New U.S. Census data released this morning tells us about our state: population growth, poverty levels, income inequality, inflation, and immigration. We dive into the numbers and what we can learn from them.

Plus, more and more younger people are getting cancer. A Mayo Clinic doctor tells us what may be causing this scary trend.

Folks in parts of Minnesota are morning the passing of a beloved storyteller. We look back at the legacy of Nothando Zulu , who has died at the age of 78.

Ahead of the Jewish High Holidays this weekend, we have a special Song of the Day from Your Classical Host Mindy Ratner.

Plus, Wally and Eric are back with the latest in Minnesota sports.

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau found inflation wiped out income gains for Minnesotans. If you’ve being getting annual raises but are still feeling the pinch, these numbers may help explain why.

Axios reporter Nick Halter joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk through income findings in the latest annual survey of residents across the country.

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

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We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here.

Minnesota’s communities of color are growing. That’s the good news from U.S. Census data released Thursday morning. The bad news? Minnesotans of color still face more poverty and unemployment than white Minnesotans.

Sahan Journal reporter Joey Peters joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to break down new data from an annual survey of populations across the country.

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

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We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here.

More and more younger people are getting cancer. If that sentence pulls you up short, it should.

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows cancer in people younger than 50 has increased over the last ten years, especially among women ages 30 to 39.

The highest increases were in gastrointestinal, endocrine and breast cancers. Dr. Kathryn Ruddy, Medical Oncologist and Director of Cancer Survivorship at Mayo Clinic, joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about what may be causing the trend.

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

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We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here.

Folks in parts of Minnesota are mourning the loss of beloved storyteller Nothando Zulu, who died Monday at the age of 78. She will be remembered at the Annual Black Master Storytellers Festival, which she co-founded with her husband more than 30 years ago. The event is scheduled for Sept. 28th through 30th at the Capris Theater in North Minneapolis.

The Black Storytellers Alliance chapter president has been on MPR's airwaves many times over the years. In a 1995 interview, she said the role of a storyteller in community is “to tell the history to through story, to tell the the values, to keep the the mores and all of that going without having to preach.”

Zulu was an example, like when she told this story for Kwanzaa in 1992.

The Mississippi River is a critical source of drinking water and habitat, a transportation and migration corridor - you name it. Leaders from cities all along the river are meeting Wednesday to talk about its future and a potential multi-state compact.

When a parent or caretaker is in an accident, they're also worried about who will check on the loved ones in their care. We'll meet the teenager who helped pass a law that will offer some peace of mind.

Less than two weeks ago, sweltering heat. Wednesday morning, frost. Paul Huttner will take us through the latest twists and turns of Minnesota weather.

And Minnesota-raised writer Connie Wang has a new memoir about her relationship with her mother and their travels together.

Mother-daughter relationships can be messy. So it's probably fitting that in Chinese, the closest expression to the expletive “oh my god” translates in English to “oh my mother.”

That's the title of a new book by Minnesota-raised writer Connie Wang. It's a memoir, told through her relationship with her mother over the years. She'll be at Magers and Quinn bookstore in Minneapolis on Wednesday in conversation with Star Tribune columnist Laura Yuen.

Connie Wang joined MPR News guest host Emily Bright to talk about her memoir.

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We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here.

We just got into the swing of things with fall weather. But Wednesday morning Minnesota saw its first frost of the season.

MPR News Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner joined MPR News guest host Emily Bright with the details on the weather as it begins to feel like fall.

For the latest weather information, follow MPR News’ Updraft blog.

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We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here.

Getting in a car accident is terrifying. Especially if you end up injured. Hundreds of thoughts are running through your head. Is everyone okay? Will I be able to drive my car? Am I going to be out of work?

But for the Minnesotans who are primary caregivers for someone else, they’re not only worrying about themselves but also the person or people who rely on them for care.

Well, now some of those worries can be lifted off the shoulders of caretakers thanks to the work of a 14-year-old Corcoran girl. Makena Prevost helped create a law that passed this session. In the event of a crash, when law enforcement runs a caretaker’s license, officers will know that there is someone at home who is dependent on the caretaker.

It’s believed to be the first of its kind in the country. Prevost and Jody-Kay Peterson with DVS joined MPR News guest host Emily Bright.

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We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here.

Mayors from cities all along the Mississippi River's 10 states are meeting in Bemidji. It's the annual meeting of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative. And of course, a big focus is the 2,340 miles of flowing water that these cities share. But how it will be shared in the future is in the spotlight.

Mayors from cities along the river are expected to vote on whether to support what is being called the “Mississippi River Compact.” The agreement could set the stage for who gets to use the water from the Mississippi in the U.S. and how it’s used.

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  Related Dry states taking Mississippi River water isn’t a new idea. But some mayors want to kill it
  
  

State Senator John Hoffman (DFL-Champlin) and Alexandra Campbell-Ferrari, the executive director of the Center for Water Security and Cooperation and an adjunct professor of Water Law at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law and American University Washington College of Law join MPR News guest host Emily Bright.

Both shared a presentation on the “Mississippi River Compact” at the conference.

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.   

We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here.