Being the amazing, true-to-life adventures and (very likely) misadventures of a writer 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. From 02/08 to 06/15 this blog pushed free speech to the envelope, so others could take heart and speak unafraid. Email me at hoffjohnw@gmail.com
Well it turns out the Hollers are not only obstructionist dunderheads but lawsuit happy as well. Somehow I didn't catch wind of this rank odor wafting on the air, but it turns out the Hollers sued two Hennepin County Commissioners (Opat and Stenglein) plus Hennepin County itself for defamation, which is (as we all saw with the Jerry Moore v. Johnny Northside case) the last legal resort of bad actors and bit player dirtbags who are stung by the deep, probing, hurtful truth.
Today was the 2nd Annual Lowry Avenue Harvest Festival at the up-and-coming intersection of Penn and Lowry. The day turned out to be beautiful and perfect for a high turnout. Hennepin Commissioner Mark Stenglein was one of several V.I.P.s greeting the festival participants and thanking the community. Here, he is giving an exclusive greeting to the Johnny Northside audience. Look for more write-ups and photo journals on numerous NoMi blogs and publications soon!
By the way, Mark Stenglein is up for re-election this November and although his challenger may have an uphill battle in my eyes, Commissioner Stenglein expressed his thoughts that he never under estimates his opponents and he is working hard to earn each and every vote so he can return to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners this November.
(Do Not Click "Read More")
This morning, RT Rybak, Barb Johnson, Chief Dolan, and many other residents and public servants met at the Hawthorne Huddle to discuss the increase we've seen this year in violent crime. JNS is dedicated to getting you the videos sooner than any other media entity. A post describing the event will follow.
The University of Minnesota held its grand opening ceremonies for its Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center yesterday. Although the pomp and circumstance happened on Wednesday, the facility has been going full steam ahead since opening its doors. Over 9,000 business and community participants have been in the facility since September.
Before getting to the videos, the pictures above show how close I could get when the ribbon was cut, the leftovers of the ribbon, the band providing music, and the main conference room packed to overflowing. The event was so momentous for north Minneapolis that it was almost impossible to get a picture without also capturing several other people looking for their own photos of the day.
Bill English, co-chair of the African American Leadership Summit/Coalition of Black Churches, gave a rousing speech that I did not have a chance to record. He said that at this site, "four years ago, you could buy just about anything illegal that you wanted...now this is a place where community engagement happens." He also emphatically stated that this is not just a case of the University investing in the community. We are part of a true partnership and the community is investing in the U. "The assets of this community will build the University for more years than you can imagine."
All of the speakers were asked to keep their remarks under two minutes, and most of them obliged. Also, I apologize for the shakiness of the camera. My arms were about to fall off after all the hard work I'd put in at the Hawthorne EcoVillage Tree Nursery earlier in the day. The first speaker to appear on this episode of JN-SPAN is... ...Robert J. Jones, Senior Vice President of the University of Minnesota.
Next up is Robert H. Bruininks, President of the University of Minnesota.
Representative Keith Ellison couldn't make it, but recorded this message:
State Senator Linda Higgins is our next speaker.
I've got to hurry up and get this post done before midnight so that I can say it was also a happy birthday present to the next speaker, CM Don Samuels.
And finally, Hennepin County Commissioner Mark Stenglein. Why does he always have to speak AFTER someone as energetic as Samuels? Stenglien is actually a rather engaging public speaker, but would serve better as the set-up man for Samuels to bring it all back home.
After the ceremony, I had a chance to wander through the building. It's filled with exciting pieces of art and other historical and cultural contributions. But this was by far my favorite item. First, click on the picture below for a larger view of the description of the project. Then take a look at the pictures and artwork itself.
I should also mention that through our partnership with the University of Minnesota, CURA, and UROC, we have been able to get research assistants to help north Minneapolis neighborhoods track our effectiveness in foreclosure prevention outreach. This groundbreaking research will be brought forward to the community at a formal presentation at UROC in the coming months. Even before the grand opening, they have not only opened their doors for community events, but have also collaborated in very real ways with the community. UROC, welcome to NoMi!
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.
