College sports in recent years have seen conferences either expand or implode both in football and basketball. Now it’s trickled down to men’s hockey.
Charles Hallman
Charles Hallman is a contributing reporter and award-winning sports columnist at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Family suspects police cover-up in Terrance Franklin shooting
Uncle says ‘crazed individual’ profiled in media is not his nephew Something happened May 10 after he allegedly was earlier involved in a theft. Exactly what happened in the basement of that South Minneapolis house May 10, the day Terrance Franklin was shot and killed by Minneapolis police, remains a mystery to all but the police […]
Posted inSports
Does it really matter? — Athletes’ sexual orientation none of our business
Two weeks ago, Britney Griner came out as gay, and Jason Collins revealed his sexuality to Sports Illustrated.
Posted inSports
KFAN post Henry Lake is now all white
Joni Mitchell once sang that you don’t know what you’ve had until it’s gone. “We’re glad to get him,” admits KCSP-AM Program Director John Hanson on Henry Lake, the new midday host at “610 Sports Radio” in Kansas City. Personally I am glad the most talented but underused staffer at KFAN has finally left the […]
Posted inNews
How is Dred Scott connected to MN history?
Many people don’t know that for a time, Dred Scott lived in Fort Snelling, where he met and married his wife, Harriet Robinson. Local community member Frank White and others are working to see this knowledge becomes more widespread with various community events that will begin this coming spring. The Dred Scott case and its […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Second Chance advocates ‘make some noise’ on the Hill
When Sarah Walker first lobbied the Minnesota Legislature on behalf of former offenders, she didn’t see it going over very well. “The first time I organized this, I was concerned that this would be received very poorly,” recalls Walker, the COO of 180 Degrees, Inc. But as a result, over 50 organizations formed the Minnesota […]
Posted inArts + Culture, Television
Don’t fall for the ‘deception’: Lack of Blacks on TV still a ‘scandal’
Meagan Good (Deception) and Kerry Washington (Scandal) are two Black women who are starring in their respective prime-time dramas. LL Cool J co-stars in another network series. And Jada Pinkett Smith was executive producer and star of her own series on cable for three love webseasons.
Posted inNews
Activist initiates call to action in MSR — Spike Moss speaks ‘Straight Talk’ to the Black community
Spike Moss has been long known to speak his mind, and now he lends his voice to the MSR as a regular commentator in his column. The longtime community activist says he has a long laundry list of topics to discuss, such as crime, drug use and violence. Moss predicts his new column called “Straight Talk,” […]
Posted inSports
Athletes encourage youth to stay active, healthy
Around 100 local boys and girls worked with WNBA stars October 15 on staying active and living healthy. The five Minnesota Lynx starters — Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson, Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen and Taj McWilliams-Franklin — along with WNBA Legend Teresa Edwards worked with Southside Family Charter School students on basketball fundamentals at the WNBA […]
Posted inSports
Black lawmakers almost killed Title IX
Landmark bill caught in race vs. gender equity wrangling Long before Title IX, Black females have been participants in sport. “There [always] has been a strong African American women presence in sport,” notes Ohio State Sport Humanities Associate Professor Sarah Fields, author of “Race v. Gender: How Constructions of Title IX Have Failed Women of […]
Posted inNews
St. Cloud’s new police chief aims to ‘make things better’
He promises to be a very visible leader in this city undergoing rapid change William “Blair” Anderson was sworn in August 27 as St. Cloud’s first Black police chief. He says he likes the job so much it’s even better than flying an F-16. “One of the things I am focusing on here is doing the […]
Posted inNews
Laila Ali one-on-one
Editor’s Note: This story originally ran June of 2012. We are highlighting it again due to the recent passing of boxing legend Muhammad Ali. In this interview by Charles Hallman, Laila Ali talks about her famous father, as well as her own career goals and endeavors. A famous parent sometimes can be an unfair-comparison chip on the shoulder of the […]
Posted inSports
Rappin’ with Wolves rookie Ricky Rubio
Ricky Rubio, the Minnesota Timberwolves rookie guard, is learning to play in the NBA and is determined to win.
Posted inNews
Reflections of 9/11: a survivor’s story
The day was “absolutely beautiful…no clouds in the sky. A picture-perfect September morning,” recalls Nicole Simpson. “I was at my office at 8 am and was having a daily meeting. I was on the 73rd floor.” That was September 11, 2001 — a day forever etched in Simpson’s memory and an entire nation’s memory as […]
Posted inNews
Black bloggers have power to influence the 2012 election
Black political blogs have played a significant role in defending President Obama and calling out racist postings.
Posted inNews
Community mourns passing of Southside’s ‘Mom’
Clarissa Mae Rogers Walker’s home-going celebration was held Monday at Sabathani Community Center. She died March 7 at age 80. As expected, many paid their last respects to a woman who spent over five decades serving her community. “She wasn’t a wealthy person, but she created a lot of wonderful memories for a lot of […]
Posted inNews
MLK Park: How can it better honor Dr. King?
Dr. Martin Luther King Park should better honor the legacy of the person for whom it is named, say community residents. Mary Merrill Anderson facilitated a 90-minute session January 6 with around 40 community residents at the South Minneap
Posted inSports
Don’t mess with Detroit
For too many years my hometown, Detroit, has been much maligned by nighttime comics and knuckleheaded sportswriters.
Posted inNews
Opponents of MLK dog park get organized
The Minneapolis Park Board commissioners are scheduled to meet January 5 to establish a citizen advisory committee (CAC) that will discuss a new dog park for the city’s Sixth Park District. Proponents want it at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, while opponents prefer it be installed elsewhere.