Morning Edition

June was uniformly warmer than normal across the state, breaking the cooler trend that dominated most of the first five months of the year.

Many people along Minnesota's North Shore eagerly await early summer when huge fields of lupine bloom along roadsides. But the flower is not native to the state, making it a beautiful, but controversial species.

Hoping to make things a little lighter for everyone, MPR News associate producer and working comedian Aron Woldeslassie has been serving up his observations on life during these unusual times.

Recent pool closures have left Rochester with a single public swimming pool, leading to squabbles over pool time and space. Local officials and families alike say the city doesn't have enough pools for everyone who wants to swim and that pool access is increasingly becoming a matter of privilege.

The historic flooding on Rainy Lake this summer has been driven by record-setting spring rains that fell on top of a late-melting winter snowpack. But many residents believe that more could have been done to prevent the worst impacts of the flooding. 

Sherburne County is the latest to consider switching from MEnD Correctional Care after its leader’s medical license was suspended earlier this year. Some advocates say it’s time to rethink the for-profit model of health care for people incarcerated in jails.

According to a statement Tuesday, the proposal also includes changes in policing to prevent stops like the one that preceded Wright's killing in April 2021.

Amniotic fluid embolism is a rare, life-threatening medical condition that occurs in roughly three out of every 100,000 births. In Minneapolis, one mother who survived works to help others.

Although the first two weeks of June generally bring cooler than normal temperatures to Minnesota it appears that an abrupt turnaround is about to occur.

It’s hard to get into farming if you are starting from scratch. Now, just south of the Twin Cities, a nonprofit is helping a group of new farmers grow food to support their communities and families, while also giving the environment a helping hand.