On Jan. 9, 1977, the Minnesota Vikings strode into the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., to play their fourth Super Bowl, this one against the Oakland Raiders.

Among them was former Vikings running back Chuck Foreman. He was the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the year in his first season in 1973-’74. His knack for slipping past defenders helped the team to the Super Bowl that year, and again in 1975 — and again in 1977. They lost that game and have not returned to the championship since.

The Vikings have never won a Super Bowl, but the team and its fans are no strangers to the playoffs. The Vikings have made it to the postseason every few years since 1968. This year’s record of 14 wins, 3 losses — nearly the best in the league — has once again raised the question, will the Super Bowl days remain in the past?

Foreman joins MPR News host Nina Moini to take us back to the Vikings of the 1970s and look ahead to the next game.

If you have New Year’s resolutions, congratulations on finishing the first full week of working towards your goal! Many people have resolutions that involve getting better sleep, deepening their relationships, working on their mental or physical health, or starting new hobbies. All of those goals and more can be supported by one big change — loosening our grip on our smartphones.

A new wildfire quickly spread through the Hollywood Hills early Thursday morning as Los Angeles and the surrounding region continues to fight the most destructive fires in the city's history.

There are no signs of the fires stopping. Meteorologists are forecasting high winds and no rain through the weekend. Five people have been confirmed dead from the fires but LA County says the death toll is likely higher since the majority of burned neighborhoods have not yet been searched.

The situation has emergency responders rushing in from all over the nation, including those from the Minnesota and Dakotas region of the American Red Cross. The group’s Regional Chief Executive Brice Johnson joins MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about their team's response to the crisis.

Tuesday marks the start of the next legislative session in St. Paul, but a lot of notable faces will not be returning.

Among the 20 lawmakers who retired or resigned is DFL Rep. Gene Pelowski, who talked with MPR News Wednesday about his 38 years representing Winona.

Like Pelowski, GOP Rep. Pat Garofalo of Farmington has recently ended a long career in the Legislature. Garofalo was first elected in 2004 and spent the following 20 years in office before leaving his seat last summer. He most recently served as lead Republican on the powerful budget-setting Ways and Means Committee and took a policy interest in energy, education and gambling issues.

Garofalo joins MPR News host Nina Moini to reflect on that work and share what’s next.

Mourners gathered to pay respects to former President Jimmy Carter at his funeral in Washington D.C. Thursday morning. We hear from Walter Mondale’s son, Ted Mondale, who delivered his father’s posthumous eulogy at the service.

Volunteers from the Minnesota Red Cross are rushing to California as deadly wildfires rage across Los Angeles and the surrounding region. We learn about the efforts to help bring relief to people who have been displaced.

Plus, retiring GOP Minnesota Rep. Pat Garofalo reflects on his career at the Capitol and the odds of this year’s Legislature legalizing sports betting.

And are the Minnesota Vikings cursed? A former Vikings great weighs in.

We’re nearing the end of one of our chilliest cold snaps yet this winter. Temperatures are expected to warm up Wednesday and there are two chances of snow in the forecast.

Chief meteorologist Paul Huttner joined Minnesota Now for his full forecast and also the latest on the wildfires raging in Los Angeles.

The Minneapolis Police Department welcomed the largest and most racially diverse incoming class of new hires to its department in more than five years. Tuesday night, 24 cadets and eight community service officers started on a path to become some the 580 sworn officers for the city. That number is still far from the roughly 900 who were part of the force before 2020.

The new hires came just a day after the city council unanimously agreed to sweeping reforms to the police department that came from the U.S. Department of Justice. Here to talk about this period of change at the Minneapolis Police Department is police Chief Brian O'Hara.

Minnesota businesses can no longer add service fees, health and wellness surcharges or other mandatory charges to customers’ bills at the end of a transaction.

But many restaurants and other hospitality businesses argue the service fees are transparent to begin with, and simply raising prices of items on a menu will hurt the business.

Angie Whitcomb, the CEO of Hospitality Minnesota, spoke to MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the implications of the new law.

The future of the Minneapolis Police Department is taking shape, with new hires and new police reform. We hear from police Chief Brian O’Hara about how a federal agreement and a new class of officers will impact next steps for the department.

Twenty state lawmakers retired or resigned at the end of last year’s Legislative Session. DFL Rep. Gene Pelowski joins us to reflect on his four decades of public service and this year’s bumpy start at the Capitol.

And a new law banning junk fees is now in effect. But members of Minnesota’s restaurant and hospitality industry are calling for reform. We hear about some of their concerns.

Plus, we learn how Visit St. Paul is getting people to explore the city through dumplings.

Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Love is the Law” by the Suburbs, in honor of guitarist Beej Chaney who passed away. Our Song of the Day was “Raindrops” by Jae Havoc.

It is the perfect time of year to cozy up with some dumplings. Whether it’s potstickers or sambusas, nearly every culture has their own version. And now there’s a new tool to help you try dozens of different kinds. Visit St. Paul has created a Dumpling Passport. It takes you across more than 30 restaurants that have a type of dumpling on their menu.

Joining the program to talk about the delicious project is Ava Diaz, communications and marketing manager with Visit St. Paul. Also joining is Nia Rasavong the co-owner of Ruam Mit, which is a stop on the passport.