Minnesota's Growing Economy; Aging and Population Trends

According to a recent Bloomberg article, Minnesota ranks in the top ten states with the greatest job opportunities. The latest state employment figures show a growth rate of 1.5 percent, compared to a national rate of 1.7 percent over the past year, and Minnesota continues to maintain an unemployment rate of 3.1 percent, well below the national rate of 4 percent. Shawntera Hardy, Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development, joins Capitol Report moderator Shannon Loehrke to delve further into the numbers.

One factor impacting employment trends is the state's aging population. The Minnesota State Demographic Center provides data and analysis relating to our changing population in areas like age, gender, race and ethnicity, which in turn, helps us understand the forces that shape our state. State Demographer Susan Brower joins Shannon to describe how Minnesota is changing.

Also in the program, we continue our series on features of the Minnesota State Capitol. More than twenty types of stone from the state and around the world were incorporated into the building, and Brian Pease, of the Minnesota Historical Society, explains architect Cass Gilbert's vision for creating the unique interior and exterior designs.