Minnesota Today

The Minnesota Department of Revenue is warning Minnesotans NOT to engage with text messages claiming to provide tax refunds. Work was paused today on road construction projects across the state... after two workers died in separate incidents in construction zones last week. MnDOT says the first-ever statewide safety stand-down was held in part to honor the lives lost. It also was a chance for workers to have discussions and share their experiences in an effort to recommit to and improve work zone safety. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Five candidates vying to be the next Minneapolis mayor participated in Friday's debate. This year’s election is on Nov. 4 and uses ranked-choice voting. Early voting began Sept. 19. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz told MPR News if he's elected to a third term, he plans to serve the entire term. This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music is by Gary Meister. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

State Senator and Minneapolis mayoral candidate Omar Fateh says his campaign office was vandalized this week with an Islamophobic message and threat graffitied on a wall. And the U.S. Department of Justice is suing Minnesota's top election official as it tries to unlock statewide voter registration data. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Jacob Aloi. Music by Gary Meister.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and attorneys for the state are appealing a ruling that upended a new legal ban on binary triggers. Federal prosecutors today charged a Twin Cities woman with stealing $14 million from a state autism program. That story and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Todd Melby. Music by Gary Meister.

Former state Senator Nicole Mitchell has been sentenced to 6 months in jail for her felony burglary convictions. And the family of 12-year-old Sophia Forchas says she continues to make steady progress at recovery. The young student was critically injured in a mass shooting that killed two children. Those stories and more in today’s evening update. Hosted by Kelly Bleyer. Music by Gary Meister.

The Advisory Committee on Capitol security met Monday and heard about gun restrictions, screenings and other safety measures in capitols around the country. A professor at Minnesota State University in Mankato is catching heat for online comments. This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Jacob Aloi. Theme music is by Gary Meister. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

Gov. Tim Walz is pitching himself as a “battle-tested” leader prepared to face unpredictable headwinds from the federal government as he charges into his bid for a third term in office. Former state Senator Nicole Mitchell's defense team is asking the judge in her upcoming sentencing for leniency. This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Jacob Aloi. Theme music is by Gary Meister. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

Federal prosecutors announced charges today against eight people for allegedly defrauding a state Medicaid program. And the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board gave political candidates more leeway when using campaign funds for security. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Federal prosecutors announced charges Thursday against eight people for allegedly defrauding a state Medicaid program. Defendants are charged with stealing a total of around $10 million from Minnesota’s housing stabilization services program, which started in 2020, and was meant to help people with disabilities secure housing. Also, St. Paul’s library system and rec centers have restored internet service after a cyberattack caused an outage. This is the evening MPR News update hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music by Gary Meister.

State troopers are patrolling in Minneapolis this week following two shootings along Lake Street on Monday that injured 12 people. Republican and Democratic senators clashed over how to respond to gun violence during a working group at the Capitol today. And leaders of Minnesota’s Department of Human Services say they’ve ended grant payments from a housing stabilization program to a hundred and fifteen service providers, which they believe were making fraudulent claims. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.