Minnesota Now

Parts of the Minnesota River Valley remain under flood warnings following torrential rain over the weekend. A Waseca County official says an emergency declaration in the region may be necessary. He'll join us to talk about cleanup efforts.Deportation fears are upending prosecutions in Hennepin County. We'll learn how the Trump administration's policies are impacting local cases.Plus, a Marshall Project investigation found many in-custody deaths are reported inaccurately to the federal government, or not reported at all. We'll hear from two reporters behind the story.And the Minnesota Lynx have now defeated the reigning WNBA champs, the New York Liberty, three times this season. We'll get the latest sports news from Wally and Eric.Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Bee Sting” by Davina and the Vagabonds. Our Song of the Day was “Ain't Wastin' Time No More” by The Allman Brothers Band.

The Minnesota Lynx will face the New York Liberty Tuesday night, marking the fourth time the two teams meet this season. New York beat the Lynx 3-2 in the best-of-five 2024 WNBA Finals to win the franchise's first championship. Since then, Minnesota has won three straight against the Liberty.And the Minnesota Twins pulled off a win against the Detroit Tigers Sunday night 8-1. Part of that is thanks to shortstop Brooks Lee, who hit a home run with the bases loaded. It was the first grand slam of his career. The Twins lost their previous three games against the Tigers. They go on to play the Athletics Tuesday at home.

Under the federal Death in Custody Reporting Act, anyone who dies in law enforcement custody must be reported to the Department of Justice. A Marshall Project investigation into the data found that many in-custody deaths are reported inaccurately to the federal government, or not reported at all. One of many deaths that was reported inaccurately was George Floyd's. Marshall Project reporters Anna Flagg and Ilica Mahajan worked on this story and joined Minnesota Now to share more.

The White House has described its immigration policies as a “landmark public safety effort” to arrest and deport people who have committed crimes. Data from the Deportation Data Project that was analyzed by NPR shows ICE has also increased arrests of people with no criminal record. And in Hennepin County, officials say deportations and related fears have disrupted criminal cases. That's according to a story published Monday by Sahan Journal criminal justice reporter Katrina Pross. She spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about her reporting.

In Waseca County, in southern Minnesota, basements flooded and crews are out Monday fixing washed-out gravel roads. More than 6.5 inches of rain fell from midnight Sunday to 6 p.m. in the city of Waseca. Other parts of the county had reports of more than 11 inches of rain from multiple rounds of storms, according to Waseca County Administrator Michael Johnson. Johnson spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about storm damage.

The USA Wheelchair Softball World Series is in full swing outside of the Mall of America. The event, hosted by the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, started Thursday morning and runs through Saturday. The event brings together more than 300 athletes and their families from around the world. This year, the Minnesota Rolling Twins are seeking to defend their 2024 World Series title.National Wheelchair Softball Association Tournament Director Jeff Downes and Ryan Trench, the supervisor of the sports and recreation department at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, joined Minnesota Now to talk about the tournament and the sport's impact on athletes who use wheelchairs.Find more information about this year's tournament on the National Wheelchair Softball Association's website.

As the state's first nontribal cannabis businesses are preparing to open, Governor Walz appointed an official director of the Office of Cannabis Management. Eric Taubel joins Minnesota Now to talk about the issues he's confronting.We head to the factory floor of a speaker company with an executive who says federal tariffs that are meant to help them are making it harder to keep their business in the U.S.Plus, a common practice of barricading lakeshores with large rocks comes with an environmental cost. MPR News correspondent Kirsti Marohn explains.Can you believe the start of school is right around the corner? We get tips on how be thrifty with school supplies.And the USA Wheelchair Softball World Series is in full swing.

School supply shopping is a marker of summer winding down and a new year of learning about to begin. For many kids, it is also a chance to express themselves through the stuff they pick out.But many families are concerned about the price of that fresh start. Several years of inflation has pinched budgets, and there is concern that tariffs will drive up prices further. A survey by the National Retail Federation found more families started their shopping early this year because of that worry.For the latest in the Minnesota Now series Professional Help, Minnesota Now producer Alanna Elder talked with Julie Granning, PTO president for Valley View Elementary School in Columbia Heights, as well as Sarah Lancaster, who teaches first grade in Onamia and was named Minnesota Teacher of the Year in 2022.Lancaster noted there are school supply giveaways across the state, including one happening Tuesday at Onamia Public Schools. The blog “Thrifty Minnesota” rounded up a list of other events in the state. And the Little Canada-based organization Kids in Need Foundation also provides supplies to eligible students and teachers.Our ask: Help me shop for school supplies on a budgetOur guests: Julie Granning, PTO president for Valley View Elementary School, and Sarah Lancaster, a first grade teacher in Onamia and 2022 Minnesota Teacher of the Year.

Have you ever noticed how many lake homes have large rocks lining their shorelines? Those layers of rocks, known as riprap, are often meant to fight erosion and keep soil from crumbling into the lake due to waves or high water. But rock riprap brings a whole raft of other problems with it.Kirsti Marohn has been reporting extensively on the subject and joined Minnesota Now to share what she's learned as a part of a check-in with MPR News reporters in Greater Minnesota.

Business owners have been on a rollercoaster this year from tariff battles between President Donald Trump and leaders of China, Canada, Mexico and other countries. Some businesses are pushing back against the tariffs that are meant to help them, including one here in Minnesota. Dan Digre is the CEO of MISCO Speakers, which has been making loudspeakers in the Twin Cities for 75 years. They sell their speakers to customers who make everything from airplanes to video games to fast food drive-throughs. MPR News senior economics contributor Chris Farrell met Digre at the MISCO Speakers headquarters in St. Paul.

The state office that regulates cannabis in Minnesota has an official director for the first time in nearly two years. Gov. Tim Walz named Eric Taubel to the role on Thursday. Taubel had been interim director since January. He steps into this more permanent version of the job as the first non-tribal cannabis retailers are preparing to open. As of Aug. 6, the state had issued 10 licenses in the microbusiness category. Taubel joined Minnesota Now to talk more about what's next for Minnesota's budding cannabis industry.

A Minnesota mother is expected to leave ICE custody today after an emergency order from a federal judge. We hear the latest on her release. Plus, St. Paul voted in a new city council member in a special election. We talk to Molly Coleman about her priorities. We get a look at how the Minneapolis-St. Paul economy is doing through a new dashboard. Plus, when will we be finally done with smoke? MPR Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner has an outlook.We meet the winner of one of the most prestigious art awards in the state.And the Minnesota Twins are not for sale after all. We talk about the Pohlad family's decision to keep the team under their ownership.The Minnesota Music Minute was “Billionaires” by jeremy messersmith and “Snorkel” by Leo Kottke was the Song of the Day.

The Minnesota Twins are not for sale after all. The Pohlad family announced Wednesday they will keep their majority ownership of the team. The Pohlads have been searching for months for a buyer after revealing their plans to sell last October. The family has owned the team since 1984. Twins Executive Chair Joe Pohlad spoke for the family in a written statement issued Wednesday morning. He said, “This ownership group is committed to building a winning team and culture for this region, one that Twins fans are proud to cheer for.” Minnesota Now sports contributor Wally Langfellow joins MPR News host Nina Moini to help explain the reversal.

The McKnight Foundation has named its Distinguished Artist of 2025, one of the largest and most prestigious awards in the state. The recipient is Carolyn Holbrook, an author and arts advocate who has founded three arts organizations over the years, all designed to create space for writers and amplify the voices of writers of color. MPR News' Emily Bright spoke with Holbrook.

A statewide air quality alert has ended, but the northern part of the state is still being impacted by smoke from Canadian wildfires Wednesday. MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner joins Minnesota Now host Nina Moini with the latest on the most recent bout of poor air quality and a preliminary state fair forecast.

Wednesday morning, hundreds of business and civic leaders gathered at an event called “Compete 25” to talk about the state of the Minneapolis and St. Paul economy. The group Greater MSP unveiled the MSP Regional Indicators Dashboard, which looks at economic, social and environmental benchmarks and compares it to other metropolitan cities to see how the Twin Cities stacks up. Some of those other cities include Chicago, Boston and Seattle. Greater MSP president and CEO Peter Frosch joins MPR News host Nina Moini to share where the Minneapolis-St. Paul economy stands.

The City of St. Paul has a new council member. Molly Coleman will represent Ward 4, which includes all or parts of five neighborhoods in the northwest part of the city. Coleman is filling the vacancy created by former St. Paul City Council president Mitra Jalali's resignation in January. She is the co-founder of an advocacy group, a graduate of Harvard Law School and the latest in her family to secure an elected position. She joins MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about her plans for office.

A new book is helping Muslim women take control of their personal finances while adhering to their values. It's called “Prosperity with Purpose: A Muslim Woman's Guide to Abundance and Generosity.” Its author is Nausheena Hussain, a Minnesota nonprofit leader and consultant. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about coming from a philanthropic legacy, economic empowerment among Muslim women and investing.

MPR News is following the story of a nursing mother who is in ICE detention, even though a judge approved her bond. We got the latest on Tuesday's hearing in her case.Hennepin County commissioners voted Tuesday on whether to dissolve the board of the county hospital, which is in financial trouble. Times are tough for Target. The company's sales and stocks are down as it looks for a new CEO. We got the details from a Twin Cities Business reporter. Across the country, items that are important to tribal nations get sold at auction. A St. Paul auction house is working with the Association on American Indian Affairs to return those items to tribes.We talked with the author of a personal finance guide for Muslim women.Our Minnesota Music Minute was “by my side” by SoulFlower and our Song of the Day was “Fabric” by Rogue Valley.

Minnesota-based company Target has been in the headlines in 2025. Target's sales have missed expectations, its stock has tumbled, and some customers boycotted the company after it announced it would cease its company DEI efforts. Amid the challenges its facing, the company is getting ready to choose a new CEO.Associate editor of Twin Cities Business Erik Tormoen wrote about the state of the company in a story headlined “Off the Mark: What's Gone Wrong With Target?” It looks at metrics and morale inside the retail giant. He joined MPR News host Nina Moini to explain.

A federal judge in St. Paul is set to hear the case of a 25-year-old Salvadoran mother who has been in ICE detention for more than two weeks. Antonia Aguilar Maldonado, who lives in Lake Elmo with her husband and two U.S. citizen children, was detained by Homeland Security agents in July while heading to work. An immigration judge granted her release on a $10,000 bond, but ICE blocked it using a policy aimed at restricting bond for individuals who entered the U.S. without inspection. Her attorneys argue the policy shouldn't apply to her, given her age at entry and full compliance with immigration proceedings.MPR News senior reporter Sarah Thamer has been following the story and joined MPR News host Nina Moini with the latest on the case.Read more: Minnesota mother remains in ICE custody despite judge's release order

Since 2018, the Association on American Indian Affairs, based in Washington, D.C., has tracked potentially sensitive Native items sold at auctions around the world. Many of these items hold spiritual or cultural significance for tribes across the United States.The organization has found an ally in Revere Auctions, a St. Paul-based auction house believed to be the only one in the country with a formal process for repatriating Native American items. The process provides a pathway for returning items of spiritual importance to tribal governments.Shannon O'Loughlin, a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the CEO and attorney for the Association on American Indian Affairs, and Sean Blanchet, co-founder of Revere Auctions, joined MPR News host Nina Moini to discuss this work.

St. Paul officials confirmed the cyberattack causing chaos in the city for the last two weeks was a ransomware attack. How does a ransomware attack impact a city? We'll break down what this means and how the city may be recovering with an expert from Metro State University.Minneapolis is holding its tenth Trans Equity Summit . The event provides workshops and resources to the trans community. An organizer will join us to reflect the summit's impact. And, today is the Minneapolis Civil Rights Department Director's last day on the job. Michelle Phillips will join us for an exit interview. Plus, the Vikings won their first preseason game over the weekend. We'll get the weekly sports roundup from our contributors Wally and Eric.Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Basketball” by Kurtis Blow and our Song of the Day was “Guitars Pickin', Fiddles Playin'“ by Goose Creek Symphony.

J.J. McCarthy is back in the game. The Vikings quarterback took to the field at U.S. Bank stadium Saturday — a year after he tore his meniscus. The injury ended his rookie season. He said at a press conference this weekend that it felt “unbelievable” to compete again.McCarthy played for only the beginning of the game. He completed his first four passes. The Vikings beat the Houston Texans 20 to 10 in the first game of the preseason. Joining Minnesota Now to talk about it are our sports contributors, Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson.

Monday is the last day on the job for Minneapolis Civil Rights Department director Michelle Phillips. She announced in June that she is leaving for another position. She'll be the Assistant City Administrator in Oakland, California — where previously she was that city's first inspector general. Phillips joined the Minneapolis Civil Rights department just over a year ago. She faced turmoil in the process of investigating police misconduct and a long backlog of complaints. The city has since made progress on that backlog, according to the independent monitor that is overseeing its court-ordered police reforms. Phillips joined Minnesota Now to reflect on her time working in her position.

The city of Minneapolis is holding its annual Trans Equity Summit on Monday. It's a day-long event that was created in 2014 to share ideas on how to lift up the city's transgender community. Hundreds gathered at the the University of Minnesota for discussions, a resource fair and music. Shor Salkas is the LGBTQIA+ equity manager for the city of Minneapolis and helped to organize the summit. They joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini live from the summit.

St. Paul city officials say they hope to get systems back online by the end of the week, after what they're calling a ransomware attack. They said they have not paid the ransom.Mayor Melvin Carter says the city is going through “Operation Secure St. Paul,” which includes manually resetting the passwords of 3,500 city employees. To explain what a ransomware attack is, professor Faisal Kaleem joined Minnesota Now with Nina Moini. He's the director of cybersecurity and cyber operations programs at Metro State University.

An MPR news report shows that four Minneapolis police officers who have histories of using excessive force are now training other officers. We get the details from reporter Cari Spencer.The Bemidji area is still recovering from a massive summer storm. It will cost $9.8 million to repair the damage. But that's not quite enough to request federal aid. And we look at the Ojibwe community's memorial to the Sandy Lake tragedy.Plus, ever get too much produce from the farmer's market? We have tips on using it up and keeping it fresh.And we talk with an astronaut and flight surgeon from Minnesota who is going to space.

This time next year, NASA Astronaut Anil Menon will be in space. Dr. Menon is launching on his first mission to the International Space Station in June 2026. He's previously been a flight surgeon for NASA and SpaceX and treated astronauts from mission control. But before he was a physician or an astronaut, Dr. Menon was growing up in the Twin Cities. He joined guest host Chris Farrell on Minnesota Now to share more about how he's preparing to go to space.

Summer in Minnesota means an abundance of fresh, local produce. There are endless reasons to take advantage of it - it's healthy, it supports the local economy and it's delicious. MPR News producer Ellen Finn wants to dive in to everything the state's farms have to offer. but she's been struggling with food waste. So she reached out for some support from Jenny Breen, a chef and educator at the University of Minnesota. Our ask: Help me learn to cook with seasonal produce.Our professional: Jenny Breen, a chef and educator at the University of Minnesota.

A new MPR News investigation has found that several Minneapolis police trainers were accused of using excessive force in civil lawsuits the city settled before they received their current assignments.Police officials say the officers are well qualified and say it's not fair to judge the officers' fitness for the job based on lawsuits or complaints.Reporter Cari Spencer broke this story and joined Minnesota Now to talk about the latest.

Metro Transit is proposing to end the once-popular North Star Commuter Rail and replace it with a bus line. We learn about what impact this could have on public transit. The owners of the beef snack company Jack Link's spent millions on President Donald Trump's campaign. But now the company may be at odds with the administration's goals on healthier eating. Plus, are we in for more smoky skies? MPR Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner joins with the answer.And they are known to millions of followers as Squirmy and Grubs. We talk to Minnesotans Shane and Hannah Burcaw about their new book exploring interabled relationships.Today's Minnesota Music Minute was “Raspberry Beret” by Prince and “The Eagle Flies“ by J-Rex was the Song of the Day.

A Minnesota couple with a wildly popular social media following is out with a new book about relationships — specifically, relationships like theirs where one person has a disability and the other person does not.You may know Shane and Hannah Burcaw from their YouTube channel called Squirmy and Grubs, which has 1.85 million subscribers. They wrote the book “Interabled,” about how they and other couples see each other and navigate the world. Hannah and Shane join MPR News producer Ellen Finn to talk about it.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Metropolitan Council will review a plan by Metro Transit to end the Northstar Commuter Rail service and transition it to a bus line. The train currently runs between Target Field in Minneapolis through the northwest metro and all the way to Sherburne County, a 40-mile route. Ridership during the pandemic plunged and never fully recovered. If the Met Council adopts the proposal, the Northstar Commuter Rail could end in January. For more on what this would mean for public transit, Minnesota Now guest host Chris Farrell talks with Eric Lind, the director of the Accessibility Observatory at the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota.

Mortgages make up about 70 percent of household debt and we're told to pay off that debt before retiring. But over three decades, data show more people are still paying their home loans after retirement and what is owed has increased dramatically. Minnesota Now guest host Chris Farrell takes a closer look in the next installment of the series, “Buy Now, Pay Later.”This series is in partnership with Next Avenue, a non-profit news platform for older adults, produced by Twin Cities PBS.

An air quality alert for northeast Minnesota was extended to 7 p.m. Wednesday. The rest of the state had a few days of clearer air. MPR Chief Meteorologist joins Minnesota Now guest host Chris Farrell with the latest on air quality and the chance of storms.

You have probably heard of Jack Link's, the world's largest manufacturer of meat snacks. Its beef jerky and beef sticks are popular gas station snacks, and Jack Link's also sells its products to school districts for school lunches. The company has dual headquarters in Minneapolis and northwestern Wisconsin. What you may not know is that the owners of the company spent millions on Donald Trump's presidential campaign, a move that has given them access to the White House. But now, Jack Link's and the processed meat industry are caught between conflicting ideologies in the Trump administration over the future of food policy. Reporter John McCracken has been looking into Jack Link's lobbying efforts for Investigate Midwest. He joins Minnesota Now guest host Chris Farrell to talk about the story. MPR News also reached out to Jack Link's for comment, but did not receive a response before the broadcast.

The state of Minnesota recently announced it will end a stable housing program after federal investigators found evidence of fraud. We heard from a housing organization about the impact. Farmfest got underway Tuesday, drawing farmers from across the state to network and talk about all things Minnesota agriculture. We talked to a YouTuber known as the Millennial Farmer.We learned what one Iowa university is doing to attract out-of-state students. South of the Twin Cities is the largest Cambodian Buddhist temple in the country. This weekend it will unveil a ‘Great Gate,' an entrance to the temple that has been years in the making.Today's Minnesota Music Minute was “Empty Seat” by Cassandra Johnson. Our Song of the Day was “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye.

This weekend, monks and other visitors from all over the world will gather near the small town of Hampton just south of the Twin Cities. It's home to the Watt Munisotaram, which is the largest Cambodian Buddhist temple in the United States. In a new photo essay, Sahan Journal multimedia journalist Dymanh Chhoun shares scenes from the construction of a large, ornate gate at the temple's entrance. The Great Gate is almost complete after years of fundraising and construction. He joined MPR News guest host Chris Farrell in the studio to talk about it.

Tuesday kicks off an annual gathering of farmers from across Minnesota. It's Farmfest, which will take place in Morgan in the southwest part of the state. It will include hundreds of exhibitors, vendors and forums.  Zach Johnson is a sixth-generation farmer in west central Minnesota and is known to his 1 million YouTube followers as the Millennial Farmer. He joined MPR News guest host Chris Farrell to talk about what Farmfest is all about.

A new academic year begins at the end of August. Minnesota college freshmen headed to one Iowa school will be able to pay in-state tuition. The Iowa Board of Regents recently approved a plan to offer that discount to new University of Northern Iowa undergraduates from six neighboring states.   The university is in Cedar Falls, which is about a two-hour drive from Rochester. Its tuition deal for students across the Iowa border is one of many strategies that institutions have used as enrollment has dipped around the country.      Vanessa Miller is a higher education reporter for the Iowa newspaper, The Gazette. She joined MPR News guest host Chris Farrell to talk about her reporting on the tuition deal.

Housing social workers and advocates are facing the fallout of the cancellation of the Department of Human Service's housing stabilization program due to alleged fraud. DHS found 77 providers with credible allegations of wrongdoing and terminated the program.But there are hundreds of other organizations that were using the program in earnest to help Minnesotans find housing. Local organization Avivo helps thousands of Minnesotans find stable housing. John Tribbett is a service area director in Avivo's Ending Homelessness division. MPR News guest host Chris Farrell talked to Tribbett about his reaction when he heard the state was shutting down the program.