Minnesota Now: Sept. 17, 2024

The driver who plowed into a group of people in downtown Minneapolis over the weekend is facing second-degree murder and second-degree assault charges following a concerning increase in driving tragedies over the last few months. We’ll look at the data and put it all into context.Minnesota’s charter schools are struggling as they face rampant mismanagement, administrative misconduct and dismal test scores. A reporter behind a sweeping three-part series from the Minnesota Star Tribune looked at where it all went wrong. She joined host Cathy Wurzer to discuss possible solutions.In a new Minnesota Now and Then segment, we heard the Minneapolis origin story of Hilda Simms, a Broadway and Hollywood actor who spoke up against poverty and racism. The author of a new book on Simms joined the show to explain how the Red Scare affected her career.Early voting begins Friday. Listen to learn about efforts to raise voting numbers in the county with some of the lowest participation in the state.Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Blonde” by Rafaella and our Song of the Day was “Simply Days” by Andrea Lyn.