Minnesota Today

The Met Council says its planned Blue Line light rail extension project will add up to 13,000 rides per day on the route and cost close to $3 billion.

And teacher union representatives and school district leaders in St. Paul are engaged Friday in their last scheduled mediation session before a possible strike.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Mourners filled Grace Church in Eden Prairie Wednesday to honor the three fallen first responders who were shot and killed earlier this month in a standoff in Burnsville.  Thousands of people filled the church and others watched along a procession back to Burnsville.

And there's a special election Thursday for Minnesota House District 27B. Three candidates — two Republicans and one Democrat — are vying to move forward to a special election next month to determine who will replace former Republican State Representative Kurt Daudt.

This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Phil Picardi. Music by Gary Meister.

Find more from these stories at MPRnews.org.

Memorial for Burnsville officers, paramedic hits a nerve with first responders community

Daudt, a former House speaker, to leave Minn. Legislature in February

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Speakers at Wednesday’s memorial for three fallen first responders remembered them as diligent coworkers and good friends.

And former county elections official Rachel Bohman has launched a DFL campaign for Congress in Minnesota's 1st District.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Thousands of people are expected to attend Wednesday’s public memorial service for three Burnsville first responders fatally shot in the line of duty last week. The service for police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, and firefighter-paramedic Adam Finseth, is at Grace Church in Eden Prairie. It will be streamed live on MPRnews.org and on the radio. 

And the owner of a Burnsville gun shop says a firearm connected to the deaths of the fallen first responders has been traced to his store and may have been obtained through a straw buyer.  

This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Phil Picardi. Music by Gary Meister.

Find more from these stories at MPRnews.org.

Fallen first responders remembered by loved ones as kind, courageous, selfless

Gun shop owner says Burnsville suspect purchased rifle through straw buyer

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Organizers of Wednesday’s public memorial service for three Burnsville first responders killed in the line of duty say they’re expecting thousands of law enforcement, firefighting and paramedic personnel to attend.

That story and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Parts of Minnesota are getting winter weather Tuesday. A winter storm warning is in effect with accumulating snow and high winds in northwest and north-central Minnesota. And the University of Minnesota Board of Regents has chosen a University of Michigan administrator to serve as the its next president. Dr. Rebecca Cunningham is Michigan's vice president for research and innovation and has worked as an emergency physician.

This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Phil Picardi. Music by Gary Meister.

Find more from these stories at MPRnews.org:

New University of Minnesota president is University of Michigan research head

Wintry wallop Tuesday into Wednesday then back to record warmth

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The St. Paul teachers union announced Monday its members will strike starting March 11 unless a deal is reached on a new contract. The 10-day countdown until a possible walk out begins. The union says it is doing everything in its power to reach a settlement with the district and avoid a strike.

Also, schools were closed and residents were asked to limit water use through the morning in the northwestern Minnesota town of Hawley, after a massive fire overnight.

This is the MPR News evening update hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music by Gary Meister.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, campaigns in the Twin Cities Monday evening. And the University of Minnesota Board of Regents meets today to interview the three finalists to be the university's next president and vote on a president-designate. 

This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Phil Picardi. Music by Gary Meister.

Find more from these stories at MPRnews.org:

University of Minnesota regents set to choose U's next president

Conservative megadonors Koch not funding Haley anymore as she continues longshot bid

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved a rule this week that will allow gasoline blended with higher amounts of ethanol to be sold year-round in eight Midwestern states, including Minnesota.

And Canadian wildfires brought smoke and hazy skies to Minnesota last summer. Some of those fires are still smoldering underground.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

The new Transit Rider Investment Program starts today in the Twin Cities. Agents will ride trains and check fares as part of Metro Transit's broader safety and security action plan. 

And more details have been released about the Burnsville standoff where three first responders were killed Sunday. Shannon Gooden eventually fired more than 100 rifle rounds at law enforcement and first responders, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said.

This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Phil Picardi. Music by Gary Meister.

Read the latest edition of the AM Update newsletter.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.