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Stories from December 14, 2021

Exceptionally late-season severe weather expected Wednesday

A strong storm poised to track directly over Minnesota Wednesday brings high winds, record temperatures — and a rare December risk for severe weather.
by Nicole Mitchell

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Behind the scenes of the Guthrie's 'A Christmas Carol,' back on stage after a year away

Behind the scenes of the Guthrie's 'A Christmas Carol,' back on stage after a year away

“A Christmas Carol” has returned to the Guthrie stage, and for many of the actors, it’s their first time back on stage — with a live audience — since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Minnesota Now went behind the curtain to listen in on an intimate conversation between two of the actors, Regina Marie Williams and Rajané Katurah, about what it’s like to be back.
by Cathy Wurzer and Lindsay Guentzel

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Civics lessons for adults — on Instagram? Sharon Says So

Civics lessons for adults — on Instagram? Sharon Says So

Sharon McMahon, a Duluth, Minn.-based former history teacher, went viral when she began debunking myths about how government works on Instagram under the handle @SharonSaysSo.
by Cathy Wurzer and Kelly Gordon

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Everything you need to know about rapid COVID-19 tests

Everything you need to know about rapid COVID-19 tests

As people gear up for holiday gatherings, experts have recommended using rapid tests before get-togethers as a measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus — but the tests are hard to find and expensive. The director of clinical virology at Mayo Clinic told host Cathy Wurzer why.
by Cathy Wurzer and Kelly Gordon

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A gift guide for all of the plant parents in your life

A gift guide for all of the plant parents in your life

A plant lover and stylist, Shayla Owodunni joined host Cathy Wurzer for a crash course on what you should keep in mind when purchasing a plant as a gift and offered up some suggestions on her favorite places to shop for plants and plant-focused gifts in the Twin Cities.
by Cathy Wurzer and Lindsay Guentzel

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As anglers and hunters drop out, DNR seeks more sustainable funding

As anglers and hunters drop out, DNR seeks more sustainable funding

More Minnesotans are hanging up their hunting rifles and fishing poles. And that means less money for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to fund its budget. With the problem expected to worsen, the DNR is reaching out to the public for ideas to help come up with a more sustainable funding framework for outdoor recreation and conservation.
by Dan Kraker

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Companies scramble to defend against newly discovered 'Log4j' digital flaw

Companies scramble to defend against newly discovered 'Log4j' digital flaw

The vulnerability was publicly disclosed last week in an unexpected way — through the popular game Minecraft. Embedded in a common software tool, it could potentially impact billions of devices.
by Jenna McLaughlin

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Why has a wave of carjackings hit the Twin Cities?

Why has a wave of carjackings hit the Twin Cities?

A wave of carjackings has hit the Twin Cities and many other parts of the country, and no one is entirely sure why. Host Cathy Wurzer sat down with a researcher who has dug deep into recent police data and says there are no simple answers.
by Cathy Wurzer and Alex Cheng

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A closer look at the recent wave of carjackings in Twin Cities

A wave of carjackings has hit the Twin Cities and many other parts of the country, and no one is entirely sure why. Host Cathy Wurzer sat down with a criminologist who has dug deep into recent police data and says there are no simple answers.
by Cathy Wurzer

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Need to break up with someone? Baboons have found a good way to do it, study finds

Need to break up with someone? Baboons have found a good way to do it, study finds

Just like humans, groups of baboons sometimes break off relations. Scientists have studied the dynamics of such breakups and say baboons tend to split up in a cooperative, egalitarian way.
by Vincent Acovino and Christopher Intagliata

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In 'Tastes Like War,' a daughter reckons with her mother's schizophrenia

In 'Tastes Like War,' a daughter reckons with her mother's schizophrenia

Cho was a teenager when her mother began to exhibit signs of mental illness. Later, as an adult, she learned more about the trauma her mom experienced, both during and after the Korean War.
by Dave Davies

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Where things stand with the monthly expanded child tax credit payments

Where things stand with the monthly expanded child tax credit payments

Because an extension of the child tax credit is tied in with President Joe Biden's Build Back Better social spending plan, it remains unclear whether the monthly payments will continue beyond this year.
by Deepa Shivaram

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Author Ann Patchett on friendship, time and the idea of 'enoughness'

Author Ann Patchett on friendship, time and the idea of 'enoughness'

Ann Patchett is out with a new collection of essays. Join Kerri Miller this Friday for a wide-ranging conversation with Patchett about being present, the gift of friendship, and how the pandemic can reveal what matters most.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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The perception and politics of gray hair

The perception and politics of gray hair

When salons closed during the early days of the pandemic, many women decided to embrace their natural gray hair. And now, many have decided to ditch the hair dye permanently. MPR News host Angela Davis talks about the way that society perceives gray hair with two women who went gray.
by Angela Davis and Samantha Matsumoto

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Threats and burnout pushed a Teacher of The Year to resign education post

Threats and burnout pushed a Teacher of The Year to resign education post

A former Minnesota Teacher of the Year and current elementary school principal, Ryan Vernosh underscored the depth of the levels of stress and burnout last week when he resigned from a state education policy board and then outlined why he did so on social media.
by Cathy Wurzer, Julia Franz and Ariana Rosas

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Warm Wednesday may spark rare December thunderstorms

Following another quiet day Tuesday, the weather takes a dramatic turn as a potent storm brings a couple different weather hazards into Minnesota, then much colder air behind it.
by Nicole Mitchell

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Data indicate omicron is milder, better at evading vaccines

Data indicate omicron is milder, better at evading vaccines

An analysis of data from South Africa shows the omicron variant appears to cause less severe disease than previous versions of the coronavirus, and the Pfizer vaccine seems to offer less defense against infection from it but still good protection against hospitalization.
by The Associated Press

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Kimberly Potter trial: Jurors see differences between gun, Taser

Kimberly Potter trial: Jurors see differences between gun, Taser

Prosecutors in the manslaughter trial of a Minnesota police officer put the differences between her handgun and her Taser on display for jurors, seeking to raise questions about how an experienced officer could confuse the two weapons in the shooting death of Daunte Wright.
by The Associated Press

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Tuesday stays mild across Minnesota

Breezy southeast winds keep Minnesota well above average temperatures on Tuesday.
by Nicole Mitchell

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Kimberly Potter trial: Medical examiner says Wright's gunshot wound wasn't survivable

The manslaughter trial of former Brooklyn Center police officer Kimberly Potter focused Monday on testimony from a medical expert and from crime scene investigators. This is an MPR News morning update for Tuesday, December 14, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

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Pfizer confirms COVID pill's results, potency versus omicron

Pfizer confirms COVID pill's results, potency versus omicron

Pfizer says that its experimental COVID-19 pill appears effective against the omicron variant. The company also confirmed Tuesday that the pill delivered on promising early results in reducing COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. 
by The Associated Press

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Their lives were changed by gun violence, and now they're running for office

Their lives were changed by gun violence, and now they're running for office

One of the country's top gun control groups is now actively recruiting candidates who have experienced the effects of gun violence to run for local, state and national offices.
by Juana Summers

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