Stories from March 12, 2024

Hackers are targeting a surprising group of people: young public school students
Districts store all kinds of sensitive student data, which means the consequences of a school cyberattack can follow pupils well into adulthood. And it's not just their credit that's at risk.
Proposed bill would ban legacy admissions at all Minnesota colleges
Sen. Clare Oumou Verbeten introduced the bill to counter the Supreme Court’s ruling against race-conscious admissions in 2023. Most Minnesota colleges and universities already do not consider those criteria.
Soaking rain Thursday favors drought areas in SE Minnesota
An inbound low-pressure system is likely to drop meaningful rainfall Thursday south of the Twin Cities.
A Minnesota public safety panel weighed a pair of proposals today that would let local governments restrict guns in public spaces. And a divided Moorhead city council last night approved a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.
Lakota vinyl collector revitalizes Indigenous music, language one record at a time
Justis Brokenrope’s vinyl collection of Native artists is bringing generations of music to new audiences on social media. The collection he’s built over the last decade includes about 300 records by Indigenous artists from various genres — mostly country, folk, rock from the 1960s through the late 1980s.
Metro Transit police chief: ‘Transit is a small window of the larger societal issues in Minnesota’
Light rail trains and most buses in the Twin Cities have fewer riders than before the pandemic, and crime is still a challenge. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with two Metro Transit leaders about how they’re trying to turn things around.
After the shooting of eight Philadelphia high school students at a bus stop last week, authorities recovered a fully loaded, fully automatic weapon that matches evidence found at the scene.
Wisconsin’s Northland College says it’s at risk of closing this year
Northland College in Ashland, Wis., announced it’s at risk of closing before the next academic year. The school is looking to raise $12 million before April 3, which college leadership said would allow them to have a “transition year” in 2024-25.
St. Paul’s new one-cent sales tax starts April 1. Mayor Carter shares plans for it
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter used his annual State of the City address Monday to outline his vision for improving the economic health of residents, prioritizing investing in the streets, parks and people of St. Paul.
Divided Moorhead City Council passes Gaza cease-fire resolution
A divided Moorhead City Council approved a resolution on Monday calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. Some members said the city council is not the proper venue for international issues; the mayor broke a tie to pass the resolution.
Still mild Tuesday but slightly cooler; potential precipitation Thursday
Cooler air is flowing across Minnesota Tuesday but we’ll still be about 15 to 25 degrees above normal. Hopeful moisture could be moving into southern Minnesota for Thursday. 
U.S. inflation up again in February in latest sign that price pressures remain elevated
Consumer prices in the United States picked up last month, a sign that inflation remains a persistent challenge for the Federal Reserve and for President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign, both of which are counting on a steady easing of price pressures this year. 
Wisconsin officials release names of 7 Virginia residents killed in crash that claimed 9 lives
Authorities have released the names of seven Virginia residents who were killed when the van they were in collided with a semi-trailer in western Wisconsin, leaving a 2-year-old as the only survivor. 
Gov. Tim Walz is urging small businesses negatively affected by the lack of snow this winter in Minnesota to apply for federal assistance. A bill aimed at protecting consumers who buy online tickets to games and concerts is headed to the House floor. And Kirk Cousins is leaving the Minnesota Vikings for a big new contract with the Atlanta Falcons.
Haiti's prime minister says he'll resign once a transitional council is created
The de-facto prime minister of Haiti agreed to resign once a transitional presidential council is installed and interim prime minister named. CARICOM, the bloc of Caribbean nations, brokered the deal.
Why flying is still safe despite high-profile problems
United Airlines recently had multiple flight emergencies in the span of a few days. Meanwhile, federal investigators are probing Boeing for the door plug blowout. But flying is still low-risk.
Two St. Paul council members reveal how they overcame deep divisions to pass cease-fire resolution
Late last month, the St. Paul City Council was at an impasse over a resolution calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. But then last week, they passed one unanimously, calling for a quote “immediate and permanent mutual cease-fire.” MPR News correspondent Catharine Richert sat down with council members Cheniqua Johnson and Rebecca Noecker to find out how the council found common ground.
Citing prosecution expert, defense attorneys say trooper Ryan Londregan ‘committed no crime’
Attorneys for a Minnesota state trooper who fatally shot a man during a July 2023 traffic stop allege in court filings that an expert whom the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office hired told prosecutors that the officer’s use of deadly force was justified. Trooper Ryan Londregan, 27, is charged with murder, manslaughter and assault in the death of Ricky Cobb II.