Minneapolis Riverfront News
Covering life, work, and play in the Historic Mill District and Downtown Minneapolis Riverfront neighborhoods. Have an opinion, local news or events to share? Contact us.
Sunday, January 5, 2020 at 11:47AM
Parade Stadium hosts Hockey Day Minnesota 2020
Via a January 2 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:
Hockey Day Minnesota 2020 will be held at Parade Park on January 16, 17 and 18! The 14th-annual statewide hockey celebration features two boys' and two girls' high school games, an NHL Alumni game, a State of Hockey Women's All-Star Game and a University of Minnesota women's hockey game.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is proud of its hockey tradition, building and maintaining 19 outdoor hockey rinks each winter, in addition to indoor rinks at Parade Ice Garden and Northeast Ice Arena. Proceeds of the event will benefit MPRB Youth Hockey and other Minneapolis youth hockey organizations, including the DinoMights, Minneapolis Storm Youth Hockey and Minneapolis Titans Youth Hockey.
Learn more about the event at the Hockey Day Minnesota page.
Stadium Parkway Closure
The action will take place on a rink constructed at Parade Stadium. Park users may have noticed construction activity near the stadium in preparation for this event. Stadium Parkway will be closed to the general public between Dunwoody Boulevard and Kenwood Parkway during the periods listed below:
Thursday, Jan. 16: 4pm-10pm
Friday, Jan. 17: 5pm-10pm
Saturday, Jan. 18: 7:30am-9pm
Parking
Event parking will be available in the lot at Dunwoody College of Technology and the Vineland Place Parking Ramp next to the Walker Art Center. A rideshare pick-up/drop-off point has been established at the corner of Aldrich Avenue and Ontario Avenue.
Event Schedule
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DATE |
TIME |
GAME |
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Thur., Jan. 16 |
6 pm |
Holy Angels vs. Minneapolis – Girls’ |
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Thur., Jan.16 |
8 pm |
Grand Rapids-Greenway vs. Blake – Girls’ |
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Fri., Jan. 17 |
6 pm |
State of Hockey Women's All-Star Game |
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Fri., Jan. 17 |
7:30 pm |
NHL Alumni Game |
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Sat., Jan. 18 |
9:30 am |
Warroad vs. Minneapolis – Boys’ |
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Sat., Jan. 18 |
1 pm |
Blaine vs. Blake – Boys’ |
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Sat., Jan. 18 |
4:30 pm |
Ohio State vs. University of Minnesota – Women’s |
Hockey Day Minnesota 2020 caps off with the Minnesota Wild vs. Dallas Stars at 8 pm on Saturday, January 18 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. All of the Saturday games will be televised live on Fox Sports North.
Elliot Park Skate Park and Field Lighting Update
Via a January 2 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:
A bird's eye view illustration of the skate plaza planned at Elliot Park
New athletic field lighting and upgraded pedestrian lighting will be installed in 2020
A project to expand the skate park, add athletic field lighting and upgrade path lighting at Elliot Park was delayed in 2019, but is on track for 2020.
Original construction bids came in well over the project budget due to an extremely competitive construction market that affected many public and private projects this year. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) bid the lighting project in the fall and awarded a construction contract on Dec. 18, 2019 – made possible with allocation of additional Elliot Park neighborhood Park Dedication Funds. Work is anticipated to begin in spring 2020.
The Elliot Skate Plaza project was awarded a $200,000 Hennepin County Youth Sports Grant on Dec. 12, 2019. This funding is critical to completing the skate park expansion, which is in the final stage of design. The MPRB plans on bidding the skate plaza project this winter, and if successful, construction would likely begin in summer 2020. MPRB staff is still seeking additional funding/grants to help fully realize the skate plaza design, including a patio area with seating.
Project Background
The Elliot Park skate park opened in 2004. Phase Two will be a highly visible, premier street-style public skate park that supports multiple activities - a skate plaza. The plaza adds a new sidewalk connection to the corner of S Eighth Street and S Ninth Street and a variety of new features, like a skateable seat wall, quarter pipe, rail and ledges. The Minneapolis Skate Park Activity Plan, approved in January 2018, helped guide the Phase Two design.
The athletic field, which was upgraded and expanded in 2015, will be outfitted with four new light poles to extend play into the evening. Existing pedestrian and path lighting will also be replaced throughout the park.
The lighting project is funded through an allocation from Elliot Park neighborhood Park Dedication Funds (new field lighting) and 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan park rehabilitation funds (upgraded pedestrian lighting). The skate plaza is funded through a Hennepin County Youth Sports grant and Elliot Park neighborhood Park Dedication Funds.
Mill District Resident, Kathy Franzen, One of Ten Artists Featured in Upcoming James J. Hill House Botanical Exhibit, Art from the Edge of the Boreal Forest: Reflecting Biodiversity
Exhibit runs from January 18 - June 21, 2020 at the James J. Hill House, 240 Summit Avenue, St. Paul
Ten Minnesota botanical artists working with a forest ecologist, an ornithologist and an entomologist have created a visual archive of ten trees in Minnesota’s northern boreal forest most vulnerable to climate change. The Art from the Edge of the Boreal Forest: Reflecting Biodiversity exhibit opens soon at the James J. Hill House in St. Paul and will feature 120 original works of art. The birds, insects and plants associated with the trees, plus those expected to migrate into the forest are also included, as are several decorative wood vessels created by Bob Carls, woodturning artist and co-owner of the Ripple River Art Gallery in Aitkin, MN.
Marj Davis, Hexagonal-pored Polypore Mushroom, Polyporus alveolar
Kathleen Franzen, Two Spot Sphinx Moths: male, Smerinthus jamaicensis
Julie Martinez, Bay-breasted Warbler, Dendroica castanea
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The exhibit runs from January 18 - June 21, 2020. The James J. Hill House is located at 240 Summit Avenue in St. Paul. Admission to just the gallery is free. The $6/$10 admission fee for the House includes the gallery. Minnesota Historical Society members are free. The exhibit opening reception will be in the spring. To keep informed on current events, programs, and special offers related to the exhibition, subscribe to the MNHS e-newsletter.
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Editor's Note:
Our Mill District neighbors Kathy Franzen and her husband Phil Hage are world travelers, and every year Kathy sketches plant life at the location they're visiting. Kathy has gifted us with a frameable image, complete with the history of the land and flora, every Holiday season for a number of years. We treasure these works of art and hope you have the opportunity to view her work at the upcoming Art From the Edge of the Boreal Forest: Reflecting Biodiversity exhibit. (An added bonus is touring the spectacular James J. Hill House!)
Firefighters For Healing Ends 2019 on a High Note
A recent e-newsletter from Firefighters For Healing reminded me of the incredible work this organization does to assist victims of fire, including the residents displaced by the recent Drake Hotel fire. If you would like to help further their work, please donate online or send a check to: Firefighters for Healing, PO Box 374, Champlin, MN 55316.
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On December 7, over $750,000 was raised at the Red Tie Gala. These funds will go towards providing for burn survivors and their families, the Camp RED campers who have survived burn trauma, and the firefighters who need support.
At the Gala, Dr. Jon Gayken (above, middle) received the 2019 Red Heart Award for his dedication, leadership and constant pursuit of excellence. Hennepin Healthcare's Burn Center is one of the busiest centers in the nation. It is verified by the American Burn Association and the American College of Surgeons. At Hennepin Healthcare, Dr. Gayken leads a highly trained team who work closely with patients and families in a supportive, state-of-the-art environment to meet their unique needs and achieve the highest level of functioning.
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Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative has released Code 3: Back Draft with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit Firefighters for Healing.
This brew is described as is a sweet stout infused with Morita peppers and a touch of lactose to mellow the pepper. 6.5% ABV, 32 IBU.
This is a limited run, available at the following locations:
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Scam Alert from the MPD 1st Precinct
Via a December 26 e-announcement from the Minneapolis Police Dept. 1st Precinct:
Periodically, we get calls and/or reports of suspected scam activity or a theft by swindle.
Additionally, we get reports, often after the fact, of individuals soliciting fraudulent funds from well-meaning people. Many times, using youth as a “prop”.
Scams happen frequently this time of year and often in the busy skyways downtown.
PLEASE BE AWARE
Two of the primary ways people are relieved of their money are through direct face to face contact and electronic calls/emails.
Face to face contact is a more elaborate form of panhandling for an immediate cash gain.
Many panhandling type solicitors will approach busy people as they move along the street or skyway, or may door-knock, asking for donations to phony youth sports teams, to support a charity or request assistance for a benefit fundraiser. This is a common scam.
All will have a very good, convincing and sometimes tragic story and many will have phony paperwork to support their mission. The goal is to take your hard-earned money. If you feel compelled to give, ask for organization information and donate through the proper channels and not to individual Pal-pal type accounts. Do your research. Legitimate organizations (like the bell ringers) will gladly supply the information you request and will have other avenues in place for you to contribute to their cause. The others are there to only make money by your immediate, emotional response to help and most likely only benefits that one individual.
The other known scams are through phone calls or email and are either after your personal financial information or access to gift card numbers.
Phone/email scams have two main goals. One is you must make a payment by providing a credit/debit card number or bank account number. Typically, these payment methods are different from your normal payment method. They may also request that you buy gift cards and then submit the gift card numbers to rectify your “arrears”. The other is for you to give up a piece of information: a password, PIN, date of birth, social security number, account number or a device number - like a serial or registration number from your computer or phone.
If you receive a phone call NEVER assume the caller ID is correct.
Scammers use a variety of tactics and they will create a sense of urgency.
They may ask you to help someone in need or claim one of your loved ones is hurt or in jail; often impersonating a relative to generate an “emergency”.
A scammer may offer an incentive or something of value in return for your personal information (you send us this and we will give you this). There will be a message of insistence or that the offer is good for a limited time. If it seems like a good deal, inevitably, it is not.
Scammers will impersonate government agencies (IRS, Police or SSA). They may say your taxes are past due, you have outstanding unpaid violations or your Social Security number has been compromised. For example, they will threaten that you will lose your utility service if you don’t act now or that an arrest warrant has been issued if you don’t pay. The IRS, Police or SSA will not call you, will not ask you to pay over the phone and along with utility providers, they DO NOT accept gift cards as a form of payment. NEVER WIRE MONEY to someone you don’t know.
They will also frequently reference computer vulnerabilities by saying, “your device needs new software”, or “your computer has a virus” many times referencing Microsoft or Apple.
If you receive a suspicious call, hang up or delete the email without opening it. Do not give out any information. Do not make any payments or give out your banking information. If you receive a voice message, don’t return the call. If you have doubts, contact the company you have a business relationship with, directly. Get the company’s contact information from a separate source (off a billing statement or the back of your card. Don’t use any number or email given to you by the caller.
Remember these scams are to evoke a physical or emotional reaction from you. Some will attempt to instill fear or to catch you unaware, others will play on your caring, emotional sense of wanting to help. Many will pressure you to act quickly. Stop a minute and think logically. Remain calm. Take a breath. Ask yourself and the caller questions. Make donations only through reputable charities. If you have given any financial information out, contact credit monitoring and your financial institutions immediately.
REPORT. Whether you are approached and asked for money by someone representing what seems like a fake organization and their activity raises your suspicion or you have been a victim of a swindle; PLEASE report it to Law Enforcement by calling 911.
A scam is theft – do not become the next victim
For questions, contact:
Renee Allen, Crime Prevention Specialist
Minneapolis Police Department, First Precinct
renee.allen@minneapolismn.gov
(612) 673-5163
January at the Dakota
We've been going to the Dakota for years, and are sharing this list of January shows in case anyone out there wasn't aware of this local treasure. Every month you'll find a varitey of local, national and international music genres. 
Photo: Meet Minneapolis
Wednesday, January 1 - Davina and the Vagabonds New Years Day Celebration
Thursday, January 2 - Louis Armstrong Night! w/Southside Aces Traditional New Orleans Jazz
Friday, January 3 - Joyann Parker Band Passion, Power & Soul
Saturday, January 4 - Johnnie Brown & The Sound of Philadelphia feat. Music of The O'Jays
Sunday, January 5 - Sam Miltich & Friends Brilliant Beloved Guitarist
Tuesday, January 7 - Atom String Quartet
Wednesday, January 8 - Mick Sterling Presents: The Gospel According to Elvis
Friday, January 10 - Nachito Herrera Classical to Cuban Pyrotechnics
Sunday, January 12 - The Aida Shahghasemi, Jeremy Ylvisaker, Jacqueline Ultan Trio
Monday, January 13 - Peter Asher: A Musical Memoir of the 60s and Beyond - Multimedia Retrospective Experience
Tuesday, January 14 - Peter Asher: A Musical Memoir of the 60s and Beyond - Multimedia Retrospective Experience
Wednesday, January 15 - Masters of Hawaiian Music feat. George Kahumoku Jr., Led Kaapana & Kawika Kahiapo
Thursday, January 16 - The Sweet Remains Three Tantalizing Harmonizing Troubadours
Friday, January 17 - Bruce Henry: The Music of Curtis Mayfield Electrifying Singer & Entertainer
Saturday, January 18 - Tina Schlieske Sings Sinatra to Simone An Evening of Torch and Swing
Sunday, January 19 - Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio Soul Groove Jazz
Thursday, January 23 - Kneebody Explosive Exploratory Jazz
Saturday, January 25 -Rebirth Brass Band Incomparable NOLA Brass
Monday, January 27 - HeartSong: An Acoustic Tribute to Ann & Nancy Wilson Performed by Cate Fierro & Katie Gearty
Thursday, January 30 - Afro-Cuban All Stars Voice of Traditional Cuban Music
Friday, January 31 - Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials Bottleneck Boogie Blues
New program - Nature Connections - Welcomes Adults 55+ for Free Activities This Winter
Via an e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:
Join MPRB naturalists at Loring Park or Matthews Park
This January, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) launches Nature Connections, a new program designed for adults 55 & up.
- Enjoy varied activities focused on nature, including bird-watching, winter tree identification and flower arranging
- Get insights from an MPRB naturalist
- Choose outdoor or indoor sessions — or both!
Outdoor Sessions
Enjoy a stroll or a snowshoe around the park and neighborhood. Walking poles and ice cleats available for use. Sessions focus on topics such as birdwatching and winter tree identification. Time outside depends on the weather, and we'll warm up with a beverage afterward.
Indoor Sessions
Bring nature inside with activities like birdwatching, floral arranging and growing indoor plants.
Nature Connections program details
All sessions for adults 55+ and Free
Loring Park (Downtown) - meet at Loring Community Arts Center, 1382 Willow St.
January 7 to February 13
Indoors: Tuesdays, 2 - 3 pm
Outdoors: Thursdays, 2 - 3 pm
Matthews Park (Seward) - meet at Matthews Recreation Center, 2318 S 29th Ave.
January 9 to February 14
Indoors: Thursdays, 10:30 - 11:30am
Outdoors: Fridays, 10:30 - 11:30am
Registration encouraged / Walk-ins welcome!
Go online: bit.ly/MPRBnatureconnections
Call Matthew Recreation Center: 612-370-4950
Call Loring Community Arts Center: 612-370-4929
Questions? Email LBretheim@minneapolisparks.org
December 2019 E-Newsletter from 3rd Ward Council Member Steve Fletcher
Click here for the full December 2019 Ward 3 E-Newsletter.
Closing the Book on 2019 and a Look Ahead to 2020
In this newsletter:
- 2020 Budget, Inclusionary Zoning, and Other Highlights from Our Final City Council Cycle of the Year
- Join Me to Celebrate 2019 with the 3rd aWards!
- Wednesday, January 15: Good Morning Ward 3
- Coffee With Your Council Member
- Changes to Ward 3 Social Media Accounts
- City Council Approves Inclusionary Zoning Policy to Increase Development of Affordable Housing
- City Council approves Minneapolis Vision Zero Action Plan
- Minneapolis Declares Climate Emergency
- City Council Approves Resolution Reaffirming Support for Resettlement of Refugees in Minneapolis
- Updates on My Ordinance & Policy Initiatives
- Ordinance Prohibits ‘Conversion Therapy’ in Minneapolis
- 2020 4d Affordable Housing Incentive Program Application Window Now Open
- City Seeking Comment on Draft Plan to Remove Accessibility Barriers in Public Right of Way
- Critical Times for Democracy: Census & Election
Click here for the full December 2019 Ward 3 E-Newsletter.
Pre-registration is Now Open for the 2020 Community Connections Conference
Two significant moments for democracy are coming up soon: the 2020 census and the presidential nominating primary. Connect with others in our community to discuss how the census and primary election will affect you, your family and your community on February 1, 2020, at the Community Connections Conference from 9am-4pm. Networking and light refreshments start at 8am.
Pre-registration is now open here, and breakout sessions and bilingual community dialogues will be announced shortly.
This conference is a free, public event that brings together residents of Minneapolis, community groups, neighborhoods and decision-makers to connect, learn and address community issues.
The conference will feature:
- Free food.
- Performances by local artists.
- Kids activities, pickup soccer and goodie bags.
- Bilingual community dialogues on topics including violence prevention and recovering lost wages due to wage theft.
- Resources for maintaining or purchasing a home.
- Job training opportunities and small business assistance.
- Health and addiction treatment resources.
- Free and low-cost legal aid.
- Information about elections and a preview of the 2020 census questions.
- Presentations and success stories from organizations doing census outreach and voter registration.
Find out more about the conference including breakout sessions, lunch vendors and exhibitors once information becomes available at: minneapolismn.gov/connectionsconf.
About the Census
April 1, 2020, is census day in the United States. This vital count of the population determines funding for important things such as schools and cities, as well as how many representatives we get in Congress. It is critical for everyone in Minneapolis to answer the census questionnaire, and we must work to ensure that no one goes uncounted because of fear, misinformation, language barriers or any other barriers. At the Community Connections Conference, you can learn about the census, how to get involved, how to complete the census, how we use its data, the challenges Minneapolis faces, and how we’re working to ensure that everyone counts in 2020.
Sign up here for conference updates.
Get Involved!
There are many ways to get involved in the Community Connections Conference. You can volunteer, exhibit or sponsor the conference.
Hennepin Avenue Downtown Reconstruction Project Update
Winter has come but the work continues. Xcel Energy continues to progress in multiple areas along the corridor.
What's Coming Up
Not much is changing with regards to what contractors are working and where over the next couple months. Xcel Energy will continue work through the winter months.
See update attached
For more information on this project contact:
Doug Verdier Shares His Latest Progress Photos of the Water Works Project
Editors Note: Mill District resident Doug Verdier continues to document the progress of the Water Works project.
Per Doug, watching them unload the 14,000 pound (each) poured concrete blocks with the crane was the most exciting activity.
Positioning the crane along 1st Street S in preparation for unloading cast concrete blocks.
Flatbed trucks loaded with concrete blocks being positioned for unloading. Crane is on the right of photo.
Workers attaching cables from concrete blocks to crane preparatory to lifting from truck bed.
Concrete block being lifted from flatbed.
Blocks are stacked along 1st Street perimeter of park site, awaiting final placement. Each block weighs 14,000 pounds.
Block marked with recognition of Bank of America City Steps.
Despite snow and sub-freezing temperatures, work continues on the former Bassett and Columbia Mill structures:
On December 18, another crane arrived on the Water Works site, and workers began placing precast concrete sections on the historic ruins of the Bassett Mill, which will become a new park pavilion, housing event spaces and The Sioux Chef restaurant. The following photos show the careful lifting and placement of the sections.
First Thursday Films at North High presents LOVE THEM FIRST: LESSONS FROM LUCY LANEY ELEMENTARY with Conversation Leaders Lindsey Seavert and Ben Garvin, January 2
MSP Film Society, in partnership with the Capri Theater and the Minnesota Historical Society, presents the 2019 MSPIFF Winner for both Best Minnesota Made Documentary and Audience Choice New American Visions Documentary Feature, Love Them First: Lessons from Lucy Laney Elementary, at 7pm Thursday, January 2, at North Community High School, Door 18, 1500 James Avenue North in Minneapolis. North High serves as the alternate location for this film series while the Capri Theater is closed for expansion and renovation. A map and directions to North High are available online at thecapritheater.org.
Tickets to First Thursday Films are $5 and can be purchased in advance at mspfilm.org or at the door the night of the show.
With unprecedented access over the course of a year, Love Them First: Lessons from Lucy Laney Elementary follows the determination of a charismatic north Minneapolis school principal, Mauri Melander Friestleben, as she sets out to undo history. With Lucy Laney at the bottom of the state's list of underperforming schools for two decades, standardized test scores from most black students began rising for the first time under Friestleben's leadership. However, when the school encounters a heartbreaking setback, Friestleben is forced to confront the true measure of student success at Lucy Laney in this story of inspiration, heartbreak, perseverance and the power of love.
Each First Thursday Films screening is followed by a fervent discussion of the movie, this month led by Love Them First directors Lindsey Seavert and Ben Garvin. After graduating from Indiana University's Ernie Pyle School of Journalism and working as a reporter at five news stations stretching from Northern Minnesota, to Nevada and Ohio, Seavert has been a reporter at Minnesota-based news station KARE 11 since 2012. Garvin, a photojournalist for KARE 11, was named 2011 Journalist of the Year by the Minnesota Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. In 2017 he served as president of the Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists where he helped overturn a ban on photography in state prisons. Both Seavert and Garvin have received Emmy and Edward R. Murrow awards for their work.
The First Thursdays series continues with Harriet Tubman biopic Harriet on February 6, featuring discussion leader Professor John Wright, and Cine Latino Audience Award runner-up The Radical Monarchs on March 5.
Topical and relevant in these turbulent times, First Thursday Films aims to create a space for dialogue and better understanding. Come for the movies. Stay for the conversation.
Holiday Shopping and Disposal Tips from Hennepin Green Partners
Via a December 16 e-newsletter from Hennepin Green Partners
Shopping and disposal tips for the holiday season
It’s that time of year – string lights are blinking, trees lots are selling out, and menorahs are on sale. The holiday season often contains a substantial amount of consumption and waste for many Americans. So making low waste and sustainable choices during the holidays is a lofty and sometimes daunting goal.
Planning ahead is an important part of sustainability during the holidays – many shopping decisions made early in the season have a big impact on what you’ll need to dispose of after the holidays.
Here are a few shopping and disposal tips for commonly asked about items during the holiday season:
Gift Wrap
Wrapping paper is problematic in the recycling process. A lot of it contains glitter, foil, or plastic and it may be covered in bows or ribbons – all of which makes it not recyclable.
Balled up wrapping paper is also an issue. Recycling sorting facilities are set up to sort flat or slightly crunched up paper, so balls of paper likely won’t get sorted correctly.
There are a lot of good alternatives to wrapping paper, including gift bags, cloth wrapping, and decorative reusable boxes. If you do use paper to wrap gifts, use plain paper, avoid anything with glitter, foil, or plastic, and flatten it before recycling. And save those bows and ribbons to reuse next year.
Cards
When purchasing cards, buy or order cards printed on recycled-content paper, consider using a postcard to reduce paper use and avoid envelopes, and opt for cards printed on plain paper so they can be recycled.
Cards that have glitter, foil, or plastic pieces or cards printed on photo paper cannot be recycled. Any cards that make sounds or light up have a battery that should be removed and recycled – batteries are accepted at Hennepin County drop-off facilities.
After the holidays, consider saving cards that have holiday or winter decorations to reuse as gift tags next year!
Trees
Shop at thrift stores for artificial trees – many locations stock up on these this time of year (which also means it’s a good time to donate anything you no longer use).
For real trees, visit a nursery or farm that supports organic and sustainable growing or harvesting practices. After the holidays, check with your hauler or city to see if they offer special pickup options or bring trees to a yard waste site.
String Lights
String lights and cords cannot go in your recycling at home because they get tangled in the equipment at recycling sorting facilities. But they are accepted for recycling at Hennepin County drop-off facilities.
Decor
It’s a bummer when your favorite light up Christmas tree or musical carolers display stopped working, but there’s a good chance you can fix it! If you need help, consider visiting a Fix-It Clinic to get free, guided assistance from handy volunteers.
If you’re shopping for décor to make your home more festive, visit a local thrift store. Many of them have a great selection of holiday decorations for a fraction of the price.
Disposable plates, cups, utensils, or napkins
It’s so tempting to purchase disposable plates, cups, utensils, or napkins with cute holiday and winter designs, and it seems like they’ll make your holiday party much simpler and convenient.
But most of this stuff is not recyclable or compostable (unless you choose certified compostable products and have organics recycling), and you still have to deal with all that extra trash.
MCBA Presents the Minnesota Book Artist Award Winners
Via a December 16 Press Release
My Mighty Journey, written by John Coy and illustrated by Gaylord Schanilec, is the story of the only major waterfall on the Mississippi River – and the changes it has witnessed over twelve thousand years. The idea was originally conceived twenty-three years ago as Coy worked for the Minnesota Historical Society, guiding Minneapolis Riverfront tours. Through his words, and eventually his own participation in image creation, text composition, and printing, he brings to life the geology, history, and people of this place, told from the waterfall’s perspective.
Enhancing this dramatic story are stunning images created by a collaboration of book artists using materials collected along the riverbank: wood and bark from fallen trees, fossil- encrusted limestone, discarded bricks, and even a long-dead dogfish. Collected materials were prepared for direct printing, creating type-high printing blocks, inked and impressioned using Vandercook cylinder printing presses. The illustrations show the progression of the waterfall – eventually known as St. Anthony Falls – as it moved fifteen miles upriver from present-day Saint Paul to its current location in downtown Minneapolis. My Mighty Journey helps viewers realize that most of us are newcomers and that there is so much to learn about the waterfall, the land, the people who have been here, and our relationship to them.
The weight and impressive scale of the work fits with the subject. “It couldn’t have been any other way,” stated one juror.
Anchored by internationally acclaimed artist Gaylord Schanilec, the image development, composition, printing and binding team grew over the five years of this collaboration to include artists Sorcha Douglas, Barbara Eijadi, Paris Fobbe, Ellen Janda, Hans Koch, Greta Lapcinski, Monica Edwards Larson, Rayan Macalin, Kerri Mulcare, Paul Nylander, and Emily Pressprich, as well as papermaker Amanda Degener.
An exhibition celebrating My Mighty Journey will be on display February 7–March 22, 2020 in the Main Gallery at Minnesota Center for Book Arts, located in Open Book (1011 Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis). A reception will take place on Thursday, February 13 from 6–8pm in MCBA’s Main Gallery, with an artist talk in the Target Performance Hall at 7pm. The group will also receive special recognition and an award at the 32nd annual Minnesota Book Awards Celebration on Tuesday, April 28, 2020 at the Ordway in downtown Saint Paul, sponsored by Education Minnesota.
Jamie Malone’s Eastside Restaurant is Offering a 50% Bonus on Holiday Gift Cards Thru Dec. 24
Via a December Press Release:
From now until December 24, Chef Jamie Malone’s Eastside and Grand Café restaurants are offering gift givers a whopping 50% bonus on Holiday gift card purchases.
For every $100 purchase of Eastside or Grand Café Holiday gift cards, shoppers receive a $25 Bonus Card for that restaurant – plus a $25 Eastside Sunday Brunch gift card. Holiday gift cards can be purchased online or in person at each restaurant.
The Holiday gift cards can be redeemed after December 25th. The $25 Eastside Sunday Brunch Gift Card can be redeemed right away.
When Malone took over Eastside restaurant, 305 S Washington Avenue, Food & Wine called it a “massive win” for the city. And in the year since, Malone has augmented its downtown chic with world-class cooking, including a series of family-style offerings ranging from Whole Wood Roasted Duck to Pork Schnitzel and Smoked Ribs. In partnership with executive chef Ryan Cook, she has also given the restaurant its own version of the Happy Hour Snack Attack, and recently launched one of the city’s most inventive Sunday Brunches.
About that Eastside Brunch
The perfect bridge between breakfast and lunch, Eastside’s Sunday Brunch offers guests a multitude of paths to gustatory bliss. Start with Buttermilk Biscuits with Apple Butter – or tease the palate with Island Creek Oysters with seaweed mignonette and cocktail sauce. Ease in with a Spinach Salad, gently tossed with warm bacon vinaigrette, red onion and salsify – or dive into Fried Chicken with honey and espelette B&B pickles.
More traditional main courses range from an Omelette du Jour and Eggs Benedict (elevated by house-smoked pork coppa) to a Blueberry Dutch Baby with maple syrup and vanilla ice cream. They’re complemented by unexpected offerings including Braised Beef Shortrib with black pepper dumplings and fried egg, Spaghetti Carbonara, and a supremely shareable Lobster Thermidor with French fries.
Brunch is offered every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Two distinct experiences. One extraordinary talent.
When Jamie Malone took over the much-loved South Minneapolis restaurant, Grand Café, 3804 Grand Avenue S, recognition came quickly. Food & Wine named it “Best New Restaurant” for 2018. And the magazine further credited Jamie for creating its “Dish of the Year” (her sweet & savory Paris-Brest: “a swirl of choux pastry painted with black honey sandwiching ethereal chicken liver mousse.”
Grand Café’s menu changes often, but patrons can count on Malone for offering inventive takes on French classics, heavy on flavor, light on pretense. Adding further intrigue to the menu: the chef’s unique take on Happy Hour fare: her multi-dish Snack Attack offering, featuring a succession of small shareables that can be paired with select $25 bottles of wine.
About Jamie Malone
Jamie received her first James Beard Award nomination in 2013 when she was named a “Rising Star Chef” semifinalist. This was followed by “Best Chef Midwest” nominations in 2014, 2015 and 2018. Food & Wine magazine named her as “Best New Chef” in 2013, and subsequently singled out Grand Café as “Best New Restaurant” in 2018, serving its 2018 “Dish of the Year.”
Celebrate Responsibly this NYE with Miller Lite Free Rides on Metro Transit
MILLER LITE® RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR BY GIVING FREE RIDES TO PARTYGOERS ON METRO TRANSIT
Miller Lite is Providing Free and Safe Rides on all Metro Transit Routes on New Year’s Eve
For the ninth consecutive year, Miller Lite is proud to continue its partnership with Metro Transit and J.J. Taylor Distributing to encourage the Twin Cities community to Celebrate Responsibly® and let Metro Transit be their designated driver. Miller Lite Free Rides will provide safe and free rides on all Metro Transit routes starting at 6pm on Tuesday, December 31 until 3am.
The Free Rides program has provided more than 6.7 million people in 28 communities safe rides as part of an ongoing commitment to helping consumers Celebrate Responsibly®. The program encourages partygoers to have good taste and not drink and drive.
“Miller Lite believes that the only way to ring in the New Year is to do so responsibly,” said Diane Wagner, alcohol responsibility manager for MillerCoors. “Through our partnerships with Metro Transit and J.J. Taylor Distributing, we are making sure that beer drinkers in the Twin Cities have a range of options to get home safely and prevent drunk driving.”
Miller Lite Free Rides has provided more than 1,494,337 safe rides to residents and visitors of Twin Cities since the program began locally in 2011.
“Metro Transit’s partnership with Miller Lite encourages residents and visitors of the Twin Cities to celebrate one of the biggest nights of the year responsibly,” said Metro Transit General Manager Wes Kooistra. “Metro Transit’s bus and train operators are all proud to be your designated drivers this New Year’s Eve.”
“Through our partnership with Miller Lite, we’re proud to kick off the new year by providing free, safe and convenient transit to the Minneapolis-St. Paul community,” said Billie Jo Smith of J.J. Taylor Distributing.
This national program supports Molson Coors Brewing Company’s 2025 goal to implement impactful programs to prevent drunk driving in every market where the company sells beer.
Miller Lite is supporting a national holiday program where consumers 21+ can pledge to be responsible and enter for a chance to win Rides with Uber for a Year. To date, over 280,000 pledges have been received for the four promotional windows they were available for, including the holidays.
Downtown Section of West River Parkway Reopens December 16
West River Parkway will reopen between Fourth Avenue North and Portland Avenue on Monday, Dec. 16, 2019. The parkway and adjacent trails will remain open throughout the winter.
The parkway closure was necessary to accommodate work on Water Works, a new riverfront park project currently under construction.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board appreciates everyone's patience while this exciting new waterfront amenity is constructed.
About this project
Water Works is a transformative park development project adjacent to St. Anthony Falls and the Stone Arch Bridge that will bring significant new historic, cultural, and recreational amenities to one of the most iconic locations in Minneapolis.
A Fort in Paradise: Part I
Article by Michael Rainville, Jr.
Fort Snelling and the surrounding land it sits on are home to some of the most important moments in our history. The beginning of cities, states, and a nation started in this small, yet vital area. The historic fort and state park are going through a transformation over the course of the next few years; transitioning from informing visitors about the importance of the fort itself to telling the many stories of not only the soldiers, veterans, and their families, but also enslaved and free African Americans, Japanese Americans and their roll in WWII, and Native Americans, whose land we occupy. With the coming changes, there is no doubt that Historic Fort Snelling will continue to educate the public on the very diverse history of that land.
1848 paintings by Seth Eastman, "The St. Peters River near its Confluence with the Mississippi"
"Pilots Knob. Mouth of the St. Peters River" by Seth Eastman - 1846-48
For over 12,000 years, Native Americans have traversed the waterways of the Upper Midwest and have called this vast area home; where the forest ends, and the prairie begins. The confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers was, and still is, the most important spot in the world to the Dakota people. According to their oral traditions, this is the very site where life began for them. Known as Bdote, or “where two waters come together,” many Dakota believe that spirits came down from the Spirit Road, Caŋku Wanaġi, also known as the Milky Way, and when they arrived on Earth, the Creator shaped the first people from the clay of Maka Ina, “Mother Earth.” These people were the Oceti Ṡakowiŋ, or Seven Council Fires, historically known at the Sioux.
Carver's Cave, 1913
The Mdewakanton Dakota consider this area to be their “Garden of Eden.” The center of the world is not the only sacred place located in the surrounding area. The village of Kaposia, Taku Wakan Tipi, or Carver's Cave, Mni Sni, or Coldwater Spring, and Oheyawahi, or Pilot Knob are all located within a mile or so from Bdote. Thousands of years of building a culture and community with Bdote as their paradise, the origin of their people, would be briefly disrupted as colonizers in the east were slowly encroaching.
Portrait of Lieutenant Zebulon Pike, 1810French Canadian fur traders frequented these waterways starting in the 1600s, but it wasn’t until 1805 when the course of Dakota history would change forever. In the summer of 1805, Lieutenant Zebulon Pike was ordered to locate the source of the Mississippi River, explore the northern portion of the newly created Louisiana Territory, and expel Canadian fur traders who were illegally conducting business within the borders of the United States. On August 9th, he began his journey up the Mississippi from St. Louis. His first major stop was in Prairie du Chien, now in Wisconsin, where he was joined by guides who were familiar with the upper Mississippi and a half-French Canadian half-Mdewakanton Dakota translator, Joseph Renville, my first cousin, nine times removed.
Almost a month later on September 21st, Pike and his crew arrived at Bdote. Unfortunately, without permission, he negotiated a treaty that would hand over land at the mouth of the St. Croix River, the land around Bdote, and land up the Mississippi to St. Anthony Falls, Owamni. In total, the treaty gave the United States over 150,000 acres of Dakota land. Only two of the seven Dakota leaders present signed the treaty. It took Washington DC another three years to finally address Pike’s unapproved treaty discussions. With no Dakota representatives present, the Senate agreed to give the Dakota $2,000, or over $31,500 after inflation, even though Pike initially valued the land to be worth $200,000, or over $3,150,000 after inflation. In other words, the Senate agreed to give the Dakota $3,118,500 less than what was agreed upon when they signed the treaty.
Even though the U.S. Senate knew the treaty was invalid, because Pike never had permission to negotiate, they continued to act as though it was a legally binding document and set plans in motion to go forward with putting a military fort somewhere on that land. The need for a fort in this area was immediate. The United States was struggling to keep British Canadian fur traders off U.S.-claimed soil as the nation was trying to expand to the west, but the lack of military forts in the northern frontier made that task almost impossible.
The British claimed land in what is now northern Minnesota, and tensions were rising between the Dakota and Ojibwe because of the pressures the westward expansion of the U.S. was putting on them, so many Native Americans joined the British cause during the War of 1812. This meant that building a fort on the Pike-negotiated land was put on the back burner until the U.S. and British could come to an agreement on their shared border. Bdote, a beautiful land, a sacred land, a land that is the center of the world for the Dakota, will be untouched for the time being, but the arrival of soldiers and settlers is imminent.
Stay tuned for Part II of the story!
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About Michael Rainville, Jr.
A 6th generation Minneapolitan, Michael Rainville Jr. received his B.A. in History from the University of St. Thomas, and is currently enrolled in their M.A. in Art History and Certificate in Museum Studies programs.
Michael is also an intern at the Hennepin History Museum and a lead guide at Mobile Entertainment LLC, giving Segway tours of the Minneapolis riverfront for 7+ years. Contact: mrainvillejr@comcast.net.
Click here for an interactive map of Michael's past articles.
Mill City Summer Opera Announces 2020 Production
Via a December 10 News Release:
Katherine M. CarterMill City Summer Opera (MCSO) announced today that its 2020 main stage production will be Verdi’s Rigoletto, directed by dynamic stage director Katherine M. Carter.
Six performances of the operatic masterpiece will be presented in July at Paikka, a unique 200-seat performance/event space in the Midway neighborhood of Saint Paul. The industrial chic venue, located in an historic mattress factory, features both an interior and courtyard space, creating an al fresco feel.
Director Carter has long admired the strong Twin Cities arts community and said she is thrilled to be making her debut here with Rigoletto and MCSO. “I look forward to the opportunity to connect with vibrant, engaged audience members who have shown themselves to be energized by seeing opera in non-traditional venues. This site-specific version of Rigoletto, where the performers can move throughout the space, will change the way they see opera yet again with an intimate, immersive experience,” she said.
The cast includes Eric McKeever (Rigoletto), Amy Owens (Gilda), Daniel Montenegro (Duke), and Hidenori Inoue (Sparafucile). The role of Maddalena will be played by Metropolitan Opera star, Renée Tatum. Conducting sensation, Emily Senturia, boasting recent performances with Opera Philadelphia and Boston Lyric Opera, will lead a 12-member orchestra.
