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.
Izzy Canizares
Posted inLocal & State
Fight for incarcerated Minnesotans’ protections carries high stakes for Black community
Despite legislative stalemates on pre-trial data collection and cash bail reform, Minnesota advocates push forward to address systemic racial disparities and expand healthcare access for incarcerated individuals.
Posted inPolitics
Beating the odds: Flanagan wins big in Minnesota, poised to make Senate history
Peggy Flanagan won Minnesota’s DFL Senate primary in a landslide despite being significantly outspent, positioning her to become the first Ojibwe U.S. senator in history. Contributing writer Izzy Canizares breaks down the race against Angie Craig and what it means for November.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Restriction of medical care among incarcerated people keeps treatment from those who need it
While Minnesota prisons have daily medical staff, county jails rely on a patchy network of private providers. The newly enacted Larry R. Hill Medical Reform Act aims to mandate prescription access, if county jails actually enforce it.
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, 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 inHealth + Wellness
HCMC secures $205 million in funding in a last-minute legislative bill
Governor Walz signed a health and human services bill securing $205 million in stabilization funding for Hennepin Healthcare Medical Center, which had been at risk of closure after eight years of operational losses, with 75% of its patients uninsured or on public insurance.
Posted inLocal & State
“Modern-day slavery:” How Minnesota’s prison labor pipeline begins before conviction
Over 40% of Minnesota’s pre-trial jail population is Black, and once convicted, many are funneled into prison work programs paying as little as 50 cents an hour. The End Slavery Minnesota Coalition says it is not rehabilitation. It is exploitation.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
New South Minneapolis Clinic Promises to Make Healthcare More Accessible to Residents Regardless of Insurance
Southside Community Health Services has opened a new $30 million East Lake Street Clinic in South Minneapolis, offering medical, dental, vision and behavioral health services for residents with and without insurance in one of the city’s most underserved corridors.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Residents Rally Behind HCMC, Which Finds State Funding Days Before End of Legislative Session
HCMC went from facing closure to securing a promised $205 million in state funding after a legislative deal brokered by Gov. Tim Walz, as residents and health care leaders rallied at a public forum hosted by Attorney General Keith Ellison.