Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now

Stories from March 19, 2021

Next pandemic: Scientists fear another coronavirus could jump from animals to humans

Next pandemic: Scientists fear another coronavirus could jump from animals to humans

Researchers worry another coronavirus will spill over from a bat or some other creature. They're hunting for sources — and finding evidence that a new pandemic could be around the corner.
by Michaeleen Doucleff

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Corrections Commissioner Schnell on why Minnesota should consider more early release

Corrections Commissioner Schnell on why Minnesota should consider more early release

Host Angela Davis talks with Minnesota Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell about a new plan to shift the focus from how much time people spend in prison to how they spend that time.
by Angela Davis and Maja Beckstrom

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
4 Proud Boys charged with conspiracy over Jan. 6 Capitol riot

4 Proud Boys charged with conspiracy over Jan. 6 Capitol riot

They were indicted for allegedly conspiring to obstruct Congress' certification of the Electoral College, including in discussions on encrypted messaging apps.
by Ryan Lucas

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

Moorhead man faces charges in U.S. Capitol insurrection

The FBI says a Moorhead, Minn. man was arrested Friday in connection with January's insurrection at the U-S Capitol. He's believed to be the first Minnesota resident arrested in connection with the riot. Also, Judge Peter Cahill ruled that the trial of Derek Chauvin will go on as scheduled in Hennepin County. This is the afternoon MPR News update for March 19, 2021. Hosted by Nina Moini. Theme music by Gary Meister.

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Minnesota man charged in connection with Capitol siege

Minnesota man charged in connection with Capitol siege

The charges say that a former classmate alerted authorities after seeing social media postings, and that when the FBI questioned 31-year-old Jordan K. Stotts he admitted to entering the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
by The Associated Press and MPR News Staff

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
A look at the ethics of the vaccine rollout

A look at the ethics of the vaccine rollout

The chaotic vaccine distribution across the country has elicited strong feelings about who should be get the vaccine now and who should wait their turn. Host Angela Davis talks with with two experts about the ethics of vaccine distribution.
by Angela Davis and Katie Moritz

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Weekend forecast: Warmer, with gusty winds

Weekend forecast: Warmer, with gusty winds

Our temps will be unusually warm this weekend, but the winds will be gusty. We have the forecast details, including the rain chance that arrives on Sunday. Parts of Minnesota still have snow cover; we’ll show you where that snow lingers.
by Ron Trenda

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Talking Volumes: A conversation with writer N. Scott Momaday

Talking Volumes: A conversation with writer N. Scott Momaday

Award-winning novelist and poet N. Scott Momaday cultivated a boundless imagination as a boy exploring the vast landscape of the American Southwest on horseback. He joined host Kerri Miller for Talking Volumes: Talking Race, a collaboration between MPR and the Star Tribune.
by Kerri Miller

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
CDC says schools can now space students 3 feet apart, rather than 6

CDC says schools can now space students 3 feet apart, rather than 6

In many places, the 6-foot guidance was interpreted as requiring schools to operate on part-time schedules in order to reduce class sizes. A 3-foot rule would allow many more schools to fully reopen.
by Anya Kamenetz and Cory Turner

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

The fire risk increases through Saturday

Dry, mild, and breezy conditions lead to fire concerns through the end of the week, then next week starts off soggy.
by Nicole Mitchell

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
From Minnesota, Asian American women mourn Georgia spa victims

From Minnesota, Asian American women mourn Georgia spa victims

Police initially said the Atlanta spa killings, in which six Asian women were among the dead, wasn’t a hate crime. But Minnesota’s Asian women say that added insult to grievous injury.

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Explainer: Chauvin's lawyer is outnumbered, but has help

Explainer: Chauvin's lawyer is outnumbered, but has help

As opening statements approach for a former Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd's death, the early proceedings suggest it's not exactly a fair fight. No fewer than four attorneys have appeared for the prosecution so far, compared to a single attorney to defend Derek Chauvin. Many other lawyers are working for the prosecution behind the scenes.
by The Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

Dry weather elevates fire conditions Friday

Friday brings more sunshine and above average temperatures, but the dry weather is contributing to fire concerns.
by Nicole Mitchell

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Biden, Harris offering solace to grieving Asian Americans

Biden, Harris offering solace to grieving Asian Americans

“Hate can have no safe harbor in America,” President Joe Biden said during his visit to Atlanta, calling on Americans to stand up to bigotry when they see it. “Our silence is complicity. We cannot be complicit.”
by The Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Wave of bills to block trans athletes has no basis in science, researcher says

Wave of bills to block trans athletes has no basis in science, researcher says

Legislation in several states would limit or prohibit transgender women from competing in women's athletics. An expert on sex differences in athletes says the bills aren't rooted in science.
by Tinbete Ermyas and Kira Wakeam

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

Chauvin trial: Key rulings come Friday

Pivotal moments in the Derek Chauvin trial arrive Friday as Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill is set to decide on several motions that will shape the trial’s future. Cahill is expected to rule on a defense request to delay or move the trial due to last week’s $27 million wrongful death settlement announced between Minneapolis and the family of George Floyd. This is an MPR News morning update for Friday, March 19, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
March 19 update on COVID-19 in MN: Vaccinations rise; cases, hospitalizations up

March 19 update on COVID-19 in MN: Vaccinations rise; cases, hospitalizations up

“We are in a race between the variants and the vaccine,” and the actions Minnesotans take to check the spread of the disease will be critical in the coming weeks, the state’s infectious disease director said Friday.
by MPR News Staff

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
4 questions to help sort through the ethics of getting a COVID vaccine before you’re eligible

4 questions to help sort through the ethics of getting a COVID vaccine before you’re eligible

Opportunities to get the COVID-19 vaccine are expanding, but not everyone is eligible yet. Still, people are sometimes finding themselves in situations that might allow them to jump the line. What questions should you consider, according to an ethicist, if you find yourself in a similar circumstance? 
by Catharine Richert

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Yes, Capitol rioters were armed. Here are the weapons prosecutors say they used

Yes, Capitol rioters were armed. Here are the weapons prosecutors say they used

An NPR review of federal charges against people involved in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot shows they were armed with a wide variety of weapons, contradicting a false claim that rioters were not armed.
by Tom Dreisbach and Tim Mak

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Chauvin trial: Judge won't delay, move trial; jury selection continues

Chauvin trial: Judge won't delay, move trial; jury selection continues

Judge Peter Cahill on Friday acknowledged there was no optimal time or location in Minnesota to escape the publicity around the high-profile case. Thirteen jurors have been seated and jury selection will resume Monday.
by Riham Feshir, Jon Collins, Brandt Williams and Matt Sepic

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Another perk of getting COVID shot: Some MN businesses offer incentives for vaccinations

Another perk of getting COVID shot: Some MN businesses offer incentives for vaccinations

In an effort to speed up recovery from the pandemic, some Minnesota business owners are offering cash incentives for COVID-19 vaccinations. And they're not just going to employees — some are rewarding customers who get vaccinated, too.
by Mark Zdechlik

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!