Minnesota Now

Across the border, voters in Wisconsin are also heading to the polls Tuesday. And there, the primary for Governor is getting nationwide attention.

On the Democratic side, the field is crowded with four candidates. On the Republican side, Congressman Tom Tiffany is seen as the presumptive Republican nominee. They are all looking to take over from Democratic Governor Tony Evers , who is leaving office.

Joining Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to breakdown the race is PBS Wisconsin senior political reporter Zac Schultz.

A former prison in the western Minnesota town of Appleton will soon be an ICE detention center. After a recent sale, the federal government now owns the facility. We talked to a city council member about concerns that the sale could impact the city’s tax base.

Flock surveillance cameras have become the center of debate in many Minnesota cities. And some people are taking matters into their own hands by vandalizing them.

Plus, the nationally-recognized nonprofit Black Visions is shutting down after a decade of racial justice advocacy.

And, we’ll take you center stage at the Minnesota Fringe Festival, where more than 100 productions will show at theatres across the Twin Cities.

The Minnesota Music Minute was “Midnight Rain” by Blue Groove Bluegrass. The Song of the Day was “Body and Heart” by Drew Medin.

It’s that time of year again when Twin Cities theaters turn their stage over to the Minnesota Fringe Festival.

From the funny to the frightful, this year’s lineup includes a show that takes viewers into a ‘zombified post-war’ world of corporate professionals to a comedy musical about Elvis stirring up trouble at a real-estate agency. And that’s just two of the more than one hundred productions showing this year.

Minnesota Fringe executive director Dawn Bentley and producer/performer Jen Scott have been busy preparing for opening night Thursday. They spoke to MPR News host Nina Moini about what people can expect.

A Minnesota organization formed in the wake of the police killings of Jamar Clark and Philando Castile nearly a decade ago has announced it will close its doors at the end of 2026.

Black Visions has become a nationally-recognized voice since its founding in 2017, leading efforts to advance social and racial justice. Notably, it was behind the “Yes on 2” campaign to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department and establish a Department of Safety following the murder of George Floyd in 2020.

Yolanda Roth, director of communications with Black Visions, joined Minnesota Now to talk more about the decision and the transition ahead.

It’s been a busy week in the small western Minnesota town of Appleton. First, the town learned the Department of Homeland Security is moving forward with plans to detain immigrants in a shuttered private prison nearby.

Then, CoreCivic, the company that owns the prison, announced it is selling it to the federal government. It’s expected to open this fall as an ICE detention center.

CoreCivic will still manage the facility. But, as federal property, it may be exempt from taxes that currently support Appleton’s budget.

Appleton City Council member Jim Massee joined to talk more about what impacts this could have.

Law enforcement around the state and country are finding Flock traffic cameras smashed, cut off from their power sources or simply whisked away.

The devices use artifical intelligence to record and store vehicle information like license plate numbers. Police departments say they help solve crimes and find missing people. But privacy advocates say they allow law enforcement to gather too much information about individuals and their movements, without warrants.

Some critics are taking their concerns to public meetings. Others are physically taking out the cameras.

Sanya Mansoor is a freelance journalist who recently covered what she described as a “growing vigilante movement” against Flock cameras for The Guardian. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about her reporting.

More than 100 people were cleared from St. Paul's largest homeless encampment Wednesday morning. The closure of the encampment at Pig's Eye Park drew backlash. Reporter Cari Spencer joined Minnesota Now with the latest.

The use of drones by Minnesota police departments is increasing. We dug into the data.

Plus, teens under 18 are passing their drivers test at higher rates than young adults. We learned why.

The weather has finally cooled down after coming off a record-hot July. Chief Meteorologist Ben Cathey shared the forecast.

One of the country's largest music festivals kicks off Wednesday in Detroit Lakes. We met a Minnesota native performing at WE Fest.

Country music is in the air in Detroit Lakes this week. One of the nation’s largest country music festivals starts Wednesday at Soo Pass Ranch just outside town. Big names like Lainey Wilson and Brooks & Dunn will take WE Fest’s three stages to play for tens of thousands of fans.

The lineup includes a couple local artists, like Zach Thomas, who’s from the western Minnesota town of Wendell and now lives in Fargo. He joined MPR News guest host Kelly Gordon to talk about his upcoming gig, why he writes sad songs and what it’s like to witness the explosion of pop country’s popularity as an independent artist.

You may recognize them by sound, or maybe you have seen them flying above. Drones are becoming an increasingly common sight in the sky, and a common tool of Minnesota police.

According to state data, there's been a steady rise in the use of drones by law enforcement agencies without a warrant between 2020 and 2025.

Nikki Davidson is a Duluth-based independent data journalist who looked into this. She joined MPR News guest host Kelly Gordon to share what she found.

In Minnesota, 16 to 20-year-olds made up 50 percent of people taking road tests for driver’s licenses last year. But within that age group, Driver and Vehicle Services workers have noticed a disparity.

Eighteen to 20-year-olds are passing their tests at much lower rates than 16 and 17-year-olds, and compared to the overall rate.

Mark Larson has administered more than 10,000 road tests during his career and now oversees exam operations across northern Minnesota.

He joined MPR News guest host Kelly Gordon to share what examiners are seeing behind the wheel.