Minnesota Now

The Vikings had a bye this weekend. Next, they play the birds. The Philadelphia Eagles, defending Super Bowl champions, will be at U.S. Bank stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday.

But there is a big question mark around who will start as quarterback. Carson Wentz has been starting while J.J. McCarthy nurses an injury.

As the Vikings gear up for that game, sports contributors Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson joined Minnesota Now with updates on football from around the Midwest – plus, other sports news.

Minnesota’s parks and trails are a big part of what makes living here so special. But not everyone has an easy path into those outdoor spaces. A local organization is aiming to change that.

Luisana Méndez has taken it upon herself to be a bridge between recent Latino immigrants like herself and the Twin Cities’ park systems. She’s the founder and executive director of Huellas Latinas, a nonprofit that helps Latino families connect with nature, with each other, and with their home here in Minnesota.

In a new memoir, Janis Fairbanks writes, “making the time to pass along a lesson is imperative to the survival of not only the humanity of Indigenous people but of all people.” And she credits the women in her family for sharing lessons with her.

Fairbanks is a member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and author of “Sugar Bush Babies: Stories of my Ojibwe Grandmother.” The stories are split, just like her childhood, between the city of Duluth and the lakes and woods of northern Minnesota.

Fairbanks joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about the memoir.

The state's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is reviewing potentially faulty breathalyzer tests after ordering a pause on use of breathalyzer testing equipment statewide on Friday. The agency discovered multiple errors in test results, which could affect hundreds of DWI cases.

Chuck Ramsay is a defense attorney who first flagged an issue with the tests. He joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to explain the issue.

Minneapolis singer, rapper and writer Dessa has risen to fame over the past two decades through her genre-defying solo performances and collaborations with groups like the Minnesota Orchestra and Doomtree.

Dessa is releasing a new single “Camelot” off her new EP on Friday. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to share a sneak peek of her new project and reflect on her two decades in the Twin Cities music scene and beyond.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency recently released an analysis of the water quality of rivers, lakes and streams across the state. While the Blue Earth River in southwestern Minnesota has improved, scientists are still seeing the effects of the June 2024 Rapidan Dam failure on the river’s water quality.

MPR News senior reporter Hannah Yang has been covering the impacts of the dam failure, which released more than a century’s worth of sediment buildup into the Blue Earth River. She joined Minnesota Now to share what she’s learned, as a part of a regular check-in with reporters in Greater Minnesota.

The state of Illinois and the city of Chicago are suing to stop the deployment of Texas National Guard troops to the Chicago area. The Trump administration says it needs the National Guard troops to protect federal agents who are carrying out immigration enforcement orders.

A bipartisan group of former governors is asking to get involved in the case in support of Illinois and Chicago leaders. Among them are two former Minnesota governors, Democrat Mark Dayton and Arne Carlson, who served as a Republican but has since moved away from the party. Carlson joined MPR News host Nina Moini to share more.

Federal judges are deciding whether the National Guard can continue to deploy in Chicago. Two of Minnesota's former governors are signing their support to sue the Trump administration over it. Former Republican Gov. Arne Carlson will weigh in.

The University of Minnesota's regents faced some tough decisions over their budget and the historic Eastcliff Mansion Thursday. We get an update on that.

Plus, MPR News senior reporter Hannah Yang lets us in on her process covering flooding and water quality in southwestern Minnesota.

And one of Minnesota's favorite musicians Dessa brings us her brand new music.

The Minnesota Music Minute was “Just Another Sucker feat. Prince” by 94 East.

Within a week, there was vandalism at a Minneapolis synagogue and a fire and break-in at a Minneapolis mosque. We talk to faith leaders from both houses of worship about their concerns around targeting religious institutions.

After ICE agents arrested a construction crew while they were working on a roof in St. Paul, concerns are growing within the immigrant community. We check in with an advocacy group about what they are hearing from immigrant workers.

Plus, the Crown Prince of Norway is in the Twin Cities. We talk to the Norway House about the significance of his visit and Minnesota's deep ties to the country.

The first group of Norwegian immigrants arrived in the U.S. on a ship from Norway 200 years ago. And this week, Norway's Crown Prince Haakon, the heir to the Norwegian throne, is in Minnesota to recognize the unique ties the state has had to the country since 1825.

On Tuesday, Haakon visited Norway House in Minneapolis. He was greeted by hundreds of community members waving Norwegian flags and he cut the ribbon for a library connecting Minnesotans with Norway.

Sandy Ulsaker Wiese is board chair of the Norway House. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to explain the significance of the Crown Prince’s visit and how Norwegians have shaped Minnesota.