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Stories from November 18, 2021

Minnesota COVID cases get even worse compared to the rest of the US

Minnesota COVID cases get even worse compared to the rest of the US, as the state is poised to open boosters to all adults as soon as tomorrow. Also, employment continues to improve, but other economic sings are less certain. This is an evening update from MPR News, hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.

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Federal grant to help St. Paul police to hire more officers

Federal grant to help St. Paul police to hire more officers

The city has won a $3.7 million federal grant that will allow its police department to hire dozens of new officers next year.
by Tim Nelson

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Expect to pay more this year to stage your Thanksgiving feast

Expect to pay more this year to stage your Thanksgiving feast

The Farm Bureau's Thanksgiving report says the average cost of dinner for 10 people is $53.31. But don't cancel your meal yet: the cost for a turkey has already dropped since the survey was taken.
by Deepa Shivaram

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Holiday nostalgia: Dayton's project hearkens back to window shopping

Holiday nostalgia: Dayton's project hearkens back to window shopping

The newly renovated Dayton’s building in downtown Minneapolis reopened to the public Thursday. While the department store is long gone, the project’s developers revived an old Dayton’s tradition, the holiday display windows.
by Matt Sepic

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Your questions about COVID-19 booster shots, answered

Every Minnesota adult will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots by the end of the week. Dr. Abinash Virk, an infectious disease specialist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, answered questions about the booster shots from host Cathy Wurzer and Minnesota Now listeners.
by Cathy Wurzer

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Poetry inspired by a viral photo of drowned migrants wins the National Book Award

Poetry inspired by a viral photo of drowned migrants wins the National Book Award

Photos of a father and his young daughter, drowned in the Rio Grande, underlined the deadly risks of the immigration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. Martín Espada drew on them for his book “Floaters.”
by Bill Chappell

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Song of the Day: 'Both Feet Kickin'' by Ron Arsenault

Thursday’s Song of the Day is new music from a southern Minnesota musician, courtesy Ben & Chris from the Keepin’ It Local show at KMSU in Mankato.
by Cathy Wurzer and Kelly Gordon

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Navigating social anxiety during the pandemic holidays

Navigating social anxiety during the pandemic holidays

As if the holidays aren’t stressful enough, many of us are still dealing with the mental health effects of the protracted pandemic. Host Angela Davis talks about navigating holiday stress during a pandemic and how to manage social anxiety when gathering in groups once again. 
by Angela Davis and Samantha Matsumoto

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Higher turkey prices not a windfall for farmers

Higher turkey prices not a windfall for farmers

Shoppers rushing to find a turkey for the Thanksgiving holiday might pay more this year. Wholesale turkey prices have hit a record high and while that sounds like good news for farmers in Minnesota, who lead the nation in turkey production, the higher prices at the store don't mean big profits for farmers.
by Dan Gunderson

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What life is like when your kids have COVID-19

What life is like when your kids have COVID-19

Brendan and Jocelyn Kennealy in Richfield have been taking care of their two young daughters, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week. We take you inside their home with this audio diary from the Kennealys.
by Cathy Wurzer and Lindsay Guentzel

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Inside one of the largest youth community organizing groups in MN

Inside one of the largest youth community organizing groups in MN

MN Teen Activists is a student group that has organized huge protest actions across Minnesota. Jerome Treadwell, a senior at Highland Park Senior High School in St. Paul and an organizer for MN Teen Activists, sat down with Cathy Wurzer to talk about youth activism.
by Cathy Wurzer and Alex Cheng

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Border reopening reunites North American Indigenous music scene

Border reopening reunites North American Indigenous music scene

When the U.S.-Canada border closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the North American Indigenous music scene was hit hard. The border reopened on Nov. 8, and George Strong, general manager of KBFT 89.9 FM Bois Forte Tribal Community Radio, told host Cathy Wurzer what that means for Native American artists.
by Cathy Wurzer and Alex Cheng

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Answering questions about COVID-19 boosters with Dr. Abinash Virk

Answering questions about COVID-19 boosters with Dr. Abinash Virk

Every Minnesota adult will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots by the end of the week. Dr. Abinash Virk, an infectious disease specialist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, answered questions about the booster shots from host Cathy Wurzer and Minnesota Now listeners.
by Cathy Wurzer, Kelly Gordon and Alex Cheng

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Coronavirus FAQ: What is long COVID? And what is my risk of getting it?

Coronavirus FAQ: What is long COVID? And what is my risk of getting it?

One of the surprising aspects of the pandemic is that symptoms can linger months after infection. This syndrome has been called "long COVID" and it's had a profound impact on the lives of many people.
by Michaeleen Doucleff

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Minnesota unemployment rate ticks down to 3.5 percent

Minnesota unemployment rate ticks down to 3.5 percent

The state’s economy added jobs in October for the seventh straight month, according to numbers released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
by Brian Bakst

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Who will be hosting a new Trivial Pursuit game show? LeVar Burton!

Who will be hosting a new Trivial Pursuit game show? LeVar Burton!

It's unclear when the show will premiere. But the actor and Hasbro have confirmed that it's currently in development. Burton had been a favorite to host “Jeopardy!” after the death of Alex Trebek.
by Sharon Pruitt-Young

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Minneapolis starts detail work for new 'strong mayor' structure

Minneapolis starts detail work for new 'strong mayor' structure

A newly formed 10-member panel will guide efforts to implement the so-called strong mayor form of government, backed by voters in November, making the Minneapolis mayor the head of almost all city departments, including the police force.  
by Tim Nelson

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White House offering more aid for winter heat, utility bills

White House offering more aid for winter heat, utility bills

The package provided an additional $4.5 billion for the government's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which typically has funding of $3 billion to $4 billion annually.
by The Associated Press

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Cold wind Thursday; Thanksgiving weather looks cold, quiet

Cold wind Thursday; Thanksgiving weather looks cold, quiet

Thursday will be windy again and colder with scattered light snow showers. A milder southerly breeze is on tap for Friday. No big storms are likely in Minnesota through Thanksgiving.
by Bill Endersen

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U.S. overdose deaths topped 100,000 in one year, officials say

U.S. overdose deaths topped 100,000 in one year, officials say

U.S. health officials say an estimated 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in one year. That's a total the nation has never seen. Experts say it's tied to the COVID-19 pandemic and a more dangerous drug supply.
by The Associated Press

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Cold wind for Thursday; milder Friday

Cold wind for Thursday; milder Friday

Thursday will be windy and colder before a milder south breeze blows our way on Friday.
by Bill Endersen

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Two Minnesota hospitals to get emergency staffing help from Defense Department

With many Minnesota hospitals now at or near full capacity, the U.S. Department of Defense is sending two emergency staffing teams to help care for patients with COVID-19 and other ailments The teams, which each have 22 medical personnel, will be sent to HCMC in Minneapolis and St. Cloud Hospital. This is an MPR News morning update for Thursday, November 18, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

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Art Hounds: Dance set to poetry and ghosts of the season

Art Hounds: Dance set to poetry and ghosts of the season

Katha Dance Theatre collaborates with J.D. Steele in a cross-cultural performance about equality. Also an appreciation for Minneapolis rock band Annie and the Bang Bang’s new record, and the Commonweal Theatre opens its run of “A Christmas Carol” with women playing the ghosts and Scrooge.
by Emily Bright

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Fargo police: 2 dead in shooting; suspect turns himself in

A 35-year-old Moorhead, Minn. man has been arrested on suspicion of two counts of murder after a shooting that left two people dead Wednesday at a north Fargo business, police said.
by The Associated Press

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