Columns | Southwest Connector

Eric Ortiz lives in the Wedge with his family. When he’s not bonding, he is community building with the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation and writing bilingual children’s books with his kids. Their first book, “How the Zookalex Saved the Village,” is available in English and Spanish.

We need to make kids America's top priority

It's hard to get a consensus on anything in the United States these days. But one issue unites the whole country. According to " The State of Kids and Families in America 2024 ," a report from … more

By Eric Ortiz | 4/17/24

Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice steering committee.

Encounters and conversations

So far in 2024, I have been showing up for more meetings and events in-person or via Zoom. In person showing up has been enabled by three factors. 1) The mild winter weather enabling me to be out and … more

By Donald L. Hammen | 4/17/24

Larry LaVercombe is a writer, filmmaker, and activist, born in Detroit and arrived in Minneapolis in 1975. He lived in a treehouse in San Diego before getting an MFA from the USC Film School. He writes most days, and as Team Larry he has been selling residential real estate in Minneapolis for 26 years.

How real estate agent commissions will now affect us

You’ve heard, I’m sure, about the court ruling and the decision by the National Association of Realtors: Buyer’s agents will no longer receive a “standardized” 2.7% … more

By Larry LaVercombe | 4/17/24

Mercado Central, the Latino marketplace at the corner of Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue in Minneapolis.

Mercado Central keeps teaching community ‘How to buy the pond’

Mexico City is 2,106 miles from Minneapolis. But you don't have to travel that far to experience authentic Latino culture. The Mercado Central , or Central Market, is a few minutes from any … more

By Eric Ortiz | 3/26/24

Weighing in on legislation

Dear Reader, you have continued to tell me your Medicare stories via tesha@tmcpub.com . A Southwest Connector reader, Judy M., has written to tell me her Medicare Advantage story and her … more

By Donald L. Hammen | 3/20/24

Suzie Marty is an artist and curator at Everett & Charlie art gallery in Linden Hills. She is also an avid supporter of buying local, and a marketing specialist for the Southwest Connector. Contact her at ads@swconnector.com.

Meditative act of creating

Spending time in nature helps reduce stress. There are many scientific studies that have found it can help lower blood pressure, anxiety, and evoke a feeling of relaxation and positivity in us. … more

By Suzie Marty | 3/20/24

Karen Binkowski is the Southwest Business Association (SWBA) Manager of Business Development & Marketing. The non-profit supports small businesses. Learn more at swba.wildapricot.org or email info@experiencesouthwest.com.

Southwest Minneapolis businesses: We’ve got what you need

There is so much to enjoy and experience through our small businesses here in Southwest Minneapolis. In fact, we’re home to more businesses than the Mall of America! With more than 600 … more

By Karen Binkowski | 3/20/24

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.

Self-advocacy and your health

When you see your health care provider or have a question about your health, are you a great advocate for yourself and those you support in their well-being? Some of us were taught to believe that we … more

By Michele Rae | 3/20/24

Eric Ortiz vive en The Wedge con su familia. Cuando no está construyendo comunidad, es el director de contenido de la Fundación Strong Mind Strong Body y escribe libros infantiles bilingües con sus hijos. Su primer libro, "Cómo el Zookalex Salvó al Pueblo", está disponible en inglés y español.

Es hora de destacar nuestra humanidad con la inmigración

Todos tienen una voz, pero no todas las voces son escuchadas hoy. Este no es un problema nuevo. Mis abuelos paternos, ambos mexicano-americanos de primera generación que crecieron en Los … more

Por Eric Ortiz | 2/14/24

Youth and elders brainstorm ideas during a community solutions workshop at Walker Library on Feb. 3.

A solution for school disengagement

T he world has changed. Our education system has not. As a result, school is broken . It's so bad that many kids don't go to school anymore. Chronic absenteeism was an issue before the pandemic. … more

By Eric Ortiz | 2/14/24

Your property values went up if you live by Bryant bike lanes

So the guy says, “Government’s job is to build the roads. Our city built this ‘bold and transformational’ bike-friendly project, and they managed to forget you might need to a … more

By Larry LaVercombe | 2/14/24

Getting the paper to your front door just got a little harder

Being a small business owner has its good and bad days. In late December 2023, we got some tough news. Independent Delivery Service (IDS), a staple in the Twin Cities for 40 years, was shutting down … more

By Tesha M. Christensen | 1/24/24

Winter musings

Welcome to the start of year three for Stories and Journeys. Welcome to the start of year eight of my retirement journey including Medicare plus supplement. Another reader has told me their take on … more

By Donald L. Hammen | 1/24/24

One happy family: Cal, Eric, Emilia, Maria, and Eva Ortiz. And their dog, Edison (aka Eddie).

Getting more connected in a human way

Happy New Year. Welcome to 2024. Are you happy to be here? Have you already started writing an inspiring 366-page book this leap year (one page for every day)? Or are you still recovering from … more

By Eric Ortiz | 1/18/24

My take aways from Medicare open enrollment

Dec. 7 has come and gone. Medicare Open Enrollment has ended for 2023. Yet it feels like the engagement with me and Medicare has just begun again. So, if you have read this far you have taken the … more

By Donald L. Hammen | 1/18/24

New year clean up: detox and declutter

The beginning of a new year is a wonderful time to look at increasing the well-being of your body and your spaces. Make 2024 your healthiest year ever. Did you know your body is well … more

By Michele Rae | 1/18/24

Do you think you might be lonely?

My counselor recently asked if I thought I was lonely. I'd been doing virtual visits with him for the past year, maybe once a month, for depression. It had never occurred to me to think of myself as … more

By Terry Faust | 12/21/23

“Human beings are meant to be connected,” stated author Marissa Bader (right) of Linden Hills in response to a question posed by local journalist Eric Ortiz during the first Let’s Connect Coffee Time on Dec. 1, 2023. The next event will be on Jan. 12, 9-10 a.m. at Everett & Charlie art gallery.

Marissa Bader spreads joy to the world

Be a kind human. That has been Marissa Bader's life goal since her dad taught her that how we treat others matters, that no human is less or more important than any other, and to always treat … more

By Eric Ortiz | 12/14/23

Thank you for shopping local. (Jarred Ray/Unsplash)

A little local support goes a long way

Giving Tuesday was on Nov. 28 this year, and it was a rough one. Rough, of course, is a relative term. Giving Tuesday 2023 raised an estimated $3.1 billion in donations to nonprofits, according … more

By Eric Ortiz | 12/14/23

Managing pain with minimal medication

My second total knee replacement is now behind me, whew! I am still engaged in a rigorous rehabilitation schedule and glad to be out of the acute recovery phase. I so appreciate living in our … more

By Michele Rae | 12/14/23