Stories from October 5, 2023

Curtis Chin’s new memoir gives insight into life as a 'Chinese restaurant kid' from Detroit
Join MPR News Host Tom Crann as he interviews author Curtis Chin about his upcoming memoir, offering a glimpse into the vibrant world of a Chinese restaurant in Detroit.
Chilly temps; occasional showers Thursday night, Friday morning
Chilly temps are on tap the next few days. We have details on that plus the rain outlook Thursday night and Friday, and an updated fall color map.
Minneapolis will fight MPD officer's workers' comp claim
Minneapolis will fight a workers' compensation claim from a police officer who severely beat a man during unrest following the killing of George Floyd in May 2020. 
As new farm bill gets drafted, some hope for changes to support sustainable farming
Congress is due to pass a new farm bill this year. While it’s still yet to be written, some say the bill needs to bring changes to conservation programs and crop insurance to help farmers become more resilient to climate change.
Hormel workers announce tentative agreement
Union workers in Austin joined with three other locals from around the country to bargain with Hormel. Workers will vote Monday on ratification.
Workers at the Hormel plant in Austin, Minnesota, say the union has reached a tentative agreement with the company, and the Minneapolis City Council Thursday voted to reject a workers' compensation claim by an MPD officer who severely beat a man during unrest following George Floyd's killing.  Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Kirsti Marohn. Music by Gary Meister.
Law enforcement is investigating two incidents that happened in the days leading up to high school homecoming in the southeastern Minnesota town, including what the police chief describes as an alleged assault.
Striking auto workers in Twin Cities area nearing two weeks on picket line
Some 25,000 United Auto Workers members across the country remain on strike against the Big Three automakers. That includes workers at parts distribution facilities in the Twin Cities area — and Friday will mark two weeks since they started picketing.
MN Now and Then: When famed baseball pitcher Charles Albert Bender and his biggest rival tried a new sport
Charles Albert Bender of the White Earth Nation was on the downward slope of his career in 1915, when he got the opportunity to participate in a trapshooting tour.
Grief is inescapable, but workplaces often don't know how to deal with it
Health care executive Paurvi Bhatt joined MPR News Host Cathy Wurzer to talk about grief in the workplace and how companies can better support employees who have experienced loss.
Customs agents seize box of giraffe poop at Minneapolis airport
An Iowa woman who makes jewelry out of animal droppings tried to bring giraffe feces back from an African safari. It was destroyed after being intercepted during a customs check at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Men took over a job fair intended for women and nonbinary tech workers
The Grace Hopper Celebration was designed to celebrate and uplift workers who are traditionally underrepresented in the tech industry. This year, men showed up in droves.
Biden's dog Commander has left the White House
The Bidens are trying to “work through solutions,” a spokesperson said, after Commander bit a series of Secret Service agents. In the meantime, the German shepherd is staying somewhere else.
Twins set free Target Field watch parties for playoff games in Houston
The team will open Target Field Saturday and Sunday so fans can watch the American League Division Series games against the Astros on the ballpark’s big screen. The action shifts back to Minnesota with Game 3 set for Oct. 10.
Man with handgun seeking Gov. Evers arrested in Wisconsin Capitol, returns with assault rifle
The man, who was shirtless and had a holstered handgun, approached the governor’s office on the first floor of the Capitol around 2 p.m. Wednesday. Officials say after being arrested on a firearms violation, he returned to the outside of the Capitol around 9 p.m. with an assault rifle and was taken into custody. 
Cooler air blast coming; drought conditions persist
Thursday will be windy with sunshine in southern Minnesota while northern Minnesota sees scattered showers develop. Cooler air moves in for Friday, touching off more showers.
Jon Fosse, a Norwegian master of spare Nordic writing, wins the Nobel Prize in literature
Jon Fosse, a master of spare Nordic writing in a sprawling body of work ranging from plays to novels and children’s books, won the Nobel Prize in literature on Thursday for works that “give voice to the unsayable.”
Ignoring inmate's infection costs Scott County $12.2 million
Scott County has agreed to pay $12.2 million to a Minneapolis man who had to have both arms amputated after jail staff ignored his pleas for medical help. Attorneys for Terrance Winborn said Wednesday that the settlement is likely the largest amount ever paid in Minnesota in a “deliberate indifference” case involving a jail.
Former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney told a crowd at the university of Minnesota last night that former speaker Kevin McCarthy deserved his fate. Saying he was “Absolutely unfit to be speaker." Cheney spoke as part of a political lecture series at the school. This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Music by Gary Meister.
Windy Thursday with showers mainly north; colder Friday
Thursday will be seasonably cool and windy with clouds and some showers north while southern Minnesota sees more sun. Friday will bring colder air and spotty showers statewide.
1 teen dead, 2 others wounded in St. Paul shooting
St. Paul police say one teen died and two others were injured in a shooting Wednesday night on the city’s east side.
New technology uses good old-fashioned wind to power giant cargo vessels
Cargo ships equipped with massive rigid sails called WindWings could save a substantial amount of fuel, considering how much of the world's goods are transported by sea.
MLB playoffs 2023: Twins, Rangers, Diamondbacks and Phillies advance with Wild Card Series sweeps
Minnesota, Texas, Arizona and Philadelphia finished off postseason sweeps Wednesday as all four best-of-three Wild Card series ended in two games. A pair of road teams advanced — the Rangers and Diamondbacks — while the Twins and Phillies won at home. 
Black holes can teach us how to live our best lives
Black holes may seem like interstellar enigmas, but they hold some key lessons on how to move through the universe.
Resident of tiny home village welcomes safety, security, stability of Avivo
The city of Minneapolis wants to build a second facility made up of indoor tiny homes, called Avivo Village. The first-of-its kind location opened almost three years ago in the North Loop neighborhood near downtown Minneapolis inside a warehouse that now includes 100 tiny homes.
Art Hounds: Two MCAD grads
Art Hounds recommend two annual fall events this weekend: the Sogn Valley Art Fair in Cannon Falls and the Iranian Culture Festival, “Mehtegan: A Persian Celebration of Love, Kindness and Hope” in St. Paul. Roshan Ganu and Ivonne Yáñez each shine with solo shows at the Rochester Art Center. 
Twins fans celebrate team's first playoff series win since 2002
The Minnesota Twins are heading to the American League Division Series in Houston after winning Wednesday's game and sweeping the Toronto Blue Jays in a wild card series.