Minnesota Now

Poet Florence Chard Dacey has a deep relationship to the town of Cottonwood and the surrounding area of southwestern Minnesota, where she lived for more than 40 years. Dacey, who is now based in Northfield, has had a long and interesting career. She spent decades teaching writing workshops around Minnesota and worked with the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre in Minneapolis. Dacey joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about her fifth poetry collection, The Mercy of Stone, which spans 50 years of her life and writing. She also read poems from the book, which came out in 2023.

The new year means a bundle of new laws go into effect in Minnesota.

One of the new laws that will probably affect the most people is called Earned Safe and Sick Time. It requires employers in Minnesota to provide employees one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. It's capped at 48 hours each year. That means after six weeks, a worker could be eligible for an eight hour day off.

We're going to look at the employer and employee impact. MPR News host spoke with Patricio Cambias, a lead organizer for CTUL, a workplace advocacy organization in Minnesota along with David Benowitz, the President of Craft and Crew Hospitality, which operates six bars and restaurants in the Twin Cities.

One of the most reliable sources of COVID-19 tracking in Minnesota is coming to an end. David Montgomery started his thorough tracking of COVID-19 numbers as a data reporter at MPR. He has since left the MPR newsroom, but he kept up his COVID-19 tracking for more than three years. That tracking has come to an end with the new year. David is now a senior data journalist for You Gov America, and joined Minnesota Now to reflect on his COVID-19 project.

It's a new year and as some of Minnesota's new laws take effect, the state's political leaders are gearing up for the next round of lawmaking. We'll find out what priorities Governor Walz is bringing to 2024 and the legislative session that starts in February.

One of the new laws requires employers to offer up to 48 hours of paid sick and safe time each year. We'll talk to an advocate for workers in Minneapolis and a local business owner about the impact of the law.

We'll talk with a data journalist who meticulously tracked COVID-19 numbers in Minnesota, until Monday. We'll look back on the effort and find out why he decided to end it.

From legalizing marijuana to protecting abortion access, DFLers passed loads of new laws last year. Lawmakers now have a month to get their agenda together for the 2024 session. Gov. Tim Walz joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about what's in store for Minnesota in 2024.

Walz told MPR News that after adopting dozens of policy and budget changes in 2023, lawmakers will have a shorter list of priorities in the next legislative session.

A public construction projects bill will be the main focus of the 2024 legislative session, Walz said.

"I'm really focused on a bonding bill. This was not a budget year, it's a supplemental year, we're making a lot of progress on that backlog of projects,” he said. “Whether it's water treatment plants or highways and bridges… keep working on that. And then I think just ‘steady as she goes,’ the economy's good in Minnesota, we're continuing to grow."

State agencies and local governments have requested billions of dollars for construction projects. Lawmakers will put together a list of projects that get state funding when they return to St. Paul next month.

Walz said one of the first changes to come forward from his administration this year will be a tweak to the state's law limiting use of force in schools. Police agencies in several districts pulled school resource officers last year because of the law.

“We've still got a few schools that are, you know, I think have legitimate concerns from their perspective legally. But we want to make sure we're giving them the tools they need to keep our kids safe,” Walz said.

Last year, lawmakers adopted the change that prevents school staff from restraining students in a way that limits their ability to breathe unless it's in an effort to prevent bodily harm or death.

For our last show of the year we want to bring you some of our favorite stories, and some of the top stories of 2023.

Minnesota Now always brings you the latest headlines and thoughtful conversation with Minnesotans across the state. Each member of the Minnesota Now team picked a top headline or favorite story.

One of the top stories of 2023 was the cancellation of the Twin Cities Marathon. It was Oct. 1, we had record breaking heat. It’s only the second time it’s ever been canceled in it’s four decades.

The decision was a talker, whether or not you were a runner. Covering it on the show is an example of what we do on Minnesota Now, it was a story across many angles: community, fitness and global warming.

Another top headline of 2023 was undoubtably the legalization of marijuana. From the first day of legalization on Aug. 1, and since then, the only place able to legally sell cannabis is tribal reservations.

We took a look back to the first days of legalization, where there was a rush of people at the White Earth Nation waiting to get their hands on weed.

An end-of-life bill that didn’t get a hearing in the 2023 legislative session will be re-introduced during the 2024 session.

It’s a bill that would allow people of sound mind, with a terminal illness, to choose the time of their death with a physician-prescribed dose of lethal medication.

In June, we had a conversation with an end-of-life doula. It was one of our most read stories online this year, and it was a thoughtful conversation about her mother’s death. Cheryl Hauser, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2019, decided to end her life, on her terms, before the worst of the disease took effect.

To do that, she planned to stop eating and drinking.

It’s a process known as V-SED, which stands for “voluntarily stopping eating and drinking.” Hauser died on June 2 at the age of 76 with her family and caregivers making sure she was comfortable and without pain or anxiety.

Union organizers on the national level have called summer of 2023 “Hot Labor Summer.” Hollywood writers went on strike, actors joined them in July. By fall, the United Auto Workers were on strike nationwide.

New unions formed this year too, and not just at private companies. In Minnesota, newly unionized workers include doctors with Allina Health, University of Minnesota graduate students, and climate advocated with MN350 — all are nonprofits.

FX’s hit show “Reservation Dogs” aired its final season in 2023. And the show has some Minnesota connections. Actor Dallas Goldtooth, and producers and writers Migizi Pensoneau and Bobby Wilson all work on the show.

They also all hail from Indigenous communities in Minnesota and happen to be best friends. We take you back to an insightful and comedic conversation on how the three of them are breaking barriers.

Today on Minnesota Now, it isn’t our usual program. Instead we’ll have an engaging and insightful conversation about living life fully.

Earlier this month MPR News Host Cathy Wurzer hosted a discussion at St. Catherine University called “Fully Alive Until the End — Five Practices for Life’s Journey,” with local author Catherine Duncan.

She is an Integrative Spiritual consultant, a hospice chaplain, ordained minister and has training in a range of healing modalities. Her book, “Everyday Awakening” offers tips and ideas that you can practice for yourself.

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

Subscribe to the Minnesota Now podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.   

Earlier this month MPR members were invited to St. Paul to hear from news leaders in a panel on the state of news in Minnesota.

MPR News Host Cathy Wurzer moderated a conversation with Senior Video President of American Public Media Group and President of MPR Duchesne Drew, Founding Publisher and CEO of Sahan Journal Mukhtar Ibrahim, Publisher and CEO of the Star Tribune Steve Grove and Publisher and CEO of the Minnesota Spokesman-Record Tracey Williams-Dillard.

In this special edition of Minnesota Now, you’ll hear the panel discussion on how each of these organizations and news mediums differ in the way they approach their work, and how they collaborate and work together.

You’ll gain insight on how these news organizations are adapting to new infrastructure and technology, how they build trust with their audiences, and how their newsrooms are gearing up for the 2024 election.

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

Subscribe to the Minnesota Now podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.   

Teachers in Minnesota's three largest school districts are taking their contracts to mediation. We break down the process with an expert.

And we talk with the owner of a resort on Red Lake about how this warm start to winter is affecting business.

Beloved Minnesota author Kelly Barnhill is opening up about her struggle to recover from a brain injury. We hear from her.

Janet Jackson is in control. The story of how the pop star came to Minneapolis to transform her career.

And we get an update on Minnesota sports.

The Timberwolves have dominated this season, but they'll face some tough competition tonight when they play the Los Angeles Lakers at the Target Center. And the Vikings face an important game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.

For more on what to expect, MPR News host Cathy Wurzer talked with Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson. Wally is the founder of Minnesota Score Sports Magazine and co-host of the sports talk show 10,000 Takes. Eric is the other host of that show and Vikings reporter for CBS Sports radio's Eye on the NFL.