Stories from March 9, 2021

Former state Sen. Scott Jensen to announce run for governor
Former state Sen. Scott Jensen, R-Chaska, is set to announce a run for governor next week. He gained attention by casting doubt on the impact of COVID-19.
Biden moves to make it illegal (again) to accidentally kill migratory birds
The changes will restore protections that were taken away under former president Donald Trump. But they will take time, and wildlife advocates say many bird species already face a risk of extinction.
Minn. Education Commissioner Mary Cathryn Ricker resigns
State Education Commissioner Mary Cathryn Ricker has resigned, saying she wants to return to teaching in the classroom. She will be replaced by former deputy education commissioner, Heather Mueller.
Dr. Hallberg answers your vaccine questions
Should I wait for another vaccine if I’m offered the Johnson & Johnson one? What if I’m having trouble getting an appointment for my second shot? When can I see friends and family? Dr. Jon Hallberg answers some of your COVID-19 vaccine questions.
Vaccinations expand to include hundreds of thousands more Minnesotans and the first jurors are seated in the George Floyd case in Minneapolis. This is an evening update from MPR News, hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.
Nearly 1 in 3 women experience violence: Landmark report from WHO
A report that gathered data from 161 countries and areas paints a "horrifying picture," said WHO's director-general. And there's concern that the pandemic has made matters worse.
Roger Mudd, longtime network TV newsman, dies at 93
Longtime NBC and CBS correspondent and television anchor Roger Mudd has died at the age of 93. CBS News says Mudd died Tuesday of complications of kidney failure at his home in Virginia.
Greater Minnesota’s child care crisis squeezed by pandemic
Child care providers have been closing in rural Minnesota faster than they can be replaced. Host Angela Davis talks with the author of a new report and the owner of a child care center about how this hurts working families and rural economies. 
Inside the fight for the right to die: Logistical and ethical challenges
Katie Engelhart explores the complexity of physician-assisted death in the book The Inevitable. She says patients seeking to end their own lives sometimes resort to veterinary drugs from overseas.
States try to push out billions of emergency rental aid to families
Congress approved $25 billion in emergency rental assistance to keep people housed during the pandemic, but states are facing glitches on the federal moratorium for renters and landlords.
Majority of MN students now have option to attend school in person
Weeks after Gov. Tim Walz urged secondary schools to open their buildings, approximately 90 percent of Minnesota schools are offering students the option to attend some form of in-person classes. But in some areas, many students are opting for distance learning, even when they have the chance to go back in person.
The places we used to gather, by hospital beds and in houses of worship, have been largely closed to visitors in the pandemic. That’s made for an unimaginable year for hospital chaplains working on the front lines.
Health panel expands lung cancer screening for more smokers
More Americans now qualify for yearly scans to detect lung cancer, according to guidelines released Tuesday that may help more Black smokers and women get screened.
The victims, rather than the killer, are at the center of 'Last Call'
The victims of the man dubbed the "Last Call Killer" were all gay men; Elon Green tries to shine a light onto their complicated lives, the messiness of who they were, and an era of queer life in NYC.
UK palace ends silence on Harry, Meghan racism allegations
Buckingham Palace issued a statement Tuesday, saying the family was “saddened” to learn of the struggles that Harry and Meghan revealed this week — and that they would be taken very seriously.
In true spring fashion (meteorological spring began March 1), Minnesota will go from record highs Tuesday to areas of accumulating snow Wednesday.
Minnesota expands vaccine eligibility; shots for all possible by late April
As Minnesota approaches a key milestone in vaccinating the state’s 65-plus population, officials are accelerating the timelines for when many other Minnesotans can be eligible for a shot. On Tuesday, they indicated every adult Minnesotan may be shot-eligible by late April.
Warm and windy conditions will shatter record highs by 5 to 10 degrees across much of Minnesota.
Officers were called to a south Minneapolis intersection about 10 p.m. Monday where the shooting took place. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said the man was taken to HCMC for treatment of injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening.
The judge overseeing the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin plans to move forward with jury selection at 9 a.m. Tuesday unless the state appeals court orders him to halt the proceedings. This is an MPR News morning update for Tuesday, March 9, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.
A small village takes on big oil in 'How Beautiful We Were'
Imbolo Mbue's new novel is set in an unnamed country that could be any West African nation beset by international oil companies — and yet, it's a story of rebellion and rebirth, not calamity.
What the $300 a month child benefit could mean for a family on the edge
The monthly checks would mark a big shift in the federal government's approach to child poverty. One study estimates they could cut the number of poor children by half.
March 9 update on COVID-19 in MN: Vaccination pace solid; eligibility expands
The newest numbers show the state on the right path. They came minutes after state health officials expanded vaccine eligibility and indicated the state could be ready to offer a shot to any Minnesota adult by late April.
Chauvin trial: 3 jurors now seated; appeals court ruling looms
Judge Peter Cahill expects opening statements for the trial on March 29, although it’s still unclear if proceedings will be delayed by an unresolved matter on the reinstatement of third-degree murder charges.
Pandemic aid package includes some relief from high health plan premiums
If passed, President Joe Biden's relief bill would significantly expand the number of people eligible for federal help in paying their health plan premiums, and would boost the size of those subsidies.
Here's what's in the American Rescue Plan
The colossal package allocates money for COVID-19 vaccines, schools, small businesses and anti-poverty programs like the child tax credit. Here are the highlights, including what the Senate changed.
Emily Chamlee-Wright on the importance of free speech, civility and tolerance
Emily Chamlee-Wright of the Institute for Humane Studies speaks at North Dakota State University about free speech, civility and tolerance on college campuses — and in society at large.
Why scientists are infecting healthy volunteers with the coronavirus
Exposing people to a potentially fatal disease could hasten understanding of COVID-19 and development of new vaccines and treatments. But the risks of such studies raise serious ethical questions.
Report recommends $23 million in investment for Duluth's Spirit Mountain
A consultant hired by the city of Duluth recommends spending $23 million to upgrade the city’s struggling Spirit Mountain ski area. That’s one of several takeaways in a new report released by a task force to put the ski area on a sustainable financial path.