SO TYPICAL.
BUT ON THE PLUS SIDE, THINGS HAVE COOLED OFF.
AND I GOTTA SAY, IT'S A PRETTY GREAT HAIRCUT.
♪♪ >> ERIC: WILDFIRES ACROSS THE BORDER IN CANADA LED TO RECORD BAD AIR QUALITY IN THE TWIN CITIES EARLIER THIS WEEK.
DROUGHT CONTINUES TO SPREAD AND DEEPEN ACROSS MINNESOTA.
AND THERE'S NEWS OF AN EL NIÑO BREWING.
PAUL DOUGLAS JOINS US FROM A UNDISCLOSED LOCATION FOR HIS MONTHLY WEATHER CHAT.
WHEN HE'S NOT ON "ALMANAC," YOU CAN FIND PAUL'S WORK IN THE "STAR TRIBUNE," HEAR HIM ON WCCO RADIO, OR ASK HIM ABOUT HIS WEATHER COMPANY PRAEDICTIX.
WE'RE GOING TO STOP WITH THE FANCY PATTERN TONIGHT AND GO WRIECT TO, YOU GOT SO MUCH GOING TONIGHT.
LET'S GET RIGHT TO IT.
PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
HI, CATHY.
GREETINGS FROM PELICAN LAKE.
NO CAMP FIRE TONIGHT.
OF COURSE -- LOOK, IT'S DRY OUT THERE.
BURN BANS ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA.
BUT THIS IS PELICAN LAKE.
LET ME GIVE YOU A QUICK GLIMPSE OF THE LAKE.
NOT SURE IF YOU CAN SEE IT.
IT'S RIGHT OVER THERE.
IT'S STILL KIND OF SMOKY RIGHT NOW.
THERE IS A PAUL PALL OF SMOKE.
I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE EARLIER THIS WEEK.
I TOOK A PHOTO AND IT WAS A SIGHT.
IT -- DID NOT RETOUCH THAT.
A FIRE ENGINE RED SUNSENT.
AND ANOTHER IMAGE FROM UP AT THE CABIN LAST NIGHT.
AND MANY OF US HAVE DEALT WITH THE WORST WILD FIRE IN RECENT MEMORY.
IT'S CERTAINLY WORST IN THE TWIN CITIES.
YEAH, THE SMOKY SUMMER OF 2023.
AND THE WORST AIR QUALITY IN THE TWIN CITIES HISTORY.
WHICH DATES BACK SEVERAL DECADES.
AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE PLUMES OF SMOKE HEADING SOUTH.
VERY HARD TO PREDICT IN ADVANCE IN DAY-TO-DAY.
WE CAN GIVE ABOUT A ONE TO TWO DAY NOTICE.
BUT CHAOS THEORY IN TERMS OF WILL LIGHTNING TRIGGER MORE FIRES UPWIND.
WILL RAIN PUT OUT HOSE FIRES HUNDREDS OF MILES UPWIND?
AGAIN, WE HAVE 18 AIR QUALITY ALERTS, STATEWIDE.
THE RECORD IS 20 BACK IN 2021.
WE'RE GOING TO SMACK THE RECORD.
WHAT HAPPENS IN CANADA DOES NOT STAY IN CANADA.
ALL RIGHT.
SO THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I'M GETTING, PAUL, WHERE'S THE RAIN?
WHERE ARE THE THUNDERSTORMS?
WE CAN LIVE WITHOUT THE TORNADOES AND ALL THAT STUFF.
BUT CERTAINLY WE'VE SEEN FAR FEWER SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS AND TORNADO WARNINGS.
WE'VE SEEN FOUR TORNADO WARNINGS STATEWIDE.
LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME, WE HAD PICKS UP 80 TORNADOES WARNINGS.
THE GOOD NEWS, SEVERE WEATHER WENT OFF A CLIFF, BUT SO DID THE RAIN THUNDERSTORMS BRING.
MODERATE DROUGHT NOW.
AND THERE'S EVEN A -- FAR NORTH METRO.
AND I HAVE A HUNCH BASED ON THE MAPS THAT THE DROUGHT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO AFFECT US.
ACCORDING TO THE WEATHER SERVICE, WE'VE HAD A QUARTER INCH OF RAIN IN THE LAST 30 DAYS.
THAT IS THE LEAST RAIN DURING THE SAME PERIODS SINCE RECORDS WERE STARTED, ACCURATE RECORDS, BACK IN 1871.
WE SHOULD BE PICKING UP AN INCH EVERY SINGLE WEEK.
THE OCEANS WORLDWIDE, UNUSUALLY WARM.
WARMER THAN WE'VE EVER SEEN THEM.
THE TEMPORARY ANOMALIES, NOT ONLY IN THE PACIFIC WITH EL NINO, BUT ALSO IN THE ATLANTIC.
THAT MAY NOT BODE WELL WHEN IT COMES TO HURRICANES.
AND ONE MORE LIKE AT JUST HOW UNUSUAL THIS IS.
BY A LOT OF METEOROLOGISTS AND CLIMATOLOGISTS ARE SHAKING THEIR HEADS IN WONDER.
A TRUE TEMPORARY TEMPERATURE SPIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON, IN ADDITION TO THE -- THE ATMOSPHERE IS IN FACT WARMING.
BUT NOW WITH EL NINO, SEEM TO BE JUICING THE WARMING.
TURNING UP THE THERMOSTAT EVEN HIGHER.
AND THIS COULD BE A SUPER EL NINO LINGERING RIGHT INTO THE WINTER MONTHS, WHICH TENDSES TO MEAN STORMIER WEATHER, COOLER WEATHER, WETTER WEATHER, BUT DRYER AND WARMER FOR UPPER WISCONSIN, THE UPPER MIDWEST.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE MAY SEE RIGHT INTO THE WINTER.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET 90 INCHES OF SNOW FLEX WINTER.
ENJOY THIS RELATIVELY COOL REST PIT.
WELL INTO THE 90s.
NEXT WEEK.
AT LEAST LOW TO MID-90s.
BUT UNBELIEVABLE IN TERMS OF THE SMOKE, ERIC, CATHY, SOMETHING WE HAVE NOT SEEN HERE IN THE TWIN CITIES.
MY HUNCH IS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE PARTLY SMOKY FOR THE REST OF THE SUMMER.
EVERY NOW AND THEN, WE'RE GOING TO BE TRACKING A SMOKE FRONT COMING DOWN FROM THE BORDER.
SO VERY -- >> Cathy: AH, A SMOKE FRONT.
AND HEN OF COURSE HOT NEXT WEEK.
ALL RIGHT, ENJOY YOUR TIME AT THAT UNDISCLOSES LOCATION.
ENJOY.
SEE YOU LATER, PAUL.
♪♪ >> CATHY: NEXT MONDAY, MINNESOTA JOINS 25 OTHER STATES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN RECOGNIZING JUNETEENTH AS AN OFFICIAL HOLIDAY.
JUNETEENTH MARKS THE DATE THAT THE FINAL SLAVES IN TEXAS LEARNED THEY WERE FREE, NEARLY TWO AND A HALF YEARS AFTER THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.
BLACK AMERICANS HAVE CELEBRATED JUNETEENTH FOR DECADES.
THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA IS ONE OF MANY PLACES HOSTING EVENTS THIS WEEKEND.
JOINING US IS THE EVENT DIRECTOR, TERRESA MOSES, A PROFESSOR OF GRAPHIC DESIGN AT THE "U" WHO HEADS UP THEIR DESIGN JUSTICE NETWORK.
IS DID YOU CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH WHEN YOU WERE A KID?
>> I ABSOLUTELY DID.
I'M ACTUALLY FROM TEXAS.
>> Cathy: OKAY!
>> SO, YES, I ABSOLUTELY CELEBRATED THAT AND CAME UP TO MINNESOTA AND WAS LIKE, WHY IS EVERYONE NOT CELEBRATING IT.
>> Cathy: SO TELL US JUST HOW BIG F A DEAL WAS IT IN TEXAS?
>> YEAH, SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT JUNETEENTH N TEXAS, WE TALK ABOUT THE TEENTHS, AND SO YOU HAVE A WEEK-LONG CELEBRATION, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW NEWS TRAVELED.
SO WE WOULD HAVE PARADES, EVENTS, ALL KINDS OF THINGS TO CELEBRATE THIS MOMENT FOR US.
>> Eric: HOW DID THE U OF M GET SO INVOLVED IN HAVING A CELEBRATION FOR JUNETEENTH?
>> SO I WOULD HAVE TO LIKE TO THETOOT MY OWN HORN HERE.
THE OFFICE OF QEFNL AND EQUITY AND DIVERSITY, WHAT SHOULD WE DO FOR JUNETEENTH?
LET'S DO A HUGE BLOCK PARTY.
AND SO THE FIRST TIME WE DID THAT WAS LAST YEAR.
AND THE HOLIDAY WASN'T LIKE AN OFFICIAL HOLIDAY YET FOR THE UNIVERSITY.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY PUSHED FOR.
AND THEN THIS YEAR, THE SECOND ANNUAL JUNETEENTH EVENT, IS, YOU KNOW, NOW IT'S AN OFFICIAL HOLIDAY.
SO IT KIND OF PAIRS REALLY NICELY WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR.
>> Cathy: I WANT TO GO BACK JUST TO THE IMPORTANCE OF JUNETEENTH FOR FOLKS WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT AND WHY IS IT REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A HOLIDAY?
>> YEAH, I THINK I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE ATTACK ON BLACK HISTORY HAPPENING IN OUR NATION AT THIS MOMENT AND THAT BEING REALLY AN INTEGRAL PART OF WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE RECOGNIZING BLACK HISTORY OF WHEN WE TALK ABOUT JUNETEENTH, WE TALK ABOUT IT BEING FREEDOM DAY BECAUSE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE FREEDOM.
AND SO I THINK IT'S THAT'S A REALLY A BIG PART OF THE CELEBRATION THAT WE'RE HAVING ON SATURDAY IS TO INTERWEAVE ALL OF THOSE CONCEPTS AND THEME HE'S THROUGHOUT THE EVENT.
>> Cathy: SO SOME OF THE THEMES THAT WE'VE SEEN, YOU'RE CELEBRATING JOY, RESISTANCE, ANDS REST.
>> YES, YES, AND SO THOSE EVENTS -- THOSE CONCEPTS ARE SUPER IMPORTANT.
WE TALK ABOUT THE BLACK EXPERIENCE BEING AS NUANCED AS IT IS.
AND SO NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT THE BLACK EXPERIENCE AS ONE OF RESISTANCE AND STRUGGLE AND RESILIENCY AND WHILE IT IS ALL THOSE THINGS, IT'S ALSO FILLED WITH REALLY GREAT TIMES OF JOY.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE RECOGNIZE THE BLACK EXPERIENCE, THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THAT THEME AS WELL.
AND THEN IN THE EVENT, WE WANT TO HAVE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE WITH REST, WHERE THEY CAN BREATHE, WHERE THEY CAN JUST EXIST AND BE.
>> Eric: ARE YOU ENCOURAGED WHEN THE MINNESOTA HOUSE WHEN THIS CAME UP, THE VOTE WAS 126 TO 1 TO APPROVE THE HOLIDAY.
>> I THINK I'M SUPER ENCOURAGED BY THAT.
BUT COMMUNITY HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR DECADES.
LIKE YOU HAD SAID EARLIER.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST REALLY NICE TO HAVE THEN POLICY THAT SOLIDIFIES IT.
AND SO IT DOES MAKE IT FEEL, YOU KNOW, A LOT MORE SUPPORTED.
>> Eric: GIVE US THE WHERE AND WHEN OF YOUR ACTIVITIES AT THE U.
>> SO OUR ACTIVITIES ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO UNOUT IN FRONT OF THE UNIVERSITY EASE RESEARCH AND OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT CENTER, OUT IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS, 2001, PLYMOUTH AVENUE NORTH, AT 12:00 O 6:00 TOMORROW, WHICH IS SATURDAY, JUNE 17TH.
AND IT WILL BE AN ALL DAY BLOCK PARTY, FREE, EVERYTHING.
EVERYTHING IN THAT EVENT IS FREE.
EXPHEPT WHEN OUR MERCHANTS ARE COMING, OUR BLACK VENDORS, WE WANT O SUPPORT OUR BLACK BUSINESSES.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO START OFF WITH A MARCH AT 12:00.
WE'LL HAVE A ROSE DROP MEMORIAL.
AGAIN, REMEMBERING THE HISTORY, UNDERSTANDING THE FREE AND THE UNFREE.
AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO A CELEBRATION.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE LIVE PERFORMANCES.
WE'LL HAVE SPEAKERS.
WE'LL HAVE A TON OF MUSICIANS, WORKSHOPS, A POSTER SHOW CASE AND A TON OF ACTIVITIES FOR OUR KIDS.
>> Eric: YOU SELL IT BEAUTIFULLY AND I WONDER IF YOU FEEL THERE'S ROOM OR EXPANDING.
>> YES, AS SOON AS ALL THESE FOLKS SUPPORT US WITH THEIR CHECKS, WE'LL BE EXPANDING IT EVEN MORE, ABSOLUTELY.
BUT I THINK THIS YEAR, GIVEN LAST YEAR'S VERY TIGHT BUDGET AND ALSO TIMELINE, WE HAD LIKE SIX WEEKS TO UT THAT THING TOGETHER, THIS YEAR WITH OUR ORGANIZING TEAM, WE'VE HAD ALMOST SINCE JANUARY.
>> Eric: DID THE REGENTS COME ONE SOME MONEY FOR YOU?
>> THEY DID.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COLLABORATE WITH COMMUNITY.
IT'S HALF COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS AND HALF OF THE UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES.
THAT ARE HELPING TO ORGANIZE THIS EVENT.
SO I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
>> Cathy: YOU GOT A LOT GOING ON BUT YOU GOT TO HAVE SOME FOOD TOO.
>> OH, WE HAVE SO MUCH FOOD.
[ Laughter ] WE HAVE SO MUCH FOOD.
A TON OF STUFF FOR FOLKS TO DO.
A TON OF GIVE-AWAYS FOR FOLKS AND OUR KIDS IS SUPER EXCITING.
WE'LL HAVE ROLLER SKATING.
PETTING ZOO, BOUNCY HOUSE.
FACE PAINTING, FREE HAIR CUTS FOR KIDS.
WE HAVE A TON OF ACTIVITIES.
AND SO WE WANT FOLKS TO SOME CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH WITH S. >> Cathy: DO YOU SEE THIS MOVING INTO A MULTI-DAY CELEBRATION SOMEDAY?
>> THAT WOULD BE AMAZING.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON IS MAKING SURE WE INTEGRATE OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN HAPPENING.
IS TO NOT TAKE OVER ANYTHING BUT TO REALLY INTEGRATE OURSELVES WITH WITHIN THAT.
SO IF THAT MEANS US PARTNERING ON SUNDAY WITH ANOTHER EVENT THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING ON SUNDAY OR THE ACTUAL DAY OF JUNETEENTH, WHICH IS MONDAY.
THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
>> Cathy: ALL RIGHT.
HAVE A GREAT TIME.
>> Eric: SOUNDS GREAT.
THANKS FOR COMING.
>> THANKS.
>> CATHY: THIS SUMMER, WE'RE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT ISSUES THAT PASSED IN THE INCREDIBLY BUSY LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THIS WEEK, REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER FOCUSES ON THE LARGEST BONDING BILL IN STATE HISTORY, THE ONLY LEGISLATION THAT REQUIRED BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
MARY SHOWS US HOW IT CAME TOGETHER AND WHAT THE IMPACT IS ACROSS THE STATE.
>> LET'S START BUILDING.
[ Cheers and applause ] >> Mary: THE BONDING BILL FOR STATE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS WILL BUILD LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN MINNESOTA.
AND UNLIKE OTHER BILLS, BORROWING MONEY MEANS LAWMAKERS MUST BUILD A BIPARTISAN SUPERMAJORITY.
>> THIS IS TRULY THE GOLDEN AGE OF INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION ACROSS THE STATE.
>> FIRST TIME I'VE SPOKEN AT THE REQUEST OF A GOVERNOR.
[ Laughter ] >> Mary: REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE DEAN URDAHL DELIVERED THE VOTES IN HIS CAUCUS EARLY.
>> A LOT OF BUMPS IN THE ROAD ALONG THE WAY, BUT THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN STATE GOVERNMENT WHEN PEOPLE DECIDE THAT REGARDLESS OF PARTY, OR WHERE YOU LIVE IN THE STATE, THAT YOU SHOULD GET TOGETHER AND TRY TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.
[ Applause ] >> Mary: OF ALL THE BILLS THAT PASSED IN THIS BIG HUGE HISTORIC SESSION, THE BONDING BILL WAS THE ONLY ONE THEY NEEDED YOU ON.
>> RIGHT.
AND WE WERE WELL AWARE OF THAT.
I'VE BEEN ON CAPITAL INVESTMENT FOR 18 YEARS.
IT IS ACTUALLY UNLIKELY OR UNUSUAL FOR THE SENATE TO PASS THE BILL.
UNTIL FINAL PASSAGE.
>> Mary: SENATE REPUBLICANS INITIALLY REJECTED THE BILL, HOLDING OUT FOR A DEAL TO BUNDLE SEPARATE NURSING HOME FUNDING, BUT THEY DIDN'T ATTEND THE BILL SIGNING.
>> IT'S AN IMPORTANT BILL.
I WORKED HARD ON IT.
I WILL GO TO THE BILL SIGNING.
>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT MAKING THE GOVERNOR LOOK GOOD?
SHOULD A REPUBLICAN MAKE THE GOVERNOR LOOK GOOD?
>> I CERTAINLY WASN'T THERE TO MAKE THE GOVERNOR LOOK OOD.
WE DO BONDING FOR THE WHOLE STATED.
NOTICE I DIDN'T SAY ONE MINNESOTA HERE.
I'M NOT USING HIS TAG LINES.
>> THE LACK OF A BONDING BILL IN '21 AND '22 AND ALSO A $5.5 BILLION IN BACKLOG.
>> THE MOST HISTORIC INFRASTRUCTURE BILLS IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA'S HISTORY.
>> IS THE ADJECTIVE HISTORIC STARTED TO GET OLD?
>> NO!
[ Laughter ] >> LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
THE QUESTION WAS, IS THE ADJECTIVE HISTORIC GETTING OLD?
NO.
>> SOMEBODY HAS TO PAY FOR THESE THINGS, WHETHER IT IS THE STATE HELPING OUT OR THE LOCALS, IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE CLEAN WATER.
>> Mary: GOVERNMENT HAS TO DO THIS.
THIS IS GOVERNMENT'S SWROB, GOVERNMENT'S JOB, RIGHTER?
EVEN IF YOU HATE THE GOVERNMENT?
>> YES, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A STATE LEGISLATURE AS A STATE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROPERTY THAT THE STATE OF MINNESOTA OWNS.
AND MUCH OF WHAT IS IN A BONDING BILL DEALS WITH STATE-OWNED ASSETS.
>> Mary: WITH A RECORD NUMBER OF NEW LAWMAKERS IN THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, PART OF THE JOB WAS TO EDUCATE THEM ON THE BONDING BILL.
TUXES OUT, URDAHL WAS A TEACHER AND IT CAME NATURALLY FOR THEM.
>> HELPED THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT AND WHY IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DO IT.
AND THEY HAVE TO BALANCE THAT OUT WITH WHAT THEIR DISTRICTS WANT, WHAT THEY THINK THEIR CONSTITUENTS WANT.
>> THIS IS A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT IS GOING TO BE ABOUT $2.6 BILLION.
THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT IN BONDING IN OUR STATE'S HISTORY.
>> STRATEGIC AND EQUITABLE INVESTMENTS AND BUILD STRONG COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE.
THESE INVESTMENTS, SOME MAY SAY THEY'RE NOT FLASHY.
I THINK THIS IS THE FLASHIEST STUFF HAT YOU CAN DO FOR COMMUNITIES.
>> Mary: CLEAN WATER AND WASTEWATER POPULATE THE LIST, AS CRITICAL RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.
REPUBLICANSLOOK LIKE THEY DID PRETTY DARN WELL ON THAT SPREADSHEET.
>> YEAH, I THINK THAT WE DID.
THAT'S WHO TAKES CARE OF THE WATER PROJECTS, THE WASTEWATER, THE CLEAN WATER.
THAT'S A BIG DEAL IN GREATER MINNESOTA.
AND SO IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR REPUBLICANS TO HAVE A GOOD NUMBER IN THERE.
AND IT'S NOT A REAL FLASHY ITEM OR -- BUT IT'S VERY, VERY BIG EAL TO GREATER MINNESOTA.
>> Mary: WITH ALL D.F.L.
CONTROL OF GOVERNMENT AND A RECORD SURPLUS FOR THEM TO SPEND, THE OUTCOME OF THE OFTEN DIFFICULT BRIP BILL WAS NOT A GIVEN.
DEMOCRATS COULD DO A CASH BILL AND COMPLETELY TAKE REPUBLICANS OUT.
>> THERE WAS A MOMENT IN THE SESSION WHERE IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE WE WERE GOING TO GET A G.O.
BONDING BILL THROUGH.
THIS SESSION AS UNUSUAL FOR A LOT OF REASONS.
ONE BEING THAT WE HAD SUCH A HUGE SURPLUS.
THAT CAME INTO PLAY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU PASS BONDING BILL, CAPITAL INVESTMENT BILL, WHICH IS CASH.
YOU DON'T NEED A SUPERMAJORITY.
A IMPLE MAJORITY DOES IT.
SO THE DEMOCRATS COULD DO WHATEVER THEY WANTED IN THAT INSTANCE.
>> Mary: IN THE END, LIKE SO MANY OTHER THORNY ISSUES IN AN UNPRECEDENTED SESSION, IT GOT DONE.
[ Applause ] >> Eric: LUCKY FOR US, H, 4NO SLEEPY SUMMER IN MINNESOTA POLITICS THIS WEEK.
CONTINUED TALES FROM THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FLANAGAN IN D.C.
PITCHING MINNESOTA FOR THE 2027 WORLD EXPO LOCATION.
AND BIG POLITICAL NEWS CAME THURSDAY WHEN MINNESOTA SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE LORIE GILDEA ANNOUNCED SHE WILL RETIRE IN THE FALL.
SO MANY TOPICS, SO LITTLE TIME FOR THIS WEEK'S POLITICAL PANEL.
DEMOCRATS UP FIRST.
KARLA BIGHAM IS A FORMER D.F.L.
STATE SENATOR, NOW DAKOTA COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
JANAÉ BATES IS A MINISTER AND ORGANIZER WHO WORKS ON SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC ISSUES.
>> DID I GET THE WRONG COUNTY FOR YOU?
>> IT'S WY APRIL COUNTY.
WASHINGTON COUNTY.
>> THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
I JUST READ WHAT IS ON THERE.
JANAÉ BATES IS A MINISTER AND ORGANIZER WHO WORKS ON SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC ISSUES.
REPUBLICANS WITH US TONIGHT.
AMY KOCH IS A FORMER SENATE MAJORITY LEADER.
FORMER SENATOR IS ALSO A LABEL YOU CAN GIVE FRITZ KNAAK.
SENATOR KOCH, IS THERE GOING TO BE A LEFNT ON LEFT ON THE SUPREME COURT?
STATE SUPREME COURT?
>> TURNS OUT THAT JUSTICE BARRY ANDERSON, AT 70, HE'S REQUIRED TO RETIRE.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE, AND HE'S 68 OR 6 THE 9.
HE'S NEARING THE REQUIRED RETIREMENT.
SO WITH CHIEF JUSTICE LORIE GILDEA STEPPING DOWN, IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS, IT LOOKS LIKE TIM WALZ WILL HAVE A CLEAR SHOT AT EMPTYING THE COURT OF REPUBLICANS.
>> Eric: AND WE SHOULD SAY THAT THE MINNESOTA SUPREME COURT IS NOT AS PART SAX MAYBE AS THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.
PARTISAN?
>> WELL, IT USED TO BE EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE.
THE THINKING WAS THAT THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT, IT WASN'T CONCEIVABLE THAT THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED TO BE POLITICAL.
OF COURSE NORTHBOUND'S SAYING THAT IT IS.
I'M AFRAID THAT WE'RE GOING IN A DIRECTION IN MINNESOTA, MUCH LIKE WISCONSIN, WHERE THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE JUDICIAL ELECTIONS TO TURN THEM MORE PARTISAN.
HOPEFULLY THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
BUT RIGHT NOW I WOULD SAY YES, FOR THE MOST PART IT IS STILL NONPARTISAN.
>> Cathy: WAS ANYBODY SURPRISED SHE WAS STEPPING DOWN?
>> I AM.
I WORKED FOR HER, THE FIRST TIME I WAS ON THE COUNTY BOARD.
WE RECEIVED MONEY TO INCREASE COURTHOUSE SECURITY.
AND REALLY GOT TO KNOW HER REALLY WELL.
AND SHE'S JUST A BAD-ASS.
SHE'S TOUGH.
SHE'S A LEGAL SCHOLAR THAT IS UNMATCHED.
I MEAN, I UST REALLY LOOK UP TO HER.
SHE SWORE ME IN.
IT'S GOING TO LEAVE A HOLE, BUT OPPORTUNITY FOR WALZ, I THINK TO -- HE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE ELECTION.
THAT ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALLY LET CHIEF JUSTICE GILDEA HAVE HER MOMENT HERE.
AND IT'S TWO WOMEN HAVE HAD THIS MOASES.
POST.
LONGEST SERVING CHIEF JUSTICE, I BELIEVE.
WHAT SHE HAD TO GO THROUGH WITH THE COURTS TO NAVIGATE COVID, YOU KNOW, IS VERY DIFFICULT.
AND SHE DID IT MASTERFULLY.
HER LEADERSHIP IS INCREDIBLE.
SO KUDOS TO HER, AND ENJOY RETIREMENT.
BUT STAY TUNED.
BECAUSE APPARENTLY IT'S NOT THE ENLDZ OF HER WORKING CAREER.
>> Cathy: RIGHT, EXACTLY.
WHO DO YOU THINK THE GOVERNOR APPOINTS?
ANY IDEAS?
>> WELL, HE'S GOING TO HAVE SOME OPTIONS I THINK.
INTERNALLY IN THE COURT, WHAT THEY'VE DONE IN THE PAST SOMETIMES IS IF YOU TAKE ONE OF THE MEMBERS F THE SUPREME COURT, YOU ELEVATE THAT PERSON TO THE CHIEF JUSTICE SLOT, AND THEN YOU PICK SOMEBODY ELSE TO BE THE ASSOCIATE JUSTICE.
AND THERE ARE A COUPLE OF, I WOULD SAY, RELATIVELY OBVIOUS CHOICES SHOULD HE CHOOSE TO DO THAT.
>> Eric: AFTER THIS SESSION IS OVER.
WHAT'S THE FUTURE NOW FOR MINNESOTA GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS?
IT'S HAPPENING -- IT'S GOING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
THE MINNESOTA'S A HOT FLAVOR OF THE MONTH HERE.
WHERE ARE WE HEADED?
>> YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ACTUALLY ACTUALLY GOT DONE BECAUSE THE REALITY IS, A LOT OF MINNESOTANS, PROBABLY MOST OF THEM, DID NOT WATCH THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AND IT WAS A MASSIVE ONE.
WHERE ONE MINNESOTA WAS ABSOLUTELY A THING IN WHICH WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT IT'S ONE MINNESOTA THAT IS THE BEST PLACE FOR FAMILIES AND KIDS AND WORKERS.
WHAT I'LL ALSO ADD AND I THINK IT'S REALLY APPROPRIATE BECAUSE JUNETEENTH IS UPON US.
A BENEFIT OF JUNETEENTH, AND LIKE IS A THING FOR ME I REALLY LOVE TO THINK ABOUT IS THE FACT THAT JUNETEENTH IS A HOLIDAY WE CELEBRATE BECAUSE A PIECE OF LEGISLATION GOT PASSED AND NO ONE KNEW ABOUT IT.
FOR TWO YEARS.
AND WE CANNOT UNDERESTIMATE THE FACT THAT THERE WERE SOME FOLKS WHO ACTUALLY BENEFITED FROM FOLKS NOT KNOWING ABOUT IT AND KNOWING THAT THIS -- THE MANY PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT ARE GOING TO BENEFIT BLACK FOLKS AND WORKERS AND POOR PEOPLE, FOLKS NEED TO KNOW.
>> Eric: FUTURE OF MINNESOTA GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS FROM A REPUBLICAN PERSPECTIVE?
>> OH, I GET -- [ Laughter THE LOOK THAT I GET WHEN I'M TALKING TO OTHER REPUBLICANS IS NOT UNLIKE THE LOOK YOU GET WHEN A TORNADO HAS GONE THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU GET THE INVARIABLE MICROPHONE GETTING STUCK IN SOMEBODY'S FACE, WE'LL GET THROUGH IT SOMEHOW.
AND YOU KNOW LOOKING AT THEIR EYES, THEY DON'T HAVE A CLUE.
IT IS GRIM.
VIRTUALLY EVERY PROGRESSIVE FANTASY IN THE LAST 50 YEARS GOT THROWN AT THE WALL, AND THERE IS NO FIRE HOSE STRONG ENOUGH TO WASH ANY OF IT OFF AS FAR AS I CAN TELL FOR THE NEXT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
IT'S GOING TO BE A HARD SLUG.
AND REPUBLICANS JUST NOW ARE TRIAGING, IS THE WAY 'D DESCRIBE IT.
EVERYBODY'S SAYING ALL THESE WONDERFUL THINGS.
THEY'RE ALL DEMOCRATS AND SELF-ADULATION IS A WONDERFUL THING AND ALL, BUT YOU'RE NOT HEARING REPUBLICANS REALLY REACT M REACTING TO IT.
AND IT'S BECAUSE I THINK EVERYBODY'S KIND OF TEPPING BACK, AND THINKING, OKAY, THIS IS REALLY A BAD THING, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?
>> Eric: YOU ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGNS.
BUT I WONDER IF YOU'RE JUST FEELING A LITTLE OUTDONE FINANCIALLY AND ORGANIZATION AND ALL THE UNIONS AND ALL THE NON-PROFITS.
JUST SEEMS LIKE -- YOU CAN WIN LEGISLATIVE RACES, BUT STATEWIDE LOOKS TOUGH FOR REPUBLICANS, DOESN'T IT >> >> YOU KNOW, THIS IS -- THIS IS NOT ACTUALLY THE CASE.
THE SENATE IS ONE VOTE.
IT'S 49% OF THE SENATE IS REPUBLICAN.
IT'S A SEAT FLIP OF FOUR IN THE HOUSE.
AND BY THE WAY, OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL CANDIDATE WAS .87%, AND STATE AUDITOR, NOBODY EVEN KNOWS WHAT THAT OFFICE DOES, WAS .34%.
AND THAT'S A STATEWIDE RACE.
SO WHEN REPUBLICANS LOOK AT ME, AND SAY, CAN WE EVEN WIN STATEWIDE?
I SAY ABSOLUTELY.
BUT YOU NEED A STRONG, MINNESOTA-CENTRIC MESSAGE THAT ISN'T LIKE SOUNDING CUCKOO TO PEOPLE.
AND NEED GREAT CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT.
IT'S NOT A BLUE STATE.
THIS IS A PURPLE STATE AT BEST.
AND REPUBLICANS JUST NEEDS TO GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER.
>> Eric: POLITICAL FUTURE.
>> I THINK THAT IT SHOWED THIS SESSION THAT ELECTIONS MATTER.
THEY HAVE CONSEQUENCES.
AND THAT THE VOTERS ARE GOING TO HOLD THOSE ELECTED ACCOUNTABLE TO DELIVER.
ON WHAT WAS SAID AND DEMOCRATS DID THAT.
FOR THE REPUBLICANS, I'M GOING TO WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH MY GOOD FRIEND AMY AND SAY REPUBLICANS HAVE TO STOP CONTINUOUSLY AND OBSESSIVELY TALKING G GUNS, GOD, GIEN COLLEGE, AND GAYS, WHICH IS THE MESSAGE THEY HAVE ALWAYS PROMULGATED AND THAT MESSAGE LEFT IN NOVEMBER AND THEY HAVE A VERY EXTREME MESSAGE.
>> BUT D.F.L.
DIDN'T RUN ON 90% OF WHAT THEY PASSED THIS YEAR.
JUST WANT TO POINT ON THAT.
NO, THEY ABSOLUTELY DID NOT.
GO TALK TO FOLKS IN WINONA, IN ST.
CLOUD, AND ASK THEM WHAT THE MESSAGING WAS.
IT'S PUBLIC SAFETY.
IT WAS ABORTION.
AND IT WAS THE ECONOMY.
>> RECORD TAX CUTS.
RECORD AMOUNT OF FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
RECORD AMOUNT OF SPENDING ON EDUCATION.
THEY DELIVERED WHAT THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO DO.
>> TAX CUTS TO SOME, BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY TAX INCREASES AS WELL.
YOU DIDN'T RUN ON THAT, BUT THAT'S WHAT IN THIS BILL.
>> Cathy: CAN I ASK YOU SOMETHING ABOUT, OF OURSE MERRICK GARLAND WAS IN TOWN HERE TODAY WITH THE D.O.J.
INVESTIGATION.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON IN MINNEAPOLIS FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, RIGHT?
SO WHERE WAS THE POLITICAL WILL TO CHANGE THINGS IN A DEMOCRATIC TOWN?
AFTER ALL THESE YEARS?
>> THAT IS AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, THE POLITICAL WILL, I THINK, HAS BEEN THERE, MOST CERTAINLY FOR THE PEOPLE OF MINNEAPOLIS.
I ALSO THINK THAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT A HUGE PART OF THIS INDICTMENT, THAT WE'RE ALL WITNESSING, IS NOT JUST AGAINST MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT WHERE IT ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE, BUT IT IS ALSO WITH THE CITY, AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITY, WHERE THE MAYOR IS THE EXECUTIVE CHIEF AND HAS BEEN LONG BEFORE GEORGE FLOYD WAS KILLED.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN SOME FEED-DRAGGING.
AND THERE HAS TO BE A POINT WHERE YOU HAVE TO STOP HIDING THE FACT THAT YOU'RE NOT ACCOMPLISHING THINGS YOU SET OUT TO DO.
>> Eric: DOES IT ANY WAY CHANGE THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEBATE IN MINNESOTA POLITICS?
>> WELL, I THINK IT ELEVATES IT, BUT I FEEL LIKE IN MINNESOTA IT'S ALREADY BEEN ELEVATED AND PARTICULARLY IN MINNEAPOLIS.
I THINK THERE'S BEEN MOVES IN MINNEAPOLIS IN RECENT YEARS TO MAKE SOME CHANGES.
AND THERE'S BEEN WORK, I THINK THEY'VE BEEN WORKING WITH COMMUNITY.
I THINK THERE'S BEEN EFFORTS.
BUT REMEMBER, THIS WAS A REPORT LOOKING BACK OVER THE YEARS, AND THERE'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY OBVIOUSLY FOUND SOME REAL DEFICIENCIES ACROSS MULTIPLE ADMINISTRATIONS.
AND FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND, YOU KNOW, DECADES.
OF LIFE IN MINNEAPOLIS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS SEEMS TO BE A WAKEUP CALL.
CERTAINLY PEOPLE SEEM TO BE LISTENING.
AND IT'LL BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE MINNEAPOLIS MOVES FORWARD NEXT.
>> I THINK THAT'S THE QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, BOOM.
THEY'VE ALL THIS TIME TO CONDUCT REFORM.
THE BOOK'S BEEN MORE OR LESS OUT ON THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
AND THERE ISN'T ANY REAL POLITICAL WILL.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE DIMMED, SO TO SPEAK, AND THE PRESS IS GONE, WHAT, IF ANYTHING, CONCRETELY IS GOING TO COME OF THIS, EVEN WITH TWO SEPARATE AGREEMENTS.
>> Eric: WHAT CAN WE EXPECT A REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER TO BE ANNOUNCED FOR AMY KLOBUCHAR'S SEETHE?
>> THAT'S A TOUGH ONE, RIGHT?
WE'VE GOTTEN CLOSE STATEWIDE, BUT NOWHERE CLOSE ON THAT RACE.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT SENATOR KLOBUCHAR DECIDES TO DO.
I THINK SHE'S ALSO GOT SOME NATIONAL ATTENTION.
THERE'S THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE ON THE SAME YEAR, SHE WOULD HAVE TO RUN FOR REELECTION.
I THINK THERE'S SOME STORY TO BE WRITTEN YET.
>> Eric: YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SHARE A NAME?
>> WELL, RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NOT A NAME TO BE SHARED.
OF THERE'S A FEW PEOPLE LOOKING AT.
BUT NOBODY I WANT TO OUT.
>> Eric: ALL RIGHT, THANKS, PASSAGE.
GOOD STUFF.
KEEP US POSTED.
>> YOU BET!
♪ >> ERIC: IT'S 7:52 P.M. ON FRIDAY NIGHT, AND THAT MEANS IT'S "ALMANAC" HISTORY TIME.
LAST WEEK, CATHY ASKED YOU ABOUT A COMPANY FOUNDED IN MINNEAPOLIS IN 1951.
IT WAS AN EARLY PLAYER IN WHAT IS NOW A MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR INDUSTRY.
A PROCESS THAT THIS COMPANY DEVELOPED AND PATENTED IN 1979 SOLVED A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM THAT THE INDUSTRY FACED AT THE TIME.
WE ASKED YOU TO TELL US WHAT COMPANY WAS GRANTED A PATENT IN 1979 THAT REVOLUTIONIZED THEIR INDUSTRY?
AND OF COURSE WE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THE PATENT WAS FOR.
WE ADDED IN A LOT OF FOOD HINTS.
BUT THAT DIDN'T HELP THESE FOUR VIEWERS.
>> ERIC: AT LEAST A COUPLE OF THOSE ANSWERS WERE FOOD-RELATED.
BUT ALL OF THEM WERE WRONG.
FOR THE RIGHT ANSWER THIS WEEK, WE TURN TO LONGTIME VIEWER AND INDEX FILE AFFICIONADO MITCHELL, WHO REGULARLY WRITES POEMS FOR US.
>> Eric: CRISP CRUST.
THANK YOU, MITCHELL, FOR THAT FINE VERSE.
YES, TOTINO'S PIZZA AND THEIR PATENT ON CRISP CRUST TECHNOLOGY WAS THE ANSWER WE SOUGHT.
THANK YOU TO PRODUCER JIM BICKAL FOR PROVIDING THIS FINE HISTORY QUESTION.
WE HAVE JUST ENOUGH TIME FOR SOME MUSICAL HISTORY FOR YOU.
30 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK, TINA AND THE B-SIDE MOVEMENT APPEARED ON TPT'S MUSIC SERIES "SHOWCASE."
TAKE A LISTEN, AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.
AND BE CAREFUL.
♪♪ >> ♪ WONDER WHAT YOU ARE THINKING OF SOMETHING SOMEONE SAID ♪ ♪ THEN THEY'LL THROW YOU DOWN, AND THEN THEY PICK YOU UP AND CALL YOU DEAD ♪ ♪ NEVER SHOW YOUR HEART ♪ ♪ YOU KNOW, YOU DID A SIMPLE WAY ♪ ♪ SO WHEN YOU COME TO ME, WITH ONLY MY HEART ♪ ♪ IT SAYS ♪ ♪ I WANT THE BLUE ♪ ♪ KY ♪ ♪ I'M UNDER BLUE, BLUE ♪ ♪ SKY ♪ ♪ ALL RIGHT ♪ ♪ DON'T YOU WORRY ABOUT THE RAIN ON TOP YOUR HEAD ♪ ♪ BECAUSE EVERY DAY YOU SEEM LIKE YESTERDAY IS GONE AND DEAD ♪ ♪ DON'T YOU KNOW THAT IS JUST A WISH AWAY ♪ ♪ BECAUSE WHEN YOU COME TO ME, WITH ONLY MY HEART ♪ ♪ AND SAY ♪ ♪ I WANT THE BLUE ♪ ♪ SKY ♪ ♪ CAPTIONED BY: VERITEXT/PARADIGM CAPTIONING  WWW.VERITEXT.COM >> "ALMANAC" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY MEMBERS OF THIS PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION.
SUPPORT IS ALSO PROVIDED BY... GREAT RIVER ENERGY: PROVIDING WHOLESALE POWER TO 27 MINNESOTA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES.
DELTA DENTAL OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION: IMPROVING ORAL HEALTH WHILE ADVANCING SOCIAL EQUITIES.
DELTADENTALMN.ORG/TPT.
AND EDUCATION MINNESOTA: THE VOICE FOR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
MORE AT EDUCATIONMINNESOTA.ORG.
"ALMANAC" IS A PRODUCTION OF TWIN CITIES PBS FOR THE STATIONS OF MINNESOTA PUBLIC TELEVISION ASSOCIATION.