Minnesota Now

A housing development in north Minneapolis was meant to be a better model for public housing. Heritage Park opened in the early 2000s after a legal settlement over housing segregation. It’s a mix of market-rate and subsidized units. Today, many of its units sit vacant. And residents and city leaders say neglected maintenance has caused roof leaks, mold and other problems. City Council member Pearl...

The United States is hosting the World Cup soccer tournament, but Minnesota is not a host city. So instead, fans are flocking to bars and breweries. And new data from the payment company Square found bars and breweries saw an 8 percent increase in revenue, and that was just during the first round of the tournament. Wes Burdine, owner of the Black Hart of Saint Paul, a LGBTQ+ soccer bar, joined Min...

A growing number of young people are using AI companions and chatbots for emotional support, friendship and even virtual relationships, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota. Despite the growth, most teens aren’t advertising that they’re using it – for many, it is stigmatized. Researchers at the U of M are exploring teen use of AI companions. Xiaoran Sun, an assistant professor i...

The National Weather Service is surveying storm damage in Becker County after a preliminary assessment found that at least an EF-1 tornado, with wind speeds of 110 miles per hour, touched down north of Detroit Lakes. During the storm, two people were injured and homes, trees and power lines were damaged in the area. Carrie Smith, the Becker County Administrator, and Abby Fostveit, photographer for...

Minnesota’s new paid leave program is now six months old. State officials managing the benefit offered some fresh statistics on how many people are using it for family bonding or medical-related time off. They’re also keeping tabs on how that use is lining up with earlier projections. Reporter Kyra Miles joined Minnesota Now with the latest.

Ten years ago, Philando Castile was killed by a police officer in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights. His death led to calls for accountability and change in policing. His mother, Valerie Castile, threw herself into that work. Four Black-led nonprofits in the Twin Cities with a combined 300-plus years of history announced they're coming together to try to have a greater impact. We'll learn more...

Valerie Castile lost her son ten years ago Monday. Philando Castile was killed by a St. Anthony police officer in a traffic stop in Falcon Heights a few days before his 33rd birthday. A jury acquitted the officer, Jeronimo Yanez, of manslaughter the following year. Since losing her son, Valerie Castile has worked to honor his memory by speaking out about his killing and joining calls for accountab...

Team U.S. plays Belgium Monday in Seattle in the round of 16. Forward Folarin Balogun may join his teammates for team U.S after his one-game suspension was lifted after intervention from President Trump. Belgium has challenged this decision. Minnesota Now sports contributors, Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson, spoke more about the World Cup, the Twins and more.

Four Black-led Twin Cities nonprofits have come together to form something they hope will help them continue to service those in need. The Legacy Stabilization Collaborative is a new joint effort between the Aurora St. Anthony Neighborhood Development Corporation, the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, and the Urban League Twin Cities. Together, these nonprofits h...

A school district is still grappling with being in the bullseye during Operation Metro Surge. We'll hear from them. Plus, a year after being federally charged for anti-ICE actions, Isavela Lopez has taken a plea deal. We'll talk to her about how the case impacted her life. A new kind of disaster recovery insurance uses sensors and AI to track wind speeds and flood levels. We'll learn about how cit...

Cities along the Mississippi River are planning to try a budding form of disaster insurance to cover things like flooding. This insurance relies on AI and satellites and sensors. And some are saying it could provide crucial help in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. Minneapolis-based journalist Katie Thornton dove into the world of what’s called parametric insurance for the magazine WIRED and...

The Fourth of July will be special at one Minnesota campground this weekend. Veterans Campground in Washington County is marking 100 years of serving veterans, as a place for rest, relaxation and belonging. Ken Larson is a Minnesota National Guard veteran and manager of the campground. He spoked to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about how the camp has created comradery for thousands of Minnesota ve...

Fourteen Minnesotans facing federal charges for anti-ICE actions were due in court Wednesday afternoon. Supporters protested the charges ahead of the court appearance. MPR News reporter Sarah Thamer shared the latest on the case. Starting Wednesday, $90 million will go to Minnesota counties to fund upgrades to computer systems that help provide social services. Plus, a new hotline is giving people...

Minnesota gardeners are on the lookout this time of year for dark, pointy leaves and bell-shaped, purple flowers. These are tell-tale characteristics of creeping bellflower, a weed that spreads by way of sprawling roots as well as seeds. Some Minnesotans have posted yard signs and Facebook posts urging their neighbors to help keep the plant in check. And some like to cook with it. Chef and forager...

Hollywood has taught entire generations that if you’re arrested in the U.S., you have the right to an attorney. If you can’t afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. But many people may not realize that unless you can pay for a lawyer, you likely won’t meet with one until your first court appearance. Those early hours are critical to a case, according to the Legal Rights Center, a nonprof...

Starting July 1, Minnesota's counties can start a long, and some say overdue, makeover of the technological systems and online databases that keep their services running. The state legislature approved $90 million this year to help sluggish computer systems, some dating back to the 1980s, get a little zippier. Paul Verette is director of the Minnesota Association of County Social Service Administr...

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday states can ban transgender girls and women from playing on girls sports teams in schools and universities. Twenty-seven states have enacted such bans. Minnesota is not one of them. As of now, transgender girls can play on girl’s teams in Minnesota schools. For more on the ruling’s impact, MPR News host Nina Moini talked with Jess Braverman, legal director of th...

Supporters of what's become known as the "Minnesota 15" are expected to gather in Minneapolis for a protest Wednesday afternoon ahead of a court hearing for 14 of the defendants. The 15th defendant, Kyle Wagner, is being held in Michigan on separate federal charges and is not expected in court today. Federal prosecutors accuse the 15 Twin Cities residents of conspiring to interfere with immigratio...

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship Tuesday morning in a 6-3 opinion. It ruled President Donald Trump's executive order barring citizenship to children of some immigrant parents violates the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. We'll hear reaction from Minnesota. A new report says police have violated the constitution in several cities where the federal government dropped reforms....

June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month. More than 100,000 Minnesotans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Since 2018, University of Minnesota professor Joseph Gaugler has been working to visit all 87 Minnesota counties to share information about Alzheimer's disease and learn how communities across the state are caring for people li...

The Minnesota Beethoven Festival is back in Winona for its 19th season, bringing three weeks of classical music performances and events to southeastern Minnesota. The festival, which opened Sunday and runs through July 19, celebrates the music of Ludwig van Beethoven while featuring works by many other composers and performances by musicians from around the world. Ned Kirk, the festival's artistic...

President Donald Trump has neither signed nor vetoed a massive housing bill that recently passed Congress with extensive bipartisan support. He said on Monday it's a “yawn” compared to a voter ID law he’s pressuring Congress to approve. And he said he hasn’t decided whether he’ll sign the 21st Century Road to Housing Act. If the president hasn't acted 10 days after he receives the bill and Congres...

In May of 2025, the Department of Justice dropped its oversight of the Minneapolis Police Department. The DOJ said it no longer believed that the consent decree, or court-ordered reforms, were necessary. A new report from the ACLU has found otherwise. It looked at Minneapolis police and six other police departments across the country who also had consent decrees dropped and found unconstitutional...

It's expected to be a dangerously hot and humid day for Minnesotans in central and southern parts of the state — including the Twin Cities. Our chief meteorologist Ben Cathey will have what you need to know to take care of yourself in this weather. A Minnesota-based organization supporting children with disabilities is raising concern about the Trump administration's recent announcement to move re...

Rescue crews in Venezuela are desperately searching through rubble for thousands of people still missing after two devastating earthquakes struck the country last week. Venezuelan officials say nearly 1,500 people have died, while hundreds of buildings have been destroyed or severely damaged. Minnesota's Venezuelan community is rallying to support relief efforts. Patricia Aguilar moved to Osseo as...