Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now

Stories from May 22, 2025

Billboards blasting budget cuts at Voyageurs National Park greet drivers in Duluth

Billboards blasting budget cuts at Voyageurs National Park greet drivers in Duluth

A liberal advocacy group put up six billboards in and around Duluth this month, warning “reduced staff, increased danger” at Voyageurs National Park. It’s part of a national campaign criticizing DOGE-initiated budget cuts to national parks. 
by Dan Kraker

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Siblings reflect on 5 years of serving George Floyd Square and south Minneapolis

Siblings reflect on 5 years of serving George Floyd Square and south Minneapolis

Jeanette Rupert, Jeanelle Austin and Butchy Austin grew up around 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis and all took action in different ways following the murder of George Floyd. They shared with MPR News how their activism has impacted them and their communities in the time since.
by Feven Gerezgiher

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
‘This is a dark day:’ Rep. Kelly Morrison slams newly-passed House budget bill

‘This is a dark day:’ Rep. Kelly Morrison slams newly-passed House budget bill

Every House Democrat voted against the bill, including U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison, who represents Minnesota’s third district. Morrison spoke with MPR News host Emily Reese about it.
by Emily Reese, Gretchen Brown and Matthew Alvarez

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

International student released from ICE custody. Crews make rapid progress on wildfires

An international student who’s been in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody since March was released under a judge’s order Thursday. Firefighting crews are now making quick progress on wildfires that have burned in northeastern Minnesota for nearly two weeks. And lawmakers are expecting to work through the Memorial Day weekend to finalize the bills needed to craft a two-year state budget.
by Emily Bright

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Minnesota lawmakers prepare for working weekend after blowing self-imposed deadline

Minnesota lawmakers prepare for working weekend after blowing self-imposed deadline

Some working groups dribbled out details of their budget bills Thursday after meeting in private to craft them. The largest pieces of Minnesota’s more than $66 billion budget remained unfinished.
by Dana Ferguson, Clay Masters and Peter Cox

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Two sites in St. Paul will be renamed to reflect cultural significance to Dakota tribes

Two sites in St. Paul will be renamed to reflect cultural significance to Dakota tribes

The city of St. Paul announced Wednesday the renaming of Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary and Indian Mounds Regional Park to Waḳaƞ Ṭípi, meaning “dwelling place of the sacred” and Wicaḣapi, meaning “cemetery.”
by Chandra Colvin

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Inmate advocates demand input ahead of Stillwater prison shutdown

Inmate advocates demand input ahead of Stillwater prison shutdown

Advocates for people incarcerated at the Minnesota Corrections Facility in Stillwater say they want inmate concerns considered as officials work toward closing the facility in 2029.
by Mark Zdechlik

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Trump administration bars Harvard from enrolling foreign students

Trump administration bars Harvard from enrolling foreign students

The Trump administration has revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students in its escalating battle with the Ivy League school. It says thousands of current students must transfer to other schools or leave the country. 
by The Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
U of M grad student released from ICE custody after judge's ruling

U of M grad student released from ICE custody after judge's ruling

Doğukan Günaydın had been held in the Sherburne County Jail after being arrested by immigration authorities. A federal judge ruled this week that his detention violated his procedural due process rights. He was released Thursday.
by Sarah Thamer

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Back to bright: Dry weather returns with sunshine

Back to bright: Dry weather returns with sunshine

After a stretch of soggy days and overcast skies, the sun returns just in time for the upcoming holiday weekend. A gradual warming trend is also on the way, with temperatures expected to climb back to more seasonal levels, reaching the 70s by early next week.
by Mandy Thalhuber

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
No more pennies: In big change, Treasury will stop minting them

No more pennies: In big change, Treasury will stop minting them

In a cost-cutting move, the Treasury Department will soon stop minting new pennies. The one-cent coins will still be legal tender. There are more than 100 billion pennies in circulation but many are gathering dust in change jars and forgotten pockets.
by Scott Horsley

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Senate overrules parliamentarian and votes to undo California EV rule

Senate overrules parliamentarian and votes to undo California EV rule

The Senate parliamentarian advised lawmakers that they couldn't use the Congressional Review Act to revoke California's right to set vehicle standards. But they did it anyway. Expect a legal fight.
by Camila Domonoske

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

Coon Rapids police officer fatally shoots man

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating after a police officer shot and killed a man in Coon Rapids on Wednesday. Authorities said the man refused commands to drop a knife, then moved toward police officers.
by Estelle Timar-Wilcox

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Graffiti artist reflects on painting iconic, haunting George Floyd mural 5 years later

Graffiti artist reflects on painting iconic, haunting George Floyd mural 5 years later

Peyton Scott Russell joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer on Morning Edition to talk about what drove him to pick up a can of spray paint and create “Icon of a Revolution” back in May 2020.
by Cathy Wurzer and Gracie Stockton

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Treating the Young Mind

Treating the Young Mind

The phrase “if only” is often used concerning a person’s mental health. If only we'd known they were hurting.
by Jessica Bari

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

After George Floyd's murder, big banks invested millions in small, Black-owned banks

In the year after his murder, big banks including JPMorgan Chase, Citibank, Bank of America and Wells Fargo announced plans to invest millions of dollars in small, Black-owned banks across the country, to help those banks make more loans to small businesses in underserved communities. 

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Wildflower chasers: A creekside hunt for marigolds

Wildflower chasers: A creekside hunt for marigolds

Spring is in full swing and marsh marigolds in bloom. Wildflower chasers Kelly Povo and Phyllis Root went in search of the bright yellow flower.
by Cathy Wurzer and Lukas Levin

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

DOJ drops Minneapolis police oversight agreements. U of M student to be released from ICE custody

The U.S. Department of Justice is pulling out of proposed oversight agreements with the Minneapolis Police Department. And a federal judge has ordered the release of a University of Minnesota student from ICE custody.
by Phil Picardi

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Decreasing clouds and warmer temperatures Thursday

Decreasing clouds and warmer temperatures Thursday

Our rain is finally done. Clouds will continue to decrease from north to south, warming things up on Thursday. The holiday weekend looks decent and summer warmth returns next week. 
by Sven Sundgaard

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
House Republicans pass Trump's big bill of tax breaks and program cuts after all-night session

House Republicans pass Trump's big bill of tax breaks and program cuts after all-night session

House Republicans stayed up all night to pass their multitrillion-dollar tax breaks package. Speaker Mike Johnson defied the skeptics within his ranks and muscled President Donald Trump’s priority bill to approval Thursday.
by The Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Educators fear their homeless students could become a target for Trump cuts

Educators fear their homeless students could become a target for Trump cuts

A federal program provides extra help to make sure students experiencing homelessness get an education. Amid massive cuts to the federal government, the program's future is uncertain.
by Lee Gaines

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Timeline: What happened in Minnesota after police murdered George Floyd

Timeline: What happened in Minnesota after police murdered George Floyd

George Floyd's death in May 2020 ignited a worldwide awakening on race and policing practices. This timeline highlights pivotal events from his killing to continuing policy changes in Minnesota.
by MPR News Staff

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!