Stories from April 18, 2025

JBS Worthington plant workers demand safer work conditions
As the Trump administration sets the stage for faster processing speeds at pork and poultry plants, meatpacking workers at JBS Foods in Worthington are demanding safer work conditions in a new contract
Slow-motion spring so far; warmer air likely in 1 to 2 weeks
April temperatures are running close to normal so far this month, but warmer air looks likely in the next two weeks.
Longtime All Things Considered host Tom Crann returns to classical music roots
The longtime host of All Things Considered on MPR News is returning to his roots in classical music radio. Tom Crann, who has served as regional host of the station’s flagship evening news program for two decades, announced Friday that he’s moving to YourClassical MPR.
Forensic DNA breaks new ground for MMIP cold cases
But the new technology carries potential privacy risks for intimate information.
Judges order DHS to reinstate status of two international students
Federal court judges in Minnesota this week have ordered the Department of Homeland Security to temporarily reinstate the status of two international students. 
Minnesota State system colleges could see 18 percent tuition hike
The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system could see tuition hikes at 33 of their schools across the state. The state legislature is likely not allocating any new money to higher education.
Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein’s new book looks at ‘failed liberal policies‘
What if liberals’ penchant for scarcity has been holding America back from solving our most challenging problems? That’s the thesis of Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein’s provocative new book, “Abundance.”
Wisconsin governor can lock in 400-year school funding increase using a veto, court says
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled that the Democratic governor legally used the state’s uniquely powerful veto to lock in a school funding increase for 400 years. The split ruling from the liberal-controlled court on Friday affirms the partial veto power of Wisconsin governors.
Morning Announcements for April 18
These are the Morning Announcements for Friday, April 18. Tell us what you’re celebrating!
Meat packing workers demonstrated outside the JBS Plant in Worthington on Thursday over safety concerns. Two men hoping to stave off government efforts to deport them remain in custody in Minnesota.
Supreme Court to hear challenge to Trump’s birthright citizenship order in May
Trump issued an executive order on day one of his administration that sought to limit birthright citizenship, an idea widely considered a fringe view because the Supreme Court ruled to the contrary 127 years ago, and that decision has never been disturbed.
Cooler and windy Friday with lingering showers
Friday will be cooler and windy with lingering shower chances. The weekend will be brighter but slightly cooler than normal.
‘From the Holocaust to America’: A pop-up art show features artist and survivor Lucy Kreisler Smith
A new exhibition at Vandalia Tower in St. Paul showcases more than 300 works by Lucy Kreisler Smith, a Holocaust survivor and lifelong artist, in a retrospective curated by her son, Dan Smith.
Minnesota license centers see long wait times as Real ID deadline nears
Real ID deadlines came and went for years. But now, with the actual deadline next month, people who weren't sure if the requirement would ever be implemented are now waiting hours to get their new IDs.
Partnerships may pave the way to a more environmentally focused future in the mining industry
Tribal nations in Minnesota have long raised concerns about pollution from taconite mines on the state’s Iron Range. The mining industry has been trying to find ways to produce iron using renewable energy. The University of Minnesota is conducting a study of what it calls ‘next generation steel’ to understand the economic and environmental benefits.
Minnesota baseball lovers make a pitch to honor bygone ballpark, 2 historic St. Paul teams
The St. Paul Saints and St. Paul Colored Gophers played ball in the early 1900s at a tiny ballpark near the Capitol called the Pillbox. The Colored Gophers were a vital piece of Black baseball history nationally. A local historian is lobbying now for a public commemoration of the site.