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Change in share of out-of-state abortion patients

Data: Guttmacher Institute. Note: Wisconsin included in states where abortion was banned in the first half of 2023. Data unavailable for D.C. Map: Simran Parwani/Axio

The share of out-of-state patients traveling to Minnesota for an abortion tripled between 2020 and 2023, a new analysis estimates. 

Why it matters: The report, released Thursday by the Guttmacher Institute, is the latest indicator of how the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade is reshaping abortion access.

The big picture:  More than twice as many people crossed state lines for abortion care in the first half of 2023 compared with a similar period in 2020 when abortion was legal nationwide, Axios' Maya Goldman writes.

What's happening: In Minnesota, the share of out-of-state abortion patients over the period analyzed increased from 9% in 2020 to 30% in 2023, per Guttmacher, a research organization that supports abortion rights. 

Other states bordering those with strict abortion limits also saw big increases.

Of note: That would represent a slight increase from 2022 when a state report found that about 27% of the 12,175 abortions performed in the state were for patients from outside Minnesota. 

Driving the trend: Minnesota's status as a legal abortion state and proximity to states with bans has made it a destination for patients who can no longer access the procedure where they live.

Other reports have found that the overall number of abortions in the state is also on the rise.

Context: Abortion remained legal in Minnesota post-Dobbs under a 1995 Supreme Court ruling. 

The DFL-majority Legislature added another layer of protection this session, codifying the right to the procedure at any point in pregnancy and rolling back several restrictions that had been on the books for years.

Lawmakers also passed a "shield law" meant to protect providers and patients from prosecution in states where abortion is illegal.

Between the lines: Abortion providers in Minnesota have already taken steps to meet increased demand post-Dobbs.

For Planned Parenthood, that included adding more in-person and telemedicine appointment slots and moving to a bigger facility in Mankato. 

What they're saying: Ruth Richardson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said the trend  in Minnesota underscores how "more people are being forced to leave their communities to access abortion care."

"Your zip code shouldn't dictate your access to health care, but that is the current reality in the United States," she said in a statement. 

The other side: Paul Stark, communications director for Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, criticized DFL lawmakers for "saddling" the state with what he called "an extreme policy of unlimited abortion," a reference to the lack of gestational limits in the law passed earlier this year.

"Minnesota should be known for our lakes, our snow, our wonderful people — not for abortion tourism."

What we're watching: Some DFL lawmakers have expressed support for asking voters to add abortion rights to the state constitution. 

Legislative leaders say discussions on whether — and when — to do so are ongoing.

Out-of-state abortion patients in Minnesota spiked post-Dobbs decision

The share of out of state abortion patients over the period analyzed increased from 9% in 2020 to 30% in 2023.

The share of out-of-state patients traveling to Minnesota <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="for an abortion" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/10/24/abortion-increase-roe-wade-state-ban" data-vars-content-id="8dbfdcb2-cafb-42da-8b5a-adae2d98330f" data-vars-headline="Out-of-state abortion patients in Minnesota spiked post-Dobbs decision" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/10/24/abortion-increase-roe-wade-state-ban" target="_self">for an abortion</a> tripled between 2020 and 2023, a new analysis estimates. Why it matters: The report, released Thursday by the Guttmacher Institute, is the latest indicator of how the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court&#x27;s decision <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="overturning Roe v. Wade" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/24/roe-wade-decision-abortion" data-vars-content-id="8dbfdcb2-cafb-42da-8b5a-adae2d98330f" data-vars-headline="Out-of-state abortion patients in Minnesota spiked post-Dobbs decision" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/24/roe-wade-decision-abortion" target="_self">overturning Roe v. Wade</a> is reshaping abortion access.

Health

Axios Twin Cities, anchored by Torey Van Oot, Nick Halter and Audrey Kennedy, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard

This whimsical home in North Minneapolis' historic Old Highland neighborhood is now on the market.

Listed for $349,900, it's located at 1709 Dupont Ave N.

Why we love it: The 116-year-old home has maintained many of its original features, like the woodwork and stained glass, but added plenty of character — including zebra-patterned carpeting on the upper level.

Layout: The 2,432-square-foot house has three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Interior features: Decorative wood inlay, newly refinished hardwood floors, updated bathroom, spacious closets, a sunroom, second-floor balcony, and "bonus room" on the third floor.

Exterior features: Two-car detached garage, back deck, and landscaped backyard.

An entryway with colorful patterned wallpaper and wood accents.

A living room with gray furniture, green walls and a colorful carpet.

A photo showing the living room and dining room of a historic home with wood features and green walls.

A photo of an orange kitchen with blue cabinets.

A photo of a bedroom with a gray bed and yellow walls.

A photo of a bathroom with black and white wallpaper.

A photo of a white room with zebra printed carpet.

All photos by Spacecrafting, courtesy of Debra Wagner with Greenway Homes Realty.

Whimsical home in Minneapolis' Old Highland neighborhood asks $349,900

The 116-year-old home has maintained many of its original features but added unique charm.

Photo: Spacecrafting, courtesy of Debra Wagner with Greenway Homes Realty

Hot Homes

This whimsical home in North Minneapolis&#x27; historic Old Highland neighborhood is now on the market.<ul><li><a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Listed for $349,900" data-vars-click-url="https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1709-Dupont-Ave-N-Minneapolis-MN-55411/1840024_zpid/?" data-vars-content-id="cff80311-3865-4b1e-a359-4786d2ad1604" data-vars-headline="Whimsical home in Minneapolis&#x27; Old Highland neighborhood asks $349,900" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1709-Dupont-Ave-N-Minneapolis-MN-55411/1840024_zpid/?" target="_blank">Listed for $349,900</a>, it&#x27;s located at 1709 Dupont Ave N.</li></ul>

Real Estate

Minnesota's first women's sports bar has found a home.

What's happening: A Bar of Their Own, which will exclusively show and promote women's sports, will open in the old Tracy's Saloon in Minneapolis' Seward neighborhood next spring, it said on social media Wednesday.

Owner Jillian Hiscock launched a crowdfunding campaign in October and raised over $140,000 in two months.

Why it matters: Though interest in women's sports is booming, places to watch their games are few and far between as men's teams dominate bar televisions, Hiscock told MPR News. 

"Asking to change the channel is almost always met with frustration, annoyance, confusion and that just gets really old," Hiscock said in an interview with KARE11.

What to expect: A family-friendly space showing all women's sports, all the time, from the Minnesota Lynx to Gophers softball and smaller state roller derby and frisbee teams.

Hiscock hopes to open by early March, just in time for the Big 10 Women's Basketball tournament, which will be played at Target Center. 

Minnesota's first women's sports bar to open next spring in Minneapolis

A Bar of Their Own will exclusively show and promote women's sports.

A mock-up of A Bar of Their Own. Photo: Jillian Hiscock

Sports

Minnesota&#x27;s first women&#x27;s sports bar has found a home.What&#x27;s happening: A Bar of Their Own, which will exclusively show and promote women&#x27;s sports, will open in the old Tracy&#x27;s Saloon in Minneapolis&#x27; Seward neighborhood next spring, it said on <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="social media Wednesday" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0hA3kHsj6S/" data-vars-content-id="0012002f-f1fc-4cd2-93c5-61c1e90be4f0" data-vars-headline="Minnesota&#x27;s first women&#x27;s sports bar to open next spring in Minneapolis" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0hA3kHsj6S/" target="_blank">social media Wednesday</a>.

Latest news on Wall Street, Corporate America and financial regulation.

Business

Food and Drink

Minnesota still has a budget surplus, but spending it all risks a deficit down the line. 

Driving the news: The updated state economic forecast, released Wednesday, shows a projected surplus of $2.4 billion for the two-year budget that began in July. 

But it also warns of a "significant structural imbalance" in the following biennium due to projected increases in spending. 

Why it matters: The number sets the stage for debates over spending — and, potentially, taxes — at the DFL-controlled Legislature next year. 

While the state's financial outlook remains stable, Minnesota Management and Budget commissioner Erin Campbell warned that lawmakers "will need to be very thoughtful when making decisions next year." 

By the numbers: State economists boosted this summer's surplus projection by $808 million in the latest forecast, citing higher than expected consumer spending and corporate profit growth.

Yes, but: Projected increases in spending on ongoing obligations will eat into that buffer starting in the 2026-2027 budget year, when costs are expected to outpace revenues by $2.3 billion.

If legislators don't spend the surplus next year, allowing the balance to carry over, the current outlook suggests they'd start the following biennium with a surplus of just $82 million. 

Between the lines: Factors include a higher-than-expected price tag for the state's new universal free school meals program — food reimbursement rates and participation could cost an additional $81 million in the first two years alone —and a yearslong trend in more Minnesotans seeking disability waivers. 

What to expect: Next year isn't technically a budget year, but lawmakers will likely weigh well over $82 million in spending requests when they return in February. Just last week, several DFL lawmakers outlined a proposal to spend an additional $500 million to make childcare more affordable. 

The University of Minnesota wants up to $80 million for its health services programs, while the Wild and the city of St. Paul are starting to lobby for state aid to renovate Xcel Energy Center.

What they're saying: Gov. Tim Walz declined to comment on specific asks, but said the overall numbers call for a "measured" approach to spending next year. He told reporters it's "too early to have these conversations about tax increases." 

DFL legislative leaders echoed that view. Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic said leader have already been telling members to wait for a better financial picture before making plans for the next session. 

The other side: Republicans blasted Democrats for spending down the previous $17.5 billion surplus in the $72 billion two-year budget they passed earlier this year.

"We sounded the alarm last session and [said] this is setting us up for future deficits," Rep. Kristin Robbins (R-Maple Grove) said. "Now we have a number where that's exactly what happened." 

The intrigue: Lawmakers could find themselves with more money to work with, without a need for tax increases, House Speaker Melissa Hortman noted.

That scenario could happen if projected inflationary increases, built into the forecast for the first time this year, aren't as big as expected or if Minnesota continues to outperform the national economy.

The bottom line: The forecast is a projection. Factors like the broader economy and programs costing less or more than anticipated can lead to big swings. 

 But the less rosy outlook will loom over decisions made when lawmakers return in February. 

Editor's note: This story has been updated throughout with additional context and comments.

Minnesota budget forecast casts doubt on future surplus

The report projects $2.4 billion in extra cash for the current budget, but warns it could be wiped out in future years

Illustration of the Minnesota State Capitol with lines radiating from it. 

Minnesota still has a budget surplus, but spending it all risks a deficit down the line. Driving the news: The updated <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="state economic forecast" data-vars-click-url="https://mn.gov/mmb/mmbhome/?id=602553" data-vars-content-id="069e4b83-bb84-41b0-8dc3-080a7edd3223" data-vars-headline="Minnesota budget forecast casts doubt on future surplus" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://mn.gov/mmb/mmbhome/?id=602553" target="_blank">state economic forecast</a>, released Wednesday, shows a projected surplus of $2.4 billion for the two-year budget that began in July. <ul><li>But it also warns of a &quot;significant structural imbalance&quot; in the following biennium due to projected increases in spending. </li></ul>

Politics

News

Watching Minnesota's pro sports teams is likely to get easier — and cheaper — in the coming months.

Catch up fast: The Twins contract with Bally Sports parent company Diamond Sports Group, which is in bankruptcy, has ended. The Timberwolves' one is set to end after this season following a deal the NBA struck with Diamond to shorten contracts for 15 teams.

Both clubs are now working out how their games will be broadcast to fans beyond that, and they're hoping to expand access to more people.

The NHL had also been negotiating a split with Bally, but no announcements have been made. The Wild are preparing for that possibility.

Why it matters: Options to watch local sports in the Twin Cities have been dwindling because streaming services stopped carrying Bally Sports and its app has been unreliable.

A new era could mean free, over-the-air broadcasts or just more platforms to watch games.

The latest: New Twins TV play-by-play announcer Cory Provus told reporters last week that he was attracted to the switch from his radio job because of the Twins' plan to triple their TV audience.

That could mean the team and MLB distribute the games themselves, without blackouts local viewers typically hit for MLB TV. 

Yes, but: The team's contract with Diamond Sports paid $55 million annually, and the front office has warned that a new deal likely won't come close to matching that. The team has signaled it will cut payroll next year as a result. That could mean not signing big free agents or trading away higher-priced veterans.

State of play: Minnesota fans should look to Arizona for an example of how things could shake out here.

After breaking from Bally, Diamondbacks baseball games are now carried on cable, satellite, and streaming services, or fans can watch them on the MLB app for $20 a month, with no local blackouts.

Suns basketball games are now broadcast over the air on local stations.

Between the lines: Both the Twins and Wolves have built fan excitement not seen in recent memory. The Twins won their first playoff series in 21 years and the Wolves have the NBA's best record.

While each team will likely lose some revenue, they have an opportunity to bring more fans into the fold.

Minnesota's sports teams could get easier to watch

The Wolves and Twins want to reach a wider audience.

Illustration of glowing tv with a basketball emerging

National Basketball Association (NBA)

Watching Minnesota&#x27;s pro sports teams is likely to get easier — and cheaper — in the coming months.Catch up fast: The Twins contract with Bally Sports parent company Diamond Sports Group, which is in bankruptcy, has ended. The Timberwolves&#x27; one is set to end after this season following a deal the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="NBA struck with Diamond" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nba.com/news/bally-sports-nba" data-vars-content-id="2297f4c1-c691-4963-9311-bb3892dcb815" data-vars-headline="Minnesota&#x27;s sports teams could get easier to watch" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nba.com/news/bally-sports-nba" target="_blank">NBA struck with Diamond</a> to shorten contracts for 15 teams.

The lucky folks in northern Minnesota are enjoying perfect conditions for wild ice.

Context: Wild ice is a rarity in Minnesota. It happens when lakes freeze deep enough for skating but haven't yet been covered in snow. Often, the clear ice allows skaters to peer down into the water. 

Zoom in: Barb LaVigne posted this beautiful video of her group skating eight miles in the Boundary Waters, from Homer to Whack, then Vern Lake and back. 

Lake Owen Resort posted this video from northern Wisconsin where the ice looks like glass.

Yes, but: Here in the Twin Cities the ice still isn't thick enough for skating. Lake Harriet, for example, is still open water and the forecast calls for temperatures close to 50 on Thursday. 

The last wild ice in the metro was in late December of 2020 when flocks of people skated on city lakes. 

Be smart: The DNR says ice should be at least 4 inches thick and checked in multiple spots. 

Read more: MPR News interviewed several wild ice enthusiasts in Minnesota. 

Northern Minnesota skaters enjoying wild ice, while metro residents cross their fingers

Yes, but: Twin Cities skaters will have to wait for the chance to skate the lakes.

Barb LaVigne and her group skate eight miles in the Boundary Waters. Photo courtesy of Barb LaVigne

Outdoor activities

The lucky folks in northern Minnesota are enjoying perfect conditions for wild ice.Context: Wild ice is a rarity in Minnesota. It happens when lakes freeze deep enough for skating but haven&#x27;t yet been covered in snow. Often, the clear ice allows skaters to peer down into the water.

Things to Do

Minnesota's state bird will play a starring role in the state's new seal. 

Driving the news: The State Emblems Redesign Commission voted unanimously on Tuesday to advance a loon-centric design as the basis for the new seal. 

They could still alter some aspects, including text, dates and the loon's eye color. 

Catch up fast: The state Legislature created the commission last session and tasked it with picking a new flag and seal by the end of the year.

Members of the public submitted thousands of ideas for consideration.

The intrigue: Commissioners reported receiving more than 6,000 public comments on the seal designs and more than 15,000 public comments on their top six picks for the new state flag, per the Star Tribune.

What's next: The panel meets again on Dec. 12 to continue to work toward selecting a new design for the flag. 

Members face a Jan. 1 deadline for making a final pick. Unless the Legislature vetoes the choices, the flag and seal will be debut next spring.

Go deeper: MPR News interviewed Ross Bruggink, the graphic designer who submitted the leading seal, about his process. Read or listen.

Loon design selected for new Minnesota state seal

The State Emblems Redesign Commission still needs to select a final state flag design.

Variations on the top design. Image: State Emblems Redesign Commission

Minneapolis

Minnesota&#x27;s state bird will play a starring role in the state&#x27;s new seal. Driving the news: The State Emblems Redesign Commission voted unanimously on Tuesday to advance a loon-centric design as the basis for the new seal.

A new bookstore is courting Twin Cities readers who love to read about love.

What's happening: Tropes & Trifles, believed to be the metro's first brick-and-mortar shop solely dedicated to romance novels, opened in South Minneapolis in late November. 

The light-filled 500-square-foot storefront already stocks about 1,100 copies of 900 titles, hand-curated by co-owners Lauren Richards and Caitlin O'Neil.

State of literature: Specialty bookshops focused on the genre are popping up across the country in response to growing consumer desire for romance reads.

What they're saying: "We need a place where readers and writers can find books with happy endings," said Richards, a lifelong romance reader who quit her day job as a political consultant to launch the business.

What's happening: Recent data from the consumer research firm Circana shows print sales of romance novels as of last summer were up 52% year-over-year. Industry experts say the growth is fueled in part by TV adaptations and #BookTok (readers who use TikTok to discuss books) bringing new and younger readers into the fold.

Between the pages: The genre has evolved beyond so-called "bodice-rippers" featuring a shirtless Fabio on the cover. Modern romances feature a wide range of races, sexual orientations, gender identities, and storylines.

A woamn in a purple top and grey cardigan in glasses stands next to a taller woman with a blue shirt and black sweater in front of a row of books

O'Neil and Richards met in a romance book club. About a year ago, they decided to pursue a dream of opening a brick-and-mortar shop together. Photo: Audrey Kennedy/Axios

Zoom in: That diversity is on display at Tropes & Trifles, with everything from those classic paperbacks, which are beloved by many diehard romance readers, to a series about queer werewolves who are passionate about both canoodling and destroying capitalism.

"As people are finding their way into the genre, they're finding that it's much wider and more varied than maybe they realized," said O'Neil, a veteran of the publishing industry. "There really is something for everyone."

Plus: The store has shelves dedicated to Minnesota authors and young adult titles that deliver the romance without the explicit scenes. Readers can leave their recommendations using cards available on-site.

What we're watching: Whether local demand can sustain a permanent storefront. 

O'Neil and Richards are happy with the response so far, thanks in part to their current location's foot traffic and transit access.

They hope to finalize a permanent location soon, and plan to online buying options and events in the future.

Details: Tropes & Trifles, located at 2709 E. 38th Street, is open Thursday to Saturday from 11am to 6pm and on Sundays from 11am to 5pm.

The shop's owners are voracious romance readers — they met through a book club focused on the genre — with decidedly divergent tastes.

Richards prefers "chaotic and soapy" stories — she says she loves a historical sickbed scene — while O'Neil likes her picks to "feel like a warm hug."

We asked both to share a recommendation for a romance newbie:

"The Bromance Book Club" by Lyssa Kay Adams: After his wife leaves him citing a lack of satisfaction in the bedroom, a professional baseball player turns to an all-male romance book club made up of "Nashville's top alpha men." He uses the gestures and skills learned along the way to try to win her back.

"We love that one because it's also very 'metafictionally' aware of the genre so it's a really good introduction to the tropes," O'Neil said. "You're dissecting the romance novel with them."

"We Could Be So Good," by Cat Sebastian, follows the story of an "incredibly grumpy newspaper reporter" and the "hot mess of a publisher's son." Set in the 1950s in New York City before the famed Stonewall Riots, the same-sex historical romance explores themes of family and anxiety over living and loving openly.

"It goes from enemies to friends on the first page and then it's a very long slow burn, from friends to lovers," Richards said of what she called a beautifully written book.

Be smart: "Spice level" in the genre varies from explicit sex scenes that will make even the most seasoned romance reader blush, to love stories without the lust (on the page at least).

O'Neil and Richards say they can help guide shoppers to titles that suit their personal comfort levels.

Tropes & Trifles: The Twin Cities gets its first bookstore fully dedicated to romance novels

The light-filled 500-square-foot storefront already stocks about 1,100 copies of 900 titles.

The store spotlights authors with Minnesota ties. Photo: Audrey Kennedy/Axios

A new bookstore is courting Twin Cities readers who love to read about love.What&#x27;s happening: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Tropes &amp; Trifles" data-vars-click-url="https://www.tropesandtrifles.com/" data-vars-content-id="818a475a-501b-4737-8a3d-d6bff9541279" data-vars-headline="Tropes &amp; Trifles: The Twin Cities gets its first bookstore fully dedicated to romance novels" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.tropesandtrifles.com/" target="_blank">Tropes &amp; Trifles</a>, believed to be the metro&#x27;s first brick-and-mortar shop solely dedicated to romance novels, opened in South Minneapolis in late November.

Culture

National

Claudine Gay gets show of support from Harvard Alumni Association, faculty

Harvard

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

Jack Smith asks Supreme Court to weigh Trump's immunity argument

Donald Trump

Holiday travel period will be one of busiest ever, AAA says

Air travel

Top stories & latest news on the Federal Reserve, real-time data, plus the biggest shifts happening in the U.S. and global economy.

Economy

Crypto's accidental journalist: Tiffany Fong plans to keep saying whatever she wants

Cryptocurrencies

Texas woman who sued for emergency abortion for nonviable pregnancy leaves state for procedure

Abortion

The U.S. faces a range of health care flashpoints — unaffordable drugs, opioids, vaping — as we debate whether to adopt universal care. For now, the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, but Republicans want to issue it a final death blow.

Antisemitic incidents surge 337% since start of Hamas-Israel war: ADL

antisemitism

China is becoming the most formidable rival America has faced, and the risk of confrontation with Russia, North Korea or Iran still looms. Authoritarians are rising, the chaotic Afghanistan exit revealed the limits of U.S. power, and the pandemic, climate change and other critical challenges continue to pose grave threats.

Axios Twin Cities: 'Burbs Bites nomination

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