Stories from October 23, 2025

The final victim of the Annunciation Catholic Church and School shooting in Minneapolis was discharged from the hospital Thursday. 12-year-old Sophia Forchas was shot on August 27th in the mass shooting that left two dead and thirty injured. A Twin Cities man is the first defendant to plead guilty in a scheme to defraud a Medicaid housing assistance program.
Minnesota asks for public input on new climate action plan
Minnesota has a new draft for its climate action framework and wants the public to weigh in on how the state should approach addressing climate change in the years to come.
Minneapolis council members say administration withholding details of employee pay study
The Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously Thursday to direct Mayor Jacob Frey’s administration to share a report detailing employee compensation with members of the council.  The Minneapolis city operations officer says the report can be shared privately with council members. However, they say the data are non-public.
Rising costs and fewer options for 2026 Minnesota Medicare plans
A combination of rising costs and fewer Medicare Advantage insurers is prompting an unprecedented number of Minnesotans to review their options for 2026. 
Feds: Ex-Minneapolis Chamber CEO stole Crimestoppers reward cash amid embezzlement scheme
A federal grand jury has indicted former Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jonathan Weinhagen on charges of stealing $200,000 from the organization, including $30,000 that the chamber put up as reward money following the shootings of three children in 2021.
Why Minnesota bird flu cases are spiking
Bird flu cases are on the rise nationwide. Minnesota alone has seen outbreaks affecting nearly 600,000 birds in commercially farmed flocks. Here’s what that means.
Michigan is paying $600K to settle a police case and getting an artifact from a famous shipwreck
The state of Michigan has acquired a life ring that washed ashore 50 years ago from the Edmund Fitzgerald, a rare artifact that strangely became part of a settlement in a lawsuit that had nothing to do with the famous shipwreck.
Former Anoka County sheriff nominated to be Minnesota's next U.S. marshal
James Stuart was one of two candidates for the job recommended earlier this year by Minnesota’s Republican congressional delegation. The other was former Minneapolis police union leader Bob Kroll.
Help me be an informed voter
Voters in Minnesota can use the MPR News Voter Guide to learn more about the candidates in their area.
Vatican will return dozens of artifacts to Indigenous groups in Canada as gesture of reconciliation
The Vatican is expected to soon announce that it will return a few dozen artifacts to Indigenous communities in Canada as part of its reckoning with the Catholic Church’s troubled role in helping suppress Indigenous culture in the Americas, officials said Wednesday.
Morning Announcements for Oct. 22 and Oct. 23
These are the Morning Announcements for Wednesday, Oct. 22 and Thursday, Oct. 23. Tell us what you’re celebrating!
On-demand transportation service links Grand Rapids to rural and tribal communities
Minnesota's Advanced Rural Transit Innovations, or goMARTI, has expanded its free, on-demand transportation service that links Grand Rapids to rural and tribal communities along Highway 2 in northern Minnesota. 
Rural Voice: Owatonna faces the challenge of comprehensive health care in rural Minnesota
The final Rural Voice town hall of the 2025 season was held in Owatonna on Sept. 29, where community leaders and citizen advocates told Kerri Miller they are determined to face the looming health care crisis with innovation and moxie.
Heat’s Rozier and Trail Blazers' Billups charged in sports betting and Mafia-backed poker schemes
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, once a Timberwolves player, and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier are among more than 30 people charged in connection with schemes involving illegal sports betting and rigged poker games backed by the Mafia, authorities said on Thursday.
Confused by the legal battles over troop deployments? Here's what to know
Two significant legal actions — including a possible decision from the U.S. Supreme Court — are expected this week. While both would be preliminary, they could impact how courts weigh in on such cases going forward.
Brighter Thursday with widespread frost tonight
We should see more sunshine today across southern and western Minnesota. Tonight will see widespread frost and freezing temps across the state. Warmer air moves in for the weekend. 
Art Hounds: Glowing puppets, a haunted theater and Midwest folk music
Writer Kathleen Kenney Peterson, musician Greg Herriges and folk artist Sarah Larsson share their picks for spooky storytelling, microscopic spectacle and polka-powered dancing.