Podcasts about sahan journal

A story by Sahan Journal out Monday follows a Hmong family separated by deportation. It starts with the day in February when Linda Yang learned ICE agents planned to detain her husband Zong. He's now in Laos. Linda and their five kids live in St. Paul. Sahan Journal Reporter Katelyn Vue plans to keep telling the story of how the family is dealing with this new reality in a series of articles this year. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about her reporting.

Months after the peak of the surge of immigration agents this winter, mutual aid groups and organizers helping Minnesotans stay in their homes say there's still a crisis as eviction filings look on pace to break last year's record high. A 48-year-old Hmong man from St. Paul was deported to Laos in May. A new story from Sahan Journal follows his journey and looks at how his wife and five kids are navigating the reality of being separated from him indefinitely. A Minneapolis writer is honoring her brother in a new memoir that traces his battle with ALS and his career as the so-called Dream Doctor.Thousands of athletes are in Minneapolis this week to compete in the Special Olympics. We'll get a glimpse of this weekend's opening ceremony.

Many survivors of sexual violence receive what's called a sexual assault forensic exam to collect evidence for law enforcement. These exams can take hours and they usually happen in an emergency room... which can be a harsh environment to spend the hours after a traumatic experience. A new clinic in Minneapolis will be the first in the Twin Cities to provide an alternative, with more focus on healing and follow-up treatment. Sahan Journal recently reported on the effort by Southside Community Health Services. And the organization's medical director Sheila Kennedy joined Minnesota Now to talk about it.

During Operation Metro Surge, thousands of people detained by federal immigration agents ended up getting put on a plane and flown to detention centers out of state. According to an analysis by Sahan Journal, 3,400 people were flown to Texas. And as of early March, 530 remained there. It's unclear now how many are still in detention today.One detainee's experience has gotten the attention of lawmakers. First reported by the Minnesota Reformer, Andrea Pedro-Francisco of Burnsville has a tennis ball-sized ovarian cyst. She was scheduled to have surgery to treat the cyst, but was detained days before it could happen.While in ICE detention, Andrea says she has not gotten the medical care she needs for her cyst. Democrat U.S. Representative Angie Craig, whose district includes Burnsville, went down to visit Andrea at Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas, on Monday. Congresswomen Angie Craig talked to MPR News host Nina Moini about her visit.

Political and social circumstances influence the languages people speak and sometimes create distance from the languages of their parents and grandparents. In Minnesota, the most common languages are English, Spanish, Somali and Hmong, according to Census data analyzed by Sahan Journal. But there are many others spoken here, including Tibetan, Kru and Kichwa. Sahan Journal recently profiled several speakers and teachers of languages that are rare in the state. Reporter Shubhanjana Das joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the story.

A 12-day hunger strike over a trash incinerator in downtown Minneapolis is over — but a campaign to close the facility will continue. Activists have pushed for years to close the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center, or HERC. They say the facility next to Target Field is endangering the health of residents of the area, including a predominantly Black neighborhood on the city's north side.In 2023, the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution to shut down the HERC between 2028 and 2040. Environmental and labor groups are pushing the commissioners to commit to a deadline. Sahan Journal reporter Andrew Hazzard has been covering the HERC for years and he joined Minnesota Now to talk more about the latest developments.

A new analysis by Sahan Journal reporters Becky Dernbach and Cynthia Tu gives us the most thorough account yet of what happened to the dozens of children who were detained during the federal immigration operation in Minnesota. Dernbach reported that more than 70 children were detained between Dec. 1 and March 10. MPR News host Nina Moini talked to Dernbach about their findings.Read more at MPRnews.org.

Federal immigration agents detained more than 70 children in Minnesota during the surge over the winter. Nearly half of those children have since left the U.S., according to a new story by Sahan Journal. We'll learn more about what happened to those children and their families.Some Minnesota companies have made money from the war in Iran. We'll talk with a MinnPost reporter who looked into defense contracts with the military. It's the season of senioritis for college seniors who are looking for their next steps. We'll talk with a career counselor about how AI is changing the search for entry level jobs.10 years ago, the world lost a superstar. We'll hear stories about Prince and a new song from the vault.Our Minnesota Music Minute was “With This Tear” by Prince.

Vanan Murugesan — executive director of Sahan Journal, Minnesota's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to covering immigrants and communities of color — joins the Chuck Toddcast ahead of Local News Day on April 9th to discuss a dimension of the local news crisis that rarely gets attention: community news deserts. Murugesan explains that even in Minnesota — a state with relatively strong local news — immigrant stories were consistently missed or covered with biased narratives by mainstream outlets. He draws a vivid analogy: mainstream news organizations are like Target, offering broad coverage for a general audience, while immigrant outlets are specialty stores that reflect the specific realities of their communities. The conversation turns to the business of sustaining community journalism in a fractured media landscape. Murugesan argues that the ideal model is 50 to 70 percent reader-funded through a combination of subscribers and donors, noting that audience size isn't the ultimate goal — who the audience is can matter as much as how large it is. He explains that immigrant newsrooms actually have an advantage because they don't follow the conservative, cautious practices of legacy media — they're willing to experiment with video, social media, and syndication partnerships that allow them to overindex their audience relative to their size. They discuss why local service journalism — helping people navigate schools, immigration processes, and government services — isn't always sexy but is incredibly useful, while insisting that the joyful parts of the immigrant experience need to be better covered alongside the hardship. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Vanan Murugesan (Sahan Journal) joins the Chuck ToddCast 02:00 There are both local news deserts, and community news deserts 03:00 How would you describe the Sahan Journal and its mission? 04:00 Minnesota has great local news, but immigrant stories were missed 06:30 Immigrant media was created to reflect realities of their audience 08:30 Immigrants truly want to understand the place they’re living in 10:00 Mainstream outlets are like Target, immigrant outlets are specialty stores 12:00 How do you decide when a community needs a full time reporter? 13:00 Sahan publishes in English to serve all Minnesotans 15:00 Addressing immigrant issues can uplift the entire community 16:30 Why not publish in multiple languages? Is it a resource issue? 17:30 Sahan added a spanish language version 18:30 Insisted on using a spanish speaking human for translations 19:30 Digital tools allow for pretty good translation 22:30 What works about the nonprofit model? Could you see going for-profit? 23:30 Sustainability is the ultimate goal regardless of profit model 25:15 Generating revenue from subscribers + donors is the ideal model 26:45 Washington Post has become beholden to Jeff Bezos 28:45 Ideally, 50-70% reader funded is the business model 29:30 Audience size isn’t the ultimate panacea 30:30 Who the audience is can matter as much as the size of it 32:30 Craigslist destroyed the business model for local newspapers 35:00 Newsrooms tend to be conservative and cautious trying new models 38:30 Immigrant newsrooms due well to not follow national media practices 41:00 Media is fracturing, but the barrier to entry is getting lower 43:00 Able to overindex audience by using video & social media 44:00 Are you able to syndicate any of your work to other outlets? 45:30 Finding stories they can collaborate on with other outlets 46:30 Local service journalism isn’t always sexy but is incredibly useful 47:30 What type of service journalism do you produce? 48:45 The joyful part of the immigrant experience needs to be better covered 50:00 Trying to balance what the audience wants with what they need 51:45 Celebrating Local News Day on April 9thSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd delivers a devastating week-by-week timeline of Trump's increasingly incoherent Iran war messaging that reads like a case study in presidential self-entrapment. He reports that military movements on the ground suggest escalation even as Trump's rhetoric promises de-escalation, that Defense Secretary Hegseth was allegedly looking into investments in defense stocks before the war began, that Pam Bondi's DOJ has been quietly dropping huge numbers of white-collar cases, and that in the middle of a war, Trump has proposed building a massive skyscraper Trump library in Miami — all while reports emerge that the president is simply getting bored with the conflict. He warns that the second and third-order effects of the war haven't landed yet but will hit hard in the next four to six weeks, that markets look calmer than they should given the geopolitical reality. He also flags that Trump's poll numbers are lower than ever and the political environment is so favorable for Democrats they should win both chambers without even needing redistricting help, and closes with the emergence of a new but manageable COVID variant dubbed "Cicada" — a reminder that we can no longer rely on HHS to provide normal, common-sense public health guidance when the country needs it most. Then, Vanan Murugesan — executive director of Sahan Journal, Minnesota's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to covering immigrants and communities of color — joins the Chuck Toddcast ahead of Local News Day on April 9th to discuss a dimension of the local news crisis that rarely gets attention: community news deserts. Murugesan explains that even in Minnesota — a state with relatively strong local news — immigrant stories were consistently missed or covered with biased narratives by mainstream outlets. He draws a vivid analogy: mainstream news organizations are like Target, offering broad coverage for a general audience, while immigrant outlets are specialty stores that reflect the specific realities of their communities. The conversation turns to the business of sustaining community journalism in a fractured media landscape. Murugesan argues that the ideal model is 50 to 70 percent reader-funded through a combination of subscribers and donors, noting that audience size isn't the ultimate goal — who the audience is can matter as much as how large it is. He explains that immigrant newsrooms actually have an advantage because they don't follow the conservative, cautious practices of legacy media — they're willing to experiment with video, social media, and syndication partnerships that allow them to overindex their audience relative to their size. They discuss why local service journalism — helping people navigate schools, immigration processes, and government services — isn't always sexy but is incredibly useful, while insisting that the joyful parts of the immigrant experience need to be better covered alongside the hardship. Finally Chuck updates his ToddCast Top 5 Republican senate seats most likely to turn blue in the midterm elections and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 02:15 Trump’s rhetoric over the war is confusing. Keeps saying it’s almost over 02:45 Military movements suggest we’re about to escalate the war 03:15 Trump is trying to balance the war with the markets 04:45 Week 1 Trump tried to project a sense of control, and says war will be short 05:30 In Week 2, Trump proposes something like a Marshall Plan for Iran 06:15 In Week 3, Trump promises that Iran is seeking a deal 07:00 Week 4, Trump proposes a pause on strikes to calm markets 07:45 Now Trump says talks are happening, but also issues threats to infrastructure 08:30 Trump’s social posts are frontrunning the Pentagon briefings 09:15 Trump knows he’s boxed himself in, put himself in impossible situation 10:30 Trump is clearly manipulating the markets with his social posts 11:45 Hegseth was allegedly looking into investments in defense stocks before war 13:30 Pam Bondi’s DOJ has been dropping huge numbers of white-collar cases 15:30 During a war, Trump proposes a huge skyscraper Trump library in Miami 17:15 Reports are that Trump is getting bored with the war 18:00 Trump’s poll numbers are lower than ever, Dems should win both houses 19:00 Political environment is so favorable for Dems, they don’t need redistricting 21:00 Markets look calmer than they should considering geopolitical concerns 22:00 2nd & 3rd effects of the war haven’t landed yet 23:30 The effects of the war are likely to hit hard in the next 4-6 weeks 24:30 Trump treated NATO allies terribly, then gets mad they won’t bail him out 25:30 If Trump walks away, he hands Iran more leverage of Strait of Hormuz 26:45 Eventually the markets & traders will have to accept reality 27:30 Trump cares most about his financial allies that pay him personally 29:30 The Gulf states thought they could manipulate Trump, but he’s erratic 30:15 Gulf states are probably having buyer’s remorse 31:30 War is accelerating green energy transition, China set to benefit most 32:45 War has strengthened Russia & China, weakened the United States 34:30 New but manageable COVID variant has emerged, the Cicada variant 36:00 We can’t rely on HHS to give us normal common sense health advice 42:00 Vanan Murugesan (Sahan Journal) joins the Chuck ToddCast 44:00 There are both local news deserts, and community news deserts 45:00 How would you describe the Sahan Journal and its mission? 46:00 Minnesota has great local news, but immigrant stories were missed 48:30 Immigrant media was created to reflect realities of their audience 50:30 Immigrants truly want to understand the place they’re living in 52:00 Mainstream outlets are like Target, immigrant outlets are specialty stores 54:00 How do you decide when a community needs a full time reporter? 55:00 Sahan publishes in English to serve all Minnesotans 57:00 Addressing immigrant issues can uplift the entire community 58:30 Why not publish in multiple languages? Is it a resource issue? 59:30 Sahan added a spanish language version 1:00:30 Insisted on using a spanish speaking human for translations 1:01:30 Digital tools allow for pretty good translation 1:04:30 What works about the nonprofit model? Could you see going for-profit? 1:05:30 Sustainability is the ultimate goal regardless of profit model 1:07:15 Generating revenue from subscribers + donors is the ideal model 1:08:45 Washington Post has become beholden to Jeff Bezos 1:10:45 Ideally, 50-70% reader funded is the business model 1:11:30 Audience size isn’t the ultimate panacea 1:12:30 Who the audience is can matter as much as the size of it 1:14:30 Craigslist destroyed the business model for local newspapers 1:17:00 Newsrooms tend to be conservative and cautious trying new models 1:20:30 Immigrant newsrooms due well to not follow national media practices 1:23:00 Media is fracturing, but the barrier to entry is getting lower 1:25:00 Able to overindex audience by using video & social media 1:26:00 Are you able to syndicate any of your work to other outlets? 1:27:30 Finding stories they can collaborate on with other outlets 1:28:30 Local service journalism isn’t always sexy but is incredibly useful 1:29:30 What type of service journalism do you produce? 1:30:45 The joyful part of the immigrant experience needs to be better covered 1:32:00 Trying to balance what the audience wants with what they need 1:33:45 Celebrating Local News Day on April 9th 1:34:15 Don’t forget Local News Day on April 9th! 1:35:00 ToddCast Top 5 Republican senate seats most likely to turn blue 1:36:30 The political environment for Republicans is terrible 1:37:30 May will be the month where we see if Republicans break with Trump 1:38:45 #1 North Carolina 1:40:15 #2 Maine 1:42:15 #3 Ohio 1:45:00 #4 Alaska 1:46:15 #5 Nebraska 1:52:00 Ask Chuck 1:52:15 What is going on with all the alien talk from government officials lately? 1:56:00 Is it possible to play by the old rules when both parties feel fight is existential? 1:59:30 Why don’t journalists more directly call out obvious lies? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Federal immigration enforcement has entered a new era. ICE agents are now deploying facial recognition software, social media monitoring, and other digital tools to identify immigrants and surveil protesters. MPR News host Catharine Richert and her guests take a hard look at how these technologies work, where the law draws the line, and what the expansion of digital surveillance means for privacy for all of us. If you've ever wondered how much your digital footprint can reveal, join us for tonight's conversation.Guests:William McGeveran is the dean of the University of Minnesota Law School where he teaches data privacy.Shubhanjana Das is a reporter with the Sahan Journal. 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.   

Thirty seven year old Alex Pretti was shot dead on Saturday by boarder patol agents. Andrew Hazzard, Journalist with the Sahan Journal.

For weeks, Minnesota has been targeted by an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign. Federal immigration agents have surged through the Twin Cities, going door-to-door, arresting immigrants, and U.S. citizens alike. One woman, Renee Nicole Good, was killed by an ICE agent. So, how do you report on something like this? Katelyn Vue is an immigration reporter at the Sahan Journal, an outlet in the Twin Cities that covers immigrant communities. She spoke with WUWM's Jimmy Gutierrez last week. During their interview, you'll hear clips from news reports about what's happening in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.  

Journalist and activist Kat Abughazaleh joins Hysteria to talk about her firsthand experience standing up to ICE and how to show up for immigrants in your community. Erin and Alyssa also get into updates from Minnesota and the death of Renee Good, the status of the Epstein files, and how Trump used his first year of presidency to line his own pockets. Then they have a discussion about the TV shows that are keeping them sane, especially the increasingly-popular genre “competency porn.” They wrap up with a petty chat about Kyrsten Sinema's affair lawsuit and the latest Beckham family drama.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.Prosecutors Subpoena Minnesota Democrats as Part of Federal Inquiry (NYT 1/20)Some Minnesota students are missing school because they fear ICE (AXIOS 1/15)Following Renee Good's killing, her son's Minneapolis charter school receives right-wing attacks (Sahan Journal 1/15)‘No longer in my hands': How Hill Republicans stopped caring about DOJ releasing the Epstein files (Politico 1/19)Amazon CEO says Trump tariffs are driving prices up (Axios 1/20)New York Times Trump Wealth ReportTV's most satisfying escape right now is watching ‘competency porn' (Washington Post 1/13) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Federal immigration agents forced open a door and detained a U.S. citizen in his Minnesota home at gunpoint without a warrant, then led him out onto the streets in his underwear in subfreezing conditions, according to his family and videos reviewed by The Associated Press.ChongLy “Scott” Thao told the AP that his daughter-in-law woke him up from a nap Sunday afternoon and said that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were banging at the door of his residence in St. Paul. He told her not to open it. Masked agents then forced their way in and pointed guns at the family, yelling at themMPR News host Nina Moini spoke with Sahan Journal reporter Katelyn Vue, who had a chance to talk to Scott.

On Wednesday a federal agent shot and wounded a man who the Department of Homeland Security said was fleeing federal officers in north Minneapolis. DHS said the officer fired a defensive shot because he was "ambushed and attacked" and feared for his life. That happened exactly a week after the deadly shooting of Renee Macklin Good by an ICE agent in south Minneapolis. MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with MPR's Estelle Timar-Wilcox to cover what is known about the shooting, and Dymanh Chhoun, a multimedia journalist at Sahan Journal, who spent the evening in north Minneapolis as protests erupted following the shooting. Also hear from Democrat State Sen. Bobby Joe Champion was also on the scene last night and live streaming what he saw.

El 7 de enero, un agente del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas de los Estados Unidos (ICE por sus siglas en inglés) disparó y mató a Renee Nicole Good, de 37 años, en Minneapolis, después de que un grupo de personas comenzara a bloquear a los agentes durante una operación. Días antes, la administración Trump había ordenado el despliegue de cerca de 2.000 agentes federales en Minneapolis como parte de una campaña de represión migratoria tras un escándalo de fraude a la asistencia social en Minnesota. Así que para hablar sobre lo que sabe de la muerte de Good, los fraudes, las comunidades inmigrantes y las acciones migratorias en Minnesota, invitamos a Andrew Hazzard, reportero de Sahan Journal, un medio de comunicación independiente dedicado a cubrir las comunidades de color e inmigrantes en Minnesota.

Parents at St. Paul Public School's Hmong language and culture school are preparing to keep their kids at home Monday amid an ongoing dispute with the district over overcrowding concerns. The boycott on Monday takes place ahead of a Tuesday meeting where the school board will vote on next steps. Enrollment at the PreK-8 Txuj Ci school has grown tremendously in recent years. But the district has not been able to find enough space to keep all students under one roof. That's led to several temporary short-term solutions that have left many parents frustrated. Tensions have boiled over to the point where some parents say they may even pull their kids from the school entirely. Sahan Journal's Becky Dernbach has been following the story and joined Minnesota Now to share her reporting.

Every year, the American Community Survey, a survey affiliated with the U.S. Census Bureau, asks people across the country to share what languages they speak at home. In Minnesota, those numbers not only help us understand immigration patterns and changes in language diversity, they also help shape state policy. Sahan Journal data reporter Cynthia Tu and Sahan Journal reporting fellow Shubanjana Das recently published a story diving into the survey results and joined Minnesota Now to share more about their reporting.

The Trump administration is ending the federal government's reporting on hunger amidst an upheaval to the food benefit program SNAP. We'll hear from the new CEO of the region's largest food bank on how she's navigating these changes.A professor at Bemidji State is developing a suicide screening tool specifically for Indigenous people. We'll learn more about his work.Plus, the growing diversity of different languages spoken in Minnesota offers a snapshot of a changing state. We'll hear from two Sahan Journal reporters who analyzed survey data from the U.S. Census. And Minnesota sports fans are celebrating! We'll get all the news on this weekend's wins from our sports contributors Wally and Eric.Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Georgia on my Mind” by Willie Nelson and our Song of the Day “Golden Ray of Sun” by The Midnight Hounds.

President Trump's campaign to deport thousands of immigrants has had significant impacts for the Southeast Asian community in Minnesota. At a news conference last weekend by MN8, an advocacy group helping Southeast Asian immigrant communities, co-founder and executive director Montha Chum told reporters that five Hmong Minnesotans in federal detention were transferred to Louisiana and are currently awaiting deportation to Laos. Sahan Journal reports that, as of early June, at least 15 Hmong Minnesotans with criminal convictions were arrested to be deported. Ana Pottratz Acosta, a visiting professor at the University of Minnesota Law School and the Binger Center for New Americans — and a former immigration attorney — joined MPR News host Nina Moini to discuss the issue and explain what happens to immigrants' cases after they're sent out of the country.

The White House has described its immigration policies as a “landmark public safety effort” to arrest and deport people who have committed crimes. Data from the Deportation Data Project that was analyzed by NPR shows ICE has also increased arrests of people with no criminal record. And in Hennepin County, officials say deportations and related fears have disrupted criminal cases. That's according to a story published Monday by Sahan Journal criminal justice reporter Katrina Pross. She spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about her reporting.

This weekend, monks and other visitors from all over the world will gather near the small town of Hampton just south of the Twin Cities. It's home to the Watt Munisotaram, which is the largest Cambodian Buddhist temple in the United States. In a new photo essay, Sahan Journal multimedia journalist Dymanh Chhoun shares scenes from the construction of a large, ornate gate at the temple's entrance. The Great Gate is almost complete after years of fundraising and construction. He joined MPR News guest host Chris Farrell in the studio to talk about it.

In middle school, so much can change over the course of a single school year, or even a semester. A new story by Sahan Journal goes inside a Minneapolis classroom where students who recently moved to the United States are learning to navigate not just a new school but also a new country. Education reporter Becky Dernbach followed two eighth-graders through their first few months of school, which coincided with President Trump's return to the White House, a federal immigration crackdown – and heightened fears of deportation. Dernbach joined Minnesota Now to talk about her reporting.

Dan and Ellen talk with Katherine Ann Rowlands, who runs Bay City News Foundation. The foundation is a nonprofit that publishes journalism for the Greater San Francisco Bay Area at LocalNewsMatters.org and The Mendocino Voice. And by the way, this is the last podcast until September. Bay City News Foundation acquired The Mendocino Voice and took it nonprofit a little more than a year ago. Dan reported on the Voice for our book, "What Works in Community News," and was visiting in March of 2020 when ... well, you know what happened then. Rowlands also is owner and publisher of Bay City News, a regional news wire supplying original journalism for the whole media ecosystem in her area, from TV to start-up digital outlets. Dan has a Quick Take about the Muzzle Awards. Since 1998 he has been writing an annual Fourth of July roundup of outrages against free speech and freedom of expression in New England during the previous year. This is the 27th annual edition a couple of weeks ago.  Ellen reports on the death of Nancy Cassutt, a newsroom leader at Minnesota Public Radio and American Public Media's “Marketplace.” Nancy was a driving force in helping Mukhtar Ibrahim get Sahan Journal off the ground. 

An 11-year-old boy is dead after a shooting at a Minneapolis park. It's the second deadly shooting at a city park this month. We talk to the Minneapolis Park Police chief about what he thinks is behind the violence and what he's doing to keep parks safe.The entire CDC vaccine advisory panel was fired by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The new members meet for the first time today. We hear how this panel's desicions could impact vaccine access. Plus, federal checks on unaccompanied minors are putting immigrant families on edge. We dive deeper into that story from Sahan Journal. Meteorologist Sven Sundgaard joins us with a look at flooding threats for today. And a new podcast is collecting stories of queer mutual aid through a hotline.Today's Minnesota Music Minute was “Don't Come Crying to Me” by Cindy Lawson. The Song of the Day was “The Great American Outrage Machine” by Dante DeGrazia.

Lawyers and advocates in the Twin Cities and southwestern Minnesota say federal agents are making home visits to interview unaccompanied minors. That's according to a recent story by Sahan Journal. Unaccompanied minors are children and teens who moved to the United States without guardians or legal status. Many are staying with sponsors, who are usually family members, while their cases go through court. The Trump Administration has told national news organizations that agencies are making “wellness checks” to look for signs of exploitation and human trafficking. But immigrant advocates are raising concerns. Joining Minnesota Now to explain is Sahan Journal's immigration reporter Katelyn Vue.

About 4,500 people are released from Minnesota prisons each year. Many of them have spent years, if not decades, behind bars, separated from friends, family and community.What happens when they finally return? How do they rebuild their lives during this complex and often precarious transition?That was the topic at a collaborative Sahan Community Live and North Star Journey Live event recorded on April 24 at the St. Paul Neighborhood Network. Co-hosted by MPR News senior editor Brandt Williams and Sahan Journal digital producer Alberto Villafan, formerly incarcerated Minnesotans shared first-hand stories of what makes reentry such a difficult process. Community leaders and reentry advocates also shared what helps and what holds back people as they exit incarceration and reintegrate into their community.Guests: Antonio Williams is the founder and executive director of T.O.N.E. U.P., a grassroots organization dedicated to empowering formerly incarcerated individuals.Rea Smith is the Women's Services Project Coordinator of the Behavioral Health Division at the Minnesota Department of Human Services.Erick Washington is the co-founder of the Kingsmen Project.James Becker is the assistant federal defender and federal defender representative in the District of Minnesota Reentry Court program.David Riley is an addictions counselor at RS Eden, a Minneapolis-based organization that offers treatment for drug addictions, housing assistance and reentry support.

About 4,500 people are released from Minnesota prisons each year. Many of them have spent years, if not decades, behind bars, separated from friends, family and community.What happens when they finally return? How do they rebuild their lives during this complex and often precarious transition?That was the topic at a collaborative Sahan Community Live and North Star Journey Live event recorded on April 24 at the St. Paul Neighborhood Network. Co-hosted by MPR News senior editor Brandt Williams and Sahan Journal digital producer Alberto Villafan, formerly incarcerated Minnesotans shared first-hand stories of what makes reentry such a difficult process. Community leaders and reentry advocates also shared what helps and what holds back people as they exit incarceration and reintegrate into their community.Guests: Antonio Williams is the founder and executive director of T.O.N.E. U.P., a grassroots organization dedicated to empowering formerly incarcerated individuals.Rea Smith is the Women's Services Project Coordinator of the Behavioral Health Division at the Minnesota Department of Human Services.Erick Washington is the co-founder of the Kingsmen Project.James Becker is the assistant federal defender and federal defender representative in the District of Minnesota Reentry Court program.David Riley is an addictions counselor at RS Eden, a Minneapolis-based organization that offers treatment for drug addictions, housing assistance and reentry support.

The Minnesota Senate has passed a bill providing some benefits to Hmong and Lao veterans who helped the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. In the 1960s and early ‘70s, the CIA recruited tens of thousands of Hmong people in an operation known as the Secret War. Many of those recruits lost their lives. Others fled their home country when the war ended 50 years ago, eventually moving to states like Minnesota.  The bill still needs to be passed by the Minnesota House to become law. DFL Sen. Susan Pha, DFL-Brooklyn Park, is a co-author of the bill and joined Minnesota Now to talk about the impact it may have.  This story was first reported by Sahan Journal.

Five counties in Minnesota recently made agreements with ICE to help with immigration enforcement. What that means is different depending on the county, and its separate from previous agreements to hold ICE detainees in three local jails around the state. Sahan Journal reporter Andrew Hazzard is following this story. He joined MPR News host Nina Moini to explain.This conversation was produced by Alanna Elder.

A Minneapolis charter school is under new leadership after multiple lawsuits called into question the school's practices. According to reporting from Sahan Journal, Harvest Best Academy's school board fired their CEO and founder Eric Mahmoud after a lawsuit claimed he chose to protect a prominent teacher accused of sexual abuse. Sahan Journal education reporter Becky Dernbach joins MPR News host Nina Moini with the latest.

A woman has filed a class-action lawsuit against a factory that produces metal parts near her home. The suit says the Northern Iron metal foundry is releasing pollution that is harming health and property values in the area. The company that owns the foundry is also in a legal battle with the state of Minnesota over its permit. Reporter Andrew Hazzard has been following the situation for Sahan Journal and joined Minnesota Now to talk about what he's learned.

How did your family end up in Minnesota? Do you know the story of your ancestors' journey? In the 1800s, immigrants to our region primarily came from Scandinavia and Germany. More recently, major populations have come to Minnesota from Laos, Somalia, Mexico, Liberia, Ecuador, Afghanistan and India. In fact, almost 500,000 people who live in Minnesota today were born outside of the United States. But behind the where is also a why. And over time, those narratives can get lost if not recorded. North Star Journey Live: Immigrant Stories That's why MPR News, together with Sahan Journal, presented a collaborative North Star Journey Live and Sahan Community Live conversation at St. Paul Neighborhood Network on Feb. 20. Hosted by immigration reporters Sarah Thamer and Katelyn Vue, this in-person event focused on how immigrant communities in Minnesota preserve their histories and pass them on to new generations. Panelists shared their own arrival stories and tips for recording your own family's journey. Immigration stories Mu Performing Arts Real immigrant stories, told with puppets At Wellstone International High Students, Swedish-Americans swap immigrant stories How this Minneapolis street Grew from immigrant neighborhood to culinary hotspot You can listen to and watch more immigrant and refugee stories at the Minnesota Historical Society's Becoming Minnesotan online archive and the Immigrant History Research Center at the University of Minnesota. Panelists: Diego Guaman is the interim director of Movimiento Comunitario Minnesota and cofounder of the Aztec dance group Kalpulli Tlaloctecuhtli. Julie Vang is program manager at Green Card Voices — a nonprofit that uses storytelling to build community connections between immigrants and their neighbors.Marian Hassan is an educator and author helping to preserve Somali oral histories.Saengmany Ratsabout is an independent scholar and community advocate who studies Southeast Asian history and is helping to document the history of the Lao diaspora. He's also one of the founders of the Immigrant Stories project at the University of Minnesota's Immigration History Research Center. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.  

A Minneapolis charter school can be held legally responsible for hiring a gym teacher who sexually assaulted students, according to the Minnesota Supreme Court, who ruled on the case Wednesday. Adam Hjermstad was convicted in 2021 for the sexual assaults of students where he taught and coached basketball. One of the survivors and his family sued the charter school Harvest Best Academy for hiring Hjermstad. Sahan Journal education reporter Becky Dernbach joined Minnesota Now to talk about how the Supreme Court's ruling could have implications for schools across the state. Former teacher, coach in Minneapolis faces new charges of sexually assaulting childrenMinneapolis charter school may be liable for hiring teacher who sexually assaulted student, court rules

How did your family end up in Minnesota? Do you know the story of your ancestors' journey? In the 1800s, immigrants to our region primarily came from Scandinavia and Germany. More recently, major populations have come to Minnesota from Laos, Somalia, Mexico, Liberia, Ecuador, Afghanistan and India. In fact, almost 500,000 people who live in Minnesota today were born outside of the United States. But behind the where is also a why. And over time, those narratives can get lost if not recorded. North Star Journey Live: Immigrant Stories That's why MPR News, together with Sahan Journal, presented a collaborative North Star Journey Live and Sahan Community Live conversation at St. Paul Neighborhood Network on Feb. 20. Hosted by immigration reporters Sarah Thamer and Katelyn Vue, this in-person event focused on how immigrant communities in Minnesota preserve their histories and pass them on to new generations. Panelists shared their own arrival stories and tips for recording your own family's journey. Immigration stories Mu Performing Arts Real immigrant stories, told with puppets At Wellstone International High Students, Swedish-Americans swap immigrant stories How this Minneapolis street Grew from immigrant neighborhood to culinary hotspot You can listen to and watch more immigrant and refugee stories at the Minnesota Historical Society's Becoming Minnesotan online archive and the Immigrant History Research Center at the University of Minnesota. Panelists: Diego Guaman is the interim director of Movimiento Comunitario Minnesota and cofounder of the Aztec dance group Kalpulli Tlaloctecuhtli. Julie Vang is program manager at Green Card Voices — a nonprofit that uses storytelling to build community connections between immigrants and their neighbors.Marian Hassan is an educator and author helping to preserve Somali oral histories.Saengmany Ratsabout is an independent scholar and community advocate who studies Southeast Asian history and is helping to document the history of the Lao diaspora. He's also one of the founders of the Immigrant Stories project at the University of Minnesota's Immigration History Research Center. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.  

On this episode, we're joined by Katelyn Vue. Katelyn is a reporter for the non-profit newsroom Sahan Journal in Minnesota covering the immigration and housing beats. She's been with them for a little over 2 years. In 2024 she shared the Young Journalist of the Year award from the Minnesota branch of the Society of Professional Journalists.Katelyn is a graduate of the University of Minnesota. She's our 2nd Hmong guest to appear, joining tv news anchor Chenue Her.Katelyn is a product of Report for America, a non-profit that helps pay the salaries of journalists across the country. Applications to join the next Report for America corps of reporters are due on February 3.Katelyn talked about the importance of building trust with sources and recounted notable stories, including those on housing issues and different cultural communities. She also reflected on the challenges and rewards of her work, the impact of Report for America on her career, and the importance of maintaining mental health as a journalist.Notable articlesYou live day by day': Language, cultural stigma add to barriers for unhoused Hmonghttps://sahanjournal.com/housing/hmong-homeless-st-paul-minnesota-encampmentsThe funeral with 400 Whopper Juniorshttps://sahanjournal.com/immigration/burger-king-whopper-jr-400-burgers-hmong-funeral/The West Side Flats Displacementhttps://sahanjournal.com/housing/st-paul-west-side-flats-displacement-report-apology-reparations/ Lebanese Community Response To Israeli Attackshttps://sahanjournal.com/immigration/lebanon-minnesota-community-response-israeli-attacks/Katelyn's Salutes: Susan Du, Minneapolis Star Tribune and Chao Xiong, Sahan JournalThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

A state program created by a 2023 law allows teachers to become licensed to teach heritage languages. Since then, the group of teachers getting a license has been growing.In 2024, on Minnesota Now we spoke to one of the 15 teachers who became the first in the state to teach Hmong. Now a new group of teachers have become licensed to teach in Somali and Karen.Sahan Journal education reporter Becky Dernbach wrote about this recently and she joined the program. Ehtalow Zar is a math teacher who also teaches Karen language and culture at Johnson Senior High School in St. Paul. She's one of two teachers who just became the first licensed to teach Karen language in the state, and maybe the nation. She joined the program as well.

The Vikings suffered a devasting lost in the first round of the NFL playoffs. The boys mourn the loss and ask where do they go from here. Max details his recent expedition pheasant hunting South Dakota. Matt goes over his spear fishing excursion up on Lake Winnibigoshish.Later in  the show (48:43) Matt sits down with Joey Peters from the Sahan Journal. Joey is a journalist who has been covering the Feeding Out Futures trial and more recently the autism treatment centers that are being accused of defrauding Medicaid for millions of dollars. You can check out his latest work here:https://sahanjournal.com/news/autism-center-raid-minneapolis-st-cloud-feeding-our-future/ Send us a text

Temperatures are dropping and winter is on its way. That means conditions are more dangerous for people experiencing homelessness and living outside. A recent story from Sahan Journal looked at two encampments that have become a home base for unhoused Hmong and Karen people in East St. Paul. A new organization is visiting encampments every Tuesday with food and supplies while trying to connect residents with services. Sahan Journal reporter Katelyn Vue reported on the organization and spoke with MPR News host Nina Moini about it.

It has been a month since Israel launched a ground invasion in Lebanon in the escalating conflict with Hezbollah. More than 2,700 people in Lebanon have been killed and more than a million have been displaced since the Hamas attacks on Israel, according to the latest estimates reported by BBC. This violence is also taking a toll on Minnesotans with ties to the region. MPR News host Cathy Wurzer talks with a Minneapolis business owner who has family in Lebanon. Louisa Farhat is the owner of Sweet Lou's Craft Sausage and Butchery — a retailer and food truck. She was recently featured in Sahan Journal and is selling gift cards to raise money for the Lebanese Red Cross.

Shayla Owodunni is running for an at-large seat on the Minneapolis School Board, which means every voter in the city will have her on their ballot There are two competitive school board races this year. One is for a citywide at-large seat and the other is in district 6. This is one of four episodes with candidates for those two seats. In addition to listening to this podcast, I recommend reading the candidate interviews in Minneapolis Schools Voices (https://www.mplsschoolsvoices.news) and Sahan Journal (https://sahanjournal.com). Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgelive Join the conversation: https://twitter.com/wedgelive Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

Kim Ellison is running for re-election to an at-large seat on the Minneapolis School Board, which means every voter in the city will have her on their ballot There are two competitive school board races this year. One is for a citywide at-large seat and the other is in district 6. This is one of four episodes with candidates for those two seats. In addition to listening to this podcast, I recommend reading the candidate interviews in Minneapolis Schools Voices (https://www.mplsschoolsvoices.news) and Sahan Journal (https://sahanjournal.com). Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgelive Join the conversation: https://twitter.com/wedgelive Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

For immigrants to America, so much is new. New culture, new language, new systems, new opportunities.The learning curve is steep. But eventually, someone pushes through to a new level and becomes the first in their community to achieve a goal. Maybe they become the first in their family to graduate from college, or the first to start a small business. Maybe they are the first to purchase farmland or the first to publish a book that integrates their culture into the American story.On Oct. 17, MPR News' North Star Journey Live partnered with Sahan Journal to host a conversation about firsts. What do these trailblazers from immigrant communities have in common? What are the unique rewards and challenges that come with being the first to embark on a new journey?The celebration was hosted by MPR News' Nina Moini, who herself is the first American journalist in her immigrant family, and Sahan Journal digital producer Alberto Gomez. North Star Journey Live: The Firsts Panelists included Chenue Her, the first Hmong man to become a TV news anchor; Rodrigo Cala, who is the first in his family to buy a farm in the U.S.; Michael Vang, one of the first Hmong soccer players to play professionally in the U.S.; Sen. Zaynab Mohamed, the first person under age 26 to win a seat in the Minnesota Senate; Remona Htoo, one of the first Karen children's book authors in the U.S.; and Abenezer Merdassa, an Ethiopian-American comic who found his way into the stand-up world thanks to procrastinating his finals.

Lara Bergman is running for Minneapolis School Board in district 6, located in southwest Minneapolis. There are two competitive school board races this year. One is for a citywide at-large seat and the other is in district 6. This is one of four episodes with candidates for those two seats. In addition to listening to this podcast, I recommend reading the candidate interviews in Minneapolis Schools Voices (https://www.mplsschoolsvoices.news) and Sahan Journal (https://sahanjournal.com). Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgelive Join the conversation: https://twitter.com/wedgelive Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

Greta Callahan is running for Minneapolis School Board in district 6, located in southwest Minneapolis. There are two competitive school board races this year. One is for a citywide at-large seat and the other is in district 6. This is one of four episodes with candidates for those two seats. In addition to listening to this podcast, I recommend reading the candidate interviews in Minneapolis Schools Voices (https://www.mplsschoolsvoices.news) and Sahan Journal (https://sahanjournal.com). Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgelive Join the conversation: https://twitter.com/wedgelive Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

The Minnesota Supreme Court is considering a challenge to a deal between the Minneapolis school district and teachers' union. The agreement in question ended a Minneapolis teachers' strike two and a half years ago and included job protections for teachers of color.Before the agreement, Minneapolis Public Schools would have to lay off teachers in order of seniority, so the last ones hired would be the first let go. Now the district can exempt teachers from underrepresented groups from that rule. But a Minneapolis resident sued over this provision, saying it's unconstitutional. What the court is weighing is whether a taxpayer, who helps fund the district, has legal standing to sue over something like a union contract. Sahan Journal education reporter Becky Dernbach has been following this and she joins MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to break it down.

Minnesota's new climate laws passed in 2023 require all electricity in the state to come from carbon-free sources by the year 2040. But it's up to regulators to decide what exactly counts as carbon free — the key question that has arisen is whether burning trash and timber for energy should be a part of the mix. There may not be an answer until the end of 2025 after the Public Utilities Commission recently moved to delay the decision. Andrew Hazzard has been following this. He covers climate change and environmental justice for Sahan Journal and he joined Minnesota Now to talk about his reporting.

Vanan Murugesan is now running the Sahan Journal and joins Jason to talk about the importance of the local, digital journalism model and his vision for the Journal

Hour 2: Jason talks with Marques Johnson who just opened Tender Lovin Chix in Uptown on DeRusha Eats. Then he talks with the new head of the Sahan Journal, Vanan Murugesan about local digital journalism