Stories from May 23, 2025

Planned Parenthood announces it will close 4 clinics in Minnesota
Planned Parenthood North Central States is closing eight of its 23 clinics due to budget problems including funding cuts. The four in Minnesota include Alexandria, Bemidji, Richfield and Apple Valley.
Nearly perfect Memorial Day weekend weather ahead
This looks like one of the better Memorial Day weekends in recent memory for Minnesota.
Faith leaders gathered at Minneapolis City Hall today for an interfaith prayer, marking the five-year anniversary of George Floyd's murder by Minneapolis police. And Gov. Tim Walz defended a proposal today to roll back a tax exemption for data centers in the state.
Social media is influencing how authors promote their books. Here‘s how
Social media is changing the way writers are promoting their books. Author Rebecca Makkai talks about her decision to take a break from writing the blurbs commonly seen on the backs of book jackets.
5 new books this week spotlight Joe Biden, the WNBA, rivers, migrants and autofiction
New books out this week look at everything from pressing political concerns — “Original Sin” — to perspective-altering riddles about life itself, like in “Is A River Alive?” and “The Book of Records.”
Amazon pulls back on plans for large data center in Becker
Amazon’s move comes as Minnesota lawmakers are debating additional regulations on large-scale data centers and could eliminate a sales tax exemption on the electricity they use.
MN Shortlist: May 23-29
MN Shortlist is your weekly curated roundup of recommended events from MPR News, highlighting standout performances, exhibits and gatherings around the region.
Twins bring Carlos Correa back from concussion for series opener vs. Royals; Buxton not quite ready
Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa has been cleared from the concussion protocol and reinstated from the 7-day injured list before the beginning of a three-game series against Kansas City.
Trump threatens steep tariffs on trade with the European Union -- and on iPhones
President Donald Trump said on social media that he had recommended 50 percent tariffs on European Union products starting June 1 — and warned Apple's CEO to move manufacturing of iPhones to the United States.
Morning Announcements for May 22 and 23
These are the Morning Announcements for Thursday, May 22, and Friday, May 23. Tell us what you’re celebrating!
Silent Battles: Mental Health & Military Service
Mental illness is the leading cause of hospitalization for America’s military service members. 
Harvard sues the Trump administration over ban on enrolling foreign students
Harvard University is challenging the Trump administration’s decision to bar the Ivy League school from enrolling foreign students. The school says that's an unconstitutional retaliation for defying the White House’s political demands.
North Dakota governor vetoes the housing budget — by mistake
North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong accidentally vetoed $35 million for the state’s housing budget. It happened when he took up an agency budget bill approved by the legislature, intending to veto just a couple of line items.
A series of events gets underway today in Minneapolis to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd and the racial justice movement that it sparked. The Timberwolves lost to the Thunder last night in game two of the NBA’s Western Conference championship series 118-103.
Still a little cool but pleasant Friday into the weekend
We’ll see another pleasant day with partly cloudy skies, though still cooler than normal Friday. We gradually warm up into next week with just isolated rain chances. 
PWHL plans further expansion, and eyes 2026 Olympics to broaden reach in Europe, Kasten tells AP
PWHL advisory board member Stan Kasten is laying out an ambitious vision of the league's future that includes further expansion and broadening its reach to Europe. In an interview with The Associated Press, Kasten said he foresees another round of expansion within the next few years after the league added Seattle and Vancouver for 2025-26.
Curl-Salemme scores twice in Frost’s 2-1 OT win over Charge in Game 2 of PWHL championship series
Britta Curl-Salemme tied it with 16 seconds left and scored at 16:24 of overtime to give the defending champion Minnesota Frost a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Charge on Thursday night, evening the PWHL championship series at a game apiece.
Edwards scores 32, but Thunder beat Timberwolves 118-103, go up 2-0 in Western Conference finals
Anthony Edwards vowed to be more aggressive. The Minnesota Timberwolves star was held to 18 points on 13 shots in a blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
British filmmaker captures global backlash to George Floyd’s murder in new documentary
The feature-length film features both prolific cultural figures in the UK and people central to the story in Minneapolis. Director Kwabena Oppong joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer on Morning Edition to talk about the creation of “Backlash.”
Two Native-led renewable energy nonprofits team up to fight ‘energy poverty’ in Minnesota
A merger between two Indigenous-led nonprofits, Native Sun Community Power and 8th Fire Solar, looks to reshape energy sovereignty for tribal lands in Minnesota and address “energy poverty.”
‘Stop Killing Black People’: How a Minneapolis designer branded a movement
Graphic designer and activist Terresa Hardaway created the bold “Stop Killing Black People” typeface as a protest tool during the George Floyd uprising, turning expressive, hand-drawn lettering into a widely distributed visual language of abolition that rejected commercialization and embraced mutual aid.
A longtime grocer, now retired, continues to build connections between Hmong immigrants
For 18 years, Terry Yang ran Bubai Foods in Walnut Grove with his brother. Yang said he sees the services and products that he provided as a form of service to both the Hmong community and everyone who walked through the store’s front door.
Vaccine advisers to the FDA recommended changes to COVID vaccines
Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration met Thursday to help decide which variant of the virus that causes COVID should be targeted by updated versions of the vaccines.