Minnesota Now

It's tax day and the state legislature is considering a bill that could define what you pay next year. We'll hear just how much your taxes might change under the proposal.

Dozens of business owners say an event organized by the City of Minneapolis to celebrate Black entrepreneurship actually hurt them. We'll hear from them.

There's a lot of reasons to be stressed these days. We're looking at how stress affects the body and ways to manage it.

We'll chill with the children's band, The Okee Dokee Brothers. They'll talk about their musical inspirations and what they're working on.

Tuesday, April 18th is tax day – the last day to file your returns. It's the time of year when many of us have how much we pay in taxes top-of-mind. Right now, the state legislature is considering a tax bill that could define what you pay for next year. Representatives in the house taxes committee spent the morning hearing from representatives of tribal nations, local governments, and advocacy groups on a DFL tax plan.

The bill would send one-time payments to low- and middle-income earners and shield more retirees from paying taxes on their social security income. It also includes some property tax relief to offset rising prices. The bill also hikes taxes for some, by creating a so-called millionaire tax and requiring corporations to pay more for money they earn outside the country. All these points are central as lawmakers try to pass a budget in the next month.

MPR News politics reporter Brian Bakst joined guest host Emily Bright to explain further.

April is Stress Awareness Month. You'd probably be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't deal with stress, at least sometimes. Mayo Clinic Family Physician Dr. Jay Sheree Allen joined MPR News guest host Emily Bright with some tips on how to identify--and release--stress from our lives.

What do you think when you read the term ‘green stone’? Do you think emerald? Or jade? Jim Cotter, professor of Geology at the University of Minnesota Morris, is more likely to think Ely and the region’s greenstone belts.

Every month on Minnesota Now, Professor Cotter tells the story of our state through geology. This month, he spoke to Minnesota Now guest host Emily Bright about all things Ely Greenstone.

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.

A Pope County Sheriff's deputy was shot and killed over the weekend one week after a pair of officers were killed in Western Wisconsin. What the tragedies mean for officer mental health. MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke to a Twin Cities police chief about it.

It’s been more than three years since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic. That's an eternity for people dealing with long COVID symptoms. We'll hear from two Minnesota health professionals trying to help.

Believe it or not, now is a great time for birdwatching. Migratory birds have made their way back to Minnesota. We'll find out more from an experienced birder.

April is National Poetry Month and we're talking with poets around the state about their inspirations, past and present.

On Monday morning, there was a somber procession of law enforcement vehicles that escorted the body of Pope County sheriff’s deputy, Joshua Owen, from the Twin Cities, where an autopsy took place, to Glenwood Minn., the seat of Pope County. There’s a growing memorial of flowers and flags outside the Pope County Sheriff’s office in honor of Deputy Owen who was shot and killed while two other law enforcement officers were injured during a domestic dispute call on Saturday. Kelly McCarthy is chair of the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board and the Mendota Heights Police Chief. She MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about what this recent police killing means for officers and their mental health.

The U.S. national emergency to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic ended a last week as President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan congressional resolution to bring it to a close after three years. COVID-19, though, is still lurking, still making people sick and still killing many others.

After three years, there are many people still experiencing symptoms from an early infection. There’s still so much we don’t know about what is causing long COVID and how to treat it. Remember hearing how many people lost their sense of taste and smell? There are those who still haven’t recovered those vital sense. A growing number of providers around the country are using injections from the world of pain treatment to help long COVID patients regain taste and smell. Andy Johnson is in that group. He’s a certified registered nurse anesthetist at Olivia Hospital and has given what are called Stellate Ganglion Blocks to about two dozen long COVID patients.

Dr. Matthew Tyler is an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota medical school who specializes in nose and sinus issues, including the loss of smell.

Both Andy Johnson and Dr. Matthew Tyler joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about the use of Stellate Ganglion Blocks.

People working in medicine have to be experts on the inner workings of the human body. But treating a patient involves much more than learning the textbook--at it's best, medicine involves treating the whole person.

A group based at the University of Minnesota is teaming up with a popular podcast to bring the human side of health care to the stage. Seven health care professionals will share their stories at a live event in Minneapolis on April 22. Dr. Tseganesh Selameab is one of the organizers and an Associate Director of the Center for Art in Medicine at the University of Minnesota. She told her story in a recent episode of the podcast, The Nocturnists. She joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about medical storytelling.

April is National Poetry Month and Minnesota Now has been connecting with poets around the state about their inspiration, past and present. Sheila Packa lives in Duluth and is nominated for the Minnesota Book Award for her collection, “Surface Displacements.” She joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk all things poetry.

Despite the recent confusing weather hot and cold snaps, it is still spring. That means a big influx of migratory birds have made their way back to Minnesota and more are coming. With trees that haven’t leafed out yet, it’s a fantastic time to go birding! We wanted to catch up with Monica Bryand, who is passionate about getting people of color into birding. She leads the Urban Bird Collective based in the Twin Cities.