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Stories from July 20, 2021

Smoke and heat add to summer suffering across the state

Smoke and heat add to summer suffering across the state, as drought starts to pinch water supplies in the Twin Cities. This is an evening update from MPR News, hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.

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First smoke, then fire? BWCA braces for the worst

First smoke, then fire? BWCA braces for the worst

Residents in northern Minnesota woke up to thick smoke Tuesday morning that spread from wildfires burning across the border in Canada, and some people around the Boundary Waters Canoe Area are bracing for a severe fire season that will likely last all summer.
by Dan Kraker

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Michael Wolff's third strike at Trump White House has hits and misses

Michael Wolff's third strike at Trump White House has hits and misses

The author has gifts as a writer: a novelistic eye for scene and detail, an ear for dramatic dialogue. His story keeps moving, free of constraints common to courtroom lawyers or newspaper reporters.
by Ron Elving

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Hennepin County 'doubles down' on vaccine incentive program

Hennepin County 'doubles down' on vaccine incentive program

The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners Tuesday unanimously approved an additional $250,000 to promote vaccine shots, on top of the original $100,000 that was allocated earlier from federal recovery funds.
by The Associated Press

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How millennials fared financially and at work during the pandemic

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, millennials had been dubbed the “unluckiest generation” by some economists. The pandemic may have set them back even further. Guest host Nina Moini talked with two economists and the vice president of a young professionals network about millennials in the workplace.
by Nina Moini and Samantha Matsumoto

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How the richest Americans avoid paying taxes

How the richest Americans avoid paying taxes

While most Americans have access to some kind of retirement savings, about 25 percent of workers have nothing saved at all. Meanwhile, America’s top earners are raking in millions, even billions, from their retirement accounts with very little tax debt. 
by Kerri Miller and Ariana Rosas

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Funeral held for bystander killed in police pursuit crash

Funeral held for bystander killed in police pursuit crash

Friends and family gathered at a Minneapolis church to honor the life of a man killed when a police squad car struck his vehicle while the officer was chasing a robbery suspect.
by The Associated Press

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Colorado man drowns when storm capsizes canoe in Minnesota

A Colorado man has drowned after a severe storm moving through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeastern Minnesota capsized his canoe, sheriff's officials said Tuesday.
by The Associated Press

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Audio postcard: Scents of summer on the prairie

Audio postcard: Scents of summer on the prairie

We get occasional reports on Morning Edition from wildflower chasers Kelly Povo and Phyllis Root, as they roam around Minnesota on the hunt for what’s in bloom. Their latest dispatch is from a hike at Schaefer Prairie near Glencoe, where they went looking for milkweed at the height of summer.
by Cathy Wurzer

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Blue Origin's Bezos reaches space on 1st passenger flight

Blue Origin's Bezos reaches space on 1st passenger flight

Jeff Bezos blasted into space Tuesday on his rocket company's first flight with people on board, becoming the second billionaire in just over a week to ride his own spacecraft.
by The Associated Press

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A front brings both rain and smoke into Minnesota

The wind shift along with a cold front is drawing smoke back into Minnesota, while the front is also triggering some spotty storms. Overall, our pattern stays drier and hotter than average.
by Nicole Mitchell

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The life cycle of a COVID-19 vaccine lie

The life cycle of a COVID-19 vaccine lie

Where do myths about coronavirus vaccines come from and why do they spread? NPR takes a look at how rumors about vaccines and fertility reached the public earlier this year.
by Geoff Brumfiel

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Smoke and haze return across Minnesota Tuesday

A cold front moving across the state continues to bring chances for showers and storms. Meanwhile, the wind shift behind the front has funneled more smoke back into northern Minnesota.
by Nicole Mitchell

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Pilot of crop-dusting helicopter killed in Minnesota crash

The 40-year-old pilot from Texas was crop-dusting Monday afternoon when the chopper blades got caught in some power lines near Elgin and crashed, authorities said.
by The Associated Press

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Air quality alert expanded across Minnesota over Canadian wildfire smoke

Air quality alert expanded across Minnesota over Canadian wildfire smoke

State pollution control officials have extended the alerts through Thursday morning, and increased the range from as far north as Roseau down to the Twin Cities region, as well as Rochester and Mankato.
by MPR News Staff

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Court sends PolyMet permit back to state environmental regulators

A state court on Monday sent a key air emissions permit for the planned PolyMet mine back to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, a setback in the company’s bid to open the state’s first copper-nickel mine. This is an MPR News morning update for Tuesday, July 20, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

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The latest Eid fashion trend? Sustainability

Muslim designers, noticing a demand for sustainable Eid clothing, have launched eco-friendly pieces leading up to the holiday.
by Dalia Faheid

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10 things to watch for when the Tokyo Olympics begin

10 things to watch for when the Tokyo Olympics begin

Against great odds, the world's top athletes are about to take the spotlight. Here are some key things to keep an eye out for during the first half of the Summer Olympic Games.
by Merrit Kennedy

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Crowds once again flocking to county fairs across Minnesota

Crowds once again flocking to county fairs across Minnesota

It's the heart of county fair season across Minnesota. For the first time in two years, people are lining up for midway rides, filling barns to look at animals and 4-H exhibits and eating a lot of corn dogs and funnel cakes.
by Will Matuska

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Meet the summer Olympians from Minnesota

Meet the summer Olympians from Minnesota

More than 20 athletes attending the Tokyo Summer Olympics have a connection to Minnesota. Get to know the athletes, and follow this page for updates on when athletes are set to compete.
by Matt Mikus

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