Columnists

Regular Columnists

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

 


Vote Nov. 5

BY ED FELIEN Another month, another probable attempt on Trump’s life. Vance said: “I’d say that’s pretty strong evidence that the left needs to tone down the rhetoric and needs to cut this crap out,” “the left needs to tone down the rhetoric”????? The Trump campaign is built on Fear…

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Encampment Turmoil Continues

BY CAM GORDON Power struggles over how to respond to encampments came to a head in September, following two fatal shootings near southside encampments. “We need to put a stop to these,” said Mayor Jacob Frey, referring to the encampments, following the second shooting death on Sept. 18. Outdoor camping…

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2024 A Big Year for Education

BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE New school year, hot news items Our last Education column was out the first of March 2024 (so remember it was written in February.) Just days after that, many important education news items inundated the local media. So I’m going to cover most of that “in…

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Celebrate Fall on 42nd & 28th

BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE What’s changed? And where can I eat? On 28th Avenue and 42nd Street, as everywhere, it’s fall. Kids back in school, lake beaches closed, air conditioners sent to the shop for their autumn tune-up and pumpkin-spice scents fill the air. Not a lot has changed since…

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Celebrating Fall in Dinkytown

BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE The future of the University neighborhood We’re going to start our look at Dinkytown by focusing on its neighborhood ecosystem. In 2023, the boards of four of the so-called University neighborhood associations (NAs), Marcy-Holmes (MHNA) which includes Dinkytown, Southeast Como (SECIA), Prospect Park (PPA) and Nicollet…

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Jason Chavez is trying to save Agate Housing

BY ED FELIEN The City Council voted 10 to 3 on Sept. 20 to provide a $1.5 million dollar grant to Agate Housing. Chavez wrote: “Agate Housing and Services recently announced the closing of its 42-bed shelter program and 95-bed board and lodge program at 510 South 8th St despite…

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TMORA’s Magic Mushrooms

BY ED FELIEN The Museum of Russian Art has a charming exhibit of watercolors by Alexander Viazmensky in one of its backrooms. It’s all mushrooms. His detail, down to the specks of dirt clinging to the roots, is astonishing. The flyer advertising the show has on its cover (unsurprisingly) a photo of…

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Todd’s Trial

BY ED FELIEN About the middle of September, Todd Lipelt got called to serve as a juror in Hennepin County District Court. It was a horrific experience. He was rejected for a trial the first day, but he got picked for one the second day. The case was the State of…

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Harvest Moon Block Party

BY STEPHANIE FOX The South Minneapolis neighborhood of East Phillips held its annual Harvest Moon Block Party on Sept. 21, an annual event where local community and civic organizations come together to give residents information on what is happening in their area, from local problems to possible solutions. Some groups…

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Remembering Joe Selvaggio

BY ED FELIEN I confess, I always kind of resented Joe Selvaggio. My best friend for almost twenty years, Tony Bouza, always said that I was his second favorite hero. I would ask him, “Who’s first?” He would always answer, “Joe Selvaggio.” But I had been publishing Southside Pride for…

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Homeless beggars

BY ED FELIEN You see them standing by the side of the road and your heart breaks. They are begging for money, for shelter, for food. And, maybe, sometimes, they are begging for money for drugs. It’s gotten out of control at 46th and Hiawatha. Nicole M wrote on Nextdoor, “My…

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Hennepin County youth auto initiative

BY KAY SCHROVEN While violent offenses in Hennepin County year to date have increased 5 percent over 2023, property offenses have decreased 6 percent, and auto thefts have decreased a strong 25 percent. Auto thefts are also down in Minneapolis year to date, with 3,895 this year (Aug. 5, 2024)…

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Greens pick Southsider for vice president

BY CAM GORDON [Please see Editor’s Note at end of Cam’s Corner.] The Green Party of the United States held their convention in August and selected former Southsider, Rudolph “Butch” Ware III, to be their candidate for vice president in 2024. Jill Stein, the Green Party’s presidential candidate, announced Ware…

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Fall on Selby Avenue, St. Paul

BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Housing nonprofits and land trusts Selby Avenue, like everything else, exists in the now, but unlike many other streets, Selby Avenue seems very conscious of its past and its future. Part of Selby Avenue’s past was the brutal destruction of a prosperous African-American community and neighborhood…

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