Minnesota Now

Summer is the season for breweries here in Minnesota. Patrick Rehkamp is back to talk about news in the Minnesota beer and cider industries, along with other business news this week, including the health of the housing market. Patrick Rehkamp is a reporter for the Minneapolis St Paul Business Journal.

The pandemic continues and so does the resulting refuse associated with it. The pandemic caused a huge uptick in plastic garbage in the U.S. Lots of it is from plastic food to-go boxes and yes, masks.

A new recycling plant is set to open in Rogers, Minn., through an international company called MyPlas. Brand owners and other private and public entities have invested millions of dollars into the project to build a 170,000-square-foot film recycling plant. Andrew Pieterse, the U.S. CEO of the company MyPlas, joined Cathy Wurzer to talk about the opening.

The medical community has hammered it to us over and over at this point: we should all probably be getting more sleep. First responders often run on tricky sleep schedules. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin in in Superior are conducting a sleep study on firefighters in their city. The goal of the study is to improve firefighter’s acute and chronic health. Dr. Kim LeBard-Rankila is field work director at the Health and Human Performance department in Superior. She joined host Cathy Wurzer to discuss the study.

When Minnesota's new law allowing hemp-derived THC edibles kicked in July 1, a lot of people were surprised, including local leaders across the state. The law sets the rules for maximum legal dosages for edibles and beverages, packaging, warning labels and the age of purchase. But the law is mostly silent on the issue of how and where those products can be sold and under what circumstances.

Patricia Beety works for the General Counsel for the League of Minnesota Cities, which is an advocacy organization that offers supports to local governments. She joined host Cathy Wurzer to dissect exactly what the THC rules mean for Minnesota cities.

Georgetown University made headlines back in 2017 when officials at the Washington, D.C. university revealed that it had been involved in slavery. Lee Hawkins is journalist, musician and special correspondent for American Public Media. He joined host Cathy Wurzer to talk about his reporting on the story.

Wally is the publisher of Minnesota Score sports magazine and co-host of “10,000 Takes,” a sports talk show. Eric is the co-host of "10,000 Takes" and the Minnesota Vikings reporter for CBS Sports Radio’s “Eye on Football.” They joined host Cathy Wurzer to talk more about the Minnesota baseball, soccer, hockey and more.

It’s summertime and Minnesota Now is highlighting community gatherings across the state. Today host Cathy Wurzer talked with Wone and Youa Vang, the co-creators of the Little Asia Market popping up this weekend. Together they are bringing the talents of local Asian American makers and artists together in St Paul.

St. Paul landlords are facing soaring inflation and energy costs but the city’s new rent control law is capping the amount they can charge for rent. Now, some tenants are saying their landlords are trying to get around the city’s new rent control law and charging more than is allowed. Max Nesterak is Deputy Editor at The Minnesota Reformer. He reported on this issue and joined host Cathy Wurzer to talk more about the issue.

Minnesota lawmakers surprised some by quietly passing a new law regarding edible THC products last week. Minnesota House of Representatives Majority Leader Ryan Winkler helped pass the law and talks with guest host Chris Farrell about the details.

A new law broadening THC legalization in the state has created some confusion. A lawmaker clarifies what is and is not legal. The news is full of tragedies right now. Cathy Wurzer talks with a local healer about a practice to take care of yourself and your community. Meteorologist Paul Huttner is here with the latest weather news. We look at a ground-breaking comic strip set in Minneapolis that is still gaining followers 39 years after it began. And a 1977 murder mystery is set to music at the History Theatre in St Paul. We’ll hear why the Glensheen mystery is still so alluring to some.