Ngoc Bui

Producer, All Things Considered at MPR News (Saint Paul, MN)

Featured in: Favicon

mprnews.org Favicon

mankatofreepress.com Favicon

southernminn.com Favicon

albertleatribune.com Favicon

mesabitribune.com

Articles

Scientists find another way to break down PFAS, but it’s not a silver bullet

2 weeks ago | mprnews.org | Tom Crann |Ngoc Bui

A team of scientists from the University of Oxford and Colorado State University have found another way to break down a group of chemicals known as PFAS. The so-called “forever chemicals,” or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are notorious for being hard to destroy. University of Minnesota professor Lawrence Wackett, who is also developing a method for eradicating PFAS, said it’s an exciting discovery — but cautions it shouldn’t be seen as a silver bullet.
Appetites: New dinner series highlights immigrant home chefs

2 weeks ago | mprnews.org | Tom Crann |Ngoc Bui

A new dinner series immerses you in the food and stories of home chefs — especially women — who have come to Minnesota from all over the world. “Immigrant Kitchen,” a project of BIPOC Foodways Alliance, offers a “counter-narrative” to current political rhetoric against immigrants, said Mecca Bos, the organization’s executive director. The first event on April 30 highlights Phon Sann and Sina War, two Cambodian chefs.
5 years after COVID, Minnesota dining scene has more restaurants but fewer workers

1 month ago | mprnews.org | Tom Crann |Ngoc Bui

It’s been five years since Gov. Tim Walz shut down indoor dining as the COVID-19 pandemic made its way to Minnesota. It forced many restaurants to adapt in ways they could have never expected. As we look back on that time, what changes have stuck in our food scene? Em Cassel is co-owner and editor of Racket. She’s been keeping an eye on the shifting restaurant industry and shared her observations with MPR News host Tom Crann. MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding.
On this St. Patrick’s Day, add a special touch with sea vegetables

1 month ago | mprnews.org | Tom Crann |Ngoc Bui

Create an account or log in to save stories. Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories. Ireland is known for its gorgeous landscape — and root vegetables. But, as St. Patrick’s Day approaches, Beth Dooley is thinking about the flavors of the sea that crashes on the shores of the Emerald Isle. Dooley, author of “In Winter’s Kitchen,” recently returned from a trip to Ireland, where she noticed a trend of restaurant serving sea vegetables — or seaweed.
MPR President responds to threats to public media

1 month ago | mprnews.org | Tom Crann |Ngoc Bui

Create an account or log in to save stories. Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories. Public media organizations like Minnesota Public Radio are under increased scrutiny in this new Trump administration. Some Republican members of Congress have called for the elimination of federal funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Public health worker in Minneapolis laid off in mass firings by the Trump administration

2 months ago | mprnews.org | Tom Crann |Ngoc Bui

Create an account or log in to save stories. Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories. Some 3,000 public health workers and scientists are now out of a job. That’s after another wave of mass firings by the Trump administration over Valentine’s Day weekend targeting probationary employees in the Department of Health and Human Services. MacClement Guthrie was among those let go.
Appetites: How to cook PFAS-free now that Minnesota ban is in effect

2 months ago | mprnews.org | Tom Crann |Ngoc Bui

Create an account or log in to save stories. Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories. Minnesota’s ban on PFAS, commonly called “forever chemicals,” is in effect. That means stores are no longer allowed to sell items — including cookware — made with these per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances since the beginning of 2025. PFAS are often used to create a nonstick coating on pots, pans, waffle-makers and other cookware.
Timberwolves dancer who became Minneapolis ‘Love Is Blind’ contestant takes us inside the pods

2 months ago | mprnews.org | Ngoc Bui

Imagine dating and even getting engaged to someone — without ever seeing what they look like. That’s the “experiment” 32 singles from Minnesota signed on for in the new season of “Love Is Blind.”Among the cast members is Yemi Ajagbe, a product sales manager and dancer for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Ajagbe vividly remembers the first time she heard someone’s voice in the pods, the comfy enclosed rooms where contestants speak to their dates through a wall.
New Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth on priorities, vision for 2025 session

2 months ago | mprnews.org | Cathy Wurzer |Gretchen Brown |Ngoc Bui |Jeff Jones

Republican Lisa Demuth of Cold Spring is the new Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives. Demuth’s installation came after 66 DFL representatives dropped their boycott of the chamber for the first time this session — which finally brought the room to quorum, or the required number of people to conduct business. “Even knowing that there’s some frustration and some anger, it’s important that we move forward without any type of retaliatory behavior,” Demuth told MPR News host Cathy Wurzer.
The sticky rice cake at the center of Lunar New Year

2 months ago | mprnews.org | Tom Crann |Ngoc Bui

Create an account or log in to save stories. Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories. For thousands of Vietnamese Minnesotans celebrating Lunar New Year, an elaborate feast is a must. At the center of it all: Bánh chưng and bánh tét, the humble sticky rice cake filled with meaning. Tran Thi Minh Phuoc, an author, storyteller and Minnesota’s first Vietnamese librarian, said the cakes are offerings to ancestors during the holiday to show respect.