Minnesota Now

Taiko drumming has been part of Japanese culture for thousands of years. And for nearly that long, only men have played the drums.

Minnesota filmmakers Dawn Mikkelson and Keri Pickett have collaborated on a new documentary that follows a group of women taiko drummers in their effort to claim their place in the art form—and on the stage.

‘Finding Her Beat’ is getting its Minneapolis premiere this Friday at the Sound Unseen Music & Film Festival in Minneapolis.

Tim Walz, has been elected to his second term as governor of Minnesota. We hear his address to the state and get analysis from MPR Political Editor Mike Mulcahy and MN Now host Cathy Wurzer.

As the unrest in Ukraine nears the nine-month mark, Minnesotans continue to work to help refugees find places to live. MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke to Sharon Norlander, a Minnesotan who is sponsoring a Ukrainian refugee family. She also spoke to Andezu Orionzi, who works for Alight, a Minneapolis nonprofit.

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. 

There’s a new business for Minnesota meat lovers, the aptly named The Meatery MN. The Mankato-based start-up connects consumers to high quality meat products from small businesses across the state and it was created in part thanks to a state innovation grant that focused on entrepreneurs of color, veterans and women.

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with the president of The Meatery MN, Colette Drager.

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. 

MPR News reporter Tim Nelson joined Cathy Wurzer to recap his time speaking with voters outside the Kaposia Education Center, an elementary school in South St. Paul, Minn.

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. 

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer kicked off election coverage with reporter Tim Nelson, who talked to voters outside the Kaposia Education Center in South St. Paul.

There’s a new business for Minnesota meat lovers, the aptly named The Meatery MN. The Mankato-based start-up connects consumers to meat products from small businesses around the state.

As the unrest in Ukraine nears the nine-month mark, Minnesotans continue to work to help refugees find places to live abroad. 

Music journalist Andrea Swensson remembers Mimi Parker, co-founder of Low, a Duluth rock band.

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. 

Mimi Parker, co-founder of Low, died on Saturday. Music journalist Andrea Swensson, who covered the Duluth-based indie rock band during her time at The Current, joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to reflect on Parker’s career and life.

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. 

Election day is Tuesday. MPR News is reporting on one group’s attempts to influence the behavior of election judges and persuade them to commit possibly unlawful acts. We'll hear from reporters working on the story.

And crime is a top issue... but can we lower crime by addressing childhood trauma? One expert weighs in.

And we'll remember a Minnesotan who made history in Antarctica. His is quite a story.

In his life, George W. Gibbs, Jr., had been a Rochester, Minn. resident, World War II vet, civil rights activist, IBM company employee and small business owner.

But one of his most exciting adventures was being shipmate and fellow explorer on Admiral Richard Byrd’s third expedition to Antarctica—a role that would make him the first person of African descent to step foot on the continent. He kept diaries—and those diaries are fodder for a new book by his daughter.

Policing and crime are hot issues for most politicians running for office this fall. That conversation is mostly about how we treat people after they have committed a crime.

But what if to address people who commit crime, we look back to before the crime ever occurred? Way back — to childhood.

Dave Ellis spoke to host Cathy Wurzer.