MSR CEO and Publisher Tracey Williams-Dillard reflects on the meaning of Juneteenth in a political moment that is testing the durability of hard-won freedoms, and reaffirms the Spokesman-Recorder’s commitment to bearing witness to Black life in all of its complexity, grief and glory.
Minnesota
Posted inEvents
Twin Cities Music and Movement Festival Returns August 22 in Saint Paul
The Twin Cities Music and Movement Festival returns Saturday, Aug. 22 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Western Sculpture Garden Park in Saint Paul for a free day of music, dancing, food trucks, steppin, salsa and community.
Posted inWhat's Hot
MSR What’s Hot This Weekend | June 19–21
MSR’s What’s Hot roundup for June 19-21 features Juneteenth Freedom in Motion, Soul of the Southside on East Lake Street, a free multimedia exhibition and the Twin Cities Jazz Festival all weekend at Mears Park.
Posted inLocal & State
Minnesota Families and Child Care Providers Demand Structural Reform as Costs Spiral
Contributing writer Clint Combs reports on Minnesota’s growing child care crisis, where 87% of day care centers say the industry is in crisis and families like Annel Velasco’s have spent $120,000 on child care, as advocates call for structural reform and universal child care.
Posted inEducation
Macalester’s $88 Million Project Aims to Transform Housing, Sustainability and Campus Connections
Macalester College’s $88 million residence hall and welcome center, currently under construction at Grand Avenue and Macalester Street in St. Paul, will add 224 beds, create a new front door to campus and include a geothermal system designed to expand to additional buildings.
Posted inLocal & State
Minnesota Makes History: Two Incarcerated Students Become First in the Nation to Graduate from ABA-Accredited Law School
Maureen Onyelobi and Jeffery Young made history on June 8 at Minnesota Correctional Facility-Shakopee, becoming the first incarcerated people in the United States to earn juris doctor degrees from an ABA-accredited law school while incarcerated.
Posted inBusiness
Orange Barrels, Empty Tables: East 7th Street Businesses Fight to Survive MnDOT Construction
A seven-month MnDOT reconstruction project on East Seventh Street in St. Paul is threatening the survival of dozens of immigrant- and minority-owned businesses on the East Side corridor, with $5,000 grants covering just one month of a seven-month impact.
Posted inEvents
June at The Dakota: A Month of World-Class Live Music in Downtown Minneapolis
The Dakota at 1010 Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis brings a month of world-class live music in June, featuring Kronos Quartet, John Pizzarelli Trio, Stanley Jordan, Naturally 7 and more at one of the Twin Cities’ most intimate concert venues.
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 inLynx/WNBA
McCowan: Still in the league
Teaira McCowan was preparing for her first extended break from basketball when Cheryl Reeve called. Five minutes later she was a Minnesota Lynx, signing a one-year deal as one of the league’s most accomplished post players enters her eighth WNBA season.
Posted inLocal & State
IWMF Honors Minneapolis Journalist Georgia Fort with Courage in Journalism Award
Minneapolis independent journalist Georgia Fort, founder of BLCK Press and facing federal felony charges for her coverage of a St. Paul protest, has been named a 2026 Courage in Journalism Award recipient by the International Women’s Media Foundation.
Posted inLocal & State
Operation Metro Surge Left Nearly $700 Million in Damage. For Some, the Cost Was Everything.
A sweeping new report estimates Operation Metro Surge inflicted nearly $700 million in economic damage on Minneapolis, with businesses losing $445 million in revenue, workers losing $152 million in wages and three people dead, as Daniel Hernandez prepares to close his third Colonial Market.
Posted inThe Prep Scene
Five who made their mark
Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald highlights five Minnesota student athletes who made their mark this spring, from a Razorbacks sophomore placing second at the NCAA Track and Field Championship to standout performances at the state and city conference levels.
Posted inLocal & State
St. Paul Unveils Statue Honoring William Godette, the City’s First African American Firefighter
St. Paul unveiled a new statue honoring William and Alfred Godette, the city’s pioneering Black firefighters, inside the William and Alfred Godette Memorial Building, with artist Seitu Jones creating a piece designed to ensure every person who walks through the doors stands in their shadows.
Posted inEvents
Siren’s Song: A Tidal RAVE Is Making Waves in St. Paul This June
Sisters of The System and Flowermouthe present Siren’s Song: A Tidal RAVE, a free femme-forward community event blending mermaids, EDM and live performances on June 26 at Vybez World in St. Paul. Space is limited to 150 spots.
Posted inEvents
Line-Ups & Legacy Celebrates Black Fatherhood, Family, and Health on Father’s Day
2nd Chance Outreach presents Line-Ups & Legacy, a theatrical celebration of Black fatherhood set in a neighborhood barbershop, on June 21 at North Central University in Minneapolis, blending live performance with prostate and colon cancer education.
Posted inEvents
Your Guide to Juneteenth 2026 Events Across Minnesota
From Soul of the Southside in Minneapolis to Opal’s Walk for Freedom in St. Paul and celebrations in St. Cloud, Winona, Marshall and beyond, here is your comprehensive guide to Juneteenth 2026 events across Minnesota.
Posted inFood
HEAL After Dark Is Creating the Late-Night Space North Minneapolis Has Always Deserved
HEAL After Dark is open Friday through Sunday from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. at 4171 Lyndale Ave. N. in North Minneapolis, offering plant-forward, scratch-made late-night dining rooted in Southern, Caribbean, Latin and Mediterranean-inspired flavors.
Posted inEvents
Movie on the Farm: Watch Farming While Black Under the Stars This Juneteenth
Frogtown Farm is hosting a free outdoor screening of Farming While Black on June 19 at Frogtown Park and Farm in St. Paul, inviting the community to gather under the evening sky this Juneteenth to reflect on Black land stewardship, food sovereignty and liberation.
Posted inEvents
The 28th Annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival Returns June 19-20 With Free Performances All Weekend
The 28th Annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival brings world-class talent to Mears Park and more than 18 St. Paul venues on June 19 and 20, with all performances free and open to the public in the Lowertown neighborhood of downtown St. Paul.