Minnesota Now

Students at Annunciation Catholic School are back in the classroom this week for the first time since a mass shooting claimed the lives of two children and injured 21 other people.

The school is providing mental health support for staff, students and their families as they navigate this transition.

Aaron Rupar is a parent of two children who are new to Annunciation this year. He joins MPR News host Nina Moini on Minnesota Now.

Minneapolis city attorneys will be in court Wednesday afternoon in an attempt to stop property owner Hamoudi Sabri from allowing a homeless encampment on parking lots he owns.

Earlier this week, a shooting at the encampment on Sabri’s property in South Minneapolis left seven people hurt, including three who were critically injured.

To learn more about the city’s response to homelessness, MPR News host Nina Moini talks with Enrique Velázquez, director of regulatory services in Minneapolis.

Hopefully last week’s cool temperatures didn’t lead you to take out your window AC unit or turn your heat on because this week we have zigzagged back to seriously summery heat. MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner joins Minnesota Now with the forecast.

Gov. Tim Walz is running for reelection in 2026. If he were to win, he would be the first ever Minnesota governor to win a third four-year term. And several Republican candidates have also started campaigns. Politics correspondent Dana Ferguson joined the show to explain the dynamics of the governor's race.

Mayors from more than 100 cities and towns along the Mississippi are in the Twin Cities Tuesday. We learned how they're approaching issues like flooding, pollution and federal funding cuts.

Xcel Energy wants to raise electricity rates, but it will need approval from state regulators. We talked to a consumer advocate about the proposal.

All this week we're helping new Lynx fans get on the bandwagon. We explored the ins and outs of the team's starting five.

Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Weedkiller” by POSTER BOY. Our Song of the Day was “Shotgun” by Sleeping Jesus.

This week MPR News invites you to jump on the Minnesota Lynx bandwagon. Why? Because the No. 1 ranked team is in the playoffs which kick off this week. And they are looking great.

Even if you don’t know a thing about the WNBA, basketball or care about sports in general, the Lynx players are just plain fun to follow. At least that’s what MPR News resident Lynx superfan tells us. MPR newscaster Emily Reese joined Minnesota Now to explain who the standout stars on the team are and why everyone should be watching the Lynx during the WNBA playoffs.

Xcel Energy customers could see their electric bills jump by an average of $13 a month next year. That’s if state regulators approve the rate hikes the company is proposing: 9.6 percent for 2025 and another 3.6 percent for 2026.

Xcel, which is Minnesota’s largest electricity provider, says the higher rates will fund investments in reliability, clean energy and its nuclear plants – and help it prepare for higher energy use in the future.

The Public Utilities Commission, which is the board that regulates utilities in Minnesota, is holding meetings around the state this month to gather public input. Annie Levenson-Falk advocates for utility consumers as the leader of a group called the Citizens Utility Board. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about it.

There’s a virtual public hearing on electric rates Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. Others are scheduled around the state through next Thursday.

In a statement to MPR News, Xcel wrote, “We are committed to meeting our state’s growing demand for electricity, maintaining reliable service, working toward a cleaner energy future and keeping costs low for our customers. Our proposal reflects the needs expressed by our customers as they electrify their homes and businesses and invest in economic development.”

Mayors from up and down the Mississippi River are gathering in the Twin Cities this week for their annual conference. The event, organized by the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative, brings together local leaders from 107 cities across 10 states that border the river.

It marks the first time these mayors have met in person since federal funding cuts reduced support for disaster mitigation and assessment, which are tools many river communities rely on as they face more frequent flooding, drought and other climate-related threats.

Colin Wellenkamp, the executive director of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative, and Red Wing Mayor Gary Iocco joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about what’s on the agenda for mayors who lead cities along the Mississippi River corridor.

Gov. Tim Walz announced Tuesday that he’ll try to make history by running for a third four-year term. The news was a long time coming. But there is a long way between now and when voters decide in November 2026.

Politics correspondent Dana Ferguson joined MPR News host Nina Moini from the Capitol to break it down.

Lawmakers are meeting for the first time to discuss gun policy changes since the shooting at Annunciation. We'll learn more about what solutions state senators proposed and we'll hear about the memorial for 10-year-old Harper Moyski, who was killed in the shooting.

As Annunciation students return to school this week, we'll hear from an organization providing mental health support to students and staff.

Plus, some Minnesota immigrants are facing an uncertain future as changes come to two temporary immigration statuses. We'll hear from an expert and an advocate impacted by these changes.

And we'll break down what you need to know for the Lynx playoff run and get all the other latest Minnesota sports news.

Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Fly” by Anna Graves.

For Minnesota sports fans focused on football and baseball, this weekend wasn't the greatest. The Vikings lost to the Atlanta Falcons 6 to 22 in their home opener. The Gophers lost to the California Golden Bears in Berkeley. And the Twins lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Target Field.

Joining Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to put these losses in perspective are our sports contributors, Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson.