The 2026-27 NBA season is underway. Sports columnist Charles Hallman previews two teams led by charismatic stars with new casts, the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves, and asks whether fans can afford to watch.
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Posted inArts + Culture
Springboard’s new leader starts by listening
Ilah Raleigh, a performing artist, educator and author, took over as executive director of Springboard for the Arts on Oct. 1. She talks with Editor Jasmine McBride about relational leadership, guaranteed income for artists and building on the work of longtime staff.
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4 tips for a Twin Cities holiday staycation
Skip the airport this holiday season. Sponsored by JPMorganChase, this guide offers four tips for turning Minneapolis-St. Paul into a destination, from spending a night at a local hotel to trying a neighborhood you usually drive through.
Posted inLocal & State
Black unemployment in Minnesota hits 10.5%
Black Minnesotans are out of work at more than twice the rate of the state’s overall workforce, with unemployment at 10.5% in August. State economists say they can’t yet explain why Minnesota’s rate has stayed above the national rate all year. Editor Jasmine McBride has the story.
Posted inEvents
Best of Black Business Awards Ceremony Returns Nov. 7 to Celebrate Minnesota’s Top Black-Owned Businesses
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder and Sister Spokesman host the second annual Best of Black Business Awards on Saturday, Nov. 7, honoring community-chosen Black-owned businesses across five categories. First, second and third place will be revealed only at the ceremony.
Posted inBusiness
Frey’s robotaxi veto stands
Minneapolis’ fight over driverless cars isn’t over after the City Council failed to override Mayor Frey’s veto of a robotaxi monitor requirement. A new report estimates rideshare drivers, mostly Black and immigrant workers, support $561 million in Minnesota economic activity. Editor Jasmine McBride has the story.
Posted inThe Prep Scene
Camden, Highland Park city champs
Camden and Highland Park won city football titles, four prep stars are making their mark, and Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald looks back at the 1987 St. Paul Central team that ended a nearly 20-year drought.
Posted inLocal & State
St. Paul residents rally against police drone contract with Skydio
St. Paul residents rallied outside City Hall demanding the city release its police department’s contract with drone maker Skydio, end it, and stop expanding AI surveillance. The contract has not been made public. Contributing writer Izzy Canizares reports.
Posted inMusic
“Dr. Funk” joins Minnesota Blues Hall of Fame
Renowned blues bassist George “Dr. Funk” Moye was inducted into the Minnesota Blues Hall of Fame on Oct. 18. After more than three decades at Ford while playing gigs across the Midwest, he has spent 17 years as a full-time musician.
Posted inOpinion
We are failing our young people, and we need to be angry about it
In this op-ed, Michael Eugene Johnson says too many young people are crying out for help and getting speeches and parties instead of safe places, mentors and opportunity. He calls on parents, schools, churches, businesses and government to finally act.
Posted inPolitics
Folk, Frazier spar over experience and victims in Hennepin County attorney debate
State Rep. Cedrick Frazier and former acting U.S. Attorney Anders Folk traded laughs and then jabs at an Oct. 13 debate over what qualifies someone to lead the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. Contributing writer Clint Combs has the full report.
Posted inPolitics
Supporters rally for Omar after federal agents search her Washington home
Three weeks before the midterms, federal agents searched Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Washington home. Hundreds rallied at Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis, calling the search politically motivated. No charges have been announced. Contributing writer Clint Combs reports.
Posted inSports
Critics say Protect College Sports Act protects the powers that be, not athletes
The Protect College Sports Act passed the Senate 77-22 and now heads to the House. Sports columnist Charles Hallman argues it should be called the “Protect the Status Quo Act,” and asks why the players are missing from the table.
Posted inCoaching while Black
Marshall Faulk embraces rookie role as Southern University head coach
This week: Former NFL star Marshall Faulk Marshall Faulk is the latest former big-time NFL player to become a head football coach at an HBCU, and he is in his first season at Southern University. The New Orleans native was named SU coach last December after his first season as Colorado running backs coach under […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Voting under pressure: The 2026 midterms and Black emotional health
With the midterms weeks away, surveys show deep anxiety among Black voters about rolled-back rights and the fairness of elections, and also strong motivation to vote. Psychologists explain the stress and how to cope.
Posted inEducation
Parent’s analysis challenges Minneapolis school closure plan as board weighs pause
A Minneapolis Public Schools parent with a corporate finance background says the district could fund the staffing and supports in its School Transformation plan without closing schools, for about $20.9 million a year. MSR has not verified her calculations. The school board considers a resolution to pause the plan.
Posted inArts + Culture
African American Civil War Museum reopens with expanded spaces and new exhibit
The African American Civil War Museum in Washington reopened Sept. 30 after a multiyear renovation, with expanded exhibition space and more than 200 new artifacts. Descendants of U.S. Colored Troops joined the ceremony to share the stories behind the names.
Posted inCoaching while Black
SWAC media days offer access and Black voices the Big Ten can’t match
Sports columnist Charles Hallman chose Birmingham over Chicago for a second straight year, covering SWAC basketball media days with near-total access to coaches and players. He has the preseason polls, key voices and a SWAC TV expansion.
Posted inLocal & State
Families of people killed by police rally for Justin Teigen outside Hennepin County Government Center
Seventeen years after her fiancé Justin Teigen died after a 2009 encounter with St. Paul police, Toshira Garraway brought families who say they have been denied records and answers to the steps of the Hennepin County Government Center.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
From advocate to patient: Community health worker shares breast cancer journey at Live, Laugh & Learn
Monisha Washington spent more than a decade helping people navigate health care. Then, at 39, she was diagnosed with breast cancer herself. Editor Jasmine McBride shares her story and the Breast Cancer GAPS Project’s work to close gaps in outcomes for Black women.