Democratic Visions: Senator John Hoffman on Minnesota

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The year end edition of Democratic Visions had its cableTV premier in the southwest suburbs the same Sunday evening as Barbara Walters’ annual, celebrity-pandering special that spotlighted her personal selections of the year’s most “fascinating” people. The discussion between Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman (DFL, Champlin) and Democratic Visions host Tim O’Brien, was, according to my wife, the most interesting gab on TV that night. Indeed, the former Anoka-Hennepin School District Board member, first term Minnesota State Senator and suburban dad was more engaging than such Baba Wawa fascinating picks as Taylor Swift, Chelsea Handler, Oprah Winfrey, Scarlett Johansson, George R.R. Martin and David Koch. Yes THE David Koch of coal and ALEC fame.This is a Community Voices submission and is moderated but not edited. The opinions expressed by Community Voices contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the TC Daily Planet.The new edition of Democratic Visions also concerns itself with California’s upcoming ban on plastic bags and my reluctance to hang around DFL politicians and worker bees who seem in constant need of giving and receiving hugs and back pats. Continue Reading

Northside Voice: Lydia

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This story told through a transcript from an interview with Lydia.I have always worked all my life, but a lot of personal problems led me to lose my job. After missing two paychecks I was in a real deep problem, I owed rent, I didn’t have any money to do anything. So I lost my home shortly after I lost the job, and I was pregnant during the time. I had to go apply for AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children).This is a Community Voices submission and is moderated but not edited. The opinions expressed by Community Voices contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the TC Daily Planet.Public assistance asked, ‘Were you trying to go back to school?’ and I said, ‘I didn’t know that it was an option for me.’ They offered a couple of classes for construction as well as healthcare. Continue Reading

Lynnell Mickelsen: Why all the conspiracy theories and pearl-clutching in this year’s school board race?

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This has been the hottest school board race I’ve seen in 25 years of living in Minneapolis, with lots of conspiracy theories and pearl-clutching.This is a Community Voices submission and is moderated but not edited. The opinions expressed by Community Voices contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the TC Daily Planet.Many of my neighbors and friends see the furious posts on Facebook, with all the hysterical warnings about the imminent destruction of public education as we know it, and are honestly confused. They ask me what the hell is going on in this race.So here’s what I tell them.We put the school board race at the bottom of the ballot and often treat it like a homecoming king and queen contest. But Minneapolis Public Schools currently spends $784 million a year and employ 6,991 people….which I believe is more employees than the city of Minneapolis.Want to know more? Check out TC Daily Planet coverage of the 2014 Minneapolis School Board race.So we need to remind ourselves that we’re electing people to govern an operation that spends more than three-quarters of a billion dollars a year. Continue Reading

OUR STORIES | Getting past fear to flourish: Meet Aida Al-Kadi

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 “You can produce at any age. You can create at any age. Nurture yourself, expose yourself, and keep thriving” – Aida Al-Kadi

It’s been a long and bumpy road these last nine months, but Aida Al-Kadi is glad she stuck it out. Going back to school after decades of not having set foot in a classroom was a daunting challenge. But with nothing to lose, Al-Kadi took the plunge, jumping into an intense nine-month program at Takoda Institute in south Minneapolis. Continue Reading

Photo essay captures bizarre phenomenon of college move-in week

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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