Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now

Stories from August 20, 2026

Google launches a charm offensive in 2 Minnesota towns as data center opposition grows

Google launches a charm offensive in 2 Minnesota towns as data center opposition grows

The Google meetings come as the company faces uncertainty with both projects. In Hermantown, where the project still needs city council approval, opposition has intensified after recordings leaked of senior officials mocking data center opponents. The Pine Island project is also on hold while a judge considers a lawsuit seeking a more thorough environmental review.
by Dan Kraker and Molly Castle Work

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Minnesota group homes run by Liberian official shut down due to fraud allegations, safety risks

Minnesota group homes run by Liberian official shut down due to fraud allegations, safety risks

Golden Touch Health Care was one of several Minnesota group home companies linked to Sekou Dukuly, who has served as the managing director of the Liberian National Port Authority since 2024. He told state authorities in 2025 he was the licensed assisted living director for its three group homes — even though an MPR News/APM Reports investigation found he lived overseas.
by Christopher Peak, Ellie Roth, Jennifer Lu and Lili Euzet

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Storms offer slight help for drought

Storms offer slight help for drought

Rain is rolling into southern Minnesota by Thursday afternoon, with a drier weekend for all of your outdoor plans. Drought didn’t expand much but it also did not vastly improve.
by Ben Cathey

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
First ever Midwest Black Book Fair looks to be a dedicated space for Black stories

First ever Midwest Black Book Fair looks to be a dedicated space for Black stories

The inaugural Midwest Black Book Fair will bring dozens of Black authors and booksellers to north Minneapolis on Saturday. Terresa Hardaway, who’s behind the event and the owner of Black Garnet Books in St. Paul, joined Minnesota Now to give a preview.
by Kelly Gordon and Alanna Elder

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Rep. Cedrick Frazier leans on 'wide variety of experience' in Henn. County Attorney race

Rep. Cedrick Frazier leans on 'wide variety of experience' in Henn. County Attorney race

State Rep. Cedrick Frazier is set to face former federal prosecutor and Acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Anders Folk in November. Minnesota Now host Nina Moini spoke with Frazier about his priorities and vision for the office.
by Nina Moini, Ellen Finn and Ngoc Bui

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Minnesota lost jobs in July, fewer seeking work

Minnesota lost jobs in July, fewer seeking work

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development said the state lost jobs last month and fewer people are looking for work.
by Harshawn Ratanpal

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Morning Announcements for Aug. 19 and 20

Morning Announcements for Aug. 19 and 20

These are the Morning Announcements for Wednesday, Aug. 19, and Thursday, Aug. 20. Tell us what you’re celebrating!
by MPR News Staff

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Church group says ICE surveillance operation violated order banning agents from property

Church group says ICE surveillance operation violated order banning agents from property

A nationwide alliance of churches says the Department of Homeland Security’s undercover operations at a Minnesota church earlier this year “constitute clear and egregious violations” of a court order forbidding agents from conducting immigration enforcement operations on church property.
by MPR News Staff

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Federal agents seize devices from ex-Rep. Eric Swalwell in sexual misconduct probe, AP source says

Federal agents seize devices from ex-Rep. Eric Swalwell in sexual misconduct probe, AP source says

Federal agents have seized electronic devices from former Rep. Eric Swalwell and searched his Washington home as part of an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by the ex-Democratic congressman from California.
by The Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Lynx hold off Valkyries 77-66 as Olivia Miles exits with a left ankle injury

Lynx hold off Valkyries 77-66 as Olivia Miles exits with a left ankle injury

Olivia Miles had 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds before leaving midway through the fourth quarter with a left ankle injury, and the Minnesota Lynx ran away early from the Golden State Valkyries before holding on for a 77-66 win Wednesday night in a matchup of the WNBA’s top teams.
by The Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Beyond books: How public libraries are changing

Beyond books: How public libraries are changing

Libraries aren’t just places to find a good book. They’re places to create, learn, connect and access technology and other resources. MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests explore how public libraries are meeting community needs.
by Angela Davis and Nikhil Kumaran

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

Walz authorizes state disaster assistance for 6 southern Minnesota counties after severe storms and floods

Walz says the state will provide funding and public assistance to help rebuild critical public infrastructure damaged in the storm. Meanwhile, documents from a lawsuit against firearms retailer Fleet Farm were made public Wednesday.
by Phineas Pope

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Warmer, more muggy air and storm chances return Thursday

Warmer, more muggy air and storm chances return Thursday

Warmer and more muggy air is already returning Thursday on the back side of Wednesday’s high ahead of the next front. That also means the chance of storms returns Thursday.
by Sven Sundgaard

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Minnesota hemp farmers rethink the crop as federal hemp-THC ban approaches

Minnesota hemp farmers rethink the crop as federal hemp-THC ban approaches

After growing hemp since 2019, Jeremy Saueressig decided to plant more soybeans this year instead. He’s among the hemp farmers calling it quits due to uncertainty.
by Nicole Ki

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Publishing bilingual poetry collection is 'a dream' for Minnesota refugee advocate

Publishing bilingual poetry collection is 'a dream' for Minnesota refugee advocate

Poems in Ana Fores Tomayo’s new collection, “Peregrina/Pilgrim” are in both English and Spanish but are not straight translations because, she says, that’s “not poetry." Fores Tomayo is executive director of Refugee Support Network.
by Elena See

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
‘If you’re not first, you’re last’: Mayo lawsuit highlights tensions in hospitals' race to use AI

‘If you’re not first, you’re last’: Mayo lawsuit highlights tensions in hospitals' race to use AI

There's a rush to be first to better treat patients with sophisticated technology and to cut costs. But experts say they need to slow down to ensure quality, accuracy and that AI is used ethically and patient data is protected.
by Molly Castle Work

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
How a Native-owned company helped tribes bridge the digital divide 

How a Native-owned company helped tribes bridge the digital divide 

Madonna Peltier Yawakie saw a yawning, unmet need for Wi-Fi networks and digital connections on tribal lands and then set herself on a journey to meet it. Her success is part of a quiet national boom in Native-owned businesses.
by Melissa Olson

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!