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Stories from August 18, 2020

Citizenship delays could thwart thousands who dream of voting

Citizenship delays could thwart thousands who dream of voting

Many immigrants applied for U.S. citizenship last year, thinking they’d be able to vote in this year’s general election. But the pandemic has pushed processing times way up, and hundreds of thousands are still waiting.
by Megan Burks

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Walz administration keeps up fight against Line 3

Walz administration keeps up fight against Line 3

The Walz administration is wading deeper into the contentious, long-simmering debate over the proposed Line 3 oil pipeline replacement project.
by Dan Kraker

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Many steps needed for accurate COVID-19 test results

Many steps needed for accurate COVID-19 test results

A widely used coronavirus test is under scrutiny after federal health officials flagged two separate issues that could deliver inaccurate results for patients.
by The Associated Press

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Fired MPD officers called trash tree a ‘prank’

Fired MPD officers called trash tree a ‘prank’

One of the two Minneapolis police officers who lost their jobs after decorating a 4th Precinct Christmas tree with racist items told an independent arbitrator they were playing a joke on a colleague whom they considered a “neat freak.”
by Brandt Williams

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Don't sweat(pants) it. The house dress is here to rescue 2020

Don't sweat(pants) it. The house dress is here to rescue 2020

Can a simple dress become a coping mechanism for the pandemic age? Billowing linen, cozy cotton, flowing silk — the house dress is a perfect fit for this moment.
by Alina Selyukh

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The Thread: Three books to read during the Democratic National Convention

The Thread: Three books to read during the Democratic National Convention

For the next two weeks, political junkies will be consumed with the pandemic-adjusted happenings of Democrats and Republicans at their respective conventions. Kerri Miller brings us must-read fiction and nonfiction for the political junkie in all of us.
by Kerri Miller

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Kanye West submits Minnesota ballot petition

Kanye West submits Minnesota ballot petition

Kanye West’s petition is subject to review but he’d be one of several third-party or independent candidates for president on Minnesota’s ballot, which could make the difference in a close race.
by Brian Bakst

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Most Mpls. voters see Floyd killing as part of racist pattern

More than 8 in 10 Minneapolis voters say the killing of George Floyd by police was not an isolated incident, but rather a sign of larger problems in how the city’s Police Department treats Black people, according to a new MPR News/Star Tribune/KARE 11 poll.  This is an MPR News evening update for Tuesday, August 18, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene. Our theme is by Gary Meister.

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Minnesota joins multistate lawsuit over postal changes

Minnesota joins multistate lawsuit over postal changes

Minnesota is joining a coalition of 14 states in suing to block service changes at the U.S. Postal Service, even as the postmaster general reversed himself and said he'd halt some of the changes following a national outcry.
by The Associated Press and MPR News Staff

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Republicans end court fight over absentee ballot rules

Republicans end court fight over absentee ballot rules

Republicans moved to dismiss their appeal to the state Supreme Court over eased requirements for absentee ballots during the pandemic.
by Brian Bakst

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COVID-19 case confirmed at Sturgis bar

COVID-19 case confirmed at Sturgis bar

The South Dakota Department of Health issued a warning on Tuesday that one person who spent several hours at a bar on Main Street in Sturgis has tested positive for COVID-19 and may have spread it to others.
by The Associated Press

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Suffrage anniversary commemorations highlight racial divide

Suffrage anniversary commemorations highlight racial divide

As the U.S. marks the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, many event organizers have been careful to present it as a commemoration, not a celebration. That's because when the 19th Amendment passed in 1920, it was mostly white women who benefited.
by The Associated Press

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Under Trump, more big donors are named ambassadors — and controversies have followed

Under Trump, more big donors are named ambassadors — and controversies have followed

The U.S. "not only has a higher percentage of political ambassadors, but has a higher percentage ... who don't seem to be temperamentally or intellectually suited for the work," says an ex-diplomat.
by Michele Kelemen

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Is it safe to start investing during an economic crisis?

Is it safe to start investing during an economic crisis?

The economic hit of the coronavirus pandemic has left thousands of people unemployed or working fewer hours. It might seem insensitive to think about investing during an economic crisis, but if you have the means then it could be worth considering.
by Chris Farrell and Karen Zamora

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Democrats make it official, nominate Biden to take on Trump

Democrats make it official, nominate Biden to take on Trump

Democrats formally nominated Joe Biden as their 2020 presidential nominee Tuesday night, as party officials and activists from across the nation gave the former vice president their overwhelming support during his party’s all-virtual national convention. The moment marked a political high point for Biden, who had sought the presidency twice before.
by MPR News Staff

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Loans for first-time homebuyers see record delinquencies

Loans for first-time homebuyers see record delinquencies

It's a sign that minority, lower income, and first-time home buyers are getting hit hard financially amid the pandemic. But a vast majority are protected by Congress from foreclosure.
by Chris Arnold

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Senate report: Former Trump aide Paul Manafort shared campaign info with Russia

Senate report: Former Trump aide Paul Manafort shared campaign info with Russia

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort shared information with Russian intelligence during the last presidential campaign, a bipartisan Senate report on Russian 2016 election interference shows.
by Tim Mak

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Listen: Michelle Obama and Bernie Sanders headline opening night of DNC

Listen: Michelle Obama and Bernie Sanders headline opening night of DNC

Speeches from the opening night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, including former first day Michelle Obama and US Senator Bernie Sanders and many others.

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Can women break the ‘glass ceiling’ in a ‘man’s world’? Or is that the wrong question?

Can women break the ‘glass ceiling’ in a ‘man’s world’? Or is that the wrong question?

During the month of August, MPR News host Kerri Miller is exploring what it means to be a woman in America. This week, we turn to Democratic political advisor and author Jennifer Palmieri about feminism and her new book, “She Proclaims: Our Declaration of Independence from a Man's World.”
by Kerri Miller and Breann Schossow

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How the pandemic is making the gender pay gap worse

How the pandemic is making the gender pay gap worse

"We project it's going to take more than years for the gender wage gap to close to what it was before the pandemic," economist Jane Olmstead-Rumsey says.
by Greg Rosalsky

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Teen drowns after rescuing children from Clearwater Lake

Witnesses told deputies a group of children had been swimming near the dam when some of them were caught up in the churning water that was coming over the dam. The water level at the dam was considerably higher due to the large amount of rain recently, according to officials.
by The Associated Press

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Above average temperatures return

Mostly quiet weather prevails across Minnesota until Friday, when the next cold front brings a broader chance for showers and storms back to the state.
by Nicole Mitchell

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In Grand Forks, giving dignity to a man denied justice

In Grand Forks, giving dignity to a man denied justice

A Black man who was lynched in Grand Forks, N.D., more than a century ago will be memorialized this month, decades after the idea was first raised.
by Dan Gunderson

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Klobuchar makes pitch for Biden at DNC

Sen. Amy Klobuchar portrayed President Trump as a divider and Joe Biden as a unifier during a speech Monday night during the Democratic National Convention, hours after Trump made a campaign stop in Mankato. MPR News morning update for August 18, 2020. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

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Warmer weather for Tuesday

Minnesota sees another comfortable and mostly quiet day, with only isolated chances for showers or storms in the northern part of the state.
by Nicole Mitchell

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Coin shortage hits retailers, laundromats, tooth fairy

Coin shortage hits retailers, laundromats, tooth fairy

As the economy recovers and businesses reopen, the coin supply is expected to normalize. In the meantime, people have found workarounds. However, there are still certain conundrums that only coins can solve.
by The Associated Press

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Aug. 18 update on COVID-19 in MN: 9 more deaths; total cases top 66K

Aug. 18 update on COVID-19 in MN: 9 more deaths; total cases top 66K

Despite some recent stability in the data, Minnesota’s count of active, confirmed cases remains near its late-May high. Public health leaders believe that while the state may be at the crest of the current wave, more waves are coming.
by MPR News Staff

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How bars are fueling COVID-19 outbreaks

How bars are fueling COVID-19 outbreaks

To owners of bars and nightclubs, pandemic restrictions on the industry can feel punitive. But there are important differences, virus hunters say, between a bar and a restaurant that serves alcohol.
by Will Stone

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Watch: Michelle Obama's speech to the Democratic National Convention

Watch: Michelle Obama's speech to the Democratic National Convention

"So let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can. Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country," Obama said Monday night.

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3 'Ellen DeGeneres' producers out after misconduct accusations

3 'Ellen DeGeneres' producers out after misconduct accusations

Three of the daytime talk show's top producers have "parted ways" with “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” after they were accused of sexual harassment and misconduct by dozens of former staffers.
by Anastasia Tsioulcas

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