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Stories from August 17, 2022

Aurora chasing with MPR News

Aurora chasing with MPR News

MPR News Photojournalist Ben Hovland is geared up for an aurora borealis chase, the fabled natural phenomenon you can witness in Minnesota. He shares his tips with us.
by Ben Hovland

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With the first day of school approaching, districts are scrambling to find teachers and staff

With the first day of school approaching, districts are scrambling to find teachers and staff, and the Crosstown highway is going to be closed for a while longer. This is an evening update from MPR News, hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.

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Next sheriff of Hennepin County will have a big task ahead of them

Either Dawanna Witt or Joseph Banks will lead the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office at a time of rising concerns about violent crime in the region and increased public scrutiny of law enforcement. They’ll also be tasked with stabilizing a department shaken by the actions of the current sheriff. And one of them will become the county’s first ever Black sheriff.
by Jon Collins

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To encourage debate, Minnesota State University, Mankato relocates Abraham Lincoln statue

To encourage debate, Minnesota State University, Mankato relocates Abraham Lincoln statue

Minnesota State University, Mankato is hoping a new location for its Abraham Lincoln statue and an allied exhibit will be the place for public discourse surrounding Lincoln’s complicated legacy in Mankato.
by Hannah Yang

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Wisconsin school board votes in favor of pride flag ban

Wisconsin school board votes in favor of pride flag ban

A Wisconsin school board has voted in favor of a policy that prohibits teachers and staff from displaying gay pride flags and other items that district officials consider political in nature.
by The Associated Press

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Minneapolis school board backs effort to rename Patrick Henry High School

Minneapolis school board backs effort to rename Patrick Henry High School

The Minneapolis school board took action Tuesday to begin a process to rename the city's Patrick Henry High School. A resolution says students, staff and the community "recognize the need for a school name that better represents the values of the community."
by Tim Nelson and MPR News Staff

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What our teeth say about class, beauty standards and health care in the U.S.

What our teeth say about class, beauty standards and health care in the U.S.

Who can and cannot access oral health care in our country and why are Americans so obsessed with perfect pearly whites? MPR News host Angela Davis talks to a journalist and two dentists who focus on oral public health and access to dental care.
by Angela Davis, Matthew Alvarez and Samantha Matsumoto

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Judge: Anti-immigration group's environment suit can proceed

Judge: Anti-immigration group's environment suit can proceed

An anti-immigration group has scored a legal victory in its federal lawsuit arguing the Biden administration violated environmental law when it halted construction of the U.S. southern border wall and sought to undo other immigration policies by former President Donald Trump.
by The Associated Press

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Minnesota Now for August 17, 2022

Minnesota Now for August 17, 2022

Schools are trying to fill staff shortages; a new interactive theatre performance explores the kind of losses we don't often acknowledge; Paul Huttner has weather news; plans are — again — shaping up for an historic golf course important to many in the Twin Cities’ Black community; and John O'Sullivan talks about his quick video tours of Twin Cities hot spots on TikTok. Maybe he'll show you something new!
by Cathy Wurzer

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Looking for 1-minute TikTok tours of Twin Cities hot spots? You're in luck

Looking for 1-minute TikTok tours of Twin Cities hot spots? You're in luck

John O’Sullivan leads one minute video tours on TikTok to a growing number of followers. He talks with Cathy Wurzer about his “bite sized” daily video tours of Minnesota and the Midwest. You can learn more at depotadventures.com or follow him on TikTok at “oneminutetours.”
by Gretchen Brown and Cathy Wurzer

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Pull Huttner on statewide weather and the rare geomagnetic storm

Pull Huttner on statewide weather and the rare geomagnetic storm

MPR’s Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner speaks with Cathy Wurzer about the extended forecast, plus drought in the south, flooding in the north, crop conditions, a new, rare geomagnetic storm hitting the state and the 30th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew.
by Cathy Wurzer and Paul Huttner

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Many Minnesota schools grapple with staff shortages

Many Minnesota schools grapple with staff shortages

The school year is just around the corner, but school districts across the state are still trying to fill open jobs. John Magas, superintendent of Duluth Public Schools, talks with Cathy Wurzer about how they are working to staff up the district’s schools.
by Ellen Finn, Cathy Wurzer and Sam Stroozas

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Pence says he'd consider testifying to House January 6 committee

Pence says he'd consider testifying to House January 6 committee

During an event in New Hampshire Wednesday morning, former Vice President Pence said he'd consider an invitation from the House January 6 committee to testify.
by Deepa Shivaram

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New theatre performance helps the audience create rituals to deal with loss

New theatre performance helps the audience create rituals to deal with loss

On Friday, Aug. 19, Wonderlust Productions opens their new interactive performance “Lost and Found” on an island in the Mississippi River. The performance is meant to engage people in creating rituals to acknowledge ambiguous loss — the losses we have all suffered but could not grieve. Leah Cooper, the Co-Artistic Director of Wonderlust Productions, speaks with Cathy Wurzer about the idea behind the “performance” and what those involved can expect.
by Cathy Wurzer and Melissa Townsend

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Spotty thunder, partly cloudy Wednesday

Spotty thunder, partly cloudy Wednesday

Spotty showers and a few thunderstorms are possible Wednesday, mainly in the northern half of Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. The chances of rain expands and increases Thursday into Thursday night across most of Minnesota.
by Sven Sundgaard

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Liz Cheney just lost her House seat, but her fight against Trump continues

Liz Cheney just lost her House seat, but her fight against Trump continues

Liz Cheney's sustained criticism of former President Trump made her one of his top political targets. She has pledged her chief goal is to make sure he never wins back the White House.
by Deirdre Walsh

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Hospital officials say they're disappointed MNA nurses have voted to strike

Members of a major Minnesota nurses union have said they favor going on strike if negotiations don’t resolve differences with management of several health systems in the Twin Cities and Duluth. This is a morning update from MPR News, hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Music by Gary Meister.

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Afghan women raise their voices in two new anthologies

Afghan women raise their voices in two new anthologies

This week marks a year since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan. But the Taliban hasn't succeeded in silencing Afghan women, whose voices ring out in two new and powerful collections.
by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

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Planned Parenthood to spend record $50M in midterm elections

Planned Parenthood to spend record $50M in midterm elections

The nation's leading abortion rights advocacy organization, Planned Parenthood, plans to spend a record $50 million ahead of November’s midterm elections. It's pouring money into contests where access to abortion will be on the ballot.
by The Associated Press

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Spotty storms Wednesday; more rain chances ahead

Spotty storms Wednesday; more rain chances ahead

Spotty showers and a few thunderstorms will be possible for much of Minnesota Wednesday. More widespread showers are possible late Thursday into Friday.
by Sven Sundgaard

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Target's profit sinks after it cut prices to clear inventory

Target's profit sinks after it cut prices to clear inventory

Target has reported solid sales for the fiscal second quarter but its profits plunged nearly 90 percent because it slashed prices to clear inventories of clothing, home goods and other discretionary items. 
by The Associated Press

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Pakistani doctor pleads guilty to terror charge in Minnesota

Pakistani doctor pleads guilty to terror charge in Minnesota

A Pakistani doctor and former Mayo Clinic research coordinator has pleaded guilty to a terrorism charge, more than two years after he was arrested for telling paid FBI informants that he pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State group.
by The Associated Press

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Ex-cop Lane will report to Colorado prison in Floyd killing

Ex-cop Lane will report to Colorado prison in Floyd killing

Former Minneapolis police officer Thomas Lane, who was sentenced to 2 1/2 years for violating George Floyd’s civil rights, has been ordered to report to a low-security federal prison camp in Colorado in two weeks.
by The Associated Press

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Murkowski advances in Alaska Senate race, Palin in House

Murkowski advances in Alaska Senate race, Palin in House

Under a voter-approved elections process being used for the first time in Alaska elections this year, party primaries have been scrapped and ranked choice voting is being used in general elections.
by The Associated Press

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Twenty years later, Fosston's police force returns

Twenty years later, Fosston's police force returns

For decades, small towns have been disbanding police departments to save money, or more recently, because they can’t find officers to staff the department. But the northern Minnesota town of Fosston is challenging the trend by rebuilding a police force more than 20 years after it was eliminated.
by Dan Gunderson

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