Minnesota Now

The up-and-coming Minneapolis-based band, Dilly Dally Alley, gets much deeper than their playful name might suggest. They just released their first ever album, called “Make You Whole.” The band is led by Sophia Spiegel who joined MPR News host to share her music and talk about the band.

Their debut album, Make You Whole, is out now. You can catch their album release show at the Turf Club in St. Paul on Wednesday at 7 p.m. You can also find their music and other upcoming performances at dillydallyalleyband.com.

If you want to learn about Minnesota history, look no further than the rocks beneath your feet. Every month on Minnesota Now we get some insight in that area from Jim Cotter, professor of Geology at the University of Minnesota – Morris.

Today, we focus on St. Cloud granite — which is both a spectacular resource and a really interesting geologic feature, which formed 1.77 billion years ago by igneous intrusion. At that time, Minnesota was at the southern edge of what was a much smaller North America.

MPR News guest host Emily Bright spoke with Cotter about it.

A public safety bill is headed to Governor Tim Walz’s desk, and it includes efforts to improve the juvenile justice system. The bill will create a new state office. Listen for more.

A trash incinerator in downtown Minneapolis keeps the lights on in the North Loop area. But under a new renewable energy law, it's no longer considered "clean energy," putting its future in the air.

With the warmer weather, allergies are out in full force. A doctor tells us the science behind allergies and how we can feel better.

A public safety bill heads to Governor Tim Walz’s desk after lawmakers in the Minnesota House of Representatives passed it just after midnight. The governor tweeted this morning that he planned to sign the bill into law. Legal Rights Center Executive Director Malaika Eban joined MPR News guest host Emily Bright to talk about efforts to improve the state’s juvenile justice system — among them, a new state office to promote restorative justice programs for young people.

You can thank trash for keeping the lights on in Minneapolis' north loop. An incinerator there called the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center, known colloquially as the HERC, has been burning trash to create steam since the late 1980s. But under a new Minnesota law, the HERC is no longer considered renewable energy, putting its future in flux. MPR News guest host Emily Bright spoke with Sahan Journal’s environmental reporter, Andrew Hazzard, who has been following the story.

Have you ever stepped into a park, the woods, or maybe even your own backyard and discovered funky looking fungi sprouting from the ground? This time of year, certain Minnesotans love hunting, identifying, and even eating those mushrooms. Mushroom foraging certainly isn’t new, but it has seen a sharp increase in popularity over the past few years. Ariel Bonkoski is an avid mushroom enthusiast and leads the Duluth Mycology Society. She joined MPR News Cathy Wurzer to talk about her fascination with wild mushrooms.

Whatever sound you are into, there is a Minnesota musician for you.

Diane Miller is our guide through the variety of music that is popping across the state. She hosts The Local Show on MPR News’ sister station, The Current.

Miller joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to highlight five artists with new songs or upcoming shows.

The Minnesota House is voting Monday on a public safety bill. It includes allowing law enforcement to take guns from people believed to be a risk to themselves or others. How effective are these so called red flag law? MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with an expert.

The City of Brooklyn Park is trying a new approach to mental health crises that result in a 9-1-1 call. They are sending paramedics and social workers to respond. Listen for what they’ve learned so far.

Minnesota is a mushroom hunter's paradise. A forager will told MPR News host Cathy Wurzer about her passion for wild mushrooms and how to get started as a newbie.

Diane Miller from the Current has five local artists you don't want to miss.

Since December, a pilot program in Brooklyn Park has sent social workers and paramedics out on some 911 calls. MPR News Host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Leah Kaiser, Human Services Director at Hennepin County Behavioral Health and Brooklyn Park Chief of Police Mark Bruley about how the effort is going how they may look to expand it in the future.

At the Minnesota Capitol on Monday, the Minnesota House votes on a huge public safety bill. The bill funds many programs and includes new policies that affect gun ownership. On Wednesday a conference committee added language to that bill that would expand background checks for gun transactions between private parties. It also added a provision that some call a red flag bill to allow law enforcement to temporarily take guns from persons believed to be a risk to themselves or to others. The state senate approved a similar bill Friday night.

‘Red flag’ laws have popped up all over the United States as a response to increased gun violence. Jennifer Paruk researches Extreme Risk Protection Orders at the University of Michigan. She's joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to explain how effective red flag laws really are.