"Winter Birding 101" with Dudley Edmondson & Monica Bryand

From the Minneapolis Parks Foundation:

Next Generation of Parks Event Series Presented by Minnesota Public Radio News

Join us via Zoom Saturday, February 6, 3:00pm, for Winter Birding 101, featuring Dudley Edmondson, renowned wildlife photographer and author, and Monica Bryand, founder of Urban Bird Collective.

The Minneapolis Parks Foundation’s Next Generation of Parks Event Series goes all aflutter on Saturday, February 6, at 3:00PM, with Winter Birding 101. This virtual event will feature Dudley Edmondson, renowned wildlife photographer and author of The Black and Brown Faces in America’s Wild Places, from his base in Duluth in conversation with Monica Bryand, a St. Paul-based wildlife photographer and founder of Urban Bird Collective. The event is free, family-friendly, and pre-registration is recommended via Eventbrite to receive the Zoom link.

“This winter bird conversation will help people figure out what that bird is outside their kitchen window,” says Dudley Edmondson. “We'll talk about the most common birds seen in Minnesota backyards when the snow flies. We'll also discuss binoculars for beginners, ways to attract birds to your feeder, and best field trips for winter birdwatching.”

Edmondson first met Monica Bryand when she “invited him to talk to the Urban Bird Collective about what it is like for BIPOC folks to feel safe in nature," she says. “This event will help take away the mystery around birdwatching – one of the most accessible and rewarding activities that get us outdoors and connecting with nature, even in winter.”

In addition to learning about the hardy “snow birds” that stick around through our coldest months – including Northern cardinal, Red bellied woodpecker, red-tailed hawk, and white-breasted nuthatch and a visitor in the winter months the dark-eyed junco – audiences will also get a better understanding of what bird watching is, what amenities are available, and where BIPOC and LGTBQ people can find community in the outdoors. The event is coproduced in partnership with The Great Northern Festival.

“Access to nature is one of the most essential ingredients for good physical and mental health, and Minneapolis and our surrounding communities have a lot of greenspace that many consider free and open to everyone,” says Tom Evers, Executive Director of the Minneapolis Parks Foundation. “Yet invisible but perceivable barriers exist for people of color. Dudley Edmondson and Monica Bryand are reframing who has access to parks and public spaces and striving to open access for Black, Indigenous, and people of color to the natural places where birding can become a transformative experience.”

Pre-registration on Eventbrite is recommended…

About Our Speakers

Dudley Edmondson is an author, public speaker, and filmmaker whose passion is nature and getting people of color outdoors. He speaks regularly on his books and his career as a wildlife photographer. His clients include educational institutions, state and federal agencies, and environmental non-profits. His photography career spans nearly three decades and his work has been featured in galleries and in nearly 100 publications around the world, including the state specific flora and fauna field guides by author Stan Tekiela to Bird: The Definitive Visual Guide, by Audubon (DK Publishing) London, UK. To see more of his photographic work, follow him on Instagram.

Monica Bryand is a Latina who is passionate about the environment and crazy for birds. She loves capturing their beauty and sharing them with others. She started her photography business just by sharing her pictures with friends and then was asked to put together cards and framed photos as gifts. She is also the Executive Director of Urban Bird Collective, which was founded in 2018 to support birdwatchers of all different skill levels in leading walks in our own neighborhoods. The Urban Bird Collective works to create safe and welcoming spaces for all communities with a focus  on Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and the LGBTQ Communities and more – to come out and explore birding and the outdoors.

Milling About: Getting to Know the Bryn Mawr Neighborhood

What do you know about the Bryn Mawr neighborhood of Minneapolis?  We sat down with Lynda Shaheen, Communications and Fundraising Coordinator for the Bryn Mawr Neighborhood Association to get a better idea of the geography, parks, businesses and annual events.  She describes how to spend a perfect day in her neighborhood, from coffee to pampering and take-out dinners.  Looking for a really fun holiday activity?  Don’t miss the Bryn Mawr Winter Lights Tour, featuring 43 homes, with an online ballot allowing votes until January 4.    

Now Streaming: Milling About, Episode 4

Brianna RoseThe December episode of Milling About with Brianna Rose first aired on Thursday, December 17 at 8PM on MCN6. The show replays for a month on every Thursday and Friday at 8PM and Monday and Tuesday at 5PM. The December show is chock full of interesting speakers and information:

Martha Archer, Executive Director of the Mill City Farmers Market. Martha tells us all about the plans for Winter markets and the safety protocols put in place for shoppers and vendors. Looking for a unique holiday gift? Check out the show and the market blog for inspiration.

Simon Parrish, owner of the Northeast Tea House gives us his take on creating an urban oasis dedicated to the joy of tea service. Our Small Business Spotlight highlights how his shop is one of few producing fresh matcha and the gongfu service is guaranteed to produce a sense of calm into your day.

Kristy Ornelas, Americorps VISTA service member, Mississippi Park Connection tells us about her project highlighting Women of the Mississippi. Some background: The National Park Service challenged our parks to recognize contributions made by women. Also, the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment occurred this year. Those two events, combined with her love of the river, led Kristy to put together the interactive Women of the Mississippi project. She tells us all about it in this segment of the show.

Our resident historian Michael Rainville, Jr. tells us about the earliest Holidazzle, as well as the first public Christmas tree in Minneapolis, which was lit 107 years ago in Gateway Park.

Who doesn’t love stories about a local hero, or two? Blaine Police Officer Reggie Larson and his canine partner, Rex, were recently awarded the United States Police Canine Association’s National Case of the Year. I know you’re curious to learn more about this one – tune in for the full story! 

Milling About with Brianna Rose is a production of Mill City Times, and we cover topics of interest to our readers. We focus on local entertainers, small businesses, neighborhood stories, Mississippi River connections, local food producers and history - and are open to suggestions! Please email Becky Fillinger, executive producer, at becky_fillinger@hotmail.com to suggest ideas or to be a guest on the show. 

Working Together to Help for the Holidays

In this episode of Milling About, let us introduce you to two great neighbors:  Delia Bujold and Aman Biruk.  Delia is the Member Coordinator of the Turkey and Extras Program at Mill City Commons and Aman Biruk is the Manager of the Broadway Avenue Cub Foods .  Both were instrumental in carrying out a delivery of 50 holiday food baskets, in times of COVID, to the Ascension Catholic School for the Mill City Common’s Turkey and Extra Helpings program.  Thank you Delia and Aman! 

Small Business Spotlight with Heidi Amouta, Co owner, Minneapolis Boxing Club

Brianna Rose talks with Heidi Amouta, Co-owner, Minneapolis Boxing Club about how boxing can work for all ages & fitness levels and running a gym during a pandemic.

"Who Brought the Humbug?" December 12, 2020

Ricci Milan, professional tap dancer, brings his annual holiday show to us virtually this year on December 12 at 7:30PM.  Who Brought the Humbug? is part SNL and part Sesame Street – it will entertain and lift the spirits of the whole family. Ricci explains in his interview with Brianna Rose that ‘bringing people back up’ in 2020 is a higher calling - connecting family and community though an energetic fun filled production is a work of joy. We believe!!!   You can watch and interact live or, with a ticket, watch the replay for 7 days.   Friends, let’s support this endeavor which took months to plan and produce. 

Watch the Official Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v4mTfX90C4&feature=youtu.be

Sneak Peek: "Partyline"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv9sDYJffeQ&feature

Show & Ticket Information

https://www.humbug.show/

https://www.humbug.show/tickets

River Matters: Doug Snyder, Executive Director, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization

Doug Snyder provides an overview of the changes over time to the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities and his organization’s role in the efforts to clean up and revitalize the Minneapolis Riverfront.

Watch: Episode 3 of Milling About with Brianna Rose

Original air date: November 16, 2020

This episode features speakers and content you’ll not want to miss:

• Dan Turpening, professional accordionist, Owner of The Accordion Shoppe
• Doug Snyder, Executive Director, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO)
• Heidi Amouta, Co-owner, Minneapolis Boxing Club
• Be That Neighbor interview of Erik Sather, Co-owner and Butcher, of Lowry Hill Meats
• Michael Rainville, Jr., with an extended history of the Thanksgiving Day Fire of 1982

What topics would you like to see covered on the show? Milling About with Brianna Rose is a production of Mill City Times, and we cover topics of interest to our readers. We focus on local entertainers, small businesses, neighborhood stories, Mississippi River connections, local food producers and history - and are open to suggestions! Please email Becky Fillinger, executive producer, at becky_fillinger@hotmail.com to suggest ideas or to be a guest on the show.

Milling About: The Theater Latte Da Production of All Is Calm

All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 relives an astounding actual time in history when Allied troops and German soldiers laid down their arms to celebrate the Christmas holiday together, sharing food and drink, playing soccer, and singing carols.  It was a brief interlude before the business of war continued.  The play is drawn from actual letters and memoirs from the men who were present at the event.  

The Theater Latte Da production of All is Calm (by founding director Peter Rothstein) was filmed last December by New York Public Media (WNET) for national broadcast this year.  We spoke to Benjamin Dutcher, a major player in the ensemble production, which he calls “the most important piece of theater ever created”.  

Set your televisions to watch the filmed version at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27, on TPT (Twin Cities PBS) and premiere nationwide. It will be available to stream starting Dec. 15 at pbs.org. Congratulations to Benjamin, Peter Rothstein and Theater Latte Da!

Watch the full interview on YouTube…

Interview: Preview of Holidazzle 2020 With Leah Wong, Minneapolis Downtown Council

Were you thinking that with COVID restrictions there would be no Holidazzle this year?  Well, Santa would not allow that to happen!   We interviewed Leah Wong, VP for External Relations, of the Minneapolis Downtown Council to learn about the many ways that Holidazzle will be delivered virtually this year.  There are many events and activities that you may watch at your convenience and it all starts with the  Holidazzle Show presented by Comcast, starting on November 27 and then on 3 consecutive Thursdays.  You’ll find holidazzle shows, DIY ideas, holiday-themed activities and interactive engagement - not to mention free Zoom meetings with the big guy.  Great job, Santa and other Holidazzle planners!

Watch the full interview on YouTube...

Milling About with Kieran Folliard, Founder, The Food Building

Kieran Folliard is a prolific entrepreneur and we're so lucky to have him creating so much goodness nearby!  Here's a quick video update from Kieran on his mission to - " highlight, promote and build the brands produced at the Food Building".  Do you need holiday provisions?  Check out the offerings from the Alemar Cheese Company, Red Table Meat Company and Bakers Field Flour and Bread - you and your guests will be delighted with the variety, freshness and quality. 

MCAD Art Sale 2020: A Beloved Event Goes Online

What's the most popular annual art sale in the Twin Cities?  That would be the MCAD student art sale, now in its 23rd year. Cindy Theis, VP of Advancement at MCAD explains to us that you'll find several thousand pieces of art for sale by 200 artists. The art sale started as a curriculum item - helping the students understand how to market and sell their artwork in the community. It still serves that purpose but it has evolved into a must attend event. Previews begin Wednesday online at mcad.edu/artsale. Although the sale runs through midnight on Saturday, don't dawdle. With thousands of shoppers, you'll want to shop early!

Why I voted No for More Cops: 3rd Ward Council Member Steve Fletcher

Via email from Council Member Fletcher:

This week, a request was brought by the Police Department for the authorization of $500,000 out of our contingency fund to fund contracts with the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office and/or Metro Transit Police for additional law enforcement services. I voted no on this proposal, and I want to share a little bit more about why.

We do urgently need solutions. There are violent crimes occurring in our community that are not acceptable. The City Council brought in violence intervention experts and passed a staff direction identifying staff resources and outlining a targeted, strategic approach to disrupt the social dynamics that are generating most of the violence. That approach does not lead with law enforcement, but does have a law enforcement component that I support. It is urgent that MPD collaborate and fulfill their role in this violence prevention work.

The Chief’s proposal did not provide for that collaboration, did not emphasize the kind of intelligence-based, targeted strategy we’re calling for, and provided no real alternative strategy. It seeks to add patrol, which in and of itself, is not a strategy to stop crime. We have since learned that Metro Transit Police do not have capacity to provide to MPD, and that MPD has not worked out any details with the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. It seems pretty unlikely that any additional shifts will materialize before the end of the year, making this vote all the more meaningless.

MPD has also not provided financial transparency that I would request of any department that came to us asking for more money at year’s end, about how they’re managing their $185 million budget. They are projected to be $5.9 million over budget at the end of the year, and we cannot afford to throw endless money at a department with no plan, especially now.

We can act with urgency and still focus on solutions backed by evidence. We all agree on the problem, and we’re all passionate about solving it for our city. I’m a “no” vote on proposals that are designed to address anxiety rather than provide real solutions. We’ve got to do better.

River Story: A New Path Ahead

By Rick Margl, Great River Coalition

RIVER STORY: A NEW PATH AHEAD

By Rick Margl, Great River Coalition

I was beginning to get the feeling that I’d messed up. After a long day meeting with local staff in Grand Rapids, I had decided there was enough daylight left to grab a quick run. Padding along on the highway shoulder, I came upon an interesting looking dirt road, took a quick turn on a whim and headed into the woods. You know how sometimes you turn onto an interesting trail, then another trail and then another? So, on I went, always expecting a clearing or a view of the town through a break in the dense foliage. At some point I realized that it was probably time to reverse route and head back to the motel.

But you know how trails and landmarks can look very different when you’re going in the other direction? My mind had been elsewhere as I ran and I was also unconcerned about losing my way, having over the years spent much time trekking in woods and along rivers. Now, victim to that self-confidence and inattention (yes, a dangerous combination), daylight was dimming around me while I investigated several likely looking but ultimately unhelpful trails. I began to contemplate the prospect of spending a night in the woods.

This memory came to me the other morning while I was out for an early ramble along the river. The woods are open now, with vistas all around which scant weeks before were unseen and unimaginable. The river, recently stippled with burnt orange, gold and scarlet leaves, now runs clear, quiet and cold between snowy banks. Shrubby alder, chokecherry, silver maple and young ironwood overhang the banks. Beneath slate gray skies, intermittent clouds of flurries drift through the bare branches like ghosts. Today, at least, I was in no danger of becoming lost.

Yet as I walked along, I contemplated how we all occasionally lose our way, not only individually but also collectively, as communities and entire societies. Obviously, we can go astray as I did on that long-ago evening, by thoughtlessly wandering about without compass, knowledge or (heaven forbid it nowadays) a cell phone. But we can also lose our way by mindlessly following well-established and once useful routes that are no longer advantageous, given the vagaries of our rapidly changing world.

In the concluding chapter of Walden, Henry Thoreau wrote, “The surface of the earth is soft and impressible by the feet of men; and so with the paths which the mind travels. How worn and dusty, then, must be the highways of the world, how deep the ruts of tradition and conformity!” For our own good, we should consider the possibility that much of our accepted wisdom is subject to a ‘shelf life’ in this evolving world. Why should it be surprising that new knowledge and facts could cause us to develop new answers and new directions that we can use to move our society towards broadly desirable goals? Recent polls report that only a small percentage of our fellow citizens are convinced that ‘the country is moving in the right direction’. No surprise there.

As I contemplated the darkening woods outside of Grand Rapids, I had a few options. Find a roost for the night, wander some more until nightfall, or acquire additional decision information. To use the trite phrase, I thought outside the box. More specifically, I gained a different perspective on the problem by climbing about thirty feet up a handy maple tree. At that height, I was sufficiently above the mass of foliage so that I could hear traffic passing on Highway 169. Armed with that new knowledge, I cut across country in that direction and emerged at the roadside before nightfall.

Sometimes you just have to set out in a direction of your own choosing, rather than blindly following the paths that tradition would dictate. What’s true for you and me is equally applicable for our society. Changing circumstances are best addressed through investigation, deliberation, decision and action. Inaction and acquiescence to the status quo might at some point bring disappointing or even tragic results.

Back when my sons were quite young and learning (sometimes grudgingly) how to be responsible for themselves, I would chide them with fatherly nuggets of wisdom when they fell short. My frequent admonition whenever they left a mess behind them was, “Don’t make it easy for the wolves to find you”. At a basic level, all of us are little entropy generators, converting order into randomness and waste as we live out our lives on this earth. As our world has become smaller and the detritus of our existence becomes increasingly apparent, those metaphorical wolves of consequence are emphatically snapping at our heels.

Strewn along the path behind us are animal and insect extinctions, rising and warming seas, increasing storm intensity, new disease vectors, crop failures and a long litany of other basic changes to the world and the environment that has sustained us until now. What to do about it? Well, that’s up to you. Perhaps make more thoughtful consumption (and disposition) decisions. With your time and other resources, support organizations that are developing solutions. Provide input to our government leaders about their plans. At a very primary level, as physicist Leo Szilard cautioned, “Do not destroy what you cannot create.”

Oh, and if you haven’t voted yet, please get it done. Speak out for the future of the Earth. Thank you.

The Great River Coalition is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that advocates for preserving, protecting and promoting the historic, commercial and environmental significance of the Mississippi River, the City of Minneapolis and its relationship to the people and their communities.

Letter to the Editor: Part 1 - A Series On Economic Growth For Minneapolis

By Dennis Paulaha, PhD- Great River Coalition

As an economist, I can promise you there are no great economic theories or arguments spelling out the secret to increasing the rate of economic growth, whether for a city, a state, or a nation.

What we do have, however, are bits and pieces of information and knowledge that can be used to make decisions that are almost certain to increase incomes, profits, wealth, and economic growth on all levels

One, which I discussed in a previous article, is to protect and expand home equity, given the importance of creating and protecting wealth, not only for individuals and families, but for cities, states, and nations. The importance of home equity was reinforced by research done by the Brookings Institution that concluded the single most Important factor or cause of racial inequalities, both financial and educational, is rooted in the differences in home equity by race.

A second is creating a more efficient healthcare system, which I also discussed in a previous article. The argument being it is not necessary to have a government takeover of healthcare to eliminate the waste, fraud, inefficiency, and multi million dollar salaries that can reduce business costs, increase incomes and profits, and let American companies be more competitive in the global economy.

EDUCATION

In a highly praised, but also highly flawed, documentary titled Waiting for Superman, Bill Gates makes the statement that the key to increasing economic growth is education.

Although few would disagree with that statement, agreeing that economic growth is tied to education does not mean it is easy to improve the quality of education in any city, including Minneapolis.

The central point of the documentary is that K-12 education in the United States went from being the best in the world to a spot closer to the bottom of industrialized nations.

That’s the good part, if by good part we mean both the problem and its importance are made as clear as possible.

The bad part, if we are looking for a solution to the problem, is that the documentary blames the decline in education on teachers unions that support and protect incompetent teachers and claims the solution is charter schools.

A more honest solution would begin with the fact that, regardless of how easy it is to find examples of incompetent teachers being protected by unions, teachers unions have been important in protecting our public school systems from politicians who seemed intent on destroying them. 

An honest solution would also recognize that a very small percentage of charter schools can be classified as successful or, by some agreed upon measure, better than the public schools from which they draw students and taxpayer money. The truth is few charter schools are required to monitor and make public the educational progress of their students as is required for public schools, even though charter schools are funded with taxpayer money.

VOUCHERS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS

The idea of vouchers that allow taxpayer money to be used to pay tuition in private schools and charter schools that are supported with taxpayer money was popularized by the economist Milton Friedman.

His argument, which makes sense on paper, is that by allowing students to move from public schools to private schools and charter schools, taking taxpayer money with them, it will force public schools, because of competition, to increase the quality of public school education.

One problem with the argument is it assumes private schools and charter schools are superior to public schools; an assumption that, because private schools and charter schools are not always required to release student information, is not always the case. And if they are not better, then the competition Friedman assumed would increase the quality of education across the board does not exist. 

A second problem is, because of the power and influence of teachers unions, charter schools in most cities are not allowed to compete with public schools on an academic level. In other words, it is difficult or impossible in most cities to create charter schools based on the idea of offering a better academic education than public schools. The result is charter schools offering niche programs to attract students and parents whose main interest is something other than academic excellence.

Which is why the academically excellent charter schools highlighted in the Waiting for Superman documentary, which were schools whose mission was academic excellence, are exceptions. 

Exceptions or not, what matters is that those schools have shown or proven that it is possible to offer students a far better education than they are now receiving. And what makes those exceptions even more interesting is that they did not accept only the “best and the brightest” students who applied. In some cases, students were chosen at random, with a lottery.

What does that have to do with education and economic growth in Minneapolis?

Potentially, a lot.

Ignoring private schools, where, in most cases vouchers were given to parents whose children were already enrolled in private schools, Minneapolis, as does every other city in the country, has an opportunity to re-think it’s charter school program.

First, Minneapolis should allow and encourage charter schools that promise to focus on academic excellence, rather than a niche appeal.

Secondly, instead of treating public schools and charter schools as a competition, those in charge of education should be monitoring the results, not with the another “no child left behind scheme,” but with an interest in identifying the structures and methods that are most successful.

Finally, although it is impossible to ignore the impact of poverty on a child’s life, including educational achievement. In other words, while the city of Minneapolis addresses poverty, it should not use poverty as an excuse for not providing all children the best possible education.

Nation's first permanent Memorial to Survivors of Sexual Violence celebrated in virtual ceremony Oct. 10

Memorial now open at Boom Island Park

The public is invited to join victims/survivors and allies to celebrate the completion of the nation’s first, permanent, public memorial to honor survivors of sexual violence, located at Boom Island Park, with a virtual event on Saturday, October 10, at 10 am. Keynote speakers include Tarana Burke, activist and founder of the Me Too movement, and V (formally Eve Ensler), activist, author and playwright best known for "The Vagina Monologues." 

 View the event on Facebook Live  

View the event on YouTube 

Due to COVID-19, this is a virtual event, not an in-person gathering. However, the Survivors Memorial is now open to the public and can be visited any time. Boom Island Park is located along the Mississippi River at 724 Sibley St. NE, Minneapolis. The memorial is located at the south end of the park, between the playground and bridge to Nicollet Island.

Sarah Super launched the initiative for the memorial to honor survivors of sexual violence in 2015, only weeks after her ex-boyfriend broke into her home, hid in a closet, then woke her at knifepoint and raped her. He was sentenced in Ramsey County to 12 years in prison for his crime.

The Memorial was inspired by the hundreds of stories survivors shared with Super after she publicly identified herself as her ex-boyfriend's rape victim. Super was also inspired by the work of Dr. Judith Herman, one of the country's leading experts on psychological trauma and abuse.

“When I first spoke out about being raped, a lot of people said and did nothing. Their silence taught me that there is no such thing as a neutral response to sexual violence. A response will either be hurtful or healing. Silence is not neutral. Silence supports the perpetrators and never the victims," states Super.

"The Memorial is one way community members have taken a stand and voiced their support for those who've been victimized. Our goal was to break the silence and respond to sexual violence and rape culture as a community in solidarity with victims/survivors."

The Memorial design team includes: Sarah Super, landscape architects Joan MacLeod, Rachel Blaseg, and Jennifer Germain of Damon Farber Landscape Architects, a landscape architecture and planning firm based in Minneapolis, and mosaic artist Lori Greene of Mosaic on a Stick. 

The Memorial is a symbol of the community’s solidarity with victims/survivors. Their experiences are honored using two metaphors: a ripple effect and mosaic. The circle of benches is intended as an invitation for dialogue. The ripple effect seen in the seating platform and extending into the landscape signifies the multiplying power of survivors' voices; when survivors tell their stories, they unconsciously inspire other survivors to tell theirs, who inspire others to tell theirs. The mosaics symbolize that broken pieces can be put together to create something whole and beautiful. (more detail on the design elements below)

Notable donors to the Memorial include Gloria Steinem, V (formally Eve Ensler), Nora McInerny, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, and the law firm of Jeff Anderson & Associates.

The Memorial team also thanks JE Dunn - memorial construction and Propel Nonprofits - fiscal sponsor.

Visit www.survivorsmemorial.org for more information.

Book Talk: Minnesota's Black Community in the 21st Century

Book Talk: Minnesota's Black Community in the 21st Century

Saturday, Oct. 24^th

11-12:30pm

Online Event

Building off the pioneering volumes of Walter R. Scott which highlighted the contributions and accomplishments of African Americans in Minnesota by professions during the pre- and post-Civil Rights era, the book "Minnesota’s Black Community in the 21st Century" underscores what African American success looks like by vocations in Minnesota in the 21^st century. Members of Minnesota’s Black Community Project will discuss the making of this book and how this timely book contributes to the history of Minnesota.

Register for this event.

Hosted by Hennepin County Library Special Collections.

The link to the live online discussion will be emailed to registrants in advance.

Library Program: Abandoned Rail Lines in Hennepin County

The Spectral Railroad: Abandoned Rail Lines in Hennepin County

Tuesday, Oct. 20^th, 7-8pm

Online Event

Everyone knows that most of our popular recreational trails were once railroad lines, but few of us are aware of the many abandoned right-of-ways scattered across the state.

Two lines in particular ran through the center of Hennepin County.  Though abandoned now for over 85 years and overrun or reworked by relentless development and population growth, many traces of these long forgotten rail and streetcar lines are still visible in unlikely and surprising places.

Librarian Ted Hathaway will lead you on this hunt for “ghosts” in the heart of the suburban landscape.

Register for this event.

A link to join this presentation will be sent to registrants a few days before the start of the program and again just before the start.

2020 POSTERS for PARKS Show Goes Virtual, Saturday, October 17

Minneapolis parks-inspired posters from local artists to be available online starting at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 17

Posters for Parks, a popular local artist event benefiting Minneapolis public parks, will go virtual this year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event’s organizers, including LoveMplsParks and the Minneapolis Parks Foundation's People for Parks Fund, have opted to create an e-commerce site, PostersForParks.org, where posters from 33 local artists will be available for sale.

Posters for Parks 2020 includes 33 artists showcasing their parks-inspired prints, available at PostersForParks.org for $45 each. Sales begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 17, 2020, and will continue through October 24 unless all posters are sold earlier.

The Posters for Parks Show will feature a virtual kick-off cocktail hour on Saturday, October 17, starting at 5:00 p.m. via Zoom. The event will include live music with DJ King Otto, cocktail mixing with the Parks Foundation's own Jennifer Downham, and will feature all 33 original posters produced for this year’s event. Attendees are encouraged to register in advance via Eventbrite; registered attendees will be entered into a drawing to win a free poster and there will be an opportunity to vote for their favorite poster for the People’s Choice Award.

Like in previous years, proceeds from the event will be shared equally. Half of all sales will go toward efforts of the Minneapolis Parks Foundation's People for Parks Fund to support community-driven projects and ideas in Minneapolis public parks. The other 50 percent will go to the artist.

“While we’ve needed to make some modifications to the Posters for Parks Show this year, we are working hard to ensure we can still hold this incredibly fun and engaging event, even from a distance,” said Tom Evers, Executive Director of the Minneapolis Parks Foundation. “Over the past several years, this event has grown into something truly special for local artists and people who use and love Minneapolis's award-winning parks. We look forward to holding the event again this year and making the posters from these talented local artists available online.”

To learn more about the event and to RSVP for the kick-off cocktail hour on October 17, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/posters-for-parks-show-2020-registration-121384956673.

Hennepin History Museum Reopens

The Hennepin History Museum (HHM) reopened last Thursday after being temporarily closed for the past several months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of this action, the museum is extending two current exhibits through the end of the year:

- Votes for Women, the compelling story of the women In Hennepin County who fought for - and against - their right to vote through ratification of the 19th amendment.

- American's Finest Theatre: The Terrace, the beloved movie theater and mid-century architectural showcase in Robbinsdale, MN and the fight to save it from the wrecking ball and preserve its legacy.

NEW DAYS/HOURS OF OPERATION AND TICKETING

The museum has new days and hours of operation beginning September 10:

• Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"We are thrilled to welcome people back to the museum, with new hours that are better tailored to the preferences of our members and the general public," said HHM Executive Director John Crippen. "We are also excited about new exhibits now in development for next year, but it was an easy decision to extend the fun of our current exhibits given the important stories they tell and the number of people who feared they would miss them," Crippen also noted.

HHM has instituted an on-line admission ticket system to assure safe social distancing in its Exhibit Galleries through limited numbers of sales each hour. Purchase tickets in advance by going to hennepinhistory.org and clicking "Tickets" on the home page.

Due to extra safety protocols in the Research Library, appointments are required. Use this link for appointments: https://hennepinhistory.org/research/

Masks are required for everyone visiting, including children ages six and up.

VISITOR INFORMATION:

Hennepin History Museum, 2303 Third South, Minneapolis, is on MTC's #11 High Frequency Route. Free

parking at the museum and on Third Avenue. Bike racks available. Visiting requires the use of stairs.

Masks required for everyone visiting, ages six and up. Go to hennepinhistory.org