December 22, 2021 - MN Spokesman-Recorder

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Inside this Edition...

THE VOICE OF BLACK MINNESOTA SINCE 1934

December 23–29, 2021

Vol. 88

Read more about the movie “Swan Song” on page 9.

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No. 21

Recklessness on the rise More walkers and riders are dying on Minnesota roads

José Antonio Zayas Cabán, left, and Qannani Omar crossing Olson Memorial Highway Photo by Henry Pan

By Henry Pan Contributing Writer

the rise because those who are driving have become more reckless. An Iowa State University report commissioned lthough fewer people are commuting due to by the Minnesota Department the pandemic, pedes- of Transportation found many trian and cyclist deaths are on drivers are taking advantage

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of fewer people driving to drive more recklessly, like by speeding, often with disastrous results.

“The vast majority of [pedestrian fatalities] involve reckless speeding or other

things like running through red lights,” said Ethan Fawley, who leads Minneapolis’ efforts to reduce the number of traffic deaths through a program called Vision Zero.

The Minnesota Depart-

ment of Public Safety found 120 people died in speedrelated crashes last year, the most since 2008 when a recession was underway. The number of speeding tickets they issued in 2020 doubled

from 2019.

At the same time, they recorded 445 people killed on Minnesota roads as of November 17, compared to 358 killed at the same time ■ See MN ROADS on page 5

Curb violence by supporting strong, stable families

By R.B. King Contributing Writer The Minneapolis City Council will have a majority of BIPOC members starting when the newly elected members take their seats in January. Over the next few weeks the MSR will give our readers an opportunity to get to know them and their thoughts on the pressing issues in the city, especially as these relate to Communities of Color.

This week we talk with Ward 2 newcomer Robin Wonsley-Worlobah.

MSR: Can you introduce yourself to our readers? Who you are, where you come from, and what makes you tick as a person?

W-W: Currently I am a resident of the Seward neighborhood in Ward 2

and have lived in Ward 2 for the past six years. Prior to that I was basically a South Side Chicago native who came here for college and has been here ever since.

Ever since moving here I’ve been doing tons of organizing in our community. Unfortunately, a lot of it has revolved around police violence, especially in light of the murder of Jamar Clarke in 2015, Philando Castile in 2017, George Floyd, too many to name at this point.

The theme of my work has definitely been injustice in any scope, if it’s in housing, if it’s in policing, if it’s in what type of stores you have in your neighborhood, what type of groceries you have access to. Knowing there are communities and there are people who are treated as sec-

ond class citizens or subhumans in our nation, a nation that’s very wealthy and has more than enough resources for everyone to eat and live well, that makes me tick. Makes me really tick.

MSR: What makes you a good council member for your ward?

W-W: I was elected by residents of Ward 2, working-class people, students, Black and Brown folks.

People who I think for many years have not seen city hall or our local government be a welcoming space, let alone an ally to many of the issues that impact our lives.

I think people are excited to see someone who has been rooted in many of our social movements, Robin Wonsley-Worlobah ■ See WARD 2 on page 5

It’s catch-up time for Twin Cities students Schools focus on countering distance-learning losses

By Niara Savage Contributing Writer Twin Cities schools are trying to help students catch up academically as fall assessment scores indicate that distance learning slowed academic progress. A new study published in the National Bureau of Economic Research found that academic declines were steeper in school districts where students learned from home more often.

The bulk of kindergarten through fifthgrade students in St. Paul Public Schools attended in-person learning for about half of the 175-day 2020-2021 school year. Now, most students are back to traditional learning within a building.

But the consequences of virtual learning continue to emerge. The full impact of the pandemic on students’ education remains to be determined and somehow rectified.

“Teachers are reporting that [the students] came back a little different,” said Craig Anderson, the district’s executive director of teaching and learning. He said some students had had a difficult time adjusting back to the structures and regimes of a typical school day.

St. Paul students’ academic growth took a hit during pandemic-era distance learning. When compared to 2019 pre-

Photo by Eric Mueller

Study finds anti-vaxxers’ views hard to change

By Charles Hallman Contributing Writer

Sheridan Elementary students pandemic reading and math test scores, performance dropped in the fall 2021 semester. The slowed growth is most apparent in the district’s youngest students, Anderson said.

“First grade is really the year when you learn how to read. And not having that face-to-face with their teacher in small groups and at the rug and watching our mouths and learning the letters…has really affected the kids coming into second grade,” Anderson said. “We definitely see reading lags in second grade.”

Minneapolis Public Schools students MPS Superintendent Ed Graff Photos courtesy of MPS ■See SCHOOLS on page 5

A new Princeton University study looked at individuals and their beliefs and attitudes about COVID-19 almost two years after a worldwide pandemic was declared. The study examined the effects of cognitive dissonance on people’s attitudes and beliefs as they relate to COVID-19 safety precautions.

Logan Pearce

The study, “Fostering COVID-19 Safe Behaviors Using Cognitive Dissonance,” was recently published in the journal Basic and Applied Social Psychology.

Psychology graduate student Logan Pearce and psychology professor Joel Cooper studied 101 participants and separated them into four groups. One was subjected to cognitive dissonance while ■See PRINCETON on page 5

Photo courtesy of Princeton University

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December 23-29, 2021

Opinion Global cooperation essential to beat COVID

By Jerry Tetalman

U.S. Senate must pass the EQUAL Act It’s time to right the wrong of the crack-powder sentencing disparity

By DeJarion Echols In the aftermath of the 2020 election, many Black and Brown voters remained hopeful that the Biden administration and the new Congress would live up to promises made on the campaign trail to reform our broken criminal justice system. Many voters of color and progressive voters, in particular, pressed presidential candidates on everything from policing to sentencing.

Statistics show that for decades Black and Brown people have received harsher sentences due to the differences in how crack and powder cocaine offenses were viewed in the eyes of the law. Now a

(R-KY), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), who are together co-sponsors of the legislation in that chamber.

Senator Booker has said of the need to pass the bill, “This critical piece of legislation will help right the wrongs of our nation’s failed War on Drugs and reform our broken criminal justice system.”

The 2020 election happened against the backdrop of intense reflection on the history of race, justice and injustice in America. Advocates for reform have encouraged legislators to consider the impact of race on how this nation’s laws have been applied.

“After the murder of George Floyd, it was obvious that we as a country needed to work

For decades Black and Brown people have received harsher sentences due to the differences in how crack and powder cocaine offenses were viewed. major piece of legislation is on the verge of being passed, the EQUAL Act of 2021.

The EQUAL Act, also known as the Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law Act, was passed by the House at the end of September. On the Senate side, it has yet to receive a final vote but does have bipartisan support fromSenators Cory Booker (DNJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Rob Portman (R-OH), Rand Paul

harder to stamp out racial discrimination in our justice system. Eliminating the crackpowder disparity, which has disproportionately and unfairly harmed Black families, was an obvious target… We hope the Senate acts quickly to remove this 35-year-old mistake from the criminal code,” said Kevin Ring, president of FAMM, a criminal justice reform nonprofit.

The Supreme Court was

recently asked to weigh in on such sentencing disparities in the case of Tarahrick Terry, who was convicted of and pled guilty to possession of “crack cocaine” and asked that his prison sentence be reduced because of the First Step Act retroactively applying the Fair Sentencing Act. But the Court found that Terry was convicted of something that did not dictate a mandatory minimum and therefore he could not be resentenced.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor in her concurring opinion wrote that “While the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 and First Step Act of 2018 brought us a long way toward eradicating the vestiges of the 100-to-1 crack-to-powder disparity, some people have been left behind.”

The American Bar Association also makes a strong point about those left behind and others who could be impacted if the Senate doesn’t follow the House’s lead: “Legislators continue to back a harsh opioid policy that has produced—and will continue to produce—similar racial disparities as did the original sentencing scheme for crack cocaine.”

If The EQUAL Act is ultimately passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Biden, then Tarahrick Terry and countless others like him could have another shot at reducing their sentences.

That’s because the act makes it so that a sentencing court could retroactively order a reduced sentence for any defendant sentenced for a crack cocaine offense. As the Supreme Court often says, it’s up to Congress to change laws that people think unfair.

So it’s now up to the Senate to make sure that crack cocaine offenses—which tend to impact more people of color— don’t have an unjust impact.

That goes a long way towards making the positive change people counted on.

I encourage everyone to reach out to your U.S. senators to urge them to pass this important piece of legislation today.

Dejarion Echols received a 10year mandatory minimum sentence for possession with intent to distribute at least 50 grams of crack cocaine and an additional 10-year mandatory minimum sentence for possession of a firearm during the commission of a drug trafficking crime. His judge said, “This is one of those situations where I’d like to see a congressman sitting before me.” Dejarion was released from prison in June of 2021.

There is a board game called Pandemic that has been around for years before COVID-19 circled the globe.

In Pandemic, you and your fellow players are members of a disease control team. You must work together to develop cures and prevent disease outbreaks, for Pandemic is a cooperative game. The players all win or lose together.

We need to learn the lessons of this game and apply them to the real world. In controlling a global pandemic, we must come to the realization that no one is safe until everyone is safe. Global cooperation is the key to success.

The developed nations have received most of the vaccinations but have been plagued by new variants such as Delta, which started in India, or the new Omicron, first reported in Southern Africa.

These variants are created in areas of low vaccination, where high rates of transmission increase the odds of a new mutation that is more contagious, more deadly or able to break through the existing vaccines. Such variants, unfortunately, can circle the globe quite quickly, as we have seen. Consequently, we must develop a coordinated

global response to this pandemic if we truly want to defeat COVID-19.

But how do we develop this coordinated global response? At present, we have the World Health Organization, which unfortunately lacks the authority and resources to truly be effective.

There is also Covax, an international organization whose purpose is to create equitable

Organization and Covax. We must use this crisis to bring us together rather than tear us apart.

Our world has a globalized economy, and we can communicate effortlessly across borders and continents. Unfortunately, our international governance institutions have not grown or reformed to meet the challenges of the 21st century. With these

We must come to the realization that no one is safe until everyone is safe. global access to the COVID vaccine, but has yet to fulfill its mission.

These organizations are part of the United Nations, and as such, all actions are voluntary on the part of individual nations. Due to our state of relative anarchy at the international level and our lack of strong and effective global governance institutions, our response to the COVID pandemic has been primarily an every-nationstate-for-itself affair.

If we are to win this campaign against COVID, we need to empower, update and democratize the United Nations, the World Health

facts in mind, I volunteer with Citizens for Global Solution, a nonprofit organization whose mission has been to help nations solve problems that no nation can solve alone. These problems include the pandemic, global warming and nuclear weapons.

If we are to win the realworld game of Pandemic, we must strengthen and reform our global institutions in order to apply a global cooperative response, rather than our current patchwork approach of every country for itself.

Jerry Tetalman is co-author of One World Democracy (Origin Press).

A lot’s at stake in Georgia, including the future of our democracy

By Ben Jealous

need to happen in the next 12 months. First, Congress must You know the old game, pass urgently needed voting two truths and a lie? Here rights legislation in time to go are two truths and a lie about into effect by next fall.

And second, everybody Georgia and Stacey Abrams, who recently announced that who showed up and turned out in Georgia in 2020 has to she’s running for governor.

Let’s start with the lie. The show up and turn out again— big lie is that Donald Trump every individual and every lost Georgia in 2020 because group.

I’m proud that the organiof illegal votes. The big truth is that Stacey Abrams helped zation I lead, People For the achieve not one, not two, but American Way, was among three legal statewide victories those that Abrams credited in Georgia for President Joe with helping to achieve the Biden and Senators Raphael historic victories of the past year. We’re going to spend Warnock and John Ossoff.

Another truth is that Brian the next 11 months fighting Kemp was Georgia’s votesuppressor-in-chief long before he became the governor.

In every cycle, he manages to come up with new strategies that are even more aggressive than ones he used before. Like to help her get elected. And a comic-book villain, Kemp we’re asking everyone to join does not grow weary in his us in making the same level of evildoing. He’s always hatch- commitment in Georgia that ing a new plan more dastardly they made in 2020.

Because here’s one more than the last one.

That’s why we cannot take big truth: Stacey Abrams’ camanything for granted, even paign is not only important for though Abrams demonstrated Georgia. It’s important for our last year how effectively she can democracy.

It is easy to get discouraged mobilize voters. She has seen every anti-voting-rights-trick in by what’s happening across the book. Many of them were the country, where politicians used against her when she ran are passing laws to discourage voting and protect their own for governor in 2018.

Back then, Kemp was secre- power. Right-wing activists tary of state and used the pow- who are angry that Donald er of his office to shape elec- Trump lost the election—who tion rules in his own favor. As refuse to admit that he lost— Abrams said at the time, Kemp are being put in positions “won under the rules of the with authority to oversee next game, but the game was rigged year’s elections. The very basis of our democracy is being against the voters of Georgia.”

If we want Georgia to be undermined.

There’s something prosafe for democracy, two things

foundly important about Stacey Abrams demonstrating leadership at this moment.

Abrams has always been guided by a fundamental faith that people can make the system work. That faith has been at the heart of her organizing.

It inspired her 2018 race and her work to make Georgia’s law fair for all voters.

Many people might be tempted to lose faith in democracy when they see elected officials abusing their power to make it harder for some people to vote—and to limit the ability of their votes to make a difference.

Stacey Abrams knows what she is up against.

Stacey Abrams knows what she is up against. And knowing all that, she still isn’t giving up on our democracy. That’s inspiring. As governor, she will work tirelessly to make democracy, and Georgia, work for everyone. So let’s get to work for her.

Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way. Jealous has decades of experience as a leader, coalition builder, campaigner for social justice and seasoned nonprofit executive.

In 2008, he was chosen as the youngest-ever president and CEO of the NAACP. He is a graduate of Columbia University and Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and he has taught at Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania.

December 23-29, 2021

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December 23-29, 2021

Health & Wellness

Is cold weather bad for our immunity?

There are over 200 different viruses that can be spread person to person and many cause cold and flu symptoms.

Influenza, the cause of seasonal flu typically seen from October through April here in North America, is an example.

Another is the Sars-Cov-2 virus that causes COVID and its related symptoms. Both kinds of viruses can transform into new strains, which sadly can make us quite sick.

Cold dry air The cold dry air during winter allows viruses to spread more easily, since our mucous

By Sean J. Ennevor, MD membranes dry out and are Guest Contributor not as effective in blocking the viruses from entering our We are well into winter, but bodies. Unfortunately, the contrary to what many have decreases in temperature and been told about the dangers humidity seen during winter of cold exposure, there is lit- may also allow viruses to reptle scientific support that the licate faster. cold directly depresses imPeople in warm weather climune function and makes us mates without dramatic temsick. What may be occurring perature or humidity decreasduring the cold winter months es may have more cases of flu is a vitamin D decrease due to fewer daylight hours and less time spent outside. People with low vitamin D levels tend to have increased rates of infections.

Colder weather also makes people less active, which decreases their blood circulation.

Increased circulation, such as seen during exercise, may mobilize specialized cells within during the rainy season. This is our immune system. These cells likely due to more time being are used for fighting infection, spent indoors around others. but when we have little physical movement they are not de- Close contacts livered to all parts of the body.

Greater time around others, Furthermore, movement particularly indoors, increases may also increase body tem- the risk of virus exposures. perature, which could slow This is due to increased pervirus replication as viruses are son-to-person contact, which known to replicate faster in exposes one to more viruscold conditions. containing respiratory droplets in the air and on surfaces.

Viral strains Most people are familiar Cold exposure therapy with the common cold caused While cold weather may by the virus class known as introduce physiologic stressrhinoviruses. There are at least ors and a triggered immune over 150 variations of the rhi- response, cold exposure can novirus, and these variations also trigger a beneficial casare known as strains. Strains cade of immune cells and are essentially the same virus, beneficial neurotransmitter but with some slight changes effects. The overall result can to the virus makeup. have a positive impact on the

body over time.

The benefits of cold exposure include: 1. Reduced inflammation: Short exposure to the cold can reduce the inflammatory responses that trigger damaging blood enzymes and neurotransmitters. Exercise creates an inflammatory response by breaking down muscle fibers that rebuild over time and cause eventual muscle growth.

If you use cold therapy a day or two after exercise, the immune response from the cold may reduce the muscle discomfort. Also, the increased respiratory rate and larger breaths from exercise may flush out viruses and bacteria from our lungs and noses.

The benefits of cold exposure can be obtained from super cold dry air at -200F to 260F, cold showers, or any cold water exposure done over a few minutes.

2. Better brain function: Brain function and mood

The decreases in temperature and humidity seen during winter may also allow viruses to replicate faster. may be boosted by the release of norepinephrine, the neurotransmitter involved in focusing attention and mood.

Low levels of norepinephrine can lead to depression or ADHD. 3. Fat loss: Fat loss, from an increase in burned calories, occurs when brown fat activation is triggered by cold exposure. Triggering is done to generate heat, which allows for better body functions.

Brown fat is found around our organs, and its presence is increased by exercise. White fat, typically found under the skin, is an insulator to trap heat, but large amounts of white fat increase the risks of heart disease and stroke. The beneficial caloric increase of brown fat activation burns

calories, which decreases the overall amount of white fat.

What can one do to stay healthy?

• Humidify the air taken in during dryer days.

• Generate internal heat by exercising regularly.

• Wash hands with alcohol based products to kill viruses.

• Consider masking when around others if an outbreak

University, and as a Dean’s Scholar from UCLA School of Medicine where he received his MD. He completed his medical residency and fellowship in anesthesiology at Yale University, where he was chief resident and on staff. He practiced medicine in the Twin Cities for over 14 years, and presently serves Sean J. Ennevor, M.D. grad- as an advisor and investor for uated with a B.A.S. in biology medical technology companies and economics from Stanford throughout the country.

is known.

• Eat nutritious foods whenever able.

• Get adequate sleep to lower stress hormones.

• Lastly, do get vaccinated against the viruses. We have vaccines that aid one’s immune response.

December 23-29, 2021

MN Roads

separated from vehicle traffic, as well as installing plastic bollards that make it harder for drivers to speed Continued from page 1 when turning at intersections.

Some roads are harder to tame.

Highway 55, Olson Memorial Highthe year before. Fifty-one of the deaths were of people walking, com- way, skirts the southern end of North Minneapolis. Named after forpared to 40 deaths the year before.

Roughly the same number of peo- mer MN Gov. Floyd Olson (1931-36), ple biking were killed on Minnesota it is now home to two of the most roads compared to the same time dangerous intersections on a trunk last year, at nine and 10 respectively.

The situation is no different in Minneapolis. While no one riding a bike has been killed in Minneapolis in 2020 or in 2021, as of mid-November, 10 pedestrians have been killed so far this year, which is the highest highway in the state. since 1998.

According to the Minnesota “The majority of traffic deaths both this year and last year were on the Department of Transportation, HighNorth Side, and it’s a very marked way 55 at Morgan Avenue had 10.75 increase from previous years,” said fatal and incapacitating crashes per Fawley. To address reckless driving, 100 million vehicle miles traveled, the City reduced the speed limit on while Highway 55 at Lyndale had most residential streets to 20 miles 2.47 crashes per million entering per hour after studies revealed that vehicles, or about one crash every people are more likely to die when 14 days based on 2017 traffic count data and crash data from the city hit by a driver at higher speeds.

The City is also building bikeways from 2007 through 2015.

neighbors, they want to see bike lanes, bus lanes, and wider sidewalks. This issue is important to Qannani Omar, who organizes with the Harrison Neighborhood Association, because Olson has split the North Side.

“You have a Heritage Park family member, her kids are not allowed to go to the community center because they’re crossing Olson. And you have children in Harrison who aren’t allowed to go to Sumner Library,” said Omar.

Although advocates are asking for reduced speed limits, they are not asking for more traffic enforcement because it perpetuates more harm than good, particularly in a historically impoverished Community in Minneapolis to Brooklyn Park of Color. “[Traffic enforcement] will has been routed away from Olson almost certainly exacerbate racial because of a railroad company’s disparities,” said Alex Burns, Our objections to the route running next Streets program coordinator.

“Our Streets Minneapolis tracks to its tracks. Activists in the Harrison neighborhood who have been the arrest data in terms of who is pushing for changes for years have being targeted by traffic enforceteamed up with Our Streets Minne- ment most, and we know that in apolis to doorknock and circulate a Minneapolis that tends to mostly be petition asking the City and State to Black residents.”

Fawley, who was one of the foundpledge making Olson safer.

In addition to getting feedback from ers of Our Streets Minneapolis and Before it became a highway it was North 6th Avenue, home to the local jazz scene and many Black-owned businesses. In a September 1937 edition of the Minneapolis Spokesman, Olson and Lyndale were reputedly the most popular area for Blacks to congregate, “which was highly reminiscent of parts further South.”

Now the Bottineau light rail extension from Target Field Station

Olson Memorial Highway is now home to two of the most dangerous intersections in the state.

Ward 2 Continued from page 1

MSR: What were your stances on all three of the ballot measures in the recent election?

W-W: I definitely was a no [on question one], yes [on question two], yes [on question three].

that’s been rooted in the interests and the needs of everyday people, MSR: How do you plan to hold to go into that space and really be a megaphone for segments of working the police accountable, particularly class communities that never get the in light of ballot question two failing?

W-W: I think we have an exciting spotlight in local government. opportunity coming up. Folks on the MSR: What’s the sense you ground have been organizing around get in your community on how CPAC, the Civilian Police Accountpeople feel about the election ability Council, basically an indepenresults? Are people happy with dent civilian review board. There’s a the ballot measures that passed coalition of groups that have been spending the past couple of years and failed?

W-W: I’m really proud of the fact organizing around this to my underthat my campaign rooted itself in our standing. They’re planning to move local movement, specifically for rent forth with putting that on the ballot control, and for public safety beyond next year.

That’s to basically address the policing, very early. So it wasn’t just we were doing the get-out-the-vote lack of accountability among law for me. This is a get-out-to-vote for enforcement, a role that the [police] all of us, our collective future and our federation continues to fail horribly at. I think that’s an exciting avenue collective liberation.

I’m glad we also painted a very in light of Chicago recently passclear picture of what we can still do ing their own CPAC ordinance. We in light of question two not passing. are putting decision-making power It’s not like the fight is over. It is far around accountability of the public safety workforce into the hands of from over.

Schools Continued from page 1 also spent much of the 20202021 school year learning from home. Like students in St. Paul, Minneapolis students fell behind in reading and math, data from fall screeners shows.

“We saw a decline, generally speaking, overall in the district,” said Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Ed Graff. “We’re seeing a greater decline in our kindergarten students when comparing this year to last year.”

In both districts, the declines were more pronounced among Black students. In Minneapolis Public Schools, the overall student

Princeton Continued from page 1 three control groups focused on advocacy, mindfulness or neither. All three control groups watched a short video that encouraged mask-wearing and other anti-virus measures but did overtly bring attention to inconsistencies in participants’ beliefs and actions.

Cognitive dissonance is the uncomfortable state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially as relating to behavioral decisions and attitude change.

ordinary people? I’m really excited to see that unfold.

I think this is the opportunity that we can continue to reexamine and expand what a new public safety workforce can look like to complement our armed law enforcement sector.

MSR: What do you see as the major issues facing your ward?

W-W: I have to say definitely housing. You know, we’ve had tent encampments here, we’ve had students and non-students, residents, who are being priced out of our communities.

Even folks who are looking for homes

It’s not like the fight is over.

It is far from over. or elderly folks. We have a segment of residents in Ward 2 that are close to retirement, or they’re retired.

We’re seeing a growing amount of homes in our ward that instead of being sold to local residents, they’re being sold to corporate real estate firms that overwhelmingly are helping drive up housing costs in our city.

The fact that a single family home

is going for over $350,000, that’s a really big issue, housing in our ward.

MSR: What would you say your priority is for the coming term?

W-W: Rent control, absolutely, 3% rent control. That was named very clearly as an issue that respectively, across 12 out of 13 wards, working class people said yes, we need to address the dynamic of corporate developers and even slum landlords who are not really guaranteeing affordable housing to our residents.

Shout out to the Minneapolis United for Rent Control coalition.

They have a proposal that is moving forward in St. Paul. I think it sets a strong precedent, and I would like to see that also get passed here in Minneapolis. I will do all that I can working with my colleagues to make sure that our conversations and our actions are in alignment with passing a strong 3% rent control policy.

MSR: To your mind, what is the cause of community violence and how can it be stopped?

W-W: I do want to highlight the intersections of drug usage with community violence. Many of the

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before joining the City was its executive director, mentioned introducing speed enforcement cameras. However, not only do they need permission from the state legislature to do so, they would also need to work with the community to decide how to price fines so they won’t disproportionately burden low-income people, as well as where to place the cameras.

Fawley also mentioned that the federal government needs to do a better job regulating the automotive industry, particularly on how big vehicles are built and the number of blind spots they come with, so people are more aware of where they are driving.

Readers in Minneapolis who want to report a traffic safety concern can do so by visiting: bit.ly/ArcGISSurvey. People interested in discussing changes to Olson Highway can join an online forum hosted by Our Streets Minneapolis and the Harrison Neighborhood Association on January 25, 2022, at 6 pm. Find details at bit.ly/BringBack6thAve. Henry Pan welcomes reader responses to hpan0003[@]gmail.com.

young folks who are committing these shootings are often involved in some level of substance addiction. A lot of them are hurting. A lot of them are traumatized. A lot of them are also not living in stable households.

Their housing is not secure. Maybe one family, one relative or parent is working excessively to take care of their entire family and they can’t be present in their lives. So I think it’s “How can we create conditions for families to be stable?”

We know most of the communities that are also over-policed and under protected, many of those folks are also poor. Pay them livable wages! Place caps on how much these landlords can charge folks so that they can actually have enough disposable income to actually take care of their family.

You want to know how we can keep youth off the streets from engaging in robberies and stuff?

Allow their families to actually have time to be present in their kids’ lives, not always working to pay off a landlord or to pay fines.

R.B. King welcomes reader responses to rking@spokesman-recorder.com.

population gained one percentage point in literacy between the 2019 and 2021 fall semesters, while Black students lost a point.

In math, students lost about three percentage points overall.

Black students lost six points.

A working paper published in November in the journal National Bureau of Economic Research documents how, among third- through eighthgrade students across 12 states, declines in academic performance were steeper in areas with less in-person learning.

Of the states included in the study, in-person learning rates were highest in Florida and Wyoming and lowest in Minnesota and Virginia.

Losses in English and language arts were “significantly larger in districts with larger

populations of students who are Black, Hispanic or eligible for free and reduced price lunch,” according to researchers.

Districts with more Black students were also less likely to offer in-person learning options in 2021. Both Twin Cities districts, which serve a combined 70,000 students, are introducing and expanding programs to help repair learning loss and better support students’ academic growth.

St. Paul Public Schools hired 70 WINN (What I Need Now) teachers to work primarily with kindergarten, firstand second-grade students, delivering literacy instruction in small groups. The instruction supplements students’ regular daily reading lessons.

“They kind of get a double dose

every day,” Anderson said.

The district is also providing additional professional development sessions to teachers to encourage more data-based decision-making and offering more enrichment opportunities, including creativity-boosting “makerspaces” for students.

Middle school students are using SIPPS, a computer-based reading program new to the district that targets deficits and adapts to a student’s individual performance. High school students can take advantage of one-to-one tutoring.

Minneapolis Public Schools is targeting young learners through expanded early childhood programs. “This year we’ve added 12 additional classrooms,” Graff said. “We now have approximately 60

students that we are supporting from one location on the North Side and one location on the South Side.”

Literacy and math coaches are placed at each elementary school in the system, and the district is investing in universal access to devices for students. The district has also invested in translation and interpretation technology to facilitate communication with families during the pandemic and expanded summer and afterschool programs.

The Great Resignation has also made it harder to fill school-based positions, Graff said. The district is working to recruit new talented teachers and incentivize current employees to manage vacancies.

Long-term effects of the pandemic on kids extend

beyond learning loss. The National Institutes of Health reported in October that about 140,000 children in the U.S. lost a parent or primary caregiver to COVID-19 between April 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. Both districts are providing services to support students’ mental health.

“This is not a quick race,” Graff said. “This is a long-term marathon that we are going to be operating through. We’re going to have to continue to evaluate as we’re going forward, what the impact of this pandemic will mean for our students academically, and what it will mean for our students emotionally.”

Pearce and Cooper applied the cognitive dissonance principle to one group by examining participants’ attitudes toward specific COVID-19 mitigation guidelines such as how wearing masks can help slow the spread of the deadly virus.

It’s known that cognitive dissonance can prompt someone to make positive changes when they realize their beliefs and actions are at odds. It can also be problematic if it leads someone to justify or rationalize behaviors that could be harmful.

Participants ranged in age from 18 to 67 and came from 18 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Poland and Portugal. Pearce

and Cooper also asked participants whether or not they would take the COVID vaccines, which at the time of the study were not readily available.

Speaking on Zoom, Pearce told the MSR that the historical fear of medicine and medical personnel, especially among Blacks and underserved communities, can be a significant hindrance for some to get vaccinated or adhere to COVID guidelines. “This trust within the Black community toward medicine…has been really, really terrible,” stressed Pearce.

“We did not find a significant difference in outcomes between men and women,” Pearce pointed out. “We actu-

ally ended up getting a lot of international people because it was an online platform” due to COVID restrictions.

However, among the control groups, “We found that the mindfulness group was a little worse than all of the different conditions,” admitted Pearce.

After nearly two years into the pandemic, Pearce said she still doesn’t understand why some people are still not wearing masks in public or seeing the COVID vaccine as important for their health and safety. Only half of the study respondents told her that they “always” or “mostly” wear their masks in public or in close contact with others.

“This is going to be part of our lives for a long while,” she said of the virus. “It is not going to go away next year or next spring. [The virus] is something that’ll be a part of our lives in some respects.

“I’d love to convince the anti-vaxxers,” said Pearce, “but I honestly don’t know what can convince them at this point. I thought, ‘It’s easier to convince people who already think it’s the right thing to do, but they’re still not doing it.”

The Princeton graduate student hopes that the study will help encourage more appointments for vaccinations, continued mask-wearing, and social distancing, especially among

all communities, including underserved ones. She and her professor also suggest holding contests in which people compete by writing or recording compelling arguments to become vaccinated.

Pearce said that her next research project will use the same cognitive dissonance model on individuals getting the COVID-19 booster and flu shots, whether or not they like getting shots, any bad side effects after getting their shots, and if they believe that getting vaccinated will work or not.

Niara Savage welcomes reader responses to nsavage@ spokesman-recorder.com.

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

6

December 23-29, 2021

Business

Elsa’s House of Sleep Black Business SPOTLIGHT

By Ashley Lauren

Contributing Writer Elsa’s House of Sleep, now celebrating 25 years of business, has become a staple along University Avenue in St. Paul. Its owner, Tetra Constantino, named the store after his mother, who established the business.

Constantino was born in Houston but raised in Minneapolis. He emphasized that his mother, Elsa Rezene, came to Minnesota from Eritrea (in East Africa) in the 1960s.

Rezene was an entrepreneur and initially opened a store in downtown Minneapolis. She sold clothing, incense, and did alterations.

“She also had another store— in the late ’60s, early ’70s,” Constantino said.

“She was a very intentional person with a vision. She was able to visualize a ton of things.” Rezene’s entrepreneurial interests eventually grew into selling furniture.

The mission and purpose of Elsa’s House of Sleep is “to be a responsible, successful business that provides busi-

Tetra Constantino, Elsa’s House of Sleep owner Submitted photos ness services at a reasonable price,” Constantino said. He added, “We provide and fulfill the home and design fashion needs for clients who are on a budget.”

Constantino continued, “If you are trying to get some really nice furniture for a really great price without sacrificing service,” then Elsa’s is the place to shop. He added, “That’s our mission, but my mom’s mission was always about family.”

“What inspired me really was my mom, brother, sister, and my dad. And my uncles, aunts—just my whole family. Especially my mom—she really sacrificed a lot for us to go to school, and raised

Local businessman carries on his mother’s legacy

us. When I was younger, my brother and sister worked with my mom.”

At the time, “I felt that it was time for me to commit and to make a choice, follow my mom’s footsteps of how intentional she was,” Constantino said. He elaborated, “That was like number-one. I felt that it was my turn to prove myself.”

Growing up as the youngest, “I felt that everybody was like working hard.” When he got older, he chose to get involved in the business. “So, when I was 17, I was like, I can do this,” Constantino said. “I took over operations in 2001.”

“After my mom passed away [in 2004], I felt that I had to really continue on—I couldn’t let her down, because she had put so much time and effort into the business,” After

his father also passed away, the shop served as a way for Constantino to focus on the family legacy.

“When that happened to me it was a bit kind of like therapy.” Going to work helped occupy his time. “For years I worked without a day off. For many years I worked seven days a week, I mean all through my 20s, even to my 30s. Now I’m in my 40s, so I’m starting to slow down a little bit,” he said.

“It’s not a cakewalk,” Constantino said of owning a business, but there are highlights and rewarding aspects.

“The most rewarding is seeing a smile on a customer’s face when we’re able to get them their furniture—and when people share stories about my mom.”

Asked about the most challenging aspect of running

a business, Constantino said, “Communication, because you constantly have to have your expectations,” and he has to make sure everyone eats.

The pandemic and civil unrest also created hurdles in the business. “With COVID we had to really pivot our business to focus more on our website. We did appoint-

thousands of people cleaning up the neighborhood,” and they helped him board up the shop. “We only had one window broken and one that was cracked,” Constantino added that, like many other local businesses, “We didn’t have riot insurance.”

Constantino shared words of advice for budding en-

“For years I worked without a day off. For many years I worked seven days a week.” ment-only for a while. It was difficult at the beginning trying to figure out how we do deliveries,” but they managed to overcome the challenges.

Civil unrest caused further disruption in the business. When the fires and riots broke out, “We had stayed over here [in Elsa’s House of Sleep] overnight. I ended up spending the night here at the shop over in St. Paul,” Constantino said.

“The Sports Dome went up in flames. The liquor store was on fire, so I was really glad we stood out here all night,” he said.

By morning, “There were

trepreneurs young and old: “Definitely get a mentor. Try to see lessons in everything and nothing is a waste of time.

Just try to be open-minded, be patient, and really invest in yourself. Take time in being intentional about it—and write everything down.”

Elsa’s House of Sleep is located at 1441 University Ave. W., St. Paul, MN 55104. For more information, visit www. elsasfurniture.com or call 651647-0225.

Ashley Lauren welcomes reader responses to alauren@ spokesman-recorder.com.

Join the anti-displacement workgroup Help prevent displacement and maximize community benefits along the Blue Line Extension – Make sure current residents and businesses aren’t displaced by light rail – Help communities along the Blue Line Extension build wealth in place – Make policy and investment recommendations – Represent your community on important issues

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December 23-29, 2021

Metropolis

7

Eight women organize ‘3000 Acts of Kindness’

By Travis Lee Contributing Writer On Monday morning December 13, the main ballroom in the Minneapolis Convention Center was stocked full of warm coats, brand new gloves, hats, socks, tissue, underwear, toiletries, Bibles and food. Volunteers and various social service agencies were in attendance, eager to serve one of the Twin Cities’ most vulnerable populations: the homeless.

This was the first 3000 Acts of Kindness event organized by eight women almost a year ago, and sponsored by the Coated in Love organization, a brainchild of Danielle Igbanugu in 2011.

The atmosphere was festive as homeless men, women and children arrived on their own or on transportation provided by various shelters to receive not only high-quality necessities, but love and compassion as well.

The organizing group had planned for a modest event and had no idea they would be overwhelmed with donations and contributions from the evangelical and corpo-

Event organizers (l-r) Natalie Johnson Lee; Candis Johnson; Danielle Igbanugo; Holly MacFarland; Amy Cheney; Vicki Hernandez and Uche Onwualu; (organizer Julie Hoogenakkernot is not photographed)

Guests were treated to hair and salon services.

Photos by Travis Lee rate communities. Attendees, For more on Coated in Love, or “guests” as they were rego to www.coatedinlove.org. ferred to, were also treated to entertainment, free barber Travis Lee welcomes reader and salon treatments, and responses to travtrend@gmail. food from Chick-fil-A. com.

Celebrate safely State expands COVID-19 testing through the holdays Last week, as part of the state’s “Celebrate Safely, Minnesota” campaign, Gov. Tim Walz announced an increase of testing capacity in the state’s COVID-19 community testing network ahead of the holidays.

“Holiday gatherings are right around the corner, and getting tested before getting together with family is vital to protecting loved ones from COVID-19,” Walz said.

“In addition to expanding capacity at these sites, we are also encouraging all Minnesotans to take advantage of the free testing offered at all 21 sites across the state, as well as through the at-home program. After getting vaccinated and boosted, get tested and Celebrate Safely, Minnesota!” Walz said.

Beginning Monday, December 20, the Minneapolis and Saint Paul state community testing sites will open two

hours early at 9 am (instead of 11 am). Also beginning Monday, December 20, the Duluth state community testing site will add an additional testing day to its weekly operations. All three sites offer rapid antigen swab and saliva PCR testing.

Appointments are strongly encouraged. Walk-ins are also available.

COVID-19 testing is critical to slowing the spread of COVID-19 variants, including delta and omicron. To that end, the Minneapolis and Saint Paul sites are also adding additional testing hours, and the Duluth site is adding two extra days, to increase their capacity ahead of and through the holidays.

Both Minneapolis and Saint Paul sites will increase their daily capacity by approximately 250 tests for a new maximum daily capacity of approximately 1,250 tests per site.

eginning 12/19/2021

ek beginning 12/19/2021

More details:

Minneapolis at the Convention Center – Expanding Holiday Hours December 2023: 9 am – 6 pm December 27-30: 9 am – 6 pm January 3: 11 am – 6 pm January 4-7: 9 am – 6 pm Return to regular hours week of January 10

Duluth at the DECC – Adding Two Extra Days Adding Monday, December 20: 11 am – 6 pm Adding Monday, December 27: 11 am – 6 pm Return to regular hours January 3

Saint Paul at Roy Wilkins Auditorium – Expanding Holiday Hours December 20-23: 9 am – 6 pm December 27-30: 9 am – 6 pm January 3-6: 9 am – 6 pm (January 3 in Exhibit Hall; January 4-6 in Ballroom) Return to regular hours week of January 10

—Information provided by the Walz-Flanagan administration.

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December 23-29, 2021

I’m a mom first.

I may be Dr. Nina FordJohnson a pediatrician, but I’m a mom first. My babies are my top priority, always.

With this Delta variant going around affecting Black kids at a higher rate, I’m telling any parent with children 5 and older to get the COVID vaccine.

Find vaccines near you at vaccines.gov

December 23-29, 2021

Arts & Culture

9

M OV I E R E V I E W

‘Swan Song’ is a haunting, surreal film exploration of mortality

By Dwight Brown NNPA News Wire Film Critic “I love you Cameron Tanner. Always have. Always will.” Most husbands adore their wives’ words of love.

But Cameron’s (Mahershala Ali, “Moonlight”) ambivalence stems from his secret, painful ordeal. He’s dying, and his wife Poppy (Naomie Harris, Moonlight) doesn’t know it.

Convulsions.

Blackouts.

Brain disease is draining the life out of him. Poppy has just emerged from months of depression after the death of her brother Andre (Nyasha Hatendi), and the couple is going through a rough patch.

He can’t heap more burdens on her or fathom leaving her alone to parent their young son Cory (Dax Rey).

Out of sheer desperation, Cam seeks out a service that can clone him—DNA et al. A genetically engineered replica would integrate into his family, without their knowledge, and support his wife and child long after he’s died. Nothing goes smoothly.

The dra/sci-fi premise is set in the future when driverless cars are old hat and technology has made human replication near seamless. Best Short Film Oscar-winner Benjamin Cleary (“Stutterer”) builds the characters with three dimensions in a genre that rarely uses more than two.

The evocative storyline re-

reflect the futuristic times in the most sparse and exquisite ways.

Jay Wadley’s modern touch musical score eschews legato for staccato piano music and is greatly aided by a playlist that includes Frank Ocean crooning “Moon River” in the most spacy and weirdly bewitching way.

Only an actor of Ali’s caliber could interpret a character on death’s door with so much grace he makes you feel his sorrow in every frame and understand his apprehensions. Actors playing two characters on screen at the same time is routine. Actors Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris shine in this haunting film by Oscar-winner Benjamin Cleary. making this kind of deep connection with their alter egos veals plot points in a jumbled raphy (Masanobu Takayanagi, ence call, and robocars, etc. is not. Feelings well up in spread-out fashion. Things “Hostiles”) and slick and amaz- Production designer Annie Cameron and his clone that are hinted at before being re- ing tech tricks (special effects Beauchamp (“Moulin Rouge”) Ali passes along to you in the most haunting way. vealed. It’s an alluring puzzleHarris, as a musical therament that grabs then holds pist who plays the piano and your attention. sings with an enchanting soWhen Cameron and his prano voice, melts into the doppelganger confront each Poppy character. Her misery other’s fears and act out, the is blinding and her happiness film finds its footing. Then, celestial. It’s easy to see why real outward emotions ground a husband would not want to the previously sterile storyline abandon her. Together, Ali and and themes of selflessness Harris magically forge a partand making the ultimate sacnership that is earnest and rifice emerge. It’s enough to endearing. make audiences consider if Glenn Close as Dr. Scott, they would do the same if coordinator Tony Lazarowich) along with set decorator they faced similar circum- make everything look real Shannon Gottlieb create inte- leader of the experimental stances and could get away when obviously it’s not. riors, exteriors and props that Arra Laboratory, is as nurturwith it.

Floating in air checklists, The crisp earth colors (art dad and son playing MMA director Michael Diner, “The fighter games with little Revenant”), sharp cinematog- droids on a Zoom confer-

Only an actor of Ali’s caliber could interpret a character on death’s door with so much grace.

THE N REPUBLICA ASSAULT ON OUR RIGHTS AND FREEDOM IS S. RELENTLES

ing as she is callous. Adam Beach is far more sensitive and caring as Dalton, a lab technician. Providing needed comic relief from the constant strain of sadness is the job of Awkwafina as Kate, a woman in a similar last-chapter situation.

The mixed feelings of the main character surmise the mixed feelings the audience will have watching a very sobering narrative that brings death to the forefront.

In real life, the only way you can leave a piece of yourself behind is by passing your spirit along to the ones you know and love. Here, Cameron gets to kick the tires and check under the hood of the look-alike who will keep his persona alive. It’s surreal, poignant, and stylish beyond words thanks to Cleary’s visions.

Come for the sci-fi tricks.

Stay for a story bathed in an ethereal atmosphere that will keep you intrigued until the end. Whatever that may be.

He loves her. Always has.

Always will.

“Swan Song” is on AppleTV+.

Find more of Dwight Brown’s work at DwightBrownInk.com and BlackPressUSA.com.

OM AR REP. ILHAN ABOUT IT. G IN H T E M IS DOING SO NAL CONGRESSIO US ME MBER BL ACK CAUC

I LHA N

OMDSAUR P FOR US. STA N

Mahershala Ali’s acting skills are doubly put to the test in “Swan Song.”

Photos courtesy of Apple Studios

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10

December 23-29, 2021

BULLETIN

State of Minnesota

Case Type: Personal Injury

County of Anoka

District Court Tenth Judicial District Court File Number: 02-CV-21-5454 The Honorable: Dynna L. Street

Fatima Ibrahim

SUMMONS

Plaintiff vs Issack Hassan Defendant THIS SUMMONS IS DIRECTED TO the above-named Defendant: 1. YOU ARE BEING SUED. The Plaintiff has started a lawsuit against you.

The Plaintiffs Complaint against you is attached to this summons. Do not throw these papers away. They are official papers that affect your rights. You must respond to this lawsuit even though it may not yet be filed with the Court and there may be no court file number on this summons.

2. YOU MUST REPLY WITHIN 20 DAYS TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS. You must give or mail to the person who signed this summons a written response called an Answer within 20 days of the date on which you received this Summons. You must send a copy of your Answer to the person who signed this summons located at: Brantingham Law Office 2200 E Franklin Avenue, Suite 202 Minneapolis, MN 55404 332 Minnesota Street, Suite W1610 St. Paul, MN 55101 3. YOU MUST RESPOND TO EACH CLAIM. The Answer is your written response to the Plaintiff’s Complaint. In your Answer you must state whether

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you agree or disagree with each paragraph of the Complaint. If you believe the

Plaintiff should not be given everything asked for in the Complaint, you must Metro say so in your Answer.

4. YOU WILL LOSE YOUR CASE IF YOU DO NOT SEND A WRITTEN

A/1 INVITATION TO BID Retaining Wall Replacement at PHA Scattered Site Homes Contract # 22-109

RESPONSE TO THE COMPLAINT TO THE PERSON WHO SIGNED THIS SUMMONS. If you do not Answer within 20 days, you will lose this case.

You will not get to tell your side of the story, and the Court may decide against you and award the Plaintiff everything asked for in the complaint. If you do not want to contest the claims stated in the complaint, you do not need to respond.

A default judgment can then be entered against you for the relief requested in

INVITATION TO BID

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN-RECORDER 3744 4th Ave. South • Minneapolis, MN 55409 Phone: 612-827-4021 • Fax: 612-827-0577

TRACEY WILLIAMS-DILLARD

CECIL E. NEWMAN

Publisher/CEO

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L AUNA Q. NEWMAN CEO/Publisher 1976-2000

WALLACE (JACK) JACKMAN

NORMA JEAN WILLIAMS

Co-Publisher Emeritus

Vice President Emeritus

Senior Editor Jerry Freeman

Contributing Writers

Tony Kiene

Dr. Charles Crutchfield, III

Ashley Lauren

Community Editor Mel Reeves

Dr. Deidre Golden

Nikki Love

Charles Hallman

Nadine Matthews

Stephenetta “isis” Harmon

Mary F. Moriarty

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Juliet Mitchell

Robin James

Addi Mohamed

Jon Jeter

Niara Savage

Tiffany Johnson

Marquis Taylor

Digital Editor Paige Elliott Desktop Publisher Kobie Conrath Jim Handrigan

the complaint.

Sealed bids will be received by the Public Housing Agency of the City of Saint Paul for RETAINING WALL REPLACEMENT AT PHA SCATTERED SITE HOMES, Contract 22-109, until 2:00 PM, Local Time, on January 20, 2022, at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud via the Zoom App. Bids must be submitted electronically, in a pdf format, to Northstar Imaging, www.northstarplanroom.com

5. LEGAL ASSISTANCE. You may wish to get legal help from a lawyer. If you do not have a lawyer, the Court Administrator may have information about places where you can get legal assistance. Even if you cannot get legal help, you must still provide a written Answer to protect your rights or you may lose the case.

6. ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION. The parties may agree to or be ordered to participate in an alternative dispute resolution process under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. You must still send your written response the Complaint even if you expect to use alternative means of resolving this dispute.

A complete set of bid documents is available at www.northstarplanroom.com, under public plan room, RETAINING WALL REPLACEMENT AT PHA SCATTERED SITE HOMES, Contract 22-109, or by calling 651-686-0477. Digital downloads are no charge; Find Contact Northstar for hard senior copy prices. living the right

option for your mom Bids must be accompanied by a 5% bid guarantee, non-collu- or dad with our personalized sive affidavit, EEO form and Minnesota Responsible Contractorprocess Compliance Affidavit.

Theservice successful bidder be paid required to Our is free, as will we’re by our furnish both a performance bond and a separate payment bond. participating communities and providers.

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder December 9, 16, 23, 2021

SR. ETL DEVELOPER Case: Ibrahimisv Issack Hassan:for 02-CV-21-5454 The Sr. ETLFatima Developer responsible leading the Account Representatives Contributing Photographers Sports Writers A PRE-BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD VIA ZOOM ON Size: 3.4167 x 10.25 1-888-715-1720 design, development, testing, and deployment of new Cecilia Viel Charles Hallman Onika Nicole Craven Ad Run: 12/9/21 - 12/23/21 JANUARY 6, 2022, at 10:00 AM (Meeting ID: 880 8705 3001, Dr. Mitchell P. McDonald ETL solutions per UMP’s Enterprise Data Strategy and Steve Floyd Ad Options: Passcode: 775546) best-fit for particular data exchange. They will also creChris Juhn Travis Lee ate and maintain EDI, OBI, B2B, ETL interfaces using The PHA reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to waive an ETL engine, ETL tool, scripting language, or related. any informalities in the bidding.

MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS Interface analysis within a healthcare organization; Minnesota Newspaper Association • National manage and maintain all current interfaces, required Newspaper Publishers Association AN EQUAL Victor Fatunsin The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. system design, and build documents.

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Employment & Legals

December 23-29, 2021

State of Minnesota

Case Type: Personal Injury

State of Minnesota

Case Type: Personal Injury

State of Minnesota

Case Type: Personal Injury

County of Hennepin

District Court

County of Hennepin

District Court

County of Hennepin

District Court

Abdiwahid Hussein,

11

Fourth Judicial District

Fourth Judicial District

Fourth Judicial District

Court File Number: 27-CV-21-14725

Court File Number: 27-CV-21-14769

Court File Number: 27-CV-21-14773

The Honorable: Laurie J. Miller

The Honorable: Judge Patrick D. Robben

The Honorable: Judge Susan N. Burke

SUMMONS

Monique Riley-Pratt,

SUMMONS

John Thompson,

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

vs

vs

vs

Trey Powell

Payne Nadarangua Nantambu

William Knebel,

Defendant

Defendant

Defendant

SUMMONS

THIS SUMMONS IS DIRECTED TO the above-named Defendant:

THIS SUMMONS IS DIRECTED TO the above-named Defendant:

THIS SUMMONS IS DIRECTED TO the above-named Defendant:

1. YOU ARE BEING SUED. The Plaintiff has started a lawsuit against you.

1. YOU ARE BEING SUED. The Plaintiff has started a lawsuit against you.

1. YOU ARE BEING SUED. The Plaintiff has started a lawsuit against you.

The Plaintiffs Complaint against you is attached to this summons. Do not throw

The Plaintiffs Complaint against you is attached to this summons. Do not throw

The Plaintiffs Complaint against you is attached to this summons. Do not throw

these papers away. They are official papers that affect your rights. You must

these papers away. They are official papers that affect your rights. You must

these papers away. They are official papers that affect your rights. You must

respond to this lawsuit even though it may not yet be filed with the Court and

respond to this lawsuit even though it may not yet be filed with the Court and

respond to this lawsuit even though it may not yet be filed with the Court and

there may be no court file number on this summons.

there may be no court file number on this summons.

there may be no court file number on this summons.

2. YOU MUST REPLY WITHIN 20 DAYS TO PROTECT YOUR

2. YOU MUST REPLY WITHIN 20 DAYS TO PROTECT YOUR

2. YOU MUST REPLY WITHIN 20 DAYS TO PROTECT YOUR

RIGHTS. You must give or mail to the person who signed this summons a

RIGHTS. You must give or mail to the person who signed this summons a

RIGHTS. You must give or mail to the person who signed this summons a

written response called an Answer within 20 days of the date on which you

written response called an Answer within 20 days of the date on which you

written response called an Answer within 20 days of the date on which you

received this Summons. You must send a copy of your Answer to the person

received this Summons. You must send a copy of your Answer to the person

received this Summons. You must send a copy of your Answer to the person

who signed this summons located at:

who signed this summons located at:

who signed this summons located at:

Brantingham Law Office

Brantingham Law Office

Brantingham Law Office

2200 E Franklin Avenue, Suite 202

2200 E Franklin Avenue, Suite 202

2200 E Franklin Avenue, Suite 202

Minneapolis, MN 55404

Minneapolis, MN 55404

Minneapolis, MN 55404

3. YOU MUST RESPOND TO EACH CLAIM. The Answer is your written

3. YOU MUST RESPOND TO EACH CLAIM. The Answer is your written

3. YOU MUST RESPOND TO EACH CLAIM. The Answer is your written

response to the Plaintiff’s Complaint. In your Answer you must state whether

response to the Plaintiff’s Complaint. In your Answer you must state whether

response to the Plaintiff’s Complaint. In your Answer you must state whether

you agree or disagree with each paragraph of the Complaint. If you believe the

you agree or disagree with each paragraph of the Complaint. If you believe the

you agree or disagree with each paragraph of the Complaint. If you believe the

Plaintiff should not be given everything asked for in the Complaint, you must

Plaintiff should not be given everything asked for in the Complaint, you must

Plaintiff should not be given everything asked for in the Complaint, you must

say so in your Answer.

say so in your Answer.

say so in your Answer.

4. YOU WILL LOSE YOUR CASE IF YOU DO NOT SEND A WRITTEN

4. YOU WILL LOSE YOUR CASE IF YOU DO NOT SEND A WRITTEN

4. YOU WILL LOSE YOUR CASE IF YOU DO NOT SEND A WRITTEN

RESPONSE TO THE COMPLAINT TO THE PERSON WHO SIGNED

RESPONSE TO THE COMPLAINT TO THE PERSON WHO SIGNED

RESPONSE TO THE COMPLAINT TO THE PERSON WHO SIGNED

THIS SUMMONS. If you do not Answer within 20 days, you will lose this case.

THIS SUMMONS. If you do not Answer within 20 days, you will lose this case.

THIS SUMMONS. If you do not Answer within 20 days, you will lose this case.

You will not get to tell your side of the story, and the Court may decide against

You will not get to tell your side of the story, and the Court may decide against

You will not get to tell your side of the story, and the Court may decide against

you and award the Plaintiff everything asked for in the complaint. If you do not

you and award the Plaintiff everything asked for in the complaint. If you do not

you and award the Plaintiff everything asked for in the complaint. If you do not

want to contest the claims stated in the complaint, you do not need to respond.

want to contest the claims stated in the complaint, you do not need to respond.

want to contest the claims stated in the complaint, you do not need to respond.

A default judgment can then be entered against you for the relief requested in

A default judgment can then be entered against you for the relief requested in

A default judgment can then be entered against you for the relief requested in

the complaint.

the complaint.

the complaint.

5. LEGAL ASSISTANCE. You may wish to get legal help from a lawyer. If you

5. LEGAL ASSISTANCE. You may wish to get legal help from a lawyer. If you

5. LEGAL ASSISTANCE. You may wish to get legal help from a lawyer. If you

do not have a lawyer, the Court Administrator may have information about places

do not have a lawyer, the Court Administrator may have information about places

do not have a lawyer, the Court Administrator may have information about places

where you can get legal assistance. Even if you cannot get legal help, you must

where you can get legal assistance. Even if you cannot get legal help, you must

where you can get legal assistance. Even if you cannot get legal help, you must

still provide a written Answer to protect your rights or you may lose the case.

still provide a written Answer to protect your rights or you may lose the case.

still provide a written Answer to protect your rights or you may lose the case.

6. ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION. The parties may agree to or be

6. ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION. The parties may agree to or be

6. ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION. The parties may agree to or be

ordered to participate in an alternative dispute resolution process under Rule 114 of

ordered to participate in an alternative dispute resolution process under Rule 114 of

ordered to participate in an alternative dispute resolution process under Rule 114 of

the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. You must still send your written response

the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. You must still send your written response

the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. You must still send your written response

the Complaint even if you expect to use alternative means of resolving this dispute.

the Complaint even if you expect to use alternative means of resolving this dispute.

the Complaint even if you expect to use alternative means of resolving this dispute.

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder December 16, 23, 30, 2021

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder December 16, 23, 30, 2021

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder December 16, 23, 30, 2021

Prep

academic standing, she chose to graduate in midContinued from page 12 January and enroll at Nebraska.

Case: Hussein vs Powell 27-CV-21-14725 After I finally got to see A couple of weeks later I Size: 3.4167 x 10 Adran Run: 12/16/21 - 12/30/21 into Kendall Coley and her play against the GoAd Options: -- at a Gophers- phers last month, she had Tyrone Coley Rutgers women’s basket- time to talk to me and ball game at Williams Are- sports columnist Charles na. I let them know that I Hallman about her collewouldn’t miss the rematch. giate experience and her “I will be there for sure,” I decision to graduate early.

“It wasn’t going to be the said with emphasis.

I didn’t make it. The same playing in high school weather caused the re- during the pandemic, “she match to move to Saturday, said. “I had enough credFebruary 9. I was commit- its to graduate and had alted to covering the MIAC ready signed with Nebraska women’s basketball cham- [April 2020]. So I decided pionship game between the to graduate early.”

Kendall Coley, who’s University of St. Thomas averaging 14 minutes per and Augsburg University.

I missed another great game as a freshman while game. St. Louis Park over- contributing to Nebraska’s came a 35-24 halftime 10-0 start, made it clear deficit to force the game that everything is all and into overtime, with Cooper well in Cornhusker land. “I prevailing 72-68. Kendall really like it here at NebrasColey scored 11 points. She ka,” she said. “I made the averaged 15.5 points per right decision.”

I’m glad I finally got to game that season and was poised for an even greater see her play again. The future looks bright. one in 2020-21.

However, with the emerDr. Mitchell Palmer Mcgence of the pandemic, a two-month delay in the Donald welcomes reader high school basketball sea- responses to mcdeezy05@ son, and her outstanding gmail.com.

SOE

Roll in the spring of 2021.

She’s studying advertising.

“It’s really fun,” said the Continued from page 12 Case: Pratt vs Nantambu: 27-CV-21-14773 young woman on the HusSize: 3.4167 x 10 kies’ season thus far.

Ad Run: 12/9/21 - 12/30/21 and other well-wishers saw “They’re gonna be a tough Ad Options: -her collect an assist in Ne- out this year,” said Tylor. braska’s three-point road win over the host Gophers. The sweet science She afterwards told the The Minneapolis Armory MSR, “At first it was a little has since 2018 hosted nerve-wracking, but I was seven nationally televised really excited to see all my boxing cards featuring both friends and family here.” local and national fighters.

The young lady first That includes last Saturday played at the Barn Feb. 24, when Minneapolis native a career night for her—six VeShawn Owens and Cupoints on two three-point ban-born and now Minneapshots—but because of olis-based David Morrell, Jr. health protocols her perfor- both were in action. mance took place in front of Morrell improved to 6-0 an empty arena, as no fans as he successfully defended were allowed. his WBA world super midTylor said choosing Ne- dleweight title with a fourthbraska offered his daughter round TKO over Alantez Fox, the opportunity to play in now 28-2-1. He was in conthe Big Ten like her sister. trol from start to stoppage.

“She just felt like [the school] “Fox didn’t have the power is a good place,” Also, Ken- to keep me off of him, so I dall is good friends with knew that I had to take adEdina’s Kennedi Orr, who vantage of it,” explained also attends Nebraska and Morrell afterwards. “I love plays volleyball. “They are fighting here in Minnesota.” kindred spirits,” Tylor noted.

Owens, however, lost to “They’ve been together for a Alberto Puello (20-0) in his long time.” first defeat at the Armory Kendall made the Nebras- and his first nationally teleka Scholar-Athlete Honor vised appearance. “I could

Follow Us! @MNSpokesmanRecorder

never get in my rhythm,” he ens, who were in the red said afterwards. corner suffered defeat last Puello landed 50% of his Saturday. Light heavyweight power punches as opposed Chino Hill fought to a draw Case: Thompson vs Knebel with 27-CV-21-14773 to nearly 20%

by Owens, Suray Mahmutovic in a Size: 3.4167 x 10 now 13-3. “He was sharper four-round preliminary bout.

Ad Run: 12/16/21 - 12/30/21 than I expected.

It was all Ad Options: -me. No excuses—he was the Charles Hallman welcomes better man.” reader res ponses to challUnreported fact: All but man@spokesman-recorder. one fighter, including Ow- com.

Report Card Continued from page 12

other teams at Week 17 of the regular season, with consent given from the coach’s current team. This could further strengthen the longexisting Rooney Rule mandating that clubs interview at least one Black or POC for coaching vacancies.

“I think that what they’re doing is pulling out one more stop to do everything that the NFL can do on their side to show that there’s a diverse pool of candidates for all kinds of key positions we’re talking about in the report,” said Lapchick.

The 2021 NFL RGRC also points out that that the total number of NFL head coaches of color increased from 12.5% in 2020 to 15.6% in 2021, a 9% increase in POC GMs. All five men are Black, the highest in NFL RGRC history, and Blacks held 11% of team professional staff positions.

“A lot of good signs, a lot of high points,” concluded Lapchick on the year’s progress.

“They’ve been so consistent,” noted Lapchick.

Lapchick also talked about the latest NFL RGRC, which was released a couple of weeks after the WNBA report card. He believes that the racial reckoning of 2020 may have influenced the league to move further in its racial hiring—the NFL got an overall B grade and a B+ for racial hiring. “The NFL actually did improve their racial and gender grades this year,” he reported. “That was definitely a positive development.”

“I think in the wake of the racial reckoning, there has been the telescope looking down at what they’re doing internally…because they realize the importance of diversity, inclusion and equity for the strength of the organization,” Lapchick pointed out.

The TIDES report highlights that NFL teams now Charles Hallman welcomes can conduct head coaching reader responses to challman@ interviews with coaches on spokesman-recorder.com.

12

December 23-29, 2021

Sports

Glimpse of a rarity—a Black Gopher fan

t took more than a minute, but our never-ending search for Black sports fans at live Twin Cities sporting events has had some success.

This year we found two Black Twins fans, a Black family at a St. Paul Saints game, and four Blacks at a Vikings game.

Contrary to some people’s belief, Blacks do like Gopher football even if they are not connected to the team as parents of the players or related to them in some way.

“I’ve just been a Gopher fan ever since I was a little kid,” declared Chicago-born and Minneapolis-raised Vince Wright.

“I always love college football,” said the U of M grad. “So, when I was in a position, me and my wife were looking at getting season tickets. The Gophers won hands down for a lot of reasons.”

Wright, who also hosts his own sports podcast, guesstimates “maybe 10 to 15%” of those who attend Gopher football look like him.

His simple advice to school officials: “You have got to do a better job of marketing to the Black community in terms of making tickets available, making sure that you can develop an interest in your product.”

It shouldn’t be solely up to the local PWM (primarily White media) to convince Blacks to watch Golden Gopher football, Wright told us.

But stillmore must be done in this regard.

“There’s a lot of things that they can do to generate more interest, get more Black fans over to [the Gopher stadium],”

nice Saturday afternoon, all that pregame, postgame, that some of us do enjoy because that’s really part of the experience as well.”

Wright is an unabashed Gopher fan. His nickname is

in this town can be pricey.

“We’re in a market where we got all the major sports. We got hockey. We got pro soccer, baseball…and we also have Division I [college] sports. A sports ticket isn’t a cheap

“Gopher fans are very friendly fans.”

Vince Wright said Wright of Minnesota’s sports marketing folk.

College football, whether at PWIs or HBCUs, is an experience that begins outside the stadium with tailgating. “It goes beyond the game,” noted Wright. “Gopher fans are very friendly fans.”

But also, mostly White.

Submitted photo “I’ve known a couple of brothers that just came down to tailgate, then go over to one of the bars and watch the game” because they didn’t have game tickets, recalled Wright. “It’s just getting folks out there, getting them around, and just letting them see what it can be like on a

“Sports Governor of Minnesota,” given to him by Doug Stewart of 2 Live Stews when he would call into his podcast. Stewart and others later would encourage him to do his own podcast.

“So I gave it a shot, and found my way with it,” he said of his “Sports Done Wright” show, which he started five years ago. He recently secured a local pizza shop as a sponsor. “Hopefully big things will come.”

He points out that attending sports events these days

thing nowadays. The premium for the sports dollar is huge here.”

Wright admitted that although he can afford to go to Gopher football games, he also wants to see more Blacks sitting in the stands around him. “I’m sitting there in the front row, and I paid this seat license and all that stuff. It’s a hard sell, but we got to start somewhere.”

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

I finally got to see her play

he one and only time I saw University of Nebraska women’s basketball freshman forward Kendall Coley play in a basketball game in high school, she was a 5’10” seventh grader playing limited for the varsity.

That was during the 201516 season at Minneapolis Washburn, where her father Tyrone Coley was head coach.

The next time I saw the former St. Louis Park standout play was last month in a Big Ten women’s basketball victory 70-67 over the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers at Williams Arena.

As a sports columnist, I have had many opportunities to cover student athletes while they were in high school and watch them blossom at the collegiate level.

Yet, for various reasons, I

haven’t been able to see them all. Kendall Coley was one of those student-athletes that I missed during her prep basketball career, though I did see her in action for the Orioles volleyball team, where she earned All-Metro Conference honors.

Oh, I had two chances to check her out on the basketball court during her junior year. I simply blew it. More on that later.

After Kendall completed her seventh-grade year at Washburn, Tyron Coley resigned as head coach, so she ended up averaging 9.4 points per game for St. Louis Park as an eighth grader. The next two seasons she averaged 6.9 points as a freshman (2017-18) and 10.9 during her sophomore campaign (2018-2019).

By her junior season (2019-20) Kendall Coley had blossomed into one of the state’s top players as a 6’2” forward, so I made it a mission—yet an unfulfilled mission—to watch her play.

The first opportunity came on Friday, January 14, 2019, when St. Louis Park played conference rival and defending Class 3A state champi-

ons Robbinsdale Cooper. I was about to go but changed my mind and decided to get some needed rest. Kendall Coley scored 10 points in a 90-85 triple time loss.

■ See PREP on page 11

Local prep star drawn to Nebraska’s Huskies atching his youngest daughter play college basketball should be as comfortable as old shoes for Tylor Coley. He watched his older daughter Chase Coley play at Iowa, and now he is usually in the stands to watch Kendall Coley in her first full year as a Nebraska freshman.

high school basketball season was delayed by the pandemic. Kendall committed to Nebraska in April 2020 as the top-rated player in the Huskies’ top-25 recruiting class.

She played both volleyball and basketball at St. Louis Park, an All-Metro West Conference performer as a junior, which concluded her final

“At first it was a little nerve-wracking, but I was really excited to see all my friends and family here.”

Former St. Louis Park High School standout and current University of Nebraska forward Kendall Coley during a 70-67 Big Ten women’s basketball victory against the MN Golden Gophers on December 6, 2021 at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. Nebraska won 70-67.

Photo by Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald

“I’ve been up in Lincoln, Nebraska 14 times alone—a 12hour road trip,” said the proud father during halftime of the Dec. 6 Huskies-Gophers contest at Williams Arena.

The 6’2” forward-guard graduated early from St. Louis Park and enrolled early in mid-January of this year because she had more than enough credits to graduate and because the Minnesota

high school season.

Kendall immediately was eligible and saw her first collegiate action on January 28.

She averaged around eight minutes a game in 12 contests, including four postseason games (Big Ten and WNIT).

Coley’s first college game back in her hometown in front of her family, friends,

■ See SOE on page 11

2021 a year of progress in pro-sports’ race and gender hiring

By Charles Hallman Sports Columnist

by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES).

The WNBA League OfThe WNBA remains the un- fice, owners, head coaches, disputed leader in pro sports assistant coaches, managers, in racial and gender hiring senior directors, professional practices according to the lat- team staff and players all got est Racial and Gender Report A+ grades. Only team vice Card (RGRC) recently released presidents got the lowest racial hiring grade (B).

Among the “noteworthy improvements” over the previous year are: • Black head coaches E OFFIC E LEAGU THE WNBA A+ up over nine percent Owners A+ Head Coaches • Women owners up A+ Assistant Coaches 15% A+ Managers • Women in League A+ Senior Directors Professional Team Staff A+ Office positions up alA+ Players most 5% • Black vice presidents have not fallen below 10% since 2015 • POC as-

sistant coaches jumped 13%, the W’s largest single-season increase • The WNBA had a majority of women team presidents for the second consecutive year

son in many cases,” added Lapchick. “It was women, women of color, and people of color in many areas. They’ve just done it the right way.”

The Minnesota Lynx this

“The NFL actually did improve their racial and gender grades this year.”

TIDES President Richard Lapchick recently told the MSR that the WNBA’s 17 consecutive years of high grades shouldn’t be surprising. “I’ve seen them at work,” he said.

The league apparently has set the right standard among U.S. pro leagues in finding “the best people to interview for the job, and then have the best per-

year hired its first Black basketball communications manager, Cymonne New. She is the first Black female in this position and the only Black person in such a position in Twin Cities pro and college teams. “Minnesota seems to be trailblazing in such a way,” said Lapchick.

The WNBA also got “bonus

Richard Lapchick points” for its diversity and inclusion initiatives, such as civic engagement, combating antiAsian hate, economic inclusion,

MSR file photo food insecurity, health equity, LGBTQ+ advocacy, social justice and social programming.

■ See Report Card on page 11