May 13, 2021 - MN Spokesman-Recorder

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THE VOICE OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY SINCE 1934 May 13-May 19, 2021, Vol. 87 No. 41

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Civilian review of police: Why has it failed?

By Abdi Mohamed Contributing writer

T

hree weeks have passed since a jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all counts in the death of George Floyd. Much of the conversation surrounding the trial has concerned how Chauvin’s actions were a direct violation of his duties as a police officer. Minneapolis Chief of Police Mederia Arradondo testified to this effect during his time on the witness stand in Chauvin’s trial, arguing that Chauvin’s actions were out-

side the norm.

However, the reality is that Chauvin has had a long history of complaints, many of which went without discipline from the department. Chauvin has been the subject of 26 complaints in his 19 years as a MPD officer according to Communities United Against Police Brutality (CUAPB).

The organization also found 3,434 complaints filed against other officers in the department.

Only 20 of those were disciplined, resulting in a discipline rate of nearly half of 1%. This has led some to question the system of

police oversight in place and its inability to penalize officers such as Chauvin who have a long track record of complaints.

Complaints against an MPD officer by a civilian are handled by the Office of Police Conduct Review (OPCR). According to the City’s website the OPCR is a joint office of the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights and the MPD Internal Affairs Unit.

There are two units of the OPCR, one made up of civilians and the

other of sworn MPD officers.

The OPCR’s Police Conduct pointed by the mayor and city Review Panel is made up of at council. Several MPD officers least seven civilians who are ap- selected by the chief of police sit

view alleged cases of misconduct and submit recommendations to the chief. The chief has the authority to discipline the officer or officers involved or to dismiss the case entirely.

Photo by Jim Handrigan on the panel as well. The panel when convened includes two civilians and two officers who re-

Civilian review over the years Civilian oversight of police has a 30-year history in Minneapolis starting with the police Civilian Review Authority (CRA). It was created in 1990 by a city ordinance to receive, consider, investigate, and make decisions regarding complaints against the MPD ■ See Review on page 5

Homelessness grows as globalization boosts housing costs MSR interviews Target CEO Brian Cornell

Homeless encampment in Powderhorn Park News Analysis

By Jon Jeter Contributing writer With a master’s degree from Northwestern’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism, Nolu Crockett-Ntonga—a former White House correspondent for National Public Radio—doesn’t fit the typical profile of what one might expect from the homeless population. And yet, that is precisely what happened to her shortly after she returned stateside to care for her ailing mother.

“Initially I had wonderful jobs with good pay and great benefits,” said CrockettNtonga, who lived in South Africa for nearly a decade before settling in the Washington, D.C. area.

“But from 2005 to 2011, I kept getting laid off from the nonprofits where I worked. I always believed that I would have a job as long as I wanted to work. Alas, I was wrong.

I applied for more than 300 jobs!

“I attended every workshop on how to get a job. I did everything the professionals

said to do, but I did not get a job, and got only a handful of interviews. I sunk into depression. Unemployed, with no cushion, I tapped into my always meager retirement fund, believing in my heart that surely I would eventually get a job! But no.

“The rent at my two-bedroom apartment,” CrockettNtonga continued, “was $1,500 plus utilities at the time of my eviction. I’d paid rent and utilities on time for more than three years when I lived there with rent going up between three to five percent

MSR file photo

each year.

“My savings were running out. I talked to the property manager about the possibility of me paying half the rent amount. My proposal fell on deaf ears. They probably laughed at the idea.

“Sadly, I was evicted on October 18, 2011,” said CrockettNtonga. “My property was literally thrown curbside on the street. Walkers-by began picking through my possessions. If this could happen to me, then it is obvious that something is tragically wrong with our housing system.”

■ See Housing on page 5

Car thefts up, youth’s 911 trust down Minneapolis City committee acts on health, public safety issues

By Khalifa Uchechi Contributing writer On May 6 the Minneapolis Public Health & Safety Committee met to discuss three pressing discussion items and approved eight items for consent. Under consideration were measures to reduce car thefts, relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions, ongoing testing and vaccination measures, and making Minneapolis a city friendly to children and youth.

Among the eight items for consent was the approval of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) plan modification as recommended by the NRP Policy Board. The proposed amend-

ment calls for all neighborhood plan modifications over $200,000 to be reviewed and approved by the NRP Policy Board, allowing the department to change all documents to reflect this change.

It also solidifies adequate stakeholder support for neighborhood plans and NRP funds to be moved into any approved neighborhood strategy. Lastly, this amendment allows for administrative adjustments of no more than $10,000.

A grant application to the Minnesota Department of Commerce for Auto Theft Prevention was authorized for submittal in the amount of $1.3 million to prevent motor vehicle thefts. This grant serves as the fiscal agent to

Phillipe Cunningham

Gretchen Musicant

the Minnesota Auto Theft Prevention Board to reimburse Minnesota law enforcement agencies for vehicle theft programs. In 2020, the number of car thefts in Minneapolis increased 41% from the previous year.

Another consent item approved was submitting a $4

million, two-year grant applying to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for COVID-19 health literacy enhancement to racial and ethnic minority populations. This consent item went along with the first discussion item, a briefing on Governor Tim Walz’s timeline to end ■ See Safety on page 5

MSR: Tell us about your background.

Brian Cornell (BC): I grew up in New York City in Queens in a diverse environment and moved to Los Angeles and went to UCLA. My family has lived all over the U.S. and has spent time in Asia and Europe. The last seven years have probably been the highlight of my career having the opportunity to lead an amazing organization like Target.

MSR: When you were at UCLA did you envision yourself becoming a corporate person?

BC: No, it was not my intent.

When I went to UCLA I was coaching football and working in retail and paying the bills to get myself through college.

I thought I would be a high school football coach or a maybe a college coach. A high school football coach convinced me that maybe I should consider some different options. I shifted my focus from coaching kids in football to coaching executives in the retail and consumer fields.

So I still get to coach. I still get to play head coach, just on a different playing field.

MSR: Why talk to the MSR? BC: You know how committed we are to making a difference and having an impact on our hometown. I thought it would be a good chance for you and I talk about some of things that Target has done historically, but certainly the work we have done over the last 12 months to make a difference in Minneapolis and across the country.

MSR: Give us some background on the origins of Target.

BC: I can take you back all the way to 1962 and the first Target store that opened up in town.

Most people fail to recognize the longstanding commitment to philanthropy from day one. We made a commitment to give back 5% of our pretax profits and we do that today. It goes back to the founding Dayton family.

If we can help the communities we serve, it’s going to be good

for the community and it’s going to be good for Target. And we are a company that has a rich history of giving back and serving community. 2020 was an exception

Brian Cornell, Target CEO to the rule. Normally I would be talking about our team volunteering over a million hours each year to local causes. It comes back to some of the core values and principles of the company.

We have a longstanding commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. It’s a core part of who we are. Importantly, it has helped drive our business. That’s not something that’s new—we have had a diversity and inclusion strategy and office in place for now over 15 years. That allows us to recruit and retain tremendous talent and more diverse team members. Offering our diverse suppliers an opportunity to do business with Target allows us to direct our philanthropic efforts in local communities to help improve the lives of those guests around the country.

MSR: How did Target become the behemoth that it is today?

BC: It uses a very unique business model. Our core model has been” expect more, pay less.”

The brand itself is really unique in retail today, and if you shop our stores you can buy apparel for yourself and your family and all the things you need for your home, kitchen appliances. We are one of the largest toy retailers in ■ See Target on page 5

2

Metropolis

May 13-May 19, 2021

New trial for Chauvin not likely • Allow Morries Hall to testify or admit (let the jury hear) his statements to police.

• Limit the State from presenting too many witnesses on use of force.

• Give the jury the defense proposed instructions on use of force and the three charges.

Derek Chauvin’s defense recently filed a motion asking Judge Peter Cahill for a new trial. This is not an appeal, and it won’t be granted, but it is a preview of the issues we can expect to hear the defense argue when they do appeal.

After Chauvin is sentenced, he has a right to file an appeal before the Minnesota Court of Appeals. The appellate court will only consider exhibits admitted at trial, and testimony and argument of lawyers that is in the trial transcript.

It is common for the defense to file a motion for a new trial after a conviction.

By rule, the motion must be filed within 15 days of the guilty verdict. The defense

motion was clearly rushed because it lacks specific examples of allegations such as, “pervasive, prejudicial prosecutorial misconduct.”

Most of the issues raised in the defense motion were argued before, and during, the trial. This means that the judge has already ruled against the defense. Some of those issues include requests to: • Change venue “moving the trial someplace else in Minnesota.)

• Sequester the jury (keep them together) during the trial, and not just during deliberations.

• Declare a mistrial because of publicity before and during the trial.

Because Judge Cahill already ruled against the defense on these motions, the request for a new trial would require him to acknowledge that he was mistaken. As I mentioned before, that is not going to happen.

The one new ground alleged by the defense is juror misconduct. The defense, however, cites no facts to support its claim that, “the jury committed misconduct, felt threated or intimidated, felt race-based pressure during the proceedings, and/or failed to adhere to instructions during deliberations.”

My guess is that the defense is trying to raise the juror misconduct issue to make it part of the record, which could be reviewed by the court of appeals.

Without additional, more specific information the

judge is unlikely to grant the Schwartz hearing, which the defense has requested.

Schwartz is simply the name of the Minnesota case that outlines the process a court must follow to investigate alleged juror misconduct.

Lawyers and judges are not allowed to intrude into the thought processes of jurors when they deliberated. In fact, a juror cannot be asked to testify as to any statement made during the deliberations, or the reasoning behind the juror’s decision.

The court can investigate whether outside, prejudicial information came to the jury’s attention, or whether the jury was subject to threats of violence or outside influences to reach a verdict. The juror who has given interviews, Brandon Mitchell, has specifically said that the jurors felt no influence from outside pressures.

He described the process of watching video of George Floyd dying over and over as being emotionally draining and that he just wanted to go home and ignore the outside world. The judge is not going to grant a Schwartz hearing without any factual sup-

port for the allegations in the defense motion.

The judge can investigate whether a juror “gave false answers” on voir dire (jury selection) that “concealed prejudice or bias” toward a party. The defense does not make this allegation, but there has been discussion about Mitchell’s attendance at a march in Washington, D.C., and one of his answers on his juror questionnaire.

Jurors were asked whether they participated in protests about police use of force or police brutality. Mitchell checked the “no” box. But a picture has emerged of Mitchell at a march in August to commemorate the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. It was described as a civil rights march, advocating for voter’s rights, and an end to systemic racism, police brutality, and many other civil rights issues.

I have read many, many juror questionnaires and people interpret questions in very different ways.

Some read the question narrowly,others write a couple of paragraphs about irrelevant information “just in case.”

It’s understandable that Mitchell did not view his presence at a march in D.C.—where he had never been—as a protest against police brutality, because it was about so much more. It is also clear that his answer was not intended to “conceal his prejudice or bias” toward a party.

The very next question on the questionnaire asked how favorable the juror’s views were about “Black Lives Matter.” Mitchell checked “Very Favorable.” So, it should come as no surprise that he is wearing a BLM baseball cap in the picture at the march in Washington D.C. Without more detailed information about how a juror is alleged to have committed misconduct, I can’t see the judge granting the defense motion for a Schwartz hearing. This means that he will deny the motion for a new trial in its entirety.

Mary Moriarty was a public defender for 30 years, most recently for Hennepin County.

Target commits to spending $2 billion with Black-owned businesses MSR News Service Target Corporation last month announced a commitment to spend more than $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by the end of 2025. Target is pledging to add products across its multicategory assortment from more than 500 Black-owned businesses and engage more Blackowned companies to enhance its retail operations and shopping experience.

In addition to spending more with Black-owned companies, Target is introducing new resources to help its Black-owned vendors grow and successfully scale their businesses in mass retail.

“We have a rich history of working with diverse businesses, but there’s more we can do to spark change across the retail industry, support the Black community and ensure Black guests feel welcomed and represented when they shop at Target,” said

Christina Hennington, executive vice president and chief growth officer, Target. “The bold actions we’re announcing today reflect Target’s ongoing commitment to advance racial equity for the Black community. They also represent significant economic opportunity for hundreds of new Black-owned companies, who we look forward to doing business with for years to come.”

To further support Blackowned businesses, Target is establishing new resources, including a team that is dedicated to providing vendors with ongoing support and assisting them in growing and successfully scaling their businesses in mass retail.

Building off Target Accelerators, a portfolio of programs supporting entrepreneurs to drive innovation and instigate change, the company is introducing a new program called Forward Founders. This program will engage Black entrepreneurs earlier in their startup journey to help

egories, like beauty, Target has 50 Black-owned and Black-founded brands, with plans to continue to grow the assortment.

In 2020 Target established its Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) committee composed of senior leaders from across the company who represent a diverse range of perspectives and expertise and guide the retailer's efforts to engage in the fight to end systemic racism in the U.S. and drive lasting impact for the Black community.

Courtesy of MGN them navigate the critical stages of ideation, product development and scaling for mass retail.

Forward Founders is designed to help Black-owned businesses increase their potential for longterm success in retail.

The $2 billion commitment builds upon Target’s efforts to increase its network of diverse suppliers and accelerates its ef-

forts to support even more Blackowned businesses. Through Target Accelerators and events like the Black-Owned Business

Vendor Fair, Target has brought in diverse businesses which have products ready for sale at retail. In some product cat-

Health & Wellness

May 13-May 19, 2021

3

Lifestyle choices that can reduce your risk of heart disease ease outcomes are due to many factors including differences in access to health care or health insurance, as well as differences in access to healthy foods, safe neighborhoods, nutritious food, and exercise options. There are certain healthy lifestyle changes that we can all take in order to work towards better health and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.

Manage blood pressure High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. More than half of African American adults have high blood pressure. Keeping blood pressure in a healthy range will reduce the strain on your heart, blood vessels, and other organs.

Have your blood pressure checked regularly and get it

By Mosi Bennett, MD, PhD treated if it is too high. GetGuest contributor ting more exercise, eating a The term heart disease de- heart-healthy diet with less salt, scribes a variety of conditions maintaining a healthy weight, including coronary artery dis- managing stress, and avoiding ease, heart rhythm problems, alcohol and tobacco are exam-

blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat. Try to keep track of what and how much you are eating and increase physical activity.

Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value of your weight in relation to your height.

With the help of your doctor or even an online calculator, you can determine your BMI and better understand whether you are at a healthy weight or need to lose weight.

good cholesterol, or high-density lipoproteins (HDL), and bad cholesterol, or low density lipoproteins (LDL). Too much LDL cholesterol can lead to plaque buildup and even clogging of blood vessels, causing heart disease and stroke. Good cholesterol can lower the risk of heart disease by preventing

Courtesy of Pixabay and problems with the pumping function of the heart. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. African Americans are more likely to die from heart disease than any other racial or ethnic group.

The disparities in heart dis-

LDL from sticking in blood vessels.

Have your cholesterol level checked and know your numControl your cholesterol Cholesterol is a fat-like sub- bers. Control cholesterol by stance that your body needs choosing healthy foods low in in order to function. There are cholesterol, trans-fats and satutwo main types of cholesterol: rated fats. Exercise regularly to

ples of lifestyle choices that can lower blood pressure.

Avoid tobacco Smoking is the most preCourtesy of MGN ventable cause of early death in the United States. Cigarette raise your levels of good choles- training at least twice a week. smokers have a much higher Adults should get at least 150 risk of developing heart disease. terol. minutes of moderate activity or If you smoke, quitting is one of 75 minutes of vigorous activity the best things you can do to Reduce blood sugar Diabetes is the condition in a week. improve your overall health. which the body does not properly process food for use as en- Eat healthy The more healthy behaviors Following a healthy diet is you practice, the better your ergy. In diabetes, carbohydrates and sugars that we eat and the most effective behavior to heart health. Small changes drink are turned into sugar, and lower the risk of heart disease. every day can add up to big blood sugar levels are too high. In general, watch calories and improvements in your overall High levels of blood sugar can eat smaller portions. Enjoy health. Make your health a pridamage your heart, kidneys, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, ority. It is never too late to start. eyes and nerves. In order to beans, legumes, nuts, plantreduce the risk of getting dia- based proteins, lean animal proMosi Bennett, MD, PhD, is a betes, limit the consumption of teins, poultry and fish. board-certified heart failure and Limit sweetened drinks, transplant cardiologist with the simple sugars (soda, candy and sugary desserts) and get regular processed meats, refined car- Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbohydrates, added sugars, and bott Northwestern Hospital. He exercise. highly processed foods. Avoid completed his undergraduate work trans-fat and partially hydroge- at the University of PennsylvaGet active Exercise helps to prevent nated oils that are often found nia. He went on to attend medical high blood pressure, diabetes in some commercial baked school and graduate school at the and obesity. Exercise can also goods and fried foods. Pay at- Johns Hopkins University School improve memory, mood, and tention to nutrition labels and of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryreduce anxiety. In general, the choose products with lower land. He completed his internal more you exercise, the greater amounts of sodium, saturated medicine residency at Johns Hopthe health benefits. Aim to exer- fat and added sugars. kins Hospital, and then cardiocise at least 30 minutes a day, on vascular disease and heart failure most days of the week. Include Maintain a healthy weight fellowships at the Cleveland Clinic.

Excessive weight can inmuscle-strengthening activity such as resistance or weight crease the risk of diabetes, high

4

May 13-May 19, 2021

Opinion

Mayor Carter opens the door for Rondo’s re-destruction

By Danielle Swift, Tia Williams and Caty Royce

Police live by their own set of laws

By Steve Martinot The verdict is in. The murderers have won. On April 20, a jury of 12 people managed to swim against the tide of White Supremacy and convict Derek Chauvin of murdering a Black man. That’s 12 votes for the party of human life.

But during the time of the trial, the party of murderers gained more votes than that. From the middle of March to the end of April, eight People of Color, mostly African American, were killed by the police.

The murderers win even against the demonstrated voice of the people. For weeks in April, for months in 2020, for years during the 21st century, people have taken to the streets demanding that the police stop murdering people, and especially Black people. Not only does it not stop, but the rate of killing goes up as if to comfort the one taken to court.

Indeed, the court process even seems half-hearted. The City of Minneapolis couldn’t bring itself to charge premeditated murder, even though Chauvin took Floyd out of the hands of other cops in order to throw him on the street and kill him. “In order to,” means with intention aforethought. That’s first-degree murder. The prosecution tried to compensate for such hierarchical niceties by charging both second-and thirddegree murder, figuring that half the world seeing him charged would be sufficient.

Sufficient for what exactly, certainly not to preserve human life. Eight other people lost their lives to the same organization that was brought to trial in the person of Chauvin. In the shad-

ow of that additional killing, the prosecution still had to play the jury odds, and go for seconddegree murder rather than first.

It won the bet but lost the game.

Second-degree was sufficient to get 12 votes against a government agency that ceaselessly kills.

What kind of government ceaselessly kills its own people?

Is that the government that many refer to as “our democracy”? In “this democracy,” the party of the murderers gains more seats in policy-making than the party of human life. A society cannot be a democracy if its government goes around killing its own people.

The police explanations all look alike. Adam Toledo had a gun. Andrew Brown had a knife and drove his car threateningly at officers. Isaiah Brown had a gun. Peyton Ham had a gun. Alvarez had a gun. Caron Nazario had an attitude and fled a traffic stop. Is this a crisis of reportage, or what?

Along with police reportage of the weapons they confront at every turn, they now even provide audio subtitles: “stop resisting,” “drop your weapon,” “show me your hands,” “get on the ground,” “get out of your car,” etc. We hear it even when it isn’t relevant.

Talk about crisis! They say that every crisis is a result of over-production. The Great Depression of 1929 was caused by an over-production of debt. The crash of 2008 was caused by an overproduction of subprime mortgages and their derivatives (mortgage-backed securities).

The affordable housing crisis now suffered by low-income people (displacement and exile from one’s hometown) is caused

The Amherst Wilder Foundation is attempting to sell a vacant plot of land at the intersection of Lexington and University avenues where four designated neighborhoods meet in the city of Saint Paul. If the land is sold and developed by Alatus LLC into its proposed Lexington Station with 280 units of market rate housing, it threatens to open the door to gentrification of this historic neighborhood.

This location has been under siege for decades, most notably the 1956-68 destruction of the historic St. Paul Black neighborhood known affectionately as Rondo, to make way for Interstate 94.

This strategic displacement is a story that runs deep in the roots of our city. Long before the Rondo neighborhood was built, it was inhabited and stewarded by the First Nation indigenous people of the Dakota and Anishinabe tribes.

This behavior is not new for Wilder. The Foundation admittedly has said it is selling the land at 411 Lexington to prop up their endowment, which they have been serially overspending.

They have dug into their reserve funds and are now expecting the community to understand their need to back their endowment through land sales, such as the agreed-upon sale to Alatus.

Each new sale and development that does not include a very intentional effort and strategy to keep these communities protected and intact strikes a forceful economic blow that could send negative impacts rippling through families generations at a time. The Alatus project threatens such a blow.

In the summer of 2019, a pro-

by an over-production of market-rate housing and landlord opportunism in raising rents.

The police crisis is caused by an over-production of death.

When the government kills its own people (around 1100 a year, averaging around three a day), you have a police state.

The crime is disobedience, and it is what got all the other people on the list above shot and killed.

When a cop can punish a person for ignoring a direct order where no law enforcement is in process (which means no observable crime is being committed), that cop has shifted the person from civil society to military society without consent.

There is no sanctuary from it.

This is not “our democracy.”

There is no democracy in a military organization. You take orders, period.

After clearing the cop who shot Jacob Blake to go back to duty, the police chief in Kenosha said the officer “acted within the law and was consistent with training. [He] was found to have been acting within policy and will not be subjected to discipline.” There you have it. By shooting a man in the back, the cop was acting according to the

By Margaret Kimberly law and according to police policy. It is not an accident; it is not a response to crisis; it is policy. That There can be no more exmakes it premeditated. cuses made for Democratic However, the law that says a “progressives,” who steadcop can shoot a man legitimately fastly refuse to fight for what in the back is not a law that civil they know to be right. No one society lives by. We beg to dif- is holding Joe Biden’s “feet to fer. It is a law only the police the fire” or pushing him left. live by. The next time a cop says The Justice Democrats, Proanything about law enforcement, gressive Caucus and Congresremember that the law for them sional Black Caucus all sing is a different law than the law for Biden’s praises despite the us. fact that he lied to them and to When you shoot someone, their constituents during the obedience becomes totally ir- 2020 campaign. All of the polrelevant, a non-issue. To kill icies that rank and file Demosomeone to make them obey crats want to see realized are is nuts. And Chauvin has again left behind though their proven that you don’t even party has the power to enact need a gun to be that obsessed. them.

But who do we become There is no $2,000 stimulus that we can’t take their guns payment, no plan to lower away from them? The short prescription drug prices or answer is, we don’t have add a public option to the Afthe power. We are subservi- fordable Care Act. ent to the police. A solitary The best that can be said harmless man is swept off is that Biden’s temporary tax the face of the earth be- provisions and unemploycause of the arbitrary and ment payments will help biased assault by agents many people cope in a time of the government. Once of economic distress. But his again, with semi-religious proposals are a far cry from eugenic fervor, agents of groundbreaking legislation “their democracy” decide such as the Social Security Act, who will live and who will Medicare or Medicaid. not live.

Of course, it must be pointed out that Franklin Roosevelt’s and Lyndon Johnson’s Steve Martinot is instruc- more progressive acts were tor emeritus at the Center for responding to popular presInterdisciplinary Programs at sure. They did not act solely San Francisco State Univer- out of conviction even as their sity. legislative successes benefited millions of people for decades to come.

Biden’s friends in corpo-

posal was made by the developer Alatus that promised towering buildings and even higher rents.

It was greeted with trepidation by members of the community who have experienced the effects of displacing developments like the construction of I-94 and the Metro Transit light rail green line.

In January 2020, the Frogtown Neighborhood Association (FNA) sent Julie Brunner, the Wilder Foundation board chair, a letter demanding that the Foundation follow its mission and charter “to promote the social welfare of persons resident or located in the greater Saint Paul metropolitan area by all appropriate means including: aid to the disadvantaged and otherwise needy, provision of needed housing and social services.”

FNA asked that the development reflect the incomes of the residents of the area and designate 50% of the units to be made affordable at 30% of the area median income of $30,000. The board has refused these requests.

Without success at moving the moral compass of the Wilder Foundation, the community turned its organizing efforts to its elected and appointed officials.

The community asked that the project be held to the values set in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan.

They also explained that the Lexington Station project could potentially triple the market rents and increase property taxes on an already vulnerable area.

Alatus sought to apply for a $2 million publicly funded LCDA Grant through the Metropolitan Council. But even with the additional subsidy, Alatus stated that they had no intention of providing any affordable units at that time. They also refused to include Section 8 vouchers.

When the community informed

the Met Council of Alatus’ lack of will and commitment to provide affordability, the developer retracted their application rather than having it denied on record.

The St. Paul Planning Commission and the St. Paul City Council rejected Alatus’ proposed site plan with the majority of BIPOC members voting against it. Not long afterward, Wilder and Alatus solicited St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter to intervene on their behalf. Carter overrode the city council’s vote with a veto and approved the project. The veto is a violation of Minnesota state statute.

Carter, who recently called himself a “proud son of Rondo,” has refused to listen to the pleas of Rondo elders living directly across the street from the proposed luxury apartments who stand to see their property taxes rise to the point of forcing their displacement.

Wilder also has turned their backs on the same vulnerable community they claim to serve.

Debbie Montgomery, former St. Paul City Council member, lives in the shadow of the proposed project. She is afraid for herself and her beloved community.

She can hardly believe that a “proud son of Rondo” is now trying desperately to hand this deal to the moneyed developer through an illegal veto and sell out her community yet again.

If this development is allowed to go forward, Alatus stands to make millions in profit.

The corporate behavior of our mayor must have his ancestors rolling over in their graves.

The authors are active with the Frogtown Neighborhood Association.

Biden fails to deliver promises as so-called progressive Democrats give in rate media call him “transformational” and the living embodiment of FDR. It is ironic that Democrats must go so far back in history to find a name with such universal appeal. Congressional Democrats known as progressives have prostrated themselves without a hint of unhappiness and in the process make a mockery of themselves and the people who support them.

fake strategy with a cynical ploy about a parliamentarian and she is left with egg on her face.

There can be no more excuses made for these people.

Regardless of what they may want, they steadfastly refuse to fight for what they know to be right. Biden is in no mood for compromise and he doesn’t have to when no one will fight back. In the

There is no $2,000 stimulus payment, no plan to lower prescription drug prices or add a public option to the Affordable Care Act. Freshman representative Cori Bush is following in the footsteps of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who entered Congress with great fanfare, also after defeating an incumbent in a primary. After being beaten down by Biden and the leadership she proclaimed that he “exceeded expectations that progressives had.”

No minimum wage hike, no public option, no prescription drug cost reduction, and nothing else that these members said they wanted is taking place. In fact, OcasioCortez demurred from forcing a vote on Medicare for all in favor of using leverage to push for a minimum wage increase. Biden dismissed her

past, some token opposition was allowed to be expressed.

No longer. All the Democrats took a dive and the people are asked to join in the disgrace.

There is no lesser evil, no one who will save us. The very least we can do is name and shame the scoundrels who brought us to such a low point. They betrayed the people who voted with an expectation of getting at least some of what they wanted. Biden was honest about one thing.

Nothing has fundamentally changed.

Margaret Kimberley is a columnist for BlackAgendaReport. com.

May 13-May 19, 2021

Review Continued from page 1 brought forth by the public.

The CRA was made up of an all-civilian staff and was independent of any department in the City. It had a board that hired the executive director, two investigators, and two clerical staff. The review panel was made up of 11 people, with three members partaking in a panel hearing.

In 2012, another city ordinance was introduced to create the OPCR under the Civil Rights Department after then-Governor Mark Dayton signed legislation that denied civilian oversight boards the authority to reach “finding of fact or determination regarding a complaint against an officer or impose discipline on an officer.”

Subsequently the CRA was dissolved and the MPD became part of the investigation process of police misconduct. The MSR reached out to the OPCR for comment but no one was available at press time. City officials did however provide documents about how the agency was formed and its operation.

Dave Bicking is the vice presi-

Housing Continued from page 1 Indeed. The U.S. owes its growing problem with homelessness almost entirely to a global economy that increasingly treats virtually everything—food, water, housing, medical care—as an investment rather than the material basis for a decent standard of living. After shipping the valueadded sectors of the U.S. manufacturing economy offshore, Wall Street’s financiers began a generation ago to scour the globe for new commercial opportunities, hoping to make a buck.

This has accomplished two things: First, it has gutted work-

dent of CUAPB and served as a member of the CRA from 2008 to 2010. Though he admits that the CRA wasn’t perfect, Bicking sees it as a better system at handling police misconduct than the OPCR. “The CRA was weak, it had its problems, but it had real strengths,” he said.

“There was a place to file a complaint that was totally a civilian office so you wouldn’t file a complaint by going to the police department directly,” emphasizing that the review panel was administered completely by civilians.

An officer complaint would first make its way to the desk of the CRA director, who would then make the call on whether or not the complaint was worthy of review. CRA panelists could review the director’s dismissal and have a case further investigated if they found merit.

Then an investigator would be assigned to the case and interview the complainant, the officer in question, and any witnesses.

They would review any 911 tapes and request documentation from MPD that was pertinent to the investigation. From there, investigators would write up a summary with the recommendation on whether or not a complaint

should be sustained.

According to Bicking, the CRA was funded for three investigators, but a third investigator was never hired. This kept the two investigators overbooked. In the current OPCR, investigators are not given the ability to recommend what happens with a complaint after investigating a claim against an officer. “I think it’s good for someone who does the investigation to give their opinion at least,” he said.

During Bicking’s time on the CRA, he saw 7-10% of complaints sustained by the review panel. Despite their findings, there would be little if any discipline imposed by the police chief when they concluded their investigations.

ers’ wages worldwide as employers search for workers who will most cheaply do the work.

And secondly, it has raised the price on virtually everything, from a kilowatt of electricity to a bushel of corn to the rent on a one-bedroom condo.

The median sales price for homes in cities from Minneapolis to Miami to Manhattan has increased by more than 50% since the onset of the Great Recession in 2008, and rents have risen by 150% since 2010. Similar to Africans who have been priced out of their country’s food markets, Bolivians who can no longer afford water, or Columbians who are protesting proposals to raise the price of everything from coffee to sugar to gas, a growing number

of working class Americans have found themselves unable to afford the rent.

One-in-four U.S. households today spend more than half of their monthly income on rent, and another six million are considered cost-burdened, meaning that they pay more than a third of their income on rent.

Unsurprisingly, just as the rising cost of food sparked hunger in Africa, the soaring cost of housing has led to an increase in U.S. homelessness. Government statistics estimate that there are more than 550,000 homeless people nationwide, although many activists believe the numbers are far higher. Even less surprising is that the axe has fallen heavily on African Americans, historically

Safety Continued from page 1 COVID-19 restrictions led by Gretchen Musicant, the commissioner of the Minneapolis Health Department (MHD).

As of Friday, May 7, outdoor venues have a total relaxation of restrictions, and restaurants and bars no longer have closing time restraints. Outdoor venues with 500 or more people in attendance will require masks. Starting Friday, May 28, capacity restrictions and six-feet social distancing in retail shops and restaurants will be lifted, but indoor mask requirements will stay in place. All capacity limitations, social distancing, and mask usage will end either July 1 or once the state has reached a 70% vaccination rate in those 16 years or older.

“We [MHD] have an ongoing policy committee that meets every two weeks.

We’ll be discussing whether or not some of the constraints we have will continue related to mask-wearing in light of these changes, especially the ones July 1,” said Musicant.

At the meeting time, over 267,000 residents 16 years of age and older had

Complaints disregarded by chief During his time on the CRA, Michael Friedman believed the police department’s management went to war with the agency and did anything in their power to avoid disciplining police. He was selected as the CRA chair in 2003 and served in that role for three years. Friedman said that during his time as chair the CRA sustained 30% of complaints, and of those complaints, less than one

received at least one dose of the vaccination. “Vaccine supply is now outpacing demand. We are changing our approach to working hard to reach those that are either vaccine-hesitant or who have ex-

The study found an overwhelming desire for police alternatives. perienced some barriers to vaccination,” explained Commissioner Musicant.

To overcome those barriers, all MHDrun clinics are accepting walk-ins for vaccinations. Weekly clinics will be held at the Davis Center and Park Avenue United Methodist Church. MHD is also offering vaccination clinics in MPS high schools to students 16 years and older.

Lastly, they will be partnering with community organizations across the city, including food shelves, low-income housing, places of worship, and community spaces. With vaccinations becoming a more popular topic, MHD is still working on outreach to promote continued testing throughout the community, with

Target Continued from page 1 the country.

We have an important electronic and office supply selection. We have beauty and household essentials, and then we have food and beverage. Part of our business model [is to] have a balanced portfolio, basically everything you need. We offer a blend of the great national brands and our own brands. And we deliver tremendous value and quality each and every day.

It appeals to a broad base of Americans. On average we serve over 30 million consumers every week. And over the last few years we have adopted our business model to really build digital capabilities and fulfillment capabilities that allows us to stock our stores on Monday.

percent would be disciplined by the police chief.

“It was written in the ordinance that the chief of police was supposed to discipline based on whatever the panel said,” Friedman recalled. “But what happened in practice was the chief started from scratch and reinvestigated it and overwhelmingly never found discipline and undermined discipline.”

According to city ordinance, the police chief was supposed to take the CRA’s findings and use his discretion in deciding what kind of discipline was appropriate. “Very frequently they said that they didn’t discipline because they reviewed the whole thing from the beginning and they disagreed, which was a direct violation of the ordinance,” said Bicking.

the department.

Where subpoena power can be helpful is that it can require non-police, other people, to talk and produce evidence,” Friedman said.

“No bar owner or restaurant owner ever once provided that video,” Bicking said. He believes officers would intimidate business owners by threatening to withdraw their protection if they voluntarily cooperated in an investigation of police misconduct. “If we had subpoena power, they’d be compelled to do it and tell the cops ‘we had to.’”

Bicking said he told Minneapolis City officials that subpoena power was needed, but he was ignored. According to the activist, former Minneapolis Civil Rights director Velma Korbel and current OPCR Director Imani Jaafar insisted that cops would be available to testify and that there was no need for a subpoena.

“They deliberately don’t understand this or they’re lying,” Bicking said.

to have more power in seeing their recommendations through. “I think that over 30 years in cities across the country it’s well proven that civilian review does not achieve its aims because they don’t have the authority to impose their result,” Friedman said.

“There needs to be a higher level police commission run by someone who carries knowledge of law and would ultimately have accountability according to policy.”

Bicking believes that civilian oversight can still work but needs to be properly funded. He’d also like to see a way for police chiefs to be held accountable when they abdicate their responsibility to discipline officers.

“It’s unfortunate that it has had very little value in most cities where it's been,” he said. “It’s been kept powerless either by lack of funding, lack of investigatory staff, or a model that doesn’t even allow them to do their own investigations.”

metropolitan areas with more than a million residents, that gap is widest in Minneapolis where 25% of Black families own their home compared with 76% of Whites.

When the real estate bubble burst in 2008, the Obama administration held a fire sale of foreclosed homes owned by the government-backed lender Fannie Mae, effectively offering relief to the banks rather than homeowners. Wrote The Atlantic magazine: “Between 2011 and 2017, some of the world’s largest privateequity groups and hedge funds, as well as other large investors, spent a combined $36 billion on more than 200,000 homes in ailing markets across the country. In one Atlanta zip code, they bought

almost 90% of the 7,500 homes sold between January 2011 and June 2012; today, institutional investors own at least one in five single-family rentals in some parts of the metro area, according to Dan Immergluck, a professor at the Urban Studies Institute at Georgia State University.”

As a result, the number of empty properties nationwide has increased by nearly 1.1 million since 2010, leaving 17 million homes—or 12% of the nation’s housing stock—vacant. That means that there are 59 vacant homes for every homeless person in the country.

Use of subpeona powers Although the police department was required to cooperate in the investigation, it was difficult for investigators to get members of the public to comply with their requests for information. Both Friedman and Bicking believe that a civilian oversight Possible solutions Abdi Mohamed welcomes reader What Friedman would like responses to amohamed@spokesmanboard should have the power to issue subpoenas to gain docu- to see for the future of civil- recorder.com. mentation of events outside of ian oversight is for agencies the last hired and first fired.

Compounding matters was the market for subprime mortgages that targeted African Americans, especially those with higher incomes. Blacks were more than twice as likely as Whites to be saddled with a predatory subprime mortgage during the real estate boom that collapsed in 2008, and nearly four times more likely in New York City.

The results are record low rates of homeownership for Blacks. Before the onset of the pandemic, 44% of Black families owned their home, compared with 73.7% of White families, according to the Census Bureau.

According to a study by the Redfin real estate brokerage firm of

several testing sites available.

The state has received a $2 million grant to further fund vaccine implementation and COVID-19 response efforts.

The National Association of County and City Health Officials provided a smaller grant of $24,987 to increase flu and COVID-19 vaccinations, especially in the Somali population.

Child Friendly City Initiative The second discussion item was an update on UNICEF’s Child Friendly City Initiative (CFCI) led by Gretchen Musicant and Dr. Chuck Oberg. The CFCI is based upon the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child to help local governments prioritize the needs of children and young people and elevate the voices of youth in local governance and decision-making.

There are currently five other cities that share this initiative, including Houston, TX, San Francisco, CA, Prince George Island, MD, Decatur, GA, and Johnson City, TN. “We [Minneapolis] really want to be the best city for children and youth. We know that being the best city for children and youth will benefit everyone,” said

We have adapted to the demands of the market. We acquired a company called Shrift, so now we have somebody who can go shopping for you and bring it right to your doorstep. Those services have been important to those who were staying home to stay safe. It deepened our engagement with consumers all over the country.

MSR: How did you all decide to put a small vendor like Honey Pot on your shelves?

BC: It’s something we have been very focused on for years. We have the responsibility to open an opportunity to smaller diverse vendors to place their products in our stores.

We want both our team and our assortment to reflect that local community.

It’s essentially important today in our business environment to make sure we have diverse vendors that represent our guests [and]

5

Commissioner Musicant. Since signing on with UNICEF on February 14, 2020, the CFCI has made progress in forming local infrastructure through engagement, emergency preparedness and response, and child rights education.

During this discussion, the council members authorized the City of Minneapolis to become a community collaborator with the Growing up in the Twin Cities Project to identify disparities in health and well-being outcomes for young people across the city and to engage youth as local change agents.

The council further approved a no-cost Memorandum of Understanding with the Growing Up in the Twin Cities project to share and assess data connected to youth groups.

This led to the last discussion item, an update by the Youth Coordinating Board regarding reimagining youth public safety. Two members of the Youth Congress, Elise Leggier and Maxine Almen, discussed primary research of a study among young people 14-19 on non-police responses to 911 calls.

The research concluded that youth feel less than moderately comfortable calling 911 as they feel afraid that BI-

that have unique products to have an opportunity to work with Target. And Honey Pot was one great example, but there are literally dozens of others.

Over the last 12 months we started up an internal committee, our Racial Equity Action and Change Committee. One of the pillars is making sure we are elevating our focus on bringing new Black diverse vendors into our company so that we can bring in products that are relevant to the Black communities we serve across America. So Honey Pot was an example of the work we do every day.

MSR: Tell us more about your efforts to rebuild the Lake Street and Minnehaha store.

BC: That store has been in place for decades and has provided essential services to that community. So when we saw the damage and recognized there was going to be a gap in

Jon Jeter welcomes reader responses to jjeter@spokesman-recorder.com.

POC friends or others involved may be harmed; the only time they feel comfortable calling 911 is in dangerous situations. Additionally, the study found an overwhelming desire for police alternatives, primarily calling for the assistance of social workers, paramedics, or a crisis intervention team.

Those who felt most comfortable calling were Whites, Latinos, and people who identify as straight or heterosexual.

The Youth Congress also noted that the population that does express comfort calling 911 does not represent the diverse community of youth in Minneapolis.

The Youth Coordinating Board hopes to send this research to the Office of Violence Prevention in hopes that the organization will be able to integrate it into their data from public engagement.

Khalifa Uchechi welcomes reader responses to kuchechi@spokesman-recorder.com.

the marketplace, we recognized that we had to continue to serve that community.

While we do this a lot, it’s likely the fastest rebuild in our company’s history. We knew how important that store was to the community and the role we had to play, but as we started rebuilding the store we made sure we had the right partners. We partnered with a diverse construction team.

MSR: What was it that motivated you to work with the community in the rebuild?

BC: It’s not new to us… We did the same thing in Philadelphia where we had a store that was badly damaged. Our efforts were driven by the fact that our store was so essential to the local community. And our team rallied like never before.

6

May 13-May 19, 2021

Business

Redmon’s Popcorn is poppin’ with unique flavors Redmon’s Popcorn

Black Business SPOTLIGHT

By Ashley Lauren Contributing writer Local businessman Zack Redmon is the owner of Redmon’s Popcorn, located in New Hope. The nostalgic popcorn shop is truly one-ofa-kind, welcoming, and filled with delicious, gourmet popcorn. The flavors are unique, outstanding, and unforgettable.

Redmon is originally from Gary, Indiana. “We moved here in ’95,” he said, “after my cousin passed to get away from all the turmoil and destruction that was around us at the time. So, my mom moved us up here.” He added, “I grew up in Brooklyn Center—since then, just in the local area.”

Before Redmon launched the popcorn shop, he spent time investing in his education. He said, “I was in culinary school for a year and a half. I stopped and went to barbering school.” He obtained a barber’s license in 2010.

Three years later, in 2013, Redmon began to establish his unique popcorn business. At that time, “I was going constant for a year,” he said. He took a break from operating the business to take care of family matters.

Redmon recently chose to relaunch the business and resumed the creation of his flavorful medley of popcorn. The signature line of popcorn has become very popular, prompt-

ing Redmon to find a space to showcase his business.

He recalled, “I started making it again in August of last year and I started selling it out of my truck, and I was like, I gotta get a space.” The outpouring of support motivated him to pursue his dreams.

“When we moved to the spot everything’s been good.”

At first, he was hesitant to sign the lease due to fear of failure, but he chose to fearlessly pursue his dream.

Redmon’s popcorn shop recently opened in February.

When customers arrive at the shop, they can expect exceptional customer service and a variety of uniquely flavored popcorn. Patrons should be made aware that RP is nestled in an upscale suite, on the first level of the building. An alluring aroma of fresh popcorn will serve as a guide.

During our interview, customers visited and took time to inquire about all of the varieties of popcorn available for purchase. The visitors were excited about the exclusive flavors and bought a plethora of mouthwatering products.

Patrons can also purchase beverages, candy, and aprons that display the business name.

Customers have a variety of flavors to choose from: banana pudding, Butterfinger, Cheese Pizza, Cheesy Parmesan Garlic, Classic Cheese Mix, Cookies and Cream, Double Trouble, Hot Barbecue, Hot Cheetos, Spicy Jerk, Puppy Chow, and Strawberry Wafer.

Although there are a lot of unforgettable flavors to choose from, “Hot barbecue and Double Trouble are my two favorites,” said Redmon.

To further explain, “Double Trouble” has “caramel corn covered with cheese.” He describes it as, “The evil twin of cheese and caramel.” The price ranges from $2-$10.

Redmon has a passion for cooking and creating delicious new flavors. He shared that he enjoys cooking with his mother. “When she comes to visit, me and her spend hours in the kitchen, that’s our thing—we bake, talk; that’s just what we do,” he said. He added, “I like cooking for people. There’s nothing like seeing somebody’s reaction.”

Owner Zack Redmon

The ultimate goal of Redmon’s Popcorn is to build generational wealth. “My plan is to make this a franchise to where I can go out to Indiana and build something for my nephews,” said Redmon.

He is focused on establishing himself so his family can be

ensuring longevity in business.

Business isn’t all about making money, it’s about uplifting others. Redmon further expressed, “I give people free popcorn all the time because it doesn’t cost me anything but time.” In the future, he aspires to exercise social responsibility, by focusing on ways he can help uplift youth with disabilities.

Although business is thriving, there have been challenging moments. During the throes of the COVID pandemic, “Cutting hair was tough—I ran through my savings within a month,” said Redmon. He was forced to focus on ways to generate income. So, he reestablished the popcorn business. financially prosperous.

An upside of the pandemic He added, “I’m learning to discipline myself more and be is that it fostered the concepts frugal. I like nice things, but of collectivism and cooperaright now, I just have to go tive economics. Redmon elabwith the bare minimum, be- orated, “A lot of us as Black cause I see the bigger picture.” folks have been sticking toSaving money is essential to- gether more.” He is extremely ward achieving his goals and grateful for the unity and sup-

port. The Minnesota Timberwolves also recently promoted his business.

Overall, the shift from barber to business owner has proven to be quite beneficial.

Redmon also shared this advice for youth: “Figure out what makes you happy and go for it.” He added, “You have to take a leap of faith— strive for greatness.”

Redmon’s Popcorn is located at 2738 Winnetka Ave. N., Suite 150B in New Hope, MN. Business hours are Monday-Saturday, 11 am-5 pm. For more info, visit Facebook/ Popcornking85 or call 763458-7361.

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

Have an idea for a future Black Business Spotlight? Send information to submissions@ spoksman-recorder.com.

All photos by Ashley Lauren

How to save to buy your first home Sponsored content by For many, the first step to buying a home is saving up for the down payment. It can feel like a difficult goal when you first start, even if you don't plan to buy for years.

Here are some tips to help you start saving and speed up the process: Determine your budget Knowing how much you need to save will help you create a focused plan for reaching your goal. Keep in mind that most people can qualify for a bigger mortgage than they can comfortably afford. Use a mortgage affordability calculator to help you determine what you could borrow, then speak with a home lending advisor to better understand what fits your budget.

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May 13-May 19, 2021

Arts & Culture

7

Communicating with confidence Life Ettiquette

By Juliet Mitchell

I

n my last article, I introduced professional presence and how it contributes to career and life success.

Our presence includes our words, actions, and behaviors; it is about how we present ourselves and how we are perceived by others.

Some of you may be saying, “It doesn’t matter. I am going to do me. Take me as I am, or don’t take me at all.”

But do we really mean that?

Even if we declare that we do not care what other people think, on a deep level, I believe we do.

Let me explain it another way. If you decide that you are going to wear blue jeans when you have been invited to a formal wedding, then you are deciding to defy and disregard the wishes of the betrothed.

If you decide to slump down in a chair and look at the floor during a job interview, you are likely to be perceived as disrespectful, unconcerned, or ill-prepared. In either case, you have spoken volumes without uttering a word.

When it comes to our verbal communication skills, we

must be just as mindful and meticulous in our speech as we are with our physical presentation. When I say verbal communication skills, I am talking about more than mere words. I’m talking about the numerous elements that contribute to engaging, meaningful and stimulating conversation.

Our verbal communication style—what we say and how we say—are just as important to our professional presence as is our personal care and grooming, our attire, and physical comportment.

Picture this. You have just entered a room, you are dressed impeccably, and you

nario, but this time you walk into the room with a smile on your face.

Your body language says you are open and approachable. Nice job!

Then you notice someone coming your way, and suddenly you freeze on the spot.

You become dry-mouthed and at a loss for words. You cannot seem to utter a greeting. When you manage to eke out a few words you stutter and stammer. The opportunity to engage in conversation quickly passes, and you find yourself searching for the nearest wall.

You can relegate yourself to being a wallflower, or you can make an investment in

walk with perfect poise and grace—you exude confidence.

But wait, you are not smiling. You are not even looking pleasant. In fact, your facial expression and body language emits a vibe that says stand-offish and unapproachable. You will get what you put out.

Let’s take the same sce-

developing your interpersonal skills, your ability to communicate with poise and confidence.

Leading personal development guru Robin Sharma says, “The swiftest way to triple your success is to double your investment in personal development.”

People invest thousands of

H

appy Mother’s Day to all our mothers, both near and far!

Dear Auntie wants to give a special Mother’s Day shoutout to the church and community’s mothers.

One would ask, who are these mothers? If you went into a church, you would see these ladies usually in the front of the church with their beautiful hats. The mothers of the church give you wisdom, encouragement, and integrity.

The community mothers are the ladies whose house everyone in the neighborhood knows is welcome to their home. They keep your secrets and trust, help resolve issues, and they tell you what you need to hear even when you don’t want their opinion.

There are those mothers who have are of these characteristics. I have shared these mothers with you; These mothers have Mother’s Day all year-round because young and old love to be around these magnificent ladies. You may want to sit down and talk to our wonderful mothers. I guarantee that you won’t regret it.

Mother’s Day Blues Dear Auntie: Mother’s Day is so hard for me because my mother is

no longer living. When I see families together, it hurts me to my core. Please help me find ways not to have jealousy and hurt.

Dear Reader: I understand how you feel because there’s no one like your mother, and you never get over the loss of her. What I can say is first, no one can replace her; we learn to live with the loss. There are a lot of things that you can do to help you live your best life.

If you have siblings, you can get together to support each other through this time.

If you have friends whose parents are still alive, I’m sure you would look out for

their mothers, you probably already call them, and you can celebrate Mother’s Day with their families.

It’s always fun to give back. Why not visit nursing homes? You could also adopt a mom for Mother’s Day, maybe one of the mothers in the community who has lost her child. If not, you can hang out with a group of friends to keep each other company.

Remember that Dear Auntie is just giving you advice. It’s always your decision of what you decide to do.

Feeling down? You can always reach out to Dear Auntie at dearauntie@spokesman-recorde.com.

what is going on in the world and be prepared to talk a little about a lot of subjects. Steer clear or controversial topics like politics.

4) Just because someone else is cursing, swearing, and making lewd or crude remarks, don’t do it. If you are not going to intervene to stop them, move away quickly.

5) Keep in mind that conversation is a dialogue. Talk and listen. Listen and respond appropriately.

6) Don’t forget these comFive tips to communicate mon courtesies. with confidence a) Thank them for their 1) Prepare. Find out about time, the conversation, the inthe occasion or event. Who formation, etc. is going to be there? What is b) Let them know that you it about? What is the attire? enjoyed the conversation.

Where is the venue? This inc) Be prepared to keep formation will help you to the communication going. be calm and relaxed upon ar- Business cards are still being rival. printed. Always have a few 2) Practice introducing on hand. you to yourself. Look in the mirror, smile, say hello, say your name. Extending your Juliet Mitchell welcomes hand for a shake may not readers’ responses to jmitchell@ be the best during this CO- spokesman-recorder.com.

VID-19 era, but a slight nod For more etiquette insight, will do. you can also visit Ms. J’s website 3) Read, watch, and listen at mannersarememorable.com. to current events. Find out this field is so lucrative is because human beings are social beings; we have in innate desire to connect. That desire to connect brings us love, joy and a sense of belonging. It is the very reason why humans continue to exist.

The better prepared we become, the more confident we become. Becoming better prepared in our communication skills is no exception.

Start making the investment today. I have included five tips to help you get started.

dollars annually on personal development. Do a quick Google search and you will find an abundance of books and articles, conferences and coaching sessions on how you can improve your interpersonal skills for personal growth and professional success.

One of the reasons why

8

May 13-May 19, 2021

BULLETIN

NAMI Minnesota offers free online mental health classes NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) has set up a wide variety of free online mental health classes for May and June. They include classes such as Hope for Recovery, Transitions, Ending the Silence, Understanding Early Episode Psychosis for Families, In Our Own Voice, Family to Family, Positive Psychology, Creating Caring Communities, a suicide prevention class called QPR—Question, Persuade and Refer, a special QPR class for agricultural communities and many more.

The classes are designed for family members and caregivers, persons living with a mental illness, service providers, and also the general public.

Courtesy of iStock Find a complete listing of these classes and how to join in by going to namimn.org and clicking on “Classes” or go straight to namimn.org/education-public-awareness/ classes/scheduled.

Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church

Worship

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

Founder-Publisher 1934-1976

Mount Olivet Missionary Baptist Church

Wallace (Jack) JackmaN Co-Publisher Emeritus

Bethesda Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Billy G. Russell, Sr. Pastor

Rev. Arthur Agnew, Pastor

Rev. James C. Thomas, Pastor

451 West Central

St. Paul, MN 55103 651-227-4444

Church School 9:30 am Morning Worship 8:00 & 10:45 am Prayer Service:

Wednesday 7 pm "Welcome to

Mt. Olivet Baptist Church"

At the Old Landmark 1118 So. 8th Street Mpls., MN 55404

612-332-5904 www.bethesdamnonline.com bethesdamn@prodigy.net Sunday Service Times: Early Morning Service 9 am Sunday School 10 am Sunday Worship 11:30 am Wednesday

Prayer Meeting, 6 pm Adult Bible Class 7 pm Children's Bible Class 7 pm

2600 E. 38th Street Minneapolis, MN 55408 www.greatfriend.org Phone: 612.827.7928 Fax: 612.827.3587 info@greatfriend.org Sundays 8:00am Sunday School 9:30am Worship Service The Friendly Church Where Everybody Is Somebody

Pilgrim Baptist Church Rev. Doctor Charles Gill 732 W. Central Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 Sunday Worship Service: 9:45 AM Sunday School: 8:45 AM

l auNa Q. NeWmaN CEO/Publisher 1976-2000

Norma JeaN Williams Vice President Emeritus

Senior Editor Jerry Freeman

Contributing Writers

Sports Writers

Dr. Charles E. Crutchfield III

Charles Hallman

Community Editor Mel Reeves

Dr. Deirdre Golden

Dr. Mitchell P. McDonald

Aleezeh Hasan

Contributing Photographers

Dr. Clarence Hightower

Digital Editor Paige Elliott

Abeni Hill Dwight Hobbes

Desktop Publisher Jennifer Cherrier Jim Handrigan

Tiffany Johnson Brandon Jones

Administrative Assistant Open Account Representatives Cecilia Viel

Onika Nicole Craven Steve Floyd Chris Juhn Travis Lee

Tony Kiene Juliet Mitchell Khymyle Mims Abdi Muhommed Monica Zorilla

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INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER

Employment & Legals State of Minnesota County: Dakota In the Matter of the Application of: Jasmyne Janee Wilson On Behalf of: Eden Giselle

Turner

District Court Judicial District: 1st Court File Number:19WS-CV-21-244 Case Type: Name Change Notice of Hearing by Publication (Minor Name Change) Minn. Stat. § 259.10

For a Change of Name to: Eden Giselle Wilson TO: Ashford Turner Name of parent to be notified 501 W. Franklin Ave. #101, Minneapolis, MN 55405 An Application for Name Change has been filed by Jasmyne Janee Wison for a change of name for the minor child (ren) Eden Giselle Turner to Eden Giselle Wilson. A hearing on this Application will be held at Remotely via Zoom on June 1st, 2021, at 9:15 a.m. Meeting ID: 161 549 6681 Password: 046841.

You may obtain a copy of the Application for Name Change from Northern Service Center, 1 W. Mendota Rd. #140, West St. Paul, MN 55118 .

If you do not appear at the scheduled hearing the Petitioner’s Application for a Name Change for minor child (ren) may be granted.

Dated: April 20th, 2021

Maria Jost Court Administrator

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder April 29 & May 6 & 13, 2021

State of Minnesota Hennepin

In Re the Marriage of Ivorine Balkaran Petitioner and

District Court Court File Number: 27FA05865 Case Type: Dissolution without Children

Summons (Check One) X Without Real Estate With Real Estate

Kadar Bridgemohan Respondent THE STATE OF MINNESOTA TO THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPONDENT: SIGNED BY: WARNING:Your spouse has filed a lawsuit against you for dissolution of your marriage. A copy off the paperwork regarding the lawsuit is served on you with this Summons. This summons is an official document from the court that affects your rights. Read this summons carefully. If you do not understand it, contact an attorney for legal advice.

1.

The Petitioner (your spouse) has filed a lawsuit against you asking for a dissolution of your marriage (divorce). A copy of the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage is attached to this Summons.

2.

You must serve upon Petitioner and file with the Court a written Answer to the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage and you must pay the required filing fee. Answer forms are available from the Court Administrator’s office. You must serve your Answer upon Petitioner within thirty (30) days of the date you were served with this Summons, not counting the day of service. If you do not serve and file your Answer, the Court may give your spouse everything he or she is asking for in the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage.

3.

This proceeding involves, affects or brings into question the real property located at the following address: N/A 4.

(For a second property) This proceeding involves, affects, or brings into question the real property located at the following address: N/A OR X This proceeding does not involve real property NOTICE OF TEMPORARY RESTRAINING PROVISIONS 1. Neither party may dispose of any assets except (a) for the necessities of life or for the necessary generation of income or preservation of assets, (b) by an agreement of the parties in writing, or (c) for retaining counsel to carry on or to contest this proceeding.

2. Neither party may harass the other party.

3. All currently available insurance coverage must be maintained and continued without change in coverage or beneficiary designation 4. Parties to a marrage dissolution proceeding are encouraged to attempt alternative dispute resolution pursuant to Minnesota law. Alternative dispute resolution includes mediation, arbitration, and other processes as set forth in district court rules. You may contact the court administrator about resources in your area. If you cannot pay for mediation or alternative dispute resolution, in some counties, assistance may be available to you through a nonprofit provider or a court program. If you are a victim of domestic abuse or threats as defined in Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 518B, you are not required to try mediation and you will not be penalized by the court in later proceedings.

IF YOU VIOLATE ANY OF THESE PROVISIONS YOU WILL BE SUBJECT TO SANCTIONS BY THE COURT. Dated: 10/16/20

Signed: Ivorine Balkaran 313 Portland Place Bloomington MN

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder April 29 & May 6 & 13, 2021

From Classified State of Minnesota County of Department/MN Ramsey

Spokesman-Recorder

Susan Nelson and Stephen Herman PHONE: 612-827-4021 Plaintiffs

Personal Injury District Court Second Judicial District 62-CV-21-751

SUMMONS

May 13-May 19, 2021

9

From Classified Storyteller & Copywriter Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder Conservation Minnesota is looking to hire a full time employee to tell the human stories necessary to shape public opinion & advance the environmental movement. See the full posting at PHONE: 612-827-4021 www.conservationminnesota.org/jobs.

FOR BILLING INQUIRIES INQUIRIES THIS SUMMONS IS DIRECTED TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANT: & TEARSHEETS & TEARSHEETS Walker Art Center FENNY MAYIEKA. PLEASE CONTACT PLEASE CONTACT ACCOUNTING ACCOUNTING 1.

YOU ARE BEING SUED. TheDEPT Plaintiff has started a lawsuit against The Walker Art Center is currently DEPT seeking two seasonal you.@ YouBILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM must respond to this lawsuit even though it may not yet be filed @ Garden BILLING@SPOKESMAN-REroles: Sculpture Technician & Visitor Experience with the Court and there may be no court file number on this Summons.

Associate. ToCORDER.COM apply visit: walkerart.org/jobs.

2.

YOU MUST REPLY WITHIN 20 DAYS TO PROTECT YOUR vs.

FOR BILLING Fenny Mayieka, Defendant

RIGHTS. YouNOTICES must give or mail to the person who signed this sumLEGAL mons a written response called an Answer within 20 days of the date SIZE: 2 received COL Xthis 4= 8 on which you Summons.

You must send a copy of your Answer to the$15.53 person who summons located at: RATE PCIsigned (1STthis RUN)

SUMMONS FLAT RATE $200being put on waivers.

Seattle claimed him for the Swor & Gatto, P.A. SUBTOTAL: $124.24 1177 West Seventh Street The MSR handles billing rest of thedigitally. season. That off season Continued from page 10 Saint Paul, MN 55102 This means you will get e-tears and league conhe signed a minor RATE $10.35 PCI (PER ADDITIONAL RUN) $82.80 X 2 3.

YOU MUST RESPOND TO EACH CLAIM. The Answer is your e-mailed invoices unless you specifically tract with Milwaukee but didn’t base and scored three runs.

SUBTOTAL: written response to the$165.60 Plaintiff’s Complaint. In your Answer you must requestBroxton a hard copy. stateTotal: whether$289.84 you agree or disagree with each paragraph of the Complay last summer due to the miPittsburgh traded plaint. If you believe the Plaintiff should not be given everything asked to Milwaukee in 2015, and he nors’ season cancellation due to for in the Complaint, you must say so in your Answer. started Opening Day. He again the pandemic.

4.

YOU WILL LOSE CASEwith IF YOU DO NOT SEND A WRITPlease proof,YOUR respond email confirmation to display@ TEN RESPONSE TO THE COMPLAINT TO THE PERSON WHO Now he is in the Twins’ orgaopened the following season as spokesman-recorder.com SIGNED THIS SUMMONS. If you do not Answer within 20 days, you nization. a starter but midway through the will lose this case. You will not get to tell your side of the story, and the Court mayMSR decidehandles against youbilling and awarddigitally. the Plaintiff everything asked The “When I was a little kid, I wantyear was sent down to AAA. He for in the Complaint. If you do not want to contest the claims stated in This means you will get e-tears and e-mailed invoices ed to be in the major league,” said was later recalled by the Brewers the Complaint, you do not need to respond. A default judgment can then unless youyou specifically requestinathehard copy. be entered against for the relief requested Complaint. and finished with a 20/20 season Broxton. “I made it there, and I’m From Classified 5.

LEGAL ASSISTANCE. You may wish to get legal help from a lawyer. not there now, so I’m not satisfied.

(20 homers and 20 stolen bases).

If you do not have a lawyer, the Court Administrator may have informaDepartment/MN Broxton opened the 2018 sea“But I’m still blessed to be tion about places where you can get legal assistance. Even if you cannot Spokesman-Recorder get legal help, you must stil provide a written Answer to protect your son back in the minors but was playing in the first place. I’m so rights or you may lose the case. brought up later in June and blessed to be out here and stay 6.

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION. The parties may agree PHONE: 612-827-4021 to or be ordered to participate in an alternative dispute resolution process finished the year there. Then the in the grind and really have a under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. You must Brewers traded him to the Mets chance to make it back to the big send your written response to the Complaint even if you expect to FOR still BILLING use alternative means of resolving this dispute. in the off season, where he strug- leagues.”

INQUIRIES gled early in the 2019 season and & TEARSHEETS was designated for assignment.

Charles Hallman welcomes Dated: January 25, 2021 SWOR AND GATTO, P.A. PLEASE CONTACT By: John Paul J. Gatto He was traded to Baltimore and reader responses to challman@ ACCOUNTING DEPT Marcus P. Gatto (#0391160) played there two months before spokesman-recorder.com.

John Paul J. Gatto (#0387730)

keon

@ BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF 1177 West Seventh Street Saint Pual, Minnesota 55102 651-454-3600

SOE

ing. Yet at least 100 regular season games are scheduled on several channels this year: CBS (40), NBA Continued from page 10 TV (35), ESPN and CBSN (25), ESPN2 (12), ABC (9) and at least The MSR handles billing digitally.

MVP (2019) andClassified is now in her sev- 20 games on social media sites.

This means you will get e-tears and e-mailed invoices unless you From CASE TYPE: PERSONAL INJURY “We’re well poised for success enth season. specifically request a hard copy.

Department/MN STATE OF MINNESOTA DISTRICT COURT The Spokesman-Recorder WNBA is celebrating 25 and growth,” said WNBA Comyears. The league’s greatest play- missioner Cathy Engelbert. “I COUNTY OF HENNEPIN FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT ers willPHONE: be selected612-827-4021 by fans and couldn’t be more pleased with others and will be announced how things are going. We’re a Asma Ahmed and Sawda Ahmed, Court File Number: 27-CV-21-5478 later this season.

Yet it still seeks player-first league.”

The Honorable: Lois R. Conroy FOR BILLING Plaintiffs, major league acceptance INQUIRIES by many SUMMONS sports media types and others.

Charles Hallman welcomes reader v. & TEARSHEETS A sports media QCONTACT & A last week responses to challman@spokesmanPLEASE Harold Coleman, in The Athletic made no mention ACCOUNTING DEPTrecorder.com. of the W among pro sports viewDefendant. @ BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE Minnesota 3 WEEK RUN Spokesman-Recorder April 29, & May 6 & 13, 2021 FLAT RATE $200.00 PREPAID

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, PA 2200 E Franklin Avenue, Suite 202 Minneapolis, MN 55404 3. YOU MUST RESPOND TO EACH CLAIM. The Answer is your written response to the Plaintiffs’ Complaint. In your Answer you must state whether you agree or disagree with each paragraph of the Complaint. If you believe the Plaintiffs should not be given everything asked for in the Complaint, you must say so in your Answer.

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 Plaintiffs 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.

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.

Dated: _5/3/21_

By:/s/ Jeremy Brantingham_______ BRANTINGHAM LAW OFFICE, P.A. Jeremy L. Brantingham, MN #0299558 2200 E. Franklin Avenue, Suite 202 Minneapolis, MN 55404 (612) 339-9700 ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFFS

View

of two Twins division-winning teams, who was named American League Player of the Month.

“That’s still a question being deThe MSR handles billing digitally. bated now,” noted St. Paul This means you will get e-tears right and e-mailed invoices unl Saints outfielder Keon Broxton.

Jones found various reasons for a hard copy. you specifically request the lack of Black baseball fans, He and infielder Nick Gordon mostly under the heading of are the team’s only Black players “too boring.” He also noted that on the 40-man roster. “We are such Black MLB stars as Andrew still trying to figure out what the McCutchen and Mookie Betts problem is.

“A lot of Black players were among others aren’t promoted like their basketball and football just under-looked,” he said. “It’s a shame, because there are so many counterparts.

Betts was the first MLB player Black guys in the MLB in the first to win MVP, Silver Slugger, Gold place. It’s really sad.”

Harden said Black stars are not Glove, batting title and the World Series in the same season (Boston, promoted as they should be due 2018). Two seasons later, Betts to baseball’s stuffy nature. “I feel again won a Series, this time with that [MLB] don’t let the players be fully themselves.” the Los Angeles Dodgers.

At press time, our search for Minnesota’s Byron Buxton, before he got injured last week, Black baseball fans—casual, seriwas having an MVP-like season ous or otherwise—takes us across but is relatively unknown among the river to the St. Paul Saints’ non-baseball fans. There’s a big May 11 home opener. We will downtown billboard for the Tim- keep you posted on what we find berwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns there. and rookie Anthony Edwards of the Timberwolves, one of the Charles Hallman welcomes NBA’s worst teams this year. reader responses to challman@ But none for Buxton, a member spokesman-recorder.com.

SUMMONS FLAT RATE $200 Continued from page 10

State of Minnesota County Hennepin In the Matter of: Casey Edward Klein Petitioner

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder May 13, 20, & 27, 2021 Dianne Renee Leavitt Respondent

District Court Judicial District: Fourth Court File Number: 27DAFA21-2073 Case Type: Domestic Abuse Notice of Issuance of Emergency (Ex Parte) Order for vs. Protection by Publication (Minn. Stat. § 518B.01, subd. 8)

To Respondent named above: YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that an Ex Parte Order for Protection has been issued in the above matter. You may request a hearing if you contact the court administrator's office within 12 days of the date of publication of this notice. You may obtain a copy of the Ex Parte Order for Protection and the form to request a hearing from the court administrator's office at the following address: Family Justice Center, 110 South Fourth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401 Failure to request a hearing or to obtain a copy of the Ex Parte Order will not be a defense to prosecution for violation of the Court's order.

May 6, 2021 Date

/S/ Jessica Rahier Court Administrator / Deputy Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder May 13, 2021

10

Sports

May 13-May 19, 2021

Saints’ Broxton eager to rejoin the majors

What’s happened to Black baseball fans—and players?

By Charles Hallman Contributing writer

K

eon Broxton has been a member of six MLB organizations since he was a 2009 third-round pick. He has played in the majors (Pittsburgh, 2015; Milwaukee, 2016; New York Mets, Baltimore and Seattle, 2019), and was invited by the Minnesota Twins to spring training this year after he signed a minor league contract.

The 31-year-old outfielder is one of two Black players on the St. Paul Saints 40-man roster—the Saints are in their first season as the Twins’ AAA affiliate. If called up, Broxton will only have to travel about 11 miles from Lowertown St. Paul to downtown Minneapolis, the closest he’s ever been to a major league ballpark from the minors.

“I can hop on the Metro train,” said Broxton matter-of-factly. “I don’t have to pack up anything [but] my baseball stuff.”

Because of his veteran status, Broxton sometimes resembles the Crash Davis character in “Bull Durham” to younger teammates who seek him out on what it’s like to be in “The Show.”

“That’s when I started to realize I was getting old in this game,” admitted Broxton, who turned 31 on May 7.

“I remember when I was in their shoes, and I would see older guys talk about the game. Now I’m actually one of those guys.

I’ve always wanted to be one of the guys to help out the younger

I

Keon Broxton

Photo by Minda Haas Kuhlmann

what I’ve done.”

Originally drafted in 2008 while in high school in Lakeland, Florida, Broxton went on to junior college where he appeared in the JUCO World Series. Arizona selected him in 2009, and he ascended to Triple AAA, where he hit a home run to help Reno win the league title.

The Diamondbacks traded him to Pittsburgh in 2014 and he was sent to the minors. Then the majors. “It’s definitely unfortu- Pirates promoted him late in the nate that I haven’t been able to season, when he was used mainstay in the majors,” said Broxton. ly as a pinch runner but stole a ■ See Keon on page 9 “But it doesn’t take away from guys if they needed anything.”

An elevator-like pro career is not what Broxton initially signed up for. He had hoped for more than a few cups of coffee in the

“I’m so blessed to be out here and stay in the grind.”

t wasn’t a mirage. We finally saw Black fans at a Minnesota Twins game.

Darnavus Martin and Keith Harden were with several buddies at the May 3 Twins-Texas game. “This is actually my second game” this season, admitted the 20-year-old Martin as he and Harden, age 19, talked to the MSR in between innings.

However, the two young men aren’t just causal baseball fans—Martin and Harden are first-year members of the St. Cloud Tech baseball team. Both are Florida natives—Deerfield Beach for the 5’-11” Martin, and the 6’-2” Harden is from Ruskin.

“What happened to Black baseball fandom?” asked Jahmal C. Williams recently in Captain Gambling.com. “There have been articles and articles and more articles written… We know that African Americans’ interest in baseball is steadily on the decline or remains stagnant.”

Williams said his parents and grandfather introduced him to baseball when he was very young. My father and uncle did the same for me when I was in

Keith Harden (l) and Darnavus Martin

Photo by Charles Hallman

Brandon Jones, an I Heart Radio sports producer, did a paper on the subject for his college journalism class but later revived it and ran it for Cronkite News. “My teacher suggested that I write an article about the lack of African American interest in baseball because we talked about the topic a few times during the semester,” he told the MSR. “The article was not published played one year as a high school senior because an assistant foot- anywhere until I decided last ball coach, who was named head November to localize the story to baseball coach that year, asked Phoenix in order to have it published by Cronkite News, who I me to.

“I know more people like was writing for at the time.”

As with most articles, inme—Black baseball fans—exist,” cluding those by this columnist, stressed Williams.

grade school.

Williams played baseball through high school. I played it with neighborhood kids and

“A lot of Black players were just under-looked.”

■ See View on page 9

WNBA season opens with all teams back home The 2021 WNBA regular season starts this week. Minnesota opens play May 14 at home against Phoenix, the Lynx’s first home game since 2019.

“This is going to be competitive” because of so many changes around the league from the draft and free agency, stated Lynx center Sylvia Fowles, who begins her 15th season.

Brittney Griner (Phoenix) needs 316 points to reach 4,000.

Kayla McBride (Minnesota) needs 142 points to reach 3,000.

Amanda Zahui B (Los Angeles) needs 47 points to reach 1,000.

Naphessa Collier (Minnesota) needs 201 points to reach 1,000.

Seimone Augustus (Los Angeles) needs 89 assists to reach 1,000.

H.E.R. uniforms for all teams, a new 25th anniversary logo and a new game ball. “This one has a little bit more grip, and I like it,” says new Lynx Aerial Powers, in her seventh season. The old ball, according to Powers, “was very slippery.”

Milestones to watch for Several sistahs are expected to hit scoring, rebounding and assists milestones during the Old faces, new places Candace Parker starts her season.

Fowles needs 513 points to 14th season in Chicago after the previous 13 in Los Angeles. She reach 6,000 career points.

Parker needs 316 points to is among many veterans now with new teams this season. “I reach 6,000 and 98 rebounds to always looked up to her since reach 3,000.

Angel McCoughtry (Las VeI was a little kid,” said Chicago teammate Azura Stevens. “I did gas) needs 215 points to reach a project on her in middle school.” 6,000.

Tina Charles (Washington) needs 18 points to reach 6,000.

New uniforms, new logo, Candice Dupree (Seattle) new ball The W introduced its new needs 272 points to reach 7,000.

“To be back on our home floor…it feels so good.”

Sylvia Fowles

Courtesy of MN Lynx

They’re back After last season’s Wubble, all 12 WNBA teams are back in their respective home arenas. “I feel like we haven’t seen this place in so long,” declared Fowles. “It’s

just been over a year, but to be back on our home floor, to see the people we haven’t seen in here, to be just back in this atmosphere, it feels so good to be back on the court.”

“Last year I was a virtual coach,” said LA Sparks Associate HC Fred Williams. He and Seattle HC Dan Hughes weren’t allowed to coach last season due to health precautions. “That was the tough part, watching every game” from home, added Williams.

Erica Wheeler also sat out last season for pandemic reasons.

She signed with Los Angeles as a free agent. “I could have given up so many times, but I kept pushing and pushing,” said the undrafted guard from Rutgers who finally hooked onto a team in 2015. She became the first undrafted player to win All-Star ■ See SOE on page 9

Lots of recognition to go around Ugass to UMKC With Kim Mulkey taking over as women’s basketball coach at Baylor University, former Roseville basketball star Tamia Ugass, who signed a letter of intent to play at LSU a few months ago, will now play for the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Ugass, a 6’3” forward, averaged 18.3 points per game this This week’s column features year and was seldom under the a girls’ basketball player switch- radar during her prep career.

When Nikki Fargas, who reing her college commitment, a recent college graduate, a head cruited Ugrass, resigned as LSU’s college basketball coach who head coach, Ugrass came to the himself was an outstanding play- conclusion that it was time to er in high school, one of the top move on. prep players in the country, and a former prep star who recently El-Amin earns degree Former Hopkins basketball signed with a Division I program after playing one season at a ju- star Ishmael El-Amin recently announced that he obtained his nior college.

players before going on to an outstanding collegiate career.

The 6’3” guard led the Islanders to back-to-back Class 2A state championships in 1998 and 1999 before playing at Northwestern University for two years and the final two of his career at Minnesota.

You might say Johnson has come full circle.

Rated by some as one of the top 10 point guards in the country, Holloman, a rising member of the Class of 2022, led the Raiders to a second-place state finish in Class AAAA competition.

Jones to Buffalo Curtis Jones, a 6’5” point guard from Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa, recently signed to play with the University of Buffalo.

Jones starred at Minneapolis South High School before transferring to Cretin-Derham Hall for his junior and senior seasons.

He averaged 12.1 points per game and 5.5 assists in this past season. Jones played only one season at Indian Hills.

Holloman the best Tre Holloman of Cretin-Derham is making a name for himself as the state’s premier boys’ While in high school, he was basketball player in Minnesota Bachelor’s degree in general and the nation as well. studies and a minor in commu- one of the state’s top players.

The 6’1’ guard, who was renication studies from Ball State cently named the Class AAAA Johnson played too University.

Long before Ben Johnson be- Player of the Year, has speed.

El-Amin, a 6’3” guard, had an outstanding career at Ball State, came the head men’s basketball He has also shown the ability to averaging 10.4 points per game coach at the University of Minne- score when his team needs him Mitchell Palmer McDonald weloverall and 16.2 points during sota, the DeLaSalle High School to as well as create scoring oppor- comes reader responses to mcdeezy@ alum was one of the state’s best tunities for teammates. the 2020-21 season as a senior. gmail.com.

Ishmael El-Amin Tamia Ugass Courtesy Ball State Courtesy Twitter