Minnesota Now

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Oct 2026

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Live, down to earth, unscripted interviews that aim to connect, inform and entertain. Real people share real stories with MPR News host Nina Moini. It’s journalism that doesn’t take itself too seriously and puts people first.

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October 15, 202654 min

Minnesota Now: Oct. 15, 2026

The Trump Administration’s investigation into Minnesota Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is aimed at building a case to revoke her citizenship, according to a Wall Street Journal report. An immigration attorney shared more about denaturalization efforts in the Trump administration. U.S. Senate candidates Michele Tafoya and Peggy Flanagan are set to debate Friday on MPR News. We got analysis on this closely watched race. As Minnesota’s climate continues to change, University of Minnesota researchers are looking at ways to help forests adapt. Plus, remember when we used walk through video stores, browsing for movies to watch? Well, that experience is coming back to Minneapolis through Saturn Video, which opens this weekend. The Minnesota Music Minute was “Rooming House” by Charlie Parr. The Song of the Day was “The Chemic Drop” by GREYCOATS.

October 15, 202610 min

Flanagan v. Tafoya: What to know about the U.S. Senate race

One of the most closely watched statewide races in Minnesota is for U.S. Senate. MPR News will be hosting a debate Friday between Democratic candidate Peggy Flanagan and Republican candidate Michele Tafoya. It is the only debate between the two scheduled so far. For a closer look at this race ahead of the debate, Minnesota Now host Nina Moini spoke with University of Minnesota political scientist Larry Jacobs.

October 15, 20269 min

How Minnesota's forests can become more resilient in the face of a changing climate

Our forests are putting on a show right now as they transform from their summer greens — to their fall reds, oranges and golden yellows. But while these changes of the seasons are expected, the effects of Minnesota’s changing climate on our forest ecosystems could bring challenges. It’s something two University of Minnesota Extension educators are looking into in order to help our trees become more climate resilient. Anna Stockstad and Angela Gupta shared more about the “Climate-Ready Woodlands” program on Minnesota Now.

October 15, 20268 min

Saturn Video wants to bring back the heydays of DVDs and VHS tapes

Before we scrolled through streaming services on our smart TVs, picking out a movie used to mean wandering the aisles of a video store, reading the backs of VHS tapes and DVDs, and arguing about what to watch. A new video rental store in Minneapolis is looking to bring that experience back at a time when some people are discovering physical media like VHS for the first time. Saturn Video is set to open a permanent storefront Saturday. Sierra Parham, the founder of Saturn Video, gave Minnesota Now a preview.

October 15, 202610 min

Lawyer explains denaturalization as Trump administration pursues investigation of Rep. Ilhan Omar

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Trump administration’s investigation into Minnesota U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar is aimed at building a case to revoke her citizenship and eventually deport her. MPR News has not independently confirmed that. Trump administration officials have suggested the investigation relates to alleged immigration fraud. The Department of Justice searched Omar’s Washington D.C. home Monday. A spokesperson for Omar said the investigation is politically motivated and that, “Trump’s push to strip her of her citizenship and deport her has no basis in the law and has no precedent.” There’s a lot we don’t know about the DOJ’s investigation. But it’s happening alongside a wider effort by the Trump administration to bring forward more denaturalization cases. Immigration attorney David Wilson joined Minnesota Now to help explain what that process entails.

October 14, 202655 min

Minnesota Now: Oct. 14, 2026

Minneapolis Public Schools is reversing course on its school closure plan. The district says it won't close any schools, for now. We heard about Tuesday night's school board meeting and talked with one of many parents who pushed back against the closures. An alleged sexual assault at Cornell University has brought conversations about prevention and healing to the forefront. We'll talk to a local campus support center. Plus, Minnesota-based Cambria is the leading manufacturer of quartz countertops. But the process behind artificial stone products is leading to illness and in some cases death. Now, California may ban the product. And we learned about a local publishing company producing sheet music for small choirs around the world. The Minnesota Music Minute was “Half Like A Shadow” by Mae Simpson and “Come Down Oh Maid” by Kelley Smith was the Song of the Day.

October 14, 202610 min

Twin Cities couple draws on rich choral music scene to help composers distribute new works

Minnesota has a rich choral music tradition, with composers and ensembles creating new works all the time. But how does that music find its way from a composer’s desk to a choir director looking for something new to perform? Twenty years ago, Twin Cities composers Tim Takach and Jocelyn Hagen set out to help answer that question. They started Graphite Publishing, a company that gives composers a way to distribute their sheet music while retaining a bigger share of the royalties. Today, the business represents composers from Minnesota and around the world, while Takach and Hagen continue to write music themselves. They joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about their work.

October 14, 20269 min

Minnesota company leads manufacturing of quartz countertops that California poised to ban

For decades, the coal mining industry has been reckoning with a disease called black lung. Now a similar condition is disabling and even killing workers who cut artificial stone, for trendy quartz countertops and backsplashes. It's called silicosis, and you get it by breathing in tiny crystals of a mineral called silica. The nation's largest manufacturer of artificial stone is Cambria, a company based in Minnesota. But California is the epicenter of silicosis cases in the U.S. and regulators in that state could soon ban the making of these products. For more on what health professionals in California are seeing in silicosis patients, MPR News host Nina Moini talked with Dr. Sheiphali Gandhi. She leads the California Silicosis Support and Research Network at the University of California-San Francisco, where she is an assistant professor of medicine. MPR News reached out to Cambria, which has faced hundreds of lawsuits related to silicosis, and has not received a response. The company has said repeatedly that it maintains safe working conditions, partly by wetting facilities to keep dust out of the air.

October 14, 202613 min

Minnesota campus resource center sees ripple effects of Cornell sexual assault case

When a story about sexual assault on a college campus makes national headlines, it can spark difficult questions: How common is campus sexual assault? Are universities doing enough to prevent it? And what happens to survivors after the headlines fade? At Cornell University, a former student filed a lawsuit alleging that seven fraternity members drugged and sexually assaulted her at a party in 2024. The case has drawn renewed scrutiny after no criminal charges were initially filed. In the Twin Cities, the Aurora Center at the University of Minnesota and Augsburg University works to prevent sexual violence and advocates for survivors. Director Katie Eichele joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about what this national conversation means for Minnesota students. To reach the Aurora Center’s 24-hour helpline, you can call 612-626-9111. There is also a statewide sexual and domestic violence hotline available. You can call Minnesota Day One at (866) 223-1111 or text (612) 399-9995 to connect to resources closest to where you live.

October 14, 20267 min

Minneapolis parent calls for 'universal' engagement as district reverses school closure plans

Minneapolis Public Schools leaders are backing away from a plan put forth last month to close up to sixteen schools. The decision came during a school board meeting Tuesday night. Minneapolis Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams said at the meeting that the choice was based on community feedback. She added that changes still needed to happen and the upcoming budget process might be difficult. Minneapolis school board members say in addition to not closing any schools in the 2027-2028 school year, they're committed to pursuing enrollment growth and considering changes to school start and end times. MPR News host Nina Moini checked in with a Minneapolis Public Schools parent who was at the meeting. Shakiya Carter has three kids in the district and she’s one of the founders of Minneapolis Families for Public Schools.

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