Symphony Hydro Permit for St. Anthony Falls Lock Denied

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has denied Symphony Hydro a permit to build a hydroelectric plan in the lock at St. Anthony Falls.  The denial comes after opposition from both the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of the Interior on grounds that it would interfere with a mandate to use the lock for emergency flood control.  From the FERC ruling:

The Director orders:

(A)   The preliminary permit application filed by Symphony Hydro LLC on June 26, 2014 for the Symphony Hydro Project No. 14627 is denied.

(B)   This order constitutes final agency action.  Any party may file a request for rehearing of this order within 30 days of the date of its issuance, as provided in section 313(a) of the Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. § 825l (2012), and section 385.713 of the Commission’s regulations, 18 C.F.R. § 385.713 (2014). 

Symphony does have the right to appeal the denial, so the application is not yet dead.

Download the FERC denial...

Minneapolis Police Department Looking for Speakers for Community Engagement Series with Officers

Via a February 8 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:

Minneapolis Police Department Looking for Speakers for Community Engagement Series with Officers

February 6, 2015 (MINNEAPOLIS) As part of the Minneapolis Police Department’s increased focus on continuous community engagement, we are seeking qualified speakers to share neighborhood perspectives and local history with our Officers on a Precinct level. The MPD Community Speaker Series will enable Officers and Supervisors to learn from the select speakers’ insight, giving them a broader view of the communities they serve.
 
So far we have identified several great speakers, but the MPD is also looking for more. Send your name, address and an explanation on how you would present community perspectives, local history and ways to build partnerships with the Officers in your local police precinct to:

Scott.seroka@minneapolismn.gov

Please use “Community Speaker Series” in the subject line of your email. We will go through each entry and respond to your individual inquiry.

Mpls Lantern Fest Free Workshops Kick Off Today

What:   Mpls Lantern Fest Free Workshops
When:   Beginning Saturday, February 7, 2015
Where:  Various Convenient Minneapolis Locations

The first ever Mpls Lantern Fest will Light the Winter Night on February 21 from 5 pm-8 pm in Downtown Minneapolis at Marquette Plaza. Come take part in the festivities complete with illuminated lanterns, music, food and more. Or participate and be a part of the experience: bring friends and family of all ages and abilities to a free lantern making workshop.

Upcoming workshops include:
· Saturday, February 7: Intermedia Arts Gallery (2822 Lyndale Ave. S) | 1 pm-3 pm
· Thursday, February 12: Juxtaposition Arts (1108 W Broadway Ave.) | 5 pm-8 pm
· Saturday, February 14: Intermedia Arts Gallery (2822 Lyndale Ave. S.) | 10 am-12 pm
· Saturday, February 14: Grace Center (1500 6th St. NE) | 2 pm-5 pm
· Sunday, February 15: Grace Center (1500 6th St. NE) | 12 pm-3 pm

Build your own paper lantern with the help and guidance of In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre teaching artists at one of several Lantern Fest workshops. Workshops are free and open to all ages and abilities. All supplies are provided. Additional workshops will be located at convenient locations throughout Minneapolis between Feb. 7 and Feb. 20.

In the Heart of the Beast teaching artists will be demonstrating how to construct the lanterns throughout each workshop, so stop by any time. Teaching artists Nicole Amaris, Eric Avery, Amy Ballestad, Bart Buch, Seth Eberle and Sandy Spieler will conduct the lantern workshops throughout Minneapolis.

Mpls Lantern Fest is produced by the Minneapolis Downtown Council in partnership with In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre.

For more information on the event and on future workshops, visit www.downtownmpls.com/mplslanternfest.

Ollu Dog Wash & Grooming Salon is Moving

Via a February 5 e-newsletter from Ollu Dog Wash:

It's almost packing time! As most of you already know, we're in the process of moving to a new location. Construction is underway, however like all construction projects, it's taking a wee bit longer than we had expected.  We are now planning on a March move-in date. The transition should be smooth, and we expect very little 'down time' in between. This month you can start to look for our sign at our Marshall St. NE location - it'll be put up sometime in the next few weeks! Stay tuned via our newsletters and Facebook page!

Even though we're moving we'll still be the same Ollu you know and love. The look and feel of our new location will be very similar, so don't worry about not recognizing us.  We'll even have the same trusty tubs for your dog to get sudsed up in! And of course, as always, we'll have knowledgeable staff with smiling faces to welcome you.

For directions to our new location, click here.

[Photos] Nicollet Hotel Block to be Developed by United Properties

The City of Minneapolis CPED has recommended United Properties, a real estate company owned by the Pohlad family, to build a multiuse tower and hotel complex on the Nicollet Hotel Block at the north end of Nicollet Mall.

It will be 36 stories, and include 300 residential units, as well as a Hilton Hotel.  It's expected to go before the City Council for approval by early April.

Attend the public unveiling Monday, February 16, more details here...

Attend the public unveiling Monday, February 16, more details here...

Heavy Hitter Joins Minneapolis Parks Foundation, Move Bodes Well for Riverfront Projects

Bruce Chamberlain to focus on Water Works and Hall’s Island/Scherer projects.

Until recently Chamberlain was Assistant Superintendent for Planning for the MPRB, and helped guide the St. Anthony Regional Park Master Plan creation.  Nice move MPF.

Minneapolis Parks Foundation announces the Minneapolis Parks Fellow program

Bruce Chamberlain takes the inaugural Minneapolis Parks Fellow position this month

The Minneapolis Parks Foundation announced yesterday at the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board Commissioners Meeting that Bruce Chamberlain is the inaugural Minneapolis Parks Fellow, a new program the Parks Foundation debuted this month to elevate its expertise in design and city-building and expand its commitment to ensure the long-term vitality of the nationally recognized Minneapolis park system. Chamberlain is the immediate past-Assistant Superintendent for Planning with the Minneapolis Park Board and an award-winning landscape architect and urban designer.

"The Minneapolis Parks Foundation is invested in forward-thinking park innovations that help Minneapolis remain second-to-none when it comes to urban parks. As Minneapolis evolves, it is paramount that we continue to reimagine how our parks are woven into the city's fabric and the lives of the people who live, work, and visit Minneapolis,” says Tom Evers, Executive Director of MPF. “Bruce brings to the Parks Foundation the perfect blend of skills that will allow us to bridge vision to implementation required by bold private/public initiatives. We're thrilled to have him help shape a new generation of parks in Minneapolis." 

The Parks Fellow is a contract position of the Parks Foundation that leverages expertise in park design, planning and implementation to address significant opportunities and issues facing the park system today and in the future. Parks Fellows will have expertise in critical skills, such as design, planning, recreation or operations. In addition, Minneapolis Parks Fellows will provide visionary and strategic guidance to selected projects involving public and private partners, especially the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, along with the City of Minneapolis and other public and private interests.  MPF funds the Minneapolis Parks Fellow program with generous support from institutional grants and individual gifts.

Chamberlain takes the position in February and will serve a two-year term. His work will focus on RiverFirst and two of its signature projects – the Water Works and Hall’s Island/Scherer sites, both on the Mississippi Riverfront. MPF identified RiverFirst because of its transformative potential for three communities – North, Northeast and Downtown Minneapolis – historically under-resourced by parks. In addition, the Parks Foundation’s history of private-sector leadership in RiverFirst, the projects’ advancing development and broad local and regional support make the time right to maintain its momentum. Please see MplsParksFoundation.org for more information about the Parks Fellow program and its 2015-16 focus.

“Cities around the world are leveraging park investments to accomplish transformative urban redevelopment efforts. The Minneapolis Parks Foundation has played a pivotal role in partnership with the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, the National Park Service, the Minnesota Historical Society and others to propel the city’s generational return to the Mississippi River as a celebrated urban amenity,” says Chamberlain. “ As the Minneapolis Parks Fellow, I am pleased to focus significant expertise in furthering RiverFirst and Water Works, key Minneapolis riverfront park initiatives that hold the power to transform, forever, the city’s embrace of its river corridor.”

Prior to his term at the Minneapolis Park Board, Chamberlain served as vice-president of Minneapolis-based Hoisington Koegler Group Inc., where he led a variety of complex city-building efforts, including St. Paul’s Great River Park Master Plan.  During his three-year term at the Minneapolis Park Board, Chamberlain formed an in-house design and planning team and established a broad tone of excellence, while transformed the organization’s approach to community engagement and bolstering community trust. He was also responsible for constructing more than $45 million in capital improvements, completing numerous planning initiatives and steering the bold riverfront vision of RiverFirst.

The Minneapolis Parks Foundation, which partners with the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, is an independent 501c3 dedicated to community investment in the nation’s top park system. The Parks Foundation’s signature projects are the RiverFirst Initiative and Water Works, two design-based adaptive reuse parks projects on the Minneapolis riverfront, and the Next Generation of Parks Lecture Series. Beginning in 2015, the Parks Foundation will also provide key philanthropic support for park enhancements in neighborhood parks, with a special attention to under-resourced communities; invest in pilot programs and activities that provide new opportunities for people to better connect to each other and our city through their parks; and champion the value of parks and the Minneapolis Parks System through community conversations around national and international park trends and engage volunteers in community-wide, high-impact volunteer activities.

1010 Washington Wine & Spirits

Via a February 4 1010 Washington Wine & Spirits e-newsletter:

Sorella Wine & Spirits is Now 1010 Washington Wine & Spirits

We welcome you to explore the exciting changes in store!
 
As the former home of The Liquor Depot and Sorella Wine & Spirits, 1010 Washington Avenue has been home to one of the Twin Cities' busiest wine and spirits retailers for over forty years. Under new ownership, 1010 Washington Wine & Spirits is reinventing the tradition of excellent retail to this landmark Downtown Minneapolis address.
 
Over the course of the past month, new ownership has quickly expanded our selection of boutique and nationally advertised wines. In the months to come, you will also see a compelling expansion to our hand-selected beer and spirits sections.
 
1010 Washington would like to earn your loyal business by offering you the market's most competitive pricing along side personalized service to help you find what you like.

We look forward to making your acquaintance at the store!

Sincerely,
Jack Goldenberg | Proprietor
Don Hanson | General Manager
Rob Bonelli | Fine Wine Buyer

Free indoor parking | Delivery | Beverage Event Planning | Special Requests

Free Valentine’s Eve Wedding Ceremonies by Hennepin Judges

Via a February 3 Hennepin County e-newsletter:

Fourteen Fourth Judicial District judges invite couples to register for free wedding ceremonies on Valentine’s Eve, over the noon hour.

“As a bench, we wanted to help celebrate the holiday in a unique way – and to help people easily remember their anniversaries in the future," said Honorable William Koch. "This was a fun event for us, and allowed us to give a little back to our military members and first responders, as well as general members of the public.”

For registration information, please visit the Fourth Judicial District website.

WHEN:

Friday, February 13, 2015
11:30 a.m. Pre-ceremony check-in
12:00 p.m. Program starts

Welcome – Honorable William Koch, Fourth Judicial District
Music performed by Fourth Judicial District judges
Weddings will occur approximately every 15 minutes.

WHERE:

Hennepin County Government Center
300 South Sixth Street
Skyway-level reflection pool

WHO:

Military, first responders and civilian couples will be married in Hennepin County by 14 judges. The event spotlights positive outreach to the citizens of Hennepin County about District Court, the Resident and Real Estate Services department's services, and the Government Center.

For more information visit district court's website at www.mncourts.gov/district/4/. 

In the News - February 2, 2015

CSM PLANS TO REMOVE DEPOT HOTEL'S WATER PARK FOR MORE ROOMS

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2015/01/22/depot-renaissance-hotel-waterpark-demolition-plans.html

COMMUTERS WILL LOSE 5TH STREET IN DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS TO VIKINGS STADIUM

http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/290150641.html

COMMUTE FROM I-94? HOPE YOU AREN'T ATTACHED TO FIFTH STREET

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/morning_roundup/2015/01/commute-from-i-94-hope-you-arent-attached-to-fifth.html

NEW BIKE LANES PLANNED FOR VIKINGS STADIUM

http://finance-commerce.com/2015/01/new-bike-lanes-planned-for-vikings-stadium/

SANCTUARY IS NOW CHEF CO-OWNED

http://mspmag.com/Blogs/Dara/January-2015/Patrick-Atanalian-Buys-A-Restaurant/

AWASH IN APARTMENTS, NORTH LOOP GETTING SOME NEW CONDOS

http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/290154081.html

THIS LOCK HELPED BUILD MINNEAPOLIS. NOW IT'S CLOSING.

http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/01/21/minneapolis-lock-and-dam

THIS IS HOW CHANGE BEGINS: FORUM ON CLOSURE OF ST. ANTHONY LOCK

http://riverlife.umn.edu/2015/01/this-is-how-change-begins-forum-on-closure-of-st-anthony-lock/

UPDATE: NEW DESIGNS FOR SUPERIOR PLATING SITE IN NORTHEAST MINNEAPOLIS GET A NOD FROM NEIGHBORHOOD TASK FORCE

http://www.startribune.com/blogs/289305311.html

WASHINGTON AVENUE PROJECT PAVES THE WAY FOR FUTURE ROADS

http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/290402101.html

FREY PRESENTS WARD 3’S GOALS FOR 2015

http://www.mndaily.com/news/metro-state/2015/02/01/frey-presents-ward-3%25E2%2580%2599s-goals-2015

MINNEAPOLIS SCULPTURE GARDEN AND COWLES CONSERVATORY'S NEW LOOK ADVANCES (IMAGES)

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2015/01/27/minneapolis-sculpture-garden-cowles-new-look.html

SCULPTURE GARDEN CONCEPT MIXES WILDNESS, FORMALITY

http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/289931251.html

Opinion - Defending Minneapolis Parks

By David C. Smith

For decades, public and private parties have claimed that they just need a little bit of Minneapolis parkland to achieve their goals. And now even Governor Dayton has joined the shrill chorus of those who think taking parkland is the most expedient solution to political challenges. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is justified in examining very skeptically all desires to take parkland for other purposes and in rejecting nearly all of them categorically.

Read the article here...

Crime Alert - Burglaries of Dwellings in the Mill District

2 burglaries of condos in occured within a few minutes of each other this weekend:

MPD ACTION ALERT - Case No. 15-036013

Please read "Footnotes" below *before replying* to this note.  Your first point(s) of contact for the referenced location:

Crime Prevention Specialists Ahmed Hassan: 612-673-5164 Ahmed.Hassan@MinneapolisMN.gov and Carla Nielson 612-333-9242 Carla.Nielson@MinneapolisMN.gov

=================================================

CASE SUMMARY:

Incident Location: 0001** Portland AV S

Date and Time:  1/31/2015 1:57:00 AM - 1/31/2015 2:05:00 AM

Primary Offenses:  Burglary Of Dwelling

Public Information:

Officers responded to a burglary of dwelling in progress.  Suspect was GOA, and victim had limited suspect description.  Nothing was taken.  Victim was given a blue card.

RECOMMENDATION:  CASE CONTINUED PENDING FURTHER INFORMATION OR LEADS. ...

Arrested Parties, if any (name - age / Address AptNo City, State Zip):

NOTE: Any persons arrested in this incident were not necessarily charged with the listed offenses. Use the link provided below for a more complete explanation of the format of these alerts if anything is unclear.

=================================================

NOTE: Asterisks (**) indicate that a street address has been masked, and the incident took place on the “100 block” ,e.g., 0041** Stevens AV S took place on the 4100 block of Stevens Av S. We do not include the full address of incident locations in order to preserve the privacy of victims.

********************

MPD ACTION ALERT - Case No. 15-036201

Please read "Footnotes" below *before replying* to this note.  Your first point(s) of contact for the referenced location:

Crime Prevention Specialists Ahmed Hassan: 612-673-5164 Ahmed.Hassan@MinneapolisMN.gov and Carla Nielson 612-333-9242 Carla.Nielson@MinneapolisMN.gov

=================================================

CASE SUMMARY:

Incident Location: 0007** 2 ST S

Date and Time:  1/31/2015 2:07:00 AM - 1/31/2015 2:31:00 AM

Primary Offenses:  Burglary Of Dwelling

Public Information:

A burglary of Occupied dwelling occurred at the above address. The unknown suspect entered the occupied dwelling, damaged the exit door lock and took the listed items.  The B of I responded to the scene. ...

Arrested Parties, if any (name - age / Address AptNo City, State Zip):

NOTE: Any persons arrested in this incident were not necessarily charged with the listed offenses. Use the link provided below for a more complete explanation of the format of these alerts if anything is unclear.

=================================================

NOTE: Asterisks (**) indicate that a street address has been masked, and the incident took place on the “100 block” ,e.g., 0041** Stevens AV S took place on the 4100 block of Stevens Av S. We do not include the full address of incident locations in order to preserve the privacy of victims.

Updates from the Minneapolis Parks Foundation

 

From a January 30 Minneapolis Parks Foundation e-newsletter:

R.T. Rybak, Liz Hawn join Board of Directors

On January 13, 2015, the Minneapolis Parks Foundation named Liz Hawn and R.T. Rybak to its 20-member Board of Directors. Hawn, a community leader and philanthropist, and Rybak, former Minneapolis Mayor and Executive Director of Generation Next, assumed their three-year Directorships at the Parks Foundation’s annual meeting. Read More >>
 

A new look at the West Bank

The St. Anthony Falls Heritage Board approved a fresh vision for the West Bank of St. Anthony Falls earlier this month. Called Changing Relationships to the Power of the Falls, the Interpretive Vision builds on a landmark 2009 vision for the St. Anthony Falls Heritage Zone, and follows a 2013 East Bank interpretive plan. Read More >>

Congratulations to Neighborhood Businesses Recognized by Hennepin County for Their Recycling Efforts

Via a January 29 Hennepin County News Release:

Hennepin County recognizes 40 businesses for their extraordinary leadership in recycling

Hennepin County is pleased to recognize its 2014 Environmental Partners for their leading efforts to recycle and divert organic waste from the trash through composting, sending food scraps to local farmers to feed animals, or by donating edible food. By creating and sustaining strong recycling programs, these 40 businesses help conserve natural resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the local economy.

The business sector generates more than half of the total waste in Hennepin County, and studies show that about one-third of that waste is food and food-soiled paper. Initiatives by businesses to increase recycling are critical to meeting the county’s recycling goals and will be required for most companies in the county starting in 2016.

“As a healthcare organization, our mission is to improve the health of our community,” said Wesli Waters, sustainability program manager for Fairview Health Services, a 2014 Environmental Partner. “By implementing sustainability initiatives such as recycling and composting, we are able to conserve resources, which improves the health of the environment, and ultimately the health of our communities. While these programs are important to not only our employees, patients and community, they also help Fairview conserve valuable financial resources.”

Businesses become eligible to be recognized as Environmental Partners by completing an application that details their recycling programs, which are then verified by Hennepin County’s Environment and Energy Department staff during site visits. Businesses that demonstrate that they’ve met the Environmental Partner standards receive recognition decals to post at a visible location at their business and are listed in the Environmental Partners Directory on Hennepin County’s website. In addition to the Environmental Partners program, the county offers grants up to $50,000, free labels and signage, and professional staff assistance to help businesses start or improve recycling programs.

Thank you and congratulations to all of Hennepin County’s 2014 Environmental Partners:
•APA Medical
•The Bakken Museum
•Barbette
•Barrio – Edina
•Bread & Pickle
•Brave New Workshop
•Bryant Lake Bowl
•Butter Bakery Café
•Caffetto Coffee House
•The Cookie Cart
•Common Roots Café  and Catering
•Cozé Flats
•Donaldson Company
•Dunn Brothers – Freight House
•Edina Cinema
•Edina Grill
•Fairview Southdale Hospital
•Gastrotruck
•Gigi’s Café
•Gumball Collective
•IDS Center
•International Dairy Queen
•Joseph Catering
•Kid Zone Child Care Center
•Lions Tap
•Mason’s
•MSP Airport
•Mill City Clinic
•Minnesota Twins
•Open Arms
•Pat’s Tap
•Red Stag Supper Club
•Salut Bar Americain – Edina
•Solhavn
•Solhem
•Soltva
•Tennant Co.
•University of Minnesota Medical Center - West Bank and East Bank
•Wedge Community Co-op

Learn more about the Environmental Partners Program at www.hennepin.us/environmentalpartners or by calling 612-348-9195.

Izzy's 2015 13 Days of Giving, February 1 - 13

For a second year, Izzy's Ice Cream is paying it forward with their "13 Days of Giving", February 1 - 13.  Each day a different organization is featured (3 days have 2 organizations) and $2 from every single scoop cone or cup sold that day is donated to the organization.  This year's organizations are:

Open Arms of Minnesota
Autism Society of Minnesota
People Serving People
Roots for the Home Team
Youth Link
Fresh Air KFAI
Cycles for Change
Cookie Cart
Dangerous Productions
Milkweed Editions
Restart, Inc.
Twin Cities Pet Rescue
Friends of the Mississippi River
St. Stephen's Human Services
NPH USA
Guthrie Theater Foundation

They are also hosting a Silent Auction/Movie Night on Thursday, February 12, from 7:00pm - 9:00pm at the Riverview Theater (3800 42nd Avenue South).  All proceeds from the silent auction and movie night will be distributed equally among the organizations.

Here's What's on the Menu at the Film Society of Minneapolis St.Paul

Boyhood Now playing thru February 5 | 2014 MSPIFF Official Selection | Oscar Nominee We're delighted to bring back the 2014 MSPIFF Official Selection and Oscar Nominee, Boyhood. Filmed over 12 years with the same cast, Richard Linklater's groundbreaking film tells the story of growing up as seen through the eyes of a child named Mason (a breakthrough performance by Ellar Coltrane), who literally grows up on screen before our eyes. Starring Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette, and newcomer Lorelei Linklater, Boyhood charts the rocky terrain of childhood like no other film  has before....read more Awake: The Life of Yogananda Now playing thru February 5 Extended Run | Minneapolis Theatrical Exclusive An unconventional documentary about the Hindu Swami who brought yoga and meditation to the West in the 1920s, and authored the spiritual classic "Autobiography of a Yogi," which has become a spiritual classic used by yoga lovers and philosophers everywhere, and bears the distinction of being the only book Steve Jobs kept on his iPad!...read more Roméo and Juliette February 1 at 1:00pm series: Opera on Screen Tony Award winning stage director Bartlett Sher makes his European opera debut with this production of Roméo et Juliette, one of the most famous and moving love stories in all of opera. Tenor superstar Rolando Villazón sings opposite young Georgian soprano Nino Machaizde, one of the newest darlings of the opera world.  ...read more The Jingle Dress February 6 - 12 2014 MSPIFF Official Selection | MN Made MN Theatrical Exclusive At its heart, The Jingle Dress is a contemporary story of a Native American family that moves from their rural home on the reservation in northern Minnesota to the faster paced urban environment of Minneapolis....read more WonderWomen: Rocks in My Pockets February 2 at 7:00pm | February 4 at 7:00pm series: WonderWomen On Screen Lativa's Oscar submission for Best Foreign Language Film!  Latvian-born artist and filmmaker Signe Baumane tells five fantastical tales based on the courageous women in her family and their battles with madness. With boundless imagination and a twisted sense of humor, she has created daring stories of art, romance, marriage, nature, business, and Eastern European upheaval-all in the fight for her own sanity....read more The Babadook Now playing thru February 5 Extended Run | MN Theatrical Exclusive | #StudentGiveaway When William Friedkin, director of The Exorcist, calls it the most terrifying film he's ever seen, one should take note. Directed by a former apprentice of Lars Von Trier, the film follows a single mother who struggles to control her son's fear of a monster he believes is coming to kill them both: the Babadook....read more Two Days, One Night February 3 at 7:00pm Oscar Nominee | Members-Only Free Screening This screening is full, but stay tuned for more Members-Only Free Screenings in the future! For the first time, the Dardenne Brothers have teamed with a major international star, Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard, and the result is another masterwork of humanism.  ...read more WonderWomen: The Works of Suzan Pitt February 9 at 7:00pm series: WonderWomen On Screen For three decades, Suzan Pitt has been an internationally renowned creator of beautiful, strange and fiercely original animation. Collected here in this program are four of Pitt's pioneering and unforgettable masterworks. ...read more

Should Gov. Dayton Punish Minneapolis Parks Over Southwest LRT? - Mill City Times Poll

Our Governor is proposing to slash the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board budget over its engineering studies of the Southwest LRT project (see statements from Dayton & MPRB below).  What do you think?

Vote here, it only takes 1 click!

Inaugural Mpls Lantern Fest To Bring Community Together and Illuminate Downtown On February 21

Via a January 27 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Downtown Council:

MINNEAPOLIS (January 27, 2015) — The Minneapolis Downtown Council and In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre announced today the inaugural Mpls Lantern Fest will take place Saturday, February 21 from 5-8 p.m. at Cancer Survivors Park in downtown Minneapolis.

The event will be a culmination of free workshops at various Minneapolis locations throughout February, at which participants of all ages and abilities will be able to create their own paper lanterns with the help and direction of In the Heart of the Beast teaching artists. Participants may build their own lantern at a workshop, then pick up their lantern on February 21 and take part in an illuminated movement beginning at 6 p.m.  Participants may take their lanterns home afterwards.

“We’re excited to introduce the Mpls Lantern Fest and start a new tradition here in Downtown Minneapolis,” said Leah Wong, vice president of events and marketing, Minneapolis Downtown Council. “Activities and events are a big part of creating a consistently compelling downtown experience, an initiative of our Downtown 2025 Plan. The Mpls Lantern Fest will be a great way to bring our downtown neighborhood and Minneapolis community together.”

Food, beverages and live entertainment will be on hand at Mpls Lantern Fest, which celebrates lighting the winter night. Lantern festivals date back to Chinese dynasties as early as 200 BC. They have since become gathering events in Europe and across the world, where children and adults alike build their own illuminated lanterns, and come together as a community.

The event is free and open to the public. Spectators and those who participated in workshops are encouraged to join us for free entertainment and festivities at Mpls Lantern Fest.

“At In the Heart of the Beast, our mission is to bring people together for the common good through the power of puppet and mask performances,” said Catherine Jordan, interim executive director, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre. “Mpls Lantern Fest not only brings people together, but it allows us to embrace the heart of winter while ushering in the warmth and illumination of spring. We’re thrilled to have this opportunity to shine light on our great downtown.”

Participate in a Workshop and be part of the experience:

• Lyn-Lake: Saturday, Feb. 7 (1-3 PM), Saturday, Feb. 14 (10 AM-12 PM) | Hosted by Intermedia Arts Gallery (2822 Lyndale Avenue S, Minneapolis, MN 55408)
• North: Tuesday, Feb. 12 (5-8 PM) | Hosted by Juxtaposition Arts (1108 Broadway Avenue W, Minneapolis, MN 55411)
• Northeast: Saturday, Feb. 14 (2-5 PM) and Sunday, Feb. 15 (12-3 PM) | Hosted by ArtShare (Grace Center, 1500 6th Street NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413)
• Powderhorn: Tuesday, Feb. 17, Thursday, Feb. 19 and Friday, Feb.20 (6-9 PM) | Hosted by In the Heart of the Beast (1500 Lake Street E, Minneapolis, MN 55407)
• Uptown: Wednesday, Feb. 18 (6-8 PM) | Hosted by First Universalist Church, Chalice Room (3400 Dupont Avenue S, Minneapolis, MN 55408)
• More to be announced

In the Heart of the Beast teaching artists Nicole Amaris, Eric Avery, Amy Ballestad, Bart Buch, Seth Eberle and Sandy Spieler will lead the workshops teaching participants how to build lanterns. All supplies will be provided. Participants are welcome to come and go during the allotted timeframe or stay as long as desired during the workshops in order to complete their projects. Artists on hand will do demonstrations and walk participants through the process of creating a lantern.

At Mpls Lantern Fest on Feb. 21, teaching artists will mobilize giant lantern puppets inspired by constellations —including a bear (rendering at right), rabbit, loon, fox and crow—that will provide artistic light and lead the movement. Participants will take their own lanterns and follow their teaching artist during the movement at Cancer Survivors Park.

For more information on the Mpls Lantern Fest and workshops, visit DowntownMpls.com/mplslanternfest.

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

About the 2025 Plan: 
 
The Downtown 2025 Plan strives to achieve 10 initiatives that will help leaders and citizens build on Downtown’s assets and guide Downtown Minneapolis’ development. These include doubling downtown’s residential population, transforming Nicollet Mall into a must-see destination, creating a compelling and walkable environment around the clock, leading the nation in transportation options, ending street homelessness, forging connections with the University of Minnesota and more. For more information on the 2025 Plan and its initiatives, visit 2025Plan.com, BeInBusinessDowntownMpls.com and MinneapolisIdeaeXchange.com. The 2025 Plan is a Minneapolis Downtown Council initiative established in 2010.

Charter High School May Open in Downtown East, To Be Named "Mill City High School"

According to a report from The Journal, the Mill City High School plans to enroll up to 200 9th- and 10th-grade students for the 2015­–2016 school year. The school will offer students a “global classical studies” theme.

Read the Journal story

More Coverage in the MSP Business Journal

Friday Morning - Mississippi River Forum: "Hold the Salt, Please: Chloride Pollution in our Waters"

Mississippi River Forum: "Hold the Salt, Please: Chloride Pollution in our Waters"

Friday, January 30, 8 – 9:30 am

McKnight Foundation, 710 Second Street South, Suite 400

Happy winter, Minnesota! We seem to love (hate?) our extreme weather here, and our public works crews make it possible even to bicycle through the nastiest of wintry conditions. But many Minnesotans don’t realize that road and sidewalk salt is polluting our waters. When snow and ice melt from roads, parking lots and sidewalks, the salt we apply to those surfaces goes with it, washing into our lakes, streams, wetlands and groundwater. It takes only one teaspoon of road salt to permanently pollute 5 gallons of water. Once in the water, there is no way to remove the chloride that comes from salt; at high concentrations, chloride can harm fish and plant life. In the heart of a cold Minnesota winter, come share a cup of coffee and pastry—and learn how road salt is impacting our water resources, what we can do about it and how the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is addressing the issue. Presenters Brooke Asleson and Rachel Olmanson are Watershed Project Managers with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Light breakfast provided. Free. RSVP to lark_weller@nps.gov. (Please be prepared to sign in at McKnight's front desk and get a visitor pass.)

Local Employment Opportunities

Zen Box - Host/Hostess

Oliive & Co. - Web Developer, Graphic Designer

Webster School - If you are interested in working at Webster, please join Ginger Kranz, Webster Principal, for a hiring information session. Learn more about the vision for the school, the opportunities, and the role of and expectations for staff.

Wednesday, January 28th, 4:00-5:15, at the Davis Center, 1250 W. Broadway, Conference RoomS1-433 (south tower, first floor).

OR

Thursday, January 29th, 4:15-5:30, at Ramsey Middle School, corner of 50th & Nicollet, (enter through the door off of the 50th street parking lot).