Stories from November 14, 2024

Trump chooses anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary
A longtime vaccine skeptic, Kennedy is an attorney who has built a loyal following over several decades of people who admire his lawsuits against major pesticide and pharmaceutical companies. He has pushed for tighter regulations around the ingredients in foods.
A meatpacking company will pay a $2 million penalty, after reaching a settlement with the state of Minnesota over alleged child labor violations. The state says it found that Smithfield Foods illegally employed 11 teenagers, some as young as 14, at its plant in St. James between 2021 and 2023. Also, Lindsey Vonn says she’s ready to compete again.
Minneapolis City Council enacts labor standards board
The Minneapolis City Council voted Thursday to create a labor standards board. The new board would advise the City Council on labor policies. Labor advocates celebrated the move, while some business owners have criticized the idea.
Two Carlton County races end in ties — winners determined by chance
The race for Mayor in the city of Wrenshall, and for one of two city council seats in Kettle River, both ended in dead heats. According to state statute, an election that ends in a tie is decided by lot.
Help me get out of a reading rut
The library has a lot of tools to get you back into a book whether it’s physical, digital or audio. And your local librarian is here to help if you want to get back into the habit or maybe you need an escape from reality.
Senate Republicans concerned with Gaetz nomination ask to access House ethics probe
Senators are calling for access to a House Ethics Committee probe into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., following his nomination to be the next Attorney General under president-elect Donald Trump.
Sen. Smith: Trump cabinet picks are concerning, but I will give each a fair hearing
Minnesota U.S. Sen. Tina Smith shared she will look closely at each nomination ahead of a hearing. But Trump wants the new Senate leader to allow him to make appointments when the chamber is on recess, bypassing confirmation votes altogether.
Minnesota drought conditions continue; slight improvements observed
Slight improvements have been observed in the drought conditions across Minnesota. The most significant change occurred in the metro area, where the entire Twin Cities region is now classified as “abnormally dry.”
2 Israeli airstrikes hit Syria's capital and a suburb, killing 15 people, Syrian state media says
Syria’s state news agency says Israel has carried out two airstrikes on a western neighborhood of Damascus and one of the capital’s suburbs. At least 15 people have been killed. One of the strikes on Thursday targeted an office of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group.
Suicides in the U.S. military increased in 2023, continuing a long-term trend
Senior defense officials say suicides in the U.S. military increased in 2023, continuing a long-term trend that the Pentagon has struggled to abate. The increase is a setback after the deaths dipped slightly the previous year.
The unique benefits of intergenerational friendships
What are the benefits of having a friend who’s much older than you ... or a buddy who is much younger than you? MPR News hosts Angela Davis and her guests to talk about the value of intergenerational friendships and how to build them.
Satire slinger The Onion buys Alex Jones' Infowars at auction with help from Sandy Hook families
The satirical news publication The Onion won the bidding for Alex Jones’ Infowars at a bankruptcy auction, backed by families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims whom Jones owes more than $1 billion in defamation judgments for calling the massacre a hoax, the families announced Thursday.
Minnesota Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn is ending her retirement at age 40 to make a skiing comeback
Minnesotan Lindsey Vonn says she is coming out of retirement to rejoin the U.S. Ski Team in an attempt to race again at age 40. Thursday’s announcement comes more than six years after Vonn’s last Olympics.
Scott County elections officials set Thursday, Nov. 21, as the day ballots will be recounted by hand in the race for House District 54A in Scott County. And people in Minnesota can now apply to a state health care program regardless of citizenship or immigration status.
Sharpe and Clingan power the Trail Blazers to a 106-98 victory over the Timberwolves
Shaedon Sharpe scored 33 points, Donovan Clingan narrowly missed a triple-double with 17 points, 13 rebounds and eight blocks on Wednesday, and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves for the second straight night 106-98.
Speaker Mike Johnson wins GOP nomination to remain in job, faces full House vote in new year
Rep. Mike Johnson has won the Republican nomination to remain as House speaker, on track to keep the gavel after a morning endorsement from President-elect Donald Trump ahead of a full House vote in the new year. 
MinnesotaCare applications now open to Minnesotans regardless of immigration status
According to the Department of Human Services, irrespective of immigration status, people living in Minnesota can qualify for MinnesotaCare if they have an income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. While applications are now open, coverage doesn’t go into effect until Jan. 1.