Stories from January 24, 2025

The Minnesota Supreme Court has weighed in on the standoff in the state House. Justices say 68 members are needed to conduct business — one more than Republicans have on their own. But the court declined to order a specific action beyond that, saying they assume the parties can work it out on their own with the quorum matter clarified. And a Republican candidate who narrowly lost a race for the Minnesota House won't ask the Supreme Court to step in.
Advocates remember 25 Minnesotans killed in connection with domestic violence
Family, friends and advocates gathered in St. Paul Friday to remember 25 people killed in connection with domestic violence last year. Violence Free Minnesota, a coalition of groups working to end domestic violence, puts on the event every year to commemorate Minnesotans killed the year before.
Light snow, especially north; 2-part thaw next week
Typical January temperatures this weekend. Milder Pacific air arrives next week.
Feeding Our Future defendant sentenced to 17-and-a-half years in prison
Jurors found that Mukhtar Shariff helped siphon around $47 million from government child nutrition programs for children in need during the pandemic.
University of Minnesota and Essentia announce new health care alliance
The University of Minnesota and Essentia Health are proposing a new nonprofit for academic medicine in Minnesota. The university currently operates under a collaborative agreement with Fairview Health Services. That agreement ends next year. 
Plans for pedestrian mall at George Floyd Square put on hold
A Minneapolis City Council committee on Thursday tabled plans to build a pedestrian plaza at George Floyd Square, after a survey found a majority of property owners don’t like the idea.
Parting Thoughts: Remembering Paul Richard, who loved planes and died at 97 in St. Paul
Paul Richard was born in California, made a life in Evanston, Ill., and died on Jan. 14 in St. Paul, where his daughter Diane Richard lives. She spoke with Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer about his life and legacy for “Parting Thoughts.”
Review: ’Boney Manilli’ at the Walker Art Center
The Walker Art Center’s Out There series balances seriousness and silliness, exemplified by Edgar Arceneaux’s “Boney Manilli,” a chaotic yet poignant play blending puppetry, pop nostalgia and family tragedy into a unified exploration of voice identity and loss.
Morning Announcements for Jan. 24
Here are the morning announcements for Friday, Jan. 24, 2025.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship. Minnesota was one of several states filing suit to block the order. The Minneapolis VA is expected to resume hiring soon, after it rescinded over 80 job offers this week.
Elon Musk tried to turn the salute controversy into a joke
The incident only lasted seconds, but it sparked what has become a global debate about how to interpret what Musk did. Then Musk started posting Nazi-themed jokes.
Wild bring back Kaprizov and Spurgeon from injuries for game against Utah
The Minnesota Wild activated star Kirill Kaprizov and captain Jared Spurgeon from injured reserve to put two integral players back in the lineup. Kaprizov missed 12 games with a lower-body injury that lingered longer than the Wild initially believed it would.
Seasonal temperatures for Friday; snow stays north
A clipper system will bring light snow to the northern areas, with flurries likely south of Interstate 94. Temperatures will warm up into the 20s and stay there through the weekend.
Minnesota justices tell lawmakers to work out control of ‘dysfunctional’ House
The Minnesota Supreme Court on Friday agreed with DFLers that it takes 68 votes to conduct House business, but the opinion didn’t come with a road map on how the House should proceed from here.
In Duluth, free water safety classes pay off for preschoolers and parents
Water is important to Minnesota’s identity, but for some in the land of 10,000 lakes it can bring more dread than joy. An effort in the Duluth Public Schools to teach preschoolers to swim is helping ease water fears and even coaxing some parents into the pool.
Minnesota sees decline in flu and COVID-19 hospitalizations, RSV cases climb
Statewide data released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Health indicates that hospitalizations for influenza and COVID-19 have slightly declined for the first time in over a month.  
St. Paul arts organization builds virtual Winter Carnival ice castles in Minecraft
Community arts organization 825 Arts in St. Paul will host an ice castle contest online through the video game Minecraft on Saturday, partnering with a local historian to share history and creativity of ice sculptures at the Winter Carnival.
Trump orders release of JFK, RFK and MLK assassination records
President Donald Trump has ordered the release of thousands of classified governmental documents about the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, which has fueled conspiracy theories for decades.
Walz proposes $887 million bonding bill for infrastructure projects, not worried about Capitol impasse
Using the breached Rapidan Dam as a backdrop Gov. Tim Walz pitched his $887 million bonding bill. As well as funding for infrastructure, Walz wants to fund a new state patrol headquarters, and address housing and environmental needs.
Proposed high-voltage powerline gets state regulators’ approval
Minnesota Power and Great River Energy jointly plan to build the 180-mile project, which could cost upwards of $1 billion. The utilities say the new high-voltage line is needed to help maintain a reliable power grid, as they transition away from fossil fuel plants to renewable energy such as solar and wind.