Death Threats to IBNN

deathThe funny thing is, all I have is a Blog that I do for a hobby. I charge no money for ads, nor do I take dollars to publish stories.

One thing I have done is report on “process” that has never had any press coverage in the Black community.

The following email was received today from a Terrell Brown, (bigbrown0939@yahoo.com).

It reads: (unedited)

You have been warned before about bashing the black community in which you do not live. You sir are scum of the earth, we get your blogs and personally you are full of horse shit. Your days of speaking untruth are numbered sir.

As i speak right now, there’s a group that met last night on your actions the past several months, they are going to put a silence hold on you. We have sat and talked with someone you did drugs with (1985) that knows you very well. We know who you are working for and with, this meeting last nite on you Donald Allen was very informative and will damage you badly in the public’s eye.

T. Brown
Chairman of Grassroots Community Organizin

# # #
First of all, this guy does not know me very well and I could give a rats-ass about someone telling him about my alleged drug use. I don’t run social service agency. Secondly, if this is who I think it is, he should be thrown under the jail. As far as me and the “public eye” I’m pleased to announce that in some cases, we do see eye-to-eye.

Does this guy work for a non-profit – what kind of community organizing is this? Could this be a Democrat operative?

A $1000 (one-thousand dollar) reward is being offered for information about Mr. Terrell that leads to an arrest.

The National Health Care Reform and Retirement Act

mo-moBy Mo CarterMr. Carter is an Author and Writer from Shreveport, LA. – who has published a number of papers about politics, race and “process.” Today Mr. Carter comes to IBNN via Facebook, where he is a top friend of IBNN’s editor in chief Don Allen.

Mo Carter states, I’ve completed ‘READING’ the Bill H.R 3200 Health care Reform. People this is not “REFORM“. This is a “pay-off ” for all the insurance companies and health care lobbyist in the nation. The Bill does not contain “Tort” reform. How can you reform the health care industry without preventing outrageous and frivolous malpractice lawsuits, it’s impossible without “Tort” reform? The Bill also contains way too many “mandates” on States, and no “mandates” on insurance companies. In its present form the health care Bill H.R. 3200 shouldn’t be supported by the people until Congress gets its act together!

healthcareref
Read the Bill H.R. 3200:

The following article was re-published with the permission of the author Mo Carter – All rights reserved 2009.

The health care debate in our country has raged on for over 50 years. On one side the powerful medical insurance industry lobbyists and on the other weak and courage less politicians. One side offering self regulation the other imposed regulation. In the meantime the American people and its corporate businesses are caught between a rock and a hard place by paying more and more in premium rates. Also, by the do nothing crowd that exist in Washington D.C., our elected officials.

Some say that health care is a right, others say it a privilege and personal responsibility. Millions in America go without health care insurance, millions are either under insured or over insured; whatever that means? Our president and his party tells us they all are for some form of healthcare reform, the minority leadership and his gang say they’re for no government mandated health care reform whatsoever.

Well it’s a lot more to it then what I explain above, however; has anyone asked one simply question?

What is the point of health care reform and why America should support or not support such an endeavor?

Let’s face it folks, there’s only one reason you don’t have mandated health care in America; insurance industry PROFITS, period! Its simple people by insuring American’s who are not insured or preexisting condition American’s you cut into those PROFITS. (Anyway, I’ll explain later this week)

So what do we do? Well Mr. President Members of Congress, insurance industry executives, ladies and gentlemen; Mo Carter has a solution.

Medicare and Medicaid are the two most well managed and successful government programs in the nation. Social security is consistently a pain in the ass every year; in fact we hear it soon will be run solvent, without continuous tax increases and age adjustments. Why not combine all three programs?

Combining Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security into one agency (or one program) to provide an overall solution to the health care and well being of all our citizens, will save trillions.

Let’s call it the National Health Care Reform and Retirement Act. (I will argue my opinion later this week)

Folks, let’s open this topic up for your opinion. What do you say we should do?

Comments to Mo’s story are welcomed at mocarter_2000@yahoo.com or feel free to comment at info@ibnn.org.

DFL Political Plantation

Commentary by Donald W.R. Allen, Editor in ChiefIndependent Business News Network

Slaves-Picking-Cotton-On-A-PlantationThe purpose of the Minneapolis Urban League Glover-Sudduth Center for Economic Development is to do just that. Grow economic development among the Black Minnesotan population. Not to be the DFL political plantation in a cold Jim Crow. The irony is that the top voter turn-outs in Minnesota are cast in the highest populated Black districts. What a way to thank the Black voters!

How can the Minneapolis Urban League reach out to the African American population when the main focus has been to pimp the African American vote for the DFL? African Americans hold the right to vote sacred and the historical importance has been manipulated by those who promise and deliver not much more than a cup of Free Trade Coffee at EJAM’s Founders Day among hippies “slumming it” on the Northside for the day, with their Obama buttons. Community members are only treehuggerinvited when there is a photo opportunity, and when the image of mobilization is needed for organizations such as Institute for Agricultural and Trade Policy, which although does work on the policy side does little to help the day to day with the trickle down hopes promised. Only deliver a hot mess of benign neglect. Pimped for grants, and yet nothing ever gets done but then again there is always next year. Another example that poverty pimps have a vested interest keeping the Northside oppressed and earn, a nice notation on their resumes.

This has done wonders for the careers of Secretary of State Mike Richie, and of course Congressperson Keith Ellison, who offices out of the Minneapolis Urban League.

The quality of life of everyday Black Minnesotans has declined.

The statistics are there, and if the same people maintain power we have a readymade experiment for the University of Minnesota to study the effects of poverty, instead of eliminating it. This is a passive aggressive Tuskegee Experiment. Now I know they would say this is ancient history and why would this all matter? Those who were born and raised might beg to differ.

The irony is before the election of Jackie Cherryhomes, the quality of life of in the Northside was better, the asthma rates were lower, and if the much contested garbage burner was built and during Cherryhomes tenure, now that there is a ritzy new Twins Stadium and the Northside is being gentrified we now care about this eyesore? Then again, IATP (Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy) would not have a reason to even educate about the threat of asthma. How can we trust a part and a political party and their cohorts that makes problems and we expect the same folks to fix it?

The current Democratic Leadership knows little about the history of the DFL. Nellie Stone Johnson would not even recognize the party that she worked so hard to form. The party was for everyday people, not a clique for former law students not born and raised in Minnesota. Nouveau carpet baggers like Brian Melendez upon winning the State Chair was quoted “this is not your Daddy’s DFL!” What would this native Floridian know between a Dixiecrat and a Democrat?

Governor Floyd B. Olson, a North High graduate is rolling in his grave what they did to his beloved Northside. Long before Murderapolis, The Minneapolis Public Schools during Dr. Richard Green’s direction were nationally recognized, we can get there again. But we need new leadership!

The Minneapolis Urban League continues an unknown “process” to many

MUL1The Independent Business News Network (IBNN) editor in chief Don Allen has been covering the “process” of the Minneapolis Urban League for over two years. Repeated requests for board minutes and a list of current board members have not been answered. Last night (7/27), the Minneapolis Urban League held their annual meeting, without the glitz of a traditional annual meeting; this meeting was strategic meeting that left some community members wondering about the process for board nominations. Will the United Way or other MUL granting agencies be interested in a process that leaves the community “out of the loop?”

Minneapolis, MN…On Monday, July 27, 2009 the Minneapolis Urban League held their annual meeting. IBNN’s editor and chief Don Allen questioned MUL board chair person Cathy Wassberg on what was the process to alert MUL members about the meeting and if the MUL has sent out notices to members about the board meeting. Wassberg answered, “We adhered to the bylaws and notified members that our annual meeting was today.”

  • Year-to-date, the Minneapolis Urban League has not provided a list of current board members or copies of bylaws.

boardWhat comes in to question is who was notified and why the Minneapolis Urban League did not send out any information about the process for the community to be actively involved in the board selection process. Wassberg went on to say, “The procedure for nominating a potential board person was to submit a request in writing for review.” No information was provided on how members or the community was notified about the annual meeting or the “process” to elect board candidates from the floor.

  • IBNN attests that information was distributed to select members of the MUL and no information to the community about the process of how to elect or submit for consideration a new MUL board candidate. Allen, being a member of the MUL did not receive any notification. Also sources tell IBNN that community members that have not paid their dues to the MUL received notice of this meeting, some for the first time in years.

This process by the Minneapolis Urban League has been validated in a story last week published in the Minnesota Spokesman-Record titled, “Swirl of controversy envelops Minneapolis Urban League board” by Charles Hallman Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, originally posted 7/22/2009. Read it here: (http://www.spokesman-recorder.com/news/Article/Article.asp?NewsID=97914&sID=4&ItemSource=L).

The Minneapolis Urban League must be held accountable if not by the National Urban League, the Minnesota Secretary of State.

IBNN’s editor in chief said, “After attending the MUL annual meeting as a member of the MUL and watching the process become even more complex, I wonder will there ever be a chance to introduce solutions to the problems that have troubled the north Minneapolis social service agency?”

Sources say that MUL president R. Scott Gray announced to the board that the MUL needed $10,000 for Family Day activities. Not one board member came forward to offer even a dollar towards the event at the time of the meeting.

Allen says, “An agency like the Minneapolis Urban League should have board members that can contribute to community events like the MUL Family Day to assist the MUL in these hard economic times. The MUL continues to pay for “no direction” advertising in a local north Minneapolis newspaper whose editor and chief is on the MUL board…can we say conflict of interest?”

Allen has been a vocal critic of the Minneapolis Urban League but has also written favorable articles about the Minneapolis flagship social service agency in Twin City Business and ArticlesBase.com.

Comments are welcomed at info@ibnn.org.

North Minneapolis Politics – Part 4: Jackie Cherryhomes, “The lady doth protest too much.” By the way, who put you in charge of North Minneapolis?


Jackie Cherryhomes has deep political ties within the City of Minneapolis. She’s like a “city super-hero” finding money for “feel good projects” that in some cases have bypassed benefiting anyone in north Minneapolis. Just to give her a heads up, “It’s a new day, furthermore – who’s asking you anyway?”

Why is north Minneapolis like a Sci-Fi movie, “The needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many.” (Okay – I know its the other way around, let’s just “twist a little.”)

Art Projects and Street Clean-ups don’t create economic development in north Minneapolis – just ask the West Broadway Area Business Coalition.

Some individuals in north Minneapolis have reached their “zenith” or level of professional competence, which means that rather than idea, create and develop – they move in a direction that is counterproductive. Again, the community suffers.

North Minneapolis residents sit back and watch organizations like the Peace Foundation celebrate Art; the West Broadway Area Business Coalition have a street clean-up, rather than focusing on changing the perception of north Minneapolis and collaborating with business to build capacity.

I remind you that these agencies are on a very thin rope, in regards to caring water for City of Minneapolis agencies and politicians.

What will it take for local politicians, social service agencies and wanna-be political players to focus on the real problems, curing the illness of north Minneapolis from the bottom up?

No one wants to address the high cost of “Black Address.” Could it be that it’s on the bottom?

Antiquated, covert political moves will no longer be tolerated in north Minneapolis.

The north side has seen no successful measureable outcomes, even when you (Cherryhomes) were on the Minneapolis City Council. What we did see is low income housing torn down and a development that was out-priced for members of the community.

By the way…how long was that lease?

The WAVE Project on KFAI-FM 90.3 with Lennie Chism, IBNN’s Don Allen and local comedian “KJ” Sunday, July 26, 2009 from 6 – 7 p.m.

Tune into KFAI-FM Radio at 90.3 for the show “Mobilizing Impoverished Wealth.”

We will discuss strategies to improve and enhance local neighborhoods through community involvement are presented by Lennie Chism and his special guest the Independent Business News Network’s Editor and Chief Don Allen, who lately has a lot to say about “process” and why the same people are always at the table with little to no results. You can read his online Blog at www.ibnn.org.

Also included in this show will be live music by Soulasious along with special guest comedian and one of Twin Cities hottest up and coming comedian Kelechi Jaavaid. (KJ is the brother from the whopper freak out commercial. See more of KJ at (www.myspace.com/kjay02).

Subject of Program:

The questions of the day: “Why does everyone try to escape the high cost of Black address in an impoverished community?” What’s with the “attacks” on Black people from the news media to local “stratified” politicians whom have forgotten that in most cases some of them represent the poorest neighborhoods in Minneapolis?

  • Why hasn’t the foreclosure crisis (opportunity) been solved? Who are the players that have created a new industry while throwing $100 million dollars at a “crisis” and still have no measurable results – should it be tolerated?
  • The Minneapolis Department of Civil Right…Should they stay or go? This brings up an interesting topic that will be discussed in detail by Mr. Allen, who in his own words says, “They have not done the job for the minority-ethnic community – heads must roll, starting with the replacement of the director of the MDCR and Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak and most of the Minneapolis City Council. The City Council should at least look like the communities they represent.”
  • What role should north Minneapolis non-profit social service play…and why is the Minneapolis Urban League so dysfunctional?
  • The mayor’s use of the “N” word. “North Minneapolis.” We see no measurable results, but a plan to uproot a community.
  • We will discuss the rolls of local social service agencies that have become an institution unto themselves with money in and no “pipeline” to the community.

We will explore the strategies to cure the stigma of having an impoverished address. The community problem solver often spends an enormous amount time addressing the symptoms without finding the cures. Example: We are so busy swatting the flies but often neglect to remove the excrement that draws them.

What kind of people will be interested in this program and what will the listeners gain?

Grassroots community organizers who strive to improve the lot of the impoverished community will find the strategies practical and put them into action.

We will take an “inside” view of local politics and “process” that have left communities of color on the outside looking in.

Our community has been denied information for over 40 years. This is an opportunity to tell what’s really going on.

Tune in Sunday, July 26, 2009 from 6 p. m. to 7 p.m. on KFAI-FM Radio – 90.3 on your FM dial. Listeners can also tune in via the Internet by going to www.kfai.org.

Is this the position of the University of Minnesota/UROC and the Northside Partnership about North Minneapolis? Can you help us understand?

On last Thursday (7/16), a meeting of the Willard-Homewood Organization (WHO) was held at NorthPoint to hear a presentation from local Northside businessman and Ward 5 city council candidate Lennie Chism about his purchase and plans for the old Uncle Bills Food Store that has been the subject of heated controversy.

Sources sent IBNN the following email from north side resident and University of Minnesota employee Michelle Lewis that she sent former Minneapolis City Council President Jackie Cherryhomes and Bev Roberts.

It reads (unedited):

From: Michelle Lewis
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 10:13 AM
To: Beverly Roberts; Jackie Cherryhomes
Subject: tidbit about Lennie/NorthPoint

Hi, Bev and Jackie–

I just got off the phone with Tim Hammett, and he told me a kind of interesting anecdote: Tim had gone down to check out a report that the boards were off of Uncle Bill’s and someone was in the building, It turned out to be Lennie, showing the building to a man from NorthPoint. Tim had a chance to talk with the NorthPoint representative alone for a minute, and it turns out that Lennie had neglected to mention to NorthPoint that the building was slated for demolition in late July or early August, and that this was at the request of the city council.

To me, the significance of this tidbit is that if NorthPoint goes along with Lennie’s project, knowing him to have withheld a vital piece of information like this, that accepting this level of dishonesty from a partner would be a serious dereliction of NorthPoint’s public trust–not to mention financial accountability.

So far, I’ve contacted Don & MaryAnn (right behind Uncle Bill’s), Andy Doucette (right across the street, on the corner), Barb Bergeron, Carol Olson, and Kathy Godfrey, so hopefully they will e-mail Stella Whitney-West in the next few days. MaryAnn was planning on calling her.

ok, now i’m going to take Bev’s advice and *breathe*! lol

Michelle
**********************************
Michelle Lewis
Teaching and Grants Support
Genetics, Cell Biology and Development
University of Minnesota
6-160 Jackson Hall
321 Church St. SE.
Minneapolis, MN 55455

# # #

Did the University of Minnesota give official permission or approval for the course of action in this email? The email is miss-leading and unethical.

It looks like Ms. Lewis doesn’t have enough work to do at the U of M – she has made a “quantum leap” in stating that the employee did not know about the scheduled demo, which doesn’t mean NorthPoint management and board of directors didn’t know.

This email was then forwarded by Cherryhomes to her political pundits with the following statement: (Unedited)

Fr: “Jackie Cherryhomes”
To: “Velez, Jose E.” <Jose.Velez@ci.minneapolis.mn.us>, <don1samuels@net>, <Karen.Dziedzic@co.hennepin.mn.us>, <mark.stenglein@co.hennepin.mn.us>

Subject: tidbit about Lennie/NorthPoint

Hi Folks:

I just want you to be in the loop on all the exciting activities out here. I don’t understand Northpoint’s continued involvement in this.

# # #

What was the real message in Cherryhomes last sentence sent to Dziedzic, Samuels and Stenglein?

With the email and “whisper” campaign moving forward IBNN is concerned what role a U of M employee has sending out emails to Cherryhomes and Roberts in what looks like an official capacity, rather than using a Gmail, Yahoo or Comcast account.

Another point to make: The University of Minnesota is doing its best to react to community concerns and issues from backing out of the NorthPoint deal to doing damage control with the seniors at Rainbow Terrence Senior high-rise who have complained that the original agreement to get them to a grocery store has turned into a less than desirable agreement with some residents waiting weeks to shop for groceries.

It also concerns us that allegedly McCormack & Barron is planning on entering back into north Minneapolis with thoughts of developing a senior high-rise. (McCormick & Barron is one of the developers on Heritage Park when Jackie Cherryhomes was Minneapolis City Council president…put it together!).

Phone calls to McCormick and Barron and interviews with local residents, businesses and politicians about Jackie Cherryhomes involvement in Heritage Park and the deal cut will be a topic in an upcoming IBNN exclusive feature.

What is the involvement with Cherryhomes and the Harrison Neighborhood?

IBNN is concerned that Uncle Bill’s re-opening has now become a “race” issue and an attack on Black business in north Minneapolis.

Yes, there is crime. There are drugs – but if social service agencies and local government have not provided ample opportunity for youth of all color to be gainfully employed, this denotes “other options” to survive.

Rather than wasting your time condemning Uncle Bill’s call your local political and ask him, “Why does north Minneapolis still suck?”

North Minneapolis only sees economic stimuli in the form of liquor stores, barber shops, beauty salons. There is nothing in north Minneapolis to attract anyone from the outside to come here and shop, eat or live.

IBNN alleges that Lewis and Cherryhomes have a covert plan without giving full disclosure to the community of north Minneapolis.

“Black people have nothing over north, not even the Minneapolis Urban League,” says long-time north Minneapolis resident Danny Walker. “Why are the White people in north Minneapolis so down on the Blacks who want to make Uncle Bills something great? Someone must have another plan,” says Walker…”Oops, there it is!”

“Chism for Cures” in North Minneapolis’ Ward 5 – The Replacements: Chism and McKnight run for Samuels Ward 5 City Council Seat

Today in downtown Minneapolis local north Minneapolis businessman Lennie Chism and Community Activist Kenya McKnight have filed to run against incumbent Minneapolis Ward 5 City Councilman Don Samuels.

lennie1Chism says, “North Minneapolis has seen the worst of times with Samuels in office that has created groups that for the most part overlook that woman on the corner with three children and no job in favor of a ‘peace’ group to have an ‘Art Crawl.’ This does not address the many issues that north Minneapolis has nor does it create education, independence or wealth for the community. Don Samuel’s must go!”

“His comments about ‘burning North High School down’ and lack of interaction with the stakeholders of Ward 5 must change. I am the candidate that will bring a change of perception to north Minneapolis while inviting the private sector to participate in the growth of the community.”

Chism went on to say, “We need groups like the University of Minnesota/UROC in north Minneapolis – we’ve had nothing for years. But we also need Community Benefit Agreements with organizations that come into the northside that will help us grow capacity in the forms of job creation, program engagement and entrepenural ventures for the residents of Ward 5.”

“I want to work with every community organization to make a giant leap into a functioning, operational north Minneapolis with lower crime, more businesses and definatley more opportunity for everyone.”

No return call from the McKnight campaign at the time of this release. It is also rumored that former NAACP youth cooridator James Everette has filed to run for Mayor of Minneapolis.

To contact the campaign of “Chism for Cures” send an email to cures@lenniechism.com

The Wave Project: Addressing the high cost of “Black” Address on KFAI-FM (90.3) 6 p.m. – Sunday, July 26 – “Mobilizing Impoverished Wealth”

Radio Promo

Sunday, July 26, 2009 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. tune into KFAI-FM Radio at 90.3 for the show “Mobilizing Impoverished Wealth.”

We will discuss strategies to improve and enhance local neighborhoods through community involvement are presented by Lennie Chism and his special guest the Independent Business News Networks Editor and Chief Don Allen, who lately has a lot to say about “process” and why the same people are always at the table with little to no results. You can read his online Blog at www.ibnn.org.

Also included in this show will be live music by Soulasious along with special guest comedian and one of Twin Cities hottest up and coming comedian Kelechi Jaavaid. (KJ is the brother from the whopper freak out commercial. See more of KJ at www.myspace.com/kjay02).

Subject of Program:

The questions of the day: “Why does everyone try to escape the high cost of Black address in an impoverished community?” What’s with the “attacks” on Black people from the news media to local “stratified” politicians whom have forgotten that in most cases some of them represent the poorest neighborhoods in Minneapolis?

  • Why hasn’t the foreclosure crisis (opportunity) been solved? Who are the players that have created a new industry while throwing $100 million dollars at a “crisis” and still have no measurable results – should it be tolerated?
  • The Minneapolis Department of Civil Right…Should they stay or go? This brings up an interesting topic that will be discussed in detail by Mr. Allen, who in his own words says, “They have not done the job for the minority-ethnic community – heads must roll, starting with the replacement of the director of the MDCR and Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak and most of the Minneapolis City Council. The City Council should at least look like the communities they represent.”
  • The mayor’s use of the “N” word. “North Minneapolis.” We see no measurable results, but a plan to uproot a community.
  • We will discuss the rolls of local social service agencies that have become an institution unto themselves with money in and no “pipeline” to the community.
  • We will explore the strategies to cure the stigma of having an impoverished address. The community problem solver often spends an enormous amount time addressing the symptoms without finding the cures. Example: We are so busy swatting the flies but often neglect to remove the excrement that draws them.

What kind of people will be interested in this program and what will the listeners gain?

Grassroots community organizers who strive to improve the lot of the impoverished community will find the strategies practical and put them into action.

We will take an “inside” view of local politics and “process” that have left communities of color on the outside looking in.

Our community has been denied information for over 40 years. This is an opportunity to tell what’s really going on.

Tune in Sunday, July 26, 2009 from 6 p. m. to 7 p.m. on KFAI-FM Radio – 90.3 on your FM dial.

H.I.R.E. Minnesota files “Missing Persons Report” on Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) – whose missing? …Hundreds people of color that should be hired by the agency to work on road construction projects throughout the state

work777Rally at MNDOT 11:45 am – 1 pm, Thursday, July 23, 2009. (Minnesota Department of Transportation is located at Transportation Building, 395 John Ireland Boulevard, Saint Paul, MN 55155. Click here for map.

Earlier this month, H.I.R.E Minnesota asked people from around the state to contact the Office of Energy Security to let them know that we expect them to be accountable to low-income communities and communities of color. Thanks to your help, we are moving negotiations forward to make that happen. We’ll keep you updated.

At the same time, there is another state agency we need to hold accountable: The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT).

Join us this Thursday as we file a missing persons report at MNDOT!

Meet on the lawn across the street from the MNDOT Headquarters (in the MNDOT cafeteria in case of rain)

Each year, MNDOT gives hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money to private contractors to build and repair our roads, bridges and transit ways.

They know they are supposed to meet their modest goals for women and minority contracting, hiring and training. They know because they’ve been told by the federal government, by community groups, by workforce development programs and by HIRE Minnesota, including many of you who came to hearings this spring.

Yet year after year MNDOT fails to meet its goals. Drive by any local construction site and you’ll notice whose missing: workers of color.

But MNDOT now tells us that we are asking them to move “too fast” to meet their goals!

We’d like you to help us file a missing persons report with MNDOT. Please join us at the MNDOT headquarters this Thursday. We need to remind MNDOT that they need to be accountable by giving opportunities to people from our community.

Next Page »

  • Meta

  • News Services




    Stumble It!









    Web Site Hit Counter
    Web Counter