Support Our Police
In his poignant Star Tribune editorial, "Police officer Jamal Mitchell was exceptional, but he was not the exception," Chief Brian O’Hara addresses a critical juncture for our community.
The loss of Officer Jamal Mitchell, a beacon of bravery and commitment, is a tragic reminder of the sacrifices made by our law enforcement officers. Chief O’Hara's reflection on this loss and his call to recognize the broader virtue within the profession is both timely and profound.
Chief O'Hara's presence here is profoundly significant, as this tragic loss is vividly bookended by another that brought him here. No one should ever lose their life from law enforcement actions experienced while in custody — this should be true here and everywhere. Two things can be true at the same time.
When I relocated 40 years ago, those who tempted me here summed up those that live in Minneapolis with one word: "hardy." Our path forward, fraught with challenges, discourages even the best of us.
And yet, Chief O’Hara's leadership shines a way through our strife — a way that demands deep reflection, carefully considered actions, and vigilant transparent oversight. It is through healthy civic engagement and transparent oversight that trust can be built across all aspects of our local government and the citizens it exists to serve — not just our MPD. But that’s the perfect place for all Minneapolis government to start.
With his command over our Minneapolis Police Department, Chief O’Hara is raising the bar by institutionalizing constitutional policing as the standard by which they protect and serve.
I can say with 100% certainty that Jamal Mitchell wasn’t an exception — I should know. I’ve fed him, along with every officer at every watch at every precinct, multiple times over the last four years. Our hardy MPD officers are and will follow the Chief's leadership. There's no way out of our challenges, but his is a way through. Give our Chief what he’s asked of us — remove the needless friction and lower the temperature.
Rob Reul | Lowry Hill
Sleuth Your Stoop
Have you ever wondered who built your house? What did they look like? How did they entertain? Who did they entertain? What did it look like before remodeling (or remuddling)?
St. Paul’s Episcopal church is hosting a house detective workshop by resident historian Kathy Kullberg on Saturday, July 27 in our newly re-modeled Undercroft. The church has been located at Lake of the Isles since 1958 and has served the community by hosting local weddings, holiday parties, a Boy Scout troop, and funerals, which may be part of your history as well.
We invite you to come and learn research tips and some local history about Lowry Hill and Kenwood. Ms. Kullberg has been researching much of the neighborhood’s housing stock for over the past 15 years. During this workshop you will learn how and where to find the information for your home.
Please go to the church’s website at Stpaulsmpls.org for more information and to register for the event. Seating is limited for this fun and enlightening half day workshop.
Laurie Larsen | Lowry Hill
Rape at Cedar Lake Could Have Been Avoided
A disturbing article appeared in the Saturday June 15 Star Tribune. The article headline stated, "Man accused of attacking woman walking on Cedar Lake trail and raping her at knifepoint."
It further states, "woman said she was walking on a trail when she was grabbed by a man… who she said threw her into the brush and held a small knife on her while choking her…." Minneapolis Park Police responded to a report of a robbery and sexual assault near Cedar Lake on June 7."
In a Letter to the Editor submission to the Hill & Lake Press, Aug. 2022 Issue, during the Cedar-Isles Master Plan process, I submitted an argument against the residents' feedback to, "Keep Cedar Lake Park 'hidden and secluded' and a place to find 'solitude'.
I lobbied for an asphalt path through the "hidden and secluded" North/Northeast section of Cedar Lake Park which would bring a wider audience of park users through the isolated area and make it a better, safer park. I believe the June 7 situation merits a recounting of my grounds challenging a "hidden and secluded" park.
In the August, 2022 letter, I stated, "It may surprise a lot of people, but secluded, isolated, heavily vegetated areas, with poor sight lines are threatening areas for many people and are therefore avoided! These features are not attributes of successful parks—in fact, these parks can become disamenities. There is a reason why the Kenwood Neighborhood Organization has paid for extra police presence since 1995 at East Cedar Beach (a.k.a. Hidden Beach)."
The tragic incident on a Cedar Lake Trail is a clarion call to change the conditions of the "Hidden and Secluded" Regional Park. These horrible incidents do not occur often, but when they do, steps should be taken to eliminate the conditions that provide the opportunity to attempt them!
Keep the nature park but make it accessible with one decent path to enable more park users to the area and make the area less threatening!
Ron (Jake) Werner | St. Louis Park
Thanks to the efforts of John Van Heel and Citizens for a Loring Park Community, as well as area stakeholders, the Douglas Median and Hennepin-Lyndale Crossroads received much-needed tending. Prescription Landscape was contracted to manage the corridor for the rest of the 2024 growing season. Tangletown Gardens will install a seasonal planting in early July once the irrigation is turned on. Thank you to our readers for your support of this important effort. Pictured from left to right are Prescription Landscape staff Monaire Baughn, Braden Kramer, Garrett Lucas, Nicholas Weed, Zaden Larson and Brandon Kelly. (Photos Craig Wilson)
