Minnesota Now

The playoffs are finally here for the Minnesota Lynx. They've been the number one team in the WNBA all season long and seemingly just waiting for the big games to start. Well, they started Sunday with a first-round playoff game against the Golden State Valkyries and the Lynx won 101-72.

It’s just the start of what is being dubbed as the “revenge tour” for the Lynx, who are vying for the title after a heartbreaking loss last year against the New York Liberty.

MPR newscaster and Lynx superfan Emily Reese joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to share the story behind what’s fueling the Lynx’s revenge.

Two recent court rulings impact the rights of more than one and a half million immigrants to legally live and work in the United States, including here in Minnesota. On Friday, a federal appeals court ruled the Trump Administration can end what’s called humanitarian parole for Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

But another program is still in legal limbo. Earlier this month, a federal court blocked the administration from ending Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and Venezuelans in the United States.

Michele Garnett McKenzie is an immigration lawyer and co-executive director of The Advocates for Human Rights and shared the legal implications with Minnesota Now host Nina Moini.

And David Policard founded the organization called VANSE to support Haitians in Minnesota and joined the program to talk about what he’s hearing from immigrants on this status.

Annunciation Catholic School students will return to school on Tuesday. That’s three weeks after a shooter killed two students and injured 21 others during a back-to-school mass.

One organization providing support for kids as they make the transition back is Washburn Center for Children in Minneapolis. Joining Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk more about their efforts, are CEO Craig Warren and Beth Dahline a therapist and chief operating officer at the center.

A Minnesota Senate working group met Monday morning to discuss a variety of proposed solutions to deter gun violence following a Minneapolis mass shooting last month.

The hearing is the first public meeting about policy changes since the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School that left two dead and many injured last month. It could set the table for an anticipated special legislative session addressing violence prevention.

MPR News senior politics reporter Dana Ferguson joined Minnesota Now with the latest on the hearing.

The nation is grappling with news of a potentially political act of violence after right-wing activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed in Utah Wednesday. We talk to a Minnesota senator who remembers him as a mentor.

We continue to look at AI in the classroom this week. One study found that 70 percent of teens have used an AI companion, or digital friend. We focus in on how those programs impact youth mental health.

Our reporter Dan Kraker joins us from Duluth to talk about an energy controversy in northern Minnesota.

Plus, are you new to rooting for the Vikings? We have some advice on how to dive into the season.

And a Minnesotan appears in a Stephen King film that opens Friday. We hear from him.

The Minnesota Music Minute was "In the Light" by Laamar. The Song of the Day was "Blue Blue Blue" by Cornbread Harris.

A long awaited film adaptation of a Stephen King novel opens tomorrow, and a Minnesotan plays a prominent role.

Actor Ben Wang was born in China but grew up in Minnesota before starring in the movies "Karate Kid Legends" and "Chang Can Dunk." Now, he's playing a supporting role in "The Long Walk." Directed by Francis Lawrence, the film is a dystopian thriller about young men forced to compete in a deadly test of endurance.

Wang spoke with arts reporter Jacob Aloi about the film and what got him into acting. A quick note for listeners: this conversation includes mentions of violence.

Most of us don't put a whole lot of thought into the electricity that powers our daily lives. We just flip the switch and expect the lights to go on.

A proposed sale of one of Minnesota's largest electric utilities is getting a lot of attention now. It's getting people to think more closely about who owns electric companies and who's going to pay for the solar, wind and other infrastructure needed to transition to a green energy future.

Dan Kraker has been covering the clean energy transition in northern Minnesota and joined Nina Moini to talk more about the proposed sale.

The Minnesota Vikings will kick off their home opener Sunday night at U.S. Bank Stadium against the Atlanta Falcons. The Vikings are 1-0 this year after a win Monday night against the Chicago Bears.

Minnesota Now Producer Ellie Roth wanted to learn how to get a bit more into the football season this year. She spoke to Vikings legend and all-time great Chuck Foreman. The running back helped carry the Vikings to three Superbowl games in the 70s.

Our ask: Help me understand football and the Minnesota Vikings

Our professional: Chuck Foreman, former running back for the Minnesota Vikings

A new study from Common Sense Media, a group that studies and advocates for using screens and digital media sensibly, found that 70 percent of teens have used AI companions, platforms designed to serve as “digital friends.”

As the technology gets more sophisticated, experts worry about AI’s potential to exacerbate crises of loneliness and youth mental health. Brandon Jones, the executive director of the Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health, joined Minnesota Now to share more about this.

Hear more from our special series on AI in schools

Perspective from a Minnesota teacher turned AI education consultant

St. Paul teacher says it's 'like bringing a forklift to the gym'

Minnesota high school student weighs the benefits and pitfalls of AI

Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist who helped rally young people in support of President Donald Trump, was fatally shot on a college campus in Utah on Wednesday.

Political violence has been top of mind in Minnesota since the shootings of two Democratic lawmakers and their spouses this summer. Former house speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were killed in that attack.

Kirk was scheduled to speak at the University of Minnesota later this month as part of his “American Comeback” tour. State Sen. Julia Coleman, R-Waconia, called him a mentor and friend. She joined Minnesota Now to talk about the uptick in political violence and working with Kirk early in her political career.