As Southwest Voices starts 2026 stronger together with Southwest Connector, we wanted to take a moment to share our favorite stories from 2025 across both publications. Moving forward, all of our stories will be published together as Southwest Voices and we are energized by this collaboration.

Tesha’s favorite stories from Southwest Connector

Who gets career training in high school?

As the former Southwest Connector editor and now Southwest Voices publisher, I don’t always have the time to dig into things and write about them. My dive into Minneapolis Public Schools’ Career and Technical Education programs and their misalignment with school bell schedules gave me an opportunity to learn more about the hands-on classes being offered to help students get jobs quicker in fields that are hiring.

This article won an investigative award from the Minnesota Newspapers Association, which felt satisfying after the hours it took to pull together. Recently, I worked with a University of Minnesota journalism student, Trevor Dunning, on a follow-up piece that takes an in-depth look at one of the CTE programs. The public safety pathway may be able to play a role in solving the police officer shortage in Minneapolis – and I find it pretty exciting to see our school district helping with a community issue. Look for the story in the January print edition’s education section.

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Domestic violence reporting

For the last seven years, I’ve been writing an occasional series that dives into the myths surrounding domestic violence and what happens next, when families enter the family court system. Domestic violence affects one out of every three women and one out of every four men. It affects people of all economic levels and all races, and we all know people who are being affected. I get emails and calls regularly from people thanking me for writing about this, and I am grateful for the brave individuals who share their stories with me.

I did a follow-up to an earlier story this year focusing on how teenaged children are impacted by domestic violence titled “Teens say family court shouldn’t force them to have relationship with dad.” The article explores how the teenagers are frustrated that they don’t feel like any of the professionals have listened to their concerns, while their mom is being called an alienator for not being able to control their actions. Look for another follow-up on this family as the children are currently homeless in an effort to prevent their mom from going to jail because they’ve refused to see their dad.

Over the years I’ve also written about a lovely local tradition that happens on Christmas Eve.  Hundreds of luminaries are lit on Dupont Avenue to not only bring residents together, but to raise money for the Domestic Abuse Project, which used to be located in Southwest and is now in Northeast. This month marked the last year for organizers Mickey O’Kane and Kathryn Ringham, who are passing the torch to Maelene Krig.

“She feels strongly that even though I am moving and Kathryn is stepping down, the tradition must go on!” O’Kane said about Krig’s leadership. They’ve raised over $50,000 for the Domestic Abuse Project since the project began in 1998.

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City of Lake Stewards Pilot launches on Lake Harriet‍

Southwest Connector ran a press release in May highlighting a new program by the Southwest-based organization Minnesota Lakes and Rivers. Soon after, Lily Carr, a college student working with the organization, reached out to me because they’d had such a big response from our readers.

We worked together on a series of ads to draw in even more people interested in helping preserve our local waters. Minnesota  Lakes and Rivers is hiring and training students from Washburn High School to serve as Lake Steward evaluators.

There’s nothing I love more than linking local businesses and organizations with our 50,000+ print readers to get out important information and build their programs. It’s one of the things that makes community journalism so rewarding. We’re working every day to make our community stronger. Thanks for reading. -Tesha

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Melody’s favorite stories from Southwest Voices

Students test their own STEM questions at the Windom Science Fair

A freshly reported story that represents what I love about community journalism. I have developed a strong relationship with the Southwest Ultraviolet Robotics Team which led to an invite to the Windom Science Fair. The science fair is an annual collaboration between high school and elementary students and a bunch of adults. The linchpin is the robotics team mentor Lynn Meyer who calls the science fair her “passion project.”

My only regret is not interviewing more budding scientists. There is always next year.

The 50th and Penn water main break

The original breaking news story, What is the City’s responsibility in the 50th & Penn water main break?, Flooded 50th and Penn building may be salvaged, Paperback Exchange Bookstore a loss, for now

When a city water main broke in February, most of the building’s businesses were destroyed, residents were displaced, and nearby homeowners suffered flooding. Most of the businesses never reopened. It was an instant education on water mains, insurance policies, and observing small businesses and home owners navigate a crisis with both.

A homeowner in waist-deep water behind the flooded businesses at 50th Street and Penn Avenue on Feb. 13, 2025, trying to unplug a storm sewer. Photo courtesy of Al Theisen

The reporting revealed that business and home owners struggled to get their insurance to cover the damages and had to file claims with the City. In an update to my own reporting, the City denied the claims in May which included the entire building owned by Carroll Peterson and nearby homeowners.

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No new green space for The Mall in East Isles anytime soon

Can the Park & Recreational Board vote down aspects of its own long-range plan? Turns out, it can. I got wind of this issue thanks to vested stakeholders reaching out to me. I attended community meetings, Park Board meetings, and talked to Park Board commissioners to report on neighbor-led push back on planned green space for The Mall in East Isles.

There is a lot to learn in this story. Speaking up makes a difference, both to the press and your elected leaders. And it’s another reminder that a voted-through plan can be changed by elected leadership if enough pressure is put on them.

Thank you to every single person who reached out to Southwest Voices this year with story ideas, questions, and concerns. While each query may not result in a story, a lot of them do. You know what matters most to your community. Thank you for sharing that with us. -Melody