Minnesota
Northern Minnesota schools face potential closure due to distance, district decisions
BAUDETTE, Minn. (FOX 9) – Leaders of a northern Minnesota faculty district have a tricky determination on their arms, with two Ok-12 colleges which might be about 80 miles aside.
However now, ISD #363 says it could’t afford to maintain each colleges open, and the approaching closure of 1 faculty might ship college students to a different that’s hours away.
In March, 4 of the six South Koochiching-Wet River College board members voted to shut Ok-12 faculty Indus in Baudette subsequent yr.
At a public listening to on Monday night time, households shared their ideas concerning the determination. Indus is one among two colleges of their rural, remoted and unfold out district.
However now, with its future in query due to vital price range shortfalls introduced on by declining enrollment, college students could also be despatched to the district’s Northome faculty.
“I dwell roughly two hours away from the Northome faculty, so meaning I’d commute 4 hours a day to go there,” Indus eleventh grader Abbi Hasbargen informed FOX 9 on Tuesday.
Hasbargen is a fourth era Indus scholar, and he or she attended Monday’s listening to.
“All of the feelings, anger, unhappiness, suddenly simply hit me,” Hasbargen stated. “It’s very unknown, there’s not a lot communication about this in any respect.”
If Indus is closed, academics with seniority might hold jobs at Northome.
Nonetheless, industrial expertise trainer Soren Olesen would seemingly lose his. And he says even when his job is saved, Northome is just too distant.
“Between the 2 colleges, it’s 82 miles, I imagine, from one faculty to the opposite faculty,” Olesen stated. “It’s powerful to see children going by way of all these things… they need an training, and it’s onerous to coach individuals after they’re frightened about tomorrow.”
The scholars impacted even have the choice to open enroll in different faculty districts nearer by, however for a lot of, even these choices are nonetheless greater than an hour’s drive away.
Olesen additionally described different considerations from dad and mom, saying, “taxpayers would nonetheless be paying cash to the college district on a faculty that’s 100 miles away.”
State Senator Grant Hauschild has obtained sufficient complaints to take motion.
“I need to make it very clear that I’m not making an attempt to get entangled in a neighborhood faculty board determination,” Hauschild stated. “However what I’m making an attempt to do is use my legislative capacity to attempt to get the funding that we are able to to this space, to see if we’d hold this faculty open… we requested the college board to carry off on their determination to shut Indus till they know extra concerning the funding that’s going to be coming from the Legislature in Might.”
Households within the district say they hope their leaders will stroll again the choice at a gathering subsequent week.
FOX 9 reached out to district’s faculty board chair, vice chair, clerk, superintendent and Indus’ principal, however as of Tuesday night time, they didn’t reply.
Click on right here to study extra concerning the effort to avoid wasting Indus.
Minnesota
Blue Cross of Minnesota agrees to legal settlement for better mental health coverage
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has reached a settlement with the state attorney general over concerns the Eagan-based health insurer failed to comply with laws insisting that health plans cover mental health services the same as they cover treatments for physical health problems.
The Minnesota Blues plan denied any wrongdoing, but agreed to a series of new oversight provisions. In addition, the insurer will operate under new mental and behavioral health care rules that call for prompt decisions on prior authorization requests as well as applications by health care providers to join the health insurer’s network.
Blue Cross will be required to pay a $300,000 civil penalty if a court finds the insurer has violated terms of the settlement, which was announced Friday. In addition, Blue Cross is contributing $600,000 to a center for rural behavioral health at Minnesota State University-Mankato.
“Mental and behavioral health care is health care, period,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a statement. “We expect someone with a broken leg to be able to get the care they need, and the same should be true of Minnesotans struggling with conditions like depression or substance use disorder.”
Blue Cross said in a statement that it shares Ellison’s commitment to ensuring patients have timely access to “high quality and affordable mental health care.”
“Blue Cross has enhanced our practices related to addressing mental health benefits and access to care to ensure we are meeting the high expectations of members and other stakeholders,” the insurer said. “Today, our strategy is focused on transforming all mental health solutions in ways that can set new industry standards for equitable access to optimal care.”
The settlement is the latest in a series of agreements over the past 18 months between the state and Minnesota health insurers for improved coverage of mental health.
The earlier agreements were prompted by alleged violations of mental health parity laws, which have been adopted over the past two decades to improve patient access to mental health and behavioral health treatments.
Minnesota
Minnesota Vikings Week 9 playbook: What to know ahead of Colts matchup
The Vikings have lost back-to-back games after starting 5-0. Now they will turn to Cam Robinson, 29, to help protect quarterback Sam Darnold’s blindside after losing standout LT Christian Darrisaw to a torn ACL and MCL. Can they get a win this week against a Colts team that has benched Anthony Richardson in favor of Joe Flacco?
Week 9 vs. Indianapolis Colts, Sunday at 7:20 p.m. CT (NBC)
Catch up on what you need to know from this week on the Vikings:
• Vikings trade for Jaguars LT Cam Robinson
The Vikings addressed their massive void at left tackle by trading for Jaguars offensive lineman Cam Robinson.
• Vikings not sweating rookie’s quiet start
“I think Dallas (Turner) is going to be just fine. I think everybody wants everything right now, and he does, too. We’ll get him out there.”
• Meet the former Vikings visionary known as the grandfather of NFL analytics
Retired analyst Mike Eayrs was “so far ahead of the curve” that he is credited with popularizing data science in the NFL in the 1980s.
• What Christian Darrisaw’s injury means
Losing their talented left tackle will make it harder for an inconsistent Vikings offense that has already had trouble sustaining drives.
• 📈Power Rankings: Vikings at No. 8
The No. 17 pick in this year’s draft has one sack and three quarterback pressures through seven games.
Coach O’Connell speaks about new LT Cam Robinson pic.twitter.com/hVymPdY6vo
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 30, 2024
Scouting the Colts
• Joe Flacco will be Colts starting QB ‘going forward’
The decision to bench Anthony Richardson and start Joe Flacco at quarterback is not a temporary one, coach Shane Steichen said.
• Anthony Richardson has hard lesson to learn from the bench
Richardson’s time in Indianapolis may not be over, but his path back to being the Colts starting QB will be a big challenge.
• NFL execs debate Colts benching Richardson
“He hasn’t had many live reps in his football career. This season should have been presented as that development and growth across the board.”
• Richardson’s benching goes far beyond his play
“What a fascinating management dilemma to be in,” a former executive from one of the Colts’ division rivals said.
• Colts GM Chris Ballard has failed to live up to bold promises
Technically, Ballard still has personnel control in Indy, but the chances of him fulfilling the promise proclaimed by his owner are dwindling by the day.
How good are the Vikings?
Check out Austin Mock’s 2024 NFL projections, where you will find each team’s probability of conquering its division, advancing through the playoffs and winning the Super Bowl. The projections are based on 100,000 simulations of the remainder of the season, which factors in each team’s projected strength, current health as well as its remaining schedule.
(Photo of Justin Jefferson: Harry How / Getty Images)
Minnesota
Minneapolis man charged in shooting near Minnesota State Fairgrounds on Labor Day
FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. — A 19-year-old Minneapolis man has been charged in the shooting of three teens near the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on Labor Day.
The man is charged with three counts of attempted second-degree murder and two counts of drive-by shooting toward a person, according to the criminal complaint filed in Ramsey County on Oct. 23.
At 10:20 p.m. on Sept. 2, officers were called to Dugsi Academy at 1085 Snelling Avenue North in St. Paul on reports of a shooting.
Upon arrival, officers found a teen boy suffering from a gunshot wound to his leg. He told police he had been walking to a friend’s car in the parking lot when he heard gunshots. He said he ran toward the train tracks to escape the gunfire and thought he had blown out his knee, but he quickly learned a bullet had struck him.
The boy told police he did not see who was shooting and had been at the nearby Minnesota State Fair shortly before.
Officers later learned two more teens had been shot and were transported to different area hospitals. The criminal complaint says both victims told police they did not have any issues with anyone and were unsure who would have shot them.
A total of 53 spent casings were found beneath the Snelling Avenue bridge to the east of Dugsi Academy, charges say. An analysis found the casings came from three different guns.
Surveillance video allegedly shows several people exiting a blue sedan before firing their guns from the street and gravel area by nearby train tracks. The suspects then get back into the sedan before leaving the area.
A few hours later, deputies were called to a gas station in Little Canada for a drive-by shooting. Charges say surveillance video showed a blue sedan go out of view shortly before shots rang out. Five more casings from two different guns were recovered from the gas station. Further analysis revealed the casings matched that of those recovered from the shooting near the fairgrounds.
Investigators learned the blue sedan had been involved in a weapons incident on Aug. 27 where three men pulled a gun on security in Minneapolis. The sedan is owned by the man facing charges in the shooting.
Using license plate readers and phone location data, police were able to place the suspect in the area of both shootings around the time they occurred.
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