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Clare Midtown’s 45 home-like living units “are designed to respond to the changing demographics and personal support needs of people living with HIV/AIDS,” said Lee Lewis, executive director. Lewis announced that Clare Midtown has secured $9.2 million in public financing and is seeking an additional $1 million in private donations to complete amenities. Permanent funding is coming from HUD, Hennepin County, the City of Minneapolis, the National Equity Fund, Minnesota Housing and Clare Housing. Clare Housing is the outgrowth of five organizations dedicated to shelter, care and support services for HIV/AIDS since 1987. It is the largest such housing provider in the state. It operates six adult foster care homes, a 32-unit supportive housing development, and 20 units of scattered-site housing.
The Clare Midtown project also is to be finished in early 2011. |
Bush: the gift that keeps on giving
BY ED FELIEN
He gave us the war in Afghanistan, the war in Iraq, an economic collapse, tax cuts for the wealthy that bankrupted the Treasury, and, now, we can credit him with giving us the greatest man-made ecological disaster in history.
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Israelis attack aid flotilla
BY ED FELIEN
 On Tuesday, June 1, more than 200 peace and justice activists met in front of Senator Klobuchar’s office at 1200 Washington Ave. S. to protest the
Israeli attack on the flotilla of ships that was making its way to Gaza. They marched and bannered traffic from 4 to 6 p.m. About 20 people went inside to talk with Klobuchar’s state director, John Kavanagh. He took more than three pages of notes and was very attentive.
At about that time Congressman Keith Ellison released a statement regarding the Flotilla Incident: “I am deeply shocked and saddened by reports that at least nine civilians have been killed, with dozens more injured, in a raid as Israeli armed forces intercepted a convoy carrying humanitarian supplies and construction materials to the people of Gaza.
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Burglaries in Nokomis East
FROM NOKOMIS EAST NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER AND MPD CRIME STATISTICS
There have been eight burglaries—four homes and four garages—since April 20 in Morris Park and Minnehaha neighborhoods.
Suspect(s) entered by cutting screens over unlocked windows, kicking doors in, or through unlocked doors and unsecured windows. At least one victim’s rooms showed signs of having been rifled though. Most incidents happened in the evening or overnight. Among the items taken were a 52 inch TV, other electronics and games, cash, power tools, lawnmower and bikes. At least one car was searched.
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The DFL Primary: an embarrassment of riches
BY ED FELIEN
They’re all good. They’re all very good. So, who do you vote for in the DFL Primary for Governor on August 10?
They all have their good points. They all have experience. They’re all smart, and the Ship of State would probably be guided well by any pair of the three sets of hands.
What’s the alternative?
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Dr. Green says goodbye and welcomes new superintendent
BY DR. BILL GREEN
 June can be a bittersweet time for many of us at the Minneapolis Public Schools. Our students wrap up the school year, and a mixture of sadness and excitement is in the air. Our principals, teachers and all staff are proud of the accomplishments our students have made. Our schools are all hosting annual celebrations, carnivals, performances, recognition activities and commencement ceremonies. A special congratulations to our graduating seniors who are ready to tackle the “real world.”
June 30 will be my last day as Superintendent of Schools and I feel mixed emotions myself. Serving the Minneapolis Public Schools’ tudents, staff and
community has been one of the greatest honors of my life.
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What is Harry Brown trying to tell us
BY ED FELIEN
 It was 95 degrees and I thought I’d take the afternoon off and slip into an air-conditioned theater and watch Michael Caine romp through “Harry Brown.” It was a ghastly mistake.
It’s a horror, a pastiche. It has all the sophistication of “Reefer Madness” in its treatment of drugs. The heroes and villains have the character depth of Batman and Robin. And the “Death Wish” plot is a recycled revenge tragedy that went out of date with the death of Queen Elizabeth I.
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Remembering Nicollet Base Ball Park and the Minneapolis Millers
BY ED FELIEN
 Before there was a beautiful downtown stadium and before the Humphrey Dome and before Met Stadium, there was a great ballpark at 31st and Nicollet called the Nicollet Base Ball Park.
By 1951 when I was going to ballgames the grand old structure stood in faded glory. Former Minneapolis Tribune sportswriter Dave Mona described it as “soggy, foul, rotten and thoroughly wonderful Nicollet Park.” It had a short right field fence, only 279 feet, 10 inches from home plate, and left-handed pitchers could take a beating. Store windows across Nicollet Avenue got hit as well. They added awnings to protect their plate glass.
In 1935 Babe Ruth made a Nicollet Park appearance in a game between the Minneapolis and St. Paul police teams. Ruth played half a game with each team, and contributed a double in five trips to the plate, according to Stew
Thornley in “On to Nicollet.”
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The origins of Islam: Ramadan
BY BARNABY DEVITT
Long before Mohammed and Islam, Ramadan was the name of the ninth month in the Arabic calendar. The name meant intense heat, scorched earth and little food. It is tempting to believe that, like the Christians with Lent, the ancient Middle Eastern tribes made a virtue out of necessity. Just as the Christian faith proscribes fasting for 40 days at the end of winter—when rations were low and there was no possibility of growing new crops—it seems reasonable to assume that in the Middle East fasting was proscribed during the intense heat of summer when crops could not grow. Further, it made sense to eat only before dawn and after sunset, and it is possible that the conventions of Islamic Ramadan came out of this practice.
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Juneteenth
BY BROTHER LOVE
 On June 19, 1865, slaves in Galveston, Texas, celebrated the delayed news of freedom. Their impromptu celebrations spawned the folk festival known today as Juneteenth.
Since 1866 descendants of former slaves have gathered yearly to celebrate.
The ethnic holiday celebrates the Emancipation Proclamation and Proclamation #3, two documents that announced that slaves were free. Juneteenth is the retelling of the legends of how the celebration got its name and why the news was late getting to Texas.
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Art, is that you?
BY TONY BOUZA
The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA to devotees) is arguably (and I’d argue for it) America’s Cultural Avant Garde.
There is where we expect art’s boundaries and artistic freedom to be expanded. Cutting edge, controversial and the bete noire of censors everywhere, it is a precious oasis for intellectual refreshment.
Now an exhibit has ended after 100 seven-hour performances (opening to closing the doors) called “The Artist is Present.” The thing is simplicity personified—or, is it? It invites dismissiveness and derision.
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June 2010 
