It will be another warm day across southern Minnesota with highs in the 70s. Northeastern Minnesota will be cooler, mostly in the 50s, but just upper 40s right near Lake Superior. More scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop across southern Minnesota Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday night. Get the latest weather news on Updraft.
Coming up on Morning Edition: Yet another Minnesota college is facing a major budget deficit and dozens of degree programs are on the potential chopping block at St. Cloud State University. We speak with the state university system's chancellor about the future of higher education in the North Star State. Plus, we continue our Getting to Green series with a story about building codes being used as a behind-the-scenes tool to combat climate change.
Coming up at 9 a.m.: MPR News host Angela Davis revisits some of our favorite health and wellness shows. Discover how much you do and don’t know about your nose, hear the latest research on colon cancer and learn about addressing loneliness.
Building codes set minimum safety requirements for how new homes should be designed and constructed. But they can also be an important behind-the-scenes tool to fight climate change.
While Minnesota has made huge progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in electricity generation, the state’s buildings still consume an enormous amount of energy, and now contribute about 40 percent of the state’s climate-warming emissions.
Advocates say stricter energy building codes can play a significant role in reducing emissions by requiring all builders to meet the same minimum efficiency standards. But some builders’ organizations worry the benefits of those efficiency upgrades may not be worth the up-front costs.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey painted a picture of a city brimming with possibility at his annual State of the City address Tuesday. But he acknowledged that Minneapolis is still rebounding from the pandemic, and faces challenges including a big expected bump in the property tax levy to make up for high office building vacancy rates in downtown Minneapolis.
“We pride ourselves on being an inclusive and accessible city. We will neither be inclusive nor accessible by taxing people out of their homes,” Frey said. “I know, for some, property taxes have not been at the forefront of political discourse — that needs to change now.”
What else we're watching:
Sen. Mitchell declines to testify before ethics panel as it defers decision on burglary arrest. Minnesota Senate ethics proceedings against Democratic Sen. Nicole Mitchell won’t resume until after a June court hearing in her felony burglary case unless more substantive information surfaces sooner.
Adult film star Stormy Daniels testifies against Trump in New York trial. Adult film actor Stormy Daniels took the stand in the criminal trial against Donald Trump on Tuesday, offering details about an alleged sexual encounter that prompted the former president’s lawyers to ask for a mistrial.
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