MPR News with Angela Davis

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota had more than 9,100 animals come through its doors in May and June May — their top two busiest months in their 45-year history. MPR News guest host Nina Moini talks with staff from the rehab center about some of the most common wildlife rescues. And we’ll find out when to leave an injured or orphaned wild animal alone and when to seek help for it.

Do you have tummy troubles? Digestive system struggles? Problems pooping? MPR News host Angela Davis talked with two doctors who will help us understand what good gut health looks like and how can you make your digestive system as healthy as possible.

In late June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled fining or jailing people for sleeping and camping in public places when there is no shelter available does not violate the Constitution. The decision gives local governments the license to criminally punish people in homeless encampments or other public spaces. A recently proposed ordinance in Duluth would make camping on city property a misdemeanor crime and Brainerd is considering a similar law. Rochester recently passed a similar ordinance, and police say it’s led to more people using overflow shelter space as well as a large drop in the number of encampments. MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests discuss the recent ruling and how it could affect Minnesota. Guests: Cathy ten Broeke is the assistant commissioner and executive director of the Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness. Ricardo “Rico” Morales is an Indigenous person and a lifelong Minnesota resident who has struggled with housing stability for most of his life. He is an implementation consultant with the Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness. Daniel Fanning is vice president of strategy and policy at the Duluth Chamber of Commerce. John Cole is executive director of Chum, the largest shelter north of the Twin Cities. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Three weeks after the first debate of the 2024 presidential campaign, President Joe Biden decided to step down from his bid for reelection and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about what’s next in the 2024 presidential election and the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month. Guests: Clay Masters is a senior political reporter for MPR News. Clay will cover the Democratic National Convention which begins on August 19th in Chicago. Michael Minta is a professor and director of graduate studies in political science at the University of Minnesota. He is also the author of “No Longer Outsiders: Black and Latino Interest Group Advocacy on Capitol Hill.” Cindy Rugeley is an associate professor and head of the political science program at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Just two days after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, delegates officially nominated him for president and he announced his vice-presidential running mate is Ohio Sen. JD Vance. MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests recap some of the most talked about moments of the first few days of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Studies showed this generation was on track to end smoking, with long-running youth tobacco prevention campaigns and decades of research showing the health risks. However, with the decline of cigarette smoking, the tobacco industry is currently undergoing a smokeless revolution, marketing e-cigarettes and oral nicotine pouches more heavily. MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talked about the tobacco and nicotine industry and how it has changed. With the rise of vaping and the growing popularity of oral nicotine pouches like Zyns — there was a lot to unpack.

Around the country, our bail system is getting a closer look. A few states, including New Jersey and Illinois, have done away with bail entirely. Handing cash over to the court is supposed to make sure someone appears for their next court date. If someone doesn’t show up, the court keeps the money. But, cash bail doesn’t always keep the public safe. Those who can afford it can bail out, even if they are a danger. On the flip side, people who are not a danger or flight risk often can’t get out of jail because they can’t afford to make bail. And often, it’s not the person accused of a crime who scrapes together money to make bail; it’s family members and people close to the defendant. People have ruined credit, lost cars and jeopardized their housing to pay bail. MPR News host Angela Davis talked about cash bail in Minnesota — whether it works and who it harms.

MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests discussed the assassination attempt on former President Trump at his campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. What are the implications for this week’s Republican National Committee Convention and the 2024 presidential campaign?

With four months to go before the November election, talking about differences in opinions about politics at work can create conflicts. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with two guests who say differences about contentious issues at work can affect team cohesion, innovation and collaboration. Are you a middle manager who avoids tense topics because you don’t want to stir up trouble? Or do you need tips on how to have difficult conversations about challenging topics at work? Listen to the conversation. Guests: George Vergolias is a workplace resilience consultant and chief clinical officer at R3 Continuum, a Minnesota-based company that develops behavioral health solutions for organizations that need help managing workplace disruption and stress. Elisha Engelen, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and clinical consultant at Aon, a business consulting firm based in Chicago and London. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

President Joe Biden’s recent debate performance continues to raise questions about his mental sharpness. MPR News host Angela Davis had a conversation with a doctor who specializes in aging as well as a political analyst. We talked about the kinds of changes to cognitive skills that are typically age-related versus symptoms of something more serious. And we explored possible next steps for Biden’s re-election bid.

Summer is the season of the beach read, and romance novels are flying off the shelves in 2024. MPR News host Angela Davis talked with romance author and chef Abby Jimenez, plus the owner of Minneapolis bookstore Tropes and Trifles.

Putting food on the table takes a significant chunk of our paychecks these days. Many families even take on credit and dip into their savings to pay for groceries, according to a recent report from the Urban Institute. MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talked about why groceries are still so expensive — and why buying them still feels so painful. Minnesotans can apply for food assistance at mnbenefits.mn.gov.

Have you been too stressed out at work to even think about taking time off this summer? Did you check your work email during your last vacation? MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talked about the need to unplug from work and how a lack of time away from our jobs can impact our health. Discover how learning to rest is a skill many of us need to develop and practice. Callers joined the discussion about how employers and managers can create a work culture that supports people taking vacation.

The last few weeks have seen torrential rain and flooding across Minnesota. So much water in such a short time inundated rivers and ditches, washed out roads, seeped into basements and overwhelmed sewer systems. Flooding is nothing new in Minnesota. But heavy rains are increasing with climate change. So are violent storms that bring hail and high winds. MPR News host Angela Davis talked with leaders in state government about how the increase in extreme weather is affecting Minnesotans — from moldy basements to increased insurance rates. Davis and her guests also talked about what individuals can do to protect their homes and what communities can do to reduce future damage.

We’ve seen and heard the fallout from a contentious presidential candidate debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump Thursday night and we’ve learned about a slew of U.S. Supreme Court decisions in the last week. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with legal and political analysts about the importance of the recent and upcoming decisions, and their thoughts about this November’s presidential election. Guests: Patrick Schmidt is a professor of political science and co-director of legal studies at Macalester College. Larry Jacobs is a professor and director of The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota. Brian Bakst is the politics editor for MPR News. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Carl Elliott, a medical school graduate and philosophy professor, blew the whistle on his employer after a vulnerable man died by suicide while enrolled in a psychiatric drug study. After being ignored by university officials and dropped by colleagues, Elliott was vindicated years later when a state inquiry corroborated his concerns. In his new book, “The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No,” Elliott interviews the people who spoke up against wrongdoing in six medical research studies. MPR News guest host Euan Kerr talked with Elliott about what motivates whistleblowers, the isolation and hopelessness that accompanies speaking out and what could make it easier to report and stop unethical medical research.

Want to keep your feet healthy? Try slipping off your shoes this summer and let your feet feel the grass. Walking barefoot builds up the small muscles in your feet and helps prevent some of the more common foot problems we experience as we age. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with a podiatrist who shares tips for happy feet, advice on footwear and how to prevent and treat common foot problems, including bunions and plantar fasciitis. Guest: Dr. Paul Langer is a podiatrist at Twin Cities Orthopedics. He specializes in sports medicine, foot disorders, biomechanics, surgery and foot care in aging. He is also a clinical advisor for the American Running Association, the author of “Great Feet for Life: Footcare and Footwear for Healthy Aging” and part owner of the athletic shoe store Fleet Feet Minneapolis. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Democrat Joe Biden, the current president, and Republican Donald Trump, the former president, meet Thursday, June 27, for the first debate either candidate has been in since 2020. The presumed presidential rematch has been set for months — with both candidates earning the necessary primary wins to gain their party nominations, which they’ll formally accept at conventions later this summer. MPR News guest host Brian Bakst talked with presidential scholars and a former presidential candidate about the work it takes to prepare for a presidential debate and how Thursday’s debate could impact both campaigns over the next few months.

Do you ever wonder what it takes to keep the party going all night long? What exactly goes into curating music for different audiences and events? Who are these musical geniuses who have the ability to get us out on the dance floor and keep us swaying to the beat long after our bodies get tired? On Monday, we went behind the scenes of the DJ world — from the gear they use to the secrets of reading the crowd. DJing has often been seen as a male-dominated profession, but times are changing with more women dominating the Twin Cities’ vibrant music scenes.

Millions of Americans are leaving church. Are they also leaving their faith? Thirty years ago, about 90 percent of Americans identified as Christian. Today, that’s dropped to about 60 percent. Meanwhile, the number of people without any religious affiliation at all continues to grow. For some, the decision to leave is rooted in conflict and pain. But for most people, the reasons for leaving church are a lot more mundane. MPR News guest host Kelly Gordon talks with a researcher and a pastor about the historic exodus from Christian congregations, what some have called the “great de-churching.”