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Stories from July 31, 2026

On softball night, Minnesota climate experts feel the heat

On softball night, Minnesota climate experts feel the heat

As evenings across Minnesota get hotter and more humid, we struggle to cool ourselves down. We’re losing out on quality sleep and battling the elements for outdoor sports. A special softball league is facing the heat while working on climate adaptation.
by Ben Cathey, Ben Revier and Matthew Alvarez

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Walz blasts unfounded Trump claim on cyberattacks

Walz blasts unfounded Trump claim on cyberattacks

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Friday responded sharply to unfounded allegations from President Donald Trump that Minnesota was behind recent cyberattacks on municipal water systems.
by Matt Sepic

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Federal prosecutors have offered plea agreements to most Cities Church defendants

Federal prosecutors have offered plea agreements to most Cities Church defendants

At the moment, it doesn’t appear that any of the 29 defendants offered plea agreements have accepted them. If accepted, defendants’ conspiracy charges would be reduced from felonies to misdemeanors.
by Jon Collins

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Wildfires burn nearly 73,000 acres in U.S. and Canada as crews watch for new lightning fires

The U.S. Forest Service says wildfires have burned nearly 73,000 acres in the U.S. and Canada. The agency says about 1,000 personnel are working on the fires, which are about 60 percent contained. Officials say crews are monitoring the Chub Fire southwest of Crane Lake and the Camp Fire northeast of Ely. They’re also watching for new fires that may have started from recent lightning strikes.
by Emily Reese

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Judge denies X.AI effort to halt ban on tech that depicts people nude without permission

Judge denies X.AI effort to halt ban on tech that depicts people nude without permission

Elon Musk’s company X.AI sought an emergency injunction blocking the law that bans nudification technology, a tool that can use someone’s likeness to make a realistic photo or video of them that’s fake. A case challenging the law will continue in court with a hearing set for next month.
by Dana Ferguson

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Soaking rain but not a drought-killer

Soaking rain but not a drought-killer

Rain wraps up Friday evening. The weekend begins foggy but wraps up with lots of sunshine and cooler weather than we’ve had recently. The next best chance of rain is early next Tuesday.
by Ben Cathey

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Northern Minnesota July lightning fires nearly 60 percent contained, crews watch for new starts

Northern Minnesota July lightning fires nearly 60 percent contained, crews watch for new starts

Fire crews have reached about 60 percent containment on the wildfires burning in northeastern Minnesota and in Canada, though firefighters remain on alert for new lightning-caused ignitions.
by Annie Baxter and David Schaper

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Our road trip series concludes with 'The Last American Road Trip'

Our road trip series concludes with 'The Last American Road Trip'

Sarah Kendzior wanted to show America to her young children. So she and her husband crisscrossed the country to visit national parks and historical sites, even as political upheaval and the pandemic remade the landscape. Her memoir, “The Last American Road Trip,” is the finale to our July road trip series.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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Kody Clemens hits a walk-off grand slam with 2 outs in the 9th to send the Twins past the Royals 4-3

Kody Clemens hits a walk-off grand slam with 2 outs in the 9th to send the Twins past the Royals 4-3

Kody Clemens hit a game-ending grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning as the Minnesota Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 after being no-hit by Noah Cameron until the seventh. Cameron threw eight shutout innings in his career-long start.
by The Associated Press

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Morning Announcements for July 31

Morning Announcements for July 31

These are the Morning Announcements for Friday, July 31. Tell us what you’re celebrating!
by MPR News Staff

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Pearson’s Candy Company to shut down St. Paul plant

Pearson’s Candy Company to shut down St. Paul plant

Pearson’s Candy Company told Minnesota officials it will permanently shut down the West Seventh Street plant and lay off about 80 employees at the end of September.
by MPR News Staff

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Some needed moisture Friday ahead of a nice weekend

Some needed moisture Friday ahead of a nice weekend

We’ll have lots of clouds and scattered showers and thunder Friday. Sunshine will break out slowly from north to south. A nice, seasonable weekend is on the way.
by Sven Sundgaard

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Hundreds of thousands of Haitians across the country face uncertainty as their Temporary Protected Status ends

Several new Minnesota laws about domestic violence are taking effect soon. Meanwhile, Temporary Protected Status for people from Haiti ended this week, leaving hundreds of thousands of Haitians across the country facing uncertainty — including some in Minnesota.
by Phineas Pope

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Mike Lindell seeks Republican nomination for Minnesota governor. His ideas for the job are fuzzy

Mike Lindell seeks Republican nomination for Minnesota governor. His ideas for the job are fuzzy

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell is among the frontrunners for the GOP nomination for Minnesota governor, propelled in part by President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Lindell hasn’t spelled out in much detail what he’d do if elected.
by Dana Ferguson

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Willmar finds a ‘new normal’ after ICE surge

Willmar finds a ‘new normal’ after ICE surge

Last winter, Immigration and Customs Enforcement showed up in force in the central Minnesota city of Willmar. Immigrants, regardless of their legal status, feared arrest, and many hid in their homes. Now, the community is trying to find a new normal.
by Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval

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