Minnesota Now

It has been just over a year since Derek Chauvin was found guilty of the murder of George Floyd. The trial ignited a national conversation on policing. A new FRONTLINE documentary about it all is being released. Director Mike Shum joined host Cathy Wurzer to talk more.

Aaliyah Murray organized a statewide school walkout protesting gun violence. The walkout comes one week after a gunman killed 21 people at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. she joined host Cathy Wurzer to talk about what Minnesota students would like to see changed.

Dr. Jay Sheree Allen is a physician at Mayo Clinic and host of the podcast Millennial Health. She joined host Cathy Wurzer to talk about how Minnesotans can protect themselves against poison ivy.

George Floyd, a Black man, was murdered by a white Minneapolis police officer on Memorial Day of 2020. In a special hour, host Cathy Wurzer interviews the journalists who covered his murder and the civil unrest that followed. She also checks in with two advocates based in greater Minnesota.

Guests:

Harry Colbert is managing editor at MinnPost and is the former editor-in-chief of North News.

Matt Sepic is a correspondent for MPR News.

Chao Xiong is managing editor at Sahan Journal and previously reported for the Star Tribune.

Buddy King is a nonprofit leader and youth pastor in St. Cloud.

Wess Philome is a community organizer based in Fargo, N.D.

The special primary election in Minnesota’s first Congressional District this week narrowed the field of candidates for an August special election.

Republican Brad Finstad came out on top in his party and Jeff Ettinger won the DFL primary.

Now they’ll compete in a special election in August to determine who fills the remaining months of former Rep. Jim Hagedorn’s term. Hagedorn died in February after battling cancer. 

And the Legislature ended its session after lawmakers missed a deadline to pass major tax and spending bills. Some Republicans say the work can wait until after the November election, while Democrats want a special session. 

MPR News host Mike Mulcahy talks to Brad Finstad and Jeff Ettinger about how they won their parties' nominations and how the next round of the campaign is shaping up. Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Jensen also will join Mike to talk about what he thinks should happen to Minnesota’s budget surplus and DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman will weigh in on a special session.

Guests:

The hosts of the 10,000 Takes sports talk show, Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson, joined host Cathy Wurzer as they do each week to talk about the Minnesota Twins, the St. Paul Saints and the Timberwolves.

Raging water flows in northern Minnesota, local reporters reflect on the two-year anniversary of George Floyd's murder, Minnesota Aurora preps for its first soccer match, MPR News reporter Elizabeth Shockman tells us about an evangelical college's history with race and racism as part of North Star Journey, and Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson talk Minnesota sports.

This week is the second anniversary of George Floyd’s death. Journalists around the world reported stories about his murder at the hands of police officer Derek Chauvin and the uprising that occurred afterward. We’ve gathered three reporters to talk about that experience and what they learned from it all.

Chao Xiong is the managing editor at Sahan Journal and a former reporter for the Star Tribune. Harry Colbert is managing editor at MinnPost and the former editor of North News. Matt Sepic is a reporter for MPR News.

Thursday marks the first ever opening game of Minnesota’s brand new women’s soccer club, Minnesota Aurora FC. They join the USL W League, a pre-professional, developmental women’s soccer league with 44 teams in 20 states. Their historic home opener is on Thursday at TCO Performance Center in Eagan against Green Bay Glory. Minnesota Aurora’s head coach Nicole Lukic joined host Cathy Wurzer to talk about their opening season.

Ed Arnesen is a Lake of the Woods County Commissioner, farmer and resort owner. Dewy Johnson is with St. Louis County Emergency Management. Both joined host Cathy Wurzer for a conversation about how flooding in their area has affected their community and natural environment.