Minnesota Now

School is out for summer, but for Minneapolis Public Schools leaders the hard work is just beginning.

MPS Board Chair Collin Beachy told MPR News Wednesday that they’ll take advantage of empty campuses this summer to inventory space and start a lengthy process that may end with some schools closing. It’s expected to last through fall 2026. All schools will remain open until then but with fewer staff and larger class sizes for some. 

This Pride month, a new photography business is launching specifically for LGBTQ+ clients. It’s called “Queer Family Portraits” and aims to helps people in the LGBTQ+ community feel comfortable in front of the camera. Co-founders Eliesa Johnson and Mel Hesse joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about their work.

Election results are in for the North Dakota primary. Voters passed a ballot measure Tuesday that puts age limits on politicians from the state that hold federal office. Its passage adds a constitutional amendment that bars North Dakotans from being elected or appointed to Congress if they would reach their 81st birthday before the end of their term.

For more on what we can learn from our neighbors in North Dakota, MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Jared Hendrix, who led the charge to get this issue on the ballot with the group Retire Congress North Dakota.

Western Minnesota woke up to hail the size of golf balls and severe weather is expected to continue around the state today. The National Weather Service is even recommending campers in the Boundary Waters shelter under tied-down canoes. MPR’s chief meteorologist Paul Huttner joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer with details on the forecast.

This week will be the last days of school for many Minnesota students and teachers. One conversation that has dominated education this school year is teacher contracts. Every public school district in Minnesota has the same 2-year contract cycle, meaning they all went to the bargaining table for their 2023-2025 contract.

A new survey of Minnesota voters found president Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump are nearly tied at this point in the campaigns. We dug into the poll with an analyst and heard from Minnesotans who are planning to vote red, blue or not at all.

It’s the end of a school year, and hundreds of districts and local unions have new teacher contracts. We learned where they landed.

It’s safe to say climate change and insurance are not a good mix. We spoke with an expert about the impact on insurers and homeowners.

And after years of inflation, a few companies have announced they’ll lower prices for some basic goods. Are they just being nice? We found out.

Our Minnesota Music Minute today was “The Moment” by The Jest, and our Song of the Day was “Out of My Head” by Eleanor Sievers.

Dedicated Target shoppers may have noticed lower price tags for some foods and household items recently. The company announced last month that it had cut prices for 1,500 items and it would do so for about 3,500 more throughout the summer.

The reason? The Minnesota-based company says it aims to help consumers save money.

It’s not the only company to make this kind of announcement recently — Walgreens is another.

Professor Akshay Rao of the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management joined MPR News guest host Chris Farrell to help us read between the lines.

A new MPR News, Star Tribune, KARE-11 Minnesota Poll has President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump running neck-in-neck in the state.

Most people surveyed disapprove of Biden’s job performance and Trump’s standing as well. But many have already made up their minds on the election.

MPR News reporter Mark Zdechlik broke down the poll results. Craig Helmstetter from APM Research Labs was part of the team that analyzed the results. Helmstetter joined MPR News guest host Chris Farrell to break down the polling process.

Minnesota is in the middle of severe weather season. We’ve already seen hail, wind and damaging storms, and with climate change, these storms are happening more often. With that comes a worrying trend: It’s becoming more difficult — and expensive — to get home insurance.

A recent New York Times investigation found severe weather is hurting the home insurance market here in Minnesota and surrounding states.

Reporters found Minnesota was the only state to see losses in the industry in six of the last seven years. Struggling insurers lead to higher premiums, which means fewer people can afford to own a home.

Aaron Cocking is the president and CEO of the Insurance Federation of Minnesota. He joined MPR News guest host Chris Farrell to help explain the situation.

Minnesota has its first confirmed case of avian flu in a dairy cow. A state veterinarian shared what farmers and consumers need to know. The entire state is officially out of a drought. We found out how we got here and what it could mean for the rest of the summer.

We met the organizers of Trans Joy Fest this weekend in Duluth. A nature center set to open near Two Harbors is meant to be a sanctuary for people of color. We talked to its founder about plans for the space and resistance the project has been facing from some local residents.

We checked in with our sports contributors for the latest news in Minnesota sports.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

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