Minnesota's median household income held steady in 2011 at about $57,000 compared with the year before, after several years of decline, the Pioneer Press reported, citing new Census data. It was aided in part by a small improvement in the employment rate, the newspaper says.

The latest numbers show Minnesota students gaining in math and holding steady in reading. But Minnesota education officials say other states are making bigger strides. “We are still ahead of the curve, but that won’t be the case for long if other states continue to gain ground while we simply hold steady," says education commissioner Brenda Cassellius.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce says the state will receive $73 million in federal funds to help low-income families pay their heating bills. That's half of what the state got last year.

An increased state subsidy and help with health care premiums are two key issues a unionized day care workforce would push for. MPR touched in with other states that have union child care workers and finds no solid consistency in their structure or operation.

Federal representatives are set to vote on a bill next week that could have a major affect on who can carry a gun in the state of Minnesota. Right now, the state only recognizes conceal-carry permits from 15 states. Safety officials say laws in neighboring states aren't similar enough to Minnesota's own laws to allow reciprocity.

The state Department of Health says three Minnesotans are among the 150 people nationwide who were sickened by salmonella after eating cantaloupe recently. The infected people -- two in their 70s and one child -- fell ill after eating cantaloupe between July 18 and 26, and have since recovered.