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.
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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.
Posted inFirst Educator
How Jim West turned curiosity into invention
Author Ainissa Ramirez tells columnist Dr. Artika R. Tyner why she wrote “Spark,” a picture book about Black inventor Jim West, who created the microphone, and how parents and caregivers can turn it into curiosity-building literacy time at home.
Posted inArts + Culture
“What We Inherit” exhibit at St. Thomas traces 1838 Jesuit slave sale and the work of repair
A traveling exhibit at the University of St. Thomas traces the 1838 Jesuit sale of 314 enslaved people and the repair work descendants and Jesuits are doing together. Descendant Monique Trusclair Maddox calls it “an American story.”
Posted inThe Prep Scene
Five inducted into St. Paul Central’s C Club Athletic Hall of Fame
Five former student athletes were inducted into the St. Paul Central C Club Athletic Hall of Fame on Oct. 5. Sports columnist Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald has the Class of 2026.
Posted inNews
Frey nominates Bill Peterson as MPD chief, drawing opposition
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has nominated interim Police Chief Bill Peterson to lead the department permanently, and an advocacy group is urging the City Council to reject him. The Council will hold a public hearing before it votes.
Posted inMSR In the News
Minneapolis commission backs National Register listing for Spokesman-Recorder building
The Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the Minneapolis Spokesman and St. Paul Recorder Headquarters Building be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, calling the recognition long overdue.
Sponsored
$3.2 million Keg House Commons project brings local Black ownership to historic St. Paul space
A historic West Seventh Street building is being reborn as Keg House Commons, a fitness, wellness, arts and event hub led by St. Paul developer Dalton Outlaw. Sponsored by GroundBreak Coalition, the $3.2 million project is expected to open to the public later this month.
Posted inLocal & State
Cultural Wellness Center breaks ground on Dreamland on 38th, a Black-led hub in South Minneapolis
Community elders, county leaders and longtime supporters broke ground Oct. 10 on Dreamland on 38th, the future home of the Cultural Wellness Center’s Cultural Wellness University, an $8 million Black-owned, Black-developed and Black-led project.
Posted inJames on Jazz
Salvant had the Dakota at hello
Grammy-winning vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant returned to the Dakota with pianist Adam Birnbaum for a captivating second set, earning a standing ovation and an encore from a nearly sold-out room.
Posted inMSR On the Radar
LeBrent Speed builds intentional networks for Black entrepreneurs, combining commerce and community
LeBrent Speed founded The Better Black Business (B3) Project to combine commerce and community for Black entrepreneurs and authentic allies. He talks with MSR On the Radar about serving before selling, his new book and expanding to new cities.
Posted inBlacklight On Sports
Reggie Wilson and Alexis Rogers on Building Community, Losing Jobs, and Finding Purpose Beyond the Anchor Desk
For the first time, Blacklight on Sports welcomes a husband and wife. Reggie Wilson and Alexis Rogers, who both made history at KARE 11, talk layoffs, faith and building their storytelling business, I Speak People.
Posted inJobs & Notices
Hiring: In-House Sales Representative
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder is hiring an In-House Sales Representative to help advertising customers, follow up on inquiries and build lasting relationships. The role is in-office and pays $20 an hour plus commission.
Posted inTake Care with Nurse Felicia
Well together: Community as medicine
Chronic stress wears down the body the way weather wears down a house. This health column explains “weathering,” why connection interrupts it, and simple ways to build community that protects your health.
Posted inFinance
What did your family teach you about money?
Your relationship with money didn’t start with you. In this column, the author builds a Money Genogram to trace the financial messages passed down through family, and shows how questioning them can change your financial future.
Posted inAnother View
Black fans remain a rare sight at Twins games
The Twins had the most Black players in the American League this year, but Black fans remain a rare sight at Target Field. Sports columnist Charles Hallman asks what it will take to bring them out to the ballpark.
Posted inAnother View
Twins’ Black players reflect on a ‘special’ clubhouse
The Minnesota Twins ended 2026 with a league-high five Black players and a Black coach, a fact the team’s own final game notes skipped. Sports columnist Charles Hallman held exit interviews with all six.