Stories from October 27, 2021

Minnesota healthcare providers will begin administering COVID-19 vaccine shots for 5-to-11 year-olds next week, pending final federal recommendations. This is an MPR News evening update for Oct 27, 2021. Hosted by Nathan Stevens. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.
What’s on the ballot: Rent control
Rent stabilization is on the ballot in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Guest host Chris Farrell talks with supporters and opponents of St. Paul’s proposed new ordinance — should residential rent increases be capped at 3 percent annually? If St. Paul becomes the first city in the country to stabilize rents this way, will other places follow suit?
State panel deadlocks over how to give away $250 million in hero pay
A task force that tried to reach a deal on hero pay for pandemic front-line workers adjourned without reaching a compromise. Instead, two plans for dividing up $250 million will be forwarded to the Legislature.
Minneapolis eyes guaranteed basic income to aid needy families
City officials are looking for 200 Minneapolis families to receive $500 per month for two years as part of the city's new guaranteed basic income pilot program.
You can now ask Google to scrub images of minors from its search results
The new policy follows up on the tech giant's August announcement that it would take a number of steps aiming to protect minors' privacy. It is intended for cases in which the subject is under 18.
DNR considers request to explore manganese deposit in Crow Wing County
A company called North Star Manganese, Inc. is asking the Department of Natural Resources for permission to explore a manganese mineral deposit near Emily, Minn. North Star has submitted a request to lease 800 acres in Crow Wing County.
In a new book, Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen envision a more unified America
In an NPR interview, the former president and the iconic musician speak about spreading hope amid widespread division and about the "critical patriotism" of Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A."
Why Puerto Rico leads the U.S. in COVID vaccine rate — and what states can learn
The highest rate of COVID-19 vaccination in the United States is not in a liberal-leaning Northeastern or West Coast state. It's in a place with a notably different political culture.
Twin Cities Ballet tells Dracula story on stage at the Ames Center
Twin Cities Ballet artistic director Denise Vogt tells Cathy Wurzer about her original ballet, “Dracula,” performed to music by Minnesota composer Simon Sperl.
'Flatlining': MPD chief warns yes-vote on police overhaul will hurt Minneapolis
Medaria Arradondo on Wednesday spoke out strongly against a November ballot measure intended to remake his department, warning it wouldn’t fix relations between residents and the police and could do serious damage to a department already severely understaffed.
The stress of the pandemic may trigger childhood trauma for many
The stress of the last 18 months may have triggered buried childhood trauma. Susan Beaulieu, an expert in how to heal from Adverse Childhood Experiences especially when it comes to Indigenous communities, joined host Cathy Wurzer to explain.
Wednesday’s “Song of the Day” on Minnesota Now comes from KMOJ general manager and DJ Freddie Bell — and if you like R&B, it’s a good one.
The NCAA's focus on profits means far more gets spent on men's championships
NCAA spending per Division I and national championship participants was $4,285 for men and $2,588 for women in the 2018-19 season. The gap is even larger for single-gender sports, the report shows.
Twin Metals to appeal federal decision on proposed mine, says project still viable
Twin Metals says it will appeal a decision by the federal Bureau of Land Management to reject its applications for additional mineral leases and exploration permits. Last week, the Biden administration ordered a mineral withdrawal study on 225,000 acres of federal land that could lead to a 20-year ban on mining upstream from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
In a special edition of Minnesota Today, host Cathy Wurzer talks with Susan Beaulieu, a University of Minnesota Extension educator, about how the pandemic has triggered early childhood trauma for some people. Theme music is by Gary Meister.
COVID-19 in MN: Outlook still hopeful; state readies vaccines for kids 5-11
Despite some trend lines edging higher, Minnesota’s overall COVID-19 data is still signaling the worst of the current wave may be over. State officials are turning their vaccination focus now to some of the state’s youngest soon-to-be eligible residents.
St. Paul police chief says he'll step down in June
Calling it a difficult decision, Todd Axtell said Wednesday in a Facebook post that he will not seek a second term as chief when his current contract ends in June.
Journalist, St. Paul native Chenue Her makes news, breaks ground in rise to anchorman
Chenue Her, 30, recently became the first Hmong male news anchor in the U.S. when he joined “Good Morning Iowa'' in Des Moines. He’s hoping now to inspire a new generation into journalism, a business that struggles to keep people of color.
Exacerbated by pandemic, child care crisis hampers economy
The pandemic has made clear what many experts had long warned: The absence of reliable and affordable child care limits the jobs people can accept, makes it harder to climb the corporate ladder and ultimately restricts the ability of the broader economy to grow.
Periods of heavy rain funnel across much of Minnesota Wednesday into Thursday. Another storm over the weekend will be far drier, but it does bring in much colder air.
United States issues its 1st passport with 'X' gender marker
The United States has issued its first passport with an "X" gender designation — a milestone in the recognition of the rights of people who don't identify as male or female — and expects to be able to offer the option more broadly next year, the State Department said Wednesday.
A fall storm keeps winds across Minnesota breezy on Wednesday and brings in precipitation that is likely to top an inch of rain for most of the state.
Carli Lloyd plays final match for U.S. in rout of South Korea
Carli Lloyd's final match was her 316th with the national team, the second-most international appearances of any player. She scored 134 goals for the United States, third most in team history, along with 61 assists. The crowd at Allianz Field in St. Paul gave her a standing ovation.
A federal judge this week ordered a Minneapolis landlord to pay $750,000 to settle allegations of sexual harassment against his tenants, who are mostly single Black mothers. This is an MPR News morning update for Wednesday, October 27, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.
A hospital hiked the price of their healthy baby's birth by calling it an 'emergency'
"Obstetrical emergency departments" are a new aspect of some hospitals that can inflate medical bills for even the easiest, healthiest births. Just ask baby Gus' parents about their $2,755 ER charge.
Great Halloween Blizzard of '91? Don't tell us again. OK, tell us
Did you know that it once snowed on Halloween in Minnesota? Whether you’ve heard the story once — or a million — times, you know Minnesotans love to rehash the record-breaking blizzard in great detail. It was a “perfect storm” for making memories.