Stories from September 20, 2024

Expert blames child care crisis on ‘broken’ business model, offers solutions
The impending closures of three child care centers in Duluth have parents and stakeholders scrambling. It’s more examples of the child care crisis across the state that has left many with difficult decisions.
Climate advocates support Walz, but Harris-Walz climate platform still unclear
Gov. Tim Walz is on the 2024 presidential ticket. So what does his climate record look like? MPR News meteorologist Paul Huttner talks to journalist Kristoffer Tigue about Walz’s climate agenda.
Man charged in 2 shootings near Minneapolis encampments, suspected in 3rd
A Bemidji man is facing charges in connection with two shootings Wednesday — including one fatal — near two Minneapolis homeless encampments. Joshua Anthony Jones, 36, is also suspected in a second fatal shooting early the same day.
Three more plead guilty as Feeding Our Future case hits 2 year mark
Two years after the first indictments were unsealed in the the huge Feeding Our Future case, three more people connected to the defunct nonprofit pleaded guilty this week for their roles in an alleged $250 million scheme to defraud government child nutrition programs.
Cube Critics discuss the horror comedy ‘Shaun of the Dead’ for its 20th anniversary
Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Max Sparber discuss “Shaun of the Dead” at 20, one of the few horror comedies that still works as both a horror movie and a comedy.
A Minneapolis police sergeant is facing stalking charges after prosecutors say he hid a tracking device inside a former romantic partner's vehicle. And the University of Minnesota’s wastewater surveillance data shows COVID-19 levels are higher statewide than they’ve been since April 2023.
Fall colors update; weekend outlook
Fall colors are starting to show for parts of Minnesota, thanks to the extended period of above-average temperatures. The weekend outlook indicates spotty shower chances, along with a significant temperature drop expected for Sunday.
Little fires everywhere: A new arts collective goes on tour to build community in rural Minnesota and beyond
On a September evening at the Turf Club in St. Paul, the new arts collective “Fire in the Village” kicked off a fall tour blending music, upcycled fashion and printmaking to foster community connections and address rural isolation.
A light-hearted murder mystery weekend turns deadly in Kate Atkinson’s cozy thriller
“Death at the Sign of the Rook” is an expansive novel that pokes fun of baroque, classic murder mysteries — but also delivers a fully satisfying, all-the-pieces-click-together ending.
Minneapolis City Council votes to track homeless encampment evictions
The new ordinance requires city staff to submit quarterly reports covering each eviction, including the number of people impacted, the number of shelter beds available at the time and the number of staff who help clear the camp.
Q&A with William Nour, playwright of 'Rosette' 
"Rosette” tells the story of a young Palestinian woman navigating life in Haifa post-Nakba, drawing from playwright William Nour's personal and family experiences, as he explores themes of identity, culture and the impact of occupation.
Israel says it took out a Hezbollah commander in a Beirut strike that killed 12
The attack came hours after Hezbollah fired 140 rockets at northern Israel and follows this week’s deadly explosions of pagers and walkie-talkies carried by Hezbollah members.
How influencers flocked to Springfield chasing debunked rumors and attention
Sensationalized and out-of-context videos from influencers are helping to elevate the false and racist rumors that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are eating pets.
The fall election has begun with early voting in Minnesota. Voters can fill out a ballot ahead of the Nov. 5 Election Day at a county or city office, or vote by mail. Nine workers at a Minnesota prison fell ill and were hospitalized Thursday after being exposed to unknown synthetic substances possessed by men who are incarcerated.
A 'golden age' of rat research may be here. What the often unwanted companions can teach us about us
Rat and human lives have long intersected, but there's little relatively little research about them. Thanks to advances in genomics and paleoarcheology mean a lot more study may be on the horizon.
The unbeaten Vikings and Texans have each been bringing the quarterback pressure
Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is fifth in the league in passer rating in a strong start to his reset season in a career that sent him to four teams in seven years since he was the third overall pick in the 2018 draft.
9 Minnesota prison workers exposed to unknown substances have been hospitalized
The Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater in Bayport was put under lockdown as officials raced to assess how far the substances may have spread throughout the prison. Officials had not identified the substances or their source as of Thursday.
Voters are advised to return their ballots early because of mail delay concerns
Election officials are raising concerns about the U.S. Postal Service's ability to handle this fall’s expected influx of election mail. But USPS say it’s ready to deliver the country’s ballots.
Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center celebrates 40 years
The Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center celebrated its 40th anniversary this week in Minneapolis. The center was established in 1984 out of a need for addiction treatment centers that focused on care for Native women in Minnesota. 
Questions around financial oversight shadow Byron Schools ahead of multimillion-dollar referendum
In November, voters in the Byron School District will decide whether to approve a $1.9 million dollar a year referendum for the next decade. The request comes after a turbulent few months at the district.
State asks judge to pause ruling that struck down North Dakota’s abortion ban
The state filed a motion for a stay pending appeal on Wednesday, and intends to appeal the ruling to the North Dakota Supreme Court, saying the case “presents serious, difficult and new legal issues.”