Opinion | Midway Como Frogtown Monitor

Why won’t city release public comments, make library meetings public?

Nearly a year after the Hamline Midway community was given just weeks to provide input about the fate of our beloved library, St. Paul Public Library (SPPL) leadership and the city of St. Paul are … more

by Barbara Bezat, Tom Goldstein, Roy Neal, Jonathan Oppenheimer and Bonnie Youngquist | 3/10/22

What does ‘unbiased’ really mean?

What does it mean to be impartial? Unbiased? Credible?Is a juror unable to be impartial if they have family or personal experience with police brutality?Or, does having experience with something give … more

By Tesha M. Christensen Owner & Editor tesha@MonitorSaintPaul.com | 2/10/22

Frog Food February 2022

Z Akhmetova | 2/10/22

Reimagining the Midway

For the past year, the Midway Chamber of Commerce has been working on an initiative called Reimagine Midway. The thought behind this effort came after civil unrest in May 2020, as we looked at … more

By CHAD KULAS, Midway Chamber of Commerce Executive Director chad@midwaychamber.com | 2/10/22

Black History Month 365: Nine children’s books on celebrating culture and history

Black History Month provides an enriching learning opportunity for children, families, and the community. The month of February can serve as a catalyst that sparks a daily leadership challenge to … more

By Dr. Artika Tyner, dr.artikatyner@gmail.com | 2/10/22

HCPA’s new middle school and skyway bridge raise serious questions about financing

As students return to Hmong College Prep Academy (HPCA) in February, school officials may very well be highlighting the completion of its new middle school building, and the skyway bridge that … more

by Michael J. McGibbon | 2/10/22

I’m leaving the House, but focusing on priorities before I go

Every 10 years, after the census, legislative district lines are redrawn. For me, that was the appropriate time to announce I would not seek re-election. I will serve one more year – and one … more

By ALICE HAUSMAN District 66 Representative | 1/11/22 | 1 comment

Don’t add ‘new construction’ exemption to rental ordinance

My name is Stuart Orlowski, and I’m a resident of St. Paul and a homeowner since last year. For the previous several years, I rented an apartment near Macalester College. While rent control (or … more

1/11/22

Does our action amount to ‘blah, blah, blah’ ON CLIMATE?

Recently, when asked about the current state of world leadership on the climate crisis, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg mocked world leaders by saying that the last 30 years of climate action … more

1/11/22

Connecting with neighbors

Home tests. N95 masks. The fight against COVID-19 has entered ’22 and we have once again seen a major uptick in COVID cases in Minnesota. Call it a surge, call it the latest variant, but it is … more

By CHAD KULAS, Midway Chamber of Commerce Executive Director chad@midwaychamber.com | 1/11/22

Leadership challenge: Be a drum major for justice

On Jan. 17, 2022, we will celebrate the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Not just this one day but every day, it is important to spend time in reflection on the leadership lessons that we can … more

By Dr. Artika Tyner, dr.artikatyner@gmail.com | 1/10/22

Never forget the power of the written word

A longtime reader of the Monitor and community activist reached out to me last month to say hello, and in the course of our catching up, she shared a snapshot of a column I had written 20 years ago … more

By Denis Woulfe, denis@MonitorSaintPaul.com | 12/11/21

America will be at war with itself until it reconciles discriminatory land practices

The lingering fear that my home and my land are not truly mine, if someone wants to take them from me, has never completely gone away. “This land is your land, this land is my land,” the … more

By Glenda Simmons Jenkins | 12/11/21

Aya: An Anthology of Racial Justice, Healing and the Black Experience

*Editor’s note: Last month, the headline for Dr. Tyner’s column incorrectly ran with the text from October. Our apologies for the error. Your voice can make a difference. This is the … more

By Dr. ARtika Tyner, dr.artikatyner@gmail.com | 12/11/21

Erase Your Park Bench Picture

It feels like every other hour, you hear the phone ring. “I can do an intake with you today. I’ll stay late if I need to so you can get here,” a case manager is overheard saying to … more

By Abha Karnick | 12/11/21

Frog Food December 2021

Z Akhmetova | 12/11/21

We commend city council on new tobacco restrictions

It is time to revoke the license to kill. HUH?? That is the direction the Saint Paul City Council is going with their comprehensive new tobacco ordinance. The reasons for taking such an aggressive … more

by Jeanne Weigum Association for Nonsmokers - MN President & Union Park resident | 11/12/21

Another day, another historic resource facing the wrecking ball in St. Paul

Three Saint Paul library branches, Hamline Midway, Hayden Heights, and Riverview, none of which have been renovated in more than 30 years, sought library improvement funds for needed upgrades. Of the … more

by Barbara Bezat, Roy Neal, Kristine Vesley, & Bonnie Youngquist | 11/12/21

County budget includes investments in what residents tell me is important

It is my profound honor to serve on the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners representing District 3, which includes much of the Midway and Como. This has been a challenging few years for local … more

By Trista MatasCastillo trista.matascastillo@ co.ramsey.mn.us | 11/12/21

A Mayor Must…

Eyes darting from news story to blog post to social media message, but nothing looks any different. The same text flashes before your eyes. The St. Paul Mayoral election race has a pre-determined … more

By Abha Karnick | 11/12/21