Social Issues

Welfare revisions scheduled to take effect Tuesday are on hold after a county judge blocked the state from cutting benefits to thousands of low-income families. Ramsey County District Judge Judith Tilsen halted the benefit cuts with a temporary restraining order Monday, saying she was concerned that some of the changes were being made without federal approval.

Many in Minnesota's child care industry are bracing for a shake-up starting in July, when changes to the state human services budget take effect. Lawmakers saved $86 million this spring through cuts to child care subsidies -- even more than the governor originally proposed. Some child care providers say the drop in state assistance will mean lower quality care, and may drive them out of business. The cuts' architects say the industry is over-reacting, and nothing so dramatic is in store.

Duluth is tearing down its only public housing project. When the Harbor View Homes were built in 1951, housing for low-income people was separated from everyone else. That's changing now, and most residents are pleased.

A look at the issues effecting gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgendered people nationally and in Minnesota.

The term housework often is synonymous with drudgery and the antiquated notion of "women's work". The author of a new book re-examines domestic arts that illuminate the past and enhance our daily lives.

The Star Tribune has dropped its nine-year-old ban on using American Indian team nicknames on its sports pages. Editor Anders Gyllenhaal made the announcement in a column June 8, saying the newspaper was trying "to strike a balance between a commitment to accuracy and the need for sensitivity." He said that instead of a ban, "editors and reporters will use judgment and care to produce respectful coverage." MPR's All Things Considered host Lorna Benson talks with Gyllenhaal.

Starting in July, child care will become more expensive for thousands of Minnesota families. To help balance the state budget, lawmakers approved cuts in state child care subsidies. Overall the changes are projected to save the state more than $86 million over the next two years. But the cuts may have a secondary effect: Driving some lower-income, working families onto the welfare rolls.

Duluth's memorial to the victims of a 1920 lynching is coming together on a downtown corner. A memorial wall, plantings, and bronze reliefs of the victims will be in place in a special downtown park by October.

Minnesota's concealed carry law has been in effect for a little over a week. In that time, private establishments across the state have put up signs banning guns on their premises. Now, Minnesota counties and cities are following suit. However, the law may not be on their side.

A new study says poverty is less concentrated in some major cities in the U.S., including Minneapolis. But does this really mean that the poverty picture is improving?