Stories from March 5, 2026

Report: Minnesotan, 5 other U.S. soldiers were killed in shipping container-style building
Pentagon Reporter Konstantin Toropin with the Associated Press has been covering the deaths of six U.S. soldiers in Kuwait. He spoke with MPR News host Clay Masters.
The husband of a Minnesota soldier killed in Kuwait says the family is grieving and planning a memorial. The standing of a key state agency commissioner has become another political flashpoint in the Minnesota Senate.
Politics Friday: Tax debate picks up at Capitol as lawmakers discuss state-federal mismatches
Committee hearings at the state Capitol are getting into the nitty gritty over taxes. In Washington D.C., there was a focus on Minnesota fraud and the immigration operation fallout.
Former top DHS lawyer shares perspective on Trump administration immigration policies
Kara Lynum worked with thousands of lawyers at DHS under former President Joe Biden. Before that, she was an immigration lawyer in Minnesota. She joined a group of former DHS lawyers to speak out about an ICE memo that authorized agents to enter homes, even without a judicial warrant.
General Mills says it's removed synthetic dyes from food produced for K-12 schools
General Mills announced Thursday that it has removed synthetic dyes from all the food it produces for K-12 schools. The Golden Valley-based company said it achieved that goal several months ahead of schedule.
Trump says he's replacing Homeland Security Secretary Noem with GOP Sen. Markwayne Mullin
President Donald Trump says he’s replacing his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and will nominate in her place Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin. 
Six Flags sells Valleyfair and 6 other amusement parks to new owner in $331 million deal
Six Flags announced Valleyfair in Shakopee has been sold to ERP Properties, an investment trust that specializes in what it calls "experiential" real estate. Leadership said the amusement park will continue to operate normally through the 2026 season.
More than 20 states sue over new global tariffs Trump imposed after his stinging Supreme Court loss
Some two dozen states are challenging President Donald Trump’s new global tariffs in court. On Thursday, the states filed a lawsuit over import taxes he imposed after a stinging loss at the Supreme Court. Democratic attorneys general leading the suit argue that Trump is overstepping his power with planned 15 percent tariffs on much of the world.
Spring storms and the power of the jet stream
Spring is a season of dramatic weather across the United States and other midlatitude regions. Rapid shifts between lingering winter cold and returning warm air often produce powerful spring storm systems.
Mayo Clinic earned $1.5 billion profit in 2025, but is still below average in charity care
Rochester-based Mayo Clinic reports that 2025 was another strong year financially, as the giant medical care provider earned a profit of $1.5 billion. And while it substantially increased spending on charity care, Mayo still lags far behind its peers in providing financial assistance to patients in need.
Gas prices continue to rise in Minnesota, across the country
Gas prices in Minnesota continued to climb on Thursday amid the ongoing military conflict in the Middle East — though the pace of that increase has slowed from earlier in the week.
Morning Announcements for March 5
These are the Morning Announcements for Thursday, March 5. Tell us what you’re celebrating!
'This is a war of choice': Rep. McCollum opposed going to war in 2002 and today
U.S Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., was in Congress when then-President George W. Bush wanted to go to war with Iraq in 2002. She opposed the war then and opposes the most recent strikes on Iran.
Is there a better way to respond to young people who commit crimes?
How do you help young people get their lives on track after they commit a crime? MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Ramsey County attorney John Choi about reimagining youth justice.  
U.S. Homeland Security investigates whether Bovino made disparaging comments about Jewish faith
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has opened an internal investigation into whether the one-time architect of President Donald Trump’s large-scale immigration crackdown made disparaging comments about the Jewish faith while criticizing the U.S. attorney for Minnesota. 
Morning Announcements for March 3-4
These are the Morning Announcements for Tuesday, March 3 and Wednesday, March 4. Tell us what you’re celebrating!
A federal judge has sentenced a man who tried to bribe a juror in the first Feeding Our Future trial to nearly five years in prison. Meanwhile, a measure is making its way through Senate committees to help Minnesotans struggling to pay rent through an emergency rental assistance program.
Last 2 names of 6 U.S. soldiers who died in Kuwait attack identified by the Pentagon
The last two names of the six U.S. soldiers killed in a Kuwait attack have been released by the Pentagon, and they are from California and Iowa. The soldiers identified Wednesday were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, and Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa.
Mild temperatures continue. Incoming classic spring storm Friday
Thursday will be another mild and mostly dry day. An incoming storm system will bring rain and thunder Friday with potential snow Friday night. 
Fed report highlights economic effects of ICE surge as businesses struggle to replace workers at home
Immigration enforcement operations and a struggling farm economy had a dampening effect on businesses in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, according to the latest Beige Book report from the Federal Reserve. 
Greater Minnesota schools felt the fear as ICE presence surged
While the surge of federal agents in the Twin Cities grabbed much of the attention the past few months, stories of children hiding at home, crying in class and being detained have quietly gripped some Minnesota small towns since January.
‘Post-Olympic Blues’: Jessie Diggins opens up about her eating disorder and life after skiing
Cross-country skiing star Jessie Diggins reflects on the Olympics, the end of her decorated career, a new documentary on her recovery from a serious eating disorder and what’s next after skiing.
Art Hounds: Textiles and timelines, tabletop fantasy and a gallery launch
Art Hounds recommend “Our What Ifs Became Real Life,” “Monsters Not Monoliths! A DnD Actual Play” and the grand opening this weekend of the Lowry Hill Gallery.
Dropkick Murphys, local bands to play free concert at Alex Pretti memorial
Dropkick Murphys frontman Ken Casey says the band will visit the Minneapolis site where federal agents killed Alex Pretti and perform a free acoustic set at an anti-ICE fundraiser there, arguing the killing represents a profound shift in American society and that musicians should speak out about it.
Kara Swisher on the 'Resist & Unsubscribe' movement
A new boycott is targeting major tech companies as a way to protest U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement operations. Kara Swisher joins host Catharine Richert to talk about what the “Resist & Unsubscribe” movement is and what it hopes to accomplish.