Minnesota Now - July 14, 2022

CATHY WURZER: It's Minnesota now. I'm Cathy Wurzer. News is still coming in about a police-involved shooting of a man in South Minneapolis. We'll have the latest details on that. COVID has left the headlines, but it's alive and well in our communities. We'll find out how effective vaccines are with these new sub-variants.

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A woman named the 2020 Minnesota Teacher of the Year is leaving the profession. What does that say about retention of BIPOC teachers? We'll ask her. Some Minnesota sports teams are on a hot streak. We'll get the latest news from our sports guys Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson. All that, plus the Minnesota Music Minute and the Song of the Day. It all comes your way right after the news.

NORA RAHM: Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. President Biden travels to Saudi Arabia tomorrow. He says it's an attempt to reassert US leadership in the Middle East. NPR's Asma Khalid reports. His comments came during a press conference in Jerusalem.

ASMA KHALID: Biden was asked what he'll say to Saudi leaders about human rights abuses and specifically the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The president suggested he's not shy in diplomacy, but stopped short of explicitly saying he'll bring up the Khashoggi murder.

JOE BIDEN: I will bring up-- I always bring up human rights. I always bring up human rights. But my position on Khashoggi has been so clear, if anyone doesn't understand it in Saudi Arabia or anywhere else, then they haven't been around for a while.

ASMA KHALID: Biden said the reason he is visiting Saudi Arabia is to make sure the US can lead in the Middle East and not create a vacuum filled by China or Russia. Asma Khalid, NPR News.

NORA RAHM: A House committee is holding a hearing today examining the impact of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade. NPR's Windsor Johnston reports-- lawmakers are discussing ways to protect not only access to abortion, but other rights granted by the high court in past decisions.

WINDSOR JOHNSTON: Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler opened the hearing by blasting the court for reversing decades of precedent.

JERRY NADLER: The court has defied the will of the American majority, and in doing so, has undermined its own legitimacy in their eyes.

WINDSOR JOHNSTON: Sarah Warbelow is the Legal Director for the Human Rights Campaign. She says the ruling to overturn Roe opens up other cases for reversal, including the decision that legalized same sex marriage.

SARAH WARBELOW: Will vigorously defend precedence that protect the right to marriage and to loving who you love. The new majority of the Supreme Court may not be done with its work, but neither are we.

WINDSOR JOHNSTON: Justice Clarence Thomas has suggested the court should reconsider due process rights like birth control and same sex marriage in future decisions. Windsor Johnston, NPR News, Washington.

NORA RAHM: Congress is honoring Hershel "Woody" Williams today. He was the last remaining medal of Honor recipient from World War II. He died last month at the age of 98. Williams is now laying in honor in the Capitol Rotunda, a tribute given the nation's most distinguished private citizens. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called him an American hero.

NANCY PELOSI: Awarding Woody the Medal of Honor, President Truman called his unyielding determination and extraordinary heroism.

NORA RAHM: Williams was a 21-year-old Marine Corporal during the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945. He's credited with moving ahead of his unit and eliminating a series of Japanese machine gun positions and battling Japanese forces for hours. The Labor Department reports the number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week hit its highest level in nearly eight months, while the total number of those collecting benefits fell. This is NPR News from Washington.

Ukrainian officials say Russian missiles struck the central city of Vinnytsia today, killing at least 20 people. The city is a center for military operations and humanitarian programs. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attack an open act of terrorism. North Korea has given diplomatic recognition to two breakaway republics from Ukraine. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports-- Ukraine responded by severing diplomatic ties with North Korea.

ANTHONY KUHN: The Korean Central News agency reports that Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui sent letters to her counterparts in Donetsk and Luhansk, recognizing their country's independence. Ukraine accused North Korea of trying to undermine Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity and cut ties with it.

Russia, and North Korea, and Abkhazia, which itself broke away from Georgia, are the only nations that recognize Donetsk's and Luhansk's independence. Pyongyang says Russia's invasion of Ukraine was justified by US and Western hegemonic policies. Moscow and Beijing have helped Pyongyang by vetoing recent UN Security Council sanctions in response to its missile tests. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Tokyo.

NORA RAHM: The president of Sri Lanka reportedly arrived in Singapore today after fleeing widespread protests yesterday over his rule. But Gotabaya Rajapaksa did not resign before he left, as he promised he would. He reportedly did submit his resignation by email today. Sri Lanka is in the midst of its worst economic crisis in decades, with high inflation and shortages of basic supplies. This is NPR.

CREW: Support for NPR comes from NPR stations. Other contributors include Fisher Investments Wealth Management, offering guidance on retirement income, Social Security, and estate planning. More at FisherInvestments.com. Clearly different money management. Investing in securities involves the risk of loss.

CATHY WURZER: Around Minnesota right now, skies are bright. It's sunny, highs today upper-70s to the upper-80s, cooler near Lake Superior. At noon in Appleton, it's sunny and 81. It's 55 in Grand Marais, and outside Gator's Bar and Grill in Eitzen, Minnesota, it's sunny and 77. I'm Cathy Wurzer with Minnesota news headlines.

A man who was in a standoff with Minneapolis Police has been shot and killed. That's our top story. We'll have more in a minute. The Minnesota Department of Human rights has settled with a St. Cloud company over charges of racial discrimination. Christy Morone reports.

CREW: The agency's investigation found probable cause that Nahan, a printing company, subjected a former employee, who was Black, to a racially hostile work environment from 2018 to 2019. The department found two white employees regularly made racist comments and used racial slurs about Black people.

One refused to shake hands with the former employee or his son, who also worked for Nahan, because of their race. The department says the two repeatedly reported the incidents to management, who ignored or minimized the complaints. As part of the settlement, Nahan will pay the employee $45,000.

The company also agreed to create and enforce inclusive workplace policies and provide anti-harassment training to staff. The human rights department will monitor Nahan for two years. The company declined to comment on the case. I'm Christy Morone.

CATHY WURZER: There's still a little cleanup to do in the iconic IDS center in downtown Minneapolis. Offices in the upper floors were flooded yesterday after a water tank overflowed. That affected the building's electrical system. Floors 26 to 51 have been evacuated so electrical equipment can dry out.

And here's more on our top story at noon. Minneapolis police fatally shot a man early this morning in the city's Seward neighborhood at an apartment building near 21st and Franklin. That happened at the end of an hours-long standoff. NPR News reporter Mark Zdechlik has been covering the story. He's on the line. Thanks for joining us, Mark.

MARK ZDECHLIK: Absolutely, Cathy.

CATHY WURZER: What do we know about the circumstances of the shooting?

MARK ZDECHLIK: Well, as is so often the case with police shootings, the first account we're hearing of what happened is from the police themselves. We don't have a lot of information. Police held a news conference this morning at the scene. They say officers were called to a report of shots fired at an apartment building just South of Interstate 94 and Riverside at about 9:30 last night.

A woman with two young children reported gunshots coming from their apartment walls. Police say they encountered gunfire as they evacuated people from the building and said a man had isolated himself in a third floor apartment. Police spokesman Garrett Parten said officers had been negotiating with the man. Here's a little tape from a news conference early this morning that was broadcast on CARE 11.

GARRETT PARTEN: These negotiation attempts included identifying and calling the man's phone, bringing his parents to the scene, providing communications from his parents in the form of phone calls, voicemails, and video messages. And officers also attempted numerous times using loudspeakers to instruct the male to exit the apartment with his hands up.

MARK ZDECHLIK: But, Cathy, police say after about six hours, officers fatally shot the man. And that occurred at about 4:30 this morning.

CATHY WURZER: So that's what the police have said. We don't know why they shot the man. What are we still waiting to learn beyond that?

MARK ZDECHLIK: Well, a lot. For one, the name of the man who died has not been officially released. Police did say they believe he was in his 20s. And another unanswered question is, what prompted officers to open fire after all those six hours of negotiations?

Police haven't said what body camera footage might be available. They did say no one else was injured. We'll still working to find other accounts of what happened, talking to people in the neighborhood and people who lived in the building. So we're working on it.

CATHY WURZER: OK. You were at the scene this morning. For folks who are not familiar with the area, what can you tell us about it?

MARK ZDECHLIK: Well, this is kind of in the Seward area of Minneapolis off of Franklin Avenue-- lots of law enforcement there. Minneapolis Police Department, SWAT vehicles, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is on the scene. They're investigating the shooting. Streets near the apartment building are closed and police are keeping people away from the site of the shooting.

I talked with 26-year-old Abdi Abdi. He was one of several people outside the police perimeter kind of looking in. He said he was a high school classmate and friend of the man who died. And he said he had been concerned about his friend after recent conversations.

ABDI ABDI: Yeah, recently, I've seen him a couple of times. And I could tell he wasn't there completely mentally. Mental health is a real thing. People take it as a joke, but it's really real. So never thought it would come to this, though.

MARK ZDECHLIK: Abdi also said he was confused why the standoff ended with his friend dead. We also talked to a woman who lives next door to the apartment building-- Shatwanna Williams said she heard a man shouting at police that he didn't do anything and that someone was lying about them. She, too, questioned why police would have had to fatally shoot the man after all those hours.

We're not sharing the name of the victim. As we said earlier, authorities have not formally released that information. We're waiting to hear more from them and also from family members.

CATHY WURZER: So a developing story. OK, Mark, thank you so much.

MARK ZDECHLIK: You're. welcome.

CATHY WURZER: That was NPR Reporter Mark Zdechlik. Yes, we'll be following this story all day. More details to come later this afternoon on air and on our website, nprnews.org.

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COLE PREMO: Well, no sin can conquer logic.

CATHY WURZER: This is the song Into Your Mind by musician Cole Premo. It's off his digital album called Universe Slash Love, which was released in 2013. Cole's a member of the Mille Lacs band of Ojibwe. He plays around the Twin Cities. You can find more of his music on Bandcamp. Just search Cole Premo.

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COLE PREMO: In this place, on this world, we come from the same mold. We need to love what we can love and hold what we can hold. Oooh.

CATHY WURZER: That's a pretty song-- Cole Premo there. 12:13 on Minnesota Now. Experts keep saying the pandemic is not over, but evidently, most of us are ignoring that message. Very few people wear masks anymore, there are no restrictions on travel or social gatherings, yet there's a fast-spreading COVID variant among us, BA.5, which researchers like Dr. Eric Topol call the worst variant yet.

There's also a new variant on the radar called BA.2.75. NPR reporter Katherine Richard talked with virus expert Michael Osterholm about the latest insights. Dr. Osterholm is a veteran epidemiologist and the Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.

INTERVIEWER: So I guess the first thing I want to start with is, we have had Omicron BA.1, we've had Omicron BA.2, and now we have BA.5. Is this mutation of the virus really different than previous iterations of Omicron?

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM: All of the subvariants that we've seen emerge from Omicron actually are different. In fact, all of the sub-variants of Omicron that we've seen emerge are somewhat different from each other. In fact, BA.5 right now is by far the most infectious and most likely to evade immune protection from people who have previously been vaccinated or previously had infection.

So this is a challenge. And on top of the fact that we now see the emergence of BA.5 in many areas of the world with increasing number of cases, we've just documented a new variant, 2.75, which actually may replace BA.5 five. So we're a long ways from being done in terms of understanding the full impact of Omicron.

INTERVIEWER: So one thing that I think is really different about the pandemic in 2022 is that we have so much home testing. And I'm wondering, with little tracking happening on the public health level and so many people testing at home, how much do we actually know about the state of the pandemic at this point?

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM: We really know very little about the actual number of cases occurring in our community, with some exception. And that exception is how many severe cases are occurring, because we are still tracking those via hospitalizations and deaths. While we have much less testing going on in our public health settings, where we did PCR testing in the past, we actually also see in many instances people not even using home testing.

They think, oh, I may have COVID, someone in their household has been confirmed to have COVID with testing, so they don't get tested when they get sick. So at this point, we, at the very most, are counting only a very small percentage of the people who are actually infected.

INTERVIEWER: So we have vaccines. We have booster shots. How effective are the vaccines that are available right now against this version? And with so many people having gotten earlier versions of Omicron, does that add any additional protection?

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM: One of the challenges we have right now is understanding just how well the vaccines are working and what are they working for. And what I mean by that is that there is increasing evidence that, particularly with BA.5, there is limited protection from the vaccines and previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2, meaning previously had an infection, against becoming infected again or for the first time.

What we do know is that with BA.5, that previous vaccination, particularly having your full booster shots on board, actually can reduce the likelihood of having serious illness, hospitalizations, and deaths, but may have very limited ability to change whether you get infected or not. The same is true for even those who had BA.1, the original Omicron sub-lineage, that came out in December and January.

We actually see today many of these individuals getting reinfected with BA.5. There's limited protection there. So we know that one of the challenges with these variants and sub-variants is immune evasion-- the ability to actually avoid the protection that you might have from your immune system, having either been exposed previous to vaccine or previous virus. This is a huge challenge.

INTERVIEWER: So right now, additional booster shots are available only to people over 50 and some people with weakened immune systems. But we're hearing this news out of Washington that the Biden administration is going to be considering and pushing for booster shots for all adults. What do you think of this strategy?

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM: Well, I think right now, getting as many booster doses on board as you can is great news. It is surely, as we've seen from data in Israel, reducing serious illness, hospitalizations, and deaths. But do I think we can boost our way out of this pandemic? No.

We have to understand that it's not realistic to think that every few months, we're going to get another booster. If you look at just the attrition we've seen between those who got the first two doses to the third, to those who got the third to the fourth, it has been a marked reduction in the number of people who are eligible to get it who actually got it.

I think that turning a vaccine into a vaccination right now for many people is a very difficult thing to do. So I don't see boosting as being the answer. Our group is actually working very closely with experts from around the world to develop what we call a vaccine roadmap for coronavirus vaccines to come up with better ones.

The ones we have now are surely very powerful tools that have reduced the risk of serious illness, hospitalisations, and deaths. But they're not the perfect tool at all. We need better vaccines. And so I think until we get those, we're going to be caught in this, well, they do some things OK, some things they're not doing so well-- and just understanding that I'll still take the part they're doing some things OK.

INTERVIEWER: We're also hearing that Moderna and Pfizer, the two biggest manufacturers of vaccines in the United States, are creating an Omicron-specific vaccine that could be available this fall. So how would authorizing boosters to all adults right now complicate the rollout of those more specific vaccines? Or would it really not make much of an impact?

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM: I don't think it's going to make much of an impact, because they've already signaled that if you had your booster doses up to now, you'll still be eligible to get the sub-variant vaccine this fall. My point is I'm not sure how much difference is going to make.

Because by the time those BA.5 sub-variant vaccines are out there, I think BA.5 will probably be long gone. And we'll be on to BA.7, or to pi, or sigma, or something else, or even, as we're now seeing this emerging, BA.2.75. I don't know what the virus is going to be three to four months from now when those variant vaccines will be available.

INTERVIEWER: So potentially too little too late by the time it's ready.

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM: My whole sense is that if we're chasing variants for the vaccine to decide what to put in it, it'll always be a day late and a dollar short.

INTERVIEWER: So speaking of boosters, kids are now eligible for them. And very small children under five are getting their first round of shots. How is this phase of the vaccination campaign going so far?

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM: Well I'd have to say that if you look at young children, it's a terrible problem-- and not one that should have been unexpected. Right now, the best data we have as of this past week indicates that only about 2% of children under the age of five, nationally and statewide, have gotten their vaccine. So again, it goes back to that issue of turning a vaccine into a vaccination-- big difference.

And right now, I think many parents felt like we went through the COVID experience last year. We're done. We don't have to worry about it anymore. It's not a serious problem for kids. And I think that we're going to see only a very limited number of kids being vaccinated, even by the time school starts.

INTERVIEWER: You mentioned another variant that you're watching right now. Tell us more about this variant and what we know about it.

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM: Well, the variant of concern that we are looking at right now with regard to Omicron is BA.2.75, first seen in India, now circulating in some parts of Asia. And it appears to have even increased immune evasion properties versus BA.5. It's really too early to tell yet.

I have to say that this could turn out to be a non issue or it could turn out to be the replacement to BA.5, We just don't know. And this is the uncertainty that no one wants to have today. But it's the uncertainty that is required to understand just how fast these viruses are evolving and what that means for possible human illness.

INTERVIEWER: What have we missed? What else should we know right now?

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM: We're in this for the long haul. COVID is one of those situations where the public is done with it, but the virus is not done with us. And I think that that's a really hard message. And the White House is struggling with that right now, because they see that ongoing challenge.

They see hospitalization rates rising. While they haven't at all come close to what they were during the worst of the Delta and Omicron surges, we're still talking about 2,000-plus deaths a week in this country from COVID. And the question is just what will we accept as everyday life. What will we live with?

And we're all struggling with that right now. And trying to reduce the number of cases, trying to reduce long COVID for certain, but not knowing just what the future holds.

INTERVIEWER: OK. Thank you so much, Dr. Osterholm.

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM: Anytime. Thank you. Tell Cathy hi.

CATHY WURZER: Thank you. And hi back to you. That was NPR reporter Katherine Richard speaking with epidemiologist Michael Osterholm about the latest news with the coronavirus. There is much more from this conversation on our website, nprnews.org.

CREW: Programming supported by Hamline University. Hamline believes in career preparation with a purpose, where students can not only learn professional skills, they can learn how their careers can build a better world one degree at a time. Hamline.edu.

CATHY WURZER: It is a very pleasant day out there, sunny skies and current temperatures range from 50, that's a little cool, Grand Marais, 50, to 84 in Appleton and Montevideo. It's 67 over the hill in Duluth at the harbor at 61, 79 in Fargo Moorhead at this hour, 79 in the Twin Cities, 79 in Austin and Albert Lee, it's 78 in Rochester.

So the sunshine will last throughout the day today. Highs upper-70s, upper-80s, and then it gets a little more hot and humid tomorrow. We'll have details coming up. It's 12:24. John Wanamaker is standing by with a look at the news. John.

JOHN WANAMAKER: Cathy, US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid stood side by side and declared that they would not allow Iran to become a nuclear power. But they have different ideas on how to reach that outcome. Biden says he still wants to give diplomacy a chance, while Lapid insists that tough words alone won't halt Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Biden will continue his Mideast trip with a visit to the West Bank and Saudi Arabia.

Ukrainian officials say Russian missiles that struck a city in Central Ukraine killed at least 22 people and wounded more than 100. Ukraine's national police said three missiles hit an office building and damaged residential buildings in Vinnytsia on Thursday. The city is 167 miles southwest of Kyiv.

Stocks that have fallen in afternoon trading today as investors brace for another big interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve later this month on the heels of the latest bad news on inflation. The indexes have come back a bit from their earlier lows, but the Dow is still off 1.25%, the S&P down about 1.1%, and the NASDAQ down just under 1%.

Authorities in a remote corner of Southwest Virginia have located all but three of the 44 people who were reported unaccounted for after devastating flooding washed out roadways and damaged more than 100 homes. Buchanan County Sheriff John McClanahan says first responders have been working since Tuesday night to locate people, but there are no reports of injuries or deaths. Several small communities in the Virginia County that borders West Virginia and Kentucky were affected.

And a previously unknown self-portrait of Vincent van Gogh has been discovered behind another of the artist's paintings. The National Galleries of Scotland said that it was discovered on the back of Van Gogh's Head of a Peasant Woman when experts took an x-ray of the canvas ahead of an upcoming exhibition. The self-portrait, believed to have been covered by layers of glue and cardboard when it was framed in the early-20th century-- experts say the bearded subject was instantly recognizable as the artist himself, and the painting is thought to be from his early work. That is because he has both ears in that painting. This is NPR News.

CATHY WURZER: Glad you're with us here on Minnesota Now from NPR News. I'm Cathy Wurzer. Back in 2020, Qorsho Hassan was the first Somali-American to win the Minnesota Teacher of the Year Award. She did numerous media interviews at the time.

Back at her school, she was celebrated. Her students and fellow teachers all describe her as an exceptional educator and changemaker. But Qorsho is no longer teaching. In June, she announced she's leaving the classroom. So what happened?

Qorsho Hassan is with us right now along with reporter Becky Dernbach. Becky reported on this story for the Sahan Journal. Qorsho and Becky, welcome to the program. How are you both?

QORSHO HASSAN: I'm doing well.

BECKY DERNBACH: Good, thank you.

CATHY WURZER: Good. Thank you. I'm so glad you're both here. Wow. Qorsho, there's a lot to talk about here. A lot went into your decision. Generally speaking, what was the last straw for you-- the thing that led you to leave teaching?

QORSHO HASSAN: I think it was the school year-- realizing that things were not getting better, they were actually getting exponentially worse. And students, in particular students of color, were getting less and less services and support. And I was noticing more and more trauma and just realizing that the institution of public education was not serving all students equitably, and just feeling really defeated.

CATHY WURZER: Do you think this may have been different had we not had a pandemic?

QORSHO HASSAN: No. I was noticing the systemic issues prior to, especially here in Minnesota. I was quite surprised at how the state was first described to me. Being only here for five years, I was told that it was a very affluent, thriving state. But that only really applies to white folks.

CATHY WURZER: And your students of color, as you say, are suffering.

QORSHO HASSAN: They are. I would say this school year really posed challenges for all my students, particularly those that already are marginalized by the system. And just what really just broke my heart was watching them suffer and continue to not get their needs met in the guise of a system that was supposedly doing all that it could.

CATHY WURZER: Becky, when did you start to talk to Qorsho about some of the issues in the classroom?

BECKY DERNBACH: I think pretty early on. I met Qorsho when she won the Minnesota Teacher of the Year award in August 2020. And she was already talking about wanting to prioritize retention of teachers of color and some of these issues. I visited her classroom the following month, and she was already talking about some of these things and a lot of these things.

And it was the middle of a pandemic. Then from there, there were a bunch of other challenges that piled on top of that. There was the hybrid learning system that Qorsho's school was using. There was an incident where a police officer, who is now actually a candidate for Hennepin County Sheriff, Jay Hansen, complained about a picture book she was using in the classroom and that spiraled into a social media firestorm that attracted a lot of negative attention on Qorsho. And then the challenges with this last school year on top of all that.

CATHY WURZER: Qorsho, do you feel like you've been pushed out of the classroom?

QORSHO HASSAN: I do. I actually really challenged the idea of teachers, in particular teachers of color, leaving the classroom willfully. I think that we're constantly attracted and told that we would be retained. But the idea of this workplace being toxic doesn't really lend itself to us staying.

So, no, I do not feel like I voluntarily walked away from the job. I love teaching. It's very much a part of who I am. And I'm struggling with the fact that I won't continue to do what I love. But I also really need to value myself, and I know that I deserve better. And I know that in order to fight for more justice and liberation, I can do that from the outside as well.

CATHY WURZER: Did you get any support from your school supervisors, other teachers of color?

QORSHO HASSAN: I got a lot of support from my second grade team, as well as the teachers of color at my school. My principal is pretty understanding of my decision. And I also think that this year, while it was incredibly hard and it felt very much like it was never ending, I also really enjoyed being in community with my students.

And they really understood. And I think that mattered the most is that my little humans had my back. And they understood the toll that the school year and other school years have had on me. And I also felt like it was a really important lesson for them to understand the importance of taking care of you and prioritizing your mental health and your needs first.

CATHY WURZER: Say, Becky, you've done a lot of reporting on teacher burnout. This feels like more than just burnout in Qorsho's case. Can you kind of flesh this out for us a little bit?

BECKY DERNBACH: Yeah. I've reported on a lot of different reasons that educators of color are leaving the classroom. And there are some common themes, but people's stories are also very different and individualized. And I think that something I've been hearing a lot from educators is they don't feel like they're getting the support they need at school.

They're seeing systemic issues of inequality that we see in education, they've been seeing those exacerbated through the pandemic, which is really challenging. It's emotionally challenging, but then it's also a challenge to figure out how to serve those students who have more needs, even as school staffing levels have been declining.

CATHY WURZER: Qorsho, I'm kind of curious about the union's role in all this. Did you get support from the union? Or is the union a barrier to change?

QORSHO HASSAN: I think both. My local union does a lot of, and this is throughout the state, but a lot of attracting teachers of color without realizing the space or the school site that they would be putting those teachers of color in and really kind of putting them in the line of fire. And I also feel like Education Minnesota does a wonderful job of setting the values and the mission of the work that needs to be done in order to be a teacher in the current times.

So I think what local unions can really do is be more aware of the needs of teachers of color, and not just using them as tokens and/or as people to learn from and not really do anything with that learning. And I also feel like on the other hand, we, as a system, are realizing that while other sectors of the US like police are constantly being funded, public education is continuously being defunded, as our needs become greater and greater. And so it's almost as if we have no choice but to function in disarray and chaos.

CATHY WURZER: Say, Becky, I'm curious-- are education leaders listening to teachers like Qorsho?

BECKY DERNBACH: It sort of depends what you mean by listening, right? I think that a lot of people are hearing stories like Qorsho's, and reading them, and taking them very seriously. At the same time, I think that what I'm hearing from a lot of teachers is that they want to see change based on their feedback. And they feel like they're not seeing that. And so I think that sort of remains to be seen.

CATHY WURZER: I might put you on the spot here, Becky, with this question, but what do you think is lost when someone like Qorsho leaves the field of teaching?

BECKY DERNBACH: Over the past two years, I have seen Qorsho in the classroom. I have reported on protests outside school board meetings. On Qorsho's behalf, I have seen her at awards ceremonies. And I have just heard over, and over, and over again how much of a difference that she has made for students and how much of a role model she has been for students.

And I've also heard this isn't the first school Qorsho left. She was laid off from her previous job at Gideon Pond Elementary School in budget cuts. And I've heard from students at that school and parents at that school how much they had hoped they would have Qorsho as a teacher and how disappointed they were to not have that opportunity.

And I think that it's really hard to measure. But I think that it is really a large loss.

CATHY WURZER: Qorsho, do you think you'll ever go back to a classroom? You mentioned that there are other ways that you can do the work you want to do. But where's it going to end for you, do you think?

QORSHO HASSAN: I don't know if I'll ever go back to the classroom. I don't think I will unless it's radically different from what it is now and that it serves all students. I think the level and quality of education that students of color are receiving in the state is abysmal. And unless that is rectified, I can't see myself really going back to what I call the crime scene.

However, I do find myself always teaching, right? I don't think that teaching is exclusive to the four walls of a classroom. And so there's beauty in being able to advocate for quality education for all students, being able to be a part of something that is larger in terms of really calling for more accountability from our school leaders, requiring that state funding be equitably distributed to all schools.

And so just thinking about ways of how I can be a change agent outside of the classroom has been something that I've been really stewing on. But I also have been really just prioritizing rest. I think it's really important, especially as a Black woman, that I take care of my well-being.

I've been through a lot and it's just not the past two years. It's been more than that. And I think it's really important for me to step back, and to heal, and to process, and then figure out what's next.

CATHY WURZER: All right. I'd like to know what you plan to do in the future. Thank you so much for joining us. Becky, also, many thanks to you as well.

QORSHO HASSAN: Thank you.

BECKY DERNBACH: Thank you.

CATHY WURZER: That's Qorsho Hassan and Becky Dernbach. Qorsho is a former Minnesota Teacher of the Year, Becky Dernbach is a reporter for Sahan Journal. That's an independent, nonprofit, digital news site dedicated to reporting for immigrants and communities of color in Minnesota.

CREW: Support comes from Eden Prairie Nissan. At Eden Prairie Nissan, you'll find new and used vehicles, including the 2022 Pathfinder and 2022 Frontier. You can visit them today or online at EdenPrairieNissan.com.

CREW: When extreme weather hits anywhere in the state, turn to Minnesota Public Radio News for the latest update. Our meteorologists are on duty seven days a week on the radio, on the web, and on your smart speakers. NPR News, discovering what matters.

CATHY WURZER: By the way, thunderstorms are likely tonight while you're sleeping. So try to know how you're going to get warnings, potentially, overnight tonight. Some of the storms could become severe. The timing of this, after 10 PM. More at nprnews.org. Click on the weather.

It's 12:41. And as the battle over abortion rights continues across the country post Roe v Wade, abortion rights activists in Minnesota saw a major victory this week. A district court ruled that many state laws restricting abortion violate the state constitution. Activists are planning to march to the capitol in Saint Paul this Sunday in a rally for abortion rights.

Megan Peterson is executive director of gender justice, one of the groups behind the march for abortion access and also the lawsuit in district court. Welcome to the program, Megan.

MEGAN PETERSON: Thank you so much for having me, Cathy.

CATHY WURZER: Let's talk about the district court ruling this week. It's been three years of litigation. Your group led the way on challenging Minnesota's restrictions on abortion. What's the immediate effect of Ramsey County Judge Gilligan's ruling?

MEGAN PETERSON: Well, it does have a statewide effect. It permanently enjoined the restrictions that we challenged in the lawsuit. And so it couldn't have come at a better time, frankly, with the Supreme Court reversing Roe v Wade just almost three weeks ago now.

We have already seen, our abortion providers and clinics here in the state, have already seen an increase in patients coming from out of state. And those restrictions like the 24-hour waiting period and two-parent parental notification that were struck down on Monday were creating real barriers for those patients in the same way that they had for years for Minnesotans seeking abortion care.

CATHY WURZER: The Minnesota Citizens Concern for Life Group feels that some of the restrictions helped pregnant women and they say it's a, quote, "mistake"-- the ruling is a mistake that must be corrected. US Supreme Court decisions have upheld similar informed consent and parental notification laws. How might this play out on appeal, do you think?

MEGAN PETERSON: Well, we look forward to continuing to make the case that, actually, these laws serve no medical purpose. There's no evidence that they help patients. They really only serve to create obstacles. They have a political basis behind them.

And the intention is to make it harder for people to get care that they've already decided they want and need. And so we're really pleased to have the district court judge agree with us that the role of the government is not to try to influence the pregnancy outcome of any pregnant person who may be deciding between whether to continue their pregnancy or seek abortion care. I think the vast majority of Minnesotans agree and Americans agree that the government shouldn't play a role in trying to influence that decision one way or the other. And we're really pleased to have fewer politically motivated obstacles in people's way as of Monday.

CATHY WURZER: The Minnesota Attorney General has 60 days to appeal. Keith Ellison is an abortion rights supporter, but he has to defend state laws. What do you think he might do?

MEGAN PETERSON: I definitely do not want to speak for the attorney general or try to read his mind on what he might do. Whatever their decision, we will continue to push for the rights of all Minnesotans to make health care decisions without government interference.

CATHY WURZER: The ruling, the Ramsey County judge's ruling, is a win for abortion rights advocates. What's the point of the rally this weekend given that win?

MEGAN PETERSON: Yeah, it really comes at such a potent time with the federal Supreme Court taking us down a path of government interference, to have Minnesota really leading the way in the other direction, the importance of the event on Sunday is to demonstrate just how many Minnesotans are with us, agree with us, and want to see the leaders in our state actually go even further to ensure that everybody has equitable and affordable access to abortion care, that their ability to decide what is right for them in their life, whether or when to have a child at any given time is not impeded by the government, or their zip code, or whether they have health insurance or not.

That is really the work in front of us. And that's what we are so excited to bring a huge group of Minnesotans together to the Capitol on Sunday to really make that message loud and clear for not only our elected officials here in Minnesota, but, really, to kind of show the way for the rest of the country of what can be possible when we come together, and lift our voices, and get involved.

CATHY WURZER: You mentioned going even further to protect abortion rights. States like California are ramping up legal protections for abortion providers, putting resources into expanding access. What are you hoping for, then, in Minnesota taking it further?

MEGAN PETERSON: So actually, on the day that the Supreme Court announced their decision in Dobbs, we co-released with the House and Senate Reproductive Freedom Caucus an agenda for abortion access in Minnesota. It's called Minnesota Beyond Roe. And it really lays out a number of steps that we look forward to pursuing in next year's legislative session that would protect patients and providers from attacks from states that move to ban abortion, as well as ensure affordable and equitable access to care for all people.

So there's a number of policy recommendations and, really, a roadmap for what comes next that's available on the Unrestrict Minnesota website. It's UnrestrictMN.org for those looking for more information.

CATHY WURZER: All right. Megan, thank you for the conversation.

MEGAN PETERSON: Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

CATHY WURZER: Megan Peterson is Executive Director for Gender Justice, one of the groups behind the March for Abortion Access happening this Sunday in St. Paul.

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Earlier this week, the folks at the Minnesota State Fair released the always much-anticipated list of new foods. There are nearly 40 new foods, some intriguing-- some really interesting ethnic dishes, but also some other more novel nummies like pickled pizza to fried ice cream on a stick. Naturally, it has to be on a stick.

Well, not to be outdone, our neighbors to the East in Wisconsin have released their new Wisconsin State Fair food list. There are some wacky items on that list. Since it's Wisconsin, there's a bratwurst with gummy bears. The official description is bratwurst infused with a sprinkling of colorful gummy bears served on a bun, then topped with a honey mustard drizzle and gummy bear garnish for a sweet and savory combination.

I don't know. There's the Arctic bug blast slush that features raspberry slush topped with whipped cream and a sprinkling of edible bugs. And a chocolate covered Apple that's finished off with edible June bugs, crickets, worms, and ants all served on a stick. It's called the Bug Apple. The Wisconsin State Fair starts August 4 to Sunday, August 14, just before the Minnesota State Fair.

All right, let's move on. I've got some good news. A few Minnesota sports teams are on winning streaks this week. Let's hope I didn't just jinx that. Let's get the details from our sports guys, Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson. Wally is the founder of Minnesota Score sports magazine and co-host of 10,000 Takes sports show on radio and TV.

Eric Nelson is the other co-host of 10,000 Takes and the Vikings reporter for CBS Sports radio's Eye on the NFL. Guys, how are you?

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Good, Cathy. How are you?

CATHY WURZER: Good. Good. So far, so good.

ERIC NELSON: Good afternoon, Cathy.

CATHY WURZER: Good afternoon. Good afternoon, Eric. Let's talk about the Twins-- why not? Since we were just talking about Wisconsin, Twins were playing the Brewers here this week.

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Well, and they got a split, losing on Tuesday night but then coming back and winning on Wednesday. Downtown was a madhouse if you were in downtown Minneapolis either Tuesday night or Wednesday between the traffic jams and all the folks downtown for the games. They actually sold out yesterday afternoon's game, which the Twins, as you probably know by now, won on a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning by Jose Miranda.

So they won 4 to 1. They got the split. They still lead the American League Central Division over Cleveland and Chicago. Still in first place, Chicago coming into town beginning tonight. Next week is the all-star game, so they'll have the four games against Chicago, then all-star game is on Tuesday night, and the Twins will be represented by Byron Buxton and Luis Arraez.

One other Twins note-- Miguel Sano, remember that name, Cathy, well, he is back in St. Paul for the time being. He has been injured since the end of April. And he really struggled in the month of April. He was not very good at all.

But he is in St. Paul playing for the Saints now on a rehab assignment. So they're hoping to get him back hopefully after the all-star break. We shall see. But it'll be interesting to see how he fits in now, because the Twins are playing fairly well-- see where he fits into this lineup.

ERIC NELSON: Yeah. And that series, Cathy, against Chicago, which begins tonight and runs through the weekend, this is going to be interesting. Because the Chicago White Sox, who won the division in landslide fashion last year, and they were the favorites going in, they have been a mess. They are huge underachievers.

And they have a Hall of Fame manager, Tony La Russa, in the dugout. But he's been gone for a long time, was rehired last year, and came back, won the division. This year, though, things have gone awry. It's chaotic.

There's a lot of talk about cliques in the White Sox locker room. And there's pressure on La Russa-- he's getting barbequed done in Chi Town by the media and the fans. But the only vote that really counts here is the owner, Jerry Reinsdorf, who happens to be Tony's good friend.

So I think Tony is probably safe because of his relationship with the owner. But if the White Sox crater this weekend against the Twins and fall further and further behind Minnesota, Reinsdorf may have to rethink this thing, and recalibrate, and make a move. But this is a huge series for Chicago.

And it's an opportunity for Minnesota to really kick some dust in the face of the White Sox, who I still think, despite being a trainwreck, are a potential threat in this division. They're only 5 games out. So there's a lot of time left for them to get this right.

CATHY WURZER: OK. Let's talk about the Lynx. The Lynx have won three straight, Wally.

WALLY LANGFELLOW: They have. They've kind of moved on to the fringe of the playoff picture. Now, let's temper the enthusiasm a little bit. While they have, as you mentioned, won three straight, they still find themselves with the second-worst record in the WNBA. They sit right now at 9 wins and 15 losses.

But the good news, if you want to term it that, is that 8 of the 12 teams in the WNBA do make the postseason. So they have a dozen games left-- still 12 games to go. They play tonight right across from the Chicago White Sox and the Minnesota Twins over at Target Center. They host Dallas tonight.

And if they get a win against Dallas tonight, that potentially could move them into a tie for fifth place, which would be second from last in the Western Conference. But again, with 12 games left, if they get on around here, they very easily could be and will be a playoff team despite a horrendous start to the season.

CATHY WURZER: Eric.

ERIC NELSON: Yeah. And the win the other night was against Phoenix. And the Mercury are a subpar team. They, of course, are missing Brittney Griner who is, unfortunately, being detained in Russia on drug charges. But some of the other wins against Las Vegas, the top team in the West, and the Chicago Sky, the top team in the East-- so they've got quality wins.

They're playing better. It's the final season for Sylvia Fowles, who's on her way to the Hall of Fame. And I know she wants to go out with a bang-- getting into the playoffs. She doesn't want to go out limping into her retirement.

So it'll be interesting to see if the Lynx can keep winning. And as Wally said, second time this week the Lynx and Twins both have home games in what I have dubbed Target Town-- because Target Field and Target Center are connected by Target Plaza. And we're talking about 100 yards separating the two venues.

Minneapolis was gridlock Tuesday night with the Lynx, and the Twins, and good summer weather, and people being out, and, oh, yes, road construction. So you have dueling events, cone zones, and a lot of people taking advantage of warm weather. Leave early tonight if you're going to the Twins or the Lynx.

CATHY WURZER: Yes, absolutely. Good advice. Guys, I am a big fan of Minnesota Aurora. I love the energy around it. I know it's a pre-professional women's soccer team. But I love the energy around them, Wally.

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Yeah. And I think people really care. And they've got the community behind them. And it's basically a community-owned team, for all intents and purposes. They play out at TCO Performance Center, where the Vikings facility is.

And they played a match last night, which was a playoff match. And they won. They beat Indy 11 by a score of 2 to 1. They actually trailed in the contest 1-0 at the half. They scored a pair of goals in the second half to move into the semifinals of their season.

It's just a short season, but it's a prep league, as you mentioned. And so good for them. it's a nice little run. They now will play McLane Soccer on Sunday. And that is a semifinal match. And they will host that as well.

Over 6,000 fans there last night at TCF Performance Center. So they're drawing people. Not only are they winning, but they're drawing people. And by the way, they have not lost yet this season.

CATHY WURZER: See? Now, on the other shoe, of course, the men's team, Minnesota United-- Eric, I've lost a little bit of a track here with them. Where are they right now in terms of playing and playoffs?

ERIC NELSON: Well, think of their season as on parallel with the Minnesota Lynx-- a slow and sputtering start, lost hope by the fan base, but suddenly they're hot, and now MinnU's right back in the playoff picture. In fact, they would be a playoff team right now in Major League Soccer if the season were to end. But there's a lot of matches left.

They had a draw last night at Allianz Field on the St. Paul Midway-- 1 to 1 with Sporting KC. They have a four-match undefeated streak where the Loons have picked up 10 points in that span. So they're currently in fifth place. And they have a lot of home matches coming up, including Saturday at Allianz Field against DC United.

And let's not forget-- next month, the MLS All-Star Game is at Allianz Field, which is really a soccer cathedral. It's a wonderful facility. And Emanuel Reynoso, a midfielder, and the goalkeeper, Dayne St. Clair, from Minnesota United will be in the All-Star game against a team from Mexico.

This isn't some silly exhibition. This is going to get heated. This is a true border rival. And the folks from Mexico would love nothing better than to come into the US and embarrass the MLS All-Stars. So it'll be fun, and that'll be another major market the event that we get here in the Twin Cities.

CATHY WURZER: Now, I've got a minute left. You guys are always busy. What are you doing this weekend in terms of sporting events. Going to go to the Twins, Wally?

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Oh, I'll probably manage to get to one of them. As Eric mentioned earlier, there's four games this weekend against the White Sox. Not a huge White Sox fan, so I'd like to see the Twins knock them off. And it would help Cleveland too. As you know, I'm an ardent follower of the Cleveland baseball team.

CATHY WURZER: Exactly. Eric, where are you going?

INTERVIEWER: Cathy, I have to get between him and our good friend Larry Fitzgerald in the press box. Larry worships at the altar of the White Sox. So it gets really heated at those games when Wally and Larry are seated next to each other. But yeah, I was there Tuesday for Brewers. I'll be there tonight.

And then this weekend, my kid's got a baseball tournament in Rochester, Minnesota. So a lot of baseball on the docket.

CATHY WURZER: No kidding. All right, you two. Thanks much. I appreciate it.

WALLY LANGFELLOW: See you, Cathy.

ERIC NELSON: Thank you.

CATHY WURZER: Talk to you later. Wally Langfellow and, of course, Eric Nelson, our sports guys here on Minnesota Now. They are terrific. Say, before we go, I have to say the interest in this story kind of surprises me-- a lot of interest online in the conversation I had yesterday with Jennifer Kleinyoung about the tiny town of Kinney, Minnesota.

Back in 1977, they declared independence from the US 45 years ago this week. If you didn't hear that conversation, and we had a lot of fun with it-- you can check it out online at nprnews.org. It was the first of our new series here on the program, we're going to do some Minnesota history, because I love Minnesota history-- we're going to call the segment Minnesota Now and Then.

Why? Listener Bill Palmer sent us that suggestion. And, Bill, if you're listening, we just love it. We love it, so we're going to take you up on it. Minnesota Now and Then. By the way, if you want to share an idea or your thoughts on what you're hearing, well, for goodness sakes, reach out to us.

Our email is Minnesotanow@npr.org. Minnesotanow@npr.org. Thanks for listening to the program. Have yourselves a great rest of the day.