Juror bribery charges; State funding for climate change preparations

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz still expects Pres. Joe Biden to be the Democratic nominee after his performance heightened anxiety within the party.And authorities in North Branch say a police officer fatally shot a woman last night.Those stories and more in today’s evening update. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

The peacetime emergency declared by Gov. Tim Walz has been extended. Minnesota's Executive Council voted to extend the emergency from five to thirty days due to severe flooding.And the University of Minnesota's faculty senate gave a vote of "no confidence" yesterday to interim president Jeff Ettinger and provost Rachel Croson in protest of their actions regarding the hiring of a director of the U's Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies.Those stories and more in today’s evening update. Hosted by Kelly Bleyer. Music by Gary Meister.

Happy Friday, it is a soggy start to the weekend. Early absentee voting kicks off for legislative and congressional primaries across Minnesota. Governor Walz seeks federal emergency aid for severe flooding, extending the state’s peacetime emergency. Hear from the Hruska family, who lost their Rapidan home to the Blue Earth River’s destructive path. Despite receding waters elsewhere, the Mississippi River at Hastings continues to rise. In other news, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension identifies the officer involved in a Brooklyn Park shooting, US gymnastics trials heat up in Minneapolis, and the US Paralympic swimming team trials are underway at the University of Minnesota. Plus, catch up on the latest from the Twins, Lynx, and Minnesota Aurora. Stay tuned for this afternoon's update.Find these headlines and more at Mprnews.org.Minnesota competitors gear up as U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials begin in MinneapolisFour takeaways from the first presidential debateRead the latest edition of the AM Update newsletter.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

County, state and federal officials continue to monitor the Rapidan Dam near Mankato, as the rain-swollen Blue Earth River carves a wider channel around the structure. And Minnesota's U.S. attorney Andrew Luger says federal prosecutors will take steps to safeguard juror identities after an attempted scheme to bribe a juror in a recent Feeding Our Future fraud trial. Find these headlines and more at Mprnews.org.Erosion continues after rain-swollen Blue Earth River claims home near Rapidan DamNew Feeding Our Future charges: Prosecutors say 5 tried to bribe juror with $120KRead the latest edition of the AM Update newsletter.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

Federal prosecutors have charged five people in connection with a plot to bribe a juror to sway a verdict in a major nutrition aid fraud case.And eight small Minnesota cities will receive state funding to prepare for extreme weather caused by climate change.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Officials in the southwestern Minnesota community of Windom are dealing with flooding on the Des Moines River. In Jackson, residents and volunteers have been shoring up levees along the Des Moines River with sandbags.The house perched over the eroding Blue Earth River near the Rapidan Dam fell into the rain-swollen river Wednesday night.After viewing flood damage in southern Minnesota by helicopter yesterday, Gov. Walz and Sen. Amy Klobuchar said the state is likely to be eligible for federal disaster aid.And Minnesotans will have another shot at applying for an electric bicycle rebate next week on July 2. Find these headlines and more at Mprnews.org.Video: House near Rapidan Dam falls into Blue Earth RiverMinnesota flooding: Rapidan Dam near Mankato holds, roads and state parks closedMinnesota e-bike rebates: Window set to reopenRead the latest edition of the AM Update newsletter.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

Officials in Blue Earth County say the Rapidan Dam on the Blue Earth River upstream from Mankato remains under threat of failure. But they also report the water flow around the structure is down slightly from yesterday. Highway 60 through Windom is among many southern Minnesota highways closed due to flooding. And the Lino Lakes City Council last night backed a one-year development moratorium that would temporarily stall a proposed housing development that includes a mosque.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

As of 6 a.m. Tuesday morning, a house was still teetering on the edge of the newly-cut channel of the Blue Earth River by the Rapidan Dam. Flooding clogged the dam’s spillways with debris, and the river pushed around the dam and burst through the eroding ground to the river's lower stretches Monday. And Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park has closed tours to the mine due to flooding. Last week, the mine was hit with nearly 8 inches of water in less than 24 hours.This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Phil Picardi. Music by Gary Meister.Find these headlines at Mprnews.org.Flooding pushes Blue Earth County dam to ‘imminent failure condition’Historic northern Minnesota state park partially closes due to floodingRead the latest edition of the AM Update newsletter.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

Gov. Tim Walz and state emergency management officials held a briefing today to discuss the state's response to what the governor called, "catastrophic" flooding. The Rapidan Dam's structural integrity is causing concerns for downstream residents as flood waters may cause it to fail.Those stories and more in today’s evening news update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Rivers and streams across the region have gone over their banks. Gov. Tim Walz has declared a peacetime emergency so the Minnesota National Guard can help. And gymnastics fans will be in Minneapolis this week for the USA Gymnastics Olympic trials. Two Minnesota-born gymnasts already have Olympic resumes — Suni Lee from St. Paul and Shane Wiskus from Spring Park.This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Phil Picardi. Music by Gary Meister.Find these headlines at Mprnews.org.Flooded Minnesota communities begin transition from fight to recoveryMinneapolis hosts USA Gymnastics Olympic trialsRead the latest edition of the AM Update newsletter.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.