Re: Chief Olson
>Tim -- Thanks for commenting on the posts of Rich McMartin and Jack >Ferman. What really scares me is that there are probably many others in >Minneapolis who would echo their sentiments. So what is the problem - if no one likes Olson and he is dumped what makes anyone confident the next chief would be any better. My point is the MPD has come a long way. Did I infer anywhere that the MPD is perfect - I do not believe so. >And the sad truth is that I >might have been among them if it hadn't been for my move this past year >to the Phillips neighborhood. Prior to that move I lived in SW Mpls. and >didn't have a clue as to what was coming down in "poorer" neighborhoods >in Mpls. From that sheltered vantage point I simply couldn't 'connect >the dots,' so to speak. CODEFOR is just the sort of Orwellian policy >that we must be vigilant about because of the legitimacy it lends to >police actions that are abusive -- which have, and do, occur, regardless >of whether Charlie Stenvig -- or Charlie McCarthy in St. Paul, now THERE >was a character who loved taking the law into his own hands! -- or Chief >Olson is on the watch. There is a young black "salesman" who stands on >the corner of 16th Av. and 25th St., near where I live, almost every day >-- late at night and in the early morning hours -- looking for and >waving down those who look the most likely to be interested in his >product(s). Because I've seen him and his associates on or near that >corner for many months now, I'm perplexed as to how he continues to get >away with what he's doing without getting busted. I assume that either >a) he's an undercover cop, b) he has bought off the neighborhood MPD >patrols, and/or c) he has bought protection from someone else in the >MPD. Yet, right down the block from my home, there is a single mother >with 5 daughters ranging in age from toddlerhood to teenager, whose home >was literally broken into by five MPD cops who refused to show their >badges, and who, in fact, claimed they did not have their badges with >them because they were doing CODEFOR work, nor would they show a search >warrant when asked for one. They said they had received an anonymous >call about the home at this address being a front for drug dealers -- >simply not true. They ransacked this woman's home for over an hour, all >the while making terroristic threats, terrifying her and her children. >And I want to assure you that this sort of action by the MPD is not rare >in my part of town. Why does this happen in Phillips? Why does it NOT >happen in the Linden Hills or East Harriet neighborhoods? Connect the >dots... poverty = powerlessness = easy prey. These people, for many of >whom English is a second language, are the least likely to understand >the U.S. justice system, least likely to know their rights as citizens, >and least likely to have the financial means to go to court to sue their >case against an organization that claims to "serve and protect" them. >Needless to say cynicism abounds in my part of town regarding the agents >of civic obedience. Wake up my fellow citizens of Minneapolis: the truth >is that ALL of us have seen a steady erosion of our civil rights over >the last decade, but it has been in small enough increments and in >"other parts of town" so perhaps we have not noticed like we would if >there are had been an all-out assault. AND, it's taking place in >neighborhoods that many people find easy to ignore. Am I saying that >real crime does not exist in Minneapolis? No. Am I saying that a >consortium of actions and services need to be brought to bear against >the underlying causes of a lot of this crime? Yes. Is one of those >actions CODEFOR? A resounding NO is my answer. My urgent, my fervent >hope, is that enough of us will wake up, in time, in all the various >racial communities, in all the various faith communities, in all of the >various social service communities, to help our neighbors, and >ourselves, reclaim not only our rights, but our dignity, and our lives. > >Jenny Heiser >East Phillips >Ward 6-8 > >timothy connolly wrote: > >> A couple comments relative to posting by Rich McMartin >> and Jack Ferman. >> >> I too remember the days of Charle Stenvig. Just >> another evening I ran into the Police Chaplain, Terry >> Hayes, at GJ's on Hennepin. I was surprised to see him >> there with some officers. I would have thought he was >> long since retired. >> >> I remember that he used to hang out around midnight at >> the old Fair Oaks Motel with the guys from the >> infamous TActical Squad soaking up free coffee and >> pie. They never paid much attention to me. I was just >> the guy who cleaned the kitchen and cafe. But I paid >> attention to them or rather the things they said. A >> cruder, more racist bunch of knuckle draggers...well >> you get the picture. >> >> I remember how they laughed telling stories of how >> their dogs, Rex or Caesar,etc., took bites out of this >> and that niggers ass down at Lake Calhoun. Min
RE: Bad DFL caucus rules
As a practical matter - unless some delegate can convince a majority of delegates that the caucus system is sorely broken I doubt constitutional fiddling would get to first base. This years city convention has much business to conduct and given the pre-convention rhetoric going around it could be a long one. Any one remember the convention when Sharon Sayles Belton was endorsed for the first time - it adjorned at around 2 or 2:30 am. > Dennis Hill's response is essentially correct: the change that David >Brauer suggests would take an amendment to the Minneapolis DFL Party's >constitution. There are three ways to go about proposing such an amendment: > > First, through the existing Constitution Commission, which is >currently reviewing the constitution with a view toward a comprehensive >overhaul. That Commission can propose an amendment for consideration at the >upcoming City Convention in May, but it is more likely that it will identify >multiple possible solutions to each problem identified, and then seek input >from delegates at this year's Convention without a formal vote, so that the >new Commission that takes office at the Convention can frame proposals based >on that input. Those proposals would then be circulated for comment through >the senate-district organizations, and offered for a vote at a special City >Convention this year or next year or at the regular biennial Convention in >2003. > > Second, through the incoming Constitution Commission, whose members >will be elected at the upcoming ward conventions and will take office when >the upcoming City Convention adjourns. Any amendment proposed through the >new Commission can be considered at the regular biennial City Convention in >2003, or at a special City Convention before then. > > Third, by a motion from the floor at the Convention, if the Central >Committee indicates in issuing the call that the constitution may be >considered. The Central Committee will be meeting on Monday the >twenty-second, and I will be preparing the agenda today and tomorrow, >including a proposed call. I will be happy to work with anyone who is >interested in proposing an amendment so that it can be brought before the >Central Committee. > >BRM > >Brian Melendez (Ward 3), Chair, > Minneapolis DFL Organization >E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Ph. 612.336.3447 >Fax 612.336.3026 > > >-Original Message- >From: David Brauer [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] >Sent: Friday, January 05, 2001 10:24 AM >To: Multiple recipients of list >Subject: Bad DFL caucus rules > > >Lots of meat in Fredric's recent post, but I'm only going to touch on a >couple of things: > >First, the item about Barb's list mishap is toward the bottom of: >http://checksandbalances.com/MN/players-page/pp001221.htm. There is also an >interesting item on Lisa McDonald gunning for union support via city >low-voltage wiring inspection...see "Over Extending Authority" at >http://checksandbalances.com/MN/players-page/pp001227.htm. > >Second, Fredric hits on a longstanding major gripe of mine: that the DFL >locks in its 2001 delegates at its 2000 (presidential or legislative year) >caucuses. This means any candidate not organized two years before election >day (i.e., many non-incumbents) can't influence the party endorsing process >by getting their grass-roots supporters to become delegates. (St. Paul, on >the other hand, picks new delegates during the city election year.) > >Although at the major-office level, the DFL endorsement process is wheezing >like a dying man, it still has great influence at the council level. It has >always seemed to me a violation of the DFL's alleged grass-roots ethos to >lock in its selectors so far in advance. I suppose the argument FOR doing so >is that attendance is higher during even-numbered years. But in a state >that's justifiably proud of its same-day voter registration, it seems >ridiculous to shut down city council delegate selection 11 months before a >city election year even begins, and 21 months before the election itself. >(I've always hoped some new Democratic voter who just hit town arrival would >sue the party for disenfranchisement, since the rule is also in effect a >residency requirement mandating that you live here in February 2000 to >decide the party's nominee in 2001. But I admit this is only symbolic, since >the party has wide latitude to make its own rules.) > >I've always believed these restrictive rules exist to protect incumbents and >insiders who show up annually. I think it is one reason the DFL is not as in >touch with the electorate as it should be. > >I'm pondering offering a resolution at my local caucus to change the >practice. Of course, one resolution at one caucus won't do much. Anyone have >advice about how to make a bigger impact? > >David Brauer >King Field - Ward 10 > > > > John Ferman Harriet Avenue Kingfield Neighborhood Minneapolis Ward 10 Pct 10 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Coverage of Bus Driver Assault.
I drove for the MTC, now renamed bus company, from 79 through mid-85. During that time there were numerous assaults on drivers by passengers who were whacked out on alcohol, drugs, or rage. On the 5 line alone (Chicago Av.)one driver was knifed, one thrown off his own bus at gunpoint, one driver was attacked in the washroom of Butler Square (o-ficial potty break site), etc. One driver was highjacked. One bus was stolen while the driver stopped for a bathroom break. Those are the ones I remember. I was assaulted with a malted on the 21 once, another guy came after me for asking for a fare and I took him to court. Two passengers came to court to speak for him, saying I hit him back and it was racist to do so. The verbal assaults, of course, were routine. The flashers were fairly routine. The no pays were beyond counting. Shortly after I left a driver was raped at the end of the line by a passenger. By report of friends still driving, assaults have risen exponentially during the last 10 years. Even if the news media wanted to report all the assaults, the bus company would not be likely to assist since it would cast a bad light on the company and make people nervous about riding. Passengers, too, are assaulted. My kid came home last week saying a guy had put his hands on her on the bus and harassed her verbally and followed her off the bus to continue harassing her. Luckily, he picked the wrong kid. She decked him but good and came home to change her clothes because his blood was all over her. She didn't have a mark on her. Towanda! But it scares me, the next sorry geeker could have a gun or a knife or be bigger and stronger. WMarks, Central Dennis Hill wrote: > Steve Brandt posted: > > "Beyond that, it was a threshold decision by the paper. I'm told by > people who monitor these things that drivers get attacked monthly. We > rarely report routine beatings of anyone, much less drivers, and if we > did, the newspaper would have room for little else." > > Steve please define "routine beating". From what I saw on the videotape, that was >no routine beating, that was a professional assualt. Maybe when irate newspaper >readers start routinely beating Star Tribune reporters > when they don't like the way a story is or is not reported these beatings will >start getting some ink in the papers. > > Personally I think the paper discounted the worth of the man beaten because after >all he's onnly a bus driver. > > Dennis Hill > Only a bus rider > St. Paul > > ** > This e-mail and its attachments have been scanned for viruses. > NDIS/ADCS University of Minnesota > **
Re: Bus Driver Beating
I think you're jumping to conclusions here -- look at the time this happened, the time it appeared on police paperwork, and the printing deadline for the newspaper. Several of the other TV & Radio news shows didn't have it last night, either. But they all have it today, including the arrest of the person responsible. If it doesn't appear in either Saturday or Sunday papers, then you can ask why. But give 'em a chance. (And the driver wasn't THAT severely beaten -- he was released from the hospital and felt well enough to appear on the TV news shows. He seemed quite calm about the whole thing -- stated that his attacker 'seemed to have some problems and may need some help'.) Tim Bonham, Standish Erickson neighborhood >Thursday, during daylight hours, an MTC bus driver was severely beaten by >a young man in south Minneapolis. Television carried the story (thank >you WCCO) and KNOW ran a 15-second sound bite on the arrest. But our >wonderful Star Tribune carried not even one word. Doesn't that just make >one wonder how much is not thought important enough to report either. > >Jack Ferman >Minneapolis, MN >[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Charles Stenvig (was Chief Olson's reappointment)
My recollection is that he was head of the police federation, not police chief, before becoming mayor. But that was an awfully long time ago, and my memory may not be accurate. He was defeated for one term as mayor and then came back again, and I can't remember if he had some significant post in the police department during the interim period or not. I've heard some say that current problems are related to his legacy in the police and city government. Do any of you who were paying closer attention back in the seventies have an opinon on that? Rosalind Nelson Bancroft
RE: Chief Olson's reappointment
I covered the police department in the late 70s and early 80s and I can tell you these are not new issues. But that makes it even more important that we realize that several decades of wrongs have to be made right...right now. (BTW: If I remember right Stenvig was a ranking member of the department, and he was central to the politicization of the police department, but never Chief. He became Mayor.) -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Rich McMartin (Rich McMartin) Sent: Friday, January 05, 2001 12:31 PM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Re: Chief Olson's reappointment Yes - anyone who lived through the Stenvig era is from a different universe than those who are complaining about the current police problems. If there were a Richter scale of police brutallity the force during the Stenvig era was a "7.5" and what we have now is a "2.0" and that takes into account the logarithmic aspect of the Richter scale. It is true that CODEFOR was not invented here - we were about the 3rd or 4th city to adopt this methodology. So maybe that isn't his innovation. Both New Orleans and New York preceded us. Without CODEFOR we could have the old Minneapolis from 1995 that we all knew and loved - 8 crack houses on my block in one year, gunshots 20 out of 31 nights in May, 4 murders within a block of me - 95 in all of Minneapolis. Perhaps you would like it that way again. I want nothing to do with it. If you are comparing management and control of the troops between Stenvig and Olson you are standing on very shaky ground. Olson Is s much better that Stenvig. Probably not perfect but certainly the best that Minnepolis has had in 25 years. Rich McMartin Bryant Neighborhood. Mr. Ferman -- Would you care to expand on your statement about the > "innovation to > MPD - CODEFOR..."? I fear that we must inhabit very different universes. > <...> > > ferma001 wrote: > > > Those who find fault with Olson have apparently not read Minneapolis > > police history. Given the long pull of my memory, I would have to rank > > Olson as either the first or second best chiefs that MPD has ever had. > > Anyone remember Charlie Stenvig, for example. Olson has worked to bring > > innovation to MPD - CODEFOR, for example. It will be interesting to see > > how McDonald's opposition will play out at the upcoming Minneapolis DFL > > city endorsing convention.
Coverage of Bus Driver Assault.
Steve Brandt posted: "Beyond that, it was a threshold decision by the paper. I'm told by people who monitor these things that drivers get attacked monthly. We rarely report routine beatings of anyone, much less drivers, and if we did, the newspaper would have room for little else." Steve please define "routine beating". From what I saw on the videotape, that was no routine beating, that was a professional assualt. Maybe when irate newspaper readers start routinely beating Star Tribune reporters when they don't like the way a story is or is not reported these beatings will start getting some ink in the papers. Personally I think the paper discounted the worth of the man beaten because after all he's onnly a bus driver. Dennis Hill Only a bus rider St. Paul ** This e-mail and its attachments have been scanned for viruses. NDIS/ADCS University of Minnesota **
coverage of beating
Richard Chandler states: "Are you saying it's OK to bruise a bus driver as long as you don't smack his head hard enough to give him a concussion? I certainly hope riders assaulting the driver is not a commonplace occurrence on Minneapolis buses." Of course I'm not saying it's okay to assault bus drivers. I'm saying it's not newsworthy. Metro Transit says there's about one assault per month on a driver in its system.. When a city has 14,344 assaults reported to police, as Minneapolis did in 1999, I'm arguing that assault routinely happens in the city, and an individual assault is too low a threshold for news coverage. That has nothing to do with encouraging or accepting assaults. I just don't think people want to read an average of 39 articles a day about assaults, or even one when the injuries evidently are no more serious than bruises. Like it or not, the severity of an incident determines whether it's going to get covered. Chandler suggests that "if a reporter gets shoved we hear about it for weeks." Actually, within the last couple of years, one of my colleagues was beaten while covering a story on the Prior Lake reservation. His injuries were no more serious than those to the driver, and no story was written. Steve Brandt Star Tribune
Re: Bus Driver Beating
This afternoon, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office charged Adrian Louis Lattin, age 20, of Minneapolis, with one felony count of Unlawful Interference with Transit Operator (using force or violence). He is in custody, with bail set at $20,000. First appearance in Hennepin County District Court will be Monday. Ross Corson Hennepin County Attorney's Office > Thursday, during daylight hours, an MTC bus driver was severely beaten by > a young man in south Minneapolis. Television carried the story (thank > you WCCO) and KNOW ran a 15-second sound bite on the arrest. But our > wonderful Star Tribune carried not even one word. Doesn't that just make > one wonder how much is not thought important enough to report either. > > Jack Ferman > Minneapolis, MN
Re: Chief Olson
Tim -- Thanks for commenting on the posts of Rich McMartin and Jack Ferman. What really scares me is that there are probably many others in Minneapolis who would echo their sentiments. And the sad truth is that I might have been among them if it hadn't been for my move this past year to the Phillips neighborhood. Prior to that move I lived in SW Mpls. and didn't have a clue as to what was coming down in "poorer" neighborhoods in Mpls. From that sheltered vantage point I simply couldn't 'connect the dots,' so to speak. CODEFOR is just the sort of Orwellian policy that we must be vigilant about because of the legitimacy it lends to police actions that are abusive -- which have, and do, occur, regardless of whether Charlie Stenvig -- or Charlie McCarthy in St. Paul, now THERE was a character who loved taking the law into his own hands! -- or Chief Olson is on the watch. There is a young black "salesman" who stands on the corner of 16th Av. and 25th St., near where I live, almost every day -- late at night and in the early morning hours -- looking for and waving down those who look the most likely to be interested in his product(s). Because I've seen him and his associates on or near that corner for many months now, I'm perplexed as to how he continues to get away with what he's doing without getting busted. I assume that either a) he's an undercover cop, b) he has bought off the neighborhood MPD patrols, and/or c) he has bought protection from someone else in the MPD. Yet, right down the block from my home, there is a single mother with 5 daughters ranging in age from toddlerhood to teenager, whose home was literally broken into by five MPD cops who refused to show their badges, and who, in fact, claimed they did not have their badges with them because they were doing CODEFOR work, nor would they show a search warrant when asked for one. They said they had received an anonymous call about the home at this address being a front for drug dealers -- simply not true. They ransacked this woman's home for over an hour, all the while making terroristic threats, terrifying her and her children. And I want to assure you that this sort of action by the MPD is not rare in my part of town. Why does this happen in Phillips? Why does it NOT happen in the Linden Hills or East Harriet neighborhoods? Connect the dots... poverty = powerlessness = easy prey. These people, for many of whom English is a second language, are the least likely to understand the U.S. justice system, least likely to know their rights as citizens, and least likely to have the financial means to go to court to sue their case against an organization that claims to "serve and protect" them. Needless to say cynicism abounds in my part of town regarding the agents of civic obedience. Wake up my fellow citizens of Minneapolis: the truth is that ALL of us have seen a steady erosion of our civil rights over the last decade, but it has been in small enough increments and in "other parts of town" so perhaps we have not noticed like we would if there are had been an all-out assault. AND, it's taking place in neighborhoods that many people find easy to ignore. Am I saying that real crime does not exist in Minneapolis? No. Am I saying that a consortium of actions and services need to be brought to bear against the underlying causes of a lot of this crime? Yes. Is one of those actions CODEFOR? A resounding NO is my answer. My urgent, my fervent hope, is that enough of us will wake up, in time, in all the various racial communities, in all the various faith communities, in all of the various social service communities, to help our neighbors, and ourselves, reclaim not only our rights, but our dignity, and our lives. Jenny Heiser East Phillips Ward 6-8 timothy connolly wrote: > A couple comments relative to posting by Rich McMartin > and Jack Ferman. > > I too remember the days of Charle Stenvig. Just > another evening I ran into the Police Chaplain, Terry > Hayes, at GJ's on Hennepin. I was surprised to see him > there with some officers. I would have thought he was > long since retired. > > I remember that he used to hang out around midnight at > the old Fair Oaks Motel with the guys from the > infamous TActical Squad soaking up free coffee and > pie. They never paid much attention to me. I was just > the guy who cleaned the kitchen and cafe. But I paid > attention to them or rather the things they said. A > cruder, more racist bunch of knuckle draggers...well > you get the picture. > > I remember how they laughed telling stories of how > their dogs, Rex or Caesar,etc., took bites out of this > and that niggers ass down at Lake Calhoun. Mind you > this was on 4th of July night. Ah, America! Ain't it > great. Some things don't change much. > > Our police force is still overwhelmingly male and > caucasian and I suspect has many of the same attitudes > which might explain anecdotal evidence of profiling > which appears to have increased under Chief Olson's > reign.
RE: coverage of beatings
Steve said (although I think these are the words of the Strib and not Steve's): "We rarely report routine beatings of anyone, much less drivers, and if we did, the newspaper would have room for little else." The fact that "routine beating" is actually a phrase we use and then say we don't have room for anything else because it is so prevalent just FLOORS me. I am aghast. Isn't anybody else? Or do we just want to continue to accept this kind of activity in our city?It is the institutional behavior of places like the Strib and the City of Minneapolis government that accepts a certain level of criminal activity and poor delivery of city services that helps create this "problem city image" we have. And many of us have bought into this low standard. And we wonder why good people move out of the city. I have mentioned this before and this is a perfect example of why we need to raise the bar in this city. And if the Strib is looking for story ideas, how about a story on "monthly, routine beatings of bus drivers?" Russ Peterson Ward 9 Standish R U S S E L L P E T E R S O N D E S I G N "You can only fly if you stretch your wings." Russell W. Peterson, RA, CID Founder 3857 23rd Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55407 612-724-2331 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Chief Olson Ctd
oops! didn't mean to send the last transmission at that time and without signing it. I had more to say but maybe I ought to quit while I'm ahead. Some of you may know that i conduct my campaign from libray computers and i just had one freeze up on me and i lost a whole nother screed. "Whew!" I heard someone say. "There is a god". Say I ran into Jackie Mason in the IDS center today. Of course I introduced myself and told him how much I would like to see his show but $32 was a little beyond my range. So the good man puts me on the list tonight. He asks me what I do. i tell him i'm into political activism. he keeps asking me if I'm a messenger. What? So he asks me how I afford to live. I say unemployment but it's about to run out. He says why don't you get on welfare. I say I don't want to. He says "What they don't have welfare here?" I say I'm able bodied. He asks me what I 'm working on right now. I tell him the police. We got a force that has shot five citizens in a year. He says, "What a civilized place like this?" I say yes. So if any of this shows up in his schtick tonight you guys know whom to blame. Tim Connolly Ward 7 __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online! http://photos.yahoo.com/
Re: Bus Driver Beating
Forward on behalf of list member Barbara Daenzer: I rode the bus this morning with a producer from WCCO. They received the tape of the beating just before the news was on. I believe they were the only station that received the tape. I don't think the stations that didn't report it were leaving anything out---they just didn't have the story. Barbara Daenzer Lynnhurst > Kare(less) 11 didn't cover it either. Not a word. > > This may be one of those instances where the news media are trying not to > cover a violent news worthy event because it could be construed as > inflamatory. > > Rich McMartin > Bryant Neighborhood, about a 5 minute walk away.
Rule reminder
Please remember to sign your posts with your real name, and neighborhood. Although real names are often transmitted in the "from" field, the rule is mostly in place so people consciously "own" their posts when they are done writing. The neighborhood (or city if not from Minneapolis) component just helps everyone know where people are literally coming from. Thanks, David Brauer List manager (King Field guy)
Re: Chief Olson's reappointment
So Olson is better than Charlie Stenvig. In relative terms that is a weak endorsement for Olson. Anyone who returns phone calls, doesn't appoint relatives to ghost jobs, and doesn't use a blackjack is better than Charlie Stenvig. In is on Olson's watch that we have seen the tremendous public expenditures on technology and the surpression of political expression. After the mental health deaths, the public relations fallout shows that Olson doesn't know how to lead. Surely there are models elsewhere that he can draw on. This issue and the racial profiling is, for now, swept under the rug. Do we have to wait for more instances or do we get some kind of action to correct these problems? I think that the reappointment process is the appropriate forum to question Olson's abilities and leadership. On Fri, 5 Jan 2001, Jenny Heiser wrote: > Mr. Ferman -- Would you care to expand on your statement about the "innovation to > MPD - CODEFOR..."? I fear that we must inhabit very different universes. > > Jenny Heiser > Minneapolis > Ward 6-8 > > ferma001 wrote: > > > Those who find fault with Olson have apparently not read Minneapolis > > police history. Given the long pull of my memory, I would have to rank > > Olson as either the first or second best chiefs that MPD has ever had. > > Anyone remember Charlie Stenvig, for example. Olson has worked to bring > > innovation to MPD - CODEFOR, for example. It will be interesting to see > > how McDonald's opposition will play out at the upcoming Minneapolis DFL > > city endorsing convention. > > > > >Council member McDonald stopped by our Kingfield neighborhood board meeting > > >on Wednesday and announced she would vote against Chief Olson's upcoming > > >reappointment. She cited the ISAG conference spending as one factor, and > > >also went into some detail about the police department's failure to produce > > >a policy to deal with "critical events" such confronting those with mental > > >health problems. > > > > > >I suspect - and I'm only guessing - that McDonald will be in the minority > > >when the council votes. Does anyone have a reading on the tea leaves - which > > >council members are and are not supporting Olson? > > > > > >If the chief is reappointed, he should become an election issue because > > >McDonald is running for mayor. I wonder if the pro-ISAG-protester votes > > >McDonald will pick up will be offset by the conservative law-and-order votes > > >she might lose by making the Top Cop an issue. (Yes, it's 2001 and time for > > >political analysis!) Then again, McDonald mentioned that the rank-and-file > > >cops were upset the administration had not produced the critical events > > >policy. > > > > > >Perhaps she, and others with inside connections to the police department, > > >could give us more details about the evolution - or lack thereof - of the > > >critical events policy. > > > > > >David Brauer > > >Kingfield - Ward 10 > > > > > > > > > > Jack Ferman > > Minneapolis, MN > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >
RE: coverage of beatings
Are you saying it's OK to bruise a bus driver as long as you don't smack his head hard enough to give him a concussion? I certainly hope riders assaulting the driver is not a commonplace occurrence on Minneapolis buses. If a reporter gets shoved, we hear about it for weeks, but the driver went to the hospital and there is no mention of it. A paragraph in the metro section certainly seems to be in order. If a bus driver gets beaten, and the Strib doesn't report it, did it really happen? Rich Chandler - Ward 9 > -Original Message- > From: Steve Brandt > Jack Ferman raises the issue of why some TV stations covered a "serious > beating" of a bus driver and the Star Tribune didn't. First, although > getting beaten isn't fun, the seriousness of this one is debatable. > According to TV, the driver was treated and released at the hospital for > bruising. That's not as serious as a concussion or a broken skull. > > Beyond that, it was a threshold decision by the paper. I'm told by people > who monitor these things that drivers get attacked monthly. We rarely > report routine beatings of anyone, much less drivers, and if we did, the > newspaper would have room for little else. Undoubtedly there would be > fresh criticism of the paper for portryaing an even more distorted picture > of Minneapolis or (fill in your favorite city here) as a crime-ridden > place. > > People who are familiar with how television news works know that the > availability of film footage plays a major role in deciding what's aired. > There was footage available here, and that transcended news judgment. > > As for J Burn's criticism that the Star Tribune and other news media like > to perpetuate the stereotype that violent crime happens only north of Hwy > 55, here's a challenge: Tell me one murder that's happened elsewhere in > the city, or the entire metro area, that wasn't covered in the Star > Tribune. > > Steve Brandt - Star Tribune
Re: Chief Olson's reappointment
I think Mr. McMartin is too kind to the current police action scale. Many of us remember the Stenvig era, and the brutality now is simply more targeted and protected. Charlie Stenvig was a blowhard, but the police culture has softened little, especially in Minneapolis. Frankly, even when I was living for ten years in detroit, during the 70s, the Minneapolis department was legend for its violence. We are under a very real threat from police departments everywhere. For some reason, the public is too forgiving - in complicity with media outlets - of the vehement and rampant resistance to free speech and assembly demonstrations, but the Minneapolis cops are especially mean - that's mean - like vicious dogs - when given the license to beat heads during legitimate protests. The ISAG demonstrations betrayed the Minneapolis law enforcement community for the increasingly fascist-like behavior of its officers toward legitimate expression. These are sad days for democracy and the Constitution. Andy Driscoll St. Paul > From: "Rich McMartin Rich McMartin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2001 12:31:00 -0600 > To: "Multiple recipients of list" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: Chief Olson's reappointment > > Yes - anyone who lived through the Stenvig era is from a different > universe than those who are complaining about the current police problems. > If there were a Richter scale of police brutallity the force during the > Stenvig era was a "7.5" and what we have now is a "2.0" and that takes > into account the logarithmic aspect of the Richter scale. > > It is true that CODEFOR was not invented here - we were about the 3rd or > 4th city to adopt this methodology. So maybe that isn't his innovation. > Both New Orleans and New York preceded us. > > Without CODEFOR we could have the old Minneapolis from 1995 that we all > knew and loved - 8 crack houses on my block in one year, gunshots 20 out > of 31 nights in May, 4 murders within a block of me - 95 in all of > Minneapolis. Perhaps you would like it that way again. I want nothing to > do with it. > > If you are comparing management and control of the troops between Stenvig > and Olson you are standing on very shaky ground. Olson Is s much > better that Stenvig. Probably not perfect but certainly the best that > Minnepolis has had in 25 years. > > Rich McMartin > Bryant Neighborhood. > > Mr. Ferman -- Would you care to expand on your statement about the >> "innovation to >> MPD - CODEFOR..."? I fear that we must inhabit very different universes. >> > > <...> > >> >> ferma001 wrote: >> >>> Those who find fault with Olson have apparently not read Minneapolis >>> police history. Given the long pull of my memory, I would have to rank >>> Olson as either the first or second best chiefs that MPD has ever had. >>> Anyone remember Charlie Stenvig, for example. Olson has worked to bring >>> innovation to MPD - CODEFOR, for example. It will be interesting to see >>> how McDonald's opposition will play out at the upcoming Minneapolis DFL >>> city endorsing convention. > >
Chief Olson
A couple comments relative to posting by Rich McMartin and Jack Ferman. I too remember the days of Charle Stenvig. Just another evening I ran into the Police Chaplain, Terry Hayes, at GJ's on Hennepin. I was surprised to see him there with some officers. I would have thought he was long since retired. I remember that he used to hang out around midnight at the old Fair Oaks Motel with the guys from the infamous TActical Squad soaking up free coffee and pie. They never paid much attention to me. I was just the guy who cleaned the kitchen and cafe. But I paid attention to them or rather the things they said. A cruder, more racist bunch of knuckle draggers...well you get the picture. I remember how they laughed telling stories of how their dogs, Rex or Caesar,etc., took bites out of this and that niggers ass down at Lake Calhoun. Mind you this was on 4th of July night. Ah, America! Ain't it great. Some things don't change much. Our police force is still overwhelmingly male and caucasian and I suspect has many of the same attitudes which might explain anecdotal evidence of profiling which appears to have increased under Chief Olson's reign. I get a kick out of comparison's to Stenvig and comments like "he's probably one of best or second best chiefs in history. That's called damning with faint praise, sort of like saying Hitler was better than Stalin. As to Rich McMartin's comments relative to Lyndale neighborhood and its improvement I must point out that CODEFOR did not come on line until 1998 and by then murder and crime rates had already dropped from the all-time highs of '94-'95. The fact is that the carnage of crack addiction and the ensuing wars and turf battles, like most things, came late to Minneapolis. Years before the coast cities saw what exploded in Mpls i the mid-nieties. The fact is that crime statistics throughout the country have dropped over the last eight years and sociologists of all stripes don't seem to be able to agree on a consensus as to why they rise and fall. Sure drugs are a factor as is law enforcement but for the Chief or anyone else to point at CODEFOR and say "this is the reason" is just a bunch of hooey! __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online! http://photos.yahoo.com/
coverage of beatings
Jack Ferman raises the issue of why some TV stations covered a "serious beating" of a bus driver and the Star Tribune didn't. First, although getten beaten isn't fun, the seriousness of this one is debatable. According to TV, the driver was treated and released at the hospital for bruising. That's not as serious as a concussion or a broken skull. Beyond that, it was a threshold decision by the paper. I'm told by people who monitor these things that drivers get attacked monthly. We rarely report routine beatings of anyone, much less drivers, and if we did, the newspaper would have room for little else. Undoubtedly there would be fresh criticism of the paper for portryaing an even more distorted picture of Minneapolis or (fill in your favorite city here) as a crime-ridden place. People who are familiar with how television news works know that the availability of film footage plays a major role in deciding what's aired. There was footage available here, and that transcended news judgment. As for J Burn's criticism that the Star Tribune and other news media like to perpetuate the stereotype that violent crime happens only north of Hwy 55, here's a challenge: Tell me one murder that's happened elsewhere in the city, or the entire metro area, that wasn't covered in the Star Tribune. Steve Brandt Star Tribune
RE: Bad DFL caucus rules
Dennis Hill's response is essentially correct: the change that David Brauer suggests would take an amendment to the Minneapolis DFL Party's constitution. There are three ways to go about proposing such an amendment: First, through the existing Constitution Commission, which is currently reviewing the constitution with a view toward a comprehensive overhaul. That Commission can propose an amendment for consideration at the upcoming City Convention in May, but it is more likely that it will identify multiple possible solutions to each problem identified, and then seek input from delegates at this year's Convention without a formal vote, so that the new Commission that takes office at the Convention can frame proposals based on that input. Those proposals would then be circulated for comment through the senate-district organizations, and offered for a vote at a special City Convention this year or next year or at the regular biennial Convention in 2003. Second, through the incoming Constitution Commission, whose members will be elected at the upcoming ward conventions and will take office when the upcoming City Convention adjourns. Any amendment proposed through the new Commission can be considered at the regular biennial City Convention in 2003, or at a special City Convention before then. Third, by a motion from the floor at the Convention, if the Central Committee indicates in issuing the call that the constitution may be considered. The Central Committee will be meeting on Monday the twenty-second, and I will be preparing the agenda today and tomorrow, including a proposed call. I will be happy to work with anyone who is interested in proposing an amendment so that it can be brought before the Central Committee. BRM Brian Melendez (Ward 3), Chair, Minneapolis DFL Organization E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] Ph. 612.336.3447 Fax 612.336.3026 -Original Message- From: David Brauer [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Friday, January 05, 2001 10:24 AM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Bad DFL caucus rules Lots of meat in Fredric's recent post, but I'm only going to touch on a couple of things: First, the item about Barb's list mishap is toward the bottom of: http://checksandbalances.com/MN/players-page/pp001221.htm. There is also an interesting item on Lisa McDonald gunning for union support via city low-voltage wiring inspection...see "Over Extending Authority" at http://checksandbalances.com/MN/players-page/pp001227.htm. Second, Fredric hits on a longstanding major gripe of mine: that the DFL locks in its 2001 delegates at its 2000 (presidential or legislative year) caucuses. This means any candidate not organized two years before election day (i.e., many non-incumbents) can't influence the party endorsing process by getting their grass-roots supporters to become delegates. (St. Paul, on the other hand, picks new delegates during the city election year.) Although at the major-office level, the DFL endorsement process is wheezing like a dying man, it still has great influence at the council level. It has always seemed to me a violation of the DFL's alleged grass-roots ethos to lock in its selectors so far in advance. I suppose the argument FOR doing so is that attendance is higher during even-numbered years. But in a state that's justifiably proud of its same-day voter registration, it seems ridiculous to shut down city council delegate selection 11 months before a city election year even begins, and 21 months before the election itself. (I've always hoped some new Democratic voter who just hit town arrival would sue the party for disenfranchisement, since the rule is also in effect a residency requirement mandating that you live here in February 2000 to decide the party's nominee in 2001. But I admit this is only symbolic, since the party has wide latitude to make its own rules.) I've always believed these restrictive rules exist to protect incumbents and insiders who show up annually. I think it is one reason the DFL is not as in touch with the electorate as it should be. I'm pondering offering a resolution at my local caucus to change the practice. Of course, one resolution at one caucus won't do much. Anyone have advice about how to make a bigger impact? David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
Re: Chief Olson's reappointment
Yes - anyone who lived through the Stenvig era is from a different universe than those who are complaining about the current police problems. If there were a Richter scale of police brutallity the force during the Stenvig era was a "7.5" and what we have now is a "2.0" and that takes into account the logarithmic aspect of the Richter scale. It is true that CODEFOR was not invented here - we were about the 3rd or 4th city to adopt this methodology. So maybe that isn't his innovation. Both New Orleans and New York preceded us. Without CODEFOR we could have the old Minneapolis from 1995 that we all knew and loved - 8 crack houses on my block in one year, gunshots 20 out of 31 nights in May, 4 murders within a block of me - 95 in all of Minneapolis. Perhaps you would like it that way again. I want nothing to do with it. If you are comparing management and control of the troops between Stenvig and Olson you are standing on very shaky ground. Olson Is s much better that Stenvig. Probably not perfect but certainly the best that Minnepolis has had in 25 years. Rich McMartin Bryant Neighborhood. Mr. Ferman -- Would you care to expand on your statement about the > "innovation to > MPD - CODEFOR..."? I fear that we must inhabit very different universes. > <...> > > ferma001 wrote: > > > Those who find fault with Olson have apparently not read Minneapolis > > police history. Given the long pull of my memory, I would have to rank > > Olson as either the first or second best chiefs that MPD has ever had. > > Anyone remember Charlie Stenvig, for example. Olson has worked to bring > > innovation to MPD - CODEFOR, for example. It will be interesting to see > > how McDonald's opposition will play out at the upcoming Minneapolis DFL > > city endorsing convention.
Bus driver beating
The Strib and news media's choice of which violent crimes to cover seems to have more to do with location, location, location. It perpetuates the stereotype that violent crime in this City only happens north of Highway 55. JBurns Cleveland _ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
Re: Bad DFL caucus rules
David, I believe what you are proposing with regard to the election of delegates to the Mpls DFL City Convention requires a constitutional ammendment to theM pls DFL Constitution. I'd start by getting a copy of the constitution from the chair of the Mpls DFL. Each election cycle the local party unit, (Mpls DFL) usually sets up a constitution committee for the city convention that is charged with reporting to the convention any proposed constitutional ammendents for consideration by the city convention. I believe that might be the proper course of action to pursue to achieve your goal of changing the delegate election process. Of course I could be wrong, but that's how you would go about it if you lived in St. Paul. P.S. to supplement the attempt to change the constitution you could also draft a precinct caucus resolution in support of the proposed constitutional ammendment. It couldn't be decided at the precinct caucus level but it would be a way to build support and visibilty for the ammendment. Dennis Hill St. Paul DFL Ward 2 Co-Coordinator >Second, Fredric hits on a longstanding major gripe of mine: that the DFL locks in its 2001 delegates at its 2000 (presidential or legislative year) caucuses. This means any candidate not organized two years before election day (i.e., many non-incumbents) can't influence the party endorsing process by getting their grass-roots supporters to become delegates. (St. Paul, on the other hand, picks new delegates during the city election year.) Although at the major-office level, the DFL endorsement process is wheezing like a dying man, it still has great influence at the council level. It has always seemed to me a violation of the DFL's alleged grass-roots ethos to lock in its selectors so far in advance. I suppose the argument FOR doing so is that attendance is higher during even-numbered years. But in a state that's justifiably proud of its same-day voter registration, it seems ridiculous to shut down city council delegate selection 11 months before a city election year even begins, and 21 months before the election itself. (I've always hoped some new Democratic voter who just hit town arrival would sue the party for disenfranchisement, since the rule is also in effect a residency requirement mandating that you live here in February 2000 to decide the party's nominee in 2001. But I admit this is only symbolic, since the party has wide latitude to make its own rules.) I've always believed these restrictive rules exist to protect incumbents and insiders who show up annually. I think it is one reason the DFL is not as in touch with the electorate as it should be. I'm pondering offering a resolution at my local caucus to change the practice. Of course, one resolution at one caucus won't do much. Anyone have advice about how to make a bigger impact? David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 ** This e-mail and its attachments have been scanned for viruses. NDIS/ADCS University of Minnesota **
Re: Chief Olson's reappointment
Mr. Ferman -- Would you care to expand on your statement about the "innovation to MPD - CODEFOR..."? I fear that we must inhabit very different universes. Jenny Heiser Minneapolis Ward 6-8 ferma001 wrote: > Those who find fault with Olson have apparently not read Minneapolis > police history. Given the long pull of my memory, I would have to rank > Olson as either the first or second best chiefs that MPD has ever had. > Anyone remember Charlie Stenvig, for example. Olson has worked to bring > innovation to MPD - CODEFOR, for example. It will be interesting to see > how McDonald's opposition will play out at the upcoming Minneapolis DFL > city endorsing convention. > > >Council member McDonald stopped by our Kingfield neighborhood board meeting > >on Wednesday and announced she would vote against Chief Olson's upcoming > >reappointment. She cited the ISAG conference spending as one factor, and > >also went into some detail about the police department's failure to produce > >a policy to deal with "critical events" such confronting those with mental > >health problems. > > > >I suspect - and I'm only guessing - that McDonald will be in the minority > >when the council votes. Does anyone have a reading on the tea leaves - which > >council members are and are not supporting Olson? > > > >If the chief is reappointed, he should become an election issue because > >McDonald is running for mayor. I wonder if the pro-ISAG-protester votes > >McDonald will pick up will be offset by the conservative law-and-order votes > >she might lose by making the Top Cop an issue. (Yes, it's 2001 and time for > >political analysis!) Then again, McDonald mentioned that the rank-and-file > >cops were upset the administration had not produced the critical events > >policy. > > > >Perhaps she, and others with inside connections to the police department, > >could give us more details about the evolution - or lack thereof - of the > >critical events policy. > > > >David Brauer > >Kingfield - Ward 10 > > > > > > Jack Ferman > Minneapolis, MN > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Bus Driver Beating
Kare(less) 11 didn't cover it either. Not a word. This may be one of those instances where the news media are trying not to cover a violent news worthy event because it could be construed as inflamatory. The only violent events ever covered for my neighborhood are murders. Shootings where no one dies are virtually never covered. On the other hand, a drive by shooting in St. Louis Park would be all over the news for days. The media may actually feel like they are doing Minneapolis a service by avoiding some of these incidents, or maybe they are doing us a service. Coverage of these events can be a double edged sword. On one side publicizing these events is bad for marketing Minneapolis as a nice place to live. On the other side NOT publicizing these events lets our councilors and legislators forget that problems like this exist, so nothing gets done about the problems. http://www.wcco.com/ has a link to a video of the whole event. Rich McMartin Bryant Neighborhood, about a 5 minute walk away. > Thursday, during daylight hours, an MTC bus driver was severely beaten by > a young man in south Minneapolis. Television carried the story (thank > you WCCO) and KNOW ran a 15-second sound bite on the arrest. But our > wonderful Star Tribune carried not even one word. Doesn't that just make > one wonder how much is not thought important enough to report either. > > Jack Ferman > Minneapolis, MN > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >
Bus Driver Beating
Thursday, during daylight hours, an MTC bus driver was severely beaten by a young man in south Minneapolis. Television carried the story (thank you WCCO) and KNOW ran a 15-second sound bite on the arrest. But our wonderful Star Tribune carried not even one word. Doesn't that just make one wonder how much is not thought important enough to report either. Jack Ferman Minneapolis, MN [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Chief Olson's reappointment
Those who find fault with Olson have apparently not read Minneapolis police history. Given the long pull of my memory, I would have to rank Olson as either the first or second best chiefs that MPD has ever had. Anyone remember Charlie Stenvig, for example. Olson has worked to bring innovation to MPD - CODEFOR, for example. It will be interesting to see how McDonald's opposition will play out at the upcoming Minneapolis DFL city endorsing convention. >Council member McDonald stopped by our Kingfield neighborhood board meeting >on Wednesday and announced she would vote against Chief Olson's upcoming >reappointment. She cited the ISAG conference spending as one factor, and >also went into some detail about the police department's failure to produce >a policy to deal with "critical events" such confronting those with mental >health problems. > >I suspect - and I'm only guessing - that McDonald will be in the minority >when the council votes. Does anyone have a reading on the tea leaves - which >council members are and are not supporting Olson? > >If the chief is reappointed, he should become an election issue because >McDonald is running for mayor. I wonder if the pro-ISAG-protester votes >McDonald will pick up will be offset by the conservative law-and-order votes >she might lose by making the Top Cop an issue. (Yes, it's 2001 and time for >political analysis!) Then again, McDonald mentioned that the rank-and-file >cops were upset the administration had not produced the critical events >policy. > >Perhaps she, and others with inside connections to the police department, >could give us more details about the evolution - or lack thereof - of the >critical events policy. > >David Brauer >Kingfield - Ward 10 > > Jack Ferman Minneapolis, MN [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Bad DFL caucus rules
Lots of meat in Fredric's recent post, but I'm only going to touch on a couple of things: First, the item about Barb's list mishap is toward the bottom of: http://checksandbalances.com/MN/players-page/pp001221.htm. There is also an interesting item on Lisa McDonald gunning for union support via city low-voltage wiring inspection...see "Over Extending Authority" at http://checksandbalances.com/MN/players-page/pp001227.htm. Second, Fredric hits on a longstanding major gripe of mine: that the DFL locks in its 2001 delegates at its 2000 (presidential or legislative year) caucuses. This means any candidate not organized two years before election day (i.e., many non-incumbents) can't influence the party endorsing process by getting their grass-roots supporters to become delegates. (St. Paul, on the other hand, picks new delegates during the city election year.) Although at the major-office level, the DFL endorsement process is wheezing like a dying man, it still has great influence at the council level. It has always seemed to me a violation of the DFL's alleged grass-roots ethos to lock in its selectors so far in advance. I suppose the argument FOR doing so is that attendance is higher during even-numbered years. But in a state that's justifiably proud of its same-day voter registration, it seems ridiculous to shut down city council delegate selection 11 months before a city election year even begins, and 21 months before the election itself. (I've always hoped some new Democratic voter who just hit town arrival would sue the party for disenfranchisement, since the rule is also in effect a residency requirement mandating that you live here in February 2000 to decide the party's nominee in 2001. But I admit this is only symbolic, since the party has wide latitude to make its own rules.) I've always believed these restrictive rules exist to protect incumbents and insiders who show up annually. I think it is one reason the DFL is not as in touch with the electorate as it should be. I'm pondering offering a resolution at my local caucus to change the practice. Of course, one resolution at one caucus won't do much. Anyone have advice about how to make a bigger impact? David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
A Hot Time in the Minneapolis Sixth Ward Primary
For the inveterate scorekeepers in the upcoming municipal election season, the Sixth Ward in Minneapolis promises much entertainment. There are already five declared candidates: Shada Byobe-Hammond, Jim Graham, Dean Kallenbach, Barb Lickness, and Jonathan Palmer.The year is young - there could be more! The DFL dominates this part of Minneapolis although there are plenty of Ventura voters lurking about.What fascinates me is that there are only about 100-110 delegates eligible to vote at the DFL Sixth Ward convention, so competition for delegates is in high gear behind the scenes. Already an early email routing mistake by Barb Lickness has led to a nastygram at the conclusion of the December 21 edition of The Player's Page at (click on Minnesota). After quoting the text of the "purloined letter" which originally appeared November 13 on mpls-issues, the anonymous writer at Checks and Balances impugns Ms Lickness' independence of thought (she's alleged to be a shill for NRP's Bob Miller), her willingness to abide by the DFL endorsement process (like Senator Mark Dayton, I suppose), and her arms' length willingness to use (or so we are led to believe) to abuse me, Fred Markus, for political gain and for my maps and such - tawdry notion, that! Well, municipal information management is undergoing a tremendous change. I'm using GIS thematic maps to display nifty information for the benefit of all the Sixth Ward candidates - block and precinct-level material will be on a password-protected egroups site and any candidate who asks will have access. I'm sending a message to the city and political party bureaucracy alike that this sort of target marketing capacity is now routine. This levels the playing field, does it not? By this strategem perceptions for candidates and voters alike are built on a foundation of shared knowledge from public sources. After several years of field work in the Whittier neighborhood and the 61st Senatorial District in South Minneapolis, I'm bringing GIS into our most domestic political world - a city ward - when all the lights are turned on, so to speak. NRP is on this wavelength, so is the City's new Chief Information Officer, and so are the growing battalions of knowledge workers emerging from our post-secondary institutions of higher learning. Anybody that doesn't catch this political Pokemon will be last week's news. As it happens, to my personal knowledge Lickness and Palmer are au courant on this point in the Sixth Ward and Michael Guest and Gary Schiff in the Ninth Ward. There are no doubt more cogniscenti - I'm just really familiar with the Sixth Ward and am - ahem - just doing my thing. I really doubt the validity of the partisan endorsement process when in reality so very few live bodies show up at the precinct caucuses. Last time out in 6-3, there were seven individuals at the DFL caucus in a precinct that actual votes a thousand souls or more on any major election day. It seems to me that any serious candidate ought to market himself or herself directly to the likely voters wherever they live, paying no more than lip service to an increasingly hollow partisan structure. On the numbers in the Sixth Ward, this means a pitch to way more tenants than homeowners (70/30 in the Whittier precincts and 90/10 or better in Stevens Square - by far the most concentrated voting populations) and a prime interest in functional issues like affordable housing and neighborhood development, not threadbare party loyalty. I hope all five (or more) Sixth Ward candidates meet often in varied public fora and discuss the ward's affairs thoughout the campaign season. That makes better sense than a fierce and wounding convention battle with little likelihood of closure.
Re: Chied Olson's reappointment
--part1_de.e752271.278747a8_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I'm sure that the reappointment of Chief Olson will be a polarizing event. Many Council Members will feel that it's just not worth opposing the Mayor. It takes a certain courage to do this. The same thing could be said for the reappointment of David Sonnenberg as Public Works Director. David has done a fine job in the department. He has a very difficult job because many of us feel that one of the the main jobs of the City is to clean streets, pick up garbage and snow plow. Because David doesn't always do what the Mayor would like, I'm sure he's on her "hit list" when it comes to reappointment, and that's a shame. Their differences were clearly visible during the budget discussions. He deserves reappointment. Karen Collier Linden Hills --part1_de.e752271.278747a8_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I'm sure that the reappointment of Chief Olson will be a polarizing event. Many Council Members will feel that it's just not worth opposing the Mayor. It takes a certain courage to do this. The same thing could be said for the reappointment of David Sonnenberg as Public Works Director. David has done a fine job in the department. He has a very difficult job because many of us feel that one of the the main jobs of the City is to clean streets, pick up garbage and snow plow. Because David doesn't always do what the Mayor would like, I'm sure he's on her "hit list" when it comes to reappointment, and that's a shame. Their differences were clearly visible during the budget discussions. He deserves reappointment. Karen Collier Linden Hills --part1_de.e752271.278747a8_boundary--
Chied Olson's reappointment
Council member McDonald stopped by our Kingfield neighborhood board meeting on Wednesday and announced she would vote against Chief Olson's upcoming reappointment. She cited the ISAG conference spending as one factor, and also went into some detail about the police department's failure to produce a policy to deal with "critical events" such confronting those with mental health problems. I suspect - and I'm only guessing - that McDonald will be in the minority when the council votes. Does anyone have a reading on the tea leaves - which council members are and are not supporting Olson? If the chief is reappointed, he should become an election issue because McDonald is running for mayor. I wonder if the pro-ISAG-protester votes McDonald will pick up will be offset by the conservative law-and-order votes she might lose by making the Top Cop an issue. (Yes, it's 2001 and time for political analysis!) Then again, McDonald mentioned that the rank-and-file cops were upset the administration had not produced the critical events policy. Perhaps she, and others with inside connections to the police department, could give us more details about the evolution - or lack thereof - of the critical events policy. David Brauer Kingfield - Ward 10
Rats in the Grain Author James Lieber to Speak in St Paul Jan 10
fwd New Book Exposes Astounding Story of Corruption at Archer Daniels Midland Rats in the Grain Author James Lieber to Speak in St. Paul on January 10th. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from acclaimed author James Lieber and the extraordinary tale of corruption, fraud and deception by one of world's largest and most powerful corporations. Leiber's book, Rats in the Grain (Four Walls Eight Windows Press)chronicles the story of ADM's price fixing activities of the worldwide lysine and citric acid markets. But behind the unprecedenteed $100 million fine levied against the company is a tale that even Hollywood couldn't dream up, including FBI raids, undercover moles, money laundering, drug trafficking and prostitution. A remarkable story about corporate greed and power that shouldn't be missed. When: January 10, 2001. 7:30 pm Where: Highland Park Branch Library, 1974 Ford Parkway, St. Paul For more information contact: Eric Watson - 651-222-3242, Friends of St. Paul Public Library. end fwd And then ADM spreads the corruption by taking over huge chunks of "public" TV and radio with corporate-biassed propaganda. Thanks ADM! Thanks big corporations! With any luck, we'll still be alive after you're done with us! --David Shove Roseville
