Stories from April 30, 2024

Sharp growth raised ‘red flags’ about meal program fraud, state official testifies
A state regulator testified in the first Feeding Our Future trial Tuesday that she was concerned after seeing massive growth in reimbursement requests through child nutrition programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bus driver represents Metro Transit as first woman to compete in International ‘bus roadeo’
The best bus drivers in the country are currently competing at the international level, and that includes Minnesota Metro Transit driver Jeanne. She is in Portland, Ore., for the American Public Transportation Association’s International Bus Roadeo.
Hennepin County Board OKs Moriarty hiring outside attorneys in state trooper prosecution
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said at the board meeting that her office’s adult prosecution division is about ten attorneys short. She said putting experienced staff attorneys on this case would have hurt their ability to prosecute other violent crimes in the county. 
Judges block Louisiana's congressional map. A Supreme Court appeal is likely
A federal court has blocked Louisiana's new congressional map in a case that could determine the balance of power in the next Congress and set up another Supreme Court test of the Voting Rights Act.
Fox News pulls down series as Hunter Biden threatens lawsuit
Fox News has taken down a six-part series in which it staged a mock trial of hypothetical criminal charges against Hunter Biden after the president's son threatened to sue the network.
Renovated Minneapolis American Indian Center reflects urban Indigenous identity
The Minneapolis American Indian Center provides social services to the urban Native community and has served as a central gathering place for nearly 50 years. The redesign reflects a sense of belonging and history and showcases ways the Minneapolis Indigenous community embraces its future. 
The DFL-led Minnesota Senate voted down an effort to call for Sen. Nicole Mitchell's resignation after her burglary arrest. And in the Feeding Our Future trial today, a state regulator testified that she was concerned about fraud in government child nutrition programs after seeing massive growth in meal reimbursement requests during the COVID pandemic.
Eight newspapers sue OpenAI, Microsoft for copyright infringement
The New York Daily News, the Chicago Tribune and others contend that the tech companies illegally copied their work without seeking permission or ever paying the publishers.
Mammograms should start at age 40, new guidelines recommend
A rise in breast cancer among younger women prompted the U.S. Preventive Task Force to issue new screening guidelines. They recommend mammograms every other year, starting at age 40.
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch to have surgery on knee after sideline collision, AP source says
Finch was hurt in a sideline collision with Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley. He will have his ruptured right patellar tendon repaired Wednesday, according to a person with knowledge of the plan.
U.S. drug control agency will move to reclassify marijuana in a historic shift, AP sources say
Reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug is the agency’s biggest policy change in more than 50 years. The proposal still must be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Remote Lake Superior island wolf numbers are stable but moose population declining, researchers say
Wildlife researchers say the wolf population on a remote Lake Superior island is stable. But they announced Tuesday that the moose population had declined by 14 percent from last year. Scientists have conducted an annual survey of Isle Royale’s wolves and moose since 1958.
Warmer with severe storms possible in southern Minnesota late Tuesday
Southern Minnesota will see potentially strong to severe storms Tuesday afternoon and evening. It’ll be warmer and breezy statewide. An active pattern persists into Saturday. 
Behind the bar: Inside the lives of bartenders
MPR News host Angela Davis talked with two bartenders at the St. Paul Grill inside the St. Paul Hotel in downtown St. Paul.
Minnesota picked to host PWHL draft in June
Minnesota will host the Professional Women's Hockey League draft for 2024 in June. The league announced Saturday that the six teams will make 42 selections in the “State of Hockey.”
Report finds Minnesota outpacing the country in carbon-free electricity
For the fourth straight year, Minnesota produced more than half its electricity from carbon-free sources in 2023, helping lead to a 10 percent annual drop in greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector, according to a new report.
Protests continued at the Twin Cities campus of the University of Minnesota Monday after the U called for buildings along Northrop Mall to close at 2 p.m. And a new report released Tuesday finds that Minnesota continues to outpace the nation in transitioning from fossil fuels to carbon-free sources of electricity.
Sign here? Financial agreements may leave doctors in the driver's seat
Agreeing to an out-of-network doctor's financial policy, which protects their ability to get paid and may be littered with confusing jargon, can create a binding contract that leaves a patient owing.
As Goodhue County shifts further right, compromise is harder to find
After years of feeling unheard by local officials, many conservative Republicans welcome the shift. Others say the trend is creating new political tension and polarization in a community where moderate conservatives once prevailed. 
Minnesota GOP sees congressional nomination chases spill into summer after weekend conventions
Minnesota Republicans will likely have to wait until August to settle on nominees in two congressional races, including one on the national radar and another involving a GOP incumbent, U.S. Rep. Michelle Fischbach. Those fractures emerged from weekend conventions. Meanwhile, Republicans have pinned their hopes on a political veteran for an open suburban seat.
The Twins’ new home-run sausage is fueling their winning streak
The Minnesota Twins are no stranger to unique home-run celebrations. Last season, the team introduced a fishing vest and toy fishing pole to the dugout. This year, it’s none other than a midwestern delicacy — the summer sausage — fueling the Twins’ seven-game winning streak.