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Welcome to Minnesota: A Conversation about Immigration and Human Rights

May

25

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Mary Thoemke

About me

Mary Thoemke (email marythoemke@tcdailyplanet.net), a lifelong resident of Saint Paul, is a free lance writer for the Twin Cities Daily Planet.

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NEIGHBORHOOD NOTES | North Dale children's art show and Rec Check

By Mary Thoemke, Neighborhood Notes

The North Dale Rec Check will have a Children's Art Show on Thursday, April 19 from 5-7 p.m. North Dale (and many St. Paul rec centers) have a "Rec Check" program after school.

Rec Check is an after school program. Parents sign up kids, and the kids have to go every day - it's not day care, but it goes fromafter school until about the dinner hour. MORE »

NEIGHBORHOOD NOTES | North End businesses organize business watch

By Mary Thoemke, Neighborhood Notes

In the neighborhood, the North Central Business Watch began organizing in February. They have a Facebook page with more information and meeting schedules. Their aim is to "get ahead of the activities on the street," and to watch out for problems of drugs and other crime. MORE »

Listening and learning in St. Paul

By Mary Thoemke, TC Daily Planet

Since November, young people and their parents, business leaders and employers, faith communities, educators and cultural communities have gathered to participate in listening sessions in St. Paul. By the beginning of February the Learning in Cities Project will have listened to over 200 community stakeholders in 30 listening sessions.MORE »

Mystery shopping scams – an expensive way to shop

By Mary Thoemke, TC Daily Planet

A chef by trade, the St. Paul man (who asked to remain anonymous) started cooking in an on-the-job training program when he was 13 years old. After nearly 31 years as a chef, the 45-year-old North End resident was unemployed last summer and spent hours on the computer every day looking for and applying for jobs. MORE »

Saving the Victoria Theatre: St. Paul neighborhood organizes together

By Mary Thoemke, TC Daily Planet

One of the first silent movie houses in St. Paul, the Victoria Theatre's glory days were long ago. Today the elegant building stands empty with vacancy signs tacked to the front door. The building is for sale, and the community is organizing to save it, with growing support in the Thomas-Dale (Frogtown) and Summit-University communities to restore it to become the new Victoria Theatre.MORE »

Saving the Victoria Theater and getting on board LRT in St. Paul

By Mary Thoemke, TC Daily Planet

The train is coming, and one group of Frogtown and Summit-University residents and business owners is fired up to prepare for the arrival of light rail transit (LRT) on University Avenue in St. Paul. The group, organized mainly through Facebook and the e-Democracy Forum met October 21 at Rondo Community Outreach Library, with the assistance of the District 7 Thomas-Dale Planning Council and the District 8 Summit-University Planning Council. MORE »

They're going to the Extreme on the West Side of St. Paul

By Dusty Hoskovec

By Mary Thoemke, TC Daily Planet

It's the talk of the town - Ty Pennington has brought his Extreme Makeover: Home Edition's design team to the West Side of St. Paul, and YOU can get in the act! Neighborhood House and the St. Paul Chapter of the American Red Cross, both located on the West Side are sponsoring an "Extreme Food Drive" and an "Extreme Blood Drive" to accompany the build.MORE »

Cardboard Box City: Youth pledge to combat homelessness

By Mary Thoemke, TC Daily Planet

When youth from around the state gather at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on October 15, they'll bring their sleeping bags and toothbrushes - and big cardboard boxes. The cardboard boxes will be their home overnight.MORE »

"In the Shelter of Words" in St. Paul

By Mary Thoemke, TC Daily Planet

"I write. It's my secret," the high school student said to me. He was present with other students and their guests celebrating the dedication of their art installation, In the Shelter of Words, in the atrium at Face to Face Academy.MORE »

Fresh greens in winter? Yes!

By Mary Thoemke, TC Daily Planet

Chuck Waibel and his wife, Carol Ford, live in the tiny western Minnesota town of Milan, Minnesota, population 350. Throughout the winter, even in the harshest weather, they provide fresh produce to 18 families who have purchased Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) member shares.MORE »