A new kind of disaster recovery insurance uses sensors and AI to track wind speeds and flood levels. We'll learn about how cities along the Mississippi River are planning to use it.

The United States is turning 250 this weekend. We'll hear from Minnesotans on how they think the nation fares and what America means to them.

And veterans are celebrating 100 years of a campground in Minnesota made just for them.

Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Willow Weep For Me” by Bob Davis Quartet and our Song of the Day was “America” by Simon and Garfunkel.

Minneapolis-based journalist Katie Thornton dove into the world of what’s called parametric insurance for the magazine WIRED and she joined Minnesota Now to talk more about her reporting.

Ken Larson is a Minnesota National Guard veteran and manager of the campground. He spoked to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about how the camp has created comradery for thousands of Minnesota veterans and their families.

Starting Wednesday, $90 million will go to Minnesota counties to fund upgrades to computer systems that help provide social services.

Plus, a new hotline is giving people quicker access to lawyers after arrest.

Chief meteorologist Ben Cathey gave a Fourth of July holiday weather forecast.

And you may have seen creeping bellflower in your yard. It's a beautiful, but invasive weed. One Minnesota chef controls the plant in his garden by cooking with it.

The Minnesota Music Minute was “Joseph” by Bad Bad Hats and “Minneapolis Horn Power” by Scott Agster was the Song of the Day.

Some Minnesotans have posted yard signs and Facebook posts urging their neighbors to help keep the plant in check. And some like to cook with it.

Chef and forager Alan Bergo, who specializes in cooking with wild plants and mushrooms, joined Minnesota Now to explain how to turn creeping bellflower from a maligned weed into an ingredient.

Those early hours are critical to a case, according to the Legal Rights Center, a nonprofit Minneapolis law firm. It launched a hotline this year to help fill this gap in Hennepin County. The hotline is the first of its kind in the state.

For more, MPR News host Nina Moini talked with Marecca Vertin, who led the project as the Legal Rights Center’s community defense and access to justice attorney.

Paul Verette is director of the Minnesota Association of County Social Service Administrators. He joined MPR News host Nina Moini to explain how this transformation is going to work and what the modernization means to county workers as well as those who benefit from county programs.

For more on the ruling’s impact, MPR News host Nina Moini talked with Jess Braverman, legal director of the advocacy group Gender Justice.

The 15th defendant, Kyle Wagner, is being held in Michigan on separate federal charges and is not expected in court today.

Federal prosecutors accuse the 15 Twin Cities residents of conspiring to interfere with immigration enforcement during the large-scale federal immigration operation in Minnesota earlier this year.

Protesters are calling for the charges to be dropped.

MPR News reporter Sarah Thamer joined Minnesota Now from outside the federal courthouse with the latest.

A new report says police have violated the constitution in several cities where the federal government dropped reforms. We'll find out what it says about Minneapolis.

Congress passed a bipartisan bill aimed at making housing more affordable. We'll talk to a Minnesota housing advocate about what impact it could have here.

June is Alzheimer's Awareness Month. We'll meet a health expert who is visiting all 87 Minnesota counties to share information on dementia.

Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Time” by Willem Dafoe Fan Club and our Song of the Day was “TWEast” by Dandelion Delivery Service.

Since 2018, University of Minnesota professor Joseph Gaugler has been working to visit all 87 Minnesota counties to share information about Alzheimer's disease and learn how communities across the state are caring for people living with dementia.

Gaugler joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about his statewide tour, the latest understanding of Alzheimer's disease and why education and early planning are important for patients and their families.

The festival, which opened Sunday and runs through July 19, celebrates the music of Ludwig van Beethoven while featuring works by many other composers and performances by musicians from around the world.

Ned Kirk, the festival's artistic and managing director, joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about how the festival got its start and what keeps audiences coming back year after year.

If the president hasn't acted 10 days after he receives the bill and Congress is in session, it will become law without his signature.

The bill is a package of more than 50 smaller ones. Some critics say it doesn’t do enough to support low-income renters. Others say it creates too many new programs and regulations.

Even housing advocates are still trying to absorb all that’s in this bill, and how it could reach the people they want to help.

Elizabeth Glidden is deputy executive director of the non-profit Minnesota Housing Partnership. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to dive into the details about the bill and talk about its significance.

A new report from the ACLU has found otherwise. It looked at Minneapolis police and six other police departments across the country who also had consent decrees dropped and found unconstitutional policing continued.

One of the authors of the report, Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, spoke to MPR News host Nina Moini about it.

A Minnesota-based organization supporting children with disabilities is raising concern about the Trump administration's recent announcement to move responsibility over special education away from the Department of Education.

And we'll hear from one Venezuelan Minnesotan working to organize local relief efforts for people in her home country affected by the massive earthquakes.

Plus, a conversation with Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve on making it to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Crystalline” by Alexander Natalie and our Song of the Day was “Days” by The Drums.

Minnesota's Venezuelan community is rallying to support relief efforts. Patricia Aguilar moved to Osseo as an asylum seeker in 2018 after fleeing Venezuela's political and economic crisis. She’s now raising awareness to help people affected by the disaster. She talked to MPR News host Nina Moini about it.

Joining Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about the latest in basketball and other sports news are contributors Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson.

Reeve was named the Lynx coach in 2009. Since then, she's won four championships and four WNBA coach of the year awards, coached the U.S. women's basketball team to three Olympic gold medals and had six of her players inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

MPR News digital producer Anika Besst spoke with Reeve in Knoxville before the induction about what has led her to this honor.

MPR chief meteorologist Ben Cathey joined Minnesota Now with the latest on the heat. And Kevin O’Brien will be making sure things run smoothly at Faribault Family Aquatic Center. He’s the city’s recreation superintendent and joined host Nina Moini to talk about how they’re keeping swimmers safe.

Supporters of the move say it makes sense since the areas often overlap. But the move has drawn criticism from disability advocates, including Minnesota-based PACER Center, which advocates for educational opportunities for children with disabilities.

The interim executive director of PACER Gretchen Godfrey spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about what this shift could mean.

The Minnesota School Safety Center has a new director. We spoke with her about her ideas for preventing violence in schools.

And a new law lays out regulations for banks and credit unions in Minnesota wanting to add cryptocurrency management services.

Plus, we learned how to prepare our homes for climate disaster.

And the largest gathering of Ethiopians outside of Ethiopia is taking place here in Minnesota —for an enormous annual soccer tournament!

The Music Minute was “It Could Happen to You” by Minneapolis pianist and composer Mary Louise Knutson. The Song of the Day was “Free” by Jillian Rae.

Starting Saturday, June 27, and stretching through July 4, Minnesota will host to the largest gathering of Ethiopians anywhere outside Ethiopia, making the event not only a soccer tournament but also a cultural celebration.

Elias Meles, who is on the board of the Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America, joined Minnesota Now to talk more about this year’s event.

Last summer, five severe weather disasters in Minnesota caused an estimated $13 billion in total damage, according to the nonprofit research group Climate Central.

In this next installment of Professional Help, we learn about a new resource that aims to help homeowners get ahead of the damage.

Our ask: Help me climate-proof my home

Our professional: Heidi Roop, director of the Climate Adaptation Partnership

A new law taking effect Aug. 1, 2026, in Minnesota lays out the rules for financial institutions wanting to become so-called “crypto custodians.”

Advocates for the legislation say it’s an important step in ensuring local banks and credit unions stay competitive against national crypto companies.

Minnesota Department of Commerce Deputy Commissioner Michael Crow spoke to MPR News host Nina Moini about the new regulations and what it could mean for the state’s economy.

MPR News host Nina Moini spoke to the agency’s new leader, Connie Forster, about her ideas as she steps into the role.

The moratorium exempts downtown data centers that take up 350,000 square feet or less. Supporters of that carveout say data centers could be the answer for declining property values and a shrinking tax base downtown.

We spoke to the president and CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council, Adam Duininck, about the possibilities he sees.

Andi Otto is the executive director of Twin Cities Pride. He joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about this year's festivities and what holding a pride celebration means in 2026.

The change is a result of legislation originally passed in 2024. Once it takes effect, Minnesota will become one of only three states with a minimum age of delinquency of 13, joining Maryland and New Hampshire. But some county officials say their agencies are not prepared for the change.

MPR News host Nina Moini talked with two people who have raised concerns. Nicole Kern is director of community corrections in Morrison County in central Minnesota. And Anne Broskoff is director of human services in Brown County in southern Minnesota.

Dr. Carolyn Bramante is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School who specializes in obesity and weight loss. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about how GLP-1 drugs have changed medicine and what broader access for older Americans could mean.

The project has become a hot-button issue for the small town of 800 residents, and is one of many data center proposals popping up in greater Minnesota.

MPR News reporter Dan Kraker has been following the story in Hermantown and joined Minnesota Now with details.

Minnesota-born journalist Justin Ellis is out with a new book exploring the history of racism in his home state, a place known for being nice.

Native Americans are working to reclaim tribal tobacco while addressing the harms of the commercial kind. A conference focused on this work is happening this week in Minneapolis.

The Special Olympics USA Games kicked off in Minneapolis this week. We met a coach for Minnesota bocce ball to talk about the competition.

Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Gunflint Lake” by Maygen and the Birdwatcher, and our Song of the Day was “The Envelope” by Funk N Spuds.

Kymm Salwasser is a Special Olympics bocce ball coach. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the games.

For Minnesota-native Justin Ellis, it wasn’t surprising. And now, the journalist is out with a new book that lays out Minnesota’s long quiet history of racism to help answer that question.

The book is titled “The Cruelty of Nice Folks: Why Minneapolis Is the Story of America.” Ellis joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about it.

He’ll host a reading and discussion of the book June 30 at 7 p.m. at Moon Palace Books in Minneapolis.

Many of the people working with these two sides of tobacco are in Minneapolis for the National Tribal Tobacco Conference, held Tuesday and Wednesday on the University of Minnesota campus.

Mat Pendleton, otherwise known by his Dakota name Wakiyan Waste', is an enrolled member of Lower Sioux Indian Community and led prayer at the conference. Colin Welker works on commercial tobacco policy with the Public Health Law Center at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law and is presenting at the conference. They both joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about their work at the conference.

Council member Robin Wonsley is the lead author of the request to the mayor about MPD’s path during this period of change. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about it.

After Council member Wonsley spoke to MPR News host Nina Moini live on the air, Mayor Jacob Frey announced that the city aims to select a new chief within the next 16 weeks, after engaging with community members and city leaders, and that a search firm will conduct a nationwide search and consider internal applicants.

A 48-year-old Hmong man from St. Paul was deported to Laos in May. A new story from Sahan Journal follows his journey and looks at how his wife and five kids are navigating the reality of being separated from him indefinitely.

A Minneapolis writer is honoring her brother in a new memoir that traces his battle with ALS and his career as the so-called Dream Doctor.

Thousands of athletes are in Minneapolis this week to compete in the Special Olympics. We'll get a glimpse of this weekend's opening ceremony.

Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Celebrated Summer” by Husker Du and our Song of the Day was “Key Lime Special” by MN Dub.

His sister, Larkin McPhee, lives in Minneapolis. She’s won Emmys and Peabody Awards for her documentary films. But for her brother’s story, she turned to writing. McPhee is out with a book this month about their relationship. It’s called “I’ll See You in My Dreams: A Sister’s Memoir.” She joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about the book.

The state recently passed $40 million in rent relief, but it likely won't reach local providers until late in the summer. Rent organizers worry many who need that help won't qualify or get it soon enough, as eviction filings threaten to pass last year's record.

Cari Spencer spent time at a church in Burnsville where the need is worse than it was at the peak of the ICE surge and spoke with Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about how the need for help has become even greater after thousands of ICE agents left the streets of Minnesota.

Federal prosecutors say 15 Minnesotans conspired against federal agents during this winter’s immigration surge. We took a look at what conspiracy means under the law and how it applies to protests.

And Annunciation Church and School parents are hosting a public conversation along with the creator of an Oscar-winning film about the impact of school shootings.

Plus, we heard about a Juneteenth play that's been showing since before it was a federal holiday.

The Music Minute was a performance by the Minnesota Orchestra of “Worship: A Concert Overture for Orchestra.” The Song of the Day was “Don't Leave” by Peter Wolf Crier.

The legislative session has ended, but the work of the Annunciation Light Alliance has not. They are now turning to public engagement.

On Monday, the group is partnering with CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman to show his Oscar-winning documentary “All the Empty Rooms,” followed by a panel discussion with Hartman and Annunciation parents at the Main Cinema in Minneapolis.

Kristen Neville, co-chair of the Annunciation Light Alliance, and Steve Hartman spoke to MPR News host Nina Moini about the event.

To take a closer look at the case being made against these individuals, MPR News spoke to Richard Painter, a professor of law at the University of Minnesota, about what conspiracy means under the law.

To mark this special anniversary, the performance will include special guest appearances from cast members from previous years who grew up as a part of this important story about the emancipation of African Americans.

McGee joined Minnesota Now to talk more about the play and memorable moments from the last three decades.

The report alleges federal agents used racial profiling and excessive force, and detained people unlawfully in facilities with poor conditions and insufficient access to lawyers. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson denied the report’s findings in an email to MPR News.

Ida Sawyer leads a team of Human Rights Watch researchers as the director of the group’s Crisis, Conflict and Arms Division. She joined Minnesota Now to share more about the findings.

Read more: Report authors say feds violated Minnesotans' human rights during ICE surge

The U.S. Supreme Court will soon rule on how law enforcement can track people's locations through their cell phones. We talked to a legal expert.

Plus, for the first time in 20 years a new ingredient can go into sunscreen. Doctors say it's better than current options.

There wasn’t much sunshine Wednesday. We took a look at the rainy forecast with Chief Meteorologist Ben Cathey.

This weekend is the 50th annual Grandma's Marathon in Duluth. One runner is preparing to have run all 50.

The Minnesota Music Minute was “Everything At Once” by Hippo Campus and “Cherry Picking” by Jumpsuit was the Song of the Day.

The charges include “conspiracy to impede or injure federal officers” and stalking.

Federal prosecutors say these individuals are members of Direct Action Minnesota, which has ties to antifa — or anti-fascist — groups.

To help us better understand what antifa is and what these charges mean, Minnesota Now spoke to Mark Bray. He’s a history professor at Rutgers University and leading expert on antifa.

John Naslund, 76, was one of about 150 runners when he ran the very first Grandma’s in 1977. Now it’s grown to more than 9,000 participants and come Saturday Naslund hopes to be the sole person who can say he’s ran all 50.

He spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about his streak.

Investigators have used a tool called geofencing to draw a virtual boundary around an area where a crime was committed and find out from tech companies which phones were nearby. Law enforcement needs a warrant to access this data, but critics say the tactic violates privacy rights. University of St. Thomas law professor Julie Jonas joined MPR News host Nina Moini to explain the main questions before the Supreme Court, and what its decision could mean for Minnesotans.

A new report finds progress is stalling on the Minneapolis Police Department's court-ordered reforms.

Federal loan programs for higher education are going through some major changes starting July 1. We heard what this means for students, especially those going into nursing and other healthcare professions.

A dispute over a big solar project in southwestern Minnesota is closer to resolution. We found out how the case fits into the state's energy landscape.

Saturday Nigh Live cast member Tommy Brennan is coming back home to Minnesota to help open a new venue in Shakopee.

Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Here Comes the Sun” by Motion City Soundtrack, and our Song of the Day was "Luna" by Thomas and the Rain and Studio Z.

The new venue will open with an event called “Setting the Stage: An Evening of Minnesota Music, Comedy & Community,” on Saturday, June 20. St. Paul native, comedian and Saturday Night Live cast member Tommy Brennan will host the event.

Brennan joined The Current’s Jill Riley to talk about his Minnesota ties, his work in comedy and the upcoming event at Mystic Lake Amphitheater.

It’s a result of major changes to social safety net programs, including the federal financial aid system, from the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” signed into law in 2025.

Rachel Sherlock is the associate director of financial aid at Minnesota State University Mankato and she joined MPR News host Nina Moini to sort through the changes, like what students should know about new borrowing limits and what repayment options will look like going forward.

Chris Rubesch, president of the Minnesota Nurses Association, also joined host Nina Moini to talk about why he thinks these changes to the financial aid system could have a negative impact on the healthcare sector.

A judge ruled in favor of the tribe in early June. Now, the dispute is up to state regulators to decide. A spokesperson with the Public Utilities Commission said a public comment period is open through July 22 and the commission is likely to take up the issue this fall.

Gabriel Chan is a University of Minnesota professor focused on energy policy. He joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about how the case fits into the landscape of efforts to transition to renewable electricity across the state.

Minnesota Department of Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero helped create the court agreement and walked MPR News host through it.

A look inside a new clinic in Minneapolis trying to create an alternative, healing-centered response to sexual assault.

Plus, a Minneapolis diner that shifted to a fully donation-based model during the federal surge this winter is continuing to operate under this unconventional approach. We'll check in with the owner of Post Modern Times about why he hasn't put prices back on the menu.

And more Minnesota students are getting a chance to get outdoors thanks to some new state funding.

And another former Minnesota athlete has gone on to win a championship after leaving the state.

Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Down Home Blues” by Selby Ave Brass Band and our Song of the Day was “Just Go Home” by Nephuncle.

Minnesota Now sports contributors Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson joined the program with the latest sports headlines and a remembrance of legendary colleague Larry Fitzgerald Sr.

Sahan Journal recently reported on the effort by Southside Community Health Services. And the organization’s medical director Sheila Kennedy joined Minnesota Now to talk about it.

The diner formerly known as Modern Times rebranded itself as Post Modern Times and shifted to a donation-based model during the Minnesota ICE surge. Owner Dylan Alverson said he wanted to create a place where anyone could get a meal, regardless of their ability to pay. Months later, the restaurant is still operating on donations and drawing national attention for its unconventional approach.

Dylan Alverson, owner of Post Modern Times in Minneapolis, spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about why he’s sticking with the approach and how he’s getting neighborhood input.

But those negotiations fell apart, and now $70 billion will go to ICE and Border Patrol. Supporters say the investment will help the federal government enforce immigration laws and secure the border. Critics argue it gives too much power to the agency and not enough oversight.

Heidi Altman is vice president of policy at the National Immigration Law Center. She joined Minnesota Now to talk about the bill and her concerns about what was left out.

A look at their legacy and how DFL state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife — who were injured in the attack — are recovering.

We'll also talk another lawmaker who was targeted that night, state Rep. Kristin Bahner, on how she’s grappling with safety and running for office.

Then, the man who allegedly carried out the attacks pleaded guilty Thursday morning. We’ll have the latest on the case.

And we'll talk to two experts studying an uptick in political violence.

Plus, the Hortmans’ children share one of their parents’ favorite songs.

And we'll meet some puppies who are training to be service dogs in the Hortmans’ honor.

Gilbert started out as a service dog in training through Helping Paws, the Eden Prairie nonprofit that trains assistance dogs for people with physical disabilities, veterans and first responders living with PTSD. But Gilbert was ultimately deemed a little too friendly for the job, and the Hortmans adopted him as their own.

In the months following their deaths, thousands of people donated to Helping Paws in their memory. That support helped create the Hortman Heroes Fund, which will train future service dogs for veterans and first responders with PTSD.

MPR News host Nina Moini got a tour of the Helping Paws facility from executive director Alyssa Golob.

Authorities say they found writings by the gunman that included the names of dozens of politicians. They also say that between the attacks on the Hoffmans and Hortmans, he went to the homes of two other DFL lawmakers. One of them is Maple Grove and Osseo Rep. Kristin Bahner.

A year later, like Sen. John Hoffman, she has decided to run for reelection, despite the terrifying events of last summer. Minnesota Now host Nina Moini spoke with Rep. Bahner about her decision to run again, in part, to carry on the legacy of her late colleague.

Minnesota Now host Nina Moini spoke again with two of those experts a year after the attacks on how this uptick in political violence has continued to unfold.

Jillian Peterson is a professor at Hamline University and executive director of the Violence Prevention Project Research Center.

Larry Jacobs is a political science professor at the University of Minnesota and founder of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance.

The violent acts shook the state and the country. Thursday on Minnesota Now, we spent the hour looking at how people are keeping Melissa Hortman and her family’s legacy alive – and how the attack is affecting political life.

Our politics correspondent Dana Ferguson covered Hortman in the Minnesota Legislature and has been following the assassination, as well as steps at the Capitol to mitigate future incidents of political violence. She joined to share more about what’s unfolded over the last year.

The governor's truth council has begun collecting stories about how people were impacted by immigration enforcement this winter.

Chief Meteorologist Ben Cathey assessed the storm damage from Tuesday night and gave details on another round in the forecast.

And a new study has found that mosquitoes could learn to associate the smell of bug spray with dinner.

Plus, a new book chronicles a hub of LGBTQ activism in Duluth and Superior in the 1980s.

The Minnesota Music Minute was “Lime Habit” by Poliça and “Give it My All” by Ashley Selnes was the Song of the Day.

That means it's that time of year where you may be lathering up in your bug spray when you're outside. DEET is most commonly used to repel mosquitoes in bug spray, but new research has found that mosquitoes could learn to associate DEET with dinner.

Joining Minnesota Now is one of the authors of the research, Clément Vinauger, who is an associate professor of biochemistry at Virginia Tech.

"Remember the Main: The Gay Bar That Started a Movement in the Northland” tells the story of Bob Jansen, owner of the Main Club, a gay bar that opened in the 1980s.

Author Meg Gorzycki told MPR News host Nina Moini the bar served as a refuge and organizing hub for LGBTQ+ people in northern Minnesota during a time when being openly gay often came with significant risk.

Jennifer Prestholdt is vice president of the council and deputy executive director of the Minneapolis-based group The Advocates for Human Rights. She talked with MPR News host Nina Moini about the work that lies ahead for the council, which she called “the first public-centered, large-scale, truth-telling process in the United States.”

City officials say there was nearly $700 million dollars in damage between December 2025 through April 2026. That total includes revenue businesses lost, wages workers lost and money the city spent responding to the surge.

MPR News reporter Estelle Timar-Wilcox joined MPR News host Nina Moini with details from a briefing on the report.

We'll go to Newark, New Jersey and talk to a reporter who's covering protests outside Delaney Hall, the immigration detention center that resemble scenes in Minnesota over the winter.

Fridley Public Schools' superintendent has been outspoken about the impacts of the surge of federal agents on students. We'll talk to her on the first day of summer.

We'll learn about something called Sandbox Classroom, where St. Paul high school seniors can learn how to operate heavy equipment.

Our Minnesota Music Minute was “I Can’t Fix Your Life” by Mid Dream, and our Song of the Day was “Cover Crop” by Ironstill.