Stories from January 28, 2025

Twin Cities Pride raises over $70K in less than two days after cutting Target sponsorship
Executive director Andi Otto says they reached their $50,000 goal in less than 24 hours. This follows the decision to remove Target from the Twin Cities Pride festival this year because of the company’s announcement to end DEI efforts.
Minnesota home sales up from 2023 to 2024
Home sales statewide in Minnesota rose by just over one percent from 2023 to 2024, according to newly released statistics from three of the state's largest real estate associations: Minnesota Realtors, Minneapolis Area Realtors and St. Paul Area Association of Realtors.
Deb Haaland made history as Interior secretary. Now she’s running for governor of New Mexico
Deb Haaland, who championed conservation and clean energy during her tenure as Interior secretary, is running for the Democratic nomination for governor in New Mexico, the nation's No. 2 oil production state.
The top budget writers in the Minnesota Senate are reacting to a White House announcement pausing all federal grants and loans today. And the sales tax plan proposed by Gov. Tim Walz got its first committee workover today at Minnesota's Capitol.
‘We will see President Trump in court’: Minnesota to challenge order pausing federal funding
Minnesota agencies, lawmakers and groups seek out answers on how a freeze in federal funding will play out with billions of dollars potentially on the line.
Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
The executive order speaks of transgender identity in sweeping and dismissive terms, and sets the stage for a policy that is more restrictive and punitive than the ban from Trump’s first term.
Minneapolis police chief calls Trump Jan. 6 pardons ‘slap in the face’ to officers
Chief Brian O'Hara has joined a group of law enforcement leaders decrying President Donald Trump’s pardons for all who rioted at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
A first-time James Beard semifinalist reflects on his journey
The semifinalist list includes some famous names like Yia Vang, Diane Moua and Gavin Kaysen. Abraham Gessesse may not be a household name, but he is the chef owner of the St. Paul restaurant Hyacinth and he’s been nominated in the Best Chef Midwest category for the first time.
Minnesota Republicans recommend U.S. marshal, U.S. attorney candidates
The recommendations from Minnesota’s Republican congressional delegation include former Minneapolis police union leader Bob Kroll for U.S. marshal. For U.S attorney, they include Erica MacDonald, who held the position during Trump’s first term.
‘Women at War’: A new group exhibition features the work of artists from war-torn Ukraine
The exhibition features intimate work by 11 Ukrainian women artists, created in response to the 2022 Russian invasion, with pieces exploring the human toll of war through personal, small-scale mediums like bedsheets, stones and sketches. It runs through March 30.
Avian flu is not going away. Here’s how scientists are tackling it
On Saturday agriculture regulators will begin testing milk produced in Minnesota for H5N1 – the virus commonly known as avian influenza or bird flu. The disease has forced poultry farmers to kill about 9 million birds in Minnesota since 2022.
Pick your favorite snowplow names for MnDOT’s Name a Snowplow contest
After receiving more than 7,300 creative names, MnDOT released their 50 finalist names to begin the voting round, from names like “Albert Icestein” and “Sub Zero Hero” to “Salt me Baby One More Time” and “Hot To Snow!”
Karoline Leavitt, the youngest White House press secretary, makes her debut in the briefing room
The youngest person to serve as White House press secretary has made her debut in the briefing room, promising to hold briefings often and saying President Donald Trump also will be available to reporters for questions.
 How the Trump administration is altering U.S. immigration policy
MPR News guest host Catharine Richert and her guests talk about the slew of orders President Trump issued last week that have dramatically altered the United States’ approach to immigration policy.
Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump administration freeze on federal grants and loans
A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked a push from President Donald Trump to pause federal funding while his administration conducts an across-the-board ideological review to uproot progressive initiatives.
Dawson Garcia's loyalty to the suddenly surging Gophers has finally yielded some success
Evidence of progress for the Minnesota Gophers has finally become public. Their loyal star Dawson Garcia has had his fingerprints all over it. He’s third in the Big Ten in scoring at 19.7 points per game, 11th in rebounds and 13th in blocks. 
There's a special election Tuesday for an all-important seat in the Minnesota Senate. Democrat Doron Clark faces Republican Abigail Wolters in the Minneapolis-area senate district. The winner will tip majority control in the chamber — which is currently tied 33 to 33. And Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara is calling President Donald Trump's pardons of some Jan. 6 rioters a slap in the face to law enforcement.
Egg prices are soaring. Don't expect that to change anytime soon
It looks like grocery shoppers hoping for soaring egg prices to turn around are likely to be waiting a while. Prices have more than doubled since the summer of 2023 and millions of chickens are still being slaughtered every month because of bird flu.
Trump signs executive order taking aim at DEI programs in the military
Trump said the diversity programs discourage merit and leadership, and discriminate on the basis of race and sex. The directive was among a series of orders that seeks to reshape the U.S. military.
K-12 education and the Minnesota Legislature: 5 things to watch this session
Even as Minnesota lawmakers struggle to start their new session, education committee leaders in the House and Senate are quietly starting to set budget and policy priorities. Here’s a look at what might be coming.
Trump Justice Department says it has fired employees involved in prosecutions of the president
The Justice Department said Monday that it had fired more than a dozen employees who worked on criminal prosecutions of President Donald Trump, moving rapidly to pursue retribution against lawyers involved in the investigations and signaling an early willingness to take action favorable to the president's personal interests.