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Stories from August 6, 2020

Voyageurs National Park asks visitors to pack out their trash

Voyageurs National Park asks visitors to pack out their trash

Park officials posted a series of photos on their Facebook page this week showing bags full of garbage that staff have hauled away from campsites.
by Dan Kraker

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St. Cloud eyes hybrid plan

The state’s second-largest school district won’t start the academic year with kids in classrooms, while the St. Cloud superintendent is recommending a hybrid plan this fall. Citing the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community and a survey of district families, the St. Paul school board opted Wednesday for distance learning to start the year Sept. 8. St. Paul joins Minneapolis in keeping kids at home for the start of school this year.  This is an MPR News evening update for Thursday, August 6, 2020. Hosted by Tim Nelson and Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

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Ex-cop's lawyer wants prosecutor dropped from Floyd case

Ex-cop's lawyer wants prosecutor dropped from Floyd case

The attorney for former officer J. Alexander Kueng filed a motion Thursday arguing that Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman has “compromised his ethics” and ability “to impartially prosecute” the case. 
by The Associated Press

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Prices for COVID-19 vaccines are starting to come into focus

Prices for COVID-19 vaccines are starting to come into focus

Moderna, one of the leading horses in the coronavirus vaccine race, has already made deals at between $32 and $37 a dose for some foreign countries. The U.S. price is expected to be lower.
by Sydney Lupkin

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Mostly sticky, partly stormy forecast

Mostly sticky, partly stormy forecast

A tropical summer air mass brings humidity and scattered thunderstorms this weekend.
by Paul Huttner

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'Worst nightmare': Laid-off workers endure loss of $600 aid

'Worst nightmare': Laid-off workers endure loss of $600 aid

Around the country, across industries and occupations, millions of jobless Americans are straining to afford the basics now that an extra $600 a week in federal unemployment benefits has expired. 
by The Associated Press

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Beirut explosion update: Lebanon detains 16 people as part of inquiry

Beirut explosion update: Lebanon detains 16 people as part of inquiry

The investigation into the massive blast continues, a Lebanese judge says. The explosion has been traced to an estimated 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse.
by Bill Chappell

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The special sauce that makes some vaccines work

The special sauce that makes some vaccines work

Adjuvants play a crucial role in many vaccines' effectiveness. Some scientists say there needs to be more research into developing a wider variety of adjuvants because of how important they are.
by Joe Palca

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Trending toward drought in southeast Minnesota

Parts of Minnesota have seen abundant rainfall this summer. But there are still areas of drought in Minnesota.
by Paul Huttner

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NOAA now predicts up to 25 named storms in the Atlantic hurricane season

NOAA now predicts up to 25 named storms in the Atlantic hurricane season

"We've never forecast up to 25 storms," says a NOAA expert. The expected spate of storms in 2020 could force meteorologists to resort to using the Greek alphabet to name storms later this year.
by Bill Chappell

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Weekend forecast: Steamier, with thunderstorm chances

Summer isn’t over. We’ll have proof of that this weekend, with highs in the 80s and steamy dew points. We have details on that summery weekend forecast, including the possibility of thunderstorms.
by Ron Trenda

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New York Attorney General moves to dissolve the NRA after fraud investigation

New York Attorney General moves to dissolve the NRA after fraud investigation

New York's attorney general announced civil action to dissolve the National Rifle Association after an investigation found millions of dollars in alleged fraud by CEO Wayne LaPierre and others.
by Tim Mak

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Watch: Biden says he wouldn't stand in the way of a Trump prosecution

Watch: Biden says he wouldn't stand in the way of a Trump prosecution

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden says he would not stand in the way of a future Justice Department pursuing criminal charges against President Trump after he leaves office.
by Barbara Sprunt

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Mostly quiet Thursday, then active weather returns

Thursday brings one last day of milder and mostly dry weather before heat, humidity, and storms return for the weekend.
by Nicole Mitchell

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U.S. economy on high alert over shaky future of extra jobless benefits

U.S. economy on high alert over shaky future of extra jobless benefits

As Congress debates whether to renew supplemental unemployment benefits for people thrown out of work by the pandemic, new research shows those benefits offer a critical boost for the U.S. economy.
by Scott Horsley

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Why sprawl could be the next big climate change battle

Why sprawl could be the next big climate change battle

Zoning for single-family homes has been tied to racial inequity and climate change, but in California, efforts to pass new laws keep falling short.
by Lauren Sommer

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St. Paul joins Minneapolis in distance learning this fall

The state’s second-largest school district says it will keep students at home initially, and revisit that decision later in the fall. MPR News morning update for August 6, 2020. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

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Mostly cloudy skies linger Thursday

A weak disturbance is bringing light rain to southern Minnesota and extra clouds across much of the state. High will be near 80 for most areas.
by Nicole Mitchell

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Most teachers concerned about in-person school; 2 in 3 want to start the year online

Most teachers concerned about in-person school; 2 in 3 want to start the year online

A new national poll of teachers from NPR/Ipsos finds broad trepidation about returning to the classroom, with 77 percent of those surveyed worried about risking their own health.
by Anya Kamenetz and Laura Isensee

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Hiroshima atomic bombing raising questions 75 years later

Hiroshima atomic bombing raising questions 75 years later

The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were said at the time to be justified as the only way to end World War II. Seventy five years later, legal experts say they would now be war crimes.
by David Welna

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Whatever you're expecting, 'Harrow the Ninth' is not that kind of book

Whatever you're expecting, 'Harrow the Ninth' is not that kind of book

Whatever you expected from Tamsyn Muir's followup to her lesbian-necromancers-in-space epic “Gideon the Ninth,” this is not that book — it's something wilder, darker and much, much weirder.
by Jason Sheehan

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Lebanon probes blast amid rising anger, calls for change

Lebanon probes blast amid rising anger, calls for change

The blast Tuesday, which appeared to have been caused by an accidental fire that ignited a stockpile of ammonium nitrate at the port, rippled across the Lebanese capital, killing at least 135 people, injuring more than 5,000 and causing widespread destruction.
by The Associated Press

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Aug. 6 update on COVID-19 in MN: New cases jump; hospitalizations rise

Aug. 6 update on COVID-19 in MN: New cases jump; hospitalizations rise

The newest numbers come a day after Minnesota’s health commissioner called on Minnesotans to get vaccinated for the fall flu season and warned the Sturgis, S.D., motorcycle rally that starts Friday will be a “ripe environment” for COVID-19 spread.
by MPR News Staff

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Art Hounds: Painting and theater to make you reconsider your environment

Art Hounds: Painting and theater to make you reconsider your environment

The paintings of Adam Swanson, on view at the Great Lakes Aquarium, features a federally listed threatened and endangered animal of Minnesota. The Art Hounds also recommend an “angsty and hilarious” improv and teen diary reading at the Minnesota Fringe Virtual Festival, as well as an actor-aided exploration of your habitat, also known as your home.
by Emily Bright

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After taking tough measures, Fond du Lac band has first COVID-19 cases

After taking tough measures, Fond du Lac band has first COVID-19 cases

After months of trying to keep the coronavirus at bay, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has confirmed the first two positive COVID-19 cases on its reservation in northeastern Minnesota.
by Dan Kraker

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President Lyndon B. Johnson's 'We shall overcome' speech for passage of Voting Rights Act

President Lyndon B. Johnson's 'We shall overcome' speech for passage of Voting Rights Act

To mark the 55th anniversary of the day President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the 1965 Voting Rights Act, hear a personal and impassioned televised speech he gave to Congress, often remembered as his "We shall overcome" speech.
by MPR News Staff

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Fan-free playoff hockey still proving plenty intense

Fan-free playoff hockey still proving plenty intense

Four days into a most unusual Stanley Cup tournament, it's clear that playoff hockey is still playoff hockey, even without the roar of the crowd. The Minnesota Wild and Vancouver Canucks have proven as much with jawing and hitting back and forth. 
by The Associated Press

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