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CULTURE & COMMUNITY
Minneapolis mosque’s packed event leads to fainting, partial evacuation
Sheikh Abu Taymiyyah was speaking at the Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center in Minneapolis when overcrowding caused some people to faint. The Minneapolis Fire Department said it encountered “deadlock” traffic when it arrived to help more than 10 injured attendees.
BUSINESS & WORK
Workers’ rights group questions Amazon’s motive for closing Shakopee facility
A Minneapolis-based nonprofit that supports East African workers believes Amazon’s closure of a Shakopee facility is retaliation against employees. Local Amazon workers have spoken out publicly several times about workplace conditions, pay, and other issues.
education
Banned for 60 years in Myanmar, Karen language classes make public school debut in St. Paul
Karen language classes will be available in four St. Paul high schools and online starting this fall. School officials believe these courses will be the first Karen language instruction offered at any public school district in the United States. Statewide, about 4,700 students come from households that primarily speak Karen.
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latest stories
Proposed laws aim to identify pollution, create accountability and resources for environmental justice communities
Bills authored by Rep. Fue Lee would help identify specific polluting chemicals, and give polluted neighborhoods more say in how penalties are spent in their area.
Immigration court can be a daunting experience. Here’s a guide to finding a lawyer and preparing for court.
Respondents in immigration court aren’t guaranteed representation if they can’t afford to hire an attorney. Here’s how to find free or low-cost attorneys, and why many legal experts recommend hiring a lawyer.
Minnesota legislators, state board considers police reforms after Tyre Nichols’ death
The state Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training will vote next week on a sweeping overhaul of its rules.
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Everyone benefits from BIPOC teacher and mentorship program in Saint Paul schools
When teachers are diverse, better outcomes for all students are possible through the SUTR program
Snow sisters: Team Kwe, the only all-women Indigenous snow sculpture team in the U.S.
“Kwe” is an Anishinaabemowin term for woman. “We all have Anishinaabe roots, so we decided that we would pull from that strength and call it Team Kwe,” says team captain Heather Friedli.
Governor Tim Walz’s proposed rebates and tax increases evoke relief, anxiety among Minnesotans
Several Minnesotans said proposed rebates of $1,000 or $2,000 would help them pay off some bills and other expenses. But they hope the governor’s proposed taxes won’t unduly harm them in the face of financial obstacles like inflation and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Driver’s License for All bill passes in the Minnesota House, clearing first hurdle to becoming law
The bill would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses. Advocates for the bill are hopeful it will finally pass this year with Democrats in control of the House, Senate, and Governor’s office.
Amazon tells Minnesota it will shut down Shakopee center, lay off 680 workers
Amazon told state officials Monday that it will shut down a sort center complex in Shakopee and lay off 680 employees at the facilities, effective March 31.
Selfies with a side of sweets: Twin Cities Mexican ice cream shop uses its social media popularity to attract customers.
My Work: Entrepreneur Elizabeth Raygoza’s business, La Michoacana Rose, has opened three Twin Cities locations in three years. Its Crystal site is especially popular with young people.
Grief and anger: Minnesotans march to protest Tyre Nichols’s death
Community members ended a rally and march in St. Paul with the chant, “We have nothing to lose but our chains.”
Bell Lofts’ alert system failed to notify authorities to devastating flood, Minneapolis official says
Enrique Velazquez, director of Minneapolis’ Inspections Services Division, said the Bell Lofts’ fire suppression system did not alert the fire department to a December flood that displaced about 50 people. Had it worked, he said, authorities could have potentially reduced the amount of flooding.
Jury convicts man of murder for shooting North High student Deshaun Hill Jr.
Hill, a 15-year-old quarter back from North High School, was walking home from school when he had a deadly chance encounter with the shooter—Cody Fohrenkam.
Hamline video reveals painting of Prophet Muhammad was visible to students before trigger warning
A video taken by a student in Erika López Prater’s art-history class offers a different account of how the adjunct professor cautioned students in an online lecture. Her PowerPoint displayed a preview image of the Prophet for approximately two minutes before López Prater started a warning for Muslim students. Speaking to The Oracle and Sahan Journal, students from the class shared new details about how the incident affected them.
Refugee resettlement in Minnesota: How everyday citizens can help
It’s estimated that Minnesota has welcomed more than 100,000 refugees since the 1970s, largely through resettlement agencies. But a new program aims to help everyday citizens sponsor refugees.
Minnesota Senate votes to ban discrimination based on hair, approves Juneteenth holiday
The Minnesota Senate Thursday passed the CROWN Act, banning discrimination against a person based on their natural hair texture and hair style. Next, the bill heads to the Governor Tim Walz to sign into law.
Minneapolis moves forward with Roof Depot demolition after emotional City Council vote Thursday
The Minneapolis City Council voted 7-6 to demolish the Roof Depot building in the East Phillips neighborhood over loud protests from residents. But a new agreement offers concessions to a neighborhood group that wants to preserve the building.
Mustard greens, enoki mushrooms, and fufu: Brooklyn Park business delivers Asian and African pantry essentials to front doors
Choua Xiong and her husband, Kao Vue, kept hearing: Why doesn’t anyone deliver Asian and African groceries? So the two opened up Global Grocery Market to meet that need.
Twin Cities Lunar New Year events push on after California mass shooting
Plans for upcoming Twin Cities concerts honoring the Lunar New Year will remain unchanged. About 100 tickets have already been sold for Theater Mu’s Lunar New Year Cabaret.
Minnesotans of color more likely to die during police encounters than whites, new state study finds.
Indigenous people, Blacks, and Latinos die during police encounters at rates disproportionate to their share of the state’s population. Researchers hope their findings will help reduce deaths among civilians and police officers during law enforcement encounters.
Brooklyn Park man ordered to forfeit beach resort after pleading guilty in Feeding Our Future fraud case
Liban Yasin Alshire admitted to submitting fraudulent claims for reimbursement for meals reportedly served to underprivileged children. He will forfeit an apartment and resort property in Kenya, a pickup truck, and more than $700,000.
Hamline faculty call for resignation of President Fayneese Miller
In an all-faculty meeting, a majority of full-time professors voted to ask Fayneese Miller for her resignation. Miller, the first Black president of Hamline University, has faced criticism from faculty and academic freedom advocates for her handling of an incident in which an adjunct art history professor showed images of the Prophet Muhammad in class. But Muslim students said she has been supportive of them through the crisis, and criticized professors hoping to oust her.
Representative María Isa Pérez-Vega brings hip-hop to the Minnesota House
Newly elected Representative María Isa Pérez-Vega, serving District 65B in the Minnesota House of Representatives, is a hip-hop artist too.
Hamline’s Muslim students return to campus with a plea for understanding
Muslim students expressed mixed emotions returning to campus after a national media frenzy that erupted when the university did not renew the contract of a professor who showed paintings of the Prophet Muhammad. Muslim students penned a letter criticizing the faculty response. Then faculty voted to ask President Fayneese Miller for her resignation.
Ready for a 20,000-watt pho shop on University Avenue? A new federal program aims to connect immigrant businesses to solar power.
Lake Street, University Avenue, and West Broadway represent some of the most diverse business districts in Minnesota. A federal project is developing a model to help these shops build rooftop solar and plug into the grid.
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MORE STORIES
From Myanmar to Little Mekong: Unprecedented collection of paintings appears at new St. Paul gallery
Organizers say the “Window to the Soul: A Myanmar Group Exhibit” at Xia Gallery and Cafe features the largest American showcase of artwork by people from Myanmar. The exhibit includes work by Karen, Karenni, and Pa’O artists—ethnic minorities with a growing presence in Minnesota.
From suitcases to herbs: How one Lake Street business survived the pandemic by offering medicinal herbs
A suitcase business that opened at the start of the pandemic shifted its focus to selling medicinal herbs to meet a growing need in Minnesota’s Latino community.
Bell Lofts tenants receive financial help from the city of Minneapolis; many faced potential homelessness
The city gave tenants three months worth of rent Friday for rental assistance. State law requires a landlord to cover that cost when tenants are displaced due to a building’s condemnation, but the city steps in if a landlord can’t pay.
Bell Lofts tenants displaced by flooding could be kicked out of temporary housing Friday
Tenants were told they had to vacate their hotels by noon Thursday. Two organizations raised enough money to keep them housed for one more night. But no one knows what will happen after 12 p.m. Friday.
Land acknowledgements appear everywhere. A Native-led organization says Minnesotans need to do more.
The Indian Land Tenure Foundation, which helps tribal nations buy back stolen land, recently launched a fund urging Minnesotans to help its cause. Several organizations that use land acknowledgements say they are working toward concrete goals to rectify historic wrongs against Indigenous people.
Former Hamline professor Erika López Prater sues for religious discrimination, defamation
Erika López Prater, former adjunct professor, is suing Hamline University for religious discrimination and defamation after Hamline chose to not renew her teaching contract. Hamline University leaders released a statement after news of the lawsuit became public, saying their previous use of the term Islamophobic was “flawed.”
Electronics have evolved since 2007. Minnesota’s electronics recycling program has not.
Electronic devices are getting smaller, making them easier to toss in trash bound for landfills and incinerators often located near vulnerable communities. Recycling their valuable components is more environmentally friendly.
An affordable-housing success: St. Paul breaks ground for Restoring Waters apartment project
About 60 families in challenging situations will receive housing and support services when construction is completed late this year or early in 2024. Created through a nonprofit partnership with Project for Pride in Living and Emma Norton Services, Restoring Waters will be the second property built at Highland Bridge, on the former Ford site.
Family of Deshaun Hill Jr. calls for criminal investigation of North High principal Mauri Friestleben.
An attorney for the victim’s family, William Walker, called for a grand jury to consider charges against Mauri Friestleben, alleging that her actions were the “direct and proximate cause” of the 15-year-old’s death. Hill was shot while standing at a bus stop, after many students and Friestleben joined a walkout. Jury selection began today in the trial of Cody Fohrenkam, who is charged with second-degree murder in Hill’s death.
Brooklyn Center’s diverse schools have cut suspensions and absenteeism in half. What’s their secret?
A CSI elective for 6th graders. A math class that teaches the Egyptian roots of the “Pythagorean” theorem. School leaders in Brooklyn Center share their secrets to helping students re-engage after the turmoil of 2020. “You start to get kids who run to math class,” one Liberian-born teacher says.
