Stories from June 1, 2022

Sunny and pleasantly dry weather ahead
Mostly sunny, mostly dry weather through Friday.
A half dozen tornadoes added to some of the most severe weather recorded in Minnesota and COVID cases are stabilizing again in the state. This is an evening update from MPR News, hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.
Minneapolis judge sentences 'Boogaloo' member to 4 years on terrorism charge
A federal judge in Minneapolis on Wednesday sentenced another member of a far-right extremist group to prison on terrorism charges. Benjamin Ryan Teeter, 24, of Hampstead, N.C., got on the FBI's radar after he and Michael Robert Solomon, 32, of New Brighton, Minn., showed up with guns at the 2020 George Floyd protests in Minneapolis.
Hydroponics: The latest fad in food or the future of agriculture?
Hydroponics is seeing a rebirth -- and with fresh urgency as food shortages and the effects of climate change intensify. Micah Helle, hydroponic farm manager for Pillsbury United Communities, joined host Tom Crann to share more.
Austin man is first Minnesotan sent to prison for breaching Capitol on Jan. 6
A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced a southern Minnesota man to four months in prison for his role in the January 6 insurrection. Daniel Eugene Johnson, 30, of Austin, Minn., is among eight Minnesotans charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, and the first to be sentenced to prison.
A victim of the Brooklyn subway shooting is suing the gun maker Glock
Ilene Steur, who was one of 10 people injured in the April attack, says in the lawsuit that Glock's marketing practices made it possible for the shooting suspect to buy one of the company's guns.
Muslim call to prayer arrives to Minneapolis soundscape
This spring Minneapolis became the first large city in the United States to allow the Islamic call to prayer to be broadcast publicly on loudspeakers. So far only one mosque is doing so, three times a day. But more of the city's two dozen mosques are getting ready to start their own broadcasts.
Defiant Two Harbors Mayor Chris Swanson says he will not resign
Two Harbors Mayor Chris Swanson said Wednesday he will not resign. That sets the stage for a recall election spurred by allegations that he improperly used his office to benefit his business pursuits.
Gov. Walz reflects on session, looks towards November
The stage is set for a full matchup between incumbent Governor Tim Walz and GOP challenger, former state senator and physician Scott Jensen. Candidate filings closed yesterday. Walz joins Cathy Wurzer for a brief conversation.
How to handle a third summer with COVID-19
Where are we in the pandemic? MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm and infectious disease expert Dr. Greg Poland about new strains, when to time your booster and how to cope with a virus that isn’t going away.
Cooler than normal Wednesday; sun through Friday
Minnesota sees plenty of sunshine Wednesday through Friday. High temperatures will be cooler than normal Wednesday but warmer Thursday and Friday.
The National Weather Service has confirmed several tornadoes touched down in Minnesota on Monday — including one with 120 mph winds that damaged dozens of homes in the small town of Forada. This is a morning update from MPR News, hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Music by Gary Meister.
Weather Service confirms several tornadoes touched down Monday in Minnesota
Confirmed tornadoes included one with 120 mph winds that damaged dozens of homes in the small town of Forada, near Alexandria. There were no reports of serious injuries or deaths from Monday's storms.
Western nations vow to send more, better arms to Ukraine
Western nations promised more and more advanced arms to Ukraine, in an effort to tip the balance in Kyiv’s favor as it fends off a grinding Russian advance in the east. Germany said Wednesday it will supply Ukraine with modern anti-aircraft missiles and radar systems.
A cool start to June; lots of sunshine
Happy meteorological summer! Enjoy sunshine with slightly cooler than normal temperatures Wednesday with lighter winds than the last several days.
Biden to meet with baby formula makers on easing shortage
President Joe Biden is set to meet with infant formula manufacturers as his administration works to ease nationwide shortages. The administration's strategy calls for importing foreign supplies and using the Defense Production Act to speed domestic production. 
Connelly wants to push Timberwolves into NBA upper echelon
The Minnesota Timberwolves are riding the momentum of a return to the NBA playoffs and determined to further elevate their long-struggling franchise. New president of basketball operations Tim Connelly is the latest step in the process.
Man accused in clinic shooting declines to look at survivors
A man accused in a shooting attack on a Buffalo medical clinic that killed one staff member and wounded four others last year refused to look at the survivors Tuesday as they described their pain and terror.
Tribal leaders sound the alarm after fentanyl overdoses spike at Blackfeet Nation
After 17 overdoses — including four deaths — this spring, Indigenous leaders in Montana and surrounding states look for ways to stop the fentanyl crisis and provide more treatment and care.
In Uvalde, a woman in clown colors makes kids smile
A few yards from the central memorial for the shooting victims, a clown hands out snow cones and toys for free to all. She says it's her way to give back — and she wants the gun violence to stop.
In Britain, it took just one school shooting to pass major gun control
After the Dunblane massacre in Scotland left 16 students dead, parents organized to make sure it could never happen again. What can the U.S learn from them as we struggle to combat gun violence?
Should Robb Elementary be rebuilt? Here's what other school shooting sites did
In Newtown, Conn., a new Sandy Hook Elementary opened in 2016, four years after the shooting there. In other places, some have said that leaving buildings in place can offer survivors a way to heal.
Replanting a resilient forest in the ashes of the Greenwood Fire
Last summer the Greenwood Fire destroyed a dozen cabins in northeastern Minnesota and scorched more than 40 square miles of forest. Now, work is underway to replant the burn area with more than 100,000 trees, to make the forest more diverse and resilient.
Minnesota has long welcomed people fleeing disaster in their home countries
Officials say Minnesota’s reputation as a welcoming state has helped make it the top destination in the U.S. for secondary migration — which occurs when refugees move to Minnesota after an initial resettlement somewhere else.
Supreme Court blocks Texas social media law from taking effect
In a 5-to-4 vote, the court granted a request from Big Tech industry trade groups, which argued the law would unleash a flood of racist, hateful and other extremist content on social media platforms.