Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now

Stories from September 16, 2021

Minnesota Supreme Court OKs ballot question on Minneapolis PD

Minnesota Supreme Court OKs ballot question on Minneapolis PD

The Minnesota Supreme Court cleared the way Thursday evening for voters in Minneapolis to decide on the future of policing in the city where George Floyd was killed, just ahead of the start of early and absentee voting.
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!
Tornado and severe thunderstorm watches for Minnesota

Tornado and severe thunderstorm watches for Minnesota

There’s a severe thunderstorm watch until 2 a.m. for much of central and southwest Minnesota and a tornado watch until midnight for much of central and northeast Minnesota.
by Paul Huttner

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!
Enbridge ordered to pay $3.3 million for an aquifer breach

Enbridge ordered to pay $3.3 million for an aquifer breach

The Minnesota DNR says Enbridge pierced a groundwater aquifer in Clearwater County during construction of the Line 3 oil pipeline, causing an estimated release of more than 24 million gallons of groundwater from the aquifer, posing a risk to rare wetlands.
by Kirsti Marohn

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!
Appetites: The connection between Iran and tea

Appetites: The connection between Iran and tea

On this week’s Appetites, MPR News host Tom Crann was joined by Ghazaleh Dadres, a board member with the Twin Cities Iranian Culture Collective, who shared how the art of drinking tea has played a role in her life as an Iranian.
by Tom Crann and Lindsay Guentzel

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!

Supreme Court says pardons still need three top Minnesota officials to agree

The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled Thursday that unanimous votes are required for pardons to be issued by a state board. The ruling means that the board — made up of the governor, attorney general and chief justice — all must be in agreement to grant a pardon. This is the afternoon MPR News update for Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021. Hosted by Dan Kraker. Theme music by Gary Meister.
by Dan Kraker

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!
July-like heat sparks scattered storms into Friday morning

July-like heat sparks scattered storms into Friday morning

A cold front will push scattered storms across northern Minnesota through Thursday evening. Storms are possible in southern Minnesota in the late evening but more likely during the overnight hours.
by Paul Huttner

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!
Watershed managers keep your basement from flooding — extreme weather swings are making it harder

Watershed managers keep your basement from flooding — extreme weather swings are making it harder

Changing rainfall patterns and more extreme weather swings have made water managers’ jobs difficult. They moderate lake and creek levels to prevent flooding and pollution.
by Paul Huttner

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 farmers tap technology to conserve water in drought

Minnesota farmers tap technology to conserve water in drought

It's been a tough year to be a Minnesota farmer trying to keep crops alive during the worst drought in decades. But many are using new tools and research to be smarter and more efficient about how much water they use, and when.
by Kirsti Marohn

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!
Witnesses: Suspect in slayings of 4 met victim at bar

Witnesses: Suspect in slayings of 4 met victim at bar

Authorities say one of two men suspected in the shooting deaths of four people found in an abandoned SUV in Wisconsin was spotted meeting with one of the victims the night before at a Minnesota bar.
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!
MN Supreme Court blocks remake of pardon process

MN Supreme Court blocks remake of pardon process

The Minnesota Supreme Court ordered Thursday that a three-person Board of Pardons must be in full agreement to clear a crime off a person’s record.
by Brian Bakst

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!
Meet Tonya Allen of the McKnight Foundation

Meet Tonya Allen of the McKnight Foundation

The McKnight Foundation is focused on ensuring a more, “just, creative and abundant future where people and planet thrive.” What does this mean for Minnesotans? How much money does the McKnight Foundation spend and on whom? Can philanthropy make a difference in the lives of regular people?
by Angela Davis and Susan Davis

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: Dry and breezy; warmest day will be Sunday

Weekend forecast: Dry and breezy; warmest day will be Sunday

Parts of Minnesota could see some strong or severe thunderstorms late Thursday afternoon and Thursday evening. Our weekend looks dry, and Sunday will feel summery. We have your forecast details, plus the new fall color report!
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!
Here are the longlist nominees for this year's National Book Awards

Here are the longlist nominees for this year's National Book Awards

The longlist nominees for this year's National Book Awards are being announced over the course of the next few days — we'll have them all right here in a continuously updated post.
by Petra Mayer

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!
White House offers Nicki Minaj call to answer vaccine Qs

White House offers Nicki Minaj call to answer vaccine Qs

The White House offered Wednesday to connect Nicki Minaj with one of the Biden administration's doctors to address her questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, after the Trinidadian-born rapper's erroneous tweet alleging the vaccine causes impotence went viral.
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!

Severe weather risk Thursday; warm, sunny weekend ahead

A cold front moving across Minnesota is bringing both needed rain and a concern for severe weather. The colder air behind the system only lasts briefly.
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!
Outdoor sports remain very white. Duluth groups are working to close the 'adventure gap'

Outdoor sports remain very white. Duluth groups are working to close the 'adventure gap'

Adventure sports like mountain biking and climbing are all the rage right now. In Duluth, the city has invested in new bike and ski trails and an ice climbing park. Even as the state grows more diverse, however, those sports remain overwhelmingly white. But groups in Duluth are working to change that. 
by Dan Kraker

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!
No scientific evidence masks harm kids' health

No scientific evidence masks harm kids' health

Experts say there's no scientific evidence showing that masks cause harm to kids' health despite claims to the contrary on social media and elsewhere. Among the unfounded arguments: Masks can foster germs if they become moist or cause unhealthy levels of carbon dioxide. But experts say washing masks routinely keeps them safe and clean.
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!
Chauvin pleads not guilty to alleged civil rights violation

Chauvin pleads not guilty to alleged civil rights violation

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has pleaded not guilty to allegedly violating a teenager's civil rights in a separate case that involved a restraint similar to the one used on Floyd.
by Amy Forliti, 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!

Supreme Court speeds up review of ruling on Minneapolis ballot question

The Minnesota Supreme Court has granted a petition for accelerated review of a district court’s ruling that blocks the Minneapolis public safety referendum. This is an MPR News morning update for Thursday, September 16, 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!
Art Hounds recommend solo dance videos, architecture tours and opera outdoors

Art Hounds recommend solo dance videos, architecture tours and opera outdoors

“What’s Out There Weekend” offers walking tours to explore the culture and design of public spaces in the Twin Cities, Opera Afuera fills Allianz Field with music by Latino artists and the McKnight dance fellows premiere their solo dance videos.
by Emily Bright

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 Capitol faces its biggest security test since Jan. 6 on Saturday

The Capitol faces its biggest security test since Jan. 6 on Saturday

A demonstration is planned in support of defendants charged after a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol. The FBI says there's no specific threat, but security officials say they're ready no matter what.
by Claudia Grisales

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!
This thoughtful, profound thriller centers on identity and its many layers

This thoughtful, profound thriller centers on identity and its many layers

Amanda Jayatissa's “My Sweet Girl” is a twisty psychological thriller — but also a nuanced examination of identity as its Sri Lankan American heroine struggles with a murder that may not have happened.
by Swapna Krishna

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!