Colorado becomes the first state to limit court use of family reunification camps
A bill signed into law this week in Colorado prohibits family courts from ordering children to participate in reunification programs that isolate them from a trusted caregiver. Many of these programs …
A court ordered siblings to a reunification camp with their estranged father. The children say it was abusive.
One Thursday afternoon in December, a father and two of his estranged children boarded a flight from Salt Lake City to Texas, beginning an effort to repair their fractured relationship. A family …
Judge pauses order to return siblings to father they say abused them
After two months barricaded in a bedroom to defy a court order directing them to be returned to the custody of their father, who they say abused them, Utah siblings Ty and Brynlee Larson emerged …
Colorado suspends one family court custody expert, reviews all custody evaluators following ProPublica investigation
The Colorado courts have suspended a well-known custody evaluator and launched a review of the entire state-approved roster, following a ProPublica investigation that found some evaluators had …
A custody evaluator who disbelieves 90% of abuse allegations recommended a teen stay under her abusive father’s control
Elina Asensio had a restraining order in place against her father when she met with a court-appointed psychologist assigned to determine whether he should be part of her life. She expected Mark …
Coffee for a cause
Inside the gleaming Rick’s Coffee Bar at 5402 43rd Avenue South, baristas blend coffee with heart. With every swallow and bite, a portion of each purchase – from drip coffee to the local …
Fond farewell
Thirty-five years ago, at Thanksgiving, I moved to Minnesota from my Philadelphia home. I relocated back to my hometown in time for Passover and Easter. In November 1988, the Twin Cities were cold …
Composting comes with multiple options
Welcome to a new gardening season! Spring seems to have finally arrived and if you’re like me, you’re making big plans for this year’s outdoor projects. This would be a great time …
The Remake: New website, logo
As someone who has spent hours of the last few months playing around with graphic designs, I can’t even begin to tell you about the sigh of relief I had when I saw the rebranding that WebVolta …

AWARD WINNING NEWSPAPERS

20 AWARDS FOR TMC PUBLICATIONS IN 2023

TMC Publication's three newspapers earned a total of 20 awards at this year's Better Newspaper Contest. Congrats to the winners! NEWS1) First Place, Sports Story - Eric Erickson, “Unforgettable …
Rebuild Repair Recycle
From early 20th Century thrift to building cabins from contractor cast-offs, building materials reuse had long been an informal norm. But in a more recent world, entire houses have been thrown in the …
The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metropolitan area ranks 24th nationally for EV-friendliness, mainly prompted by a strong EV ownership mindset, the overall favorable infrastructure, the growing …
These days, Nancie Hamlett has an easy, hassle-free way to recharge her Chevy Bolt. She can drive into Becketwood’s basement garage and plug her all-electric Bolt into a standard 110 outlet. …
Aging Well
Some time ago, after suffering the shocking and unexpected loss of my still young husband, Martijn, while we were living in Europe, I experienced what is called traumatic grief. In addition to a year …
HyggeCertainly, the long, cold, dark Minnesota winters can spark a melancholia for some. Yet frigid temperatures and spare daytime hours can also create the mood to hibernate, as other creatures of …
Ever been accused of having a thin skin? When it comes to maintaining proper body temperature, this old adage is no joke. As we age, our metabolic rate decreases and our skin literally thins. Often, …
Opinion
I'm ready to get into Necessary trouble
In April, the Longfellow Nokomis Messenger reported on a series of meetings held to discuss rebuilding the Third Precinct. I went to one of these meetings at Roosevelt High School. There was concern …
Signs of spring
Dear Reader: This column is about signs of cpring showing up in my life experiences and awareness. So, buckle up! If you have read this far you have taken the plunge into the river (flow) of life …
B-Line buses and cars shouldn't share one lane on Lake St.
In a case of good intentions backfiring, Hennepin County has planned a B Line express bus route that will crawl along Lake Street at the pace of stalled traffic. This will result from its lane …
Letters June 2023
THANKS FOR MENTIONING IMPACT OF TRAUMA Thank you for your comprehensive write-up on the Third Precinct. I am an urban planning professor and am not surprised by the attitude of the city. Trauma is …
Living catchment to help clean lake
What are these folks up to in Lake Hiawatha? They're planting a living catchment, one piece of a larger project designed to capture litter entering the Lake Hiawatha/Bde Psin. Neighborhood …
Voices Against Violence
A SAFER APPROACH FOR CUSTODY CASES
Who’s right? Who’s wrong? And how does it affect the kids?Figuring out family dynamics in custody cases can be tricky, but the Battered Women’s Justice Project (BWJP) in St. Paul …
FAILED BY FAMILY COURT
Helpless and hopeless.That’s how Kelsey Kruse felt for years as she tried to co-parent with her ex and his wife, Brett and Sarah Hallow.And then one day, she got the call she was scared …
‘I RAN’
At 25, Sarah* doesn’t speak to her dad. And she points the finger squarely at him and how he treated her before and after her parents’ divorce.She knows that people often blame mom when a …
Professor gives tips to helpers on how to help families affected
Like many issues, domestic abuse situations have only been heightened by COVID-19. Jerrod Brown, a professor at Concordia University and program director for the Master of Arts degree in human …
They took her children away
When Starr Jones* tells her story, people can’t believe this is happening in Minnesota. They can’t believe that the dad was investigated by child protection when their first daughter was …
Longfellow
The Longfellow Business Association (LBA) held its annual meeting at Galapagos Bar and Grill on Lake Street on May 11, 2023 where it held its annual election of board members and officers. Front row, …
Longfellow Community Council (LCC) and community partners hosted a press conference in the City Hall Rotunda on Tuesday, May 16 at 10 a.m. to stand together against the current engagement process and …
Longfellow Community Council is hosting Solace at the Palace, a day of community art, healing and resilience in the heart of the Longfellow neighborhood. Community members can enjoy a free day of …
Nokomis
When you think of your Nokomis East neighborhood businesses, what comes to mind? Are they brick and mortar locations that you visit? Home-based businesses that you work with from afar? What about all …
Minneapolis is suffering from a severe lack of affordable housing. Renters in the city make up 48% of residents and, according to Minnesota Compass, 46% of those renters are cost-burdened households. …
Most of us were raised on the American dream. Work hard and you can succeed. We all watched "Rocky" and rooted for the underdog. This is one of those stories.Casa Maria is unique in that it is the …
Arts
Artist Jackie Hayes was living in New York and was writing a dissertation for her Ph.D. in performance studies when she visited her parents after their move to Minneapolis. She was drawn to the city …
Why do people do this? Documentary filmmaker Marius Anderson tries to answer this question about the reasons people choose to expose themselves to bitter Minnesota wind and temperatures in the annual …
Anyone attending a protest or march for justice in the Twin Cities over these past few years has undoubtedly heard a call carry over the crowd: “Listennn!” It’s a sure bet …
MESSENGER CELEBRATES 40 YEARS
How a newspaper business developed
When I was chosen to be co-editor of our high school paper, it was exciting to learn the ropes of planning a publication, assigning stories, cleaning them up and eventually putting them on the page …
SO MANY STORIES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
Our neighborhoods are full of wonderful stories. And for more than a dozen years, I got to tell those stories right here in the Messenger. It was grand. Minnehaha Falls is full of stories. It has …
20 years with neighborhood newspapers
It has been nearly 20 years since I handed in my first story to the Longfellow Messenger, and it is hard to believe the time has passed so quickly. I had arrived in Saint Paul from Montana with two …
THE MOVERS AND THE SHAKERS
The Longfellow-Nokomis Messenger is not only one of Minneapolis’ oldest neighborhood newspapers, it is part of a long tradition of such Minneapolis and St. Paul publications.Coverage of city …
Home & Garden
Working from home is working
One of the biggest changes to employment coming out of the pandemic is the huge increase in the percentage of people working from home. While not every job is able to be done remotely, the ability to …
No mow may helps our pollinators
Stumbling over bicycles and skateboards in the back of the garage, your fall is broken by the lawn mower handle. Wrestling your new turf terrorizer out of its winter hold, a vague memory forms of the …
Spring yard Cleanup in a word: WAIT!
Especially this spring, after what feels like an endless winter with February weather in March, most gardeners are understandably impatient for the snow to melt and clear the way for yard work. But …
Take a book, leave a book
“Our vision is a Little Free Library in every community and a book for every reader,” said LFL Director of Communications Margret Aldrich, who lives in the Fulton neighborhood. “We …
Best time to prune most plants is late winter
As fall turns to winter, you may be looking at the bare, brown branches in your yard and wondering when to cut them back. Overall, the answer is not yet! But there’s lots to think about before …
Racial Justice

Resident asks: Where are city leaders? Why aren't they at 3rd Precinct meetings?

Longfellow business owner, 30-year Longfellow resident and local filmmaker Paul Irmiter doesn't want the 3rd Precinct site reopened at its existing location - and none of the residents he's spoken …

Through Their Eyes
Longfellow Business Directory articles
A BETTER BUSINESS AS USUAL
Since we last printed the Longfellow Business Directory in early 2020, our business community, landscape and daily rhythms have been substantially and irrevocably changed. COVID-19 has presented a …
LONGFELLOW RISING
The year 2020 was challenging for the Longfellow business community, particularly in the main commercial intersection of Lake Street and Minnehaha Avenue referred to as Downtown Longfellow. The COVID …
RESTORING THE COLISEUM
The Colisum, a community commercial center since 1917, was almost destroyed following the civil unrest after the murder of George Floyd. In order to restore this historic 80,000 square-foot building, …
COMMUNITY VOICES
1) “We are asking questions about what our community needs, trying to use our space and resources to meet those needs, and trying to hold onto connections and awakenings that have been made …
A LONGFELLOW PARTNERSHIP
The Longfellow Business Directory has been an important part of the Longfellow community going back to the 1990s. It was started to help foster better communication within the business community, and …
Election

Allegations fly in Ward 6 race

So far, four people are running for the Ward 6 City Council member seat that is up for election this year. All of them are competing for the Democratic Farmer Labor (DFL) party endorsement. Ward 6 …

Family

Christmas church services

Bethlehem Covenant Church3141 43rd Ave. S. • 612-721-5768www.bethlehemcov.org Pastor Colleen Nelson(Handicapped Accessible)Traditional Service – 9 AMContemporary Service –10:30 …

School & Sports

We're working to integrate our schools

All around the country, caregivers and their children are entering school choice season. Here in Minneapolis, the deadline to request a school is Feb. 7. Whether it be a preschool, elementary, middle …

Web Extras - Contact us to sponsor content
Radiant and resilient: Nourish your skin this summer with top dermatologist tips
(BPT) - As the sun’s warm embrace calls people outdoors, the beauty of summer weather is undeniable. While there are near endless possibilities for outdoor activities, this season can also have …
15 major cities where homebuyers can have the upper hand
Homebuyers have an advantage in some cities. Rocket Homes used internal listing data to see where homes are selling below asking price.
How technology could help restaurants streamline amid continuing staffing crisis
Next Insurance dug into the continuing food service staffing shortage and explored the ways restaurants are using technology to fill in the gaps.
How technology could help restaurants streamline amid continuing staffing crisis
Next Insurance dug into the continuing food service staffing shortage and explored the ways restaurants are using technology to fill in the gaps.
Homebuyers are leaving big cities for affordability—here's where they're going and how much they're saving
Homes are expensive. People are finding better deals in the suburbs. American Home Shield looked at data from Freddie Mac to see how much they save.