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Stories from December 15, 2023

Here’s the final overall design for the new Minnesota state flag — but tweaks are expected

Here’s the final overall design for the new Minnesota state flag — but tweaks are expected

The State Emblems Redesign Commission selected a new design to replace the state’s current flag in May, barring a veto from the Legislature. The pick came after months of deliberation and narrowing down the field of more than 2,000 submissions.
by Dana Ferguson

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Will Minnesotans have to pay federal taxes on rebate checks?

Minnesota's politicians hope the IRS will reverse their decision to tax rebate checks. Republican Congressman Peter Stauber met Friday with the head of the Internal Revenue Service, and DFL Gov. Tim Walz — who pushed for the rebate checks — is also lobbying the Biden administration in hopes of getting the IRS to change its mind.   That story and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Feven Gerezgiher. Music by Gary Meister.
by Feven Gerezgiher

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Diminished hospital capacity while RSV, flu and COVID-19 continue to rise

Diminished hospital capacity while RSV, flu and COVID-19 continue to rise

In Minnesota, a surge in RSV, flu and COVID-19 cases is pushing health care to its limits. Hospital bed availability is critically low, with a significant loss of nearly 1,000 beds since 2020, including a sharp decline in pediatric care facilities.
by Craig Helmstetter and Alyson Clary

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Warmest December so far means no-go on snow

Warmest December so far means no-go on snow

It has been an unseasonably warm start to December, with several Minnesota cities breaking daily record high temperatures. Retired climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley spoke with Cathy Wurzer about it — and the likelihood of winter storms — in their weekly weather chat.
by Cathy Wurzer and Gracie Stockton

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Poet Major Jackson on writing poetry that connects

Poet Major Jackson on writing poetry that connects

At an event for MPR members earlier this fall, poet Major Jackson, host of APM’s daily poetry podcast The Slowdown, told host Kerri Miller that writing poetry is a physical, sometimes even violent, experience. Listen to their whole conversation.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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Judge throws out lawsuit challenging voting rights restoration. MPCA fines Xcel for tritium leak in Monticello

An Anoka County judge has thrown out a lawsuit that challenged the quicker restoration of voting rights to Minnesotans convicted of felonies. And the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has fined Xcel Energy $14,000 for storing groundwater containing radioactive tritium in tanks at its Monticello nuclear plant before getting a needed permit. 
by Phil Picardi

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How to pronounce ‘Mni Sóta Makoce,’ the Dakota phrase that will be on the new state seal

How to pronounce ‘Mni Sóta Makoce,’ the Dakota phrase that will be on the new state seal

Unsure how to pronounce the Dakota phrase that will grace the new state seal? You’re not alone. MPR News Native News reporter Melissa Olson paid an expert a visit to find out.
by Melissa Olson

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Casket, $150. Only used once: A Facebook ad, a 'FUN-eral' and a family's love

Casket, $150. Only used once: A Facebook ad, a 'FUN-eral' and a family's love

A Facebook Marketplace listing for a $150 casket in Minneapolis, humorously “tested” by Thomas Edison Hicks, a multi-talented local figure, reveals his spirited approach to life and death, culminating in a unique celebration and the use of AI to preserve his legacy.
by Alex V. Cipolle

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Minnesota counties stand to lose millions after Supreme Court ruling

Minnesota counties stand to lose millions after Supreme Court ruling

In Minnesota, tax-forfeited properties generate millions of dollars that local governments use to run their operations, according to an analysis of public records by MPR News, APM Reports and the APM Research Lab.  
by Kirsti Marohn and Alyson Clary

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Behind the data: A look at Minnesota counties that profited from tax forfeited properties

Behind the data: A look at Minnesota counties that profited from tax forfeited properties

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled this summer that counties can no longer profit from the sale of tax-forfeited properties. We analyzed data from the state’s most populous counties and found local governments pocketed millions.
by Alyson Clary

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Jewish Voice for Peace demonstrators hold Minneapolis protest calling for cease-fire in Gaza

Jewish Voice for Peace demonstrators hold Minneapolis protest calling for cease-fire in Gaza

Activists with the group Jewish Voice for Peace stood shoulder-to-shoulder on the Franklin Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis, holding electric candles in the shape of a menorah and stopping traffic.
by Matt Sepic

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