Minnesota Now

State lawmakers are getting involved in the financial crisis at Hennepin County Medical Center. Without action, the county warns the hospital could close by June. One lawmaker shared how he's trying to keep the busy Hennepin County trauma center open.After the murder of George Floyd, local nonprofits were overwhelmed by millions of dollars of donations. How one is still working to redistribute that money.And taxes are due next week! We got some last minute tips in the new episode of our series, Professional Help.Plus, a 90-year tradition is returning to the Twin Cities after a hiatus: The International Festival of Minnesota.Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Mexico” by 12 Rods. Our Song of the Day was “Sometimes, Not Always” by Mike Munson Trio.

We all need a little help to get through life sometimes. From everyday questions to more complex problems, we're asking the experts to lend us a hand in our series called Professional Help.The tax deadline is less than a week away, on April 15. If you haven't completed your taxes yet, you are far from alone. Even David Horn, the Master of Business Taxation Director at the University of Minnesota, told producer Ellen Finn that he hadn't completed his taxes just yet as early April rolled around. He has tips on how to get started, even if you're running behind.

Imagine walking through a festival and to your right, you smell sambusas from Somalia. And then to your left you hear the music of a Mexican Mariachi band. That is the multicultural experience you can have this weekend at the International Festival of Minnesota. If you grew up here or had kids here, you may remember attending its former namesake, the Festival of Nations. It ran nearly 90 years, and was the Midwest's oldest and longest-running annual multicultural celebration. It drew 30,000 people to the RiverCentre when it was last held in 2019. Due to the pandemic and rising costs, the event came to an end. But now it is back and it kicks off Friday. Steve Heckler is the executive director of the International Festival of Minnesota and he joined MPR News host Emily Bright to talk about this weekend's celebrations.

An effort is underway to redistribute $500,000 of funds raised following the murder of George Floyd in the summer of 2020. In total, Black Visions — along with an off-shoot organization Reclaim the Block — received some $30 million following the killing of George Floyd. Black Visions said more than $9 million have been redistributed already to other Black-led efforts across the state.Now, Black Visions is creating a new grant to share more of that money. Working in partnership with Headwaters Foundation for Justice, the goal is to provide immediate cash relief to Black Minnesotans facing hardship. Individuals can apply for one-time funding of $1,500, $2,000 or $5,000. Black Visions formed in August 2017 and was at the center of an effort to replace the Minneapolis Police Department in the wake of George Floyd's murder. Tiffany Dykes, director of development at Black Visions, shared more about the fund.

State lawmakers have begun to discuss a bill to help address the financial crisis at HCMC. The Hennepin County hospital is the state's busiest trauma center. It's also a teaching hospital and part of the healthcare safety net. It treats patients regardless of insurance. The hospital faces a $50 million projected shortfall this year. It slashed programs and positions in January. But Hennepin County commissioners have said that without action from state lawmakers, the hospital could begin closing in June. Lawmakers have responded with a proposal to use sales tax money to help cover the hospital's costs. During a House taxes committee meeting Thursday, former patients and healthcare providers testified in support of the bill, including Dr. Tom Wyatt, the hospital's emergency medicine chair.Rep. Danny Nadeau, R-Rogers, is a co-author on the bill and he spoke with guest host Emily Bright about his legislation.

In the last three months, a coalition of foundations have distributed millions of dollars in donations to support communities impacted by the federal immigration operation. We learned how they worked to quickly distribute money to those who needed it most.Minneapolis Public Schools students are all back in-person, with the district ending e-learning for students that were too scared to leave their homes. A district leader shared how staff are making sure kids are coming back to class. Plus, Minnesota is celebrating 75 years of Wildlife Management Areas, lands the Department of Natural Resources says have played an important role in protecting habitat. And we went “Out to Lunch” with a domestic violence advocate who is making sure African immigrant communities aren't left behind.

A group of philanthropic leaders say they have managed to raise and give out millions of dollars to organizations across the state in the span of just a few months. The Immigrant Rapid Response Fund will wrap up its final round of grantmaking this week. In total, nearly $14 million dollars will be distributed to more than 140 organizations.Ambar Hanson, the executive director of the Mortenson Family Foundation, shared more about their work on Minnesota Now.

On Minnesota Now, we hear from many different people in Minnesota over the phone and in the studio. But we don't often meet them in the community, where news and life happens. In our “Out to Lunch” series, MPR News host Nina Moini sits down for a meal with people from Minnesota news and culture to get to know them better.Comfort Dondo has spent her career supporting women who have experienced domestic violence in the Twin Cities and beyond. She founded the nonprofit Phumulani in 2017 and has had her hands in community anti-violence and empowerment projects throughout the twenty years she's lived in the Twin Cities, after moving here from Zimbabwe as a teen. She met MPR News host Nina Moini at a restaurant that she said reminded her of home, Bolé Ethiopian Cuisine in St. Paul.

The “Land of 10,000 Lakes” is also the land of 10 million acres of wetlands. That may sound like a lot, but it is just about half the wetlands that existed in Minnesota before European settlement, according to the Department of Natural Resources. In the mid-20th century, government policies incentivized farmers to drain or fill wetlands, and crops spread across areas that were critical to birds and other wildlife. A movement to protect and recover wetlands grew into a system of state lands called Wildlife Management Areas. This year, the DNR is celebrating the 75th anniversary of this conservation strategy, which now includes about 1,500 WMAs across a variety of habitats. DNR Wildlife Section Manager Dave Trauba joined MPR News host Emily Bright to talk about the history and future of these areas.

Minneapolis Public Schools students returned from spring break this week as the district ended a temporary virtual option it launched in January. The purpose of that option was to sustain learning for students who were afraid to leave their homes during the surge of federal immigration agents to the state. More than 6,000 students used the virtual option at one point or another, according to the district. As they worked to support learning, educators raised concerns that immigrant students and students of color could experience a repeat of the academic losses and absenteeism that followed the COVID-19 pandemic. MPS Director of Student Retention and Recovery Colleen Kaibel joined MPR News host Emily Bright to reflect on the surge's impact on attendance and talk about her office's work moving forward.

President Donald Trump issued new threats against civilian infrastructure in Iran Tuesday. He's set an 8 p.m. EST deadline for the country to agree to a deal. We'll talk with the leader of one group in Minnesota's Iranian community. A viral video gives a glimpse into the lives of kids in Minneapolis who are bearing the impacts of events like the Annunciation shooting and the ICE surge. We'll talk with a therapist about how trauma impacts children and how to help. A plan to expand a dairy operation in West Central Minnesota is getting pushback from some neighbors and environmental advocates. We'll talk with a reporter who's been covering the proposal and the controversy. We'll get the latest on Minnesota sports from our sports contributors. Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Who's This?” by Ber. Our Song of the Day was “Cut Your Hair” by Pavement.

A Minneapolis woman went viral for sharing her experience at a playground - she said her story illustrates the trauma children in Minnesota are living with after the ICE surge and after the Annunciation school shooting in 2025.MPR News host Kelly Gordon talked with Ana Mariella Rivera, a therapist in St. Paul about how children are processing the impact of both traumatic events.

President Donald Trump is warning of a major escalation in the war in Iran, posting on social media Tuesday morning that a “whole civilization will die tonight.” Trump set a deadline of 7 p.m. Central for Iranian leaders to agree to a deal that include reopening the Strait of Hormuz or else the military will target bridges and power plants. Parham Alaei is the co-founder of the Minnesota Committee in Support of a Democratic Iran. He joined MPR News host Kelly Gordon to talk about his family back in Iran and the escalation this week.

If you stayed up for the men's NCAA championship Monday night, chances are today you're either celebrating or crumpling up your bracket and throwing it in the trash. While March Madness has officially come to a close, here at home the Twins are shaking off a strange home opener, and the Timberwolves are eyeing the playoffs. Minnesota Now sports contributors Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson joined Kelly Gordon to share the top local sports headlines.

A dairy company in west-central Minnesota has plans to expand one of its farms to become the state's largest dairy operation. It is raising concern from some local residents and environmental advocates. Riverview LLP, which runs West River Dairy near Morris says it's trying to increase capacity to meet growing demand across the country and world. Meanwhile, opponents say the move will hurt smaller dairy farms and the environment. The proposal is under review by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Michael Johnson, a news editor for Agweek who has been following the story, joined MPR News host Kelly Gordon to talk about what risks the expansion could have to the environment and what locals are saying.

Mobile home park prices in the state are at risk of rising. What lawmakers say will keep those prices low. Plus, a decades-old food pantry abruptly shut its doors. Why its more than 80 locations are now closed.It's been months since the U.S. blockaded Cuba's oil supply to pressure the government to fall. It's caused power outages at hospitals there. We heard from a Minnesotan who has been there to help. And a high schooler is the first in the state to be recognized with a language certificate in Ojibwe. He shared his educational journey with us.Plus, there's just one finalist for a James Beard award in Minnesota. He's a sushi chef. We spoke to him about his craft.The Minnesota Music Minute was Ludwig van Beethoven's “Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor”, performed by the Minnesota Orchestra. "Headed West" by Old Oaks was the Song of the Day.

Starting at the beginning of 2026, the U.S. government effectively cut Cuba off from receiving oil shipments in an effort to force a regime change in the country. The blockade has led to frequent nationwide blackouts and the lack of gasoline is now debilitating hospitals, the food supply and public transportation.Teddie Potter is a former nursing professor with the University of Minnesota who now she spends her time leading a health nonprofit called “Medical Education Cooperation with Cuba.” She's been spending a lot of time in Cuba and shared more about what she's seen as well as her work there on Minnesota Now.

Out of five nominees for this year's James Beard Award for Best Chef: Midwest, three specialize in sushi and Japanese cuisine. Among them is Shigeyuki Furukawa, the only Minnesota chef named a finalist this year in any category. This is the second year in a row he's been nominated. Karyn Tomlinson of Myriel in St. Paul won the award in 2025. Furukawa co-owns Kado no Mise, which means “corner restaurant” in Japanese. Wednesdays through Sundays, he and his team serve a tasting menu of delicate, traditional sushi. On Tuesdays, they offer a different concept: ten courses drawn from a centuries-old cooking tradition called “kaiseki.” He also has a Japanese whiskey bar tucked in the same building. Chef Furukawa joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the nomination and his approach to food.

In Minnesota, high school students can earn college credit for proficiency in a language besides English. The Minnesota Bilingual Seals Program has been around since 2014 to help recognize multilingualism as an asset. The program recognizes 32 languages and this year for the very first time, a student was awarded a World Language Proficiency Certificate for Ojibwe. Tecumseh Fahrlander is a senior at Hinckley-Finlayson High School and is a member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. He spoke with Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about the experience alongside Annie Huberty, the director of American Indian education at the Minnesota Department of Education.

For many people, mobile home parks are an affordable place to raise a family or retire. But manufactured housing is also big business in Minnesota for out-of-state buyers. Cait Kelley shared her reporting on a bill before the Minnesota Legislature that aims to keep parks budget-friendly.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday morning in a landmark case about birthright citizenship. It stems from an executive order from President Trump that aims to end the constitutional protection. A constitutional law expert joined Minnesota Now to explain what happened in the hearing. Starting Wednesday, thousands of Minnesotans may no longer be eligible for SNAP food benefits. We talked about who's impacted and what resources are available. Plus, there are not one but two storms in the forecast, with the potential to bring snow. MPR Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner shared details.We learned about a local nonprofit publishing the work of incarcerated writers. And a new archive is digitizing thousands of songs to preserve Minnesota's rich music history.The Minnesota Music Minute was “Sometimes It Snows in April” by Prince. “What a Fool Believes” by the Doobie Brothers was the Song of the Day.

Thousands of Minnesotans could lose access to federal food benefits beginning Wednesday, April 1, due to changes to work rules for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.These changes came as part of HR 1, the massive reconciliation bill signed into law in July 2025.Barb Dahl, health and human services director for Scott County, and Rachel Holmes, director of advocacy and community engagement with The Food Group, laid out what people should know in an interview with Minnesota Now host Nina Moini.

Thousands of musicians make up Minnesota's deep and wide-ranging music scene: from polka halls to hip-hop studios, basement punk shows to internationally-known classical performers. An ambitious new project is trying to capture all of it in one place. The Diverse Emerging Music Organization, or DEMO, has relied on a small staff and many volunteers for years to meet one goal: to collect, digitize and preserve all music released by Minnesota artists. The archive launched Wednesday and DEMO is throwing a launch party Thursday night to celebrate. DEMO Executive Director Mitch Thompson joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about it.

For more than a decade, the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop has provided creative writing classes to people in Minnesota correctional facilities. That work has led to the creation of a first-of-its-kind national independent press. Led by an editorial board of both people impacted by the carceral system and those without these experiences, Lost Kite Editions aims to publish writing from across genres and communities. For more about the project, MPR News host Nina Moini talked with Mike Alberti, executive director of the Minnesota Prison Writing Project, and Zeke Caligiuri, a documentarian and Lost Kite Editions director of archives.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday morning in a case that could reshape the constitutional right to birthright citizenship. President Donald Trump, in one of his first moves in office in January 2025, issued an executive order that sought to end birthright citizenship. That led to a flurry of lower court challenges that's made its way to the highest court in the land. If the court rules to limit or end constitutional protections for birthright citizenship, that could mean some 250,000 children born in the U.S. each year would be without citizenship. University of Minnesota professor and constitutional law expert Jill Hasday was listening in on the arguments and joined MPR News host Nina Moini to explain.

New data shows federal immigration agents arrested more than 3,700 Minnesotans during their surge to the state this winter. And fewer than a quarter of those who were arrested had criminal convictions. We'll talk with two reporters who dug into these numbers about what they found. Tuesday would have formally celebrated the farm labor leader Cesar Chavez. But several states including Minnesota repealed the honorary day following allegations of sexual abuse. We'll talk about the complicated emotions surrounding this day.Heightened immigration enforcement is putting pressure on Minnesota's international adoptee communities. We'll hear from acclaimed Minneapolis author Louise Erdrich about her new book of short stories.Our Minnesota Music Minute was “What I Love the Most” by Lanue and our Song of the Day was “Dark was the Night Cold was the Ground” by Ben Gateno.

Attorney Gregory Luce is working to help international adoptees secure documents they need to prove their legal status, as the Trump administration pursues its goals of widespread immigration enforcement. The state is home to a number of international, otherwise known as intercountry, adoptees, including the nation's highest concentration of adoptees from South Korea. Many people, adoptees and parents included, might have assumed that anyone adopted by U.S. citizens would also have citizenship. But that's not always the case. Gregory Luce is an attorney and founder of the Adoptee Rights Law Center, based in Minneapolis. He has been helping adoptees navigate what's become a precarious situation for some and joined MPR News host Nina Moini to explain the gaps in citizenship some adoptees face.

For the past 11 years, the state of Minnesota has officially celebrated Cesar Chavez, the iconic farm labor leader on his birthday, March 31. Until this year. Governor Walz signed a bill to repeal the holiday, weeks after The New York Times reported allegations that Chavez sexually assaulted multiple women and girls, including a co-leader of the farmworker movement, Dolores Huerta.The news has shocked and hurt many who revered Chavez, especially Latinos who are sexual assault survivors. Esperanza United is a national organization, founded in Minnesota, that is focused on ending gender-based violence in Latino communities. The organization's president and CEO, Vivian Huelgo joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about how she is approaching the day.

Federal agents arrested more than 3,700 Minnesota residents during the federal government's surge into the state this winter, according to new data released through a federal lawsuit. It's the most nuanced data the federal government has released since the surge and includes the location where at least 3,789 people were arrested, their countries of origin and whether they have a criminal history. The data was released by the Deportation Data Project via a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. MPR News host Nina Moini talked to Jon Collins and Kate Martin about their reporting on the numbers.

Organizers with No Kings rallies across Minnesota imparted clear instructions, don't let the energy fade before the midterm election. Spring planting season is just around the corner, but with the war in Iran stretching into the second month, Minnesota farmers are facing tough decisions. We'll check back in with one farmer.State lawmakers are on break after reaching their first major deadline Friday. Our politics reporter Dana Ferguson will have a round up of what they've managed to accomplish so far and which bills are still alive as the session nears the halfway mark. Plus, we'll meet two Minnesota shrimp farmers who own the country's only inland hatchery. Why they're asking for help to stay afloat and what it would mean for the state's developing shrimp industry if they shut down.Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Castles” by Mason Jennings and our Song of the Day was “Saving the Beard of the Dragon” by Purple Funk Metropolis.

The Minnesota Twins are getting back into the swing of things. Their home opener at Target Field is this Friday. Plus, the high school boys basketball championships this weekend had it all: a storybook ending for a Cinderella team and a last-second steal by a powerhouse.And the sports world is mourning the loss of two Vikings greats Joey Browner and Jeff Siemon. Minnesota Now sports contributors Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson joined the program to talk about the top sports headlines.

The country's only inland shrimp hatchery — which happens to be in Minnesota — is asking for help to stay afloat. Minnesota Shrimp got its start five years ago and they had just started to see profitability when they ran into two big setbacks: the bankruptcy of a major customer and a faulty order of shrimp. It put them on the brink of closure just as things were getting going.Barbara Frank and Paul Damhof are the owners of Minnesota Shrimp. They spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about how the shrimp farming industry and the struggles its facing.

State lawmakers are on recess this week after reaching their first major legislative deadline on Friday. It's a key point in the session when bills need to clear committees to stay alive. That means we're nearly at the halfway mark of what's already been a tense and high-stakes year at the Capitol. The session began amid fallout from a major ICE surge in the state, along with renewed concerns about fraud in state programs and ongoing debates over public safety. MPR News politics reporter Dana Ferguson joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to walk us through where things stand.

It's been one month since the war in Iran began. And financial concerns are growing for farmers as we inch closer to spring planting season. Dan Glessing is the president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation. He told Minnesota Now host Nina Moini when the war began that he was hopeful the war would be short-lived. Moini checked back in with Glessing to talk about what economic impacts Minnesota's farmers could see as a critical time in agriculture approaches.

Minneapolis is considering building a new police training center.And U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison is raising concerns about her visit to an immigration detention center in Texas, where some Minnesotans detained by ICE are being held.Thousands are expected to gather in St. Paul on Saturday for the third No Kings rally to protest President Trump's policies. St. Paul police shared more about their safety plans.Plus, we are just beginning to understand the wide-ranging impact of the ICE surge here in Minnesota. A new survey has some insight. And excitement is growing for the U of M's women's basketball team and its journey to a championship. We spoke to the high school coach of a star player.

It was one of those sports moments that felt like magic: a close game that would decide who went home, and who moved on in the NCAA women's basketball tournament. Then Gopher guard Amaya Battle got the ball and shot a perfect, game-winning swish with less than a second left on the clock. Battle's former coaches, Tara Starks and Alexis Garcia, watched from Hopkins High School as the University of Minnesota beat Ole Miss, earning a ticket to the Sweet 16 for the first time in more than 20 years. Hopkins head girls basketball coach Tara Starks joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about Battle and the big upcoming game.

Findings from one of the first comprehensive surveys of the impacts of the surge of federal agents are out — and they show there were broad negative effects on people in the Twin Cities. The U.S. Immigration Policy Center at the University of California San Diego is behind the research. Between mid-February and early March, they surveyed more than 700 people in Minneapolis and more than 600 people in St. Paul. Tom Wong, the director of the center, joined Minnesota Now to break down the economic, health, education, and public safety impacts the study found.

Tens of thousands of people from across Minnesota and across the country are expected in St. Paul on Saturday for the No Kings rally. The political protest at the State Capitol is the flagship event on a day when thousands of other rallies are planned across the country. The event is protesting Trump administration policies. It will feature local officials and activists, alongside celebrities like Jane Fonda, Bruce Springsteen and Joan Baez. This is the third No Kings rally since President Donald Trump took office and organizers expect Saturday's event to be the biggest.State and local law enforcement are making security plans to keep the event here in St. Paul safe. St. Paul Police Deputy Chief Kurt Hallstrom spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about the plans.

The Minneapolis City Council is set to vote Thursday on funding for a new police and emergency responder training facility.A proposal before the council would allocate close to $5.6 million to acquire land for the facility. The money would come out of other parts of the city budget, including animal control and traffic safety.MPR News reporter Estelle Timar-Wilcox joins Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to provide an update.Read the latest on this story at MPRnews.org.

Minnesota officials are suing the Trump administration for access to evidence in the three shootings by federal officers.Plus, the city of Brooklyn Park is having a group home boom, but city leaders are questioning how well some of these facilities are caring for vulnerable residents.Two women in Minnesota died in domestic violence incidents 12 days apart. Their cases bring to light the legal limitations of orders for protection. Plus, a new business incubator has opened in the historic Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul. Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner shared how long the warm weather may last.And an event series uses headscarves as a starting place for connection and storytelling. The Minnesota Music Minute was “butterflies” by runo plum. “Bona Fide“ by Charlieboy was the Song of the Day.

The clothes people wear often tell stories about who we are and that can be especially true with what we wear on our heads. Headscarves, headdresses and other head coverings hold religious and cultural significance across many groups. For years, Rose McGee has gathered Minnesota women together to share about their lives, backgrounds and style, with headscarves as a starting place. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about a Headscarf Story Circle happening in Rochester Saturday. The event is the second of a three-part series organized by the Minnesota Humanities Center and Rochester Women's Magazine.

A new retail and business incubator space has officially opened in the historic Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul. Rondo Exchange on Selby Avenue is now home to four new businesses that span photography, visual art, self-care products and digital illustration. The Rondo Community Land Trust is behind the incubator, which aims to provide retail space and support to creative entrepreneurs. The land trust's larger mission is to foster community wealth and stability in Rondo, a community that was fractured more than 60 years ago when the construction of I-94 displaced many long-term residents from the predominantly-Black neighborhood.Mikeya Griffin, president and CEO of the Rondo Community Land Trust, joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about Rondo Exchange.