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Stories from March 12, 2020

Contract talks resume for striking St. Paul teachers

Contract talks resume for striking St. Paul teachers

The St. Paul school district and its teachers union have resumed contract talks while striking educators continue to walk picket lines and classes are canceled for a third straight day.
by The Associated Press

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Pentagon: U.S. strikes Iran-backed group that hit Iraq base

Pentagon: U.S. strikes Iran-backed group that hit Iraq base

The Pentagon says the U.S. launched airstrikes Thursday in Iraq, targeting the Iranian-backed Shia militia members believed responsible for the rocket attack that killed and wounded American and British troops at a base north of Baghdad.
by The Associated Press

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Cube Critics See "The Hunt," "Hope Gap," and "Wendy"

Cube Critics Euan Kerr and Marcheta Fornoff see a bloody (and silly) Hunt, a poignant Gap, and ride the rails with Wendy in a way J.M. Barry likely never envisioned.
by Euan Kerr and Marcheta Fornoff

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20 mph? Slow ride, take it easy on city streets, Mpls. and St. Paul say

20 mph? Slow ride, take it easy on city streets, Mpls. and St. Paul say

Public works crews in Minneapolis and St. Paul began changing speed limit signs from 30 mph to 20 mph on some residential streets and 30 to 25 mph along more heavily traveled streets — a victory for backers of the lower limits.
by Brandt Williams

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Minn. health plans say they will cover costs of COVID-19 tests

Minn. health plans say they will cover costs of COVID-19 tests

People concerned that they may have contracted the coronavirus may not have to worry about paying much, if anything, for tests. But they may see bills for office visit and other costs, depending on their insurer and plan.
by Martin Moylan

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New Mayo Clinic test could speed detection of COVID-19

New Mayo Clinic test could speed detection of COVID-19

The test became available Thursday, although Mayo labs will start with a small number of samples due to limited capacity.
by Catharine Richert

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Work set to begin to preserve historic dam in southeast Minnesota

Work set to begin to preserve historic dam in southeast Minnesota

After more than a decade of planning, and lobbying, and waiting, work will soon begin on rehabilitating and strengthening a landmark dam in southeast Minnesota.
by Andrew Krueger

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March Madness: NCAA Tournaments canceled due to coronavirus

March Madness: NCAA Tournaments canceled due to coronavirus

The NCAA has canceled its men's and women's basketball tournaments because of the spread of coronavirus, putting an abrupt end to the season less than a month before champions were to be crowned.
by The Associated Press

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MLB delays opening day by at least 2 weeks because of virus

MLB delays opening day by at least 2 weeks because of virus

Major League Baseball is delaying the start of its season by at least two weeks because of the coronavirus outbreak and suspended the rest of its spring training game schedule.

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Showers move out; milder breezes return Sunday

A cool front blows through Minnesota Thursday night. Temperatures remain cool through Saturday. Milder air begins to return Sunday.
by Paul Huttner

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NHL suspends season amid coronavirus concerns

NHL suspends season amid coronavirus concerns

NHL officials said they will “pause” the season starting with Thursday’s night’s games given the ongoing concerns about the spread of coronavirus, adding they hope to “resume play” when appropriate. The Minnesota Wild said it supported the move.
by MPR News Staff

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MN health: 9 COVID-19 cases now; no plans to close schools

MN health: 9 COVID-19 cases now; no plans to close schools

New cases surfaced in Hennepin, Dakota and Stearns counties. State health officials say that at this point they are not recommending closing Minnesota K-12 schools, but they are bracing the public for more significant changes to daily life.
by Tim Nelson

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Pelosi to bring coronavirus bill to House floor Thursday

Pelosi to bring coronavirus bill to House floor Thursday

The House planned a vote on legislation that includes paid sick leave, unemployment assistance, nutrition aid and help with states.
by Deirdre Walsh

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Biden, Sanders slam Trump administration for coronavirus response

Biden, Sanders slam Trump administration for coronavirus response

Former Vice President Joe Biden vowed that, if elected, his administration would "lead by science." Sen. Bernie Sanders urged President Trump to declare a national emergency.
by Asma Khalid

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In multicultural Austin, officials launch plan for census participation

In multicultural Austin, officials launch plan for census participation

Roughly 15 percent of the southern Minnesota city’s population was born outside the U.S. So when local officials heard immigrants may be worried about participating in the census, they devised a plan to make sure the community’s hardest to reach residents are counted.
by Catharine Richert

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Walz proposes slim budget as coronavirus situation worsens

Walz proposes slim budget as coronavirus situation worsens

The DFL governor suggests leaving most of the state’s projected budget surplus unspent with the global economy shaken by COVID-19. He also urged lawmakers to finish their work soon.
by Tim Pugmire and Brian Bakst

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MN health, elder care operations curb visitors in COVID-19 response

MN health, elder care operations curb visitors in COVID-19 response

On Thursday, CentraCare, which operates eight hospitals and 11 senior housing facilities in central Minnesota, announced a ban on visitors to its facilities as it tries to protect its clients from the spread of coronavirus. Other Minnesota facilities also announced restrictions.
by Peter Cox and Kirsti Marohn

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Weekend weather: Quiet pattern, dry in most areas

Some of us will see rain or snow showers Thursday, but the weekend looks mostly dry. We have your weekend forecast details, plus a look at lingering snow cover to the north.
by Ron Trenda

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Cancellations rise in Minnesota as coronavirus spreads

Cancellations rise in Minnesota as coronavirus spreads

Museums, city halls, the NBA season and myriad other events and facilities are being closed, postponed or canceled as the fight against the virus shifts to limiting public gatherings.
by Tim Nelson and MPR News Staff

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St. Thomas Academy shut through Friday; parent confirmed with COVID-19

The private Catholic middle and high school for boys in Mendota Heights said it will be closed Thursday and Friday after a parent of a student was confirmed to have COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus. The person had not been on campus.
by Tim Nelson

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Ilhan Omar announces new marriage, months after affair claim

Ilhan Omar announces new marriage, months after affair claim

Omar posted the news of her new marriage Wednesday night on Instagram, with a photo that showed her and a bearded man smiling and displaying wedding rings. "Got married! From partners in politics to life partners, so blessed," the post read.
by The Associated Press

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Dow plunges 2,300 points: Stocks in meltdown as panic selling continues

Dow plunges 2,300 points: Stocks in meltdown as panic selling continues

The stock market has suffered a relentless, breathtaking drop — moving deeper into bear territory. Stocks fell so fast Thursday morning that it triggered a 15-minute halt in trading for the second time this week.
by Avie Schneider

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EU condemns Trump travel ban from Europe as virus spreads

EU condemns Trump travel ban from Europe as virus spreads

"The coronavirus is a global crisis, not limited to any continent and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action," EU Council President Charles Michel and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a joint statement.
by The Associated Press

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Too busy? Make time to 'do nothing'

Too busy? Make time to 'do nothing'

As many Americans start thinking about what a self-quarantine might look like, author Celeste Headlee has some advice: Put down your phone. Her book explains how we're "overdoing and underliving."
by David Greene

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MPR News Update

March 12. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer.

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Travel bans grow amid warnings viral pandemic will worsen

Travel bans grow amid warnings viral pandemic will worsen

"We will see more cases and things will get worse than they are right now," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
by The Associated Press

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Students, businesses wary of U of M coronavirus-inspired class suspensions

Students, businesses wary of U of M coronavirus-inspired class suspensions

U leaders canceled face-to-face classes until at least the end of the month. Mitchell Hamline Law School and the University of St. Thomas made similar moves Thursday. The Minnesota State system will add a week of suspended classes to spring holiday, effectively creating a two-week break.
by Matt Sepic

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Minnesota leaders dust off state quarantine law as COVID-19 spreads

Minnesota leaders dust off state quarantine law as COVID-19 spreads

The law has been on the books since an anthrax scare nearly two decades ago. It’s never been invoked, but that could change with COVID-19.
by Brian Bakst

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Coming soon to a store near you: carbon labels

Coming soon to a store near you: carbon labels

We're all familiar with food labels that detail calories, carbohydrates and fat content. Now there's a push to add labels that detail a product’s carbon footprint.
by Paul Huttner and Megan Burks

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Policast: Walz says new budget proposal will be conservative amid economic uncertainty

Gov. Tim Walz releases a supplemental budget proposal Thursday, but he says it wouldn’t be wise to spend all of the state’s $1.5 billion surplus. And state lawmakers are taking a fresh look at a quarantine law passed nearly two decades ago during a bioterrorism scare.
by Elizabeth Dunbar

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Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson test positive for coronavirus

Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson test positive for coronavirus

Tom Hanks says he and wife Rita Wilson have tested positive for the coronavirus. Hanks says in a statement Wednesday that the couple are in Australia and felt tired, with colds, body aches and slight fevers.
by The Associated Press

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NBA suspends season amid coronavirus; NHL 'evaluating options'

NBA suspends season amid coronavirus; NHL 'evaluating options'

The NBA said Wednesday night it has suspended its season “until further notice" after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the coronavirus. Shortly after the NBA’s move, the NHL said it was consulting with medical experts and would make a statement Thursday on its hockey season.
by The Associated Press

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Striking St. Paul teachers returning to contract talks Thursday

Striking St. Paul teachers returning to contract talks Thursday

The educators union said late Wednesday its leaders will return to the bargaining table at 8 a.m. Thursday as their strike against the city school district enters its third day.
by MPR News Staff

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