Minnesota Now

George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police in 2020 started an uprising in Minneapolis and across the country. A new book and accompanying art exhibit spotlights and documents the art from that time period: the plywood murals made by protesters and mourners during the uprising.

MPR News host Nina Moini talks with Leesa Kelly, the book’s author and founder of the organization, “Memorialize the Movement,” along with Amira McClendon, an artist and curator of the exhibition at the University of Minnesota.

Minnesota’s status as a “trans refuge” state may be tested next year as President-elect Donald Trump begins his second term as president. MPR News host Nina Moini talks with Kat Rohn, executive director of OutFront Minnesota, an organization that advocates for gay, lesbian, queer and trans people in the state.

President-elect Trump has nominated Fox News personality and Minnesota native Pete Hegseth to be his Defense Secretary. Hegseth has been a vocal backer of President Trump throughout the campaign and had been considered for cabinet positions during Trump’s first term in office.

Hegseth’s nomination probably won’t be a slam dunk. In 2018, Hegseth was under consideration to be Secretary of Veteran Affairs. At the time, Tom Scheck deputy managing editor with APM Reports profiled Hegseth. He joins MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the nominee.

It has been a mild November in Minnesota so far. There are signs drought is slowly lifting in parts of the state as we have had some moisture over the last couple of weeks. MPR News meteorologist Paul Huttner joins MPR News host Nina Moini with more on some upcoming rain, plus the rest of this week's weather forecast.

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is from Minnesota and facing criticism. We trace back his time in politics in Minnesota, becoming a Fox News host and now being thrust on politics’ biggest stage.

The rights of transgender people became a major talking point in the election. We talk to Outfront Minnesota’s director about how they are responding to another Trump presidency.

Is snow finally in the forecast? MPR chief meteorologist Paul Huttner shares a winter weather outlook.

Plus, two Minnesotans have been working to memorialize art made during the uprising after George Floyd’s murder. We talk to the author of a new book and the curator of an exhibit preserving that history.

Global leaders are meeting this week at the United Nations annual climate conference to talk about how to slow climate change and prepare for its impacts around the world. A major question as COP29 is underway in Azerbaijan is what role the U.S. will play now that Donald Trump is returning to the White House.

For more on how the results of the 2024 election will affect that energy transition here in Minnesota, MPR News host Nina Moini talks with Inside Climate News Midwest reporter Kristoffer Tigue, who is based in the Twin Cities.

On Monday in Minneapolis a group of health researchers, educators and youth leaders gathered to discuss how screen time affects students’ lives and brainstorm how to have better digital health. It was Minnesota’s first ever digital well-being summit, and the organizers, LiveMore ScreenLess, already have another planned for Dec. 7.

The executive director of that organization Katherine Myers and a student who attended the summit, Two Rivers High School Junior Evangeline Fuentes both joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about their work.

The city of Minneapolis announced in the last hour it will partner with the NAACP to create a new program addressing neighborhood disputes after a dispute in south Minneapolis turned violent last month. We heard from the president of the NAACP about the new program.

Smart phones have eclipsed our lives, but a group of researchers and youth leaders in Minnesota are trying to figure out how to change our relationships with the gadgets.

An iconic Minneapolis film festival is celebrating 25 years of music-focused films.

One week after election day, we’re talking with community members about how they’re moving forward and what the election results tell us about politics right now.

The city of Minneapolis is looking at what steps to take following a neighbor dispute that turned violent. On Monday morning Minneapolis police announced a new partnership with the Minneapolis NAACP to address neighborhood disputes.

Minneapolis NAACP President, Cynthia Wilson, joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the new initiative.

Sherburne County will recount votes in a few close, local races to confirm the results of last week’s election. We get details on the recount and find out how it could affect a possible tie between Republicans and Democrats in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for immigration policy in his second administration are taking shape. We talk about what they could mean in Minnesota.

A new organization is working to provide services to Hmong and Karen people who are living in two encampments in St. Paul.

And this Veterans Day, we visit a memorial in northwestern Minnesota.

Plus, today is MPR News host Nina Moini’s first day as the host of Minnesota Now — we hear how other Twin Cities journalists shaped how she approaches this work.