Stories from January 13, 2021

Trump's wall of GOP support breaks during impeachment vote
The unbreakable wall of Republican support that encouraged and enabled Donald Trump’s norm-shattering presidency has cracked. A group of 10 House Republicans joined Democrats on Wednesday to impeach Trump for inciting a deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol last week. 
Minnesota, like the nation, splits on Trump as impeachment passes in the House, and heads for the Senate next week. And COVID vaccine continues a slow rollout. This is an evening news update from MPR news, hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.
‘Sí se puede’: Minnesota’s fast-growing Latino community is layered and complex
Latinos in Minnesota are a diverse and growing community. Recent estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau shows the community is about 300,000 — more than six times the size just three decades ago.
St. Louis Park man pleads guilty to joining ISIS
Abdelhamid Al-Madioum, 24, is due to be sentenced May 26 on a single count of providing material support to designated foreign terrorist organization. He faces up to 20 years in prison.
UK variant could drive a new surge in the U.S., experts warn
It appears to be 50 percent more infectious, and researchers predict the new coronavirus variant could start to dominate in the U.S. by March. The time to prepare is now, they say.
¡Adelante Minnesota!
Minnesotan Latinos are a well established, diverse, complex and growing community in the state. MPR News will be elevating Latino voices over the next five months, reporting on community issues.
McConnell won't call Senate back for Trump impeachment trial
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday rejected a Democratic attempt to swiftly call the Senate into emergency session to hold an impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, all but assuring that those proceedings won't occur until after Trump leaves office.
Fact check: Trump's call to action distorted in debate
The House impeachment debate on Wednesday heard a distorted account of President Donald Trump's remarks to his supporters a week ago when he exhorted them to “fight like hell" before they swarmed the Capitol.
Winter storm brings snow Thursday and Friday: 4 to 8-plus inches likely most areas
Our next winter storm brings a wintry mix to all snow Thursday and snowfall will continue in most areas well into Friday. This storm will bring significant winter travel issues to Minnesota on both Thursday and Friday.
Census Bureau stops work on Trump's request for unauthorized immigrant count
The Census Bureau has stopped trying to produce a count of unauthorized immigrants, ending the agency's role in Trump's bid to alter census numbers used for reallocating House seats, NPR has learned.
Photos: Ahead of impeachment, security is tight at the Capitol
Barricades were set several blocks from the Capitol building. Law enforcement and national guard officials checked badges for anyone to enter the perimeter even by foot.
Winter snowstorm targets Minnesota; 6-plus inches possible
Following a warm and pleasant day Wednesday, a slow-moving snowstorm slaps the state Thursday and Friday, bringing heavy snow to eastern Minnesota, including a possible 6 to 8 inches in the Twin Cities. Here are the details.
Biden nominates Samantha Power to run U.S. agency for international development
Samantha Power is "a world-renowned voice of conscience and moral clarity," President-elect Joe Biden said of the former U.N. ambassador. The post will be elevated to become a National Security Council member.
NYC to terminate Trump contracts after Capitol insurrection
The Trump Organization is under city contract to operate the two ice rinks and a carousel in Central Park as well as a golf course in the Bronx. It is the latest example of how the Jan. 6 breach by violent Trump supporters is impacting the Republican president's business interests.
'How did we get here?' A call for an evangelical reckoning on Trump
Evangelicals, says Ed Stetzer of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College, should start to reckon with their own behaviors and actions that may have helped fuel the insurrection at the Capitol.
Duluth's city-run Spirit Mountain ski area at financial crossroads
Spirit Mountain is at a financial crossroads. Over the past few years, Duluth’s City Council has had to bail out the ski area twice in order to keep it afloat. Now a task force is coming up with recommendations for how to make the ski hill sustainable moving forward.
Target continues to thrive in whirlwind retail environment
The Minneapolis company reported Wednesday that its online sales surged 102 percent for the November and December period. Sales at its stores opened for a least a year rose 4.2 percent. Customer traffic rose 4.3 percent and average amount of sales per customer rose 12.3 percent.
Southerly winds and afternoon sunshine make Wednesday the warmest day of the week across most of Minnesota.
Teachers from some of Minnesota’s largest school districts are voicing concerns about the return to in-person instruction, noting that they have yet to be vaccinated at a time when the COVID-19 virus is still spreading. This is an MPR News morning update for Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.
'Aftershocks' tells of a reckoning with the self — and with memory
Writer Nadia Owusu has lived many lives. Her nonlinear memoir, centered on the idea of physical and metaphorical earthquakes, is about all of the parts of what is her single, complex life.
U.S. executes Lisa Montgomery, the only female on federal death row
The U.S. Supreme Court vacated several lower court orders blocking her execution by lethal injection, clearing the way for the first federal execution of a female inmate in more than 67 years.
Amid surges, teachers line up for their vaccines
Designated as front-line essential workers, some educators see a path out of "the lion's den."
House votes to impeach Trump; Senate trial unlikely before Biden's inauguration
Just one week before he will leave office, Donald Trump has now become the first U.S. president to be impeached twice. The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to impeach Trump for "high crimes and misdemeanors" — specifically, for inciting an insurrection against the federal government at the U.S. Capitol.
Schools are poised to reopen, but teachers aren’t vaccinated
Teachers from some of the state’s largest school districts are voicing concerns about the return to in-person instruction, noting that they have yet to be vaccinated at a time when the COVID-19 virus is still spreading.
Family of man killed by St. Paul police sues department
The family of Marcus Golden, a 24-year-old man who was fatally shot by officers in St. Paul in 2015, is suing the city’s Police Department, alleging they used excessive force in violation of Golden's constitutional rights.
Mille Lacs Band leader: ‘We will be stronger’ after pandemic
The leader of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe praised her community on Tuesday for showing resilience during what she called “one of the darkest times in modern history.”