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Stories from February 15, 2019

Defense attorney disputes evidence against Jerry Westrom

Defense attorney disputes evidence against Jerry Westrom

Jerry Westrom, 52, is charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Jeanne Ann Childs in Minneapolis in 1993.
by Matt Sepic

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'Church of Safe Injection' offers needles, naloxone to prevent opioid overdoses

'Church of Safe Injection' offers needles, naloxone to prevent opioid overdoses

The group says it has 18 chapters in eight states, all of them funded by private, anonymous donations. Members distribute free and clean drug-use supplies even at the risk of being arrested.
by Deborah Becker

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Trump declaration faces uncertain fate in coming court fight

Trump declaration faces uncertain fate in coming court fight

The coming legal fight seems likely to hinge on two main issues: Can the president declare a national emergency to build a border wall in the face of Congress' refusal to give him all the money and can the Defense Department take money from some congressionally approved military construction projects to pay for wall construction?
by Associated Press

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A year after Olympic gold, U.S. curlers reflect on success

A year after Olympic gold, U.S. curlers reflect on success

Nearly a year has passed since the Minnesota native won gold in South Korea, and John Shuster can still smile about his transformation from obscure curler to Olympic sensation.
by Associated Press

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State paid $45K to ex-IT official ousted over MNLARS not to sue

State paid $45K to ex-IT official ousted over MNLARS not to sue

Newly disclosed documents show the state settled with former chief technology officer Paul Meekin after he was fired over the rollout of the troubled vehicle licensing system. He also got his firing changed to a resignation.
by Brian Bakst

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Illinois man being fired from job fatally shoots 5 workers

Illinois man being fired from job fatally shoots 5 workers

By the time the chaos ended Friday afternoon, five employees of Henry Pratt Co. were found dead and the gunman was killed in a shootout with police. Five police officers were hospitalized with injuries that were not life-threatening.
by Associated Press

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Many presidents have declared emergencies, but not like Trump has

Many presidents have declared emergencies, but not like Trump has

When President Trump declared a national emergency on the Southern border on Friday, he claimed the move was routine -- even as he acknowledged the administration is likely to face legal challenges.
by Scott Horsley

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Prosecutors: Noor and partner responded to 911 call near Ruszczyk's home hours before she was shot

Prosecutors: Noor and partner responded to 911 call near Ruszczyk's home hours before she was shot

Prosecutors in the case of former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor want jurors at his trial to hear about a 911 call that Noor and his partner responded to in Justine Ruszczyk's neighborhood less than two hours before Noor shot and killed her.
by Jon Collins

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What to expect (or not) from your tax refund this year

If you haven't filed your taxes yet, you could be in for a surprise. Last year's federal tax overhaul promised a tax cut for millions. But many early filers aren't seeing the hefty refunds they expected.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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Klobuchar 2020: Updates from her presidential campaign

Klobuchar 2020: Updates from her presidential campaign

MPR News is following the Minnesota senator's bid for the Democrats' 2020 presidential nomination. Follow this running feed for the latest.
by Cody Nelson

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Chronic wasting found in wild deer in central Minnesota

It's the first time state officials have found the disease in a wild deer outside southeastern Minnesota. Gov. Walz on Friday called for more than $4.5 million over two years to combat the spread of CWD.
by MPR News Staff

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Supreme Court to decide if 2020 census includes citizenship question

Supreme Court to decide if 2020 census includes citizenship question

The high court agreed to a speedy review of a lower court's ruling that stopped Trump administration plans to use the census to ask whether every person living in the country is a U.S. citizen.

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First Lady Gwen Walz has influential voice in making policy

First Lady Gwen Walz has influential voice in making policy

Gwen Walz will be the first Minnesota first lady with an office at the Capitol. She spoke with Angela Davis about where she hopes to influence state policy.
by Manda Lillie and Angela Davis

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Political Junkie: No shutdown, but a national emergency

Political Junkie: No shutdown, but a national emergency

President Trump signed a deal that prevented a government shutdown. He then declared a national emergency to help fund a border wall. What comes next?
by Kerri Miller

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How will Sen. Amy Klobuchar fare in Iowa?

Minnesota's senior Democratic senator makes her first trip to Iowa this weekend since announcing she is running for President in 2020. How will she fare among Iowa caucusgoers?
by Manda Lillie and Angela Davis

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This could end up being the snowiest February in state history

Several climate stations from Hastings to Cotton are already reporting their snowiest February ever, with more than 20 inches of snowfall to date and two weeks left in the month.
by Cathy Wurzer

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Early sign of spring: The Twins have started training in Florida

The first workouts were held on Thursday. MPR News host Cathy Wurzer checked in with Star Tribune digital sports editor Howard Sinker for a preview of spring training.
by Cathy Wurzer

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J.S. Ondara drops his debut album, 'Tales of America,' on Friday

Ondara decided to move to Minnesota from Nairobi, Kenya in part because it was the birthplace of one of his favorite artists, Bob Dylan.
by Cathy Wurzer

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Alleged leader pleads not guilty in Minnesota mosque bombing

Alleged leader pleads not guilty in Minnesota mosque bombing

An Illinois man has pleaded not guilty in the bombing of a mosque in Minnesota, three weeks after two of his alleged accomplices pleaded guilty.
by Associated Press

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Twins reach 5-year deals with Kepler, Polanco

Twins reach 5-year deals with Kepler, Polanco

The Minnesota Twins have locked up a pair of young position players for the long term by agreeing to five-year contracts with right fielder Max Kepler and shortstop Jorge Polanco.
by Associated Press

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Crashed Ice in Boston? Meh

Like most of our sports stars, Crashed Ice has put the Twin Cities in its rear-view mirror and cuddled up to Boston.
by Bob Collins

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After late-night Amber Alert, people call cops to complain

'If you want to live in a province that protects its children, occasionally you have to roll over in bed and check your phone,' a columnist in Toronto writes in response.
by Bob Collins

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3 dead, deputy wounded after shootings in Nevis, Minn.

3 dead, deputy wounded after shootings in Nevis, Minn.

Deputies responding to reports of a shooting at home in the north-central Minnesota town ended up in a 20-minute pursuit with the suspect. The sheriff's office says the suspect is dead.
by John Enger

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China says trade talks to continue in Washington next week

China says trade talks to continue in Washington next week

With a March 2 deadline looming, U.S. and Chinese negotiators will meet in Washington next week for more talks on a tariff war over Beijing's technology ambitions, China's government announced Friday.
by Associated Press

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ICE halts force-feeding of detained hunger strikers in Texas

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has come under pressure to explain why it was force-feeding detained asylum-seekers protesting their detention. Nine of the 12 hunger strikers are from India.
by Richard Gonzales

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White House scrambles to find pots of money to use for wall

White House scrambles to find pots of money to use for wall

If President Trump declares an emergency to build the wall with Mexico, he still needs money to pay for it. And shifting money from other accounts to deliver the $5.7 billion he wants is not without political problems.
by Associated Press

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Racial disparities in cancer incidence and survival rates are narrowing

Racial disparities in cancer incidence and survival rates are narrowing

African-Americans still have the highest death rate and the lowest survival rate of any U.S. racial or ethnic group for most cancers. But the "cancer gap" between blacks and whites is shrinking.
by Patti Neighmond

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ChangeMakers: Leslie Redmond, youngest leader of Mpls. NAACP

ChangeMakers: Leslie Redmond, youngest leader of Mpls. NAACP

Leslie Redmond, 26, became the youngest president of the Minneapolis branch of the NAACP when she was elected to the position in March. She is pursuing her law degree and Master of Business Administration at St. Thomas University.
by Christine T. Nguyen

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‘Blackface’ at the basketball game: Racism or ‘harmless skin-care joke’?

‘Blackface’ at the basketball game: Racism or ‘harmless skin-care joke’?

Jalen Johnson, one of the nation's best high school basketball players, went to the free-throw line Wednesday night for his suburban Milwaukee team when Port Washington fans tried to distract him by holding and waving posters with his image. They appeared to show him wearing blackface, which is odd because Johnson is African American.
by Bob Collins

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New corrections commissioner: Should 'really mentally ill people be in a prison?'

New corrections commissioner: Should 'really mentally ill people be in a prison?'

Minnesota's new corrections commissioner, Paul Schnell, is a former top cop with a degree in social work. He knows mental illness will be a big challenge in his new job, and wonders whether prison is the right place for people who are really sick even if they've committed horrific crimes.
by Alisa Roth

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It takes a village to get an insurance company to use some common sense

If you needed another example of why our private health insurance system is broken, you needed to look no further yesterday than this tweet thread about a guy who fell into the bureaucratic black hole of the insurance industry and tried to get some common sense to prevail.
by Bob Collins

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Sunday snow update; how often is February our snowiest month?

Sunday snow update; how often is February our snowiest month?

Snow is expected to move into southwestern Minnesota Saturday evening, then spread over about the southern third of Minnesota Saturday night and continue on Sunday.
by Ron Trenda

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Wisconsin couple challenged by the curse of a million telephones

Back in the winter of 1971, Ron Knappen, of Galesville, Wis., went for a drive while he and his wife were on a trip to visit relatives in Illinois for Christmas. He came back with eight old wood wall telephones which he'd bought from someone for $50 each.
by Bob Collins

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Chilly Friday; Sunday snow update

Chilly Friday; Sunday snow update

Friday afternoon highs will be in the single digits above zero in much of western Minnesota, with some teens to the east. The Twin Cities metro area will top out in the mid teens. Saturday highs will be mainly in the teens, with some lower 20s southeast.
by Ron Trenda

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Daily Digest: TGIF Edition

A Friday look at some Minnesota political stories making news.
by Mike Mulcahy

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What’s on MPR News – 2/15/19

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

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'Politics with Amy Walter' on the Friday Takeaway

'Politics with Amy Walter' on the Friday Takeaway

Politics with Amy Walter on the Friday Takeaway

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The totally fascinating history of ... milk?

The totally fascinating history of ... milk?

You will never look at milk the same way again.
by Tracy Mumford

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Trump declares national emergency to help fund southern border wall

Trump declares national emergency to help fund southern border wall

Almost certain legal challenges and likely pushback from some within his own party await the president in the next phase of the ongoing national political battle over border security and immigration.
by The Associated Press

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Maduro reveals secret meetings with U.S. envoy

Maduro reveals secret meetings with U.S. envoy

A senior Venezuelan official said the second of two meetings took place Feb. 11 -- four days after the envoy, Elliott Abrams, said the "time for dialogue with Maduro had long passed," and as the Trump administration publicly backed an effort to unseat the embattled Venezuelan president.
by Associated Press

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