Social Issues

House DFLers are trying to pass paid family leave, but the plan faces a hurdle in the Republican-controlled Senate.
Preparing to return to work, after a life derailed by drugs
"Drugs have taken their toll, but I can get back to that person I used to be," says Johnny Petty, who's getting help from a Minneapolis-based program that pairs drug treatment with job counseling and affordable housing.
ChangeMakers: Black Minnesotans making history
A series of profiles of black Minnesotans making history throughout the state. The series of portraits and interviews will run through February in honor of Black History Month.
WHO warns of dire conditions, deaths of children at refugee camp in Syria
More than 20,000 people, mostly women and children, have arrived at the Al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria in just two months. The World Health Organization says aid workers are struggling to keep up.
Lincoln billboard removed in Duluth after outcry over forgotten history
A billboard featuring an image of Abraham Lincoln was intended to portray a positive message. But its placement near a Native American mural created a stir over the president's role in a dark chapter in Minnesota history.
News of Jussie Smollet attack rattles LGBTQ community
For people who identify as a member of both the LGBTQ community and a person of color, it can be challenging to find a safe space. Feelings of vulnerability are even more visceral in the wake of this week's violent attack on Jussie Smollett.
'Emergency situation' for Twin Cities homeless people as deadly cold sets in
Homeless people in the Twin Cities are being forced to sleep in light rail trains or on the streets during this week's stretch of deadly cold temperatures as most shelters are full in Minneapolis and St. Paul.