Minnesota Today

The Minnesota Supreme Court created doubt Wednesday over the viability of a decades-old state law that makes it a crime to possess certain firearms that lack serial numbers. In overturning a lower court ruling, a majority of justices on the state’s highest court stopped short of invalidating a 1994 law entirely on constitutional grounds. But the split ruling could make it harder for prosecutors to bring the gun charges as they have in hundreds of cases per year. New security measures went into place Wednesday at the Minnesota Capitol in St. Paul. Former Minnesota Sen. Justin Eichorn appeared in court Wednesday. He faces charges of soliciting a minor for sex, after being arrested in March in a Bloomington sting operation. This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music is by Gary Meister. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

The city of North St. Paul is trying to determine whether any private data was compromised after someone in its police department clicked on a nefarious email about a week ago. The city decided to bring in outside cybersecurity experts to look into the incident, as the city of St. Paul investigates its own cybersecurity breach detected last month. Authorities in Minneapolis are asking for the public’s help in locating a 12-year-old girl who’s been missing since Saturday. The children of the late Minnesota House DFL leader Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, will be joining MPR News sister station The Current Wednesday morning. The segment is about their parents’ love of music. This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music is by Gary Meister. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

DFL Senator John Hoffman spoke about surviving an assassination attempt to a conference in Boston. Hoffman said politicians must recommit to governance over grievance and to service over self. Hoffman was shot nine times in an early morning attack the same day former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed. Hoffman's wife, Yvette, was also shot multiple times. A new study co-authored by a University of Minnesota researcher outlines the challenges people in rural areas face regarding health care. St. Paul DFL state Rep. Kaohly Vang Her says she'll challenge Mayor Carter in the fall. This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music is by Gary Meister. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services wants to terminate a housing stabilization program recently flagged for possible fraud. The department announced Friday it is asking the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services to end the program. Minnesota was the first state to use Medicaid funds to find more stable housing options for residents. This is the afternoon update from MPR News, hosted by Emily Bright. Theme music by Gary Meister.

Twenty-five people were taken to Twin Cities hospitals yesterday evening after a Delta flight hit severe turbulence before making an emergency landing at MSP. Most of Minnesota continues to see unhealthy air quality today, as smoke from Canadian wildfires lingers. Dr. Andrew Stiehm is a pulmonologist with Allina Healt and describes the short-term and long-term side effects of the smoke. This is the evening news update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Bright. Music by Gary Meister.

Gov. Tim Walz activated the National Guard today for cyber protection assistance in response to a cyberattack on the city of St. Paul. Parts of western Minnesota -- including Stevens County -- experienced flash flooding last night as another round of severe storms moved across the region. Those stories and more in today’s evening update. Hosted by Jacob Aloi. Music by Gary Meister.

The driver who killed two people and injured 12 while driving drunk into the patio at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park last September was sentenced to 30 years in prison Monday. Steven Bailey pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree murder and three counts of criminal vehicular operation in May. The storm front that blew through the state overnight will fuel more storms later today. This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Jacob Aloi. Theme music is by Gary Meister. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

State Sen. Nicole Mitchell has resigned, 10 days before she'd initially announced, following her conviction for breaking into her stepmother's home. Mitchell, a DFLer who represents Woodbury, initially said after her conviction last week that she would step down Aug. 4. The Minneapolis police officer who shot and killed Amir Locke during a no-knock raid in 2022 will no longer lead use of force training for the department. In record numbers, mosquitoes are testing positive for West Nile virus in all seven counties of the Twin Cities metro. This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Gracie Stockton. Theme music is by Gary Meister. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

Derrick Thompson was sentenced Thursday to 58 years for killing 5 women in high-speed crash. In June, a Hennepin County jury found Thompson guilty on all charges, including five counts of third-degree murder and 10 counts of criminal vehicular homicide. Officials say they've found the body of a missing Wisconsin graduate student in the Mississippi River. Nearly six weeks after the political assassination of Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband -- and targeting of other lawmakers -- state legislators will get financial help to improve their safety. This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Gracie Stockton. Theme music is by Gary Meister. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

Beginning Wednesday, Minnesota will offer rewards in missing and murdered Indigenous persons cases. The office of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives will offer rewards of up to $10,000 in eligible cases. Rewards will be offered in cases open with a law enforcement agency and the MMIR office Heavy rain has been sweeping across Minnesota Wednesday, with reports of up to a foot of water over roads in Ely and a number of flood watches and warnings in effect through Thursday morning. The National Weather Service reminds folks to avoid putting yourself in peril by driving on flooded roads. This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Gracie Stockton. Theme music is by Gary Meister. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.