MPR News AM Update
 
 
⛈️ Multiple rounds of rain and thunderstorms early this week will add up to several inches of potential rainfall on top of our already-saturated ground. Severe weather is also possible Monday and Tuesday.

A severe thunderstorm watch is posted through 10 a.m. Monday for southern Minnesota, where some storms could produce damaging wind gusts in addition to large hail. A flood watch goes into effect 1 p.m. Monday through 1 a.m. Wednesday for the central region of the state and beyond.

Get the latest weather news on Updraft.
Coming up on Morning Edition

☀️ Doctors are concerned by a backlash against sunscreen that is spreading on social media. Recent surveys suggest many younger Americans are buying into this misinformation. And doctors say they are seeing younger and younger skin cancer patients.

👨‍💼 North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has emerged as a top contender for vice president on the GOP ticket. NPR's Michel Martin asks a political scientist about Burgum's political future.

⛈️ And multiple rounds of rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast this week and substantial flooding is possible. Meteorologist Sven Sundgaard joins us to explain just how wet things could get.
Coming up at 9 a.m.

🤖 As AI becomes more accessible and widely adopted across industries, it raises questions about how these biases will play out. Will a technology written by a small group of people have the same biases as its creators? MPR News guest host Chris Farrell and his guests are talking about why the gender gap is so persistent and its implications for the tech industry and the effectiveness of AI.
 
Wellness programs aim to support police officers through stressful work

Funeral services are being held Monday morning for Minneapolis police officer Jamal Mitchell in his home state of Connecticut. His fatal shooting late last month shook the state's law enforcement community, and brought the issue of officer wellness to the fore.  

In the last decade, officer wellness programs have spread across the country. They aim to keep officers mentally healthy and equip them to better cope with the stress of the job so they can be more effective police officers.
 
Robots with hoes show farmers possible future of weed control

In a sugar beet field a few miles east of Moorhead, small four-wheeled robots are rolling up and down the rows of beets. Powered by a solar panel, the robots use cameras to spot weeds and then guide sharp-edged hoes to scoop the weeds out of the ground.

Aigen co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Rich Wurden is one of the people working in a technology-filled trailer on the edge of a farm field. The former Tesla engineer started this company after a relative who farms in the Red River Valley told him about the problem of herbicide resistance. Reducing pesticide use is a primary goal for the company.

“There's just not a lot of great alternatives to chemicals,” he said. “Right now we're seeing herbicide resistance and herbicide immunity. And there's no resistance to a steel tool.”
 
What else we're watching:

👮 Minnesota corrections officials investigate inmate death, possibly drug-related. A 22-year-old incarcerated man was found unresponsive in his cell early Saturday. Investigators are exploring a possible connection to synthetic drugs.

🚑 Deadly ATV crashes on pace to surpass last year's total. All-terrain vehicle crashes in Minnesota have claimed 14 lives so far this year, with deaths on pace to surpass last year’s toll of 15. A common factor in the majority of fatal ATV crashes has been a lack of safety training.

⛏️ State park on Minnesota’s Iron Range closes to make way for renewed mining. After decades as a site highlighting northern Minnesota’s mining history, Hill Annex Mine State Park has permanently closed to make way for potential new mining operations on the property.

🏒 PWHL draft pick Britta Curl apologizes for social media activity. The University of Wisconsin graduate was PWHL Minnesota’s choice during the second round of the PWHL draft on Monday. Though she is known as a solid player and a leader on the ice, her selection drew immediate backlash from audiences in person and online.

🪖 Israeli military announces daily ‘tactical pause’ in southern Gaza to allow in aid. Israel's military announced on Sunday that it would pause fighting throughout daytime hours along a route in southern Gaza to free up a backlog of humanitarian aid deliveries.

📅 Where to celebrate Juneteenth around Minnesota. The national holiday is on June 19 but celebrations are already underway for “Freedom Day,” which acknowledges the freedom of enslaved Black people.

— Matt Mikus and Anna Haecherl, MPR News

SPONSOR

 
 
Connect With Us




Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe today.
MPR News

Preference Center ❘ Unsubscribe

You received this email because you subscribed or it was sent to you by a friend.

This email was sent by: Minnesota Public Radio
480 Cedar Street Saint Paul, MN, 55101