Stories from December 29, 2020

Minneapolis announces changes to police misconduct investigations
The city of Minneapolis is beefing up its investigations into allegations of police misconduct in an effort to ensure that officers who are fired by the department don’t get their jobs back. But proponents for police reform say the changes don’t go far enough.
Mayor Jacob Frey announced Tuesday that civilian and internal affairs complaints against police officers will now be more thoroughly investigated. An MPR News investigation found that about half of fired Minnesota police officers get their jobs back through the state arbitration system. This is the MPR News afternoon update for Dec. 29, 2020. Hosted by Dan Kraker. Theme music by Gary Meister.
Mpls. council member says it's time to reopen George Floyd's Square
Minneapolis City Council member Andrea Jenkins, who represents the area where George Floyd was killed, says she wants the intersection reopened to the public.
First reported U.S. case of COVID-19 variant found in Colorado
The first reported U.S. case of the COVID-19 variant that’s been seen in the United Kingdom has been discovered in Colorado. The state’s Gov. Jared Polis and health officials announced Tuesday that the case was found in a man in his 20s who's in isolation and has no travel history.
Feds decline charges against officers in Tamir Rice case
The Justice Department says it cannot bring federal criminal charges against two Cleveland police officers for the 2014 fatal shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, whose death became a national symbol in the Black Lives Matter movement.
In the midst of a pandemic, an adoptee connects with her birth father
Just as Susan McCrea was getting to know her birth father, the pandemic hit. But despite a virus that prevented her from spending more time with her relatives in person, she says she's never felt more connected — to her roots, and to her family, old and new. 
MPR News' Photos of the Year: 2020
There was no shortage of photographs to be made this year. Our photographers worked through an unprecedented year to bring you the moments that made 2020 in Minnesota.
New U.S. dietary guidelines: No candy, cake for kids under 2
The first U.S. government dietary guidelines for infants and toddlers recommend feeding only breast milk for at least six months and giving no added sugar to children younger than 2.
What’s in the new pandemic relief bill?
Congress passed a new stimulus package and President Trump signed it into law. MPR News host Kerri Miller spoke to an economist and political scientist about why it took so long and whether it’s enough to keep pandemic battered workers and small businesses afloat through winter.
Wiser resolutions? Lessons from COVID's unfulfilled ones
Remember those early-quarantine resolutions? Those of us lucky enough to have down time imagined tackling big projects and learning new skills. Often those things didn't get done because, well, 2020. Experts say that's to be expected.
MPR News reporters reflect on covering a pandemic
The pandemic presented a range of challenges for journalists in 2020. Guest host and reporter Brandt Williams talks with several fellow MPR News reporters who reported on various aspects of the pandemic and take your suggestions for what stories we should cover in the new year.
U.S. home prices rise at fastest pace in more than 6 years
U.S. home prices jumped in October by the most in more than six years as a pandemic-fueled buying rush drives the number of available properties for sale to record lows.
6.3 earthquake kills 7 in Croatia, leaves others missing
Officials said a 12-year-old girl died in Petrinja, a town of some 25,000 people. Croatia's state broadcaster reported that another six people were killed in nearby villages. Authorities say at least 26 people were hospitalized with injuries and many more remain unaccounted for.
New book details Prince's life 'on and off the record'
Neal Karlen’s new memoir "This Thing Called Life: Prince’s Odyssey On and Off the Record," details a complicated relationship with a complex man.
A winter storm hits Minnesota with up to 6 inches of snow
A winter storm brings snow across the state Tuesday into early Wednesday, with the highest accumulations in southern Minnesota.  Most of the state is under a winter weather advisory. The second half of the week turns much quieter, with a seasonable start to the new year.
Minnesota legislators return to action next Tuesday to begin putting together a massive two-year state budget under the restrictions of COVID-19 protocols at the Capitol that took hold last March. This is an MPR News morning update for Tuesday, December 29, 2020. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.
Hormel Foods has been buying meals by the hundreds from local restaurants during the pandemic. It’s part of a program the company has established to thank its employees with the occasional lunch and support the economy in Austin.
Dec. 29 update on COVID-19 in MN: 36 deaths; new daily cases fall below 1K
It was the first time since early October that new daily case counts fell below 1,000, but it came on low testing, making it difficult to draw any conclusions. Meanwhile, the death toll continues to climb.
Religion, abortion, guns and race. Just the start of a new Supreme Court menu
Conservatives now have a 6-to-3 majority — a vote to spare on any given issue. Experts expect the new majority to move aggressively on an agenda more conservative than any seen since the 1930s.
Trump's $2,000 checks stalls in Senate as GOP blocks vote
With Republican senators deeply split over new spending, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked a swift vote proposed by Democrats. But the next steps are highly uncertain, and it's quite possible no bill passes. The Democratic-led House has already approved the larger checks.
As state COVID-19 relief goes out, some will miss out
The way the relief program was designed means that some restaurants won’t qualify for initial checks because their sales didn’t drop steeply enough, despite their falloff in revenue due to state restrictions.
Little Falls bus driver who delivered meals now awaits students' return
Back in March, when COVID-19 forced schools to shut down, Melanie Van Alst delivered meals — and sometimes homework — to homebound students who attend Little Falls Community Schools. But in November, when COVID-19 cases spiked in the region, the district switched to distance learning, and bus drivers were no longer needed.
Another legislative session looms on Zoom
Lawmakers have been working remotely for months due to the pandemic, but the increased workload of a budget session presents new challenges that still need to be worked out, including how members of the public can interact with lawmakers.
U.S. announces new rules for drones and their operators
Drones represent the fastest-growing segment in the entire transportation sector. Companies such as Amazon, Walmart, and UPS have started testing drones to deliver goods to customers.
A Brief History of Women in Bars: A Minnesota Story in Three Rounds
The 18th Amendment marked the start of Prohibition and the 19th Amendment granted many women the right to vote. In this new documentary, Katie Thornton looks at how the state’s temperance movement set the stage for its women’s suffrage movement.
Columbus, Ohio, officer who shot and killed Andre Hill is fired
"This is what accountability looks like," Police Chief Tom Quinlan said Monday. "Mr. [Adam] Coy will now have to answer to the state investigators for the death of Andre Hill."
South Mpls. poet stirs the imagination with poem about police reform
Junauda Petrus is an activist, experimental performance artist and filmmaker. Petrus wrote the poem "Give The Police Department to the Grandmothers" after Michael Brown was fatally shot by a Ferguson, Mo., police officer in 2014. 
Biden faults 'roadblocks' as his team manages transition from Trump
The president-elect says his advisers have encountered some obstacles as they try to get a sense of the national security and budget postures of the nation ahead of Inauguration Day.
Line 3 opponents file federal suit to try to block the pipeline
Two nonprofit groups and two Ojibwe bands have filed a lawsuit in federal court trying to halt construction of the Line 3 oil pipeline replacement project.
House rejects Trump's defense bill veto in highly unusual vote
Members of Congress voted to override President Donald Trump's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act, which had passed overwhelmingly in both parties. The Senate's next moves are unclear.