MPR News Update

Minnesotans get an opportunity to pay their final respects to former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman Friday. The Hortmans, along with their golden retriever Gilbert, will lie in state at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul Friday from noon to 5 p.m.State investigators say one of the Brooklyn Park police officers sent to check on Melissa Hortman the night of her slaying fired shots at the man suspected in the killings. A Michigan news outlet is reporting the deaths of two people at Isle Royale National Park earlier this month are being investigated as a murder-suicide. A woman who was shot while driving on Interstate 394 in Minneapolis last weekend has died.  The victim and another woman told police that someone shot into their car on the interstate on Sunday night. She drove to Hennepin County Medical Center with the wound, but died this week. No arrests have been made.For a second day in a row Thursday, there were reports of tornadoes as severe storms moved across southern Minnesota. The National Weather Service says spotters reported a tornado just east of Albert Lea — near Myre Big Island State Park. Emergency management also reported downed trees and power lines south of Albert Lea.The DNR says Lake Bemidji State Park reopens to the public Friday afternoon — nearly a week after a line of severe storms caused major damage in the park and the surrounding region. While the state park will be open for both day-use and camping, officials say most trails are still closed due to downed trees. The fishing pier and boat launch are also still closed.

The wife of Vance Boelter — the man charged in the killing of State Rep. Melissa Hortman — has released her first public statement since the shootings. More rain is expected across central and southern Minnesota today, following storms that caused flash flooding yesterday.Those stories and more in today's evening update. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

The U.S. Justice Department is suing Minnesota over a state law that gives undocumented college students access to in-state tuition rates at public colleges and universities.A bipartisan resolution honoring Melissa and Mark Hortman was passed by the U.S. House Wednesday. It was introduced by Minnesota's congressional delegation, alongside leaders from both parties.Community leaders in Minneapolis are speaking out against violence in the wake of the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old boy Monday in a north side park.Inmates at a Minnesota prison say they are not receiving basic hygiene products.

A tentative truce between Israel and Iran is faltering. Israel is vowing to retaliate after saying Iran launched missiles into its airspace more than two hours after a ceasefire was supposed to take effect. And as that conflict, and the U.S. part in it, soaks up interest around the globe, Iranians in Minnesota are voicing their concerns.A year ago this week, many of us will remember the images of a house plunging into the raging Blue Earth River as it carved a path around the Rapidan Dam in southern Minnesota. Aging infrastructure upgrades — including flood and stormwater projects — are needed across the U.S. as severe weather events become more frequent.Since the 1990s, conservationists say there's been a sharp drop in the number of monarch butterflies around the world. One Minnesota nonprofit is trying to reverse that trend. The Monarch Joint Venture is hosting a North American summit this week to discuss ways to protect the monarch butterfly and its migration. The event begins Tuesday at the McNamara Alumni Center on the University of Minnesota's Minneapolis campus.

The late Minnesota House DFL Leader Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark will lie in state at the Capitol on Friday.And a Hennepin County judge today sentenced the woman who pleaded guilty to unintentional murder and assault for driving her automobile into a group last fall. Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A tentative truce between Israel and Iran is faltering. Israel is vowing to retaliate after saying Iran launched missiles into its airspace more than two hours after a ceasefire was supposed to take effect. And as that conflict, and the U.S. part in it, soaks up interest around the globe, Iranians in Minnesota are voicing their concerns.A year ago this week, many of us will remember the images of a house plunging into the raging Blue Earth River as it carved a path around the Rapidan Dam in southern Minnesota. Aging infrastructure upgrades — including flood and stormwater projects — are needed across the U.S. as severe weather events become more frequent.Since the 1990s, conservationists say there's been a sharp drop in the number of monarch butterflies around the world. One Minnesota nonprofit is trying to reverse that trend. The Monarch Joint Venture is hosting a North American summit this week to discuss ways to protect the monarch butterfly and its migration. The event begins Tuesday at the McNamara Alumni Center on the University of Minnesota's Minneapolis campus.

Beltrami County and the city of Bemidji have declared a state of emergency due to severe storm damage over the weekend. The storms early Saturday had winds of more than 100 miles per hour.And another defendant in the Feeding Our Future case admitted that he tried to bribe one of the jurors at his trial last year.That story and more in today's evening news update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Gov. Tim Walz says the Minnesota Legislature should consider prohibiting people from carrying firearms in the state Capitol. Current law says Minnesotans with a permit to carry are able to bring a gun inside the statehouse. Walz comments come after authorities charged a registered lobbyist who allegedly sent a text message threatening violence at the Minnesota Capitol.Also, heat advisories and warnings are in place for parts of southern and western Minnesota as a sweltering heat wave is expected across the state. This is the afternoon MPR News update hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music by Gary Meister.

Extreme heat and humidity will roll into Minnesota this weekend. The sauna-like weather will be the first major heat wave of the summer. Temperatures will start to rise on Friday. The tropical air mass will push heat indexes to around 90 to 105 degrees.Also, more than 23,000 runners are registered for events connected to Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, including a half and full marathon on Saturday. That number tops last year's record-breaking participation.This is the afternoon MPR News update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music by Gary Meister.

Tuition is going up at the University of Minnesota this fall. The Board of Regents yesterday approved a 6-and-a-half percent increase — the largest in a decade and a half. In-state tuition for undergrads on the Twin Cities campus will be just over 16-thousand dollars in the next academic year. That does not include additional fees — which are also going up.Brooklyn Park police are investigating a break-in at the home of DFL leader Melissa Hortman, and her husband Mark. The incident comes days after the Hortmans were shot and killed in their home in what authorities are calling a politically motivated attack. Police say they discovered pried-off plywood that was covering the home's rear window. The window was also broken to gain entry by an unknown individual.A new law requires some Minnesotans to get a permit before operating a boat or personal watercraft.The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa recently celebrated the completion of a new heating facility. The facility will use locally sourced hardwood chips to heat the tribe's community center.The Minneapolis City Council passed an honorary resolution Wednesday commemorating Juneteenth. The federal holiday celebrates the end of slavery in the United States.

Brooklyn Park police are investigating a break-in at the home of DFL leader Melissa Hortman, and her husband Mark. The incident comes days after the Hortmans were shot and killed in their home in what authorities are calling a politically motivated attack. Police say they discovered pried-off plywood that was covering the home's rear window, but nothing appeared to be missing.Also, state Rep. Kristin Bahner confirmed that her home was one of the targets of the man suspected of the shootings last Saturday. This is the MPR News evening update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music by Gary Meister.

A candlelight vigil to honor the late DFL House Leader Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark is planned for Wednesday night at Minnesota's state Capitol. Organizers are asking attendees not to bring signs of any kind. The Hortmans were the target of a political assassination early Saturday morning at their home in Brooklyn Park. The Capitol building will be closed to the public during the vigil that begins at 8 p.m.Federal authorities have revealed that the man suspected in the shootings had an alleged target list that included leaders of Planned Parenthood.A Twin Cities man who joined the Islamic State terror group a decade ago is out of federal prison after providing extensive help to investigators in other terrorism cases.The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa recently celebrated the completion of a new heating facility.

Investigators are still trying to figure out what motivated a man to allegedly target Democratic elected officials in a series of shootings early Saturday morning. Meanwhile, candlelight vigil to honor top state House DFLer Melissa Hortman is planned for Wednesday night on the steps of the state Capitol. In other news, the Superior National Forest will charge people more to enter the Boundary Waters.This is the MPR News evening update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music by Gary Meister.

State and federal prosecutors today outlined charges filed against the man suspected of killing Minnesota House DFL leader Melissa Hortman and her husband.That story and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Jacob Aloi. Music by Gary Meister.

Gov. Tim Walz testified before Congress Thursday about Minnesota's cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Walz and two other democratic governors were questioned by a House committee about having what the Department of Homeland Security calls “sanctuary states.” Walz said Minnesota does not have any laws that make it a sanctuary state, and he says local law enforcement work with federal law enforcement.A Republican candidate for governor in Minnesota, Kendall Qualls is using the Walz testimony and the national debate over immigration to stake out a position in the race. Qualls called Minnesota a sanctuary state.Minnesota could lose up to $1.6 billion annually if proposed federal funding cuts to Medicaid take effect.Another defendant in the sprawling Feeding Our Future case has entered a guilty plea.I-94 will be closed to traffic in both directions this weekend between I-35W and Huron Boulevard for construction. The closure starts at 10 p.m. Friday and runs through early Monday. Traffic will be detoured north to Highway 36.The Metro Transit B Line opens Saturday. It's a 13-mile bus rapid transit line between St. Paul and Minneapolis via Lake Street and Marshall and Selby avenues.

Vance Boelter has been charged in federal court with the targeted murder of state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and the shooting of state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.Acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Joe Thompson was among a contingent of law enforcement officials who discussed the shootings Monday in a news conference. Thompson alleged Boelter researched his victims and surveilled their homes before the shootings.Boelter allegedly visited the homes of two other lawmakers the morning of the shootings. Brooklyn Park police Chief Mark Bruley said if it hadn't been for the actions of an off-duty police sergeant who asked two officers to check on the Hortman home after the Hoffman shooting, it could have been a lot worse.Some of the federal charges that Boelter faces are punishable by life in prison or the death penalty, if he's convicted.Republican Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth says Minnesota feels a loss of safety following the assassination of Hortman. Memorial tributes to her and her husband have sprung up inside and outside the Minnesota Capitol.Severe storms — including reported tornadoes — caused damage and knocked out power to hundreds of homes and businesses Monday night. There were tornado sightings near Gull Lake and Nisswa, and possible tornadoes near Staples, Bertha, Deer Creek and Ottertail Lake.And Minnesota chefs and restaurants earned top honors at this year's James Beard Awards, announced Monday night in Chicago. Minneapolis restaurant Bûcheron won best new restaurant, topping nine other establishments across the country.

Students interrupted a University of Minnesota Board of Regents meeting today — protesting a sale of university land to an aerospace company that works with the U.S. Department of Defense.And the homes of several members of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents were vandalized yesterday.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Elena See. Music by Gary Meister.

Gov. Tim Walz testified before Congress Thursday about Minnesota's cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Walz and two other democratic governors were questioned by a House committee about having what the Department of Homeland Security calls “sanctuary states.” Walz said Minnesota does not have any laws that make it a sanctuary state, and he says local law enforcement work with federal law enforcement.A Republican candidate for governor in Minnesota, Kendall Qualls is using the Walz testimony and the national debate over immigration to stake out a position in the race. Qualls called Minnesota a sanctuary state.Minnesota could lose up to $1.6 billion annually if proposed federal funding cuts to Medicaid take effect.Another defendant in the sprawling Feeding Our Future case has entered a guilty plea.I-94 will be closed to traffic in both directions this weekend between I-35W and Huron Boulevard for construction. The closure starts at 10 p.m. Friday and runs through early Monday. Traffic will be detoured north to Highway 36.The Metro Transit B Line opens Saturday. It's a 13-mile bus rapid transit line between St. Paul and Minneapolis via Lake Street and Marshall and Selby avenues.

An effort to open up a big swath of federal land near the Boundary Waters to copper-nickel mining has been stripped from the massive budget bill moving through Congress. Several dozen people protested outside the Sherburne County Jail in Elk River today in support of a St. Paul woman arrested for alleged actions during a raid in Minneapolis last week.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Bright. Music by Gary Meister.

A St. Paul woman is facing federal charges after allegedly assaulting a FBI agent during last week's search of a Minneapolis restaurant. In a criminal complaint, prosecutors allege the woman was recorded on video trying to punch an FBI SWAT officer as others in the crowd tried to stop her. She then allegedly kicked the agent before breaking free of the crowd and pushing another FBI agent.The state's response to protests following the murder of George Floyd five years ago was a point of contention in a congressional hearing Tuesday. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before a House panel. Minnesota DFL Rep. Betty McCollum questioned sending the military to quell protests in Los Angeles. Hegseth responded by criticizing Minnesota's handling of those protests. He said the current deployment in California is needed so federal immigration agents can conduct their operations.Gov. Tim Walz says the Legislature showed they could work together despite being closely and deeply divided. After a regular session that featured a three-week holdout by Democrats in the House, two Senators facing criminal charges, special elections, a nearly even Republican-Democrat divide and adjournment without agreement, lawmakers came back to St. Paul and finished their work early Tuesday in a special session. A Becker County judge has denied all pretrial motions raised by state Sen. Nicole Mitchell's defense team in her upcoming criminal trial for burglary.

In a marathon one-day special session that ended early this morning, the Legislature passed 15 bills, most of them dealing with the budget. And two Minnesotans — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Democratic Representative Betty McCollum — sparred during a congressional hearing today in Washington.Those stories and more in today's evening update. Hosted by Emily Bright. Music by Gary Meister.

A special session has been underway today at the state Capitol to pass a budget. Of the 14 bills that are up for a vote, one bill that would remove adult immigrants without legal status from MinnesotaCare passed the House by a small margin.That story and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Jacob Aloi. Music by Gary Meister.

A special session has been called for the Minnesota Legislature - it will happen three weeks to the day after the regular session finished. And a jury has found Derrick Thompson guilty of all charges in the deaths of five women who were in a vehicle struck by the SUV Thompson was driving in 2023.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Jacob Aloi. Music by Gary Meister.

A Homeland Security agent from the Twin Cities is jailed and charged with producing child sex abuse material. And Gov. Tim Walz says his office did not get a heads-up about a federal raid of a south Minneapolis restaurant earlier this week.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Jeff Jones. Music by Gary Meister.

Gov. Tim Walz says his administration will send out tens of thousands of layoff notices by Monday if legislative leaders don't reach a final deal before then that can win passage in a special legislative session. And sighs — and breaths — of relief across Minnesota today, as the worst of the smoke from Canadian wildfires has pushed to the east.

Minneapolis police are investigating after a shooting at Boom Island Park last night left one person dead and five more injured. And more rounds of smoke from Canadian wildfires are forecast to move across Minnesota over the next couple of days. That's prompted officials to extend an air quality alert for the entire state through midday Wednesday.Those stories and more in today's evening news update. Hosted by Elena See. Music by Gary Meister.

An air quality alert is now in effect for all of Minnesota through Monday evening, as smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to stream across the state. That's an expansion of earlier alerts, as the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says reinforcing waves of smoke are expected Saturday, Sunday and again on Monday.Listen for more on the MPR News afternoon update for Friday, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music by Gary Meister.

Layoff notices will begin going out tomorrow as lawmakers work on unfinished pieces of the state budget.And major wildfires burning north of Duluth for nearly three weeks are now nearly fully contained. But state officials expect the risk for more severe wildfires to remain, possibly all summer long.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Bright. Music by Gary Meister.

The Minnesota Timberwolves' season is over. They were beaten by the Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday night 124-94. The Thunder jumped out to a 30 point lead in the first half and were never threatened. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points. OKC won the best-of-seven series 4 games to 1. They play next for an NBA championship.A federal judge in Fergus Falls sentenced two men Wednesday in a human smuggling operation that led to the deaths of an Indian family on the Minnesota-Canada border. The family was trying to cross illegally from Canada in January 2022 when a blizzard hit and they froze to death. Harshkumar Patel, a native of India, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the smuggling ring. Steve Shand, a Florida resident, was sentenced to 6.5 years. The Minnesota Frost celebrated another championship Wednesday night in St. Paul. It's the second year in a row the Professional Women's Hockey League team won the Walter Cup trophy.A Minneapolis gang member convicted at a trial last fall is headed to federal prison for life.

A wildfire burning in the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota is growing, leading authorities to close off a part of Superior National Forest land in the Horse River area. The Horse River fire is still relatively small, but it has more than doubled in size in recent days to nearly 25 acres, and it's burning completely uncontained.This is the evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Bright. Music by Gary Meister.