Meteorologist Wren Clair will return to the airwaves at KARE 11. Her first day is May 19.

“We’re excited to have Wren join the team of talented meteorologists at KARE 11. Her expertise in weather forecasting and commitment to viewers aligns perfectly with our station’s mission,” said KARE 11 president and general manager Doug Wieder.

Former KSTP-TV meteorologist Wren Clair has landed a new job at KARE 11. (Courtesy of KSTP)

Clair surprised viewers when she departed KSTP-TV in February after nearly seven years at the station. She has not spoken publicly about it and, at the time, KSTP news director Kirk Varner said: “Wren Clair is no longer employed by KSTP-TV. We wish her the best with her next opportunity.”

The Hopkins native joined KSTP’s weather team in June 2018. After chief meteorologist Dave Dahl retired in 2020, she took over as the primary evening meteorologist for “5 Eyewitness News.”

Clair holds a master of science degree in environmental science and policy from Johns Hopkins University, a bachelor of science in meteorology degree from Mississippi State University and degrees in chemistry and anthropology from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, according to a now-deleted biography on KSTP’s website.

A member of the American Meteorological Society, Clair worked at stations in Rhinelander, Wis., and Boston, where she covered historic flooding in January 2018, before moving to KSTP. She also worked as a chemist for five years and was part of multiple publications, primarily related to organic synthesis.

Clair has tutored math and science off and on since high school and has taught GED-seeking students through Neighborhood House in the Wellstone Center in St. Paul. She has also spent time volunteering at Union Gospel Mission’s dental clinic, as well as previously running the children’s dental outreach program.

It appears Clair is not currently active on social media beyond Linkedin, where she recently updated her experience to include “Meteorologist & MSJ” at KARE 11.

Related Articles

Public media outlets MPR and TPT brace for federal funding cuts

Eagan native Eva Erickson locked in for guaranteed final four spot on ‘Survivor’

‘Poker Face’ review: TV’s best case-of-the-week series returns for Season 2

‘The Four Seasons’ review: Tina Fey is no Alan Alda, but at least there’s the Vivaldi

Rising pop star Benson Boone to kick off his first arena tour in St. Paul

By MICHAEL CASEY and COLLIN BINKLEY, Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — Harvard University responded Monday to recent threats from the Education Department to halt its grant funding, highlighting reforms it was undertaking but warning it won’t budge on “its core, legally-protected principles” over fears of retaliation.

A letter from Harvard President Alan Garber detailed how the institution had made significant changes to its leadership and governance over the past year and a half. Among the reforms, Garber said, was a broad “strategy to combat antisemitism and other bigotry.”

Last week, the Department of Education threatened a grant freeze in a major escalation of Trump’s battle with the Ivy League school. The administration previously froze $2.2 billion in federal grants to Harvard, and Trump is pushing to strip the school of its tax-exempt status.

Garber warned that its efforts to change were being “undermined and threatened by the federal government’s overreach into the constitutional freedoms of private universities and its continuing disregard of Harvard’s compliance with the law.”

“Consistent with the law and with our own values, we continue to pursue needed reforms, doing so in consultation with our stakeholders and always in compliance with the law,” Garber wrote. “But Harvard will not surrender its core, legally-protected principles out of fear of unfounded retaliation by the federal government.”

An Education Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In call with reporters last week, a Department of Education official accused Harvard of “serious failures.” The person, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, said Harvard has allowed antisemitism and racial discrimination to perpetuate, it has abandoned rigorous academic standards, and it has failed to allow a range of views on its campus.

To become eligible for new grants, Harvard would need to enter negotiations with the federal government and prove it has satisfied the administration’s requirements.

The demands come amid a pressure campaign targeting several other high-profile universities. The administration has cut off money to colleges including Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell University, seeking compliance with Trump’s agenda.

The White House says it’s targeting campus antisemitism after pro-Palestinian protests swept U.S. college campuses last year. It’s also focused on the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports. And the attacks on Harvard increasingly have called out the university’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, along with questions about freedom of speech and thought by conservatives on campus.

Harvard has filed a federal lawsuit over the administration’s demands, setting up a closely watched clash in Trump’s attempt to force change at universities that he says have become hotbeds of liberalism and antisemitism.

In his letter Monday, Garber also attempted to rebut many of the allegations made by the Education Department. He insisted admission to Harvard was based on “academic excellence and promise” and there were no “quotas, whether based on race or ethnicity or any other characteristic” or an “ideological litmus tests” when it comes to hiring.

Garber also dismissed the suggestion that Harvard was a partisan institution and said he wasn’t aware of any evidence suggesting international students were “more prone to disruption, violence, or other misconduct than any other students.”

Collin Binkley has covered Harvard for nearly a decade – most of the time living half a mile from campus.

A listeria outbreak linked to ready-to-eat sandwiches and snacks has sickened at least 10 people in the U.S., and a producer is voluntarily recalling dozens of products sold to retail stores, hospitals, hotels, airports and airlines, federal officials said.

The products were made by Fresh & Ready Foods LLC and were sold in Arizona, California, Nevada and Washington.

Those who fell ill and were hospitalized were in California and Nevada. The outbreak has been simmering for many months: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said cases date to December 2023.

Listeria poisoning is caused by a particularly resilient type of bacteria that can survive and grow even during refrigeration. About 1,600 people are infected with it — and 260 die — each year in the U.S., according to the CDC.

Here’s what you need to know:

What was recalled?

The voluntary recall covers more than 80 specific products distributed between April 18 and April 25. The products have “Use By” dates from April 22 to May 19.

Brand names include: Fresh & Ready Foods, City Point Market Fresh Food to Go and Fresh Take Crave Away.

Federal officials say anyone with the products should throw them away or return them. They also suggest cleaning any surfaces that touched the recalled foods.

Where does listeria come from?

Listeria bacteria thrive in moist environments, including soil and water and decaying vegetation and are carried by some animals.

Related Articles

Too busy to get fit? Here’s how to work exercise into your packed schedule

Trump promises to order that the US pay only the price other nations do for some drugs

US suspends Mexican live cattle exports over screwworm pest

Honey, sweetie, dearie: The perils of elderspeak

Here’s how a local nonprofit is connecting people with horses (for free)

The hardy germs are typically spread when food is harvested, processed, transported or stored in places that are contaminated with the bacteria.

When the bacteria get into a food processing plant, they can be tough to eradicate.

What are the symptoms of listeria?

Foods contaminated with the bacteria can make people sick. Symptoms can be mild and include fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. More serious illness can include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.

Listeria poisoning is tricky because symptoms can start quickly, within a few hours or days after eating contaminated food. But they also can take weeks or up to three months to show up.

Those most vulnerable to getting sick include the very young, people older than 65 and those with weakened immune systems or who are pregnant.

Does cooking kill listeria?

Listeria can survive and grow in refrigerated food. It can be killed by heating foods to “steaming hot,” or 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius), the CDC says. But that’s not always possible — or palatable — for foods that are made to be eaten cold.

Because listeria can survive under refrigeration, it’s important to clean and sanitize any surfaces, including refrigerator drawers and shelves, that may have come in contact with the products.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The Park Grove Library in Cottage Grove is closing next year to get a $13.5 million makeover and will reopen to the public in early 2027.

An architectural rendering of the new $13.5 million Park Grove Library in Cottage Grove, which is expected to open in 2027. Washington County officials are holding an open house on the project from 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Courtesy of Washington County)

The redesign of the library at 7300 Hemingway Ave. S. is necessary because access to the building, including visibility and parking, is challenging because it is tucked into a neighborhood behind several multi-story apartment buildings, said Mandy Leonard, project manager.

The majority of the existing building structure will remain, but Washington County officials plan to reconstruct the front entrance “to transform the space and create a more usable and flexible layout,” Leonard said.

Due to its proximity to residential housing and schools, pedestrian accessibility is an important aspect of the project, she said.

Officials are considering adding a second story to the building above the front entrance in order to move the building’s mechanical systems. According to Leonard, moving the mechanicals would make more space on the main floor and “provide an opportunity to create an inviting and visible plaza entrance to the library.”

A redesign of the building’s roof line also could open up the space and improve the natural light coming in from the skylight, she said.

The existing library is about 20,000 square feet and is located on 2½ acres.

Open house

County officials will hold an open house on the redesign project from 6-7 p.m. Wednesday at the Park Grove Library.

Initial drawings and ideas for a redesigned Park Grove Library will be presented, and there will be a brief presentation by the design team from Alliiance, the architecture firm hired to do the redesign. There also will be a chance for questions and an opportunity to chat informally with Alliiance, Washington County and library staff to share feedback and initial impressions on the design.

For more information, go to washingtoncountymn.gov/3662/Building-Projects.

Related Articles

‘More fun than I ever imagined’: Stillwater gondolier starts 25th season on the St. Croix

Here’s how a local nonprofit is connecting people with horses (for free)

Liberty Classical Academy, May Township resolve federal lawsuit

Anonymous Washington County Library benefactor comes through again

Stillwater Veterans Memorial to undergo $200K expansion