MPR News with Angela Davis

“FAFO parenting” is getting attention — the idea that sometimes the best way for kids to learn is by experiencing natural consequences. FAFO doesn’t exactly stand for “fool around and find out,” but you get the idea.Supporters say the parenting approach builds resilience and responsibility. Critics worry it can cross into neglect or leave kids without the guidance they need.MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with a parenting researcher about when stepping back helps children grow, when intervention matters and how families can find the balance between independence and safety.Guest:Christopher Mehus is a research associate professor in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota.

Trust in government is low. Politicians are trading personal insults on social media. And, Americans see the country as more divided than at any other time since the Civil War. What would it take to bring more dialogue, respect and effectiveness to politics? A first-of-its-kind program from the Citizen’s League is starting small and personal, with an “exchange” program for pairs of state Republican and DFL legislators. The goal is to build genuine relationships across the aisle and help legislators gain firsthand insight into a region of Minnesota different from their own. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert reported on one of the first legislator pairs to participate. On Tuesday, she sat down to talk more with them and with the program’s founder about what it takes to build bipartisan trust.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill ending a record 43-day shutdown. The legislation came after weeks of political gridlock that ended when a small group of Senate Democrats reached a compromise with Republicans.MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with two political scientists about what the deal to end the shutdown tells us about power, priorities and politics in Washington.Guests:Larry Jacobs is a political scientist and founder and director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota. He is also the author of “Democracy Under Fire: Donald Trump and the Breaking of American History.”Cindy Rugeley is an associate professor of political science and head of the Political Science Program at the University of Minnesota Duluth.Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

This Saturday marks ten years since the fatal shooting of Jamar Clark.  On Nov. 15, 2015, the unarmed 24-year-old was shot during a confrontation with two Minneapolis police officers. He died the next day. In the weeks that followed, hundreds of people protested outside the Minneapolis 4th Precinct in Minneapolis — demanding the names of the officers and the release of any video. Protesters marched to the government center and shut down Interstate 94.  It was a level of activism that Minnesota hadn’t seen before, building on the long despair and anger in Black communities following shootings of other unarmed Black men, here and elsewhere. And it set the stage for protests that followed the police killings of Philando Castile in 2016 and of George Floyd in 2020.  MPR News guest host Brandt Williams talks about how protests following Jamar Clark’s death took shape and how they changed the public response to police shootings and policing. Guests: Nekima Levy Armstrong is a civil rights lawyer and past president of the Minneapolis NAACP. She was among the leaders who helped organize protests following Jamar Clark’s fatal shooting and was an advisor to Black Lives Matter Minneapolis.  Raeisha Williams was an activist and communications director for the Minneapolis NAACP in the months following Jamar Clark’s death. She now runs a nonprofit organization called Guns Down Love Up.  Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

Cannabis is going mainstream in Minnesota in ways that would have been hard to imagine just a few years ago. THC drinks are on store shelves. People talk about edibles and dispensaries as casually as they talk about coffee or craft breweries. For many young adults, cannabis has become part of everyday life — a way to unwind, manage stress or hang out with friends. Using it carries far less stigma than it once did and many people see it as safer than alcohol or tobacco. But even with growing acceptance, questions remain about how cannabis affects young adults, including their mental health, motivation, sleep, and focus. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert explores what research shows — and what we still don’t know — about marijuana, health and young people. Guests:Heidi Glesmann is the substance use prevention, education, and recovery unit supervisor at the Minnesota Department of Health. She oversees the Be Cannabis Aware campaign, which is focused on educating youth under age 25, and the adults who support them, about cannabis use. Sylia Wilson is a researcher and associate professor at the Institute of Child Development in the College of Education and Development at the University of Minnesota. Her work looks at how substance use affects young people’s health, behavior and development. 

Layoffs are climbing across industries — from tech to retail to manufacturing. And Democrats won key races last week, campaigning on promises to make life more affordable.Are companies cutting costs because consumers are stretched thin? Or are different economic forces all hitting at the same time? MPR News guest host Catharine Richert takes a closer look at what’s happening in the economy. Richert and her guests will dig into what’s driving job cuts, why affordability continues to strike a chord with voters and what these trends could mean for the months ahead. Guests:Chris Farrell is the senior economics contributor for MPR News and Marketplace.Louis Johnston is a professor of economics at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University.

In a storm that blew hurricane force winds on Nov. 10, 1975, the Edmund Fitzgerald — a massive ore carrier longer than two football fields — disappeared into the dark, frigid waters of Lake Superior. All 29 crew members were lost. Fifty years later, the sinking of the Fitzgerald remains one of the most haunting and mysterious maritime disasters in American history. MPR News guest host Dan Kraker talks with a Great Lakes historian about the ship's final, fateful voyage and why the tragedy holds meaning for many Minnesotans.Guest:Frederick Stonehouse is a Great Lakes historian, lecturer and the author of more than 30 books on maritime history, including “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”

For nearly four decades, MPR News reporter Dan Gunderson told stories that remind us how much meaning can be found in everyday life. He’s covered floods and farming, faith and politics, the changing landscape of rural communities — and the people who live there.  But what’s made Dan’s work so memorable isn’t just what he’s covered. It’s how he’s covered it — with patience, curiosity, and a deep respect for the people he meets along the way. Now, after 38 years with MPR News, Dan is retiring. At an event in Moorhead in late October, MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talked with Gunderson about storytelling, some of the people he’s met over the years and what he’s discovered about Minnesota along the way. Guest:Dan Gunderson is a reporter based in Moorhead. He covers general news for a wide swath of western Minnesota and eastern North Dakota with a focus on the environment, agriculture and Indian Country. He has reported for MPR News since 1987. 2025 Dan Gunderson, longtime MPR journalist and master Minnesota storyteller, retires 2025 Minnesota minister rediscovers his faith among people in need 2025 In this west-central Minnesota town, fiddle jams draw players from ages 3 to 86 2025 Minnesota woman on a quest to preserve stories of disappearing towns 2025 ‘Loon lady’ turns passion into action to protect Minnesota’s iconic bird 2011 Researchers investigating movement of black bears into new habitats 2007 Moorhead orchestra students rock 2001 The land of the dancing tractors Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

When we think about what happens to our body after we die, some of us may picture a heavy, polished casket or an urn of ashes left after cremation.But a growing number of people are choosing to return to the earth in more environmentally friendly ways.Some are choosing water-based cremation, which doesn’t burn fossil fuels. Others are planning simpler death rituals that skip embalming, steel caskets and concrete burial vaults. Instead, the body is placed in the ground in a biodegradable basket or shroud and allowed to decompose as quickly and as naturally as possible. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with her guests about rising interest in these greener options and some of the questions and concerns that surround them. Guests: Angela Woosley has been a licensed mortician in Minnesota for 20 years. In 2020 she started her own funeral care business focused on natural death care, Inspired Journeys. She previously worked for a funeral home and taught in the Program of Mortuary Science at the University of Minnesota.   Taelor Johnson is the communications director for Interra Green Burial by Mueller Memorial in St. Paul and White Bear Lake. She’s the third generation working in the family-run funeral home.  MPR News correspondent Dan Kraker is based in Duluth and covered efforts to establish a green cemetery in Carlton County, Minn.

Health insurance is about to get more expensive for a lot of people — in Minnesota and across the country. Many older Minnesotans are scrambling to find new insurance plans after some insurers stopped offering or scaled back Medicare Advantage plans. People who buy their own insurance will see premiums jump next year as much as 26 percent on the individual market. Workers who get insurance through their employers are also looking at higher premiums. And the federal tax and spending bill signed by President Donald Trump this summer is expected to push as many as 140,000 low-income Minnesotans off Medicaid.  MPR News guest host Catharine Richert looks at how the rising costs of medical care along with changes in state and federal policies are reshaping health care in Minnesota. If you’re looking for more information, here are some resources that were mentioned during the showContact Medicare at 1-800-MEDICAREMinnesota Aging Pathways (formerly known as the Senior LinkAge line) at 800-333-2433Guests:Sayeh Nikpay is a health economist and an associate professor in the Division of Health Policy and Management at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health. Kelli Jo Greiner is a health care policy analyst for the Minnesota Board on Aging and the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.   Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

President Donald Trump’s mobilization of the National Guard in a few U.S. cities in recent months has reignited debate about when — and whether — federal troops should be used on U.S. soil. Does a president have the authority to deploy state National Guard units against a governor's objection? If so, what does that mean for the balance of power between civilian and military authority?MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with a political scientist who studies civil–military relations and a law professor who studies national security to help us understand what’s at stake — legally, politically, and for the U.S. tradition of keeping the military out of domestic affairs.   Guests:Laura Dickinson is a professor of national security law and constitutional law at the George Washington University Law School. She is also the author of “Outsourcing War and Peace.”Ron Krebs is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor and professor of political science at the University of Minnesota where he studies civil-military relations and security policy. He is also the author of “Narrative and the Making of US National Security” and “Fighting for Rights: Military Service and the Politics of Citizenship.” 

Traditionally, a college degree has been seen as a ticket to a secure future.But not today. Thanks to soaring tuition costs and weighty student loans, many people are questioning the value of college. A 2025 Pew Research poll found that only one in four U.S. adults says it’s “extremely or very important to have a four-year college degree” to get a well-paying job. And many young Americans — including Black, Latino and Indigenous students — contend they can build solid careers without seeking further education. In a 2025 survey by New America, a majority of young Americans agreed “there are lots of well-paying, stable jobs that people can find with only a high school diploma or GED.”So is college still worth it — especially when it comes to low-income or first-generation students? Is college still worth it? MPR News’ North Star Journey Live project teamed up with Sahan Journal Community Conversations in October to host a panel discussing the pros and cons of higher education. They also discussed other burgeoning post-secondary options, like trade schools, apprenticeships and becoming an entrepreneur. Guests: Frida Torres Macal is the founder of That Social Invite, an independent social media marketer focused on helping women-owned businesses and professionals grow.Marquan Harper is a sophomore at the University of St. Thomas, where he is double majoring in Digital Media Arts and Marketing Management. He’s also the founder of Ador Hospitality, a Midwest-based hospitality group dedicated to enhancing the nightlife experience for young adults aged 18-24. Jalayah Johnson is enrolled at the Finishing Trades Institute of the Upper Midwest as a second-year glazer apprentice for the Empire House.Ali Osman is a high school counselor at South High School in Minneapolis. Jessica Yang is the senior implementation manager at the Get Ready GEAR UP Minnesota program administered through the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. 

For centuries, witches have cast their spell on our imaginations and enchanted our stories. Throughout folklore and pop culture, some pointed-hat witches have established their unforgettable characters, both evil and good, from the Wicked Witch of the West, in the 1939 “Wizard of Oz” film, and Hermione Granger in the “Harry Potter” series. So, why are witches so popular? And why can’t pop culture seem to get enough? Coming up Friday at 9 a.m., MPR News host Jacob Aloi, reporter Alex V. Cipolle and editor Max Sparber spend an hour exploring witches across history and culture. With their guests, the MPR News arts team will talk about the witches in one of Shakespeare’s best-known plays, as well as witches in TV, film, music and books.

The fall harvest is wrapping up across Minnesota. But will farmers turn a profit? Following a meeting Thursday between President Trump and China’s president Xi Jinping, there is hope that China will resume buying at least some soybeans and other export crops from the U.S. But Minnesota farmers are still suffering from the fallout of the trade war. They’re also grappling with inflation, tighter credit and increasingly unpredictable weather. And, the federal government shutdown has slowed access to farm loans, crop insurance, disaster aid and other programs. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with a farmer and Minnesota’s agricultural commissioner about these challenges and what’s next.

Sex education in schools tends to focus on how to avoid unplanned pregnancy — but that means a lot of Americans don’t learn much about fertility. One of the most common misunderstandings relates to age. A woman’s fertility declines as she ages, but many people underestimate just how much harder it can be to get pregnant in their 30s and 40s. And, most people also think fertility treatments are more likely to be successful than they are.  MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with two doctors about what affects the likelihood of getting pregnant and the things people wished they’d known before trying to have a baby.Guests: Dr. Suzanne Darnell practices obstetrics and gynecology at M Health Fairview. She’s also an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School.   Dr. Tana Kim is a reproductive endocrinologist and the IVF director at Reproductive Medicine & Infertility Associates (RMIA) in the Twin Cities. She is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as reproductive endocrinology and infertility.  

In its fourth week, the federal government shutdown has become the second-longest government shutdown in American history, with no resolution in sight.The funding dispute has halted paychecks for hundreds of thousands of federal workers and disrupted key services — from food assistance and small business loans to national parks and research programs.MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with a political scientist about how we got here, how the budget impasse is affecting people and what it reveals about the balance of power in Washington.Guest:Kathryn Pearson is a professor of political science at the University of Minnesota. She is also an associate dean of undergraduate education and the director of the University Honors Program.

We’ve all been told that our credit scores matter — but what does that really mean?  A high credit score can open doors. It can help you get a lower interest rate on a car loan, qualify for a mortgage or even make it easier to rent an apartment. But a lower score? It can quietly cost you thousands of dollars in higher interest payments over time — money that could be going towards your savings, your home or your future. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with a financial coach about what determines your credit score, simple steps to improve it and the smart choices that can strengthen your financial health for years to come. Guest:Demitri McGee is a financial coach, certified housing counselor and youth director at Build Wealth Minnesota, a nonprofit opportunity center dedicated to helping families through financial education, personalized coaching and community-based programs.

The big picture on rural healthcare is grim. Doctors are retiring. Hospitals are closing. There’s a lack of mental health care providers across the board. Plus, rural health facilities rely disproportionately on Medicaid reimbursement to stay afloat — and that program is facing $1 trillion in cuts thanks to President Trump’s self-titled Big Beautiful Bill. But if you zoom in to individual communities, the picture is tinged with determination. While they admit to discouragement, leaders are trying to find new ways to pay for needed health care, and concerned citizens are stepping forward to help each other. Kerri Miller heard that and more in Owatonna, at the final Rural Voice town hall of the season. Rural Voice in Owatonna Southern Minnesotans gathered on Sept. 29 at Mineral Springs Brewery to share personal stories of long waits to see doctors, of their hometowns losing cherished hospitals, of children in crisis with no therapists available to help. But they also shared ideas about how to face the challenges ahead, like public health and the private sector forming new partnerships, and community groups innovating to make sure health care is accessible and affordable.  Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

The moment your last or only child leaves home can feel like both an ending and a beginning. Some parents celebrate the new freedom. Others struggle with the sudden quiet. Most experience a bit of both. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with a psychologist and a social worker about the emotional mix of pride, grief, and rediscovery that comes with an empty nest — and how to find balance and meaning in this new stage of life.Guests:Melissa Lundquist is an associate professor in the School of Social Work and director of the undergraduate social work program at the University of St. Thomas. David Nathan is a psychologist with Allina Health in St. Paul. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.