August 24, 2023 - MN Spokesman-Recorder

Former Minneapolis police chief reflects on 30-plus years of public service

By James L. Stroud, Jr.

Contributing Writer

“To Protect with Courage, To Serve with Compassion!”

–motto of the MPD

n 1989, former Minneapolis police chief Medaria Arradondo, affectionately referred to by his family and friends as “Rondo,” became a rookie Minneapolis police officer. In 2007, he and four other African American officers sued the MPD, alleging discrimination in promotions, pay and discipline. The lawsuit was settled by the city, and in 2012, Arradondo was promoted to head of Internal Affairs, the unit responsible for investigating officer misconduct.

Over the next few years, Arradondo gradually moved up the ranks to deputy chief of police. In 2017, Arradondo

made history when he became the first Black police officer to be named chief of the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD). It was a role he served in until he retired in January 2022, after 32 years in law enforcement.

Since then, he has remained largely out of public sight, save for his appointment earlier this year to the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners.

Arradondo’s biggest challenge came in 2020 with the murder of George Floyd by White police officer Derek Chauvin and the ensuing unrest in Minneapolis and protests around the world. Arradondo immediately fired the officers involved as well as Chauvin, but he became the public face in news conferences—along with Mayor Jacob Frey—and afterward, dur-

ing the Chauvin trial, of police brutality and racial injustice, and the need for police reform.

Recently, the Department of Justice released its findings, which covered the period un der former Chief Arradondo’s leadership. Among the trou bling findings was that “MPD officers stopped Black and Native American people six times more often than White people, and stopped collect ing racial data for the peo ple they stopped after May 25, 2020.”

With that as the backdrop, MSR recent ly spoke with former chief Arradondo (MA) about his career in law enforcement, working in the very community where he grew up. The interview took place over several days and included some very point

■ See ARRADONDO on page 5

Cobb family hires attorneys as they await results of investigation

Activists want to close the downtown HERC trash-burner

By H. Jiahong Pan Contributing Writer

here’s a possibility you’re breathing in the stuff you threw out in the trash yesterday. That’s because, if you live in Hennepin County, your trash is likely being burned in a nondescript building just northwest of Target Field.

That building, with its smokestacks, is the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center, or HERC, one of seven incinerators in Minnesota. It burns 365,000 tons of trash from Hennepin County residents and businesses annually, generating 350,000 pounds of steam per hour for heating downtown Minneapolis buildings. It also produces 720 megawatt-hours of electricity per day for Xcel Energy, enough to power an average of seven commercial or multifamily buildings in Minneapolis.

out the state, to be shut down.

Why was it built in the first place?

By H. Jiahong Pan

Contributing Writer

very time a person is killed by police in the state, the surviving family quickly goes into action. They usually denounce the police officers involved, hire an attorney, and threaten a lawsuit within days.

The family of Ricky Cobb II, who was shot and killed by Minnesota state trooper Ryan Londregan on July 31, has decided on a different approach. They want to give Londregan what he did not give Ricky Cobb II, says the family.

They plan to proceed with “deference, due process, and the opportunity for an investigation,” said attorney Bakari Sellers, one of three lawyers retained by the Cobb family ahead of a lawsuit against Londregan and potentially the state, depending on the outcome of the investigation.

“It’s hard to be angry and grieve at the same time,” added Sellers at a press confer-

ence held by the legal team for the family last Friday. “We want to change the process. But this family is grieving right now. This family ain’t gonna crucify the officer.”

trooper Brett Seide to step out of his vehicle to discuss a hold-for-questioning that was issued for a violation of an order for protection. Cobb II refused because he said he wanted to discuss the hold with his attorney. As he tried to drive away, Londregan shot Cobb II twice in the back.

Incinerators were once popular at a time when the state didn’t want to bury its trash, but some activists and legislators are calling for a change. Concerned about the facility’s effects on public health and the environment, they are calling for it, and similar facilities through-

As a solution to groundwater pollution caused by dumping and burying waste, the state passed legislation prioritizing the construction of incinerators in the 1980s. The law also required all Twin Cities metro area waste to be disposed of by incinerator by 1990.

Burning large amounts of trash, however, proved controversial. Hennepin County considered “processing” trash where Minneapolis houses its Solid Waste and Recycling facilities today. However, they abandoned that plan in 1984.

The county ultimately decided to build the HERC at the current site near Target Field. The site was being used as a Greyhound maintenance facility, and county officials thought that site was the best suited because few people lived there at the time.

Last Tuesday, the family of Cobb II announced they had retained Sellers, a former South Carolina state representative, along with civil rights attorney Harry Daniels of Atlanta, Ga., and Minneapolis defense attorney F. Clayton Tyler. This comes as Londregan’s attorney, who chided Gov. Tim Walz and the Hennepin County Attorney for meeting with the family, threatened the family’s attorneys with a defamation suit. Cobb II was killed on July 31 during a traffic stop on Interstate 94. He was asked by

The family’s legal team alleges breakdowns in procedure. They contend the order for protection, which usually lasts for 72 hours, had expired when Cobb II was pulled over.

“So not only are we talking about excessive use of force. We’re talking about an unlawful use of force,” said Daniels. Cobb II’s family continues to miss him. “Ricky was just a wonderful son to me. And he was heroic,” said his mother, Nyra Fields-Miller, as she read a letter she wrote to him the day he was killed.

“He wasn’t scared of anything and anybody. He had held his head up high every day. He worked every day. He loved

■ See COBB on page 5

At the time the HERC was being proposed, the county had no idea how polluting it would be until it was built and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) found toxic chemical waste, dioxins and furans already present in the air.

Still, Earth Protector, run by Northside resident Leslie Davis, tried to sue to block its construction, contending the MPCA withheld information about its effects before a permit was issued. However, they were unsuccessful because they were not able to post a $4.4 million bond to stop construction.

The HERC burned its first pieces of trash in October of 1989, emitting pollutants that

Ricky Cobb Sr. (r) embraces his son Rashad, twin brother of Ricky Cobb II, during the press conference.

Photos by H. Jiahong Pan

“With the Zero Waste Plan that the county is pushing through, which will divert 90 percent of what we’re seeing right here, that leads us to that conversation of what could then happen with this facility.”

Outside the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center

Environmental Engagement Coordinator Joseph Vital at the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center Photos by H Jiahong Pan

“It’s hard to be angry and grieve at the same time. We want to change the process.”

MPD Chief O’Hara with former chief Arradondo at George Floyd Square Photo by Chris Juhn

Metro Uber and Lyft drivers demand fair wages and treatment

By H. Jiahong Pan

Contributing Writer

For rideshare driver Marianna Brown of Woodbury, her job takes her everywhere. One time, she had a fare to drive someone from the Twin Cities to Iowa. “It pays $98 for over 150 miles. Gas to fill up your tank is $70. What’s left? You took your whole tank of gas to go [round trip]. And I drove back empty,” said Brown.

It’s situations like these that galvanized her to join a group of mostly East African rideshare drivers to demand better treatment from her clients—Uber and Lyft. “Slavery was abolished years ago,” said Brown. “Martin Luther King marched for us to avoid slavery. And Uber is putting us back to where we started. How can we survive if we cannot pay our bills?” asked Brown.

Getting fair treatment for rideshare drivers has been challenging. Although the state legislature passed a bill this past session requiring drivers on Uber and Lyft be paid a fixed minimum and have fair disciplinary standards, Gov. Walz vetoed the bill — the first time he has vetoed a single bill since being elected governor. Instead he convened a group to develop legislation for the next session.

On Thursday, the Minneapolis City Council passed by a 7-5 vote legislation similar to what was passed at the state level. Uber and Lyft contend that these changes could make their services more expensive and harm the people who use their service. But those very people who use rideshare services are tired of getting fleeced by rideshare companies and are eager to use the local transit agencies’ copycat rideshare services.

How rideshares became a fixture in the Twin Cities Rideshare companies started in San Francisco as a way to compete with taxis and limos. Over the last decade, the companies have provided an easier way for taxi drivers to get work without a taxi medallion, which can cost upwards of $250,000. Riders also liked the convenience of getting a ride at the push of a button rather than trying to flag someone down. Venture capital also made rideshare fares lower than that of taxis.

When Uber arrived in Minneapolis, they initially operated

without license and insurance.

Then-Councilmember Jacob Frey authored legislation to allow them to operate, which passed nearly unanimously in 2014.

“When Uber and Lyft came into this market, the taxi industry, which was thriving at the time, got into trouble with them until [Uber and Lyft] just finally wiped out that industry,” said Eid Ali, president of the Minnesota Uber-Lyft Drivers Association and himself a former taxi and

they drive as well as getting fair treatment. Drivers must be paid a minimum of $1.40 per mile and 51 cents per minute for every passenger they transport, with a $5 minimum fare. The fare structure is modeled after what is required in Seattle and New York City. An amendment introduced by Councilmember Andrea Jenkins and adopted by the council requires that drivers be paid more to transport someone in a wheelchair.

when the city has been at the forefront of ensuring mandatory sick and safe time and a higher minimum wage.

“Many of the provisions that [have become] policy are based off of actions that this body has led—for the minimum wage, for earned sick and safe time, the things that actually set the threshold for the state to move on this past legislative session,” said Wonsley.

As the ordinance awaits the

out a smartphone can call a dispatcher using a telephone. The fares are cheaper than Uber and Lyft, and those who don’t have credit cards can pay in cash by putting it in a farebox on the microtransit bus. Those who use microtransit may share it with another passenger, usually one other person. The drivers earn W-2 wages, and some of them are unionized.

their Southwest Prime app. The agency subsidizes up to $10 of the cost of the ride, with the riders making up the difference.

However, MVTA, which has already restricted how far in advance Connect bookings can be made as well as instituted a transfer policy last January, will make cuts to its regular service on September 5 to ensure they have enough “resources” to provide the service.

now rideshare driver. “So, most of the drivers who used to drive taxis now transitioned to Uber and Lyft.”

As of May, both Minneapolis and St. Paul have just under 20 licensed taxi vehicles and 35 licensed taxi drivers remaining. Both numbers pale in comparison to the thousands of vehicles and drivers the cities had a decade ago. Although many taxi drivers pivoted to driving on the Uber and Lyft platforms, taxi companies remain afloat thanks to business from local schools and health insurance companies by providing non-emergency medical transportation for those on Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare.

Despite the challenges of being a rideshare driver, many prefer it to driving a bus. “You have to get a special license to drive a bus or train. [It’s] too much work to drive a big bus. I’m over 60 years old. So, for me to do that, it wouldn’t be healthy,” said Brown. It’s why they’re fighting for fair wages and treatment.

The legislation

The legislation passed by the Minneapolis City Council last Thursday requires that drivers be paid a minimum for how long

The legislation also requires rideshare companies to outline procedures for which a driver is deactivated. A driver can be deactivated if convicted of a serious crime or any crime committed against a passenger. Companies must provide drivers five-day notice before deactivation, unless the drivers are found to have committed a “major infraction that endangers public safety.” Drivers will also have the right to appeal deactivation.

mayor’s signature or veto, Uber said they may have to restrict what services they offer to fall in line with the ordinance. “At a minimum, we would have to move to a premium-only product,” said Uber spokesperson Freddi Goldstein. Lyft, which has already pulled their Nice Ride bikes and scooters off Minneapolis streets, may stop serving the city entirely.

Council members have called Uber and Lyft’s bluff, saying they did not leave Seattle when the city implemented similar regulations. However, they concede that rideshare fares went up. Nonetheless, regardless of fare increases, riders, already frustrated with how expensive rideshare is, are excited about solutions local public transit agencies are developing as an alternative to rideshare.

A public solution to rideshare?

Five such programs exist in the Twin Cities. Metro Transit micro, which serves the northside, is one of them. Ridership on the service has steadily risen since it started in September, with over 6,000 rides completed in May of this year.

Denise Whittaker, who has not used micro, already likes the service because it is cheaper, yet operates much like Uber and Lyft.

“Especially in the wintertime, you never know [how much an Uber is going to cost]. One day it’s going to be $15. The next day it’s going to be $43,” said Whittaker, adding that she hasn’t used it yet because it doesn’t go to her children’s school, which is just outside of the micro zone.

Relief may come soon, as the Minnesota legislature passed a 0.75 percent sales tax for transit that goes into effect in October. This would allow Twin Cities transit agencies to expand microtransit.

Expanding microtransit could help J. Scott, a Burnsville resident who declined to provide his first name and works a shift at Amazon that starts at around 6:30 a.m. Though he lives near a bus stop and gets a free ride pass from his employer, he uses Uber to get to work, or at the very least to the bus he needs to get to work, depending on whether Uber has any drivers working on the platform early in the morning.

Mayor Frey wanted the ordinance delayed because the governor’s advisory committee may propose legislation that preempts local legislation. In a speech addressing the mayor’s points made last Thursday just ahead of the vote, Councilmember Robin Wonsley said they do not need to defer to the state

Perhaps to capitalize on the success of Uber and Lyft, transit agencies in the Twin Cities are testing something called microtransit. The service operates similar to Uber and Lyft, with those who want a ride simply using an app to hail one.

But microtransit has some major differences. Those with-

In the suburbs, both MVTA, which runs a similar program called Connect that serves Burnsville, Eagan, Savage, Apple Valley and Rosemount, and Southwest Transit, which runs a similar program called Prime that serves Eden Prairie, Chanhassen, Chaska and Victoria, are struggling to keep up with ridership demand, in part because they don’t have enough drivers and vehicles to provide the service.

Southwest Transit, whose drivers are unionized by Teamsters Local 120, is experimenting with getting users going to Shakopee and parts of Minnetonka, Edina, Richfield, Bloomington, Mall of America and the MSP airport to hail a Lyft ride from

A Day at George Floyd Square

By Travis Lee

Contributing Writer

Last week, I picked up a couple visiting from Atlanta, who wanted to visit 38th and Chicago Ave. South, now internationally recognized as George Floyd Square.

The car and foot traffic was light as we came across the first bronze fist erected on the site. We were able to park directly across from the former Cup Foods, recently rebranded as Unity Foods.

I began to take photos of the visiting couple in front of the famous George Floyd mural when a brother approached us and in-

troduced himself as Marquise, a real Southsider and co-founder of the MN Agape Movement.

When asked about the area he said soberly, “It has become re-

ally touristy. “It doesn’t seem to be benefiting or uplifting the community,” he continued. “I’m here all the time. I see people who were

born and raised in Minneapolis who were afraid to come to 38th and Chicago before the George Floyd murder. [Now they] run here with friends from

out of town to see what it looks like. It doesn’t seem like they care what happens to people in the community.”

As we continued to walk the four corners of the Square, music began to blast from the still-burned-out Speedway gas station across the street, now known as the “People’s Way.”

It was a deejay spinning records with a bright sound system playing to a small gathering of six people. He said his name

That’s because the first bus he can take to get to the Burnsville Transit Station, where he catches the last 495 of the morning that goes to Amazon, misses the connection by mere minutes. He can’t take MVTA Connect because it doesn’t start running until 6 a.m. “Five minutes makes a difference between the hundred dollars I pay just to go to work,” said Scott as he rode the 495 to work in February. “If the Connect bus ran at 5 a.m., or if there was an earlier bus on the 444, I would better utilize my [MetroPass].”

H. Jiahong Pan welcomes reader comments at hpan@spokesman-recorder.com.

was DJ EMOG, and it was his idea to provide “therapeutic Thursdays” and play music at George Floyd Square.

“I represent real hip hop, and hip hop takes care of its people. It’s not about talking. It’s about doing. I’m DJing to keep the spirit of peace and love,” said DJ EMOG.

As we listened to the music, I gazed at the area that is now George Floyd Square and began to wonder: How did all those millions of dollars collected by way of donations and settlements pass through this community and fail to make it a better place for the people who live there?

Travis Lee welcomes reader comments to tlee@spokesmanrecorder.com.

Marianna Brown embraces Councilmember Robin Wonsley after wage increases for Uber and Lyft drivers narrowly passes

Photos by H. Jiahong Pan

Uber and Lyft drivers inside Minneapolis City Council chamber during legislative deliberations

“When Uber and Lyft came into this market, the taxi industry, which was thriving at the time, got into trouble with them until Uber and Lyft just finally wiped out that industry.”

“It doesn’t seem to be benefiting or uplifting the community.”

(l-r) Janell, Maakwe, DJ EMOG, Maverick, Marquise Bowie, TM Israel Photo by Travis Lee

Point of View

As teen mental health crisis worsens, the shortage of providers becomes critical

By Steven Berkowitz

The hospital where I practice recently admitted a 14-year-old girl with posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, to our outpatient program. She was referred to us six months earlier, in October 2022, but at the time we were at capacity. Although we tried to refer her to several other hospitals, they too were full. During that six-month wait, she attempted suicide.

Unfortunately, this is an alltoo-common story for young people with mental health issues. A 2021 survey of 88 children’s hospitals reported that they admit, on average, four teens per day to inpatient programs. At many of these hospitals, more children await help, but there are simply not enough services or psychiatric beds for them.

So these children languish, sometimes for days or even a week, in hospital emergency departments. This is not a good place for a young person coping with grave mental health issues and perhaps considering suicide. Waiting at home is not a good option either – the family is often unable or unwilling to deal with a child who is distraught or violent.

I am a professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of Colorado, where I founded and direct the Stress, Trauma, Adversity Research and Treatment Center. For 30 years, my practice has focused on youth stress and trauma.

Over those years, I have noticed that these young patients have become more aggressive and suicidal. They are sicker when compared to years past. And the data backs up my observation: From 2007 through 2021, suicide rates among young people ages 10 to 24 increased by 62%. From 2014 to 2021, homicide rates rose by 60%. The situation is so grim that in October 2021, health care professionals declared a national emergency in child mental health.

Since then, the crisis has not abated; it’s only got-

ten worse. But there are not enough mental health professionals to meet the need.

The numbers behind the suffering

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reported in May 2023 that there is a drastic shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists across the U.S.

For every 100,000 children in the U.S. – with 1 in 5 of those children having a mental, emotional or behavioral disorder in a given year – there are only 14 child and adoles-

cent psychiatrists available to treat them, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. At least three times as many are needed.

There is also a significant shortage of child therapists –social workers, psychologists, licensed professional counselors – as well. This is particularly the case in rural areas across the country.

Studies show that young people in the U.S. are increasingly stressed and traumatized. The constant barrage of information via social media and the demand to participate in it is complex, and interactions can be harmful to a child’s mental health.

Young people deal with cyberbullying and endless exposure to social media content focused on body image.

But what children and adolescents see online is not the only problem. Much of life still happens offline, and a lot of it is not good. Millions of young people deal every day with alcoholic, drug-abusing or neglectful parents; peers who drink, vape and use drugs; violence at their schools or in their streets; and overwhelmed caregivers – whether parents or others – preoccupied with financial or other personal problems.

For an adolescent already struggling to make sense of the world, any one of these issues can be overwhelming.

Not enough time or money

The U.S. health care system does very little to support these children or their families.

This pattern begins at the moment of birth, and it is baked into the system.

Ideally, prospective parents or those who are pregnant would receive parenting classes that continue through the child’s developmental phases. That generally does not happen. Then, many new parents do not have nursing and maternal care visits or paid parental leave. And for those families struggling financially, there is not an adequate safety net.

Nor can some families afford mental health treatment to support their children’s needs. Many mental health providers don’t take insurance and instead opt for outof-pocket payments from patients. This is due to the low reimbursement rates from most insurers, which makes it very difficult to sustain a practice. Depending on the service, the cost could be anywhere from $100 to $600 per session.

To see providers that do take insurance, there are usually co-pays – typically between $20 to $50 a week. But it can often be challenging for the insured to find a suitable in-network provider to meet a child’s needs.

The payments add up, particularly when mental health treatment takes many months, and sometimes years, to have an effect. There is a reason why it takes so long. Unlike medical doctors, mental health professionals do not simply make a diagnosis and provide medication or surgery. Instead, for treatments to work and to change the outcome for young

people who are struggling, an ongoing – and lengthy – relationship between the therapist and the patient is needed.

Treating a child is significantly more difficult than treating an adult. That is, in part, because children are constantly developing and changing. But perhaps the most formidable challenges are the multiple entities a child therapist may have to work with: caregivers, the school system, the courts and child welfare agencies. What’s more, getting a diagnosis, treatment or both often involves working with multiple providers, such as a primary care doctor, individual therapist, family-focused therapist and psychiatrist.

In the institute where I work, the psychiatry department loses money on almost every patient we treat. If it weren’t for fundraising and fostering relationships with donors, the department could only provide care to a select few.

Possible solutions

Struggling children and teens in the U.S. need earlier interventions. Although schools are ideal places to teach social skills, they still do not offer enough activities to help young people develop resilience to cope with adversity.

Sometimes, young patients see primary care doctors who don’t have enough training in this area. Telephone hotline programs, which offer these doctors free consultations from mental health professionals to help assess problems in young patients, should be available throughout the U.S. But right now, only 19 states have such programs. One bright spot: The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which launched in July 2022, is available 24/7.

When a young person needs treatment, parents should prioritize finding a mental health provider right away. Asking the child’s primary doctor and school counselors for a reference is a good start. If the child is already on a waiting list, a parent or guardian should call the provider weekly to check in and make sure the child is not forgotten.

The process can be discouraging and daunting, but in our current environment, which provides limited support, that’s the way it is. And without a heavy lift from parents, the child remains at great risk.

Steven Berkowitz is a professor of psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Every day, millions of young people deal with alcoholic, drug-abusing or neglectful parents, peers who drink, vape and use drugs, and violence at their schools or in their streets. For an adolescent already struggling to make sense of the world, any one of these issues can be overwhelming.

Anxiety, depression and suicide among U.S. teens continue to increase.

Paolo Cordoni/iStock via Getty Images Plus

ARRADONDO

ed questions, to which former chief Arradondo gave some somewhat guarded answers.

MSR: Now that you are retired, tell me what comes to mind as you reflect on your 30-plus-years with the Minneapolis Police Department?

MA: Man, I would say, you know, the biggest thing was just the people. I am a product born and raised in the community. It was just a blessing and an honor to serve a city that has given me so much. It is the same community that I grew up in and went to Minneapolis public schools and I knew my neighbors.

MSR: Did you ever encounter any dangerous situations, like shootouts?

MA: I would have to say that in my 32 years I witnessed more good things than anything else. You know “we,” the big collective—meaning Minneapolitans—whether you are from the North Side or the South Side, you know we come together in times of need. And that is a part of our collective spirit. Whether you grew up knowing the Jenkins, the Thomas or Robinson family, that is who we are to our core. When I look back, I see all the good this city had.

COBB

Continued from page 1

his children. He wanted to provide for his children, you understand?”

“My son asked over and over, ‘How do I not hate the police?’” said one of Cobb’s sisters. “How do I tell him how not to?

But I’m going to because this is not a fight that my son should have to deal with in the future.”

The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) investigation is ongoing, and although activists have demanded the investigation be handled by an agency outside the state, the family and their counsel want to defer to the BCA’s conclusion. And if they don’t get what they want?

“We’re going to ask the De -

MSR: What are those things you regret that you were unable to accomplish during your tenure as MPD chief?

MA: Every leader knows that you are always dealing with a finite [time] period. You know, I used to always say that my two biggest challenges as chief were timing and communications. Timing, meaning that people on the inside of the organization say, “You know Rondo, you are moving too fast.” And for the people on the outside, they were saying, “Rondo, you are moving too slow.” So you only have a finite period.

MSR: Given that you had a finite time period, how long were you chief?

MA: From 2017 to 2022. And so, yes there is always going to be something at the end of the day that you did not complete, that project that you wish you would have been able to finish. But you stay focused. You stay committed. You stay determined, and you do the best that you can.

You also try to make sure you surround yourself with people who you know you can hand off the baton. You also must realize that the work is never going to be complete in your term. It is always evolving and it’s always growing.

MSR: Okay, I’ll ask you this way. What if everyone from the mayor, fellow officers, and the police union agreed to give full support for anything you wanted to do just before you

they are dealing.

I have often said that the greatest gift our young people can give police departments is the benefit of the doubt. Just enough of a relationship with

mulative experience and historical trauma, even generationally. I also think that because of being a child and a product of Minneapolis, that helped me to listen better and build alli-

about this moment?” Things are moving in real time, and you have a responsibility to manage the safety of the city. No leader gets to choose a crisis. But you do get to pick how you manage it.

MSR: Why did you decide to walk away from your role as police chief? Did it have anything to do with the George Floyd murder?

MA: Just for clarity, George Floyd was murdered May 25, 2020, and my official last day was January 15, 2022. So obviously, it was a year and a half later. It was just time to move on after 32 years. I’m a firm believer that we should always have fresh new ideas.

MSR: Do you think police reform within the MPD is possible?

Continued from page 1

Continued from page 1 concentrated over downtown Minneapolis. It cost $181 million to build, about $439 million in today’s dollars.

How does HERC work?

The cavernous facility, which is accessed from a parking ramp next to Metro Transit’s Target Field light rail station, runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days per year, save for a twoweek period in the spring and fall, when it powers down for maintenance.

In 2022, the city of Minneapolis sent approximately 79,800 tons of trash to the HERC for burning, down from just over 82,000 tons in 2019. The balance comes from haulers who collect from elsewhere in Hennepin County, as well as from buildings that house businesses, nonprofits, or five or more apartments. Though the county says 75 percent of the trash burned at the HERC comes from Minneapolis, activists say most of the waste comes from suburban communities. The MSR was unable to verify that with Hennepin County, as a public-records request remains pending.

retired. What would it be?

MA: I’m all about hope. I’m all about doing what I can to instill hope. If I had the total support for all invested stakeholders, it would be to create tables for young people in our community. So that we could build ongoing relationships, specifically with the police department. These tables would involve listening, meaning the adults. Yep, asking young people for creative solutions to the issues with which

a connection to them, such that even when terrible things happen, or even when challenging things happen, they will at least pause to give you the benefit of the doubt, to resolve this, because they learned to count on us.

MSR: As Minneapolis’ first Black police chief, what was it like to be caught between an angry Black community and a police department that became a symbol of racism and police brutality with the murder of George Floyd?

MA: For me growing up in this community, I had a particularly good understanding of years of grievances and trauma that our Black community has experienced. So, I do not believe there is one thing. It has been historical. So, in that sense, I had a particularly good understanding of the cumulative experiences.

ances to navigate the best that I could, in terms of a public safety standpoint, to get us to a place of dialogue and healing.

MSR: Do you feel that the murder of George Floyd will define your history as the MPD police chief?

MA: Absolutely, I believe transformational change can occur, but I think it will have its greatest success when it is a collaborative relationship between both police and community. We serve the people.

MSR: What have you been doing since retirement from the MPD?

Ricky Cobb’s

partment of Justice that [is] already here [to investigate the Minneapolis Police Department] to take a look at Ricky Cobb’s case, because incompetency in law enforcement actions is not an excuse at all,” said Daniels.

Trucks dump the trash in a wide-open cavern inside the incinerator. Some of the trash is recyclable, like paper, cardboard boxes, and plastic bottles. Other pieces of trash aren’t, such as plastic wrap. A metal claw grabs the trash and dumps it into a sheath. Magnets collect any metal in the trash for recycling. Whatever isn’t collected by magnets is immolated, as the smell of burning trash wafts throughout.

As the trash burns, it emits heavy metals, dioxins, and volatile organic compounds along with steam. The county says they neutralize flue gasses, which are fossil fuels emitted from burning, by running it through a scrubber in a boiler. They also say they neutralize the mercury and some dioxins with activated carbon, and trap everything else with fiberglass and teflon-coated bags. The bags, which have a useful life of three years, are themselves burned up once they outlive their usefulness.

To prove the incinerator’s effectiveness on a tour of the facility, Hennepin County Energy and Environment Engineer Mark Zaban asked visitors to take a sniff test outside.

“What you’re seeing [from the smokestacks] is water vapor. If we didn’t have pollution con-

“Let justice prevail, so I can lay my son peacefully to rest,” said the victim’s father, Ricky Cobb Sr.

H. Jiahong Pan welcomes reader comments at hpan@ spokesman-recorder.com.

These are issues and concerns that I was not just privy to or started to work on in 2017, when I became chief. There are things and stories that I experienced as a kid growing up in Minneapolis, even as an officer working towards how we best resolve those things.

For me, any anger was not [directed at] me. [It was] just one flashpoint. It was this cu-

2030; the county currently diverts 39 percent of its waste from the HERC. Forty percent of the waste that is incinerated could be recycled in some way.

“What’s big to us is the amount of waste that is generated. That’s culturally part of the capitalist system we live in,” said Vital. “With the Zero Waste Plan that the county is pushing through, which will divert 90 percent of what we’re seeing right here, that leads us to that conversation of what could then happen with this facility.”

Renewed interest in shutting the burner down

MA: I think that history and time will determine how I am defined in law enforcement, for 32 years and as chief for five of those years.

MSR: How do you think your MPD career will be judged?

MA: That is something I have no control over. When you are doing the job, you don’t have the time or luxury to take an extended pause to ask, “How will I be judged

air-quality alert. “She said, ‘The air quality is unhealthy for everybody,’ and I was like, ‘Really?’ In general, over North I smell stuff burning all the time. I couldn’t tell the difference,” said Booker. She was among dozens of activists who testified last Tuesday at a Hennepin County Board meeting about the HERC’s closure.

MA: I’m honored and proud to be a part of Minneapolis Public Housing Authority Board). MPHA and its residents are near and dear to me. As a young officer, I worked with the MPHA enforcement team. During that time, we were trying to deal with problems caused when the crack cocaine epidemic hit hard. There were issues where people were taking advantage of the residents of public housing and making it difficult for families to live there. I’m doing some work again with the MPHA board now, and it is very rewarding.

I am also a part of The Fentanyl Free Coalition in Minneapolis. It is a group of individuals focused on saving lives. We are trying to bring educational awareness and prevention, regarding the heavy toll that fentanyl overdose deaths have caused in our communities.

James L. Stroud, Jr welcomes reader comments at jstroud@ spokesman-recorder.com.

emissions, and they say we’re the [top] producer of emissions in the county. You can take [nitrogen oxide], or you can take [particulate matter] 2.5 or any of these elements that are bad for your health. And we are at about one percent of those emissions. [HERC] is very much safer than a bonfire.”

trol devices, [the HERC] would smell like a burning house, burning tires out here, and that would be black smoke coming out,” said Zaban.

“All of this is perfectly safe,” adds Hennepin County Environmental Engagement Coordinator Joseph Vital, saying that the county sometimes does a bad job of explaining things to the public. During the tour, county staff acknowledged the low waste diversion numbers and its efforts to do better.

The state set a goal of 75 percent waste diversion by

The movement to shut down HERC has gained momentum in recent years. The Minnesota Environmental Justice Table has built a diverse coalition of health, environmental, and blue-collar professionals calling for the HERC to be shut down. The push for a shutdown is in part because of the health effects, but also because of climate change, which is causing more frequent poor air-quality days.

Stephani Booker, a Northside resident and community editor for the MSR from 2002 to 2013, received a call from her mother to stay inside earlier this year after a citywide

The county wants to shut down HERC but has not committed to a date. Activists want it shut down by 2025, the year the county’s contract with Great River Energy to operate the plant expires. Activists expressed urgency at a rally last Tuesday over the burning of trash containing substances commonly known as PFAS, which resist grease, oil, water and heat.

Matt Clark, manager of engineering projects at Great River Energy, thinks activists are being disingenuous because they can’t link bad air quality over North to HERC, and shutting it down wouldn’t make much of a difference.

“We are a permitted facility,” said Clark in a phone call a day after he tried unsuccessfully to testify at a Hennepin County Board meeting during an open forum. “What the Environmental Justice Table does is they take those

Clark added that nobody knows how to manage PFAS, because nobody knows how much PFAS is entering the waste stream, though there are experiments underway in breaking down PFAS.

Meanwhile, in February, the legislature passed a law requiring the state to generate 100 percent clean and renewable energy by 2040 and did not include incinerators as a source of renewable energy.

For some like Marco Fields, a Northside resident, the closure of HERC can’t come soon enough. “I have a stake in getting this shut down. I have two little kids growing up. I love to ride my bike. I have friends who come here to ride their bikes. They’re breathing in all this smut. It’s gotta go,” said Fields.

twin brother Rashad being comforted by his mother (l), and attorney Bakari Sellers (r)

Marco Fields testifies at August board meeting about the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center.

“I think that history and time will determine how I am defined in law enforcement, for 32 years and as chief for five of those years.”

Arradondo when he was named MPD chief in 2017 MGN

By Gino Terrell Contributing Writer

This December will mark NEOO Partners Inc.’s five-year anniversary, something the founders—D’Angelos Svenkeson and Denetrick Powers—could not have envisioned when they first started. The name, NEOO, is a derivative of Ananeoo, which is an ancient Greek word meaning “to renew” (in the mind).

“For us,” co-founder, Denetrick Powers explains, “its meaning is related to inward reformation or transformation, which is reflected in how we choose to approach the work we do in community.”

Cities had been duped into entering contracts that took advantage of them with commercial lease rentals.

As a result, he and his partner launched NEOO Partners to help combat deceptive real estate practices. Since then, they have expanded their clientele to include nonprofits, government agencies, and community engagement for development projects.

In addition to commercial real estate and planning, the team of 23 at NEOO Partners takes on transit planning projects as well, connecting other BIPOC contractors and consultants to clients, which in turn creates more jobs. The partner-

development in Duluth, as well as the Victoria Theater Arts Center and the Neighborhood House projects in St. Paul. When the COVID-19 pan-

firm would go on to bounce back and be stronger than ever by the end of 2021. While it may seem like the toughest obstacles are behind them, the prospect that the Twin Cities, like much of the nation, could be headed towards a recession looms large.

This year, however, the company’s work was recognized. Recently, the Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA) named Svenkeson “Entrepreneur of the Year.” The announcement was “shocking,” Svenkeson said.

said. The plan centered around his football journey and how that ultimately led him to develop the discipline and habits that have helped him succeed.

Svenkeson credits his uncle for teaching him how to train his body and mind to reach his goals. He remembers his uncle saying, “Honor the process,” which has become something of a mantra for his approach to his business.

grade school. It’s a position he is honored to be in. Along with leadership, Svenkeson has had mentorship roles as part of the African American Leadership Forum and with the youth at his church.

The creative commercial real estate development and urban planning firm was started in 2018. At the time, Svenkeson noticed that a number of small Black businesses in the Twin

ship’s list of clients and projects includes Ramsey County, Minneapolis’ Upper Harbor Redevelopment project, a downtown redevelopment project in Brooklyn Center, a golf course

demic hit in 2020, NEOO Partners, like many small businesses, faced tremendous adversity. That year they lost 90 percent of their projected income, he said. However, the

by September 15th

call 612-396-5336

“I didn’t have a strong relationship with them. It wasn’t like a friend that was giving me the award,” Svenkeson said. “It’s a testament to the people on the team and me working in the community.”

With NEOO Partners expanding their clientele, Svenkeson is projecting that in the next three to five years they could be in a position to do more than just help clients. He’d like to begin taking steps to create and implement their own solutions to further benefit the community at large. To do so requires leadership and perseverance.

Svenkeson’s leadership skills and work ethic are qualities that he developed as part of growing up in St. Paul’s Rondo and Frogtown neighborhoods. While part of his childhood includes fond memories spending time at the neighborhood Martin Luther King Recreation Center and learning life-lessons from family members, there was also a video game that taught him something valuable. It was Sim City, a city-building simulation video game.

“It taught me that everything is interconnected,” Svenkeson said. The popular video game showed him that there are always tradeoffs, and that decisions have consequences. Logistics such as where to build a business is important as it plays a role in whether it’s easy for employees to commute to the workplace.

“I transitioned from thinking of a business as separate to thinking of a business as an organism [that’s part of an ecosystem], to a biologic approach,” Svenkeson said. Adapting to that way of thinking is why he changed his major in college. He initially studied real estate at St. Cloud State University and later made a change and enrolled in the school’s planning program.

“The real estate program didn’t answer the ‘why’ when it came to addressing policies in the Black and Brown community,” Svenkeson said. Earning a scholarship to play football at St. Cloud State University was also part of his plan, and he saw his hard work pay off.

“My uncle Carl Brown came up with a plan for me when I was 13 years old,” Svenkeson

Svenkeson followed through with the plan and landed scholarship offers to play college football, ultimately choosing St. Cloud State University. He would later earn his master’s in urban and regional planning at Jackson State University, a historically Black university (HBCU), where he was only a two-hour drive from extended family living in Greenville, Mississippi. His familiarity with the surrounding community, in part, led to opening NEOO Deep South in Jackson, Mississippi, in the spring of 2021.

“An opportunity presented itself to work with an outstanding local entrepreneur who had purchased a significant amount of land near downtown Jackson

“I’m a believer in, ‘You can’t just take,’” he said. “You have to pour that knowledge into someone—find someone you can mentor.” Of his own mentors in life, he acknowledges that he wouldn’t be where he is today without them.

“I can make a spreadsheet of over 30 people,” Svenkeson said, referring to people who had a positive influence on him.

“There are six transformational people who have shaped my life.” He notes that his uncle Carl Brown is one, along with his first cousin Antonio Brown Jr., who he credits for steering him away from his “knucklehead” stage and taught him about working hard to benefit others.

His pastor, AZ Jones Jr., served as a father figure to him.

“He helped to shape the way I view the world, view my ability to make an impact, and to be a holistic and well-rounded man of God,” Svenkeson said. He also credits his success to his strong relationship with his wife and two kids, as well as his physical and emotional health, his finances, and, of course, his firm.

and was planning to bring some transformational programs and opportunities related to technology to the local community,” explained co-founder and NEOO’s Director of Planning and Engagement Denetrick Powers. “Our work in the Deep South continues in recognizing that there are predominantly BIPOC communities around the South that also have aspirations for transforming their communities and could benefit from the services we provide.”

Svenkeson has taken this business model and passion for community development and is making an impact in the leadership of the firm, something he doesn’t take lightly.

“It’s a dynamic thing. Being a leader of a team is different than leading a project for a client. All in all, it takes a set of skills,” he said. “The journey of leadership is the biggest challenge.”

He recalls consistently being a leader, whether by volunteering or being chosen, in some capacity since he was in

“It’s holistic. You can’t have just the wealth. It starts with family,” he said.

His advice to those who may want to follow in his footsteps: “Don’t follow in my footsteps. You have to be wise enough to understand your calling is different. Don’t follow anyone. Follow your calling and that will lead you to where you need to go,” Svenkeson said.

While Svenkeson has already shown he can handle adversity head on, he approaches every day the same since he co-founded NEOO Partners Inc. “Tomorrow is not promised. Take it one day at a time.”

NEOO Partners has two locations: NEOO Midwest at 370 Wabasha Street North, Saint Paul, MN, and NEOO Deep South at 133 Commerce Park Dr., in Jackson, MS. For more information, contact them at 651-237-2033, or visit www. neoopartners.com.

Gino Terrell welcomes reader comments at gterrell@spokesman-recorder.com.

(l-r) Antonio Brown Jr., D’Angelos Svenkeson, Pastor AZ Jones Jr Photos by Chris Juhn

His advice to those who may want to follow in his footsteps: “Don’t follow in my footsteps.”

Arts & Culture

‘The Conversations Project’ offers food for thought

By Charles Hallman

Contributing Writer

“The Conversations Project,” a limited unscripted series, premiered on Hulu in August. Every 30-minute episode features prominent cultural figures ranging from athletes to entertainers to astronauts, sitting and talking around a dinner table over food prepared by David Lawrence, a top Black chef.

vineyards and wineries. We did a walk-and-talk in the vineyards. We also did an interview in a tasting room while doing a wine-tasting,” recalled Spears.

Spears said Andscape liked the idea, a program with Black folks talking to Black folks on a wide range of topics. “I feel like a lot of the stuff we see on TV now, it’s like brothers selling drugs, brothers shooting each other, talking crazy on TV…. But we’re so much deeper than that.

“Our dinners are so deep that I think if we can capture that on television, it’d be amazing,” continued Spears. “I want people to feel like

“The Conversations” is divided into three parts—a happy hour—with the guests sampling wines produced by Black vintners, an appetizer segment, and dinner.

Explained Spears, “The happy hour was like an icebreaker. We had dinner for like an hour and a half. God bless these editors trying to squeeze all this stuff in 28 minutes. Not every subject is comfortable for every person, which is fine. You can have a whole conversation. You don’t have to dominate the conversation.

“We have an extra episode…where we sit back” and discuss the previous episodes, added

Spears when asked if there were outtakes that will be included.

Spears takes pride in the fact that nearly the entire production team consisted predominantly of individuals who were both Black and female: “That was cool,” he said. “We filmed it in Long Island [New York]. I thought the set was beautiful, basically two rooms.

“There was a kitchen where you see Chef [Lawrence]. But I think the strength of the circle, a circular table, the cameras above, so when you’re at a table everybody can see each other.”

Spears pointed out the importance of Black journalists seeing his series, so that they will help spread the word about “The Project.” “I’m hoping that you guys push it…do an interview. The more the word gets out, maybe it catches fire. If people don’t know it exists and it doesn’t [get] watched, there won’t be a season two,” said Spears.

Lawrence, Elaine Welteroth, and Marc Spears serve as facilitators in each episode. An episode was screened August 5, at the annual NABJ convention in Birmingham.

ESPN’s Michael Eaves and Spears did a post-screening Q&A for Black journalists. Spears is a veteran Black sports journalist and Andscape’s senior NBA writer who recently received the 2023 Curt Gowdy Media Award for print media excellence at this year’s Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony. He spoke to the MSR.

“It was cool, like every episode [had] a little hidden gem,” noted Spears, an executive producer of the “Project,” which he and Lawrence conceived.

“Our original idea was to bring athletes to

when they watch it, ‘Like dang, I wish I was in that conversation with them.’ Hopefully, they continue the conversation after the show.”

He told the MSR after the screening, “I think it’s smart. Shows everybody in a positive light. It’s iron sharpens iron. I think it’s different than most. I just hope we support it.

“I think people need to see Black people in a positive light. I know that I wear many hats. I was a producer. I was an editor. I was heavily involved in a lot of different aspects of this. Now I’m trying to do the marketing.”

“The Conversations Project” can be streamed on Hulu. For more info, go to bit. ly/TheConversationsProjectHulu.

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.

New Nina Simone release, upcoming shows and more

tar); Jon Batiste (piano); Carlos Henriquez (bass), and Ali Jackson (drums).

tion has appointed such a position, and I’m extremely excited and honored to become part of the MIT family,” said Zenon.

By Robin James Contributing Writer

It’s a new dawn. It’s a new day. Nina Simone fans can now rejoice—a previously unreleased recording of the iconic artist’s set at the Newport Jazz Festival in July 1966 is out and available. Verve Records and Ume just issued “You’ve Got to Learn,” a sixsong set that includes a different version of Simone’s protest anthem “Mississippi Goddam.”

Other songs include “You’ve Got to Learn,” “I Loves You, Porgy,” and “Be My Husband,” among others. For this live album she plays piano but is also accompanied by bass, guitar, and drums.

Simone scholar Shana L. Redmond writes in the liner notes, “These are love songs and each captured something of the careful combination of intimacy and immediacy on stage for which Simone was known.”

Simone, who died in 2003, recorded almost 40 albums from 1958 through 1973, with such beloved songs as “Feeling Good,” “I Put a Spell on You,” and “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.”

Other releases and happenings

On August 4, 2023, on what would have been Louis Armstrong’s 122nd birthday, Blue Engine Records released “Wynton Marsalis Plays Louis Armstrong’s Hot Fives and Sevens.”

Featuring an A-list ensemble led by Jazz at Lincoln Center Managing and Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis, the performance takes place at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater in 2006. Marsalis played Armstrong’s Hot Five and Sevens and reimagines the magical music made by Armstrong’s seminal ensembles.

The line-up includes longtime Marsalis collaborators Wycliffe Gordon (tuba, trombone, bass, vocals); Vincent Gardner (trombone); Victor Goines (clarinet); Walter Blanding (saxophones); “Papa” Don Vappie (banjo, gui-

Recorded in the 1920s, Armstrong’s Hot Fives and Sevens sides are well known as some of the greatest and most influential jazz sessions ever recorded. Marsalis reimagines classics from those sessions like “Heebie Jeebies,” “St. James Infirmary,” and “Basin Street Blues” for a new generation of listeners.

As the press release states,

Tenor saxophonist Arnett Cobb, born August 10, 1918 in Houston, TX, was known as the “Wild Man of the Tenor Sax” because of his uninhibited stomping style. My favorite album featuring Cobb is “Blow Arnett, Blow.” The album is by saxophonists Cobb and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis and was recorded in 1959 for the Prestige label.

from the Underworld” was released. His album, “In the Spirit of Ntu” was released in 2022. He draws from the church and spiritual traditions of his homeland, John Coltrane and McCoy Tyner. He’ll play the Dakota on August 30.

Jazz saxophone titan

Charles Lloyd and his quartet with pianist Gerald Clayton, bassist Reuben Rogers, and drummer Kendrick Scott performs at the Dakota on August 31. Lloyd shows no signs of slowing down at the age of 85. Whether he’s playing the tenor saxophone or the flute, his mu-

sic is always otherworldly and a joy to experience.

For more information and tickets, visit www.dakotacooks.com.

Robin James welcomes reader comments at jamesonjazz@ spokesman-recorder.com.

“There are perhaps no better interpreters of Armstrong’s legacy than Marsalis and his fellow musicians; and through transposing the timeless music of the 1920s to the 21st century, these expert players deliver technically flawless performances and prove Marsalis’ assertion that all eras of jazz are integrated.”

Saxophonist, bandleader and composer Ron Blake’s upcoming October release entitled “Mistaken Identity” features Bobby Broom, Reuben Rogers, Nat Reeves and Kobie Watkins. The first single is available to stream everywhere now.

Alto saxophonist Miguel Zenon is hitting the road along with pianist Luis Perdomo later this month to promote their upcoming album “El Arte del Bolera, Vol 2.”

Recently, Zenon was happy to officially announce that this fall he’ll be joining the Music Faculty at MIT as an assistant professor of jazz. “This is the first time this amazing institu-

Born on August 9, 1942 in Chicago, IL, drummer Jack DeJohnette, who has played with Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Charles Lloyd and Keith Jarrett, just turned 81 years old. He’s well known as one of the greatest drummers in modern jazz.

Here’s something to look forward to—the highly anticipated Wayne Shorter documentary “Zero Gravity” drops on Shorter’s birthday, August 25, on Prime Video. He passed March 2, 2023.

Dakota shows Upcoming gigs at the Dakota include two big names in jazz now—Blue Note Records pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, and his Blue Note label mate Charles Lloyd, who returns to the Dakota with his quartet.

Makhathini is a South African jazz musician from Umgungundlovu, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. In April 2020 his studio album “Modes of Communication: Letters

“Our dinners are so deep that I think if we can capture that on television, it’d be amazing.”

Marc Spears

Photo by Charles Hallman

Passing of a Racial Justice Champion: Charles Ogletree

By Marian Wright Edelman

“Tree had everyone’s backs; he saw the potential in everyone and sought to nurture it.”

So said Tomiko Brown-Nagin, dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard and professor of constitutional law at Harvard Law School, one of Harvard Law School Professor Charles Ogletree’s many colleagues, admirers, and friends.

Bridging the Nation’s Digital Divide for the Next Generation

By Rev. Dr. R. B. Holmes

The nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have a rich and storied history dating back to 1837, when the Cheyney University of Pennsylvania was established as the first HBCU.

Today, there are 107 HBCUs— institutions that have graduated 50 percent of Black lawyers, 40 percent of Black engineers, 40 percent of Black Congressmembers—and, of course, the first female vice president of the United States. Yet, they comprise a mere three percent of American colleges and universities. Despite their celebrated history and societal contributions, HBCUs have been underfunded for decades, leaving them without the resources that non-HBCUs possess, including crucially important highspeed internet infrastructure.

An astounding 82 percent of HBCUs are in so-called broadband deserts, regions that lack fast and reliable internet access. This impacts students’ ability to complete assignments properly and in a timely fashion, take care of everyday needs, and continue to develop important digital skills.

The need for HBCUs to be on equal digital footing has become even more critical as many experts are expecting an influx of students in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision barring the use of race as a factor in college admissions.

Morehouse College, for example, anticipates a 50 to 100 percent increase in applications by 2026.

It’s important for Black col-

lege students to have a grasp of digital skills even before they set foot on an HBCU campus, but the “digital divide” is likely to have already set them back. Nationwide, only 65 percent of Hispanics and 71 percent of Blacks have internet service of any kind in their homes, compared to 80 percent of Whites. The “digital divide” for Black Americans is equally pronounced in urban and rural areas. Urban Whites are more than twice as likely to have high speed internet than urban Blacks. In the rural South, the same split is 77 percent to 62 percent.

home state in Florida where an estimated 508,000 Blacks and 641,000 Hispanics lack access to high-speed internet.

The federal Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program will distribute $42.5 billion to states—including a forecasted $2.3 billion for Florida— to promote high-speed internet access through a variety of measures. In addition to improving broadband infrastructure, the funding—which is expected to be distributed in 2024 or 2025— will be put toward making highspeed internet more affordable and easier to access where the infrastructure already exists.

Lawmakers in Tallahassee and state capitals elsewhere will be coming under pressure from an assortment of constituencies seeking portions of the federal BEAD funding. But it is imperative that state leaders in Florida and elsewhere ensure that BEAD funds are deployed in broadband deserts, particularly those where too many HBCUs are located.

Charles Ogletree, who died August 4, was one of our nation’s preeminent legal scholars and a lifelong champion for racial and social justice. Many of his friends have noted “Tree” was an appropriate nickname for a man who felt like a giant, standing tall and steadfast and protecting and nurturing others around him.

This always included his students, especially the Black students who attended the beloved “Saturday School” enrichment sessions he led at Harvard Law School. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were both among his brilliant mentees.

As President Obama remembered: “Eventually, Saturday School became so popular that students of every background began showing up to hear Charles explain things in a way they could understand. It was an example of the kind of person Charles has always been: unfailingly helpful, and driven by a genuine concern for others.”

This concern extended far beyond his own circles. I am especially grateful for his legacy as a steadfast champion of nurturing all children’s potential and embracing proven child development strategies before children, especially poor children of color, ended up in the criminal justice system.

He grew up poor himself as the child and grandchild of farm workers in Merced, California,

the oldest of seven siblings and the first in his family to graduate from high school. His parents separated when he was young, and he moved between family members’ households often. But he loved to read, finding freedom and escape in piles of library books read by flashlight.

As a self-identified “Brown baby” who benefited from the doors opened by Brown v. Board of Education, he understood the impact access to education made in his own life. “To me, it is the key that turns things in the right direction. Educating every child makes an enormous amount of difference.”

Stanford, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and then at Harvard Law School before beginning his long and storied career. Just as he’d been a role model for his younger siblings, he became one for countless others.

Throughout it all he used his talents to help make sure other young people could also receive fair access to education and opportunity. He testified before Congress, wrote, and spoke often on the need for juvenile justice reform and positive interventions for at-risk children.

He moderated a Children’s Defense Fund conference panel around the shared mission of ending the Cradle to Prison Pipeline crisis. As he said in one interview: “It’s one thing to talk about trying to change the way we look at children. It’s another thing to give it some teeth so that it makes a big difference…

When a high school guidance counselor first suggested he apply to Stanford University, two hours from home, he had not yet heard of it. But he took the counselor’s advice and was accepted with a scholarship. He would later remember that on his way to start his freshman year he thought he had a flat tire and actually turned around and went home, but was surprised by what happened next.

“When I got back to my house, my brothers and my sister had moved my bed out completely. I said, ‘What’s going on here?!’ and they said, ‘You’re the first to go from high school to college and we want you to succeed.’ I had no choice.”

He turned back around, and he did indeed succeed, first at

“If we do this, if we really embrace this…, we will save a generation of children from what others have experienced in the past, and we will create a generation of smart, healthy, excited, energetic, competent, and resourceful young leaders for tomorrow.”

Charles Ogletree had a clear vision for how our nation could be better and more just for everyone, and he spent his life fighting for that vision and teaching others the tools they needed to join him. He often quoted one of his favorite gospel songs:

“I don’t feel no ways tired, I’ve come too far from where I started from. Nobody told me that the road would be easy, I don’t believe He brought me this far to leave me.”

Marian

Wright Edelman is founder and president emerita of the Children’s Defense Fund.

The need for high-speed internet access will only continue to grow in coming years. Studies already show a correlation between broadband access and household income, and experts suggest that bridging the digital divide will promote social mobility and economic equality. As the economy continues to modernize, the need for digital skills will only increase.

State lawmakers around the country have an opportunity to build that bridge, including in my

That would ensure more Americans have a bright economic future and the next generation is prepared to compete in the digital economy.

If my home state is any measure, it is vitally important for state leaders to take action at a time when many do not share in some of the nation’s economic success. In Florida, for example, the state is making positive economic progress, but U.S. Census data shows that Black Floridians’ household income in 2022 was 30 percent less than the household income of White Floridians and fell far short of the national average.

More than 20 percent of Black Floridians live under the poverty line, compared to just 13 percent of all Floridians and 14 percent of all Americans. Black Floridians are also more likely to be unemployed, with the Black unemployment rate in the state sitting at nearly four percent compared to just 2.6 percent overall.

State leaders across the U.S. have a sudden federal windfall to confront an inequity—the digital divide—that is deepening social and economic challenges like those we see in Florida. They must move now to quickly deliver these resources to the communities that need them most —those that have been excluded too long.

Having Our Say Against Carbon Pollution

By Ben Jealous

More than one million Americans told the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week that they aren’t willing to wait any longer.

Their comments insisting that EPA move forward quickly to cut carbon pollution from new and existing coal and natural gasburning power plants were delivered in person in Washington by a coalition of a dozen national environment, environmental justice, and public health groups. It reportedly is the most public response to a proposed environmental rule since President Biden took office.

Their impatience is understandable. Power plants are the second largest source of climatedamaging greenhouse gasses in the United States after cars, trucks and planes. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported nearly six months ago that at the current global pace, by 2030 we will blow through the threshold for carbon pollution that will keep the planet livable.

submissions@spokesman-recorder.com

Rev. Dr. R. B. Holmes, Jr., is the pastor of the historic Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, located in the heart of downtown Tallahassee, Florida. He is also president of the Tallahassee Chapter of the National Action Network and the

Unless we act fast and significantly, we are the allegorical frog in slowly warming water, except we are turning up the heat on ourselves. In just three months since EPA proposed the tougher carbon regulations, we’ve experienced wildfires across North America, flooding across the northeastern U.S., and in July the single hottest month in recorded human history. These are the predictable consequences of

manmade climate change, and unless we act with urgency, they only will get worse.

President Biden promised to reduce U.S. carbon pollution by half by 2030. We won’t reach that without even more ambitious rules than EPA has proposed, including more demand for community outreach by state regulators around pollution from existing plants.

Not surprisingly, the groups representing electric utilities offered their typical knee-jerk responses to higher standards to curb pollution—too much, too fast, too risky. It sounded a lot like the complaints nearly a decade ago when the Obama administration unveiled its Clean Power Plan, and plants have met those targets since.

It begs the question of why an industry that reportedly saw $14 billion in profits last year, carried out $11 billion in stock buybacks, and asked for 14 percent more rate increases from consumers compared to 2021 isn’t doing more to create the technology it needs to keep from slowly baking the planet. And why it’s building enough new natural gasburning plants to power 12.8 million households.

Those plants could still be open in 2050 when even power companies say they’ll be at net zero carbon pollution and as the cost of producing electricity through renewable sources is slipping below the cost for generating it burning fossil fuels.

The timing of their objections to the new EPA rules is ironic.

We’re also marking the oneyear anniversary of the historic package that the President and Congress crafted directing more than $350 billion in federal support to clean energy and good jobs.

Back then, the Edison Electric Institute, which represents the nation’s private power companies, said the tax credits and incentives included would “deliver a clean energy future and a carbon-free economy faster.” The package would put the U.S. “at the forefront of global efforts to drive down carbon emissions’’ and provide “much-needed certainty to America’s electric companies over the next decade.”

The same companies have gone from applause to hand wringing in 12 months.

When it comes to what must be done now to avert unrecoverable damage to the climate, ignorance isn’t bliss—it’s an impending catastrophe. President Biden through EPA must face up to a grave obligation by seizing every opportunity to make good on his 2030 pledge.

The word protection in EPA’s name refers to people and the planet, not polluters. That must start now with stringent standards ensured by rigorous monitoring and enforcement mechanisms and reinforced by meaningful community voices in the conversation.

It’s important for Black college students to have a grasp of digital skills even before they set foot on an HBCU campus, but the “digital divide” is likely to have already set them back.

“It’s one thing to talk about trying to change the way we look at children. It’s another thing to give it some teeth so that it makes a big difference.”

Ben Jealous is executive director of the Sierra Club, the nation’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization.

Summer Guide

The MSR’s guide to summer festivals, concerts, and activities for foodies, stargazers, art and music lovers, and outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy from August 24 to the end of summer.

Black Entreprenuer State Fair

August 20-27

Midtown Global Market – 920 East Lake Street, Minneapolis

Four years since its inception, the Black Entreprenuer State Fair returns empowering BIPOC businesses by offering products and services, health and economic information, providing resources, as well as cultural entertainment and activities throughout the week-long schedule of events. For more information, visit www.blackstatefair.org.

Chaka Khan and Boyz II Men

Black Liberation: Dismantling of Racism in Minnesota, 1800s to 1960s

Now through December 31

Tues. through Fri., from 1 to 5 p.m., and Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. MAAHMG – 1256 Penn Ave. No. (4th floor), Minneapolis

Curated by Tina Burnside, with researcher Simiyah Garrison and graphic design by Michaela Spielberger, the exhibit is an exploration of the Black Liberation Movement in Minnesota. Focusing on Black-led organizations and Black leaders including abolitionists, labor, civil rights and Black Power leaders, “Black Liberation” reflects the fight for Black self-determination in Minnesota during the 19th and 20th centuries. Admission is free and free parking is available in the ramp at the rear of the building. For more info, visit www.maahmg.org.

The Bond Between Us

Now through Spring 2024

Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hennepin History Museum – 2303 Third Ave. So., Minneapolis

In “The Bond Between Us,” local artist Daren Hill reflects on the past through an exploration of three generations of photographers. This exhibit will feature a large collection of images of Minnesota’s Black community as well as new original digital artwork by Hill that honors his family and celebrates their bond. The museum’s admission policy is “pay as you can.” For more info, visit hennepinhistory.org.

August 27 – 7 p.m.

Minnesota State Fair Grandstand – 1265 Snelling Avenue, Falcon Heights

One of the world’s most gifted and celebrated music icons, Chaka Khan is a 10-time Grammy Award-winner who has the rare ability to sing in many musical genres, including R&B, pop, rock, gospel, country, world and classical. She will be performing in concert with Boyz II Men, a group that redefined popular R&B. The trio holds the distinction of being the best-selling R&B group of all time, with an astounding 64 million albums sold, and has penned and performed such celebrated classics as “End of the Road,” and “Motownphilly.” For more info, visit www.mnstatefair.org.

14th Annual Southside Back in the Day

Saturday, September 2 – 11 a.m.- 7 p.m.

Phelps Park, 701 E. 39th St., Minneapolis

Southside Back in the Day returns on Saturday, Labor Day weekend. With the theme of “A Community in Pursuit of Healing, Peace, Love & Happiness,” this year’s fest offers food vendors, healthcare resources, old school classics spun by DJ Kimuel Hailey, boxing demonstrations by Circle of Discipline, double-dutch sessions with Pros of the Rope, and more! The event is free and for all ages. For more info, visit Facebook/SouthSide Back In The Day.

Selby Avenue JazzFest

Saturday, September 9 – 11 a.m.- 7:30 p.m. 934 Selby Ave., St. Paul

Selby Ave JazzFest returns to the intersection of Selby and Milton Avenues in St. Paul’s Summit-University neighborhood with another sizzling yet smooth lineup. The headliner for this year’s festival is Grammy-nominated artist Najee, along with Pippi and Daniel Music, Urban Legends of Jazz, Walker West Music Academy, and the Selby Avenue Brass Band. For more information, visit www.selbyavejazzfest.com.

Extended Summer Events

Night Life: Nocturnal Worlds in African Art

Now through September 10

Minneapolis Institute of Art, Gallery 255

2400 3rd Ave. So., Minneapolis

“Night Life” presents 20 artworks from across Africa that address how nighttime is perceived and experienced in the past, and in some cases the present. Wooden masks, head rests, and figures support contact—through dreams—with spiritual companions. With the sounds of African nightlife in the background, these artworks speak to the richness and vitality of life after the sun goes down. Admission is free. For more info, visit new.artsmia.org.

Twin Tracks

Ongoing – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wed. and Sat.

Minnesota Transportation Museum

193 Pennsylvania Ave. E.

Visit this moving exhibit, which highlights the careers, lives, stories and legacies of Minnesota’s African American railway workers in the early 20th century. For more info, visit transportationmuseum.org.

Minnesota Streetcar Museum

Tuesday, August 29, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, September 10, from 10 a.m. to noon

501 MN-7, Excelsior, MN

All Aboard! The Minnesota Streetcar Museum is offering rides on a streetcar that once ran in Minneapolis and St. Paul before the 1950s through a forest between Bde Maka Ska and Bdé Umáŋ (formerly Lake Harriet). The museum rolled out two new programs in recent years, both of which center around their quintessential streetcar rides. One is focused on neurodiverse people, their family and friends; and the other provides an opportunity to ride streetcars at night. Fares for both events are $3; an unlimited ride pass for the event period is $7. Transfers from Metro Transit or other transit providers are not accepted. For more info, visit trolleyride.org/special-events/como-harriet.

Public Star Parties at the Baylor Regional Park Observatory

Baylor Observatory, 10775 County Road 33, Norwood Young America 2nd and 4th Saturdays through the end of October, from 7 to 10 p.m.

View stars, galaxies, nebulas, planets, and other celestial wonders up close with one of their big telescopes! Star parties happen regardless of the weather; volunteers will give tours of their telescopes if the sky is cloudy. Those eager for a deeper dive into our universe may want to consider participating in the Minnesota Astronomical Society’s Camping with the Stars. For more info, visit www.mnastro.org.

Rethinking I-94

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) will host several community engagement meetings in the upcoming weeks to get feedback on plans for the I-94 highway. There will be two virtual one-hour public meetings to discuss highway alternatives, answer questions, and provide information on submitting feedback or asking additional questions. The virtual presentation portion will be recorded and made available after the meetings.ng I-94 community meetings will take place on the following dates, times and locations:

VIRTUAL MEETINGS

Wednesday, Aug. 23 12 to 1 p.m.

6 to 7 p.m.

IN-PERSON MEETINGS

Thursday, Aug. 24

7:30 to 9:30 a.m.

11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

6 to 7 p.m.

Elliot Park Recreation Center, 1000 E. 14th St., Minneapolis

Thursday, Sept. 14

7:30 to 9:30 a.m.

8/20/2023 Central

11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

6 to 7:30 p.m.

Rondo Community Library, 461 Dale St. N.,

Looking back at the Spokesman-Recorder

To register for virtual meetings and for more information about I-94 alternatives, go to talk.dot.state.mn.us/ rethinking-i94.

Ad Network program by running classified section of your newspaHowever, the decision is ultimately up to slightly in size to fit your column sizes. MNA at 800/279-2979. Thank you.

The Minnesota Display Ad Network

Founder and publisher Cecil E. Newman (with shovel) and community members at the groundbreaking for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder building on May 15, 1958 MSR File photo

s part of our celebration leading up to the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder’s 90 years of continuous publication, over the next several months the MSR will be republishing notable stories from our extensive archives of weekly issues, chronicling the history of African Americans in Minnesota. That

history began when the founder, Cecil E. Newman, published two weekly newspapers—the Minneapolis Spokesman and the St. Paul Recorder—on August 10, 1934. Although the separate weeklies had similar content, it wasn’t until 2000, that the two papers merged, becoming the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

Many of our readers will recognize friends, family, and neighbors from the distant and not-so-distant past. In the year leading up to the anniversary in 2024, we invite readers to share their memories of the Spokesman-Recorder, as we mark milestones in the newspaper and Minnesota’s Black history.

Employment & Legals

Sr Cloud Software Engr Manager: Medtronic, Inc.

Req. Bach. degree or foreign equiv. in Comp. Sci., Software Eng., or related tech. or eng. field and 7 yrs of progressive postbach. exp. as a cloud software engr. &/or software eng. mngr or related occupation. Must possess at min.5 yrs’ exp. with each of the following: Cloud software eng. mgmt.; Cloud-native, microservice-based and software architectures; AWS Serverless tech., AWS DevOps, AWS Kinesis or similar streaming tech., AWS Lambda, DynamoDB, Containers, Spark, & Storm; NoSQL tech. incl. graph, document & key-value data storage; Agile software dev. methodologies, quality standards & metrics; Medical software dev. Lifecycle; AWS Redshift, Snowflake, PowerBI, or Tableau; & Java, Web API, JavaScript, Angular, ReactJS, and Python. Position open to telecommuting from anywhere in U.S. Apply at https://jobs.medtronic.com/, Req. #23000BIR. No agencies or phone calls. Medtronic is an equal opportunity employer committed to cultural diversity in the workplace. All individuals are encouraged to apply.

Snr Software Engineer.

STATE OF MINNESOTA CASE TYPE: PERSONAL INJURY DISTRICT COURT COUNTY OF WASHINGTON TENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT FILE NUMBER:82-CV-23-3049 THE HONORABLE RICHARD C. ILKKA Vantha Pos, SUMMONS Plaintiff, vs Angela Lynn Campbell, Defendant.

THIS SUMMONS IS DIRECTED the above-named Defendant:

1. YOU ARE BEING SUED. The Plaintiffs have started a lawsuit against you. The Plaintiffs’ Complaint against you is attached to this Summons. Do not throw these papers away. They are official papers that affect your rights. You must respond to this lawsuit even though it may not yet be filed with the Court and there may be no court file number on this Summons.

From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

Junior Telamir, Respondent

PHONE: 612-827-4021

THE STATE OF MINNESOTA THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPONDENT:

WARNING: Your spouse has filed lawsuit against you for dissolution of your marriage. copy of the paperwork regarding the lawsuit is served on you with this summons. This summons is an official document from the court that affects your rights. Read this summons carefully. If you do not understand it, contact an attorney for legal advice

Please proof, respond with email confirmation to ads@spokesman-recorder.com

FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS

Please Note: New email address for all future ads is ads@spokesman-recorder.com

1. The Petitioner (your spouse) has filed lawsuit against you asking for dissolution of your marriage (divorce). copy of the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage is attached to this Summons. There should also be a copy of the Petitioner’s Financial Affidavit attached.

The

2. YOU MUST REPLY WITHIN 20 DAYS TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS. You must give or mail to the person who signed this summons a written response called an Answer within 20 days of the date on which you received this Summons. You must send a copy of your Answer to the person who signed this summons located at: Brantingham Law Office 2200 E. Franklin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55404

3. YOU MUST RESPOND TO EACH CLAIM. The Answer is your written response to the Plaintiffs’ Complaint. In your Answer you must state whether you agree or disagree with each paragraph of the Complaint. If you believe the Plaintiffs should not be given everything asked for in the Complaint, you must say so in your Answer.

4. YOU WILL LOSE YOUR CASE IF YOU DO NOT SEND A WRITTEN RESPONSE TO THE COMPLAINT TO THE PERSON WHO SIGNED THIS SUMMONS. If you do not Answer within 20 days, you will lose this case.You will not get to tell your side of the story, and the Court may decide against you and award the Plaintiffs everything asked for in the Complaint. If you do not want to contest the claims stated in the Complaint, you do not need to respond. A default judgment can then be entered against you for the relief requested in the Complaint.

5. LEGAL ASSISTANCE. You may wish to get legal help from a lawyer. If you do not have a lawyer, the Court Administrator may have information about places where you can get legal assistance. Even if you cannot get legal help, you must still provide a written Answer to protect your rights or you may lose the case.

6. ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION. The parties may agree to or be ordered to participate in an alternative dispute resolution process under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. You must still send your written response to the Complaint even if you expect to use alternative means of resolving this dispute.

Dated: June 1, 2023

BRANTINGHAM LAW OFFICE Jeremy L. Brantingham, MN #0299558 2200 E. Franklin Ave. Suite 202 Minneapolis, MN 55404 (612) 339-9700

ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder August 10,17,24, 2023

Store Operations Manager:

Doof & Knird, Minneapolis, MN.

PLEASE CONTACT ACCOUNTING DEPT @ BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.COM

2. You must serve upon Petitioner and file with the Court written Answer to the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage and your Financial Affidavit. You must pay the required filing fee. Answer forms and the Financial Affidavit form are available from the Court Administrator’s office. You must serve your Answer and Financial Affidavit upon Petitioner within thirty (30) days of the date you were served with this Summons, not counting the day of service. If you do not serve and file your Answer and Financial Affidavit the Court may give your spouse everything he or she is asking for in the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage

SUMMONS FLAT RATE: $110 X 3 WEEK RUN

3. This proceeding does not involve real property.

TOTAL: $320 PREPAID

NOTICE OF TEMPORARY RESTRAINING PROVISIONS

Under Minnesota law, service of this summons makes the following requirements ap-ply to both parties to the action, unless they are modified by the court or the proceeding is dismissed:

(l) Neither party may dispose of any assets except (a) for the necessities of life or for the necessary generation of income or preservation of assets, (b) by an agreement of the parties in writing, or (c) for retaining counsel to carry on or to contest this proceeding.

Please proof, respond with email confirmation to ads@spokesman-recorder.com

(2) Neither party may harass the other party.

(3) All currently available insurance coverage must be maintained and continue without change in coverage or beneficiary designation.

The MSR handles billing digitally. This means you will get e-tears and e-mailed invoices unless you specifically request a hard copy.

(4) Parties to a marriage dissolution proceeding are encouraged to attempt alternative dispute resolution pursuant to Minnesota law. Alternative dispute resolution includes mediation, arbitration and other processes as set forth in the district court rules. You may contact the court administrator about resources in your area. If you cannot pay for mediation or alternative dispute resolution, in some counties, assistance may be available to you through a nonprofit provider or a court program. If you are a victim of domestic abuse or threats as defined in Minnesota Statutes, Chapter518B, you are not required to try mediation and you will not be penalized by the court in later proceedings.

IF YOU VIOLATE ANY OF THESE PROVISIONS, YOU WILL BE SUBJECT TO SANCTIONS BY THE COURT.

NOTICE OF PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Under Minnesota Statutes, Section 518.157, in a contested proceeding involving custody or parenting time of a minor child, the pa1iies must begin paiiicipation in a parent education program that meets minimum standards promulgated by the Minnesota Supreme Court within 30 days after the first filing with the court. 1n some Districts, parenting education may be required in all custody or parenting proceedings. You may contact the District Court Administrator for additional infom1ation regarding this requirement and the availability of parent education programs.

Signature:

Dated: 7/14/2023

ads to run ONE TIME, the week beginning 8/20/2023

Req. Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, economics, or related field, and 2 yrs. as an operations analyst or similar retail operation experience in the food and beverage industry. Must possess at minimum 2 years of experience with each of the following: Statistical methodology, data analysis and modeling; Data fitting; Financial analysis; Cost of goods analysis; Analytical reasoning; Interpreting data from financial systems; Clustering Analyses Pricing strategy analysis; Project Management. Must travel within metro area. Option to work from home but must live within same MSA. For confidential consideration, please submit résumé to Chatimmn@gmail.com or 321 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis MN 55414. No agencies or phone calls please.

From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

PHONE: 612-827-4021

FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS

PLEASE CONTACT ACCOUNTING DEPT

2023

Central

BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER.

From Classified Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder PHONE: 612-827-4021

FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS

75F, Bloomington, MN seeks Snr Software Engineer for machine learning algorithm development and associated frameworks; data modeling and integrating predictive analytics and statistical computing into cloud solutions; in Java, Python and unit-testing frameworks (Spock, Mocha, etc.) agile software delivery, related processes, and agile software testing. Candidate must have Ability to implement Pythonbased machine learning algorithms in Keras and TensorFlow, and develop applications on industry-adopted platforms such as Azure Machine Learning; leverage supervised learning techniques to design custom predictive models (regression or classification) based on business requirements; plan, develop, implement and troubleshoot end-to-end predictive pipelines to generate actionable insights; design, train and validate timeseries forecasting models; operationalize ML models through validation and deployment, and implement methodologies to track and improve accuracy; implement well-architected, performant supporting architectures and applications. Master’s degree or academic equivalent in Computer Science or related field. 9-5 40 hours per week. Send resume to talent@75f.io

PLEASE CONTACT ACCOUNTING DEPT @ BILLING@SPOKEMAN-RECORDER.COM

SUMMONS

FLAT FEE: $320

Please proof, respond with email confirmation to display@spokesman-recorder.com

The MSR handles billing digitally.

Assist Office Manager St. Cloud, MN Dental Clinic seeks Assist Office Manager to directly supervise the Dental Assistants, Dental Clinic Administrative support personnel. Will also partner with the supervisor of the front desk team and billing teams to ensure smooth clinic flow for patients and staff. Reporting office progress to senior management and working with them to improve office operations and procedures. BA or BS required. Send resume to: todaysdentalmn@gmail.com

This means you will get e-tears and e-mailed invoices unless you specifically request a hard copy.

Principal Mobile Architect: Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN.

Req. Bachelor’s or foreign equiv. in Computer Science, Software Engr., Electronics Engr., or related engr. field & 5 ys progressive post-baccalaureate exp. as a software engr. or related occupation in Mobile devt. & testing. Must possess min. 5 yrs exp. w/ each: MVC, MVVM, Singleton, Factory, & Observer design patterns; Bluetooth & Bluetooth LE protocols & standards for medical devices, & BLE performance characterization; storage of data using mobile database & persistence framework; Webservice using Rest API framework for iOS, Android, & medical devices apps; data encryption/decryption & securing BLE communication; creating reusable & customized components; & Continuous integration best practices for iOS, Android apps & medical devices. Multiple positions available. *Open to telecommuting from anywhere in U.S. Apply at https://jobs. medtronic.com/, Req. #23000BIU. No agencies or phone calls. Medtronic is an equal opportunity employer committed to cultural diversity in the workplace. All individuals are encouraged to apply.

INVITATION TO BID

A/1 Contract No. 24-069

Sealed bids will be received by the Public Housing Agency of the City of Saint Paul at 200 East Arch Street St. Paul, Minnesota 55130 for ELEVATOR MODERNIZATION AT EDGERTON HI-RISE, 1000 EDGERTON (Contract No. 24-069), until 2:00 PM, Local Time, on September 14, 2023 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud via the Zoom App. Bids must be submitted electronically, in a pdf format, to Northstar Imaging, www. northstarplanroom.com

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held in conjunction with a tour of the building on August 29, 2023 at 10:00 A.M. at the Edgerton Hi Rise Community Room , 1000 Edgerton , St. Paul, MN. Immediately following the conference there will be a Pre-Bid Tour of the building. All questions arising from this pre-bid conference will be addressed by addendum, if necessary.

A complete set of bid documents are available by contacting Northstar Imaging at 651-686-0477 or www.northstarplanroom.com , under public plan room, ELEVATOR MODERNIZATION AT EDGERTON HI-RISE. Digital downloads are no charge, contact Northstar for hard copy pricing.

Bids must be accompanied by a 5% bid guarantee, non-collusive affidavit, EEO form and Minnesota Responsible Contractor Compliance Affidavit. The successful bidder will be required to furnish both a performance bond and a separate payment bond.

The PHA reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to waive any informalities in the bidding

Employment & Legals

STATE OF MINNESOTA IN DISTRICT COURT COUNTY OF HENNEPIN FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Case Type: Condemnation COURT FILE NO. 27-CV-23-11901

State of Minnesota, by its Commissioner of Transportation, Petitioner, vs. Crossroads Professional Center Association, Respondents. IN THE MATTER OF THE CONDEMNATION OF CERTAIN LANDS FOR TRUNK HIGHWAY PURPOSES NOTICE

To the Respondents hereinabove named:

You, and each of you, are hereby notified that on November 8, 2023, at 1:15 p.m., or as soon thereafter as counsel can be heard, before Judge Bridget Sullivan, in the Courthouse at Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, via remote hearing, the Petitioner will present a Petition now on file herein for the condemnation of certain lands for trunk highway purposes. This hearing will not be in person at the Courthouse. The remote hearing may be accessed by video at https://Zoomgov.com/ join, or by phone at 833-568-8864. For either method, the Meeting ID is 161 598 8965 and the Meeting Password is 740012. A copy of the Petition is attached hereto and incorporated herein.

YOU, AND EACH OF YOU, ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED, that Petitioner will also move the court for an order transferring title and possession to Petitioner of the parcels described in the Petition in accordance with Minn. Stat. §117.042, as of December 13, 2023.

YOU, AND EACH OF YOU, ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED, that all persons occupying the property described in the petition must VACATE THE AREA BEING ACQUIRED AND MOVE ALL OF YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY FROM THE AREA BEING ACQUIRED ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 13, 2023. All advertising signs or devices located in the area being acquired must be removed by December 13, 2023.

YOU, AND EACH OF YOU, ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED, that (1) a party wishing to challenge the public use or public purpose, necessity, or authority for a taking must appear at the court hearing and state the objection or must appeal within 60 days of a court order; and (2) a court order approving the public use or public purpose, necessity, and authority for the taking is final unless an appeal is brought within 60 days after service of the order on the party.

Dated: August 7, 2023

KEITH ELISON Attorney General State of Minnesota

s/Mathew Ferche For JEFFERY THOMPSON Assistant Attorney

LLC, Novad Management Consulting LLC, Kenneth L. Clarin Jr., May Ann Hummel, Kelly Clarin, Dawn Mattie, Thomas Emmons, Best Buy Co., Inc., also all other persons unknown claiming any right, title, estate, interest or lien in the real estate described in the Petition herein,, Respondents. - - - -IN THE MATTER OF THE CONDEMNATION OF CERTAIN LANDS FOR TRUNK HIGHWAY PURPOSES

To the District Court above named the State of Minnesota brings this Petition and respectfully states and alleges:

controlled access highways, and further, to acquire a temporary easement in those cases which are herein particularly mentioned.

With reference to Parcel 215E, there appears a mortgage executed by Patricia A. Clarin and Kenneth L. Clarin Sr., husband and wife, Hennepin County, Minnesota, as mortgagors, to the United States of America, acting through the United States Department Housing and Urban Development, mortgagee, and filed in the office of the County Recorder in Hennepin County, Minnesota, as follows:

Dated Date Filed Document No. April 4, 2005 April 4, 2005 T4097464

It is the intention of the above-named Petitioner to move the court for an order authorizing the Court Administrator to accept and deposit payments, in an interestbearing account, from the Petitioner to the court pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 117.042.

Further, it is the intention of the above-named Petitioner to move the court for an order transferring title and possession of the parcels herein described, prior to the filing of an award by the court appointed commissioners, pursuant to Minn. Stat. §117.042.

Further, it is the intention of the above-named Petitioner to move the court for an order requiring the parties to exchange any appraisals at least 14 days prior to a commissioners’ hearing, pursuant to Minn. Stat. 117.036.

The Petitioner reserves its right to recover costs of clean up and testing and all other damages arising from the presence of pollutants, contaminants, or hazardous materials on the property described herein, from all potential responsible parties, including respondents herein where appropriate, in a separate legal action to the extent permitted by law.

III.

That the following described lands in these proceedings taken are situated in Hennepin County, Minnesota; that the names of all persons appearing of record or known to your Petitioner to be the owners of said lands or interested therein, including all whom your Petitioner has been able by investigation and inquiry to discover, together with the nature of the ownership of each, as nearly as can be ascertained, are as follows:

FEE ACQUISITION Parcel 438 C.S. 2782 (35W=394) 913 S.P. 2785-424RW

All of the following:

That part of the Common Element of COMMON INTEREST COMMUNITY NO. 1610, CROSSROADS PROFESSIONAL CENTER, shown as Parcel 438 on Minnesota Department of Transportation Right of Way Plat Numbered 27-243 as the same is on file and of record in the office of

a point distant 7 feet northerly (measured at a right angle) of a point on said south line, distant 144.56 feet westerly of said southeast corner; thence westerly parallel with said south line for 1015.80 feet; thence northwesterly to a point distant 48 feet northerly (measured at a right angle) of a point on said south line, distant 168 feet easterly of the southwest corner thereof; thence westerly parallel with said south line for 53 feet; thence southerly at a right angle for 48 feet to the south line of said Tract A and there terminating; containing 17,174 square feet, more or less.

Names of parties interested in the above-described land and nature of interest: Best Buy Co., Inc. Fee

County of Hennepin Taxes and Special Assessments

WHEREFORE, Your Petitioner prays that commissioners be appointed to appraise the damages which may be occasioned by such taking, and that such proceedings may be had herein as are provided by law.

Dated: July 25, 2023

KEITH ELLISON

Attorney General State of Minnesota

s/Jeffery S. Thompson

JEFFERY S. THOMPSON

Assistant

fee simple absolute, together with the following rights: to acquire all trees, shrubs, grass and herbage within the right of way herein to be taken, and to keep and have the exclusive control of the same, to acquire from the owners whose lands front thereon any existing right of access to said highway in those cases which are herein particularly mentioned, and to keep and have the exclusive control of all access to said highway in accordance with the law governing

SOE

Continued from page 14

passing and timely rebounding were invaluable. And whenever a bucket or two was needed, she contributed as a veteran post player.

She did the job and earned her first and only WNBA ring with Minnesota in 2013. She played the following season before announcing that her back pain was such that she could not play in the 2015 season. But McCarville did return and played her final season in 2016, and then retired.

McCarville’s other honors included 2007 Most Improved Player and 2010 EuroLeague champion where she competed for several overseas clubs. Getting named to the Lynx All-25 team is a no-brainer. McCarville was a fan favorite and a hard worker. Only her back problems kept her from doing more.

“It is just about the memories,” she told us. “The players I was with and the friendships, you can take that forever.

“Just like a championship,” the always upbeat McCarville continued, “no one can take that away from you. I only got one of those. But I know I have memories of the players I was with on that championship. Memories that will last a lifetime.”

A tough competitor on the court, McCarville’s bonecrunching midcourt picks to free up her guards in college are legendary. The retired player was also a free spirit off the court and at times could drive her coaches nuts.

While in New York, McCarville decided not to report to training camp and the league suspended her for the entire 2011 season, which left a sour taste with Liberty fans’ for her remaining time on the team. The Liberty fans didn’t appreciate it when McCarville announced in 2012, that she again was taking the summer off to spend time with her family.

Not surprisingly, when it was announced earlier this year that McCarville was a varsity girls coach, some eyes rolled. Many forgot that she had coached youngsters overseas a few years ago in Sweden and enjoyed it.

Now McCarville is beginning her first year as head coach of the girls varsity team at Stevens Point (Wis.) Area Senior High School, her alma mater. She graduated in 2001. She moved back home and coached the school’s junior varsity team in 2022.

“I think it will be a great fit,” said McCarville after working a scheduled youth basketball clinic during the team’s 25year celebration weekend in June. “It’s the school I went to, so it’s full circle.”

We shared another laugh when asked if her team knows what a player she was. “No,” replied McCarville. “They Googled me on the first day they met me. They were in diapers when I was doing what I was doing.”

Next: The dynasty years

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments at challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

COOK

Continued from page 14

the 2022 Big Ten Player of the Year and two-time All-American and first team AllBig Ten, leads the top players returning for 2023. The 6’5” outside hitter is one of four Black players on this fall’s roster.

Phoebe Awoleye, a first team allleague player at Loyola Marymount last season, is a senior transfer at middle blocker. She and freshman Calissa Minatee, also a middle blocker, are among six newcomers on the Gophers this season.

The 6’2” Awoleye plans to major in management information systems at Minnesota. “What I want to do,” she told the MSR, “I want to work in sports in the future. What better way to get into sports, to play for a school like this and represent a school like this.”

“I want my journey to Minnesota to improve me holistically,” admitted the 6’1” Minatee, who graduated early from

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with me in my office and talked to me,” recalled Nolen. “He’s always been a mentor of mine.”

This summer, Nolen ran camps at a local Northside park, seeming to borrow a page from Clyde’s playbook on running a successful camp—a small, hot gym filled with young boys and girls, some hoopsters and others who were there because their parents signed them up.

high school and enrolled at Minnesota for spring semester. Her degree plans include studying architecture.

Asked what makes the two first-year Gophers good volleyball players, Awoleye explained, “I’m very passionate about what I do. I may not be the best volleyball player in the world, [but] when I’m on the court and competing, I think I get very amped up.”

“I’ve always noticed that when it comes to situations, especially on the court, and even in the classroom,” added Minatee, “I’ll make the people around me [better]. It’s my ability to influence my teammates.”

“We’ve got some new athletes joining us from the spring that should be pretty impactful,” said Cook. “There’s just a great sense of optimism and excitement.”

Minnesota’s 2023 schedule includes 11 teams ranked in last year’s final top25, as well as all eight non-conference opponents that played in the 2022 NCAA tournament.

“I’m really excited for the season,” said

Awoleye. “I know it’s going to be a fun one.”

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments at challman@spokesman-recorder.com.

They learned basketball skills, social emotional learning, and even yoga, Nolen said.

His plans include an afterschool program that offers both basketball, tutoring, and also “making sure you’re fed” before you go home.

“I really appreciate the likes of Clyde Turner and all he was able to do for the community and the leadership he brought,” said Nolen.

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments at challman@spokesman-recorder.com.

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Calissa Minatee

Al Nolen

The Cook era begins in Gopher volleyball

By Charles Hallman Sports Columnist

innesota volleyball has been around since 1972, and we have been covering it regularly since 1987. The fifty-second college volleyball season begins August 25, as the Gophers host TCU at Maturi Pavilion.

It also begins the Keegan Cook era, as the former Washington Huskies coach for the past eight years is now coaching at Minnesota. At his former school, he led the Huskies to eight NCAAs, six Sweet 16s, four Elite Eights and one Final Four volleyball championship.

e’re close to the end of our first summer without Clyde Turner, who died August 9 of last year at age 71. In tribute to the community legend, I’ve been wearing camp T-shirts.

Turner operated his camps each summer for nearly 35 years as the Twin Cities’ longest-running summer basketball camp—anywhere—both locally and nationally. It has often been a conversation starter to learn about him.

Clyde Turner’s continueslegacy

a badge of honor such that if you could compete at Clyde’s, you certainly could compete anywhere. He held his last camp in 2019.

Unlike other camps, Clyde kept his very affordable, oftentimes at no cost to campers and their families. Secondly, he staffed the camp with college players and recent high school graduates, former campers, and some current or

all-boys camps. David Collier, now a boys varsity head coach, worked for Clyde for three years and said he learned a lot as well as enjoyed the experience.

Current Mankato WBB Assistant Coach Janey Morton worked Clyde’s camps during her college years. Her last camp was Turner’s last one in 2019. “Clyde Turner was such an amazing inspiration to both the community of Minnesota and myself,” she pointed out.

“I attended camp as a kid from fourth grade until I graduated from high school.

Now, Cook is looking to extend his success here in Minnesota, where the team hasn’t missed the postseason since 2014, reached the Final Four six times (the last in 2019), and won three Big Ten titles (the last in 2018). Fans of team have made Maturi one of the loudest arenas in college volleyball; they are used to greatness.

told me during a short sitdown interview at the team’s August 7 media day. Even before the recent announcement that the 14-school conference will once again expand by two more teams, making it 18 teams in 2024, the Big Ten was one of America’s toughest volleyball leagues. Minnesota is third in the 2023 Big Ten volleyball preseason poll and one of five schools in the top 25 nationally— Wisconsin (2), Nebraska (tied for 5th), the Gophers (7) and Penn State (8) are in the top 10.

Even the new Gopher volleyball coach Keenan Cook asked about Clyde, especially about his legendary camp slogan: “Work hard. Study hard. Excel in life. Beat the odds.”

At least three generations of hoopsters, hoop wanna-

former coaches.

The camps were about more than hoops, as Clyde

“I returned as a coach for the camps every summer I was home from playing college basketball. Clyde’s camps played a huge role in my development as a basketball player. I gained a toughness to both my mental and physical game at his camps. Clyde always took care of me and the people he encountered.”

Nolen went on to graduate from Minneapolis Henry, then played for and later graduated

“We know what our aspirations are in terms of competing in the Big Ten, and in the [NCAA] tournament,” Cook

“Everyone’s

said the first-year Gopher HC. Redshirt Junior Taylor Landfair,

■ See COOK on page 13

bees, and just ordinary kids signed up by their parents to learn life skills along with sports came through Turner’s camps. The summer camps were either five-day sessions or weeklong overnight camps outside Annandale at Lake Sylvia. For several decades, it was

Adams and Howell leading the way

In 2016, the Polars—with current NFL receiver Tyler Johnson—won the state championship, making Adams the first Black head coach in Minnesota history to accomplish the feat.

North, which finished 8-1

the legacy and tradition developed under Hall of Fame coach Floyd Smaller. Before the Minnesota State High School League’s football realignment plan led to the end of city conference football, Howell, himself a Central alum, led them to league championships from 2008-2014.

also brought in people from all walks of life to speak to the campers. Clyde’s camps were also launching pads for future coaches such as Tamara Moore and Khalid El-Amin.

Moore was among the first girls to participate in the camps, which were originally

As a Northside youth, “I used to love going over there,” recalled Al Nolen. “You were able to develop those social skills with other kids, develop those friendships, and also get that mentorship from a Black male who you knew was successful.”

from Minnesota, played pro ball (the NBA G-League and overseas), and now runs his own Al Nolen Foundation. He remembered once getting a visit from Clyde: “He came and visited me at my first job, and sat down

■ See VIEW on page 13

McCarville comes full circle to coach at her high school alma mater

igh school football coaches Charles Adams and Scott Howell lead two of the state’s high-profile teams in Minneapolis North and St. Paul Central respectively. Both are hoping to continue their recent success on the gridiron as the 2023 prep football season approaches.

In 2022, the Minutemen made an impression. Despite their 5-6 record, they made it to the Section 4AAAAA title game before losing 20-0 to Mahtomedi.

Not only are Adams and Howell coaching at the schools where they once starred, both schools will be led by two of the metro area’s finest.

North senior defensive back Zashon Rich (6’2”, 180 pounds) is already on a host of preseason all-metro and all-state lists. Central’s Allan Lankfard Jr. (6’1”, 200 pounds), an eleventh grader whose 2022 season was cut short by injury, is one of the state’s top quarterback prospects and is also outstanding on defense.

The MSR is the only local media that has covered the Minnesota Lynx from the start of its 25-year existence, as the team became the Twin Cities’ most successful pro franchise. Before this season, the team chose its top-25 players in Lynx history and held their 25th anniversary celebration the weekend of June 9-11, where the MSR spoke to several of the honored players. This week: Janel McCarville (2012-14, 2016)

t was a familiar sight—Janel McCarville and Lindsay Whalen in a celebratory embrace as Gopher teammates after a big win. They shared another such moment as professional players after their championship win together during McCarville’s first season with the Minnesota Lynx.

Under Adams, the Polars have been on quite a run. Until the 2022 season, North had been perennial state playoff participants since 2014.

last season, was denied an eighth consecutive state playoff appearance after a 21-20 loss to Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted in the Section 4AA semifinals. Howell has been at Central since 2000, and has continued

Both are impressive on the basketball team as well, with Rich averaging 16 points-pergame for the Polars and Lankfard Jr. leading the Minutemen with a 15 points-per-game average last season.

Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDon-

The two former Gopher greats, both recruited and signed by Cheryl Littlejohn, the second Black coach in school history, reached a Final Four (2004), together before the 6’2” McCarville became the top overall pick in the WNBA draft in 2005, by Charlotte. She spent two seasons there before the franchise folded and was picked up by New York in the dispersal draft.

After five Liberty seasons, in 2013, McCarville rejoined her old college mate when Minnesota traded for her in a multiteam trade. Although she was on the downside of her career and besieged with back problems that eventually forced her retirement, McCarville more than adequately filled the middle left by Taj McWilliamsFranklin’s retirement. Her deft

ready to go,”

“There’s just a great sense of optimism and excitement.”

Keegan

Cook

Phoebe Awoleyen All photos courtesy of Minnesota Athletics

“Clyde Turner was such an amazing inspiration to both the community of Minnesota and myself.”

Janay Morton

Clyde Turner at the far right with campers and staff in 2019

All photos by Charles Hallman

Charles Adams

Scott Howell

Photos by Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald

“I know I got memories of the players I was with on that championship. Memories that will last a lifetime.”

Janel McCarville

Photo by Charles Hallman