A roller coaster weather weekend

Very mild temperatures persist through Saturday with falling temps Sunday as arctic air moves in, producing some snow showers. Hundreds gather in Mankato today to honor 38 Dakota men hanged there 163 years ago.This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music is by Gary Meister.  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS. 

The puck drops Friday on the first of 29 games that will played in the 10-team World Junior Ice Hockey Championship, which is hosted in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The tournament will showcase the best players in the world under the age of 20. Games will be played at Grand Casino Arena and 3M Arena at Mariucci.If you've got flight plans coming up, head’s up — the next few days are expected to be extremely busy at the Minneapolis Saint Paul International Airport.A reduction in federal funding has limited the ability of a local faith-based nonprofit to place refugees in the state. The Minnesota Council of Churches lost the majority of its funding after the Trump administration halted federal support for refugee resettlement last January.

Dreams of a white Christmas are fading for parts of the state as fog, drizzle and warmer temperatures set the stage for a tricky Christmas Day forecast. Minnesota's Supreme Court has reinforced a standard barring vehicle searches solely due to marijuana odor.Minnesota is joining 18 other states and the District of Columbia in challenging a federal declaration aiming to pull Medicare and Medicaid funding from medical providers that offer gender-affirming care for minors.This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music is by Gary Meister.  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS. 

A St. Paul legislator with Somali heritage says someone tried to break into his home last week.And state leaders say they're receiving complaints about federal immigration authorities taking evasive actions to hide their identities.Those stories and more in today’s evening update. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Minnesota’s largest school district is staring down a walkout in the new year. The Anoka-Hennepin teacher union says it has filed an intent to strike. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Department of Education is asking Minnesotans for public feedback on its new K-12 health education standards — which go into effect in 2028. Advocates say the currently drafted standards introduce much-needed education on abuse prevention as a part of broader sex education curricula and they do a better job in helping students understand consent, puberty and pregnancy.A Hennepin County judge has sentenced a Minneapolis man to life in prison with no possibility of release for planning the murder of a real estate agent.

Minnesota state agencies are now required by law to report instances of suspected fraud to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. That's one of the new steps to crack down on schemes targeting human services programs, which are largely federally funded.One of the busiest times for air travel at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is coming up this week. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

State officials say they've not seen evidence to substantiate estimates from federal prosecutors that billions of dollars in Medicaid funds have been subject to fraud. The comments come a day after the U.S. Attorney's Office announced charges against people alleged to have defrauded state housing and autism programs.It’s flu season, and with end-of-year celebrations happening, health officials are reminding Minnesotans to get vaccinated.This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music is by Gary Meister.  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS. 

Blizzard conditions are impacting much of the Red River Valley today. Snow, falling heavily at times this morning, will total 3-4 inches, with totals closer to 2 inches for the Fargo-Moorhead area and Fergus Falls. Expect high winds gusting to 50-60 mph along the western edge of Minnesota as temperatures drop into the single digits. There’s a chance of snow statewide Thursday.The first person charged in a scheme to defraud a state program for children with autism is expected to plead guilty Thursday morning. Asha Hassan is also charged with ripping off taxpayer-funded child nutrition programs.The 29-year-old is alleged to have bilked Minnesota's Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention program out of more than $14 million and used some of that to pay kickbacks to the parents. Six Minnesotans are suing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, alleging that federal agents violated their rights while they were observing immigration arrests. The ACLU and several law firms filed the lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of the plaintiffs. They say federal agents detained or threatened people who were not breaking any laws.One of the men arrested by ICE agents at a construction site in Chanhassen last weekend has filed a petition in federal court seeking release.