Publishers of:
Get to know the folks behind the bylines in our three neighborhood publications. Our freelancers write articles and columns, and snap photos to help us tell the stories of the people in our community.
TMC Publications CO regularly works with student interns, and has collaborated with journalism students at Bethel University, Central High School in St. Paul, Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis, and the Hubbard School of Journalism at the University of Minnesota. You can find their work on our individual websites under their names.
Alanna Voelker interned at TMC Publications during the summer of 2026. She will be a senior at the University of Minnesota Duluth this coming year, at only 19 years old, having completed two full years of PSEO at Bethel University as an upperclassman in high school. She is pursuing a bachelor of arts in journalism and political science. Her past experience as a freelance journalist and photographer was at Bethel University's The Clarion and UMD's The Bark, where she covered mostly sports and student life.
"I wanted to intern with TMC Publications this summer because of its strong commitment to community-based journalism," said Voelker. "I chose to pursue journalism because I believe it gives people a voice and provides communities with a platform to share their stories. Through my work, I hope to help amplify the voices of those who may not otherwise have the opportunity to be heard.
"While the future of journalism, particularly print journalism, remains uncertain, I believe community newspapers like TMC Publications will continue to play a vital role in informing and connecting local communities for years to come. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to that mission and take pride in helping create journalism that serves and strengthens the community."
Ben Aviles is a rising senior at The Blake School in Minneapolis. There, he is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of the student newspaper, The Spectrum. Over the last year, he has won awards for covering Annunciation and ICE presence in Minneapolis.
In addition to Southwest Voices/Longfellow Nokomis Messenger, his work has been published in The Star Tribune, MinnPost, The Tennessean, and a national student newspaper, Sunn Post.
Outside of journalism, he loves to run, read, and collect vinyl records. He lives near southwest Minneapolis with his family and a little dog named Taters.
Allie Johnson is a writer and editor with over a decade of experience working in Twin Cities media. She currently calls the Linden Hills neighborhood home. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, running around the Chain of Lakes, playing in several local soccer and ultimate frisbee leagues, and rooting for the Wisconsin Badgers.
Cam Gordon has lived in Minneapolis all his life, growing up in the Cedar-Isle-Dean neighborhood and graduating from the old West High School. He has lived and been active in the Cedar Riverside, Longfellow, and Seward neighborhoods since graduating from the University of Minnesota in the late 70s. He has written and edited for smaller newspapers, including the Seward Profile, Jola Education Monthly and Public School Montessorian, and is author of Together with Montessori, a guide for those wanting to learn about and practice Montessori education. He worked extensively in early childhood education before being elected to the Minneapolis City Council in 2005 and serving as the Second Ward City Council Member for four terms, ending in January 2022.
Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice steering committee.
Eric Erickson is a longtime teacher and coach at Como Park High School. He teaches AP Government, AP Economics, and U.S. History, and was recognized as a Minnesota Teacher of the Year semifinalist in 2019. His coaching experience includes track & field, basketball, and soccer including leading the Cougar boys to the state championship in 2013. Eric and his family (wife Laura, two daughters, dog, and cat) have lived in the Como area since 2000. Promoting and celebrating the good things happening in the neighborhood is a lifestyle that Eric takes pride in doing daily at school, and monthly for the Monitor.
Eric Ortiz lives in the Wedge with his family. He is executive director of the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation, a nonprofit youth and community development organization based in Minneapolis. He earned Best Columnist in the Minnesota Newspaper Association Better Newspaper Awards Contest in 2024 for his columns in the Southwest Connector.
Author Iric Nathanson writes and lectures about Minnesota History. His earlier works have included histories of the Minneapolis Riverfront, Downtown Minneapolis and Downtown St. Paul. His most recent book is “Don Fraser: Minnesota’s Quiet Crusader.” An instructor for the University of Minnesota’s Ocher Lifelong Learning Institute, he has published essays in the Star Tribune, Minnesota History, and Hennepin History. Iric lives in Greater Longfellow, and has been writing for the Messenger for decades.
The longtime Merriam Park and current Macalester-Groveland resident has covered city and county government for almost four decades for community newspapers including the Monitor and the Highland Park Villager. Jane is also managing editor at Access Press, the statewide newspaper for Minnesotans with disabilities. She is a past president of the Neighborhood and Community Press Association, and served on the Society of Professional Journalists Board and the Minnesota Joint Media Law Committee. She volunteers every summer at the Hamline Church dining hall and Minnesota State Fair Newspaper Museum. Jane has worked on several local histories, including the Historic St. Paul online Frogtown tour, is working on a Midway Chamber of Commerce history, and is on the Historic Highland Park writing team.
Jan counsels homeless youth during the week, and writes for the Messenger and Monitor after work and on weekends. “Writing can be a lonely career, but when you are writing for a community newspaper, it is anything but,” said Jan, who lives in St. Paul and used to own and operate a newspaper in Montana. “Every story you write brings at least one new person into your life, a new idea, a new mission. Each writing assignment brings with it different challenges, as well as experience and knowledge. Whether it is writing about an organization that is bringing a form of justice to the community, or an individual who is passionate about his or her cause, or an artist or writer or performer who shines a light on a particular topic, as a writer you collect some of that excitement when you hear your subject’s story. And it stays with you.”
Longtime Nokomis resident Jill Boogren has been writing about arts, theater and local happenings for the Messenger since 2012. She’s also driven to share the stories of those on the Southside who are fighting for racial and social justice. In her spare time, Jill loves kayaking Lake Nokomis and walking, biking and skiing area trails. She buys local and delicious whenever possible, and enjoys a cutthroat game of Scrabble.
Margie has been writing for the Messenger and Monitor newspapers since 2012, and began writing for the Southwest Connector (now Voices) when it began. In that time, her areas of interest have focused on issues of environmental concern and social justice. She has previously owned her own photography business for 20+ years, working primarily for environmental and arts organizations. She’s a full-on granny, gardener, and visual artist who was a Longfellow resident. She spends a lot of time thinking about how to make this world a more peaceful place.
Terbuto Ochothow is from Worthington, Minn. “I was raised by my amazing mom, a single parent who took care of me and my seven brothers. She’s my hero, and I’m so thankful for everything she did to raise us with love, strength, and dedication. I have a passion for photography, sports, and telling stories – each of these allows me to connect with others and share the beauty I see in the world.” He is currently pursuing a pastoral degree at North Central University, with the goal of using his life and skills to serve others and spread a message of hope and faith. “Through everything I do, I’m driven by my faith and the values my family has taught me,” he stated. “I’m committed to living a life of purpose and making a positive impact on those around me.”
“I find telling stories with images comes naturally to me, and I was fortunate to make a living at it,” said Terry, who graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BA in studio arts. He was employed as an in-house photographer for several Twin Cities businesses over the years, and then moved to freelancing as a photographer, slide show producer, and video producer. He has been taking photos for the Messenger and Monitor since 1992. In his retirement, he writes urban fantasy, mainstream young adult novels, and humorous science fiction spoofs. Terry makes small weather vanes for Little Free Libraries (www.weeweathervanes@gmail.com) and calls Longfellow his home.
South Minneapolis resident Amy Pass earned her master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from Bethel Theological Seminary. But perhaps her greatest lessons have come from raising two children and maintaining a 21-year marriage.
Chloe Peter is a Hopkins resident who graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism from Bethel University in May 2022. "I have known that I wanted to be a journalist since I was 12 years old and visited the 'Women of Vision' exhibit, a gathering of work from women photographers, at the National Geographic Museum in Washington D.C.," she said. "Even though I am newer to the world of journalism, I am eager to learn and to amplify voices and truth." In her spare time, she enjoys reading and playing with her German Shepherd puppy, Smokey, hiking, and cooking (and eating) new foods.
Abha Karnick is a south Minneapolis resident with East Indian roots who graduated from Hamline University in 2019. Her passion lies in storytelling and finding moments to capture.
Matthew is an experienced sports reporter and has covered Olympic, professional, collegiate and high school athletes for various newspapers and websites including the Villager, Rivertowns Newspapers, Minnesota Hockey Magazine, Heavy, and the Star Tribune. He won a North Dakota Newspaper Association sports reporting award in 2008. He has a degree in mass communication from North Dakota State University, and works full-time as an associate publisher for Decided Excellence Catholic Media. Davis and his two kids live in South Minneapolis.
Z is an artist who loves slowing down and spending time with the little things. Z makes nature illustrations, fantasy comics, and soft sculpture as a way to try and understand the beauty of the mundane and the meaning of family and community. They were born in Russia and now live in Frogtown. Their website is www.azakhm.com.
Susan Schaefer is a widely published independent journalist, creative writer, poet, communications consultant, and coach, and a former university professor, and newspaper editor and publisher.
Certified as a facilitator from the MIT-Harvard Public Disputes Program and a Presence Based coach, accredited in public relations, with a doctoral equivalent in European Public Affairs and a master's degree in English, Susan brings dynamic perspective to client work providing counsel to government, business, NGO and not-for-profit leaders from such fields as higher education, environment, architecture, engineering, and law.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, she co-published and edited its downtown biweekly, the South Street Star. Her articles have appeared in Next Avenue, Next Tribe, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News, Mill City Times, the Seward Profile, and the Netherlands’ Crossroads Magazine. She was columnist and features writer for Minneapolis’ Southwest Journal and Minnesota Good Age magazine.
Susan’s journey has included living in Delhi, India; Bogotá, Colombia; Pompano Beach, Fla.; Maastricht, the Netherlands; She currently resides in Minneapolis, Minn., atop Bohemian Bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River, her daily source of inspiration.
Melvin supports Renewing the Countryside’s Farm to Early Care efforts. He is also the co-coordinator of the Urban Farm & Garden Alliance (UFGA), and a veteran peace and diversity educator. Since 2010, he has facilitated the Peace Pole and Peace Message Campaign. The campaign is intended to decrease violent crime and create places, spaces, and opportunities for peaceful gatherings and racial and cultural appreciation, education and healing in the greater St. Paul area. Melvin lives in St. Paul, Minnesota and enjoys playing in the soil, growing things, and bubbles.
