St. Paul Voice April 2021

The St. Paul “Extra Ordinary Women” at Minnesota History Center Page 9 Volume 55 | Number 4

Your Community News & Information Source

April 2021

For the love of it Successful restaurateur still pitching in after nearly 50 years

Ping Pong anyone?

Tim Spitzack Editor

Local nonprofit offers league play and world-class coaching Tim Spitzack Editor

W

hen I was a kid in the ’70s, it seemed everyone had a Ping Pong table in their basement or garage. I spent hours at ours, challenging my siblings and friends to game after game after game. I became quite good—at least in my mind— and was proficient at putting a wicked spin on the ball and landing it at the bitter edge of the table.

I got my introduction to electronic games by playing Pong, one of the earliest video games ever made. It was created by Atari and released in 1972.

By Christmas of 1975, the company developed a home console version and soon nearly every family had one of those as well. The game was so popular and made such an impact on American culture that it is now part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. I enjoyed Pong but quickly realized the real game is far better because it Ping Pong / Page 3

Butler Ave. trail study approved

West Side native Barbara Hunn and her daughter Carol pose in front of a painting that bears much significance to the restaurateurs.

Tim Spitzack Editor

A

fter nearly a half-century in the restaurant industry, one might think enough is enough. But not Barbara Hunn, who helped start Keys Café and Bakery in St. Paul in 1973 and watched it grow into a chain of nine restaurants in the metro area, all now owned by her four children. At 83, you’ll still find her in one of the kitchens chopping vegetables and making soup, or out front at the host stand.

“I like people,” said the entrepreneur during a recent interview at the downtown St. Paul café. “When I’m working, I feel good. I really feel alive. I have a purpose.”

Hunn learned her strong work ethic from her parents, Stanley and Margaret Whitson, while growing up in various homes on the West Side, but she never thought she would apply it to the hospitality industry. After graduating from Henry Sibley High School, she earned a nursing degree and worked in healthcare Keys Café / Page 2

The cities of West St. Paul and South St. Paul are partnering with Dakota County to create a feasibility study and preliminary engineering of a multi-use trail along Butler Avenue (County Road 4), which connects the two cities. The goal is to improve safety and connectivity between the cities by offering a route for multi-modal use. The study will provide an analysis of traffic and environmental impact, and other transportation-related concerns in the corridor.

In December, the cities received a $30,000 Statewide Health Improvement Partnership grant and up to $100,000 from the Dakota County Transportation Department for the study and preliminary design of trail connections along Butler Avenue between Robert and Concord streets.

The County is responsible for 85% of the cost and the cities are responsible for the rest, approximately $8,800 for each city. The City of West St. Paul will serve as the lead agency and is responsible for securing a contract with a consulting firm and a consulting engineer, and coordinating the preliminary engineering work, which will be completed by Dec. 1.

A request for proposals has been sent out and the City is expected to award the contract by April 1.

Construction season ramps up in WSP. Here’s what to expect.

Tim Spitzack Editor

C

onstruction season has arrived and there is much happening in West St. Paul, both in street and housing projects. The following updates were presented at a series of Town Hall meetings held in February. You may view videos of the meetings at townsquare.tv.

The largest street project

underway is the full reconstruction of Moreland Avenue between Delaware Avenue and Robert Street. The street will be under construction from May to October to replace the roadway and watermain. The project will also add curb and gutter, a sidewalk on the north side of the street, and landscaping.

Those traveling on Highway 52 can expect significant delays this summer on what is already a congested

artery during rush hour. The now-bumpy section between Plato Boulevard and I-494 will get new mill and overlay, resulting in lane and ramp closures over an 8-week period. MNDOT has the project on the fast-track and expects work to be completed by the end of July.

Off-street work is happening as well. The final design is complete for the Garlough/Marthaler trail, which runs between the two

parks from Wentworth to Marie avenues, and the project is out for bid. If things go as planned, work will begin this year. It is a joint project between the City and Dakota County.

Construction of the River to River Trail and its tunnel under Robert Street is halfway complete.

Work will commence in May and continue through August. This will affect traffic on Robert Street, reduc-

ing it to one lane between Wentworth and Thompson avenues.

Community Development Director Jim Hartshorn said, “This is going to be a year of construction unlike West St. Paul has ever seen in the past.” He is referring to the many apartment projects under construction that will change the landscape and provide additional affordable and market-rate housing opportunities in the

city. Projects include: Gateway Place, a 54-unit affordable apartment complex, now under construction at Annapolis and Robert streets.

Suite Living, a 32-unit senior apartment complex near Hurley and Robert streets. Half of the units will be for people needing memory care assistance.

Dominium’s 2-building WSP projects / Page 4

P eople

Your community news and information source

Keys Café from page 1

for a dozen-plus years as a licensed practical nurse. During that time, she married Roy Hunn and the couple started their family. Carol came first, followed by Jean, Celine and Roy, named after his father.

In the early 1970s, a chance encounter with Beverly Oien altered the course of Hunn’s life. Oien, who owned a Dairy Queen, hired Hunn to work there during the summer as counter help.

At the time, Hunn was working other retail jobs as well.

The two became friends, and when Oien branched out and purchased a restaurant on Raymond Avenue in St. Paul in 1973, she turned to Hunn for help.

“She bought it for $12,000 and asked me to run it,” said Hunn. Meanwhile, Oien was spending much of her time in the Florida Keys, which sparked the name of the fledgling restaurant.

“It was the closest I ever got to the Keys,” quipped Hunn, who would arrive at the restaurant by 5 a.m.

and work the long hours needed to get the business off the ground. When Oien decided to move to Florida permanently in 1975, Hunn agreed to buy the restaurant.

She had no business plan, just a deep commitment to offering great food—made from scratch—and friendly service. In 1982, she expanded to New Brighton and every few years added another location. The properties just seemed to fall in her lap.

“Mostly, other restaurants would contact me and see if I wanted to buy theirs,” said Hunn, who had developed a strong reputation as a successful restaurateur. “I’d ask one of my kids if they wanted to run it and if they said ‘yes,’ I’d buy it.”

Daughter Carol owns the downtown St. Paul café on Robert Street and the one in downtown Minneapolis.

The other cafés are in the suburbs. The newest one opened in 2008 in Hudson, Wis., and is run by son Roy. The original Keys Café on Raymond Avenue is still go-

ing strong.

Hunn’s husband was supportive of his wife’s endeavor but was never involved in the business itself. He was a lithographer by trade and passed away in 1982 at age 51. Barbara, now remarried, has 18 grandchildren—13 of whom work in the restaurants—and 8 greatgrandchildren. Together, the restaurants employ around 500.

Barbara’s business acumen led to her 2018 induction into the Minnesota Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. The honor speaks to her innate talent for hospitality.

“It was natural,” she said.

“I didn’t think about it, I just did it. I loved the interaction with my customers.”

Treating all customers with respect and dignity were hallmarks of her career and have rubbed off on her children, each of whom is known for helping those in need.

On the day of our interview, a slightly disheveled man was sitting in a corner of the café, head down. After finishing his meal, he rose and walked past us. Carol warmly smiled at him and

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greeted him by name. He barely acknowledged her. Instead, he paced around and then walked over to view colorful tiles on a nearby wall.

Eventually, he left.

“That’s T—,” she said, identifying the man who is homeless and lives with mental illness. She went on to humbly say that she often gives him a meal and has even allowed him to sleep in a back room. And, he’s not the only one she helps.

“They don’t need much,” she said of the homeless people who find their way into her café. “I give them soup—and compassion.”

Suddenly, she paused and became teary-eyed.

“That’s what I learned from her—compassion,” she said, pointing to her mother.

“All my kids have that,” said Barbara, who went on to list examples of her other children who offer similar acts of kindness to their patrons.

“That’s what makes us stand out as a family restaurant,” said Carol.

“Ever had a problem?” I asked, referring to their efforts to help.

“Never,” Carol replied, emphatically.

When asked what inspires this compassion, Barbara revealed her spiritual side.

“I truly believe in God. He’s guided me,” she said. “I enjoy taking care of people.

You learn something from all these people. What you get is far more than what you give.”

The family’s commitment to the less fortunate is also seen through the Keys golf tournament, first held in 2002. To date it has raised more than a half million dollars for individuals in need and local charities. Canceled last year and this year due to the pandemic, the most recent tourney raised funds for a 9-year-old girl with two potentially life-threatening disorders affecting the kidneys, liver and nervous system. Keys is also a longtime participant in the Union Gospel Mission-Twin Cities annual Soup for the Homeless Soul fundraiser by offering free soup.

Nearly 50 years in the restaurant industry has not been without its challenges.

Barbara said the most difficult one has always been finding people to give the level of customer service she requires. But she and Carol quickly praised their staff, many of whom have been with their company for ages.

Carol said one employee has worked at the downtown café for 31 years. Typically, she employs about 30, although that number is lower now during the pandemic.

Mother and daughter agree that their success stems partly from a willingness to drop all pretensions, roll up their sleeves and do whatever is needed.

“We have no job titles,” said Carol. “We are all crosstrained.”

That commitment has seen Barbara and her chil-

dren through a wide array of economic challenges, including soaring inflation rates in the 1970s, the Great Recession of 2008, and now a global pandemic that has been especially hard on the restaurant industry. Yet they always seem to come out on top.

As for the future, neither was certain if the next generation wants the headaches that come with ownership.

“This is hard work and mentally draining,” confessed Carol, who at 62 is starting to think about retirement. Three of her five children work at the restaurant, so the opportunity is there. Two were working the day of our interview and, after clocking out, stopped by to hug their mom and grandma before leaving. The warm exchange revealed the deep love within the family.

After posing for a photo in front of a painting of the Smith Avenue High Bridge that Carol commissioned for the restaurant—a symbolic link to the family’s roots on the West Side and their business success across the river—the rigors of running a restaurant quickly returned.

The phone was ringing, take-out orders were piling up and a waitress informed Carol and Barbara that there was a problem with the dishwasher behind the bar. As I left, all three were stooped over the machine, looking for a solution.

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Ping Pong from page 1

requires movement, cat-like reflexes, and interaction with friends. The video version couldn’t hold a candle to it.

I recall becoming disinterested with Pong after just a few minutes of play. Then, as any bored 10-year-old would do, I’d line up the “paddles” on the opposite sides of the screen so the “ball” would zing back and forth at a rapid-fire pace, and I’d walk off.

Sadly, many of those wellused Ping Pong tables— which mostly came in varying shades of green—were converted to benches or bookshelves or were simply tucked away in storage areas where they continue to gather dust.

Or do they?

While researching nonprofits recently, I discovered one that piqued my interest: Table Tennis MN, which operates the Table Tennis Minnesota Training Center at 1185 Concord St. N., Suite 305, South St. Paul. It’s located in what some people refer to as the Partridge Family building because the multicolored panels on the north and south exterior walls of the art deco structure are reminiscent of the colorful design of the bus driven by the musical family of that 1970s sitcom.

When I met Executive Director Mitch Seidenfeld there one recent afternoon, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the game is alive and well. People young and old are still enthused about the sport and visit the center for match play and to receive coaching to improve their skills. Kids still love the sport, too. In fact, the Association hosts a state tournament each year for middle and high school students. While not a Minnesota High School League sanctioned sport, it is the premier competition for students from school-sponsored teams and clubs across the state to showcase their skills and earn a medal. The first high school state tournament was held at Henry Sibley High School in 2005, back when that school had its own team. It is now held at the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield each February and offers two divisions for singles and doubles: Open (coed) and Girls. It was cancelled this year due to the pandemic, but they squeezed in the 2020 tourney just before the world began to shut down.

Table Tennis MN organizes leagues around the metro

area and attracts hundreds of players annually. Games take place at the center in South St. Paul, the National Guard Armory in Bloomington and the Minnesota Jewish Community Center in Minneapolis. The Association recently resumed round-robin competition on Saturdays in South St. Paul. They’ve reconfigured the space and reduced the number of tables to allow for proper social distancing. A standard table is nine feet long, so players are always more than six feet from all competitors in the room. The center also offers open play for anyone who wants to challenge a friend to a game. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Cost is $5 an hour or $10 for anything over two hours. Open play is offered 6:30-9:30 Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturdays.

Hours may vary during the pandemic.

Ping Pong vs. table tennis If you’re wondering about the difference between Ping Pong and table tennis, the answer is, not much. The table, paddles, balls and height of the net are identical, but there can be a slight variation of the rules when it comes to serving and points needed to win. Seidenfeld, who actually prefers the name Ping Pong, said the term table tennis is used when referring to the sport itself, and Ping Pong is commonly used for the recreational game.

Table tennis has come a long way since it was created as a parlor game in the 1880s. Its popularity grew so much that it became an Olympic sport in 1988. It is governed by the worldwide organization International Table Tennis Federation, which was founded in 1926 and now has 226 member associations. Olympic competition features men’s and women’s singles, and a team event. China is the dominant country, having won 58 medals. South Korea is a distant second, with 18. The U.S. has yet to earn a medal.

At the Paralympic Games, held at the same venue immediately following the Olympic games, it’s a different story, and Seidenfeld is one of the United States’ most decorated athletes.

“I played as a young kid,” he said. “My father was a pretty good player and he got us (Mitch and his sib-

lings) involved in a league.

I’ve played all my life. I just love playing.”

That love led him to the biggest stage in the world.

A five-time Minnesota state champion, Seidenfeld burst onto the international scene in 1990 by winning a gold medal in singles at the Para Table Tennis World Championships in Assen, The Netherlands. At 4-foot-2, Seidenfeld is a little person and competed primarily against people with leg disabilities, although none were in a wheelchair. In 1992, he competed in the Paralympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, and took home the gold in singles and bronze in team.

Four years later in Atlanta, Ga., he took silver in singles and bronze in team. He retired from competition in 2008 after losing the bronze medal match at the games in Beijing, China. It was then he turned his full attention to coaching and Table Tennis MN. However, he had already been successful in sharing his talents.

In 2003, he was named the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Table Tennis Developmental Coach of the Year. He is also enshrined in the Minnesota Table Tennis Hall of Fame and the U.S. Table Tennis Hall of Fame.

Seidenfeld, 58, remains involved in international competition as coach of the U.S. Paralympic team, which has three players who will compete in Tokyo this summer. His son, Ian, is on the team, and, according to his proud father, has a shot at earning a medal. Ian, also a little person, can now beat his dad, but, as Mitch lightheartedly said, “It’s not something we talk about.”

Becoming a nonprofit Seidenfeld formed Table Tennis MN in 1992 as a forprofit business and operated it for 15 years in partnership with other health and tennis clubs in the metro area.

That posed a challenge because ownership of those clubs seemed to change every few years and he had to convince the new owners of his organization’s value. He expanded the business into 14 leagues around the Twin Cities, attracting hundreds of players, yet he was a oneman show and it was difficult to take it beyond the point he had reached. Plus, it wasn’t financially lucrative.

“It’s not a great for-profit business,” he said, “but I always wanted to see it succeed.” In those days, he earned most of his income

Following a friendly competition at the Table Tennis Training Center, Len Witz and Sam Imbo join Mitch Seidenfeld for a photo. through coaching, the leagues and equipment sales at his pro shop.

In 2017, he merged with the MN Table Tennis Federation, which was formed in the 1990s. It was that group that started the Minnesota state championships—different from the high school state championship—and sponsored the Minnesota Table Tennis Hall of Fame.

The biggest advantage of the partnership is the opportunity to attract more funders.

“It gave us the ability to seek donations and raise funds, and it makes it easier for people who want to volunteer, knowing they are helping a nonprofit and not just a private business,” said Seidenfeld.

Today, they have five USA Table Tennis-certified coaches who provide instruction for all skill levels.

Costs range from $20-$25 for group lessons to $40-$60 for an hour of one-on-one coaching.

Who seeks coaches? The

clientele is varied.

“Some people might just want to beat their brother or dad,” said Seidenfeld. “Some have been in a league and want to get to the next level.

Some take it for fun and for physical activity, as a way to lose weight and get in better shape. On the next level, we have parents who want to see if their kid can get to the national level or become an Olympic hopeful. We’re known for being one of the best junior (ages 6-17) programs in the country.”

He said high schools and colleges across the state have teams, and many of their successful players have received coaching through his club.

“The U of M has a very good team,” he said of his alma mater, where he played competitively for four years—and also earned a degree in English. “About 30 high schools have a team or club. We estimate there are 1,000-2,000 in the state playing (competitively).”

Those schools are mostly in the metro area, although the sport is also popular in Rochester and Austin.

Seidenfeld’s next goal is to get more local schools involved. He hopes this year to make a connection with TriDistrict Community Education, which serves the school districts in South St. Paul, West St. Paul/Mendota Heights and Inver Grove Heights, to offer classes, and to encourage schools in those communities to form clubs or teams.

Seidenfeld grew up in Minneapolis and now lives in Lakeville with his wife and two children. How then did he come to open his club in South St. Paul?

“I knew the owner of the building,” he said. “I coached his son.”

For more information, visit http://tabletennismn. com, or contact Mitch at 612-382-2892 or mitch@ tabletennismn.com.

The St. Paul Voice is published monthly and delivered to 16,500 homes and businesses in St. Paul’s West Side, West St. Paul, Mendota Heights, Lilydale & Sunfish Lake.

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St. Paul Voice - April 2021 - Page 3

C ity Government

Your community news and information source

Mendota Heights Comp Plan in final stage Tim Spitzack Editor

F

ollowing a yearlong process of making revisions, the City of Mendota Heights is expected to finally adopt its 2040 Comprehensive Plan in the coming weeks.

The City originally submitted its plan to the Met Council in December 2019 but was informed that it was missing information in the plan’s Waste Water chapter, plus some other miscellaneous information. After reviewing the changes and updating the plan, the City resubmitted it in January of this year but soon thereafter

received another notice that more revisions were needed in the same areas. The plan has since been resubmitted with the recommended changes and the City expects to receive approval soon. The City needs Met Council’s blessing before the plan can be officially adopted.

The Comprehensive Plan is updated every 10 years to review goals and policies for land use, housing, parks and open space, transportation, utilities and other issues.

Public feedback received during the planning process influenced these seven key issues addressed in the plan: Character, Natural Feel,

WSP projects from page 1

complex with 247 units for seniors and 146 affordable housing units. It is being built on the site of the former Kmart at Signal Hills Shopping Center.

Roers Town Center 1 development at Wentworth and Robert, which will feature 200-market rate units and ground-level retail.

Westlyn, a 153-unit market-rate apartment building being constructed on the former Thompson Oaks golf course site. A 60-unit townhome project is also

planned for the east side of the property, with construction to begin in 2022.

Hartshorn said the city issued more than 1,400 building permits last year, proof that people are reinvesting in the community. He added that housing rehab loans are available through the city for those needing financial help with a project.

If you’re wondering about the Hy-Vee—and who isn’t?—Hartshorn said he believes the project is on track. However, he said the

Design - Residents appreciate the city’s parks and green spaces, saying all are essential to the city’s character and quality of life in the community. The City has recently created its first-ever natural resources plan and is in the process of forming a Natural Resources Advisory Committee to put the plan into action.

Commercial/Retail Options - Many people wish there were more restaurants and shopping options in the city, feedback that can be shared with developers.

Development and Redevelopment Sites - While the city is nearly fully developed,

a few sites are suitable for new development or redevelopment, and there is great interest in how that happens.

Housing - There is a need for a greater range of housing to support people of all generations and stages of life, including more affordable housing. Currently, the city has mostly high-end and mid-range valued singlefamily homes.

Minnesota Vikings facility - Residents are concerned that the recently built Vikings football headquarters and practice facilities on the northern border of Eagan will adversely affect traffic in Mendota Heights, and

that new commercial development around that facility could potentially pull customers away from Mendota Heights businesses.

Airport - The nearby MSP Airport is seen as an amenity but also poses a nuisance due to aircraft noise. This will continue to be addressed by the City’s Airport Relations Commission, which monitors rules, procedures and programs regarding noise within the city and makes recommendations regarding strategies to mitigate noise.

Infrastructure - The city’s roads, bridges and other infrastructure are aging and in need of maintenance to as-

sure safety and preserve the quality of life.

For more information on the comprehensive plan, contact Tim Benetti, community development director, at 651255-1142 or timb@mendota-heights.com.

At its Feb. 16 meeting, the City Council discussed its strategic goals for the next two years. Notable projects include creating an ambassador program, a civics academy for residents, determining a timeframe for making improvements to the building that houses City Hall and the police department, and developing a proposal for a Parks referendum.

company is known for being tight-lipped about sharing details on their projects. HyVee has received all permits needed to proceed.

Typically, South Metro offers CPR training, fire extinguisher training, installation of free smoke alarms that are available through a partnership with the Red Cross, and joint programs with the police department and Parks and Rec. South Metro Fire had 6,760 calls for service last year; the majority were EMS related (5,021).

Each department has also turned its attention to the well-being of staff. Public Safety personnel have stressful jobs and are prone to PTSD and other mental health issues. South Metro Fire and the police department are now offering new

health and wellness programs to bolster the mental and physical health of staff.

The police department’s Fit for Duty program includes financial wellness training opportunities as well.

Chief Sturgeon said theft and larceny have been on the rise over the past couple of years, notably at the “Big Box” stores. He attributes this to the increase in selfserve check-out stands. He said there has also been an increase in motor vehicle thefts this past year, and that the City has joined a City of St. Paul task force to better address the issue on a regional basis. Disorderly conduct also increased dramatically last year he said. In response, the City is working

in partnership with Ramsey and Washington counties on a coordinated safety plan to deal with civil unrest.

If you are interested in a career in law enforcement, now is your chance to act.

The City is partnering with the Department of Justice to host a career fair on April 10 at TCF Bank Stadium. The police department continues to look for ways to increase diversity among its officers, and to encourage more people to pursue a career in law enforcement. This is done through attending diversity career fairs, and providing a career mentoring program at Henry Sibley High School, internships and the volunteer Police Reserve program.

Public Safety adapts to pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the way Public Safety professionals in West St. Paul are doing their jobs. South Metro Fire Chief Mark Juelfs and West St. Paul Police Chief Brian Sturgeon each said their staff have been unable to do the normal level of community outreach—often a highlight of the job—but each hopes that will change this year.

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A rts & Culture Titles from St. Paul authors to add to your reading list

Your community news and information source

Tim Spitzack Editor

T

wo newly published books from talented St. Paul authors landed on my desk recently, and both are worthy to share. Those interested in powerful personal stories written with wit, humor and compassion will be delighted to crack open the covers of these gems and jump inside.

“First Book of John,” by John Eckman Ahlstrom You might recognize Ahlstrom’s name as our intrepid sports reporter, who for the past decade has celebrated the accomplishments of local prep athletes. What you might not know is that he is a gifted storyteller. This self-described “aging Baby Boomer” shares memorable events of his life in a humble, graceful manner that lets the reader know how lucky Ahlstrom feels to be a witness to history and the everyday events of life.

Ahlstrom, who has a bachelor’s degree in history from

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Gustavus Adolphus College, moved to the West Side in 1974, and many tales from his four decades in St. Paul are covered in this edition.

His love of history shines through in the book, which is far more than memoir.

You’ll learn of the heartbreaking tragedy his greatgreat-grandparents endured while trying to make their way across the Atlantic from their native Sweden to carve out a life in the United States. You’ll hear of his grade school romance with Ann Martell, who dumped him and years later married 1970s pop icon John Denver. Their friendship remained intact and led to Ahlstrom’s personal relationship with Denver. At Ann’s urging, he suggested to Denver that he consider giving up on his fledgling singing career and return to college to provide a more stable future for his wife.

Ahlstrom served as an intelligence officer with the United States Army during the Vietnam War. He was stationed in Saigon and wrote many letters home during that period. Thankfully, his parents saved them all. Excerpts of those included in the book shed light on one man’s experience during one of the most turbulent eras in our nation’s history.

For a short time, Ahlstrom, who as a child aspired to become president of the United States, owned the Harp Bar on Western

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Avenue, near the Cathedral of St. Paul. There he met a colorful cast of St. Paul originals that far outshine, at least for him, the zany crew that bellied up to that fictious bar in Boston on the sitcom “Cheers.” He shares their antics here.

Ahlstrom pays tribute to one of his political heroes, Hubert H. Humphrey, and describes the thrill of meeting the vice president in his Washington D.C. office.

He also describes the utter joy of becoming a first-time father, at age 44, and offers space in the book for the insightful and inspiring writings of his father, who “had read nearly every important book written in the English language” but never wrote a book himself. Many more tales abound. To discover them, order a copy by emailing john@stpaulpublishing. com. Cost is $20.

“Singing All the Verses: Essays from a Mid-American,” by Peg Guilfoyle Guilfoyle loves theater, horses and sacred music, for which she believes one should sing all the verses.

The reason, she writes, is that “music itself gathers power as it continues and extends.”

Cutting out verses, she adds, causes one to miss the full “beauty and power” of the song.

Exploring beauty is the prevalent theme of the 25 essays in her latest book.

Using poetic language and

thoughtful prose, Guilfoyle reveals the broad landscape of her heart and welcomes the reader into her world.

You’ll see her seated at her vintage piano in her downtown St. Paul apartment pounding out an old opera score, as a way to navigate the pandemic. “Good thing my husband is not at home when I play this,” she writes.

“Good thing the apartment building has concrete walls.”

She is an andante player, “which means a tempo that has something to do with walking, which I think of as related to rhythmic ease and steadiness and grace. It does not mean hurry,” she writes.

Her andante pace carries through to other areas of her life, allowing her to observe the world around.

“The premise of the book is that every life is full of moments that are magical, resonant, and full of joy,” she said when introducing the book to me. “It is wideranging and full of humor.”

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ried couple owns Cedar Pet Clinic in Lake Elmo. They live in Kellogg Square in downtown St. Paul, where she serves on the Skyway Governance Advisory Committee for the CapitolRiver Council, the Lowertown Future Fund Advisory Board, and the Friends of the University Libraries Board.

Guilfoyle also owns her own publishing company that specializes in regional histories of organizations, including YMCA’s Camp du Nord, Northern Star Boy Scout Council, Gustavus Adolphus College and others. Of all her writings, she said her newest title is the one that is most dear to her heart.

“Singing All the Verses” is available at www.pegguilfoyle.com, at SubText Bookseller downtown, and on Amazon. Cost is $19.95.

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worlds and vast experiences. She spent 10 years as a production manager at the Guthrie Theatre, was the producing director for the University of Minnesota’s Department of Theatre Arts and Dance, and has lent her talents to many other theaters, including the Ordway Center for Performing Arts.

She managed the Poets in the Schools program for COMPAS (Community Programs in the Arts and Sciences) in St. Paul and has long been an active volunteer devoted to improving life in her community.

In the book, Guilfoyle takes us backstage at the old Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis and shares stories of how her love of theater shaped her life, offering a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes in the artistic world. Guilfoyle is also the author of “The Guthrie Theater: Images, History and Inside Stories,” for which she won the Midwest Book Award.

In “Singing All the Verses,” you’ll also see Guilfoyle seated atop a Tennessee Walker that became entangled in a submerged log in the middle of stream. The man who rescued her and the horse eventually proposed. Today, the now mar-

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After a 32-year hiatus, Hawks are City Conference wrestling champs John E. Ahlstrom Staff Writer

O

n Saturday, Mar. 6, the St. Paul Humboldt High School wrestling team traveled to Highland Park to take on the Scots in a dual meet that would determine the St. Paul City Conference champion. Avenging their only loss of the season, the Hawks mauled the Scots to the tune of 5321 and captured their first City title in 32 years.

As most of our senior citizen readers are aware, the sport of wrestling has earned a lofty perch in the storied history of Humboldt athletics. For more than two decades, in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, the school featured one of the elite programs in the state. Between 1970 and 1975, under the tutelage of the legendary Bob Ryan, Humboldt captured six consecutive City Conference titles and did not lose a single match in the process.

By the turn of the century, the Humboldt wrestling program had suffered a significant drop in numbers

On Mar. 6, the Humboldt wrestling team avenged its only loss of the season by defeating Highland Park 53-21. The win gave the Hawks their first St. Paul City Conference title in 32 years. and was virtually dormant in 2015 when Brad Novacheck, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, was hired by the school to teach agriculture and natural resources. A year earlier, Novacheck coached high school football in Nebraska.

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junior Kyaw Htwe and senior Ryan Prisch, represented Humboldt in the 2020 state tournament.

According to Novacheck, the program received a significant inspirational lift with the hiring of 2013 Humboldt alumnus Scottie Bonds, named assistant coach in 2019. Wrestling for the Hawks at 132 pounds

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Although football was his primary sport, Novacheck was a member of his high school wrestling team in Wisconsin and was a state tournament participant as a senior. He grabbed his new coaching position at Humboldt by the horns and by his fifth season (2019-20), he had 43 kids in the wrestling room and two Hawks,

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ies area, and so we did,” said Novacheck. “When I was hired to teach at Humboldt I asked A.D. Dave Mergens if there were any football coaching positions available.

He said ‘no, but we do need a wrestling coach.’ When I asked how many kids were participating, he said they were down to about four of five.”

as a senior, Bonds finished runner-up in the Class AA State Tournament. He continued his sterling wrestling career at Midland University in Fremont, Neb., and in 2017 won the NAIA National Championship at 149 pounds.

“When I came back to Minnesota I called Dave Mergens and asked him if he had a spot for me on the wrestling coaching staff,” said Bonds. “He warmed to the idea and I think Coach Novacheck and I have blended very well.”

The wrestling program was in shambles in 2015, but with the hiring of Novacheck and the addition of Bonds four years later, it is a safe bet that there isn’t a sports program in the building with better coaching than what goes on in the Hawk wrestling room.

“Scottie has been nothing short of awesome,” said Novacheck. “He’s not only a great teacher on the mat, he also bonds with the kids, keeps them focused and is the ultimate role model.”

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S ports from the Karen population dominate the roster, Novacheck is quick to point out that the Humboldt wrestling room is one big family.

“It’s all for one with these kids,” said Novacheck. “No matter who is on the mat, our kids are on their feet and showing their support for one another.”

The lineup in the City championship match versus Highland Park follows, with brief comments from

Your community news and information source the head coach in parenthesis: 106 – Po Si Si, 9th grade (undefeated, driven); 113 – Kue Moo Say, 10th (just his second season of wrestling); 120 – Kyaw Htwe, 12th (12-0 with 11 pins, returning section champion); 126 – Hsar Gay Say, 11th (11-1, strong and powerful); 132 – Dah Say, 11th (versatile and team oriented); 138 – Er Ler Soe, 10th (motivated, bright future); Crown Htoo, 12th (captain, 6-year

team member, coach on the mat); 152 – Poh Say, 12th (10-2, coachable, delightful); 160 – Hser Ku Htoo, 10th (two-time conference champ); 170 – Hsa Loo, 12th (captain, wrestling smarts, tireless); 182 – Hser Loo, 10th (maturing); 195 – Pa Ha, 11th (athletic, body builder); 220 – Ga Say Moo, 10th (first year, nimble feet); 285 – Sam Smith, 11th (260 lbs, locker room favorite).

Last season, Humboldt

was the #8 seed in the Section 4AA team competition.

This year, in light of their watershed season, Humboldt earned the #2 seed.

The team competition unfolded on Mar. 11 at Mahtomedi High School and the Hawks more than lived up to their second seed. In the quarterfinals, the Hawks defeated St. Croix Lutheran 52-28 and backed that up with a 48-36 victory over Cretin Durham Hall in the

semi-finals. With that victory Humboldt, along with the #1 seed South St. Paul, earned a trip to the State Preliminary competition that, in this COVID-19 year, also featured the top two teams from Section 1AA (Simley and Lake City). South St. Paul eliminated the Hawks with a 66-18 win in the semi-finals. Simley then shutout the Packers 75-0 in the State Semi-qualifier match and will represent

Section 1AA and Section 4AA in the state tournament team competition on Mar. 27.

As we go to press, the Hawks are preparing for the Section 4AA individual competition that unfolded at Chisago Lakes High School on Mar. 18. The top four wrestlers in each weight division will earn medals and qualify for the State Preliminary competition on Mar. 20.

Local Prep teams gear up for the post-season John E. Ahlstrom Staff Writer

O

n Friday, Mar. 13, 2020—a Friday the Thirteenth for the ages— eight girls basketball teams preparing to play for a state championship the following day were alerted by the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) that all four championship games would be cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns. Twelve months have passed in the interim, and while all is not back to normal, the MSHSL has granted winter sports teams an opportunity to compete to play in a state tournament. At the local level, we will highlight a trio of teams in our distribution area who are preparing to make some noise in the post-season.

STA hockey - In his first season as head coach of the St. Thomas Academy (STA) hockey team, Trent Eigner, who masterminded the magical 31-0 Lakeville North season in 2015, led the Cadets to the 2020 Class AA State Tournament. Although their season ended with a loss to Hill-Murray in the semi-finals, the Cadets are looking for more in 2021.

Facing a difficult schedule that included a road game at Edina and two games each with perennial powers HillMurray, Mahtomedi and Eden Prairie, Eigner is proud of how his Cadets have responded.

“I’ve always felt that the best way to gain an honest appraisal of where you are at as a team is to play a tough schedule,” said Eigner. “We certainly didn’t win them all, but we showed up and competed and I hope that is a harbinger of things to come.”

The Cadet offense is led by two senior Division I commits, Jared Wright (Colgate) and Jackson Hallum (Michi-

gan). Wright has contributed 13 goals and 18 assists, and Hallum 14 goals and 22 assists. Junior sniper Max Nagel has chipped in 14 goals as well.

Three junior defensive stalwarts—Tommy Stattine, Austin Williams and Johnny Johannson—have been formidable in patrolling the ice in front of senior goaltender Carsten Lardy. Lardy has a goals-against average of 2.32 and a save percentage of .907.

“Carsten has been terrific and seems to get better as the season progresses,” said Eigner. “We all know how important the goaltender is to a successful run in the post-season.”

STA, the #1 seed in Section 3AA, earned a first round bye, and as we go to press, are preparing to play Park of Cottage Grove in the section semi-finals on Mar. 19.

Prediction: STA will defeat archrival Rosemount in the Section 3AA title game on Mar. 24 and advance to the Class 2A State Tournament.

SCLA girls basketball In our pre-season interview, Dave Mielke, now in his 19th season as head coach of the St. Croix Lutheran Academy (SCLA) Girls basketball team, he was ecstatic that his senior class was getting an opportunity to play. Year and year out, the SCLA girls program puts a quality product on the floor and Mielke thought this team might be his best ever.

In addition to playing in the rugged Tri-Metro Conference, Mielke also scheduled games against East Metro opponents, including Hill-Murray (#1 in Class 3A). The Crusaders split two games with Holy Angels (#2 in Class 3A) by identical scores of 64-61. They finished the regular season

11-6 and were ranked #10 in the Class 3A poll.

The Crusader offense is a four-headed monster. Ninth grader Laura Hauge, now in her third season as a starter, averages 21 points per game and her three-point field goal percentage is a gaudy 38%. Meanwhile, the senior triumvirate of Lucia Hauge, Juel Skrien and Kenna Moon are all averaging in double figures. Lucia Hauge and Skrien have both surpassed the 1,000 mark in career points and Moon is just 11 points away from that milestone. Lucia Hauge also leads the team in rebounding (10.2 per game) and free throw percentage (86.2%).

“We had some healthrelated issues early on in the season,” said Mielke. “We were without Skrien for a couple of weeks because of COVID and then we lost Moon with a sprained ankle. Fortunately, we got some very good play in their absence by junior Katherine Beekman and sophomore Haley Orvik.”

The Crusaders, the #2 seed in Section 3AAA, defeated Highland Park 60-25 in the quarterfinals on Mar. 17. As we go to press, they are preparing to face South St. Paul in the section semifinal on Mar. 20.

Prediction: Last season, the Crusaders lost a 62-58 heartbreaker to Como Park in the section final. This senior laden squad is now healthy and ready to take the next step and advance to the state tournament.

SCLA boys basketball In his first season as head coach of the SCLA boys basketball team, Drew Kock led the Crusaders to a 12-5 record and a #10 ranking in the final Class 3AA poll.

They are just one of three teams from the Tri-Metro Conference to crack the Top Ten. In fact, four of the five losses incurred by the Cru-

saders during the regular season were at the hands of ranked teams: #8 DeLaSalle (twice), #5 Richfield and #2 South St. Paul. To their credit, St. Croix defeated Richfield in their second meeting and also completed a two-game sweep over Holy Angels.

Kock readily admits that he was the beneficiary of seven returning letter winners, all seniors. The cornerstones of the squad are co-captains Zach Longueville and Owen Bushaw. Longueville, a three-year starter, leads the

team in scoring with a 20.4 points per game average and Bushaw is next at 14.5 points per game. Connor Mielke has also made solid contributions.

“Zach is a marvelous athlete who is tenacious on defense and can score from anywhere on the floor,” said Kock. “Owen had a hamstring issue early on, but he really turned it on the second half of the season. Conner plays in the post, but he has also nailed some crucial three-point buckets along the way.”

Seniors Marko Jovanovic, Andy Rassch and Austin Lemke are also key members of the Crusader rotation, and ninth grader Jaden Neish, an excellent ball handler, is often the first man off the bench.

Prediction: Section 3AAA is loaded. The Crusaders defeated St. Thomas Academy in the quarterfinals 56-31 and will face Richfield, the #2 seed, in the semi-finals on Mar. 20. South St. Paul, the #1 seed, waits in the wings.

St. Paul Voice - April 2021 - Page 7

N ews Briefs

Lay Lay is Triple A regional winner Humboldt High School senior Lay Lay has been named Region 4A winner of the Triple A (academics, arts and athletics) award, which recognizes high school seniors from across the state

Your community news and information source for their achievements in these areas. To qualify for the award, students must have a “B” or better grade point average and participate in league-sponsored athletic and fine arts activities. Lay Lay, who has a 4.67 GPA, played tennis, and badminton, and ran cross-country.

She was selected for the District All-Honors choir and is a member of the Tri-M Honors Society. She is also the Lieutenant Colonel in JROTC and is the special projects officer responsible for organizing the Military Ball. Award finalists and winners will be recognized

during the boys and girls basketball championship games on April 9-10, televised on KSTC-45.

Paper shred event Residents of, West St. Paul, Mendota Heights, South St. Paul, Sunfish Lake and Lilydale may shred and recycle confidential material for free at a paper shred event, held 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday, April 10 at the West St. Paul Sports Complex, 1650 Oakdale Ave., West St. Paul. All materials will be placed into a locked security container, shredded and recycled.

Westlake named National Geographic Certified Teacher Mark Westlake, innovation center director and moderator of the Experimental Vehicle team at St. Thomas Academy (STA)

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The professional development program from the National Geographic Society recognizes preK-12 educators who have committed to inspiring and equipping the next generation of explorers and conservationists to solve challenges in their communities and beyond.

The new designation allows Westlake to advise on National Geographic content and programming, lead National Geographic trainings, mentor other educators and contribute to the National Geographic Educator Blog. Westlake has been with STA since 1989. He founded the Experimental Vehicle Team in 2008 and has coached the team to 15 national championships, one international championship and numerous national records. He is a previous Space Educator of the Year and National Teacher of the Year for the Air Force Association.

Train funding in bonding proposal Gov. Tim Walz included $10 million in the recent $518 million capital investment bonding proposal for the Twin Cities-MilwaukeeChicago (TCMC) Second Train, which would add a second round-trip passenger train between St. Paul and Chicago, complementing the current Amtrak Empire Builder service. The proposed service would use existing tracks, carry about 124,000 trips annually, and serve 13 stations, including St. Paul, Red Wing and Wi-

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50th reunion for St. Paul Washington St. Paul Washington High School Class of 1971 is hosting its 50th class reunion this year and Robert Gausman of West St. Paul is seeking contact information for classmates. To share yours and others, email your information to Washington. hs.1971@gmail.com, or mail to Washington Class of 1971, 1803 Livingston Ave., West St. Paul, MN, 55118.

Canoe rack rental The City of Mendota Heights offers canoe and kayak rack rental at Rogers Lake for storage from April through November. Users must have a permit. To apply, visit www.mendotaheights.com/parksrecreation or call 651-302-3301.

St. Paul opens pools and shelters St. Paul Parks and Recreation has reopened the Great River Water Park at Oxford Community Center and will open its outdoor pools this summer. The City is also accepting reservations for picnic shelters. Reservations can be made in blocks of two hours or more by contacting www.stpaul.gov, ParksCustomerService@ci.stpaul. mn.us, or 651-266-6400.

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S ample St. Paul

History Center “Sinclair Lewis: 100 Years of Main Street” opens April 10. On the centennial of Lewis’s seminal novel “Main Street,” discover the legacy of this author from Minnesota, whose literary works and social critiques of American life ring true today. The exhibit presents Lewis’s life in Minnesota and how he shaped— and was shaped by—the state he loved.

‘Extra Ordinary Women” - Learn the stories of Minnesota women who changed their communities, including Sarah Burger Stearns, who petitioned legislators to have the word “male” struck from the state constitution’s definition of eligible voters; Clara Ueland of the suffrage party; Ruth Tanbara, who had a lifelong commitment to combating anti-Japanese discrimination following WWII; Anna Arnold Hedgeman, who helped plan the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom; and Katie McWatt, whose 1964 campaign for St. Paul City Council broke barriers for Black political candidates.

Other exhibits include Our Home Native Minnesota, Minnesota’s Greatest Generation, Then Now Wow and Weather Permitting. The museum is located at 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and college students, and $6 for children ages 5-17. To order tickets or for more information, call 651-259-3015 or visit www.mnhs.org.

History Theatre Radio Hour The History Theatre is streaming two shows through June at www. historytheatre.com. “All the Way with LBJ” is a 30-minute audio segment of the full-length play “Favorite Son: The Humphrey Perspectives,” based on the 1968 meeting between Vice

President Hubert H. Humphrey and President Lyndon B. Johnson just before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Ill. The recording includes a short interview with playwright Jeffrey Hatcher and a 20-minute post-show discussion with former Vice President Walter Mondale, historian Hy Berman and Hubert’s son “Skip” Humphrey. The play was first produced at the History Theatre in 1997.

“Beyond the Rainbow” includes more than a dozen songs and scenes from the original production of History Theatre’s “Beyond the Rainbow,” starring Ivey Award winner Jody Briskey and Norah Long. The recording includes interviews with playwright William Randall Beard, Artistic Director Ron Peluso, Judy Garland’s daughter Lorna Luft, legendary actor Mickey Rooney and John Kelsch, executive director of the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minn.

Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society will present radio shows via Zoom at 7:30 p.m., Monday, April 19 and May 24. The April performance features two ghost stories inspired by the works of Montague Rhodes James. “He Who Follows Me” is a chilling tale of an innocent couple tor-

The Minnesota History Center is presenting “Extra Ordinary Women,” a new exhibit that tells the stories of several Minnesota women who changed their communities. mented by a relentless ghost.

“Runestones are a Girl’s Best Friend” tells of a gorgeous alchemist who puts a spell on Jimmy…or is it a curse?

The May show has two tales of crime and punishment. “A Shroud for Sarah” is about an unlikely criminal mastermind who plays friend and foe in an ambitious game of murder and political intrigue. “A Guy Like Me,” is of a man hoping to abandon his life of crime.

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two pre-recorded half-hour radio dramas, followed by a live chat Q & A with the cast. Tickets are $18 per household. To order, visit www.parksquaretheatre.org or email tickets@parksquaretheatre.org.

Science Museum The Science Museum of Minnesota, 120 W. Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, has reopened on the weekends. This includes the Omnitheatre.

Hours are 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets must be ordered in advance. Order online at https://new.smm.org. New exhibits this spring are centered on race and identity.

They include “Race: Are We So Different,” “The Bias Inside Us,” “Skin: Living Armor, Evolving Identity,” “Green Card STEM Voices,” and “Colorism.”

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Landmark Center is hosting a virtual travel experience in April. Urban Expedition: Laos begins at 1 p.m., Sunday, April 11 and will be available for 30 days.

The free program introduces viewers to the culture and traditions of the people of Laos. View it at www. landmarkcenter.org/urbanexpedition/.

Ballet Co.Laboratory will stream a free lunchhour performance at noon, Tuesday, April 13. View it at www.landmarkcenter.org/ ballet-tuesdays.

The Schubert Club is presenting its popular Courtroom Concert series online this year featuring a mix of full video concerts of new programs as well as archival audio recordings of past concerts held in the historic Landmark Center’s Courtroom 317. The following performances are free and may be viewed at https:// schubert.org: Jeffrey Van’s “A Ring of Birds” April 1; PaviElle French April 8; Artaria String Quartet May 6.

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St. Paul Voice - April 2021 - Page 9

C ommunity

Your community news and information source Nancy Brady President

Welcoming Latino Leadership Neighborhood House is welcoming the Latino Leadership Program into its repertoire. The free program is for Latinx people who want to strengthen their skills and connections so they can be more involved in their communities.

Previously housed at the Wilder Foundation, the Latino Leadership Program came to Neighborhood House at the end of 2020 and will be rolled out in early 2021.

Neighbors, Inc. Charlie Thompson President & CEO

My family enjoys taking long bike rides. We head south toward Pine Bluff in Inver Grove Heights and north through Kaposia Landing. We are excited about the bridge that connects the landing with St. Paul and beyond. We will even load up our bikes and take a weekend traveling along trails in greater Minnesota. It was on a long family ride this past fall that we realized our son needed a new bike.

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Page 10 - St. Paul Voice - April 2021

“Wilder is grateful for Neighborhood House’s partnership to continue the important work of the Latino Leadership program,” said Camacho. “I know firsthand the deep connections they have with the Latinx community and the positive difference they make for families throughout St. Paul.

I have no doubt the program will flourish with the support and leadership of Neighborhood House.”

The program follows a 7-week course with sessions conducted in Spanish on topics such as leadership styles, teamwork, conflict resolution and public speaking. Students complete learning activities and participate in small group discussions. The goal is to help people make a difference in their schools, communities, and neighborhoods.

“That’s the amazing thing about the program,” said Victoria Campoverde, program manager. “People find themselves, they find their value. And for the Latino community, this is so important.”

Campoverde began working with Wilder’s Neighborhood Leadership program in 2008, helping adapt their curriculum for the Latinx community to create Latino Leadership. As a

past participant of the program herself, Campoverde speaks from experience.

“When you are hurting, you won’t share with whoever.

You need to be in a space where people understand you,” she said. “[Latinx] understand each other. We have similar backgrounds and people can be more confident to share and grow together. I am so grateful for the program because I was part of it.”

Campoverde said immigrants often feel overwhelmed by paperwork and a new culture when they arrive in the United States but that they still want to be part of their community.

“Working in leadership makes people more confident in themselves, allows them to participate in their schools and community, and have hope too,” she said. “Since 2007 we’ve been working to find different ways to partner with the community and bring a deep and helpful program that responds to the needs of the Latino community in leadership.

Now as part of Neighborhood House, my goal is to continue to bring a quality program to the Latino community and keep growing.”

As we were riding along the river in South St. Paul, it became apparent that he had outgrown his dirt bike. As he rode you could see his knees coming up over his handlebars.

Try as he might, that bike would not move fast enough for him to keep up with us and our larger, more efficient road bikes. So, in March we invested in a small adult road bike.

Our hope is he will find biking more enjoyable and, maybe, be able to keep up with us when the snow melts and the paths are safe for riding again this spring.

For my family, having different modes of transportation available is important. We drive, bike, run and walk. We take trains, planes and buses. We are blessed to have such options and we intentionally take advantage of them when able.

For many of our neighbors, transportation is a challenge.

When the pandemic hit, the Neighbors’ transportation program was paused. This program benefited people who needed help getting to a medical appointment. They contacted us and we connected them with a volunteer driver to take them to and from their essential appointment. All that changed when COVID hit. People stopped going to medical appointments, and social distancing made it impossible to safely

drive someone. The program came to a halt.

As we have learned, in moments of crisis ingenuity takes over. Even though people were not requesting rides, we found a way to provide valuable access to essential items.

Instead of driving people around we started driving food to people. It started small and has now grown to several deliveries a week to households throughout northern Dakota County.

We did not stop there. We were able to deliver holiday gifts this past Christmas to families who were unable to pick them up. We are now bringing large quantities of food to three different satellite food shelves. Soon, we will have a refrigerated vehicle to transport even more food to our neighbors in need.

Transportation is usually framed as a way to get people around town. During the pandemic, like so many other aspects of life, transportation has been re-framed to getting services and goods to people. While we look forward to returning to providing rides to essential appointments, we are glad we can provide access through deliveries.

As for biking, I am looking forward to my son making use of his new bike. Who knows, by time you read this, he may have already taken it for a spin.

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Postscript

Sea Shanties

I am not exactly a connoisseur of contemporary culture.

I haven’t seen the latest Netflix series or anything else. I don’t follow Twitter or Snapchat or Instagram.

But somehow, a TikTok phenomenon came to my attention that I found too delightful to ignore.

Sea shanties are all the rage among Generation Z. “Sea shanties?” I thought.

“That can’t be right.”

But I checked it out and, yes, teens and young 20-somethings are singing sea shanties on TikTok, and listeners add their own harmonies and instrumentation. The arrangements get more and more interesting and complex as they are passed around the globe.

I can’t help feeling that a lot of long-dead sailors would be very pleased.

I’ve never been a fan of whaling songs and famously boycotted the singing of one in my elementary school music class. But these TikTok shanties don’t seem to

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be as bloody as the ones sung in second grade. If a whale is mentioned at all, it frequently wins, dragging the sailors down with it into the deep, never to be seen again. Most of the songs are about loneliness and danger and the endless waiting for supplies to come. “Sugar and tea and rum,” it seems, are always in short supply.

The fellow who kicked the latent love of sea shanties into high gear is an unassuming young postal worker from Scotland named Nathan Evans. He and his new bride are living in a relative’s spare bedroom and, when not delivering parcels,

he has been putting music videos online. He was more surprised than anyone when one of them, a song originating from New Zealand in the 1850s, went viral.

Within days, his song was heard by millions, and dozens of variations and embellishments had sprung up online, as more sea shanties were recorded every day. I love the idea that these songs, which predate recording, are making a comeback.

But I have to wonder why these historic maritime songs have captured the collective imagination of young people today.

Maybe being in the midst of a pandemic that drags on, confined to close quarters, with the world seeming more than usually unknowable, these 20-somethings feel a bit like lost sailors, battling the ravages of a stormswept sea. Maybe there is a bit of nostalgia for a time when songs served as a rare means of connection, prolif-

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erating in the 1800s as they do on TikTok today, traded in ports and spread around the world.

Whatever the reason, the result is great fun. I occasionally post a new sea shanty on Facebook, which my aging peers completely ignore. (That’s OK. I figure you have to be a little hip to enjoy 200-year-old sailing songs.)

I’m mesmerized by the earnest faces of these young

singers from all over the world, most of them trapped in the bedrooms of their parents’ homes. I watch them belting out these tunes, singing about a time that predates their great-grandparents, filling these songs with a new life and meaning, and making them their own.

It somehow makes me optimistic. It makes me believe that beautiful things find a way to survive, that good stories will keep being told,

and that the hardships we endure are never completely forgotten as long as there are stories and music.

Mr. Evans was asked why he thought his song had struck such a chord at this particular time. “Maybe it’s giving everybody that sense of unity and friendship that we’ve all been missing for about a year now,” he said.

I think he may have nailed it.

Till next time.

“I’m sorry, I must have misplaced your paperwork.”

“Your credit report isn’t back.”

“Your income hasn’t been verified yet.”

Don’t be fooled by excuses.

What appears to be a delay could be discrimination.

According to the federal Fair Housing Act, it’s illegal to consider race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or family status in rental, sales, lending or homeowner’s insurance decisions. Under the Minnesota Human Rights Law, it’s also illegal to discriminate based on one’s creed, sexual or affectional orientation, marital status or receipt of public assistance.

If you suspect unfair housing practices, visit www.hud.gov/fairhousing or call the HUD Hotline 1-800-669-9777, 1-800-927-9275 (TTY), or MN Dept. of Human Rights at 651-296-5663.

Sponsored by the Dakota County CDA and the US Dept of HUD

WORSHIP SCHEDULE Church of St. Matthew, 510 Hall Ave., St. Paul The Church of Saint Matthew invites you to join us in this season of Lent and the joyous season of Easter. We welcome you to come celebrate with us the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. If you desire information about us, please visit www.st-matt.org or call 651.224.9793.

Education That Suits Your Student

Weekend Masses are celebrated on Saturdays at 4:15 p.m.

Sunday Masses streamed online at 10:15 a.m. on Facebook and YouTube www.facebook.com/churchofstmatthew or youtube.com/stmattswestside

Stations of the Cross

View anytime on Facebook or YouTube

SCHOOL CHOICE DIRECTORY

St. Matthew’s Fabulous Fish Fry Fridays through April 2. Take out only.

4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Reconciliation

Saturday, March 27 after 4:15 p.m. Masses Tuesday, March 30 at 7:00 p.m. & Wednesday, March 31 at 5:30 p.m.

Communal Penance Service Sunday, March 28 at 2:00 p.m.

HOLY WEEK

Palm Sunday Services Saturday, March 28, 4:15 p.m.

Sunday, March 29, 10:15 a.m. Streamed online Drive-by Palm pick up at 11:30 a.m.

Easter Triduum Celebration Holy Thursday, April 1 Mass, 7:00 p.m. In person and streamed online Good Friday, April 2 Stations of the Cross, 12:00 p.m. In person Good Friday Liturgy, 3:00 p.m. In person and streamed online Holy Saturday, April 3 Easter Vigil, 7:00 p.m. In person only Easter Sunday, April 4 Mass of the Resurrection. 10:15 a.m.

In person and streamed online

Visit www.stpaulpublishing.com/schoolchoice to explore these schools and for tips on how to choose a school that best fits your student's and family's needs.

CHARTER

Academia Cesar Chavez 1801 Lacrosse Ave., St. Paul 651-778-2940 www.cesarchavezschool.com St. Paul City School PreK-12 260 Edmund Ave., St. Paul 651-225-9177 www.stpaulcityschool.org

COLLEGES / UNIVERSITIES St. Paul College 235 Marshall Ave., St. Paul 651-846-1600 https://saintpaul.edu

PAROCHIAL

St. Croix Lutheran Academy 1200 Oakdale Ave., West St. Paul 651-455-1521 www.stcroixlutheran.org

St. Paul Voice - April 2021 - Page 11

N ews Briefs WSP egg hunt The West St. Paul Parks and Recreation Department is hosting an egg hunt 1011:30 a.m., Saturday, April 3 at the West St. Paul Sports Complex, 1650 Oakdale Ave. The free event will feature a one-way loop around the complex. Household groups will be assigned a color and may collect eggs only within their designated color area. Upon finishing the route, eggs can be turned in for treats and toys. Preregistration is required. To register, visit the parks and rec page at www.wspmn.gov or call 651-552-4100.

Artist needed for Villa del Sol project NeDA is seeking submissions from local artists to paint raised garden beds for a community garden at Villa del Sol. The artist or artist group will be given a $2,000 materials stipend to paint 10 raised beds made from cedar wood. The wood, and studio and storage space at Villa del Sol, will be provided. Applications are due April 1. The project must be

Your community news and information source completed by June 30. For more information, contact Sophia Munic at soph.munic@gmail.com.

Optimist Club essay winners Hannah Hayes, a sophomore Henry Sibley High School, won the recent essay contest conducted by the Optimist Club of West St. Paul. Her winning essay has been submitted to the Optimist DMM District (Dakotas, Manitoba, Minnesota) to be judged with other winning essays in the district.

The theme of the contest is “Reaching Your Dreams

by Choosing Optimism.”

The winner of the contest will receive a $2,500 college scholarship. As winner of the local contest, Hayes won the first-place medallion and a $100 Target gift card. Paige Nowak received the second-place medallion and a $75 Target gift card, and Elise Buzzell received the third-place medallion and a $50 Target gift card.

Nowak and Buzzell are also sophomores at Henry Sibley High School.

Oratory contest Speaking Proudly 2021, a nonpartisan, nonprofit project of Metro Republican Women, is seeking contestants for the second biennial Speaking Proudly oratory competition, held Oct. 23 at the State Capitol. The contest gives Minnesota high school girls an opportunity to speak persuasively about the topic, “A More Perfect Union, Rising to the Challenge.” The competition is open to all girls in grades nine through 12 who attend school in Minnesota.

Finalist prizes are $1,500, $1,000 and $500. For more information and an application form, visit www.speakingproudly.org.

Student notes University of Minnesota Twin Cities dean’s list: Claire Allen, Clare Bann, Lily Byrnes, Eva Doran, Moriah Elkin, Yaren Euceda Mejia, Carly Gegelman, Seth Golden, Nayana Gurung, Naomi Kaplan, Andro Khalil, Amelia Salisbury, Samantha Salmen, Joseph Shirk, Piper Sondreal, Greta Stifter, Shamus Von Haden, Julia Wal-

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Garcia reaches milestone

Humboldt High School basketball star Xavier Garcia eclipsed the 1,000-point mark in his career during a game against Washington Technology Magnet.

He entered the game 26 points away and went on to score 28 points to help the Hawks win 85-49.

lace, Michala Zien, Abigail Arganbright, Sydney Bagley, Annie Balto, Katherine Burke, Hannah Bursey, Keila Cortes, Holly Ann Eastman, Charles Gannon, Cal Johns, Sophie Johns, Isabel Johnson, Joseph Juliette, Nicholas Kettler, James Landsman, Jenna Lewis, Jennifer Malay, Anna Mayer, Collin McEllistrem, Claire Minea, Natalie Nachtsheim, Steven Nick-

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son, Alexander Nilles, Adrienne O’shea, Kara Osborne, Ashley Rascher, Jacob Rascher, Jack Redpath, Ellie Salmen, Andrew Stringer, Xander Thomas, Carly Zimmerman, Anne Debertin, Angelina Contreras, John Cronin, Baird Doud, Julia Grove, Noelle Lynch and Sophia Watts Minnesota State University-Mankato honors list: Lendale Bui, Louisa Hall, Kathryn Kueppers, Gabriel Miller, Margaret Allie, Jasmine Lund, Benjamin Pierce and David Shubat Marquette University The following were named to the dean’s list: Amy Titus, Brian Gallagher, Jacob Gerend, Mary Jurich, Nicole Tetzlaff and Adelaide Johanson. Clare Griffin graduated

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• Day & evening classes for kids (ages 5-18) 351 Robert St. S. and2teens 1407 Robert St. S. Convenient • Half-day A.C.E. camps (tennis Locations!

St. Paul West St. Paul and academics); Jr. Team Tennis Page 12 - St. Paul Voice - April 2021 drills & competitive play • Adult June 21 – July 2 • Life and leadership skills are

Summer Program

with a bachelor’s degree in social welfare and justice.

University of Kansas honor roll: Grace Bullard, Annalyssa Crenshaw, Andrea Galindo, Mary Horttor, Quinn Mack, Ainsley Rosenstiel, Molly Tierney and Sophie Klinger Minnesota Connections Academy honor roll: Carolina Gjevre University of Wisconsin-Whitewater: Jon Lotti earned a bachelor of fine arts in theatre.

Fairleigh Dickinson University honors list: Jaelyn Young Iowa State University: Kally Dreelan ranked in the top 2% of students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Purchase College dean’s list: Aneva Dubeaux Simmons University dean’s list: Frances Zigmund Rochester Institute of Technology dean’s list: Mac McCluskey University of Tampa dean’s list: Abigail Krummen Dixie State University honor roll: Serina Sharbo

Summer Program June 21 – July 2 Register today!

• Day & evening classes for kids and teens (ages 5-18) • Half-day A.C.E. camps (tennis & academics); Jr. Team Tennis • Adult drills & competitive play • Life and leadership skills are built into youth tennis lessons • Many sites throughout St. Paul • Cost varies according to class • Scholarships available

See Summer Program schedule at www.stpaulurbantennis.org

or call 651-222-2879

Trusted support - Ongoing, friendly phone or video visits with a trained companion can help in this time of social distancing.

Volunteer opportunities - Make a difference from home via phone or video chat by providing companionship. Support kids who have fallen behind next school year, in person or virtually. Earn a stipend, plus mileage. Virtual training is provided. To learn more, contact Jacqueline James at 651.310.9455, Jacqueline.James@lssmn.org.