Minnesota Now

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...

After Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Tennessee this weekend, she hopped on a plane to Texas for a game against the Dallas Wings. The Lynx won 85-77, making way for Reeve to tie the WNBA record for coaching wins. Joining Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about the latest in basketball and other sports news are contributors Wally Langfe...

Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Saturday. Reeve was named the Lynx coach in 2009. Since then, she's won four championships and four WNBA coach of the year awards, coached the U.S. women's basketball team to three Olympic gold medals and had six of her players inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. MPR News digital producer An...

Extreme heat is expected across much of central and southern Minnesota Monday, including the Twin Cities metro. Experts are urging people to limit time outdoors and drink plenty of water. For those who are trying to keep cool, the pool may be a popular place. MPR chief meteorologist Ben Cathey joined Minnesota Now with the latest on the heat. And Kevin O’Brien will be making sure things run smooth...

The Trump administration announced earlier this month the Department of Health and Human Services will take over responsibility of the special education office from the Department of Education. The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services oversees programs to support students with disabilities and accommodations for public education. Supporters of the move say it makes sense since t...

The Minneapolis City Council decided Thursday to put a moratorium on data center projects in most of the city until November. The ordinance makes an exception for downtown, where some say data centers will help boost declining property values. The Minnesota School Safety Center has a new director. We spoke with her about her ideas for preventing violence in schools. And a new law lays out regulati...

Thousands of people from the Ethiopian community will be in the Twin Cities for a soccer tournament hosted by the Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America. Starting Saturday, June 27, and stretching through July 4, Minnesota will host to the largest gathering of Ethiopians anywhere outside Ethiopia, making the event not only a soccer tournament but also a cultural celebration. Elias Meles, who...

Every time thunder booms or the wind thrashes trees around, anxious minds wonder, will my roof survive this storm? It’s a reasonable thought. Last summer, five severe weather disasters in Minnesota caused an estimated $13 billion in total damage, according to the nonprofit research group Climate Central . In this next installment of Professional Help, we learn about a new resource that aims to hel...

Many people use banks or credit unions to manage their money. But soon, these same institutions could help some people manage their cryptocurrency. A new law taking effect Aug. 1, 2026, in Minnesota lays out the rules for financial institutions wanting to become so-called “crypto custodians.” Advocates for the legislation say it’s an important step in ensuring local banks and credit unions stay co...

Minnesota has a state agency dedicated to helping schools prepare, respond and recover from all kinds of threats and emergencies. From school shootings to cyberattacks, the Minnesota School Safety Center’s mission is to keep schools safe. MPR News host Nina Moini spoke to the agency’s new leader, Connie Forster, about her ideas as she steps into the role.

The Minneapolis City Council voted 7 to 5 on Thursday to put new data centers on hold for most of the city until November. Council member Aurin Chowdury introduced the ordinance. The moratorium exempts downtown data centers that take up 350,000 square feet or less. Supporters of that carveout say data centers could be the answer for declining property values and a shrinking tax base downtown. We s...

Twin Cities Pride returns this weekend with the annual festival in Loring Park and parade in downtown Minneapolis on Sunday. Over the past 53 years, the festival has grown to attract thousands of people to come see performers, check out vendors, and celebrate with friends and family. This year's celebration comes during a challenging moment for many LGBTQ+ people, with ongoing political battles ov...

Under current law in Minnesota, kids have to be at least 10 years old to be prosecuted for a crime. On Aug. 1, that bar will be raised to 13. The change is a result of legislation originally passed in 2024. Once it takes effect, Minnesota will become one of only three states with a minimum age of delinquency of 13, joining Maryland and New Hampshire. But some county officials say their agencies ar...

Starting July 1, Medicare will begin a new pilot program that will allow some users to access popular GLP-1 weight-loss medications at a reduced cost. Originally developed to treat diabetes, GLP-1 medications like Wegovy have exploded in popularity. Dr. Carolyn Bramante is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School who specializes in obesity and weight loss. She joined MP...