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Stories from February 20, 2019

Wisconsin governor vetoes tax plan; early showdown with GOP

Wisconsin governor vetoes tax plan; early showdown with GOP

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers vetoed a GOP income tax cut bill Wednesday in an early showdown with legislative Republicans who had moved to weaken the Democrat's powers just weeks before he took office.

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Curry sentenced to 30 years in prison in abuse of daughters

Curry sentenced to 30 years in prison in abuse of daughters

The twin daughters of Jerry Curry lashed out at their abuser Wednesday in written statements read aloud in a Hennepin County courtroom.
by Brandt Williams

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Record broken: Snowiest February in Twin Cities with more to come

Record broken: Snowiest February in Twin Cities with more to come

The Twin Cities has amassed more than 30 inches of snow this month, making it the snowiest February, with a week and two snowstorms to go. See how the record piles up against Februarys over time.
by Jiwon Choi

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Dems' measure blocking Trump emergency will come Friday

Dems' measure blocking Trump emergency will come Friday

House Democrats will file a resolution Friday aimed at blocking the national emergency declaration that President Trump has issued to help finance his wall along the Southwest border, teeing up a clash over billions of dollars, immigration policy and the Constitution's separation of powers.
by Associated Press

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Wisconsin school ends cheerleading awards for body parts

A Wisconsin high school is ending cheerleading awards given annually to girls with the largest breasts or buttocks -- dubbed "Big Booty" and "Big Boobie" -- after the American Civil Liberties Union demanded action following repeated complaints from parents and a former coach to school and district officials.
by Associated Press

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Covington Catholic teen Nick Sandmann sues Washington Post for $250 million

Covington Catholic teen Nick Sandmann sues Washington Post for $250 million

His family says the newspaper targeted the student and defamed him for political purposes after the release of a video that appeared to show a standoff between him and a Native American activist.
by Bill Chappell

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Solar for schools and 9 other state environmental budget items to watch

Solar for schools and 9 other state environmental budget items to watch

Gov. Tim Walz's budget proposal mostly maintains environmental programs, but there are some changes, such as a tax credit for farmers who install buffers along waterways and new spending on strategies to reduce food waste.
by Elizabeth Dunbar

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Angry on the road? You're not alone

Lots of drivers flip people off, lean on the horn, tailgate and stew in their car long after an encounter. But what happens when that anger crosses into danger territory? We explore where that aggression comes from and how to stay safe among road ragers.
by Angela Davis and Karen Zamora

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When Nazis took Manhattan

When Nazis took Manhattan

In 1939, an event at Madison Square Garden was billed as a "Pro-America Rally." It was, in fact, a rally in support of Hitler and fascism.
by Sarah Kate Kramer

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U.S. hate groups rose 30 percent in recent years, watchdog group reports

U.S. hate groups rose 30 percent in recent years, watchdog group reports

The Southern Poverty Law Center says many groups are driven by white supremacist ideology and the "hysteria over losing a white-majority nation." Critics accuse the group of overblowing the threat.
by Leila Fadel

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Painter's exhibit pays tribute to Standing Rock protests

Painter's exhibit pays tribute to Standing Rock protests

Anishinaabe artist Jim Denomie says he saw parallels between the clash over the Dakota Access pipeline and the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee.
by Marianne Combs

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Pet owners show off their good boys and girls on Love Your Pet Day

Pet owners show off their good boys and girls on Love Your Pet Day

As far as made up holidays go, animal-themed ones are the best! Be sure to show extra love to your furry (and scaly and feathery) friends today.
by Sara Porter

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Scientists release controversial genetically modified mosquitoes in high-security lab

Scientists release controversial genetically modified mosquitoes in high-security lab

The insects were created, using CRISPR, to carry a powerful "gene drive." The mosquitoes could provide a potent weapon against malaria, but they raise fears about unpredictable environmental effects.
by Rob Stein

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Does state budget spell the end of Minnesota's honeymoon?

Does state budget spell the end of Minnesota's honeymoon?

On Tuesday, DFL Gov. Tim Walz released his state budget proposal for the coming two years, and Republicans immediately voiced objections. In a tweet Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-Nisswa, called the plan, "One Expensive Minnesota" — a play on the governor's campaign pledge of "One Minnesota."
by Manda Lillie and Angela Davis

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The Minnesota Opera's upcoming season includes the premiere of 'Edward Tulane,' based on Kate DiCamillo's YA novel

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer talked with DiCamillo about the experience of seeing her book transformed into an opera. DiCamillo is a Twin Cities resident and a two-time Newbery Medal winner.
by Cathy Wurzer

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As Pope holds sex abuse summit, U.S. Catholics not hopeful for 'bold moves'

As Pope holds sex abuse summit, U.S. Catholics not hopeful for 'bold moves'

American Catholics have become disappointed as Pope Francis described the meeting as featuring "prayer and discernment" — hardly an ambitious vision for what could have been a momentous event.
by Tom Gjelten

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In search for a hero’s family, a lesson in integrity

In search for a hero’s family, a lesson in integrity

When Amanda Kehler, who runs a cafe and antique store in Steinbach, Manitoba(about 90 miles northwest of Warroad), was out antiquing a week or so ago, she thought the stack of old newspapers and documents she bought for a dollar was a pretty good deal. It might have been a priceless one because this letter from Earl Sorel was in it.
by Bob Collins

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MN lawmaker wants electric cars drivers to pay higher fees

MN lawmaker wants electric cars drivers to pay higher fees

A Minnesota Senate committee is considering a big fee increase for electric vehicles and a new fee for hybrid vehicles.
by Tim Pugmire

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Fouled waters reveal lasting legacy of U.S. mining industry

Fouled waters reveal lasting legacy of U.S. mining industry

Every day many millions of gallons of water loaded with arsenic, lead and other toxic metals flow from some of the most contaminated mining sites in the U.S. and into surrounding lakes and streams without being treated, The Associated Press has found.
by The Associated Press

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Twin Cities shatters February snow record; more this weekend

Twin Cities shatters February snow record; more this weekend

Looking ahead, two more storms are brewing that could drop fresh coatings of snow on parts of the state Friday and this weekend. That pretty much means it's a good week to perfect your snow fort-building skills.
by Nancy Yang

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No, airplanes weren’t breaking the sound barrier this week

The person I picked up while Lyfting last night at the airport was exhausted. “It was like flying to Los Angeles,” he said of the more than three-hour flight from Boston. He was the victim of nature to an extent rarely seen, and he’s the yang to the yin of the focus of stories about…
by Bob Collins

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Walz has big job in passing budget

Walz has big job in passing budget

Republican legislators say tax increases proposed by Gov. Tim Walz will not become law.
by Brian Bakst

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Opera version of DiCamillo's 'Edward Tulane' set for 2020

Composer Paola Prestini says the work should have wide appeal. The opera has been in development over the last two years.
by Euan Kerr

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No happy ending for Syrian family embraced by Canadian city

No happy ending for Syrian family embraced by Canadian city

Today's story is about seeing the big picture, particularly for parents who are outraged that school has been canceled around here today and their kids are safe at home and presenting quite an inconvenience.
by Bob Collins

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Daily Digest: The Walz budget

A roundup of the day's top stories from politics and government.
by Bill Wareham

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Stories converge in a flooded 'Bangkok'

Stories converge in a flooded 'Bangkok'

Pitchaya Sudbanthad's novel follows a broad cast of characters who gradually come together in and around a condominium tower in Bangkok. It's a promising debut that expertly evokes a sense of place.
by Michael Schaub

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APM Reports documentary: 'Order 9066' part 2

APM Reports documentary: 'Order 9066' part 2

Part 2 of the APM Reports three-part documentary, "Order 9066," resulting in Japanese-American relocation and incarceration during World War II.
by MPR News Staff

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What’s on MPR News – 2/20/19

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

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Trump pushes ahead with 'space force' despite hurdles

Trump pushes ahead with 'space force' despite hurdles

It would be under the umbrella of the Air Force to try to simplify the process. This represents a shift; Trump had stated that he wanted a space force that is "separate but equal" from the Air Force.

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Lawmakers seek probe of ICE force-feeding of immigrants

Lawmakers seek probe of ICE force-feeding of immigrants

Nearly 50 Democratic lawmakers called for a watchdog investigation of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Tuesday after the agency confirmed it had been force-feeding immigrant detainees on a hunger strike.
by Associated Press

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Andrew McCabe: FBI investigations into Trump 'were extraordinary steps'

Andrew McCabe: FBI investigations into Trump 'were extraordinary steps'

"We don't have a lot of experience with investigating presidents of the United States," McCabe says. "There is not a standard SOP on the shelf that you pull down to say, 'Here's how it's done.'"
by Terry Gross

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