After a decade of planning, local, state and federal officials gathered in Woodbury on Wednesday to break ground on the Twin Cities’ first rapid transit line with a dedicated, separate roadway for buses along the route.  

University of Minnesota regent Steve Sviggum apologized late Tuesday for his earlier suggestion that the racial and ethnic diversity on the U’s Morris campus might be a marketing problem that’s led to declining enrollment there.

The Mall of America is testing metal detectors at one of its entrances, following a pair of shooting incidents in the past year. Mall officials called the devices a “weapons detection system” and said they are testing the technology initially at the mall’s north entrance, at the doors that face Lindau Lane.

Authorities say a fire that damaged the historic Village Hall in Maple Grove on Tuesday night is being investigated as a case of arson. It's the second historic civic structure in a Twin Cities park to be damaged by fire in recent weeks.

Critics say there isn’t enough regulation in the state law that legalized the sale of some THC products in Minnesota. This concern led some cities to require licensing of retailers selling THC products. Some banned them outright. Other communities were fine with the state’s limited regulations. THC businesses now have to navigate a patchwork of local ordinances and regulations.  

A recent report from Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal shows that the Minnesota Department of Transportation consistently misses goals for contracting with women- and minority-owned companies. Those goals are mandated by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Reporter Kelly Busche talked to MPR News host Cathy Wurzer about the story.