Minneapolis residents plan to rally against the proposed Skydio drone trial July 15 at the Federal Courthouse Plaza, a day ahead of the City Council’s final vote. Digital Editor Aaliyah Demry has the details.
Local & State
A space for original local news with an emphasis on stories pertaining to African Americans
Posted inEvents
Get help clearing cannabis-related records through state expungement event
The Minnesota Cannabis Expungement Board is reviewing about 98,000 marijuana-related cases and hosting a public event July 15 to help residents clear past convictions. Digital Editor Aaliyah Demry breaks down how the process works.
Posted inLocal & State
The weight of what we’ve already survived: Community reckons with Patriot Front march
A Patriot Front march in Washington, D.C. on July 4 didn’t touch Minnesota, but its images landed hard here anyway. Editor Jasmine McBride talks with a therapist, a retired judge and a state legislator about a history that keeps repeating.
Posted inLocal & State
Community pushes back on Minneapolis drone pilot program
Forty community members spoke out against a proposed MPD drone pilot at a July 8 committee meeting, none in favor. Contributing writer Ella Stern breaks down the surveillance, data and Skydio-Israel concerns headed to a full council vote July 16.
Posted inLocal & State
West Side St. Paul residents asked to give input on César Chávez Street renaming
As St. Paul moves to rename César Chávez Street, the West Side Community Organization is hosting three input sessions to gather community voices before the process moves forward.
Posted inLocal & State
Free locks and peace of mind being handed out in St. Paul after missing autistic teen is found
Sheletta Brundidge is giving away 100 free interior combination locks to help protect autistic children from wandering during what she calls “drowning season.” Contributing writer Sheletta Brundidge has the story behind the Saturday giveaway.
Posted inLocal & State
Minnesota Paid Leave approves thousands of applicants six months into program
Six months into Minnesota’s Paid Leave program, nearly $600 million has gone to approved applicants, with about 75,000 Minnesotans receiving benefits. Digital Editor Aaliyah Demry breaks down the numbers.
Posted inLocal & State
Minneapolis community members speak out against proposed trial on “first responder” drones
Minneapolis City Council heard testimony on a proposed 75-day Skydio drone trial for MPD in the 4th precinct, with over 30 residents pushing back on surveillance concerns and Skydio’s ties to Israel and DHS. Izzy Canizares reports.
Posted inLocal & State
TRAFFIC ALERT: Franklin Avenue Construction Impacts
Franklin Avenue construction shifts to the south side between Fourth and Chicago starting July 8, closing several intersections and rerouting traffic. Here’s what drivers and pedestrians need to know.
Posted inLocal & State
TRAFFIC ALERT: I-394 construction impacts and updates
E-ZPass lanes on I-394 and I-94 will be unavailable in both directions through November as construction continues on 34 bridges and ramps. Here’s what drivers need to know.
Posted inLocal & State
ICE detentions surge to 2,000 a day to meet new agency quota
ICE detained over 10,000 people nationwide in a five-day span, doubling its daily quota to 2,000 detentions, according to new reporting. Contributing writer Ella Stern breaks down what’s driving the surge, and why it’s happening more quietly than past operations.
Posted inLocal & State
14 activists plead not guilty in anti-ICE case
Fourteen of the 15 activists federally charged for anti-ICE activity pleaded not guilty in Minneapolis on July 1. Contributing writer Ella Stern reports from the arraignment, where prosecutors revealed 20 terabytes of evidence and a judge rejected their bid for a 90-day extension.
Posted inLocal & State
Minneapolis Considers Drone Pilot Program for North Minneapolis, Activists Push Back
Minneapolis is considering a 75-day Skydio drone pilot program in North Minneapolis, and activists, privacy experts and community members are pushing back, raising concerns about surveillance, corporate ties to Israeli military operations and a police department they say cannot be trusted with the technology.
Posted inPolitics
Sens. Smith, Klobuchar Urge Trump to Sign Landmark Housing Bill at Twin Cities Press Conference
U.S. Sens. Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar joined housing advocates in Edina to call on President Trump to sign the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the most significant federal housing legislation in more than 30 years, which he declined to sign despite its 85-5 Senate passage.
Posted inFinance
First Independence Bank opens new St. Paul location on University Avenue
First Independence Bank, the Twin Cities’ first Black-owned full-service bank, opened a new St. Paul location at 627 University Avenue West on June 24, bringing banking services to the Frogtown and Rondo neighborhoods with a mission to close the racial wealth gap.
Posted inLocal & State
Minneapolis NAACP Calls for Ouster of Public Housing Director Over Heritage Park Conditions
The Minneapolis NAACP is calling for the immediate resignation or termination of Minneapolis Public Housing Authority Executive Director Abdi Warsame after revelations of widespread mold, water damage and neglect at Heritage Park Apartments, where half of the 440 units are empty or unsafe.
Posted inLocal & State, Politics
Justice reform bills stall again at the Capitol, the fight continues
The Pretrial Data Transparency Act failed to pass for the second year in a row in Minnesota, but the Minnesota Justice for All Coalition is not deterred, continuing to push for reforms in a system where 63% of Hennepin County’s jail population is Black.
Posted inLocal & State
Legal Rights Center Launches Hotline to Close Gap in Legal Defense for Low-Income Minnesotans
The Legal Rights Center has launched the First Defense Hotline, a 24/7 resource connecting Minneapolis arrestees with free legal counsel in the first hours after arrest, addressing the wealth gap in a legal system that too often leaves Black and brown Minnesotans without adequate representation.
Posted inLocal & State
Coalition calls on Twin Cities Pride to cut corporate ties
The Taking Back Pride Coalition held a press conference calling for Twin Cities Pride to drop corporate sponsors including Delta, United Health Group and 3M and remove police presence, marking the coalition’s tenth year organizing around anti-corporate, anti-police Pride demands.
Posted inLocal & State
Construction at George Floyd Square strains businesses, reshapes community landmarks
Construction has begun at 38th and Chicago Avenue, the site of George Floyd’s murder, and businesses and residents are already feeling the impact, with one Black business owner saying the first day left her shop completely inaccessible and questioning whether she will make it to the end of the month.