Stories from August 9, 2023

Tracking storm potential through Friday
Storms are possible Thursday night and Friday.
Political insider gets 21 years in prison in sex trafficking case that rocked MN GOP and Minnesota has removed tens of thousands from medical assistance rolls as pandemic health care assistance winds down. This is an evening update from MPR News, hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.
What role can psychedelics play in mental health?
The state of Minnesota has a new task force to look at how drugs like LSD and psilocybin might be used in medicine. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with her guests about what the current research suggests about using these drugs for mental health.
Singer and songwriter Sixto Rodriguez, subject of 'Searching for Sugar Man' documentary, dies at 81
Sixto Rodriguez, who lived in obscurity as his music career flamed out early in the U.S. only to find success in South Africa and a stardom he was unaware of, died Tuesday in Detroit. He was 81.
Robbie Robertson, lead guitarist and songwriter of The Band, dies at 80
Robbie Robertson, The Band's lead guitarist and songwriter who in such classics as “The Weight,” “Up on Cripple Creek” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" mined and helped reshape American music, died Wednesday at 80.
Medicaid coverage ends for 32,600 Minnesotans, thousands renew
The call to action for people to retain coverage for Medical Assistance insurance started in May for the 97,900 people who have an annual renewal date in July, DHS officials said.
Meet the last 8 teams in the running for the Women's World Cup
The quarterfinalists include Japan, Colombia, Australia and five European squads. Here are the stars to watch and the key storylines to follow in the quarterfinal matches that begin Thursday.
A poet pieces together an uncertain past in 'Memoir of a Kidnapping'
When Shane McCrae was almost 4 years old, his maternal grandparents, who were white supremacists, took him from his father, who is Black. His new memoir is “Pulling the Chariot of the Sun.”
Scattered thunderstorms into Wednesday evening
Mostly garden variety storms Wednesday. A few may approach severe limits.
Lake Superior's shipwrecked history on full display in 'Too Much Sea for their Decks'
While the Great Lakes have been vital to the American economy, they’ve also shown the ships — and the crews of people on them — harrowing, sometimes life-threatening storms.
Prison college grads earn degrees while serving sentences
The graduates are part of the first cohort of a two-year-old program made possible through a partnership between Metro State, Minneapolis College and the University of Minnesota.
In competitive Duluth primary race, Reinert defeats incumbent Mayor Larson
For more analysis on the primary, MPR News host Cathy Wurzer talked with Cynthia Rugeley, an associate professor and head of the political science department at University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Jamie Lee Curtis' graphic novel shows how 'We're blowing it with Mother Nature'
This project was motivated by the climate crisis: "We are heading into a very, very dangerous place," Curtis says. The story explores the environmental decisions one generation makes for the next.
Challenger Reinert outpolls incumbent Larson in Duluth mayoral primary
Challenger Roger Reinert outpolled incumbent Duluth Mayor Emily Larson 63-35 percent in Tuesday’s primary. The two will face off in November’s general election.
A Minnesota State Patrol trooper with a year and a half of law enforcement experience fired the shots that killed Ricky Cobb II along Interstate 94. This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Music by Gary Meister.  
Wildfires across Hawaii burn homes, spurring evacuations and an emergency declaration
The National Weather Service said Hurricane Dora, passing to the south of the island chain, was partly to blame for gusts that knocked out power, rattled homes and grounded firefighting helicopters.
A protective order is unlikely to curb Trump or affect his popularity
A hearing is set for Friday on the parameters of a possible protective order dictating how former President Donald Trump and his legal team can talk about evidence in the Jan. 6 criminal case.
How one Afghan family made the perilous journey across the U.S.-Mexico border
Kabul fell to the Taliban close to two years ago, but desperate Afghans continue to flee, even taking the dangerous route into the U.S. across the Mexican border. Here's the story of one such family.
When a brain injury impairs memory, a pulse of electricity may help
A severe traumatic brain injury can make it hard to remember recent events or conversations. But a form of brain stimulation appears to ease this memory deficit.
All aboard the Flotsam! Ragtag circus floats on a Mississippi River adventure
The group of musicians, comedians and actors created a spectacle from found objects and handmade things. Over the course of about a month, they'll wind their watery way down to St. Louis, Mo., stopping at towns along the way.
Former GOP operative, donor gets 21 years on sex trafficking conviction
A jury in March found Anton “Tony” Lazzaro, 32, guilty of paying five teenage girls for sex, in violation of federal sex trafficking laws. Prosecutors had asked Judge Patrick Schiltz to impose a 30-year sentence.