Minnesota Now

State regulators this month reversed a decision to approve a route for a gas pipeline near Pipestone National Monument in southern Minnesota. The site is sacred to tribal nations across the Midwest and Great Plains. It’s named after a type of stone — also called catlinite — that Native Americans use to make artwork as well as pipes for ceremonies.

After the state approved Magellan Pipeline Company’s permit back in September, more than a dozen tribal nations wrote letters urging it to reconsider. They expressed concern for the pipestone as well as cultural sites, wildlife and water.

Under the new decision, the company needs to work with more than a dozen tribal nations on an archaeological study of two different routes. This issue isn’t new — there was an old pipeline through the monument that closed in 2022.

For more on the area and the stone it is named after, MPR News host Nina Moini talked with Jeff Savage, an award-winning artist and director of the Fond du Lac Cultural Center and Museum who has worked with pipestone for 50 years.

A Minnesota organization supporting Asian American leaders across Minnesota just received $2.5 million from philanthropist Mackenzie Scott. It’s the Coalition for Asian American Leaders, or CAAL, and they’re using the funding to launch a new initiative called CAAL Ignite. It’s a grant program that provides $10,000-15,000 to Asian American entrepreneurs and small business owners in the state. Applications for the grant open Wednesday. ThaoMee Xiong is the executive director of CAAL. Laura Boller runs a hair and makeup business, “Laura B Beauty,” and is part of the CAAL community. Xiong and Boller joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the grant.

Democrats in the Minnesota House are attempting to block Republican control when the legislative session begins Tuesday. The DFLers took their oaths of office early. It’s just one of the many unusual circumstances to the start of session. We broke down what it all means.

It’s been a year since the city of Minneapolis evicted hundreds of unhoused people from various encampments in South Minneapolis. Camp Nenookaasi organizers joined the show for an update.

An organization supporting Asian American business leaders across Minnesota joins the program to talk about a $2.5 million grant they received from philanthropist Mackenzie Scott.

A Native American cultural teacher joined the show to talk about the importance of traditional seasonal storytelling.

Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Bad Day” by Gully Boys and the Song of the Day was “See a Little Light” by Bob Mould.

It’s on these cold, snowy days that many Minnesotans — especially the region’s Indigenous people throughout history — gather together and tell stories. Traditionally, snow must be on the ground to tell sacred Ojibwe stories. Hope Flanagan is an elder who has been teaching and storytelling across the state for decades. She works as a community outreach and culture teacher at the Minneapolis Native American community organization, Dream of Wild Health. MPR News host Nina Moini talked to Flanagan about the importance of wintertime storytelling.

Less than a day remains until Minnesota lawmakers begin the 94th legislative session. And there’s a lot that is still not resolved between the DFL and Republicans, whose 67-67 tie in the House of Representatives has gotten messy. Democrats lost a seat to a residency challenge, and another is in question as a court challenge is ongoing.

It’s not clear whether Democrats in the House will even show up on Tuesday as leaders in that chamber are at an impasse over a power-sharing agreement.

MPR News senior politics reporter Dana Ferguson joined MPR News host Nina Moini with updates from the weekend including a private swearing in ceremony amongst Democrats and how Republicans are responding.

Advocates for unhoused people in the Twin Cities are scrambled to open warming centers during Monday’s cold snap. In early January there were a string of fires at homeless encampments in Minneapolis this month. Two encampment fires ignited just six blocks apart on the same day in south Minneapolis.

Advocates for the homeless say more than 200 people were displaced from the incidents. Two of those advocates are Christin Crabtree and Nicole Mason, who support unhoused people through Camp Nenookaasi. They’re fundraising to buy land in the area to prevent people from getting displaced again. Crabtree and Mason joined Minnesota Now to talk about it.

On Jan. 9, 1977, the Minnesota Vikings strode into the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., to play their fourth Super Bowl, this one against the Oakland Raiders.

Among them was former Vikings running back Chuck Foreman. He was the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the year in his first season in 1973-’74. His knack for slipping past defenders helped the team to the Super Bowl that year, and again in 1975 — and again in 1977. They lost that game and have not returned to the championship since.

The Vikings have never won a Super Bowl, but the team and its fans are no strangers to the playoffs. The Vikings have made it to the postseason every few years since 1968. This year’s record of 14 wins, 3 losses — nearly the best in the league — has once again raised the question, will the Super Bowl days remain in the past?

Foreman joins MPR News host Nina Moini to take us back to the Vikings of the 1970s and look ahead to the next game.

If you have New Year’s resolutions, congratulations on finishing the first full week of working towards your goal! Many people have resolutions that involve getting better sleep, deepening their relationships, working on their mental or physical health, or starting new hobbies. All of those goals and more can be supported by one big change — loosening our grip on our smartphones.

A new wildfire quickly spread through the Hollywood Hills early Thursday morning as Los Angeles and the surrounding region continues to fight the most destructive fires in the city's history.

There are no signs of the fires stopping. Meteorologists are forecasting high winds and no rain through the weekend. Five people have been confirmed dead from the fires but LA County says the death toll is likely higher since the majority of burned neighborhoods have not yet been searched.

The situation has emergency responders rushing in from all over the nation, including those from the Minnesota and Dakotas region of the American Red Cross. The group’s Regional Chief Executive Brice Johnson joins MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about their team's response to the crisis.

Tuesday marks the start of the next legislative session in St. Paul, but a lot of notable faces will not be returning.

Among the 20 lawmakers who retired or resigned is DFL Rep. Gene Pelowski, who talked with MPR News Wednesday about his 38 years representing Winona.

Like Pelowski, GOP Rep. Pat Garofalo of Farmington has recently ended a long career in the Legislature. Garofalo was first elected in 2004 and spent the following 20 years in office before leaving his seat last summer. He most recently served as lead Republican on the powerful budget-setting Ways and Means Committee and took a policy interest in energy, education and gambling issues.

Garofalo joins MPR News host Nina Moini to reflect on that work and share what’s next.