Stories from May 18, 2026

Minneapolis launches new nonfatal shooting task force
Under the new task force, nonfatal shootings will have a dedicated investigator who will respond immediately to the scene and be treated with the same type of urgency as a homicide case.
More rainfall on the way Monday night; cooler temperatures to follow
Another round of showers and storms for Monday night wrapping up by Tuesday morning. Cooler weather to follow for midweek, with rain chances increasing toward the holiday weekend.
Minnesota prosecutors have charged an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in the January shooting of a Venezuelan man in north Minneapolis. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says ICE agent Christian Castro fired through the front door of a duplex, striking Julio Sosa-Celis in the leg. Authorities say a downed power line sparked the wildfire that's burning on the North Shore of Lake Superior and has destroyed more than 30 buildings.
Son of radicals, Zayd Ayers Dohrn details a childhood underground and on the run in new memoir
Dohrn's parents, Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, helped found the the Weather Underground. “I knew that the FBI was chasing us,” he says. His memoir is “Dangerous, Dirty, Violent, and Young.”
Walz meets with fire responders as crews gain ground on North Shore blaze
Gov. Tim Walz received a briefing on the Stewart Trail Fire, which is more than 60 percent contained. Residents are getting their first look at their homes and cabins in the burn area.
Trump drops IRS lawsuit, paving the way for a settlement
The president sued the IRS and the Treasury Department in January, demanding $10 billion over the leak of his tax returns years ago.
Report: Minnesota’s nonprofit hospitals among the least charitable in the country
KFF Health News and the Minnesota Star Tribune looked at Minnesota’s 123 general hospitals and found 61 devoted less than 0.5 percent of their operating budgets to charity care from 2020 through 2024.
Minnesota prosecutors announce charges against ICE agent
Federal prosecutors initially charged Julio Sosa-Celis with assaulting a federal agent with a shovel in January during “Operation Metro Surge,” but the case soon fell apart.
Tracking wildfires across Minnesota
An official with the DNR joined Minnesota Now to give a status update on the Stewart Trail Fire along the North Shore and the Flanders Fire in Crow Wing County.
How the legislative session wrapped up
Minnesota lawmakers used every minute afforded to them as the Legislature’s session came to a close. Then on Tuesday, lawmakers celebrated the retirement of colleagues.
Morning Announcements for May 18
These are the Morning Announcements for Monday, May 18. Tell us what you’re celebrating!
The rise of 'boomerang kids': Why some adults move back home and how to make it work for everyone
MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about how for many young adults, moving back home isn’t a setback — it’s a smart financial strategy.
Flanders Fire in Crow Wing County now 60 percent contained
The fire started Saturday and had grown to more than 1,600 acres in size by Sunday night. Crews continue working to strengthen containment lines and extinguish hot spots.
Strong storms overnight knocked out power to thousands of homes and businesses in southern Minnesota. Meanwhile, crews are beginning to get a handle on the Stewart Trail Fire that’s burning north of Two Harbors on the North Shore of Lake Superior. The blaze is now 62 percent contained and has remained at 355 acres in size.
Gabriela Jaquez has 20 points, 8 rebounds to help Sky beat Lynx 86-79
Rookie Gabriela Jaquez set career highs with 20 points and eight rebounds, Kamilla Cardoso had 11 points and 12 rebounds, and the Chicago Sky beat the Minnesota Lynx 86-79. Rachel Banham scored 13 points, Natasha Cloud added 11 points and seven assists and Jacy Sheldon scored 10 for the Sky.
Stewart Trail Fire on Minnesota’s North Shore is now 62 percent contained
A wildfire on the North Shore that burned more than 30 buildings is now more than 60 percent contained — with favorable weather conditions helping firefighting crews. Residents are being allowed back into the burn area this afternoon to check on damage to their homes or cabins. Officials say the fire was started by a downed power line.
More showers, storms to develop Monday followed by cooler weather
We’ll see more showers and storms develop later Monday into Monday night. Cooler weather follows the system midweek. Warmer, unsettled weather returns for the holiday weekend.
Fergus Falls hosts homecoming for ‘American Idol’ Top 5 finalist Chris Tungseth
Fergus Falls construction worker Chris Tungseth returned home to celebrate his “American Idol” achievement. He is the first Minnesotan to make it to the semifinals of the show.
Inside the U’s baby science research lab, a look at how the world learns  
The University of Minnesota Child Brain and Perception Lab explores how infants and toddlers make sense of the people around them. MPR News spent a day recently at the lab watching one of the “pilot babies” discover their world.