Stories from October 11, 2021

A county attorney said two Twin Cities deputies who shot and killed Winston Smith acted lawfully and the attorney will not criminally charge them. Elsewhere, two men have been charged in the weekend shooting that killed one woman and injured 14 people. This is an MPR News evening update for Oct 11, 2021. Hosted by Nathan Stevens.  Our theme music is by Gary Meister. 
More sizzle in Minnesota tax revenue
Lawmakers will be awash in extra money in their 2022 session based on strong tax revenues and a pot of federal cash.
Temps retreat on Tuesday; Wednesday looks soggy
Cooler temps are on the way for the next few days. We’ll also see some needed rain on Wednesday. We have your forecast details, and an updated fall color map.
2 charged in St. Paul bar shootings that left 1 dead, 14 wounded
Prosecutors announced murder and attempted murder charges Monday stemming from Sunday’s mass shooting. The criminal complaint says the gunfire was tied to a dispute over a woman.
For kids in school, COVID-19 testing can be elusive
Minnesota schools can tap $70 million in federal funding this fall to launch their own testing programs. But testing availability depends a lot on where students live and how much extra work schools can take on.
Gun violence claiming more lives of American teens, children
Gun violence is killing an increasing number of American children, from toddlers caught in crossfire to teenagers gunned down in turf wars, drug squabbles or for posting the wrong thing on social media. Experts say idleness caused by the COVID-19 pandemic shares the blame with easy access to guns and disputes that too often end with gunfire.
Checking in with Black-owned businesses
MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Black business owners about whether more support materialized during the racial reckoning following George Floyd’s murder.
Minnesota halts deer importation, movement within state
Minnesota officials announced Monday that they've imposed an emergency order blocking importation and movement of deer into and within the state to slow the spread of chronic wasting disease.
Turning cooler this week; widespread rain Wednesday
Cooler, less-humid weather has arrived. Welcome rain seems to be on tap for Tuesday night and Wednesday. Next weekend looks quite pleasant.
One person died and at least 14 others were injured after gunfire broke out early Sunday in a bar along West Seventh Street in St. Paul. Three men have been arrested in connection with the shooting. This is an MPR News morning update for Monday, October 11, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.
Cooldown begins Monday; rain likely by Wednesday
A cooler, pleasant Monday has arrived. Look for widespread rain Tuesday night and Wednesday before continued cooling later in the week.
Merck asks FDA to authorize promising anti-COVID pill
If cleared by the Food and Drug Administration — a decision that could come in a matter of weeks — it would be the first pill shown to treat COVID-19. All other FDA-backed treatments against the disease require an IV or injection.
3 U.S.-based economists receive economics Nobel Prize
David Card, Joshua Angrist and Guido Imbens won the 2021 Nobel prize for economics on Monday for pioneering research on the labor market impacts of minimum wage, immigration and education, and for creating the scientific framework to allow conclusions to be drawn from such studies that can't use traditional methodology.
Survey: Many Minnesotans distrust media
Many Minnesotans don’t trust the state’s news media or believe it does a good job of covering people like them. That’s the findings of the APM Research Lab’s new Diverse Communities Survey, which interviewed more than 1,500 Minnesotans about media trust and other topics.
Headaches for parents as seasonal illness collides with COVID-19
A fourth wave of COVID-19 infections is surging with the start of the school year — and for some kids, a host of other respiratory illnesses that mimic COVID-19 are also in the mix. The confusing array of symptoms and viruses are creating logistical challenges for families.
Rep. Schiff reveals impeachment regrets, tensions on Capitol Hill after insurrection
In a wide-ranging interview with NPR's Michel Martin, Rep. Adam Schiff discusses his regrets from President Donald Trump's first impeachment trial and his relationship with his GOP colleagues.
Split Rock Lighthouse will welcome visitors to this year's Fitzgerald beacon lighting
The annual Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Beacon Lighting at Split Rock Lighthouse is one month away. This year the historic site along Minnesota's North Shore will welcome visitors back in-person for the ceremony.
In the quest for a liver transplant, patients are segregated by prior alcohol use
Many transplant centers require people with alcohol-related liver disease to remain sober for half a year before becoming eligible for the waiting list for a liver. But this thinking may be changing.