Author: Jake Spitzack
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Displaced but not forgotten – new report addresses West Side Flats displacement
Jake SpitzackStaff Writer The West Side Community Organization (WSCO) is hosting an open house, Sunday, Feb. 11, to discuss the continuing repercussions of the displacement. The event will take place 1:30-4:30 p.m., at the Wellstone Center, 179 E. Robie St., and include small and large group discussions about living on the West Side, and a… Read more
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‘One, two, up she goes!’ St. Paul Bouncing Team has provided arial thrills since 1886
‘One, two, up she goes!’ St. Paul Bouncing Teamhas provided arial thrills since 1886 (February 2024)Tim SpitzackEditor Five years ago, Lori Ska stepped outside her comfort zone in a big way. At the urging of a friend, she decided to try out for a spot on the St. Paul Bouncing Team, a crowd-favorite attraction at… Read more
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SSP Choralettes hosts their final season
(December 2023)Jake SpitzackStaff Writer After 57 years of spreading cheer in the community through lively vocal performances, the South St. Paul Choralettes have made the hard decision to disband at the end of the year. The nonprofit women’s singing ensemble typically performed eight times in the fall and six times in the spring, and occasionally… Read more
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The nation’s first cheerleader had SSP roots
(December 2023)Tim SpitzackEditor Attend most any sporting event – from junior high on up to the pros – and you’ll find a cadre of enthusiastic people on the sidelines rousing fans to cheers, chants and spirited dance moves and acrobatic throws. Interestingly, the first cheerleader in the United States was a man who would become… Read more
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Remembering Rudy Lange: A veteran with a passion for pigeons
(November 2023)Tim SpitzackEditor In the early 2000s, you could often find Rudy Lange at Central Square Community Center enjoying a game of cards. Although his 80-year-old hands likely ached with arthritis he could still shuffle the deck and deal to his companions. Seeing him in those days one would never guess he was a decorated… Read more
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An ode to Mickey’s Diner
An ode to Mickey’s Diner (November 2023) UPDATE: The diner reopened in early October 2024 Tim SpitzackEditor The corner of West Seventh and St. Peter streets just hasn’t been the same since 2020, when COVID-19 took down one of St. Paul’s most iconic institutions: Mickey’s Diner. No longer do we see the warm glow of… Read more
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A St. Paul oddity: The mysterious case of the missing Eighth Street
(October 2023)Tim SpitzackEditor Those new to Downtown St. Paul quickly discover two key streets as navigational aids: Robert Street and Seventh Street. Both dissect the city – and each other – and will get you from one edge of downtown to the other. That’s all fine and dandy unless you happen to be on Robert… Read more
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Paddling with the Pelicans
(October 2023)Tim SpitzackEditor Come October, the skies will be thick with migrating birds and waterfowl winging their way south along the Mississippi River Flyway, which follows the meandering course of the 2,340-mile river that bears its name. More than 325 species use the flyway on their annual roundtrip from breeding grounds in Canada and the… Read more