Nov. 3, 2022 - MN Spokesman-Recorder

‘50 Over 50’ event recognizes diverse leaders from across Minnesota

By Julie Gordan Contributing Writer

Agemilestones tend to trigger quips and quotes, oftentimes meant to soften the dawn of a new decade and possibly hide the fact we are all aging. And while “40 is the new 30” or “age is just a number” are adages typically shared with a wink, they do overlook the reality of aging’s

upside—wisdom, experience, and the inner power to make change. Just ask the hundreds of guests and honorees who attended the 50 over 50 event at Quincy Hall in Minneapolis.

Sponsored by AARP and Pollen, a nonprofit dedicated to helping society become more free, just and loving, last week’s event celebrated and recognized 50 Minnesotans who are making an enormous impact in their communities.

Ranging from artists to media professionals to nonprofit superheroes, these change makers are blazing trails for the next generation.

“Disruptors come in all sizes and shapes. Some are quiet, and some are loud,” said Wokie Weah, co-emcee and a recent 50 over 50 recipient. She added, “They do what they need to do, whether it is run ning towards risk or feeding on

Black Men’s Legacy Summit delivers needed hope and energy

here?

By Alvin Brown Contributing Writer

The recent Black

Men’s Legacy Sum mit featured a powerful group of panelists and moderators.

The Oct. 29 event in North Minneapolis showcased Black men who are widely respected and highly knowl edgeable in their disciplines,

as well as many being dynam ic speakers.

The Summit, held at North Point Health and Wellness Center, opened with remarks by BuildWealth MN’s David McGee and Jeff Robinson. They were followed by Rev. Alford Babington of the Stairstep Foundation and Trent Bowman of Midwest One Bank. They addressed the question: Why are we

Their remarks then led to a sit-down pen-and-paper session with Dr. Mahmoud El-Kati—one of the more renowned and respected his torians in the world—giving a profound presentation titled “How did we get Here?”

Dr. El Kati set the the tone—any conversation fol lowing him would have to

Homeless advocates demand winter moratorium on encampment evictions

By Cole Miska Contributing Writer

Communities United Against Police Brutality (CUAPB) held a press conference outside Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s house on Oct. 28 to demand a moratorium on all unhoused encampment evictions. The group also held an “encampment protest” outside of Frey’s residence on Oct. 30, along with a supply drive.

“We are here because housing is a human right, and for hundreds of people in this city every day that right is being denied,” said Simeon Aitken, who gave the opening speech at the press conference. “Now more than ever with subzero temperatures only weeks away, unhoused people face literal mortal danger, a danger that will kill people if they don’t have access to housing and basic necessities.

“Now more than ever, strong Mayor Jacob Frey has the power to make immediate changes that would pro tect the right to housing and save lives but consistently refuses to use it.”

The press conference followed four encampment sweeps in October, including an encampment protest where several unhoused Minneapo lis residents set up their tents on the steps of Minneapolis City Hall. Timo thy James McCarter, who is known in the local unhoused community as “Cowboy,” was evicted from the Near

By Stacy M. Brown

In-depth new research examining the priorities and concerns of Black voters over the age of 50 offers optimism and concern for Democrats and Republicans alike as Amer ica heads to the polls on Nov. 8.

Individuals aged 50 and over, which includes millions of Black men and women, comprise the largest voting bloc in America and are con sidered the nation’s most potent voters. In detailed research conducted shortly before the elections, AARPsponsored data revealed how

North encampment when it was swept by Minneapolis police earlier this month.

“It was a raid. They blocked it off for four blocks to make sure that no one with cameras can even get in and record the cutting up of the tents,” said McCarter.

“I lost things that can never be bought back,” said McCarter while wiping away a tear. He lost mementos from his late mother in the sweep and has been unable to get them back.

Alfredo Trujillo helped organize the press conference to help spread

awareness of the recent sweeps. “How else are you going to get people to listen?” said Trujillo. “You can’t keep the voices in your head.”

Trujillo wants people to get to know unhoused residents of Minne apolis and to “treat them like people. Go to a homeless camp and shake hands with these people; they’re your neighbors at the end of the day,” said Trujillo.

“Bring them food, material stuff they can’t afford to buy themselves. Take them out to lunch.”

Toshira Garraway Allen, founder of

Families Supporting Families Against Police Violence, compared the plight of the homeless to the plight of the fami lies her organization assists who have had family members slain by police.

Garraway Allen said she was not at the conference as an activist or founder of an organization, but as “a human being who witnessed other human beings being mistreated. They’re having the last little bit of what they have stolen from them just like we had our loved ones stolen from us,” said Garraway Allen.

“The last little items that they have

to survive are being stolen from them, ripped apart, ransacked, and they’re being mistreated. Just like a lot of our families are being mis treated. It’s a connection—I stand up for humanity.”

Young Eagle, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, has spent years living on the streets. “The first thing you experience when you’re on the streets is to be ‘othered,’ to be lessthan,” said Young Eagle.

“People don’t see you. They don’t hear you; your words don’t seem to have the same effect or impact that they used to. They’ll walk right by you. I don’t care if you don’t hand me some spare change, but the fact that you don’t see me—that’s compelling. That says a lot about society and what’s wrong with society.”

Michelle Gross, president of CUAPB, said the organization was taking action because they were “fed up with using our City’s resourc es to engage in violent evictions.

“It’s not as if the City has a lot of extra resources to house people and they’re choosing not to be housed. There are no resources for people,” said Gross.

“And when we go to the City and we’ve been going to the city coun cil, we’ve been going to the mayor for weeks on end now, and we say

Black votes decisive across the nation

older Black voters plan to cast their ballots, their significant concerns, and their likely influence.

“Black voters 50-plus are going to be decisive in key elections across the country. That’s going to be especially true in the importance of determining control of the Senate,” said Matt Hogan, a partner at Impact Research.

“Data does show Repub licans are doing a lot better with Black voters 50-plus than they have historically,” Hogan reported from the extensive research. “I think both par ties have a real opportunity

to boost their margins by pro tecting Social Security and Medicare and lowering the cost of prescription drugs.”

women, a critical cohort often overlooked by political can didates. “Black women say they are less secure than they expected,” said Margie Omero, a principal at GBAO Strategies, who participated in the poll.

“While women over 50 are motivated to vote by dislike of a candidate, Black women are motivated by civic participa tion to make their voice heard or because it’s their duty to vote,” Omero noted.

Omero further noted that many Black women over 50 are changing in response to higher living costs. And similar to other women in the same

age bracket, Black women believe that lowering the cost of food, reducing the cost of prescriptions, and protecting Social Security from cuts will help them the most.

In a “She’s the Difference” poll of likely voters, eight in 10 said they support a Democrat on a generic congressional bal lot. Most Black women 50 and older said they are still making up their minds about how they will vote in November. “This cohort is strongly motivated to vote, and making their voices heard is the biggest motivat ing factor,” Omero added.

Hogan counted as part of the AARP and NNPA Pollster Roundtable that included a particular focus on Black

(l-r) AARP Director Cathy Corkill McLeer, KMOJ General Manager Freddie Bell, and MSR Publisher/CEO Tracey Williams-Dillard. Photo by Terryann Nash

A tent outside of a city hall encampment protest in Oct.

Photos by Cole Miska

Leaders and community members gathered for the summit

Courtesy of ANIKA & Friends

Timothy James McCarter speaks at Oct. 28 press conference.

Courtesy of NNPA

Metro

Light rail route through North Mpls still unsettled Blue Line environmental comments accepted until Nov. 7

By Henry Pan Contributing Writer

Northside residents have scored some wins, yet they re main concerned about the im pacts the Blue Line Extension may have as the Metropolitan Council prepares to study how it will affect the community.

The Blue Line Extension is years in the making. The Met Council began plan ning the route, which was called the Bottineau Light Rail project, about a decade ago. Though they planned to route it through North Min neapolis, they decided that routing it along Olson Me morial Highway and through

of the railroad right-of-way, and through North Minneap olis—requires them to add to the report. One of the align ments they are studying is running the light rail just east of Interstate 94 after furor from Lyn-Park homeowners over the possibility that some properties might be taken by eminent domain and that light rail would decimate their property values.

But it doesn’t mean the Lyndale option is completely ruled out. The agency may opt to run the light rail down Lyn dale as it appears to be cheap er, and they want to prioritize running service at grade as much as possible.

lived along the Blue Line, at tended a Met Council-hosted Blue Line Extension meeting in late September to stand in solidarity with Lyn-Park neighbors because of her experiences owning a home along the Blue Line’s Hi awatha segment.

Pennie said construction of the original Blue Line seg ment wrecked her home. “[A fence they built for the line] came to be a problem for us, because they build up a hill behind your house for a wall,” said Pennie. “So, when it rains, you have all that water com ing down to your property, to your foundation.”

Pennie also said she has trouble selling her home. “When we went to get a real tor to sell the home, he’s like, ‘Well, what’s going on? It’s a beautiful home.’ He said, ‘It’s the light rail. People want to ride it, but they really don’t want to live that close to it,’” said Pennie.

ertown, which squeezes light rail trains, traffic, parking, and two sidewalks onto one street.

ates with traffic downtown.

Theodore Wirth Park, after running it through North Minneapolis, could result in demolishing homes and dis placing Northsiders.

However, a dispute with Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad, as well as desires to better serve and connect the North Side to the rest of the region, necessitated that the Met Council realign the Blue Line through North Minneapolis.

Federal law requires agen cies developing projects of this scale to complete an envi ronmental impact assessment. Agencies are required to study routing the project on differ ent alignments, possibly using different modes, in addition to a scenario where they would not build the line at all, to un derstand how it will affect its surroundings environmentally, socially and economically. If it has any adverse impact, the agency must develop a solu tion to address it.

Although the Met Council has already done a report, the route changes—running it on Bottineau Boulevard instead

This has Mary Glover, a Lyn-Park resident, frustrated. “They keep showing every thing coming from right down Lyndale no matter what we say in the whole community,” said Glover, who is worried about safely crossing the

To the north, residents on 21st Ave. say running a light rail by their homes makes them uncomfortable in part because of the regional light rail system’s reputation for drug use, which may con tribute to higher drug use rates and overdoses in the surrounding neighborhood. Indeed, the agency acknowl edged at a Met Council meet ing in early October that po lice calls to respond to drug use in June 2022 nearly dou bled from June 2021.

“That’s just not an option that we will explore, breaking up light rail segments like that,” said project spokesperson Trevor Roy. “[The Blue Line Extension] is not just a stand alone project. It connects to an overall…larger system. LRT serves as a spine.”

It’s unclear how building a light rail line partially in mixed flow traffic on a street that serves mostly residences would fare. Detroit’s Q-Line street car, which opened in 2017, is plagued with delays as it oper

On the other hand, San Francisco runs a light rail line through a street similar to West Broadway Ave. in the historically Black Bayview District shared with traffic to allow for parking, sidewalk amenities, and to keep two travel lanes in each direction.

Although the environmental document predicted minimal impact, the line shares a sub way tunnel with four other routes downtown, which sad dles the route with delays.

The Met Council plans to release a draft of the environ mental impact report some

time early next year. Comments on what the envi ronmental review should study, which can include alignments on different streets, types of vehicles to be used, and types of services offered, can be sent online at www.surveymonkey. com/r/SVXSM2H, by e-mail to neha.damle[at]metrotransit.org or be mailed to Ms. Neha Damle, Environmental Lead, Blue Line Extension Project Office, 6465 Wayzata Boulevard, Suite 500, St. Louis Park, MN 55426.

Henry Pan welcomes reader responses to hpan@spokesmanrecorder.com.

tracks and being stuck behind a bus when it is stopped, since Lyndale would be reduced to one lane in each direction if planners stick with that plan.

Although running light rail east of Interstate 94 may im pact fewer properties, it may require demolishing an apart ment building in the North Loop neighborhood owned by NSA Properties. NSA Properties did not respond to requests for comment at press time.

Tracy Pennie, who lives in North Minneapolis but once

Daeisha Wilson is also wor ried about the project’s impact on parking, in part because of ongoing carjackings. “A lot of cars get stolen and hijacked around here. So me personally, I like to keep my car right [in front of my home] just because I live on the first floor, I can look out the window and check it in stead of having it a block away from me,” said Wilson.

The project team is not considering running part of the Blue Line in mixed traffic through North Minneapolis, like how the Green Line runs between Union Depot Sta tion and its operations and maintenance facility in Low

Bethany Lutheran College

Bethel University

Carleton College

College of Saint Benedict

The College of St. Scholastica

Concordia College, Moorhead

Concordia University, St. Paul Gustavus Adolphus College

Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Saint John’s University

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

St. Catherine University

St. Olaf College

University of Northwestern – St. Paul University of St. Thomas

“Being able to attend university was a blessing and I am forever grateful for the people who helped me throughout my college journey.”

Reggie Agyen-Boateng ’21 Augsburg University

Augsburg University

Hamline University Macalester College

A Metro Transit bus crosses West Broadway at Penn Avenue in North Minneapolis

Meeting participants look at a map of the Blue Line extension project.

Photos by Henry Pan

Metro

Movement grows

Election Day holiday on college campuses

By Mike Moen

To keep college students engaged with the voting pro cess, creating an Election Day holiday for campuses is an idea being floated. At least one Minnesota school is go ing that route again this fall amid calls nationally for simi lar moves.

about voting does not al ways reach them.

“Overcoming the informa tion hurdle and making sure students know all the options available to them if there are hurdles that will get in their way of actually showing up on Election Day,” Farris said.

“So, how do I vote in advance? How do I vote by mail?”

ed citizens. She added hav ing this day off is not just about motivating people to cast a ballot.

“It also allows all the people in our community time and space to assist others in vot ing, whether as poll workers or by volunteering to trans port people to the polls. So, it’s about a deeper level of en

Photo of the Week

bright

At Temple University in Pennsylvania, students are circulating petitions to not hold classes on Election Day.

In Minnesota, Augsburg Uni versity declared such a holi day for the 2020 vote, and the school’s Rachel Farris said they are now doing so for each fall election.

College students are of ten surrounded by civic de bate and outreach efforts, but Farris said awareness

Amid higher college costs, the need for more part-time jobs to afford tuition is seen as another barrier. In 2020, the average student voting rate for all colleges and uni versities in the U.S. was 66% according to the National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement.

Farris said making the Election Day holiday perma nent aligns with Augsburg’s mission to educate educat

gagement,” Farris said.

On the national level, sup porters of the movement acknowledge there is not as much urgency this year as there was during the 2020 election cycle. They say that is why it is important for schools to at least have plans in place to help students vote if class es will still be held.

Mike Moen writes for the Minnesota News Connection.

in a

plan

(l-r) Tracey Williams-Dillard, MSR publisher and CEO; Don Shelby, retired WCCO news anchor; and Norma Williams, MSR vice president emeritus, at the “50 Over 50” event sponsored by AARP MN and Pollen on Oct. 25. (See the front page for the story).

Photo by Terryann Nash

Do you have a photo you’d like to share with other MSR readers? Send it to submissions@ spokesman-recorder.com. Make sure to place “Photo of the week” in the email subject field. If your photo is selected, you will win a one-year subscription to the MSR newspaper.

By Dr. Inell Rosario Guest Contributor

So you have been diag nosed with sleep apnea, and you and your doctor have chosen CPAP or BiPAP (con tinuous or bilevel positive air way pressure) as your mode of therapy. Going forward, I will use CPAP to reference both modes of therapy. So what are some of the next steps to successful use of your CPAP?

Is CPAP for forever?

I am often asked when someone is placed on CPAP if they will need to use it for the rest of their lives. The shortest and most truthful answer is yes.

Generally as we get older there is more collapse of the soft tissues surrounding the airway, increasing body mass index or weight, less ability to sleep in positions other than supine secondary to muscu loskeletal aches, all adding to more collapse of the airway and therefore more develop ment of sleep apnea.

Patients with sleep apnea can reduce their chances of chronic long-term use of positive pressure devices by becoming more physically active on a daily basis, focus ing on exercises that improve endurance such as swimming or weight lifting, and ade quate rest.

How often should I use my CPAP?

Once diagnosed with sleep apnea, you should use your CPAP machine on a nightly ba sis. Oftentimes I hear patients not wanting to use it when they have an upper respiratory infection, believing that they do not want another thing to deal with while getting better. I emphasize to them that using their CPAP will actually help them to recover faster and breathe better.

They will, however, need to be more diligent with clean ing it, including more often on a daily basis to minimize

Diagnosed with sleep apnea and CPAP your chosen therapy?

contaminating the machine, which may then lead to pro longed illness. Only distilled water should be used in the machine.

Your sleep apnea is always with you, and treating it on a nightly basis is the best thing for your long-term health.

From an insurance stand point, if you are not using your CPAP 70% of the time for more than four hours, your insurance company may decide to not continue pay ing for your CPAP machine or supplies. If you are having any issues with tolerating the ma chine or mask, please contact your dispensing DME provider for trying different masks as well a download.

What is a download?

A download is an appoint ment during which your DME provider either remotely or using your CPAP machine reviews data of your usage and then is able to make ap propriate changes so that the machine is set to most closely match your respira tory needs. This can be done

proper maintenance and sup plies that are not faulty.

Filters should be changed monthly, masks and cushions every three-plus months de pending on the type, and a humidifier every year or so.

Please reference my prior articles regarding cleaning

ing sinus surgery or after having some middle ear surgeries.

More than any other time, your sleep apnea is at its abso lute worst after surgery! The general anesthetics that were administered all by them selves worsen sleep apnea, including causing temporary development of central sleep apnea. Any narcotic pain med ication further adds to wors ening of apnea.

fore, please use your CPAP machine after surgery— even sinus surgery with a bloody nose—just accepting that you will need to clean your mask more often.

How do I know my CPAP ma chine is working well for me?

remotely or in person.

Ideally it is first done less than a month after you have been dispensed a CPAP ma chine, then at three months of use, then at six months and then one year after initiation of treatment. If CPAP is ad equately correcting your re spiratory events, then you and the provider may decide to go to yearly visits.

Your machine should be downloaded at least yearly to ensure that no adjustments are needed to your CPAP ther apeutic settings and, if you are not followed routinely by a primary care doctor, to obtain at minimum a blood pressure reading. During the visit you can address any lack of use concerns or mask leaks or fit tings and review the cleaning of parts and supplies.

How often should I get sup plies for my CPAP?

Your DME provider should give you a schedule for get ting new supplies with an op tion for you to decline. Please remember, however, that the machine works best with

your CPAP machines. Use of machines such as So-Clean and Lumin are not approved by the manufacturers and do void your machine’s warranty.

How often should I clean my CPAP machine and its sup plies?

Your mask should be wiped with a baby wipe daily and the CPAP humidifier reservoir emptied of water, wiped, and allowed to dry. The tubing should be rinsed in warm wa ter using a non-abrasive dish soap and/or vinegar at least weekly unless respiratory in fection symptoms are present; then more frequent cleaning is warranted.

Should I use my CPAP after surgery?

This is probably the scariest question I am asked by patients and other healthcare providers alike. Absolutely you should use your CPAP after surgery unless your surgeon tells you that there was some commu nication between your nose and your brain such as getting a cerebrospinal fluid leak dur

If you already, for example, had moderate sleep apnea, most likely in the postopera tive period the effects of gen eral anesthesia with or with out the effects of narcotic pain medications would then make your apnea severe. There

Ideally you should feel rested when awakening in the morning after six or more hours of sleep with better en ergy during the daytime. Most machines will also give you a green happy face or a thumbsup if they are working correct ly and you used it for more than four hours.

The life expectancy of a machines is about five years,

but if at any time you feel that the machine is malfunc tioning—not pushing out enough power, or you have a sense of air hunger where you do not feel you are get ting enough air for breath ing—then please contact your treating sleep provider as soon as possible.

Dr. Inell Rosario is a boardcertified ENT and sleep physician practicing at Andros ENT & Sleep Center in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. She has many times been recognized as a Top Doctor and Best Doctor in various Min nesota magazines and can be reached at drrosario@androsentsleep.com or 651-888-7800.

Courtesy of FDA.gov

50 Over 50

failure, disruptors understand true community exists in the heart of its people.”

Each year since 2016, a small selection committee reviews hun dreds of nominations to determine 10 honorees within five distinct cat egories: arts, business, community, disruptors and nonprofit.

Summit

One of this year’s honorees in the business category was the MSR’s Publisher and CEO Tracey Williams Dillard. Founded by her grandfather Cecil E. Newman in 1934, the MSR is now heading down a digital-first strategy thanks to Dillard’s leader ship. “Tracey knows that her work is about more than just the printed word,” said Dr. Antony Stately, coemcee and executive officer and president of Native American Com munity Clinic.

Stately, a 2020 recipient of 50

over 50, added, “The MSR has been a trusted source for health information for the Black community during the pandemic.” Stately also recognized the significance of Williams-Dillard found ing Sister Spokesman, a monthly event where women of color meet to build their networks, encourage each other, and strengthen their bonds.

In addition to being recognized, honorees received handmade ceramic awards from Juxtaposi tion Arts, a youth-staffed art and designer center, gallery, retail shop

and artists’ studio space located on West Broadway Avenue in North Minneapolis.

Ceramic Lab apprentices Ceci Andrade-Vital, Chloe Vreeland and Isiah Hunger designed and produced the colorful mementos. Diane Jarvi, a 2020 Arts honoree and singer, songwriter and poet, added a special reading of her original poem and ode to the power of aging, “Dream the Garden.”

The evening capped off with a social hour, bringing together lead

staple himself with KMOJ, was in attendance and shared his observations. “This is the first time that I’ve seen this kind of energy—mind you, I was born and raised here in Minneapolis. But this is the first time I’ve seen a summit that historically channeled the legacy through our history to what our future can become through the voices of Black men.”

be outstanding and the panelists would not disappoint. The theme of the day was “Reclaim ing Control of our Future” to which all panelists spoke powerfully throughout the event. The top ics ranged from history and the relationship with faith to the power of land equity.

McGee, who spoke on land and home ownership equity, had this to say: “Black women outpace Black men in homeownership, employment, and other sectors. We felt it was important to bring Black men together to pour into and help them—us—reclaim our rightful place in the home and our community.”

Asked about the impact of the event and whether it should be an annual gathering, Rev. Babington, a keynote panelist, replied with a smile, “I think it should be a daily event. But an annual affair for sure.”

He further touched on what made this dia logue so powerful: “The spirit of this event per meates knowledge, the clarity of our history, and the framing of the vision for us to move forward together. We simply cannot do this alone—one segment of our community can’t do this. We need our entire community to imple ment the necessary changes that are needed.”

Rev. Babington continued, “I thank God that there is a focus here on Black men. But know that the community is all of us—male, female, young, and old. But this recognition speaks to

the fact that the Black male in particular has historically been pushed aside by this society.

“So this intentional reclaiming of the Black male voice is so important. The Bible teaches us that if you bind the strong man of the house you can effectively bind the house.

I believe the scripture is Mark 3:27, ‘No one can enter into a strong man’s house and spoil his goods unless he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.’ Effec tively this is what has systematically happened to our Black men. It’s time for us to reclaim our houses.”

Walter “Q Bear” Banks, another community

As Banks continued he also made clear that the quality of the guest speakers was more than just a lofty list of names. “We had a group of men with something to say. A group of experts with believable perspectives and ideas. It was easy to get motivated by what was being said. They were in unison with their messages, and to be able to interact after the event is also invaluable.

“I got the call from Anika Robbins of ANIKA & Friends; my hat is off to her team for produc ing this outstanding event. There is no question that this should be an annual event.”

Robbins, producer and lead strategist for the event, also shared her thoughts. “By all accounts, this was the first time an event of this nature—this magnitude—has taken place in the Twin Cities, an event wholly centered on empowering and building up Black men. Attendees heard from Black thought leaders on employment, entrepreneurship, health, real estate investments, and more.”

To those who may have thought the men’s summit would appeal mostly to men, business owner Jacqueline Wheeler of Abundant Cater ing said she was glad she decided to attend. “This was a great event. I thought it would be open to everyone—women and men. But this group of men was very powerful and I’m so

Election Day is Tuesday, November

ers from across the state, but not before Julie Cohen, engagement and advancement director at Pollen Mid west, shared some final thoughts: “It is not every day that people from diverse backgrounds come together to celebrate. That’s what tonight is all about.”

Cohen added, “The real work hap pens at the local level, where things get done.”

Julie Gordon welcomes reader respons es to jgordon@spokesman-recorder.com.

Al Brown welcomes reader responses to abrown@spokesman-recorder.com.

glad that I came,” she said. Other noted panelists included: Pastor Andre Dukes, Bishop David Johnson, Rev. Jerry McAfee, Diamond Levy, Nick Muham mad, Demitri McGee, Gayle Smaller, Tre Adams, Greg Cunningham, Cameron Perket, Tim Far row, Al McFarlane, Louis King, Warren McLean, Irene Ruiz-Briseno, Joe Abraham, Kevin L. Gil liam II, MD, and Bishop Richard D. Howell, who participated via video message.

(l-r) Jeff Robinson of BuildWealth MN with Michael Robinson and another attendee.

(l to r) Anika Robbins and Dr. Mahmoud El Kati

Business

artist reflects

positives

By Nikki Love Contributing Writer

Art can enrich homes and make neighborhoods come alive. The Minnesota Spokes man-Recorder (MSR) recently had a chance to chat with local painter Charles Edward Caldwell, who specializes in portraits and murals. He shared what his art means to him.

Caldwell understood his calling early. “[I’ve] been an artist all my life,” he said, “and I recognized it at an early age. I was doing my artistry when I accepted myself as an artist.

“My profound recognition of an artist came in the 6th grade at Lincoln Elementary in North Minneapolis,” he re called. “I met the late great Mr. Richard Scott, who gave me the opportunity to know that art can change your life as well as others’.

“When I walked into Mr. Scott’s classroom, it changed my life, and I have changed many lives since through my creations.”

Caldwell is currently finish ing a mural in North Minne apolis at the 4th Street Saloon. One of his notable works is the Prince “Purple Rain” trib ute also located on the North Side. Caldwell said he was in spired to do the Prince mural because he, like Prince, grew up in North Minneapolis,

and he always wanted to do something to honor him. He wanted to touch the hearts of Prince fans that are still heal ing from his loss.

Caldwell, who has a studio on West Broadway in North Minneapolis, aims to reflect the positivity in the neigh borhood. “There is already an amazing mural that is dedicat ed to the visitors who come to North Minneapolis, and it

says, “Welcome to North Min neapolis,” Caldwell said.

“You’re all welcome ‘cause North Minneapolis is a great place,” Caldwell said. “We can come to North Minneapolis and have a good or bad time; it depends on what you are looking for.

“If you bring trouble to North Minneapolis, you will be met with trouble. If you want to have a good time,

come with a good attitude and be uplifting, encouraging and supportive. Because all com munities have their struggles.”

Caldwell’s love of art runs in the family. “Art has been amazing in my life. My family, son, daughter and grandkids

to create and make art part of the Caldwell family legacy in the Twin Cities. He also wants to thank the community of North Minneapolis: “I have to honestly say since I came here at the age of seven, I have nothing but love, support, en couragement and respect for North Minneapolis. I am the artist of North Minneapolis! I hope the things I do or have done is satisfying, encourag ing and inspiring in some type of way.”

Caldwell is working on an other mural on the front of the 4th Street Saloon entitled “The Example.” Viewers can vi sualize the meaning as it con tinues to develop. Ask your self the question, what kind of example are you?

are all inspired by the arts and me,” Caldwell said. “I am grateful to be able to share something they like and love, and maybe they can use art as a beacon of hope for them selves.”

Caldwell wants to continue

To purchase art from Charles Edward Caldwell, visit ccaldwellfinearts.com or 612386-5114.

Nikki Love welcomes reader responses to nlove@spokes man-recorder.com.

Courtesy of ccaldwellfinearts.com

Artist Charles Caldwell

Photo by Nikki Love

I am grateful to be able to share something they like and love, and maybe they can use art as a beacon of hope for themselves.

By Juliet Mitchell

Over the past year, my hus band and I have gone from empty nesters to a household of five people. My son boomer anged and is back living with us. Our grandson graduated high school and suddenly, right be fore our eyes became “an adult” but not yet self-sufficient.

Our son and his daughter’s mom decided that he would have shared custody, and lo and behold, our 14-year-old granddaughter went from a summer visitor to a resident. My husband and I became coparents.

Co-parents, you ask? Yes, that is what I said, co-parents. We are grandparents to the 18-year-old grandson and 13 others. To the 14-year-old living in our home, however, we are more than grandpar ents—we are co-parents. Let me explain.

Arts & Culture

When a grandparent becomes co-parent

discipline.

The commitment to coparenting includes a substan tial investment in time, energy, and financial resources. When grandparents share and shoul der the day-to-day responsi bilities of a child, they are not only grandparents, they are also co-parents. They balance love, nurturing and discipline. They manage time, money and household chores.

You might say I do all of those things as a grandparent.

One of the key words is dayto-day. Yes, grandparents pick up the grandkids from school and go to their games and activities. So how do you re ally know if you have crossed over from grandparent to coparent? If you answer yes to many of the questions below, you are grandparent as coparent:

Does the child have “their own room” in your home?

Does the child have a spe cific seat at the table?

Does the child have a towel hanging in the bathroom for over three days and it’s not a holiday or school break?

When you go out to dinner,

enforce rules and give hugs and kisses?

Did you answer yes to most of these questions? If so, let’s

with co-parenting. I was given a laundry list of tips for suc cessful co-parenting; things that work and things that could shake the foundation of

communicate.

a. Set a date, time and loca tion as you would any other im portant engagement. Do this regularly.

a list for core values for indi viduals and the family unit. Yes, we are family!

4. Outline roles, responsi bilities, and expectations. It is essential to know who is responsible for what, who is authorized to do what (back to #1), and how to communicate when some one steps outside of their lane, intentionally or unintentionally.

5. If you are people of faith or have a belief system, pray, or consult a higher power. You’re going to need it.

6. Extend grace. No one is perfect. We make mistakes, we mess up, we transgress. Give each other the grace and space to get it right.

face it, you are a co-parenting grandparent. Let me share with you a few quick situa tions that made me realize I was a co-parent.

When it was time to reg ister my granddaughter for school, guess who enrolled her. Guess who went to “par ent night” at school. Mom had to work; dad had to work; Papa Jim had a prior commit ment. I went to parent night, met all the parents, and was told I need to sign up for Schoology.

Schoology? That’s another topic for another day.

the “family” for years to come. Done wrong, inappropriately, with little forethought or even malice could cause near irrep arable harm.

Since there is a limited amount of space in this ar ticle, I believe all that I have to share can be wrapped up in these six tips. I am sure family therapists, counselors, and re lationship experts have much to say on the subject. So be on the lookout for future conver sations around this topic.

1. Communication is key. Be intentional about when, where and how you will

b. Invite all involved.

c. Be considerate of each other’s schedule.

2. Set some guidelines on how you all are going to “be” together.

a. Take time to establish some meeting and communi cation norms.

b. List what each person needs to feel safe in that space for all meetings.

3. List values

a. Start with a foundation of respect.

b. Each person should share their own values.

c. This exercise will lead to

Let’s face it—parenting isn’t easy. Co-parenting is often even more challenging. Add the layer of grandparent as co-parent and the relationship challenges escalate. But it can be done, and it can be done successfully.

Our co-parenting situation is not perfect, but it’s working. Thanks to my years of study and life etiquette work—no, se riously—we have all grown over the years and we’re doing bet ter. We have the tools, we’ve consulted the experts, we pray, and we come to the table.

Remember, manners are memorable.

Juliet Mitchell welcomes reader responses to jmitchell@ spokesman-recorder.com.

According to Cambridge Dictionary, a co-parent is a person who takes responsi bility for raising a child, espe cially when that person is not the biological parent or does not live with the child full-time.

A co-parent shares the re sponsibility of raising the child, providing not only the basics of food, shelter and clothing, but also shares in ongoing pa rental duties and takes partial responsibility for social-emo tional development, educa tional guidance, and academic support. Let me not forget behavioral management and

does the child claim a seat in your car before you get there?

Did you participate in se lecting and registering the child for school?

Are you listed as the child’s primary contact for school and other activities?

Did you help register the child for school?

Do you provide transporta tion to and from school and other activities?

Did you go to parent night?

Do you coordinate and ar range drop-offs, pick-ups, play dates, activity lessons, attend performances, manage chores,

Anyway, co-parenting can get pretty messy if you don’t follow co-parenting etiquette. To have a successful co-par enting arrangement, I would like to start with the founda tion laid by newspaper colum nist Dr. Jan Blackstone-Ford.

Dr. Blackstone-Ford’s num ber-one ex-etiquette rule is to put the needs of the child first. Based on the foundation of putting the needs (not wants) of the child first, I will leave you with my top five “co-par enting etiquette tips.”

When I reached out to grandparents who are also coparents, I found them eager to share the good, the bad, and yes, the ugly that comes along

by CHARLES DICKENS

by LAVINA JADHWANI

by

To ease Minneapolis police troubles, look to Northern Ireland

By James Roth

Recent commentaries on Minneapolis policing suggest adding more police or forg ing a court order requiring multiple governmental and community entities to enter a compact. The first approach is too narrow, the second too vague and unrealistic.

Simply adding more police does not address the need to transform the culture of the Minneapolis Police Depart ment (MPD). Yet a grand plan to resolve problems in the MPD by involving multiple parties in a compact is unfo cused and impractical.

Constabulary after the de cades-long sectarian violence from 1968-98, during which over 3,600 people were killed by police, military and para military forces. But the MPD has built up decades of mis trust in minority communities comparable if not identical to the effects of decades-long mistreatment of Catholics in Northern Ireland.

The last 10 years of abuse of minority group members by the MPD are amply docu mented in the Minnesota De partment of Human Rights (MDHR) findings released in June 2022. Earlier investiga tions, including those in the

Opinion

Conservative governance has undermined U.S. life expectancy

By Lawrence S. Wittner

Although in recent de cades American conserva tives have embraced what they call the “Right to Life,” they have certainly done a poor job of sustaining life in the United States. That’s the conclusion that can be drawn from a just-published scientific study, “U.S. state policy contexts and mortality of working-age adults.”

sippi stood at 74.4 years; in liberal Hawaii, at 80.9 years.

The authors estimated that if all states had had a maximum liberal orientation in the public policy areas studied, 171,030 workingage lives would have been saved in 2019 alone. On the

of the recent scientific study observe, is that in 2019, Americans―who then had a life expectancy of 78.8 years―died 5.7 years earlier than the Japanese, 3.3 years earlier than Canadians, and 2.5 years earlier than the British. In 2020, U.S. life ex

In 2019, life expectancy in conservative Mississippi stood at 74.4 years; in liberal Hawaii, at 80.9 years.

An approach much more likely to succeed is the model created by the Patten Com mission (formally the Indepen dent Commission on Policing in Northern Ireland). It was tasked with transforming po licing in the six counties by the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 that resolved “the Troubles.”

The Patten Report was released in 1999. It may not appear intuitive on its face that the issues facing the MPD following the murder of George Floyd are comparable to those of the Royal Ulster

1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s, docu mented previous decades of similar abuses.

The issues facing the MPD are significant, but no more formidable than those in Northern Ireland in the late 1990s.

Mayor Jacob Frey has re peatedly proclaimed that Min neapolis will be a role model for policing reform. He has often quoted J. Scott Thomp son, former president of the Police Executive Research Fo rum and former Camden, N.J., police chief who transformed policing there: “Within a po

lice department, culture eats policy for breakfast.”

The MDHR findings also concluded that “without fundamental organizational cultural change, reforming MPD’s policies, procedures and trainings will be meaning less.” Yet, to date there have been no recommendations that address changing the cul ture of the MPD.

The Patten Report is widely credited with transforming the culture and practices of policing in Northern Ireland. The Patten Commission was chaired by conservative poli tician Lord Chris Patten and had eight members and a sec retary. Among its members was Kathleen O’Toole, then Boston police commissioner, later Seattle police chief, and consultant or court-appointed monitor for several Depart ment of Justice (DOJ) Patternor-Practice investigations.

The Patten Report made 175 recommendations across 19 thematic areas. The rec ommendations echoed many made by Mayor Frey’s work group on community safety regarding best practices on re cruitment, training, account ability and oversight.

But it also incorporated the key recommendation that the protection of human rights is fundamental to the perfor mance of policing duties and must be the core of policing— and that upholding the law and upholding human rights are not separate.

In 2016, George Hamilton, the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said, “As a police of ficer, human rights protect me, my family and my community, and I think that is something to be cherished.” The parties to the Troubles, including Sinn Fein and Loyalist groups, have joined over time in supporting the reforms produced by the Patten Report.

Americans do not often look overseas for solutions to problems, but in this case we should.

While the government structure in Northern Ireland, a constituent country of Great Britain, differs from the city of Minneapolis, the tripar tite accountability system (a board that oversees the police agency, an ombudsman to in

Funded by a grant from the U.S. National Institute on Aging and prepared by a group of U.S. and Cana dian researchers, the study found a close relationship, in the period from 1999 to 2019, between the mortality rates of Americans between 20 and 64 years of age and the conservative or liberal control of their state govern ments.

Specifically, the study concluded that a state’s lib eral policies promoting gun safety, environmental pro tections, labor rights (e.g., minimum wage and paid leave), progressive taxation, and tobacco control lowered mortality rates. By contrast, a state’s conservative poli cies in these areas increased a state’s death rate.

Thus, in 2019, life expec tancy in conservative Missis

other hand, if all states had had a maximum conserva tive orientation that year, an additional 217,635 workingage deaths would have oc curred.

Especially strong associa tions were found between the absence of gun safety and suicide mortality among men, between the absence of labor rights and alcoholinduced mortality, and be tween the absence of tobac co taxes and cardiovascular mortality.

The association between conservative governance and rising death rates might also explain why, with the growth of rightwing Repub lican control of many states, the U.S. mortality rate, long on the wane, has been rising dramatically since 2009.

The result, as the authors

pectancy dropped to 77.0 years; in 2021, to 76.1 years.

Although figures on life expectancy vary slightly de pending on the survey, the United States, despite its enormous wealth and re sources, always ranks re markably poorly among the nations of the world. A typi cal survey for 2022 lists it as 66th in life expectancy.

As Americans cast their votes this November, they might want to consider whether these kinds of con servative public policies have served them well in the past and will do so in the future.

Dr. Lawrence Wittner, syn dicated by PeaceVoice, is professor of history emeritus at SUNY/Albany and the au thor of Confronting the Bomb (Stanford University Press).

Congress should pass a national resilience strategy

By Joe Waln

As a certified floodplain manager with 19 years of experience in civil and wa ter resources engineering, I work directly with Minne sota communities trying to understand and mitigate the threat of major flooding from heavy rain and other severe weather events.

According to the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration, since the year 2000 there have been 35 different weather events in Minnesota that each caused more than one billion dollars in damages.

Total damages have been between $20 and $50 bil lion. Flooding and severe storms have caused 80% of Minnesota’s recent natural

vestigate complaints, and an inspectorate that conducts periodic inspections of poli cies and practices and rec ommends reforms and im provements) can be adapted to fit the MPD, mayor, city council and independent oversight bodies. It could be incorporated into MDHR and DOJ consent decrees

disasters. These events hurt businesses, damage private property, strain public in frastructure, and threaten public safety and national security.

Many states and com munities have created chief resilience officer positions to lead efforts to increase re silience to natural disasters and implemented resilience planning initiatives. A coor dinated resilience strategy helps communities design stronger flood infrastructure, develop smart growth strate gies, put limited resources to work, and guide emergency response efforts.

While cities and states have taken the lead on re silience planning, the federal apparatus around extreme weather preparedness is

with the City and MPD.

The mayor, city coun cil, MPD and community groups need not reinvent the wheel. The Patten Re port is a viable model for transforming Minneapo lis policing. It wasn’t easy there, and it won’t be easy here. But it’s a worthwhile start.

disjointed and redundant. Thankfully, Republicans and Democrats in Congress have come together to introduce The National Climate Adap tation and Resilience Strat egy Act (H.R.6461/S.3531), otherwise known as NCARS.

NCARS would establish a federal Chief Resilience Of ficer to guide the creation and implementation of a na tional resilience strategy that streamlines federal support, leads with science, leverages nature areas, and addresses historical inequities to help communities mitigate the threat of disasters more ef ficiently.

NCARS would equip local leaders with the resources, data and tools necessary to successfully plan for future risk of flooding and other di sasters. Congress should find a way to pass this legislation. Communities across Minne sota and the country will be better off if they do.

Joe Waln, St. Paul

James Roth is a senior re search and advocacy fellow at the University of Min nesota Law School Human Rights Center. His working paper on transforming the Minneapolis Police Depart ment to conform to the rule of law is scheduled to be published in Mitchell Ham line Law Review

A coordinated resilience strategy helps communities guide emergency response efforts.

The issues facing the MPD are significant, but no more formidable than those in Northern Ireland in the late 1990s.

for community reviewers

By Deven Bowdry

The Minnesota Department of Employ ment and Economic Development (DEED) is looking to recruit about 100 community members to serve as grant reviewers for competitive workforce development grant programs during the fall of 2022 and win ter of 2022-23.

DEED is committed to including more voices and perspectives in its grantmak ing process—and including community re viewers is an important way to do this. The organization wants community reviewers who are aware of the current challenges that job seekers face.

DEED has recruited community review ers for its employment and training grants before, and the organization is eager to continue to leverage its experience and perspectives in the process.

In addition to that very important per sonal experience, prospective community reviewers should have an interest in work force development, as well as experience in grantmaking, education, training, work force, and/or a related area. DEED also re quires community reviewers to participate in a short online training session.

DEED is seeking individuals who can dedicate 20-40 hours to read grant pro posals over the course of 2-3 weeks. Grant reviewers will read approximately 6-12 proposals during November and/or Decem ber. Proposals are generally 12-15 pages in

length, with additional supporting and bud get documents that should also be reviewed.

DEED will provide a small stipend to community reviewers who meet eligibility requirements, complete training and re view on time, and complete the required process to receive payments.

How to apply

Go to bit.ly/DEEDReviewers to com plete a short online application form. The application will close at 11:45 pm on No vember 10, 2022. If you have questions, feel free to join one of the two optional community reviewer information sessions. Both of these online sessions will contain the same information. Sessions will be re corded and posted on our YouTube page if you aren’t able to attend.

November 1, 2022 at 10 am

Join on your computer, mobile app or room device by going to bit.ly/DEEDNov1

November 7, 2022 at 4 pm

Join on your computer, mobile app or room device by going to bit.ly/DEEDNov7

If you have any questions, email Ask DEED@state.mn.us.

Deven Bowdry is the Minnesota Depart ment of Employment and Economic Develop ment (DEED) interim director of the Office of Public Engagement.

vOterS

The poll outlined that the most important issues deter mining Black women’s vote in November are division in the country, voting rights and racism. The poll revealed that two-thirds of Black women 50 and older said the U.S. econ omy is working well for them, a significantly higher percent age than women in that age bracket overall.

At the same time, a plural ity said they feel less financially secure than expected at this stage.

In a survey taken in targeted election districts, Black vot ers 50-plus in the most com petitive House districts for this November’s election currently back a generic Democrat by a 65%—16% margin over a generic Republican with a substantial 19% undecided.

While 49 points is a signifi

cant lead, it represents under performance by Democrats among Black voters 50-plus compared to recent elec tions. Black women 50-plus are more supportive of the generic Democrat at 69%— 13%, with men preferring the Democrat at 60%—20%.

Liberals (37% of Black voters 50+) back the Democrat by 87 points, while conservatives (21% of Black voters) favor the Republican by 15.

While very few moder ates (35% of voters) say they would vote for the Republican, 33% are currently undecided.

Pollsters found little differ ences by education, with Republicans doing somewhat better among voters prioritiz ing economic issues for their vote in November.

In Florida, former Gov. Charlie Crist leads Gov. Ron DeSantis by a 78%—18% mar gin among Black voters 50 and over. Crist wins women and men significantly but is up more with Black women 50

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Obituary

Willis M. “Willie” Haddix

Sunrise, November 26, 1926 — Sunset, October 20, 2022

cotton in Texas. He lived in a few places while in Texas, including Wolfe City. Willis then moved to Kansas City, MO where he worked for the Burlington Line (Chicago, Burlington, and Quincey) cleaning steam engines.

Paul, MN 55103

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and older.

About one-quarter of Black voters 50 and over call them selves conservatives, and with this group DeSantis has a nar row 5-point lead. Crist domi nates DeSantis among Black voters who are self-described liberals and moderates. Crist’s lead is 22 points bigger among Black voters with col lege degrees than those with out them.

Willis M. Haddix, age 95, of Mason City passed away Thursday, October 20, 2022 at his daughter’s home in Minneapolis.

A Celebration of Life will be held 11:00 am

Friday, November 4, 2022 at Hogan Bremer Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 3rd St NE, Mason City. Inurnment will follow in Elmwood St Joseph Cemetery, Mason City.

Willis’ family will greet relatives and friends from 10:00 am until the time of his service. Cards may be sent to 4440 Oakland Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55407.

Willis was born November 25, 1926 in Bokchito, Oklahoma to Henry Haddix, a full blooded Indian in his nineties, and Esme Bennett, an African American in her sixties The family soon moved to Texas. His father sadly died when Willis was only four years old and his mother when he was six. He then went to live with his Mother’s sister, his Aunt Georgia, and her husband Jim Floyd, who were sharecroppers. He helped to pick

tives. Just as in the governor’s race, Demings does a net 22 points better with Black vot ers 50-plus who are college graduates.

In Georgia, Stacey Abrams leads Gov. Brian Kemp 74%—21% among Black vot ers 50-plus, an enormous advantage, but this 53-point margin is a significant dropoff from 2018, when she won Black voters 45-plus by 91

Congresswoman Val Dem ings is ahead of Senator Marco Rubio by 79%—17% with Black voters 50 and over. Like Crist, Demings’ lead is larger with Black women than men.

Demings is the choice of nearly every Black voter 50-plus who is a liberal and has a big lead with moderates, while the two candidates are competitive among conserva

points over Kemp (95%—4%), according to the AP VoteCast exit poll.

The pollsters didn’t find much of a gender gap among Black voters 50 and over in the governor’s race, and Abrams has substantial advan tages among liberals (35% of Black voters 50+) and moder ates (31%).

However, Kemp has a

He also worked at the brickyard, making clay for 86 cents an hour. He then took a job at Armour Meats where he received a raise to $1.18 an hour! Willis always believed in doing a good job and giving it his best ef fort. 1965 was a particularly proud year for Willis; not only did he pay off the mortgage on his house but he was able to earn his GED! He remained at Armour Meats for over 40 years until his retirement in 1988. Willis also collected junk with his buddy under the name “Back and White.” He spent countless hours volunteering to transport veterans to and from the VA Hospital and Clinic in Des Moines to north Iowa.

Willis is survived by his daughter, Ruth Ann James (Jack); his grandson, Larry (Carrie) Brown; great grandchildren, Tim Brown, Gabrielle Brown and Braeden Brown; great great grandchildren, Boston, Hayes, and Embry; nephews, Larry Clardy (Lemetrie) and Kelly Price; nieces, Marilyn Brown and Linda Bell; great-nephew, Wayne Brown; as well as many other nieces and nephews, cousins, and a host of extended family and friends

He is preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Esme; his beloved wife, Ruby Haddix; brothers, James Haddix and Boots Haddix; sisters in law, Mary Clardy, Doris Jones, Delores Price, and Ruth Haddix; aunts, Georgia Floyd (Jim) and Lorene (Mac) McGruder; niece, Ruby Elaine Price, nephews, Craig Jones, and James “Jimmy” Clardy, Jr.

9-point lead among the 27% of Black voters 50-plus who call themselves conservatives.

Sen. Raphael Warnock has a more significant lead among Black voters 50-plus, ahead of Herschel Walker by an 80%—17% margin, but is still underperforming typical Democratic performance with these voters.

Warnock’s lead is 10 points more significant among Black women 50-plus than Black men. The pollsters found that Warnock leads Walker with each ideological group, but the race is tight among con servatives.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) holds a 78%—18% lead over Tim Michels (R) among Black voters 50 and over, still underperforming compared to recent Democratic candidate performance among Black vot ers 50-plus in Wisconsin. Evers is up by 64 points among Black men 50+ and 57 points among Black women 50-plus.

The governor wins nearly

every self-identified liberal and 81% of moderates, but among the 1-in-5 Wiscon sin Black voters 50-plus who identify as conserva tive, Michels is up 58%—39%. Pollsters found the Senate race to be like the contest for governor at the topline level.

Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes (D) leads Sen. Ron Johnson (R) by a 78%—19% margin. Barnes’ lead is a bit larger over Johnson’s among Black men 50-plus than Black women 50 and over. Barnes has a slightly smaller lead among Black moderates 50-plus than Evers, but he keeps the race against Johnson closer among Black conservatives 50-plus.

“One of the things we’ve seen is that Republicans are status quo with white voters, but their growth is particularly with Black voters and other voters of color.”

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Stacy M. Brown is the NNPA Newswire national senior correspondent.

“Most Black women 50 and older said they are still making up their minds about how they will vote in November.”

Tony

Employment & Legals

a hearing or to obtain a copy of the Ex Parte Order will not be a defense to prosecution for violation of the Court’s order.

Dated: October 25, 2022 Donald W. Harper Court Administrator

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder November 3, 2022

State of Minnesota District Court Ramsey County Second Judicial District Court File Number: 62-DA-FA-22-1054

Notice of Issuance of Emergency (Ex Parte) Order for Protection by Publication

District

Ramsey

to them, ‘We need an imme diate solution,‘ they want to talk about some kind of long-term plan. They’ve been doing these long-term plans for over 20 years, and yet it hasn’t solved the problem.”

flaw,” saying the majority of Americans are a single financial disaster away from becoming homeless themselves.

“When we say this could be you, this is serious,” Gross said.

The office of Mayor Frey did not respond to our request for comment.

Gross stated it was “outlandish” to see being homeless as a “character

SOE

Contunued from page 12

(Eden Prairie).

“We have to move some people around to different positions,” said WBB Coach Lindsay Whalen.

Cole Miska welcomes reader responses to cmiska@ spokesman-recorder.com.

rankings. We know what we’re capable of.”

He is the team’s only returning starter on a Gopher men’s squad that features eight newcom ers, including five fresh men. The Gopher women have 11 newcomers—five transfers, four freshmen, and two walk-ons. They also have two new staff members—Assistant Coach Marwan Miller and Director of Quality Con trol Rachel Banham.

“I want us offensively to continue to find a rhythm and a flow together,” con cluded Whalen. “As a new team, that’s something that’s top of line.”

Battle, before his injury, said he and his teammates are out to prove the naysay ers wrong: “We don’t really look too much [at] those

Both Gopher hoops teams open their 2022-23 cam paigns at home November 7.

Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

State of Minnesota District Court Ramsey County Second Judicial District

PHONE: 612-827-4021

In The Matter Of Asya M Bracy Vs James Roy Bailey Jr.

Court File Number: 62-DA-FA-22-1025

Case Type: Domestic Abuse

From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder PHONE: 612-827-4021

Housing – Open Waiting List

Tapestry Management, LLC is accepting housing applications for our waiting list for units with Section 8 rental assistance at the following locations. Providing decent, safe and affordable housing to all who meet the eligibility and screening require ments. Income limits apply.

Notice of Hearing by Publication (Minn. Stat. § 518B.01, subd. 8)

To Respondent named above:

FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS PLEASE CONTACT ACCOUNTING DEPT @BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM

RAMSEY COUNTY

1 WEEK RUN FLAT RATE $100.00

An order has been issued directing you to appear at the Ramsey County Juvenile and Family Justice Center 25 W 7th St, St. Paul MN 55102 on November 23, 2022 at 8:15AM and explain why the relief sought in the Petition for the Order for Protection should not be granted. You may obtain a copy of the Petition and any order issued from the court from the Ramsey County Court Administrator’s Office.

Please Note: New email address for all future ads is ads@spokesman-recorder.com

If you do not appear at the scheduled hearing, the Petitioner’s request may be granted as a default matter. Failure to appear will not be a defense to prosecution for violation of the Court’s Order.

Court Administrator Ramsey County District Court Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder November 3, 2022

State of Minnesota District Court Ramsey County Second Judicial District Court File Number: 62-DA-FA-22-1038 Case Type: Domestic Abuse

In The Matter Of Brielynn Monee Jefferson Vs Darwin Ray Battle

Notice of Hearing by Publication (Minn. Stat. § 518B.01, subd. 8)

To Respondent named above:

An order has been issued directing you to appear at the Ramsey County Juvenile and Family Justice Center 25 W 7th St, St. Paul MN 55102 on November 30, 2022 at 8:15AM and explain why the relief sought in the Petition for the Order for Protection should not be granted. You may obtain a copy of the Petition and any order issued from the court from the Ramsey County Court Administrator’s Of fice. If you do not appear at the scheduled hearing, the Petitioner ’s request may be granted as a default matter. Failure to appear will not be a defense to prosecution for violation of the Court’s Order.

Court Administrator Ramsey County District Court Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder Nov. 3, 2022

The Showtime host, how ever, did all he could to cre ate some controversy dur ing the media call with his egged-on questioning in hopes to get a rise out of the fighters, to basically start something, such as Mor rell fighting in Minneapolis with a supposed home-ring advantage. Yerbossynuly proudly declared that the former Soviet Union intro duced and taught all Cubans to fight, and he will teach his opponent a lesson.

During our one-on-one Zoom call with Morrell (and his interpreter), we asked him about the questioning.

“I noticed he was trying to maybe set up a little trap or make me stumble,” admitted the boxer, whose English is limited. “It’s all part of the press conference. I really didn’t mind anything that was asked in the press con ference. Hopefully it was en tertaining.”

We first met Morrell shortly after his defection from Cuba and arrival in Minneapolis in 2018. He then was training out of the Circle of Discipline gym in South Minneapolis. Not speaking English at the time, he wasn’t even 20 years old.

Asked to briefly assess his growth from then to now, Morrell replied, “The dif ference is huge. The David Morrell that came to the U.S. was a boy that wanted to make something of himself, have a better future. The Da vid Morrell you see now is a man that has matured a lot,

and I feel I am a lot more ca pable of thinking clearly and making decisions in the ring… Before I wasn’t able to think so decisively.

“I feel the progress I’ve made is significant and for the best,” he said proudly.

Morrell still calls Min neapolis his second home although he now trains in Houston, Texas on advice of his handlers. “I’m happy with the change. It doesn’t make Minneapolis any less,” stressed the champion.

The champion doesn’t mince words or punches— only one of his pro fights has gone the distance. Morrell’s punching power is quick and impressive. We have seen him in action all but twice since he turned pro a year after he arrived stateside.

Morrell loves the Armory and looks forward to putting on a show for the locals in attendance Saturday night. “It is my second home,” he said of the historic venue as well as Minneapolis.

“Everybody in Minneapolis supports me at every fight. It is a big opportunity and a big advantage to give back and show the love Minnesota gave me. They have never for a second made me feel like I wasn’t anything but an American,” said Morrell, who thanked us for speaking with him.

“I love them a lot. It is real ly important to me for them to know that I really appre ciate them, love them, and embrace them everywhere I go ever since I came here.”

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“I feel good coming in,” Grace said last week before a practice. “Definitely more familiar, more comfortable on the floor this year com ing in as a sophomore.”

Woldeslassie likes his young returnees, which also include sophs Coby Gold, who led the MIAC last sea son in made threes, and Ba dou Ba, who led in blocks per minute, along with ju nior Caleb Williams.

The Scots men will be a fun team to watch this sea son, by all indications. Their coach likes his team’s chem istry both on and off the court. “They really like be ing around each other and spend a lot of time together,” noted Woldeslassie.

His most consistent ham mering point in preparing for the season is that everyone

can’t be a scorer but every player can do something to help the team be successful.

“I think they understand that now,” said Woldeslassie. “You may not get a highlight for setting a screen or diving on the floor, but those are things that are going to help us win.”

Macalester’s season opener is on Election Night, November 8, 7 pm against Martin Luther College. The game, like all MAC home games, are free to the public.

“Vote in the morning and come to Macalester at night,” advised Woldeslassie. “It’s taken five years to get to this point. We came from seven wins in my first year to eight wins…and last year we had 15 wins.

“I cannot guarantee that we can do better than that, but we are striving for that,” he concluded. “I can’t wait for our home opener No vember 8.”

U of M WBB Coach Lindsay Whalen

Photo by Charles Hallman

Robert Grace IV (Blake), Marcus Crawford (Edina) and Jack Hernandez (Hopkins).

Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

ViEw

from page 12

ig Ten basketball, wheth er men’s or women’s, is similar to its football counterparts—the teams beat each other up playing a style of basketball that only true hoops followers can fully appreciate. Home court advantage is the norm, not the exception. But the so-called basketball purists and pundits often argue this explains the conference’s lack of deep postseason runs each spring.

It’s been over two decades since a Big Ten team won a national title—since Michigan State (men’s, 2000) and Pur due (women’s, 1999).

But Commissioner Kevin Warren boldly defends his league: “Last year was incred ible,” said the only Black com mish in the Power 5 conferenc es. “We had six of our women’s teams get a berth to the NCAA tournament. Four teams ad vanced to the Sweet 16. On the men’s side, we had nine teams make the tournament, which tied a conference record.”

“It’s been an interesting time for all of us in college sports, college basketball in general,” said MSU’s Tom Izzo, who won the 2000 national title.

And in two years, the Big Ten will be the first coast-tocoast Power 5 league with the addition of USC and UCLA in 2024. “We are building

Sports

Both Gopher hoops teams out to prove naysayers wrong

he fifth season of Ma calester men’s basket ball under Abe Woldes lassie begins Nov. 8, the first of four consecutive home games to start the 2022-23 season.

“This will be the first year where every single player on the team we recruited,” declared Woldeslassie, the MIAC’s only Black head bas ketball coach, on his 14-player squad. “We are very excited about our talent,” which in cludes seven sophomores, three juniors, three freshmen and a senior, he noted.

Macalester is fresh off one of the school’s historic runs, the first sixth seed in league history that finished as MIAC runners-up last season, finish ing 15-13 overall.

“Last year we were at one point 4 and 9,” recalled Woldeslassie, “and we won 11 of our last 14. This year we are

the Big Ten Conference into the strongest brand in all of college athletics,” declared Warren, who earlier this year helped negotiate a new media deal with Fox, FS1, NBC, CBS, NBC Peacock, Big Ten Net work and BTN Plus.

“The talent base in this con ference is really deep,” said

Rutgers Women’s Coach Co quese Washington. “It’s a very competitive conference. That competitive nature is what’s going to make our conference strong as we head into NCAA play in March.”

Wisconsin WBB HC Marisa Moseley added, “We want to be the most prepared team.” She led the Badgers last season to their most Big Ten wins (five) since 2014-15. This year’s squad features 10 underclassmen, including seven true freshmen. Savan

MAC men’s hoops improving every year under Woldeslassie Are they championship contenders yet?

not sneaking up on anyone.

“Some may look at it as pres sure,” continued the coach. “I look at it as opportunity. We have the confidence, depth, and the experience to be a championship contender. I don’t say that lightly. We earned that right, now we have to go out there and prove it.”

Woldeslassie, the Minne apolis native and St. Thomas Academy graduate (where he was all-conference and 2004 team co-MVP) later finished his college career at MAC after transferring from St.

Thomas. There he became a two-time MIAC assists leader and two-time all-MIAC guard before graduating in 2008

with a sociology degree.

His point guard acumen is in full mode when you watch Woldeslassie patrol the side lines during games. At prac tice he’s encouraging, cor recting and demanding with his players—sometimes all three at once. He was hired as HC in 2018, and once back Woldeslassie has pushed the Scots into improving their win totals each year, save for the COVID-affected season in 2020-21 when Macalester finished 2-2.

He’s “very grateful” to the school’s administration: “I feel so supported, which as a coach you need that,” stressed Woldeslassie.

Three Minnesotans are among this season’s returnees:

■ See View on page 11

Fab Five photos

his week’s column fea tures five pictures: a for mer guard from Apple Valley starting for the San An tonio Spurs, a former Hopkins standout leading the University of Minnesota women’s basket ball team to an exhibition vic tory, a superstar in the making leading the Minnesota Timber wolves past the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the NBA’s best players leading the Lakers, and a newly inducted Hall of Fame high school basketball coach.

Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDon ald welcomes reader responses to mcdeezy05@gmail.com.

All photos by Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald.

nah White (De La Salle) and Ronnie Porter (St. Paul Como Park) are two new Badgers.

“Ronnie Porter scored over 2,000 points in high school and wasn’t recruited by Di vision I schools,” Mosely told the MSR. “As a walk-on, she’s already made an impact at practice.”

“Savannah is just an incred ible athlete and has incredibly gifted timing on rebounds and blocking shots, can score with her back to the basket,” added the coach. “[I’m] so excited

and looking forward to seeing their development through out this year.”

Both Minnesota teams, ac cording to the prognosticators, will be Big Ten bottom feed ers this season. Both teams, unfortunately, are dealing with injuries, including junior Jamison Battle (Robbinsdale), who had minor foot surgery last week. The Gopher wom en lost a couple of players for the entire season, including freshman Niamya Holloway

Cuban defends title in his Armory ‘second home’

By Charles Hallman Sports Columnist

ovember 5 is David Mor rell, Jr’s mother’s birth day. He is also headlin ing this Saturday night’s fight card at the downtown Armory as he defends his WBA super middleweight title.

The 24-year-old Cuban na tive, who won all but two of his 132 amateur bouts, is un defeated in seven pro fights. Morrell last defended his belt in June on Showtime—he won the title in 2020.

Morrell’s Saturday night

“David Morrell is a good fighter… All respect,” said Yer bossynuly of Kazakhstan.

Said Morrell, “I know he is a good fighter, a strong fighter. I’m excited.”

“We know what we’re capable of.”

Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren (l) and MN MBB Coach Ben Johnson `

Photo by Charles Hallman

Gopher WBB players and Assistant Coach Marvan Miller in middle Courtesy of Twitter Jamison Battle Photo by Charles Hallman

“Some may look at it as pressure. I look at it as opportunity.”

Robert Grace IV

Abe Woldeslassie

Photos by Charles Hallman

opponent is Aidos Yerbossy nuly (16-0), who won his last two fights by knockout, but he hasn’t fought since last De cember. This fight will also be on Showtime.

During an October 26 Showtime Zoom media call in which the MSR partici

pated, both unbeaten fighters, speaking through interpreters, complimented each other.

David Morrell Courtesy of Twitter

■ See Morrell

“Everybody in Minneapolis supports me at every fight.”

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (1) scores two of his game-high 29 points over Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) during a 111-102 NBA victory over the Lakers Fri day, October 28 at Target Center in Minneapolis.

Los Angeles Lakers guard LeBron James drives for two of his team-high 28 points as he is guarded by Minne sota Timberwolves guard Jaden McDaniels during a 111-102 NBA loss Friday October 28 at Target Center in Minneapolis.

Former Hopkins High School standout Amaya Battle drives the University of Minnesota Golden Go phers’ NCAA exhibition vic tory over the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Sun day, October 30 at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.

San Antonio guard Tre Jones (33), a former Apple Valley High School boys basketball star, is guarded by Minnesota Timber wolves guard Jaylen Nowell (4) during a 115-106 NBA victory Monday, October 24 at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

Retired St. Paul Johnson boys basketball coach Vern Simmons was recently inducted into the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association (MBCA) Hall of Fame at the Hyatt Regency (Minneapolis) on Saturday, Oc tober 29. Simmons coached the Governors from 2000-2020, winning the Class 3A state tour nament with a 32-0 record.