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Stories from February 20, 2026

Report: Minnesota's music scene is struggling

Report: Minnesota's music scene is struggling

Twin Cities Business Magazine associate editor Erik Tormoen talked to people lamenting the economics of the moment.
by Clay Masters and Gretchen Brown

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Homan says 2,000 ICE agents have left; DHS funding negotiations

The White House official overseeing the federal immigration operation in Minnesota said today that about 2,000 federal agents have left the state. And Minnesota Democratic U.S. Senator Tina Smith says negotiations with Republicans over funding for the Department of Homeland Security don't appear to be making much progress.
by Emily Reese

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MN Shortlist, Feb. 20-26: Comedy lifers, lethal manners and borrowed time

MN Shortlist, Feb. 20-26: Comedy lifers, lethal manners and borrowed time

This week’s lineup moves from Tony-winning musicals to international cinema, from Ramadan-centered poetry to a Fire Horse fanfare, anchored by artists who understand that timing isn’t just a craft concern, but a way of reading the room.
by Jacob Aloi, Anika Besst, Alex V. Cipolle and Max Sparber

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Minneapolis Fed President has ‘cautious optimism’ about economy, defends need for Fed independence

Minneapolis Fed President has ‘cautious optimism’ about economy, defends need for Fed independence

Neel Kashkari, head of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, discussed the Upper Midwest economy, data centers and the central bank's independence during a wide-ranging interview with MPR and at a fireside chat with the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce.
by Harshawn Ratanpal

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Minnesota senators press feds to share evidence in Pretti killing

Minnesota senators press feds to share evidence in Pretti killing

Minnesota leaders are pushing the federal government for more access to evidence in the killing of Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents during the federal surge last month. 
by Jon Collins

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Tracy K. Smith prescribes poetry as a balm to our wounds in 'Fear Less'

Tracy K. Smith prescribes poetry as a balm to our wounds in 'Fear Less'

Are you convinced poetry is some code you just can’t crack? In her new book, “Fear Less,” former Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith says poems are like cars: they’re meant to take you somewhere.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s tariffs

Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s tariffs

The 6-3 ruling is a major blow to the president's signature economic policy.
by Nina Totenberg

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Morning Announcements for Feb. 20

Morning Announcements for Feb. 20

These are the Morning Announcements for Friday, Feb. 20. Tell us what you’re celebrating!
by MPR News Staff

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Morning Announcements for Feb. 19

Morning Announcements for Feb. 19

These are the Morning Announcements for Thursday, Feb. 19. Tell us what you’re celebrating!
by MPR News Staff

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DHS admits its website showcasing the ‘worst of the worst’ immigrants was rife with errors

DHS admits its website showcasing the ‘worst of the worst’ immigrants was rife with errors

After receiving questions about a CNN analysis of the website, a DHS spokesperson admitted on Tuesday that the charges against hundreds of immigrants listed on the website were described incorrectly by the agency.
by MPR News Staff

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New federal work requirements could strip food stamps from thousands of Minnesotans

New, more stringent eligibility requirements may soon knock thousands of Minnesotans off of food stamps. The new rules require able bodied adults under the age of 65 to work at least 80 hours a month in order to receive SNAP benefits.
by Emily Bright

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Quiet, colder weekend ahead; heavy snow in southeastern Minnesota

Quiet, colder weekend ahead; heavy snow in southeastern Minnesota

The late-February warmup is fading fast, with accumulating snow underway in southeastern Minnesota and colder air settling across the region.
by Mandy Thalhuber

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Judge sentences man for setting fire to Minneapolis mosques

Judge sentences man for setting fire to Minneapolis mosques

Jackie Rahm Little pleaded guilty in September to arson and hate crime charges for setting fire to Masjid Al-Rahma on Bloomington Avenue in 2023. He also admitted setting a trash can on fire at another mosque a day earlier.
by Regina Medina

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Immigration advocates challenge federal refugee policy in court

Immigration advocates challenge federal refugee policy in court

Advocates are challenging the government’s stance that they can now investigate and detain refugees who are not yet permanent residents. The case could affect 5,600 people in Minnesota who are originally from Africa, Asia or Latin America.
by Jon Collins

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Two-spirit, MMIWR photo exhibit begins state tour

Two-spirit, MMIWR photo exhibit begins state tour

A traveling photo exhibit representing two-spirit and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives opens in Mankato today at the Carnegie Art Center before heading to Minneapolis in June.
by Mathew Holding Eagle III

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Caponi Art Park in Eagan joins National Register of Historic Places

Caponi Art Park in Eagan joins National Register of Historic Places

Caponi Art Park in Eagan has been added to the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing the 60-acre landscape of large-scale sculptures created by artist and Macalester professor Anthony Caponi and securing preservation benefits for the site.
by Alex V. Cipolle

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Controversy over data centers in Minnesota leads to calls for statewide moratorium, new regulations

Controversy over data centers in Minnesota leads to calls for statewide moratorium, new regulations

Opponents of the massive projects say the measures the Legislature passed last year aren’t enough to protect communities, residents and the environment from potential negative impacts. They’re calling for a two-year moratorium on new data centers and other restrictions.
by Kirsti Marohn

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What does ice on Lake Superior tell us about climate change?

What does ice on Lake Superior tell us about climate change?

Ice on the Great Lakes is a great way to measure climate in the region. But ice is becoming more and more rare on Lake Superior; the lake has a 75 percent ice coverage only once every four years.
by Paul Huttner and Ben Revier

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Thousands of Minnesotans to be kicked off SNAP due to new eligibility requirements

Thousands of Minnesotans to be kicked off SNAP due to new eligibility requirements

Thousands of Minnesotans will soon lose the assistance they rely upon to buy food as newly expanded work requirements and the elimination of several exemptions for SNAP benefits that are a part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” go into effect.
by Hannah Yang

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Judge threatens government lawyer with fines after ICE violates court order

Judge threatens government lawyer with fines after ICE violates court order

A federal judge in St. Paul held a special assistant U.S. attorney in contempt of court and threatened him with $500 in daily fines after the government failed to return identification documents to a Minnesota man held in immigration detention.
by Matt Sepic

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Politics Friday: First week of session opens with Hortman tribute, focus on tragic events

Politics Friday: First week of session opens with Hortman tribute, focus on tragic events

The legislative session started on a somber note, colored by multiple tragedies over the last year. We’ll get a look at the first week of the 2026 session and an interview with Colin Hortman, the son of Rep. Melissa Hortman who was killed last June.
by Brian Bakst and Matthew Alvarez

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