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Stories from August 17, 2023

Drought report shows progress; Update on air quality alerts and weekend heat

Drought report shows progress; Update on air quality alerts and weekend heat

Drought conditions have improved a bit in parts of Minnesota, but a dry stretch of weather is in the forecast. We also have updated info on air quality alerts in parts of Minnesota and all of Wisconsin.
by Ron Trenda

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Minnesota State Fair will have more cops, cameras and horses

Minnesota State Fair will have more cops, cameras and horses

The addition of more cameras, metal detectors, coordination with other agencies are part of a wide-ranging response to public safety challenges on and off the fairgrounds in recent years.
by Tim Nelson

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Minneapolis council backs Lyft/Uber driver protections

The Minneapolis City Council Thursday passed a policy requiring higher pay and more workplace protections for rideshare drivers operating in the city. However, it faces a possible veto from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who had asked the council to delay the vote.  This is the evening MPR News update for Aug. 17, 2023. Hosted by Jacob Aloi. Theme music by Gary Meister.

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Twin Cities is the first in the nation to get inflation below 2 percent annual rate

Twin Cities is the first in the nation to get inflation below 2 percent annual rate

In May, the annual inflation rate in the Twin Cities dropped below the Federal Reserve’s two percent target — making it the first major metropolitan area to do so. What’s behind the region’s relative success?
by Tom Crann and Ngoc Bui

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Minneapolis City Council approves minimum pay, appeal process for rideshare drivers

Minneapolis City Council approves minimum pay, appeal process for rideshare drivers

Council members voted 7-5 Thursday morning to send an ordinance to Mayor Jacob Frey that would raise wages and add other protections for rideshare drivers.
by Cathy Wurzer, Jon Collins and Aleesa Kuznetsov

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Montana youths win case against the state for climate change harms

Montana youths win case against the state for climate change harms

A legal victory this week for 16 young people who sued the state of Montana over their right to a “clean and healthful environment”, as laid out in the state constitution. So, what’s next?
by Paul Huttner and Ngoc Bui

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Aer Lingus set to resume nonstop service between Twin Cities, Dublin

Aer Lingus set to resume nonstop service between Twin Cities, Dublin

Aer Lingus is planning to resume nonstop flights between the Twin Cities and Dublin in April. The Irish airline’s service to Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport had been suspended at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
by Tim Nelson

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Austin-based Hormel Foods to send Spam, other relief to Maui

Austin-based Hormel Foods to send Spam, other relief to Maui

The company announced Thursday that three truckloads of the canned pork product are on the way with two more trucks following, totaling more than 264,000 cans of Spam.
by Hannah Yang

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Revised air quality alert for Minnesota

Revised air quality alert for Minnesota

Smoke from Canadian wildfires will affect air quality in portions of Minnesota this afternoon through Friday. The air quality alert has been updated.
by Ron Trenda

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Mortgage rates just hit their highest since 2002

Mortgage rates just hit their highest since 2002

The average cost of a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage jumped to 7.09 percent this week, the highest in over two decades. Rising interest rates have put homes out of reach for many would-be buyers.
by Scott Horsley

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Lessons about friendship from two prominent Minnesotans

Lessons about friendship from two prominent Minnesotans

MPR News host Angela Davis kicks off a series called “Power Pairs.” It’s about people you probably have heard of separately, but when we sit them down together, you see a different side of them. First up, a nationally-known trauma expert and a state politician who are longtime friends.
by Angela Davis and Danelle Cloutier

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Fargo body cam footage shows harrowing moments as gunman fires on police

Fargo body cam footage shows harrowing moments as gunman fires on police

Authorities in Fargo on Thursday released body camera footage of Mohamad Barakat fatally shooting a police officer before another officer killed Barakat on July 14.
by Dan Kraker

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Minneapolis approves measure to boost pay for Uber, Lyft drivers

Minneapolis approves measure to boost pay for Uber, Lyft drivers

The ordinance passed 7-5 despite rideshare companies’ threats they’ll stop operating in the city if the provision goes forward. 
by Jon Collins

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Drought improves across Minnesota; more air quality alerts

Drought improves across Minnesota; more air quality alerts

The latest drought monitor shows the biggest improvement of the summer. Smoke is returning to the skies of Minnesota prompting air quality alerts. Heat builds back in for the weekend.
by Sven Sundgaard

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A little boy falls in love with nature in 'Emile and the Field'

A little boy falls in love with nature in 'Emile and the Field'

Kevin Young first wrote his story about Emile, a boy in love with a field, as a bedtime poem for his son years ago. Now, it lives on as a picture book with watercolor illustrations by Chioma Ebinama.
by Samantha Balaban

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St. Paul City Council overrides mayoral veto of child care ballot measure

The St. Paul City Council voted Wednesday afternoon to override Mayor Melvin Carter’s veto of a proposal that would let voters decide whether to raise property taxes to pay for early child care. MnDOT has dropped plans for a controversial roundabout in Duluth near the shore of Lake Superior, following months of outcry. This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Music by Gary Meister.

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Titans-Vikings practices were the ideal fit for coaches and former teammates Vrabel, O'Connell

Titans-Vikings practices were the ideal fit for coaches and former teammates Vrabel, O'Connell

Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell made a priority call to his Tennessee Titans counterpart and former teammate Mike Vrabel even before the preseason game schedule was released about arranging a joint practice. O'Connell desired a hard-nosed opponent with a stout front seven to test his team.
by The Associated Press

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Corruption in Afghanistan offers lessons for billions going to Ukraine

Corruption in Afghanistan offers lessons for billions going to Ukraine

John Sopko has long been a U.S. government-appointed watchdog for how money was distributed in Afghanistan. He believes there are lessons that apply to aiding Ukraine's fight against Russia.
by Tom Bowman

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A look at the tumultuous life of 'Persepolis' as it turns 20

A look at the tumultuous life of 'Persepolis' as it turns 20

Marjane Satrapi's memoir has a history of garnering controversy — it's been on the ALA's list of most challenged books and continues to be the subject of debate about inclusion in school curriculums.
by Tahneer Oksman

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MnDOT drops plan for controversial Duluth roundabout

MnDOT drops plan for controversial Duluth roundabout

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has dropped plans for a controversial roundabout in Duluth on London Road near the shore of Lake Superior, following months of outcry from local residents.
by Dan Kraker

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St. Paul City Council overrides mayor's veto of child care ballot measure

St. Paul City Council overrides mayor's veto of child care ballot measure

The St. Paul City Council voted Wednesday afternoon to override Mayor Melvin Carter’s veto of a proposal that would let voters decide whether to raise property taxes to pay for early child care. 
by Jon Collins

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