Author

Avatar

Hannah Black

Hannah Black is a freelance journalist in the Twin Cities. Most recently she covered city government, public safety and business for an east metro newspaper.

From the ashes a new sense of purpose on Lake Street

By: - July 24, 2020

On May 29, KB Balla was working a shift as a firefighter in Brooklyn Center when a friend called with news: He’d just driven down East Lake Street in Minneapolis. That’s where Balla had recently opened his sports bar called Scores. “He called me like, ‘Man, if you can make it out here, come check […]

Powderhorn Park neighborhood residents want a solution to homeless encampments by Friday

By: - June 17, 2020

Tresa Kier is one of about 100 people who have moved into a homeless encampment in Powderhorn Park after officials shut down a nearby former Sheraton hotel, which volunteers had turned into a shelter. For now, Kier is content sleeping in her small, one-person tent in the park. She said she’s looking forward to getting a […]

Bail increased to $1.25 million for former officer Derek Chauvin

By: - June 8, 2020

Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin’s bail was increased Monday afternoon as he appeared in court for the first time facing a second-degree murder charger after he was captured on video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd for eight minutes. Chauvin is also charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of […]

ACLU of Minnesota files class action lawsuit against state, local police, alleging journalists were targeted

By: - June 3, 2020

The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota has filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of journalists, alleging Minneapolis and several city and state police officials deliberately targeted media during recent protests.  The lawsuit, filed late Tuesday in federal court, follows a wave of incidents in which journalists were arrested and hit with various projectiles […]

Tanker truck’s last delivery before near miss was to a Black owned south side gas station, whose owner is sticking up for the driver

By: - June 2, 2020

When Lonnie McQuirter saw a video of a tanker truck driving through protestors on 35W Sunday, he recognized it as the one that had just delivered to his south Minneapolis gas station. “Immediately, my heart sank,” said McQuirter, whose service station is something of a south Minneapolis institution. McQuirter wanted to make sure he had […]

Local government cash crunch coming as expenses up, tax receipts down

By: - May 18, 2020

Minnesota cities and counties face massive uncertainty as they try to prepare their budgets, facing unknown new costs to deal with COVID-19 and the prospect of a collapse in revenue.  Local governments have faced a slew of unexpected expenses, even as they fear residents will be late on their property tax bills — if they […]

3M water settlement could leave east metro communities and families short

By: - April 22, 2020

East metro communities and families dealing with potentially dangerous 3M chemicals that leached into the water supply are still fighting to make sure they aren’t on the hook for millions of dollars in cleanup costs.  Minnesota and 3M settled a lawsuit for $850 million in 2018 over cleanup of “forever chemicals” that the corporate giant […]