Minnesota Now

Minnesota Now’s series called “Thank You, Stranger” explores the small acts of kindness that make a big impact.Kyrra Rankine’s morning started off like any other — then she found out her car had been towed. It was a classic bad day, the kind that any of us could have. But the kindness she encountered in the aftermath only comes along once in a while.Minnesota Now producer Aleesa Kuznetsov spoke with Rankine about the help she received in this installment of “Thank You, Stranger.”If you have a story to share about a stranger who made your life a little brighter, we want to hear it.Contact us at [email protected].

A southern Minnesota congressional race is too close to call. Democrat Jake Johnson has around 300 votes more than Republican incumbent Brad Finstad. That likely means it’s headed for a recount. We talked to the Secretary of State about how the recount process works.With a new ICE detention facility opening in Minnesota soon, lawyers and immigrant advocates are gathering to discuss detention and deportation. From the Covid-19 pandemic to George Floyd to political and mass shootings, and Operation Metro Surge — Minnesota has been through a lot. We learned about a new report on collective trauma in the state.Plus, how the annual “Girlhood Summit” is helping youth gain new skills and find community.The Minnesota Music Minute was Maurice Ravel’s “A Barque Upon the Ocean” performed by the Minnesota Orchestra.

On Saturday, some 200 middle and high school-aged girls and gender-expansive youth from across Minnesota will come together for the third annual “Girlhood Summit.”It’s a day-long event organized by the Ann Bancroft Foundation. And young people will get the chance to learn about everything from personal finance to managing stress and bringing their ideas to life. We heard more about the summit from Ethelind Kaba, executive director of the Ann Bancroft Foundation, and Madeline Lemmer, who has been involved with the summit since the first year and is this year’s volunteer coordinator.

Minnesotans know that the state has been through a lot over the past six years. The COVID-19 pandemic, the murder of George Floyd, fraud scandals, the Annunciation Catholic School shooting, the killings of Melissa and Mark Hortman and Operation Metro Surge. It’s kept the state under a microscope — and affected each of us in very different ways. A new report from the mental health advocacy group NAMI Minnesota looks at what happens when traumatic events affect not just individuals, but entire communities, and when those experiences start to pile up. Marcus Schmit, executive director of NAMI Minnesota, joined Minnesota Now to talk more about their latest report.

The most recent data from the Deportation Data Project shows more than 2,300 non-citizens who were arrested in Minnesota during the federal immigration enforcement operation this winter were deported or left the country.Immigration lawyers and advocates are still working with people who have been deported or are in ICE custody — navigating the complex legal system that comes with it. That’s the focus of a University of Minnesota Law school forum taking place Friday. Sarah Brenes, executive director of the Binger Center for New Americans at the U of M, spoke with MPR News host Nina Moini about the event.

The race for the 1st Congressional District in southern Minnesota is likely headed for a recount. Unofficial vote totals show Democrat Jake Johnson with a 323 vote lead over Republican incumbent Brad Finstad. But the 1st District is not the only race that’s likely going to a recount. There are three other races for the state Legislature that are within a margin of less than a tenth of a percent, including one in Moorhead split by just four votes. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, who was reelected on Tuesday, joined Minnesota Now to explain the recount process.

Large-scale data centers were a hot-button political issue across the country in Tuesday’s election. They played a major role in high profile races in Texas, Ohio and elsewhere. They were also a factor in some local elections across Minnesota where data center proposals have been controversial. MPR News reporter Dan Kraker joined Minnesota Now from Duluth to explain.

Minnesotans delivered big wins to the Democrats in the midterms. DFL House leader Zack Stephenson shared what he'll push for with full control of the Legislature. And MPR News reporter Dana Ferguson gave the latest on the close races that could be headed for a recount. Two political strategists analyzed Democratic wins around the country, as the party prepares to take control of Congress, and considered how Minnesota fits in. With data centers looming large in local politics, we learned how the issue swayed voters in Minnesota. Plus, we learned what the election results mean for schools. We talked about Peggy Flanagan's history-making win with a longtime Anishinaabe leader she’s described as a mentor. And we met a suburban mayor-elect who has also made history.

The Twin Cities northeast suburbs of Maplewood elected a new mayor last night in a historic first for the city. Chonburi Lee received 58 percent of the vote, unseating incumbent Mayor Marylee Abrams and making him Maplewood's first Hmong mayor. Lee is currently a member of the city council, where he's served since 2023. He joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about his win and his plans for office.

Candidates across the U.S. made history Tuesday by becoming firsts. Senator-elect Peggy Flanagan is among them. A citizen of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, Flanagan will go to Congress next year as the first Native woman elected to the U.S. Senate. Melanie Benjamin served about two decades as Chief Executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe before completing her final term in 2024. She now consults with tribal leaders around the U.S. as Vice President of Governmental Affairs with the firm Bluestone Strategy. Benjamin joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about Flanagan’s journey to the Senate and the significance of her win.