>> ERIC: WE HAVE A VERY FULL HOUR FOR YOU TONIGHT.

WE'LL SPEND SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT THE INCREASED I.C.E.

PRESENCE IN MINNESOTA AND IMMIGRATION RAIDS, THERE'S NEW HOUSING RULES COMING OUT OF WASHINGTON, D.C., IN 2026 THAT COULD INCREASE THE HOMELESS POPULATION IN MINNESOTA, AND WE'LL DIVE INTO THE BUDGET FORECAST TOO.

>> CATHY: WE START TONIGHT WITH AN ARREST IN THE DEVASTATING FIRE THAT DESTROYED THE HISTORIC LUTSEN LODGE ALONG LAKE SUPERIOR NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO.

RESORT OWNER BRYCE CAMPBELL HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH ARSON AND INSURANCE FRAUD.

THE RESORT BURNED TO THE GROUND IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF FEBRUARY 6, 2024.

JOINING US WITH MORE, JOE FRIEDRICHS IS A COOK COUNTY RESIDENT, LONGTIME JOURNALIST IN THE REGION, AND HE HAS BEEN COVERING THE FIRE SINCE RIGHT AFTER IT WAS REPORTED.

I THINK YOU WERE ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE THERE.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

I WAS ON PR THAT MORNING.

>> Cathy: THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

APPRECIATE THAT.

YOU KNOW, INTERESTING NEWS CONFERENCE EARLIER THIS WEEK WITH STATE OFFICIALS, STATE FIRE MARSHAL EXAMINE THE BCA, IT APPEARS THAT Mr.

CAMPBELL LEFT QUITE A DIGITAL FOOTPRINT, IF YOU WERE TO BELIEVE THE OFFICIALS.

>> WELL, THE PHONE WOULD PUT HIM HERE.

THERE ARE MESSAGES THAT WERE REFERENCED IN THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT THAT HE SAID THINGS LIKE, BURN IT, REPEATEDLY IN REFERENCE TO DEBT AND ISSUES WITH THE RESORT.

SO THOSE ARE SOME DIGITAL FOOTPRINTS, CERTAINLY.

>> Cathy: I DID NOT REALIZE, BY THE WAY, THE AMOUNT OF DEBT THAT HE HAD.

>> HE HAD SIGNIFICANT DEBT.

I MEAN, THEY'RE LUMPING IN WITH THAT NUMBER THE SUPERIOR SHORES DEBT.

THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THAT NUMBER.

SO, THAT'S WORTH MENTIONING, FOR SURE.

>> Eric: YOU INTERVIEWED CAMPBELL.

>> I DID.

>> Eric: WHAT WAS HE LIKE?

>> HE'S AN INTERESTING FELLOW.

HE'S BIG, HE'S 6'4", MAYBE 250, HE DRINKS A LOT OF DIET COKE, KIND OF CONSTANTLY.

SIX A DAY, 20-OUNCE BOTTLES, TWO CARAMEL MACCHIATOS A DAY.

>> Eric: YIKES.

>> HE'S KIND OF BUZZING A LITTLE BIT.

I'M SURE HE'S HAVING A CAFFEINE H ONE DRAWL HEADACHE RIGHT OW IN JAIL WHERE HE IS CURRENTLY IN MICHIGAN.

HE'S SOFT SPOKEN DESPITE HIS LARGE PHYSICAL PRESENCE.

HE HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR, I WOULD SAY, ACTUALLY.

AND HIM AND I WERE NOT ON GOOD TERMS FOR YEARS WHEN I WAS A REPORTER, WHEN I WAS WORKING ON SOME ISSUES RELATED TO LUTSEN RESORT, THE EXCAVATOR AND THE POP DLAR RIVER, HE GOT A CEASE AND DESIST, I WROTE ABOUT THAT, TONIGHT SUE ME FOR THAT ARTICLE, HIS ATTORNEY SAID, YOU CAN'T SUE HIM JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE IT, THAT TYPE OF THING.

BUT WE WORKED IT THROUGH ENOUGH TO SIT DOWN FOR ABOUT SIX HOURS.

>> Eric: WOW.

>> Cathy: AND HE WAS STEADFAST IN HIS DENIAL, WHEN HE TALKED TO YOU?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, I ASKED HIM POINT BLANK, AND I'VE LEARNED LATER FROM AN ARSON EXPERT WHO IS A MINNESOTAN NOW LIVING IN L.A., ONE OF THE FOREMOST IN THE COUNTRY, WHO SAID, YOU DON'T EVER ASK HIM THAT WAY, YOU DON'T SAY, DID YOU START THE FIRE, WHICH IS WHAT I ASKED HIM, BECAUSE YOU COULD HAVE HIRED SOMEONE, HE COULD HAVE HIRED SOMEONE ELSE, YOU ASK HIM, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS FIRE?

RATHER THAN, DID YOU START THE FIRE?

WHICH, OF COURSE, HE SAID NO.

>> Eric: COULD YOU PUT SOME MEAT ON THE BONE HERE, THE BCA SUPERINTENDENT CALLED IT A CRIME OF SELFISHNESS.

>> WELL, THE CHARGES AKE REFERENCE TO THE FACT THAT IT DESTROYED THIS BELOVED RESORT.

YOU KNOW, SO THE SELFISHNESS COMPONENT IS, HE GETS HIMSELF INTO FINANCIAL TROUBLE, AND HE SEES HIS OFF RAMP AS STARTING THE FIRE, THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE EATIONZ ALLEGATIONS.

WE KNOW THAT LUTSEN IS SUCH A SACRED PLACE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARIES, ALL THESE MILESTONE EVENTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE IN THEIR LIVES AND GO TO LUTSEN.

THE SUMMER VACATION.

AND FOR THE LOCAL PEOPLE, IN COOK COUNTY.

THE BURGER WHERE WE'D GO ON A TUESDAY NIGHT IN THE WINTER WHEN THERE'S NOTHING ELSE REALLY HAPPENING, YOU COULD HANG OUT THERE, AND THAT WAS ALL CHANGED.

HE WANTED TO HAVE THIS HIGH-END RESORT, THIS VIBE OF HIGH CLIENTELE, $100 PLATES, YOU KNOW, CLOSE THE PUB, I WANT A FONDUE BAR.

AND THAT TYPE OF CHANGE THAT REALLY MADE LOCAL PEOPLE FEEL SHUNNED, NOT WELCOMED.

>> Eric: AND THEIR REACTION TO THIS, THE CITIZENRY UP THERE?

>> PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE BRYCE'S APPROACH TO RUNNING THE RESORT FOR MANY YEARS.

THAT GOES BACK TO, YOU KNOW, PRE-COVID EVEN, MAYBE 2019, ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, BASICALLY.

AND, SO, THAT SORT OF, I DON'T FEEL WELCOMED, I'M NOT SO SURE ABOUT THIS BRYCE CAMPBELL LOCAL SENTIMENT ON THE SHORE HAS BEEN ACTIVE FOR A WHILE, WELL BEFORE THE FIRE.

>> Cathy: AND REACTION GENERALLY AMONG FOLKS UP THERE TO NEWS THAT HE'S NOW IN JAIL AND CHARGED?

>> I MEAN, I THINK ACROSS MINNESOTA, WHAT I'M HEARING AND SEEING TODAY IS, WE KNEW IT, EVERYBODY KNEW IT, HE'S GUILTY, END OF STORY.

LOCK HIM UP.

I'M TAKING ISSUE WITH THAT.

I THINK THAT WE NEED TO ALLOW THE PROCESS, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A JURY AND A TRIAL, WHAT'S THE POINT OF HAVING THAT MENTALITY?

IF WE CAN'T HEAR WHAT BRYCE AND HIS DEFENSE TEAM HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE ALLEGATIONS THAT HAVE NOW BEEN PRESENTED, THEN WHAT'S THE POINT OF THAT?

>> Cathy: NOW, HE'LL BE EXTRADITED BACK TO COOK COUNTY.

>> THAT'S THE PLAN.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THAT PROCESS SHOULD BE PRETTY QUICK AND SMOOTH.

AND THEN THERE WILL BE A BAIL SET OR A BOND.

SO WHAT THAT AMOUNT WOULD BE IS, I KNOW THEY WANT IT TO BE HIGH, COUNTY ATTORNEY AND OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS, BECAUSE IF BRYCE MEETS BAIL, GETS OUT, HE'S A CANADIAN CITIZEN, WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND, HE HAS A PASSPORT, IF HE RETURNS TO CANADA, HE'S IN CANADA AND NOW WE'VE GOT A WHOLE -- >> Eric: FLIGHT RISK.

>> YEAH, AND HE'S IN CANADA.

>> Cathy: OW YOU HAVE WORKED ON A PODCAST DILIGENTLY FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

DID IT ALL -- ALL EPISODES DROP?

>> THEY'RE ALL OUT NOW.

IT'S CALLED "THE FIRE, A NORTH SHORE STORY."

YOU CAN GET IT ON ANY PLACE WHERE YOU LISTEN TO PODCASTS.

AND WE HAD, JULIE AND I, WHO MADE THE PODCAST TOGETHER, FOUR EPISODES THAT WERE IN QUEUE, WE COULD HAVE HIT GO LIVE AT ANY TIME.

AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THOSE FOR WELL OVER A YEAR.

AND THE FIFTH EPISODE WE MADE LAST NIGHT, AND NOW THEY'RE ALL FIVE OUT AND AVAILABLE.

>> Eric: GOOD LUCK WITH IT.

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR WORK ON T