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December 13-19, 2018 Vol. 85 No. 19 www.spokesman-recorder.com
Let’s talk Whiteness
‘Minnesota Nice’ and prejudice explored at race forum
Amidst glowing remarks, MPD chief gets full term By Dwight Hobbes Contributing Writer
M
Dr. Nell Irvin Painter
By Solomon Gustavo Contributing Writer A trope still good for a bit of a face-palming laugh is a look through most African American studies programs — they tend to be lined with White faculty. Dr. Nell Irvin Painter gave the irony a laugh, her plume of pristinely white curly hair bouncing up and drooping to reach her light blue glasses. Painter had just finished her presentation on systemic racism as part of the YWCA Minneapolis’ series of forums on race within the vast Westminster Presbyterian Church nestled just north of Minneapolis’ business district. The historian and author of the 2010 book The History of White People is a New Jersey native, Harvard graduate, Princeton history professor and visual artist. She is also a darkskinned Black scholar who is
fascinated with Whites. Painter has dedicated herself to compiling detailed records from scientists and thinkers defining and redefining White identity, how pure Whiteness shifted over the years, how conceptions of racial hierarchy are ingrained in American culture and produce tangible consequences along racial lines. “I’m focusing on White identity because it is so under-studied,” Painter told the large crowd resembling a typical Minneapolis scene of mostly Whites with a few people of color sprinkled about. Regardless of race, few historians, or people in general, are concerned with the history of White people. “You ask White people, ‘Why are White people called Caucasian?’” said Painter. “They haven’t the faintest idea.” When she first published her book and went on tour to ■ See WhiteneSS on page 5
Robin Hickman (left) and other attendees Photos by Rachel Palomo, YWCA Minneapolis
inneapolis’ first Black police chief, Medaria Arradondo, has been re-appointed to serve a three-year term. The Minneapolis City Council voted Friday, Dec. 7 to extend Arradondo’s position. Arradondo has served as interim chief since July 2017 after the former police chief, Janeé Harteau, resigned following the police shooting of an unarmed woman. “I am thrilled to be celebrating the council’s unanimous move to confirm my appointment of Chief Arradondo to a full term as chief of police,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “His leadership, character, and commitment to building trust between community and MPD have made him an invaluable partner and a good friend.” The Minneapolis City Council’s unanimous vote came with little surprise after Arradondo received glowing remarks from the community at a reappointment hearing during the council’s Public Safety & Emergency Management Committee meeting on Nov. 29. Prominent activists Nekima Levy Armstrong, Al Flowers and Lisa Clemons were among many voicing impassioned support. Minneapolis resident
Jacob Frey and Medaria Arradondo
Photo courtesy of Facebook/Jacob Frey
Chuck Turchick’s was the only complaint — though his was about the review process and not Chief Arradondo. “Democracy is about process, and this process [fails],” said Turchick. “A city ordinance gives the Police Oversight Commission [POC] permission to
participate in the performance review of the chief of police. Every time you preclude the POC from participating in performance reviews, you are disrespecting the civilian oversight body you created.” ■ See Chief on page 5
SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: LUTUNJI’S PALATE Lutunji Abram, M.A. has always had a sweet tooth but never thought baking would become her business. Up until this year, her work had been primarily focused on organizational leadership, community development, and diversity and inclusion. Then she hit an employment slump and launched her own southern desserts enterprise. While she still enjoys work via Voices of Effective Change, her community-based consulting service and resource company, she is already aiming to take her pies international. Her offerings, including a much-in-demand peach cobbler dubbed “Harriet’s Escape,” along with a “Dr. T. Adams Philosophy” pecan cobbler and “Exquisite Nicksology” macaroons, are already on the menus at four different restaurants, and she’s working on getting stocked in grocery stores. Here, we chat with the newly minted entrepreneur about her succulent southern-style creations and why it’s about more than just desserts.
MSR: What inspired you to launch your business? Lutunji’s Palate: I was literally blackballed from employment. Here I am, an African American woman, bright, articulate, master’s degree, [and] I was
blackballed from the work- was just awe inspiring — I literally, audibly heard my grandforce. mother’s voice from heaven. MSR: Were you not even She said, “Girl, get your a** up. getting interviews? You know what to do.” LP: Not even getting interI always had a sweet tooth views at one point — totally and I liked to bake, but all blackballed. One morning — it of a sudden, it was just the peach cobbler. When I first started baking it, I was using a cake crust, I was being creative. What I didn’t realize is my highest power was saying, “Okay, you’re about to figure this out. I’m going to let you experiment, because what you don’t know is [that] in 2018 I’m going to launch your business, and it’s going to be so powerful no man can stop anything.” And, that’s literally what’s happening. What was meant for evil really turned out for my good. MSR: It sounds like what you would consider your business’ hero product is the peach cobbler. LP: Absolutely. And the best thing about that is, I make a
Lutunji Abram
Submitted Photo
■ See SBS on page 5
Christmas tree do-over at MPD Fourth Precinct By Chris Juhn Editorial Intern
A child hangs a candy cane on a tree outside of the Fourth Precinct station.
Nearly 40 community members gathered for a holiday doover at the Minneapolis Police Fourth Precinct station. The gathering followed an uproar over a photo of the station’s Christmas tree “decorations,” which consisted of menthol cigarettes, malt liquor cans, and junk food. The photo went viral and community members demanded a change in leadership at the precinct. On Friday, Dec. 7, community leaders sipped on hot cocoa and hot cider as they decorated a new donated tree outside the station filled with ornaments representing what the North Minneapolis community really looks like. One community member added a military patch; another
brought a photo of Travis Matthew Jordan, who was shot and killed by police in November. At the close of the event, community members hoisted sixyear-old Blessing Caldwell to place the star at the top of the tree, but she was unable to reach that high. Lt. Tim Mattsson brought out a ladder with an MPD officer to add the finishing touch. Chris Juhn welcomes reader responses to cjuhn@spokesman-recorder.com. Photos by Chris Juhn (top right) A decoration created in honor of Travis Matthew Jordan (bottom right) Community members hold a “Black Lives Matter” quilted banner made by the Million Artist Movement.
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December 13-19, 2018
Kindergarten Readiness: What your child needs to know
Control their movements Students at this age should be developing their fine motor skills, which is the ability to move and control small muscle movements of the hands, fingers, face, mouth, and feet, as well as their large body movements. This includes being able to bounce, throw, and catch balls during outdoor playtime, as well as run, climb, jump and gallop. Play well with others Preschool is a great time to help your child develop social skills to interact with other people verbally and non-verbally. This is done through body language, gestures, and personal appearance. They should also be able to share with other scholars and learn how to solve problems without using anger and aggression. Dress themselves By this stage, kindergartners must be able put on and take off outer clothing, zip their coat and tie their own shoes. Go to the bathroom They must also be able to use the bathroom by themselves. Teachers can’t help with this, so students must know how to handle their clothes, wipe themselves and wash their hands. Clean up after themselves Being able to clean up their messes and in the classroom helps teach responsibility and helpfulness.
Courtesy of Getty By Kimberly V. Porter, M. Ed. Contributing Writer
K
indergarten is an exciting time of exploration for your child and, as parents, you want your child to have the best experience — that comes from being prepared. Being ready for kindergarten means having well-developed pre-kindergarten skills and being academically, socially, and physically ready for the transition from prekindergarten to kindergarten. This includes everything from being able to write their name and follow directions to being able to go to the bathroom by themselves and problem-solve. Parents play an essential part in preparing their child for this new and exciting experience. The first thing is to research schools in which you would like to enroll your young learner. When you find the school that best fits your child, share the school’s requirements with your child’s pre-kindergarten teacher. By doing this, the teacher will be able to work with you to identify needs and incorporate them into their curriculum and weekly plans — this is key for ongoing success. While each school may have different requirements, here is a basic checklist of skills your child should have to ensure a smooth transition. Identify letters Letter recognition is the ability to identify letters of the alphabet. Ideally, your child should be able to recognize and say all the letters in their first name as well as identify most upper- and lower-case letters.
Write their name Students should be able to write their first name with the first letter as an upper case and the remaining letters in lower case. This includes being able to properly grip a pencil, crayon, or marker correctly (with the thumb and forefinger supporting the tip). Handle a book While they may not be able to fully read it, young learners at this stage should know how to hold and handle a book. They should know which pages come first and understand that words are read from left to right. They should also be able to sit and listen well to short stories (5-10 minutes) and show interest in reading-related activities.
relative ease. This includes knowing how to hold a pencil, crayon, or marker correctly and how to cut out shapes. Recognize shapes and colors Students should be able to identify basic shapes, such as triangles, squares, rectangles, circles, ovals, stars, and heart. They should also be able to arrange and group different objects by shape. In addition, they should know their basic colors: red, blue, green, black, white, orange, yellow, pink, and purple. Count to 10 Your young scholar should be able to count to 10 and recognize and name numbers 1-10, even when they are out of order.
Parents play an essential part in preparing their child for this new and exciting experience. Rhyme words Students should also be able to rhyme easy words, such as hat, fat, bat and cat and make most letter and sound matches. Children who can do this tend to become better readers.
Follow directions Kindergartners need to know how to listen with understanding to directions and follow one- and two-step directions and problem-solve.
Process stories Your scholar should be able to retell information from a story. They should also be able to sequence a series of three pictures to tell a story.
Speak clearly Your young learner will need to be able to communicate with others without your help. This includes speaking clearly to be understood without context clues and speaking in sentences that express and describe their feelings. This would be a good time to also teach them appropriate volume (i.e., indoor and outdoor voices).
Use scissors, glue, paint Young learners should know how to properly use scissors and other art materials with
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These are some of the primary skills your young learner needs to learn ahead of kindergarten. If you are in doubt of your child’s readiness, it is of the essence to voice your concerns. Talk to your child’s pre-kindergarten teacher, view the new school’s curriculum, ask questions about the curriculum. You can even tour the school and observe a kindergarten classroom. Speak to other parents, listen, think about your child, and then go with what best fits the need of your child. Trust your instincts! You know your child best and you are familiar with your child’s learning style. Kimberly V. Porter, M. Ed. is an early childhood development professional, author, and editorin-chief for eLATION magazine. She welcomes reader responses to kporter@spokesman-recorder. com.
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Sensory play While not necessarily a requirement, this is a great time to help your young learner with their sensory development. Sensory play uses our five senses: seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, and smelling. Research shows that sensory play builds nerve connections in the brain’s pathways, which helps children complete more complex learning tasks. According to Goodstart, sensory play is great for language development, cognitive growth, problem-solving skills, and social interaction. Sensory play activities, such as playdough, finger painting, and water/sand play help stimulate all core senses and are a familiar and very natural way to explore and process new information.
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December 13-19, 2018
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Newly approved drug a trail-blazing approach to cancer treatment ous growth in many different types of cancer.
By Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD
T
he FDA just approved a new revolutionary drug for the treatment of cancer. The medication, Vitrakvi (larotrectinib), is unique in that it treats the genetic basis of what is driving cancer and not the type of cancer once it has developed. The mutation that causes cells to become cancerous is found in many different types of cancers. So, this new treatment is not just for one cancer but may treat many different types of cancer. This is avant-garde thinking. Vitrakvi (larotrectinib) is manufactured by Bayer and is available in pill and liquid forms. It can treat cancers in children and adults, but it isn’t cheap. For adults, the medicine is just under $400,000 per year. In children, the cost is about $135,000 per year.
How does Vitrakvi (larotrectinib) work? This drug works by blocking a specific mutated enzyme (tyrosine kinase) in cancer cells. When present, this defective enzyme causes cancer-
Why is it revolutionary? Vitrakvi (larotrectinib) is one of the first drugs of its kind that focuses on treating the genetic basis of cancer, not just the type of cancer. That is, it goes after the switch that turns a normal cell into a cancerous cell. By analogy, there are many types of car manufacturers. Instead of trying to treat a single entity, like a Chevy or a Ford or Honda, this medicine focuses on treating the force that makes the cars go — the engine! As a result, this radical approach has the potential of treating many kinds of cancers (all cars have engines) rather than a specific type of cancer (Chevy, Ford or Honda). This groundbreaking approach has a much broader potential in the war against cancer. By developing the ability to stop the engine of any car, there is the potential of stopping many different types of cars from running, which supports the analogy of fighting many kinds of cancer. Since it is FDA-approved, will insurance cover it? Yes and no. The drug has a broad appeal and the benefit of treating both children and adults. Unfortunately, the price tag is astronomical. Medicare and Medicaid are not covering the medication yet, but it is hopeful that they will. If they do, third-party payers usually follow suit, but once again, due to cost, any and all insurances may have restrictions, limitations, and only partial coverage. Insurance coverage, of course, will improve as the price comes down.
If someone has cancer, how do they discover if this medicine will work for them? The appeal of this medication is that it works in many different cancers both in children and adults. This fact, by itself, is remarkable and substantial.
Unfortunately, the type of genetic mutation that drives these cancers represents only a small percentage of overall cancers, probably less than five percent. So, it certainly won’t work in all cancers. But when it does work — and it has already helped many patients in the tests and trials — some patients have experienced remarkable results. We currently don’t know which cancers will respond. Fortunately, tests will be available to see if a person’s cancer is responsive to this new treatment. A person’s cancer will be mapped for mutations. Once the mutations are discovered, any available medications that attack that mutation can be employed. Hopefully, over time, we will build a bigger and bigger army of medicines that attack a wide variety of genetic mutations that cause a wide range of cancers located anywhere in the body.
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type. We will now look at cancers based on the gene mutations that drive them. These very mutations can then be detected, and drugs can be designed and selected to attack the mutations. Attacking the genetic cause of malignancy has been the Holy Grail for cancer treatment, and we are now about to sip from the cup. The future has never been brighter for the war on cancer. For more information on cancer treatments, please see our articles: h t t p ://s p o k e s m a n - r e c o r d e r. com/2015/12/02/what-is-cancer/ h t t p ://s p o k e s m a n - r e c o r d e r. com/2018/08/29/new-advances-in-thewar-on-cancer-living-cell-therapy/ h t t p ://s p o k e s m a n - r e c o r d e r. com/2016/04/06/good-news-winningwar-cancer/
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Unfortunately, these tests are new, expensive and challenging. They will very likely get better and less costly on a rapid and regular basis. Regardless, people should get tested, because we now have a revolutionary and effective treatment for select cancer patients.
The future of cancer treatment Vitrakvi (larotrectinib) is the first medication designed specifically to attack cancers based on the gene mutations that make them malignant and not where they occur in the body or the type of tissue the cancer comes from. We will no longer treat the tissue where cancer comes from; we will address the DNA mutation that causes a cancer in the first place. Calling a cancer by the mutation that causes it and not the tissue or organ it comes from, such as breast or prostate cancer, is a trail-blazing approach in the treatment of cancer. It now shifts our thinking and focus when it comes to treating and curing cancer. This new view is the future of cancer treatment. We no longer need to consider or call cancer the name based on its tissue
Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD is a board-certified dermatologist and clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School. He also has a private practice in Eagan, MN. He received his M.D. and Master’s Degree in molecular biology and genomics from the Mayo Clinic. He has been selected as one of the top 10 dermatologists in the United States by Black Enterprise magazine. Dr. Crutchfield was recognized by Minnesota Medicine as one of the 100 Most Influential Healthcare Leaders in Minnesota. He is the team dermatologist for the Minnesota Twins, Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild and Lynx. Dr. Crutchfield is also an active member of both the American and National Medical Associations, and president of the Minnesota Association of Black Physicians.
Don’t let back pain spoil your holidays The hustle and bustle of the holidays brings all sorts of activities to American households. While some complain about all the things they need to get done and the stress involved, there is joy in a lot of it, too — giving to others, family time, decorating, dining, and sharing special memories. But for many people experiencing back pain, there is little, if any, joy. Lower back pain is the most common type of chronic pain in the U.S., and the holiday season, for many, magnifies how much they can’t do and how much they are missing out on. “The emotional and psychological costs of back pain hit especially hard during the holidays when it limits their participation with family and friends and in numerous activities,” says Bradford Butler, a chiropractor and author of The Blueprint for Back Pain Relief: The Essential Guide to Non-Surgical Solutions. “They want to get rid of their pain, but what matters most to them is what the pain is stopping them from doing — many of the things they love in life.” Butler lists the various mental and physical costs of chronic back pain and how sufferers can limit or prevent them. Depression “In many patients, according to the Mayo Clinic, it’s chronic pain that leads to a diagnosis of depression,” Butler says. “Sadly, too many patients are misdiagnosed with depression and put on very powerful and dangerous medications because of pain. Doctors are trying to say it’s depression causing the back pain, when in fact the opposite is true.” Time Chronic, unaddressed back pain robs one of several aspects of life — lost work, lost quality family time, lost recreation time. And then, Butler stresses, there’s the danger of waiting too long to treat it. “The longer you have a back problem, the more damage it will create and the more it will resist getting better,” Butler says. “There is a point of no return, when there’s nothing anyone can do to overcome the damage you’ve allowed by not dealing with it.” Surgery “Surgery and prescription drugs are almost always the wrong choice,” Butler says. “Many patients who use these options don’t need them, and in fact regret them. They’ve had their lives ripped apart by back surgery and drugs, leading to divorce, lost jobs, and bankruptcy.
A combination of therapies boosted by the newest technology — chiropractic care, physical therapy, and massage therapy — is often the best approach to their care.” Other organs, tissues A damaged back or spine can affect multiple other areas. “Problems with the back and spine or nerves can be linked to many disorders — headaches, TMJ, hip pain, knee pain, and many others,” Butler says. “Therefore, knowing where the pain is coming from and what best to do about it is paramount.” “Education is the key,” Bradford says. “You are responsible for your choices, not your doctor. Question how the treatment plans he or she recommends will help you and how it will correct what’s causing the pain, not merely mask it.” Bradford Butler, a chiropractor and author of The Blueprint for Back Pain Relief: The Essential Guide to Nonsurgical Solutions, is owner and director of Oakland Spine and Physical Therapy. He is a graduate of the New York Chiropractic College. — Information provided by News and Experts
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December 13-19, 2018
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (MSR) welcomes and values commentary and feedback from the community. The articles found here are edited for clarity and/or space, but the opinions are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of the MSR.
We must address the chlamydia epidemic among Black women By Taiwo Aremu Contributing Writer
Who says women can’t be NFL head coaches? By Jenny Ziegler Contributing Commentator This [NFL] is a man’s world, but it would be nothing without a woman or a girl … (speaking in my James Brown voice). Sure, we are on the sidelines as cheerleaders, owners, reporters and such, but there has never been a female head coach manning the sidelines in any male professional sport. There’s always a first time for everything. Hold that thought as we are not there yet. Recently, Condoleezza Rice was trending on social media when it was reported by NFL insider Adam Schefter that the Cleveland Browns were considering the former secretary of state for its most recent head coaching vacancy. Rice, though hailed as being intelligent, a great leader and a woman of great character, is an unrealistic candidate for the head coaching gig with the Browns. Yet, that report brought the discussion of coaching opportunities for women in male professional sports to the forefront. Condi, as she is affectionately called, is also an adamant Cleveland Browns fan. “I love my Browns,” she said.
The only thing that is standing in the way of a woman coaching in the NFL is air and opportunity. Her love for the team stems from times when she and her father watched games together and cheered on Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown. But a love of the game does not make a head football coach. She acknowledged that she doesn’t possess the experience needed to take on such a role and had this to say on Facebook: “I do hope that the NFL will start to bring women into the coaching profession as position coaches and eventually coordinators and then head coaches.” Rice went on to say, “One doesn’t have to play the game to understand it and motivate players, but experience counts — and it’s time to develop a pool of experienced wom-
en coaches.” Though Rice never played the game because she is a female, she knows a little somethin’, somethin’. For three years, she was a part of the College Football Playoff selection committee responsible for determining the top college football teams in the country — ultimately deciding what four teams would compete in the playoff. How’s that for “women don’t know jack about football?” The former secretary of state is also wise enough to know that though she is not ready to be a coach in the NFL, there are women who can do the job with the proper training and opportunities. And, she has expressed an interest in the role of NFL commissioner. If she can broker peace deals in the Middle East, ceasefires and deal with terrorists and drug lords on behalf of our country — then why not? She ended her post by saying, “BTW- I’m not ready to coach, but I would like to call a play or two next season if the Browns need ideas!” At 4-6-1, the Browns could perhaps use a few plays this season as opposed to waiting until next season. I’m just saying. The league, however, is making strides, as there are a few teams that have opened their doors to afford women the type of onthe-job-training required to be able to take that next step toward coaching in the NFL. The Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, Arizona Cardinals and the New York Jets all have hired females in some form of football operational capacity (offensive assistant, special team’s coach, strength and conditioning coach, and assistant coach). Kudos to all of them! Rice is advocating for more training opportunities for women to get the lockerroom credentials that will enable them to climb that proverbial NFL coaching ladder. Given the right opportunities, the sky is the limit: general manager, commission or, even, president. The only thing that is standing in the way of a woman coaching in the NFL is air and opportunity. Jenny Ziegler is a columnist for the Miami Times.
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Not everything that matters in life can be counted, and the value of good health is difficult to quantify. I grew up in Nigeria and was fascinated by the prospect of living in a community that gives everyone an equal opportunity to wellbeing. I now live in Minnesota, one of the healthiest states in the United States (U.S.), yet it is tinged with one of the highest health inequalities in the country — including sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Chlamydia, the most commonly reported STI in Hennepin County, has had higher and faster-rising rates
costs to pay chlamydia is left untreated. If the infection goes undetected and untreated, it can lead to serious health issues such as ectopic pregnancy, and some women may never be able to get pregnant again. However, the financial cost implication of chlamydia is also high, at a staggering $3.1 billion annually. Prevention of chlamydia in Black women who are most affected will help reduce the overall health care spending in Minnesota. Complex trajectory In a diverse society, the policy-making body plays a role in the wellbeing of the citizens, irrespective of their race. Unfortunately, the
ed sex, and so the number of people affected with chlamydia infection will continue to increase. Considering the rising rates of chlamydia among Black women, there is a need to act fast and now. A policy that will revise the sex education curriculum in schools to include cultural appropriateness, especially in languages that are best understood by diverse populations of Black women and that is void of religious bias would go a long way toward helping increase awareness, and reduce infections. If young Black women are informed about how to prevent chlamydia infection, then the overall health burden will ultimately reduce. Hennepin County’s share of
There is a need to act fast and now. among Black women than White women. In 2017, chlamydia was reported as 9.7 times higher in Black women than in White women in Minnesota. Although Minnesota has a sex education policy, it lacks cultural appropriateness, as it does not require schools to teach sex education in languages that are best understood by a growing segment of Black women whose first language is not English and in tandem with their religious beliefs. There is also a high outof-pocket cost for screening and treatment, such that the majority of uninsured Black women cannot afford to pay. But there are much higher
Minnesota legislature isn’t as diverse as the population and there has always been a low representation of Blacks in government, hence a lack of commitment to this population. Structural racism in employment predisposes Blacks to an unemployment rate three times the rate in Whites. Black women in Minnesota have systematically had fewer employment opportunities. And, there is evidence that women who are financially constrained are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors, hence an increased exposure to STIs. In addition, young women are still having unprotect-
the total health care spending in Minnesota would also decrease, and Minnesota would be able to maintain its sovereign status as one of the healthiest states in the U.S. Taiwo Aremu, MD, MPH (C) is a graduate student of the Public Health Administration and Policy Track at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.
IN RESPONSE TO: In response to “‘Minnesota Nice’ reveals lingering White supremacy,” by Solomon Gustavo, November 29, 2018 Since the colonial settler creation of White America, White supremacy has been used to maintain a mythological history of America by denying our wealth. It is almost solely based on stealing the land of, and committing genocide against, our indigenous peoples and the enslavement of Africans brought to America in chains and incarcerated on plantations to provide free labor for White landowners. Since our nation’s founding, the terrorism and mass annihilation of native and Black people by horrific acts of White supremacy must be recognized as an American form of fascism. White supremacy remains an effective way to greatly limit the power of working people by using racism to inhibit multiracial movements for economic justice. Throughout American history, with some notable important exceptions, White working-class people rejected creating alliances with Blacks and other people of color because they were so indoctrinated with the lies and falsifications of racial superiority. Far too often, this engendered White hatred and violence rather than solidarity with people of color in common struggles to improve the well-being of all who suffered from oppression. To this day, White supremacy supports structural public and private policies and practices allowing White people who rule this country to unfairly benefit from and maintain their power through a concentration of wealth. This reality exploits and harms all working people, but its consequences for people of color are particularly brutal. And yes, in “nice” Minnesota, what is called discrimination, disparities, or the lack of equity is in fact a long-standing, intentional racial and economic apartheid. — Arthur Turovh Himmelman The selective manner that we have no Black nightclubs for all of our ages, an overabundance of churches and 501c3 companies (nonprofits do not add to the tax base);
the purposeful delineation of Black men in elementary education and administration; the glorification of single parenthood has destroyed the power of marriage and increased the prison population for both male and female. The “Minnesota nice” plays right into divide and conquer approach that has increased with the overt omission that oneparent families are the norm (70 percent) and, therefore, what you see is what you get. Most planes have more than one engine. If one fails, the other one gives you a chance to live. If you only have one engine (single parenthood) you have a 70 percent or higher level of dying. It is more than “The Worst Cities for Black Americans.” Quit glorifying single parenthood and embrace civil unity. — Lewis Cunegin In response to “Open Letter: Mayor Jacob Frey and Chief Medaria Arradondo must overhaul 4th precinct” by Nekima Levy Armstrong, December 5, 2018 These things being demanded are things our government should have been done on their own in the ’90s and it wouldn’t be so ridiculous now. I’m more scared of the police in the 4th precinct than I am of the gangs. I hope these requests are all agreed to and met no later than June of 2019. — Elizabeth S Long overdue. This overt racism and tolerance of, by ALL those employed at the 4th Precinct, must end. Further disregard by the Minneapolis City Council and the mayor is not acceptable. This is a “safety issue” and has been for some time now. For well over three years, it has been a really bad exhibition of political placism in an attempt to avoid having to acknowledge the real issues that no one publically has the guts to address BUT Nekima. Shame on Minneapolis for not electing her our Mayor when we had the chance. — Jon Stanley
December 13-19, 2018
Chief Continued from page 1
Levy Armstrong, civil rights attorney and cofounder of Racial Justice Network, told the MSR, “Chief Medaria Arradondo is the right person to help lead the Minneapolis Police Department in a new direction. Flowers added, “As the first African American chief in Minneapolis history, we’re never going to have a better opportunity for police-community relations. I don’t believe the African American community will have a better opportunity to building those bridges.” The return of Chief Rondo, as he’s popularly known, comes with complications stemming from the MPD’s history. “[There is] a culture of violence within the police department, a misogynist culture, also a culture of racism and White supremacy,” asserted Levy Armstrong at the hearing. “So, we have some serious work to do. Rondo cannot do it alone.” She told the MSR, “[Arradondo] will need the support of the mayor, city council, and community allies to help shift the current problematic culture of MPD, which has been detrimental to the Black community.
not in support of myself or the police department — a safe city. They want a police department they can trust.” He added, “This, in a sense, is not my police department. I’m trying to prepare leadership for the next 15, 20 years. We’ve got a lot of young officers and employees, and I want to make sure they have the right pillars of stability, trust. They’re going to need that. “ The strong emphasis placed on changing the culture at the MPD is necessitated by the same attitude that resulted in North Minneapolis’ Fourth Police Precinct Commander Aaron Biard’s demotion after veteran officers Mark Bohnsack and Brandy Steberg desecrated the precinct lobby’s Christmas tree. They “decorated” it with, among other things, such racially stereotyped objects as a Popeye’s soda cup, a Steel Reserve malt liquor can, a bag of Funyuns and a pack of menthol cigarettes. [See MSR’s Dec. 6 story “Cop’s racist Christmas tree shocks North Minneapolis.”] “I am ashamed and appalled by the behavior of those who would feel comfortable to act in such a manner that goes against our core department values of trust, accountability and professional service,” said Arradondo in a statement following the Dec. 1 incident.
“The community is here because they want a safe city. They want a police department they can trust.” “Over the last six months, two men of color have been shot and killed by MPD in North Minneapolis: Thurman Blevins and Travis Jordan. Travis Jordan needed mental health intervention… not bullets. His unnecessary death at the hands of MPD officers reinforces the urgent need for mental health co-responders in North Minneapolis,” Levy Armstrong said. Clemons, a former MPD sergeant and founder of A Mother’s Love, commented, “When I talked to Chief Arradondo and Deputy Chief Art Knight about Mother’s having a role in the community, they immediately went into action to bring Mother’s to downtown Minneapolis, give a voice down there, and get us a presence. You save the mother, you save the child. You save the child, you save the community.” Frey appeared briefly, stating, “The relationship between the chief and the mayor is arguably the most important [one] in city hall. The value and necessity we are handling for both public safety and community-police relations, inclusive of accountability, is of the utmost importance. Chief Arradondo has managed to…articulate and take active steps toward a shift in the culture of the Minneapolis Police Department.” After receiving numerous accolades, Arradondo stated, “The community is here [at the hearing] because they want — even those that are
Frey denounced it as well and called for the officers to be dismissed. After no such action took place, activist Rev. Jerry McAfee, questioned the power dynamics between the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis (POFM) and Arradondo. McAfee, who had not attended the hearing, told MSR, “You see how Jacob Frey backed up off of wanting to fire [the offending officers]. He had to because the union [POFM] is too strong. I’m pleased with Rondo, but he is not the issue — the issue is how the union responds. The chief can say certain things, [but] if the line officers don’t get it, it doesn’t matter what he says.” Additionally, Arradondo will be trying to make vital changes with the significant disadvantage of reduced resources. The city council voted on Nov. 30 to cut the mayor’s proposed MPD budget by $1.1 million for 2019. “We’re asking him to do more with less,” Clemons told the MSR. “That doesn’t make sense to me.” Arradondo’s first full term begins January 1. He has identified improving police-community relations as among his top priorities. Dwight Hobbes welcomes reader responses to dhobbes@ spokesman-recorder.com.
5
Whiteness Continued from page 1
discuss White history, people would consistently first ask about Blacks. “Americans really like talking about Black people,” said Painter. She said that without fail someone who read her book would come to a tour stop holding her large white book with the words “White History” in big letters on it, and still the first question would not be about Whites. “Tell me about Black people,” said Painter, acting out how quickly Americans shy away from Whiteness and “this avoidance of talking about White people.” Painter made it clear she would only be talking about White identity. What is considered White has changed over the years. White people have become an afterthought, the default, neutral human who represents and is entitled to everything that is good, while everyone else is left to scavenge for scraps. Her book on the matter was published before the last large shift in Whiteness: the election of President Donald Trump. After 2016, said Painter, White Americans were marked as White.
YWCA “It’s Time To Act” forum attendees in group discussion Photos by Rachel Palomo, YWCA Minneapolis age of 64, also displayed an art piece that spread over a series of slides during her presentation. The slides, she said, are a conversation between two people. Going back and forth is a person oblivious to racial tension recoiling in horror at the election of Trump, and Painter herself assuring the anonymous interlocutor that the ugliness of Trump’s rhetoric and actions are nothing new in America. “I say yes, this is America. Look South.
“You ask White people, ‘Why are White people called Caucasian?’ They haven’t the faintest idea.” White America is a large, general group, and Painter’s book takes care to draw a line from one shift in Whiteness to the next. At the onset of the 20th century, Whiteness was far more splintered than now. A Saxon with ancestors from England gleefully looked down on an American of Mediterranean European descent. Soon, everything melted into the Caucasian catchall. “There were no more Eastern Hebrews, northern Italians and southern Italians, or Celts or Jews,” said Painter. “Just one big White race and everybody’s the same.” There was still intra-White snobbiness, though, said Painter. Mid-19th century thought, she said, still lingers today — superior, outdoorsy, reliable, efficient White people were “christened Nordic,” and lesser Whites are the southern and eastern Europeans that stay inside. Painter, who went to art school at the ripe
Look West,” says Painter’s character in the piece. “Do you see a racial identity in these pieces?” Painter asked the crowd. “Okay, let’s take a vote.” Overwhelmingly the audience raised their hands to say they ascribed a race to each character. The post-Trump piece was about how White people are more recognizably marked in a post-Trump America. Painter wouldn’t disclose why she thinks that is — she wanted to leave it to her audience to discuss further. Her presentation was followed by group discussions. Audience members filed out of the sanctuary to sit around tables and talk about their thoughts on White people and race in America. Their conversations ranged from how deep White identity runs and White culture’s attempt to reckon with aspects of Whiteness most don’t recognize, to how these often invisible qualities jump out and operate
in such disparate moments as the 2016 election, Painter’s art piece, police brutality, and the receptionist at an office treating a Black visitor like trash. When considering the Midwest and Minnesota Niceness, Painter told the MSR that passive prejudice, which often goes unspoken and is hardly ever confronted or even given a name like White history, “is America. “The awful thing is that you never know. That’s what makes you tired — just being armored for what might come. And if it doesn’t come, it takes awhile. And you are thinking, ‘Is it gonna come now?’ Yeah, it’s really exhausting,” said Painter. When it comes to the history of White people and America, we should all be doing some heavy lifting. We should all, said Painter, see slavery and genocide, not as Black or Native history, but as a collective American history we all need to better familiarize ourselves with. The historian’s suggestions for all dutiful citizens: “First, learn U.S. history — thoroughly.” The YWCA Minneapolis “It’s Time to Act” series will host three more forums on race throughout 2019. Up next: White Fragility: Unpacking Privilege with Dr. Robin DiAngelo will take place Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019, from 6:00 - 8:30 pm. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, located at 1200 Marquette Ave. in Minneapolis. For more information, visit ywcampls.org. Solomon Gustavo welcomes reader responses at sgustavo@spokesman-recorder.com.
SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: LUTUNJI’S PALATE sBs Continued from page 1
vegan, a regular buttery buttery, and by special request, a totally gluten-free cobbler. That’s where the experimentation came in. MSR: Do you feel like because of that revelatory moment that got you to start the business, it makes even more sense that you are serving up such a legacy desert? LP: Absolutely. And the hook that I add to it is, I don’t make the traditional crust. I make a homemade organic coconut crust. MSR: So, it gives you an out from being compared to a classic cobbler? LP: There you go. I love that. Absolutely.
“There’s this huge vegan spokeswoman [Tabitha Brown]. She got a bit of my cobbler, did a testimony, and it got over 20,000 views.” er [than we can supply], which I’m excited about. It’s a challenge, but I love challenges because [they] help me put my thinking cap on and be creative and figure out how to accomplish this goal. And that’s what I’m currently working on. MSR: What is the most rewarding part of owning your business? LP: The most rewarding part is [that] I’m doing something that I love and that brings peace — and that I’m putting yummy stuff in other people’s tummies. MSR: What is your vision or goals for your business? LP: My vision and my goals for my business is [that] Lutunji’s Palate will go international. My goal for that is to actually even turn the business side into it where [I would create] almost like an education center and train young parents in the baking industry.
MSR: Even though your business is quite new, what has been your biggest challenge so far? LP: The biggest challenge I’d say right now is the manpower, having demand being great- MSR: So you would be teaching people how to make what you make fresh instead of just being franchised in a supermarket? LP: Absolutely, absolutely. That is the goal, and it’s pretty much a done deal where [Lutunji’s Palate] will be in grocery stores. I’m starting here at home first, of course. I’m in conversations with a couple of grocery stores, but right now as we speak, they’re in restaurants. My vegan [cobbler] is in Trio, a plant-based restaurant in [Minneapolis] and Bunny’s Bar and Grill in St. Louis Park
The “Harriet’s Escape” peach cobbler from Lutunji’s Palate Submitted Photo and northeast Minneapolis. They run specials with my cobblers. Pimento has picked up my peach cobbler, and we will also be partnering for their holiday menu — my cobblers will be included in that and at their stores.
God has me focusing on this pie. And, I’ve been getting major hits. It’s crazy. There’s this huge vegan spokeswoman [Tabitha Brown]. She got a bit of my cobbler, did a testimony, and it got over 20,000 views.
MSR: It seems that you’re speaking as someone who suddenly finds herself doing what she’s been meant to do her whole life? LP: And that is absolutely it. I launched Lutunji’s Palate under Voices of Effective Change because I envisioned that training center where I’m training these young moms. All along, I have been [working on] building this state-of-the-art charter school for young parents. Not to say that that’s not going to still happen, but it’s funny the shift that
MSR: So what advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs? LP: Follow your dreams [and] stay focused and hopeful. Lutunji’s Palate is offering MSR readers a 10 percent discount on orders over $35 through January 5. Use code MSR. Visit lutunjispalate. com to check out her offerings. Interview by Laura Poehlman.
6
December 13-19, 2018
Green Book message as timely as ever
Mahershala Ali (right) and Viggo Mortensen star in Green Book. By Kam Williams Contributing Writer
D
on Shirley (Mahershala Ali) was a promising prodigy whose formal training in classical piano began when he was admitted to Russia’s prestigious Leningrad Conservatory at the age of nine. Because he had the misfortune of being raised in Florida in the Jim Crow Era, it was very unlikely that his extraordinary talent would be appreciated anywhere in the South upon his return to the States.
to rent an apartment above Carnegie Hall. In the early ’60s, Don decided to throw caution to the wind by embarking on an eight-week concert tour across the Deep South. This would involve playing numerous “White only” venues where, despite being the headliner, he might not be able to dine or use the restroom. As far as finding a place to stay, he would turn to the Green Book, a priceless guide for African Americans in need of public accommoda-
Images courtesy of Universal Pictures story that revisits the unlikely friendship forged between a stuffy classical artist and his rough-edged driver in the face of their racial and class differences. The movie represents a bit of a departure for director Peter Farrelly, whose name has long been associated with lowbrow comedies like Dumb and Dumber, Shallow Hal and There’s Something
About Mary. The relatively sophisticated Green Book proves to be far more reminiscent of Driving Miss Daisy (1989) than of Farrelly’s earlier bottom-feeding fare. In fact, the palpable chemistry generated by costars Ali and Mortensen will not be forgotten by the Academy come Oscar season. Green Book is a touching biopic with a timely univer-
sal message about brotherhood and tolerance. Excellent (4 stars) Rated PG-13 for violence, mature themes, profanity, racial slurs, smoking and suggestive material Running time: 130 minutes Production Studio: Dreamworks Pictures / Amblin Partners / Innisfree Pictures / Wessler Entertainment / Partic-
ipant Media /Conundrum Entertainment / Cinetic Media Studio: Universal Pictures Kam Williams welcomes readers responses to kwilliams@ gmail.com. Green Book opened nationwide November 21. Visit www. greenbookfilm.com for more info. Check your local listings for show times.
The palpable chemistry generated by co-stars Ali and Mortensen will not be forgotten by the Academy come Oscar season. The North was decidedly different. While still in his teens, Don was invited by conductor Arthur Fielder to perform with the Boston Pops Orchestra. He would later compose symphonies for the New York Philharmonic and was even allowed
tions across the segregated South. And to make sure he kept out of trouble on the road, he hired Tony Lip Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen), a blue-collar bouncer from the Bronx. Thus unfolds Green Book, a buddy flick based on a true
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7
50 years later: Coming of Age in Mississippi still speaks to nation’s racial discord
By Fred Blackwell Contributing Writer
M
ost memoirs are soon forgotten. A rare exception is Anne Moody’s Coming of Age in Mississippi, which was published in 1968. It spoke to the day’s pressing issues — poverty, race and civil rights — with an urgent timeliness. Fifty years later, the book still commands a wide readership. Read each year by thousands of high school and college students, it remains a Random House backlist best-seller, a title that continues to sell with little to no marketing. As I research Anne Moody’s life for my upcoming biography, I often wonder what her memoir’s continued popularity means. Does it signal dramatic progress on race relations in the U.S. — or does it instead show us that, as former Sen. Ted Kennedy wrote in 1969, “If things are somewhat different, then they are not different enough.”
Till’s death opens Moody’s eyes Written when Moody was 28 years old, Coming of Age is a gripping story. In spare, direct prose, she takes readers into the world of African American sharecroppers in the Jim Crow South. As a child, she chopped and picked cotton, cleaned houses for White people, and wondered why Whites had better everything — better bathrooms, better schools and better seats in the movie theater. That mystery remained unsolved when, in 1955, Moody learned that White men had killed a Black boy her age just a few hours’ drive north. The killing felt personal. “Before Emmett Till’s murder, I had known the fear of hunger, hell, and the Devil,” she wrote. “But now there was… the fear of being killed just because I was Black.” Closer to home, Whites ran her cousin out of town, brutally beat a classmate, and
Ann Moody burned an entire family alive in their home. Amid such horrors, Moody feared a nervous breakdown. But she resolved to resist. In 1963, Moody became infamous in Mississippi after she challenged racial segregation in what would be the era’s most violent lunch-counter sit-in. At the Woolworth’s in Jackson, Mississippi, White men shoved Moody off her stool, dragged her across the floor by her hair and, when she crawled back, smeared her with ketchup, sugar and mustard. Photographer Fred Blackwell captured a now-iconic image of this day, with Moody seated in the middle. In the early 1960s, Moody worked tirelessly as an organizer for the Congress of Racial Equality in Canton, Mississippi. But after facing daily death threats, she fled to the North, where she moved from city to city, raising money for the movement. At each stop, she described what it was like to come of age, as a Black woman, in Mis-
Anny Moody endures harassment from a crowd of Whites at a Woolworth’s in Jackson, Miss. Fred Blackwell/Jackson Daily News, via Associated Press sissippi. At one event, she shared a stage with baseball great Jackie Robinson, who urged her to write down her story. So she did. Readers react After Coming of Age in Mississippi was published, the response was split. Some readers viewed the book as — in the words of one reviewer for The New Republic – a “measure of how far we have come.” To them, the worst of racism was over, and Moody’s account served as a stark reminder of how bad things once were.
Twitter/AnneMoodyHistoryProject Many readers praised Moody’s story. Some in her home state spurned it. Others, however, read Moody’s experiences of racism as simply one chapter in a current and ongoing struggle — “the sickening story of the way it still is for thousands who are Black in the American South,” as Robert Colby Nelson wrote for The Christian Science Monitor. Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy read it both ways. He called the memoir “a history of our time, seen from the bottom up, through the eyes of someone who decided for herself that things had to be changed.” Still, he regretted that the book did not mention recent advances, like the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which enabled the election of several Black public officials in Moody’s own hometown. Meanwhile, for decades, Southern media outlets and public institutions shunned Coming of Age in Mississippi and Moody herself. Hostile Whites in Moody’s hometown of Centreville, Mississippi even threatened to kill her if she ever returned.
How much has really changed? By contrast, today, Coming of Age shows up on high school and college reading lists throughout the South, and Moody appears among 21 authors pictured on the Mississippi Literary Map. Her crumbling childhood home sits on the recently renamed Anne Moody Street, and Anne Moody Memorial Highway now connects Centreville and Woodville, the town where she graduated from high school. In Moody’s day, local public officials were all White. Now they more closely reflect the county’s 75 percent Black population. In 1963, Moody mourned the assassination of her beloved colleague, Medgar Evers, president of the state National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and watched in horror as local Whites refused to convict his murderer. Thirty years later, Byron De La Beckwith was finally convicted of homicide and imprisoned for life. Today, visitors who fly into the Mississippi State Capitol, land at JacksonEvers International Airport. These shifts make Coming of Age seem, to many readers, an inspiring account of survival, resistance and victory. But to others, the book is anything but a triumphalist story. Instead, its lessons are grim: In retrospect, civil rights victories seem superficial, while the brutal poverty and racism Moody described endures. Compared to Whites, Black people in the U.S. are more than twice as likely to die in infancy; three times more likely to be poor; three times more likely to be killed by police; five times more likely to be imprisoned and seven times more likely to be murdered. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was gutted by a 2013 Supreme Court decision that emboldened states around the country to create new restrictions that prevent Black citizens from voting. Moody was one of the lucky ones. She graduated from college, moved north and published a best-selling memoir.
But despite the accolades, television appearances, radio interviews and speaking engagements, she could never really escape Jim Crow Mississippi. It had deprived her of her family and a place to truly call home. Coming of Age ends with Moody listening to civil rights workers sing the anthem, “We Shall Overcome.” “I wonder,” she wrote. “I really wonder.” Fifty years later, many of us are still wondering.
Courtesy of Random House Leigh Ann Wheeler is a professor of history at Binghamton University, State University of New York This story originally appeared in The Conversation.
8
December 13-19, 2018
Washburn student celebrates 10 years of classical Nutcracker ballet performances
BULLETIN
This year, Olivia Simmons Bergin, a freshman at Washburn High School in Minneapolis, is marking her 10th year of performing in the Minnesota Academy of Russian Ballet’s traditional Nutcracker Suite ballet. Simmons Bergin began ballet at McRae Park’s long-standing dance program for preschoolers. As a kindergartener, she started attending a rigorous, highly disciplined Russian ballet school in Eden Prairie, MN that puts on a traditional rendition of the popular Nutcracker Suite ballet. She will be featured in several solos in this year’s show. Simmons Bergin just completed the XC Season for Washburn’s Girls Cross Country track team, adding to their consecutive City Conference titles. Now she will trade in her XC cleats for pointe shoes in a traditional Russian Nutcracker ballet performance. Along with cross country, Simmons Bergin plays violin in Washburn’s Chamber Orchestra and is a member of the National Charity League, a volunteer service organization. She is the daughter of Kym Simmons and Daniel Bergin. Mr. Bergin is notable documentary filmmaker and Powderhorn native. Simmons Bergin is the great-granddaughter of Ida Mae Young (St. Peter’s AME) and John Young, of the historically recognized Young Bros. beauty and barbershops. The Nutcracker performance takes place at the Eden Prairie High School Performing Arts Center December 14-16. For show times, tickets, and other info visit minnesotaballetschool.com/nutcracker.
—Information submitted by the subject
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NAM ort group for in recovery lead ction peer supp ors who are also at lit et Luci fa liv A NAMI Conne O d t. ne M ai :00 p.m., at neapolis. Tr in -8 M 30 in 6: y at kl s ee ay w meets formation, ts on Frid olis. For more in . The group mee ap ps ne ou in gr M n io in , ct Conne d Knox Ave. S. , 50th Street an theran Church 1-645-2948. 651-280-8527. ort groups at 65 pp su d contact Kim at an s se as t NAMI’s free cl Find more abou
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Legals State of Minnesota Case Type: Dissolution Without Children County of Dakota District Court Summons with Real Estate First Judicial Court In Re the Marriage of: Case No: 19AV-FA-18-2779 Samsam O. Mohamed, Petitioner and Mohamed Abdimasid Nur, Respondent ORDER FOR SERVICE BY ALTERNATIVE MEANS THE STATE OF MINNESOTA TO THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPONDENT: WARNING: YOUR SPOUSE (HUSBAND OR WIFE) HAS FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST YOU FOR DISSOLUTION OF YOUR MARRIAGE. A COPY OF THE PAPERWORK REGARDING THE LAWSUIT IS SERVED ON YOU WITH THIS SUMMONS. THIS SUMMONS IS AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT FROM THE COURT THAT AFFECTS YOUR RIGHTS. READ THIS SUMMONS CAREFULLY. IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT, CONTACT AN ATTORNEY FOR LEGAL ADVICE. 1. The Petitioner, (your spouse) has filed a lawsuit against you asking for dissolution of your marriage (divorce). A copy of the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage is attached to this Summons. 2. You must serve upon Petitioner and file with the Court a written Answer to the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, and you must pay the required filing fee. Answer forms are available from the Family Law Facilitator Program, Family Court Self Help Center located in the Family Justice Center, 110 South Fourth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401. You must serve your Answer upon Petitioner within thirty (30) days of the date you were served with this Summons, not counting the day of service. If you do not serve and file your Answer, the Court may give your spouse everything he or she is asking for in the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage. 3. This proceeding does not involve real property. NOTICE OF TEMPORARY RESTRAINING PROVISIONS: Under Minnesota law, service of this summons makes the following requirements apply to both parties to the action, unless they are modified by the Court or the proceeding is dismissed: (1) Neither party may dispose of any assets except (A) for the necessities of life or for the necessary generation of income or preservation of assets, (B) by an agreement of the parties in writing, or (C) for retaining counsel to carry on or to contest this proceeding. (2) Neither party may harass the other party. (3) All currently available insurance coverage must be maintained and continued without change in coverage or beneficiary designation. (4) Parties to a marriage dissolution proceeding are encouraged to attempt alternative dispute resolution pursuant to Minnesota law. Alternative dispute resolution includes mediation, arbitration and other processes as set forth in the district court rules. You may contact the Court Administrator about resources in your area. If you cannot pay for mediation or alternative dispute resolution, in some counties, assistance may be available to you through a nonprofit provider of a court program. If you are a victim of domestic abuse or threats as defined in Minnesota statutes, Chapter 518B, you are not required to try mediation and you will not be penalized by the Court in later proceedings. IF YOU VIOLATE ANY OF THESE PROVISIONS, YOU WILL BE SUBJECT TO SANCTIONS BY THE COURT. Date: 11/02/2018
Signed: Samsam O. Mohamed
A/1
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Contract No. 19-093
Contract No. 19-084 INVITATION TO BID
INVITATION TO BID Sealed bids will be received by the Public Housing Agency of the City of Saint Paul Sealed bids will be received by the Public Housing Agency (PHA) of the City of Saint
at 200 East Arch Street, St. Paul, MN 55130 for PHA HI-RISE TRASH COMPAC-
Paul at 200 Arch Street East, St. Paul, Minnesota 55130 for EXCHANGE CORRI-
TOR REPLACEMENTS, Contract No. 19-084, until 2:00 P.M., Local Time, on
DOR FLOORING REPLACEMENT, Contract No. 19-093, until 1:00 PM, Local
January 9, 2019 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud.
Time, on JANUARY 10, 2019 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud.
Complete sets of bid documents are available by contacting Northstar Imaging, at 651-686-0477 or www.northstarplanroom.com, public plan room under PHA HI-
The flooring replacement includes demolition of existing VCT tile and base, abate-
RISE TRASH COMPACTOR REPLACEMENTS, Contract No. 19-084. Digital
ment of existing mastic and installation of new VCT and base.
downloads are no charge; contact Northstar for hard copy pricing.
A complete set of bid documents are available by contacting Northstar Imaging
Bids must be accompanied by a 5% bid guarantee, Representations, Certifications
at 651-686-0477 or www.northstarplanroom.com, under public plan room, EX-
and Other Statements of Bidders Form, a non-collusive affidavit, and EEO/AAP sub-
CHANGE CORRIDOR FLOORING REPLACEMENT, Contract No. 19-093.
mittals. The successful bidder will be required to furnish both a satisfactory perfor-
Digital downloads are no charge, contact Northstar for hard copy pricing.
mance bond and a separate payment bond.
Bids must be accompanied by a 5% bid guarantee, Representations, Certifications
PRE-BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 17,
and Other Statements of Bidders Form, a non-collusive affidavit, and EEO/AAP sub-
2018, AT 10:00 AM AT THE MOUNT AIRY HI-RISE COMMUNITY ROOM, 200
mittals.
ARCH STREET E, SAINT PAUL, MN 55130.
The successful bidder will be required to furnish performance and payment bonds.
The PHA reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to waive any informalities in the bidding.
PRE-BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD on December 20, 2018 at 10:00 AM at Exchange Hi-Rise, 10 W Exchange Street, St Paul, MN in the Community Room. A
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tour of the building will follow.
OPPORTUNITY AGENCY
KA YANG PROJECT LEADER (651) 292-6089 Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, December 13, 2018
The PHA reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to waive any informalities in the bidding.
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MIKE SILVAN
OPPORTUNITY AGENCY
Contract No. 19-087
PROJECT LEADER (651) 292-6144
Minnesota Spokesman Recorder November 29, December 6 & 13, 2018
INVITATION TO BID
Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, December 13, 2018 Sealed bids will be received by the Public Housing Agency of the City of Saint Paul at
NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE A/1
THE RIGHT TO VERIFICATION OF THE DEBT AND IDENTITY OF THE
Contract No. 19-091
ORIGINAL CREDITOR WITHIN THE TIME PROVIDED BY LAW IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS ACTION.
INVITATION TO BID
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN: That default has occurred in the conditions of the following described mortgage: DATE OF MORTGAGE: April 10, 2018 MORTGAGOR: Marla J. Stewart, a single person MORTGAGEE: Minneapolis Property, LLC, a Minnesota limited liability company DATE AND PLACE OF RECORDING: Recorded in the Office of the County Registrar of Titles, in and for Hennepin County, State of Minnesota, on April 10, 2018, as Document No. T05522317 MORTGAGED PROPERTY ADDRESS: 720 4th Street North #503, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401 TAX PARCEL I.D. NOS. 22-029-24-24-0703 LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY: Unit Nos. 720503 and G-155, CIC No. 1300, 710 Lofts, a condominium located in the County of Hennepin COUNTY IN WHICH PROPERTY IS LOCATED: Hennepin ORIGINAL PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF MORTGAGE: $10,000.00 AMOUNT DUE AND CLAIMED TO BE DUE AS OF DATE OF NOTICE, INCLUDING TAXES, IF ANY, PAID BY MORTGAGEE: $11,526.36 INTEREST RATE AND PER DIEM: Current interest rate is 8%, with a daily per diem of $2.19. That prior to commencement of this mortgage foreclosure proceeding Mortgagee complied with all notice requirements by statute; That no action or proceeding has been instituted at law or otherwise to recover the debt secured by said mortgage or any part thereof;
DATE AND TIME OF SALE: January 9, 2019, at 10:00 am. PLACE OF SALE: Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Hennepin County Court-
placement, Contract No. 19-087, until 2:00 P.M., Local Time, on January 10, 2019 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud. Complete sets of bid documents are available by contacting Northstar Imaging, at
Sealed bids will be received by the Public Housing Agency of the City of Saint Paul at 200 East Arch Street, St. Paul, MN 55130 for Exchange Hi-Rise Roof Replacement, Contract No. 19-091, until 3:00 P.M., Local Time, on January 9, 2019 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud.
651-686-0477 or www.northstarplanroom.com, public plan room under Wilson HiRise Electrical System Replacement, Contract No. 19-087. Digital downloads are no charge, contact Northstar for hard copy pricing. Bids must be accompanied by a 5% bid guarantee, Representations, Certifications
Complete sets of bid documents are available by contacting Northstar Imaging, at 651-686-0477 or www.northstarplanroom.com, public plan room under Exchange HiRise Roof Replacement, Contract No. 19-091. Digital downloads are no charge, contact Northstar for hard copy pricing.
and Other Statements of Bidders Form, a non-collusive affidavit, and EEO/AAP submittals. The successful bidder will be required to furnish both a satisfactory performance bond and a separate payment bond. PRE-BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD ON DECEMBER 18, 2018, AT 10:00
Bids must be accompanied by a 5% bid guarantee, Representations, Certifications and Other Statements of Bidders Form, a non-collusive affidavit, and EEO/AAP submittals. The successful bidder will be required to furnish both a satisfactory performance bond and a separate payment bond.
AM AT THE WILSON HI-RISE COMMUNITY ROOM, 1300 WILSON AVENUE, ST. PAUL. The PHA reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to waive any informalities in the bidding.
PRE-BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD ON DECEMBER 19, 2018, AT 10:00 AM AT THE EXCHANGE HI-RISE COMMUNITY ROOM, 10 WEST EXCHANGE STREET, ST. PAUL.
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Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, December 13, 2018
the bidding.
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JIM ROONEY PROJECT LEADER (651) 292-6083
house, 350 South Fifth Street, Room 30, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415, to pay the
PROJECT LEADER (651) 292-6083
The PHA reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to waive any informalities in
OPPORTUNITY AGENCY
JIM ROONEY
OPPORTUNITY AGENCY
PURSUANT to the power of sale contained in said mortgage, the above described property will be sold by the Sheriff of said county as follows:
200 East Arch Street, St. Paul, MN 55130 for Wilson Hi-Rise Electrical System Re-
Employment
Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, December 13, 2018
debt then secured by said Mortgage, taxes, if any, on said premises, and the costs and disbursements, including attorneys’ fees allowed by law subject to redemption with-
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in from the date of said sale by the mortgagor(s), their personal representatives or as-
Contract No. 19-079
signs. INVITATION TO BID
DATE AND TIME MORTGAGOR MUST VACATE THE PREMISES: July 9, 2019, at 11:59 pm. THE TIME ALLOWED BY LAW FOR REDEMPTION BY THE MORTGAGOR,
Sealed bids will be received by the Public Housing Agency of the City of Saint Paul at
THE MORTGAGOR’S PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES OR ASSIGNS, MAY BE
200 East Arch Street, St. Paul, MN 55130 for Dunedin Terrace Modernization – Phase
REDUCED TO FIVE (5) WEEKS IF A JUDICIAL ORDER IS ENTERED UNDER
4, Contract No. 19-079, until 3:00 P.M., Local Time, on January 10, 2019 at which
MINNESOTA STATUTES, SECTION 582.032, DETERMINING, AMONG OTH-
time they will be publicly opened and read aloud.
ER THINGS, THAT THE MORTGAGED PREMISES ARE IMPROVED WITH A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING OF LESS THAN FIVE UNITS, ARE NOT PROPER-
DUNEDIN TERRACE MODERNIZATION – PHASE 4 is a project involving mod-
TY USED IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AND ARE ABANDONED.
ernization of four (4) four-plex townhouse buildings and site improvements. This
Dated: November 15, 2018
work includes remodeling of kitchens and bathrooms, removal and replacement of
BERNICK LIFSON, P.A.
plumbing, and installation of new finishes. Exterior work includes removal and re-
By:
placement of roofs and wall finishes. Site work includes grading, sidewalk/retaining
s/ Matthew S. Greenstein Matthew S. Greenstein (#392044)
wall replacement and fence removal.
#1210 Program Associate, Community Programs & Evaluation - History Center Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) seeks a FT, Program Associate to establish and nurture relationships with Community partners that include: larger cultural organizations, community based organizations and individual community leaders; to support the development and delivery of community programs, in collaboration with the Community Programs & Evaluation team, internal MNHS staff (site and exhibit staff) and community partners. For complete job announcement and directions on how to apply, visit our website at: www.mnhs.org/jobs. Application deadline: 12/12/2018 EEO
5500 Wayzata Blvd, Suite 1200 Minneapolis, MN 55416
Complete sets of bid documents are available by contacting Northstar Imaging, at
(763) 746-9227
651-686-0477 or www.northstarplanroom.com, public plan room under Dunedin
Attorney in Fact for Mortgagee
Modernization Phase 4. Digital downloads are no charge, contact Northstar for hard
IMPORTANT NOTICE
copy pricing.
Continued from page 10
This communication is from a debt collector and is an attempt to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose.
Bids must be accompanied by a 5% bid guarantee, Representations, Certifications and Other Statements of Bidders Form, a non-collusive affidavit, and EEO/AAP sub-
Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, November 22,29 & December 6,13,20 & 27, 2018
mittals. The successful bidder will be required to furnish both a satisfactory performance bond and a separate payment bond.
Fitz Continued from page 10 are 9-4. The Vikings would have to win three in a row and have the Bears lose three straight to win the NFC North. Stranger things have happened; however, the Bears look solid right now.. First things first: The Vikings need to win Sunday when they host the 7-6 Miami Dolphins at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings lead Carolina, Philadelphia and Washington — all three are 6-7 for the final NFC Wild Card.
This just in: As we go to press, the Vikings announced they have fired Offensive Coordinator John DeFilippo. QB Coach Kevin Stefanski is the interim OC and will call plays Sunday vs. Miami. Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:25 am, on WDGYAM 740 Monday and Friday at 9:10 am, and at www.Gamedaygold.com. He also commentates on sports 7-8 pm on Almanac (TPT channel 2). Follow him on Twitter at FitzBeatSr. Larry welcomes reader responses to info@larry-fitzgerald.com, or visit www.Larry-Fitzgerald.com
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PRE-BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD ON DECEMBER 19, 2018, AT 1:00 PM AT THE DUNEDIN HI-RISE COMMUNITY ROOM, 469 ADA STREET, ST. PAUL. The PHA reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to waive any informalities in the bidding.
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JORDAN LASOTA
OPPORTUNITY AGENCY
PROJECT LEADER (651) 292-6254
Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, December 13, 2018
To place your legal, housing or employment ad
call the MSR at 612-827-4021
before last Friday’s Gophers-Oregon match. “The [Black] girls are very relevant to that team.” She and her daughter Atiya, a sophomore volleyball player at Alveno (Wisc.) College, were among the few faces of color at last weekend’s regionals. “I love competing and playing against people across the net that have the same body type and hairstyle as me,” Atiya reported. Earlier this season her school played Macalester College, a squad with several Blacks and the MIAC’s only Black head volleyball coach. “When you see that in a sport that you are playing, it makes you feel good about yourself,” she added. “I think it’s important.” Both mother and daughter hope that more Blacks attend volleyball games as well
as play the sport. “Volleyball is the quickest growing women’s sport in this state,” Angela noted. “My hope is that it will translate and we’ll start to see more [Blacks playing].” This week’s Final Four “is the first of a series of five major NCAA events over the next five years,” Tennant said. The men’s basketball Final Four will be at the Vikings Stadium next April. The other major events are wrestling (March 2020), men’s gymnastics and men’s basketball regionals (2021) and the 2022 Women’s Basketball Final Four. “Our city is primed to host these types of events,” Tennant said. Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.
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December 13-19, 2018
CENTRAL DEFEATS OSSEO IN DRAMATIC FASHION Ford’s three-pointer leads Minutemen to victory
“Grab the ball!” St. Paul Central Boys’ Basketball Coach Scott Howell yelled at forward Dion Ford when he PreP Scene failed to go after a loose ball earlier in Dr. Mitchell PalMer McDonalD their team’s 68-65 nonconference victory over Osseo last Friday evening. With the score tied and St. Paul Central in possession with time running down, Ford got another chance at the ball and seized it, catching a pass from teammate Luke McElroy and draining it from three-point range as time ran out, giving them the dramatic victory after being down 10 points early in the second half. The crowd rushed the floor in excitement as time ran out, culminating one of the most exciting boys’ basketball finishes in recent memory — with the heroic Ford buried underneath the pile. Shooting guard Dionte Davis led
the victorious Minutemen with 26 points, Ford ended up with 12, and Ronnell Porter and McElroy each
chipped in 10. Osseo had a balanced attack led by Terrance Watts’ 20 points. Eli Barlue
had 16 and Deonte Ferguson added 13. Tariq Henry contributed nine points to complement his point guard duties.
Central fans and teammates rush the court after Dion Ford’s three-point buzzer-beater gives them a 68-65 victory over Osseo. Photo by Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald
VIKINGS NOT PRIMETIME PLAYERS!
have lost their identity. Seattle improved With three games left, to 8-5 and apparentthey’d better find it fast. ly have left the ViDefensively, the Vikings in the dust for kings are sixth in the the fifth NFC Wild NFL, but on offense they Card after an imsimply are not a consispressive 21-7 domitent running team right nation of the Vikings now, ranked 30th in the on Monday Night Footleague. Monday night ball. The Vikings have they ran 21 times for just now dropped three of 77 yards. They got stuffed four and are hanging by a thread to the sixth and final at the Seahawks’ two-yard line NFC Wild Card. As a result, per- on fourth down and had a field sonnel changes are already un- goal attempt blocked. Cousins had another critiderway — see below. The Seahawks ran right down cal lost fumble. It added up to a the throat of the Vikings’ vaunt- wasted opportunity. The Vikings are just 2-4-1 on ed defense for 214 yards rushing. It allowed the Seahawks to the road, and if the playoffs bepin the Vikings deep in their gan today, at 6-6-1 the Vikings own end. The famed 12th man would be the sixth NFC playoff — the noisy Seattle fans — are team as a Wild Card traveling very loud and offensive. Signals to play either Chicago or Dallas. and audibles are very challeng- Wild Card teams cannot host playoff games. ing under these conditions. The Bears, after beating the The game was 3-0 Seahawks at halftime. Vikings quarterback Los Angeles Rams 15-6 Sunday, Kirk Cousins threw for just 27 ■ See Fitz on page 9 yards in the first half. Seattle is 25-5-1 in prime time since 2010 and virtually unbeatable at home, 16-2 in prime time. The Vikings can’t seem to play at night; they are just 1-4 in games in prime time in 2018. The Vikings were supposed to be one of the league’s best teams after finishing 13-3 last year and signing quarterback Cousins to an $84 million guaranteed contract. So far, establishing Kirk Cousins led the Vikings 1-4 in better balance has been prime time games. an issue. The Vikings Photo by Steve Floyd
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The capacity crowd — displaying unprecedented excitement and enthusiasm — was reminiscent of the excitement the Minutemen garnered during their heyday in the 1980s as one of the state’s premier basketball programs. St. Paul Central alum Tyron Minor summed it up best in a Facebook post after the game: “It definitely had a throwback vibe.” Minor starred in football and track and field before graduating from Central in 1989. He played wide receiver for the Minutemen and led the track and field team to the state championship his senior year, winning the long jump and triple jump as well before continuing his track and field career at Drake University and the University of Minnesota. Oh yeah! Here’s the irony of Minor’s statement: He is now a physical education teacher at Osseo. Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mcdeezy05@ gmail.com.
‘There’s no city like Detroit’
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The city’s sports tradition is as tough and resilient as its people
charles hallMan
Spencer Haywood Photo by Charles Hallman
First of a multi-part series Minnesotans often brag that the cold weather makes them stronger, but no one can lay claim to a stronger tradition of pride and resilience than Detroiters. This toughness is especially well exemplified in the city’s sports history. Eminem’s 2011 Super Bowl car commercial showed off for nearly two minutes the city’s best as the rapper drove through many of Detroit’s historic neighborhoods en route to downtown, under the tagline, “This is What We Do.” If you ever lived and worked there for any amount of time, and especially if you are Detroit born and made like this columnist, no matter where you are, you carry “The D” with a strong sense of pride. We get very defensive, especially when someone not from the city blindly talks about Detroit. I felt this way last week in the Williams Arena media room when two White media members discussed the bowl game the Gophers football team will play this year at Ford Field in Detroit. “We know who we are. We take it very personal,” Detroit-born journalist Chastity Pratt boldly admitted at last August’s NABJ convention in Detroit. “You take a piece of
Detroit with you,” added local television anchor Glenda Lewis. Her mother, retired award-winning anchor and city legend Diana Lewis, declared, “There’s no city like Detroit.” Being in attendance at NABJ ’18, which among its sessions included a panel on Detroit sports history, not only reaffirmed why I am proud of being from that city, it also inspired the premise of my final multi-part MSR series of the year.
years,” Spencer Haywood pointed out as an NABJ panel member. He’s from what many of us call the city’s golden age of hoops starting in the late 1960s and 1970s. Haywood’s Detroit Pershing High School team, coached by the late Will Robinson, won the 1967 Michigan state boys’ high school basketball championship, the first city school to do so in 35 years. He later had to file a lawsuit, and eventually got the U.S. Supreme Court to rule in his favor (1971), in order to play in the NBA. “There are so many [great Detroit] players,” Steve Smith, another panel member, added. He and Haywood both attended Pershing but in different eras, and both starred in the NBA as well. “The list could go on” endlessly of Detroit hoopsters great and small, Smith continued: “Greg Kelser, B.J. Armstrong, Roy Marble… There are so many people we haven’t talked about.” These were The D’s hallowed halls of hoops: Cobo Hall, the Pistons’ home and where the Detroit Public School League playoffs annually took place; Calihan Hall, “the Big House” on the University of Detroit’s northwest campus, where the city’s Catholic League post-season tourney commences; and St. Cecelia’s — “Ceceliaville, The Little Big House” — where high school, college and pro players played during the hot summertime.
“The culture of basketball in Detroit was more than competition.” As sports in Minnesota is often too provincial for one’s taste, Detroit sports is as passionate, long-suffering and personal as it is in such fan-crazy locales as New York, Boston and Chicago. This is especially true of basketball, which I began following first as a fan in the fifth grade and continuing into my years as a journalist. Detroit basketball is back since last year, playing in the new downtown arena after a 41-year absence: The prodigal Pistons left town in the late 1970s for Pontiac. Now all four pro teams are back in the city. “Detroit was marginalized for so many
“The culture of basketball [in Detroit] was more than competition,” Haywood recalled. “If you could play, that was all that counted [along with] the toughness, the grit, the sacrifice” whether on the playground or in the gym, whether in grade school, high school, college or pro. Next: How Detroit basketball impacted both the city and the NBA Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.
Volleyball Final Four ‘virtually sold out’ even without Gophers sence will impact the overall attendance at this week’s final matches. “Clearly we are disappointed that the Gophers women were not successful in reaching the Final Four,” Sports Minne-
Sports odds and ends By Charles Hallman Contributing Writer Minneapolis this week will be the national magnet for women’s college volleyball. For the first time since 1988, the city will be the host for the 2018 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship. The two semifinal matches are scheduled for Thursday and the title match on Saturday. This year’s Final Four will be at the Minnesota Lynx-Timberwolves basketball arena in downtown Minneapolis. Host Minnesota defeated Wisconsin there in three sets Sept. 26 in a test run, hoping to return later as one of the four finalists, but they fell last Friday to Oregon at Maturi Pavilion, finishing their season at 27-4. Despite last weekend’s disappointing loss, the team’s first at home this season, Minnesota completed one of the program’s best in its history, clinching its second Big Ten title (19-1) since
“I love competing and playing against people across the net that have the same body type and hairstyle as me.”
Atiya (l) and Angela Mansfield Photo by Onika Craven
2015 and coming in third overall, as well as earning an NCAA second-seed position. However, the Gophers were placed in the Minneapolis Region, per-
haps the toughest of the four regionals, as all of its seeded teams advanced to the Sweet 16. It is uncertain how much their ab-
apolis Executive Director Melvin Tennant told the MSR earlier this week. “But they clearly had a very successful season. I want to commend Coach Hugh McCutcheon on a very successful campaign.” Tennant’s organization estimated two weeks ago in a press release that over 11,000 Volleyball Final Four tickets have been sold to out-of-towners. Along
with the games, the American Volleyball Coaches Association will hold its annual convention at the Minneapolis Convention Center, and an All-American high school all-star volleyball game will be held on Friday. The Final Four is “virtually sold out,” Tennant declared. An estimated $11 million economic impact is projected for the area, says Sports Minneapolis. Volleyball on the court, however, remains virtually all-White. Minnesota this season seems the rare exception with three Black starters and six Blacks overall, but among the four finalists, Nebraska and Stanford have the most Black players (two each). Illinois and BYU have none. Furthermore, attendance at volleyball games is always mostly White. The Gopher home crowds are rarely diverse. “I feel blessed as a parent of a child who plays [volleyball] to see that [diversity] on her home state team,” Angela Mansfield of Minneapolis told the MSR
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