Podcasts about mpr news

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.

Juneteenth has long been celebrated in Black communities to remember June 19, 1865, the day that enslaved African Americans in Texas learned they were free. After becoming a federal holiday in 2021, broader community celebrations began in cities around the country, including the Minnesota Orchestra's annual Juneteenth concert tonight at Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis. MPR News host Angela Davis talked with the guest conductor of the Juneteenth concert and one of its organizers about the contributions of Black American composers and how classical music is being shaped by Black American music traditions, including gospel, jazz and the blues. Tickets to the 7 p.m. concert were still available as of Thursday morning. The concert will also stream live on YourClassical MPR with host Melissa Ousley. Guests:   Jonathan Taylor Rush returns to guest conduct this year's Juneteenth concert with the Minnesota Orchestra after conducting the concert in 2024. Now based in North Carolina, Taylor Rush was associate conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra from 2020 to 2023 and is in demand as a guest conductor around the world.  Grant Meachum is director of the Minnesota Orchestra's Live at Orchestra Hall season, which includes the Juneteenth concert and more than twenty other special programs every year featuring film presentations, holiday celebrations and collaborations with popular artists. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.  

Minnesota Now's series called "Thank You, Stranger” explores the small acts of kindness that make a big impact. MPR News producer Ellen Finn talked to Northfield, Minn. residents whose lives have been touched by Daryl, a man they call the "Northfield Angel."

This week brought another significant tornado outbreak to parts of Minnesota. The Twin Cities was spared this time, but are the Twin Cities and other downtowns safer because of urban heat islands? Maybe not so much. Kenny Blumenfeld, a senior climatologist with the Minnesota State Climate Office, studies urban tornadoes. He did some myth-busting in a conversation with MPR News chief meteorologist, Paul Huttner.

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.

The last few days have been heavy in Minnesota. Many people are experiencing a collective sense of grief in the wake of the targeted fatal shootings of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband. MPR News host Kelly Gordon talks with her guests about the shared sadness, anger and anxiety — and how people can heal, together.Guests: Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman is the senior rabbi at Temple Israel in Minneapolis.  Fiyyaz Karim is co-director of graduate studies and a senior lecturer who teaches addiction counseling and integrated behavioral health at the University of Minnesota. 

This weekend legendary drag performer BeBe Zahara Benet will headline a show at the Capri Theater in north Minneapolis. Marshall Ngwa first took the stage as BeBe at a pride party in 2000, dancing alongside Cyndi Lauper. That was shortly after he moved to Minneapolis from Cameroon. A few years later, BeBe competed in the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race and won the title of “America's Next Drag Superstar.” The reality TV show has exploded in popularity since then. It brought more eyes to the art of drag, which LGBTQ+ people and allies have used to challenge gender norms and celebrate authentic self-expression for more than 100 years. Meanwhile, BeBe has continued to perform and release original music, with a home base in Minneapolis. BeBe joins MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about his career and upcoming show.

Our friends over at YourClassical have been celebrating Pride Month with a new series called “Classical Queery” that explores the intersection of classical music and LGBTQ+ identities. YourClassical fellow Mya Temanson takes the mic for the Song of the Day and then joins MPR News host Nina Moini to share more about the series.

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.

Federal authorities posted murder and stalking charges against Vance Boelter Monday, saying he went to the homes of two other state lawmakers early Saturday morning between shooting state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, and killing DFL House leader Melissa Hortman and her husband. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson said more than 45 Minnesota state and federal officials were on Boelter's target list — all of them Democrats. The shootings are part of a string of high-profile political violence across the country in recent years.MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about the rise in sharp polarization in the U.S. and the threat of political violence. Guests:  Lilliana Mason is a professor of political science at Johns Hopkins University. She is the author of “Uncivil Agreement: How Politics Became Our Identity.” And she is the co-author of “Radical American Partisanship: Mapping Violent Hostility, Its Causes, and the Consequences for Democracy.” Kathryn Pearson is a professor of political science at the University of Minnesota. She is also the associate dean of undergraduate education and the director of the University Honors Program.Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

Melissa and Mark Hortman's children released their first statement since the assassination of their parents on Saturday. In that statement, Sophie and Colin Hortman said, “the best way to honor our parents' memory is to do something, whether big or small, to make our community just a little better for someone else.” One of the ways they said to do that is to “pet a dog. A golden retriever is ideal, but any will do.” Melissa and Mark had a beloved golden retriever named Gilbert, who they adopted from an Eden Prairie nonprofit called Helping Paws. Officials announced Monday that Gilbert also did not survive the shooting. Helping Paws trains service dogs for people with disabilities as well as first responders and veterans dealing with PTSD. The Hortmans were avid volunteers with the organization. Alyssa Golob is the executive director of Helping Paws and she joined MPR News host Nina Moini on Minnesota Now.

A group of former foster youth are calling for children in foster care to have better support and more control over their lives. The Minnesota Promise Report released in early June by the group Foster Advocates draws from the experiences of 120 teens and adults with experience in foster care. It includes common struggles as well as proposed solutions. The state of Minnesota has an office dedicated to investigating concerns from foster youth and proposing policy to make the state program better. The Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson launched in 2024. It's led by Misty Coonce. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about her work.

Minnesota was rocked over the weekend by the politically targeted shootings of two state lawmakers. State Rep. Melissa Hortman, a former DFL House Speaker, was fatally shot along with her husband, Mark. DFL State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, are still recovering after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds. Political leaders and many Minnesotans are still trying to make sense of it all. In the hours after the suspect in those shootings was arrested, MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst, Minnesota Now host Nina Moini and politics reporter Clay Masters spoke with three of the state's top political leaders. Guests: Gov. Tim Walz is a former Democratic vice presidential candidate and second-term DFL governor of Minnesota.House speaker Lisa Demuth is a Republican from Cold Spring.Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is a DFLer, a former state representative and a candidate for the U.S. senate.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.   

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.

Minnesota House Democratic Leader Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were fatally shot at their home in Brooklyn Park early Saturday. A second Democratic lawmaker, state Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife Yvette, were also shot and wounded at their home in Champlin. Gov. Tim Walz said the shooting “appears to be a politically motivated assassination.” On Sunday, he pleaded for civility in American life. “This cannot be the norm,” he said. “It cannot be the way we deal with our political differences.”Angela Davis and her guests talk about how Minnesotans are processing the news, the history of political violence in the United States and how it's changing. Guests: Yohuru Williams is a distinguished university chair, professor of history and founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of St. Thomas. Larry Jacobs is a political scientist and founder and director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota. He is also the author of “Democracy Under Fire: Donald Trump and the Breaking of American History.”  Ryan Sabas, Mayor of Champlin, Minn.Steve Simon, Minnesota's Secretary of State.Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

Among the state leaders who are mourning the loss of DFL House Leader Melissa Hortman is Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. She became lieutenant governor in 2019, the same year Rep. Hortman took up the gavel as Speaker of the House. Before that, Flanagan worked with Hortman and DFL Senator John Hoffman as fellow lawmakers. Flanagan joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the devastating events of the weekend and her relationships to Rep. Hortman and Sen. Hoffman.

Gov. Tim Walz called Rep. Melissa Hortman, who was fatally shot Saturday, his “closest ally” and praised her bipartisanship as a model for a divided country. Walz told MPR News he has asked his staff to prepare for the possibility of Hortman and her husband to lie in state at the Capitol.

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.

The Trump administration's immigration crackdown is extending to people who want to study at colleges and universities in the U.S.MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about how halting interviews for new student visa applications and banning travel from some countries could affect higher education in Minnesota. Guests:Shahzad Ahmad is associate vice president for global and multicultural engagement at St. Cloud State University. Scott Olson is the chancellor of Minnesota State — the fourth largest system of state colleges and universities in the U.S. and the largest in Minnesota. He was president of Winona State University from 2012–2023. Before that, he was provost and vice president for academic and student affairs at Minnesota State University Mankato. 

82-year-old Ruby Leith Minkel and her daughter Carrie Minkel-Johnson live in the Lower Sioux Indian Community in southwest Minnesota. Together, they make star quilts as gifts for people both within and outside of the community.“I love making the quilts, and it's just something that I appreciate,” Leith Minkel said.When they are not at home in their personal sewing rooms, the two utilize the Lower Sioux Cultural Incubator, a community center that provides a variety of cultural classes, activities and space to use.The quilting studio is lined with several sewing machines. Thread, scissors and other supplies can be found in small plastic bins. The space has two large tables for laying fabrics across, rather than on the floor.‘At least I got her with me' Leith Minkel first learned to sew in high school, but she didn't start making star quilts until the mid-1990s. She says she only needed to be shown twice before she started working independently. “I started teaching it. I taught a few women around here that are still doing it, and I'm glad they are, because I don't want that lost. I want to keep that going,” she said. “That's why I got her [Minkel-Johnson] going.” For Minkel-Johnson, a seamstress in her 60's, she says she never imagined herself making quilts. She finally said ‘yes' five years ago after many years of her mother asking to teach her. “I never wanted her to teach me how, because I thought, if she teaches me that, what else can she teach me? You know, that was the last thing that I could think of that I wanted to learn from my mother,” she said. “[I] didn't realize it was going to bring us closer together and to spend more time together.” Leith Minkel says it didn't take long for her daughter to catch on to the sewing patterns, just like herself.   Minkel-Johnson says she enjoys working closely with her mother. Quilting keeps them busy and active with fulfilling order requests or traveling to various powwows together with a table and chairs in tow.“We don't make a lot of money making these quilts. It's more [about] having your little fingerprint on something that's going to be out there,” said Minkel-Johnson, “I'm enjoying it. I love doing it with mom.”Even though the two are neighbors, Minkel-Johnson says the quilts bring them together. Outside of their shared love for quilting, she says it's rare that they see one another.  “We're so busy trying to get our quilts done. We'll call each other, ‘Okay, what are you doing? How far are you?'” she said.  Leith Minkel shares in those sentiments that she loves being able to share a special bond with her daughter over star quilts.  “It's nice because, at least I got her with me,” Leith Minkel said. ‘It's an honor' Birthdays, graduations, weddings or funerals are events in one's life that may call for a gift of a star quilt or blanket.  “When you're making it, you're thinking of who you're making it for,” Leith Minkel said.  She recently began working on a star quilt for a baby, choosing fabric from children's cartoons, and pink fabric for a base color. Star quilts can be created in a variety of sizes and colors, depending on the recipient's age or interests.  However, one thing consistent within the designs of the quilts is the signature diamond-shaped star with eight points.  “The Natives, they came from the Star Nation,” Leith Minkel explains. While holding a quilt with her mother — showcasing a star as its centerpiece with vivid colors of the medicine wheel: yellow, red, black and white — Minkel-Johnson shares what she had been taught about star quilts. She points to the Seven Fire Councils, an alliance of the varying groups of the Dakota, Lakota and Nakota people. The two make their star quilts with this in mind — the points on the quilt represent each of the seven. “And the eighth is for the person who made the star,” she said.  To both, a star quilt represents honor.  “I always feel that it's an honor to give the quilt to them, and I can just feel the honor it is for somebody that's receiving one that we made,” Minkel-Johnson said.  Recently, they made about 50 star quilts for this year's graduates in the Lower Sioux Indian Community. They also make star quilts upon request for those outside of their community, including graduates living in the Twin Cities area.  Leith Minkel says she can make a full quilt within two days.  “It's something that I'll probably do till the day I'm gone,” Leith Minkel said.Chandra Colvin covers Native American communities in Minnesota for MPR News via Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues and communities. 

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.

When people think about lifting weights, they often picture building a lot of muscle or see it as a way to “bulk up.” But weight training can be a powerful tool for long-term health — helping strengthen your bones and improve your balance and mental well-being.  MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about how weight training can boost your health — physically and mentally — at any age. Guests: Angela Nguyen is a certified mobility, strength and nutrition coach for American Strength Training Center in Maplewood, Minn. She is also a three-time bodybuilding “posing and presentation” winner.  Hegel Brandes is the manager of outpatient occupational therapy and physical therapy rehabilitation services for Hennepin Healthcare. He oversees physical therapists who create exercise treatment plans to help people recover from injuries.Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

Donald Trump's presidency has been a busy time for Democratic attorneys general across the country.  President Trump started his term with a flurry of executive orders. In response, many state attorneys general, often working together, filed their own barrage of federal lawsuits to put the brakes on what the president is trying to do.  In January, 22 states and the District of Columbia challenged an executive order to freeze federal funding. In February, attorneys general from three states, including Minnesota, sued to stop a presidential order that would have restricted health care for transgender youth. In April, a dozen states sued to halt many of the tariffs that President Trump imposed without approval from Congress.  And on Tuesday, California state officials continued to push back on President Trump's decision to deploy Marines and state National Guard troops to immigration protests in Los Angeles. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison about why he thinks President Trump is stepping over the legal limits of the constitution. New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin joins them later in the hour. Guests: Keith Ellison has served as Minnesota's attorney general since January 2019. Before that, he spent 12 years representing Minnesota's 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Matthew Platkin was appointed as New Jersey's attorney general in 2022. He has also worked in private practice and served as chief counsel to New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

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.

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with her guests about how smoke from Canadian wildfires could continue to affect our air quality this summer and what we can do to stay healthy when skies are smoky. Guests:Jessie Carr is the supervisor of environmental epidemiology in the environmental health division of the Minnesota Department of Health. Matt Taraldsen is a meteorologist and supervisor of the team that issues air quality conditions, alerts and forecasts at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.   Dr. Dylan Wyatt is an emergency medicine physician with Aspirus St. Luke's health care system in Duluth.AirNow.gov allows you to check current air quality conditions. You can also download the AirNow mobile app and sign up to receive air quality alerts and forecasts via email.MPCA current air quality conditions: Current air quality conditions | Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (state.mn.us)MDH air quality and health website: Air Quality, Climate and HealthMDH Wildfire Smoke web page: Wildfire Smoke - MN Dept. of Health (state.mn.us)Minnesota Outdoor Air Quality Guidance for Schools and Child CareDIY Air Cleaner to Reduce Wildfire Smoke Indoors

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.

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with a brother and sister who are both award-winning storytellers. They talk about their work and how they support each other as part of our MPR News Power Pairs series.Guests: Daniel Bergin is a filmmaker, executive producer and director of history at Twin Cities PBS, where he was hired more than 30 years ago as a production assistant. He has won more than 20 regional Emmy Awards for his films covering diverse topics rooted in Minnesota history, including “Jim Crow of the North,” “North Star: Minnesota's Black Pioneers,” and “Out North: MNLGBTQ History.” Lea B. Olsen is a veteran TV analyst covering her 15th season with the Minnesota Lynx and is a sideline reporter for the Minnesota Timberwolves. She also covers both the boys' and girls' state high school basketball tournaments. Beyond the court, Lea is a professional speaker and the founder of Rethink the Win — a platform that challenges athletes, coaches and parents to see sports as a powerful tool for growth, connection and lifelong impact.Check out Angela's previous Power Pair conversations.  Do you know a Power Pair?We'd love to hear your ideas for Power Pairs to interview. Send us your suggestions.

It's been about three weeks since the the Legislature adjourned from the 2025 session without completing a state budget.Since then, teams of negotiators have met, mostly in private, to try to chart a path to the end and craft remaining budget bills. Lawmakers will have to complete this task to avoid a partial government shutdown that would interrupt services in state parks, key health programs, driver's licensing exams and more. A one-day special session has been called for 10 a.m. Monday. Will there be enough votes to approve a final compromise? MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with two House leaders about a state budget and what could happen if the budget deal isn't met.  Later in the program, a look at the return-to-office for many state employees and a roundtable with Capitol journalists on everything happening in this not-so-quiet start to summer. Guests:  GOP Floor Leader of the House Harry Niska, Ramsey DFL Floor Leader of the House Jamie Long, Minneapolis Former Commissioner of Minnesota Management and Budget Jim SchowalterSubscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.   Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. 

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with a brother and sister who are both award-winning storytellers. They talk about their work and how they support each other as part of our MPR News Power Pairs series.Guests: Daniel Bergin is a filmmaker, executive producer and director of history at Twin Cities PBS, where he was hired more than 30 years ago as a production assistant. He has won more than 20 regional Emmy Awards for his films covering diverse topics rooted in Minnesota history, including “Jim Crow of the North,” “North Star: Minnesota's Black Pioneers,” and “Out North: MNLGBTQ History.” Lea B. Olsen is a veteran TV analyst covering her 15th season with the Minnesota Lynx and is a sideline reporter for the Minnesota Timberwolves. She also covers both the boys' and girls' state high school basketball tournaments. Beyond the court, Lea is a professional speaker and the founder of Rethink the Win — a platform that challenges athletes, coaches and parents to see sports as a powerful tool for growth, connection and lifelong impact.Check out Angela's previous Power Pair conversations.  Do you know a Power Pair?We'd love to hear your ideas for Power Pairs to interview. Send us your suggestions.

More than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Researchers continue to search for ways to prevent and treat it. And last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a blood test to help diagnose Alzheimer's disease. MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about the latest research and how to support people who live with dementia and their caregivers. Guests:Dr. Dongming Cai is a professor of neurology and director of the Center for Memory Research and Care at the University of Minnesota. Jenna Fink is the associate director for community services at the Minnesota — North Dakota Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. The Alzheimer's Association's 24/7 Helpline is 800-272-3900.   The association's Minnesota-North Dakota chapter also provides local, no-cost education classes and support groups for people with dementia and their caregivers.Dementia Friends Minnesota offers sessions to help people understand dementia and find out how to make communities dementia friendly.

MPR News is following an incident where dozens of federal agents to surround a restaurant in the heart of the Latino community in Minneapolis Tuesday. As news of the operation spread on social media, people believing the presence of federal agents was connected to an immigration raid tried to block tactical vehicles from coming down Lake Street and shouted at agents. At one point, some law enforcement used a chemical irritant to break up the crowd. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said in a statement it was part of a narcotics and money laundering investigation and not related to immigration enforcement. The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office partnered with federal agencies to carry out the investigation, according to a statement posted on social media. For more information on what happened, MPR News host Nina Moini talks with Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt.

The state has really been through it weather-wise this week. In a bizarre sight on Tuesday, many Minnesotans witnessed rain pouring through smokey air. MPR Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner joins MPR News host Nina Moini to explain these wacky weather events and what's to come.

If you've spent much time in Minnesota or a high school English class, chances are you have heard of Tim O'Brien. Maybe you have even read his award-winning short story collection about the Vietnam War called “The Things They Carried.” A new book recounts O'Brien's life, including his childhood in Worthington and early adulthood at Macalester College.Author Alex Vernon joins MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the biography, which is titled “Peace is a Shy Thing: The Life and Art of Tim O'Brien.”

Since its founding ten years ago, a Minneapolis-based business has grown to sell frozen sambusas to grocery stores and school districts across the state. Now the business, Hoyo, is moving to a commercial kitchen that owners say will allow them to double production of the savory pastries, which are an essential part of Somali cuisine. Hoyo CEO Ghita Worcester joins MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about what's next.

Five years after George Floyd's murder sparked nationwide protests, the legacy of that movement is still being written in Minneapolis and America writ large—even as some attempt to erase it. Guest:   Marcia Howard, president of the teacher chapter of Minneapolis Federation of Teachers Brandt Williams, senior editor covering race, class and communities for MPR News.   Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Five years after George Floyd's murder sparked nationwide protests, the legacy of that movement is still being written in Minneapolis and America writ large—even as some attempt to erase it. Guest:   Marcia Howard, president of the teacher chapter of Minneapolis Federation of Teachers Brandt Williams, senior editor covering race, class and communities for MPR News.   Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Five years after George Floyd's murder sparked nationwide protests, the legacy of that movement is still being written in Minneapolis and America writ large—even as some attempt to erase it. Guest:   Marcia Howard, president of the teacher chapter of Minneapolis Federation of Teachers Brandt Williams, senior editor covering race, class and communities for MPR News.   Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Summer is starting, the days are getting warmer and if you've got a garden, it's calling for your attention. Maybe you're growing tomatoes on the back deck or trying to fill your yard with vibrant flowers. Or maybe you're just trying to stay one step ahead of those pesky weeds. Whatever your gardening goals, summer is the season when gardens can really shine — or struggle. MPR News host Angela Davis talks about what grows well in our region, how to time plantings, how to fix common garden problems and how to keep your soil — and your plants — in good shape all summer long.  Guests: Catherine Grant is a horticulturalist who manages the greenhouses, medicinal garden and pollinator habitat for the Department of Biology at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.   Laura Irish-Hanson is a horticulture educator with the University of Minnesota Extension. She works primarily out of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska.  Here's a list of resources that were discussed on the show:University of Minnesota Soil Testing laboratoryUniversity of Minnesota Extension“Hort Shorts” created by UMN Extension https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY7GaPXLa0w&list=PLyMOSdo2sM9tCmiTBa19yapMRxPL-04Eb&index=4Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.   Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

Minnesota has the highest rate of people working remotely in the Midwest, according to the Minneapolis Federal Reserve. More than a third of workers in the state worked at home at least part time in 2023. But now, five years after the pandemic, the great experiment of remote work is shaking out. More employers are calling workers back to the office. On Monday, tens of thousands of state employees who had been working remotely are required to return to work in person at least 50 percent of the time, complying with a return-to-office order from Gov. Tim Walz. Some private companies, such as 3M and Medtronic, also are dialing back their work-from-home policies and President Donald Trump has sought to end remote work for federal workers.MPR News host Angela Davis discusses what we've learned about remote work — when it works and when it doesn't — and what its future might be. Guests: Chris Farrell is a senior economics contributor for MPR News and Marketplace.  Colleen Flaherty Manchester is a professor and faculty director of the Center for Human Resources and Labor Studies in the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. She studies flexible work and other benefits and programs offered by employers. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.   Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

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.

Like most school districts in Minnesota, St. Paul Public Schools is facing a complicated set of challenges. Enrollment is up a bit this year, but the small increase follows years of decline. The district faces a budget shortfall, has already made deep cuts and plans to ask voters this fall to approve a tax increase to support schools.  At the same time, student performance is stuck where it was before the pandemic and proposals from President Donald Trump and from Republicans in Congress would reduce support for public education.   MPR News host Angela Davis talks about the challenges facing public education with St. Paul's new superintendent, Stacie Stanley.  Guest:Stacie Stanley is the superintendent of St. Paul Public Schools, the second largest school district in Minnesota. Prior to joining the district in May, she served three years as the superintendent of Edina Public Schools, as associate superintendent in Eden Prairie Schools and on the leadership team in the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District. She's been a classroom teacher, curriculum math specialist and a principal. She graduated from St. Paul's Central High School.

Like most school districts in Minnesota, St. Paul Public Schools is facing a complicated set of challenges. Enrollment is up a bit this year, but the small increase follows years of decline. The district faces a budget shortfall, has already made deep cuts and plans to ask voters this fall to approve a tax increase to support schools.  At the same time, student performance is stuck where it was before the pandemic and proposals from President Donald Trump and from Republicans in Congress would reduce support for public education.   MPR News host Angela Davis talks about the challenges facing public education with St. Paul's new superintendent, Stacie Stanley.  Guest:Stacie Stanley is the superintendent of St. Paul Public Schools, the second largest school district in Minnesota. Prior to joining the district in May, she served three years as the superintendent of Edina Public Schools, as associate superintendent in Eden Prairie Schools and on the leadership team in the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District. She's been a classroom teacher, curriculum math specialist and a principal. She graduated from St. Paul's Central High School.

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.

Last week, Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a multitrillion dollar bill that advances President Donald Trump's agenda for his second term.One issue that will be debated as it moves to the Senate is the bill's significant changes to Medicaid.  Medicaid is the public insurance program that covers most health care and long-term care for 83 million low-income and disabled people in the U.S. In Minnesota, about a quarter of the population is on the state's Medicaid program, which is known as Medical Assistance. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with a physician and a health policy researcher about what the proposed changes to Medicaid could mean for Minnesotans.   Guests: Lynn Blewett is a professor of health policy in the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota. She is also the director of the State Health Access Data Assistance Center, a health policy research center with a focus on state policy. Dr. Tyler Winkelman is a primary care physician and researcher who directs the division of general internal medicine at Hennepin Healthcare. He is also the co-director of the Health, Homelessness, and Criminal Justice Lab. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. 

This month we've seen many special events marking five years since the murder of George Floyd.  He died on Memorial Day after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than 9 minutes during an arrest.  What followed was chaos and many uncomfortable conversations about race. In 2021, MPR launched a podcast called Early Risers to help parents talk to kids about race. It was created in partnership with Little Moments Count, which is a collaborative of organizations working to improve interactions between parents and their children. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with the original host of the Early Risers podcast, Dianne Haulcy, and the current host, Andre Dukes.  She asked them how it's going, and if we have made progress in engaging children in conversations about race. Guests: Dianne Haulcy hosted Early Risers until 2024. She is now the assistant commissioner of early childhood at the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Andre Dukes is the current host of Early Risers. He has spent the last decade of his career focused on child development and academic success in north Minneapolis. He is also the vice president of Family and Community Impact at Northside Achievement Zone, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.      

It was Memorial Day weekend, five years ago, when George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Bystanders recorded the nine-plus minutes that Chauvin calmly kneeled on Floyd's neck, as the Black man pleaded for help and air. That video rocketed from phone to phone, from media to media and sparked worldwide protests against police brutality.But for the Black community in Minneapolis, Floyd's murder was just a chapter in a much longer story.Long before 2020, people had been organizing, creating and demanding change. Certainly, in the immediate aftermath of Floyd's death and Chauvin's 2021 conviction, progress was made. Businesses and institutions promised to invest in racial equity, to develop new community practices, to reckon with systems of harm.But in the neighborhood where Floyd lived and died, has that change taken root? That was the question at the center of a North Star Journey Live event hosted by MPR News host Angela Davis earlier this month. On May 6, a cross section of Black community leaders came together at Pillsbury House Theatre to talk about real change, deep healing and defiant hope. The conversation was candid, often surprising and ultimately inspiring. North Star Journey Live: Five Years After George Floyd Panelists: Angela Harrelson, George Floyd's aunt and registered nurseAnthony Taylor, community development lead for the Cultural Wellness Center and outdoor educator-activistJeanelle Austin, founder of the Racial Agency Initiative and a board member for the George Floyd Global MemorialJerome Richardson, cofounder of the youth-led Minnesota Teen ActivistsSigne Harriday, artistic producing director at Pillsbury House + Theatre and lead local organizer for the Million Artist MovementTabitha Montgomery, executive director of the Powderhorn Park Neighborhood AssociationSpecial guests: Junauda Petrus, creative activist and current poet laureate for MinneapolisElder Atum Azzahir, founder and executive director of the Cultural Wellness CenterSubscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. 

Jeanette Rupert, Jeanelle Austin and Butchy Austin grew up around 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis and all took action in different ways following the murder of George Floyd. They shared with MPR News how their activism has impacted them and their communities in the time since.