Good morning Minnesota!

Hello Wednesday! Here's the latest news from across the state to start your day. ☕

MPR seeks to amplify the great work done in our state through its local arts and culture programming across its news and information and music services. Portions of our funding for this content come from the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund. Please consider helping us understand how this content impacts you by filling out this short survey about our programming.

Your feedback helps us to demonstrate the impact of this investment and to improve our programs, allowing us to serve you and others better in the future.

WEATHER

☀️ Highs Wednesday will run in the 70s but approach the 80-degree mark across much of western Minnesota.

🥵 A warmer-than-normal fall looks likely for Minnesota. However, a developing La Nina may produce a more rigorous winter ahead.

Get the latest weather news on Updraft.

Minnesota Poll: Broad confidence of accurate vote count, but deep split over absentee voting

Nearly eight in 10 Minnesotans surveyed for a new MPR News, KARE 11 and Minnesota Star Tribune poll have high to moderate confidence of an accurate vote count in the November election. They’re more split over the safeguards around absentee and mail-in voting.

Minnesota Poll: Only small fraction of Minnesotans say they’ve used cannabis recently despite legalization

Minnesota made it legal for adults 21 and older to possess, use and even grow their own marijuana for personal consumption as of August 2023. So far, it isn’t broadly available for sale to consumers as the state sets rules for phases of the production, transport and retail phases.

NEWS ROUNDUP

🏢 New Minneapolis ordinance aims to increase housing downtown. “Downtowns are dramatically changing, and we in the city of Minneapolis need to be at the forefront of that change,” Mayor Jacob Frey stated at a mid-day news conference.

🚨 Charges: Man shot at state trooper after I-94 crash. Hennepin County prosecutors on Tuesday charged Eddie James Freeman, 23, with six counts of assault, including against a police officer.

🧑🏼‍⚖️ Prosecutors focus on California hit-and-run in cases against man charged with killing 5 in Minneapolis crash. Prosecutors want jurors to hear details of a 2018 hit-and-run crash in which Derrick J. Thompson struck and severely wounded a woman while fleeing police in California. The incident bears “striking similarities” to a high-speed crash in which five young women were killed in Minneapolis.

📧 Lino Lakes City Council votes to censure member over praise for anti-Muslim email. The council voted 3 to 1 on Monday to censure Chris Lyden. The resolution called his email inappropriate, and noted it “could be interpreted by some as endorsing the views and opinions expressed in the email.”

⚖️ Prosecutor: ‘The system failed’ man ‘wrongfully convicted’ of murder. Following a review of Edgar Barrientos-Quintana’s murder case, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced Monday that she’s prepared to dismiss his charges — if the court vacates his conviction.

🛬 MSP Airport to build its first-ever sensory rooms to reduce travel stress. The Metropolitan Airports Commission is partnering with Minnesota-based nonprofit Fraser to design the rooms. They will include features like dimmable lighting, a variety of seating types and sensory-friendly furnishings.

🐖 People exposed to pigs at the Minnesota State Fair contract variant flu strain. One patient is said to have had direct contact with pigs while the other had indirect contact. Neither of them had been in contact with one another at the fair.

MUST LISTEN

🎧 Fox 9’s Courtney Godfrey joins Team USA as a para-snowboarder. A familiar face on your TV screen is chasing her dreams. Fox 9 reporter Courtney Godfrey has been named to the Team USA para-snowboard team.

🎧 Minneapolis weighs permit system for unlicensed fruit vendors. Council members Jason Chavez and Aurin Chowdhury are developing an ordinance with city staff that would create a license or permit for food vendors to continue selling while being in compliance with city code.

🎧 Traditional sober house operators concerned about new law requiring prescription drug access. A new state law requiring sober houses to allow residents to have access to prescribed medications has some advocates worried. Those who follow an abstinence-based addiction treatment model say the presence of these drugs could lead to chaos.

🎧 Listen to today's headlines on our Minnesota Today podcast.

Support the News You Need

Gifts from individuals keep MPR News accessible to all - free of paywalls and barriers.

Donate Today