Debra Keefer Ramage

Debra Keefer Ramage began writing freelance for Southside Pride in 2012, shortly after returning from a 13-year sojourn in England. She covers progressive politics, education, co-ops and neighborhoods. In 2017 she started doing Southside Pride’s restaurant review column, The Dish.


Open Streets on Lake and Minnehaha

BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Open Streets Lake-Minnehaha is happening again this year. The date is Sunday, July 22, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The route is roughly the same as last year: East Lake Street from Elliot Avenue to Minnehaha Avenue, then southeast on Minnehaha to the entrance to…

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Affordable and accessible in Richfield

BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE For our focus on 66th Street, Richfield, we will look at how Richfield stacks up to Minneapolis in providing affordable and accessible life necessities, particular food and housing. But first, to get things into perspective, some comparative demographics. In the 2010 census, Richfield had a population…

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Only on Franklin Avenue

BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Franklin Avenue in the Seward neighborhood has so much to offer: one of the oldest worker-owned co-op restaurants in the world, a bookstore with bicycle delivery, a playwrights’ center, a Somali cafe, a sushi and karaoke bar. But this article is not about them. It’s about…

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The change we believe in on Nicollet Avenue

BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE This is a somewhat different take on Nicollet Avenue, South. Last week, I visited the Butter Bakery Cafe at 3700 Nicollet Ave., the ground floor anchor of an apartment building. One of the first things I noticed was that the vestibule was full of flyers, ads…

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Comings and goings on Minnehaha Avenue and nearby

BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE When it comes to Minnehaha Avenue, the antique stores get most of the attention. That’s not right, because this area is rich with other innovative businesses and cultural resources for enlightenment and entertainment. So here we’re going to focus on some of the other players in…

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THE DISH: Lunch Around the World (Delights of Ethiopia)

BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Dilla’s Restaurant 1813 Riverside Ave. 612-332-2898 dillasethiopianrestaurant.com The Dish continues our pursuit of international lunch options with a visit to Dilla’s Ethiopian on Riverside Avenue. We’re attracted by the restaurant’s terrific reputation and the reasonably-priced vegetarian lunch buffet. I was accompanied by Mary, who is an…

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