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AWARD WINNING NEWSPAPER

20 AWARDS FOR TMC PUBLICATIONS IN 2023

TMC Publication's three newspapers earned a total of 20 awards at this year's Better Newspaper Contest. Congrats to the winners! NEWS1) First Place, Sports Story - Eric Erickson, “Unforgettable …
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Shari Seifert holds her book, “Ashes to Action: Finding Myself at the Intersection of the Minneapolis Uprising,” which describes the relationship between Calvary Lutheran Church and the community at George Floyd Square.
Ashes to Action
Emily Koski
Council members divided on police incentive plan
Then and now: J.D. Fratzke. “While I won’t deny that all of those nights behind a stove helped me discover what I was capable of, what I could work through and persevere, what I wanted more than anything has never changed: As often as I’m able, I simply want to savor the life I share with those I love the most,” he said. (Photos submitted)
Put your heart into it
City council proud of 'historic budget mark-up with unified support for transformative investments in 2024'
The Minneapolis City Council has concluded their deliberations on the 2024 Budget Markup and finalized an omnibus budget to be formally approved next week. Council met as the Budget Committee on …
The sign painter
The Great Depression was over long before Forrest Wozniak was born. But that time period serves as a backdrop to his career as a sign painter. Wozniak, who was born and raised in South …
Potter Bob Arnoldy is behind @potteryinthegrotto and free items in his curbside pottery grotto.
Pottery in the Grotto: Building Community
Potter Bob Arnoldy has created a treasure in Linden Hills with his curbside pottery grotto. He explains the concept of the grotto and how the community has embraced it. Q: So, tell us what pottery in …
Dial Tone performs at The Cedar.
Homegrown talent rocks the Cedar
When I heard that Dial Tone was having an album release party at The Cedar Cultural, I was like, “What? Didn’t these kids just meet? How can they have an album already? And how can they …
Geneva Higgins Whiteside
Dancer Performs at State Theatre
“Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy,” Minnesota Dance Theatre’s (MDT) cherished holiday tradition, returns to the State Theatre Dec. 16-23, 2023. Geneva Higgins Whiteside of …
New plan for the mall includes woonerf, removal of some roadway
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is planning work at The Mall Park next year in coordination with an ongoing Met Council sewer project in the area. Metropolitan Council Environmental …
Community solutions markets coming to South Minneapolis
The Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation is running community solutions with youth markets at Ella Baker School in the Lower Hill East neighborhood of Minneapolis, or the Wedge. These markets are part …
City Briefs - Nov 16, 2023
New liquor licenses approved  The city council approved several liquor licenses in the area. This includes the HUGE improv Theater, in a a new location at 2728 Lyndale Ave. S, that will …
Neighborhood news - Nov 30, 2023
BLAISDELL Y RENOVATIONS The Blaisdell Y is excited to share that they will undergo renovations to improve member experiences. The renovations will began the week of Monday, Nov. 27 and are …
Airport noise commission holds special meeting Nov. 29
The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) Noise Oversight Committee (NOC) will hold a Special meeting this week on November 29 at 10:15 A.M. at the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) …
Southwest Connector launches 'Let's Connect,' a new community speaker series
Minneapolis is filled with great local people doing great things in the world. The Southwest Connector will showcase them with "Let's Connect," a new community speakers series. Every month, the …
Ward 12 Council Member Andrew Johnson announces he isn’t running again.
Farewell from council member Andrew Johnson
Well friends, my time in office has come to an end. I want to thank you, the people of Ward 12, for giving me the opportunity to serve you over the past decade, and for your tremendous support along …

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Nov 30, 2023 Connector

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BEGINNING A NEWSPAPER

<p>MEET TESHA - When a letter that she wrote was published in her hometown newspaper when she was a kid, Tesha M. Christensen was hooked. “I had gotten my first glimpse into the power of the printed word. I wanted more,” recalled Christensen. “I saw how newspapers could be used to generate change in their communities, and how they could inform and engage people.”<p> She started her own paper and later wrote for her college newspaper, The Clarion. Shortly after earning her bachelor’s degree in English from Bethel University, she got a full-time job at her hometown newspaper, The STAR in Cambridge, Minn. – the same newspaper that printed her letter to the editor when she was a child. <p> Christensen worked as the assistant editor and special sections editor of her hometown newspaper for 10 years, serving two counties and a circulation of 21,000 with a twice weekly newspaper. Over the years, Christensen covered a range of topics in Isanti and Chisago counties, from school board levies to new county parks to crime news. <p> “I wrote about what new businesses were coming to town, local musicians, and rodeo shows, and a story about one local resident who saved the life of another,” Christensen recalled. “I love the ever-changing nature of this business, and how I learn something new with each story I write.”<p> In 2012, Tesha started writing for the Longfellow Nokomis Messenger and Midway Como Frogtown Monitor after moving to South Minneapolis. She purchased the newspapers in 2019 when the longtime owners (Cal deRuyter and Tim Nelson) retired, and started her own business, TMC Publications CO.<p> A lifelong learner, Christensen believes in the importance of the local newspaper to collect the stories of the neighborhood it serves. In the past she’s written for Northstar Media, the Isanti County News, ECM Publishers/Adams Publishing Group, Twin Cities Daily Planet, RedCurrent and The Alley newspaper in the Phillips neighborhood of south Minneapolis.<p> She enjoys connecting with journalism students. “I love journalism, and I am passionate about sharing journalism with kids and young adults,” stated Christensen. “They are the future, and it’s so exciting to hear their ideas.” <p> She taught journalism classes at Anoka-Ramsey Community College from 2006 to 2012, and taught for one year at Planet Homeschool, a homeschool co-op in St. Anthony, where she helped launch a school newspaper written by the middle and high school students. At TMC Publications CO, she works to partner with local schools looking for internship opportunities. Christensen appreciates connecting people through neighborhood news and seeks to make it relevant, trustworthy and local. <p> Christensen has served on a variety of committees and boards over the years, and is a co-founder of Team Yarn - Head Huggers (teamyarn.blogspot.com), a small non-profit dedicated to making and donating hats, shawls and lapghans to those battling cancer and other serious illnesses. <p> She lives with her two children and their two cats in a house with a big garden and a Little Free Library. Contact Tesha M. Christensen at 612-345-9998 or tesha@SWconnector.com.</p>

Welcome, readers of the new Southwest Connector. We’re glad you’ve picked up a copy of our inaugural edition. It’s an exciting time for neighborhood journalism. Thanks for coming …

Voices Against Violence
Dani's daughter sent her teddy bear with her mom on Oct. 2, 2023. “I couldn’t stop thinking about how my daughter would take the news that her mom wasn’t coming home for a month,” said Dani.
Domestic abuse victim jailed
During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a Minnesota judge ordered a victim to jail for not forcing her daughter to see her father. Dani* was ordered to serve 30 days in jail on Oct. 2, 2023 or …
Thi Synavone works as the executive director at Standpoint. (Photo submitted)
FROM THEIR STANDPOINT
Thi Synavone came to the U.S. in 1979 as a Laotian refugee. After living in many states, her family settled in Minnesota in 1988. Synavone said that growing up, domestic and sexual violence was never …
CAUGHT BETWEEN
She lived in Minnesota for only five months and her daughter was born in Iowa, but Dani* has been dragged into family court in Minnesota nearly every one of the past 11 years by her ex-boyfriend. …
Colorado becomes the first state to limit court use of family reunification camps
A bill signed into law this week in Colorado prohibits family courts from ordering children to participate in reunification programs that isolate them from a trusted caregiver. Many of these programs …
A court ordered siblings to a reunification camp with their estranged father. The children say it was abusive.
One Thursday afternoon in December, a father and two of his estranged children boarded a flight from Salt Lake City to Texas, beginning an effort to repair their fractured relationship. A family …

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Home & Garden
Patricia Neal works with children to tend their neighborhood sponsored garden.
Local model for an urban CSA
“Four years ago, I realized we needed a model for an urban CSA,” says Craig Neal, founder and chief gardener of the Neighborhood Sponsored Garden (NSG) located in a backyard on Beard Ave. …
Christy Johnson of United Goods does minimalistic, graphic prints in small sizes. (Photos submitted)
Inside the head of minimalist State icon artist
Christy Johnson, founder & CEO of United Goods started working as a graphic designer and artist in 2003 in Minneapolis. A life-long creative, she’s loved to draw since she was a kid. Over …
These small lightboxes made by Longfellow artist Chris Miller can brighten tables and shelves. Other larger ones function as furniture. (Photo submitted)
How to add art to your home
Longfellow mosaic artist Chris Miller believes that art is like jewelry for your home. “I made this piece in glass a few years ago and I display it each September during LoLa Art Crawl. It says …
A series of 50 native plant gardens along Nicollet Avenue provide food sources and nesting space for pollinators.
Nicollet Pollinator Pathway for Rusty Patched Bumble Bee
There’s a new pathway in southwest Minneapolis, but it’s not for people.  The Nicollet Avenue Pollinator Pathway is a series of 50 native plant gardens along and around Nicollet …
April showers bring May flowers, and May flowers bring in the bees. This bee is feasting on creeping Charlie. (Photo submitted)
No mow May helps pollinators
Stumbling over bicycles and skateboards in the back of the garage, your fall is broken by the lawn mower handle. Wrestling your new turf terrorizer out of its winter hold, a vague memory forms of the …

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Mindful Creativity
Arnée Martin said that as a Black, queer artist that their art is for everyone, but does not tailor towards a White audience.
Guaranteed income for artists
Arnée Martin wanted 100 rejections.  “The worst they can say is no,” Martin said.  As an artist applying for grants and scholarships, the TikTok trend of …
WACSO: Sonny’s ice cream
Sonny’s ice cream should absolutely be on every list of best patios in the city… and they serve wine.
Performers from Yirií Dance Studio, Evolución Latina Dance Company and Keri Simonson Dance celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with a flash mob showcasing Salsa and Bachata dancing in the streets.
Flash Mob
More than a dozen dancers took their show on the road, literally, Oct. 8, 2023, by bringing a flashmob to Open Streets Lyndale.  In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, performers …
WACSO: Pumpkin patch
Why go to the pumpkin patch, when the pumpkin patch will come to you? Serious display of pumpkins on 50th and James. (Illustration by WACSO)
Brass Solidarity performs in Boston during HONK! Oct. 6-8, 2023.
George Floyd Square’s Brass Solidarity goes to HONK!
“Throughout the country and across the globe, a new type of street band movement is emerging — outrageous and inclusive, brass and brash, percussive and persuasive — reclaiming …

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Rebuild Repair Recycle
The long process of reopening Nicollet Ave. at Lake St. took another step forward this month. City planners released design concepts for the public areas planned for the 10-acre site where a surface …
Hennepin County is working to build a Lyndale Avenue for today and tomorrow. The county is partnering with the city of Minneapolis, Metro Transit and others to continue improving safety for all users …
The reduction of traffic lanes on Lyndale Ave from 31st St. to Franklin Ave. has improved safety and will remain in place.   Called the “4-3 Lane Pilot Project,” Hennepin …

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Facebbok
Aging Well
Graham Bennett, 14, is a tech wizard who goes to The Kenwood Retirement Community once a week to help residents with their phones, iPads, laptops, and computers. His path to the Kenwood was a natural …
Faith-based, nonprofit healthcare and housing organizations look to expand options for customers, team members, and communities Knute Nelson, based in Alexandria, Minn., and Walker Methodist, based …
It’s August 2023. A theme is emerging out of my life experiences to date. The theme can be captured in two words: self care. My life as it is unfolding in 2023 is revolving around self care. I …

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HENNEPIN AVENUE
Amazing Thailand has struggled without street parking for customers in front of their building at 3024 Hennepin Ave. S., especially as they’ve shifted business to takeout, says general manager Korawan (Yin) Muangmode, second from left, shown with her brother and family, owners Dee and Kulsatreet Noree with Yindee and Sandee (age 4), and head chef Khamsouk Pathilath (left). (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
Hennepin Ave design: Helpful or hurtful?
If the proposed reconstruction plan for Hennepin Ave. passes, Kristin Traynor says The Corner Balloon Shoppe will be moving from 2455 Hennepin Ave. “I have an extremely diverse group of …
Hennepin for People has drawn people together at various events to inform and educate on the project. (Photo submitted)
Hennepin for People supports city’s proposed plan for Hennepin Ave. South
As woman of color, Wedge resident Chandra Lalla says she knows how “our streets don’t serve everyone well.“For generations, city streets were built solely with car travel in mind, …
Corner of Lagoon and Hennepin, looking south, in 1938. (Minnesota Historical Society)
True progress on Hennepin requires a business plan
Small businesses are the lifeblood of any community. They provide distinctive character to a neighborhood and are the engine that drives a local economy. Without local businesses, there is no local …
COMPETITION FOR SPACE ALONG S. HENNEPIN
By Tesha M. Christensen In a one-way presentation on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022, city staff acknowledged that there are competing desires for E. Hennepin Ave., and they can’t all be addressed …
BUSINESSES SUBMIT LETTER TO CITY
In all, 115 Uptown businesses collectively asked the city to conduct “a more thorough analysis, update studies and ultimately begin to incorporate the views, suggestions, and proposals of the Hennepin Avenue business community into a new plan for Hennepin Avenue that is truly inclusive for all.”
Opinion
Community stakeholders and youth brainstorm solutions for gun violence at Walker Library on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023.
Youth have a lot to say about gun violence
Ask 10 people what they think about guns. You might get 10 different answers. Gun ownership is a fundamental right. We need stricter regulation. There are too many guns. There aren't enough. …
Kingfield resident Jeanne Massey is the FairVote Minnesota Executive Director.
Elections this year demonstrate success of ranked choice voting
This fall, Bloomington, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, St. Louis Park, and St. Paul all used ranked choice voting for their municipal elections and were among 21 cities in seven states using ranked choice …
The South Minneapolis-based organization COPAL launched a Minnesota to Puerto Rico delegation this year. The cohort included elected officials such as Senate Majority Leader Bobby Champion and partners such as the Minnesota Environmental Partnership and the Latino Economic Devlopment Center. (Photos submitted)
The 'power' of community in Puerto Rico
Power is generated: electric power, community power, people power. This past August, a delegation of fifteen Minnesotans visited the island of Puerto Rico to learn from communities on the frontlines …
The South Minneapolis-based organization COPAL launched a Minnesota to Puerto Rico delegation this year. The cohort included elected officials such as Senate Majority Leader Bobby Champion and partners such as the Minnesota Environmental Partnership and the Latino Economic Devlopment Center. (Photos submitted)
The 'power' of community in Puerto Rico
Power is generated: electric power, community power, people power. This past August, a delegation of fifteen Minnesotans visited the island of Puerto Rico to learn from communities on the frontlines …
2023 Ranked Choice Voting Elections in Minnesota: Bloomington, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, St. Louis Park and St. Paul
This fall, Bloomington, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, St. Louis Park, and St. Paul all used ranked choice voting for their municipal elections and were among 21 cities in seven states using ranked choice …

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COLUMNISTS
The Statue of Liberty in New York City is a symbol of freedom recognized around the world. (Kit Suman/Unsplash)
It’s time to flex our humanity with immigration
Everyone has a voice. But not every voice gets heard today. This isn't a new problem.  My grandma and grandpa on my dad's side were both first-generation Mexican-Americans who grew up in …
Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice leadership team.
Fall has arrived along with Medicare open enrollment
HERE’S MY MEDICARE STORY. WHAT’S YOURS? This is a time during fall to make changes in one’s Medicare plan. I am making my way through my seventh year of retirement and enrolled …
Advice to buyers in this ‘crazy’ real estate market
This question rose again in my latest meeting with two prospective buyers: “When is the housing market going to calm down?” “It seems like it’s been crazy for three years …
Michele Rae, RPh, MA, NBC-HWC is the founder of The Center Within, LLC and author of “Living From the Center Within: Co-Creating Who You Are Becoming.” She provides holistic coaching designed to accelerate and support personal, professional, and organizational transformation.
What is a wellness ritual?
The concept of wellness has ancient origins rooted in Greek, Roman, Indian, Native, and Chinese cultures. It was, and is, a belief that an integrated approach to one’s health and well-being …
There are alternatives to incarceration
I am reading an excellent book. It is called "Until We Reckon" and was written by Danielle Sered, the executive director of Common Justice , a unique program in New York City that offers alternatives …

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George Floyd Memorial Square
A volunteer takes a quiet moment to reflect at the Say Their Names cemetery during the Rise & Remember Festival on Saturday, May 27.

RISE & REMEMBER

Embracing the community-centered theme “Ubuntu,” a term from South Africa that loosely means “I am because we are,” family, friends and supporters gathered May 25-27, 2023 for …

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VOTERS GUIDE
Katie Cashman
Election results in Southwest Minneapolis
The Southwest area will see few changes in city council representation following the Nov. 7, 2023 election results where all 13 Minneapolis City Council seats were on the ballot. All the incumbents …
Ward 7, that includes Stevens Square-Loring Heights, Bryn-Mawr, Cedar-Isles-Dean, East Isles, Kenwood, Linden Hills, Loring Park, Lowry Hill, West Maka Ska, is the only southwest ward where there will be a new council member starting in 2024. The incumbent, Lisa Goodman, did not seek reelection. Katie Cashman was elected over Scott Graham with 4,055 to 3,878 votes in the final round of voting, with 37.5% of registered voters in the ward turning out.
Election results in southwest Minneapolis
By Cam Gordon The Southwest area will see few changes in city council representation following the Nov. 7, 2023 election results where all 13 Minneapolis City Council seats were on the ballot. …
Katie Cashman
Voter Guide 2023
WARD 7 Vying for this position are Katie Cashman, Kenneth Foxworth and Scott Graham.    KATIE CASHMAN www.katieforcouncil.org   Please introduce yourself. …
Save Democracy - Empower Young Voters
Young Americans have been gathering strength and exerting more influence in recent elections, but need help realizing their full political force as voters. For the health of our democracy, we want …
Bob Carney
Four ward 13 candidates face off
The four city council candidates running in Ward 13 shared their viewpoints in a forum on Sept. 6, 2023 at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church. Attending were Linea Palmisano, Kate Mortenson, Zach Metzger, …

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Neighborhood organizations
Neighborhood news - Nov 2, 2023
NATIVE AMERICAN AUTHOR NOV. 15 Duluth author Linda LeGarde Grover will be celebrating the publication of her newest novel, “A Song over Miskwaa Rapids” with Birchbark Books at their …
Neighborhood news - October 19, 2023
Taco Tour On Lake Street Oct. 21 The Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) is bringing back Taco Tour on Lake Street, an annual tradition since 1999. It will be on Saturday, Oct. 21 from 11 …
Neighborhood news - October 5, 2023
SERIES ON PLANNING FOR END OF LIFE Diamond Lake Lutheran Church (5760 Portland Ave. S.) is hosting a series titled: Spoiler Alert – We All Die in the End: Resources for Being Ready on …
Douglas R. Ewart
Neighborhood news - September 21
MPLS For a Better Police Contract The organizations and individuals involved with MPLS for a Better Police Contract spent the spring and summer reviewing the Minneapolis Police Federation …
Neighborhood news - September 7
CEDAR LAKE CHANNEL REOPENS The Cedar Lake (Kenilworth) Channel has reopened to recreational use. As part of the Green Line Extension (GLE) LRT Project, three new concrete bridges have been …

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