Minneapolis, MN

A chicken sandwich is giving a Minneapolis eatery extra attention

Published

1 month ago

November 12, 2024

A chicken sandwich is giving a Minneapolis eatery extra attention

MINNEAPOLIS — Amid the sounds of the big city sits a little slice of the country on the corner of Eighth Street and Second Avenue in Minneapolis.

Inside, you won’t find farm animals or hay bails, but hungry customers seeking the cure for seemingly uncurable “hangries.”

A sandwich called the GOAT Chicken Sandwich, or Greatest of All Time, sits on the menu and is a title that’s now earning the eatery some extra dough.

“Tara, the owner, came in with the idea. She said somebody approached her and asked her if we wanted to be a part of the competition. It was a very famous bread company,” Maribel Cuadros, a part-owner of the Hen House Eatery, said.

The famous company turned out to be the bread manufacturer, Sara Lee. They named it the “Best Chicken Sandwich in the Country,” awarding the eatery a $20,000 grand prize.

“They were looking for people to do a chicken sandwich and there were 7 other restaurants. We were one of them,” said Cuadros.

The GOAT sandwich consists of Cajun-seasoned chicken breast, BBQ sauce, pepper jack cheese and bacon.

“We never thought we would be a winner, but we made it,” Cuadros said.

The quality comes as no surprise to the kitchen that has become a family in the last 10 years.

“We are kind of sisters. We fight, we get along, we do everything sister do,” Cuadros said. “It’s Tara, Barb and me. We worked together in downtown. We served breakfast for a long time. One day, Tara decides to give us the idea that we could do it fun and private and we decided to keep doing it.”

The risk is now leading to national recognition.

“We are very blessed. I always say that it’s a lot of work to learn something,” Cuadros said. “Always learn something from someone. You keep that in your life and that brings you to a type of place like this. Keep fighting.”

The Hen House is planning to use some of the prize money for a staff holiday party. It also plans to donate a portion to Firefighters for Healing, a group that helps burn victims and their families.

WCCO Staff

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Minneapolis, MN

North Minneapolis community mourns women killed in crash

Published

7 minutes ago

December 22, 2024

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North Minneapolis community mourns women killed in crash – CBS Minnesota

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As family and community members come to grips with the loss of the two women,they’re also remembering the impact they had on those around them.

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Minneapolis, MN

‘They’re in good hands': Balloon release honors north Minneapolis crash victims

Published

8 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

‘They’re in good hands': Balloon release honors north Minneapolis crash victims

Dozens wept and embraced before releasing scores of balloons Saturday over north Minneapolis to remember two community pillars who were killed in a fiery car crash.

The crowd gathered near 26th and Emerson avenues to remember Esther Jean Fulks, 53, and Rose Elaine Reece, 57. They died on Dec. 16 when Teniki Latrice Elise Steward, 38, allegedly drove through a red light and struck their vehicle. A teenager waiting at a nearby bus stop also was injured.

Fulks and Reese “gave their love and their hard work and dedication to the community. And as you can see, there’s people out here for them,” said Fulks’ daughter, D’Nia. “I’m going to miss my mom. That was my world, I was with her day in and day out. I was hoping to come home to my mom, and it didn’t happen.”

“It means a lot,” Fulks’ son, Joseph Loyd, said of the neighbors attending the balloon release. “It shows what they contributed to the community and how much they meant to people. Not just their own families, but they touched countless other families and helped people.”

Emmary Thomas places a candle at a bus stop during a balloon release Saturday for Esther Fulks and Rose Reece at 26th and Emerson avenues in north Minneapolis. Fulks and Reece died in a crash at the intersection on Dec. 16. (Ayrton Breckenridge/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

A memorial of flowers, balloons, candles and pictures on Saturday mark the spot near the site of the crash that killed Esther Fulks and Rose Reece in north Minneapolis. Fulks and Reece died Dec. 16. (Ayrton Breckenridge/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Drakarr Lobley hugs a supporter during Saturday’s balloon release for Esther Fulks and Rose Reece in north Minneapolis. Fulks and Reece died in a crash at the intersection on Dec. 16. Lobley is Reece’s son. (Ayrton Breckenridge/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Family and friends said Fulks and Reece were pillars of the community who treated strangers like family and brought love to those around them. Both had worked as navigators for the Minneapolis Cultural Wellness Center since 1998, helping residents with food, clothing, shelter and other resources.

“They reminded us daily of the transformative power of service, love and cultural connection,” Elder Atum Azzahir, the center’s executive director, said in a statement. “They were not just navigators: They were beacons of hope, guiding people toward brighter futures.”

At the crash scene Saturday, loved ones embraced as they shed tears and shared memories. Anthony Hamilton’s “I Can’t Let Go” played as passing motorists called out condolences and words of support. Caution tape strung from a traffic cone near the intersection fluttered in the wind.

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Minneapolis, MN

Celebrating the winter solstice with a puppet procession in Minneapolis

Published

16 hours ago

December 21, 2024

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Celebrating the winter solstice with a puppet procession in Minneapolis

On Friday night, community members and artists with In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre gathered atop a snow-covered hill in Powderhorn Park in south Minneapolis to celebrate the winter solstice together.

In the center of the crowd, Minneapolis-based musician Sarina Partridge led a series of call-and-responses:

Musician Sarina Partridge leads a call-and-response song during a winter solstice celebration in Powderhorn Park.

Ben Hovland | MPR News

“Welcome in, wild hearts,” she sang. “We will sing our way to wholeness.”

The solstice at 3:21 a.m. Saturday marks the beginning of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere, bringing with it longer days. Saturday will be the shortest day of the year, at 8 hours, 46 minutes and 10 seconds in Minneapolis.

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.

A large heron puppet leads people through a snowy park — A 25-foot tall heron puppet leads hundreds of community members through the snow in Powderhorn Park.
Ben Hovland | MPR News

About 300 people had assembled at Avalon Theatre on Lake Street and walked a few blocks down 15th Avenue to the park. Many procession participants held up paper lanterns, while others carried larger-than-life handmade puppets, recognizable from events like the MayDay Parade and Puppet Lab as well as the theatre’s puppet library, which lets people check out puppets for free.

In the Heart of the Beast’s vibrant puppetry has been a staple of Minneapolis’ Powderhorn and Phillips communities for nearly 50 years, and the organization has called the Avalon Theatre home since 1988. But in November, theatre leadership announced it was starting the process to sell the Avalon and look for a new home for its programming.

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A group of people gather in a snowy park — Hundreds of community members gather in Powderhorn Park for a winter solstice celebration.

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People hold puppets and lanterns outside a theatre — Community members hold handmade puppets and paper lanterns as they walk from In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre on Lake Street to Powderhorn Park.

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People hold lanterns and puppets as they walk down a street — Community members hold handmade puppets and paper lanterns as they walk from In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre on Lake Street to Powderhorn Park.

In the Heart of the Beast’s interim executive director Elina Kotlyar said she hopes to continue to expand on the theatre’s current programming — and make it more accessible.

She said her dream is that the new space “can be reached by as many people as want to come.”

Windchill temperatures hovered in the single digits as the procession wound its way back to the Avalon, but the lanterns cast a warm glow on participants’ faces as they plodded along the quiet neighborhood street.

A child lets out a howl on his father's shoulders — Three-year-old Finn Miller lets out a howl while perched on the shoulders of his father, Josh Miller, during a winter solstice celebration.
Ben Hovland | MPR News

Back inside the theatre, community members shared homemade soup and watched musical performances. For Kotlyar, events like the solstice celebration are integral to bringing the community together.

“Tonight is simply an opportunity to be in the moment with other people,” she said. “And the warm soup is a bonus.”