Stories from November 9, 2022

Blizzards and severe thunderstorms? Minnesota may see both Thursday
A blizzard and severe thunderstorms at the same time? That could be the scenario Thursday afternoon as a powerful storm system dumps wind-driven heavy snow in northwestern Minnesota and sparks a few severe thunderstorms in the southeast.
GOP nudges closer to House win; Senate could hinge on runoff
Republicans were closing in Wednesday on a narrow House majority while control of the Senate hinged on a series of tight races in a midterm election that defied expectations of sweeping conservative victories driven by frustration over inflation and President Joe Biden’s leadership.
DFLers and Walz say they want to restart their agenda with full control of state government, and most school referendums passed on Tuesday. This is an evening update from MPR news, hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.
Minnesotans elect hundreds of new school board members in often heated contests
Minnesota school districts will be welcoming some 400 new people to board seats following Tuesday’s elections. Many districts saw unusually intense competition over board positions. 
Oh snap! Massive turtle surfaces in Brainerd, sets social networks atwitter
“My daughter all of a sudden said, ‘Mom, be quiet. I can hear something breathing,’” Shala Holm recalled as the dinosaur-like creature approached them while they fished in a kayak on the Mississippi River. Her picture of the snapping turtle is rocketing around online.
St. Cloud voters back tax hike for parks; Duluth voters narrowly say 'No'
Voters in St. Cloud overwhelmingly supported a property tax hike to infuse millions of dollars into city parks over the next three years, while Duluth residents narrowly rejected a similar ballot question.
How well did polls predict the midterm winners?
The pre-election polling and punditry pointed to strong Republican gains both nationally and here in Minnesota. That did not materialize. Host Cathy Wurzer talks with Craig Helmstetter, head of the APM Research Lab, which is part of the MPR News parent company, American Public Media Group.
'Finding Her Beat' spotlights female Taiko drummers
Minnesota filmmakers Dawn Mikkelson and Keri Pickett collaborated on the new documentary, which will show in Minneapolis this Friday.
Reelected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz outlines second term priorities
Tim Walz has been elected to his second term as governor of Minnesota. We hear his address to the state and get analysis from MPR Political Editor Mike Mulcahy and MN Now host Cathy Wurzer.
Minnesota Democrats win Capitol ‘trifecta’: Governor, House and now Senate
Tuesday’s election results mean Democrats will control the Minnesota House, Senate and governor’s office next year. The new power structure in St. Paul could expedite DFL priorities in 2023, but leaders said they take their slim majority as a sign they should work with the GOP.
Russia says it's withdrawing troops from key Ukrainian city
 Russia’s military has announced that it’s withdrawing from a key Ukrainian city and nearby areas. That would be one of the most significant and humiliating setbacks for Moscow’s forces in the 8-month-old war. 
Blizzard, winter storm warnings up for NW Minnesota
Dangerous travel conditions developing Thursday and Friday for northwest and northern Minnesota.
U.S. voters approve more funding for affordable housing
Skyrocketing rents and home prices have been a major part of voters' economic pain. New spending will go toward building and subsidizing more housing, and helping people avoid homelessness.
Dems defying expectations, but control of Congress unclear
Razor-thin margins around the country left control of Congress still undetermined, but Democrats showed surprising strength in the midterm election. They defeated Republicans in a series of competitive races, defying expectations that high inflation and President Joe Biden’s low approval ratings would drag his party to key defeats. 
Having fearless and curious conversations in politically divided times
It’s been a divisive election season. MPR News host Angela Davis talks about what’s next and how to have fearless and curious conversations with friends, family and neighbors on the other end of the political spectrum.
Periods of rain Wed.; NW Minn. sees a PM wintry mix, then heavy snow on Thursday
Most of Minnesota will see periods of rain today, but a wintry mix is possible in northwestern and west-central Minnesota. Heavy snow and strong winds will affect portions of northern Minnesota Thursday and Thursday night. Temperatures will drop sharply Thursday afternoon in some areas.
Abortion rights boosted with defeat of Kentucky amendment
Kentucky voters have rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have removed any protection for abortion rights from the constitution of their deeply red state. 
Gore announces fossil fuel emissions inventory at UN summit
A detailed inventory of the top known sources of greenhouse gas emitters launched by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore at the U.N. climate summit in Egypt on Wednesday found that the top 14 individual polluters are all gas and oil fields and their associated facilities, despite their emissions being “significantly underreported.”
Windy Wed. with periods of rain; PM wintry mix NW Minn., then heavy snow
Periods of rain will turn to a wintry mix in northwestern Minnesota later today, then a chance to see some heavy snow overnight and Thursday. We have the updated snow forecast.
Griner sent to Russian penal colony to serve sentence
American basketball star Brittney Griner's lawyers say she has been sent to a penal colony in Russia to serve her sentence for drug possession.
Twin Cities area voters turned out in big numbers for Gov. Tim Walz, reinforcing a metro “blue wall” that more than countered Republican Scott Jensen’s strength in greater Minnesota. Jensen conceded the race in the wee hours of Wednesday. This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Music by Gary Meister.
Abortion rights protected in Michigan, California, Vermont
Voters in battleground Michigan have enshrined abortion rights in the state constitution, joining reliably Democratic California and Vermont on election night. It’s still too early to call an anti-abortion measure in Kentucky.
Election takeaways: No sweep for the Republicans after all
For weeks, Republicans predicted a “red wave” would carry them to power in Congress, as voters repudiated majority Democrats for failing to tame skyrocketing inflation and address worries about rising crime. The reality appeared far different early Wednesday. 
'No red wave': Walz reelected Minnesota governor after sharp-elbowed race
Twin Cities area voters turned out in big numbers for Gov. Tim Walz, reinforcing a metro “blue wall” that more than countered Republican Scott Jensen’s strength in greater Minnesota. Jensen conceded the race in the wee hours of Wednesday.
Overall, voting across the U.S. today was... uneventful
In an election that had experts worried about vigilante poll monitors and the potential for danger for election workers, voting on Election Day seems to have gone off without any major incidents.
Candidates of color see gains in Minnesota legislative, local races
A new generation of young, diverse Minnesota politicians will head to the Capitol next year following Election Day victories Tuesday. Voters also elected the state’s first openly transgender person. Hennepin County elected the state’s first Black female sheriff.
Maxwell Frost elected as the first Gen Z member of Congress
Maxwell Frost came to national attention as one of the first members of Generation Z to launch a bid for Congress. At 25, he just meets the minimum age to serve in the House of Representatives.
Updates: Election 2022 Minnesota
Polls closed at 8 p.m. and the counts are rolling in for what could be historic elections in Minnesota. Follow along with MPR News as we cover the results throughout the evening.