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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

Some Minnesota employers happy to see extra jobless benefits end
Enhanced unemployment benefits to help offset the economic blow from the COVID-19 pandemic expire soon if Congress doesn't act. Some employers think those increased benefits have kept people from returning to the workforce.
MPR News host Cathy Wurzer talked with retired University of Minnesota climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley about the week in weather.
Walz says a mask mandate is the right call, but he's waiting for more GOP support
The governor talked with Morning Editon host Cathy Wurzer to talk about the possibility of a mask mandate, and shared some discussion on whether the Legislature can reach an agreement on police reform during the special Legislative session, and what variables he’s weighing on how the school year will be handled during the pandemic.
Raccoon nailed near Black Lives Matter sign in Roseville; police investigating
Authorities are investigating a number of instances in which Black Lives Matter signs were stolen or damaged in Roseville. But police became even more concerned when someone nailed a raccoon up to a post near one of those signs.
To improve policing, Moorhead adds a counselor to the force
Many police departments employ mental health professionals or social workers who work alongside officers and interact directly with the public. The Moorhead Police Department is tweaking that approach — it’s embedding a mental health professional to focus on the well-being of its officers. 
High school teacher, coach on preparing for school this fall
Gov. Tim Walz has suggested he wants to get K-12 students back in the classroom in some capacity this fall, although no final decision has been announced. In the meantime, districts are preparing for three different scenarios for the coming school year: distance learning, in-person learning or a combination of the two.
Ballot question passion: Hundreds call in on removing police from the city's charter
The Minneapolis Charter Commission listened as hundreds of residents weighed in, sometimes passionately, on the idea of dismantling the police department. The commission hosted a call-in meeting Wednesday instead of an in-person hearing.
Minneapolis Park Board approves scaling back of large encampments
Under pressure from residents of the Powderhorn Park neighborhood, the Minneapolis Park Board is scaling back the tent encampments that have been established there and around three dozen city parks.
Meet the Black activists behind the '10K' protests in the Twin Cities
A former NBA player and a man who nearly lost his life to gun violence are behind a new group trying to bring 10,000 people to each demonstration they organize against racism and police brutality.
Moorhead Mayor Johnathan Judd: Welcoming tough conversations about race
Johnathan Judd was elected in 2018, the first Black mayor of Moorhead. He's one of a relatively few Black community leaders across the state. Since the killing of George Floyd, he's been vocal about the need to talk about racism, and he's engaging his community in that conversation.