Letters to the Editor

Our goal is to offer readers diverse perspectives on newsworthy events
or issues of broad public concern to the Hill & Lake community. Our copy limit is 300 words (750 words for a commentary or space permit­ting) and we reserve the right to edit for clarity and length.

Thank You, “Jill?”

These lovely gladiolas were recently left on our front porch, along with an equally lovely note thanking me for my work on the Hill and Lake Press. It was signed by “Jill.”

Naturally, I wrote a thank-you to my friend and copy editor Jill Field, who appreciated the ges­ture — only they weren’t from her! And the Rolodex of my brain could call up no other Jills.

So, Jill, whoever you are, thank you. My inability to figure out your identity is no reflection of my gratitude for your kind words and glorious glads.

P.S. Many people donate their time, talent and treasure to make this paper happen. I share these flowers with them.

Susan Lenfestey
Lowry Hill

Closing Matriarch, Carrying the Vision Forward

I write today with both grati­tude and heartbreak. After only two short months, we have made the difficult decision to close Ma­triarch, our plant-based restaurant at Lake and Irving.

Many of you know the chal­lenges we’ve faced with our land­lord. From the start, we struggled to secure a signed lease, obtain support for our liquor license and address basic building issues like a leaking roof. Without coopera­tion on these essentials, it became impossible to continue. It pains me to say that, after investing so much love and energy, we had no choice but to close our doors.
This is not the letter I ever wanted to write. I opened Matri­arch with the help of my dear friend and co-owner, Crystal Brown, and former Fig + Farro staff who believed, as I did, in creating a space where communi­ty, compassion and good food could flourish. We dreamed of building a home for plant-based dining in Uptown. For a brief mo­ment, thanks to you — our guests, supporters and neighbors — we did.

I want to thank every person who walked through our doors, who celebrated with us, and who shared in the belief that food can be a force for joy and change. While this chapter has closed too soon, it is not the end of the story. We are already working on new collaborations, plant-based pop-ups and ways to bring our vision back to life in spaces where it can thrive.

Uptown has always been a place of resilience and reinven­tion. I’m holding on to that spirit, and I hope you will too. Thank you for your support, your en­couragement, and your love. You can follow our next adventures at www.bookofjane.co

Michelle Courtright
East Bde Maka Ska

No Appetite for a Hot Dog on the Park Board

Jason Garcia (they/them) is running for the Minneapolis Park Board in District 4, carrying the Minneapolis DFL endorsement from a convention that was so poorly run and riddled with irreg­ularities that the state DFL inter­vened and punished the Minneapolis DFL — putting it on proba­tion, suspending its budget and stripping its delegates of voting rights in statewide party business.

It took me a moment to place Garcia, but then it hit me: this is the same person who not long ago was parading around on the Wedge Live podcast as “Hot Dog Larry Jacobs.”

At the time, I’ll admit I laughed. Watching a grown, bearded adult squeeze into a hot dog suit to deliver political com­mentary was absurd enough to be entertaining. But now that the same person wants my vote, the punchline doesn’t land the same.

It’s a lot less funny when the costume comes off and the candi­date expects to be taken seriously as a public servant — especially when his commentary is caustic and divisive, with a “defund the police” poster hanging on the wall behind him.

Wedge Live is in the business of ridiculing people. If Garcia’s plan was to build a brand by mocking politics and politicians, fine — wear the bun, slap on the mustard and call it performance art. But when that performance shifts into a campaign for elected office, the joke feels like it’s on the rest of us.

From what I gather, Garcia, an anti-car activist, was especially upset about the Park Board’s deci­sion to keep the Uptown Mall open for emergency access and parking instead of turning it into a narrow sloped lawn with little utility. I thought the board got that one right. Elizabeth Shaffer represented District 4 well and will serve Ward 7 on the City Council even better. Replacing her with someone who treats poli­tics like a condiment-covered ideological sideshow would be a downgrade.

It wasn’t long ago that this ideology meant allowing encamp­ments in parks and refusing to let state troopers use Park Board restrooms. What’s next — remov­ing cars from parkways and de­funding the Park Police?

For me, it’s simple: I won’t be voting for the hot dog. I’ll be vot­ing for Jeanette Colby.

Mark Sloo
East Isles

DFL Mailer Misleads Voters

I was surprised to receive in my mailbox a campaign mailer for Omar Fateh and other Minne­apolis candidates falsely claiming the endorsement of the Minneap­olis DFL. This is deeply trou­bling.

The Minneapolis DFL, al­ready under state supervision for its wrongful endorsement of Fateh for mayor, should have known better. The organization distribut­ed literature on behalf of Fateh and others, highlighting his en­dorsement for mayor — even though that endorsement had been stripped before the materials were delivered to tens of thousands of homes across the city.
This was a serious breach of trust. The Minneapolis DFL should be ashamed and must issue a public retraction. Candidate Fateh’s campaign, too, owes Min­neapolis voters a formal apology for allowing this misleading ma­terial to circulate.

A candidate who benefits from a misbegotten endorsement and then permits the distribution of a mailer that blatantly misrep­resents the facts raises serious concerns about character and in­tegrity. A vote for Omar Fateh is, plainly, a vote for corruption.

Lee Munich
Former Minneapolis City Coun­cil Member Ward 7

Katie Cashman’s Budget Vote Dimmed Ward 7’s Lights

Remember how long we wait­ed for the city to fix streetlights damaged by copper wire theft? Most of the damage was along the parkways — especially around the Chain of Lakes, right here in Ward 7.

In his budget, Mayor Jacob Frey designated $1 million to
replace the copper wiring with aluminum. Then, astonishingly, Ward 7 Council Member Katie Cashman voted for a budget amendment diverting half of
that money to purchase new pedestrian-level streetlights in Council Member Robin Wons­ley’s Ward 2.

Unfortunately, the amendment passed with support from the council’s Democratic Socialists of America majority, with whom Cashman votes about 85 percent of the time:
“Amending the 2025 Mayor’s Recommended Budget in the Gen­eral Fund (00100) to appropriate $500,000 one-time within the Public Works Department, Street Lighting (6850100) for increased pedestrian-level lighting in the Dinkytown and Marcy-Holmes neighborhoods pending eligibility as a Pedestrian Street Lighting Corridor.”

The amendment forced the city, during a time of painful belt-tightening, to raid its contin­gency funds to restore money des­perately needed for streetlight re­pair citywide — especially in Ward 7.

How unfortunate that we were first victimized by thieves and then let down by our own council member. That’s why it was mind-bending to see Cashman on KSTP a few days ago, celebrating the repairs as if she had supported them all along.

This time, let’s elect a council member we can trust — Elizabeth Shaffer.

Mary Pattock
Cedar-Isles-Dean

Back in the Light Thanks to Ka­tie Cashman

Streetlight repair in Minneapo­lis has been a long-standing chal­lenge. Due in large part to the theft of copper electrical wiring, neigh­borhoods across the city have been left in the dark in recent years. This is a serious safety concern for residents and visitors who want to enjoy our streets and parkways af­ter dark.
In 2024, the city’s Public Works team repaired 10 miles of street lighting. An impressive number, but not enough to keep pace with copper thefts and the re­sulting outages.

Enter Council Member Katie Cashman, who worked with the mayor’s office and Public Works to secure funding for 20 miles of repairs in 2025. Crews are now in­stalling low-resale-value alumi­num wiring and tamper-resistant screws around Lake of the Isles, with Cedar Lake and Bde Maka Ska next on the list.

This is a major win for Ward 7, which is why I was disappointed when Cashman’s electoral oppo­nent suggested that funding pedes­trian lighting repairs in Dinky­town and Marcy-Holmes somehow came at the expense of work around the lakes. Don’t those neighborhoods also deserve safe, well-lit streets?
This accomplishment required the leadership of Cashman, her council colleagues, the mayor, and Public Works to make both the budget and logistics work. With so many competing priorities in the city budget, Cashman stuck with this issue. Now that repairs are un­derway, she continues to receive weekly progress updates from Public Works, which she shares in her biweekly Ward 7 newsletters.

This is a real issue being re­solved in large part thanks to the dedicated work of Council Mem­ber Katie Cashman — a prob­lem-solver and leader who follows up and follows through for our community.

John Maternoski
Loring Park

A Vote for Cathy Abene Is a Vote for Clean Water and Strong Parks

Count me among the many people in Park District 6 — and throughout our park system — who are huge fans of Cathy Abene, our current Park Board president and District 6 commissioner. Cathy has worked tirelessly for our environment and for a strong and effective Park Board. She has protected and cleaned our waters, used Park Board resources respon­sibly, and managed staff and assets with fairness and steadiness.

As president, Cathy has shown that she can intelligently and re­spectfully handle complex chal­lenges and build consensus, even in difficult times. She has priori­tized clean water initiatives, sup­ported shoreline restoration and tree canopy expansion, and strengthened partnerships with neighborhoods and community or­ganizations.

She has also been a steady hand on the budget, ensuring re­sources are spent wisely and trans­parently to fulfill the Park Board’s mission.

Cathy’s professional expertise as a civil engineer, her commit­ment to environmental steward­ship, and her proven ability to lead with integrity make her an out­standing public servant. She has earned our trust, and she has earned another term.

Please join me in supporting Cathy Abene for another four years as District 6 commissioner.

Constance Pepin
Linden Hills

Elizabeth Shaffer Listens Before Leading

We are supporting Elizabeth Shaffer for Minneapolis City Council in Ward 7 because she lis­tens first and studies issues care­fully before drawing conclusions.

Too often in today’s political climate, the mentality is to claim all the answers up front. But we live in a representative democracy, and in our experience, good gover­nance comes from weighing many different sides before making de­cisions.
Elizabeth has shown she un­derstands this, and she has proven her ability to do it well through her thoughtful work on the Minneapo­lis Park Board.

That is why she will have our vote.

Chuck Malkerson & Carolyn Hall
Loring Park

Katie Cashman Delivers on Pub­lic Safety

When George Floyd was killed more than four years ago, the elected leaders of Minneapolis pledged to fix the Police Depart­ment and the city’s public safety system at large.

In the years since, many of those leaders have quietly retreat­ed from those promises, even as the system continues to fail peo­ple. People like Amir Locke, un­justly killed by police in Ward 7 in 2022.

Or Davis Moturi, who made call after call to 911 pleading for protection from a neighbor who later shot him while he trimmed a tree in his front yard last year.
Not to mention the many vic­tims of property crime who never get a call back, or unhoused neigh­bors left to brave the elements be­cause there are not enough afford­able homes or shelter beds.

Leaders who have remained committed to reforming our public safety infrastructure have been true beacons. Ward 7’s City Coun­cil member, Katie Cashman, has been one of them.

Cashman understands that public safety requires more than simply voting to increase the po­lice budget each year. She has led efforts to expand the city’s tools to prevent, respond to and solve crime, including violence preven­tion specialists, mental health cri­sis responders and civilian investi­gators.

She has also worked to address the conditions that contribute to unsafe neighborhoods by voting for more shelter beds, more afford­able housing, faster and lasting streetlight repairs, and protections for vulnerable renters and work­ers.

This fall, I encourage you to cast your first-choice vote for Ka­tie Cashman, an elected represen­tative who still believes in walking the walk.

Douglas Pearson
Downtown West

Colby Offers the Skills and Vi­sion Our Parks Need

I am supporting Jeanette Colby for Minneapolis Park Board Dis­trict 4 because she has proven her­self over several decades as a dili­gent, thoughtful and effective community leader. Colby has de­voted countless hours as a volun­teer, diving into the details, study­ing the facts and making reasoned arguments that consistently sup­port our community’s goals.

She is an adult in the best sense of the word — steady, reliable and equipped with excellent executive skills. I have no doubt she will provide outstanding constituent service, much like Commissioner Elizabeth Shaffer has done so ad­mirably. Colby understands that listening, problem-solving and clear communication are at the heart of public service.

Beyond that, Colby is the right candidate for many reasons. She brings deep experience in commu­nity service, a collaborative style that builds bridges and a genuine respect for our parks and neigh­borhoods. She knows how to bal­ance big-picture vision with the practical work of governance, en­suring that decisions reflect both values and facts.

District 4 deserves a commis­sioner who combines dedication with competence, and Jeanette Colby is that person. I will proudly cast my vote for her.

Aileen Johnson
North Loop

Honoring the Life and Legacy of Fran Davis

We write to honor the memory of our neighbor and dear friend Fran Davis, who recently passed away and leaves behind a remark­able legacy in our community.
Fran was more than a success­ful real estate professional — she was a connector, a nurturer and a champion for those around her. To work with Fran was not simply to buy or sell a home; it was to be welcomed into the community, embraced with her characteristic warmth and generosity.

Her smile and positive attitude were ever-present, and her counsel was freely offered to anyone in need. She gave tirelessly of her­self, serving on many boards, in­cluding the Guthrie Theater, Chil­dren’sTheatre, MinnPost, Women Winning, and the Lowry Hill Neighborhood Association. Her contributions went far beyond fi­nancial support — she offered her energy, her strategic insights, and her extensive circle of friends, ral­lying them to join her in support­ing causes she held dear. They showed up not just because they loved the cause, but because they loved Fran.

Fran was also deeply engaged in politics, lending her time and talents to candidates at every level of government. And when it came to community, her legendary New Year’s Day gatherings were among the most coveted invitations in town.

Though she stood just five feet tall, Fran’s presence loomed larger than life. She will be profoundly missed by all who knew her, and by countless others whose lives were touched by her service, even if they never met her in person.
Her legacy lives on not only in the organizations she strengthened and the people she touched but also through her beloved sister, Barb, who will continue carrying forward the spirit of these two ex­traordinary sisters in action.

Minneapolis has lost one of its brightest lights. Fran Davis’s spark will continue to shine through the community she loved so deeply.

Lily, John, Dawn, and Mike Erlandson
East Isles

A Quieter Cedar Lake Parkway Brings Newfound Peace

With the closure of Cedar Lake Parkway at Burnham Road, I recommend everyone take a stroll along the parkway. Earlier this summer, before the closure, crossing the street felt unsafe be­cause of the high volume of vehi­cles, some speeding upward of 35 to 40 mph.

Now the atmosphere is trans­formed. The street is quieter, more tranquil, and feels safer. With less through-traffic, the experience is much more parklike. (Local vehi­cle access remains, so anyone who needs or wants to drive can still do so.)

At Point Beach, I hear the whistling wind through the trees instead of accelerating engines. I notice the high-pitched trill of a cedar waxwing instead of the thrum of motors. The difference in the park experience is remark­able.
I wasn’t living in Minneapolis during the COVID parkway clo­sures, but my neighbor said this current state reminds him of that time. I admit I’m jealous of those who got to enjoy the parkways closed to cars. Today, Cedar Lake Parkway feels like a relaxing es­cape, not a loud, stressful road­way.

Benjamin Lester
Bryn Mawr

America’s Longest Dinner Ta­ble to Transform Nicollet Mall

Dinner du Nord, a new large-scale dining event, will take place Thursday, Sept. 11, on Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis. The event will feature 2,000 din­ers, 40 restaurants and food trucks, and 280 tables, creating what organizers say will be Amer­ica’s longest dinner table.

The event has two goals: to strengthen Nicollet Mall’s role as Minnesota’s premier destination for entertainment and to support Minneapolis restaurants and food trucks, many of which are still re­covering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Dinner du Nord is everything that makes Minneapolis great — creative, welcoming and rooted in community,” Mayor Jacob Frey said. “We’re setting the longest dinner table in America right here on Nicollet Mall, not just to show­case our incredible restaurants and food trucks, but to bring peo­ple together in the heart of our city. This is about supporting our hospitality workers, celebrating our diverse food scene and prov­ing once again that downtown Minneapolis is where bold ideas come to life.”

The concept was inspired by Savor the Summit in Park City, Utah, which features long tables set up along Main Street. Dinner du Nord departs from that model with menus and pricing designed to welcome diners at all budget levels. Restaurants will offer meals ranging from taco platters at $18 to fine dining experiences at $230, with taxes and gratuities included.

Organizers say the event builds on Minneapolis’ tradition of com­munity gatherings such as Nation­al Night Out. Proceeds will bene­fit Help the House Foundation, which supports workers in the restaurant industry.
To participate, visit www.din­nerdunord.com, review the menus of the 40 participating restaurants and food trucks, purchase a ticket from the restaurant of your choice by Sept. 6, and arrive on Sept. 11 ready to dine.

Sponsors include the City of Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Foundation, Hospitality Minneso­ta, Meet Minneapolis Downtown Council, Southern Glazer’s, Inter­mix Beverage, the Star Tribune, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, the Min­neapolis Film Society, and herd impact.

Scott Mayer
Loring Park