Episodes

  • How the ban on mining in the BWCAW was reversed

    How the ban on mining in the BWCAW was reversed
    May 8 2026
    A vote in late April opened the Boundary Waters watershed to copper nickel mining – again. Two reporters describe the family behind the mining proposal, how they worked with lawmakers to reverse a federal ban on mining in the “crown jewel” of Minnesota and what will happen next.
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    35 mins
  • Why did Bushel Boy tomatoes mysteriously disappear?

    Why did Bushel Boy tomatoes mysteriously disappear?
    May 1 2026
    For decades, Bushel Boy tomatoes were everywhere. A homegrown success story delivering fresh, greenhouse-grown beefsteaks across Minnesota. Then, overnight, they vanished. Our reporters dig into what happened and uncover a threat that’s shaping the future of local produce farming. Editor, Brooks Johnson Reporter, Victor Ștefănescu
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    25 mins
  • The Threats Against Minnesotans in Public Office

    The Threats Against Minnesotans in Public Office
    Apr 24 2026
    Threats against elected officials are on the rise but the full number and nature of those threats has been difficult to know. Three reporters spent six months tracking down the real threats Minnesota lawmakers are facing and what it says about the safety net surrounding those who pursue public office. Guests: Jana Hollingsworth MaryJo Webster Nathaniel Minor
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    26 mins
  • Stories from the critic who knew the Purple One best

    Stories from the critic who knew the Purple One best
    Apr 17 2026
    Minnesota Star Tribune music critic Jon Bream knew Prince before the world did -- before the first record, before he became an icon. Their decades-long relationship had its share of highs and lows (including a ban from Prince's club after a bad review). Jon reflects on the artist he knew and what’s become of Prince's unreleased work 10 years after his death.
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    39 mins
  • The Minnesota Legislature’s plan to tackle fraud this session - part 3

    The Minnesota Legislature’s plan to tackle fraud this session - part 3
    Apr 3 2026
    Rage bait videos and stories online catch a lot of attention. But the real solutions to dealing with fraud in Minnesota are less sensational and more practical. Our reporters run down the real problems that open the door to Medicaid fraud and the solutions state lawmakers are proposing that will close it. Guests: Jessie Van Berkel, reporter Ryan Faircloth, reporter
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    23 mins
  • Did Operation Metro Surge root out Medicaid fraud in Minn? part 2

    Did Operation Metro Surge root out Medicaid fraud in Minn? part 2
    Mar 27 2026
    We ended 2025 with a set of very serious fraud charges involving millions of dollars that were supposed to go to services that are a lifeline for some Minnesotans. And then Operation Metro surge happened. The deployment was supposed to root out this fraud, but our reporters describe what really happened. This is part 2 of a 3 part series where our reporters separate reality from rage bait about fraud in Minnesota. Guests: Jessie Van Berkel, reporter Deena Winter, reporter
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    29 mins
  • Fact v. Fiction: What’s the real story with fraud in Minn. part 1

    Fact v. Fiction: What’s the real story with fraud in Minn. part 1
    Mar 20 2026
    Real fraud, allegations of fraud and political rage bait are creating tons of headlines and lots of chaos but not much sense. To parse it out and get to what’s really going on – we go back to 2018 when the first big fraud scandals in the state set the playbook for what we are seeing today. Guest: Reporter, Deena Winter
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    25 mins
  • We’re cooking up something big - back next week

    We’re cooking up something big - back next week
    Mar 13 2026
    We don’t have a new episode for you this week because we are working on a deep dive mini-series unraveling the fraud scandals in Minnesota. We’ll tell the full story going back a decade and parse out what’s real, what’s rage bait and what people are doing to get us out of this mess. Come on back next week for that!
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    1 min