Shows

Criminal trial of DFL state Sen. Nicole Mitchell delayed
A Becker County judge has delayed State Sen. Nicole Mitchell’s criminal burglary trial indefinitely, following the weekend shootings of two fellow Minnesota lawmakers. Judge Michael Fritz granted a defense motion to postpone the trial, citing safety and security concerns and out of concern that news coverage of the shootings could negatively impact the possibility of a fair trial. The trial had been scheduled to begin with jury selection this morning.
Late DFL leader Melissa Hortman remembered as ‘shining light,’ consensus builder
During her two decades in elected office, Melissa Hortman positioned herself as a consensus builder and DFLer willing to work with Republicans. “Everybody liked her and respected her on both sides of the aisle,” said former GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
Politics Friday: Digging into the one-day special session
The Minnesota Legislature’s work is done for now. On this special podcast edition of Politics Friday, MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst and reporter Ellie Roth recap a less-than-24-hours special session.
Burst of rain foreshadows month ahead
Expect more murky Minnesota skies, said climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley. While Canadian wildfire smoke has wafted south into Minnesota, we’re also going to see rain in the forecast.
‘Loud, obnoxious, rude:’ Unruly parents and uneven playing fields for coaches cause some to quit
Schools and youth sports organizations say the unruly parent problem is getting worse, with some coaches saying they're increasingly being harassed and even threatened by parents, making it more difficult to keep and recruit coaches.
Changes to American Indian mascot rules may make exemptions easier for school districts, tribes
The change to state rules around American Indian mascots will allow public school districts to seek support from the nearest tribal nation when seeking an exemption. Under the previous bill, districts had to seek support from all 11 tribal nations in the state and the Tribal Nations Education Committee.
Cannabis tax hike rolled into new Minnesota budget concerns business owner
Should Gov. Tim Walz sign the budget into law, Minnesota would have one of the highest tax rates on cannabis in the country — and that’s concerning business owners like Steven Brown.
Despite EV boom, Minnesotans slower to embrace electric vehicles than many other states
MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner talked to Minnesota Star Tribune reporter Walker Orenstein about Minnesota’s EV market, the need for supportive infrastructure and the distracting political rhetoric.