Social Issues

Minneapolis police chief says he was unaware of new hire's past excessive force allegations
Chief Brian O'Hara said he did not know a new officer allegedly used excessive force in a previous job before signing off on his hiring. Tyler Timberlake, who’s white, used a stun gun on Lamonta Gladney, who’s Black, and pressed his knees into his neck and back in 2020 in Fairfax County, Va.
BBC suspends host accused of paying a teen $45K for sexually explicit photos
The alleged victim’s mother says for three years, a BBC star funded her teen’s drug habit in exchange for explicit photos. It’s the latest scandal to rock Britain’s beleaguered public broadcaster.
Here's who controls the $50 billion opioid settlement funds in each state
As money is funneled to states, opioid councils wield significant power in determining how it gets spent. They face concerns about conflicts of interest and lack of representation by affected groups.
When 'Chocolate Rain' ruled the internet: Anti-racism song captured Minneapolis and beyond
In 2007, Adam Bahner — aka Tay Zonday, a 25-year-old biracial man living in Minneapolis —created a song and video decrying racism that captured millions and millions of views.
The CDC is helping states address gun injuries after years of political roadblocks
A grant program gives states a path around a 1996 federal rule that prohibits the CDC from advocating gun control — a rule critics say has had a chilling effect on studying who has been shot and how.
Moorhead prepares to raise a monument to a long forgotten soldier
Later this summer historians in Moorhead will install a statue on a city corner to honor a Black Civil War veteran. Moorhead might seem like an odd place for such a memorial, but the idea is to recognize a long-forgotten piece of history.
Minnesota Health Commissioner Dr. Brooke Cunningham is on a mission to tackle racial health disparities 
MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Minnesota Health Commissioner Dr. Brooke Cunningham. She’s a sociologist, a primary care doctor and has big ideas for improving equity in health care.