The Metro Transit Police Department is Minnesota’s fourth largest jurisdiction — eight counties and 85 cities. But under Chief John Harrington, who was hired to lead it in 2012, its officers and staff are becoming more representative of the population it serves.
Charles Hallman
Charles Hallman is a contributing reporter and award-winning sports columnist at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.
Posted inSports
Rivalries — a NCAA Women’s Frozen Four preview
Two ‘Border Battle’ rivals meet again this week in New Hampshire as the sixth matchup this season between Minnesota and Wisconsin will be for the right to advance to the national championship game.
Posted inSports
Trials of an Only One: March Madness binge weekend
First day, two basketball games Texas-Tyler with 10 players, Assistant Coach Chynna Turner and a student manager, was the only squad out of the four — George Fox, Wartburg and host St. Thomas, that played March 11 at the St. Paul campus with Black players on the roster. The teams were in town for the […]
Posted inNews
Navigating through Minnesota Nice
On a typical school day, students file to and fro past her corner office at Si Melby Hall. Jennifer Jacobs maintains a busy day as well.
Posted inNews
4th Precinct protest prompts candidate to seek office
Raeisha Williams intends to officially file her Minneapolis City Council Ward 5 candidacy no later than April. “I have not made my official announcement, but I am 100 percent doing it,” declared Williams during a March 2 MSR interview.
Posted inSports
NCAA women’s hockey preview
The selected eight-team NCAA women’s hockey field will be competing on campuses this weekend as March Madness will be more than hoops.
Posted inSports
Black student-athletes as ‘cogs’ in a college sport ‘machine’
The NCAA men’s basketball tournament — March Madness’ crown jewel of championships — begins next week. It’s also part of a multi-million-dollar “machine” that regularly chews up players, most of whom are Black, and then spits them out.
Posted inSports
New book features Obama as hoops fan
President Barack Obama next week will publicly release his final NCAA tournament bracket predictions as commander-in-chief.
Posted inLocal & State
Bill would boost welfare benefits for first time in 30 years
The Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) is designed to help low-income families and pregnant women with job skills and income assistance. However, a Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid report released in February found that the program has not been adjusted for inflation since 1986.
Posted inSports
Trials of an Only One | Wisconsin a good fit for hockey forward
Just after her second period goal in a 5-0 win last weekend at U-M’s Ridder Arena, we couldn’t help but notice standing below the press box, Sarah Nurse’s father and aunt cheering Wisconsin’s only Black player.
Posted inLocal & State
Contact sports endanger Black children
As he paced back and forth on the altar stage at Beth El Synagogue, Dr. Bennet Omalu told a virtually all-White audience that young Blacks should avoid such contact sports as football because it may lead to long-term health problems.
Posted inSports
‘Wedges’ can divide Black student-athletes from their non-athlete peers
Are Black student-athletes today asked to turn in their racial IDs once on campus because “they’re special”?
Posted inSports
The Pillsbury Kings thrived on camaraderie
Before there was the Minnesota Timberwolves, there were the Pillsbury Kings.
Posted inGophers/College, Sports
2016 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament: Five storylines
The 2016 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament opens Wednesday in Indianapolis. For those of us who care, here are five story lines as the 14-team field begins play at the downtown Indianapolis arena where both the Indiana Fever and Pacers call home.
Posted inBlack History Month, Sports
Maritza McClendon made history and still makes a difference
Maritza Correia later made history as the first Black female swimmer to break an American swim record, as well as the first Black woman to make the U.S. Olympic swim team.
Posted inSports
Trials of an Only One in the sport of hockey
We virtually spent a no-diversity weekend at the NHL Stadium Series game, staged for the first time in Minnesota and at the University of Minnesota football stadium. Following is our account set to 1970s hit songs.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Mpls NAACP president says we’ve talked enough — time for action
Why does a state that supposedly is among the nation’s best in providing “a high quality of life” grapple with issues of inequality and economic prosperity barriers for its many Blacks residents?
Posted inGophers/College, Sports
Black swimmers prove strong competitors for Gophers
The MSR recently talked to the U of M’s three Black swimmers in individual interviews at the U of M Aquatic Center as they prepared for the conference championships this month.
Posted inNews
Pro hockey is apparently not for everyone yet
Just as we were about to do our Black fan search in the Gophers’ football stadium concourse, we ran into Anthony Wilson of St. Paul.
Posted inArts + Culture, Movies
‘Race’ a stirring account of Jesse Owens’ inspiring story
The new movie Race aims to enlighten those unfamiliar with the legendary story of athletic star Jesse Owens, “whose quest to become the greatest track and field athlete in history thrusts him onto the world stage of the 1936 Olympics, where he faces off against Adolf Hitler’s vision of Aryan supremacy,” according to the film’s official synopsis.