Stories from June 11, 2021

Two more Minnesota men charged in Capitol riots
Both men face charges of unlawful entry to restricted buildings or grounds, violent entry and disorderly conduct.
Minnesota tax collections come in $1.8b higher than expected. COVID-19 numbers continue to show encouraging signs. Pulitzer board honors Darnela Frazier, who recorded murder of George Floyd. This is an MPR News evening update for June 11, 2021. Hosted by Nina Moini. Our theme music is by Gary Meister. 
Microaggressions are on the minds of some employees returning to in-person work
Host Angela Davis talked with an expert on diversity, equity and inclusion and a business administration professor about how the return to in-person workplaces might also mean a return to the microaggressions employees experience.
Minn. lawmakers to race the budget clock in special session
Minnesota lawmakers need to finish a new budget within the next few weeks to avoid a government shutdown. Top leaders are confident they’ll avoid that disruption, but they’re still struggling through remaining differences. 
It's happening: Minnesota State Fair set to return in August
Fair officials announced Friday the beloved event, this year dubbed the “Great Minnesota Get-Back-Together,” returns on Aug. 26 with no daily attendance limits or mask requirements. The fair was canceled last year because of the pandemic.
U of M: First-year university enrollment confirmations up 12 percent
Officials attributed the increase to the “Promise Plus” program that provides free tuition to any student with annual family income of less than $50,000 and a scholarship match program that has raised $6.1 million to support low-income students.
Weekend forecast: Less humid; warm Saturday, hot Sunday
Better weather is on tap for the weekend. Saturday will be our most pleasant day in over a week, then temperatures ramp up a bit on Sunday. We have your weekend forecast details.
Rural communities fall further behind in COVID-19 vaccination rates
Cities are leaving rural areas behind in the race to vaccinate against COVID-19, but some states' suburbs are struggling, too. To close the gap experts say, outreach needs to be hyperlocal.
This month’s heat wave prompted an MPR listener to ask about the statewide record for consecutive days with temps at or above 90 degrees.
Judge pauses loan forgiveness program for farmers of color
A federal judge has halted a loan forgiveness program for farmers of color in response to a lawsuit alleging the program discriminates against white farmers.
'Mercury Rising' explores treacherous U.S. attempts to control space
In Mercury Rising, historian Jeff Shesol recalls the early days of the U.S. space program, when Cold War fears ruled and no one was sure John Glenn would survive America's first orbital flight.
Cold front brings some relief to Minnesota's hot and humid trend
A cold front moving across the state Friday will finally bring a slight break in the recent heat wave that has gripped Minnesota. Meanwhile, rain prospects stay slim as drought conditions increase across the state.
Audio postcard: Searching for orchids at Lake Bemidji State Park
We get occasional dispatches from wildflower chasers Phyllis Root and Kelly Povo, as they roam the state looking for what’s in bloom. Their latest postcard comes from the bog boardwalk at Lake Bemidji State Park, where they caught the beginning of orchid season.
A cold front breaks the heat for much of Minnesota Friday
A cold front moving across Minnesota is bringing showers and storms, but also cooler and much drier air. But southeastern Minnesota won’t see the front clear through until evening, making Friday another hot and humid day with some lingering 90s.
Law enforcement struggles to recruit since killing of Floyd
The rate of retirements at some departments rose 45 percent compared with the previous year, according to new research on nearly 200 law enforcement agencies conducted by the Washington-based Police Executive Research Forum and provided to The Associated Press. At the same time, hiring slowed by 5 percent, the group found.
Minnesota's high school graduation rate held steady for the Class of 2020, despite an abrupt shift toward the end of its senior year as early stages of the pandemic shuttered school buildings across the state. Data released Thursday from state education officials show that 83.8 percent of students graduated from high school within four years, a historic high for Minnesota.This is an MPR News morning update for Friday, June 11, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister
'He just made you feel like he was completely there': An appreciation of guitarist Billy Franze
Billy Franze, who passed away in April, thrilled cheering bar crowds with Dr. Mambo’s Combo for more than three decades. He’s being remembered as an extremely talented musician and a good-natured soul who helped many other musicians get a foothold in the Minneapolis music scene.
Latest on COVID-19 in MN: Hospitalizations recede; cases trend lower
The state’s most recent COVID-19 numbers show some of the key disease metrics at or near their lowest levels since the earliest months of the pandemic. The state is also showing some big regional differences in vaccination rates.
The new office look is 'power casual.' But save the stiletto crocs for happy hour
Some employees went without workplace staples like ties, heels and dress pants during the pandemic. But will those pieces make a fashion comeback as more people return to work?
Small Minneapolis event eyes Klobuchar to help stop Line 3
About 100 people gathered at a Minneapolis park before marching to Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s downtown office to promote shutting down reconstruction an aging oil pipeline in northern Minnesota.
Spring numbers show 'dramatic' drop in college enrollment
Undergraduate college enrollment fell again this spring, down nearly 5 percent from a year ago. "It's really the end of a truly frightening year for higher education," one researcher says.