Stories from July 11, 2025

Gov. Tim Walz announced today that a special election to fill the Minnesota House seat of the late DFL Leader Melissa Hortman will take place September 16. And another round of Canadian wildfire smoke is moving across Minnesota today -- and an air quality alert is now in effect for the entire state through Monday morning.
Air quality alert continues for all of Minnesota through the weekend
An air quality alert remains in effect for all of Minnesota through Monday morning, as smoke from Canadian wildfires is blanketing the region with hazy, unhealthy air. Air quality alerts also are in place for all of Wisconsin.
Gunman fatally shot himself after wounding two in St. Paul
St. Paul police exchanged gunfire with a man in a busy grocery store on the city’s east side. The man, who police have not yet identified, was declared dead at the scene after turning a gun on himself. Two bystanders are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Trump cuts gut family nutrition education program in Minnesota, slash 60 jobs
Funding for SNAP-Ed, the educational piece of the nationwide federal food assistance program, was completely eliminated in the massive Trump administration spending bill recently signed into law. One local leader says it will cause serious harm to Minnesota families.
Appeals court throws out plea deal for alleged mastermind of Sept. 11 attacks
A divided federal appeals court has thrown out an agreement that would've allowed accused Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to plead guilty in a deal sparing him the risk of execution for al-Qaida’s 2001 attacks.
A new cross-county memoir: ‘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 new memoir chronicles their journeys and asks if this beautiful, complicated country can live up to its ideals.
Hundreds laid off in State Department overhaul
The State Department is slashing hundreds of jobs in what's being called its biggest shake-up in decades — drawing sharp criticism from former diplomats who say the cuts risk gutting America's diplomatic muscle.
The Justice Department is investigating the Minnesota Department of Human Services to determine whether it has engaged in race- and sex-based discrimination in its hiring practices.
A recent high-profile case of AI hallucination serves as a stark warning
MyPillow creator Mike Lindell's lawyers were fined thousands for submitting a legal filing riddled with AI-generated mistakes. It highlights a dilemma of balancing technology and using it responsibly.
Five local vendors serving up bites at massive Asian food festival
One hundred vendors from across the country will participate in Panda Fest July 11-13 at the Mall of America. Some local businesses have joined the festival to share their passion for food with a wider audience.
As ‘Arrowsmith’ turns 100, Sinclair Lewis’ medical tale couldn’t be more timely
Literary and medical experts will gather next week in Lewis’ hometown of Sauk Centre, Minn., to discuss his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The story of an idealistic doctor struggling with ethical questions about medicine and scientific research remains as relevant today as it was when it was published in 1925.
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