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Stories from November 12, 2025

Delays to energy assistance program predicted to persist after federal shutdown ends

November 12, 2025 5:33 PM

Delays to energy assistance program predicted to persist after federal shutdown ends

The Minnesota Department of Commerce administers the energy assistance program for the state. The federal shutdown has meant a delay in that assistance. Even when the shutdown ends, the funds will take weeks to get into the hands of those who need it, according to the department.

by Melissa Olson

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November 12, 2025 4:36 PM

Minnesota Now: Nov. 12, 2025

Listen to the full show here.

by Nina Moini, Aleesa Kuznetsov, Ellie Roth, Ellen Finn and Alanna Elder

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Out to Lunch: Activist T Williams shares lessons from an ‘oversized’ table

November 12, 2025 4:35 PM

Out to Lunch: Activist T Williams shares lessons from an ‘oversized’ table

We have all been witnesses to moments in history. But there are people in every community who go a step further by working to shape what happens next. MPR News host Nina Moini recently met up with longtime activist T Williams at Soul Bowl.

by Nina Moini and Alanna Elder

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University of Minnesota opposes Fairview and physicians group deal, calling it a 'hostile takeover' of medical school

November 12, 2025 4:20 PM

University of Minnesota opposes Fairview and physicians group deal, calling it a 'hostile takeover' of medical school

Fairview and University of Minnesota Physicians, a nonprofit clinical practice, announced Wednesday they had reached a deal slated to begin on Jan. 1, 2027.

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November 12, 2025 3:49 PM

Families plan lawsuit after former Stillwater school staffer charged with creating child sexual abuse material

Two families with students in Stillwater schools are planning to sue the school district, after a former employee allegedly took pictures of kids and used artificial intelligence technology to create child sexual abuse material.

by Estelle Timar-Wilcox

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November 12, 2025 3:49 PM

Vance Boelter case; Fraud audit contract will cost Minnesota $2.3M

Federal prosecutors said today that they're still deciding whether to seek the death penalty against the man accused of killing former DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark. A one-year contract between a key Minnesota agency and a consulting firm will cost the state $2.3 million.

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U.S. Mint in Philadelphia presses final pennies as the 1-cent coin gets canceled

November 12, 2025 3:46 PM

U.S. Mint in Philadelphia presses final pennies as the 1-cent coin gets canceled

The U.S. Mint has ended production of the penny, a change made to save money and in recognition of the growing irrelevance of the 1-cent coin. The last pennies were struck Wednesday at the mint in Philadelphia, where the country’s smallest denomination coins have been produced since 1793, a year after Congress passed the Coinage Act.

by The Associated Press

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Immigrants with obesity, diabetes and other health problems may be denied visas

November 12, 2025 3:31 PM

Immigrants with obesity, diabetes and other health problems may be denied visas

New guidance from the Trump administration directs visa officers to consider common health ailments, including obesity and diabetes, when would-be immigrants seek to enter the U.S.

by Amanda Seitz

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Google launches a lawsuit targeting text message scammers

November 12, 2025 3:28 PM

Google launches a lawsuit targeting text message scammers

Ever gotten a text saying you forgot to pay a nonexistent road toll or need to pick up a mystery package? Google's going after the scammers behind those messages.

by John Ruwitch

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The Midwest is known as a 'Lost Region.' Scholars want to put it on the map.

November 12, 2025 2:03 PM

The Midwest is known as a 'Lost Region.' Scholars want to put it on the map.

The “Lost Region Recovery Project Conference” Saturday in Sioux Falls is dedicated to growing the study of the Midwest.

by Nina Moini and Aleesa Kuznetsov

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Minnesotans could get a second chance to see the northern lights Wednesday night

November 12, 2025 1:43 PM

Minnesotans could get a second chance to see the northern lights Wednesday night

MPR chief meteorologist Paul Huttner shares the latest on the aurora and a warmer-than-usual weather forecast.

by Nina Moini and Ellen Finn

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Former Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges shares 'startling' data on harassment faced by women mayors

November 12, 2025 1:43 PM

Former Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges shares 'startling' data on harassment faced by women mayors

A new poll from the national group Mayor's Innovation Project shows that female mayors face higher rates of harassment and violence than their male counterparts.

by Nina Moini and Ellen Finn

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Fire in the sky: Remarkable, once-in-a-lifetime northern lights show dazzles Minnesotans

November 12, 2025 1:31 PM

Fire in the sky: Remarkable, once-in-a-lifetime northern lights show dazzles Minnesotans

A powerful geomagnetic storm caused one the best best northern lights displays of a lifetime for many Minnesotans. There is a chance for more northern lights Wednesday night.

by Paul Huttner

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Krispy Kreme’s return to Minnesota draws hundreds for fresh doughnuts

November 12, 2025 1:15 PM

Krispy Kreme’s return to Minnesota draws hundreds for fresh doughnuts

The doughnuts chain opened 8 a.m. Wednesday in the Minneapolis suburb of Fridley. People began lining up around 1 p.m. the day before.

by Feven Gerezgiher

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Rep. McCollum to vote no on spending bill, calls health care vote promise 'cold-hearted lie'

November 12, 2025 1:07 PM

Rep. McCollum to vote no on spending bill, calls health care vote promise 'cold-hearted lie'

Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives will vote Wednesday night on a bill to end the longest federal government shutdown in history.

by Nina Moini and Ellie Roth

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No timeline for death penalty decision in Hortman assassination, prosecutor says

November 12, 2025 1:00 PM

No timeline for death penalty decision in Hortman assassination, prosecutor says

Vance L. Boelter appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dulce Foster for a 10-minute routine status update hearing. He pleaded not guilty in August to all six federal counts, which include murder, stalking, and firearms crimes.

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Morning Announcements for Nov. 11 and Nov. 12

November 12, 2025 12:00 PM

Morning Announcements for Nov. 11 and Nov. 12

These are the Morning Announcements for Tuesday, Nov. 11 and Wednesday, Nov. 12. Tell us what you’re celebrating!

by MPR News Staff

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New Epstein emails appear to reveal more Trump ties

November 12, 2025 10:00 AM

New Epstein emails appear to reveal more Trump ties

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have released several emails from the estate of convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein that refer to President Trump.

by Stephen Fowler and Saige Miller

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Cannabis and young adult health in Minnesota

November 12, 2025 9:00 AM

Cannabis and young adult health in Minnesota

Cannabis in Minnesota is legal — and more young adults are using it. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert and her guests explore what we know and don’t know about how marijuana affects teens and young adults — and their developing brains.

by Catharine Richert and Nikhil Kumaran

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November 12, 2025 8:40 AM

An independent evaluator will review the law enforcement response to June lawmaker shooting

An independent evaluator will spend the next several months reviewing the law enforcement response to the shootings of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark. Several law enforcement agencies in the state requested the review and said they want analysis of what worked, and what they could have done better.

by Phil Picardi

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Northern lights could be visible again Wednesday night

November 12, 2025 8:30 AM

Northern lights could be visible again Wednesday night

Many Minnesotans saw a brilliant display of the auroras Tuesday night. It was the most intense activity since May 2024. Don’t put those cameras away yet. We could see the northern lights again Wednesday evening.

by Sven Sundgaard

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What to know about Trump’s plan to give Americans a $2,000 tariff dividend

November 12, 2025 6:18 AM

What to know about Trump’s plan to give Americans a $2,000 tariff dividend

President Donald Trump boasts that his tariffs protect American industries, lure factories to the United States, raise money for the federal government and give him diplomatic leverage.

by The Associated Press

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On day 43 of the shutdown, a vote in the House could bring the impasse to an end

November 12, 2025 6:08 AM

On day 43 of the shutdown, a vote in the House could bring the impasse to an end

A vote in the House expected on Wednesday could end what is now the longest shutdown on record. Democrats are decrying the plan, saying it fails to address expiring health care subsidies.

by Deirdre Walsh

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High pressure brings bright, breezy conditions with warmer temps ahead

November 12, 2025 6:00 AM

High pressure brings bright, breezy conditions with warmer temps ahead

Look for sunshine with mild, breezy conditions Wednesday. Temperatures warm even more by the end of the week before a weekend cold front.

by Sven Sundgaard

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In vivid red and green, stunning aurora display sweeps across Minnesota skies

November 12, 2025 5:15 AM

In vivid red and green, stunning aurora display sweeps across Minnesota skies

Northern lights lovers didn’t have to go far to see them ripple across the sky Tuesday evening. A show that included vivid red auroras visible to the eye, not just the camera — a relatively rare sight — filled the sky through the evening.

by MPR News Staff

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It's harder to get home insurance. That's changing communities across the U.S.

November 12, 2025 4:30 AM

It's harder to get home insurance. That's changing communities across the U.S.

Home insurance is getting less affordable, and less available, as insurers raise prices and pull back from areas with extreme weather. That's forcing families across the country to make tough choices.

by Michael Copley, Lauren Sommer, Rebecca Hersher and Sanidhya Sharma

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Becker County judge considers restitution challenge in Nicole Mitchell burglary case

November 12, 2025 4:00 AM

Becker County judge considers restitution challenge in Nicole Mitchell burglary case

A Becker County jury convicted Mitchell in July on two felony burglary counts for breaking into her stepmother’s home on April 22, 2024, and she was sentenced to 180 days in jail last month.

by Mathew Holding Eagle III

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WIC benefits, Minnesota and the government shutdown: 4 questions, answered

November 12, 2025 4:00 AM

WIC benefits, Minnesota and the government shutdown: 4 questions, answered

The federal Women, Infants and Children program got a reprieve from federal shutdown cuts through early December. But even as the government moves closer to reopening, WIC families in Minnesota are still affected by the uncertainty.

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How a band captured Winona’s natural beauty

November 12, 2025 4:00 AM

How a band captured Winona’s natural beauty

What began as a musician falling in love with Winona’s bluffs has become an album that captures the region’s voice itself — a melodic love story to a place.

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As demand for energy surges in Minnesota, interest in battery storage booms

November 12, 2025 4:00 AM

As demand for energy surges in Minnesota, interest in battery storage booms

Batteries can store electricity from solar and wind when it’s plentiful and cheap to produce, and release it when it’s in short supply. There's a growing consensus that batteries are critical to making the switch to decarbonized electricity.

by Kirsti Marohn

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Officials honor veterans in Mankato as shutdown looms over ceremony

November 11, 2025 7:10 PM

Officials honor veterans in Mankato as shutdown looms over ceremony

At Minnesota’s Veterans Day event in Mankato, officials praised service members, but veterans voiced frustration that leaders avoided shutdown talk.

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