Fashion Week MN 2021

Sarah Edwards of Fashion Week MN sits down with Brianna Rose to discuss Fashion Week 2021, inside tips on hot designers and fashion in the time of COVID-19.

PPP Updates from Brian McDonald, District Director U.S. SBA’s MN District

Article by Becky Fillinger

Brian McDonaldWe spoke to District Director Brian McDonald of the SBA one year ago about the newly announced COVID-19 relief programs. We caught up with him to revisit what has changed with relief resources, important dates and how Minnesotans may receive assistance.

Q:  How have the federal COVID-19 relief programs helped the smaller small businesses and those who are independent contractors, including artists and musicians for example? Do they apply for the loans in the same way as traditional small businesses? 

A:  The SBA has multiple COVID-19 relief programs that have been helping small businesses, non-profits, sole proprietors and independent contractors. Made available last year, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program and Paycheck Protection Programs have had billions of dollars added to them by Congress in the last several months. Key changes have also been made to allow more people to take advantage of them. 

Q:  What changes has Congress made to the Paycheck Protection Program and EIDL that would be of interest to Minnesotans? 

A:  The PPP keeps workers on payroll and connected to their benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. This past February, the SBA, working with the Biden-Harris Administration, implemented five PPP changes to achieve more equitable access to this program, anchor neighborhoods especially in low to moderate income and rural areas, and help families to build wealth: 

• Revision to the PPP Funding Formula for Schedule C filers (i.e. independent contractors, sole proprietors and other eligible self-employed individuals) so they can see a greater benefit by utilizing gross income rather than net profit in their calculations.

• Fairer access for people with prior convictions by eliminating the PPP eligibility restriction for those with certain felony convictions within the previous year.

• Allowing those who have struggled to make and are delinquent on federal student loan payments, to apply for a PPP loan.

• Provide clarity that Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) can be used as an identifier for a business owner, allowing all persons lawfully residing in the U.S. to have access to the PPP.

• Provide a 14-day exclusive window where lenders could only submit PPP applications for small businesses and non-profits with 20 or fewer employees.

Additionally, the PPP Extension Act of 2021 signed into law by President Biden on March 30, 2021, extended the PPP for two months to May 31, 2021, and provided an additional 30-day period for the SBA to process pending loan guaranty applications submitted on or before May 31, 2021.

Lastly, the SBA announced it will more than triple the maximum amount small businesses and non-profit organizations can borrow through the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program. Beginning April 6, 2021, loan eligibility will increase from 6-months of economic injury up to a maximum of $150,000 to 24-months of economic injury up to a maximum of $500,000.

Q:  What are your perceptions of how the relief programs were administered in Minnesota?   

A:  The SBA Minnesota District Office continues to aid and provide guidance to small business owners and non-profits across the state. Almost 100,000 Minnesota small businesses have gotten approval for PPP loans as of last week totaling over $4.7 billion; approximately 41,780 EIDL loans also reached eligible small business entities providing more than $2.3 billion. We’re grateful for the positive feedback we have received.

We are also extremely grateful to our SBA Resource Partners, including SCORE Mentors, SBA Women’s Business Centers and the Small Business Development Centers business advisors who provide free, one-on-one assistance to small business owners and potential applicants; connecting small businesses with real people who can work with them every step of the way is making a big a positive impact.

Q:  Are there new relief programs this year? 

A:  The Economic Aid Act and American Rescue Plan Act have delivered more relief for small business owners. Primarily, the two widely known programs that will soon launch to assist some of the hardest-it industries are the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, which has $16.2 billion available for grants to eligible entities as well as the Restaurant Revitalization Fund which includes a $28.6 billion Congressional appropriation to assist businesses where people assembly for the primary purpose of being served food or drink.

Targeted EIDL Advance also is new and provides businesses in low-income communities with additional funds up to $10,000 to ensure small business continuity, adaptation, and resiliency. Potential applicants for this program do not need to take any action; the SBA is reaching out to those who qualify.

Q:  Thank you for speaking with us again. How can we stay current on the SBA news?  

A:  The best way to stay up to date on vital economic aid news is to sign-up for updates at www.sba.gov/updates. If you’re on Twitter, you can also follow the SBA nationally at @SBAgov and the Minnesota District Office at @SBA_Minnesota.

The Twin City Rapid Transit Company Steam Power Plant

Article by Michael Rainville, Jr.

While wandering across the Stone Arch Bridge and enjoying the downstream view of the Mississippi River gorge, it is hard to miss the four smoke stacks rising from a red brick building on the east bank. The Twin City Rapid Transit Company Steam Power Plant, now known as the Southeast Steam Plant, has played a very important role in the growth of Minneapolis. The original owners of the plant, the Twin City Rapid Transit Company, decided to construct the building in 1903 near the old 6th Avenue Bridge to provide electricity for their rapidly growing company.

The power plant circa 1906Back tracking a few decades, in 1875, Thomas Lowry bought the failing Minneapolis Street Railway Company and began to finance a project to lay rail on both sides of the river. These tracks would provide public transportation for thousands of Minneapolis residents. Lowry soon bought the St. Paul Street Railway Company and merged the two to make the Twin City Rapid Transit Company. In 1892, the company successfully transitioned from horse powered rail cars to electric powered, and soon averaged 5.5 million riders per year. The high demand created a big problem for their few steam power stations throughout the cities, so Lowry and his New York investors made the decision to build a power station on the east bank of the river, just beneath St. Anthony Falls.

The power plant, which was designed by the Chicago firm of Sargent and Lundy, began construction in December of 1902, and was up and running one year later in December of 1903. While its sandstone bedrock foundations and limestone and red brick walls are a common sight throughout the city, the Second Renaissance Revival style of the building was not. It may not be as ornate as Carnegie Hall or the Dresden Opera House, but it is still an example of remarkable local architecture. On the other side of its imposing façade, generators and boilers ran day and night to power an extensive streetcar system that rivaled San Francisco’s. When Minneapolis converted to buses in the early 1950’s, the Twin City Rapid Transit Company sold the power plant to Xcel Energy, then known as Northern States Power Company, and in 1976, its current owners, the University of Minnesota bought the plant to help power their Twin Cities campus.

The importance of the Twin City Rapid Transit Company Steam Power Plant was recognized on October 18, 1994 when the National Park Service added the building to the National Register of Historic Places. Within a half mile stretch of the Minneapolis riverfront that includes St. Anthony Falls, the Guthrie Theater, and the 35W Bridge, the Twin City Rapid Transit Company Steam Power Plant often gets overlooked. When you visit the University of Minnesota or see old streetcar tracks at the bottom of potholes that seem to pop up every Spring, you’ll be reminded of a cornerstone that helped connect the entire Twin Cities and contributed to Minneapolis’ growth.

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About Michael Rainville, Jr.

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

Michael is also a lead guide at Mobile Entertainment LLC, giving Segway tours of the Minneapolis riverfront for 5+ years.

He can be reached at mrainvillejr@comcast.net.

Earth Week - Taking Action to Help Pollinators

By Rick Margl, Board Member – Great River Coalition

It appears that spring is here! Of course there might still be a relapse or two (remember 2018?), but time is finally on our side. Walking the woods trails, one sees the first sprouts and buds peeking out - trillium, marsh marigold, hepatica and pussy willow among the rest. The sky and the branches above us are ornamented with newcomers’ colors, flights and song. Look close, the first brave pollinators can be seen scouting the new season, searching for food and nesting opportunities. Ah, spring!

And yet. In this traditionally hopeful season a nagging dirge of disturbing tidings won’t let us rest easy. Amidst the troubles plaguing our world the balm that we seek from the natural world is seemingly more at risk with each passing day. A recent study of ground-nesting bees in Ontario found that individual bees exposed to crops treated with the commonly used neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid dug 85 percent fewer nests and produced 89 percent fewer offspring. Other studies have shown that neonics negatively impact songbird migration and whitetail deer reproduction.

Minnesota’s state bee, the rusty-patched bumblebee, has disappeared from over 90 percent of its historical range. The western Monarch population is down by over 95 percent. Across our state the MN Department of Agriculture’s groundwater monitoring program regularly finds evidence of pesticide contamination.

But enough gloom and enough doom. What can we do about it?

How You Can Help Pollinators

First and foremost, plant forage species – native wildflowers and milkweed. You can find more information on recommended plant species (and other pollinator supporting tips!) on the websites of the Xerces Society, the University of Minnesota Bee Lab and the Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources.

Enhance bee habitat by having some areas of bare, undisturbed soil in your yard for ground-nesting bees. Leave dead hollow-stemmed plants in your garden over the winter and into early summer to provide cover for stem-nesting bees. Houses for cavity nesting bees can be made or purchased.

Another great way to support healthy and sustainable pollinator populations is to better manage the use of pesticides.  Always check bee toxicity before use and avoid application near food or nesting sites.

As part of an effort to curtail the use of pollinator-toxic pesticides, Minnesota State Representative Samantha Vang recently submitted a bill (HF718) that would allow cities to ban a group of pesticides that the MN Department of Agriculture has labeled as lethal to pollinators. Fifty Minnesota cities have passed resolutions pledging to prohibit application of these pesticides. More information on challenges facing pollinators and on the proposed legislation can be found in a recent Star Tribune article.  

At the federal level, two bills have recently been submitted that would provide critical protections for pollinators. The Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act of 2021 would fund grants supporting the planting of pollinator-friendly native grasses and wildflowers along roadside rights-of-way. The Monarch Act of 2021 will fund efforts to restore and manage critical foraging and nesting habitat for devastated western U.S. monarch populations. More information can be found on the Xerces Society website.

As citizens, it’s our right and our responsibility to advocate and take action to protect the environment on which we and future generations are indisputably dependent. Please, take the time to research the issues and then contact your state and federal representatives to voice your support for these bills.

Another great way to help pollinators is to join the Great River Coalition for the 6^th annual Earth Day Virtual 5K Bee Run/Walk/Bike on April 17^th through 24^th. This annual event is being held virtually this year in order to ensure the safety of our participants, volunteers and vendors. It’s still a fun way to stay healthy and contribute to efforts to support pollinators and protect the environment of the Mississippi watershed.

So don those bee costumes, grab your kids, your friends and the family dog. Get outside and enjoy the spring weather and the beautiful scenery of Twin Cities parklands. We’re looking forward to seeing your pictures posted on the GRC’s Facebook and Instagram sites. Registered participants will receive sweet swag and a chance to win super prizes! Check out the GRC website for more information: https://www.greatrivercoalition.com/2021-virtual-bee-runwalk.

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

Northern Lights.mn Announces Spring Howl Telethon

Via an April 16 Press Release from Northern Lights.mn:

The annual fundraiser to benefit Northern Lights.mn goes virtual on May 21, 2021 showcasing artists and sharing memories

Northern Lights.mn announces a new date for the Spring Howl Telethon, a live televised variety show produced by Northern Lights.mn partner Minnesota Community Network Channel 6 (MCN6) to support the Northern Spark festival and Northern Lights.mn artistic programming.

In light of the Derek Chauvin trial and possible verdict in late April, Northern Lights.mn is moving its Spring Howl Telethon to May 21. Spring Howl is a free virtual community event for all to attend and will be broadcast live on May 21, 2021, 7:30 - 9 pm on MCN6 and the Northern Lights.mn Facebook page.

Spring Howl Telethon will dazzle with improv performances, musical interludes, stories of long nights at Northern Spark from festival artists over the years, green-screen shenanigans, suspenseful prize drawings, kazoos, and a performative telephone operator. It is a Telethon, after all. Starring: 

• Host John Gebratatose from HUGE Theater and Black Out Improv!
• A house band!
• The Northern Spark Kazoo band led by Scotty Reynolds!
• Ifrah Mansour as Spring Howl Commissioned Poet!
• Sami Pfeffer as Telephone Operator! 
• Prizes! 

Spring Howl Telethon supports the artistic programming of Northern Lights.mn, the producers of the beloved Northern Spark festival, Illuminate the Lock and Art(ists) on the Verge fellowship among other projects. RSVP to our FaceBook event to get frequent updates on the line up!

Spring Howl Telethon - May 21, 2021, 7:30 - 9 pm
Register for FREE - FREE to watch live on MCN6 or Facebook
Register now and make an early donation to be eligible for door prizes drawn throughout the event. Including: 

• A selection of spirits from Crooked Waters distillery
• A $100 gift certificate to Solo Vino in St. Paul
• A year of beer from Fulton Brewery
• More to come!

Northern Spark Background

Northern Spark is a late-night, participatory arts festival that lights up the Twin Cities in early summer. In 2021, the festival takes new forms: in the mail, online, and in person in St. Paul, MN during a two week span of time. 

In past years during Northern Spark, tens of thousands of people gathered throughout the city on one night to explore giant video projections, play in temporary installations in the streets, and enjoy experimental performances in green spaces. 

From dusk to dawn the city surprised you: friendly crowds, glowing groups of cyclists, an unexpected path through the urban landscape, the magic of sunrise after a night of amazing art and experiences. In 2018 we introduced a two-night model, so people could experience the artful magic of Northern Spark for two nights until 2 am.

As our city still grapples with the effects of COVID-19, the 2021 festival will support artist projects that encourage our communities to safely connect and inspire the kind of experimental, surprising experiences we love at Northern Spark.

Northern Spark is produced by Northern Lights.mn, a Twin Cities non-profit arts organization whose work ranges from large-scale public art platforms like Northern Spark to Art(ists) On the Verge, a year-­long mentorship program for 4 emerging artists working experimentally in public space. We support artists in the creation and presentation of art in the public sphere, such as at St. Paul's Union Depot (Amateur Intelligence Radio), "choir karaoke" at the Minnesota State Fair (Giant Sing Along) and Illuminate the Lock, artist installations inside and around the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam on the Mississippi River. Our work helps audiences explore expanded possibilities for civic engagement through art.

Bee prepared for Earth Week

St. Kate’s campus to support pollinators in 5K Bee Run

By Emily Cox

As St. Kate’s gears up to host the 2021 St. Paul 5K Bee Run in partnership with the Great River Coalition, plans have been adjusted accordingly to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions. Still, in support of pollinators and the Great River Coalition’s mission to create Pollinator Pathways, the run has marched onward in the face of the restrictions. Taking place from April 17 through the 24, it will be entirely virtual, allowing participants to go at their own pace alongside family and friends.

“Running a race is often a very social event,” explained St. Kate’s Track and Field Coach, Shannon Houlihan, who has been helping plan the run, “While there are some people that love to race and want to run for the competitive aspect, a lot of people want to run to have fun with friends or family.”

Though participants are unable to gather together, it does mean that anyone can register for the race and show their support, regardless of where they are currently living. 

“It allows alumnae or students who are living at home this semester to participate,” Houlihan pointed out, a silver lining amidst the disappointment of being unable to compete in person.

The virtual run also opens up the unique opportunity for participants to decide how they want to compete, by running, walking, biking, or any combination thereof. They can take it slow or shoot for a new personal record, but the important aspect for Houlihan and the rest of the team behind the Bee Run is having fun.

“It will really be focused on getting outdoors,” Houlihan stressed, “and getting active with your own family or your roommates.  I personally believe it's very important to still be active despite the restrictions we have in place for COVID, so this is a great event to allow people to get outdoors and moving in a very safe environment.”

Additionally, the architects behind the run wanted to find other fun ways to involve the community, despite the inability to gather together in person. One such idea manifested in creating multiple patterns for quirky and bright Bee Costumes participants can make at home to show their support for pollinators and get into the spirit of the run.

St. Kate’s Apparel, Merchandising & Design department put together the patterns, students using their creativity to make unique designs that celebrate the natural wonder of bees. 

“We always look to engage our students,” said department chair and associate professor, Anupama Pasricha, “and provide them opportunities that will facilitate their professional and civic engagement.”

A look at the Bee Costume patterns

“Sustainability is a strong focus area in our department and fashion curriculum,” Pasricha continued, acknowledging how the fun Bee Costumes support pollinators and the environment in more ways than one. “We believe that all design thinking and work should use a sustainability paradigm. That makes sense for people, planet, and profit.”

“We highly encourage costumes!” Houlihan said. “Seeing a bee out for a run will bring a smile to anyone’s face, and will help bring some awareness to the need to protect our pollinators to help make a better future for all of us. “

If you are interested in participating in the Bee Run and showing your support for local pollinators, see the flier below to learn how to register. For more information on the Great River Coalition and their partnership with St. Kate’s, click here.

Local Leader Spotlight: Brock Hunter, Founder, Veterans Defense Project

Article by Becky Fillinger

Brock HunterHow do we best serve our military veterans who find themselves in Minnesota criminal courts? Sometimes we need to adopt a holistic approach to provide the appropriate services and supports called for in the situation. Meet Brock Hunter, Founder of the Veterans Defense Project, who is helping on a national and local level, to provide veterans the support they need.  

Q:  Why is Veterans Court important to you?

A:  My interest in veterans in the criminal justice system originates with my own military service overseas as an Army scout. I returned home and experienced some difficulties reintegrating back into civilian life and for a period of time I acted out in ways that could have led to criminal convictions. I was ultimately able to reintegrate and find new purpose in my life while going to college and law school. After law school, while working as a public defender in the Minnesota courts in the late 1990s, I recognized the large number of veterans coming through the criminal justice system. At the time, they were mostly Vietnam veterans, many of whom had been cycling through the criminal courts regularly since they had come home from Vietnam. 

With the terror attacks on 9/11/2001, we went to war again and are still at war 20 years later. Over the course of the last two decades, I have witnessed more and more veterans of these current conflicts flowing into the criminal justice system, just as their Vietnam predecessors did. This generation is unique, however, from other previous generations of veterans. Without a draft, we have fought what have now become our longest wars with small all-volunteer military force, recycling the same troops back into combat over and over again to an unprecedented degree. These multiple deployments translate into higher levels of PTSD and related conditions, which, untreated often lead to veterans to act out against the very communities they risked their lives to protect and land them in the criminal justice system.

Q:  Please tell us about the Veterans Defense Project.

A:  The Veterans Defense Project is a public policy advocacy and education organization dedicated to helping the criminal justice system do a better job this time around than it did with past generations of veterans. The VDP arose out of my frustrations in defending my veteran clients in the criminal courts. The justice system, as an institution, lacked understanding of the issues that drive combat veterans to criminal behavior or how to best address those issues to break the cycle of recidivism and help restore veterans as assets to their communities, rather than ongoing liabilities. 

Around 2005 I began doing educational presentations to criminal justice professionals and then in 2007 I helped draft and pass Minnesota's veterans sentencing statute, MN Stat. 609.115, Subd. 10, which was only the second such law in the country. The following year the U.S. Supreme Court cited our law in a landmark case, Porter v. McCollum, the first time our highest court addressed the relevance of combat trauma in criminal sentencing.  In the wake of the Porter decision, those of us that worked to pass Minnesota's legislation were contacted by advocates across the country who were interested in pursuing similar legislation in their own states. In the years since, we founded the Veterans Defense Project and have helped a number states draft veterans sentencing legislation, published a book Defending Veterans in Criminal Court, been invited to brief policy makers, from the Obama and Trump administrations, to the leadership of the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs, and trained thousands of judges, attorneys and other criminal justice professionals.

Veterans Treatment Courts are a product of the evolution of this approach. They are modeled on other specialty courts, like drug courts and mental health courts that have been around for three decades, or so. The philosophy of these courts is to serve as an intervention tool for offenders whose criminal conduct was driven by underlying mental health and/or substance abuse issues by working to treat those issues, rather than just punishing the symptoms. When done right, the offenders are incentivized to undertake challenging treatments and to be held accountable while they get their center of gravity back beneath them, get back on their feet, and get moving forward in life. The Veterans Defense Project helped establish the first Veterans Treatment Court, in Hennepin County, in 2010. We worked with other counties in the Metro area to establish courts over the next few years. Today, there are more than a dozen formal Veterans Treatment Courts across Minnesota.  Some of them, in rural areas, serve multiple surrounding counties.  

Q:  What is happening with veterans’ sentencing in Minnesota?

A:  The Veterans Defense Project's current priority is passage of the Veterans Restorative Justice Act (VRJA), an updated "Version 2.0" of Minnesota's original decade-old veterans sentencing statute. This bill is currently making its way through the Minnesota legislature and it addresses key issues that will help improve and standardize our State's Veterans Courts and expand access to veterans in all Minnesota jurisdictions.  

Though not yet passed in Minnesota, VRJA has already garnered significant interest on a national level. The Veterans Defense Project was invited to help brief the Trump Administration and key members of Congress last year to support passage of the Veteran Court Coordination Act, which was signed into law in the fall of 2020. This new federal law provides for significant additional funding for Veterans Treatment Courts across the country. The Department of Justice will administer the funds and will likely require that states adopt standards based on the VRJA to access them. Groups in several states, including Virginia, Florida, Texas, Iowa, and Nebraska have expressed interest in the VRJA and are moving forward with introducing similar bills in their own legislatures.

Q:  How can we help?

A:  We encourage those who support the passage of the VRJA in Minnesota to contact your legislators and encourage them to pass it, ensuring Minnesota remains at the forefront of doing better by our veterans, ensuring they are reintegrated as assets, rather than ongoing liabilities, to the communities they once served to protect.

Q:  Thank you for this important work. How may we follow your news?

A:  Please do!  Readers can learn more about the Veterans Defense Project at our Facebook page and at our web site, veteransdefenseproject.org.

Open Eye Theatre Announces the 2021 Summer Driveway Tour

Via an April 13 News Release from Open Eye Theatre:

THE AMAZING COWBOAT returns with a revised story and an all new cast

Open Eye Theatre announces the return of its award-winning summer Driveway Tour, the perfect outdoor neighborhood get-together. Since 2002, Open Eye has been building grassroots community with fun-filled, all-ages traveling puppet shows performing outdoors throughout the Twin Cities. Learn more at openeyetheatre.org/driveway-tour.

THE AMAZING COWBOAT, one of most popular shows in the Driveway Tour repertory, has an exciting revised storyline and cast for 2021, guaranteed to delight kids and grownups alike.

It’s time for Binh to take a bath! Binh’s imagination comes alive as he pretends he is the captain of a boat that is part cow, part boat, and totally amazing! Together Binh and his Cow Boat set sail on a high seas adventure to search for the lost crown of Lac Long Quân, the Dragon Lord of Vietnam, making friends as they go, all before sailing home to his bathtub before bed time!

Earlier this year, with generous support from the Jim Henson Foundation, puppetry artists Liz Howls and Oanh Vu redeveloped the script and the design of the main puppet character to reflect the image and experience of a young Vietnamese-American child. Puppeteers Tri Vo and Ty Chapman will perform in THE AMAZING COWBOAT.

The Driveway Tour features hand-crafted puppets, two performers and a live musician. Members of the community are invited to host a Driveway Tour show in their own backyard, garden, or driveway. Open Eye offers private shows and public performances for festivals, parties, and other events. The traveling production can set up almost anywhere! Learn more at openeyetheatre.org/host.

“The kids loved meeting the puppets after the show! We had a great mix of people — neighbors, family, kids, adults... And I have to say how absolutely special it was to have an accordion player on my driveway!” — 2019 Driveway Tour host

All performances of THE AMAZING COWBOAT will be outside and Open Eye will follow CDC guidelines for COVID-19 safety.

Visit openeyetheatre.org/driveway-tour for more information and to learn about hosting a show this summer.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Liz Howls Schachterle (she/her) is a puppeteer, performer, teacher, and artistic director of the Full Moon Puppet Show, a popular adult puppetry slam. Her work has been recognized with two Ivey Awards, and grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Jim Henson Foundation. She has worked as a mentor, teacher and consultant for Monkeybear’s Harmolodic Workshop, and most recently designed video animations for Kevin Kling’s Best Summer Ever at the Children’s Theatre Company.

Oanh Vu (she/her) is an educator, artist, and community organizer. She has a long history in film but has recently found a home in puppetry. As the daughter of Vietnamese refugees, she uses humor and the playfulness of puppetry to tell stories of healing for her community. She was a 2020 Puppet Lab Artist and her work has been shared through the Full Moon Puppet Show and Monkeybear's New Puppet Works.

Tri Vo (he/she/they) is really into punk music. Tri brings punk energy into everything they do, from music, improv, and theater, to puppets and podcasting. Tri would really love to play with more punk rock musicians, especially those who are melanated and have strong working class politics. You can listen to Tri share their thoughts on the podcast that they make called GLAMMUMP. You can learn more about the podcast by visiting facebook.com/GLAMMUMP, and listening to it wherever you listen to podcasts.

Ty Chapman (he/him) is a Twin Cities based author, poet, puppeteer, and playwright of Nigerian and European descent. He has been creating art with social justice themes for many years, and is passionate about creating art that speaks to the Black experience in America. His recent accomplishments include writing four children’s books through the Loft’s Mirrors and Windows program, creating a one-man shadow puppet and marionette show for Puppet Lab, and publishing poems through SOFTBLOW and Oyster River Pages. Check out Ty's other work at TyChapman.org.

New Driveway Tour photos featuring this year’s cast will be available soon.

Here are some photos from previous shows:

About Open Eye Theatre

Open Eye Theatre is nationally recognized as a vibrant home for artists who create imaginative and profound experiences that open eyes, hearts, and minds through the power of amazing stories and unforgettable performances. Experience a thrilling array of original theatre, inventive puppetry, live music, and world-class storytelling from local, national, and international artists year-round in our cozy 90-seat theater in South Minneapolis, or find us in neighborhoods throughout the Twin Cities with our summer Driveway Tour! More information is available at openeyetheatre.org. 

Episode 8 of Milling About with Brianna Rose airs April 15

Article by Becky Fillinger

Brianna RoseEpisode 8 of Milling About with Brianna Rose will first air on Thursday, April 15 at 8PM on MCN6. The show replays for a month every Thursday and Friday at 8PM and Monday and Tuesday at 5PM.

The April show has something for everyone, from an update on our parks to ventriloquism to our local and legendary film festival. You’ll hear from: 

- David Malmberg, ventriloquist, with dummy Simon, tells us about his career inspiration and how budding ventriloquists can find resources today.  Did you know ventriloquism dates back to ancient Egyptian times?

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- Susan Smoluchowski, Executive Director, MSP Film Society, gives a preview of what to expect with the upcoming 40th Anniversary of the MSP Film Festival. We are fortunate to have this resource in our backyard - able to pivot in times of the pandemic and going about business as usual in locating and showing unique, award-winning and critically-acclaimed films from around the world. You’ll want to hear her perspectives.

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- Jenny Heck, Communications Manager for the Mill City Farmers Market explains the Market’s charitable fund grant program – the Next Stage Grant Program. The relatively small grants have been life and business changing for small farmers and food makers.

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- Tom Evers, Executive Director at Minneapolis Parks Foundation, describes 2021 Parks’ priorities and funding decision making processes. He recommends a little-known gem of a park, Farview Park, with an excellent view of Downtown Minneapolis and the Mississippi River. Visit it and be like Horace Cleveland and Theodore Wirth in admiring our fair city!

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- Audrey Liquard shows us just how easy backyard composting can be – it is this month’s  #ZeroWasteLifestyle tip.

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

5K Bee Run - Earth Day Fun Run/Walk & River Cleanup

Diane Hofstede, President of the Great River Coalition, tells us about this year's 5K Bee Run - Earth Day Fun Run/Walk & River Cleanup – it can be done virtually or outside - to support our wonderful riverfront and pollinators. We have a lot to look forward to in the run and the community cleanup. Dress up and share your photos!

Local Talent: Dan Israel

Singer/Songwriter Dan Israel describes the songwriting process through a pandemic. He treats us to a performance of Pandemic Blues.

The 1893 Nicollet Island-Northeast Fire

Article by Michael Rainville, Jr.

August 13th, 1893 was not a good day for the city of Minneapolis. It hadn’t rained for two months, the breeze was hot, and clouds were sparse. Just past 1:00pm, the infamous fire started when a few boys decided to have a quick smoke near the southwest side of Nicollet Island. The first building to catch fire was the Lenhart Wagon Works, and it didn’t take long before the Cedar Lake Ice House and stable and the Clark Box Factory were ablaze as well. Because of the arid conditions, the Minneapolis Fire Department did not want to take any chances. While they had crews fight the fires on the south side of the island, they also made sure to have a crew patrol the north side to quickly put out any embers and debris that floated away on this windy day and landed in the area. 

When reinforcements were crossing the Hennepin Avenue bridge, they noticed a towering inferno at Boom Island, growing larger by the second. At the time, Boom Island was the heart of the log milling industry in Minneapolis, or in other words, the least desirable place for an uncontrollable fire. Now, how did a fire on the south side of Nicollet Island leap to Boom Island? As previously mentioned, it was a windy day, and when fires grow, the energy created can create even more wind. That seems like a sufficient explanation. However, there’s a rumor floating around that some of the log mill owners who lived on the northern part of Nicollet Island bought insurance plans for their companies a few years prior to the fire. Sure, the lumber industry was rapidly declining, and insuring your company would have been a smart move, but come on! Embers from a fire jump over half an island where log mill owners just happen to live, leap a river channel, and land where there’s dozens of acres of mills and lumber stacks? I’ll let the conspiracy theorists take over from here.

The fire spread north from Boom Island and was rapidly approaching residential areas, so the St. Paul Fire Department was called in to help fight the blaze. The plan was to stop the fire at Marshall Street from spreading east, and at 13th Avenue from spreading north. Thankfully, the fire itself did not take any lives, but roughly 24 square blocks of Northeast Minneapolis were reduced to rubble. It could have been a lot worse, but the brand-new metal and brick brew house of the Grain Belt Brewery, then known as the Minneapolis Brewing Company, stopped the fire dead in its tracks.

It took a long time for that area to recover, but since then, businesses moved back, homes were built, and trees sprouted from the ashes. When walking on the new, beautiful park trail from Sheridan Memorial Park to Boom Island Park, it’s hard to believe that Minneapolis’ biggest fire ravaged the area over 100 years ago. 

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About Michael Rainville, Jr.

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

Michael is also a lead guide at Mobile Entertainment LLC, giving Segway tours of the Minneapolis riverfront for 5+ years.

He can be reached at mrainvillejr@comcast.net.

MSP Int'l Film Festival Announces Minnesota Made Films and Outdoor Screenings

Via a recent e-announcement from MSP Film Society:

MSP Film Society is thrilled to announce the first slate of films for the 40th Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival (MSPIFF40): the Minnesota Made films! Representing the abundance of talent and diversity of vision in local filmmaking, the Minnesota Made program is always a highlight at MSPIFF, and this year offers another exciting mix of fiction and documentary films from Minnesota-based and Minnesota-native filmmakers.

“MSPIFF has an impressive track record of lifting up Minnesota filmmakers by presenting their films alongside some of the greatest filmmakers from around the world,” said Susan Smoluchowski, Executive Director of the MSP Film Society, parent organization of MSPIFF. “We are honored to be able to continue to offer Minnesota filmmakers our full support, including compensation for their participation in MSPIFF again this year, when filmmakers are facing even more financial challenges than ever before.”

MSP Film Society continues our commitment of year-round support to Minnesota filmmakers in multiple ways, from waiving submission fees to MSPIFF, to highlighting the selected films in MSPIFF’s publicity efforts, and offering weeklong theatrical runs and one-off screening opportunities at St. Anthony Main Theatre for festival favorites. Most recently, we have begun to offer our virtual platform so filmmakers can securely screen their films to audiences throughout Minnesota.

MSPIFF is Minnesota’s largest film festival and, at 40 years running, a Minnesota cultural institution. MSPIFF40 will present 150+ films from both veteran and emerging filmmakers from around the world.

MSPIFF40 will take place Thursday, May 13 through Sunday, May 23, 2021 as a hybrid festival, with most of the films screening virtually to audiences throughout Minnesota, panels and filmmaker Q&As available for free throughout the US, and special in-person outdoor screenings in both Minneapolis and St. Paul.

MSPIFF Opening Weekend – May 13/14/15 – will take place at the Como Lakeside Pavilion, 1360 Lexington Parkway North in St. Paul.

MSPIFF Closing Weekend – May 21/22 – will take place at a pop-up drive-in at Bohemian Flats Park, 2150 West River Parkway in Minneapolis.

The complete MSPIFF40 lineup, along with info on how to purchase tickets to the outdoor screenings, will be announced on Thursday, April 22, 2021.

MINNESOTA MADE FEATURE FILMS AT MSPIFF40

After America - Directed by Jake Yunza, USA, 2020, Fiction In 2019, director Jake Yuzna put out an open call in Minneapolis to criminal justice de-escalators to explore, through performance, the failures they saw in their work and in daily life. The result is an unconventional and eye-opening look at policing in America.

After Antarctica - Directed by Tasha Van Zandt, USA, 2021, Documentary In 1989 Will Steger travelled across Antarctica, the longest and most treacherous crossing of the continent in history. Now, over 30 years later, director Tasha Van Zandt follows him again across the continent, which is slowly coming apart due to the global warming crisis.

The Co-Op Wars - Directed by Deacon Warner, USA, 2020, Documentary Today, Co-ops are multi-million dollar businesses, so successful they’ve prompted mainstream grocery stores to stock organic food. But in the 1970s, it almost ended before it began, as internecine battles and even hostile takeovers threatened this burgeoning movement.

Hollywood Fringe - Directed by Megan Huber & Wyatt McDill, USA, 2020, Fiction Samantha and Travis have been trying to break into movies for years. When their dream project is finally green-lit, the producers want Travis for the male lead, but a younger actress for the female lead. What is Samantha to do but resurrect her “Alien Play” for the Fringe Festival?

Wet House - Directed by Benjamin May, USA. 2021, Documentary Benjamin May’s compassionate documentary pulls no punches nor casts any aspersions as he explores a residential facility for aging alcoholics, where they’re allowed to drink and ride out this last refuge in an unending storm of neglect, self-abuse and despair.

...and over 30 Minnesota Made Short Films, including:

Say His Name, Five Days for George Floyd - Directed by Cy Dodson, USA, 2021, Short Documentary The incomprehensible police killing of George Floyd on May 25th, 2020, sparked a global uprising. Director Cy Dodson captures an immersive observation of unrest in the days between the police killing of George Floyd and the charges filed against police officer Derek Chauvin.

Festival Passes are on sale now at mspfilm.org. All-Access Passes for MSP Film Society Members are $200. All-Access Passes for Non-Members are $250 and include a 1-year MSP Film Society core membership. Film Industry and Student Passes are available for $99.

MSPIFF40 is presented by the MSP Film Society, a dynamic 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to fostering a knowledgeable and vibrant appreciation of the art of film and its power to inform and transform individuals and communities. Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Thai New Year at Sawatdee

Supenn and Cyndy Harrison, the mother and daughter leadership team of downtown Thai restaurant Sawatdee, sit down with Brianna Rose to talk about Thai New Year and what's new at Sawatdee.

Dandelion Day at Historic Ard Godfrey House set for May 16

32nd Annual Dandelion Day Celebration

at the historic Ard Godfrey House

Minneapolis’ Oldest Surviving Wood Frame House

Sunday, May 16, 2021  1:00 - 4:00 pm

Masks are Required

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The Woman's Club of Minneapolis invites you to the 32nd Annual Dandelion Day Celebration at the The Ard Godfrey House. Built in 1849, it is located at the corner of University and Central Avenues SE in Chute Square. Here are the details:

 Dandelion Day celebrates Harriet Godfrey’s introduction of dandelion seeds to the St. Anthony Falls area.

 Learn how to make dandelion necklaces, bracelets and crowns, just as Helen Godfrey did as a child.

 Take home a complimentary recipe booklet which includes recipes for dandelion coffee, tea, salad, etc.

 Free Godfrey buttons for the kids.

 Enjoy a guided tour of the charming Ard Godfrey House with docents dressed in 1850s period costume.

 Admission is FREE, donations are welcome, Reservations necessary.

 Reservations available at Eventbrite. For more info, call Kevin at 612-813-5324. 

 Restored by The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, the House has been open to the public since 1979. Dandelion Day marks the beginning of the summer tour season at the Ard Godfrey House.  

 The Ard Godfrey House is partially wheelchair accessible on the main floor, but has the restrictions of a historic home. Please call Muriel (612-781-8791) two weeks in advance to make arrangement for guests with special needs.

 Private group tours may be arranged year-round for a fee by calling 612-781-8791.

Metered street parking available. Off-street parking in River Place Ramp, with entrance on 2nd Street SE, off East Hennepin Avenue, or at St. Anthony Falls Public Ramp, on 2nd Street SE off Central Avenue.

Please note: the Third Avenue Bridge will be closed when this event takes place.

Local Leader: Diane Hofstede, President, The Great River Coalition

Article by Becky Fillinger

Diane at the Mill City Farmers Market, photo providedThe 51st Anniversary of Earth Day is April 22nd. Locally, The Great River Coalition is celebrating the 6th annual Earth Week 5K Bee Run/Walk/Bike event virtually! We talked to Diane Hofstede, President, about the logistics of this year’s event and dressing for success for the popular pollinator fun run.   

Q:  What’s different with the 5K event this year?

A: Many events continue to be postponed with the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re going forward with a virtual version of the 6th Annual Earth Week 5K Bee Run/Walk/Bike! Participants may run our traditional route originating at Boom Island Park and through the only National Park offering scenic views of the Mississippi River, or choose your own route. You can complete your virtual event any time during Earth Week, April 17-24, 2021.

We’re encouraging participants to bring family members and friends along on your virtual Run/Walk/Bike. Please be creative with pollinator costumes and post pictures to our Facebook or Instagram sites! Each paid participant gets a tech t-shirt, a Mill City Running 20% discount and a chance to win big prizes! Register here: https://register.chronotrack.com/r/60015.

Q:  Why is this event necessary? 

A:  Pollinators, throughout the world, are suffering declines in population due to loss of habitat, chemicals, and changes in climate. Please join us in our efforts to save one of the most important and valuable creatures on earth! Interested in doing more? How about being on our board? Board openings are available for consideration by sending an email to diane@greatrivercoalition.com.

Q:  You collaborate with St. Catherine University for this event. How did this partnership come about?

A:  We have many wonderful partners, one of which is St. Catherine University. One of Great River Coalition board members is a St. Catherine University graduate, and she suggested we invite the University to join us as we expanded the event and our mission to protect and provide additional pollinator gardens. St. Catherine’s is a natural fit because the University campus has developed pollinator gardens, installed bee hives on the roof of one of their buildings and produces the honey for sale to support their gardens, and the bees. Additional gardens are being planned for the University campus and the Minneapolis side of the river this spring from the donations for the event. More information will bee available soon! Also, the Apparel Merchandising Design students at St. Catherine University created wonderfully inspiring costumes to celebrate this year’s Earth Week.

Q:  Participants are encouraged to dress in pollinator costumes. Will you select winning costumes? 

A: We anticipate that selecting costume winners will “bee” tough! Great River Coalition has a group of volunteers, students and board members who have agreed to be the judges. GRC welcomes anyone who would like to participate in the judging to send an email to diane@greatrivercoalion.com. Too be eligible for prizes, compete as the winning costumes, register for the Earth Week week-long event at https://register.chronotrack.com/r/60015.

Donations from the registration will be used to expand pollinator gardens. We can’t wait to see you and your costumes on our social media!

Last Chance to Check out the Virtual Minneapolis International Festival!

The virtual International Festival will be coming to a close next week. Don't miss this opportunity to celebrate the many different cultures in the City of Minneapolis and surrounding communities with music, dance, art, food demos AND MORE. All activities accessed through the event website.  

This event has typically taken place the first Saturday in December at Central Park Gym. The event has grown in popularity with more than 2,000 people in attendance in 2019. 

Art
We have artists representing Latin American cultures, African cultures and Native American cultures as well. 

Music
Talented musicians and performers from Brazil and Thailand are on display. 

Food
The Sioux Chef will be offering demonstrations of local indigenous foods. 

Learning Opportunities
There are chances to learn about Ethiopian Culture, learn Origami or visit the beautiful country of Croatia are all available to you! 

For additional information, visit the website.

April 17 Nature's Way Artist Reception at Kolman & Pryor Gallery

Via a recent e-announcement from Kolman & Pryor Gallery:

Work by Kolman & Pryor Gallery Artists

Inspired by Nature

April 10 – June 19, 2021

Artist Reception: Saturday, April 17, 7:00–9:00pm

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Over the past year we've found solace in the outdoors and in the natural world. To celebrate the balm and calm of Nature and the sense of discovery and refreshment that it gives us, Kolman & Pryor Gallery announces its Spring exhibition, Nature’s Way. Curated by gallery co-founder, Patrick Pryor, with works by gallery artists, Betsy Ruth Byers, Kate Casanova, Jil Evans, Kelly Jean Ohl, Jodi Reeb, Julie Snidle, and Cameron Zebrun; and guest artist, Abby Mouw, the exhibition begins April 10 and runs through June 19, 2021. An artist reception will be held on April 17, from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. during Northrup King Nights (6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.), the Northrup King Building’s quarterly open studio evening. Nature’s Way is available now to view online  as well as in person in the gallery.

Becoming II by Betsy Ruth Byers

Nature is a theme and a passion shared by Pryor and gallery co-founder, Anita Sue Kolman. “Every few years we revisit this theme,” Pryor says, “as it brought Anita and I together. Through our shared passion for nature-inspired work, we selected the gallery artists we’ve worked with for the past 10 years. We’re thrilled to show fresh work by our artists through the lens of nature.”

Jil Evans’s new abstract works, Kolman says, “are infused with found light, whether the light has streamed in through her windows or she’s experienced light and shadow shifting while on a walk. The work is bright and light-infused.” In contrast, Kelly Jean Ohl’s sculptures, made with such natural elements as clay, water, and fire, “resemble something you might pick up on a beach, or in a forest like pinecones, seedpods, or sticks.” 

The small conceptual sculptures assembled by Kate Casanova “express our connection to nature and our physical bodies, with a combination of synthetic and biological materials,” Pryor explains. Teetering between the abstract and the representational, with shapes bulging and flowing with color, the work of Betsy Ruth Byers may be “rooted in the tradition of landscape painting,” he continues, “but addresses the materiality of paint to examine how our relationship with water and ice is changing.” 

Gold Beach by Julie Snidle

Other gallery artists in the exhibition include Cameron Zebrun, who infuses layers of carved wood with images of northern Minnesota woods and water; and Julie Snidle and Jodi Reeb who work with beeswax.

In addition to enjoying individual artworks, visitors to the exhibition “can look forward to experiencing the ways in which these works will connect with each other,” Pryor says. Adds Kolman, “The works are in dialogue with each other, not overtly, but through a shared sensibility grounded in the artists’ gratitude and appreciation for nature.” 

For a preview of the show, please contact Anita Sue Kolman at anita@kolmanpryorgallery.com or 612-385-4239 or Patrick Pryor at patrick@kolmanpryorgallery.com or 612-280-7812. 

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Nature’s Way begins Saturday, April 10, 2021, and closes Saturday, June 19, 2021.

Artist Reception: Saturday, April 17, 2021, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Kolman & Pryor Gallery is located in Studio 395, Northrup King Building at 1500 Jackson Street NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413. For more information, please call: 612-385-4239 or 612-280-7812 or email: anita@kolmanpryorgallery.com or patrick@kolmanpryorgallery.com or visit kolmanpryorgallery.com.

Hennepin History Museum Events for April 2021

Racism & Housing Event Series:

Two virtual events are being held in partnership with Hennepin History Museum, Plymouth Congregational Church, Alliance Housing, and Align Minneapolis and sponsored by the Minneapolis Foundation and Pohlad Family Foundation:

Cost:  Pay as you can – Advance registration required for:

Looking Back to Move Forward:  The Housing Crisis

Thursday, April 15, 7-8:30 pm

Local historians and housing experts discuss historical roots of today’s Twin Cities housing crisis. Moderated by Chandra Smith Baker of the Minneapolis Foundation.

The Color of Law

Wednesday, April 21, 7-8:30 pm

Richard Rothstein will discuss his award-winning book The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America, followed by a question/answer session for participants.

Mutual Aid Community History Workshop

Saturday, April 24, 1-2:30 pm

How can history help us build racial futures? Join History for the Future in a workshop to explore local histories of radical community care through personal memory, storytelling, and digital mapping.

Cost:  Free

For more information or to register for events, visit:  www.hennepinhistory.org

Contact:  Rosella DePietro, (952) 334-4629, rosella.depietro@hennepinhistory.org

The Mill City Times Interview: DID Ambassador: Essie Simpson

Article by Becky Fillinger

Essie Simpson  Photo Credit: Kurt Moses Photography via of Mpls DID

The Downtown Improvement District (DID) is staffed by an amazing group of Ambassadors. Meet Essie Simpson, an exemplary Ambassador. Interested in being an Ambassador? The DID usually hires in the spring time for the busy summer season with 75-80 Ambassadors on the street in the summer months. 

Q:  Why did you become a Downtown Improvement District Ambassador?

A:  I love being downtown and helping people. Being a DID Ambassador seemed like a natural fit for me.

Q:  What is a typical day on the job like for you?

A:  I start my shift with a briefing on the day’s events, and then I head to my zone within the District to begin my patrol. Throughout my shift, I am focused on helping anyone who may be in need. I also look for safety concerns or situations and communicate with the DID Safety Communications Center to provide the best next steps in assisting the situation.

Q:  How many days per week do you work?

A:  I am on the job five days a week.

Q:  Do you have a territory - a particular set of streets or a neighborhood where you work?

A:  We are assigned to a new zone on a daily basis. Each zone is as specific area within the Downtown Improvement District area.

Q:  What improvements would you recommend to strengthen the Ambassador program?

A:  More Ambassadors! The more people we have on the street the more people we can help. I think the program is a success - I love the program and being able to help people on a daily basis.

Q:  Thank you Essie! How may we follow your news?

A:  The best way to follow the DID news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also find more information on www.mplsdid.com.