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Stories from October 29, 2021

Sanford: 97% of workforce complying with vaccine mandate

Sanford: 97% of workforce complying with vaccine mandate

Sanford Health, a dominant provider of health care in the Upper Midwest, said that 97 percent of its workforce has complied with a mandate to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Monday or potentially lose their job.
by The Associated Press

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Man charged with murder in deaths of parents, brother

A Farmington man fatally shot his father and brother in the head, then killed his mother with a hammer two days later, according to criminal charges filed Friday.
by The Associated Press

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State COVID numbers rising as Pfizer's vaccine for kids gets approved

The FDA today authorized Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5-11. The news comes as Minnesota's COVID case numbers and positivity rate are on the rise. This has been an MPR evening update for Oct 29, 2021. Hosted by Natasha Senjanovic. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

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International Falls votes to no longer dress up its famous Smokey Bear statue

International Falls votes to no longer dress up its famous Smokey Bear statue

The International Falls City Council voted unanimously last week to prohibit dressing the 26-foot-tall Smokey Bear statue that stands tall over the city. For decades locals have dressed the statue in seasonal attire. But moving forward, Smokey will only wear his traditional blue jeans, belt, buckle and hat, with shovel in hand.
by Dan Kraker

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Appeals court agrees that St. Cloud State University violated Title IX

Appeals court agrees that St. Cloud State University violated Title IX

An attorney for the female athletes who sued the university for gender discrimination said they’re ‘delighted’ with the ruling. However, the federal court sent part of the case back to a lower court for further review.
by Kirsti Marohn

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In 'Rural by Choice,' Cory Hepola explores the attraction of rural living

In 'Rural by Choice,' Cory Hepola explores the attraction of rural living

Radio host Cory Hepola writes, co-produces and hosts “Rural by Choice,” a docuseries that looks at why people choose to live in rural areas. He joined Minnesota Now to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of rural living.
by Cathy Wurzer and Kelly Gordon

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FDA authorizes use of Pfizer's COVID vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds

FDA authorizes use of Pfizer's COVID vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds

The agency acted after an independent panel of scientists strongly supported the move. Kids could start getting vaccinated within the week.
by Joe Neel

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How an innocent Minnesota woman ended up shackled in labor

In January 2020, police raided a pregnant woman’s home after wrongly suspecting her husband of working with a “small-town shoplifter” and dealing in stolen goods. The encounter led to her arrest. The 26-year-old, who was 9-months pregnant at the time, ended up at the Hennepin County Jail and went into labor. Records obtained by KARE-11 show she arrived at the hospital in shackles.
by Cathy Wurzer

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Northern lights this weekend? Yes, maybe

Northern lights this weekend? Yes, maybe

A strong geomagnetic storm will deliver the basic ingredients to produce aurora borealis sightings across Minnesota Saturday and Sunday. But don’t grab your camera just yet.
by MPR News Staff

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Twin Cities media personality's new docuseries explores rural life

In a special edition of Minnesota Today, host Cathy Wurzer speaks with Cory Hepola, a Twin Cities media personality who released a new docuseries called “Rural by Choice.” The interview first aired Friday on Minnesota Now, a new daily noon show on MPR News. Theme music is by Gary Meister.

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Song of the Day: 'The Witch Doctor' by David Seville

Today’s Song of the Day comes from Marie Rock at KOJB The Eagle, and it will get you in the mood for Halloween (and maybe get stuck in your head.)
by Cathy Wurzer and Kelly Gordon

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Walz opts for insider for new MPCA commissioner

Walz opts for insider for new MPCA commissioner

Gov. Tim Walz has chosen engineer Katrina Kessler, an assistant commissioner since 2019, to lead the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. She assumes the job months after the governor’s prior commissioner resigned amid a confirmation fight.
by Brian Bakst

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COVID-19 in MN: Hopeful outlook wobbles as cases edge higher

COVID-19 in MN: Hopeful outlook wobbles as cases edge higher

While the disease metrics have flashed signs of hope and worry the past two weeks, Friday’s numbers offered fresh evidence the disease is not retreating quickly.
by MPR News Staff

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Artists' colorful creations ready to lift spirits for Día de Muertos

Artists' colorful creations ready to lift spirits for Día de Muertos

Organizers hope the Dia de Muertos celebration will help lift the spirits of the living as participants welcome the return of dead loved ones.
by Vicki Adame

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How much do you really know about Daniel Boone?

How much do you really know about Daniel Boone?

Daniel Boone’s legend is grand and filled with exaggerations. But the true story of his life is just as amazing as the tall tales. Join Kerri Miller for a discussion with author Matthew Pearl
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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Vaccinated seniors navigate life in mostly unvaccinated rural America

Vaccinated seniors navigate life in mostly unvaccinated rural America

Vaccination rates in much of rural America remain low. But there's one demographic with rates consistently higher than the national average: seniors, many of whom remember lining up eagerly as children to get the polio vaccine.
by Kirk Siegler

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Halloween brings chills as cold weather creeps in

Halloween brings chills as cold weather creeps in

Weekend weather turns from a treat to a bit of a trick as colder air may send skeletons rattling just in time for Halloween.
by Nicole Mitchell

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Skies clear and milder weather returns Friday

Rain has moved out of the state, but clearing skies are leading to some areas of thick fog Friday morning.
by Nicole Mitchell

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G-20 leaders to tackle energy prices, other economic woes

G-20 leaders to tackle energy prices, other economic woes

The presidents and prime ministers representing 80 percent of the global economy will confront a recovery hampered by an energy crunch that's spurring higher fuel and utility prices, new COVID-19 outbreaks and logjams in supply chains. President Joe Biden has said he wants to press other leaders on high oil prices.
by The Associated Press

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For their first trick-or-treating, their parents magically became a neighborhood

For their first trick-or-treating, their parents magically became a neighborhood

Every day is like Halloween when you're the children of costumed circus performers. Siblings Fritzi and Bobby Huber recount the time that their parents made their first Halloween extraordinary.
by Annie Russell and Emma Bowman

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Minneapolis Council president files ethics complaint against police chief

Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender announced Thursday that she filed an ethics complaint against the city's police chief, Medaria Arradondo, after he held a news conference Wednesday to speak out against the public safety charter amendment. This is an MPR News morning update for Friday, October 29, 2021. Hosted by Phil Picardi. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

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‘That’s a lot of neck to break’: Giraffe surgery at Como is a tricky task

‘That’s a lot of neck to break’: Giraffe surgery at Como is a tricky task

Giraffes are beautiful, but also incredibly fragile, so how do you knock out a 16-foot-tall, 2,000-pound wild animal for surgery? For vets and zookeepers who had to operate on Como Zoo's male giraffe, Skeeter, on Thursday, the answer is: very, very carefully.
by Tim Nelson

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Hunters want more 'urgency' in state's CWD response

Hunters want more 'urgency' in state's CWD response

It's been nearly 20 years since the first case of chronic wasting disease was identified in a farm-raised elk in Minnesota. The disease that afflicts species in the deer family is getting more attention this year after it was found in a herd of captive white-tailed deer near Bemidji and is prompting calls for more aggressive action.
by Dan Gunderson

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