Longfellow Nokomis Messenger

Brandt seeks Board of Estimate and Taxation seat

Steve Brandt announces his candidacy for one of two citizen seats on the Minneapolis Board of Estimate and Taxation.He pledged to employ common sense and good judgment on the board that sets the … more

1/2/21

Floyd Williams' father was the first Black police officer in the Metropolitan Airports Commissioner, where he worked from 1968-98. (Photo by Jan Willms)

Origin of Racism

Floyd Williams describes himself as a student of life, a revolutionary on many different levels: mentally, spiritually and socially. “I am definitely a person who is about my roots, and … more

By JAN WILLMS | 1/2/21

Melissa Gross holds the Nokomis East Business Association medallion near where she found it. She's been searching for medallions for 30 years, and is so excited that this dream came true in 2020. (Photo submitted by NEBA)

TREASURE HUNTERS

Finding a medallion is something Roosevelt High School graduate Melissa Gross has always wanted to do. On Friday, Dec. 11, she crossed it off her bucket list. Gross discovered the Nokomis East … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN | 1/1/21

Ad sponsor Brian Cornell said, “The events of 2020 have brought many losses to our community. One of the positive outcomes is that residents are learning to connect with each other and with small businesses in new ways. I appreciate ‘small town Longfellow’ more than ever before. It’s something I feel we can’t take for granted. If there’s a family-owned business that matters to you, spend your dollars there. They need your support.” (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

Favorite neighborhood business?

When graphic designer Brian Cornell and his wife Kari moved to Longfellow in 1996, the Riverview Theater stood proud at the intersection of 38th Street and 42nd Avenue – but there wasn’t … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 1/1/21

Tents are set up at various places in Minneapolis, including near a wooded park. Homelessness is prevalent throughout the state. According to Minnesota Homeless Coalition (MHC) Executive Director Rhonda Otteson, 80 out of 87 counties lack enough shelter beds. Half of the people experiencing homelessness are youth up to age 24. People of Color are 10 times more likely than their White counterparts to be homeless. (Photos by Terry Faust)

Minneapolis wrestles with homelessness

The combination of winter weather with its days of cold temperatures and shorter daylight hours, along with the isolation and fear caused by COVID-19, strikes a depressive chord within many. But if … more

By JAN WILLMS | 1/1/21

Denise Pike recalls a cross burning on the front lawn of her family’s home in St. Louis Park when she was a girl. (Photo submitted)

Looking back to move forward

As a young child, Denise Pike experienced an attempted cross-burning on the front lawn of her family’s home in St. Louis Park. Her own family was multi-racial, and they shared the duplex with a … more

By CHLOE PETERS | 1/1/21

The Jennifer Clough and Mike McMahon family. Twelve-year-old Liam attends sixth grade at Sanford Middle School while 16-year-old Gwendolyn is a junior at South High.

Up close with local families

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL The Michael ‘Taz’ and Sakiko Nilan family has a global perspective on things as they’ve lived in both Japan (where Sakiko is front) and Minnesota (where Taz … more

Compiled by Tesha M. Christensen | 1/1/21

Linda Grieme (left) and Gregg Kelley (right) have been members of the NSSTC for decades. They’re drawn to others who love and value silent sports. They bought their home, in part, because of its proximity to the Hiawatha Golf Course – where they’ve already skied a few times this year. (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

North Star Ski Touring Club embraces silent sports

To a cross country skier, there are few sounds more magical than the swoosh of their skis on a freshly groomed trail – and Minnesota has no shortage of these.According to Gail Lundeen Brand, … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 1/1/21

‘Energy we can’t afford’

MN350 wants people to question whether natural gas is really clean-burning, safe and abundant energy, and they are fighting Xcel’s proposed new billion dollar fossil … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 1/1/21

Lake Street Council launches grant programs totaling $1.5 million to encourage local ownership, development

The Lake Street Council announces two new grants that will provide a total of $1.5 million to local entrepreneurs who rebuild and invest in property on Lake Street. The grants are a part of the … more

1/1/21

The Creative Enterprise Zone’s new executive director is Nokomis resident Angela Casselton. The 18 murals that now grace the mostly industrial spaces of the CEZ are a great way to experience art, especially during the pandemic when museums are closed. View the map of where they are located on the CEZ website at www.creativeenterprisezone.org. (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

Creative Enterprise Zone hires new executive director

Nokomis resident Angela Casselton was recently named executive director of the Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ), a non-profit organization that attracts and supports creatives … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 1/1/21

South High junior named school board student representative

The Minneapolis Board of Education has announced South High School junior Mary Ghebremeskal will serve as its next Student Representative. She replaces outgoing Student Representative Nathaniel … more

1/1/21

Demonstrators who marched onto I-94 during the November 4 National Day of Protest are blocked from exiting by law enforcement officers who kept them on the interstate for more than five hours as 646 arrests were made. (Photo by Jill Boogren)

On streets for democracy and justice

On Nov. 7, 2020, the day the Associated Press called the election for President Elect Joe Biden, nearly a thousand people gathered in front of the former Third Precinct police headquarters at … more

By JILL BOOGREN | 11/25/20

Jeanelle Austin, lead caretaker at the George Floyd Global Memorial, stands near Peyton Scott Russell’s striking portrait of George Floyd. (Photo by Jill Boogren)

Taking care of the George Floyd Global Memorial

At the center of the intersection at 38th St. and Chicago Ave. S., a large sculpture of a fist holding a red, black and green striped Pan-African flag is surrounded by a circular garden. On Chicago … more

By JILL BOOGREN | 11/25/20

A Girard Christmas with parents Gerald "Teddy" and Terra, children Amanda and Tony (with his wife Lisa), and granchildren Loralei, 14, Greg, 16, Liam, 11, and Sonja, 8 (Photo submitted)

TSA agent, Longfellow man dies of COVID-19

Terra Girard wasn’t planning to be a widow in her 60s. But things changed quickly in September when her husband Teddy got a sore throat and a cough, was hospitalized for COVID-19, and died nine … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN | 11/25/20

Sara Jones, executive director of the recently renamed Great North Innocence Project. (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

New name for organization working to reverse wrongful convictions

A bedrock principle of the American criminal justice system is that a person accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. According to Sara Jones, executive … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 11/25/20

When Wendy Wolff and her family returned from a year working at the Holden retreat center, she found herself helping friends and family move. "People wanted to hear about why we left, what it was like, and how we changed," recalled Wolff. "They listened as I told them that the most significant shift we made as a result of our time at Holden was thinking more intentionally about what we brought into our home and what we let go of by donating, gifting or purging anything we did not love or need." She quit her job working for Minneapolis Public Schools as a therapist, and Blissworks was born. (Photo submitted)

Letting go to live blissfully

Helping people let go of things to focus on a new season of life is what Blissworks is all about.Wendy Wolff launched Blissworks, Beautiful Living in Simplified Spaces, in 2019. The company merges … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN | 11/25/20

‘We’ve been on our own’ say local businesses

“We’ve been on our own trying to figure out two crises,” Two Bettys owner Anna Tsantir told Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.The first communication she got … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN | 11/25/20

NEBA Treasure Hunt kicks off Nov. 28

The Nokomis East Business Association (NEBA) is holding its first ever Nokomis East Scavenger Hunt. This community event will run from Nov. 28 through Dec. 12 to kick-off the holiday season. "Help us … more

11/25/20

Local businesses band together for promotion

"Shopping small and supporting local businesses has never been more important than it is in 2020," remarked Homespun owner Ben Cooney. "Dozens of small businesses are closing each week due to the … more

11/25/20