New name for West Calhoun PAGE A8 • Kmart to host post office PAGE A8 • Size limits on encampments PAGE A13
July 23– August 5, 2020 Vol. 31, No. 15 southwestjournal.com
Pop-up food shelf
INSIDE LIQUOR STORE
Volunteer-run distrib ution sites fill in gaps as hunge r rises
South Lyndale Liquors plans a move A4
Citations, temporary shutdowns at reopened restaurants Hoban, Stella’s cited for lax enforcement of regulations
CRANE CRASH
By Andrew Hazzard
Construction crane topples at SWLRT site A8
NEW PRINCIPAL
A leadership change at Justice Page A9
VOICES FROM THE PANDEMIC
Stephani Pescitelli and Erin West give away vegetables on MCAD’s campus on July 21. In the building behind them, other volunteers assembled custom grocery packages for families. Photo by Isaiah Rustad
By Becca Most
A line of families stood in sections outside a teal and pink building on the Minneapolis College of Art and Design campus on July 7. Masked volunteers efficiently sorted and distributed donations of food and supplies as children played in the parking lot or sat under the shade of adjacent trees. Started in mid-June by a Whittier artist collective known as the People’s Library, this site is one of dozens of food shelves and distribution centers that have popped up organically around the Twin Cities area since March. Mainly run by volunteers or through loose collaborations with local businesses or nonprofits, community members have come together to support those hit hardest by pandemic-driven unemployment, chronic poverty and the civil unrest following George Floyd’s killing.
Stories from local residents A11
PRIMARY VOTER’S GUIDE
Profiles of candidates running in contested races B1
GET THEM TO THE GREEK
It’s Greek to Me’s triumphant return B8
SEE FOOD SHELVES / PAGE A14
District mulling late start to in-person classes
Attempts to reopen restaurants for dine-in service in Minneapolis in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic have had mixed results, with COVID cases shutting some establishments and government enforcement making others clean up their operations. In Southwest Minneapolis, some restaurants have shut themselves down due to exposures, while others, including Stella’s Fish Cafe and Hoban Korean BBQ in Uptown, have received citations or warnings from government officials enforcing regulations on how service is conducted during a pandemic. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) sent warning letters to 10 bars and restaurants across the state that had violated rules around capacity, mask wearing and social distancing after investigators with the alcohol and gambling enforcement division surveilled 919 establishments between July 4 and July 13. Among those issued warnings were Uptown’s Hoban and two Downtown bars, Cowboy Jack’s and Breakfast Bar. No fines were issued, but the state hopes the warnings will lead to better compliance, according to DPS assistant commissioner Booker Hodges. Failure of employees to wear masks and clustering of groups in violation of social distancing requirements were the most common issues, state officials said at a press conference. Letters were only sent to establishments violating all three major restaurant requirements: masks for employees, limiting customers to 50% or less indoor capacity and failing to spread out tables or limit group size. Further violations could result in revocation of liquor licenses. “We don’t want to get in a situation where we need to roll things back,” Hodges said. SEE RESTAURANTS / PAGE A15
By Nate Gotlieb
As Gov. Tim Walz considers whether to mandate remote education this fall, Minneapolis schools are working to improve their digital infrastructure and ensure buildings are safe for in-person classes. At some point before Aug. 1, Walz will announce whether classes can be held in person and, if so, what rules will determine classroom capacity. While schools won’t be able to accommodate more students than allowed by the governor, they can choose to be more restrictive. That means districts can decide to continue with remote learning. A draft resolution from Minneapolis School Board member Bob Walser (Downtown/ SEE SCHOOLS / PAGE A14
A spring 2018 gathering at Lyndale Community School. A draft School Board resolution would delay in-person instruction until at least Nov. 15. Social distancing will be a component of any plan to reopen schools this fall. File photo
Stella’s Fish Cafe was cited by Minneapolis health officials for failing to enforce social distancing regulations. Photo by Andrew Hazzard