Day: September 16, 2013

Some miscellaneous housekeeping items

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment
That’s me at the January 2013 MD CAN conference introducing columnist/author Diana West.

From Ann:

First, we might soon be changing the e-mail address for RRW, so watch for that change.

Then a reader asked me to be sure we have a “print” option on each post and I think we do now!  Honestly, I am terrible at keeping up with the technical side of blogging.  I love researching and writing the content, but not the tech-stuff!

However, while making sure we had a “print” option, I did make some changes to the ‘widgets.’  I added one (right-hand side bar) for recent posts and one for Tag “clouds.”  We only just started using tags this year so they may not be as accurate as if we had used them from day one.

As I’ve mentioned previously, I find the ‘top posts’ each day to be very informative as well as the categories.  Also, our search function is great and since we have written 4,973 posts, I use it all the time to see if we have written about a subject previously.  Just type in a few key words and you will likely find something you are looking for.

At the beginning of September, I said in a post that we would be thrilled to get one new subscriber a day and I see we are right on target—we need one for today, the 16th, to continue toward that goal.  Just a reminder that the subject of RRW is something most people in the world know little about (most people know nothing!) and so we can’t expect to have millions of readers yet!

Social media:  We have a facebook page here.  I stink at visiting it (will try harder!), but it does post every post if you prefer that way of being informed of new posts (rather than subscribing).

And, I do tweet.  I am AnnC@RefugeeWatcher and I would love to get more followers!

Oh, and one more thing.  I don’t know anything about the advertisements wordpress is putting at the bottom of our posts.  I need to look into it because we make no money from writing this blog, it is purely a charitable enterprise by blog partner Judy and myself.

St. Cloud, MN: Somalis want more access to the court system

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

For what?

Seems to me that Somalis have been very busy in the Minnesota courts.  Judy reported the settlement in 2009 of an over $1 million pay-out in a religious discrimination suit where Somalis claimed persecution because the chicken plant didn’t let them have special time off for religious observance.  Then more recently, also in Minnesota, CAIR sued a dessert maker which objected to the long clothing worn by Somali workers (safety issue, claimed the company).

Bringing hundreds of Somalis to St. Cloud. Photo: Lutheran Social Service St. Cloud facebook page.

We can’t forget that Somali terror-related cases are keeping Minnesota courts busy.  Here is one of many posts on the terror-funding trials.   And, then we most recently reported on the Somali women convicted of voter fraud, here.  So it seems to me they are pretty involved in the Minnesota court system already!

For new readers, St. Cloud is home to a growing Somali community.  Up until 2010, refugees arrived on their own to work in what else—meat packing plants.  But, in its infinite wisdom, about three years ago, the US State Department made St. Cloud a  “welcoming” resettlement site with its primary resettlement contractor —-Lutheran Social Service!

Here is one story from 2010 about the new push to bring Somalis to the St. Cloud area.

Also, in 2010 I wrote this post about the Far Left community agitators hooking up with the Somalis to bring political strife to St. Cloud.  I don’t presume to be an expert on the St. Cloud area, but the city has made news here at RRW on many occasions.  Go here for all of our posts on St. Cloud.

Now back to the news relating to our headline.  This is a notice of a meeting in October billed as a “listening session” for Somalis to gain more access to the court system.  If you live in the St. Cloud area, you really should plan to attend.  I sure hope they aren’t looking for special “shariah law” treatment in Minnesota courts!

From the St. Cloud Times:

Judges, lawyers and other justice system partners will have a listening session in St. Cloud designed to improve access to the courts for Somalis.

The event is scheduled for 9 a.m.-noon on Oct. 26 at Whitney Senior Center, 1527 Northway Drive. Preregistration is required by Oct. 21.

The listening session is being co-sponsored by the city of St. Cloud and the Equal Justice Committees of the Seventh and Tenth Judicial Districts. The bulk of the St. Cloud area is located within those two judicial districts.

The goal of the session is to advance efforts to eliminate bias in court operations based on race, gender, ethnicity, age, disability, socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation and any other status protected by law.

Other goals include ensuring equal access to the courts and a fair and impartial courtroom. There will be a light lunch provided by Somali Cafe.

To register for the event, send an e-mail to Rita.Steinhagen@courts.state.mn.us or call Rita at 320-591-1513.