Stories from November 21, 2024

Cold turkey: A chilly Thanksgiving week ahead
Our chilly late November weather pattern will likely persist through Thanksgiving week.
Legislative leaders met with Gov. Tim Walz today for the first time since voters broke up DFL control of the Legislature in this month's election. And the Minnesota Lottery needs to strengthen its internal controls to ensure that it meets all its legal obligations, according to a new report from the Minnesota Legislative Auditor.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey vetoes city council’s plan for labor standards board
Frey is asking the council to sustain his veto and create a new plan. He wants the board to have a 50/50 split between employees and employers, as well as an equal number of appointments made by city council and the mayor.
Report: Minnesota Lottery needs to tighten up how it regulates retailers
Minnesota’s Office of the Legislative Auditor reports that the Minnesota State Lottery generally complies with requirements, but has room to improve when it comes to how it manages retailers.
Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center starts construction on affordable housing in Minneapolis
The $14.1 million project will include renovating the building’s top two floors and converting the space into 24 permanent supportive housing units, four of which will have accessibility features for those with disabilities.  
Who gets to teach teachers? Palestinian activist-led training sparks controversy in Minneapolis
A sub-group of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers union called Educators for Palestine is moving the location of their event with local Palestinian advocate Taher Herzallah after Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned the workshop.
Playoff preview: Minnesota United prepare to take on LA Galaxy in conference semifinals
Minnesota United FC take on LA Galaxy on Sunday in the MLS Cup conference semifinals. Recently retired player Zarek Valentin joined the program to share what the Loons are up against.
Significant improvement made in drought conditions
Significant progress has been made in improving drought conditions, with the most notable change occurring in the severe drought category. The situation has been greatly alleviated thanks to beneficial rainfall.
Gaetz withdraws as Trump's pick for attorney general
Matt Gaetz has withdrawn as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general following scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation. The Florida Republican made the announcement Thursday. 
Charges filed in fatal hit-and-run crash on Iron Range
A Grand Rapids woman has been charged in connection with hit-and-run crash that left a pedestrian dead in northern Minnesota on July 3.
Meteorologist Sven Sundgaard tracks the desert black rhino in northwest Namibia
Namibia, in southwest Africa, has the largest population of black rhinos and has done something that few other places have been able to do — greatly reduce poaching for their horns and preserve this unique ecosystem.
Performance Today host Fred Child on taking the ‘stuffiness’ out of classical music
Fred Child is the host of the most-listened-to classical music program in the country, Performance Today. He talks with MPR News host Chris Farrell about heading into his 25th and final season.  
Police report reveals assault allegations against Hegseth
A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Pete Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave.
'Bomb cyclone' kills 2 and knocks out power to over half a million homes across the U.S. Northwest
A major storm was sweeping across the U.S. Northwest, battering the region with strong winds and rain. It caused widespread power outages and downed trees that killed at least two people. 
Continued windy and mostly cloudy Thursday, some sun Friday
Thursday will be another mostly cloudy and windy day. Temps will be slightly warmer in eastern Minnesota, near 40. Friday offers some peeks of sun before clouds fill back in Saturday.  
The Robbinsdale school district held a town hall Wednesday night to discuss its budget. A counting error left the district with a $20 million shortfall. And two former St. Paul school district employees are filing a lawsuit against the district, claiming they were fired after raising concerns about how district leaders were handling finances. 
Robbinsdale schools to make budget cuts to address $20M shortfall error
Administrators at Robbinsdale Area Schools said they will be making budget cuts and reducing staff after an error left the district with a $20 million shortfall. The district held a town hall meeting Wednesday night to discuss its budget.
Richer countries are starting to pay poorer ones for climate change damages
With climate-related disasters getting more extreme, richer countries are piloting ways to compensate developing nations, since they bear the least responsibility for causing climate change.
Art Hounds: The M gets bigger, student-curated Black joy and fancy chairs you can’t sit on
Art Hounds discuss the expanded Minnesota Museum of Art’s new wing, a show curated by students at the University of Minnesota about Black joy and a new exhibit with 20 chairs and five mini golf holes.
10 downtown St. Paul buildings ID’d as promising residential conversions
A recent study commissioned by the St. Paul Downtown Alliance identifies 10 buildings in the downtown area that could be converted from office space to residential units.
Percival Everett wins the National Book Award fiction prize
Everett's novel “James” is a retelling of Mark Twain's “Huckleberry Finn.” The prestigious literary prize also awards the best in non-fiction, poetry, translated literature and young people's literature.
Survivor tells story of fatal night in human smuggling trial
The jury in the federal trial for two men accused of human smuggling heard dramatic testimony Wednesday from a man who crossed the U.S. Canadian border in a snowstorm on Jan. 19, 2022. He was in a group which included the Patel family of four who froze to death that night.
Two former St. Paul school employees file lawsuit, alleging they were fired for raising financial concerns
Two former St. Paul Public Schools employees are filing a lawsuit against the district, claiming they were fired after raising concerns about how district leaders were handling finances.