MPR News

A woman standing in front of the state Capitol building.

Preparing Minnesotans of color to wield more power at the Capitol

The number of Minnesota lawmakers of color has tripled over the past 10 years, but the Legislature remains 90 percent white — which is less racially diverse than the state’s population. A St. Paul program is trying to build a pipeline from diverse communities to the state Capitol to tackle widening racial disparities.

A young woman sits while being tested for COVID-19.

Latest on COVID-19 in MN: A record no one wants

Data in early September looked disarmingly good, but with more than 3,000 newly confirmed cases reported the past three days, Minnesota appears to be back on an upswing it does not want.

Poet and activist Christopher Coles addresses a crowd in Rochester, N.Y.

Black protest leaders to white allies: 'It's our turn to lead our own fight'

As Black Lives Matter protests spread across the country, a lot of white people joined in to help the cause. In many cities Black leaders are being deliberate about the roles white allies play.

A voter stands by for her ballot as people wait more than four hours for early voting Friday in Fairfax, Va.

Step aside election 2000: This year's election may be the most litigated yet

In 2000, lawyers and election officials endlessly examined and debated butterfly ballots and hanging chads. Now, the legal arguments are more complex and center on the rules governing mail-in voting.

Volleyballs sit in a bin in front of a volleyball team in a gym.

Minnesota high school football, volleyball OK'd for fall seasons

The Minnesota State High School League in August decided to postpone those seasons due to COVID-19 but changed course on Monday. Both seasons are expected to start Sept. 28, with an 11-week season for volleyball, and a 10-week season for football.

A shopper enters a DSW store in New York City. DSW is partnering with Hy-Vee, a Midwest supermarket chain, to offer shoes in grocery stores.

Hy-Vee and DSW team up: Shop for bread and shoes

The Midwestern chain Hy-Vee says DSW shoe outlets are opening in six of its supermarkets in Minnesota. Grocery shoppers will be able to try on shoes, then order online.

Building being demolished.

Mpls. aims to speed cleanup months after unrest in wake of Floyd's killing

City staff identified 16 properties apparently in need of the aid, most of them along Lake Street. Officials hope around $2 million will fill the gap between cleanup costs and insurance coverage.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention briefly posted new guidance to its website stating that the coronavirus can commonly be transmitted through aerosol particles, which can be produced by activities like singing. Here, choristers wear face masks during a music festival in southwestern France in July.

CDC publishes — then withdraws — guidance on aerosol spread of coronavirus

The CDC says the guidelines were posted to its website in error. The now-deleted updates were notable because so far the agency has stopped short of saying that the virus is airborne.

U.S. Circuit Judge Barbara Lagoa

Cuban-American judge from Florida on Trump high court list

Barbara Lagoa is a daughter of Cuban exiles who grew up in a heavily Hispanic suburb of Miami and has had a swift rise as a lawyer and judge — and she is on President Donald Trump’s short list to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden leaves after speaking at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Sunday.

Biden enters campaign's final stretch with cash advantage over Trump

According to the campaigns, Democrats entered September with about $140 million more cash on hand than Republicans.

President Trump said he approved a deal struck with U.S. companies Oracle and Walmart to keep TikTok alive, but the agreement does not accomplish what the president sought to achieve.

Trump's TikTok deal: What just happened and why does it matter?

President Trump is claiming victory after blessing a deal in which Oracle and Walmart will own a stake of TikTok, but experts wonder whether the terms of the agreement will really change anything.

Two people sit on a chair in front of a orange-red wall for a portrait

Court approves Trump plan to deport immigrants from El Salvador, three other countries

Immigrants with Temporary Protected Status from El Salvador, Nicaragua, Haiti and Sudan could be deported from Minnesota and the United States under a new appeals court ruling.

Red Lake cultivates 800 acres of wild rice.

Wild rice growers worry about climate change hurting crops

With its rich, nutty and complex flavor, the wild rice that grows in Wisconsin and Minnesota is one of a kind. While many tribal and nontribal people are enjoying their annual pilgrimages to their favorite rice wetlands, others are concerned about the effects of climate change on this unique crop.

Vaccines for measles-rubella and cervical cancer are administered at a school in Jimbaran, Indonesia. Vaccination rates have dropped during the pandemic.

How bad has the pandemic been for childhood vaccinations?

The betterment of childhood vaccination rates has been a global success story. A new report on the impact of the pandemic offers reason for concern — and optimism.

A man wearing a protective mask looks at piled-up trash in New York City on April 24. Cities are struggling with collection as the volume of residential garbage surges during the stay-at-home era.

'Hard, dirty job': Cities struggle to clear garbage glut in stay-at-home world

As people stay at home, they are putting out more trash, from pizza boxes to cardboard delivery boxes. That's putting a big strain on residential garbage collectors.

Anti-abortion demonstrators pray in front of the U.S. Supreme Court July 8, a day the court ruled that employers with religious objections can decline to provide contraception coverage under the Affordable Care Act. With the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the ACA's future is in doubt.

The future of the Affordable Care Act in a Supreme Court without Ginsburg

The death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg comes just as the Supreme Court was about to hear a case challenging the ACA. It could end Medicaid expansion and protections for preexisting conditions.

Vigil for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Minneapolis

Photos: Minneapolis vigil honors life, legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

A crowd gathered at Boom Island Park in Minneapolis on Sunday night for a candlelight vigil to honor the late justice, who was a champion of equality.

A woman stands outside her house, holding her dog in her arms.

St. Paul families gain rent relief in pandemic-battered economy

A St. Paul housing assistance program started before the pandemic is keeping some families in their homes, and officials want to know if it could help in ways that other housing assistance does not.

Glass mason jars are filled with different pickled vegetables.

What to do with ‘46 pounds of zucchini'? First-time gardeners discover canning

A revival of the old-time skill has led to a canning supply shortage in Minnesota and across the country. The normally dusty canning sections at big-box stores are almost completely bare.

Catherine O'Hara accepts the award for outstanding lead actress

'Schitt's Creek' sweeps comedy categories; 'Succession,' 'Watchmen' also win top Emmy Awards

“Schitt's Creek,” the little Canadian show about a fish-out-of-water family, made history at Sunday's Emmy Awards with a comedy awards sweep, something even TV greats including “Frasier” and “Modern Family” failed to achieve.