Category Archives: Action

Action, Family, HD66B

43rd Annual Hmong International Freedom Festival June 28-29th, GOP Booth #144

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Republican Booth is #144 Near Gate 2 on the Northeast corner of the area the Hmong International Freedom Festival (HIFF) J4 is at. See the Map below. Gate 2 is near the Eastbound 3A Bus Stop for the Como Park Aquatic Center.  Just west of Como-Horton & Lexington Intersection.

J4 as it is known to Hmong as a time to celebrate freedom with family, food, and sports.

It’s that time of year again, the first weekend prior to July 4th, when the Hmong people celebrate freedom at McMurray Fields of St Paul, MN (1151 Jessamine Ave W).  Hmong International Freedom Festival J4 Street Map  Make a note that there are 2 intersections of Como Avenue & Lexington Ave as seen in the Street Map link. The northern one has Como Avenue on the west side of the intersection and Horton Avenue on the east side. The southern intersection has Como Avenue on the east side of the intersection and Wynne Ave on the western side of the intersection with Lexington. So if you tell someone you’ll meet them at Como & Lexington, tell them which one.

The Republican Booth is in the Northeast part of this map (upper right, in the light green area) near the intersection of Como & Lexington Ave nearest to Gate 2, #144
Circled in Red is Booth 144. On the Top of the page is West Como which across from Horton Ave. Gate 2 is near the Eastbound Aquatic Center Bus stop (3A Bus)
McMurray Field looking North from Jessamine Ave W to Como Avenue at the top of the photo. Como Regional Park Pool just north of the Tournament Fields on Wynne Avenue. Lexington Avenue is to the East of the Fields.  The Metro Transit 3A Bus travels along Como Avenue, and the 83 Bus travels north and south along Lexington Avenue.

The Hmong People who have settled here in the St Paul MN area really know what Freedom feels like.  General Vang Pao brought the Hmong people here from the refugee camps in Southeast Asia after the end of the Vietnam War.

Hmong International Freedom Festival (J4)

will be open from 8 AM to 8 PM Both Days

There are many things to do, see, buy, and taste at the celebration.

COST: FREE to all

  • Events start at 8 am on Saturday & 8 am on Sunday.

Park & Ride Shuttle from the MN State Fairgrounds

  • $20 per Vehicle (Cash Only)
  • Shuttle Buses from the Fairgrounds to the Festival from 6:30 am to 9:30 pm

It is with great anticipation that this year’s 43rd Annual Hmong Freedom Celebration Sport Tournament will be hosted by The United Hmong Family on Saturday, June 28th and Sunday, June 29th, 2025 at the Como Park’s McMurray Field. The event will provide ample spaces for various vendors that are not just local community members, but from all over the world.

Booths will be set up for food, traditional and culture items, educational and informational and other general merchandise. Most of the festival goers are relatives and friends who travel a short distance of a couple of miles to across the ocean from former homeland in Asia. Others are spectators who come to cheer on one another as well as taking part in one of the competitive sporting venues in flag football (both men and women’s), Sepak Takraw (Kato), Soccer (men/women’s), tuj lub (top spinning), volleyball (men/women’s) and other fun and games for all ages, and physical ability. They have a lot to accomplish within the short amount of time.

Hmong Sports Tournament includes Flag Football, Soccer and Hmong specific sports.
A Hmong player kicks the ball across the net during a game of Sepak Takraw (Kato), a volleyball-like sport without the use of hands. Traditional balls are made of wicker.

Also known as KATO

Volleyball of both Men & Women’s teams.

The above information was found at the theunitedhmongfamily.org website, and photos were found online. We found the parking information and the event fee, as well as the explanation of the rules of Kato on VistSaintPaul.com website. The posting is a courtesy to our Hmong friends & neighbors.  We will post the winners from each sports category. — admin

 

Action, HD66B

Road Construction: Arcade St Between York Ave & Frost

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The Blue Dot on the map represents the American Legion Post 577

One  of our East Side Delegates pointed out the street that runs passed the American Legion Post 577 is going to be closed due to road construction.

On the Map above, the Blue Dot just north of Magnolia Ave & Arcade St is where the American Legion Post 577 is located.

The Map shows Northbound & Southbound Arcade St Detours

  • The North Bound Detour for Arcade St shown in Dark Purple. This is Payne Avenue.
  • The South Bound Detour for Arcade St shown in Cyan or a Light Blue. This is Edgerton St.

So for our April 22nd Town Hall Forum you’ll have to pay attention to your GPS and the side streets on those 2 Detours. Also expect those 2 streets to have heavy traffic on them and expect delays so plan ahead by adding an extra 10 minutes before you would normally drive there.

The American Legion Parking lot is on Arcade St & Geranium Ave, the other side of the block is Jessamine Ave. See Map

Official MNDOT Posting Information

  • Arcade St. is closed to through traffic in both directions between Frost Ave. and East Wheelock Pkwy.
  • Arcade St. is closed to through traffic in both directions between Maryland Ave. East and York Ave.

Currently there is a bill seeking compensation for the Small Businesses affected on this stretch of Arcade St at the State Legislature.

Action, HD66B, Politics

HD 66B Republicans Town Hall Forum April 22, 2025 6:30-8:30 pm

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What:  HD 66B Republican Town Hall Forum

When: Tuesday, April 22, 2025 6:30 pm Doors Open Social time and a light dinner; 7:00-8:00 pm State Legislators Give Updates; 8:00 to 8:30 pm Q & A

Where:  American Legion Post 577, 1129 Arcade St, Saint Paul, MN 55106 Map

Cost:  Suggested Donation $20

The American Legion Post 577 asks that once you arrive you go straight to the room in the back. If you want to get something from the bar you can but keep the political stuff to yourself in the bar area and be respectful of the Veterans there.

The Minnesota State Legislators Confirmed to be speaking are:

  • Senator Mark Koran (SD 28 North Branch) Mark grew up in the Frogtown Neighborhood of St Paul.
  • Senator Eric Lucero (SD 30 St Michael)
  • Rep Walter Hudson (HD 30A Albertville)
  • Rep Patricia Mueller (HD 23B Austin)
American Legion Post 577, 1129 Arcade St, St Paul MN 55106

This is an event post. The event is a fundraising event. It is also a chance learn what’s going on from Republican State Legislators that hasn’t been filtered by a news agency. –admin

Action, HD66B

2024 End of Session Cookie Drop May 17th

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If you watch the end of the Minnesota Legislative Session drama on public tv or some streaming website, you’ll see a lot of last minute debates, some last minute trickery, and a lot of “gotcha” politicking. No matter what party is in the majority there is sometimes a lot of unnecessary drama and demonstrating in the hallways of the State Capitol.

This can be very stressful on all parties involved in the end of session marathon. In passed years some groups have brought their party’s legislators treats and comfort food for the breaks they have in these marathon sessions. This is where the idea of a Cookie Drop started.

Our last chair, Tom Polachek (2017-23), commented to Rep Pam Altendorf a week prior to May 17th of the ability to make a bunch of cookies from the recipes on our website posted some years ago during the lockdown conventions of 2020. Since he and our current Chair, Donna Liew weren’t attending the State Convention occurring at the same time, they decided to bring a bunch of cookies to both the MN House Republicans and the MN Senate Republicans. That’s a total of 97 Legislators to bake cookies for.

The cookie recipes from our site Tom Polachek made were Peanut Butter Chip, Healthified Chocolate Chip, Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip, and Oatmeal Raisin with Molasses.

Peanut Butter with Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips Cookies
Healthified Chocolate Chip Cookies have less fat, and have whole wheat flour instead of regular white flour. Tastes like a Chips Ahoy cookie
Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oatmeal Raisin with Molasses Cookies

Chair Donna Liew made some Gingerbread Cookies, and Blueberry Crumble Bars.

Chair Donna Liew made Gingerbread Cookies on the left and Blueberry Crumble Bars on the right of the tray

Distribution of the 6 kinds of Cookies to the MN House Republicans took place first with the help of Rep Pam Altendorf of Red Wing MN. She left the House Chambers and met Donna & Tom in the Capitol Rotunda and then escorted them to a room the MN House Republicans use for recesses, or breaks just off the floor of the House Chambers. Afterwards they went to the MN Senate Office Building just north of the State Capitol Building and met with a Legislative Assistant in the MN Senate Republicans Wing of the building.

Baking for just 33 Senators was a lot easier and the cookies were put into an old candy box in rows of 3 and an over flow of the Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie into an old Folgers Jar.

An old Folgers Jar can contain quite a few dozen cookies.

Why did we do this?

There was a need and because we still live in a society that free will reigns.  Americans can still rise to a challenge and say I CAN.