Morning Edition

A profile photo of Cathy Wurzer

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

Close-knit St. John’s monks seek space to stay safe in pandemic
The monks share close quarters. They eat together three times a day and pray together four times a day. And many are still actively involved in teaching and ministry outside the abbey — at the university or in local parishes. When COVID-19 arrived, their close-knit community and collective way of life meant their most vulnerable members would be at risk.
Meet the Minneapolis ‘violence interrupters’
The city has employed community members to head off conflicts before they turn deadly. The anti-violence program is being rolled out at a time when shootings in Minneapolis are at a five-year high.
 Walz: Loosening restrictions about 'striking a balance' between data, follow-through
On Monday, the state confirmed more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases for the fifth straight day. The spike comes as state officials relax some restrictions, including visits to nursing homes.
Berries, pears and pawpaws: SW Minn. food forest takes root
The food forest’s organizers are hoping their work will help local families learn more about what’s in their backyards — and protect the environment by planting native species that are also tasty for supper.
Minnesota to allow more visits to nursing homes, long-term care facilities
More people soon will be able to visit loved ones in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. The Minnesota Department of Health says the changes are set to go into effect on Saturday.
Legislature squeezes in one more session before election
Minnesota lawmakers return for a preelection special session, with one more chance to get a construction borrowing plan approved.
Prompted by pandemic, digital markets connect small farms to consumers
The coronavirus pandemic is changing the way many small farms market their produce. One experiment in online marketing started slowly a couple of years ago, but this year it's boosted income for small farmers.
Race against the fall color clock: Over half of Minn. already at or past peak
Fall colors are moving quickly and there’s no time to lose. While north-central and central Minnesota are hotspots for fall color, the southern stretch of the state should be seeing peak color within the next week. 
Long-standing mistrust threatens to hamper testing in MN communities most vulnerable to COVID
COVID-19 disproportionately affects people of color in Minnesota. Public health experts hope more targeted testing will improve those statistics. But cultural barriers and distrust can stand in the way.