Voters headed to the polls in Hennepin County tomorrow are most likely mentally prepared for the potential of long waits and other aggravations like traffic, the weather and people with little regard for social distancing during a pandemic. Insight News cannot cure those ills, but we can hel…

Yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit announced its decision to eliminate Minnesota's established seven-day grace period for accepting absentee ballots for next week’s general election.

At the Ironworkers Local 512 Training Center in St. Paul, Governor Tim Walz signed the $1.9 billion Local Jobs and Projects Plan that will invest in construction and renovation projects across the state and create thousands of jobs for Minnesotans. The bill received overwhelming bipartisan s…

If you are a person who has been denied COVID-19 testing in Hennepin County, then fellows from the Center for Health Equity/CDC Public Health Associate Program through the Minnesota Department of Health should hear from you. 

Last Friday night a growing coalition of women and community members gathered at the intersection of Logan & Lowry Avenue North for the first in a series of events that aim to support violence prevention and offer healing for families experiencing collective trauma in North Minneapolis. …

Ten people who came to Minnesota as refugees will receive awards this month for making a difference in their communities.

PayPal Holdings, Inc. named Neighborhood Development Center as one of 20 nonprofit community partners that will receive grants and contributions totaling $5 million to support Black-owned businesses across the U.S. in their recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants are pa…

Especially in the areas of education, health, housing and public safety, a common refrain during legislative hearings is that Minnesota has some of the worst — if not the worst — racial disparities in the country.

A group of Somali Americans face deportation according to the Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN). Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (MN-5) says at least one detainee has tested positive for COVID-19 and others show symptoms of the disease.  

North Memorial Health is committed to the health and safety of its customers and the communities they live in, and that includes providing unrestricted access to accurate, prompt COVID-19 test services. North Memorial Health was one of the first healthcare organizations in Minnesota to broad…

Former Classical 24 overnight host Garrett McQueen last Thursday announced his firing from Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) from his social media accounts. McQueen was the only Black classical music host.  

Simone Hardeman-Jones has been named the founding Executive Director of the GreenLight Fund Twin Cities. Hardeman-Jones will partner with community, industry, entrepreneurial and philanthropic leaders to bring social innovation solutions to the Twin Cities that fill unmet local needs, help b…

At a press conference Monday morning, community members and local leaders from Minneapolis, Hennepin County and the State of Minnesota discussed their concerns about making sure everyone is counted by the September 30 Census deadline.

Reconstruction assistance in parts of Minneapolis and St. Paul damaged or destroyed by civil unrest could be available to make the area more energy efficient.

The Twin Cities based Crimson and Cream Foundation, established in 1996, recently awarded four high school seniors academic scholarships. One of the four scholars, Dylan Vincent, received this year’s title scholarship which is named in honor of Willie F. Adams.

Our community lost a hero with the passing of James Edward Bransford on July 31 at the age of 89. Jim was a mentor, advocate and counselor to many generations of people who were addressing issues of addiction, domestic violence and the resulting criminal charges.

Alberder Gillespie and Laverne Knighton are fighting the same battle but in two different areas. Gillespie and Knighton are two leaders in the Twin Cities political landscape and the Tuesday, August 11 primary is a big day for them. Gillespie and Knighton were guests on “Conversations” with …

In a special legislative session, the Minnesota House and Senate bowed to public pressure and passed a sweeping package of police reforms in the form of  Minnesota Police Accountability Act of 2020. 

Recent incidents such as the murders of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, KY have had a huge impact on society. Now, more than ever, “Generation Z” is stepping up and speaking out.

Today, Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, along with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), announced Minnesota’s Safe Learning Plan for the 2020-21 School Year.

The Sanneh Foundation recently announced the award of a $2 Million transformational grant from Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation. This investment will advance the Sanneh Foundation’s  Lead The Way Campaign which has been an on-going commitment to improve the physical and social environmen…

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) announced via Twitter that education leaders will finally reveal the state's strategy for the 2020-21 school year on July 30. Gov. Tim Walz is scheduled to join them.

Before the end of the month, the Minnesota Department of Education and Minnesota Department of Health will share their determination on the educational delivery model that they believe will be in the best interest of the health and safety of Twin Cities students, parents, school staff, and s…

Since the Memorial Day death of George Floyd under the knee of a former Minneapolis police officer, calls have grown louder for police reforms and accountability changes.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison today joined a coalition of 23 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to block a new Trump Administration rule that makes it easier for health care providers and insurance companies to discriminate against certain vulnerable and protected classes of Am…

The Minnesota House of Representatives today voted to declare racism a public health crisis.

For some Minnesotans, a lost job or unexpected expenses have put their housing at risk. In response to this, today at West Broadway Crescent Apartments, Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan announced a $100 million housing assistance program to help prevent evictions, prevent homelessness…

Approximately 7,000 Minnesota child care providers will be eligible for $56.6 million in funds to help ensure children’s and staff’s health and safety in their child care settings during COVID-19. The new COVID-19 Public Health Support Funds for Child Care program is specifically designed to…

A Minnesota House of Representatives committee today advanced a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis, with a final vote on the House floor likely to occur Monday, July 20.

Del Shea Perry has waited a long time to learn the truth about what happened to her son, Hardel Sherrell, when he was detained in Beltrami County jail.  In 2018, Sherrell walked into Beltrami County Jail and nine days later, on September 4, he was “carried out in a body bag,” said Perry. Sta…

Antone Melton-Meaux is seeking to unseat incumbent US Representative Ilhan Omar, who represents Minnesota’s fifth congressional distirct. Melton-Meaux is aiming at winning the DFL nomination in the August Primary Election on Tues., Aug 11. The winner of that contest will face a Republican pa…

Join the Minnesota Historical Society for a virtual publication celebration for Minnesota's Black Community in the 21st Century with Anthony Scott, Dr. Chaunda L. Scott, and Dr. Charles Crutchfield III in conversation with Insight News founder and publisher, Al McFarlane.

For the second time in as many months the House and Senate will meet in a special session.

The Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery (MAAHMG) is bringing together amazing artists to paint "Black Lives Matter" on the street on Plymouth Avenue in support of the movement for racial justice sparked by the killing of George Floyd.

The impact of climate change on Minnesota state parks

The 2020 primary election kicked off on June 26 with the start of absentee voting. This year, Hennepin County is emphasizing the ability to vote by mail to ensure all eligible residents can safely participate during the COVID-19

This summer marks the 15th FLOW Northside Arts Crawl, a three-day celebration of the arts in North Minneapolis, July 30–Aug 1, 2020.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Governor Tim Walz, and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan last week announced a commitment by 31 Minnesota financial institutions to provide mortgage-relief options to customers facing financial hardship caused by COVID-19 for homeowners not covered …

On the fourth anniversary of his death, Valerie Castile, mother of Philando Castile, announced updated language to the Minnesota Driver’s Manual with state safety officials. She has tirelessly advocated for changes in the manual since her son was fatally shot in 2016 by Jeronimo Yanez, a Sai…

The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners has passed a resolution declaring racism as a public health crisis.