Columnists

Regular Columnists

Ed Felien  •  Elaine Klaassen  •  Polly Mann  •  Tony Bouza  •  David Tilsen  •  Debra Keefer Ramage  •  Stephanie Fox  •  Johnny Hazard 

 


Clyde

BY DAVID TILSEN Clyde Bellecourt Nee-gon-we-way-we-dun, “Thunder Before the Storm,” left his mortal body on the evening of Jan. 11, 2022. He left behind an Indian community, a city, and a world that is changed for the better because of his work and sacrifice. A man of principle, a man…

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The Native American community needs infrastructure support

BY DAVID TILSEN Sixteen urban Indian organizations recently announced they are seeking private and public support to construct buildings to increase the capacity of organizations dealing with education, health care, affordable housing and Native culture. The junction of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers was originally an important intersection of commerce…

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The new City Council divide

BY CAM GORDON On Jan. 10, the new Minneapolis City Council met for the first time, elected new leadership and approved new committee assignments. It also revealed an interesting council divide. While the historic election of former vice president and Ward 8 council member Andrea Jenkins as the new council…

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Migrants in Mexico

BY JOHNNY HAZARD The recent history of immigration through Mexico to the United States is one of “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss,” of the realization that the arrival of liberal or moderate presidents in both countries has not led to an examination or reversal of the…

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How to get rich

BY TONY BOUZA Grinding poverty concentrates the mind powerfully. If you’re so smart, why aren’t you rich? Money talks … We live in a merciless capitalist society. You’re either at the table or on the menu. My reaction to such cruelty? Bravo! There’s never been a more generous economic idea…

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Rest in Power, Brother Mel Reeves

BY ED FELIEN The following is correspondence between Mel Reeves and me. On Aug. 2, 2013, I wrote to Mel, “We’re planning a demo at the MPD Federation headquarters under the slogan: ‘Get rid of bullies, racist thugs and murderers!’ Would you like to participate? Speak about Terrance Franklin? Can…

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Thank you, Jeremy Schroeder

BY ED FELIEN Last July we called Jeremy Schroeder “The foolish public servant who wants to do good.” We wrote: “When I was a small boy attending Mass at St. Helena’s Church, I remember a sermon by my favorite priest, Father Don Schnitzius. The way Father Don told the story…

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There’s truly no place like it!

BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Home safe home These days, for a lot of us, our homes are a refuge from the dangerous world out there. The experience many of us had of “sheltering in place” has possibly given us a new appreciation of the good points as well as the…

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What do you want at Lake and Nicollet?

BY ED FELIEN In one of its last acts of 2021, the City Council approved a framework for beginning public discussions about what kind of development should happen when they re-construct Nicollet Avenue between 29th Street and Lake Street. The press release announcing the plan said: “The broad project goals…

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Let’s do it!

BY ED FELIEN The North Star Caucus of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has recently circulated, for discussion and approval, an outline of strategic objectives for 2022. They call for a United Front Against Fascism and the need to “jettison a growing tendency towards a ‘go it alone’ approach…

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