From braiding studios to a youth barber training program, University Avenue’s beauty and grooming businesses are building more than haircuts. This piece, sponsored by Neighborhood Development Center, spotlights the owners behind the corridor’s Hidden GEMS.
Minnesota
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Nurses and Doctors Demand Binding Protections Before Sutter Health Acquires Allina
Allina Health workers are demanding legally binding protections before Sutter Health’s proposed acquisition closes, after California union members warned Minnesota nurses about understaffing and broken commitments at Sutter facilities.
Posted inDigital Editions
MSR Digital Edition 50 for July 16 – July 22, 2026
The MSR Digital Edition 50 for July 16 – July 22, 2026 is now live. Explore community news, sports, arts, and events. Edition 50, Volume 92.
Posted inLocal & State
For this foundation CEO, leadership starts with “clarity is kind”Â
Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation President and CEO Chanda Smith Baker is opening up about leadership beyond the resume in her new series, “Power of Possible: Leadership Edition.” Contributing writer Destiny Kromah has the story.
Posted inLocal & State
City of Minneapolis leaders request emergency funds to rehabilitate Heritage Park
Minneapolis is proposing $2.5 million to support Heritage Park residents facing mold and unsafe conditions, as the city and MPHA prepare for possible relocation. Digital Editor Aaliyah Demry has the details.
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight
Tribe Federal Credit Union brings community-rooted banking to Midtown
Tribe Federal Credit Union, the nation’s first provisionally chartered credit union, opened its doors at Midtown Global Market, bringing a mission-driven financial institution to South Minneapolis. Contributing writer Fela Jamal has the story.
Posted inLocal & State
Minneapolis residents, leaders to protest Skydio drone program at Federal Courthouse Plaza
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.
Posted inEducation
After a fight for a permit, Veritas Academy is still standingÂ
Susie Brooks survived a childhood shaped by trauma in Kenya to found Veritas Academy, a classical Christian school in North Branch that’s grown into a home for international and residential students. Contributing writer Fela Jamal has her story.
Posted inArts + Culture
New Minneapolis mural imagines Black and Indigenous futures among the starsÂ
Leslie Barlow’s new 66-by-33-foot mural, “Belonging to the Entire Universe,” brings Afrofuturism and Mae Jemison’s legacy to downtown Minneapolis. Callisto Martinez reports on the piece and the artist behind it.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
How four Black women bosses define wellness
Four Black women leaders across ministry, disability care, water healing and the arts share what wellness means to them, and how they’ve built leadership around it. Contributing writer Tiffany Johnson has their stories.
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 inThe Prep Scene
Former prep stars making their mark
From an NBA Summer League roster spot to a new MSHSL leadership role, sports columnist Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald rounds up five Twin Cities prep standouts making moves.
Posted inBlacklight On Sports
Blacklight on Sports: Joshua Brown on Going Pro, Playing for the Lynx, and a 51-Point Farewell to the Canary Islands
From a late-blooming role player at Park Center to a 51-point farewell in the Canary Islands, Joshua Brown joins Blacklight on Sports to talk about five years at Duluth, his first pro season, and life as a Minnesota Lynx practice player.
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 inEvents
Minneapolis non-profit to Host Revolutionary Teach-In During Black August
Blackbird Revolt is hosting a Revolutionary Teach-In during Black August, bringing Black and brown artists, educators and organizers together for a day of political education and community building in Minneapolis.
Posted inEvents
Free cooking classes to teach Black traditional plant-based dishes in Minneapolis
Edible Boulevards is hosting free Roots cooking classes this summer, teaching traditional Ethiopian and plant-based dishes rooted in Black and African American culinary culture. Digital Editor Aaliyah Demry has the schedule.
Posted inTracey’s Keepin' It Real
Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real: Frank Brown and Tina Schlief on Customer Service, Communication, and the Dos and Don’ts of Doing Business
“The customer is always right” is a myth, says Minuteman Press Uptown owner Frank Brown. On this episode of Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real, Brown and consumer Tina Schlief join host Tracey Williams-Dillard for a candid conversation about customer service, communication and why Black-owned businesses need to stop offering discounts on request.