Website Launched for Updates and Related Info re: Chauvin Trial

Via a March 5 e-announcement from the City of Minneapolis:

A new web resource launched today offers information and updates around the upcoming trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with murder in the death of George Floyd.

City information and links to partners in the new web section will help residents, businesses and others:

• Find current street closures.
• Sign up for trial updates from MN District Court.
• Report suspicious activity.
• Look up mental health and well-being resources for support during traumatic times.

You can also explore ways to prepare and stay informed, learn about security preparations and updates during the trial, follow impacts to traffic and transportation, and find public data on the officers involved.

The web pages will be updated as new information becomes available and as situations change.

For questions, contact:

Renee Allen, Crime Prevention Specialist
Minneapolis Police Department, First Precinct
renee.allen@minneapolismn.gov
(612) 673-5163

March 5 Ward 7 Updates from Council Member Lisa Goodman

Good afternoon Ward 7 residents and friends.  The trial of Derek Chauvin will begin on Monday and I know that this topic and the uncertainty of the outcome is weighing heavily on our community.  The death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police officers was a tragic event that occurred in our city, and the manner of his death and the unrest that followed ignited trauma as well as an important discussion on race and the police throughout the entire City of Minneapolis and our nation. 

At this time, city leadership is tasked with striking a critical and important balance of protecting everyone’s constitutional right to free speech and right to assemble with our equally important responsibility of protecting our people and infrastructure from violence and potential destruction.

Our police chief and other public safety departments and staff have been working with local, state and federal entities for the past eight months to create what is being called Operation Safety Net.  This operation has focused on safety, security, and community outreach. Our mutual aid partners have all received special training in preparation with a focus on de-escalation.

Multiple city departments have been involved in the planning and trail preparation including the Office of Violence Prevention, neighborhood and community relations, and our communications team. These groups were involved in the planning to ensure that information is disseminated when needed and those who have assembled peacefully to protest are safe and have the full ability to express their right to free speech.  Our partners in neighborhoods, the clergy, nonprofits and others have been focused on keeping our community safe and connected.

I want you all to know that I remain optimistic that we are prepared to face whatever lies ahead. We are well positioned for more peaceful outcomes as we go through this trial that will be viewed across the nation and throughout the world.  Many ask what they should be doing as this trial unfolds and my advice is to stay informed and aware but to also go on with your daily life and activities.  We need to maintain a sense of normalcy as this monumental period unfolds.  Jury selection begins on Monday, this process will take time and the actual trial isn’t scheduled to start until March 29.  The peak time will come once we enter the closing arguments which will happen mid to late April.

In closing, please know that I will continue to pass along information and resources as I receive them.  My hope is to help keep you tuned into what is happening and I’m always here to answer questions you might have on this topic or any other city related item.

Lisa

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City Leaders Provide Briefing on Preparations for Derek Chauvin Trial

Mayor Jacob Frey and other City leaders held another briefing March 4 to share updates on preparations for the upcoming trial of former MPD officer Derek Chauvin. Jury selection for the Chauvin trial is scheduled to begin Monday, March 8.

Briefing highlights

• The Minneapolis Police Department, along with its Operation Safety Net Partners, are committed to honoring First Amendment rights as demonstrations are scheduled to begin this weekend. MPD has held de-escalation training in preparation for the upcoming trials.
• The City’s Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) plans to fund a network of community-based groups that can be activated during periods of heightened tension during the remainder of 2021, including during the trials of the former officers involved in the killing of George Floyd.
• How to contact the City:
  • Call 311 for non-emergency City information.
  • Call 911 for life safety emergencies requiring police, fire or emergency medical services.
  • Call the MPD Tips Line at 612-692-TIPS (8477) to report suspicious activity not requiring an immediate response.
  • Businesses and property owners can call 612-673-2499 with questions about advanced preparation before the trial, business operations during the trial and general information about regulations and resources.

Reminders

• Sixth Street South (the street and both sidewalks) is closed between Third and Fourth avenues next to the Hennepin County Government Center. Currently, other streets will remain open. The City will provide updates when other closures are anticipated.
• The City of Minneapolis is committed to working with the community to reconnect 38th and Chicago after the conclusion of the Chauvin trial. The City has sent out surveys to residents and businesses near the intersection to determine a preferred option to preserve the memorial and art while ensuring delivery of critical services in the area. Learn more.
• Follow the City of Minneapolis on Facebook and Twitter and sign up for the City Update newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest news and information. Stay tuned to news from Operation Safety Net on Facebook and Twitter.

The City plans to hold regular briefings throughout the trial.

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Minneapolis Downtown Council Provides Additional Resources Surrounding the Chauvin Trial

We encourage you and your organization to follow the official Operation Safety Net social media channels for additional timely and accurate information. Here are the handles to follow:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

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Sign Up for Updates from the Minnesota Judicial Branch on the State of MN vs. Chauvin Case

Everyone is invited to sign up for updates on the State of MN vs. Chauvin case from the Minnesota Judicial Branch webpage.

The webpage includes all public documents filed in the case and other information. This case was filed in Hennepin County District Court May 29, 2020.

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Hennepin Ave South Reconstruction Project Seeks Your Input

This past week, planning staff held online open houses to share the draft concept designs for the reconstruction of Hennepin Avenue South between Douglas Avenue and West Lake Street.

Those plans are now available to view on the project web page. This site also offers you the opportunity to share your thoughts on the Option 1 and Option 2 design layouts. Comments and input will be accepted through Friday, April 16, 2021.

http://www2.minneapolismn.gov/cip/futureprojects/HennepinSouth

The City plans to reconstruct this section of Hennepin Avenue starting in 2024. The reconstruction project provides an opportunity to redesign Hennepin Avenue to meet the needs of current and future users of the street.

Project goals include improving the sidewalk and intersections for all users, evaluating bicycle network connectivity, providing space for enhanced transit stops for future METRO E Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service, replacing aging infrastructure and maintaining and enhancing traffic flow for transit and motor vehicles.

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Minneapolis Property Owners Can Buy a $25 Tree this Spring

Minneapolis property owners will soon be able to order a 5- to 8-foot tree for $25 each to plant on their private property. This year, Minneapolis property owners in Green Zones, rental property owners and property owners who haven’t gotten a tree in the City Trees program in the last two years will get a chance to order a tree earlier.

The 2,000 trees in 24 varieties this year include large and medium shade trees, fruit trees, evergreens and smaller flowering trees. Comparable trees cost about $125 at a nursery.

Tiered purchasing windows

1. Green Zones property owners can order up to three trees starting at 8 a.m. Monday, March 8. Just fill out a separate order for each tree.
2. Rental property owners citywide can order one tree per property, maximum of 10 properties, starting at 8 a.m. Monday, March 8. Just fill out a separate order for each tree.
3. Minneapolis property owners who haven’t received a tree from the Minneapolis tree sale in the last two years, who aren’t in a Green Zone, can order one tree per address starting at 8 a.m. Monday, March 15.
4. All Minneapolis property owners can order one tree per address starting at 8 a.m. Monday, March 22.

Purchasing will close April 16 or when the trees run out, whichever is first.

• Low-cost trees are available first-come, first-served.
• People will need to pick up their tree May 15, 16 or 17 (subject to change). Location is to be determined and will be emailed to people who bought a tree. Volunteers onsite will help load each new tree and a complimentary bag of mulch into vehicles on request.

Order

People can find more information and order their tree through Tree Trust.

More about City Trees

In the past 16 years, the City Trees program has provided approximately 20,000 trees for planting on private property. Since 2006, the City of Minneapolis has funded the City Trees program, a low-cost way for folks to help the city’s tree canopy grow and enjoy all the benefits of trees.

Trees help filter pollutants out of the air and reduce the heat island effect in a city. They save energy by providing shade in the summer and protecting against wind in the winter. Trees reduce the amount of stormwater runoff into lakes and rivers. They even help reduce stress. Larger trees provide more benefits than smaller trees.

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Interested in Rooftop Solar for Your Home?

If you’re considering the benefits of going solar, make sure to look into these options. The City of Minneapolis has a 10% local solar goal as part of its climate action plan to reduce greenhouse gases, and we are at 6%.

Twin Cities Region Solar Co-op

Twin Cities Region Solar Co-op launched to help Minneapolis homeowners get rooftop solar. The solar co-op is neighbors joining together to get the best price and service from a solar installer, tap into the expertise at Solar United Neighbors and learn about solar incentives. The City of Minneapolis is partnering in this effort.

Membership is open through May 1. Learn more at www.solarunitedneighbors.org/twincities.

Xcel Energy’s Solar*Rewards

With Xcel Energy’s Solar*Rewards program, if you produce more energy than you need, the extra energy is added to the grid, and any excess energy will be credited to your bill.

Learn more on the Xcel Energy website.

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$15 Online Workshops: Creating Resilient Yards

Ready to spend more time in your yard? Do you want to improve it but don’t know where to start? Learn with experts to plan and create beautiful, functional spaces that also protect the local ecosystem whether you want a raingarden and native prairie, or a low-maintenance lawn that also helps pollinators.

Workshops

This spring, webinars feature experts in landscape design, pollinator habitat, soil health, native plants and yard maintenance. Presentations are followed by a Q&A, or discussions in small groups or one on one with a Blue Thumb landscape designer and UMN Extension Master Gardener volunteer – Hennepin County.

Scholarships are available on request. Space is limited. For more information and to register, go to bluethumb.org/events or call 651-699-2426.

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COVID-19 Situation Update as of March 3, 2021

Situational updates: Minneapolis

• As of March 3, there are 32,950 cases in Minneapolis and 389 deaths. The total number of cases and hospitalizations increased by less than 1% over the previous week. ICU admissions increased by slightly more than 1% over last week. Minneapolis-specific data are available at www.minneapolismn.gov/coronavirus/dashboard.
• Over the past week, there have been about 44 new cases per day on average. This rate has decreased significantly and is now on par with September 2020 levels.
• The seven-day rolling average case rate for Minneapolis is just over 10 cases per 100,000. This rate has now plateaued after decreasing for several weeks.
• Mayor Frey’s Emergency Regulation 2020-17, which banned seating at bar counters in Minneapolis businesses, was lifted on February 18. Current rules for Minneapolis businesses are available on the City’s Guidance for Restaurants, Bars and Breweries and Distilleries web page.
• Mayor Frey’s Emergency Regulation No. 12 regarding masks remains in effect. The regulation requires people to wear face masks in all indoor public places.

Situational updates: Minnesota

• As of March 3, there are 486,434 cases in Minnesota out of over 7.3 million tests completed. There have been 6,507 deaths from COVID-19 in Minnesota. There are 100,913 cases and 1,586 deaths in Hennepin County.
• The State uses a color-coded map to track a seven-day rolling average of new cases. As of February 22, Minnesota is reporting 13.7 cases per 100,000.
• The State continues to work with the CDC to conduct surveillance of newly identified strains of COVID-19 in Minnesota. To date, 78 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant (first found in the U.K.) and two cases of the P.1 variant (which first emerged in Brazil) have been detected in Minnesota.
• The statewide mask mandate remains in effect. People are required to wear masks in all indoor public places and some outdoor venues where physical distancing is difficult.
• Governor Walz’s Executive Order 21-01, and subsequent modifications in Executive Order 21-07, regulating COVID operations at bars, restaurants, gyms, and other businesses, remain in effect.

Health Department Incident Command updates

• The Health Department is offering more than a dozen testing and vaccination clinics every week. We are seeking volunteers (City employees only) to help at these community events. If you are interested in volunteering, please complete this brief survey. Staff who volunteer will receive training and personal protective equipment, including COVID vaccination for those volunteering at multiple events.

Case investigation/Contact tracing

• We continue to conduct contact tracing and case investigation activities. Of the cases in Minneapolis, 65% have been interviewed and 2.4% have refused. Thirty-two percent of cases have been lost to follow-up and less than 1% of new Minneapolis cases still need to be interviewed. We are conducting about 20% of interviews in languages other than English.
• Approximately 8% of interviewed cases have completed their interview online. Fourteen percent of those interviews required additional follow-up by a Minneapolis staff to ensure appropriate contact tracing was completed.
• We have 41 active case investigators, including two non-MHD enterprise staff and 17 AmeriCorps staff. Case investigators are interviewing an average of 30 cases per shift and making an average of 80 calls per shift, plus conducting workplace and other contact follow-up.
• We continue to conduct case investigations and contact tracing for Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) and are providing advice to school leaders as cases and exposures occur among staff and students. We also assist other schools in Minneapolis with contact tracing and questions as needed.

COVID-19 vaccination planning and distribution

• We are partnering with Hennepin Healthcare to provide vaccinations in Minneapolis. To date, we have given out over 6,000 doses through 73 vaccine events. Last week we hosted 14 clinics and provided 1,300 vaccinations to educators, school staff, assisted living residents, and Metro Transit drivers who are often at high risk.
• This week, we are hosting 13 clinics to provide 2,000 vaccinations to some of the same groups listed above, along with childcare workers, second doses for Blue and White Taxi drivers, and MPD. This week we will partner with the University of Minnesota to hold our first mass vaccination event at TCF Stadium for childcare workers and older adults working at the University.
• We are partnering with the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) to offer vaccinations for public housing residents living in 39 MPHA high rise buildings. Buildings with large concentrations of senior residents will be prioritized. First doses will be administered starting March 8 at Horn Towers. Interpretation services will be provided, and the Minneapolis Fire Department will provide on-site post-vaccine observation support.

COVID-19 vaccination education

• We invite you to use the new Minneapolis COVID Vaccine webpage. This site provides the public with information about vaccine safety, a timeline for local vaccine distribution, and answers to frequently asked questions. Visitors can use the Google Translate function located on the left side of the page to view the information in multiple languages. It is also linked to information from the CDC, and the State’s new Vaccine Connector tool. Please help us promote this resource widely.
• The State’s COVID-19 Vaccine Connector helps Minnesotans find out when, where, and how to get their COVID-19 vaccine. Minnesotans unable to sign up online can call 833-431-2053 for assistance signing up over the phone. Interpretation is available by phone in all languages.
• We are providing virtual presentations to community organizations, City boards and commissions, neighborhood organizations, and other groups interested in learning more aboutCOVID-19vaccination, testing, and virus mitigation. For example, over 16 presentations have been completed, scheduled, or requested by MPHA high rise resident councils. To request a presentation, fill out a request form on the new Vaccine webpage (forms are available in English, Spanish, Somali, and Hmong).
• We are hosting vaccine briefings for Enterprise Leaders every other Monday from 2:00–3:00 p.m. The next briefing is scheduled for Monday, March 8. Past recordings can be found on the COVID Vaccination Channel.

COVID-19testing

• We continue to offer regular community testing events, which are free and open to everyone. In the past week, we provided 96 COVID-19 saliva tests at two community events.
• In addition, our School Based Clinic staff have tested 28 athletes and coaches at Washburn and Henry High Schools. Roosevelt will begin to offer testing this week.
• To date, we have provided MPS with 1,850 Zoom saliva tests to distribute to families so that they can take the test at home.1,200 of these same tests have been provided for teachers.
• Six community testing events have been held at MPS Davis Center for all community members, including MPS students and families (emails went out to all district parents advertising these events). Additional events are scheduled for March—see below for dates and times.
• Local and state testing rates have decreased significantly. Despite the vaccine roll-out, it is still important to get tested to help stop the spread of the virus. In particular, we encourage young people and their families to get tested every two weeks from now until the end of the schoolyear.
• Please help us promote the following Minneapolis Health Department free saliva testing events:
• Columbia Manor, 3300 Central Ave. N.E., March 4, 11, 18, and 25(4p.m. to 7 p.m.). No pre-registration required.
• Minneapolis Public Schools Davis Center, 1250 West Broadway, March 13 and 20 (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). No pre-registration required. Conducted with Power of People Leadership Institute.
• The State also offers free testing at the following locations:
• Minneapolis Convention Center-10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. Visit the State’s COVID-19 testing web page to register.
• Brooklyn Park Starlight Center –11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. Visit the State’s COVID-19 testing web page to register.
• Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport -7 a.m. to 7p.m. seven days a week. Visit the State’sCOVID-19 testing web page to register.
• We are offering free saliva testing kits and on-site testing for schools, community partners, organizations, and businesses. To date, we have received 115 requests and provided more than 10,500 test kits. 
• Any person in Minnesota can order a free at-home saliva test kit from the State’s COVID-19 Test at Home program. The test will be delivered to your home with rush shipping.
• The City's testing web page offers information on testing sites and guidance about what to do while you wait for COVID-19 test results. Staying away from others while you wait for your results is extremely important, especially if you have any symptoms.

Businesses

• While the past year has been difficult for business owners, there are positive developments happening. Currently, there are 173 Food Plan Reviews in flight. These are either new businesses, remodels, or businesses ready to open under new ownership.
• This past week, health inspectors investigated two complaints related to restaurants/bars violating the City’s mask ordinance and staying open past 11pm.Weareworking with Business Licensing on appropriate enforcement actions to address these violations. Staff also followed up on COVID case clusters among employees and customers at three restaurants.
• Inspectors continue to distribute COVID testing kits to businesses upon request and promote free community testing events to employers and their staff.

Responding to community needs

• We have a good supply of personal protective equipment (cloth and surgical masks, hand sanitizer, and gloves) available for community groups, businesses, and individuals. Requests can be submitted using the COVID-19 Requests and Inquiries form on the City’s website.
• We are supplying NCR staff with 5,000 surgical masks to distribute to the community during the upcoming trial of Derek Chauvin. If you plan to participate in a public gathering or protest event, please wear a mask to help reduce the spread of the virus.
• We are responding to an average of 40 emails per day to our COVID19@minneapolismn.gov inbox. Questions are primarily about vaccine distribution and scheduling.

The City specific COVID email address is: COVID19@minneapolismn.gov.

HCL Special Collections - March Highlights

Via Hennepin County Library

Greetings Local History Friends,

Check out what’s new and noteworthy this month in Special Collections. And don’t forget, our department may be closed to in-person visitors, but we are still here to assist with your remote research needs. Contact info below. If you’re having trouble viewing this email, see the attached PDF.

Events

Researching the History of Your Home

Thursday, March 25, 10:00AM – 11:30AM (Virtual)

Learn about the historical resources at the library and across the county that will help you piece together a history of your Minneapolis house, neighborhood or property. We will explain and demonstrate resources, emphasizing online resources that will allow you to jump-start your research from home—including permit records, maps, city directories, photos, newspapers, and more.

Register online to receive a link to join the meeting.

Discover more online events at Hennepin County Library

Digital Collections

NEW! House Plan Collection Nearly 30 house plan books published by Minneapolis architects from the early 1900s to 1950s. Stock plan books may include architectural drawings and floor plans, sample interiors, tips for building a home, and ads for carpentry services, building materials, and supplies.

NEW! Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Collection Maps, plans, and architectural drawings related primarily to Minneapolis parks from the early 1900s to 1960s. Most were produced by the MPRB.

Browse all of the Hennepin County Library Digital Collections: https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/

News from the Archives

Web Archives on Archive-It Search and explore local websites as they existed in the past. COVID-19 in Hennepin County Collection captures the pandemic response through websites of schools, restaurants, places of worship, non-profit organizations, and more. Check back often for more new content. https://archive-it.org/home/hclib

Featured Finding Aid – People for Parks Eleven boxes of newsletters, minutes, project files, correspondence, and more documenting the work of this non-profit group that has supported the Minneapolis parks since 1977.

New and Noteworthy Donations Building on our substantial neighborhood archives, last month we received the archives of the Nokomis East Neighborhood Association. The meeting minutes, event files, photographs, and other records from the neighborhood organization represent Minneapolis' Keewaydin, Minnehaha, Morris Park and Wenonah neighborhoods. Search for more neighborhood archives in our online finding aids: https://archives.hclib.org/

From the Blog

Tour Minneapolis in 1948 The Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce created this “Greetings from Minneapolis” booklet to encourage out-of-town visitors to tour the manufacturing plants, museums, and other attractions of our fair city. The booklet contains descriptions and contact information for over 45 local institutions ready to open their doors to tourists. The Doors Open of its day.

Visit our blog for more cool local history tidbits https://hclib.tumblr.com/

Remote Research

Don’t forget, even though the Special Collections department is closed to in-person visits, we can still help you with your research needs remotely. Need a scan of a book chapter from the Minneapolis History Collection? Looking for newspaper articles on a topic? Need a city directory look-up? Want access to an archival collection? We are here to help.

Email specialcoll@hclib.org or call 612-543-8200.

Modist Brewing Announces "The Fix: IWD 2021" - a Zero IBU IPA Brewed in Celebration of International Women’s Day

Via a recent e-announcement:

MODIST BREWING COMPANY, MICHELLE P. KING, & AND NOW SHE RISES ANNOUNCE RELEASE OF THE FIX: IWD 2021, AN INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY BEER

Brewed by the women of Modist, The Fix: IWD 2021 is a beer that is bringing tangible impact and action for International Women’s Day 2021

The women of Modist Brewing, Michelle P. King, & And Now She Rises are thrilled to announce the arrival of The Fix: IWD 2021, a Zero IBU IPA brewed in celebration of International Women’s Day. The Fix: IWD 2021 is named after equality thought leader Michelle P. King’s award-winning book about gender inequality in the workplace, The Fix, and proceeds for the beer will be donated to Twin-Cities Metro non-profit, And Now She Rises (ANSR), whose mission is to help domestic abuse survivors change their narratives, from victimhood to victory. The Fix: IWD 2021 will release on tap at Modist’s North Loop Minneapolis taproom on Saturday, March 6th and in liquor stores on Tuesday, March 9th.

After reading The Fix, On-Premise Sales Manager for Modist, Katie Muggli, was inspired to contact the author. “For the past two years, we partnered with ANSR to throw charity concerts at Modist, garnering the resources local domestic abuse shelters needed, like bras. This year is all about maximizing impact in spite of COVID, and going beyond a single event to the entire month!” Katie says.

The can artwork features a QR code that goes beyond telling the beer’s genesis story, linking to Michelle’s 100 Actions for Equality campaign of tangible actions every person can take to become an ally to women. Proceeds from The Fix: IWD 2021 will be donated to ANSR, for their biggest initiative yet – a scholarship – because the greatest way to empower a survivor is to give her an education.

The beer will be available throughout the Twin-Cities Metro and will also be distributed in select locations throughout New York and New Jersey, through our distribution partner Sarene. Sarene will be making donations to local domestic abuse shelters in each of their distributed areas. Twin-Cities Metro owned Brewers Supply Group donated the malt bill to create the beer, resulting in an additional $3,900 donation that will be made on top of the proceeds raised from beer sales.

Additionally, Michelle has donated 500 copies of her best-selling book for local shelters, fellow brewing industry friends of Modist, and the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild to share as a resource with other Minnesota breweries.

“Together we can fix our corner of the world and help women thrive in very real ways. We are hopeful that this will be our most impactful year yet, and that we can continue to inspire change well beyond the month of March – and that’s what The Fix: IWD 2021 represents,” says Katie Muggli.

About Modist Brewing Co.

Modist opened in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis in April of 2016 aiming to modify beer and how it is perceived by defying rules and expectations. Utilizing the region’s first mash filter powered craft brewing system, they push past traditional brewing by embracing creativity and unconstrained experimentation. Modist showcases their innovative spirit via the creation of a wide array of beers that the world has never seen before. In their first year of business, Modist was named both the Best New Brewery in Minnesota by Growler Magazine as well as one of “The 50 Best Breweries in the United States” by BeerAdvocate. In the time since, they’ve received continuous accolades including recently being named Minnesota’s Most Innovative Brewery, as well as a multitude of individual beer awards.

About Michelle P. King

Michelle King is a globally recognized gender equality and organizational culture expert. Based on over a decade worth of research Michelle believes that to tackle inequality we need to fix workplace cultures so that they work for everyone. She is the host of a popular podcast called The Fix. Michelle is the author of the bestselling, award-winning book: The Fix: Overcome the Invisible Barriers that are Holding Women Back at Work. Michelle has been featured in The Economist, Harvard Business Review, CNBC, CNN Business, Fortune, Financial Times, Bloomberg, Time, Business Insider, The Times, Daily Mail and LinkedIn Editors. Michelle is the founder of Equality Forward, a global consultancy that provides leaders with the assessment, development and inclusion coaching needed to build cultures of equality at work. In addition, Michelle is a Senior Advisor to the UN Foundation’s Girl Up Campaign, where she leads the Next Gen Leadership Development Program, which enables young women to navigate and overcome the barriers to their success. Prior to this Michelle was the Director of Inclusion at Netflix, and before that she was the head of UN Women’s Global Innovation Coalition for Change, which includes managing over 30 private sector partnerships as well to accelerate the achievement of gender equality and women’s empowerment. Michelle has two decades of international experience working in the private sector and in each of her roles, Michelle lends her expertise to advance gender equality and to enhance opportunity and achievement for women globally. In 2019 Women Tech Founders, a Chicago-based organization dedicated to advancing women in the tech industry, awarded Michelle with the 2019 Inspiring Innovator Award, for her outstanding achievements in the sector and in 2020 Michelle was recognized as LinkedIn’s Top Voice for Equity in the Workplace.

About And Now She Rises

Cofounded by survivors, Amy Matthews and Nina Orezzoli, And Now She Rises is an events-based 501(c)3 non-profit working to break the silence around domestic violence and provide support to women in emergency abuse shelters.

March 3 Third Avenue Bridge Renovation Photos from Doug Verdier

Editors Note: Mill District resident Doug Verdier continues to document the progress of the Water Works project. He has also been documenting the Third Avenue Bridge refurbishment project.

Progress continues on the Third Avenue Bridge project. With the removal of equipment and the sandbag barrier surrounding the pier near the middle of the bridge, the remaining Caterpillar excavator rests on a small gravel island awaiting lift by crane to the bridge above. Three workers joined the Cat on the island to attach lifting equipment to the machine. The removal of the barrier surrounding the pier was well coordinated to remove the barrier materials up to the bridge by crane, while gradually reducing the size of the area beneath the tracks of the excavator. This allowed the water level flowing around the base of the pier to rise to normal level.

The photo above shows the lifting device attached to the excavator prior to being lifted from the small “island” in the river.

And we have liftoff! The Cat is being hoisted up by crane while two of the workers watch from the island below. Another worker can be seen on the ladder behind the lift just above the Cat.

After a brief ride, the Cat is about to be safely lowered onto the bridge.

Following the Cat’s extraction from the “island” a clamshell was used to remove the remaining gravel from the area near the base of the pier to restore the water level to normal. Restoration work on the pier surface will continue using the wooden platform attached above the base of the pier.

Meanwhile, beneath the bridge next to West River Parkway and the pedestrian and bike path, another excavator is preparing a work surface in a channel where river water formerly flowed. Some of the timbers that were delivered on site earlier in the week have been laid over the walkway to protect the surface from damage by machinery as work proceeds.

Ice had to be chopped in order to put the gravel into the channel. Some of the deterioration of the pier can be seen in this image. Visible below the deteriorated section is evidence of a previous restoration done some years ago on the base of this pier. 

The photo above shows another section of the bridge where sections of the deck have been removed.

When the Aster Cafe starts putting out its patio furniture and umbrellas, can Spring be far behind? Fingers crossed!

Small Business Spotlight: Minnesota Native Landscapes

Article by Becky Fillinger

We’re right on the cusp of Spring in Minnesota. Do you have a yard that needs some new ideas? Are you an apartment dweller who would like to do more to help the pollinators? Do you work at a large corporation with acres of land planted solely with turf grass? We talked to Bre Bauerly, Customer Support Specialist at Minnesota Native Landscapes (MNL) about some new ways of looking at our green spaces.

Q:  Spring will officially start this month. Many homeowners are starting to think about their lawns. Do you have ideas for lawns that go beyond turf?

A:  There are so many wonderful options for turf lawn alternatives here in Minnesota! For those looking to maintain an area with a turf-like appearance, consider switching to a bee lawn with a blend of low grow (low maintenance!) fescues and short statured flowering species. Or, keep some turf lawn to play on but shrink the area and add a small native prairie around the perimeter! Anyone can add native plants to their yard - whether it’s in traditional garden beds with mulch, or a larger native seeded area to attract pollinators and songbirds.

MNL created our My Pocket Prairie kit to encourage homeowners to get started with native plants on their property in an easy and fun way! Any little bit of habitat can help, and My Pocket Prairie allows someone to start from scratch with a full garden kit of locally sourced materials including 27 native plants. The kit comes with a guide booklet, edging, a weed suppressant mat, a pre-designed layout, and of course - the plants!

Q:  You mention native seeds and your company name includes the words native landscapes. How do you define native landscaping? 

A:  We define native landscaping as growing, installing, and maintaining plant communities natural to Minnesota pre-settlement. We have origin data traced back to the county level for the various seed and plant species we grow and sell. Using native plants in landscaping here in Minnesota, means using plants that are well adapted to our unique growing conditions and beneficial to our local wildlife.

Q:  Our local pollinators are suffering from loss of habitat, chemical misuse, the proliferation of invasive plants, disease and parasites - some even suggest that bright city lights can lead to pollinator decimation.  How can we as individuals help pollinators survive? Can condo and apartment dwellers do anything to help in our limited spaces?

A:  By adding more local-origin native plantings to the landscape, we can create pollinator sanctuaries. Places where our pollinators can find nutrient-rich foods, ample shelter, and no neonicotinoids. Native plants and our local pollinators have co-evolved to each other’s benefit, native plants have pollen and nectar resources available when native pollinators need them and native pollinators help native plants produce seeds for new growth. By using a diverse mix of native species, we can provide a vast array of resources. Those that are not able to help in their own backyards can get involved on a community level - what's going on in your local parks, or other local open space - do corporate campuses really need to be mowing all of that turf grass around their building, or could they replace it with a native pollinator seed mix?

Pollinator see packet from the 2019 growing season

Bre Bauerly   Photo credit: Wendy Caldwell, Monarch Joint Venture

Q:  How can we learn more about these topics? How may we follow your news?

A:  There are a lot of great resources for learning more about native plants, pollinators, and other wildlife here in Minnesota! Join your local Wild Ones group or Audubon Society chapter, attend a Blue Thumb workshop, check out one of the Landscape Revival native plant sales, tune in to educational webinars, or join a pollinator advocacy group. MNL is on most of the major social media platforms, follow us to learn more about native plants! You can also check out our website and use code MCT10 for 10% off your order (including My Pocket Prairie)!

Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

The Mill City Times Interview: Tom Evers, Executive Director, Minneapolis Parks Foundation

Article by Becky Fillinger

Tom EversTom Evers has worked in parks for much of his professional life – from a Conservation Corps member to head of the Minneapolis Parks Foundation. We spoke to him about current projects – both locally and collaboratively with park leaders across the country. He also gives us ideas on how to engage with our wealth of Minneapolis park resources. 

Q:  You began your parks career in Vermont, as a Park Ranger and conservation corps member. Please tell us about those experiences.

A:  Being a Park Ranger was both incredibly fun and terribly exhausting. I moved to Vermont to work for the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, an incredible organization that hires Vermont teenagers from different backgrounds and forms crews of 8-10 Corps Members to build wilderness trails or run a handful of state parks within the Vermont State Park system. After leading a wilderness crew for one year, I spent two years running Saint Catherine State Park as the Park Ranger with a crew of ten Corps Members (high schoolers and early college-aged youth). Together, along with a co-manager and an assistant, we ran the park from Memorial Day Weekend to Columbus Day and were responsible for every facet of the park’s operations, including managing reservations, planning nature programming, mowing lawns, operating a concession stand, cleaning campsites, maintenance and enforcement. It was the hardest job I’ve ever had, and in many ways, the most rewarding.  

Running a state park is challenging enough, but having to forge a community with complete strangers, teenagers at that, most of whom had never lived away from home, while keeping a campground running smoothly taught me a lot – lessons I still use today. Some Corps Members never had a job before. Each summer, I witnessed a team come together and become stewards of the park and do it with pride. There was work to be done from sunup to sundown, and an educational curriculum for the crew as well. The experience gave me insight into the complexities of park systems and the different ways people experience a park. It also gave me a deep appreciation for the power of working with youth in the community.

My fourth summer in Vermont, I was offered a job by the State of Vermont to run a state park with a traditional park staff, not as part of the Youth Corps. I ran Button Bay State Park on Lake Champlain and loved the experience and the solitude. At the end of each workday, I went home to the Ranger House with a view of the Adirondack Mountains to the West and the Green Mountains to the East. I think fondly of those days. But I always knew it wasn’t my life-long calling – it was seasonal work with little free time untethered to the park. So, after three years running parks and five years living in Vermont, I needed a change. For a while law school called to me. I was accepted to Vermont Law School, but I changed course and decided to first move back to Minnesota to be closer to family and eventually found a career in fundraising and nonprofit leadership. I earned a Master’s of Public Affairs at the Humphrey School while working full-time in Minneapolis. 

Q:  I read that the Minneapolis Parks Foundation is part of a national effort to remake parks as more equitable and to build resilient communities. How is the national effort organized?

A:  Reimagining the Civic Commons is a learning network involving 10 cities including Miami, San Jose, Detroit, Chicago, Lexington, Macon, Akron, Philadelphia, Memphis and Minneapolis. It was started and is funded by several national foundations including the Kresge Foundation, Knight Foundation, JPB Foundation and a couple others with the aim of creating new solutions for ensuring cities invest in robust and equitable civic commons. Public spaces in our cities such as parks, libraries and museums are the backbone of our civic society and while they are not always shared equitably, they are some of the few remaining places where we share in public trust.  

It was an honor to be invited to join the network with the second cohort of five cities. The Minneapolis Parks Foundation and Pillsbury United Communities are partnering along with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and others to use some of the metrics developed through this network to think about how our public realm serves the community, who benefits, how these spaces might strengthen our city. We are focusing our attention through this partnership on the Upper River section of Minneapolis and being intentional about how the Mississippi River can reconnect to the neighborhoods in North Minneapolis and how to convey the benefits of improving and expanding the public realm.

The 26th Avenue North Overlook, also known as the Great Northern Greenway Overlook, is designed to help connect North Minneapolis residents to the Mississippi River via an off-street bike and pedestrian trail.

While we do not receive any direct funding from this network, we have opportunities to learn with other cities experiencing similar challenges. Last summer it was really powerful to explore the various approaches that cities were taking to address growing encampments or youth programming during the pandemic. The issues facing us in Minneapolis are not unique to us. Reimagining the Civic Commons creates some shared language, tools and a forum for learning with others in other cities.

Q:  What are the Next Generation of Parks events?

A:  I am so glad you asked this question. The Next Generation of Parks is the longest-running program of the Minneapolis Parks Foundation and helps connect our community to big ideas from around the globe. 

We launched it more than a decade ago as a speaker series focused on design – one of the first speakers was Robert Hammond who helped create the High Line Park in New York. The Next Generation of Parks series gained traction when several design firms from around the world presented as part of the Minneapolis Park Board’s Minneapolis Riverfront Design Competition, which eventually became RiverFirst.

We invite people who have advanced parks, programs or landscape design in innovative and transformative ways. Now (or at least in times that aren’t constrained by the pandemic), it’s grown to be more than a lecture series. Today, the Next Generation of Parks events include not only a free-to-the-public evening presentation, we also host a community workshop where practitioners in the Twin Cities can have time in a smaller group setting to engage with the guest speaker. For example, when Dr. Robert Zarr came to town to discuss Parks Rx America, a program that prescribes park visits to patients, we made time for him to visit with health practitioners in Minneapolis and with other park professionals interested in learning from his work. We see the Next Generation of Parks as a chance to learn as a City and expand our potential with innovations developed elsewhere. The lecture events are now recorded and shared on our website. 

Q:  Please tell us about RiverFirst. What is this initiative and the projects under it?

A:  The RiverFirst Initiative is an implementation framework for restoring and creating a series of parks and trails that connect the Mississippi River from the city’s northern edge to St. Anthony Falls. This section of the Minneapolis Riverfront - especially upriver from Plymouth Avenue - is an unfinished link of our park system and the Riverfront is mostly privatized with a patchwork of industrial and commercial sites. RiverFirst is a partnership between the Minneapolis Park Board and the Parks Foundation to reconnect neighborhoods to the River and address some of the long-standing environmental problems along the river, and extend the parks system to the full length of the river in Minneapolis.   

The vision has evolved over the past decade as we gained a better awareness of systemic racism that was designed into our city. The completion of I-94 in 1984 cut off the primarily African American neighborhoods of North Minneapolis from the River and the industrial zones between the Interstate and the River only increased the barrier to the river. RiverFirst is a work in progress – with park designs being informed by the community – to repair some of that history and extend the park system to the river’s edge.

The versatile Water Works site was designed for a multitude of activities.

In 2015 we launched a capital campaign to help fund the construction of the Water Works site located on the River Road between Portland Avenue and the Third Avenue Bridge and to fund a new River Overlook at the end of 26th Avenue and a new trail section connecting it to Ole Olson Park. We raised $18.1 Million from generous donors to help move these two projects forward and we expect to partner with the Park Board to continue doing more as part of RiverFirst. A park system is never finished – and likewise, RiverFirst will always be a work in progress. With the opening of Water Works and the Overlook this Spring, the community will begin to see how close we are to delivering on the promise and potential of a Mississippi River lined with parks through the entire city.

Lake Nokomis is a popular spot for walkers and runners.

Hockey and general skating on Nokomis.

Q:  What's your favorite Minneapolis park?

A:  The Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Park is an extraordinary city park that serves a wide swath of South Minneapolis without ever feeling overcrowded. It’s home to two lakes connected by Minnehaha Creek, it has pollinator gardens maintained by the Friends of Nokomis Park that support monarch butterflies, groomed cross country ski trails in winter, and nearly every amenity you could ask for in a park including skating rinks, ballfields, golf, tennis courts, playgrounds, walking and biking trails and fishing piers. I live nearby, so I am in it or travel through it every day. My daughter first played softball with the Hiawatha recreation league – Go Lakers! Both of my kids have held birthday parties there and it was at this park that they learned to cross country ski with kids from the neighborhood. On my evening walks, I often see a beaver or hear owls. And in several locations, I can see the downtown skyline, reminding me that that we’re still in the city.       

Q:  How can we be involved in the activities of the Minneapolis Parks Foundation?  

A:  Attending our Next Generation of Parks is a great way to be introduced to the Parks Foundation and learn more. Our next one is scheduled for Thursday, April 29, featuring The Sioux Chef team of Sean Sherman and Dana Thompson. They are opening their restaurant Owamni at Water Works this Spring and will be sharing more about their philosophy around indigenous food systems.

Artist rendering of the much anticipated Owamni restraurant, opening soon within Water Works. 

We also host Walk and Talks around the city introducing people to different places with a deeper look into the history and ecology of parks within the Minneapolis park system. You can download a self-guided tour on our website now – or sign up to get information about future guided walks. We don’t have a robust volunteer program because the Park Board does that quite well and many local friends’ groups throughout the system have gardens and other places for volunteers to help maintain. But if you reach out to us, we are happy to connect people to volunteer coordinators for different parks. 

And of course, donating to help us do even more is a great way to stay connected to our mission of transforming lives through parks and public spaces. This year we merged with another legacy parks organization – People for Parks - and established the People for Parks Fund of the Minneapolis Parks Foundation to grant funds to initiatives within the park system led by local groups. And once a year, we host a breakfast fundraiser in a riverfront park called Sunrise on the Mississippi. It’s a great way to support our work while celebrating our amazing parks with others who share a passion for maintaining this incredible park system.

Please follow us on social media - Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and please read our blog, Common Ground, for news and stories about the Minneapolis Parks Foundation, our community partners, and Minneapolis parks. We welcome engagement from our community!

Small Business Champion Alfredo Martel, CEO and President, Meda

Article by Becky Fillinger

Alfredo MartelDid you know that we have a 50 year old organization in Minneapolis devoted to helping minority entrepreneurs succeed?  We talked to Alfredo Martel, CEO and President of Meda, about the organization's history, their priorities for 2021 and a few of the many local success stories achieved in half a century of good works. 

Q:  What's the history of Meda? What is the geography that you serve?

A:  From its origin in 1971, Meda (Metropolitan Economic Development Association) has worked to break down the barriers to wealth and self-sufficiency that entrepreneurs of color face in building futures for themselves, their families and their businesses.

Over the past 50 years, Meda has provided assistance to more than 20,000 businesses owned and managed by entrepreneurs of color and helped to start more than 500 new businesses. Growing sustainable companies creates jobs and generates increased economic activity: the ripple effect. The Minneapolis MBDA Business Center extends Meda’s services to entrepreneurs of color throughout Minnesota. A detailed timeline can be found here. Meda serves BIPOC businesses primarily in the Twin Cities and around greater Minnesota, but where possible when we see a positive impact can made, we expand our services to those around the country.

Q:  I noticed a tribute to MLK on your Facebook page where Dr. King recommends that each small business have three types of people on staff - visionary, partner and troops. Does Meda look for this mix in the entrepreneurs you counsel?

A:  Yes absolutely. The “visionary, partner, troops” model is a key one in successful businesses. However, Meda is all about strengthening businesses, so if businesses do not have all of these components initially, we will certainly take them on and work to get them to that point. While mature businesses should have all of these components, earlier businesses need to take the time to find the right people to help them be successful and we love to see our clients work through that process.

Q:  What are your 2021 priorities?

A: Our biggest goal for our clients in 2021 is to help BIPOC owned businesses recover from COVID economic downturn and, when necessary, retool their businesses to operate in this new economy. The economic landscape has changed significantly in the last year, so our biggest focus is helping our clients navigate this new territory and set themselves up for success looking forward, keeping in mind all of the lessons learned from the events of 2020.   

Q:  Meda has a Million Dollar Challenge – it is the largest BIPOC entrepreneurial competition in the country, awarding $1 million in financing to BIPOC businesses from across the nation. Do you assist small businesses with their application and preparation for the speed pitch?

A:  Yes, we do. Our businesses consultants lead a Bootcamp for Successful Pitches where finalists get advice from experts on the skills and things to perfect their pitch and any future pitches to funders in the future. The Bootcamp lasts for seven weeks and virtually led.

By the way, here are the winners of the last Million Dollar Challenge – the six winners represent the most diverse group of finalists, in terms of ethnic groups and gender. We received applications from all across the country for the Challenge.

Q:  Please tell us some Meda success stories.

A:  We have so many success stories over 50 years! Check out these inspiring local stories:

Ceiling Pro International - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAiRmPqMmwE

Twin Cities Road Crew - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bWU9KAR0gI&feature=youtu.be

Contreras Edin and Associates - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2giZP65-5jU

El Burrito Mercado - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BZDkmrY_dM

Olu’s Home - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRjW2u1p8LI

Q:  How may we follow your news? 

A:  We welcome your readers to follow us on social @MedaMinnesota and check us out on our website.

Third Avenue Bridge Project Photos and Other Scenes of Interest from Doug Verdier

Submitted by Mill District resident, Doug Verdier

Warmer weather this past week brought lots of snow melting, getting out to enjoy walks and lunch in neighborhood outdoor seating, and lots of increased activity and staging of materials for the Third Avenue Bridge project. Photos that follow are the result of an afternoon’s walk.

The Third Avenue Bridge project features a historical image on fence beneath the bridge along Main Street.

On the Main Street side of the project, you can see where sections of the bridge deck have been removed and work is underway on the vertical section of the bridge pier.

New concrete surface is clearly visible on the base of one of the piers inside the horseshoe falls. This week upper levels of the sandbag water barrier around the base of the pier were removed and equipment that was positioned inside the barrier was lifted up to the bridge deck. The now-smooth and restored surface of the base of the pier is clearly visible. The platform on the downstream end of the pier base shows where work is underway to resurface that portion of the pier. Colored tarps cover new concrete surfaces while it cures.

A closer view of the pier above.

Heavy timbers were delivered to a staging area along the bike and pedestrian path on the downtown side of the river. What are they for? Stay tuned!

Father Hennepin Park near the Stone Arch Bridge was a bit soggy in spots.

These benches in Father Hennepin Park will have to remain empty for a while longer.

Wilde Cafe’s outdoor seating was popular for a quick snack or drink.

Illuminate The Lock Photos by Mill District Resident Ric Rosow

Submitted by Ric Rosow

On February 18th my wife and I experienced Illuminate the Lock at the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam. I did not know what to expect, but even if I had my expectations would have been greatly exceeded.  The National Park Service coordinated admitting people based on the time they had signed up for so as to maintain social distancing. We entered at 6:00 p.m. and the light show started soon after we reached a position by the lock.

Images full of color and light illuminated the wall of the lock in front of us. The work, Waves Can Be Heard, was created by Moira Villard. Music was by Lyz Jaakola, Narrative by Mille Richard, Sound Production by JayGee and the Mentor Artist was Jonathan Thunder. As the music and narrative were played we viewed colorful images moving across the wall including indigenous inhabitants of this land, the river teaming with fish, silhouettes of modern downtown buildings, a forest, fire, mother moon, father sun and a beating heart. In the dark I worked quickly to photograph each image of art that scrolled quickly from one to another. The display was beautiful.

The names I have assigned to each photograph are my own. While the narrator identified what we were viewing, I had no opportunity to write down the descriptions. One photo, not part of the light show, is a silhouette of me as I took a photo of Mother Moon projected on the wall of a building next to the lock. I’ll have to think about how I could take a photo of myself that appears to be taken from behind me while I was facing and photographing an image on the wall in front of me.

Mother Moon (with a silhouette of me in my own photo)

City in the Lock

Cooking With Fire

Father Sun

Fire of Life

Healing Waters

Heartbeat

Indigenous Woman

Walking from the Forrest

Life in the Water

February 25 Ward 7 Updates from Council Member Lisa Goodman

Editor's note - there are some bad links in this post that I was not able to find corrections for.

Good afternoon Ward 7 residents and friends.  With the upcoming trial and the number of calls and emails my office has received I thought it was extremely important to have a public briefing on the planning the city and our partners have done related to the trial. This public briefing has now been scheduled at my urging for Monday morning. It will include multiple departments within the city talking about their work. No planning is perfect, but I wanted to ensure that residents citywide had as many opportunities as possible to learn about what many city staff from multiple different departments are thinking and planning as we move into this trial.

We do not have all the answers but what we have I think is extremely important to share. The cities priorities are to allow for and encourage peaceful protesting and equally ensuring that people and businesses are kept safe.  These are extraordinary times due to the convergence of many events; I hope you’re able to tune in to this briefing and that it is helpful.  Wishing you all a good weekend.

Lisa

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Public Briefing on City Security Plans Related to Chauvin Trial Set for Monday, March 1

On Monday, March 1, at 10:00 am, City staff will provide a public briefing about plans and preparations being made to ensure community safety for the upcoming trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin.

That briefing can be watched live on the City’s website at minneapolismn.gov/counciltv or on Comcast channels 14 or 799. Following the live broadcast, a recording of the presentation will be available on the City’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/cityofminneapolis.

Public Briefing: Public Safety Plans & Preparations

Date: March 1, 2021

Time: 10:00 a.m.

1. Welcome & Introductory Comments: City Coordinator Mark Ruff
2. MPD Presentation: Chief Medaria Arradondo & Commander Scott Gerlicher
3. MFD Presentation: Chief Brian Tyner
4. Community Supports—
   1. a) Communications: Director Greta Bergstrom
   2. b) Neighborhood & Community Relations: Director David Rubedor
   3. c) Office of Violence Prevention: Health Commissioner Gretchen Musicant
   4. d) Community Planning & Economic Development: Economic Policy & Development Director Erik Hansen
5. Questions & Answers
6. Conclusion

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Minneapolis Downtown Council Provides Additional Resources Surrounding the Chauvin Trial

We encourage you and your organization to follow the official Operation Safety Net social media channels for additional timely and accurate information. Here are the handles to follow: Facebook  |  Instagram  |  Twitter

For more information please visit our trial resource page at www.mplsdowntown.com/trial. This page includes an FAQ, the expected trial timeline and information, helpful phone numbers, maps and general downtown skyway and business updates.

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Update on Preparations for Upcoming Chauvin Trial

Mayor Jacob Frey, along with other City and Metro Transit officials, held another media briefing Feb. 24 to share updates on preparedness plans ahead of the March trial of former MPD officer Derek Chauvin.

Briefing highlights

• The Minneapolis Police Department is continuing to work with law enforcement partners to ensure the success of Operation Safety Net, which brings together local and state law enforcement agencies under a unified command to respond to any civil unrest interrupting peaceful protests during the upcoming trial. Minneapolis Police Deputy Chief Erick Fors highlighted the shared commitment to dedicating law enforcement personnel to business corridors, especially those hit hardest during last summer’s civil unrest, as a deterrent to destructive behavior.

• Metro Transit is actively working to identify and plan for potential disruptions to Metro Transit service. At this time, no disruptions are planned for service to downtown Minneapolis. As the trial progresses and approaches verdict time, detours around Hennepin County Government Center are anticipated. Those service changes will be communicated through Metro Transit rider alerts and social media, among other communications channels.

• The City’s Office of Violence Prevention plans to fund a network of community-based groups that can be activated during periods of heightened tension during the remainder of 2021, including during the trials of the former officers involved in the killing of George Floyd. The groups will assist in providing accurate information and resources with the community. The City Council’s Policy & Government Oversight Committee is reviewing the request for application process for the community groups this afternoon.

• The City’s Community Planning and Economic Development Department continues to work directly with businesses, business associations and technical assistance providers to collaboratively develop information on what business and property owners need to know to keep properties secure and workers and customers safe. It’s important we keep supporting our local businesses during these challenging and uncertain times. The City recommends businesses develop emergency preparedness plans. Ready.gov has sample plans and guidance. Businesses can also reach out to 612-673-2499 or SmallBusiness@minneapolismn.gov with questions about advanced preparation before the trial, business operations during the trial and general information about regulations and resources.

• Note: The City Council will be briefed about the City’s plans and preparations related to the upcoming Chauvin trial 10 a.m. Monday, March 1. The meeting will be broadcast and livestreamed on City Council TV and the City’s YouTube channel.

Reminders

• On March 1, Sixth Street South (the street and both sidewalks) will be closed between Third and Fourth avenues next to the Hennepin County Government Center. Currently, other streets will remain open. The City will provide updates when other closures are anticipated.

• The City of Minneapolis is committed to working with the community to reconnect 38th and Chicago after the conclusion of the Chauvin trial. The City is sending surveys out to residents and businesses near the intersection to determine a preferred option to preserve the memorial and art while ensuring delivery of critical services in the area. Learn more.

• Follow the City of Minneapolis on Facebook and Twitter and sign up for the City Update newsletter to stay up to date on the latest news and information. Stay tuned to news from Operation Safety Net on Facebook and Twitter.

The next public briefing is planned for 10 a.m., Monday, March 1.

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City Hosting Online Open Houses for Hennepin South Reconstruction Project

The City of Minneapolis is holding online open houses March 2 and March 4 to share and receive input on draft concept designs for the reconstruction of Hennepin Avenue South between Douglas Avenue and West Lake Street. Attendees will have the opportunity to view a presentation, provide comments and ask questions of project staff.

The City plans to reconstruct this section of Hennepin Avenue starting in 2024. The reconstruction project provides an opportunity to redesign Hennepin Avenue to meet the needs of current and future users of the street.

Project goals include improving the sidewalk and intersections for all users, evaluating bicycle network connectivity, providing space for enhanced transit stops for future METRO E Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service, replacing aging infrastructure and maintaining and enhancing traffic flow for transit and motor vehicles.

Online open houses

• 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, March 2
• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 4

Visit the project website for instructions on how to attend the online meetings. For those unable to attend, open house materials including interactive draft concept designs and a recording of the presentation will be posted to the project website to view. The draft concept designs and comment form will also be available for input through April 16, 2021.

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March 2: Updates on Transforming Community Safety Online Meeting

An online meeting on the City’s work to transform community safety has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 2 at 6:00 pm.

Here’s the direct link to the meeting:  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CBJTsOqATzKc-v5bJgPx5g

Link to the updated FB event:  https://fb.me/e/cKaoWFz7V

The City of Minneapolis is committed to a goal of safety for everyone in Minneapolis. On June 12, 2020, the City Council passed a resolution committing to creating a transformative new model for cultivating safety in Minneapolis.

Since then, internal work groups and key stakeholders have been exploring ways to develop an integrated community safety response that works for everyone.

Three pillars of community safety

The City’s realignment to provide a holistic community safety response will take place in phases over time with much staff, partner and community participation. It focuses on three main areas:

• A public-health-oriented response for preventing violence.
• Alternatives to police response for 911 calls.
• Reforming law enforcement policies, protocols and practices.

Some of the work in progress includes:

• Minneapolis’ crime prevention specialists (CPS) now report to the Neighborhood & Community Relations Department instead of the Police Department. The change reflects the crime prevention specialists’ roles in community engagement. Nothing will change as far as work location, scope of work, job titles and programs offered to the community without further planning and engagement.
• If you have a mental health crisis in Minneapolis, you can continue to call 911 or the Cope mobile crisis team in Hennepin County: 612-596-1223 (for adults in Hennepin County) and 612-348-2233 (for children 17 and under). In 2021, two mental health teams will be available 24/7 for crisis calls. This means police may not provide the primary response for a mental health crisis call or police may still respond if the mental health teams are both on current calls.
• To report theft of property damage, you can call 311, 911 or submit an online report. As part of a pilot this year, City employees (non-sworn officers) will take theft and property damage reports from residents.

Stay up to date

Stay updated on this work by visiting the City’s community safety webpage where you can see updated information on the three focus areas, key milestones and information presented to the community in an earlier presentation. You can also share your thoughts about what community safety looks like to you. Information will also be shared out over a variety of channels in many languages.

Staff will present regular community safety updates at City Council meetings. The first was a Health Department presentation on the first phase of engagement around public-health-oriented violence prevention. This presentation included a summary of the first phase of the online survey, stakeholder interviews and focus groups. Staff from the City Coordinator’s Office also provided an update on the alternatives to police response work rolling out this year.

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COVID-19 Situation Update as of February 24, 2021

Situational updates: Minneapolis

• As of February 24, there are 32,628 cases in Minneapolis and 385 deaths. The total number of cases and hospitalizations increased by less than 1% over the previous week. ICU admissions increased by slightly more than 1% over last week. Minneapolis-specific data are available at www.minneapolismn.gov/coronavirus/dashboard.
• Over the past week, there have been about 40 new cases per day on average. This rate has decreased significantly and is now on par with September 2020 levels.
• The seven-day rolling average case rate for Minneapolis is just under 10 cases per 100,000. This rate has steadily decreased for the past four weeks and appears to be plateauing.
• Based on recent case rates and other data, Mayor Frey lifted Emergency Regulation 2020-17, which banned seating at bar counters in Minneapolis businesses. This action brings the City’s rules for bars in line with the State’s Emergency Order 2021-01. Details are available on the City’s Guidance for Restaurants, Bars and Breweries and Distilleries web page.
• Mayor Frey’s Emergency Regulation No. 12 regarding masks remains in effect. The regulation requires people to wear face masks in all indoor public places.
• As of February 22, all Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) elementary students have the option of returning to in-person learning. Following guidance from the State’s updated Safe Learning Plan, MPS is exploring options to bring middle and high school students back to the classroom in April. The Minneapolis Health Department continues to serve as a resource for MPS leaders as they make decisions about in-person learning.

Situational updates: Minnesota

• As of February 24, there are 480,845 cases in Minnesota out of over 7.2 million tests completed. There have been 6,443 deaths from COVID-19 in Minnesota. There are 99,738 cases and 1,576 deaths in Hennepin County.
• The State uses a color-coded map to track a seven-day rolling average of new cases. As of February 15, Minnesota is reporting 13.3 cases per 100,000.
• The State continues to work with the CDC to conduct surveillance of newly identified strains of COVID-19 in Minnesota. To date, 43 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant (first found in the U.K.) and two cases of the P.1 variant (which first emerged in Brazil) have been detected in Minnesota
• The State recently launched the COVID-19 Vaccine Connector — a new tool to help Minnesotans find out when, where, and how to get their COVID-19 vaccine. Minnesotans unable to sign up online can call 833-431-2053 for assistance signing up over the phone. Interpretation is available by phone in all languages.
• The statewide mask mandate remains in effect. People are required to wear masks in all indoor public places where people gather and some outdoor venues where physical distancing is difficult.
• Governor Walz’s Executive Order 21-07, loosening COVID-19 restrictions for certain businesses, remains in effect.
• Today the State announced a new focus on testing for young people, asking families to get tested every two weeks from now until the end of the school year. MDH officially launched the campaign which will include targeted outreach to families, health professionals, schools, and youth organizations to encourage regular COVID-19 testing.

Health Department Incident Command updates

• The Health Department is offering multiple community testing and vaccination clinics every week. Any City employee who is interested in volunteering at these events should fill out this brief survey. Staff who volunteer will receive training and personal protective equipment, including COVID vaccination for those volunteering at multiple events. Currently, we have about 50 non-Health Department staff signed up to participate. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered!

Case investigation/Contact tracing

• We continue to conduct contact tracing and case investigation activities. Of the cases in Minneapolis, 65% have been interviewed and 2.4% have refused. Thirty-two percent of cases have been lost to follow-up and less than 1% of new Minneapolis cases still need to be interviewed. We are conducting about 20% of interviews in languages other than English.
• We have 50 active case investigators, including two non-MHD enterprise staff and 17 AmeriCorps staff. Case investigators are interviewing an average of 30 cases per shift and making an average of 80 calls per shift, plus conducting workplace and other contact follow-up.
• We are conducting case investigation and contact tracing for Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) staff who have been diagnosed, exposed, or are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, and providing recommendations to MPS on next steps. We are receiving an average of three situations that require follow-up per day.

COVID-19 vaccination planning and distribution

• We are partnering with Hennepin Healthcare to provide vaccinations in Minneapolis. To date, we have given out almost 5,000 doses.
• This week, we are hosting 13 clinics focused on healthcare providers, assisted living and congregate care facilities, teachers and school staff.
• We are partnering with the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) to offer vaccinations for public housing residents living in 39 MPHA highrise buildings. Buildings with large concentrations of senior residents will be prioritized. First doses will be administered starting March 8 at Horn Towers. Interpretation services will be provided and the Minneapolis Fire Department will provide on-site post-vaccine observation support.
• Vaccine demand continues to far outpace available doses and supply has been impacted by recent cold weather in the southern U.S. While waiting to be vaccinated, help stop the spread of the virus by continuing to wash your hands, stay 6 ft apart, and wear a mask.

COVID-19 vaccination education

• We invite you to use the new Minneapolis COVID Vaccine webpage. This site provides the public with information about vaccine safety, a timeline for local vaccine distribution, and answers to frequently asked questions. Visitors can use the Google Translate function located on the left side of the page to view the information in multiple languages. It is also linked to information from the CDC, and the State’s new Vaccine Connector tool. Please help us promote this resource widely.
• We are providing virtual presentations to community organizations, City boards and commissions, MPHA highrise resident councils, neighborhood organizations, and other groups interested in learning more about COVID-19 vaccination, testing, and virus mitigation. To request a presentation, fill out a request form on the new Vaccine webpage (forms are available in English, Spanish, Somali, and Hmong).
• We are hosting vaccine briefings for Enterprise Leaders every other Monday from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. The next briefing is scheduled for Monday, March 8. Past recordings can be found on the COVID Vaccination Channel.

COVID-19 testing

• We continue to offer regular community testing events, which are free and open to everyone. In the past week, we provided 86 COVID-19 saliva tests at three community events. In addition, our School Based Clinic staff have tested 27 athletes, coaches, and school engineers over the past three weeks at Patrick Henry High School.
• Local and state testing rates have decreased by 67%. Despite the vaccine roll-out, it is still important to get tested to help stop the spread of the virus. Please help us promote the following Minneapolis Health Department saliva testing events:

o Columbia Manor, 3300 Central Ave. N.E., February 25, March 4, 11, 18, and 25 (4 p.m. to 7 p.m.). No pre-registration required.

o Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, 1301 10th Ave N., February 27 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.). No pre-registration required.

o Minneapolis Public Schools Davis Center, 1250 West Broadway, March 13 and 20 (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). No pre-registration required. Conducted with Power of People Leadership Institute.

The State also offers free testing at the following locations:

o Minneapolis Convention Center - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. Visit the State’s COVID-19 testing web page to register.

o Brooklyn Park Starlight Center – 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. Visit the State’s COVID-19 testing web page to register.

o Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport - 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. Visit the State’s COVID-19 testing web page to register.

• The City's testing web page offers information on testing sites and guidance about what to do while you wait for COVID-19 test results. Staying away from others while you wait for your results is extremely important, especially if you have any symptoms.
• We are offering free saliva testing kits and on-site testing for MPS and other schools, community partners, organizations, and businesses. To date, we have fulfilled 98 requests and provided almost 9,000 test kits. Please use this form to submit a request for testing kits or onsite testing.
• Any person in Minnesota can order a free at-home saliva test kit from the State’s COVID-19 Test at Home program. The test will be delivered to your home with rush shipping.

Businesses

• Health inspectors recently hosted two trainings for business owners to help boost their compliance with state and local COVID regulations. As businesses continue to re-open, we will assess the need for additional training opportunities.
• Inspectors continue to respond to complaints and assist businesses in making adjustments to meet COVID regulations. Last week, we responded to two complaints of businesses not following masking guidance and one business not following restrictions on operating hours.

Responding to community needs

• We continue to have a good inventory of personal protective equipment available (cloth and surgical masks, hand sanitizer, and gloves). Community groups, businesses, and individuals can request these supplies through the COVID-19 Requests and Inquiries form on the City’s website.
• For community members planning to participate in public gatherings or events during the upcoming trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin, please wear a mask to help reduce the spread of the virus. Organizations can request masks or other supplies from the City using the same form linked above.

The City specific COVID email address is: COVID19@minneapolismn.gov.

DMNA Public Safety Task Force Releases Safety Perception Survey Results

The Public Safety Task Force (PSTF) of the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (DMNA) today released the quantitative results of the DMNA Safety Perception Survey. 

Key findings from the survey reveal the following: 

 

• Downtown residents are highly dissatisfied with city leadership on public safety policies.

• Among city leaders, residents view Chief Arradondo as being most effective in responding to community safety issues.

• Residents overwhelmingly believe that MPD should report to the Mayor, and not to the City Council.

• Residents strongly want law enforcement to have a central role in responding to public safety calls.

• Lack of police presence downtown is residents’ top safety concern.

• Public safety perceptions have deteriorated from one year ago and contributed to observed changes in transportation, spending and mobility.

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The DMNA used the Survey Monkey application, and distributed the survey to condominium and rental residential buildings in the Downtown East and Downtown West neighborhoods, between December 22, 2020 and February 9, 2021. The DMNA received a total of 1,129 completed surveys. 

 

The survey asked residents about their perceptions of current community safety conditions and how these conditions have affected their lives. It also asked residents to express their views on the progress city leaders have made in creating a safer city; how public safety should be structured within the city; and what role law enforcement should play in community interactions.  

 

A complete report of the DMNA Safety Perception Survey can be found here.

 

Contact the DMNA at info@thedmna.org with questions on the survey results.  

 

The Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (DMNA) exists to promote the common good and general welfare of the residents, businesses, and employees of Downtown Minneapolis. The DMNA serves as the official liaison between residents and the Minneapolis City Council, the Neighborhood and Communication Relations Department (NCR), the Planning Department (CPED), and other City departments as necessary. 

MN Great River Road Receives All-American Road Designation

Via a February 23 Press Release from MN Mississippi River Parkway Commission:

Minnesota Great River Road recognized as the best of the best – an “All-American Road”

The Minnesota Great River Road, which is part of a national scenic byway that runs 3,000 miles from Minnesota to Louisiana, has been awarded the highest of byway designations by the Federal Highway Administration: All-American Road.

To receive All-American Road status, a road must possess nationally significant qualities and have one-of-a-kind features that exist nowhere else – making the byway a “destination unto itself.”

The MN Mississippi River Parkway Commission, byway organization for the MN Great River Road, welcomes the heightened attention this new designation will bring. MN-MRPC Chair, Sen. David Senjem, said, “We invite travelers from near and far to explore the Minnesota Great River Road and find out what we already know – our Mississippi River changes its character more often than in any other state, offering places of scenic beauty from the intimate to the majestic. Along its course, you will find sites connected to our national narrative, from the tragic to triumphant.”

What earned the Minnesota Great River Road All-American Road status? The 565-mile Minnesota Great River Road is designated along a cornucopia of state and local roads from the iconic Lake Itasca headwaters to the Iowa border.

Evolving river landscapes feature 40+ cities hosting river exploration. Residents and tourists are invited to experience over 700 Mississippi River historical, scenic, recreational, cultural, natural, and archaeological features; and twelve specially designated Great River Road Interpretive Centers. Unfortunately, all 700+ things to see and do could not be included in the All-American Road nomination. These 16 features were selected to represent the overall magic of the Minnesota Great River Road. They help provide inspiration for whatever journey you may choose… 

Eight Unique Scenic Reaches

• Lake Itasca – the Mississippi River’s birthplace
• Serpentine River – a twisting, snaking river that confounds the best of paddlers
• Headwaters Lakes – part of America’s first reservoir system meant to augment navigation
• Prairie River – where the Mississippi grows into adolescence and straightens out
• St. Anthony Falls – the Great River’s only major waterfall
• The Gorge – where the river falls 110 feet over 8.5 miles through a narrow canyon
• Where the Big River Begins – here the Mississippi becomes the river of Mark Twain
• Driftless Area – where majestic bluffs frame the broad river and valley 

Eight Historic Features

• Rustic Architecture of Itasca State Park – blending architecture with nature
• Headwaters Dams – create reservoirs that now serve recreation and wild rice production
• Charles Lindbergh House & Museum – boyhood home of America’s most famous pilot
• Oliver Kelley Farm – historic living farm experience of national farm movement leader
• St. Anthony Falls Historic District – where Pillsbury & Gold Medal Flour and General Mills began
• Historic Fort Snelling – from frontier outpost to World War II – stories of tragedy and heroism
• I-mni'-za-ska-dan (Dayton’s Bluff) – site of Hopewell Culture mounds dating back nearly 2,000 years
• River Towns (especially the historic districts of Hastings to Iowa Border towns) – quintessential river towns

What does the All-American Road designation mean to the communities along the route? Communities and attractions are included in a broader All-American Road experience along with other Mississippi River states, and they enjoy promotion on a larger stage. Resource sharing, idea sharing, and collegiality are benefits too.

The Great River Road was created in 1938 and includes Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. Travelers planning a journey can find information from all ten Mississippi River states at www.experiencemississippiriver.com and Minnesota Great River Road interactive mapping, digital travel guides and more at www.mnmississippiriver.com. 

The Mill City Times Interview: David Geister - Historical Artist, Picture Book Illustrator, Landscape Painter

Article by Becky Fillinger

David GeisterWe have so many talented people in our midst. Meet David Geister, who is up for a Minnesota Book Award for Bee Love (Can Be Hard). He creates giant murals of historical events, portraits of leaders and is an illustrator of children’s books.

In our interview he tells us about his favorite works and gives advice to young illustrators. You can find David’s works in museums, and his books and prints are available online for purchase.  

Q:  Bee Love (Can Be Hard) is nominated for a Minnesota Book Award. This isn't your first collaboration with Justice Alan Page and his teacher daughter Kamie. How did this relationship come about?

A:  True – we have done four books together now, and I have enjoyed the experience, immensely. We have the amazing Nancy Carlson to thank for the connection – she introduced Alan and Kamie to a dear friend and colleague, Aimee Jackson, who runs Book Bridge Press, and I was her the first choice as an illustrator. I am so grateful!

Q:  You call yourself a storyteller with a paintbrush. Please tell us more about this idea.

A:  My whole life has been filled with the absolute need to read, hear and tell stories. My early drawings were, essentially, my attempt at relating what I had just experienced in life, read in a book or seen in a movie.

My job as a picture book illustrator is to enhance the story, and I try to tell it in such I way that someone unable to read the text can still grasp the idea.

Of course, as an amateur historian, and as a history painter, my pencil and paintbrush have been crucial tools in recreating the past.

Q:  You were in the Marines - thank you! What were your activities as an illustrator during your military service?

A:  Thanks – I had a fairly easy time of it, all things considered. I was in a training unit - never a combatant - and my work consisted of hand-lettering big flip charts and making illustrations for slides and publications. Believe it or not, I was often called upon to create very detailed caricatures of Generals whenever there was a change of command. Strange but true!

I learned a lot during that 4-year stretch, especially my last year, which was spent on the island of Okinawa, where our shop had three Japanese/Okinawan graphic artists. I liked working with them very much. Their drawing skills with brush and ink were inspiring.

Q:  Please tell us about some of your favorite historical art projects. Where may we view them?  

A:  The World War I America murals that I painted for an exhibit at the Minnesota Historical Society are the biggest, with over 100 historic characters. That 3-piece, 30 foot-long work is now at the Minnesota Military Museum, where you can also view my scene of “The Charge of the First Minnesota at the Battle of Gettysburg” as well as my portrait of Abraham Lincoln.

B is for Battle Cry: A Civil War Alphabet, the picture book I created with my dear wife, author and educator Patricia Bauer, is a collection of 27 paintings I did to showcase various aspects of the America Civil War. It is the one thing I have done that I am most proud of; it was created with the love of my life and is my attempt to “pay it back and pay it forward” to all the authors and illustrators who inspired my fascination with that time period.

"The Charge - The First Minnesota Regiment charges Wilcox's Alabama Brigade at the Battle of Gettysburg" oil on canvas.

"The Charge" detail showing Colonel Colvill and the First Regiment's Color Party.

Q:  What advice would you give to a child who wishes to be an illustrator?

A:  Always keep a little sketch book and a few pencils with you, wherever you go – at the table (well, maybe hidden on your lap while eating, on a car trip – even while watching a movie! Try to create something every day, whether it’s the size of a postage stamp or the size of a barn door. Observe the world around you, and share whatever you find fascinating about that world, by way of your drawings. Finally – take your work seriously, but don’t take yourself seriously – and have fun!

Q:  How may we follow your news?

A:  To see just what I have been up to – and maybe even check out a teaser video of my stop-motion animation project - visit my website, www.davidgeister.com. Cheers!

The Mill City Times Interview: Casey Lozar, Vice President, Center for Indian Country Development, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

Article by Becky Fillinger

Casey Lozar Photo by Lucy HawthorneLike many of you, I walk and drive by the Federal Reserve Building in Minneapolis several times a week. What is happening inside this massive postmodernism structure? Among its many other functions, I was surprised to learn that the Federal Reserve’s Center for Indian Country Development is based in Minneapolis. We talked to Casey Lozar, Vice President, Center for Indian Country Development about the Center’s focus, community engagement opportunities and ways to follow their news. 

Q:  The Center for Indian Country Development is based out of the Minneapolis branch of the Federal Reserve. Does the Center act in a national capacity? 

A:  Although the Center for Indian Country Development is housed within the Community Development and Engagement Division of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, its research work and engagement are national, covering all tribal nations in the U.S. In the past the Center has addressed issues such as housing and homeownership, private sector development resources and networks, and the development of the Uniform Law Commission’s Model Tribal Secured Transaction Act (MTSTA) initiative. The Center has put out many publications and working papers on these important topics. The Center is adding to that body of work by addressing Indian Country’s data desert. By undertaking both internal and commissioned tribal economic research projects, the Center will be able to provide data and analysis to help inform policy considerations.

Q:  One of the Federal Reserve System’s dual mandates is to promote maximum employment. The Federal Reserve Bank supports a wide range of organizations to promote the economic resilience and mobility of lower-income Americans, including those in Indian Country. Can you let us know specifically how the Federal Reserve assists Native communities? 

A:  The Center brings valuable information to Native communities by undertaking a depth and breadth of applied research that helps to improve policy decision-making. The Center also facilitates representative engagement and relationship building rooted in the understanding of the unique political status and responsibilities of tribal nations. For example, the Center has undertaken an ongoing pulse survey of how tribal governments and tribal enterprises are faring in terms of revenue and employment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Center also conducted and authored a recent analysis of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to highlight an underutilization of the program in Indian Country. Staff also explored and proposed solutions to end delays in the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Title Status Report (TSR) timeline that hinder Native homeownership.

Q:  There was a National Tribal Listening Session on January 21st on the Community Reinvestment Act Modernization - what did the Federal Reserve learn about the biggest barriers to lending and financial services to Native communities? 

A:  What became evident in our CRA ANPR tribal listening sessions was that CRA-eligible investments and activities in Native communities are constrained under the current CRA assessment area definitions. Another prevailing two-fold issue is a needed increase in the volume of lending activity in Indian Country as well as an equitable interest rate, or cost, at which loans are made available to Indian Country borrowers. A third prominent financial inclusion issue is that there needs to be a commitment to education and relationship between lenders and Indian Country. There is a unique legal and regulatory framework within which both lenders and borrowers in Indian Country must become familiar and productive. The Board of Governors has proposed CRA modernization improvements that address each of these issues. As the Board moves through the successive stages of rulemaking, the Center will continue to lead CRA modernization outreach efforts in Indian Country.

Q:  You’re an enrolled member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes – have you seen positive impacts of the Federal Reserve’s involvement with these tribal nations? 

A:  The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) are one tribal nation which includes the Salish, Kootenai (Ksanka Band) and Pend-Oreille tribes. The Federal Reserve and CSKT have a long history of partnership. For example, the Helena Branch of the Minneapolis Fed has been honored to have two CSKT tribal members serving on the branch board of directors. CSKT’s Tribal Housing Authority has been a critical partner in developing and supporting CICD’s efforts in tribal homeownership by providing counsel, deepening our understanding and opening its network to CICD. Currently, Andrew West, president of CSKT’s own bank—Eagle Bank, serves on the Minneapolis Fed’s Community Depository Institution Advisory Council. Two years ago, CSKT helped to host a convening of Native American Financial Institutions with the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors and other bank regulators. Our many years in partnership has resulted in a shared understanding of the importance and impact of community banking in Indian Country and community driven approach to tribal homeownership.   

Q:  What would you like for the Minneapolis community to know about the Center for Indian Country Development?   

A:  Long before there was a Federal Reserve Bank, a metropolis, or even the Center itself, the area of Minneapolis was a traditional territory of the Dakota people and a gathering place for many Indigenous nations. We want the work we do at the Center to reflect our local community while also representing our ambition of economic prosperity for all of Indian Country.

Q:  How may we follow your news? How may we be locally involved in your projects?

A:  To see our latest research and upcoming events visit our website: Center for Indian Country Development | Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis (minneapolisfed.org). We’re always looking for feedback from our community to make sure that our work provides value for Indian Country. You can follow our research, publications, and events by signing up for our newsletter at the bottom of our landing page. You can also follow the Center on Twitter @fedindiancenter.

Friends of the Falls Requests You Respond to Army Corps Recommendation for Upper Lock!

Via a February 19 e-announcment from Friends of the Falls:

Army Corps Accepts Comments on Upper Lock Disposition

The Upper Lock at Owámniyomni, St. Anthony Falls, was closed to commercial navigation in 2015. Since then, Friends of the Falls has been working to secure the site for public use. We're partnering with the Native American Community Development Institute to build relationships with the Indigenous community and shape an engagement process centered on Native voices. Kare11 recently ran a piece on our approach and progress. The Lock is still a crucial piece of infrastructure for our city and region. Over 1 million Twin Cities residents and businesses depend on the Mississippi River and on the reservoir created by the dams at St. Anthony Falls for their water supply.   Last month the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the current owner of the Lock) formally recommended that the federal government seek a new owner for the structure. The Corps is trying to abandon the property, including the cost of maintenance and responsibility for flood management.   If the Corps were to walk away, the threat to our community's basic infrastructure would be catastrophic.    The Army Corps is accepting comments on its proposal through March 18. We have one month to urge the Army Corps to change its recommendation.  We're advocating for the Army Corps to keep the Lock structure and flood operations, but release surrounding property to the City of Minneapolis or another entity for recreational use and public river access.   There are two ways to submit a response to the Army Corps before March 18.

OPTION 1 Add your signature to our sign-on letter calling on the Army Corps to maintain their ownership and management responsibilities at the Lock.

Sign Now

OPTION 2 Download our template to draft your own letter and email it to the Army Corps at MplsLocksDisposition@usace.army.mil . In your letter: 1. Urge the Army Corps of Engineers to maintain ownership and maintenance of the Lock. 2. Support the quick transfer of "excess" land surrounding the Lock for recreational use. 3. Write openly and from the heart, reflecting your opinion of the future of the Upper Lock.

Download Template

Nature's Way Spring Exhibition Begins April 10 at Kolman & Pryor Gallery

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

Nature’s Way
Work by Kolman & Pryor Gallery Artists Inspired by Nature
April 10 – June 19, 2021
Artist Reception: Saturday, April 17, 7:00 – 9:00pm

At a time when being outside, taking long walks in local or state parks or even through one’s neighborhood, has been a balm for the soul, nature has never seemed more of a blessing. To celebrate nature’s balm and calm, and the sense of discovery and refreshment nature give 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, 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, the Northrup King Building’s quarterly open studio evening.

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’ 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.” 

Flash 2 by Jil Evans

Gathering of Abundance by Kelly Jean Ohl

Microbiota by Kate Casanova

Becoming by Betsy Ruth Byers

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.” 

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.

Ghost by Cameron Zebrun

At the Horizon by Jodi Reeb

Gold Beach by Julie Snidle 

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

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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.

February 19 Ward 7 Updates from Council Member Lisa Goodman

Preparedness Efforts Ahead of Derek Chauvin Trial

The trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin is set to begin on March 8^th and will likely last through much of April. This trial will focus an enormous amount of attention on our city and state. The weight and uncertainty of this trial brings stress along with it. I want you to know that many dedicated leaders in public service in the city remain committed to your safety and well-being.  

 Presently, we are working with the county, state and a multitude of other partners to keep the peace and to protect the freedom of expression as well as the safety of employees, residents, businesses and visitors. The first few weeks of the trial are expected to be focused on jury selection with opening statements scheduled for later in March. At the City’s request, Gov. Tim Walz has activated the Minnesota National Guard to provide public safety assistance to Minneapolis and Saint Paul during the upcoming trials.

In the weeks ahead, we anticipate changes that may affect how you navigate and engage with downtown and our other city neighborhoods. These changes include temporary barriers being put in place around City Hall, the New Public Service Building, the Hennepin County Government Center, the County jail as well as our police precincts. These will be in place for the duration of the trial.  At this time, we do not have plans to put enhanced barriers around other City facilities. City buildings will remain open but starting March 1 there will be restricted access to the Hennepin County Government Center.

On March 1, Sixth Street South will be closed between Third and Fourth avenues. Currently, other streets will remain open. The City will provide updates when other closures are anticipated. 

Throughout the trials, the City’s communications and engagement teams will be working with partners from multiple jurisdictions in a joint information system to keep the public informed using a coordinated communications and engagement strategy. Our goal is to create multiple channels to share timely and relevant information and to receive ongoing feedback from the community.

The City’s Office of Violence Prevention is also working with the City’s Neighborhood and Community Relations Department on a toolkit to help neighborhoods and residents be prepared. The toolkit will include safety tips and best practices, among other information.

Similarly, the City’s Community Planning and Economic Development Department is developing guidance for business and property owners to take additional preparedness and security measures, while remaining open for business. Small businesses can reach out to SmallBusiness@minneapolismn.gov with questions.

I understand communication is critically important and that my office is committed to putting out timely information as soon as we get it. It’s important to understand that as a City Council Member I am not always “in the room where it happens” when many of these important decisions are being made by all these partners, however, I am committed to getting information from our communications system quickly and getting it out to residence as best I can. I know this is going to be a very intense time please know I’m doing my best to represent you and be there for you.

Lisa

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City Hosting Online Open Houses for Hennepin South Reconstruction Project

The City of Minneapolis is holding online open houses March 2 and March 4 to share and receive input on draft concept designs for the reconstruction of Hennepin Avenue South between Douglas Avenue and West Lake Street. Attendees will have the opportunity to view a presentation, provide comments and ask questions of project staff.

The City plans to reconstruct this section of Hennepin Avenue starting in 2024. The reconstruction project provides an opportunity to redesign Hennepin Avenue to meet the needs of current and future users of the street.

Project goals include improving the sidewalk and intersections for all users, evaluating bicycle network connectivity, providing space for enhanced transit stops for future METRO E Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service, replacing aging infrastructure and maintaining and enhancing traffic flow for transit and motor vehicles.

Online open houses

• 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, March 2
• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 4

Visit the project website for instructions on how to attend the online meetings. For those unable to attend, open house materials including interactive draft concept designs and a recording of the presentation will be posted to the project website to view. The draft concept designs and comment form will also be available for input through April 16, 2021.

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Updates on Transforming Community Safety – Online Meeting March 2

An online meeting on the City’s work to transform community safety has been scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 2. Check this webpage for the RSVP, which will be posted later.

The City of Minneapolis is committed to a goal of safety for everyone in Minneapolis. On June 12, 2020, the City Council passed a resolution committing to creating a transformative new model for cultivating safety in Minneapolis.

Since then, internal work groups and key stakeholders have been exploring ways to develop an integrated community safety response that works for everyone.

Three pillars of community safety

The City’s realignment to provide a holistic community safety response will take place in phases over time with much staff, partner and community participation. It focuses on three main areas:

• A public-health-oriented response for preventing violence.
• Alternatives to police response for 911 calls.
• Reforming law enforcement policies, protocols and practices.

Some of the work in progress includes:

• Minneapolis’ crime prevention specialists (CPS) now report to the Neighborhood & Community Relations Department instead of the Police Department. The change reflects the crime prevention specialists’ roles in community engagement. Nothing will change as far as work location, scope of work, job titles and programs offered to the community without further planning and engagement.
• If you have a mental health crisis in Minneapolis, you can continue to call 911 or the Cope mobile crisis team in Hennepin County: 612-596-1223 (for adults in Hennepin County) and 612-348-2233 (for children 17 and under). In 2021, two mental health teams will be available 24/7 for crisis calls. This means police may not provide the primary response for a mental health crisis call or police may still respond if the mental health teams are both on current calls.
• To report theft of property damage, you can call 311, 911 or submit an online report. As part of a pilot this year, City employees (non-sworn officers) will take theft and property damage reports from residents. 

Stay up to date

Stay updated on this work by visiting the City’s community safety webpage where you can see updated information on the three focus areas, key milestones and information presented to the community in an earlier presentation. You can also share your thoughts about what community safety looks like to you. Information will also be shared out over a variety of channels in many languages.

Staff will present regular community safety updates at City Council meetings. The first was a Health Department presentation on the first phase of engagement around public-health-oriented violence prevention. This presentation included a summary of the first phase of the online survey, stakeholder interviews and focus groups. Staff from the City Coordinator’s Office also provided an update on the alternatives to police response work rolling out this year. Watch the Jan. 21 presentation to the Public Health & Safety Committee on the City’s website.

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Minneapolis and State of Minnesota Offer New Vaccination Web Tools

The City of Minneapolis has developed a new web tool to help residents find information in multiple languages on the current status of the vaccination rollout, what to expect when getting the vaccine, and the safety of getting a vaccine.

The web tool includes:

• The up-to-date status of the phased vaccination rollout. It shows which groups of people are being vaccinated now and which groups are next.
• Detailed information about:
  • The COVID-19 vaccines available.
  • The safety of receiving the vaccine.
  • What people need to know before, during and after a vaccine appointment.
• An acknowledgement of past trauma for those who have experienced discrimination in medicine and vaccinations. This web tool is one effort in the City’s commitment to ensure equity, justice and transparency in distributing the vaccinations.
• A form for community organizations and other groups to request a Minneapolis Health Department speaker to address common vaccine questions and concerns. The form is in four languages.

People should also check back for more web functions yet to be added, which could include a mapping tool to find vaccination locations and an interactive quiz to find out if they are eligible.

Find the City’s new COVID-19 vaccine web tool on the City website.

State launches new tool to connect all Minnesotans to COVID-19 vaccines

Minnesotans who have not yet been vaccinated are encouraged to sign up for the COVID-19 Vaccine Connector, regardless of their current vaccine eligibility status. The new Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Connector will help all Minnesotans find out when, where and how to get their COVID-19 vaccine.

Minnesotans can sign up at mn.gov/vaccineconnector. Minnesotans unable to sign up online can call 833-431-2053 for assistance signing up over the phone. Translation is available by phone in all languages. Minnesotans can call the translation hotline at 833-431-2053 for assistance signing up over the phone. When a Minnesotan becomes eligible to receive a vaccine under State guidelines, the Vaccine Connector will alert them of their eligibility, connect them to resources to schedule an appointment, and notify them if there are vaccination opportunities in their area.

Demand for vaccine still far exceeds supply, and Minnesotans should remain patient as more vaccine arrives in the weeks and months ahead. Every Minnesotan will have an opportunity to get vaccinated; it will just take time.

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COVID-19 Situation Update as of February 17, 2021

Situational updates: Minneapolis

• As of February 17, there are 32,349 cases in Minneapolis and 382 deaths. The total number of cases and hospitalizations increased by less than 1% over the previous week. ICU admissions increased by slightly more than 1% over last week. Minneapolis-specific data are available at www.minneapolismn.gov/coronavirus/dashboard.
• Over the past week, there have been about 50 new cases per day on average. This rate has decreased significantly, however we are still seeing at least 40+ new cases per day as well as averaging three hospitalizations per day.
• The seven-day rolling average case rate for Minneapolis is 11 cases per 100,000. This rate has steadily decreased for the past four weeks and appears to be plateauing.
• COVID-19 testing in Minneapolis and across the state has decreased by over 40% since November. It’s possible we may be missing mild or asymptomatic infections.
• Please continue to wear a mask, wash your hands, maintain physical distance, get tested, and stay home if you’re sick. These actions will help contain the spread of the virus.
• Mayor Frey’s Emergency Regulation No. 12 regarding masks remains in effect. The regulation requires people to wear face masks in all indoor public places.
• On February 12, Governor Walz issued Executive Order 21-07, loosening COVID-19 restrictions for certain businesses. Minneapolis Emergency Regulation No. 2020-17, which closed bar service, remains in effect. Details for Minneapolis businesses are available on the City’s Guidance for Restaurants, Bars and Breweries and Distilleries web page.

Situational updates: Minnesota

• As of February 17, there are 475,379 cases in Minnesota out of over 7 million tests completed. There have been 6,390 deaths from COVID-19 in Minnesota. There are 98,644 cases and 1,569 deaths in Hennepin County.
• The State uses a color-coded map to track a seven-day rolling average of new cases. As of February 8, Minnesota is reporting 15 cases per 100,000.
• The State continues to work with the CDC to conduct surveillance of newly identified strains of COVID-19 in Minnesota. As of today, 18 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant (first found in the U.K.) and two cases of the P.1 variant (which first emerged in Brazil) have been detected in Minnesota.
• Today Governor Walz updated Minnesota’s Safe Learning Plan to allow more middle and high school students to return to the classroom. Beginning February 22, all middle and high school students can return to the classroom for hybrid or in-person learning. Additional details are found in the updated Safe Learning Plan and updated Minnesota Department of Health 2020-2021 Planning Guide for Schools.
• The statewide mask mandate remains in effect. People are required to wear masks in all indoor public places where people gather and some outdoor venues where physical distancing is difficult.

Health Department Incident Command updates

• The Health Department is offering multiple community testing and vaccination clinics every week. Any City employee who is interested in volunteering at these events can fill out a brief survey. Staff who volunteer will receive training and personal protective equipment, including COVID vaccination for those volunteering at multiple events.

Case investigation/Contact tracing

• We continue to conduct follow-up with individuals diagnosed with COVID-19, as well as contact tracing at workplaces and with exposed individuals. Of the cases in Minneapolis, 65% have been interviewed and 2.4% have refused. Thirty-two percent of cases have been lost to follow-up and less than 1% of new Minneapolis cases still need to be interviewed.
• Twenty percent of interviews of Minneapolis residents have been conducted in a language other than English, representing over 15 different languages.
• We have 50 active case investigators, including two non-MHD enterprise staff and 17 AmeriCorps staff. With the decrease in cases, case investigators are interviewing an average of 30 cases per shift and making an average of 80 calls per shift, plus conducting workplace and other contact follow-up.
• People now have the option of completing the case investigation interview online. Cases receive a text and are able to choose one of four languages to complete the survey in. About 5% of Minneapolis cases have chosen to complete the interview online.
• We are conducting case investigation and contact tracing for Minneapolis Public Schools staff diagnosed, exposed, or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, and providing recommendations to MPS on next steps. We are receiving an average of three situations that require follow-up per day.

COVID-19 vaccination planning and distribution

• We are partnering with Hennepin Healthcare to provide vaccinations in Minneapolis. To date, we have hosted over 40 vaccination clinics and given out more than 3,500 doses.
• This week we are hosting 16 clinics focused on Phase 1A priority groups including unaffiliated healthcare partners, Minneapolis Park Police, and assisted living and congregate care facilities. We are also vaccinating educators and school workers.
• We are partnering with the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) to offer vaccinations for public housing residents living in 39 MPHA highrise buildings. First doses will be administered to interested residents in these buildings starting March 8.
• We are finalizing plans for vaccinating Phase 1B populations, with an emphasis on BIPOC communities who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
• The State continues to focus on vaccinating adults over 65, educators, and childcare workers. Updates on their vaccination efforts can be found on the State’s vaccination website.
• Vaccine demand continues to far outpace available doses. While waiting to be vaccinated, help stop the spread of the virus by continuing to wash your hands, stay 6ft apart, and wear a mask.

COVID-19 vaccination education and outreach

• On February 12, we launched a new Minneapolis COVID Vaccine webpage. This site provides the public with information about vaccine safety, a timeline for local vaccine distribution, and answers to frequently asked questions. Visitors can use the Google Translate function located on the left side of the page to view the information in multiple languages. Please help us promote this resource widely.
• Community organizations and groups interested in learning more about COVID vaccination, testing, and mitigation can schedule a virtual presentation/conversation with Health Department staff. To request a presentation, fill out a request form on the new Vaccine webpage (forms are available in English, Spanish, Somali, and Hmong).
• We are hosting vaccine briefings for Enterprise Leaders every other Monday from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. The next briefing is scheduled for Monday, February 22. Past recordings can be found on the COVID Vaccination Channel.

COVID-19 testing

• We continue to offer regular community testing events, which are free and open to everyone. In the past week, we provided 63 COVID-19 saliva tests at two community events.
• Local and state testing rates have decreased significantly in the last few months. Despite the vaccine roll-out, it is still important to get tested to help stop the spread of the virus. Please help us promote the following saliva testing events:

o Minneapolis Public Schools Davis Center, 1250 West Broadway, February 20, March 13 and 20 (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). No pre-registration required.

o Columbia Manor, 3300 Central Ave. N.E., February 18 and 25, March 4, 11, 18, and 25 (4 p.m. to 7 p.m.). No pre-registration required.

o Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, 1301 10th Ave N., February 27 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.). No pre-registration required.

o Minneapolis Convention Center - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. Visit the State’s COVID-19 testing web page to register.

o Brooklyn Park Starlight Center – 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. Visit the State’s COVID-19 testing web page to register.

o Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport - 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. Visit the State’s COVID-19 testing web page to register.

• The City's testing web page offers information on testing sites and guidance about what to do while you wait for COVID-19 test results. Staying away from others while you wait for your results is extremely important, especially if you have any symptoms.
• We are also offering free saliva testing kits and on-site testing for community partners, organizations, and businesses. Please use this form to submit a request for testing kits or onsite testing. Priority will be given to businesses and organizations with recent outbreaks.
• Any person in Minnesota can order a free at-home saliva test kit from the State’s COVID-19 Test at Home program. The test will be delivered to your home with rush shipping.

Businesses

• Last week, in response to Governor Walz’s Executive Order 21-07, we sent out a newsletter to licensed businesses explaining the loosening of restrictions for bars, restaurants, gyms, and other venues. In general, businesses are complying with COVID rules. Health inspectors are coordinating with Business Licensing to address any violations as they occur.
• Inspectors continue to reach out to businesses to provide guidance on COVID-19 cleaning and sanitizing practices, isolation and quarantine guidance for employees, best practices on masking and physical distancing, and other critical safety guidance.

Other community needs

• Last week, we fulfilled requests for personal protective equipment and saliva testing kits for Webber Mart and WeCare Childcare Center in North Minneapolis and Hard Times Café in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood. We have additional inventory available and welcome more requests from businesses and community groups through the COVID-19 Requests and Inquiries form.

• We are responding to many emails from residents, business owners, health care providers, educators, and community groups in our COVID19@minneapolismn.gov inbox. Recent questions have focused on vaccination plans and revised COVID regulations for businesses. Please continue using this email for any COVID-related questions.

The City specific COVID email address is: COVID19@minneapolismn.gov.

MinnPost Announces Lineup for Inaugural MinnPost Festival in April

Via a February 18 e-announcement from MinnPost:

National and local guests set for in-depth conversations on politics, media and culture

MinnPost is excited to present the inaugural MinnPost Festival, a week of engaging conversations with insightful voices from politics, media and culture, including E.J. Dionne from The Washington Post and the Brookings Institution; Errin Haines from The 19th and MSNBC; Charlie Sykes from The Bulwark; Sarah Bellamy from Penumbra Theatre; and more! The Festival is set for April 5 to 9 with all six sessions presented virtually.

The Festival program was designed to follow MinnPost’s approach to thoughtful, in-depth journalism. “Amidst the overwhelming stream of information and noise in media, MinnPost is driven to take our readers out of the maelstrom of the daily news cycle for more context and clarity around the news in Minnesota,” said Tanner Curl, MinnPost’s executive director. “During a particularly unsettled time, MinnPost Festival’s exciting lineup of national and local speakers will bring our audience a deeper understanding of the people and ideas shaping civic and cultural life in this moment.”

True to MinnPost’s commitment to making its journalism free for everyone, all-access Festival passes are available at Pay What You Can pricing, meaning attendees register at a price that works for them, including free. “We believe journalism is essential to a healthy democracy,” said Curl, “and you can’t live up to that if your reporting and programming are cloistered behind a paywall.” MinnPost is able to deliver on this commitment thanks to financial support from members, funders and sponsors. The Festival itself has opportunities for individuals and businesses to provide crucial support for MinnPost’s public-service journalism year-round.

MinnPost Festival - April 5-9, 2021 - minnpost.com/festival

America in 2021: A Conversation with Astead Herndon

Monday, April 5, 2021, 12-12:50 p.m. CT

The New York Times national politics reporter on the forces seeking to hold power and shape policy amidst demographic and cultural changes across the U.S.

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Democrats in Power: A Conversation with E.J. Dionne

Tuesday, April 6, 2021, 12-12:50 p.m. CT

The Washington Post political columnist and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution on the challenges facing the Biden administration and congressional Democrats.

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The GOP Moving Forward: A Conversation with Sarah Longwell and Charlie Sykes

Wednesday, April 7, 2021, 12-12:50 p.m. CT

Two leaders from The Bulwark on the Republican Party after the Trump presidency and the future of conservatives in electoral politics.

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Local Community Media: A Panel Discussion

Thursday, April 8, 2021, 12-12:50 p.m. CT

Local media leaders from across Minnesota discuss how they serve their communities in such a challenging time for local news organizations. Panelists: Harry Colbert, Jr., North News; Mukhtar Ibrahim, Sahan Journal; Leah Lemm, Minnesota Native News; and Jana Peterson, Pine Knot News.

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Art for Change: A Conversation with Sarah Bellamy

Thursday, April 8, 2021, 7-7:50 p.m. CT

The artistic director of Penumbra Theatre on the organization’s mission to drive social change, advance equity, and bring racial healing.

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Gender and Politics: A Conversation with Errin Haines and Emily Ramshaw

Friday, April 9, 2021, 12-12:50 p.m. CT

Two leaders and journalists from The 19th discuss women in American politics and their work at a nonprofit news start-up reporting at the intersection of gender, politics, and policy.

About MinnPost

MinnPost is a nonprofit, nonpartisan digital news enterprise that provides free in-depth journalism on the politics and culture of Minnesota. Founded in 2007, MinnPost is one of the leading local nonprofit news organizations in the nation. Its work is made possible through the generous support of members, funders and sponsors.

Episode 6 of Milling About with Brianna Rose Airs February 18

Article by Becky Fillinger

Brianna RoseThe February episode of Milling About with Brianna Rose will first air on Thursday, February 18 at 8PM on MCN6. The show replays for a month every Thursday and Friday at 8PM and Monday and Tuesday at 5PM.

The February show covers many topics that we know you’re going to like! Here is the lineup:

Ramona Kitto Stately, Project Director of We Are Still Here Minnesota. Ramona kicks off a new segment for Milling About – Contemporary Native News. She explains that while Native populations are ancient, they’re also modern. She gives us several examples of how to change the narratives around toxic, outdated stereotypes of Native Americans.

Ed Heimel, 2020 Volunteer of the Year for the Mississippi National River and Recreational Area. Ed was recognized for his volunteer activities which run the gamut – office work, field research, museum docent and travel guide! 

Lynn Gordon, Founder and President of the French Meadow Bakery and Cafe. Lynn tells us how the legendary restaurant survived the COVID-19 lockdowns and her unique approach to the menu – which means there’s something on the menu for everyone – carnivores, gluten-free and vegetarians can all find delicious choices. Lynn also describes the latest menu creations by newly installed chef Dusty Graham.

Hawona Sullivan Janzen, interdisciplinary artist, tells us about how her early work as a curator lead to her writing career and how the Mississippi River inspires much of her writing. Don’t miss her recitation of her poem Uncle Speed. 

Keith Parker, Executive Director of Great River Greening, tells us about the organization’s 26-year history of land restoration and ecosystem enhancement. 44,000 volunteers have assisted their efforts – providing a source of people-power and a base of citizens to carry their conservation messages to the greater community.   

Audrey Liquard, our Zero Waste Lifestyle expert, gives us advice in eliminating single use plastic from our lives.

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