Scenes from the September 3 Mill City Farmers Market

September 3 was Back To School Day at the Mill City Farmers Market.  It's always fun to see so many kids at the Market - I applaud all parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles and others who bring their little ones.

Lorenzo LopezRocha of American Sustainable Organics grows rare and exotic peppers, tomatoes, corn and other items on farmland in Marine on St. Croix. His impressive display at the September 3 Market included the aptly named Tom Thumb popping corn.  This sample in his hand is a fully developed cob.

Mi Ae Lipe signed copies of her latest book, Bounty from the Box: The CSA Farm Cookbook, a guide to over 90 fruits, vegetables, and herbs grown by community-supported agriculture (CSA) farms across North America. It includes over 360 diverse, delicious recipes and comprehensive cooking information on each crop.

You know fall is around the corner when you see a basket of decorative gourds, and ornamental cabbage starts showing up in the bouquets...

Yum! Our neighbor Doug enjoyed BBQ Pork Hash from the griddle masters of Black Cat Natural Foods.

Manu Gallur of Green Stick Army is on a mission to encourage trash pick-up activities and education to clean up downtown Minneapolis.  He introduced shoppers to his handy gadget at the September 3 Market.  Look for a separate post later this week on our Farmers Market blog.

The kids from Urban Roots are back! Check out their website to learn about the great things this organization is doing. Their fundraising event, Get to Know Your Urban Roots, is September 15 at Harriet Island Pavilion in St. Paul.

Anna Metcalfe is a talented ceramist and frequent MCFM art vendor.  She will be speaking at the September 14 American Craft Library Salon Series: Pottery, Pollinators and Public Engagement event.

Below, Chefs Nettie Colón (left) and Beth Jones (right) pictured with MCFM Executive Director Martha Archer as they start amassing ingredients for the feast being served at the September 11 Harvest Social.

Beth's son agreed to be my "hand model" for the Sonny's ice cream shot.

Below is Jill Colella, Editor of Ingredient Magazine and Butternut Magazine. These publications for kids are made in Minnesota and distributed around the world, bringing food literacy to children and tweens.

Ames Farm added Honeycrisp and Early Gold apples AND pears to this week's offerings. :)

Oh no - an abandoned baby cuke! :(

Oops - no Milly the Goat this week - the Train shed was so packed I couldn't even get close enough for a shot (but that's a good thing!).

Tickets Available for the 2016 Mill City Farmers Market Harvest Social, Sept 11

The 2016 Mill City Farmers Market Harvest Social is Sunday, September 11. This annual event is a celebration of healthy foods and local farmers.

Kevin Kling, noted playwright, storyteller and popular commentator on NPR All Things Considered and Simone Perrin, vocalist, accordionista, actress and composer who has been featured on A Prairie Home Companion will be honoring the National Park Service 100th Anniversary with an exclusive and memorable performance featuring the Mississippi River.

Talented and entertaining auctioneer, Karen Sorbo, returns to conduct the live auction.

Enjoy abundant farm-to-table appetizers and signature cocktails in the historic Mill City Museum train shed.

Proceeds from the annual fundraiser support the Market's mission “to inspire and nurture a healthy community by building a local, sustainable, and organic food economy in a vibrant educational marketplace.” Funds raised also benefit their educational programming. Learn about these initiatives here: 2016 MCFM Programming Report.

Funds raised during the Annual Benefit are also used to for a mini grant program, Fund a Need, which supports the farmers of the MCFM.  In 2015, 12 grants totaling over $20,600 were awarded, and 7 grants  for over $13,800 have already beem awarded in 2016.  Read about the 2015 Farmer Grants here.

Click here to buy tickets online, or stop by the info booth at Mill City Farmers Market - open tomorrow, September 3, between 8:00am and 1:00pm.

Tucker Hollingsworth: Context Opening Reception at A-Mill Artist Lofts, Sept 15

TUCKER HOLLINGSWORTH: CONTEXT

Exhibition Dates: September 16- October 4, 2016

Exhibition location & hours: A Mill Artist Lofts, 315 SE Main Street

Open by appointment, 617.276.6341

Reception:  Thursday, September 15, 2016, 5-9 p.m.

The community is invited to a reception at A Mill Artist Lofts on Thursday, September 15, celebrating Context, an exhibition of new work by Twin Cities photographer Tucker Hollingsworth. The artist will be present.

After recently completing residencies at SFAI (Santa Fe, NM), OPUS HOUSE (Truchas, NM), VCCA (Amherst, VA), and in between exhibits in Madrid, Prague and Tuscany, Tucker Hollingsworth returns to Minneapolis with Context, an exhibition of new works in A Mill Artist Loft’s gallery.

The show will exhibit photographs Tucker describes as “photographing technology and contemporary photographic choice” using the basic subjects of spheres, lines, atmosphere, and play. With the camera as manufacturer, time as a collaborator, and, as has come to be expected with Tucker, an array of untraditional strategies to make an image, Hollingsworth’s photographs attempt to reconsider and redefine what an image is, can be, and does, if not just how to reconsider image-making. Infusing the body of the photographer into the exposure of the photograph, revealing the digital biases of camera technology, and injecting simultaneity into static images, are a few of the tricks at play.

On view at the gallery will be more than a dozen photographs, some measuring six feet in height, culled from Hollingsworth’s work from the past 24 months. Non-representational and suggesting densely woven textiles, the vividly hued images investigate the terrain of what is called camera noise, or the interiority of the camera. Also on view will be a selection of landscaped-based photographs. Semi-representational and often characterized by a jewel-toned palette, the landscape photographs are taken at night in both urban and rural environments. Hollingsworth uses only ambient light whether it is the full moon, the head and tail lights of passing vehicles or street lamps for his extended exposures, some lasting up to 30 minutes.

* * * * *

Born in 1984 in Boston, MA, Hollingsworth grew up in Florida and has lived in Minnesota since 2000. He currently resides in Minneapolis, MN. In 2012 he was a fellow at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts in Amherst, VA, the Ragdale Foundation in Lake Forest, IL, and he completed an artist residency at the Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, MN. In 2010 and 2011 he completed residencies at Tofte Lake Center, Tofte, MN under the auspices of the Jerome Foundation Emerging Artist program. In 2011 he was awarded a Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Grant. His work has been shown at Nina Bliese Gallery, Minneapolis, Circa Gallery, Minneapolis and at Locanda Toscanini, in Tuscany, Italy.

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Editor's Note - Tucker was featured on TPT's MN Original earlier this year:

Hurray! Franklin Avenue Bridge Scheduled to Open Thursday Evening, September 1!

Via an August 31 Hennepin County News Release:

Franklin Avenue Bridge reopens to traffic Thursday, September 1

The Franklin Avenue Bridge (County Road 5) will reopen to traffic on the evening of Thursday, September 1. The bridge has been closed since May so that crews could remove and replace the deck.

The restored bridge features a new driving surface for motorists, as well as dedicated and separated bicycle and pedestrian lanes on both sides of the bridge. The bridge also has vertically-oriented concrete rails, like the ones originally used on the bridge. Reproductions of historic lights have been added.

The bridge deck was constructed using the Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) method to reduce the duration of the traffic closure. More than 360 deck panels were constructed upstream at Bohemian Flats. This summer, the panels were floated down the Mississippi River and hoisted into place.

Other improvements to the bridge are needed to restore deteriorated areas of the bridge, prevent future degradation due to road salt and other exposure and to preserve the structural integrity and historical nature of the concrete arches. This work began last year and will continue after the deck reopens.

For the next few months, there will be intermittent lane closures for motorists. And bicyclists and pedestrians will only be able to use one side of the bridge at a time. These closures are needed as crews finish work, as well as remove temporary structures needed for the deck replacement and utility work.

For more information about the project, visit www.hennepin.us/franklinbridge.

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Here are some pictures from an August 31 project update email:

The northern (westbound) pedestrian and bike lanes separated from the motor vehicle traffic. These lanes are protected from the vehicles with a concrete wall topped with a steel rail. This layout is repeated on the other side of the bridge. The outer bridge railing is now vertically-oriented concrete rails, like the ones used on the original bridge. Reproductions of historic lights have also been added.

A view of the motor vehicle traffic lanes.

A look from the bridge approaching the intersection of East River Parkway.

The final photo shows the western approach with painted bike lane.

Hurray! West River Parkway Reopens September 1

Section of parkway and trail closed since June 2014 reopens tomorrow after mudslide repair

Via an August 31 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board:

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is happy to announce a section of West River Parkway that has been closed for more two years, from 4th Street S to E 24th Street, will reopen at 4:30 pm on Thursday, Sept. 1. 
 
The segment was closed following record-breaking rainfall in Minneapolis throughout June 2014. Just before 7 pm on June 19, 2014, a torrential downfall compounded by heavily saturated soils caused a steep, 100-foot wide section of the west bank of the Mississippi River near downtown Minneapolis to fail. The slope failure created a mudslide that sent a huge quantity of mud and debris rocketing down the riverbank, across West River Parkway and into the river.
 
Fortunately no one was hurt, but the project proved to be challenging from an administrative, engineering and construction perspective. For the public’s safety, a section of the parkway and trails remained closed during the investigation and repair of the mudslide. The MPRB sincerely appreciates the public’s patience while work was performed.

Project Overview

• Five retaining walls – three near the top of the slope and two at the bottom – work together to stabilize the slope and reduce its incline.
• A network of new underground drain tile will redirect groundwater to an improved storm sewer system that will prevent surface storm water runoff from saturating the slope’s soil.
• The previous poor, unconsolidated soil was replaced with more structurally stable soil.
• New vegetation, once established, will help anchor the slope.
• The parkway and trails were repaved and guardrails replaced.

Read More

For more information, please read the linked documents below:
West River Parkway Slope Repair FAQ
West River Parkway Slope Repair Construction Timeline

Volunteers Needed for Monarch Festival, September 10 at Lake Nokomis

Via an August 30 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:

Lend a hand on September 10 at Lake Nokomis

You can help us make the Monarch Festival a successful, fun event for everyone! Volunteers must be at least 14 yrs and speak English (bilingual with Spanish is needed too). All volunteers receive an official Festival T-shirt as our way of saying thank you.

Sign up to volunteer at:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090d4fa4a82caafb6-volunteer

For more information about volunteering, call 612-313-7779 or email volunteer4monarchs@gmail.com.

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About the Monarch Festival

The annual Monarch Festival celebrates the monarch butterfly's amazing migration from Minnesota to Mexico. Using art, music, dance, games, native plants, prairie tours and food, the festival raises awareness of the need to provide and protect monarch habitat.

The free event is on Sept. 10 form 10 am to 4 pm. The Monarch Festival takes place near the Nokomis Naturescape, a certified Monarch Waystation, featuring native plants that monarchs need to lay eggs, host caterpillars and get nectar.

Scenes from the August 27 Mill City Farmers Market

August 27 was Gluten Free Day at the Market, spotlighting options from Sift Gluten Free Bakery, Bliss Gourmet Foods, Sunrise Creative Gourmet, Sunrise Flour Mill and Dumpling & Strand, along with a gluten-free recipe for the Mill City Cooks demo.

Dumpling & Strand uses blue labels for their gluten-free pasta packages.

Below, Nick Nelson from the Wedge Community Co-op's catering department prepares a Toasted Millet Salad.

Jeez, again with the rain?  :p

Tickets are still available for the September 11 Harvest Social.  The special guest this year is local storyteller extraordinaire - the one and only Kevin Kling!

Joe Tamburino manned the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (DMNA) booth. The DMNA sponsors the music at the Market.

If you haven't tried the cheese from Cosmic Wheel Creamery - you're missing out on a little slice of heaven on earth.

Pumpkin sighting!

Slow Money Minnesota was the August 27 Community Booth. Started last year, Slow Money Minnesota is an emerging network that increases the flow of knowledge and capital in support of local food makers and farming.

Mystery item:

Melissa Driscoll of Seven Songs Organic Farm weighs some ginger for me - the first of the season.

Is it an alien? Why no, it's a potato from Seed to Seed Farm!

Matt and crew from Wild Run Salmon are back!

Milly the Goat!

Bicyclist and Pedestrian Counts 2016 - Volunteers Needed

Volunteer for Bicyclist & Pedestrian Counts – September 13-15, 2016 

Minneapolis Public Works is gearing up to conduct its 10^th annual Bicyclist and Pedestrian Count, and you can help! Volunteers are needed to count the number of bicyclists and pedestrians at many locations around the city. The main days for counting will be September 13-15. All count shifts are from 4:00-6:00 p.m.

Minneapolis Public Works is also teaming up with Hennepin County this year, offering new counting locations outside of Minneapolis in first-ring suburbs. More information on this is available when you sign up.

Minneapolis and Hennepin County conduct bicyclist and pedestrian counts in order to understand the impact of non-motorized traffic on streets, sidewalks, and trails. Accurate counts allow us to plan and build for bicyclists and pedestrians, while tracking what’s successful and what should be done differently.

If you’re interested in volunteering for any of these counts, register online or contact Kurt Wayne at kurt.wayne@minneapolismn.gov or 612-673-5011.

Vote Today (thru Sept 7) For Your Favorite Downtown Green Spaces In The 2016 MDID Greening & Public Realm Awards

MINNEAPOLIS (August 25, 2016) — The Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District (MDID) will again recognize the top green spaces in Downtown Minneapolis during the 7^th annual Greening & Public Realm Awards, and its asking the general public to help out.

The Greening Awards, an MDID initiative since 2010, celebrate outstanding examples of greening and placemaking that improve public space in Downtown Minneapolis. Winners will be selected by public vote at MinneapolisDID.com/GreeningAwards. The vote will be open Aug. 25 through Sept. 7.

This year, 37 unique finalists were selected through an interactive public nomination process were divided into 12 categories based on the project’s characteristics and size. Among the finalists selected were 15 unique new nominees—a continued sign of the growing diversity of greening in the downtown area—as well as 15 past winners. Five of last year’s 12 winners are nominated again this year, including six-time winner Loring Greenway and five-time winner Target Plaza South Entry.

“Enhanced greening continues to be an important goal in downtown Minneapolis, as it accentuates the vibrancy of our city,” said Steve Cramer, President & CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council and Downtown Improvement District. “Each year, the Greening Awards helps raise awareness about the importance of greening and allows us to celebrate those who add greening to our community.”

The MDID Greening Awards aims to eclipse last year’s record participation of 1,312 votes, more than 400 more than the previous record.

This year’s vote also includes a new category that focuses on added art to our downtown public realm. Nominees for the Public Art category include the Eduardo Kobra and Greg Gossel murals, art added to Gold Medal Park from the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden (currently being renovated) and the new Medtronic Plaza Viking horn sculpture outside U.S. Bank Stadium.

Winners will receive a commemorative Greening Award created by Wood from the Hood, a Minneapolis-based company that reclaims discarded trees from urban neighborhoods and creates high-quality wood products. Each award will display the year the award was issued.

The MDID Greening Awards are intended to inspire all to work toward making downtown greener and more vibrant. The MDID’s mission through the Greening Awards is to encourage all downtown businesses and organizations to participate in the greening effort.

The public is encouraged to vote by visiting www.MinneapolisDID.com/GreeningAwards and clicking on the interactive vote link. Each category will showcase the finalists along with a photo of each location for easy viewing and identification. This year’s 12 categories include the following finalists:

Small Green Space Activation

• Parklet at 13th & Hennepin (Espresso Royale & Salon Rouge) *
• Living Room Station*
• The Living Bus Shelter*
• The Loon Street Café*

Small Green Space

• American Academy of Neurology
• Federal Courthouse Plaza
• Target Plaza South Entry

Large Green Space Activation

• Minneapolis Convention Center Plaza
• Hennepin County Government Center South Plaza
• Target Field Station

Large Green Space

• Loring Greenway
• The Commons*
• Triangle Park

Façade Greening

• 4Marq Apartments*
• JB Hudson
• Kenosha Building
• MSFA Parking Ramp*

Public Art

• The Times They Are A-Changin’ – Mural by Eduardo Kobra*
• Greg Gossel Mural*
• Gold Medal Park
• The Horn (Medtronic Plaza Sculpture)*

Outdoor Café

• 8^th Street Grill
• Bachelor Farmer*
• Mason’s Restaurant Barre
• The Local

Streetscape Greening

• Central Lutheran Church
• Target Plaza Commons
• The Carlyle

Streetscape Green Infrastructure

• 1st Street North Streetscape Improvements
• Boulevard Gardens at 4th & Hennepin*
• Wells Fargo Towers*

Entryway Greening

• City Hall
• Lindsay Lofts*
• Textile Building*

Public Realm Improvement

• 4Marq Apartments Façade Greening*
• Bachelor Farmer Outdoor Café*
• Boulevard Gardens at 4th & Hennepin*
• Greg Gossel Mural*
• MSFA Parking Ramp*
• The Commons*
• The Horn (Medtronic Plaza Sculpture)*
• The Times They Are A-Changin’ – Mural by Eduardo Kobra*
• Wells Fargo Towers Streetscapes*

Best Neighborhood

• Elliot Park
• Loring Park
• Mill District
• North Loop

* New Nominee in this category

The public is encouraged to not only vote on a winner for each category but to also celebrate greening on social media year-round. Send your greening photos to @MinneapolisDID on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #GreenAwardsMpls.

For more information, visit www.minneapolisdid.com/greeningawards or log onto Facebook, Twitter or Instagram searching @MinneapolisDID.

About the Downtown Improvement District:

Founded in early 2009, after more than five years of formative planning and advocacy by the downtown business community, the Minneapolis DID delivers higher levels of service to make downtown cleaner, greener, safer and more vibrant throughout a 120-block area, as is the case with most Business Improvement Districts. For more information, visit http://www.minneapolisdid.com/.

Guthrie Theater Open House, Saturday, August 27

DON'T FORGET - GUTHRIE OPEN HOUSE IS THIS WEEKEND!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 11 AM - 3 PM

ALL ARE WELCOME AT THIS FREE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENT!

Come on over for a day jam-packed with exploration, discovery and play. No reservations required.

Here's what's on tap:
• Take a peek backstage and into our workshops on a self-guided tour.
• Curl up in our storytelling corner to hear a tale told by a Guthrie artist.
• Let your imagination run wild at our mask-making station.
• Tap into your talent in a mini-class for teens and adults.
• Be wowed by theatrical magic on our signature thrust stage.
• Snap a selfie using real Guthrie costume pieces and props.

With the Mill City Farmers Market open until 1 p.m., consider making a day of it and grabbing a bite to eat while you visit. For more information, call the Box Office at 612.377.2224.

ASL interpreters and audio describers will available through Access Services.

New Residential Properties Highlighted In Upcoming Explore Downtown Living Event on Saturday, Sept 17

MINNEAPOLIS (August 23, 2016) — New properties will again be added to the next Explore Downtown Living event, which will take place on Saturday, September 17 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in Downtown Minneapolis.
Explore Downtown Living, a product of the Minneapolis Downtown Council’s Intersections: The Downtown 2025 Plan Development Committee, is a free event that offers the public a chance to see 30 residential properties without solicitation throughout the Central Business District, East Town Mill District/Downtown East, Loring Park, North Loop and Northeast.

Next month’s Explore Downtown Living will feature several exciting new residential properties here in downtown, including 700 Central, Encore and Nolo Flats—as well as Edition, which just opened up its final of three buildings lining The Commons in East Town Mill District/Downtown East.

Over the span of five days since its inaugural event in May 2015, Explore Downtown Living has attracted 3,000 guests and offered more than 11,600 residential unit tours in the downtown area. Those interested in participating can sign up free of charge at http://www.exploredtliving.com/.

“Downtown’s residential growth is as thriving as ever, and as we strive to reach 70,000 residents as part of The 2025 Plan we know showcasing the benefits of living in the downtown area is crucial,” said Steve Cramer, President & CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council and Downtown Improvement District. “Thanks to the Explore Downtown Living committee and leadership, more people are getting a chance to see first-hand what life could be like for them in the heart of our city.”

Those participating in Explore Downtown Living can enjoy free parking options at designated locations, and they can find their destinations through an interactive map on ExploreDTLiving.com. To begin, participants sign up on the website and receive their Field Guide at the first property they visit or at any Whole Foods during the week leading up to Saturday, September 17.

With their Field Guide in hand, participants can tour 30 properties at their leisure while also enjoying approximately more than two dozen promotions and giveaways from local downtown businesses.

“Part of the downtown living experience is the walkability to unique and exclusive dining options, shops and entertainment venues,” said Jennifer Gordon and Brent Webb, co-chairs of the 2025 Plan Development Committee’s Explore Downtown Living taskforce. “Explore Downtown Living invites you to not only see your potential future home, but also explore and get comfortable with the surrounding neighborhood in an inviting way.”

Along with the 2025 Plan’s goal to double the residential population, it also includes initiatives that complement achieving that objective including improved greening and public realm, creating a consistently compelling downtown experience and becoming a national leader in transportation options, among others.

All of those initiatives play into creating a downtown with inviting neighborhoods for all ages. As a result, downtown’s population has grown by 25.2 percent since 2006.

Residential communities being showcased at September’s Explore Downtown Living include:

4Marq | 222 Hennepin | 700 Central (Sales Center)* | Bolero Flats* | Brunsfield North Loop | Churchill | District 600* | Dock Street Flats | Edition* | Eitel Building* | Encore* | Junction Flats | LaSalle | Latitude 45 | Laurel Village | Loring Park Apartments | LPM Apartments | Marquette Place* | The Metro Apartments* | Mill & Main | Mill City Quarter (Sales Center)* | The Nic on Fifth | Nolo Flats* | One Ten Grant* | The Paxon | Red 20 | Soltva | Third North | VELO | Vue
*= New 2016 Residential Community

Also, enjoy specials from the following local businesses through Explore Downtown Living:

Alchemy | AlwaysMod | Bizzie Twin Cities | Corner Coffee | Crave | Dunn Bros. Coffee Loring Park | Eggy’s Diner | Hell’s Kitchen | Isles Bakery | JB Hudson | Jungle Red Salon Spa | Kieran’s Irish Pub | Ling & Louie’s | The Local | The Loop | Lowry Hill Meats | Martin Patrick 3 | Minnesota Orchestra | Pizza Luce | Red Cow | Rock Bottom Brewery | Stadium Bar & Grill | Taj Salon and Spa | Union | Yoga Fit

The Explore Downtown Living event is produced by the Minneapolis Downtown Council and the Downtown 2025 Plan Development Committee in partnership with Target, VON91, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District and JB Hudson.

For news and updates on the event, follow the @MplsDowntown on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtags #ExploreDTLiving, #1MillionReasons and #2025Plan.

About the Minneapolis Downtown Council:

Founded in 1955, and one of the most historic central business associations in the nation, the Minneapolis Downtown Council (MDC) is a membership-based entity that works to create an extraordinary downtown. The MDC’s collaborative developments of Intersections: The Downtown 2025 Plan was designed to help downtown businesses, community leaders and citizens build on downtown assets and implement future goals. For more information, please visit DowntownMpls.com.

About the 2025 Plan:

The Downtown 2025 Plan is a vehicle to help leaders and citizens build on Downtown’s assets and guide Downtown Minneapolis’ development. This includes initiatives to double downtown’s residential population, transform Nicollet Mall into a must-see destination, create a compelling and walkable environment around the clock, lead the nation in transportation options, end street homelessness, forge connections with the University of Minnesota and more. For more information on the 2025 Plan and its initiatives, visit 2025plan.com, BeInBusinessDowntownMpls.com and MinneapolisIdeaExchange.com. The 2025 Plan is a Minneapolis Downtown Council initiative established in 2010. 

MPRB Fall Park Highlights Guide Now Available

Via an August 23 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:

Fall into fun in Minneapolis parks!

Stay busy and active this fall with the help of Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board's (MPRB) latest Park Highlights brochure.
 
The publication features a sampling of MPRB activities, programs and events, fall foliage viewing locations, upcoming park improvements and long-term projects underway, registration dates for upcoming sports leagues, volunteer opportunities, and everything else the parks have to offer between September and December.
 
You can find the brochures at MPRB buildings (including recreation centers), Minneapolis libraries, coffee shops near parks and other Minneapolis locations. The brochure is also available on our website at www.minneapolisparks.org/recbrochures for online viewing and downloading.

Entrepreneur Expo: Essentials for Small Business Growth - Sept. 22 at the Central Library

Entrepreneur Expo: Essentials for Small Business Growth

Small business owners at all stages of development are invited to learn from experts in the field about what it really takes to start and grow a thriving business.

• WHEN: Thursday, September 22, 12:30pm-5:00pm
• WHERE: Hennepin County Library – Minneapolis Central, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55401

Through workshops, exhibitors, and a panel of experts, event participants will gather skills and insights about starting and expanding their businesses.

The event kicks off with “Startup Success Stories: Twin Cities Entrepreneurs Tell All,” a panel of local, successful small business owners representing a wide range of industries, including health care, construction, art, and restaurants. Star Tribune business reporter and columnist Neal St. Anthony will moderate.

Workshops on marketing, finance, business operations, and entrepreneurship for artists will be presented by Twin Cities Media Alliance, WomenVenture, University of St. Thomas Small Business Development Center, and Springboard for the Arts. 

Nonprofit and government business development exhibitors will be on hand to share resources and answer questions about planning, licensing, and funding. 

The expo is sponsored by the Friends of the Minneapolis Central Library in collaboration with African Economic Development Solutions, Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, Northside Economic Opportunity Network, U.S. Small Business Administration, University of St. Thomas Small Business Development Center, and WomenVenture.

Register for this free event at www.hclib.org or call 612-543-8000.

Hennepin County libraries offer business and employment programs throughout the year to help residents build skills and explore possibilities. Additional resources are available at www.hclib.org/business-employment.

Construction Underway on Washington Avenue

Via an August 22 e-newsletter from Hennepin County:

The next phase of reconstruction began last week on Washington Avenue (County Road 152) between Hennepin Avenue and Fifth Avenue South in Minneapolis. Prior to this, utility crews had been doing relocation work in the area.

Crews started by removing existing concrete. As the top layer of road is removed, workers will begin replacing storm sewer pipes underneath the roadway. Additional utility crews will also be relocating telecommunications, gas and electric utilities in the project area.

If you are driving or biking around the area, keep in mind that:

 - Access to local residences and businesses is being maintained.

 - Westbound lanes on Washington Avenue are closed for the rest of the construction season as work progresses (see detour information below).

 - Eastbound lanes will remain open, but traffic is now reduced to two lanes.

 - Except for some short-term partial closures, cross streets remain open to through traffic crossing Washington.

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If you are walking around the area, keep in mind that:

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 - The sidewalk along the north side of Washington Avenue is now closed between Hennepin Avenue and Third Avenue South. Pedestrians should use the sidewalk on the south side. 

 - There are no north to south sidewalk connections at Nicollet Mall.

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As a reminder, the detour for motorists and bicyclists follows Portland Avenue, Third Street South, Hennepin Avenue and then returns to Washington Avenue. This detour will be in place until the end of this year's construction activity, which is expected to be mid-November. There is no detour for eastbound Washington Avenue.

Pedestrians should use the sidewalk on the south side of Washington Avenue. 

* * Meet with project staff * *

You are invited to an informal meeting with project staff:

Tuesday, August 30, 4:30pm to 6:00pm at Dunn Bros Freight House, 201 Third Avenue South

Project staff will be upstairs and ready to take your questions about the project.

If you can't make it to the meeting, we plan to host another meeting early in September. And, you can always contact the project at washingtonavenue@hennepin.us.

Short-term partial closure at Marquette Avenue South begins this weekp

Starting early Wednesday, August 24, crews will be working in the northeast corner of the intersection of Washington and Marquette avenues. They will be installing light conduit and constructing the road base. 

As a result, motorists traveling northbound on Marquette Avenue South will be detoured onto Washington Avenue, Third Avenue South and First Street. The closure is expected to last one week. 

Pedestrians should use the crosswalk on the west side of the intersection. And, buses using the southbound lanes should be unaffected.

Project website: www.hennepin.us/washingtonavenue

Project email: washingtonavenue@hennepin.us

August 25: Mississippi River Visitor Center Grand Reopening

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area Celebrates Centennial with New Visitor Center

Joining a national effort to connect with the next generation of park visitors, supporters, and advocates, the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area has remodeled its visitor center just in time for the National Park Service centennial. Located in the lobby of the Science Museum of Minnesota, the new visitor center will provide gateway experiences to the Mississippi River and other national parks across the country. The grand reopening will take place on Founders’ Day, the 100^th anniversary of the National Park Service, with an early-morning sneak preview for press and members of Mississippi Park Connection.

“Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is excited about this project,” said Superintendent John Anfinson.  “The new exhibits will provide an interactive and fun way to learn about the Mississippi River in the Minneapolis and Saint Paul area.” The new exhibits will introduce people to a national park experience without leaving the Twin Cities.

Mississippi Park Connection, the park’s nonprofit partner, has co-led the project and raised funds for the new exhibits. Katie Nyberg, executive director of Mississippi Park Connection, noted that “The new exhibits will give people unique experiences like seeing inside a bald eagle’s nest. All the exhibits will be interactive, hands on and fun.”

The project has garnered $630,000 of support from local and national sources, including the National Park Service Centennial Challenge, National Park Foundation, 3M, the Patrick and Aimee Butler Family Foundation, and the Prairie Island Indian Community.

Who:    Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, Mississippi Park Connection

What:   Mississippi River Visitor Center Grand Reopening

Where: Science Museum of Minnesota, 120 W Kellogg Blvd, Saint Paul, MN 55102

When:  August 25, 2016 – 8:00-9:30 am Remarks will begin at 8:30.

Scheduled speakers include Representative Betty McCollum, St. Paul City Council Member Chris Tolbert, Superintendent John Anfinson, and Mississippi Park Connection Executive Director Katie Nyberg

About the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

The national park’s 72-mile boundary stretches along the Mississippi River from Dayton/Ramsey, through Minneapolis and Saint Paul, to just south of Hastings. It includes a range of cultural, economic and natural resources — from historic sites like Fort Snelling to unique features including the river’s only major waterfall, to public parks and wildlife refuges. In addition to protecting the river’s nationally significant resources and providing access points for recreation, the park offers a range of volunteer and educational activities, including ranger-led canoe, fishing, biking and hiking programs, and school programs. www.nps.gov/miss.

About Mississippi Park Connection

Mississippi Park Connection is the official charitable partner of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. The connection supports programs that educate, encourage recreation, revitalize our community, and restore our natural spaces. Mississippi Park Connection  also provides capacity for the park to enhance and expand programs that serve the general public, including outdoor activities, cell phone tours, web programs, and volunteer experiences. www.parkconnection.org

About the National Park Service

More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for the 412 parks in the National Park System and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.

Scenes from the August 20 Mill City Farmers Market

Well, Mother Nature did not cooperate for World Honey Bee Day at the August 20 Market. I rolled in at 8a sharp and managed to get the shopping done, but to avoid getting my purchases and camera soaked, I didn't get a chance to visit the community booths: Coloration of PolliNation™, The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Market Science, and Land O’Lakes, Inc.  :(

Worker B introduced a new line of Barrel-Aged Raw Honey:

...and Sonny's had an Organic Goat Cheese with Organic Honey (from Ames Farm) ice cream.

Yes! The super, super sweet corn arrived at the Nistler Farms stand this week.

Dang it! The Mill City Cooks demo was rained out.  I was really looking forward to seeing guest Chef Robin Absell.

Darrold and Marty of Sunrise Flour Mill were recently featured in a StarTrib article by Beth Dooley.

Stop by the Wedge Community Co-op Pop-Up Market each week to check out a new recipe.  After hearing a lot of buzz about farro for the past year, I'm finally going to try it. It was the featured grain this week at the Wedge Pop-Up.

Milly the Goat!

Looking head - next week is Gluten-Free Day at the Market.  Buy gluten-free baked goods from Sift Gluten Free Bakery, gluten-free cereals from Bliss Gourmet Foods, gluten-free pasta from Sunrise Creative Gourmet and Dumpling & Strand, enjoy a gluten free buckwheat crepe from Spoonriver restaurant's booth at the market, and learn how to prepare a delicious gluten-free salad from the Wedge Co-op's catering department at the Mill City Cooks cooking demo!

Rebirth: The Mississippi's National Park to be re-aired on TPT

Produced for Friends of the Mississippi (FMR) by award-winning local filmmakers John Kaul and Tom Reiter with Twin Cities Public Television, and narrated by Minnesota Public Radio's Steve Seel, Rebirth: The Mississippi's National Park tells the little known story of the creation of the Mississippi River's first and only national park right here in the Twin Cities.

This designation, initiated locally by self-proclaimed "river rat" Tom Kelley and championed at the federal level by Sen. David Durenberger and Rep. Bruce Vento, sparked the local river renaissance we enjoy today — a river that is thriving with fish and bald eagles, a river increasingly connected to our communities via parks and trails, a river seen as an asset instead of a convenient dumping ground.

"Rebirth" will air on TPT-MN August 28, 6:30pm and September 4, 12:30am, 6:30am and 12:30pm (channel guide). You can watch the entire film below:

With challenges like agricultural pollution, development pressure and habitat degradation, this story reminds us of the powerful, long-term impact citizen-based stewardship and advocacy can have on the natural wonders we love.

Here's What's on Tap From the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul

NOW SHOWING & COMING SOON to the Film Society’s St. Anthony Main Theatre, 115 SE Main:

Starting Friday, August 26, the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul opens the 2016 Sundance romantic comedy SOUTHSIDE WITH YOU. Inspired by Barack and Michelle Obama's first date, Richard Tanne's romantic drama recounts the eventful summer day in 1989 when a charming young law associate tries to woo a reluctant attorney during a day-long date spanning numerous Chicago landmarks.

Now thru August 25 - THE SEVENTH FIRE

Now thru August 25 - HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE 

August 18 at 7pm - YARN 

August 19-21 - CZECH THAT FILM - A touring program of eight new and classic Czech films.

August 26-September 8 - SOUTHSIDE WITH YOU

September 8 at 9pm - ONE MORE TIME WITH FEELING -One night special screening of Nick Cave documentary.

September 9-15 - MORRIS FROM AMERICA

September 15-22 - THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK - THE TOURING YEARS 

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT: mspfilm.org or at the box office before each show.

2025 Plan Quarterly Forum To Highlight Downtown Community, August 16 at First Avenue

Via an August 15 Press Release from the Minneapolis Downtown Council:

MINNEAPOLIS (August 15, 2016) — Two of the Intersections: The Downtown 2025 Plan’s 10 initiatives are to end street homelessness in the City of Minneapolis by the year 2025 while also building a festival of ideas that celebrates and taps into the innovative nature of our city.

Both will be on display during the Minneapolis Downtown Council’s 2025 Plan Quarterly Forum on Tuesday, August 16 from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm at First Avenue in Downtown Minneapolis. The event will feature networking, tours of First Avenue pre- and post-event, and a presentation that includes a closer look at the work The 2025 Plan’s Ending Street Homelessness and Festival of Ideas-Minneapolis Idea eXchange (MiX) committees are currently working on.

Tuesday’s Quarterly Forum lineup includes:

• Joseph Desenclos, Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District Livability Team Supervisor, Ending Street Homelessness Committee Co-Chair
• Jennifer Gilhoi, The Line Magazine Director of Engagement & Development, Festival of Ideas-MiX Committee Co-Chair
• Steve Cramer, Minneapolis Downtown Council & Downtown Improvement District President & CEO to provide overview of other four 2025 Plan Committees’ progress
• Out in the Cold movie trailer focused on sharing an inside look on homelessness in Minneapolis
• Brave New Workshop improvisation – What is MiX?

“Ending Street Homelessness in a major city like Minneapolis is a challenging goal, but it’s incredibly important and something our 2025 Plan committee is working diligently to address,” said Steve Cramer, President & CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council and Downtown Improvement District. “Another piece of a vibrant downtown is providing a forum for civic engagement, which is why the Minneapolis Idea eXchange’s vision for bringing people together will help with our mission for creating a consistently compelling downtown experience.”

The Ending Street Homelessness Committee is currently working on facilitating meaningful daytime activities for those in need in the downtown area, finding innovative ways to help with transportation needs, and creating an education campaign for the public that will help highlight ways to engage in helping our community end street homelessness.

Minneapolis Idea eXchange launched in 2014 and holds an annual event each year that blends culture, stirs thought and kindles solutions through bringing people together and fostering ideas that can power our community. MiX will host its next event on Wednesday, October 12 at Brave New Workshop, and Gilhoi will outline what MiX is and how it can impact our community.

Cramer will provide updates on The 2025 Plan’s remaining four committees, which include Development, Downtown Experience, Greening & Public Realm and Transportation.

MDC is also currently taking nominations for The 2025 Plan Leadership Awards, which are presented annual to individuals, organizations or initiative that help to move forward The 2025 Plan’s goals in six focused areas. To make a nomination, visit www.downtownmpls.com/2025awards.

For more information on the 2025 Plan’s initiatives or overall development downtown, follow @MplsDowntown on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #DowntownMpls.

About the Minneapolis Downtown Council:

Founded in 1955, and one of the most historic central business associations in the nation, the Minneapolis Downtown Council (MDC) is a membership-based entity that works to create an extraordinary downtown. The MDC’s collaborative developments of Intersections: Downtown 2025 Plan was designed to help downtown businesses, community leaders and citizens build on downtown assets and implement future goals. For more information, please visit www.downtownmpls.com.

About the 2025 Plan: 

Intersections: The Downtown 2025 Plan is a vehicle to help leaders and citizens build on Downtown’s assets and guide its development in ways that reflect the community’s aspirations for a Downtown Minneapolis that is thriving, livable, green, connected and welcoming in the decades ahead. This includes initiatives to double downtown’s residential population, transform Nicollet Mall into a must-see destination, implement a Gateway connection and other green elements throughout downtown, create a compelling and walkable environment around the clock, lead the nation in transportation options, end street homelessness, forge connections with the University of Minnesota and more. The 2025 Plan is a Minneapolis Downtown Council initiative established in 2010.

Scenes from the August 13 Mill City Farmers Market

I had to do a double take - Zestar apples at the August 13 Market? Per Ames Farm owner Brian Fredericksen, these beauties are running about 10 days ahead of the usual harvest time.

August 13 was Gut Health Day at the Market, and Adrienne from Kiss My Cabbage had an array of fermented veggies for shoppers to choose from.

And the Ginormous Cabbage Award goes to . . . Prairie Hollow Farm!

My personal faves - Chinese Long Beans from the Bean Market. A must try - roast, stir fry or grill to fully bring out their wonderfulness.

A heaping basket of banana bread from Heritage Breads disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Jonathon from Market Chef Pantry joked that he had to go a long way to get the maple syrup for his Maple Brown Mustard (his booth is next to Horner's Corner, so Steve can just hand over a bottle).  Many of the MCFM vendors use each others products - love it.

These little kids were gleefully cuttin' a rug to Jack Klatt!

Nistler's team works as a well-oiled machine to quickly move sacks of sweet corn from the truck to their stand. 

This pie plate from Fringe & Fettle reminded me of my mothers old stoneware pie plates (without the hairline cracks and fruit stains acquired by decades of weekly pie making, of course).

This young fellow was enjoying his carrots.

Thank you to the Wedge Community Co-op Pop-Up Market for expanding the grain selection at the MCFM. I'm making a couscous salad for this week's office lunches using the semolina couscous they demo'd at the August 13 Market.

Wow - those are some spectacular tomatoes from Loon Organics.

Milly the goat!