In 1863, the Civil War was raging in the United States and Minnesota had just passed laws exiling Dakota and Ho-Chunk people from their homelands. And it was during this tumultuous time that the first deaf students moved into a rented store building in Faribault to attend a new residential school.

By the time what’s now called the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf opened its doors, more than 20 similar institutions had opened in other states around the country.

The school now has a campus located about a mile from the state academy for blind students. And deaf education has changed quite a bit in the last 160 years.

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer talked with Director Jody Olson and school psychologist Heather Breitbach about the history of the school, and how its mission has shifted. Nettie Peters interpreted the conversation.

Metro Transit workers have voted to approve a strike. Union members authorized a strike during their last round of contract negotiations in 2020, but never stopped work. Is anything different this time around? We talk with the union’s president.

Leaders in Shakopee, Minn., backed off an attempt to block an affordable housing project under public pressure. We talk with the reporter who broke the story.

The Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf is 160 years old this month. We talk with two leaders from the school about how its mission has changed since the school was founded.

And you’ve heard about the Manhattan Project, but what if there was an Alaska Project? We learn the story behind a new sci-fi novel by Northfield, Minn., author Benjamin Percy.

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A proposed affordable housing development in the southwestern suburb of Shakopee will move forward, after all — even though, behind closed doors, city officials reportedly planned to kill the project. 

Sahan Journal reporter Katelyn Vue broke the story, and she’s been following the dramatic fight over the proposed property in Shakopee.

Author Benjamin Percy will launch his new novel, "The Sky Vault,” Tuesday night at the Grand Event Center in Northfield. It's going to be a big month for him because he's also releasing a new series in his other life as a writer of the Wolverine comic book.

"The Sky Vault" is the third book in Percy's Comet Cycle series.

If things go well, there could be many more books to come. He talked with MPR News’ Euan Kerr.

Metro Transit employees have voted to authorize a strike.

The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1005 represents about 2,000 employees, including bus drivers, the people who maintain the light rail tracks, the call center and more.

The vote was overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing a strike, with 94% voting yes — though it doesn't mean a strike will happen. For more, MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Ryan Timlin, president of the union representing Metro Transit workers.

One of Minnesota’s biggest animal rescues is starting a new chapter. For 14 years you’ve known it as “Secondhand Hounds.” But now the animal rescue that has helped save more than 26,000 dogs and cats has a new name as it grows as an organization. The announcement came Friday night at their annual fundraising gala Bone Appetit.

CEO and Founder of what is now known as “The Bond Between” Rachel Mairose joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer.

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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.

Award-winning Minneapolis chef Yia Vang announced plans to open a new restaurant in northeast Minneapolis.

Vinai will open next spring in the Northeast Bank Building, on Second Street Northeast in the Sheridan neighborhood. That’s the space Dangerous Man Brewing announced it would soon vacate. It’s a hot corner — Young Joni and Oro are also in the neighborhood.

Yia Vang joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about his next venture.

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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.

Later this month, community members in Bemidji are planning to gather to search for Nevaeh Kingbird, who went missing nearly two years ago at the age of 15. Hers is one of many cases where Indigenous women and girls have disappeared in Minnesota.

Between 27 and 54 were missing in any given month from 2012 through 2020. That’s according to data from the state Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office. The stories of those who went missing weigh heavily on friends, loved ones and others who worry about their own safety.

The Minneapolis organization MIGIZI is bringing together Native American youth to process their connection to this issue through writing. The first round of the program wrapped up in March and the second is scheduled to begin this month. 

MIGIZI’s Lead Media Instructor, Binesikwe Means and a participant in the MIGIZI Speaks program, Kija Dear joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer.  

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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.

Minneapolis may soon have a new community safety commissioner. Mayor Jacob Frey named his choice for the position as Hennepin County Chief Judge Todd Barnette.

Barnette has been tapped to oversee not only the police department, but fire and community safety as well. The city has been looking to fill the position since mid-July, when Cedric Alexander gave the city his notice that he would retire on Sept. 1. Now just 10 days later, there’s a new appointment to the position.

MPR News reporters Matt Sepic and Nina Moini joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about the nomination.

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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.

Minneapolis has a new nominee for community safety commissioner. We learn more about Mayor Jacob Frey’s pick announced Monday morning.

Chef Yia Vang shares his plans for a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis.

It has been 22 years since the Sept. 11 attacks. We look back on how Minnesotans commemorated the first anniversary of 9/11.

After 14 years, a Minnesota animal rescue nonprofit has a new name. We talk with the CEO of the organization formerly known as Secondhand Hounds.