The Dinkytown Uprising - May 8-14 at the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul’s St. Anthony Main Theatre

THE DINKYTOWN UPRISING

May 8-14 at Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul’s St. Anthony Main Theatre

 

 

The year is 1970 and the disastrous Vietnam War keeps escalating. Protests are erupting all over U.S. campuses. But in Minneapolis, word that the national Red Barn Restaurant chain wants to erect a new fast-food franchise in old, venerable Dinkytown, the “war at home”  takes a different turn. This stunning documentary chronicles the unprecedented 40-day, 40-night continuous Dinkytown “Occupation” to prevent construction of an unwanted hamburger joint.

From film programmer-turned-filmmaker Al Milgrom, the story is recounted by seven participants whose varied reminiscences about defending the neighborhood becomes a microcosm of the memorable ‘70’s Generation. Music featured in the film by Bob Dylan and Willie Murphy.

Milgrom founded the University Film Society in 1962, which later became the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul.

Mill City Farmers Market Begins 10th Season on May 9

Via an April 30 Press Release from the Mill City Farmers Market:

OPENING DAY OF 
MILL CITY FARMERS MARKET’S
10TH OUTDOOR SEASON!
SATURDAY, MAY 9th 8am-1pm

MINNEAPOLIS  (April 30, 2015)—It’s finally here. Spring. Sunshine. Warm weather. And Mill City Farmers Market! Join us on Saturday, May 9^th  for Opening Day of Mill City Farmers Market’s 10^th season of “Healthy Foods, Local Farmers!”

We've dusted off our tents and tables and are ready for the Outdoor Market Season to begin. Join us Saturdays, rain or shine, from 8 am to 1 pm to find the best in seasonal, local, sustainable, and organic produce and products from around our great northern state.

On May 9th, we will celebrate the much awaited growing season, farm-fresh food, local fine arts, and treat moms for Mother’s Day with spring bouquets and fun family activities, including flower planting with Juut Salonspa, mini-farm nuzzles with our friends from Oliver H Kelley Farm, and lively music from local sensation Roe Family Singers. Relish the spring harvest by filling your baskets with fresh asparagus, spring greens, carrots, baby beets, kale, farmstead cheese, pastured meats, freshly baked goods and much, much more!
At 10:00 am, don’t miss Mill City Cooks for a special cooking demo featuring Market Chefs Heather Hartman and Jenny Breen with their daughters in honor of Mother’s Day. Outreach and Education Coordinator Emily Larson of the Wedge Community Co-op will also be in the kitchen offering helpful tips about buying in bulk.

This season, we welcome the return of many wonderful Mill City Farmers Market vendors, as well as several new:

Artisan MN will bring sprouted crackers, fermented foods & home fermentation kits, Body Bliss adds unique skin care & wool products, Hazelnut Valley Farm brings us fresh-roasted hazelnuts & nourishing hazelnut oil, Horner's Corner offers local maple syrup, apples & pears, Northern Fires introduces locally sourced wood-fired pizzas & toasts, and Northern Waters Smokehaus provides cured sausages, smoked salmon, and Lake Superior trout & whitefish!

Have questions? Need more information on what's available? Stop by our market information booth in the center of the Market or visit millcityfarmersmarket.org. EBT services are also available at the information booth.

Hello, Market Season! We've been waiting for you!

Minnesota Historical Society Volunteer Program Earns National Honor

Via an April 29 Minnesota Historical Society e-newsletter:

Minnesota Historical Society Volunteer Program Earns National Honor

The Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) has been certified by Points of Light, a national service organization, as a Service Enterprise. This designation honors the work MNHS does to leverage volunteers and their skills to address community needs.

The Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration and Hands On Twin Cities sponsored a group of eight nonprofits, including MNHS, to participate in the certification process. MNHS is the first historical society in the country to receive this certification.

Last year 2,300 volunteers contributed 43,000 hours of service to MNHS. “Our volunteers bring unique skills, a strong desire to contribute, and of course people power. We could not do the work that we do without them.” said Jean Nierenhausen, director of volunteers and interns at MNHS.

MNHS always has openings, but positions fill up quickly. Currently MNHS is looking for volunteers to help with the museum-going public at the History Center, Mill City Museum and Historic Fort Snelling. For more information go to mnhs.org/volunteers.

About the Minnesota Historical Society

The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs and book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories and connects people with history.

MNHS is supported by our Premier Sponsors, Xcel Energy and Explore Minnesota Tourism.

Get Ready to Ride During Minneapolis Bike Week, May 11-17

Via an April 28 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:

In partnership with the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition and the City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Bike Week is back for another year! Join us May 11th through May 17th for a fun week of group rides, classes, commuter pit stops, free breakfasts, educational events and much more as we celebrate biking in Minneapolis. Minneapolis Bike Week is a coordinated effort among local businesses, nonprofits, community groups and government organizations to host a diverse range of events and activities throughout the week. Every day of Minneapolis Bike Week will have a theme, with events and activities that will engage and inspire seasoned cyclists and brand new bike riders alike:

Monday, May 11th - Fix it Day
Tuesday, May 12th - Go by Bike Day
Wednesday, May 13th - Nice Ride Day
Thursday, May 14th - Women's Day
Friday, May 15th - Bike to Work Day
Saturday, May 16th - Bike to Small Businesses Day
Sunday, May 17th - Family Parks Day

Want to help us spread the joy of biking? Minneapolis Bike Week is powered by over 100 volunteers like you! Volunteering is a fun, easy-going way to promote biking in your community, meet new people, and have a good time doing it. There are a many ways to get involved and each will get you a free Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition T-shirt! Secure yours today! Visit http://www.mplsbikeweek.org/ to learn more and join the fun!

Contact Ginny Herman at ginny@mplsbike.org to get your organization or business involved, and Beth Wagner at beth@mplsbike.org for volunteer inquiries.

Thanks so much to all our volunteers. See you at Minneapolis Bike Week!

New Tour this Summer from the Mill City Museum: Hennepin Island Hydropower Tour

This summer the Mill City Museum and Xcel Energy are partnering on a series of weekday walking tours highlighting the story of waterpower at St. Anthony Falls, including rare access to an operating power plant.

During the early 20th century over two dozen mills and hydroelectric plants used the water power from St. Anthony Falls. Today there is just one left: Xcel Energy’s Hennepin Island Hydroelectric Plant. On this tour of Hennepin Island and Father Hennepin Bluffs Park led by a Mill City Museum guide, participants will get special access to this power plant. Along the way participants will learn about the historic uses of waterpower at the falls for flour milling, sawmilling, and hydroelectricity, the role of hydroelectricity in Xcel Energy’s green energy and energy efficiency initiatives, and the future of waterpower on the Minneapolis riverfront.

Tours are scheduled for June 18, July 2, July 30, August 13 and August 27 from 1:00pm-2:30pm, with approximately 1.5 miles of walking.  Tickets on sale online or at 612-341-7555.

West River Parkway – James I Rice Parkway Trail Improvement Construction Begins

Veit and Company has begun its spring construction activities along the new West River Parkway – James I. Rice Parkway trails.  Construction is expected to be completed by the end of May.  Much of the work remaining includes grading and seeding, planting trees, installing signs and creating a small trailhead plaza at Bohemian Flats.  Please obey detour signs and trail closures during this period. 

For more information, please see the project page (or go to www.minneapolisparks.org/currentprojects and select "West River/James I. Rice Parkway Trail Improvements").

MPRB Receives $500,000 Grant for Sheridan Memorial Park

Excerpt from an April 21 announcement shared by the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:

Secretary Jewell, Director Jarvis Announce $3 Million to Develop and Enhance Parks, Outdoor Recreation Facilities in Minneapolis and Seven Other Cities

Revenue from Offshore Oil and Gas Royalties Used to Benefit Disadvantaged Neighborhoods with First-of-a-Kind, Competitive Grants

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Director of the National Park Service Jonathan B. Jarvis today announced $3 million to assist eight cities in constructing and enhancing parks and other outdoor recreation facilities in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is receiving a $500,000 grant for development of recreation facilities at Sheridan Memorial Park, located on a former industrial site on the Mississippi River in Northeast Minneapolis. Other projects range from the renovation of an athletic complex in Detroit, Michigan to construction of a new skate park in Madison, Wisconsin.

The grants, part of a new competitive grant program called the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership, are funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). For more than 50 years, the Land and Water Conservation Fund has invested revenue from federal offshore oil and gas royalties into more than 40,000 outdoor recreation facilities and conservation projects in every state.

“These eight projects are models of what we have been able to accomplish through the Land and Water Conservation Fund over the past half century,” Jewell said. “We are reinvesting revenues from offshore oil and gas development into parks and open spaces, giving back a portion of what we have taken from our lands and waters. These investments will bring badly needed outdoor spaces and recreational opportunities to urban areas where people, especially young people, will benefit from improved places for healthy outdoor activities.”

“Supporting local communities as they create and improve spaces for outdoor recreation through the LWCF Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership grants allows the National Park Service to meet our goal of connecting all Americans to spaces where they can enjoy the great outdoors and establish meaningful relationships in their communities and with their public lands,” said Jarvis.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will apply the grant funds toward development of the 3.5-acre Sheridan Memorial Park, located in an area that is underserved by recreation opportunities and characterized by significant low-income and minority populations, a larger youth population, and above-average rate of negative health issues.  The park’s master plan includes a playground, multi-purpose field, picnic area, picnic shelter/restroom building, pathways connecting to a regional trail network, and an environmentally restored riverfront.
 
“We are thrilled to receive this grant for Sheridan Memorial Park. It will allow us to develop some of the recreational features within the park and increase park use by the community and the region,” said Liz Wielinski, President of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. “Sheridan is part of our RiverFirst initiative to transform 5.5 miles of the Mississippi River from Downtown Minneapolis to the northern city border, an area that has historically been industrial. We have done a lot of work with the Department of Interior, National Park Service, City Parks Alliance and other public and private agencies to create awareness of the significance of RiverFirst and the long-term environmental, recreational and economic benefits it will bring to the city.”

City of Minneapolis to Host Open Data Forum April 27

From the City of Minneapolis website:

If you're interested in learning more about what the City is doing around open data, staff from the City’s Information Technology department are hosting an open data public forum Monday, April 27, to give folks an opportunity to learn more about the City’s open data efforts and what will be new this year on the open data portal.

During the forum, staff will provide an overview of the City’s open data policy and give a presentation of the City’s open data portal. There will be time for discussion about what data sets are currently available and also what data sets will be available in the near future. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask staff questions about the portal and policy and provide feedback.

Open data public forum:
Monday, April 27, 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Flour Exchange Building, 310 4th Avenue S, Suite 400

Natural Food Cook Opportunity at Spoonriver Bar & Restaurant

Spoonriver, 750 South 2nd Street, is seeking a full time Natural Food Cook to share their commitment to local, sustainable and organic cuisine in the exciting and vibrant Mill District. Ideal candidate is a multidimensional kitchen expert, possessing experience with creative vegetarian specials and natural foods. Join a team of dedicated food professionals in an independently owned and operated establishment. Serious, responsible, creative and flexible applicants please call 612-436-2236.

800 Youth Expected to Attend Annual Minneapolis Teen Job Fair at Central Library on April 25

Via an April 17 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:

Over 800 Twin Cities Metro Area Youth Expected to Attend the Annual Minneapolis Teen Job Fair on Saturday, April 25

On Saturday, April 25, between 800 and 900 teens are expected to attend the Annual Minneapolis Teen Job Fair taking place at the Minneapolis Central Library from noon to 3:00 p.m. 

The Minneapolis Teen Job Fair is an opportunity for teens aged 14 to 19 to connect to job-search resources and find out more about available volunteer, internship, and employment opportunities.  Approximately 30 businesses and organizations are expected to take place including TJ Maxx, JC Penney and Taco Bell. 

Additionally, the Minneapolis Youth Congress will host two workshops “How to Get a Job?” and “Who We Hire” presented by a panel of employers including: North Community YMCA, Juxtaposition, TJ Maxx, and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.

Youth will also have the opportunity to learn easy and fun ways to dress professionally during the event from Aveda Institute Minneapolis.  The flagship institute is planning two “Work Couture” fashion shows for the fair to demonstrate to youth how to use dress to leave a lasting positive impression when networking, inquiring about a job opening, and/or interviewing.

The Teen Job Fair is free and open to the public.  Preregistration is not required.  A complete list of exhibitors is available on the City of Minneapolis website.  The event can also be followed on social media by using the hashtag #Jobs4yoUth.

The Teen Job Fair is produced by City of Minneapolis department of Community Planning and Economic Development, Hennepin County Library, AchieveMpls, Minneapolis WorkForce Centers, Lunds and Byerly’s, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Minneapolis Youth Congress, and Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board. 

When: Saturday, April 25, 2015
            12:00p.m. – 3:00p.m.
               
Where: Minneapolis Central Library
             300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, 55401
             Second Floor

Neighborhood Volunteer Opportunities

Our Mill District neighbor, Claudia Kittock, would like to spread awareness of two volunteer opportunities in the area: Webster Elementary and Mile in My Shoes.

Webster Elementary opens this fall to serve downtown Minneapolis. Initially the classes will be K-2, and a grade will be added each year thereafter. 

They will need volunteers to assist teachers throughout the day, help with the literacy hour by reading with children (every day, but times are yet to be determined), in the lunch room and possibly at recess.  Once staff is hired and final numbers are received from the district office, details will be provided.  Whatever time you have is welcome!

To volunteer for Webster, email Kaylie Burns Gahagan at Kaylie.BurnsGahagan@mpls.k12.mn.us. An application can be filled out online.  All volunteers are required to attend an orientation session -to begin August 4.

The other organization is Mile in My Shoes (MiMS). Their goal is to foster wellness, empathy and empowerment within individuals and communities by bringing together diverse populations through the power of running. Members are made up of guests of the Emanuel House and the local running community.  

This group meets 6:00am – 7:00am Tuesday and Thursday mornings at Emanuel House, 818 South 3rd Street - rain or shine. They warm-up, run, and cool down together, with routes ranging from 1-3 miles. If interested, please send an email to Mishka at mn.mileinmyshoes@gmail.com and specify that you wish to run with the Emanuel House group.  This Minneapolis Running article from last Fall provides insight on what MiMS is all about.

Feel free to contact Claudia at cjkittock@gmail.com with questions on either of these opportunities.

Traffic Alert - One block of Fourth Street in Downtown Closing for Construction

Via an April 15 e-newsletter from the City of Minneapolis:

Crews will be filling in a tunnel that connected two Star Tribune buildings

Fourth Street South, from Portland Avenue to Park Avenue on the east side of Downtown, is closing to traffic today, Wednesday, April 15. Over the next couple months, crews will be filling in a tunnel that used to connect two former Star Tribune office buildings. They will also be rerouting utility lines located in that tunnel. 

The affected block of Fourth Street is one way eastbound. Traffic will be detoured onto southbound Portland Avenue, to eastbound Sixth Street, to northbound Park Avenue and back onto Fourth Street. The bike lane along Fourth Street is closed until the construction is complete, which is tentatively set for July 8. 

This is one of many construction projects that will affect traffic in Downtown this year. To help drivers know about all of the current and upcoming work, the City has mapped these projects. Links to the maps are available at www.minneapolismn.gov/publicworks/traffic.

Hennepin County Board Adopts Updated Bicycle Plan

Via an April 14 Hennepin County News Release:

Hennepin County board adopts updated bicycle plan

Hennepin County and Three Rivers Park District worked together to update a county-wide bicycle plan that reflects current and growing use of cycling in the region. The plan, called the Hennepin County 2040 Bicycle Transportation Plan, will guide the county’s work to expand the bikeway system, improve safety for people who bicycle, walk or drive, increase bicycling for transportation, and improve the health of county residents.

This plan, replaces the 1997 plan. Since 1997, the county has made great progress in enhancing its bicycle transportation network. It has built and funded more than 136 miles of new bikeways and closed 59 gaps in the bicycle network. Bicycle commuting has doubled in Hennepin County since 2000 from 0.8 percent to 1.6 percent of trips to work.

The plan includes 45 strategies and more than 170 action items that address infrastructure, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation. The plan also recommends the continuation of current county practices that contribute to the goals of the Hennepin County Pedestrian Plan and the Transportation System Plan.

Bicycle usage and interest continue to grow in Hennepin County. Transportation costs have increased and there is greater public concern about the environmental impacts of transportation. There is also a greater emphasis on active living and the public health benefits of bicycling.

Goals of the county bike plan:
•Quadruple the number of bicycle commuters from 2012’s 12,000 people to 48,000 people by 2040
•Complete an average of 20 miles of the bikeway system each year.
•Close an average of five bikeway gaps each year
•Achieve an access level where 90 percent of homes in Hennepin County are within one-half mile of a bikeway or within a mile of the enhanced bikeway network by 2040
•Move toward zero bicycle deaths
•Halve bicycle crashes per capita from 2010 levels by 2040

Development and implementation

Hennepin County will lead implementation of the plan, but also partner with other agencies and cities. This plan is a guide for supporting the vision of increasing bicycling within Hennepin County. Implementation of the plan requires additional action by the county board through the annual capital appropriations and cooperative funding agreements.

Development of the plan began in spring 2013, with community engagement activities throughout the plan drafting process. The plan was available for public comment in fall 2014 and winter 2015. It has been revised based on comments received.

For more information or to view the full plan, visit www.hennepin.us/bike.

STEP-UP to Provide Job Interview Experience to Over 1,600 Youth April 13-16

Via an April 9 Press Release from the City of Minneapolis:

Minneapolis Youth Employment Program STEP-UP to Provide Job Interview Experience to Over 1,600 Youth

Over 400 Twin Cities Business Professionals to Provide One-on-One Mock Interviews with Youth at Minneapolis Convention Center April 13-16

Thursday, April 9, 2015 (Minneapolis)  – April 13-16, over 1,600 Minneapolis youth and 400 Twin Cities business professionals will descend on the Minneapolis Convention Center for four nights for the annual [we don’t know how many years these have been happening] STEP-UP youth employment program ‘Mock Interviews.’ Directed by AchieveMpls, these practice job interviews match  professional business volunteers one-on-one with  over 1,600 Minneapolis youth who are preparing for summer internships at top Twin Cities companies through the City’s STEP-UP youth employment program.

Interviews are scheduled from 4:45 - 6:15 pm each night at the Minneapolis Convention Center, Meeting Room 200, 1301 Second Avenue South.  Interviewers include Richard Davis, STEP-UP co-chair and U.S. Bancorp Chair, President and CEO;  Hilary Marden-Resnik, UCare Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer; and Rich Renikoff, Wells Fargo Regional Director and Senior Vice President.

“Preparing our young people for the workforce is something we are all responsible for,” said Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges. “The STEP-UP program is one way we are making sure these young people are in the picture of our workforce, which is crucial to the success of all of us. I want to thank all of the people who are making a personal commitment to help our kids succeed and ensuring that no genius is left on the table.”

“The time to think about tomorrow’s workforce is today. The STEP-UP program is one of the top initiatives in the country for preparing our students for tomorrow’s jobs,” said Todd Klingel, President and CEO, Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce. “By participating in the ‘Mock Interview’ process, you are not only providing a wonderful service to some incredibly courageous young people—you are also ensuring a bright future for our entire community.” 

Founded in 2004, the City of Minneapolis STEP-UP youth employment program has created over 20,000 valuable workplace experiences for Minneapolis youth ages 14-21. Managed in partnership with AchieveMpls and with support from the Minnesota WorkForce Centers, the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, and Project for Pride and Living (PPL), STEP-UP recruits, trains and places Minneapolis youth in jobs with a wide range of top Twin Cities businesses, nonprofits and public agencies, building a stronger future workforce for our knowledge-based regional economy. STEP-UP serves populations that face the greatest barriers to employment, particularly youth from low-income families, youth of color, youth from recent immigrant families, and youth with disabilities.

Prior to the ‘Mock Interviews,’ each STEP-UP program applicant completes 7-12 hours of work readiness training depending on their age and grade level. The trainings, directed by AchieveMpls and certified by the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce, are focused on developing 21^st Century skills such as communication, problem solving, professional conduct, workplace ethics, interview skills, and resume writing.

In a bustling Minneapolis Convention Center hall, with their work readiness trainings completed, interns put their new skills to the test in what for many is their first professional job interview.  Following the interview, business volunteers coach each STEP-UP intern, modeling professionalism and providing candid feedback to help interns strengthen their skills and confidence. 

“This will be my third mock interview,” said Lulu B., a returning STEP-UP Achieve intern and aspiring doctor. “I really like connecting with the interviewers. They help me think about my strengths and challenges. They also help me prepare for the kind of professional work environment I should expect.  It really feels like a real job interview with a professional company.”

The 400-plus business volunteers will include employees from Accenture, Alina Health, Ameriprise, Best Buy, Fraser, General Mills, Target, Thrivent, US Bank, Wells Fargo and several other businesses and organizations.  Learn more about STEP-UP from the City of Minneapolis’ website or the AchieveMpls website, or follow STEP-UP activities and events all year long on Twitter with hashtag #STEPUPMpls.

Parkway Closures for April 11 for Goldy's Run

The following parkways will be temporarily closed April 11, 2015 for the Goldy’s Run 10 Mile:

8:00am to 2:00pm – East River Pkwy - West River Pkwy between 22nd Ave S and Broadway St NE – Main Street between 6th Ave SE and Hennepin Ave.

Please note that the duration of the closures is subject to change based on the event's start and finish times.

A complete list of current and upcoming parkway closures is available online.

Interim Report of West River Parkway Mudslide Survey Reponses

Via an April 7 Minneapolis Park and Rec Board e-newsletter:

The online survey for the repair of the West River Parkway Failed Slope has received over 750 responses!  Although the survey will remain open until April 10, we have posted an interim report with all comments received. Please visit the project page or go to www.minneapolisparks.org/currentprojects and select “West River Parkway Slope Repair” to review the interim report under the "What's New" tab.

Franklin Avenue Bridge Reconditioning Update

Photo credit: Bill Klotz

Via the Hennepin County Website:

Reconditioning of the Franklin Ave Bridge (County Road 5) over West River Parkway and the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.

The Franklin Avenue Bridge spans West River Parkway and the Mississippi River. This historic structure will be rehabilitated over the next two construction seasons.

The new bridge deck will incorporate safe, modern, multi-modal features such as separated on-road bicycle facilities, protected pedestrian walkways, overlook nooks, and architectural lighting.

The "below deck" concrete rehabilitation is anticipated to begin in April 2015. The bridge will be open during the 2015 construction season.

For travelers using West River Parkway and the easterly river edge trail under the Franklin Avenue Bridge, there may be some travel impacts as they complete the overhead concrete rehabilitation.

In 2015 the contractor will manufacture "precast" bridge deck panels that will be placed during the 2016 bridge closure. These panels will be made at a site, adjacent to the river, just south of the Washington Avenue Bridge. This will allow use of river transportation to float these panels down the river, and these segments will then be hoisted by water borne cranes into their final positions.

Deck removal and replacement will occur during the 2016 construction season with the goal of reopening the bridge in September 2016.

Hennepin County has established detour signing plans using alternative routes for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists during the bridge deck replacement phase. The alternative routes will be well communicated in Spring 2016.

Project layout and cross section (PDF) 

Update on Friday, April 10, 2015 at 3:33PM by Kim Eslinger

Work will begin on the Franklin Avenue bridge starting Monday, April 13, 2015 with bike lane and sidewalk closures. Pedestrians and bicyclists will still be able to cross the bridge.

Permit surveyors will be taking measurements with a snooper truck underneath the bridge deck. The snooper needs access to the outside edges of the bridge to do the work.

Bike lanes and sidewalk will be closed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The eastbound bike lanes and sidewalks will be closed the first half of the week, and the westbound the latter half of the week.

Pedestrians can cross the bridge on the sidewalk that is open. A signed detour will be provided.
Bicyclists  should use road lanes during this closure.

Drivers should pay extra attention for redirected bicyclist and pedestrians in the area during this closure. Share the road signs will be posted on the bridge.

Vehicle traffic will be maintained in both directions during this work.

David Frank Named New Director of City of Minneapolis Economic Policy and Development

Via an April 6 Press Release from the City of Minneapolis:

David Frank Named New Director of City of Minneapolis Economic Policy and Development

Monday, April 6, 2015 (Minneapolis, MN) – Today, City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) Director D. Craig Taylor announced his appointment of David Frank as the new Director of Economic Policy and Development.

“David has been an outstanding and stellar member of our team here at the City for a number of years,” said Mayor Betsy Hodges. “He brings a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and a shared vision for ensuring all people are contributing to, and benefiting from, our economic development and prosperity. I look forward to his leadership in this new role at the City.”

“I am constantly amazed at the level of talent and commitment we have in our economic development team,” said Council Member Lisa Goodman. “David is proven leader with the right mix of private and public sector development experience to lead this important division at the City.”

As CPED’s Manager of Transit Oriented Development, Frank has managed and coordinated the City’s transit oriented development activities since 2011.  He has played instrumental roles in the City’s efforts to reopen Nicollet at Lake Street, redesign Nicollet Mall, and redevelop the Midtown Farmers Market site while maintaining a focus on advancing the equity and development goals for the City.  Prior to working for the City, Frank served as the Director of Development at Schafer Richardson, Inc.

“David has proven he has a strong understanding of what Minneapolis needs to support investment that grows businesses, jobs and the City’s tax base.  He is excited and committed to working with our great Economic Development team to leverage current and find new resources to achieve these goals,” said D. Craig Taylor Director of Community Planning and Economic Development for the City of Minneapolis. “I am confident that with his 20 plus years of real estate and development experience and excellent track record working across the enterprise and with stakeholders on complex projects, he will do an excellent job.”

As Director of Economic Policy and Development, Frank will manage CPED’s division of Economic Policy and Development which includes the department’s divisions of Business Development, Business Licensing, and Minneapolis Employment and Training.  Some of the key programs run by these divisions include Great Streets, which cultivates and sustains Minneapolis’ commercial districts through systematic programming, the Business Technical Assistance Program (B-TAP), which provides business consulting services to support new business development, retention and growth to small and medium sized businesses, and STEP-UP, Minneapolis’ jobs program for youth ages 14-21.

“I am so pleased to have David Frank step into this role to lead our Economic Development team,” said Council Member Lisa Bender. “David’s experience and vision will help harness the creative energy of our whole community to build on our assets and create a better future for Minneapolis.”

The division of Economic Policy and Development includes a staff of approximately 65.

“I am glad to have this chance to work with our great team on the City’s efforts to grow employment and business development opportunities for everyone in Minneapolis,” said David Frank. 

Frank currently serves on the 2020 Partners Steering Committee, as the President of the North Loop Neighborhood Association and as a Board Member of the Minnesota Fringe Festival.  In 2009, he was appointed by the City Council to serve on the Ballpark Implementation Committee.  Frank also guest lectures at the University of Minnesota and other local organizations on urban design, historic preservation, planning and development issues.

New Arab American Theatre Works Launches Summer Festival in Minneapolis

Minneapolis (April 3, 2015) — This summer, New Arab American Theatre Works will produce a three-week festival of new Arab American productions by three locally accomplished Arab American theatre artists. Hosted by Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis, this first-of-its-kind Twin Cities festival will run June 26 - July 12, 2015.

New Arab American Theatre Works is a new collective of Minnesota-based Arab American theatre artists founded by Taous Claire Khazem, Kathryn Haddad, and Mohammed Yabdri. With a wide variety of strengths as writers, performers, educators, and theatre makers, these artists have been presenting work locally, nationally, and internationally for more than 20 years. New Arab American Theatre Works was created to present new works by Arab Americans, filling a void in the local and national theatre scene where Arab American artists lack opportunities to present their own stories.

Three new works will be produced for the festival, and will run in repertory June 26 and July 12:

Road to the City of Apples
By Kathryn Haddad

Road to the City of Apples tells the story of Ahmed and Khairy — two undocumented Palestinians on a road trip from New Jersey to Wisconsin. Their individual stories intertwine as they discover the meaning of friendship and cope with changing cultural norms — both American and Arab on their winding road to an American dream. The Israeli occupation, gay rights, American treatment of Arabs and Muslims, and the plight of undocumented immigrants are explored in this show.

In Algeria They Know My Name
By Taous Claire Khazem. Directed and dramaturged by Zaraawar Mistry

This one woman show is based on Khazem’s experiences and interactions living in Algeria from May 2008 to August 2011. She explores intercultural communication, cross-cultural marriage, trying to make a living as an artist in Algeria, and living with the in-laws. 

A Clown in Exile
By Mohammed Yabdri with Noah Bremer

Mohamed Yabdri's tragic clown goes on a journey to overcome his sense of cultural inferiority. After searching the world for a place to call home, he discovers that his dreams sit on the wings of a paper plane. A Clown in Exile premiered at the Alliance Française in Minneapolis, MN and went on to perform in Paris at the Algerian Cultural Center, at the National Theatre of Algiers, at the French Cultural Institutes of Oran, Tlemcen and Constantine, Algeria, and at the 2013 Minnesota Fringe Festival.

These three works will present a diverse range of perspectives about the Arab experience for audiences. The core group of artists come from diverse backgrounds, including Lebanese, Berber, Arab, Algerian, White American, Christian, and Muslim. Arab Americans in the community will have an opportunity to see themselves represented on stage and those from outside the community will see representations of Arabs by Arabs. The festival will also give new perspectives to the public when thinking about the meaning of “Arab,” “Middle Eastern,” and “Muslim.”

The New Arab American Theatre Works Festival runs June 26 - July 12, 2015 at Mixed Blood Theatre, 1501 S. 4th Street, Minneapolis. More information is available at newarabamericantheatreworks.com. Tickets will go on sale on May 26. Tickets are $15 per show, free for residents of 55454 area code, $35 for a 3 show pass, or $25 for a 2 show pass.

Each weekend will include all three productions with audience talkbacks after performances.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Taous Claire Khazem is a fiscal year 2015 recipient of an Artist Initiative grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature; and by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

"The Public Domain" about Four Survivors of the 35W Bridge Collapse Now Playing at the Lagoon Cinema

Filmed in Minnesota, The Public Domain is set five years after the 2007 35W bridge collapse. The lives of four people, impacted by the tragedy and on the run from their personal demons, intersect in a waterfront bar operating in the shadow of the bridge.  The name of the bar is THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.

Playing thru April 9 at the Lagoon Cinema.