Good morning and happy Thursday. Here’s what you need to know to start your day. A bright day with mild winter temps. Twin Cities highs in the lower 30s with west winds between 10 and 15 mph. Nighttime temps will be in the mid 20s. Statewide, highs range from the upper 20s to mid 30s. Northern lows at night will be in the teens, southern lows in the mid 20s. More on Updraft. | Forecast Two witnesses, seen as crucial to the case against President Trump in the impeachment inquiry, testified Wednesday. Much of what was said by acting U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor and George Kent, the State Department's top official on Ukraine policy, was previously known from their lengthy depositions released last week. But there were some new things — and several moments that stood out. Children’s Theatre abuse survivors search for justice. When a group of former students reached settlements with Children’s Theatre for the sexual abuse they endured decades ago, they received undisclosed sums of money. But justice? That’s more elusive. Gov. Tim Walz is under fire from Republicans. GOP senators are blaming the Democratic governor’s administration for violating state contract laws. Sen. Michelle Benson, R-Ham Lake, said she was surprised by the violations, which represent a small fraction of Minnesota’s government contracts. No taxpayer money was misspent, a Department of Human Services official says. Do you boycott tech companies? Uber, Instacart and Amazon are among the companies that have been under fire from employees and customers alike recently. If you're a worker or consumer of these companies' products, what do you think of the boycotts? Tell us here. — Cody Nelson, MPR News |