Stories from November 15, 2024

Trump picks Karoline Leavitt to be youngest White House press secretary in history
Leavitt will be the youngest person to ever hold the job and is expected to deliver press briefings based on Trump’s statement late Friday that he has “utmost confidence she will excel at the podium.”
Hubbard County election judge faces felony charges for allegedly allowing unregistered voters to cast ballots
Prosecutors in Hubbard County say Timothy Michael Scouton — who was head judge at a precinct in rural Badoura Township — allowed 11 people to vote even though they had not registered.
What’s ahead for abortion access in Minnesota under a Trump administration 
While detailed plans have yet to emerge, health and legal experts, practitioners and advocates in Minnesota are closely monitoring the new administration for hints about what federal changes to abortion could mean for the state.
President-elect Trump brings South Dakota politicians into national spotlight
While the next four years of President-elect Donald Trump’s administration are still being constructed, South Dakota politicians are being brought into a larger national conversation.
Trump Pentagon pick had been flagged by fellow service member as possible ‘Insider Threat’
Several of Pete Hegseth’s tattoos are associated with an expression of religious faith, but they have also been adopted by some far right groups and violent extremists.
Arctic Cat has cut more than five dozen jobs at its plant in Thief River Falls amid a downturn in the market for snowmobiles. And Anheuser Busch will close a large malting facility in Moorhead and move the work to a plant in Shakopee.
Mash-up ideas to try at home: Dulce de leche french toast and ceviche tacos
They’re unexpected combinations that can be very tasty: culinary mash-ups. Think taco burgers, Greek egg rolls or Buffalo chicken anything. Cookbook author Amalia Moreno-Damgaard said they are a modern trend — not to be confused with fusion cuisine — and she shared recipes for mash-ups you can try at home.
Xcel Energy asks for a 13 percent rate increase to fund infrastructure investments
The demand for electricity in Minnesota is growing, and that means costs are going up, too. Xcel Energy has requested a 13 percent rate increase over the next two years and plans to increase capital spending by $11 billion over the next five years. Walker Orenstein, a reporter at the Minnesota Star Tribune, said the utility plans to make major infrastructure investments.
Wisconsin agency issues first round of permits for Enbridge Line 5 reroute around reservation
About 12 miles of Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline runs through the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa's reservation. Bad River tribal officials warned that the project calls for blasting, drilling and digging trenches that would devastate area wetlands and streams and endanger the tribe's wild rice beds.
What we know about next week's snow
A strong low-pressure system will impact the Central Plains next week, bringing multiple waves of precipitation and strong winds. Temperatures will cool to seasonal averages as the system moves through.
Politics Friday: Trump’s path to the White House began at the Iowa Caucuses
MPR News senior politics reporter Clay Masters looks back on the 2024 election campaign for the Iowa Caucus to election events leading up to this week when President-elect Trump stepped back into the White House.
Anheuser-Busch will close Moorhead malting plant
Anheuser Busch will close a large malting facility in Moorhead and transfer operations to Rahr’s malting plant in Shakopee. The Moorhead malt house opened in 1978 and processed millions of bushels of barley each year for use in the beer brewing process.
RFK Jr. wants to 'Make America Healthy Again.' He could face a lot of pushback
RFK Jr. wants to tackle chronic disease. Despite controversial views on vaccines, his focus on healthy food and taking on special interests may find broad support — and face political headwinds.
What Trump's pledge to close Dept. of Education means for students, GOP-led states
President-elect Trump promised to close the Department of Education. We asked several education policy experts what the impacts of doing so would mean for students and the country.
Oklahoma City cop is investigated for slamming 70-year-old man to the ground
Lich Vu has been in the hospital since the Oct. 27 incident that left him with a brain bleed and a broken neck. The altercation with the police officer involved a dispute over a traffic ticket.
At Tiananmen Square, tight security with metal detectors reflects a changing China
There’s a police check to exit the subway, another to get in line, a third while standing in line, and metal detectors and X-ray machines before you finally reach the Beijing landmark.
Whistleblower sounds alarm about destruction of tribal sites in North Carolina
A career archaeologist with the U.S. Forest Service says managers have been engaging in irresponsible and illegal behavior that has resulted in damage to Native American sites across the forested slopes of North Carolina.
What’s behind defense secretary pick Hegseth’s war on ’woke’
The selection of Fox News host Pete Hegseth to lead the Trump Defense Department has renewed scrutiny of his political and religious views and his aggressive criticism of the military he would be leading.
Two races in Carlton County resulted in a tie, meaning the winners had to be determined by chance. And the Minneapolis City County passed a resolution making Nov. 20 Transgender Day of Remembrance.
Outspent 4-to-1, Republicans still made gains in state legislative elections
Despite outspending Republicans, Democrats didn’t achieve some ambitious goals in state legislative races. The GOP continues to control more legislatures, though Democrats notched some victories.
‘Chris died doing what he loved’: Friends remember Twin Cities social justice advocate
Ujamaa Place President and CEO Christopher Crutchfield died while hosting a movie night for Black men on Nov. 4. His nonprofit is named after the Swahili word for “extended family,” and for many in the Twin Cities, that’s exactly what Crutchfield was.
Codebreakers, fighter pilots and artists: A new photography book features local centenarians
Valérie Jardin’s project, “One Century,” features black-and-white portraits of over 20 centenarians in the activities that bring them joy, celebrating their lives, resilience and stories; her book and exhibition open Nov. 16 at the Praxis Gallery in Minneapolis.
Tradition and innovation on display in Pueblo pottery exhibit at Mia
Pueblo artist and potter Jody Folwell is credited with beginning a contemporary art movement in Pueblo pottery. The Minneapolis Institute of Art is featuring a gallery of Folwell’s original works through the end of January.   
What to know North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, tapped by Trump to run the Interior Department
President-elect Donald Trump has chosen North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to lead the Interior Department. The two-term Republican governor of the sparsely populated state has taken a business-oriented approach to his tenure. 
Police monitor says MPD making progress on court-ordered overhaul
The department must meet 144 pages of requirements within a four-year timeline under its settlement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. The state-level agreement could become the only legal settlement driving broad reform in the department; a federal consent decree is expected to be abandoned by the incoming Trump administration.
State grants extension for Hennepin County to reduce its jail population
In an Oct. 31 report, the Minnesota Department of Corrections says the jail has too few staff for the number of people housed there and blamed the poor staffing levels for a spate of recent inmate deaths.