Minnesota Now

There is a lot of excitement in the Democratic party about the Harris-Walz ticket. And it is a big day for Governor Walz, who will accept his nomination for VP Wednesday night at the Democratic National Convention. We hear a live report from Chicago.

But what are the Harris/Walz policy priorities? We talk to a Minnesota state representative about how their stances on the national level may mirror what Walz has done in Minnesota.

With less than 24 hours until the gates open at the Minnesota State Fair, we hear from the fair police chief about safety and check in on the fair forecast.

Minnesota Paralympian Melissa Stockwell joins us from France with the games just a week away.

The Minnesota Music Minute was “Cold Hard Truth” by Turn Turn Turn.

The Song of the Day was “Waking Hours” by Waking Hours.

There’s a parallel between the Democratic National Conventions of 2024 and 1984. Forty years ago a Minnesota Democrat was at the top of a history-making presidential ticket. Former Minnesota Senator and U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale was running for president alongside

Geraldine Ferraro, a U.S. representative from New York — and the first woman nominated by a major party for VP. Hillary Clinton remembered that moment Monday night in a speech at this year’s DNC.

Clinton drew a line from former U.S. representative Shirley Chisholm’s 1972 run for president to Ferraro‘s bid for VP to her own historic race in 2016 against former President Donald Trump. And she expressed hope that Vice President Kamala Harris can become the first woman president.

In Minnesota, a Harris win would also mean Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan would become the first Native American woman governor in the U.S. — and the first woman governor of Minnesota, period.

Every lieutenant governor since 1983 has been a woman, across Republican, Democrat, and Independent administrations, but none have held the top job. Ember Reichgott Junge has spent her life involved in Minnesota politics.

And she was also at the 1984 DNC as a young, Democratic state senator and a delegate for Minnesota. She joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to reflect on her time then — and the DNC now.

There’s a young girl from Minneapolis who remains in critical condition Tuesday after being shot over the weekend along with three other children. The minors in question are between the ages of 11 and 13 and were shot while joyriding in a stolen car.

The case renews the question about what to do when kids that young are committing serious crimes. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office wants police to refer cases to their office, and says that when there isn’t enough evidence to charge, the child could instead be referred to their Youth Auto Theft Early Intervention Initiative. But Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara says he wants to see those kids arrested and charged.

The specifics of this case are unclear, due to privacy laws for children in the juvenile system. But it has renewed an argument between agencies about the best approach to stopping kids from committing serious crimes.

To explain, two people from the organization Restorative Justice Community Action, which provides services to youth who have committed crimes in Hennepin and Ramsey counties, joined Minnesota Now. Cynthia Prosek is their executive director and Kara Beckman is University of Minnesota Researcher who works with the organization.

One of the former Minneapolis Police Officers convicted in George Floyd’s killing walked out of prison early Tuesday morning. We have the details on his case and what comes next.

A new case has renewed the question: when are kids too young to commit a crime? Experts joined the show to discuss.

School starts again in just two weeks, and students in six school districts will be in class only four days a week instead of five. MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke to administrators from the latest school district to make that switch in Northeastern Minnesota.

A Minnesota politician joined the show to reflect on how many women are looking at the historic nature of the 2024 presidential race.

In less than two weeks, students across Minnesota will start their 2024-25 school year. That includes students at Carlton Public Schools. But those students will spend less days in the classroom than most: this year the district is implementing a four-day school week.

Carlton is a district five miles south of Cloquet with about 500 students. They are one of the six school districts in the entire state with a four-day school week, and the only district making that move this school year.

Carlton schools superintendent Donita Stepan and a math teacher in the district, Ina Kennedy joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about why they made the choice to have no school on Fridays.

This story begins with a small ocean fish called a starry goby. And it ends — at least in theory — on the moon.

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke to two professors from the University of Minnesota working with the Smithsonian on a proposal to deep freeze and store animal cells at about -380 degrees Fahrenheit. They argue that craters of the moon are an ideal place to preserve cells in this way because they are that cold – no electricity needed.

The study, which was recently published in the journal Bioscience, used skin cells from starry goby as an example. And it looked at this idea not just from an engineering perspective, but also a governmental one.

The two researchers that joined the show are health law professor Susan Wolf and engineering professor John Bischof to explain why they’re tackling this complicated project.

One of the former Minneapolis police officers convicted in the 2020 killing of George Floyd walked out of a Colorado prison early Tuesday.

Thomas Lane, who received the shortest sentence of the four ex-officers involved in Floyd’s death, is the first to leave custody. Matt Sepic joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer with the details.

The Democratic National Convention is underway. It's an official pep rally for the Democratic ticket of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota's Tim Walz.

The Minnesota delegation is getting some special attention, what with Walz at the top of the ticket and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan also playing a big role during the convention.

The delegation met this morning in the windy city and reporter Mark Zdechlik was there. He spoke with MPR News host Cathy Wurzer.

The Democratic National Convention begins Monday in Chicago, one month after the Republican Party held their own convention in Milwaukee. Since then, there’s a new Democratic ticket. MPR News’ correspondent Mark Zdechlik has the latest from the DNC.

And we find out what two young, liberal voters from our “State of Democra-Z” panel think of the campaign by Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz so far.

Minnesota has lost a legend in politics. We remember St. Paul’s longest-serving mayor, George Latimer, and his indelible mark on the Twin Cities — with someone who knew him well, former Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak.

Plus, we meet a Paralympian from Park Rapids who is going for gold in Paris next week.

If you’re already missing the Olympic action, you’re in luck. The Paralympics start in just 8 days. There are several Minnesotans that will be competing on the world’s biggest sports stage, including Aaron Pike.

The Park Rapids native has quite the resume. This will be Aaron’s seventh Paralympic games. He’s qualified for every summer and winter games since 2012.

This time around he’ll be going for gold in track and marathon. Aaron joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer as he gets ready for Paris.