Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now

Stories from July 11, 2025

Minnesota special election; Canadian wildfire smoke in the forecast

Gov. Tim Walz announced today that a special election to fill the Minnesota House seat of the late DFL Leader Melissa Hortman will take place September 16. And another round of Canadian wildfire smoke is moving across Minnesota today -- and an air quality alert is now in effect for the entire state through Monday morning.

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!
Judge hears motion to dismiss suit challenging Minnesota abortion law

Judge hears motion to dismiss suit challenging Minnesota abortion law

A federal judge Friday heard a motion to dismiss a suit brought last year by a group of plaintiffs arguing that Minnesota laws protecting access to abortion are unconstitutional.
by Erica Zurek

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!
Air quality alert continues for all of Minnesota through the weekend

Air quality alert continues for all of Minnesota through the weekend

An air quality alert remains in effect for all of Minnesota through Monday morning, as smoke from Canadian wildfires is blanketing the region with hazy, unhealthy air. Air quality alerts also are in place for all of Wisconsin.
by Andrew Krueger

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!
Gunman fatally shot himself after wounding two in St. Paul

Gunman fatally shot himself after wounding two in St. Paul

St. Paul police exchanged gunfire with a man in a busy grocery store on the city’s east side. The man, who police have not yet identified, was declared dead at the scene after turning a gun on himself. Two bystanders are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
by Jon Collins

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!
Buses replacing Green Line trains in St. Paul for 10 days

Buses replacing Green Line trains in St. Paul for 10 days

Green Line light rail trains in St. Paul will be replaced with buses for 10 days, starting Friday night. The major service change will affect trains between the Raymond Avenue and Union Depot stations.
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!
Trump cuts gut family nutrition education program in Minnesota, slash 60 jobs

Trump cuts gut family nutrition education program in Minnesota, slash 60 jobs

Funding for SNAP-Ed, the educational piece of the nationwide federal food assistance program, was completely eliminated in the massive Trump administration spending bill recently signed into law. One local leader says it will cause serious harm to Minnesota families.
by Kyra Miles

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!
Appeals court throws out plea deal for alleged mastermind of Sept. 11 attacks

Appeals court throws out plea deal for alleged mastermind of Sept. 11 attacks

A divided federal appeals court has thrown out an agreement that would've allowed accused Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to plead guilty in a deal sparing him the risk of execution for al-Qaida’s 2001 attacks.
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!
A new cross-county memoir: ‘The Last American Road Trip’

A new cross-county memoir: ‘The Last American Road Trip’

Sarah Kendzior wanted to show America to her young children. So she and her husband crisscrossed the country to visit national parks and historical sites, even as political upheaval and the pandemic remade the landscape. Her new memoir chronicles their journeys and asks if this beautiful, complicated country can live up to its ideals.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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!
Hundreds laid off in State Department overhaul

Hundreds laid off in State Department overhaul

The State Department is slashing hundreds of jobs in what's being called its biggest shake-up in decades — drawing sharp criticism from former diplomats who say the cuts risk gutting America's diplomatic muscle.
by Michele Kelemen

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!
Morning Announcements for July 11

Morning Announcements for July 11

These are the Morning Announcements for Friday, July 11. Tell us what you’re celebrating!
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!
Three freeway closures planned in Twin Cities this weekend

Three freeway closures planned in Twin Cities this weekend

Drivers in the Twin Cities will have to navigate around three freeway closures this weekend affecting stretches of Interstates 35E, 94 and 694.
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!

Minnesota's DHS affirmative action hiring policy is being investigated by Trump administration

The Justice Department is investigating the Minnesota Department of Human Services to determine whether it has engaged in race- and sex-based discrimination in its hiring practices.
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!
More thunderstorms develop later Friday followed by a nice weekend

More thunderstorms develop later Friday followed by a nice weekend

More storms develop late Friday into Friday night. Skies clear and dew points drop Saturday, making for a beautiful weekend. More unsettled weather develops midweek 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!
A recent high-profile case of AI hallucination serves as a stark warning

A recent high-profile case of AI hallucination serves as a stark warning

MyPillow creator Mike Lindell's lawyers were fined thousands for submitting a legal filing riddled with AI-generated mistakes. It highlights a dilemma of balancing technology and using it responsibly.
by Jaclyn Diaz

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!
How flood sirens could have saved lives in Texas

How flood sirens could have saved lives in Texas

In the wake of the deadly flash floods in Texas, state leaders are exploring whether to install more flood warning sirens. Such sirens can save lives if they're part of a larger warning system.
by Rebecca Hersher

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!
Five local vendors serving up bites at massive Asian food festival

Five local vendors serving up bites at massive Asian food festival

One hundred vendors from across the country will participate in Panda Fest July 11-13 at the Mall of America. Some local businesses have joined the festival to share their passion for food with a wider audience.
by Anita Li

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!
As ‘Arrowsmith’ turns 100, Sinclair Lewis’ medical tale couldn’t be more timely

As ‘Arrowsmith’ turns 100, Sinclair Lewis’ medical tale couldn’t be more timely

Literary and medical experts will gather next week in Lewis’ hometown of Sauk Centre, Minn., to discuss his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The story of an idealistic doctor struggling with ethical questions about medicine and scientific research remains as relevant today as it was when it was published in 1925.
by Kirsti Marohn

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!