St. Cloud (“White Cloud”) Mayor Dave Kleis has delirium tremens again as he desperately tries to divert more costly scathing criticism and ridicule of his city’s pathological racism (“Kleis announces new park at MLK Freedom Fund dinner;” St. Cloud Times, January 15, 2017). Despite local NAACP sycophancy, damage control drove Kleis to grudgingly recognize “White […]
February 2017
Posted inSports
Wiggins drops ’98 percent’ bomb on WNBA
Former Minnesota Lynx player Candice Wiggins last week dropped a bomb on the WNBA, and the Lynx organization took a direct hit as a result. Wiggins, the Lynx’s 2008 top draft choice and third overall, played here five seasons before she was traded to Tulsa in 2013 and retired in 2016 after eight seasons. She […]
Posted inSports
Surveying the Big Ten Women’s basketball tournament
March Madness is here at last. If the ever-present RPI, the usual strength-of-schedule measurement tool used to decide who ultimately gets in the NCAA tournament after automatic bids are locked in, it appears the bids of the five Big Ten schools — regular season champs Maryland and Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and Indiana — […]
Posted inNews
‘La La Land’…I mean ‘Moonlight’ wins Best Picture
Climactic moment ruined by monumental blunder The Academy Awards ended on a sour note when Faye Dunaway announced that favorite La La Land had won the Oscar for Best Picture. Trouble is, she and co-presenter Warren Beatty had been handed the wrong envelope. So, while La La’s producers were taking turns delivering heartfelt acceptance speeches, […]
Posted inNews
Tom Perez wins DNC chairmanship over Keith Ellison
Former Labor Secretary Tom Perez bested Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) to become Democratic National Committee (DNC) chairman Feb. 25 at the party’s winter meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. Ellison came up short in the second-ballot tally with 200 votes to Perez’ 235. During his acceptance speech, Perez asked to suspend the rules to appoint Ellison deputy chair. Rep. Ellison, the […]
Posted inOpinion
First degree murder charge for Amtrak cop who killed Minneapolis man
Prosecutors in Chicago have charged an Amtrak police officer with first degree murder after the killing of an unarmed Minneapolis man earlier this month. Layroyce Tankson, 31, was released after posting 10 percent of a $250,000 bond. According to Cook County prosecutors, Tankson murdered Chad Robertson, 25, on Feb. 8 at around 8:40 pm local […]
Posted inPhoto Galleries
A Flashman flashback for Black History Month
In the accompanying photo, Dave Winfield, the Major League Baseball Hall-of-Famer who was born and raised in St. Paul, signs copies of two of his books donated to the Givens Collection at his alma mater under the watchful eyes of (l-r) Phebe Givens, widow of the late Archie Givens, Sr.; the late Arline Winfield, David’s […]
Posted inSports
Former coach honored at Minneapolis North
Cliff Brown made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. I knew that he was to be honored for his career as an assistant coach at Minneapolis North with Head Coach Robin Ingram in the 1990s, during which the duo led the Polars to three consecutive state championships from 1995-97. The event was to take place […]
Posted inSports
ESPN sports talk host may have been ahead of his time
Inspired by TV One’s Unsung series, this multi-part MSR series shines a well-deserved spotlight on individual or group accomplishments that unfortunately have been overlooked, or perhaps even “forgotten.” This week the spotlight is on veteran sports journalist Mark Gray. ESPN Radio last month celebrated its 25th year anniversary. It was launched on January 1, 1992 […]
Posted inSports
Gopher swimmers focus on upcoming tournaments
There are approximately 100 African American and other student-athletes of color this school year at the University of Minnesota. In an occasional series throughout the 2016-17 school and sports year, the MSR will highlight many of these players This week: swimmers Rachel Munson and Daryl Turner The swim season is shorter than other wintertime sports. […]
Posted inSports
66th NBA All-Star Game — for better or worse?
The NBA All-Star Game is wide open, and in my view it’s difficult to determine the level of intensity when one player with that much talent on the West All-Star team takes 39 shots. West All-Stars 192, East 182 made it the highest scoring NBA All-Star Game ever with 374 combined points. We should not […]
Posted inOpinion
Fueled by passion: George Washington Carver played an important role in today’s bioeconomy
Throughout the month of February, Americans celebrate Black History Month and remember the significant contributions historic figures, including Martin Luther King, Jr. and many more in the African American community, have provided our country. The impact of their legacies continues to resonate today, benefiting generation after generation. Many of these contributions are well-known, but many […]
Posted inOpinion
Our community is being targeted
As we celebrate our history, I find myself reflecting on the health of my African American community. As the director of programs at Stairstep Foundation/His Works United, we work to build wellness in our community. The African American community has long been targeted by tobacco industry marketing. Tobacco companies have poured millions of dollars into […]
Posted inOpinion
Trump is one example of why we need Black History Month
February 1 begins Black History Month, a national annual observance since 1926, honoring and celebrating the achievements of African Americans. To commemorate its start President Trump hosted a “listening session” at the White House that left listeners scratching their heads wondering if he knew Frederick Douglass, a former slave, and abolitionist, died in 1895, and […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Safety-net health care and education are priorities of St. Mary’s Clinics
St. Mary’s clinics have a long history with the community. The St. Mary’s hospital was established in 1962, and the clinics were established in 1992. Melissa Gatten, the current executive director, said, “St. Mary’s Health Clinics is a safety net of clinics for Minnesotans who are part of the healthcare system.” They provide “safety net” […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Why can it be so darn hard to lose weight?
We all know people who can eat whatever they want, and it seems as though they never gain an ounce. Other people can just look at a piece of cake too long, and it seems like they gain weight. Why is this? It is all about numbers, all about calories “in” and calories “out.” In […]
Posted inArts + Culture
‘The Highwaymen’ recounts the memories of St. Paul’s Rondo community
History Theatre used to produce Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird to honor Black History Month. The classic play showcases precocious youngster Scout’s reflections on her dad, crusading attorney Atticus Finch, along with his valiant, but failed attempt to save Tom Robinson from being framed for rape. This season, Black life moved from the incidentally […]
Posted inArts + Culture, National, News, Television
‘America ReFramed’ Season 5: A closer look at two of this season’s offerings
America ReFramed, a documentary series that explores America’s ever-changing socio-cultural landscape, premieres two films on the PBS World Channel this month: one looks at gentrification and the other at the life of a longtime San Francisco Bay Area community activist. A New Color — The Art of Being Edythe Boone made its national public television […]
Posted inLocal & State, News
First Friday event honors community members during Black History Month
First Friday Twin Cities, hosted by Andre “Debonaire” McNeal, returned with a bang on Friday, February 3. “Noir 2, A Black History Month Celebration,’ had attendees dressed in all black. Hosted by Darnell Demarco with music provided by DJ Dell Dilla and DJ Hollywood Hot Rod, this month’s honorees were Lonte Hill, Tommy and Ursala […]