Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Minnesota Now

This summer was a decent one for paddling in area lake in a canoe or kayak. Those who are adventurous love paddling the Boundary Waters for a longer canoe experience. Two Minnesotans have taken their love of canoeing to another level. Zach Fritz and Taylor Rau have just returned after canoeing from Minnesota to Canada’s Arctic Circle. It’s a more than 2,700 mile journey they did over the course of 105 days this summer. They dubbed their trip “The Route Less Paddled.”

Fritz and Rau joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to share more on their epic adventure.

The funeral is Thursday for one of the victims in Sunday’s tragic crash at Park Tavern. After information surfaced that the driver had five DWIs on his record, some lawmakers have their eyes on tighter restrictions for driving while intoxicated. We’ll learn more.

September is healthy aging month and about one in five adults over age 55 experience some kind of mental health concern. We’ll learn about a training aimed at helping us reach out to our friends and neighbors.

An Anishinaabe author is inviting children to honor ancestral Native land in her new book.

Plus, we’ll meet a Minnesota duo who have just returned from paddling all the way to the Arctic Circle. They have plenty of adventures to share.

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.

September is Healthy Aging Month. Aging happens to all of us. But it sometimes requires extra considerations to keep us healthy and thriving, both physically and mentally.

About one in five adults over age 55 experience a mental health condition or concern, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But their needs are sometimes overlooked. And it’s hard to know how to reach out to someone who might be struggling.

The University of Minnesota Extension is offering a new type of training throughout the state teaching people exactly how to reach out.

Sam Roth is an educator with the University of Minnesota-Extension leading its Healthy Aging programming. He joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about the training.

We all need a little help to get through life sometimes. From everyday questions to more complex problems, we’re asking the experts to lend us a hand.

Throughout the series Professional Help, we’ll hear some direct advice, for us not-so-direct Minnesotans.

Our ask: Help me start the home buying process.

Our professional: Dan Schneider, realtor with Vibe Realty.

Buying your first home, condo or townhome is an intimidating process. It’s one that MPR News senior producer Aleesa Kuznetsov just started herself. But the housing market is unpredictable. You never know when it will turn in your favor or maybe against you. To learn more about the first steps she turned to get some Professional Help.

Funeral arrangements have been announced for the victims of the Park Tavern tragedy. Gabe Harvey will be laid to rest Thursday afternoon. A memorial service will be held for Kristina Folkerts next Thursday.

Steven Frane Bailey has been charged in the case. Hennepin County Mary Moriarty said his blood alcohol level was four times the legal limit at the time of the crash.

He had five previous DWI convictions and for a time had his license revoked and an interlock ignition device put on his car. That’s a technology that prevents a driver from starting their car without first passing a breathalyzer test. That restriction on Bailey had expired at the time of the crash.

The recent tragedy has raised the question of whether stricter penalties or restrictions could prevent future deaths. And a couple of lawmakers have said this question will be on the agenda during the 2025 legislative session.

DFL Sen. Ron Latz represents St. Louis Park and he’s chair of the chamber's Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. He joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to explain what he hopes to see changed at the Capitol.

Minnesota-born Anishinaabe author Ashley Fairbanks had her first book published on Aug. 27. The book is for children and is titled “This Land.” It invites kids to trace the history of their home and honor the Native people who lived on the land.

It is part of a larger children’s series “Race to the Truth” that emphasizes the importance of talking about race with children. MPR News digital producer Sam Stroozas spoke with Fairbanks ahead of the release. 

A popular restaurant in St. Louis Park that was the scene of a tragic event over the Labor Day holiday weekend reopened its doors at noon Wednesday.

On Sunday, a drunk driver plowed into the Park Tavern’s outdoor patio, killing two people and injuring nine others. The driver will make his first court appearance Wednesday afternoon.

Reporter Elizabeth Shockman joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer from Park Tavern as people gathered to remember those lost and support a beloved establishment in the community.

School is back in session and can you believe it? Meteorological summer technically ended on Saturday. The weather has been absolutely lovely this week but we will start feeling those fall temperatures soon.

MPR meteorologist Sven Sundgaard joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer with a weather update.

Park Tavern in St. Louis Park is reopening at this hour after a drunk driving crash left two dead and nine injured. The man charged in the case makes his first court appearance Wednesday and he had a history of DWIs. MPR News looked at tools to stop people from getting behind the wheel while while intoxicated.

Shoreline erosion is exposing human remains at one of Duluth’s oldest cemeteries. But who is responsible for making sure bodies laid to rest, stay at rest?

Our Minnesota Now and Then segment explored how child welfare has evolved by looking at its beginnings in Owatonna, once home to one of the largest institutions for children in the country.

And we checked on the possibility for severe weather this evening with Meteorologist Sven Sundgaard.

In the latest installment of Minnesota Now and Then — where we peek into our state’s past to better understand its present — we go back to Minnesota’s beginnings of child welfare.

Minnesota’s child welfare system has had its problems. In an expose published in 2023, the Minnesota Star Tribune uncovered a number of child deaths where the system failed to protect them from caregivers with a history of abuse or neglect.

For decades, orphans, children who were neglected, those who needed protection, would wind up in Owatonna at one of the largest institutions in the country that housed these children in need. It was called a state school and about 11,000 children spent time there from 1886 to 1946. It was a precursor to what became our current child welfare system.

For more on this history, MPR News host Cathy Wurzer talked with Anne Peterson, manager of the Minnesota State Public School Orphanage Museum in Owatonna

You may have seen the story first reported by the Duluth News Tribune: A boy discovered historic human remains on the shore of Lake Superior near the Scandia Cemetery next to Glensheen Mansion in Duluth. The bones were uncovered through the process of erosion along the shoreline.

Erosion is a serious issue for cemeteries along bodies of water and it is tricky to figure out who is responsible for keeping human remains in place at these historic sites.

Minnesota State archeologist Amanda Gronhovd joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to share the next steps for the Scandia Cemetery.

A man facing charges in Sunday’s drunk driving crash that killed two people and injured nine others at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday afternoon.

There are questions surrounding his DWI record. During yesterday’s news conference outlining the charges, Hennepin County Attorney Moriarty said it was “hugely problematic” that Steven Bailey still had a driver’s license. Bailey had an ignition interlock installed in his car for several years after convictions for drunk driving.

The Minnesota Department of Health estimates one in seven Minnesotans has at least one DWI. The national group Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) argues ignition locks and other technology preventing an intoxicated driver from operating their car could help reduce drunken driving deaths.

For more on these steps, MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Lauren Johnson, marketing and community engagement manager for MADD’s Upper Midwest Region.

Nurse staffing levels have begun to improve in Minnesota hospitals and health systems, but it’s getting tougher to find doctors. We examined the trends in a health care workforce that is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tuesday is the first day of school for most Minnesota students. We found out what’s new this year.

And we talked with Dr. Jon Hallberg about back-to-school checkups, vaccines and parenting stress in our latest Vital Signs segment.

A volunteer group that helps people track down lost pets is enlisting one of their own dogs to help.

And Paralympian Chuck Aoki is bringing home yet another medal in wheelchair rugby. He joined the show from Paris.

If you have a pet, you’ve likely had an instance of your heart racing when your dog or cat accidentally got out. Sometimes pets come back, but other times they run away.

An all-volunteer group, “The Retrievers,” is dedicated to bringing lost dogs back home. Soon, the group will have a new tool in its kit that could be a game-changer.

The group is training a dog-scenting-dog, and she likely will be the first dog in the state trained to find lost dogs.

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Miki Carlson, a case manager with “The Retrievers.”

Data out Tuesday about Minnesota’s medical workforce shows that nurse staffing levels are improving, but it's getting tough to find doctors. The report, from the Minnesota Hospital Association, finds the vacancy rate for physician jobs increased from nearly 12 percent to almost 15 percent this past year.

To help explain the issue and potential solutions, MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Dr. Laurel Ries, president of the Minnesota Medical Association.

Most Minnesota students are back in school today, meeting their teachers and getting reacquainted with classmates.

MPR News education reporter Elizabeth Shockman visited Nellie Stone Johnson Elementary in Minneapolis Tuesday morning.

She joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about how the morning went in the state’s fourth-largest district.

Team USA is bringing home a silver medal in the Paralympics with the help of Minneapolis native Chuck Aoki. The wheelchair rugby team bowed to Japan 48-41 Monday night.

Chuck is a co-captain of the team and is now the most decorated Team USA wheelchair rugby athlete, with three silvers and one bronze.

He spoke with MPR News host Cathy Wurzer live from Paris.

Each month, Dr. Jon Hallberg joins MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about topics that are important to your health and take a deep dive into medical news.

Hallberg is a family medicine physician at Mill City Clinic and a professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

In this installment of Vital Signs, he talked about the new COVID-19 booster shot, back-to-school health tips for parents and a new health advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General.

In 1998, the new public radio quiz show “Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me” did a regular segment called “Suck Up to Minnesota” in hopes of getting MPR to carry the program. It worked, and host Peter Sagal has been a weekend staple of our program lineup ever since.

Sagal joined MPR News host Tom Crann on the big stage in Dan Patch Park at the Minnesota State Fair on Friday to talk about what it takes to put together a comedy quiz show every week. Jennifer Mills joined the conversation as well. She’s a writer for “Wait Wait” and a Minnesota native.

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

At United South Central Public Schools in Wells phones will be locked in a pouch for the entire day. Meanwhile at Grand Rapids-Big Fork Public Schools, phones will be put in a designated area during each class period.

After nearly a decade in Minnesota, MPR News senior reporter Hannah Yang visited the Minnesota State Fair for the first time and shared her experiences with the food, arts and unique attractions she encountered.

The desire to own a business runs strong throughout American history. “Entrepreneur. Americans have fallen in love with this French noun,” write two historians in their book about entrepreneurship. Much of the dynamism in our neighborhoods and communities comes from entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Among them is Mhonpaj Lee Vang and her family. She and her mother own Mhonpaj Garden, the first Hmong-owned certified organic farm in Minnesota with five acres in Stillwater and four acres in Marine on St. Croix. She also owns 22 farming acres in Hugo. Mhonpaj is a licensed real estate broker, real estate developer and, more recently, program host on Hmong TV.

MPR’s senior economics contributor Chris Farrell caught up with Mhonpaj in White Bear Lake.

School MCA results are out. The 2024 Minnesota teacher of the year is here to talk about what it means for students.

And many of those students are facing new cell phone policies this year. We'll learn more about the more restrictive policies, why they're in place, and if they will work.

We'll hear from generations of Hmong families about their serious entrepreneurial spirit.

Plus our own senior reporter Hannah Yang goes to the state fair for her first time ever. We'll get her takes.

And Thursday is a big night if you're a Gophers fan! We'll get a preview of their first football game of the season.

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

The Minnesota Department of Education released test scores Monday morning for K-12 students across the state. The data shows scores have still not rebounded from a slump that began during the pandemic. About half of Minnesota public school students are proficient in reading and about 45 percent are proficient in math — numbers that have not changed since last year. These standardized tests are known as the MCA’s or Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments. Third through eighth graders typically take them every year. And high school students take one reading and one math test during their 10th or eleventh grade years.

Joining MPR News guest host Nina Moini for perspective from the classroom is Washburn High School english teacher and 2024 teacher of the year Tracy Byrd.

High school and college football fans are ringing in a new season. There are about one hundred high school games scheduled for Thursday afternoon and evening. The Minnesota Gophers play their first game at Huntington Bank Stadium. And for the Vikings, the regular season is just around the corner.

Joining MPR News guest host Nina Moini with a football preview and other Minnesota sports news are Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson. Langfellow is the founder of Minnesota Score Sports Magazine and co-host of the sports talk show Ten Thousand Takes. Nelson is the other host of that show and Vikings reporter for CBS Sports radio’s Eye on the NFL.

It’s time once again to test how much you know about Minnesota weather and climate. Cathy Wurzer and Mark Seeley presented the annual Minnesota State Fair Weather Quiz Event to a live audience at the MPR stage on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. The quiz has questions related to Minnesota history, recent weather events, record weather events, and climate patterns.

The fairgrounds is in the city of Falcon Heights, which might be considered neutral ground for our two guests, the executives of Minnesota’s Twin Cities. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer at the MPR State Fair stage to talk everything from property taxes, bringing back downtowns and their favorite fair traditions.

One of the Minnesota State Fair’s new Creative Activities competition categories was nearly 25 years in the making. Back in the year 2000, Doris Rubenstein was disqualified from the Minnesota State Fair’s pickle competition for the second time. The liquid in her pickle jar was cloudy, because she made them by a different process than the pickles the judges were used to.

They were traditional kosher pickles, fermented in brine instead of preserved in vinegar. Rubenstein took the experience to local media and even turned it into a one-woman play that was performed at the 2017 Minnesota Fringe Festival and more recently in Winnipeg, Canada. This year for the first time, fermented pickles had their own category at the Minnesota State Fair. Rubenstein was a judge.

She joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer live from the state fair to share her story — and some pickles.

There are lots of creatures at the fair. MPR News host Cathy Wurzer took the time to meet a feathered one: Rowan the red-tailed hawk.

She also spoke with Lori Arent, Assistant Director of The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota.

The organization opened 50 years ago this year and now sees nearly 1000 birds each year in its clinic.

They also run educational programs with help from folks like naturalist Catherine Hastings, who joined the show to handle Rowan.

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.

Minnesota Now broadcasted live from the state fair. MPR News host Cathy Wurzer was joined by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, who each talked about their newly released budget proposals for 2025. They shared what's happening in each of their cities and their plans for the year ahead.

Come to the fair for rabbits and horses, stay for the red-tailed hawks! The University of Minnesota Raptor Center turns 50 this year. They joined the show with a special raptor named Rowan.
The state fair has a new category for kosher pickles in its food competition -- one woman who helped make that happen joined the show to talk about it and taste test pickles.

Minnesota Now plays music every day. But at the fair, the music is live! The Minneapolis R&B band iLLism joined the show.

The Minnesota State Fair is of course known for its food. But some of the best food you can’t try: The baking competitions.

Thousands of people enter every year in hopes of getting a blue ribbon. And this year, there’s another type of competition happening: This one is on your TV screen.

The Netflix show is “Blue Ribbon Baking Championship” and it’s no surprise a Minnesotan is competing.

Jennifer Stoker is from Buffalo, Minn., and is featured on the show and of course also entered her baked goods in this year’s State Fair, but did not place.

She spoke with MPR News host Cathy Wurzer about the experience.

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.

Southern Minnesota is under an excessive heat warning until this evening when the hot and humid air could spark severe storms. We have the details on the forecast and find out what the Minnesota State Fair is doing to keep animals safe from this heat and humidity.

On top of the heat wave, we’re seeing a summer wave in COVID cases, and the latest round of updated vaccines are on their way.

And if it seems like the northern lights been dancing across Minnesota skies more frequently than usual — well, they have, and we find out why.

Plus, we meet a Minnesota baker competing for a blue ribbon — not at the State Fair — on Netflix.

The Minnesota Music Minute was “Summer” by Stolyette.

The Song of the Day was “Two Wheeler, Four Wheeler” by Trip Shakespeare.

Many of us are familiar with the butter head sculptures and crop art that have become beloved traditions of the Minnesota State Fair. But there’s a whole other side to the fair’s history — one filled with strange exhibits and peculiar attractions.

MPR News arts editor Max Sparber wrote an article exploring some of the fair’s most unusual moments.

He spoke with MPR News host Cathy Wurzer about it.

This year we’ve had ample opportunity to see northern lights, even in the Twin Cities. And if it feels like its been more than normal, you're not wrong. There likely will still be even more chances if you haven’t seen them yet.

We wanted to know why Minnesota has seen so many aurora displays. MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Bob Lysak, a professor at the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota.

The latest COVID-19 vaccines are on the way to your local pharmacy and doctor’s office. They were approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration last Thursday.

Health officials are recommending that people take the opportunity to fortify their immune systems against the latest variant of the virus. But across the country, people have been slow to get the previous round of shots. That includes people over the age of 75, who face higher risks from COVID.

In Minnesota, the Department of Health reports just 14 percent of people were up to date on their vaccines as of June. And COVID-19 wastewater levels and hospitalizations in the state have been climbing steadily over the last two months.

For more information, MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with epidemiologist Michael Osterholm from the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

The Twin Cities, Mankato, Rochester and a part of western Wisconsin were under an excessive heat warning until 8 p.m. Monday.

Folks going to the state fair were warned to stay hydrated and take it easy. But what about the thousands of animals at the fair?

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with MPR meteorologist Sven Sundgaard about the heat. And she checked in with State Fair veterinarian Scott Lang from Waseca Veterinary Clinic.

Minneapolis’ Tina Schlieske is best known for fronting the Minneapolis rock band Tina and the B-Sides that formed in the late eighties. She’s been touring as a solo artist ever since.

Earlier this year, she put out a jazz standards album, “The Good Life.”

She joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to share some of her music.

Thursday on Minnesota Now, the show went live from the Minnesota State Fair.

It was a big night for Gov. Tim Walz as he accepted the Vice Presidential nomination. We broke down his speech from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

It isn’t the State Fair without some farm animals. A 4-H kid joined the show with a lamb to talk about the importance of agriculture.

And how much do you know about the history of state fair? We put your knowledge to the test with a quiz from the Minnesota Historical Society.

It isn’t Minnesota Now without some local music, and on Thursday, it was live! From rock ‘n’ roll to jazz standards, Minnesota’s own Tina Schlieske joined the show to perform some music and sit down for an interview.

Earlier in the show we heard from MPR News senior politics reporter Clay Masters who is reporting from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

DFL Congressman Dean Phillips just flew into Minnesota from the DNC. He spoke with MPR News host Cathy Wurzer from the MPR stage about the convention, his reflections on the Democratic ticket and what’s next for him.

The Minnesota State Fair began 165 years ago. There’s been a lot of interesting history at the fair during that time, so we wanted to learn a little more with the Minnesota Historical Society.

They have a booth on the fair and host a daily quiz, “History on a Schtick.”

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Jacob Rorem, Program Associate at the Minnesota Historical Society.

There are hundreds of young people with their animals at the state fair. It is a big deal.

They come with their families, their 4-H clubs or FFA chapters. But it is no easy feat to make it to the fair.

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Minnesota 4-H State Ambassador Henry Lemke and Minnesota State 4-H director, Jennifer Skuza.

Lemke also brought his lamb, Gladiola.

The speech Minnesota’s governor gave at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago was his introduction to much of the country, with millions of viewers turning into prime time.

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with MPR Senior Politics Reporter Clay Masters live from Chicago.

There’s a lot of excitement and enthusiasm over the Kamala Harris/Tim Walz presidential ticket. But analysts say the good vibes need to be matched by a solid policy platform. Last week, Vice President Harris unveiled a bit of her anticipated economic agenda. The high cost of living is a big voter issue. Other issues, like protecting reproductive rights or a plan to bolster the child tax credit, may sound familiar to Minnesotans.

Their strategy seems to draw, at least in part, from the platform the Minnesota DFL campaigned on back in 2023.

For more on how DFL policy priorities might scale up to the national level, MPR News host Cathy Wurzer talked with Minnesota DFL Representative Kaohly Vang Her, who is in her third term representing St. Paul.

Minnesota Democrats have formally nominated Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz as their party’s presidential ticket. Delegates from Minnesota and other states cast ceremonial votes in a roll call Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention.

Gov. Walz’s big night in Chicago is Wednesday night. He will introduce himself to the nation during a prime time speech. MPR News correspondent Mark Zdechlik joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer with a preview from the DNC in Chicago.

There is a lot of excitement in the Democratic party about the Harris-Walz ticket. And it is a big day for Governor Walz, who will accept his nomination for VP Wednesday night at the Democratic National Convention. We hear a live report from Chicago.

But what are the Harris/Walz policy priorities? We talk to a Minnesota state representative about how their stances on the national level may mirror what Walz has done in Minnesota.

With less than 24 hours until the gates open at the Minnesota State Fair, we hear from the fair police chief about safety and check in on the fair forecast.

Minnesota Paralympian Melissa Stockwell joins us from France with the games just a week away.

The Minnesota Music Minute was “Cold Hard Truth” by Turn Turn Turn.

The Song of the Day was “Waking Hours” by Waking Hours.

Besides the smoky skies, it has been a pleasant week of weather. But things could be heating up soon. MPR Chief Meteorologist joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer with details on the forecast — and when to catch the next supermoon.

The Paralympic Summer Games kicks off in Paris a week from Wednesday. Among the Minnesotans competing there is Melissa Stockwell, who grew up in Eden Prairie. At 22-years-old she was commissioned into the U.S. Army and in 2004, she was deployed in Iraq, where she got a title nobody wants. She became the first female American soldier to lose a limb in active combat and was honored with a Purple Heart and Bronze Star. That didn’t stop Stockwell from staying active and living her life. Just four years later she became the first Iraq War veteran to qualify for the Paralympic games, competing in swimming at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.

Stockwell joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer from France as she prepares to compete in her fourth Paralympic games in the sport of triathlon.

Mashed, fried, baked: there are lots of ways to consume potatoes. You can find them all in one place in Minnesota this weekend. The city of Barnesville is hosting its 33rd Annual Potato Days Festival to celebrate the city and the root vegetable farmed across Minnesota. Barnesville is a town of about 6 thousand people just 30 miles southeast of Fargo. MPR News host talked with Potato Days Chair Missie Goheen for the latest in Minnesota Now’s summer festival spotlight series.

There’s a parallel between the Democratic National Conventions of 2024 and 1984. Forty years ago a Minnesota Democrat was at the top of a history-making presidential ticket. Former Minnesota Senator and U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale was running for president alongside

Geraldine Ferraro, a U.S. representative from New York — and the first woman nominated by a major party for VP. Hillary Clinton remembered that moment Monday night in a speech at this year’s DNC.

Clinton drew a line from former U.S. representative Shirley Chisholm’s 1972 run for president to Ferraro‘s bid for VP to her own historic race in 2016 against former President Donald Trump. And she expressed hope that Vice President Kamala Harris can become the first woman president.

In Minnesota, a Harris win would also mean Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan would become the first Native American woman governor in the U.S. — and the first woman governor of Minnesota, period.

Every lieutenant governor since 1983 has been a woman, across Republican, Democrat, and Independent administrations, but none have held the top job. Ember Reichgott Junge has spent her life involved in Minnesota politics.

And she was also at the 1984 DNC as a young, Democratic state senator and a delegate for Minnesota. She joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to reflect on her time then — and the DNC now.

There’s a young girl from Minneapolis who remains in critical condition Tuesday after being shot over the weekend along with three other children. The minors in question are between the ages of 11 and 13 and were shot while joyriding in a stolen car.

The case renews the question about what to do when kids that young are committing serious crimes. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office wants police to refer cases to their office, and says that when there isn’t enough evidence to charge, the child could instead be referred to their Youth Auto Theft Early Intervention Initiative. But Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara says he wants to see those kids arrested and charged.

The specifics of this case are unclear, due to privacy laws for children in the juvenile system. But it has renewed an argument between agencies about the best approach to stopping kids from committing serious crimes.

To explain, two people from the organization Restorative Justice Community Action, which provides services to youth who have committed crimes in Hennepin and Ramsey counties, joined Minnesota Now. Cynthia Prosek is their executive director and Kara Beckman is University of Minnesota Researcher who works with the organization.