Minnesota Today

A special session has been called for the Minnesota Legislature - it will happen three weeks to the day after the regular session finished.

And a jury has found Derrick Thompson guilty of all charges in the deaths of five women who were in a vehicle struck by the SUV Thompson was driving in 2023.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Jacob Aloi. Music by Gary Meister.

A Homeland Security agent from the Twin Cities is jailed and charged with producing child sex abuse material.

And Gov. Tim Walz says his office did not get a heads-up about a federal raid of a south Minneapolis restaurant earlier this week.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Jeff Jones. Music by Gary Meister.

Gov. Tim Walz says his administration will send out tens of thousands of layoff notices by Monday if legislative leaders don't reach a final deal before then that can win passage in a special legislative session.

And sighs — and breaths — of relief across Minnesota today, as the worst of the smoke from Canadian wildfires has pushed to the east.

Minneapolis police are investigating after a shooting at Boom Island Park last night left one person dead and five more injured.

And more rounds of smoke from Canadian wildfires are forecast to move across Minnesota over the next couple of days. That’s prompted officials to extend an air quality alert for the entire state through midday Wednesday.

Those stories and more in today’s evening news update. Hosted by Elena See. Music by Gary Meister.

An air quality alert is now in effect for all of Minnesota through Monday evening, as smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to stream across the state. That's an expansion of earlier alerts, as the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says reinforcing waves of smoke are expected Saturday, Sunday and again on Monday.

Listen for more on the MPR News afternoon update for Friday, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music by Gary Meister.