Gov. Tim Walz says the Minnesota Legislature should consider prohibiting people from carrying firearms in the state Capitol. Current law says Minnesotans with a permit to carry are able to bring a gun inside the statehouse. Walz comments come after authorities charged a registered lobbyist who allegedly sent a text message threatening violence at the Minnesota Capitol.

Also, heat advisories and warnings are in place for parts of southern and western Minnesota as a sweltering heat wave is expected across the state. This is the afternoon MPR News update hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music by Gary Meister.

Students interrupted a University of Minnesota Board of Regents meeting today — protesting a sale of university land to an aerospace company that works with the U.S. Department of Defense.

And the homes of several members of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents were vandalized yesterday.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Elena See. Music by Gary Meister.

Gov. Tim Walz testified before Congress Thursday about Minnesota’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Walz and two other democratic governors were questioned by a House committee about having what the Department of Homeland Security calls “sanctuary states.” Walz said Minnesota does not have any laws that make it a sanctuary state, and he says local law enforcement work with federal law enforcement.

A Republican candidate for governor in Minnesota, Kendall Qualls is using the Walz testimony and the national debate over immigration to stake out a position in the race. Qualls called Minnesota a sanctuary state.

Minnesota could lose up to $1.6 billion annually if proposed federal funding cuts to Medicaid take effect.

Another defendant in the sprawling Feeding Our Future case has entered a guilty plea.

I-94 will be closed to traffic in both directions this weekend between I-35W and Huron Boulevard for construction. The closure starts at 10 p.m. Friday and runs through early Monday. Traffic will be detoured north to Highway 36.

The Metro Transit B Line opens Saturday. It's a 13-mile bus rapid transit line between St. Paul and Minneapolis via Lake Street and Marshall and Selby avenues.

An effort to open up a big swath of federal land near the Boundary Waters to copper-nickel mining has been stripped from the massive budget bill moving through Congress.

Several dozen people protested outside the Sherburne County Jail in Elk River today in support of a St. Paul woman arrested for alleged actions during a raid in Minneapolis last week.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Bright. Music by Gary Meister.

A St. Paul woman is facing federal charges after allegedly assaulting a FBI agent during last week’s search of a Minneapolis restaurant. In a criminal complaint, prosecutors allege the woman was recorded on video trying to punch an FBI SWAT officer as others in the crowd tried to stop her. She then allegedly kicked the agent before breaking free of the crowd and pushing another FBI agent.

The state’s response to protests following the murder of George Floyd five years ago was a point of contention in a congressional hearing Tuesday. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before a House panel. Minnesota DFL Rep. Betty McCollum questioned sending the military to quell protests in Los Angeles. Hegseth responded by criticizing Minnesota’s handling of those protests. He said the current deployment in California is needed so federal immigration agents can conduct their operations.

Gov. Tim Walz says the Legislature showed they could work together despite being closely and deeply divided. After a regular session that featured a three-week holdout by Democrats in the House, two Senators facing criminal charges, special elections, a nearly even Republican-Democrat divide and adjournment without agreement, lawmakers came back to St. Paul and finished their work early Tuesday in a special session.

A Becker County judge has denied all pretrial motions raised by state Sen. Nicole Mitchell’s defense team in her upcoming criminal trial for burglary.

In a marathon one-day special session that ended early this morning, the Legislature passed 15 bills, most of them dealing with the budget.

And two Minnesotans — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Democratic Representative Betty McCollum — sparred during a congressional hearing today in Washington.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update. Hosted by Emily Bright. Music by Gary Meister.

A special session has been underway today at the state Capitol to pass a budget. Of the 14 bills that are up for a vote, one bill that would remove adult immigrants without legal status from MinnesotaCare passed the House by a small margin.

That story and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Jacob Aloi. Music by Gary Meister.

A special session has been called for the Minnesota Legislature - it will happen three weeks to the day after the regular session finished.

And a jury has found Derrick Thompson guilty of all charges in the deaths of five women who were in a vehicle struck by the SUV Thompson was driving in 2023.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Jacob Aloi. Music by Gary Meister.

Extreme heat and humidity will roll into Minnesota this weekend. The sauna-like weather will be the first major heat wave of the summer. Temperatures will start to rise on Friday. The tropical air mass will push heat indexes to around 90 to 105 degrees.

Also, more than 23,000 runners are registered for events connected to Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, including a half and full marathon on Saturday. That number tops last year's record-breaking participation.

This is the afternoon MPR News update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music by Gary Meister.

A Homeland Security agent from the Twin Cities is jailed and charged with producing child sex abuse material.

And Gov. Tim Walz says his office did not get a heads-up about a federal raid of a south Minneapolis restaurant earlier this week.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Jeff Jones. Music by Gary Meister.

Gov. Tim Walz says his administration will send out tens of thousands of layoff notices by Monday if legislative leaders don't reach a final deal before then that can win passage in a special legislative session.

And sighs — and breaths — of relief across Minnesota today, as the worst of the smoke from Canadian wildfires has pushed to the east.

Minneapolis police are investigating after a shooting at Boom Island Park last night left one person dead and five more injured.

And more rounds of smoke from Canadian wildfires are forecast to move across Minnesota over the next couple of days. That’s prompted officials to extend an air quality alert for the entire state through midday Wednesday.

Those stories and more in today’s evening news update. Hosted by Elena See. Music by Gary Meister.

An air quality alert is now in effect for all of Minnesota through Monday evening, as smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to stream across the state. That's an expansion of earlier alerts, as the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says reinforcing waves of smoke are expected Saturday, Sunday and again on Monday.

Listen for more on the MPR News afternoon update for Friday, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music by Gary Meister.

Tuition is going up at the University of Minnesota this fall. The Board of Regents yesterday approved a 6-and-a-half percent increase — the largest in a decade and a half. In-state tuition for undergrads on the Twin Cities campus will be just over 16-thousand dollars in the next academic year. That does not include additional fees — which are also going up.

Brooklyn Park police are investigating a break-in at the home of DFL leader Melissa Hortman, and her husband Mark. The incident comes days after the Hortmans were shot and killed in their home in what authorities are calling a politically motivated attack. Police say they discovered pried-off plywood that was covering the home’s rear window. The window was also broken to gain entry by an unknown individual.

A new law requires some Minnesotans to get a permit before operating a boat or personal watercraft.

The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa recently celebrated the completion of a new heating facility. The facility will use locally sourced hardwood chips to heat the tribe's community center.

The Minneapolis City Council passed an honorary resolution Wednesday commemorating Juneteenth. The federal holiday celebrates the end of slavery in the United States.

Layoff notices will begin going out tomorrow as lawmakers work on unfinished pieces of the state budget.

And major wildfires burning north of Duluth for nearly three weeks are now nearly fully contained. But state officials expect the risk for more severe wildfires to remain, possibly all summer long.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Bright. Music by Gary Meister.

The Minnesota Timberwolves’ season is over. They were beaten by the Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday night 124-94. The Thunder jumped out to a 30 point lead in the first half and were never threatened. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points. OKC won the best-of-seven series 4 games to 1. They play next for an NBA championship.

A federal judge in Fergus Falls sentenced two men Wednesday in a human smuggling operation that led to the deaths of an Indian family on the Minnesota-Canada border. The family was trying to cross illegally from Canada in January 2022 when a blizzard hit and they froze to death. Harshkumar Patel, a native of India, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the smuggling ring. Steve Shand, a Florida resident, was sentenced to 6.5 years. 

The Minnesota Frost celebrated another championship Wednesday night in St. Paul. It's the second year in a row the Professional Women's Hockey League team won the Walter Cup trophy.

A Minneapolis gang member convicted at a trial last fall is headed to federal prison for life.

A wildfire burning in the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota is growing, leading authorities to close off a part of Superior National Forest land in the Horse River area. The Horse River fire is still relatively small, but it has more than doubled in size in recent days to nearly 25 acres, and it's burning completely uncontained.

This is the evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Bright. Music by Gary Meister.

Firefighters are inching closer to fully containing two wildfires that have burned for more than two weeks in northern Minnesota.

And funding for the school readiness program Head Start was spared in spending cuts the House passed, but some people who work with struggling families worry cuts could still come as the House bill is considered in the Senate.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Minnesota's professional women's hockey team has won a second consecutive championship.  The Frost defeated the Ottawa Charge 2-1 in overtime last night in St. Paul. The closely matched teams battled in overtime in all four of their games. Liz Schepers took a pass from Katy Knoll to score the winning goal.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are one loss away from elimination in the NBA playoffs. They were beaten by the Oklahoma City Thunder Monday 128-126. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points for OKC. Twin Cities-native Chet Holmgren scored 21 points against his hometown team. The Wolves now trail the best-of-seven Western Conference championship series 3 games to 1. 

Jury selection begins today in the trial of a man accused of killing five people in a high-speed crash in Minneapolis nearly two years ago.

Faith leaders gathered at Minneapolis City Hall today for an interfaith prayer, marking the five-year anniversary of George Floyd's murder by Minneapolis police.

And Gov. Tim Walz defended a proposal today to roll back a tax exemption for data centers in the state.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A series of events gets underway today in Minneapolis to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd and the racial justice movement that it sparked. A moment of silence will be held this afternoon at the intersection of 38th and Chicago where Floyd was killed.

The Minneapolis Park Board is closing some parking areas around Bde Maka Ska earlier in the evening. That change is in response to safety concerns stemming from large groups gathering in those parking lots at night. The Park Board said those groups have engaged in “disruptive, illegal, and sometimes violent conduct.”

The Timberwolves lost to the Thunder last night in game two of the NBA’s Western Conference championship series 118-103. The Thunder now lead a best-of-seven series 2-0.

The Minnesota Frost beat the Ottawa Charge 2-1 last night to knot the PWHL’s Walter Cup finals at a game apiece. Britta Curl-Salemme scored both Frost goals.

An international student who’s been in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody since March was released under a judge’s order Thursday. Firefighting crews are now making quick progress on wildfires that have burned in northeastern Minnesota for nearly two weeks. And lawmakers are expecting to work through the Memorial Day weekend to finalize the bills needed to craft a two-year state budget.

Brooklyn Park police are investigating a break-in at the home of DFL leader Melissa Hortman, and her husband Mark. The incident comes days after the Hortmans were shot and killed in their home in what authorities are calling a politically motivated attack. Police say they discovered pried-off plywood that was covering the home’s rear window, but nothing appeared to be missing.

Also, state Rep. Kristin Bahner confirmed that her home was one of the targets of the man suspected of the shootings last Saturday.

This is the MPR News evening update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music by Gary Meister.

Police reform advocates in Minneapolis are denouncing the Trump administration's attempt to drop the federal consent decree.

And a working group on the human services budget bill at the Minnesota Legislature is meeting privately to iron out differences. As they do, advocates for disabled people in the state held a rally this morning to push against possible cuts for disability waivers.

Those stories and more in today’s evening news update. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

While much of the state budget will get sorted out in a special session, lawmakers passed a bill to fund several state government agencies last night.

Heavy rains that have fallen in parts of the state today will ease drought and abnormally dry conditions.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Crews battling wildfires in northeastern Minnesota have had to contend with windy conditions today. East winds of 15 to 20 miles per hour have been accompanied by gusts of up to 40 miles per hour.

And meteorologist Sven Sundgaard says that while a system will bring rain to the state today through Wednesday, it's expected to miss the region where fires are burning.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Gov. Tim Walz is promising residents in the fire ravaged areas in the northeastern part of the state will get help in rebuilding.

Public sector unions are expressing frustration over a proposed plan to close the state prison in Stillwater.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update. Hosted by Emily Bright. Music by Gary Meister.

Minnesota legislative leaders and Gov. Tim Walz say they have a budget deal. Leaders say the negotiations brought a bipartisan plan that balances the budget into the future.

And the University of Minnesota will close a research center focusing on racial health disparities following a plagiarism scandal.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update. Hosted by Jacob Aloi. Music by Gary Meister.

A candlelight vigil to honor the late DFL House Leader Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark is planned for Wednesday night at Minnesota’s state Capitol. Organizers are asking attendees not to bring signs of any kind. The Hortmans were the target of a political assassination early Saturday morning at their home in Brooklyn Park. The Capitol building will be closed to the public during the vigil that begins at 8 p.m.

Federal authorities have revealed that the man suspected in the shootings had an alleged target list that included leaders of Planned Parenthood.

A Twin Cities man who joined the Islamic State terror group a decade ago is out of federal prison after providing extensive help to investigators in other terrorism cases.

The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa recently celebrated the completion of a new heating facility.

Two large wildfires burning uncontrolled in northeastern Minnesota grew significantly overnight.

The Jenkins Creek fire more than doubled in size and has now burned more than 20,000 acres of forest, or about 31 square miles. It's burning north in a long, narrow band east of Hoyt Lakes and south of Babbitt. Meanwhile the Camp House Fire grew modestly to about 15,000 acres. That fire near Brimson has destroyed at least 144 structures.

That story and more in today’s evening update. Hosted by Kelly Bleyer. Music by Gary Meister.

It’s another hot, dry, breezy day across the region -- creating more challenges for crews battling wildfires in northeast Minnesota. More than 40 homes and cabins have been destroyed by the fast-moving wildfires.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update. Hosted by Kelly Bleyer. Music by Gary Meister.