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Stories from April 5, 2023

St. Paul prepares for potential Mississippi River flooding next week

The city of St. Paul issued a formal flood emergency declaration, ahead of an expected crest on the Mississippi in mid-April. The declaration by mayor Melvin Carter authorizes formal actions for flood preparations and assistance from county and state agencies. The Mississippi River has risen about a foot since Friday, and is expected to rise another three feet over the next week. This is the evening MPR News update for April 5, 2023. Hosted by Lisa Ryan. Theme music by Gary Meister.

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Inside a Twin Cities couple’s ‘Trans-Glam-Punk-Rock Love Story’

Inside a Twin Cities couple’s ‘Trans-Glam-Punk-Rock Love Story’

Two local artists — author Lynette Reini-Grandell and musician Venus de Mars — share their story of transitioning, resilience, and advocacy, now captured in a new memoir, “Wild Things: A Trans-Glam-Punk-Rock Love Story,” out now from Minnesota Historical Society Press.

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Klaus Teuber, Catan board game creator, dies at 70

Klaus Teuber, Catan board game creator, dies at 70

Teuber created the hugely popular game in which players compete to build settlements on a fictional island. Since its 1995 debut, it has sold tens of millions of copies in more than 40 languages.
by Neda Ulaby

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Indigenous farmers, farmers of color want a better deal from new farm bill

Indigenous farmers, farmers of color want a better deal from new farm bill

The door to successful farming in Minnesota is very, very difficult to pry open for immigrants, Native Americans and Minnesotans of color. They want that door to be easier to open.
by Tim Nelson

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Future of Us: When their theater closed, these comedians found an audience in each other

Future of Us: When their theater closed, these comedians found an audience in each other

The pandemic forced the Brave New Workshop Comedy Theater to temporarily close its doors. But performing online opened the door for new approaches to comedy – and new places to find validation.
by Megan Burks

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Spring is standardized testing season, but some students are opting out

Spring is standardized testing season, but some students are opting out

Students across the state are gearing up for standardized tests this month. But in some districts, more and more students are opting out of taking the tests. MPR News Host Cathy Wurzer talked with University of Minnesota Dean of Education and Human Development Michael Rodriguez about what data the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments are meant to collect and why some students are reluctant to participate.
by Cathy Wurzer and Gretchen Brown

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Winona LaDuke resigns as Honor The Earth leader after sexual harassment case

Winona LaDuke resigns as Honor The Earth leader after sexual harassment case

LaDuke said she failed a former employee by not responding to her reports of sexual harassment by a coworker. The new director Krystal Two Bulls will now be taking over the organization.
by Kirsti Marohn, Dan Kraker, Amy Felegy and Jon Collins

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Dust plume travels 1,500 miles, turns snow brown around Minnesota

Dust plume travels 1,500 miles, turns snow brown around Minnesota

Our latest storm system is so powerful it’s acting like a giant vacuum cleaner. High winds from this system have sucked up massive amounts of dust from sand dunes in New Mexico and northern Mexico and lofted it airborne before depositing it in Minnesota.
by Paul Huttner

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Cub Foods workers set Friday-Saturday strike at 33 Twin Cities stores

Cub Foods workers set Friday-Saturday strike at 33 Twin Cities stores

Workers are seeking better wages and benefits. The union said the planned walkout, coming just before the Easter holiday, also stems from unfair labor practices. Cub said it has contingency plans ready but is willing to keep negotiating.
by MPR News Staff

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After another storm this week, severe winds, flooding on the horizon

After another storm this week, severe winds, flooding on the horizon

Another storm dropped rain, snow, and everything in-between around the state this week. And it has been gusty, with some communities up north seeing extreme winds overnight. Paul Huttner, MPR's Chief Meteorologist joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about the latest warnings, how hard the wind will blow, and incoming flood risks.
by Cathy Wurzer and Ellen Finn

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'Strike!' looks back at the legendary 1970 Minneapolis teacher's strike

'Strike!' looks back at the legendary 1970 Minneapolis teacher's strike

You may remember when thousands of Minneapolis teachers went on strike last March. That strike was their first in 50 years. Back in April 1970, public school teachers in Minneapolis went on an illegal, twenty-day strike. A new book recounts those days.
by Cathy Wurzer and Gretchen Brown

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How much social media is too much?

How much social media is too much?

When does social media become a problem? Join MPR News host Angela Davis to talk about digital well-being and what the research says about the good and bad of our screens.
by Angela Davis and Danelle Cloutier

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Four key takeaways from McDonald's layoffs

Four key takeaways from McDonald's layoffs

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to journalist Adam Chandler about what the announced layoffs at McDonalds say, and don't say, about the broader economy. Chandler is the author of “Drive-Thru Dreams.”
by Ally Schweitzer

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Wintry weather lingers Wednesday with gusty winds; warmer weekend

Wintry weather lingers Wednesday with gusty winds; warmer weekend

Snow showers and some patchy freezing drizzle will linger for northern Minnesota with additional accumulation, mainly near the international border. Winds will gust to 35 to 50 mph Wednesday. Temps warm up by the weekend.
by Sven Sundgaard

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Number of CPAs dwindle as demand grows

Number of CPAs dwindle as demand grows

Tax season is usually the time when certified public accountants, or CPAs, are at their busiest. But they’re busier than before due to a nationwide shortage within their own industry.
by Cathy Wurzer and Lukas Levin

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Here's how to grow seeds, grains and spices in your garden, plus other tips from gardener Meg Cowden

Here's how to grow seeds, grains and spices in your garden, plus other tips from gardener Meg Cowden

Meg Cowden joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about how spring snow is affecting her garden; the unusual seeds, grains and spices she’s growing this year; her garden flower lineup; tapping her black walnut trees for syrup and tips for starting a spring garden.
by Cathy Wurzer and Ellen Finn

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Youth violence may have been provoked by pandemic stresses

Youth violence may have been provoked by pandemic stresses

Experts think the upheaval and chaos of the pandemic that kept students out of school and away from each other — along with lack of one-on-one support — may be fueling some of the violent incidents involving Minnesota youth.
by Cathy Wurzer and Lukas Levin

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Police ask for help finding missing Winona woman

Police ask for help finding missing Winona woman

Authorities in southeast Minnesota are asking for the public’s help in locating who they say is a missing and possibly endangered 26-year-old woman from Winona.
by Tim Nelson

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MnDOT lifts no-travel advisories in northern Minnesota

MnDOT lifts no-travel advisories in northern Minnesota

Authorities lifted no-travel advisories in northwest Minnesota on Wednesday afternoon as driving conditions improved in the wake of blizzard conditions earlier in the day.
by Andrew Krueger and Tim Nelson

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Lawsuit bars ex-MPD union head Bob Kroll from policing in 3 counties

The former head of the Minneapolis police union has settled a lawsuit over his role in the treatment of demonstrators at protests after the murder of George Floyd. This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Music by Gary Meister.

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Laid off on leave: Yes, it's legal and it's hitting some workers hard

Laid off on leave: Yes, it's legal and it's hitting some workers hard

The wave of layoffs in tech, media and elsewhere is affecting a sizable number of people who are out on medical or parental leave. While legal, it can make a bad situation even worse.
by Andrea Hsu

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College students uncover history of racist housing deeds in Stearns County

College students uncover history of racist housing deeds in Stearns County

The students from the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University found dozens of discriminatory covenants in St. Cloud, St. Joseph, Cold Spring and Sauk Centre — proving that attempts to prevent people of color from owning property extended well beyond the Twin Cities.
by Kirsti Marohn

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Lawsuit bars ex-MPD union head Bob Kroll from policing in 3 counties

Lawsuit bars ex-MPD union head Bob Kroll from policing in 3 counties

The former head of the Minneapolis police union has settled a lawsuit over his role in the treatment of demonstrators at protests after the murder of George Floyd.  
by Jon Collins

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