Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti
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 34th 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 referred The Editors Pick for the February 11 Minnesota Star Tribune: “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. I’ve added it there and it is very worth your time.
Here are some 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.
25th and Nicollet, Minneapolis Feb 14 2026
Alex Pretti memorial, 25th and Nicollet Minneapolis Feb 14, 2026
General location where Renee Good died, about 34th and Portland Ave S Minneapolis
Renee Good Memorial Feb 14 2026 near 34th and Portland Minneapolis
COMMENTS:
Jane: Thanks for representing. Every day should be Valentines Day. This would could definitely use a lot more love!
MaryEllen: Powerful, as always. The courage of those soccer Moms is amazing.
Response to Mary Ellen: I’m very aware of Lewis’ book, and have been for years. It’s been brought to life in real terms in more recent years, when the flirtation with fascism was very real and very nearly catastrophic. I suppose Charles Lindbergh, because of his celebrity, sort of became the face of the American flirtation with the Nazis; but Minnesota and particularly Minneapolis became something of a hotbed – ‘silver shirts’ and the like. I hope we’re in the process, now, and dodging the bullet of full-throated fascism here, but it’s too soon to know, yet. The Germans were too smart to be so stupid when Hitler and his gang came to power. We all know what the end result was of 12 years of the 1,000 year Reich. Keep on.
from Carol’s relative in Czech Republic: … what has happened in the last couple months in Minneapolis is the perfect example of a republic in action. These were common citizens, not professional politicians, called from their daily lives out into the streets braving Sub-Zero weather to witness and document what their government was doing in their names, even in the wake of two of their neighbors having been murdered. I think there’s no better definition of a Republic. I wasn’t there myself, but I’m immensely proud to call them my fellow Americans.
ps. Europeans who have expressed disbelief and even sympathy to me this past year are now stopping me on the street to enthuse about those “brave Americans in Minneapolis. to which I say “I even have some cousins who live there”.
I think that donnée, the insecure, narcissistic five-time draft dodging man child bit off more than he could chew when he sent in his national Gestapo like police force aka ICE to punish the residents of the Gopher state for voting against him in 2024. I am proud of the way that Minnesotans stood up to donnée’s national Gestapo like police force!