Minnesota Today

The Canadian province of Ontario has imposed a 25 percent tariff on power sent to Minnesota, Michigan and New York. It’s in response to President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs. Ontario’s power grid operator says the amount of electricity imported by Minnesota is significantly less than the other two states.

Tuesday is Township Day in Minnesota — it’s the day when annual meetings are held in nearly 1,800 townships across the state. Those annual meetings, which are separate from regular town board meetings, give residents a chance to vote directly on their township’s tax levy for the coming year.

Hospitality industry leaders are calling on state lawmakers to exempt the hospitality industry from its ban on service fees.

And a special election is being held Tuesday for a crucial seat in the Minnesota House. A Republican win would solidify GOP control of the chamber this session. A DFL win would cause a tie vote.

Those stories and more in today’s morning update.

Former Minnesota Sen. Melisa López Franzen hopes to fill the seat U.S. Sen. Tina Smith will leave after next year's election. She says she's worked with lawmakers from both major parties to pass legislation.

A former nurse at the Beltrami County Jail is now facing charges in the 2018 death of Hardel Sherrell, who was an inmate at the facility.

And on Monday, Ontario moved forward with previously announced plans to charge 25 percent more for the electricity it exports to the U.S. in response to President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs.

Find these headlines and more at mprnews.org.

Former state Sen. López Franzen announces U.S. Senate run in Minnesota

Former jail nurse charged in death of Hardel Sherrell while in custody in Beltrami County

Ontario slaps 25% increase on electricity exports to U.S. in response to Trump's trade war

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Voters in a Minnesota House district make a decision Tuesday in a special election that will determine chamber control. The seat in the Roseville-Shoreview area has been vacant all session. In December, a judge ruled the Democrat who handily won in November did not properly live in the district.

A funeral service with full police honors is Monday for former St. Paul officer Felicia Reilly. Reilly died last weekend at age 67 — 15 years after suffering a traumatic brain injury when she was attacked while on duty. Reilly’s family said her death was due to injuries stemming from that assault. She spent nearly 17 years with the St. Paul Police department.

Those stories and more in today’s morning update.

The Minnesota DNR says a recent state law is helping hold people accountable for littering on frozen lakes, and crews are tearing down a Minneapolis iron foundry, which closed last year after federal regulators found it in violation of pollution laws.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A 39-year-old man who owns radio stations in Minnesota is believed to be dead after being caught in an avalanche in Alaska on Tuesday. Authorities say Dave Linder and two other skiers were buried in more than 30 feet of snow. The two others were identified as Charles Eppard of Montana and Jeremy Leif of Minnesota. Poor weather has prevented recovery teams from getting to the site of the avalanche.

The leader of Canada’s Ontario province says a one-month reprieve on U.S. tariffs against Canada will not stop him from enacting an additional 25 percent charge on electricity exports to three U.S. states — including Minnesota — starting on Monday.

Keys Cafe and Bakery is implementing an extra charge for eggs at their nine locations in the Twin Cities.  The local restaurant chain said the temporary surcharge is meant to offset the rising cost of eggs. The surcharge is 50 cents per egg. 

Those stories and more in today’s morning update.

Minnesota has seen a drop in money available for a new budget and could face an even larger projected shortfall down the road. The Department of Management and Budget says lawmakers have just $456 million available for setting the next two-year budget — about 25 percent worse than before.

U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar are pressing federal agencies for answers regarding the potential termination of the Bemidji Area Indian Health Service’s lease.

Those stories and more in Thursday’s afternoon update.

State economic officials issue a new economic forecast today. The full economic report comes out around noon.

Gov. Tim Walz is taking a delicate approach to Minnesota-based Target’s decision to roll back its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and the boycotts it faces in response. Asked about it on CNN, Walz stressed he’s not the CEO of Target, but he said sticking up for DEI policies in Minnesota is important.

The ACLU of Minnesota announced Wednesday that it is suing the Carver County Sheriff for holding a noncitizen in jail at the request of federal law enforcement officials.

Those stories and more in today’s morning update.

Parts of southern and eastern Minnesota are digging out from more than a foot of heavy, wet snow Wednesday. The National Weather Service received a report of 13 inches of snow near Dennison and 12 inches in Credit River, south of Prior Lake. The official total at the Twin Cities airport as of noon was 9.5 inches.

Minneapolis and St. Paul have declared snow emergencies. That means special parking rules are in effect for the next few days.

And state officials are predicting higher energy prices because of tariffs imposed this week by the Trump administration.

Those stories and more in today’s afternoon update.

Find these headlines and more at mprnews.org.

Reported snowfall totals from Minnesota's March winter storm

Highways reopening in southern Minnesota after closures due to blizzard; Walz activates National Guard

State officials forecast higher energy prices because of Trump tariffs

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A major late-winter storm continues to wallop southern and eastern Minnesota with heavy snow, howling winds and blizzard conditions. MnDOT has closed many highways across the southwest and south-central parts of the state. That includes long stretches of I-90 between Luverne and Albert Lea.

A bill that would help smooth the path for Minnesotans who practiced medicine in other countries to practice here is moving through the Senate.

An Indigenous elder addressed the 4th annual Dakota and Ojibwe Language Symposium held this week on the Fond du Lac reservation. Ojibwe elder Pat Ningewance is from Lac Seul First Nation in Manitoba. She presented her 100-year plan for revitalizing Indigenous languages as part of her keynote address.

Those stories and more in today’s morning update.

A major winter storm is forecast to bring blizzard conditions to southern Minnesota from Tuesday night through Wednesday afternoon. The heaviest snow — possibly 6 to 12 inches — is expected for Albert Lea, Faribault, Rochester, and Red Wing, along with winds gusting in excess of 50 miles per hour.

A Canadian official Tuesday announced his intentions to impose a 25 percent export tax on electricity to Minnesota. That’s if President Donald Trump doesn't remove his tariffs on Canada. Ontario premier Doug Ford says his province supplies electricity to about 1.5 million homes in bordering U.S. states: Minnesota, New York and Michigan. Ford says if the U.S. continues its tariffs, he's also willing to completely cut off access to electricity and other natural resources.

And Target's profits and sales slipped in its fourth quarter, according to its latest earnings report released this Tuesday morning. But it still beat most projections.

Those stories and more in today’s afternoon update.

Find these headlines and more at mprnews.org.

Ferocious, wind-driven heavy snow on the way; blizzard conditions near Twin Cities

Trudeau slams Trump's tariffs, launching a trade war against Canada

Target posts strong Q4 profits and sales, but warns of cautious spending as tariffs take hold

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