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Economic pressures threaten waves of change on St. Paul’s West Side

May 4, 2021

Community organizers and longtime residents see the beginnings of a gentrification wave they worry may leave many low-income residents with nowhere to go. Some see rent stabilization as the answer, but not everyone’s on board. - 'We can’t leave folks behind' MN rental assistance program to soon begin payouts - At the Capitol Legislature divided over end to COVID-19 eviction rule - ¡Adelante Minnesota! MPR News' reporting on Latino community issues

Crunch time at MN Capitol collides with COVID fight

May 3, 2021

House and Senate negotiators have begun their search for compromises while top leaders aim to make the overarching deal they’ll need to draw the Legislature’s session to a close.  - Deadline looms $1 billion to bridge for Minn. lawmakers - Law enforcement Walz, Democrats insist on police changes

'Reasonable risk': As parents await a vaccine for kids, one family takes part in vaccine research

May 2, 2021

Only one vaccine has been authorized for kids as young as 16, a group that’s behind much of Minnesota’s COVID-19 spread. But instead of waiting for a vaccine, one Twin Cities family jumped on an early opportunity to participate in vaccine research. - Morning Edition What’s it like to be part of an adolescent COVID-19 vaccine trial? - Fauci Vaccines for kids as young as first graders could be authorized by September - MPR News with Kerri Miller Kids, COVID-19 and vaccines

Pandemic-fueled surge in visitation to BWCA expected to continue this year

May 1, 2021

More than 165,000 people visited the Boundary Waters last year — a 16 percent jump over the previous year — as people sought refuge in the isolated wilderness from the COVID-19 pandemic. Outfitters say early reservations suggest this summer could be even busier. - Outside in Minnesota Exploring the state in a socially distanced way - Last summer COVID-19 brings surge of visitors — and some messes — to BWCA

Chauvin verdict won't remove blocks to police accountability

April 28, 2021

Most police officers who abuse their power get away with it because the law is heavily stacked in their favor, legal experts say. None of those legal roadblocks was removed by the guilty verdicts against Derek Chauvin. - Attorney General Ellison Focused on mechanics of Derek Chauvin case, not its impact

Census: Minnesota keeps all 8 U.S. House seats, barely

April 28, 2021

Had New York state counted 89 more people in the 2020 census, it would not have lost a seat and Minnesota would have. It’s the narrowest such margin recorded since at least 1940. - Stuck at 435 representatives? Why the U.S. House hasn't grown with census counts - 2020 Census Here's how the first results changed Electoral College, House seats

Remembering Karin Larson, a generous friend of YourClassical MPR

April 27, 2021

Brian Newhouse, the former managing director of YourClassical MPR, remembers Karin Larson, an extraordinary friend to Minnesota Public Radio who died April 24 at 83. Her generosity fueled the growth of our classical programming and helped our music-education initiatives reach more than a quarter-million children.

In rural Minnesota, fighting vaccine hesitancy one community at a time

April 27, 2021

Health officials say there are many reasons why people aren’t getting vaccinated — including a lack of transportation, limited access to technology, fears about the vaccine's safety and political beliefs about the pandemic. - Southern Minnesota As vaccine eligibility expands, one health department recalibrates - Researchers warn Vaccine refusal may put herd immunity at risk - Biden administration looks for help With next phase of pitching COVID vaccines