The Ryan Ferguson story might already be fading from view if not for this brouhaha: A reporter covering the case hugged him when he was released. Read more →
MPR News Reflections and observations on the news
Vanishing icons, Dinkytown, and the low percentage of African Americans on campuses (5×8 – 11/15/13)

Return of the weatherball, who owns Dinkytown, some people start life on thirdbase, birth of the bull run, and your moment of Minnesota zen. Read more →
A big Obama concession on health care doesn’t sway his opponents, no charges or discipline in the crash involving a Minneapolis police officer, can economists ever predict accurately, and baseball is expanding its replay system. Read more →
Stand up for your dumpster!
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The NBA’s Christmas magic? Read more →
The latest in draconian flying rules. Dogs must be stowed under the seat in front of you. Read more →

It can be tough to be a fan of live, professional theater in rural Minnesota. In Plainview, the Jon Hassler Theater is closing for good after 14 years. Read more →

From Brainerd to Bataan, the people with untold stories, how others see us, how not to use Twitter, and squat for a ride. Read more →
What is Minnesota going to do with the sex offenders who’ve already served time for their crimes, and now are being incarcerated for ‘treatment,’ which isn’t really treatment as much as it is ‘keeping them off the streets for what they might do?’ Read more →
Last month’s sudden — and somewhat mysterious — closing of Jerabek’s Bakery in Saint Paul apparently will be followed by a sudden — and equally mysterious — reopening. Read more →

Stocks and high value housing have led wealth recovery, which is why many Americans don’t feel recovered. Read more →

Why on earth would people pick on the woman who once graced the front page of HealthCare.gov? Read more →

Professor to give $4,000 to prove a theory, the power of saying ‘I’m sorry,’ Concordia students battle the ‘bottoms up’ brigade at the Capitol, whatever happened to that promise to lower property taxes in Minnesota, and our quest to mean something to somebody. Read more →

Relief is just now starting to reach the hardest hit areas of the Philippines, a do-over for Target Center, the latest wolf tally from the Minnesota hunt, legalizing peddle pubs in Wisconsin, the death-row inmate who’s not allowed to donate his organs to his family, and a new study says depression makes us physically older. Read more →
Ever since the city of Saint Paul started wooing a grocery store for downtown that would scream ‘upscale,’ plenty of people have wondered what would happen to the grocery that doesn’t. Read more →