Morning Edition

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Morning Edition, with Cathy Wurzer in St. Paul and NPR hosts in Washington and Los Angeles, brings you all the news from overnight and the information you need to start your day. Listen from 4 to 9 a.m. every weekday.

Morning Announcements | Weather chats with Mark Seeley | Parting Thoughts

Despite uncertainty, Minnesota farmers are hopeful they'll have a good year
The invasion of Ukraine has grain prices on a roller coaster while fertilizer and fuel prices are rising. That's creating financial uncertainty for farmers, but many are sticking with their planting plans in what’s expected to be a profitable year, despite the economic uncertainty.
Surplus steals show, but borrowing plan still in Capitol mix
Minnesota’s sizable surplus is driving the discussion at the state Capitol, but a borrowing plan for construction projects will enter the conversation before long.
Latest on COVID-19 in MN: Hospital needs fall, viral spread recedes
Minnesota’s path out of the pandemic continues to brighten, with just over 300 COVID-19 patients in the hospital now and known, active cases trending at a seven-month low. The fall-winter surge appears to be mostly over.
Lawmakers poised to miss deadline to block business tax hikes
A plan to plug a hole in the state’s unemployment fund is stalled and now appears unlikely to pass by a fast-approaching deadline of Tuesday. That could mean higher taxes on virtually all employers if the Legislature doesn’t find a workaround. 
Art Hounds: Harmonies and bright nature
This week Art Hounds recommend: Tawnee Corning’s psychedelic paintings explore humans’ connection with nature; the Shrieking Harpies improv their way through a new musical play weekly; and the Dollys perform roots music for Saturday’s brunch.
GOP pushes to end taxes on Social Security, but many don’t pay them
Republicans in the Minnesota Senate are making a push to eliminate the state’s tax on Social Security benefits. Supporters say the move would be a big help to senior citizens. But in Minnesota, only a portion of Social Security income is taxable.
As COVID cases plummet, students take off their masks
Rochester Public Schools is the latest district to relax its masking requirements, making them mandatory only under specific circumstances. For one family, choosing to mask now is a matter of individual choice.
Latest on COVID-19 in MN: Winter surge receding rapidly
Minnesota’s pandemic path continues to brighten, with fewer than 400 COVID patients in the hospital now and known, active cases trending near a seven-month low.
Osterholm: A blueprint on moving to the 'next normal' in pandemic
A bipartisan group of scientists and health and policy experts calling themselves the COVID roadmap group are releasing a blueprint Monday on how we could move into what they call “the next normal.” A member of that group is Michael Osterholm, the head of the University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.