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Stories from March 9, 2021

Former state Sen. Scott Jensen to announce run for governor

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.
by Brian Bakst

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Biden moves to make it illegal (again) to accidentally kill migratory birds

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.
by Nathan Rott

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Minn. Education Commissioner Mary Cathryn Ricker resigns

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.
by Elizabeth Shockman

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Dr. Hallberg answers your vaccine questions

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.
by Tom Crann and Dr. Jon Hallberg

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Vaccinations expand and the first jurors are seated in the George Floyd case

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.

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Nearly 1 in 3 women experience violence: Landmark report from WHO

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.
by Maria Godoy

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Roger Mudd, longtime network TV newsman, dies at 93

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.
by The Associated Press

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Greater Minnesota’s child care crisis squeezed by pandemic

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. 
by Angela Davis and Maja Beckstrom

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Inside the fight for the right to die: Logistical and ethical challenges

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.
by Terry Gross

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States try to push out billions of emergency rental aid to families

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.
by Pam Fessler

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Majority of MN students now have option to attend school in person

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.
by Elizabeth Shockman

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COVID reflections: How the pandemic has changed the work of hospital chaplains

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.
by Cathy Wurzer

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Health panel expands lung cancer screening for more smokers

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.
by The Associated Press

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The victims, rather than the killer, are at the center of 'Last Call'

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.
by Ilana Masad

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UK palace ends silence on Harry, Meghan racism allegations

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.
by The Associated Press

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Record highs Tuesday, then snow chances return

In true spring fashion (meteorological spring began March 1), Minnesota will go from record highs Tuesday to areas of accumulating snow Wednesday.
by Nicole Mitchell

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Minnesota expands vaccine eligibility; shots for all possible by late April

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.
by MPR News Staff

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Statewide record highs expected Tuesday

Warm and windy conditions will shatter record highs by 5 to 10 degrees across much of Minnesota.
by Nicole Mitchell

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Boy killed, man injured in Minneapolis shooting

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.
by The Associated Press

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Chauvin trial: Will jury selection resume? Appeals court ruling looms

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.

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A small village takes on big oil in 'How Beautiful We Were'

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.
by Tochi Onyebuchi

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What the $300 a month child benefit could mean for a family on the edge

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.
by Anya Kamenetz

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March 9 update on COVID-19 in MN: Vaccination pace solid; eligibility expands

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.
by MPR News Staff

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Chauvin trial: 3 jurors now seated; appeals court ruling looms

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.
by Jon Collins, Brandt Williams and Riham Feshir

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Pandemic aid package includes some relief from high health plan premiums

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.
by Emmarie Huetteman

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Here's what's in the American Rescue Plan

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.
by Barbara Sprunt

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Emily Chamlee-Wright on the importance of free speech, civility and tolerance

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.
by MPR News Staff

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Why scientists are infecting healthy volunteers with the coronavirus

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.
by Joe Palca

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Report recommends $23 million in investment for Duluth's Spirit Mountain

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.
by Dan Kraker

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