Being the amazing, true-to-life adventures and (very likely) misadventures of a divorced man who seeks to take his education, activism and seemingly boundless energy to North Minneapolis, (NoMi) to help with a process of turning a rapidly revitalizing neighborhood into something approaching Urban Utopia. I am here to be near my child. The journalism on this blog is dedicated to my son Alex, age 14, and his dream of studying math and robotics at MIT. Email me at hoffjohnw@gmail.com
Post by the Hawthorne Hawkman. Video by John Hoff.
Last week, John had his home energy visit from the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council and the Center for Energy and Environment joint project: Community Energy Solutions. $400 in products and consultations are given for a mere $20 co-pay. But Hawthorne will cover the co-pay for the first 150 owner-occupants who sign up.
I happen to think that "Tommy Boy," starring Chris Farley, is perhaps the best movie of all time. "Citizen Kane" comes in a close second, but hearing "Holy Schneikies!" puts a smile on my face more often than "Rosebud," so Orson Welles, you lose. In the video above, I'm re-enacting a scene that I have to do pretty much every time I'm in front of a fan. Only John isn't as culturally adept or as familiar with the finer arts as I am. So he spouted off a one-liner and turned off the camera before one of the CES consultants jumped in with the next line in the film: "Oh, I see I'm interrupting happy time."
(Do not click "Read More," but do look for a longer post about CES and the home energy visits. It's coming soon.)
In the midst of the bustling Hawthorne nightlife scene, Connie Nompelis, Brian Finstad, and quite a few others met up on Friday night to go from Good Sports Bar & Grill to Donny Dirk's, and then Halek's. At the last stop, we noticed that Halek's now has a Facebook page. Two, to be exact. You can either become a fan, or send them a friend request.
(Do not click "Read More," but do support local businesses.)
I've heard it asked before, "What good do these marches do?" I'm not sure how to answer that question. But I had been thinking this week about a sermon I'd heard shortly after 9/11, called "What do you do when the bomb drops?" When a person or a community has had a BOMB dropped on them, what do you do in response? What CAN you do?
With that in mind, I went to the parking lot of Cub Foods on Broadway Saturday morning... ...and heard KG Wilson speak for the first time. He was standing in front of the Mad Dads mobile unit, saying the lines that have already resonated through our community: "We've got to put the 'neighbor' back in the 'hood.' Because if you don't, you welcome in the hoodlums, the gangbangers, the drug dealers, saying, 'Come on in; kill our kids.'"
Wilson also challenged some of the circumstances that led to Neely's tragic death. She was killed while at a party with reportedly over 60 teenagers present. Where were the parents in all of this? Wilson asked. Now teenagers can be pretty sneaky about setting up and going to parties like this, I know from my own experience. But somebody let this party happen, and when you get sixty teenagers together for a house party, that really is just asking for trouble. Kudos to Wilson for calling that out.
I'm also going to give credit to Rev. McAfee for taking a stand at the funeral, where he pointed out that someone had left a note at Neely's makeshift memorial calling her "my bitch." Sadly, something almost identical happened at the makeshift memorial for Marvin Ray Maynard III. One person wrote a note saying, "We missn you lil bro (illegible) in a better place (illegible) n***** f*** the world I luv you my n*****." McAfee went on to say, "The more you define yourselves as 'that bitch, that ho,' you develop that psyche,"
At both of these memorial sites, a bottles of gin were left as well. Our CHILDREN are DYING and we think it's okay to memorialize them with bottles of hard liquor? Does anyone else see something inherently WRONG with that?
(The one possible exception is if there are cultural parallels to Native Americans and tobacco or Santeria practitioners and rum, wherein those items hold a spiritual place similar to Christians' bread and wine. But this really just seems like ignorance.)
One of the other speakers was Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Peter Idusogie. I'm still not convinced he's got what it takes to be governor, but once again, he was well-spoken. We as a community are grateful when politicians like Mr. Idusogie not only come and speak TO us, but walk WITH us.
The march started across the street from Cub as we went down Broadway to Penn, then up to 26th and over to Lyndale. I eyeballed at least 200 people who came out to stand with the community.
For most of the march, I was in the middle of the biker crowd.
And what surprised me, when I was talking with at least the folks immediately surrounding me, was how much they give back in volunteering. These people are dedicated to reaching out to the homeless, working at battered women's shelters, and visiting those in nursing homes. That service to our community should not go unnoticed.
Also, a special thanks goes out to Metrotransit. They lent us a bus at the end of the route to take us back to the Cub Foods parking lot.
I saw quite a few people with whom I have strong political differences, but it was clear that we were all marching because we care about our community and the death of Alisha Neely struck a chord. In that spirit, I went up to Al Flowers, shook his hand, and said, "Al, I know we've had our differences, but I want to thank you for being out here today."
Just before we arrived at New Salem, I had an excellent conversation with a gentleman who said that the churches needed to start taking back the streets. We talked about how that might happen while minimizing the danger to church members. I mentioned that the discussion was bringing to mind one of my favorite Biblical passages from the book of James, about how having the love of God means we have to ACT. He showed me a tiny briefcase-like cache he was carrying and pulled out a Bible, immediately turning to James 2:14. "What good is it my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes or daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well. Keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? ... But someone will say, 'You have faith. I have deeds.' Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do."
Unbeknownst to many, if not all of us, while we were marching for peace, someone had tried to enter Alisha's funeral with a gun. He was apprehended. GBT4P. If that weren't enough, a fight broke out at the funeral after the marchers had gathered around New Salem Church. I happened to be on the steps of the church just as the fight started. I tried to get video, but was bumped and my camera was turned off. I quickly decided to put my camera away and get ready to either jump into the fray or get away quickly if needed.
There's no shortage of criticisms towards Al Flowers on this blog, but let me say this much: He was on his game today. Flowers took the bullhorn from KG Wilson and started repeating, "This is a baby's funeral!" and "The police have to be here so she can rest in peace!" Flowers can be a commanding presence, and on that day, he used that skill to harness a chaotic crowd. Well done.
I was still on the steps of the church when the pallbearers carried the white with gold trim coffin that held Alisha Neely's body past, and brought it to the hearse. Pleas were made that no violence erupt at the burial, so that she could rest in peace. I wanted to get a picture of the pallbearers and the casket as it went past me, but the air was just so full of emotion that I couldn't do it. The act of taking a photograph almost seemed intrusive to me.
But it wasn't until the next day that the full scope of what just happened hit me. I worship at River of Life Lutheran Church on Fremont and 22nd. It's a mixed-culture congregation of (mainly older) Scandinavians and (mainly younger) Liberians. One of the Liberian families brought forward three children to be baptized, and this happened the day after Alisha Neely's funeral. And I thought, "What if this baptism were interrupted by such violence? What if just as we were affirming that these children belong to God - an affirmation surely made by Rev. McAfee at Neely's service - someone brought a gun into my church with the intention of using it? What do we have to do to make sure that these three children, and that NO OTHER CHILD IN OUR COMMUNITY, dies like Alisha tragically did?
This violence is a bomb that threatens to tear apart our community. Such violence CANNOT be tolerated. That such violence is happening among our youth is even more horrendous. And that one of our YOUTH thought it would be justifiable to bring a gun to a Holy Place with the intent to use it at "a baby's funeral" is simply outrageous.
So what purpose did this march serve? This wasn't the first and I hate to say it, but may not be the last such march. Well, it goes back to the other question asked at the beginning of this post. What do you do when the bomb drops?
You go to those that are hurting, and you pick up the pieces. That's what we did on Saturday, and that's what we'll keep on doing for our community until we get it right.
Al Flowers, who ran for Mayor on a platform of "more lie-berries" and increasing the "medium" (sic) income of citizens, added his 1 and 4/5ths of a cents worth of opinion to the reappointment hearing for Minneapolis Police Chief Dolan.
I guess it would be more accurate to say the hearing *ON* the reappointment *NOMINATION* of Chief Dolan, but it's just easier and, really, more frank to say "the reappointment hearing for Chief Dolan." Even Al Flowers pointed out how reappointment was pretty much a done deal and... ...really, there wasn't much to be accomplished by the anti-Dolan forces except make the record and vent their spleens and it was SO UNFAIR. Really, though, isn't this the moment one might want to be deeply introspective and ask oneself, "Am I a visionary, ahead of my time, or just an unorthodox malcontent who needs to pull up my pants, get some meds and psychotherapy and maybe--just maybe--finally start setting a good example for my children?"
Unfortunately, Al Flowers isn't very entertaining when you just GIVE him the floor. The best part of his speech was when he claimed not to be anti-police because, after all, his sister was "a police."
At the recent reappointment hearing of MPD Chief Dolan, there was a bit of a stir among the anti-Dolan forces as Donald Bellfield, the chair of the Civilian Review Authority, stood up to speak. Watch Tom Cleland to the right, and read his body language. This kind of "emotional stir" was going throughout the room among the anti-Dolan forces as Bellfield spoke, like Bellfield was Satan.
Recently, Bellfield had asked David Bicking to resign from the CRA for making what Bellfield thought were very anti-Dolan remarks at a public "bash Dolan" so-called "hearing" or "meeting" on the Dolan reappointment, click here for more details from City Pages.
Listening to what Bellfield is saying, he also appears to be alluding to the controversy with David Bicking. The second video is David Bicking, who also appears to be alluding to the controversy and, in fact, talks about a CRA meeting being cancelled and how he's going to show up, anyway.
Note the loud and repeated clapping. The chair of the Public Safety Committee asked the anti-Dolan crowd not to clap and intimidate people at the podium, but the anti-Dolan crowd defied the chair, one even name-calling the city council as "suffering sycophants."
This is not how you get city council people to vote your way.
In this video shot by Jordan Neighborhood super citizen Megan Goodmundson and posted on YouTube, a Northside resident testifying in support of Chief Dolan urges some in the anti-Dolan crowd to worry less about police brutality and more about "gang membership" by their own children. He said "pull up your pants and set a good example for your children." I wonder who he could be talking to, exactly?
Oh, wait. No, I have a fairly good idea who he might be talking to, exactly.
In the foreground, Tom Cleland can be seen making a hand gesture. This gesture is used at meetings of the Fifth Congressional District Greens, known as "5CD Greens." It sort of, um, magnifies good energy and dissipates bad energy? Something like that.
Don't knock it until you try it. Funny, I didn't see Cleland use that gesture when one of the anti-Dolan crowd got up and called the city council members "suffering sycophants."
Video by Don Allen, blog post by John Hoff ADDENDUM: February 6, 2011. This blog post was written before I and many others in North Minneapolis discovered what a disreputable con man character Don Allen is. I would advise anybody: Do not trust Don Allen. Seek further information about Don Allen from various online sources before having any contact with him.
Don Allen called me up and threatened litigation for the embedding of this video in this blog post. To which I respond, you put it on YouTube with an embed code. It is merely linked through the embed code. As of today, I am re-posting this blog post.
Don Allen of IBNN was at the Alisha Neely funeral, and captured this video of a guy packing a pistol who tried to enter the funeral, and got frisked...up against the very vehicle which was prepared to carry Neely's casket, by the looks of it. A disturbing and deeply symbolic moment. One commenter on this blog asked what 60 some kids were doing at a party after curfew anyway? This was a massive breakdown in parental supervision. Any neighbors who witnessed the party and DID NOT call 911 on all those minors out after curfew should also consider themselves morally culpable. (One person who claims to be a neighbor and commented on this blog says they didn't see or hear anything)
Since Don Allen's blog doesn't have the same kind of comments function as Johnny Northside Dot Com...and captures a different reader demographic...I wanted to share the amazing video here, with thanks to Don Allen for putting it on YouTube so quickly.
Yesterday, while I was taking a drive with Jeff Skrenes, good ol' Jeff talked about the possibility of going to the funeral. I told Jeff, "Are you kidding? That funeral is going to be full of thugs, and there have already been incidents around the memorializing of her death. You should stay away."
This is me telling Jeff "I told you so." But I kind of hope he went anyway, and maybe collected some pictures and commentary. One thing I have suggested needs to change in North Minneapolis: uncooperative witnesses are unacceptable, particularly those laying on the ground with bullet wounds, refusing to identify their attacker. Maybe the answer is to start hauling them in front of grand juries.
This video was actually shot near the end of the hearing on reappointment of MPD Chief Dolan. Here, Council Member Don Samuels acknowledges the criticisms directed at Dolan, but says all this is "secondary" to the fact the man dramatically slashed the rate of violent crime, with the most progress in North Minneapolis.
So let's talk a bit about the idea of "dodging service." First of all, it's perfectly legal... ...to dodge service. Yes, even when the service is from sheriff's deputies. I'm not giving ya'll legal advice or anything like that, but I studied up on the topic once upon a time and--the day after I escaped--a friend of mine checked with a licensed attorney. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ACCEPT LEGAL SERVICE. You can leave town, or sit in your attic quiet as a mouse while people pound on your door, or find a way to slip out of City Council chambers through the city council offices. (Though that's a neat and rare trick, I'd have to say, and I'll admit reveling in it, just a bit)
So there I was at the reappointment hearing for Chief Dolan, the room filled to standing-room-only with interested citizens of Minneapolis and at least one (Tom Cleland) who is not a resident of Minneapolis, but came to speak anyway about the appointment of our Chief. Whatever. There were clearly more pro-Dolan people in the room, judging by the WE WANT DOLAN stickers on numerous lapels and the fact the anti-Dolan faction is trying to claim it was "about even." No, it wasn't. There were more Dolan people there, including a number of uniformed police officers who did not speak but were sitting close to Chief Dolan.
(For the record, I helped distribute but was not involved in the creation of the stickers, so it would be erroneous for anybody--on Flikr.com, for example, click here--to say these were "John Hoff's" signs) However, the anti-Dolan crowd was more vocal and more of them went to the podium to speak, so all-in-all the speakers were about 50/50 pro- versus anti-Dolan.
Anyway, earlier in the meeting, I had spoken to Deborah Allen, who was mad at Dolan for--get this!--firing the officer who shot Fong Lee. I guess, for a police chief, there's just no way to please all the critics...most of which thought firing the officer was a good idea, but wanted it to happen much earlier. Due to Deborah Allen's rather unique stance on why Dolan shouldn't be re-appointed, Jeff Skrenes dubbed her "the duck billed platypus of the anti-Dolan camp." Like, yeah, she's anti-Dolan but she just doesn't FIT with the regular anti-Dolan critters.
Well, anyway, at a point before the meeting started I saw ol' Pete the Pedophile chatting up Deborah Allen. And, I should mention, I KNOW THIS WOMAN. I talked to her myself before the meeting, and I once wrote an article about the business she used to run, Gopher Cleaners and Launderers. (The article can no longer by found on the Minnesota Daily server, but its footprints exist on the internet, click here) At the time I wrote the article, Allen felt she was being "forced out of business" by her landlord, and I felt her story was highly relevant to the U of M campus because the laundromat was very popular with college students.
So, when Spanky Pete got done talking to Allen--when there was a pause in the conversation, anyway--I walked up to Allen and said, "Hey, Deborah. Look, I know we're on different sides of this Dolan thing but I just thought you'd like to know--"
(At this point I could see Pete mentally bracing, waiting for what he knew was coming next)
"This guy you're talking to is Peter Richard Stephanson, a registered Level Three sex offender and a pedophile."
"Thanks, John," Pete said, reddening, and walking away.
Apparently, this was the most clever thing Pete could come up with, "Thanks, John." Yeah, a real zinger. Meanwhile, Deborah Allen said nothing, but her face wore a look of shock; the same look MOST people's faces wear when they discover they've been chit-chatting with a dangerous, perverted, deviant social pariah.
Pete didn't try to stick around to try gaining back any social ground with Deborah. When you're in polite company, and your Level Three status is mentioned...hey, the jig is up. Best to give up all pretense and just walk away, head hanging down, like a dog caught eating from the cat dish.
Well, sitting through the hearing I was already mentally calculating that I should give my testimony and leave because, I figured, Spanky Pete was off talking to the process servers, saying, "John Hoff is in City Council Chambers right now." But the reappointment of Dolan meant so much to my neighborhood, I was willing to risk getting served. I sat in a seat near the speaker podium, visible in the camera angle. As the hearings were broadcast and recorded I held up a "We Want Dolan" sign.
After one of the speakers objected to my sign, and the Chair of the meeting (Don Samuels) said the signs were "my right," I held up TWO signs. And so I sat, holding my signs, visible to the whole public-access-watching world.
At some point--right before I started holding up my signs--notorious loon and mayoral candidate (of Crazy Town) Al Flowers came up to me, leaned down and whispered, "John, there's a sheriff's deputy outside who wants to see you."
"Thanks, Al," I said, because I can be just as clever, you see, as Spanky Pete.
My friend Megan Goodmundson went out in the hallway to confirm the sheriff's deputy was there to serve me. (There was only one deputy, at first, but reportedly there were two during the course of the long hearing) Megan informed the deputy that I, John Hoff, wasn't going to come out of the council chambers. The deputy shrugged and said fine, he could wait. He was "getting paid by the hour" and could "wait all day" because he didn't want to "disrupt the proceedings."
I could see Al Flowers watching me, intently. Outside of council chambers, the lady from the Minneapolis Mirror had a video camera all set up. She was apparently so intent on capturing video of Johnny Northside getting served she was forsaking all the juicy Dolan hearing testimony, just waiting for that "money shot" of Johnny Northside being spanked with legal paper by Pete the Pedophile. Meanwhile, Pete himself was in chambers...watching. I was pretty much surrounded.
However, there are two doors which lead out of the council chambers. One, I knew, went through the city council offices. The trick, I thought, was to get through one of those doors instead of the main door.
I got up from my seat and spoke to a high-ranking public official who shall remain nameless but let's just say...it's not this guy's fault. I am capable of being cunning and coldly calculating when necessary. I used these skills for "social engineering." I explained to the (innocent, somewhat distracted) high-ranking official how I was on a tight schedule and--right after the council meeting--I really needed to have a word with some (any, really) of the council members from North Minneapolis about this emerging issue of Level Three sex offenders concentrated in North Minneapolis...though a state statute says that's not supposed to happen, click here.
Furthermore, I wanted to avoid the crowd and--if I might--just slip into the chambers for a MOMENT, because, really, that's all it would take? Just a moment of their time, in private?
And my request worked. The high-ranking official was agreeable, subject to one caveat: the council members would have to be willing to talk to me. No promises, you understand. (Me, nodding agreeably) He or she offered to slip me into the city council offices when the hearing was done and things were breaking up, so I might get a brief moment of "face time" with some or maybe even all of the North Minneapolis council members.
I said, hey, I owe you. Big time.
When the hearing started to break up, I was whisked into council chambers. While the high-ranking public official checked into the schedules of my elected officials, I scoped out the location of the side door. There. There it was. I wanted to dash through it immediately but, well, that would be rude. The high-ranking official came back with an apologetic look on his/her face: there just wasn't time for a meeting right now. Everything was so tightly scheduled.
Oh, I said, that was alright. Thank you, really, for trying. Could I just exit through this side door, here? Yes, of course, that would be fine.
I walked out the door and went quickly to the staircase, wishing I'd left my heavy backpack with Megan Goodmundson. I ran down three flights of grand Italian marble, quickly but prudently, no bannister-sliding, and at the ground floor I dashed past Poseidon, the Father of Waters, who looked right through me and said nothing.
Out in the street, which way to go? I thought about going around the building to the light rail stop, but quickly realized I needed to put distance between myself and the building. So I ran to the next light rail stop down the line, boarded the train, and went to Target Field. At that point, I started Tweeting stuff...like, "Where is Dog The Bounty Hunter when Spanky Pete really needs him?" And, of course, I started Tweeting lyrics from "fugitive songs" to Megan.
Meanwhile, Megan Goodmundson told me the Johnny haters were all confused, wondering, "Where did he go? How did he just...disappear? There's Megan, so where is John?" Megan drove to the light rail station at Target Field to pick me up. I told her by text message, "Don't bring any heat with you ha ha."
One mysterious aspect of the whole adventure--and I keep turning it over in my head--is why Al Flowers warned me. Without the early alert from Flowers, I would have certainly been served. I have two theories on the matter, and I'm not sure which one is true.
1.) Al Flowers just wanted to watch the show, and he was trying to hurry it along so he could see me get served.
2.) It would be contrary to Al's principals to be aware of somebody pursued by the police, and not tip that person off if he possibly could. Also--say whatever critical things you like about Al Flowers, lord knows I do--the man is a parent and therefore the natural enemy of child molesters. So, for a bit, the usual political lines dissolved and Al Flowers was, for rare solar eclipse of a moment, my ally.
Um...I actually lean toward the first theory, though. With an impatient, child-like personality, Al Flowers wanted to watch a spectacle. Inadvertently, he tipped me off and kept that very spectacle from happening. Thanks, Al. (Sarcasm font) But I'm keeping an open mind to the first possibility.
That night, I made a point of sleeping at a friend's house. But, well, you can't hide out forever. So I thought it would be fun to start Tweeting my locations, seeing if it might attract the attention of process servers for the purpose of more edge-of-my-seat amusement and (I hoped) frustration for Spanky Pete if I should prevail.
Right when I started Tweeting my locations--determined to play this game for maximum fun--some chomo-loving snitch told Twitter I had (heaven forbid!) Tweeted somebody's address on Twitter. The irony! Right when I was going to start Tweeting my locations to help Pete a little bit, some pedophile-ally complained to Twitter and got my account temporarily suspended.
Oh, well. It would appear if I remove the "offending posts" the account will be re-instated.
And the game will begin again.
(Blogging from an eatery with wireless internet access, where I just finished some delightful broiled shrimp and peas)
This is the last of footage I have from the Senate District 58 DFL Convention, where Linda Higgins, Bobby Joe Champion, and Joe Mullery were unanimously endorsed. This first video is of a newcomer to the gubernatorial race, Peter Idusogie. I've got somewhat of a morbid fixation on fringe candidates who have no chance of winning. Coincidentally, the only part of "American Idol" that I ever found worth watching was when Simon would insult the horrid singers who thought they were talented.
So when this gentleman came onstage, I thought to myself, "Oh, another Ole Savior. Should be fun." (Ole's blog of his is HILARIOUS, but if he ever starts advocating to bring back the television show "Dollhouse," watch out.) But HOLY COW, did Idusogie impress! When he was done, several people around me were heard actually saying "wow." I've looked a bit at his website and I'm not entirely convinced he's qualified to be governor, but I do think we need Peter Idusogie and others like him in public service.
Next up, some of the heavier hitters... Fifth Ward council member Don Samuels spoke for RT Rybak. It was announced that his wife Sondra would be speaking instead, so clearly Don did a bit of improvising. Also, right as his speech started, some kind of spark jumped out of one of the cords. Interestingly enough, the reaction from the crowd seemed to be not one of fear, but "Gee whiz, is someone interrupting Don Samuels AGAIN?"
I feel bad for Hennepin County Commissioner Mark Stenglein. It seems like he ALWAYS speaks after Samuels, and that's a tough act to follow.
Finally, we have Paul Thissen. From the outset of the governor's race, I've been torn betwen Thissen and Rybak. This speech didn't make my choice any easier, since I like Rybak quite a bit but am continually impressed by Thissen. Rukavina blew me away too.
In the photo above, Minneapolis Police Chief Dolan--who represents law and order--defends himself to the Public Safety & Health Committee of the City Council. Dolan triumphed, 3-2-1.
On another note...
I'm actually kind of glad that somebody managed to get my Twitter account temporarily suspended and then bragged about it on the Minneapolis Issues List. As it turns out, this served as a valuable early warning that I need to protect and preserve the content of this blog from any attempts to interfere with it by, for example, making b.s. complaints to Google.
Yeah, that would be the same Google that's pulling out of CHINA, for god's sake, because of freedom of speech issues. Er, yeah, GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.
Anyway, even as I type these words, my blog is being mirrored and replicated to another server so all the content will be preserved in case of some emergency. This will take about, oh, six hours.
In the meantime, I would ask supporters of Johnny Northside to go into the guts of Blogspot and file reports saying how great this blog is, and how--even though we go to the very edge of free speech--we never go beyond that edge. There is ABSOLUTELY NO LAW against publishing the addresses of Level Three sex offenders in the State of Minnesota. In fact, each time somebody shares such address information--even verbally--they are, in effect, publishing the info. The only difference is the degree of dissemination.
As for Twitter, I'm sure I will have it back up again soon enough or, in the worse case, I'll just get another account.
Post by the Hawthorne Hawkman. Original photographer unknown. Photos of photos by the Hawthorne Hawkman. Pat Carney and Jules Inda changed photos into slides for the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council. The photos originally appeared on the Hawthorne Voices blog.
Last summer, Anne McCandless of the Jordan Area Community Council called me up and said, "I've got something that belongs to you," in a rather mysterious tone. Usually, my first question after a statement like that is, "How much is the ransom?"
What Anne had, though, didn't cost me a dime, and really it belongs to the Hawthorne neighborhood. Somehow a poster board with photos taken in 1974 of Broadway Avenue in Hawthorne had made its way into the basement of the Jordan offices. Anne was just returning it to us.
The photo above is the full poster board. Right away I contacted the ubiquitous NoMi photographer Pat Carney. I explained what I wanted done with the photos, which was to have them duplicated in such a way that it would be something of a rolling slideshow that would walk viewers along West Broadway. "Like the background in the Yogi Bear cartoons when he's running away from the park ranger." Pat and Jules either knew what I was talking about or wisely decided to refrain from asking about any medication I might be taking. Their slideshow is here. It takes a longish time to load, so I recommend opening it in another window.
The rest of the pictures are below... I'm especially interested whatever anyone can share about what the avenue was like then. Were the businesses that were there better or worse for the neighborhood? The design is different thirty-six years ago, but what can we learn from that?
Friedman's may be the only business in these photos that's still around.
Take a look at the price of gas!
Can you name the three things that are missing from this picture of Merwin Drugs? (The correct answers are: a liquor store, a check-cashing outlet, and drug dealing. "Butt fence" will also be accepted.) Now we get to perhaps my favorite part. This is what the Hawthorn (sic) Crossings strip mall looked like thirty-six years ago. Well, technically it didn't exist yet, except perhaps as a mere twinkle in an incompetent developer's eye.
I'm also wondering if anyone has crime statistics from this era to compare especially this block or so of Broadway to its current condition. It's easy to look at the differences between 1974 and 2010 and say, "Well of COURSE things were better then." But were they really? Inquiring minds want to know.
This post is directed to a source but I am communicating it out in the open...
I received your info about the Level Three sex offenders at those specific addresses on the 2000 block of Glenwood Ave. N. Thank you SO MUCH and please keep the info coming.
HOWEVER, I have been unable to confirm the info to my standards and satisfaction. I went to the headquarters of the entity you named and talked to somebody there. They deny any Level Three sex offenders are in either of those two buildings, though they confirm children live in "only one" of the buildings. They sure didn't want to talk to me very much, that's for sure.
Also, I physically went to the two buildings and I was able to eyeball the mailboxes in the lobby. None of the mailboxes appear to have the names of Bordeau, Dawson, Gassaway. The one building is "supportive housing" for individuals in treatment.
I can't go saying this organization is housing Level Three sex offenders in one or both of those buildings until I can somehow verify the info. Can you assist? And, please, let's talk by email.
After an outpouring of emotional testimony from both pro- and anti-Dolan camps, the Public Safety Committee voted 3-2-1 to support the reappointment of Dolan, with all the pro-Dolan votes coming from North Minneapolis: Don Samuels, Barb Johnson, and Diane Hofestede. Cam Gordon was opposed, Betsy Hodges and Meg Tuthill abstained.
The appointment now goes to the full City Council, where it is expected to pass.
In the photo above, "Pete The Pedophile" walks away from the City Council dias after leaving some paperwork in the spot where Diane Hofestede wits. I hope Hofestede has hand sanitizer.
Anyway, the whole exciting story of my "great escape" will be told by-and-by, but for now here's the summary:
Pete Rickmyer, a.k.a. Pete The Pedophile, apparently was trying to have me served with his worthless legal paper today while I was in City Council Chambers, covering the reappointment proceedings for MPD Chief Dolan. But the sheriff's deputy wouldn't come into council chambers, waiting outside for, like, two hours.
In the meantime, I was busy making arrangements to speak to my city council rep about pressing issues--the concentration of Level Three sex offenders in my neighborhood, as it turned out--and I ended up exiting the building through the city council offices instead of the main door. Whew, did I get lucky!
But think about it: would you want a Level Three sex offender to have "personal jurisdiction" over you? I didn't think so.
In the photo above, Pete the Pedophile sits in council chambers, waiting and watching. I hear the look on his face was pretty funny when he realized his quarry had escaped, literally under the eyes of the whole public-access-channel-watching City of Minneapolis and (reportedly) two sheriff's deputies plus the video camera of the Mpls Mirror. HA!!!!!!!!!!
Contributed photo, Alisha Neely, 17, contributed content posted by John Hoff
In the wake of the recent spate of tragic violence, the PEACE Foundation, MAD DADS and our neighbors will join in solidarity with Sanctuary Covenant Church during their Prayer Walk though the heart of the North Minneapolis to the place where Alisha Neely, 17, was murdered last weekend.
We will lift up our voices, our prayers and our hearts in unity, to quell the spirit of violence and reaffirm our commitment to nurturing and protecting our children while establishing the beloved community.
The event will take place on Wednesday night, March 3rd at 6:30PM.
We will gather at the Sanctuary Covenant Church office located at 1201 37th Ave. N. (the corner of 37th and Emerson Avenues North). The Johnny Northside blog urges all (decent, law-abiding) Northside residents to attend if you possibly can.
I asked Tom Rukavina for his "elevator speech" about why he should be governor, and he gave it to me in 41 seconds right there at the Minnesota State Senate District 58 Convention. Too bad I didn't manage to tape the part where Rukavina offered to show his "union underwear" while giving a speech on the stage.
(Do not click "Read More" but do be aware this guy is apparently the "love child" of Jesse Ventura and Paul Wellstone)
Johnny Northside blog--your number one source of Northside news--has provided not only the best coverage of the State Senate District 58 convention--but, actually, apparently it's the ONLY media coverage. (Readers, please comment and leave links if you can find other media coverage of the events at this convention) When DFL staff were sitting at the forlorn, lonely press credentials table, waiting to issue credentials, who were they waiting for? Apparently, just Johnny Northside Dot Com.
More exclusive JN-SPAN video is in the hopper--including an elevator speech by one candidate for governor--but in the meantime here is part of the debate between State Senator Linda Higgins and her challenger, Raymond Dehn. Higgins took the endorsement on the first ballot by 68 to 31 percent.
In this short video segment, Higgins and Dehn debate what I feel is one of the most important and pressing concerns in State Senate District 58: scummy slumlords, many or MOST of which don't actually live in District 58.
So far, there have only been two "Dessert With Don" events in North Minneapolis, which are forums sponsored by City Council Member Don Samuels. The last forum was about mass transit.
So, like I said...two. Only two.
But is that really true? A joke making the rounds says the first "Dessert With Don" forum was actually... ...held at the Butter Roll Bakery, and involved Don Samuels, slumlord Morris Klock, and a close encounter with a pastry display case. (For the record, the allegations by slumlord Morris Klock have apparently been denied by Don Samuels and the city attorneys forced to deal with Morris Klock's nonsense)
All the same, slumlords in North Minneapolis would be well-advised to clean up their act as quickly as possible, or they might also be invited to a "come to Jesus" talk and "Dessert With Don."
First of all, I personally have no opinion either way about the Karamu sign on U of M's UROC Center. Apparently, it is some kind of remnant of a business which was there before, and failed. The fact the sign still remains after the renovation appears to show somebody thinks the sign is an "artifact" worth saving... Not knowing much of the history of Karamu except a little bit about contaminated soil cleanup that took place there, click here for more info--and far too busy dealing with Level Three sex offender saturation and the reappointment of Chief Dolan to go chasing this relatively small story--I don't have a position either way. Ask me about the "cultural artifact" on the front of the Friedman's Shoe Store--their nasty discolored Plexiglass--and, sure, I'll have an opinion about THAT, click here.
But a couple folks have written to me asking that I mention something about the Karamu sign, and publish a picture to show exactly what we're talking about. This blog does try to be responsive to readers--in an unpaid, understaffed, overworked sort of way--so here's the picture.
Dozens of anti-Dolan malcontents can be expected today in City Council Chambers to talk smack about the best Chief MPD ever had, Tim Dolan. I'm sure Al Flowers will be there, so it's worth going for the spectacle alone.
I'll be there. Maybe I'll get...
....served legal papers by Pete The Pedophile, maybe not, but I'll be there. Dolan has helped in the struggle to turn North Minneapolis into a decent place to raise children, and he deserves our support. NOW IS THE TIME to not only support Dolan, but perhaps lobby for some of the things we need: a crackdown on the rampant crime at Hawthorn (sic) Crossings strip mall, and something to be done about the dangerous concentrations of Level Three sex offenders, which can't help but make the job of the police harder.
So I hope many Johnny Northside readers will be in City Council Chambers today. Jordan Neighborhood "super citizen" Megan Goodmundson will be there with extra signs and stickers.
Department of Corrections Images, both of Tupac, blog post by John Hoff
Yesterday, Level Three sex offender (L3S0) Tupac Toshiq Makavelli appeared on a list of L3SOs in the 55411 zip code. Today, he has disappeared off the list...
Rumor has it--rumor which not only has it but made its way all the way to me--is Tupac is back in MNDOC custody. Tupac had something of a history of wandering around loose and unregistered, even as recently as December 2008. Well, I don't care why he's gone from North Minneapolis, I'm just glad he is, but if I find out which slumlord put him up on the 2400 Block of Logan Ave. N., I'd be very glad to spill that info. In fact, all slumlords in North Minneapolis should take notice: this blog has a right to publish information about who is happily, profitably hosting the dangerous Level Three sex offenders in our community--stacking in dangerous concentrations, though the law appears to say otherwise--and if you are involved in doing that, expect your name, home address, and other pertinent details to appear right here on this blog kind of like what happened for Cheryl A. McCluskey of 7957 McKinley Street NE, Spring Lake Park, MN, 55432.
Readers might wonder what Tupac did, exactly? Well, according to his old "Google cached" L3SO profile, he kidnapped a 17-year-old female stranger and "engaged in sexual contact including penetration," which appears to be the sanitized euphemism for BLOODY (EXPLETIVE) RAPE used by the folks who put these profiles together. For good measure, Tupac kidnapped a 15-year-old boy as part of the same incident.
One hears third hand about the Department of Corrections being all in a lather about the storm of publicity stirred up in the wake of Pete The Pedophile's gibberish-filled so-called lawsuit. One can't help but hope this increased activity and scrutinization of administrative duties somehow resulted in Makavelli going back to the pokey. However it happened, I'm just glad we're down by one, and I hope the count keeps going down in the coming weeks and months.
I predict it will. Watch and see if I miss my prediction.
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