If you think back to Valentine’s Day 2025, you may remember the release of a dating reality show featuring a group of Minnesotans.

‘Love is Blind: Minneapolis’ portrayed the relationships of five couples who got engaged after a short, but intense period of dating, without ever seeing one another. Later in the show, the couples came back to the Twin Cities and put places like Buck Hill, Bryant Lake Bowl and the Como Conservatory on screens around the world. MPR News mapped the filming locations, talked to cast members and heard mixed reactions from fans.

At the end of the season, just one couple said “I do” at the altar. Taylor and Daniel Hastings renewed their vows this summer and recently celebrated their favorite holiday, Christmas, together for the first time since their relationship became public. They joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about life after the show.

Minnesota may be known as the land of ten thousand lakes, but an explosion of proposals for data centers this past year has some wondering if it could soon become the land of ten thousand data centers.

From Faribault to Hermantown, places across the state are facing the possibility of a data center coming to their community. With cool temperatures and favorable tax exemptions, Minnesota has become an attractive place for tech companies searching for a place to build their data storage houses.

MPR News reporter Kirsti Marohn has been following the data center beat. She joined Minnesota Now to recap all that happened in 2025.

The shootings of Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses was one of the most impactful stories of 2025. On June 14th, a shooter killed DFL House Leader Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark. State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were also shot. They survived.

Six months later, lawmakers are still grappling with the attacks. MPR News politics reporter Dana Ferguson joined Minnesota Now to talk about the tragedy and its lasting mark on the legislature.

2025 brought many moments of grief and trauma for Minnesotans. That included the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis on Aug. 27.

Harper Moyski,10, and Fletcher Merkel, 8, were killed. Twenty-eight others were injured. And hundreds of families now grappling with a very different reality.

Kristen Neville and her fiancé Michael Burt together have five children who attend Annunciation. All five survived the mass shooting. Kristen and Michael have both taken on leadership roles in helping the Annunciation community move forward and they sat down to talk about those efforts with MPR News host Nina Moini.

Federal prosecutors announced new fraud charges Thursday related to state programs. MPR News reporter Matt Sepic broke down what prosecutors have alleged so far in other fraud cases ahead of the announcement.

Minnesota's construction industry has continued to fare better than the overall economy. But a new survey shows the outlook within the industry is less optimistic than previous years.

MPR News reporter Melissa Olson dove into another study showing the economic value of tribal gaming for the state of Minnesota.

Plus, a holiday edition of professional help explored how to give money to causes you care about instead of spending it this season.

A choral music nonprofit focused on reflecting the racial and cultural diversity of the the Twin Cities is holding its annual holiday concert this weekend. The show will focus on music from Latin America in a performance called “Navidad Nuestra.”

Border CrosSing artistic director Ahmed Anzaldúa, executive director Matthew Valverde joined YourClassical host Tom Crann in studio for a conversation and preview of the program.

A new study from the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association looks at the impact of tribal gaming for the first time in seven years. According to the study, in 2023 tribal casinos employed more than 10,000 people statewide, about 70 percent of whom worked full time jobs.

The report also found tribal casinos in Minnesota purchased more than $600 million in goods and services for ongoing operations, and more than half of that amount was purchased from Minnesota vendors.

In total, tribal casinos generate $1.7 billion in economic activity for the state.

MPR News Native News reporter Melissa Olson broke down the details of the report with Minnesota Now host Nina Moini.

Some 140,000 Minnesotans work in construction. And job growth in the construction industry has continued to outpace the overall economy in recent years, according to the state Department of Employment and Economic Development.

A survey of more than 170 construction businesses shows a slightly less optimistic outlook from within the industry for 2026 than previous years. The survey was carried out by the Associated General Contractors of Minnesota, a trade group for contractors across the state.

Tim Worke heads the organization and joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk more about the results.

Chances are, you’re getting a lot of ads right now inviting you to celebrate the holidays by spending money. The U.S. economy is lopsided toward this time of year. Retailers rely on holiday shopping. And nonprofits, too, depend on end-of-year donations.

For the latest in our series Professional Help we asked an expert how to prioritize giving back during the holidays.

Our ask: Help me give back during the holidays

Our professional: Nathan Dungan, president and CEO of Share Save Spend

HandsOn Twin Cities has this guide for volunteering during the holidays.

Increased Immigrations and Customs Enforcement actions in Minnesota this month have drawn, likely, thousands of community protesters and observers. And confrontations between ICE agents and community members have been chaotic.

Today, six Minnesota residents along with the ACLU of Minnesota filed a lawsuit against ICE, alleging that agents have interfered with their rights to free speech and peaceful assembly and have subjected them to harassment, intimidation and unlawful detentions.

For more information on the legal case, MPR News host Nina Moini talked with Alicia Granse, an ACLU of Minnesota staff attorney who is leading the lawsuit.