Saint Paul, MN – On Feb. 10 the Executive Board of the Saint Paul Federation of Teachers voted unanimously to call a strike vote for their members on Feb. 24. This comes after almost nine months of contract negotiations in which teachers have put forward bold proposals to defend and improve public education in Saint Paul, which have garnered the support of parents and community members but drawn negative responses from School District officials.

Saint Paul, MN – Activists from the anti-war and the Palestine solidarity movement gathered here, Jan. 24 to demand the release of all Palestinian political prisoners and an end to Palestinian Authority (PA) security cooperation with Israeli occupation forces. The group rallied for an hour in the midst of a snowstorm. The vigil was held in response to a call from the Campaign to Free Ahmed Sa’adat for Freedom Weeks to commemorate the 12th anniversary of Sa’adat’s abduction by PA forces.

St. Paul, MN – Organized by the Welfare Rights Committee, low-income people gathered in front of Governor Mark Dayton’s mansion, Dec 18, to demand the state budget surplus be used to meet the needs of the poor and for an increase in the welfare grants. Protesters did a spoken word version of the song Twelve Days of Christmas, called Twelve Days of Poverty. Building on the Christmas theme of the event, they threw brightly colored packages adorned with slogans over the mansion fence.

St. Paul, MN – Black Friday protests are happening across the country today. Around 500 people took to the streets at the Midway Shopping Center here, Nov. 29, chanting, “Poverty wages have to go!”

U.S. attorney office cites ‘ongoing investigation’

St. Paul, MN – Two prominent anti-war and international solidarity activists, Jess Sundin and Mick Kelly, were in federal court here, Nov. 1, in a bid to pull back the curtain of government secrecy that surrounds the FBI raids on their homes on Sept. 24, 2010. In the hearing presided over by Judge Steven E. Rau, Bruce Nestor, attorney for the plaintiffs, made a passionate argument for a motion to unseal the affidavits used to obtain the search warrants for the FBI raids.

St. Paul, MN – Two Minneapolis anti-war and international solidarity activists will be in federal court, Nov. 1, to demand an end to the government secrecy surrounding their case. Jess Sundin and Mick Kelly are two of the 23 Midwest activists targeted by an investigation that included two years of spying by undercover agents, Sept. 2010 raids of homes and offices in Minneapolis and Chicago by the FBI, and a secret Chicago grand jury.

Saint Paul, MN – Members of the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) ‘huddled’ in front of Governor Mark Dayton’s mansion Sept. 25. After a rally and speeches, low-income people hurled footballs over the locked fence. Written on streamers attached to the footballs were messages such as, “Help poor kids, not millionaires,” and “Raise the grants now!” Before they left, the protesters taped signs to the outside of the fence to hammer home the message.

Saint Paul, MN – Más de 75 personas se unieron para decir “Pemex no se vende!” en una protesta aquí el 24 de agosto afuera del consulado mexicano y denunciaron la estratagema del presidente mexicano Enrique Peña Nieto para privatizar la compañía estatal de petróleo, Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex). La protesta fue organizada por la sección en Minnesota de la organización mexicana MORENA (Movimiento Regeneración Nacional). MORENA está encabezando un movimiento en México y en el resto del mundo para parar la privatización de Pemex. La protesta contó con la participación de varios oradores y del grupo de danza azteca Kalpulli Ketzalcoatlicue. Los manifestantes exigieron que un oficial del consulado saliera para recibir su carta y firmas en contra de la privatización de Pemex. No fue posible ignorar la protesta y un oficial salió para hablar con los manifestantes, comprometiéndose a compartir las demandas con sus superiores.

Saint Paul, MN – More than 75 people came together to say “Pemex is not for sale!” at a protest outside the Mexican consulate here on Aug. 24. They denounced Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto’s scheme to privatize the Mexican state-owned oil company, Pemex (Petróleos Mexicanos).

Saint Paul, MN – More than 240 members of Workers United Local 150 walked off the job from Health Systems Cooperative Laundries, August 5, forming picket lines at the plant entrances in a strike over unfair labor practices, which include the company’s unilateral discontinuation of sick-day benefits.

Protesters tell Dayton to quit giving money to billionaires

St Paul, MN – Members and supporters of the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) protested July 10 in front of Governor Dayton’s mansion to demand that he act now to raise the welfare grants in Minnesota. As things stand, about 70,000 Minnesota children are living in extreme poverty.

St. Paul, MN – Members of the Welfare Rights Committee and supporters brought dozens of cardboard boxes into the capitol rotunda here, April 15, to construct a ‘Poverty-ville.’ The homeless village was a warning to the ruling Democrats that, if they carried through with their current budget cuts to health and human services, they would be adding to the homelessness caused by the economic crisis. They called on the Democrats to increase the welfare grants.

St. Paul, MN – More than 100 rallied here Nov. 16 to protest Israel’s attack on Gaza, which has been escalating since it began two days earlier. Protesters lined one of the busiest intersections in Saint Paul, at Summit and Snelling Avenues. The carried Palestinian flags and banners and signs in solidarity with Palestine and in opposition to U.S. support for Israel.

Saint Paul, MN – On Nov. 6, Minnesotans voted down two controversial constitutional amendments that conservatives put on the ballot. An amendment that would have made gay marriage unconstitutional was defeated 51.2% to 47.6%. An amendment that would have put restrictive voter ID requirements into the state constitution – an effort to suppress voter turnout – was also defeated, 52.2% to 46.3%.

Kick-off event held at Ramsey County welfare office

St. Paul, MN – About 20 members of the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) gathered at the Ramsey County welfare office, July 26, to announce a campaign to raise the welfare grants in the state of Minnesota.

San Pablo, MN – El Movimiento Regeneración Nacional (MORENA) de Minnesota organizó una protesta afuera del consulado mexicano aquí el 7 de julio, protestando reportes de fraude generalizado en la elección presidencial en México el 1 de julio. Hay reportes generalizados de compra de votos, irregularidades con papeletas, y otra clase de fraude. La protesta del 7 de julio en San Pablo coincidió con megamarchas a través de México y en el resto del mundo el mismo día.

Saint Paul, MN – The Minnesota chapter of the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) organized a protest at the Mexican consulate here on July 7, protesting reportedly widespread fraud in the Mexican presidential election that took place on July 1. There are widespread reports of buying of votes, ballot irregularities, and other types of fraud. The July 7 protest in St. Paul coincided with massive protests in Mexico and elsewhere on the same day.

Saint Paul, MN – The Welfare Rights Committee and their supporters held a press conference and picket at Governor Mark Dayton’s office, May 11, to demand he veto the Viking's stadium bill.

St. Paul, MN – In a packed hearing room, more than a dozen legislators heard testimony March 14 on proposed legislation to put a moratorium on home foreclosures and the eviction of tenants from foreclosed properties. Representative Karen Clark and Senator Scott Dibble, authors of the ‘Foreclosure Moratorium, Neighborhood Stabilization & Tenant Protection Bill’ (SF1521 and HF1886) chaired the hearing. The moratorium bill is an initiative of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout (MCPBO).

_Groups slam public subsidies _

St Paul, MN – It was a big day for Vikings owner and New Jersey real estate developer Zygi Wilf at the State Capitol, Jan. 12, when plans were submitted by the City of Minneapolis, Ramsey County and others for a new Vikings football stadium. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton set Jan. 12 as a deadline for Vikings stadium plans to be considered at the upcoming legislative session. Wilf insists that the public pick up most of the tab for a new stadium