Community Corner

Restaurant Closes, 10-Year Old Stops Burglary: Top Stories of Oct.

October was a busy month in Southwest Minneapolis.

A lot happened in Southwest Minneapolis in October—new restaurants opened, old restaurants closed, and a 10-year old stopped a burglary. Here are the 10 top stories of October.

  1. Longtime CARAG Restaurant Suddenly Closes - Standing on the corner of Lyndale Avenue South and West 35th Street, El Meson was a stalwart of the local restaurant scene. However, patrons arriving for lunch on Oct. 9 found a dispiriting notice tacked to the door, announcing the eatery's closure. When reached by Patch, Chef Hector Ruiz said disputes with El Meson's landlord played a role in the decision to shutter. . 
  2. Rep. Keith Ellison's Name-Calling Gets Vulgar in Angry Debate - In a live radio debate with Republican challenger Chris Fields, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) became incensed at what he termed "lies" about Ellison's record and insinuations Fields made about Ellison's divorce. The representative called his opponent a "scumbag" and other insults. Ellison's daughter was watching the debate from an adjoining control room.
  3. See the Five Cutest Houses For Sale in SW Minneapolis - Southwest Minneapolis has plenty of pretty, tiny houses, and for the right price, you could live in one! There was some disagreement about how cute the houses were, though, and we encouraged readers to send in their pictures of cuter abodes they spotted around town.
  4. See the Ten Most Expensive Houses For Sale in SW Minneapolis - Minneapolis is no Lake Minnetonka, but Lake Harriet and its environs have its fair share of multi-million dollar mansions. Which one would you want to live in, if any?
  5.  - The Oct. 15 reopening of the Lyndale Avenue bridge over Minnehaha Creek brought relief and a big block party for to old businesses and encouraged new businesses to open such as a frozen yogurt shop and a popular prenatal yoga studio.
  6. New Lynnhurst Restaurant Opens - Hotly anticipated by its neighbors, The Lynn on Bryant opened for breakfast and lunch on Oct. 18, adding dinner a few days later. 
  7. "Someone Was Watching for a Target" - Lake Harriet Theft Victim - An Edina resident had her purse stolen from her car going for a stroll around Lake Harriet on Oct. 6. She told police she though the thief had been watching her, but our readers were less than convinced.
  8. - Armatage resident Nate Atkins is challenging House Minority Leader Rep. Paul Thissen (DFL-63A) in the November elections. Along the way, he may be earning the distinction of being the first Republican candidate in Minnesota to base his campaign on an internet meme.
  9. 10-Year Old Breaks Up Burglary - Two burglars trying to gain entry into a Windom home were surprised by a 10-year old inside and fled with their tails between their legs.
  10. Letter to the Editor: Overcoming Marriage Amendment Fears - A reader writes in to say she thinks support for the marriage amendment is rooted in fears about throwing their religious principals in to question—and empathetic conversations are the way to convince them to oppose the amendment


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