JACC Livability Forum Reconstituted Under Kip Browne's "New Majority" Leadership...

Photo By John Hoff

Info comes by listserv that the JACC "livability forum" is being revived, after a long dormancy under the ineffective "Old Majority" leadership which brought JACC to the edge of total collapse and financial ruin in the name of being "pro-community" and therefore "anti-revitalization." 

Here is the word that I heard, word for word:

For the first time in several years, JACC is holding a community/livability forum on May 21st at St. Anne's Senior Residence at 2323 26th Avenue N from 6 to 8 p.m.

This is an opportunity to come together, meet your neighbors and to discuss and contribute to plans for Jordan. All are welcome! Bring the kids. Get involved. Be part of the solution!

(Do not click "Read More")

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To NoMi Is To Love Me...Neighborhood Promotion Ideas Are Being Kicked Around!

Photos By John Hoff 

Some weeks ago, there was some brief, intense discussion among movers and shakers in the Hawthorne Neighborhood about promotional possibilities involving the old railroad bridge near Broadway Pizza.

I see this bridge as a de facto "gateway to NoMi" and I thought how it might be painted up with the phrase (very much in common currency right now) "Get To NoMi" or possibly "To NoMi Is To Love Me."

I'm told one of the "elder statesmen" in the neighborhood said various ideas had been kicking around for many years, ideas about painting something on the old railroad bridge. Well, I thought time to kick the ideas around a little harder. 

Geez, at the very least the bridge could be painted the original green color instead of left to rust.

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"True JACC" Lawsuit In The Jordan Neighborhood: Jerry Moore Takes The Stand, Takes The Fifth, And Then Takes Off (Part Three)

Photo By John Hoff, Dan Rother and Vladimir Monroe

After calling members of the JACC Board mere "figureheads" while staff members such as himself did all the "grunt work," former JACC Executive Director Jerry Moore dug himself in deeper by claiming he tried to contact Kip Browne in October of 2008 in association with the JACC nominations committee, but said Browne didn't return his phone calls.

"That's a lie!" Kelly Browne whispered.

Browne, Jerry reiterated on the stand, NEVER called him back about matters with the Nominations Committee.

"He's lying," Kelly whispered. "And we have the emails to back it up."

Contempt for Jerry Moore hung thick in the room, like urine smell in a parking garage. Jerry Moore said he "disagreed" as to whether some appointees had 1 year or two year terms. (Later, Moore didn't seem able to point to where, precisely, in the JACC bylaws such an animal as a "one year term" existed.

In yet another example of blowing up a petty slight--the kind of petty slights you can reasonably expect when you won't share financial records with members of the Board of Directors, when you have inadequate formal education for the job, but you're raking in $60K a year--Jerry Moore said Browne had "chastized" him in front of "guests," talking about his "performance evaluation," which "I did not find hilarious or entertaining."

Moore denied he ever said...

"(Expletive) Anne McCandless, and also denied he ever told Kip Browne he likes to "kiss white people's asses." No, instead (Moore claimed) he merely told Browne he should be doing more for "the community" instead of "kissing ass."

Jill Clark asked about the "second iteration" of the Nominations Committee. Moore said he was told to "stay away" and he did.

Asked about the "fracas" or "fistfight" or "altercation," Jerry Moore gave his side of the story and it was, well, a rather odd account, to say the least.

Jerry said Mrs. Champion spoke to him that night. (JNS says: her relationship to State Senator Bobby Joe Champion is unknown, but she is NOT his wife) Champion told Moore "this gentleman said you're stealing from the organization." (By which she meant Dennis Wagner had said that of Jerry) At that moment, Wagner walked over grinning "I guess a sadistic way," Moore said.

"Did you ask him?" said Wagner, twice.

Engaging in his usual "charm offensive" tactic, which he has been known to use over and over, Moore suggested everybody could "sit down together" and chat about this some time. At that point, Moore claims Wagner hit him in the back, and it hurt.

However, since it was ONLY A FLESH WOUND, brave and gritty Jerry Moore tried to turn to talk to Champion again, apparently wanting to clear his name before he died of injuries from the SARCASTIC BACK SLAP. At this point, Wagner allegedly hit Moore's back AGAIN.

On the stand, Moore said he thinks "no means no" in the case of his back being touched by a man, so Moore had to "defend himself" from Wagner. At that moment, director P.J. Hubbarb "came across the room" and tried to hit Moore, according to Moore, and did manage to hit Moore "on the shoulder." At this point, Director Vladimir Monroe (pictured above, right) allegedly got Moore in a "full nelson" head lock, no doubt holding Moore still so Dennis Wagner could approach and touch Moore's back again and again...and "Miss Champion grabbed me."

(One member of JACC says Mrs. Champion was actually friendly to Moore, and grabbed him to "protect him." It is indeed a confusing event, and everybody appears to have their own version of events)

At this point, Moore said, some "church staff" pulled Moore upstairs. The "church staff" was identified to me as Deroyce Turner, a guy who bears a striking resemblance to deceased comedian Bernie Mac.

Moore also mentioned Megan Goodmundson's alleged role in the melee. Moore said Megan "came over" and she was "screaming and hollering" but Moore "moved her out of his way" because "there was Hubbard swinging in front of me."

Listening to this gallant, self-serving version of events, Megan Goodmundson laughed out loud. It was not a forced laugh conjured up to intrude on proceedings. It sounded like a genuine laugh which she couldn't keep from escaping her lips. On the stand, Jerry Moore frowned. After he had RISKED HIS SAFETY for Megan, to be mocked, to be laughed at like this. Et tu, Goodmundson?

Turning to the subject of Moore's employment termination, Jerry Moore claimed he wasn't notified of any cancellation of his employment...not after the tumultuous meeting of January 14, 2009, no notification from then until the end of January. Nope. Nothing like that.

Jerry Moore was asked about the Housing Recovery Act. Moore said many millions of dollars were getting set to flow into North Minneapolis neighborhoods, some $68 million dollars.

Imagine how many lunches THAT would buy at the Monte Carlo, I thought.

"Had the issue of money to developers, contractors, real estate agents been an issue (in the neighborhood)?" asked Jill Clark.

Jerry responded that JACC wanted to make sure it was the "people in the community" who got the money. One can't help but think this is another one of those overly-broad phrases when it comes from the lips of Jerry Moore, a phrase like "our youth."

Now it was Defense Attorney David Schooler's turn to ask the questions. JACC Director Dan Rother sat in the front row, at times leaning forward intently. (Rother is pictured above, left) Many have credited Rother's relentless, even obsessive mission to get access to JACC financial records as being the catalyst which brought everybody to this point. One normally doesn't think of "vindicated" as a facial expression, but that's what Dan Rother's face said at that moment.

Before all the lawyers got involved, before the mess ended up in court and was dragged through the internet, Rother had seen the writing on the wall, and had been like Paul Revere riding and shouting, "To arms! To arms! MALFEASANCE! MISMANAGEMENT! TO ARMS!"

As he often does, Rother was wearing a knee length black garb, kind of like the Sultan of Brunei might wear around the palace when he doesn't want to be His Highness, he just wants to kick around. I call it Rother's "Matrix Casual" outfit.

Rother's expression was far away. All those months, all those phone calls, all those emails, the frustration of having to be accused of "harassment" in a court of law, while merely trying to get financial records to do one's fiduciary duty...

Victory. At last. And this was Rother's victory banquet. The main course, of course, was Jerry Moore with an apple in his mouth, his backside exposed to whoever wanted to come along and pat it sadistically, or put a big steaming hunk of Jerry Moore on their figurative plate.

But no way could victory be sweet at such a moment as this. Back in the Jordan Neighborhood, everybody who cared about "the community" was still fighting to deal with vacant houses, with social disorder, with all the awful manifestations of the foreclosure crisis made worse by the long leadership vacuum which had existed under the Myers/Moore faction.

So this was nowhere near the end. This was the beginning, and Rother was still a JACC Director, doing his best to help the neighborhood through its many problems. But, oh yes, for a moment...

One might savor the smell of grilled flesh.

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Melissa Hill: My, What Nice Tomato Plants You Have! Now Stay The (Expletive) Out Of Ward 3 Politics...

God Bless The Fourth Precinct 

Playing the old "reluctant political candidate" tune like a rummage sale guitar with one string, St. Anthony East resident Melissa Hill recently started a Facebook group to talk about the fact that, oh, she's so reluctant to do so, but some friends are saying she should run against Diane Hofstede in Ward 3.



Here's what Hill has to say about herself on Facebook...





------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi,



I'm Melissa Hill. I'm a current resident of NE Minneapolis (St. Anthony East) and previously lived for 3 years in the McKinley neighborhood in North Minneapolis so I've spent a good portion of 8 years in Ward 3. During this time, I've seen the city suffer under the mis-mangement of the current council and mayor.



In the past few months, I've had numerous people come up to me and ask me to run for Ward 3 City Council in Minneapolis. The current incumbent is very unresponsive and appears to be more worried about couches on porches than an out-of-control police department.



The problem is that I don't care much for politics so I'm a very reluctant candidate. However, I also see how badly run the city has been so I feel it may be worth giving up a summer to try to do something about it.



This group is open to anyone, even those not in Ward 3 or Minneapolis.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------



To which I respond: Oh, thank you Melissa (sarcasm font) for trying to save me from "out of control" cops. Indeed, as I walk amid the constant open air drug dealing at Hawthorn (sic) Crossings strip mall on West Broadway, or the squalor that accumulates at the edge of Merwin's Liquor on the "butt fence," I think to myself, "I hope some out of control cop doesn't jump out of a squad car and just start whapping me with his nightstick in an oh-so-nonconsensual way."



Melissa, you said like four lines of text about your campaign, but you had to take a shot at the police. That tells me all I need to know about you, plus the picture of you with a BULLHORN on Facebook. The fact you no longer live in McKinley where you can make a difference, but have moved to the paradise which is St. Anthony East tells me even more. (That's a shot at YOU, Melissa, not St. Anthony. What I wouldn't give for Hawthorne to be more like St. Anthony or even, for that matter, even Marcy-Holmes with its free range collegiate couches)



The criticisms you make of "the current incumbent" do strike a cord with me, however. I've found her unresponsive at times, too, and I thought the couch thing was petty and stupid. My biggest beef with the city, however, is that citizens can't look up properties by name of property owner on the search function of the City's property website, a flaw which left us in the Hawthorne Neighborhood SEVEN MONTHS BEHIND on dealing with a bad actor whose property featured crack and prostitution and yet "the current incumbent" sits right across from me at a meeting and she doesn't GET THAT.



But you, Melissa, have nothing to say about whores and drug dealers. No, you reserve your politically correct venom for the BRAVE COPS who are protecting us up here in the Fourth Precinct while you lounge around in St. Anthony East, cooing about your tomatoes, while they protect you in the dark and dead of night.



I may be a frequent critic of "the current incumbent" (to use your passive aggressive phrase) and lord knows I've been a harsh critic of police misconduct at other times, in other contexts, but I'll take the "current incumbent" any day if you're the other choice with your b.s. anti-police rhetoric.



As for your tomato plants...



GOOD LUCK WITH THAT, Melissa. I've got your tomato RIGHT HERE!



SPLAT!!!!!!!

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"True JACC" Lawsuit In The Jordan Neighborhood: Quickie Summary Of Wednesday's Court Proceedings, Judge Declares Two Witnesses "Not Forthright"

Photo By John Hoff, January 2009 JACC Press Conference

Proceedings were abbreviated today in the "True JACC" court battle, with only Bob Cooper taking the stand...mostly to testify about grievance procedures. The most notable part of the day was Judge Porter making a declaration that two witnesses were "not forthright."

Though the two witnesses were not named, it is assumed one of them MUST be former JACC Executive Director Jerry Moore, whose answers on the stand had that quality of...

...Jello fruit salad trying to avoid being nailed to a wall, plus that whole taking the Fifth Amendment thing when asked about the location of JACC records. As to who was the other "not forthright" witness, it's clearly NOT Bob Hodson. You can call Hodson a lot of things, but not FORTHRIGHT? No, if anything, he was just a bit TOO forthright.

Speculation is the second "not forthright" witness might be E.B. Brown. Her long, painful pauses and tendency to talk about--oh gee--her email mysteriously fading in and out--did not seem to impress Judge Porter.

There was also talk from Jill Clark about trying to procure affidavits from (infamous neighborhood nut cases) Zack Metoyer and Al Flowers. The reason for the affidavits is unknown, but better wear asbestos gloves when handling such paperwork. Thou shalt not bear false witness, that's all I want to say about THAT.

As for Bob Cooper, he apparently spoke about Community Development Block (CDBG) grants. These grants are what makes an organization like JACC a "citizen participation government group" and (I would argue, as I have before) not MERELY a non-profit organization, but a true grassroots government something akin to an unincorporated township board, only subsumed into the greater power and authority of the City of Minneapolis. I would also argue that, having been a CDBG group, a kind of governmental authority "lingers" even between contractual periods.

Oh, and E.B. Brown gave Jill Clark a neck massage. Sorry to disappoint you all (sarcasm font) but no video exists for YouTube. Unlike (salivate) Ben Myers' deposition.

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"True JACC" Lawsuit In The Jordan Neighborhood: Jerry Moore Takes The Stand, Takes The Fifth, And Then Takes Off (Part Two)

Photo By John Hoff, January 14, 2009

Perched delicately on the stand, like a pet cockatoo amid filthy, crap-stained papers, former JACC Executive Director Jerry Moore proceeded to criticize the Neighborhood Revitalization Program for its wicked desire to, well....revitalize neighborhoods, I guess.

Moore said JACC had been "heavily dependent" on NRP funding, but Moore wanted to transition into having more "private donors" because he thought such dependance on NRP was "dangerous" and put the organization "under the barrel," by which he presumably meant "under the gun."

(Regular readers, feel free to insert in-jokey remarks about "The Queen's English")

Moore said "policy makers will try to push the organization in a particular direction" so, for this reason, seeking private donors seemed the better option. Moore talked about some of the tensions in the neighborhood, saying...

"Many of the residents are afraid of our young people."

It wasn't clear what Moore meant by "our." Clearly, he couldn't have meant ALL young people in North Minneapolis. He certainly didn't mean my high-achieving math geek son coming over for visitation every other weekend, extended periods in the summer, and certain holidays. He probably doesn't mean the three young children of Hawthorne Neighborhood Chair Peter Teachout who endured the terror of their father's truck being torched by CRACKHEADS in the dead of the night on the Fourth of July. I should probably mention the Teachout family has one more child on the way. I doubt if he means the children of Don Samuels, the children of Anderson and Lisa Mitchell. 

In any case, there was the sweeping, all-encompassing phrase: "our" young people.

Because of the fear of "our young people," Moore said the neighborhood looked at programs like the "juvenile detention alternative."

There were, however, problems with JACC. The organization was on some kind of "probation" with the McKnight Foundation. There was an issue about the turnover of the Executive Directors. Under the leadership of Jerry Moore and the Ben Myers faction, JACC wanted to emphasize their "youth programs" instead of "the NRP stuff."

"Neighborhood groups can be self-destructive," Moore pontificated. "Dollars are used to control individuals." Asked what that means specifically, Moore referred to the City of Minneapolis gaining control of neighborhoods through NRP funds.

"NRP is trying to exclude people of color," Jerry declared.

Somewhere near this point came the noon break, and the defendants took lunch at a nearby cafe. Council Member Don Samuels joined the group, and was given a seat of honor at the head of the table. Not ordering anything to eat himself, Samuels accepted some leftovers from another person's plate.

"It takes a village to feed Don Samuels," quipped Megan Goodmundson.

This is something I've noticed about the intensely-bonded individuals who are part of the "pro-city" point of view in the tightly-knit neighborhood associations, the people working every day to bring about revitalization instead of urban decay. They will literally give you the food off their plate.

Back in court after lunch, Plaintiff Attorney Jill Clark cackled and then asked David Schooler, "What's your new secret papers, Mr. Schooler?" in a tone that might suggest they were BUDDIES. Kelly Browne sat and read "Bridge of Courage" about political oppression in Guatemala, though she apparently knew in her heart she needed to read the manual to her new washer and dryer, sitting in her purse, unread.

With Jerry back on the stand, sipping water with the lingering lips one might take to a glass of Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Jerry Moore said there had been discussions in 2008 about declining to take "CPED" funds from the City of Minneapolis. The reason was the "organization leaders" (by which Jerry apparently meant the Ben Myers faction, at that time in the majority) saw CPED as having too many stipulations on the dollars.

"When did the 2008 CPED contract expire?" Clark asked.

"The last day of December, 2008," Moore answered.

"By mid-January, 2009, was there a new CPED agreement?" Clark asked.

"No," answered Moore.

Clark let the answer linger in the air, as though she had just gotten somewhere important. Oh, yes, the takeover by the Kip Brown faction in January, 2009 was ALL TOO CONVENIENTLY TIMED, now wasn't it?

Yeah, kind of like fighting the hijackers in the cockpit before they could fly that sucker into the White House.

Moore spoke about the numerous grievances filed by Dan Rother and Dennis Wagner. Wagner had about 30 grievances, Moore said. One of the grievances concerned Moore's eligibility to be the Executive Director, and the eligibility of board members. There were requests for ledgers to show expenditures check-by-check, line-by-line.

Addressing the finances in a way he apparently never did while Executive Director, Moore testified there had been discussions with the Ackerberg Group about JACC's "inability" to pay rent at the "JACC House" on 2009 James Ave. N. The idea was raised of moving out of 2009 James Ave. N. Moore said he didn't see the point of having so much space.

"Did you neglect to submit expense reimbursements to NRP?" Clark asked.

No, Moore said, he did not. He talked about the responsibilities of the accountant, clearly shifting the responsibility to her, then caveated by saying there were "a few months where the accountant had a death in the family" and "things fell behind." Seemingly defending the accountant, Moore managed to shift virtually all the blame to her and the dying family member, all the while using SUCH a sympathetic tone.

"Did you learn of conduct by Anne McCandless around the Otto Bremer funds?" asked Clark.

Yes, Moore said, McCandless (dared to demand) a copy of the report, and she communicated that "funds were being misspent." Moore said McCandless should call HIM with her concerns, but he "never got a call from McCandless." This testimony produced muted laughter from McCandless. The contempt in that room for Jerry Moore hung thick on the "groom's side" of the court room.

"Who solicited $400 from NRP to reprint the elections slate?" asked Clark.

That would be Kip Browne, Moore answered.

"What was the relationship between Robert Miller and Anne McCandless in the Fall of 2008?"

Over heresay objections by Schooler--overruled--Moore said McCandless threw a fundraising party for Miller's (abortive) Mayoral campaign against R.T. Rybak. The relationship between Miller and McCandless was apparently cohesive, from Moore's point of view. Anne McCandless would talk to Bob Miller and soon would come a letter, a phone call. Miller sent a letter "chastizing" the board for a decision they made about Moore's employment.

Clark asked about working to clarify the tax status of the JACC-owned "probation house." Moore said he had "several discussions" about that topic and he was "hopeful" that eventually JACC could get the taxes waived. Because of his meeting with "Mr. Cosgrove," Moore said there was "a plan in place" to work with the City Assessor on the tax issue.

"What was JACC's position in regard to the Minneapolis Advantage Program?" Clark asked, referencing a program which provides down payment assistance to home buyers, with the idea of turning empty, dangerous, boarded-up houses into vital, safe, healthy homes. Moore didn't agree with the program because good credit ("A credit") was needed to quality. So the proposal didn't pass the Executive Board. It was bounced back to committee.

"Some" thought this program was "a repopulation or regentrification tool," Moore said, and that "JACC wanted a tool to touch more than just a certain population." Jerry found the Minneapolis Advantage program "inequitable."

Skipping around in her questions quite a bit, Clark returned to the subject of Dan Rother's inquiries and grievances. Moore said he was doing "extra work" because of Rother, and Rother would call "early in the morning, and late at night." Jerry felt like he was Rother's "personal secretary" or something. Jerry went so far as to research IRS guidelines about "harassment of a non-profit." In between unlimited HBO at the JACC office, lunch at the Monte Carlo, and plenty of pizza, Moore mulled over the situation with Rother and thought how it seemed like "a ploy to make sure no work could get done."

"How did people conduct themselves at meetings?" Clark asked.

Shouting, Moore answered. Yelling. He'd never been on a board like this. People were told to "shut up and sit down" and claimed "I was threatened by people." On the other hand, Moore said, there were times people were "cool and calm."

Claiming he was "fearful" of Dan Rother--a gregarious gay man who got fixated on the notion that he was, oh gee, entitled to look at the JACC books, being on the BOARD OF DIRECTORS and all--Jerry sought a harassment/restraining order against Mr. Rother after an incident of "standing, gesturing, pointing" which made Jerry Moore feel "fearful." Rother had been "all up in my space" and "dipping into my private life." Rother had been trying to contact Jerry by phone, and Jerry pointed out "I was doing other work outside my job," including the Northside Marketing Task Force.

(Moore has reportedly been removed as the chair of the Task Force)

MOORE said that ROTHER said that MOORE said Stu Ackerberg's group was "a bunch of faggots," which Moore denied saying. The sense of this controversy having some aspects of a playground dispute certainly lingered in the air near THAT moment. In the hearing over the restraining order, Moore claimed the judge thought Rother was "pushing it" and blaming Jerry for stuff going on with JACC. Moore said the judge spoke to Rother and warned him. All these things Jerry said in a somewhat forceful tone, making his point. The point about how the restraining order was, ultimately, not granted....that part Jerry kind of mumbled, like an afterthought.

This part he said forcefully:

THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE FIGUREHEADS AND HAVE TITLES BUT THE GRUNT WORK GETS PASSED TO THE STAFF.

TO BE CONTINUED....This coverage is only possible by donations, see PayPal button, and sorry to be a bother but...bloggers can't live on air and water like a spider fern.

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New Trial Denied For Larry "Maximum" Maxwell, Mortgage Fraudster...

Photo by John Hoff 



Word comes from a reliable source at the courthouse that Larry "Maximum" Maxwell's attorney, Larry Reed, went before Judge Chu yesterday morning to make a motion for a new trial. Maxwell was recently convicted of 18 different counts, all related to mortgage fraud activity.



The judge denied the motion, not even taking the matter "under advisement" to rule later. There were reportedly some 13 grounds for the appeal, all denied.



The word is Judge Chu said Larry Maxwell received "beyond a fair trial."



Despite the ruling by Judge Chu, many more trees are expected to die in vain in the course of an appeal.





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"True JACC" Lawsuit In The Jordan Neighborhood: Jerry Moore Takes The Stand, Takes The Fifth, And Then Takes Off... (PART ONE OF FOUR)

The Naked Truth, Flickr.com Photo

Jerry Moore didn't appear to know which hand to raise to swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.



Jerry's left hand jerked up, first, to waist level. Then he switched to his right. He swore the oath. I waited for the ground to open up right then, with the smell of brimstone and a roar.



Oh, wait, I thought...he hasn't actually SAID anything, yet.



Well, except...







...the part about swearing to tell the truth.



(Double checking for the ground to open up...)



Jerry Moore said that, in 2004 or 2005, he was elected to the JACC Board. What was his basis of eligibility? Jerry said he "owned property" in Jordan. Some hours later, at lunch with Don Samuels and a number of JACC plaintiffs, I was treated to a colorful description of the property Jerry owned, known as the "shoe shack."



The shack in question was "barely standing," and was a "blighted piece of property" according to one highly-creditable witness who saw it often. Canopy-type tents were rigged up, their posts in white 5-gallon buckets weighted down with...whatever. Rubble. Debri. Crap.



The shack was located at Broadway and Logan. The shack had little value, unlike the land on which it sat. Adjacent to the shack were vacant lots, and the "shack land" was owned by a guy from the "outer rings of the metro." At that time, the land on which the shack sat was the key to a "development proposal." I was unable to obtain a definitive answer about whether Jerry's interest was in both land and shack, or merely the shack. I asked if anybody could provide me a photo. I reiterate the request.



At the time of Jerry's ascent to the JACC board, ubiquitous super-volunteer Megan Goodmundson made inquiries about what Jerry's eligibility was. Jerry spoke of having ownership in a "business." According to Goodmundson, "In hindsight, our vetting wasn't as good as it should have been." So it was Jerry's vague interest in the "shoe shack" allowed him to weasel his way to the JACC board. There were rumors--I heard these rumors said aloud at lunch with several of the defendants--that cartons of cigarettes were sometimes sold at the shack, ripped off from "convenience store smash and grabs." This is unconfirmed. Dispute and contrary information is welcomed in the comments sections.



Jerry's interest in the nebulous "business" was about as nebulous as the business itself. He was some kind of "secretary" for an organization associated with this business, which was supposedly involved in "fundraising for youth."



Jerry spoke about how, at one point, the Neighborhood Revitalization Program froze Jerry's monies in a dispute over what was supposed to be in Jerry's contract. JACC filed a grievance with the NRP policy board and, as a result, funds were released, Jerry said. Meanwhile, JACC went through the process of screening candidates for Executive Director but--as is so often the case--the interim "ED" had the inside track, and that horse was Jerry.



Plaintiff attorney Jill Clark walked up to Jerry Moore with a copy of what was purported to be Jerry's employment contract. Excitement rippled through the ranks of the "New Majority," which has been faithfully attending hearings in large numbers, while the "bride side" of the room looks as sad as an unrumpled bed in a honeymoon suite.



The document was introduced as Plaintiff Exhibit 16. Defendant Attorney David Schooler objected in regard to whether the document could be authenticated, especially as JACC records had DISAPPEARED. Jerry said it was a copy from his own records. Schooler objected because it was a copy, not the original. Overruled.



The document--which even "Old Majority" Chair E.B. Brown had apparently never managed to see--was introduced into evidence.



TO BE CONTINUED...

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"True JACC" Lawsuit In The Jordan Neighborhood: "You Know Better Than That, Ms. Dejvongsa," Admonishes Judge Porter...

Photo By John Hoff, JACC Press Conference, January 2009

Dokor Dejvongsa took the stand yesterday, merely a tasty appetizer to the main course: grilled Jerry Moore.

All the same, her testimony had some notable moments, including an answer so argumentative--something about people picking which rules they liked, ignoring the rest--that, without waiting for Defense Attorney David Schooler to object, Judge Porter asked, "How much of that do you want stricken?"

David Schooler responded....

Something like he wanted the last half stricken. With a baleful, no-nonsense look, Judge Porter looked at the witness on the stand and said, "Miss Dejvongsa, you know better." (Dejvongsa is an attorney, the partner of Ben Myers. Since Ben Myers does criminal defense, I guess that makes her his "partner in crime?")

Despite some rather unkind remarks in the hallway that Dejvongsa must have gotten her law degree out of a Crackerjack box, or words to that effect, the young attorney seemed poised, intelligent, although a bit strident. Understandable, however, given how badly her side is getting its bacon fried. Word comes secondhand that, early yesterday morning, Judge Porter ruled against dissolution of the JACC corporation as an option, saying this was "not properly pled."

OH!!!!! Just because it's not your birthday doesn't mean you won't get SPANKED sometimes.

In the courtroom as Dokor testified was a member of the Minneapolis Mirror, which is sort of the contrarian internet publication of Minneapolis, its articles known to take positions at odds with whatever somebody ELSE manages to write first, and better.

Some examples:

# T.J. Waconia fraudsters: Not such bad guys, just ask their friend Jim Watkins.

# Johnny Northside is bad for writing about the reality of the rough life of Annshalike Hamilton. (This murder is still unsolved)

# Minneapolis Advantage program is a plot to bring about gentrification in North Minneapolis. (Unknown what is meant by "gentrification," unless it means "occupied by people instead of boarded up.")

So, yeah, the Minneapolis Mirror was there but hasn't managed to write anything quite yet. I checked. Maybe the sight of Jerry Moore on the stand--nervous as an acne-scarred teenager trying to pin a corsage on prom night--made the Minneapolis Mirror think twice about coming down hard on the side of the "Old Majority" in the Jordan Neighborhood. I kind of doubt that, though. This much is true, however: you can't write a good article if you aren't taking notes.

But I'm sure one can still try one's hand at an EDITORIAL, where only a rarified thimbleful of facts are needed for flavor.

Where were we? Oh, yes, Dokor "Should Know Better" Dejvongsa on the stand. Dejvongsa testified about first becoming involved with JACC in the Fall of 2006. She took on a project with a committee to amend the bylaws, which many agreed were "outdated." Towards the end of her term, some issues came up with Kip Browne. To make a long story short, the board never approved the final version of the bylaws.

Defense Attorney Schooler asserted, through his questions, that only 5 board members were needed, according to the bylaws, so there was no need to install officers prior to elections. Dajvongsa said so few board members wouldn't be "a good representation of the community."

She didn't say much else that was notable. At 11:20 a.m., spectators in the courtroom were far more fascinated with Jill Clark's horrible facial twitching, which was OFF THE SCALE. But then a ripple went through the crowd as Dokor finished up, and former JACC Executive Director Jerry Moore was called to the stand...

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"True JACC" Lawsuit In The Jordan Neighborhood: Quickie Summary Of Today's Events...

Contributed Photo, 1564 Hillside Ave. N.

More details to follow, including the full testimony of Jerry Moore (truly an artifact for the ages) but here is the quickie summary for those who need to know now, now, NoMi...

Questioning Jerry Moore on cross-examination is rather like trying to interrogate a Jello fruit salad with a Popsicle stick. What should take one swipe takes four, and even then the ultimate answer is vague, caveated, mumbly.

Moore claimed administrative expenses for JACC under the Ben Myers board were nowhere near the "91 percent" estimated by Bob Miller of NRP and, in any case, the point of NRP money was often to pay just those kinds of expenses. Twitchy, ticky Plaintiff Attorney Jill Clark--whose chocolate brown, understated outfit was far more complimentary today than yesterday's "blob of key lime pie leftovers" ensemble--appeared to be trying to chew through her own cheek to escape from god-knows-what as Jerry Moore casually admitted to spending JACC monies and then trying to figure out, in retrospect, what segregated accounts were eligible for those expenses.

Defense Attorney Schooler got around to asking about the existence of missing JACC records, and Jill Clark took the Fifth on behalf of Jerry, who did nothing so well on the stand as drink copious amounts of water from a Styrofoam cup.

The highlight of the day was unexpected, and came after testimony was introduced about Jerry Moore's resume. Moore admitted he had an AA degree, not a college degree. Schooler asked Moore if he was aware the school in question ("school" in question with quote marks, if you prefer) was out of business and its credits not accepted at any other school. Moore wasn't aware of that. Actually, if you counted up all the stuff Moore wasn't aware of, couldn't recall, had no knowledge of, and otherwise could not speak to...it's a pretty fair-sized bale of hay.

But getting to the HIGHLIGHT of the day: Defense Attorney David Schooler pulled a surprise out of his hat, suddenly questioning Jerry Moore about his involvement in the mortgage fraud deal at 1564 Hillside Ave. N., which was at the center of the Larry "Maximum" Maxwell criminal trial, and resulted in 18 felony convictions. After Jerry Moore's resume came into evidence, Schooler asked Jerry about something which mysteriously DID NOT appear on the resume: J.L. Moore Consulting, which was at the center of the 1564 Hillside Ave. N. deal, according to an invoice and check which was evidence in the Larry Maxwell trial.

Bottom line: Jerry Moore denied ever seeing the $5k check or the invoice for "windows" at 1564 Hillside Ave. N. The invoice wasn't produced by him, Moore said. He had no knowledge of it, no knowledge of what was going on at 1564 Hillside, no involvement with that matter WHATSOEVER, he had never HEARD of somebody named "John Foster." Yes, he'd heard of Keith Reitman (the seller in that dirty, fraudulent deal) but only because Reitman was on the board. Like Sergeant Schultz in the old "Hogan's Heroes" television series, Jerry Moore knew nothing, NOTHING!

Standing out in the hallway, I sort of accidentally had a brief conversation with Jerry Moore. Details will follow in a subsequent blog post. Those who know of any evidence that Jerry Moore admitted in other contexts to being involved at 1564 Hillside Ave. N. (long, teary phone conversations?) are urged to just, you know, take note of the anonymous comments function.

Oh, in regard to Jello fruit salad. Have I mentioned Jello is a fine product of General Mills, and General Mills supports many NoMi neighborhood programs? Do not allow my comparison of Jerry Moore to Jello fruit salad to impact your positive opinions about this particular dessert, or other fine Jello-based foods. Support your NoMi neighborhood, and make a point of buying enough JELLO to get you through the long, hot summer! Now is the time to stock up!!!!

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Military Police Unit Contemplates North Minneapolis Mission...

Declassified Neighborhood Photo 

This grainy, recently-declassified image was reportedly taken at a NoMi home tour, and shows a member of a military police unit who is making preparations to buy and, yes, OCCUPY a house in North Minneapolis.

The soldier (whose name is still TOP SECRET) is reportedly a young, married female staff sergeant (E-6) who just finished a mission "cleaning up the mess" at Abu Ghraib prison in  Iraq, and wears a combat infantry badge she was awarded for... 

...enduring and surviving a mortar attack. An offer to trade an important (but redundant) organ for the badge in question was politely declined by the soldier.

Notably, I have been inside the very house this soldier is contemplating purchasing, (on a one-man clean-up mission I expect to be declassified very soon) and it is an amazing, pretty, historical house in a very quiet and safe part of the neighborhood. She'd have to go several blocks to be NEAR anything rough.

Therefore, I fear the considerable talents and skills of this soldier may go to waste on a block like the one where she's contemplating a purchase. We'd be a lot better off dropping her down in the middle of the (expletive) and saying, "Help us clean this up."

However, hopefully this soldier has dozens and dozens of friends looking for affordable, roomy houses for pennies on the dollar.

I spoke to the soldier, and conversation quickly turned to the high-tech "shot spotters" which have been making North Minneapolis (NoMi) safer by leaps and bounds. When a shot is fired, its location can be pinpointed. Cameras swivel on little servo-motors, and catch images of fleeing cars, running individuals. Anybody who fires a gun in North Minneapolis has to be desperate or crazy.

I could see the wheels turning in her head. She wanted to know all about the shot spotters. I told her to use "shot spotters" as a search term on this blog, then go back, find the post about my old law school buddy Nate Hanson's obsession with the shot spotters, and she could turn up a document with the precise locations.

In my observation as a highly-trained, former United States Army psych tech, there was no fear in this soldier's eyes, only calm and calculation. SOMEBODY needs to say it to her in a very public way, and so I will say it: WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME to NoMi, and THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.

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Strategic Retreat At 3020 6th St. N., Crackhouse/Whorehouse/Portal To Hell...

Photo By John Hoff

The no-account druggie crowd at 3020 6th St. N. was seen evacuating tonight, leaving of their own free will rather than waiting for police to show up. They loaded mattresses aboard a multi-colored truck, and drove away, but didn't get far...they ended up at 3007 3rd St. N.

3020 6th St. N. has been the one remaining piece of the Eco Village "cluster development" puzzle. Once this house is evacuated--not due to police action so much as foreclosure--all the other development plans were expected to fall into place. The presence of an actual CRACK HOUSE in the middle of the plan has been a constant fly in our ointment...but I'm told "Lord Of The Flies" is one name for the devil, and it has long been our opinion that The Devil owns this house.

One fear in the neighborhood--an entirely reasonable fear--is the crackheads associated with 3020 3rd St. N. will set up a new "headquarters" at 3007 3rd St. N.

Luckily, witnesses saw the whole thing and even took pictures for police and housing inspectors. We can truthfully tell public officials about seeing furniture pulled out of "3020" and trucked right over to "3007," even though "3007" is NOT SUPPOSED TO BE OCCUPIED RIGHT NOW.

This looks like a job for "The Hawthorne Hawkman."

(Do not click "Read More")

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"True JACC" Lawsuit In The Jordan Neighborhood: Game Show Champ David Haddy Plays A Round Of "To Tell The Truth"

Photo By John Hoff 

It seems like Plaintiff Attorney Jill Clark doesn't want the proceeding to ever end in the increasingly pointless "True JACC" lawsuit for control of the Jordan Neighborhood Association.

See, once the hearing finally ends, and Judge Porter rules, it seems quite likely the golden era of delusion by the "Old Majority" Kool Aid Cult will come to an end, and harsh reality will descend like delirium tremens. So--like a condemned man who can linger for a moment over a savory last meal, who can pause and not speak his last words, but rather feel his heart beating with life while everybody waits for him to speak, then be forever silent--the attorney for the "Old Majority" plaintiffs appears content to let everybody live in the court room, day after day, hashing over events on the "nominations committee," dissecting every nuance of the election with one underlying desire constantly present, constantly apparent...



DO OVER! Oh, god, NO FAIR! We weren't ready! DO OVER!!!!!!



But even if you can't get a "do over," you can be heard. You can make the record. You can shriek out your frustrated desires and the cosmic injustice of it all, and air wild accusations of plots to "gentrify" North Minneapolis, this gentrification somehow intricately linked to the concept of having houses with PEOPLE INSIDE OF THEM rather than sitting empty, and boarded up. Since when did gentrification become synonymous with OCCUPIED?



"New Majority" Board Member David Haddy was the first on the stand. A stout, bearded man with an ultra-smart, super-geek personality (he once won $50,000 on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?) Haddy was respectful and cooperative with Jill Clark, but Clark's questions led openings for answers like, "If you consider a majority of people voting a certain way to be a coup d'etat."



Haddy discussed the telephonic meeting of January 15, called because equipment, records, Blackberries, financial records and, oh gee, the CHECKBOOK had gone missing. Secretary Anne McCandless had called people for a meeting, and considered the situation an emergency.



Physical appearances had changed, slightly, with the attorneys. Jill Clark looked like a big, not-so-delicious chunk of key lime pie with an oddly-colored jacket, accentuated with a "Star of David" necklace which drew a conciliatory compliment from Kelly Browne. For one bright, shining moment, the plaintiff attorney and the wife of the "New Majority" chairman were just a couple of chicks talking about jewelry. Therefore, should this blogger make a goodwill gesture and say Jill's key lime jacket could have--quite possibly--been delicious if only one might TRY a little piece?



Nahhhhhhhh.



Word was that David Schooler's wife forced him to run right out and get a haircut after reading my blog coverage. I had a sneaking suspicion she was equally responsible for her husband's tasteful baby blue tie.



But back to Haddy's testimony. Reflecting a theme which emerged with earlier witnesses, Haddy spoke of being forced to prove his property ownership, despite living right across the street from Kip Browne, the Chair of the Nominations Committee. There would be none of this "Oh, I know him, he's cool." If you wanted to be on the ballot, you had to complete the necessary steps.



Haddy talked about the "melee" with Jerry Moore on January 12. Near the moment when the "Jacc fracas" started, Haddy was talking to blogger journalist Anna Pratt, saying it was too bad the elections went so smoothly and there weren't any fireworks to report upon.



That was when they both heard the yelling. Haddy ran over in time to see Jerry Moore strike Board Member P.J. Hubbard full in the face, knocking off his glasses. Immediately, numerous cell phones were whipped out.



Clark asked if Haddy witnessed anything done to "provoke" Jerry Moore.



No, Mr. Moore threw the punch, Haddy said. Half a dozen people "broke it up." There was profanity from Mr. Moore. Haddy's attention was turned to Ally Wagner, the daughter of Denny Wagner, who was in tears.



Soon after, a vote was held in closed session to terminate Jerry Moore. Haddy distinctly recalls Anne McCandless saying the board should terminate Moore and live with the consequences, rather than be "blackmailed."



Right about then I was seated near Jerry Moore, and one of the plaintiffs--Dokor Dejvongsa--asked Jerry Moore who I was. Jerry Moore introduced me as "The black people hater, Gentrification Johnny."



"That's a terrible thing to say," I said to Moore, in a reproachful tone, and wrote something on my notepad to point out this conversation was on the record. It was only a few hours later Moore would take the stand and deny he ever told Kip Browne that "You like to kiss the white man's ass."



But back to Haddy. David Haddy testified that he was a witness to the fact E.B. Brown made a "concession speech," and also pointed out that Kip Browne's first official act, as chair, was to nominate E.B. Brown for Vice Chair. Haddy wouldn't characterize what happened as a coup d'etat. No, rather, it was majority rule.



Haddy testified the "New Majority" didn't know where the missing checkbook went. At that moment, Jill Clark turned to Jerry Moore and grinned. What a shame court room spectator sections aren't equipped with vomit bags.



Copping a phrase directly from blog coverage, Haddy said the new board members were doing everything they could to "keep the lights on." Haddy talked about getting the "Clean Sweep" neighborhood spring cleaning going again, after a hiatus which, according to one source, lasted "two or three years."



But, you know, some folks consider picking up litter in the street to be "gentrification."



Haddy characterized "Old Majority" fears about housing incentives as concerns that "white people would get the money." In response to a question by Jill Clark about whether there was a plan to have new elections for board officers, David Haddy answered, simply, "Yes."



A break came right about then. Somebody introduced Melony Michaels--the wife of identity theft victim John Foster--to City Councilman Don Samuels.



"SOMEBODY stole her husband's identity," said Kelly Browne, LOUDLY, not to Don Samuels but to the rapidly-retreating backside of Jerry Moore, "And SOMEBODY made $5,000 off that deal!"



Sigh. World peace wasn't exactly busting out in Room 1853, Hennepin County Government Center.



Though the testimony of David Haddy was calm, cooperative, non-confrontational...still raw, throbbing emotion hung in the air, like the sound of random gunfire in North Minneapolis. 



But YOU KNOW what it would mean to rid North Minneapolis of random gunfire. Gee, that would be...



GENTRIFICATION!!!!!!! 

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Strong, Brave "Atlas Pillar" Gets Much-Needed Reinforcements At The $7,900 NoMi House...

Photo By John Hoff 

Realtor and historical preservationist Connie Nompelis--she of the $7,900 house bargain in the Farview Park Historical District, which she calls the "Hawthorne Princess"--recently obtained some old porch pillars. Currently, Connie's entire porch at "The Princess" is miraculously supported by one lone, strong pillar, which this blog nicknamed the "Atlas Pillar."

The "Atlas Pillar" moniker seems to have caught on, as evidenced by the fact CONNIE uses it and, hey, it's her house. She can call it whatever she wants.

The old, used pillars Connie obtained don't quite match the one remaining pillar, however....

Connie has a quirky, creative idea about leaving the "Atlas" pillar in place, and actually painting the "reinforcement" pillars in such a way as to emphasize the fact they are different than the original remaining pillar.

Hey, it's HER HOUSE. She can do whatever she wants, within the law.

And, really, isn't that the wonder of home ownership? NoMi is the place where you can fix, flip, renovate, restore, and express all that "This Old House" creativity just dammed up in your soul, all at an incredible bargain.

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"True JACC" Lawsuit Quickie Update

Stock Photo By John Hoff

Jerry Moore took the stand today in the dispute over which group is the "True JACC" leadership of the Jordan Neighborhood. Moore was questioned by Plaintiff Attorney Jill Clark, and then cross examination began by Defense Attorney David Schooler, who quickly caught Jerry Moore in some rather blatant contradictions.

The hearing ended at 4:30, so Moore is expected to be on the stand first thing Tuesday morning, starting at 9:30, Room 1853 of the Hennepin County Government Building, court room of The Honorable Judge Porter.

In addition, "New Majority" Board Member David Haddy testified, as well as "Old Majority" stalwart Dokor Dejvongsa, who is the, um....law partner of Ben Myers. Yeah, that part for sure.

Present in the courtroom was Al Flowers--who didn't stay long, however, nor create any kind of loud and embarrassing incident--and Melony Michaels, wife of identity theft victim John Foster, whose identity was stolen to pull off a mortgage fraud deal at 1564 Hillside Ave. N., a deal in which $5k came from the seller's side (Keith Reitman) and ended up with Jerry Moore. Yeah, it was quite something to watch the looks being exchanged between Jerry and Melony.

Much was said by Moore about the alleged anti-black people, pro-gentrification agenda of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program. 

Full details are, as they say, in the hopper. Have faith, and remember...bloggers gotta eat, too. Did I mention this blog having a PayPal button? Yeah, I think it's come up before.

(Do not click "Read More")

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Polishing Up A "Diamond In The Rough" At The $7,900 House Of Connie Nompelis...

Photos By John Hoff

Getting an incredible bargain on an antique house in NoMi and having a wine-n-cheese party is the fun part. After that comes a lot of work and a lot of expenses.

If part of the point of buying the house was to support neighborhood revitalization, then it's important to start changing things for the better within the first few days, even if these are just minor cosmetic changes. So it was I found myself helping out at the $7,900 house of Connie Nompelis (No-buhl-iss, it's Greek) in the days after the housewarming party, click here for some details, oh, and also click here.

It's amazing how what looks like a...

...relatively minor amount of leaves in a yard of modest size filled up the truck bed of a Ford F-150 three times. I pulled a good amount of firewood into a pile, too, some of which we burned last night at the birthday party of Jeff Skrenes, (parody alert) just starting to get his life back through physical therapy after a dramatic and bizarre mishap involving unwanted phone books "power dumped" by Dex.

There were certain things I found in the yard I figured Connie might want to glance at, since these fragments are sort of like history of the house. An old, rusted metal "dream catcher" turned up at the end of my rake. What dreams did it once catch? What new dreams is it catching now? I also found a bizarre device--clearly a corkscrew, but ten times the size of a regular corkscrew, apparently made to uncork something of vat-like size. What on earth?

Well, since NoMi revitalization forces tend to drink a lot more wine than beer, I figured the gigantic corkscrew was some kind of good omen. I left it on the porch for Connie to examine, since it was the history of HER house, and I was just working there like a peon performing manual labor on her hacienda. (Si, Senorita Nompelis)

Other pieces of "ersatz archeology" were minor, but told a story that flashed as quickly as an internet pop up: a child's black and red cloth glove, beneath a bag of leaves that hadn't moved for a year. A busted piece of a lug wrench, in the alley near the garage, right where you would change a tire. Personally, I find it helpful to put some WD-40 on a lug nut before loosening, but some people have to learn automotive repair lessons the hard way.

In a narrow, neglected space between the house and the ugly chain link fence (but ugly only in the sense ALL chain link is ugly) was an incredible accumulation of pet food cans. Clearly, somebody would feed the a cat or dog on the porch, and then just toss the empty pet food can between the house and the fence.

Here are some other things I found:

# Plenty of plastic baggies. (Sarcasm font) No doubt evidence of lovingly-packed bag lunches for "Straight A" students.

# A brown hair extension left in the yard. In that moment, one pictures a scene...people in the back yard, drinking and smoking dope. Words are exchanged. "Bitch," comes the declaration. "I will RIP YOUR HAIR OUT!!!!"

But the declaration was incorrect. It wasn't REALLY her hair.

# What I thought at first was some kind of tree root, but it was an old string of Christmas lights. Here's valuable advice: You can't compost Christmas lights. They are NOT bio-degradable.

# Numerous fossilized chicken bones, from millions of years ago when primordial fowl were the undisputed masters of what is now Farview Park, their only formidable foe being Pitbullasaurus.

# A phone book, exposed so long to rain and sunshine that it was becoming compost and could, arguably, turn into a tree again, given a few more years and a lot of hard work by the worms.

Thanks, Dex, for MESSING UP OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH YOUR UNWANTED PHONE BOOKS. YOU SUCK.

Did I mention the nearly-fatal injuries to our Housing Director? Oh, yeah, I think I did. Much more on THAT later.

The picture at the bottom shows Connie's apple tree. It is almost but not quite dead. A few branches are putting out buds. My theory is the tree, if cut down, will spring up new shoots and the tree will replace itself, but Connie says cutting up the dead tree is not really a priority, right now.

It's her house. She can do what she wants with it. And, really, isn't that the point of home ownership? A man is a king, a woman is a queen, though their kingdom be small. These kind of incredible bargains are to be had all over NoMi.

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Jennifer The House Flipper Works Her Magic At 3114 Knox Ave. N.

Contributed Photos By Either Jennifer Olstad Or Jeanie Hoholik


Somebody loan this woman a million dollars on easy terms!

I say Jennifer The Flipper needs to stop transforming one HOUSE at a time, and buy up ENTIRE CITY BLOCKS to renovate and revitalize. If only North Minneapolis (NoMi) could somehow multiply Jennifer's work exponentially, this one-woman force of revitalization could usher in a golden era of urban utopia VIRTUALLY ALL BY HERSELF...

Jennifer's latest creation is 3114 Knox Ave. N., pictured above in a "before and after" fashion. Here's some of the things Jennifer wrote about the challenges of transforming this property:

# On the front of the house, what you can't see is the porch was pulled away about three inches from the rest of the house. Now, it's gone.

# On the back of the house, the "balcony" is actually at the top of the stair landing. Nice place for a balcony. Now it's a window, not a door.

# In the living room, there was a closet strangely placed in the middle of the room. I got rid of the closet and added a 1/2 bath at the main level.

# I had to completely gut the kitchen. There was wallpaper on top of paneling on top of wallpaper. It was bad.

# In the upstairs bedroom, apparently somebody thought it was a good idea to let their kid finger paint on top of wallpaper.

# In the upstairs bathroom, there was so much rotted wood we had to replace EVERYTHING.

# We found some newspapers from 1929 at this property. There were some advertisements like dresses for 10 cents.

Johnny Northside says: Oh, the more things change, the more they stay the same, my dear. I bet it's still possible to buy a dress made in 1929 for a mere ten cents.

If anybody is interested in this house, best to contact Jennifer Olstad's Realtor, Jeanie Hoholik, click here for a link to Jeanie's blog.

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Annshalike Hamilton Murder REMAINS UNSOLVED, Bus Stop Used To Raise Awareness...

Contributed Photo

I'd heard a persistent rumor of a bus stop advertisement being used to raise awareness about the unsolved murder of Annshalike Hamilton, but only recently did I receive an image from one of my readers.

The point of the bus stop advertisement being to keep the case alive, to raise awareness, to urge those with information to contact the police...well, clearly that's something I want to amplify on this blog.


(Do Not Click "Read More")

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"True JACC" Lawsuit In The Jordan Neighborhood: Never A Moment's Rest For The "New Majority" Fiduciaries...

Flickr.com Photo

I witnessed an interesting scene in the hallway outside Judge Porter's court the other day, which I only avoided blogging about because, well, the mere mention of "IRS 990 Form" is likely to make some readers lose consciousness, and I'm trying SO HARD to entertain readers now that I have the new site meter and PayPal button.

It turns out another thing the "Old Majority" leadership failed to do in the Jordan Neighborhood (like there wasn't enough stuff, already) was to take care of IRS Form 990 which is, like, really important...

Word now comes that the form has been filed at the last minute. In fact, I had knowledge of a "New Majority" member making phone calls out in the hallway during a few days court, making sure the 990 got filed. I witnessed an interesting scene as Plaintiff Attorney Jill Clark walked by...and the phone conversation went silent because, obviously, the defendants are NOT going to spill any important, substantive info in front of Jill Clark...whose self-important, sweeping walk is oddly reminiscent of Darth Vader.

However, now I see from the Jordan Livability blog (click here for a link) the all-important 990 form did indded get filed. In fact, a recent blog post shows a "laundry list" of stuff happening under a functioning, mostly-cohesive JACC board.

It should be noted this is NOT a rubber stamp board, even if they might all be characterized as the "New Majority" JACC faction. They have some very wide-ranging discussions, and the votes are not always unanimous.

When not busy fighting the retrograde hold-out "Kool Aid Cult" Old Majority faction in court, the "New Majority" is getting a lot of stuff done. But, yeah, tomorrow (Monday) it will be back to court. There are rumors of new, highly-interested parties being in the court room (1853, Judge Porter) to watch the anticipated testimony of former JACC Executive Director Jerry Moore.

Enough said for now.

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Al Flowers Promises More "Lie-berries" But Comes In Third In Two-Way Race With Mayor Rybak...

Contributed Photo, And Thank God For That

The Star Tribune kept an oh-so-straight face today when reporting on the results of the recent citywide DFL convention, which handily endorsed Mayor Rybak up against only Al "I-Am-The-Community" Flowers, charitably described in the STrib as a "community activist" but widely regarded as an unstable nutcase heckler-at-large.

A little birdie sent me some of the more entertaining details of the convention, stuff that didn't make it into the STrib like, oh gee, the actual freaking vote numbers.

Here they are...

Mayor R.T. Rybak, 75 Percent (591 votes)
No Endorsement, 16.2 Percent (128 votes)
Al FLowers, 8.8 Percent (69 votes)

My source put it this way: Al Flowers must have been running as some kind of anti-anti-establishment candidate, because he lost to the anti-establishment "No Endorsement" vote.

Reportedly, during his speech, Al Flowers talked about building "lie-berries." One participant in the convention, texting at that moment, wondered if the "lie-berries" would be for the "medium income" (sic) people Al Flowers often talks about. This bout of texting during the speech of Al Flowers caused fears among a handful of delegates that they might pee their pants laughing.

I was told (but have not confirmed it) this is the first time in the history of Minneapolis that a "question and answer session" has been skipped at this kind of convention. To which I say: those who say "first time in history" are usually talking about their own historical memory, and assuming or inferring much from that. When an actual historian tells me, then I might believe it. They say those who do not study history are condemned to repeat it, but so often "repeat it" just means "repeat what somebody else said about it."

Johnny Northside approaches all "first time in history" claims with deep cynicism.

In any case...

Hopefully, Al Flowers will stay in the race for comic relief, which is sorely needed during this recession.

ADDENDUM: Total ballots, 788. Spoiled ballots, 14.

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"True JACC" Lawsuit In The Jordan Neighborhood: Desperate Delay Tactics, Robert Hodson's Sharp Mouth Versus Jill Clark's Twitchy FACE...

Flickr.com Photo

Testimony last week in the "True JACC" lawsuit (Old versus New Majority) ended with the testimony of treasurer Robert Hodson, who wouldn't give Plaintiff Attorney Jill Clark an inch. Clark's feeble attempts to (apparently) prove some kind of financial impropriety only managed to do the opposite...

Hodson painted a picture of a JACC organization desperately trying to pay debts left unpaid, accumulated and piled up under Jerry Moore and the "Old Majority." The "New Majority" has been trying to keep the lights on and do the right thing, financially, despite not being in possession of financial records which were whisked away in the dark and dead of night, after two different elections under the rule of law drastically changed neighborhood leadership.

Hodson's appearance on the stand started with drama: Jill Clark, lacking any plaintiff witnesses except Steve Jackson (who had already been used up on the stand, and was now sitting in the "bride side" spectator section) was apparently grasping at straws to pull off some kind of delay, and she appeared to look at the "New Majority" crowd on the "groom side" and calculate who, exactly, wasn't there.

And, at that moment, Treasurer Robert Hodson wasn't there.

Therefore...

"I need Robert Hodson!" Clark announced. WHERE was Hodson? She needed him. SHE HAD TOLD DEFENSE ATTORNEY SCHOOLER THAT SHE NEEDED HODSON, SO WHERE WAS HE?

Schooler replied there were a whole bunch of folks on Jill's witness list who were present, and all prepared to testify. He gestured toward the New Majority. Who, he asked, was ready to take the stand.

Hands shot up, volunteering for the mission.

Ooooh! Oooh! PICK MEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

No, I'm not kidding. Those New Majority folks, they're like the minutemen in the American Revolution. Lives, fortunes, sacred honor...they are ready to lay it down in a moment at the Battle of Lexington and Cord.

"Put me on the stand, Jill Clark," their facial expressions said. "Do your worst."

No, Clark said, she needed ROBERT HODSON. Oh, gee, no Hodson was present so might have to wrap up for the day, la dee da--!

Schooler responded to this, calling Jill out on her "delay tactic" being pulled because her own witness was not present, acting like, oh gee, she needs HODSON but where is--?

At that very moment (like deux ex machina in a badly-written play) Robert Hodson appeared, actually producing muted cheers.

"There is a God," I muttered, "And he looks like Robert Hodson."

My line was immediately grabbed and passed around like a pack of cigarettes in a muddy platoon, though (for the record) it was MY LINE, and least when it started out.

Hodson walked to the other side of the railing and waited for the lawyers to quit arguing so he could stride up, sit down and testify. He seemed to be almost PAWING THE GROUND like a championship horse, so eager was he to get on the stand.

I thought it was a good time for some freelance "witness prepping," so I leaned over the railing and whispered:

"You're a pawn. You're a meat puppet."

"Oh, yes," Hodson replied. If being a pawn of the "Pro-City" and "New Majority" JACC faction means cleaning up the neighborhood and making it livable, then put him on that chessboard and send him up against Queen Clark. His flinty eyes flashed with delight. This was HIS SPECIAL MOMENT ALL ALONE WITH JILL CLARK.

Hodson took the stand with his arm thrown back grandly, like Captain Kirk on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. His voice dripped a variety of emotions, all in the salty spectrum: Contempt. Loathing. Disdain. His answers were logical and precise. Jill couldn't box him in anywhere. She appeared to be trying to prove impropriety but only managed to prove propriety:

With missing, purloined financial records, JACC couldn't segregate accounts. They were forced to pay things like back rent arrears and just hope for the best, because if the lights went out or they got evicted from their headquarters, well...wasn't keeping the organization ALIVE the primary consideration? Particularly at this at the moment when the Jordan Neighborhood is (arguably) in a state of crisis due to vacant, boarded houses?

Under the circumstances, they acted like fiduciaries. They kept the lights on, while Jerry Moore was literally trying to turn the lights off, plus the gas; a situation which could have caused frozen pipes to explode right through walls.

AND SPEAKING OF THE DEVIL, Jerry Moore walked into court at 3:40 PM, while Hodson was on the stand, salt-sicles forming on Hodson's mouth in pissy back-and-forths with Jill Clark. How does Jerry manage to do that? He doesn't testify, and yet he manages to make an appearance in court. I give much of the credit for Jerry's nimble nature to his Blackberry communication device.

On the stand, Hodson went through documents offered by Jill, discussed how monies had been spent. Jill tried to create a contradiction: hadn't Hodson, et al, been critical of Jerry Moore for buying so many Cub gift cards to give away? And yet they (the "New Majority") had, themselves, spent a bunch of money on food at a cancer screening event.

Well, Hodson answered, that's what that particular grant had been for: to have the cancer screening event, and the food was part of the event. So there was no contradiction, as far as he could see. I noticed Jill Clark didn't ask Hodson any questions about meals at "the Monte Carlo."

At some point, Hodson's icy answers hit a temperature point somewhere near absolute zero, and the judge halted proceedings, went back into chambers to talk to both attorneys. Apparently, the judge was not pleased with Hodson's tone, and assumed Hodson had enough self-control to dial it back a few notches, and Judge Porter wanted the tone dialed back. Hodson, to his credit, made his tongue a little less sharp, after that, but at times you could still hear the whiplash meeting flesh:

* Sssssssssssnap! *

Is it any wonder Jill Clark's face does that twitchy thing, if she spends her life in court going up against sharp mouths like Robert Hodson's? Out in the spectator section, a discussion was taking place about the precise word you'd use to describe Hodson's manner.

"Argumentative?" was suggested.

No, that's not right, because Jill would be objecting to an argumentative response.

"Sarcastic," then?

No, not that either. If Hodson was sarcastic, he'd be saying the opposite of what he means, and he's clearly not doing that.

We finally had to compromise on "pissy" and "snotty," but neither of those words were exactly right, either, for the subtle way Hodson took everything Jill dished out, and threw it right back in her face. You know the way Hannibal "Silence Of The Lambs" Lecter can look right into your soul and lecture you about your father issues and your cheap shoes? It was like that. It was like Hodson was the one questioning JILL CLARK.

In fact, often enough Jill Clark would ask Hodson a question, and Hodson would fire back, "Define (whatever)?"

Jill appeared glad enough to finish with Hodson, though interestingly there wasn't enough time left in the afternoon to get Jerry Moore on the stand, after the time she spent questioning Hodson. Coincidence or conspiracy?

Under redirect by Defense Attorney David Schooler, Hodson talked about the vetting of candidates for the board, and spoke of his own experiences: despite being the domestic partner of a board member, Hodson was still required to provide documentation of his eligibility. Under Kip Browne's leadership on the Nominations Committee--when Jerry Moore wasn't actively undermining it--there was no such thing as "Oh, yeah, we all know that guy." EVERYBODY HAD TO GO THROUGH THE STEPS OF PROVING THEIR ELIGIBILITY.

Yes, even a board member's life partner, living under the same roof, presumably sleeping in the same bed. Under Kip Browne's leadership, the Rule of Law was in effect in the Jordan Neighborhood when it came to candidates for the Executive Board, not the nebulous and murky understandings associated with who-knows-who, who is part of the ruling clique, who is "cool" with the leadership.

And Hodson's testimony--though it mostly centered around financial documents--helped back up the larger contention by the New Majority: JACC was in good, competent hands.

Thank God. FINALLY.

Out in the hallway, Defense Attorney David Schooler could be overheard talking to some of the JACC members, saying Anne McCandless had "pounded a stake" into the heart of Jill Clark's case, and Hodson had done a fine job outlining the "financials."

Yes, Hodson's tongue had been "sharp," but everybody knew about that issue coming in. Hodson wasn't putting on an act on the stand. He is who he is, and if Hodson loathes you, you will hear it in his voice.

It appeared at that moment only one thing remainded for the "New Majority" in "New JACC City" to win in a legal slam-dunk: Get JACC Chairman Kip Browne on the stand. Let the judge and the public see the highly-competent young attorney and home owner now leading the neighborhood association, trying to dig out from under the pile of organizational rubble created by Jerry Moore and Ben Myers, trying to make North Minneapolis into an urban utopia or, at a bare minimum, SAFE AND LIVABLE.

The hearing over "Who Is The True JACC?" continues on Monday. Whether I am there or not, I have my informational tentacles extended, and coverage will continue of this pivotal moment in the history of North Minneapolis, a "sea change" in neighborhood leadership.

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"True JACC" Lawsuit In The Jordan Neighborhood: Talk Of "Gentrication" Plots, "Pro-Community" Versus "Pro-City" Factions...

Flickr.com Photo


Testifying in court a few days ago, "Old Majority" Sergeant-At-Arms Steve Jackson revealed that he originally joined JACC because he literally showed up at the wrong meeting...

Once again dredging up and dissecting an election that even "Old Majority" Chair E.B. Brown apparently said was valid, Jackson provided one of the most enlightening moments of the hearing as he explained his political analysis of factions within JACC, which I have characterized as "Old Majority" (Myers/Moore/Jackson faction) and "New Majority" (Kip Browne, Anne McCandless faction) for purposes of handy labels.

In the view of Jackson, there are two groups: a "pro-city" group and a "pro-community" group. Jackson believes with all his heart there is a plot afoot to gentrify North Minneapolis, grab up the affordable, roomy, antique homes with spacious shaded yards right near planned transportation and economic development--and turn North Minneapolis into a "white, middle class" community.

Jackson, who said he was an employee of the Boys and Girls Club...

...said being "pro-community" in North Minneapolis means caring for poor, primarily black individuals who may not have internet access, people he calls "the voiceless." But being "pro-city" means being in favor of the wicked plot to gentrify North Minneapolis.

This testimony caused a great deal of brow-furrowing and head-tilting among members of the "New Majority" seated in the spectator section. Indeed, as they were walking away from that court room, animated and full of words, nothing was so intently hashed over as the "pro-city" versus "pro-community" testimony, the idea put forth that only by being "anti-city" could one be "pro-community."

Why, Jackson wondered aloud, did the City of Minneapolis have to take over the JACC organization to push their plots? Couldn't they just create their own organization, if that's what they wanted? Jackson said he'd like to see new elections, to see JACC as it currently exists dissolved.

When, asked Clark, did the attacks on Jerry Moore begin?

Almost immediately after he was hired, said Jackson. There was a group--Anne McCandless, Dennis Wagner, Megan Goodmundson, Dan Rother--all attacking Jerry Moore.

And why was that? asked Clark.

Because, answered Jackson, Jerry was not a "yes man." Jerry was speaking for residents who don't have email, "the 'voiceless' people, I call 'em." Dan Rother made something like 30 to 35 grievances against Jerry Moore. Dealing with those grievances took a lot of Jerry Moore's time.

Some of the complaints, Jackson said, were the same exact complaint just worded in a different way. The complaints took "the Queen's English" and twisted it.

As Jackson said "Queen's English," it was like...like the Queen of England was visible in the room for a second, openly pulling the political strings. Pompous English music filled my thoughts for a moment. Oh, the Queeeeeeeeeeeeen. Pip pip. Tally ho. Spot o' tea fo' you, mum?

"When did you learn the Anne McCandless board paid Rother's legal fees?" asked Jill Clark.

"Yesterday," answered Jackson, in a tone of frustrated resignation.

On the bright side, though....he still has a really nice Blackberry device.

What, asked Jill Clark, is best for the (JACC) corporation, in your view?

It is best, answered Jackson, for "the vestiges to be dissolved," for there to be "new elections, new people at the table" and an organization that is not "pro-city." Jackson talked of his attempts to bring about a "restorative healing circle with "facilitators."

Yeah, "facilitators." I can't help but picture talkative individuals from within tight "Old Majority" social circles, fantastically-dressed blabbermouths who speak of their "wisdom" and "history" in the community, and then pocket a fat check for filling the air with words, the end result being that we should all feel good about the way things have been for a long time; with aimless groups of young men standing on corners, drinking out of bottles, with social disorder spilling noisily out of yards and into the streets. Pity them. Give them tolerance, for they are "oppressed" and "voiceless."

What the "Old Majority" calls "gentrification" others call basic standards of civilized behavior in an urban environment, something that has been severely lacking in parts of North Minneapolis since, geez, about the 1960's...

But it's making a comeback. Oh, god, is it ever.

Steve Jackson called attorney Kip Browne's faction a "bunch of thugs" who took over the organization.

He didn't say it very loudly. I wasn't sure what he'd said, so I walked over to Kip Browne, attorney-at-law, who has gone to all kinds of, like, international law seminars in freaking GERMANY and done civil rights litigation and...and...so, like, I asked Kip, "Did Jackson actually say 'a bunch of thugs?'"

And Kip confirmed that was indeed the utterance. Consternating, it was.

Jackson testified he believes the City of Minneapolis is "trying to make North Minneapolis a white community." He thinks the Jordan Advantage program is part of a plot to make that happen. Jackson views the Jordan Advantage program as "pro-city."

"What else is Pro-City?" Jill Clark asked.

The city wanting to tear down boarded housing with no waiting period, no permission from the neighborhoods, Jackson answered.

Defense Attorney David Schooler cross-examined Jackson, asking about votes, and whether Jackson had voted on January 14. Jackson answered he had not voted, he had abstained from the proceedings, which he viewed as illegal. Schooler put the vote tally sheet in front of Jackson, showing he had not abstained. He had voted "No." He had been outvoted, right?

Jackson gave Schooler a look that could peel paint off the walls, caught in this blatant contradiction.

Schooler asked whether Megan Goodmundson, Kip Browne, Anne McCandless lived in the Jordan Neigborhood? Weren't they members of the community and entitled to their own political view of what should happen in the neighborhood?

Jackson appeared unwilling to concede so much as the fact Kip Browne lives in Jordan, where Kip's fridge is stocked with delicious Canada Dry green tea ginger ale, you really should try it! (Pointless plug but what can I say? I got the Google ads, site meter and PayPal button going in the last few days, and now I'm just looking for opportunities wherever I can to sell pizza-slice shaped portions of my soul)

Schooler confronted Jackson, asking why only FOUR defendants were named when, gee, how was the vote breaking down? More than FOUR. Jackson's group can't even get a QUORUM together. Schooler asked if the Jordan Advantage program violates the JACC bylaws, somehow.

"It doesn't violate the bylaws," Jackson said. "But it doesn't sit well with me."

Well there you go. Instead of the rule of law, we substitute your precious subjective feelings about being picked upon and oppressed and the heartbreak of being outvoted. And then Jackson has the nerve to call Kip Browne a thug.

Jackson--who a few moments ago had criticized those who twist "the Queen's English," described himself as being like "a deer in the headlights" over the ouster of JACC officers happening right in front of him. Schooler said that, in his mind, a deer in the headlights is a confused animal that isn't sure what to do. Was Jackson CONFUSED that night?

No, Jackson said, he wasn't CONFUSED. He was SHOCKED.

Right about then, E.B. Brown and her husband stood up to leave, and there was Jackson still up on the stand...getting carved up into neatly-bundled packets of witness venison by David Schooler.

"Were other complaints made about Jerry Moore besides 'the fracas?'" Schooler wanted to know, alluding to the not-quite-a-fistfight that happened the night of JACC board elections, when anti-Jerry forces swept in by a landslide.

Yes, Jackson admitted, but the Moore incident struck him as a "set up." The "Pro City" forces were out to get Jerry Moore, looking to create an incident. But the neighborhood, the community which should be contrasted with the gentrification-plotting city, THE COMMUNITY needed Jerry Moore.

One of the New Majority scribbled a note and passed it to me.

"We needed Jerry like we needed another boarded home on our block," said the note.

Later that day, Jackson reportedly tried to walk up to Kip Browne and speak to Browne. Brown reminded Jackson he was represented by council. All communications needed to take place through the attorneys, unless Jackson wanted to WAIVE his right to counsel. Did Jackson wish to do that?

"It ain't like that," Jackson said. He waved his hand. "Never mind. It's not that important." (Or words to that effect)

Oh, yes, here we go again. That substitution of murky subjective feelings for the rule of law. Sure, Jackson is suing Kip Browne, but can't Kip be "cool" for a moment? Can't Kip set aside his legal license plus the fact attorney Jill Clark has a reputation for going after EVERY LITTLE FREAKING THING and just, you know, KEEP IT REAL?

Not being a represented party in this matter, I had a brief opportunity to speak to Jackson. He spoke of feeling excluded. I ended up talking to Jackson about "Pete the Pedophile," and asking why I had seen Jackson chatting with Peter in the court room.

"When you talk to Peter the Pedophile," I said. "It's like, for a moment, you're part of his little social circle. People see you talking to him, accepting him."

Jackson said he knew what Peter was. He didn't need to be told Peter is a child molester. He knew that.

I said the only thing somebody like Peter needed to hear was, "You're a Level 3 Sex Offender. Why the hell are you even speaking to me?"

On my own initiative, I made a point of offering Jackson one of the bread pudding "muffinoid" objects made by Realtor Connie Nompelis (she refuses to characterize the pastries as muffins, though they are in muffin papers, and our whole relationship has pretty much broken down over this point) and Jackson seemed ready to take one of the Pastries Of Peace.

Then Kelly Browne made a point of saying something about how one of the muffins was left over from Clean Sweep, raising the fact none of the "Old Majority" were seen picking up garbage in the streets, something expected of the "true believers" who keep the neighborhood going, a gritty ritual as serious as the Mayans offering up human hearts. So much for world peace through muffins. Muffinoids. Whatever.

All the same, one gets the feeling...Jackson isn't as twisted as my half-brother Ben Myers, quasi-famous public figure and attorney-at-law, so clever an attorney that he's blazing a pioneering legal trail around RULE 21, and that ain't easy, baby.

(Yes, Ben and I are twins, but we are also half-brothers. It's quite understandable as long as you didn't skip 8th Grade health class. To make matters more confusing, I was a PLANNED child, and Ben Myers was NOT)

(Do I really need to say "parody alert?" It gets tedious, Ben)

After court--after Kip Brown had been forced to spend TWO DAYS waiting around to testify, and then never took the stand, because Jill Clark does stuff like that--there was endless discussion about the "Pro-City" versus "Pro-Community" analysis.

The "New Majority" didn't seem to mind the "Pro-City" label at all. In fact, there was even talk of making buttons saying "Pro-City." But after a full day in court, there was no rest for the weary. Back in the Jordan Neighborhood, there was exactly enough time to slam down some freshly-warmed frozen pepperoni pizza, gulp a few cans of green tea ginger ale, and then the members of the New Majority attended a board meeting that went until 9 p.m.

Near the top of the prioritites: hiring somebody to do a Jerry-more-like job. The board members were adamant about one criteria:

This person needed to have, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree.

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