Suppertime is a blog in comics form, exploring local restaurants, bars and other food establishments in and around the Twin Cities. I eat, I talk, I draw.Everyone has that one restaurant that they know and love. For us, it’s Kindee, which is the perfect spot to grab some comfort food with friends after a Guthrie show.Coverage of issues and events that affect Central Corridor neighborhoods and communities is funded in part by a grant from Central Corridor Funders Collaborative. Continue Reading
After reading about Chris Lollie’s arrest in St. Paul and the terrible treatment he received, I was inspired to come forward with my own bad experience with local law enforcement.In August 2013, I had a court date that I had missed. I had a $300 ticket for driving with a suspended license for not having insurance. The ticket was almost three years old, and I know driving a car without insurance was wrong. But poverty was something continuous in my life and so insurance was just something I couldn’t afford.I decided to try to negotiate and so I had made arrangements with the court to appear in front of the judge to speak about the price of my ticket. Continue Reading
Last week photographer Wendy Schreier witnessed something many college students overlook entirely. Her latest photo essay captures the bizarre phenomenon of move-in week.Originally from Northeast Minneapolis, Schreier moved to the Marcy Holmes neighborhood last April and was astounded by just how much furniture, clothing and general household items littered the streets and curbsides last week as University of Minnesota students moved into their new homes.“It was just a funny transition to see because I grew up in Northeast and lived in Roseville for a really long time,” Shreier said. “And unless you live in this neighborhood you don’t know that this happens, and it’s crazy. The whole neighborhood moved at once.”Schreier said she became frustrated with how much seemed to be going to waste despite seeing several signs for university programs aimed at recycling old furniture and reusable household items. So, she set out on foot and documented the discarded couches, mattresses and televisions in a photo essay she titled Left Behind – A neighborhood moves.But not all those items went to the dump.Last year, Pack & Give Back recycled almost 70,000 pounds of household items from students living on and around campus, said sustainability coordinator for University Services Stacey White. The University of Minnesota program, which works with the city of Minneapolis, collects reusable household items in Marcy Holmes, Southeast Como, Prospect Park and Cedar-Riverside neighborhoods, and then redistributes them for free to students who can use them.The program collects the discarded items before the city collects its trash, White said, but not all the items can be used. Continue Reading
The fun continues this weekend with an array of community events to help you get the most out of the last days of summer. From free jazz fests and county fairs, to celebrations of caramel, community and urban gardens — there’s a lot to love about this weekend’s lineup! Scroll down for details.Let us know how you will spend the weekend by sending your photos and comments to tcweekend@tcdailyplanet.net or tag them with #tcdpic or the name of the event, and we’ll add them to our story. If you know of an event fit for TC Weekend, use our calendar to upload the event or use the email address above. Nativity County Fair, September 12 – 14 Join parishioners, parents, local businesses and community members for the 40th anniversary Nativity County Fair! Some of the activities and attractions include an art market, Bingo, children’s games, dodgeball, rides, a Twinkie walk, a talent show and more. Continue Reading
Minnesota joined the civilized world in 2008 by lifting the ban on dogs in restaurants. Since then, scores of restaurants and bars have opened their tables to Canine Americans and their people. Grab a leash and come hungry; we’ve gone through and picked out our favorite ten Twin Cities dog friendly restaurants.But, hurry! There’s only a month left before most of these restaurants close their door to dogs until next spring. Carpus canus! Continue Reading
More than 800 comments poured in after video surfaced of St. Paul resident Chris Lollie being tasered by police for not revealing his name while he waited to pick up his children from daycare. Lollie is black and the three officers in the incident are white. Discussions on the article ranged in perspectives, but got heated as people discussed police brutality, experiences of racism, and the video-in-question. Most comments fell into two camps: questioning the legitimacy of the video or the legitimacy of the officer’s actions. Continue Reading
Historically, the Hmong community has had one of the lowest voter turnouts, but with outreach campaigns there have been considerable advances made in increasing a Hmong voting bloc in Minnesota.While Hmong Americans have faced cultural perceptions that voting makes no difference in the past, the Hmong population in Minnesota has the potential to make a large impact on elections this year, and could greatly benefit the Hmong community, given high voter turnout. So, here are six reasons why Hmong Minnesotans should vote this election year. 1. Minnesota is home to the second largest Hmong population in the U.S.It’s no secret that Minnesota has a large Hmong population.According to 2010 census data, 66,181 Hmong Americans reside in Minnesota, putting the state second behind California for largest Hmong population in the United States. That also means there’s a large potential for the Hmong community in Minnesota to be an important voter bloc for local politicians, but the keyword above is “home.”The Hmong narrative has majorly been about their involvement in the Vietnam War with the C.I.A. and repatriation of refugees to Laos or Vietnam. This common narrative has shaped the structure of Hmong organizations, clans, culture, and leadership in the U.S.But despite the strong connection to Laos and Vietnam, especially from elders and leaders, the Hmong community in Minnesota is here to stay; it is now their home.Recent college graduate Selue Kazoua Yang said she believes that voting is very much a part of the past struggles of the Hmong community. Continue Reading
Child protection services politics in Minnesota have long been contentious, with cries for reform going up when a child dies, as is the circumstance with the death of Eric Dean,Continue Reading
September may usher in the end of the summer season, but the outdoor festivities roll on this weekend with a flurry of fun events to enjoy. Butterflies, peace poems, music, cultural festivals, night markets — you name it, this weekend has it! Scroll down to see what’s on tap.Let us know how you will spend the weekend by sending your photos and comments to tcweekend@tcdailyplanet.net or tag them with #tcdpic or the name of the event, and we’ll add them to the Storify over the weekend. If you know of an event fit for TC Weekend, use our calendar to upload the event or use the email address above.Concrete and Grass Music Festival, Sept 4 – 6Located at the historic Mears Park in Lowertown St Paul, this popular music festival, now in its 8th year, offers free outdoor music featuring a range of genres, including: jazz, opera, chamber music, rock, dance, roots and world music. The festival is made possible through a unique partnership between the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Minnesota Opera, the Ordway, the Schubert Club and the Twin Cities Jazz Festival. Continue Reading
