Minneapolis Youth Employment Program STEP-UP to Provide Job Interview Experience to Over 1,700 Youth April 10-13 at the Convention Center

Via an April 7 News Release from Community Planning and Economic Development:

Minneapolis Youth Employment Program STEP-UP to Provide Job Interview Experience to Over 1,700 Youth

Over 400 Twin Cities Business Professionals and Community Volunteers to Provide One-on-One Interviews and Feedback to Youth at Minneapolis Convention Center April 10-13
During STEP-UP Mock Interviews

Next Monday-Thursday, April 10-13, over 1,700 Minneapolis youth and 400 Twin Cities business professionals and community volunteers will descend on the Minneapolis Convention Center for four nights for the 14th Annual STEP-UP youth employment program Mock Interviews.  Organized by City of Minneapolis STEP-UP partner organization AchieveMpls, these practice interviews match youth who are preparing for summer internships at top Twin Cities organizations with experienced professionals and community volunteers eager to share their skills and expertise with the future of the workforce.

“It is great to see our diversity represented in the STEP-UP interns each year with hundreds of talented future leaders paving the road for a more prosperous Minneapolis,” said Mayor Betsy Hodges. “The future of our city is in the hands of our youth, and the time and resources we invest today in them is crucial for sustaining our growth. Thank you to all the volunteers that have taken the time out of their day to help prepare tomorrow’s workforce.”

The Mock Interviewsare scheduled from 4:45 - 6:15 p.m. each night at the Minneapolis Convention Center (Room 103, 1301 Second Avenue South).  The 400-plus volunteers will include employees from over 130 Twin Cities companies, nonprofits and public agencies, including Target (53), Workday Foundation (50), U.S. Bank (36), Wells Fargo (36), Best Buy (34), Xcel Energy (33), and Accenture (23). 

Prior to the interviews, each STEP-UP program applicant completes 7-14 hours of work readiness training depending on their age and program level. The trainings, directed by AchieveMpls and certified by the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce, focus on workplace behavior, professional communication, problem solving, professionalism, interview skills, resume writing, and other skills.

“The annual STEP-UP Mock Interviewsare invaluable for interns by providing an opportunity to build their confidence and apply what they’ve learned about the interview process in a real-life scenario,” says Katie Petersen, Bremer Bank Senior Human Resources Manager and a STEP-UP Achieve supervisor. “They’re also an excellent way to connect STEP-UP interns with potential employers in the community. In addition, it’s very satisfying for our Bremer Bank volunteers to help these hardworking, eager-to-learn students hone their interview skills by providing helpful feedback and encouragement.”

The Mock Interviews allow interns to put their new skills to the test in what for many, is their first professional job interview.  The interviews last about 15 minutes.  Following, the volunteers coach each STEP-UP intern, modeling professional communication by providing respectful, candid feedback to help them strengthen their skills and confidence. 

“I’m so thankful for each and every person who has made STEP-UP so amazing,” said STEP-UP intern Hafsa Hassan. “It has changed my life. STEP-UP is helping build bright futures for the leaders of tomorrow and I would love to be a mentor one day and help others students get the best of this experience.”

Founded in 2004, the City of Minneapolis STEP-UP youth employment program has created over 24,000 valuable workplace experiences for Minneapolis youth ages 14-21. Managed in partnership with AchieveMpls with support from the Minnesota WorkForce Centers, and Project for Pride and Living (PPL), STEP-UP recruits, trains and places Minneapolis youth in jobs with a wide range of top Twin Cities businesses, nonprofits and public agencies, building a stronger future workforce for our knowledge-based regional economy. STEP-UP serves populations that face the greatest barriers to employment, particularly youth from low-income families, youth of color, youth from recent immigrant families, and youth with disabilities.

Learn more about STEP-UP on the City of Minneapolis’ website. Follow STEP-UP activities and events all year long via @STEPUPMpls on Facebook, Instagram or with hashtag #STEPUPMpls.

Take the "Step to it Challenge" for Your Health and a Chance to Win Twins Tickets

Residents can now register for Hennepin County’s Step to it challenge, open to people of all ages and abilities who want to get moving while connecting with family, friends and neighbors.

During the challenge May 1 - 28, participants track their steps for a chance to win Twins tickets or other prizes.  

Any activity counts

Participants can log all types of activity toward their step total – even for activities already part of their daily routine, like washing the car, cleaning the house and doing laundry.

“Exercise doesn’t have to mean going to the gym. There’s always something you can turn into an exercise,” Sharon Kephart said, a Step to it participant from Brooklyn Center.

For the past several years, she has participated in the Step to it challenge with her 92-year-old mother, Doris Kephart, and 26-year-old daughter, Ashlee Kephart.

The challenge has enabled the three generations of women to find new ways to stay active and spend time together.

“Instead of always being in a rush going from place to place, it was a way to see each other every day. You don’t realize you are taking that many steps every day. It’s encouraging to see and makes you feel good,” Sharon said.

The extra activity added up. Ashlee Kephart took home the title of highest stepper under 65 from Brooklyn Center last year. She racked up 1,047,560 steps.

Participants step to it to stay connected

Naomi Davidson, age 72 of Crystal, uses the challenge as a way to stay active while meeting people. She was the top stepper age 65 or older for her community last year with 1,090,575 million steps.

“I’ve always been a very active person and I know the importance of exercise. The Step to it challenge is a great way to meet new and existing neighbors. Introduce yourself as you walk by and ask them to join your team. A safer neighborhood is one where people know each other. And it is fun,” Davidson said.

For the past five years, Davidson has inspired her neighbors to get active by forming a neighborhood Step to it team, which she named the “The Dynamos.” The team ends each year’s challenge with a celebratory barbeque at Davidson’s home.

“What I have found is many people think it is too time consuming to enter your steps or that you have to go to a gym. You can enter steps daily or weekly using your everyday activities. The challenge only lasts four weeks. Every step helps your city, and you help yourself with the exercise,” Davidson said.

How to participate

• Register online at steptoit.org or call 612-348-5618
• Log your activity daily or weekly May 1 - 28 using the activity conversion chart
• You can also log steps using your activity tracker

Plan Ahead - Road Closures for April 9 Goldy's Run

Goldy's Run

(Starts and finishes at TCF Stadium)

West River Parkway from 13th Ave S. to E 38th St. and East River Parkway will be closed 7:30am-12pm.

Click here for the race map to see all full route.

Plan Ahead - Buses Will Replace Blue and Green Line Trains This Weekend

Due to scheduled maintenance, buses will replace trains beginning Friday, April 7 during a partial shutdown on the METRO Blue & Green Line.

Customers can board replacement buses near the affected stations. Buses run on similar schedules as trains but can take more time. Customers are urged to plan accordingly.

From 6:45 p.m. Friday, April 7 until 5 a.m. Monday, April 10, buses will replace Blue and Green Line trains at these stations:

• Green Line:
   Stadium Village (westbound only)
   East Bank
   West Bank
• Blue Line:
   Franklin Avenue (northbound only)
   Cedar-Riverside
• Shared stations:
   U.S. Bank Stadium
   Government Plaza
   Nicollet Mall
   Warehouse-Hennepin Avenue
   Target Field

See maps for boarding locations: https://www.metrotransit.org/closure

April is Donate Life Month, and HCMC Boasts Impressive Transplant Record

Via an April 4 e-newsletter from Hennepin County Medical Center:

Organ, tissue and eye donations provide renewed hope to thousands of people waiting for transplants each year.  Through the remarkable process of donation, it is possible for a single donor to save or enhance the lives of up to 60 people. Such hope is truly a gift – one made possible by the generosity of individuals who said “yes” to donation and made the decision to give life or sight to those in need.

On Wednesday, April 5, Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) continues its annual tradition of celebrating those who have given and received the gift of life and sight through organ donation. The annual flag-raising ceremony will take place in front of its 717 S. Sixth St. entrance at 9:40am.
Since completing the upper Midwest’s first kidney transplant in 1963, HCMC’s transplant program has performed over 2,700 kidney transplants, with an increasing percentage involving living donors. In 2010 the first paired exchange transplant in the upper Midwest was completed at HCMC, adding to its 54-year history of “firsts” in transplant care.

HCMC is a Level I Adult and Level I Pediatric Trauma Center and public teaching hospital. The centerpiece of Hennepin County’s clinical health services, HCMC offers a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient services, including its Transplant Program, which recently marked its 54^th year of providing state-of-the-art transplant services.

For more information about organ donation or to register to be a donor, go to http://www.donatelifemidwest.org/mn/.

Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board and the City of Minneapolis announce the 2017 Earth Day Clean-Up Event

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board along with the City of Minneapolis announce the 23rd Annual Minneapolis Earth Day Clean-Up event on Saturday, April 22, 2017 from 9:30 am – 12 pm. 

The Earth Day Clean-Up has become the largest community service project in Minneapolis and takes place at 37 clean-up sites throughout the city. Since 2008, more than 18,000 residents have removed more than 150,000 pounds of garbage. A special thank you to our 2017 Earth Day Sponsors for supporting this important community event; The Minnesota Lottery, The Wedge, and Birchwood Cafe.

It’s free to participate and residents are encouraged to participate by volunteering to help pick up trash in parks, neighborhoods, and watersheds. No registration needed, just choose a site and show up! To find a detailed list of clean-up sites and more information please visit http://www.minneapolisearthday.com/ or call 612-230-6479. 

MacPhail Spotlight Series Presents: Music in the Wild, featuring R.T. Rybak, May 6

Hop, swim, crawl, flutter! MacPhail Center for Music will take you on an energetic musical journey inspired by our natural world for the final Spotlight Series of the season.

MacPhail Spotlight Series: Music in the Wild features composers imitating racing horses, stomping elephants, braying donkeys, fluttering birds, crawling turtles and much more. Pieces include the ethereal “Lark Ascending” by Vaughan Williams, MacPhail composer Sarah Miller’s “Carnival of the Invasive Species” and a number of contemporary Bluegrass tunes inspired by Midwestern landscapes.

Former Mayor of Minneapolis and president and CEO of the Minneapolis Foundation R.T. Rybak will be taking the stage as the narrator of the iconic “Carnival of the Animals” by Saint-Saens. Quite possibly Saint Saens' most popular piece, it musically depicts a number of animals, including pianists—his inside joke! “Carnival of the Animals” portrays characteristics, movements, gestures and sounds with precision and simplicity, placing it in the realm of Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf.”

"Music in the Wild is an appropriately energetic and colorful program for our final Spotlight concert,” says Mischa Santora, artistic director, Spotlight Series. “Highlights include Vaughan Williams' ethereal ‘Lark Ascending’, the wonderful bluegrass duo The OK Factor, and Minneapolis' former (and beloved) Mayor R.T. Rybak as narrator for ‘Carnival of the Animals’ by Saint Saëns. Join us for this hopping, swimming, crawling and fluttering affair!"

Spotlight Series: Music in the Wild will take place on Saturday, May 6 at 8 p.m. in MacPhail Center for Music’s Antonello Hall, 501 South 2^nd Street in Minneapolis. A pre-concert conversation discussing the musical direction of the concert will occur at 7 p.m.

Tickets are available for $25 for adults, $15 for seniors (ages 55 and older) as well as youth (ages 6 through 18), and can be purchased by phone at 612-767-5250 or by stopping by Student Services at MacPhail locations in Minneapolis, Chanhassen, Apple Valley or White Bear Lake.

The MacPhail Spotlight Series is MacPhail Center for Music’s premier performance event. This four-part concert series explores diverse musical themes performed by MacPhail Center for Music faculty and special guests – showcasing some of the finest musicians in the Twin Cities.

MacPhail Center for Music is a non-profit organization committed to transforming lives and enriching the community through exceptional music learning experiences. Each year, MacPhail opens its doors to more than 13,000 students offering programming for all ages, backgrounds and abilities, at locations in Minneapolis, White Bear Lake, Chanhassen, Golden Valley and Apple Valley, as well as 100 community partnerships across the Twin Cities and online at MacPhail Online. MacPhail has a 108-year history of excellence, promoting life-long learning and building long-term relationships between students and teachers.

The Aliveness Project’s Annual 'Dining Out For Life' is April 27

On April 27 over 200 restaurants across Minnesota will participate in the 23rd Annual Dining Out for Life^®, (DOL) a fundraiser for The Aliveness Project, a community center for Minnesotans living with HIV/AIDS. The restaurants donate a percentage of their sales to support the many services such as the hot meal program, food shelf, integrated therapies, health & wellness, case management and other programs. Over 400 Volunteer Ambassadors help on the day of the event for 1 or more meal times. More than $4 million dollars a year is raised to support the missions of 60 outstanding HIV/AIDS service organizations throughout North America.

Local participating restaurants include Wilde Cafe & Spirits and Zen Box. View a full list here.

My North Series - 52 Minnesota Stories Leading up to the 2018 Super Bowl

Count down to Super Bowl 52 with this weekly video series of 52 love letters to Minnesota from notable Minnesotans. My North is an editorial video series created by Mpls.St.Paul Magazine and presented by Explore Minnesota. Hear from tastemakers and stylemakers. Artists and athletes. Authors and entertainers. These are their odes to the state they love. Below are the first five videos - click here to see more! 

Today: Community Gathering and Remarks Acknowleding the End of the Heading Home Hennepin 10-year Plan to End Homelessness

There will be a community gathering and remarks acknowleding the end of the Heading Home Hennepin 10-year plan to end homelessness, a project of Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis today, March 29, at the Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, 511 Groveland Avenue. Refreshments will be served at 4:00pm, program begins 5:00pm. Free parking is available in the lot adjacent to the church

The project's mission was to help those facing homelessness find safe, decent and affordable housing and the supports needed to sustain it. This celebration will recognize the efforts made to achieve this mission and look forward to the work that remains.

Speakers include:
• Betsy Hodges, Minneapolis mayor and member of the Heading Home Hennepin Executive Committee
• Kimberly Carpenter, member of the Heading Home Hennepin Executive Committee
• Gail Dorfman, executive director of St. Stephens Human Services and original co-chair of the Heading Home Hennepin plan
• Jim Gertmenian, former head pastor at Plymouth Congregational Church and original co-chair of the Heading Home Hennepin plan
• David Hewitt, director of the Office to End Homelessness

Learn more about Heading Home Hennepin.

Dozens of Organizations Will Recruit Employees at April 3 Career Fair at Central Library

Dozens of organizations will recruit employees at next week's career fair

Job-seekers can connect with actively-recruiting companies at a career fair Monday, April 3, sponsored by Hennepin County Work and Economic Resource Center. The event is free and open to the public.

Event details:
• Monday, April 3
• 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
• Minneapolis Central Library, 2nd Floor, 300 Nicollet Mall

Job-seekers are encouraged to dress professionally and bring copies of their resume.

This career fair is part of a series of events to pair employers looking for workers with employees looking for job opportunities. All participating businesses are aiming to fill multiple openings.

Recruiters from nearly 40 organizations will attend the career fair, including:
• ACR Homes  • Augustana Care   • Carefree Living  • City of Minneapolis  • CobornsDelivers  • Comcast • Cub Foods  • Delta Global Services  • Doherty Staffing  • Domino’s  • DoubleTree by Hilton - Bloomington  Minneapolis South  • DoubleTree by Hilton - Minneapolis Park Place  • DoubleTree by Hilton - Minneapolis North  • Ebenezer Society  • Family Dollar • FedEx Ground  • First Student • First Transit • Goodwill-Easter Seals  • HMSHost • Hennepin County • Hilton Minneapolis  • Hyatt Regency Minneapolis • Indrotec • Mall of America • Minneapolis Marriott City Center  • Monterrey Security • Options Family and Behavior Services • PeopleReady • Select Comfort • Sojos pet food • Super America • SUPERVALU Distribution Center • Swissport North America • Target (downtown) • United States Postal Service • UPS • WIS International
• YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities

This location is served by several bus routes. To find the best one, visit http://www.metrotransit.org/ or call 612-373-3333.

Portion of Eastbound Washington Avenue to close Monday, March 27 thru June 1

Eastbound Washington Avenue from Hennepin Avenue to Fifth Avenue South will close on Monday, March 27 afternoon until June 1. Westbound Washington Avenue will continue to have two lanes of traffic open.

A detour using Hennepin avenue to Fourth Street to Fifth Avenue South and then back to eastbound Washington Avenue will be in place.

This is a Hennepin County project. More information on this project is available at http://www.hennepin.us/residents/transportation/washington-ave-mpls.

Men in Trees!

Our neighbor Kathy Franzen captured a crew working on the trees in Gold Medal Park. (I'd want to be the guy with the ladder!)  :)

Ice Cream Flavor Idea Submissions for Izzy's 2017 People's Flavor Awards Due by April 23

Have you ever thought, "This would be a fantastic ice cream flavor!"?

If so, enter your idea in the 2017 People's Flavor Awards, an Izzy’s tradition held every-other summer. They're currently gathering customer submissions thru April 23, and finalists will be notified around May 9. The contest will conclude on Fathers Day, June 18, at Izzy's People’s Flavor Tasting Event in Minneapolis.

Four finalists are chosen from six categories (Kids, Chocolate, Mix-Ins, Fruit, Baked Goods, and Specialties). Izzy's team makes the ice cream, and customers vote at the contest. Ballots are counted and winners are announced in each category, including a Best in Show.

The next time you get a scoop of Chubby Bunny or Irish Moxie, just remember - those flavors resulted from previous People's Flavor Awards! Will you have the next winning flavor sensation?

MacPhail Summer Camps - For Ages 3 to Adult!

MacPhail summer camps blend high-quality instruction from experienced teaching artists with the fun and excitement of making music with other students who love music. There are camps for absolute beginners to advanced players in early childhood music, chamber music, piano, voice, composition, jazz and rock. Great for ages 3-adult.
 
New camps this year include Broken Instruments Camp, Encore String Orchestra Camp and a guitar camp for kids with no prior experience.

Click here for schedule.

Note Schedules for Buses Replacing Light Rail Trains During Track Maintenance, Repairs

Via a March 23 e-newsletter:

Buses replacing light rail trains to allow for track maintenance, repairs

Track work will improve light rail service in downtown Minneapolis, elsewhere

The first of several scheduled partial light rail shutdowns that will allow for track maintenance and repairs will take place this weekend.

Buses will replace light rail trains between the METRO Green Line’s Stadium Village and Snelling Avenue stations from 7 p.m. on Friday, March 24, through 3 a.m. on Monday, March 27. Replacement buses will operate on a similar schedule as trains but customers are encouraged to make extra time for their trips.

Light rail service will continue as scheduled on the Blue Line and on portions of the Green Line not impacted by the shutdown. 

This weekend's shutdown will allow for track repairs near Prior and University avenues. Additional track maintenance and improvements will require additional partial light rail shutdowns in the coming months.

Buses will replace Green Line trains between the Target Field and Stadium Village stations and Blue Line trains between the Target Field and Franklin Avenue stations on the following dates:

• Friday, April 7, through Monday, April 10
• Thursday, June 1, through Monday, June 5
• Friday, June 23, through Monday, July 3

Buses will also replace Blue Line trains between the Franklin Avenue and 38th Street stations between Friday, May 12, and Monday, May 15.

The upcoming light rail shutdowns will begin in the evening and conclude early in the morning to minimize the customer impact. To the extent possible, major events have also been avoided. 

If there are weather-driven delays, the shutdowns may move to alternate dates.

Light rail service is being suspended for a variety of maintenance activities, including rail replacement, concrete and fence repairs and the construction of new track sections that will allow trains to move from one side of the track to the other in downtown Minneapolis.

There will also be lighting improvements at the Warehouse/Hennepin Avenue and Nicollet Mall stations and a new pedestrian barrier installed at the Warehouse/Hennepin Avenue Station.

Metro Transit staff will be at stations throughout the shutdowns to direct customers to replacement bus service. More information can also be found at metrotransit.org/closure.

Customers can stay informed about planned service changes by signing up for email or text Rider Alerts at metrotransit.org/rider-alerts. 

For Trip Planning assistance call the Transit Information Center at 612-373-3333.  

Contact: Howie Padilla, howie.padilla@metrotransit.org, 612-349-7089

The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra's Liquid Music, Walker Art Center and Schubert Club Mix present Roomful of Teeth at Aria, April 5

Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth and sonic experimentalist Nick Zammuto (The Books) assemble a custom-built evening of sound explorations in a world premiere collaboration commissioned by the SPCO’s Liquid Music, Walker Art Center and Schubert Club Mix. In addition, the vocal ensemble performs the Minnesota premiere of Partita for 8 Voices, group member Caroline Shaw’s mesmerizing Pulitzer Prize-winning composition. The event takes place Wednesday, April 5, at Aria, 105 N First Street.

“We’re thrilled to join the line-up of world class, groundbreaking artists this year and are especially honored to be co-presented by Liquid Music, The Schubert Club and Walker Art Center, three of our favorite arts organizations in the country,” says Roomful of Teeth member Brad Wells. “Our collaboration with Nick Zammuto promises to elicit sounds and grooves that could only manifest in such a thoughtfully supported and artfully curated production.  Nick’s brilliance – creating intricate, tech-based grooves that seem to levitate – will be on full display in this new work. The piece features magical moments in which individual singers from Teeth are spotlighted as well as vast flowing musical tapestries for the whole group.”

Nick Zammuto explains that Self one, his new piece for Roomful of Teeth, “cycles between solos sung through a pitch/delay unit with an analog synth accompaniment, and highly rhythmic ensemble sections.” Nick elaborates that the the piece is about “finding our identities within a digital house of mirrors.”  
Wednesday, April 5, at Aria, 105 N First Street

“Roomful of Teeth’s Twin Cities’ debut is long overdue,” says Liquid Music curator Kate Nordstrum. “To make up for lost time, The Schubert Club, Walker and Liquid Music are banding together to commission a new work for the ensemble and jointly present the collaboration. We’re all great admirers of Nick Zammuto’s musical mind and so when we heard that Roomful of Teeth were hoping to work with him, we jumped on the opportunity. Caroline Shaw’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Partita for 8 Voices will also be featured on the program, a special and electric piece that will sound and feel amazing at Aria.”

Roomful of Teeth is a GRAMMY-winning vocal project dedicated to mining the expressive potential of the human voice. Through study with masters from singing traditions the world over, the eight-voice ensemble continually expands its vocabulary of singing techniques and, through an ongoing commissioning process, forges a new repertoire without borders.  

Nick Zammuto was one-half of the beloved experimental collage-pop duo, the Books. He lives and works in the Green Mountains of Southern Vermont, where he writes, records, mixes and masters his records in a small tractor garage converted into a studio. Just yards away from his studio is his house, which he designed and built himself, and large gardens where he and his wife manage to grow most of their own food for their three sons. This self-sufficiency and constant drawing of inspiration from his surroundings is synonymous with his musical vision; a statement about returning to a life in balance, while at the same time pushing the capacity of cutting-edge music technology to extend human emotion, rather than suppress it. Making music that sounds and feels like no one else is nothing new for Zammuto, but making music that doesn't even sound like his own past is a whole other impressive feat in itself.

The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra's Liquid Music Series develops innovative new projects with iconoclastic artists in unique presentation formats. Liquid Music performances invite adventurous audiences to discover the new and the fascinating within the flourishing landscape of contemporary chamber music. 

Schubert Club Mix is an innovative series presented by the Schubert Club that takes the formality out of classical music. Audiences are treated to remarkable and intimate performances with relevant artists who are influencing the musical landscape of today.

The Walker Art Center is catalyst for the creative expression of artists and the active engagement of audiences, the Walker Art Center examines the questions that shape and inspire us as individuals, cultures, and communities. Established in 1927 as the Walker Art Gallery, in 1940 it adopted a new name and focused on modern and contemporary art exhibitions as well as screenings, performances and public programs. Today the Walker is one of the top-five most visited modern and contemporary art centers in the U.S. Multidisciplinary in focus, it is equally committed to advancing artistic innovation and interdisciplinary scholarship as it is with increasing access to lifelong learning in the arts. Led by Senior Curator Philip Bither since 1997, the Walker’s Performing Arts program under his tenure has been defined by its commitment to the increasingly blurred lines between artistic disciplines, including contemporary dance, new music-theatre, performance art, experimental theatre, avant-jazz, contemporary classical music, new global sounds and alternative rock and pop.

Preservation Alliance to Host Transit-Focused Tour Series

Via a March 21 Press Release from the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (PAM):

The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (PAM) is excited to announce three tours along transit lines in the Twin Cities this year. The tours are cultural and social explorations of major train or bus routes - Blue Line, A Line, and Green Line – and their immediate surroundings.
 
Tours will focus on the architecture, history, and development along each corridor. Tour groups will hop on and off the train or bus to explore nearby buildings and neighborhoods. Kristin Anderson, art and architecture professor at Augsburg College, will lead the tours, with commentary from Lucy Galbraith, Director of Transit Oriented Development at MetroTransit.
 
The series kicks off with a Blue Line tour on Saturday April 8th, featuring an exclusive tour of Target Field. The Twins are on the road, so it is a perfect time to explore the stadium and celebrate the return of baseball season. Entrance to Target Field is included in the registration fee for this tour.
 
Registration is available online through the Preservation Alliance of MN website, or Facebook page. Tickets are sold individually for each tour, not as a package. Sustaining Donors to PAM receive free admission to these tours.
 
Transit Tour #1: Blue Line $25
Saturday, April 8th, 9am-12pm
Meet at Target Field  (includes Target Field tour)
 
Transit Tour #2: A Line $20
Saturday, September 16th, 9am-12pm

Transit Tour #3: Green Line $20
Saturday, October 14th, 9am-12pm

Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (PAM) is a statewide nonprofit organization that leads and inspires people to connect to valued places in their communities. Whether it’s an old home or storefront on the corner, a rural community’s old high school, or an urban neighborhood’s long-retired factory, PAM works to preserve and protect the bond felt by community members toward these places, the memories such places represent, and the distinct characteristics they display. 
 
This project has been financed in part with funds provided by the State of Minnesota from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the Minnesota Historical Society.

MPRB Announces the Ecological System Plan will Restart March 28

Via an March 20 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board:

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) and the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) are preparing the first-ever Ecological System Plan. This plan will set a vision for making parks and public lands more friendly to the environment.
 
An appointed Community Advisory Committee (CAC) will resume its meetings, with the first scheduled on Tuesday, March 28, 2017, 4:30-6 pm at MPRB Headquarters, 2117 West River Road. The public may attend and participate in CAC meetings.

What is the Ecological Systems Plan?

The Ecological System Plan will seek to first understand the ecology of the city and watershed, then plan for parks and public lands management and improvements that benefit both humans and nature.
It will address specific threats such as climate change, decreasing water quality, explosion of invasive species, increasing runoff, and fragmentation of habitat. It will envision a more environmentally sound way of managing the impacts of the city, so that the city can be cleaner, greener, cooler, and more efficient.

Specifically, the ecological system plan will:
• Compile, create, and illustrate citywide ecological data;
• Craft a vision for natural resources and public lands within the watershed and city;
• Outline guiding principles for management; and
• Challenge the community to rethink the city around them—from the local neighborhood park to the Grand Rounds to backyards—in terms of ecological function, benefit, and health.

Get Involved

In addition to attending the first CAC meeting, the public may provide input and stay informed about the project in the following ways:
• Visit the project page to stay up to date on the project and see some of the amazing maps and drawings we plan to create.
• Attend any of the planned community events that will take place in the parks over the next year as the Ecological System Plan project page takes shape. More details will be made available on the project website as these events are scheduled and planned.
• Sign up to receive email updates or, if you are already a subscriber, add “Ecological System Plan” to your subscription preferences.

Contact
Ellen Kennedy
Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board
Phone: 612-230-6577
Email: ekennedy@minneapolisparks.org

Magical History Tour 2017 Segway Season is Officially Underway

The Magical History Tour Historic Riverfront Segway Tours are now open for reservations, and they are offering some specials to get the season underway:

1) Pricing based on weather:  The outside high temperature is the price you pay for the tour (see website for details).

2) Birding Tour: The March / April tours run along the Mississippi River, a causeway for major bird migration in North America. 325 bird species use the Mississippi flyway to migrate North and South each year. With over 15 nesting pairs in Minneapolis you may even get to see a Bald Eagle!

Click here for reservations.