What a remarkable achievement at age 36 — Tiger Woods, the first billionaire athlete, has caught his childhood dream, Jack Nicklaus, in career wins on the PGA tour at 73. Golf is an incredible game, and what you achieve in it is so satisfying. Golf is an individual mental and physical test of your will […]
MSR News Online
Reach the MSR staff at msrnewsonline@spokesman-recorder.com.
Posted inSports
Nykesha Sales overseas and not retired
By Charles Hallman Staff Writer Nykesha Sales is a WNBA legend, a term that both her former league and the NBA these days uses to tell us that once-active players are now retired. But the six-foot forward-guard and former seven-time all-star last week told the MSR by phone from Venezuela that she hasn’t yet […]
Posted inSports
St. Paul Central sweeps Winfield Awards
JERAD GARDNER (St. Paul Central) and MICHAELA BOLDEN (St. Paul Central) were recently named winners of the 36th Annual Winfield Awards at the banquet held Sunday, June 3 at the Crown Plaza St. Paul-Riverfront Hotel in St. Paul. The awards, established in 1977 by Major League Baseball Hall of Famer DAVE WINFIELD (a 1969 St. […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Dealing with racism plays a part in handling stress
Survey gives insight on Black women’s coping styles By Charles Hallman Staff Writer Throughout her doctoral work, Texas A&M Assistant Sport Management Professor Akilah R. Carter-Francique found that there wasn’t as much research done on how Black women cope with stress or stressful situations. In response, she created a survey to act as a foundation […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Begin a home-based library that affirms Black intellect and culture
First, I want to thank the Spokesman Recorder for a concerted effort to maintain a steady flow of important quality information about the life and times of our community. Many people of African heritage and some of other cultural groups have written different literature about the Black experience, including interpretations of the impact of the […]
Posted inOpinion
Stenglein takes on task of making downtown safe for all
A May 30 Star Tribune article, “Stenglein builds on strengths,” announced Hennepin County Commissioner Mark Stenglein becoming CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council. (“…some 300 downtown businesses and large regional companies,” “movers and shakers,” with “a new plan for a vibrant and livable 24/7 downtown that can house double the 34,000 people who now live […]
Posted inNews
Wanted: teens for online dialogue about health and health care in MN
Teen Citizen Solutions, a project led by Students Speak Out, an ongoing initiative of the Citizens League and supported by the Bush Foundation with InCommons, seeks teens ages 13-19 to serve as its lead teen panelists in a 10-week online dialogue. They are looking for a diverse group of teens who have an opinion (or […]
Posted inNews
Defense Dept. attorney on service, military reforms, counter-terrorism
By Elizabeth Ellis Contributing Writer Attorney Jeh Johnson has worked as a prosecutor and as a defense lawyer, and in a speech he gave in St. Paul, he gave a comical anecdote of how his first trial as a defense attorney was affected by his previous work as a prosecutor, slipping into the old habits […]
Posted inNews
New Kenyan library dedicated to late U of MN alumnus
By Odera Odenyo Contributing Writer “When one builds a library, one closes a prison.” That is what my Aunt Agnes told me when we opened our first library in our Kenyan village of Got Regea in March 2012. I named the library “Dr. Amos Odenyo Library” after my father, who was born and buried in […]
Posted inNews
Shaka Zulu: TV miniseries about Zulu king deserves royal praise
By Dwight Hobbes Contributing Writer The TV miniseries Shaka Zulu is hard to find at the large department stores. Even the good small stores probably have to order it. Odds are, though, it’s floating around your local library system (where the price is perfect). At any rate, it is historic. Shaka kaSenzangakhona lived from 1787 […]
Posted inNews
People’s stadium passes at high cost
Opponents rallied to block approval of taxpayer-financed stadium News Analysis By Mel Reeves Contributing Writer In an effort to discourage the Intergovernmental Relations Committee vote on Thursday, May 24 and the Minneapolis City Council members approving the proposed Vikings Stadium bill the following Friday, opponents rallied on Wednesday, May 23 outside the Minneapolis City Hall. Their […]
Posted inNews
African American boys pushed into the disciplinary gap
Panelists attribute stereotyping for high suspension rates By Charles Hallman Staff Writer The African American Males in Education Advisory (AAMEA), a Minnesota Minority Education Partnership committee, is exploring ways to address disproportionate discipline and suspension rates for Black male students. “It’s a group of 10 educators, community members and student advisory groups — all under […]
Posted inNews
Down-to-earth mental wellness from Dr. B
Psychologist BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya promotes culturally based healing By Dwight Hobbes Contributing Writer Calling psychologist Dr. BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya prominent understates the case. Her name, starting with the title denoting her Ph.D., is followed by a small alphabet. As well, among her vast accomplishments, she founded and is executive director of African American Child Wellness Institute, […]
Posted inNews
Secret Service agent says information on Kennedy assassination withheld
Abraham Bolden paid high price for trying to tell the truth By Charles Hallman Staff Writer After President John Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, Abraham Bolden the following year wanted to testify before the Warren Commission. However, he never got the chance. Instead he was convicted of bribery and said he barely escaped being committed to […]
Posted inArts + Culture
Rich summer music menu: Bill Frisell, Rachelle Ferrell, Cassandra Wilson
I was scanning the magazine newsstand the other day and picked up a copy of the June issue of Ebony magazine. It’s their music issue. I open it up, and who is the first person I see? It’s Esperanza Spalding. So, I read the blurb about how the bassist/vocalist would like to model her career […]
Posted inArts + Culture
The Amen Corner: Penumbra breathes life into James Baldwin play
Lou Bellamy brilliantly directs James Baldwin’s The Amen Corner at Guthrie Theater for a Penumbra Theatre Company/Guthrie Theater regional premiere. Bellamy, of course, is best known for taking scripts through their paces in St. Paul on Penumbra’s home ground at the Halle Q. Browne Community Center. An ace with ensemble casts, Bellamy has shown his […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Moving forward past fear and doubt to purpose
Fear is the opposite of faith; it can keep you enslaved and frozen, which will stop you from taking initiative or control of your life. — David Jeffries Hello, once again, to all of you who continue to follow the ”Starting Anew” column. In this article, I will be touching on the issues of fear, […]
Posted inOpinion
We want to help build the stadium
By Roberts Woods Guest Commentator I am a North Minneapolis Black man speaking on behalf of the economic future for people of color. We have developed a detailed plan of action where we participate in rebuilding the Northside community now, in order to prepare for participation in building the Vikings stadium, a game changer. Whether […]
Posted inOpinion
Tensions within the MPD revealed in the case of Lt. Michael Keefe
For months tensions within the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) have been building over internal issues due to actions of the VOTF unit (Violent Offenders Task Force) over the past six years. This column first sounded the alert about VOTF and the conspiracy within the MPD to destroy Black officers and their Black Police Officers Association […]
Posted inOpinion
‘Racially blind justice’ leaves victims of hate violence defenseless
“Any civilization puts a penalty on taking the life of other individuals. The exceptions would be war time or self-defense. This was not self-defense. She deserves to do some time in prison. There’s no evidence to suggest Schmitz posed a threat to McDonald’s life, and if McDonald did believe she was in danger, she had […]