Gymnasts Landyn (above), Amari (top right) and Jas (bottom right) compete in Crete, NE at Sokol Western District Competition. Photo Credit Elisha May Jacobsen.

May 30, 2025 Community Reporter 2 min read C.S.P.S. Hall, Sokol Minnesota

More Than Cartwheels and Handstands: Sokol Gymnastics

Over the weekend of April 4-6, seven gymnasts from Sokol Minnesota Gymnastics traveled to Crete, Nebraska to participate in a meet with other Western District Sokol Gymnastics programs. The Western District Competition is held once annually and is the only gymnastics meet the Sokol Minnesota team competes in, making it a highlight of the year for the gymnasts. Team members Amari, Norah, Maeve, Shae, Laura, Jas, and Landyn took home individual medal placements, and some even performed a “special number,” a team dance with tumbling throughout the choreography.

May 30, 2025 Tim Johnson 3 min read Building Community, Columns

Paying Attention

The moral of the story was pay attention. At least, that was what my dad suggested as the take away lesson. It was hard to argue with that conclusion. I was at a home town basketball game. I had a front row seat, a great spot to watch the game. The ball slamming me in the face caught me totally off guard. My broken glasses lay on the ground. All eyes turned toward me to see if I was OK. I was caught between shock, embarrassment and the sharp stinging on my face. As my dad later that night rightly observed, when you are sitting in the front row, it might be a good idea to pay attention to the game rather than chatting it up with your friends. You never know when an errant pass might be coming your way.

A “delusion” of three eras of the West End: An imaginary view telescoping three eras of the West End. Top right, St Anthony Falls retreating up the Mississippi River; top left, the retreating River Warren falls that carved St Paul’s bluff; top center, Fort Snelling at Bdote, at the confluence of both rivers. Lower left, Dakota Natives viewing the past and future. Stuart Loughridge’s watercolor interpretation is based on the Henry Lewis chromolithograph.”

May 30, 2025 Joe Landsberger 3 min read Columns, Origin Stories

Origin Story, Part the Second: Deluge

Dakota historians (Westerman/White, 2012): “The relationship of a people to the lands where they live is crucial for understanding their

West 7th Pharmacy located at 1106 West 7th St. Photo Credit Damian Goebel

May 29, 2025 Damian Goebel 3 min read

After 110 years, West 7th Pharmacy to Close

West 7th Pharmacy, which has been continuously operating at 1106 West 7th since 1915, announced on May 19 it would

May 28, 2025 West 7th Fort Road Federation 0 min read Fort Road Federation

West 7th/Fort Road Federation June 2025

West End Garden Tour: Celebrate the beauty and creativity of our neighborhood on Saturday, June 14th from 10 AM–2 p.m.

May 8, 2025 Joe Landsberger 4 min read Columns, Origin Stories

Origin Stories: An Introduction

Since the 1970s the Community Reporter has been blessed with reporters, editors and board members who have documented the history

May 8, 2025 Tim Johnson 3 min read Building Community, Columns

The Necessity of Empathy

My grandson’s shoe was missing. He is just 13 months in age and has been enjoying the value of upright mobility for the past month or so, making footwear important. On a warm sunny afternoon, the playground we visited was full of other children with either their parents or grandparents. The adults, like the children, engaged in the type of friendly conversation of people meeting for the first time.