Social Issues

HUGE Improv Theater, a Minneapolis comedy hub for nearly 20 years, to close in October
Due to financial challenges, HUGE Improv Theater in Minneapolis will close permanently at the end of October. The announcement comes less than a month after two leaders resigned amid concerns about diversity and inclusion.
Minnesota appeals court rejects objection to support dog in sexual abuse trial
In July 2023, a Stearns County jury found Jairo Fernandez Sorto guilty of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for abusing a teenage girl for years starting when she was eight. Stearns County’s facility dog, Nova, was present in the courtroom as the 15-year-old testified.
Rural Voice: How to build more civic-minded communities
MPR News host Kerri Miller took her Rural Voice series to Red Wing on Thursday to talk with community members and political scientist Brian Klaas about how to build a new spirit of civic engagement in rural Minnesota.
With costs ballooning, what’s the future of universal school lunch programs?
The program is popular, but it’s already costing the state more money than expected — the estimated price tag is about $480 million for the first two years. Minnesota isn’t the only state to implement a program like this, nor was it the first.
Talking Sense: Navigating relationships across political divides
Has political polarization challenged relationships in your life? A Minnesota couple in a politically mixed marriage talks with two therapists and MPR News correspondent Catharine Richert about how to stay connected with family and friends, even when you disagree about politics.
When a final resting place erodes away, who is responsible for preserving human remains?
A boy recently found historic human remains along the shore of Lake Superior. His discovery reveals a serious issue facing cemeteries along bodies of water.
How to reduce chronic absenteeism
Summer is over and kids are back in school — but are they? MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about chronic absenteeism — why it matters, who it impacts and what we can do to boost attendance.