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Stories from February 16, 2022

Arctic Thursday, then milder Friday through this weekend

Arctic Thursday, then milder Friday through this weekend

A quick shot of cold again Thursday. Southern Minnesota likely hits 40 degrees again Sunday.
by Paul Huttner

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Tensions rise in Ottawa as police warn truckers to leave

Tensions rise in Ottawa as police warn truckers to leave

Big rigs parked outside Parliament represent the movement's last stronghold after demonstrators abandoned their sole remaining truck blockade along the U.S. border.
by The Associated Press

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Female anglers share their fish tales with Minnesota Now

Female anglers share their fish tales with Minnesota Now

Women Anglers of Minnesota is a group looking to boost the number of women with fishing licenses in Minnesota. Some of its members shared their memories of fishing with one of Minnesota Now’s producers.
by Lindsay Guentzel

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Second former officer in George Floyd case takes the stand

A second former police officer took the stand today in the federal trial over violations of George Floyd’s civil rights. This is an MPR News Evening update for February 16, 2022. Hosted by Natasha Senjanovic. Our theme music is by Gary Meister. 

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MPR News journalists look back at Minnesota's COVID response

Despite the planning, the shutdowns, the remote working and schools, the hundreds of millions of dollars spent, and an effective vaccine, December 2021 – nearly two years after that initial case was detected – was the high watermark for hospital bed shortages, where at times there were literally no intensive care unit beds available in the state. 
by MPR News Staff

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Politics editor Mike Mulcahy on Minnesota's new redistricting maps

Politics editor Mike Mulcahy on Minnesota's new redistricting maps

A five-judge panel appointed by the Minnesota Supreme Court released the maps on Tuesday. Host Cathy Wurzer talked to politics editor Mike Mulcahy about how the districts have changed and what it might mean for the state's political landscape.
by Cathy Wurzer and Mike Mulcahy

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MPR News reporters Catharine Richert and Brian Bakst look back at state's COVID response

MPR News reporters Catharine Richert and Brian Bakst look back at state's COVID response

Despite the planning, the shutdowns, the remote working and schools, the hundreds of millions of dollars spent, and an effective vaccine, December 2021 – nearly two years after that initial case was detected – was the high watermark for hospital bed shortages, where at times there were literally no intensive care unit beds available in the state. 
by MPR News Staff

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MN lawmakers placing an election year wager on sports betting

MN lawmakers placing an election year wager on sports betting

Another proposal to legalize sports gambling in Minnesota has surfaced at the state Capitol, but its sponsors say it remains a work in progress.
by Tim Pugmire

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Prosecutors reduce requested sentence for ex-cop Kimberly Potter

Prosecutors reduce requested sentence for ex-cop Kimberly Potter

In a court filing this week, prosecutors said a sentence of just more than seven years, which is the presumed penalty under state guidelines, would be proper. Potter's attorneys are asking for a lesser-than-usual penalty, or a sentence of probation only.
by Amy Forliti, Associated Press

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Snowier pattern emerging for next week?

Snowier pattern emerging for next week?

We’re not done with snow in Minnesota. Forecast models hinting at significant snow potential next week.
by Paul Huttner

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Truckers protesting in Canada end last U.S. border blockade

Truckers protesting in Canada end last U.S. border blockade

The last of the truck blockades at the U.S.-Canadian border is moving out. A federal official says the final blockaders are leaving Emerson, Manitoba now and the Canadian Border Services hope to reopen the crossing into North Dakota Wednesday afternoon.
by The Associated Press

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Basketball coach Tamara Moore blazes new path at Iron Range college

Basketball coach Tamara Moore blazes new path at Iron Range college

Two years ago, the former Minneapolis North basketball star and WNBA player was hired to coach the men's basketball team at Mesabi Range College — the only woman coaching a men's college program in the entire country at the time. Her first season was canceled because of COVID. Now she’s closing in on the end of her first season on the hardwood.
by Dan Kraker

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Vikings finalize hire of champion Rams OC Kevin O'Connell

Vikings finalize hire of champion Rams OC Kevin O'Connell

The 36-year-old offensive coordinator of the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams replaces Mike Zimmer and becomes the 10th head coach in Vikings history.
by The Associated Press

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Meet Kahin Adam, healer of refugee trauma

Meet Kahin Adam, healer of refugee trauma

Kahin Adam knows what it’s like to flee war and arrive alone in a strange, new country. MPR News host Angela Davis speaks with Kahin about his journey to Minnesota and how his own experience as a Somali refugee shapes his work as a therapist and mental health educator with fellow refugees in St. Cloud.  
by Angela Davis and Maja Beckstrom

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In the midst of scandal, 3 Russian figure skaters hope to elevate their sport

In the midst of scandal, 3 Russian figure skaters hope to elevate their sport

A triple jump used to be the gold standard in figure skating. Now it's the quad. For the first time at an Olympics, a woman — Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva — landed a quad in competition.
by Tom Goldman

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Temps drop Wednesday, Thursday; big warmup Sunday

Temps drop Wednesday, Thursday; big warmup Sunday

Another cold front brings falling temperatures and breezy conditions to Minnesota Wednesday. Temperatures fall slowly into the teens by evening in the south and well below zero in the north. Sunday will be mild. Significant snow may be on the horizon next week.
by Sven Sundgaard

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Doubting Russian exit, NATO looks to bolster its defenses

Doubting Russian exit, NATO looks to bolster its defenses

NATO defense ministers are examining new ways to bolster the defenses of member countries on the organization’s eastern flank closest to Russia. 
by The Associated Press

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George Floyd killing: Ex-cop's testimony continues in federal trial

Former Minneapolis officer Tou Thao will continue his testimony Wednesday morning at the federal courthouse in downtown St. Paul. Prosecutors are pressing Thao, who chose to testify in his own defense, about the responsibility he had to help George Floyd, who died in police custody in May 2020.  This is an MPR News morning update for Wednesday, February 16, 2022. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

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Breezy with falling temperatures Wednesday

Breezy with falling temperatures Wednesday

A cold front has swept through most of the state early Wednesday and temperatures will hold steady or even drop through the day behind it. We’ll see temperatures in the Twin Cities drop from the mid-20s to around 20 by late afternoon then just below zero overnight. Northwestern Minnesota is already in the single digits and will be near 20 below tonight in some places.
by Sven Sundgaard

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Last Afghans depart Wisconsin Army post for new U.S. homes

Last Afghans depart Wisconsin Army post for new U.S. homes

Officials say the final group of Afghan nationals temporarily housed at a Wisconsin Army post have been resettled to new communities across the country. 
by The Associated Press

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Slovakia stuns U.S. in shootout, Americans out of Olympics

Slovakia stuns U.S. in shootout, Americans out of Olympics

With one bad bounce in the final minute of regulation that became the tying goal and an unsuccessful shootout, the United States is out of the men’s hockey tournament at the Beijing Games after a shocking 3-2 loss to Slovakia.
by The Associated Press

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Norway is dominating the Winter Olympics. What's its gold medal secret?

Norway is dominating the Winter Olympics. What's its gold medal secret?

With a population roughly equal to Minnesota, Norway is a global superpower in winter sports. The Scandinavian country leads in Beijing by a lot - both in golds and total overall medals.
by Brian Mann

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U.S. bird flu case puts chicken, turkey farms on high alert

U.S. bird flu case puts chicken, turkey farms on high alert

Farms that raise turkeys and chickens for meat and eggs are on high alert and taking steps to increase biosecurity, fearing a repeat of a widespread bird flu outbreak in 2015 that killed 50 million birds across 15 states and cost the federal government nearly $1 billion.
by The Associated Press

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Towns scores 39, Wolves beat Hornets 126-120 in overtime

Towns scores 39, Wolves beat Hornets 126-120 in overtime

Karl-Anthony Towns had 39 points and 15 rebounds, D’Angelo Russell added 18 points and 11 assists and the Minnesota Timberwolves came back to beat the Charlotte Hornets 126-120 in overtime.
by The Associated Press

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This 16-year-old wanted to get the COVID vaccine. He had to hide it from his parents

This 16-year-old wanted to get the COVID vaccine. He had to hide it from his parents

At 16, Nicolas Montero is old enough to get vaccinated on his own in some parts of the country. But he had to try to get the jabs without his parents knowing, since they're opposed to the vaccine.
by Nina Feldman

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Floyd killing: Ex-cop Kueng says he trusted Chauvin as senior officer on scene

Floyd killing: Ex-cop Kueng says he trusted Chauvin as senior officer on scene

Former Minneapolis officer J. Alexander Kueng took the stand Wednesday, making his first remarks since Floyd’s killing in police custody. Earlier, prosecutors pressed ex-officer Tou Thao on his responsibility to help Floyd at the scene.
by Jon Collins

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Despite plans, precautions, COVID-19 nearly broke Minnesota hospitals. Why?

Despite plans, precautions, COVID-19 nearly broke Minnesota hospitals. Why?

The COVID-19 pandemic defied the preparations of health care and political leaders, and has taken a toll on a care system that could last for years. As Minnesota heads into the third year of COVID, hospitals in the state are just crawling out of what may be their hardest struggle with treating patients since it all started. So why were hospitals so overwhelmed for so long?
by Catharine Richert and Brian Bakst

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