MN director and Oscars voting

Today’s forecast

Minnesota director pulls back curtain on voting for the Oscars

In a year when the magic of movies took us everywhere from the Emerald Isle to Graceland, David Burton Morris has more of an interest in honoring outstanding achievements in filmmaking than most.

After Morris directed 3 well-received independent films, two of them in Minnesota including Patti Rocks, in the ’70s and ’80s, he joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1989. As one of the 9,500 or so eligible members, he’s one of the industry professionals who gets to vote on the Academy Awards.

Morris says instead of using paper ballots like in the past, these days members watch most of the nominated movies and do all of their voting online.

In the first round, members-only vote for the category of their craft, like director or actor, and best picture, to whittle down a list of nominees.

Then in the final round, they vote for all the categories, which he did a couple of days ago. Morris says he’s voted for 6 of the last 9 best picture winners, and while he can’t say which one he cast his ballot for this year, he gives the entire experience two thumbs up.

Catch Up Quick 

🚨 Newly released notes and text messages from Hennepin County’s investigation into former Sheriff David Hutchinson show members of his senior command staff feared for their safety because of his escalating erratic and volatile behavior.

👮 Police released bodycam footage Tuesday afternoon that appears to show officers unsuccessfully searching for Khalil Ahmad Azad after he allegedly ran away after crashing a SUV following a police pursuit last summer, two days before a bystander spotted his body near the shore of Crystal Lake.

🚗 Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a civil investigation into Kia and Hyundai amid a surge of vehicle thefts in the Twin Cities. 

🟢 The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is asking for increased funding and action to reduce air pollution, especially in low-income and communities of color. In a recently released report, the MPCA says further work is needed to lessen the dangers of air pollution from transportation, permitted facilities, and wood burning.

Very Asian Foundation donates books to St. Paul elementary schools

A nonprofit known as the Very Asian Foundation and its partners are working to get more diverse books into the hands of young students. 

It’s a nationwide push, with roots here in the Twin Cities.

At Phalen Lake Hmong Studies Magnet School in Saint Paul, a warm welcome for Gia Vang and Michelle Li. Vang, a former Twin Cities journalist and LI a journalist based out of St. Louis, Missouri, co-founded the “Very Asian Foundation” a little more than a year ago.

For the initiative, the Very Asian Foundation is partnering with an organization called, “We Need Diverse Books.” Today they delivered more than 70 books to Phalen Lake Hmong Studies and Jie Ming Mandarin Immersion Academy.

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