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 PATRICK KERRIGAN Did you know that a longtime Powderhorn Park resident and lifelong food, peace and justice activist is at the forefront globally in solving the climate crisis? And that he has an educational and inspiring new book that is just the resource we as caring world citizens…
BY ELINA KOLSTAD The other day on the Blue Line train, a woman sitting nearby struck up a conversation with my husband and me. She started by commenting on one of the two people sleeping in our vicinity, noting the woman’s nicely done nails. We all agreed that sometimes all…
BY ELAINE KLAASSEN My friend Chikondi Elvis Chabakha is 30 years old. He’s the principal of Cornerstone Christian High School (CCHS) in Salima, Malawi, on the continent of Africa. When the school opened a few years ago there were seven students and one large room (building). But, given the great…
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…
BY KATHRYN KELLY The Hiawatha Golf Course Community Advisory Committee (CAC) put together a list of 26 requests to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) Planning Department for the Hiawatha Golf Course project. As reported previously, the Park Board left the CAC’s No. 1 priority item off of the…
BY ED FELIEN Thursday, March 5, from 4 to 7 pm, Hennepin County will be sponsoring a Franklin Ave. Open House at Plymouth Congregational Church, 1900 Nicollet Ave. The county will be presenting, for public review, designs for the future of Franklin Avenue. Our Streets has had a profound…
Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) is proud to announce the world premiere production of Spamtown, USA The playwright met with and interviewed 25 people who were children in the city of Austin, Minnesota during the P-9 Strike against Hormel in the 1980s to gather their stories and perspectives. The play explores…
BY ED FELIEN There are four important dates to remember: Feb. 25, Precinct Caucuses March 3, Presidential Primary Aug. 11, Primary Election Day Nov. 3, Election Day Precinct Caucuses: On Tuesday night, Feb. 25, the four recognized parties in Minnesota for the 2020 ballot are: Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party 651-293-1200 Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party 651-280-7922 Legal Marijuana…
The city is taking money out of poor neighborhoods and giving it to the rich BY ROBERT THOMPSON In late 2019, Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA), a department of the University of Minnesota, announced that it had been hired by the City of Minneapolis in response to the…
BY STEVE MCKEOWN AND MARIE BRAUN The year 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NNT), which includes Article 6 indicating that the nuclear nations agree to reduce their nuclear arsenals to zero. 2020 also marks the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and…
Imprisonment I’m fascinated with jails. I certainly don’t want to be in jail and I must say that my reaction when I was once jailed was far from fascination. At that time, it was wishing that the other inmates would stop talking so loud, depriving me of sleep. It was…
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…
