MPR News AM Update
 
Good morning,

🎧All this week at 9 a.m. we're looking back at some of the conversations host Angela Davis had in 2022 that resonated with us here at MPR News, and with you, our listeners. Producer Maja Beckstrom shares some of her favorites. Here's what else we have planned today.

High temperatures on Wednesday should be from the upper 20s around Hallock, Roseau and other towns in Minnesota’s far northwest to the 30s across the rest of Minnesota and western Wisconsin. The Twin Cities high should be around 37 degrees. Get the latest on Updraft.

A midnight ‘bobber drop’ and 10 other unique New Year’s Eve parties

What’s the most Minnesota thing you could enlarge and drop from a high point at midnight on New Year’s Eve? According to the Midway Saloon in St. Paul, it’s a fishing bobber.

Georgia has a peach, Texas a cowboy boot and now, Minnesota has a fishing bobber — and it’s about 6 feet tall and 16 feet around.

Beyond the bobber, here are other New Year’s Eve events to check out in Minnesota.
Voters stand in line
Democrats see ‘mandate’ to rewrite election laws

After Minnesota voters handed DFLers control of the House, Senate and governor’s office, lawmakers who are set to lead election and voting committees at the Capitol said they’ll try to advance policies that had long hit a dead-end in the divided Capitol.

That means plans to restore the right to vote to people convicted of felonies who’ve served their jail sentences, expand mail-in voting options and automatically register more young people to vote could have new life in the Legislature in 2023.

Efforts to cast light on dark money coming into political campaigns and set up a statewide ranked-choice voting system could also come up for consideration.

“We ran on democracy and voters and so did Republicans,” said Rep. Emma Greenman, a Minneapolis Democrat set to serve as vice chair of the House Elections Committee. “And so what I'm really excited about is I think we have the opportunity to do some urgent and overdue work. And I think we have a mandate from voters to do it this year.”

 
What else we're watching:
It's not too late to get a COVID booster — especially for older adults. Public health officials want more Americans to get the latest COVID vaccine booster. Only 35 percent of people over 65 have gotten the shot, though 75 percent of COVID deaths are among people in this age group.

State lawsuits defend abortion access with religious freedom. The Dobbs v. Jackson ruling left abortion rights up to the states. As a result, lower courts in at least five states, including Indiana, have issued rulings in abortion-related religious freedom lawsuits.

Southwest Airlines is cancelling 2,500 flights a day! What's going on? MSP International Airport is reporting nearly all Southwest Airlines flights to and from the Twin Cities are canceled Tuesday, that’s more than 30 flights in all. Host Cathy Wurzer talks with travel reporter Gunnar Olson from Thrifty Traveler.

Wild win over Jets 4-1. Jared Spurgeon, Mats Zuccarello and Frederick Gaudreau each had a goal and assist in the Minnesota Wild’s 4-1 victory Tuesday that handed the Winnipeg Jets their first three-game losing streak of the season.

— Sam Stroozas, MPR News
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