Podcasts about cedar riverside

The Minnesota Department of Health says it likely will lay off 150 to 200 people, because of funding cuts at the federal level.  MDH says the federal government has terminated about 220 million dollars in grants to MDH related to the COVID pandemic.A Twin Cities nonprofit investigated alongside Feeding Our Future is fighting to resume taking part in a taxpayer-funded food program.Members of the two largest state employees unions are pushing back on a plan that will require public employees to be in-person more frequently.  Leaders with both the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees are asking Governor Walz to rescind his requirement that employees return to the office at least 50 percent of the time.The Minneapolis City Council has passed a resolution directing about 640-thousand dollars of public safety funding to violence interruption services for the Cedar Riverside and Elliot Park areas.Find these headlines and more at mprnews.org. Hosted by Phil Picardi. Music by Garty Meister.

It's primary election day across the state. Polls are open until 8 p.m. for voters to determine which candidates they want on the ballot in November's general election. There are partisan contests for the U.S. Senate and House races, as well as several primary battles in the Minnesota Legislature. There are also dozens of nonpartisan races for local positions including city council members, county commissioners and mayors.The Minneapolis Public Housing Authority has announced it has met its goal of installing fire suppression systems in every public housing complex. The city installed the fire sprinklers after a deadly 2019 fire in a high-rise in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood.This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Phil Picardi. Music by Gary Meister.Find these headlines and more at Mprnews.org.Primaries nail down who lands on Minnesota's federal, state ballotsWhat you need to know ahead of Minnesota's primary electionHow to vote in Minnesota's primary election on TuesdayLeaders celebrate completion of public housing sprinkler installationsRead the latest edition of the AM Update newsletter.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

The long-running band the Mubbla Buggs will join a host of other Minneapolis favorites Friday to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the iconic Cedar Cultural Center. Since it opened in the city's Cedar Riverside neighborhood in 1989, the Cedar has hosted musicians from hundreds of countries. Eric Hohn has been a sound tech at the Cedar for the past 27 years and he is a founding member of the Mubbla Buggs, who are headlining the anniversary show. He joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to tell some stories of the band and the venue. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.Subscribe to the Minnesota Now podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.   We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here.

This story comes to you from Sahan Journal. MPR News is a partner with Sahan Journal and will be sharing stories between SahanJournal.com and MPRNews.org.By Andrew Hazzard and Cynthia Tu | Sahan JournalA new federal grant will provide Minneapolis with $8 million to pay for ash tree removal on private properties in disadvantaged neighborhoods, a significant relief effort after millions of dollars in removal costs were assessed against homeowners' property taxes. The U.S. Forestry Service grant comes from funding in the Inflation Reduction Act. The city applied for the grant in coordination with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, which condemns ash trees on private property in response to the infestation of the invasive emerald ash borer beetle. The Minneapolis Park Board has condemned more than 18,000 ash trees since 2013.  Homeowners with condemned trees either paid directly for their removal, or the city paid and assessed the cost—or added the cost as a fee—onto the homeowner's property taxes. Property tax assessments on tree removals total more than $7.3 million, according to the Park Board. Neighborhoods targeted by the new federal funding, such as north Minneapolis, disproportionately paid for previous tree removal via property tax assessments, leading to increased monthly costs, Park Board data show. “We're really grateful to have these resources,” said Kelly Muellman, environmental manager with the Minneapolis Health Department. But those resources can't be used retroactively, meaning there's no relief in sight for thousands of homeowners who are currently paying off tree removals that were ordered by the city.Minneapolis' ash tree removal policy is aimed at addressing the green beetle that is killing ash trees across the Midwest.Several Minneapolis homeowners told Park Board officials at an October board meeting that they're frustrated by the policy, that the costs are impacting family budgets, and that homeowners who are people of color, senior, and low-income were particularly affected.Perhaps no one is more familiar with tree condemnations than Melissa Newman, a resident of the North Side's McKinley neighborhood. Seven trees on her property have been condemned due to Dutch Elm disease or emerald ash borer since she bought her house 17 years ago. The city's forced removal of affected trees and subsequent property tax assessments are  hardships, said Newman, adding that her monthly costs have increased between $150 to $200 as a result. “I inherited the tree trying to create the American dream of homeownership,” Newman told Sahan Journal.https://sahanjournal.github.io/ej-areas/The funding applies to U.S. Census tracts considered to be environmental justice areas by the federal government, which includes almost the entire North Side, parts of northeast Minneapolis, and a large swath of south Minneapolis, including the Phillips and Cedar-Riverside neighborhoods. The city originally applied for a $29 million grant from the U.S. Forestry Service. The $8 million it received will help hundreds of households, but could go fast. The city and Park Board are also pursuing a $500,000 grant from the state for the same purposes. It's unclear how far that money will stretch, or how many ash trees remain on private property citywide. Minneapolis officials say there are at least 12,000 trees remaining on private property in the environmental justice areas targeted by the grant, but also acknowledge that the Park Board doesn't have good estimates on the true number.The average tree removal in Minneapolis costs around $1,500. The grant also covers stump grinding, which isn't included in the current average cost of tree removal, and replacing trees. Minneapolis city tree program manager Sydney Schaaf said the city is still waiting for detailed instructions on how the grant can be used, but hope it will ease the burden to homeowners and help build back lost canopy. A flawed processHomeowners in the areas targeted by the grant are more likely than homeowners in wealthier neighborhoods to pay for mandated tree removals via property tax assessment. Homeowners in more affluent neighborhoods typically paid out of pocket to hire a contractor of their choice to remove a tree, according to Park Board data.   North Side residents disproportionately paid for tree removal via property tax assessments, Park Board data show. Around $2.8 million have been assessed in north Minneapolis in the last decade.North Minneapolis homeowners experienced a high rate of tree condemnation, too. When Minneapolis ash tree condemnations peaked in 2021, with 6,095 trees marked for removal citywide, roughly 42 percent of condemnations happened in North Side neighborhoods, according to Park Board data. More than half of the roughly 3,000 households citywide who paid for tree removal via property tax assessments in 2021 were in north Minneapolis. Approximately 16 percent of the 2,164 tree condemnations issued from the start of 2023 through October were in North Side neighborhoods, according to Park Board data.Click here.https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/supIX/7/In 2021, the Park Board condemned five trees on Newman's property in north Minneapolis. Her yard is fenced in, but one day there were green marks on her trees and a hanger on her doorknob telling her the ash trees had to go. She had 60 days to either cut the trees down on her own, or allow the Park Board to handle it by sending over the lowest bidding contractor. Two were small enough for a neighbor to remove, but three were removed by the city and assessed against her property taxes. One of those assessed trees straddled the property line, and Newman split the $800 charge with a neighbor. But two other trees were deemed “special” by the Park Board (for reasons Newman said were never satisfactorily explained to her), and the removal involved a crane, driving the combined removal cost to $2,700. All told, after an $80 flat fee the Park Board imposes on all assessed trees and a 3 percent interest charge on the assessment, removing the two trees cost about $3,100. Newman's yard used to be full of trees, and her dog would lie in the shade. But now, the grass dies easily in the summer heat, and Newman has to hack away at the tree stumps left behind. “It's completely open,” she said of her property. The Park Board does not target any particular area of the city for ash tree condemnation, said Philip Potyondy, sustainable forestry coordinator, with the Park Board. It's possible that ash trees are more common in some parts of the city, he said, adding that ash borer also tends to spread exponentially, and may have accelerated in the North Side in 2021 and 2022. “This has impacted people in every part of Minneapolis,” said Potyondy. Emerald ash borer is a persistent beetle, and it will infest and kill ash trees in time. But the infestation can be prevented with insecticide treatments implanted into a tree like an intravenous tube. Potyondy said the city's 12 staff tree inspectors only condemn ash trees that show signs of infestation. Those signs include woodpecker damage and thinning canopy at the top of the trees. They don't confirm the presence of disease through testing, but because the beetle is so pervasive, any ash tree in the region that has not been treated will essentially become infested at some point, Potyondy said. Newman said she would have been happy to spend around $200 every couple of years to treat her trees and prevent emerald ash borer infestation. The branches seemed fine and new leaves blossomed each spring. But the Park Board doesn't inform people that treating trees is an option. In 2010, the Minneapolis City Council passed a resolution advising against using insecticides to treat emerald ash borer, Park Board forestry director Ralph Sievert told the board. “We have been omitting that information when we're communicating with constituents,” Park Board Commissioner Billy Menz said of the treatment option.Community pushback The Park Board altered the assessment process after community pushback led by the Harrison Neighborhood Association and the nonprofit, Hope Community.Mitchel Hansen, outreach director with the North Side's Harrison Neighborhood Association, is leading the charge against private ash tree condemnation. He became interested in the issue after hearing from several neighbors about costly assessments, and feels that the process is flawed and contradicts Park Board equity goals. “I see this as being unfair. I see this as something we can easily solve,” Hansen said. Schaaf and Muellman, the city health department employees, said the Harrison Neighborhood Association's advocacy work inspired the city to apply for the federal grant.Last May, the Park Board temporarily halted the assessment process to make changes.The Park Board now requires tree removal companies to first examine the trees in order to get more competitive bids for removals that will be assessed against a homeowner's property taxes, Potyondy said. Previously, only special trees with difficult removal circumstances would get in-person inspections from companies bidding to remove them. The city also now offers all homeowners the choice of repaying the tree removal debt on their property taxes over five, 10, or 20 years, reducing the monthly cost with longer payment periods. Previously, the assessment was automatically set for a five-year period.There is now also an exemption for seniors and veterans who can demonstrate economic hardship to defer the payments until the property is sold.  The city made 885 assessments worth about $2 million before pausing its assessment process earlier this year. When the pause ended in October, the city began collecting payments from those homeowners, who are ineligible for the new federal funding.Click here to view the maphttps://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/supIX/7/Most condemned ash trees are not assessed against property taxes, according to Potyondy, and the majority of removals are paid by homeowners out of pocket.“This is an absolute priority of mine,” Bangoura said. ‘The ship has sailed for me' Schaaf, Minneapolis' tree program coordinator, said she understands homeowners' frustrations about the assessment process and the fact that the grant money can't help retroactively. “It's hard because a lot of these people that are having to have a tree removed already live in areas that have some of the lowest tree canopy in the city. A lot of them really love trees, and they really don't want to have to remove their tree,” Schaaf said. Amoke Kubat didn't want to get rid of her ash tree. She bought her home in the North Side's Cleveland neighborhood in January 2021. While she was unpacking, she noticed a man in her backyard eyeing her large ash tree. He told her it was infested and tagged it for removal. Suddenly, Kubat had to figure out how to remove it and pay the bill. The Park Board gave her a list of contractors to call. She got estimates, some as high as $10,000. The tree didn't come down until August 2021, and in the meantime, an ash tree in her front yard was condemned as well. The backyard tree was huge, Kubat said, measuring 32 inches in diameter, according to Park Board records. Kubat was assessed more than $6,000 to remove both trees; the process was stressful. Her yard isn't the same anymore. There's nowhere for the squirrels to go and the birds seem confused, she said. Following the policy for all condemned and assessed trees, her contractor was paid only to cut down the trees, leaving large stumps in her yard that sprout small trees, which will be expensive to remove.  “We loved the tree,” Kubat said. Kubat thinks the presence of ash trees should be noted during the inspection process of buying a home. She spoke with neighbors on the North Side and realized the issue was affecting many others. She's glad there's money to help now, but believes the process of identifying and removing affected trees is flawed. “The bottom line is the ship has sailed for me. It's on my bill,” Kubat said. ‘A slap in the face' One day early this past summer, a crew showed up to Willis White's house in the Jordan neighborhood to cut down a massive ash tree in his backyard. White, 54, was confused, and said he didn't know the tree would be removed that day. A data request on White's removal shows that letters about the tree were sent to the house starting in January 2022. White said he and his wife bought the home with their daughter originally, and she officially transferred the property to them last year. The letters to the house were addressed to White's daughter. They'd received a letter about the tree and had been shopping around for a contractor, White said, but hadn't hired anyone yet. He wishes someone from the Park Board would have knocked on the door or called to make sure they knew someone was coming to cut the tree for a hefty fee. According to a records request, White's tree was determined to be special, and the city obtained three removal bids ranging from $10,000 to $7,200. “It's really difficult,” White said of the removal cost and the circumstances. According to White: The removal took a toll on the yard. The contractor had to take down a chain link fence to bring in equipment, and didn't properly repair it. Workers had to shut off power to his house, and lowered an outdoor power cord to the ground, which was left when they finished and had to be rehung by White and his son. The remaining stump is large, and White hasn't looked into how much it will cost to remove. The Park Board cut some 40,000 ash trees in public parks and on streets, but never ground the stump on the boulevard in front of White's house. The stump sprouted dozens of tiny trees this year, creating an overgrown mess. White's tree is the seventh most expensive removal handled by the city since 2013, according to Park Board data. His cost — measured by the diameter of the tree's trunk — was $226 “per trunk inch,” much higher than the median price of $69 per trunk inch in 2022.Click here.https://sahanjournal.github.io/trunk-cost-distribution/Removal prices vary widely. White's 30-inch diameter tree was assessed at $6,800. Kubat's 32-inch tree cost $3,000; the smaller, 20-inch tree also condemned in her yard went for the same $3,000 price. Although Park Board data says White's tree was assessed for $6,800, the bill for his removal was more than $7,500 after fees and interest, according to a records request and a letter sent to White's home.  “There's no rhyme or reason why they price what they do,” said Newman, the McKinley resident who was assessed more than $3,100 for removals. Newman said it's not that she's unwilling to pay, but that there were no alternatives to cutting the offered and no answers given about why her trees were determined to need special removal techniques throughout the process, despite her regularly reaching out to Park Board staff. She doesn't want to see her neighbors get price gouged, and she's mad that no relief is coming to people who are currently paying off assessments. “It's such a slap in the face,” Newman said. Learn more about Sahan Journal's data analysis for this story.

It's halfway through the Minnesota Fringe Festival (running August 3-13 at various locations in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood and beyond. Our bloggers are taking time out of their crazy Fringe schedules to share a few of the shows they are loving at the Festival this year.We are joined by Kendra Plant (of Artfully Engaging), who recommends: Ha Ha Da Vinci, DOLLY WHO?, and Boy Crazy. Rob Dunkelberger (of The Stages of MN) chats about A Girl Scout's Guide to Exorcism, Fargo Allegro, and H.G. Wells' The Invisible Man. Jill Schafer (of Cherry and Spoon) throws her vote in for Stabby Stab Stab, Fire in My Veins, and The Windblown Cheeks of Lovers. Laura Van Zandt (of Bite-Sized Beet) weighs in with Reincarnation Soup, My Only Hope for a Hero, and Coyfish.There's still time to catch these and other fabulous shows at the Minnesota Fringe Festival. Check in with our bloggers for many more reviews and happy Fringing!Twin Cities Theater Chat is produced and hosted by Carol Jackson of Minnesota Theater Love and members of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers collective. As always, you can find the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers on Facebook and on Instagram. Read our review round-ups and go see a show today!

John's conversation with Alex Burns of Our Streets Minneapolis about the ongoing debate over what to do with I-94 between Minneapolis and St. Paul, which Our Streets says is a "once in a lifetime opportunity to repair a terrible injustice." With the DOT's inclusion of boulevard conversions among the 10 possible alternatives for reconstruction, advocates for freeway removal have something to feel good about. But is it really politically possible? Alex and John talk about: the coalition Our Streets has built to address the historic and very much ongoing harm of a massive urban interstate through the heart of Minneapolis and St. Paul; Alex's recent conversation on talk radio with the very skeptical Jason Derusha; we pick at the Star Tribune's recent editorializing against the idea; notable local examples of the concept of traffic evaporation; the arguments MnDOT is likely to make in favor of the status quo; how THE PANDEMIC CHANGED EVERYTHING, MAN; and much more. MN Dept of Transportation survey: https://talk.dot.state.mn.us/rethinking-i94/survey_tools/rethinking-i-94-alternatives-survey Attend a community visioning session in Cedar Riverside on August 5: https://www.twincitiesboulevard.org/join-us-at-a-community-visioning-session-in-cedar-riverside-on-august-5/ Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgelive Join the conversation: https://twitter.com/wedgelive Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

On a hot day in late May, Abdifatah Ali walks through a community health and wellness fair at Currie Park in the Cedar-Riverside area of Minneapolis. As kids run in the fountains and play in the bounce house, Ali, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, is searching for someone who might be willing to leave the festivities and go across the street to fill out a survey about cancer.Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in Minnesota, and nationally. As with other aspects of health, there can be vast racial disparities in prevention and treatment. A Nov. 2022 report from the MN Community Measurement survey found that “[e]xcept for white patients, patients from all other race categories had significantly lower rates of colorectal cancer screening compared to the statewide rate.”“There's disparities across the spectrum,” said Ivan Wu, an assistant professor at the U's School of Public Health working on the project with Ali, who specializes in organizational psychology. “You can start from knowledge and awareness — sometimes perceptions of screening are different from what they actually should be. Folks may not even know how to get screened.”On top of that, people may not have insurance, transportation or be able to get time off for medical appointments. And then there's the actual interaction with the physician, where there may be cultural and language barriers. People may also lack accurate information.Colon cancer, like some other cancers, can have a higher survival rate when caught early. Which is why testing regularly, especially if you're high-risk, is crucial. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screenings for adults aged 45 to 75.“One time I was having a conversation with an elderly Somali male about colonoscopy, and colon cancer. And, you know, there's a lot of stigma around getting [a] colonoscopy and health procedures done. Some people don't understand the extent of the procedure; if it's a full surgery, or if it's something that, you know, can be done while the individual is awake,” Ali said. “So just having those talks and conversations, we've realized that there is a need for education and an opportunity to help our people understand.”In an effort to address some of those disparities, Wu and Ali, along with their community partners, are embarking on a study to better understand what people in the East African community know about cancer, and develop better education to help prevent it. An ongoing conversationThe idea for the research came up organically. Wu and Ali have known each other for years, since they were students at Michigan State University. Both were peer mentors, assigned to the same session.“I remember him asking certain questions, and I was asking certain questions, and we were like, ‘wow, we think alike. I need to know who this guy is.'” Wu said.They bonded over their mutual interests. They were in the same department, and both from California.“We just hit it off. And ever since then [we] talk about research, and we've collaborated over the years,” Ali said. So when they both ended up at the U of M, they continued their conversations.The idea for this research came up over cups of tea.“I was like: I'm personally not aware of any assessments or this type of research that's been done, when it comes to the East African Community,” Ali said. “Maybe there's an opportunity for us to look into some of these issues.”Then there was a funding call at the Masonic Cancer Center. The two have $100,000 for a two-year study. Ali and Wu expect to have data collected and analyzed by early next year.The aim of the project is to reduce cancer disparities by building knowledge in community health workers. They want to find the gaps, in terms of what services are being provided, and train trusted people in the community so they can provide the best interventions possible.While Wu says that similar research exists for Latino communities, they don't know if the same approach will work for the East African community. The preliminary survey has basic questions: Have you ever heard about cancer? How knowledgeable do you feel about preventing cancer? What are common signs and symptoms of cancer?The researchers said it's important to start from this baseline level.“We can't come in with assumptions,” Ali said. “I think, oftentimes, we're coming from a place of knowledge as academics. And so when you have all that knowledge, you can maybe make some assumptions — some faulty assumptions — about where the community is.” A community-centered approachAli and Wu say it's important to partner with community organizations from the beginning. The researchers are working with the Twin Cities nonprofit Metro Youth Diversion Center.“We have a lot of community members that really are lacking the access to resources,” said Executive Director Rashad Ahmed. “So they're coming to us asking us for help. I know there's a language barrier, there's a cultural barrier. And that is where we fit in. We come in because we understand the languages and the cultures. And that makes it easy for them to trust us.”Ahmed said if people don't understand something, they won't be able to trust it. “So we are here to provide that opportunity for community to connect with the providers, and then be the liaison between the health care system and the community.”They also know the kinds of challenges that the community is facing. Whether that's getting insurance, finding providers or learning more about cancer treatment and options.“We are the ones that are connected to the community, we are the ones that see all the issues are coming up — all the complaints, all the situations that our people are facing,” he said. “So I think having [community organizations] at the table, and being part of the research project is very crucial. And I think that's the key to finding solutions to some of our pressing issues.”

The towers now known as Riverside Plaza are among the most recognizable buildings in Minneapolis. Their colorful panels make them easy to spot from the busy freeways that surround the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. But these buildings were supposed to be just the first phase an ambitious, utopian plan to transform this area. What happened? Adelie Bergström joins host Eric Roper to discuss why this controversial vision fell apart in the 1970s. LINKS: Why was the utopian plan for Minneapolis' Cedar-Riverside area never built? (February 2023 Curious Minnesota story) How did the Twin Cities become a hub for Somali immigrants? (January 2020 Curious Minnesota podcast) A photo of the Cedar-Riverside area in 1966.

The end of 2022 brought the closing of several beloved Twin Cities restaurants run by Asian immigrants, including Khyber Pass on Grand Avenue in St. Paul and Keefer Court in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis. Reflections on the legacies of immigrant-owned restaurants with former owners of Khyber Pass and Keefer Court Even as these community cornerstones shut their doors, the next generation of cooks is making its mark. One of them is chef Eric Pham, who grew up in a restaurant family. His mother Khue Pham and her relatives are the family behind Quang, a Vietnamese restaurant that has become an institution in Minneapolis. While Quang is still going strong, Eric Pham is branching out. We met up with him at Bar Brava, which is housing the restaurant he's named after his mother. Khue's Kitchen will operate in the space until the end of 2023. During the visit, he showed us how he makes his favorite dish: bánh mì xíu mại, a Vietnamese take on the meatball sandwiches.To hear the full conversation with Eric Pham, click play on the player above.

Minneapolis City Councilmember Jamal Osman joined Jason to talk about a homeless encampment in his Ward being taken down, after months of his asking the state for action. How do we aid the unhoused population without risking public safety. 

It's a good weekend to catch a play at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. Jack Reuler joins Angela Davis to talk about the Twin Cities theater scene. Reuler, who founded Mixed Blood Theatre in Cedar Riverside in Minneapolis in 1976, is retiring. He is directing his final play, “Animate,” which opens Friday at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. Guests: Jack Reuler is the founder of Mixed Blood Theatre in Cedar Riverside in Minneapolis.

Big news, Renegades: WE HAVE A STATE BUDGET! It wasn't the smoothest process, and there were some definite shenanigans before adjournment, so this week, Grace & Bri are digging into all of it: what's in the budget, what's not, and why. Plus, they chat with Senator Kari Dziedzic about why the Senate GOP went the petty route, delayed session end, and forced out the Pollution Control Agency commissioner, Laura Bishop. And finally, they share how MN stacks up nationally, vaccine-wise, in what may just be the last COVID Corner — fingers crossed. Meet Our Guest - Sen. Kari Dziedzic Senator Kari Dziedzic was born and raised in Northeast Minneapolis. She attended Edison High School and the University of Minnesota where she earned a mechanical engineering degree. She represents Senate District 60 which includes Cedar-Riverside, Seward, and Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis neighborhoods. Dziedzic was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in January of 2012 in a Special Election and was reelected in September of 2012 and again in 2016. Before joining the Minnesota Senate, she worked at Hennepin County in the private sector and as an aide for US Senator Paul Wellstone. Show Notes Keep up with Senate News Clean Energy Resource Teams - Solar Schools Map RentHelpMN.org Sen. Erin Murphy has words about Commissioner Confirmation --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/renegadefeminist/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/renegadefeminist/support

Tony is a longtime member of the Twin Cities hospitality and Music Community. Spending nearly 20 years working at Grumpy’s NE, and playing most every rock and roll venue in this town since his mid teens in the early 90’s. He’s toured most of the US playing bass in bands such as Romantica and Eleganza. In 2018, he purchased the iconic Palmer’s Bar located in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis. Since that time he has appeared on CNN, CNBC, was featured in Newsweek, and many others during the protests just after the George Floyd Murder. But here's the exciting part! Palmers Bar is reopening TODAY March 11, 2021. 5 days short of the anniversary of the original 2020 pandemic closure. Enjoy! Cheers, all! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On this Election Day, we walked down memory lane and heard your most significant memories.  Several retired political reporters and editors joined MPR News host Angela Davis to talk about Election Days past. They talked about the 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore, when Barack Obama won the presidential election in 2008, and the 1998 election when former wrestler Jesse “The Body" Ventura shocked the world and was elected governor of Minnesota. We also checked in with MPR News senior reporter Jon Collins, who was at the polls in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis. Guests: Jon Collins, MPR News senior reporter Pat Kessler, WCCO's senior political reporter Lynda McDonnell, retired Pioneer Press political editor Dane Smith, retired Pioneer Press and Star Tribune political reporter Gene Lahammer, retired State Capitol reporter for The Associated Press Check out some of the memories our audience shared with us below. Note: The submissions have been edited for length and clarity. “The year Jesse Ventura was elected, I left a job in the newsroom of a local news organization a few months before Election Day. It was the first time in my working life I had not spent the Election Day evening in a frantic newsroom, and I was going through a little bit of withdrawal. As I sat stewing in my living room with nothing to do, I seriously considered calling up my former news editor and asking if I could come in to help — even if it just meant going out to get coffee/food for the staff that was working so hard. It was such an exciting evening, and it was really hard not to be in the thick of it.” — Carol “An election memory that stands out for me is the 1990 Senate race, where Paul Wellstone crisscrossed the state in his green bus speaking of progressive ideas, running against lumber store baron Rudy Boschwitz, the well-funded incumbent. I was a college student disillusioned about the political process and was sure that big money would prevail. I went to bed election night without results and woke the next day to the emotional news that Wellstone had won. A stunning victory for the ‘little guy,’ and a bit of faith restored that the system can work when the candidate does the work. Senator Wellstone, you are so missed!” — Sandra “This is not a wonderful story nor heart-warming tale, but it may be my most significant Election Day memory. For many years, I was involved politically and voted independently. Walking through my Uptown neighborhood, with green Ralph Nader signs displayed on almost every lawn, was my idea of a good time. Fast forward to 2016. I got excited about Trump because I sensed he had the sensibility of an independent. I never dreamed I would attend a Republican caucus. Throughout the fall, I became aware of a conspicuous bias in the major media; a bias I hadn't noticed before because usually my candidates were not part of the national coverage and sometimes not even allowed to debate. I found the bias disturbing and not emblematic of the principles I believed this country to be founded upon. Fast forward to election night. As the votes continued to come in, and as it became clearer that not only Trump was in the running, but that he could win, the faces on the liberal media stalwarts was priceless. Many of them across the major networks were literally at a loss for words. Anchors like Norah O'Donnell were stunned; and I love Norah O'Donnell. I was not reveling in their misfortune, nor enjoying my candidate's comeback, but I was relishing that a group of people that had conducted themselves with compromised integrity ultimately learned a lesson and perhaps got what they deserved. The look of astonishment on Norah's face and her subsequent fumbling for words is my most memorable election night experience. The people were speaking.” — John “My most vivid election memory is 10:00 p.m. Nov. 4, 2008. I was teaching 6th grade and one of my students, Devon, called at about 9:50 p.m. that night on the verge of hyperventilating, ‘Mr. Vernosh, do you think he will do it? Do you think he's actually going to win?’ We talked politics and family for a few more minutes and I could tell his family had a watching party and we were both watching CNN. The clock turned to 10:00 p.m. CNN echoed between our phones, they called California, and projected that Sen. Barack Obama was now to be President-Elect Obama. I heard cheers on the phone. Devon screamed even louder than those from his family, ‘Mr. Vernosh, he did it! Oh my god, he did it! Obama won. I'm sorry, I gotta go, Mr. Vernosh.’ As he hung up, I hear him yelling to his mom, ‘Mom, Mom, can you believe he did it!’ He hung up and I wept. I wept because of the joy of the moment. I wept because of the hope President Obama, the first Black president, brought to all of us, especially the students and families I served, of which about 95 percent were Black. Fast forward two years and I was able to share that moment, with President Obama in the Oval Office while meeting with him as Minnesota Teacher of the Year. So while Devon wasn't able to be with me there, his voice and those voices of all my students, certainly were.” — Ryan “One of the first times I voted was the Jesse Ventura race for Minnesota governor. I remember driving along I-35 and seeing one of his green ‘Ventura, Jesse for Governor’ billboards and feeling like he was going to win. We convinced the waiter at Old Chicago to turn on election coverage that night. I know people have mixed feelings about what he did in office but his run, and win, instilled in me that anything is possible in politics. I don't vote down party lines and am not affiliated with either of the two major political parties and I think it is due in part because of the foundation I have in seeing Jesse win. The discourse that was not just divided in two and I liked that.” — Jackie “My most memorable Election Day memory is when Barack Obama won the 2008 election. I had voted before but this was the first election I was really passionate about. Obama gave me hope and something to be excited about. I was ready for a Black president. When I found out that he won, I burst into tears of joy. It was absolutely incredible.” — Ruth “I think one of my more memorable Election Day memories was from 2016. I was 15 and I couldn't vote, but it still is so vivid for me. I was sitting in bed watching election coverage and I started get more and more nervous. I just remember crying for hours as it became more clear that Trump would win. I was deeply in the closet at the time, but I knew he would begin to strip away at LGBT rights and he has. And I knew people of color would get treated even worse than they already would under Trump, which has happened. I remember going to school the next morning. At the time I lived in Texas. Kids were screaming white power and similarly racist things all day. It's more memorable than the first time I voted, which was in the 2020 presidential primary.” — Haleigh “I am old enough to remember going to the polls with my parents in 1960, when I was 5 years old. My mother explained the importance of the election process, and it left an impression on me that I still feel when I vote. Voting is a privilege that we should not take for granted.” — Pamela “I worked for Carter in 1976. Hanging out with the team and watching the returns was so fun and when the trusted news source called the election the room exploded with cheers and hugs all around! It was like New Years Eve x10.” — Wally “My most significant Election Day memory happened all the way back in 2019. After leaving the world of journalism the year before, I wanted to do something to help my community. I knew that St. Paul City Council elections were coming up, so since I had met my councilmember (Rebecca Noecker) before, I decided to volunteer for her reelection campaign. She asked if I would nominate her for the endorsement at the Ward 2 DFL convention and it was an honor. Fast forward a few months to Election Night 2019, when I followed the results from my phone on the couch after mistakenly forgetting to take the night off of work. A friend of mine at the Noecker campaign’s watch party DM’d me saying ‘she won!’ and I danced in my house. It was a likely result but it felt so good anyway because I helped make it happen. It made me realize that local races are just as important as national ones (if not more so!)” — Cass “When I was 7 years old, Obama was running for president the first time. My mom and dad brought me to the polls with them on Election Day and told me about Obama. I felt so excited to join my parents. Them bringing me to vote sparked many questions. I was also able to do a mock voting within my school. Around my 8th birthday, Obama was sworn into presidency. My second grade teacher let us watch it instead of going to recess. I was so excited to watch him be sworn in. It was a memory that I still think back upon and first got me interested in American government.” — Madisyn “I was pregnant with my oldest in 2000. I was due Nov. 19, but I had been on partial bed rest starting at the end of September because the doctor was very concerned about early delivery. My best friend had a dream in October in which I was watching election returns in the hospital, and I thought two weeks early sounded okay. Well, election night came and went, That was the Bush-Gore ‘hanging chad’ election, and when I finally (!) gave birth on Nov. 26, we have pictures in the hospital where CNN is on in the background, and we’re watching election returns.” — Deanne I'm Filipino American living in Hastings. Every time I've gone to vote (three elections) there’s this one white woman checking IDs refusing to believe I'm already registered, saying she can't find me. I have to ask her multiple times to re-check the list before she lets me through. It sucks.” — Patricia “Bringing my 17-year-old daughter with me when I voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016, the first time I got to vote for a woman for president. I was so excited and wanted her to share the moment with me, just months before she could legally vote herself.” — Lisa “In 2016, We were driving back from Nashville, we just celebrated our wedding anniversary. I knew I was going to be out of town during election day, so I requested a mail in absentee ballot. As we were driving home during the morning after Election Day, the picture was very clear the Trump had won, And the certainty I felt for the inevitable Clinton presidency evaporated. I had a lot of time to think on the drive about the immaturity of my decision to not vote. My absentee ballot was sitting on the kitchen table at home, on the day after the election, I thought about how much I dislike Hillary Clinton, I never pictured that Trump would win. I learned a vital lesson that day, but sometimes grown-up decisions weren’t about picking your favorite — It’s also about understanding the consequences of what happens when you choose your favorite verses what happens when choose pragmatism over principle. Please, don’t be like 2016 me — please get out and vote.” — David “Election Day 1996. It was my first time voting in Minneapolis. My polling place was packed, and it was the November in an artistic/grunge/hip neighborhood. No pastels to be found. Until the man in the white suit breezed his way into the room, gliding past all lines, receiving his ballot and then skipping over all the other voters — well the others that had been waiting in line were puzzled. Who was this person? As he skipped over the remaining people in line, puzzlement turned to frustration. It was then that another voter voiced this frustration, ‘Excuse me sir. Don't you think we all are in a hurry? Or that we all don't have places to go? You, sir are a d***head! And everyone in the room knows you are a d***head!’ End scene.” — Jill Use the audio player above to listen to the program. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

Paul Pribbenow is a social ethics scholar, President of Augsburg University, and leader in a global movement of ‘anchor institutions' seeking empowering relationships with their neighbors. In this episode, we'll learn how a campus tragedy prompted Pribbenow to double down on Augsburg's community relationships in Cedar Riverside – one of the Midwest's most diverse and densely populated zip codes.Pribbenow leads the Cedar Riverside Partnership, a collaboration of leaders from local government, community organizations, a major health care provider, and a real estate developer. As partners, they have achieved some impressive, tangible outcomes for the Cedar Riverside community in employment pathways, community safety and placemaking.More about Paul Pribbenow: https://www.augsburg.edu/president/ And his Notes for the Reflective Practitioner:  https://www.augsburg.edu/president/notes/ More about the Cedar Riverside Partnership: http://www.cedarriversidepartnership.org/

Adapted from the article at https://www.tierneyrealnewsnetwork.com/post/the-truth-about-george-floyd-antifa-cair-keith-ellison-s-minnesotaTierney asks for your support if you like her writingHere's the truth about this case they don't want you to know. It only took the Communists 9 days to engineer Floyd's death, loot & torch Minneapolis, shut down the Minneapolis police department & start race riots across America! They pulled another Jussie & the world fell for it. Here's body cam footage from rookie officer Thomas Lane that was leaked two months AFTER Floyd's death - which proves it was NOT a racist murder & that Floyd was high, belligerent and resisted arrest for over 10 minutes. The autopsy showed he did NOT die from asphyxiation or trauma - he died from heart failure due to lethal levels of fentanyl, heroin & meth in his system.Why did they do this? So Communists can build a huge corridor of new public housing on Lake Street for absentee ballot mills to control the vote in Minnesota from Hennepin County, dismantle the police & push through cheat-by-mail for the Democrats.CAIR, ANTIFA, Black Lives Matter, Black Bloc, the Youth Liberation Front, Occupy Wall Street & Sojourners are all front organizations for the Communist Party in the United States. They operate liberal activist groups, fake religious groups, social justice groups & mercenaries whose goal is the overthrow of America. AG Barr just declared left-wing ANTIFA a terrorist organization. It is a militant group that was started in 1932 by the COMMUNIST Party of Germany. It has since infiltrated and overtaken many other organizations in America. George Floyd had prior connections to Keith Ellison, Mayor Jacob Frey, Hollywood, CAIR, Derek Chauvin & Amy Klobuchar.Keith Ellison is the defacto leader of ANTIFA & CAIR in Minnesota and Ilhan Omar is one of his creations. Keith Ellison & Ilhan Omar use the same "campaign manager" known for his expertise in "foreign money" handling, Tim Mynett. Ilhan Omar even married Tim Mynett for spousal privilege after she married her gay brother for immigration fraud. Ellison's son, Jeremiah, who runs the Minneapolis City Council, just pledged his allegiance to ANTIFA & his plan to shut down the police department & replace it with "community out-reach." Keith Ellison is good friends with the LEADER of Portland's Rose City ANTIFA, Luis Enrique Marquez, which flies the Communist flag. Ellison converted to Islam in law school, was a student of Farrakhan, once defended cop killers, called for reparations & a separate country for black people within America, and wrote many racist articles under the name of Keith Hakim Mohammad X. He changed his name when he ran for office in Minnesota. George Floyd & Derek Chauvin KNEW each other & worked security together at a Latino restaurant, called El Nuevo Rodeo, on Lake Street & 27th in Minneapolis. The face of that restaurant, Maya Santamaria, with a history of problems, ran the business for the Sabri family who want to develop Lake Street for the refugee community as an extension of Cedar Riverside. Santamaria & Frey are good friends. Sabri, from Jordan, is the developer behind the Somali mall on East Lake Street - and wants to build ANOTHER Somali mall on East Lake Street. His projects are backed by Ellison, Omar & Frey. Sabri has long wanted to build condominiums on Lake Street and been turned down. Sundance reports that the El Nuevo Rodeo restaurant is likely a money-laundering & counterfeit money front for the Sabri family that was forced to close during COVID. El Nuevo was looted during the riots. Omar Investments Inc. has owned El Nuevo Rodeo Cantina and night club since 1996. The principle of Omar Investments Inc. is Muna Sabri. In 2001, Basim Sabri was captured by the FBI in a sting operation. The Sabris are a wealthy family with a history of bribing Minneapolis city officials.Basim Sabri claimed that Abdi Warsame, who sits on Ellison's Minneapolis City Council, took bribes from him. Born in Somalia, Warsame was brought to Minnesota from London by Soros to master the absentee ballot vote in Minnesota and FLIP it blue. He began by running Cedar Riverside & turning it into a ballot making machine - which elected Ilhan Omar & Keith Ellison. He's succeeded in controlling the vote in Minnesota through voter fraud & 3rd party ringers. Derek Chauvin worked at El Nuevo Rodeo for 17 years. That puts Derek Chauvin showing up to work security at El Neuvo Rodeo right after the FBI busted Basim Sabri. Chauvin received a COMMENDATION medal after he arrested violent gang members outside El Nuevo Rodeo in 2008.Cup Foods owner, Mahmoud Abumayyaleh, a Black Lives Matter activist from the Middle East, whose employee called the cops on George Floyd for passing a wet $20 counterfeit bill, knew George Floyd - who was a regular at the store. Who else did Mahmoud know? Cup Foods has a checkered past. It was Mahmoud's Facebook post that announced George's death and called it a racist murder. The day after George's death, Mahmoud went on every major network to tell his story and called for the immediate arrest of all 4 officers. His partners at CAIR did the same thing.Within 6 hours after George died, a "community journalist" associated with Mahmoud and BLM had sent the "video" to the media & the family hired Ben Crumb, the attorney behind Trayvon Martin, and Shaun King of Black Lives Matters was ratcheting up the noise. Within 12 hours, Frey held a press conference with the MPD. Within 18 hours, all 4 officers were fired. An hour later, Frey led a Town Hall on the case. It's like it was all planned ahead of time. Members of CAIR "filmed" George Floyd's death outside Cup Foods in Minneapolis and erected a large portrait of Floyd on the street. They wore Black Lives Matter shirts and handed out sambusas, or stuffed pastries, to mourners in Elliot Park in Minneapolis.It took Frey 4 days to respond to the riots, after the entire city had been looted & burned, but within 6 hours he planned a press conference on the Floyd death? PLANNED. There is body cam footage from all 4 officers which we've NEVER seen, only the cell phone video from a stranger and the Cup Foods surveillance video from a man who is anti-American, anti-police and works for Black Lives Matters. Why?The first two officers on the scene, when called from Cup Foods about George Floyd passing a counterfeit $20 bill, were rookies, each with less than 4 shifts as police officers. It was his FOURTH day as a police officer when Thomas Lane, 37, pulled his weapon on George Floyd and asked him to put his hands on the steering wheel of his car. Lane asked Floyd if he was ON something due to the foam coming out of his mouth. Floyd mumbled "I can't breathe."J Alexander Kueng, 26, is a rookie cop who was working his THIRD SHIFT EVER as a police officer when he encountered George Floyd. He stood on the passenger side of Floyd's car, while Lane held a gun on him. Kueng, who identifies as an African-American, now faces 40 years in prison for the so-called "racist murder" of a fellow African-American.Chauvin and his partner showed up late to the scene and helped the two rookies try to maneuver Floyd into the patrol car. They failed. Chauvin pulled him to the ground and kneeled on him. Many believe the man who kneeled on Floyd was NOT really Chauvin but a stand-in. Look at this photo of Chauvin 2 years ago with his wife, a Laos refugee, who ran for Mrs Minnesota in 2018. And this photo of the original mug shot compared to the kneeler. You decide. Not only was Chauvin employed by El Nuevo Rodeo for 17 years, he and he wife are real estate agents, own a home in Minnesota AND Florida, are residents of Florida and run an AirBNB there. Up until last week, Chauvin's wife said he was the "most gentle" man she's ever known. Now she filed for divorce and said he's a murderer. Quite a shift in a short period. Even more confusing, the media is now claiming Chauvin is a Republican who committed voter fraud while being a Florida resident. Think about that latest spin to tie Trump & Republicans to his actions. George Floyd had sickle cell anemia & heart disease & lethal levels of fentanyl & heroin in his body as well as meth, speed & marijuana in his body at the time of death. No one mentions this at all. Why?Sickle cell anemia reduces oxygen to your brain & tissues and lowers life expectancy by over 20 years in a HEALTHY individual. Fentanyl slows oxygen to your brain & both meth & speed can cause cardiac arrest. The autopsy was performed on May 26th but the actual report was not released to the public until days later, AFTER cities were torched & burned. The toxicology report was complete on May 31st but the results were quietly released to the public on June 4th. Why?Floyd tested positive for COVID two months ago, so he DID NOT die from that. He had recovered & had anti-bodies. Fake narrative to cover the drugs.Floyd held a gun to a pregnant woman's stomach, while ransacking her home for money & drugs in Texas in 2007, & served 5 years in prison for armed robbery. He came to Minnesota in 2014 when he got out. How did he get a job working security with Chauvin? Who did his background check?George Floyd was a porn star - his screen name was BIG FLOYD - and his "work" appeared on a Middle-Eastern porn site called Habib... Klobuchar declined to prosecute Derek Chauvin for a police shooting that took place in 2006 that went to a grand jury. He was later cleared. So she knew who he was. If people think Communists wouldn't drug, murder or pay someone to be a patsy to start a race riot to get rid of the police, and engineer a murder for the cameras, you need to get out in the real world!Within 24 hours of Floyd's death, thousands of rioters looted & torched Minneapolis while the police stood down and let it burn. It didn't JUST happen. Engineered by Communists!

Minneapolis Uprising, Protesting against police brutality, George Floyd Murder | #NomadicHustle 30 w/ Mahamed Sharif, student and activist.Our podcast with @sharif_mahamed to discuss the Minneapolis uprising, George Floyd protests and murder, growing up in Cedar-Riverside, and systemic racism in Minnesota.__Follow the host :IG: https://www.instagram.com/shareef_nomadic__ Follow the guest:IG: https://www.instagram.com/sharif_mahamedFollow our social media accounts: IG: https://www.instagram.com/thenomadichustleYoutube: http://bit.ly/2Bv4isiListen to our podcasts: Apple - https://apple.co/2MpgsJCSpotify: https://spoti.fi/2OXh3DWStitcher: http://bit.ly/2OU12yILike Nomadic Hustle and share this video!About Nomadic Hustle: Historically known as a nomadic people, the Somali diaspora's presence can be felt in nearly every country and region of the world. Often pioneering as the first generation in their families to be successful in their education and careers, the process in which it takes to break those barriers is rarely highlighted. This podcast aims to celebrate and highlight Somali excellence while shedding light on the countless success stories within our community both on a local and global scale. Focusing on inspiring the younger generation is the goal, and facilitating conversations on common issues and solutions that pertain to the Somali diaspora experience will help us stay connected as a people.Nomadic Hustle: Shedding light on our stories while engaging in conversation to enlighten our youth and inspire our community to grow."All we're trying to do is hustle and motivate"

Minneapolis, USA lockdown sound recorded by Katharine Horowitz. "In order to maintain stay-at-home orders, Minneapolis issued a permit for a mosque in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood to broadcast the "adhan" during Ramadan so that Muslims can still pray, but do so safely apart. This recording was made at 5pm on May 7, 2020. The prayer can be heard starting at 2:52." Part of the #StayHomeSounds project, documenting the sounds of the global coronavirus lockdown around the world - for more information, see http://www.citiesandmemory.com/covid19-sounds

Interview with Jamie Schumacher/ Organization’s Name: West Bank Business Association/ Organization’s Mission: WBBA exists to engage the business community in the responsible economic development of the West Bank district while preserving the unique character and heritage of the Cedar-Riverside area./ Organization’s Website: www.wbba.thewestbank.org

Interview with Jamie Schumacher/ Organization’s Name: West Bank Business Association/ Organization’s Mission: WBBA exists to engage the business community in the responsible economic development of the West Bank district while preserving the unique character and heritage of the Cedar-Riverside area./ Organization’s Website: www.wbba.thewestbank.org

We sat down with artist, organizer and public housing resident Kaaha Kaahiye of the Defend Glendale and Public Housing  Coalition to talk about the struggle for public housing in Minneapolis and beyond. Kaaha talks about the origins of the powerful Defend Glendale campaign, the fight against privatization of public hosing, the role of the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, the Mayor and City Council, the tragic 2019 fire in the Cedar-Riverside towers and how folks can join the struggle to protect and expand public housing. 

I hope you enjoy episode 10 with Jack Reuler, the Artistic Director at Mixed Blood Theatre…Jack has held that job for 43 years and counting. USING THEATER TO ILLUSTRATE AND ANIMATE, MIXED BLOOD CHANGES ATTITUDES, BEHAVIOR, AND POLICY BY PAYING POSITIVE ATTENTION TO DIFFERENCE. The company’s predictably unpredictable work addresses injustices, inequities, and cultural collisions, providing a voice for the unheard—on stage, in the workplace, in the company’s own Cedar Riverside neighborhood and beyond. Mixed Blood continues to lead the field in programming and engagement at the crossroads of art and social justice, and in eliminating barriers to participation through its signature Radical Hospitality. The company annually presents a mainstage season of plays in its historic firehouse; works extensively with the Cedar Riverside, disability, Latino and transgender communities, using art as a tool to promote health and civic engagement; and produces customized productions addressing workplace inclusion through On the Job.   Mixed Blood is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and is a member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG) and the National New Play Network (NNPN).   You can donate at https://mixedblood.com/support/  

Ask most casual Minnesota music fans about the West Bank neighborhood of Minneapolis, and they'll probably tell you about the folk and blues hippie scene of the '60s and '70s. These days, the West Bank is home to a thriving Somali population, and several Somali-Minnesotans are famous throughout the diaspora for their own music and poetry. In this episode, we learn about music and community from our Somali neighbors. [Songs sampled: Aar Maanta & Friends - "Welcome to Cedar-Riverside," Lazerbeak - "Winging It," Aar Maanta - "Deeqa," Aar Maanta - "Tahriib," Faarrow - "I Don't Belong To You," Huhroon - "Happy Birthday Haroon," Deka - "Fond Memory"]

At Public Access America we believe in offering full content as so to allow our listeners to determine for themselves how to feel. Personally I’m of the belief that free speech is imperative to our democracy. Plus a diverse discourse is why America is what it is today. We will never ask you to feel a certain way about representative Omar, but I will admit to admiring her for taking the chance to speak in an environment that is trying to silence her. In this day and age of clipped content, where people make up their minds based on divided partisan and political ideals, I only hope you listen to a full speech and realize that content is edited on both sides to make you feel, when in fact you should hear, If in fact you care, and decide based on the entirety of the facts. CAIR-LA was honored to have Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) as the featured speaker for the 4th Annual Valley Banquet. https://ca.cair.com/losangeles/event/4th-annual-valley-banquet/ Born in Somalia, Ilhan and her family fled the country’s civil war when she was 8 years old. They lived in a refugee camp in Kenya for four years before coming to the United States, eventually settling in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis in 1997. Ilhan’s interest in politics began at the age of 14 when she was as an interpreter for her grandfather at local DFL caucuses. Watching neighbors come together to advocate for change at the grassroots level made Ilhan fall in love with the democratic process. Through her advocacy work, she’s advanced important issues, including support for working families, access to education, environmental protection, and racial equity. In 2016, Ilhan became the first Somali-American, Muslim legislator in the United States. She was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in District 60B, where she’s lived for the past 20 years and where she and her husband Ahmed are raising their three children. In 2018, she won the congressional seat vacated by Rep. Keith Ellison, the first American Muslim elected to Congress, becoming one of the first two American Muslim women elected to Congress. @IlhanMN Source Link: CAIR GLA https://youtu.be/7INpvY0J0RI Congresswoman Ilhan Omar speaks at the CAIR-LA 4th Annual Valley Banquet, Saturday March 23rd at the Hilton Woodland Hills. For the latest, follow our Socials @cairgla FB: https://facebook.com/cairgla TW: https://twitter.com/cairgla IG: https://instagram.com/cairgla YT: https://bit.ly/2MQf9RK We are proud to be curating a stream of positivity, fact, and information on Twitter at @PublicaccessPod (twitter.com/PublicAccessPod) Facebook as well @PublicAccessAmerica (facebook.com/PublicAccessAmerica). Please take a moment to subscribe, rate and review on iTunes ( goo.gl/soc7KG) The Stitcher Smart Radio App (goo.gl/XpKHWB) or any where you find your favorite podcast.

Recent shootings in the neighborhood have drawn residents, businesses, police and officials to the conversation. In this episode, we talk with Reporter Mohamed Ibrahim about residents and business owners who have called on the City of Minneapolis to increase police presence in Cedar-Riverside. While other groups feel increased dialogue, specifically by giving younger residents a seat at the table, should be a priority.

In this week’s episode of "In The Know," a story of a Cedar-Riverside man who serves the neighborhood’s youth by befriending them over free tea and pizza.

Join us over red wine with Anna Min, photographer, entrepreneur, and community leader, as we discuss our childhoods, health, and unrequited love. Anna and Kate met during undergrad at Macalester and continue to share their truths with one another. Anna is originally from the Cedar Riverside neighborhood and attended South High School where she played with gender and climbed the social ladder to eventually became Prom King. Then she attended Macalester where she met Kate. Outside of her Economics major, Anna was invested in photography and community building. Now she runs Min Enterprises Photography, continues her community activism, and shares some laughs with us.

From Downtown to the North Loop, Cedar Riverside, Uptown and Northeast, there’s an abundance of local stores to put on your list this year. Not to mention a multitude of pop-up shops in the area. Check out minneapolis.org for more information on those winter shops and markets!

First elected in 2013, Abdi Warsame serves on the Minneapolis City Council. He represents Ward 6 which includes much of the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. Born in Somalia, Warsame is currently the highest level elected Somali-American in the country. We asked him about his incredible personal story, his views on local politics, and what he thinks of his fellow council.

Lee talks about the political correctness that trying to tamp down speech about the terror connections to the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood in Minneapolis.