Morning Edition

Cathy Wurzer
Cathy Wurzer
MPR

Morning Edition, with Cathy Wurzer in St. Paul and NPR hosts in Washington and Los Angeles, brings you all the news from overnight and the information you need to start your day. Listen from 4 to 9 a.m. every weekday.

Morning Announcements | Weather chats with Mark Seeley

Finding climate history in the river bottom
The current drought is helping researchers who are studying the history of flooding in the Red River Valley. They’re collecting samples of old trees buried in the muddy river bottom to help build a regional climate picture going back hundreds of years.
From exhaustion to asphalt burns, Minnesota’s birds feel the heat
While birds in some parts of the country likely have it worse, the University of Minnesota’s Raptor Center has seen plenty of heat problems, including a pair of American kestrels with burns from asphalt.
Art Hounds sing praises of musical options live and via QR code
Take your family on an interactive scavenger hunt to hear songs about Northfield landmarks. DJ Ariesfirebomb creates a welcoming dance party for queer black music lovers this Friday. Jazz vocalist Katia Cardenas of St Paul performs new songs and standards after three years away.
Adding climate impacts to Minnesota's environmental review may be delayed
Climate activists say the changes are overdue. But there's been some pushback from business groups, farmers and local governments, who say the requirements would be burdensome and would raise the cost of building projects.
Minn. front-line workers appeal for share of pandemic pay
As a legislative panel began considering how to divide $250 million in premium pay for those who had to work in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, some suggested the pot of money isn’t big enough.
COVID-19 in MN: State urges masks for all inside K-12 schools as cases climb
Minnesota’s asking — not ordering — all students, staff and visitors to K-12 school buildings to wear masks indoors regardless of their vaccination status. Wednesday’s data makes it clear the disease has at least one more punch to deliver.
Rochester Public Schools to require masking of younger students in the fall
Students between 2 and 12 years old will be required to wear masks inside all school facilities during the next academic year. The board’s vote reflected increasing concern over spread of the delta variant in Minnesota.
Researchers from Minnesota and Wisconsin are trying to figure out precisely what has caused the recent spike in blue-green algae blooms in Lake Superior. Six algae blooms have been discovered in the past decade between Duluth and the Apostle Islands, including one scientists just confirmed this summer.
COVID-19 in MN: Unvaccinated 'extremely vulnerable' to delta strain
The delta variant “means trouble for people who never got vaccinated,” Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm told reporters. "The problem here is very much a problem of unvaccinated people getting exposed to an extremely contagious and dangerous virus."