April 20, 2023 - MN Spokesman-Recorder

What should the community do with the Third Precinct now?

Public opinion is mixed on police presence after George Floyd

By H. Jiahong Pan

Contributing Writer

Residents and business owners who participated in two city-sponsored meetings last week regarding the future of the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct expressed raucous displeasure that the city is even considering such an idea. Roughly 100 people attended the business owners-only meeting on April 11, and around 60 people attended the meeting on Thursday, April 13, which was open to all city residents. Organizers did not respond to questions as to why they didn’t prioritize those who lived in the Third Precinct area. The discussion comes three years after the pre-

cinct was abandoned amid unrest resulting from George Floyd’s murder at the hands of former Third Precinct police officer Derek Chauvin. The Third Precinct has operated out of the City of Lakes building in downtown Minneapolis ever since.

This is not the first time the city has tried to bring the Third Precinct back to the neighborhood. They considered leasing a temporary site at 26th and Minnehaha in 2020. The city withdrew the plan after protesters demonstrated not just outside of the potential site, but also at the Lake Minnetonka home of the owner of the site.

The city said they looked at over 20 sites within the Third Precinct area. They considered five criteria, which included being within the Third

having a minimum of a

and

in an

properly zoned for use and

height; and easily accessible by the community.

The city also wants the site to be centrally located, accessible by transit, with space to expand, two blocks from residential housing, have fiberoptic connectivity, and be on land the city already owns. They also want to avoid being near rail lines and will take into consideration whether or not construction would involve demolition and environmental remediation.

The criteria ruled out many sites, particularly sites along Hiawatha Avenue. At press time, the MSR was unable to obtain the list of sites the city is considering.

The city has ultimately arrived at two prospective sites—2600 Minnehaha and 3000 Minnehaha, where the

■ See PRECINCT on page 5

Derek Chauvin’s brutality costs Minneapolis $ 8.875 million more

By MSR News Service

he City of Minneapolis reached settlements on April 13 in two civil lawsuits filed by victims of police brutality at the hands of former MPD Officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of the murder of George Floyd on April 20, 2021, almost two years to the day of the conviction.

The city council approved a settlement of $7.5 million in a civil suit filed by John Pope, and $1.375 million in the Zoya Code case, for incidents that occurred in 2017. This follows the historic $27 million settlement with George Floyd’s family in 2021.

According to the complaint, John Pope was hit over the head with a flashlight, grabbed by the throat and shoved against a wall, and rendered unconscious when Chauvin applied a neck restraint, after his mother called police alleging domestic violence. After Pope, who was 14 at the time of the incident, regained consciousness, he was handcuffed and restrained, while Derek Chauvin applied pressure with his knee to Pope’s neck and upper back, as he pleaded with officers saying he could not breathe. In December 2021, Chauvin pleaded guilty to criminal charges in federal court related to the incident.

Zoya Code was similarly handcuffed by

officers after her mother called MPD. While handcuffed, Chauvin applied pressure to Code’s arm by raising them upwards toward her head. He subsequently slammed her head on the ground, applied force to her neck with

his knee, and transported her to the squad car using a hobble device that tethered her feet to her waist.

In response to the settlement announcement, MPD Police Chief Brian O’Hara said in

a statement, “Today, I humbly apologize to Mr. Pope, his mother, and his sister. I humbly apologize to Mrs. Code and her family. I am sorry for the pain you endured that resulted first from this abuse, and further from this department’s disgraceful inability to intervene and hold him accountable for his actions.”

“The Minneapolis Police Department failed not only Mr. Pope and Mrs. Code,” said O’Hara’s statement, “but through this failure, we put everyone who would later come into contact with this former officer at risk.

“Going forward,” he added, “we will ensure sufficient processes are in place to identify and intervene early to prevent misconduct and brutality from occurring in the first place. And under our settlement agreement, we will demonstrate that we have done so to an independent evaluator before the court.”

Chauvin conviction upheld by Minnesota Appeals Court

On Monday, the Minnesota Court of Appeals unanimously upheld the convictions of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for second-degree unintentional murder and second-degree manslaughter in the May 25, 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minnesota. Chauvin’s appeal for a new trial

■ See CHAUVIN on page 5

North Minneapolis residents wary of proposed Blue Line extension

Lack of transparency and stifling public comment are concerns

their concerns.

By H. Jiahong Pan

Writer

Contributing

racey Pennie used to live along the Blue Line in South Minneapolis but says she had to move because her quality of life declined after it opened. Years later, she finds herself fighting the same battle in North Minneapolis, where she distributed flyers to more than 700 people on the West Broadway corridor about plans to extend the Blue Line through the community.

Forty-five of those people, many of whom are Lyn-Park residents, showed up at a monthly healing circle hosted by the local NAACP chapter, where people can discuss and work through the issues they face. All except one were there because they opposed the transit line extension going through North Minneapolis, citing the Metropolitan

Council’s handling of the Southwest light rail construction, and that the project isn’t designed to serve their community. They are also frustrated

that the Met Council and Hennepin County staff, who were invited by Lyn-Park residents, did not show up at the healing circle and are ignoring

Calls for transparency stem from a March 6th incident, where project staff did not allow Lyn-Park residents participating at a Met Council and Hennepin County Blue Line extension meeting to ask questions in an open forum. “I’m not gonna do a meeting like that,” said Cynthia Wilson, president of the Minneapolis NAACP chapter who was there and tried to convene an open forum. “I may have the same concerns as somebody else. And I think meetings like this should be open, so that people can share with other people.”

The strategy of quelling public comment in an open forum is actually one Met Council and Hennepin County staff are employing to ensure they hear everyone’s thoughts and include those who do not want to voice their ideas publicly, especially in an open forum. It is a tactic employed by other cities, counties

and transit agencies nationwide.

“The workshop format of the meetings has been designed to speak individually with as many attendees as possible, answering specific questions and hearing feedback from many voices,” said project spokesperson Trevor Roy. He adds that they plan to host public hearings where community members can voice their grievances in an open forum as part of the federally required environmental review process.

Indeed, the situation the Met Council and Hennepin County were looking to avoid played out at the circle, where several attendees tried to heckle an individual who they believed was an informant, sent by the agencies—a bald White guy in a dress shirt—who was the only person in the circle that supported the project going through West Broadway in North Minneapolis.

Councilmember Jeremiah Ellison talks about his role in deciding the Blue Line extension routing. Photo by H. Jiahong Pan

Derek Chauvin Courtesy of MGN

A projection outside of the Third Precinct building, a collaboration between Queen Drea and Paul Herwig.

Photo by H. Jiahong Pan

Ramadan: the fast and the feast St. Paul’s Highland Park High School celebrated iftar during Ramadan

By Abdi Mohamed

Contributing Writer

On Friday, April 21, several Minnesota school districts—Saint Paul, Minneapolis, Mankato, Hopkins, and Moorhead—will mark the end of Ramadan, by celebrating the Eid al-Fitr holiday with no classes. While celebrating Eid al-Fitr is a first for some school districts, students at Highland Park Senior High School in St. Paul celebrated Ramadan this month with an iftar—the meal in which Muslims break their fast at sundown. The event was organized by the school’s Muslim Student Association (MSA), and was held on March 27, the first time in the district’s history that it hosted an iftar event, through coordination with parents who participated in the potluck which included food sponsored by a local caterer, Holy Land.

Ramadan—the ninth month in the Islamic calendar—is the period in which Muslims abstain from eating or drinking from sunup to sundown. It began on the evening of March 22, and ends on April 20. During this time, Muslims around the world break their fasts in the evening, often with family and attend prayer at their local mosques.

Asma Sedik and Hana Elmi are the co-presidents of Highland Park’s MSA, and joined the group because it was a safe space for them to be themselves and connect with other students who shared their background. Sedik is a sophomore and has been with MSA for two years. Elmi, a junior, has been with the group for a year. The two had been planning the details of the event since December, however the idea originated last Ramadan when students originally wanted to host an iftar, but encountered some logistical issues.

“Well, the idea for the iftar came up last year. But we talked about it, and we realized we couldn’t really do it,” Sedik said. “Iftar at that time last year was around like eight o’clock or something, and we can’t stay in the school building that long.”

“As a Muslim woman, especially in a predominantly White school I felt as though MSA was a safe space. As a hijabi [a woman who wears the head covering] also, that’s the first thing you see about me is my religion,” Elmi said. “I just

really wanted to be a part of it and show that we’re here and that we’re represented.”

Over the past year, MSA saw its membership grow with more students showing interest in joining and willing to volunteer. This proved helpful as the event-planning required students to help fundraise over several months leading up to Ramadan.

The group came up with a few different ways of raising money, mainly hosting tail-

Leading up to the event, the MSA posted flyers around the school, visited classrooms to speak to students directly about the iftar and answer questions about Ramadan generally, posted frequently to social media, and even aired programming on the morning announcements.

On the day of the event, students, staff, and family members gathered in one part of the cafeteria as they awaited iftar. Games and more

to wash their meal down, as people went back for seconds and thirds, as well as desserts.

“I was really happy with the number of people that were there. A lot of parents came and were really happy about the event. They wanted their kids to join MSA,” Sedik said. “I had a lot of people tell me we should have another one this year, which I said probably won’t happen cause that’s a lot to plan.”

Just the beginning?

Robyn Strowder is a behavioral intervention specialist at Highland Park and the MSA’s staff advisor. She believes that this event is the beginning of something long-lasting.

Muslim, much of her family practices Islam. She also shares

their group.

“Ms. Robyn is the best teach-

gates where they would sell cultural foods such as sambusas to students and their families. The work leading up to the iftar proved to be a learning opportunity for the group’s leadership team.

“We had to learn a lot about

activities were set up for students to spend time with one another. Parents chatted with one another as they looked on and pointed out their children to one another, inquiring as to how their Ramadan has been going so far.

“I think it was a learning time this year for a lot of staff,” she said. “I kept calling this our first annual iftar event because in my mind I’m like, this is something that’s gonna grow.” Strowder has been with the district for seven years, five of which she worked at Highland Park. She was approached by MSA students last year who had requested that she be

an immigrant background like many of her students and grew up in St. Paul.

“My family’s mixed reli

er that anybody could ask for. Even outside of MSA her room is always a safe space for everybody,” Elmi said. “She’s

gave us a lot of the funding,”

organizing, making an itinerary and sticking to it and finding different people to help us make it possible, and money management,” Sedik said.

The two locked in a sponsor with the owner of Holy Land, Majdi Wadi, after receiving some support from Dr. Abdisalam Adam, an assistant principal at Highland Senior High, who is a friend of Wadi’s.

Activity and information booths lined the walls of one side of the cafeteria where individuals could go to learn more about Islam or wait in line to get henna designs on their hands and arms. Macaro ni and cheese, lasagna, sambu sas, hummus, pizza, and more were served. Chai tea, juice, and vimto were available for those who needed somthing

Dr. Abdisalam Adam, assistant principal of Highland Senior High School, addresses students after prayer and directs them to the iftar meal. Students gather together with family and friends in the high school cafeteria to break bread during the

“I was really happy with the number of people that were there. A lot of parents came and were really happy about the event.”

By Dr. Dionne Hart

Guest Contributor

This article will dispel common misconceptions about Black mental health care and inform the community about mental health disorders and treatment.

A mass shooting is defined as having four or more victims killed or wounded. In 2023, there have been more than 130 mass shootings so far. Following a mass shooting, thoughts and prayers are often followed by a plea to increase support for individuals with mental illness. Only three to five percent of violent acts in the community are attributed to people with a mental illness.

Fact #1

The majority of the estimated 58 million people in the United States living with mental illness are never violent. People living with mental health disorders are more likely to be crime victims.

Public messages linking violence and mental illness are stigmatizing and discourage people living with a mental health disorder from seeking treatment. Further, in the media, people

Mental health facts and fictions

with a mental illness are often portrayed as comical images or violent. It can negatively impact self-esteem, help-seeking behaviors, medication adherence, and overall recovery.

Fact #2

Sixteen percent of Black Americans are living with a mental illness, and 22 percent of those individuals have a serious mental illness. Yet, 70 percent of Black people with a mental health disorder do not receive mental health treatment. Ninety percent of Black people over age 12 living with a substance use disorder do not receive treatment.

Fact #3

Black Americans are less likely than their White counterparts to die from suicide at any age. However, Black teenagers are more likely to attempt

adolescents, while the number of attempts did not significantly change among individuals of other races and ethnicities.

Fact #4

Black people are more often misdiagnosed with schizophrenia and less often diagnosed with mood disorders compared to White people with similar symptoms. In addition, they are offered therapy and medication at lower rates.

Fact #5

Less than four percent of psychiatrists in the U.S. and less than two percent of members of the American Psychological Association identify as Black. Limited diversity within mental health professionals is a barrier to mental health care.

Fact #6

Tobacco-related disorders are a factor in the top health

Black communities. There are more than 7,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, and many cause cell damage and chronic inflammation. Menthol allows for deeper inhalation and increases the amount of nicotine absorbed. In 2009, flavored additives were banned but menthol remained legal. Banning menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars will improve Black health outcomes.

Fact #7

suicide, a number that has been increasing in recent years.

Between 1991 to 2019, selfreported suicide attempts rose nearly 80 percent among Black

conditions causing the death of Black Americans. As a result of large marketing campaigns, menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars are preferred in

Gun violence is more likely to be associated with suicide rather than homicide. The majority of suicides in the U.S. involve a firearm. Black and Hispanic Americans accounted for the greatest increases in gun suicide rates from 2020 to 2021. A gun in a household increases the risk of suicide for everyone

living in the household.

Fact #8

Black people with mental health conditions are more likely to be in jail or prison than people of other races. One of out of five people in jail or prison have a diagnosable mental health condition.

Fact #9

The rate of opioid overdose among Blacks is less than half of that for White Americans.

Fact #10

There are many advocacy organizations encouraging Black people to seek mental health treatment by changing the perception of mental illness.

You are not alone. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call 988.

Dr. Dionne Hart is board-certified in psychiatry and addiction medicine. She is an adjunct assistant professor of psychiatry at Mayo Clinic.

In 2014, Dr. Hart was named Minnesota Psychiatrist of the Year. In 2017 she received the National Alliance on Mental Illness Exemplary Psychiatrist Award.

Dr. Hart is an American Psychiatric Association delegate to the American Medical Association and a member of the Minnesota Medical Association’s (NMA) Board of Trustees. Dr. Hart is the Region 4 chairperson of the NMA’s Board of Trustees and the president of the Minnesota Association of African American Physicians. In 2020, Minnesota Physician journal named her one of the 100 most influential healthcare leaders in Minnesota. Twitter/Instagram: @lildocd.

Public messages linking violence and mental illness are stigmatizing and discourage people living with a mental health disorder from seeking treatment.

Business

Income myths: I don’t make enough to afford homeownership

This week, the Minnesota Homeownership Center is covering the first of three deeplyrooted myths out there that can keep you from considering homeownership for yourself.

How much money do you need to be making in order to purchase a home of your own?

The truth is there’s no specific answer to this question.

While it’s true that you do need to have a steady source of income in order to qualify for a mortgage, the amount of that income is surprisingly less important than other factors such as your debt-to-income ratio and your credit score.

The bottom line is, depending on where you want to live, a monthly mortgage payment can end up being less than a monthly rent payment.

How can that be true?

A traditional mortgage typically consists of a loan, with payments spread out over 30 years. The home being purchased serves as collateral for the loan. In other words, the lender maintains an ownership claim on the home until you have paid off the money you borrowed from them for the purchase transaction. This

facilitates risk mitigation for the lender, as they retain legal recourse to the funds extended to you in the event that you stop paying. Thus, a lender’s ‘trust’ in you is augmented by the ability to execute foreclosure proceedings if needed to recoup any lost funds.

So why doesn’t everyone switch from renting to owning?

Obviously there are many possible answers to this question, including high home purchase prices, rising mortgage interest rates, low for-sale inventory, etc. For the purposes of this article, however, we’ll focus on the buying transaction itself.

Buying a home is not an easy process. Even all-cash buyers need to compete with other buyers and engage in a weeks-long transaction process before they can take possession of the house. For those in need of a mortgage, there’s the added hurdle of qualifying and coming up with a sufficient down payment. It’s a transaction that calls for specialized, non-biased help and guidance from someone you can trust.

Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Housing and Ur-

ban Development facilitates free home buying advisory and education services nationwide through HUD Intermediary organizations. Here in Minnesota, the Minnesota Homeownership Center is the largest such intermediary in the state.

The Minnesota Homeownership Center provides these services via a network of professional homebuyer advisors and educators embedded in community-based organizations across the state. Here in the Twin Cities, providers in-

clude agencies such as Model Cities, Northside Residents Redevelopment Council, PRG, Project for Pride in Living, and Urban League Twin Cities. The Center certifies these homeownership advisors, maintains the homebuyer education curriculum, and certifies class instructors and educators. As advertised, these services are accessible and available to everyone, free of charge.

customized road map of sorts for you to follow as you pursue ownership for yourself. To start the process, they’ll do a soft-pull on your credit in order to determine your ‘mortgage readiness.’ Mortgage readi-

is, with the opportunity to improve your credit score and secure a lower mortgage interest rate. An interest rate improvement of just 0.25 percent on a $300,000 mortgage, from 6 percent to 5.75 percent, will save you more than $17,000 over the 30-year life of the mortgage loan.

So how much income do you need in order to qualify for a mortgage loan and purchase a home of your own?

A homebuying advisor can sit down with you and create a

ness refers to how you would fare, today, if you applied for a mortgage. You might be ready to roll with no additional work needed. Or you might need to repair your credit in order to improve your credit score. You may even be ready to roll as

There’s no magic number. And a mortgage could even be cheaper than rent. The best way to explore this is to sit down with a professional homeownership advisor and have them show you what’s possible given your specific circumstances. Homeownership is possible. We can show you how. For more information on the Minnesota Homeownership Center and its advisor and education services, go to www. HOCMN.org.

MDAN ads to run ONE TIME, the

The bottom line is, depending on where you want to live, a monthly mortgage payment can end up being less than a monthly rent payment.

PreCinC t

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existing precinct building sits abandoned, fortified with cement blocks and a barbed-wire fence mounted on jersey barriers.

At both meetings, people heckled city officials while expressing frustration, with many of them visibly angry, some crying, over the two choices they were offered and that the city hasn’t done anything to address how Third Precinct officers treated them.

At the Midtown Global Market meeting last Thursday, MPD Homicide Detective Rick Zimmerman testified as to why the precinct needs to be back in the Third Precinct and not outside the area. “When the community calls 911, they’ve been shot, they need help from the police, they shouldn’t have to wait for half an hour or 45 minutes or longer because the cops have to come from downtown all the way out to 48th and Hiawatha,” Zimmerman said, while being heckled by a disgruntled crowd. He subsequently stormed out of the meeting.

Chiffon Williams, a 34-year Powderhorn resident who went to both meetings, agrees and believes the Third Precinct should return to where it was, at Lake and Minnehaha. “It’s convenient being on Lake Street, and we need help. We need help bad,” said Williams, who believes having the Third Precinct in the neighborhood helps police officers get to know the community. “[It’s] a waste of money and [being housed downtown] a ways away from where they should be serving the area that they

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get paid for.”

People at both meetings questioned the decision-making process and whether or not the Third Precinct area even needs police presence.

“[The city was] asking questions that

Although he was not an informant, the man who attendees thought was a spy opposed the alignment some Lyn-Park residents support, which is to route the light rail extension west on Highway 55 to Highway 100, then Highway 100 north to Robbinsdale. Lyn-Park residents support the highway alignment based on their belief that the project is designed to only shuttle suburbanites to and from downtown.

“The train going down [Highway] 55 bypasses all of us [and] reduces our options. It takes all those people from the western suburbs, and it just gives them a faster way to get into downtown and bypass our community and the ability for us to develop here,” said the man.”

The Met Council did not comment on whether this alignment is being studied as part of the environmental review process, although both entities conducted a route modification report in 2021 that found support and significant light rail ridership potential on West Broadway, with no mention of the Highway 55 and Highway 100 alignment.

Meeting attendees were also concerned about the Met Council’s ability to handle light rail construction, given a project they are currently working on—specifically the Southwest Light Rail project to extend the Green Line southwest to Eden Prairie by way of St. Louis Park, Hopkins, and Minnetonka’s Opus neighborhood. The light rail extension is a billion dollars over budget and the completion date has been delayed from 2021 until 2027.

The Met Council adopted a policy last fall to guide their due diligence in planning major transitway projects, such as the light rail, moving forward. On April 26, they will also decide to award three contracts worth a total of $123.8 million to two separate contractors to engineer and manage the project. A third contractor will receive a contract to keep the two contractors in check.

Even with these measures in place, the Met Council anticipates the Blue Line extension project being delayed until 2029, as the project team needs more time to complete the environmental review process, seek support from city councils and the Hennepin County Board, and work on designing the alignment, stations and construction plan.

Even before the Met Council and Hennepin County broke ground on the project, it was already disrupting local businesses. North News reported earlier this month that the West Broadway Business Coalition has decided to cancel their annual FLOW Northside Art Crawl, which was to take place in July, citing the need

should have been asked after a series of other questions,” said Rox Anderson, who runs an art entertainment production company for LGBT people of color at 30th Avenue and Lake Street.

“The questions that they’re asking are, ‘Where should the Third Precinct be?’ I think most of the people in this room tonight were asking, ‘Should there be a Third Precinct at all?’”

Frederick Brathwaite, who owns Mama Sheila’s House of Soul in South Minneapolis, agrees. “Putting [the Third Precinct] back there would aggravate the community. It would be like pouring gasoline on a smoldering fire.”

Brathwaite said the police need to be reformed before they’re allowed back into the community, and a number of people who were at the meeting with Brathwaite said the same. “If you take bees from one hive and put them in another hive, they don’t become butterflies, they’re still bees and they’ll still sting you,” said Brathwaite.

Meanwhile, Anderson said he doesn’t believe there should be any police at all.

“I think the Third Precinct should be an LGBT community center, or housing, or some other kind of community access or resource, because there are folks in the community that need them.

“Minneapolis has one of the largest LGBT populations in the whole country, and we have no center to serve

folks. We need food, people need to be sheltered, and people who aren’t sheltered need to access showers and other things.”

The new precinct could cost the city anywhere from $12 million and three years to complete if it decides to rebuild at the Lake and Minnehaha site, or $24 million and five years to complete if it decides to build a new precinct at 26th and Minnehaha. Federal disaster relief funds may cover part of the rebuilding, with the rest to come from bonds. The latter site is city-owned, in a predominately industrial area, and next to several charter schools and an Ethiopian church. The city is hosting one final public meeting at Sabathani Community Center on April 19, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. They are also hosting several more meetings that will not be publicized in order to elevate the voices of marginalized communities. Those interested in providing feedback on where the Third Precinct should be located can take a survey on the city’s website.

H. Jiahong Pan welcomes reader comments at hpan@spokesmanrecorder.com.

municipal consent.”

Terry Austin, who is the director of community engagement at NEON (Northside Economic Opportunity Network), and who Trevor Roy said represented the Met Council and Hennepin County at the meeting, said the next several months will be crucial to deciding how businesses and residents will survive as the agencies move forward with the project.

“We are fighting very hard to make sure we have resources,” said Austin. “But we have got to make sure it is enough so that businesses and residents can survive.”

to support businesses that may be displaced and affected because of light rail construction.

Councilmember Jeremiah Ellison, the only public official present at the healing circle, alluded to supporting the project so long as the Met Council works on anti-displacement, supports West Broadway businesses, and builds it on Washington Avenue. He discussed it while explaining the local support process, called municipal consent.

“[Municipal consent is] essentially the one

tool that the City has to influence the project,” said Ellison. “If we get to this point and the project says, ‘Councilmember, it’s gonna be Lyndale, and there’s gonna be no anti-displacement work,’ then I’m gonna say there’s no municipal consent. If the project team says, ‘We can make Washington work, we’re going to invest in anti-displacement work, [and] we’re gonna make sure businesses are taken care of on West Broadway,’ then I’m starting to think we’re getting closer to a conversation around

As part of the impact assessment, the University of Minnesota Center for Urban and Regional Affairs will suggest what anti-displacement measures local communities, Hennepin County and the Met Council should be taking in early May.

H. Jaihong Pan welcomes reader comments at hpan@spokesman-recorder.com.

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outside of Hennepin County was rejected.

“I am grateful for the decision of the Court of Appeals, and grateful we have a system where everyone, no matter how egregious their offense, is entitled to due process and fair treatment,” wrote Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, the lead prosecutor in the case, in a statement. “The Court’s decision today shows once again no one is above the law and no one is beneath it.”

“The questions that they’re asking are, ‘Where should the Third Precinct be?’ I think most of the people in this room tonight were asking, ‘Should there be a Third Precinct at all?’”

“We are fighting very hard to make sure we have resources. But we have got to make sure it is enough so that businesses and residents can survive.”

Kim Smith speaks about the impact of light rail in her Lyn-Park neighborhood.

Photos by H. Jiahong Pan

Terry Austin, director of community engagement at Northside Economic Opportunity Network (NEON).

Chiffon Williams poses for a photo while the city hosts a meeting about the Third Precinct at the Midtown Global Market.

Photos by H. Jiahong Pan

MPD Homicide Detective Rick Zimmerman speaks to the importance of having a precinct within the Third Precinct boundaries.

Arts & Culture

‘Little Richard: I Am Everything’

An enlightening glimpse into one of music’s most seminal figures

By Dwight Brown

Shut up!!! Before Elvis, David Bowie, Prince, Harry Styles and Lil Nas X, there was Little Richard. The bright, shiny North Star of rock and roll.

Richard Penniman, a pioneer rock ‘n roller, was the third of 12 children in 1930s Macon, GA. His brash personality got him the attention he desired. Banging piano keys like a percussive instrument, wearing flamboyant attire, and singing provocative songs (“Tutti Frutti’) arguably made him the music industry’s first true glam rock star. His DNA is everywhere.

Director Lisa Cortes (co-director of “All In: The Fight For

Democracy”; producer of “The Apollo”, and exec producer of “Precious”) astutely assembles an impressive group of legends who attest to Penniman’s showmanship and musical prowess: Tom Jones, Nona Hendryx, John Waters, Billy Porter and even Mick Jagger proclaims: “He did it first!”

If legends are defined by how they changed the world, Little Richard deserves his flowers. He blended gospel, blues, and boogie woogie music. He encouraged Black and White kids to dance together in concert halls that had been segregated forever. He gave fledgling bands (Beatles and Rolling Stones) the opportunity to open on the road for him. We can trace his influence.

There are plenty of Little Richard imitators performing today who have no idea who blazed a path so they could be creative, outrageous and accepted. This perceptive doc also tackles the originator’s up and down, rags to riches to rags career. He was a rich king one day and suffered foreclosures the next. Watching Pat Boone and Elvis cover his songs and make more money than he would ever see is disturbing. Equally troubling is the anguish he felt over not owning

the rights to his music. It’s a cautionary tale worth telling again and again.

Also on view are his ambivalent feelings regarding his sexuality. He was a proud gay man cavorting in underground Black drag clubs in the late ’40s. Then a Seventh Day Adventist pilgrim in the ’70s, pious and ashamed of his old ways.

Here he is a retrospective elder recounting the orgies he threw and sermons he preached as if it all works to-

gether in a preordained way. Through it all, he is never in doubt about his self-worth. After all, it isn’t hubris when you have the goods. It’s just the truth: “I am the emancipator, the architect. The one who started it all.”

Cortes perceptively retraces both the glamorous side and the private life. Some of the most poignant testimonies are from his former back-up band. Glimpses into his childhood, short-lived marriage and arrest add to his allure.

Nyneve Laura Minnear. All the archival footage, photos and interviews are seamlessly spliced together in one hour and 41 minutes of revealing and entertaining footage. If you pick the right subject, a documentary sells itself. In that way, Little Richard’s legacy is a magnet and music fans will be drawn to this insightful doc, an astute, loving bio that catalogs the gigantic and well-deserved ego who knew he was everything: “I’m not conceited. I’m convinced.” Shut up!!!

Also learning that he worked the same chitlin circuit as Ma Rainey and was influenced by Rosetta Tharpe ties a lot of musical history together.

Little Richard’s life journey and spirit are captured by Keith Walker and Graham Willoughby’s cameras, caressed by Tamar-kali’s musical score and artfully assembled by editors Jake Hostetter and

“Little Richard: I Am Everything” opens in theaters and will be available on streaming platforms on April 21. For more info, visit www.magpictures.com/littlerichard

Dwight Brown is a film critic for DwightBrownInk.com and NNPA News Wire. Find more of his work at DwightBrownInk.com.

Little Richard Photos courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Little Richard and his band in “Little Richard: I Am Everything”

Doing nothing about gun violence isn’t working

By Marian Wright Edelman

After yet another mass shooting made headlines last week—this time at a bank in Louisville, Kentucky—the chief medical officer for University of Louisville Health gained national attention as he shared his emotional thoughts on the regular toll gun violence takes.

As Dr. Jason Smith spoke at a press conference to give an update on the victims’ conditions, he said: “For 15 years, I’ve cared for victims of violence and gunshot wounds. And people say ‘I’m tired,’ but it’s more than tired. I’m weary. There’s only so many times you can walk into a room and tell someone, ‘They’re not coming home tomorrow.’

“And it just breaks your heart when you hear someone screaming ‘Mommy,’ or ‘Daddy.’ It just becomes too hard day in and day out to be able to do that. My team is fantastic. They’re absolute professionals. They’re wonderful. But sooner or later, it catches up to everybody.

“You just can’t keep doing what we’re doing… You can’t keep seeing all the people with these horrific injuries coming through the door without doing something to try and help. And I don’t know what the answer is.

“I’m a doctor. I don’t know what the answer is. But to everyone who helps make policy, both state and federal, I would simply ask you to do something.

Because doing nothing, which is what we’ve been doing, is not working.”

Dr. Smith’s voice is one more in the overwhelming chorus urging elected leaders to do something to stem our national

gun violence epidemic. In Tennessee, where three nine-yearolds and three adults were killed at the Covenant School on March 27, that cry became a roar as thousands of people, many of them high school and college students, descended on the state capitol in Nashville to demand lawmakers protect children instead of guns.

The whole nation watched

did not, she was candid: “Well, I think it’s pretty clear. I’m a 60-year-old White woman and they are two young Black men.”

The same forces that stripped two young Black male legislators from elected office for standing up to entrenched power structures, standing with their voters, and standing against gun violence have been at work in Tennessee and across our nation for a very long time. But those forces have not had the last word.

The councils in Rep. Jones’s and Rep. Pearson’s districts who were asked to appoint temporary replacements for their positions both unanimously nominated Reps. Jones and Pearson to fill their own vacant seats. Both men were sworn in again this week, and both also plan to run again in the required special elections to fill them permanently.

In response to the article: “North Minneapolis businesses concerned over Met Council’s proposed light rail extension” by H. Jiahong Pan (April 6, 2023 edition)

Be careful what you ask for, Northside. The MTC and other regional transportation stakeholders have an abysmal record of completing major projects such as a light rail on budget and in a timely manner. My main concern is with the latter. How long did it take to complete the C-Line?

What is the economic impact of long-term disruption of the North Side’s only business corridor? Perhaps the business owners along Broadway need to sit down with business owners who survived the light rail in St. Paul’s Midway and the businesses on the West Bank of the U of M where retail lost a great deal of on-street parking and disruption of their business. The city even had to create a marketing promotion to persuade longtime patrons that “we’re open for business.”

The rail running up to Brooklyn Park assumes that apartment dwellers across 610 and Brooklyn Park residents will commute downtown to work, and North Side residents as well. This is a huge assumption.

COVID has changed significantly the need to come to work when working remotely has grown significantly. Check out the remote lots to pick up an express bus—are they filled and how much compared to pre-COVID?

The existing light rail line suffers from crime and the presence of our homeless using it as a “home.” Will our single mothers opt for the CLine or the light rail? These two factors have caused ridership to plunge. As a former Twin Cities commuter, I always preferred the 94D express bus compared to the drama of the light rail.

Broadway is recovering— slowly. New housing is in now or being built. How will light rail, a long-term project, disrupt plans on the books now, existing businesses, and I have not mentioned gentrification. Studies have already been done on how far gentrification extends from the rails.

If the project is also presented as correcting “transportation disparities,” count the cost and beware of what you ask for.

—Brian W.

The MTC and other regional transportation stakeholders have an abysmal record of completing major projects such as a light rail on budget and in a timely manner.

In response to the article: “Metro Transit bus driver credited with rescuing North Side boy” by Sheletta Brundidge (March 30, 2023 edition)

I am so grateful to Mr. Younge for helping a lost boy on a freezing cold night. Wow, I am so very impressed. Thank

you, Mr. Younge.

—Ruby M.

Love this story as I have nieces and nephews who’re autistic themselves. Shout out to Ambrose Younge.

—Kang Moua

Thank you for this loving wonderful story of the Metro bus driver Mr. Younge!

—Jozene

In response to the article: “New jazz books, shows, and more to celebrate” by Robin James (March 9, 2023 edition)

Just read about you and your column in the Willard Jenkins book. Glad to see you are still putting the good news out there. Even though I am in Chicago, I will try and keep up with your column as well as Mr. Jenkins Jazz Blog (where I first came across his Aint But A Few Of Us pieces).

—Michael L. Evans

In response to the article: “St. Paul joins a national movement to explore reparations for America’s original sin” by Charles Hallman (March 2, 2023 edition)

Reparations need to create generational wealth for Black families. Investing in properties, communities, knowledge about investing, creating passive income and education, not a one time tiny check that would be used up in a few months.

—Valerie Crawford

what happened next to three members of the state’s House of Representatives who were willing to listen. Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson stood with their constituents—and were quickly attacked by Republican peers in the state legislature, who then voted to expel Reps. Jones and Pearson from their elected positions.

When Rep. Johnson was asked why she thought she survived the expulsion vote but Reps. Jones and Pearson

Reverend Janet Wolf, a longtime Children’s Defense Fund colleague, ally and friend in Tennessee, was on the streets during the protests, inside the gallery during the votes to strip Reps. Jones and Pearson from office, and there to witness their return. As she sat through the attacks on the three representatives, she recognized the votes as part of continued attempts to undermine the power of voters in Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville. But in the protests and their aftermath she also felt hope.

Rev. Wolf saw firsthand how the young people surging on the state’s capitol represented an incredibly diverse range of backgrounds and local public and private schools, and could sense how the coalition in the streets marked a turning point. As one young woman told her, “I feel like I’m living history.”

Rev. Wolf says for her and others in Tennessee who were young during the Civil Rights Movement, seeing this generation ready to change things was a profound moment: “It was beautiful to see all of these young people and remember what it was like to feel that change was just around the corner—and to feel hopeful that systemic change is not only possible, it is happening.”

When Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed an executive order on Tuesday strengthening background checks for gun buyers and asked state lawmakers to do even more, it was just one sign that calls for change were being heard. The young people and politicians and their supporters who are calling for more have no intention of giving up. They are committed to doing something, and their struggle should give all of us hope.

ESG: Investing in a safer, healthier planet

By Ben Jealous

If a public opinion poll done last month is right, more than half of you won’t know what I mean by the initials “ESG,” and fewer than one in 10 will understand what they mean for financial markets. But listening to some self-interested politicians, many of whom have ties to our dirtiest industries, you’d think ESG was a significant threat to the American way of life.

For the record, ESG refers to responsible investing that considers companies’ environmental, social and governance practices. That’s actually something most Americans support. More than half of us think financial managers should be allowed to consider environmental factors, climate threats, and the risk involved in fossil fuels’ future, and that states should invest public retirement funds in clean energy.

More than eight in 10 of us who invest for ourselves want sustainable options for our savings, Morgan Stanley reported. In economics class, we called that demand.

In his 2022 annual letter to CEOs, Larry Fink, chairman of the world’s largest investment adviser BlackRock, called it “stakeholder” capitalism. “It is capitalism, driven by mutually beneficial relationships between you and the employees, customers, suppliers, and communities your company relies on to prosper.

“This is the power of capitalism,” he wrote, adding, “We focus on sustainability not because we’re environmentalists, but because we are capitalists and fiduciaries to our clients. That requires under-

standing how companies are adjusting their businesses for the massive changes the economy is undergoing.”

Perversely, Fink has been pilloried by right-wing politicians as a green ideologue when his firm claims to be the largest single investor in fossil fuel companies on the planet. These same politicians are trying to prohibit this kind of re-

“We focus on sustainability not because we’re environmentalists, but because we are capitalists and fiduciaries to our clients.”

sponsible investing through state and federal laws.

They argue they are fighting for free market capitalism when really they are limiting investors’ freedom to choose and the information that they need to make decisions. It’s not free markets, it’s political pressure.

The costs of these mistaken and misrepresented policies are real. Economists from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the University of Pennsylvania determined that within eight months of Texas passing a law that prevented local governments from using five of the largest bond underwriters, taxpayers would pay $300-$500 million more on $31.8 billion those governments wanted to borrow.

That amounts to about a one percent tax on that debt.

Not to mention the banks cut out of the Texas market have Texas employees whose com-

panies can no longer compete in their state. Fortunately, some public officials are insisting that they be allowed to shape portfolios in ways that are fiscally sound precisely because they consider environmental impacts. I was in New York City last week for an announcement by city comptroller Brad Lander and the trustees of the New York City Employees’ Retirement System and the Teachers Retirement System of their plan to reach net zero pollution from emissions in their investment portfolios by 2040.

“If the cynical war of political distraction waged by red-state politicians at the behest of their fossil-fuel donors deters us,” Lander predicted, “we will sacrifice our opportunity to maximize long-term investment returns along with millions of lives and trillions of dollars of global investment.”

Opponents of this responsible approach to investing derisively label it “woke” because they know that term creates confusion and for some fear. So it’s a perfect wedge to divide us. If anything, they need to wake up to the idea that Americans want to pass on a safer, healthier planet powered by abundant energy for our children and our grandchildren. We want to put our money where our aspirations are.

Ben Jealous is executive director of the Sierra Club, the nation’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization. He is a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and author of “Never Forget Our People Were Always Free,” published in January.

Marian Wright Edelman is the president emerita of the Children’s Defense Fund.

The same forces that stripped two young Black male legislators from elected office for standing up to entrenched power structures, standing with their voters, and standing against gun violence have been at work in Tennessee and across our nation for a very long time.

Pillsbury United Communities names Cinnamon Pelly as new CEO

By MSR News Online

Cinnamon Pelly has been named the new president and CEO of Pillsbury United Communities (PUC). Pelly comes to the agency from Cincinnati, Ohio, where she has most recently served as the chief operating officer for the Urban League of Greater Southwest Ohio.

“I am deeply honored to lead Pillsbury United Communities as its next president and CEO,” said Pelly. “I am fortunate to join a team of incredibly talented and caring executives, staff, volunteers, trustees, and donors who have prioritized a bold vision for justice, equity and prosperity.

“Together, we will build on our rich legacy of co-creating enduring change that positions people and communities to reach their full potential.”

Pelly is an experienced executive

with diverse leadership experience spanning community development, education, health and human services, banking and philanthropy. As COO of the Urban League, she oversaw significant renovations to the Cincinnati and Dayton offices during the COVID-19 pandemic which kept the doors open and allowed staff to serve 40,000 in the community.

Pelly’s first official day at the agency was April 17, 2023.

“Pillsbury United Communities has been the quiet achiever, fighting for social justice and equity in our communities for over 140 years,” said Heath Rudduck, chair of the board of directors. “The team has been preparing for the next chapter and selecting this new leader was a serious undertaking.

“We had some wonderful candidates, and we actively involved the

entire organization. In the end, Cinnamon didn’t only bring an incredible breadth of skills and experience, but her ability to genuinely connect with people at all levels was amazing.

“Uniting people is the key to our future. With game-changing directives in play that will positively impact so many parts of the community, the board is excited to welcome Cinnamon to help begin PUC’s next chapter.”

Pillsbury United Communities is one of Minnesota’s most well-established organizations with 140+ years of service to diverse communities across the Twin Cities and beyond. The agency has an annual operating budget of $16M (including affiliates) and 150 change agents.

More information about Pillsbury United Communities is available at www.pillsburyunited.org.

Free STEM learning day for Minneapolis families

More than a thousand K-8th grade students are expected to converge on Target Plaza Saturday, May 6, to explore the world of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), hosted by Summit Academy’s Northside STEM District.

Volunteers from more than 20 Twin Cities STEM companies will guide students with hands-on activities to uncover the wonders of STEM. Participants will learn to code robots, launch rockets and fly drones.

A free shuttle will pick up participants at Summit Academy at 935 Olson Memorial Highway in Minneapolis and drop them off at the event, which will be held from 11 am to 2 pm at Target Plaza Commons, 1001

Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis.

Northside STEM District’s vision is to build a strong, diverse pipeline of STEM leaders and innovators within the North Minneapolis ecosystem. The pipeline of talent starts in preschool, moves into K-12, is complemented by summer and out-of-school experiences, and culminates with STEM credentials.

What: STEM Learning Day

When: May 6 from 11 am to 2 pm

Where: Summit Academy, 935 Olson Memorial Highway, Mpls

For more info on Northside STEM District, visit saoic.org/northside-stem-district.

Pillsbury United Communities’ new CEO Cinnamon Pelly Courtesy of PUC

Photo courtesy of Northside STEM District

W. Harry Davis honored at 100th birthday remembrance

By Dominica AsberryLindquist

Contributing Writer

A remembrance ceremony for W. Harry Davis Sr. was held on Wednesday, April 12, at the Friendship Academy of the Arts, in celebration of what would have been his 100th birthday. Students gathered to hear W. Harry Davis Jr. give a presentation in honor of his late father, a pioneer in Minneapolis athletics, politics, and education, alongside the Hiawatha Foundation board members Judge Lajune Lange and John J. Henry.

“Today we honor a great civil rights leader,” Judge Lange told the MSR. “Mr. Davis won nine gold medals for the U.S. Olympic boxing team as a coach. He served on the Minneapolis School Board and chaired the Urban Coalition. He was a golfer at Hiawatha Golf Course and supporter of youth through Phyllis Wheatley Community Center.”

In 2002, Davis, Sr. published his autobiography, “Overcoming,” which won a Minnesota Book Award. The title of his book is fitting, considering the challenges he faced in achieving success, including suffering from polio as a child and being Minneapolis’ first Black mayoral candidate in 1971.

His son, Davis Jr., shared his own experience growing up in Minneapolis. He recalled his

first Black teacher, Earl Bowman, famous Black athletes, and Minneapolis’ first African American and woman mayor, Sharon Sayles Belton. W. Harry Davis Sr. once served as a mentor to Belton. The importance of Black role models was part of the discussion by students, who participated in the ceremony.

After the presentation, John J. Henry gave a golf demonstration and held a small competition for students to practice putting with a golf club. The students proved to be quick learners and stormed the court for the winner, who received Davis Sr.’s second book, “Changemaker.”

“My father was committed all his life to serving youth, making young people the best citizens they could be, and the best they could be in education,” Davis said, following the event. “My father set a record by being a member of the Minneapolis School Board for 21 consecutive years from 1969 to 1990, because his philosophy was the more energy, direction, and mentorship we give our youth, who are future leaders of the country, the better they will be as leaders and take on the statesmanship that he taught them.

“The event at the Friendship Academy of the Arts was a classic example of adults taking the message to the young people of how valuable they are, how much we appreciate them, and to support them in any education, or athletic endeavor they take to make their lives better,” said Davis. “And our commitment to Hiawatha Golf Course, which is part of the community that my father and his uncles and other citizens played at, is another example of committing to the community, the value of a golf course and the value of the camaraderie to help our youth become better citizens,” he continued.

The Hiawatha Foundation was created, “to help tell the story of African Americans’ legacy and lived experiences at Hiawatha Golf Course,” ac-

cording to its website. The course was a meeting place for civil rights trailblazers in Minneapolis from 1950-70. The Foundation is supporting the course’s designation on the National Historic Register, to commemorate the decades-

long effort to bring equality of opportunity to every aspect of community life.

Dominica Asberry-Lindquist welcomes reader comments to dasberrylindquist@spokesmanrecorder.com.

Filed in District Court State of Minnesota

2/16/2023 9:47 AM

Plaintiff, vs. SUMMONS

Victor Pereira Neves, Defendant. THE STATE OF MINNESOTA TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANT:

1. YOU ARE BEING SUED. The Plaintiff has started a lawsuit against you. The Plaintiff’s 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 21 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: 2700 Snelling Ave N, Suite 460, Roseville, MN 55113.

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 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 say so in your Answer.

From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

PHONE: 612-827-4021

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

Are you looking for a career opportunity where you can make a difference and impact lives? Minnesota State University, Mankato has several positions currently available! We work hard to embrace diversity and inclusion and are looking for driven, selfmotivated individuals who will have a positive impact on student success.

Please check out our job opportunities at: https://admin.mnsu.edu/humanresources/career-opportunities/.

Minnesota State University, Mankato is a member of the Minnesota State system. Minnesota State has established a strategic vision, Equity 2030, which aims to close the educational equity gaps across race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic location by the end of the decade at every Minnesota State college and university and to provide an opportunity for all Minnesotans to create a better future for themselves, for their families, and for their communities. The focus of the work includes:

• Enhancing access and student success.

• Providing Minnesota with the talent it needs.

• Anchoring the communities and regions we serve.

Equity 2030 seeks to bridge efforts occurring within divisions and institutions, creating an intentional statewide culture of equity-minded collaboration and resulting in equitable practice embedded throughout our institutions. The full Equity 2030 plan is linked here.

https://www.minnstate.edu/Equity2030/index.html.

Founded as a Normal School in 1868, Minnesota State University, Mankato is now the second largest university in Minnesota with a tradition of combining big-ideas with real-world thinking to find solutions for pressing problems in the state, region, and global society. Mankato, Minnesota, is a community of nearly 44,500 people, about 85 miles southwest of the Twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Serving approximately 14,000 students annually, the University is an applied research institution, with more than 200 academic programs, from bachelor’s through doctoral degrees. The University is a diverse and global campus with 18% students of color and 1,175 + international students from 95 countries, cutting-edge information technology solutions and extensive partnerships. We employ 1,600 faculty and staff, including 700 teaching faculty. The University has additional locations and a growing number of on-line programs to accelerate educational access and opportunity. These locations include partnerships in northern Minnesota’s iron range region. Fast facts about the university can be found here: https://mankato.mnsu.edu/about-theuniversity/fast-facts/.

FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS

PLEASE CONTACT

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

ACCOUNTING DEPT BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM

Dated: October 31, 2022 By: /s/ Bradley D. Hauswirth Aaron W. Ferguson (#0387763) Bradley D. Hauswirth (#0219836) Benjamin M. Kline (#0399962) Attorneys for Plaintiff 2700 Snelling Ave. N., Suite 460 Roseville, MN 55113 (651) 493-0426 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder April 6 13 20, 2023

(l-r) Dr. B. Charvez Russell (external relations for Friendship Academy of the Arts), W. Harry Davis Jr., John J. Henry, and Judge LaJune Lange. Photo by Dominica Asberry-Lindquist

The late W. Harry Davis Sr. was a politician, educator, Olympian, and civil rights activist. Submitted photo

STATE OF MINNESOTA

Employment & Legals

DISTRICT COURT COUNTY OF HENNEPIN FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT

COURT FILE NUMBER: 27-CV-23-2429

Aaron Olson, SUMMONS Plaintiff, vs.

From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

Post Office Minneapolis, MN 55401 Email: olsonvkappasigma@gmail.com

*Electronic Service Requested Pursuant to the MHRA & ADA Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder April 20, 27, May 4, 2023

obtain a copy of the Petition and any order issued from the court from the Ramsey County Court Administrator’s Office.

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.

Wealth Manager:

Accredited Investors Inc. Edina, MN.

questions arising from this pre-proposal conference will be addressed by addendum, if necessary.

A complete set of proposal documents are available by contacting Northstar Imaging at 651-686-0477 or www.northstarplanroom.com , under public plan room, SECURITY GUARD SERVICES AT THE W. ANDREW BOSS OFFICE BUILDING, Contract No. 24-012. Digital downloads are no charge, contact Northstar for hard copy pricing.

Proposals must be accompanied by an Equal Employment Opportunity form, and a MN Responsible Contractor Compliance Affidavit. The successful proposer will be required to furnish a satisfactory performance bond and separate payment bond.

The PHA reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive any informalities in the proposal process.

AN EQUAL STEVE AHNER

OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER PROJECT LEADER (651) 292-6069 STEVE.AHNER@STPHA.ORG

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder April 20, 2023

affidavit, EEO1 form and Minnesota Responsible Contractor Compliance Affidavit. The successful bidder will be required to furnish both a performance bond and a separate payment bond.

The PHA reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to waive any informalities in the bidding.

AN EQUAL Mariam Mohamed

Dipendra Mahaseth SUMMONS Plaintiff, vs. Kenneth Scott, Benjamin Edwards, and Zobeida Bonilla Vega, Defendants.

PHONE: 612-827-4021

FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS

PLEASE CONTACT ACCOUNTING DEPT @ BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM

THIS SUMMONS IS DIRECTED TO the above-named Defendants:

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

SUMMONS

FLAT RATE: $230

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: Megan Curtis Law, PLLC 332 Minnesota Street, Suite W1610 Saint Paul, MN 55101

Please proof, respond with email confirmation to ads@spokesman-recorder.com

The MSR handles billing digitally. This means you will get e-tears and e-mailed invoices unless you specifically request a hard copy.

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 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 say so in your Answer.

From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

PHONE: 612-827-4021

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

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.

FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS

Please contact Accounting Dept @ BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM

RAMSEY COUNTY LEGAL NOTICES

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

FLAT RATE: $100

Dated: 01/24/2023

Please proof, respond with email confirmation to ads@spokesman-recorder.com

Building 332 Minnesota Street, Suite W1610 Saint Paul, MN 55101

The MSR handles billing digitally. This means you will get e-tears and e-mailed invoices unless you specifically request a hard copy.

From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

P: 612-750-4688 F: 651-412-5070 E: mc@megancurtislaw.com Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder April 13, 20, 27, 2023

PHONE: 612-827-4021 FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS

Please

From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

PHONE: 612-827-4021

Req. Bach. in Personal Financial Planning, Accounting, Finance, Financial Services, Business, Economics, or rel financial planning degree plus 2 yrs of exp. as a Wealth Manager, Financial Planner, Financial Advisor or rel wealth management occupation. A min of 2 yrs of exp w/ Financial planning using CRM software (including Microsoft Dynamics, Junxure, Salesforce, Redtail, or similar CRM software). Must have passed the first CFP course exam from a CFP Board Registered Program. For confidential consideration, please submit resume to resumes@ accredited.com. No agencies or phone calls please.

FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS

PLEASE CONTACT

VITS Consulting Corp has openings for theses positions:

ACCOUNTING DEPT @ BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM

SUMMONS

FLAT RATE: $100 X 3 WEEK RUN

TOTAL: $300 PRE-PAID

Program Manager with Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering any, Technology or related and 1 yr of exp to provide functional leadership, develop personnel through training and mentoring. Support Product Team Leads with execution of project needs as necessary, participate in all Certification audits and meet the certification objectives. Provide technical administration for hardware and software development teams. Develop and certify cutting-edge electronic systems software for aircraft platforms and manufacturers. Collaborates with executive leadership to develop and meet company goals while supplying expertise and guidance on Information Technology operations, Project management, Infrastructure Management, Applications development lifecycle management, Network Management, Emergency Management, Resource management, Vendor Management, M & A and Cyber Security.

Please proof, respond with email confirmation to ads@spokesman-recorder.com

The MSR handles billing digitally. This means you will get e-tears and e-mailed invoices unless you specifically request a hard copy.

Security Engineer with Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering any, Technology, Information Systems/Assurance or related for security systems that assist in safeguarding information system resources and ensure integration of technology that upholds the Information Security policies and standards, identify opportunities for security process improvement. Implementation and management of the Risk Control Framework to identify all the customer requirements. Responsible for taking employees and contractors through information security concepts in the form of presentations, training programs and workshop. Perform regular security testing as well as code reviews for improving the software security.

Work location is Plymouth,MN with required travel to client locations throughout the USA. Please mail resumes to 14264 23rd Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55447 (or) e-mail : Jobs-p@ vitsconsulting.com

Principal Product Security Engineer: Medtronic, Inc., Fridley, MN

Req. Master’s in Computer Science, Computer Engr., Software Engr. or rel. engr. field, & 5 yrs. exp. as a security engineer, or related software engr. occupation in network & cybersecurity systems and development. Must possess a min. of 5 yrs. exp. with each of the following: Cloud systems architecture & security; Data protection architectures for data at rest & in transit; Risk assessments & U.S. & international cybersecurity regulatory requirements; Security incident mgmt.; Vulnerability mgmt.; & Process Automation. Apply at https://jobs.medtronic. com/, Req. #230003WS. No agencies or phone calls. Medtronic is an equal opportunity employer committed to cultural diversity in the workplace. All individuals are encouraged to apply.

Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA) is hiring a Water Program Specialist

Full Time, Hybrid. Apply deadline: May 15th. $49,000$56,000 Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, Saint Paul, MN

At MCEA we respect the individual strength, views, and experiences of all employees and understand that we thrive in our differences. We believe everyone deserves consideration, regardless of where you went to school, where you grew up, and what opportunities you’ve had in the past.

Individual projects, project management, preparing comments and analyses, legislative, communications, talking points, and supporting teams with research, analysis, writing.

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The MSR handles billing digitally. This means you will get e-tears and e-mailed invoices unless you specifically request a hard copy.

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

SUBTOTAL: $162.90

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The Water Program Specialist will provide project management, research, and analysis in support of MCEA’s Water Program. Be a liaison to outside consultants, experts, and advocacy groups, and actively reach out to and develop relationships with disproportionately impacted communities; research and analyze water-related issues, and gain expertise in groundwater and surface-water policies; and assist, as appropriate, MCEA’s Legislative and Communications Team. The Program Specialist reports to and works closely with the Water Program Director to accomplish MCEA’s organizational and program goals.

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How to apply and more information at: https: www.mncenter. org/job-openings, hr@mncenter.org, 651-223-5969

The MSR handles billing digitally. This means you will get e-tears and

invoices unless you specifically request a copy.

Place

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college softball players and being able to see the game grow,” said Amani Bradley. She played at Cal (2019-22), and is now playing her final season of eligibility at Minnesota as a graduate student. The Murietta, California native also played high school and club softball.

“Having multiple Black women on one team is exceptional,” stressed Burnett, who is from Jacksonville, Florida, where she played high school and club softball and is now in her first year at Minnesota. But she also pointed out, “You don’t find many of us.”

Hill

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The U.S. men’s team, as has been the case since 1992, will primarily consist of NBA players. With the exception of 2004, USA Basketball has won the gold medal in all international competition.

“The international game is very, very different than our game here in the States,” explained Hill. “There’s greater physicality. I think the officiating allows you to play. I think the international game is really about precise execution.

“There’s a requirement on the defensive end to be disciplined,” Hill pointed out, adding that it’s important that the

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right things, what to focus on.

“I was never the type of person that thought about winning by scoring the basketball, but by

Even rarer is seeing a Black softball pitcher on a PWI team, such as Copeland, who in her first season at Indiana in 2022, posted a 6-4 win-loss record with 48 strikeouts. “My mom always told me growing up that she wanted me to be one of the first Black pitchers that she sees on TV,” noted the soph hurler.

Copeland came into the Minnesota series with a 13-0 mark, a 2.81 ERA, and 82 strikeouts in 82 innings. She also threw a no-hitter in early February in the Hoosiers’ second game of the season.

Copeland also excels at the plate, hitting over .300, with nearly 20 extra base hits and over 30 RBIs to her credit

bigs on the team “have versatility that they can switch, they can guard smaller players on the perimeter. Bigs have to have a comfort level being outside on the perimeter, whether it’s shooting 3-pointers, handling the ball, dribble handoffs. It’s a different game.”

“I think guard play is essential,” continued Hill. “We do have some talented young guards in the league.”

Hill reaffirmed that it is no longer a requisite that NBA players make a longterm commitment in order to make the USA team. “I know that Jerry [Colangelo] set that standard that if you want to be a part of the Olympic team,

doing the little things for your teammates,” he pointed out.

Horn first cut his coaching teeth as an AAU head coach in two separate programs, over a six-year span. Then at Ursuline, a Division II school, he helped the

thus far this season. She is one of three Black players on the Indiana team.

Doing double-duty is old hat for her, admitted Copeland: “I’m just used to being back and forth,” between the mound and the infield. “I grew up doing that.”

Thus far this season, Burnett is the only Gopher to hit a grand slam and drive in four-plus runs in a game. Bradley has started all but one game this season and boasts nearly a .300 slugging percentage. Neither player knew that the other was going to be at Minnesota this season.

“I didn’t get to meet Breezy on my [recruiting] visit,” recalled Bradley. “I didn’t know

you have to put in some sort of investment with either the training camps or be on the national team prior to that summer,” noted Hill.

“There’s been a little bit of a generational shift that’s occurred in the league, and basketball in general. I think we have to be willing to adapt and adjust to the times, and adapt to players today.”

The 2023 USA Men’s National Team is still being formed, but it is scheduled to play exhibition games in Spain and the United Arab Emirates.

The first exhibition game is being played in Slovenia (Aug. 12), followed by Spain (Aug. 13) in Malaga, Spain; then in Abu Dhabi against Greece

school win the 2016 regular season and conference tournament and a Division II tournament berth. Then Plitzuweit hired him at South Dakota, and at West Virginia, and now at Minnesota.

The veteran coach said

that there was another Black girl on the team.”

Said Burnett, “My first reaction, I texted her right away. I don’t know how to describe it, but I knew it was just going to be different for me, having a Black teammate.”

Both sistahs want to see their sport become more diverse and hope that they can be a drawing card for young Black girls. “Little Black girls can go out and play softball at the top level and excel,” said Bradley.

“You can do it just like the rest of the girls,” added Burnett.

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments at challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

(Aug. 18) and Germany (Aug. 20) in the days leading up to the 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cup.

“We just have to put together and assemble the right pieces, the right fit,” said Hill. “A lot of these international teams have been playing together for decades and there’s a familiarity. They know each other and each other’s tendencies.

“It’s not just assembling a roster, but it’s really bonding and coming together as a team,” added Hill. “We have our work cut out for us.”

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments at challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

he wants to be well-rounded, not one-dimensional as Black coaches are sometimes pegged. One of the few Black male assistant coaches in the Big Ten, Horn said he asks himself, “How can I develop

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Virginia (last season), and now here at Minnesota.

Braker grew up in Indiana, but she and her family moved to Grosse Pointe, Mich., a Detroit suburb where she graduated from high school. She was also a high school hoops star, which led her to Notre Dame. There she was a teammate of current Minnesota Lynx players Kayla McBride and Natalie Achonwa.

Braker said she learned a lot about coaching when she played as a two-year starter and three-time team captain for now-retired coach Muffet McGraw at Notre Dame.

“I really liked her blunt honesty. I wasn’t the best player on the team by any means. You’ve got to figure out how you can contribute, how you

can help. I try to be straightforward with the kids as well.” Does she envision herself as a head coach one day?

“If you would have asked me this a year ago, I probably would have said no way,” admitted Braker. “But I think about it more and I talked to more people. We need more people that look like me.

“As I move further in my career,” she said, “I think it’s important for girls who see people that look like them and what they can aspire to be. I don’t know what that looks like as a head coach yet. I would like to be an athletic director one day.

“I think I’m fortunate enough to have a lot of strong Black women in my life…my mom being number one,” concluded Braker.

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments at challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

my coaching style? How can I get better? How could I be more ingrained with the budget? Can I learn those things… while continuing to grow?”

“I think as a Black male in this profession” coaching women

“is a true passion,” said Horn. “I think coaching was in my blood.”

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments at challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

USA Basketball preps for international play

By Charles Hallman Sports Columnist

rant Hill played on five USA Basketball teams and compiled a 26-1 record. Now as its managing director, the 2018 Basketball Hall of Famer, seven-time NBA AllStar, and Duke star is leading the men’s national team into its preparation for international competition this summer.

Hill succeeded Jerry Colangelo in 2021.

Asked during a recent media call how things have been going thus far, Hill told the MSR, “I understood when tak-

“It’s not just assembling a roster, but it’s really bonding and coming together as a team.”

ing this job that it would be challenging and certainly not ceremonial. The expectations are tremendous. Anything less than gold is looked upon as a failure. I’m aware of that.

“Certainly, a lot of work goes into giving ourselves a chance to win gold,” he stressed. “I love the challenge.”

■ See Hill on page 11

More sistahs represent in Big Ten softball

There are approximately 100 African American and other studentathletes of color this school year at the University of Minnesota. In an occasional series throughout the school year and sports year, the MSR will highlight many of these players. This week: Gopher softball players Breezy Burnett and Amani Bradley. t was a complete surprise to me to not only find two Big Ten softball teams playing each other, both with at least one Black player on their roster, but also to later learn that there are nearly 35 Black women playing softball in the conference. Each school, including Minnesota, boasts at least one sistah.

Purdue leads the Big Ten with four Black players, and Nebraska

has three. Michigan State and Illinois have Black head coaches.

During the April 7-9, Gophers-Indiana series at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium, visiting sophomore pitcher Brianna Copeland split time between the mound and third base, and Breezy Burnett and Amani Bradley roamed

left field and right field, respectively, for the host Gophers.

Still, despite this apparent improvement, softball historically struggles with diversity. The reasons include the cost of equipment such as bats, gloves and spikes; lack of access to adequate or better

softball fields in disadvantaged areas; and the cost of travel to play games. This contributes to single-digit percentages of Black softball players at the collegiate level.

“I think when I first started, there weren’t a lot of Black

■ See SOE on page 11

New Gopher coaches follow HC Plitzuweit

Honesty in coaching a must for Braker

fter a successful playing career at Notre Dame (2010-14), part of the winningest class in program history with three national title game appearances and four Final Four berths, Ariel Braker left with a degree in industrial design and uncertainty about what would come next.

“I really didn’t think I was going to do anything with basketball after I was done playing,” Braker recalled. “After about a week I was already bored,” she said, once she returned home to Michigan. “I was at home with [her mother] over the summer, who said, ‘What do you want to do? You need to pick something that you’re gonna love. You’re gonna have to essentially do this for the rest of your life.’”

Her mother then essentially pushed her daughter out of the nest. “A couple of days later, she came back and said, ‘I signed you up to be the GA [graduate assistant] at Wayne State. You’ll get your master’s [degree] there,’ and figure out if coaching would be the right career for me,” Braker continued.

After getting her master’s in sports administration from Wayne State, in Detroit, Braker fol-

Coaching beats business for Horn

ow at his third school in eight seasons, Aaron Horn has quickly ingrained himself in the community where he resides and works. “I was a part of the city [in West Virginia] and I will do the same here,” explained the first-year Minnesota assistant coach referring to his single-season stint at West Virginia last year.

Once named a Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s “Thirty Under 30” in 2017, the Cleveland, Ohio native first served on Coach Dawn Plitzuweit’s staff at South Dakota in 2016 after three seasons as an assistant at Ursuline (Ohio) College (2013-16).

lowed her love of the game and coaching, taking assistant coaching stints at Western Texas College (2016-17), Lehigh (2017-19), and Oakland (2019-21), before joining Dawn Plitzuweit first at South Dakota (2021-22), then at West

“[When] I got done playing,” noted Horn, who earned a B.A. in business administration from Toledo in 2012, “I thought, I’ll go into marketing and sales in Chicago or on Madison Avenue. That never worked out. I was in grad school getting my MBA, and started coaching boys, which was cool.”

Horn said he soon discovered that coaching was more rewarding and more fulfilling than being a “Mad Man” advertising exec.

“I think coaching was in my blood, like me

being a point guard and my grandfather being a coach,” he continued. “I just always watched him coach. He taught me those things as a player, those lessons I used as a point guard to be able to teach my teammates how to do the

Former prep stars making their marks

ea B. Olsen, Tamara Moore, Tanysha Scott, Tyesha Wright and Tara Starks are five former prep student-athletes and current superstars who continue to represent and serve as role models in the metro area.

Olsen, who played basketball at Minneapolis South High School and the University of Minnesota, has blossomed into one of the nation’s top sports broadcasters and motivational speakers.

Moore, who starred as a guard for Minneapolis North, the University of Wisconsin, and the WNBA, led the Mesabi Community College men’s basketball team to a runner-up finish in the community college state tournament three years

after becoming the second woman in history to serve as head coach of a men’s basketball team at the collegiate level.

Scott, who had outstanding basketball careers as a player at DeLaSalle High School and the University of Minnesota-Duluth, coached the Roseville High School girls’ basketball team to their second consecutive Class AAAA state tournament appearance.

Wright, the head girls’ basketball coach at Minneapolis Roosevelt, who also excelled as a point guard for the Teddies before graduating in 2010, led

them to the city conference championship and Twin Cities title this past season.

Starks, Hopkins girls’ basketball coach and former Minneapolis North High School basketball player, has developed into one of the nation’s top coaches after leading the Royals to two runners-up and one championship in Class AAAA competition in the past three years.

“Little Black girls can go out and play softball at the top level and excel.”

Brianna Copeland

Photos by Charles Hallman

Breezy Burnett (l) and Amani Bradley

Grant Hill (l) and Carmelo Anthony Courtesy of USA Basketball

The new Minnesota women’s basketball coaching staff is 50 percent diverse as Head Coach Dawn Plitzuweit brought her entire coaching staff that has been with her at her previous two schools, including two Black assistants. Jason Jeschke (associate HC), Aaron Horn and Ariel Braker (assistants) will join the Gopher coaching staff. The MSR talked to Horn and Braker in separate interviews at the team’s Athletes Village practice facility.

Aaron Horn Photo by Charles Hallman

Ariel Braker Photo by Charles Hallman

■ See View - Braker on page 11

■ See View - Horn on page 11

Tamara Moore

Photo by Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald

Tara Starks

Photo by Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald

Tanysha Scott

Photo by Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald

Lea B. Olsen Courtesy of nationallyspeaking.com

Tyesha Wright Courtesy of Northside Achievement.com

Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader comments at mcdeezy05@gmail.com.

“I think coaching was in my blood.”

“I think it’s important for girls who see people that look like them and what they can aspire to be.”