Midway Como Frogtown Monitor

Nick Kor, of the Asian Minnesotan Alliance for Justice, said, “A fundamental belief of our alliance is that we have to name the racism against Asian Americans. We must be clear and we must speak up.” (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

Asian Minnesotan leaders name the racism

In the wake of a shooting spree in Georgia that left six Asian Americans dead last month, the Asian Minnesotan Alliance for Justice is encouraging the community to name the racism.Nick Kor is a … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 4/14/21

Hamline-Midway Library may be torn down

The fate of the Hamline-Midway Branch Library could be decided this year, during St. Paul’s 2021 Long-Range Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) process. The city’s CIB Committee will be … more

By Jane McClure | 4/14/21

A PATH FORWARD

Ramsey County doesn’t want to return to the status quo.While 2020 was a hard year with unemployment spiking at 11% last May, it brought ongoing workforce disparities to the forefront, and the … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN | 4/14/21

Minnesota’s First Economic Competitiveness & Inclusion Plan implemented in Ramsey County

On March 23, the Center for Economic Inclusion (the Center) joined its peer consultants Fourth Economy, NEOO Partners, MZ Strategies, and Urban3 to present the first-ever Economic Competitiveness and … more

4/14/21

Over 500 people marched along the Mississippi River on March 11 to protest Enbridge drilling their tar sands Line 3 pipeline under the headwaters of the Mississippi. It was part of the largest ever grassroots multi-faith day of action to lift up bold climate demands in over 40 countries. (Photos by Margie O’Loughlin)

Line 3 threatens Mississippi River

Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light held a rally on March 11 to protest the Enbridge Energy Line 3 Pipeline Replacement Program. A spokesperson for the group said, “Construction of the tar … more

4/14/21

Cardboard placed in recycling bins is picked up by Eureka Recycling and sorted at their NE Minneapolis facility. It ends up here at WestRock in the Midway neighborhood, where it is remade into one of two types of recycled paper. (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

Understanding the life cycle of recycled cardboard

For people who care about conserving resources, recycling is a given. But what really happens to all the cardboard and paper dumped in curbside recycling bins? Mike Gunderson is general manager of … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 4/14/21

Lexington Station denied

Lexington Station and its 288 apartments won’t be built near Lexington Parkway and University Avenue. On a 4-3 vote April 7, 2021, the St. Paul City Council rejected an appeal by developer … more

By Jane McClure | 4/14/21

Trent Bowman is the president of NAREB, a coalition of Black real estate professionals. He said, “Throughout history, people of color have been left out of the homeownership game. It’s about leaving a legacy. It’s about building wealth in our communities. We have to understand the history of housing discrimination, so we can work in the present to leave something for our kids in the future.” (Photo courtesy of NAREB)

Part II: The Twin Cities housing market

In last month’s article about the Twin Cities housing market during COVID-19, real estate professionals characterized the market as “frenzied.” A picture emerged of Minneapolis and … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 4/14/21

Artwork by Susan Gainen, a resident of the Midway area.

Art to change the world

When Art to Change the World director Barbara Bridges saw all the new construction of apartment buildings going up in her Northeast neighborhood she saw potential art buyers and collectors moving … more

4/14/21

Victoria Theater Arts Center establishes a Community Trauma Response Program

All summer of 2020 Victoria Theater Arts Center (VTAC) made a commitment to the Frogtown and Rondo community to help process the trauma in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and other Black … more

4/14/21

Alatus project sparks debate on definition of ‘affordable housing’, gentrification

Developer Alatus’ Lexington Station mixed-use project is in the hands of the St. Paul City Council, with a public hearing and likely vote March 17 on its site plan. The Minneapolis-based … more

By Jane McClure | 3/10/21

Is Round Two coming?

Minneapolis and St. Paul are braced for civil unrest as the trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin commences. City councils in both cities have been receiving updates on plans to … more

By JANE McCLURE | 3/10/21

‘Stable Weight: a Memoir of Hunger, Horses, and Hope’

Eating disorders affect every gender, age, race, class, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Longtime Hamline-Midway resident and writer Lisa Whalen knows that only too well. Her debut book was out in … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 3/10/21

Medica moves to Midway, focusing on economic inclusion

Medica hopes to impact the community for the better and create more diversity and economic inclusion by opening its first location in St. Paul.An office with 50 staff members will operate out of the … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN | 3/10/21

{ Monitor in a Minute } March 2021

Midway Center site of fireMidway Center at 1544 university Ave., which was extensively damaged during civil unrest in May 2020, again had a fire Feb. 15. The St. Paul Fire Department was called to … more

By JANE McCLURE | 3/10/21

St. Paul businesses get $1.6 million after civil unrest

St. Paul businesses have received more than $1.6 million for to recover from 2020’s civil unrest. Another $4.725 million went to help small business affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. more

By JANE McCLURE | 2/11/21

Lexington Station would have 15 units with four bedrooms to allow co-living at $900 a person. Rent for one-bedrooms would be $1,400 and for two bedrooms more than $2,000. Those who voted against the project were concerned this was too expensive to qualify as “affordable housing” in this part of St. Paul.

Lexington Station denied on 8-7 vote

A 288-unit, six-story mixed-use building planned near Lexington Parkway and University Avenue faces an uncertain future. Approval of the site plan for Alatus’ Lexington Station project at … more

By JANE McCLURE | 2/11/21

Swap seeds with neighbors Feb. 20

Seed swapping between neighbors has been happening in the Midway this winter and one more date remains. Hamline Midway residents Anna McLafferty (of Hothouse Horticulture) and Stephanie Hankerson, … more

By Kate mudge kate@hamlinemidway.org | 2/11/21

St. Paul COAST Unit members include (left to right) officer Lori Goulet, social worker Sally Vanerstrom, and officer Jen Hale. They respond to mental health calls, as well other crises. (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

Police officers, social workers ride together on crisis calls

While communities everywhere are calling for a changed model of policing, a small unit within the Saint Paul Police Department has been taking a different approach for almost three years. In March of … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 1/14/21

Student Engagement and Advisory Board Member Kalid Ali said, “I take every opportunity that comes my way as if it were the last one, for the betterment of myself and for others.” (Photo submitted)

Achievement gap growing

The first quarter grades for this year are in for St. Paul Public School students, and it appears that racial disparities are growing worse with distance learning.In 2019, Minnesota ranked 50th when … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 1/14/21