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Nicole Mitchell (meteorologist)

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Nicole Mitchell
Mitchell in 2023
Member of the Minnesota Senate
from the 47th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded bySusan Kent (Redistricting)
Personal details
Born (1974-10-10) October 10, 1974 (age 50)
Fargo, North Dakota, USA
Political partyDemocratic (DFL)
Alma materGeorgia State University (J.D.)
University of Minnesota (B.A.)
OccupationMeteorologist, Air Force Reserve Command Hurricane Hunter
Worked forAl Jazeera America News (2013–2016)
The Weather Channel (2004–2011)
Military career
Allegiance United States
Service / branch United States Air Force
Years of service1992–present
Rank Lieutenant Colonel
Unit126th Weather Flight
Commands126th Weather Flight
Battles / warsWar in Afghanistan
Iraq War

Nicole Lynn Mitchell (born October 10, 1974) is an American politician, military officer, and meteorologist. She represents the cities of Woodbury and Maplewood in the Minnesota Senate. Mitchell is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air National Guard, commanding the 126th Weather Flight.

Prior to serving in public office, Mitchell was a news media meteorologist. She worked at the Weather Channel from 2004 to 2011 and with Al Jazeera America from 2013 to 2016. After some time as a freelance meteorologist at CBS News (working at WCBS-TV in New York City and WFOR-TV in Miami), she returned to her home state of Minnesota in 2017 to become a meteorologist for KSTP-TV in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul media market. She also appeared on Minnesota Public Radio.

In 2022, she was elected to the Minnesota Legislature as a state senator for District 47.[1] In 2024, Mitchell was charged with felony burglary. A Senate ethics panel inquiry was convened to address the incident.[2] Mitchell stated that she would not resign and continued to cast a tie-breaking vote in the 2024 legislative session.[3][4]

Early life

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Mitchell was born in Fargo, North Dakota. Her family later moved to Woodbury, Minnesota, where she graduated from Woodbury High School in 1992. She is an alumna of the University of Minnesota.[5]

Military career

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Mitchell briefing Canadian Air Cadets in 2015

Mitchell served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve and assigned to the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, as an aerial reconnaissance weather officer. Mitchell is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air National Guard, commanding the 126th Weather Flight.

Meteorology career

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The Weather Channel

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Mitchell began working with the Weather Channel in 2004. She co-anchored the channel's morning show, Your Weather Today, from 2004 to 2008. She then moved to co-host of Evening Edition alongside Paul Goodloe from 2008 to 2010.[citation needed]

The Weather Channel terminated Mitchell in 2011. She filed a lawsuit against the channel in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia in 2011, alleging that she had been terminated because the new owners disapproved of the time required by her simultaneous duties as a captain in the Air Force Reserve Command as part of the "Hurricane Hunters" team.[6]

Al Jazeera America

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In 2013, Mitchell began work on the weather team at Al Jazeera America. Mitchell delivered the weather segments in the morning from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time and during large weather events. She was the chief meteorologist of the channel until it ceased operation on April 12, 2016.[citation needed]

CBS News

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Beginning Spring 2016, Mitchell freelanced with CBS News, appearing on WCBS-TV in New York City, along with contributions to the national network CBS This Morning show. She also traveled south to Miami, filling in for Lissette Gonzalez at WFOR-TV while she was on maternity leave.[citation needed]

KSTP-TV Minneapolis-Saint Paul

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Mitchell returned to her home state of Minnesota to join the Minneapolis-Saint Paul station KSTP-TV in 2017. She appeared on a variety of KSTP newscasts as a freelance meteorologist.[7]

Minnesota Public Radio

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Mitchell appeared on the Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) show Morning Edition from November 2019 to January 2022, in the role of meteorologist alongside anchor Cathy Wurzer.[8] On January 7, 2022, she announced on Twitter that she was leaving MPR to explore a candidacy for the Minnesota Senate.[9]

Political career

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Mitchell ran as the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party candidate for District 47 in the 2022 Minnesota Senate election. She defeated Republican candidate Dwight Dorau by winning 58.1 percent of the vote to 41.2 percent. Mitchell represents the cities of Woodbury and Maplewood.[1][10][11]

Personal life

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Mitchell making a presentation to schoolchildren in Bermuda in 2010

Mitchell has volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for abused and neglected children. She is a licensed foster care provider. She received her Juris Doctor degree from the Georgia State University College of Law in 2010. As a member of the Minnesota Bar, Mitchell has volunteered with "Wills For Heroes" to provide free legal services for first responders.[citation needed]

Arrest

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On April 22, 2024, Mitchell was arrested at 4:45 a.m. in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, by police who were responding to a burglary call.[12] The following day she was charged with first-degree burglary. According to the charging documents, Mitchell allegedly entered her stepmother's home in an attempt to retrieve several items.[13] Mitchell claimed that she was only interested in things that were of "sentimental value" to her, which included the ashes of her late father.[14] Mitchell's stepmother disputed Mitchell's claims and stated that she was fearful of Mitchell.[2]

Mitchell holds a tie-breaking vote in the Minnesota Senate, posing a dilemma for fellow Democrats. Senate Democrats stripped Mitchell of committee assignments but have not expressed support for her resignation. State DFL chairman Ken Martin stated that he would like for Mitchell to resign by June 8, allowing her seat to be filled in a special election. Mitchell stated that she would not resign and continued to vote in the 2024 legislative session.[4][3]

Mitchell was subjected to a Senate ethics inquiry on May 7.[2][15] The committee declined to take any actions until after Mitchell's court court appearance on June 10.[16] The following week, Republicans in the Minnesota State Senate introduced a motion to expel Mitchell, but the motion failed with Mitchell providing the tie-breaking vote.[17]

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nicole Mitchell (meteorologist).

References

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  1. ^ a b 🖉"Senator Nicole L. Mitchell (47, DFL) - Minnesota Legislature". MN State Senate.
  2. ^ a b c "Minnesota ethics panel to consider how to deal with senator charged with burglary". Associated Press. May 6, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "DFL Sen. Nicole Mitchell says she won't resign as state senate begins probe into felony burglary charge". Pioneer Press. April 25, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Sen. Mitchell returns to Capitol as her arrest looms over session's final weeks". MPR News. April 29, 2024.
  5. ^ "Mitchell, Nicole - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present". www.lrl.mn.gov. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  6. ^ "The Marietta Daily Journal - Suit alleges Weather Channel Star was fired for military service". MDJ Online. June 5, 2012. Archived from the original on January 28, 2013. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
  7. ^ "Nicole Mitchell KSTP bio". KSTP.com.
  8. ^ "Nicole Mitchell MPR bio". Minnesota Public Radio.
  9. ^ "Nicole Mitchell, Candidate for State Senate, District 47". YouTube.
  10. ^ ""Weather" Caucus? Two Meteorologists Elected to Minnesota Senate". Minnesota Public Radio News. 15 November 2022.
  11. ^ "Nicole Mitchell for State Senate". Nicole Mitchell for State Senate.
  12. ^ "State senator from Woodbury arrested for burglary in Detroit Lakes". KVRR Local News. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  13. ^ Faircloth, Ryan; Olson, Rochelle (April 23, 2024). "DFL state senator charged with first-degree burglary in break-in at stepmother's home". Star Tribune. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  14. ^ Karnowski, Steve (April 23, 2024). "Minnesota senator wanted late father's ashes when she broke into stepmother's home, charges say".
  15. ^ "Minnesota Senate to hold ethics hearing on Sen. Nicole Mitchell's burglary arrest". Star Tribune. May 7, 2024.
  16. ^ Cummings, Caroline (May 7, 2024). "Minnesota Senate ethics panel delays action on complaint against Sen. Nicole Mitchell until after next court date".
  17. ^ Cummings, Caroline; Henderson, Eric (May 15, 2024). "Motion to expel Minnesota Sen. Nicole Mitchell over felony burglary charge fails".
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