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Stories from April 9, 2026

9-year-old student suspected of starting fire at St. Cloud school

Westwood Elementary has been closed since the March 31 fire for extensive cleaning and safety testing. Repairing the damage will cost an estimated $2 million.
by Kirsti Marohn

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Help me get a (late) start on my taxes

Help me get a (late) start on my taxes

It’s tax season. That means for a short period, we all turn into amateur accountants. A tax professional sets us straight on how to get started.
by Ellen Finn

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Winona County cyberattack is a growing trend of cybercriminals targeting local governments

Winona County is still working to recover from a cyberattack on their IT network this week. The attack is part of a growing trend of cybercriminals targeting local governments. A federal judge today dissolved a temporary injunction barring federal agents from retaliating against people observing ICE activities.
by Emily Reese

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70s by Sunday; severe weather risk emerging next week

70s by Sunday; severe weather risk emerging next week

Next week is severe weather awareness week in Minnesota. The weather maps look right in sync.
by Paul Huttner

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Minnesota lawmakers consider expanding ballpark tax to fund HCMC

Minnesota lawmakers consider expanding ballpark tax to fund HCMC

A bipartisan proposal would expand a ballpark sales tax to support HCMC as the hospital warns of financial losses and reduced services.
by Erica Zurek

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Minn. lawmakers look to rein in prediction markets, citing concerns about ethics, addiction

Minn. lawmakers look to rein in prediction markets, citing concerns about ethics, addiction

Minnesota lawmakers are debating whether to effectively outlaw prediction markets – the online spaces that let people plunk down money on future event outcomes. Even as states try to enact regulations, the federal government is attempting to stop them.
by Dana Ferguson

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Minneapolis City Council denies reappointment of community safety head Todd Barnette

Minneapolis City Council denies reappointment of community safety head Todd Barnette

The Minneapolis City Council voted 7-6 against reappointing Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette to his post on Thursday. Frey says he’ll veto that. The council will need a two-thirds majority — nine votes — to override the veto.
by Estelle Timar-Wilcox

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Black Visions launches effort to redistribute money raised following George Floyd's murder

Black Visions launches effort to redistribute money raised following George Floyd's murder

Black Visions has already redistributed millions of dollars which it raised following the murder of George Floyd. Now a new grant pool of $500,000 will go to support Black Minnesotans facing economic hardship.
by Emily Bright and Ngoc Bui

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State lawmaker explains proposal to raise sales tax to help HCMC amid financial crisis

State lawmaker explains proposal to raise sales tax to help HCMC amid financial crisis

State lawmakers are considering a proposal to use sales tax money to help HCMC avoid closing as it faces a major financial crisis. Republican Rep. Danny Nadeau spoke more about his bill that got a hearing Thursday at the State Capitol.
by Emily Bright and Alanna Elder

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Winona County cyberattack is part of a trend as local governments are increasingly targeted

Winona County cyberattack is part of a trend as local governments are increasingly targeted

This week’s cyber attack on Winona County’s government IT networks is part of a trend, as cybercriminals are increasingly targeting local units of government, which they see as lucrative targets.
by Molly Castle Work

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Minnesota gas prices continue to climb

Minnesota gas prices continue to climb

While crude oil prices dropped this week following news of a tenuous ceasefire in the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran, gas prices continue to rise in Minnesota.
by MPR News Staff

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Morning Announcements for April 8 and 9

Morning Announcements for April 8 and 9

These are the Morning Announcements for Wednesday, April 8 and Thursday, April 9. Tell us what you’re celebrating!
by MPR News Staff

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How U.S. communities have responded to plans to convert warehouses into immigration detention centers

How U.S. communities have responded to plans to convert warehouses into immigration detention centers

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is reviewing plans to convert warehouses into detention facilities for immigrants. Immigration officials have spent over $1 billion on 11 warehouses. But they have faced strong opposition.
by The Associated Press

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Lebanon digs for survivors after deadliest day of renewed war between Israel and Hezbollah

Lebanon digs for survivors after deadliest day of renewed war between Israel and Hezbollah

Lebanon reels from its deadliest day in over five weeks of war between Israel and Hezbollah. Rescue workers searched for survivors Wednesday after widespread Israeli strikes killed at least 203 people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
by The Associated Press

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What will bring visitors back to the Science Museum of Minnesota?

What will bring visitors back to the Science Museum of Minnesota?

The Science Museum of Minnesota is drawing half the number of visitors it did compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. MPR News host Angela Davis talks about how the museum is responding to the plunge in attendance and revenue.
by Angela Davis and Maja Beckstrom

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Why high oil prices are good for oil companies — until they aren’t

Why high oil prices are good for oil companies — until they aren’t

Yes, higher crude oil prices mean a multibillion-dollar cash infusion to the oil industry. But volatility is bad for business, and sustained high prices come with very serious drawbacks.
by Camila Domonoske

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Democrats keep doing better in elections since Trump returned to office

Democrats keep doing better in elections since Trump returned to office

With elections in Georgia and Wisconsin Tuesday, Democrats continued to overperform, which the party started in 2025 when it regularly improved on its margins compared to the presidential race in 2024.
by Stephen Fowler

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Cooler Thursday with spotty showers possible

Cooler Thursday with spotty showers possible

Temperatures dip slightly below normal Thursday as a passing disturbance brings isolated showers. Friday will bring sunshine and calm winds, followed by a warm, stormy weekend.
by Mandy Thalhuber

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Man involved with Feeding Our Future fraud gets 3 years in prison

A man who operated a banquet hall that was a key part of the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme is heading to prison for more than three years. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s Immigrant Rapid Response Fund is wrapping up its emergency phase after deploying about $12 million to organizations statewide.
by Phineas Pope

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Artemis II astronaut carries wisdom of Seven Grandfathers to the moon

Artemis II astronaut carries wisdom of Seven Grandfathers to the moon

Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen’s uniform patch commemorating the Seven Grandfather Teachings is a long-overdue moment of recognition for Indigenous knowledge, observers say. Hansen said they’ve guided him on this journey to the edge of human flight.
by Melissa Olson

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Trump warns strikes will resume if Iran doesn’t agree to his peace terms

Trump warns strikes will resume if Iran doesn’t agree to his peace terms

President Trump said that any peace deal would not allow nuclear enrichment in Iran, and would need to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, as conflicting messages surface over the terms of the ceasefire.
by NPR Staff

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Opponents of data centers join with critics of power line proposal in northern Minnesota

Opponents of data centers join with critics of power line proposal in northern Minnesota

Opponents of a massive data center proposed by Google in the small northern Minnesota city of Hermantown are also speaking out against a proposed electric transmission line that advocates argue is needed for the transmission of energy generated from renewable sources.
by Dan Kraker

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Art Hounds: Puppet rock opera, sewing and poetry

Art Hounds: Puppet rock opera, sewing and poetry

Art Hounds recommend “Razia’s Shadow,” Twin Cities Frocktails and Bright Lights Poetry Night.
by Emily Bright

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'We Are All Immigrants': After ICE surge, this group keeps up quiet resistance

'We Are All Immigrants': After ICE surge, this group keeps up quiet resistance

A group of men have handed out 500 armbands in Minneapolis. They hope to start conversations about their immigrant heritage amid federal immigration enforcement actions in the region.
by Clay Masters and Gretchen Brown

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High school student explores her Ojibwe identity and culture through fashion

High school student explores her Ojibwe identity and culture through fashion

A fashion show featuring Native students was held in northern Minnesota at Fortune Bay Resort Casino at the end of March. Adrionna Otis walked the runway for the first time, showcasing her beaded earrings and ribbon skirt she made. For Otis, creating wearable items helps her feel more connected to her Native identity and culture.
by Chandra Colvin

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When ICE came to town, this rural Minnesotan quit his job to help immigrants

When ICE came to town, this rural Minnesotan quit his job to help immigrants

Despite a drawdown of federal agents, some individuals in pockets of greater Minnesota are still helping immigrants. That includes a Pelican Rapids resident who quit his job in January to help his immigrant neighbors as immigration enforcement surged.
by Mathew Holding Eagle III

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