MPR News with Angela Davis

Sue Abderholden is retiring after more than two decades leading NAMI Minnesota, the state's chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness. As one of the state’s most influential voices for mental health, she’s helped raise awareness, change laws and expand access to care. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with Abderholden about how far Minnesota has come — and what work still lies...

Communities, tribal nations and cities across Minnesota celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day on Monday, Oct. 13.  MPR News editor and guest host Leah Lemm talks with reporters from our Native News team about how they cover Minnesota’s Native communities, tribal nations and people every day. From cannabis to land return, cultural events and arts, they’re steeped in Native journalism all year long. Gue...

From shrinking newsrooms to less news coverage, local journalism faces many challenges. Since 2005, more than 3,200 print newspapers have vanished , according to Northwestern University’s 2024 report on the state of local news. But one thing that still makes local journalism powerful is when reporters live in the places they cover.  MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with reporters who do...

Since it was launched 20 years ago by Minnesota Public Radio, The Current has grown into much more than your average music radio station. It’s become a cultural hub for music lovers across Minnesota. It’s where local artists are played alongside national names, and for many musicians, hearing their song on The Current isn’t just exciting — it’s a career milestone. MPR News guest host Catharine Ric...

MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with MPR President Duchesne Drew about the future of local journalism and public media in the wake of government funding cuts. They talk about how MPR News is adapting, what’s at stake for communities and what he thinks it will take for public media to survive and thrive. Guest: Duchesne Drew is senior vice president at American Public Media Group and pr...

Willmar, Minn., is one of the most diverse cities in greater Minnesota. More than 25 different languages are spoken in its school system, and immigrants hailing from east Africa, Mexico, Myanmar and central America have revitalized its downtown. So on Sept. 8, Kerri Miller took the Rural Voice town hall series to Foxhole Brewhouse in Willmar to talk with community members about how they’ve success...

In 2023, Minnesota passed a law requiring free menstrual products in all public school bathrooms for grades four through 12. But when the law went into effect last year, some schools weren’t sure how best to put it into practice. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with two graduate students who created the Minnesota Menstrual Products in Schools Toolkit to help school staff navigate imple...

The Federal Reserve recently cut its key interest rate for the first time since December 2023.  The move marked a shift in monetary policy as the central bank responds to what Fed Chair Jerome Powell described as a “really cooling off” labor market, while continuing to monitor inflation. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert and senior economics contributor Chris Farrell talk about the reasoning b...

Thinking about adding attic insulation, swapping your old air conditioning system for a heat pump, or putting solar panels on your roof? Federal tax credits can cut the cost, but the clock is ticking. President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill passed this summer is doing away with several energy incentives that encouraged homeowners to reduce their energy use and switch to cleaner energy sourc...

Rural Voice , the statewide town hall series amplifying perspectives from greater Minnesota, launched its 2025 season at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College on Sept. 3, with a robust conversation on tribal rights and sovereignty in rural Minnesota. Moderated by Rural Voice co-founder and MPR News host Kerri Miller, the discussion featured a variety of voices and opinions emphasizing the inher...

As we head into fall and winter, COVID-19 is still with us — even if it looks different than it did a few years ago. Case numbers often rise when we spend more time indoors, so what can you do to keep yourself and others COVID-free? Just last week, an advisory panel with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surprised many by not recommending COVID-19 vaccines for high-risk groups like se...

Kids and teens spend a huge part of their lives in digital spaces — on apps like TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram and even using artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT. Gaming platforms like Roblox have become virtual playgrounds, too.  These tools can be fun, creative and social, but they also carry real risks, ranging from misinformation to cyberbullying and grooming by online predators.  MPR...

In the days following Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting, many people took to social media to share their feelings and thoughts.   People expressed sorrow, shock and anger. They shared critiques of Kirk’s conservative views. In some cases, what people said or posted about his death got them in trouble at work.   Last week ABC pulled comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s show off the air “indefinitely” after Kimmel’s...

Have you ever felt dizzy? You're not alone.   Dizziness is one of the most common reasons people show up at a hospital emergency room.   But there are different kinds of dizzy. A lot of people, especially as they age, live with the feeling of being just a little unsteady or off balance.   Others have experienced true vertigo. That's when the room seems to swirl and tip to the point where you might...

Big waves are part of the fun of summer, but they can also stir up big debates.   Wake boats are designed to create large waves for surfers to ride. But those waves don’t just disappear. A new University of Minnesota study shows they can stir up sediment, muddy the water and release phosphorus, which causes algae blooms. MPR News guest host Kirsti Marohn dives into the science and what it means fo...

In the wake of the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, questions about political violence in America are once again front and center. MPR News guest host Chris Farrell and his guests ask: Why is political violence on the rise and how do we respond? Guests: John Hinderaker is the president of the Center for the American Experiment, a conservative policy advocacy group based in Minnesota....

The latest vaccines for COVID-19 have reached Minnesota. But should you get one? Can you find one? And will your insurance pay for it? These are just some of the questions flying around following turmoil at federal health agencies. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, laid off workers, overseen chan...

Parenting can feel like a rollercoaster — equal parts joy and chaos. We often second-guess ourselves: Am I doing this right? Am I messing my kid up forever? Trust us, you are not alone. And maybe you’ve heard the term “attachment” thrown around in parenting circles — the deep emotional bond that can form between a child and their primary caregivers. But what does it really mean? And how does it sh...

Minnesota lawmakers from both parties say they’re open to returning to the Capitol to consider policy changes after last week’s deadly school shooting in Minneapolis. But what might come out of a special session — if one materializes — is harder to gauge. MPR News guest host Catherine Richert talks with a pediatrician and a researcher about what we know about what works to prevent gun violence and...

Reading is often called the gateway to learning. It opens the door to almost every subject, from history to science. But what happens when the words on the page or screen don’t come easily — when they blur, flip, or just don’t make sense? For as many as one in five students, that’s the reality of dyslexia. It’s one of the most common learning differences, yet it’s still widely misunderstood.   MPR...

It's back-to-school time, and for many families, the excitement is mixed with worry.  Will my child make friends? Keep up with the schoolwork? And underneath it all — will they be safe?  MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks about the signs and causes of back-to-school anxiety and what parents can do to support their children and teens. Guests: Katie Lingras is an associate professor of psyc...

Another mass shooting has left families devastated and neighborhoods shaken.  Wednesday morning, a shooting during a worship service at the Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis left two children dead and 17 injured. We hear about the violence and the investigation, but what often gets less attention is what comes after — the grief, anger, fear and the long and difficult process o...