Latest news with #Headwaters
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Great River Children's Museum announces June 10 opening in downtown St. Cloud
After many months of construction, one of the newest additions to downtown St. Cloud will open its doors next month. The long-awaited Great River Children's Museum will open to the public June 10, the museum announced Thursday. The museum will also host a grand opening celebration June 20 to 22, though details on the event are yet to be announced. The 31,000-squar- foot space will include eight core exhibits that provide interactive and educational experiences for children, such as its "Climber to the Clouds," "Great Big River" and "Headwaters" exhibits. It also has space for workshops, birthdays and corporate events. The museum also includes a rooftop deck for outdoor learning opportunities. "Everything is done with such intention, and that is part of the reason it takes a long time. It's not just the money… our children's museum is a unique children's museum, it was designed with hundreds of community voices involved," Executive Director Cassie Miles said in November about the process of creating the museum's exhibits. Museum tour: Lawmakers tour Great River Children's Museum in St. Cloud ahead of opening day The concept for the children's museum started in 2012, and construction on the site at 111 Seventh Ave. S. started last year after the Minnesota State Legislature approved a $7 million award for the construction phase of the project. The project cost $17 million total, according to the museum's website and will employ about 25 to 30 people. It also anticipates seeing 130,000 guests annually. Families looking to visit the museum can purchase a single-day general admission tickets for $14 per person, though children younger than one year old can enter for free. Memberships are also available as part of the GRCM's membership program that launched last month. A membership costs $150 for two people, and it is another $50 for each additional person. Membership includes unlimited access for a full calendar year, beginning on opening day, according to a release. The GRCM is also part of the Museums for All program, which reduces the price of daily admission for those receiving food assistance by presenting their EBT card and a photo ID. Downtown's future: St. Cloud business owners divided over courthouse relocation plans, solutions in the works Miles said last November that she wants all visitors to feel proud of the children's museum, and it is also meant to provide a welcoming and "joy-filled experience" for any child. The Great River Children's Museum will be open 9 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, except for later hours 9 to 7 p.m. Thursdays. It will be closed on Mondays. Teagan King covers business and development for the St. Cloud Times. She can be reached at teking@ This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: St. Cloud's Great River Children's Museum opens in June
The Independent
31-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Are these Catholic groups religious enough to not pay taxes? The Supreme Court will decide
A group of Catholic Church -affiliated charities believes their religious exemptions from a state tax have been unfairly revoked after they were deemed not religious enough, and it appears the U.S. Supreme Court is sympathetic to its case. The groups involved in the ruling are Headwaters, Barron County Developmental Services, Diversified Services, and Black River Industries. The group are all meant to offer services to people with developmental disabilities, and are open to non-Catholics. They're arguing that their First Amendment rights to free exercise have been violated by the state of Wisconsin. In an earlier ruling, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that the groups, which operate under the authority of the Catholic Charities Bureau of the Diocese of Superior weren't religious enough to warrant tax exemption, NBC News reports. On Monday, the Supreme Court Justices gave their oral arguments and appeared to agree with the charities' arguments. "I thought it was pretty fundamental that we don't treat some religions better than other religions," Justice Elena Kagan, a liberal, said. Conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch agreed, asking rhetorically if it "isn't a fundamental premise of our First Amendment that the state shouldn't be picking and choosing between religions." Central to the debate is whether or not Wisconsin's tests for exemption is too focused on the particulars of how religious faiths operate. Under Wisconsin law, religious groups that proselytize would qualify for an exemption — like Protestant churches — but Catholic churches, which do not proselytize nearly as much, might not. Gorsuch pointed to soup kitchens — which are often run by religious organizations and provide food to the needy — and asked if they would require inspection before they'd qualify under Wisconsin's laws. "Doesn't it entangle the state tremendously when it has to go into a soup kitchen, send an inspector in, to see how much prayer is going on?" he asked. Wisconsin's Labor and Industry Review Commission ruled that the groups involved in the case were not "operated primarily for religious purposes" under the state's laws. Last year, the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld the state commission's decision, offering its opinion at the time that the groups' activities were mostly secular in nature and that they do not 'attempt to imbue program participants with the Catholic faith nor supply any religious materials.' Wisconsin wants the groups to pay taxes that fund the state's unemployment compensation fund, which aims to provide a safety net for unemployed individuals. Other Catholic charities have backed the group's case, fearing that a ruling in favor of Wisconsin's state laws could have wide-ranging effects on the tax exempt status of religious-affiliated organizations, including hospitals. A decision in the case is expected by the end of June.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Supreme Court hears Catholic groups' claim for religious tax exemption
WASHINGTON — Delving into the latest in a series of religious rights cases, the Supreme Court on Monday considers whether Wisconsin officials wrongly concluded that Catholic-affiliated charitable groups were not eligible for an exemption from a state tax that funds unemployment benefits. Although the state allows exemptions for churches and associated nonprofits, it concluded that the groups operating under the umbrella of the Catholic Charities Bureau of the Diocese of Superior were not sufficiently religious in purpose to receive the same treatment. The groups in question — Headwaters, Barron County Developmental Services, Diversified Services and Black River Industries — primarily serve developmentally disabled people. The programs are open to non-Catholics. The groups argue that their rights have been violated under the free exercise clause of the Constitution's First Amendment. The provision has long been interpreted to exempt religious institutions from taxation. The court has a 6-3 conservative majority that is sympathetic to religious claims and has in a series of recent cases strengthened the free exercise clause. The Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission found that the charitable groups were not 'operated primarily for religious purposes' under state law. The Wisconsin Supreme Court last year upheld the state commission's finding, saying the groups' activities were mostly secular in nature and that they do not 'attempt to imbue program participants with the Catholic faith nor supply any religious materials.' The Wisconsin unemployment compensation system was set up in 1932 to provide a safety net for people who lose their jobs. Similar programs in other states and the Federal Unemployment Tax Act also include religious exemptions. Various groups representing different Christian sects and other religious faiths have backed the Catholic groups in the case, as has the Trump administration. This article was originally published on
NBC News
31-03-2025
- Business
- NBC News
Supreme Court hears Catholic groups' claim for religious tax exemption
WASHINGTON — Delving into the latest in a series of religious rights cases, the Supreme Court on Monday considers whether Wisconsin officials wrongly concluded that Catholic-affiliated charitable groups were not eligible for an exemption from a state tax that funds unemployment benefits. Although the state allows exemptions for churches and associated nonprofits, it concluded that the groups operating under the umbrella of the Catholic Charities Bureau of the Diocese of Superior were not sufficiently religious in purpose to receive the same treatment. The groups in question — Headwaters, Barron County Developmental Services, Diversified Services and Black River Industries — primarily serve developmentally disabled people. The programs are open to non-Catholics. The groups argue that their rights have been violated under the free exercise clause of the Constitution's First Amendment. The provision has long been interpreted to exempt religious institutions from taxation. The court has a 6-3 conservative majority that is sympathetic to religious claims and has in a series of recent cases strengthened the free exercise clause. The Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission found that the charitable groups were not 'operated primarily for religious purposes' under state law. The Wisconsin Supreme Court last year upheld the state commission's finding, saying the groups' activities were mostly secular in nature and that they do not 'attempt to imbue program participants with the Catholic faith nor supply any religious materials.' The Wisconsin unemployment compensation system was set up in 1932 to provide a safety net for people who lose their jobs. Similar programs in other states and the Federal Unemployment Tax Act also include religious exemptions. Various groups representing different Christian sects and other religious faiths have backed the Catholic groups in the case, as has the Trump administration.
