Inside the white gates of Hôtel des Mille Collines is a line of taxicabs. Sitting politely in a row, the drivers wait to shuttle their next client from hill to hill, from the museums to the mass graves that pocket the landscape.
Inside, the hotel hosts groups of expatriates, families and journalists. Those morbidly enchanted with the stories of Hotel Rwanda, and those who are oblivious to the slaughtering of one million people in 100 days that occurred outside its iron door.
Michael Erko thought he'd won the lottery. He hadn't. But he was a winner, which landed him a January trip to a small town about 400 miles northeast of the Twin Cities.
The Blaine resident, a 33-year veteran of Canadian Pacific Railway, was picked by his employer to take part in the Olympic torch relay, in large part because of his record of volunteer work in Blaine.
So on Sunday, Erko was in Nipigon, Ontario, carrying the torch 300 meters toward Vancouver, British Columbia, site of next month's winter Olympics.
In the fall of 1974, three young men trekked across the eastern half of the United States using nothing but a kayak named Molly B that had been bought at a garage sale.
Thirty-five years and 9,000 miles later, the boat has finally reached its resting place at the Anoka County Historical Society.
As part of the exhibit called "Tell Me a Story," the Historical Society has gathered various artifacts of the two-year trip -- including the Wheaties Box the trio was featured on -- to highlight the stories of Anoka County residents.
A new community theater is up and running in Ramsey, with a broad cast of actors preparing for its curtain-raising production in early December.
The Ramsey Community Theater, under the direction of Philip Bologna, will be staging "Ebeneeezer," a remake of Charles Dickens' classic, "A Christmas Carol."
Bologna, drama director at Elk River High School and a veteran opera singer, puts an emphasis on the "community" in community theater: The operation aims to cast everyone who auditions for its plays, he said.
And you can ride in this storied 1929 Ford Tri-Motor, a vintage craft known for its luxury.
A storied aircraft, one that played a supporting role in a recent movie, is coming to Blaine as part of a nationwide tour.
The Experimental Aircraft Association will bring a Ford Tri-Motor to the Anoka County-Blaine Airport from Thursday through Sunday and is offering rides on the plane.
Built in 1929, the plane is a leading luxury vintage aircraft, with nine plush passenger seats and expansive windows for a view of the outdoors.
For most people, a dream summer vacation involves cabins, lakes and sunny fun. But Maria Blue's recent layoff from her care-taking job has left her spending the summer break skimming through classified ads.
"I've never taken off time for vacation," she said. "So this is kind of my vacation."
It's not often that a seventh-grade student is interested in debating the philosophical dichotomy of greed and giving within society, but Rebecca Johnson isn't a normal middle school student either.
The 13-year-old pianist, percussionist and composer from Arden Hills was recently recognized by Kids Philosophy Slam for submitting the "most musical entry" in the nation. Her composition, she said, reflected her stance on this year's topic: "Greed or Giving: Which has a greater impact on society?"
By Kathryn Nelson, April 21, 2009, and used by the Associated Press and Reuters. (PDF)
Activist-actress kicks off world-wide Darfur Fast for Life for starving innocents in Sudan
Washington, DC-- Activist-actress Mia Farrow announced the Darfur Fast for Life today—a hunger strike in
Introduction
By Kathryn Nelson, Stop Genocide Now, March 15, 2009.
Media Alert
March 15, 2009
Stop Genocide Now activists living outside Federal Building
Coordinating Tuesday rally to demand action for victims of Darfur
4.7 million innocent people are currently affected by the genocide occurring in Darfur, Sudan - that’s more than the populations of Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA put together.
