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Stories from July 15, 2026

Ramsey County sues Homeland Security over ICE arrest of citizen

Ramsey County sues Homeland Security over ICE arrest of citizen

Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said Wednesday the Department of Homeland Security is not cooperating with his investigation into the January ICE arrest of an American citizen.
by Matt Sepic

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Wildfires could continue for weeks -- if not months -- bringing poor air quality to Minnesota

State and federal officials say the wildfires in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area will likely continue to burn for weeks if not months. And smoke from the fires will continue to create poor air quality for the state.
by Emily Reese

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Record smoke levels north, high heat south across Minnesota

Record smoke levels north, high heat south across Minnesota

We break up smoke, wind, rain and temperatures into four sections so you can scroll to what you want to read about.
by Ben Cathey

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St. Paul chef leads fundraiser for earthquake recovery in Venezuela

St. Paul chef leads fundraiser for earthquake recovery in Venezuela

Minnesota Venezuelans are racing to send aid after devastating earthquakes struck their home country. St. Paul chef Soleil Ramirez joined MPR News to discuss a sold-out fundraiser supporting relief efforts.
by Nina Moini and Alanna Elder

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Officials see NE Minnesota firefight continuing into the fall; new fire ID'd

Officials see NE Minnesota firefight continuing into the fall; new fire ID'd

State and federal officials working to gain control of fires burning across northeastern Minnesota offered little hope Wednesday of a quick end to the battle. One said he expected the firefight to continue into the fall; another said “fires will be here until it snows.”
by MPR News Staff

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Red Cross opens temporary evacuation center near Ely

Red Cross opens temporary evacuation center near Ely

A temporary evacuation center is open at the Babbitt Municipal building about 20 minutes south of Ely from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
by Molly Castle Work

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New state record set for wildfire smoke concentration near Duluth

New state record set for wildfire smoke concentration near Duluth

The preliminary reading of 600.1 is the highest hourly fine particle concentrations from wildfire smoke measured by monitors in Minnesota since 2014, according to the MPCA.
by Anna Haecherl

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Gov. Walz extends emergency declaration for northern Minnesota wildfires

Gov. Walz extends emergency declaration for northern Minnesota wildfires

Gov. Tim Walz called an Executive Council meeting Wednesday to extend the peacetime emergency for wildfires in and around the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for 30 more days.
by Anna Haecherl

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Blanche defends handling of Epstein files as he aims to solidify GOP support at confirmation hearing

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is defending the Justice Department’s handling of the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. He told his confirmation hearing that though “mistakes were made,” the disclosure of the documents was an exercise in unprecedented transparency.
by The Associated Press

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Mother of three young kids recounts evacuating as northern Minnesota fires neared

Mother of three young kids recounts evacuating as northern Minnesota fires neared

Kate Tovsen, who lives about 20 miles outside of Ely, left her home with her three young children as fires spread in the Boundary Waters. “It's just so surreal to have to to be a parent managing that situation,” she told MPR News.
by Cathy Wurzer and Lukas Levin

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Minneapolis educator pursuing lawsuit after ICE agents detained him outside school during surge

Minneapolis educator pursuing lawsuit after ICE agents detained him outside school during surge

Quentin Williams is starting on what legal experts say is a long path required to sue the federal government. An assistant teacher at Roosevelt High, he claims ICE agents choked him as he tried to prevent students from being accosted by agents on school grounds Jan. 7.
by Jon Collins

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Smoky skies over northeast Minnesota as wildfires continue to burn

Smoky skies over northeast Minnesota as wildfires continue to burn

Seventeen wildfires are burning across northern Minnesota, most concentrated in the area northwest of Ely. Evacuations continue near the Fernberg Road corridor east of Ely, an area with many homes and cabins, along with parts of the Echo Trail northwest of Ely.
by Dan Kraker

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What’s fueling northeastern Minnesota’s wildfires?

What’s fueling northeastern Minnesota’s wildfires?

MPR News guest host Kelly Gordon talks with a forest ecologist about the wildfires burning in and around the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, what's fueling them, why they're so difficult to contain and how to reduce wildfire risk.
by Kelly Gordon and Cari Dwyer

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President Trump backs Mike Lindell in Minnesota governor’s race ahead of Aug. 11 GOP primary

President Trump backs Mike Lindell in Minnesota governor’s race ahead of Aug. 11 GOP primary

President Donald Trump has endorsed MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell in Minnesota's race for governor. Lindell has been a steadfast supporter of Trump and joined the president in denying that Trump lost the 2020 election.
by Dana Ferguson

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Some BWCA wildfires may not be fully extinguished until it snows, officials warn

Officials with the Superior National Forest say they’re aiming to keep the full closure of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area as short as possible, but they say some of the wildfires burning in the wilderness are now so large that they may not be fully extinguished until there’s snow.
by Phineas Pope

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Cooling off north but heat continues in central, southern Minneota

Cooling off north but heat continues in central, southern Minneota

Northern Minnesota will cool off into the 80s Wednesday but temperatures in the 90s continue for central and southern Minnesota through Saturday. Rain chances will be few and far between.
by Sven Sundgaard

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Heat wave puts new stress on Minnesota’s livestock producers

Heat wave puts new stress on Minnesota’s livestock producers

Many of the state’s farmers may have a tough week ahead as they contend with the intense summer heat and worry over their animals. Some may also be bracing for smoke from wildfires in the north.
by Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval

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Alleged fraudsters collected public cash years after Feeding Our Future scam uncovered

Alleged fraudsters collected public cash years after Feeding Our Future scam uncovered

According to criminal complaints filed in a state tax evasion case, fraud that originated with the nonprofit Feeding Our Future appears to have continued for more than two years after the case became public in early 2022.
by Matt Sepic

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