Bemidji school board delays closing school; Fargo appoints interim police chief

It may be April Fools’ Day', but the weather forecast for Minnesota is no joke -- with a mix of rain, sleet, ice and snow expected from tonight through tomorrow.And the city of Minneapolis will hold two open houses later this month, to provide an update on construction projects slated to begin in June at George Floyd Square.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR news. Hosted by Elena See. Music by Gary Meister.

When Minnesota lawmakers return from recess next week one item before them will be a bill proposing new regulations for mobile home parks.Thousands of Minnesotans are expected to lose their SNAP benefits starting as soon as Wednesday due to stricter work and eligibility requirements. Now, all able-bodied adults under the age of 65 must work at least 80 hours a month in order to continue receiving their monthly SNAP food aid benefits. Until today, the work requirement had applied to those under age 55.A new bill would exempt families from a rule stripping subsidized child care funding after 25 absent days. Child care programs do not receive payment after a child misses 25 days. Parents fearing immigration enforcement kept kids home and are approaching this limit.

Amid public backlash, the Bemidji School board stalled on efforts to close an elementary school where 70 percent of students are Native American. And the City of Fargo has appointed an interim police chief to replace retiring Chief Dave Zibolski.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Elena See. Music by Gary Meister.

About 3,800 Minnesota residents were arrested during the federal government’s surge into the state this winter. That’s according to new data released through a Freedom of Information lawsuit to the Deportation Data Project.Federal officials said in public statements during the surge that they were targeting the “worst of the worst.” The new data shows that fewer than a quarter of those arrested had a criminal conviction on their record. The vast majority were arrested for civil immigration violations.The U.S. Department of Justice sued Minnesota Monday over policies that allow transgender athletes to play on teams consistent with their gender. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on Monday called the lawsuit a, “sad attempt to get attention over something that’s already been in litigation for months.”

A top legislative leader says Minnesota lawmakers need to provide a rescue package this year for Hennepin County Medical Center.And the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office came in close to $15.5 million dollars over budget in 2025. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A Minneapolis city council member says she's working to rename the city’s Cesar Chavez Avenue after recent reports that the labor movement leader sexually abused women and girls.The U.S. Department of Agriculture canceled most funding for a $300 million program designed to help underserved farmers access land nationwide. That affected three projects active in Minnesota. The MSP Airport Foundation says it helped distribute about $30,000 in donation money to TSA workers who have gone weeks without pay during the government shutdown.

Organizers expect millions of people will take part in "No Kings" rallies around the world Saturday to protest the Trump administration. About 100 events are planned in Minnesota alone, with the national flagship event taking place in St. Paul at the State Capitol. A proposed new training center for Minneapolis police and emergency personnel is now delayed after the city council voted Thursday to postpone a decision on funding.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Organizers say they expect millions of people to take part in No Kings rallies around the world Saturday. The national flagship event is in St. Paul, where Bruce Springsteen and Sen. Bernie Sanders top the list of high-profile names on the formal lineup. More than 3,000 events are planned across every U.S. state and beyond. Around 90 event will take place in Minnesota. A federal judge in Minneapolis has extended an order that requires immigration authorities to ensure detainees held at the Whipple Federal Building have access to attorneys. The Minneapolis City Council delayed a vote on funding a new emergency responder training center. The council was set to vote Thursday on whether or not to reallocate more than $5 million from animal control and traffic safety budgets to the training center project.

Minneapolis police are still searching for the suspect in a hit-and-run that killed a University of St. Thomas senior last weekend. And a federal appeals court has sided with the Trump administration in a closely watched Minnesota immigration case. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A rural Minnesota hospital system could be forced to close within weeks as millions of dollars in Medicare payments have been delayed. The Mille Lacs Health System is at risk of closing its hospital and rural health clinics that serve multiple counties. That’s because the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has withheld about $2.5 million dollars in Medicare payments since January.A new lawsuit is challenging the Trump Administration’s move to fast-track deportations of Somalis. The Advocates for Human Rights — a Minneapolis nonprofit — is suing the Justice Department over its effort to speed up deportations of non-citizens from Somalia. The government had already targeted many for removal, but the plaintiffs allege that the administration is fast-tracking court hearings for Somalis after President Donald Trump called them "garbage."