VOICES OF THE VILLAGE By Lissa Jones “You’re not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who says it.” — Malcolm X For 394 years (1617 to present), the American endeavor for democracy has demanded our blind patriotism. First, “democracy” stole our names. Then it […]
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Posted inOpinion
Civil War anniversary prompts more battle romance
TRYING MY BEST By Frank Erickson I heard a stand-up comic ask, “How come no one reenacts the Vietnam War?” More than just funny, that is a quite profound question and observation. Maybe it is because with Vietnam, “war” lost a lot of its romance. It’s hard to romanticize Vietnam. It’s just a little too […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Friendship Academy of Fine Arts maintains high standards
A critical difference at Friendship Academy of Fine Arts (FAFA), a Minneapolis charter school, is its culture. It is the school’s explicit mission to eliminate the psychological barriers to learning that too often are ignored in traditional schools. A year ago, Friendship Academy partnered with Minneapolis Public Schools and hired an outside consultant firm (Cambridge) […]
Posted inNews
Relief efforts sweep through North Minneapolis
Photos by James L. Stroud, Jr. News Analysis By Mel Reeves Contributing Writer The tornado of 2011 — or the “devastation” — will be remembered for the damage it caused to a swath of the Minneapolis Northside community. But it may also be remembered for the overwhelming response of kindness and generosity by neighbors both […]
Posted inNews
Tornado! Storm rips trail of destruction through North Minneapolis
By James L. Stroud, Contributing Writer, and Stephani Maari Booker, Community Editor North Minneapolis residents are still assessing the extensive damage caused by the twister that tore through that part of the city Sunday afternoon. Several Spokesman-Recorder staffers were in the vicinity when the trees started flying. MSR Contributing Writer/Photographer James L. Stroud, Jr., who […]
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Can Teach For America close the achievement gap?
By Charles Hallman Staff Writer Teach For America (TFA), which recruits “top college students” for a Peace Corps-like two-year teaching stint in low-income communities, claims on their website to be “leading some of the most successful efforts to close the achievement gap in communities nationwide.” They say their teachers are “providing tangible evidence that the […]
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Grandfamily: the condition of being a parent — again
By Judith Hence Contributing Writer Raising our free-spirited children is serious work, but we know that one day they will be the parents and we will have the freedom. Well…almost. Many grandparents and other relatives are becoming parents again — me included. The big picture is that, as of 2010, upwards of 4.9 million children […]
Posted inArts + Culture, News
Former judge recounts sordid sexual history with Clarence Thomas
D.C. Unmasked & Undressed is a memoir. The story of my life includes events, characters and insights related to my miserable childhood, my legal career, and my varied sexual adventures. It can be summarized as: Girl from dysfunctional family meets boy from same… I worked hard and played hard, too. Along the way, and for […]
Posted inArts + Culture, News
This week’s spotlights May 26-June 1
• Bunker’s Music Bar & Grill 761 Washington Ave. N., Mpls., 612-338-8188 or www.bunkersmusic.com Fri., May 27, 9:30 pm: International Reggae Allstars Cover is $7. Sat., May 28, 9:30 pm: The Maxx with special guest London Taylor Cover is $7. Tues., May 31, 9:30 pm: Jay Bee and The Routine Cover is $5. • Wilson […]
Posted inSports
Four signs of spring at the U of M
The University of Minnesota’s spring sports don’t get the same media attention as others usually do. As a result and in the interest of seasonal balance, this week’s AV spotlights four springtime participants. Hassan Mead: back on track health-wise As a freshman and sophomore, Hassan Mead was virtually unbeatable as a runner. However, beginning with […]
Posted inSports
Baseball’s glaring racial divide
Major League Baseball’s average attendance has been on a gradual decline over the last couple of years. The economy obviously gets its share of the blame, but is it possible that since Major League Baseball has turned its back on the Black athlete, that is a factor? Today, less than nine percent of MLB players […]
Posted inSports
Lynx prospects bright in 2011
-Photos courtesy of the Lynx A combination of good draft picks, healthy returning players, and an experienced coaching staff promises to give the Minnesota Lynx a better shot at the crown in the 2011 professional women’s basketball circuit. A veteran and highly respected coaching staff welcomes the best Women’s National Basketball Association players to ever […]
Posted inSports
18th Annual Inner City All-Star Classic coming June 19
[Editor’s note: last week’s “Prep Scene” on the 17th Annual Inner City All-Star Classic included some inaccurate information. This week’s column corrects those errors. Our apologies for any confusion.] Mr. Basketball winner JOE COLEMAN (Hopkins), Pioneer Press Player of the Year ESTAN TYLER, Miss Basketball winner RACHEL BANHAM (Lakeville North), and all-metro guard BRIANNA WILLIAMS […]
Posted inSports
Amanda Alexander named to GSAC All-Freshman Team
When the Great South Athletic Conference announced its 2011 women’s basketball All-Conference and All-Freshman awards, Spelman guard/forward Amanda Alexander (Edina, MN, daughter of retired Judge Pamela Alexander) was named to the All-Freshman Team. As a freshman, Alexander appeared in 23 of the Jaguars’ 25 contests. She averaged 9.4 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per […]
Posted inOpinion
Fifty years later, Freedom Riders’ courage still needed
MELLANEOUS By Mel Reeves ”This is the story of young people at great personal risk who set out to make a change, and they did not let anything stop them,” said Stanley Nelson, who wrote and directed the PBS documentary Freedom Riders that aired nationally last week. “I hope after people see this film they […]
Posted inOpinion
Budget battle threatens Vikings’ future
THROUGH MY EYES By Ron Edwards Since 2002, I have attempted to create a self-defeating prophecy: predicting in such harsh terms that the Vikings would leave so that Minnesotans would understand the seriousness of the Los Angeles Lakers getting their sister team, the Los Angeles Vikings (all posted on my MinneapolisStory.com website). “The Story of […]
Posted inOpinion
Twin Cities has acting talent to spare
Filmmakers, independent or studio financed, know that once they decide to shoot on location in Minnesota there’s a teeming pool of talented, proven actors working in Twin Cities theater. Fargo, Grumpy Old Men, and Untamed Hearts, for instance, put the likes of Sally Wingert (Guthrie Theater), Claudia Wilkens, Buffy Sedlachek (Jungle Theater) and other luminaries […]
Posted inOpinion
After segregation, HBCUs still alive and well
LITTLE BY LITTLE By Matthew Little It was a hazy morning in early May, with the sun engaged in what seemed a losing battle to create the expectation of a North Carolina spring. But neither threatening weather nor anything else could possibly erase the smiles from the faces of the more than a thousand young, […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Local Masonic Lodge receives national service award
Local Masonic Lodge receives national service award Helios Lodge #273 of Cambridge, MN, was one of 17 lodges nationwide to receive the Mark Twain Award for Excellence in Masonic Awareness. Helios Lodge Worshipful Master Ralph Powell (l) was presented the award by Minnesota Grand Master John L. Cook, Jr. (r), with Helios Lodge member David […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Neighborhood safety, security threatened by state budget cuts
By JEFF HAYDEN This column was written with Minneapolis Eighth Ward City Council Member Elizabeth Glidden. The turn of April to May is usually a time of sunnier skies and happier times where we look forward to spending our afternoons and evenings outdoors in our communities with friends and neighbors. Unfortunately, the turn of seasons […]