Minnesota Now

More than 1,000 University of Minnesota employees are striking. They include custodians, maintenance staff and food service workers. We go to the picket line and learn how the work stoppage is impacting campus operations.

As we look at AI's impact on schools, we talk to a Minnesota high school senior about how she's using AI (it’s not for homework).

Plus, we get your fall color forecast. And look at the return of summer temperatures with Paul Huttner.

Farmers in Minnesota are looking to expand with oats as their next crop, but they face challenges in finding buyers.

And we talk to the woman behind a gathering that brings together musicians with and without disabilities.

Farmers in Minnesota and Iowa are banding together to add oats to their usual soybean and corn crop rotations. And they are working to open an oat processing plant in Albert Lea in 2026.

Their movement is rooted in responding to climate change and unpredictable markets.

But the farmers need to bring on board big food companies, who usually source most of their oats from Canada. Journalist Erin Jordan reported on the push for oats in the area for Investigate Midwest and she joins MPR News host Nina Moini to explain.

Sunday is a “Day of Hope” for Yue Wu, music therapist and founder of a Twin Cities nonprofit called Light in the Well. Dancers, singers and musicians with and without disabilities will come together for a performance at the Landmark Center in St. Paul. Wu joins MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the event and her work.

Minnesota got a serious taste of fall this week with chilly temperatures and some grey days. But it looks like summer will return, at least for a little while. MPR News Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner joins Minnesota Now to explain the fall outlook and the forecast for the rest of the week.

As students and teachers are settling into a new school year, Minnesota Now is looking at how artificial intelligence is changing teaching, learning and wellbeing in the classroom. We have talked with a consultant working on AI policy at the district level and a high school English teacher.

Next, we hear from a student. High school seniors in this year’s graduating class were freshmen when Chat GPT launched in November 2022. Every year since then, AI chatbots have become more prevalent.

Elianah Dollar-Simmons is a high school senior who has done a lot of work with AI, but not in the way you might assume. She built AI models as part of summer programs at MIT and Carnegie Melon University.

Dollar-Simmons joins MPR News host Nina Moini from Tartan High School in Oakdale, a suburb east of St. Paul.

Hundreds of University of Minnesota workers are on strike at campuses across the state.

Teamsters Local 320, which represents food service, custodial and maintenance workers, rejected a final contract offer from the University of Minnesota last week. The union represents about 1,400 employees.

Reporter Estelle Timar-Wilcox was at the picket line on the Twin Cities campus this morning and joins MPR News host Nina Moini to share more.

Read the full report at MPRNews.org.

A Minneapolis spoken word poet is out with her first book of poetry, all about growing up on the south side of Minneapolis near Lake Street. The collection is called “Before I Lie.” Its author Dralandra Larkins joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about her identity in south Minneapolis and shared part of her poem called “I Am Black.”

Democrats in the Minnesota House have chosen Rep. Zack Stephenson to lead them after their former leader, Melissa Hortman, was assassinated. We learned more about the new leader and the job ahead of him, including a possible special session.

If you are confused about the future of vaccine access in the United States, you are not alone. A pediatrician helped us navigate shifting policies at the state and federal levels.

We're continuing our series on Artificial Intelligence in education. This time, a high school teacher took us into his classroom.

We learned about the resurgence of Native lacrosse.

A spoken word poet who is out with her first book full of poems about growing up in south Minneapolis joined the show.

Our Minnesota Music Minute was "Overrated" by Landon Conrath and our Song of the Day was "Break Out" by Wave Cage.

As students and teachers are settling into their school year routines, Minnesota Now is looking at how artificial intelligence is changing teaching, learning and wellbeing in the classroom.

MPR News host Nina Moini dove into one English classroom at Humboldt High School in St. Paul. She spoke to English teacher Carl Haefemeyer about how AI is showing up at his school.

It’s a confusing time in public health. Some states like Minnesota have started new vaccine policies with the goal of protecting people’s access. Other states have moved in a different direction. Florida plans to end vaccine requirements for children.

These changes at the state level are happening as the federal government’s approach to vaccines is in upheaval. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as a committee of advisers who influence vaccine policies. Kennedy then filled some of those roles with people who, like him, have spread misinformation and conspiracy theories about vaccines.

Dr. Nathan Chomilo is a practicing pediatrician and chair-elect of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on Health Equity. He joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about how Minnesota pediatricians are considering federal and state guidance.