MPR News with Angela Davis

There’s a lack of affordable housing across Minnesota. State projections say more than 182,000 new housing units across all types and prices points are needed by 2035 to create a healthy housing market.

But the problem is especially acute in rural communities, due to a complicated mix of older housing in need of repairs, seniors remaining in single-family homes and high construction costs.

MPR News host Kerri Miller devoted the final Rural Voice of 2026 to the lack of affordable housing — a problem that comes up at every town hall she moderates, no matter the topic.

The town hall discussion took place on Oct. 6, in Marshall, where community leaders said housing is needed across the board — renters need more apartments, young families need single-family homes and seniors need places where they can affordably downsize. Creative solutions could include updated modular housing and repurposing the second stories of downtown spaces.

Leaders also linked housing to employment. Businesses can’t grow because there is no housing for more workers. Chad Adams, CEO at the Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership, said the business community needs to do more to help with the housing crisis and reminded local leaders that “housing is economic development.”

Do you toss and turn and have trouble falling asleep? Or do you wake in the middle of the night and struggle to get back to sleep?

About a third of adults in the U.S. report that they don’t get the recommended seven hours of sleep each night. About one in ten people struggle with chronic insomnia.

As we reset our clocks on Sunday and leave Daylight Savings Time, it’s a great time to also reset our sleep habits.

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with a sleep expert about why sleep is so important for your body and your mind, what’s keeping people up and how to deal with common sleep problems.

Guest:

• Dr. Michael Howell is a neurology professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School focused on sleep research. He sees patients through M Health Fairview's sleep clinics and is also the chief medical officer for GEM Sleep, a Minnesota-based virtual clinic with patients nationwide.

Halloween is just around the corner, and Minnesotans are getting ready with costumes, decorations and plenty of candy. From trick-or-treating and carving pumpkins to haunted houses and costume parties, Halloween traditions have evolved over generations.

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with a Halloween historian about the history of the holiday. She’ll also talk with a longtime community volunteer from Anoka about why the city calls itself the Halloween Capital of the World.

Guests:

• Lisa Morton is an author and Halloween historian who researches the holiday’s origins, traditions and cultural significance. She has written several books about Halloween, including “Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween” and “The Halloween Encyclopedia.”
• Karen George is a longtime Anoka resident and volunteer with Anoka Halloween, Inc. She is grand marshal of the city’s Halloween parades this year.

Four years ago, the podcast Sold a Story sparked a national debate about how children learn to read. Its reporting helped drive changes in reading instruction across dozens of states, including in Minnesota.

Now, the investigative podcast from American Public Media is back for a second season. And this time, the focus goes beyond reading to look at teaching itself. Sold a Story: What Happened to Teaching explores why so many schools have ignored an effective teaching method called direct instruction.

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Emily Hanford, the senior correspondent and host of Sold a Story, about the new season and what happens when deeply held beliefs about education clash with evidence.

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  At a northern Minnesota tribal school A highly structured reading program gets results
  
  

Guest:

• Emily Hanford is a senior correspondent and producer at APM Reports and host of the investigative podcast Sold a Story, one of Time Magazine’s top podcasts of the year and winner of numerous honors including a duPont, an Edward R. Murrow and a Peabody nomination. A longtime public media journalist and education reporter, she is based in Washington, D.C., where she’s been journalist-in-residence at Planet Word, the museum of words and language.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.    

Data centers are coming for rural America.

In the past, data centers tended to be built in urban areas, close to power grids and technology workers. But with the rise of generative AI, more data centers are needed, and this time, tech companies are eyeing rural communities.

MPR News host Kerri Miller moderated a Rural Voice town hall discussion about data centers at Corks & Pints in Faribault, Minn. on Sept. 29. The conversation was lively, to say the least.

Community members, who live in a variety of towns across southern Minnesota, were skeptical about the energy and environmental impact data centers would have on rural areas. Many said they care more about natural resources than the money that development might bring. And almost everyone said they don’t trust technology companies to tell the truth or do the right thing when it comes to protecting and investing in rural communities.

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  More from MPR News Data centers in Minnesota
  
  

Minneapolis Public Schools last month recommended closing more than a dozen schools — and then last week put the plan on pause.

The proposal to shutter schools was put forward as a way to make better use of limited funds and half-empty buildings after years of enrollment declines and budget challenges.

But at a recent school board meeting, after intense community feedback, Minneapolis Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams told the board not proceed with school closures.

Coming up at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Superintendent Sayles-Adams about why that plan was proposed, why it was put on hold and what comes next for students and families.

Guest:

• Lisa Sayles-Adams is the superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools. She started the job in early 2024 after serving during the pandemic as superintendent of Eastern Carver County Schools west of the Twin Cities. She started her career in education 30 years ago as a classroom teacher in Minneapolis and later worked in several districts in Minnesota and Georgia as a principal and assistant superintendent. She was selected by Minnesota Association of School Administrators as the 2026 Minnesota Superintendent of the Year.

Pets can bring so much joy. But there’s also a lot to learn about how to train and care for a dog, cat or other animal companion.

How do you help an anxious rescue dog? Do indoor cats need vaccines? What’s the etiquette at the dog park? What do I feed a rabbit?

And, if you’re thinking about getting a pet, what should you be thinking about ahead of time?

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with a veterinarian about how to help your pets stay happy, healthy and well-behaved.

Minnesota launched a major new benefit for workers in January.

The statewide paid family and medical leave program allows eligible workers to receive part of their pay while taking time off to recover from a serious illness, welcome a new child or care for a loved one.

More than 100,000 Minnesotans have applied for benefits so far, but questions remain about how smoothly the program is working and how employers are adjusting.

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with her guests about what we’ve learned in the first nine months, who’s using the paid leave program and what needs to be improved.

Guests:

• Alice Mann is a DFL state senator who represents District 50, which includes Edina and Bloomington. She is also an emergency room physician.
• Evan Rowe is the deputy commissioner for workforce services and transformation at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, also known as DEED.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.    

Do local businesses still own Main Street in Minnesota’s rural communities? Or are national chains and large corporations changing the fabric of what it means to be a small town?

That’s the question MPR News host Kerri Miller posed during her most recent Rural Voice town hall, held Sept. 28 at The Broadway event center in downtown Albert Lea, Minn.

Business owners and community leaders agreed that keeping local businesses local is key to maintaining small town feel and charm. But doing that is no small feat.

Business owners say they work long hours, money is always tight and even if the business is a success, figuring out how to grow sustainably is a challenge.

Organizations designed to support local businesses, like the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, say it’s a story they hear a lot. They pointed to the critical role community support and innovative financing models play in sustaining rural businesses.

Last year, President Donald Trump signed a sweeping tax and spending bill — originally called the One Big Beautiful Bill. It included significant changes to Medicaid, the government health insurance program that helps people with lower incomes pay for medical care.

Some changes to eligibility rules have already taken effect while changes to work requirements are scheduled to begin in 2027.

MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about what the changes mean for Minnesotans who rely on Medicaid and for the healthcare system as a whole.

If you’re looking for affordable medical care, you can find local resources here: Community Health Centers.

Guests:

• Robin Rudowitz is a senior vice president and director of the Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured at KFF, an independent source for health policy research, polling and news.
• Jonathan Watson is the CEO of the Minnesota Association of Community Health Centers.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. 

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.