Minnesota Now

A library funded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 for $10,000 still stands in the town of Little Falls, Minnesota. Mike Worcester, executive director of the Morrison County Historical Society, tells the story of this library and it’s role in building the community of Little Falls.

Some state political candidates are campaigning on promises to curb inflation. Akshay Rao, a professor of Marketing at the University of Minnesota, breaks down the cause of inflation right now and what a candidate can and can't do about it.

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter just announced Axel Henry is his choice to be the city's next chief of police. We'll get the details about him.

And getting good healthcare in rural Minnesota can be challenging. MPR host Kerri Miller leads a town hall on the issue.

Inflation, Inflation. It's on the minds of Minnesotans heading into election day next week - so what can state lawmakers really do to lower prices? We'll find out.

And Little Falls, Minnesota - population 9,061 - is the home of a pretty special little library. We'll get the story in this week's installment of Minnestoa Now and Then.

On Minnesota Now, we love to talk to creatives around the state to get insight into their art and their lives.

Cathy Wurzer interviewed Dale Lewis, an award-winning sculpture artist based in Hastings, Minnesota.

His works are on display across the state and the Midwest. His most recent exhibition has 14 life-size statues on display at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Sioux City, Iowa.

When Johnny Palka’s wife, Yuvon, was hit by a car and killed in November 2019, he had a choice: Pursue traditional criminal prosecution for the driver, or something else.

The path he chose is commonly known as restorative justice, rooted in practices from indigenous cultures around the world.

Public safety is a big issue in this year’s election. And restorative justice, while not new, is gaining support from both democratic and republican candidates in this year’s election.

Host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Palka, Natasha Lapscinsky, founder and director of Dialogue Up, and a young woman we are calling “D,” who was the driver in the crash.

We are not mentioning her name because of legitimate fear of being targeted.

Kyle Goldschmidt. associate professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management at the University of St. Thomas. speaks with guest host Melissa Townsend about the impact of a potential railroad workers strike on Minnesota.

We hear how a possible November railroad worker strike would impact Minnesotans. Restorative justice is an alternative to prosecution and incarceration that’s got some bipartisan support. We'll talk with two people who went through the process together. A new alter at the state capitol is a place to acknowledge Dia de los Muertos; and Hastings based sculptor Dale Lewis talks about his latest work.

The DFL and Republican candidates for Minnesota governor met for their third and final debate Friday on MPR News. DFL Gov. Tim Walz and his Republican challenger, Dr. Scott Jensen, sparred over crime, the economy, education and more. MPR News politics editor Mike Mulcahy moderated the debate.

Minneapolis Police Chief nominee, Brian O’Hara, is here live to answer questions about his past and his plans; we'll take a look at a few different competitive political races in the state. Work at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks could pave the way for astronauts with physical disabilities and all the latest pro sports news with Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson. Cathy Wurzer hosts.

The hockey season is kicking off as the baseball season is winding down and some Minnesota football fans are feeling cautiously optimistic. Sports reporters Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson talk with Cathy Wurzer about the latest pro sports news.