JNS BLOG EXCLUSIVE: Summons Arrives For Jerry Moore At JACC Office

Flickr.com Photo

I just received word from a reliable source saying a summons arrived at the JACC office at 2009 James Ave. N., intended for former JACC Executive Director Jerry Moore, (still recognized as JACC Executive Director by the "Old Majority" faction) and...

...summoning Moore to appear at a legal hearing concerning the Larry Maxwell criminal investigation, click here for recent info about that.

At the same time, the Hennepin County Attorney's office attempted to deliver a registered letter for Moore to the same office. Members of the "New Majority" reportedly called the Hennepin County Attorney's Office to give information about where Moore could be found; at his home address or the Jordan New Life Church.

I said it was "too quiet," didn't I?

THAT didn't last long.

"Too Quiet" In The Jordan Neighborhood?

Photo By John Hoff

There's an old line from the movies, and it applies to the Jordan neighborhood right about now.

It's quiet. TOO quiet.

I guess we'll see when the next bit of drama breaks loose in the ongoing controversies--personally, I'd give it no more than a week--but in the meantime here's some bits and pieces of info.

First, the...

...Jordan Livability blog may not follow the Johnny Northside maxim to "pour on the content," but it has some good and detailed info. Here's a recent post, click here, which gives more info on the missing equipment controversies and some details about freezing the bank accounts which can't be found anywhere else.

A subsequent post on that same blog, click here, gives a rundown on events leading up to the elections, basically showing everything was in order. There was no coup or, heaven forbid, "hijacc" of the board. It was an election. After an election, it's somebody's bleak duty to get roaring drunk in the bar and stagger home depressed to cry in their pillow. The first stage of crushing electoral defeat is denial but, as we can see, some people never manage to leave that stage.

JACC Executive Director--A Cursed Position?

Here's a story which just hit in the Pioneer Press, click here. Jonathon Palmer, a former executive director of JACC, is being sued for allegations of sexual harassment. I happened upon this story while fishing all over the internet, looking for new information about the controversy in Jordan.

Like the Professor of Dark Arts position at Hogwart's Academy, in the Harry Potter book series, the position of JACC Executive Director may be, well...cursed.

Images: Apartment Complex of Anarchy Goes Down, Day Two

Photos By John Hoff

In the top photo, the front steps remained near the end of today's demolition activities. A whole lot of drugs were dealt from those steps, and it will take a lot of effort--even by a powerful backhoe--to rid the neighborhood of those accursed steps.

Second photo, a "fault line" appears in the front of the structure shortly before the backhoe took some serious, fatal whacks at the peaked portion. At one point, a crazed squirrel ran on top of the building, started the backhoe right in the eye, held its ground for a moment...then heeded the sensible impulse to retreat, RETREEEEEEEEEAT.

Third photo, some copper pipes pulled from the building. Hard to believe, but there were still a few copper pipes in hard-to-access places ripped open by the backhoe. The water hose was used to decrease the amount of dust in the air, but often it was a case of whistling in the wind.

In the fourth picture, this guy had to deal with trailing wires dragged along with scoops full of material deposited in the dumpster by the backhoe. A dirty job, but somebody had to do it.

Last photo; the Apartment Complex of Anarchy leaves our neighborhood in a fitting way...pulverized and packed in a series of large dumpsters. 

(Do not click "Read More") 

Good Riddance, Apartment Complex Of Anarchy (3101 6th St. N.) Day Two

Photo By John Hoff

"The Apartment Complex of Anarchy," the site of so much drug dealing and chaos, has been nearly reduced to rubble. The distinctive front doorway with a high, pointed roof is now down, and given the pace of the demolition it appears the entire building will be down today. Already, one super-sized dumpster of debri has been hauled away and another is loaded, ready to go.

There is a sense of quiet joy and triumph in the neighborhood. Fourth Precinct Commander Mike Martin came by, briefly, and watched the demolition, speaking to Peter Teachout, Chair of the Hawthorne Neighborhood Association, who lives nearby. 

Notably, the demolition crew happened upon several large copper pipes and pulled these aside. Yes, despite the energetic efforts of an army of desperate crackheads, a lot of copper was missed and that scrap has now ended up in the hands of honest, hardworking people.

(Do not click "Read More")

"New Majority" In Jordan Neighborhood Discusses Evidence Of Financial Irregularity

Photo By John Hoff

Today I dropped by 2009 James Ave. N., the headquarters of the Jordan Area Community Council (JACC) where the "New Majority" faction is firmly in power. Secretary Anne McCandless was sitting at a table, going through mail and, according to her own account, trying to piece together clues about what had been happening to the organization in the last few years while it was under the control of the "Old Majority."

Yes, I was told my "New Majority" and "Old Majority" labels were sticking...

There was frustration in the air as I entered. McCandless had a letter in her hand from a collection agency, demanding $1,506.62 for an electric bill. This didn't make sense. How could there be such a large unpaid electric bill?

McCandless and another person in the office sorted through the paperwork, making calls, figuring out the puzzle. In a short while the mystery was solved. JACC didn't owe an electric bill. Yes, the JACC electric bill had been overdue, recently, to the tune of $490.59. When former Executive Director Jerry Moore had called the electric company to shut off the power, the company told him he first needed to pay the outstanding bill, and THEN they would shut off the power. So, somehow, Moore paid the electric bill, then tried to shut off the power. But the power never got shut off. The electric company did some double-checking, first.

So the light bill had been paid. What, then, was the deal with this bill for $1,506.62? A call to the collection agency appeared to produce the following information: this was Jerry Moore's PERSONAL bill, not a bill owed by JACC. The collection agency was just trying to track down Jerry Moore.

"Um," I asked. "Why would somebody let their electric bill go for so long?"

McCandless laughed. She started showing me things, telling me things.

Item One; unpaid JACC gas bill due to Centerpoint Energy, $602.71.

Item Two; unpaid rent. How far back was rent unpaid on 2009 James Ave. N? According to McCandless, three or four months.

Item Three, JACC corporate charter filed with the office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. According to McCandless, Jerry had not been paying the annual fee and allowed JACC's corporate status to lapse for two years. JACC was due to be dissolved, but through the efforts of McCandless and a very nice, helpful person at the Secretary of State's Office, the fees were now paid, and JACC was in no danger of losing its corporate status.

Item Four, freezing the bank accounts. According to McCandless, Jerry Moore had not only written out a personal check to himself for $1,500 since being fired by the JACC board, but another check for $680 has been cashed by the bank (Franklin Bank) as well. (I didn't find out who wrote the check, or who cashed it) However, the bank account was now frozen. McCandless stated "several" checks had been presented to the bank, but not cashed. I tried to find out the meaning of "several." To McCandless, it meant four or more.

McCandless told me about four board members "marching in" to Franklin Bank and demanding the JACC accounts be frozen. A bank manager said, well, this extraordinary request would require a conversation with the bank's lawyers.

"Fine," McCandless and others agreed. "So go get the lawyers. We'll wait."

So they waited. And soon they had the accounts frozen.

I asked McCandless about when another executive director would be hired. According to McCandless, this will take place no time soon. There is little money left in the accounts to pay a new executive director. And members of the board are trying to figure out how to keep the organization running as the pieces are put together about what, exactly, happened in the last few years. Meanwhile, some members of JACC are still dealing with defamation lawsuits filed by (Old Majority member) Ben Myers.

In saying these things, McCandless showed no sign of being discouraged, of quitting. She talked about the long, dark midnight that went on for years, in which she and others were relegated to "vocal minority" status, and members of the "Old Majority" warned new board members to have nothing to do with these malcontents, squeaky wheels, and "racists" who were only there to disrupt. And yet McCandless said she and others kept pushing for answers, asking questions, never letting up.

At first, McCandless said, Board Member Dan Rother (pictured above, left) was not friendly to their point of view. Indeed, Rother would not even speak to members of the "New Majority" at first. And yet, bit by bit, Rother came around to their way of thinking. Now the New Majority appears firmly in control of JACC headquarters, and backed by city officials. Very little seems certain, but this much I can say for sure: the lights are on and somebody is home.

This blog is open to receiving comments and information from all sides in this conflict and I again wish to make that clear.

"The Apartment Complex Of Anarchy" (3101 6th St. N.) Goes Down, Story In Words

Photo By John Hoff

I was on my way to pick up some dry cleaning, when I thought I'd drive through the Eco Village just to see what was happening, just to make sure my former block was secure. I had just fixed my left taillight after a not-unpleasant encounter with the Minneapolis Police Department the night before. From the east, 3101 6th St. N. looked the same as ever. But as I drove by, The Backhoe of Doom reared its head like a mythical bog beast...

The orange monster was hip-deep in wreckage, but showed no sign of stopping. It was snowing shingles. Cinderblocks popped beneath its treads like walnuts. If ancient humans had beheld such a site, they would have erected temples and brought little doll houses to sacrifice. Forget picking up dry cleaning. It was time to fetch batteries for my camera. It was time to start working the cell phones and alerting friends in Hawthorne to the joyous, long-awaited news.

Ding Dong, The Wicked Apartment Complex Is Dead

Jeff Skrenes needed a nap, badly, but he wasn't going to miss THIS. Even police cars were pulling up, briefly, to watch. I knocked on the door of the Teachout residence, and JoyAnne greeted me. Yes, she said, she had been wondering about that NOISE. Several minutes later she walked over, bundled up, holding a camera. It was too cold to stay for more than a few moments, but I snapped some pictures with her camera as she posed. 

"The Polish Lady" arrived for a visit, too, in leather slippers and a head scarf. Later she told me the building had been there since before 1961, when she had moved into her house, but at some point there had been a renovation of the exterior; that's when the shingles were extended over the sides. I always thought the look was distinctively 1970s, and reminds me of certain restaurant chains.

"Patty Cake" arrived in her cute little blue VW, then drove to her house to pick up Aunt Lizzie's teapot, filled with cocoa. Sitting in my van, me and Jeff toasted to "a rat free Eco Village." It was too cold for any beverage but cocoa, but still we toasted. How long had we waited for this moment? 

"Was it everything you ever imagined?" I asked Jeff. He agreed it was, "only much colder." 

We shared stories with the demolition crew and their family support system, which was also on the scene. This was no ordinary building, no ordinary demolition. This was a symbol of our progress in the Eco Village.


We Have Come Far, We Have Far To Go

While the building was demolished, fairly obvious drug traffic stilled flowed from 3020 6th St. N., but at one point a squad car sat at the intersection of 6th and 31st, taking some kind of coffee break, or just watching. It was encouraging. Clearly, this was a low and demoralizing moment at 3020--seeing yet another building come down in the unstoppable march toward neighborhood revitalization--and the presence of the squad car seemed (even unintentionally) to rub in the feeling of impending, total defeat of drug dealing on that part of 6th Street North. 

3020 6th St. N. Is Still A Problem

If only the squad cars would stop near 3020 6th St. N. all the time and take their lunch breaks. Really, you can hardly get better, more affordable food than the stuff at Bangkok Deli. (Well, admittedly the "pork organ stir fry" is not everybody's cup of testes, but there's plenty of other good stuff and, honestly, if people would just TRY the testes, they'd be as hooked as me!) 

I will not think too much about what remains to be done. This was a great day, and the demolition will apparently continue in earnest first thing tomorrow morning. 

We are still getting used to the idea of 3101 6th St. N. being really, completely GONE and not just an empty wreck of a building. 

I am contemplating the possibility of people having picnics on that spot, buying hot food from right next door, once the grass grows back. Now we are in the cold heart of winter, we are in the dark center of our struggle to change this neighborhood into something better, but spring and light are coming. 

"The Apartment Complex Of Anarchy" (3101 6th St. N.) Goes Down, Story In Pictures, PART THREE

Photos By John Hoff

Top Photo; Congratulations, Shirley G., former owner of 3101 6th St. N., you just won a lifetime supply of TOOTHPICKS!!!!!!!!

In the second photo, Jeff excitedly calls various people, holds up his cell phone and says, "Can you hear THAT? Do you know what that sound is...? That's 'The Apartment Complex of Anarchy' being demolished."

Third photo; at least five different squad cars drove by, some stopping to watch the demolition with pensive-yet-satisfied expressions. It seemed like some kind of word went out over the police communication network, and everybody wanted to get a look-see. This was no ordinary demolition. This building was infamous. 

Tonight a high-ranking police officer sent me a message, telling me "The Apartment Complex of Anarchy" was being demolished. I told him to look for the pictures on Johnny Northside Dot Com. 

Fourth photo, that's me giving a double thumbs-up. It's cold enough for two stocking caps. The other day I saw my 11-year-old son had taken up the practice of wearing two stocking caps and I thought, "That's my boy." 

Fifth photo, Hawthorne Housing Director Jeff Skrenes poses like Vanna White on Wheel of Fortune. For many years you could buy SO MUCH MORE than a vowel at the "open air drug market" of 3101 6th St. N. 

Last photo; a lone toilet sits for a moment...and then The Backhoe of Doom turns it to a chalky residue of ceramic dust. 

"The Apartment Complex Of Anarchy" (3101 6th St. N.) Goes Down, Story In Pictures, PART TWO

Photos By John Hoff

Top photo; the unstoppable fury of The Backhoe of Doom. 

Second photo; "The Polish Woman" walked up from her house, wearing leather slippers, to witness the demise of 3101 6th St. N. It was very cold out, so she didn't stay long, but she posed for a photo. Later that night, she found some Polish sausages in her freezer to share with me and Jeff. It is becoming a tradition in the Eco Village to celebrate demolition with Polish sausage. 

The third photo shows where demolition ended when the hose broke, and though the hose was fixed there was not enough daylight to continue. Roughly one third of 3101 6th St. N. was demolished, roughly 1/3 remained. 

Fourth, The Backhoe of Doom leaves its distinctive claw marks in the snow.

Fifth, some of the family of the backhoe operator who is, I believe, also the owner of the company. They were interested in the upcoming demolition of 3024 6th St. N. and whether the project had already been bid. I gave them a name: Kevin Gulden of PPL. You can try contacting him. Good luck. 

(Do not click "Read More") 

"The Apartment Complex Of Anarchy" (3101 6th St. N.) Goes Down, Story In Pictures, PART ONE

Photos By John Hoff and Jeff Skrenes

In the top photo, a single forelorn blue plastic clothes hanger is visible in the corner of a room as the Backhoe of Doom does its merciless work. At one point a guy in a silvery car pulled up and spoke to Jeff Skrenes, saying, "That used to be my kitchen."

"That's crazy!" Jeff said, agreeably, and avoided saying anything like, "What did you cook up in that kitchen? CRACK? Because that's why this place is coming down, and good riddance" or maybe "how much did you get for the copper pipes out of your kitchen?" or...or...

Sympathy is in short supply, here. No, rather, IT'S TIME TO DANCE THE HULA. 

Second photo, the attic crawl space is exposed. In the third photo, the backhoe is halted due to a broken hose, which caused liquid to spurt all over the scoop. The little boy is named "Jevin" and he is the son of the guy operating the backhoe. In the bottom photo, Jevin (age 2) stands with his dad. Though quite young, Jevin already knows what he wants to be when he grows up: a maker of fine-quality toothpicks. 

(Do not click "Read More") 

BREAKING NEWS: 3101 6th St. N., "The Apartment Complex of Anarchy," Is Partially Demolished. Job will reportedly be finished tomorrow, starting 8 am.

Photo By Jeff Skrenes Or John Hoff

There was no champagne handy, but we managed to toast with hot cocoa, which seemed appropriate given the weather. As of tonight, about 1/3 of 3101 6th St. N. is in a state that could only be described as "toothpicks." The rest is reportedly going to come down tomorrow, starting at 8 am.

Pictures, story to follow soon.

(Do not click "Read More")

Jordan Controversies, More Information Sources

In the course of covering the ongoing JACC controversy, I was made aware of something called the "Jordan Livability" blog. This blog...

...doesn't put out enough content, often enough, to develop much of an online following but shows real potential because all the posts are high-quality, exclusive, detailed information about events in the Jordan Neighborhood. Click here for a link to that Jordan Livability blog.

More Info On Past Al Flowers Controversies

Additionally, I've been doing some digging to find out information about Al Flowers, who has thrust himself to a lead role in the Jordan Neighborhood controversies. (Or, shall I say, PUSHED HIS WAY TO THE FRONT, ha ha)

Here's an article from IBBN, click here, that talks about Al Flowers and some very large amounts of money which--the IBBN blog appears to be asserting--can't really be accounted for fully. This other article from the Spokesman-Recorder, click here, has a different take.

Minnesota Daily Coverage Of Flowers Lawsuit Superior To Star Tribune Coverage

It should also be noted the Minnnesota Daily covered the Flowers lawsuit, click here for article, and I'd have to say their article was far and away better than the one in the Star Tribune. (I won't link to Star Tribune articles, as the links are scheduled to go dead)

The Star Tribune mentioned Councilman Don Samuels didn't comment, which is standard when city officials are served a lawsuit. But Minnesota Daily dug deeper, and managed to get commentary from witnesses at the scene. (Of course, Minnesota Daily had a little help from, um...an old Minnesota Daily columnist who was contacted on the phone, ha ha)

Text Of Al Flowers Lawsuit Against Don Samuels

Photo By John Hoff

The Minneapolis Mirror has the text of Al Flowers' lawsuit against Don Samuels, click below for that information:

http://mplsmirror.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=477&Itemid=1

Here's a few comments about the allegations in the lawsuit:

First, "New Majority" JACC Secretary Anne McCandless told me--with others present--she was the one who called 911. If Councilmember Don Samuels called 911, I was not aware of it.

Second, the lawsuit mentions "witnesses" who said Samuels was the problem, and not Flowers. These witnesses were hardly objective bystanders, but could be fairly characterized as individuals with an axe to grind. Interesting how the names of these witnesses are not mentioned in the complaint.

Third, the lawsuit says Flowers "complained" about the behavior of Samuels--namely the alleged elbowing and toe-stepping. Anybody can watch the video and see what Flowers was complaining about: Samuels daring to stand in front of him. No mention of Flowers' precious toes or the alleged sharpness of Samuels' elbows.

Notably, there's no mention in the lawsuit of Flowers shoving Samuels in the back from behind. That's OK. It's on video.

Fourth, the lawsuit has some odd italics, random single quote marks and, in one instance, seems to substitute the word "took" for "told." Didn't anybody proofread? Or is this how the miserable thing was MEANT to read?

Last, the lawsuit gets into detail about the oh-so-finely-wrought political questions Flowers was supposedly there to ask. Clearly, that stuff was written by the lawyer. I doubt if Flowers could successfully memorize that much intellectual verbiage for an exam. This is a guy who says "medium income" instead of "median."

Anybody who watches the tape sees how Flowers was expressing himself: shouting the same stuff over and over, like a person of limited intellect--such as a child--throwing a tantrum.

(Do not click "Read More")

More 311 Fun! Houses Must Have House Numbers!

Photos by Jeff Skrenes,
Hawthorne Housing Director

Even people who frequently call 311 aren't always aware of this little factoid: Houses must have house numbers. If they don't...

...it's a housing code violation. House numbers are important to have for calling 911, or utility companies, or just to keep people from driving around in circles unable to get some kind of geographic clue. HOUSES MUST HAVE (EXPLETIVE) HOUSE NUMBERS!!!! (Click here for a fun and illustrative link)

Jeff took this picture of a house without a (complete) house number on the 3000 block of Lyndale Ave. N., to document its vacancy status. You can tell a house is vacant when it has one of those big honkin' locks hanging off the doorknob, see top photo.

Owner Trying To "Save Face" Over 416 31st Ave. N.

Photo By Jeff Skrenes

It seems like there's always a low-intensity soap opera happening with 416 31st. Ave. N. in the Eco Village, and the last couple of weeks were no exception...

I wrote all about my little tour of the place after it hit the real estate market. Well, a few days after that happened, a resident who lives in the Eco Village called me and asked if I was POSITIVE it was still for sale. See, this resident had talked to the owner of the building, "Nimmi," and Nimmi was claiming the house wasn't for sale. That she wasn't ready to sell it, yet.

I thought to myself, "Did Nimmi yank it off the market right after she put it on the market?" I actually wondered. I should have known Nimmi was lying, because Nimmi constantly lies. She lies about how she's going to do something about low-quality tenants that live there, then she does nothing, even when the low-quality tenants steal her aluminum window frames. Or, as somebody recently told me, "She tries to pass herself off as such a victim of circumstance, when she's the one who puts these (expletive) quality tenants in her building."

Sorry. I'm venting.

Anyway, I called up a real estate agent, just to double check. I managed to confirm, rather quickly, the house was still on the market. It was still for sale at the "Dream On Price" of 150K, but at least they'd finally corrected the photograph and it now showed the correct house.

So here's what I think happened, and I told my friend this: Nimmi was trying to "save face" in that conversation. In fact, she's hard-pressed, economically, and trying to hock the house. But she doesn't want to say so, in a face-to-face conversation.

Nimmi. Your secret is safe with me.

And everybody who reads my blog.

P.S. Hawthorne Housing Director Jeff Skrenes gave me a copy of this picture of 416, but he's not actually responsible for this content.

3020 4th Street Boarded! YAY!!!

Photos By Jeff Skrenes,
Hawthorne Housing Director


So, a few weeks ago I was pitching a virtual fit over the slow, bureaucratic process in getting 3020 4th St. N. boarded and secured...

Well, I'm happy to report...

...the house is now boarded. In fact, it was boarded a week or more ago, and the "Holding Pond" blog actually reported this first, click here, and credited my publicity efforts.

Well, I don't know if blogging about an individual property speeds up the boarding process, but I've never known it to hurt. However, when the city gets a property secured, it's only right that I should say so after griping about it. I would have said so earlier, but obviously the ongoing Jordan Soap Opera has pre-empted a lot of my prime time broadcasts, so to speak.

Above, a picture taken by Jeff Skrenes, our housing director, as he surveyed the Eco Village on Friday.

Photos From MySpace Profile

Of Sammie Burch

By means I don't want to reveal, I was given an opportunity to view the private MySpace profile of Sammie Burch and confirm he has a picture of Annshalike Hamilton in a file marked "friends." The photo...

...is an image from Annshalike's "Photo Bucket" account, one where she is posing and smiling next to a bathroom sink.

The information I am getting from an unnamed source is that Burch was in jail as of late August, right about the time of his last login of August 22. HOWEVER, here is the concern articulated by my source: sometimes jail prisoners are granted 8-hour "job hunting furloughs" by judges. It is unknown whether Burch received any kind of furlough from late August to December 24, when he was imprisoned in St. Cloud for trying to strangle his girlfriend.

I can confirm this: the fact Burch had a photo of Annshalike in his MySpace page did cause one high-ranking police officer to sit up and take note, and fire off an email to the detectives working the case. Beyond that, I don't know much. I get persistent rumors on the back channel, but in my opinion if the police had any "persons of interest" they'd be publicizing the names so as to apprehend and/or question those individuals.

Another interesting aspect of the Burch profile is the context of the photo of Annshalike Hamilton. Her image appears with a handful of other friends, all women, some of which are striking sultry poses. Annshalike looks like the baby of the bunch, and yet there is her picture, and this 15-year-old is trying to strike a sexy pose, too.

Sammie's collection of all-female "friend" photos look--to put it bluntly--like a pictorial "booty call" collection. I'm publishing one of the photos as an example, a red-headed woman called "Rachel."

I feel like I've seen this photo somewhere before...hmmmm.....but where?

The profile of Sammie Burch has a lovely leaf pattern for wall paper; marijuana leaves, that is. A banner advises the friend or casual profile browser to "Smoke Weed Every Day." Some of his friends include "Jigga My Nigga" (above, with silver teeth) and this charming fellow with the assault rifle, called "SleepG." The profile photo of Burch shows him throwing a gang sign. One of the people included in his photos is identified as his "baby's mama," but Burch apparently has children by more than one woman.

Whether Burch is the father of Annshalike's baby or NOT...whether Burch was involved in her death or NOT...convicted felon Sammie Burch is an example of the type of person Annshalike was friendly with prior to her death.

Farheen Hakeem's Statement About JACC Press Conference, Al Flowers Incident

Photo By John Hoff



I was forwarded a copy of an email sent around by Farheen Hakeem, responding to issues surrounding the JACC press conference and the Al Flowers/Don Samuels incident...

Here are Hakeem's words, unedited:

Hello all, I am glad this video has been put up. Clearly you can see from minute 5:20 to 6:20 I am asking Council Member Samuels to please calm down, please step back,and to please not get so close because I am getting over bronchitis, and it is only for his own benefit.

You can also see John "PJ" Hubbard on my right, and Sandra Samuels on my left, Council Member Samuels in front of me, and my back against the wall.It is sad that John Hoff and Megan Goodmunson (she is the one screaming "Shut Up Al") chose to be so sexist as to call me "hysterical" and "out of control." Obviously, I am not.

This video also clearly portrays that I am not raising myvoice, and that because of my illness, you can barley hear me at all. But I am sure that an ASL interpreter with the ability to read lips can clearly verify what I am saying.

Finally, I think some hater asked why I was there. I am working with several community members to help buy foreclosed properties in North Minneapolis, have them rehabbed, and then have homeless families live in them as a community own (sic) housing cooperative. JACC signed on as one of the supporters, and the Jordan neighborhood has one of the highest number of foreclosed properties in Minneapolis.

I signed the pre-application and just turned it in to CPED the day before. I just wanted to know if they were still supporting this housing cooperative project, that is all. I had no idea what the JACC board politics are -- I am Southsider.

When I saw Council Member Samuels elbowing Al Flowers, I was trying to calm him down because I believe that violence is NOT the answer. As a former math teacher at a juvenile detention center, I know there could have a more peaceful way Council Member Samuels could have approached the situation. After all, is he not part of the PEACE Foundation?

I'm not running for office anymore, and I have no reason to care what Meg Goodmunson, John Hoff, or whoever else chooses to muddy my name. Right now Iam focusing on my friends and my family, who love me for me and know who Ireally am, not judge me based on stupid stereotypes.

Besides, aren't we all on the same side? Don't we all want to see realistic solution to the foreclosure problem, especially in North Minneapolis? Why do we have to do all this mud slinging and name calling? Can't we focus on working for a positive solution instead of spending hours writing our opinions of Al Flowers, Council Member Don Samuels, and me. (sic)

This is all the time I am spending on this, so if you are interested in getting involved in seeing somehousing co-ops on the Northside, please contact me.Thanks, Farheen - who is really NOT running for anything and is simply focusing energy to make a better Minneapolis.

(End of letter)

Johnny Northside says: Farheen, look at the photo, above, like it was a mirror. Ask yourself how calm you actually were, not how calm you want everybody to BELIEVE you were. And if Samuels elbowed Flowers, why did Flowers only complain heatedly about Samuels GETTING IN FRONT?

This talk of "elbowing" and "toe stepping" is an ex post facto rationalization from a loud, angry thug who simply SHOVED a city councilman who had his back passively, expressively turned.

And, I might add, BRAVELY turned, since Flowers has been involved with a televised statement about the pressing need to "kill" somebody like Don Samuels.

And almost everything was caught on tape, including Flowers' shouting, interrupting, heckling and--to many in the room--downright SCARY tirade. This time the lawsuit will not go well for Flowers...if you can call a $3 "coffee money" judgement a case of a lawsuit "going well."

Video, Al Flowers Press Conference

Photo By John Hoff

The Minneapolis Mirror has posted video of the Al Flowers press conference announcing his lawsuit, click here for that Mirror story with the video.

In this Mirror video, one sees...

A much different side of Al Flowers than was present at the JACC press conference, where he was an angry, repetitively-shouting, disruptive loon. He talks about his "right to ask questions" and yet the video from the JACC press conference, click here for a link, shows how Al Flowers shouted statements, over and over, and not always questions, i.e., "I got four residents that says you was illegal." In fact, he shouted about somebody having the audacity to stand in front of him.
When Flowers was loudly taking a cell phone call, and somebody asked him to take it outside, he snapped back rudely and proclaimed "I am the community." (The audio of his "I-Am-The-Community" response isn't as clear on the tape as the voice telling Flowers to take the call outside, but I heard and I have another witness who heard the--now infamous--"I Am The Community" declaration)

North To Minneapolis (You Go North, The Rush Is On)

One thing I do like very much about this Mirror video, however. Flowers describes North Minneapolis and the Jordan neighborhood as the site of a "gold rush." I tend to believe some of the same stuff. Bargains are everywhere, fine old houses that can be snapped up for a song and turned into owner-occupied housing in the next "hot" neighborhood. The demographics of North Minneapolis are changing from "hood" to "good" as revitalization takes its course.

Listen to Al Flowers: now is the time to buy, buy, buy houses in North Minneapolis.

Turnabout Would Be Fair Play?

Oh, also, one can't help but wonder what would be the reaction of Al Flowers, his two hangers-on, and his attorney if somebody came up and started shouting, over and over, stuff like:

DO YOU LIVE IN JORDAN, AL FLOWERS? YOU SAY YOU LIVE ON NORTH EMERSON, WELL, HALF OF NORTH EMERSON IS HAWTHORNE. WHICH SIDE OF EMERSON DO YOU LIVE ON, AL? NO, DON'T TALK ABOUT YOUR LAWSUIT, I DON'T HAVE TIME TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR THREE DOLLARS, I WANT TO KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE IN THE JORDAN NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE UNTIL I KNOW WHERE, I HAVE MY DOUBTS AND OTHER FOLKS HAVE DOUBTS, TOO.

If readers have comments they want to shout at Al, at the top of their lungs, feel free to use the comment threads and your CAPS LOCK.

Al Might Have To Give Back His $3 Judgment

Oh, in regard to the photo...this shows my point of view, when Flowers shoved City Council Member Don Samuels. Was I a witness? You bet. Did I see Flowers get elbowed? Did I see Flowers have his toes stepped on?

No, I saw nothing like that. On the contrary, I saw Flowers shove Samuels because he didn't like Samuels standing in front of him, with Samuels having his back turned. It seemed to me Flowers had taken the role of a "protester" with his shouted statements, and Samuels was taking the role of a "counter protester" by standing directly in front of Flowers, back turned.

Samuels was within his rights to passively stand there, facing away from Flowers. The person who called 911 felt menaced by Flowers--who was shouting at the top of his lungs, seemingly without emotional control--and was scary. I moved out of the way, actually thinking fists and elbows would start flying, because Al was shouting so loudly, angrily, and REPETITIVELY. One definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over, hoping for a different outcome. When somebody shouts repetitively...they meet the definition.

The cops who removed Flowers didn't seem to be "doing the bidding" of Samuels. On the contrary, they showed up at an address in response to a 911 call about an angry, menacing guy shouting at the top of his lungs. They identified that guy easily and asked him to step outside. He didn't go cooperatively. They grappled with him, and he resisted, as one can clearly see from the series of still photos more so than from the videos. (Though the videos show, from a distance, some of Al's physical resistance on the walkway, as the cops demanded Al go ALL THE WAY TO THE STREET and Al didn't want to go)

I spoke to the officers and observed some of the interaction, out there in the street. The officers had looks on their faces which seemed confused. They didn't seem to understand why somebody had called 911, and then they were speaking to somebody like Ben Myers, who seemed to be taking authority and speaking in defense of Flowers. I spoke to one of the cops and said something like, "What's going on here is very political, I suppose it's tough to sort it all out." And the officer said something back like, "We just came to some address in response to a 911 call."

I'm Being Repressed! Oh, See How They Repress Me!

Tactically, it makes sense to announce a lawsuit quickly. That way, if Al gets charged with obstruction of legal process, he can say the charges are politically motivated and in response to his lawsuit.

But here's my prediction: this lawsuit won't go as well for Al Flowers as the other lawsuit, the one where he snagged $3.

No jury is going to enjoy seeing the "Mr. Jekyll" aspect of Flowers' personality caught so richly on videotape. They'll have to ask themselves, "Is somebody acting like this a person who is menacing, and should be removed from a public meeting?"

Al Flowers believes in free speech, all right. He believes in it for HIMSELF. When somebody else uses the right to free assembly to try to share the same floor space with Flowers, then we see Flowers the Thug emerge, shoving and shouting because somebody dared to stand in front of him while he was trying to heckle. It's also richly ironic to see complaints being aired of Flowers being "discredited" when, after all, that's what Flowers was trying to do, both to Samuels when he called Samuels a "house nigga" and with Michael Browne, when Flowers tried to say Browne was acting illegally.

Why? Oh, because four residents told Flowers that, so in the mind of Al "I Am The Community" Flowers, that's a legal majority...Flowers and four people he knows.

JNS BLOG EXCLUSIVE: Larry Maxwell Mortgage Fraud Investigation Document Comes Loose In Course Of Jordan Controversy

Flickr.com Photo

The ongoing controversy in the Jordan Neighborhood caused a very interesting document to come loose about an active, ongoing police investigation into mortgage fraud...

The document concerns alleged mortgage fraud by Larry Maxwell. I first heard about Maxwell in association with a property in the Eco-Village area, 409 31st Ave. N.

That particular property is not mentioned in this document. The whole reason the document came into my hands is because Jerry Moore, former executive director of JACC, is named in the document. In the current climate of controversy (with the "New Majority" terminating Moore's employment, and the "Old Majority" saying, "You still work for JACC, and we're JACC" and Moore trying to, good heavens, shut off the utilities at the JACC HQ) information has been known to come loose, in the service of one side or another.

In the course of this struggle, somebody kicked the document toward my inbox. And now I have it. And now I'm going to share it with the whole wide world, because that's what this blog does.

Overcoming Technical Hurdles

I plan to write a thumbnail summary of the investigation document. However, in the meantime, I'm sharing the document in PDF form. Click here to go to a site which hosts the document in PDF form. Just go to the site, then click on the document with "REAPG" in the title.

Allow me to just go into one of my technical blogger things for a moment, here...it turns out you can't host a PDF document on blogspot. Oh, yes, you can host image documents quite easily, but not a PDF. So the way around that, according to a site called "The Blog Doctor," is to create a Google site to host other documents like PDFs.

I didn't come up with this on my own, but had to talk to a serious geek over the phone; Jeff's old college roommate. It was very bizarre, because the roommate calls Jeff "Bob." It has something to do with a shirt Jeff used to wear, bearing the name "Bob." Oh, yes, Jeff still possesses the shirt, actually.

I should talk. I have gym clothing I obtained in Fort Jackson, South Carolina, back in 1990, with my name written in faded Sharpie Marker: Hoff, John.

An Active Fraud Investigation

In any case, the document is detailed and fascinating. It mentions a $5,000 payment received by Mr. Jerry Moore on a mortgage deal which turned out to be fraudulent.

I have some details about the investigation from somebody who has been in contact, recently, with Cory Cardenas, a detective with the Bloomington Police Department. However, I won't be sharing those details at this time. This much I will say: if you have information about Larry Maxwell's mortgage fraud activities, be assured this is A VERY ACTIVE INVESTIGATION. And it's not just the Bloomington Police, either. Contact Detective Cardenas if you have information about Larry Maxwell.

Enjoy the very first PDF document from the website I set up at Google, just to host PDF documents for this blog. Another exciting technological leap here at Johnnynorthside.com.

Back Story, Al Flowers Versus...Everybody

Photos By John Hoff

Various individuals have been sending me helpful links to stories about Al Flowers. Rather than keeping this useful info to myself, I'm posting the links for those who wish to dig deeper into this "tempest in a flower pot."

First, check out this story on MinnPost.com, which aks whether Al Flowers (and his sister!) are just too quick to sue, or are they fighting racism? Click here for article.

Another MinnPost article, click here, tells the story of the first Flowers/Samuels lawsuit in detail, including its subtle nuances. Here is a news report about the verdict, click here. It's hard to find many news reports, because so many print media think people will pay money for articles in archives, and the whole article becomes unavailable. Ridiculous.

This recent Minneapolis Mirror article, click here, manages to distort and mangle what really happened. It's fun to compare this article with the two videos, and see how great is the gulf between the tale and the reality.

This lawsuit may not go as well for Flowers as the last one. There was clearly some extended, uncooperative physical contact with members of the Minneapolis Police Department, and it was caught on camera.

(Do not click "Read More")

Al Flowers Sues City Council Member Don Samuels. Again. New Details.

Flickr.com, Fountain, Hennepin County Government Center

I am in possession of a press release which announces a lawsuit by Alfred "Al" Flowers against City Councilmember Don Samuels...

The document I have bears no author, address or phone number but was forwarded to some members of the press. A member of the press forwarded it to me, and I gave that member of the press some information...including the fact I was standing just a few feet from the "altercation" between Flowers and Samuels. I never saw Samuels elbow Flowers or step on his feet. I did see Flowers give Samuels a quick, hard shove while Samuels had his back very deliberately turned on Flowers. I saw police remove Flowers, who was uncooperative and argumentative with police, and was physically removed by officers.

In any case, here is the press release:

Minneapolis City Council Member Don Samuels Sued

Again

For Violation Of First Amendment Rights

October 2005: Alfred Flowers sued Don Samuels for getting Flowers suspended from hosting television shows at Minneapolis Television Network. Flowers had criticized Samuels, who was running for re-election that year. Flowers prevailed in November 2007, when a federal jury awarded him punitive damages against Samuels. Punitive damages are designed to deter future violations.

But according to Flowers, it has not been enough to deter Samuels.

Samuels is running again. This time, according to witnesses, Samuels physically accosted Flowers to try to prevent him from speaking out on an important issue.

Similar to some 2005 allegations, the 2009 complaint essentially alleges that Samuels got others to do his bidding: instead of taking Samuels to task, police who arrived physically pushed Flowers out of the meeting--yet Samuels was allowed to remain,police said, due to his "status."

Flowers said, "this time, it's necessary to seek an injunction, to prevent Samuels, and those who do his bidding at the City of Minneapolis, from abusing our rights."

The document then announces a "Press Conference" at the Hennepin County Government Center, 2nd Floor--by fountain, for today, Thursday, January 22, 2009, 10:00 a.m. and promises "Flowers, his legal counsel, and several witnesses will be present."

Gee, I was a witness, and nobody called me.

The document concludes, "Copies of the complaint that initiated the lawsuit will be available."

"New Majority" JACC Board Secretary Issues Statement Re: Attempted Shut Off Of Utilities At JACC HQ

Flickr.com Photo

Anne McCandless, JACC Secretary ("New Majority" faction) emailed around a statement regarding the attempt by Jerry Moore (Executive Director, "Old Majority" faction) to shut down the utilities at the JACC HQ at 2009 James Ave. N.

The statement...

...does not name Moore, and reads as follows:

January 21, 2009, a recently-fired JACC employee contacted COMCAST and had the phone and internet service to our office disconnected. While this is an inconvenience, it will be back in service with the same phone number, 612-886-3202, on January 27. In the meanwhile, please disregard any notices you may see giving out a new JACC phone number or address.

This same disgruntled employee attempted to have the electricity turned off which would result in an unheated house. This was also unsuccessful. The postal service is also aware that the legal address of our organization is still 2009 James Ave. N.

Illegally removing the mail from the JACC mailbox is also a Federal offense.

The MPD Fourth Precinct personnel are aware of the situation and who the city recognizes as the rightful JACC board. Since the recent actions by this former employee could result in charges of criminal damage to property, I would ask all folks in the neighborhood to keep an eye on the JACC house and report any suspicious activity by calling 911 immediately.

Fourth Precinct Officers "Make The Bad Man Go Bye-Bye"

Flickr.com Photo

This happened tonight on 4th Street North. A resident was in her home when a menacing, shadowy figure knocked on the door, not identifying himself. He kept knocking. The resident...

...knows very well that all of her friends would NOT act that way, but would make it clear who is at the door. She shouted "NO!!!!" out the window and caled 911. The police response time was a mere two minutes.

The guy on the doorstep seemed to be some kind of confused, no-account person who kept saying something about a shovel. The police questioned the resident to make sure she didn't know him. She didn't. She had only one request: MAKE HIM GO BYE-BYE.

And the Fourth Precinct did just that. They made him go bye-bye. Wow, a two minute response time and the scary dude banging on the door went bye-bye. You'd think we live in Edina! GOOD JOB, FOURTH PRECINCT!

More Video Surfaces of JACC Press Conference

New video has surfaced of the JACC press conference, Al Flowers disrupting, all that good stuff. Check it out.

(Do not click "Read More")

Annshalike Hamilton Vigil, YouTube Video

Here is video which recently surfaced on YouTube of the Annshalike Hamilton vigil.

Once again, this video was first linked on the IBNN blog.

(Do not click "Read More")

YouTube Video (No Sound) Of Flowers/CM Don Samuels Incident At JACC Press Conference

This YouTube video shows the confrontation between Al Flowers and Don Samuels at the JACC Press Conference. You can see how uncooperative Flowers was when the MPD hauled him out of the meeting.

This video first appeared on Youtube, but the IBNN blog managed to link to it first, for the record. Well done, IBNN.

(Do not click "Read More")

JNS BLOG EXCLUSIVE: "Old Majority" Attempts To Shut Off Utilities At "New Majority" JACC HQ

Flickr.com photo

Word comes from a reliable source that...

Jerry Moore, who is the acting executive director for the "Old Majority" Jordan Neighborhood faction, but viewed as the fired former executive director for the "New Majority" faction, attempted to have utilities shut off at 2009 James Ave. N., which is the JACC HQ where the "New Majority" has taken control behind changed locks, while the "Old Majority" holes up at Jordan New Life Church.

My source reports internet was successfully disconnected, but not electric and gas. Unknown about the phone, which is sometimes part of internet service.

Also, word is Jerry Moore has written out at least one check for $1,500 since being fired by the "New Majority" (and told to keep doing his job by the "Old Majority.") My source reports, however, the bank is "finally waking up" to the need to freeze the accounts.

My source adds the following editorial remark: "Classy."

This blog remains committed to printing the communications of both sides in this conflict. The communications simply need to be forwarded by email.

JNS BLOG EXCLUSIVE: Al Flowers Reportedly Serves Lawsuit On City Councilmember Don Samuels

Photos By John Hoff .

This information comes from a reliable source who has been steadily providing info about the ongoing Jordan Neighborhood controversy. The source informs me that...

Gadfly-at-large and reportedly Jordan's newest resident, Mister Al "I AM THE COMMUNITY" Flowers, has served a lawsuit on City Councilmember Don Samuels.

Flowers is in the second picture. Looks like he's saying, "The community et moi...the community lives, entirely, in the person of Al Flowers, therefore you should never reproach me in public."

OK, my humor grows obscure. My joke is based on a semi-famous quote by a king of France, who proclaimed "I AM THE STATE."

Anyway....unconfirmed what the lawsuit was about, but it almost certainly has something to do with Flowers' assertions he was somehow "assaulted" by Samuels, and possibly the way he was forcefully ejected from the press conference. There were apparently two video cameras recording, so it's not going to be a case of "he said, she said."

No, it will be a case of "he said, then HE said...REALLY LOUD."

I was there. Don Samuels didn't assault Flowers. But the tale will be in the video tape. (Word comes the videotape is already on YouTube and IBBN has it up, too)

My source also said something like "I guess Al Flowers needs another $3 judgment."

Know Your Jordan Neighborhood Players, Collect 'Em All

Here's some "back story" on Al Flowers and his "right hand man," Zach Metoyer, from the same source. Zach is in the first picture. He's the unshaven guy in the brown leather jacket. My source says, "He's Al's right hand man. Al Flowers has a show on MTN and Zach is often his co-host."

My source says he/she has some recordings of the show. The show is described as "really unbelievable." The Flowers/Metoyer duo is reportedly "infamous" for at least one incident of digging out old movie footage of slaveholders beating/whipping slaves, or perhaps making the 'house slave' do the whipping of the field slaves. Then they say something like, "Community, this is Don Samuels. He is the house slave." (But they don't use the word "slave," rather they use the "n-word.")

They continued to call Don the "house slave" and they say stuff like, "Back in the day, what would happen to the house slave is the field slaves would kill him. That's what we need to do, community. WE NEED TO KILL THE HOUSE SLAVE."

So after that episode aired, many were shocked and horrified and Sondra Samuels was extremely terrified for the safety of her husband, her family, and herself. For a few days following that episode, many people were contacting MTN, including my source.

Don Samuels, a few other councilmembers and the mayor were disgusted and they approached MTN and said "This cannot take place on the airwaves of our community channel." The show was suspended briefly while things were hashed out and there was an investigation and (according to my source) "everyone got a grip."

The Show Must Go On

The show was ultimately allowed to continue. But because of the suspension, Al Flowers filed a lawsuit against Don and the City of Minneapolis. Flowers claimed his freedom of speech had been violated and he claimed the whole move was part of a political strategy. The lawsuit was decided in Al's favor and a monetary judgement was awarded.

Three dollars.

Yup, three dollars.

This blog does not have a copy of the current lawsuit and, really, no time to go dig one up at the courthouse. If anybody wants to forward a copy of the lawsuit, I'll print what it alleges plus counter-responses. But, again, I was standing right there...so close I had to get out of the way...and I didn't see Don Samuels assault Flowers. I saw Flowers doing things that, in the judgment of some prosecutors, might constitute disorderly conduct and/or obstruction of legal process. Oh, and then I saw Farheen Hakeem verbally freaking out, seemingly trying to play up the non-incident with Samuels.

But there's no need to take my word on this. Let the videotapes surface. I hope that stuff ends up on YouTube. In fact, I hope there is a YouTube trance music remix. One gets the sense that no matter how many times these old games have been played with the same old players, this time something has fundamentally changed. The forceful ejection from a meeting of the constantly-disruptive Al Flowers may be an indication of that deep change.

In a hundred years, it might be said, "The New Majority took power in Jordan...and the police threw Flowers out in the street."

An Open Letter To President Obama In Regard To Predatory Towing Abuses

Flickr.com Photo

On this historic day, I am taking the opportunity to write an open letter to our new president. The subject of the letter is not the usual stuff I put on this blog...

You see, I have an area of passion in regard to public policy reform...and what that area is, exactly, surprises a lot of folks, who think I throw all my spare creative energy into livability in North Minneapolis. In fact, I also care about the issue of "predatory towing," an emerging national problem.

For most of the last year, I've been doing more than my fair share just to help popularize the term "predatory towing" as part of a consciousness-raising effort on my OTHER blog, Towing Utopia Dot Com.

I believe cracking down on predatory towing--the seizure of vehicles on flimsy pretexts, which disproportionately impacts poor people and students--is a way to help protect individuals in this tough economy. Also, it's cheaper to regulate things than to fund various bail outs.

How do you fix an economy when your nation is in a deep financial hole? You regulate away the things which are hurting people, like taking their cars on flimsy pretexts when they need to drive to employment. You encourage cost effective high-tech solutions, like some cities have begun to implement instead of remaining stuck in archaic technologies. (Metal hooks and carbon paper, I like to say)

I hope those who regularly enjoy my Johnny Northside Dot blog may take a moment to read my Open Letter To President Obama on the subject of regulating predatory towing, click here for a link. If you read the many media stories I've collected on this other blog, you may be surprised to learn how much predatory towing impacts our nation.

Annshalike Hamilton Vigil, 2222 4th St. N.

Contributed Photo, "Holding Pond
But Not Holding Us Down"

An article in the Minneapolis Mirror gives a firsthand account of the recent vigil for murder victim Annshalike Hamilton. The article is written in a style which concentrates as much on the emotions of the writer as the newsworthy events themselves. This blog is singled out for special critical mention. Click here for article.

I would like to point out...

..."audacity" is not spelled "audasity." Doesn't the Minneapolis Mirror have some kind of spell check function for uploaded content? Mad Dads is also held up for special harsh criticism because--oh, my--some random youth strolled by and the Mad Dads didn't run right after to engage the youth, on the spot.

Trust me when I say finding random youth walking around on the streets of North Minneapolis is not hard, and there is plenty of time to engage them, after--for example--a brief vigil for a murder victim.

Somebody was kind enough to forward this blog several photos of the vigil. One of the photos illustrates this post. When I get an opportunity, I'll post the rest of the pictures.

JNS BLOG EXCLUSIVE: Two Can Play At THAT Game: "New Majority" Chair Kip Browne Tells "Old Majority" To "Cease And Desist"

Flickr.com Photo

I am now in possession of two letters from Kip Browne, dated January 17, 2009. At least one of the letters was reportedly served on Ben Myers during the JACC press conference, though this is unconfirmed...

The first letter, written by "New Majority" leader Kip Browne and signed "on behalf" of the JACC board of directors, is addressed to "Old Majority" Vice Chair Ben Myers, and bears the address of Myers' home at 2615 Logan Ave. N.

The letter demands Myers to "cease and desist" from representing himself as the Vice Chair of JACC, to cease taking actions on behalf of JACC with vendors, donors, businesses or the community, to return all property belonging to JACC, and to stop sending communications indicating that the JACC office has moved from 2009 James Ave. N.

It is unknown which letter was written first or delivered first. It is unknown if one letter may be a direct response to the other, or if both Browne and Myers--each an attorney--just naturally went for the "cease and desist letter" as a tactic.

Again, the amazing duality of this saga continues to be a dominant theme: Two chairs both named "Browne/Brown." Dueling agendas. Competing bylaws. Two boards, each proclaiming itself the "true" JACC and calling the other illegitimate. And now dueling "cease and desist letters."

Oh, yes, there is a second letter from Kip Browne, directed at Jerry Moore, and nearly identically worded, telling Moore to stop representing himself as Executive Director.

However, I am in possession of yet ANOTHER letter. This one is from Ben Myers to Jerry Moore. It says Moore is still under contract as Executive Director and, therefore, Moore should keep playing that role. Moore is then directed to go find an office for (Old Majority) JACC, since they have been forced out of 2009 James Ave. N.

It appears Moore still has the JACC checkbook(s) and the power to write checks.

JNS BLOG EXCLUSIVE: "Old Majority" Vice Chair Ben Myers Tells "New Majority" To "Cease And Desist" Or "Legal Action" May Be Taken

"The Rebel Angels"

I am now in possession of an extraordinary letter, dated January 17, 2009, and bearing the emblem of the Jordan Area Community Council. The letter is written by Rebel Leader...um, I mean "Old Majority" Vice Chair Ben Myers, and is directed to...

Michael Browne, PJ Hubbard, Robert Hudson, and Anne McCandless. In the letter, no titles follow the names of the intended recipients, though these individuals are, respectively, Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer and Secretary of the legal and duly-recognized JACC Executive Board, which I have dubbed the "New Majority." (I can say this. The correspondence from NRP, click here, speaks for itself)

And yet, firmly embarked on a course that appears utterly doomed, the letter from "Old Majority" leader Ben Myers (which says "SENT VIA EMAIL ONLY") cloaks itself in self-declared authority and makes demands and accusations, as follows:

RE: JACC Executive Board Cease and Desist

This letter is to advise you that you are currently misleading this organization and the community-at-large (sic) by engaging in unlawful acts.

Said unlawful acts in which you engaged in occurred on or about January 14, 2009, in which you all engaged in a direct violation of this organization's By-Laws (sic) by "removing" the previously elected 2008 Executive Board. You were advised by me orally that your actions are unlawful and in direct violation of this organizations (sic) by-laws (sic) as well as Minn.Stat. 317A.

(Paragraph break not in original document)

The provision of our by-laws in which you all have violated (sic) is clearly set forth in Article VI Section 3 which makes reference to the proper procedure outlined in Article V Section 4. As a result of your unlawful behavior you have held yourselves out as being the Executive Committee, when in fact you are not.

(Paragraph break not in original document)

As an example of such behavior Ms. McCandles (sic) has mislead (sic) the Ackerberg Group in allowing the illegal changing of the office's locks at 2009 James Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN. You have impacted this organization greatly and you have exposed all of us as an organization to potential civil liability.

At this time, as the current and duly elected Vice Chair, I am advising you all to cease and desist from any further misrepresentation to anyone. If you fail to comply with this demand, legal action may be taken against you.

Lastly, be advised that I am formally filing a grievance against all of you in accordance with my concerns outlined herein as well as the fact that you all have breached your fiduciary duty to this organization and as such is grounds (sic) for sanctions imposed by this organization.

You are instructed to direct all correspondence and responses to the chair Mrs. E.B. Brown.

Sincerely Yours,
Benjamin E. Myers
Jordan Area Community Council
Board Vice Chair

CC: E.B. Brown, Chair
JACC Board of Directors
Jerry Moore, Executive Director

(The letter bears the address of the Jordan New Life Church)