A group called the Minnesota Freedom Fighters has been gaining a lot of attention for its heavily-armed appearances at protests. But at a meet-and-greet event in north Minneapolis Saturday, the group softened its image. In place of tactical vests, guns and stony expressions were a bounce house, music and fighters goofing off with neighborhood kids on an asphalt dance floor. “The misconception is that we're scary Black men with with big guns,” said Jamil Jackson, the group’s commander. “We're not. We're all professional men in our day jobs. We're fathers and husbands, we're uncles, we're...…A group called the Minnesota Freedom Fighters has been gaining a lot of attention for its heavily-armed appearances at protests. But at a meet-and-greet event in north Minneapolis Saturday, the group softened its image. In place of tactical vests, guns and stony expressions were a bounce house, music and fighters goofing off with neighborhood kids on an asphalt dance floor. “The misconception is that we're scary Black men with with big guns,” said Jamil Jackson, the group’s commander. “We're not. We're all professional men in our day jobs. We're fathers and husbands, we're uncles, we're...WW…

With school in session virtually and more time spent at home, Jared Olafson’s and his neighbor’s kids thought it would be fun to connect their two ice rinks on the Warroad River. Their dads got to work — and then kept going.They’ve now connected seven rinks and cleared even more ice, creating a skate path that spans 2.5 miles. They call it the Riverbend Skate Path.“It’s been phenomenal. With this mild winter that we’ve been having, there’s people on it day and night,” Olafson said. “It’s getting to be where I’ll look out and there will be headlamps bobbing along at 10 o’clock at night.”It’s...…With school in session virtually and more time spent at home, Jared Olafson’s and his neighbor’s kids thought it would be fun to connect their two ice rinks on the Warroad River. Their dads got to work — and then kept going.They’ve now connected seven rinks and cleared even more ice, creating a skate path that spans 2.5 miles. They call it the Riverbend Skate Path.“It’s been phenomenal. With this mild winter that we’ve been having, there’s people on it day and night,” Olafson said. “It’s getting to be where I’ll look out and there will be headlamps bobbing along at 10 o’clock at night.”It’s...WW…

This is part of a  looking at how the community has transformed the site of George Floyd’s killing — 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis — and at the people behind its transformation. It is the culmination of reporting over several months, and a partnership with South High School to engage neighborhood youth in telling their community’s story.On Dec. 4, Minneapolis police officers chased an alleged, armed carjacking suspect into the south Minneapolis intersection that residents and activists have been holding as an autonomous zone called George Floyd’s...…This is part of a  looking at how the community has transformed the site of George Floyd’s killing — 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis — and at the people behind its transformation. It is the culmination of reporting over several months, and a partnership with South High School to engage neighborhood youth in telling their community’s story.On Dec. 4, Minneapolis police officers chased an alleged, armed carjacking suspect into the south Minneapolis intersection that residents and activists have been holding as an autonomous zone called George Floyd’s...WW…

This is part of a  looking at how the community has transformed the site of George Floyd’s killing — 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis — and at the people behind its transformation. It is the culmination of reporting over several months, and a partnership with South High School to engage neighborhood youth in telling their community’s story.As winter closes in, volunteers at George Floyd’s Square have been crossing items off of a long punch list: that stands in the intersection, build a greenhouse for the raised garden beds, build warming huts for volunteers. It goes...…This is part of a  looking at how the community has transformed the site of George Floyd’s killing — 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis — and at the people behind its transformation. It is the culmination of reporting over several months, and a partnership with South High School to engage neighborhood youth in telling their community’s story.As winter closes in, volunteers at George Floyd’s Square have been crossing items off of a long punch list: that stands in the intersection, build a greenhouse for the raised garden beds, build warming huts for volunteers. It goes...WW…

This is the start of a looking at how the community has transformed the site of George Floyd’s killing — 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis — and at the people behind its transformation. It is the culmination of reporting over several months, and a partnership with South High School to engage neighborhood youth in telling their community’s story.Mauri Friestleben’s phone wouldn’t rest. Alert after alert punctuated her morning like little sirens warning of trouble. She handed it to her husband.“Will you look at this? I don’t know what this is,” asked. “I’ll never forget, he...…This is the start of a looking at how the community has transformed the site of George Floyd’s killing — 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis — and at the people behind its transformation. It is the culmination of reporting over several months, and a partnership with South High School to engage neighborhood youth in telling their community’s story.Mauri Friestleben’s phone wouldn’t rest. Alert after alert punctuated her morning like little sirens warning of trouble. She handed it to her husband.“Will you look at this? I don’t know what this is,” asked. “I’ll never forget, he...WW…