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A panel hosts a discussion.

After recent mosque attacks, religious and city leaders discuss options

Vandalism and arson attacks on Minnesota mosques in recent months have some in the Muslim community worried about safety. Religious and city leaders in the Twin Cities gathered Tuesday night to discuss plans to protect houses of worship.
A general view outside First Presbyterian Church

Poll: A plurality of Americans support religious work exemptions—but only if not costly

The McCourtney Institute for Democracy’s most recent Mood of the Nation poll finds that a slight plurality of Americans favor religious-based work exemptions for government employees, “but only if the cost and inconvenience are minimal.”
Thick haze is visible along a highway

You’re not just seeing things: Minnesota air quality this year is off to its worst start on record 

Data from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency shows that days with so-called “orange alert” warnings for ozone and particulate matter in the air are setting a record pace this year.
Richmond Shooting

2 dead in shooting after high school graduation ceremony in Virginia capital

Police say two people have been killed and five more wounded in a shooting after a high school graduation ceremony in Virginia’s capital. Police also said Tuesday night that a 19-year-old is in custody and will be charged with two counts of second-degree murder.
PolyMet

U.S. Army Corps revokes key NorthMet copper nickel mining permit

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has revoked a key permit for the proposed NorthMet copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota, formerly known as the PolyMet project, dealing a serious blow to the controversial project.
An exterior view of a condo building.

Rochester condo building residents out at least a month amid structural worries

The 15-story building was evacuated Friday afternoon after a structural engineer alerted authorities. Engineers are examining the entire structure now. Officials will have a better idea of timelines when that work is done, the city said Tuesday.
Hands wearing blue gloves holds a water sample in small plastic bottle.

Report: Removing PFAS from Minnesota wastewater would cost billions

The report is indication of the staggering environmental cost of PFAS, a class of human-made chemicals found in a range of consumer products. 
A man smokes a joint

Ten things to know about Minnesota’s new marijuana law

The state senator behind Minnesota’s new marijuana law and a national drug policy researcher answer questions about what the cannabis law does and doesn’t do.
A man leans against a saw table in his garage

ChangeMakers: Davin Sokup is first trans man elected to office in greater Minnesota

Sokup, 36, has served Northfield as an at-large council representative since January. He’s also a Minnesota State Senate staffer as well as a woodworker and carpenter.
  • ChangeMakersDr. Angela Kade Goepferd pioneers gender-affirming care for kids
  • ChangeMakersShowcasing transgender and nonbinary Minnesotans for Pride month
People hold signs in the capitol rotunda

Explainer: Minnesota's new paid family and medical leave program

Minnesotans — regardless of where they work — will soon be covered under a new family and medical leave program that was signed into law this session.
A national initiative called Faith for Pride wants religious groups and houses of worship that support LGBTQ rights to show up at Pride events this month.

Why you might notice more religious groups at Pride celebrations this year

Some people of faith are organizing a pushback against the wave of anti-LGBTQ rights legislation making its way through state houses this year. They're calling it Faith for Pride.
A person paints a rainbow on a kids face

Celebrate pride month in Minnesota with these LGBTQ+ events

Minnesota has lots of events to offer for Pride month. Here is a sampling of activities around the state.
Twins Rays Baseball

Eflin picks up 8th victory, Raley slugs 11th HR as MLB-leading Rays beat Twins 7-0

Zach Eflin pitched into the seventh inning and earned his eighth win, Luke Raley tripled and homered, and the MLB-best Tampa Bay Rays beat the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins 7-0. 
Cleta Mitchell speaks at a conference in Camp Hill, Pa., on April 1, 2022. The influential conservative attorney helped former President Donald Trump as he sought to overturn the 2020 election. She's now working to dismantle ERIC.

The far right's growing influence and 4 other takeaways from NPR's ERIC investigation

Why are Republicans abandoning one of the best tools the government has to catch voter fraud? That question is the focus of a new NPR investigation. Here are five takeaways from the report.
Republican presidential candidate former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie waves to guests during his introduction at a gathering on June 6 in Manchester, N.H.

Chris Christie declares run for White House in attempt to thwart Trump

The former governor of New Jersey announced his presidential ambitions at a town hall in Manchester, N.H., Tuesday.
Two people sit together on a couch

Marc Heu Patisserie Paris: A place for Hmong grandmas to shy teenagers

The couple’s bakery has amassed a huge following since it first opened in 2019 on University Avenue in St. Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood.

Multiple injuries reported after shooting near Virginia Commonwealth campus in Richmond

A shooting near Virginia Commonwealth University in downtown Richmond following a high school graduation ceremony injured multiple people Tuesday, according to police and school district officials.
Rep. Dan Bishop spoke alongside members of the Freedom Caucus to announce they would oppose the deal to raise the debt limit on May 30.

Angry over debt deal, conservative House Republicans tank a McCarthy-backed vote

Members of the House Freedom Caucus bucked leadership in a procedural vote on Tuesday, which they say is a way to show their displeasure with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
A person jogs through a Brooklyn park on a hazy morning resulting from Canadian wildfires on June 6 in New York City.

Here's how Canadian wildfires are worsening air quality across the U.S.

The National Weather Service said air quality has "plummeted" across the Northeast. A disaster preparedness expert says people should take the warnings seriously.
The silhouette AR-15-style rifle is displayed on signage for the Firearms Unknown Guns & Ammo gun store in Yuma, Ariz., last week.

Gun deaths hit their highest level ever in 2021, with 1 person dead every 11 minutes

A new report released by Johns Hopkins University shows that gun homicides rose 7.6 percent from 2020, a year that set a previous U.S. record. Firearms are the leading cause of death for those under age 25.
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