Freshwater mussels were once abundant throughout Minnesota’s waterways. But their populations have declined due to habitat loss, pollution, dam construction and competition from invasive species.

A great gray owl and a snowy owl are being treated by experts after being rescued by a northern Minnesota woman. Annabell Whelan says she found the first owl on Monday morning and brought him to a wildlife rehabilitation center, which sent him to a raptor rescue.

Northwest Naturals, a pet food company based in Portland, Ore., had voluntarily recalled one batch of its two-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food after it tested positive for the virus. The product was sold through distributors in Minnesota, Wisconsin and other states.

Artificial intelligence holds the promise of helping countless other students with a range of visual, speech, language and hearing impairments to execute tasks that come easily to others. Schools everywhere have been wrestling with how and where to incorporate AI but many are fast-tracking applications for students with disabilities.

Hosted by Mindy Ratner, “Candles Burning Brightly” features lots of music from Jewish communities worldwide, a hilarious lesson on preparing a classic Hanukkah dish and a timeless and touching holiday story that brings light into every home. Listen online or Thursday at noon on MPR News.

Triggered by a 9.1 magnitude earthquake off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the catastrophic event was the deadliest tsunami in recorded history.