Peter Teachout, Who Fought "The Battle Of Hawthorne EcoVillage" And Founded "Shoe Patrol" Volunteer Unit In North Minneapolis, Promoted To Captain In Afghanistan...

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

Word comes via Facebook that Peter Teachout, currently serving in Afghanistan, has been promoted from lieutenant to captain. Teachout is pictured on the left in a recent photo, above. 

Before joining the military, Teachout was at the epicenter of a battle to transform the Hawthorne EcoVillage from the most crime-ridden four square blocks in North Minneapolis to...

US Army Lieutenant Peter Teachout, Who Helped Take Back The Hawthorne EcoVillage From Drug Crime And Urban Decay, Is Already "Boots On The Ground" In Afghanistan...

Facebook photo of Lieutenant Teachout graduating from OCS, blog post
by John Hoff

When this blog announced in early July that Lieutenant Peter Teachout was headed to Afghanistan, I figured there would be a "train up" period of a few months before Teachout was actually "boots on the ground" in that distant, troubled land. 

However, it turns out Teachout is already in Afghanistan and participants in one North Minneapolis Facebook forum are already putting together a care package the size of a small fridge...

US Army Lieutenant Peter Teachout, Founder Of Northside "Shoe Patrol" And Hero Of The Hawthorne EcoVillage "Miracle," RECEIVES ORDERS SENDING HIM TO AFGHANISTAN!!!

Photo, blog post by John Hoff


In 2008 and 2009, a great deal of the stories on this blog involved the struggle of this blogger, AND Hawthorne Board Chair Peter Teachout, AND Hawthorne Housing Director Jeff Skrenes to revitalize a gritty four square block area called the EcoVillage and take that area back from drug dealers, prostitution and every manner of street crime. 

The area was, statistically, the worst four square blocks in North Minneapolis and, therefore, in the entire State of Minnesota. Yes, these statistics shift and are subject to interpretation but, well, AT THAT TIME and BY SOME MEASURES. Ask Jeff Skrenes, that geek knows the numbers by heart and probably has them on a SPREADSHEET. 

In any case.

The turning point in the EcoVillage arguably came when Peter Teachout's truck was torched in front of his house and...

Apparently Afraid To Visit North Minneapolis Himself, Evil Anti-Johnny Sends "Proxy Fraidy Cat" To This Blogger's House, Chapter Three Of The Evil Anti-Johnny Book Of Revelations...

Contributed photo, blog post by John Hoff

If you look closely at the photo above (clicking to make it bigger might help) you will see a guy dressed in dark clothing running like a little bitch toward a black car parked at the end of the alley. More on this later.

In the early 1900s, when William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer waged war against each other in newsprint and many publications bore the names of political parties, conflict sometimes spilled out of written words and into actual action. So, as a scholar of journalism, a bizarre incident that happened day before yesterday (Monday) is fascinating and seems symbolic of the heated "Nomi Blog Wars" that have been waged the last few years.

(The term "Nomi Blog Wars" was first used by Irving Inquisition, click here)

(North By Northside also wrote a two part history of the turbulent North Minneapolis blog scene, click here for Part One and here for Part Two) A common theme of both accounts is The Adventures of Johnny Northside is and always has been at the red hot epicenter of the Nomi Blog Wars)

So, anyway, on Monday while I was away from home and having a late lunch with my attorney after giving a talk to some law students, the Evil Anti-Johnny blogger sent somebody to my house to snap a picture, and then the dude took off running down the alley like, well, there's just no other way to put it.

Like a little bitch....

Metlife Award For Neighborhood Revitalization Case Study Becomes Available, Oh My Word, That's Like The Kind Of Headline Mortgage Geek Jeff Skrenes Would Write...

Photo (EcoVillage In 2008) and blog post by John Hoff

I guess it had passed between my ears a while ago that Hawthorne EcoVillage won an award from Metlife for the incredible crime reduction that took place, what some policy wonks referred to as the "18 month EcoVillage Miracle."

The award was in 2010, or heck maybe it was early 2011 for the 2010 time period. In any case, it was a couple years ago. But the case study, authored by one Chandra Conway, was published in January of this year and didn't really hit my radar until somebody studying the "EcoVillage miracle" sent me a link today. I would have thought ubergeek "Hawthorne Hawkman" would have written about a report of this nature, but searching his blog and the rest of the internet leads me to conclude our North Minneapolis grassroots blogger media has not obtained the actual case study, though Jeff did write about the award itself, click here.

This case study is an incredibly frank document and makes mention of the colorful tactics used to turn the EcoVillage around. It names myself, Jeff Skrenes and Peter Teachout and discusses some of the tactics we used. Jeff gets the lion's share of the credit but this is, after all, a geeky document written by geeks, for geeks, and mostly about geeks. So I forgive Jeff for speaking to the author of the study about his, oh my god, SPREAD SHEET. (Finger down throat gesture)

It's a fantastic case study and my name is spelled right. Bring on the movie version, I say.

The Arming Of City Council Member Diane Hofstede...

Photos and blog post by John Hoff

In the course of an article criticizing City Council Member Diane Hofstede for staff turnover, Jeff "Hawthorne Hawkman" Skrenes published a photo of Hofstede armed with a sword. The photo originated on this blog and was taken when Hofstede...

...attended a going away party for Peter Teachout, who did many great things in the Hawthorne Neighborhood before making the personal and economic choice to join the United States Army as an officer. Peter has quite the collection of exotic weapons, and at the going away party he showed off a few to Diane Hofstede.

Hofstede may have some weaknesses, but failure to be a good sport isn't among them. She graciously posed with Peter's sword, knowing very well I would put the photo all over the internet.

But since you really can't have too many pictures of Diane Hofstede armed with a sword, I thought I would add these two other photos to the online record.

(Blogging from the Atlanta airport)

Congratulations to Peter Teachout - U.S. Army Officer Candidate

Photo by Me

Word comes via Facebook that award winning north Minneapolis good citizen Peter Teachout has graduated from U.S. Army Basic Training Boot Camp and is headed on to Officer Candidate School (OCS).


I know Johnny Northside himself would want to shout "Congratulations!" and "Thank you for your service" to Peter and his family, but it will have to be a message delivered through me, for now.


JNS regulars should be well familiar with Peter and the whole Teachout family. Their trials and victories have been well documented here, most notably a flaming truck, a new baby, an army swearing in ceremony and a tear-jerking city council ceremony with an official "thank you" and "good luck" from several city council members and the Mayor.


Before Peter shipped off to boot camp neighbors bid him farewell at a cook-out send off, where the night was capped with one last Shoe Patrol*, removing dangling shoes from overhead power lines.  The photo above displays the evening's catch with Peter on the left, an honorary northsider, Johnny Northside himself, Peter's son Peter in the red and John's son Alex on the right. (*Note, one last show patrol doesn't mean they will never venture out on that mission, but the handy dandy white truck that was so useful was traded in for a minivan for the army family)

And this blog post dedicated to the Teachouts wouldn't be complete without some love to Joyanne, Peter's wife, who is holding down the family of four children back home in NoMi, enduring the separation and taking on the role of Army soldier's wife. Joy, thank you for the sacrifices you and your family are making. You are loved.

Peter, good luck in OCS, we are thinking of you and your family. We know the separation is hard and boot camp is no picnic - but THANK YOU!  You'll make a fine Army Officer.
(Do Not Click "Read More")

He's In The Army Now! Peter Teachout Is HAIRLESS At Fort Benning, Georgia!

Self-portrait by Peter Teachout, blog post by John Hoff

All the way from his Army Officer's Basic Training Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, Peter sent a mobile pic of himself sporting the regulation "Mr. Clean" look of no hair, nowhere on his bald, bald army-issue head. His wife, JoyAnne Teachout, uploaded the pic to her Facebook. And that's where I got it...

Peter Teachout is, of course, the former chair of the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council and something of a "Hero of NoMi" for his super active neighborhood patrols, which were recognized by the City Council with an award. Here's to Peter, who will need a lot of strength to get through this time of difficult testing.

But if the Lord be for him, who can be against him?

I Love My Life In NoMi: Medical Study Money Buys A Lawn Mower, Vehicle Battery From Craig's List! (Summer Visitation 2010)

Photos and blog post by John Hoff

I needed a lawnmower, rather than borrowing one all the time. For the record, I actually HAD a lawnmower, but only Peter Teachout could figure out the trick to making it start consistently. One day I just told Peter, "You know that lawn mower we've been sharing? Just consider it YOUR lawn mower for various favors you've done me."

Which left me short a mower. Unless I wanted to borrow one all the time. Fortunately, $20 goes a long way on Craig's List. Though it's tough to make money AND pull off 5 weeks of summer visitation, I managed to sell some of my bodily fluids at the University of Minnesota, for a medical study. A check for $258 arrived the other day, woo hoo.

Call it "blood money."

That cash had places to go, baby, but those places were entirely consistent with my frugal, environmentalist, artistically creative NoMi lifestyle.

First of all, a friend had...

...spotted such a great deal on a Craigs List lawn mower, he bought it for $20, knowing I'd compensate him. So there went $20, and my friend was mighty glad for that Andrew Jackson, because he was broke. Another $20 purchased a much-needed auto battery on Craig's List. When I asked the battery dude where he resided, I found he was so close I could practically walk there. Not only did he sell me a good battery, but he was happy to take the bad one off my hands FOR FREE.

Yet another chunk of change went to my favorite shade tree mechanic, who makes a little money here and there but DOESN'T annoy the heck out of his Northside neighbors with this activity, unlike SOME folks. Mr. Shade Tree fixed a bunch of electrical stuff, including a bad battery cable, pictured, for $75. I also gave him a bike I'd found thrown away--I guess somebody found it easier to throw the bike away than fix the jammed up chain. That's OK, the earth will grow more on a tree like bananas. (Sarcasm font)

My 13-year-old son was along for all these transactions; learning how to get a car fixed cheap, work out barter deals with friends, give a broken, discarded bike a happy new home. Actually, I didn't bring my son Alex right to the clinic where the medical study was conducted, but rather somewhere safe and happy with pizza and internet while I offered up--good lord!--it felt like a QUART of blood. But Alex was fascinated with the idea of making so much money for doing so little. I told him, "You just have to be tough-minded and willing to do WHATEVER."

This series of blood money transactions still left plenty of cash to buy my kid chocolate milk and for, um, a little trip to Wisconsin to, um, look over the fireworks available for purchase in that state. THEORETICALLY, a mere $20 would go a long way on a 2-for-1 sale.

As Spock would say, "Fascinating."

Medical study money is about the easiest money you've ever made in your life, UNLESS you have a problem with needles. I've made plenty of cash this way over the years. It's a simple matter of watching for ads on campus bulletin boards or a student newspaper at any fairly large university. If you want to learn all there is to know about this subject, check out the book Sell Yourself To Science By Jim Hogshire.

I actually knew the author personally, back when I lived in Seattle. Quite a character.

Sometimes my life in Seattle seems like the life of a different person. Home ownership will settle you down as much as having a child, and the two put together will entirely transform you.

But I still make money doing medical studies, whenever I can.

One Last Successful Shoe Patrol Mission! (Summer Visitation, 2010)

Photo and blog post by John Hoff

For weeks, Peter Teachout was saying to me, "We've got make ONE LAST SHOE PATROL. WE'VE JUST GOTTA!"

Peter is going off to military training, but the elite "shoe patrol unit" has been near and dear to his heart ever since Peter single-handedly organized our volunteer efforts to go around and take shoes off power lines, standing on the roof of his truck and using two long boards like chopsticks to gingerly untangle laces then--at a key moment when the laces are untangled--boost one of the shoes over the line, so they both fall down.

So I was all, like, yeah, let's do that...

So it was the night of Peter's big going-away-but-hopefully-coming-back party, when a bunch of us went shoe-patrolling. All sorts of different people were involved at different points: Jordan Super Citizen Megan Goodmundson, Megan's brother Alex who was visiting from out of state, my own son Alex, Peter's son "little Peter," and even Jeff Skrenes (the Hawthorne Hawkman) joined us for a while. We managed to take down eight pairs of shoes, but there's always "the one that got away" which is the one you really remember.

Actually, it wasn't just ONE but two pairs on a power line near the Emerson Avenue Market, in a "decency dead zone" where loitering and drug dealing appears to happen all the time, but nobody is right there constantly calling it in. A domestic disturbance started to spill out on the lawn in front of us and, really, it was time to go.

Readers might be wondering where did all those captured shoes end up? Well, that's another tale for another blog post. But I should go out of my way to give special mention to my son, Alex, who put himself in the spotter position and was unwavering in his task of watching for shoes out the window of Peter's truck, then drawing the shoes to our attention. These were shoes we would have missed.

The only downside of the evening came on Penn Ave. N., when we drove by a hooker who was really strutting her stuff. (This particular hooker has been known to flash her breasts at cars, including--at least once--a car with a small child) I leaned out the truck window with a video camera and used a few choice words on this hooker as we sped past, forgetting for a moment that Peter is, um, RELIGIOUS and this was stuff I really shouldn't say in front of Peter's kid, even though (I would like to point out) the word "WHORE" is definitely in the Bible, see the Book of Revelations.

But I apologized, and Peter forgave me.

Hurry back, Peter, and be safe in your travels.

Diane Hofstede Armed With A Sword! Hydrogen Bombs! Tabasco Shots! It's A Party At The Peter Teachout Residence!

Photos and blog post by John Hoff

A couple days after Peter Teachout was recognized in City Council chambers for all the good he did in the EcoVillage, all the courage shown by Peter and his family, there was a small party at Peter's house to mark Peter's enlistment in the United States Army. Very soon, Peter will be leaving for Fort Benning, Georgia.

Some notable people showed up at Peter's party, including City Council Member Diane Hofstede, who looked over Peter's collection of swords. In the top photo, Diane Hofstede poses with a replica sword based on the weapon known as "Sting" in Lord of the Rings. In the photo below, Peter explains how he managed to decapitate a skulking rat which got into some kind of wooden storage box.

(No, I'm not kidding--Peter killed a rat with a sword by slicing off its head. This is not a squeamish man)

Some of the highlights of the party are documented in the photos which follow...



I brought over a box of MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) or, at least, a whole bunch of the STUFF from inside numerous MREs. I had the stuff in a big ol' box--like a lot of odds and ends fall into my eager, scavenging hands--and I thought it made a nice party theme. I figured I could amuse folks by taking straight shots of tabasco sauce, but it turns out the Teachout kids are actually rather found of spicy food. They were putting drops of tabasco on their food and showing off how they didn't even need to take a drink of water afterward, especially "little Peter" who appears to have quite a taste and tolerance for the hot stuff.

The guys making the Johnny Northside movie showed up to document Peter's party. One day that movie will finally be completed. I can hardly wait.
Jordan resident Megan Goodmundson was at the party, showing almost everybody the check she got off Ben Myers to pay legal fees in his failed and (let's just be frank, here) stupid and ill-advised defamation lawsuit. And, no, I'm not writing in the parody font, here, so when I say "stupid and ill-advised" I actually mean it.
Peter showing off some of the swag he's already received from Uncle Sam.
A couple soldiers once explained to me how to make a hydrogen-based "MRE bomb" with the heating packets inside the Meals Ready To Eat. At the party, we tried four different times to make an MRE bomb, using a giant sparkler to set off the last one. We produced one slightly satisfying result, but didn't get the super Hindenberg-like explosion that we were hoping for.

The Teachout kids try out a hula hoop which "Hawthorne Hawkman" Jeff Skrenes brought to the party. Both the kids were good, but Little Peter really had a knack for it.
I should have gotten a picture of the cake at the BEGINNING of the party, but I was too busy trying to make an MRE heating packet explode. In any case, a good time was had by all. God speed Peter, and come back safe to us.

JSPAN VIDEO COVERAGE! City Council Resolution Honoring Former Hawthorne Neighborhood Board Chair Peter Teachout--Council Member Don Samuels Remarks

Video and blog post by John Hoff

After former Hawthorne Neighborhood Board Chair Peter Teachout and the rest of his immediate family were honored by the City of Minneapolis for their courageous contributions to the "18 Month EcoVillage Miracle," Council Member Don Samuels took a moment to add some remarks comparing the courage required of neighborhood revitalizers to the kind of courage exemplified by the military.

This video begins with a council aide giving each of the Teachout children a lollipop and then Don Samuels can be heard and seen speaking. Of course, the meeting just got better after that, with all the rental licenses of slumlord Bashir Moghul revoked (reportedly, not fully confirmed) and the demolition of the old Wafana's store moved forward. (I have severely mixed feelings about THAT, but the demolition is, undeniably, progress of a sort)

(Do not click "Read More")

"Decency Dead Zones" And Other Challenges Beyond The Hawthorne EcoVillage Success Story...

Image from video shot by John Hoff, blog post by John Hoff

In the midst of a new and urgent public discourse about cracking down on violent crime--especially in North Minneapolis--the amazing Hawthorne EcoVillage success story has been brought up more than a few times by public officials. This area went from being one of the MOST crime-plagued areas of the city to being one of the LEAST troubled. So the pressing question is: how? And how do we replicate that?

Recently, both Jeff Skrenes (the Hawthorne Hawkman) and The Walking Drum have weighed in with their opinions of how we pulled off the EcoVillage miracle. Click here for The Walking Drum's posting, and here for Hawthorne Hawkman.

They are entitled to their point of view, and I'm not saying it's wrong. But I have my own thoughts on where we were, how we got where we are now, and where we need to go...

Walking Drum will tell you that incessant 911 calling and meetings with public officials made a big difference. And that's true. But perhaps I should mention how this 911 calling was NOT static. It was not done all the time from behind the frilly chiffon curtains of windows.

SUCCESSFUL TACTIC NUMBER ONE: We got in vehicles and physically drove around, calling in criminal activity. We referred to this as "going on patrol."

It was a lot more fun than fishing, let me tell you that. The Bible says "I will make you fishers of men." Well, it was kind of like THAT, only we were just baiting hooks and police had all the fun reeling 'em in. When we'd drive around and see no crime to report, we always had mixed emotions. Did we just fail, or were we succeeding? In any case, we did this week after week, month after month. We did not let up. And sometimes we'd have an incredible success, like the time the police called us back and mentioned the crack hidden in a minor's, well, crack. You don't want to go there.

But the police did. They went there. God bless 'em, every one.

SUCCESSFUL TACTIC NUMBER TWO: Covert video taping.

I'm guessing about 100 hours were spent covertly videotaping problem properties to document drug deals. The photo which illustrates this post is a still from some of that videotaping. And we didn't just take our tapes and say to the police, hey, here you go. Check out these hours of videotape.

No, we EDITED the tapes to get the good stuff. In fact, one of the dudes who was editing actually made a MUSIC VIDEO. I wish he'd put that stuff on YouTube. It was heart-rending...made me think about how these poor thugs have an immortal soul which will face eternal judgment, and they'll most likely be pushing rock in Purgatory to work off all their sins for...well, pushing rock.

This videotaping was not always done under comfortable conditions. Often, it was done in a sweltering attic, in summer, with an electric fan to provide only a small degree of comfort. And not just anybody can pull this stuff off. Practicing "light discipline" like a good little soldier was important, so the thugs wouldn't see the guy with the camera.

SUCCESSFUL TACTIC NUMBER THREE: Little stuff matters. Picking up litter, getting grass mowed, calling in graffiti to 311, this kind of thing creates a neighborhood environment where order rules, and disorder slinks away to find itself a hospitable rat hole.

But there are subtle and unique manifestations of this principal which don't always make the list of bullet points. For example, leaving a piece of litter right in front of your house allows you to walk outside, pick up the litter, and (while stooping down) memorize the license plate of a car parked across the street--no doubt buying drugs. Again.

SUCCESSFUL TACTIC NUMBER FOUR: The EcoVillage had political support and stayed on the radar of public officials partially because the story of the EcoVillage struggle was being constantly written about on the internet, in granular detail.

It's hard to fail when so many public officials are paying close attention and cheering each small success, trying to figure out how they can assist. I remember the day I called 311 and--oh, my word--the city sent in a special "A-Team" garbage disposal unit to deal with the trash problem at 416 30th Ave. N., showing up with multiple trucks like a military convoy. At that point I wondered, "To what degree are we getting faster, better service because all this stuff is hitting the internet?"

I always had the strong sense that writing the story was actively helping the story to end well, and NOT telling the story was like throwing in the towel and giving up.

Want to clean up a crime-ridden urban area? Send in the bloggers.

However, the bloggers themselves are merely telling a tale. What's more important are the folks who are DOING THE STORY: people like Peter Teachout who would not back down in their fight to clean up the neighborhood, even after having a truck torched in a terrifying incident of what can only be called "domestic terrorism." Without people like Peter Teachout, the bloggers can't make a meaningful contribution, because there is no good story to tell.

So the next question becomes: where do we find folks like Peter Teachout to move into the empty houses in North Minneapolis? Well, THAT is a whole 'nuther editorial for a different time.

DIFFICULT PROBLEM NUMBER ONE: Applying the lessons of the EcoVillage, and looking at the problems we face, the first issue I see is something I call a Decency Dead Zone. This is an area like Hawthorn (sic) Crossings strip mall, or portions of Penn Avenue North, or the area right in front of the Emerson Food Market, or the Lowry Avenue Market, where there is so much dealing, so much hanging around, so much unsavory activity that decent people avoid the area and do not stick their noses into matters long enough to call 911.

Urban geography contributes to these "dead zones." Like an Iraqi insurgent sniper who picks the perfect spot to shoot at American troops--carefully considering his line of sight, how difficult it is for the Americans to approach or shoot back effectively, how the sniper can get resupplied--experienced street criminals skillfully find areas to pimp and sell drugs where, if there are residences nearby, the folks who live in those residences are either too scared, too busy, too determined to stay uninvolved, or thugs themselves. In some cases--like the massive decency dead zone at Hawthorn (sic) Crossings strip mall--there just aren't residences nearby where somebody will be at a window, calling 911. And the businesses in that area either have their head in the sand or apparently consider the thugs their customer base.

Unfortunately, police resources get distributed on the basis of 911 calls. So it's a vicious cycle: there's not as much police patrol in certain areas because there's few 911 calls, but these areas are full of crime...(ask the neighbors, they KNOW) which pushes the folks who would make 911 calls out even further from the area, creating a "decency dead zone."

The crime from these areas won't STAY in these areas, however...the crime will spill over into other areas. Because of a vendetta that starts in the rough and gritty world of the "decency dead zone," a shooting might happen blocks away, miles away...when some thug sees their drug-sales rival on the street and decides--spur of the moment, opportunistically--to open fire. The PROBLEM didn't start on that street...it started in the "decency dead zone" and spilled over somewhere else.

Neighbors who "patrol" can be part of the solution to a decency dead zone, but only so much can be observed whizzing past. Ultimately, involved citizens need to sit and watch the thugs for a while before the need (one might say "opportunity") to make a 911 call arrives.

The solution for the police is relatively simple: listen to the neighbors and what they say about where crime is located but NOT getting called in, instead of relying so heavily on 911 call data, and set up some kind of concealed observation point where drug dealing and prostitution can be intercepted.

And, by the way, since gung-ho Northside neighbors ARE going to participate in 911 patrols, and these neighbors ARE going to covertly videotape criminal activity, the city may as well support these volunteer efforts in various ways or, at the very least, not discourage this kind of thing or get in the way.

The historic record will show I was in the middle of things during the period of time the EcoVillage turned around. I've thought about this stuff, I've pondered it at length, and I've got it down to these points.

You want to replicate the success of the EcoVillage, do this stuff.

Transporting A Lawnmower "Northside Style"

Contributed photo, blog post by John Hoff

My house in NoMi--purchased for a mere $17,900--has a big yard to mow. I used to have a lawnmower, which I bought off a professional used lawnmower salesman for a mere $50--but my friend Peter Teachout is the only guy who can make that lawnmower start. So more than a year ago I "borrowed" Peter the lawnmower, but the truth is I hope I never see it again, and Peter can have it.

Now when I need to mow my lawn I have to borrow a lawnmower, usually from Megan Goodmundson or Connie Nompelis. This means transporting the lawnmower, somehow. The day before yesterday, Megan helped me move the lawnmower in the usual way: Northside style.

It's always funny, the looks you get while sitting in a car trunk, hanging on to a lawnmower rolling behind the car, like a human ball hitch. But if you wave to anybody with one hand, the lawnmower will start "fishtailing." So smile and nod, do not wave like a beauty queen on a parade float. The driver knows enough to avoid the busy streets like 26th Ave. N. and Lyndale Ave. N.

I should mention that once, just for variety, I pulled a grill this way behind Megan's car.

(Do Not Click Read More)

More Photos And Details: Good Sports Bar And Grill Hosts Jim Wentzell Day...

Sing along with me!

It's Jim Wentzell Day/
Super Jim Wentzell Day/
Happy Jim Wentzell Day/
A state and federal holiday/
Have a steak on Broadway Day/
Drink up a Manhattan, HEY!/
AND THIS IS THE happy drinking song!

YES! The night of our collective hopes, dreams and vision arrived last night at Good Sports Bar and Grill. It was the simple, elegant, solid-proof-we've-turned-the-corner-in-NoMi vision of longtime Hawthorne neighborhood contributor Jim Wentzell: a good restaurant on West Broadway Avenue, where you can order a steak and Manhattan.

Jim Wentzell gave us that dream, the way tribes in ancient times might receive a prophesy from their oldest, wisest elders and the prophesy takes root in every mind: we can leave this hard and rocky place, pass through difficulty but arrive on the other side of obstacles. And on that other side there is a happy, safe, productive place with meat and drink for all. If we work hard, if we all pull together, we can get to that place.

We believed in it, gravitated toward it, worked at it. And last night...

...the vision became a reality.

In the photo above, former Hawthorne Board Chair Peter Teachout poses with his youngest child and Jim Wentzell.

Here are more pictures and stories from last night...

Social gatherings like Jim Wentzell day inevitably turn into opportunities for NoMi movers and shakers to socialize. Above, Sarita Turner (the Executive Director of West Broadway Coalition) and Council Member Don Samuels have an impromptu confab. What are they chatting about? I sure hope it's the problems at Hawthorn (sic) Crossings strip mall, where there is open drug dealing day after day. I'm just saying. 

Realtor and historic home preservationist Connie Nompelis chats with Pat Carney. Pat took a bunch of great pictures which are probably already online. (Nompelis is prounounced No-bell-is, it's Greek) 

Jim's almost-his-birthday-cake was provided by Cub Foods. A VIP at Cub named Ed Anderson probably had a lot to do with it. 

Council Member Diane Hofstede made an appearance, sharply dressed as always. Above, she poses with "ladies man" Jim Wentzell and his lady friend. I hear they've been together for, like, 17 years or something? Jim has great taste. 

The guy above standing next to Council Member Diane Hofstede is a real estate developer named "Swami." He has been the quiet man behind the scenes responsible for so much progress on this part of West Broadway. As far as I know, this is the first time his picture is being published or his name is being associated with all the wonderful work he's accomplished in the Hawthorne Neighborhood. Swami doesn't appear to seek the limelight at all. But this guy deserves our thanks and praise. 

Mike Christiansen of CPED picked up the tab for Jim Wentzell. In the photo above, Mike continues to prove the ongoing Johnny Northside hypothesis that there's no family friendly way to prose with a Polish sausage. The sausage came from Pam Patrek, but was made by the husband of the person known on this blog as "the Polish woman." This sausage frequently shows up at various celebrations of revitalization progress in the Hawthorne Neighborhood, whether planned or impromptu. 

As is usually the case at "revitalizer" events in NoMi, the smallest members of the neighborhood were passed from hand-to-hand so lots of folks could enjoy "baby face time." One of the owners of Good Sports bar commented that it had probably been a long time since the establishment was so family friendly that a baby was present. To which I replied, "Well, you mean a baby present that wasn't dropped off for Child Protective Services?" 

Two former neighborhood board chairs--Peter Teachout of Hawthorne and Kip Browne of Jordan--introduce their babies to each other.

Sherman Patterson--an aide to Mayor Rybak--poses with a friend. When progress is being made in North Minneapolis, Patterson often has his fingers in it behind the scenes. 

The Teachout family loved the family friendly atmosphere at Good Sports. They had pizza with their kids, and then some virgin pina coladas; proving that "fun" is the first word in "fundamentalist." 

JoyAnne Teachout thought she'd lost her purse and called the bar after leaving. Then she called back to say the purse had turned up. While the purse seemed to be missing, everybody looked for it, even City Council Member Don Samuels. 
Peter Teachout had a conversation with U.S. Bank Branch Manager Mohammed Agoubi about criminal activity at Hawthorn (sic) Crossings strip mall, and what can be done about it. Agoubi also sits on the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council Board of Directors. 
One of the great guys who runs Good Sports. 
Another great guy from Good Sports. Here, I was trying to get the secret 12-spice chicken wing recipe out of him. I couldn't get the recipe itself, but I learned it was invented in about 1992 at "All Sports" bar and offers had been made of up to $5,000 for the recipe, but all the offers have been refused. Incredibly, there is no catchy, distinctive name for the chicken wings. 

Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?

Another NoMi Blog Is Born...Saddling Up For Service

Photo and blog post by John Hoff


Former Hawthorne Neighborhood Chair Peter Teachout, who swore into the army a short while ago, has started a new blog called Saddling Up For Service. Click here for a link to the blog.

While getting ready for army training some months from now, Peter is still running his building contractor business. Peter hopes to use his new blog to--among other things--give people tips on how to find local resources to fix up their homes. But, of course, the whole time he is...

SADDLING UP FOR SERVICE.

On another note...and this may be a wee bit off topic, but not too much...why is there no military recruiting station in North Minneapolis? This neighborhood is full of young people who could benefit from the educational and career opportunities afforded by military service. And yet the military recruiters are located, for example, in Stadium Village near the U of M or out in Bloomington. If there IS a military recruiting station in North Minneapolis, I have not seen it, and my Googling efforts have turned up nothing nearby.

From 1990 to 1994, I served as an E4 in the United States Army, paying off all my student loans through the army's loan repayment program. I often thought to myself, geez, I wish I'd taken out twice as many student loans and maybe paid for a couple of fun "May Seminars" in Europe, since it was army duty that paid off all that college a few years later, and it would have been possible to pay off even MORE loans.

Also, as a result of all that military training and experience, I spent years working a good-paying job in the mental health field, not to mention really enjoying the time I was stationed in El Paso, Texas, where I never saw snow--not even once--for 3 and a half years.

Why shouldn't these golden opportunities for travel, education and career opportunities be presented to OUR community?

(Do not click "Read More")

Photographic After-Party: The Swearing-In Of Former Hawthorne Neighborhood Chair Peter Teachout...

Photos By John Hoff

Peter Teachout, former Chair of the Hawthorne Neighborhood Association--and a good friend--recently joined the army and "swore in" at Fort Snelling, an event reported on this blog, click here and also here.

Recently, I found a few more nice pictures of the event which I wanted to share with readers on Christmas Eve, with a reminder to think of and pray for our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines all over the world.

(Do not click "Read More")

So-Low Watches, So-Low Calls...

Photo and blog post by John Hoff

Shortly before the army swearing-in ceremony for Peter Teachout, former Chair of the Hawthorne Neighborhood, I stopped by So-Low to pick up some "fake champagne" for the party at the (abstaining) Teachout residence. As always, So-Low had sparkling grape juice at a great low price, near the front of the store close by the meat and produce sections.

Walking inside the store, I noticed a new addition to the front entryway...

It was one of the "We Watch, We Call" signs which are popping up everywhere in NoMi.

As if super-cheap brie cheese wasn't a good enough reason to love So-Low, their commitment to improving the neighborhood is another good reason.

(Blogging from Balch Springs, Texas)

Peter Teachout's Army Swearing-In, More Photos...

Photos By John Hoff and Jeff Skrenes

Here are more photos from today's army swearing-in of Peter Teachout, former Chair of the Hawthorne Neighborhood Association, discussed in my previous blog post.

(Do not click "Read More")