MPR News AM Update: Everything you need on the snowstorm

Plus an update on what may be causing vaping lung injuries.

A snow covered highway with a few cars on the road.
Traffic is light and lanes are clear on Highway 100 near W 77th Street in Edina Wednesday morning November 27, 2019.
Courtney Perry for MPR News

Good morning and welcome to winter. Here’s what you need to know to start your Wednesday.

Patchy, blowing snow in the morning in much of the state. Temps will remain in the 20s until evening, with lows between 10 and 20. Watch our live blog for the latest updates and read these tips before you leave the house if you must drive. More on Updraft. | Forecast

Yes, this will be a big storm. And you don’t need to take my word for it — trust our meteorologist’s take or that Xcel Energy is adding crews to respond to the possibility of downed power lines and outages from the expected deluge of snow and high wind gusts.

A federal jury found a St. Paul police officer guilty of excessive force. After more than a day of deliberations, jurors found Officer Brett Palkowitsch guilty of violating the civil rights of Frank Baker, an unarmed African-American man. Baker had been mauled by a police dog when Palkowitsch kicked the man, who also suffered broken ribs and a collapsed lung, while he was down on the ground in the 2016 incident.

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Minneapolis paid $542,000 for President Trump’s campaign rally last month. And, as MPR News’ Briana Bierschbach reports, the city is seeking reimbursement. Trump’s campaign traditionally does not pay cities for their costs associated with his rallies. Says Mayor Jacob Frey: “The city alone should not bear the costs of keeping residents, visitors and the president safe for a campaign rally … Additionally, this should provide some fodder for some conversations with an annoying uncle over Thanksgiving.”

The apparent culprit behind vaping lung injuries is new to the marijuana marketplace. That’s the finding of a new study from state and federal health officials. THC cartridges from this year contained vitamin E acetate, as did the lungs of patients, but cartridges from last year did not. I wrote more about it here.

Your turkey is probably from Minnesota. Our state produces more of the birds than any other: 48 million turkeys. MPR News’ Matt Mikus breaks down the numbers and shows how Minnesota stands above all other states when it comes to turkey production.

What’re you grateful for? MPR News’ Emily Bright is asking that question from many Minnesotans. Share what you’re giving thanks for with us.

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