Stories from February 6, 2025

Politics Friday: Blur of action in Washington, back to action in St. Paul
MPR News host Brian Bakst talks about the blistering change in Washington with U.S. Sen. Tina Smith. And the scuffle in the Minnesota House is over. We discuss how lawmakers struck a deal to gavel in the session.
The Minnesota House has relaunched with a power-sharing deal. At the same time as Minnesota House leaders were unveiling that deal to get the chamber running again, Minnesota Supreme Court justices were hearing arguments in a lawsuit over problems that arose during the three-plus week standoff.
Minnesota’s warming climate is making winter fun more dangerous
Warmer winters mean Midwesterners are losing weeks of lake ice cover over the season. MPR meteorologist Paul Huttner talks with Kristoffer Tigue, from Inside Climate News, about what that means for recreation.
‘No-shenanigans handshake’ helps usher in Minnesota House return after prolonged power standoff
The legislative session was resuscitated after weeks of a Minnesota House deadlock. Party leaders agreed to pact where they will share power on committees if a tie returns and clear away other areas of dispute.
Not 1. Not 2. But 3 women’s hoop leagues? Athletes Unlimited, Unrivaled are WNBA offseason options
Alysha Clark wants to end the narrative that Athletes Unlimited and Unrivaled pits women’s basketball players against each other or forces them to make an either or decision. She believes the two leagues simply give players more options during the WNBA offseason to play basketball closer to home in order to supplement their WNBA salaries. 
Van Gogh or no? Painting found at Minnesota garage sale stirs controversy about authenticity
A New York-based art research firm believes a painting purchased from a garage sale in Minnetonka for $50 is by the famous Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh. But the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has twice denied its authenticity.
Winter storm watch for much of Minnesota Friday night and Saturday
Thursday’s forecast model trends suggest a faster-moving storm that may drop a little less snow on much of Minnesota. But it still looks quite plowable for the Twin Cities and much of central Minnesota.
Girlhood Social Club creating belonging among women in the Twin Cities
Kacie Riddle noticed a desire for young people, especially young women, to foster connection and new friendships. She started Girlhood Social Club last year, a Twin Cities-based social club for young people to meet new friends through monthly events and social gatherings. The club has since exploded in popularity.
Help me date IRL (in real life)
With dating apps and the pandemic, a lot of people seem to have forgotten or never really learned how to flirt and date. An expert shares tips on how to date IRL (in real life).
Partnership with Hamline University and Hawaiian school is preserving a rare native dialect
Hamline University is helping preserve the Ni’ihau dialect by publishing over 400 books written in the language by students and staff at a local immersional school on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
Minnesota Representatives strike chamber control deal, end three-week stalemate
A deal struck Wednesday night and outlined Thursday will put Republican Representative Lisa Demuth in the speaker’s chair but give Democrats some of what they wanted.
Let it blow, then let it snow! Breezy Thursday, snowstorm Saturday
Very breezy westerly winds will continue to howl across the state on Thursday, with wind advisories still in effect until Thursday evening. After a quiet Friday, our focus shifts to the weekend as a winter storm watch takes effect Friday night.
Austrian skier Stephanie Venier wins the women's super-G at the worlds. Vonn hooks gate and DNFs
Austrian skier Stephanie Venier has won the women’s super-G at the Alpine skiing world championships in Austria. Federica Brignone of Italy finished 0.10 seconds behind to take silver. Lindsey Vonn hooked a gate with her right arm early in her run and did not finish in her first appearance at the worlds in six years.
Honeywell, one of the few remaining U.S. industrial conglomerates, will split into three companies
Honeywell plans to separate its automation and aerospace technologies businesses following similar actions by companies such as General Electric and Alcoa. The company was headquartered in Minneapolis for decades until a 1999 merger.
Leaders in the Minnesota House are holding separate news conferences Thursday to announce a joint deal to reboot a chamber stalled since mid-January. And Gov. Tim Walz has scheduled a special election for a Minnesota House seat for March 11.
Why CBS stands at the epicenter of Trump's assault on the media
CBS News appears likely to settle a lawsuit brought by President Trump in a case that legal observers say it should win. The network is caught up in Trump's broader assault on the media and an owner intent on finalizing a sale.
FBI agents, prosecutors fear retribution from Jan. 6 rioters pardoned by Trump
Officials involved in Jan. 6 prosecutions say the Trump administration isn't protecting them from threats. "We don't think they'll care — unless and until one of us gets killed," an official told NPR.
Minnesota distillery alarmed by now-delayed Canadian tariffs, retaliatory measures
The Princeton-based company exports about 5 percent of its products, including vodkas, brandies and liqueurs, to Canada. There, the company’s Butter Ripple Schnapps is used in a drink named after American actor Burt Reynolds. 
Rattled by politics? Try some sweet potato pie
Rose McGee, the founder of the Twin Cities nonprofit Sweet Potato Comfort Pie, hopes her comfort food will help people connect and have meaningful conversations around hard topics like race.
Minnesota Supreme Court hears arguments on House conflict despite GOP, DFL agreement
The Minnesota Supreme Court heard oral arguments Thursday morning in a case involving a standoff in the Minnesota House that has dragged on for more than three weeks, though GOP and DFL leaders had reached an agreement Wednesday night to resolve the conflict.
Croissants and roses: The May Day Cafe reopens as a worker cooperative
The May Day Cafe in Minneapolis, a longtime community hub, reopened on Friday as the worker-owned May Day Cafe Workers Cooperative, after raising over $100,000 in small donations and securing city funding, ensuring the beloved cafe remains in the hands of its workers and the community.
As 'Fork' resignation deadline arrives, a federal judge will consider a stay
The Trump administration has given more than 2 million federal employees until Thursday to decide whether to stay or go. A last-minute court hearing may throw a wrench into the administration's plans.
Trump unleashes a supercharged MAGA agenda and Republicans come aboard
President Donald Trump is testing how far Republicans are willing to go in supporting his supercharged “Make America Great Again” agenda, tearing down government agencies and taking actions fundamentally at odds with once-traditional party principles.
Lino Lakes Correctional Facility gives inmates bottled water after tap water turned brown
The facility gave inmates bottled water to drink while it waited to test the water, but friends and family members of incarcerated people are concerned they didn’t have enough water to stay properly hydrated.