From performing for Maya Angelou at age 10 to winning an Emmy for her documentary, Rondo native PaviElle French has spent her life refining a craft that blends soul, theater, and community activism
Minnesota
Posted inOdds and Ends
Softball in color
MSR sports columnist Charles Hallman covers the 2026 Summit League Softball Championship at the University of Minnesota, spotlighting the Black players who stood out, including Omaha’s Bailey Sample and St. Thomas sophomores Zoe Trotter and Miley Wichman.
Posted inLocal & State
St. Paul publisher named to national list of top solo entrepreneurs
Dr. Artika R. Tyner, founder of Planting People Growing Justice Press and Bookstore in St. Paul, has been named a 2026 Zoom Solopreneur 50 honoree, selected from nearly 2,800 applicants across 48 states.
Posted inPolitics
Clock ticks as MN gun bill stalls in House
A sweeping gun reform bill banning semi-automatic assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines passed the Minnesota Senate 34-33 on May 4, but faces an uncertain future in the House as the legislative session nears its end.
Posted inFinance
Chase opens community branch in Minneapolis’ Longfellow neighborhood
Chase has opened a new Community Center branch in Minneapolis’ Longfellow neighborhood, bringing financial education, free workshops and expanded banking access to South Minneapolis as part of the bank’s continued Twin Cities expansion.
Posted inLocal & State
As food insecurity grows in North Minneapolis, neighbors turn to technology and community farming for solutions
Fourteen Twin Cities advocates traveled to Duluth for the Metro Food Justice Network summit, returning with renewed purpose and a clearer picture of the work ahead, including a new digital platform designed to address food insecurity block by block in North Minneapolis.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
HCMC could close in June. Lawmakers have two weeks to stop it
Hennepin County Medical Center could begin closing in June if lawmakers fail to reach a funding deal before the legislative session ends May 18, as the hospital faces a financial crisis years in the making and federal Medicaid cuts that threaten to deepen the damage.
Posted inFashion
The future of fashion: Howard and U of M experts decode 2026 trends
Two fashion professors from Howard University and the University of Minnesota break down the clothing trends defining 2026, from bold graphic prints and jellies to elevated athleisure, the messy girl aesthetic and a growing push for sustainability.
Posted inEvents
Perry Talks Returns for Rise & Remember Festival With a Powerful Lineup and an Urgent Message
The 2026 Perry Talks symposium takes place May 25 during the Rise & Remember Festival at George Floyd Square, featuring a keynote from Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta and a panel including MSR CEO Tracey Williams-Dillard on racial justice and First Amendment rights.
Posted inOpinion
Smart PFAS policy should protect health, not create new barriers
Edwardo Rikprashad argues that Minnesota’s new PFAS reporting law, while well-intentioned, risks creating new barriers for small contractors and developers before the state’s reporting system is ready to handle real-world conditions.
Posted inAnother View, Twins/MLB
Two Black aces, one rotation: Taj Bradley and Simeon Woods Richardson make history in Minnesota
Twins pitchers Taj Bradley and Simeon Woods Richardson are one of the rarest sights in MLB, two Black starting pitchers on the same team, and both say the bond they have built is making them better.
Posted inBlacklight On Sports
Blacklight on Sports: Johnny Allen Jr. and the JK Movement
this episode of Blacklight on Sports, host Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald sits down with Johnny Allen Jr., founder of the JK Movement, a St. Paul youth development organization rooted in the Rondo community that has served young people for 15 years.
Posted inOn the Radar
On the Radar: Chef Jametta Raspberry of House of Gristle
On the Radar host Damenica Ellis sits down with Chef Jametta Raspberry, founder of House of Gristle, to discuss her journey from corporate life to culinary school, feeding protesters during the 2020 uprising and building a brand rooted in Black culture and hospitality.
Posted inYouth Financial Education
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder launches Youth Financial Education Series
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder Multimedia Group is launching a new eight-part Youth Financial Education Series in May 2026, supported by JPMorgan Chase, covering real-world financial milestones for young people ages 18 to 25.
Posted inWhat's Hot
MSR What’s Hot This Weekend | May 8-10
Mother’s Day weekend is here and the Twin Cities has a full lineup of ways to celebrate, from the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden Art Fair to a Mother’s Day brunch and more.
Posted inDigital Editions
MSR Digital Edition 40 for May 7 -May 13, 2026
The MSR Digital Edition 40 for May 7 – May 13, 2026 is now live. Explore community news, sports, arts, and events. Edition 40, Volume 92.
Posted inOdds and Ends
WNBA season 30 tips off Friday with a revamped Lynx roster and a new TV deal
The 2026 WNBA season tips off Friday, May 8, with two new teams, a new CBA and a Minnesota Lynx roster that looks drastically different after key departures and new additions including rookie Olivia Miles.
Posted inEducation
North Memorial Health and West Broadway Rising open doors for Northside youth exploring healthcare careers
High school students from Exploration High School got a behind-the-scenes look at North Memorial Health through a new partnership with West Broadway Rising, connecting Northside youth to healthcare careers in their own community.
Posted inTicket Giveway
Win Tickets to See Ja Rule at Mystic Lake This Saturday
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder is giving away two tickets to see Ja Rule live at the Mystic Showroom at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel on Saturday, May 9. Enter by Thursday, May 7 at noon.
Posted inLocal & State
How redlining and systemic gaps leave communities vulnerable to disaster
Natural disasters hit low-income communities and communities of color hardest. MSR staff writer Damenica Ellis examines why, from the 2011 North Minneapolis tornado to the role of redlining in shaping disaster vulnerability today.