Stories from March 30, 2026

Grass fire singes yards in western Minnesota
Warm temperatures and gusting winds sparked a wildfire in western Minnesota Saturday, just outside a residential area in Lake Benton.
Hennepin Healthcare funding 'imperative,' says Senate leader as lawmakers pare down bills
When lawmakers return next week after a holiday break, they may have a slimmer docket of bills to consider. DFL Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy joined Morning Edition Monday with an update on what's ahead after a key deadline passed last Friday.
Minnesota is home to only inland shrimp hatchery. Its future is now uncertain
Minnesota Shrimp recreates ocean water at its Kandiyohi Co. hatchery to create a sustainable environment to raise baby shrimp. But with several blows to business this year, the owners are facing dire circumstances that could have a ripple effect to the greater shrimp farming industry.
About halfway through the legislative session, a check in on where key bills stand
Friday was a key deadline for bills to to continue on at the State Capitol. Minnesota Now checks in with MPR News correspondent Dana Ferguson about where things stand in the divided legislature.
Cleanup continues following train derailment near Warroad
Cleanup continued Monday — and may last for several weeks — following a train derailment over the weekend near Warroad. A precautionary evacuation of homes in the area has been lifted.
Severe weather threat: Breaking down risk levels from marginal to high
With April and severe weather season on the horizon in Minnesota, understanding the national Storm Prediction Center’s severe weather risk levels can make all the difference, from isolated storms to high-risk outbreaks. Let’s break down each risk level and what it means for you.
Morning Announcements for March 30
These are the Morning Announcements for Monday, March 30. Tell us what you’re celebrating!
Shelton's ejection shows technology won't take the emotions out of ABS reviews
Minnesota manager Derek Shelton got himself ejected in the ninth inning against Baltimore over a pitch review. With one on and one out and Baltimore up by two Sunday, Ryan Helsley’s 3-2 pitch to Minnesota’s Josh Bell was called a ball.
ICE officers could remain at airports after TSA workers are paid
Even when Transportation Security Administration workers get paid, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents could still be present at U.S. airports.
Black women bore the brunt of federal job cuts
Federal job cuts last year hit one group the hardest — Black women. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with a journalist who interviewed some of the women who lost their jobs about how they are doing a year later — financially and emotionally.
A Minneapolis city council member says she's working to rename the city’s Cesar Chavez Avenue after recent reports that the labor movement leader sexually abused women and girls. Meanwhile, The U.S. Department of Agriculture canceled most funding for a $300 million program designed to help underserved farmers access land nationwide. That affected three projects active in Minnesota.
Warm Monday with an active week of weather ahead
The week starts warm Monday but then things get active. We’re watching three different storm systems that will bring chances of rain, thunder and snow this week.
Minnesota child care centers worry as ICE surge absences build
Families who kept children home as federal agents flooded the Twin Cities now face the prospect of losing a needed subsidy because their kids missed more than 25 days. It’s a potential crisis for families — and for the child care centers that can’t absorb the lost income.
USDA cancels $300M grant program, affecting projects for underserved Minnesota farmers
In cancellation letters shared with MPR, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said that the cancelled projects engaged in discriminatory diversity, equity and inclusion practices and did little to improve land access for farmers.
Competing for power: Minnesota tribal nation, electric utility tangle over solar energy’s future  
The state Public Utilities Commission is weighing whether a tribal nation that buys power from a local electric cooperative can also operate its own massive solar array that may harm the co-op. The case raises questions of state law and tribal sovereignty.
Do good neighbors make good economies? Minnesota could be a test case
Economic studies strongly suggest that higher levels of trust can lead to increased commerce, promote financial innovation and even foster economic growth. Will the neighborly care and civic engagement in Minnesota during the Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge translate into economic resilience?
There are gaps in Minnesota's flood forecast network. Could AI help? 
A new model developed by a U of M researcher that blends artificial intelligence with more traditional forecasting techniques could bring flood forecasts to many parts of the state that lack them.