Minnesota Now: March 4, 2024

[MUSIC PLAYING] 1, 2, 3, 4!

CATHY WURZER: It's Minnesota Now. I'm Cathy Wurzer. Wildfires in southern and western Minnesota have burned thousands of acres, and it's only early March. Those fires mark the start of an early wildfire season. And it looks like it could be a long one. We'll speak with an official from the DNR to learn more.

We'll look at sustainable agriculture during the show and what it takes to grow our food-- how one local podcast is looking at the future of farming in Minnesota. And the Twin Cities' houses of worship are opening their doors to provide beds to migrant families. We'll talk to the nonprofit that's making it happen.

There's a new campaign urging people to move to Minnesota. We'll take a look at that. And we're talking to hockey legend Lou Nanne ahead of his last week of broadcasting the boys' state high school hockey tournament. All that comes your way right after the news.

LAKSHMI SINGH: Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh. The US Supreme Court is restoring former president Donald Trump's name on the Colorado primary ballot.

DONALD TRUMP: I want to start by thanking the Supreme Court for its unanimous decision today. It was a very important decision.

LAKSHMI SINGH: The GOP's likely presidential nominee reacting a short time ago from Palm Beach, Florida. NPR's Carrie Johnson reports the High Court's decision was released a day before millions of Americans head to the polls.

CARRIE JOHNSON: The Supreme Court decision came about a month after argument in the landmark case and a day before the Super Tuesday primaries. The Justices ruled unanimously that a Colorado court made a mistake when it barred Trump from the ballot because of his actions around the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.

The decision concluded states do not have the power to enforce the so-called "insurrection clause" against federal candidates. That part of the 14th Amendment passed after the Civil War to bar confederates who took an oath to support the Constitution from holding public office. The Justices say to allow states to disqualify federal candidates could lead to a messy patchwork across the nation. Carrie Johnson, NPR News, Washington.

LAKSHMI SINGH: Vice President Kamala Harris holds face-to-face talks today with Benny Gantz, a member of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet. The meeting is being held a day after Harris called for an immediate temporary ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas and unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to Palestinians facing famine in the besieged territory. NPR's Daniel Estrin reports on the US's role in an extended truce.

DANIEL ESTRIN: Publicly, it's a more urgent plea from the United States. But all along, the US has wanted to start with six weeks and then try to extend the ceasefire. And it's very tricky because Israel wants to launch a final major battle in the city of Rafah in Gaza against Hamas battalions there. It's also where more than a million Palestinians are sheltering. And so behind the scenes, the US has been trying and hoping that during this six-week ceasefire they can avert a Rafah operation and reach some other arrangement.

LAKSHMI SINGH: NPR's Daniel Estrin. President Biden is at Camp David, the presidential retreat just outside Washington until tomorrow. JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines have cancelled their $3.8 billion merger agreement. NPR's Joel Rose reports the low-cost carriers say they saw no path forward after a US judge blocked the deal in January.

JOEL ROSE: The proposed merger would have created the fifth-largest carrier in the US. But it faced long odds after a ruling by a federal judge in Boston. The airlines' leaders say they were unlikely to complete the deal before a key deadline in July.

The decision to cancel the merger is a victory for the Biden administration, which has taken a hard line against further consolidation in the airline industry. JetBlue said it needed the merger in order to compete with its bigger rivals which dominate the US air-travel market, while Spirit has struggled to get back to profitability. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington.

LAKSHMI SINGH: From Washington, this is NPR News.

SPEAKER: Support for NPR comes from NPR stations. Other contributors include Fisher Investments. As a fiduciary, Fisher Investments is obligated to act in their clients' best interest. Learn more at fisherinvestments.com. Investing in securities involves the risk of loss. This is NPR.

[BRIGHT MUSIC]

CATHY WURZER: Around Minnesota right now, skies are partly to mostly cloudy. Not as warm today. Highs will be in the upper 20s to the mid 30s in the North, 40s in the South. At noon in Moorhead, it's 19. It's 40 in Rochester. And outside The Chocolate Ox in Nisswa, it's 27.

I'm Cathy Wurzer with Minnesota News headlines. Police in Cloquet have released more information on the shooting deaths of three people at a hotel in the city back in January. Police say the suspected shooter who killed two victims, one in the motel, the other outside it, did not know them.

Police also say there was meth in the alleged shooter's bloodstream at the time of the killings. The 32-year-old suspected gunman had been experiencing delusions, including the presence of monsters, during the shooting. They say the drugs may have exacerbated a mental-health crisis.

A pair of proposals creating additional requirements for gun storage and reporting are now moving through the Minnesota Capitol. Dana Ferguson has more on that.

DANA FERGUSON: The two bills passed the House Public Safety Committee last week. One would stiffen penalties if a person stored their firearm in a way that allowed a child or person prohibited from having one to gain access. The second sets a 48-hour reporting requirement if a gun owner learns their firearm has been lost or stolen.

JAMIE BECKER-FINN: No single piece of legislation is going to prevent every single gun death. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't do more to prevent harm from occurring.

DANA FERGUSON: That's DFL Representative Jamie Becker-Finn, who's carrying one of the bills. Republicans and gun rights activists said they had qualms about some of the specifics. Here's Representative Paul Novotny.

PAUL NOVOTNY: We're not objecting to the face of the bill. We're objecting to the fine print of the bill.

DANA FERGUSON: The bills move next to another committee. Governor Tim Walz says he supports them. I'm Dana Ferguson.

CATHY WURZER: About 100 janitors have joined a picket line outside of Ameriprise headquarters in downtown Minneapolis today as workers who clean more than 100 buildings across the Twin Cities started a three-day strike. About 4,000 union members are on strike, demanding better pay and pensions. George Mullins is a union steward. He works as a janitor cleaning Target headquarters in downtown Minneapolis.

GEORGE MULLINS: Pension is a big deal for us because I've been with the company for over 25 years. And I'm soon to retire. And what do I have? Nothing. With the inflation and everything going up, we're just trying to keep up.

CATHY WURZER: Last week, thousands of other janitors and security guards who are members of SEIU Local 26 reached agreements to avert a larger strike today. Tomorrow, hundreds of workers from a dozen nursing homes across the Twin Cities are planning a one-day strike. Meanwhile, contract talks continue today between the Saint Paul public schools and its teachers union. Both sides failed to hammer out an agreement over the weekend after nearly 40 hours of talks.

[BRIGHT MUSIC]

And over the weekend, wildfires in Southern and Western Minnesota burned thousands of acres amid warm, windy, and dry conditions. The fire that started north of Waseca was under control as of last night after it burned more than 1,000 acres. In Western Minnesota, a fast-moving wildfire southwest of Fergus Falls burned more than 2,000 acres of grassland and is also under control.

Those fires mark the start of an early wildfire season. With no snow cover and dry conditions, that means it could be a longer-than-normal fire season this year. Here with an update is Leanne Langenberg. She's with the Department of Natural Resources. Hey, Leanne. Thanks for taking the time.

LEANNE LANGENBERG: Hi, thank you so much, Cathy, for having me join you today.

CATHY WURZER: The Fergus fire was the largest, but let's start with the fire in Waseca. I understand one person, two firefighters were hurt in Waseca. Was there anything particularly dangerous about that fire?

LEANNE LANGENBERG: Yeah, so yesterday in Waseca County, there were red-flag-warning conditions that had set up starting around noon yesterday and were in place at least until about 6:00 PM last night. So it was just a combination of some critical fire weather mixing with incredibly dry grassland that really hasn't had much moisture over the warm, dry winter that we experienced just the past couple of months. So the prime conditions all set up for a very active wildfire to not only ignite but to take off and spread very rapidly yesterday.

CATHY WURZER: And, boy, I guess you could see the smoke billowing as far away as the south metro, for goodness' sakes.

LEANNE LANGENBERG: Yeah, so when you think about, the winds that were moving through yesterday were southerly winds. So it makes a lot of sense that communities north of the Waseca area were seeing the warning signs of that smoke as it rose. It's an incredible day. And we do think about those conditions on a daily basis here at the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center in Grand Rapids and throughout the state.

So it's part of our planning and preparedness. And then having agreements in place from the local fire departments on up through state, federal, and tribal partnerships, we have the resources to be able to respond to those active wildfires.

CATHY WURZER: The Fergus area fire was the largest in terms of scope, in terms of the number of acres burned. Was that in a specific area that would have, once a fire starts there, it just really took off because of conditions? And of course, also, it was pretty windy, too. But was there something about the Fergus area that really fanned the flames there?

LEANNE LANGENBERG: It really comes down to the grasses and marshlands. So when you think about no snow cover throughout the year allowed those grasses to really stay standing throughout the winter months. Normally, when we have a snow pack, it lays those grasses down. And then throughout the winter, grasses aren't able to take in any moisture once they completely freeze over.

So you've got dry, standing grasses. And they are just primed to be able to quickly carry wildfire. And in the area up by Fergus Falls, it's a traditional wetland, marsh type of scenario, in similar conditions that we saw down in Waseca County.

CATHY WURZER: Do we have an idea at this point as to how these fires started at all?

LEANNE LANGENBERG: No, it'll take some time to do the investigative work that's involved with response to wildfires that reach these large acreage and when there are injuries and structures that are threatened. So response-- very common that an investigative team will come in and do the observations that they need to do to make the connections to what ultimately caused these fires. So right now, they're both under investigation.

CATHY WURZER: So this doesn't bode well for the fire season if this is the first two big fires and it's early March. What's the Interagency Fire Center doing to prepare?

LEANNE LANGENBERG: Yeah, so it's a pretty awesome program that we have built here in Minnesota with all the agencies that do respond to wildfire throughout Minnesota. We have coordinated agreements in place that we can readily share resources, be it the firefighters on the ground to dispatchers, to the equipment that we need to respond, to the supplies to keep our firefighters working safely.

That coordination is happening year round. During the winter months, it's a lot of training that tends to take place, getting people prepared, progressing up into the leadership roles that we need to have filled to respond to active wildfire, to the predictive services that takes place and looking at the projected outlooks for conditions, how our trees and grasses are all faring through the winter. Do they have enough moisture?

And then we think about those weather conditions that will undoubtedly move in every spring. And monitoring the precipitation events that move through Minnesota. So the lack of snowfall has definitely set us back this year and encouraged a quicker start to the fire season and what we traditionally see, which is about anywhere from mid to late March into early to mid April.

CATHY WURZER: So I bet most of the fires burn during that time and that as things start to leaf out, there's still a lot of fuel to burn obviously. But this is such an odd, odd winter. Are you expecting-- when you look at the long-range forecasts, is the Interagency Fire Center expecting any other potential issues between, say, now and early April as things start to leaf out?

LEANNE LANGENBERG: Yeah, we'll definitely go through green up regardless. That's going to happen every year. It's just how long that plant material can hold on to the moisture that's available. So drought conditions, while they don't cause wildfires, they play an active part in how susceptible a plant is to catching and carrying wildfire.

So currently, our outlooks are looking at a fairly active spring. And then we'll continue to monitor that throughout the spring season. What can change that is precipitation events that start to move into the state. So if we start to see more weather patterns move in, we'll see those conditions start to calm down. If we continue on the path that we're on, we're likely to stay with more active wildfire events. And it'll eventually progress from the grasslands and move into more of the forested areas as they begin their processes of greening up.

CATHY WURZER: And by the way, I'm assuming that you have probably reciprocity agreements with other fire departments in other states, wildfire fighters if you need the help.

LEANNE LANGENBERG: Yes, again, it's a part of that awesome coordination and preparedness that we have in place. So while we have access to a vast number of resources here in Minnesota, we do have the capability to reach out to regional partners through our Eastern Area Coordination Center, which is located in Milwaukee but extends out to the 20 Northeast United States, from Minnesota on up through Maine.

We also have unique partnerships in place with our Great Lakes Forest Fire Compact Partners. And that includes Wisconsin, Michigan, and then our Canadian partners to the North, Ontario and Manitoba. So the way that we tend to adjust when we have greater needs is we'll start to reach out to that Eastern area and Great Lakes Forest Fire Compact first. And then depending on where conditions sit throughout the United States, we also have access to the National Coordination Center, which sits in Boise, Idaho. And then we can start to reach out to a much broader network nationally.

CATHY WURZER: Depending on conditions. Leanne, I appreciate your time. Thank you so much. Best of luck.

LEANNE LANGENBERG: Thank you so much, Cathy Wurzer. Have a wonderful day.

CATHY WURZER: You, too. Leanne Langenberg is with the Interagency Fire Department with the DNR.

[AUTUMN, "DESERVING"] [VOCALIZING]

You don't deserve me

CATHY WURZER: Time for our "Minnesota Music Minute." This is Minneapolis-based band AUTUMN with their debut single, "Deserving." They say the song is a mantra for self-love and healthy boundaries.

(SINGING) You don't deserve me

I don't want to be with you no more

I don't want to be with you no more

I don't want to see you any more

I don't want to be with you no more

You don't deserve me

CATHY WURZER: This is Minnesota Now on NPR News. I'm Cathy Wurzer. Let's face it, the vast majority of us don't know the ins and outs of what it takes to run a successful farm even though we all rely on farms to live, literally, because of the food grown on them.

A podcast put out by the Minnesota Sustainable Farming Association pulls back the curtain on what it takes to make our food. It's called Dirt Rich. You know we love to highlight podcasts on this show. So the co-host of Dirt Rich is Katie Feterl. And she's on the line. Hey, thanks, Katie, for taking the time to be here.

KATIE FETERL: Absolutely. Thank you so much, Cathy, for having me.

CATHY WURZER: What's the spark for this podcast?

KATIE FETERL: Wow, so this podcast was a project that came out of COVID. Sustainable Farming Association, our work is, of course, focused on advancing sustainable and regenerative farming practices throughout Minnesota. And the way that we would typically do that is by hosting lots of events on farms, where farmers can get together and learn from each other, network, get that solidarity and community connections.

And COVID kind of put the kibosh on that for a time. So one of my colleagues thought like, hey, I've been thinking about the value that a podcast could bring to our work. And so we gave it a shot to continue those awesome conversations that we would usually be having in person, but be able to share those. And farmers could take it out in the field with them, too. So that was the hope there.

CATHY WURZER: Good. See, I'm sure you're able to talk to all kinds of farmers from all over the state for the podcast. Is there any common thread, even a common, I don't know, mindset when it comes to farming?

KATIE FETERL: Oh, yeah. I would say the farmers that I've been able to talk to and worked with for eight or so years now, they are so generous and resourceful and innovative people. So I guess that's a number of through lines, I would say.

But the spirit of collaboration and also the interest in sharing what has worked for them and what hasn't worked with each other, it's a real, like, "we all do better when we all do better" kind of mentality, rather than "hide your trade secrets," more self-- I don't know, individualistic thinking. The farmers that I've talked to are just excited to share their experiences with each other and learn from each other.

CATHY WURZER: When we talk about-- and we should maybe be clear about definitions here-- when we talk about sustainable farming, is that different? How different is that versus, say, I guess what I would say is traditional farming?

KATIE FETERL: Right, I mean, I think we could probably have a whole mini series on the podcast on the nuances of sustainable or regenerative farming. But in a nutshell, I would say that when we're thinking about sustainable farming, we're looking at it through the lens of, is this sustainable for the environment and our natural resources?

Economics-- can the farmer make a living on this? Does that work? And socially is, how does this fit into the community? And is it a lifestyle for that individual farmer that they can sustain? And then when we think about regenerative farming, that's going to bring in this extra layer of, how can we regenerate the natural resources that have been degraded over time? It's revitalizing and reinvigorating that way.

CATHY WURZER: And maybe I'm wrong here in my terminology when it comes to, quote, "traditional farming," because maybe sustainable farming really has been traditional farming versus, say, corporate farming. You know what I mean?

KATIE FETERL: Oh, totally. And "regenerative" is maybe a newer phrase for some people. But it really is drawing from Indigenous ways of knowing and histories that have been around for long before since what we come to think of as modern farming or traditional conventional items.

CATHY WURZER: And I'm sure when you talk to your farmers, there's always-- you mentioned there is a spirit of collaboration, but probably, I would think, at least for my farmer friends, a real passion for the land. Does that come through?

KATIE FETERL: Oh, 100%. I think each farmer has their own land ethic or the tie to the land that they're working on and stewarding. But you also see it across-- [CHUCKLES] forgive me-- across the field, I guess, or different disciplines that come in.

We've had a couple great episodes exploring kernza, the perennial wheat grass that is coming out of the University of Minnesota research, as well as some other institutes and organizations, too. But that is just an amazing story of research that started decades ago before it even hit farm fields in Minnesota and is now still gaining momentum as a grower cooperative of farmers who are growing kernza, are working towards building markets.

There are other people with economic backgrounds that are coming in to help build those markets. And then folks like chefs, like Beth Dooley, who's done a lot of great work along educating the public on great things that you can make with this new crop and things that-- how good it tastes and things like that. It takes a village. And that's been a fascinating story of collaboration, I think, to see how a crop comes to our table and all the people involved.

CATHY WURZER: So the podcast seems like it's targeted toward farmers. But can just the general interested public get something from this?

KATIE FETERL: Definitely. Yeah, I, myself, am not a farmer. My other co-hosts are. And so you'll hear a lot of great episodes with them where they can get really technical and dig deep into farmers practices with grazing and soil health. But I like to think that people can get really good insight, who aren't farming, on just what goes into a farmer's day to day, the exciting projects that they're working on, or goals that they have.

And I've also enjoyed getting to learn, OK, how do you save tomato seeds? And why would we save seeds in the first place? When's a good time to plant garlic? Some insight into cider making. There's a lot of fun and interesting things for people who are just interested in how the food gets to their table.

CATHY WURZER: I'm also positive you're talking about climate change. There's so much uncertainty. And I'm positive that has to be weighing on farmers' minds because of that uncertainty. Have you talked about that? And how has that manifested?

KATIE FETERL: It does come up in quite a few conversations. It does weigh on farmers. I think it weighs on all of us. And the uncertainty is really hard to deal with, and just the idea of change, as well. But I've also seen really positive examples of change in the farming community. And people are thinking ahead in terms of, how do we curb the effects of climate change that we're about to experience and are already experiencing?

We have the last few years with drought in Minnesota in the Upper Midwest. We've had roundtables of farmers talk on the show, talking about how they're dealing with that, how they're planning ahead. And it gets very complicated for the day to day. But it's also encouraging to hear those stories and, I guess, to know that there is hope. People are managing it. And people are coming together to try to figure out better ways.

CATHY WURZER: It sounds like you're having a good time with this, Katie. I appreciate your time. Thank you so much. Best of luck.

KATIE FETERL: Thank you, Cathy. Thank you very much.

CATHY WURZER: We've been talking to Katie Feterl, the co-host of the Minnesota-made podcast, Dirt Rich. You can find it on the Minnesota Sustainable Farming Association's website.

SPEAKER: Programming is supported by Great River Energy, a not-for-profit, wholesale, electric power cooperative, providing 27 Minnesota-member co-ops with reliable, affordable, and cleaner electricity. More at greatriverenergy.com.

CATHY WURZER: One of my favorite things is going to happen this week in Saint Paul. It's the Minnesota State Boys Hockey Tournament. You don't want to miss my conversation with a hockey legend. We're going to talk to Louis Nanne. It's his 60th and final year broadcasting the boys' state hockey tournament. That's coming up in about 20 minutes from now. Right now, we're going to take a quick break for the news. Elena See's with us. Elena.

ELENA SEE: Hi, Cathy. Well, the US Supreme Court has unanimously restored Donald Trump to the 2024 presidential primary ballot. The Court today rejected state attempts to hold the former president accountable for the January 6th Capitol riots, ruling that states cannot invoke a post-Civil War constitutional provision to keep presidential candidates from appearing on ballots. The Court wrote in an unsigned opinion that that power resides with Congress.

Vice President Kamala Harris is planning to host a member of Israel's wartime cabinet who's visiting Washington in defiance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Benny Gantz is a centrist political rival of Netanyahu's and is sitting down with several senior Biden administration officials this week. An official from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right party said Gantz did not have approval from the prime minister for these meetings in Washington.

A bill to enshrine a woman's right to an abortion in the French Constitution goes to an historic vote today. The measure was promised by French president Emmanuel Macron, following a rollback of abortion rights in court rulings throughout the US. A powerful blizzard that closed highways and ski resorts has moved through the Sierra Nevadas. But forecasters warn that more snow is on the way for Northern California mountains. A stretch of Interstate 80 from west of Lake Tahoe to the Nevada state line finally reopened late this morning. A new weather system is expected to bring periods of moderate mountain snow.

And Caitlin Clark of Iowa has become the all-time NCAA division 1 scoring leader, breaking a 54-year-old record when she made two free throws after a technical foul was called in the Hawkeyes' win over Ohio State this weekend. After breaking a couple of records last week, Caitlin Clark's next goal is clear. She and the Iowa Hawkeyes want to win a national championship. The Big 10 tournament gets underway Wednesday. The Hawkeyes play in Friday's quarterfinals. It's 12:28, and this is NPR News.

CATHY WURZER: Thank you, Elena. Beginning this week, houses of worship in the Twin Cities will open their doors to provide extra beds to migrant families who need a place to stay. According to a recent story in the Sahan Journal, Hennepin County staff say their shelters for families experiencing homelessness are beyond capacity. And half of the families in the shelters are recent arrivals from the Southern border and major US cities.

The nonprofit Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul is coordinating the new program. And CEO Liliana Letran-Garcia is on the line to talk about it. Liliana, thanks for taking the time.

LILIANA LETRAN-GARCIA: Thank you, Cathy. I'm truly grateful for the chance to join your program today and share with you and all your listeners the exciting launch of our new pilot program, Faithful Hospitality. Thank you for all that--

CATHY WURZER: It's a pleasure having you here. It's a pleasure having you here. So how did this program come about? What's the genesis for this?

LILIANA LETRAN-GARCIA: Absolutely. In the month of November and December, we had the chance to work with the state of Minnesota and partners at Minnesota Housing in Hennepin County and try to determine how our organization and our faith communities could address the impact of the new arrivals had in the Hennepin County shelter system.

Right now, they're at 400% over capacity. So Faithful Hospitality will provide mobile shelter in the Twin Cities' houses of worship to help Hennepin County deal with an overflow of families experiencing homelessness and are seeking asylum.

CATHY WURZER: Wow, that's a lot of work. Is each congregation getting some money in order to house and maybe feed these new residents?

LILIANA LETRAN-GARCIA: Absolutely. So when we designed the program, we wanted to ensure that houses of worship will receive a stipend of $5,000 every 30 days that they open their space to house these families. Aside of offering the physical space, they are also gathering their congregations. And they will have on-site interfaith volunteers helping guests feel safe and welcome.

Right now, every month, we will have three houses of worship opening their doors, serving around 72 individuals. After they leave the shelter, families will be transported to a day center located in an area church. And there, they will be able to receive integration services.

CATHY WURZER: OK, see if I understand this then. So if the shelters are already filled to capacity and each church is providing, what, 60 to 80 additional beds, does that really relieve the overcapacity issues in Hennepin County? Or does more need to be done?

LILIANA LETRAN-GARCIA: Definitely more needs to be done. But our program, it's about providing transformative service to the families. So our goal is not just to offer a place that they can stay, but to be able to provide them with information and how to navigate the city and community resources to reach self-sustainability within 90 days to six months. So we are measuring impact not by only the numbers that we are serving, but how many families can leave the shelter system into more permanent housing.

CATHY WURZER: I understand. And I'm sure there are probably a number of individuals seeking asylum. Do you know how many?

LILIANA LETRAN-GARCIA: The numbers that Hennepin County was able to share is around 2,000 to 3,000 individuals currently here in the state.

CATHY WURZER: And I'm sure the program is trying to connect people to attorneys and other services to navigate the immigration court system, which can be pretty complicated.

LILIANA LETRAN-GARCIA: Absolutely. So that will be one of the goals of the day center, to be able to provide legal support, rapid exit housing, language education, and employment services.

CATHY WURZER: So we focused on Hennepin County. How about Ramsey County shelters? Are they seeing capacity issues, too?

LILIANA LETRAN-GARCIA: Not at this point that I am aware. Most of the asylum seekers, families, are going through the Hennepin County shelter system. So we will be receiving the referrals only from Hennepin County at this point just because the situation is dire in Hennepin County.

CATHY WURZER: Where are many of these families coming from, do you know?

LILIANA LETRAN-GARCIA: Yes, based on the data, some of the families are coming from Ecuador, Guatemala, and Venezuela.

CATHY WURZER: And do you know their stories, as to why they've made this journey?

LILIANA LETRAN-GARCIA: Yes, so some families are sharing their journey from their home countries here to the United States. Some of them are fleeing a civil war that is happening in their countries due to drug cartels, due to instabilities in their own governments. And they can no longer be safe in their home countries.

CATHY WURZER: So they are arriving here. And as you say, this program is to not only provide shelter but also services to get them on their feet. And I'm wondering, how long do you think this might last? How long will you expect to keep the program going?

LILIANA LETRAN-GARCIA: Right now, this is a pilot program. So we will be able to run this pilot for 15 months. We are trying to see the effectiveness of the program to make it permanent. But at this point, it's just a pilot. We wanted to reach our goals.

So the goal of Faithful Hospitality are to alleviate capacity challenges in the shelter system in Hennepin County, decrease the cost of serving families experiencing homelessness, and, for us, is to empower interfaith partners to live out their faith values. So again, we are going to track the data, making sure that we can show impact to this program.

CATHY WURZER: A quick question here, Liliana. And I'm wondering, once the newcomers get on their feet, I'm wondering, do you think they'll stay in Minnesota? Will they go elsewhere? Hard to determine that at this point?

LILIANA LETRAN-GARCIA: I think they will stay in Minnesota. One of the things that I see some win-win situation for all community is that currently, we have 200,000 job openings in the state of Minnesota. 36% are front-line staff. We have a lot of families that are coming with competencies and skills that can address those shortage of employees, that can address those gaps that we have in the state.

So I do believe that we're in a position to meet those demands. They are families that they have a strong agricultural background that can really address those shortage of workers, agricultural workers in the state. So I truly believe that we are in a position to keep that labor force here in the state.

CATHY WURZER: Final question. For folks listening right now who might wish to help, are there ways they can do that?

LILIANA LETRAN-GARCIA: Absolutely. So please access our web page, Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul. And you will be able to find all the links and the ways you can help.

CATHY WURZER: All right, sounds like you need maybe some volunteers and donations perhaps.

LILIANA LETRAN-GARCIA: Yes, we are looking for volunteers for the overnight shelter, people that can stay over at the houses of worship. And definitely, any inclined to provide diapers and wipes, of course, we always welcome those.

CATHY WURZER: All right, Liliana, thank you so much.

LILIANA LETRAN-GARCIA: Thank you for your time. Greatly appreciate it.

CATHY WURZER: We've been talking to Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul CEO Liliana Letran-Garcia.

SPEAKER: Support comes from Theater Latté Da, featuring the Pulitzer prize-winning musical, The Color Purple, based on the novel by Alice Walker and directed by Daniel J. Bryant, on stage March 20 through May 5 at the Ritz Theater. Tickets at latteda.org.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

ALEESA KUZNETSOV: NPR News is highlighting influential women in the state of Minnesota for Women's History Month. I'm Aleesa Kuznetsov, senior producer of Minnesota Now. Afton native Jessie Diggins made history when she won the United States first-ever cross-country skiing gold medal at the Winter Olympics in 2018. She's gone on to become the most-decorated American cross-country skier of all time.

Even in her rise to fame, Diggins has always kept Minnesota in mind. She pushed the state high school league to allow skiers to wear glitter under their eyes, a trend she popularized. And she raised money for a $2-million ski trail in Duluth, the region's first with artificial snow. And Diggins also played a big role in getting the recent World Cup Race to Minnesota, bringing thousands of fans to the course.

JESSIE DIGGINS: Yeah, I feel really lucky that I get to help share what I love about the sport and if I can inspire even one kid to go out there and work hard and be a good teammate and push themselves to new boundaries and see what their body is capable of.

ALEESA KUZNETSOV: Off the ski course, she's active in a group called Protect Our Winters, which is working with the outdoor sports industry to fight climate change. She's also been open about sharing her struggles with mental health.

JESSE DIGGINS: I'm trying to change the culture of sport for the better so that we can change the way that we talk about and address mental health. I want athletes to feel like they can talk about this with their coaches.

ALEESA KUZNETSOV: All around, I think it's safe to say Diggins has been an inspiration for girls and women across Minnesota and beyond.

SPEAKER: Her spirit really inspires me because she's always really positive. And she's really focused, too.

ALEESA KUZNETSOV: Celebrate Women's History Month with us at nprnews.org.

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CATHY WURZER: Of course, who doesn't love Jess Diggins? It's 12:39 here on Minnesota Now. Explore Minnesota is launching a new ad campaign today called "The Star of the North." And it's not just to get folks to travel here. But for the first time ever, it's a campaign that is urging people to move to the land of 10,000 lakes.

The campaign from the state's tourism agency is being funded with $25 million from the legislature. So how exactly does Explore Minnesota plan to convince people to relocate? Here's a clip from one ad with a couple who moved to Minneapolis.

SPEAKER: I think coming here to this area, I think that's just a lot of values that Minnesotans have. They want a good quality of life. And that's something that we always kind of wanted. We've finally found that. I'm just excited for the future.

SPEAKER: I hate to say it, but the Midwest is the best. This opportunity here in Minneapolis for us to lay down roots, it was the best move we've ever made.

CATHY WURZER: Joining us to talk more about the campaign is deputy director of destinations at Explore Minnesota, Kat Sutton. Welcome, Kat.

KATHRYN SUTTON: Hi, great to be here.

CATHY WURZER: So it sounds like folks are looking for a good quality of life. What's your pitch when it comes to the quality of life around here?

KATHRYN SUTTON: Yeah, it's an amazing state to live. There's lots of stats we can run out there. It's the least-stressed state in the nation. It's the third-best state to raise a family, the best state for health care. Our unemployment rate's lower than the national average, but we still have slots to fill.

But even more importantly, when we think about Minnesota, we think about a place where there's really access to anything you want to do, whether it's exploring nature, whether it's having amazing food, culture, arts, activities. We really offer anything that you want to do, whether you're a visitor or you're thinking about living here.

CATHY WURZER: So everyone thinks, when they think Explore Minnesota-- well, for years and years-- you all have focused on tourism. So you're pretty good on that, right? But why are you getting into getting people to stay permanently?

KATHRYN SUTTON: Yeah, well, at Explore Minnesota, one thing we always say is that travel is really the front door to livability. And many other states, including Michigan, some of our competitors, have started large campaigns focused on bringing new residents.

And what we've really identified in Minnesota is we've been a little too quiet about touting ourselves. Minnesotans might not be known for talking favorably about themselves, right? And it's time for us to really step into the ring and talk about, what can you be a part of in Minnesota, and why it's such an amazing place not just to visit but to live.

CATHY WURZER: Of course, moving and relocating is a bigger commitment than just hanging out for a weekend, right? So I'm sure you had discussions about this with those who created the ads. Why do you all feel that an ad campaign can help people make the decision to move here?

KATHRYN SUTTON: Yeah, we did a lot of research that contributed to this campaign. And one of the key things that we found is that nationally, and even globally, Minnesota isn't super well known, again potentially because we don't talk about ourselves that much, right?

And what we did find, though, is when someone does come here and gets here, they fall in love with it. They're much more likely to say, oh, this is a great place to visit. This could be a good place to live. So really, we took that research, and then we developed a campaign that more or less just reflects those really authentic experiences that people have when they land in Minnesota.

Our ad campaign, "Star of the North," actually features, as you heard earlier, direct quotes from new residents, as well as travelers who have never been to Minnesota before, being really surprised and delighted by what they have found here when it comes to quality of life, when it comes to just the depth of cultural opportunities in Minnesota.

CATHY WURZER: Are you targeting specific cities in the state?

KATHRYN SUTTON: Yes, we're targeting over 22 states and specific cities, as well. And what's really exciting about this effort is, again, our bread and butter has been tourism. And we've had very specific markets that we've marketed to over the decades. But with this new livability campaign, we're able to target new places that we never did before with travel, so places like Boston, Austin, Texas, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., along with some of those tried-and-true regional markets, as well as Ontario, Canada.

CATHY WURZER: So I know you've set, I bet, some goals here. And there are probably some metrics behind the ads when it comes to numbers. How will you know the ads are successful? Do you have numbers, maybe a set number of this many people moving to Minnesota in the next year or two?

KATHRYN SUTTON: Yeah, no, that's definitely a great question and something that we have to put a lot of rigor around. We obviously have metrics as far as our ad pick up. What is our brand exposure looking like? How many people are talking about Minnesota in the market?

But then we also will be doing a bunch of ROI studies, return on investment studies, as well as literally tracking, who has come and decided to make their home in Minnesota? Obviously, that decision is a big one, as you said. So it takes some time. You usually can't just book a flight and move somewhere in a day. But indeed, there are metrics around this. And we will be tracking the success of the campaign.

CATHY WURZER: You were mentioning our culture and the livability. Are you focusing on jobs and industry in the campaign, too?

KATHRYN SUTTON: Yes, we are. There are four key industries that we are focusing on. And those are technology, high-tech manufacturing, education, and health care, as those really help to boost just a great place to live. You have to really power that with those four industries, seeing that as being really the future of why Minnesota is going to excel and be great.

CATHY WURZER: Say, before you go, I understand that there's a new outdoors office that Explore Minnesota has, is that right?

KATHRYN SUTTON: There is, indeed. Yes, the new Outdoor Recreation Office, yes.

CATHY WURZER: So what's behind that?

KATHRYN SUTTON: Yes, well, that, again, is just another opportunity. A few other of our competitor states, including Wisconsin, have put these together. Really, a collaboration across the state government to bring more eyes to the amazing outdoor resources, parks, trails, everything that Minnesota has to offer, that, again, at the end of the day is so accessible to anyone that's visiting or living in Minnesota. Just bringing more eyes to that and demonstrating how we really are part of the best of the nation when it comes to being able to interact in the outdoors.

CATHY WURZER: Now, you mentioned Wisconsin. And I know there's other offices of tourism and relocation I'm sure you're looking at. Any other states out there that you look to their ads and say, wow, that's pretty impressive?

KATHRYN SUTTON: Yeah, there are many ads or many initiatives. Michigan, Ohio have recently launched them, as well. But I will say I do see our "Star of the North" campaign as differentiating itself, really demonstrating that we are the star of the region.

We have so much to offer. We rank better and we just have such an interesting culture here in Minnesota and a welcoming environment to all. So yes, there are other ad campaigns out there. But I really think this is our opportunity to really stand out on that national stage.

CATHY WURZER: All right, we'll have to have you back and see how it's going. Thank you, Kat.

KATHRYN SUTTON: Thanks so much. Appreciate it.

CATHY WURZER: We've been talking to Kat Sutton. She's the deputy director of destination at Explore Minnesota. By the way, I know we've had a non-existent winter. And after the weekend we had, it sure feels like spring, right? But folks in the Northland know that spring officially arrives when Gordy's Hi-Hat Drive-In opens outside of Cloquet, which is mentioned in the Explore Minnesota website.

In a very cute Facebook video over the weekend, the burgers and onion rings will be ready March 20. Put that on the calendar. Gordy's will celebrate its 64th year in business this spring. And the video posted on the Facebook showed two little great grandkids, the fourth generation putting on aprons and getting the restaurant ready to open. It was pretty cute. Last year, there was a pile of snow on the ground when Gordy's opened, which was March 22. This year, it's going to feel a lot more like spring when the doors open.

TOM CRANN: Minnesota is one of 16 states casting presidential primary ballots on Tuesday. I'm Tom Crann. Tune in to NPR News for special coverage of Super Tuesday results from Minnesota and around the country Tuesday evening, starting at 7:00.

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CATHY WURZER: One of the country's premier high school sports events begins Wednesday in Saint Paul. It's the Minnesota boys' state high school hockey tournament. And this year will mark the last time TV viewers will enjoy commentary on those games from a hockey legend, Lou Nanne.

Lou started broadcasting the games as a young guy in 1964 after playing for the Gopher hockey team. He went on to play for the US Olympic men's hockey team and for the Minnesota North Stars NHL team. Oh, yeah, the hockey Hall of Famer also managed the North Stars.

Through all that time, he's done color commentary for the boys' high school tourney. That is 60 years if you're counting. Lou Nanne is on the line right now to look back and look ahead to this year's tourney. Lou, thanks for taking the time.

LOUIS NANNE: Oh, my pleasure, Cathy. Thank you very much.

CATHY WURZER: I should know this story. But how the heck did you get behind the mic in 1964 to start this amazing run of yours?

LOUIS NANNE: Well, I was actually working at the time. I was in a contract dispute with Chicago. So I wasn't playing hockey. And channel 11 at that time, WTCN, had the rights. I was doing a high school game on radio in Saint Louis Park for a station I can't even remember the call letters.

But they asked me to come over and do a little test to see if I would be willing and able to do the state high school hockey tournament with Frank Beutel. So I did. And in March of 1964, I started broadcasting the tournament.

CATHY WURZER: Now, I look forward to watching the boys' hockey tournament every year. I love watching the kids. What is it about high school games that tickles you?

LOUIS NANNE: I think, first of all, it's the unbridled enthusiasm. You just can't imagine the feeling in that arena that these kids project. You got kids that this is their lifelong dream. It's not playing for the Wild. It's not playing for the Stanley Cup or the Olympics. At that time of their life, all they want to do is play in the state high school tournament.

And that enthusiasm and that feeling, it just permeates throughout the stadium because now you've got their families, their friends, the school, the bands. And you've got eight teams competing for it. And it's something that's so unusual and different, it's so fantastic that it's a thrill that you see the guys that are able to achieve their dream here cherish for the rest of their life.

CATHY WURZER: Now, I know you've seen some amazing games over the years. And I know it's tough to remember 60 years of hockey. But I'm betting one of my all-time favorite games could have been yours, too. It was a long one, 1996. Do you remember it?

LOUIS NANNE: Yep, Apple Valley, Duluth, five overtimes? That was the most amazing game of them all. And the reason why-- because when we went into overtime, I've never seen such lack of defense and greater opportunities that teams had to win a game, and they couldn't win it. The goaltending was fantastic. But the chances were just constant. And they never stopped coming. And each team had an opportunity to win going back and forth, back and forth. I didn't think that game was ever going to end. It was a game that people that were able to watch it probably appreciated almost as much as the people that played in it.

CATHY WURZER: And it was exhausting to watch. I mean, it was--

LOUIS NANNE: Oh, you're funny you said that because at the end of the fourth overtime, my broadcast partner said to me, off the air, boy, I hope it's a good goal that wins. I said, are you kidding me, I don't care if they throw it in the net. I just want to go home to sleep.

CATHY WURZER: [LAUGHS] And the Duluth East Hounds, they lost that night against Apple Valley, I believe.

LOUIS NANNE: Yeah, they did. And by the way, Cathy, they scored a goal. And I think it was in the fourth overtime, where it wasn't a goal. But I think if we had instant replay, it might have been a goal. So that just prolonged the game longer.

CATHY WURZER: And of course, you've had some special moments, including broadcasting your son, Marty, and grandkids Tyler and Vinni's games. They all played in the tournament. That was really fun.

LOUIS NANNE: Tyler and Louis.

CATHY WURZER: Yeah, Tyler and Louis. Yes, that's right.

LOUIS NANNE: Yeah, Vinni's team didn't make it in Minnetonka. That's why I'm really pleased that I had the opportunity to broadcast some games when he was playing for the Wild.

CATHY WURZER: Oh, great. And that was, I'm sure, great fun.

LOUIS NANNE: Yes, those were the hardest games I ever had to broadcast because you want to make sure that you're maintaining a neutral posture and really broadcasting the game in a professional manner. But at the same time, it's tough to keep your concentration when they're on the ice because you're almost drifting, watching what they're doing, too. And it's really, you're sounding neutral on the outside, but your insides are churning. And I got to tell you, it was a fantastic thrill but something that just ate me up. They were easily the toughest games I ever had to broadcast.

CATHY WURZER: News of your decision to call it quits after this tournament made Sports Illustrated, for goodness' sakes. I bet this was a tough decision for you. How are you feeling going into the last tournament?

LOUIS NANNE: Yeah, because, well, just a year ago, Randy Shaver was doing a show with me and asked how long I was going to do the tournament. I said, well, I've got great grandchildren now. I said, until one of them makes it, I'll keep doing it to see if I could do one of their games.

And then last year after the tournament-- actually, it was during the tournament. And on my way home, I hit a pothole. And I drove 12 miles on a flat tire. I had no coat. And I said, what am I doing here-- [CHUCKLES] --at my age? And I thought about it. And then this summer, actually, I told KSTP that I was going to retire after this year.

CATHY WURZER: And then are you surprised at all the outpouring of love and support?

LOUIS NANNE: Yes, I am, very. I mean, I'm completely blown away by it. I didn't think it was going to be anything of note. And it's been very, very surprising. But I'm very appreciative of it. Excuse me. I'm very appreciative of all the kind words and attention that I've received.

CATHY WURZER: So I have to ask you this-- and again, I should know this talking to you over all these many years-- how do you prepare for a tournament?

LOUIS NANNE: Well, actually, you do it all year long. I read or talk to people or teams about their team, how it's going, and get an idea of who might be in the tournament during the year when it finally comes. And I watch it right down the line. And if I'm home or on Christmas or something, go catch couple of games.

But it's just keeping in touch with people in the hockey world, the high school hockey world, and the information I get and the information that I'm able to read about and put together. And then, now, like this past Saturday, I spent time with all the coaches, just discussing their team. And then we'll have a production meeting today. And we'll go over more information. And then you look at the players, look at the team, and then get ready for it.

CATHY WURZER: Which teams this year are the most interesting to you, beyond Edina? Because I know you've got a soft spot for Edina.

LOUIS NANNE: Yeah, no, see, that's some-- I really don't have a soft spot for anybody, except when my kids are playing, because it's a thrill for everybody. And I'm completely open and accepting of anybody that wins. But Chanhassen made a tremendous run to get in to beat an undefeated Minnetonka team. You got Rochester-- John Marshall-- Century upset, Lakeville. And you got White Bear coming back and having to beat the tough Hill-Murray team.

And I mean, there's a story for every one of them-- Elk River, Centennial. You go on and on. So I'm interested in seeing who's going to be the upset team in the first brackets. And then from there on, I'm always aware that there's going to be upsets. There always is. Anytime you have a one-game playoff, you never know the outcome. As you said, the two favorites going in are Edina and Chanhassen. But I'm not so certain that that's who we're going to be seeing in the final game, because things happen along the way.

CATHY WURZER: I'm so glad you mentioned there's always stories, of course, in any tournament. Are you still planning on holding court at Mancini's after the last game and swap stories?

LOUIS NANNE: Oh, definitely. That's been a tradition that I started years and years ago with Nick Mancini. And you know, it's like anything else. It'd be maybe like running a marathon. And after you're over, you're dead. You're exhausted. You just want to kick back and relax. And it's almost like a big weight off your shoulders. And then you just sit around with your team, which is our production team and our broadcast team, and have a little food and drink and just revel in the fact that you got through another tournament and enjoyed another big one.

CATHY WURZER: Well, thank you for an outstanding 60 years, Louis. It's been a delight to listen to you. I hope you enjoy every minute of this tournament.

LOUIS NANNE: Well, thanks so much, Cathy. I'm looking forward to it. It's great to be with you.

CATHY WURZER: That's Lou Nanne, broadcaster for the Minnesota high school league's boys' state hockey tournament. You can watch him for his final broadcast, channel 45, this coming Wednesday through Saturday. Louis mentioned Wednesday's first game. That's class 1A. It's going to pit New Ulm against last-season's runner-up, Warroad. That's followed by Northfield against St. Cloud Cathedral.

Wednesday evening finds the number 1 seed in class A, Hermantown against Alexandria. Orono and defending champ Mahtomedi finish Wednesday night's games. Class AA schools playing on Thursday-- Rochester Century/John Marshall against Chanhassen. Cretin-Derham Hall will take on Centennial.

Edina, the number 1 seed in class AA, will play Elk River, Zimmerman on Thursday night. And White Bear Lake will play my favorite team, Grand Rapids, the Thunderhawks. It's always a good time with that tournament. And it was really fun to talk to Louis Nanne.

So thank you for listening to Minnesota Now here today. Again, another show that covers almost everything here from, gosh, wildfires to the state boys' hockey tournament. Thank you for listening. Hope you have a good rest of the day. This is NPR News.