Clay Masters

First Avenue's stage manager leaves a larger-than-life legacy Known mostly just by his first name, Conrad Sverkerson had worked at First Avenue in Minneapolis since 1988 and had been stage manager since 1990.

First Avenue Stage Manager Conrad Sverkerson died this week. He was 66. I stopped by First Ave. to talk with some of the staff about him on Friday. www.mprnews.org/story/2025/1...

Schools Superintendent in Iowa, Arrested by ICE, Plans to Resign A lawyer for Ian Roberts, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, announced that Dr. Roberts would step down.

Ian Roberts, the superintendent of the Des Moines Public Schools system, will submit his resignation on Tuesday, his lawyer said, days after federal immigration agents arrested him and accused him of living and working illegally in the U.S.

Howdy! First shift behind the microphone as @mprnews.org new All Things Considered. Honored to be here alongside a talented cast of producers, newscasters, reporters, editors and technical directors. Let’s get to it!

man in a recording studio

@mprnews.org has a new all things considered host for the first time in 20 years. @claymasters.bsky.social is behind da mic!!!!!

MPR News names Clay Masters as next All Things Considered host Clay Masters has been covering state and national politics for MPR News since his arrival in January 2024. Before that, he worked for 12 years at Iowa Public Radio, 10 of them as a host of Morning Edi...

Some professional news. www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0...

Radiohead Announce First Tour in 7 Years The European run includes multiple nights in London, Berlin, Madrid, Bologna, and Copenhagen in 2025

Excellent.

pitchfork.com/news/radiohe...

Environmental, conservation groups apply pressure on nitrate contamination in southeast Minnesota Environmental groups and concerned well owners in southeast Minnesota hope a lawsuit against the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Department of Agriculture will open up the rulemaking proces...

Environmental groups and concerned well owners in southeast Minnesota want to speed up meaningful regulation to mitigate high nitrate concentration, arguing it has a detrimental effect on human and ecological health.

Tag, bait, scoop: Researchers explore new ways to rid Minnesota lakes of pesky common carp The four-year project is aimed at developing tools and technology to remove large numbers of the invasive fish, and gauge whether it can restore habitat and help native species bounce back.

The researchers’ goal is to use these management tools and technology to help other Minnesota lakes keep the invasive fish in check.

Former President Joe Biden came to the Capitol after 4 p.m. to pay his respects to Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark. ⁠
⁠
He spent about 90 seconds in front of the caskets, made the sign of the cross and knelt quietly.

📸 Kerem Yücel | MPR News

In wildly different projects, Duluth musician Alan Sparhawk works through grief Sparhawk spoke with MPR News host Clay Masters about both albums.

“Writing is more just opening up the window and trying to make sense of what comes in.”

I really enjoyed talking with Alan Sparhawk @lowtheband.bsky.social while sitting in @mprnews.org All Things Considered host seat this week. www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0...

Leonard Peltier talks freedom, future after nearly 50 years in prison After spending most of his life behind bars, Leonard Peltier now lives in a home on the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa reservation in North Dakota. He says he has no regrets but still harbors resent...

After spending most of his life behind bars, Leonard Peltier now lives in a home on the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa reservation in North Dakota. He says he has no regrets but still harbors resentment over his imprisonment.

Hundreds of Minnesotans gather for a candlelight vigil to mourn and remember Melissa and Mark Hortman.

No speakers, no signs.

Lawmakers from both political parties.

Demuth says this is ‘not a time for partisanship’ as the House processes loss of Hortman The Minnesota House of Representatives is reeling from the loss of Rep. Melissa Hortman. Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth spoke with MPR News senior politics reporter Clay Masters about how she and th...

Rep. Demuth spoke with MPR News senior politics reporter Clay Masters about how she and the rest of the Legislature is processing Hortman’s death and what comes next.

Minnesota House DFL leader Hortman, husband killed in apparent 'politically motivated' shooting; Sen. Hoffman, wife wounded Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were fatally shot Saturday morning in Brooklyn Park in what Gov. Tim Walz said “appears to be a politically motivated assassination.” Walz sai...

Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband have been shot and killed in their home by a shooter impersonating a police officer. www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0... @mprnews.org

Special session looms as Minnesota lawmakers narrow remaining budget obstacles A special session could happen as soon as Wednesday to finish approval of a new, two-year budget. One must be adopted by July 1 to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Another week, another waiting game at the Minnesota legislature. I spoke with our All Things Considered host for the week @catharinerichert.bsky.social about where things stand. www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0... @mprnews.org

No pain no Gaines, yo.

Friction builds between Walz, public sector unions on multiple fronts Democratic Gov. Tim Walz has been an unflinching ally to public employee unions through most of his political tenure. These days, their alliance is a little rocky to say the least.

Possible layoffs, a return-to-office directive and tense contract negotiations are straining Gov. Tim Walz’s relationship with public sector labor unions that represent thousands of state workers.

www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0... @mprnews.org

I practiced saying good afternoon in my car!

Frost Coach Ken Klee on championship win: ‘To be able to repeat is unimaginable’ Minnesota Frost coach Ken Klee spoke with MPR News host Clay Masters about the win.

This was a fun conversation to have! www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0... @mprnews.org

Minnesota lawmakers prepare for working weekend after blowing self-imposed deadline Some working groups dribbled out details of their budget bills Thursday after meeting in private to craft them. The largest pieces of Minnesota’s more than $66 billion budget remained unfinished.

Minnesota lawmakers are preparing to work through the holiday weekend to complete budget bills and get ready for a special legislative session.

The bulk of a $66 billion, 2-year budget remained unfinished as legislators met largely behind closed doors. @mprnews.org
www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0...

Scenes from the last regularly scheduled day of Minnesota’s 2025 legislative session. There will be a special session.

Minnesota lawmakers fail to finish budget on time, head toward special session The Legislature limped to session finish as overtime beckons. Most of the budget is yet to be complete.

Less than 10 percent of the Minnesota budget fell into place prior to the end of the Legislature’s 2025 session, forcing lawmakers into an overtime period with plenty to sort out before they can complete their must-do task.

Budget deal at hand? Leaders head to closed caucuses rather than back to negotiations The closed-door caucus meetings are often a sign that a high-level agreement is near. What’s less clear is whether there is sufficient time remaining to write and pass bills by midnight Monday.

Lawmakers huddled with their party caucuses Thursday to discuss how to end the 2025 session with a budget deal. The closed-door caucus meetings are often a sign that a high-level agreement is near. What’s less clear is whether there is sufficient time remaining to write and pass bills by Monday.

As leaders give this budget agreement press conference, several progressive legislators are trying to come in, knocking and attempting to open the door.
Gov. Walz says this shows they have a lot of work to do.
He thinks this is over the undocumented MN Care issue.

Ewing sends Stothert packing, gives heart of ‘blue dot’ a Democratic mayor • Nebraska Examiner Voters elected Douglas County Treasurer John Ewing Jr., the Democrat in charge of the offices where people annually pay their car taxes.

Meanwhile in Nebraska. nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/05/13/e...

A U-turn on EVs? Minnesota lawmakers could be headed that direction in session finale Hybrid and all-electric vehicle drivers might face a higher surcharge on their annual registration as part of a plan to shore up the state’s road and bridge project fund.

Lawmakers in St. Paul and Washington D.C. have worked to juice EV sales in recent years by offering purchase and lease incentives for electric vehicle purchases.

But this year, they might be throwing things into neutral or reverse. www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0... @mprnews.org

National Guard called in to battle fast-growing northeastern Minnesota wildfires Scores of residents of northeastern Minnesota have been forced to evacuate their homes as several large wildfires grow and spread. Hot, dry and windy conditions are helping fuel the blazes. Gov. Tim W...

At last report, the Camp House and Jenkins Creek fires had burned nearly 3,000 acres combined and destroyed dozens of structures about 40 miles north-northeast of Duluth. A third fire northwest of Duluth — the Munger Shaw Fire — also prompted evacuations late Monday.

These service dogs gave zero shits there was a press conference going on and they were still very good boys.

Viral video of racial slur incident sparks calls for legal action in Rochester In a video that’s gained national attention, a Rochester woman called a Somali American child a racial slur on a playground at a public park. Leaders of the Black and Somali American communities in Ro...

Leaders of the Black and Somali American communities in Rochester are calling for legal action after a video surfaced online of a Rochester woman calling a child a racial slur on a playground.

As return-to-office policy approaches, Minnesota government workers see refined requirements Starting June 1, more state workers will have to report to offices or job sites on a regular basis. It’s a change to pandemic-era flexibility around working requirements. But the policy has been sligh...

The policy now says people living more than 50 miles from their primary worksite will have more latitude to seek extra telework allowances. Originally it was a 75-mile radius.

www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0... @mprnews.org