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Stories from January 25, 2021

Pets are back: Biden's 2 dogs settle in at White House

Pets are back: Biden's 2 dogs settle in at White House

President Joe Biden's German shepherds Champ and Major moved in over the weekend. They are the first dogs to live at the executive mansion since the Obama administration. 
by The Associated Press

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Minnesota rides the arctic edge this week

Minnesota rides the edge of arctic air mass this week. But it’s not as cold as many winter arctic outbreaks.
by Paul Huttner

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Janet Yellen wins Senate approval as treasury secretary

Janet Yellen wins Senate approval as treasury secretary

Janet Yellen has been confirmed as President Joe Biden’s treasury secretary in an overwhelming Senate vote. She is the first woman to hold the job in the 232-year history of the department. 
by The Associated Press

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South Dakota health leader on how the state has gotten its vaccine out

South Dakota health leader on how the state has gotten its vaccine out

South Dakota has administered roughly 80,000 of the 106,000 doses it has received so far, or 75 percent. Dr. Shankar Kurra in Rapid City says a centralized system helped for coordination.
by Ailsa Chang

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White House enlists ASL interpreters for daily press briefings

White House enlists ASL interpreters for daily press briefings

People who are deaf or hard of hearing can now view an American Sign Language interpretation of the press briefings, White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced on Monday.
by Alana Wise

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Biden more bullish on vaccines, suggests 1.5M shots per day

Biden more bullish on vaccines, suggests 1.5M shots per day

President Joe Biden appears to be boosting his goal for coronavirus vaccinations in his first 100 days in office, suggesting the nation could soon be vaccinating 1.5 million Americans on average per day. 
by The Associated Press

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GOP bill would block state disaster aid after riots

GOP bill would block state disaster aid after riots

A Minnesota Senate panel advanced legislation Monday to specifically exclude civil unrest as an eligible event for state disaster assistance.
by Tim Pugmire

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Gov. Walz tells providers to speed up delivery of COVID-19 shots

Walz said vaccinators, including chains Walgreens and CVS, that they must administer 90 percent of their doses within 72 hours of receiving the shipments, and the rest within a week, or face restricted allocations. The governor says data shows Minnesota vaccine providers lag in giving out shots. This is the afternoon MPR News update for Jan. 25, 2021. Hosted by Kirsti Marohn. Theme music by Gary Meister.
by Kirsti Marohn

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How to help a loved one who is caught in a web of conspiracy theories

How to help a loved one who is caught in a web of conspiracy theories

The deluge of disinformation in 2020 pulled many Americans into a vortex of conspiracy theories and fractured relationships between those who believed the disinformation and their loved ones.  How can you reach someone who is deep down the rabbit hole?
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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Minn.’s top public health officials answer your questions about the initial vaccine rollout

Minn.’s top public health officials answer your questions about the initial vaccine rollout

Minnesota’s health commissioner and the director of the state’s infectious disease division answered listener questions about the vaccine rollout and eligibility.
by Kerri Miller and Marcheta Fornoff

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In St. Paul, the most diverse Minnesota Legislature ever is just getting started

In St. Paul, the most diverse Minnesota Legislature ever is just getting started

Esther Agbaje, from Minneapolis, just started her first term in the state House of Representatives. Kaohly Her, from St. Paul, just became majority whip in her second term. They’re both figuring out how to wield political power — and how to share it.
by Becky Z. Dernbach and Hibah Ansari

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Is it time for a career change?

Is it time for a career change?

Host Angela Davis was joined by a job search expert to talk about how to change careers during the pandemic. She also talked with tax experts about what to know about filing this year.
by Angela Davis and Katie Moritz

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Watchdog probes if DOJ officials tried to overturn election

Watchdog probes if DOJ officials tried to overturn election

The Justice Department’s inspector general is launching an investigation to examine whether any former or current department officials “engaged in an improper attempt” to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
by The Associated Press

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Teachers to get 15K more vaccines this week as Walz rolls out education priorities 

Teachers to get 15K more vaccines this week as Walz rolls out education priorities 

Vaccine doses for teachers and child care providers are expected to more than double this week to 15,000 as state leaders open a new metro vaccination site and Gov. Tim Walz announces education priorities.
by Elizabeth Shockman and Brian Bakst

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Ep. 7: Our ode to winter weather

Ep. 7: Our ode to winter weather

After a rough start, 2021 delivered a pretty good week! Our country swore in the first Black, Indian American woman as vice president. It was historic and optimistic and just the shot in the arm we all needed to pull this new year out of the ditch.
by Nina Moini, Sean McPherson and Tiffany Hanssen

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International crime thrillers to crack open

International crime thrillers to crack open

Sure — we’re three weeks into 2021, but if you’re still catching up on books you missed in 2020, you’re in good company. MPR News host Kerri Miller shares three crime novels published outside of the U.S. that you should not miss.
by Kerri Miller

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'When You Trap A Tiger' and 'We Are Water Protectors' win top children's book honors

'When You Trap A Tiger' and 'We Are Water Protectors' win top children's book honors

America's librarians award Tae Keller's “When You Trap A Tiger” the Newbery Medal and “We Are Water Protectors” illustrated by Michaela Goade and written by Carole Lindstrom won the Caldecott medal.
by Meghan Collins Sullivan

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The final week of January will be the coldest of the month

Colder air stays in place across Minnesota much of the week, bringing parts of Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, a chance at seeing below-zero temperatures for the first time all month.
by Nicole Mitchell

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Dominion Voting System sues Giuliani over election claims

Dominion Voting System sues Giuliani over election claims

Dominion Voting Systems filed a defamation lawsuit on Monday against Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who led the former president's efforts to spread baseless claims about the 2020 election.
by The Associated Press

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No spectators at this year's Beargrease sled dog race

No spectators at this year's Beargrease sled dog race

The John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon traditionally attracts thousands of spectators at the start of the race in Duluth, checkpoints and the finish in Grand Portage. But, because of the coronavirus pandemic, spectators have been told to stay home and watch the race online.
by The Associated Press

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Merck ends development of two potential COVID-19 vaccines

Merck ends development of two potential COVID-19 vaccines

The drugmaker said Monday that it will focus instead on studying two possible treatments for the virus that also have yet to be approved by regulators. The company said its potential vaccines were well tolerated by patients, but they generated an inferior immune system response compared with other vaccines.
by The Associated Press

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Below-average highs for Monday

Temperatures drop Monday, with breezy conditions adding to the wind chill.
by Nicole Mitchell

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Fatal police shootings of unarmed Black people reveal troubling patterns

Fatal police shootings of unarmed Black people reveal troubling patterns

Since 2015, police officers have fatally shot at least 135 unarmed Black people nationwide. The majority of officers were white and for at least 15 of them, the shootings were not their first or last.
by Cheryl W. Thompson

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More vaccinations, but not enough to meet demand

Minnesota enters the last week of January with nearly a quarter-million residents having received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. But that’s only about 4.5 percent of the population — and the pace of vaccinations, while slowly trending upward in recent days, remains far below demand. This is an MPR News morning update for Monday, Jan. 25, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

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Jan. 25 update on COVID-19 in MN: Walz presses changes to boost vaccination pace

Jan. 25 update on COVID-19 in MN: Walz presses changes to boost vaccination pace

Gov. Tim Walz’s office on Monday unveiled plans to vaccinate 15,000 metro area educators, ease the online shot signup hassles for those 65 and older and push providers to get shots into arms more quickly. But there’s still not enough vaccine.
by MPR News Staff

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A year into pandemic, with no cure in sight, ICU doctors take COVID-19 one day at a time

A year into pandemic, with no cure in sight, ICU doctors take COVID-19 one day at a time

In a year marked by tragedy and heartbreak, health care providers have been able to study COVID-19 in real time and figure out ways to keep more of its victims alive. Inside Mayo Clinic's COVID-19 intensive care unit, staff say that though they are saving more people, there's still no magic formula.
by Catharine Richert

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House transmits article of impeachment against Trump to Senate

House transmits article of impeachment against Trump to Senate

The trial itself will begin on Feb. 9, giving the Democratic House impeachment managers and former President Donald Trump's defense team two weeks to file briefs and finalize their legal preparations.
by Barbara Sprunt

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Gov. Walz preps 'COVID-19 recovery' budget for Tuesday release

Gov. Walz preps 'COVID-19 recovery' budget for Tuesday release

Gov. Tim Walz will release a $50 billion two-year budget on Tuesday that will focus on where Minnesota goes after a year of turbulence from the COVID-19 pandemic.
by Brian Bakst

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Biden repeals Trump-era ban on transgender troops

Former President Donald Trump had first ordered a ban on transgender service members in 2017, and President Joe Biden had long promised to repeal the directive.
by Scott Detrow

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Walz calls for 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2040

Walz calls for 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2040

Governor Tim Walz is pushing a goal for Minnesota to produce 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2040, a decade earlier than he previously proposed. 
by Kirsti Marohn

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Biden to reinstate COVID travel rules, add South Africa

Biden to reinstate COVID travel rules, add South Africa

President Joe Biden on Monday will formally reinstate COVID-19 travel restrictions on non-U.S. travelers from Brazil, Ireland, the United Kingdom and 26 other European countries that allow travel across open borders, according to two White House officials.
by The Associated Press

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White House begins talks with lawmakers on COVID-19 relief

White House begins talks with lawmakers on COVID-19 relief

Top aides to President Joe Biden on Sunday began talks with a group of moderate Senate Republicans and Democrats on a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package.
by The Associated Press

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A cool Monday, temps rebound later this week

We’ll start the week with below-normal temps, but milder weather returns later in the week. We have details on that, plus a look at next weekend.
by Ron Trenda

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