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📷: The Minnesota Capitol building just after sunset on a spring evening, by Brian Bakst | MPR News.
📷: The Minnesota Capitol building just after sunset on a spring evening, by Brian Bakst | MPR News.
According to a county health department statement, 65 percent of the water samples tested in Mower County had high levels of arsenic. Elevated levels of manganese were identified in nearly a third of the samples.
Mower County water wells show elevated levels of arsenic and manganese
State health officials report that private well water testing has detected high levels of arsenic and manganese in the wells of some homes in southeast Minnesota’s Mower County. The levels are not hig...
www.mprnews.org
December 7, 2025 at 9:39 PM
According to a county health department statement, 65 percent of the water samples tested in Mower County had high levels of arsenic. Elevated levels of manganese were identified in nearly a third of the samples.
Emerald ash borers are invasive beetles responsible for killing millions of ash trees across Minnesota and the country.
One possible line of defense? Fungi.
One possible line of defense? Fungi.
U of M scientists find fungi can fight emerald ash borers
University of Minnesota researchers say they’ve discovered several naturally occurring parasitic fungi that could be weaponized against the invasive beetles responsible for killing millions of ash tre...
www.mprnews.org
December 7, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Emerald ash borers are invasive beetles responsible for killing millions of ash trees across Minnesota and the country.
One possible line of defense? Fungi.
One possible line of defense? Fungi.
White House border czar Tom Homan said ordinances in Minneapolis and St. Paul barring police from cooperation with immigration authorities are one catalyst for the operation.
“It takes a whole team to find somebody in a community where it would take one agent to arrest one bad guy in a county jail.”
“It takes a whole team to find somebody in a community where it would take one agent to arrest one bad guy in a county jail.”
More ICE arrests in Minnesota disclosed as White House, Democrats spar over operation
Immigration authorities have released details of the arrests of 19 people since a stepped-up operation in Minnesota began last week, although the full scope of the surge remains a point of dispute.
www.mprnews.org
December 7, 2025 at 7:14 PM
White House border czar Tom Homan said ordinances in Minneapolis and St. Paul barring police from cooperation with immigration authorities are one catalyst for the operation.
“It takes a whole team to find somebody in a community where it would take one agent to arrest one bad guy in a county jail.”
“It takes a whole team to find somebody in a community where it would take one agent to arrest one bad guy in a county jail.”
🏀 Reid's big shot capped a 19-point night off the bench, including 5 of 8 from three-point range. McDaniels then made two free throws with 4.8 seconds left, and the Timberwolves held on.
Reid makes a go-ahead 3-pointer, McDaniels scores 27 and Timberwolves edge Clippers
Naz Reid made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 13 seconds remaining, Jaden McDaniels scored 27 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Los Angeles Clippers 109-106 on Saturday night.
www.mprnews.org
December 7, 2025 at 5:46 PM
🏀 Reid's big shot capped a 19-point night off the bench, including 5 of 8 from three-point range. McDaniels then made two free throws with 4.8 seconds left, and the Timberwolves held on.
In advance of a new veterans museum being built in Little Falls, an online Pearl Harbor remembrance event will be held today at 4 p.m. Anyone is welcome to participate and share stories about loved ones who were at Pearl Harbor.
Minnesota veterans museum to commemorate Pearl Harbor attack with online event
Next year, organizers hope to hold an in-person remembrance at the new museum near Little Falls, which is scheduled to open next summer. One of the artifacts the museum will showcase is a 50-caliber g...
www.mprnews.org
December 7, 2025 at 4:06 PM
In advance of a new veterans museum being built in Little Falls, an online Pearl Harbor remembrance event will be held today at 4 p.m. Anyone is welcome to participate and share stories about loved ones who were at Pearl Harbor.
State Sen. Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, wrote a letter inviting President Donald Trump to join him in meeting with the Somali community, to understand how Somalis are “woven into Minnesota’s fabric.”
Republican state senator to Trump: Somalis are ‘woven into Minnesota’s fabric’
State Sen. Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, wrote a letter inviting President Donald Trump to join him in meeting with the Somali community, to understand how Somalis are “woven into Minnesota’s fabric.”
www.mprnews.org
December 6, 2025 at 7:15 PM
State Sen. Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, wrote a letter inviting President Donald Trump to join him in meeting with the Somali community, to understand how Somalis are “woven into Minnesota’s fabric.”
People of various faiths, ethnicities and racial backgrounds are gathering in Rochester Sunday in a show of solidarity with the Somali-American community there.
Minnesotans rally, mobilize in solidarity with Somali-Americans after Trump’s xenophobic rant
The Muslim Coalition of ISAIAH will host a community gathering and potluck in northwest Rochester on Sunday, Dec. 7 from 3 to 4 p.m. at 125 LIVE River Rooms on Elton Hill Drive, celebrating and honori...
www.mprnews.org
December 6, 2025 at 4:32 PM
People of various faiths, ethnicities and racial backgrounds are gathering in Rochester Sunday in a show of solidarity with the Somali-American community there.
Ice sailing's Great Western Challenge is being held this weekend on Lake Minnewaska. It offers sailors a chance to fine tune their vessels before the start of competitive racing next weekend.
Ice sailing kicks off in Minnesota on Lake Minnewaska
Ice sailing's Great Western Challenge is being held this weekend on Lake Minnewaska. It offers sailors a chance to fine tune their vessels before the start of competitive racing next weekend.
www.mprnews.org
December 6, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Ice sailing's Great Western Challenge is being held this weekend on Lake Minnewaska. It offers sailors a chance to fine tune their vessels before the start of competitive racing next weekend.
Across the Twin Cities residents are volunteering to make ICE’s job in Minnesota as difficult as possible. ICE watchers say the ultimate goal is to prevent ICE agents from arresting, jailing and deporting their neighbors.
‘Tinted windows and out-of-state plates’: How ICE watchers look for agents in their neighborhoods
Across the Twin Cities, ICE agents and activists are playing a high stakes cat-and-mouse game. The goal is to make their job as difficult as possible, and protect their immigrant neighbors.
www.mprnews.org
December 5, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Across the Twin Cities residents are volunteering to make ICE’s job in Minnesota as difficult as possible. ICE watchers say the ultimate goal is to prevent ICE agents from arresting, jailing and deporting their neighbors.
An 18-year-old Monticello man who was shot by a Wright County deputy on Nov. 25 faces charges of felony assault.
Monticello man shot by deputy charged with assault
Dwayne Trunnell, 18, was injured and treated at a local hospital. Wright County deputies fired a Taser and a handgun at Trunnell after he reportedly advanced toward them with a knife.
www.mprnews.org
December 5, 2025 at 11:26 PM
An 18-year-old Monticello man who was shot by a Wright County deputy on Nov. 25 faces charges of felony assault.
Federal prosecutors on Thursday charged a Minneapolis man in connection with a string of sexual assaults including of a 15-year-old girl.
After no-prison plea deal in Hennepin County, feds charge man tied to multiple rapes
Federal prosecutors on Thursday charged a Minneapolis man in connection with a string of sexual assaults including of a 15-year-old girl. Abdimahat Bille Mohamed, 28, avoided prison as part of a plea ...
www.mprnews.org
December 5, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Federal prosecutors on Thursday charged a Minneapolis man in connection with a string of sexual assaults including of a 15-year-old girl.
Minnesota Star Tribune reporter Kristoffer Tigue talked on Climate Cast about warmer winters and an increase in precipitation and melting.
Climate change is reshaping Minnesota winters
In Minnesota, climate change is most evident in winter. Reporter Kristoffer Tigue explained that the state is experiencing warmer winters, an increase in precipitation and melting. Tigue wrote about t...
www.mprnews.org
December 5, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Minnesota Star Tribune reporter Kristoffer Tigue talked on Climate Cast about warmer winters and an increase in precipitation and melting.
Claire McFadden, a Carleton College graduate, is one of the newest “Saturday Night Live” writers. Just two weeks into the new season, McFadden got to write a sketch for comedy legend Amy Poehler.
How a Carleton College alum went from Northfield to ‘Saturday Night Live’
Claire McFadden, a Carleton College graduate, talked with MPR News about how she got started in comedy, her decision to pursue it as a career, and how her time in Minnesota prepared her for this highl...
www.mprnews.org
December 5, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Claire McFadden, a Carleton College graduate, is one of the newest “Saturday Night Live” writers. Just two weeks into the new season, McFadden got to write a sketch for comedy legend Amy Poehler.
In an affidavit, ICE agent Benjamin Jorgenson said Jeffrey Josuee Lopez-Suazo, driving a Toyota Corolla, squeezed past law enforcement vehicles and fled on Nov. 25 after immigration agents were sent to a home in St. Paul to arrest an undocumented person.
St. Paul man accused of ramming ICE vehicle amid immigration arrest attempt
A St. Paul man was charged federally after allegedly ramming an ICE agent’s vehicle during a Nov. 25 operation.
www.mprnews.org
December 5, 2025 at 1:49 AM
In an affidavit, ICE agent Benjamin Jorgenson said Jeffrey Josuee Lopez-Suazo, driving a Toyota Corolla, squeezed past law enforcement vehicles and fled on Nov. 25 after immigration agents were sent to a home in St. Paul to arrest an undocumented person.
For the first time as an independent club program, the U of M Men’s Gymnastics team has its own 14,000-square-foot facility in St. Paul to call home.
Four years after being dropped by the U of M, men’s gymnastics team has a home
In 2021, U of M Men’s Gymnastics was one of several athletic programs the University cut. With no NCAA affiliation or monetary support from the school, the program had to sustain itself. Now, for the ...
www.mprnews.org
December 5, 2025 at 1:18 AM
For the first time as an independent club program, the U of M Men’s Gymnastics team has its own 14,000-square-foot facility in St. Paul to call home.
Minnesota is a state rich in minerals like it's history of iron ore mining. Now, there’s a renewed effort to extract another precious metal that is in high demand - manganese, which is deep underground in the Brainerd Lakes area. But that mining push, too, is being met with resistance.
Batteries need manganese but talk of mining the mineral roils northern Minnesota’s lake country
There’s a renewed effort in northern Minnesota’s Brainerd Lakes area to develop an underground mine for manganese, which is coveted to make batteries. Many local residents are uneasy.
www.mprnews.org
December 5, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Minnesota is a state rich in minerals like it's history of iron ore mining. Now, there’s a renewed effort to extract another precious metal that is in high demand - manganese, which is deep underground in the Brainerd Lakes area. But that mining push, too, is being met with resistance.
Gov. Tim Walz said it’s not right to disparage an entire racial or ethnic group if some members commit crimes.
Walz criticizes Trump's 'vile' remarks about Somali immigrants
Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s recent disparaging statements about Somali immigrants, calling the remarks “vile, racist lies and slander towards our fellow Minne...
www.mprnews.org
December 4, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Gov. Tim Walz said it’s not right to disparage an entire racial or ethnic group if some members commit crimes.
At Tuesday’s county board meeting, the Beltrami Commissioners approved next year's budget, which includes funding cuts for the Beltrami County Museum, Paul Bunyan Transit and both Blackduck and Bemidji public libraries. It was a decision faced with questions and criticism.
Beltrami County Board approves cuts to libraries and other community services
The Beltrami County Board of Commissioners finalized next year's county budget earlier this week. As a result, funding for the county museum, public transit and both Blackduck and Bemidji libraries wi...
www.mprnews.org
December 4, 2025 at 10:01 PM
At Tuesday’s county board meeting, the Beltrami Commissioners approved next year's budget, which includes funding cuts for the Beltrami County Museum, Paul Bunyan Transit and both Blackduck and Bemidji public libraries. It was a decision faced with questions and criticism.
Bryce Campbell, the owner of the Lutsen Resort Lodge on Lake Superior’s North Shore, has been arrested on charges of arson and insurance fraud for his alleged role in the fire that destroyed the lodge in early 2024.
Owner of Lutsen Lodge charged with arson in fire that destroyed iconic resort
Bryce Campbell, the owner of the Lutsen Resort Lodge on Lake Superior’s North Shore, has been arrested on charges of arson and insurance fraud for his alleged role in the fire that destroyed the lodge...
www.mprnews.org
December 4, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Bryce Campbell, the owner of the Lutsen Resort Lodge on Lake Superior’s North Shore, has been arrested on charges of arson and insurance fraud for his alleged role in the fire that destroyed the lodge in early 2024.
From Sahan Journal (@sahanjournal.bsky.social): Local activists reported a series of arrests across the Twin Cities, including outside Somali housing areas, malls and at a Latino day labor spot, after a contingent of ICE agents descended on the Twin Cities.
‘Creating fear and chaos’: ICE officials target Somali neighborhoods, scoop up U.S. citizens in sweep
Local activists reported a series of arrests across the Twin Cities, including outside Somali housing areas, malls and at a Latino day labor spot, after a contingent of ICE agents descended on the Twi...
www.mprnews.org
December 4, 2025 at 6:51 PM
From Sahan Journal (@sahanjournal.bsky.social): Local activists reported a series of arrests across the Twin Cities, including outside Somali housing areas, malls and at a Latino day labor spot, after a contingent of ICE agents descended on the Twin Cities.
The St. Paul City Council has approved an $887 million budget for 2026. It includes a 5.3 percent property tax increase, money for development in cultural corridors and downtown, and funding for immigration legal defense.
St. Paul City Council approves budget, property tax increase
The St. Paul City Council has approved an $887 million budget for 2026. It includes a 5.3 percent property tax increase, money for development in cultural corridors and downtown, and funding for immig...
www.mprnews.org
December 4, 2025 at 5:23 PM
The St. Paul City Council has approved an $887 million budget for 2026. It includes a 5.3 percent property tax increase, money for development in cultural corridors and downtown, and funding for immigration legal defense.
More than 100 people gathered in St. Cloud on Wednesday for an event aimed at showing community solidarity, following President Donald Trump’s disparaging remarks about Somalis.
‘We are here’: In St. Cloud, Somali community pushes back against Trump’s ‘garbage’ comments
More than 100 people gathered in St. Cloud on Wednesday for an event aimed at showing unity and solidarity. Somali residents and other community members said they felt compelled to speak out against w...
www.mprnews.org
December 4, 2025 at 2:39 PM
More than 100 people gathered in St. Cloud on Wednesday for an event aimed at showing community solidarity, following President Donald Trump’s disparaging remarks about Somalis.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said the gas leak is along County Road 42 on the northwest shore of Lake Le Homme Dieu, a few miles north of Alexandria. Several roads in the area were closed to traffic. The sheriff’s office said the closure is expected to last through most of Thursday morning.
Natural gas leak causes evacuations, road closures near Alexandria
A large natural gas leak caused by a car crash early Thursday has led to evacuations and road closures near Alexandria.
www.mprnews.org
December 4, 2025 at 1:50 PM
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said the gas leak is along County Road 42 on the northwest shore of Lake Le Homme Dieu, a few miles north of Alexandria. Several roads in the area were closed to traffic. The sheriff’s office said the closure is expected to last through most of Thursday morning.
State lawmakers on Thursday will learn if they have erased red ink into the future or have a projected deficit yet to fix. The state economic forecast will dictate the scope of the 2026 Legislative session.
State economic forecast will show whether efforts to slim Minnesota budget heads off shortfall
State finance officials will issue one of the two economic forecasts done each year, which sets the tone for the Legislature’s deliberations next year.
www.mprnews.org
December 4, 2025 at 12:22 PM
State lawmakers on Thursday will learn if they have erased red ink into the future or have a projected deficit yet to fix. The state economic forecast will dictate the scope of the 2026 Legislative session.
Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Jacob Frey signed an executive order that prohibits “federal, state, and local agencies from using any City-owned parking lots, ramps, garages, or vacant lots to stage civil immigration enforcement operations.”
Minneapolis mayor acts to deter possible federal crackdown as Somali community braces for ICE
Mayor Jacob Frey signed an executive order that would prohibit the use of city property to stage immigration operations. The action comes as members of the Somali community in the Twin Cities report s...
www.mprnews.org
December 4, 2025 at 2:14 AM
Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Jacob Frey signed an executive order that prohibits “federal, state, and local agencies from using any City-owned parking lots, ramps, garages, or vacant lots to stage civil immigration enforcement operations.”