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Pictured at left outside the Minneapolis VA Hospital, Rose said, “I know I can get another job, and that a lot of people have it worse than I do. But I am finding it hard to wrap my head around what’s happening right now.” (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)
Federal job cuts hit home
Mark Wojahn directs “The Dance is Not Over: The Patrick Scully Story,” which will be shown at this year’s film festival.
Ang lee kicks off MSPIFF
“I like to use the phrase ‘give the gift of warmth,’” said Barb Melom. “When people ask, is it OK if I knit a scarf instead of a hat, I tell them ‘give the gift of warmth.’ You just do a better job knitting things that you like.”
She gives the gift of warmth
Katie Cashman (shown), Paula Chesley, Elizabeth Shaffer, and Corey Ryan Vest are running for the Ward 7 city council seat.
Contenders for Ward 7
On Nov., 4, 2025, voters in Minneapolis will elect city council members for all 13 wards, three at-large park board commissioners, six district park board commissioners, two members of the board of …
‘Good Ancestors’ recognized by Elders Climate Action
The Twin Cities chapter of Elders Climate Action honored three local activists with its annual Good Ancestor award, recognizing their legacies of community-centered climate action. Elders Climate …
Rethinking I-94 debate renewed
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) continues to work on draft recommendations for the Rethinking I-94 project. After a long and contentious virtual meeting in January 2025 to discuss …
Patrick Scully
‘The Dance is Not Over: The Patrick Scully Story’
The most challenging part of making a movie about Patrick Scully was editing it down to 93 minutes, according to director Mark Wojahn. Scully is an internationally known dancer, choreographer, …
The students visiting from Kasugaoka High School in Ibaraki City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan met with Anthony Middle School students. “They were a big hit!,” said Southwest High School teacher Nathan Hamel. (Photo submitted)
Sister schools
During the school week, the students from Japan presented about Japanese culture and joined their host students to experience what school is like in America. On Thursday, the students from Kasugaoka …
The burst water main flooded The Paperback Exchange, wrecking an estimated 70% of the stock and over 100,000 books, as most of the inventory was stored in the basement, which was fully submerged. Fundraisers are being held to help the businesses affected by the water main break.
Water main breaks at 50th and Penn
Crews from the City’s Public Works department have been working to restore vehicle and pedestrian access to the intersection of 50th Street and Penn Ave. following the Feb. 13, 2025 water main …

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Mar 2025 Connector

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Mindful Creativity
John Noltner
A 'Peace of my Mind' lands in St. Paul
Photographer and storyteller John Noltner has settled into his new work space at 550 Vandalia Street, suite #170, in Hamline-Midway’s Creative Enterprise Zone. He shares the multi-use …
Former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Ryback buying signs during the Minneapolis Craft Fair at Sunnyside Gardens in 2016. Credit: Photo by Jaime Chismar
As Trump’s second act begins, a Minnesota symbol of inclusivity takes a break
*This story was originally published by MinnPost. Shortly after the 2016 presidential election, rainbow lawn signs inscribed with a heart and the message “All Are Welcome Here” began …
Eileen Anderson (former Southwest resident), along with daughter Claire Anderson and friend Savanna Lockovitch, are welcomed to “Where Do Pigeons Go in the Winter?” by pigeon performers (left to right) Josh Conroy, Patty Gille, and Kayla Nussbaum. The puppet performance aimed to challenge the notion that pigeons are pests by showing their importance throughout history and what truly amazing birds they are.
Where Do Pigeons Go in the Winter?
Photo courtesy of Go Fund Me page
Paperback Exchange, Terzo, and Sparrow Cafe closed indefinitely following water main break damage
The businesses on the southwest corner of 50th and Penn, Paperback Exchange ( 2227 W 50th St.) Terzo (2221 W 50th St.) and Sparrow Cafe (5001 Penn Ave S) are closed indefinely following a water main …
For a few days each January, John Njoes, exchanges his Sotheby’s Realtor’s vest for a thick parka as the St. Paul Winter Carnival Ice Carving Contest unfolds.
Neighborhood realtor carves his own niche
You may have seen John Njoes around the neighborhood. He’s lived in the 55406 zip code nearly all of his life, and has been a Longfellow resident since 1984. After more than 15 years of donning …

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COLUMNISTS
Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation’s Youth Community Journalism Institute team with friends, family, and collaborators at St. Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN) on March 10 after producing “Youth Community Journalism — Episode 9: Rebuilding Community in America.” (Photo by Eric Ortiz)
We Have the Power
Our world is out of balance. It has been for a while. In 1980, on Thanksgiving Day, John Trudell , one of the most respected and influential Indigenous rights defenders, delivered an empowering …
Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice steering committee.
Moving past presidential results
Moving past the 2024 Presidential election results for me means that I have reached the following conclusion: There was dis-information and voter suppression. Especially voter suppression. My trusted …
Valerie Fitzgerald
The reckoning
We are coming up on five years since Mr. George Floyd was murdered at Cup Foods by a police officer. Memories of that time carry a strong emotional charge: the daily COVID-19 briefings from Governor …
Samantha Sencer-Mura
Moving past presidential election results
Moving past the 2024 Presidential  election results for me means that I have reached the following conclusion: There was dis-information and voter suppression. Especially voter suppression. My …
Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice steering committee.
Looking for, finding hope locally
As I start to write, I am aware that the Trump inauguration is coming. When he leaves office, I will be 84 years old.    LOST AND SEARCHING I HAVE ADOPTED GUIDES The holidays …

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Rebuild Repair Recycle
Have you ever been frustrated seeing recyclable or compostable items in the trash bin? Or maybe you yourself have hesitated over whether an item can be recycled or not. Those feelings are what led …
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is working on "Hiawatha Links," a new phase of design and engineering work that will build on the long-term plan for Hiawatha Golf Course completed in 2022. …
Frustration is growing over the Rethinking I-94 project proposal to drop two at-grade options. The Rethinking I-94 Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) Jan. 17 discussed recommendations to eliminate …

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Home & Garden
Sid Triantafilou of Greco Linden Hills Painting paints houses in residential neighborhoods, including East Isles, near Lake of the Isles. (Photo by Lulu Jaeckel)
Homeowners experiment with paint colors, say local painters
Whale gray, dry sage and french press are some of the popular names of interior paint colors right now at Benjamin Moore, a paint company.  Sid Triantafilou, a local painter and owner of …
Welcome to the land of 10,000 gardens
Focus on what's strong. Not what's wrong.  This is the essence of asset-based community development .​​ It's also what sustainable community building looks like and how we can create …
They wanted to save the boulevard trees along six blocks of 29th Ave. and they came together to do just that. Then they celebrated together at Arbeiter Brewing. (Photo by submitted)
Motivated by a common goal
Residents along six blocks of 29th Ave. S have banded together to save 40 ash trees. “These are public trees that the whole community benefits from,” observed Loey Colebeck. “Many …
Woodworker Bill Dossett (left) and Joe Hayes look over a set of windows being restored. According to Dossett, the dust collection system in the new building is an upgrade that has made a big difference for staff. Plus there's a room just for planing.
Hayes Window expands into new location, offers storm windows
Lost your storm windows over the years? Have windows you can’t open anymore because they were painted shut? Does the glass rattle in the wind? These problems don’t mean that you need to …
Ericsson resident Jessica Wyn Miller (right), an entomologist, leads a Bug Club adventure into the world of bugs near her Minnehaha Creek-side home. She has found that her work as an artist intersects with insects.“I got excited for aquatic insects when I found out they reflect the health of a water," she recalled.
She hated bugs – so she decided to become an entomologist
Jessica Miller still shrieks sometimes when a spider jumps on her, but the south Minneapolis environmental entomologist has found that makes her more approachable when she’s teaching classes on …

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Living 50+
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is partnering with MN Senior LinkAge to host a free class to help people learn about Medicare. “Medicare Annual Update” on Wednesday, Oct. …
I recently attended my first Minneapolis Advisory Committee on Aging meeting. I am convinced that in the city of Minneapolis elders/seniors don’t exist. There is such a thing as the …
Nancy Eustis was named Volunteer of the Year at the Kenwood Senior Living, 825 Summit Ave. She has lived at The Kenwood since 1997. Eustis has volunteered throughout the community in many ways. …

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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 …
Voices Against Violence
Dr. Catherine Barrett
‘Oppressive’ experience:’ 57 hearings, 80 court orders, 12 parenting time schedules
What do you do when 11 judges and referees, 20 therapists, 12 mediators, two parenting consultants (with 37 directives), one custody evaluator, and one guardian ad litem haven’t been able to …
Police officer Paul Elmstrand, officer Matthew Ruge and firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth
Violence Free Minnesota issues statement on Burnsville Police and EMT domestic violence homicides
Violence Free Minnesota issued the following statement on Tuesday, Feb. 20 to call attention to the full circumstances around Shannon Cortez Gooden's murder of two police officers and an EMT in …
Christmas Eve luminary supports Domestic Abuse Project
For 25 years, the warm glow of hundreds of luminaries have lit Dupont/King’s Highway on Christmas Eve. The annual event not only brings neighbors together, but it has raised over $50,000 for …
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 …

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Neighborhood organizations
Neighborhood news - Feb 2024
PLANS FOR FORMER KMART SITE The final open house for the New Nicollet Redevelopment is on Feb. 25, 5-7 p.m., Whittier International Elementary School, 315 W. 26th St.. New Nicollet is a 10-acre …
Neighborhood news - Jan 2025
WINTER FEST AT CFPA The Center for Performing Arts (CFPA) invites you to warm up winter weekends with the vibrant energy of the Winter Festival. Held over four Sundays from Jan. 19 through Feb. …
Vasiliki Papanikolopoulos
New board members
LHiNC is thrilled to welcome eight new board members: Ben Cooper, Mikaela Casey, RoAnn Cramer (not pictured), Suzanna Mallard, Jennifer Larson-Kelso, Andy Rhode, Amy Watters and Mike Williamson. …
Neighborhood News - Dec 2024
CARITAS VOCAL ENSEMBLE SHOWS Caritas Vocal Ensemble, a Twin Cities a cappella chamber choir, kicks off its season of Musical Stories with a winter program ‘Twas the Night... The concert …
Vasiliki Papanikolopoulos
Reindeer Days Dec. 7
Join local businesses for a day of family-friendly holiday fun, with crafts, food, storytime, and more at the 43rd and Upton intersection. Reindeer Day will take place on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 10 …

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Opinion
Chuck Peters
A NEWS ERA
Shortly after initiating the acquisition of Twitter in 2022, Elon Musk posted, “For Twitter to deserve public trust, it must be politically neutral, which effectively means upsetting the far …
Minnesotans demand equal rights
On Tuesday, Jan. 14 amid a tectonic start to Minnesota Legislature 2025-26 Session, one bright spot emerged: a resounding collective voice for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) echoed throughout the …
Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice steering committee.
Still processing. Still grieving
Stories and Journeys is three years old. Happy Birthday! An amazing human being by the name of Amy once observed that writing is how I process my life. Others have claimed to have made the same …
Parents flood school board meeting to demand solutions to overcrowded classrooms
On Tuesday evening, Dec. 10, 2024, parents, caregivers, and teachers packed the Davis Center board room and the overflow space to voice concern over ballooning class sizes and shrinking numbers of …
Happy 3rd birthday
I just wanted to say thank you for all your hard work. I haven't lived in Minneapolis for long, and your newspaper has really helped me get an idea of what's going on locally. Thank you! Kalina …

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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.”
George Floyd Memorial Square
Mileesha Smith speaks at Peoples' Way in George Floyd Square on Feb. 26, 2025. (Photo by Jill Boogren)

GFS community calls on city council to override mayor's veto

t a press conference this morning, Feb. 26, 2025, neighbors and community leaders called on city council members to uphold the community’s right to shape the future of George Floyd Square. On …

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Unleashing U.S. Energy: The Critical Need for Efficient Permitting
Unleashing U.S. Energy: The Critical Need for Efficient Permitting
(NewsUSA) - There is broad agreement across party lines that it takes too long to build anything in the United States.   A new energy generation project, like a solar or wind farm, that needs a …
3 car buying mistakes that can cost you more than you think
Jerry uncovers three often-overlooked expenses when buying a car and how to minimize them.
What springs from the 'mind' of an AI can sometimes be out of left field.
What are AI hallucinations? Why AIs sometimes make things up
When AI systems try to bridge gaps in their training data, the results can be wildly off the mark: fabrications and non sequiturs researchers call hallucinations.
Bob Dylan gives his first concert in Israel in 1987 in Tel Aviv, playing with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
From Jewish summer camp to gospel to Chabad, Bob Dylan’s faith doesn’t fit in a box − but he’s long had a connection to Israel
Despite pressure to cancel Israel performances, Dylan has performed in the country several times. Ever an enigma, he rarely explains his decisions − or views on religion.
A brief history of the s'more, America’s favorite campfire snack
Every summer, millions of marshmallows will be toasted over fires across America. Many will be used as an ingredient in the quintessential summer snack: the s’more. Eating gooey marshmallows …
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