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Stories from September 30, 2021

Drug overdoses treated in Minnesota hospitals jumped as pandemic worsened

Drug overdoses treated in Minnesota hospitals jumped as pandemic worsened

Even as more people avoided hospital emergency rooms last year to dodge COVID-19 exposure, the number of Minnesotans treated for non-fatal drug overdoses jumped 18 percent from 2019.
by Jon Collins

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Tracking occasional scattered rain and thunder through Friday

Tracking occasional scattered rain and thunder through Friday

There will be more dry hours than rain through Friday. But occasional showers and thunder will roam Minnesota.

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COVID cases in Minnesota schools are up sharply in first weeks of classes

COVID cases in Minnesota schools are up sharply in first weeks of classes, although the data is mixed on just how serious the problem is. This is an evening update from MPR News, hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.

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Texas man, 24, admits shooting at Minneapolis police station during riot

Texas man, 24, admits shooting at Minneapolis police station during riot

A Texas man who had been part of a far-right group that wants to foment a civil war admitted in federal court Thursday he traveled to Minneapolis to sow chaos after the police murder of George Floyd. Ivan Harrison Hunter, 24, of Boerne, Tex. pleaded guilty to a single count of rioting.
by Matt Sepic

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GOP plan limits ‘hero pay’ to 200,000 people

GOP plan limits ‘hero pay’ to 200,000 people

Republican members of a group working to distribute $250 million in bonus pay to front-line pandemic workers pitched a plan Thursday to send $1,200 checks to about 200,000 Minnesotans. Some of those who wouldn’t be included said the plan is unacceptable.
by Brian Bakst

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In Focus: Learning in the time of COVID

A challenging school year lies ahead in Minnesota, a state that ranks as one of the country’s worst when it comes to inequality in educational outcomes. Join us as host Angela Davis moderates a conversation with parents, teachers and advocates about the ongoing toll of the pandemic on our educational system.
by Angela Davis and Samantha Matsumoto

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University of Minnesota leads first-ever Weddell seal count

University of Minnesota leads first-ever Weddell seal count

The health of the seal population can tell scientists how climate change is affecting ice and fish in Antarctica.
by Paul Huttner

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Seeking peace of mind, some Minnesotans skirt COVID-19 booster guidelines

Seeking peace of mind, some Minnesotans skirt COVID-19 booster guidelines

The FDA has approved COVID-19 booster shots for a limited number of people who first got the Pfizer vaccine. But in the weeks before those boosters became available, some people were already getting them. Concerns about vaccine effectiveness and the desire for peace of mind play a role.
by Catharine Richert

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School boards are asking for federal help as they face threats and violence

School boards are asking for federal help as they face threats and violence

School board meetings, usually one of the most mundane examples of local democracy in action, have exploded with vitriol across the country in recent months, and many school leaders are scared.
by Anya Kamenetz

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Weekend forecast: Temps retreat a bit; shower chance on Saturday

Weekend forecast: Temps retreat a bit; shower chance on Saturday

Our first weekend of October will feature temps that are slightly above average. We have details on that, plus who could see a Saturday shower. We also have the new fall color report and an update on Minnesota drought conditions.
by Ron Trenda

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The connection between carbs and cardio ahead of the Twin Cities Marathon

The connection between carbs and cardio ahead of the Twin Cities Marathon

More than 13,000 runners will take part in this weekend's Twin Cities Marathon and 10-mile race, but what do they need to be focused on this week when it comes to nutrition? You may have heard of carbo-loading — a meal one or two days before the race that's heavy on bread or pasta. But how does that benefit the runner?
by Tom Crann and Lindsay Guentzel

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Biden's approval rating recovers some from last month's low, an NPR poll finds

Biden's approval rating recovers some from last month's low, an NPR poll finds

The latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist survey finds that 45 percent of U.S. adults approve of the job President Joe Biden is doing, while 46 percent disapprove. That's a little better than his numbers last month.
by Domenico Montanaro

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Aspen Ideas Festival: Rebuilding trust in media

At this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival, Kitty Boone, vice president of public programs at the Aspen Institute, asked three national media leaders why trust in the news has eroded — and what media organizations can do to win it back.
by Alex Cheng

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Leaf now! Head north this weekend for Minnesota's best fall colors

Leaf now! Head north this weekend for Minnesota's best fall colors

Fall colors are starting to pop across the state. Most areas north of St. Cloud are either at peak or are approaching peak fall colors. Here are some recommendations on where to go for the best leaf peeping.
by Nancy Yang

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Aspen Ideas Festival: Journalism’s fight for survival, locally and nationally

Local journalism is dying, and national media organizations are making radical changes to fight public mistrust and stay afloat. Local and national media leaders came together at the 2021 Aspen Ideas Festival to discuss the problems plaguing journalism and how to solve them.
by Alex Cheng

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Rainy, cooler weather returns to Minnesota

A slow-moving disturbance brings rain across the state that may linger for part of the weekend. Despite slightly cooler temperatures, Minnesota stays above average for the first week of October.
by Nicole Mitchell

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Student files lawsuit to block U of M vaccine requirement

Student files lawsuit to block U of M vaccine requirement

The complaint says the student, who is unnamed, tested positive for COVID-19 in November, and feels he's protected from further infection. It also states he doesn't want the vaccine on grounds of what the suit calls "conscientiously held, but not specifically religious beliefs."
by Tim Nelson

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Health workers once saluted as heroes now get threats

Health workers once saluted as heroes now get threats

Across the country, doctors and nurses on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic are dealing with hostility, threats and violence from patients angry over safety rules designed to keep the virus from spreading. Some hospitals are so concerned that they equipped workers with panic buttons, while others have limited the number of public entrance to their facilities.
by The Associated Press

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Congress passes bill to avert partial government shutdown

Congress passes bill to avert partial government shutdown

Congress passed legislation that would avoid a partial federal shutdown and keep the government funded through Dec. 3. The bill now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.
by The Associated Press

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Rain spreads across Minnesota Thursday

A slow-moving system brings showers and storms to Minnesota Thursday, while also nudging temperatures slightly cooler.
by Nicole Mitchell

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Yes, you're fully vaccinated without a COVID-19 vaccine booster

Yes, you're fully vaccinated without a COVID-19 vaccine booster

People who got a two-dose vaccine or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson shot are considered fully vaccinated — even without a booster. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says you're fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving a second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or one dose of the J&J.
by The Associated Press

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Why climate change is making it harder to chase fall foliage

Droughts are causing leaves to turn brown and wither before they can reach peak color. Heat waves have prompted leaves to fall before autumn even arrives. And extreme weather events like hurricanes strip trees of their leaves altogether.
by The Associated Press

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Duluth musician composing music for new ‘Macbeth’ on Broadway

Duluth’s Gaelynn Lea has been tapped to compose original music for the production, which stars Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga. Lea rose to national recognition after winning NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest in 2016. This is an MPR News morning update for Thursday, September 30, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

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Shadowed by controversy, NASA won't rename new space telescope

Shadowed by controversy, NASA won't rename new space telescope

Some scientists are calling on NASA to rename the James Webb Space Telescope, arguing that its namesake was complicit in the persecution of gay government workers. NASA says the name will stay.
by Nell Greenfieldboyce

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Vaccination rates lag among Minnesota prison workers

Vaccination rates lag among Minnesota prison workers

As of this week, about 80 percent of people incarcerated in state prisons have been fully vaccinated. But the Department of Corrections has been less successful in convincing its own employees to get the vaccine. 
by Kirsti Marohn

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Art Hounds: Comedy on the farm and in town

Art Hounds: Comedy on the farm and in town

“Arla Mae’s Booyah Wagon” brings the comedy — and the stew — in their multi-farm show tour. Plus, a quadruple album release show in St. Paul and themed comedy nights in Minneapolis.
by Emily Bright

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The bill for his COVID test in Texas was a whopping $54,000

The bill for his COVID test in Texas was a whopping $54,000

A businessman from Dallas got a PCR test for the coronavirus at a suburban emergency room. The charge for his test was "egregious" but not illegal, say health care analysts. Here's what happened.
by Aneri Pattani

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The 2nd-largest racial group in the U.S. is 'some other race.' Most are Latino

The 2nd-largest racial group in the U.S. is 'some other race.' Most are Latino

Nearly 50 million people identified with a mysterious, catchall category on the 2020 census. Researchers say that will make it harder to use the data to address racial inequities over the next decade.
by Hansi Lo Wang

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Are you pregnant? The CDC really wants you to get vaccinated against COVID-19

Are you pregnant? The CDC really wants you to get vaccinated against COVID-19

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cases of COVID-19 in symptomatic, pregnant people have a higher risk of admission into intensive care and a 70 percent increased risk of death.
by Jaclyn Diaz

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