Minnesota Now

Becca Good has spoken publicly for the first time since her partner, Renee Good, was killed by an ICE agent in January. We learned more about her family's lawsuit against the agent and federal officials.Also, St. Paul has released the full sexual harassment investigation of its mayor, Kaohly Her.And Minnesota band Wild Horses has a new album. We got a first listen.

The city of St. Paul released Thursday the full report of the investigation into allegations against Mayor Kaohly Her. The city's police chief, Axel Henry, alleged Mayor Her sexually harassed him and that city employees retaliated against him after he complained. The city had previously released a summary of the investigation but this full redacted report comes after City Council members called for its release.St. Paul council member Molly Coleman, who represents Ward 4 in the northwestern corner of the city, was among those who called for the full document. She spoke with Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about the release and MPR News reporter Melissa Olson shared details from the report.

For some musicians, quitting your day job to start a band might sound like a pretty big gamble. But for Jed and Ariana LaPlant of Grand Rapids, it was the beginning of a new life on the road — and the start of Wild Horses. The group draws on bluegrass, old-time and country traditions that run deep in Jed's family. Five years after forming the band, they're releasing a new album Friday called “The In Between.” Jed LaPlant gave Minnesota Now a sneak peak of the album.

The Justice Department filed a misconduct claim against federal judges in Minnesota for speaking to the press about Operation Metro Surge. Plus, we broke down statewide student test scores released Wednesday. The University of St. Thomas law school is looking back on Operation Metro Surge and how states can hold the federal government accountable when they break the law. Plus, we talked to the journalists behind a new media platform telling stories of the Somali community. And Chief Meteorologist Ben Cathey shared the fall forecast. Plus, The Heights movie theater in Columbia Heights is celebrating 100 years of showing everything from classic films to blockbuster hits. The Minnesota Music Minute was “The Resurrection” by Andre Cymone and “This Just In” by Dilly Dally Alley was the Song of the Day.

From silent cinema to modern movies, only one movie theater in the Twin Cities can say it has lived through it all. The Heights Theater in Columbia Heights has been running for 100 years. The one-screen theater has been through a lot in that time, as has the movie industry, and The Heights will celebrate its legacy starting Thursday, Oct. 1st. Co-owner Ryan Oestreich joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the centennial celebration.

There are more than a quarter million Somali Americans in the U.S. and more than 80,000 in Minnesota. The diaspora is a frequent target of attacks from the White House down to online influencers and commenters. Two Minnesota journalists aim to combat racist misinformation and fill coverage gaps with true stories about Somali American life, with a new digital platform called The Somali Brief. Founder Mukhtar Ibrahim has been rethinking how to cover immigrant communities in Minnesota for years. He worked for the Star Tribune and at MPR News before founding Sahan Journal in 2019. Journalist Ubah Ali became the Twin Cities' first Somali-American TV news reporter when she started at WCCO a few years ago. Now, she's lead reporter for The Somali Brief. They joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the new venture.

Legal experts from around the country are convening at the University of St. Thomas Friday to explore the constitutional questions that came out of this winter's surge of federal agents to Minnesota. The event looks at the power and limitations states have to hold the federal governmental accountable for unlawful actions. MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with University of St. Thomas law professor Rachel Moran, who was a part of shaping the event and will moderate one of its panels.

The Minnesota Department of Education has released the results of this year's Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments. Fewer than half of students statewide who were tested met math and reading standards. MPR News education reporter Elizabeth Shockman joined Minnesota Now to explain. Then, MPR News host Nina Moini talked with MDE Assistant Commissioner Bobbie Burnham about the test results as well as changing literacy standards and curriculum in the state.

A northwestern Minnesota school board voted Monday night to roll back a ban on rainbow stickers after being sued by the ACLU. The board's now considering a new policy. Fargo-Moorhead reporter Harshawn Ratanpal joined Minnesota Now with the latest from Detroit Lakes. One Minnesota university was the first to offer a master's degree in artificial intelligence and another is now joining them. We met two professors who championed these programs.A local author grew up hearing stories of the 1934 Minneapolis Teamsters strike from his dad. His effort to learn more about what happened led to a new book. We talked to a Minneapolis runner who's uplifting other Native women in her sport and organizing a remembrance run on Wednesday.Our Minnesota Music Minute was "spitball girl" by the band ditch pigeon, and our Song of the Day was "I Will Dare" by The Replacements.

Nearly a century ago, thousands of Minneapolis workers went on strike in the middle of the Great Depression. It turned violent and police shot dozens of strikers, killing two. Members of a Teamsters local were fighting for union recognition, better wages and limits on their working hours. The strike ultimately helped turn Minneapolis into what was known as a union town. Now, author John Hanson has written a new book about the strike, called “Fight & Win: Minneapolis Teamsters Strike, 1934." He joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about his personal connection to the story.

A Minnesota-based organization is leading its fifth-annual run on Sept. 30 to recognize National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. The day was created to honor Indigenous children who died at residential schools as well as survivors of the institutions, where they suffered abuse and forced separation from their families and cultures. Similar boarding schools existed in the United States. People in both countries wear orange shirts in remembrance each Sept. 30. Verna NezBegay Volker started the Run for the 215 event in 2021. She's from the Navajo Nation and founder and executive director of Native Women Running. MPR News host Nina Moini talked to her about five years of the event.

Artificial intelligence is everywhere in the headlines: from debates over data centers to concerns about the power of AI, elected officials and everyday people are figuring out the role of this technology in our lives. In greater Minnesota, two professors have recently pushed to add new master's degree programs on AI at their universities. They say it's needed to meet the challenges and opportunities of our time. MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with Minnesota State University Mankato professor Rajeev Bukralia, who helped launch the school's master's in AI program last year. Moini also spoke with Minnesota State University Moorhead professor Andrew Chen, who is helping the school launch its master's in AI program in fall 2027.

The Detroit Lakes School Board has been trying to remove rainbow stickers from school grounds for months. It met again Monday night to debate a new policy. MPR News reporter Harshawn Ratanpal was at the meeting and joined MPR News host Nina Moini with the latest in Detroit Lakes.

Voters this November will decide on a constitutional amendment that could change how much money public and charter schools get from a state trust. A breakdown of the Permanent School Fund and what's on the ballot.St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her is facing sexual harassment allegations from the police chief. We'll hear from one city council member on why she's calling for the release of the full report from a city investigation into the allegations.Plus, you may have heard about forever chemicals and just how hard they can be to remove. Researchers in St. Cloud may have found a way to actually destroy PFAS.Also, the Minnesota Vikings are off to a hot start for the season, while the Minnesota Lynx went cold for their playoff opener. Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Stranger Blues” by Lamont Cranston Band and our Song of the Day was “Blue Sky” by Push and Turn.

St. Paul City Council members Molly Coleman and Saura Jost are calling on the city to release the full report from the outside investigation into Mayor Kaohly Her. The city's HR department released a summary of the investigation earlier this month. It found that the mayor had behaved inappropriately with city employees but that her behavior did not constitute sexual harassment. The council members' call for the full report comes after St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry last week sued the mayor and the city, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation.MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with St. Paul City Council member Molly Coleman about the report and why she wants it released.Listen to the full conversation by clicking the player above.

Knock on wood, because the Minnesota Vikings are undefeated for the start of the season, after their 23-16 win Sunday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. On Monday, the team announced a trade with back up quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Lynx are off to a rough start in their playoff run. They lost 91-75 to the New York Liberty. Tuesday's game is a must-win for the Lynx to stay in the playoffs.Minnesota Now sports contributors Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini with the latest on local sports.

PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” were once thought of as impossible to remove from the environment. They're still seen as difficult and expensive to remove from wastewater, a common place for the PFAS to be found. A pilot project in St. Cloud tested a technology to do just that, and researchers found that the process they used destroyed more than 99 percent of the PFAS they tested. Luke Langner, the public services director for the city of St. Cloud and Andy McCabe an environmental engineer with Barr Engineering who conducted the pilot, joined Minnesota Now to talk about the technology.

On your ballot in November, you will be asked to vote on a constitutional amendment, which would make changes to what's called the Permanent School Fund. This fund is a trust, that supports every single public and charter school student in the state. Lawmakers are now asking taxpayers to vote to change the calculation of how much money is distributed to schools. This would allow schools to get access to more funding without raising taxes.Denise Dittrich is the director of government relations for the Minnesota School Board Association and a former Democratic state representative. She joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about the ballot measure.

St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry is suing Mayor Kaohly Her for sexual harassment and retaliation. We got more on the allegations in the lawsuit and next steps from MPR News reporter Matt Sepic.We also spoke to a midwife who helped support pregnant women whose families went into hiding during Operation Metro Surge earlier this year — and how her work has continued six months later.And the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge is celebrating 50 years of protecting thousands of acres along the Minnesota River.Plus, a preview of the final Minnesota Lynx game ahead of the playoffs and a new micro-cinema opening on the East Side of St. Paul. The Minnesota Music Minute was “Hey Big Dipper” by Humbird. The Song of the Day was “Forgiveness/Forgetness” by We Are the Willows.

If you're looking for a new place to catch everything from local indie films to the old classics, a brand new 36-seat micro-cinema theater opened Thursday on the East Side of St. Paul.The theater comes out of TriLingua Cinema, which has been running pop-up screenings for the last six years. It's located in the same building as the East Side Freedom Library. TriLingua Cinema executive director Sidney Pisano and board member Kazua Melissa Vang shared more about the theater on Minnesota Now.

Nearly 70 miles along the Minnesota River, from Bloomington to Henderson, sits more than 15,000 acres of preserved water and land. It's known as the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. This weekend, it's celebrating 50 years of habitat conservation and restoration. The manager of the refuge, Sonja Jahrsdoerfer, spoke more about the refuge on Minnesota Now.

During the height of the federal immigration enforcement operation this winter, life for many immigrants went underground. Volunteers delivered groceries. Kids stopped going to school. And some immigrants were skipping doctor's visits. Some of the immigrants in most need of care, were those who were pregnant. That's where Fernanda Honebrink stepped in. She's a midwife and founded Conexión during the surge. More than six months later, is continuing to help dozens of families.Honebrink spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about her work.

Minnesota's two candidates for governor, Lisa Demuth and Amy Klobuchar, are not aligned on politics. But they do share a common experience: they are both breast cancer survivors. How that diagnosis plays a role in how they shape policy.On Capitol Hill, Renee Good's mother and a witness to Alex Pretti's killing testified in hopes of accountability. Plus, a new report looks into how private equity has tapped into a popular autism therapy. We took a history tour of the St. Paul Downtown Airport as it celebrates 100 years. It's officially fall! Chief Meteorologist Ben Cathey shared the forecast. And we talked to the Minnesota Wild's new emergency back up goaltender and learn about the critical role that may never be used.

The Minnesota Wild open their season next week and this year, there's a new person on the team who could have an unusual job on game night. Peter Thome is the Wild's new EBUG, or emergency backup goaltender. For years, EBUGs have typically been local hockey players or fans who volunteer to suit up in the extremely unlikely event that a team loses both of its regular goaltenders. But the NHL is changing the way it handles that role this season, with every team now having a designated EBUG as part of its staff. Thome joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about how the role works, how he ended up with this very unusual job and what happens if he actually has to play.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport may be the go-to for many Minnesotans and a hub for Delta Air Lines. But decades ago, the St. Paul Downtown Airport was the epicenter of aviation for Minnesota. It was there that the first private airmail route for the Midwest originated and where Northwest Airlines built up its operations before eventually merging with Delta. Bruce Kitt, archive manager of the Northwest Airlines History Center, joined MPR News host Nina Moini for a history tour of the St. Paul airport, which commemorates a hundred years of service Thursday.

Thursday will be a year since the first charges were filed in an investigation into fraud in autism therapy in Minnesota. It added fuel to calls for more oversight and accountability in state government. A new report finds a different phenomenon in autism therapy nationwide: a treatment dominating the industry, driven partly by private equity. The education news site The 74 found that between 2019 and 2024, annual Medicaid billing for what's called Applied Behavioral Analysis grew from $400 million a year to nearly $2 billion. Many of the largest providers were backed by private equity firms. Beth Hawkins, the Minnesota-based senior writer and national correspondent for The 74, reported the story with data journalist Nicholas Perez.

The murder trial of Lindsay Clancy in Massachusetts set off calls for more support for parents who are struggling with mental health after childbirth. For more on postpartum mental illness, MPR News host Nina Moini talked with Dr. Helen Kim, a psychiatrist and co-founder of the Hennepin Healthcare Mother-Baby Program and Redleaf Center for Family Healing in Minneapolis. Then, she spoke with Naomi Gaines-Young, a mother whose own experience of the condition led to the death of one son and more than a decade in prison.

The city of New Richland is cleaning up after heavy rain damaged an estimated three-quarters of homes in the small southern Minnesota town. We'll talk to the city administrator about how they're responding and preparing for future floods.The Lindsay Clancy trial in Massachusetts set off a nationwide conversation about postpartum mental illness. A doctor will join the program to talk about signs and treatment. We'll also hear from a Minnesota mother whose symptoms led to tragedy more than 20 years ago. The driverless taxi company Waymo is testing in Minneapolis, but the city council is considering a rule that would require monitors behind the wheel.We'll meet a playwright who is workshopping a new musical in St. Cloud.Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Eureka Rd.” by Raymnd and our Song of the Day was "Home" by Clay Fulton and the Lost Forty.

This weekend actors in St. Cloud will take the stage to sing out scenes from a fascinating life. Eliza Lynch was an Irish woman who moved to Paris in the 1850s. There, she met Francisco Solano Lopez, the future authoritarian president of Paraguay. They returned to the South American country together. While they never married, Lynch was by Lopez's side as he led Paraguay into a catastrophic moment: a war estimated to have killed two-thirds of Paraguay's population. Eliza Lynch is the subject of “REINA: A New Musical” by Jorge Delgado. He talked to MPR News host Nina Moini about what drew him to Lynch's story and what he hopes audiences will take away from the musical.

Flood waters are starting to recede in the southern Minnesota city of New Richland, where more than half a foot of rain devastated the community over the weekend. The city is now starting to turn to recovery efforts and looking at how to prevent future flooding. New Richland city administrator Tyler Lendt joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about flooding recovery.

Minnesota truckers are feeling the pinch of soaring diesel prices. The current average statewide is still above $6. We heard from truck drivers on how they're making do and what it could mean for the industry long-term.Dozens of people looking into the impacts of this winter's immigration surge will gather Tuesday to share their findings. Plus, Mark Dayton is adding another title to his resume: author. The former U.S. senator and Minnesota governor sat down with MPR News to talk about his new memoir and his career in politics.And more changes are coming to federal food assistance. We heard how one county is preparing for what's ahead.Also, the Vikings are now 2-0 for the season after beating the Chicago Bears in the rain.The Minnesota Music Minute was “Darling” by Buffalo Galaxy and “Autumn Love” by Death Cab for Cutie was the Song of the Day.

On a soggy Sunday in Chicago, the Minnesota Vikings beat the Bears 9-3 in the rain. Meanwhile, Lynx guard Olivia Miles rained down more baskets, breaking Caitlin Clark's record to become the WNBA's highest-scoring rookie. Sports contributors Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson joined MPR News host Nina Moini for their weekly round-up of Minnesota sports.

A new set of changes to federal food assistance will take effect next week. County staff have implemented the work requirements and eligibility changes to SNAP that Congress passed in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” last year. On October 1st, they'll also take on more of the administrative costs of food aid. The federal government will provide a quarter of that funding, instead of half, a change the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families says will result in $32 million in cuts to counties. Counties are also preparing their budgets for October 2027, when they're expected to take on additional costs: a portion of the benefits people receive. Minnesota's Democratic U.S. Senators have pushed to delay the changes in the Farm Bill, a massive package of agricultural and food policy that passed out of committee last week. Scott County Social Services Director Barb Dahl is watching that debate and preparing for the cuts to federal SNAP funding. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini on Minnesota Now to talk about what the changes will mean for her county.

This winter's surge of federal agents left its mark on many Minnesotans. The full scope of the impact is still being pieced together. On Tuesday, dozens of researchers, journalists and community leaders will convene at the University of Minnesota to share findings on how the events of this winter continue to affect people across the state. The gathering is called “Documenting the Impact of U.S. DHS in Minnesota.” The progressive think tank North Star Policy Action was one of the organizations behind the event. For more, MPR News host Nina Moini talked with the group's executive director, Jake Schwitzer about the types of research included and how the data will be used.

The ICE agent who allegedly shot and wounded a man in Minneapolis in January was booked in jail in Minnesota after a legal fight to get him in custody. He made his first appearance in state court Thursday. We got all the latest details on that case.Ahead of November's midterm elections, leaders that supported Minnesotans during the surge this winter say they're now building on their goal of protecting democracy.Plus, community leaders are considering options for a long-term memorial to Alex Pretti.We also heard from Minnesota's champion skier Jessie Diggins about her grueling 100-mile trail run on the North Shore.And this weekend, thousands of inline skaters will be along the North Shore to skate a marathon.The Minnesota Music Minute was “2sday” by Rabeca. The Song of the Day was “Free” by Jillian Rae.

Minnesota is home to many inventions, including the rollerblade! It may come as no surprise in a state with so many skaters, skiers and hockey players. Well, this weekend, thousands of rollerblades will hit Highway 61 for the longest point-to-point inline skating marathon in the world. The race stretches from Two Harbors to Duluth. This Saturday, the NorthShore Inline Marathon will also celebrate 30 years.Joe Haggenmiller helps organize the event and Greg Ash is a longtime board member who has skated every previous marathon. They both joined Minnesota Now to talk more about the event and the milestone.

After federal agents shot and killed Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti in January, people flocked to the site of his death, near Nicollet Avenue and 26th Street in south Minneapolis, to lay flowers, notes and candles. Jadah Green lives nearby and has been taking care of the makeshift memorial since the beginning. Now, she and the neighborhood group called Whittier Alliance are calling on their neighbors to help plan for a more permanent memorial for Alex Pretti. She shared more with Minnesota Now host Nina Moini.

Early voting for the November midterms begins Friday. And ahead of this year's elections, a Minnesota organization has been working behind the scenes to build out what they're calling a “democracy protection initiative.” The effort evolves out of the response to this winter's surge of federal agents. COPAL, an organization centered on supporting Latino communities across the state, launched the Immigrant Defense Network, or IDN, last year. IDN trained some 30,000 constitutional observers to document and record interactions between ICE and Minnesotans during the surge. Now, they're leveraging the learnings to train “democracy protectors.”Francisco Segovia, executive director of COPAL, shared more about the initiative on Minnesota Now.

On Thursday, the ICE agent who shot and wounded a man in Minneapolis in January will make his first appearance in state court. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension took Christian Castro into custody Wednesday. He also faces federal charges for allegedly lying about the circumstances that surrounded the shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis. Reporter Matt Sepic joined Minnesota Now with the latest.

Minneapolis Public Schools has announced plans for potential school closures. As many as 16 buildings could lose K-12 programming. MPR News education reporter Elizabeth Shockman laid out the district's plan to address budget issues. And we heard from a parent in the district.We checked in with the city of St. Paul on homeless encampment closures, police drones, the budget and other issues in a conversation with City Council President Rebecca Noecker. A new report tracks the paths of high school students after graduation in greater Minnesota. And, is fall weather here to stay? MPR Chief meteorologist Ben Cathey shared the forecast. Plus, we talked to therapist Resmaa Menakem about his new Afrofuturist play, "Mothership," now showing at Penumbra Theatre.The Minnesota Music Minute was “American Midnight” by The Jayhawks and Turn Turn Turn's “Magnolia Tree” was the Song of the Day.

In a recent interview with host Sanni Brown for MPR's Carbon Sound, Minneapolis-based therapist and author Resmaa Menakem shared this advice for creatives: “Do the weird stuff. Play!” he said. “Creation springs from those types of things.”Menakem has a new creation. He teamed up with playwright Kristen Adele Calhoun to write an Afrofuturist play called “Mothership,” about five humans who flee Earth aboard a sentient spaceship. It is showing from Sept. 8 through Oct. 4 as the opening production of Penumbra Theatre's 50th anniversary season. Menakem joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about his latest work.

Minnesota's most recent high school graduates have spent this summer and fall beginning their next steps. What follows high school is different for each individual, but a new report identifies some patterns in the education and employment records of hundreds of thousands of people who graduated from 2008 to 2023 in greater Minnesota. Kelly Asche led this work for the Center for Rural Policy and Development. He joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the findings and what lessons they may hold for educators, policymakers and rural communities facing workforce gaps.