Stories from January 14, 2025

The 2025 Minnesota legislative session is off and running, kind of. In the House, with Democrats boycotting the first day of session, there is dispute over whether the 67 Republicans gathered in the House chamber had the numbers for a quorum to actually start the session. The Senate, which currently has an even split, started on a much more peaceful note.
Wisconsin’s governor creates new violence-prevention office in wake of school shooting
Wisconsin’s Democratic governor on Tuesday created a new office dedicated to preventing gun violence, a month after a school shooting not far from the state Capitol and an idea that drew immediate opposition from Republicans who said it was misguided.
The FDA calls for at-a-glance nutrition labels on the front of packaged foods
The FDA wants front-of-package nutrition labels required on packaged foods. The labels would tell consumers if the product has Low, Medium or High levels of saturated fat, sodium and added sugar.
Minnesota Legislature gavels in with House DFL lawmakers absent
The Minnesota Legislature officially began its 2025 session Tuesday at noon. With the DFL and GOP sharing power in the Senate and disputing control of the House, the start of the 2025 session has been strange to say the least.
Vikings close ‘another chapter in the purple book of pain’
The Minnesota Vikings’ successful season has come to a familiar end. Sports contributors Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson join MPR News host Nina Moini with perspective on the team’s 9-27 loss to the LA Rams.
In new podcast, Minneapolis reporter follows the story of couple who owned his house 100 years ago
The podcast “Ghost of a Chance” explores how the story of Harry and Clementine Robinson connects to a larger pattern of segregation that exists in Minneapolis today.
Fond du Lac artist explains the importance of pipestone and the area where it is found
Jeff Savage has worked with pipestone for 50 years to make sculptures and ceremonial pipes. Pipestone National Monument, where he and other members of tribal nations extract the stone, is near two proposed routes for a gas pipeline.
St. Paul City Council reflects on a historic year: ‘Ten toes down, shoulder to shoulder’
St. Paul’s all-female city council has been on the job for a year now. What have they learned? MPR News host Angela Davis talks with this historic, young and diverse group about what it’s like to be a woman in politics today.
Chemicals in sewage sludge fertilizer pose cancer risk, EPA says
Harmful chemicals in sewage sludge spread on pasture as fertilizer pose a risk to people who regularly consume milk, beef and other products from those farms, in some cases raising cancer risk “several orders of magnitude” above what the Environmental Protection Agency considers acceptable, federal officials announced Tuesday. 
Hegseth confronts allegations of misconduct as senators grill Trump’s choice for Pentagon chief
Minnesotan Pete Hegseth was combative at times, as he was forced to confront the allegations of misconduct and his own comments that are far from the military mainstream.
Judge: DFL candidate’s election stands for Shakopee-area Minnesota House seat
State Rep. Brad Tabke, a DFL Minnesota House incumbent who narrowly won reelection, should be able to begin a new term, a judge ruled Tuesday — despite a GOP election challenge centering on a pool of ballots that were cast but never counted.
Sam Darnold’s career-best season ends with a thud as he takes 9 sacks in playoff loss
Sam Darnold’s renaissance pushed Minnesota to one of the NFL’s best records, offering the hope of a deep playoff run. A disappointing night in the desert rammed Darnold and the Vikings right out of the postseason.
Israel and Hamas may be on the verge of a cease-fire. Here’s what we know right now
Negotiators in Qatar are close to a cease-fire deal that sees an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian detainees, a six-week pause in fighting and eventual troop withdrawal from Gaza.
The Minnesota Legislature begins its 2025 session in St. Paul. Lawmakers will need to set a budget between now and May. And the Vikings’ season is over. They lost to the Los Angeles Rams 27-9 Monday night in an NFC wild-card game.
One more chilly day before a drastic warmup
Tuesday begins with frigid, below-average temperatures accompanied by wind chills ranging from 20 to 30 degrees below zero. However, a major warmup is on the way for midweek with temperatures climbing into the 20s and 30s along with abundant sunshine.
Special counsel who investigated Trump says his team ‘stood up for the rule of law’
Special counsel Jack Smith says in a new report that his team “stood up for the rule of law” as it investigated President-elect Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
A tortoise survival tale: How Tiptoe escaped Southern California's wildfires
For years, Tiptoe has been a beloved sight in Pacific Palisades, quietly tromping along sidewalks and growing a major social media following. But last week, he lost his home to wildfires.
What to know about the devastation from the Los Angeles-area fires
The Palisades Fire, along the coast, has been blamed for eight deaths, while the Eaton Fire farther inland has been blamed for 17 others, the LA County medical examiner’s office said. Nearly 30 people were missing.
RFK Jr. faces a complicated confirmation with some opposition on both sides of the aisle
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s views on vaccines and abortion rights are raising alarms across the political spectrum, as he's one of the more controversial picks for the president-elect's Cabinet.
NPR shopped for 96 items at Walmart to track how prices are really changing
NPR has tracked the prices of dozens of items at the same superstore in Georgia, including eggs, T-shirts, snacks and paper towels. Here's what got cheaper over the past year, and more expensive.
The New York Times takes OpenAI to court. ChatGPT’s future could be on the line
In three consolidated suits, publishers allege that OpenAI broke copyright law by copying millions of articles without permission or payment. OpenAI counters that the fair use doctrine protects them.
Minnesota House DFLers boycott opening session; Republicans elect their own speaker
DFLers on Tuesday made good on their threat to keep the Minnesota House in limbo as the parties fight over control. House Republicans pushed ahead anyway in the half-empty chamber. It’s all likely headed to the courts.
A new lesson in higher education: Being OK with uncomfortable conversations
Colleges around the country have been taking heat for being too politically correct and stifling robust political debate. At the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs, the faculty is trying to tackle that problem. 
Senate District 60 primary results: 9 candidates running in election to decide control of the Minnesota Senate
The recent death of Minneapolis state Sen. Kari Dziedzic left a 33-33 tie in the Minnesota Senate. A primary for her seat set for Tuesday features seven DFLers and two Republicans. The primary winners from each party will face each other in a Jan. 28 election.
Lawsuits allege power company involvement in LA wildfires
Lawsuits allege the Eaton Fire was sparked by a SoCal Edison transmission tower. The company says they have not had a chance to inspect the scene yet. The ATF has only just begun the federal investigation into the fire's cause.
A TikTok ban could hit the U.S. in days. What to know — and how to prepare
Even if the controversial U.S. ban on TikTok does take effect on Jan. 19, the app won’t automatically vanish from phones. Here's what would change, plus preparations and potential work-arounds.
After second trial, jury awards $3.25 million to family of man killed by St. Paul police
A federal jury on Monday awarded $3.25 million to the mother of a man killed by St. Paul police in 2017. Kim Handy Jones, the mother of Cordale Handy, opted for a second trial in her civil suit after a judge sharply reduced the initial verdict.
Special counsel in Hunter Biden case denounces president for criticism of the probe
In a final report on his investigation, special counsel David Weiss said President Biden's criticism "undermines the very foundation of what makes America's justice system fair and equitable."
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