Minnesota Now

In exactly one month on Jan. 1, Minnesota will introduce a new benefit for most workers in the state. It’s a paid family and medical leave program that guarantees access to paid time off; for new parents, to recover from a medical issue, or to care for a sick family member. It’s a big change for Minnesota’s employers — and the workers who can take advantage of it.

Evan Rowe is the deputy commissioner of workforce services at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. He joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to explain what you need to know before the launch.

Some immigrants in Minnesota have questions after a recent series of Trump administration orders related to immigration. Those decisions included halting all asylum case decisions, plus pausing issuing visas for people from Afghanistan. That's after last week’s shooting of two National Guard members in Washington D.C. by an Afghan national who was granted asylum this year.

Jane Graupman is the executive director of the International Institute of Minnesota. She joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to help makes sense of the new orders and how it's affecting Minnesota.

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter says the St. Paul Police Department is reviewing how its officers responded to an apparent immigration action Tuesday morning on the city’s east side. Police deployed projectiles and chemical irritants against people and the press.

St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry says his officers responded to the scene when a car was struck during a federal arrest. He says he then heard reports of protesters arming themselves with rocks and sticks.

This comes within a week of protesters responding to an ICE raid at a St. Paul business, Bro-Tex. Hundreds of people have responded to both immigration actions and that’s partially due to what’s known as a “rapid response network,” where legal observers are being called to document what’s happening.

Edwin Torres Desantiago is the manager of the Immigrant Defense Network, which oversees the rapid response. He joined Minnesota Now guest host Chris Farrell to talk about legal observer response.

This weekend, the Hmong community in Minnesota will be celebrating the Hmong New Year. This year is significant, as 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of Hmong Americans in Minnesota.

Hmong folk singing is a form of song poetry that is commonly sung around Hmong New Year and other celebrations. Pang Her Vang is the president of the Mong United Equality Association. She’s a culture expert and Hmong elder here in the community and joined Minnesota Now to share more about the tradition of song poetry and also share some songs.

An immigration operation in St. Paul escalated with the use of chemical irritants and projectiles Tuesdays. Hundreds of protesters responded. We'll go inside the rapid response organization that mobilizes when ICE is spotted.

It’s safe to say winter is here. Paul Huttner shared snow totals from across the state.

With a large international population, the city of Rochester is working to to prepare residents for winter.

Plus, a biologist broke down the relationship between the deer and wolf population in Minnesota.

This weekend is the Hmong New Year. We heard about the long oral tradition of Hmong song poetry.

The Minnesota Music Minute was “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” by Bob Dylan. The Song of the Day was “All Are Welcome At Our Table” by Pat Egan.

The first snow storm of the season swept through the state Tuesday into Wednesday. That means new Minnesotans have now been properly baptized. Duluth picked up the most snow with 10.3 inches and the Twin Cities received 3.1 inches.

In Rochester, which got 1-2 inches of snow, the public works department and other organizations have been helping prepare new Minnesotans for winter. Earlier this fall, they put on the second annual Rochester Snow Summit, a winter-preparedness event organized by the city.

Jake Busho is the public works street maintenance supervisor and one of the organizers of the Rochester Snow Summit. He talked with MPR News host Chris Farrell along with Jessica Thornton. She is aging services program manager at Family Service Rochester, an organization that participated in the summit.

Firearm season for deer hunters is largely over in Minnesota. Data from the state Department of Natural Resources shows hunters were more successful than they have been for a few years.

The number of harvests has climbed back from a low point in 2023. In low years, some hunters see a lack of deer and point to wolves as the cause. A recent study from far northern Minnesota tells a different story.

The Voyageurs Wolf Project studies wolves in Voyageurs National Park and the surrounding area. Biologist Tom Gable leads the project and joined MPR News host Chris Farrell with details on how fluctuating deer and wolf populations impact one another.

Most of Minnesota woke up Wednesday in a swirl of wind and snow. By noon, much of the wintry weather had blown into Wisconsin. MPR Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner joined Minnesota Now with snowfall totals and a Thanksgiving weekend forecast.

A winter storm warning is in effect through Wednesday morning, just in time for Thanksgiving travel. Meteorologist Mandy Thalhuber had details and we talked to MnDOT about what to expect on the road.

The holidays are a critical time for retailers big and small. We got an outlook for Minnesota businesses.

COP30, this year's United Nations climate conference, ended last weekend. We spoke with two Minnesota college students who were there.

Mary Lucia, a former DJ for The Current, is out with a new memoir. We heard part of her conversation with MPR’s Kerri Miller.

And two pro women's volleyball teams are coming to the state. In the late 1980s, there was a team here. We met a former Minnesota Monarch.

The Minnesota Music Minute was a rendition of “Let It Snow” by the Brian Setzer Orchestra. The Song of the Day was “Hit My Line” by BRUTE.

Memoirists often talk about their painful truths, dreams and demons in their work. An iconic radio DJ out of Minnesota has put to paper a story of her life that covers all of that, including her harrowing experience of being stalked while living in the public eye.

Mary Lucia's slim but revealing memoir, out Tuesday, is called "What Doesn't Kill Me Makes Me Weirder and Harder to Relate To." Lucia is a former DJ at The Current and is currently the program advisor at the University of Minnesota's Radio K. She spoke to MPR’s Kerri Miller about the memoir and her experience.

Listen to the full conversation on Big Books and Bold Ideas with Kerri Miller on Friday at 11 a.m.