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Stories from January 5, 2022

Arctic blast delivers subzero air once again

Arctic blast delivers subzero air once again

Temperatures approach minus 30 in northern Minnesota by Friday morning.
by Paul Huttner

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What it's like to keep a restaurant going during the pandemic

What it's like to keep a restaurant going during the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has done a number on restaurants across the state and around the globe — so how do you make it in this incredibly difficult time? Paige Alexander and Sophia Munch, the owners of Zettas and Yeah Yeah Taco on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, reflected with host Cathy Wurzer.
by Cathy Wurzer and Melissa Townsend

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Masks are coming back in Minneapolis and St. Paul, as omicron surges

Masks are coming back in Minneapolis and St. Paul, as omicron surges, although Walz says there’s little use in a statewide mandate. Also, we’re heading back into the deep freeze. This is an evening update from MPR news, hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.

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St. Louis news anchor criticized for being 'very Asian'

Michelle Li, an anchor at KSDK-TV, received an outpouring of support from around the world after a viewer criticized her for “being very Asian” and told her to “keep her Korean to herself.”
by The Associated Press

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Minnesota's Jan. 6 defendants include those charged with fighting police

Minnesota's Jan. 6 defendants include those charged with fighting police

A southern Minnesota man faces sentencing in April after admitting this week that he was part of a mob that pushed through a line of police at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Daniel Johnson was the second Minnesotan convicted in the attack. Cases against a half dozen others are still pending.
by Matt Sepic

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An animal rescue tries to keep pets with families before they're surrendered

An animal rescue tries to keep pets with families before they're surrendered

Rachel Mairose, founder and executive director of Secondhand Hounds, has been rescuing pets for years, but now she’s trying to keep pets and families together. Mairose told host Cathy Wurzer why her rescue has merged with a pet food shelf and opened a pet wellness center.
by Cathy Wurzer and Alex Cheng

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Entering 2022, MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm reflects on COVID pandemic

Leading the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic since the beginning has been state Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm. Minnesota Now host Cathy Wurzer checked in with the commissioner on the state of the pandemic as we enter 2022.
by Cathy Wurzer

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When facing loss, embrace change and don't force closure, a therapist urges

When facing loss, embrace change and don't force closure, a therapist urges

Over the last two years, many have experienced a kind of ambiguous loss as we have lived with isolation and uncertainty in the pandemic. Author and therapist Pauline Boss explains how to move forward.
by Graison Dangor

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8 ways teachers are talking about Jan. 6 in their classrooms

8 ways teachers are talking about Jan. 6 in their classrooms

A year after a pro-Trump mob invaded the U.S. Capitol, teachers say they want students to grapple with the uncomfortable facts of the day.
by Cory Turner

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Mask mandates back in Minneapolis, St. Paul

Mask mandates back in Minneapolis, St. Paul

The requirements in Minneapolis include bars and restaurants, schools, recreational facilities and stores. St. Paul's order includes all businesses with city licenses, which covers virtually any public or commercial establishments.
by Tim Nelson

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A breakout star of 'RuPaul's Drag Race' hails from just outside Rochester

A breakout star of 'RuPaul's Drag Race' hails from just outside Rochester

If you’re a fan of “RuPaul's Drag Race,” you likely already know and love season 13 star Utica Queen. Utica’s creator, Minnesotan Ethan Mundt, joined host Cathy Wurzer to share stories from “RuPaul's Drag Race” and a sneak peek at his exhibition “Homecoming Queen” at the Rochester Art Center.
by Cathy Wurzer and Lindsay Guentzel

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MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm on the state of COVID in Minnesota

MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm on the state of COVID in Minnesota

Leading the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic since the beginning has been state Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm. Host Cathy Wurzer checked in with the commissioner on the state of the pandemic as we enter 2022.
by Cathy Wurzer and Lindsay Guentzel

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Ann Bancroft Foundation inspires big dreams for girls

Ann Bancroft Foundation inspires big dreams for girls

Ann Bancroft is the first woman to have crossed the ice to reach both the North and South poles. For 25 years, her foundation has also helped Minnesota girls reach their ambitious goals. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Bancroft and the foundation’s new executive director about encouraging a new generation of strong women. 
by Angela Davis and Maja Beckstrom

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Snowfall reports: Heaviest snow up north

Snowfall reports: Heaviest snow up north

Here are some snowfall reports from across the Upper Midwest.
by Paul Huttner

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The global supply chain is amazingly efficient. So why did it break down?

The global supply chain is amazingly efficient. So why did it break down?

"Americans went on a shopping spree as soon as lockdown started, and we haven't really stopped," journalist Christopher Mims says. His book, “Arriving Today,” goes inside the global supply chain.
by Dave Davies

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How to attract busy contractors to your home remodel

How to attract busy contractors to your home remodel

The busy season for home remodeling usually ends in late summer or early fall, but contractors say demand from the pandemic renovation rush hasn’t let up. That means homeowners could call a dozen contractors, just to get a few calls back. Though it feels like contractors have all the leverage, there are still ways to protect your wallet.
by The Associated Press

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13 dead, including 7 children, in Philadelphia house

13 dead, including 7 children, in Philadelphia house

A large house fire in Philadelphia early Wednesday killed 13 people, including seven children, and sent two people to hospitals, fire officials said.
by The Associated Press

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Virginia officials defend response to snowy gridlock on I-95

Virginia officials defend response to snowy gridlock on I-95

A winter storm that started as rain — meaning roads couldn't be pretreated — followed by an unusually heavy snowfall and plunging temperatures resulted in the stranding of hundreds of motorists along a stretch of one of the nation's biggest interstate highways, Virginia officials said, as they defended their response to the gridlock. 
by The Associated Press

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Officials finally clear up crashes that kept drivers in freezing temperatures on I-95

Officials finally clear up crashes that kept drivers in freezing temperatures on I-95

Officials cleared a 50-mile stretch of Interstate 95 in Virginia, south of the nation's capital, about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday that left travelers trapped in freezing temperatures after heavy snowfall contributed to spinouts and crashes 24 hours before.
by Scott Neuman, Tien Le and Vanessa Romo

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A timeline of how the Jan. 6 attack unfolded — including who said what and when

A timeline of how the Jan. 6 attack unfolded — including who said what and when

This week marks the one year anniversary of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Here's a timeline of how the day unfolded.
by Kat Lonsdorf, Courtney Dorning, Amy Isackson, Mary Louise Kelly and Ailsa Chang

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Cold press: Arctic blast set to deliver subzero temps

Cold press: Arctic blast set to deliver subzero temps

High winds, blowing snow and reduced visibility Wednesday give way to dangerously cold temperatures that will sit on Minnesota through Friday morning.
by Nicole Mitchell

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In 'The Maid,' a devoted hotel cleaning lady is a prime murder suspect

In 'The Maid,' a devoted hotel cleaning lady is a prime murder suspect

In Nita Prose's debut, a guest at a fancy urban hotel lies dead and the main suspect is Molly Gray, a devoted member of the cleaning staff who recognizes she has "trouble with social situations."
by Bethanne Patrick

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State to open more COVID testing sites amid omicron surge

On Tuesday the state announced it will open three new testing sites, operated by the National Guard. Two of them will be in Anoka and Cottage Grove to meet demand in the Twin Cities. The third site will be in North Branch. This is an MPR News morning update for Wednesday, January 5, 2022. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

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NASA's James Webb Space Telescope finishes deploying its sunshield amid cheers

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope finishes deploying its sunshield amid cheers

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope successfully finishing tensioning its massive sunshield on Tuesday, marking a critical step in the powerful observatory's zero-gravity deployment.
by Joe Palca, Scott Neuman and Amina Khan

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North Korea fires ballistic missile, in 1st test in 2 months

North Korea fires ballistic missile, in 1st test in 2 months

The U.S. military says North Korea has fired a ballistic missile into the sea, its first such launch in about two months and a signal it isn’t interested in rejoining denuclearization talks anytime soon and would rather focus on boosting its weapons arsenal.
by The Associated Press

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'We were trapped': Trauma of Jan. 6 lingers for lawmakers

'We were trapped': Trauma of Jan. 6 lingers for lawmakers

A year after the Jan. 6 insurrection, some of the lawmakers who were trapped in the upper House balcony that day are still recovering from lingering trauma. In interviews with The Associated Press a year later, many of the lawmakers recall that they thought they were going to die.
by The Associated Press

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Xi'an reacts to COVID lockdowns with outrage and humor

Xi'an reacts to COVID lockdowns with outrage and humor

Lockdowns are so strict and so prolonged in the Chinese city that residents have taken to social media to complain and joke about a lack of basic supplies.
by Emily Feng and Aowen Cao

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A year after the Capitol riot, work remains to safeguard it from another attack

A year after the Capitol riot, work remains to safeguard it from another attack

The Jan. 6 siege led to a transformation of security for the citadel of democracy and members of Congress. But many say plenty of work remains to ensure another attack never happens again.
by Claudia Grisales

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Things seem grim now. But America's COVID situation could get better in 6-8 weeks

Things seem grim now. But America's COVID situation could get better in 6-8 weeks

In the face of rising COVID-19 cases, Dr. Bob Wachter of the University of California, San Francisco offers reasons to be hopeful about the pandemic's outlook in the months ahead.
by Mary Louise Kelly, Noah Caldwell and Sarah Handel

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Long-term care confronts the omicron wave

Long-term care confronts the omicron wave

With omicron becoming the dominant COVID-19 variant, and cases again spiking, some in the long-term care industry are worried what another surge might mean for staffing at nursing homes.
by Peter Cox

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The CDC resists pushback and says a test to get out of COVID isolation is not needed

The CDC resists pushback and says a test to get out of COVID isolation is not needed

Those who contracted COVID-19 can end their isolation after five days while continuing to wear a well-fitting mask for an additional five days, according to the agency.
by Jonathan Franklin, Jane Greenhalgh and Pien Huang

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