Stories from August 15, 2022

Minnesota crops improving after recent rainfall
Recent rainfall has helped crop progress and condition in many areas of Minnesota.
Thousands of nurses are casting strike votes across Minnesota today and a year after a referendum on police in Minneapolis, major Jacob Frey proposes a major boost for the force. This is an evening update from MPR News, hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.
Giuliani is target of election probe, his lawyers are told
Special prosecutor Nathan Wade alerted Giuliani's local attorney in Atlanta that the former New York City mayor could face criminal charges, another Giuliani attorney, Robert Costello, said.
The murder case of Jeanette Childs, 35 went ‘cold’ after years of no solid leads.  But in 2019, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced it had enough evidence to show that Jerry Westrom was the man who stabbed Childs to death in her Minneapolis apartment in 1993.  Westrom’s attorney says that evidence is thin.
Mall of America wedding bells will soon fall silent as Chapel of Love goes dark
For nearly 30 years brides have been walking the aisles at the Mall of America, and not just in stores. Since 1994, couples exchanged vows at the Chapel of Love, the wedding venue and a staple of mall culture. 
No Excuses: Race and reckoning at a Chicago charter school
A new documentary from American Public Media explores how a Chicago charter school that promised low-income students better access to college began to reconsider its hyper-strict, “no excuses” approach.
From its start one year ago, Greenwood Fire changed landscape of northeast Minnesota
The Greenwood Fire was first spotted one year ago. By the time it was extinguished months later it had burned thousands of acres and destroyed more than a dozen homes and cabins — part of a fire season that prompted a closure of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Photos: A look at the second week of August around the world
Election, competition, and life; MPR News visual journalists selected photo highlights from around the world documenting the second week of August.
Thao, Kueng reject plea deals, will go to trial
Prosecutors had offered Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng sentences of 36 months for pleading guilty to aiding and abetting manslaughter, according to prosecutor Matthew Frank.
Clouds fill back in Monday; showers southwest
Expect more clouds to fill back in Monday with showers in southwest Minnesota. There will be several chances of rain this week and overall a continuation of cloudier and cooler conditions.
The National Park Service has shut down some campgrounds and closed popular trails on Isle Royale in Lake Superior after a forest fire started there on Saturday. This is a morning update from MPR News, hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Music by Gary Meister.
Occasional clouds, cooler this week overall
Lingering moisture from the weekend will lead to a mix of clouds and sunshine Monday with showers moving into southwest Minnesota. There’ll be a few showers statewide Monday night into Tuesday.
Drought is driving elephants closer to people. The consequences can be deadly
Zimbabwe's elephant population is growing, but climate change makes rainfall unpredictable. Animals travel further in search of water now, and often end up clashing with villagers for scarce resources
Wave of young, diverse Minnesota politicians sees path to power after primary wins
“Minnesota is being very clear right now that we are ready for young people and people of color to lead the state,” said Zaynab Mohamed, 25, part of a new generation of young, diverse politicians who won their August primaries and are expected to take power in January.
Checking honeybee health by testing honey DNA
Commercial and hobby beekeepers lose many bee colonies to disease every year. A Fargo researcher is developing a way to provide an early warning of disease by testing DNA in honey.