Scherer Site 'Parcel D' Developer Feedback and Next Steps

Via a December 21 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board:

MPRB evaluating potential adjustments to strategy for developing Parcel D of Scherer site

Background

On Nov. 17, 2016, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) from private development teams interested in working with MPRB and the community to create a concept plan that would lead to development of the “Parcel D” portion of the former Scherer Brothers site. Development of the site, as contemplated in the RiverFirst Initiative and Above the Falls Master Plans, is intended to aid in activating and financially supporting the future park site.

The RFQ followed a 2015 Request for Proposals (RFP) that was issued exclusively to Graco and Ryan Corporation, which was ultimately rejected by the Board of Commissioners due to a lack of alignment with Performance Standards that have been established for the site. The updated RFQ was intended to provide for a more qualitative review of respondents and ideas. The selected team would be awarded an Exclusive Rights Period to create a concept plan for the site. Development of the plan would include community engagement through an appointed Community Advisory Committee (CAC), Project Advisory Committee (PAC) and Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). Upon Board approval of the recommended concept plan MPRB would then enter into a Contract for Private Development with the developer for final design and construction of the improvements on Parcel D.
 
Prior to releasing the RFQ, MPRB staff met with community stakeholders as well as development teams that expressed potential interest in developing the site. The final RFQ included feedback received from the PAC, TAC, CAC and attendees of a public meeting regarding the process and site.
 
Responses

Responses to the RFQ were due no later than 4:00 PM on Dec. 16, 2016. No responses were received.

At least three development teams had expressed initial interest in developing the site. MPRB staff followed up with members of those teams to better understand why they chose not to submit a response at this time. A summary of that feedback follows:

1. Several teams expressed concern over the idea of a land lease as contemplated in the performance standards for the site. While the RFQ gave development teams an opportunity to suggest alternate financial structures, projections of significant future park operating and maintenance costs (created by MPRB consultants during the Riverfirst Initiative) coupled with the land lease structure proved a barrier to some possible teams.
2. The proposed community engagement process was also a deterrent to potential development teams. Developers expressed concern over being selected based on their strengths and then having a community process drive a concept plan that their team may or may not be best suited to implement. This was perceived as having too significant an upfront investment by the development team for a process that was not completely within their control.
3. Challenges of the site, including neighboring industrial uses, the small amount of land available for development, the geography of the site in proximity to streets, a high water table, and high tension electrical lines on the site were also cited as reasons developers did not respond.
4. Developers also pointed to the Performance Standards emphasis on structured parking and a mixture of intended uses as a challenge to creating a financially successful development on the site.
5. Finally, more than one developer stated that their offices are very busy right now and they are being very selective in new work. Therefore they had to weigh the strengths and challenges of this project against other, more straightforward, opportunities.
 
Next Steps

1. Inform the CAC and confirm the date for the next meeting.
2. Reinforce the notion that this approach is intended to deliver a superior project. The MPRB is not intending to back away from that goal.
3. Evaluate assumptions of the Performance Standards, ground lease strategy, and operations cost thresholds to determine necessary adjustments.
4. Strategize other methods of creating a relationship with developers for the site, including holding the land until the concerns noted above are no longer a concern.

R.T. Rybak: I Hope I Never Take This for Granted

From R.T. Ryback of The Minneapolis Foundation:

In just a few minutes last week, I got the best present anyone could possibly give me this year: Coming around a corner in our Minneapolis Foundation offices, I saw five members of our team surrounding a table piled high with checks they were stuffing into envelopes. They had to form this ad hoc assembly line because so many checks are going out before the end of the year to good causes in the community. Those checks go to organizations that make schools better, put people to work and families into homes, protect the environment, cure diseases, nurture the arts… the list goes on.

This is probably old hat to a lot of people who have been at The Minneapolis Foundation for a while—and on some scale this has been going on for the entire 100 years the Foundation has been around. But in this, my first December on the job, it was an awesome moment. This is when it sinks in that we have 1,200 charitable funds that put $60-80 million into the community every year.

I knew all this before I started the job, but being on the inside for my first year-end really brings it to life:

For months, we have been meeting with people who already have a fund, people who want to start one and people who just want to find some way to do something good for the community. Some of them are people with enormous wealth, but the big surprise is how many people of relatively modest means have put together a few thousand dollars because it means a lot to be able to give it away.

This time of year, many of our donors are on the phone with our Philanthropic Advisors, finalizing how much they will put into their funds to give away. Every time someone opens another charitable fund, we play music on the loudspeaker. (It’s usually a really cheesy song, but it sounds great because we know it means more money to give away.)

For months, we have been meeting with people doing some amazing things in the community. On a lot of levels, everything sounds worthy, so much of the work is trying to make really tough choices between very good groups. So for the past few weeks, our Community Impact team has been working late to finish their recommendations for our competitive grants in education, economic vitality and civic engagement. With their help, in January, we’ll send $5 million more out the door.

While our Philanthropic Advisors and Community Impact team work with our donors and the groups that receive grants, a large part of our operation spends most of the time working in less visible ways to get money in and out the door. They do everything from developing marketing campaigns to processing those stacks of checks to managing all the data to developing smart strategies for investing the nearly $700 million in assets that we manage.

This brings it back to those five people sitting around the table as I walk in the door: Colleen, Andrea, Rush, Joyce and Nancy. They are the glue of the office, running the front of the office, as well as managing the systems that get the money from donors to grantees. They are the people closest to my desk, so I see them throughout the day, and it’s really inspirational to watch how much passion they bring to the work.

I don't want to overdo my point. While the Foundation is filled with people doing good every day, this isn't Santa's workshop. This is a sophisticated, complex operation dealing with many millions of dollars and deeply consequential choices about community impact.

But here in my first year-end at the Foundation, seeing it all come together, I'm in awe as I see what it really takes to make Minneapolis the most generous community in the country. And I've already gotten a better present than anyone could give me.

Best,

R.T. Rybak
President and CEO
The Minneapolis Foundation

Call for Artists: "Glitch Art Is Dead: Minneapolis"

Via a December 20 e-newsletter from Gamut Gallery:

Hosted by Gamut Gallery, the Minneapolis iteration of this project will feature around 30 national and international artists and will run from March 11 until April 1, 2017. It will also include a two-day convention of workshops, presentations and debates about Glitch Art. The run will be capped off with a night of performances by local noise musicians curated by Alex Kmett, with additional performances from local video jockeys.

Glitch Art is an artistic phenomenon of internet culture. Although its roots go back into the 20th century, it is a nascent artistic movement with a far flung, but significantly sized community. The Glitch Art is Dead: Minneapolis exhibition aims to deny its title, introducing the viewer to a wide spectrum of artwork that shows the vitality of the medium.

A glitch (in a visual and graphic sense) is a malfunction of a digital system, a computer error which can turn images into bizarre and colorful compositions. Images can be turned into sound or opened as word documents. You can change bytes in the code of a file to twist and distort it or you can strap magnets to a VCR and see what happens when you press play.

The Glitch community is centered around the Glitch Collective with a Facebook following of about 53,000 people. It is the initiative's goal to foster a deep sense of community by bringing these digital denizens into the real world by exhibiting emerging artists with established ones and to connect local artists with those based nationally and internationally. To this end, the curators are arranging for several artists from the UK, France, Poland, Croatia and across the U.S. to attend the exhibition and present at the convention.

Curated and organized by Aleksandra Pieńkosz (Krakow), Zoe Stawska (Warsaw) and Miles Taylor (Minneapolis), the initiative began in 2015 with the Glitch Art is Deadexhibition in Kraków. The exhibit was hosted by Teatr Barakah in Krakow, Poland and ran from September until mid-October. It featured a day of workshops run by Aleksandra Pieńkosz and Tomasz Sulej, a respected and knowledgeable  authority in the Glitch community, who will be reprising his role for the Minneapolis convention. An exhibition book, edited by Pienkosz and published by Hub Wydawniczy Rozdzielczość Chleba, features artists from the first exhibition as well as discourse on glitch art and is set to be released on December 17th.

An open call for artists will run from December 17 until January 19 with submission details here.

ADDITIONAL DATES
Opening Reception // Friday, March 11th, 7-11pm
Featuring live musical and VJ performances
$5

Glitch Art Convention // Saturday, March 18 - Sunday, March 19

Closing Reception // Friday, March 31

A night of noise music curated by Alex Kmett

HOSTED BY
Gamut Gallery
717 S 10th St
Minneapolis, MN 55404 

SPONSORED BY
Springboard for the Arts
308 Prince Street, Suite 270
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55101

CONTACT
https://www.facebook.com/glitchartisdeadpl
glitch.art.is.dead@gmail.com
Local organizer: Miles Taylor, 507.829.3196

MORE INFORMATION

Glitch Artists Collective: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Glitchcollective/

Curated Glitch Artists Collective Page: https://www.facebook.com/glitchartistscollective

Tutorials: http://www.glitchet.com/resources

Hear Sherman Associates' 205 Park Ave S Redevelopment Update Dec 22 at Open Book

 

Via a December 20 e-newsletter from the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (DMNA):

There will be a Special Land Use Committee meeting on Thursday, December 22, at 5:30pm at Open Book - 2nd floor conference room, to hear an update from Shane LaFave at Sherman Associates regarding the 205 Park Avenue South redevelopment project.

NerdWallet Ranks Minneapolis #7 Best City in the Nation for Job Seekers

Excerpt from a December 19 NerdWallet e-newsletter:

To help job seekers with their search, NerdWallet crunched the numbers to identify the best overall job markets. We found that Minneapolis ranks #7 best city in the nation for job seekers. Key findings:

• Minneapolis has an unemployment rate of 3.1% and a median monthly rent of $912. The median earnings of workers in Minneapolis is $48,249. 
• 9 out of 10 best cities for job seekers have high percentages of 20-somethings. It pays to follow millennial trends. 
• Fast-growing industries such as technology and healthcare helped some cities to the top of the list. Austin, Durham, and Denver are big cities for technology, while Nashville and Atlanta are home to many healthcare companies. 

Explore Local History Treasures Online from Hennepin County Library

Via a December 19 e-newsletter from Hennepin County:

Explore local history treasures online from Hennepin County Library

Digitized maps, atlases, yearbooks, newspaper photos and more are now available to view and download from the Hennepin County Library.

Thousands of historical treasures are more accessible to researchers, educators, students and history enthusiasts, thanks to work by Hennepin County Library staff to digitize the Special Collections. Now available anytime, from anywhere – no library card required – patrons can browse materials from 34 digitized collections related to the history of Minneapolis and Hennepin County.

Find the materials at www.hclib.org/digitalcollections.

View, search or download historic documents

The collections can be searched or browsed. All of the content can be viewed online and downloaded. With a few exceptions, access to the content is free, as long as credit is given to Hennepin County Library.

“There’s a lot of color and variety in these collections; they’re very visual,” said Ted Hathaway, Special Collections, preservation and digitization manager for Hennepin County Library. The materials, he said, include digitized files of artifacts such as theater programs, posters, business trade cards and editorial cartoons.

Many of the collections also cover fairly recent history, including the Hennepin County Yearbook Collection, which holds yearbooks from schools in Minneapolis and Hennepin County, covering classes from 1890 to 1977.

Diaries, letters and manuscripts are in the mix too, but the 21 digital photo collections may be the most eclectic. They showcase everything from Minneapolis musicians and orchestras in 1930s and ’40s to neighborhood buildings and street scenes from the early 20th century into the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s.

“We’re encouraging anyone who wants to learn more about our community – how people have lived, worked and played here – to browse these digital collections,” Hathaway said. “They won’t disappoint.”

Digitized collection continues to grow

Library staff, interns and volunteers add new items to the collections every week, including content from partners such as the City of Minneapolis and Hennepin History Museum.

The Library’s digitization work is funded by Friends of the Hennepin County Library, with additional support from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

“Launching these new digital collections is just the beginning,” Hathaway said. “Take a look at them now, and be sure to check back for more.”

Hennepin County Prepares for Winter Storm

Hennepin County prepares for winter storm

With heavy snow and dangerously cold temps forecasted tonight and this weekend, Hennepin County will be out plowing and de-icing more than 2,200 lane miles or roads.

Transportation crews have been out since early this morning clearing county roads with 66 plows hitting the streets since 2 a.m.

Plow drivers help people continue getting where they need to go. This is a big job in the county. Hennepin County has a quarter of Minnesota’s population – more than 1.2 million residents and half of all jobs in the Twin Cities metro region are located in Hennepin County.

As county, city and state plows work to clear the roads please stay back and give them plenty of room to do their jobs. As temperatures plummet, it will impact roads. It is difficult to melt snow in extreme cold.

The Minnesota State Patrol advises no travel as the storm approaches. However, if motorists must be on the roads, they should allow for extra time to get to their destination.

More information

Public Fingerprint Clerk, Volunteer Special Deputy positions at the Sherrif's Office

Work for the Sheriff's Office

The Sheriff's Office is currently seeking a Public Fingerprint Clerk and Volunteer Special Deputies. 

Public Fingerprint Clerk: Job involves fingerprinting members of the public for various reasons including adoptions, job applications, identification, or immigration. This position would work up to 20 hours per week and would report to the Central Records of the Public Safety Facility (PSF) located downtown, Minneapolis.

• Closing Date: 12/21/16  5:00 PM Central Time 
• Job Location: Downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota 
• Salary: $31,848.96 - $37,741.60 Annually 

Learn more or apply for this job by clicking here. 

Volunteer Special Deputy: Special Deputies are non-benefit, non-licensed Sheriff's Office volunteers that assist with Agency operations such as Patrol Support (Water and Road), Mounted Patrol, and Communications and Radio Technology (CRT).

• Closing Date: 1/6/17  5:00 PM Central Time 
• Job Location: Hennepin County 
• Salary: N/A

Learn more or apply for this job by clicking here.

Minneapolis Ice Rinks Await Colder Weather to Open for Season

Via a December 15 Minneapolis Park and Rec Board e-newsletter: 

Minneapolis ice rinks await colder weather to open for season
 
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) crews are currently preparing 45 ice rinks for skating, broomball, hockey and pond hockey at 25 parks citywide.

Establishing ice rinks takes a minimum of 10 consecutive days with below-freezing temperatures throughout the days and nights for ice to form. For lake-based rinks, the ice must be at least 8” thick to support the equipment needed to set up the rinks. Learn more about how the MPRB builds and maintains ice rinks.

With the current cold weather and cold weather forecasted through the weekend, many rinks will likely begin opening in time for Minneapolis Public School’s winter break next week. Please check the MPRB rink status page for the most up-to-date rink status. The Wells Fargo Minneapolis WinterSkate rink at Loring Park is open.
 
All rinks and warming houses are anticipated to be maintained and open through February 20, while rinks at Lake of the Isles, McRae, North Commons, Loring and Van Cleve parks are scheduled to remain open through March 1, weather and ice conditions permitting.
 
Many of the 25 rink locations offer separate rinks for general skating and recreational uses such as hockey, broomball and pond hockey. All locations except Bryn Mawr offer free loaner skates on a first come, first served basis.
 
Warming House Hours (once rinks are open)
All rinks (except Bryn Mawr*, Phelps*, Lake Nokomis, Lake of the Isles and Loring):

Mon-Fri, 3-9 pm
Saturday, 9 am-9 pm
Sunday, noon-6 pm
Visit www.minneapolisparks.org/rinks for other hours
 
Lake of the Isles and Wells Fargo Minneapolis WinterSkate at Loring Park:
Mon-Fri, 3-9 pm
Saturday, 9 am-9 pm
Sunday, 10 am-6 pm
 
Four sites will be under lights on Sundays until 9 pm:
Lake of the Isles
Lynnhurst
Matthews
Van Cleve
 
*Bryn and Phelps Park rinks open during broomball league games only.

View the 2016-2017 Ice Rink Brochure [PDF] for a full list of rink locations, details, and warming house hours.
 
Stay updated on rink statuses by calling the MPRB ice rink hotline at 612-313-7708, visiting www.minneapolisparks.org/rinks or by signing up to receive email updates at www.minneapolisparks.org/subscribe, and selecting “ice rinks”.

Donate Your Sticks & Skates
The MPRB welcomes hockey sticks and ice skates in good condition. Call or visit your local recreation center for donation and drop-off information.

The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul to Receive $30K NEA Art Works Grant

Via a Dec 14 News Release from The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul:

National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu has approved more than $30 million in grants as part of the NEA’s first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2017.  Included in this announcement is an Art Works grant of $30,000 to the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul for the Cine Global Series and supported programs. The Art Works category focuses on the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and the strengthening of communities through the arts.

“The arts are for all of us, and by supporting organizations such as the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul, the National Endowment for the Arts is providing more opportunities for the public to engage with the arts,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “Whether in a theater, a town square, a museum, or a hospital, the arts are everywhere and make our lives richer.”

“We are honored to receive an Art Works Grant and grateful for this endorsement by and funding from the National Endowment for the Arts,” said Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul Executive Director Susan Smoluchowski. “This support will enable us to continue to deepen our programming reflecting the cultures and experiences of the growing international populations in Minnesota and to further engage our increasingly diverse audiences.”

Cine Global Series and supported programs include Cine Latino, Images of Africa, Asian Frontiers and other programs year-round and within the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival. Dedicated to promoting intercultural understanding, the festival's Cine Global program presents contemporary films from around the world, with a focus on audiences of local immigrant communities. International artists will engage in presentations, panel discussions, and workshops that accompany festival screenings, as well as in educational programs such as Nextwave, providing media, literacy and many other opportunities for youth, especially traditionally underserved youth, who are pursuing an interest in film. Select titles previously screened in the program include "The Look of Silence" by Joshua Oppenheimer, "Difret" by Zeresenay Berhane Mehari, “Alias Maria” by José Luis Rugeles, “A Stray”by Musa Syeed, “Tharlo” by Pema Tseden, and “Neruda” by Pablo Larraín.

For more information on projects included in the NEA grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.

Hennepin County Board Approves 2017 Budget

Via a December 13 e-newsletter from Hennepin County:

Board approves 2017 budget

The Hennepin County Board voted Tuesday to approve the county’s 2017 budget of $1.9 billion, $14 million less than the 2016 adjusted budget. The budget includes a net property tax levy of $759.4 million, an increase of 4.49 percent over the 2016 final net property tax levy.
 
The 2017 budget supports some of the county’s most vulnerable residents, by strengthening early interventions and promoting self-sufficiency.

Priorities include: 
• Child well-being, working to identify at-risk families earlier and providing practical supports to address the root causes of abuse and neglect
• Hennepin Health, providing a holistic approach to health care for some of the county’s most vulnerable residents, including not only preventive physical and behavioral health care, but connections to social services to help them access shelter and employment
• Hennepin Housing Fund, funding development and preservation of affordable housing for very low-income adults and families
• Hennepin County Career Connections, providing training and public/private-sector career paths for people who face barriers to employment
• Transit and transportation, supporting the long-term value of neighborhoods and communities through strategic public investments in infrastructure that improves mobility and safety and connects people to jobs
• Adult detention Initiative, providing alternatives to jail for low-risk offenders who do not need to be detained, but who may benefit from behavioral health services, or who could be supervised using a variety of detention and processing strategies
 
“It just makes good sense to help residents become more self-sufficient and successful," said County Board Chair Jan Callison. “We believe that today’s investment will lead to a more prosperous future for everyone."

Our commitment to taxpayers

The budget adoption follows more than six months of budget preparation and hearings focused on the county’s continued commitment to help residents to be healthy, protected and safe, self-reliant, assured due process and mobile.
 
The budget also demonstrates a commitment to solid fiscal priorities and responsibilities that are reflected by more than three decades of AAA bond ratings.

“As commissioners, we understand the enormous responsibility to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ money,” Callison said. “I’m proud of the work we’ve done over the past several months, culminating in the adoption of a budget that shows our commitment to serving residents, improving lives and continuing to attract and retain a talented workforce.” 

Breakfast With a Preservationist Invitational

Via a December 12 e-newsletter from Preserve Minneapolis:

Breakfast With a Preservationist Invitational

When: Wednesday, December 21st, 8am-9am
Where: Mill City Museum, 710 2nd Street South ADM Room 6th Floor
Cost: Free! (Donations appreciated for breakfast treats)
Parking: in the ramp across the street or metered along 2nd Street South

The last BWAP of the year is always an invitational with coffee and breakfast treats. We are asking for photographs of your favorite old Minneapolis building or place that is NOT historically designated.

Please e-mail us that older, or kind of older building or place that draws you to it once in a while because, well, you have your own reason to appreciate its importance to you, and perhaps to other people you know.

When you send us the photograph add the address or general location, then all you have to do is attend the BWAP to give a short description, or maybe a short story, of why it is your favorite place.

Please send to Doug Mack: douglasmack@gmail.com by Saturday December 17th.

Wilde Cafe & Spirits Invites You to Warm Someone's Heart and Feet This Season

Socks are the most needed and least donated item to homeless shelters.

Join Wilde Cafe & Spirits in warming the feet of someone less fortunate this Holiday season. As an incentive, by donating a pack of socks you'll receive 10% off your tab, or purchase $100 in gift cards and Wilde Cafe will donate the socks for you. Now until December 30th!

Maybe enjoy a red velvet cupcake while you're there? :D

Cookie Cart: Giving At-Risk Teens the Tools to Succeed Since 1988

Article by Claudia Kittock, photos by Rick Kittock

Remember what it was like to be in high school?  Remember everyone asking you ‘what do you want to be when you grow up’ and you had no idea? Remember wondering if there was a place for you in the world, and, if there was, what would it be? How were you going to make your dreams come true?

One woman, Sister Jean Thuerauf, working in North Minneapolis in the 1980s, realized that teens needed a safe and engaging place to spend their time. The streets offered crime, violence and gang involvement, but it was clear that these teens needed something different, something special. Sister Jean began by inviting the community’s teenagers into her kitchen for help with schoolwork and to learn to bake cookies. It didn’t take long for her kitchen to be crowded with more teenagers than there was room!

In 1988, Sister Jean’s vision for a safe, secure, creative and engaging space for North Minneapolis’ youth was formalized and registered as Cookie Cart, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The first storefront was started on Emerson Avenue, and then in 1996 Cookie Cart settled into its current location on West Broadway Avenue.

Matt Halley, Executive Director of Cookie Cart, invited my husband, Rick, and I to come for a visit, urging us to come after school because that’s when ‘all the action happens’. When we walked in the doors we were engulfed in teenage energy and vitality.  There were teens everywhere.  Rick immediately broke away to start talking with kids and taking pictures, as I approached a couple of young women behind the counter.

Every teen we spoke with talked about what they liked best, about how this program was helping them grow. Ali, a member of the youth staff, said, “Cookie Cart has taught me to be a responsible young man because I get the chance to step up and be responsible for myself and other.” Mary told me that she was really good at rolling out the cookies, but still working on her frosting skills.

Cookie Cart is a multi-faceted program that provides education and experiences in many different areas. Obviously, there is experiential learning that involves hands-on job training.  The teens are taught the fundamentals of job readiness, equipping every teen with skills in responsibility, collaboration, and initiative.  In 2015, 193 teens mastered the basic job skills in the bakery.

After learning the skills in the bakery, the teen employees move on to classroom learning that centers on interpersonal communication. Teens who complete this training are then eligible to begin practicing these new skills at Cookie Cart’s front counter as well as at local promotional events. In 2015, 102 teens completed customer service training and practiced these skills at 184 community events, workplace visits, and post-secondary education tours.

The overall goal of the education at Cookie Cart is to equip the employees with enough skills to help them transition to the next stage in their education and lives. The 360 Program teaches resume and cover letter writing, job search tools, and interviewing skills.  In 2015, 68 teens completed this part of the program, and as a result 93% reported feeling comfortable talking to potential employers, and 97% were able to present themselves as experienced employees.

“I’d probably be on the street, because there is a lot of that in the neighborhood. But Cookie Cart took me away from that, and it pushed me away from the streets.  Because why would you want to be on the streets when you could have a job and save money?”

Cookie Cart also offers 3 areas of credential learning.  They have developed a hands-on curriculum for financial literacy, which includes budgeting and saving, checking accounts and personal credit.  In 2015, 84 teens completed financial literacy training.

Cookie Cart is also proud to offer teens the chance to take the National Career Readiness Certification (NCRC) exam. The test measures skills employers have identified as essential to job success, including applied math, reading for information, and locating information. In 2015, 34 teens earned NCRC certification.

The final area of credential learning is the ServSafe Food Handler Program. This certification shows prospective employers in the restaurant industry that youth staff have received food safety training in areas of personal hygiene, allergens, time and temperature control, cross-contamination, and cleaning and sanitation.  In 2015, 19 teens earned ServSafe Food Handler Certification.

When I asked Executive Director, Matt Halley, what people can do to support this amazing enterprise, he gave me many ideas, including:

1. The most important is to visit Cookie Cart at 1119 West Broadway Avenue in Minneapolis. To see it is to understand it, and to taste the cookies is to fall in love with this project!
2. Buy cookies! We tried some and can report how delicious they are! Eating cookies will help. It’s a difficult assignment, but do it!
3. Use Cookie Cart cookies for corporate events and/or gifting to friends, family, and clients! They specialize in providing their delicious cookies to large events.
4. Donations are always welcome.  Cookie Cart is a 501©3, making donations tax deductible.

Damarean, a Cookie Cart alumni, said, “I’d probably be on the street, because there is a lot of that in the neighborhood. But Cookie Cart took me away from that, and it pushed me away from the streets.  Because why would you want to be on the streets when you could have a job and save money?”  Why indeed!!

Claudia can be reached at claudia@millcitymedia.org

December 12 Job Fair and Employer Panel Will Connect Job-seekers to Current Positions

Via a December 8 e-newsletter from Hennepin County:

Job fair and employer panel will connect job-seekers to current positions

The Hennepin County Work and Economic Resource Center will host more than 40 employers at a career fair and employer panel on Monday, December 12, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Minneapolis Convention Center, 1301 Second Avenue South, Minneapolis, in Room 205.
 
The event will include opportunities to learn the secrets to career fair success, one-to-one job search assistance, and free refreshments and lunch.
 
This job fair and employer panel is part of a series of events to pair employers looking for workers with employees looking for job opportunities. All participating businesses are actively recruiting for multiple openings. The next event is a career fair, which will take place Monday, February 6, at Sabathani Community Center, 310 East 38th Street, Minneapolis.
 
Job-seekers do not need to register for this free event. All are welcome. Find a daily schedule, a list of employers and other information at www.hennepin.us/employmentservices.

Minnesota Center for Book Arts Wins $50,000 Joyce Award

Two collaborations between artists of color and cultural organizations in the Twin Cities have each won $50,000 from The Joyce Foundation's annual Joyce Awards competition.

The Minnesota Center for Book Arts grant will commission a new exhibit in 2017 with graphic artist Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. and The O'Shaughnessy grant will commission Ananya Chatterjea and her Ananya Dance Theatre to stage a new production in 2018.

The Joyce Awards is the only program supporting artists of color in major Great Lakes cities. The Chicago-based foundation has awarded nearly $3 million to commission 55 new works since the program started in 2003.

A distinctive feature of the Joyce Awards is that a winners' work must include the process of engaging community members to inform and shape their art. Community forums, workshops, panel discussions, social media input and one-on-one conversations will help influence each artist's final presentation.

“It is exciting to see such a powerful focus not only on the creative aspects of these works, but also on how the artists plan to involve diverse communities in their development and presentation,” said Ellen Alberding, president of The Joyce Foundation.  “We are confident these productions will do a great job of telling stories that can foster civic participation and cross-cultural understanding, and we are proud to support them and showcase the artistic talent of the Great Lakes region.”

Renowned print and graphic artist, Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr., will lead a series of free work sessions at the MCBA where participants from under-represented community groups will learn to print signage by hand.  The posters and graphic pieces will become an exhibit during the center's biennial celebration in the summer of 2017 and fill the entire 55,000-square-foot Open Book space.

"We are eager to partner with Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. on this project that will re-imagine how we create, shape and share art through personal and community narratives," said Jeff Rathermel, executive director of Minnesota Center for Book Arts. "This commission is an opportunity for Kennedy to create in a highly collaborative environment, while responding to the voices of our rich and diverse community."

About The Joyce Foundation
The Joyce Foundation works with grantee partners to improve quality of life, promote community vitality, and achieve a fair society. We focus grant making primarily on the Great Lakes region, and also have national impact through our program areas – Education, Employment, Environment, Gun Violence Prevention, Democracy and Culture. Our Culture program focuses on strengthening and diversifying arts organizations, building capacity within the arts sector and investing in the creative capital of artists of color. Joyce was established in 1948 in Chicago, and over the years has continued to respond to changing social needs. For more information, please visit our web site or follow us on Twitter @JoyceFdn.

Minneapolis Park Board Adopts 2017 Budget

Via a December 8 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board:

Minneapolis Park Board’s 2017 Budget Focuses on Fiscal Responsibility, Service Delivery, and Implementation of the 20 Year Neighborhood Park Plan

On Wednesday, December 7, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) adopted its 2017 budget for the park system, which serves more than 22 million visits annually. The budget focuses on enhanced maintenance, rehabilitation and capital investments for neighborhood parks, continued sound fiscal management, providing responsive service delivery to meet the changing demographics and needs of the community, and, for the first time, implementing a racial equity tool throughout the budget process.
 
“The 2017 budget fully integrates the 20 Year Neighborhood Park Plan into the MPRB budget and is the first MPRB annual budget to use a racial equity lens for budget decisions,” explained MPRB Superintendent Jayne Miller. “The 2017 budget continues to reflect the MPRB’s commitment to strategic long-term planning by focusing on sustainable funding, supporting ongoing operations, addressing threats to the urban tree canopy, continuing refinement and implementation of operating efficiencies and targeted service delivery, and aligning employment and asset investments to meet changing demographic needs across the city.”
 
As the demographics of Minneapolis have changed and continue to change, the Park Board is working hard to be responsive to the changing needs of the city’s current community and plan for the needs of future residents through more diverse service delivery, modifications to the system of parks and park assets to meet the diverse needs of residents, the updating of policies that demonstrate the respect of varied cultural values and needs, and the expanded employment of a diverse workforce at all levels of the organization.

Budget Report
The 2017 budget and related documents are available for viewing at www.minneapolisparks.org/budget or by calling 612-230-6400 between 8 am–4:30 pm, Monday–Friday.

Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA) Brings Artful Cheer to Your Holiday Season!

Visit The Shop at MCBA for gifts, art work, and oodles of things that will delight your creative and bookish friends. They also have a wonderful selection of gifts for the kids in your life, ranging from unique children's books to fun art kits.

MCBA members receive an additional 10% off one item in December! Learn more about memberships online, call them at 612-215-2520, or drop by The Shop.

Like their decorations? You can make them at one of these free workshops:

Recycled Paper Trees: Saturday, December 10; 1:30pm
Recycled Cut Paper Stars: Saturday December 17; 1:30pm

Both workshops take place in The Shop.

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No registration necessary!

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Follow The Shop at MCBA on Instagram to see examples of previous demos!

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Minnesota Center for Book Arts is located at 1011 Washington Avenue S in the Open Book building. 

Firefighters for Healing partners with HCMC Burn Unit for Annual Christmas Blessing Gift Drop

Via a December 6 news release from Firefighters for Healing and Hennepin County Medical Center:

Firefighters for Healing partners with HCMC Burn Unit for Annual Christmas Blessing Gift Drop

Today from 10:30AM to 11:45AM Firefighters for Healing will once again deliver gifts and good cheer to patients and their families who are being cared for in Hennepin County Medical Center’s Burn Center. In addition, the event will feature the unveiling of the Firefighters for Healing Family Room.

“We want staff to feel our love and support, patients to feel a moment of relief, families and caregivers to see a good deed and – and volunteers to feel energized to do even more,” explains Jake LaFerriere, former Minneapolis firefighter and founder of Firefighters for Healing. “The age range of patients and stories of how they are burned compounds the emotions we experience each year we do this. Our only wish is to bring hope and joy in the midst of what can be an extremely painful time – both physically and emotionally – for these patients and families.”

Firefighter and founder Jake LaFerriere with a young burn survivor 

Who: Firefighters for Healing board of directors and the Minneapolis Fire Department

What: Fire trucks to deliver gifts, holiday cheer to patients, families and staff at Hennepin County Medical Center’s Burn Center and unveil the FireFighters for Healing Family Room.

When: Tuesday, December 6, 2016 between 10:30AM – 11:45AM (2 fire rigs loaded with presents will arrive on 6^th Street near the 717 S. 6^th St. entrance between 10:15AM – 10:30AM)

Where: Hennepin County Medical Center – 717 S. 6^th Street, Minneapolis MN, 55415

Why: This holiday season may be different for families experiencing burn trauma or surgeries related to a previous burn injury. The FireFighters for Healing mission is to bring hope and joy to families in need so families know they are not alone in their recovery to a new normal.

Firefighters for Healing (F4H) was founded by a former Minneapolis firefighter, Jake LaFerriere, after he suffered third and fourth degree burns as a result of a backdraft explosion in 2010. While in recovery, he met several children in the burn unit, each undergoing painful treatments for their injuries. This inspired him to create Firefighters for Healing (F4H), a non-profit foundation that provides financial and emotional support to children who are survivors of severe burns. Visit http://www.firefightersforhealing.org/ for more information.

The Burn Center at Hennepin County Medical Center is nationally recognized for its expertise in treating burn patients of all ages. Staffed by specially trained burn care nurses and physicians, the 17-bed inpatient unit and ambulatory care clinic provide comprehensive burn care to patients from throughout the Midwest.

“Continuing to fight after the fire is out. We have a passion for compassion”

News from Preserve Minneapolis

Via a December 5 e-newsletter from Preserve Minneapolis:

Give to the Max Success!
We want to express our gratitude to everyone that donated to Preserve Minneapolis on Give to the Max Day. We are fortunate to have so many generous preservationists supporting our efforts to educate and advocate for Minneapolis history. We raised a total of $2,350! Thank you again for the support to help us continue to offer programs like Breakfast and Happy Hour with a Preservationist, Walking Tours, and the mobile app.

Volunteers Wanted
Interested in getting involved with Preserve Minneapolis? Our various committees are looking for volunteers! If you have interest in joining one of the committees listed below, please email gbartholet@gmail.com. Indicate which committee you have interest in learning more about or volunteering for and we will put you in-touch with the committee chair.  Our committees include:

• Advocacy (blog writing and advocating for preservation)
• Events
• Summer walking tours
• Minneapolis Historical (online walking tour website/app)
• Finance (treasury)
• Communications (social media and website updates)
• Development (fundraising)

Call for Preservation Interns
Minneapolis' Office of Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) is looking to add two Historic Preservation Planner positions to their team.

The 8-12 month-long part-time internship will focus on conducting designation studies and developing design guidelines for religious properties associated with under-documented groups. The posting is available through December 11 under "Internship Opportunities."

Preservation Victory
The Hewing Hotel opened on November 17th after almost two years of work on the 1897 brick building. Located at 300 Washington Street, the developers received approval from the Heritage Preservation Commission on January 6, 2015 to rehabilitate the historic building located in the Warehouse Historic District as a hotel with associated retail and restaurant space. The building re-purposed vintage materials from throughout the Twin Cities such as original wood from the first floor of the Jackson Building for table tops. The development is a showcase of the successful use of preservation techniques in an economically feasible manner.

Alatus Development Update
You may recall the recent approval of a proposed 40 story tower on the site of the Washburn-McReavy Funeral Home in the St. Anthony Falls Historic District. The Planning Commission approved the Conditional Use Permit and Variance request in September with disregard to the St. Anthony Falls Historic District Guidelines. Demolition should have been underway by now, but has been delayed by Alatus, LLC after an injunction was filed by Neighbors for East Bank Livability. The NEBL group, one among many, is concerned the overruling of the Heritage Preservation Commission recommendation will set a dangerous precedent in historic districts across the city. The tentative hearing is set for December 23, 2016 at the Hennepin County District Court.
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Get involved: Support Preserve Minneapolis with a donation or by volunteering. 

For the latest Preserve Minneapolis news and events, find us on Facebook.