Chaplains often show up on the worst days of people’s lives. They arrive in a hospital room after a distressing diagnosis. They accompany police to help inform someone of a loved one’s death. One in four Americans have been visited by a chaplain, usually at a hospital or hospice, though chaplains also work in prisons, on college campuses and with the military and police and fire departments. But the role of spiritual caregiver is evolving as society becomes both less religious and more...

Karen and Hmong parents in Minnesota say they are increasingly alarmed by the substance abuse they see in their communities’ youth. Opioids are the largest problem, specifically the the deadly drug fentanyl. MPR News partnered with Sahan Journal to talk about this painful topic, at a special North Star Journey Live event in mid-November, hosted at the Washington Technology Magnet School in St. Paul. There, health leaders, community members and youth advocates explored the complex interplay...

Maybe this sounds familiar to you: You’re sitting at home after a particularly bad day, trying to watch an episode of True Detective. You open up the Amazon app on your phone. Before you know it, you’ve racked up over $100. And you’re not really sure on what. Many of us do some form of this — whether it’s going out with our friends or spending that money at Target. It’s called emotional spending. Retail therapy. And it often makes us feel good, until it doesn’t. Two financial experts...

James Walsh has been a reporter in the Twin Cities for decades. A trip to city hall isn’t out of the ordinary. But Walsh recently started using a wheelchair. And that’s changed his experience of getting where he needs to go. On a recent January day, Walsh found himself trapped inside St. Paul City Hall for over an hour — even though City Hall is technically considered “accessible” under the Americans with Disabilities Act. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Walsh about his experience....

Most of us don’t think about our nose until it’s stuffed up, dripping and making our lives miserable.   But maybe we should give our nose more thought, or at least some appreciation. Our nose warms the air we pull into our lungs, filters out irritants and helps us smell our morning coffee. And it’s full of surprises. Did you know our two separate nostrils and nasal passages take turns being congested and decongested in an alternating rhythm called the nasal cycle? MPR News host Angela...

It’s been a tough time for public transportation. Passengers are slowly coming back to Metro Transit buses and light rail trains after a steep drop during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the average number of riders is still just over half of what it was in 2019, according to Metro Transit.  Safety remains a top concern. Passengers in the Twin Cities say it’s not unusual to see people openly using drugs or smoking on the trains. Riders and transit staff have been harassed and even...

We all start somewhere. And our first jobs — no matter if you’re an ice cream scooper or an investment intern — leave lasting marks on us. First jobs teach us about ourselves and the world around us. Sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. MPR News host Angela Davis talked with two experts about how our first jobs shape our minds, habits and futures.

Have you had this experience? You scroll through your social media feed and see something a bit outrageous. Maybe it’s a news headline that confirms your worst suspicions. You know your like-minded friends would agree with it. So, you share it.    But ... was it true? People who study misinformation say it’s easy to fall for misinformation and spread false facts. And once we share them, they have a way of multiplying online and becoming accepted through repetition.      MPR News Host...

Cancer is sometimes thought of as an older person’s disease. But colorectal cancer — also known as colon cancer — is becoming more common in people under 50. Most physicians now recommend screening as early as 45, down from 50 a few years ago. That’s because early detection can save lives. MPR News Host Angela Davis talked with an oncologist and survivor about the signs and symptoms to watch for, and how oncologists are responding to the dizzying rise in younger...

When people think of firefighters, they might picture an image from a child’s book — a big man, wearing lots of equipment, maybe pulling a hose from a red fire engine or rushing to rescue people from a burning building.   But firefighters are responding to far fewer fires these days and more and more medical emergencies. Many 911 calls for chest pains, falls and drug overdoses are routed to the local fire department. In his memoir, “Trauma Sponges: Dispatches from the Scarred Heart of...

There’s no shortage of media think pieces about the financial woes of Millennials. They are on track to be the first generation to make less money than their parents. But Generation Z is the newest generation to enter the workforce. And so-called “Zoomers,” born between 1997 and 2012, have unique hurdles and opportunities in their future. MPR News host Angela Davis talked about — and with — Gen Z about their financial future.

Last month the city of Minneapolis broke up one of the area’s largest homeless camps. More than 100 people had been living in tents and other temporary structures at Camp Nenookaasi for months. The encampment is just one of many signs that an increasing number of people in Minnesota are living without stable shelter. People without housing are also riding Metro Transit buses and trains to find safety and warmth. They’re sleeping in out-of-the-way corners of the skyways and living in their...

Two professional organizers talked with MPR News host Angela Davis about their decluttering process and the “why” behind clutter. The association between clutter and mental health. And why clutter isn’t the same thing as laziness or hoarding.

During the pandemic, people living and working in nursing homes and assisted living communities faced the brunt of COVID-19’s devastation.    Now there’s a new crisis facing long-term care — a staffing crisis. About 20 percent of jobs in nursing homes remain unfilled.    Nursing assistants have been overwhelmed by extra shifts. Some nursing homes have closed entire wings and are turning away older people who need skilled nursing care because they don’t have enough employees.   To draw...

Saving money is hard. So, let’s reframe it. What if saving money wasn’t a chore— and could help us make room for more joy in our lives? Two financial experts talked with MPR News host Angela Davis to help us budget for fun and travel now, not just in our future.

A new documentary, “Hope in the Struggle,” tells the story of civil rights activist Josie Johnson, chief lobbyist for Minnesota’s fair housing law and the first Black member of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Johnson and Twin Cities PBS executive producer Daniel Bergin about her legacy.

Everyone has a rejection story — from presidents, CEOs and bestselling authors to our neighbors and friends.   Personal and professional rejection is part of life. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.  MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests dug into the psychology behind rejection and how we can use it to our advantage.   They talked about why rejection is so uniquely painful and how we can use rejection to move on and move up in our lives. 

The rhetoric is inflammatory, but there’s no disputing the data. The number of migrants who crossed the southern U.S. border is hitting historic highs. In December, the Department of Homeland Security reported more than 300,000 people crossed the border, either by applying for asylum at entry points or by trying to cross the border illegally. According a Pew survey, Americans across party lines say the government is doing a bad job handling the current surge. Congress is locked in a...

Updated: 6:15 p.m. After Easter and Christmas, Valentine’s Day is the biggest holiday for chocolate sales.   Maybe you’re a chocolate lover yourself. But do you know the difference between a bonbon and a truffle? Or where cacao beans are grown?    MPR News host Angela Davis talks with three Minnesota chocolatiers about what goes into making their luscious treats and how they fell in love with making chocolate that the rest of can enjoy—on Valentine’s Day or any day. Guests:   Mary...

MPR News host Angela Davis checked in with the team from Carbon Sound at our sister station, The Current.   Carbon Sound is a music stream, website and app “dedicated to celebrating the depth, breadth and influence of Black musical expression.”  The stream has been broadcasting for just a year and a half, but the small but mighty Carbon Sound team has been doing big things. Carbon Sound won an Anthem Award for its work last spring – that's an international award celebrating “purpose and...

The state legislative session opens on Monday and it’s not just law makers who are jumping into action. The politics team at MPR News is gearing up to keep Minnesotans informed about what’s happening at the state Capitol.   MPR News host Angela Davis talks with three journalists on the MPR News politics team about what drew them to the politics beat, how covering politics has changed and what to expect from this year’s state legislative session and also the upcoming presidential election....

There’s a good chance you know someone who is a prostate cancer survivor. One in eight men — and one in six Black men — will get prostate cancer during their lifetime. It’s not something we are all good at talking about. But we need to. Prostate cancer outcomes are much better when the cancer is caught early. And family history is also a major risk factor for the cancer. A urologist and a survivor joined MPR News host Angela Davis in-studio, talking about prostate cancer and how we can...

Policing in America is a polarizing topic. High-profile killings of Black men by police officers over the last few years have eroded trust in policing as an institution — especially for many Black Americans.  According to a 2022 Pew Research Center survey, most Black Americans think policing needs major changes to treat Black people fairly. But a group of police officers and community members in Minneapolis has been working — mostly behind the scenes — for the past seven years to build...

It’s been a warm and weird winter.   Most of Minnesota right now doesn’t have any snow. And, the ice is melting fast.   Outdoor hockey rinks have turned into puddles. Ice houses are getting pulled off some lakes across the state. Snow mobiles languish under tarps in the garage.   Over time, Minnesota’s average winter temperatures are slowly rising as carbon emissions warm the globe. But super El Niño weather patterns have made this winter especially warm.  MPR News host Angela Davis talks...

What would happen if you asked Americans to share their experience of race — but in only six words.   Fourteen years ago, that’s how journalist Michele Norris started what’s called The Race Card Project.   More than a half a million people responded with their personal, honest and sometimes shocking six-word answers: “You’re pretty for a Black girl.” “White privilege, enjoy it, earned it.” “Lady, I don’t want your purse.” “My ancestors massacred Indians near here.” “Urban living has made me...