July 10, 2019

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SUMMER EDITION

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NEIGHBORHOODS

New market proposal riles West Bank Some say the project plans have lacked engagement with the surrounding community.

BY J.D. DUGGAN jduggan@mndaily.com

Local officials rolled out a vision for an “African village” in Cedar-Riverside last month, but not all neighborhood residents agree the project is best for the community.

Ward 6 city council member Abdi Warsame, who represents the neighborhood, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced plans in late June to erect a CedarRiverside public market that would further a vision for an African village.

But some community members said the announcement came as a surprise. Local community group Somali Mothers of MN held a protest Sunday to rebuke the proposed project’s lack of community engagement and express concern about its potential effects on the dense neighborhood, such as impacts on crime and parking.

“The community didn’t even know before,” said Fartun Del, a founder of Somali Mothers of MN. “And knowing that, that nobody engaged [the community], brings them more suspicion and more anger.”

The proposed market is located on “Lot A,” a city-owned parking lot nestled against the Green Line light rail, across from u See WEST BANK Page 3

CHRIS MCNAMARA, DAILY

Youths hold signs protesting plans for the development of a mall in the Cedar-Riverside area at a protest organized by the Somali Mothers of MN at Currie Park on Sunday, July 7.

COLLABORATION

LEGISLATION

Profs bring design program to Nigeria

New state law to punish wage theft as felony

UMN professor Abimbola Asojo helped create Nigeria’s first college interior design program.

BY KATRINA PROSS kpross@mndaily.com

Nigeria will soon have its first interior design program, due to a partnership between the University of Minnesota and a Nigerian university.

The University has partnered with Obafemi Awolowo University located in Ile-Ife, Osun, Nigeria. Abimbola Asojo, a professor in the College of Design, has known professors Dolapo Amole and Babatunde Jaiyeoba at the Nigerian university for decades and was a student there. Through this connection, Asojo encouraged the professors to make their own program in Nigeria. The graduate interior design program’s courses will be available in September.

“With this program, students have the opportunity to specialize and focus on

interior design, something that previously wasn’t available to them,” said Asojo, who is the associate dean for research, creative scholarship and engagement at the College of Design.

The program’s courses will be online, so students in other neighboring African countries can also participate. However, students will meet face-to-face for two days of class once per month.

Asojo said the lack of interior design programs is not exclusive to Nigeria, with most African countries also experiencing the same shortfall.

The program took two years of planning to be completed and is a three-semester-long program.

“The need arises because in the construction market, there are very few professionals. And the industry needs them. Many architecture firms would gladly employ interior design professionals because they want to offer interior design services to their clients as part of a complete package,” Amole said in an email sent to the Minnesota Daily.

Interior design is a field that is in high demand, and with no available interior design programs, students often studied study overseas to get the education they required, which not all students can afford, Amole said.

“The building industry is thriving in Nigeria and there’s a need for interior designers to shape and design their interiors to benefit the health and well-being of people,” Asojo said.

The new program was given travel funding by a University Global Programs and Strategy Alliance grant. The grant allowed Asojo to travel to Nigeria in summer 2016, and the two Nigerian professors to visit the University in fall 2016 to plan the program.

“Nigerian faculty were able to attend [a University class], co-lecture on Nigerian culture, and provide the [University] students with feedback on their design projects. This opportunity also helped Professor Asojo discuss the nuances with her Nigerian u See DESIGN Page 3

A&E

Little Mekong Night Market celebrates local Asian cultures Over 70 street vendors shared street foods during the event in the packed streets of St. Paul.

BY BECCA MOST bmost@mndaily.com

For one weekend a year, the area between University Avenue West and Western Avenue in St. Paul is shut down and blocked off, making room for over 70 local food vendors, performers and artists to take over for the Little Mekong Night Market last weekend.

Offering foods like fried green tea ice cream, papaya salad, Thai-style hot dogs and Japanese raindrop cakes, the market showcased the delicious diversity of Twin Cities cuisine.

Based off traditional night markets in Southeast Asia, the Little Mekong market is the only one of its kind in the Midwest, according to the Asian Economic Development Association.

“I’m so glad that Minnesota is finally opening up to more flavors,” said Ericka Trinh, owner of wholesale business Silhouette Bakery and Cafe.

Trinh said she has been at the market since it first opened in a small parking lot behind a nearby building. After watching it grow into the thriving community event it is today, she said the market brings attention to local business owners like herself.

Dishing out pork buns decorated with small fuzzy soot sprites featured in Studio Ghibli animated films, Trinh is influenced by various Asian cuisines while creating new dishes.

“I have flavors from everywhere,” Trinh said. “My buns are Japanese-inspired but then I put Chinese barbecue pork inside them. And I do Korean-style pulled pork for my walking ramen. I just like flavor, mix it up and then put my little spin on it.”

For Ka Vang, who helped run the Vue Appétit tent, the market was an opportunity to share a bit of her culture.

Selling bottles of homemade Hmong u See NIGHT MARKET Page 5

The law also requires that employers provide written notices of employment terms.

BY IMANI CRUZEN icruzen@mndaily.com

As a new state law tackling wage theft goes into effect, local employees and officials are speaking out about the issue.

The law, effective July 1, requires employers to keep and provide more records documenting a person’s employment. By Aug. 1, wage theft, including minimum wage violations, unpaid work and withheld tips, will be a felony. A University of Minnesota-area city council member recently introduced a similar ordinance that would go into effect in January.

The new policies come as Dinkytown expects a new restaurant franchise that has seen past accusations of wage theft.

Ward 3 City Council member Steve Fletcher, a co-author of the ordinance, said his ward is home to workers like freelancers, service workers and students who are more likely to see wage theft.

“My hope is that this provides some protection to seasonal workers, like students, who often don’t have the same kind of stable jobs that other people have, and are probably more vulnerable to wage theft as a result,” Fletcher said.

Passing the ordinance makes it easier for city staff and the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights to take over in potential cases u See WAGE Page 3

SAFETY

Cedar-Riverside to see lighting upgrade City officials and businesses hope safety lights will promote commerce and public safety.

BY MOHAMED IBRAHIM mibrahim@mndaily.com

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

Large crowds peruse on Saturday, July 6 in St. Paul for the annual Little Mekong Night Market.

Vendors lined the streets selling Southeast Asian cuisine and street food.

With improved infrastructure and community programming, members of the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood are using both practical and creative crime prevention approaches this summer.

Through a grant from the city of Minneapolis, the West Bank Business Association will place safety lights in lowlylit areas on Cedar Avenue South beginning next week. The city will also upgrade existing street lights in the neighborhood to LED lights. Residents and business owners hope the extra lighting, along with events held

by WBBA throughout the summer, will help prevent crime and promote business in the neighborhood.

Joining the 15 to 20 safety lights will be two creative lighting pieces by artist Fue Vang, designed to looked like gas lanterns, according to WBBA Executive Director Jamie Schumacher. The new lights are u See LIGHTING Page 3

VOLUME 119 ISSUE 64

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY

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1962 The United States Patent Office issues Nils Bohlin a patent for a three-point automobile safety belt.

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Auto thefts continue to increase Auto thefts rise in Cedar-Riverside, while crime rates in Prospect Park lower.

BY MOHAMED IBRAHIM mibrahim@mndaily.com

While crime rates in Prospect Park remain low, thefts in the neighborhood have increased so far this year compared to the first half of 2018.

The number of auto thefts in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood continues to grow compared to the same time frame, prompting a response by local officials.

Crime trends Although most criminal activity is down in Prospect Park, larcenies, or thefts of personal property without the use of force, continue to increase. Such thefts have doubled last month compared to June 2018. According to Minneapolis Police Department crime data, this reflects

a larger trend. The area has seen 139 total thefts so far this year, 43 percent more than the first half of 2018.

Year-to-date auto theft numbers in Cedar-Riverside increased by 153 percent, rising from 15 in the first half of 2018 to 38 as of June 30. At a West Bank crime and safety meeting July 2, MPD Lt. Nick Torborg said auto thefts remain an issue throughout the 1st precinct, but much of the activity is centered in the neighborhood.

“Kids are smart these days — they’ll figure out what car the keys belong to and the next thing you know they’re driving it down the road,” Torborg said at the meeting. “[If] people would lock their cars and not leave their keys inside, that would help a great deal.”

MPD 1st Precinct crime prevention specialist Carla Nielson said at the meeting newer cars are more likely to be stolen due to the push-tostart feature. Individuals leave key fobs in their cars, making

it easier for someone to break into the vehicle and drive away, she said.

Along with auto thefts, aggravated assault numbers in Cedar-Riverside have risen compared to the first half of last year, quadrupling from six to 24 as of June 30. While robberies have decreased by more than 20 percent in the same time period, robberies spiked last month with seven instances last month, compared to one in June 2018.

Notable incidents A woman was assaulted Thursday night on the 800 block of 13th Avenue Southeast. The victim reported no injuries in the assault, telling MPD officers the suspect fled the scene before they arrived.

The University of Minnesota Police Department pulled over a man July 1 at the intersection of Beacon Street Southeast and Walnut Street Southeast for driving without headlights. After noticing

INSTANCES OF LARCENY IN PROSPECT PARK

CRIME IN CEDAR-RIVERSIDE AUTO THEFTS

35 150

25

120 90

AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS

15 2018

2019

17 INSTANCES IN JUNE 2018 28 INSTANCES IN MAY 2019 34 INSTANCES IN JUNE 2019

5

2018

2019

1

ROBBERY IN JUNE 2018

7 ROBBERIES IN MAY 2019

ed to a report of a cell phone stolen from a car in the East River Parking Garage on June 30. After tracking the phone to East River Flats Park, officers found two individuals with a stolen vehicle and drug paraphernalia. The two individuals were arrested and taken to Hennepin County Jail.

Marcy-Holmes looks to expand its borders Marcy-Holmes may expand its official borders in an effort to be more inclusive.

BY IMANI CRUZEN icruzen@mndaily.com

The areas that make up Marcy-Holmes could change in the future as the neighborhood association looks to expand the area’s borders.

The Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association (MHNA) has allowed some non-residents, like business owners, to join the organization earlier this year. Now, the association wants to expand the official borders of MarcyHolmes into the University of Minnesota area, hoping to include more faces in the neighborhood.

In June, the MHNA changed its bylaws to allow membership to non-residents in Sanford Hall and Wilkins Hall as “annexed members.”

Membership was also granted to property and business owners within the boundaries of 15th Avenue Southeast, University Avenue Southeast, Oak Street Southeast and the BNSF railroad tracks, which is not currently part of Marcy-Holmes. This includes Dinkydome and 17th Avenue Residence Hall.

MHNA Executive Director Chris Lautenschlager is expected to meet with city staff later this month to discuss possible changes to the neighborhood’s borders to include these areas and eliminate the need for annexed members.

The association could also

rebrand to represent multiple neighborhoods, potentially changing its name.

“Now step two is [to] figure out the border. Do we want to change the borders to make one giant neighborhood that may be named something else?” Lautenschlager said.

“Or do we want to just say, this is still the University name — keep the border intact, still the University neighborhood, still the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood, but the association itself changes.”

Lautenschlager said these changes could better include business and property owners who have supported the area and could provide representation for the University neighborhood, which lacks an association.

Though current Dinkytown Business Alliance presi-

dent and Dinkytown Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers owner Kent Kramp works with Dinkytown businesses, his own business falls outside of the neighborhood borders, Lautenschlager said.

“So, it felt contradictory, it felt hypocritical, or it just kind of felt inconsistent. We like their help and their assistance, but we can’t really do much for them,” Lautenschlager said. “So that’s the main motivation behind it.”

Border changes are rare and require work with the city planning department, wrote city of Minneapolis Neighborhood Support Specialist Stacy Sorenson in an email to the Minnesota Daily.

The city has encouraged the MHNA to reach out to other University-area neighborhood associations, including

the Southeast Como Improvement Association (SECIA) and the Prospect Park Association, Sorenson wrote. “Every few years a group calls us about forming a neighborhood organization to represent the University neighborhood, but at this point, none exists.”

Lautenschlager met with members of the SECIA last week to discuss these changes. SECIA has a similar agreement with the Mid-City Industrial neighborhood group to grant memberships to nonresidents. SECIA Executive Director Alex Farrell said this helps ensure representation for all neighborhoods.

“I think it’s important that people living in all neighborhoods have a neighborhood organization representing them,” said SECIA President Karl Smith.

U research aims to find health benefits of green alleys Focus groups began last month to find perceived benefits of the green spaces.

BY GWIWON JASON NAM gnam@mndaily.com

A University of Minnesota graduate student is working with a local non-profit organization to explorehealth impacts of urban green spaces.

Ella Weber, a student in the University’s Natural Resources Science and Management program, is examining how small-scale green spaces may provide ecological and human health benefits. These spaces, called green alleys, are designed to reverse damage done by accumulated water through increased vegetation and greenery.

Weber said she believes green alleys may have benefits beyond their original purpose, and is doing research to prove it.

“What I’m coming in to look at is how do people perceive their health benefits in relation to this new greening around their neighborhood,” Weber said.

Increased urbanization has resulted in less space for vegetation and limited opportunities for people to come in contact with nature, according to Weber.

Metro Blooms, a Minneapolis nonprofit, started working with homeowners in the Lake Nokomis neighborhood to install stormwater management

PHOTO COURTESY OF ELLA WEBER

practices on private property.

The goal was to transform the look of the alleyways and make them more environmentally-friendly. The nonprofit worked with neighbors along alleyways to create pedestrian-friendly community spaces that provide habitat and protect water quality.

Twenty blooming alleys have been installed in Minneapolis, and one in St. Paul, since the project began in 2014.

Last month, Weber began conducting focus groups to

assess the residents’ perceptions of the green alleys. With the focus groups, Weber aims to find the perceived benefits of the alleys and identify opportunities for design improvement. The participants are from the Lake Nokomis neighborhood.

“Her research is really interesting to me, because I know one of the things it’s focusing on is the health impact,” said Laura Scholl, associate director at Metro Blooms. “We often struggle to or forget to make the con-

nection between green space and improving environmental health with improving physical health.”

Scholl said she thinks this research will allow them to make that connection between those two things.

Ingrid Schneider, an adviser for the project and University professor in the Department of Forest Resources, said the research focuses on small urban green spaces, also called micro-green spaces, and their impact on mental well being.

EDITORIAL STAFF Max Chao Managing Editor mchao@mndaily.com Christine Ha Managing Production Editor cha@mndaily.com Michelle Griffith Campus Editor mgriffith@mndaily.com Madeline Deninger City Editor mdeninger@mndaily.com Paul Hodowanic Sports Editor phodowanic@mndaily.com Madeline Folstein A&E Editor mfolstein@mndaily.com Liv Martin Assistant A&E Editor omartin@mndaily.com Courtney Deutz Multimedia Editor cdeutz@mndaily.com Bailey Davis Copy Desk Chief bdavis@mndaily.com Emily Martens Assistant Copy Desk Chief emartens@mndaily.com Desmond Kamas Chief Page Designer dkamas@mndaily.com Morgan La Casse Visuals Editor mlacasse@mndaily.com =

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what resembled weapons in the man’s backseat, the officers found two BB guns, one made to look like an AR-15 assault rifle, and an 11.5-inch combat-style knife on the car floor. The officers confiscated the weapons and cited the man for improper weapons storage before releasing him.

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Previous work has focused on larger spaces and often those designed for recreation, Schneider said.

“The other important element is the integration of social and ecological factors,” Schneider said. “Blooming Alleys focused on the environmental benefits and this project extends the impacts on the individual and social arenas.”

Weber will work on the research throughout the summer and then will write a thesis through the end of next year.

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Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Design u from Page 1

colleagues of how her students can work on real-life design projects for Nigerian clients and receive feedback on their projects virtually from Nigerian faculty and their students,” said Yuliya Kartoshkina, an education program specialist at GPS Alliance, in an email.

One of the initiatives that Kartoshkina coordinates is the Internationalizing Teaching and Learning Program. The program is designed for faculty in different disciplines across all five

Wage u from Page 1

of wage theft, rather than requiring employees to go to state departments, Fletcher said.

The new state law requires employers to provide written notice that lays out terms of employment and payroll timeline to new hires.

Employers are also encouraged to provide the notice to current employees.

The provisions can be a platform for workers to protect themselves from wage theft and employer retaliation, said Restaurant Opportunities Centers of Minnesota member and Minneapolis restaurant worker John Sandahl. Wage theft happens “all the time,” but can be subtle, Sandahl said.

“It’s a huge, massive problem that affects mostly lower-paid workers, and people of color too in the restaurant industry. And I think that for a long time, it’s kind of been accepted as the norm,” Sandahl said.

F o r m e r w o rk e r s a t Bonchon’s Uptown location came forward with allegations of wage theft in December. Former Bonchon server Mya Bradford said during her time at the restaurant, employees were paid below minimum wage, among what she alleges are other pay violations.

“And it caused a lot of hardships on people, too,” Bradford said. “When I was working there, I was

University campuses who are interested in improving their students’ international and intercultural learning.

GPS Alliance heard of Asojo’s work and ambitions when Asojo took part in the program during the 2011-2012 academic year and chose to work on one of her design undergraduate courses.

“This should lead to even more collaborative projects between the Nigerian and [University] students and provide all of them with opportunities to learn about the cultural nuances in interior design and strengthen their intercultural skills,” Kartoshkina said.

homeless trying to get an apartment, trying really, really hard. And I would be working a lot, and I was always just a little bit short.”

But Bonchon has reached an agreement with the city, said Bonchon Uptown owner Sam Zheng’s attorney Henry Pfutzenreuter.

Pfutzenreuter said Bonchon’s failure to pay employees minimum wage stemmed from a misinterpretation of the city’s two minimum wages.

Zheng, who will also own the Dinkytown location, had assumed he needed to pay employees the city’s minimum wage requirement for a small business because he himself oversaw fewer than 100 employees, Pfutzenreuter said.

In reality, because Bonchon is a franchise, he was actually required to pay the minimum wage required for a large business.

“One of the challenges of starting a business in Minneapolis is learning all of its ordinances that govern employment within the City, in addition to the many complex regulations that exist at the state and federal level as well,” Pfutzenreuter wrote in an email statement to the Minnesota Daily.

Pfutzenreuter said the wage issue has been corrected and employees will receive everything they are entitled to.

“A lot of time business owners look at workers as profits and we are not profits. We’re human beings and there is no way that we will let you take the money that you promised us,” Sandahl said.

West Bank u from Page 1

Mixed Blood Theatre on Fourth Street South. Lot A rests less than a block from the namesake crossroads of Cedar Avenue and Riverside Avenue. The community has discussed development of Lot A for years.

“The African village concept is not just a market,” Warsame said. “Africa village concept is the people that live there. It’s the people that live in the towers, it’s the African immigrants, the culture, the languages.”

Warsame compared his vision to Chinatown or Little Italy in other cities.

The market would support young African entrepreneurs, especially women of color, and create a regional destination, Warsame said.

Russom Solomon, owner of the neighboring Red Sea restaurant, said Frey and Warsame are “putting the cart before the horse.”

“First, engage the neighborhood, see what is best for this place and what people want. Go through the process,” Solomon said. “We’re not saying the city cannot develop this. They can develop it. But they have to listen to the community.”

He called the lack of recent engagement “unbelievably unique.”

Warsame said he believes much of the East African community supports the project. Warsame and Frey committed to create an African mall during

Lighting u from Page 1

funded by the Great Streets Business District Support Grant Program, she said.

Russom Solomon, owner of the Red Sea Bar and Grill and WBBA safety committee chair, said he believes darker areas generally tend to result in increased criminal activity. Brighter lights will have the opposite effect, which will in turn benefit businesses in the area, he said.

“It will prevent theft and mugging, and people will feel comfortable.” Solomon

the 2017 municipal elections, and the current vision for the market was publicly announced in late June 2019 at an East African Business Forum.

“It was in response to community members, the vast majority of Somali and East African Community members, expressing both a desire and a need for this kind of endeavor,” Frey said.

Warsame hopes the market will be an alternative to other African malls in Minneapolis, particularly those owned by Sabri Properties, which have drawn criticism for tenant exploitation. Warsame said the Cedar-Riverside market is “for the community, and it’s for the public — not a privately owned entity.”

Sabri Properties was unable to be reached for comment before publication.

Del, who also owns Sagal Restaurant in CedarRiverside, said the neighborhood, which is already among the densest in the city, cannot support a mall.

She said energies should be focused on mitigating crime.

“My concern is that we need a mall, but we don’t need a mall in CedarRiverside, because we already have density,” Del said. “And to have a mall is going to bring more people, more crime, more drug use.”

But responding to concerns mentioned in the protest, Warsame said the mall will have the opposite effect by adding traffic to the area.

The lot is one of the more

problematic areas in Ward 6, having been the site of a recent homicide and ongoing drug deals, he said.

Multiple speakers at the protest, which saw over 100 attendees, said the neighborhood should prioritize recreational spaces for youth and elders.

Some community members said the timeline for development is aggressive and will make community engagement difficult.

“It’s a top down decision in the first place. Not very many people are aware of what’s going on,” said Solomon Cherne, a longtime resident of Cedar-Riverside who attended the protest.

The city’s CedarRiverside Small Area Plan, approved in 2008, suggests the area should maintain parking and diversify neighborhood housing options.

The nearby Riverside Plaza, which is home to more than 3,500 people, has approximately 850 private parking spaces throughout the complex. Lot A adds about 100 spaces to the area, which neighbors say are important to bring traffic to businesses.

Warsame said the market’s proposal could still include parking to help attract regional visitors.

Ladan Yusuf, an ally of the Somali mothers group and community organizer for the Defend Glendale and Public Housing Coalition, is concerned the project, which will also likely include housing, could gentrify the neighborhood. This

concern was echoed by many protest attendees.

“We want to stop gentrification because this is going to be another luxurious apartment and with a very expensive mall that people cannot afford,” Yusuf said.

Warsame said if housing is built above the market, it would be affordable.

Some residents and business owners are also concerned a new market will create additional competition for African-owned businesses currently in the neighborhood.

“We don’t want it to jeopardize those businesses and bring in a new business. We have to think of the current businesses and elevate them up and do something for those businesses,” said Osman Ahmed, chairman of the Riverside Plaza Tenant Association.

said. “If people are comfortable there, then maybe people will venture out to businesses. If they are afraid, then they will not.”

The replacement of street light bulbs is part of a citywide project to upgrade traffic lighting. The new LED lights are brighter and 60 to 70 percent more energy efficient, said Public Works traffic engineer Allan Klugman.

Klugman said bulbs used by current street lights can distort colors, whereas colors under the new LED lights are closer to how they look during the day.

In addition to the

lighting upgrades, WBBA is bringing back Night Markets on Saturdays beginning July 6, where members of the community will gather to enjoy art, food and music from vendors and performers. Schumacher said the area saw a drop in crime on weekends the events were held last summer.

“We saw that just really kind of light up the darker space for the night with activity,” Schumacher said.

“Crime was lower and we think it’s because there [were] positive things happening on the avenue.”

The organization will be holding the Night Markets

from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the 400 block of Cedar Avenue South through August 24.

The events are supported

by WBBA members, the McKnight Foundation and t h e Universit y of Minnesota’s Good Neighbor Fund. Schumacher said the events bond the community while also serving as a deterrent for criminal activity.

“When there’s something positive going on, it’s bringing people together to do something and creating a space for something positive.” Schumacher said. “It’s not the punitive thing, it’s just like creating that wellcared for environment.”

“My concern is that we need a mall, but we don’t need a mall in CedarRiverside, because we already have density. And to have a mall is going to bring more people, more crime, more drug use.”

FARTUN DEL a founder of Somali Mothers of MN

4

Sports

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2019

FOOTBALL

Dutch recruit excited for transition to U Agyekum is one of two international players in the 2020 recruiting class.

BY JOHN MILLER jmiller@mndaily.com

He’s still a year away from joining the Gopher Football team, but cornerback Richard Agyekum from the Netherlands is ready to make his way to Minnesota.

Agyekum is one of two recruits in the Gopher’s 2020 class from overseas. Melle Kreuder, a defensive end from Germany, is the other. But despite playing in the same German football league, they’ve never met. Having someone in the same situation will help his transition to the United States after he graduates from Christelijke Scholengemeenschap Buitenveldert (CSB) High School in Amsterdam,” Agyekum said.

“I think that’s going to be something very special to me, something very important,” said Agyekum. “To have somebody who understands me coming all the way from Europe is going to be something great.”

Agyekum only began playing football when he was 13 and didn’t play in his first real game until he was 14. A teacher in his middle school was looking to start a team.

“He kind of forced me into

MORGAN LA CASSE, DAILY

playing American Football,” Agyekum said with a laugh.

“After a few practices, after my first match, I fell in love with the game.”

Despite playing for the Dutch national team, he makes a six-hour round trip two or three times a week to play for the Cologne Crocodiles who play in the German League. Agyekum however,

is ready to compete at a higher level.

“The level of football is so different in the states than here and that’s what I’m really excited about,” Agyekum said. “It just hypes me up the way they play football in the states because it’s so much more exciting and it goes so fast.”

Minnesota’s cornerbacks

coach Rod Chance was the one who noticed the Dutch defensive back. Agyekum was at a satellite camp with PPI Recruits at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.

“After the camp he just came to me and talked to me and said he liked the way that I competed, the way I went through my drills and he wanted me to come to the

Minnesota camp and also compete there,” Agyekum said.

Agyekum committed to the Gophers shortly after he went to the camp at the University of Minnesota.

“After I went to the Minnesota camp and saw it with my own eyes and talked to Coach Fleck about the culture, Row the Boat and everything that’s behind it, that’s

what really attracted me, the culture.”

Standing at 5-foot-9 and 155-pounds, Agyekum said the Gophers want Agyekum to add weight before he makes his way to the program. The plan is to have him gain 20-pounds this year and 20 more his freshman year.

He’d be nearly same size of a certain Cleveland Browns cornerback whom Agyekum models his game after.

“I’m actually trying to be like Denzel Ward because his rookie year in the NFL was just so amazing,” said Agyekum. “He did a lot of great things and that’s how I want to become.”

Agyekum’s family already has plans of making the trip to Minnesota to watch his first game, but he knows being away from his family will be the hardest transition for him.

“Family is going to be a hard thing, because I’m really close with my family,” he said. “My brothers and sisters and just leaving them behind for that long of a time will be a hard thing.”

Despite being so far away from his family and friends, there is one thing of which Agyekum is sure.

“I’m really excited to start playing for Minnesota because I just want to get better, I want to be a part of the great culture they’re building up,” he said.

FOOTBALL

Gopher football unveils a newer, cheaper all-mobile ticket plan The “Gopher Pass” gives fans access to all seven of the 2019 home games.

BY CHAD FAUST cfaust@mndaily.com

After TCF Bank Stadium saw its lowest average attendance numbers on record in 2018, the University of Minnesota released its newest football ticket package on Monday — one aimed at luring more fans into the stadium seats.

The new “Gopher Pass” will allow fans to attend all seven home games for the 2019 season for about $200.

The University described it as the “most flexible plan ever” for Gophers fans in a press release sent out on Monday.

The pass is an all-mobile

ticket, and fans will have a digital ticket delivered to them by text message before each game. In the event of a sellout, the pass does not guarantee fans a seat in the game, just stadium entry and access to a standing-room-only area.

Fans will pay an average of $28.56 per game, a considerable drop for marquee games such as the highly anticipated rivalry game against Wisconsin. The cheapest seat for the 2019 rivalry game on StubHub, a secondary market for tickets, is just under $70.

The Gopher Pass is a part of a recent trend in University Athletics toward make games more affordable and inviting for fans.

Earlier this year, the University decided to lower the season-ticket prices for both men’s basketball and men’s

hockey games in an attempt to make sporting events more affordable.

In June, University of Minnesota regents voted unanimously to allow alcohol sales in Williams Arena for basketball games and 3M Arena at Mariucci for hockey games, looking to boost attendance.

The new plan is similar to one employed by the nearby Minnesota Twins. The Twins unveiled the “Twins Pass” for the 2019 season which allowed fans the option to pay for tickets on a monthly subscription-style basis with prices ranging from $49-$149 per month, giving them access to all the games. The Twins have seen their average attendance per game numbers climb to the highest it has been since 2015, due in large part to their success on the field.

DAILY FILE PHOTO

A Gophers football player watches from the sidelines during a game on Sept. 16, 2017.

GOLF

FOOTBALL

Minnesota golf great Tom Lehman impresses at inaugural 3M Open

Top 2018 Gopher football recruit retires after sustaining neck injury

Lehman finished 7-under-par at the and tied for 58th in the local tournament.

Alex Reigelsperger announced his early retirement Tuesday in a Twitter post.

BY NOLAN O’HARA nohara@mndaily.com

TPC Twin Cities was electric Sunday evening after 20-year-old Matthew Wolff drilled an eagle putt from the fringe, giving him his first-ever PGA Tour win at the inaugural 3M Open.

But earlier in the week, it was native Minnesotan and former Gopher Tom Lehman who was turning heads.

Lehman, 60, primarily plays on the PGA Tour Champions, but was given an exemption to play at this year’s 3M Open, and he made the most of the opportunity. He shot 7-under for the tournament to tie for 58th. His best round came on Independence Day, when, wearing all red, white and blue, Lehman shot a bogey-free, 4-under 67. Lehman was one of 10 in the field to go without a bogey in the opening round.

“It’s a thrill for me to join these guys out here,”

NOLAN O’HARA, DAILY

Tom Lehman prepares for his tee shot on the third hole of the 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota on Thursday, July 4.

Lehman said after his round Thursday. “It’s a thrill for me to tee it up again with these guys who are so good and who represent the game so well.”

Despite being bogeyf r e e , L e h m a n ’ s ro u n d Thursday wasn’t without its difficulties. He got himself into trouble on the par-3, No.8, when he overshot the green and his ball nearly rolled into the water. After a short conference with a rules official, Lehman chipped onto the green and drained the putt to save his par. The crowd ro a r e d . F o l l o w i n g h i s terrific par save, another

native Minnesotan, Tim Herron, hit a hole-in-one at the very same hole. The crowd roared again.

“Well, Minnesotans, they’re homers,” Lehman said. “They like the Joe Mauer’s of the world and the Kent Hrbek’s of the world. They love the homegrown people.”

Before the start of the 3M Open, Lehman told the Star Tribune his goal for the tournament was to simply make the cut.

He did just that. Lehman shot a 2-under 69 Friday to put him at 6-under, three shots above the cut line. He kept his momentum going

through Saturday when he shot a 3-under 68, 9-under through the first three days and only six shots behind the leaders. His good fortune didn’t continue Sunday.

Lehman wasn’t able to make it four consecutive days under par. He shot a 2-over 73 Sunday to finish at 7-under. Despite his late struggles, Lehman played some excellent golf in what could be his final tournament in Minnesota.

Whether Lehman plays another tournament in Minnesota again or not, his legacy at the 3M Open will continue. His course redesign is in part responsible for bringing the PGA Tour back to the state for years to come.

“Yeah it’s a great day for Minnesota golf, for sure,” Lehman said Thursday.

“I’m proud of this state and I’m proud of what we put up here for the players to enjoy. ... They seem to really enjoy the course, thinking it’s a very fair test but not a pushover. So, I think if they all walk away from Minneapolis saying they had a great time and a great experience and loved it and can’t wait to come back, I think we’ve done a

BY JOHN MILLER jmiller@mndaily.com

The Gophers lost a top recruit from their 2018 recruiting class Tuesday night.

Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Alex Reigelsperger announced on Twitter that he was retiring due to medical reasons.

Sometime during spring practices, Reigelsperger suffered a career-ending injury.

“In April I received a very serious neck injury and concussion,” Reigelsperger said in his tweet. “I was in the hospital for around four days, in which I had multiple tests, scans and physical therapy sessions.”

After reflecting on the injury for the last few months Reigelsperger decided that stepping away from the game would be what’s best for him and his health.

“I understood the consequences of furthering my athletic career if I chose to do so and they were dangerous to what I want to do in

COURTESY OF GOPHER ATHLETICS

ALEX REIGELSPERGER

life,” he said.

Reigelsperger was approved for a medical noncounter through the NCAA, which allows him to continue working on his degree of youth studies at the University of Minnesota. The aid he receives from the school will not count against the team.

The Dayton, Ohio native was a three-star recruit coming out of Wayne High School. According to 247 Sports, he was ranked as the fifth-highest recruit for the University of Minnesota in their 2018 class. ESPN had him ranked 157th overall that year.

“This will not define who I am or what I become,” he wrote.

5

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2019

DIGGING IN

Support for the formerly incarcerated, all squared into a delicious grilled cheese All Square is giving people with criminal records the resources and opportunities they need.

“People have assumptions about us until they come here and experience that we are regular people just trying to get our lives together like anyone else.”

BY LIV MARTIN omartin@mndaily.com

All Square serves up delicious grilled cheeses, but its name stands for much more than the classic square sandwich. The restaurant employs those with criminal records, who may otherwise encounter barriers when searching for work.

From the kitchen, it is easy to see a large mirror with the phrase, “Those who have paid their debts to society are all square” — a reminder that everyone deserves to be judged on their merits and not their mistakes.

But the restaurant is just half of the equation. All Square is also an institute with a one-year program for around a dozen fellows which focuses on mental health and professional development in tandem with employment at the restaurant.

At the end of the summer, All Square’s first-ever cohort of fellows will graduate. Nei’Yana Roby said she prayed for two years for something like All Square to come around. As a fellow in the program, she was able to kick off her own online business selling eyelashes and phone cases.

“People have assumptions about us until they come here and experience that we are regular people just trying to get our lives together like anyone else,” Roby said.

Emily Hunt Turner, founder and CEO, is a civil rights attorney and former attorney with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. She became increasingly tired of seeing first-hand how having a criminal record

NEI’YANA ROBY All Square fellow

disallowed people from finding public housing.

“On top of that, knowing that the criminal justice system doesn’t always get it right and it’s disproportionately affecting people of color … that is what fueled All Square,” she said.

A 2016 Kickstarter campaign, a whole lot of community support and finding the perfect location on Minnehaha Avenue led to the restaurant’s opening in September 2018. Now, All Square has eleven creative grilled cheeses, along with a kid-friendly option – some of which are fellows’ own creations, like “Did My Thyme,” a sandwich with five cheeses, cucumber, hummus and Greek sauce, or the “Hot Wing” grilled cheese, with tender pulled chicken, bleu and Swiss cheese and hot sauce. The restaurant also offers vegan and gluten-free renditions.

Nate Howard, a fellow since the beginning, will soon serve as general

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

ABOVE: Amanda K., left and Nei’Yana Roby prepare sandwiches on Sunday, July 7 at All Square in Minneapolis. BELOW: Nei’Yana Roby cuts grilled cheese sandwiches on Sunday, July 7 at All Square in Minneapolis.

manager of the restaurant and is on a path to law school following classes he took at the Institute.

“Going to jail and going through that process exposed me to [the system] because my public defender

was horrible. I feel like I could do better than him, so I want to challenge myself,” he said.

Chris Dolan, another fellow, says he has taken full advantage of the program.

“I had a lot of years of just spinning my wheels and not really accomplishing things. And then there were some addiction issues and I got into a little trouble with the law,” he said. “Years kept passing by. But, I have a lot of potential, I believe. I did well in college. Then the felony came, and I couldn’t find work.”

Through classes at the Institute, Dolan started his own wedding equipment rental business. He also took the LSAT exam and is applying to law schools for this fall.

Though he is busier than ever, he is passionate about his work. “I don’t want people to go to jail for years because they’re an addict,” he said.

Giving formerly incarcerated people opportunities to learn about law and entrepreneurship is a key part of the program. But, so is establishing a community — something Turner believes is “the most important piece” of the puzzle.

This is the four th article in “Digging In,” a series about the stories behind beloved Twin Cities restaurants.

EVENT

COMEDY

Third time’s the charm: film noir style play is full of ‘Hot Air’— in a good way UMN grads Wolfe, McCarthy innovate the classic genre with a comedic twist.

“Knowing that we’re all entering different industries, it’s amazing to see that we all have some differences and strengths, [but] we come together.”

BY BECCA MOST bmost@mndaily.com

The cast of “Hot Air” settled into their practice space last Tuesday night, lounging on chairs and snacking on chocolate-covered peanuts.

“How is everyone feeling?” asked director Nick Saxton, starting off the crew’s usual pre-rehearsal check-in.

“To be honest ... I’m feeling kind of deflated,” admitted “Hot Air” playwright Fletcher Wolfe. They paused a moment, then loudly drained a large white balloon, the sound met with subsequent groans and laughter.

The team will perform “Hot Air,” a film noir style comedy, at the Southern Theater this weekend, two years since its original opening at the University One Act Festival and preceding a soldout show at the Minnesota Fringe Festival.

Following the journey of two clueless detectives, the story involves a hunt for a notorious killer, dubbed the “Balloon Man,” whose signature is a deflated balloon left at the crime scene.

With period-accurate clothing, shadow-heavy lighting, a jazz keyboardist and puppets, the play parodies many film noir tropes and iconic scenes.

By performing noir comedically, Wolfe and Saxton give the genre new life.

“It’s really refreshing to

CHRIS MCNAMARA, DAILY

Pianist and vocalist Austen Fisher leads the group in a sitting rehearsal of lines for a scene in the show, “Hot Air” on Sunday, July 7 in Rarig Hall.

be part of something that’s really holistically clever in its subversion of tropes that have burrowed themselves into culture,” said lead Kate McCarthy. “Everyone can recognize the fun of film noir tropes even if the audience isn’t super well-versed in film noir.”

Keyboardist and music director Austen Fisher said this play is also a unique opportunity for emerging performers to experiment with acting and have fun.

In the play he is allowed (and encouraged) to improvise on the keyboard, which is something not a lot of young actors have the liberty to do in performance.

“It’s nice to be able to have full control,” he said. “A lot of the time [there’s] a rite of passage in theatre, and a lot of larger institutions kind of make you make your way into theatre; ... this kind of crazy insanity comedy isn’t something you see on stage very

often, ever.”

Making the decision to bring back “Hot Air” after two years was something Saxton and Wolfe wanted to do because of how much they’ve grown as creatives since then.

“We didn’t want to do it again [because] not enough people saw it the first time.

We wanted to do it again largely because I think we’ve all gotten so much better,” Saxton said.

The play comes at a bittersweet time of transition, when many of the cast members are moving, going back to school or starting in the workforce.

For Bianca Nkwonta, one of two actors who has been in all three casts of the show, this performance brings it full circle.

“It’s kind of our last hurrah, in a way,” she said.

“Knowing that we’re all entering different industries, it’s amazing to see that we all

BIANCA NKWONTA “Hot Air” actor

have some differences and strengths, [but] we come together.”

Many in the cast have known each other for years through working together in comedy and theatre around campus and the Twin Cities. Wolfe said with this play and the liberty actors have to experiment and modify the script, the show is going to be one to remember.

“It really warms my heart to see it all come together,” Wolfe said. “I’m really happy that this thing that I never thought would be anything is now something everyone has an ownership of and really deserves to take credit for.”

When: July 12-July 14 Where: The Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis Cost: $12 for students and seniors, $20 general admission Editor’s note: Fletcher Wolfe and Kate McCarthy are both former Minnesota Daily employees.

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

Food is made on Saturday, July 6 in St. Paul for the annual Little Mekong Night Market. Vendors filled the streets selling Southeast Asian cuisine and street food.

Little Mekong Night Market celebrates local Asian cultures Little Mekong u from Page 1

salad dressing, the Vue family passed out samples to those walking past, encouraging market-goers to try something new.

“I think everyone’s a bit curious because it’s yellow,” laughed Vang, the owner’s sister-in-law. “You don’t really hear about [Hmong salad dressing], and growing up I did eat it, but it was really time-consuming to make.

And I just thought, ‘Hey — if we could present it, it could be more convenient for people to enjoy.’”

Past the seemingly endless line of food vendors selling drinks like fresh sugar cane juice and bubble tea was a section of the market where local businesses sold homemade goods like jewelry, paintings and clothes.

Hta Thi Yu Moo, weaving and civil engagement coordinator for the Karen Organization of Minnesota,

ran a table that sold handwoven shirts, bags, table runners and scarves.

The non-profit she works for helps Burman refugees adjust to life in Minnesota, offering a weaving circle where women can come together to weave traditional patterns and preserve the cultural art form.

“Our language, our clothes, our traditional culture will be maintained still until the next generation through weaving,” she said.

The ability to share their work at the market gave people the chance to learn more about her culture and history, she said. Sometimes people will recognize the motifs and stories depicted in the patterns on her fabric, even if they are not part of the Karen community.

“We’re not that well known by others, [but through this market] they know more about our culture and clothing,” she said.

“They feel it, they touch it you know? They enjoy it.”

6 WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2019

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

Editorials & Opinions

COLUMN

Skoog: Weapons at “Salute to America” parade serve as ammo for re-election I nitially had trouble articulating my interest in President Donald Trump’s grandiose Fourth of July “Salute to America” event. Maybe the event’s timing, one week out CAROLINE SKOOG of Pride Month, columnist felt like a callous promotion for a military that does not allow trans people to serve under their true gender.

Or simply Trump’s deeply on-brand demand that military vehicles make an appearance, despite the risks the equipment posed to the area’s infrastructure — which sounds like a lost plot point from Boss Baby. I wonder if it would have been cheaper to present a few monster trucks instead. Wouldn’t that have scratched that same industrial itch?

However, amid reports of atrocities occurring at the border and migrant detention centers nationwide, focusing on one of the many absurd administrative stunts seems trivial. No GOP supporter that I know of said,

‘You know what? I really liked Trump until this whole parade thing, but this is the last straw.’

Why, at a time of national turmoil and human rights depredation, couldn’t I stop thinking about a stupid parade?

Then it hit me.

The head of the current administration could not stop thinking about a stupid parade.

The last president to publicly speak on the Fourth of July was Richard Nixon in 1970. But, of course, President Trump felt the need to conveniently inject himself into a public celebration of a generally non-partisan holiday.

By framing “Salute to America” as a celebration of the military, any criticism he receives for speaking on Independence Day is spun as criticism of the troops. Moreover, as the event’s master of ceremonies, he attaches his image onto the military, customarily a non-partisan institution, solidifying himself as the utmost pro-troops candidate. Perhaps his speech didn’t insult Barack Obama or blackball democrats altogether; he still reaps the political points of this celebration as if it were a campaign event.

Trump’s infatuation with militarization is nothing new. Neither is pageantry of mili-

tary weaponry in the United States. That doesn’t diminish this event’s obscurity. Past parades boasting military hardware were equally off-putting, but I wasn’t alive yet to be upset about them.

Tanks in domestic settings invoke a steady stream of lasting images, whether those images come from textbooks or memories. In one respect, these impressions relate to moments of U.S. victory, of wars ending and parties in the streets to welcome soldiers home. In fact, the last time the U.S. paraded military weaponry outside of Veteran’s Day was in 1991 following what was deemed a victory in the Persian Gulf War. On the other end, military hardware at public events sparks images of authoritarian regimes –governments labeled “the enemy” by my public education and Call of Duty.

When displaying industrial weaponry, context is what distinguishes between a society that supports its troops and a dystopia predicted by George Orwell.

In retrospect, initial media coverage of bureaucratic pushback against having military hardware on display at the event feeds into this fetishized demonstration of raw power.

Time and time again the president gets his way. Except in this instance he had war machines to show for it.

Because the Fourth of July is upheld as a nonpartisan holiday, President Trump’s decision to speak gave him the advantage of pretending we are a united nation. Regardless of how divided the nation is, his extreme partisanship ensured the attendance of fanatical supporters– many sporting “Trump 2020” gear– which goes to show the event attendees had objectives outside of celebrating the United States history, or even the military for that matter.

“Salute to America” was a quasi-patriotic event meant to stir enthusiasm for the president’s re-election campaign. The added military angle and inclusion of military equipment exploits symbols of war to his advantage. Historically, these symbols appear in domestic settings after a victory– which hasn’t happened in my lifetime– or during times of war. Either way, this compulsion to bolster shiny military equipment reveals possible unsettling directions that the U.S. is headed.

Caroline Skoog welcomes comments at cskoog@mndaily.com.

COLUMN

Blank: Let’s end gerrymandering — and in doing so, let’s create competitive districts

W

ith the 2020 elections approaching, everyone is laserfocused on the upcoming presidential race between the Democratic nominee and President LEW BLANK Trump. Although columnist it’s not as seductive as the battle to unseat our orange-skinned, rage-tweeting Commander-in-Chief, there’s another race on the 2020 ballot that’s nearly as important: statelevel elections.

For the first time in a decade, statewide bodies will have a golden opportunity to end — or invigorate — gerrymandering in all states with at least two Congressional representatives.

Following the completion of the 2020 U.S. Census, each of these states will redraw the boundaries of their U.S. Congressional districts based on new population and demographic data. In Minnesota, the new state legislature that’s elected in 2020 will be in charge of this redistricting process.

This means that the state House and Senate representatives we elect next year will have the ability to end gerrymandering, the process in which political parties manipulate district boundaries to ensure future victories — or intensify it to suit their partisan interests. These high stakes have led political scientist Theda

Skocpol, a professor of government and sociology at Harvard University, to call the upcoming statewide races the most important elections in American history since 1860.

Nationwide, it will be extremely difficult to reverse the partisan election-swaying of gerrymandering, largely because of a Supreme Court decision last week. In Rucho v. Common Cause, the Supreme Court ruled that claims of gerrymandering being unconstitutional are “beyond the reach of the federal courts.”

In other words, the Court looked at gerrymandering, one of the most significant issues in American electoral politics, and said ‘not my problem.’

The decision was a major blow to opposers of gerrymandering. As a result, most states will have free reign to continue skewing Congress to guarantee future victories for their party. State legislatures will now have the ability to continue drawing Congressional district maps in their party’s favor without any challenge from federal courts.

But, Minnesota could be an exception.

While 48 state legislatures are under strict partisan control, 30 by Republicans and 18 by Democrats, Minnesota is one of only two states in the U.S. with a split chamber, with Republicans controlling the Senate and Democrats controlling the governorship and the House.

If this split is maintained through 2020, it will open up the potential for a non-partisan redistricting process. While this process would ideally be led by a non-partisan, independent commission — something we should all be advocating for — Minnesota’s split chambers

nonetheless offer a unique opportunity to draw fair Congressional districts without a partisan skew.

This raises an important question: what factors should Minnesota, and all gerrymandered states for that matter, consider when redrawing the shapes of Congressional districts?

For many, the answer is simple: draw the boundaries in a geographically compact pattern. By creating simple district shapes instead of wonky, zig-zagging squiggles, we can diminish partisan bias. This has been successful in Iowa, where a team of non-partisan staff draws boundaries based on a “compact formula” to ensure tight, orderly district shapes.

But while compact district shapes should be considered when redistricting, I’d argue that our top consideration should be something that’s less discussed: maximizing the number of competitive districts. Such a plan would maximize the number of “swing” districts with a similar number of Democratic and Republican voters and minimize the number of “safe” districts where candidates from one party typically win in a landslide.

One of the largest issues in Congress is that representatives in “safe” districts feel little accountability from their voters, largely because they’re rarely threatened with losing their seat to a challenger. In fact, many representatives in deep red and deep blue districts run unopposed.

If Congressional districts were rearranged to promote competitive elections, members of Congress would be more fearful of getting voted out of office, incentivizing them to better represent their voters. Americans would

EDITORIAL

The Minnesota Daily welcomes new U of M president Joan Gabel As president Kaler leaves office, Joan Gabel is ready to take his place -- and she’s in for the long haul.

On July 1, Joan Gabel became the University’s 17th president. Historically held by men, Gabel is the first woman to hold the University’s highest office since it was founded in 1851, 168-years ago.

Already rewriting history, Gabel should continue this forward momentum by seizing the opportunity to lay the groundwork early on in her presidency that will forge a path forward of accessibility, transparency, and productive conversation that leads to action.

Last week, the Daily Editorial Board discussed the need to acknowledge the hard work and effort put forth by University professors.

By that same token, it’s equally important to recognize the human side of the University’s president, and the ways in which we all play a part to inform Gabel of who we are and what we care about.

If ever there was a time for Gabel to create a responsible framework that she will rely on, defer to and operate within, that time is now at the beginning of her presidency. It’s important to realize that our University’s highest office is elastic and malleable, as much as we might think it is not.

This means that Gabel’s constituency — the University’s students, faculty, and staff — have a lot of say in conveying to Gabel what is collectively and individually on our minds, as well as over time molding the evolution of her trajectory and legacy.

Being accessible and transparent In an article posted on the University’s website, Gabel said that, based on her past

experiences, she is positioned “uniquely to listen carefully, meet challenges and identify opportunities to collaborate with students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, policymakers and others to make this great University even greater.”

What we don’t yet know is the extent to which Gabel will meet or exceed her own and University standards. What we do know is that we have at least a five-year window to support, or critique, Gabel and her initiatives. In return, it is Gabel’s responsibility to remain accessible and transparent to her constituency -- to stay connected with the needs of students and professors.

Along with Gabel’s commitment to University students and professors, she also has the responsibility of maintaining a relationship with the press. It is duly important for Gabel to be accessible to campus media which students rely on to provide transparency and insight.

With respect to this accessibility and transparency, the fact of the matter is that Gabel is a busy person. It is important to recognize that she has a lot to prioritize, such as the overwhelming bureaucratic and administrative duties that come with being the University’s president.

It’s not practical to expect Gabel to always be available right away, or to have an answer for anything and everything. But, the best we can do as students, faculty and staff is to be knowledgeable of the various ways to make our voices heard; the various ways to somehow, someway get our message through to the president.

Looking ahead One way to get involved is to attend the

University’s monthly meetings of the Board of Regents, with the next meeting scheduled for Thursday and Friday, July 11 and 12.

You can also visit president.umn.edu, the central location for official information about Gabel, her initiatives, and ways to contact her.

As president, Gabel has a commitment to University students and professors to remain accessible and transparent. Gabel should also build and maintain a responsible relationship with campus media and the press, in which she is also accessible and transparent.

Starting anew, now is the best time for the University community to show our support for Gabel as she fills the University’s highest office and works to execute her vision. Incidentally, now is also the best time for Gabel to in turn show her support for the University community by acknowledging and responding to the questions, comments, and concerns of her constituency.

Ways to have your voice heard by President Gabel • President Gabel’s email: upres@umn.edu • Board of Regents: https://regents.umn. edu/board-office/contact • Student Representative to the Board of Regents: https://regents.umn.edu/aboutboard/student-representatives-boardregents • Minnesota Student Association Student Senators and Representatives: https:// www.msa.umn.edu/alrs-and-senators • Council of Graduate Students: https:// cogs.umn.edu/home

also have a greater diversity of candidates to choose from, as challengers would have a more legitimate shot at winning.

Under a redistricting plan that promotes competitive districts, a greater number of Congressional seats would lie on terrain with a similar number of Democratic and Republican voters. Under a “highly competitive elections” plan drafted by data journalism website FiveThirtyEight, 242 of the U.S.’ 435 Congressional districts would be highly competitive — a monumental increase from the current 72.

Currently in Minnesota, two U.S. Congressional districts are usually Democratic, three are usually Republican, and three are highly competitive, according to FiveThirtyEight.

Under the revised plan, there would be only one Democratic and one Republican district in Minnesota — Districts 5 and 7, respectively — while six of the state’s eight districts would be highly competitive.

With this change, representatives would be more likely to prioritize their constituents and the marginalized communities they represent, not other special interests weighing on their decisions.

If we really want to make Congress more democratic, one of the key things we should push for is using redistricting to make Congressional elections more competitive. And that’s something the North Star State has a unique shot at achieving in the next few years.

Lew Blank welcomes comments at lblank@mndaily.com.

SHARE YOUR VIEWS The Minnesota Daily welcomes letters and guest columns from readers. All letters must include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification. The Daily reserves the right to edit all letters for style, space, libel and grammar. Letters to the editor should be no more than 500 words in length. Guest columns should be approximately 350 words. The Daily reserves the right to print any submission as a letter or guest column. Submission does not guarantee publication.

letters@mndaily.com Fax: (612) 435-5865 Phone: (612) 435-1578 Letters and columns to the editor 2221 University Ave. SE Suite 450 Minneapolis, MN 55414 EDITORIALS & OPINIONS DEPARTMENT Editorials represent the voice of the Minnesota Daily as an institution and are prepared by the editorial board.

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2019

MN DAILY

HOROSCOPES

Today’s Birthday (7/10): Get physical for growing strength, health and endurance this year. Work together with focus and determination for mutual benefit. Personal growth this summer supports you and your partner through a change. Winter romance motivates a shift in your self-image. Deepen your loving partnership.

MNDAILY.COM

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Written by Nancy Black

Aries (3/21 - 4/19): Today is a 7 — Focus on the big picture regarding shared finances.

Actions and communications could get tangled.

Have patience. Education turns fantasy to reality.

Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is a 7 — Review the budget before spending. Unexpected expenses could throw your balance off. Tempers could be short. Forgiveness is divine.

Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is a 7 — Communications could misfire between you and your partner. Minimize arguments by keeping your side of the bargain.

Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is a 9 — Streamline your personal routines. Your attention is in demand. You can’t be two places at the same time. Stay in communication.

Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is an 8 — Misunderstandings with your work, labors or health require clarification. Patiently untangle things. Release your feelings with exercise.

Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is a 5 — Wait to see what develops. Focus on planning rather than action or words, which could fall flat. Consider details and consequences.

Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is a 7 — Relax and have fun with family. Postpone important decisions or conversations. Unexpected circumstances require consideration.

Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is a 7 — Sidestep a conflict of interests with a group effort. Don’t believe everything you hear.

Changing plans require adaptation.

Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is a 6 — Reconsider your home improvement plans. Cost overruns or delays could thwart your intentions. Avoid arguments and research more before committing.

Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is a 7 — Anticipate disagreement at work. Ignore criticism for now. Keep your head down, and get productive behind closed doors.

Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is an 8 — Connect and share. Let go of a preconception.

Misunderstandings arise easily; don’t jump to conclusions. Avoid provoking others.

Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is a 7 — Proceed with caution. Delay or discord could interrupt your investigation. Avoid gossip or provocation.

A confrontation could get awkward.

DR. DATE

Dr. Date,

Once upon a time, a girl and a boy were playing Fortnite together. Even though they were paired up randomly, they soon realized they worked great together and got along well. After a few games, they asked for the other’s phone number and fell in love. That’s a fairy tale, right?

You get the point. As a girl who plays video games that use microphones to communicate, I get a lot of comments/ harassment from the guys on my team.

He seemed different, and I was single, so I took the risk.

Since then, we’ve been texting back and forth almost constantly throughout the day and I’m getting some serious vibes.

We’re really starting to bond, and even have been sending pictures back and forth to make sure the other one was real. The best part is, we live in the same city!

I know all of this personal information about him and what he looks like, but the one thing he never shared is his name. Seriously, I’ve been calling him his gamertag in my head this entire time.

He knows mine, so I’m sure we’ve said our names before and I just forgot, but I can’t figure out how to address it without seeming insensitive or stupid. We have plans to meet up next weekend and I can’t just call him gamergod88 the whole time!

What do I do?

—Awkward IRL

Dear Awkward IRL,

Time to introduce my lovely readers to the world of internet stalking. You said he’s sent you pictures of himself.

Since you had never seen him before, there’s a good chance those weren’t onthe-fly selfies, but the best pictures of him available. People tend to make said pictures their profile picture on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Reverse image search every photo, along with googling his gamertag (a lot of people use the same username for everything). This has the added bonus of making sure those photos are actually him, and not some random Instagram model from Los Angeles.

Buuuuuut that’s a lot of work. You guys seem fairly close, so why don’t you just pass it off as a joke? Before you meet up (make sure to do that in a public place, by the way), tell him you plan on calling him either gamergod88 or his full, first-middlelast name throughout your time together.

Then, mention to him you don’t think you’ve heard his full name before and ask what it is. Even if he had given you his

name, it’s doubtful he said the whole thing, so it won’t come off as weird. Just don’t forget to google him after he tells you — ever seen the show Catfish?

—Dr. Date

Dr. Date,

My boyfriend and I met in a senior level class as sophomores last fall and bonded over feeling out of place — while everyone was looking for jobs after graduation, we were nervous over planning for next year’s classes. After being assigned as group partners for the year, we ended up making out instead of making the Google slides and the rest is history.

We’re already planning on moving in together as soon as we graduate, but until then, we see each other between classes pretty often.

Well, I thought it was “between classes” for both of us. But when I tried to send something to my boyfriend’s University email only to get a “this account is not active” response, I asked him what was up. He finally confessed to me that he was actually a senior in that sophomore class last year and was just trying to relate to me — he actually graduated this spring! Apparently, he was going to pretend to be at campus while actually working a full-time job, and was going to tell me in two years when “we” graduated.

I would have loved him just as much if he told me he was a senior in the first place, but now he’s broken my trust. I’m amazed and horrified by him — I have no clue what to do here. Help!

—The Secret Graduate

Dear The Secret Graduate,

Well, at least you found out now?

Imagine dating a college student for three years and finding out they’ve secretly been working at <Insert Company Here> this whole time…

But seriously, this SCREAMS red flag.

Yeah, the lie may have been cute if he revealed it within the first week — I might “awwww” if some bashful guy I was into told me he just wanted to get closer to me. Keeping up the lie for months (and planning on doing it for years) is downright sociopathic. If I were you, I’d ditch and find someone who is honest about major life issues, not a guy who would make up a fake life to keep dating someone.

—Dr. Date

Want advice from the love doctor? Email Dr. Date at drdate@mndaily.com

SUDOKU CROSSWORD

Last Issue’s Puzzle Solved Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9.

7/10/19

For strategies on how to solve sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk.

Last issue’s solution

© 2019 Michael Mepham. Distributed

by Tribune Media Services.

All rights reserved.

8

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

Higher education a focus in campaigns Tuition and student debt is at the center of top democrats policy solutions.

BY DYLAN ANDERSON danderson@mndaily.com

Debt and the cost of college are the focus of several Democratic presidential candidate’s campaigns ahead of the 2020 Democratic primary.

Policy statements range from offering student loan refinancing at lower interest rates to canceling all student debt. Some candidates have proposed no-cost community college, while others seek to make all public colleges tuition free.

The eventual democratic nominee will run against presumptive Republican nominee President Donald Trump, who has expressed a desire to realign education with workforce needs, encourage responsible loan borrowing and simplify student aid.

In a field of more than 20 Democratic candidates, four polled above 10 percent in a recent ABC News/ Washington Post poll asking who democratic-leaning registered voters would support in their state’s primary or caucus. The Minnesota Daily outlined parts of these candidates’ plans and asked students to share some of their thoughts.

Former Vice President Joe Biden – Delaware In the first Democratic debate last month, Biden, who polled at 30 percent, said he believes community college should be free and student debt payments should be frozen for those making less than $25,000 annually.

“We can’t put people in a position where they aren’t able to go on and move on,” Biden said. “We have to make continuing education available for everyone so that everyone can compete in the 21st Century.”

Incoming freshman

Ajanice Knox said while she likes the idea, she would like greater focus on students going beyond community college as well.

The current front-runner’s campaign website outlines a desire to expand partnerships between high schools and community and vocational schools, allowing students to graduate high school with more practical, job-focused credentials.

Sen. Bernie Sanders – Vermont Sanders, who polled at 19 percent, has been a leader in education reform proposals since his 2016 run for president, with other presidential candidates signing on to his bill promoting free public college.

“I believe that education is the future for this country,” Sanders said at the debate. “That is why I believe that we must make public colleges and universities tuition-free and eliminate student debt.”

His campaign says he will pass his College for All Act, which would provide $48 billion per year to eliminate tuition and fees at public post-secondary institutions.

Citing the current student debt burden approaching $1.6 trillion, Sanders said he will cancel all student debt, regardless of income, for 45 million Americans.

Fifth-year student and Sanders supporter Ryan Ellering has about $63,000 in debt currently and thinks canceling student loans would be “fantastic.”

“All of [the costs of college] build up really quickly, into very large debt. It’s scary,” Ellering said. “If that was something that he would be able to do, while I know it would raise taxes obviously, it would be a lot better.”

To reduce future debt burden, Sanders’ plan would expand Pell Grants to cover non-tuition related costs of college, such as housing and books. It requires institutions to cover any re-

MORGAN LA CASSE, DAILY

maining gap in obtaining a degree for low-income students, matching additional state money “dollar for dollar.”

Sanders’ plan is estimated to cost $2.2 trillion, which his campaign said is paid for with a Wall Street tax, placing taxes on stock, bond and derivative trades, raising $2.4 trillion over the next decade.

Sen. Kamala Harris – California While higher education focused policy has not been a central focus of her campaign, Harris, who polled at 13 percent, supports making community college free and wants to make four-year public college debt free, according to her campaign website.

“Students shouldn’t fear decades of debt just because

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they want to pursue an education,” Harris’ campaign website says. “As president, she’ll provide relief from crushing college debt today and ensure tomorrow’s students can attend college debt free.”

Harris supports refinancing student loans at lower interest rates and wants to make income-based repayment plans the norm, rather than an option borrowers can opt into.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren – Massachusetts Warren, who polled at 12 percent, has made higher education a pillar of her campaign, saying she will cancel student loan debt and make all two and four-year public colleges free.

“My family didn’t have the money for a college application, much less a

chance for me to go to college,” Warren said during the first democratic debate.

“But I got my chance … and it opened my life.”

Her plan cancels up to $50,000 in student loan debt for those with a household income below $100,000, with the amount canceled progressively decreasing as income increases, according to a Medium post outlining her plan. Cancellation would be automatic for most Americans and wouldn’t apply to those with household incomes above $250,000.

Incoming student Kate Juusola said she doesn’t support loan cancellation or free college. Juusola, who anticipates voting for Trump in 2020 said, while school is free in other countries, it is often harder to get into college.

“Paying for school makes

people take it more into their own hands,” she said. “I don’t think college should cost as much as it does, but I don’t think it should be free.”

Warren wants to curb future student debt problems by increasing investment and expanding who is eligible for Pell Grants.

The plan’s price tag is $1.25 trillion over a decade, $640 billion for loan cancellation alone but a 2 percent tax on households worth over $50 million and an additional 1 percent on those worth more than $1 billion would cover the cost, according to the post.

Third-year student Carrie Kistler, who favors Warren, said she would worry about the economic impact of canceling student loans, but thinks paying for it by taxing wealthy Americans isn’t a problem.