Monthly Archives: July 2013

Most Mpls workforce hiring goals currently unmet

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By Charles Hallman 

Staff Writer

 

 

The City of Minneapolis’ workforce goals for construction projects involving City funds are 32 percent minority and six percent female. However, according to the latest monthly contract compliance report by the City’s Civil Rights Department, only two of 60 large construction projects have thus far met both goals. All others have thus far met one goal only or neither goal. For example, Shaw-Lundquist, which was awarded the $2.543 million Minneapolis Convention Center restroom remodeling project, shows only 15.86 percent minority and 4.95 percent female were hired. When asked why the company didn’t meet the stated goals, Project Manager John Myers responded, “I believe that we did.”

However, he pointed out that the job, which he said was completed in late January, mostly required electrical and plumbing work. Continue Reading →

Filed under: News, 89.9, 89.9 FM, 89.9 KMOJ, african american news, african american newspaper, African Americans, black commentary

Keith’s long reverie of romance ends when Lesli pops the big question

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At length, Lesli had made the transition from L.A. to NYC in fairly fine shape, getting her legs beneath her once she’d decided to accept the gig running the research library at the American Museum of Natural History. Her next step had been to sign a lease on some digs downtown. She didn’t particularly care for the Upper East Side. “All these damn snobs,” she had groused one morning as they sat poring over the N.Y. Times classifieds to find her a crib. Keith had to agree that his neighbors — for that matter, everybody he knew of in this part of town — thought their stuff didn’t stink.  He also couldn’t give a flying figure-eight. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Entertainment, 89.9, 89.9 FM, 89.9 KMOJ, african american news, african american newspaper, African Americans, Black

Legendary guitarist still going strong with new CD — Self-taught virtuoso has recorded over 30 albums

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By Charles Hallman

Staff Writer

 

 

Earl Klugh’s 60th birthday is this coming September. As a result he is celebrating with his first solo record since 2006. “A birthday gift to me? I didn’t think of it that way,” admits Klugh on HandPicked, his first CD release by Heads Up International. It is his third solo effort, but his first “with multiple original solo guitar pieces.” The 16-track set hit stores on July 30. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Entertainment, 60th birthday, 89.9, 89.9 FM, 89.9 KMOJ, acoustic guitar, african american news, african american newspaper

This week’s Entertainment spotlights!

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The Music
 
Emeli Sande
Thurs., Aug. 1 • Pantages Theatre, 710 Hennepin Ave., Mpls., 612-339-7007 or www.hennepintheatredistrict.org • Her album, Our Version of Events, was the biggest-selling album of 2012 in the UK, and The Times of London says that she “combines Winehouse sass and Nina Simone purr.” She has recently toured with Alicia Keys who was so impressed with her, that she co-wrote three songs with Sande for her own album, Girl on Fire.  

 

 
Naughty by Nature
Fri., Aug. 3, 9 pm • Insert Coins, 315 1st Ave. N., Mpls., 651-564-4016 or www.insertcoinsmpls.com • Naughty by Nature stop by Mpls. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Entertainment, 2 Guns, 89.9, 89.9 FM, 89.9 KMOJ, A Woman’s Works, african american news, african american newspaper

Online radio creates new broadcasting opportunities — Hott Radio offers MN social media fans a ‘Black Facebook’

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By Dwight Hobbes

Contributing Writer

 

The more consumers have grown computer friendly, the more bells and whistles manufacturers have come up with to attract users. As a direct consequence, the Internet has loosened corporate America’s stranglehold on communication. One of the more ingenious results is that radio, a vastly popular media, no longer remains the province of the moneyed elite who can buy or build an outlet and arbitrarily shut out whom they choose. Individuals with programming to provide needn’t kowtow anymore to station owners. Operators can set up shop and simply own their own stations, or, for that matter, a network. Continue Reading →

Filed under: News, 89.9, 89.9 FM, 89.9 KMOJ, african american news, african american newspaper, African Americans, black commentary

WNBA joins effort to build Black girls’ self-esteem

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By Charles Hallman

Staff Writer

 

The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Procter & Gamble last week announced a new partnership that solely focuses on Black girls. My Black Is Beautiful was started in 2007 by the Procter & Gamble (P&G) Company, and in April they released Imagine a Future, a 30-minute documentary on Black women in America and Africa. A program of the same name was started as well and now will connect with the WNBA, the world’s longest running women’s professional team sports league, where over three-fourths of the players are Black females. “It’s a slam dunk,” said P&G North America Brand Operations Director Julie Eddleman in a July 22 press release. Although the specifics have yet to be released, the WNBA-P&G partnership will be woven into the league’s WNBA Cares program. Continue Reading →

Filed under: News, 89.9, 89.9 FM, 89.9 KMOJ, african american news, african american newspaper, African Americans, black commentary

August 20, 2013: stadium day of judgment — Doug Mann takes on the State of Minnesota

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“Let’s kill all the lawyers” is a misunderstood quotation from Shakespeare. The character in the play wanted lawyers who would create chaos and unrest so he could become king. The character was referring to killing attorneys and judges who stood for justice in society, those who would follow the law. So what kind of lawyers are “the big three,” Kevin Warren, NFL Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota’s Attorney General Lori Swanson, and Minneapolis City Attorney Susan Segal? None protested the violation of the City’s charter requirement that mandates a public referendum for any expenditure of over $10 million for any professional sports facility. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Editorial, 89.9, 89.9 FM, 89.9 KMOJ, african american news, african american newspaper, African Americans, Article II

Beyond the rhetoric Cry, cry, cry — nothing changes

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By Harry C. Alford

Guest Commentator

 

In the past there were so many hangings, beatings, shootings and bombings. They went without justice being applied. During the past few decades we have shown national outrage from Emmett Till, Mississippi civil rights workers shootings, Rodney King, etc., and now we have the heartbreaking death of Trayvon Martin. Oh, there will be an enormous amount of talking, marching, debating and accusations. But in the end, nothing is going to change; nothing is going to make a difference. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Editorial, 89.9, 89.9 FM, 89.9 KMOJ, african american news, african american newspaper, African Americans, black commentary

President Obama should not remain silent on Gabriella Calhoun

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Some things make you want to cry. Just look down at the ground, hang your head and weep rivers, hurt to your heart and soul. What happened to Gabriella Calhoun, all the more because it’s at the tender age of 18, is one such tragedy. It also is reason to get damned good and angry, 1960s angry that stopped America’s racist society and its delusion of invulnerability on a dime. Regrettably, today’s Black folk just don’t get as upset as they did back then, or they would have their collective foot up President Barack Obama’s behind over this. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Editorial, 89.9, 89.9 FM, 89.9 KMOJ, african american news, african american newspaper, African Americans, asthma