Andries elected to state local history museums board of directors

Jennifer Andries, the executive director of the Lyon County Historical Society in Marshall, was elected to the board of directors of the Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums (MALHM) at the annual conference in Red Wing on April 24. The Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors. Traditionally, the group has aimed to include representatives from all corners of the state and involve both volunteers and paid staff from city and county historical societies and other specialized history groups. Board members may serve up to three two-year terms and are voted on by the membership at the annual conference. In November 2015 with funding from a Heritage Partnership Grant, MALHM hired its first staff coordinator.

Prairie Dance Alliance to have ‘Nutcracker’ auditions

Prairie Dance Alliance of SW MN, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of education in the art of dance, will hold auditions for its 10th production of “The Nutcracker” on Thursday, July 25, at Marshall Academy of Dance located at 348 W. Main Street in downtown Marshall.

This production of “The Nutcracker” will involve professional principal dancers, regional choreography, dancers from regional studios, and the technical expertise of people living in the region.

Dancers and actors of all ages (3 and older) are needed to audition for this production.

Auditions will be conducted on Thursday, July 25, as follows: Dancers ages 3-6 from 5:30-5:50; Dancers ages 7-10 from 5:50-6:10; Dancers ages 11-13 from 6:10-6:30; Dancers ages 14-18+ from 6:30-6:50; All pointe dancers from 6:50-7:10; Actors of all ages from 7:30-8:30. Parent meetings held during each audition time.

Prairie Dance Alliance’s 10th production of “The Nutcracker” will be performed Dec. 20-22 at the Schwan Community Center for the Performing Arts.

Choreography week will be from Aug. 19-22. Weekly rehearsals on Sundays from Sept. 22-Dec. 8 (not Oct. 20). Production week is from Dec. 15-19. Performance dates Dec. 20-22.

For more information about auditions, or this production, visit www.prairiedancealliance.org.

This activity is funded, in part, by a grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council through an appropriation from the MN State Legislature with money from the State’s general fund.

Ex-officer who fatally shot 911 caller appeals convictions

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Attorneys for the former Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot an unarmed woman after she called 911 about a possible assault have filed an appeal.

Mohamed Noor was convicted of third-degree murder and manslaughter in the July 2017 death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, a 40-year-old dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia. He was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison.

In their appeal filed Tuesday, Noor’s attorneys said they expect to raise several issues. They plan to argue that the judge erred by allowing charges not supported by probable cause to go to a jury, allowing prosecutorial misconduct, limiting Noor’s right to present a complete defense and improperly instructing the jury on the third-degree murder count.

Noor has been moved to an out-of-state prison for his own safety but his location has not been disclosed.

Minnesota man, twice denied passport, is declared US citizen

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota man and military veteran whose request for a passport was twice denied has been declared a U.S. citizen.

Attorneys say Mark Esqueda can now get a passport.

Esqueda sued Secretary of State Michael Pompeo in May. In a settlement reached Friday, the State Department acknowledges Esqueda is a U.S. citizen.

Esqueda’s lawsuit says he was born in Texas in 1988 and is entitled to citizenship rights, including the right to travel freely across borders, but the State Department kept requiring information that was burdensome and unnecessary. Both of Esqueda’s passport applications were made during President Barack Obama’s administration.

Esqueda says in a statement that he will no longer have to miss out on family events and he hopes he never has to prove himself like that again.