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State program supports firefighters facing cancer, cardiac issues, emotional trauma
Thanks to the new $4 million Hometown Heroes Assistance Program, firefighters now have a safety net for mental and physical health issues. The executive director of the Minnesota Firefighter Initiative joined host Cathy Wurzer with more.
A doctor answers questions on omicron plateauing, breakthroughs, N95s, kids at school
As omicron continues to race through greater Minnesota, we’re collecting your questions about the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Melanie Swift of Mayo Clinic returned to answer more listener questions with host Cathy Wurzer.
 MN Senate Republicans set crime, tax cuts as top session priorities
Senate Republicans are prioritizing permanent tax cuts, longer prison sentences for violent crimes, and a focus on education basics for the legislative session that starts next week. Gov. Tim Walz proposed an anti-crime initiative, focused on grants to local governments and neighborhood groups.
Where to find a COVID booster in Minnesota (and more booster questions, answered)
Federal officials have opened the door wide to people seeking COVID-19 boosters. Here’s where you can find one in Minnesota and what you should know about how they work.
Mayo COVID modeler: Omicron peaks this week
Mayo Clinic’s model suggests that the seven-day average for reported cases in Minnesota will peak in the next few days.
Soon to retire, Kris Ehresmann looks back on 30 years in public health
As the state Health Department’s director of infectious disease, Kris Ehresmann has become a familiar face to Minnesotans during the COVID-19 pandemic. She gave an exit interview to MPR News ahead of her February retirement.
Great Northern Festival celebrates winter culture through art, sport and discussion
Over the next 10 days, the Great Northern Festival’s events will encourage Minnesotans to celebrate winter culture, while especially considering climate change and the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd.
Forest Service slashes BWCA permits to protect wilderness. Some say the cuts go too far
Canoeists eager to take a summer trip into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness can start making reservations Wednesday. But competition for those permits could be more intense this year after the Forest Service slashed the number of available slots.
Fifty years ago, Ohio State was ranked the six best college basketball team in the country, and the Gophers were 10 places behind them, at No. 16. Minnesota’s new coach, Bill Musselman, was an Ohio native, apparently stoking the rivalry between the two teams.