Minneapolis RiverCurrent 4-2-15

*****Check These Out*****

River Hub Event Site

The folks at Mill City Times recently launched River Hub, the most complete (they believe) listing of events related to the Minneapolis riverfront on the web. The goal with River Hub is to serve the large community of people passionate about our riverfront by helping you stay up-to-date on events impacting the river AND to serve event planners by helping to avoid scheduling conflicts with other river-related events to the extent possible. River Hub is a very simple site - just an activities list and a page for readers to submit events. That's it. There are plenty of great sources for general riverfront news, but they wanted to make RH as easy to use as possible, so they decided to focus on just one thing. Back in 2010 Mill City Times was launched as a simple web directory of local businesses, mainly because as new residents of the Riverfront they needed a resource for our own use (none existed). It quickly took on a life of its own and has been growing ever since. As they've become more engaged with Riverfront planning and advocacy, they spend an inordinate amount of time just trying to stay in the loop. Dozens of websites are checked weekly just to stay on top of things, and they figured they might as well make use of that effort. So, out of passion and a little bit of frustration, River Hub was born: http://www.riverhub.org/

Aerial of Redevelopment Planned and Under Way

Courtesy of Mill City Times, here’s an aerial view of development projects in the Mill District Neighborhood of Downtown Minneapolis: https://youtu.be/uZ74eDnjfHc

*****Events and Activities*****

Crunch’s Wolves Run

Saturday, April 4, 9 am

Boom Island, 724 Sibley Street NE

You’re invited to join the 7th Annual 5K Run and Kids Fun Run. All registrations include a ticket to the Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Fan Appreciation game on April 15 at 7 pm at Target Center. Participants also will get a chance to purchase additional game tickets at a reduced price, receive a commemorative race t-shirt and meet the Timberwolves mascot Crunch! For information and to register: http://www.active.com/mineapolis-mn/running/distance-running-races/crunch-s-wolves-run-2015.

North Loop Candy Grab

Saturday, April 4, 9:30 am

North Loop Playground, Fourth Avenue North and West River Parkway

This annual event will include prize eggs (age-specific hunts) and games and will be held rain or shine. Free admission. Sponsored by Corner Church and the North Loop Neighborhood Association. https://www.facebook.com/events/497643080299928/

A Sip of Science: Keeping the Flying Carp Grounded: Optimizing Mississippi River Lock and Dams to Block Silver and Bighead Carp

Wednesday, April 8, 5:30 pm

Aster Café, 125 Main Street SE

A SIP OF SCIENCE bridges the gap between science and culture in a setting that bridges the gap between brain and belly. Food, beer and learning are on the menu in a happy hour forum that puts science in context through storytelling. Silver (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead (H. nobilis) carps (collectively known as “Asian carp”) are reproducing as far north as Pool 19 near Keokuk, Iowa, and threaten to expand northward into Minnesota waters where few have been caught to date. In 2014, researchers at the University of Minnesota, led by Dr. Peter Sorensen, began work on a project aimed at optimizing the Upper Mississippi River lock and dam systems for blocking Asian carp through gate modifications while using acoustic deterrents in locks. The first objective of the project combines computational modelling with experimental swimming tests to identify changes to gate operation that might inhibit passage of Asian carp while having minimal impacts on native fish. The second objective seeks to develop and test acoustic deterrents to keep Asian carp out of lock chambers (sound is ideal for this effort as Asian carp are more sensitive to sound than most native fishes, and thus can be targeted in a species-specific manner). This presentation will provide a brief primer on Asian carp in the U.S. and details on how locks and dams might be turned into velocity and acoustic barriers for Asian carp, including the installation and function of an acoustic deterrent system at Lock and Dam #8 (Genoa, Wisconsin). Presenter Dr. Zielinski is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center specializing in ecohydraulics, underwater acoustics and numerical modeling. The talk takes place during happy hour at the Aster Café. No cover; food and drink will be available for purchase. Please RSVP to: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/april-sip-of-science-keeping-the-flying-carp-grounded-optimizing-mississippi-river-lock-and-dams-to-tickets-16382274825?aff=affiliate1.

Friends of the Mississippi River presents:

State of the River

Saturday, April 11, 11 am – 12 noon

Fulton Brewery Taproom, 414 Sixth Avenue North

How is the health of the Mississippi River? Can I safely swim in it? Can I eat the fish I catch? What can we do about silver and other invasive carp? How are bald eagles faring? To answer these questions, Friends of the Mississippi River partnered with the National Park Service's Mississippi National River and Recreation Area unit to develop the "State of the River Report." Join the report's principal authors -- FMR Watershed Program Director Trevor Russell and MNRRA Water Quality Coordinator Lark Weller -- at Fulton Brewery for this brief overview of the report's key findings. From invasive "flying" carp to bacterial contamination, from eagles to swimability, Trevor and Lark will spend the first half-hour quickly highlighting the most important trends and emerging issues as well as potential solutions. The second half-hour will be reserved for an informal Q & A session. To make sure everyone has a chance to ask questions, and due to limited seating, capacity is limited and advance registration is required. For more information and to register: http://fmr.org/participate/events/state_of_the_river-2015-04-11.

Whiskey on Ice

Sunday, April 12, 1:30 – 8 pm

The Depot, 225 Third Avenue South

Whiskey On Ice is Minnesota's premier whiskey celebration. It will bring together nearly 100 distilleries from around the world for an evening Grand Tasting for 500 whiskey lovers. In addition, four Whiskey Masterclass tasting seminars will be held in advance of the Grand Tasting, each focusing on a particular whiskey portfolio. Attendees also will enjoy special amenities such as the Ashton Cigar and Cocktail Lounge, complementary food and water stations, as well as select beers from Surly Brewing Company. For more information and tickets: http://www.whiskeyonicemn.com/about-the-venue.html.

Kroening Interpretive Center Programs (Three Rivers Park District)

North Mississippi Regional Park, 4900 Mississippi Court

For information: 763-694-7693; for map and driving instructions: http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=4&parkid=430. For programs that require reservations, call 763-559-6700 or register on-line: http://www.threeriversparkdistrict.org.

My Preschooler & Me: Nature Explorers - Mud is My Home

Tuesday, April 14, 10 – 11:30 am

Introduce your little one to the wonders of nature through hands-on play, stories, games, and outdoor exploration. Cost is $5, and reservations are required; reference activity #216903-07. This program is for ages 2-5 and both adult and child pay.

Heron Homecoming and Shuttle

Wednesday, April 15, 9:30 -- 11:30 am, or 12:30 -- 2:30 pm

Celebrate the spring return of the great blue herons. Discover the lives and travels of these magnificent birds through a digital photo journal. Shuttle to the rookery, and watch as these birds work rebuilding nests and settling in. Refreshments provided. Cost is $5, and reservations are required; reference activity #216917-02 for the morning shuttle, or #216917-03 for the afternoon shuttle. This program is for ages 16+. http://www.threeriversparks.org/events/H/heron-homecoming-and-shuttle.aspx

Global Youth Service Day - Independent Projects

Park and River Cleanup

Friday, April 17, 9 am – 3 pm (drop in any time)

Saturday, April 18, 10 am – 4 pm (drop in any time)

Help clean up what winter left behind. This project must be done with an adult leader. Registration required. To register: http://www.threeriversparks.org/events/G/global-youth-service-day---independent-projects.aspx. Groups must call 763-559-6700 to register.

Earth Day at Three Rivers: Pollinators and River Clean-up

Saturday, April 18, 10 am – 12 noon

Celebrate the 45th anniversary of Earth Day! Explore the buzz on bumble bees. Taste wild honey, and try on a beekeeper suit. Safely uncover leaf-cutter bee nest boxes, and peek into their hidden lives. Make a nest box to take home. Help pollinators by picking up trash in their homes along the riverbanks and prairie. Take a selfie with your favorite trash treasure. Drop in anytime. This program is free and open to all ages. Children 17 years and younger must be accompanied by an adult.

Free Family Fun Day: Voyageur Life

Sunday, April 19, 1 – 3 pm, ongoing

Drop in anytime! Explore a different topic each week through hands-on activities that everyone can enjoy at their own pace. What was a day in the life of a voyageur? Dress up like these fur traders of the North Country and learn to play games and paddle, too. Weather permitting, we will cook up a yummy treat, voyageur-style. This program is free and open to all ages, but children younger than 17 must be accompanied by an adult.

Samples of Classes and Activities at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts

1011 Washington Avenue South, 612-215-2520, http://www.mnbookarts.org.

Hours: Monday 10 am -- 5 pm, Tuesday 10 am -- 9 pm, Wednesday-Saturday 10 am -- 5 pm, Sunday 12 noon – 4 pm

Class details, instructor biographies, registration details and online registration are all available at above web site. You may also register by calling 612-215-2520. Note: This is only a sampling of classes, focusing on those that are less expensive and that don’t require experience.

Book Arts Roundtable with artist-in-residence Susan Lowdermilk

Tuesday, April 14, 6 pm

Susan Lowdermilk is a book artist and printmaker, based in Eugene, Oregon. Her work includes woodcut, wood engraving and etching, and she teaches courses in printmaking, artist books and graphic design at Lane Community College in Eugene. Lowdermilk holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Oregon and her work is in many public collections including the University of Oregon Special Collections, the Getty Museum, the Library of Congress and the New York Public Library. Lowdermilk will be working in MCBA's studio in April and May 2015, completing a pop-up LED book of Emily Dickinson poetry. Join us for this Roundtable to meet the artist and learn more about her exciting and innovative work! This event is free and open to the public.

Kirie: The Japanese Art of Paper Cutting

with Sheila Asato

Five Wednesdays: April 15, 22, 29, May 6, 13; 6 – 9 pm

In this class we will explore the Japanese art of Kirie (paper cutting) which has been experiencing a bit of a boom in Japan lately. Think of Kirie as drawing with an X-Acto knife. It is a very direct method of creating bold, satisfying designs in paper that work nicely in books, as well as for printmaking. Through the practice of Kirie, participants will learn how to see the beauty of line, contrast and negative spaces in a new and dynamic way that will enliven their work in book arts and beyond. No previous drawing or art experience is necessary to enjoy this lovely art form. All skill levels welcome. $240 ($220 members) + $15 supply fee.

Printing on the Iron Hand Press

with Bill Myers

Saturday and Sunday, April 18 and 19; 10 am – 5 pm

One of the most versatile printing presses for artists is the classic iron hand press. We will explore the many kinds of printing we can do on the two historic examples at MCBA, from fine press printing to designs with wood type and even monoprints. We will practice printing in multiple colors with one impression as well as a technique for producing different densities of tone on different areas of a block. You will design and print your own edition from wood or metal type. All skill levels welcome. $220 ($200 members) + $65 supply fee.

Steve J. Berger POETIC PAINTINGS

Opening artist reception: Thursday, April 16, 5 – 8 pm

Gallery One OST, 800 Washington Avenue North, Suite 514

Steve Berger is a storyteller who captures memories and visually conveys them. Berger is heralded for creating paintings of fine poetic sensibility and for his virtuoso draftsmanship. Berger believes that to have an impact, art should evoke a memory, an emotion – something to be lived over and over every time that you view the work. Berger’s paintings are very detailed; this is particularly evident in his minute blades of grass with nuances of light and shadow made possible by painstakingly layering acrylic paint. Berger’s stories are about every day common things – a walk, a place, a workplace, a gift, a meal – all little things but pieces that connect everyone’s personal life mosaic to each other. His stories connected to other stories waiting to be shared and painted. This is why Berger often paints in a series which unfold to tell an even bigger story. Berger’s love of history also shows in many of his works, whether it’s a particular building, person, event or place in time.

Sample of Activities and Classes at The Loft

1011 Washington Avenue South

For information about The Loft’s wide variety of classes and other activities: http://www.loft.org.

Mentor Series Reading: Ru Freeman

Friday, April 17, 7 pm

The 2014–15 Loft Mentor Series in Poetry and Creative Prose presents fiction mentor Ru Freeman reading along with program participants Kate Lucas (poetry) and S.A. Wolter (fiction). Ru Freeman was born into a family of writers and many boys in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Her creative work has appeared or is forthcoming in VQR, Guernica, World Literature Today and elsewhere. She is a contributing editorial board member of the Asian American Literary Review and a fellow of the Bread Loaf Writer’s Conference, Yaddo, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She is the author of the novel A Disobedient Girl (Atria/Simon & Schuster, 2009), which was long-listed for the DCS Prize for South Asian Literature and translated into several languages. Her new novel, On Sal Mal Lane, was published by Graywolf Press in 2013. She calls both Sri Lanka and America home and writes about the people and countries underneath her skin. Kate Lucas works as a writer and educator in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her poems and essay writing have appeared in sleet magazine; rock, paper, scissors; Studio One; and the anthology From the Pews in the Back, and she received an Honorable Mention in the 2013 Loft Mentor Series for Poetry. She received her MFA from Hamline University and served as assistant poetry editor for Water~Stone Review in 2014. S. A. Wolter spent her childhood on a cattle ranch and farm in northwestern North Dakota. Following career opportunities and paychecks, she has lived most of her adult life in the metropolitan areas of Phoenix, Arizona, and Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota. She was a 2013 recipient of a Minnesota Artist Initiative Grant in prose. Her writing credits include the Jonis Agee Award for Fiction in Dust & Fire: Writing and Art by Women and publication in Open to Interpretation: Intimate Landscape, a juried book competition of photographs, poetry and prose. She currently resides in Eden Prairie with her husband, two teenage children and her writing companion, a small dog named Macy.

Next Generation Parks Lecture: University of Minnesota 3.x: Where is Nature Now? Symposium

Friday, April 17, 7 pm (reception at 6 pm)

Northrop, 84 Church Street SE, Best Buy Theater

Through the Minneapolis Parks Foundation’s Next Generation of Parks™ Lecture Series, global design innovators and local thought-leaders showcase the most exciting new parks destinations and delve into important issues affecting our vibrant city and region. The 2015 series features impressive talent and dynamic speakers from across the county and around the world – including our own backyard. This opening event in the series will feature Kate Orff, Founder and Principal, SCAPE Landscape Design, and 2014 Buckminster Fuller Institute Challenge winner. This is free public event, but seating is limited. For more information and to register: http://mplsparksfoundation.org/projects/lecture-series/.

Æbleskive Breakfast

Sunday, April 19, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

Danish American Center, 3030 West River Parkway South

You’re invited to join the Danish American Center for their æbleskive breakfast in the remodeled dining room. Cost for the “all you can eat” breakfast is $8.50 per adult and $5.00 for children ages 5-12; younger children are free. Breakfast includes æbleskiver (i.e. Danish pancake balls), scrambled eggs, sausage, juice and coffee.

*****Planning Ahead*****

Live Action Set presents:

The Half Life

May 1 – May 31

Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Avenue South

Every Live Action Set production is an exploration in curiosity and artistic rigor. The Half Life is no exception. Inspired by the modern individual's desire to be connected to everyone at all times, the performance focuses on those of us who live in-between, in a place where hearts and minds wrestle with opposing gravitational forces and when time and memory feels like a disappearing act, vanishing one half of one half of one half at a time. Visual and visceral, highly trained dancers bring the often meditative, sometimes unsettling and always revealing moments to light. Ranging from nuanced to extreme, the intense specific physicality blends with clear intentionality to create an evocative and touchingly personal journey. For information and tickets: https://southern.ticketworks.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=14.

Black Label Movement presents:

The Illumination

May 7 -- 9

Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Avenue South

NYC-based Director/Choreographer Scott Rink's new 60-minute work The Illumination is a dance/theatre/music adaptation from the written works of the French poets Paul Verlaine and Arthur Rimbaud. Through their own writing (poems, letters and court transcripts), The Illumination tells the tortured tale of their ultimately destructive relationship during the late-19th century. This impressionistic hybrid work is set to the music of Claude Debussy and Benjamin Britten, performed live by soprano Patricia Kent and pianist Joe Strachan. Recommended for mature audiences only due to adult themes and language. For information and tickets: https://southern.ticketworks.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=13.

Theatre Forever presents:

Good Job Horses

May 15 – 29

Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Avenue South

directed by Jon Ferguson

A new play celebrating the beauty and power of lady. Part adventure comedy, part absurdist heartbreak. With horses and hot lava, romance, rebuttal and revenge. Created by the ensemble in collaboration with writer Kate Tarker, and featuring performers Charlotte Calvert, Ryan Patrick, Kate Tarker and Carly Wicks. Original sound and music by Dan Dukich, Assistant direction by Lauren Rae Anderson. Recommended for mature audiences only (14+) due to adult content and language. For information and tickets: https://southern.ticketworks.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=15.

*****Input, Participation and Stewardship Opportunities*****

Survey on West River Parkway Repairs

You’re invited to take a survey regarding the design of the permanent repairs of the slope failure/mudslide along West River Parkway that occurred on June 19, 2014. The survey can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XW38ZS9. The project will be bid in mid-April and repairs are scheduled to begin in mid-June. Construction is expected to take 3 - 4 months. West River Parkway will re-open when repairs are complete.

A-Mill Artist Lofts Hydroelectric Project FERC License Application

Minneapolis Leased Housing Associates IV, Limited Partnership is seeking a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) minor license to construct and operate the A-Mill Artist Lofts Hydroelectric Project, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on the east bank of the Mississippi River at the Upper St. Anthony Falls. The proposed project would operate in a run-of-river fashion, utilizing existing water rights and infrastructure to generate approximately 600 kW of electricity for use by residents of a related apartment redevelopment. On March 23, 2015, Minneapolis Leased Housing Associates IV, Limited Partnership filed a Final License Application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regarding the A-Mill Artist Lofts Hydroelectric Project under Project Number 14628. As presented in the Final License Application, Minneapolis Leased Housing Associates IV, Limited Partnership has diligently consulted with both Federal and State agencies and has completed a fish entrainment and mortality study, a mussel survey, a study of hydraulic modeling of the downstream channel, a tunnel conditions report, an infrastructure removal and restoration plan, an environmental assessment and a sediment testing plan in relation to agency and public requests. Complete copies of the Final License Application and related studies are available at the Minneapolis Central Library located at 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Minnesota; at the offices of Minneapolis Leased Housing Associates IV, Limited Partnership at 2905 Northwest Boulevard Suite 150, Plymouth, Minnesota during regular business hours; and on FERC’s website under docket number P-14628. Additionally, the Final License Application is available within the document center of amillartistloftshydroproject.com by using the password “hydro.” If the application is found acceptable for filing, the Commission will publish subsequent notices. Questions or comments regarding the Final License Application for the A-Mill Artist Lofts Hydroelectric Project may be directed to Owen Metz (ometz@dominiuminc.com or 763-354-5618) or Neal Route (nroute@dominiuminc.com or 763-354-5640). Interested parties may submit comments to the Secretary of the Commission in accordance with filing procedures posted on the FERC’s Web site at http://www.ferc.gov/. Comments must reference Project Number 14628.

*****Reminder of Ongoing Activities*****

Horse and Carriage Tours

Enjoy a tour of the riverfront via a horse-drawn carriage ride. Regular tours are available from both the Nicollet Island Inn and VIC’s Restaurant on Main Street. For information: http://www.thehitchingcompany.com.

Acme Comedy Club

Tuesdays through Thursday, 8 pm; Fridays and Saturdays, 8 and 10:30 pm

708 North First Street

Enjoy stand-up comedy at one of the top five comedy clubs in the country. For more information: http://www.acmecomedycompany.com.

Murder Mystery Dinner

Old Spaghetti Factory, 233 Park Avenue

The Murder Mystery Company offers a murder mystery performance to accompany your dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory.

Snag your seat with The Murder Mystery Company by clicking or calling (888)643-2583 (CLUE) today. For information and tickets: http://www.grimprov.com/Murder-Mystery-Dinner-Minnesota/.

Classes Available at the Lundstrum Center

Lundstrum Center for the Performing Arts, 1617 North Second Street

Dream of performing on Broadway? Preparing for your college audition? Looking to get back into class? Let the Broadway veteran faculty at the Lundstrum Center help develop your gifts. Fall session registration is now open. Children and adults, all levels welcome. Programs include:

• Children: After school programs; age 3 and up
• Preteen/Young Adults: Broadway Musical Theatre -- Serious training in dance, voice and theater
• Adults: Ballet, tap, jazz, Pilates, voice
• Special Needs Children: “Dance Mania”-ages 6 to 12

The center offers state of the art, spacious, sun lit studios, with free parking and #14 Metro Transit bus-accessible. Class cards available! For a class schedule please check out the center’s website http://www.lundstrumcenter.org or call 612-521-2600 to be put on their mailing list.

Keegan’s Pub Entertainment

Keegan’s Irish Pub, 16 University Avenue NE

Keegan’s Pub offers a full schedule of live music, Irish lessons, pub quizzes and other activities each month. For more information and a full event calendar, visit http://www.keeganspub.com.

Classes at Surdyk’s

Mondays and Tuesdays

Surdyk’s Liquor and Cheese Shop, 303 East Hennepin Avenue

Surdyk’s offers an extensive and fun choice of classes to help you learn about wine, beer and cheese (both in general and specific types). Check out their calendar at http://surdyks.com/calendar/.

National Park Service “Ranger on Call” Virtual Tour of the Mississippi River

Visitors and residents of the Twin Cities can now have a national park experience 24 hours a day with Ranger on Call, a new virtual tour of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. Ranger on Call is an audio guide to exploring some of the park’s most special places. The guide features a series of 20 stops designed to expand users’ knowledge of the Mississippi River and provoke exploration. Users can listen to stories from all along the 72-mile corridor of the national park, and download podcasts and maps online at http://www.rangeroncall.com. Or, for an all-encompassing park experience, users can visit the featured sites along the river in person and dial 1-877-727-1172 (toll free) for the cell phone tour. Ranger on Call features narration by Don Shelby, who brings to life the stories from diverse communities along the river. Tour stops feature the Minneapolis Riverfront, Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary and Lock and Dam #2 in Hastings. Ranger on Call was created by the National Park Service and the Mississippi River Fund. http://www.nps.gov/miss.

Nice Ride Minnesota Bike Rentals

Bikes are now available for rental at the various Nice Ride Minnesota kiosks (which includes numerous locations along the riverfront). It’s a great way to explore the River! For information: http://www.niceridemn.org.

*****Informational Resources*****

Minneapolis Historical Mobile Tour Smartphone App Now Available

The Minneapolis Historical Mobile Tour app is now available--for free!--for iPhones and Androids. There are two tours so far: The Old Highland tour (created in partnership with the Old Highland Neighborhood Association) and the Marcy-Holmes tour (created with the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association). The app offers users an on-the-go look into Minneapolis's past, from the well-known headlines to the forgotten tales and people. Learn more and download it now at www.minneapolishistorical.org. The Marcy-Holmes tour tells stories of the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood—what was once the town of Saint Anthony Falls—from 1849 through the early twentieth century, using images, text and recorded commentary from 27 neighbors and friends. Created using material drawn from Penny Petersen’s book, Hiding in Plain Sight: Minneapolis’ First Neighborhood, the tour focuses on 24 historical sights depicted in the bronze sculptures on the Sixth Avenue Stroll, an outdoor gallery created by artist Aldo Moroni in 2004 that extends from University Ave SE to Main Street. Each stop on the tour consists of a present day image of the site, the corresponding bronze sculpture, an historic image (when available), brief text and two audio recordings by an individual somehow related to the site.

Park Board Event Calendar

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB)’s website features a multi-month event calendar. The current event calendar is now available at http://www.minneapolisparks.org/documents/events.pdf and is a quick guide to MPRB-sponsored and co-sponsored events as well as outside organizers’ permitted events in the parks. Check it out, mark your calendars and enjoy the many events occurring in Minneapolis parks!

Mill City Times

http://www.millcitytimes.com

This web site covers “life, work and play in the Historic Mill District” and offers videos of many important presentations and meetings related to riverfront topics. It also includes an event listing that is more expansive than the Mill District and that would be a useful resource for you in between issues of the RiverCurrent (or if, as sometimes happens, you accidentally deleted it).

Mississippi River Trail

The Mississippi River Trail follows the course of the mighty Mississippi from its headwaters to the Gulf. A new MRT resource website has been launched for the Minnesota segment of the trail http://www.dot.state.mn.us/bike/mrt.html complete with interactive Google Earth based maps, and a complete series of maps printable at 8 1/2” by 11.”

1 Mississippi Campaign

http://1mississippi.org/

This site includes information on the entire Mississippi River and how you can help protect and enhance it.

*****Informational Updates*****

Prescribed Burns at North Mississippi Regional Park

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) wants to alert park and trail users of prescribed burns of the prairie areas of North Mississippi Regional Park from mid-March to May 2015. The prescribed burns will be conducted by Prairie Restorations, Inc. (PRI), a contractor for the MPRB. Park users may see smoke and flames during a prescribed burn. The contractor will have MN Department of Natural Resources (DNR) trained staff on site along with the necessary fire control equipment. The contractor has obtained all necessary permits required for a prescribed burn. City of Minneapolis Police, Fire and 911 as well as State Highway Patrol, MPRB police and customer service are notified prior to and upon completion of the burn. Prescribed burns are one of the management tools used to maintain native plantings. When fire is suppressed, invasive shrubs and trees can invade these natural areas, out-competing the desirable native wildflowers and grasses. Specific weather and environmental conditions must be met to implement a prescribed burn including: the optimal prevailing wind direction, humidity levels and cloud cover conditions. Additionally, no MN Pollution Control Agency (PCA) issued air quality alerts or MN DNR burning restrictions may be in effect at the time of the burn. Information on the MPRB’s natural areas and management can be found on the web at https://www.minneapolisparks.org/park_care__improvements/natural_areas/prescribed_burns/.

*****Riverfront News Articles*****

Whiskey on Ice

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/taste/297551701.html

Spoon and Stable James Beard Nomination

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/taste/297551151.html

The Food Building

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/taste/297551671.html

Nye’s Site Redevelopment

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S3746280.shtml

http://www.startribune.com/business/297716331.html

Barging Season Opens

http://www.startribune.com/local/south/297527601.html

West River Parkway Repair Input Sought

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S3747948.shtml

Update on CenterPoint Project

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S3747627.shtml

30 Days of Biking

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S3747888.shtml

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2015/03/26/experience-twin-cities-trails-with-30-days-of-biking-challenge/

Red Stag Supperclub

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2015/03/26/red-stag-northeast-minneapolis-building-sold.html

Star Tribune Building

http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/03/26/star-tribune-moves-to-new-building?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MPR_LawJustice+%28Law+%26+Justice+from+Minnesota+Public+Radio%29

Washburn Crosby Preservation Plan

http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/297948871.html

Riverfront Business Hollywood Fashion Secrets

http://www.startribune.com/business/297863181.html

Food Market Concept

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/taste/297794761.html

Superior Plating Development Proposal

http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2015/03/here_are_the_latest_plans_for_gigantic_750-apartment_development_in_northeast_minneapolis.php

Road Closures

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2015/03/27/hennepin-aveand-other-downtown-minneapolis-street.html

http://www.kare11.com/story/news/traffic/2015/03/29/minneapolis-road-closures-begin-monday/70648312/

Riverfront Business Mill City Fineries

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2015/03/28/mill-city-fineries-are-outfitting-necks-internationally/

Al Milgrom and MSP International Film Festival

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/arts/2015/03/29/al-milgrom-introduces-film-and-history-generations

http://www.americantowns.com/mn/minneapolis/news/minneapolis-st-paul-international-film-festival-2015-22443362

Movie on I-35W Bridge Collapse

http://www.kare11.com/story/entertainment/2015/03/27/mn-made-film-on-bridge-collapse-opens-in-minneapolis/70557976/

Symphony Hydro

http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/297809531.html

Chicago and Washington/Thresher Square Redevelopment

http://kstp.com/news/stories/S3751156.shtml

30 Days of Biking Kick-Off Event

http://blogs.citypages.com/dressingroom/2015/03/come_rain_or_shine_30_days_of_biking_revels_in_two-wheeled_transit_video.php

River Hub

http://www.journalmpls.com/news-feed/mill-city-times-launches-riverfront-event-directory

Graco and Scherer Brothers

http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/298224341.html

Superior Plating Site Redevelopment

http://www.startribune.com/blogs/298196711.html

Environmental Initiative Awards

http://www.startribune.com/local/yourvoices/298205341.html

Betty Danger’s Country Club

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/video/11312974-minneapolis-restaurant-offering-unique-way-to-eat-outside/

Andy Sturdevant Walks the North Side Above the Falls

http://www.minnpost.com/stroll/2015/04/northsides-industrial-isthmus-motley-factories-wholesalers-and-port-minneapolis?utm_source=MinnPost+e-mail+newsletters&utm_campaign=6c6a68333a-4_1_2015_Daily_Newsletter4_1_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3631302e9c-6c6a68333a-123345102

Attachments areaPreview YouTube video Mill District Development Projects Flyby

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.

We're a Week Away from the 34th Annual MSPIFF!

More info

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area Announces Array of Events to Celebrate National Park Service Centennial and National Park Week

Via a March 31 News Release from the Mississippi National River & Recreation Area:

Mississippi National River & Recreation Area Joins Find Your Park Movement

National Park Service Kicks off Centennial Campaign, National Park Week

SAINT PAUL, MN – Writer Wallace Stegner called the National Park Service America’s best idea, and in 2016 that idea is turning 100. The Mississippi National River & Recreation Area – the greater Twin Cities own national park – is joining parks, programs and partners across the country in launching a campaign to celebrate the National Park Service’s Centennial and setting the stage for the agency’s second century.

Spearheaded by the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation, the centerpiece of the Centennial celebration is a public awareness and education campaign titled “Find Your Park.” With more than 400 national parks throughout the United States, including five in Minnesota, the campaign encourages everyone to explore, learn, discover, play and be inspired in all of our national parks (FindYourPark.com). Beyond vast landscapes, the campaign highlights historical, urban, and cultural parks, as well as the National Park Service programs that protect, preserve and share nature, culture, and history in communities nationwide.

The Mississippi National River & Recreation Area and its nonprofit partner the Mississippi River Fund will lead the Centennial campaign effort locally. Activities for all ages begin in 2015 and will continue throughout the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary year in 2016, including special events and opportunities for recreation, education, resource protection and enhancement, and volunteering.

“The Centennial and Find Your Park campaign represent a tremendous opportunity for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area,” said John Anfinson, the park’s superintendent. “They will help us introduce this national park and all it has to offer those who don’t know us.”

“Find Your Park” is the theme for this year’s National Park Week, April 18 – 26. A schedule of local activities is available at nps.gov/miss or missfund.org. Here is a sample:

- Find Coldwater Spring. Walk the trials to Coldwater Spring and Reservoir, count how many migratory birds species you can see, or get your picture taken by a National Park entry monument, as individuals and families have done for generations. Address: 5601 Minnehaha Park Drive South, Minneapolis. Just south of Minnehaha Falls.

- Spring Flower Hunt (April 18, 9:00 a.m.). Join representatives from the Minnesota Native Plant Society and National Park Service at Coldwater Spring to discover spring ephemerals and other flowers at Coldwater Spring.

- Ranger on Call (anytime). A newly launched program in partnership with Nice Ride and the Mississippi River Fund. Whether you walk, ride your bike, or rent a Nice Ride, enjoy this audio tour that leads you along the pathways near the mighty Mississippi. Check out rangeroncall.com.

- Ranger River Talks (April 18, 19, 25, 26). Mississippi River Visitor Center at the Science Museum of Minnesota.

- Storytime with a Ranger (April 21, 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.) Mississippi River Visitor Center at the Science Museum.

- National Junior Ranger Day (April 25, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.). Make your own fishing lure, talk with “Jacques le Voyageur” about paddling the Mississippi before Minnesota became a state, learn how to properly fit a personal floatation device, or try dressing up like a Park Ranger, and earn your own Mississippi Junior Ranger badge. Mississippi River Visitor Center at the Science Museum.

- Earth Day in the City: Minneapolis River Gorge Cleanup (April 25, 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., two locations). Hosted by Friends of the Mississippi River. See fmr.org/participate/events.

For more information on the local Centennial celebration and National Park Week and to get involved, visit nps.gov/miss or missriverfund.org.

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 407 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more

About the Mississippi National River & Recreation Area. The National Park’s 72-mile boundary stretches along the Mississippi River from Dayton and Ramsey, through Minneapolis and Saint Paul, to just south of Hastings. It includes a range resources, from historic sites like Fort Snelling and unique landmarks like St. Anthony Falls, to public parks, navigation structures and natural areas. While working to protect the river’s ecosystems and water quality, the park offers an array of educational activities. These include ranger-led canoe, biking and hiking programs and the school programs “Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures” and “Big River Journey.” Find us at nps.gov/miss.

About the Mississippi River Fund. The mission of the Mississippi River Fund (MRF) is to strengthen the connection between people and the Mississippi River and to build support for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. Discover MRF at Missriverfund.org.

Long List of Neighborhood Restaurants are Participating in the April 30 Dining Out for Life®

Founded in 1985, The Aliveness Project is a local nonprofit organization and community center providing on-site meals, food shelf options, integrative therapies, and vital services for individuals living with HIV/AIDS throughout Minnesota. 75% of their members live in poverty and depend on The Aliveness Project for daily meals.

This year, 200 Participating Restaurants in the Twin Cities, Duluth, Lanesboro, and Mankato have agreed to donate a portion of their proceeds to The Aliveness Project.

Last year's Dining Out for Life raised over $257,000 in donations from generous restaurants, sponsors, and 37,000 individual diners. This April 30, the goal is $275,000 and 40,000 diners. 

In our riverfront neighborhoods, the following restaurants are participating:

Mattie's on Main, J.D. Hoyt's, Sawahtee Thai Restaurant, Wilde Roast Cafe, Zen Box Izakaya, Day Block Brewing Company, HauteDish, The Smack Shack, Black Sheep Pizza, The Butcher Block Restaurant, Ginger Hop Restaurant, Kramarczuk Sausage Co., North East Social, Red Stag Supperclub, Republic Seven Corners and Sapor Cafe/Bar.

In the News - March 30, 2015

Riverfront neighborhoods in the news last week:

HYDRO PROPOSAL AT ST. ANTHONY FALLS LOCK TRIES AGAIN

http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/297809531.html

HERE ARE THE LATEST PLANS FOR GIGANTIC 750-APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT IN NE MINNEAPOLIS

http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2015/03/here_are_the_latest_plans_for_gigantic_750-apartment_development_in_northeast_minneapolis.php

NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS BECOME OBSTACLE TO NYE'S REDEVELOPMENT

http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/297716331.html

MINNEAPOLIS DEVELOPMENT: WE MUST EMBRACE CHANGE LIKE THE NYE'S SITE PROPOSAL

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/297851841.html

DOWNTOWN EAST BETTING ON STADIUM MOMENTUM

http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/297143131.html

NO DOCS NEEDED: U TO OPEN NURSE-LED CLINIC NEAR NEW VIKINGS STADIUM

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2015/03/24/university-minnesota-primary-care-minneapolis.html

U OF M NURSE PRACTITIONER CLINIC AIMS TO HELP FILL DOCTOR VOID

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/297468881.html

‘A’ MILL WILL SOON BE HOME TO ARTIST COMMUNITY

http://www.journalmpls.com/news-feed/%E2%80%98a%E2%80%99-mill-will-soon-be-home-to-artist-community

STREETSCAPES: NICOLLET MALL MAKEOVER MUST HONOR STREET'S PAST AND PRESENT

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/297812581.html

DREAMING OF A FOOD MARKETPLACE IN DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/taste/297794761.html

A New Resource for River Lovers

Today we launched River Hub, the most complete (we believe) listing of events related to the Minneapolis Riverfront on the web.  Our goal with River Hub is to serve the large community of people passionate about our riverfront by helping you stay up-to-date on events impacting the river, as well as Event Planners by helping to avoid scheduling conflicts with other river related events to the extent possible.

River Hub is a very simple site - just an activities list and a page for readers to submit events.  That's it.  There are plenty of great sources for general Riverfront news, but we wanted to make RH as easy to use as possible, so we decided to focus on just one thing.

Back in 2010 we launched Mill City Times as a simple web directory of local businesses, mainly because as new residents of the Riverfront we needed a resource for our own use (none existed).  It quickly took on a life of its own and has been growing ever since.  As we've become more engaged with Riverfront planning and advocacy, we spend an inordinate amount of time just trying to stay in the loop.  We check dozens of websites weekly just to stay on top of things.   We figured we might as well make use of that effort, just as we do with Mill City Times.

So, out of passion and a little bit of frustration, River Hub was born:

http://www.riverhub.org/

Traffic Alert - 5th Street Downtown Closure - Update

Via a March 27 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:

Four blocks of 5th Street close to traffic next week

Crews will be making changes that will improve how people get around downtown, whether they’re driving, walking or biking

On Monday, a section of 5^th Street South by the new stadium will close, and crews will begin modifying 6^th Street so it can handle that displaced traffic. In the meantime, drivers will need to follow posted detours.

The affected four-block section of 5^th Street South between Park Ave and 11^th Avenue is one-way westbound. It runs tandem to 6^th Street, which is now one-way eastbound. Along with closing 5^th Street to traffic, crews will add one westbound lane to 6^th Street. The new westbound lane of 6^th Street is expected to open by the end of the construction season, handling the traffic that used to use 5^th Street.

This work is being performed by the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, which is coordinating it with the City. After 5^th Street closes to traffic, crews will remove the roadway and make the area part of the stadium construction site. When the stadium project is completed, the area that was once 5^th Street will include off-street bike paths. The skewed intersections along 5th Street and the concrete and chain-link barrier presently separating 5^th Street and 6^th Street will be removed, making it easier for people on foot to get around.

During this construction, the City plans to add two new traffic signals on 6^th Street at 9^th Avenue and 10^th Avenue. These signals will include audible pedestrian signals, countdown pedestrian crosswalk timers and other features. Some existing signals will be similarly upgraded.

Currently, 5^th Street handles traffic exiting from westbound Interstate 94. A joint project by the City and the Minnesota Department of Transportation will move the exit ramp from 5^th Street to 7^th’Street. Since 7^th Street crosses the entire length of downtown, traffic exiting here will have better access to downtown Minneapolis events, stores, restaurants, businesses and other destinations. Construction of the new 7^th Street exit ramp will begin this summer, with the switch from 5^th Street exit to a 7^th Street exit taking place in summer 2016.

Click here for more information on these and other street construction projects.

Click here for real-time information for lane closures and construction in downtown Minneapolis.

Traffic Alert - Hennepin Ave/First Street Downtown

Via a March 27 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:

Portions of Hennepin Avenue and First Street downtown close for utility work Monday

Closures will last for up to two weeks

Southbound Hennepin Avenue just south of the bridge over the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis will close to traffic on Monday, along with a block of Second Avenue North, so crews can upgrade utilities beneath the roadway.

CenterPoint Energy is in the process of replacing a natural gas distribution pipeline in downtown Minneapolis.

Starting Monday, March 30, the following streets will be closed:

• Southbound Hennepin Avenue will be closed at First Street for approximately one week. Traffic on southbound Hennepin Avenue will be detoured west onto First Street, then south onto First Avenue and then east on Washington Avenue. First Street will remain open to traffic during this construction.
• Second Avenue North will be closed from Second Street North to First Street North for two weeks.

The CenterPoint Energy project is expected to last much of the construction season and will involve more street closures and lane restrictions. For more information, go to CenterPoint Energy's construction zone website. 

Click here for updated information on street closures and lane restrictions throughout Minneapolis.

Click here for real-time information for lane closures and construction in downtown Minneapolis.

Bohemian Flats Exhibit Opens April 30 with Free Program at Mill City Museum

"Remembering the Bohemian Flats: One Place, Many Voices" explores the many perspectives on the people and the conditions of this early immigrant neighborhood adjacent to the Mississippi River.

Through photographs, newspaper clippings, maps and surveys, visitors can "journey" down the 79 steps from the bluffs to the flats, and see how a community in the middle of the city could simultaneously be at the margins of the river, of society, and of historical memory.

Exhibit opening, April 30, 6-8 p.m., at the Mill City Museum.

The exhibit will open with a program by State Archaeologist Dr. Scott Anfinson who will discuss urban archaeology projects along West River Parkway including Bohemian Flats, the Hennepin Avenue Bridge and the Federal Reserve Bank. University of Minnesota students Rachel Hines and Stefanie Kowalczyk will be on hand to discuss how they turned student research into an exhibit. Complimentary East European food from Kramarczuk’s and a cash bar by D’Amico Catering will be available.

"Remembering the Bohemian Flats: One Place, Many Voices" began as a senior thesis by University of Minnesota undergraduate Rachel Hines who earned the Elden Johnson Prize for the best senior thesis in archaeology. Three of Ms. Hines’s project advisors brought the project idea to a University collaborative sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Study and the Minnesota Historical Society. Undergraduate and graduate students delved into the local archives, and Rachel Hines and Stefanie Kowalczyk turned this wealth of research into an exhibit. A website featuring a blog and the student research papers will be available at http://riverlife.umn.edu/engagement/boflats_mcm_exh/.

"Remembering the Bohemian Flats: One Place, Many Voices" is located in the museum’s central Mill Commons, and is free and open to the public during regular museum hours. It is on view April 30-Nov. 1, 2015.

The exhibit is funded in part by the Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on Nov. 4, 2008.

MPRB Survey Re: West River Road Slope Failure/Mudslide

Via a March 26 Minneapolis Park and Rec Board e-newsletter:

Please take a survey regarding the design of the permanent repairs of the slope failure/mudslide along West River Parkway that occurred on June 19, 2014.  The survey can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XW38ZS9. 

The project will be bid in mid-April and repairs are scheduled to begin in mid-June.  Construction is expected to take 3 - 4 months.  West River Parkway will re-open when repairs are complete. 

Deborah Bartels, Registered Landscape Architect
Project Manager – Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
2117 West River Road
Minneapolis MN 55411 -2227
dbartels@minneapolisparks.org
612-230-6438 direct

Minneapolis Milliner Celina Kane of Hat Make Featured in Minnesota Monthly

Thanks to Celina Kane of Hat Make, Minneapolis women now have a new option for making a fashion statement.  Celina is the daughter of Brenda Langton and Tim Kane, owners of Spoonriver, where she recently debuted her new line of hats.  Learn all about it in this Minnesota Monthly article.

In addition to the website, you can follow Hat Make on Facebook.

The Cynthia Froid Group Invites You to Two Private Screenings at the MSP International Film Festival

Volunteers Needed to Serve on Community Advisory Committees

Via a March 24 Minneapolis Park and Rec Board e-newsletter:

Applications are now being accepted for open positions on multiple community advisory committees.

Those interested in volunteering can find more information and an application for each advisory committee below. Individuals should submit the application by the due date in order to be considered. Applications are also available by calling Customer Service at 612-230-6400.

Green Line Extension (Southwest LRT) Community Advisory Committees

This year the Southwest LRT Project Office is working with project partners, consultants, public artists and the community on Southwest LRTstation design, public art and landscaping plans. This work includes integrating public art into each station design and developing landscape designs for the Kenilworth Corridor between West Lake Station and Penn Station. The MPRB is to appoint community representatives to two committees:

Southwest LRT Station Art Committee
•Committee Charter [PDF] and Application [PDF] - Due April 3, 2015

Southwest LRT Kenilworth Station Art and Landscape Committee (KSALC)
•Committee Charter [PDF] and Application [PDF] - Due April 3, 2015

Appointment notifications will be made shortly after April 3.

Blue Line Extension (BLRT) Community Advisory Committee

The METRO Blue Line Extension (BLRT) Community Advisory Committee is to provide guidance to the BLRT Corridor Management Committee on community issues during the engineering and environmental phases of Southwest LRT project development. In addition, the committee will advise the Hennepin County Community Works Steering Committee for elements regarding station area planning, other infrastructure investments and elements that may be implemented post revenue service. The MPRB is to appoint one community representative to this committee:

BLRT Community Advisory Committee
•Committee Charter [PDF] and Application [PDF] - Due April 15, 2015

Appointment notifications will be made shortly after April 15.

MPRB Urban Agriculture Activity Plan, Project Implementation Team

The urban agriculture activity plan was developed through an extensive community engagement process and contains recommendations related to policy, facility, program, and service improvements to better support urban agriculture within the parks. The work of this team is to guide the plan’s implementation for many years ahead.

The MPRB is to appoint three Minneapolis residents to this team:
•Team Charter [PDF] and Application [PDF] - Due April 20, 2015

Appointment notifications will be made shortly after April 20. 

Contact:

Ginger Cannon, Planning Division
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
Office: 612-230-6413
gcannon@minneapolisparks.org

News Release from University of Minnesota Health

New nurse-led clinic in Minneapolis poised for downtown revival

Recent legislation helps University of Minnesota Health launch its first clinic with nurses at the helm
 
MINNEAPOLIS – March 23, 2015 – In the heart of Minneapolis’ rapidly evolving Downtown East neighborhood, a new clinic led by nurses opens April 6 to treat patients and teach the next generation of care providers.

With help from recent legislation that allows the most highly educated clinical nurses to practice independently from physicians, this new primary care clinic operated by the University of Minnesota School of Nursing is modernizing health care infrastructure for the state’s fastest growing city.
 
“This is an all-hands-on-deck moment in health care. We are seeing growing numbers of nurses leading, delivering and coordinating care. They’re on the frontlines treating chronic conditions, diagnosing common problems and educating patients,” said Brooks Jackson, dean of the University of Minnesota Medical School. “Our University of Minnesota Health Nurse Practitioners Clinic is the latest example of how we’re evolving to this new care model.”

The legislation, which passed with an overwhelming majority, aims to reduce health care costs and alleviate a growing shortage of primary care providers by allowing nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists and nurse anesthetists to practice more autonomously.

Nurse-led clinics could significantly improve people’s access to qualified care providers. In urban centers, these care providers can improve patient flow across the health care system. That’s because nurse practitioners and other highly trained nurses are able to accommodate common health needs, like diabetes, women’s care and pediatric milestones, making room for more involved consultations at area doctors’ offices.

In addition to nurse practitioners, the clinic will be a training ground for an inter-professional team including clinical pharmacists, undergraduate nursing students and other primary care providers. When a patient presents complex symptoms, the clinic’s nurses are able to refer that person to leading specialists within the University of Minnesota.

“When we look at the new stadium, the apartments and condominiums, and the employers moving into the Downtown East area, we see an opportunity to serve a vibrant, diverse and growing community,” said Connie White Delaney, dean of University of Minnesota School of Nursing. “This clinic – and the legislation that helped make it a reality – is paving the way for a healthier Minnesota.”

The clinic is located at 814 S. 3rd St., Minneapolis, MN, 55415. For appointments starting April 6, call 612-888-9792 or visit www.umnhealth.org/np.

About University of Minnesota Health

University Of Minnesota Health Represents collaboration between University of Minnesota Physicians and University of Minnesota Medical Center. Working together, we provide exceptional care in a wide range of specialties at our hospitals, clinics and in community‐based facilities throughout the region. Visit: www.UMNHealth.org

About University of Minnesota School of Nursing

The University of Minnesota School of Nursing offers three graduate programs and one undergraduate program serving a total of 950 students. Its Doctor of Nursing Practice program is the third largest in the nation, preparing nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, public health nurses and other specialists. The school is a leader in nursing research and discovery.  

To make an appointment (after April 6), call 612-888-9792

Learn more at:  umnhealth.org/np

University of Minnesota Health Nurse Practitioners Clinic Facts
• First nurse-led clinic in the University of Minnesota Health system
• First clinic opened by the University of Minnesota School of Nursing
• One of five nurse-led clinics in the region
• 2,600 square feet
• Onsite lab
• Five clinic exam rooms
• Initially staffed by two nurse practitioners, a clinical pharmacist, three staff
• 300 yards from the entrance to the new Vikings Stadium
• One block north of the Downtown East station served by the blue and green lines
• Opened at the invitation of RS EDEN, a regional provider of affordable housing and other social services, which runs a 100-unit facility in Downtown East

22 Reasons You Should Never Visit Minneapolis

Minneapolis used to be a regular, old city full of Scandinavians, Germans and Polish folks who enjoyed a quiet glass of 3.2 beer with their suppers of unflinchingly white, starchy foods. You could live a calm life with little excitement. Now all that's gone to hell: I wouldn't go there if I were you.

(Warning: Extreme sarcasm in this article)

http://www.newscastic.com/news/22-reasons-you-should-never-visit-minneapolis-2602548/

Get Set for a Permanent Detour - 5th Street Ramp to Close

The plan for the stadium site is to close 5th street and make 6th street a wider, two way street.

5th Street (and the ramp from I94) near the new Vikings Stadium will close beginning Monday, March 30, 2015. Notication signs are posted at 5th and 11th streets to alert commuters. The detour route is 11th Avenue to 7th Street to Park Avenue (see attached map), until 6th Street has been constructed into a two way road later this year. Be prepared to make alternate travel plans.  Scroll the document below for map of the affected area:

Tuesday, March 24 / Loring Park Annual Meeting

Citizens for a Loring Park Community is holding its Annual Meeting Tuesday night at the Women's Club of Minneapolis.  Download flyer for details:

This Week at City Hall - Mill City Quarter

Community Development and Regulatory Services Committee Agenda

Standing Committee of the City Council, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Regular Meeting

March 24, 2015 – 1:30 p.m.

Room 317, City Hall

Members:   Council Members Lisa Goodman (Chair), Jacob Frey, Kevin Reich, Abdi Warsame, Alondra Cano and John Quincy (Quorum 4)

Council Committee Coordinator: Irene Kasper 612-673-2219

Presentation

1.   Presenting resolution honoring Erik Hansen for 12 years of service to the City of Minneapolis.

Staff Reports: Erik Hansen RESL

Public Hearings

Department of Community Planning & Economic Development (CPED)

2.   Land Sale (2933 5th Ave S and 2937 5th Ave S):

Considering a resolution authorizing sale of properties to Cedar and Riverside Company for $36,000 each, subject to conditions: a) land sale closing must occur on or before 90 days from the date of City Council approval; b) payment of holding costs of $300.00 per month if the land sale closing does not occur on or before the closing deadline. The sale conditions may be waived or amended with approval of the CPED Director. 

Staff Reports: 2933 5th Ave RCA; 2933 5th ATTACH

3.   Land Sale (2600 Irving Ave N):

Considering a resolution authorizing sale of property 600 Irving Ave N to Andre Duke for $6,000, subject to conditions: a) land sale closing must occur on or before 90 days from the date the City receives title; and b) payment of holding costs of $300.00 per month if the land sale closing does not occur on or before the closing deadline. The sale conditions may be waived or amended with approval of the CPED Director. 

Staff Reports: 2600 Irving Ave N RCA; 2600 Irving Ave N ATTACH1; 2600 Irving Ave N ATTACH2

4.   Corcoran Triangle, LP (3120 24th Ave S):

Considering a resolution giving preliminary approval to the issuance of up to $13,000,000 in Tax-Exempt Multifamily Housing Revenue Entitlement Bonds to assist in the acquisition land and the construction of a 135-unit multifamily rental housing development and of facilities functionally related.

Staff Reports: Corcoran Triangle RCA; Corcoran Triangle ATTACH1; Corcoran Triangle ATTACH2

5.   Ecumen Mill City Quarter, LLC – Abiitan (428 2nd St S):

Considering a resolution granting preliminary and final approval to the issuance of up to $32,000,000 in Tax Exempt Senior Housing and Healthcare Revenue Bonds to assist in the acquisition, construction, and equipping of a 151-unit multifamily rental apartment development, and facilities functionally related and subordinate thereto, comprised of approximately 48 memory-care units and approximately 103 apartment homes with home-care services that will be provided to residents as a separate charge on an as-needed basis. 

Staff Reports: Ecumen Mill City Quarter Bonds RCA; Ecumen Mill City Quarter Bonds ATTACH

6.   Mill City Quarter (300 2nd St S):

Considering a resolution granting preliminary and final approval to the issuance of up to $22,000,000 in Tax Exempt Multifamily Housing Revenue Entitlement Bonds to assist in the acquisition, construction, and equipping of a 150-unit multifamily rental apartment development.

Staff Reports: Mill City Quarter RCA; Mill City Quarter ATTACH

7.   Land Sale (Mill City Quarter and Abiitan):

a)   Considering resolution authorizing sale of 300 2nd St S and 428 2nd St S to Eagle Iron Partners, LLC or Assigned Developers (322 Second Street Apartments, LLP and Ecumen Mill City Quarter, LLC) for a collective price of $3,161,000;

b)   Considering resolution authorizing a waiver of the Park Land Dedication requirement contingent on execution and filing of a Parkland Development and Easement Agreement as described herein between the City, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, 322 Second Street Apartments, LLP, Ecumen Mill City Quarter, LLC and Mill Place, Inc.;

c)   Approving a $350,000.00 loan in accordance with term sheet;

d)   Authorizing a Redevelopment Contract(s) and execute any other necessary documents consistent with the term sheet;

e)   Authorizing staff to execute a Parkland Development and Easement Agreement;

f)    If requested by the development entities, terminate the Parking Lease between Canal Street Limited Partnership and the City upon closing; and

g)   Authorizing execution of one or more agreements with Ecumen Mill City Quarter, LLC and Eagle Iron Partners directing a portion of the brownfield grant funds awarded to Eagle Iron Partners to be provided to the Ecumen Mill City Quarter, LLC project instead.

Staff Reports: Mill City Land Sale RCA; Mill City Land Sale ATTACH1; Mill City Land Sale ATTACH2; Mill City Land Sale ATTACH3; Mill City Land Sale ATTACH4; Mill City Land Sale ATTACH5; Mill City Land Sale DFC MEMO

CPED/Licenses & Consumer Services

8.   Ambiente Gallerie (505 1st Ave NE):

Considering application for a Rental Hall license (New Business).

Staff Report:  Ambiente Gallerie RPT

9.   La Ceiba Bistro (3500 Bloomington Ave S):

Considering application for an On Sale Wine with Strong Beer license (New Business).

Staff Report:  La Ceiba Bistro RPT

10. Sal’s on Fifth (10 N 5th St):

Requesting an Extended Hours license with Operating Conditions (New License).

Staff Report:  Sal’s on Fifth RPT

11. The Bad Waitress (2 E 26th St):

Requesting an On Sale Wine with Strong Beer license (License Upgrade).

Staff Report:  The Bad Waitress RPT

Consent

CPED/License & Consumer Services

12. License Applications:

Granting licenses recommended for approval (see separate Licenses Agenda-not available in electronic format). 

New liquor, wine & beer establishment owners, licenses, permanent expansions, upgrades and added conditions to existing licenses detailed as follows: Doubletree Suites by Hilton Hotel Minneapolis, 1101 LaSalle Ave (New Proprietor); Prairie Dogs, 610 W Lake St (New Proprietor); Spearmint Rhino Gentlemen’s Club, 725 Hennepin Ave (Permanent Expansion); Westin Minneapolis, 88 S 6th St (New Proprietor).

Staff Reports:  License RCA, Doubletree Suites RPT;  Prairie Dogs RPT; Spearmint Rhino Gentlemen’s Club RPT;  Westin Minneapolis RPT

CPED

13. Housing Replacement District III – Removal and Subsequent Reinstatement of 3712 28th Ave S):

Approving resolution removing 3712 28th Ave S from Housing Replacement District III and placing it back in the district once a new Property Identification Number has been assigned. 

Staff Reports:  HRD III RCA

14. Lifetrack Resources Master Contract:

Authorizing increase in the maximum amount of eligible employment and training services expenditures for Master Contract C-28857 with Lifetrack Resources by $250,000, for a new maximum amount of $500,000.  

Staff Reports:   Lifetrack Resources RCA

15. Conurbation LLC Contract Extension:

Authorizing execution of an amendment for $50,000 to an existing contract for continued project management services (Refer to W&M).

Staff Reports:   Conurbation RCA

16. Nicollet Hotel Block Development Rights Designation (30 S 3rd St):

Awarding exclusive negotiating rights to United Properties as the developer of the City-owned property (Nicollet Hotel block) for a period of 12 months and authorizing a redevelopment contract terms and, upon successful negotiation, return for further City Council review and approvals. 

Staff Reports:    Nicollet Hotel Block Dev Rts RCA

17. Interim Parking Rental Agreement for 205 Park Ave:

Authorizing an interim parking rental agreement with Ecumen Mill City, LLC for parking vehicles on the City-owned 205 Park Ave lot during the construction of the Mill City Quarter senior housing development at 300 2nd St S consistent with the terms of report.

Staff Reports:  Interim Prkg Agrmt RCA; Interim Prkg Agrmt ATTACH

Department of Intergovernmental Relations/Grants & Special Projects

18. 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan:

Setting a public hearing for April 7, 2015, at 1:30 p.m., to receive public input on the 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan which is the City’s application to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the entitlement programs of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Home Investment Partnerships (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA). 

Staff Reports: Con Plan Set Pub Hrg RCA; Link to Con Plan Website

Regulatory Services

19. License Fees for Tiered Rental Licenses and Condos Ordinance:

Setting a public hearing for April 7, 2015, at 1:30 p.m., to received public input on an ordinance amending Title 12, Chapter 244 of the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances relating to Housing: Maintenance Code, amending provisions related to license fees for tiered rental licenses and condominiums (by B. Johnson).

Staff Reports:  None

Referred from City Council 3/20/2015

20. Director’s Fee Schedule Ordinance:

Referring to staff the subject matter of an ordinance amending Title 5, Chapter 91 of the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances relating to Building Code:  Permit Fees, amending the fee schedule and fee refundsrelating to the Director's Fee Schedule (by Quincy) (Also in W&M).

Staff Reports:  None

Discussion

Finance & Property Services Department

21. Target Center Renovation Project:

Authorizing execution of a Renovation Agreement, with terms modified from previously approved Term Sheet (Refer to W&M).

Staff Reports: Target Center Renovation RCA

Notice: A portion of this meeting may be closed to the public pursuant to MN Statutes Section 13D.03 or 13D.05