Insight News ::: 06.15.15

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Boyé brings African rhythms to pop landscape MORE ON PAGE 10

aesthetically speaking

Insight News June 15 - June 21, 2015

Vol. 42 No. 24 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

New affordable housing complex opens on West Broadway By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer The landscape of West Broadway Avenue in north Minneapolis has changed with the addition of a new apartment complex. The three-story, 54-unit, West Broadway Crescent celebrated its grand opening this past Monday (June 9). West Broadway Crescent is an affordable housing community occupying residents who pay less than market value for housing – paying just up to 60 percent of the area’s median income. The brightly colored building is located on West Broadway Avenue and Logan Avenue, across the street from the Capri Theater. The complex, which is fully occupied, is the result of a partnership between the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota Housing, the Basilica of Saint Mary and CommonBond Communities. According to those associated with the development, West Broadway Crescent is a needed link to help stabilize West Broadway and more importantly, the lives of the building’s

HOUSING TURN TO 5

Courtesy of CommonBond Communities

MELVIN CARTER, JR. AT LARGE

Genesis 4:9 By Melvin Carter, Jr. The problems and challenges facing our community cannot and should not depend on the predilections of grant makers, according to Dr. William C. Bell, president and CEO of Casey Family Programs, in St. Paul. “We cannot solve these life cycle issues on a grant cycle mentality” he said addressing a community summit earlier this month. When God questioned Cain about of his brother Abel, Cain retorted with the eternal question:

Dr. William C Bell

Commissioner Toni Carter

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” This question, heard around the world, still lingers, challenges, and even haunts us today. On Tuesday, June 2nd, Ramsey County held a Local County Action Summit: “How are the Children?” at Maplewood Community Center. The event, sponsored by Casey Family Programs, challenged us all, citizens and officials alike, to respond. The Summit was planned and presented by St. Paul County Commissioner Toni Carter, who kicked things off setting a warm,

CHILDREN TURN TO 9

Legislative Auditor finds no double-billing By Steven Belton Interim President Minneapolis Urban League In a letter released June 4, 2015 and copied to my attention, Jim Nobles, Legislative Auditor, stated the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) was “unable to substantiate the improprieties related to double-billing by MUL.” Specifically, the auditors could not substantiate any of the Star Tribune’s claims as relates to dollars we received from the Minneapolis Public Schools

for the Urban League Academy alternative school and grant monies allocated to our 13th Grade Program by the Minnesota Department of Education. We thank our Board of Directors, community partners and supporters who continue to support our work and mission to link African descendants and other people of color to opportunities that result in economic success and prosperity, and effectively advocate for policies that eradicate racial disparities. This is the letter sent to Senator Michelle Benson from Legislative Auditor James Nobles:

Insight 2 Health Do you know which eggs to buy?

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Dear Senator Benson: The Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) has completed a preliminary assessment of possible inappropriate financial practices by the Minneapolis Urban League (MUL) identified in a recent Star Tribune article.1 The article alleged that the Minneapolis Urban League double billed costs related to a legislatively-approved grant (called “13th Grade”) it received through the Minnesota Department of Education while also receiving student education aid from the Minneapolis Public School District.2 The article questioned whether the

Minneapolis Urban League was getting paid twice for the same costs. This letter is to inform you that we were unable to substantiate the alleged improprieties related to double billings by MUL. While we did not assess the success of the 13th Grade program, we noted the following: • Enrollment — Most of the youth served by the 13th Grade grant program were not Urban League Academy students. MUL billed 13th Grade grant costs to the Department of Education to provide career

readiness and education guidance to young adults who did not complete high school or completed high school with basic skills, were unemployed or underemployed, were not enrolled in a postsecondary institution, or did not have any defined career plans. Student aid received from the Minneapolis Public School District provided academic funding to MUL based on the per pupil average daily attendance at the Urban League Academy. We found some Urban League Academy students also participated in the grant program; however, nothing prohibited MUL from providing those students with 13th Grade

grant services. • Locations — The MUL operated the 13th Grade program and Urban League Academy out of separate locations. Staff from the 13th Grade program had offices located at 411 East 38th Street in Minneapolis, while the Urban League Academy was located at 2201 Blaisdell Avenue North in Minneapolis. The MUL hired a 13th Grade program director and two other full-time employees to work on the grant. • Costs — MUL maintained separate accounting ledgers that

MUL TURN TO 8

Business

Commentary

Community

You want to build a building?

The Educational Equity and Excellence project

Ides to lead West Broadway Business Coalition

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