MPR News

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune made his way to Minnesota to campaign with Republican Senate nominee Michele Tafoya. Democratic nominee Peggy Flanagan sharpened her message on economic struggles and the war in Iran. Read more

For 26.2 miles, marathon pacers run with a big flag, a watch and a group of strangers counting on them to get the timing right. Read more

Genetically modified organisms could become the newest recruits in Minnesota s long and largely losing battle against invasive species. Researchers experimenting now know they ll need to answer questions about safety. Read more

Each October, we ask ourselves the same question: what s our Halloween costume going to be? Local costume retailers share their advice and trends for 2026. One theme: The return of the blockbuster movie. Read more

Voters will decide Minnesota s next governor and control of the Minnesota Legislature next month. Here s a look at DFL and GOP leaders top priorities. Read more

Multiple immigration detainees in Minnesota have been ordered released by federal judges only for them to be immediately re-detained by immigration officers at the doors of the Whipple Federal building. Read more

Boelter initially demanded a speedy trial, but his attorneys argued they couldn't review all the evidence in the case by his Nov. 2 trial date. Read more

About 3,700 people were arrested by federal law enforcement in Minnesota during Operation Metro Surge. For one family, the resulting family separation has caused financial and emotional stress. Read more

Eden Prairie police say they believe a shooting outside the Eden Prairie High School homecoming football game Friday night that left two injured was gang-related. Classes are in session Monday. The investigation continues. Read more

This is the 81st indictment in Minnesota s most high-profile fraud probe. Read more

Big changes are coming to the schools in the small central Minnesota city of Montevideo after voters passed a $42 million bond referendum earlier this year. The money will be used to fix up and add onto the aging school buildings. Read more

Four shops and restaurants have closed so far this year on Second Street, two of them just this past week. And many more say they re struggling to hang on. Read more

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce s Coolest Thing Made in Minnesota contest will conclude Tuesday after a final public vote. Read more

The NFL generates billions of dollars each year. How much are Vikings fans spending each game? Read more

More than 30,000 runners signed up to compete in the races across Minneapolis and St. Paul this weekend. Read more

Voters are already voting in the midterms. This year, some voters are trying something new to get ready for the election: asking AI to help research their ballot and even decide who to vote for. Read more

Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell announced the news on Monday, revealing another significant setback for an offense that has struggled to consistently move the ball despite the team's 4-0 start. Read more

It's the deadliest strike against American troops during the war with Iran. Now U.S. soldiers wounded in a drone attack on Port Shuaiba in Kuwait are raising their concerns publicly about whether commanders underestimated the threat and saying the military medical system failed them. Read more

Dennis Hastert, who served as House speaker longer than any other Republican but later was sent to prison in a hush-money case, has died. The Kendall County, Illinois, coroner said Monday that Hastert died of natural causes on Saturday while he was receiving hospice care. Read more

This year, federal forecasters say the planet could see the strongest El Ni o event on record. Here's what you need to know. Read more

The Wild go on to face Buffalo Tuesday night to begin a three-game road trip. Read more

Drake Lindsey threw the go-ahead touchdown pass to Darius Taylor early in the fourth quarter after two costly first-half interceptions, and Minnesota s defense overwhelmed quarterback Bryce Underwood to beat Michigan 20-14 for the first time since 2014. Read more

Iowa s governor has signed a bill to expand the ceiling on the state's tax incentives. Officials say the change is needed to secure a $15 billion steel plant project for the state because the company wouldn't accept what's currently in law. Read more

Registration for the Grandma s half-marathon filled up in under an hour. The 26.2 mile race sold out in under three hours. Read more

Indigenous Peoples Task Force opened a new $12 million, 12,000-square-foot center in south Minneapolis. The space provides a permanent, larger home for its health, environmental education, arts and theater programs. Read more

Attorney General Keith Ellison says that Google's agreement with Xcel Energy to power a huge, hyperscale data center in Pine Island could leave Xcel's other customers on the hook for millions of dollars in extra costs. Google and Xcel deny that will be the case, saying ratepayers will benefit from cleaner energy powering the data center. Read more

Kawai Strong Washburn's propulsive new novel The Names of the New World brings tornadoes to Minneapolis. That storm throws together three strangers whose lives will become entangled over the next 25 years. Read more

The Minnesota Vikings ruled out star receiver Justin Jefferson for Sunday s game against the Dolphins because of a sprained ankle, and Miami will be without rookie receiver Caleb Douglas for a second straight game as he continues nursing an ankle injury suffered in Week 2. Read more

A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked Minnesota s ban on AI-generated fake nude images after Elon Musk s xAI challenged the law as unconstitutional. Read more

While things got off to a slightly later start, we have largely caught up to typical timing in the last five days. With cold mornings all across the state, that gets the internal chemicals in leaves going. Read more