The wildfires in northeastern Minnesota are an immediate issue that point to a more abstract one. Scientists say by pumping the air with greenhouse gases, humans are causing the land to be hotter, drier at times, and more likely to burn.

Sam Potter, an atmospheric scientist with the University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership, joined Minnesota Now to help us better understand the links.

On Wednesday, the St. Paul city council will hold a public hearing on plans to clear homeless encampments starting in August.

Mayor Kaohly Her recently announced her office is working with the county to close three encampments due to public health and safety concerns. The city says around 120 people are staying at the largest of these sites, which is in Pig's Eye Park near the Mississippi River. Advocates estimate there are 400 people between all three encampments. The city plans to close that encampment on Aug. 5.

The council has received more than 100 written comments, mostly urging the city to halt its plans. Justin Lewandowski is among those asking for a pause. He's director of Open Hands Midway, which provides free meals, groceries and supplies to community members.

He shared more about his concerns on Minnesota Now.

A series of shootings in Minneapolis have killed one person and injured more than a dozen since Sunday. City leaders are preparing to hold a public meeting on the situation. We heard from City Council member Elizabeth Shaffer, whose ward is near where the shootings happened.

Wildfires are deflating summer travel to northeast Minnesota. We head up the North Shore to Cook County to find out how the tourism industry is doing.

Plus, we heard more about how Canadians are feeling about traveling south, with tariffs coming from the U.S.

And we learned more about the public health response to cyclospora.

We also got reaction on the new Little House on the Prairie series from Minnesota's Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum.

The Minnesota Music Minute was “Wascott Waltz" by “Between Howls.” The Song of the Day was “Stoned Soul Picnic” by 5th Dimension.

Wildfires in northeast Minnesota have firefighters and volunteers rushing to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. But it also has people avoiding and canceling trips to the region as well. This is a big problem for the large tourism industry in Cook County. There, North Shore destinations like Grand Marais and recreation destinations like the Gunflint Trail, attract people from all over the country.

The county, farther east of the fires, is urging people to still visit the region.

Executive director at Visit Cook County and the Cook County Chamber of Commerce, Linda Jurek, joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about the effort to bring tourists to northern Minnesota and the wildfire’s impact on the region’s tourism industry.

Netflix has rebooted the 1970s television adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie.

It was released this month and the streamer announced it’s renewing the show for a second season that will be set in Walnut Grove in southwestern Minnesota. Wilder’s family lived there in the 1870s and she channeled their time there into her writing.

Julien Nolan, director and curator of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Walnut Grove, joined Minnesota Now to talk about the new series.

For weeks, the U.S. has been dealing with an unpleasant public health mystery. The cyclospora parasite has infected thousands of people across the country. The largest cluster of cases is in Michigan and other midwestern states, not including Minnesota.

The Food and Drug Administration tracked the outbreak to a lettuce farm that supplies Taco Bell. Taylor Fresh Foods, the lettuce company, recalled several of its salad mix products. But the case isn’t closed, exactly.

MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, about the parasite and the public health response.

Minneapolis community leaders will gather Tuesday for a meeting to address a string of gun violence. Thirteen people were shot and one person was killed within 24 hours over the weekend.

The shootings took place outside Reign nightclub in Uptown and near the intersection of 19th and Nicollet Avenue in the Steven’s Square neighborhood just south of I-94. Monday night, another person was shot at the same intersection.

Tuesday’s meeting will include Minneapolis city council member Elizabeth Shaffer, Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt, members of Minneapolis police and staff from the mayor’s office.

Council member Shaffer talked to MPR News host Nina Moini ahead of the meeting.

Wildfires are burning more than 60,000 acres and hundreds of firefighters from around the country have come to northeastern Minnesota to try and contain the flames. We got the latest from Ely and spoke to one crew that's helping to contain the fires.

The Boundary Waters is a sanctuary to many Minnesotans. One writer shared more about the mental toll of seeing the area go up in flames.

Plus, wildfires aren't the only thing impacting the border with Canada. We heard from some border businesses about deteriorating economic conditions.

And Spain has won the World Cup! A local soccer reporter talked about the game and how the U.S. did as host.

Also, if you're itching for more soccer, Minnesota United is back in action.

The Minnesota Music Minute was “Leave No Trace” by Jerry Vandiver. “Call It What It Is” by Beginner's Luck was the Song of the Day.

If there’s a World-Cup shaped hole in your heart this week, you might turn your attention to Minnesota’s professional soccer team.

This week, the Loons are headed to Kansas City, which is also getting back to the regular MLS season after hosting some World Cup games.

Minnesota Now sports contributors Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson joined to talk more about this and much more.

Spain is the winner of the World Cup 2026, defeating Argentina 1-0 in Sunday’s game that both delighted and frustrated many.

Here in Minnesota, hundreds of people gathered to watch the game at the North Loop Green. There, they sported jerseys for their favorite teams, even if they weren’t playing.

It wasn’t the climactic end to the World Cup many wanted, but it did draw the eyes of the world, and it introduced many Americans to the excitement of soccer.

Minnesota soccer reporter Jon Marthaler joined Minnesota Now to talk about the World Cup’s final game and its impact on Americans.