News | Midway Como Frogtown Monitor

Fond farewell

Thirty-five years ago, at Thanksgiving, I moved to Minnesota from my Philadelphia home. I relocated back to my hometown in time for Passover and Easter. In November 1988, the Twin Cities were cold … more

By Susan Schaefer | 6/7/23

Susan Willis sets up her equipment for chimney swifts. Frogtown Green’s swift tower at Lafond at Dale Street was built by Daniel Westhoven, with support from the St Paul Audubon Society. For more information about chimney swifts and how to help them, contact Susan Willis, sfwillis143@gmail.com.

Calling all swifts

It’s a beautiful Friday night in Frogtown. On a vacant lot at the corner of Dale Street and Lafond, members of the local motorcycle club laugh and holler greetings, as fellow bikers roar up. … more

By Patricia Ohmans Frogtown Green | 6/7/23

Seniors in the JROTC scholarship ceremony wore masks as Sgt. Major James Kirkland spoke about COVID-19 challenges experienced on the path to graduation. (Photo submitted)

New principal announced, JROTC scholarships top $1.5 million

JROTC cadet scholarships Through a unique high school experience that included a year of distance learning beginning in the spring of their freshman year, and masking requirements for nearly a year … more

By Eric Erickson , Social studies teacher | 6/7/23

Keystone moves ahead on new center

Keystone community services’ planned community food center got a $2.6 million boost from the 2023 Minnesota legislature. The funds were tucked into the bonding bill legislators passed before … more

By Jane McClure | 6/7/23

NEW EAST AFRICAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) announces that a new East African Elementary Magnet School will open in September 2023. The PreK-5 school is being designed in collaboration with members of the East … more

6/7/23

Justin Lewandowski (at right) lives with his family in the Midway. (Photo submitted)

MEET JUSTIN LEWANDOWSKI

Lewandowski: My wife and I moved to the neighborhood in the summer of 2020 and we fell in love with the area despite the initial challenges the pandemic created in building community. We had our … more

6/7/23

Thanks, volunteers!

District 10 Como Community Council would like to thank everyone in the neighborhood who has been participating with us! None of our community events and initiatives would happen without our Como … more

By Shevek McKee, Executive director, district10@district10comopark.org | 6/7/23

The Midway Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting and a short presentationfor The Arc Minnesota on Monday, April 17, 2023. The Arc moved its central office to 641 Fairview Ave. N. Suite 195. The Arc promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. People with disabilities and their families trust The Arc for information, assistance, education, and public policy leadership. (Photo submitted)

BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION NEWS

6/7/23

Barricaded siblings turn to TikTok while defying court order to return to father they say abused them

Two siblings in Utah have barricaded themselves in a bedroom at their mother’s home in defiance of a judge’s order to return to the custody of their father, despite state child welfare … more

by Hannah Dreyfus | 6/7/23

Colorado becomes the first state to limit court use of family reunification camps

A bill signed into law this week in Colorado prohibits family courts from ordering children to participate in reunification programs that isolate them from a trusted caregiver. Many of these programs … more

by Hannah Dreyfus | 6/7/23

A court ordered siblings to a reunification camp with their estranged father. The children say it was abusive.

One Thursday afternoon in December, a father and two of his estranged children boarded a flight from Salt Lake City to Texas, beginning an effort to repair their fractured relationship. A family … more

by Hannah Dreyfus | 6/7/23

Judge pauses order to return siblings to father they say abused them

After two months barricaded in a bedroom to defy a court order directing them to be returned to the custody of their father, who they say abused them, Utah siblings Ty and Brynlee Larson emerged … more

by Hannah Dreyfus | 6/7/23

Colorado suspends one family court custody expert, reviews all custody evaluators following ProPublica investigation

The Colorado courts have suspended a well-known custody evaluator and launched a review of the entire state-approved roster, following a ProPublica investigation that found some evaluators had … more

by Hannah Dreyfus | 6/7/23

A custody evaluator who disbelieves 90% of abuse allegations recommended a teen stay under her abusive father’s control

Elina Asensio had a restraining order in place against her father when she met with a court-appointed psychologist assigned to determine whether he should be part of her life. She expected Mark … more

by Hannah Dreyfus | 6/7/23

“It is a travesty on so many levels that we have gotten to this point, given there are multiple win-wins for the community, including a renovation design commissioned by the city or a relocation of the library, something that has never been seriously considered but would serve the community better on a number of levels,” said Jonathan Oppenheimer of Renovate 1558.

Library closure starts May 28

The Hamline Midway Library building will check out its last book on May 27 and close on May 28, 2023. The historic building will be demolished and replaced with a new structure. Once closed, staff … more

By Jane McClure and Tesha M. Christensen | 5/10/23

Ker Cha, one of the team members that went to South Korea, practices at Frogtown Community Center.

It all started in a refugee camp

Gao Chang likes to play volleyball and soccer. But the sport that has captured his heart is sepak takraw, a game with three team members on each side of a net using any part of their body except … more

By Jan Willms | 5/10/23

Diane Schray, a real estate agent with Real Estate Masters, shopped on April 28 at the ReUse Warehouse, scoring vintage fixtures for a client who recently bought a tudor-style house in Como neighborhood. The clerk remarked that they had just come in that day.

Why throw away a house when parts can be reused?

From early 20th Century thrift to building cabins from contractor cast-offs, reuse of building materials had long been an informal norm. But in a more recent world, entire houses have been thrown in … more

By Margo Ashmore | 5/10/23

AAPI Heritage Month event tries to envelop the decades

In 1992, Theater Mu was founded in St. Paul to tell stories from the heart of the Asian American experience, and now, we are in the middle of celebrating our 30th anniversary season. Four world … more

By Lianna Matt McLernon, Theater Mu marketing and communications director | 5/10/23

Vote delayed on Doge Pizza request

Should a Hamline-Midway pizza restaurant be allowed to provide carryout and delivery service overnight until 6 a.m.? That’s a question the St. Paul Planning Commission’s Zoning Committee … more

By Jane McClure | 5/10/23

Brad Curoe plays Young Sam in the upcoming production of “Ending True” at Dreamland Arts (677 Hamline Ave. N.)

Applause Theater’s latest show, ‘Ending True’ opens May 18

Applause Theater explores the power of family stories in its latest show, “Ending True,” which runs May 18-21 at Dreamland Arts (677 Hamline Ave. N.). “The play is about the power … more

By Tesha M. Christensen | 5/10/23