Minnesota

Minneapolis at night

Minneapolis to become first city in North America to own and operate biochar facility

Peter Schulte / March 11, 2025

Biochar is a specialized charcoal created by heating wood waste to 700 degrees in a low-oxygen environment. The Minneapolis biochar facility will have the capacity to annually: process over 3,000 tons of wood waste, produce over 500 tons of biochar, and remove nearly 3,700 tons of carbon dioxide (the equivalent of taking over 789 cars off the road). Construction is expected to begin this spring with biochar production beginning in the summer or early fall.

Minneapolis skyline at sunset

Minnesota bans the LGBTQ+ panic defense

Peter Schulte / May 29, 2024

Minnesota passed H.F. 5216, a bill that bans the infamous LGBTQ+ panic defense, the LA Blade reports. The LGBTQ+ panic defense is when a defendant argues that they “panicked” when they learned that their victim was LGBTQ+ as an excuse for anti-LGBTQ+ violence. Signed by Gov. Tim Walz (D) after making its way through the state’s House of Representatives and Senate. It will go into effect on August 1, 2024.

Silhouette of person holding cannabis leaf

Minnesota becomes 23rd U.S. state to legalize recreational marijuana

Peter Schulte / June 13, 2023

Under the measure, people with marijuana convictions will have a chance to clear their records by automatically expunging low-level convictions and establishing a review board to determine eligibility for higher-level offenses.

Repairing electronics

Minnesota enacts right-to-repair law that covers more devices than any other U.S. state

Peter Schulte / June 1, 2023

Companies that sell in Minnesota but don’t offer customers or independent repair shops the materials needed to fix devices within 60 days can be found in violation of state law.

Minneapolis skyline

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signs order protecting rights to gender-affirming healthcare

Peter Schulte / March 10, 2023

Walz’s executive order parallels legislation awaiting a floor vote in the state House to make Minnesota a “trans refuge state.”

Great Lakes from space

Remnants of two banned insecticides nearly eliminated in Great Lakes region

Peter Schulte / March 7, 2023

In 2006, the U.S. EPA banned the agricultural use of lindane, linked to anemia, lung cancer, and lymphoma. In 2010, it began to phase out endosulfan, which experts say may damage the liver and kidneys.

3M mask

3M to end ‘forever chemicals’ output at cost of up to $2.3 bn

Peter Schulte / December 21, 2022

The U.S. conglomerate has set a 2025 deadline to stop producing PFAS, the “forever chemicals” used in anything from cell phones to semiconductors that have been linked to cancer and other health problems.

A person picking up a grocery

Target is raising its minimum wage to as much as $24 an hour

Peter Schulte / March 3, 2022

The retail giant currently pays a $15 per hour starting wage but said Monday that it would begin paying workers wages ranging from $15 to $24.

Sunrise over Lake Superior near Black Rocks

$1 billion to be invested in cleaning up Great Lakes

Peter Schulte / February 23, 2022

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will clean up, strengthen nearby infrastructure, and improve nearby supporting communities in 22 identified areas of concern.

Thanksgiving dinner spread

Target to keep stores closed on Thanksgiving for good

Peter Schulte / November 23, 2021

“You don’t have to wonder whether this is the last Thanksgiving you’ll spend with family and friends for a while,” Target CEO Brian Cornell wrote in a note to employees.