Regular Columnists
Ed Felien • Elaine Klaassen • Polly Mann • Tony Bouza • David Tilsen • Debra Keefer Ramage • Stephanie Fox • Johnny Hazard
BY STEPHANIE FOX On March 16, in response to a rising number of COVID-19 virus cases, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey declared a local public health emergency, closing or limiting access to bars and restaurants except for take-out orders and delivery, until April 1. The same day, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz…
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Sadly, while it may be a fact that those over 60 are most vulnerable to contracting severe COVID-19, and therefore most needful of practicing social distancing, this same group has the lowest skill in using and access to online technologies that allow remote social connecting. Even…
BY ED FELIEN I asked City Council Member Andrew Johnson on Dec. 27, 2019, whether the Park Board’s plans to reduce pumping water from the Hiawatha Golf Course would compromise the footings for the Bergan’s Supervalu construction project. The 2017 analysis by the Park Board (<https://www.minneapolisparks.org/_asset/0rc7ml/February-2017-Stormwater-Surface-Water-and-Groundwater-Analysis-Summary.pdf>) provides no clue. Figure…
BY ED FELIEN Sen. Susan Collins justified her vote by stating that the president had learned a “pretty big lesson” from impeachment and that he would be “much more cautious in the future.” City Council President Lisa Bender said, “I think our policy changes in the police department, leadership changes,…
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE In Summer Camp world as well as in School Year world, STEM, the acronym for all technical things (Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics) has been merged with the arts to become STEAM. Although I haven’t found anything labeled as a STEAM camp, there is hardly an arts camp that doesn’t…
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Whew! I hardly know where to start. On March 10, a coalition of pissed-off parents marched to demand Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) go back to the drawing board on their Comprehensive District Design (CDD) and this time consult meaningfully and in advance with the community, especially…
BY TONY BOUZA [Editor’s note: I disagree with the argument and the conclusion of Tony Bouza’s analysis. My rebuttal follows.] The first thing that must be said is that racism is America’s #1 problem. Period. The murder of Tyesha Edwards, 11, in 2002, is an unspeakable, unbearable tragedy. Myron Burrell,…
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Welcome to Getting About. This new monthly column will inform you about opportunities for those 60 and older to get out of ruts, make a difference, participate in exciting communities, build new communities, and have more control over your living environment. We’ll be looking at “the…