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Stories from March 19, 2019

Communities in southern Minnesota wait, watch and brace for flooding

Communities in southern Minnesota wait, watch and brace for flooding

MPR News reporters are fanned out across the state, talking to Minnesotans about how they're dealing with the unpredictable weather and preparing for possible floods. Here's what we're seeing in the southern half of the state.
by Tim Nelson and Peter Cox

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For second year in a row, Enbridge Energy spends the most in Minnesota on lobbying

For second year in a row, Enbridge Energy spends the most in Minnesota on lobbying

For the past several years Enbridge has advocated before the PUC for the highly contentious Line 3 oil pipeline, a $2.6 billion project to replace a corroding pipeline across northern Minnesota with a larger pipe along a different route.
by Dan Kraker

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Wright County adds more lakes to boat inspection pilot program

Wright County adds more lakes to boat inspection pilot program

A closely watched pilot program aimed at stopping the spread of aquatic invasive species requires boaters to stop at a regional inspection station before entering certain lakes. The original pilot included three lakes. It will be expanded to include six more.
by Kirsti Marohn

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How extremists exploit online communities

How extremists exploit online communities

The recent mosque attack in New Zealand and subsequent response from ISIS have garnered a lot of attention online. Are social media companies doing enough to stop extremism from spreading?
by Kerri Miller and Marcheta Fornoff

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'Sioux Chef' Sean Sherman wins James Beard Leadership Award

'Sioux Chef' Sean Sherman wins James Beard Leadership Award

Sean Sherman, the founder and CEO of The Sioux Chef was awarded a James Beard Foundation Leadeship Award, which "spotlights the important and complex realms of sustainability, food justice, and public health."
by Chris Graves

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Millennials aren't bucking tradition; they're more cautious with money

The rate of homeownership is dramatically lower among millennials than it was for the generations that preceded them. The Federal Reserve says it's because of "lower earnings, fewer assets and less wealth."
by Kerri Miller and Jeffrey Bissoy

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How much fraud is there really in human services?

A report released by the Office of the Legislative Auditor found evidence of fraud in the Child Care Assistance Program. How common is fraud in the delivery of human services, and when did it become such a political issue?
by Mike Mulcahy and Jeyca Maldonado-Medina

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Is an insecticide that harms bees bad for deer?

Is an insecticide that harms bees bad for deer?

It's often bees that make headlines for the effects of neonicotinoid insecticides. But a new study says the chemical might be harming white-tailed deer, too.
by Dan Gunderson

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White nationalist groups increase recruiting and propaganda across the west

White nationalist groups increase recruiting and propaganda across the west

The Anti-Defamation League says white supremacist propaganda has increased by over 180 percent in the last year, as they seek to recruit disaffected white kids looking for community.
by Nate Hegyi

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Plane crash investigations raise new questions about Minnesota-made sensor

Plane crash investigations raise new questions about Minnesota-made sensor

As investigators work to determine the cause of last week's fatal Ethiopian Airlines crash -- and the Lion Air crash on a similar plane just months ago -- a sensor made by a Minnesota company is coming under scrutiny.
by Cathy Wurzer

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A century-old story of jazz and murder in New Orleans

If you were in New Orleans exactly 100 years ago, you might have heard an early jazz recording like "Livery Stable Blues" being played loudly in homes across the city. The reason is less than delightful.
by Cathy Wurzer

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Showdown looms over school scholarship tax credit

Showdown looms over school scholarship tax credit

Republicans said they want Gov. Tim Walz to be open-minded when it comes to tax credits for private scholarship donors. The DFL governor says the proposal won't happen.
by Brian Bakst

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Records show FBI was probing Michael Cohen long before raid

Records show FBI was probing Michael Cohen long before raid

According to released documents, President Trump's former lawyer had been investigated for at least nine months before the FBI raid of his home and office.
by Associated Press

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Flugtag returns to St. Paul

Flugtag, the Red Bull-sponsored celebration that reveals how few people know how things fly, is making a comeback in the Twin Cities. It's more popular in Europe than the states, which is puzzling since it's right in Minnesota's wheelhouse: sitting on a boat and drinking.
by Bob Collins

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Nebraska floods: 74 cities, 65 counties declare state of emergency

Nebraska floods: 74 cities, 65 counties declare state of emergency

Vice President Mike Pence will visit Nebraska Tuesday to survey damage caused by Midwest floods that have killed at least four people and displaced hundreds.
by Dalia Mortada

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The road to the Final Four in Minneapolis

The road to the Final Four in Minneapolis

Over the next two weeks the number of teams in the tournament will be narrowed from 68 to four. Those four teams will come to U-S Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on the first weekend in April to play for the national championship.
by Cathy Wurzer

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Cyclone's huge floods endanger thousands in southern Africa

Cyclone's huge floods endanger thousands in southern Africa

Rapidly rising floodwaters have created "an inland ocean" in Mozambique endangering scores of thousands of families, aid workers said Tuesday as they scrambled to rescue survivors of Cyclone Idai who clung to rooftops and trees.
by Associated Press

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Massive U.S. machines that hunt for ripples in space-time just got an upgrade

Massive U.S. machines that hunt for ripples in space-time just got an upgrade

The twin sites in the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory are about to go back online. New hardware should make them able to sense more colliding black holes and other cosmic events.
by Nell Greenfieldboyce

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TV anchor lets audience share in the death in the family

TV anchor lets audience share in the death in the family

hen an anchorperson is pregnant, it becomes not only an ongoing news story, it can be a marketing opportunity for the station. Brooke Martin's journey, however was a gut-wrenching story that may save other children.
by Bob Collins

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AP finds hot records falling twice as often as cold ones

AP finds hot records falling twice as often as cold ones

Over the past 20 years, Americans have been twice as likely to sweat through record-breaking heat rather than shiver through record-setting cold, a new Associated Press data analysis shows.
by Associated Press

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Brazil's new president signals better relations with the U.S.

Brazil's new president signals better relations with the U.S.

The president of Brazil made an unusual visit to CIA headquarters and later spoke of his admiration for the United States on the second day of a trip that reflected his country's shift to a more pro-American stance.
by Associated Press

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New Zealand PM Ardern urges her nation to make gunman 'nameless'

New Zealand PM Ardern urges her nation to make gunman 'nameless'

Jacinda Ardern repeated her pledge to change New Zealand's gun laws and she questioned the role of social media in publicizing the attack by a self-proclaimed white supremacist.
by Richard Gonzales

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Rio Grande Valley landowners plan to fight border wall expansion

Rio Grande Valley landowners plan to fight border wall expansion

A decade ago, dozens of Texas landowners fought the federal government's efforts to build a wall on their land. Those battles are beginning again as new walls are planned for the Rio Grande Valley.
by Reynaldo Leanos Jr.

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Amy Klobuchar runs on a record of accomplishments -- including with Republicans

Amy Klobuchar runs on a record of accomplishments -- including with Republicans

The Minnesota Democratic senator and 2020 presidential candidate has touted a bipartisan approach and stopped short of embracing some progressive priorities, distinguishing her from many competitors.
by Danielle Kurtzleben

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Minnesota House passes hands-free cellphone bill

Minnesota House passes hands-free cellphone bill

The Minnesota House has passed legislation to ban motorists from using hand-held cellphones while driving.
by Tim Pugmire

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FiveThirtyEight doesn’t see the Klobuchar appeal

FiveThirtyEight doesn’t see the Klobuchar appeal

Because nonwhite voters make up 40 percent of the Democratic electorate, the website's elections analyst suggests that, at least to them, Klobuchar isn't anything special.
by Bob Collins

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Farm fears and protected wells: Flood season leaves rural Minn. with one eye on the forecast

Farm fears and protected wells: Flood season leaves rural Minn. with one eye on the forecast

Today in flooding prep: Ice jams continue, rural roads remain a challenge, private wells demand protection and Minnesota's farmers are bracing for the latest hurdle in a tough year.
by Mark Zdechlik, Tim Nelson, Elizabeth Dunbar and MPR News Staff

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Aiming for the green: Duluth debates future of its public golf courses

Aiming for the green: Duluth debates future of its public golf courses

The city's two public courses are losing money, hosting fewer golfers and need at least $7 million in upgrades. The city is exploring selling all or part of one or both courses, but residents fear the potential loss of treasured public green space.
by Dan Kraker

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To combat winter, Duluth shows a little leg

To combat winter, Duluth shows a little leg

Winter is in its last few hours and the people of Duluth are looking to give it a last kick today by wearing shorts.
by Bob Collins

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What’s on MPR News – 3/19/19

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

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Road trip with 'Zora and Langston' in this real-life literary adventure

Road trip with 'Zora and Langston' in this real-life literary adventure

Squeeze into the rumble seat --- Yuval Taylor brings readers along on a 1927 summer road trip taken by Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. Their friendship turned out to be a very bumpy ride.
by Maureen Corrigan

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In 'Horizon,' considering all that is connected

In 'Horizon,' considering all that is connected

Barry Lopez's new book is a biography and a portrait of some of the world's most delicate places, but at heart it's a contemplation of the belief that the way forward is compassionately, and together.
by Genevieve Valentine

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'The New Me' is meh about adulthood and ambition

'The New Me' is meh about adulthood and ambition

Halle Butler's new novel explores what it's like to work in a dead-end office job. Her satirical story focuses on a 30-year-old woman named Millie who wanders from temp job to temp job.
by Ailsa Chang

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A homeowner's winter hell

The rain, sleet and snow have caused ice dams, flooding in basements and more.
by Manda Lillie and Angela Davis

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Westminster Town Hall Forum: David Hogg's ideas to prevent gun violence

Westminster Town Hall Forum: David Hogg's ideas to prevent gun violence

A live broadcast of the Westminster Town Hall Forum featuring David Hogg, survivor of the Parkland school shooting and co-founder of "March for Our Lives."

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Minnesota has some of the best and worst access to mental health care

A new study finds Minnesota counties have some of the nation's highest concentrations of mental health care providers per capita -- and some of the lowest.
by Alisa Roth

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Video: What causes spring floods?

Video: What causes spring floods?

Parts of Minnesota saw record amounts of snow last month. Now as the temperatures ramp up, what happens when all that snow starts to melt? Watch this video to learn where the water goes and what causes spring floods.
by Kirsti Marohn and Jiwon Choi

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