Stories from January 7, 2023

Bigger than Dakota Marker: SD State-ND State for FCS title
On Sunday, nearly 1,000 miles from the border between their states, the Jackrabbits and the Bison face off in the Football Championship Subdivision national title game for the first time.
A cool weekend, then temps rebound next week; Thursday flake chance
Areas of fog and freezing fog developed overnight and lingered into the morning. We have an update on that, plus a look at Sunday and the week ahead. We also peek at Minnesota snow cover and the past five snow seasons in the Twin Cities.
Gobert, Timberwolves beat short-handed Clippers 128-115
While the Timberwolves put together one of their most complete performances of the season, leading scorer Anthony Edwards left the game in the third quarter with left hip soreness and didn’t return.
VA says it's back on track to end veteran homelessness
An 11 percent drop in veteran homelessness since 2020 is the biggest reduction in five years. The Biden Administration says it's aiming to reduce all homelessness 25 percent by 2025.
Cool Saturday temps, with areas of freezing fog in the morning
Parts of Minnesota have freezing fog Saturday morning. We have details on that, plus a look at the afternoon temps and Minnesota snow depths.
Ask a Bookseller: 'Ahmed Aziz's Epic Year' from April 2022
Shannon Brown of Wishing Tree Books in Spokane recommends Nina Hamza's debut novel, "Ahmed Aziz's Epic Year." "I love that the story doesn't talk down to children about the hard times they are going through," said Brown.
Lucky number 15, McCarthy finally named House Speaker
Finally elected, McCarthy took the oath of office, and the House was finally able to swear in newly elected lawmakers who had been waiting all week for the chamber to formally open and the 2023-24 session to begin.
McCarthy loses again, House goes into second late night vote
Republican Kevin McCarthy failed to win the House speakership on a 14th ballot late Friday, falling one vote short as tensions boiled over in a chaotic scene on the House floor. The House will go to a second vote, totaling 15 over the course of the week.
RSV recedes and flu peaks as a new COVID variant shoots 'up like a rocket'
RSV and the flu appear to be receding in the U.S., but COVID is on the rise, new data suggests, driven by holiday gatherings and an even more transmissible omicron subvariant that has become dominant.