MPRdotOrg
Leech Lake’s wild rice is being pushed out by invasive species
- Title
- Leech Lake’s wild rice is being pushed out by invasive species
- Runtime
- 2:15
- Date posted
- 23 hours ago
- Description
- Aquatic plants — often dismissed as weeds — are common in Minnesota lakes. Some property owners remove them with machines or chemical herbicides, creating open water for swimming or boating.
But those plants are doing important work to keep the lake healthy, from preventing shoreline erosion to reducing algae blooms to providing fish habitat. And there’s evidence that getting rid of native plants in a lake makes it easier for invasive species to move in.
Researchers on Leech Lake are studying whether an invasive plant, Eurasian water milfoil, is out-competing wild rice — and whether the loss of native vegetation has made the problem worse.
Story by Kirsti Marohn
Video captured by Ben Hovland and edited by Anne Guttridge
- Title
- Mail-in voting is underway as normal after Supreme Court rejects Trump's order
- Runtime
- 2:42
- Date posted
- 3 days ago
- Description
- Earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked President Trump’s attempt to restrict mail-in voting for the midterm election. This means Minnesotans can feel more secure about how their votes are being handled as they start voting as early as Friday, Sept. 18.
In some places, Minnesota voters have been voting by mail for decades. State law allows cities with fewer than 400 registered voters and townships of any size to choose to vote exclusively with mail ballots. There are more than 1,100 precincts in Minnesota where registered voters receive a ballot in the mail automatically.
Story by Kirsti Marohn
Video captured by Kimm Anderson for MPR News and edited by Anne Guttridge
- Title
- Former Minn. Gov. Mark Dayton talks his political legacy, bipartisanship and 'Perseverance'
- Runtime
- 21:39
- Date posted
- 3 days ago
- Description
- Mark Dayton has had a storied career in Minnesota politics: as a state auditor, a U.S. senator and governor of Minnesota from 2011 to 2019. Now he's back in the public eye for his new memoir, "Perseverance," which launched this week.
Dayton sat down with MPR News Politics Editor Brian Bakst to discuss the book and reflect on his five decades in public service: the accomplishments, the friction and the surprising friendships.
Listen to Politics Friday every week for the latest on the Minnesota Legislature, election news and more.
https://www.mprnews.org/politics/mn-politics/election-politics-friday
Story produced by Brian Bakst and Matthew Alvarez. Video captured by Derek Ramirez and edited by Payton Whaley. Thumbnail photo by Ben Hovland.
- Title
- Talking Volumes: Marlon James shines a light on 'The Disappearers'
- Runtime
- 1:35:26
- Date posted
- 3 days ago
- Description
- Booker Prize-winning author Marlon James kicks off the 2026 season of Talking Volumes with his new novel. It follows eight gay men in 1980s Kingston, Jamaica, as they rehearse for a play — and survive a brutal mob attack that changes everything.
“The Disappearers” is a riveting, deeply human story of fear, rage and recovery, and an unflinching look at queer life in Jamaica during the 1980s and 1990s.
- Title
- Attorney General Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Moriarty on ICE agent court appearance
- Runtime
- 24:36
- Date posted
- 3 days ago
- Description
- Attorney General Keith Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty are expected to speak about Christian Castro, the ICE agent who shot and wounded a man in Minneapolis in January. Castro made his first appearance in state court Thursday.
Christian Castro, 52, was taken into custody by Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agents at about 2:15 p.m. Wednesday in downtown Minneapolis on a warrant for his arrest. He was booked in the Hennepin County Jail just after 4 p.m. and remained there as of Thursday morning.
Find more coverage here:
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/09/17/ice-agent-christian-castro-charged-shooting-operation-metro-surge-arrested-minneapolis
- Title
- What's next for retired gold medal winner Jessie Diggins? Running a 100-mile ultramarathon
- Runtime
- 2:49
- Date posted
- 5 days ago
- Description
- Former cross-country skier Jessie Diggins retired from the sport in March after competing in her third winter Olympics. Not content to sit around, she's set her sights on a different kind of long-distance race — just with less snow.
This year's Superior Fall Trail Race saw 256 runners take on a 100-mile run across the rugged Superior Hiking Trail. One hundred fifty-one finished. Diggins, from Afton, Minn., finished fifth overall and first among the women with a time of 25 hours, 9 minutes and 46 seconds.
"I remember crying, and then very shortly after crossing the finish line, I realized like I can't stand anymore," Diggins told MPR News correspondent Dan Kraker. "Once I stopped, it it was as if every ounce of energy that I had, had gone into just getting to that finish line. And once I did, it was like, 'Oh yeah, there's nothing left now.'"
On top of the distance, this race is considered one of the most difficult of its kind due to the hilly an...
- Title
- ‘People of Minnesota’ receive Hispanic Heritage Award for resilience during ICE surge
- Runtime
- 0:57
- Date posted
- 10 days ago
- Description
- The final honor of the Hispanic Heritage Awards — the humanitarian award — went to the people of Minnesota.
Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, said a local man invited national leaders to visit in February. They came and left inspired by how people rallied to protect their neighbors.
Over 30 Minnesotans took the stage to receive the award, reflecting a range of organizations, businesses and other entities that actively supported people during the federal immigration surge, according to a host committee member. The iconic California-based band Los Tigres del Norte presented the award to Minnesota and performed two songs meant to represent Latin Americans in the U.S.
The ceremony was hosted at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis on Sept. 10. This is the first time the awards have been held outside of Washington D.C.
Story by Feven Gerezgiher
Video captured by Ines Guanchez and edited by Anne Gut...
- Title
- 39th Hispanic Heritage Awards honor Minnesota resistance to federal immigration enforcement
- Runtime
- 2:20
- Date posted
- 10 days ago
- Description
- The Hispanic Heritage Awards took place outside of Washington, D.C., for the first time ever Thursday night with a ceremony hosted in Minnesota. Major Latino musical artists received awards in person at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas was also present to receive the Public Service Award. The final honor of the night — the humanitarian award — went to the people of Minnesota.
The awards were established by the White House nearly four decades ago to commemorate the creation of Hispanic Heritage Month. The annual celebration honors the contributions and accomplishments of Latinos in the United States and Latin America.
Organizers said they wanted to hold the event in Minneapolis this year because of the federal immigration surge last winter.
Story by Feven Gerezgiher
Video captured by Ines Guanchez and edited by Anne Guttridge
Thumbnail photos by Steven Garcia for MPR News
- Title
- If you can't get rid of invasive crayfish, eat 'em
- Runtime
- 2:42
- Date posted
- 12 days ago
- Description
- A small business in northern Minnesota harvests rusty crayfish and sells them, live, to people and restaurants. The invasive species of crayfish are native to the Ohio River valley and were likely brought to Minnesota as fishing bait. They have infested at least 300 lakes across the state and destroy huge amounts of aquatic plant life in lakes, including culturally important wild rice beds.
It’s a labor-intensive process, but some people in northern Minnesota are setting traps and baiting them with bits of hot dogs and other attractants to catch the crayfish, to both keep lakes healthy and feed people — if Minnesotans are willing to eat them.
Story by Dan Kraker
Video captured by Chuck Olsen for MPR News and edited by Anne Guttridge
- Title
- From viral video to the Minnesota State Fair
- Runtime
- 2:30
- Date posted
- 15 days ago
- Description
- Sierra Nicole Reece's six-second TikTok about the Minnesota State Fair went viral. While the online discourse was surrounding influencers in California attending Coachella in mid-April, Reece was thinking ahead to August in Minnesota.
A Twin Cities-based influencer manager ended up reaching out to Reece. Together, they brainstormed and pitched a brand trip to the Minnesota State Fair and area tourism agencies, which ultimately agreed to sponsor her.
For Reece, a food culture aficionado who had long envisioned visiting the Minnesota State Fair, the opportunity to attend for a sponsored trip was exciting. She had already been following the Minnesota State Fair for some time and knew of the cultural institutions like Sweet Martha's Cookie Jar. "That bucket of cookies has just lived rent free in my head for my entire adolescence," she said.
Story by Feven Gerezgiher
Video by Anne Guttridge
- Title
- New size restrictions revealed for next year's Minnesota State Fair crop art exhibit
- Runtime
- 2:06
- Date posted
- 15 days ago
- Description
- Every piece of crop art submitted for the Minnesota State Fair’s exhibit is displayed — as long as it adheres to the fair's crop art commandments.
Earlier this month, comedian Sam Schedler learned how to make crop art from the Minnesota State Fair's crop art assistant superintendent Marta Shore. While they worked on their pieces, Shore revealed a new commandment that will be instated for next year’s competition.
Video by Anne Guttridge
- Title
- These sisters come back year after year to dumpster dive for the State Fair
- Runtime
- 1:50
- Date posted
- 17 days ago
- Description
- Kathryn and Isabel Larson are a pair of sisters from Minnesota who do trash duty at the State Fair every year — and they love it.
Story by Regina Medina
Video captured by Payton Whaley, edited by Brent Jabbour
- Title
- City provides updates on mass shooting in Minneapolis apartment building
- Runtime
- 1:54:26
- Date posted
- 17 days ago
- Description
- The City of Minneapolis will hold a press conference to provide updates on the downtown Minneapolis apartment building shooting that happened Wednesday afternoon that left three people dead, including the suspected shooter. Several other people were injured, including three police officers.
Police responded just after 4:30 p.m. Wednesday to reports of gunfire at the building at 15 East Grant Street. Officers entered the building and heard more gunshots. They found the shooter on an upper floor and exchanged gunfire; the suspected gunman was pronounced dead at the scene.
Read more at MPRnews.org here:
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/09/03/minneapolis-shooting-at-shoreline-plaza-loring-towers-apartment-building-under-investigation
- Title
- What's your Minnesota State Fair food story?
- Runtime
- 8:03
- Date posted
- 17 days ago
- Description
- The wait for new foods at the Minnesota State Fair can be intimidating, but they can pale in comparison to the foods attendees will wait hours for, year after year after year. Fair food is just as much about innovation as it is tradition, so we wanted to find out people's connection to the latter.
MPR News digital producer Payton Whaley spoke with several fairgoers whose food stories range from the sentimental to the experimental, the ritualistic to the ... regurgitated.
What's your Minnesota State Fair food story? Leave it in the comments.
Video by Payton Whaley, with help from Nicole Ki.
- Title
- 'Info Booth Ladies' podcasters work their first State Fair without one of their own
- Runtime
- 2:29
- Date posted
- 18 days ago
- Description
- For the last five years, Kristen Donaldson, Margie McCarron and Kathy Riewe have hosted “Info Booth Ladies,” an unofficial Minnesota State Fair podcast. Riewe worked at the fair for over 50 years — her first shift was at 8 years old at a diner her parents owned on the fairgrounds. On the podcast, her knowledge of the fair was front and center. The trio interviewed dozens of fair workers but in March, the unexpected happened, and they became the story.
Riewe died suddenly on March 24 at 63 years old. When Donaldson and McCarron got the call, they were stunned.
The two decided to announce on the podcast that Riewe had died to let their fans also grieve the loss. Riewe did not want a funeral, wake or obituary but the Info Booth Ladies still wanted a way to honor her so on Monday at the fair they held a remembrance for her. Around 50 people stopped by between their shifts at the fair to tell stories about Riewe.
Season six of the podcast is dedi...
- Title
- BCA and Minneapolis provide updates on mass shooting in downtown apartment building
- Runtime
- 44:36
- Date posted
- 18 days ago
- Description
- The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the City of Minneapolis both held press conferences to provide updates on the downtown Minneapolis apartment building shooting that happened Wednesday afternoon that left three people dead, including the suspected shooter. Several other people were injured, including three police officers.
What began as an apparent custody handoff of a child ended in a mass shooting Wednesday in Minneapolis that left three people dead, including the shooter, and several wounded, including police officers, state investigators said Thursday as they provided new details on what happened.
Read more at MPRnews.org here:
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/09/03/minneapolis-shooting-at-shoreline-plaza-loring-towers-apartment-building-under-investigation
- Title
- 2 killed, suspect dead, 6 injured including officers in Minneapolis mass shooting
- Runtime
- 13:02
- Date posted
- 18 days ago
- Description
- Minneapolis officials provide an update on a shooting that left three police officers injured and three people, including the suspected shooter, dead on Wednesday. Police first responded to the shooting at the Shoreline Plaza apartment complex formerly known as Loring Towers around 4:36 p.m. and the area was secure as of 7:37 p.m. Wednesday.
- Title
- BCA provides update on mass shooting in Minneapolis apartment building
- Runtime
- 0:00
- Date posted
- 18 days ago
- Description
- The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is scheduled to hold a press conference Thursday at 2 p.m. to provide more details on the downtown Minneapolis apartment building shooting that happened Wednesday afternoon that left three people dead, including the suspected shooter. Several other people were injured, including three police officers.
Police responded just after 4:30 p.m. Wednesday to reports of gunfire at the building at 15 East Grant Street. Officers entered the building and heard more gunshots. They found the shooter on an upper floor and exchanged gunfire; the suspected gunman was pronounced dead at the scene.
- Title
- 2 killed, suspect dead, 6 injured including officers in Minneapolis mass shooting
- Runtime
- 0:44
- Date posted
- 18 days ago
- Description
- Three police officers were injured and three people, including the suspected shooter, are dead following a shooting in Minneapolis at an apartment complex formerly known as Loring Towers.
Police first responded to the shooting at the Shoreline Plaza apartment complex formerly known as Loring Towers around 4:36 p.m. and the area was secure as of 7:37 p.m. Wednesday.
Read more at the link in our bio.
Video and photos captured by Steven Garcia for MPR News
Video edited by Anne Guttridge
- Title
- Sam Schedler learns the top tips of State Fair crop art
- Runtime
- 2:55
- Date posted
- 19 days ago
- Description
- Earlier this month, comedian Sam Schedler sat down with the Minnesota State Fair's crop art assistant superintendent Marta Shore to learn her top tips for making crop art.
Crop art has been a part of the “Great Minnesota Get-Together” since 1965. Art pieces are made of Minnesota-grown seeds, crops and plants and are affixed to supporting backgrounds. The works of art are on display in the Agriculture Horticulture Building on the fairgrounds throughout the 12 days of the fair.
Shore has been making crop art since 2015 and has been the Assistant Superintendent for Crop Art and Scarecrow at the Minnesota State Fair since 2024.
Video by Anne Guttridge
- Title
- Politics Bingo makes a game out of State Fair campaign stops
- Runtime
- 2:24
- Date posted
- 19 days ago
- Description
- The Great Minnesota Get-Together is a key campaign stop for candidates all the way down the ballot. Many candidates log long hours at the fair doing live interviews with the press, chatting with voters and eating that year’s unique food on a stick.
MPR News decided to turn the politics cliches into a game of bingo. Political reporters Peter Cox and Cait Kelley competed Monday to see who could get bingo of all the classic campaign activities at the fair.
Video captured by Peter Cox and Cait Kelley
Video edited by Brent Jabbour with contributions from Anne Guttridge
- Title
- Why State Fair food makes us feel bad — and what to do about it
- Runtime
- 2:25
- Date posted
- 20 days ago
- Description
- What sounds good in the moment at the Minnesota State Fair (milkshakes, a footlong corn dog, a Menards bucket worth of donuts) doesn't always feel great an hour later when you're walking a mile in the hot sun. And while we know the simple explanation — junk food bad — what's actually going on in our gut?
We enlisted the help of Dr. Justin Howard, a gastroenterologist and associate professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota, to help explain why what tastes good doesn't always feel good.
Don't worry, it's less dire than you think.
Video by Payton Whaley. Thumbnail image courtesy of Rachel Whitcomb.
- Title
- Minnesota State Fair art focuses on ICE surge
- Runtime
- 1:42
- Date posted
- 24 days ago
- Description
- Every year the Minnesota State Fair shows thousands of art pieces submitted by Minnesotans for judging and display. Throughout the disciplines, one theme was clear — Minnesotans were profoundly affected by the presence of federal agents in the state this winter.
Video captured by Alex Cipolle and Ben Hovland
Photos captured by Ben Hovland and Sam Stroozas
Video edited by Anne Guttridge
Read more here: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/08/28/minnesota-state-fair-art-trends-ice-resistance-rebel-loons
- Title
- The first group of Annunciation mass shooting victims are heading to high school
- Runtime
- 3:40
- Date posted
- 25 days ago
- Description
- The first class of Annunciation Catholic Church and School students to graduate since the mass shooting last summer is heading to high school. The shooting during a back-to-school Mass on August 27, 2025, left two children dead, 29 injured and the lives of countless more forever changed.
Reporter Feven Gerezgiher, who has been covering the Annunciation community for a year, spoke with three rising freshmen and their families about their perspectives on heading to new schools.
Video and thumbnail photo captured by Kerem Yücel
Video edited by Anne Guttridge
- Title
- Minnesota Attorney General Ellison to speak on Meta's social media settlement
- Runtime
- 28:40
- Date posted
- 25 days ago
- Description
- Meta has agreed to pay between $12 billion and $17 billion and add child-safety measures to its Facebook and Instagram platforms to end a landmark trial over teen social media addiction and settle claims filed by 47 states, state attorneys general announced Wednesday.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison plans to speak to media about the multi-state lawsuit and what it means for Minnesota residents.
Find more coverage here:
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/08/26/meta-reaches-17-billion-settlement-landmark-trial-teen-social-media-addiction
- Title
- What happens to all the DNR pond fish after the Minnesota State Fair?
- Runtime
- 1:24
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- The Minnesota State Fair is still a couple days away, but there's already a way people are dipping their toes in the water. (Metaphorically. Please do not dip your toes in the DNR pond.)
One of the more relaxed areas of the fairgrounds had some life added to it Tuesday morning as fisheries staff from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources delivered some lake fish to their pond.
DNR area supervisor T.J. DeBates said the organization brough about 40 different fish species, which fair attendees can see for themselves beginning Thursday. Some of the longer-living fish, like the lake sturgeon, have even been coming to the fair for decades.
Story by Estelle Timar-Wilcox. Video captured by Kerem Yücel and edited by Payton Whaley.
- Title
- How Harper Moyski's best friends and younger sister celebrate her
- Runtime
- 2:07
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- Near Lyndale Park Rose Garden in Minneapolis is a memorial bench for Harper Moyski, the 10-year-old girl who was killed in the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School on Aug. 27, 2025. The bench is a frequent gathering place for Harper’s loved ones, especially Harper’s younger sister Quinn and Harper’s three best friends, who have become a support system for each other as they grieve and heal.
Minnesota Now host Nina Moini met the girls at the bench to hear how they honor and celebrate their late friend.
To hear more of Nina’s conversation with Harper’s best friends and sister, listen to MPR News at noon on Aug. 26, or after that visit mprnews.org. You can find Minnesota Now wherever you listen to podcasts.
Story by Nina Moini and Aleesa Kuznetsov
Audio by Maurizio D'Errico and Tessa Bloch
Video and thumbnail photo captured by Ben Hovland
Video edited by Anne Guttridge
- Title
- New MPR Minnesota State Fair tote bag showcases state through an Indigenous lens
- Runtime
- 2:16
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- Every year Minnesota Public Radio picks a local artist to design a tote bag to be given to thousands of fairgoers at the Minnesota State Fair in exchange for donations. Dakota artist Marlena Myles designed this year's gift, which features vibrant colors and pays homage to each corner of Minnesota through an Indigenous lens.
Follow the link in our bio to read more about this year’s design.
Video captured and edited by Chandra Colvin
Thumbnail photo taken and video captured by Kerem Yücel
- Title
- These women grew up on the Minnesota State fairgrounds
- Runtime
- 2:27
- Date posted
- 28 days ago
- Description
- For 22 years the big yellow house in the southeast corner of the Minnesota State Fair was home to Bill Hermes’ family. The State Fair gardener and groundskeeper moved his family into the J.V. Bailey house in 1973 and they stayed until he retired in 1994.
The house has since been converted into office space for the State Fair Foundation. But a few decades ago, it was where the Hermes family celebrated Christmas and Easter.
Follow the link in our bio to read Elizabeth Shockman’s 2025 story about what it was like to grow up on the fairgrounds.
Video by Anne Guttridge
Thumbnail photo by Ben Hovland
- Title
- This foster program ensures pets of people seeking treatment have a temporary home
- Runtime
- 1:56
- Date posted
- 30 days ago
- Description
- The Bond Between’s respite foster program has been around since 2024 and offers up to 90 days of free temporary foster care for people going through tough life circumstances such as domestic violence or addiction treatment. They recently partnered with the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, an addiction treatment center, to help people seeking addiction treatment find pet care.
Story by Ahmed Hassan
Video captured by Nicole Ki and edited by Brent Jabbour
- Title
- Minnesota farmer takes a break from hemp ahead of federal ban
- Runtime
- 1:33
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Jeremy Saueressig is one of many hemp farmers across the country who are not planting this year amid uncertainty over a new federal ban.
The law, set to take effect Nov. 12, would sharply restrict hemp-derived THC products, including the drinks and edibles that have fueled demand for hemp crops.
Congress is considering delaying the law. Saueressig says he still hopes to plant hemp again next year at his farm in Hastings.
Video captured by Liam James Doyle and Nicole Ki
Story and video edit by Nicole Ki
Thumbnail photo by Liam James Doyle
- Title
- Liberian government official moonlights as Minnesota group home director
- Runtime
- 2:57
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- A new investigation by MPR News and APM Reports found that a man has been running group homes while also serving as a high-ranking government official in a country thousands of miles away.
Companies linked to Sekou Dukuly received $36 million in taxpayer money over the past decade to care for disabled adults in Minnesota group homes — despite multiple residents dying and repeated findings of neglect. And the state kept sending payments to the companies even after Dukuly took a job as the director of the National Port Authority in Liberia, the country where he grew up and now lives.
In a statement, the Department of Human Services, which funds group homes through Medicaid, called the findings concerning. “We can say that an owner of a Medicaid program moving abroad would raise concerns for our investigators, even if it is not prohibited by law,” the statement from the department added.
But the Health Department did not express those same conc...
- Title
- Why a Liberian official is running group homes out of Minnesota
- Runtime
- 8:08
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- In our last investigation of Minnesota's booming group home industry, we learned that the businesses face few consequences when their residents die — even in cases where the state determines maltreatment occurred.
This time, MPR News reporter Ellie Roth investigates a man who has been running Minnesota group homes while also serving as a high-ranking government official in a country thousands of miles away.
Companies linked to Sekou Dukuly received $36 million in taxpayer money over the past decade to care for disabled adults in Minnesota group homes — despite multiple residents dying and repeated findings of neglect.
And the state kept sending payments to the companies even after Dukuly took a job as the director of the National Port Authority in Liberia, the country where he grew up and now lives.
Read the full investigation here: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/08/17/liberian-government-official-sekou-dukuly-runs-minnesota-g...
- Title
- Award-winning musicians Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis sum up the 'Minneapolis sound' in one word: Prince
- Runtime
- 2:12
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Minnesota music legends Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are the award-winning songwriting and production duo behind dozens of hits for some of the biggest names in music. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
Ahead of their homecoming show at the Minnesota State Fair at the end of August, they joined MPR News host Angela Davis to talk about what makes them such a power pair. When Davis asked them to describe the "Minneapolis sound," they each had one word: Prince.
"Prince is the trunk of the tree," Jimmy Jam said, "and the rest of us are all the branches."
Interview produced by Nikhil Kumaran. Video edited by Payton Whaley.
- Title
- Child, two adults dead in 'isolated' attack at Hopkins in-home daycare
- Runtime
- 1:39
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- A child and two adults are dead in what officials described as an “isolated” attack at a Hopkins daycare around 9 a.m. Wednesday. Hopkins police said the victims appear to be related and that the deceased man was the perpetrator.
Hopkins police said there were six other children in the daycare on the 200 block of Tyler Avenue North at the time of the attack and that none were physically injured. They were reunited with their family members, Hopkins police Chief Brent Johnson said, describing them as “very young” children, likely age 5 or younger.
Johnson said police were called after a parent arrived at the daycare to drop off a child and apparently witnessed the killings.
A 24-hour statewide sexual violence and domestic violence hotline is available in Minnesota. You can call Minnesota Day One at (866) 223-1111 or text (612) 399-9995 to connect to resources closest to where you live.
Video captured by Ben ...
- Title
- Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis celebrate a Minnesota homecoming
- Runtime
- 52:00
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Coming up at 9 a.m. on Monday, MPR News host Angela Davis talks with the longtime friends and creative partners about their Minnesota roots, the story behind their successful careers and the friendship that has kept them working together for more than 50 years.
And we want to hear from you, too.
What’s your favorite song produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis? Why? What questions do you have for this Power Pair?
Call us during the show at 651-227-6000 or 800-242-2828, or share your questions in the comments.
https://www.mprnews.org/episode/2026/08/10/power-pair-jimmy-jam-and-terry-lewis-celebrate-a-minnesota-homecoming
- Title
- Savannah Bananas take over Target field in three-game series
- Runtime
- 0:25
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- While the Minnesota Twins are away, the Savannah Bananas will play.
The Savannah Bananas are baseball's version of the Harlem Globetrotters. The team routinely sells out games as people flock to see "Banana Ball." They're currently on a tour of 75 venues in 45 states including a three-game series against the Loco Beach Coconuts on Aug. 7, 8 and 9 at Target Field in downtown Minneapolis.
Video by Anne Guttridge
- Title
- Unsure of who to vote for? MPR News has a 'Build your Ballot' tool
- Runtime
- 0:48
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Minnesota’s 2026 primary election is Tuesday, Aug. 11 and it will decide who is on the ballot in the general election on Nov. 3. MPR News built a tool to help you be informed about the candidates, their backgrounds and their platforms. It's free to use and available online. You can even email yourself notes that you can take to the polls on Election Day.
To explore the “Build your Ballot” tool, visit mprnews.org/voterguide
Video by Anika Besst, Feven Gerezgiher and Anne Guttridge
Thumbnail photo by Kerem Yücel
Correction (Aug. 7, 2026): Ballots for the general election will be available for in-person voting on Sept. 18. Early voting continues through Nov. 2. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. A previous version of this post provided the wrong date for the general election.
- Title
- Will the GOP governor candidates support the winner if they lose the primary?
- Runtime
- 1:04
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Minnesota Republicans will decide who's at the top of the ticket in the primary on Tuesday, Aug. 11. There are three very different candidates running: Kendall Qualls, a veteran and businessman with the endorsement of the state's Republican party; Lisa Demuth, speaker of the Minnesota House and the candidate seen as the establishment pick; and Mike Lindell, the MyPillow CEO with President Donald Trump's endorsement.
It's been a contentious race, but after a winner is decided, what comes next? MPR News host Clay Masters sat down with all three to ask: If they don't win the primary, will they support the candidate who does?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWTyK7BLzyE
Story by Clay Masters, Matt Alvarez and Ben Revier. Video edited by Payton Whaley.
- Title
- Election 2026: Who's running in the Republican governor primary?
- Runtime
- 11:44
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Minnesota's primary election is Tuesday, Aug. 11, and there are three very different candidates fighting for the Republican nomination for governor.
Kendall Qualls is a businessman and veteran who secured the party's endorsement earlier this year. Lisa Demuth is the Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, and despite losing the endorsement, she's seen as the establishment pick. And Mike Lindell, the former CEO of MyPillow, has received President Donald Trump's endorsement but has raised concerns among party leaders that he could hurt down-ballot races in November.
All Things Considered host Clay Masters spoke with all three in late July to ask about their plans for leading the state and how they'll win over voters.
Listen to Clay's full interviews with each candidate:
Kendall Qualls: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/08/03/with-limited-name-recognition-kendall-qualls-believes-he-can-revitalize-minnesota
Lisa Demuth: https:/...
- Title
- Officials to provide updates on wildfires in northeastern Minnesota
- Runtime
- 25:41
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Officials managing the response to the wildfires burning in northeastern Minnesota will provide an update on firefighting efforts Tuesday afternoon
The media briefing in Ely is scheduled for 1 p.m. and it will be streamed live here.
More than 1,000 firefighters and support personnel are working to contain the lightning-caused fires that have been burning for weeks. They’ve made progress, and more Boundary Waters entry points are reopening this week.
MPR News will stream the press conference live here. For more information, visit: https://www.mprnews.org/minnesota-wildfires-live-updates.
- Title
- Minnesota Secretary of State answers: What if federal agents intimidate voters at the polls?
- Runtime
- 1:03
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Without evidence, President Donald Trump has continued to say that voter fraud is widespread in Minnesota. His administration is suing the state for its voter data and he wants more control over mail-in ballots.
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon joined MPR News Host Kelly Gordon on Minnesota Now to talk about the integrity of this year’s elections.
To hear more, visit mprnews.org
Interview produced by Alanna Elder
Video captured by Maurizio D’Errico and edited by Anne Guttridge
- Title
- GOP candidate for U.S. Senate Michele Tafoya shares thoughts on immigration
- Runtime
- 1:40
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Veteran sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya is taking the political plunge, and if she succeeds in November’s election she might be one of the more recognizable U.S. senators.
MPR politics editor Brian Bakst spoke with Tafoya in April about what led her to run and what it will take to win in November. To see more of that conversation, find the full interview on our YouTube.
Interview produced by Matt Alvarez and captured by Tessa Bloch, Maurizio D’Errico and Erik Stromstad. Video edit by Matt Mikus and Anne Guttridge.
- Title
- Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate seat in Minnesota say they would dismantle ICE
- Runtime
- 2:59
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Two senatorial candidates vying for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party nomination faced off July 27 in a debate hosted by MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst.
It was the final head-to-head matchup between U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan ahead of the Aug. 11 primary in the intense and expensive race to fill the seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Tina Smith.
Video edited by Anne Guttridge
- Title
- Indigenous actor Dallas Goldtooth explores masculinity with film series at Walker Art Center
- Runtime
- 2:09
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- This summer, actor Dallas Goldtooth of FX's "Reservation Dogs" and Apple TV's "The Last Frontier" is returning to the movies of his boyhood at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. He curated "Once Upon a Time in Manhood,” a series of iconic films from the 1980s and '90s that he grew up on and is now rewatching as an adult.
The Walker is airing the film series through August 14.
Story by Melissa Olson
Video by Anne Guttridge
- Title
- We got cursed by WWE superstar Danhausen
- Runtime
- 0:57
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- SummerSlam is back in Minnesota for the first time in over 20 years, so we had one important question for Danhausen: Is Minnesota cursed? Turns out the state is uncursed... but our reporter may have sacrificed herself for the answer. 😭
Video captured by Ahmed Hassan and Nicole Ki, edited by Nicole Ki.
- Title
- Mall of America hosts largest gathering of Ryans in Minnesota history
- Runtime
- 1:47
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Ryan Meetup is described on its website as “run by Ryans, for Ryans, with the ultimate goal of assembling as many Ryans as possible.” The group held a meetup at the Mall of America on July 24 and an estimated 1,200 Ryans attended.
Organizers invited people named Ryan from across the world to help break the world record for the most people with the same name to ride a roller coaster in succession. All Ryans were able to ride the Pepsi Orange Streak roller coaster in Nickelodeon Universe Friday evening for free. While the attempt was not sanctioned by Guinness World Records, organizers say it's still a title that will go down in Ryan history.
Video by Anne Guttridge and Feven Gerezgiher
- Title
- Not for foraging: This artist crochets mushrooms to delight and educate hikers
- Runtime
- 2:01
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Set out on a hiking trail in southeast Minnesota and you might come across something a bit fuzzier than usual.
Fiber artist Lydia Hansen has been crocheting lifelike, size-accurate models of mushrooms native to the area and installing them along trails as a "fungi hunt." Each cluster has an interpretive sign teaching hikers about fungi commonly found in the area.
"The goal is to make you pay attention to everything that's around you," Hansen said. "People are saying, 'We saw these flowers, too, because we were paying attention, and we noticed this bird singing and we stopped and we listened to it.'"
Hansen works with park staff to find dead trees or stumps that can hold the creations, rather than cause damage to living trees.
The current fungi hunt is on display at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center in Lanesboro through October.
Story and video capture by Catharine Richert. Video edited by Payton Whaley.
- Title
- Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier returning to home court after injury hiatus
- Runtime
- 1:48
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- After undergoing surgery on both ankles in the offseason, Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier will make her return to the Target Center court on Tuesday, July 28 for her first home game of the 2026 season.
Collier, Lynx guard Kayla McBride and Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve spoke to press Monday about the support of Lynx fans through her absence.
Story by Anika Besst
Video captured by Steven Garcia for MPR News and edited by Anne Guttridge
- Title
- LIVE: Gov. Tim Walz addresses northland wildfires & economic aid plans (Ely, MN)
- Runtime
- 41:55
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- LIVE from the wildfire command center in Ely, Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz, along with state, federal and local officials, provides a briefing on the active wildfires in the Superior National Forest and Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).
Get the latest on the wildfires: https://www.mprnews.org/minnesota-wildfires-live-updates
