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Readers and writers: Minneapolis gets its first poet laureate

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Readers and writers: Minneapolis gets its first poet laureate


It had to happen. As soon as we take a little time off, literary news breaks, such as poet Heid E. Erdrich being appointed the first Minneapolis poet laureate. She will be honored Monday, Jan. 8, at the Minneapolis City Council meeting where she will read a special poem as her first official act.

Heid Erdrich (Minneapolis Arts & Cultural Affairs / The Loft)

An esteemed poet, author and advocate, Erdrich brings an influential body of work and life experience to this role, according to the Minneapolis Arts & Cultural Affairs department and the Loft Literary Center, partners in facilitating the competition. Erdrich is an Ojibwe enrolled at Turtle Mountain and, in addition to her own work, has edited multiple collections amplifying the work of other indigenous writers. She is the winner of two Minnesota Book Awards, as well as fellowships and awards from the Library of Congress, National Poetry Series, Native Arts and Culture Foundation, the Loft, First People’s Fund and others.

Erdrich, sister of Pulitzer Prize-winner Louise Erdrich, has taught and practiced multidisciplinary art for decades as a professor and in the community, visiting dozens of colleges and universities, libraries and cultural institutions as a guest speaker and teacher. She’s done multiple collaborations, curations, and installations around Native American art.

With her special interest in the intersection of poetry, performance, and visual art, Erdrich’s poems have been commissioned for the National Gallery of Art, the Baltimore Museum of Art and elsewhere. She has collaborated on poem films, with choreographers, and on public art projects and has curated dozens of art exhibits focused on Native American artists. She is guest curator for Mead Art Museum of Amherst College and was 2023 chairperson of the National Book Awards poetry panel.

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Mayor Jacob Frey said in a release announcing Erdrich’s appointment: “Minneapolis is a city of arts and creativity — and our new poet laureate will help inspire our community through the power of words. I look forward to welcoming Heid E. Erdrich to this role — and seeing her use language to inspire and unite our community.” In the release, Erdrich said: “It is especially gratifying for me as an Anishinaabe woman to acknowledge that indigenous people, particularly the Dakota, were the first poets of this place. In my role as poet laureate I will include Indigenous poets in all I do. Miigwech!”

The public can congratulate Erdrich during a celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18, at the Loft in the Open Book building, 1011 Washington Ave. S., Mpls.

Second printing for ‘Where We Come From’

Book jacket for "Where We Come From"
(Lerner Publishing Group)

Minneapolis author and teacher Shannon Gibney had a very good 2023. “The Girl I Am, Was, and Never Will Be,” her speculative memoir of being a mixed-Black transracial adoptee, was cited by Kirkus Reviews as one of the best young adult books of 2023.

Gibney also joined with local writers John Coy, Diane Wilson and Sun Yung Shin to write “Where We Come From,” a picture book for upper elementary readers published by Minneapolis-based Lerner Publishing Group. Now in its second printing, the book’s authors explore where they each come from — literally and metaphorically — as well as what unites all of us as humans. A starred review in  School Library Journal, called it “Outstanding in all ways.”

Short story collection wins award

Pete Simons, pen name for Pete Simonse of Minneapolis, won the 2023 Best Indie Book Award for best short story collection for his third work of fiction, “Uncooperative Characters.” The award is an international literary competition honoring outstanding achievements by independent authors. Simonse retired as vice president and treasurer of Land O’Lakes in 2015. His previous books are “The Coyote” a humorous modernization of Cervantes’ “Don Quixote,” and “White as Snow,” a murder mystery inspired by “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Subtitled “Whimsical Tales and Preposterous Parodies,” Simons’ new book is made up of quirky short stories with plots that include a teapot private eye hired by a spoonlike femme fatale, three spies who play a deadly game of rock-paper-scissors, and a serial killer having a dispute with the story’s narrator. (For more information go to bestindiebookaward.com.)

Archivist honored for essay

Trista Raezer-Strusa has won the Minnesota Historical Society’s annual Solon J. Buck award given for originality, excellence, creative research and writing for articles published the previous year in Minnesota History magazine. Her winning essay is “I Thought I Would Write You a Few Lines: Solomon G. Comstock and Civil War Veteran Pensions,” published in the fall 2022 issue. The author is an archivist at Minnesota State University Moorhead.

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Eden Prairie crash leaves 1 dead, 1 injured

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Eden Prairie crash leaves 1 dead, 1 injured


A crash in Eden Prairie left one person dead and one injured Saturday night. 

Fatal crash in Eden Prairie

What we know:

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According to the Minnesota State Patrol, troopers are investigating a two-vehicle crash that happened around 8:15 p.m.

The crash happened at Highway 212 and Prairie Center Drive, and left one person dead. Another person was taken to Hennepin Healthcare for injuries sustained in the crash. 

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What we don’t know:

What led up to the crash is currently unknown. 

The severity of the injuries of the other driver is currently unknown. 

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The Minnesota State Patrol is expected to release more information as they investigate. 

The Source: A press release from the Minnesota State Patrol. 

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Minneapolis swim event works to reduce racial disparities in water safety

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Minneapolis swim event works to reduce racial disparities in water safety


Dozens of Black and Brown children filled the pool at V3 Sports Center in north Minneapolis this weekend for a free swim‑safety event focused on building confidence and expanding access to water‑safety skills. 

Jack and Jill of America’s Minneapolis chapter hosted its second annual JJ Swim safety event, drawing more than 80 kids — a 60% increase from last year, according to organizers. Children in grades kindergarten to seniors in high school attended. 

“I just got to go faster, faster, faster, faster,” said swimmer Jaden Walker as he pushed himself through the water. 

He later shared his personal benchmark for a full lap.

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“One lap down and back would be 27 seconds for me,” Jaden said.

While some kids focused on speed, instructors emphasized the importance of basic safety and comfort in the water. 

A teen lifeguard working the event said many kids her age still lack essential swim skills.

“I think a lot of kids my age or younger don’t know how to swim, and it limits the exercise you can do and the fun you can have, especially over the summer,” said 15‑year‑old lifeguard Taylor Williams.

V3 staff guided students through several stations.

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“They are learning basic things, breathing, floating, forward movement, and then we’re doing life jacket fitting over there, and we’re doing CPR,” said V3 Sports Aquatics Program Assistant Dejah Teetzle.

Organizers say the event is designed to make swimming accessible and welcoming for families who have historically had fewer opportunities to learn.

“It’s electrifying in here. The kids are having such a good time,” said Marisa Williams, with Jack and Jill.

She added that the turnout reflects the need for programs like this.

“It just makes us feel really good that we’re exposing Black and Brown children to the water in a way that they feel really good about.”

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The CDC reports that Black people of all ages have some of the highest drowning rates in the country, and Black and Brown children are less likely to receive formal swim lessons. 

The agency also notes that Black children face a significantly higher risk of drowning in swimming pools compared to white children, a disparity tied to decades of limited access to pools, lessons and water‑safety resources.

For many families, the event was also about challenging the narrative.

“I feel like it’s very important that we’re breaking the stereotype and that we’re also bettering our community by doing events like this,” said swimmer Aneya Bliss.

Young swimmers left with big dreams sparked by their time in the water.

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“I would love to be a lifeguard, and maybe even go to the Olympics someday,” Jaden said.

Teetzle said early exposure matters and that ages 1 to 3 are an important time to introduce children to water comfort and basic skills. The center also offers adult lessons for those learning later in life.



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Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival: Showcasing global and local cinema

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Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival: Showcasing global and local cinema


Movie lovers have plenty to celebrate as the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival (MSPIFF) brings global cinema and special events to the Twin Cities.

Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival brings films, events and special guests to venues across the city

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Timeline:

The festival is showcasing more than 230 films from around the world, along with parties, panels, and filmmaker conversations. Most events are happening at The Main Cinema in Minneapolis, with additional screenings at Edina Theatre, the Capri in North Minneapolis, and other local venues.

Dean Cundey, the acclaimed cinematographer behind Jurassic Park, Apollo 13, and the Halloween films, is this year’s special guest. He’ll join a conversation about his career at DeLaSalle High School at 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 12, and take part in a Q&A after a special Jurassic Park screening at 6:30 p.m. the same day at The Main Cinema.

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The festival’s closing night film, Prince & The New Power Generation: Live at Glam Slam, will be shown at 4:45 p.m. on Sunday, April 19 at The Main Cinema. The screening features newly discovered footage from a 1992 concert at Prince’s Minneapolis club, described as a “sweaty, sold-out, last-minute show that captures the sheer joy and sense of endless possibility that came to define this era.”

MSPIFF’s closing night party will follow at Riverplace Atrium at 43 SE Main Street in Minneapolis.

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The world premiere of Wild West Bank Sound is set for 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 19 at The Main Cinema. The film explores the West Bank neighborhood’s rich musical legacy, featuring rare archival footage and stories from artists who shaped the area’s sound.

The festival continues through Sunday, offering both local and international stories, and a chance for moviegoers to connect with filmmakers and each other.

Big picture view:

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MSPIFF has grown into a major cultural event, drawing film fans and industry insiders from across Minnesota and beyond. With a mix of premieres, retrospectives, and community events, the festival highlights the Twin Cities’ role as a creative hub.

Why you should care:

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The festival is a rare opportunity to see films that might not otherwise screen locally, meet filmmakers, and celebrate the region’s vibrant arts scene. Whether you’re a die-hard film buff or just looking for something new, MSPIFF’s lineup has something for everyone.

More information can be found on the festival’s website.

The Source: This story uses information shared by the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival. 

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