Midway Como Frogtown Monitor

Ramsey County Commissioner Toni Carter (center), husband Melvin Carter Junior (left) and son St. Paul mayor Melvin Carter III (right) commemorated their family’s original Rondo home that was uprooted during the construction of I-94 by planting a tree during the Juneteenth Celebration at the Rondo Center of Diverse Expression at 315 Fisk St. (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

Rebirth, healing, reconciliation and hope

Saturday, June 19, 2021 was a day of healing, rebirth, reconciliation, and hope in St. Paul’s historically Black Rondo neighborhood. The Juneteenth Celebration showcased the creation of a new … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 7/23/21

Marvin Roger Anderson is advocating for a Rondo Land Bridge.

Rondo receives trifection of good news from state, federal and Met Council

Twelve years after the initial idea to physically reconnect the Rondo neighborhood took root, three milestones were met in July at the state, federal and regional levels that improve the … more

7/23/21

“I’m staying for the community. I’m staying for the love of the people,” said Gloria Wong, owner of Sunrise Plaza and Century Plaza in the Midway. (Photo submitted)

Investing in Resiliency

If you thought the 350 or so Minneapolis and St. Paul small business owners on Lake Street and West Broadway in Minneapolis, and University Avenue in St. Paul’s Midway who watched their … more

7/23/21

Community members officially cut the ribbon to open Midway Peace Park on June 15, 2021.

Students, residents at Skyline Tower made their vision happen

Located in the Midway Area, Midway Peace Park (416 N Griggs St.) is the newest completed component of the city of Saint Paul’s vision to create vibrant outdoor gathering spaces that strengthen … more

7/23/21

Frogtown author Kathryn Nuernberger, who teaches creative writing at the University of Minnesota, has written a book that examines how the use of medicines and potions meant to heal were instead attributed to the power of evil, and the healers then accused of being “witches.” The book is titled, “The Witch of Eye.” (Photo submitted)

Women of mystery, power and honesty focus of ‘The Witch of Eye’

Hags, crones, cunning women and witches – terms that have been used throughout the ages to describe women of power, of honesty and mystery. Frogtown author Kathryn Nuernberger, who teaches … more

By JAN WILLMS | 7/23/21

Dreaming of better days

“Dreams and expectations are two very different things. Dreams call for a leap of faith, trusting that Spirit is holding the net, so that you can continue in the re-creation of the world with … more

By Melvin Giles peacebubbles@q.com | 7/23/21

{ Monitor in a Minute }

Reparations committee formedThe St. Paul City Council June 16 appointed its Reparations Legislative Advisory Committee.In January, the city Council issued an apology for its role in institutional … more

By JANE McCLURE | 7/23/21

Mt. Airy Boys and Girls Club renovation complete

A five-month renovation project of the Mt. Airy Boys & Girls Club was completed on June 14. The construction – undertaken in partnership with Minnesota United and Target and led by … more

7/23/21

A mural adjacent to the Lily Pad garden on the southwest corner of Dale St. and Lafond Ave. celebrates neighborhood pride. (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

Creating green space in heart of city

The Lily Pad is an emerging community garden and gathering space on the southwest corner of Dale Street and Lafond Avenue in the Frogtown neighborhood. The Hmong Funeral Home occupied that space from … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 6/9/21

Public hearing on Hamline library replacement, other CIP projects slated for June 14

Funding for Hamline-Midway Branch Library renovation or replacement is one of five projects that made it through the first round of the 2022-2023 Long-Range Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) process. … more

By JANE McCLURE | 6/9/21

Let’s broaden our perspectives for fair and just state, country, world

“How different would perspectives be had we all been taught about Tulsa in 1921, even as early as the fifth grade?” - Tom Hanks Hello Monitor readers,Yes, how different would our … more

6/9/21

Rebecca Calvo is the interim director at District 10 Como Council.

In Brief June 2021

St. Paul edges out MinneapolisSt. Paul bumped Minneapolis to third and took second in annual Trust for Public Land’s 2021 ParkScore® index. Washington, DC, is the best city park system in … more

6/9/21

Standoff over development continues

By JANE McCLURE The St. Paul City Hall standoff over the Lexington Station mixed-use development continues. The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office won’t be asked to weigh in on … more

6/9/21

Vaccine bus visits Hmongtown Market

North End resident Xia Yang drove the vaccine bus for Metro Transit to Hmongtown Market on Thursday, April 22 for scheduled and walk-up appointments. The vaccine bus is a joint partnership between … more

Tesha M. Christensen | 5/12/21

Turonda (last name withheld by request) stands with her family and accepts the Chief’s Award for helping a young woman in a mental health crisis in April 2020. She has dealt with her own mental health struggles and used what she has learned to help the young woman. (Photo submitted)

Frogtown resident receives Chief’s Award for helping young woman in mental health crisis

Turonda (last name withheld by request) got in her car one afternoon in April 2020, buckled up, and double checked to make sure she had everything she needed for a visit to her parents. The COVID-19 … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 5/12/21

Marvin Roger Anderson at the Rondo Commemorative Plaza (on the corner of St. Anthony and Fisk avenues). (Photos by Margie O’Loughlin)

Connecting past, present, future

ReConnect Rondo (RCR) is leading the effort to revitalize St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood. The non-profit organization and its partners propose building a community land bridge that would cap … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 5/12/21

Folks ride with Mayor Melvin Carter to celebrate the opening of the newly completed trail along Ayd Mill Road on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020. Off-street trails along Como Ave. and Johnson Parkway were also completed in 2020. (Photo submitted)

St. Paul Bicycle Coalition advocates for safer biking options and connections

The bicycle system in St. Paul is improving each year, in part due to the advocacy of the St. Paul Bicycle Coalition.Co-chairs Andy Singer and Ian Buck point to the increased number of bicycle lanes, … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN | 5/12/21

Who will get STAR grants?

Creation of an African retail plaza, a new home for the Keystone Community Services food shelf and improvements to the pavilion at Como Park are among the hopefuls competing for 2021 Neighborhood … more

By Jane McClure | 5/12/21

Frog Food May 2021

by Z Akhmetova | 5/12/21

I appreciate finally being able to exhale

“The Future Depends On What We Do In The Present.”- Mahatma Gandhi Happy May Flowers, Mother’s Day, Teacher’s & Nurses’ Appreciation and more monthly Monitor … more

By Melvin Giles peacebubbles@q.com | 5/12/21