Minnesota officials say this weekend they will issue full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program allotments for recipients for the month of November.

The announcement from the state Department of Children, Youth and Families comes after the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a memo to states that it’s working to make funds available Friday for full monthly SNAP benefits. Besides Minnesota, officials in California, Kansas, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have confirmed that some SNAP recipients already have been issued their full November payments.

Earlier on Friday, President Donald Trump’s administration had asked a federal appeals court to block a judge’s order that it distribute November’s full monthly SNAP food benefits amid a U.S. government shutdown, even as at least some states said they were moving quickly to get the money to people.

The judge gave the Republican administration until Friday to make the payments through the SNAP program. But the administration asked the appeals court to suspend any court orders requiring it to spend more money than is available in a contingency fund, and instead allow it to continue with planned partial SNAP payments for the month.

According to Minnesota officials, benefits will be issued to all households currently approved to get SNAP and MFIP payments for November.

“This means some households may receive payments earlier than would be typical. DCYF is doing this to take steps to protect Minnesotans during the uncertainty of potential future court orders,” according to a news release from DCYF.

State officials say that more than 440,000 Minnesotans each month, including 180,000 children and 67,000 seniors, use SNAP or welfare benefits through the Minnesota Families Investment Program.

“As the longest shutdown in U.S. history concludes its sixth week, we are incredibly grateful Minnesotans will soon have access to their food benefits thanks to important legal system updates,” said Children, Youth and Families Commissioner Tikki Brown, in a statement. “When food support disappears, the consequences for Minnesota are immediate and far-reaching. It impacts public health, the state and local economies, education, and workforce stability.”

St. Paul’s food drive

Meanwhile, earlier this week the city of St. Paul started a food drive to assist SNAP recipients facing a cutoff of benefits during the federal government shutdown. So far, city officials said they have collected more than 10,000 pounds of food for local food shelves.

“And it’s been a great response. St. Paul residents and city staff definitely showed up in a big way,” said Ikram Koliso, interim director of the city of St. Paul’s Office of Financial Empowerment. “So all that planning happened over the weekend and just in a few days we were able to collect and move over 10,000 pounds of food.”

St. Paul residents have been dropping off items at four locations where they are then picked up and brought to food shelves and community partners that include Keystone Community Services, Merrick Community Services, Feeding Frogtown and Hallie Q. Brown Community Center. Drop-offs also will begin at Neighborhood House early next week, Koliso said.

“But it’s really about coming together to help bring some essential items, including hygiene supplies, culturally familiar staples, pet food, even people creating recipe kits, which is super cool to see,” Koliso said. “And that was really proof that neighbors are thinking of every family member of the household and we’re seeing the best of St. Paul neighbors helping neighbors every single day. And this was just a great tangible way to do that.”

Talking with community partners that provide food shelves or meal programs, Koliso has heard of increased need for their services and more people coming in the door, most recently due to the impacts of the shutdown. That need has grown even more since Nov. 1 when SNAP benefits stopped, she said.

City officials are determining how long they will continue the food drive as they go week by week, Koliso said.

City staff, as well as cadets from the St. Paul Police Department, have been helping with donation pickups and drop-offs throughout the week. Koliso said the community organizations the city has worked with also would accept monetary support as well, donations which community members can make directly.

The St. Paul food drive has four sites to drop off food. City officials ask that donors drop off items during normal hours — they can be found at stpaul.gov/reccenters.

To learn more about the four sites accepting donations and what the most needed items are, go to tinyurl.com/3e37e2z6.

Ramsey County

In Ramsey County, officials are working to connect residents with resources such as food shelves or emergency assistance. But many other services are federally funded, said County Manager Ling Becker.

“Counties are a social safety net for the community. We’re at a moment where a lot of that infrastructure is just really fragile and the need is high,” Becker said.

County officials announced earlier this week that the county will provide $380,000 to local food shelves as the federal shutdown continues. Those food shelves could begin purchasing food starting Thursday. Another $70,000 is being reserved to purchase infant formula.

“This is a one-time infusion of funds, really. And you know, it’s temporary, it’s unsustainable,” Becker said on Friday. “We think it’s necessary, obviously, but these are not the types of funding for food that counties can sustain. So we are stepping up as it’s coming.”

Stillwater bar offers soup

Elsewhere, others have worked to provide food as well.

Adam To, the owner of Howard’s Bar in downtown Stillwater, got tired of doom-scrolling and negative news this week and decided to do something about it.

Adam To, the owner of Howard’s Bar in downtown Stillwater, made 80 quarts of chicken soup on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, to give away to people facing food insecurity. Pictured with To is Howard, his Staffordshire terrier. (Courtesy of Adam To)

On Thursday, To cooked 80 quarts of his famous chicken soup with brown rice, kale, carrots, corn, celery and onions and gave it away to people facing food insecurity.

“I just kind of just woke up and was, like, thinking about the sort of circumstances people are under right now financially,” he said. “I was, like, ‘Well, I’ve got the time and the space to contribute something.’ I was like, ‘Why don’t I make a big batch of soup and give it away?’”

To called local food shelves to invite people in need to come by and he advertised the giveaway on social media.

From 2 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, To and his Staffordshire terrier, named Howard, of course, handed out quarts of soup to whomever came by. No proof of income was required.

“I basically asked how many people they were feeding and just gave them what they needed,” he said. “One quart generally feeds two people, so if there was a family of six, I would grab three. I left it up to people based on what they thought they might use.”

To said he used two cases of chicken thighs; about 48 quarts of homemade chicken stock; 12 quarts of kale; 10 pounds each of carrots, onions and celery; two quarts each of chopped garlic and ginger, five pounds of corn kernels. Seasonings included salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme and dried oregano.

“It was really good,” he said. “I didn’t want to make a giant batch of, like, bad soup. So I was like, ‘It’s gotta be good, too.’”

Some came by the restaurant, located at 302 S. Main St., to donate to the cause, said To, who had his Venmo QR code posted at the giveaway.

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“There were a lot of other small business owners who came out,” he said. “You know, there’s a lot of support down here. People seemed to be kind of energized by it, and it created a good atmosphere in downtown Stillwater. I was like, ‘This is good.’”

To, who took over the former Whitey’s three years ago and renamed the restaurant Howard’s in June 2023, said he plans to offer a soup giveaway a couple of times a year.

“It seems just the cost of everything is going up,” he said. “People seem squeezed. People’s benefits are reduced or are completely gone. I was just really tired of opening up my phone and seeing bad news every day. I knew I had to transform some of those sentiments into action and just do something to transform some of that scarcity into generosity.”

This story contains information from the Associated Press. 

Not only is J.J. McCarthy the starting signal caller for the Vikings, he’s also the youngest member of his own position group.

Minnesota’s quarterback room consists of McCarthy, 22, rookie quarterback Max Brosmer, 24, and practice squad quarterback John Wolford, 30. That has inherently created a dynamic that has allowed everybody to feel like they’re on the same page.

“It’s been really cool to watch,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “I think it’s important for any quarterback, wherever they are at on the depth chart, to understand that they have a major role within that room.”

That’s something Brosmer has taken to heart now that he’s the backup. He made it clear how much he learned by simply watching the way veteran quarterback Carson Wentz, 32, went about it before he landed on injured reserve.

“I took note of what he did to help prepare J.J.,” Brosmer said, “and I’ve taken pieces of that and tried to make it my own.”

Brosmer noted he goes through every single rep with the same intensity as if he were going to be the starter. That’s allowed him to stay locked in on the task at hand as the backup.

“I feel if I’m preparing myself to the best of my ability, I’m also helping prepare J.J. to the best of his ability,” Brosmer said. “Maybe I’m finding stuff that he doesn’t see. Maybe he’s finding stuff that I don’t see. We can combine that stuff for a more worldly view of everything going on.”

The fact Brosmer is so close in age to McCarthy has allowed them to better connect on and off the field. They have realized that have similar life experience, such as playing in the Big Ten, that has brought them closer together.

“Just getting to know him as a person on top of everything else has been awesome,” Brosmer said. “That blends in to creating a really good environment for both of us. If we were divided in that room, it wouldn’t be very fun. We’ve created a great relationship.”

To his credit, Brosmer is already wise beyond his years, taking a lot of pride in what he’s being asked to do in practice. That, in turn, has helped McCarthy be at his best when he’s in the game.

“Just seeing him go out there and play the way he did was a really cool feeling,” Brosmer said. “I was really proud of him.”

Briefly

After practicing rather sparingly this week, veteran running back Aaron Jones has been listed as questionable for the Vikings as they prepare to play the Baltimore Ravens. He has been dealing with a shoulder injury.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer (12) on the sidelines before the start of a NFL game against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

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By LAURAN NEERGAARD

WASHINGTON (AP) — Don’t lose sleep over headlines linking melatonin to heart failure.

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That’s the message after some scary-sounding reports about a preliminary study involving the sleep-related supplement. It raised questions about the safety of long term use of melatonin for insomnia.

Doctors have long known that too little or interrupted sleep raises the risk of heart disease. But heart experts say this kind of so-called observational study can’t prove that melatonin use plays any role — instead of the insomnia patients were trying to treat.

“We should not raise the alarm and tell patients to stop taking all their melatonin,” said Dr. Pratik Sandesara, an interventional cardiologist at Emory Healthcare who wasn’t involved with the research.

Our bodies naturally produce melatonin, a hormone that regulates our sleep cycles. Levels normally increase as it gets darker in the evening, triggering drowsiness.

People may take lab-produced melatonin to help them fall asleep or to adjust for jet lag or time changes.

The new study used international electronic health records, tracking adults diagnosed with insomnia who had a melatonin prescription that suggested they used the supplement for at least a year.

Over five years, 4.6% of the chronic melatonin users developed heart failure compared to 2.7% of insomnia patients whose charts showed no melatonin use, the researchers found. The study is being presented at an American Heart Association meeting but hasn’t undergone peer review.

But only certain countries require a melatonin prescription. It’s over-the-counter in the U.S., meaning Americans in the study might have used the supplements without it being recorded, said Northwestern University cardiology chief Dr. Clyde Yancey, who wasn’t involved in the study. The study also did not show dosages.

Also, U.S. supplements don’t require government approval, meaning brands can vary in their ingredients. The researchers, from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, characterized the findings as a call for more research.

Meanwhile, patients wondering about melatonin should talk it over with their doctors, said Emory’s Sandesara. Generally doctors recommend it for short-term use, like for jet lag.

Yancey noted that while the study doesn’t prove there’s a danger from long term melatonin use, there’s also no evidence that people should use melatonin indefinitely.

And one key to better shut-eye is to practice better sleep hygiene, like making sure your room is dark.

“When we expose ourselves to blue light in particular at night, we are diminishing our melatonin levels. That’s science,” he said. Sleep problems aren’t about “just being sleepy and tired — they’re putting yourself at risk.”

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The petite but mighty Eunice Kim shows her musical prowess as part of this weekend’s concert with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. With grace and fierce agility, Kim masterfully performs Camille Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto No. 3, in a program that also features Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 and Seven Dances after the Ballet “Les malheurs de Sophie” by Jean Françaix.

The program opens with Françaix’s light-hearted suite, drawn from a children’s story. Françaix wrote “Les malheurs de Sophie” (The misfortunes of Sophie) in 1935 when he was just 21, based on the beloved book by Sophie Rostopchine, Countess of Ségur, a Russian emigre living in France. Later in life, he returned to the ballet score, arranging a selection of the tunes for ten winds.

The spirited music carries a vivid, dance-like spirit. As the ensemble plays, you can almost imagine ballet dancers enacting the mischievous adventures of young Sophie. The SPCO hasn’t collaborated often with live dancers in recent years (a performance by electronic musician Jlin featuring four SPCO players and Brazilian tap dancer Leonardo Sandoval was a recent exception), but Françaix’s buoyant score makes a convincing case for considering such a collaboration in the future.

It’s whimsical, effervescent music, beginning with the angular “Le jeu de la poupée” (The Doll Game). Françaix uses the wind ensemble to create a lively back-and-forth between the bright timbres of flutes and oboes and the richer tones of clarinets and bassoons. Even in more somber moments, like the “Funérailles de la poupée” (doll’s funeral),  a clever, curious mood emerges. The work’s fast and zippy ending makes for a lively conclusion.

Performing Saint-Saëns’ concerto, Kim shows proficiency and poise, with the ability to make her notes angelic. Flawless as her bow leaps across strings, her fingers vigorously nailing each note of the rapid scales, arpeggios and double stops, she equally masters the legato sections, employing a satiny tone in the softer moments.

During the second movement, Andantino quasi allegretto, Kim makes her instrument sound like a harmonica, as she taps her fingers ever so slightly on the strings, without pushing down on the keyboard, creating effervescent sound.

After intermission, the orchestra performs Beethoven’s first Symphony, beginning with its unusual pizzicato beginning. After a short conversation between the plucked strings and the wind instruments, the first movement sees the strings enter more strongly with bowed notes in music that builds with rigorous energy.

The second violins introduce the second movement with a soft, lilting quality, creating music that’s elegant and musically complex. The articulation of the prominent two-note slurs feels precise, maintaining a graceful, singing quality throughout the movement.

The third movement, Allegro molto e vivace, flies by at exhilarating speed, propelled by tight ensemble playing. The finale provides a masterful, almost meteorological, close. The rapid violin flurries and intensity of the final passages conjure the distinct feeling of a storm gathering force, perfectly mirroring the cold weather sweeping through Minneapolis this weekend.

Of note for all SPCO performances this month, federal government employees can reserve free tickets to SPCO performances. Use code FED25 online or by phone at 651-291-1144 to order, then pick up at will call with federal ID.

St. Paul Chamber Orchestra

What: SPCO’s Eunice Kim Shines in Saint-Saëns’ 3rd Violin Concerto

When: 7 p.m. Sat. Ordway,  2 p.m. Sunday at Ted Mann Concert Hall.

Where: Saturday: The Ordway, 345 Washington St., St. Paul. Sunday: Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 Fourth Street S. Mpls.

Accessibility: Ordway: Elevators access all floors of Concert Hall, accessibility seating for all mobility devices (request when buying tickets); service animals welcome (inform ticket representative); listening units and large print available upon request. One single occupancy, accessible restroom in the Music Theater lobby. Ordway.org/visit/accessibility. Ted Mann Concert Hall: Access via south side power door entrance. Elevator and adapted restrooms available.

Capsule: From Françaix’s playful ballet suite to Beethoven’s stormy finale, the program offers lightness and drive in equal measure.

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