Off the Shelf: The Secret Reading Lives of Local Authors Revealed

Via a recent e-announcement from Friends of the Hennepin County Library

In his famous advice to writers, William Faulkner said, “Read, read, read...Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You'll absorb it.”

Writers are some of the most voracious readers among us, so it’s no wonder that they’re always getting asked, “What are you reading right now?” Well, if you’ve ever wanted to know what’s on - or, more importantly, off - their reading shelves, the wait is over.

Introducing: Off the Shelf, a series of written interviews where local authors answer your most pressing questions about their writing, their reading, and everything in between. Start by exploring interviews with beloved authors Peter Geye, Diane Wilson, Michael Kleber-Diggs, and Kim Heikkila today, and stay tuned for more interviews with your Minnesota favorites to come!

Read the interviews!

River Matters: 2021 Mississippi River Fellows

Article by Becky Fillinger

Deacon and Melina with a Ranger

The Mississippi River Fellowship was created to help build a park staff more representative of the communities it serves. We talked to the 2021 River Fellows, Melina Pakey-Rodriguez and Deacon Deboer, about what they’re learning on their 10-week paid fellowship and takeaways from the experience.

Melina Pakey-RodriguezQ:  Melina - you're a rising senior at Cornell University. Has the Fellowship opened your eyes to careers in environmental management and sustainability with the National Park Service or groups like the Mississippi Park Connection?

Melina:  I think oftentimes people studying conservation and the environment consider a job with the National Park Service to be the ultimate goal. I always loved visiting national parks but was not sure if a job in the National Park Service or its affiliated organizations was for me. While I am passionate about nature and conservation, I’m more focused on environmental justice and making nature inclusive and welcoming to all. I didn’t think there were opportunities to incorporate these interests into a National Park Service job. Since starting this fellowship, I have realized that working for a non-profit partner organization like Mississippi Park Connection (MPC) is a great way to work on projects related to the national parks that might be more community-focused. I think it’s definitely a benefit for the NPS to have non-governmental partner organizations like MPC that can create and support initiatives that the NPS itself cannot.

Deacon DeboerQ:  Deacon - You're in your last semester at the University of Minnesota and I read that you're interested in diversity inclusion, kinship and identity building through language and place. Has the Fellowship allowed you to share your passions with the staff of the National Park Service and the Mississippi Park Connection? 

Deacon:  The fellowship has gone above and beyond my expectations of freedom to express my areas of interest pertaining to the river and Unci Maka (Grandmother Earth). It has involved many supportive and constructive conversations with relatives and co-workers in relation to the future. Going forward, I find these communicative relationships vital to building reciprocal relationships with the land.

Q:  I think of your Fellowship as a Residency for a new physician – you rotate among all the different branches of the National Park Service. Do you have a favorite rotation?

Deacon:  One of my favorite positions within the Park Service and in partnership with Mississippi Park Connection has been the BioTech animal surveys that vary from Monarch Monitoring to bats, beavers and bees. All these critters help us out in our ecosystem tremendously and I am so thankful to be able to experience these animals through working closely with them. My favorite is seeing Monarchs on top of Itoptasapa thapezhuta (milkweed).

Melina:  That is a hard question to answer, but I’d have to say working with Wilderness Inquiry and canoeing with school kids has been the most fun and rewarding part of the Fellowship. Wilderness Inquiry is an organization that helps people of all ages and backgrounds explore the outdoors. About once a week I work with them during activity days, where a group of school kids will come for a day trip to a lake in the Twin Cities area to go canoeing and do other outdoor activities with Wilderness Inquiry staff, park rangers, and sometimes MPC staff like myself. Many of the kids have never been canoeing before, and being part of their discovery of the outdoors is always a blast.

Q:  Why was the Fellowship attractive to you? Why did you apply?

Melina:  I actually found this Fellowship through a friend who saw it posted online and thought of me. For the past few years, she had listened to me rave about the grand Mississippi River and my dream of paddling it from source to sea. Also knowing I was interested in working for a community-based non-profit, she forwarded the job posting to me. I think the appeal of this Fellowship to me was the fact that I would get experience working in many branches of the National Park Service and their non-profit partners.  Usually, fellowships are targeted towards a very specific type of career. As someone still figuring out exactly what I would like to do after college, I am grateful the River Fellowship has allowed me many different opportunities in community outreach and park management.

Deacon:  I applied to this Fellowship because I look to the river as a relative and should be treated as so. It is my home away from home here in Bde Ota (Minneapolis). The Cetan Wakpa and Mni Sota Wakpa in Pezihutazizi Kapi (Upper Sioux Community) is where I spent much of my childhood and those waters connect to me in Bde Ota (Minneapolis) and Imniza ska (St. Paul). The Fellowship is an opportunity for me to build relationalities along the Haha Wakpa (Mississippi River) and create safe spaces for relatives to use.

Q:  I realize you're in the midst of your Fellowship, but do you have any takeaways you would like to share with us?

Melina:  The biggest takeaway so far is my understanding that it really doesn’t matter what your interests are or what you studied in college. Many of my coworkers at MPC and NPS are interested in history, economics, geology, music, and so much more. There isn’t just one way to protect the environment or to bring people closer to nature, and so we need people with diverse interests in order to make the biggest impact. Some community members like to volunteer pulling weeds in a prairie, others like to do nature art, and still others like kayaking down a river. There are so many different ways of knowing and caring for nature!

Deacon:  As I am still amid my Fellowship for the summer, I am still finding language to be an afterthought in peoples’ minds pertaining to the spirituality of a place and the weight a name holds in describing these places. There is much work to do in regards to societal efforts going forward that is much needed. Many organizations that we are surrounded by are entirely colonial systemically and recognizing this fact, and recognizing the history of place, can aid in decolonization. I find it imperative for the National Park Service to amplify BIPOC voices in all conversations and continuously look to analyze language and place in historical contexts.

Q:  How can the NPS better serve and recruit future employees from diverse and underserved populations?

Melina: It's hard, isolating, and often discouraging work for BIPOC blazing new trails and trying to enter mostly white fields. That is certainly the case in the National Park Service, where rangers even in big cities such as Minneapolis are overwhelmingly white. I think part of the problem is that younger BIPOC simply do not think that working in the park service is a possibility for them. In terms of recruitment, I think it’s important to acknowledge that having a white national park ranger come to schools or wherever to try to recruit young BIPOC to the National Park Service is usually ineffective. It is not enough to preach the narrative of inclusion. The National Park Service should work to hire BIPOC and uplift BIPOC voices already in conservation so that maybe young environmentalists can see themselves represented. Of course, it’s a hard job to ensure there is representation in National Park Service websites and in outreach roles while not tokenizing and burdening BIPOC staff. Right now, I’d say I’m cautiously optimistic about the trajectory of the National Park Service and its growing emphasis on diversity.

Water Works Pavilion Opens Today, July 19

Indoor pavilion and Owamni restaurant will be open daily

The Water Works Pavilion and Owamni by The Sioux Chef restaurant open today, Monday, July 19! The two-story park pavilion and visitor center is located at 425 West River Parkway. Building hours are 4-9 pm today through Wednesday, July 21, then 11 am-9 pm daily July 22 through Aug. 31.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) and Minneapolis Parks Foundation partnered on the 7,800 square foot. mill-remnant embedded pavilion as part of the surrounding Water Works site, which opened to the public on May 20, 2021. Water Works was made possible through generous Twin Cities individual and institutional supporters to the Parks Foundation’s $18.1 million RiverFirst Capital Campaign.

"The Water Works Pavilion drastically improves an area of our park system visited by millions of people each year by offering a range of accessible resources while honoring Indigenous history at this sacred riverfront site,” says Al Bangoura, Superintendent of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. “I’m excited for people to experience the building and enjoy everything The Sioux Chef has to offer. It’s a great place to rest, refresh, hydrate, celebrate, eat and learn.”

The first floor of the new park building features a welcome desk staffed by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB), accessible bathrooms, a water fountain and water bottle filling station, and the Lenzmeier Family Foundation Classroom,  which will be available to rent for events or meetings in the future.

A view of Owamni during a soft open event July 15.

The second floor of the building hosts Owamni, a new all-season restaurant from The Sioux Chef serving dine-in and take-out Indigenous cuisine. Online reservations are available at www.owamni.com. The Sioux Chef also plans to create events and educational opportunities to elevate Indigenous voices as part of its larger mission to promote Native American cultures, honor plants and natural resources, and foster a vibrant Indigenous food movement. To learn more, please visit The Sioux Chef website.

“With the opening of the Water Works Park Pavilion and Owamni, Minneapolis once again has a place to gather on the banks of the Mississippi within the Minneapolis parks system,” notes Tom Evers, Executive Director of the Minneapolis Parks Foundation. “This moment is the culmination of years of work and dedication and an extraordinary fundraising effort. As public life in Minneapolis returns after the past year, we will have an extraordinary new place to gather.”

The building offers supportive features like a wudu foot washing station and an adult-sized changing table to support use by seniors and people with disabilities. The pavilion and site meet B3 sustainability guidelines for energy efficiency, emissions and air quality, bird detectable glass, landscape treatment, and material sourcing.

“It's great to open the building after seeing so many folks out enjoying the outdoor spaces, trail connections and the Nature Play Lab at Water Works this summer," says Jono Cowgill, President of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. "I'm thrilled to see The Sioux Chef open Owamni and am proud we're partnering with them at this important and historic site."

The three-acre grounds of Water Works at Mill Ruins Park overlooks St. Anthony Falls and the Stone Arch Bridge. It's designed to reveal layers of untold stories, in acknowledgement of the location as both a spiritual place that has shaped cultural and economic connections for Indigenous people and immigrants, and as the birthplace of Minneapolis’ milling history.

The Lenzmeier Family Foundation Classroom will be available to rent for meetings, events or special occassions in the future.

Pavilion visitors will enter via West River Parkway through an arched glass doorway into the two-story atrium. A public elevator and stairway in the lower river level of the pavilion will help accessibility between the upper and lower levels. The staircase was built with reclaimed Douglas Fir beams salvaged from the Fuji Ya restaurant that operated at the site from 1968 to 1990. Minneapolis-based HGA Architects & Engineers was the lead architect on the pavilion.

Building and Site History

People have gathered at Owámniiyomni (St. Anthony Falls) for thousands of years. It was a prime place for encampments by the Dakhóta, Ho-Chunk, and Ojibwe due to the proximity to a place of spiritual power, traditional routes, and locations for harvesting foods such as maple sugar and cranberries. After the Euro-American settlement of the cities of St. Anthony and Minneapolis, Native peoples continued to stay at the Falls through the 1860s, when they were forcibly relocated to reservations. Today, this area is still a sacred destination for Native people across the country. 

Minneapolis grew around industrial development on the Mississippi River. Loggers gathered for work at the city’s saw mills, then some of the world’s largest flour mills were built, harnessing the power of the river as the city continued to grow.

The pavilion showcases carefully excavated mill remnants from the Bassett Sawmill, which was built in 1870 and burned in 1897, and Columbia Flour Mill, which was built in 1882 and collapsed in 1941. The decline of riverfront industry in the mid-20th century was followed by a central riverfront revitalization, led by the Fuji Ya restaurant.

When it opened in 1968, Fuji Ya was the first new building in an abandoned industrial area of Minneapolis, spurring the beginning of a riverfront redevelopment period that continues to this day. Fuji Ya moved in 1990 and the MPRB bought the site in an era of riverfront park development that saw the Stone Arch Bridge transition from railroad to pedestrian and bike use, an expansion of trails on West River Parkway and the development of Boom Island Park. Wooden beams salvaged from the Fuji Ya building were reused to build the stairway between the two floors.

Water Works is part of the RiverFirst Initiative, a effort supported by the MPRB and Minneapolis Parks Foundation to transform the once-industrial Mississippi Riverfront as it flows through the heart of Minneapolis into a welcoming place for all people through improved habitat and miles of new interconnected parks and trails. Other RiverFirst projects include Hall’s Island, an island and gravel beach that was restored in 2018 after it was destroyed by lumberyard expansion in the 1960s; and the 26th Avenue North Overlook, located a few miles upriver of Water Works and completed in May 2021.

Stahlmann’s Cave Brewery

Article by Michael Rainville, Jr.

The brewing tradition in Minnesota is older than the state itself. The first European to arrive in and explore this area, Father Louis Hennepin, was himself a brewer, and in 1848, the year before Minnesota was granted territory status, the area’s first commercial brewery was opened by German immigrant Anthony Yoerg. Before then, military personal at Fort Snelling and immigrants coming from the East Coast were brewing beer in their homes. Decades later, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul were full of breweries.

Diagram of ale vs. lager brewing processes.

One of the first successful breweries in the area was established by Christopher Stahlmann, a native of Nuremberg, Germany. Like many German immigrants in the mid-1800s, Stahlmann brought with him a different style of beer, the lager. From the time of the Thirteen Colonies until the 1850s, English ale was the beer of choice in North America. Ale and lager have very similar brewing processes, with the main difference being how each ferments. The yeast in ale sits on top of room temperature wort, a sugary liquid consisting of water and malt, and the yeast in lager sits on the bottom of the tank in cooler temperatures. In order to find the perfect temperatures to ferment lager, many German immigrants settled in cities along waterways with sandstone bluffs along the shores, such as Cincinnati, St. Louis and Chicago. Sandstone is a mix of soft yet durable material that makes carving out a cave system very achievable, and this is exactly what Christopher Stahlmann had in mind when he arrived in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1855.

Entrance to Fountain Cave in 1875. This would have looked similar to the entrance to Stahlmann's Cave, and was located nearby along the banks of the Mississippi.

Stahlmann first arrived in the United States in 1846 at the age of seventeen, and after bouncing around the East Coast and the old Northwest for a few years, he finally settled in Saint Paul in 1855. That year, many riverboats were making the trek up the Mississippi River to bring settlers to Saint Paul and the surrounding area, so when choosing a location for his new brewery, Stahlmann took into account the potential growth of the new city. He found plenty of space away from the city center along Fort Road, now known as West Seventh Street, and took advantage of the geology of the Mississippi River bluffs. Artificial refrigeration had not yet been invented and brought to the United States, so this section of the Mississippi River that is spotted with natural caves was the perfect location to create caverns for the lagering process. Stahlmann quickly found success and became the largest beer producer in Minnesota after the Civil War, making 10,000 barrels of beer a year.

Stahlmann dug out his cave system in St. Peter Sandstone, the layer of geology right below Platteville Limestone which created a flat ceiling for the caves. The passages of the caves measured sixteen feet wide by ten feet tall with two grids of passages coming together at an angle. In total, there were roughly 1,400 feet of tunnels. Later subterranean additions brought the total length to half a mile. While the subterranean parts of his brewery were his most important “structures” for the company, he did begin constructing buildings in 1858.

Brewery employees, 1870 (note, child labor laws did not yet exist).

The first structure was a three-story brewhouse, and a decade-and-a-half later, he built a fermentation house and bottling plant. Once the American patent for the Lind ice machine was secured by Frederick Wolff in 1880, Stahlmann became one of the first in the nation to build ice houses with that technology, which resulted in the majority of the lagering process moving aboveground. During the 1880-1881 construction boom for the brewery, Stahlmann also erected a stone stable house, a boarding house, and an entirely new brewing complex. He hired Chicago architect Wangen to design this campus, which included a barley roasting kiln, a row of connected malt houses, and a four-story brewhouse. In total, this project cost $65,000, or over $1,700,000 after inflation.

1883 portrait of Stahlmann with other state representatives.

Throughout his time in Saint Paul, Stahlmann also worked as a community leader. He became a Ramsey County Commissioner in 1871, and later that year, he was elected to the State House of Representatives. He would hold other offices, including another stint in the House of Representatives starting in 1883, all while continuing to grow his brewery from its humble beginnings in a cave to producing over 40,000 barrels of beer a year at its peak in 1884. In the early 1880s, the vibrations of the aboveground brewery campus caused the ceiling to cave-in in many sections of the cave system, so they abandoned it altogether.

Stahlmann's Saloon on West Seventh taken in 1959.

In December of 1884, Christopher Stahlmann passed away at the age of sixty-five. Over the course of the next ten years Stahlmann’s three sons passed away from tuberculosis, and two years after that, George Mitsch, a father-in-law to one of the sons and head of the brewing company, passed away. The brewery campus would be used by others, but none found the success Stahlmann once achieved. However, brewing was not done in the area quite yet. In 1899, Stahlmann’s old brewery was purchased by none other than Jacob Schmidt.

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About Michael Rainville, Jr.

A 6th generation Minneapolitan, Michael Rainville, Jr. received his B.A. in History, Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies, and M.A. in Art History from the University of St. Thomas.

Michael is also a lead guide at Mobile Entertainment, LLC, giving Segway, biking, and walking tours of the riverfront for 9+ years.

He can be reached at mrainvillejr@comcast.net.

After a Year and a Half COVID-driven Hiatus, the Mill City Singers Perform at Music in Kelly Park

Submitted by Mill District resident Ric Rosow

The Mill City Singers performed for the first time in over a year and a half at Music in Kelly Park in Apple Valley on Friday, July 16, with J.D. Steele and the MacPhail Community Youth Choir. 

J.D. Steele leading the Mill City Singers.

J.D. Steele leading the MacPhail Community Youth Choir. 

The Mill City Singers program is made possible by local nonprofit, Be That Neighbor.

The Pure Water School of Dance Now Open in the Northrup King Building

Beverly Tipton Hammond of the Tipton Hammond Arts Gallery (formerly Berries on the Vine) recently announced the opening of The Pure Water School of Dance, located in Suite 261 in the Northrup King Building.

Summer Session 2021 Class Schedule: 

Children’s Ballet (Ages 5-9)

10 Week Session – Saturdays, 10-11am

July 24 - October 2

Attire: Black leotard & pink or white tights. Pink or Brown Ballet Shoes.

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Afro-Modern Dance (Teens & Adults)

10 Week Session – Wednesdays, 6:30-7:30pm

July 14 - September 22

Attire: Leotards, tights, or loose-fitting comfortable clothing, i.e. sweatpants & t-shirt.

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Registration & Fees

Class Registration: $25

Single Class: $15

10 Week Session Full Pay $120 ($12/per class)

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Classes taught by Beverly Tipton Hammond, Founder/Director, 443-527-6118.

Register on PayPal to tiptonhammond@yahoo.com.

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Beverly Tipton Hammond is an ordained minister, choreographer, actress, singer, and songwriter. She began dancing at the age of 5 at the Washington School of Ballet. She continued her training as dance major at SUNY Purchase, where she studied, Graham, Limon, and Cunningham modern technique. Beverly has danced with the Baltimore Dance Theatre, Eva Anderson, the Cultural Arts Institute, Deborah London, and the Turn Out dance Company, Vanessa Jackson Johnson.

In Minnesota she studied at the Children’s Theatre in Minneapolis and the Minnesota Dance Theatre. She founded the Kingdom Dance Ministry in 1996 and opened the first Pure Water School in Baltimore in 2012. Since moving to Minnesota in 2016, she has become a member of Theatre 55 and opened an art gallery with her husband A. Drew Hammond in NE Minneapolis. Now as a resident of Minnesota, she is laying a new foundation for this school. Ballet and Modern Dance will be offered for students ages 5 to adult!

Small Businesses Spotlight: Thursday Nicollet Makers Market

Article by Becky Fillinger

The Mpls Downtown Improvement District (DID) is programming a Makers Market every Thursday, featuring a really diverse line up of businesses. We spoke to Lisa Middag, Director of Nicollet Activation, and George Shannon, Market Coordinator, to learn more about the Makers Market and the vendors who bring unique goods to our downtown each Thursday.

Q:  Please tell us the history of how the Makers Market came about.

Lisa Middag

Lisa:  When we spoke to people about what kind of activities they wanted to see have happen downtown, more markets were always at the top of the list. The Nicollet Mall Farmers Market was already established and a perennial downtown favorite. But folks were interested in more market shopping alternatives downtown, so we established the Nicollet Makers Market in 2018.

Due to the pandemic, both the Makers and Farmers markets were cancelled downtown for 2020. Because we are in a “building back” year, and reestablishing both markets is key to downtown’s success, both the Farmers and Makers markets felt this would be a good year to combine the markets and present them together on the same day (Thursdays) from 6am until 2pm. Metro Transit and the city generously agreed to allow for the street to be closed to bus traffic during this time so that the market has the best chance for success. 

Q:  How many makers are participating this year?

Lisa:  We have on average 15 makers participating each week alongside the regular Farmers Market vendors.

Q:  Are you accepting new makers?

Lisa:  We are always looking for new and exciting makers with a special emphasis on makers who represent the great cultural diversity of our area. Makers interested in applying should complete our interest form. We have a new market coordinator this year, George Shannon, and he will follow up with makers who are interested.

Q:  What might we see for sale at the Makers Market?

George:  We have a wide variety of vendors and goods for sale!  Here’s an interesting one - Spoon and Theory Handmade. It is a women/minority-owned creative arts, jewelry and aromatherapy goods shop. Known for bold mixed media statement jewelry and hand painted MN studs, they offer a unique mix of jewelry, upcycled leather and quality face masks.

Their custom works have been featured in the MN Museum of American Art, MN Fashion Week and community art events with the Modus Locus Gallery/Powderhorn neighborhood. That’s just one maker – come by on Thursday to see the wide variety of goods for sale. 

George ShannonQ:  How may our readers learn more about the Makers Market and the individual artisans?

George:  Please Follow the Mpls Downtown Improvement District on social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also visit the following for more information and resources:

www.onnicollet.com

www.mplsfarmersmarket.com

www.nicolletmakersmarket.com

Cool Jobs: Kelsey Griffin, Interpretive Naturalist, The Raptor Center

Article by Becky Fillinger

Kelsey Griffin

Ever wonder what it would be like to work with raptors – designing programs, leading field trips and even reading along with these elegant birds? Meet Kelsey Griffin, Interpretative Naturalist at the Raptor Center.  We talked to her about how she became interested in raptors and how that parlayed itself into an amazing career. 

Q:  Tell us how you became interested in raptors.

A:  I've always loved animals and the natural sciences like biology and geology. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a veterinarian or a marine biologist, though as I got older, I thought I might go into human medicine instead. Once I got to the U of MN College of Biological Sciences, it became really clear that my interests really were in the fields of biology involving evolution, ecology, and behavior. I loved learning about organisms and how they functioned, and more importantly, why they might function that way and the many thousands of years of evolutionary history that went into it. There's intense scientific research that goes into trying to figure those things out, but there's also a story - and as anyone who has met me will tell you, I love sharing stories. 

This was my jumping off point into raptors. I visited The Raptor Center once, right after my freshman year of college, and was so intrigued that I knew I wanted to volunteer with the education team. I had always liked birds, sure, but I liked a lot of different creatures. The more time I spent teaching people about these birds, though, the more fascinated I was with them and all of the tiny intricate details of biology that allow them to function in the ecosystem. Being able to share some of that with people and watching them also get excited about birds and the environment is really exhilarating and just makes me want to learn and share even more. 

Q:  You’re an interpretive naturalist at the Raptor Center. Do you have broad discretion in putting together programs? Any new programs that you hope to offer? 

A:  I work as part of a team of naturalists, educators, and veterinarians who all put their heads together to figure out what information we are getting from our wild raptor patients and how we can best share that with the public. We want to give people the best, most updated picture of what is happening in our shared environment, so we are always thinking about how best to do that. Moving a lot of that online over the last year has been great for developing new programs, and right now I know I am thinking a lot about how to take some of the best parts of online learning and bringing that back to our in-person programs.  Here’s a short video of our virtual field trips!  Check out our Programs and Events tab on our web site for a list of available programs for all ages. 

Q: Do the Center’s raptors take field trips to visit schools or other groups?

A: Visiting schools, community centers, and other places is one of the main jobs for our resident ambassador birds! During most years we do around 1200 programs, split roughly 50:50 between on-site visitors and off-site programs. We'll build back up towards that as safety allows, and it will be very interesting to see what interest remains in our online teaching over the next few years.

Q:  Is the Center open now for touring? 

A:  Yes, we reopened for public tours on July 6th! Currently these tours will be at a limited capacity and require online registration at z.umn.edu/ReserveTRC. Just like the many of us, the birds also need to get used to seeing larger numbers of people in their living spaces again, so keep an eye out for more updates on our tours and other in-person programs. 

Q:  This might be a Sophie’s Choice question - do you have a favorite Raptor species?  

A:  This is always such a tough question! Every raptor species has so many cool adaptations that it makes it so hard to pick, but I do have a few that I usually tell people. For Minnesota raptors and birds I have actually worked with, I have to say American Kestrels for their incredible hovering flight, gutsy defense of their nests and youngsters, and flashy feather patterns (well, for a raptor, at least). They're also really rewarding to work with for training! 

Other favorites are more international. One is the bearded vulture aka lammergeier, which is a giant fluffy vulture that lives in the mountains of Europe and Asia and mainly eats bones that have already been picked clean by other scavengers. It's hard to think of something cooler than a bird that dissolves whole bones in its stomach, right? Another favorite is the secretary bird, a very tall and flashy raptor that lives in the open grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa. They use their powerful long legs to stomp on snakes with incredible force and speed, a pretty unique use of those classic raptor talons. 

Q:  How may we follow your news?

A:  Folks can check out The Raptor Center's website at theraptorcenter.org, along with the Facebook page and on Instagram @theraptorcenter. Now is a great time to follow us and sign up for our newsletter to stay updated on our reopening plans, plus with the busy season starting in the clinic there are sure to be lots of interesting pictures and stories posted.

Unusual Sunday Morning Sight in Gold Medal Park

We've lived by Gold Medal Park for nearly 12 years  - and this is a first. Will be interesting to learn the story behind this one.

Minneapolis Craft Brewers Heading to Duluth for July 31 All Pints North Event

Via a recent e-announcement:

Festival to bring thousands of craft beer fans from around the region to Duluth on July 31

On Saturday, July 31, more than 100 MN craft breweries and brewpubs will gather at Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth to share their best summer beers and a few surprises with craft beer fans from around the region. All Pints North is one of Minnesota’s biggest beer festivals, and it exclusively features Minnesota breweries and brewpubs.

Attending from Minneapolis: 612 Brew, Able Seedhouse and Brewery, Bauhaus Brew Labs, Boom Island Brewing Company, Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative, Dangerous Man Brewing Company, Fair State Brewing Co-op, FINNEGANS Brew Co, Fulton Brewing Company, Inbound BrewCo, Indeed Brewing Co, Insight Brewing, Lakes & Legends Brewing Company, Modist Brewing Co, Pryes Brewing Company, Sociable Cider Werks, Surly Brewing Co., The Freehouse, Town Hall Brewery and Utepils Brewing Co.

The festival is put on by the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild, a nonprofit association dedicated to supporting Minnesota’s craft breweries and brewpubs. “This festival celebrates summer with the best the craft beer industry has to offer. Attendees can explore the state's craft beer offerings in one afternoon, participate in various activities, and soak up the sun on the shore of Lake Superior,” said Guild Executive Director Lauren Bennett McGinty.

Attendees can sample unlimited locally-made craft beer, seltzer, cider, and non-alcoholic beverages from more than 100 MN breweries and brewpubs from across the state. The fest will also feature local small businesses, food trucks, and musical acts. Tickets and other event details can be found online at www.mncraftbrew.org/event/all-pints-north.

The Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild is a not-for-profit organization that was founded in 2000 and is made up of more than 165 Minnesota brewery members. The Guild showcases the talent of Minnesota’s craft brewers and promotes Minnesota’s brewing industry by sponsoring festivals and special events, including Winterfest, the MN Brewers Cup, the State Fair’s Brewed in Minnesota exhibit, and Autumn Brew Review. The Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild’s mission is to promote, protect, and grow a robust Minnesota craft brewing industry by building a healthy beer culture and community that allows for independent brewers, industry stakeholders, and craft beer fans to thrive.

Out of the Box Opera Announces July 23 & 24 Performances at the Canopy Hotel

Out of the Box Opera recently announced a new performance, Night at the Opera Night on the Town, taking place in and around the Canopy Hotel’s Umbra restaurant, lounge and lobby. Singers will move throughout these areas, making the audience feel like a part of the show. 

Performers will include singers soprano Siena Forest, tenor David Walton, and baritone Nicholas Davis with pianist Carson Rose Schneider.

To make a dinner reservation click here.

MSP Film Society to Screen the CatVideoFest 2021 at St. Anthony Main Theatre, July 25

CatVideoFest is a compilation reel of the latest and best cat videos culled from countless hours of unique submissions and sourced animations, music videos, and classic internet powerhouses. CatVideoFest is a joyous communal experience, only available in theaters, and raises money for cats in need through partnerships with local cat charities, animal welfare organizations, and shelters to best serve cats in the area.

St. Anthony Main Theatre, 115 SE Main Street, Sunday, July 25 at 1:00 PM

10% of the proceeds will benefit Feline Rescue.

Small Business Spotlight: Maxwell’s American Pub (Re-opening July 12!)

Article by Becky Fillinger

Downtown eagerly awaits the reopening of Maxwell’s American Pub on July 12 at 11 AM. We spoke to General Manager Michael “Rosie” Rosenstiel about what’s new on the menu, and a general Welcome Back message to former and new customers.

Q:  Welcome back! What would you like to tell your customers about the reopening next week?

A:  Without a doubt, we have missed you all so much. All of us, from the cooks, bartenders, servers and me – we want to get back to our long-standing friendships with you and deliver another great dining experience to you. We have some new menu items you’ll want to try. We open at 11 AM next Monday, July 12 – come by to see us! 

Q:  Are Happy Hours back?

A:  Absolutely. Happy Hour will run from 3-6 PM every day and again from 10 PM to close of business. 

Q:  What are the new menu items?

A:  We have a new chicken tender entrée, made from scratch and cooked in a brand-new fryer. With the same fryer, we can prepare a buffalo chicken wrap and our famous wings. It’s a full chicken line-up here at Maxwell’s, which is in addition to our full American menu.

Q:  What are your new hours of service?

A:   We’re open Monday to Sunday, 11 AM to 1 AM. Kitchen hours are 11 AM to 11 PM on Sunday to Wednesday. Thursday to Saturday, kitchen hours are 11 AM to Midnight. Follow us on Facebook for up-to-date news.

Maxwell's is located at 1201 Washington Avenue S.

Aquatennial to Set Sail July 21-24

The Official Civic Celebration of the City of Minneapolis Offers Traditional and New Events, Free and For All Ages

Aquatennial, the Official Civic Celebration of the City of Minneapolis, is getting ready to set sail with two dozen events taking place from Wednesday, July 21 through Saturday, July 24. This year’s schedule of events is filled with traditional Aquatennial favorites and an array of new activities with the majority located in and around downtown Minneapolis. All events are free and open to the public.

“We are excited to welcome everyone to Aquatennial this summer, as we are leading the way back to enjoying collective urban experiences together,” said Leah Wong, vice president of external relations, mpls downtown council. “Whether it is the CenterPoint Energy Torchlight Parade, Target Fireworks (a top 5 annual display in the country), group fitness activities, shopping local makers, a Twin Cities River Rats show or listening to live music, we know there is something you and yours will love. We can’t wait to see you downtown.”

From the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden to Peavey Plaza, Midtown Global Market to the Mississippi Riverfront, Nicollet to Mill Ruins Park, the 82nd Aquatennial will provide fun opportunities for all ages including its flagship events the CenterPoint Energy Torchlight Parade and Target Fireworks.

“Aquatennial is our Official Civic Celebration and a summer staple here in Minneapolis, and we are thrilled to return to celebrate together this year,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. “From our world-class culinary scene to views along the river and so much more, we invite you to enjoy everything our city has to offer. Whether you make every Aquatennial or this is your first time joining, there’s always something new to try downtown, and we can’t wait to welcome you for this year’s events.”

The schedule and the proximity of the activities make Aquatennial a walkable and bikeable experience throughout the four days as many of the festivities take place throughout downtown and at or near the riverfront, the birthplace of our city.

“Aquatennial is an annual tradition in Minneapolis, a time that offers fun ways to gather and enjoy outdoor spaces together,” said Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board Superintendent Al Bangoura. “We enjoy having Aquatennial events in our park system each year, and we’re excited to welcome everyone back to enjoy their favorite events again this July. Events will take you along the Mississippi Riverfront to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, and there is something for everyone at Aquatennial while enjoying some of our city’s beautiful outdoor spaces.”

Here are some of the highlights of the 2021 Minneapolis Aquatennial*. A full schedule of events can be found at aquatennial.com/events.

Flagship Events

CenterPoint Energy Torchlight Parade
Wednesday, July 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Nicollet between 12th Street and 4th Street

The CenterPoint Energy Torchlight Parade will illuminate downtown Minneapolis along Nicollet with parade units, floats, displays, and marching bands through the heart of downtown. The parade will begin at 12th Street and run to 4th Street.

Target Fireworks
Saturday, July 24 at 10 p.m.
West River Parkway near Portland Avenue

The Target Fireworks are considered one of the Top 5 annual fireworks displays in the country. Come early for Aquatennial Pre-Fireworks Festivities along the riverfront on West River Parkway near the Stone Arch Bridge beginning at 6 p.m. Live musical entertainment will include the Command Steppers, Dred I Dread, and Annie Mack. The world-famous Zambelli Fireworks team spends approximately two to four hours per each minute of the display to ensure that the display and music are perfectly synced.  

The 2021 Minneapolis Aquatennial schedule is as follows*:  

Wednesday, July 21

Aquatennial Blood Drive at Peavey Plaza, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Lunchtime Lawn Games at Peavey Plaza, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Pianos on Parade Performance at Peavey Plaza, 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.

CenterPoint Energy Torchlight Parade, Nicollet between 12th Street and 4th Street, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 22

Downtown Thursdays along Nicollet and throughout downtown, all day

Nicollet Farmers Market & Makers Market - Nicollet between 6th and 8th Streets, 6 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Aquatennial Blood Drive at Peavey Plaza, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Lunchtime Lawn Games at Peavey Plaza, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Jam at Peavey Plaza, MNSpin live music performance featuring Twins of Franklin, 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.

Pianos on Parade Performance Presented by PNC Bank featuring James “Cornbread” Harris at Peavey Plaza, 5 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Concert at the Commons featuring Jessica Vines (425 Portland Ave. So.), 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Aquatennial Workout Party with YWCA of Minneapolis at Peavey Plaza, 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Twin Cities River Rats Aquatennial Water Ski Show on the Mississippi River (West River Road between Plymouth and Broadway bridges), 7 p.m.

Minnesota Twins vs. Los Angeles Angels at Target Field, 7:10 p.m.

Friday, July 23

The Alley Project at Mixed Precipitation (between FAIR School & The Chambers Hotel), 4:30 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.

Alchemy 365 at Aquatennial at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden (726 Vineland Pl), 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Twin Cities River Rats Aquatennial Water Ski Show on the Mississippi River (West River Road between Plymouth and Broadway bridges), 7 p.m.

Minnesota Twins vs. Los Angeles Angels at Target Field, 7:10 p.m.

Saturday, July 24

Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam Open House (1 Portland Ave), 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Twin Cities Carifest on (West River Road between Plymouth and Broadway), 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Jonny Pops Pop In - Ice Cream Social at Midtown Global Market (920 E. Lake St), 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

City of Lakes Market (in partnership with The Black Market) at the Chicago Mall on West River Parkway between Guthrie Theater and Mill City Museum, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Pre-Fireworks Festivities -- live music at West River Parkway near Portland Ave., 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Minnesota Twins vs. Los Angeles Angels at Target Field, 6:10 p.m.

Target Fireworks, West River Parkway near Portland Ave., 10 p.m.

Volunteers Needed

The Aquatennial relies on dozens of volunteers to help make the festival a success. Sign up online to be part of the Aquatennial Volunteer Program and assist with such events as the CenterPoint Energy Torchlight Parade and Target Fireworks. Perks included! aquatennial.com/volunteer/

Local Leader: Lousene M. Hoppe, President, National LGBTQ+ Bar Association

Article by Becky Fillinger

Lousene HoppeLousene Hoppe is a partner at local law firm Fredrikson & Byron specializing in white collar crime and litigation. She was also recently installed as President of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association. With the Twin Cities Pride Festival rapidly approaching, we thought it was timely to speak to Hoppe about the national organization, local affiliates and bringing our authentic selves to work. 

Q:  Congratulations on your installation as President. Are there local chapters of the organization? 

A:  Thank you! Yes. The National LGBTQ+ Bar has affiliated organizations throughout the country, including Minnesota’s Lavender Bar Association. We are proud to support and partner with our local affiliates in a number of ways. The Lavender Bar here in Minnesota is a particularly active group; it sponsors a regional conference in January/February that attracts renowned keynote speakers and advocates from around the country.

Q:  What are your priorities as President for the next two years?

A:  One key priority is to increase opportunities for LGBTQ+ lawyers by promoting diverse and inclusive work environments. We also want to continually expand the ways in which we can support our members, given the innumerable ways there are to practice law. Lawyers are employed in corporations, law firms, government, small businesses. They are solo practitioners, they are judges. Providing them with networking opportunities and tools to increase their success no matter where and how they practice is important. The LGBTQ+ Bar also advocates for its members and for the LGBTQ+ community at large. As the nation's largest bar association serving LGBTQ+ lawyers, we have a unique voice with respect to key legal cases and issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community.

Q:  What is the biggest challenge facing the organization today? 

A:  The status of efforts to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in law firms and other legal employers varies greatly from employer to employer. Law students and practicing lawyers alike face very different challenges with respect to their identities and their ability to bring their whole selves to the workplace. Thus, to support its members, the LGBTQ+ Bar is dedicated to providing a wide diversity of programming, advocacy, and opportunities for leadership and mentorship to its lawyer and law student members. Lawyers work in so many different sectors of the business world and government. And the LGBTQ+ community intersects with all other races, ethnicities, religious traditions, and other characteristics. We are always striving to identify the areas of greatest challenge to our members and understand how we can help them meet those challenges.  

Q:  Can you tell our readers about the LGBT+ gay panic defense strategy and where it stands in Minnesota? Have you been involved in the legislation in Minnesota? 

A:  The LGBTQ+ “panic” defense is a strategy used by criminal defendants to justify or excuse their act of violence, such as assault or murder, against an LGBTQ+ victim, often a gay man or transgender woman of color. The concept is that a non-violent sexual advance or even the mere discovery of the victim’s LGBTQ+ status is so offensive or provocative that the perpetrator was justified in committing acts of violence against the individual. This defense has been used successfully in getting juries or courts to view the perpetrator as having diminished culpability, including in some cases of extreme violence.

The LGBTQ+ Bar has worked for more than ten years to encourage legislatures and courts to eliminate the use of this strategy, as it inherently devalues the lives of the LGBTQ+ victims and works only by trying to exploit bias against the LGBTQ+ community. We have partnered with advocates like Judy Shepherd, the mother of Matthew Shepherd, to pass legislation in 16 states, so far, essentially banning the use of these types of defenses. Legislation to address this issue has been introduced in Minnesota in recent sessions, but it has not been advanced to a vote. The LGBTQ+ Bar is in regular consultation with state legislators and advocates about this bill. The LGBTQ+ Bar also advocates on issues related to jury access and education, and regularly submits amicus briefs to the Courts on various issues of national importance to the LGBTQ+ community.

Q:  Does the association consult on creating inclusive and diverse workplaces? 

A:  We do! Our Lavender Law 365 program is the only LGBTQ+ inclusion coaching and consulting program designed specifically to enable the implementation of best practice standards for LGBTQ+ equity across law firms, law schools, and companies. We offer a comprehensive training program customized through discussions with organizational leadership to help them foster a more knowledgeable and supportive LGBTQ+ inclusive environment, where legal organizations gain the benefits of having a truly diverse talent pool.  When it comes to gender, race, class, disability, and LGBTQ+ inclusion, the legal profession is sadly one of the least diverse. This is unfortunate for the organization, as diversity results in better decision-making and strengthens the bottom line, but it also has a greater impact. We all look to the legal profession as an important partner to achieve greater justice and equity in a democratic society. The lack of diversity in law firms can contribute to distrust of the justice system. 

Q:  In your career, have you noticed that LGBT+ attorneys bringing their authentic selves to work has had an impact on law firm culture?

A:  Yes, I have definitely seen real and measurable progress toward LGBTQ+ inclusion over my 15-year career, at corporate legal departments, law firms, and the Courts. I am lucky to work at a law firm that values and supports its LGBTQ+ lawyers and staff, but that is not the case for everyone working in the legal profession today, and can vary greatly, depending on the region of the country, the time and attention of employer has spent toward inclusion efforts, and other factors. Law students who identify as transgender, non-binary or who have intersectional identities may feel especially uncertain about the extent to which the courage to bring their whole selves to work may affect their success in the legal profession. The LGBTQ+ Bar is dedicated to supporting its members in their professional development and in helping provide resources and education to their employers to work toward a goal of greater justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. Even simple steps, like requesting and respecting the pronouns new lawyers use to identify themselves, can make a huge difference toward a culture of inclusion.

Who Should Control Minnesota Historical Sites?

Article by Michael Rainville, Jr.

The Minnesota Historical Society. Now that we got that out of the way, I’d like to delve into why it’s problematic that Republicans in the Minnesota Senate are up in arms about our history and want control over sixteen historic sites, including Fort Snelling at Bdote.

The Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) was founded in 1849 by the Territorial Legislature, the same year the Village of St. Anthony was incorporated and nine years before we became a state. For 172 years, MNHS has been a vital resource for not just preserving our past, but sharing it. They have worked tirelessly with the State government to provide the best historical and educational experiences at all of their sites throughout the years. The immense amount of academic work that has been done by MNHS, the National Park Service, county historical societies, museums, and independent historians has been done in good faith. The thing about history is that it becomes very apparent when stories are told incorrectly or when important details are purposefully left out, especially in this modern age where it is easy to access facts. If a story is wrong, then we make note of it and correct it. There is no shame in going back and correcting previous articles, books, historical markers, etc., a sentiment some members of the state Senate do not agree with.

Our past never changes, but our history does. 

Just over a month ago I walked across the graduation stage at the University of St. Thomas to receive my Master of Arts in art history, the same university where I received my Bachelor of Arts in history four years prior. At that ceremony, one of the speakers noted that now more than ever we, those who have dedicated our lives to the Humanities, are needed in this world. That one line has helped me put into perspective just how important and necessary history is for our society. Everyone’s history. The more stories we know, the more lessons we learn, and the less mistakes we will make. It is as simple as that.

I understand that it can be difficult to grasp our past here in Minnesota, but that’s the point. If control over the sixteen historical sites changes, what will stop those who are in favor of the change in ownership from purposefully changing the many stories found in Minnesota? If certain stories make you uncomfortable, find out why instead of lashing out. Why does learning about the Fort Snelling concentration camp make you mad? Is it because it was a crime against humanity or is it because you simply do not want to know the negative stories of our past? If it makes you so upset that you are willing to take control of historical sites away from historians, that is an action that will only lead to propaganda, and there is no room for that in our state, in our society.

The past never changes, but our history does.

I, too, have had to ask myself important questions and I know how difficult that can be. My great, great, great grandfather and his brother served at Fort Snelling during the Civil War and the U.S.-Dakota War. At the same time, twenty-eight of their cousins, my cousins, were being held against their will just below the fort at the concentration camp on Pike Island. It would be so easy to convince myself that the sole purpose of my Dakota relatives being brought to the fort was for protection, as some in the state Senate think. Or I can accept the truth, that they, along with 1,600 others, were forced to march 150 miles to the fort only to be thrown into a 12-foot barricaded concentration camp on an island in the middle of winter where hundreds of them passed away from disease, malnutrition and harsh weather.

The past never changes, but our history does.

The arguments for the changing of control over historical sites are not well-thought-out either. In a June 24 Star Tribune opinion piece, Katherine Kersten attempted to give the MN GOP side of the story. She noted that a few years ago Fort Snelling added the phrase “at Bdote” to their official name. “Bdote” is a Dakota word meaning “where two waters come together.” When white settlers first came to the area, many Dakota people had a different name for that area, “Mdote,” a word that has the same meaning as “Bdote.” Words change over time. We don’t call Saint Paul “Pig’s Eye” anymore, even if I think that name suites the city better. Kersten’s opinion piece is titled “Small group of activists commandeers Minnesota Historical Society,” which is quite farcical to say the least. From the wording of the title to the various arguments full of fallacies, it is clear that those who are for this changing of control are so for the wrong reasons.

As I sit at my desk and wrap up my thoughts on this “controversy,” I still find it hard to believe that some politicians in this state have a problem with historians doing their job. While it is concerning, I hope to put your mind at ease. Historians, teachers, tour guides, and history columnists like myself will continue to do what we do best; gather sources and stories, interpret our past to get a better understanding of our present, and create hope for our future.

The past never changes, but history does.

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About Michael Rainville, Jr.

A 6th generation Minneapolitan, Michael Rainville, Jr. received his B.A. in History, Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies, and M.A. in Art History from the University of St. Thomas.

Michael is also a lead guide at Mobile Entertainment, LLC, giving Segway, biking, and walking tours of the riverfront for 9+ years.

He can be reached at mrainvillejr@comcast.net.

Third Avenue Bridge Adorned With American Flags for the Independence Day Holiday Weekend

Editors Note: We are immensely thankful to Mill District resident Doug Verdier, who did an excellent job documenting the Water Works project through to fruition, and continues to document the Third Avenue Bridge refurbishment project.

On July 2nd, workers at the Third Avenue Bridge project provided the City with a patriotic display for Independence Day weekend. The three tower cranes on the span across the Mississippi River were decked out in large American flags for the weekend. Smaller flags are also mounted on the rear section of each crane and at other locations on the bridge deck. When the flags on the cranes were first raised, the crane operators rotated the crane arms several times in a full circle to wave the flags. Gentle breezes make the flags flutter at other times. Great job everyone, and what a fantastic idea to celebrate the holiday!

River Matters: Twin Cities River Rats

Article by Becky Fillinger

Alexa Ernst performing in a River Rats showYou know, not every city has a nationally ranked water ski show team. We are so lucky to have the legendary Twin Cities River Rats performing for free all summer long. How do they make those water ski pyramids look so easy? We talked to Alexa Ernst, Show Director and Marketing/Promotions Director of the River Rats about the history of the club and how it stays afloat. 

Q:  Please tell us the history of the Twin Cities River Rats.

A:  The River Rats were established in 1979 and were originally part of the University of Minnesota Water Ski Club when the team first skied on Lake Independence as part of the U of M’s Recreational Sports program. They began performing exhibition shows (no costumes and no theme) throughout the Twin Cities in 1985. During the summer of 1990, the team moved to Buffalo Lake to perform several shows with an announcer who developed a storyline, costumes for each ski act and the continued development of skiers.

In 1992, they competed and hosted the first ever Minnesota State (now known as the Midwest Regional) Show Ski Tournament on Lake Phalen in St. Paul. In 1996, the team moved to the current ski site on the Mississippi River and created the name Twin Cities River Rats. We’ve been here since that time!

Princess Ariel is a key character in this year's Under the Sea-themed show.

Q:  Congratulations on 42 years of entertaining the Twin Cities! What will we see if we attend a show of the current production - Under the Sea?

A: Join Nemo and friends on their adventure through the Great Mississippi Sea! Come along as they search for Princess Ariel with their high-flying jumps, careful balancing acts and barefoot tricks. Will Nemo be able to reunite Ariel with her underwater friends? You’ll have to join us to find out.

We missed last summer due to COVID. Our 2019 show was Ratty Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. We practice multiple times a week and throughout the winter to gear up for the summer shows – the show is the culmination of a lot of practice hours.

Spectators bring blankets and folding chairs on which to watch the show from. If you want to get a little more fancy, consider a donation of $80 to reserve your own VIP section for up to 15 people. Performances take place at 1758 West River Road N, between the Plymouth Avenue and Broadway bridges.

Q:  Twin Cities River Rats are nationally ranked - please tell us more about how this is achieved.

A:  We compete each year at a Regional Tournament where teams qualify for Nationals. The Regional Tournament is typically held in Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota or North Dakota in July. Teams that qualify for Nationals then compete at the National Tournament in August, which is usually held in Wisconsin or Illinois. We had our best finish at Nationals in 2018, coming home in 5th Place.

Q:  How do you recruit new members? Is it part of the club's mission to expand access to water skiing for people of color?

A:  As a club we have never recruited new members. At each performance we announce how anyone interested can participate in the club. We welcome anyone who is interested in being a member of River Rats. We are aware that water skiing – regionally and nationally – has not historically had a diverse membership. Our ‘Learn to Ski’ event each year is our outreach to the greater community for new members. Our only qualification for performers is that they know how to swim. However, we have opportunities that go way beyond performers – we need help driving the boats, setting up each event, acting on stage, announcing, working in the concession stand, etc. We have about 150 River Rats – there is a little something for everyone!

Q:  Are the shows recorded and available for viewing if we can't make it to the banks of the Mississippi River?

A:  Not today, but we would love to make this happen!

Q:  How may we support your club and follow your news?

A:  Come to a show and spread the word about us! We are here to provide free family entertainment to the Minneapolis area, and we love nothing more than performing for you. You may follow us on Facebook, Instagram and our website for the most up to date information and River Rat news. The River Rats are a volunteer, 501(c)(3) organization. We are able to provide our shows to Minneapolis from support from our fans and sponsors. Your donations pay for gas for the boats, costumes, programs, backdrops, trips to competitions, etc. If you’d like to donate to help us continue to provide free entertainment throughout the summer and help us stay on the water, please visit givebutter.com/tcriverrats. We thank you! 

Upcoming Events: 

Thursday Night Show, July 8 @ 6:30pm-9:00pm

Thursday Night Show, July 15 @ 6:30pm-9:00 pm

Aquatennial Show, July 22 @ 7:00pm-9:00 pm

Aquatennial Show, July 23 @ 6:30pm-9:00 pm

Full list of events. 

June 2021 by the Numbers from Cynthia Froid Group

Downtown real estate market update from Cynthia Froid Group:

Local Leader: Joshua Crosson, Executive Director at EdAllies

Article by Becky Fillinger

Joshua CrossonWe often hear many complaints about education systems in Minnesota. EdAllies is an innovative, results-oriented non-profit you should know because they are making a difference. We talked to Executive Director Joshua Crosson about the history of EdAllies, how he became involved and how we can all help.

Q:  Thanks for speaking with us Joshua. What is the history of EdAllies?

A:  About a decade ago, Teach For America’s founding executive director, Daniel Sellers, was attempting to run the innovative teacher preparation program, while also passing policy in Minnesota, to allow the program to take root and thrive in the state. He discovered that it just wasn’t feasible to create a new education program when policies prevent it, even though the program had proven results in other states. From there, Daniel became executive director of MinnCAN, which later spun off to become the fully local initiative EdAllies - to lead the policy, research, and communications around education systems change so practitioners and families can focus on their work and their students.

I joined the team in 2013 as the lead on policy and advocacy. In 2016, a few of my colleagues and I decided to forge out and found a new, fully local initiative - and that’s when EdAllies came to be. We wanted a nimble, hands-on organization that would build from what we’re hearing in the community, while learning about best practices from partners across the country. Through our different stages as an organization, our mission has stayed the same: to partner with schools, families, and communities to ensure that every young Minnesotan has access to a rigorous and engaging education. We advance policies that put underserved students first, remove barriers facing successful schools and programs, and foster an inclusive conversation about what’s possible for students. We have evolved and grown over the years, and over time I moved up from leading policy initiatives to leading the organization as Executive Director, and I’m excited to lead EdAllies into its next phase of tireless advocacy for all Minnesota kids.

Q:  What drew you to a career with EdAllies?  

A:  For as long as I can remember, I’ve been dedicated to uprooting white supremacy in all corners of society. From healthcare to our tax code to voting access, every system in our country has either been built on the foundation of or infiltrated by white supremacist thinking. Our public education system is no exception. EdAllies has allowed me the opportunity to organize impacted communities and redesign an education system that works for each and every kid by naming and eliminating injustices at the root.

A great education is a human right and an opportunity to achieve one’s fullest potential. This is personal for me. When I was going into high school, I was being funneled into a school where only 17% of their freshmen graduated from the school in four years. It was clear that my community was not getting the education we deserved. My mom’s boss suggested that she seriously consider taking me out of the school district and enroll me into the private school he attended. A private education seemed out of reach for me. We were a single-parent, low-income family, and there didn’t seem to be other options for us - but my mom’s boss urged her to reconsider. So, with my mom working two jobs and selling Avon on the side and my contribution through work-study - a truly Herculean effort - I was able to escape that situation and attend a school that set me up for success in college and career. Many of my friends who went to the high school I was supposed to go to did not have the same chance as me, and while none were less intelligent, less hardworking, or less deserving than me, many of them wound up with very different trajectories, never receiving the opportunity they needed and deserved to reach their full potential. When I say education allows us to reach our full potential, I’m saying that from seeing the outcomes of a high-quality education and a broken education system firsthand.

It’s my job, now, to guarantee each and every kid has access to a life-changing education. It’s not fair to ask parents and students who are stuck to change their systems while subjugating their kids to a poor school. It’s not fair to force educators and practitioners to remove policy barriers so they can provide opportunities for kids. This is why EdAllies exists. We do the work to improve systems and remove barriers, so kids have access to a great school and educators have the ability to transform the lives of their students.

Q:  Your organization's website notes that EdAllies partners with schools, families, and communities on barriers facing students and opportunities available to them. How do you go about setting up the partnerships? How do you maintain the relationships?

A:  We take our name seriously, striving to be strong allies in the fight to ensure all Minnesota children get the education they need and deserve. Partnerships are essential to everything we do. We look to our partners - families, educators, teachers, students, and other education stakeholders - to tell us what needs to change for Minnesota students, and together, we work to make change happen.

We develop partnerships in many ways. We meet people where they are in the community through everything from classroom presentations to parent trainings, and we bring people in through our own events, fellowships, and more. Sometimes people will reach out to us for help on a specific problem like a teacher licensure issue or a student discipline issue. We help on an individual level but, more times than not, the problem is a symptom of a systemic failure, so it’s important to create deeper, longer-lasting changes by elevating individual stories and experiences. In other words, EdAllies empowers our communities to solve individual problems, and communities help EdAllies solve the systemic problems that resulted in those individual problems in the first place.

We work to ensure that we’re accessible and creating opportunities to collaborate and connect - from convening coalitions on specific initiatives to texting in the middle of the night to turn a student’s story into an article. We’re here to work with people as needs come up, whenever and wherever. And that genuine approach to meeting people where they are goes a long way to expressing and demonstrating our dedication to this work.

We also evaluate how well we partner and whether we’re filling an important role. We measure the value we generate for our partners through an annual partner survey, which we use to assess EdAllies’ value to others in the education ecosystem.

Q:  Does EdAllies operate outside of Minnesota?

A:  EdAllies is a Minnesota-focused advocacy organization. As a locally-led education advocacy organization, we work to be as responsive as possible to the specific needs of Minnesota’s students, especially those whose potential is most often overlooked. In our work, we see that students, families, and community advocates often know what needs to change but need support to navigate systems and identify levers for the change they hope to see. And it’s Minnesota student and family input and insight that drives our policy and advocacy agenda.

That said, we don’t and can’t operate in a vacuum. For example, examining national trends, practices, research, policies, and conversations - and occasionally being part of them - not only informs our work but also helps us understand what’s working and what’s not in education. For example, with the federal government’s funding and guidance around COVID relief aid, EdAllies took the opportunity to both advise our national and local policymakers on how we should include community input to invest in our education system more wisely.

Q:  Your lists of funders, staff and board members are impressive. Has the organization had major successes that led to this level of recruitment?

A:  Ultimately, I think people are drawn to us because of our approach. Our mission is clear and inspiring, and the need is great, creating an overwhelming desire from the community to help develop EdAllies. We are incredibly lucky to have a deep well of talent at all levels of our work. We believe that every student deserves a great education, and we’re not willing to let the status quo stand in the way. We are willing to partner to do whatever it takes to move the needle for kids, and we’re not afraid to upset those who stand in the way, which I think is a refreshing approach for many, and something they want to be a part of.

That approach helped us spearhead a major overhaul of Minnesota’s teacher licensure system, which was notoriously broken and hard to navigate but also deep-rooted and difficult to change. We took the issue head-on, and after a few years of effective advocacy, we rebuilt our teacher licensure system by centering it on what students need – high-quality, experienced, and diverse educators. It demonstrated that we have an approach that can get big things done.

Family foundations are also very excited about our systems-change and collaborative approach. Long-term change that improves outcomes permanently is like steering a giant ship; it’s often slow and strategic. Funders know that investing in an organization dedicated to changing a system, especially one as big and as important as education, might see results after a few years rather than a few months, but the solutions will be longer lasting.

Q:  Data disaggregation is another priority for EdAllies. Can you tell us what this is important? 

A:  To create a more equitable education system, we need to understand how schools are serving students across lines of race, ethnicity, income, zip code, disability, and more. Minnesota is currently rolling out a better system for gathering and sharing this nuanced data - but as it stands, we have an incomplete understanding of how our schools are serving students across broad racial and ethnic categories.

For example, we can look at outcomes for Asian and Black youth in Minnesota, but not Hmong or Somali students. We might know the high school graduation rates of white and Native American students, but we can’t compare the high school graduation rates of white students with disabilities and Native American students with disabilities. With the All Kids Count Act, we have begun to do much more to collect data in a way that tells a meaningful story about school performance. The Minnesota Department of Education, along with many districts across the state, have only just begun to implement this critical policy that gives us access to detailed, actionable information on student outcomes.

We are eager to see much more progress on this law so we can move to the next phase of the work and make the data actionable. For example, we had data that shows Native American students who take two or more high school courses in career and technical education are 75% more likely to graduate, which means investments in career and technical education courses will have an impact on Indigenous students and their communities. What other solutions are we missing because data are not available? Partners across Minnesota like the Coalition of Asian American Leaders and the African American Leadership Forum have been asking for this policy change for a long time. If we get this right, we can really emerge as a national leader in the use of more detailed data to help build better, more tailored programming for students.

Q:  How may our readers engage with EdAllies to assist with your efforts on behalf of Minnesota children?

A:  Donate, participate, and follow/share.

Taking action can be as simple as taking three minutes to pick an action alert on our site edalliesmn.org/take-action and use it to contact your representatives. You can also share your story with us. If any part of our mission resonates with you, allowing us to help elevate your voice helps advances our many initiatives.

Follow us on Twitter or Facebook to learn about events, ways to support students, and for up-to-the-minute opportunities to act. We’re constantly posting videos and blogs to keep you informed about what’s going on in education policy, and we do different types of events throughout the year. We’d love for you to participate.

And donations are the fuel to allow us to do this work. Help provide the critical resources we need to fight for students, help students and families tell their stories, and lead Minnesota to adopt a better education system that works for everyone. If you want to help us to continue to be the advocates our kids need and deserve, please donate and be part of the movement (edalliesmn.org/donate). Every donor is another ally that students have on their side.