MPR News Update

At the Minnesota Legislature, there is less than one month until the final day. Legislative leaders have started meeting with Gov. Tim Walz to hammer out deals. Among the remaining issues is school safety — from added counseling and security features to possible restrictions on guns.Experts who study child abuse say Minnesota's attempts to outlaw grooming are a step in the right direction, but more changes are needed. Minnesota lawmakers are considering a bill to make grooming a felony, ban teachers from being alone with students on field trips and require grooming prevention training.

Severe thunderstorms have produced tornadoes Friday afternoon in southeast Minnesota. The National Weather Service reported multiple sightings of tornadoes south and east of Rochester between 2 and 3 p.m. including a report from the Rochester Airport tower. Federal prosecutors are inching closer to a decision on whether to seek the death penalty for the man accused of killing former DFL Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark.This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music is by Gary Meister.

Strong storms are possible with even a couple of isolated severe storms ahead of a big cold front. The Storm Prediction Center says there is an enhanced risk (level 3 out of 5) for the southeastern corner of Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin. The national weather service says Friday morning could bring isolated hail and Friday afternoon could bring very large hail and the possibility of tornadoes.Supporters of Thursday's U.S. Senate vote to overturn a 20-year mining ban near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness are emphasizing that environmental safeguards remain in place. The move reopens the door for projects like Twin Metals' proposed underground copper-nickel mine near Ely. Opponents of Thursday's vote say they'll continue to challenge proposed mines near the BWCA whether at the state level, or through the courts.Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman and his family filed a civil lawsuit Thursday against the man charged with shooting them last June.

The U.S. Senate has voted to overturn a 20-year ban on mining on about 350 square miles of federal land near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, paving the way for Twin Metals to renew efforts to open an underground copper mine near Ely, on the doorstep of the wilderness area. Minnesota lost jobs in February, and state officials are linking the decline to federal immigration enforcement.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A House committee voted down an effort today to initiate impeachment proceedings against two DFL officials. Republicans proposed starting impeachment proceedings against Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison. They said the pair didn't do enough to combat fraud in state programs.And Gov. Tim Walz and local school officials are pushing to make early childhood education more affordable for additional families. At an early childhood education site in Rochester, Walz detailed a plan he wants the Legislature to pass before the end of session.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A proposal to boost state funding to schools for safety measures stalled in a House committee Tuesday. The broad school safety package would direct state funding to public and private schools intended to bolster security. The Republican bill would let school districts set up anonymous threat reporting lines, as well as allowing suspensions of young students.Wednesday is the deadline to file your taxes — but if you haven't finished filing, you have options. The judge presiding over the Feeding Our Future case continues to hand down sentences. The latest defendant to appear in court got 18 months in prison. Since late 2022, 58 people have pleaded guilty and another 7 were convicted at trial in a $300 million scheme that prosecutors say was the nation's largest COVID fraud.

The federal government is still withholding more than $240 million in Medicaid reimbursements to Minnesota, despite approving the state's plan to address fraud concerns. Gov. Tim Walz says the funds should now be released. Thunderstorms, hail and at least one tornado scoured southern Minnesota last night.This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music is by Gary Meister.

A severe storm system bombarded southern Minnesota with hail Monday. A tornado also briefly touched down near Amboy.A Burnsville woman could die if she's not freed from immigration detention soon, her lawyer says. Andrea Pedro-Francisco is a 23-year old Guatemalan woman who was arrested in February in the south metro suburb where she and her family live. Immigration agents sent her to a detention center in Texas. Pedro-Francisco was about to have surgery to remove a large ovarian cyst. Her lawyer, Asra Syed, says she needs immediate medical care.Friends and family of a Wisconsin man who was shot and killed last week by a Superior police officer are speaking out against the death. Autumn Khalar was with 42-year-old David Menton on April 7 when he was killed. Khalar says Menton was not a threat to the officer and the shooting wasn't justified.The Wisconsin Department of Justice is investigating. The Superior Police Department says its officers responded to a, quote, "rapidly evolving dangerous situation. They are now navigating not only the weight of that moment, but also the scrutiny that follows."Go deeper with the latest edition of the Minnesota Today newsletter.Severe storms drop baseball-sized hail, tornadoes in southern MinnesotaBurnsville woman in ICE detention can't access lifesaving surgery, lawyer saysSubscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

Spring Lake Park schools were closed Monday after a cyberattack, according to an announcement from the district. In a notice on its website, the district says an outside actor gained access to some internal systems. Financial relief for small businesses affected by the federal immigration enforcement surge remains in the mix at the Legislature.This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music is by Gary Meister.

Winona County officials say some of its computer systems remain offline as they work to restore services following a cyberattack earlier this week.And the Minneapolis City Council voted yesterday against reappointing Todd Barnette as the city's community safety commissioner. Mayor Jacob Frey says he'll veto that and keep Barnette in that role.Those stories and more in today's evening update form MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Lawmakers on Thursday held a hearing on a bill meant to make grooming a felony. The bill, which has bipartisan support, suggests a series of changes to the state criminal code, teacher licensing requirements, mandatory reporter training and school field trip requirements. HCMC, the state's busiest trauma center, is struggling financially. A bipartisan bill that would use revenue from a ballpark tax to help fund it got its first hearing in the legislature Thursday.For many immigrants in Minnesota, the final step to becoming a U.S. citizen is taking longer than expected. Oath ceremonies have dropped from about four a month to just one, according to the U.S. District Court of Minnesota.

Winona County is still working to recover from a cyberattack on their IT network this week. The attack is part of a growing trend of cybercriminals targeting local governments. A federal judge today dissolved a temporary injunction barring federal agents from retaliating against people observing ICE activities. Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

An electric transmission line in northeast Minnesota is facing opposition from people fighting a proposed data center. The state Public Utilities Commission is holding hearings on the proposed power line from Grand Rapids to Hermantown. Google wants to build a massive data center where the line would end.A man who operated a banquet hall that was a key part of the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme is heading to prison for more than three years. Abdullahe Jesow used a fake nonprofit called Academy for Youth Excellence to siphon $4.3 million from taxpayer funded child nutrition programs by falsely claiming to have served millions of meals to kids during COVID.

The Minnesota National Guard is assisting officials in Winona County as they respond to a cyberattack.And Minnesota mayors were at the state Capitol today asking for money to help businesses recover from the immigration agent surge.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Foster youth advocates will testify Wednesday in support of a bill protecting Supplemental Security Income and Survivor Benefits for those in the foster care system. Survivor benefits are intended to support children who have lost a parent, and SSI supports foster youth with disabilities. Current practice allows counties to use these funds to reimburse foster care costs.Minnesota's electrical grid is in the midst of a massive expansion. Renewable energy advocates and utilities say new transmission lines are needed to make the grid more reliable. Xcel says that the proposal will face a lengthy environmental review, and they likely won't break ground until 2030.

A federal judge has declined to stop the Trump administration from halting more than $240 million in Medicaid payments to Minnesota. And state lawmakers return for the last leg of their session today after a holiday break.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

The Legislature returns Tuesday after a weeklong break. So far, this year's session has been heavy on conflict. The narrowly split Legislature came into session with a lot of pressing matters to address: immigration enforcement actions, gun violence, fraud and a tight budget. Lawmakers have six weeks to finish their work.The first defendant in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme to admit his involvement is avoiding prison because of his cooperation with investigators. After the FBI raided Feeding Our Future's offices and two dozen other locations in early 2022, Bekam Merdassa was the first conspirator to come forward. He pleaded guilty later that year.Many farmers across Minnesota will soon start planting their crops. While some ordered the fertilizer and fuel they'll need ahead of time, those who didn't now face huge price increases due to the war in Iran.

Some Twin Cities school districts that offered virtual learning during increased federal immigration enforcement operation are bringing students back to in-person classes today. Minnesota's top judge is retiring in September. Chief Justice Natalie Hudson's planned departure gives Gov. Tim Walz one more major appointment to the Supreme Court.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Riverview, a dairy company, aims to expand one of its operations near the west-central city of Morris to house more than 18,000 animals, becoming the state's largest livestock farm. Riverview officials say the proposal could help create jobs. But concerns remain.A federal judge in Minneapolis is deciding whether the government may use military attorneys to prosecute civilians. The Justice Department has sent Army lawyers to Minnesota after an exodus of federal prosecutors.The Trump administration is closing a globally recognized forest research center in Grand Rapids. The Forest Service is moving its headquarters from Washington D.C. to Salt Lake City. It's also shuttering more than 50 research facilities around the country, including an office in Grand Rapids.

Winter continues to make an April comeback across much of Minnesota -- with another storm taking aim at the region from today through late tomorrow. It'll bring rain and a few thunderstorms to the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota this evening. And St. Paul officials say an investigation into police actions during a November immigration operation is still underway.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Elena See. Music by Gary Meister.

After more than two years of negotiations... a union representing more than 600 doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners at Allina Health clinics has reached a tentative first contract agreement.And for the first time since May of 2007, Minnesota's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate ticked up higher than the nation's.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Elena See. Music by Gary Meister.

It may be April Fools' Day', but the weather forecast for Minnesota is no joke -- with a mix of rain, sleet, ice and snow expected from tonight through tomorrow.And the city of Minneapolis will hold two open houses later this month, to provide an update on construction projects slated to begin in June at George Floyd Square.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR news. Hosted by Elena See. Music by Gary Meister.

When Minnesota lawmakers return from recess next week one item before them will be a bill proposing new regulations for mobile home parks.Thousands of Minnesotans are expected to lose their SNAP benefits starting as soon as Wednesday due to stricter work and eligibility requirements. Now, all able-bodied adults under the age of 65 must work at least 80 hours a month in order to continue receiving their monthly SNAP food aid benefits. Until today, the work requirement had applied to those under age 55.A new bill would exempt families from a rule stripping subsidized child care funding after 25 absent days. Child care programs do not receive payment after a child misses 25 days. Parents fearing immigration enforcement kept kids home and are approaching this limit.

Amid public backlash, the Bemidji School board stalled on efforts to close an elementary school where 70 percent of students are Native American. And the City of Fargo has appointed an interim police chief to replace retiring Chief Dave Zibolski.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Elena See. Music by Gary Meister.

About 3,800 Minnesota residents were arrested during the federal government's surge into the state this winter. That's according to new data released through a Freedom of Information lawsuit to the Deportation Data Project.Federal officials said in public statements during the surge that they were targeting the “worst of the worst.” The new data shows that fewer than a quarter of those arrested had a criminal conviction on their record. The vast majority were arrested for civil immigration violations.The U.S. Department of Justice sued Minnesota Monday over policies that allow transgender athletes to play on teams consistent with their gender. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on Monday called the lawsuit a, “sad attempt to get attention over something that's already been in litigation for months.”

A top legislative leader says Minnesota lawmakers need to provide a rescue package this year for Hennepin County Medical Center.And the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office came in close to $15.5 million dollars over budget in 2025. Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A Minneapolis city council member says she's working to rename the city's Cesar Chavez Avenue after recent reports that the labor movement leader sexually abused women and girls.The U.S. Department of Agriculture canceled most funding for a $300 million program designed to help underserved farmers access land nationwide. That affected three projects active in Minnesota. The MSP Airport Foundation says it helped distribute about $30,000 in donation money to TSA workers who have gone weeks without pay during the government shutdown.

Organizers expect millions of people will take part in "No Kings" rallies around the world Saturday to protest the Trump administration. About 100 events are planned in Minnesota alone, with the national flagship event taking place in St. Paul at the State Capitol. A proposed new training center for Minneapolis police and emergency personnel is now delayed after the city council voted Thursday to postpone a decision on funding.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Organizers say they expect millions of people to take part in No Kings rallies around the world Saturday. The national flagship event is in St. Paul, where Bruce Springsteen and Sen. Bernie Sanders top the list of high-profile names on the formal lineup. More than 3,000 events are planned across every U.S. state and beyond. Around 90 event will take place in Minnesota. A federal judge in Minneapolis has extended an order that requires immigration authorities to ensure detainees held at the Whipple Federal Building have access to attorneys. The Minneapolis City Council delayed a vote on funding a new emergency responder training center. The council was set to vote Thursday on whether or not to reallocate more than $5 million from animal control and traffic safety budgets to the training center project.

Minneapolis police are still searching for the suspect in a hit-and-run that killed a University of St. Thomas senior last weekend. And a federal appeals court has sided with the Trump administration in a closely watched Minnesota immigration case. Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A rural Minnesota hospital system could be forced to close within weeks as millions of dollars in Medicare payments have been delayed. The Mille Lacs Health System is at risk of closing its hospital and rural health clinics that serve multiple counties. That's because the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has withheld about $2.5 million dollars in Medicare payments since January.A new lawsuit is challenging the Trump Administration's move to fast-track deportations of Somalis. The Advocates for Human Rights — a Minneapolis nonprofit — is suing the Justice Department over its effort to speed up deportations of non-citizens from Somalia. The government had already targeted many for removal, but the plaintiffs allege that the administration is fast-tracking court hearings for Somalis after President Donald Trump called them "garbage."

Today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A Minneapolis student is one of five Americans receiving a national award Wednesday in Washington, D.C. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society named Victor Greenawalt this year's Young Hero Honoree. The 11-year-old was injured and hospitalized after he shielded a classmate with his body during the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in August.A man who served as an election judge in northern Minnesota faces sentencing in May after pleading guilty to allowing unregistered voters to cast ballots.Minnesota lawmakers in a House committee hearing Tuesday were split on legislation that would ban AI practices that pay out lower wages to gig workers. Supporters of the bill argue it's needed to make sure workers and consumers are treated fairly. But Jonathan Cotter of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce says the bill oversteps into workplaces.

A bill to create a new fraud-fighting office in state government has finally made it through a House committee. It's an important step for the Office of Inspector General bill that has been stalled for weeks. And a Minnesota House committee is considering a proposal to include kickbacks to the state definition of fraud.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

While the White House has deployed immigration agents to help with security at some airports, it appears the Twin Cities airport is not a part of that plan. Security wait times at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport have generally remained short while other airports have seen hourslong waits in recent weeks. That's as TSA workers go without pay amid a funding impasse.Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison yesterday joined his counterparts from 19 other Democratic-led states plus the District of Columbia in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The states are challenging Trump Administration threats to cut funding.Safety concerns along a highway in the southern Twin Cities metro area are prompting transportation officials to hold a series of meetings. MnDOT says it's studying a 12-mile stretch of State Highway 3 — also known as Robert Trail — through Inver Grove Heights, Eagan and Rosemount. The goal is to identify safety improvements for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. MnDOT says it's looking at intersection and roadway designs to reduce the number of crashes and improve traffic flow in a growing part of the metro area.

Authorities continue to investigate after four people were found dead following a house fire in White Bear Lake over the weekend. Friends and colleagues identified the victims as longtime Minnesota hockey journalist Jessi Pierce and her three young children. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.And in other news, federal prosecutors last week dropped charges against a woman they mistakenly identified as being part of a January church protest in St. Paul. Now lawyers representing other defendants are demanding the government immediately turn over evidence they suspect could clear others.

Legal advocates were back in federal court in Minneapolis today, asking a judge to order better access to lawyers for people detained at the Whipple federal building.And State Senator John Hoffman recently authored two bills that increase criminal penalties for people who impersonate a police officer and also require any former law enforcement vehicle sold to be stripped of all law enforcement insignias.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese.