Midway Como Frogtown Monitor

BRIEFLY January 2022

MatasCastillo elected ChairThe Ramsey County Board of Commissioners elected Trista MatasCastillo as Chair of the Board for 2022. Since 2019, Commissioner MatasCastillo has represented Ramsey County … more

1/11/22

Lyngblomsten launches Memory Collective

Lyngblomsten, a senior care organization serving older adults in the Twin Cities since 1906, is launching a new educational enrichment class called the Memory Collective for adults living at home and … more

1/11/22

Mekonnen Dori (left) and Hari Pal (right) are longtime employees of Our Lady of Peace Hospice. Both have continued to work fulltime past the usual retirement age. Pondering his own eventual retirement, Mekonnen said, “I don’t know, maybe if Hari retires, then it will be time.” (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

NO DESIRE TO RETIRE

Mekonnen Dori was an elementary school teacher for 25 years in his home country of Ethiopia. An opponent of the military-led communist government there, he spent two years in an Ethiopian jail for … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 12/11/21

Jackson Elementary’s 268 students will be split up.

Galtier, Jackson schools to close

After 111 years in the Midway, Galtier Elementary will close its doors at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. So will Jackson Elementary, a Frogtown mainstay since 1880, and three other schools on … more

By JANE McCLURE | 12/11/21

Women march to honor their sisters whose lives have been lost while struggling with prostitution. (Photo submitted)

SHE BROKE FREE

She has been through it all. The isolation, the grooming and the manipulation, offers of fancy clothing, cars, and a place to live that led her down the path to prostitution. But Flora Whitfield … more

By Jan Willms | 12/11/21

Special needs kids and COVID-19

The impact of COVID-19 on special needs children and their parents is immense. Jerrod Brown, a Concordia professor who is the program director for the Master of Arts degree in human services with an … more

By Jan Willms | 12/11/21

Street work slows in St. Paul

In 1986, Ronald Reagan was president. Six astronauts and teacher Christa McAuliffe were killed when the Challenger space shuttle disintegrated 73 seconds after launch. Halley’s Comet visited … more

By JANE McCLURE | 12/11/21

Did Minneapolis mislead, downplay public input on 38th & Chicago survey?

Since late 2020 Mayor Jacob Frey has made known his intent to reopen the intersection at 38th St. E and Chicago Ave. S. When interim design surveys were returned in spring 2021, he and city leaders … more

By Jill Boogren | 12/11/21

Jennie Leenay, GFS community member and caretaker of The People’s Closet, with their pup Joyoncé. It's important to Leenay that fashion reaches everyday people, and that people feel connected to themselves and their community. (Photo by Jill Boogren)

The People's Closet makes fashion, political statement

Sometimes a revolutionary act is quiet, unseen. Sometimes it’s loud and worn on a shirtsleeve. At The People’s Closet at George Floyd Square, it’s a little bit of both.Born out of … more

By Jill Boogren | 12/11/21

INDOOR MARKET

The Hmongtown Market is located at 217 Como Avenue in Frogtown. Fresh, reasonably priced garden produce arrives daily at the garden stalls. There are Asian varieties of vegetables, such as the … more

Margie O'Loughlin | 12/11/21

RETHINK owner Kristen McCoy in an upcycled denim blazer. She explained, “To upcycle is to add value to something in the processing. We’re able to take a worn garment and turn it into something new. We take jeans that are no longer wearable and cut them into denim squares. The result is a reversible blazer that still has a lot of wear. It’s on sale at the shop, and is size fluid (small to large). (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

RETHINK upcycles old clothes with style

Artist and business founder Kristen McCoy has been rethinking the future of fashion for years. Along with her staff at RETHINK Tailoring & Sewing Lounge (3449 Bloomington Ave. S.), she offers an … more

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN | 12/11/21

Katie McGee of LifeSource talks about their program. (Photo submitted)

Learn about lifesource

“Now I’m the villain in your history...I should’ve known the world was wide enough for Hamilton and me.” ~Aaron Burr“Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier”. ~ … more

By Melvin Giles peacebubbles@q.com | 12/11/21

Generate trash? Pay more in St. Paul.

Generate more trash? Your trash rates will go up in 2022. Opt to recycle and compost more, and practice zero waste? Your costs will increase slightly.St. Paul residents who generate more garbage will … more

By JANE McCLURE | 12/11/21

Wondering what we do?

Hamline Midway Elders is here to support our neighbors 60+ in the Hamline Midway and western Frogtown area. Our service area is within Dale Street on the east; University Avenue to the south; … more

By LAUREL COLLINS laurel@hmelders.org 651-209-6542 | 12/11/21

YWCA St. Paul will display and house an art piece commissioned by St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter reflecting the city’s People’s Prosperity Pilot, an economic program initiated in 2020. People’s Prosperity Pilot supports St. Paul’s low-income families of color with a goal to create a model that addresses monetary inequities. As part of the People’s Prosperity Pilot, Carter selected Alan and Nicole Milligan, owners of the Milligan Studio, to create a piece of art reflecting the intention of this economic program. The work aligns with the YWCA mission of eliminating racism. “We are excited to have been selected to share this beautiful artwork, Altitude, with our community,” said YWCA St. Paul Chief Executive Officer Gaye Adams Massey. The artwork will be on display permanently in the window on the second floor allowing people to view this as they walk through the neighborhood. The Milligan Studios had Danny Diamond, a friend and musician, compose and play a musical piece to accompany the art. A QR code will allow viewers to hear this melody simultaneously. (Photo submitted)

BRIEFLY December 2021

Center for Social JusticeUnited Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities has received a grant of $1,000,000 from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish a Leadership Center for Social Justice that will … more

12/11/21

PLAN IT December 2021

‘Birth, Sex and Abuse’World Without Genocide will host an online program in December. “Birth, Sex, and Abuse: Women and Children under Nazi Rule” will be held on Wednesday, … more

12/11/21

A University of Minnesota admissions representative visited with Como students in the Career Pathway Center during College Knowledge Month. (Photo courtesy of Bridgette Kelly)

Career Pathways Center supports students

With all Como students back in person this academic year, the Career Pathway Center has been a busy place under the guidance of Ms. Bridgette Kelly. College representatives have been able to host … more

By Eric Erickson Social studies teacher | 12/11/21

2 days added to winter break

Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) is adding two days to its winter break, which will now be two full weeks. “We need to acknowledge the stress and challenges both families and staff are facing … more

12/11/21

Next up: figuring out rental control ordinance

Rent control for St. Paul was approved, 53 to 47 percent, by the voters. Now the challenge of figuring out the ordinance and what it means begins.The measure places a three present cap on maximum … more

By JANE McCLURE | 12/11/21

Monitor in a Minute December 2021

By JANE McCLURE Transit lines suspendedLongtime area bus Routes 16 and 84 are among 16 Metro Transit bus routes that suspended service as of Dec. 4. Many other routes throughout the Twin Cities … more

12/11/21