MPR News learned that the Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot Amir Locke during a no-knock raid in 2022 is responsible for leading the police department’s use of force training.

The head of the police department said he understands why the choice of Sgt. Mark Hanneman to do this type of training will concern some people - but said Hanneman is the right person for the job.

However, the decision to put Hanneman in that position upset members of Locke’s family and others who say it hurts MPD’s efforts to reform police culture and repair community relations.

Cari Spencer reported the story and joined Minnesota Now to share about her reporting.

Selling a downtown office building in the Twin Cities— or anywhere— is no easy feat these days. Very few buildings have changed hands since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.  

Almost every successful sale of a downtown office building in the 2020s involved Harrison Wagenseil of commercial real estate firm CBRE’s Minneapolis team. Wagenseil was part of the brokerage team behind the recent sale of the Wells Fargo and Ameriprise towers in downtown Minneapolis.

He joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about what goes into selling a skyscraper, and why it’s so difficult.

Farming is an unpredictable industry. From severe weather to market prices, a lot is out of farmer’s control. New data shows that in 2024, little was in farmer’s favor in Minnesota. A University of Minnesota annual report that looks at farm finances found that in 2024, Minnesota farmers saw their lowest net income in 20 years. Minnesota crop farmers saw the biggest losses. In 2024 the median net farm income was $2,371, compared to $47,484 in 2023.

Some farmers will get some of their money back. Applications opened last week for disaster assistance from the USDA for losses from 2023 and 2024.  

Jordan Goblish has a corn and soybean farm in Vesta, Minnesota. Pauline Van Nurden is an extension economist at the Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota. They both joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the financial state of Minnesota farms in 2025.

You can see it and you can smell it. Wildfire smoke is in the air in Minnesota for a third day. An air quality alert is in place for the northern half of the state. We talk to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency about how long we could see smoky skies.

The burglary trial for DFL state Sen. Nicole Mitchell begins today. We have the latest on the case.

Plus, we talk to a Winona Health, a rural Minnesota health administrator, about how Medicaid cuts will impact their operations.

We hear from a state lawmaker and law enforcement on a new initiative to make the area around the state capitol safe.

And a Minnesota Twins player made Target Field history. Our sports contributors Wally and Eric tell us about it.

Minnesota is right in the thick of summer sports, with the Twins and the Lynx both wrapping up the first halves of their seasons.

On his bobblehead night on Saturday, Twins star Byron Buxton completed the first cycle in Target Field history. In the WNBA, Hopkins native Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings faced off against Caitlin Clark and the Fever in Indiana on Sunday.

Minnesota Now sports contributors Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson joined Minnesota Now with the latest sport news.

After the passage of President Donald Trump’s massive tax cut bill, Minnesota health care providers are assessing the impact that cuts to Medicaid could have on their facilities and patient care.

An analysis by health policy research non-profit KFF found Minnesota stands to lose $23.5 billion in federal Medicaid funding over ten years, an 18 percent decrease.

But rural hospitals in Minnesota, where there is a higher percentage of people enrolled in Medicaid, could see a bigger impact.

Rachelle Schultz, president and CEO of Winona Health, joined Minnesota Now to share more.

The recent shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses have brought to the forefront the issue of safety at the state Capitol.

For two years, a state task force has been working on a plan to improve safety and quality of life in the surrounding neighborhood. The legislature approved $3 million this year to help pay for the plan, which includes public safety and programs for youth.

Lawmakers who represent the area are hosting an event for this initiative Monday afternoon outside the Capitol. Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega, DFL-St. Paul, and Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher joined Minnesota Now to talk about the effort.

There’s an air quality alert for northern Minnesota until 6 p.m. Monday evening. The entire state of Minnesota is recovering from poor air quality over the weekend after smoke from Canadian wildfires blanketed the region.

Ryan Lueck, a meteorologist with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, joined Minnesota Now to explain what’s happening.

On Minnesota Now this week, we’re airing Call to Mind, the MPR News initiative fostering new conversations about mental health.

Mental illness is the leading cause of hospitalization for America’s military service members.  Anxiety conditions and post-traumatic stress disorders lead the list of diagnoses. This special explores the mental health needs of veterans and people serving in the military

We hear about how combat and non-combat military duty can impact mental health. And we explore the unique resources and support available to service members and veterans.   

Join Call to Mind host Kimberly Adams for “Silent Battles: Mental Health and Military Service,” a one-hour broadcast special.

On Minnesota Now this week, we’re airing Call to Mind, the MPR News initiative fostering new conversations about mental health.

Technology is ever-present in modern life, from remote work to communities on social media, from dating apps to telemedicine. We live with an ever-expanding array of online options and an ever-growing list of new questions about how healthy it is to spend so much time online with our devices. 

This broadcast special explores the influence of technology on our mental health.  

We'll hear from experts about how online communities, AI, influencers, and social media compromise one’s mental health. We also meet people whose wellbeing has been improved by new technologies.  

Join Call to Mind host Kimberly Adams for “Promise and Peril: Technology and mental health,” a one-hour broadcast special.