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How a Carleton College alum went from Northfield to ‘Saturday Night Live’
Claire McFadden, a Carleton College graduate, talked with MPR News about how she got started in comedy, her decision to pursue it as a career, and how her time in Minnesota prepared her for this highly coveted opportunity.
MN Shortlist: Winter stories, warmer rooms — 6 picks for Dec. 5–Dec. 11
December arrives like a season that knows it’s putting on a show. The city fills with borrowed memories, holiday oddities, local stories and a little frost for dramatic effect. This week’s picks slip right into that cast, where familiar traditions get re-staged and the past refuses to stay backstage.
Owner of Lutsen Lodge charged with arson in fire that destroyed iconic resort
Bryce Campbell, the owner of the Lutsen Resort Lodge on Lake Superior’s North Shore, has been arrested on charges of arson and insurance fraud for his alleged role in the fire that destroyed the lodge in early 2024.
Mountain lion spotted in Duluth has been wandering across Minnesota for 3 months
DNR officials say they’ve been tracking the mountain lion’s journey across the state. It is originally from Nebraska, but was first spotted in Fergus Falls, Minn. in September.
Lawmakers react to Trump comments about Somali immigrants, ICE confirms arrests
Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s recent disparaging statements about Somali immigrants, calling the remarks “vile, racist lies and slander towards our fellow Minnesotans.”
St. Paul City Council approves budget, property tax increase
The St. Paul City Council has approved an $883 million budget for 2026. It includes a 5.3 percent property tax increase, money for development in cultural corridors and downtown, and funding for immigration legal defense.
‘Creating fear and chaos’: ICE officials target Somali neighborhoods, scoop up U.S. citizens in sweep
Local activists reported a series of arrests across the Twin Cities, including outside Somali housing areas, malls and at a Latino day labor spot, after a contingent of ICE agents descended on the Twin Cities.