The Steeles Soulful Gospel Vocals
November 21, 7:00 pm Ticketrs: $25 Dakota Jazz Club 1010 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis 612-332-1010
INSIGHT NEWS November 19 - November 25, 2012 • MN Metro Vol. 39 No. 47 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com
Protesters seek end to Bush tax cuts Demonstrators want to end Bush tax cuts for richest 2%, to protect working families A group of over forty Minnesotans representing the Americans for Tax Fairness coalition, and including representatives of SEIU, TakeAction Minnesota, Minnesotans for a Fair Economy, ISAIAH and CTUL, demonstrated in downtown Minneapolis last week calling for an end to the Bush Tax Cuts and tax breaks for big corporations. The demonstration coincided with the first week of the congressional lame-duck session where a budget showdown looms. Cliff Martin, a first-time voter and high school senior from Northfield, told the crowd that the time is now to make sure people
are protected, not wealthy CEOs and corporations. “On Tuesday, I voted for a fair economy,” he shouted. “It’s time the richest who’ve benefitted the most over the past decade start paying their fair share.” Martin supports a corporate tax reform plan that raises substantial revenue from those who have extracted billions from the American economy. Those rallying marched on Nicollet Mall and through the skyway system, urging Congress to end tax cuts for the richest 2%, those that make more than $250,000 per year. To chants of “They never pay the taxes
PROTEST TURN TO 15
Suluki Fardan
Protests
Hayden appointed New Miss Black Minnesota and Miss Black Teen Minnesota crowned Senate Majority Deputy Leader
By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer
Senate Majority Leaderdesignate Tom Bakk (DFLCook) announced on Nov. 14th the appointment of State Senator Jeffrey Hayden (DFLMinneapolis) as Deputy Leader of the Senate Majority Caucus for the 2013-2014 Legislative Session. As Deputy Leader, Senator Hayden will work in cooperation with Majority Leader-designate Bakk and Assistant Majority Leaderdesignate Katie Sieben (DFL-
Red was the color of the evening for the Miss Black Minnesota USA Pageant. The pageant began with eight young women in red dresses introducing themselves to the crowd; it ended with its red-dressed executive director accepting a marriage proposal. And the winner of the crown and title, Miss Black Minnesota USA 2013 was crowned wearing a stunning sequined gown. It’s color – red. Krystal Igbo-Obonna of St. Paul was crowned the winner of the pageant, which underwent a change in ownership and direction this past year. Columbia Heights resident Shamera Norman was awarded the title Miss Minnesota Talented Teen 2013. Both Miss and Teen contestants competed simultaneously but were judged separately. Both winners received a $500 scholarship and airfare and accommodations to their respective national competitions along with various other prizes. Igbo-Obonna amazed the crowd at the Eisenhower Theater in Hopkins with her beautiful piano performance during the talent portion of the show. Her recital was received by thunderous applause. The form-fitting red gown in which Igbo-Obonna was crowned featured decorative sequins
MN State Senator Jeff Hayden
HAYDEN TURN TO 3
Help for those hurt by mortgage crisis By Harry Colbert, Jr. Contributing Writer
Miss Black Minnesota USA Pageant
PAGEANT TURN TO 2
Krystal Igbo-Obonna crowned Miss Black Minnesota USA 2013
Business
Train your brain, train your body
PAGE 4
Aesthetics
Meet Seth Brundle, up and coming stylist for the stars
PAGE 7
The mortgage and credit crunch has hit many Minnesotans especially hard, but one group is working to put people in homes, while at the same time restoring their credit. SHOP (Sustainable Home Ownership Program) Home Mortgage, a non-profit based out of St. Paul, is working to get individuals who cannot qualify for traditional bank mortgages into homes using a buying strategy known as contract-fordeed. If the buyer is successful
Lifestyle
Four easy ways to support the troops for the holidays
PAGE 8
in the program, that person can transition out of the contract-fordeed into a traditional, fixed-rate bank mortgage. A contract-for-deed is a buying strategy where the seller – in this case SHOP – provides financing to buy the property for an agreed-upon purchase price and the buyer repays the loan in installments. Typical clients of SHOP remain under contract-for-deed for three to 10 years, at which time, SHOP works with the homeowner to transition into a bankowned mortgage.
SHOP TURN TO 15
Full Circle
Four reasons why you should tithe
PAGE 10