Minnesota Public Radio

Wits: W. Kamau Bell

Minnesota Public Radio's Wits announces spring 2013 lineup

Oh, the fantastic synergy of Minnesota Public Radio's Wits is back for another star-packed season. With the mix of big-time actors and musicians with the seasoned players and host John Moe, it's like Saturday Night Live, but held on Friday (or even Thursday), and recorded for radio!As is expected, t ... More >>

Mark Dayton apologizes for comparing troubled football players to soldiers back from war

See Also: Meet the Minnesota Vikings All-Arrested team Adrian Peterson arrest in Houston It's no secret that the Minnesota Vikings have a hard time staying out of trouble off the field. As we reported last year, between fights, DUIs, driving into traffic officers, and the infamous Sex Boat Scanda ... More >>

Dylan Hicks to read, perform at Bryant Lake Bowl Saturday

You'd have to have been under a rock or had your nose buried in some book to not notice the flurry of activity surrounding Minneapolis music vet and now writer Dylan Hicks. With his newest band the Toughies in tow, Dylan has been performing quite steadily again for the first time in nearly ten years ... More >>

Wits: Tim Meadows

Minnesota gets D corruptibility grade, says State Integrity Investigation

​Minnesota is in the middle of the pack when it comes to the potential for government corruption, according to a new study by the Center for Public Integrity, Public Radio International, and Global Integrity.The study, called the State Integrity Investigation, gave Minnesota a D grade, which rank ... More >>

Reed Fischer named new music editor of City Pages

Photo by Ian WitlenIncoming City Pages music editor Reed Fischer​As we near the end of 2011, big changes are in the air for Gimme Noise and the City Pages music section. After holding down the position of music editor for almost four years, I've decided to pursue an opportunity outside the company ... More >>

Artists of the Year 2011

Alan Moore, Louis C.K., Bethany Larson, and more

Salon Saloon: Twin Cities Art & Culture Review

Talking Volumes: Colson Whitehead

Gambling on football: How the Block E Casino might build the Vikings stadium

Want this stadium? Fine, just keep dumping quarters in that slot machine.​As of this morning, Minneapolis is a city with one professional football team, and zero casinos. Some day soon, that could be the other way around.The new push for a special session to finance the Vikings stadium in Arden Hi ... More >>

Amina Ali, accused supporter of Somali terrorists, complains of bad treatment in jail

​Amina Ali knew she was supporting al-Shabaab; that much is certain. What her trial will determine is what she knew about al-Shabaab.These revelations came during yesterday's opening statements in the case of Ali and Hawo Hassan, two Rochester women on trial in U.S. District Court in St. ... More >>

Google politely asks Minnesota's small businesses to get a website

Google: Still a twinkle in Minnesota small business owners' eyes.​Google, one might think, has this whole internet thing figured out. And Minnesota, one might think, is a technologically sophisticated state, wired from corner to corner.As it turns out, Minnesotans have a lot of room to grow in ter ... More >>

Michael Hansen cleared of charges in own baby's death

Michael Hansen, imprisoned for six years, is now freed for good.​Michael Hansen is a free man, for good, after the Douglas County Attorney's Office dropped all charges against the man who spent six years in prison for allegedly killing his own infant daughter. Hansen was freed in mid-August, and h ... More >>

Talking Volumes: Jennifer Egan

Wall of Shame

CNN, USA Today, and other media organizations got fooled

Central Corridor light rail: 60-day congressional review begins

All aboard for St. Paul?​Congress has 60 days to approve funding for its half of the $957 million cost of a light rail line linking Minneapolis to St. Paul. The clock was set in motion when the Federal Transit Administration sent the approved Full Funding Grant Agreement to Capitol Hill, the ... More >>

Alec Soth, Kevin Kramp, Robyn, and more: Artists of the year

Influential artists of 2010

Halloween on the cheap, Poster Offensive 5: Freeloader Friday

Revelers party at Bryant-Lake Bowl​ So, you blew all your money on that Lady Gaga costume. Or perhaps you were broke to begin with. Either way, there's no excuse to break the bank any further celebrating Halloween this weekend. Unlike upcoming Christmas and New Year's Eve parties, this holiday is ... More >>

U of M cheerleaders and friend killed in Wisconsin car wreck

​The names of the three students who died yesterday in a crash in Wisconsin have not been officially released by authorities, but one of the survivors, Carlos Rios, has identified his three friends.

Street food takes over the Twin Cities

In search of the best meal on wheels

Fox 9 covers Tripp Emmer Facebook scandal

Tripp Emmer smiles over an unconscious girl with male genitalia drawn on her face and arms.​Last night, Fox9 repeatedly showed photos that City Pages ran last week of a beer-lubricated party involving Tripp Emmer, as well as a shot of him smiling over a passed out girl with penises drawn on her fa ... More >>

Wits: An Examination of Diversions, Distractions, and Hey Look at That Thing Over There!

Saint Paul Art Crawl, MN Fashion Week: Freeloader Friday

​(Work by Greg Gossel)This week we have the epic Saint Paul Art Crawl (now with live music from Soundcrawl!), MN Fashion Week events, and art openings featuring naked people and pop culture (not all in one spot).

The Continental Co-Ets: possibly history, definitely worthy

The Continental Co-Ets​ While Fulda, Minnesota's Wikipedia page semi-tragically excludes the Continental Co-Ets from her history, the band has been fortunate enough to rise from the deep ash of the mid-'60s rock boom, instigated in large part by Beatlemania, where innumerable bands lay buried like ... More >>

Wits: How to Sacrifice Everything for Your Ungrateful Children

Joe Towalski, Catholic Spirit editor, reminds lawmakers God favors the poor and vulnerable

Lawmakers "need to tread carefully" when they start invoking God -- which they've been doing a lot, lately.

Leeann Chin, Chinese restaurant founder, dies

The namesake of the ubiquitous Twin Cities-based chain was 77.

Tim Pawlenty hammered by Lutheran pastor Grant Stevensen for hijacking God

All that inconvenient talk from Jesus in Matthew 25 about helping "the least of these?" Nowhere to be seen when Pawlenty vetoed GAMC.

Shane Bauer's mother, Cindy Hickey, may soon visit him in Iran

Cindy Hickey and the two other hikers' moms had written to Iran's president seeking a visit.

Republicans send fake census forms to Minnesota households

The irony is irresistible: The GOP, and Michele Bachmann, have led a campaign of criticism against the real 2010 U.S. Census.

Al Franken: Seat Scott Brown now, it wasn't even close

Forget a recount, Al Franken says. It's time to get back to work.

Aby Wolf, K'naan, and P.O.S. top Artists of the Year '09

Paying homage to those who speak the language of creativity

The Current's Barb Abney shares her Solid Gold stories

The daytime DJ shares her thoughts on our cover subjects.

College-bound kid killed Saturday was also a mugger

Tim Jackson, the college-bound teen who died early Saturday morning, was fatally stabbed by the man he was trying to mug.

Election Day: Time to get your vote on

We've collected the information and links you'll need to get to your polling place and prepare for your ballot.

Rybak still pretending he isn't running for governor just yet

During a short debate on Minnesota Public Radio today, Rybak acknowledged that it would be tough to run Minneapolis while also campaigning for governor... IF he decides to run.

Franken inspires National Geographic map-drawing competition

Our senator's sweet skills have inspired a map-drawing competition, pitting senators against each other as they try to draw their own state freehand.

New downtown lanes still confusing as hell for everyone

We'd like to blame this on Midwestern driving idiocy, but these roads are so counter-intuitive and overly complicated that even after knowing the rules we're still not entirely sure what we're doing.

Are you a grown up?

There's a test you can take to find out. And by the way, adolescence isn't a real life phase -- at least not in most of the world.

Woman caught with Favre goat in trunk pleads guilty

You'll be happy to know the goat, which was scheduled to be slaughtered by his former owner, is alive and well on a farm entertaining guests. His purple dye is almost gone and pretty soon he will be just like any other goat.

Michele Bachmann action figure not selling

Only 50 of the toy congresswomen have sold in a month. "She's no Sarah Palin," says CEO of doll company.

Seifert wins Minn. GOP straw poll

He told the crowd he was conservative before conservative was "cool." Huh, that's a new one.

Talking Volumes: James Ellroy

President Obama to speak in Twin Cities Saturday

President Obama will be in Minnesota Saturday to speak about health care reform, Minnesota Public Radio confirmed.

Franken cancels fundraiser with shady St. Paul host

Al Franken canceled a fundraiser tonight that was supposed to be hosted by a guy convicted of theft-by-swindle. Oops.

Collapsed circus bleachers should have been inspected twice a year, city official says

City inspection officials said the bleachers should be inspected by the city every time they are set up. The Circus sets up the bleachers twice a year for their annual performances.

Bachmann: "Don't let them Palinize me!"

Rep. Michele Bachmann has this whole game down like no one else.

Oberstar: Airline legislation stuck in Senate would've helped trapped passengers

Minnesota Rep. Jim Oberstar says that legislation stalled in the U.S. Senate would've helped the airline passengers that were stuck on the Rochester tarmac for six hours in horrid conditions.

Dayton: Back From the Dead?

Taking a page from Norm Coleman's playbook