Minnesota Now

The U.S. senate overturned a ban on mining in the Boundary Waters Thursday. It's a win for mining companies — and a loss for environmentalists who say mining will pollute the region. We heard from a Minnesotan in the mining industry. And a New York Times reporter shared what she learned by talking with dozens of former and current DHS employees. A St. Paul elementary school will soon launch a historic Afrocentric curriculum for its majority Black student body. Plus, we heard from a documentary filmmaker following the Jacob Wetterling murder case — after it was closed — through the perspective of the Wetterling family. And we spoke to a Duluth writer who wrote a book about the best hikes in the country. The Minnesota Music Minute was “St. Paul” by Anchorhead.

In fall of 2026, a St. Paul elementary school will transform itself with a new learning model. Benjamin E. Mays, which currently runs under the International Baccalaureate — or IB — program, will instead be centered around an Afrocentric program and curriculum. It's been years in the making and it’s historic as Benjamin E. Mays will become one of the only Afrocentric schools in the state. Danielle Hughes, principal of Benjamin E. Mays, and Stacie Stanley, superintendent of St. Paul Public Schools, spoke to Minnesota Now about the program.

Whiplash, chaotic, dangerous and unsustainable. These are some of the ways a new report describes the accounts of former and current immigration agents and officials under the Trump administration. It comes from a new piece by the New York Times that gives a rare behind-the-scenes look into Trump’s Department of Homeland Security. The team of reporters spoke with more than 80 former and current D.H.S. employees as well as Justice Department officials. This list includes ICE agents, lawyers and top leadership. They shared reflections on the last year plus, from Election Day 2024, through Operation Metro Surge and up to the replacement of former DHS secretary Kristi Noem in early March. Rachel Poser was one of the reporters on the story and she joined Minnesota Now to talk more about the story.

As a child, Stephanie Pearson grew up like a lot of northern Minnesota kids do: She hiked the Superior Hiking Trail from her home in Duluth and spent summers canoeing in the Boundary Waters. Those adventures kick started her career in outdoors writing. Her job has taken her all over the country and gave her the chance to explore national parks and remotes trails. Now, she's back in Duluth and has just published a book with National Geographic about her time on the trail titled, “100 Hikes of a Lifetime USA” She shared her favorite hikes and how she put this behemoth of a book together on Minnesota Now.

The U.S. Senate voted 50-49 Thursday morning to overturn a 20-year ban on mining near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Republican Rep. Pete Stauber, who represents northeastern Minnesota, introduced the legislation. Both of Minnesota's U.S. senators, Democrats Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, urged their colleagues to vote it down. President Donald Trump is expected to sign the measure into law. Its passage is a win for the company Twin Metals, a subsidiary of the Chilean mining firm Antofagasta, which aims to open an underground copper-nickel mine just south of the boundary waters. Julie Lucas represents Twin Metals and other companies as executive director of the industry group, MiningMinnesota. She joined MPR News host Kelly Gordon with reaction to the Senate’s vote.

U.S. senators could vote Wednesday on legislation that would roll back protections against mining in the Boundary Waters. Supporters say there are great economic benefits to mining in the area, but those opposed say there are dire ecological risks. State Republican lawmakers took a preliminary step to impeach Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison Wednesday morning. We were inside the polarizing hearing. Plus, a look at the trend of young Minnesotans moving to rural parts of the state. Did you find yourself turning into an amateur astronaut during the Artemis Two mission? There is even more wonder to explore during Dark Sky Week. And we talked with Duluth musician Gaelynn Lea, who is out with her first memoir. The Minnesota Music Minute was Lea’s rendition of the traditional song “The Parting Glass” and “Late Bloom” by Zippy Laske was the Song of the Day.

It was ten years ago that Gaelynn Lea rose to fame by winning the NPR Music Tiny Desk contest. Her memory of getting the call, is the first chapter of her new book “It Wasn’t Meant to Be Perfect.” Lea was born with the rare genetic disease osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bones disease. Her memoir traces her upbringing in Duluth and how she’s navigated her disability in all different facets of life. Lea spoke to MPR News host Kelly Gordon about her memoir.

Space has been a major topic of conversation lately, after four astronauts flew a figure-eight around the moon and returned safely back to Earth last weekend. The Artemis II livestream may be over, but if we are lucky, we can find a window to the universe just by looking up. This week happens to be dedicated to the night sky. International Dark Sky Week began in 2003 to raise awareness, not only of the beauty of nighttime, but also the artificial light that can erase it. Governor Tim Walz recently signed a proclamation recognizing Dark Sky Week in Minnesota for a third year in a row. And Voyageurs Conservancy, the non-profit partner of Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota, is leading a series of programs focused on the night sky. MPR News host Kelly Gordon talked with the group’s associate director, Breanna Trygg.

A new report shows many parts of greater Minnesota are diversifying and growing. However, sustained population growth looks unlikely with an aging Baby Boomer generation and declining birth rates. That's the topline from the 2026 State of Rural report by the Center for Rural Policy and Development. Ben Winchester says there's even more to the story around these trends — and it has a lot to do with housing. As a rural sociologist with the University of Minnesota Extension, he studies housing dynamics across the state. MPR News host Kelly Gordon talked with him on Minnesota Now.

A Minnesota House committee went into rare and highly polarizing territory Wednesday. It began discussing impeachment of DFL Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison. As weighty as that sounds, it’s important to note this is a preliminary step in a process that has next-to-no chance of coming to fruition. The resolution before the committee laid out a process to impeach the constitutional officers over their leadership during a time when Minnesota programs experienced widespread fraud. MPR News politics reporter Dana Ferguson was in the Capitol hearing. She joined MPR News guest host Kelly Gordon from the Capitol.

The U.S. Senate could vote Wednesday on legislation that would roll back protections against mining in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. If passed, this would overturn a 20-year ban on mining across more than 200,000 acres of the Superior National Forest that was put in place in 2023. The measure led by Minnesota Republican congressman Pete Stauber passed the House back in January. It has stalled in the Senate since. Chris Knopf, executive director of Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, joined MPR News host Kelly Gordon to talk about the possible vote.

A Minnesota man was violently tortured and killed in New York in 2024. We heard from his family as the suspects in his death head to court. Plus, Ramsey County attorneys are investigating a federal immigration arrest as a possible kidnapping. In Minneapolis, a group of former diplomats gathered for a conference on nuclear proliferation in a tense global environment. And St. Paul's negotiating a new contract with its largest supplier of electricity. We also got the latest on the Minnesota Lynx after Monday’s WNBA draft. And the movie Fargo turns 30 this year. We heard from the actor from an iconic scene involving a woodchipper. The Minnesota Music Minute was “The Lake” by Bunny Blood. The Song of the Day was “Feral Eyes” by Garden Tigers.

The city of St. Paul is in the midst of negotiating a new contract with one of its largest electricity suppliers, Xcel Energy. The final outcome of these discussions will be a new franchise agreement. Franchise agreements are contracts between a city and a utility laying out how the company can use the city's existing infrastructure to provide its services. Unidos MN has been working behind-the-scenes to push the city toward what it would see as a more climate-forward and flexible agreement with Xcel Energy. Madi Johnson, an organizer with Unidos MN, explained more about the process and what's at stake.

A group of former diplomats and foreign policy experts shared a stage Tuesday in Minneapolis to discuss a sobering topic: the potential spread of nuclear weapons around the world. The “Great Decisions Conference” by the organization Global Minnesota comes during a tense moment in global security. Nuclear weapons are a major part of the equation in the United States’ and Israel’s war with Iran. And a nuclear arms treaty between the U.S. and Russia expired earlier this year. Mary Curtin, one of the panelists and a former diplomat-in-residence at the University in Minnesota, joined Minnesota Now to talk about the gathering.

Film buffs around the world know the North Dakota city of Fargo thanks to the 1996 classic by the same name. The Coen Brothers filmed their darkly comedic, crime drama in Minnesota and filled it with scenes of bitter cold and exaggerated accents to represent their home state. The film turned 30 in March around the same time that Fargo's movie theater celebrated 100 years. The theater is commemorating both those birthdays Tuesday with a screening of Fargo and a Q&A event with Swedish actor Peter Stormare. He played the bleach-blonde, silent kidnapper Gaer Grimsrud, who's most infamous for his dealings with a woodchipper at the end of the film. Stormare talked with MPR News Fargo/Moorhead reporter Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval about the film's 30th anniversary.

We're keeping track of potential severe weather that could make its way to the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota Monday afternoon. There's possibility for large hail, damaging winds and a tornado threat. We'll check in with meteorologist Mandy Thalhuber. This weekend marked five years since the killing of Daunte Wright by police. The city of Brooklyn Center promised there'd be changes. We'll take a closer look at whether those changes have actually been made. The Trump administration is making more moves in an effort to assert more control over elections. One of those is the SAVE Act. We'll learn about that. Plus, a preview of two new exhibits centering Native artists at the Textile Center in Minneapolis. And we’ll get a preview of WNBA draft night as the Lynx look to remake their roster. The Minnesota Music Minute was “Got My Mojo Working” by George “Mojo” Buford. Our Song of the Day was “Wobbuffet” by room3.

The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the New Orleans Pelicans in their final game of the regular season last night. But for many fans, the main event was sitting courtside. Kevin Garnett returned to the Target Center for the first time in eight years. The MVP played for Minnesota for 12 years starting in 1995, and again in 2015 for his final year before retirement. He’s beloved among many Wolves fans, but kept his distance from the team for years due to a sour relationship with former owner Glen Taylor. Now that the franchise is under new ownership, Garnett has signed on as a team ambassador and the Wolves plan to retire his number 21 jersey. Meanwhile, heading into draft night Monday, the Minnesota Lynx features a nearly entirely new roster. In the past weekend, the Lynx signed multiple players in free agency and also lost several players. Minnesota Now sports contributors Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson joined the program with those sports headlines and more. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. Subscribe to the Minnesota Now podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here.

Two new exhibits featuring Native artists from across the state opens Tuesday at the Textile Center in Minneapolis. One exhibit, “TWO-SPIRIT STORIES”, which brings together six different emerging, Two-Spirit Native artists to respond to the question: What is your story? Across their pieces, they offer diverse and intimate reflections on the prompt. The second exhibit, features 11 Dakota and Anishinaabe artists. From beadwork to canoes and baskets, “Mni Sóta: Traditions & Innovations” highlights the vast breadth of Native and textile art in traditional and contemporary ways. Penny Kagigebi is the curator for community collaboration for “TWO-SPIRIT STORIES”. She is a direct descendant of the White Earth Ojibwe. Delina White is curator for “Mni Sóta: Traditions & Innovations” and is a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. She is also the founder of "IamAnishinaabe" fashion house as well as Native Nations Fashion Night. Kagigebi and White joined Minnesota Now for a conversation about their exhibits.

Congress is back from spring break this week and the U.S. Senate is expected to debate the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act or SAVE Act. The legislation, which already passed the U.S. House, would set new federal standards for voting, including a new requirement that voters have "documentary proof of citizenship" in order to vote. The bill also requires states to hand over voter data to the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats are firmly opposed. This SAVE Act is just the latest effort by President Trump to assert more control over elections, as he continuously claims falsely that the 2020 election was stolen from him. Joining Minnesota Now to explain the bill and where it stands is University of Minnesota political scientist Larry Jacobs.

Members of Minnesota’s House of Representatives heard from a variety of business owners, think tank leaders and government officials to better understand the scope of “Operation Metro Surge” on the state’s economy. State Rep. Cedrick Frazier, DFL- New Hope, is co-chair of the House Ways and Means committee, which held the hearing about the economic impact and also is the author of a bill for a $100 million economic relief program for businesses impacted by the surge. Frazier spoke to MPR News guest host Kelly Gordon about the testimony he heard this morning and his effort to bring relief for businesses.