Minnesota Now

Salvadorans who have lived in Minnesota for more than 25 years under Temporary Protected Status could soon lose their legal status in the U.S. TPS for El Salvador is set to expire Wednesday. It would be the latest group to lose those protections as the Trump administration moves to end TPS designations. Ana Pottratz Acosta, a professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, joined MPR News host Nina M...

Minnesota Now broadcast live from the MPR Stage at the corner of Judson and Nelson with a full hour of political news, fair food, farming and live, local music. It's a midterm election year, and candidates and their campaigns are all over the fairgrounds looking for votes. We surveyed the scene with political journalists Peter Cox and Laura McCallum. For 50 years, a State Fair coffee shop has used...

Brothers Page Burkum and Jack Torrey are no strangers to the Minnesota State Fair, or the MPR stage. But their name – and their music – brings to mind a different scene, the desert. The Cactus Blossoms are known for rich vocal harmonies and twangy guitars that create a rich, old country sound. They’ve been playing together for more than a decade now and have six albums to their name, most recently...

The Great Minnesota Get Together brings people from all across the state, so it's a go-to spot for candidates running for office. Every major candidate has their own booth, and most candidates are here for multiple days, speaking to voters and visiting vendors. It is a big election year in Minnesota. Voters will choose a new governor and a new U.S. Senator. And every single seat in the state legis...

It’s what many of us wait all year for — the new foods at the Minnesota State Fair. And this year’s lineup is a diverse mix of 36 new items. There’s the “Dubai Whooping Pie” and the “Dill with It, Cookie.” Minnesota Now got a chance to taste two of the items on the list and hear more about how they were created. Sara Hayden, owner of Sara’s Tipsy Pies, and Aliah Bennett Taylor with Lumpia City joi...

Many of us may think of the giant slide or deep-fried food on a stick when we think about the Minnesota State Fair. But the Great Minnesota Get-Together was actually created to highlight farmers and farming across the state. It’s a mission Gary Wertish, president of the Minnesota Farmers Union, thinks a lot about. He joined Minnesota Now on stage at the Fair to share more about the challenges faci...

Some students are heading back to school, including in Fridley, where the school district saw major disruptions last school year due to Operation Metro Surge. We heard how the district is welcoming everyone back on the first day of school. Students across the state will now be required to learn about mental health. We learned about the new state standards. Plus, have you opened up your electricity...

An upcoming documentary looks to showcase the State Fair in a new light. Simply called "The Fair Documentary," it goes behind-the-scenes of fair favorites and highlights corners of the fair you may have never seen before. Director and producer Alec Fischer joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the film, which is currently in production.

The City of St. Paul announced it will clear a homeless encampment in Pigs Eye Park next month. Mayor Kaohly Her joined MPR News to talk about the camp's conditions, where people living there will go and the state of homelessness in the city. A Minnesota Congresswoman says medical students in states with strict abortion laws are missing out on important training. A doctor weighed in on her propose...

Thrift stores and clothing swaps have grown in popularity in recent years, as shoppers look for deals or sustainable alternatives to the fast-fashion industry. At an event happening Thursday through Saturday at Textile Center in Minneapolis, they can find homemade pieces knit, crocheted, woven, sewn or otherwise made by hand. Textile Center Director of Operations Erin Husted joined Minnesota Now h...

Grab your forks and bibs, because the Minnesota State Fair has just announced new food vendors! The Great Minnesota Get Together is well-known for its tasty and sometimes controversial treats. This year’s list of new foods includes Pickle Pies, Honey Brisket Battered Potatoes, and, from new vendor Saturday Dumpling Company, Ube Cheesecake Wontons. Saturday Dumpling Company owner, Peter Bian, joine...

Medical doctors don’t always train in the states where they end up working. And for OB-GYNs in particular, that can mean navigating conflicting state laws around which procedures are allowed. Democrat U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison is an OB-GYN who represents Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District. She has introduced a bill that would provide funding to help medical residents in states with strict abort...

The city of St. Paul plans to clear a homeless encampment at Pigs Eye Park along the Mississippi River on August 5. Until then, city and county staff will regularly visit the site to try to help the people living there find shelter, according to an announcement the city released Wednesday. The city plans to clear at least two other encampments using what they are calling a “coordinated transition...

This week marks six months since an ICE officer shot and killed Minneapolis resident Renee Good. The shooting shoved the Twin Cities’ response to the ICE surge into the international spotlight. Half a year later, the residents of the Central and Powderhorn neighborhoods in south Minneapolis are still processing the events of the shooting and everything that followed it. A group of artists has invi...

President Donald Trump shared a video on social media of girls wearing hijabs at a St. Paul kindergarten graduation ceremony. We'll hear from an Imam who is speaking out against Islamaphobia and anti-Somali rhetoric coming from the White House. It's summertime and for ER doctors, the livin' is not-so-easy. We'll talk about how to stay safe from the many, often preventable injuries that can happen...

In southern Minnesota, along the Des Moines River, is the small town of Jackson. Soon, the town will come alive with the Rhythm of the River Music Festival. And this year is more than a musical celebration, it’s the festival’s 20th anniversary. Rhythm of the River Music Festival founder and organizer, Kathy Fransen, joined MPR News guest host Catharine Richert to talk about the micro-festival.

The value of commercial spaces, like office buildings, are shrinking in the Twin Cities. That became apparent last week, when the city of Richfield shared that Best Buy’s headquarters building dropped nearly 50 percent in value in its most recent assessment. But how was that office building’s value decided? And how does it affect your tax bill? Josh Hoogland, assessor for Hennepin County, and Laur...

The Fourth of July may be over, but summer is just getting started. And for emergency rooms, this is one of the busiest times of the year. From fireworks injuries to boating accidents to dehydration to bike crashes, the heat brings emergency physicians a predictable wave of injuries that are often preventable. Dr. Jim Miner, chair of emergency medicine at the University of Minnesota, joined MPR Ne...

Somali American and Muslim community members in Minnesota are raising concerns about safety and Islamophobia after President Donald Trump posted a video showing children at a St. Paul kindergarten graduation ceremony. It included several young girls wearing hijabs. And its caption was from an account called “End Wokeness.” It said, “Public school in St. Paul, Minnesota. Every girl is in a hijab… i...

It has been six months since the state rolled out paid family leave. And there are new numbers on how many people are taking advantage of the program. Plus, there are newly unsealed documents in a DOJ investigation into the local response to Operation Metro Surge. More kids are turning to AI companions, and the University of Minnesota is looking into why and what impact that could have on mental h...

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.