PRST STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 6391
Inside this Edition... To Subscribe Scan Here
Read about ‘What I Learned in Paris’ on page 6.
THE VOICE OF BLACK MINNESOTA SINCE 1934
April 27 - May 3, 2023
Vol. 89
No. 39
Phone: 612-827-4021
www.spokesman-recorder.com
City may sell Roof Depot site to activists after all
By H. Jiahong Pan Contributing Writer
E
arlier last week, the City of Minneapolis indicated it may sell land earmarked for a water facilities expansion in the East Phillips neighborhood to local activists who have fought for years to convert an abandoned warehouse on the site into an urban farm and community business incubator. Last Wednesday, at a meeting held at the behest of Minneapolis state legislators between City officials and East Phillips neighbors and activists, the City announced they are willing to sell the Roof Depot site. The lot is located on E. 28th Street off of the Midtown Greenway with an
Photo by H. Jiahong Pan
abandoned warehouse that the City hoped to bulldoze to consolidate their water maintenance operations. Now it could be sold to the East Phillips Neighborhood Initiative (EPNI) if they are able to reimburse the City for the money it spent on developing the consolidation plans. The East Phillips Neighborhood Initiative began developing plans for the site in 2014, which include housing and a business incubator serving the neighborhood. The organization estimates it can generate up to 570 jobs and housing for 188 people. In 2016, the City bought the site to fulfill the ongoing demand to expand the City’s water maintenance facility immediately to the north and to consolidate its Fridley and Northeast Minneapolis ■ See ROOF DEPOT on page 5
ANCHORS AWAY!
Metro Transit eyes big service Tucker Carlson out at Fox and Don Lemon fired from CNN changes By Stacy M. Brown
T
wo controversial news anchors at competing cable networks are out of jobs. On Monday, April 24, Fox News announced it has severed ties with race-baiting and MAGA supporter Tucker Carlson just one week after the network settled a defamation suit for $787.5 million, in part because Carlson joined others in promoting the ‘Big Lie’ that included claims that Dominion voting machines were fraudulent. Dominion had alleged that statements made on Carlson’s show after the 2020 election were defamatory. The company claimed that messages between Carlson and his team were proof that they knew claims were false that Domin- Tucker Carlson Don Lemon Photos courtesy of MGN ion’s ballot-counting machines day that he was absolutely “We thank him for his service Fox News said in the statement. departure. were used to manipulate the At CNN, Don Lemon “stunned” by the network’s presidential election in favor of to the network as a host and The company did not offer prior to that as a contributor,” an explanation for Carlson’s announced on Twitter MonDemocrat Joe Biden. ■ See ANCHORS on page 5
Transcripts of Yia Xiong deadly encounter with St. Paul police raise more questions By Cole Miska Contributing Writer
T
he Justice for Yia Xiong Coalition held a press conference on April 19, to release the transcripts of the 911 calls that led up to the killing of Hmong elder Yia Xiong by St. Paul Police Department (SPPD) officers in February. Xiong walked to his apartment after officers arrived on the scene, and briefly entered his residence. Once inside, Officer Noushue Cha kicked open the apartment door, and when Xiong emerged holding a knife, Officer Abdirahman Dahir fired his rifle, killing Xiong. Two calls were made from the Winslow Commons Apartments on Feb. 11 by individuals whose identities were not released. The first call, made by a person celebrating a birthday party for their daughter, said a man with a “machete” was coming
in and out of the party room, and at one point “came towards [the caller’s] husband and son,” and tried to touch the caller’s grandchild. The second transcript says that a man came into the party room and tried to give the children at the party money. When they refused to accept the money, he left and later returned to the party room with a knife. Snowdon Herr, chief organizer for the Justice for Yia Xiong Coalition, said the situation was “a total misinterpretation of the actions of Yia Xiong,” calling it a “culture shock.” Herr says that in Hmong culture, elders at birthday parties always touch the top of the child’s head and give them money, which is why Xiong attempted to touch the child and give children at the party money. Herr also said the knife Xiong was carrying was a “cuaj puam,” which is a type of traditional Hmong knife that nearly every Hmong family owns. Candlelights surrounding a tree with fliers of Yia Xiong. ■ See YIA XIONG on page 5 Photo courtesy of Justice for Yia Xiong Coalition
Network Now online survey to capture rider feedback By H. Jiahong Pan Contributing Writer
M
arie Yang, a sophomore at Como Park High School, believes she may get a car next year. Taking the bus to school from home has been difficult for her, in part because the bus stops so infrequently. “If it were a choice, I would not go on a bus. It takes longer to get to my destination. Whereas if I had a car I can go straight there,” said Yang as she rode the 3A bus home from school. For years Metro Transit has struggled to keep up with service, in part because they haven’t had enough drivers. The pandemic also upended travel patterns and ongoing quality of life concerns– particularly with riders feeling uncomfortable in public transit with someone doing drugs– which is depressing ridership. In addition, the agency faces a $260 million deficit when they run out of federal pandemic-relief funding in 2026, meaning it may have to make drastic service cuts. Riders throughout the region agree that Metro Transit needs to provide more frequent service. The question is where. As a result, in the coming weeks, Metro Transit is asking riders to tell them what they should focus on over the next five years, in an initiative they are calling “Network Now.” Through the “Network Now” initiative, riders can provide feedback through an online survey and a series of community meetings where participants partake in an interactive activity to cut two and add three trips from a list of 10 that serve different purposes and have different ridership levels and frequencies. The agency then plans to take this feedback to make service changes in the coming years. ■ See METRO TRANSIT on page 5