Eliminate the police?

BY DAVID TILSEN In response to the groundswell of action, grief and political pressure, the Minneapolis City Council has finally decided that it must do something about the Minneapolis Police. The City Council has proposed two things. First, the council has committed to do a deep community engagement on what…

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Defending the homeless in Powderhorn Park

BY DAVE TILSEN Friday morning, June 12. I made coffee and looked out on Powderhorn Park, but the view was not as I expected. There were about a dozen tents pitched in the park across the street from my house. I surmised what had happened. A group of homeless people…

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Hayden loses challenge

BY DAVE TILSEN After losing the DFL endorsement by a wide margin, Sen. Jeff Hayden filed a complaint with the DFL state central committee that the endorsement was tainted and should be invalidated. He argued that the leadership of the DFL in the district, the leadership of the credentials committee,…

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Elderberry Jam

June 1 The young people that are fueling these these, the reporters call them protests, and although the intent is about change that label doesn’t seem right to me.  Gathering is too generic.  They are so earnest, almost spiritual at times, but not doctrinaire but peaceful.  20,000 people almost silent…

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DFL endorses Fateh over Hayden

BY DAVE TILSEN The state DFL decided that all Senate district conventions would have to be online this year because of the threat of the COVID-19 virus. This had never been done before, and none of us knew how it was going to turn out. A lot of people put…

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District 62 Debate next Saturday

   BY DAVE TILSEN On Saturday, April 11, at 2 p.m., Southside Pride will host an online debate between the two announced candidates for the DFL endorsement for State Senate in District 62. District 62 runs from the edge of downtown to the City Limits at 62nd Street, from Lyndale…

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The race for State Senate District 62

Jeff Hayden                                             Omar Fateh BY DAVE TILSEN It’s election year again. Here in South Minneapolis we will have an election for our congressional seat, our state representatives and some of our state senators. I recently got a phone call from a young man who informed me he was running for…

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Bernie for all of us

Why didn’t the anti-racist movies get any attention at the Oscars and other awards? “Harriet” was certainly one of the best if not the best movie of the year. “Queen and Slim” is so timely and well done, and “Just Mercy” Is just being ignored. It seems that, like the…

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Community disempowerment in Minneapolis

BY DAVID TILSEN The East Phillips neighborhood has experienced more than its share of outrages. It holds a superfund site called the “Asbestos Triangle,” continues to have polluting industries like bituminous roadways and foundries, saw much of its land taken by Abbot Northwestern Hospital, and continues to be ground zero…

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ELDERBERRY JAM: MayDay

BY DAVID TILSEN We had another wonderful MayDay parade, ceremony and festival last spring. The creativity of the puppeteers, sculptors, playwrights, performers and other workers continues to be first rate, and our community supports and benefits from this joyful annual celebration. In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask…

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ELDERBERRY JAM: School Board elections

BY DAVID TILSEN We just had a primary election. For the School Board at-large, we only eliminated one candidate from the ballot, Doug Mann. In November we will have four candidates on the ballot, we can vote for up to two to elect two at-large candidates. We also will have…

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The Southside Pride Sample Primary Ballot

BY DAVE TILSEN On August 14 we will have a Primary. Don’t forget to vote. We support candidates who will stand up to the administration and have shown us they DO, or who we believe WILL, put the needs of their community above their careers. Character is the most important…

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ELDERBERRY JAM: Who will serve on the School Board?

BY DAVE TILSEN We are electing School Board members this November: two citywide candidates and three in districts—two of these districts are Southsiders. Incumbents Nelsen Inz and Said Ali from the two Southside districts are currently unopposed DFL- and union-endorsed and seemed positioned to cruise to reelection. Opponents will likely…

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ELDERBERRY JAM: Did we win?

BY DAVE TILSEN The Eagles beat the Vikings, so I hated the game. Didn’t even put up all my banners, hardly had a party. It was more like a morgue at my place than a party, but that’s just me. Perhaps you did let your Eagles fly, you ate your…

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