Candidate Brett Buckner, Who Will Win Fifth Ward City Council Election When Swine Take Flight, Made Vaguely Threatening Statement About Settling Scores "Northside Style"

Facebook photo, used under First Amendment Fair Comment
and Criticsm, blog post by John Hoff

Two Serious Candidates, Brett Buckner, And A Green Kale Garnish

Skip to the next boldface header if you don't want to read an arcane analysis of the downside of Individually Ranked Voting, and you just want to know about Brett Buckner's vaguely threatening statement at Shiloh Baptist Church.

WELL HERE WE ARE, ONCE AGAIN, in the bizarre world of "ala carte" Minneapolis elections, where you get a first, second and third choice. And here is the mutant Godzilla creature which comes from experimenting with a time honored principal of one person, one vote...

Five In Ward Five? Candidates And Possible Candidates For The Council Seat Of Don Samuels, Plus Pressing City Issues...

Creative stock photo, blog post by John Hoff

With City Council Member Don Samuels running for mayor, the field of candidates for his seat in Ward Five is getting crowded.

Here are the individuals who I believe may be running...

Ian Alexander Law Firm Has Moved To 3111 Penn Ave. N.

Stock photo, Goddess of Glass, blog post by John Hoff


Ian Alexander, one of a surprisingly small number of attorneys to have a law office in North Minneapolis where we desperately need lawyers, has moved.

But, thankfully, he hasn't moved out of NoMi. In fact, Ian's moved to quite the up-and-coming portion of the neighborhood, at 3111 Penn Ave. N. near Goddess of Glass and the soon-to-open (we hope) Lowry Cafe.

Word reached me yesterday that Ian was trying to have a meeting with Don Samuels, the Fifth Ward City Councilman, but the meeting had to be canceled so Samuels could appear as a witness at Johnny Northside On Trial: The Blogosphere Battle Of The Century! (Click here for my increasingly-predictable musical homage)

I feel bad Ian Alexander missed his meeting, but if I had to guess what the meeting was about (I don't know, but I can make an educated guess) Ian might have been, inter alia, trying to talk to Don about the finely-tuned thesis he has written, suggesting how certain laws and regulations about vacancy fees are "gaming the system" to create an environment more friendly to slumlord investment than new home owners in North Minneapolis.

It's an important document and I hope lots of concerned North Minneapolis citizens will take the time to read it over and see how these ideas can be applied.

(Do not click "Read More")

Ian Alexander, North Minneapolis Attorney, Has Some Of The Most Creative And Frugal Advertising Ever!

xtranormal cartoon by Ian Alexander, blog post by John Hoff

The online world is being taken over by homemade xtranormal cartoons, and attorney Ian Alexander (who has been mentioned on this blog before due to opening a new office on Lowry Ave. N. and having a thesis about how to transform the situation with vacant houses in North Minneapolis) has jumped aboard the toon-it-yourself bandwagon.

Remember, if you have divorce, custody, child support issues Ian Alexander is affordable and, really, one of the most kindly and considerate lawyers you're likely to meet.

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3107 Lyndale Ave. N. Goes Down, Nobody Noticed...

Photo and blog post by John Hoff

There is no "before" pictured above, only the here and now.

The building at 3107 Lyndale Ave. N. was a small, undistinguished, one-story gray structure which at one time housed an insurance agency called "K United Insurance." The building was relatively recent construction and did not appear historic. Hennepin County owns the property and, according to a witness across the street at Bangkok Market, demolished the building approximately August.

Its passing was not remarked on the internet until just now. But I feel we must document the face of our neighborhood, as a massive transformation sweeps North Minneapolis through demolition--arguably too much--and renovation; of which we need a whole lot more.

The corner where this building once stood (near) is getting better all the time. This blog recently featured a story about the law office of Ian Alexander, click here, which is now located at 626 Lowry Ave. N., and Bangkok Market remains a favorite which never fails to please.

A New Law Firm On Lowry Ave. N. Near The Hawthorne EcoVillage!

Photo and blog post by John Hoff

First, and most importantly, North Minneapolis attorney Ian Alexander has announced a super affordable special on wills, healthcare directives, and powers of attorney: through the month of January, you can obtain any of the above for a mere $150. This includes the filing fee. His email is ian@ianalexanderlaw.com and the website of his law office is www.ianalexanderlaw.com.

He also handles divorces, child custody, and child support. He can give you a good referral if you bring him some other kind of case, such as personal injury.

Alexander’s conveniently located new office is at 626 Lowry Avenue North, in the Lowry Food Market building, facing Lowry Ave. N. The portion of the building housing Alexander’s office used to be a check cashing business, but the space was vacant for a number of years before Alexander rented it and started making improvements and alterations. Though still a work in progress, this office space has great potential and is coming around nicely. The century old wood floors, in particular, will be breathtaking when refinished.

Alexander’s law office is the latest in a steady march of new and improved businesses along the Lowry Ave. N. commercial corridor, including the Lowry Café, (still in progress) Banana Blossom Restaurant, and the Goddess of Glass. This office sits right on the periphery of the Hawthorne EcoVillage.

Ian Alexander also wrote an interesting thesis about bureaucratic hurdles standing in the way of revitalization in North Minneapolis. Click here to download a complete copy of the paper.

Ian is married to Deven Nelson, who was previously mentioned on this blog, click here. Deven is a wedding planner/ florist, click here for her business website. She also serves as the Grant Writer at Ascension Place/St. Anne’s Place, a shelter for homeless women and their children, in North Minneapolis.

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Kip Browne And Deven Nelson Sought State Senate District 58 Chair, Associate Chair...

Photo and blog post by John Hoff

As the always-informative Hillside Chronicles blog recently mentioned, click here, Kip Browne of the Jordan Neighborhood was interested in becoming the DFL Chair of State Senate District 58 at their recent convention. Ultimately, it appears Kip and Deven decided not to run in a sensible political compromise which left Makeda Zulu-Gillespie to become the chair, unchallenged.

Deven Nelson is married to Ian Alexander, an up-and-coming North Minneapolis lawyer who recently announced via Facebook his law firm is open for business on West Broadway.

(Do not click "Read More")