Social Issues

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.
Ready to Depolarize? Try ‘Walk a Mile in My News’
Are you interested in better understanding where someone with different political views is coming from? Have someone in mind? Ask them to “Walk a Mile in My News!”
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.
Support dog's presence didn't bias sex abuse trial, Minnesota appeals court rules
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.
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.
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.