Columns

Tim Johnson 3 min read ,

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.

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Tim Johnson 3 min read , ,

Influencers for a Kinder World

It is fair to say that Carl Benston, AKA, Mr. Positive, never thought of himself as an influencer, at least not by the standards of those who are able to use their influence as a source of income through social media. How could you possibly expect a person living with savant syndrome disability to be an influencer? Like others who live in or frequent the West 7th Community, I often saw Carl on his creatively outfitted bike. I never had the opportunity to meet Mr. Positive in person, but thanks to the wonderful memorial in the January Community Reporter and the writings of Tim Rumsey, I almost feel like I did. I certainly have known folks like Carl, people who somehow manage the art of being, without pretense or gilded effort to showcase themselves for profit or otherwise. 

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West End Healthline 3 min read ,

When It’s Not a Breath of Fresh Air: A Review of Asthma

With Spring in full swing, bringing with it allergy season, decreased air quality and more people out and about getting exercise, now is a good time to brush up your knowledge of asthma. This is a relatively common condition that affects up to 7% of children and up to 10% of adults in Minnesota. However, while common, this condition is not one size fits all and every person who has this is affected differently. 

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Sandy Pappas 3 min read , ,

How Federal Funding Impacts Minnesotans

Until this January, I’d wager many Minnesotans didn’t spend much time thinking about the way our federal government moves money around. That’s what’s great about a government that works the way it’s meant to: only the people who are paid to think about it, have to think about it. But as we’ve seen since January 20, when the system starts to break down — or rather, is being actively destroyed — it becomes everyone’s problem. Problems like: Will I be able to feed my family this week if our WIC benefits are cancelled? Will I still be able to see my doctor if Medicaid funding is slashed? Will I have to quit my job to take care of my kids if Head Start shuts down? 

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