Minnesota’s start to voting Friday begins without a cloud over how ballots sent through the mail are handled, now that the U.S. Supreme Court has turned back potential restrictions.

That brings certainty to an increasing number of jurisdictions in the state that exclusively use mail to get ballots to voters.

In some places, Minnesota voters have been voting by mail for decades. State law allows cities with fewer than 400 registered voters and townships of any size to choose to vote exclusively with mail ballots. There are more than 1,100 precincts in Minnesota where registered voters receive a ballot in the mail automatically.

Jenna Weiss lives in Barclay Township just outside of Pine River, north of Brainerd. Her township is one of 43 Cass County precincts — more than half of its total — that vote exclusively by mail.

“I think it's worked really well,” Weiss said. “It’s convenient in that I get a ballot to my mailbox. I don't have to remember to go to the polling place, which is kind of a benefit."

Weiss said for her rural, remote township, voting by mail makes sense. It can be difficult to find enough volunteers to staff a local polling place. And it's a 45-minute drive to the county seat of Walker.

Weiss said she trusts the mail ballot system, although she has some concerns about the reliability of the U.S. Postal Service as it faces pressure to be more profitable.

"But by and large, I don't really think twice about it,” she said. “I put it in the mail, and I'm pretty confident it's going to get where it needs to go."

Voting by mail has been under scrutiny since President Trump signed an executive order in March. It directed the U.S. Postal Service to use federal citizenship lists in determining which mail ballots it would deliver.

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon objected to that proposal.

“This would have, for the first time in its 250-year history, put the U.S. Postal Service in the position of being the traffic cop for voter eligibility and literally not delivering mail to people who ended up on the wrong list,” Simon said.

Minnesota and other states sued. They argued the changes would interfere with states' authority to run elections and would leave elections officials with little time to comply.

The Supreme Court sided with the states and blocked the Postal Service's new rules for mail-in voting — at least for the midterms.

That allowed elections officials in Minnesota to carry on with the work of preparing ballots to send to voters.

About 20 small cities and townships in Stearns County use only mail ballots, said elections director Laura Laudenbach. She said voter turnout in those precincts tends to be higher.

“Just because it’s right in front of them. It’s a little easier to send the ballot back,” she said. “They have a little time to do their research as they’re voting.”

If they prefer, those voters have the option of casting their vote in person at the county service center, Laudenbach said. And they can track their ballot online to make sure it arrived and was counted.

Still, in Cass County, elections administrator Pamela Smith said opinions are mixed about mail voting, and some voters have raised concerns.

“Whether those concerns are about politics or about trusting the mail system or just a personal preference, I can't really say for sure,” she said. “But those viewpoints are present."

The Trump administration claims that mail ballots are vulnerable to fraud. But Minnesota elections officials say the system has safeguards to prevent ineligible people from voting or people voting more than once. They are confident that ballots are securely processed.

“I think one of the misconceptions is that people can double vote,” said Roxanne Gerads, Stearns County’s elections supervisor. “The system does a really good job of flagging those."

Still, some officials worry that the Trump administration's attacks on mail ballots are creating distrust in the voting system.

"There's no question about that,” Simon said. “This has introduced a level of confusion and at least short-term doubt by a lot of voters, and maybe that was the goal all along."

Still, regardless of how they cast their ballot, Minnesotans typically want to vote, Simon said.

The state saw record-breaking turnout for its August primary. With many key races on the November ballot, officials are preparing for another busy election.

Elections officials like Jory Danielson, administrative services director for Crow Wing County, urge voters with questions to contact the Secretary of State’s office or their local elections office.

"Elections are run by our friends and neighbors and even family members in the communities of both major political parties,” he said. “The checks and balances and the procedures that are in place are there to protect the voter, and to protect the ballots.”

Minnesota’s job growth was effectively flat last month and unemployment ticked up to 4.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis. The national rate was 4.4 percent.

That’s according to new job numbers from the state’s Department of Employment and Economic Development for the month of August.

Officials also noted that a smaller share of Minnesota’s population is working or looking for work. The state’s labor force participation rate has fallen every month this year, down to 66.9 percent in August from 68.1 percent one year ago.

DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek said the state’s population is aging and fewer new workers are moving here to replace them, especially after the surge in immigration enforcement efforts earlier this year.

“Our population growth has been boosted by a large number of arrivals from foreign sources, talented people choosing to come to this country and come to Minnesota, and current indications are that that has really almost been turned off entirely,” he said.

On an annual basis, Minnesota’s jobs growth is outpacing the national rate. Over the year, Minnesota added more than 45,000 jobs, a 1.5 percent increase, and the U.S. saw job growth of 0.3 percent.

Minnesota exports up, but maybe not for long

The state also released new export data Thursday. The value of Minnesota's exports rose 14 percent in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2025. Exports rose by 15 percent nationally.

Canada remained the state's largest export market. Costa Rica became a top 10 export country for the first time, driven by a surge in optic and medical products.

Varilek said one of the reasons for growth could be relief from the Supreme Court, which struck down some of President Donald Trump’s tariffs this year. But that relief didn’t last long.

“As we look ahead to current export activity and future quarterly export releases, unfortunately, we now have to contend with a trade war with Canada, featuring tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian imports, and then the Canadians' tariffs on an equivalent level of U.S. exports in response,” he said.

He said the escalating trade war will likely raise prices for consumers and limit Minnesota businesses' ability to sell to Canadians.

Have you ever walked by the historic St. Paul Hotel and noticed the flower gardens out front, or the ivy climbing the wall?

How about the window boxes along the street? If you’ve been inside, have you noticed all the indoor plants?

Gardener Robyn Wefel is the person who tends to it all.

“I only have to have it looking good roughly 365 days a year,” she said.

Wefel has been the gardener at the iconic downtown St. Paul hotel for 14 years. She’s the third person to hold the position since the garden was built in 1994.

“I tell people I have the best job in the whole hotel,” she said. “I actually get to just play in the garden.”

Wefel includes a lot of native plants in her garden. She says that encourages the “good bugs” to come and eat the “bad bugs.” And it allows her to avoid using chemicals.

“You always are maintaining the garden … and you want to do contrasting leaf textures and colors. And in this garden, because I am in the city and I have such a limited spot, I do plant things a little closer together than a normal person might at their home. It’s because I’m trying to maximize every square inch that I have,” she said.

Another challenge, Wefel says, is the physical toll of all that work.

“By the time you hit that last tray of violas, your hands are kind of achy, and your wrists are sore, and your arms are tired,” she said.

But Wefel says seeing all the people who enjoy her garden brings her joy — and makes it all worth it.

This conversation is a part of our Job Interview series, where we talk to everyday Minnesotans about the rewards and challenges of their work. This following interview has been lightly edited for style and clarity. Click on the audio player to hear the interview.

Official title: Hotel Gardener

What I actually do: Create a nice little oasis in the middle of the city for people to enjoy.

What you love about your work: I get really inspired when people want to take pictures of the garden. Why would you want your wedding photos here, or graduation photos, or anniversary, or birthday? That’s just the biggest compliment.

The hardest part: There are some not-so-glamorous parts. I do have to pick up cigarette butts and other trash that people leave, sometimes it blows in from the neighboring properties — and gum on the sidewalk.

What I’ve learned: I hadn’t seen myself as a professional gardener, so that was new for me. I’m helping some people in my garden club think of things to enter into a flower show, and I’m kind of being a mentor to them and helping them. I find that really rewarding.

Listen to the audio version of this “Job Interview” by clicking the player above.

MN Shortlist is the MPR News weekly roundup of arts and culture recommendations. This week’s picks include a crop art exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the 27th Children’s Book Festival at the Anderson Center in Red Wing, a 50th anniversary celebration of the Japanese Garden at Normandale Community College and more.

Chroma Zone Mural & Art Festival in St. Paul — Through Sept. 19

Since 2019, the Chroma Zone Mural & Art Festival has commissioned 80 murals across the South Saint Anthony Park and Midway neighborhoods of St. Paul. This year, the festival features six artists from Minnesota, Seattle and Los Angeles. Minneapolis public artist Daniela Bianchini, who participated in the inaugural festival, is back working on a mural on a brick building at 2336 W. Territorial Road.

“This is one of the great things about Chroma Zone: A lot of the artists get to have their own voice, and usually you don't do that in public art. You have to engage with the community and stakeholders and people with money and all that,” Bianchini told MPR News. “Here, we get to do pretty much whatever we want. So, I wanted to celebrate women in community and people being together for the sake of being together, celebrating the fact that we don't have to be working, producing, and doing things all the time.”

Artists have been painting their murals since Sept. 13 and, on Friday and Saturday, there will be a celebration of the completed artworks. Festivities include “alley jams” with local graffiti artists, mural bike and bus tours and a block party that takes place near Bianchini’s mural. (Alex V. Cipolle)

Comic Con at the American Indian Community Housing Organization in Duluth — Sept. 19

Duluth-based American Indian Community Housing Organization joins the lineup of fan conventions this fall with its free AICHO Comic Con. The event will be held at AICHO’s center on Saturday.

Organizers will host a cosplay contest, where people are encouraged to dress as their favorite characters from movies, books, games and shows.

AICHO’s Indigenous First Art and Gift Shop coordinator and event co-organizer Khayman Goodsky said the no-cost event aims to make the event more accessible and better represent of Indigenous communities in media spaces.

“I think Indigenous people are very creative, and so when they do cosplay, I think they really go all out for it,” Goodsky said. The event also includes panels with local artists discussing publishing, mixed media and language revitalization. Breakout rooms will be held for social games and building social connections.

“I want to see everyone connect with everyone else,” Goodsky said.

AICHO Comic Con is open to all ages. It runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Chandra Colvin)

‘Cream of the Crop: The Second Harvest’ at Minneapolis Institute of Art — Sept. 19-Nov. 29

The Minnesota State Fair has ended but crop art mania continues, without the lines. This weekend, the Minneapolis Institute of Art opens its second annual crop art exhibition with 30 works of art chosen from the fair. The museum awarded four pieces with the “Hidden Gem at Mia” prize, which honors crop art that reimagines a lesser-known work in Mia's collection, including “La Petite Bergère – At Night" by Rochester artist Diane Klein.

The “Mia Favorite” prize, which recognizes artistry and creativity, went to “Twin Cities 2026 (Guernica 1937)” by Fridley artist Jennifer Nelson – a reimagining of a painting by Pablo Picasso, one of the most famous antiwar pieces in art history. Nelson made hers in response to Operation Metro Surge and featured imagery of Alex Pretti, Renee Good, Liam Canejo Ramos, whistles and the rebel loon.

“Picasso's is very heavy on the anguish, and I wanted my piece to capture not only the difficulty that that time was, but also the way that people rose to the occasion,” Nelson said. “The loon I have isn't screaming in anguish, but it's stoic and standing firm and kind of putting itself on the line.”

Need more crop art? St. Paul has got you covered. Can Can Wonderland is hosting a “Deviant Crop Art Show” Sept. 20-Oct. 11 with pieces that were “too naughty” for the State Fair and the Boréal Art Loft is showing State Fair crop art through Sept. 28. (Alex V. Cipolle)

Minnesota Children’s Book Festival at the Anderson Center in Red Wing — Sept. 19

Minnesota has an incredible kid lit community, and one of the events that best puts that richness on display is the Minnesota Children’s Book Festival, held every year in Red Wing. Anderson Center executive and artistic director Stephanie Rogers notes that, at 27 years, the festival has been going on long enough that people who attended as children can now bring their own. Held outside (under tents!) on the Anderson Center lawn, the event features nine authors and illustrators of books for kids and preteens. A different author or illustrator will read from their work every half-hour. Visitors can meet the presenters and purchase signed copies; participate in interactive activities including art projects and face painting, or grab a bite from a food truck. This free event runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Emily Bright)

Japanese Garden 50th Anniversary at Normandale Community College in Bloomington — Sept. 19

The Japanese Garden is a hidden gem in the Twin Cities, located on the Normandale Community College campus in Bloomington. The 2-acre garden was designed by Tokyo architect Takao Watanabe and incorporates more than 300 plants and trees, including Japanese cherry trees that were specially developed in partnership with the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum to survive Minnesota winters. The Japanese Garden is free and open to the public daily from sunrise to sunset spring through fall; It closes for the year when the pond begins to freeze. Much, though not all, of the garden is wheelchair accessible (details here).

This Saturday afternoon from noon to 4 p.m., there will be a celebration of the garden's 50th anniversary that is free and open to the public. Following an opening ceremony at noon, events include Taiko Drumming and dance performances, a Japanese tea ceremony, garden tours and hands-on activities such as koi feeding, calligraphy and origami.

While you’re there, look for plaques commemorating the work of Japanese Americans in the Military Intelligence Service Language School at Camp Savage and Fort Snelling during WWII. Their interpretation and translation work, at a time when their families were in internment camps, were key to the U.S. war effort against Japan. In the early 1970s, veterans from that school donated key startup money to create the garden.

20th Twin Cities Arab Film Festival in Minneapolis — Sept. 23-27

Mizna is a St. Paul nonprofit that highlights and supports contemporary art, literature and film made by Arab, Southwest Asian and North African,or SWANA,artists. One of Mizna’s annual cornerstone projects is the Twin Cities Arab Film Festival, which runs for five days at The Main Cinema and Walker Art Center. Opening night is Sept. 23 at The Main with a screening of “The Stories” by Egyptian-Austrian filmmaker Abu Bakr Shawky. The festival also includes Minnesota-made films like “Woman Land” and “1001 Arab Futures,” an outdoor screening of a “mystery classic” and a closing reception at the Walker with the film “With Hasan in Gaza,” compiled by rediscovered 2001 footage from Gaza. (Alex V. Cipolle)

Mike Trout hit a tying RBI single in the 10th inning, and Wade Meckler followed with a winning RBI single to give the Los Angeles Angels a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.

Minnesota rookie Walker Jenkins hit a two-out, two-run homer in top of the ninth for a 3-3 tie, and the Twins took a 4-3 lead in the 10th on Brooks Lee’s RBI single.

Kody Clemens’ sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with one out, but Angels left-hander Blake Weiman (1-1) got Josh Bell to pop to second and, after intentionally walking pinch-hitter Ryan Jeffers, struck out Royce Lewis to end the inning.

Automatic runner Jose Siri took third on pinch-hitter Vaughn Grissom’s fly to left to open the bottom of the 10th. Zach Neto walked, Trout singled off Yoendrys Gomez (2-4) for a 4-4 tie, and Meckler singled off left-hander Kody Funderburk for the win.

The Angels were one out away from a 3-1 victory after hard-throwing closer Ben Joyce struck out Emmanuel Rodriguez and Lewis to open the ninth, but Twins catcher Victor Caratini kept the inning alive with a single to center.

Jenkins, who entered Thursday with an .089 average and one homer in 16 big-league games, then drove a 101-mph fastball just beyond the glove of leaping center fielder Siri for a two-run shot that tied it at 3.

Minnesota’s late rally spoiled a superb start by Angels right-hander Walbert Ureña, who allowed four hits, struck out a career-high nine and walked none over seven shutout innings to lower his ERA to 2.74.

Twins starter Taj Bradley allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings, striking out nine and walking one, but the right-hander gave up four of those hits in a three-run first.

The Minnesota Board of Animal Health confirmed that a cow in Brown County tested positive for rabies last week after it was euthanized.

The board said the owner of the heifer noticed the animal behaving oddly on Sept. 1 as it laid flat with its head down. A veterinarian observed the animal the same day and the owner had administered oral medication with bare hands. Another veterinarian examined the animal the following day and also gave it oral medication without wearing gloves.

A third veterinarian examined the animal on Sept. 3 and observed that the cow had uncoordinated hind legs and was high-stepping, vocalizing, hypersalivating and had a high temperature.

The heifer was euthanized and the head was removed for rabies testing at the Minnesota Department of Health Public Health Laboratory. Brain tissue tested positive for the rabies virus on Sept. 8.

Public health officials recommended that nine people who came in contact with the animal and its saliva, including the owner of the dairy cow, the owner’s daughter, two minor children, two of the veterinarians who examined the animal and three assisting veterinary technicians seek rabies post-exposure prophylaxis as a preventative measure.

Experts say the disease is extremely dangerous and life-threatening to both humans and animals.

“A lot of times, it eventually travels up to the brain and will cause encephalopathy and eventually lead to death,” said Dr. Katie Cornille, senior veterinarian at the state Board of Animal Health. “It is a fatal disease, so it’s something that we take very seriously.”

The Board quarantined 13 other cows on the same Brown County farm so they can be monitored for rabies symptoms. More than 40 cattle on the property will also be watched for any signs of rabies symptoms. A horse on the property was also possibly exposed, but it is up-to-date on its rabies vaccinations, along with three vaccinated dogs. They are all under observation as well, while two unvaccinated barn cats that were likely exposed to rabies were euthanized.

Once a domestic animal is exposed, it can take anywhere from two to 26 weeks for symptoms of rabies to develop, depending on the location of the bite and the amount of the virus that enters the body. Most domestic animals that show symptoms will die within three to 12 weeks.

To help prevent spreading the virus and to reduce exposure to other animals, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health places all domestic animals that have been exposed and are unvaccinated under a 45- to 180-day quarantine.

“Every case of rabies is going to be serious,” Cornille said. “I’m sure the individuals that own the animals, they’re handling the loss of the animal, and they don’t want to lose anymore. We want to make sure that if there are any infectious animals that they don’t spread it anywhere else.”

Rabies is most often spread by being bitten by a rabid animal, and health officials say the cow was likely bitten by a rabid skunk or bat.

Skunks and bats are the most common natural carriers of rabies in Minnesota. Multiple skunks were observed earlier this year on a neighboring plot of land that connected to the area where the rabid cow was held.

Wild animals account for the vast majority of rabies cases reported annually in the state, and fewer than 15 percent of cases reported each year are in domesticated species. The most common domestic animals infected by rabies are cattle, cats and dogs — and the symptoms each animal may show can vary.

Rabies prevention

Rabies is a preventable viral disease that affects the central nervous system in mammals and causes encephalopathy and eventually death. It’s most commonly transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal, but can also be spread through saliva.

However, once a person displays symptoms it’s already too late to receive treatment, said Dr. Carrie Klumb, senior epidemiologist at MDH.

“With rabies, once you’re showing symptoms, there’s no treatment that’s been shown to actually work and keep people alive,” Klumb said. “What we have to do is that if you’ve had an exposure to the virus, we need to give you the rabies vaccination before you ever show any symptoms, so that you never show any symptoms and you never develop the disease.”

The situation in Brown County, Klumb said, highlights the need for biosecurity and also prevention, and she urges those caring for farm animals “to take appropriate steps to put your personal protective equipment on before you treat the animal.”

“If you do have an ill animal that you’re caring for, remembering those basic things like: cover your eyes, nose and mouth,” Klum added. “Put some gloves on, call your veterinarian, make sure a professional can come evaluate your animal, or bring your animal into the vet to be evaluated.”

Although the case in Brown County focused on a cow, for Minnesotans Klumb said it’s more likely there will be encounters with a bat. About one percent of bats in the wild are believed to be carrying rabies. About three to four percent of bats MDH tests each year test positive for rabies.

After two seasons of anticipation, Minnesota fans will get a visit from the 3-on-3 women’s basketball league Unrivaled.

The announcement that Minneapolis made the cut for a tour stop was made on the league’s social media, where it has been releasing different destinations over the past few weeks.

The Minneapolis game will be Jan. 24, according to the video. Tickets go live for Unrivaled newsletter subscribers on Thursday at 3 p.m. General sale tickets open at 4 p.m.

The league was cofounded by Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier and New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart in 2023, with its inaugural season featuring six teams in 2025. In its second year in 2026, it grew to eight teams.

At a Lynx practice Thursday, Collier said it's special bringing the league here.

“It’s so exciting. Of course, Unrivaled is about like expanding the game and bringing it to new cities, but to bring it to a city that is so established like Minnesota, and of course we play here,” Collier said. “We already know the fans are amazing, so to be able to play in like my home city is just amazing.”

A number of Lynx players have joined the 48-player roster for 2027. Olivia Miles is set to make her rookie debut in the league. Kayla McBride will make a return after taking last season off. Courtney Williams returns after playing in both previous years. And Napheesa Collier will be back after being sidelined last year due to injuries.

Hopkins, Minn., native Paige Bueckers is set to make her return for a second season with the league.

Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve — who is not involved with coaching for Unrivaled — said she's excited Minneapolis made the tour.

“Obviously, I think we're a great place. I'm happy for our fans. I saw a lot of fans support Unrivaled down in Miami. I'm sure that's still the case, but I think anytime we can showcase our market, we're a tremendous market for women's sports as a whole, and I have no doubt that Unrivaled, you know, their leadership will be really happy with the experience they have here in Minneapolis.”

Minneapolis joins the tour list for 2027 alongside Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Detroit, which mirrors successful and interested WNBA markets. The WNBA is expanding to include franchises in Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030.

Unrivaled’s 2027 season begins in January.

The man who sprayed vinegar at Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar during a Minneapolis town hall was sentenced Thursday to 14 months in prison after reaching a deal with prosecutors.

The sentencing of 56-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak came nearly eight months after the Jan. 27 assault. At the time, the Twin Cities was facing an immigration crackdown that led to angry protests, arrests and the killing of two U.S. citizens by federal officers.

Kazmierczak was also sentenced to three years of supervised release, which includes no contact with Omar. U.S. marshals escorted him from the courtroom after he was sentenced.

“This wasn't a spur of the moment act,” U.S. District Judge Joan N. Ericksen said before handing down the sentence, noting that Kazmierczak had secured tickets for the town hall weeks in advance.

“An attack on a public figure is not a political statement. It is misguided, selfish, and inconsistent with any concept of a free or democratic society,” Ericksen said. Spraying anything at an elected official “is a terrifying thing, and you knew that when you did it.”

Kazmierczak, who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, shook visibly at times as he sat at the defense table. He spoke quietly and haltingly, occasionally wiping away tears as he stood before Ericksen.

He spoke about being a good neighbor, and how his troubles with insurance companies as well as prison had exacerbated his ailments. His attorney, John Fossum, argued that Kazmierczak had not been taking his mental health medications before the attack, lowering his inhibitions and contributing to what happened.

“I've spent enough time in jail thinking,” Kazmierczak said, his voice barely audible. “I really apologize to her for having put her through that,” he said, referring to Omar.

In an earlier hearing, Kazmierczak was unable to explain his actions, saying only “it’s fuzzy” when Ericksen asked what he remembered.

“I’m sorry if I scared you,” he wrote to Omar after the attack.

During the town hall, witnesses saw Kazmierczak jump up from the audience, spraying liquid from a syringe at Omar and saying she was “splitting Minnesota apart.” Omar’s security officers tackled Kazmierczak and turned him over to police, who arrested him.

Omar was not injured and continued with the town hall after the arrest.

Authorities later determined he had sprayed her with a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar. He pleaded guilty to assaulting a U.S. officer.

The government sentencing memorandum, submitted to the court by prosecutors, said he had texted at least three people indicating he planned to do something at the meeting involving Omar “but would not answer their questions about his intent.”

He also sent messages to a neighbor to arrange for dog care and asking for bail bond company contact information.

The sentencing memo said Kazmierczak had long struggled with alcohol abuse, had “a history of mental and emotional health concerns” and a string of health issues tied to his 2022 Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.

Omar, a refugee from Somalia, has long been a target of President Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric. In 2019, after Omar’s election to Congress, Trump said she should “go back” to her country of birth. He has described her as “garbage” and said she should be investigated.

In social media posts, Kazmierczak had criticized former President Joe Biden and referred to Democrats as “angry and liars.” He wrote that Trump wants the U.S. to be “stronger and more prosperous.”

His attack came as the Minneapolis area was on edge due to the immigration enforcement crackdown, with protesters often facing off against convoys of immigration officers, and conservatives criticizing protesters.

Videos released Wednesday show the moment two Minneapolis police officers were shot after racing to an upper floor of an apartment complex earlier this month in pursuit of a man who killed two people and wounded three others, including the mother of his child.

The videos released by the city of Minneapolis provide a clearer picture of how the man opened fire at officers on Sept. 2 as they worked to secure the apartment building with residents trapped inside, while 911 transcripts also released Wednesday show just how terrified victims and residents were as they lay wounded on the ground, or hid and begged for help.

In the end, Carlton Johnson killed two of his neighbors and injured five more people — two police officers, an ex-girlfriend and two building employees — before he was fatally shot by police.

In the videos, officers can be seen walking toward a victim sprawled on the ground of an adjacent hallway when Johnson suddenly emerges from behind a corner and draws a handgun. He hits Officer Joseph Michnowski, who races away, past the victim, as more gunshots ring out.

Body camera video from Minneapolis police, showing encounter with armed suspect (warning — contains graphic content)

“Shooter’s on the ninth floor. I took some rounds,” Michnowski says into his radio. He lifts up his left hand, which is shaking and appears slightly damp.

The other officers, now separated from him, begin yelling from the landing of a stairwell, “Joe, are you OK?”

Moments later, the sound of more shots can be heard from another officer, Yahye Mahmed Ahmed, as he stands at the stairwell landing, pointing his gun into the hallway. Suddenly, yellow smoke fills the doorway and the officers race back down the stairs.

“Oh, I got hit,” he yells.

The shooting began when Johnson shot and wounded a woman believed to be the mother of his child, Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, has said. The child was not injured.

A flurry of frantic 911 calls started coming in just after 4:30 p.m. One unnamed victim told the operator that she just got shot in the legs and couldn’t move, according to 911 call logs.

“Okay, we’re getting a lot of help out to you right now,” the operator tells her.

“HELP!” she says, explaining that her child is with her.

In another call, a woman who says she works in the office and is hiding in its storage room tells the dispatcher that Johnson is in the front lobby.

“Are you safe in the storage room?” the dispatcher asks.

“I’m not safe right now. I don’t know if he’s still out there still shooting or not,” she says. “And I’m not gonna leave here until I know the police is here.”

After Johnson shot and injured two building employees, he took an elevator to the ninth floor where he killed two building residents before police killed him. Evans said it was unclear if Johnson was targeting the residents or had simply encountered them in the hallway.

Authorities identified the two residents who died as Dale Henry Spry, 63, and Muse A. Afrah, 61.

Fundraisers have been established to help the victims of the shooting, or their families.

The building’s owners were trying to evict Johnson. He had threatened his neighbors and warned he was planning to shoot people, according to building residents, court documents and law enforcement officials.

At least one person had asked for a restraining order to be placed on him. The police investigated him in June for displaying a weapon, but the county attorney’s office decided not to file any charges.

MPR News contributed to this report.

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who shot and wounded a man in Minneapolis last January — and then allegedly lied to the FBI about it — was arrested Wednesday in Minneapolis, and made a court appearance on Thursday.

Christian Castro, 52, was taken into custody by Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agents at about 2:15 p.m. Wednesday in downtown Minneapolis on a warrant for his arrest. He was booked in the Hennepin County Jail just after 4 p.m.

He made an initial appearance in Hennepin County court on Thursday afternoon on state charges, where a judge set bail at $200,000 with conditions.

Castro posted bail and was released at about 6 p.m.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said the conditions for bail included pre-signing a waiver of extradition, surrendering his passport, and electronic home monitoring. He’s also not allowed to talk with other ICE agents.

Castro was set to appear in federal court in St. Paul on Friday morning on federal charges.

The charges stem from the shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis in north Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge.

Castro shot Sosa-Celis, an immigrant from Venezuela, in his leg on Jan. 14 after firing through the closed door of his home. Castro had pursued Sosa-Celis to the house after a car chase involving Sosa-Celis’ roommate Alfredo Aljorna.

Two days after the shooting, federal prosecutors relied on Castro’s narrative to charge Aljorna and Sosa Celis with assaulting a federal agent. Prosecutors dropped the charges in February after video from the city surveillance cameras showed that the men had not assaulted anyone.

Castro spent three months in a Texas jail awaiting extradition on state-level assault charges from Hennepin County. He was released from jail on Aug. 27 after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott refused to approve an extradition request from Minnesota — and after a federal judge in Texas, declined to force the Republican governor’s hand following a lawsuit by DFL Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

Castro was then indicted on federal charges of making materially false statements to the FBI following the shooting. The government alleges that Castro told six separate lies to an FBI agent. The case marks the first time a federal agent has been charged in federal court in connection with Operation Metro Surge.

Castro made an initial appearance on the federal charges in Texas earlier this month, and was released ahead of his scheduled federal court appearance in the Twin Cities on Friday.

Attorney Daniel Gerdts said Castro’s attorneys in Texas had been coordinating his voluntary surrender in Minnesota for days. He said state authorities planned to take Castro into custody at his office Wednesday, but that Castro was arrested by Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agents on the street nearby instead. He said Castro drove to Minnesota from Texas with his wife to turn himself in and that prosecutors with both the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office were aware of the plan.

“Everybody knew this well in advance,” Gerdts said. “I don't understand why the deception —what that's about, it's just theater as far as I'm concerned.”

A spokesperson for the BCA said agents were involved in negotiating a surrender for Castro, but “when they witnessed him in downtown Minneapolis they saw an opportunity to arrest him for his warrant.”

At a news conference after Thursday’s state court hearing, Moriarty, the county attorney, said Castro did not follow directions.

“When you are a fugitive from justice, who has continually refused to come up here to Minnesota, you do not get to dictate how you are taken into custody,” Moriarty said. “He was specifically told to show up at the BCA and turn himself in. He did not do that, and so the BCA arrested him.”

Moriarty said it should not have taken this long for Castro to face a Minnesota judge.

“He could have waived extradition at any time during that 90 days. He chose not to,” she said.

Buckingham Palace has forcefully denied a claim by the brother of the late Princess Diana that King Charles III said she would soon be forgotten after her death.

In a new book, Charles Spencer recounts the traumatic days after Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997 at the age of 36. He alleges that he argued with the then-Prince Charles, Diana’s estranged husband, over palace plans for Prince William and Prince Harry to walk behind her coffin during the funeral procession.

Spencer says he told the now-king that Diana would not have wanted her sons, then 15 and 12, to undergo the ordeal. He claims Charles told him: “rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.” He accuses Charles of having “contempt” for his ex-wife.

The Daily Mail is publishing extracts from Spencer’s book “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,” which is due to be published next week.

Buckingham Palace responded late Wednesday with an extremely strong statement by the measured standards of the royal household.

“While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and color memory in ways others do not recognize, even many years after such a loss,” it said.

Tensions between the palace and Diana’s aristocratic Spencer relatives after her death have been much discussed and were dramatized in the film “The Queen” and TV series “The Crown.”

Many felt the palace was slow to acknowledge the global outpouring of grief over Diana’s death, which forced the royals to recognize that Diana’s common touch had allowed her to connect with people in ways that eluded the rest of the royal family. The more emotionally literate approach of Prince William and Prince Harry — and, in recent years, the king — is a legacy of that time.

Prince Charles, then 32, married 20-year-old Lady Diana Spencer in a lavish ceremony at St. Paul’s Cathedral in 1981. The couple separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996.

Diana’s younger brother, Charles Spencer – the 9th Earl Spencer – has long clashed with the royals over their treatment of his sister.

In a searing eulogy at Diana’s funeral, Spencer vowed that Diana’s “blood family” would carry on her “imaginative and loving” legacy in raising her two sons. The speech was widely considered a swipe at the royal family.

Minnesota’s recreational cannabis market is about to have a lot more cannabis heading into its second year.

The state’s cannabis industry turned 1 on Wednesday, with about $150 million in adult-use sales and a massive increase in the number of cannabis plants tracked by the Office of Cannabis Management. Including medical cannabis, Minnesota generated more than $250 million in sales in the last year.

That surge in cultivation is expected to bring more products and eventually lower prices for consumers starting in the next few months, according to OCM head Eric Taubel.

“The biggest thing that I'm looking at and seeing as proof points of the market moving towards maturity is the 95 new licenses we issued for cultivation sites this summer,” he said. “We’ve gone from almost no cannabis flower available in the state to having retailers that have a decent selection.”

A market still taking shape

The state now has 369 licensed cannabis businesses, according to OCM. Nearly 75 percent of the businesses licensed to grow cannabis are microbusinesses, and 43 percent of licensed cannabis businesses are owned by social equity applicants — people who were disproportionately affected by cannabis prohibition, as well as veterans, farmers and low-income individuals.

Minnesota started its recreational market with two companies serving the state’s medical cannabis program. The industry spent much of its first year working through limited supply, testing bottlenecks and a supply chain that was being built out.

The state also became the first in the nation to sign intergovernmental cannabis compacts allowing tribal nations to operate businesses outside reservation boundaries. Tribal producers helped supply the state’s early recreational market. Those relationships have continued as more state-licensed cannabis comes online, Taubel said.

“The growth of their market and our market — they’re intertwined,” Taubel said. “You can’t have one succeed without the other.”

The number of license holders growing cannabis has since risen to 102 from a year ago, with nearly 500,000 plants in the state’s tracking system. OCM issued the bulk of cultivation licenses this past summer.

The current focus is filling gaps in the selection of specialty products, Taubel said. “We’ve got to fill in some of those gaps, whether it’s vapes, concentrates or edibles.”

Growing cannabis can take three to four months, followed by another 30 to 60 days for drying, curing and processing. That means the increase in plants this summer could start showing up in stores from November into January, said Taubel, adding that he expects prices to fall as supply rises.

Minnesotans will likely see a wider variety of flower later this fall as outdoor-grown cannabis is harvested and comes onto the market, said cannabis industry consultant Jen Reise.

But prices remain high. Minnesota charges a 15 percent cannabis tax on top of the regular sales tax.

“I’m a consumer myself, and $70, including the taxes, for an eighth is a staggering amount of money compared to the black market, or compared to what one can buy in other states,” Reise said. “I think we’re going to start to see prices get a lot better in November, after all of that outdoor flower has been harvested and tested and is available to the public.”

The tax has been a drag on dispensary sales and “tough for both businesses and consumers,” Erin Walloch, owner of CannaJoy MN in Minneapolis, told MPR News on Wednesday.

Can small businesses thrive?

As more cannabis is expected to come, that also means more competition.

In other cannabis markets, small businesses have often struggled to compete with larger companies. Minnesota has made supporting small and social equity businesses a priority, but Reise says the cost and regulatory requirements can make it difficult for entrepreneurs to get started.

“A lot of social equity applicants have not managed to get off the ground because of the dearth of investment dollars,” she said. “It's a real problem, and there's a lot of reasons for that. There's just not a lot of investors who are excited about cannabis after some of the failures in cannabis markets nationally.”

OCM is trying to help through its CanRenew community reinvestment grants, Taubel said. The program awarded $1 million in its first year and directly served more than 350 people.

“We’ve got 10 times that to award this year,” he added.

Reise said the state could do more to support small and social equity businesses. She runs a program through her firm, North Star Cannabis Consulting, that provides technical support to small businesses. She expects the next year to be a test as competition increases.

“We know that small business is hard, and cannabis business is small business on hard mode,” she said. “So this next year is a real test for folks as to whether they can not only open, but continue to move ahead, find efficiencies, and thrive in an increasingly competitive market.”

That competition, she added, could eventually lead to some dispensaries failing or being consolidated as the market matures.

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art.

Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.

An ice-fishing comedy at Commonweal in Lanesboro

It's an all-theater Art Hounds this week. Let's start with Commonweal Theatre in Lanesboro, which opens "Eelpout," written by Paul Kruse of La Crosse, Wis., on Saturday.

Writer Rayson Lorrey of Rochester saw a preview of the queer comedy about an ice fishing bachelor party gone awry. Its Lake Mille Lacs setting and take on Midwestern culture will feel familiar to audiences, Lorrey said. It runs through Nov. 1. Friday's preview show is County Free Night, where residents of Fillmore and Houston counties can attend free of charge.

Lorrey appreciated the icehouse set, the takes on Midwestern male bonding and the unique costumes:

"[The show] uses the conceit of a talking eelpout that interacts with the three main male characters: Sven, Ole and Lars. It's a hilarious idea that the Commonweal pulls off really well. There are beautiful eelpout costumes that most of the cast wears at one point, and Laurie Roberts does an amazing job of choreography. You get the idea that there is a school of fish under the ice, dancing. I've never seen anything like it."

Morton: The Forgotten (Finnish) Founder

As an immigrant to the U.S., actor Patrick Bailey of St. Paul says he's gleaned much of his knowledge of American history from books, screens and theater. He's looking forward to a new opportunity to learn a bit about a lesser-known founding father, John Morton, in a new historical play this weekend. Morton, of Finnish heritage, was a signatory to the Declaration of Independence.

"Morton: The Forgotten Founder" was written by Laurie Flanigan Hegge and directed by Wendy Knox of Frank Theater. The free historical play with music takes place for one night only at the Minnehaha Park Pavilion, near the falls. The show is part of FinnFest, which takes place Thursday through Sunday in Minneapolis. The show is followed by live music and dancing with Twin Cities Finnish folk band Lauluaika.

Bailey says:

"It's kind of a gift from the Finlandia Foundation because it's a free show by Frank Theater, one of the most awesome theater companies in town. It's a fully rehearsed, fully staged [show], costumed with music, hour long. What's not to love?"

A staged reading of a new play in Moorhead

Derek Dahlsad of Moorhead loves the theater scene in his area, and he recommends seeing a staged reading by local playwright Em Christie.

Dahlsad says: “‘Living the Dream’ is about employees at four different businesses trying to get through their day and not go crazy at the end of the world.”

The reading is Friday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. in the FMCT Community Stage at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead.

Visitors to Como Regional Park in St. Paul can now learn more about the lake's history, ecosystem and wildlife through eight new interpretive signs and an informational kiosk.

The signs are available in six languages: English, Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Karen and Dakota. Installation was done in partnership with the Capitol Region Watershed District.

Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate citizen Šišókadúta provided translations into the Dakota language.

“I think having more signs like this with the Dakota language, talking about Dakota presence, is important, so we can acknowledge that Dakota people have been here for a long time and that we have a unique relationship with this area,” Šišókadúta said.

Two of the eight signs share Dakota stories and illustrations, highlighting Como Lake's cultural significance to Indigenous people.

Tara Perron, Tanaǧidaŋ To Wiŋ (Blue Hummingbird Woman), helped gather historical stories and input from local Indigenous community members for the two signs that include Dakota stories and illustrations. Perron, who has both Dakota and Ojibwe heritage, says the people she spoke with ranged from young adults to elders.

“Many Ho-Chunk, Ojibwe and Dakota people would come and bring their families, whether that was for different feasts or fishing, swimming, playing,” Perron said. “The common thread was that this was a place to come and be together with each other and enjoy each other.”

One sign explains this historical relationship between Indigenous communities and Como Lake. The second sign, Perron says, highlights a story that is not well known. With vibrant colors and imagery of a canoe on blue waters, the sign tells the history of a Dakota woman named Háza Íŋyaŋka Wiŋ.

Háza Íŋyaŋka Wiŋ, also known as Betsey St. Clair, was born in the early 1800s. She was the first Dakota woman to operate a ferry using a birchbark canoe along the Mississippi River. She often hid her canoe from settlers and men from other tribes at nearby lakes, including Como Lake, where she gathered and harvested natural resources.

“She also had taught Dakota women how to build canoes and how to maneuver in canoes on the Mississippi and the Minnesota River and different lakes around Minnesota,” Perron said.

She says Háza Íŋyaŋka Wiŋ was a known advocate for the water and plants. For Perron, highlighting Dakota stories in both English and the Dakota language “means everything” to her.

“I think that sends a message to our elders and our younger generation that our language is a living language, and it is all of our responsibility to continue that language and know how powerful that language is,” she said.

Šišókadúta says the Dakota language is a part of Minnesota’s history. The state’s name is derived from the language.

“I think writing these things down and making them visible is part of the broader effort to make sure the language stays alive, and hopefully in the future is a thriving language again,” he said.

All eight interpretive signs are located along the path around Como Lake at Como Regional Park.

Chandra Colvin covers Native American communities in Minnesota for MPR News via Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities.

At about 4 p.m. every day, Mark Lang readies his knuckles as he starts knocking on doors in the neighborhoods of Pine Island.

He’s running for mayor in this community of 4,000 people located just north of Rochester.

Lang is a corporate pilot and first-time candidate who said community concerns over a hyperscale Google data center proposed for Pine Island prompted him to run. Like some of his neighbors, he has questions about the massive development’s environmental impact and its location so close to town.

But the most common refrain Lang hears while going door to door is that many in Pine Island feel as though the project came out of nowhere, saying plans for it seem to have been hashed out in secrecy.

“[Residents] feel betrayed, let down,” Lang said. “Everyone feels that this should have been something put out to a vote, or at least some kind of say in it from the people."

Lang is one of at least three candidates running for local office in Pine Island who are doing so because they oppose the current data center proposal. Google plans on building a massive facility on about 88 acres of land, and the project could eventually expand to more than 400 acres. It’s temporarily on hold after a judge halted construction until a lawsuit over the project's environmental review can be heard.

Data center proposals are roiling communities large and small across Minnesota this election season, unifying people on the left and the right and prompting civic engagement among people who, until recently, paid little attention to local governance.

It’s a backlash happening in a moment of growing unease about the fast-paced development of artificial intelligence and the huge data centers that power AI — with political candidates up and down the ticket taking on the issue, too.

In Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District, for example, Democratic candidate Jake Johnson said recently he supports a data center moratorium in southern Minnesota. Meanwhile, Sen. Grant Hauschild, a DFLer from Hermantown, where Google proposed building another enormous data center, is airing campaign ads touting his support for state restrictions.

Benefits to the community

In Pine Island, data center opponents accuse city officials of being too cozy with big tech, developing Google's proposal in secret and agreeing to a plan that will drain resources and pose health risks.

Amidst the fervor, Pine Island's mayor stepped down earlier this year, citing work obligations. City Council member Brandi Veith Staloch replaced him as interim mayor and is running this fall for a two-year term.

“I think [the data center] is an amazing opportunity for the community,” she said.

Google and its developer have promised the data center will employ 100 people full-time and create around 500 construction jobs while it’s being built. And while the city provided $36 million to Google in tax incentives to locate its facility there, proponents like Veith Staloch say Pine Island can expect $131 million in new property tax revenue because of the project. About $25 million will go to the Pine Island schools to support science and technology education, as well as to modernize classrooms, said Veith Staloch.

“And there's things that aren't even really being advertised that they have helped with,” Veith Staloch said, citing the tech giant’s promise to update the HVAC system in the town’s middle school.

“The newest part was they're going to update the playground equipment for the kids,” she added.

And Veith Staloch said that the city can continue to refine the project to address residents’ concerns as it moves through the permitting process.

"I feel that the way we have it laid out right now, we have enough protections in place and a very good relationship with the project team and Google that we can fluidly change things in the process as we need and still be sure that we are protecting our community and our assets,” Veith Staloch said.

A lack of transparency

As with many communities weighing data center proposals, some senior city staff members signed non-disclosure agreements, limiting what they could say about the project as it was being developed. For months, it wasn’t clear that a data center was even being proposed for the site, and it wasn’t until earlier this year that Pine Island residents learned Google was behind the project.

Veith Staloch insists the city did everything it could to communicate what they could about the project, short of going door-to-door. And she said she takes the transparency concerns seriously. If elected to a full term, Veith Staloch said she plans to hold regular office hours and vows to respond to constituent concerns raised at City Council meetings quickly and in public.

Pine Island business owner Nicole Mills opposes the project and is a member of a group working to stop it. She said a lack of transparency may have benefited the project’s backers.

"If they had said, ‘Hey, here's a generic environmental study on a 400-plus acre development for a huge hyperscale AI data center,’ I bet you a few more people would have turned out [to City Council meetings],” she said. “And now that it's been all approved, every time we open our damn mailbox, we’ve got something from Google telling us how wonderful this is going to be."

First-time candidate Tosca Wohl is running for City Council and echoes concerns about transparency. She said the city’s roll out of the data center project eroded trust in local leadership.

“Prior to the data center situation, I had a positive image of the City Council,” Wohl said. “I just feel like there are some serious issues of transparency and the duty to notify the public.”

Wohl said, data center aside, she’s running in part to ensure that development projects that come before city leaders get the public scrutiny they deserve and that the community’s small businesses are able to thrive.

“If I get elected, I'm in office for four years, and this data center… will resolve one way or another,” she said. “And I'm not campaigning just off the data center. I want to serve this community. I love this town. I love this community.”

The last time the Guthrie Theater presented “Waiting for Godot” — one of the most influential and beloved plays in theater history — was in 1973, only 20 years after it premiered in Paris.

Artistic director Joseph Haj said he has wanted to mount the modernist tragicomedy by Irish playwright Samuel Beckett for decades.

“It's a hugely important play and a hugely influential play,” said Haj, who is directing the play for the first time. “It's just been on my bucket list for a really long time.”

“Waiting for Godot” opens Thursday on the Guthrie’s Wurtele Thrust Stage, kicking off the Minneapolis theater’s 2026-27 season. Starring are Guthrie veteran Jimmy Kieffer (“A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “The History Plays”) and David Strathairn (of “Good Night, and Good Luck” fame) in his Guthrie debut.

While it seems there is never a bad moment to put on “Godot,” Haj said he finds the play, which Beckett wrote shortly after World War II, particularly poignant this year.

“Beckett writes this after the collapse of the European order, where people are questioning everything, including their own faith and religion because of what that war wrought,” Haj said. “This play sits in the hallway between the breakdown of systems and no new agreed-upon institutions and systems that we can all agree are reasonably good.”

Beckett originally wrote “Godot” in French. Beckett had settled in Paris in the 1930s, shortly after traveling through Germany as the Nazis rose to power. In 1940, he joined the French Resistance — what he deemed “boy scout stuff” — to fight the German occupation, for which the French government awarded him a Croix de Guerre.

When the play opened in Paris in 1953, and then in English in London in 1955, it caused an uproar, confusing audiences and critics alike with its minimalist and ambiguous plot. The majority of the play follows two main characters — the vagabond buddies Vladimir and Estragon — waiting by a barren tree for Godot. Spoiler alert: Their savior never comes.

“People practically rioted,” Haj said of the play’s early reception. Contemporary audiences, Haj said, no longer struggle with the stripped-back format.

“The play is filled with mystery of every kind, and it has baffled scholars and academics and intellectuals for ages,” Haj said. “What's beautiful about the play is even when academics don't understand it, folks actually do.”

The play has often been performed in prisons and war zones, two environments where people must wait, often with no hope of amnesty, respite or grace.

“It's no accident that this play shows up in Sarajevo during the war, played by candlelight with sniper fire in the background. Palestinians have made this play again and again,” Haj said.

“Waiting for Godot” runs through Oct. 11. On Sept. 26, the Guthrie hosts a free event “How’d They Do That? Workshop: Waiting for Godot” with the theater’s creative and production teams.

Tribal and historic preservationists across the Upper Midwest are lining up against a proposed federal rule change they say will make it easier for the government to disregard Native voices in discussions over projects near sites sacred to Native people.

They’re concerned especially about Pipestone National Monument, the ancient red rock quarry in southwestern Minnesota, where a company is seeking to reopen a fuel pipeline that runs near the quarry.

In July, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, a federal agency that oversees historic places, voted to rewrite rules that currently require federal agencies to consider a site’s historic significance before a project moves ahead.

The draft rule, however, strikes current language on the expertise of tribal nations. Agencies would still need to consult tribes but would not have to act on what they hear. Advocates say that could effectively silence Native voices in discussions around Pipestone and other sacred sites.

“It’d be like going to Egypt and not surveying the pyramids” before breaking ground on a new building, said Faith Spotted Eagle, a Dakota elder who directs the Brave Heart Society, a group dedicated to protecting Native culture and cultural sites, including the Pipestone quarry.

Minnesota utility regulators last year rescinded a permit they had already granted and ordered Magellan Pipeline Co., owned by Oklahoma-based ONEOK Inc., to coordinate with tribal nations on an archaeological study along two possible routes, both more than 2.5 miles from the quarry.

While state regulators will have the final say on the pipeline reroute, the federal rule changes working their way through Washington now have Native leaders worried their concerns will be swept aside on future questions of commercial development near Pipestone or other sacred sites.

‘Blood of our people’

Pipestone National Monument preserves active and sacred quarries that Native people have used for thousands of years. The soft red stone is carved to make pipe bowls and works of art.

“We, like many people, have been taught that it is the blood of our people,” said Spotted Eagle, a member of the Yankton Sioux Tribe in South Dakota and part of the coalition fighting the reopening of the pipeline near Pipestone.

“The color red of the pipestone came from some of our origin stories. Just like other religions have prophets that have brought them their ways, Ptesanwin or White Buffalo Calf Woman brought us the canupa, the pipe.”

The 300-plus acre Pipestone National Monument consists of pipestone pits surrounded by a tall grass prairie. Created by Congress in 1937, the monument is administered by the National Park Service, which consults with 23 tribal nations on decisions that could affect the sacred quarry.

Spotted Eagle said the consultation process has never been perfect but it’s proved to be a good faith effort at cross-cultural dialogue. When the proposed rule change for section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act opens for public comment, she plans to oppose it.

States have been consulting on projects since the law was passed in 1966. Tribal nations got a seat at the table in the early 1990s on discussions over construction on federal land, federally funded projects and private development that might require a federal permit or license.

The revised rule, if it is finalized, would narrow what triggers that review, and federal agencies would no longer have to weigh the damage a project adds to damage already done. Instead of working out an agreement with tribes and states, an agency could write its own decision and move on

The revised rule also sets tests for what a federal agency has to take into account. A site would have to be “compact,” and something would have to be built there. A graying schoolhouse on a county road would likely clear that bar. A geographic feature like a mountain, a river, or what tribal nations sometimes describe as a cultural landscape would not. The draft does not define what “compact” means.

The current rules say agencies must consult tribal nations about sacred places wherever they are, on tribal land or not. The draft strikes that language.

‘Gut sacred sites?’

Spotted Eagle says the 1858 treaty between the Yankton Sioux Tribe and the United States would still carry a federal trust responsibility to protect the quarry. But she says she has watched agencies and private developers decide for themselves what matters.

Observers say they’re particularly frustrated that the draft language would make consultation with state governments optional.

“This is what’s so maddening about it,” said Erik Hein, executive director of the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers. “The whole thing was meant to be a conversation. It was meant to be giving everybody an opportunity to provide some input so that federal agencies could make better decisions before they proceeded.”

The Magellan pipeline crossed through federal land until 2022, when the U.S. Interior Department declined to renew the right-of-way. The reroute moved the project onto private land, where it is permitted by the state of Minnesota.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission expects to take up the reroute question in November, said Cori Rude-Young, a commission spokesperson, adding that any federal obligations would be handled by the responsible federal agency.

Magellan’s contractors walked both proposed routes last year and recorded 61 previously unrecorded archaeological sites. Magellan said it moved the pipeline’s path to avoid nearly all of them.

They also said their contractors concluded that pipeline work would not disturb the Pipestone National Monument site, although under the draft rule a federal agency would no longer have to take those potential problems into account anyway.

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation said in a statement that the Trump administration directed federal agencies to review all existing regulations and that Travis Voyles, the council’s vice chair, wants to ensure the council’s rules are “a reliably useful tool.”

The council declined to answer questions from MPR News about who wrote the draft or what tribal nations were told about it.

Last month, more than 600 tribal governments, state and local agencies, preservation groups and businesses signed an open letter asking Congress to reject the rewrite. The letter says the case for changing the rule does not hold up. It cites a survey of 40 state preservation offices that handled more than 94,000 projects.

“If a data center is going up in your backyard and it needs a federal permit, you should know about it, and you should have a chance to ask for design changes if it’s going to lessen the impact on your community,” said Marion Werkheiser, an attorney in Washington who signed the letter. Her firm has been tracking the changes, including its impact on tribal consultation.

If a pipeline could affect a tribal sacred site, “the tribe should learn about it far in advance and have a seat at the table to negotiate how that project is going to go and how their sites are going to be protected,” Werkheiser said. “This change makes that process optional.”

The proposed rule changes are under review at the White House budget office now. Once they are published in the Federal Register, the public will have 30 days to comment.

With no final decision in place, Spotted Eagle hopes there is still time for Native people to explain in detail that to tribal nations this is more than just a bureaucratic rule change.

“We’re available in person to teach cultural literacy,” she said. “Because why would you do this to gut sacred sites? Because the only thing I can think of is that you lack cultural literacy. We’re here. We can share that. We can teach.”

This story comes from the Upper Midwest Newsroom, a public media collaboration between Wisconsin Public Radio, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Prairie Public in North Dakota and Minnesota Public Radio News made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

MPR News confirmed eight Somali men are being held at Guantanamo Bay. This comes after MPR News correspondent Matt Sepic reported on the situation. He had a brief conversation with Adam Abdullah, who was living legally in the Twin Cities when he was detained in December, at the start of Operation Metro Surge.

After officials moved him to Kentucky and Louisiana, he was told he was being sent to Somalia but instead is being held at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

MPR News host Clay Masters spoke with Democratic U.S. Sen. Tina Smith on All Things Considered to about what happened. Sen. Smith said there have been discussions about the use of Guantanamo Bay amid the White House’s immigration crackdown.

“The administration says we send the worst of the worst to Guantanamo,” Smith said. “Yet in the case of Mr. Abdullah, there has been no evidence presented about what he has done, no explanation for why he has been detained. I mean, there is really has been no due process.”

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

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is bringing reality TV to the Twin Cities area.

He caused a stir this weekend when production for one of his reality television series was spotted in a northwestern Twin Cities exurb.

Fans heard the news and staked out Lake Cafe in Big Lake to snap photos of the British cooking star, who is behind long-running hit shows Hell’s Kitchen, MasterChef and Kitchen Nightmares.

The restaurant closed for five days to film for the undisclosed show, according to Lake Cafe’s Facebook page.

Supportive comments flooded the restaurant’s Facebook update about the news with hopes that the menu wouldn’t change too much.

Tagging Ramsay, one person wrote: “Thank you for helping out! On another note, if you messed with my patty melt, we are going to have an issue!”

Lake Cafe’s Instagram page highlights classic American comfort foods: homemade meatloaf with gravy and green beans, broasted chicken and sizeable omelets with buttered toast.

Co-owner Tami Cox confirmed filming took place from Friday through Tuesday and that Ramsay was present. She declined to share more, citing a nondisclosure agreement.

Cox said there was a lot of excitement when Lake Cafe reopened Wednesday, especially among regulars glad to be back. The small, family-owned restaurant has operated for 58 years, she said.

Lake Cafe’s social media post mentioned a new, small menu with items Ramsay put together for the restaurant. Their regular menu is limited while they create a new menu and some items will return in the future.

Cox said an episode might air in three to six months.

According to social media posts, Ramsay is also filming at The Pizza Factory in North St. Paul and another restaurant in Wayzata.

Fox Entertainment, the production company behind Gordon Ramsay’s shows, hasn’t responded to an MPR News request for information.

While it’s not clear which of Ramsay’s shows will feature the Minnesota locations, the latest season of Kitchen Nightmares, the series where Ramsay seeks to revive businesses in crisis, focused on restaurants in the Midwest.

Kyler Murray was well enough to join the Minnesota Vikings for practice on a limited basis on Wednesday, leaving open the possibility he could progress through the NFL concussion protocol to play on Sunday.

Whether Murray is able to start at Chicago or Carson Wentz continues running the offense, the quarterback will be without his leading rusher: Jordan Mason was placed on injured reserve with a designation to return because of a broken thumb.

Mason is expected to be back on the active roster after the minimum four weeks, coach Kevin O'Connell said, after X-rays revealed a small fracture that required a minor procedure. Mason had 15 carries for 59 yards and a touchdown in the season-opening win over Green Bay and reported soreness the following day.

Aaron Jones continues to top the depth chart, but Deejay Dallas was signed from the practice squad to the active roster with his role certain to increase beyond special teams and third down pass protection.

The Vikings also signed fifth-year veteran Jerome Ford to the practice squad for depth, after rookie Demond Claiborne was a healthy scratch for the game last week. Ford spent the past four seasons with Cleveland.

“Aaron obviously is going to be heavily involved,” O'Connell said. “At the same time, we want to keep him fresh.”

Because teams always protect quarterbacks from contact in practice during the week, Murray's limited participation doesn't necessarily mean he's on a fast track to play. O'Connell and the Vikings prefer to make their decision about who will start by Friday.

“We're just going day by day right now,” O'Connell said. “He's got to be medically cleared before we even have the conversation about playing in a game.”

Wentz entered in relief in the first quarter last week against Green Bay after Murray took an illegal hit to the head at the end of a run and helped lead the Vikings to a 39-22 victory after they faced a 12-point deficit late in the third quarter.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs says it has taken over operation of Red Lake Nation's family and children services.

The action took effect mid-morning on Sept. 10, the same day FBI agents executed a search warrant at Ombimindwaa Gidinawemaaganinaadog, the building where the program operates. Neither the agency nor tribe has said whether the two are connected.

In a statement to MPR News, Red Lake Nation confirmed it received the letter that morning, stating the federal agency would reassume services. "Reassumption" is a term in federal law. It means the government takes back a program a tribe is running, without the tribe's consent.

Joshua Barnett of the Office of Public Affairs for Indian Affairs told MPR News in an email the action was an emergency reassumption. An emergency action requires the government to find an immediate threat of harm to a person’s safety, or serious harm to trust funds or trust land.

Red Lake Nation says the action is limited to federal funding, and that it will continue to operate its human services programs “to the extent not affected by the reassumption.”

"The BIA's unfortunate action last week has had a wide impact and we continue to work with BIA on next steps to ensure a continuity of services," Red Lake Nation said in a statement provided to MPR News on Tuesday by Holly Cook Macarro, the tribe's media point of contact.

The change could affect services for Red Lake Nation band members, including child welfare cases. There is no additional information about what prompted the action. The BIA has not released the letter it sent to Red Lake Nation, or any findings that might be attached to it.

In a statement posted to its website at the end of last week, the Bureau of Indian Affairs said it reassumed operations "to ensure the safety and well-being of children and families." The statement went to say that BIA staff "are in place to immediately support the transition and ensure continuity of services."

Red Lake Nation took over child welfare services for its own children in 2021, moving cases from Beltrami County to the tribe under a state program. In its most recent annual report to the Minnesota Legislature, for 2024, Red Lake Nation describes "asserting sovereignty and full jurisdiction over its tribal child welfare cases."

Ombimindwaa Gidinawemaaganinaadog investigates reports of child maltreatment on the reservation and decides which ones the tribe takes on. It handles a few hundred reports a year and screens out the majority of them.

In its report to the Legislature, Red Lake Nation describes the program as one built around keeping families together rather than removing children. The report says more children receive in-home services than in out-of-home care. The tribe has described it as "a paradigm shift towards a relative approach, one that is grounded in Anishinaabeg values and teachings."

The program draws on more than one source of funding. Some of the money comes through the state’s American Indian Child Welfare Initiative. Separately, the tribe has a self-governance compact with the federal government. Barnett, the BIA spokesperson, told MPR News the bureau’s action last week falls under that compact.

The BIA and Red Lake Nation have not said how the change might affect Red Lake families whose cases are in state court.

In a statement posted Sunday to the Red Lake Tribal Council's social media page, Red Lake Nation said it would not release or discuss specific details while the matter is ongoing.

Tribal Chairman Darrell G. Seki Sr. re-stated Tuesday that the tribe is cooperating with federal authorities while the bureau’s moves to staff services.

"The safety and well-being of Red Lake Nation's children and families has always been, and will always remain, our highest priority.”

Peter Martin went missing two years ago from the Fond du Lac reservation in Minnesota. His family hasn't stopped looking, but they say the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs investigation into Martin's disappearance has stalled since the agent assigned to the case left the role in early 2025.

“They’ve never had a person take his space for this region and yeah, we haven’t heard from them since,” said family friend Kayla Jackson.

The bureau's Missing and Murdered Unit was created in 2021 to address the crisis of violence against Native Americans and put new resources toward solving cold cases. But a recent federal audit by the Interior Department's internal watchdog found staffing issues have plagued the unit since its formation during President Joe Biden's administration, creating a backlog of cases and leaving families without required victim services.

Federal spending on the initiative grew from $12 million to $17 million between 2021 and 2024. During the same period, the audit found that 39 percent of money for the Missing and Murdered Unit was redirected toward other Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement costs, including upgrading vehicles. Nearly half the unit's posts remained unfilled as of last year, even as the bureau overall has lost a third of its workforce due to staffing cuts under President Donald Trump.

The bureau says it has adopted many of the report's recommendations, from streamlining its case referral pipeline to training staff on victim services requirements. But federal auditors say weaknesses in its hiring process remain. And some families are still in the dark about their loved ones' cases.

“It is nothing but heartbreaking just to see how inadequate the response has already been for so many of these situations,” said David Adams, an Albuquerque, New Mexico-based attorney, former federal prosecutor and member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

Hundreds of cases languished for years

The Missing and Murdered Unit had 83 open cases and nearly 400 pending referrals as of November 2024, according to the audit released Sept. 9 by Interior's Office of Inspector General. The unit did not have a time frame for assessing referrals.

The audit also found agents had unmanageable caseloads, with some assigned administrative duties, like conducting research on referrals, on top of their active investigations.

Relatives of Kaysera Stops Pretty Places were hopeful when, in 2022, a Bureau of Indian Affairs agent was assigned to her still-unsolved case. Stops Pretty Places had just turned 18 when her body was found in a town bordering the Crow Reservation in 2019.

Her aunt, Grace Bulltail, said the agent was difficult to reach and provided few updates. Last year, Bulltail learned the agent never had full access to the files of local investigators before the agent was reassigned to other duties.

The Associated Press emailed bureau officials Monday seeking comment about the case.

Sarah Deer, a professor at the University of Kansas School of Law, said delays and dysfunction among federal investigators are compounding families' grief.

“These are families who have often experienced institutional failure already,” she said. “A system designed as a response to that history cannot ask families to keep waiting.”

Victims' families fell through the cracks

In 8 of 13 cases reviewed by the Inspector General's Office, the assigned agent did not contact bureau staff who specialize in helping victims' families. One staff member said they referred families to outside programs because the unit had only two victim specialists nationwide.

Martin was 31 years old when he was reported missing after a welfare check on the Fond du Lac reservation in 2024. Relatives described him as an outgoing man who played sports with kids and took his nieces and nephews out trick-or-treating. Family members said they get periodic updates from the Fond du Lac Police Department, but were never connected to BIA victim specialists.

The BIA website does not list a case agent in Martin’s case. The Associated Press emailed bureau officials Monday seeking comment about the case.

Federal efforts on missing and murdered cases

The Trump administration says it has been ramping up efforts to address high rates of violence against Native people. Last month, the FBI announced it would set a minimum reward of $25,000 for public information in dozens of cold cases on tribal land.

Bureau of Indian Affairs officials said in a statement they have taken steps under Trump to improve case processing and make sure families get support. They said most of the recommendations from the audit had been acted upon.

“The deficiencies identified in the OIG audit reflect operations under the previous administration that were inconsistent with the objectives outlined in Operation Lady Justice,” the statement said, referring to a presidential task force established by the first Trump administration in 2019 to address the crisis of missing and killed Indigenous persons.

In February, the Missing and Murdered Unit assisted in recovering and identifying two sets of remains on the Chickasaw Nation, closing a missing persons case that had run cold more than a decade before.

Deer said new federal and state task forces and specialized law enforcement initiatives have increased public awareness of the crisis.

“The government has stepped up in some ways to appropriate resources, but implementation matters,” she said.

Meanwhile, tribal police departments, which are often the first to respond to cases involving Native people, remain underresourced with limited capacity to investigate complex crimes, she said.

“What I always come back to is whether or not this money could be better utilized by tribes themselves,” Deer said.

A building housing displaced Palestinian families collapsed in Gaza City on Wednesday, killing at least 21 people, and Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a drone headed toward the holy city of Mecca.

A United Nations health official warned about disease as thousands of Yemenis are displaced because of armed conflict there.

Here’s a look at the latest news in the Middle East on Wednesday. Full coverage can be found here.

Rescuers search through rubble for survivors

The Gaza City building that collapsed had been partially destroyed in an Israeli strike earlier in the war. At least 21 people, including 11 children, died Wednesday, said Zaher al-Wahidi, a spokesperson for the Gaza Health Ministry.

It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse. At least 14 were injured, al-Wahidi said.

Such incidents have become a major hazard in Gaza, where the majority of buildings have been damaged or destroyed. There’s been no reconstruction work since the ceasefire from nearly a year ago. Israel has said that it won’t allow any rebuilding until Hamas disarms.

Saudi Arabia says drone shot down near Mecca

Saudi Arabia said the kingdom's defenses intercepted and destroyed a drone Tuesday evening before it entered the airspace over Mecca, Islam’s holiest city and a focal point for followers of the faith.

Mecca's security is “a red line,” military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said, adding that Saudi forces will not hesitate to act against “hostile and terrorist behavior.”

Saudi Arabia blamed the Iran-backed Houthis in neighboring Yemen for the drone. The Houthis denied it. But the allegation drew condemnations of the armed group from throughout the Islamic world.

Mecca is the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and the location of the Kaaba, the black cube-shaped structure that Muslims around the world turn to five times a day when praying.

UN official warns of a health crisis in Yemen

The head of the World Health Organization is warning about the risks of malnutrition and infectious disease outbreaks as more than 100,000 Yemenis relocate to crowded areas.

The displacement, especially on the west coast, is a result of fighting between Yemen’s internationally recognized government and the Houthis. Saudi Arabia is also entangled in the conflict, on the side of the government.

“Humanitarian access remains severely constrained, and funding shortfalls threaten our ability to sustain and scale up the response,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a news conference in Geneva.

More oil tankers appear to transit critical waterway

Oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz have recovered somewhat as tankers risk using a southern route near the coast of Oman with guidance from U.S. forces.

Estimates vary because the ships turn off their location systems, but range from 5 million to 7 million barrels per day on average, compared with 15 million barrels per day before the U.S.-Iran war began on Feb. 28.

Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline — another key oil route — was hit by a drone attack last week. The damage is expected to take weeks to repair, potentially cutting Saudi exports from the Red Sea port of Yanbu by 2.5 million to 2.7 million barrels per day.

Protests in Syria halt oil trucks

Hundreds of oil trucks were stranded in northeastern Syria after demonstrators blocked a major highway near Tal Tamr to protest recent fuel price increases of 30% or more.

The government announced increases for gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products Sunday, citing rising global fuel prices as a result of the U.S.-Iran war as well as repairs being done at the Baniyas refinery on Syria's coast.

Syria produces around 100,000 barrels of oil per day, while it needs about 325,000 barrels per day for domestic consumption and relies on imports to make up the difference.

Mourners attend funeral of Hamas figure

Dozens of people turned out for the funeral of a Hamas military chief in the southern Gaza Strip. Nael Abu Obeid was killed Tuesday in an Israeli strike on Rafah near the border with Egypt.

Obeid was commander of Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam brigades, in the southern city of Rafah.

Separately, Israel’s military said it killed a Hamas military official in a Gaza airstrike last week. The military said Jihad Sameeh Mahmoud Ismail took part in the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Minnesota Wild coach John Hynes signed a multiyear contract extension Tuesday after leading the team to its first playoff series win in 11 seasons, continuing a long-running relationship with general manager Bill Guerin.

With Hynes in the final year of his previous deal, Guerin made it a priority to give him some more security before the regular season and reward him for his work over the last three years.

“There’s a lot of different parts to having success, but having a head coach who’s dedicated, puts the work in, and has good relationships with his assistants, with management, and most importantly with the players, it’s critical. I would categorize John as elite in all of those departments,” Guerin said in a news conference at the team's practice facility, two days before training camp begins.

The ability to effectively communicate and motivate within the locker room, Guerin said, is one of Hynes' greatest strengths.

“Very rarely raises his voice. Doesn’t need to. But he’s very direct, very firm when he needs to be,” Guerin said.

Terms of the contract weren't disclosed by the Wild, who beat the Dallas Stars in six games in the first round of the playoffs last spring and lost in five games to the Colorado Avalanche in second round after matching the third-most regular season points (104) in franchise history.

“It's an awesome group to coach,” Hynes said. “You’re hoping you can continue to build with what’s going on because of the environment that’s here.”

Hynes, who was hired 19 games into the 2023-24 season after Dean Evason was fired, is in his 12th year as an NHL head coach. He’s 125-78-24 with the Wild and 409-333-87 in 829 regular-season games, including runs with the New Jersey Devils and the Nashville Predators. He’s fourth in league history among U.S.-born coaches with 409 wins, trailing Peter Laviolette, John Tortorella and Mike Sullivan.

Guerin and Hynes worked closely together in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, when Hynes coached the Wilkes-Barre farm team in the American Hockey League and Guerin worked in player development before moving his way up in management. They've also got many shared experiences with the U.S. national team, including last winter when Guerin was the general manager and Hynes was an assistant coach on the gold-winning team at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

“There’s a personal friendship that goes back 30 years, but the working relationship is really good. The belief in the same things that can bring you to success, to winning, is the same,” Guerin said. “We talk about everything from the team to individual players to messaging, and we see things very similarly.”

It’s been more than a month since the City of St. Paul shut down an encampment where more than 100 people lived. Since then, seven people from the Pig’s Eye encampment have made use of available shelter beds, according to a report from the city at the end of August.

Many former Pig’s Eye residents have moved to other, remaining encampments in the city. St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her’s office said this summer it planned to clear encampments “on a rolling basis,” but it has not released a timeline for the other sites.

For an update on the situation and other issues facing the capital city, including police drones and downtown development, MPR News host Nina Moini talked with St. Paul City Council President Rebecca Noecker.

Minnesota Now also requested an interview with Mayor Her to talk about these issues, but she was not available.

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

Subscribe to the Minnesota Now podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here.

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time in more than three years Wednesday, in a show of its determination to attack stubborn inflation.

The central bank raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point to a range between 3.75 percent and 4 percent. That makes it more costly to borrow money to buy a car, grow a business or carry a balance on a credit card.

"Inflation remains elevated," Fed policymakers said in a statement. "Today's policy action will support a timelier return to the Committee's 2 percent goal."

The U.S. war with Iran has rekindled inflation, pushing oil and gasoline prices higher and driving the price of diesel fuel into record territory. Higher interest rates won't automatically bring lower prices at the pump, but they do signal the central bank's commitment to restoring price stability.

Financial markets had widely expected the rate hike after hawkish comments from Fed chairman Kevin Warsh last month.

"The responsibility for 65 months of sustained, elevated inflation sits squarely with the central bank," Warsh told an audience in Jackson Hole, Wyo. "We must be confident that underlying inflation is moving to our objective, clearly and at sufficient speed. Otherwise, we have work to do."

Still, some economists questioned whether the rate hike would have much effect on price pressures.

"Today's decision reinforces the Fed's commitment to price stability and addresses credibility concerns," said Selma Hepp, chief economist at the real estate data firm Cotality. "The bigger question is whether the Fed risks fighting the wrong inflation battle. A rate hike is unlikely to lower gasoline prices, reduce tariff-related costs, or accelerate homebuilding, but it will further dampen housing demand and delay a broader market recovery."

Gas prices are a big driver of inflation

Annual inflation was clocked at 3.4 percent in August, according to the cost-of-living index released by the Labor Department last week. Prices rose a sharp four-tenths of a percent between July and August, with a surge in gasoline prices accounting for more than a third of the total monthly increase.

The price of diesel fuel has reached an all-time high, averaging $6.31 a gallon on Wednesday, according to AAA. That has the potential to raise the cost of many other goods that have to be transported by truck or train.

Since April, prices have been climbing faster than average wages, so the typical worker's paycheck doesn't stretch as far as it used to.

Forecasts released at the conclusion of Wednesday's meeting show Fed policymakers expect an average of one additional quarter-point rate increase this year and no rate hikes in 2027.

Warsh, who took over as Fed chairman in May, did not offer a forecast. He has generally discouraged such forward guidance, fearing it could tie the Fed's hands and leave policymakers with less maneuvering room.

The bond market is already pushing long-term borrowing costs higher. The yield on 10-year Treasurys topped 5 percent this week. Bondholders are demanding higher returns in response to inflation and the strong demand for capital from both the federal government and private borrowers.

The yield on 10-year Treasurys helps set the rate for many types of borrowing, including mortgages and car loans.

Copyright 2026, NPR

A news helicopter crashed in a Los Angeles neighborhood on Tuesday and burst into flames, killing at least three people while reporters were covering the collision of an SUV and a city bus, officials and the news outlet said.

Colleen Williams, an NBC4 Los Angeles anchor, confirmed during live broadcasts that two people were killed when the chopper went down. At least one other person was killed on the ground, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

"We are going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, process it," Williams said, her voice shaking with emotion. Moments later the coverage cut off.

The helicopter, used by NBC and Telemundo, went down near a large storage facility in the neighborhood of Chatsworth in the San Fernando Valley, officials said. News crews were reporting on a collision from earlier in the day, when an SUV slammed into the middle of a city bus, killing at least two people and injuring six others. Photos and videos online showed half the SUV lodged in the side of the bus.

"From the helicopter itself, it's pretty well destroyed," Capt. Branden Silverman, a spokesperson for the fire department, said. "So we are going to have to go through the rubble and see how many victims there were on board, as well as identify the helicopter; we couldn't even see a tail."

At least four cars and two storage containers on the ground burned after the helicopter caught fire, which was quickly put out, according to officials. NBC4 reporter Robert Kovacik was at the bus scene and saw black smoke and rushed to the helicopter crash site. Dozens of police cars surrounded the scene as ambulances entered.

Two people were brought to a hospital, said Rico A. Gross, a fire department battalion chief. Their conditions were not immediately released.

Williams and the station's website identified the dead aboard the helicopter as Eliana Moreno, a familiar voice for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 during the station's aerial coverage, and pilot George Marciniw. Both were employees of Angel City Air, which operated the chopper.

Moreno, born in Orange County, joined the Angel City Air helicopter team in 2010, the same year she earned a broadcast journalism and political science degree from Chapman University. She reported for several Southern California news outlets and began flying with Marciniw in 2023, the NBC4 website said.

Marciniw grew up in Southern California and graduated from Burbank High School in 1974.

"Losing five Angelenos is very painful," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said. "And I know this community of Chatsworth, hit hard, will be grieving for some time."

NBC4 and Telemundo 52 Los Angeles said in a statement they "are deeply saddened" and extended "heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives."

Gov. Gavin Newsom thanked the emergency crews responding to both crashes and said in a post on X that "our hearts are with the victims and families."

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration said personnel will arrive Wednesday to begin an investigation into the cause of the helicopter crash.

There have been at least eight fatal crashes involving news helicopters in the U.S. since 2000, killing 16 people, according to a review of federal accident records and news accounts.

They include a 2023 crash in a New Jersey forest that killed the pilot and a photographer aboard a helicopter used by Philadelphia station WPVI and a 2022 crash beside a Charlotte, North Carolina, interstate that killed a pilot and meteorologist during a training flight for WBTV.

Copyright 2026, NPR

A Tuesday court ruling means David Streever of Rochester, New York no longer has to worry that federal officers may threaten him over a harsh email he sent to the former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement earlier this year.

Streever filed a lawsuit in July arguing ICE agents had violated his First Amendment rights when they tried to track him down at his home, an airport and a hotel to confront him about the email and serve him with a warning notice that said he may have violated the law.

Streever's email compared ICE's former acting director, Todd Lyons, to a Nazi, called him a "monstrous human being" and predicted he would be tormented by his own conscience. Streever told NPR he sent the email after federal immigration officers fatally shot two observers in Minneapolis in January.

The warning notice agents left at Streever's home said "YOU MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW" and lists federal laws that make it a crime to threaten federal officials. "Receipt of this Notice will be taken into consideration, should you continue to be involved in any criminal activities described above," reads the bottom of the form.

Streever, who is represented by the nonprofit free speech group, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), argued the federal agents' actions violated the First Amendment and caused him to self-censor his views.

"Mr. Streever's injury is the loss of his freedom to engage in political speech now because the threat of such an investigation or prosecution looms over him like the sword of Damocles, and he is forced to self-censor under that threat," Contreras wrote in his ruling.

He wrote that because it was likely the federal government had already infringed on Streever's First Amendment rights, he was issuing a preliminary injunction while the case continued so that Streever could continue to speak freely.

The court order blocks DHS and ICE from, "taking further steps in reliance on the Warning Notice…and from issuing any substantially similar threats to [Streever] aimed at his protected expression during the course of this matter."

In a statement, Streever said, "I'm deeply relieved that the court affirmed what I knew all along: that I am permitted to speak my conscience in the United States of America, including when I criticize government officials."

He added, "While I wish this ordeal hadn't happened, hopefully this incident will serve as a reminder that the First Amendment protects us all."

DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In court filings, DHS defended its investigation of Streever by citing an increase in threats of violence against public officials. The federal government had argued Streever's case should be dismissed and had said the investigation into Streever was closed in late June, before he filed his lawsuit.

The federal government's filing did not assert that Streever's email was a violent threat that could be prosecuted.

In his ruling, Contreras asked the government to turn over the report that closed its investigation of Streever.

"ICE knowingly pursued an American citizen for criticizing his government — speech that is at the heart of the First Amendment," said FIRE Senior Attorney Adam Steinbaugh. "Ominous letters warning people their speech might land them in prison are meant to coerce people into silence, and that's not how the First Amendment works."

Copyright 2026, NPR

It was meant to be a game changer for the cryptocurrency industry. Instead, a key piece of legislation championed by both crypto executives and President Trump suffered a stinging defeat in the U.S. Senate — and now faces steep hurdles to become law.

The Clarity Act — officially called the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act — has been at the top of the crypto sector's wish list for years. But on Tuesday, the bill failed to clear a key procedural hurdle following entrenched Democratic opposition.

The massive bill — which stretches over 600 pages — would have established the first regulations for the crypto sector in U.S. history.

But opponents saw it as the industry's attempt to encode into law a set of rules they saw as far too lenient on the industry, without enough safeguards.

A version of the bill already passed the House last year, but it has faced a long and torturous road in the Senate as opponents have fought tooth and nail. Now, it faces an uncertain future, as the crypto industry and its backers in the Senate must decide whether to try again at a later date.

Here are 5 key things to know about the Clarity Act — and why opponents are fighting hard to prevent it from ever being passed.

What's in the bill?

Just like with most things dealing with crypto, the details are complicated and a bit geeky. But the measure effectively would have established a clear legislative framework for the crypto sector for the first time in U.S. history.

That would have marked a sea change from today, when crypto regulation can change depending on who controls the White House. Under President Biden, for example, the Securities and Exchange Commission took an aggressive approach toward policing the crypto sector. But that changed radically under Trump, with the agency now led by Paul Atkins, a former adviser to the industry.

"Tens of millions of Americans are investing in products that don't have clear regulatory oversight," said Ryan VanGrack, vice chair of the crypto firm Coinbase, before the vote. "That's an abomination."

"Whether you love crypto or you hate crypto, you should want it regulated," he added. "And this is the best opportunity we have ever had to do just that."

The crypto sector has also grown beyond Bitcoin to include all kinds of cryptocurrencies — such as meme coins. Meanwhile, the technology underpinning Bitcoin and some other cryptocurrencies are also starting to be adopted by the broader financial sector.

The Clarity Act would have formally split oversight of the crypto sector between the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. But — controversially— it would have given the CFTC, a far smaller regulator, the majority of control.

Critics say handing the CFTC the bulk of the reins was the crypto sector's way to avoid heavy regulatory scrutiny. Crypto industry executives denied that's the case, and Trump administration regulators have defended their oversight of the industry.

What was at stake in Tuesday’s vote?

It was effectively a vote to decide if the bill can move forward. It needed 60 "yes" votes to clear that hurdle. Only 49 senators voted "yes" — far below the threshold. Meanwhile, 50 senators voted "no," including all Democrats and four Republicans: Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Jerry Moran of Kansas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. Tillis, however, added a motion so that the bill can be reconsidered and brought up again for a vote.

Even if the bill had survived the procedural vote on Tuesday, it was never clear that it had enough supporters in the Senate to pass. And because senators have changed the bill since it passed the House last year, both chambers would still have had to agree on a final version.

The crypto sector had been hoping to pass the Clarity Act much sooner — and has amassed tens of millions of dollars to spend on the upcoming elections. But money hasn't been enough to erase the disagreements that have dogged the bill for months.

Why are Democrats so opposed?

Though not all Democrats oppose the bill, for many a key sticking point has been — and still is — an ethics clause intended to prevent presidents and other elected officials from profiting from the crypto industry while in office. Democrats, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, have argued the clause doesn't do enough to prevent conflicts of interest.

Notably, the Department of Justice would have been tasked with enforcing the ethics clause, which Democrats strongly objected to since they don't believe the agency would provide a meaningful check on a sitting president. The DOJ is currently led by Todd Blanche, who used to be Trump's attorney.

Those concerns intensified after President Trump disclosed he and his family had earned $1.4 billion last year from his crypto ventures — an unprecedented sum for a sitting president.

Before Tuesday's vote. Republicans tried to break the impasse. Over the weekend, they unveiled new language in the bill to prevent federally elected officials and their spouses from issuing their own cryptocurrencies. That would have effectively prevented Trump from continuing $TRUMP, a meme coin he launched early last year — a point Trump agreed to abide by.

Officials would also have had to divest "significant" financial stakes in the crypto sector, a provision that could affect some of Trump's crypto business interests — though critics said the language was loose enough to allow the president to avoid it altogether.

The new language would also have given state attorneys general more ability to bring lawsuits if they suspected a breach of ethics rules.

Are others opposing the Clarity Act?

Yes. Many people in the banking sector — especially community bank leaders — were against it.

One of the main disputes involved a segment of the crypto market called stablecoins. The bill would have allowed these companies to pay interest to their customers.

Banks, though, argued those incentives would have allowed crypto companies to compete for customers' money without being subject to the same regulations as traditional banks.

Crypto companies have disputed that characterization and have argued that these incentives are similar to what many credit card companies offer their customers, such as cash back or points.

Community bankers have been especially vocal. They have said allowing crypto companies to offer these types of incentives would have posed a direct threat to their business and led them to lose customers.

Rebeca Romero Rainey, president and CEO of the Independent Community Bankers of America, said that keeping their customers' money with local banks is critical because it allows them to provide small business and agricultural loans to members of their communities.

"If community banks aren't there, and those local deposits aren't there to fund it, who's going to fund those small businesses and ranchers and farmers?" she said. "I don't think it's going to be the crypto industry."

So what now?

The bill is not dead — at least not yet.

The vote has been a priority for Trump, who has strongly supported the crypto industry. But the crypto industry will likely face a tough time trying to pass it this year, with the November midterms quickly approaching.

It's also hard to say how the Senate and Congress more broadly will change after the midterms. A Democratic takeover of the Senate or the House would make it even more difficult for the bill to pass, leaving the fate of the Clarity Act up in the air.

Copyright 2026, NPR

What does Jessie Diggins, the greatest American cross-country skier of all time, who retired from skiing earlier this year at the top of her sport, do for a second act at the ripe young age of 35?

It turns out the answer lies at least in part, quite literally, on a long, grueling path through the north woods.

This past weekend, Diggins traded in her ski boots for running shoes. The Minnesota native competed in the 100-mile long Superior Fall Trail Race, which follows the rugged Superior Hiking Trail along the North Shore of Lake Superior.

Her longtime coach, Jason Cork of Duluth, wasn’t surprised. Every year, she’d choose one big, extra challenging trail running workout she’d call “the big stupid.”

“From a coaching perspective and a physiological perspective, it wasn’t really necessary,” Cork said. “It was more like a mental challenge and a cool thing to focus on.”

The Superior 100 is nothing if not a mental challenge. Competitors run through the night, using headlamps to light their way through a pitch-black tunnel of forest. The trail is remote and treacherous, crossing slippery wooden bridges and traversing up and down steep, rocky ridgelines.

“No matter how physically fit you are, it's really a mental thing, an emotional thing, to get yourself in the right headspace to want to continue on to the finish," said race director John Storkamp.

Diggins is renowned for her ability to push her body to its limits, and to descend deep into what she calls the "pain cave."

That skill, mental toughness and tenacity helped her win four Olympic medals, including one gold, and four overall World Cup titles over her decorated 15-year pro career.

People who lined the course to cheer on runners were pumped to learn that Diggins was in the race.

"Listen, Jesse Diggins is a legend, and people in America should know,” said Micah Melander, who drove up from the Twin Cities to support another runner.

"We want Jesse Diggins in trail running,” he added. “I'm so excited that she's doing this."

Diggins smiled and chatted with her support team through early race checkpoints. But as she approached the end, 25 hours after she started, she could barely run. But Diggins was the first woman to cross the finish line, and she finished 5th overall.

"It was quite emotional for me,” Diggins said in an interview with MPR News a few days after the race. “I remember crying, and then very shortly after crossing the finish line, I realized I can't stand anymore.”

“Once I stopped, it was as if every ounce of energy that I had, had gone into just getting to that finish line," Diggins added.

Diggins described the first 50 miles as “really fun.” But as darkness descended, she got a bad blood blister that popped and pushed one of her toenails upward. The pain was intense. She said she wouldn’t have finished without her support crew helping her through the lowest of the low moments.

“Literally like peeling off my socks, wiping away the blood that was oozing out of multiple toenails, gently wiggling fresh socks on, and gently sliding new shoes on to get me out for the last 20 miles. It really is this ultimate love and trust exercise,” she said.

Diggins could barely walk for a couple hours after finishing the race. But she derives a ton of satisfaction from pushing her body so hard and pushing through her limits.

"I treat it like a real gift, because in life, we don't get to choose when we are going through something hard. We don't get to choose the moments when we're going to suffer,” Diggins said.

“But in a race, you sign up for that. And that's amazing because then you get to build this resilience, and the skill set to get you through hard things in life."

Diggins ran three long trail races this summer after retiring from skiing in March, culminating in the Superior 100. She said she’ll probably never really want to give up going through “the pain cave.”

But she's not ready to call running a second athletic career. She doesn’t want to put labels on it. Because as much as she loved to ski race competitively, it was also a job.

"And when it is also the way that you pay the bills and literally put food on the table, it does come with a higher level of pressure,” Diggins said.

“There is something wonderful about knowing, like, hey, if I never sign up for another race again, that's OK. It's not my job anymore. It is literally just for fun. It's only just for challenging myself."

Plus, she has another day job now. After retiring from skiing, she launched a career as a public speaker. She talks to audiences about grit and teamwork and, yes, the pain cave.

She also opens up about her mental health issues and her experience battling an eating disorder.

"I'm nervous every time I go on stage. My heart's going almost exactly like it is on the start line of a race,” said Diggins.

Public speaking pushes her and challenges her in new ways, quite different from ski racing.

"You know, can I memorize a 45-minute speech and do it when I'm nervous on stage in front of thousands of people,” Diggins said.

But it's also an opportunity. The way she sees it, she gets 45 minutes to give everyone in the audience a piece of her story.

“And hopefully it means something to them. And then they might go out and decide to sign up for their own ‘big stupid’ goal,” Diggins said, to push themselves across whatever finish line is in their lives.