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

Activist who toppled Columbus statue at Capitol gets community service
Mike Forcia, who had faced felony criminal damage to property charges for the June incident, will do 100 hours of community service. “The consensus was that jail and prison time and conviction would not be what was the best response,” a county prosecutor said Monday.
Private money helped pay to conduct Minnesota’s election
With Congress failing to provide enough aid to election offices, private funders — including Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg — donated hundreds of millions to help conduct elections around the country.  
 ‘I don’t wish this to anybody’: How COVID is disproportionately hitting Minnesota’s Latino community
The rising COVID-19 cases are startling everywhere, but the rates in the Latino community in Minnesota and across the country are particularly alarming. Many Latinos work essential jobs that can't be done remotely and are more likely to be exposed to the virus. And those who are not authorized to be in the country are in a particular bind: They don’t qualify for government benefits that can be a financial lifeline for families struggling during the pandemic.
5 things we've learned about virtual school in 2020
Most schooling has been offered online this semester. Teachers are working hard to improve that experience, but many students are still left behind.
Spruce top thieves: How demand for a north woods cash crop is sparking an illicit trade
A lot of the raw material that’s used to make holiday decorations — from Christmas wreaths and garlands to potted evergreen arrangements — comes from Minnesota’s north woods, where there's a thriving cottage industry of harvesters and distributors. But as the market has grown, so has the opportunity for spruce thieves looking to make a quick buck. 
COVID relief plan snagged on $500 payment to families
As Minnesota lawmakers work on a plan to provide businesses and workers relief amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a plan to provide struggling families with a one-time $500 payment has emerged as a stumbling block.
In marathon public hearing, hundreds weigh in on proposed cuts to Minneapolis police
More than 400 people signed up to speak at the Wednesday evening hearing, the second of three opportunities for the public to provide input. Last week, three council members introduced a proposal to move $7.9 million from the police budget to fund a nonpolice 911 mental health crisis response function and expand the city’s Violence Prevention Program and neighborhood safety organizing programs.
Art Hounds: Pandemic portraits in Winona
Plus a new jazz album from the High School for Recording Arts and jewelry by St. Paul artisan Peter Mielech.
Three Minneapolis City Council members want to cut the Police Department’s funding by nearly $8 million — or roughly 5 percent. They say putting that money toward non-law enforcement public safety programs instead would free up officers to focus on violent crime, which has spiked in recent months.