Stories from August 19, 2022

County attorney pushes to appeal Minnesota abortion ruling
A judge in St. Paul heard arguments Friday over whether a western Minnesota county attorney may appeal a decision striking down longstanding state abortion restrictions after Attorney General Keith Ellison opted not to appeal the ruling.
The city of Superior, Wisconsin has returned two sacred sites to the Fond du lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in a historic land transfer. The parcels include a burial ground at the end of Wisconsin Point, where nearly 200 Ojibwe people were exhumed in the early 1900s, and a mass grave site at a cemetery in Superior where the bodies were reburied.  This is the MPR News afternoon update for August 19, 2022. Hosted by Hannah Yang. Theme music by Gary Meister.
How a history teacher and 13 Black students shaped the civil rights movement
One of the first lunch counter sit-ins of the civil rights movement took place in Oklahoma City in 1958. This weekend, the city remembers the protest and its organizer, Clara Luper.
CDC notches up Twin Cities’ COVID risk rating heading into ‘the Great Minnesota Get-Together’
This week the CDC has colored the state’s biggest population center yellow, signaling “medium” risk. Hopefully the risk won’t go up further as we look ahead to the opening of the State Fair next week. Here’s what you need to know about the latest data.
Debut novelist Oscar Hokeah highlights the pain and healing power of Indigenous communities
Oklahoma writer Oscar Hokeah draws on his own upbringing in the Kiowa and Cherokee communities to paint a kaleidoscope of Native American characters who fight to retain honor and gain healing amidst cultural trauma in his new book, “Calling for a Blanket Dance.”
What to know about the monkeypox outbreak in Minnesota
Monkeypox is affecting more Minnesotans. Here’s what you need to know about symptoms and how people seem to be getting infected.
Becker teachers union sues district over policy it calls a 'gag order'
The union representing teachers in Becker, Minn., has filed a lawsuit against the Becker school district over a policy it says violates free speech rights. Teachers and union officials have labeled the policy a “gag order.”
Showers rotate through Minnesota Friday; brighter weekend
Scattered showers will continue Friday for much of Minnesota with peeks of sunshine in between. High temperatures will be cooler, in the low to mid 70s statewide. Saturday will be drier and Sunday will yield brighter skies.
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter is proposing a 15 percent hike in the city's property tax levy in his 2023 budget. About half that jump comes from a change in how the city pays for street maintenance and street lights — shifting those costs from fees or assessments, to the general fund which comes from property taxes. This is a morning update from MPR News, hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Music by Gary Meister.
Lots of clouds, scattered showers Friday; drier through the weekend
Clouds and showers will continue to rotate around an area of low pressure moving across Minnesota Friday. Temperatures will be cooler with the cloud cover, primarily in the low to mid 70s for afternoon highs. The weekend should be gradually drier and brighter.
Health officials: 87 monkeypox cases so far in Minnesota
Minnesota health officials on Thursday reported 87 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the state, as they offered an update on a viral infection that has aroused concern around the globe.
The new U.S. monkeypox vaccine strategy offers more doses — and uncertainty
Missteps and delays have hampered the U.S. effort to vaccinate people against monkeypox. Now state health officials and community members are trying to adapt to a controversial "dose sparing" plan.
How inflation is influencing politics in a bellwether Florida county
Voters in a key swing county in Florida are grappling with some of the highest inflation rates in the country. But it's not necessarily the deciding factor for some voters.
Fond du Lac Band celebrates return of sacred sites
The city of Superior, Wis. returned two small parcels of land Thursday to the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, including a burial ground where nearly 200 people were dug up just over a century ago.
In Winnebago, volunteers keep history alive 
Every Tuesday, a team of volunteers meets at the Winnebago Area Museum to catalog artifacts, do some genealogy, and drink coffee. For this committed group, it's a labor of love —and a way to keep Winnebago's history alive.