Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now

Stories from January 16, 2019

Daily movement -- even household chores -- may boost brain health in elderly

Daily movement -- even household chores -- may boost brain health in elderly

Whether it's exercise or housework, older Americans who move their bodies regularly may preserve more of their memory and thinking skills, even if they have brain lesions and other signs of dementia.
by Patti Neighmond

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
House OKs Democratic bill to reopen government

House OKs Democratic bill to reopen government

The House has passed a Democratic measure to reopen the government through Feb. 8 and provide $14 billion in emergency spending for recent hurricanes, wildfires and other natural disasters.
by Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
St. Paul cop who kicked man indicted for excessive force

St. Paul cop who kicked man indicted for excessive force

The indictment, sought by the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, includes one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, which carries a maximum 10 years in prison.
by Tim Nelson and Matt Sepic

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Federal watchdog finds government ignored emoluments clause with Trump hotel

Federal watchdog finds government ignored emoluments clause with Trump hotel

The Inspector General for the General Services Administration, said that agency lawyers decided to ignore the constitutional issues when they reviewed the lease after Trump won the 2016 election.
by Peter Overby

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Target Foundation signals change in aid to nonprofits

Target Foundation signals change in aid to nonprofits

Arts and social service agencies in the Twin Cities are learning that the foundation may withdraw its support.
by Marianne Combs

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Future of marijuana legalization is hazy at State Capitol

Future of marijuana legalization is hazy at State Capitol

Supporters and opponents of recreational marijuana use disagreed loudly at the Capitol Wednesday and legislative leaders say they won't rush to pass legislation.
by Tim Pugmire

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
White House: Shutdown will be worse for economy than first thought

White House: Shutdown will be worse for economy than first thought

White House officials reportedly say that each week of the shutdown will subtract 0.1 percentage point from growth -- double the administration's original estimate.
by Emily Sullivan

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Amid Brexit chaos, Theresa May's government survives confidence vote

Amid Brexit chaos, Theresa May's government survives confidence vote

Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the Labour party, had called for the vote in parliament after the resounding defeat of the Brexit deal that the prime minister had negotiated with the EU.

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
EPA nominee Wheeler says he champions deregulation; Dems call him 'extreme'

EPA nominee Wheeler says he champions deregulation; Dems call him 'extreme'

Acting Environmental Protection Agency chief Andrew Wheeler began his testimony Wednesday over the chants of environmental protesters, who shouted "Shut Down Wheeler" in the committee room and the hallway outside.
by Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

What will it take to make green spaces accessible to all?

Despite a lack of snow in some parts of Minnesota, there are plenty of outdoor activities available this winter -- including some of the best ice skating in years.
by Manda Lillie and Angela Davis

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

Climate change: Are we screwed?

The short answer: It's complicated, but there's hope.
by Manda Lillie and Angela Davis

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Closs family: Appreciate sympathy from suspect's father

Closs family: Appreciate sympathy from suspect's father

The grandfather of a Wisconsin girl who was kidnapped after her parents were killed in October said Wednesday that he appreciates the sympathy being expressed by the suspect's father.
by Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
'Absurd': 3 Minnesota towns crushed state rainfall records last year

'Absurd': 3 Minnesota towns crushed state rainfall records last year

Harmony's 2018 rain total would have been common for a Gulf Coast city, not Minnesota. But massive rainfalls are the new normal as the climate changes. A state climatologist expects Minnesota's precipitation record to be broken again soon.
by Paul Huttner and Cody Nelson

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Veterans claiming illness from burn pits lose court fight

Veterans claiming illness from burn pits lose court fight

Hundreds of veterans sued military contractor KBR Inc., alleging toxic smoke from burn pits at military bases made them ill. A federal appellate court said compensation must come from Congress.
by Quil Lawrence

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Federal employees moonlight to pay the bills

Federal employees moonlight to pay the bills

As the partial government shutdown continues, some federal workers and contractors are looking for temporary jobs to earn income.
by Jeff Brady

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Moon magic: Museum celebrates lunar eclipse, all things astronomy this weekend

Moon magic: Museum celebrates lunar eclipse, all things astronomy this weekend

The University of Minnesota's Bell Museum is planning a year of activities celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing -- and it kicks off this weekend with a treat for nighttime skywatchers.
by Andrew Krueger

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Bus carrying kids upended in Cottage Grove; 2 hurt

Bus carrying kids upended in Cottage Grove; 2 hurt

Two people, including a student, received minor injuries after a van apparently T-boned a day care center bus at an intersection, overturning the bus.
by Elizabeth Shockman

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Pelosi calls for postponement of State of the Union address due to shutdown

Pelosi calls for postponement of State of the Union address due to shutdown

In a letter to President Trump, Pelosi cites security concerns and suggests working together to find another suitable date. Pelosi also gave the president the option to deliver the address in writing.

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
U.S. troops killed by blast in Syria; ISIS claims responsibility

U.S. troops killed by blast in Syria; ISIS claims responsibility

Four Americans are reported dead, and three more injured, in a suicide bombing in northern Syria. The attack comes shortly after President Trump announced the U.S. would withdraw troops from Syria.
by Daniella Cheslow

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Lawyer chosen to screen possible Walz judicial picks

Lawyer chosen to screen possible Walz judicial picks

Medtronic attorney Lola Velazquez-Aguili will lead the Commission on Judicial Selection under Gov. Tim Walz. It's deemed the hiring committee for potential judges.
by Brian Bakst

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
'Birdchick' says she has 'good days, bad days' due to shutdown

'Birdchick' says she has 'good days, bad days' due to shutdown

Bird expert Sharon Stiteler, a park ranger for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, said she's been furloughed several times before but that this time it's different. "This one has been unpredictable from the very beginning," Stiteler said.
by Cathy Wurzer

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
No getting away from politics at high school basketball game

No getting away from politics at high school basketball game

Is there some Minnesota passive aggressiveness at work in the displaying of a Trump campaign sign at a basketball game between a predominantly white team and a predominantly black one? Or is it just a love a politics?
by Bob Collins

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Sears staves off liquidation, stores to remain open

Sears staves off liquidation, stores to remain open

The company's chair and largest shareholder won a bankruptcy auction for Sears in New York, averting liquidation of the iconic chain, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.
by The Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Complaint in Closs case could be road map for prosecution

Complaint in Closs case could be road map for prosecution

One defense attorney wondered if the complaint, which focused almost entirely on Jayme Closs' abduction and her escape, was "designed to send a signal to the defense that the evidence against their client is overwhelming."
by The Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

Congress prepares to skip planned recess if shutdown goes on

President Trump is not backing off his demand to have Congress provide $5.7 billion to build his promised border wall with Mexico. Democrats say they will discuss border security once the government has reopened, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi is refusing money for the wall they view as ineffective and immoral.
by The Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Netflix increases subscription prices as it churns out original content

Netflix increases subscription prices as it churns out original content

The hikes, which will affect all U.S. viewers, come as Netflix faces an increasingly competitive field of video streaming services.

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
No black women? St. Paul cops adjust recruiting tactics

No black women? St. Paul cops adjust recruiting tactics

Following podcasters' advice, officers try spreading the word through beauty salons to recruit more female African-American police officers.
by Riham Feshir

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
January is back!

January is back!

January has returned from its sabbatical. Temperatures dropped down to a seasonable range or colder for most of Minnesota Wednesday morning. International Falls reported a chilly 22 degrees below zero before 6 a.m. The Twin Cities area fell into the upper single digits. Bare-ground areas such as the Twin Cities would be colder if there…
by Bill Endersen

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Response to Gillette ad proves some men are better

Response to Gillette ad proves some men are better

The now infamous Gillette ad audaciously suggesting that men treat women with respect and police the ones who don't, has accomplished its mission of opening a discussion. It also required us -- again -- to listen to the sound of a million hissyfits by men who don't have much to offer after 'hey, baby!'
by Bob Collins

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

What’s on MPR News – 1/16/19

Here are the stories, topics, and guests you'll hear today on MPR News.
by Bob Collins

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
'Help Me!' documents a year of self-help books

'Help Me!' documents a year of self-help books

Marianne Power decided to read one self-help book a month, for a year -- and follow the advice in each, to the letter. She says it became a much more intense undertaking than she'd anticipated.
by Mary Louise Kelly

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
APM Reports documentary: Teaching Teachers

APM Reports documentary: Teaching Teachers

Wednesday's documentary looks at the importance of a good teacher, and has some tips from Japan about teacher training and re-training on the job.
by MPR News Staff

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
One of the last Navajo Code Talkers dies at 94

One of the last Navajo Code Talkers dies at 94

Alfred Newman served from 1943 to 1945, transmitting codes in his native tongue which prevented the Japanese from gleaning U.S. intelligence during World War II.
by Sasha Ingber

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Feds list what they call Manafort lies but few details visible in blacked out filing

Feds list what they call Manafort lies but few details visible in blacked out filing

The special counsel's office wants a judge to consider Manafort's plea agreement void after what the government calls false statements; Manafort argues he didn't breach his deal.

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!