Minnesota Now

This week a Minnesota Appeals Court ruled against a group of Twin Cities parents who say segregation based on race and class in Minnesota schools is violating the state’s constitutional obligation to educate all students adequately. Beth Hawkins, Senior Writer and National Correspondent with the online education newspaper “The 74” talks with guest host Tim Nelson about the case and what’s next.

Falls is high turtle crossing season! MaryLynn Pulscher from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board talks with guest host Tim Nelson about what’s going on with the turtles and why the park board is paying attention.

The forecast says it will be clear and 50 degrees on Sunday morning, October 1 and you could hardly ask for better weather for the 40th running of the Twin Cities 10 mile and the Twin Cities marathon this year. The marathon’s executive director Virginia Brophy Achman talks with guest host Tim Nelson about this year’s milestone race.

In 2021, Blake Proehl was the Minnesota Vikings’ most promising free agent. But a devastating knee injury pushd him to explore a new talent. He talks with guest host Tim Nelson about his unexpected turn.

Chicago has The Second City. New York has Saturday Night Live. And in Minneapolis, Brittany Parker’s working to make “Locally Grown Comedy” our hometown sketch comedy show. Parker, who is the writer, producer and creator behind the “filmed comedy and musical sketch show” speaks with guest host Tim Nelson about her work and her upcoming October 3rd show.

After 15 false reports of active shooters in schools last week we talk with one of the state's top crime fighters about the investigation into who was responsible. Athletes at Division I schools are hauling in the cash after a new rule in 2021 made it OK. But what about athletes in the smaller Division III schools? Election day is November 8th and MPR News has a new for voters to know what races are on YOUR ballot and where the candidates stand on important issues. And finally, we'll talk with the creator of a home grown comedy crew who wants to get you rolling in the aisles.

Hennepin County plans to convert the former luMinn Hotel in downtown Minneapolis into housing for people who make below 30 percent of the area median income. That’s one of several hotels the county has bought to create more accommodations for low-income residents.  Kelly Busch is a reporter with the Minneapolis St Paul Business Journal. She talks with host Tim Nelson about those deals and more business stories catching her eye.

More legislators are retiring this year than at anytime in the past 50 years, so there are a lot of new names on this year’s midterm ballots. MPR reporter Sarah Thamer talks with guest host Tim Nelson about the new MPR ballot tool, voter guide and candidate profiles Minnesotans can use to get familiar with all those new names in this November’s midterm elections.

In July 1, 2021, the NCAA allowed student-athletes to profit off their Name, Image and Likeness. Suddenly, you started hearing stories of Division one athletes signing million-dollar NIL deals, but what about students in less competitive Division three schools? Greg Peterson, Athletic Director at Division three, Bethel University in Arden Hills, talks with guest host Tim Nelson about his school’s deal to market student athletes.

Calls at 15 different Minnesota schools on September 21st reported an active shooter or gun on campus in St. Paul, Austin, Mankato, Rochester, Cloquet, among others. State officials investigated and say the calls were all a hoax known as “swatting”. Drew Evans, Superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, speaks with guest host Tim Nelson about the investigation into who made the calls.