Minnesota Now

The Department of Justice wants to drop an agreement that would have mandated police reforms for the city of Minneapolis and the police department. We learn what that means for the path to change in policing and how local officials are responding to the move.

And a business owner at George Floyd Square shares his perspective about how five years after Floyd’s murder, his business is being impacted.

Plus, we learn how an insect may have helped contribute to the fast spread of wildfires in northern Minnesota.

How much rainfall did Minnesota get this week? Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner joins us with the answer.

And we go Out to Lunch with the chef and owner behind Billy Sushi to learn about his unique path to becoming a successful restauranteur.

Our Minnesota Music Minute was "Buckets of Rain” by Bob Dylan and our Song of the Day was "Magnolia Tree” by Turn Turn Turn.

On Minnesota Now, we hear from many different people in Minnesota over the phone and in the studio. But we don’t often meet them in the community, where news and life happens. In our “Out to Lunch” series, MPR News host Nina Moini sits down for a meal with people from Minnesota news and culture to get to know them better.

Enkhbileg “Billy” Tserenbat is the owner of the trendy Minneapolis restaurant, Billy Sushi. If not for his popular restaurant, Billy is known for his outrageous viral social media videos and for often sitting courtside at Minnesota Timberwolves games. He's got a big personality - and he talked about how he uses it to be Minnesota's biggest hype man.

Edwin Reed owns Sincere Detailing Pros at 38th and Chicago in south Minneapolis. He said his business took a dramatic downward turn after the murder of George Floyd. He reflected with MPR News host Nina Moini on the five years that followed.

Parts of the state needed this wet week to soothe drought conditions. As another bonus, the air quality improved. But the rain, wind and cold meant weather whiplash for anyone who experienced last week’s heat.

MPR News Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner joins MPR News host Nina Moini with details on the rainfall and a Memorial Day forecast.

The U.S. Department of Justice signaled Wednesday that it is not interested in pursuing an agreement with the city of Minneapolis designed to mandate policing reforms. The DOJ filed a motion Wednesday morning to dismiss the government’s consent decree with the city.

In January, the city and President Joe Biden’s justice department reached an agreement to address alleged discriminatory policing particularly affecting Black and Native residents. But the agreement needed a federal judge’s approval to move forward.

Matt Sepic joins MPR News host Nina Moini from Minneapolis after city leaders responded to the news.

The murder of George Floyd five years ago led to a court order that requires the Minneapolis Police Department and the city to fix a pattern of racial discrimination in policing. A new report outlines the reforms made so far, where progress has been slow and what's next.

Minneapolis Council member Andrea Jenkins' district includes the block where Floyd was killed. We talked to her about George Floyd Square and why five years later, its future is still unclear.

A Minnesota author grew up near an immigration detention center in California. His new book imagines the stories of Chinese immigrants who were there 100 years ago.

Minnesota sports teams are racking up wins, but how far can they go? We got the latest from our sports contributors.

Our Minnesota Music Minute was "This Joy" by VocalEssence and our Song of the Day was "Sweet Willow Tree" by The Nunnery.

Across the world of sports, Minnesota has been winning lately. The Twins just ended a 13-game winning streak. The Minnesota Frost cruised into the PWHL championships, which begin Tuesday night. The Lynx are also off to a strong start after winning their first two games of the season. And the Timberwolves have made it to the NBA Western Conference Finals.

With all this victory in the air, it's hard not to wonder how long it will last. The stakes feel especially high for Timberwolves. If they win their seven-game series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, they will go to the finals for the first time ever. Minnesota Now sports contributors Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about everything they know about the matchup.

Wally Langfellow is the founder of Minnesota Score Sports Magazine and co-host of the sports talk show 10,000 Takes. Eric Nelson is the other host of that show and Minnesota Vikings NFL reporter for CBS' Eye on Football and Sirius XM.

Five years ago, the murder of George Floyd by then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin turned the corner of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue into an epicenter of worldwide calls to change policing. It was at that intersection where witnesses filmed Floyd's final moments as he cried out repeatedly that he couldn't breathe.

Now, as city leaders work to implement court-ordered police reforms, they are also trying to figure out what’s next for the site where the murder happened, now known as George Floyd Square.

Council member Andrea Jenkins represents that area on the Minneapolis City Council. She joins MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the future of George Floyd Square.

A new book by a St. Paul author tells the story of Chinese emigrants applying to enter the U.S. 100 years ago. The young adult novel incorporates the poems that people detained at Angel Island off of California carved into the walls, expressing their anger and longing.

MPR News host Emily Bright spoke with author Freeman Ng about his book "Bridge Across the Sky."

The court-ordered reform process within the city of Minneapolis and its police department has reached a new phase. After George Floyd’s murder, the state Department of Human Rights found that the City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Police Department engaged in patterns and practices of racial discrimination. It led to a court-ordered agreement, that now is being enforced by an independent monitor.

On Tuesday, that monitor released a report that looks at the progress made in one full year of the agreement.

The Minnesota Department of Human Rights commissioner Rebecca Lucero joined Minnesota Now to explain where things stand one year in.