NewsNight Minnesota; 3033; NewsNight Minnesota Episode from 10/30/1995; SD-Base

Coming up tonight on NEWSNIGHT Minnesota native Americans are making money from their casino operations. But we'll find out who else may or may not be profiting explore the culture surrounding a monk funeral as a St. Paul neighborhood comes to grips with another senseless death. And in tonight's commentary a voice in favor of preserving the Endangered Species Act. All of that and the news of the day. Next on NEWSNIGHT. Tonight's broadcast of NEWSNIGHT Minnesota is presented in part by Norwest going to the nth degree to serve our community and by Bemis company a major supplier of Flexible Packaging and specialty coated products. Since 1858. Hi thanks for joining us we have a full plate of news today plus some stuff from the weekend that we'd like to catch up on. So let's get started with Ken Stone who's up in the news room. Ken the first time in three weeks Twin City commuters you have the opportunity to get run over by a bus or to get run over by a rider who is frantically trying to make it to the bus stop in time. As you know Friday's vote was to accept the

contract that put m c t o drivers behind the wheel much to their delight and passengers great bag. I'm glad they got what they wanted to get. I'm glad everybody's happy I'm glad to see the bus bags now I got it and don't have to depend on somebody else for transportation to get me to and from school. Yeah I'm I'm glad that there was resolve and I hope every party involved to learn from it. And we're just glad to be back working and passengers are glad to be back riding so we're we're happy. Matter of fact everybody is so overjoyed by the return of the buses the Met Council going to be offering a free day of riding. On November 9th you can go absolutely anywhere absolutely any time for absolutely nothing. Spin it any way you want you can call it budget cuts or you can call it reduction and growth. There's no doubt that the changes in Washington are going to change the way that our counties and our cities do business. That was the message that came today from the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul am the Hennepin County Board here.

Do people understand what's going on and the impacts of those decisions. Heck no. The people who are getting the tax breaks they do and they're probably dancing in the street. But the people who are not going to be able to get health care who are not going to feel secure in their homes whose jobs are going to be lost there now. They they would they don't know what's going to hit them. They don't know what's going to hit them. And I mean County officials say that they may have to increase property taxes by 50 percent to make up for the federal cuts. Meanwhile St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman says he's going to try to hold the line on property tax increases coupon clippers around the country were overjoyed this weekend when they opened up their Sunday paper and saw an ad for free cereal. But as the print got finer it became clear that the freebies got a catch in order to get the cereal. You have to prove that you bought boxes which contained an illegal pesticide. You remember the story General Mills hired a contractor who used the illegal bug spray on oats because it was cheaper than the federally approved version. In order to settle the

class action lawsuit Big G agreed to give away at least 10 million bucks worth of breakfast cereal hence the coupons. So if you kept your proof of purchase from a tainted box and didn't everybody you can bring it out into the grocery store. If you watched any TV news over the weekend you no doubt saw coverage of the funeral of 17 year old Mary Yang the Mung teenager was shot last week apparently in a dispute over a parking space. Now we were watching some of the footage from the funeral it occurred to us that we didn't understand everything that we were watching. So we asked among staffers here at Katie CAA to explain. This funeral lasted three days although among funeral can last up to several weeks if the person is considered a community leader one of the traditions is the kneel on the ground before approaching the casket. A sign of respect. Sometimes a guest will donate money to the family a family member will then show their respect and thanks by kneeling several times in front of that

gas. There are certain rituals such as the toast a family member will lead a series of toes to family members or honored guests and it is usually only men who take part. And like funerals in many cultures there is food especially for those who have travelled a long way. Traditionally everything happens in the family's home. It is only recently that among people have used a funeral home. And at this funeral like too many others in the Twin Cities people are wondering why so many young people are dying by gunfire. So it's very very tragic. You know we have so many young people. Who can settle disputes you know without resorting to violence. I'm very very sorry for the families will be very sorry for. Are there people or are they going to be very proud of this. They want to do something as much as we can. From. This

city to the police to make sure that we don't have. Any more of these type of tragedies. It's just too much. All right thanks to Katie CIA staffers following her and coolly gang for their insights. Johnny Howard's Here he is president of the Thomas Dale block club he hosted a community forum after the murder took place Johnnie you only live two blocks away from where the shooting took place. I understand at the community meeting that you had blacks and whites all sitting together how did that you know it was the first time everybody got together to really talk in the first town the first time we came together over the issue the time our missions to bring neighbors together we feel that neighbors know neighbors as the best form of crap events and it's just tragic that it took the incident like the murder of Mary yang to bring the community together to truly talk about what's going in our neighborhood. You know I mean part of the problem is you've got black families who don't quite understand how Hmong families operate and vice versa and white families who don't understand

that. I mean how do you get past that how do you get so that everybody is watching everybody else's kid everybody can trust each other I mean what can you really do. That's all the time community neighbors knowing each other neighbors working with each other. What we've got to do is what we did when the night is bring these different groups of people. Gather and say what we all have in common. We all want a clean countable safe neighborhood and know of the hand that we got to work together. Whatever your background is one of your culture is where you are. Your race is we want a clean comfortable safe neighborhood so what we decided to do around this tragic incident is on the 15th of November we have community dinner culturally specific. We're going to have all types of culturally different dishes and have people come to the table and sit down equally teach what each other. We feel that when people get a mouthful of food and hide maybe racism being the remarks we're going to feed everybody else and let's come together let's have a community dinner. We've had what we call that meet with a community healing. We believe that it was the whole shooting was around

stupidity I think they use Parkin as a reason to act awful. Tragedies tend to bring communities together but you know two months from now people going to forget this is going to their separate ways I mean what can you do to make sure that this kind of stupidity doesn't happen or doesn't happen as often. Yeah that's a big question and it takes a big answer and a big sound it's our mission is our name is neighbors know and neighbors we have to begin to. How do we get monk people and we need Asian people to the table. I'm African American run organization I have two African-Americans on my board. That's an issue that's a problem. It's a fight it's a struggle we're going to keep saying what do we have in common. Ross Perot said if we ran for every man for president we're all in this thing together we've got to do it together. It's going to be the events like this community dinner it's going be just continue community meetings and what do you want and people of the South what they want their community.

OK good luck on the 15th I will follow it as it goes along. All right all right. And finally Cathy we got an update to a story that we told you about last week. The ride to the airport could be getting a little bit bumpy but it's not so bad as far as we could tell today. Therefore police have implemented new security checks to comply with FAA rules they're stopping larger vehicles like trucks and vans to look for large explosives like the bomb to blow up a federal building in Oklahoma City. As you can see from the video the checks seem to be moving pretty quickly so that's good news however if you heading out there during rush hour you still might want to give yourself a few extra minutes. Let's hear it from the NEWSROOM. Back to you. All right thanks Ken. You know every year thousands of foreign students come to the U.S. to study and to sample our culture. It's supposed to be exciting and fulfilling. Not so for some students in River Falls Wisconsin. Today a former River Falls City Council member and his wife admitted in court that they had been secretly videotaping female exchange students while they showered. Don and

Tony Fuller pleaded guilty to five counts of disorderly conduct. The Fullers were active in the UW River Falls international host family program. The news of the fullers arrest shocked the community and many students involved in the exchange program. Nobody wants to be in something like this from them. You know like we believe them all the time. We trust them. I feel real frustrated for the students I JUST because as hard as members of the board of the host families I feel real responsible and yet I don't know what I can do at this point other than you know tell them that we care and we don't you know we're sorry this happened. Shock frustration and anger. Common emotions for students and families involved in the University's International host family program. Don and Tony Fuller had been in the program for years and had in the past also been host family for a number of high school exchange students. They were considered upstanding residents.

No one expected this that can happen in any I mean any part of the world. I mean you can find people like that about everywhere and I would have I mean like you know small town you don't expect that to happen maybe in the cities and you know in big cities and big communities but not not in a small community like we're false. The UW River Falls host family program has never screened their families in the forty five years the program has been on campus. No one thought it was needed in this community. Being a smaller community there is a greater awareness of people in the community that are involved in the programs. And this indeed is part of the trust that's involved that if you look back at it. The regard that has held for other members of the community is what you depend on. And there is essentially no screen device that would be more effective than that. My idea would be maybe to have an orientation of new families where we actually talked about this. You know I mean we I guess we need to be fairly blunt with people and say this will not

be acceptable behavior and nobody's part. Even the program organizers say they'll examine their screening procedures. Both say they're comfortable with the present system. As for the students affected by the fullers betrayal the university has offered counseling to those who had direct contact with the family. There has been a visual rape and they have you know told us that I feel dirty. You know we're having to deal with them the same as we were with a rape victim where you know they're getting counseling here on campus they're in group therapy sessions. We're working with the local turning point for domestic abuse shelter here to provide some counseling for them as well. We have some students that were really hurt by this and we're working with them to try to ensure that they stay here and complete their educations. The bottom line I think in all cases is that programs such as this depend entirely on trust and the trust was broken but that doesn't mean that you don't move on to the future and trust again.

Now we've been told some of the students involved with the fullers over the years may file civil suits because of the videotaping. Well let's move on now to a story that had some of us scratching our heads in the NEWSROOM this morning. A new study commissioned by the Lacs Band of Ojibwe shows that the state's Native American casinos are good for the economies of surrounding towns. But wait a minute wasn't there another study not too long ago that said exactly the opposite. We're going to talk about that in a minute but first we thought we'd check things out firsthand so we sent reporter Jim buckle up to Hinkley site of one of the lax bans own casinos. Well I think we were on kind of a level slow growth basis. We've seen a much. Much larger and more rapid growth because of the casino. The study reports that 83 new businesses have opened within 35 miles of the Grand Casino Hinckley. Many of those businesses are motel and fast food chains between the freeway and the casino. Those new businesses along with the casino and its related ventures have

improved the entire Hinkley economy. The population is increasing so the grocery stores do better in the downtown and Main Street has a tendency to do a little bit better. I think we're seeing a big impact on the school district in fact as we speak the school is expanding the alimentary facility so they can handle the increase in students. We've built a lot of housing units here in town too. Unemployment has dropped from 10 to 4.6 percent over the last five years. And the new jobs aren't just low paying service jobs. A 15000 square foot clinic is going to be developed in the industrial park and it's a joint venture between. The wax band and one of the providers that they have to pick they're going to develop that in the spring of next year. And that's a direct result of the casino but not every business is thriving. Increased traffic kept people away from downtown initially and other entertainment options are being hurt by the casino as well. When it first opened we saw real negative impact. We our visitors went down about 40 percent. We've since seen that little by little it is coming

back but there still is an impact on how many people do come to the museum every year. Mostly we're we're missing the senior citizens they seem to go to the casino and stay there instead of doing different things like they used to. A brand new lodging tax is expected to generate one hundred fifty thousand dollars a year to promote the museum in all the other attractions in town. In Hinkley I'm Jim Bickel for Newsnight Minnesota. And here to talk more about this are Larry Kitto of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association and John Berglund of the Minnesota licensed Beverage Association. Thanks to both of you for joining us appreciate it. Let me first question to you Are we talking about businesses that are new here or are you replacing businesses that are going down the tubes anyway. I think we're doing both. We're probably gaming across the room in a sort of is attracting new businesses. They are also stimulating business growth of existing businesses

that are kind of businesses that we're talking about I think you're talking about across the board not only the hospitality industry in the services that support the hospitality industry the construction industry the housing industry things. Things that are good for rural economies. All right John it sounds like this is not a bad thing that you have casinos that serve as according to the study paid for by the game Association or the little ex-pat of an important factor can I worry that I don't have you know growing industry also paid for. Absolutely the opposite. Absolutely so let's compare. First of all the study really you have to understand the credibility author the author did a study in the liquor industry in 1970 that said if we don't have liquor franchising at the wholesale level we're going to all the wholesalers going to go broke would be down to wholesalers. We don't have liquor franchising. They're all there in the very thing they're very private. I'm saying the credibility of the author has some flaws. Number one number two in the study itself gambling

all economists will say is not new dollars you're taking it out of somewhere you're taking out of the entertainment industry you get people in these casinos would serve as a magnet I would think and you get a bill coming into the absolutely and you're going to get the service station that was 30 miles away closing down moving to closer to the casino it's a new and new job at the casino but the casino doesn't compete with gas stations or discount stores. It competes with the hospitality industry they all sell food beverage and entertainment and when the casino sells one extra thing they gambling and they can subsidize what the food beverage entertainment. It's devastating for the hospitality industry and the state figures from state sales tax so that the hospitality industry and bars have plummeted 23 percent from the nine thousand nine hundred ninety three which was the most recent figures available a year ago. Well Larry do you think that these these folks are concerned about competition from you or is it something a little deeper than that. Oh I think it's a lot deeper than that. It's a bunch of white businessmen whining about an industry. It's you know it's something that those people have.

That's hogwash because we would be here today even if these casinos were state owned. It's an economic issue has nothing to do with race as Larry might imply. Not true. You know when you first was compare the two studies the study that was done by the professor from the University of Minnesota study our study is a scientific measurable study that can be held up to the closest of scrutiny. That is that very accurately document business business growth our decline. The study that John's talking about was based largely on anecdotal data. Also based on based on figures. Where when you really go to the public record and really look at what's happening in in the in the entertainment business the non-Indian entertainment business across the board sales and tax revenues have been up in all the areas lodging

on their liquor and food. What about video gaming in the 90s succession is a have a snowball's chance. Well let me back up our study was not anecdotal it was based on the state receipts of sales tax video gaming the next session. No I would say it has a very very great as we stand right now. No it doesn't have a chance unless there's a financial crisis that comes about and they're looking for more money. All right but isn't that what some people the hospitality industry are looking for in order to as they say level the playing field and that want to level the playing field because we don't have all the games the casinos have we just want some tools to compete to retain our existing customer base. No one else has suggested any other relief for us as we see our customers walk out the door to that. So you know if you worry about taxation is that another avenue here. Well first let me let me talk about the the level the playing field you know. I've heard that for a long time meaning a video lottery to level the playing field in the States. It's it's a bunch of bunk and quite frankly for an Indian person like myself it's insulting. Clearly all the data shows that the tribal gaming industry

is not hurting the industry in this state. Other industries in this state and they are the only people people that are not on a little level playing field yet are American Indians. And that's what tribal gaming is all about is to get him on that level playing field so they can compete just like anybody else and can be productive members of the staff Larry it's like the United succession both of you. Are you expecting to see some form some effort to maybe tax Indian casinos. Oh I think the state doesn't have the power to do that. They're going to dress at the federal level but if this study is all correct and casinos are helping all the businesses around the state let's have more casinos everywhere. Well they're going to open it up. I liken it to the advent of travel casinos to gold in the Black Hills. And once again there's a there. The non-human community is looking to take something away from the Indian community and the only difference this time is that the tribes have some resources and people are

educated they'll work hard to hold on to what they've got. You know what we can go on forever and we will have you back some some other night thank you very much appreciate it. Well not unlike a flock of eagles the US House Environment and Natural Resources Committee descended on St. Paul over the weekend to hear testimony on plans to alter regulations governing the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and voyagers National Park. As expected the majority of Saturday's vocal crowd favored keeping the existing restrictions in place. We wanted to take a step beyond the usual sound bite and give you a taste of the testimony from both sides. When you make a deal you're stuck with it. Cause we made a deal. And to stick with that deal it's clear we need legislation and so I've introduced a bill that will re-establish. The snowmobile trails to the interior lakes on the Capcom of Peninsula. I'm going to conclude. Ah my admonishing the people in this

audience that the folks who live in northern Minnesota are not Jack Blind Side bitches. They are the ones who protected that area. They are the ones who made it the beautiful area than it is today. They are the ones who live there preside over it to protect it themselves. And the sooner you begin to understand that the sooner we can live as one state as an instructor we teach respect for the land in our snowmobile safety classes. Show us the environmental damage that we do any more than walking on porches or paddling the canoe does. If Congress does not live up to its past promises its no wonder there is mistrust of federal officials and appointees as we have witnessed in BW CA legislation. There was a poll done for folks with disabilities on whether or not they supported wilderness and overwhelmingly 75 percent said that they did in fact support wilderness and they did not want to make accessible. So I think we have to look at that and then also look at how much time how much

water there is in Minnesota that is accessible to motorboats. And this is a small fraction of that amount and it is thankless. It is such a jam and as I say it is such an available and accessible area for me. I don't want it to be made accessible wilderness is there primarily for us to experience and on its terms not on was. Congress do not have a mandate re stand or alter the 1978 Act allow the founding fathers to continue to be managed in a manner that preserves. And protest its unique natural ecosystems. Provides an enduring resource for wilderness for a future generation and provides opportunities for a primitive and silent recreational experience was.

One says not yet scheduled any votes on Congressman Oberstar his proposals. Well while we here in Minnesota wring our hands over the future of those northern lands Tim Rose is in Washington thinking about the granddaddy of all environmental causes. Pretty aren't they. You can find Eagles all over Washington. Gold leaf and marble crystal glass. It is the symbol of the nation. Of course you can't find the real thing. You used to be able to but. Well I guess that's called progress. It is ironic that here in the nation's capital there are no longer any free flying American Bald Eagles Minnesotans are much better off. They have the second highest population of bald eagles in the country. The fact that we have any left at all is largely due to a piece of legislation passed in 1973 called the Endangered Species Act. The act has been protecting species and their habitat for over 20 years and the Endangered Species Act is up for reauthorization in Congress. Some are threatening to gut the act altogether.

Others have suggested simply making it voluntary voluntary. Just how many illegals would you see outside of zoos if the act had been voluntary. In 1973. The Minnesota congressional delegation particularly Gil Gutknecht Jim Ramstad and Rod Grams should be reminded by you of how vital a strong Endangered Species Act has been. And if they want to discuss the bottom line you remind them that the Eagles and the tourism they bring have been an economic boon to towns like Lake City. Reed's landing and while the Shaw along the Mississippi seeing bald eagles in the wild is one of life's greatest experiences endangered threatened species are a legacy for our children and grandchildren. We must continue to protect them vigorously. We cannot allow them to be seen a hundred years from now only in books or as decorations or Washington landmarks. Jim Rose is a Minneapolis expatriate who works for the Sierra Club's legal defense fund. Well my gosh where has the time gone let's take

a look at the weather before we have to end this show. Looks like it's going to be a little dreary with clouds around the state of Minnesota. Might some might have some snow down south. Temperatures will be in the ball me 30s not exactly the best trick or treat weather but then again it's Minnesota what do you expect. Anyway thanks for joining us tonight we'll see you again tomorrow night.