Minnesota Now with Cathy Wurzer

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MPR News

Minnesota Now with Cathy Wurzer is journalism that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s reporting that puts people first with live, down-to-earth, unscripted interviews that aim to inform and entertain. Tune in to Minnesota Now weekdays at noon on the radio or the live audio stream at mprnews.org.

Listen: Missed the show? Want to hear a specific conversation? Check out past episodes and segments on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Minnesota music: One of the pillars of Minnesota Now is featuring great Minnesota-based music. Here’s this year’s playlist of songs heard on the show.

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January 26, 2022 4:08 PM

State program supports firefighters facing cancer, cardiac issues, emotional trauma

Thanks to the new $4 million Hometown Heroes Assistance Program, firefighters now have a safety net for mental and physical health issues. The executive director of the Minnesota Firefighter Initiative joined host Cathy Wurzer with more.

by Cathy Wurzer and Lindsay Guentzel

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January 26, 2022 3:40 PM

A doctor answers questions on omicron plateauing, breakthroughs, N95s, kids at school

As omicron continues to race through greater Minnesota, we’re collecting your questions about the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Melanie Swift of Mayo Clinic returned to answer more listener questions with host Cathy Wurzer.

by Cathy Wurzer and Melissa Townsend

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January 26, 2022 11:51 AM

Women are underrepresented in music industry. This MN DJ is putting more women on air.

Only 20 percent of artists on the 2020 Billboard Hot 100 Year-End Charts were women. Kari Hedlund, music director at KAXE/KBXE community radio, told host Cathy Wurzer about her mission to put more music by women on the air.

by Cathy Wurzer and Melissa Townsend

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January 26, 2022 10:00 AM

Soon to retire, Kris Ehresmann looks back on 30 years in public health

As the state Health Department’s director of infectious disease, Kris Ehresmann has become a familiar face to Minnesotans during the COVID-19 pandemic. She gave an exit interview to MPR News ahead of her February retirement.

by Cathy Wurzer, Kyle Shiely and Melissa Townsend

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January 25, 2022 12:43 PM

On this day in MN history: Landmark decision protects Ojibwe hunting, fishing treaty rights

On Jan. 25, 1983, the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals confirmed the treaty rights of Lake Superior Ojibwe to hunt, fish and gather on off-reservation lands. Professor Anton Treuer looked back at the historic ruling — and the turmoil and violence surrounding it — with host Cathy Wurzer.

by Cathy Wurzer, Melissa Townsend and Alex Cheng

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January 25, 2022 12:32 PM

Food cupboards at MN community colleges address hunger and declining enrollment

Every public two-year college in Minnesota now has a food pantry where students can get free groceries. Sahan Journal reporter Becky Dernbach told host Cathy Wurzer it’s part of an effort to combat student hunger and declining enrollment.

by Cathy Wurzer, Melissa Townsend and Lindsay Guentzel

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January 25, 2022 12:25 PM

From hip-hop to post-punk, Rochester's music scene is thriving

Trombone player and music writer John Sievers tells us what’s driving the music boom in Rochester.

by Lindsay Guentzel and Cathy Wurzer

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January 25, 2022 8:49 AM

Osterholm: Twin Cities emerging from 'viral blizzard'

University of Minnesota infectious disease specialist Michael Osterholm predicted a “viral blizzard” due to the omicron variant of COVID-19 a few weeks ago. He says the Twin Cities is beginning to emerge from that, with case counts dropping daily.

by Cathy Wurzer and Ariana Rosas

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January 24, 2022 5:08 PM

'Fro-gahhh' — It's frozen yoga, and it's happening on Lake Harriet

Winter in Minnesota means cross-country skiing, ice skating and … yoga on the surface of a frozen lake. We sent producer Lindsay Guentzel to the Art Shanty Projects on Lake Harriet to learn more about “fro-gahhh” firsthand, and then host Cathy Wurzer spoke to one of the instructors (from the relative warmth of a studio).

by Cathy Wurzer and Lindsay Guentzel

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January 24, 2022 4:41 PM

Native communities say MN's foster care system as harmful as boarding schools of the past

The modern-day foster care system in Minnesota may be as harmful to Native American communities as the boarding schools Native children were forced to attend into the 1970s. The journalist behind an investigation from The Fuller Project and Mother Jones told host Cathy Wurzer more.

by Cathy Wurzer and Lindsay Guentzel

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