Here is the Bugle’s latest Midpoint, a mid-month web report on some local news and information, since the publication of our February 2025 issue.

McMurtrey wins special election

Garrison McMurtrey on Feb. 11 was elected to the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners District 3, making him the first Black man to be elected to a county board in Minnesota history. 

District 3 includes St. Anthony Park, Union Park, Como Park, Midway, Frogtown, North End, Payne Phalen neighborhoods in St.  Paul and all of Falcon Heights. The seat became vacant following the resignation of Board Chair Trista Martinson last August’

McMurtrey said, “Although I didn’t enter this race to be a ‘first,’it’s not lost on me that my perspective and lived experience has been missing from the county government for too long.

“I’m eager to get started and work towards centering economic justice in our work at the county, “McMurtrey added.

McMurtrey brings more than a decade of experience in high level public service roles, including regional field director for President Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign, outreach director for U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and currently as the district director for U.S. Congresswoman Angie Craig. McMurtrey also served as the chairman of the St. Paul DFL and member of the St. Paul Planning and Charter commissions. 

“I plan to prioritize creating more deeply affordable housing in our community, investing in key coordinators to spur economic growth and ensuring that our county services are responsive to the needs of our community,” McMurtrey said.

McMurtrey lives in the Como Park neighborhood with his wife, State Sen. Clare Oumou Verbeten.

Still open: Progressive Dinner signups

Registration for the annual St. Anthony Park Progressive Dinner closes on Feb. 28.

To sign up, or for further information, send an email to [email protected] or reach out to Breanna Mueller at 651-235-8110

       What is the Progressive Dinner? It’s a chance to meet neighbors, engage in great conversation and enjoy delicious food.

         After a hiatus of a few years during the Covid-19 pandemic, this popular annual happening is returning on Saturday, March 8, led by a fresh slate of enthusiastic organizers.

         Each of the participants will host one course: appetizer, salad, main dish or dessert. About 100 people are expected to attend.

         This highly anticipated event will kick off at Centennial United Methodist Church-St. Anthony Park at 2200 Hillside Ave. Diners will receive their individualized schedules and have appetizers at the church.

         The rest of the courses follow, each served in the home of one of the hosts. Each course setting will consist of a group of six to ten people. Participants will be part of different groupings as the dinner progresses.

         Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free diners will also be available.

League of Women Voters-St. Paul program

The League of Women Voters-St. Paul will hold an online program at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 25 titled “St. Paul Vitality: Arts Lead the Way.” 

At the program, participants will hear from leaders of the St. Paul Jewish Community Center (JCC), the East Side Arts Council, Public Art Saint Paul and Walker West, who will share the many endeavors taken by their groups to improve the quality of our lives with music, theater, public art and literature.
       This will be a virtual event. Interested participants can register on Zoom at this link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZTqllM1MQ86_eRr-avRWLQ

       The Zoom webinar will be closed captioned and also rebroadcast through program partners, SCCTV and SPNN and hosted on the LWVSP YouTube channel 24 hours after the event.

March Bugle coming

The March issue of the Bugle will soon be out in bulk distribution locations and headed for many readers’ mailboxes in the next few days with stories on, among other things:

• The Bugle’s annual Wellness section including the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul Gymnasium, Spirit North Gymnastics finding a new home in north Como and healthy eating simplified.  
• A look at the Changing Times Book Club.
• Como Park Senior High School standouts for the first winners of the Thielen Leadership Awards.  

Midpoint Report is compiled by Bugle managing editor Scott Carlson.