Stories from March 17, 2021

The 'workplace revolution' with author and academic Eddie Glaude Jr.
The pandemic and the push for racial reckoning have created an opportunity to start anew in many ways. Host Angela Davis talks about what needs to happen in workplaces with Eddie Glaude Jr., a professor at Princeton University and author of “Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and its Urgent Lessons for Our Own.”
House renews Violence Against Women Act, but Senate hurdles remain
As a senator, President Joe Biden played a key role in passing the landmark 1994 law, which he called "one of my proudest legislative achievements." It wasn't reauthorized in 2018 over partisan disputes.
Governor Tim Walz is in quarantine as COVID cases are on the rise again, and the court has replaced two jurors after releasing two people that said a major settlement paid to George Floyd’s family might influence their deliberations in the Derek Chauvin trial. This is an evening update from MPR news, hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.
Explainer: Role of alternate jurors in ex-officer's trial
Derek Chauvin’s trial is moving forward amid national attention, plus a pandemic that could potentially disrupt proceedings expected to last several weeks. That’s why the alternates will play important role, ready to sub in for other jurors who are unable to continue with the trial.
How community members are supporting each other during the Chauvin trial
Some Minnesotans feel traumatized all over again as coverage of the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin picks up. On Wednesday, host Angela Davis talks with guests who are supporting friends and neighbors looking for ways to heal as they confront their feelings of grief, anger, anxiety and fear during the trial.
White House announces $10 billion for COVID testing in schools
The new funds will enable K-12 schools to ramp up screening testing, which can "identify asymptomatic disease and prevent clusters before they start," said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.
IRS expected to push back tax-filing deadline
It will be the second consecutive year the agency has given taxpayers more time to filed their returns because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Wet March pattern erasing drought in Minnesota
Wet March pattern erasing drought in Minnesota. Multiple weather systems easing dryness.
Walz, Flanagan to quarantine after possible COVID exposure
The governor’s office says he tested negative on Monday but that he, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm will quarantine through March 25 given the possible exposure.
Capacity limits lift this weekend for houses of worship across the state
This will be the first weekend that houses of worship around the state will be allowed to operate with no capacity limits. Morning Edition Host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Pastor Corey Fuhrman of First Lutheran Church in Bemidji about his plans.
Kazuo Ishiguro draws on his songwriting past to write novels about the future
The Nobel Prize-winning novelist says he honed his skills earlier in his career "as a writer of songs." Ishiguro's new book, Klara And The Sun, is set in the future and has an A.I. narrator.
UConn frosh Paige Bueckers leads women's AP All-America team
The freshman guard from Hopkins, Minn., has delivered record-breaking performances and earned a spot on The Associated Press women's basketball All-American team Wednesday. She's only the third freshman to make the AP team, joining Oklahoma's Courtney Paris and UConn's Maya Moore.
We have much to learn from 'A Place Like Mississippi'
W. Ralph Eubanks' new book examines Mississippi's mighty contributions to American literature, and what writers like Eudora Welty and Jesmyn Ward can teach us about broader national issues.
In Amazon's shadow, an America divided in search of 'Fulfillment'
ProPublica's Alec MacGillis has written an economic history of the country, shaped by stories of people living and working in Amazon's shadow as their home cities and states transform around them.
How long until COVID vaccines are available for kids?
Throughout the pandemic many parents have asked the same question: When can my child get a COVID vaccine? Two physicians talk about the latest research and a timeline for inoculation. 
Atlanta shooting suspect charged in spa shootings
Robert Aaron Long, the suspected gunman in three attacks that killed eight people at Atlanta-area spas on Tuesday, has been charged with murder and assault. Six women of Asian descent are among the dead, raising suspicions of a hate crime.
Explainer: What's behind some Chauvin jury questions?
Attorneys from both sides have asked how they feel about the Black Lives Matter movement, and about police. They ask how they felt when they saw the video showing Derek Chauvin with his knee on George Floyd's neck. But some questions are less pointed, and their reasoning more subtle: Have you ever had to resolve conflict? Have you ever been certain you were right only to find out you were wrong?
Will work from home outlast virus? Ford's move suggests yes
On Wednesday, Ford Motor Co. told about 30,000 of its employees worldwide who have worked from home that they can continue to do so indefinitely, with flexible hours approved by their managers.
Zebra mussels discovered on aquarium plants at Minnesota pet stores
Invasive zebra mussels, which were accidentally brought to the Great Lakes more than 30 years ago on cargo ships from Europe, have now been found in aquarium plants sold at pet stores in Minnesota and more than 25 other states.
The age of automation is now: Here's how to 'Futureproof' yourself
New York Times tech columnist Kevin Roose says we've been approaching automation all wrong. "We should be teaching people ... to be more like humans, to do the things that machines can't do," he says.
White supremacist propaganda surged in 2020, report says
There were 5,125 cases of racist, anti-Semitic, anti-LGBTQ and other hateful messages spread through physical flyers, stickers, banners and posters, according to Wednesday's report. That's nearly double the 2,724 instances reported in 2019.
Morning fog and mostly cloudy skies prevail across much of Minnesota again Wednesday.
Drawing a line in the mud: Scientists debate when 'age of humans' began
Scientists on five continents are hunting for geological evidence to pinpoint exactly when humans became a major force shaping life on Earth. But settling on the date could unleash a larger debate.
Atlanta-area shootings leave 8 dead, many of Asian descent
A series of shootings over nearly an hour at three Atlanta-area spas left eight people dead and raised fears that the attack was yet another hate crime against people of Asian descent. Police arrested 21-year-old Georgia man and said the motive wasn’t immediately known, though many of the victims were women of Asian descent.
Deaths of migrant children haunt former official as border surge increases
John Sanders led U.S. Customs and Border Protection under the Trump administration. At least five children died after being detained during the last surge, and he fears "history is repeating itself."
March 17 update on COVID-19 in MN: Officials expect J&J vaccine doses to jump
State officials say Minnesota in April may start receiving 100,000 doses a week of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The state’s also loosening curbs on visits to long-term care facilities. Gov. Tim Walz is quarantining after a possible COVID-19 exposure.
Chauvin trial: 2 jurors out, 2 added as Floyd family settlement roils court
The $27 million settlement between Minneapolis and the George Floyd family continues to hang over jury selection in Derek Chauvin’s criminal trial. There are currently nine jurors after two were dismissed Wednesday morning and another two selected in the afternoon.
'It’s time to create our own table': Minnesota Parent Union seeks to empower students and families
Founded in 2019, the Minnesota Parent Union is an education advocacy group trying to amplify the concerns of Minnesota parents. Organizers say challenges brought about by the pandemic have underscored the need to give parents a bigger voice in the system.
Intelligence Squared debate: Is it time for slavery reparations?
A top aide to President Joe Biden recently said that the White House will “start acting now” on reparations for African Americans. Some say it’s long overdue. Reparations, they say, are important to start to address the moral injury slavery inflicted. Others say direct payments to African Americans will divide the Black community, exaggerate racial tensions and prove impossible to administer.