Stories from November 20, 2025

Minnesota baby in hospital due to nationwide baby formula botulism outbreak
According to the lawsuit filing, the baby girl required a feeding tube in the pediatric intensive care unit and suffered from muscle weakness and paralysis. She’ll require therapy to help her regain the ability to feed, swallow and regain muscle strength.
A 3-month-old baby is in the hospital in Minnesota after consuming formula linked to a nationwide botulism outbreak. The family filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the company that makes ByHeart formula. A Capitol event Thursday marked Transgender Day of Remembrance.
State auditor finds Byron schools improperly documented credit card purchases amid financial crisis
A state review shows that Byron Public Schools failed to provide proper credit card documentation for $60,000 in purchases in 2023 and 2024. It's the latest in a series of financial missteps in the southeastern Minnesota district.
Minneapolis convenience store owner is 77th charged in Feeding Our Future scheme
Ousman Camara is the 77th person charged in the sprawling Feeding Our Future fraud case. Prosecutors allege that Camara falsely claimed to have served more than 300,000 meals to children and collected $1 million from taxpayer-funded child nutrition programs.
Tribal nations and state to hash out cannabis tax agreements in coming years
Tribal-state cannabis compacts provide that the state may enter into tax agreements with tribes operating cannabis businesses outside reservations. It might be years before the agreements are negotiated.
Trump says Democrats' video message to military is 'seditious behavior' punishable by death
President Donald Trump is accusing half a dozen Democratic lawmakers of sedition “punishable by DEATH” after the lawmakers called on U.S. military members to uphold the Constitution and defy “illegal orders.” The 90-second video was first posted early Tuesday from Sen. Elissa Slotkin’s X account. 
Minnesota agriculture news roundup on government shutdown, Thanksgiving prices
Fargo-Moorhead area agriculture reporter Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval chatted with Nina about his latest stories on the ripple effects of the federal government shutdown on the state’s farmers, farmers’ concerns on the nation’s economic outlook and the projected cost of a Thanksgiving turkey this year.
Self-driving taxi company Waymo to begin testing its fleet in Minneapolis
The self-driving taxi company Waymo announced Thursday that it’s coming to Minneapolis — though the service will be in a testing and data collection phase, with human drivers behind the wheel, to start.
What is the Forward Independence Party and how is its candidate angling to become governor?
The Forward Independence Party has high hopes of becoming a major party in Minnesota. It showcased some of its candidates, including Mike Newcome who is running for governor, at the Capitol Thursday morning.
The CDC revives debunked 'link' between childhood vaccines and autism
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention webpage that previously stated "Vaccines do not cause autism" has been changed to cast doubt on the scientific research that supports the finding.
Winter Hazard Awareness Week: Staying safe indoors and out
We continue our Winter Hazard Awareness Week and turn our attention to safety, both inside and outside. Outdoor exposure, indoor air-quality concerns, and fire risks all increase during the winter months, and understanding these hazards can help prevent emergencies.
Young girls were sexually abused by a church member. They were told to forgive and forget.
In Duluth, leaders of an Old Apostolic Lutheran Church community enabled a child abuser by telling his victims that once the sins were “washed away in the blood of reconciliation,” they could never speak of them again.
Morning Announcements for Nov. 20
These are the Morning Announcements for Thursday, Nov. 20. Tell us what you’re celebrating!
College radio's comeback: Why people are tuning in
College radio is making a comeback. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with two students who help run college stations. They’ll get into what makes it special and why it's worth tuning in. 
Here are the winners of the 2025 National Book Awards
Author Rabih Alameddine won for his novel The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother). Other winners include a book for young people about orphans on the run in Iran during World War II.
Wild pass Hurricanes 4-3 in shootout, Wallstedt and Boldy carry Minnesota
Jesper Wallstedt stopped a career-high 42 shots and three more in a shootout, Matt Boldy scored in regulation and had the lone goal in the tiebreaker in the Minnesota Wild’s 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night.
Joe Biden to attend Dick Cheney’s funeral, as Donald Trump continues to remain silent on his death
Former president Joe Biden plans to attend Thursday’s memorial service for former vice president Dick Cheney at the Washington National Cathedral. Biden, a Democrat, had praised Cheney for his “strong set of conservative values” after his death.
Mild Thursday, sunshine Friday; weekend looks bright, mild
Look for a mix of clouds and sun Thursday. It will be mild with highs near 50 in southern Minnesota. High pressure brings sunshine Friday with a mild weekend ahead. 
September jobs report arrives today, almost seven weeks behind schedule
The Labor Department reports on hiring and unemployment for the month of September Thursday. The report, which was delayed by the government shutdown, is somewhat stale, but could offer some clues about the strength or weakness of the U.S. job market.
Minnesota’s second romance-only bookstore brings the small-town charm
Hey Darling opened in October 2024 on Main Street in Austin. Owner Trish Marin said she wants small town residents of the state to experience the sense of belonging a romance bookstore can bring.
Transgender Day of Remembrance events across state honor lives lost
State Rep. Leigh Finke and Minneapolis City Council member Andrea Jenkins were among the transgender leaders who spoke at events to commemorate trans people who have died and and who called for change.
Three former municipal employees in Clear Lake, Minn., are charged with embezzling $201,000, or nearly half of the city’s annual property tax revenue and a fifth of its entire budget.