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Paul Tosto

@paultosto.bsky.social
2.1K followers 301 following 157 posts

Editor at Minnesota Public Radio News. Prior stops in Minnesota, South Carolina, D.C. and Connecticut. Decent work. MPRnews.org

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Reposted by Paul Tosto
Jon Collins @jcollins.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
It was an honor to revisit Philando's story & his people a decade after covering his death, & then co-hosting the 74 Seconds podcast on the officer's trial. Please like/share if you appreciate it because those numbers show our bosses that people want depth and nuance. www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
‘Nobody was supposed to know what his name was’: Philando Castile’s legacy grows a decade after his death
A decade after he was killed by a St. Anthony police officer, the legacy of Philando Castile looms large in how people view policing in the Twin Cities.
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
APM Reports @apmreports.org · 08/07/2026
Utah officials are shutting down Provo Canyon School’s girls program — one of the state’s most notorious teen treatment programs, which has been plagued by abuse allegations.
apmreports.org
Utah officials order Provo Canyon School's girls program to close by August
State regulators say the facility failed to protect clients from harm, allowed neglect and used unnecessary restraints. The program can appeal.
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
Elizabeth Shockman @eshockmanwrites.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
“The surge was so much worse than most people realize...Our town was just inundated...It was really just like night and day. One day things were normal, and the very next we were practically an underground militia.” www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
‘Still feeling it’: How the ICE surge took its toll on one Minnesota school district
The flood of federal immigration agents into the Twin Cities faded slowly over the spring. But in suburban Columbia Heights, educators, students and community members say the trauma lingers.
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Supreme Court decision today reminded me of this excellent @tony.xyz @mprnews.org story from 2019. www.mprnews.org/story/2019/0...
mprnews.org
How did the police know you were near a crime scene? Google told them
Police are increasingly using judge-approved "reverse location" search warrants to find cellphones near crime scenes. Civil liberties experts worry it's a digital dragnet ripe for abuse. Authorities s...
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
MPR News @mprnews.org · 22/06/2026
Residents organized to keep their neighbors housed during Operation Metro Surge, and convinced state legislators to pass a rent relief bill in May. Some fear it won’t be enough. This story is published in partnership with The New York Times (@nytimes.com).
mprnews.org
Minneapolis donors gave as ICE surged, but eviction filings are rising
Residents organized to keep their neighbors housed during Operation Metro Surge, and convinced state legislators to pass a rent relief bill in May. Some fear it won’t be enough.
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
MPR News @mprnews.org · 22/06/2026
A judge has short-circuited an investigation into Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison and other Minnesota leaders targeted for scrutiny by the Department of Justice. A set of subpoenas was thrown out with the judge declaring them to be baseless.
mprnews.org
Federal judge invalidates DOJ records probe of Walz, other Minnesota leaders
A judge has short-circuited an investigation into Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison and other Minnesota leaders targeted for scrutiny by the Department of Justice. A set of subpoenas was t...
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MPR News @mprnews.org · 11/06/2026
Several months after the declared end of Operation Metro Surge, the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts are still moving forward in Fort Snelling Immigration Court.
mprnews.org
'Surge' may be over, but administration's deportation push continues in immigration court
Several months after the declared end of Operation Metro Surge, the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts are still moving forward in Fort Snelling Immigration Court.
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
Jon Collins @jcollins.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Appleton City Manager John Olinger said the city wasn’t aware of imminent plans for the facility. Its use is allowed in zoning. The former prison had been mentioned on a leaked doc about ICE plans last summer. (5) www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
Feds propose housing ICE detainees in western Minnesota private prison
The Department of Homeland Security has posted a proposed contract for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to use a private prison facility in western Minnesota to hold up to 1,600 immigrant detainees...
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
MPR News @mprnews.org · 05/06/2026
The Department of Homeland Security has posted a proposed contract for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to use a private prison facility in western Minnesota to hold up to 1,600 immigrant detainees.
mprnews.org
Feds propose housing ICE detainees in western Minnesota private prison
The Department of Homeland Security has posted a proposed contract for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to use a private prison facility in western Minnesota to hold up to 1,600 immigrant detainees...
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
Aleesa @akuzee.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
New from us at MPR:
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
Kerem Yücel @keremyucel.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
More than 3,700 immigrants were detained during “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota this winter. In St. Paul, passport applications and children’s sandals sit beside families preparing for possible separation. 📸 Kerem Yücel ✍️Jon Collins www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
MPR News @mprnews.org · 07/05/2026
The Trump administration blitz that flooded Minnesota with immigration agents also dramatically slowed other federal investigations and prosecutions into an array of serious crimes, a Reuters review of federal court records found.
mprnews.org
Trump vowed to fight crime in Minneapolis. Prosecutions plunged
The Trump administration blitz that flooded Minnesota with immigration agents also dramatically slowed other federal investigations and prosecutions into an array of serious crimes, a Reuters review o...
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
After highly-publicized arrests, feds dismiss a third of ICE protester charges
Of the 36 people charged with assaulting immigration agents during the winter enforcement operation, prosecutors have dismissed cases against 14. But prosecutors are pressing forward with others, incl...
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
MPR News @mprnews.org · 29/04/2026
The Trump Administration seeks to deport At “Ricky” Chandee to Laos over a conviction from the early 1990s. He’s one of many Hmong and Lao refugees facing deportation due to previous criminal convictions and policy shifts in the U.S. and Lao governments.
mprnews.org
A Minnesota man has spent 90 days in ICE detention, uncertain if or when he'll be deported
The Trump Administration seeks to deport At “Ricky” Chandee to Laos over a conviction from the early 1990s. His family is continuing to work to keep him in the U.S.
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
Matt Mikus @mikusmatt.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
Taxpayer-funded group homes help thousands of Minnesotans with physical or mental disabilities live as independently as possible. But the industry’s rapid growth in the Twin Cities northwest suburbs has led to problems that leave vulnerable people in danger. More from @elliemroth.bsky.social ⬇️
mprnews.org
Fifty deaths, few consequences: Inside Minnesota’s group home industry
At least 50 Minnesota group home clients have died since late 2022 under circumstances serious enough to trigger state maltreatment investigations. But many penalties amounted to fines of $5,000 or le...
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
MPR News @mprnews.org · 27/04/2026
MPR News and its investigative unit, APM Reports, found that at least 50 Minnesota group home clients have died since late 2022 under circumstances serious enough to trigger a state maltreatment investigation.
mprnews.org
Fifty deaths, few consequences: Inside Minnesota’s group home industry
At least 50 Minnesota group home clients have died since late 2022 under circumstances serious enough to trigger state maltreatment investigations. But many penalties amounted to fines of $5,000 or le...
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
MPR News @mprnews.org · 13/04/2026
Ramsey County Attorney John Choi and Sheriff Bob Fletcher said Monday they will pursue information from the Department of Homeland Security that they need for their investigation into the arrest of ChongLy “Scott” Thao, an American citizen.
mprnews.org
Minnesota investigates the arrest by ICE of a Hmong American man as a possible kidnapping
Ramsey County Attorney John Choi and Sheriff Bob Fletcher said Monday they will pursue information from the Department of Homeland Security that they need for their investigation into the arrest of Ch...
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
Jon Collins @jcollins.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
The @sahanjournal.bsky.social wrote about the existence of this video last month. The NYTimes published/analyzed it today. It's yet more evidence undermining the feds' narrative about what happened when Julio Sosa-Celis was shot and wounded by an ICE agent Jan. 14 (1) www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
Minneapolis releases video that undermines ICE claims about non-fatal shooting
Video released Monday by the city of Minneapolis appears to further undermine the federal government’s initial claims that on the night of Jan. 14, an agent was attacked by three men and beaten with a...
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
Jon Collins @jcollins.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
"The video contradicts the agent’s claim that three assailants had beaten him with a shovel and broom for roughly three minutes before he opened fire. Instead, the confrontation depicted in the video lasts about 12 seconds and shows two men struggling with the agent." www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/u...
nytimes.com
Newly Obtained Video of Minneapolis Shooting Undermines ICE Account
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
Judge set to rule on DOJ's use of military lawyers to prosecute civilians
A federal judge in Minneapolis is set to decide whether military attorneys can prosecute civilians in Minnesota, as a protester challenges the practice under a longstanding law limiting military invol...
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
Jon Collins @jcollins.bsky.social · 03/04/2026
Almost half of the people arrested by federal agents this winter in Minnesota have already been deported, according to new data released to the @deportationdata.org through a FOIA lawsuit. It's the clearest picture yet of federal activities in the state. (1) www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
Half of those arrested by federal agents in Minnesota this winter have already been deported
The federal government moved at a rapid pace to deport nearly 1,700 people picked up during a surge of immigration enforcement in Minnesota this winter, according to data analyzed by APM Reports and M...
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
MPR News @mprnews.org · 02/04/2026
Investigators didn’t find video evidence that backed up the bounty hunters’ claims that observers at the scenes threatened to “scalp” them or shoot them in the head. Both men are scheduled to make their first appearances in court on April 21.
mprnews.org
Charges filed against bounty hunters who drew ‘replica firearms’ at anti-ICE protesters
The men, who are based in Oklahoma are each charged with making threats of violence with reckless disregard and brandishing replica firearms, both of which are felonies.
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
Lawyer says government trying to detain Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, again
A Department of Justice attorney filed a notice of appeal Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas San Antonio Division. An attorney for the family suspects the governmen...
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
Jon Collins @jcollins.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
Thanks to a FOIA lawsuit from @deportationdata.org, Minnesota is getting its first credible numbers on arrests during the federal government's surge here this winter. About 3,800 Minnesota residents were arrested. Most from Latin America (only 106 from Somalia). (1)
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MPR News @mprnews.org · 31/03/2026
Federal agents arrested more than 3,700 Minnesota residents during the federal government’s surge into the state this winter, according to new data. It shows fewer than one-quarter of those arrested had a criminal conviction on their record.
mprnews.org
Data shows three-quarters of ICE arrestees in Minnesota had no criminal record
The new data shows fewer than one-quarter of those arrested by immigration agents in Minnesota during Operation Metro Surge had a criminal conviction on their record. A little more than 13 percent of ...
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
MPR News @mprnews.org · 25/03/2026
Liam Conejo Ramos’ father Adrian Conejo Arias told MPR News that violent crime in his home country of Ecuador is why they left and applied for asylum in the United States.
mprnews.org
‘It would be a struggle’: Liam Conejo Ramos’ family fights possible deportation to Ecuador
The family of detained 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos shares the reasons they left Ecuador to seek asylum in the United States.
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
MPR News @mprnews.org · 25/03/2026
Some 300 group homes are licensed to operate in Brooklyn Park, more than any other city in the state. But the industry’s rapid growth in recent years has led to problems that are leaving vulnerable people in danger and local governments struggling with the consequences.
mprnews.org
Deaths, neglect, calls for help: Group home boom overwhelms Brooklyn Park
Taxpayer-funded group homes help thousands of Minnesotans with physical or mental disabilities live as independently as possible. But the industry’s rapid growth in the Twin Cities northwest suburbs h...
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
Defendants in church protest suspect others may also be wrongfully charged
After a case of mistaken identity led prosecutors to drop charges against one woman, defense attorneys are demanding the government immediately turn over evidence they suspect could clear others.
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
Judge ends asylum claims for Liam Conejo Ramos and his family, orders family's removal
The family’s lawyers plan to appeal the judge’s decision to deport the family to Ecuador.
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
MPR News @mprnews.org · 06/03/2026
Another federal judge is threatening to hold government officials in contempt of court for failing to return critical items including work permits and driver's licenses to former immigration detainees.
mprnews.org
Second judge threatens feds with contempt over ICE detainees' missing property
A federal judge warns of possible contempt after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement failed to return work permits, IDs and other property to former detainees.
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
U.S. Sen. Klobuchar: Federal agents in Minnesota near 'original footprint,' contradicting Noem's claim
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar spoke with MPR News host Clay Masters about her reaction to Noem leaving the post.
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
Greater Minnesota schools felt the fear as ICE presence surged
While the surge of federal agents in the Twin Cities grabbed much of the attention the past few months, stories of children hiding at home, crying in class and being detained have quietly gripped some...
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
‘Winning hearts and minds’: How protest signs shaped the anti-ICE movement in Minnesota
Minnesota has seen an explosion of art made in response to ICE’s presence. Perhaps more than any other art form, artists and designers have made protest posters and signs en masse. “There’s never been...
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
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mprnews.org
Judge summons Minnesota U.S. Attorney to court, threatens DHS with contempt for 'unlawful conduct'
U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey Bryan says government officials have not complied with multiple court orders requiring them to return valuable property to people freed from immigration detention.
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
How Native communities pushed back as ICE operations escalated
Community patrollers, legal advocates, artists and local leaders activated amid immigration enforcement operations to document federal agent encounters, provide resources and assert legal rights.
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
MPR News @mprnews.org · 23/02/2026
ICE activity continues to interrupt daily life for students, staff and families, despite the announced end of the two-month surge of federal immigration agents. Students attend school remotely, staff monitor arrival and dismissal, and leaders wonder when they can resume normal school operations.
mprnews.org
Minnesota school districts say federal agents still causing daily disruptions
School leaders say that ICE activity is continuing to interrupt daily life for students, staff and families despite the announced end of the two-month surge of federal immigration agents.
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
Twin Cities mobile home parks feel the pain of immigration enforcement, often in isolation
Residents and activists say there are special challenges at mobile home parks — they’re usually secluded, they don’t receive a lot of attention and they often have few roadways leading into the park.
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
MPR News @mprnews.org · 21/02/2026
The bill seeks to expand upon current Minnesota law that makes it a crime to not assess the victim and provide aid after shooting someone or witnessing a shooting, as long as it is safe to do so.
mprnews.org
DFL lawmakers seek to make ICE agents liable for not providing aid after shootings
The proposal would expose people who don’t render aid after a shooting to civil liability. It’s part of a series of bills introduced in the Legislature after the immigration agent surge.
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Aleesa @akuzee.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
New filing from Henn. County in DOJ sanctuary city lawsuit. "The federal government’s position is akin to storming out of a café because the owner refused to share the wifi password, punching a bystander on the sidewalk, and blaming the café owner for the consequences. It is beyond the pale."
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
Friday liveblog from @mprnews.org on the ICE surge www.mprnews.org/live-updates
mprnews.org
The latest on ICE in Minnesota
Live updates on ICE enforcement in Minnesota, with the latest developments and links to deeper reporting as events unfold.
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Reposted by Paul Tosto
MPR News @mprnews.org · 20/02/2026
After Javier Abreu-Vasquez was released from the ICE detention center in El Paso Wednesday, two Minnesota nonprofits worked to coordinate Abreu-Vasquez’s stay at Annunciation House, a local El Paso nonprofit.
mprnews.org
Kidney transplant recipient is back home in Minnesota after two weeks in ICE custody
A kidney transplant recipient who had been in ICE custody in Texas for two weeks without access to many of his life-saving medications finally returned home in Minnesota Thursday night.
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
Check out the story from late January written by @mprnews.org reporter @jcollins.bsky.social www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
Petition: Agents say man injured in ICE custody ‘purposely ran headfirst into a brick wall’
ICE officials haven’t commented on the man’s injuries, but DHS attorneys say agents noticed the man had a head injury while he was being processed at Whipple Federal Building near Fort Snelling. The m...
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
FBI, St. Paul police probing ICE arrest that resulted in skull fractures
Alberto Castañeda Mondragón says agents yanked him from a vehicle, slammed him down and beat him with a baton. ICE has said the man caused his own injuries when he tried to run while handcuffed and fe...
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Angela Davis MPR @angeladavismpr.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
Listen to Minnesotans describe how their mental health and daily activities are being affected by ICE operations across the state. I took phone calls during my live talk show on @MPRNews. Guests: therapist Dr. Corey Yeager & senior economics contributor Chris Farrell. www.mprnews.org/episode/2026...
mprnews.org
How to cope with stress, fear and anger during uncertain times
MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about how to manage fear, anxiety and emotional overload during stressful times.
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
Kidney transplant recipient in ICE custody may be released soon
A kidney transplant recipient from Minnesota now in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in Texas may finally be released on bond Tuesday. Javier Abreu-Vasquez has been held by ICE for nea...
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Jessica Bari @jessicabari.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Nearly 1/3 of us say we sleep poorly or not enough 😴. And our 24/7 culture makes it tough to GET a good night’s sleep. My public radio series Call to Mind is working on a show about sleep! Do you have problems sleeping? How does it affect your mental health? 📩: calltomind@americanpublicmedia.org
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
I love the Thunder Bay package because it captures what @mprnews.org delivers daily: deep, fact-based reporting, sharp analysis and thoughtful conversation focused on understanding. www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0...
mprnews.org
Reporter’s notebook: Hey Canada, we know relations are strained. Can we talk?
Political threats, taunts and tariffs are changing how Canadians think about Americans. Relations are strained but not broken, yet. MPR News host Angela Davis led a road trip to Thunder Bay, Ontario, ...
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Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
In April, my @mprnews.org colleagues Chris Farrell and @angeladavismpr.bsky.social saw this coming. They roadtripped to Thunder Bay to talk with Canadians as well as the North Shore Minnesotans who rely on Canadian business. www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0... www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0...
mprnews.org
In Thunder Bay, Canadians shift from economic anger to action over U.S. tariffs
After months of tariff threats and taunting from President Donald Trump, Canadians have had it. Canadian consumers and businesses are showing their displeasure with their wallets as they deal with new...
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Andrew Krueger @akpix.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
Officials at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in northern Wisconsin say they’re planning to open foot access to the famed ice caves near Meyers Beach starting Monday — if ice conditions on the lake remain stable www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
mprnews.org
For first time in more than a decade, foot access to Apostle Islands ice caves may open
Officials at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in northern Wisconsin say they’re planning to open foot access to the famed ice caves near Cornucopia starting Monday if ice conditions on the lake rema...
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Elizabeth Shockman @eshockmanwrites.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
"Federal authorities have opened a criminal probe into whether two immigration officers lied under oath about a shooting in Minneapolis last month, as all charges were dropped against two Venezuelan men." apnews.com/article/immi...
apnews.com
Feds open a perjury probe into ICE officers' testimony about the shooting of a Venezuelan man
Federal authorities have opened a criminal probe into whether two immigration officers lied under oath about a shooting in Minneapolis last month, as all charges were dropped against two Venezuelan me...
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