This morning I made my first visit to the sites where Renee Good and Alex Pretti were murdered in January.  Mine was only a short visit about 9 a.m.  Alex’s death was on the west side of Nicollet Avenue, between 25th and 26th Street.  Renee died on the east side of Portland Avenue  at about 24th Street.  (some snapshots at end to the post)

Five years earlier, I had visited the site where George Floyd was killed, outside Cup Foods on Chicago Avenue at 38th Street.  The three sites are in close geographic proximity, within a mile or two.

Today is Valentine’s Day, and I think this is an appropriate day for this brief remembrance in the middle of the second month of the second year of this dark time of what amounts to an attempt at ethnic cleansing in the middle of our 250th year as a United States of America.

Sue, in an e-mail last night says all that needs to be said today: I went to a concert in Minneapolis last night; it was Cantus, the Minnesota men’s acapella singing group, and their guests from England, The King’s Singers, who had been invited last year to do a dual concert with Cantus in Minneapolis this month.  Then the ICE invasion happened, and the prospects for the concert looked bleak. But in the end the English acapella men’s group decided to come. Cantus spokesmen, before the concert began, explained how they had given their guests a tour of the landmark sites of the incidents of the last month: where Renee Good was murdered; where Alex Pretti was murdered; where the Whipple Building is, with protesters outside 24/7. We were told that the King’s Singers had already heard of the rising of the people of Minnesota against the Administration’s war against our people, citizens and non-citizens alike. The artists led a virtual cheering event inside Orchestra Hall touting the strength and resilience of the good people of our state, and it was repeated more than once between songs, the theme of which was “friendship.” Very lovely stuff.

(Both groups can be heard on YouTube)

Several persons forwarded a Feb. 10, 2026, commentary by Sabrina Tavernise in the New York Times: ‘We’ve Found our Voice’: Many in Twin Cities Emerge With a Sense of Power”.   Several others The Editors Pick for the February 11 Minnesota Star Tribune is “The Unexpected resistance to ICE in Minnesota: The soccer moms of Signal” by Mara Klecker: MN Star Trib 2 11 26.

Finally, SAK, my long-time friend across the pond in England sent a long comment related to my post on Immigrants, Feb 7.  It is very worth your time.

Here are a few snapshots from this mornings visit to south Minneapolis.  There is no attempt to be Pulitzer quality – I just wanted to get an impression of the nearby environment.