Stories from October 17, 2022

Enbridge faces misdemeanor charges, millions in penalties and repair for pipeline project and Hennepin County’s chief public defender steps down among tax probes. This is an evening update from MPR News, hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.
1st District candidates disagree (and agree) agreeably
The two leading candidates for Congress in Minnesota's 1st District — Republican Rep. Brad Finstad and DFLer Jeff Ettinger — held a respectful and relatively sedate debate Monday in Owatonna.  
Enbridge faces criminal charge, more fines over Line 3 construction
The Canadian company has agreed to pay more than $11 million in penalties, environmental projects and financial assurances related to aquifer breaches and water quality violations.
U regent Sviggum wonders if Morris campus is 'too diverse'
University of Minnesota regent Steve Sviggum’s recent assertion that diversity might be a marketing problem for the Morris campus is drawing pushback. White students make up about 54 percent of enrollment, compared to about 58 percent in the pre-pandemic years.
U.S. hits al-Shabab finance facilitators with sanctions
Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed the sanctions on more than a dozen individuals from Somalia and Yemen who are involved in al-Shabab's financing operations which in turn use those funds to assist in weapons procurement and recruitment activities.
UK leader in peril after Treasury chief axes 'Trussonomics'
Liz Truss' unfunded tax cuts fueled investor concerns about unsustainable levels of government borrowing, which pushed up borrowing costs, raised home mortgage costs and sent the pound plummeting to an all-time low against the dollar.
Kanye West will buy the conservative-friendly social site Parler
The Twitter competitor made the surprise announcement Monday, coming days after Ye's accounts on Twitter and Instagram were locked over a string of antisemitic posts
BTS announces upcoming Korean military service
In June, the mega-popular K-pop group had already announced a hiatus. On Monday, the band's label and management company announced that all seven BTS members will be enlisting in the military.
Unseasonably cold Monday, Tuesday; 70s return next weekend
Unusually frigid air will grip Minnesota Monday and Tuesday with highs only in the 30s to low 40s. Wind chills will be in the 20s and teens. Temperatures warm dramatically by the end of the week.
The first of two remaining debates between DFL Gov. Tim Walz and Republican challenger Scott Jensen will take place on Tuesday night. It’s the only televised showdown on their calendars, and will air live on stations in Duluth, Fargo, Mankato and Rochester. This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Music by Gary Meister.  
Temperatures will be unseasonably chilly Monday and Tuesday with highs just in the 30s Monday. Winds will blow from the north at 10-20 mph with gusts of 20-30 mph pushing wind chills into the 20s and teens. Monday night will bring frigid lows in the teens north and 20s south. A big warmup develops late week.
What to know now that hearing aids are available over the counter
The shift in hearing health care is due to a recent rule change by the FDA, which recently cleared the way for the devices to be sold in retail stores without the need for buyers to see a doctor.
Boundary Waters algae blooms spark questions, concern
Blue-green algae is typically found in lakes with heavy nutrient runoff from nearby farms, lawns and roads. But researchers are now trying to figure out what’s causing the sometimes harmful blooms in more remote lakes in northern Minnesota, including in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.