MPR News with Angela Davis

Increased immigration enforcement and Wednesday’s fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent have left some Minnesotans feeling frightened, angry or overwhelmed. MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about how to manage fear, anxiety and emotional overload during stressful times. Guests: Corey Yeager is a licensed marriage and family therapis...

On Wednesday morning, a woman was shot and killed during what ICE describes as a targeted enforcement operation in south Minneapolis.  In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said one of its officers fired his weapon in an act of self-defense as the woman “weaponized her vehicle.” However, elected officials and local law enforcement leaders are challenging that account, saying they see...

Health insurance is about to become more expensive for tens of thousands of Minnesotans. Some of the tax credits that helped lower the cost of insurance for people who buy their own plans through the Affordable Care Act expired at the beginning of January after Congress failed to reach a compromise. Those federal subsidies were at the center of last year’s political standoff that shut down the fed...

President Donald Trump’s administration says it’s freezing $185 million in child care funds nationwide this year amid allegations of potential fraud in Minnesota. State officials say they are continuing to investigate the allegations but have not substantiated them so far. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert will examine what the funding freeze could mean for children, families, child care provi...

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced this morning that he is ending his campaign for a third term. He said he made the decision after consulting with family and friends over the holidays.  Walz’s departure from the race comes as reports of fraud in state-run social service programs in Minnesota escalated in recent weeks. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with two political scientists about...

Laurie Putnam is the superintendent of St. Cloud Public Schools, and the first woman to lead the district.  Her husband, Aric Putnam, is a DFL state senator, representing District 14, which includes St. Cloud.  Together, they’re navigating politics, education, family life and the challenges of leading in the public eye. MPR News host Angela Davis revisits another conversation in her  Power Pairs  ...

MPR News host Angela Davis revisits a conversation she had with a brother and sister who are both award-winning storytellers. They talk about their work and how they support each other as part of our MPR News  Power Pairs  series. Guests: Daniel Bergin  is a filmmaker, executive producer and director of history at Twin Cities PBS, where he was hired more than 30 years ago as a production assistant...

Some say religion and politics don’t mix. But they do in the lives of couple Marcia Zimmerman and Frank Hornstein. Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman is the senior rabbi at  Temple Israel  in Minneapolis.    Frank Hornstein served for 22 years in the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing neighborhoods near downtown Minneapolis and Lake of the Isles before stepping down in early 2025. They have rais...

Only  six percent of Americans follow a vegetarian diet , according to a Statistica poll. And even fewer follow a strict vegan lifestyle, avoiding all animal products in food and clothing. But many people are starting to incorporate more plant-based foods into their diets, often for health reasons and out of a concern for the environment. More vegan and vegetarian options are going mainstream. Thi...

As winter settles across Minnesota — when lakes freeze, snow quiets the land, and nights stretch long — many Indigenous communities enter a season of storytelling. It’s a time to gather indoors and share stories that carry history, teachings and connection, passed carefully from one generation to the next. MPR News guest host Leah Lemm talks with two Native storytellers about the significance of s...

Millions of dollars for homeless services in Minnesota are up in the air after the Trump  administration proposed changing the rules for housing programs that helped people get off the streets.    The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development plans to  shift money away from long-term housing programs that provide services.    Instead, more federal money would go toward breaking up homeless...

From shorebirds to warblers to backyard regulars, the Great Lakes region is a critical stopover for millions of birds every year. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks about winter birdwatching, how to attract birds to your yard and how to make birding more welcoming to more people. Guest: Dexter Patterson  is the co-founder of the  BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin , an organization dedicated...

Many of us think about, talk about and chase happiness. But it can be elusive and surprisingly complicated. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with a philosopher who says happiness — at least the way we usually think of it — is really just a feeling that comes and goes. She says what truly matters is flourishing — living in a way that reflects our values, our relationships and the kind of...

From local Nutcrackers to community choir concerts, ‘tis the season for holiday shows put on by your friends and neighbors. Across Minnesota, stages are booked with theater, dance and music performances — and many of the people in the spotlight aren’t even paid professionals. They’re adults with day jobs who rehearse after dinner, all for the joy and community they find in amateur arts groups. MPR...

Two mass shootings over the weekend left communities in two countries shaken. Two gunmen killed 15 people at a Hanukkah Festival in Australia and dozens remain hospitalized. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks about what we know about the shootings, what research says about patterns in mass violence and what these attacks mean for communities processing fear and grief. Guests: James Densle...

Is it possible to build relational bridges, even in contentious times? Scholar and activist john a. powell says yes. He’s dedicated his life to teaching others how to belong and bridge. As the director of the Othering and Belonging Institute at the University of California, Berkeley and the founder of the Institute on Race and Poverty at the University of Minnesota, powell — who spells his name in...

Last month the Food and Drug Administration announced that it would remove its warning on hormone-based products used to treat menopause symptoms.   As women age, most will experience changes linked to the stop of their monthly menses, including hot flashes, bone density loss and sleep problems. But in the past two decades a strong “black-box warning” has scared many women off from seeking relief...

A federal vaccine advisory committee recently voted to end the decades-old recommendation that all U.S. newborns get a hepatitis B vaccine dose at birth.  The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted that only infants born to mothers who test positive for hepatitis B — or whose infection status is unknown — are recommended to get that first dose immediately.  The vote could result in new...

For much of the last century, a steady career often meant staying with one company for decades. But that idea started to fade in the ‘80s and ‘90s as layoffs and restructuring made long-term loyalty feel less secure. By the 2000s, job hopping became the norm and often led to better pay and benefits. But today, something new is happening. Alongside job hopping, we’re seeing a rise in job hugging —...

Food has the power to comfort us, connect us to our roots and preserve our culture. When coming to a new country, immigrants leave much behind. But one thing many people carry with them to start life in a new place are their family’s recipes. MPR News guest host Kelly Gordon talks with a cookbook author and a chef from Mexico about the dishes and stories that tie us to the people — and places — we...

President Donald Trump has escalated rhetoric about Minnesota’s Somali community in recent weeks. And according to reports from The New York Times and the Associated Press , the Trump administration now plans to target hundreds of Somali immigrants living unlawfully in the Twin Cities. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks about what we know so far, what remains unclear and the impact it’s a...

The weekly radio show, The Splendid Table , turns 30 this year. For three decades, the program has helped home cooks feel more brave, curious and connected through the food we share.  MPR News guest host Catharine Richert marks the anniversary by talking with Splendid Table host and James Beard Award-winning food writer Francis Lam.  They’ll talk about food during the holiday season — how to take...

On the first day of 2026, Minnesota will introduce a new benefit for most workers in the state.   It’s a paid family and medical leave program that guarantees access to time off to bond with a new child, recuperate from a major medical issue or care for an ill family member. The program replaces a portion of someone’s wage for a leave that can span weeks. Minnesota is the 13th state to go down thi...

Earlier this year, South Korea’s government admitted that widespread corruption had tainted hundreds of thousands of adoptions from its country. Babies who were thought to be orphaned had living parents. Some children were trafficked. Paperwork was falsified. Records were destroyed. Korean adoptees worldwide were left reeling, including here in Minnesota, home to the largest population of Korean a...

Earlier this year, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde delivered a sermon that drew national attention as President Donald Trump returned to the White House. She spoke about unity, how people of faith respond in uncertain times, and she directly asked Trump to have mercy on immigrants, transgender children and people fleeing war zones.  Her sermon — at that moment and in that setting — sparked conversation...