NewsPartners

Questions or requests? Contact MPR News editor Michael Olson at molson@mpr.org.

Minnesota flag panel frets that deadline may be too tight
A special commission working on a design for Minnesota’s flag and official seal met for the first time Tuesday, and some members said they doubt they can finish by a Jan. 1 deadline. 
Walz weighing special session on student restraint law
Police groups and Republican lawmakers have urged the governor to call a special session to repeal a law that prohibits school resource officers from restraining students in a way that restricts their breathing.
Crews battle wildfire in Carlton County
Crews continued battling a 40-acre wildfire Tuesday in Carlton County, with aircraft back on the scene to drop water on the flames that were first spotted the day before.
St. Paul weighs ban on marijuana smoking in city-controlled spaces
The proposal in the St. Paul City Council would make it a petty misdemeanor to smoke cannabis flower, cannabis products and hemp-derived products on city-controlled property.
Rochester bets on geothermal to power a green future
Since June, construction workers in Rochester, Minn., have been drilling deep wells that will eventually be part of a large geothermal network meant to heat and cool multiple buildings downtown. These systems aren’t an option for every city. But in locations that have the right geologic conditions, it’s a climate-friendly way to heat and cool.
Around 5 p.m. Friday, dispatchers received emergency calls about two missing swimmers on Lipsett Lake in the town of Rusk, Wis., located about 115 miles northeast of the Twin Cities.  
Demonstrators call for investigation into conditions inside Stillwater state prison
The gathering followed a peaceful protest put on by close to 100 incarcerated people on Sunday to decry reduced shower, phone and recreation time, as well as dangerously hot rooms and poor water quality.