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Stories from September 11, 2020

Errant email tips off GOP messaging strategy

Errant email tips off GOP messaging strategy

An email from a Republican state lawmaker on how to approach the debate over Gov. Tim Walz’s emergency powers went to Democrats instead of the intended Republican House members.
by David H. Montgomery

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‘I have a great responsibility’: Connecting with ancestors through Aztec dance

‘I have a great responsibility’: Connecting with ancestors through Aztec dance

An immigration attorney in Minneapolis is also the leader of Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue, a traditional Aztec dance group that has entertained audiences and helped build a sense of community in Minnesota over the past 20 years.
by Kathryn Styer Martinez

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Senate ousts another agency head, Walz retains emergency powers

Senate ousts another agency head, Walz retains emergency powers

The Minnesota Senate on Friday voted to fire Commerce Commissioner Steve Kelley, but the Republican-controlled Senate and the DFL-controlled House split on ending the emergency powers of Gov. Tim Walz. He will keep them for at least another month.
by Tim Pugmire

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Wisconsin Supreme Court action on ballots raises questions

Wisconsin Supreme Court action on ballots raises questions

The Wisconsin Supreme Court's decision to halt the mailing of absentee ballots raised concerns about creating delays and confusion in the presidential battleground state. The court’s decision came Thursday, just 54 days before the Nov. 3 election.
by The Associated Press

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George Floyd's family criticizes defense arguments on behalf of four ex-cops

George Floyd’s family and their attorneys gathered outside a Minneapolis courtroom Friday livid over the defense teams' arguments about how Floyd died. Also, the judge in the case disqualified the Hennepin County Attorney saying that conversations some in his office had with the medical examiner about Floyd’s case were “sloppy.” This is the Minnesota Today afternoon update for Friday, Sept. 11, 2020. Hosted by Nina Moini. Our music is by Gary Meister.
by Nina Moini

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The Five: An intense BBC drama, a podcast with a Minnesota twist and lush new music

MPR News director of programming Steph Curtis stopped by with an early fall edition of “The Five,” where she recommends things to read, listen to and experience right now.
by Stephanie Curtis and Kelly Gordon

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Veteran House incumbents cling to seats as districts evolve

Veteran House incumbents cling to seats as districts evolve

Much of the focus in this year’s fight for House control will be on freshmen Democrats who captured Republican-held seats in 2018. But there’s a smaller category of lawmakers who also merit attention: veteran representatives facing tight reelections, including Minnesota U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson.
by The Associated Press

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More groceries, less gas: The pandemic is shaking up the cost of living

More groceries, less gas: The pandemic is shaking up the cost of living

Consumer prices rose 0.4 percent in August and 1.3 percent over the last 12 months. Some economists say that official measure understates inflation, because the pandemic has changed both what and how we buy.
by Scott Horsley

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MN high school league relying on member schools to help with budget gap

The Minnesota State High School League is looking to its member schools to fill a hole in its budget. COVID-19 has upended the league’s traditional reliance on state tournaments for revenue.
by Cathy Wurzer and Britta Greene

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Weekend forecast: Saturday rain chances; pleasant on Sunday

Our weather improves as we go through the weekend. After Friday night rain and thunder, some areas will see a few Saturday showers, with a thunderstorm also possible. We have details on your weekend weather, plus a look at the first Minnesota fall color report of 2020.
by Ron Trenda

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In 'On All Fronts,' CNN's Clarissa Ward showcases gravity, costs of a reporting life

In 'On All Fronts,' CNN's Clarissa Ward showcases gravity, costs of a reporting life

Ward says she didn't know as a journalist she would "have my heart broken in a hundred different ways, that I would lose friends and watch children die and grow to feel like an alien in my own skin."
by Annalisa Quinn

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Diving into the drive-in phenomenon

Diving into the drive-in phenomenon

The pandemic caused many movie theaters to temporarily halt screenings earlier this year. Even as many movie theaters have opened their doors again, drive-in theaters have remained popular throughout the summer. Two movie buffs share their thoughts on the experience of watching movies on a big, outdoor screen.
by Kerri Miller and Marcheta Fornoff

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The weekend starts rainy, ends warmer

After a sunny start, rain spreads across Minnesota Friday and lingers into Saturday. By Sunday, and through the first half of next week, more sunshine and warmer weather prevail.
by Nicole Mitchell

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Boundary Waters designated a dark sky sanctuary

Boundary Waters designated a dark sky sanctuary

Late last month the International Dark Sky Association designated the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness as a dark sky sanctuary — one of only 13 in the world. It's part of a broader effort to promote the region along the border between northeastern Minnesota and Canada as a mecca for stargazers, and to protect its dark skies. 
by Dan Kraker

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How Big Oil misled the public into believing plastic would be recycled

How Big Oil misled the public into believing plastic would be recycled

An NPR and PBS “Frontline” investigation reveals how the oil and gas industry used the promise of recycling to sell more plastic, even when they knew it would never work on a large scale.
by Laura Sullivan

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Rain spreads across the state Friday

Most of Minnesota starts sunny and dry, then clouds increase and the state ends the day with widespread showers and storms.
by Nicole Mitchell

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Judge to hear arguments Friday in Floyd killing case

A Hennepin County judge will hear arguments Friday morning in the case of four former police officers charged in the death of George Floyd.   Attorneys representing the men will argue against a joint trial and request that the trial be moved outside the county. All four defendants have also asked for charges to be dismissed.   This is an MPR News morning update for Friday, September 11, 2020. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

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A father and a son, lost to 2 national tragedies

A father and a son, lost to 2 national tragedies

Earlier this year, Albert Petrocelli died after contracting the coronavirus. StoryCorps revisits a 2005 interview with Albert and his wife remembering a son who died in the Sept. 11 attacks.
by Michael Garofalo

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Hangover from alcohol boom could last long after pandemic ends

Hangover from alcohol boom could last long after pandemic ends

Americans are drinking far more during the COVID-19 pandemic. A beer in the evening can feel like a taste of normal life, but health experts worry about alcohol's deadly side effects.
by Brian Mann

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Sept. 11 update on COVID-19 in MN: 13 deaths; moderate new case growth continues

Sept. 11 update on COVID-19 in MN: 13 deaths; moderate new case growth continues

Friday’s data release shows a significant jump in testing reported from the prior days — without an accompanying spike in new cases. If this proves to be more than a one-day outlier, it may suggest a real decline in new COVID-19 cases in Minnesota.
by MPR News Staff

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George Floyd killing: Judge disqualifies Freeman from cops' trial

George Floyd killing: Judge disqualifies Freeman from cops' trial

A Hennepin County judge on Friday banned four Hennepin County prosecutors, including county attorney Mike Freeman, from participating in the trial because they met privately with the county medical examiner to discuss the autopsy results.
by Jon Collins and Brandt Williams

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Students step in to refurbish computers as school needs rise

Students step in to refurbish computers as school needs rise

A middle school IT club has found a way to use their skills to revamp old computers at a time when distance learning has made such technology indispensable.
by Myah Christenson

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Photos: What going back to school looks like in a pandemic

Photos: What going back to school looks like in a pandemic

It was an untraditional first week of school for thousands of students across Minnesota. Some returned to school buildings — wearing face masks and social distancing — for the first time since the spring, when the state suspended in-person learning as the pandemic took off. Others logged on to their laptops from home for distance learning. 
by MPR News Staff

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Court blocks Trump's attempt to change who counts for allocating House seats

Court blocks Trump's attempt to change who counts for allocating House seats

The Constitution says that count must include every person living in the U.S. A three-judge court in New York has ruled to block the Trump administration's attempt to exclude unauthorized immigrants.
by Hansi Lo Wang

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