Minnesota Now

Up to 15,000 children in Minnesota have a parent or close relative who is incarcerated. That’s more than 1 in 6 Minnesotan children with a currently or previously incarcerated parent. Having an incarcerated parent is considered an Adverse Childhood Experience, which can change brain development and how the body responds to stress.

Nakisha Armstrong from Hopkins is familiar with that common experience. She hasn’t spent a holiday with her dad for over 30 years. He is incarcerated in Faribault. To top it off, the father of Nakisha’s two teenage sons has been incarcerated for the past 15 years. Nakisha keeps in touch with her father and the father of her children but there are major barriers to those relationships.

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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. 

Did you know scientists use linx scat to track their population size? Or that there are two different shapes of snowflakes on planet Mars? Or that a very special species of frog turns transparent went it sleeps? Sometimes you just need to ask a science teacher to find out more.

Jill Jensen is the president of the Minnesota Science Teacher’s Association, and a 7th grade life science teacher at Scott Highlands Middle School in Apple Valley. She joined host Cathy Wurzer to talk about the latest news in science.

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. 

The Minnesota Legislature is assembled in St. Paul for the new session, and they are busy. We'll hear the latest on moves to ensure the right to an abortion and to legalize recreational marijuana.

And did you know there's a little community of folks who live on houseboats in the Mississippi River near Winona? We'll find out what life is like in that neck of the woods — or water, as the case may be.

You may have been missing some of the top stories from college campuses around the state. Never fear: We've got two college reporters running them down for us.

And we've got all the latest sports news with our Minnesota experts, Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson.

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.  

It's time for sports! Let's get into it with our sports experts Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson.

Wally is the founder of Minnesota Score magazine and the cohost of the “10,000 Takes” sports talk show. Eric is the other host of “10,000 Takes” and is also the Minnesota Vikings reporter for CBS Sports Radio’s "Eye on Football."

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. 

We love a good laugh here on Minnesota Now. After last year, we made a resolution on the show to laugh more.

Well, for a special treat today, we've got a little comedy bit from Twin Cities-based actress and comedian Brittany Parker. Parker is the driving force behind the Twin Cities comedy sketch troupe Locally Grown Comedy.

We love talking with young journalists on Minnesota college campuses. They are doing great work covering their college communities.

Today, Cathy Wurzer talks with Maya Marshall Hoff and Isabelle Hopewell. Maya is the administrative reporter for the Minnesota Daily at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. And Isabelle Hopewell is managing editor of the Bark at the University of Minnesota – Duluth.

There are communities of devoted boaters all across Minnesota. But this next story takes our attachment to boats and water in a unique direction.

Since 2013, Gina Favano has been living in a boathouse on a narrow island off the shores of Winona on the Mississippi River. She’s not alone.

There are over a hundred “boathousers” there who make up a community that stretches back to the 1970s. And Gina has started a podcast about the boathouses, the community and its history. It’s called Back Channel Radio.

The House just wrapped up its first hearing on a bill to codify abortion rights into Minnesota law. Representative Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn is the bill's sponsor and she's on the line.

One of our top stories of the day - a bill to legalize recreational marijuana was introduced at the state capitol today.

Supporters of the bill to legalize marijuana use by Minnesotans 21 and older say they hope it will become law soon after the Legislature passes it.

Our reporter Brian Bakst talked to some the bill authors and other supporters this morning. He joined host Cathy Wurzer to talk about it.

A new documentary series is putting a national spotlight on a Minneapolis football team. The series “Boys in Blue,” premiers on Friday, Jan. 6 on Showtime. The series follows the North High School football team during the 2021 season. Charles Adams III is coach of the Polars and he’s featured prominently in the documentary. MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with him about the team.

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.