Vote in the Primary September 9

by Ed Felien
published Sept. 2

There will be a contested Primary Election on Tuesday, Sept. 9, for candidates for School Board and for Legislative Districts 61B and 62A. School Board candidates will be reduced to six for the General Election, and two DFL candidates in 61B, Harry Grigsby and Jeff Hayden, are competing to reach the General and face off against a Green Party and Republican candidate.

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Kaleah Morrow was the victim of the shooting at Powderhorn Park on Aug. 7. The bullet entered at the hip and exited at the thigh. As far as we know the bullet did not cause any permanent damage, and the 5-month-old baby seems completely recovered.

Police say latino gangs responsible
for park shooting

by Dennis Geisinger
published Sept. 2

A bullet that wounded a baby in Powderhorn Park on the evening of Aug. 7, a bullet that was fired into a family group celebrating a birthday, has been solidly connected by Minneapolis Police to local members of a Latino street gang.
“The information that we have is that this was the result of a confrontation between Surenos 13 and Vatos Locos,” said Minneapolis Park Police Lt. Robert Goodfell.
According to Lt. Goodfell, the shooter and the people attending the birthday party knew one another, the shooter allegedly was at the party before the shooting occurred. Police say that an argument that started during the gathering escalated into threats of reprisal and culminated in shots fired from 35th Street into the park grounds by an alleged gang member who had first sped away and then returned.

Improved quality of health care does not violate privacy

BY Linda Berglin
published Sept. 2

There appears to be some crucial information missing in the August 4 editorial on the new health care reform laws and how they apply to patient privacy. As the author of this legislation, I spent thousands of hours on taskforces, committees, working groups and commissions to come up with a package that would reduce unnecessary health care spending in Minnesota, increase access to health insurance for the working poor, small businesses and farmers, and improve the quality of health care services being offered.

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Click here for a list of Articles for September '08

17-year-old Keith Smith at Monday's RNC protest, hours before his mother says he was beaten by police. Photo by Paul Demko, Minnesota Independent. For more on the protests at the RNC click here..

The shredding of the Bill of Rights in St. Paul

by Ed Felien
published September 08/08

Internationally recognized journalist Amy Goodman, was arrested on the first day of protests against the Republican National Convention.

Our constitutional rights to reedom of speech, freedom to peacefully assemble and petition the government (or the governing political party) for redress of grievances and the freedom of the press were seriously damaged by the police in St. Paul at the Republican National Convention last week.

“Nicole was videotaping. Her tape of her own violent arrest is chilling. Police in riot gear charged her, yelling, “Get down on your face.” You hear her voice, clearly and repeatedly announcing “Press! Press! Where are we supposed to go?” She was trapped between parked cars. The camera drops to the pavement amidst Nicole’s screams of pain. Her face was smashed into the pavement, and she was bleeding from the nose, with the heavy officer with a boot or knee on her back. Another officer was pulling on her leg. Sharif was thrown up against the wall and kicked in the chest, and he was bleeding from his arm.

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No cool-down for affordable housing debate in Tangletown

by Dennis Geisinger
published September 08/08

Despite a recent concession by promoters to scale back the size of plans for an affordable housing project in the Tangletown neighborhood of South Minneapolis, organized opposition to the proposal has not cooled.

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Human Rights in Minnesota

published Sept.08/08

To Saint Paul Mayor
Christopher B. Coleman

Dear Mayor Coleman,
I was born in Saint Paul where my grandfather was Principal of Harding High School. I have taught at the University of Minnesota. I live in France, and rarely miss an opportunity to boast about my home state of Minnesota, of its liberal traditions and respect for human rights.

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Click here for a list of Articles for September '08