Minnesota Now

It was a historic weekend for cross country skiing here in Minnesota. Hometown hero and Olympic gold medalist Jessie Diggins joined us for a post-race debrief.

We hear the full story of how Minnesota’s Law Enforcement Memorial Association is supporting the families of two Burnsville police officers and a firefighter-paramedic killed in the line of duty over the weekend.

Macalester College's president is speaking out about softening expectation of leaders like her to speak out on current events.

A bill that would ban local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities looks like it will not pass at the capitol. We'll look at Democrat's harder stance on immigration.

Plus, hometown Nordic skiing hero Jessie Diggins is here! She'll talk about the historic world cup race held in Minneapolis over the weekend.

Early Sunday morning, two Burnsville police officers and a firefighter-paramedic were killed in the line of duty. They were responding to a call for help about a man armed and barricaded in a home with seven children inside.

Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge and firefighter-paramedic Adam Finseth are being remembered as heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice when the man opened fire.

Now their families, the city of Burnsville, and the first responder community begin the process of grieving and healing. Last night, hundreds gathered at a vigil for the three men.

One of the first to support the families of the fallen is the Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial Association, or LEMA. This morning, LEMA officials met with the families of Elmstrand, Ruge, and Finseth to offer their support and begin the work to honor the first responders when they are laid to rest.

Board Member of LEMA and the Olmstead County Sheriff, Kevin Torgerson, joined us on the show.

Minnesota is a week into the legislative session, but before it even started, some DFL lawmakers were calling to make Minnesota the 13th state with a sanctuary law, dubbed the North Star Act. The law would ban state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities.

The DFL may have a trifecta, but they have just one more seat than Republicans in the state Senate, and it’s looking like this bill does not have the support to pass.

Multiple DFL lawmakers have said publicly they won't vote for the act, and legislative leaders are not prioritizing it this session. This comes as some Democrats at the national level are taking a harder stance on immigration leading up to the 2024 election.

DFL Senator Grant Hauschild represents the Arrowhead region and joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about why he’s not supporting the North Star Act.

When a global event shakes our world, who has the responsibility to speak up or respond?

Since the murder of George Floyd, companies, organizations and schools have spoken out, or been pressured by the public to do so. With the war in Gaza, there is renewed pressure and scrutiny, specifically in higher education. The presidents of Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania resigned after speaking out about free speech on campus and the war.

In a recent article in Inside Higher Ed, Macalester College President Suzanne Rivera said it’s time that expectations for university leaders change. Rivera joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about why making statements on world events shouldn’t be in the job description.

Thursday at Minnesota’s biggest school district, Anoka-Hennepin Public Schools, teachers are voting to approve their contract after contentious negotiations.

And at Minnesota’s second biggest school district, St. Paul, teachers are casting their vote on whether they want to authorize a strike. Education Minnesota, which is made up of 472 unions statewide says nearly 40 percent of the state’s districts have yet to reach teacher contracts, which officials say this is the slowest pace of contract negotiations and settlement in 20 years.

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  Latest: St. Paul teachers set for Thursday strike vote
  
  

Teachers across the state have held rallies but we wanted to hear from the other side of the negotiating table. Joining me now is Kirk Schneidawind, the executive director of the Minnesota School Board Association.

It seems like winter is keeping us on our toes this year. After an unusually warm and wet January, those of us in the central and southern part of the state woke up to as much as seven inches of fresh snow this morning. It's the biggest accumulation of the winter so far. And for many of us, the snow is a welcome sight, especially for organizers of the Cross Country World Cup, happening this weekend at Theodore Wirth Park. The course had been filled with artificial snow, but now it will have the real stuff.

MPR Meteorologist Sven Sundgaard joined MPR News Host Cathy Wurzer to talk about snow total and how long the snow will stick around, along with Claire Wilson, the executive director of the Loppet Foundation.

If you’ve ever been with a person living with dementia, especially in the later stages of the disease, one of the most amazing things to note is that one of the thing the disease doesn’t take away is the enjoyment of music.

There are choral groups specifically designed for folks with living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias and their caregivers. There are several in Minnesota, including what may be the newest one, The Hmong Folk Choir. It’s organized by the non-profit CAPI USA in Brooklyn Center. Hmong Cultural Specialist Nancy Lor launched the choir back in December and their first concert is Friday. She joined MPR News Host Cathy Wurzer.

If Lily Gladstone wins an Oscar for her portrayal of Mollie Burkhart in the film Killers of the Flower Moon, which depicts the systematic murder of Osage people for their oil wealth in the 1920's in Oklahoma, she’ll be the first Native American actor to take home the statue.

It's a Valentine's miracle! Many Minnesotans woke up to almost seven inches of fresh snow this morning. We'll get statewide reactions. Plus, we'll hear how plans for the Cross Country Ski World Cup are shaping up for this weekend - they are pretty happy about that snow.

Teachers across the state are deep in contract negotiations. We'll hear from the other side of the negotiating table.

Plus we'll listen to music from the Hmong Folk Choir. They are focusing better health outcomes for singers with dementia.