Issuu

TOP HEADLINES INSIDE:

MINNESOTA EXTENDS WINNING STREAK TO NINE GAMES PG 6

■■ U creates immigration team to lend support

BASEBALL NOW HAS A 6-0 CONFERENCE RECORD.

■■ Grant policy changes limit PSG food spending

Kaler revealed the new team at his State of the U address. PG 2

PSG amended grant policies at a March 28 meeting. PG 4

SCATTERED SHOWERS HIGH 57° LOW 40° U OF M

MINNEAPOLIS

COMO

ST PAUL

EARLY WEEK

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT MNDAILY.COM

APRIL 3-5, 2017

ADMINISTRATION

CEDAR-RIVERSIDE

General Mills will no longer clean up TCE in Como area

Students ask U to parse out race data

Remaining pollution is coming from other sites, company says.

Some U students are calling for race data to be disaggregated.

BY EMUN SOLOMON esolomon@mndaily.com

BY CINDY SIMBA csimba@mndaily.com

General Mills will end efforts to mitigate contamination it left in the Southeast Como neighborhood following the dismissal of a class action lawsuit against the company. As more Trichloroethylene, or TCE has been found throughout the neighborhood — the company told the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency last month it had fulfilled its obligations for its share of the pollution in the neighborhood and claimed remaining pollution is from other sources. General Mills also demanded the Southeast Como site be unclassified as a state super fund site, which designated it as a polluted area that merits state money for cleanup. However, the MPCA is working to add the site to the federal version of this list, said Hans Neve, MPCA superfund program super visor. Decades ago, General Mills dumped TCE at its site at 2010 Hennepin Avenue. The TCE has since been found in gr oundwater throughout the neighborhood.

Student Representatives to the Board of Regents called on the University of Minnesota to disaggregate student data, which currently doesn’t distinguish ethnic subgroups. In a presentation of its annual repor t to regents late last month, representatives said more specific data on the racial and ethnic background of University students would lead to a better understanding of the student body. They recommended that the University start asking for more specific demographic information of its students. Since the University’s cur rent data only broadly accounts for race, it doesn’t accurately represent the entire student body, student leaders say. “This topic was really about uncovering trends that we might not be able to see other wise,” said Mike Kenyanya, vice chair of the student representatives. “Disaggregated race data must be put to use to help attract and attain students of color.” Student leaders say the cur rent aggregation method masks trends

CARTER JONES, DAILY

Abdullahi Sheikh explains what high cholesterol is during a healthcare program that educates immigrant and refugee seniors in the Brian Coyle Center on Friday.

Program helps West Bank seniors manage health Abdullahi Sheikh started the class to help seniors handle chronic health issues. BY RAJU CHADUVULA rchaduvula@mndaily.com

While immigrating to the U.S. can be stressful, living in a small apartment with food readily available and not needing to walk long distances to work can also cause health problems for new arrivals. To help immigrants manage their health, Abdullahi Sheikh, a Pillsbury United Communities health programs manager, started a six-week course for people over the age of 60 in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. The program, initially developed by Stanford

u See TCE Page 4

University, is supposed to be a self-management class for seniors who want to know more about their chronic health problems and how to deal with them. Many of the seniors at a class Friday afternoon had chronic issues such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, asthma and diabetes. Sheikh said he started the classes to help immigrant seniors in the neighborhood, many of whom have struggled to adjust to the health care system. Sheikh said the class will also focus on how cultural changes can contribute to health issues and how to work with the health care system.

u See RACE Page 2

u See HEALTH Page 8

MINNEAPOLIS

CAMPUS

Betsy Hodges readies for mayoral race A ‘go-to’ on U history after 40 years

Incumbent Hodges says she’s built trust during her tenure.

Ann Pflaum is working on what could be her final project: a history of U presidents’ wives.

BY MIKE HENDRICKSON mhendrickson@mndaily.com

Betsy Hodges is a dif ferent candidate than she was four years ago. Now the incumbent, Hodges is proud of a record in of fice that could give her opponents the oppor tunity to point out faults in her decisions as Minneapolis’ leader. Hodges said she can take the criticism, adding she’s excited for the April 4 precinct caucuses. “I have a great record to run on, but it also means [that] what I’ve been up to ever ybody knows [about]. I don’t have the luxur y of just saying I’ll do something,” Hodges said. “I have the responsibility to say what I have already been doing. Most of the candidates don’t fall into that categor y.” In a less-crowded field than 2013, Hodges still has some power ful challengers to her re-election bid. J a c o b F r e y, a C i t y

BY DAVID CLAREY dclarey@mndaily.com

COURTNEY DEUTZ, DAILY

Minneapolis mayor Betsy Hodges talks about running for re-election on Friday in her campaign office in Minneapolis.

Council member, is expected to be her main opponent, bringing energy and a large public persona. Another candidate, former Minneapolis NAACP chapter President Nekima Levy-Pounds could make a dent in Hodges’ suppor t

in Nor th Minneapolis, said Larr y Jacobs, University public policy professor and director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance. Hodges has navigated Minneapolis through a tricky time, Jacobs said,

with a focal point in the 2015 police shooting of Jamar Clark and subsequent occupation of the Minneapolis Police’s Four th Precinct, which Hodges said was “incredibly challenging.” u See HODGES Page 8

Walking around campus, Ann Pflaum recounted the stories behind the famed old names on every campus hall. She paused to check for bicyclists at the bike crossings on the mall, which she calls “the most dangerous part of campus.” The 76-year-old grayhaired, University of Minnesota historian was on her daily mission to reach 10,000 steps — she read somewhere it’s good for you — and, to her surprise, was only at 1,400. Pflaum, who has been studying and working at the University for more than half of her life, is a walking stor ybook. She speaks highly of her home and knows it better than anyone else. “At my age you’re not working because of your salary but because you like it,” she said. “Could you

ANN PFLAUM

imagine a more interesting job?” She can’t. “Certainly, she would be the go-to person for the University of Minnesota histor y,” said Mar y Wingerd, author of North Country, a book tracing the origins of Minnesota as a state. Pflaum said she’s concerned that, as her time at u See CULTURE Page 4

VOLUME 117 ISSUE 49

Monday, April 3, 2017

Daily Review

THIS DAY IN HISTORY 1860 The first Pony Express mail, traveling by horse and rider relay teams, simultaneously leaves St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California. HISTORYCHANNEL.COM/TDIH

EAST BANK Monday, April 3, 2017 Vol. 117 No. 49

An Independent Student Newspaper, Founded in 1900. 2221 University Ave. SE, Suite 450 Minneapolis, MN 55414 Phone: (612) 627-4080 Fax: (612) 435-5865 Copyright © 2016 The Minnesota Daily This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted. OFFICE OF THE PUBLISHER Dylan Scott Editor-in-Chief dscott@mndaily.com (612) 435-1575 Elizabeth Luke Business Operations Officer eluke@mndaily.com (612) 435-2761 NEWS STAFF Chris Aadland Managing Editor caadland@mndaily.com Allison Dohnalek Managing Production Editor adohnalek@mndaily.com Emily Polglaze Sports Editor epolglaze@mndaily.com Jack White Assistant Sports Editor jwhite@mndaily.com Sophia Vilensky A&E Editor svilensky@mndaily.com Alex Tuthill-Preus Multimedia Editor atuthill-preus@mndaily.com Maddy Fox Assistant Multimedia Editor mfox@mndaily.com Haley Hansen Copy Desk Chief hhansen@mndaily.com Sheridan Swee Assistant Copy Desk Chief sswee@mndaily.com Harry Steffenhagen Visuals Editor hsteffenhagen@mndaily.com Cedar Thomas Visuals Editor cthomas@mndaily.com Brenna Bast Chief Page Designer bbast@mndaily.com Jackie Renzetti Campus Editor jrenzetti@mndaily.com Ethan Nelson City Editor enelson@mndaily.com Nick Wicker Policy Editor nwicker1@mndaily.com Jessie Bekker In-Depth Editor jbekker@mndaily.com Lucy Carey Social Media Manager lcarey@mndaily.com =

CHRIS DANG, DAILY

Junior Matic Spec takes a seat after his match against the University of Illinois on March 31 at the Baseline Tennis Center.

CAMPUS BRIEFING

U creates immigration team to lend support BY RAJU CHADUVULA rchaduvula@mndaily.com

To address concerns over the effect of immigration policies on students, University of Minnesota administrators have created a new team to field questions. The new group, called the Immigration Response Team, was created by the University and provides resources and support to anyone affected by changes in federal U.S. immigration policy. The team is led by Marissa Hill-Dongre who previously worked as an immigration lawyer and with the University’s International Student and Scholar Services. She said the team was created in a response to faculty and students’ feedback. “The Provost and I are committed to ensuring that all who are affected by any immigration policy changes will have a clear and accessible path to resources and support, and to get their questions answered in a timely fashion,” President Eric Kaler said in a statement. He

“The Provost and I are committed to ensuring that all who are affected by any immigration policy changes will have a clear and accessible path to resources and support, and to get their questions answered in a timely fashion.” ERIC KALER University president

originally announced the team in his State of the University address on March 2. The University also recently launched the #ImmigrationSyllabus website to help educate people on the histor y of immigration reform and policy in the U.S. Since President Donald Trump took office, he has signed two executive orders prohibiting immigrants from specific Muslim-majority countries. Both were met with immediate criticism and protests. Meanwhile, lawyers nationwide deemed the ban unconstitutional, and several courts blocked the ban. At the University, several

students said they felt unwelcome by the ban; at least one experienced complications coming to the U.S. after being accepted to the school’s mechanical engineering doctoral program. “We will also provide outreach to the greater University community on issues around immigration, [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals], and diversity,” Kaler said in the statement. Hill-Dongre said the team is still being formed and has an event scheduled for April 11 where faculty, students and staff can talk about how to help respond to immigration questions.

U students want school’s race data to be separated Race u from Page 1

and makes it tougher to address the state’s educational achievement gap. The University could use the data to see which specific populations might need additional support, according to the representatives’ report. For example, the Minnesota Office of Higher Education reported that 65 percent of Asians in the U.S. have received higher education. Accounting for ethnic subgroups, around 35 percent of Hmong and Laotian people and 50 percent of Vietnamese people have received higher education. Minnesota has one of the highest education achievement gaps the nation. The U.S. Department of Education provided an $836,000 grant to Minnesota to disaggregate the data on the K-12 level. Former U.S. Education

“Disaggregated race data must be put to use to help attract and attain students of color.” MIKE KENYANYA Student rep. vice chair

Secretary John King Jr. announced the Asian American Pacific Islander Data Disaggregation Initiative, which gathers information on the sub-communities that are usually categorized in general as Asians. The University of California system also recently disaggregated its race data. The federal government requires that universities collect ethnicity data, though it doesn’t mandate that schools report more races than white, black, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander.

Dems urge Trump to veto Trump says US is ready to act bill blocking online privacy alone on North Korea policy NEW YORK — Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer is urging President Donald Trump to veto a resolution that would kill an online privacy regulation, a move that could allow internet providers to sell information about their customers’ browsing habits. The New York senator and 46 other Senate Democrats signed a letter calling on Trump to “tell us whose side he’s really on.” The Federal Communications Commission rule issued in October was designed to give consumers greater control over how internet service providers such as Comcast, AT&T and Verizon share information. But critics said the rule would have stifled innovation and picked winners and losers among internet companies. Both the House and the Senate voted this week to pass the

resolution, sending it to Trump. “If President Trump clicks his pen and signs this resolution, consumers will be stripped of critical privacy protections in a New York minute,” Schumer said. “Signing this rollback into law would mean private data from our laptops, iPads, and even our cellphones would be fair game for internet companies to sell and make a fast buck.” The Trump-appointed chairman of the FCC, Ajit Pai, is a critic of the broadband privacy rules and has said he wants to roll them back. He and other Republicans want a different federal agency, the Federal Trade Commission, to police privacy for both broadband companies like AT&T and internet companies like Google, which do not have to ask users’ permission before tracking what websites they visit. Trump is expected to make his decision soon.

EXTENDED WEATHER FORECAST TUESDAY WEDNESDAY HIGH 61° HIGH 55° LOW 39° LOW 34° AM clouds

Mostly cloudy

THURSDAY HIGH 53° LOW 30° Partly cloudy

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

POTOMAC FALLS, Va. — President Donald Tr ump says that the United States is prepared to act alone if China does not take a tougher stand against Nor th Korea’s nuclear program. Tr ump’s comments in an inter view with the Financial Times come just days before he is set to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at his Mar-a-Lago estate in South Florida. The two are expected to discuss a number of issues, including Nor th Korea, trade and ter ritorial disputes in the South China Sea during their meeting on Thursday and Friday. “Yes, we will talk about Nor th Korea,” Trump told the newspaper for a stor y that appeared Sunday on its website. “And China

FRIDAY HIGH 59° LOW 40° Sunny

NATIONAL BRIEFING

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

has great influence over Nor th Korea. And China will either decide to help us with North Korea, or they won’t. And if they do that will be ver y good for China, and if they don’t it won’t be good for anyone.” Trump said trade was the incentive for China to work with the United States. Still, he said the United States could “totally” handle the situation in Nor th Korea without China’s help. Asked how he would tackle Nor th Korea, Tr ump said: “I’m not going to tell you. You know, I am not the United States of the past where we tell you where we are going to hit in the Middle East.” While China provides diplomatic and economic support to its neighbor, it claims that its influence over Kim Jong Un’s government is limited.

SATURDAY HIGH 69° LOW 50° Mostly sunny

EDITORIAL STAFF Grace Thomas Editorials & Opinions Editor jthomas@mndaily.com Anant Naik Senior Editorial Board Member anaik@mndaily.com BUSINESS Catherine Vaught Retail Sales Manager cvaught@mndaily.com Emily Vermeulen Creative Director evermeulen@mndaily.com CORRECTIONS The Minnesota Daily strives for complete accuracy and corrects its errors immediately. Corrections and clarifications will always be printed in this space. If you believe the Daily has printed a factual error, please call the readers’ representative at (612) 627–4070, extension 3057, or email errors@mndaily.com immediately. THE MINNESOTA DAILY is a legally independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and is a student-written and student-managed newspaper for the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus. The Daily’s mission is: 1) to provide coverage of news and events affecting the University community; 2) to provide a forum for the communication and exchange of ideas for the University community; 3) to provide educational training and experience to University students in all areas of newspaper operations; and 4) to operate a fiscally responsible organization to ensure its ability to serve the University in the future. The Daily is a member of the Minnesota News Council, the Minnesota Associated Press, the Associated Collegiate Press, The Minnesota Newspaper Association and other organizations. The Daily is published Monday and Thursday during the regular school year and weekly during the summer, and it is printed by ECM Publishers in Princeton, Minn. Midwest News Service distributes the 13,000 issues daily. All Minnesota Daily inserts are recyclable within the University of Minnesota program and are at least 6 percent consumer waste. U.S. Postal Service: 351–480.

Monday, April 3, 2017

U historian is walking, talking storybook Culture u from Page 1

the University nears its end, she won’t be able to secure financing for certain parts of a project that may be, her final task: an in-depth project on the University presidents’ spouses commissioned by Karen Kaler. While mulling a historical project on the presidential home, Eastcliff, Kaler said she realized the University, unlike many other colleges, had no documentation of the presidential wives’ work. And like so many others at the University looking to learn about the school’s histor y, she tur ned to Pflaum. “Everyone told me I had to talk to Ann,” Kaler said.

First-hand accounts In Pflaum’s role as a historian, she’s written books about the University’s history, aided the president and researched for the University speechwriter. But before that, Pflaum was a master’s student at Har vard University. She completed her doctorate in English histor y at

the University. In the 1970s, she was appointed the University’s Title IX coordinator. She also helped ensure the University complied with parts of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a student with disabilities equity law. Pflaum went on to serve as associate dean of the College of Continuing Education. While reviewing Title IX and Rehabilitation Actrelated policies, she traveled to all of the University’s campuses to prepare a repor t for the federal government. She said traveling to all of the campuses was the best way to learn about the University’s wide range of focuses. “Can you imagine a better way to learn about an institution?” Pflaum said. During the 2008 economic recession, then-University President Bob Bruininks wanted to prove the University could serve its community despite turbulent times, so he asked Pflaum for examples of how the University persevered during the Great Depression. “One of the things that was really impor tant to me, was the ability to go to Ann to anchor a lot of the

things I wanted to say,” Bruininks said. Her close friend Lois Hendrickson, curator of the Wangensteen Historical Library, said Pflaum excels at putting history into broader perspective. “When you do histor y it’s easy … get caught up in the details of something,” she said. “[But] putting it into this larger framework … she’s especially adept at doing that.” As vice president and provost at the time, Bruininks appointed Pflaum as the official University historian in 2000 without any formal interviews. “It didn’t have a search, it just kind of got created,” she said. “I just float along and try to be useful.” Befor e she was appointed historian, Pflaum chronicled the University’s histor y for its 150th anniversary in 2001. Since then, she’s offered her insight to countless journalists and researchers.

‘She gets stuf f done’

When she’s not in her small, cluttered of fice in the basement of Mor rill Hall, Plfaum walks around campus or does laps

EASTON GREEN, DAILY

Ann Pflaum, the University’s historian, poses at Northrop Auditorium on March 22.

inside Nor throp Auditorium in the winter. When it’s warm enough, she ventures to Dinkytown for an ice cream cone at McDonald’s, her favorite snack. But she never really stops working, telling stories about each building she passes. Friends and colleagues describe her as a devoted worker. L yndel King, Wesiman A r t M u s e u m d i r e c t o r, said Pflaum’s long career

at the University gives her valuable perspective on current events. Pflaum and King have been friends since they worked together on a project, and today they share frequent lunches. King calls them “if-I-ran-theUniversity-lunches.” “I tr y to be a gentle critic, not a mean critic, an amused critic of various types of academics,” Pflaum said.

Her project on presidents’ spouses might be her swan song, but she’s uncertain when she will be done. “It might be two months, one year or two years,” she said. “I get the feeling I’m stretching my rubber band out a bit.” Her friends, on the other hand, are skeptical. “[The rubber band] hasn’t broken,” King said. “I can’t imagine her stopping … this is the perfect thing for her.”

NEWS GRAPHICS amends grant policies Grad student government New changes from PSG will limit the amount groups can spend on food. BY DAVID CLAREY dclarey@mndaily.com

Securing funding for food at Professional Student Government events may be harder to come by with new amendments to the group’s grant policies. In a March 28 meeting, Professional Student Government made several amendments to its grant policy. The changes prevent requesting two types of grants for the same event; limits the distance from campus social events can be held while still qualifying for funding; and cuts groups’ food funding for academic events to $500 per year. Groups can cur rently

“Food isn’t a necessity but space and materials are.” BRYNNA NELSON PSG secretary of grants

receive up to $2,500 each semester in grant funding. Until now there were no limitations on how much grant money could be spent on food. With decreases in student service fees for University student groups, PSG’s grant funding is currently $77,000 — the lowest in four years. Because of the lower grant pool and increased number of fund requests, PSG is struggling to stretch the available grant money for the rest of the academic year. In an email, Br ynna Nelson, PSG secretar y of grants, said while there weren’t specific reasons, the changes aim to “get PSG’s policies to better align with its overall goals as an organization.” Dane Thompson, vice president of PSG, said the organization wanted be “more responsible” with its funding and that the changes could lead to a more sustainable grant pool. “Ultimately, we need to get more grant funding [like in 2015-2016] … we just need to make sure we’re giving out money for the right things. I think a result could be grant money lasting longer in the

WHAT’S IN A GRANT ANYWAY?

$77,000

TOTAL GRANT FUNDING FOR 2016-2017

Academic

Social

Inter-council

Professional development

Funding for academic-focused programs. Past grants included networking events and clinics

A grant focused on non-professional events such as cultural events or dances.

For events that are open to multiple professional student councils. Past events have included networking events.

Typically used for travel to off-campus events.

Max funding receivable: $2,500

Max funding receivable: $5,000

Max funding receivable: $200

$20,000 GRANT POOL

$10,000 GRANT POOL

$17,000 GRANT POOL

$30,000 GRANT POOL

GRANTS AWARDED

125

GRANTS AWARDED

$7,603

GRANT FUNDING REMAINING SOURCE: PROFESSIONAL STUDENT GOVERNMENT PUBLIC DOCUMENTS AND MN DAILY REPORTING

semester,” he said. academic grants are often restricted due to low fundW h i l e m a n y o f t h e solely for food. ing. And while food is a large VAPOR DECISIONS changes help clarify vague “Food isn’t a MITIGATION necessity portion of academic grants, policies, Nelson said food but space and materials the discussion when voting intrusionwere area of aconcern funding Vapor requests are,” she said. on the amendment was not “serious issue.” In previous months, grant contentious, Thompson said. Access denied She said requests for funding for food has been Still, he said, next year Godward St NE

Needs additional sampling, interim decision is no mitigation needed Needs sub slab sampling

when organizations apply for grants and realize the changes, it could raise concerns. “I’m sur e ther e will be some growing pains next year.”

General Mills will no longer clean up TCE in Como neighborhood Mitigation system required

Mitigation system installed, system not verified No data

TCE

Access denied

Mitigation system required Mitigation system installed, system not verified No data

Hoover St NE

Godward St NE

Needs additional sampling, interim decision is no mitigation needed Needs sub slab sampling

Spring St NE

E Hennepin Ave 24th Ave SE

R St NE

Delano St NE

Winter St NE

Traffic St NE

Minnesota Transfer

24th Ave SE

E Hennepin Ave

SPORTS Vapor intrusion area of concern

“One of the principles of the superfund is that polluters pay, which works great as long as the polluters can pay and we can find them.” VAPOR MITIGATION DECISIONS HANS NEVE MPCA superfund program supervisor

SOURCE: PCA.STATE.MN.US

Access denied Needs additional sampling, interim decision is no mitigation needed

Hoover St NE

Traffic St NE

R St NE

Vapor intrusion area of concern

commitment, Neve said. The letter states that the company will no longer reimburse u from Page 1 costs to run the vapor mitigaSpring St NE tion systems. TCE can increase risk of “General Mills’ remediakidney cancer and has been tion efforts have fully cleaned linked to an increased risk of up the site. Accordingly, no non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. further response actions are The pollution can last for necessary,” the letter states. hundreds of years, Neve said, MPCA is in the process of but its effects can be reduced. proposing the addition of the The company has worked South East Hennepin site as a with state officials to reduce federal Superfund site, which the chemical’s effects. Winter Gen- St NE could force General Mills to eral Mills also currently faces pay for cleanup costs, Neve a lawsuit from residents, said. though the class-action status “One of the principles of was dismissed in 2016. the superfund is that pollutPreviously, General Mills ers pay, which works great as went “above and beyond [in long as the polluters can pay Minnesota Transfer efforts] to mitigate vapor in and we can find them,” Neve the neighborhoods,” Neve said. said. In 2016, the MPCA found The company helped im- additional contamination, plement systems that reduce which appears to be coming the amount of TCE in rising from north of the former Genvapor and paid to maintain eral Mills site. Researchers them, he said. are still confirming the new But when MPCA asked pollution’s sources and are them for a plan for further examining the neighborcleanup ef for ts, General hood for additional polluMills asked for two exten- tion.SOURCE: PCA.STATE.MN.US sions before announcing this General Mills declined month that it is ending its to comment for this stor y.

Delano St NE

VAPOR MITIGATION DECISIONS

Editorials & Opinions COLUMN

Loving and being able to laugh at yourself Weighing in on the demands on female comics and their own path to empowerment.

“A

re women funny?” Luckily, this insane question is no longer a viable topic of conversation or article headline. However, navigating comedy as an empowered young woman, I’m seeing new questions pop up in its place. Like, for example, what about when you’re just not feeling all that empowered? A few weeks ago, I attended an event called the Femme Jam, put on by the fantastic campus group Women for Political Change. The evening proved to be an amazing space for art, connection and celebration of womanhood and femininity in all its forms. I dropped by to do a five-minute set, excited to perform for my ideal demographic — and I enjoyed it thoroughly. My jokes went over just as I’d hoped — with a few exceptions. I noticed that any of my material that even hinted at self-deprecation or a lack of total self-confidence didn’t hit as much. It wasn’t met with hostility per se, but almost an alienated unfamiliarity or slight offense. Maybe there was a hesitation to laugh at a girl laughing at herself. I almost wanted

KATE MCCARTHY columnist

to shout mid-set, “No, it’s okay! I’m the one up here onstage talking with ease and confidence, so who won — me or the insecurities?” Just a few days later, I scrolled past an acquaintance’s Instagram photo of herself and a friend onstage holding microphones. The caption read, “Wow, we feel like Amy Poehler and Tina Fey right now, except we don’t think being a hot girl is a crime.” And I remembered, “Oh, right — it’s not cool to love Tina Fey anymore.” Her brand of Liz Lemon comedy, which is at her own expense, doesn’t ring true for young feminists of today. For me, Tina Fey is truly the emblem of “your fave is problematic.” Just a few years ago, she and Amy Poehler were the faces of women in comedy, perhaps even comedy in general, as they jointly hosted awards shows and languished in the success of their respective TV shows and movies. And then audiences started to get real

about critiquing some of their flaws as creators. This particular Instagram post was interesting to me, though, as I could think of several other things you might criticize Tina Fey for before self-deprecating humor, like traces of ableism and homophobia. Diving into Tina Fey’s oeuvre and the attitudes toward her work is complex business. What seems to stand out to me, though, is there’s generally less and less tolerance in comedy for women being anything less than fully confident at all times. Conversely, men are able to produce comedy all about low self-esteem and self-flagellation while still maintaining the upper-hand and being considered a mainstream voice for all. Like a lot of young women, I am working every day toward love and acceptance of myself, but in the meantime, I find it incredibly therapeutic and empowering to voice my insecurities onstage. In doing so, I’m able to take the power away from those little things that get me down. Everyone’s working towards full self-actualization, but at the same time, everyone’s insecure. So why not try to make it funny? Kate McCarthy welcomes comments at kmccarthy@mndaily.com.

2017 U.S. GUN VIOLENCE Total gun-related incidents: 14,669 Total number of deaths: 3,730 Total number of mass shootings: 80 Data compiled by gunviolencearchive.org

Dear campus, consider writing a guest column for the Daily

CONTACT THE EDITOR Grace Thomas jthomas@mndaily.com

Lea Graber welcomes comments at lgraber@mndaily.com.

COLUMN

Minimum wage hike will affect U The U has remained largely silent on the proposal and what it would mean for some its workers.

any University of Minnesota-area businesses are bracing themselves for a potential city-wide minimum wage hike in Minneapolis, but the University itself has remained mostly silent on the issue, despite many of its employees and students having a direct stake in the proposal’s outcome. Last October, the Minneapolis City Council commissioned a study from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs which found that “raising the minimum wage in Minneapolis to $15 an hour would increase the incomes of some 71,000 workers and help lift them out of poverty.” However, even if Minneapolis were to pass a minimum wage hike, the University wouldn’t necessarily be covered, as Board of Regents policy dictates the school follows the state’s prevailing wage regulations. Many of the University’s on-campus student-workers must be paid at least $9 an hour, with some making, on average, more than the state’s minimum wage; every studentworker is limited to 29 hours or less per week. But granted a student could be employed full-time at the University, 40 hours per week

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR House must step up with bonding bill The Minnesota GOP-controlled Senate, the minority DFL caucus in the House and Gov. Mark Dayton have all put forth bonding proposals to address the critical and unmet needs of building projects all over the state. Now the Minnesota House GOP majority must get a sense of urgency to put forth its own proposal so we can get this bonding done. It should have been done last year, but the House GOP waited until the closing days and minutes of the session last year. The bonding bill failed in the ensuing chaos; that was bad management. Thus, all those projects just got more expensive through inflation. We are also now in an environment where interest rates will continue to rise maybe two or three times this year. Mil-

EDITORIALS Revamping the University’s free speech policy

n the past year, several instances have spotlighted free speech on the University of Minnesota campus, as well as questions sur rounding the school’s policy, which supports students exercising their first amendment rights. Earlier this year, College Republicans posted “Build the Wall” on their panel on the Washington Avenue Bridge, which sparked outrage by some on campus. Prior to that, the University encountered protests over incendiar y pundits, like former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos, whose invitation provoked the ire of some students who claimed he was inciting hate speech on campus. Calls for a central campus resource on University speech protections by the student representatives of the Board of Regents are a necessar y and welcome step. While abstract debates about free speech on our campus is necessar y, the actual policies our University uses should be made clearer. The student representatives want the school to create a “comprehensive, system-wide policy on student free speech” by the fall of 2018. Some, like Regent Darrin Rosha, say the project could lose momentum if the school takes that long to finalize the policies. We agree — while it’s impor tant to ensure that new free speech policies are fully developed, deft and comprehensive, the opaque wording of current policies needs to be addressed with swiftness.

Calls for a central campus resource on University speech protections by the student representatives of the Board of Regents are a necessary and welcome step.

DAILY DISCUSSION We are happy to introduce a brand new feature to the Minnesota Daily’s Editorials & Opinions page: The guest column. With each paper we hope to highlight the perspective of a different member of our community. Whether you’re the leader of a student group on campus — or a perceptive individual that has an engaging stor y worth sharing — we’re looking for your voice. The new guest column section will replace the content traditionally housed in “Daily Discussion” — readers’ comments from our website, which the Minnesota Daily’s editorial board decided was not cultivating a thoughtful, productive dialogue on issues af fecting our campus community. While we’ve always accepted letters to the editors from our readers, we hope this new section will ser ve a broader purpose. If you’re a leader of a group on campus, you could use the space to pitch your group to perspective members; or iron out misconceptions some may have about the purpose of your organization. Or, perhaps you’re a student wanting to ar ticulate your opinion on a University policy that af fects our campus community; or maybe you’d like to elicit suppor t for a specific event that your fellow students may find important. Our hope is that this space will be a hub for discussion of impor tant campus topics. We want our readers to be engaged, and learn from the great diversity of perspectives and lived experiences on our campus. Have an idea? Email our Editorial & Opinions editor, jthomas@mndaily.com, if you are interested in participating. We look for ward to hearing from you.

Monday, April 3, 2017

lions of taxpayer dollars have been wasted with the delay. The Senate GOP majority, to its credit, has come forth with a bonding bill. The governor’s bonding bill was out months ago, and a few weeks ago, the House DFL put forth a proposal in an unusual move to get this conversation jump-started. The minority party in the House does not normally propose any bonding bill. House Capital Investment Committee Chair Dean Urdahl, R-Grove City, told The Free Press he plans to propose a bonding bill and thinks the GOP will get one done. That’s good to hear, but Urdahl also told The Free Press that while he would like to get a bonding bill done sooner than later, he “doesn’t call the shots.” So, it’s incumbent on House Speaker Kurt

THE EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS DEPARTMENT IS INDEPENDENT OF THE NEWSROOM

CHANCE WELLNITZ columnist

at $9.50 an hour wouldn’t cover the price of their tuition. The University is the sixth largest employer in the state, so if it chose to implement a $15 minimum wage for its workers, it likely wouldn’t face the same concerns brought up by local businesses. But that doesn’t mean there wouldn’t be consequences. The Office of Human Resources’ website states, “The University usually has more job vacancies than applicants.” Would a wage increase cause these jobs to go away? If the University continued to follow the state’s minimum hourly wage of $9.50, would minimum wage workers at the University leave to find employment elsewhere? It’s difficult — maybe impossible — to know what a minimum wage increase would bring, but the University has a responsibility to us to pursue an answer.

We encourage the University to shape its policy in a manner that protects fair dialogue — as part of an academic institution, we ought to find value in robust conversations with opposing viewpoints. But the University should better define when, where and in what manner expression is appropriate. While individual students have the right to practice their right to free speech, many students have an unclear understanding of speech protections at the University — and a more publicized policy and hub for resources would be greatly beneficial to our campus community. When determining the new resources, it seems apt that the University should seek input from a diverse group on campus, including those who are from underser ved, marginalized communities as well as those who have felt threatened by perceived hate speech. Only with an inclusive for um in tandem with administrative discussions can clear guidelines and resources for free speech on campus be achieved. That being said, we must all be mindful of how we engage in dialogue with other members of our community and think about what platforms and privileges we each have, what groups we represent and the context of our speech.

EDITORIALS & OPINIONS DEPARTMENT Editorials represent the voice of the Minnesota Daily as an institution and are prepared by the editorial board.

Chance Wellnitz welcomes comments at cwellnitz@mndaily.com.

Daudt to “call the shots” and get a bonding bill out of the House soon; we’ve already wasted enough time on this issue. Many critical projects remain in the balance including a $70 million renovation of the St. Peter Security Hospital and a $6.5 million project to finish Minnesota State University’s clinical sciences building. The Senate bill includes $200 million Corridors of Commerce funding, some of which would go to the completion of Highway 14 as a four-lane from Rochester to New Ulm. Many of the rural-area republicans in the House represent desperately needed things like upgrades to their water treatment plants and other basic infrastructure needs. It’s time for the House GOP to get serious about bonding. We urge their constituents to contact them and demand this unfinished work gets done. Editor’s Note: This editorial was originally published in the Mankato Free Press.

SHARE YOUR VIEWS The Minnesota Daily welcomes letters and guest columns from readers. All letters must include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification. The Daily reserves the right to edit all letters for style, space, libel and grammar. Letters to the editor should be no more than 500 words in length. Guest columns should be approximately 350 words. The Daily reserves the right to print any submission as a letter or guest column. Submission does not guarantee publication.

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Monday, April 3, 2017

Sports

@MNDAILYSPORTS

SOFTBALL

Gophers go 2-1 in games against Illini

Minneosta took its first Big Ten loss but reached 30 wins over the weekend. BY KYLE STEINBERG ksteinberg@mndaily.com

The No. 6 Gophers softball team won its second Big Ten series of the season this weekend. Minnesota (30-3, 5-1 Big Ten) took two of three games against Illinois (24-10, 4-2 Big Ten) to continue its hot start to the conference schedule. The weekend started with a bang on Friday when the Gophers offense showed its strength once again. Though relatively quiet through the first four innings, Minnesota held a 2-0 lead heading to the top of the fifth. Then the bats exploded. The Gophers put up a 10 runs in the fifth inning with catcher Kendyl Lindaman hitting two home runs, including a grand slam. The freshman has 11 home runs on the season and leads the team in

slugging percentage at .831. “There were runners on both times I was up, so I wasn’t looking to hit home runs, I was just looking to score [the runners],” Lindaman said. MaKenna Par tain followed Lindaman’s grand slam with a solo shot of her own, generating a one-two punch that makes the middle of Minnesota’s lineup dangerous. “[Lindaman’s] presence in the middle of the lineup is huge,” said head coach Jessica Allister. “It’s important to have MaKenna Partain and Sydney Dwyer behind [Lindaman] … to force pitchers to pitch to [Lindaman].” Senior pitcher Sara Groenewegen completed the 12-0 run-rule victory by shutting the Illini down in the fifth. Groenewegen — who ranked third in the NCAA in ERA heading into the weekend — pitched in all three games against Illinois. “Obviously it’s a lot more than normal … but I’m going to do whatever it takes to get some wins,” Groenewegen said.

SOFTBALL RESULTS

FRIDAY Illinois No. 6 Minnesota

Runs Hits Errors SCORE 0 1 1 0 12 10 0 12

SATURDAY Runs Hits Errors SCORE No. 6 Minnesota 3 7 3 3 4 Illinois 4 1 4 SUNDAY

Runs Hits Errors SCORE

Illinois No. 6 Minnesota

0 4

5 6

1 1

0 4

SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM

SAM HARPER, DAILY FILE PHOTO

Danielle Parlich prepares to hit the ball at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium on April 12, 2016.

While the Gophers cruised in the series opener, Saturday’s game wasn’t as easy. After building a three-run lead, Minnesota saw it evaporate in a span of a half-inning.

Illinois took advantage of two Gophers errors and a wild pitch in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score at three. After a scoreless sixth inning, the Gophers were unable to put runs on the board

in the seventh, setting the Illini up for a potential walk-off scenario. After putting runners on first and second with one out, Illinois capitalized on that opportunity, using a walk-off

single to beat Minnesota 4-3. “We left some runners on and didn’t take advantage of some opportunities [offensively],” Allister said. “If you let good teams hang around, that’s going to come back to bite you.” As they’ve done multiple times this season, the Gophers bounced back on Sunday, using another strong performance from Groenewegen to grind out a victory. Outfielder Dani Wagner hit a two-run home run in the seventh to seal the 4-0 victory for Minnesota.

BASEBALL

Minnesota sweeps Michigan State in East Lansing The Gophers are undefeated in six games of Big Ten conference play. BY LUKE HANLON lhanlon@mndaily.com

Minnesota continued its perfect start to the conference season this weekend with a sweep of Michigan

State in East Lansing. The Gophers have won nine consecutive games. All nine wins have come on the road. While on this streak, the Gophers have had to adapt to weather that has changed their schedule in their last three series. Friday’s game was rained out, forcing the teams to play a doubleheader on Saturday.

“In the Big Ten we’re ready for anything,” said infielder Micah Coffey. The Gophers’ pitching shined in Saturday’s wins, giving up five runs in the 18 innings. Continuing a break-out season as a starter, Lucas Gilbreath pitched a gem in Saturday’s first game. He allowed two runs on three hits and picked up eight

strikeouts in six innings. He was credited with the win and improved his record to 3-0 on the season. All the Gophers runs were scored on one swing of the bat by Coffey — who played his first game in two weeks after suffering an ankle sprain — in the fourth inning. After getting the second out, Alex Troop walked Cole McDevitt and Jordan Smith to load the bases for Coffey. He hit a bases-clearing double, which would be enough run support for Gilbreath and the bullpen to secure the 3-2 win. “It’s going to take a little bit to get my timing back, but I saw [the ball] pretty well,” Coffey said. The Gophers won by one run again in the second game on Saturday, edging out the Spartans 4-3. Coffey was the hero in the first game, but it was his

replacement, Jordan Kozicky, that delivered in the second game. Kozicky hit a two-run single in the second inning to get the Gophers on the board first. “I’m just glad I’m playing. I’m stepping up when I need to,” Kozicky said. The Spar tans tied the game at three in the sixth inning to set up a dramatic ninth. The Gophers got a couple hits in the top half to bring up Luke Pettersen with runners on first and second with one out. Pettersen singled up the middle to score McDevitt and gave the Gophers the lead. Brian Glowicki pitched a perfect bottom half to get his eleventh save of the season and his second save of the day. Sunday’s win was less dramatic, as the Gophers

BASEBALL RESULTS

SATURDAY Michigan State Minnesota

Runs Hits Errors SCORE 2 6 2 2 3 4 0 3

SATURDAY

Runs Hits Errors SCORE

Michigan State Minnesota

SUNDAY Michigan State Minnesota

3 4

10 11

1 0

3 4

Runs Hits Errors SCORE 4 8 1 4 9 13 0 9

SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM

cruised to a 9-4 win and a series sweep. Minnesota is now 6-0 in Big Ten play, the first time since 2003 the team has opened its conference schedule with back-to-back sweeps. After eleven-straight road games, the Gophers head home to Siebert Field for the first time this season for a midweek tilt against North Dakota State and a weekend series against Rutgers.

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Monday, April 3, 2017

CROSSWORD Los Los Angeles Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle FORRELEASE RELEASEMARCH APRIL 3, FOR 31,2017 2017

Edited Edited by by Rich Rich Norris Norris and and Joyce Joyce Lewis

HOROSCOPES Today’s Birthday (4/3): Great opportunities come with change this year. Partnership flowers this June. A group effort reaches a turning point this August, before breakthroughs in love, romance and family.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Written by Nancy Black

Aries (3/21 - 4/19): Today is a 7 — Make repairs and clean up messes. Household issues require attention now. Plan, dream and envision, especially this month with Venus in Pisces.

Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is an 8 — Work interferes with play. You can’t do everything. Proceed with caution or break something. Fact and fantasy clash. Harsh words could fly.

Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is a 7 — A formidable barrier blocks the path, so take care. Stay in communication, and stay calm. Work with someone who sees your blind spot.

Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is a 9 — Resist acting impulsively, especially if friends are. Don’t spend money to solve the problem. Artistic efforts work in your favor.

Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is an 8 — Resist the temptation to splurge. Unexpected expenses could surprise. Draw upon hidden resources.

Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is an 8 — Avoid frivolities or expense. You’re gaining, but slowly. You’re more domestic this month, with Venus in Pisces.

Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is a 7 — Don’t lose yourself in a daydream. You could make a silly mistake. Disruptions and distractions abound. Don’t get talked out of what you want either.

Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is a 9 — Contribute to a larger conversation, with Venus in Pisces. Distractions abound. Let bygones be bygones with a partner.

Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is a 7 — Review finances and avoid nonessential purchases. Decrease the unknowns. Keep cool with chaos and respectful with confrontation.

Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is a 9 — The truth is revealed, and old assumptions get challenged. Strike out in a new direction. This month could get profitable.

Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is an 8 — You’re energized and ready to move. Keep expenses down and slow to avoid accidents or breakage. Do the numbers before committing.

Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is an 8 — Relax and prioritize family fun. Practice your arts. Avoid new challenges; handle old stuff first. Stay out of someone else’s argument.

CLASSIFIEDS To place a classified ad, visit mndaily.com or call 612-627-4080. Deadline for submission is noon, 2 days before publication. The Daily reserves the right to reject, reclassify or request changes to any ad. All ads must be paid in advance unless credit arrangements are in place. Do not send credit card information via email. Please check the ad carefully after the first run; Daily is not responsible for any errors after that.

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ACROSS ACROSS 11 Spiders’ fly Serious service 5 catchers Toaster opening? 5 ItMoxie forms over a 10 14 healing Settled abrasion down 9 Casual talk 15 Treasure 13 Marcel 16 Mine, Crop, to say 14 17 Batted Taboo ball into dugout, say 18 the Parade 15 Lane at the Daily instruments 20 Planet Unused car 16 Awkward situation using some 19 Mournful poem 56-Across? 20 shown at 22 IDs It can be bid 23 airports Coin toss 21 Close tightly winner’s option 27 again Large Eurasian 23 Business group suit 31 go-with Very, to Puccini 24 32 Weekly DJIA company paycheck, e.g. alphabetically 31 Pose a question following Home 34 Actress Depot Shire 35 35 Courtroom Movies using hammer some 56-Across? 36 music 38 Sheet PC alternatives 40 symbol Dreamers have 38 Henry or Jane of big ones Golden 41 “On A scarf can Pond” protect it 40 feature 42 Walrus Compulsive sort 41 Vague using some emanations 56-Across? 43 45 Gymnast Yahoo! Comaneci alternative 45 __: Taco 46 Live “Silas Marner” Bell slogan author 46 practice 47 Golf Static source 49 facility Doctor’s order 49 shout 52 Bullring Latin dance 50 56Anatomical “Antigone” sculpture characters? 60 subjects Dawn, for 54 Signed, exampleas a 63 deal Place for pins 59 Skin transplant, and needles 64 e.g. Amazon ID 60 of a hopeful 65 Start Unlimited free rhyme about bad mileage pioneer and a 66 weather, Mapmaking hint to what name since the 1872 word of 16-, 67 first What much 24and 46-covers insurance 68 Across Family may nicknames describe 69 Catcher’s Wild plumglove 62 63 Swedish DOWN furniture giant Heavenlysquare food 641 Scrabble Audiblymeal 652 Hearty Decalogue 663 Where Anna deliverywith site the danced 4 king Wraps not made in delis feel well 67 Doesn’t

DOWN 5 Jumble 16 Nilla Poetproduct __ St. 2 Novelist Zola Vincent Millay 37 What lack 2013 fillets Katy Perry 4 All-out attacks chart-topper 58 Northern DiamondCal. mishap 9 airport Teacher’s note 6 Monastic hood 10 Focuses (on) 7 Quattro 11 Part of an automaker academic 8 Political addressalliance 9 Genetic 12 Focus 13 duplication 62-Down 10 Shelter adoptee protectors 11 19Helper It may be served 12 General __ from an orangechicken handled pot 17 hotel 21 High-end Orange stuff 24 chain Faith with Five 18 Bigfoot Pillars cousin 22 25 Metaphorical Sirens thing to 26 new Innsbruck iron 28 “turn “... __over” sure you know” 25 As a companion 29 Iraqi “Livin’ la __ 26 money Loca”:tripled, Ricky 27 When Martin “and sohit on” 30 Egg Lighten 28 cell one’s wallet 29 Flat-topped 32 elevation Press 33 Lodge Sri Lankan pop 30 fellows musica prep 31 Many 34 sch. Periodic McDonald’s pork 32 Speak sandwich indistinctly

Late Week’sPuzzle PuzzleSolved Solved Saturday’s Thursday’s Puzzle Solved

33 nominee 36 Emmy What alopecia sufferersoflose Russell “The 37 Americans” “My word!” 39 Underdog’s Common football 37 passing opposite formations 39 “__ Misbehavin’” 43 Feature Cheri of of “SNL” 42 words 44 beginning “__ la vie” with 48 “wr” Yelp users 50 Disco 65-Across choice 44 era term 51 At Roadster 47 no time,maker to 53 bards Music genre word 48 List of mistakes

4/3/17 3/31/17

51 slasher 54 2005 Musical Marsfilm 55 sequel Better half? 57 Considering Zen riddle 52 58 everyone Buddhist teacher 53 Eyelid maladies 59 Weapons “Beowulf,” for 54 one or gallop 55 Trot 60 Orator’s Adjectiveplatform for 56 rapper Jon or 57 Polynesian Kim carving 61 Most Tonic eligible go-with? 58 for 62 service Snap receivers: Abbr. leg 61 Pinup’s

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DR. DATE Dear Dr. Date,

I’m in a tight spot here and I need some solid advice. I’m currently crushing real hard on this girl I work with. She’s funny, smart and a real looker. I was texting my friend about her and about how she gives me butterflies and how she’s so amazing and the wind beneath my wings and all that mush. Real embarrassing stuff. My friend decided to be a real swell guy and took a SCREENSHOT of our conversation and SENT it to her! I’m totally freaking out and I don’t know what to do. I’m going to have to face her eventually — I mean we work together. but I’m so worried things are going to be awkward and uncomfortable and I’ll have to quit my job and change my name and move to Puerto Rico. What do I do?

—Workplace Hijinks Dear Hijinks,

4/3/17 3/31/17

By Wilson By Brock Andrew Woodham

Ohhhmyygoooddd he did NOT do that! Dude, grow up. You’re not in sixth grade anymore (at least I’m assuming you’re not,

I don’t know many sixth graders who get involved in workplace hijinks). You’re a grownup (hopefully) and you can handle this without going off your rocker (hopefully). Face her like a man, unless you’re a girl, in which case face her like a girl or face her like a non-binary gender-fluid or whatever you identify as and just own up to it. She’s either going to reciprocate your feelings or not and either way you can pick up and move on. Your options aren’t that bad though. I hear Puerto Rico is pretty nice this time of year if you can avoid the big lizards. Sincerely,

Dr. Date

Dear Dr. Date,

I just bit into this mysterious weird fruit and I gotta tell ya, it was a magical experience. The gods of tang took my taste buds and I on an enchanting and delightful journey through blissful fields of tasty pleasure straight up the golden staircase to Flavortown. What is this mystic apparition my senses have beheld?

It was green and lumpy and all around weird looking and it honestly made me uncomfortable until I sliced it open and took a bite. Its flavor was like a combination of strawberry and pineapple with sour citrus flavor notes contrasting with an underlying creamy texture reminiscent of coconut or banana. Have I died and gone to flavor heaven? What is this sorcerous anomaly?

—Delightfully Mystified Dear Mystified,

Sounds like what you’ve got your hands on there is a guanabana, otherwise known as soursop due to its slightly acidic taste when ripe. It comes from the Annona muricata, which is a species of the genus Annonaof, the custard apple tree family, Annonaceae. Annona muricata is native to the Caribbean and Central America but is now widely cultivated — and in some areas, becoming invasive — in tropical climates throughout the world. Congratulations! You landed a pretty sweet fruit.

—Dr. Date

Need relationship advice? Email Dr. Date at drdate@mndaily.com.

Monday, April 3, 2017

Betsy Hodges readies for mayoral race Hodges u from Page 1

“I’m a transformational leader. I’m helping lead this city through changes, not just in policy, but in systems,” Hodges said. “That is inherently uncomfor table.” Over her time as mayor, Hodges said she has put $40 million toward af fordable housing, and believes building community trust is where she has made most progress. Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, personal friend of Hodges since the 1990s, and said she is a tr ue progressive and has helped Minneapolis make significant strides. “She’s worked ver y,

ver y hard to put equity and economic and social justice in the ver y center,” Dibble said. “It’s absolutely what makes her hear t beat.” Even though Hodges is the most “progressive and contemporar y mayor” Minneapolis has ever seen, Jacobs said, her relationship with progressives is strained. She still hasn’t earned enthusiastic backing from progressives in her four years, he said. Since the Clark shooting, Hodges said she needs to work on communicating better with stakeholders, the community and media. Police community relations are ver y public now, Dibble said, but Hodges has been cr ucial for keeping them stable. “She is the first mayor,

bar none, who has made significant, tangible strides towards reformation of how the police depar tment operates,” he said. Jacobs said Hodges won decisively in the crowded 2013 field. Her advantage this time around will be her ability to be competitive in ever y precinct. But four years in office during tumultuous times can harm relationships, and her incumbent lead doesn’t seem as large as she may like, Jacobs said. “Ther e seems to be more of an outright opposition for not delivering,” Jacobs said. “Anger for what is perceived to be political missteps. Distrust in some quarters. She is in a vulnerable spot.”

COURTNEY DEUTZ, DAILY

Minneapolis mayor Betsy Hodges poses for a photo in her campaign office on Friday in Minneapolis.

West Bank program helps seniors handle health issues Health u from Page 1

CARTER JONES, DAILY

Abdullahi Sheikh leads a healthcare program that educates immigrant and refugee seniors in the Brian Coyle Center on Friday.

Many of the seniors in the neighborhood, Sheikh said, think par t of the reason they have health issues is because they moved to the U.S. He said while the change can contribute to the illness, it’s also impor tant to show that these illnesses are universal. Kathleen Thiede Call, a University of Minnesota health policy and management professor, said there is truth to how moving to a dif ferent countr y can cause health issues. For example, she said if a person comes from a countr y where there is a lot of farming or where people walk far to get to

work, and [they] move to an urban environment where those things are taken away, the lifestyle change will cause some changes in health. Sheikh said living in a smaller apar tment, where food is more readily available, and physical exercise — like walking longer distances to get access to things like food and work — might affect health and contribute to a chronic condition. Call said the American health care system is dif ferent from other countries, and payment methods and language differences can cause further inconvenience. Sheikh said it’s necessar y for people to have direct discussions with their doctors. He

encouraged the par ticipants to be open when asking about topics like prescriptions and troubles with medication. The class is an open, discussion-based lear ning environment, Sheikh said. The par ticipants will also keep a weekly evaluation sheet where they will come up with questions and checkpoints to track as the class goes on. A b d i M . Hu s s ei n , a first time attendee, said he came to learn more about how to take care of himself “I hope to get more enlightened about how to improve my life,” said Bashir Mohamed, who has high blood pressure. The program r uns ever y Friday for the next six weeks.