North Star Stories

Ambulance response times sometimes stretch up to 30 minutes in Greater Minnesota. Why is this, and what does it mean for rural Minnesotans who might need lifesaving EMS care one day? Plus, free lunch funding is on the chopping block, and firefighters facing health challenges may see financial support.

In Minnesota, a proposed bill would ban cellphone use in classrooms in grades K-8 while regulating it in 9-12. In this segment, Jamad Jama interviews Senator Alice Mann, alongside a middle school student, and a teacher to take a look into varying perspectives and how this legislation could affect students' learning, performance, and daily lives.

Minnesota is requiring its citizens to carry what is known as a REAL ID. This is a federal document that will allow you to travel by air domestically and visit federal facilities. However, this new requirement may cause a burden to those who are already facing challenges .

Glencoe is one step closer to getting an artificial intelligence data banking center, a bipartisan education bill wants to send legislators back to school for 12 hours each term, and the Mayo Clinic will build a 2.8-mile rapid transit link to connect their campuses in Rochester .

Four hundred homes in rural Minnesota will soon be getting high-speed internet for the first time. Eveleth is fighting to keep the US Hockey Hall of Fame against efforts by the Minnesota Wild and some Twin Cities legislators to relocate it to St. Paul. And, state health officials warn Minnesotans to take extra precautions after dead geese found in Austin. 

Three community organizations are getting a boost to help farmers financially. The Twin Cities queer community is stepping up to show support for trans athletes targeted by legislative efforts to ban them from sports. Plus, the Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Farm Bureau recognized 77 farms that are 100 years old.

Generating $1.4 billion annually, Duluth International Airport has new construction in the works. Bike to Duluth is gearing up for the 170-mile trek from Minneapolis to Duluth on June 28th. And, Moorhead’s mayor declared March "Kurdish Heritage Month" which is welcome news to Minnesota’s largest Kurdish community. 

The Hibbing Community is coming together after learning that more than 600 Iron Rangers are being laid off. An epidemiologist with the Minnesota Cancer Reporting System has information on reducing your lifetime risk of melanoma. Minnesota-born college basketball star Paige Bueckers is slated to be the number one draft pick at this year’s WNBA draft night.

William "Willow Bill" Goulardt invites the public on a voyage down the Mississippi River aboard two dugout canoes, beginning mid-May from Bemidji, Minnesota. As they journey to the state of Mississippi to return the 'Flying Eagle' canoe to her maker, master carver John Ruskey, the crew hopes to engage people of all ages through a common love for the river. Plus, a Duluth third grader saves a choki...

An old Minnesota tradition practiced by the Ojibwe people is an example of how we can harvest a nutritional staple in our own backyards. Plus, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is trying to address the housing crunch faced by low- to middle-income Minnesotans, and state authorities want families to be aware of the "grandparent scam" that is targeting Minnesota seniors.

Together, a Twin Cities-based non-profit and a national organization have purchased 345 single family homes in the Twin Cities metro area in hopes of reshaping the landscape of affordable housing. Also, The US Supreme court ruled against the EPA’s authority to enforce pollution permits under the Clean Water Act.

WTIP News Director Kalli Hawkins discusses their coverage of the Cook County township meetings, which focus on updating the county’s land use plan. These meetings explore opportunities for residential development, potential rezoning, and economic growth. Plus, Health officials are concerned about radon levels in Minnesota schools, and The History Theatre in St. Paul presents The Secret Warriors ,...

On March 14, the Minnesota Council on Disabilities legislative forum met at the State Capitol to address transportation issues impacting Minnesotans with mobility issues. Also, The Shade Company, Blackduck's largest employer, is closing at the end of April, and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture has detected the emerald ash borer in Aitkin County.

The St. Paul community of Rondo was uprooted in the 1950s by the construction of the I-94 highway, which cut through the heart of Rondo. In this segment, North Star Stories’ Jamad Jama explores how a new generation in Rondo is grappling with the lasting impact of the construction of the I-94 highway. With interviews from Reconnect Rondo and a rondo native, the story focuses on the work being done...

As immigration enforcement intensifies in Minnesota and new laws emerge at both state and federal levels, immigrant communities increasingly rely on local nonprofit organizations and community resources for guidance and support. This segment explores the challenges faced by immigrants, the efforts of advocacy groups, and the legislative landscape shaping immigration policy in the state.

The 'Wild Rice Act' (SF 1247) aims to protect clean water by improving regulations surrounding pesticide use and local-level government collaboration between Tribal entities. Rise and Repair representatives Eóin Small and Leanna Goose join North Star Stories to share their thoughts on the bill and their hopes for what it represents in Minnesota.

At the 2025 Legislative Forum hosted by the Minnesota Council on Disabilities on March 14, 2025, State Representatives addressed budget cuts affecting the disability community, including the $19 million deficit in Minnesota's Vocational Rehabilitation Program, which threatens to cut vital support for nearly 14,000 individuals with disabilities. Representatives contend that denying access to employ...

On March 8, 2025, Ag for All , Minnesota’s first agricultural conference for the LGBTQIA+ community, took place in St. Cloud.

Rodolfo Gutierrez, Executive Director of HACER (Hispanic Advocacy and Community Empowerment through Research), discusses MILLA, an alliance of Latino-led organizations that are advocating for their community with state legislators and creating pathways for leadership to enhance civic participation among Latino leaders in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals has ordered the Department of Natural Resources to reconsider its environmental review of the Milepost 7 tailings basin. Vincent Moniz reports on the implications for Lake Superior, Indigenous Nations, and environmental safety as the case moves to the state Supreme Court.

Presented by the White Earth Land Recovery Project, the Great Lakes Indigenous Farming Conference celebrated its 22nd year this March. Deanna StandingCloud speaks with two of the conference participants about their work: Kaylee Carnahan, the Administration Associate and Greenskeeper for the Indigenous Environmental Network, and Leanna Goose, a citizen of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and a Co-Faci...

The Special Olympics Minnesota State Poly Hockey and Powerlifting Competition was held on March 8 and 9, 2025 at Stillwater High School, and it showcased the talents of Special Olympics athletes from across the state. Founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968, Special Olympics has grown into the largest sports program globally, empowering over 4.5 million athletes with intellectual disabilities. T...

Production and backstage workers at Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) got their first union contract after a vote from the Members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 13. This marks a local milestone for these types of workers in the theater industry, and it sets an example for theater unions across the nation. North Star Stories talks with a CTC administrator...

The final file date for income tax is coming up fast, and the Minnesota Department of Revenue and HACER are reaching out to families to take advantage of the Child Tax Credit.

This Women’s History Month, we hear from three women stewarding culture through storytelling: Tracey Dagen, Jess Anderson Ojala, and Dani Pieratos have all made thoughtful contributions to the past & future iterations of the Vermilion Lake Oral History Project, an effort to preserve stories from Elders for future generations. Full transcripts of Mary Anderson’s interview and more interviews wi...