Minnesota Now

Ten years ago a trio of writers and performers came together to form the Funny Asian Women Kollective, or FAWK. They have each embarked on theater and film projects since then, but their comedy work continues. And their Extra Quality Super Show is coming up next week at the Fitzgerald Theater in downtown St. Paul.

Two of the co-founders of FAWK, May Lee-Yang and Saymoukda Vongsay join MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about their work together and the upcoming program.

It has been a month since Israel launched a ground invasion in Lebanon in the escalating conflict with Hezbollah. More than 2,700 people in Lebanon have been killed and more than a million have been displaced since the Hamas attacks on Israel, according to the latest estimates reported by BBC. This violence is also taking a toll on Minnesotans with ties to the region.

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer talks with a Minneapolis business owner who has family in Lebanon. Louisa Farhat is the owner of Sweet Lou’s Craft Sausage and Butchery — a retailer and food truck. She was recently featured in Sahan Journal and is selling gift cards to raise money for the Lebanese Red Cross.

Tuesday, in the metro area especially, was almost muggy — on Oct. 29. It was indeed record-breaking warmth for late October. MPR chief meteorologist Paul Huttner joins MPR News host Cathy Wurzer with the numbers, plus the outlook for the rest of the week, which includes some rain and even a winter storm watch.

In a win for Republicans, Hennepin County has been ordered by the Minnesota Supreme Court to reset a panel that oversees absentee ballots. We hear from the conservative group who brought on the challenge and from Hennepin county election officials.

You’ve heard of a labor union, but what about a tenant’s union? Renters are banding together in Duluth.

We talk to a Lebanese Minnesotan who is raising money for her home country amid Israel’s invasion.

Plus, say it ain’t snow! A Halloween storm could be coming for parts of the state. MPR chief meteorologist Paul Huttner has the forecast.

And the Funny Asian Women Kollective is celebrating 10 years of using comedy to spotlight the experiences of Asian women.

With just days to go until Election Day and more than 263,000 absentee ballots received by Hennepin County, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that the county must form a new election panel overseeing absentee ballots by Friday, Nov. 1.

The ruling comes after the Minnesota Republican Party and Minnesota Voter's Alliance argued Hennepin County had not taken the steps to fully exhaust its list of Republican election judges in the county before drawing from outside of the list. The court stopped short of saying that political representation on the panel was unequal, however.

For more, MPR News host Cathy Wurzer talks with Andy Cilek, the executive director of the Minnesota Voters Alliance, one of the groups that brought the suit, and Hennepin County auditor Dan Rogan.

The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times among other newspaper outlets are facing mounting backlash after both recently declined to endorse a presidential candidate. The decisions have led to the resignations of multiple editorial writers from both publications and the editorial editor from the LA Times.

More than two hundred thousand readers have quit their Washington Post subscriptions in protest. They are not the only publications that are changing it up editorially this election season. The Minnesota Star Tribune also announced earlier this year they will no longer endorse specific candidates.

Jane Kirtley is professor of media ethics and law at the University of Minnesota Law School. She joined Minnesota Now to discuss the decisions by media to refrain from endorsing a candidate.

A 54-year-old Minneapolis man is expected to appear in court this afternoon on attempted murder, stalking and harassment charges after allegedly shooting his next door neighbor last week. New legislation was supposed to prevent dangerous individuals from access to guns. Could the shooting have been prevented by red flag laws?

Local and national newspapers, including The Minnesota Star Tribune, have announced they will not endorse presidential candidates this year. Listen for more on the backlash and history behind the tradition.

New research shows breast cancer deaths are falling but more women under 50 are facing the disease. We heard from an oncologist and a woman living with stage four breast cancer.

The life's work of a cherished children's book author has found its home in Minnesota.

Whether you’re eight or in your eighties, you’re likely familiar with the best-selling children’s book author Marguerite Henry. Her book “Misty of Chincoteague” is one of the most popular children’s books of all time. It's about a pony named Misty, and any horse loving kid will tell you they read that book cover to cover, multiple times, and probably have the Misty Breyer horse model somewhere still in their possession.

Marguerite Henry was born in Milwaukee in 1902 and died in California in 1997. Her life's work, all of her notes and papers, is now at the University of Minnesota. It has become the basis of the new book, “Dear Readers and Riders: The Beloved Books, Faithful Fans, and Hidden Private Life of Marguerite Henry.” The biography was written by Lettie Teague, The Wall Street Journal’s wine columnist.

Lettie visited the Twin Cities to talk about the book Tuesday night at Elmer L Anderson Library on the University of Minnesota campus and she joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer for a conversation about her work.

We’re nearing the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Here’s the good news: breast cancer deaths are declining. A new report from the American Cancer Society finds half a million lives have been saved since 1989. At the same time, breast cancer diagnoses are becoming more common. They’re rising fastest in women younger than 50 years old.

Amanda Thiesen knows that personally. She got a phone call in 2021 when she was just 39 years old and was told she had stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Thiesen joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer along with Dr. Amy Krie, an oncologist specializing in breast cancer at Allina Health to talk about the state of breast cancer and research today.

Since January, Minnesota has allowed family members, county attorney or a chief law enforcement officer to request what’s called an Extreme Risk Protection Order, which prohibits someone from buying or having a gun if they pose a significant risk.

DFL State Senator Ron Latz authored the red flag law and joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about it.