Best Blog! Twin Cities! Uh huh! (Making Dancing Motions)

Photo and blog post by John Hoff

As regular readers know, here at Johnny Northside Dot Com we REALLY believe in recycling. That's why I've gone ahead and reused a headline from April 22, 2010, click here for the original. And, once again, I prefer to publish a photo of my son in this moment of triumph. Alex Hoff, age 13, is the whole reason I ended up in North Minneapolis.

When I throw my energy into making this place better for the sake of the next generation, I have my son Alex in mind.

In regard to being named the best Twin Cities blog TWO YEARS IN A ROW BY CITY PAGES (and this on top of receiving a similar honor from Metro Magazine) first let me solemnly promise readers that, to the best of my ability, I will keep on delivering what our audience loves and expects.

As near as I can figure, this would be as follows...



1. Ripping on slimy slumlords, click here for an example.

2. Ripping on Level Three sex offenders concentrated in North Minneapolis, click here for a MUSICAL example.

3. Exposing information about mortgage fraud, and fighting disgraced former JACC executive director Jerry Moore all the way to the United States Supreme Court if necessary. Thank goodness we've already won the important and key part of the court case: THIS BLOG TOLD THE TRUTH.

And what is the truth? Here it is:

Repeated and specific evidence in Hennepin County District Court shows Jerry Moore was involved in a high-profile fraudulent mortgage at 1564 Hillside Ave. N.

TRUTHFULLY, if it hadn't been for Jerry Moore's court case thrusting this blog briefly into the national limelight, I don't think City Pages would have given JohnnyNorthside.com this award two years running.

4. Showing the fun, decency, and overwhelming normalcy of North Minneapolis residents engaged in a courageous struggle to make their neighborhood safe and livable. Click here for an example.

5. Highly specific and colorful coverage of crime and courts, click here for an example.

6. An exhaustive list of chicken wing flavors. Yeah, it's crazy, but that particular blog post consistently ranks near the top of all time popular posts. Go figure. In fact, if you Google "Chicken wing flavors" it's number one IN THE WORLD. This is madness. What does this blog have to do with "chicken wing flavors?"

7. Intensely local neighborhood coverage. I just wish every neighborhood had its own Johnny Northside. So often I see potential stories in other neighborhoods and I think, "Where is THEIR fanatically devoted blogger?"

Oh, wait, I know: vexatious and frivolous lawsuits are intimidating people away from such First Amendment activity. Turns out even TELLING THE TRUTH can't keep you out of court for YEARS at a time.

8. The Hennepin County Jailhouse roster. I swear, if the day ever comes I can't blog as regularly as I'd like to, but I could somehow crank out ONE BLOG POST A MONTH, I'd publish that roster. The feedback I am getting tells me this information is having quite an impact. Some individuals Google their own name and the first thing popping up is the jailhouse roster. I sure hear about THAT in angry emails.

To which I say: don't go to jail.

9. Quirky food experimentation and local eatery coverage, click here for an example.

10. You've heard of a "mommy blog?" This is the ultimate "divorced daddy" blog. I think some readers like the idea of a father who will do whatever crazy thing it takes to play a positive and meaningful role in his son's life, even if it means moving to North Minneapolis (the only housing I can afford) and turning the removal of a dead dog from the street into a father/son activity.

So I promise there will be more of the same: pictures of Alex Hoff, stories about Alex Hoff, cooking pizza with Alex Hoff.

Yeah, when I'm not writing about slumlords it will be Alex Hoff-O-Rama.

So thank again, City Pages, for the award (plus the sash, bouquet, tiara, and lifetime supply of Turtle Wax) and keep reading, because I will keep blogging until the password is pried from my cold, dead brain.