St. Paul mayor proposes 2027 budget

This is Minnesota today for Friday, August 14th. I'm Phineas Pope. Here's what's happening in Minnesota. St. Paul Mayor Khali Heur proposed her 2027 budget yesterday. It includes a 6.8% increase in the property tax levy and other cuts. But she is prioritizing public safety, including exploring ways to prevent copper wire theft that breaks the city streetlights. Here's Regina Medina. Mayor Hur said that public safety is the city's highest responsibility, and she went into some details about the cost of copper wire theft. It actually costs the park systems $2.4 million. And every park light that is vandalized can cost between $2,700 and $8,000 to repair. In some cases, people don't even know that their lights have been fixed because the city has gone in, replaced the copper wire, and it has been stolen immediately after. NPR's Regina Medina there reporting, a coalition of Journalism organizations has filed a friend of court brief asking the judge to dismiss charges against journalists who covered an anti-ice protest at a church this winter. More from John Susan Collins. Protesters targeted City's Church in St. Paul in January because one of the church's pastors was a high-ranking ICE official. A number of journalists are among the 38 people facing conspiracy charges in the case, including former CNN anchor Don Lemon, and independent journalist Georgia Fort. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and 45 local and national media organizations signed on to the brief. They argue that federal prosecutors are misapplying the civil rights law the journalists are charged under and opening the door for government suppression of media. I'm John Susan Collins, Minneapolis. Authorities in Otterdale County have identified a woman who died in a house explosion and fire earlier this week. The sheriff's office says 77-year-old Paulette Vensky lived at the home northwest of Parker's Prairie. The house was fully engulfed in flames when first responders arrived on Tuesday morning. The incident remains under investigation, but authorities do not suspect foul play. The legislative group charged with recommending finalists for a new state watchdog office has set its first meeting. Peter Cox reports. The Legislative Inspector General Advisory Commission will convene on August 26th. The commission will consider applicants to head the newly formed Office of Inspector General, which will act as an independent watchdog for state agencies and programs. It was created in response to widespread fraud issues in state social service programs. The commission made up of four House and four Senate members is split evenly along party lines. A majority of the commission has to recommend candidates to head the new office. Those recommendations will be sent to the governor. The Senate has confirmation authority. The office is expected to launch early next year.

I'm Peter Cox. An animal rescue organization will now provide free temporary care for pet owners needing addiction treatment from Hazleton Betty Ford Foundation. Ahmed Hassan reports. The founder of the bond between says it's important to keep families together. Rachel Mayrose says the organization's first respite foster case was with an unhoused man who lived in his car with his Boston Terrier. She says his dog gave birth the puppies in his car during the winter, and he didn't know what to do. I ended up taking her whole family and raising them, and then she and him were reunited, and that reunification was like the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I mean, she was crying in her little Boston Terrier way, and he was sobbing. Mayrose says the man now has a fiancé, a house, and six pets. The new partnership will provide free foster care for pets of people. treatment at Hazelden for up to 90 days. I'm Ahmed Hassan. In sports, the Minnesota Twins lost to the Phillies in the field of Dreams game yesterday, 7 to 1. Those two teams will play again tomorrow night at home. And the St. Paul Saints lost to the Iowa Cubs yesterday 10 to 3. The Saints and Cubs play three more games in Des Moines through this weekend. The Saints will then head to Ohio to take on Columbus starting next week. Should be partly sunny today with highs in the mid-70s to mid-80s. Tonight cloudy, a chance of rain showers with overnight lows in the 50s northeast, mid-60s Southwest. That's it for Minnesota today. I'm Finneos Pope. Emily Reese will have an update for you this afternoon.