‘Cover Stories’ Archives
Ingebretsen’s Gift Shop Turns 50!
Submitted by INGEBRETSEN’S This year the Ingebrestsen’s Gift Shop celebrates its 50th birthday. Julie Ingebretsen started running a small counter with just a few imported gifts alongside the well known Meat Market and Deli in 1974 and has built the store into one of the most respected Nordic import and gift stores in the country. The combination of the traditional food at the Deli (opened by Charles Ingebretsen - a Swedish immigrant to the Midwest - in 1921!) and imported gifts and home goods for sale makes Ingebretsen’s a source for the local community to find connection with Scandinavian culture. Ingebretsen’s is one of the last stores still standing from the early 20th century era of “snoose boulevard,” a hub of Scandinavian American activity. The street remains a corridor where immigrant businesses can get their start and contribute to a multicultural fabric of Minneapolis. Christmas is the time of year that brings the Scandinavians in the Twin Cities out in [...]
Part 1: Consequences of War on Russian-Speaking Community
By A RUSSIAN SPEAKING COMMUNITY MEMBER War brings destruction, loss of loved ones, and cultural conflicts between people who were once like one family. In the context of the ongoing war, the internal experiences of Russian-speaking immigrants have become more acute. These people are stuck between cultures, facing feelings of guilt, fear, and isolation.I interviewed Russian and Ukrainian immigrants to explore how their lives have changed since the war began. The main focus of the interview is on the consequences of the conflict in an emotional, social and cultural sense, including internal conflict of identity, attitudes toward the dynamics of the society in which we live at the moment, and how people cope with the complexities of war. To protect the identities of the individuals I interviewed, I have chosen not to use their full names, ensuring their privacy while sharing their experiences. K left Ukraine before the war began, L is a Russian immigrant who came to the U.S. after [...]
Community, Health, Education, and Labor Leaders Unite in Call at City Council to Close HERC Trash Burner Hearing
Newly proposed resolution would call for a shutdown date for the facility and seeks restitution for residents impacted by the incinerator By ZERO BURN COALITION Attendees at an October 10th hearing on the permanent closure of Minneapolis’ HERC trash incinerator. PHOTO: Devon Young Cupery The Minneapolis City Council’s Climate & Infrastructure Committee held a public hearing on October 10 focusing on a resolution to support the permanent closure of the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC). The resolution marks a significant step in addressing decades of environmental and health concerns raised by local residents, scientists, and environmental advocates. The resolution calls for a definitive closure date for HERC, restitution for communities impacted by the facility’s 35 years of operation, and frontline community leadership in determining the future of the site. It also urges the City to implement its 2017 Zero Waste Plan, aiming to reduce waste and promote [...]
