The Mill City Times Interview: John Anfinson, Superintendent, Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

Article by Becky Fillinger

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA) Superintendent John Anfinson will retire at the end of December, after spending twenty impactful years at the National Park Service. We talked to him about his career, influences and what the future holds for one of our most visible river stewards.

Q:  In a Star Tribune interview in 2015 you said: “Our biggest challenge is that people don’t know we exist here, and they don’t know why it matters,” he said. “We hope to change that.” Tell us what you’ve done to make people more aware of the only national park unit focused on the Mississippi River.  

A:  One thing I have done is to increase our visitation. Our Mississippi River Visitor Center, in the entry area of the Science Museum of Minnesota, captured about 60,000 visitors annually, less than 10% of the Museum’s visitors. While in the Museum’s lobby, most people didn’t see it, and some thought our welcome desk was a security desk.

So with substantial leadership from Mississippi Park Connection, our philanthropic partner, and with Centennial Challenge Funding from the National Park Service (NPS), we completely revamped it. We reopened on August 25, 2016, the 100th anniversary of the NPS. In the first year, we saw over 190,000 visitors and have settled into an average of about 160,000.

Mississippi River Visitor Center at the Science Museum of Minnesota

On June 10, 2015, the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock in downtown Minneapolis permanently closed to navigation, and the St. Paul District, Corps of Engineers, asked if we wanted to take over their visitor center. How could I refuse? The lock has the most spectacular views of St. Anthony Falls and Mississippi River on the river’s west bank. It sits at the west end of the Stone Arch Bridge, which sees over two million visitors annually, and it is in the heart of the St. Anthony Falls Historic District.

While the Corps averaged about 2,000 visitors per year, we have steadily grown our numbers and welcomed 25,000 in 2019. COVID-19, of course, seriously reduced this year’s visitation, but once we open again in 2021, I expect visitation to rise well above 25,000. We were able to use a new access point at the end of the bridge this year that takes visitor directly onto the lock surface. We hope to use that every year. Phase I of Water Works will open sometime next summer, bringing many more people to the west side near our entrance.

Our restoration work at Coldwater Spring has turned it into a sanctuary for wildlife and those seeking escape from the hectic pace of urban life. Counting the Minnehaha Trail, which runs along the east side, and visitors who walk through the site, we see over 100,000 visitors here annually, and we hope to increase that number.

Overall, the park’s visitation has increased from 112,000 in 2015 to over 430,000 in 2018. We have gone from the 26th most visited park of the 61 in the 13-state Midwest Region to 14th. If Friends of the Falls’ vision for a world class experience at the repurposed Upper Lock comes to fruition, and we can establish a new park headquarters and River Learning Center at Watergate Marina, we could easily move into the top 10.

Q:  You’ve also said: “If you want to see how to do riverfront development right, you have to go to the Twin Cities.” Can you tell us more about your thoughts on this? 

A:  When people look at the Grand Canyon or Mesa Verde or think about storied places like Gettysburg, they immediately get why they are among the pantheon of America’s national parks. If asked, few could explain why the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA) stands with them.

Not every park is the Grand Canyon or Mesa Verde. The NPS tries to capture the best representative examples of America’s greatest places and stories. The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is the only national park whose mission is the Mississippi River. We are different from other parks. We have different stories and different landscapes, but our stories are every bit part of the national narrative, and our resources are essential to our national identity.

We have to grow into the idea that we are NPS worthy, and we have to do that by fulfilling the mission Congress gave us to guide orderly development along the Mississippi River. This means developing along the river in a way that is worthy of one of the world’s greatest rivers and of being part of the National Park System. If we do that consistently and for long enough, people from around the country and world will come here because they want to see and learn what developing along great rivers in the right way looks like. This means cities and developers might have to forgo projects that don’t rise to this level, but if the cities of the MNRRA corridor can let go of short-term gains, the economic value of how special the MNRRA corridor will become cannot be overestimated.

Q:  I recently took a guided hike at Coldwater Spring – what a hidden gem! Can you tell us about the redevelopment of this property? 

A:  From 1949 to 1996, the Bureau of Mines expanded its operations at Coldwater Spring, as one of 11 regional centers studying mining processes and safety. In 1996, Congress quit funding the Bureau, and the site was abandoned. Over the next 14 years, the dozen buildings there began deteriorating and were extensively vandalized. As the Bureau of Mines had been a bureau within the Department of the Interior, the Department directed the National Park Service to conduct an Environmental Impact Statement for the disposition of the site, and in 2010, the Midwest Region Direct signed the Record of Decision transferring the land to NPS for management by MNRRA and directing the park to restore the land. In September 2010, after removing all the buildings, roads and parking lots, Coldwater Spring opened to the public. In 2018, we successfully completed the first prairie burn, and within weeks the prairie came back more lush than ever.

Prairie burn

A number of tribes, including some Dakota tribes, have declared it a sacred site, which the park has recognized, and many others have found it a sanctuary from the rush of urban life. The restored oak savanna, over 400 trees planted by our staff and volunteers, is also drawing a wide array of migratory birds and other wildlife.

Q:  How has COVID-19 impacted your last year as Superintendent of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA)?

A:  COVID-19 has made for an intense year, and I have worked to bring the park through the pandemic.

Once Governor Tim Walz issued his stay at home order, many staff did not want to leave their homes. I had to work closely with staff to develop clear protocols for conducting programs, field work and volunteer activities. We had to figure out how to bring on our summer seasonal employees and use them as effectively as possible and give them a meaningful experience. We developed a return to office plan, which we hope to implement by spring, if enough people have been vaccinated.

Our Mississippi River Visitor Center (MRVC) in the Science Museum closed on March 13, with the Museum, and we had to consider how to engage the public in other ways. One of those ways is called Coffee with a Ranger, a weekly program with a park ranger talking about some topic relevant to the park. We have had 65,731 views of these programs as of September 11. We were one of the first parks to bring in a live sign language interpreter. This program was so successful, staff from Yellowstone and Yosemite sat in on our virtual training sessions on how to put on the program.

We reopened the MRVC on September 4, when the Science Museum opened again, and I had to work closely with staff on a risk/mitigation assessment for re-opening. I joined my visitor center manager and his staff on two calls to assure that they would be safe. When they were still clearly nervous, I arranged for one of our Midwest Region Public Health Officers to join a call with them, which largely allayed their concerns. Of course, our visitor center closed again with the Governor’s new restrictions.

While we normally open the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock to visitation over the Memorial Day weekend, we could not this year. So, we worked with the Corps of Engineers on how to open the outside areas, principally the large lock surface. Again, I worked with staff on the risk/mitigation plan. On July 24, we opened the lock to visitors, using a new entry point. Staffing this visitor center was especially complex, given that we rely heavily on volunteers, who are generally retired and older. Our safety protocols, however, successfully assured many of them they would be safe. While not seeing the numbers we have in past years, we have had good visitation and have learned new things about how we will operate in the future, with and without COVID-19.

I also have to call out our Formal Education programs. Last spring, we had more students and schools signed up for our signature Big River Journey Program than ever before. In this program, we use paddleboats as classrooms, bringing in partners and volunteer to help. We instantly had to shift to putting this program online. Within six weeks, we had developed the online course in partnership with Hamline University and MPC. Big River Journey had 6,378 unique visitors, and the Formal Education program staff had engaged 7,649 students overall as of September 11, including 647 classroom visits and 624 unique visits to our Living River online program.

Southside Aces at Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock in 2019

Q:  What’s the most incredible wildlife 1:1 encounter you experienced? 

A:  In October of 2018, I headed west on a vacation with the goal of getting to Glacier National Park for the annual Friends Alliance (NPS philanthropic partner organizations) meeting. On the way, I camped two nights on a high mesa in Colorado National Monument. The first day I went on a long hike in the valleys below the mesa, hoping to see some Bighorn sheep. Halfway into my hike I hadn’t seen any, and dark storm clouds began coming over the mesa from the west. As the storm broke, with a wind that drove the pouring rain sideways, I found shelter under a large boulder. Once the storm passed, I resumed my hike and looked up the side of the mesa. Huddled against the sheer wall were about a dozen Bighorns. The storm had brought them all together. As I continued walking and watching them and them watching me, they started working their way down toward me, stopping at a comfortable distance.

Can you spot the Bighorn sheep?

Here's a closer look at the Bighorn

Q:  In 2005 you were one of ten U.S. delegates to the joint U.S./Dutch symposium on water resources in The Hague, Netherlands sponsored by the Institute for Water Resources and the Rijkswaterstaat. How did that come about and what came from the conference?

A:  The Rijkswaterstaat is the Dutch equivalent of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the two agencies wanted to examine the history of water resource management in the two countries. Each selected 10 representatives to meet in The Hague. As I had worked for the Corps from 1980 to 2000 and had published The River We Have Wrought, A History of the Upper Mississippi River in 2003, I was selected to represent the Mississippi River. I quickly realized that the Rhine River in the Netherlands resembles the lower Mississippi River and not the upper. I also learned that their system of government doesn’t allow for the kind of pork barrel politics that has funded much of America’s water infrastructure. So, their system is more strategic than political in how it approves and funds water resource projects.

Q:  You earned a Ph.D. in American Indian history at the U. What drove your interest in Native American history? 

A:  My father was fascinated with history and the American West. We headed west or southwest for all our family vacations. Studying history and anthropology came easy to me, as did biology. I think I was also influenced by one of my older brothers who had majored in archeology. I specifically became interested in the fur trade, the exchange of European and American goods for beaver and other furs. While economic anthropology became a primary lens for studying the fur trade, I also became aware of the environmental impacts the fur trade had.

I had wanted to be an ecologist coming out of high school, but math and chemistry never clicked for me. So, I finally accepted what I was best at. Over my time with the Corps of Engineers, I began working on Mississippi River projects, and the river’s history, especially how the Corps had transformed it, became my primary research and writing interest. I then realized that I could combine my interest in history and biology and pursue environmental history, which has been my main focus for the last 20 years.

Q:  Tell us about the River Learning Center (RLC). 

A:  As the only National Park whose mission is the Mississippi River, we are the Mississippi River’s National Park. So, it makes sense that our headquarters and our education and interpretation base should be near the river. Our current headquarters is downtown St. Paul, in a 32-story-tall apartment building. Whenever we want to conduct one of our river programs, we have to travel to another location. At the Watergate Marina site, in Crosby Farm Regional Park, staff could walk out the door and lead tours of the floodplain forest, get people into canoes and kayaks, have them board a pontoon boat or paddleboat, or they could jump onto the bike trail running through the park. We wouldn’t have be borrow some other organization’s classrooms.

The River Learning Center (RLC) project is a partnership with the City of Saint Paul, Great River Passage Conservancy, Mississippi Park Connection and Wilderness Inquiry. The City sought funding through the bonding bill in the last Legislative session but did not get it. They will try again next year. The other partners are raising the $600,000 needed for schematic design. Our rent, paid by the General Services Administration, will go for the park’s office and programming space in the new building, helping with the yearly and long-term costs. 

The RLC will not replace our traditional NPS visitor center in the Science Museum, since RLC will focus on river experiences on and along the Mississippi. We will continue connecting with local audiences, especially youth, but we also hope to attract national and international visitors. The Minneapolis/Saint Paul International Airport is only about 10 minutes away, and the Mall of America about 15.

The RLC will be located at the nexus of importance geological, geographical, natural and historical stories. It will be at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, a place sacred to some Dakota tribes. At the confluence, the big river begins, and the Gorge, the narrow canyon of the Mississippi River above the confluence ends. Combined with Hidden Falls Regional Park, the RLC will be in the largest natural park setting in Saint Paul and a pivotal nesting and resting for birds that use the Mississippi River flyway. The bluff running along the east side features geologic layers near one-half billion years old.

Q:  What is the next chapter for John Anfinson?   

A:  I plan to focus deeply on the biggest river issues in the Twin Cities metro area and provide substantive environmental historical context for them. Among the most important are the Corps disposition studies for the three locks and dams in the heart of the area. The Lock & Dam No. 1 and Lower St. Anthony Falls Lock & Dam study, for example, has to examine dam removal as an alternative, and I’ve seen and heard a lot of speculation on what the undammed river would look like. I plan to provide a thorough historical context for that conversation that will eliminate some of the guesswork.

I will also stay involved with some organizations that I now sit on boards or commissions for, including Friends of the Mississippi River, Minnesota and National Mississippi River Parkway Commissions, and the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Citizen Advisory Board. I also plan to work more closely with the National Parks Conservation Association locally.

Of course, I hope to travel, play more golf (as a way to enjoy time with family and friends), get out to the family cabin in western Minnesota more often and generally slow down a bit.

Q:  You said, “Far too often, I have found it a challenge to get cities, individuals, developers, and the public to recognize how important the Mississippi River is in the Twin Cities and how special it is to have National Park status. I hope that someday, most will understand.” Can you leave us with your suggestions on how to bring these parties together for a discussion on National Park status?

When I give presentations to communities in our corridor, I ask the audience if they think of their community as a gateway city to a National Park, like Bar Harbor, Maine, is to Acadia or Cody, Wyoming, is to Yellowstone. Of course, they don’t. It has never occurred to them, which stems from not knowing the park exists or why it is just as important in its own right as Acadia and Yellowstone. Every community in the MNRRA is a gateway to the stories and experiences this National Park has to offer. Why wouldn’t they take advantage of that to draw tourism and new residents?

Greater MSP did a study a while back looking at what holds and attracts young workers to metropolitan areas. They recognized that Minnesota was losing more young talent than it was attracting. They learned that the number one draw was access to outdoor recreation. How many cities have such direct access to outdoor recreation as the Twin Cities? I believe a greater emphasis on the presence and value of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area could help hold young workers here and sell the Twin Cities to those from other states. Better marketing of the Mississippi River and National Park could also draw more tourists. Of course, we have to offer a river that features clean water, recreational access and great riverfront development, so that we don’t disappoint them.

The Paddle Share program is a perfect way to enjoy the Mississippi River

Bicycling Update: City Adopts the Minneapolis Transportation Action Plan

Per a December 7 e-announcement from the City of Minneapolis:

On December 4th the Minneapolis City Council adopted the Minneapolis Transportation Action Plan. The 10-year action plan guides the future planning, design and implementation of transportation projects for all people in all the ways they move around.

Look at the strategies and actions outlined in the plan

The interactive website includes strategies and actions as well as priority network maps for walking, biking, transit and freight. New strategies and actions in the Progress section detail how we will implement a racial equity framework for transportation, build trust and achieve greater outcomes through equitable engagement, and create transparent and accountable measures for evaluation of plans, programs and projects.

See what changed after public comment

In March 2020 we released the draft Transportation Action Plan for public comment. We received over 1,700 comments relating to all aspects of the plan from the public, partner agencies and local organizations. After reviewing these comments, we made a variety of changes to improve the plan, which are tracked in a separate document here. Highlighted changes include:

• One new strategy in the Walking topic area;
• 23 new actions throughout all topic areas;
• A new Progress section with 3 strategies and 20 actions related to implementing a racial equity framework, improving equitable engagement, and creating transparency and accountability through better evaluation; and
• A new Foreword on resiliency, racial justice and real-time planning.

Check out our engagement summaries

We hosted a variety of engagement events throughout 2019 and 2020 to involve the public in this process. Read the engagement summaries from each phase of the process, including the final phase after the release of the draft plan, to learn more about how those efforts influenced the plan: go.minneapolismn.gov/get-involved.

Follow the City of Minneapolis on social media to stay updated. Use #gompls to share your thoughts on the plan and follow the City on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport

Article by Michael Rainville, Jr.

Nestled between the Twin Cities near the banks of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) is an important transportation hub in the upper Midwest, and has contributed to the growth of the metropolitan area for 100 years.

The first alterations to the land MSP now occupies took place in 1915 when the Twin City Motor Speedway laid down a track. The speedway only lasted two years, but new suitors for the land were not far behind. In 1919, civic groups from Minneapolis and Saint Paul bought the vacant land and turned it into Speedway Field. The first hanger was constructed in 1920 and was used for airmail. A year later, three hangars for the National Guard Observation Squadron were constructed. Speedway Field, which also went by Snelling Field, would receive a name change later in 1921 to Wold–Chamberlain Field, in honor of two Minnesotan pilots who died in World War I.

Photo of Wold-Chamberlain Field taken in 1929 with the racetrack still present.

Northwest Airways, later named Northwest Airlines, established their home base at Wold-Chamberlain Field in 1926, which kicked off their eighty-two-year run at MSP until their merger with Delta in 2008. On July 5, 1927, Northwest Airways started their first passenger route with service from St. Paul to Chicago. Back then, a one-way ticket would cost $50, or over $700 after inflation. The twelve-and-a-half-hour flight had stops in La Crosse, Madison, and Milwaukee. Soon after in 1928, a U.S. Navy Squadron hanger was built, and later that year the Minneapolis Park Board purchased the airfield for $165,000, or over $2.5 million after inflation.

With Saint Paul opening up Holman Field in the 1920s, both airports fought for business. A unique way to make for money, Wold-Chamberlain Field offered sight-seeing trips for one or two dollars that lasted between seven and fifteen minutes. Northwest Airlines and Governor Harold Stassen recommended to state legislators that having one major airport would be more beneficial to the Twin Cities, and they lobbied in favor of Wold-Chamberlain Field. Northwest pulled out of Holman Field in 1941, and in 1943, the Metropolitan Airports Commission was created to operate the area’s airfields, including Wold-Chamberlain.

The Metropolitan Airports Commission immediately began planning Wold-Chamberlain’s expansion with the goal of making the Twin Cities an air hub post World War II. In 1944, the airfield was renamed to Minneapolis–St. Paul Metropolitan Airport/Wold-Chamberlain Field, and four years later, “Metropolitan” was replaced by “International.”

1957 postcard

1962 photo of the nearly complete Lindbergh Terminal.

The Lindbergh Terminal, now known as Terminal 1, began construction in 1958. Over four years later in January of 1963, the 600,000 square foot, twenty-four gate, two concourse terminal began servicing passengers. The terminal underwent expansions in 1971 and ’72, with the last major expansion happening in 1986, the same year the Humphrey Terminal, now Terminal 2, was constructed.

MSP’s sleek look and rising success mixed with Minnesota’s notorious winters, made it the perfect location to film the 1970 film Airport, starring Burt Lancaster and Dean Martin. The same year Airport was released, a company began helicopter flights from MSP to downtown Minneapolis, St. Cloud, Rochester, and Mankato. Just four months after the downtown Minneapolis route started operation, the company stopped their helicopter service.

Annual passenger traffic through MSP has consistently increased over the past twenty years, with over 39.5 million passengers coming to MSP in 2019. COVID-19 put a hold on most people’s plans for 2020, but MSP’s future still looks bright. In the coming decade plus, the airport plans to expand both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, adding fifteen new gates between the two terminals. The airport’s expansion progress can already be seen with the addition of a 5,000-spot parking garage and 290-room InterContinental hotel at Terminal 1, with concourse G’s expansion being the next project on the docket.

Map of planned expansions.

From an open prairie, to a racetrack, to one of North America’s busiest airports, Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is a vital cog in the Twin Cities machine.

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About Michael Rainville, Jr.

A 6th generation Minneapolitan, Michael Rainville Jr. received his B.A. in History from the University of St. Thomas, and is currently enrolled in their M.A. in Art History and Certificate in Museum Studies programs. Michael is also a historic interpreter and guide at Historic Fort Snelling at Bdote and a lead guide at Mobile Entertainment LLC, giving Segway tours of the Minneapolis riverfront for 7+ years. Contact: mrainvillejr@comcast.net. Click here for an interactive map of Michael's past articles.

Veiled Moon

Submitted by Mill District resident, Ric Rosow

The image was created by layering a black filter texture over the original image. Next I adjusted the intensity and opacity of the texture. Because I liked the colors of the original image, I protected them from being altered by the texture. Finally, I restricted the texture by use of a mask so that it affects only the area in the circle. The original image is the moon setting in hazy clouds.

This image started as a photograph of the moon taken in August, 2020.

Small Business Spotlight with Heidi Amouta, Co owner, Minneapolis Boxing Club

Brianna Rose talks with Heidi Amouta, Co-owner, Minneapolis Boxing Club about how boxing can work for all ages & fitness levels and running a gym during a pandemic.

Christmas Ornament Nostalgia: 40+ Years and Still Bringing Joy

Submitted by Claudia Kittock

I received this ornament from a high school student in the mid-1970s. I was just out of college, teaching at my first job, and had no ornaments of my own. A wonderful senior in the high school choir I directed made this for me, and I loved it. I couldn't wait to put it up every year.

A few years later, I was married, and we had our first puppy. We came home one day in December to find our puppy happily chewing on my ornament. My husband smoothed it out and declared it even better than before. He insisted that it now had more character. When our children entered our lives, each of them couldn't wait to put up the chewed up ornament and hear the story one more time.

It has become one of our favorites, reminding us of love, of puppies, of little boys, and all the chaos of a full and messy family. We are so grateful for everything contained in this bedraggled ornament.

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Editor's Note: We invite you to share photos and memories of your cherished Christmas ornaments. Email your story and picture(s) to kim@millcitymedia.org. We'll share them on both the website and Facebook.

Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Las Posadas, Diwali and other non-Christmas celebration traditions are also welcome.

The Mill City Times Interview: Stephanie Meachem, VP of Operations, Landmark Creations

Article by Becky Filllinger

Sea turtle and seahorse, part of the MN Zoo's Nature Illuminated drive-thru experience

Stephanie MeachamLooking for new drive-through neighborhood holiday displays this year? From the safety and warmth of your car, check out Nature Illuminated at the Minnesota Zoo. We talked to Stephanie Meachem, VP of Operations for Landmark Creations, the local company which designed and created the jaw dropping collection of illuminated animal inflatables, on display until January 17th.

Q:  How much lead time does Landmark Creations need to complete an order on the scale of Nature Illuminated? 

A:  Our standard lead time for custom shapes is 4-6 weeks. It can be 6-8 weeks or more during a busy period, but since we rely so heavily on the event and trade show industries, COVID-19 has made 2020 a very tricky year for us. We were fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with the Minnesota Zoo on their project this winter, as it allowed us to stay busy in a precarious time while being able to perform a large number of shapes more quickly than would otherwise be possible.

Q:  How many inflatables did you create for Nature Illuminated?  

A:  We created over 32 displays for the Nature Illuminated exhibit, and the project happened over the span of three months, the majority happening in October and November.

Red panda from Nature Illuminated 

Snow monkey from Nature Illuminated 

Q:  Are the inflatables recyclable?

A:  Inflatable materials are not recyclable per se, but they tend to last for many years when taken care of. We’ve heard of some customers repurposing the material from their displays (e.g. backpacks), but the freezing techniques that would be required to break down the material itself in order to recycle it is prohibitively expensive. The fan systems and installation hardware can certainly be reused for other displays/needs.

Q:  I watched the online video of the production of the red panda inflatable. How are the pieces put together?

A:  Our inflatables are sewn together using industrial sewing machines. It can take weeks to create one animal.

Dala horse at the American Swedish Institute  

Q:  Do you have a favorite inflatable from the commissioned work you’ve done?

A:  We’ve made over 7300 different shapes since I’ve been with Landmark Creations (it’s been 30 years!), so trying to pick a favorite is like picking a favorite child - and they’re all so different. I can’t even pick a favorite from this Minnesota Zoo group! I’ll share some other inflatable works that we’ve done. 

Q:  What backgrounds do your employees have - art, design, engineering?

A:  Our team of 22 employees has very diverse backgrounds, as you can imagine. We have 3D designers, artists, tailors, fabricators, and a host of other talent. While we don’t have any full-time engineers currently on-staff, we’ve had to learn many engineering disciplines on-the-job. We typically partner with an engineering firm when a customer has a project that requires complex rigging outside the scope of our normal displays.

Q:  What’s next for Landmark Creations in 2021?

A:  I sure hope a wide-scale distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine, so the event industry can get back to business. In the meantime, we're open to working with organizations and event coordinators who need to find creative ways to promote to or entertain the masses safely. Because inflatables are easy to transport, they’re a great fit for outdoor events that need to travel, or for stores/brands who need to catch attention from a distance. You can easily stay up to date with the happenings at Landmark Creations by:

• Following us on Facebook
• Following us on Twitter
• Subscribing to our newsletter

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Editor's Note - For more photos of Nature Illuminated, check out this recent MPR article: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/12/03/photos-its-lit-minnesota-zoo-illuminates-nature-for-drive-by-exhibit?fbclid=IwAR04sTgSMCjbnqxxNL4o3amQ7CpTD6IrG3fG3e7FGWgyZJO-UHaOsiNI6Kg

November 2020 by the Numbers from Cynthia Froid Group

Downtown real estate market update from Cynthia Froid Group:

Sign Up for Adult Sports Leagues in Minneapolis Parks This Winter!

Via a December 4 e-announcement from Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) anticipates adult sports leagues returning to action this winter with an emphasis on health and safety.

MPRB staff is monitoring guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health on a daily basis and will comply with any Executive Orders issued by the Governor. League rules and guidelines have been developed around recommendations from public health experts. At this point the MPRB is planning on hosting adult sports leagues with modifications in place to help protect all league participants while offering opportunities to compete, have fun and be healthy in the parks this winter.

Thank you for your continued support and understanding during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adult Sports

Check out the links below to find an adult sports league that works for you:

Basketball

When: Tuesdays and Thursdays, January-March

Where: All leagues at Central Gym

Leagues: Women's Tuesdays, Men's Tuesdays and Thursdays

Season: Eight weeks scheduled

Cost: $600

Outdoor Broomball - Coed and Open Leagues

Warming Rooms will not be available for the 2021 season. Benches will be provided outside.

When: Sundays-Thursdays, January-February

Where: Bryn Mawr, Logan, Longfellow, McRae, Windom NE

Leagues: Six-player or eight-player teams

Season: Seven weeks scheduled

Cost: $360

Outdoor Broomball - Men's and Women's Leagues

Warming Rooms will not be available for the 2021 season. Benches will be provided outside.

When: Mondays-Thursdays, January-February

Where: Bryn Mawr, Logan, Longfellow, McRae, Windom NE

Leagues: Six-player or eight-player teams

Season: Seven weeks scheduled

Cost: $360

Outdoor Hockey

Warming Rooms will not be available for the 2021 season. Benches will be provided outside.

When: Mondays, Tuesdays or Thursdays, January-February

Where: All leagues at Armatage Park

Leagues: Men's Competitive or Rec league, Women's league; all leagues 4-on-4 with no goalies

Season: Five weeks scheduled

Cost: $290

Volleyball

When: Mondays-Thursdays, January-March

Where: Kenwood, Luxton, MLK, Nokomis, Northeast

Leagues: Co-Ed Mondays-Thursdays, Women's Mondays

Season: Eight weeks scheduled

Cost: $373

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Officials Needed!

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is always looking to hire more officials for any of the sports listed above! Earn extra cash and stay involved in the sports you love!

To apply or learn more information please contact Kent Brevik at kbrevik@minneapolisparks.org or 612-230-6488.

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Recreation Fee Assistance

Minneapolis residents who cannot afford instructional fees because of economic need may apply for fee assistance through the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Fee Assistance Program. 

"Who Brought the Humbug?" December 12, 2020

Ricci Milan, professional tap dancer, brings his annual holiday show to us virtually this year on December 12 at 7:30PM.  Who Brought the Humbug? is part SNL and part Sesame Street – it will entertain and lift the spirits of the whole family. Ricci explains in his interview with Brianna Rose that ‘bringing people back up’ in 2020 is a higher calling - connecting family and community though an energetic fun filled production is a work of joy. We believe!!!   You can watch and interact live or, with a ticket, watch the replay for 7 days.   Friends, let’s support this endeavor which took months to plan and produce. 

Watch the Official Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v4mTfX90C4&feature=youtu.be

Sneak Peek: "Partyline"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv9sDYJffeQ&feature

Show & Ticket Information

https://www.humbug.show/

https://www.humbug.show/tickets

The Mill City Times Interview: Allison Kaplan, Editor-in-Chief, Twin Cities Business Magazine

Article by Becky Fillinger

In an editor’s note, Ms. Kaplan argues that now is the time to reimagine Minneapolis – we need big, audacious ideas to remake our city. We talked to her about how this might happen and how we can all contribute to the discussion. 

Q:  Allison, we at the Mill City Times took your challenge and have been pondering the big, audacious changes we can strive for in Minneapolis. Is Twin Cities Business collecting the ideas for a future meeting of the minds? 

Allison KaplanA:  A few people have reached out with interest in furthering the conversation. We welcome the opportunity to brainstorm with anyone who brings a fresh perspective to our downtown challenges.

Q:  In one of its blog posts on the topic of transforming cities, Nokia states, “One approach we use in our consultations with cities is the quadruple helix methodology, which identifies four stakeholder groups that need to be at the table: universities, industry, government and civil society. If these groups can share their dreams and visions and get on the same page, then you have a much better chance of making change happen.” Do you think we have coordination with these four groups in the Twin Cities? 

A: I do think the stakeholders share the same goal: a vibrant downtown where people live, work, and recreate. I’ve always found it telling that even when you talk to suburban leaders and developers - who could be seen as competitors to downtown - they, too, want to see downtown Minneapolis thrive because it reflects positively on the entire metro area. Downtown is the heart of the city and the stronger it beats, the better it is for recruiting talent, national events, tourism, culture and commerce. So yes, I think the desire is there, the issue is who makes it happen, and how.

Q:  The Nokia article mentions that hundreds of books have been written on the topic of pulling all the stakeholders together to transform cities, but that one thread that runs throughout is that most groups start with an examination of what is wrong in a city. In the book Appreciative Inquiry by F. J. Barrett and R. E. Fry, they make a really interesting observation that many people start from what they call a “deficit base.” In other words, they start by examining with what’s wrong. They suggest a better strategy is to get the stakeholders to recognize where working together collaboratively has built good things in the past. This creates energy and reinforces investment in the common effort. In your opinion, could we start the discussion on positive past projects? Can you think of some to start the discussion? 

A:  I love this theory and agree - we’re quick to go negative; it’s easy to dwell on what’s wrong. We all know what’s wrong. More constructive would be looking at examples of the good. In recent history, I think you have to start with the Super Bowl. On the coldest of January days, Nicollet Mall was packed!! Outdoor concerts, street vendors, fat tire biking down the mall, ziplining across the river. It’s wasn’t just out-of-state football fans engaged in these activities - it was locals who hadn’t been downtown in years and wondered, why can’t it be like this all the time? We’ve proven time and again we are great hosts, whether it’s a convention or NCAA tournament. But we need to think more about the every day. Holidazzle (pre-pandemic) is another good example. The way this annual festival has evolved in Loring Park draws crowds day and night and puts many local businesses - food vendors, breweries, product makers - on display.

Q:  We have the Brave New Workshop here in Minneapolis. John Sweeney, owner and professional brainstormer, has led many brainstorming and innovation workshops across the country (and the world). Could one step forward be to engage him to lead a session with all stakeholders on what has worked well in the past?   

A:  What a great idea! That’s along the lines of what I was proposing in my column - we have so many talented creatives, entrepreneurs, and big thinkers right here in town. We have so much pride in our companies, our culture, our natural resources and our ability to weather harsh conditions. Let’s get everyone together - including, but not limited to, the key agencies and leaders already working day in and day out on downtown. Fresh perspective can be constructive. We’d all benefit from a big, audacious group brainstorm.

Q:  How can we start to collect ideas?

A:  People can feel free to email me directly, akaplan@tcbmag.com.

Red Cow & Red Rabbit Restaurants Get In The Holiday Spirit!

Luke Shimp’s Restaurants To Offer Holiday Meals For Curbside Pick-Up, Free Meals To Service Industry Employees and More This December

Red Cow and Red Rabbit restaurants are getting into the holiday spirit this season with plenty of holiday offerings, joy, and goodwill.

With the holidays just around the corner, Red Cow and Red Rabbit are offering heat and serve Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinners for curbside pick-up. Available now for online pre-order, choose from a beef tenderloin or fried chicken dinner. Each comes with their own assortment of delicious sides and dessert. If you have a smaller gathering, all the menu items are available a la carte to create your own custom meal along with a variety of snacks to add to your order. Christmas dinners must be pre-ordered by December 20th for curbside pick-up at Red Cow Uptown on December 23rd from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. New Year’s Eve dinners must be ordered online by December 27th for curbside pick-up at Red Cow Uptown on December 30th from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Something fun awaits you at all six Red Cow and Red Rabbit locations. Each store is doing their part to spread some holiday cheer by decorating their storefront windows with festive holiday displays. Snap some selfies with the family when you visit your favorite location to pick-up your takeout.

Red Cow and Red Rabbit are also doing their part to give back this holiday season. Tuesday, December 8th is National Bartender Day and to honor those working in the restaurant industry, all Red Cow and Red Rabbit locations will be offering a complimentary meal to anyone that works in the restaurant industry from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Simply call the location most convenient for you, share your restaurant name and place your order from the featured service industry menu found on social media. Staff must present a 2020 paystub and an ID when picking up your meal.

“2020 has been a challenging year for all of us, but especially for those in the restaurant industry,” said Luke Shimp, Owner of Red Cow and Red Rabbit. “We want to do our part and give back to an industry and community that has done so much for our family.” Red Cow and Red Rabbit has also partnered with The Sanneh Foundation to support their Food Distribution Program and help distribute holiday meals to local families on Tuesday, December 22nd. The Sanneh Foundation is a Minnesota non-profit that serves the needs of diverse, urban and immigrant populations by offering nationally recognized programs that strengthen the educational, physical, social and emotional development of Twin Cities youth — primarily low income students of color.

For more information, to place an order for takeout or to order a holiday meal, visit redcowmn.com or redrabbitmn.com.

Daily Dazzle: Holidazzle this Weekend Includes Santa Zoom Meet-and-Greets

Via a December 2 e-announcement from the mpls downtown council:

Holidazzle Weekend 2 Includes Santa Zoom Meet-and-Greets

Join us virtually this weekend, December 3 thru December 6

Join us virtually each weekend this holiday season as we bring Holidazzle to you, wherever you are. This week is again full of activities and entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. Kick back and enjoy virtual activities and entertainment with you and yours each week with Holidazzle now through December 20.

Santa Zoom meet-and-greet sign-up starts today at 10 am

Santa is visiting Holidazzle this week and will offer FREE Zoom meet-and-greets on Saturday, December 5 from 9 am – 1 pm. Sign up opens at 10 am on Thursday, December 3 at www.holidazzle.com/santa2020. Tell Santa your wish list, take a screengrab and enjoy a brief conversation with Santa virtually. Santa will also hold meet-and-greets on Saturday, December 19, with signups for that date launching Thursday, December 17 at 10 am.

Yeti is coming to Peavey Plaza

The Holidazzle Yeti is making an appearance at Peavey Plaza beginning this week. The Yeti, a Christopher Lutter-Gardella creation, will be at Peavey Plaza with support from the Mpls Downtown Improvement District from December 3 through December 13. Plus, Christopher will be doing a special DIY mini-yeti craft demonstration this Saturday. Look for that demonstration on www.holidazzle.com/craft and on Holidazzle’s Facebook page.

The Holidazzle Show presented by Comcast

Join us weekly for The Holidazzle Show presented by Comcast. Episode 2 of The Holidazzle Show launches today and brings your favorite Holidazzle activities to you in your home. Join us this week for a great show at www.holidazzle.com/show, including:

• A Santa visit from the North Pole
• Shop local spotlight: Cabin Customs, Northern Drift and Simple Trends
• Minnesota Pit Bull Rescue
• Holidazzle Yeti artist Christopher Lutter-Gardella
• American Ice Theatre holiday skating performance
• Musical performance by Minnesota Chorale

Interact on social and you could win Holidazzle gift packages

Energize your Holidazzle experience this year with a special Energized Viewing Experience brought to you by Xcel Energy! We’re giving away Holidazzle packages that feature Holidazzle hats and mugs, paint-it-yourself ornaments, warm beverages, sweet treats and energy-efficient light bulbs. Plus, once per week one winner will receive a Supercharged package that includes an ecobee3 lite thermostat. Just like Holidazzle on Facebook or Instagram and tag three friends in our gift package post, and you will be eligible to win a prize package to enjoy while you’re taking in Holidazzle this season. Look for giveaways each week.

HoliTivities brought to you by Xcel Energy

You can enjoy fun, free activities thanks to the HoliTivities brought to you by Xcel Energy. The HoliTivities feature virtual puzzles, Holidazzle-themed coloring pages, BINGO, I Spy, card games, origami, paper snowflakes and more. More HoliTivities will be available throughout the four weeks of Holidazzle so check back regularly.

Santa Story Time

Santa is joining us each week for a special reading of holiday stories. Stop by www.holidazzle.com/santa or Holidazzle’s Facebook page each Sunday for a Santa story time. This week, Santa is reading “The Mukluk Ball.” Remember you can also get a phone greeting from Santa at the North Pole—check Holidazzle.com for the phone number and give him a ring!

Holidazzle Music: Minnesota Chorale

It is a longstanding tradition that the Minnesota Chorale performs each year at Holidazzle. Join them for a special virtual performance this week. Catch their performance in The Holidazzle Show, then watch the full performance on www.holidazzle.com/music or tune in on YouTube with the keyword “Minneapolis Holidazzle”.

Sunday’s DIY Demonstration: Third Daughter Restless Daughter

This week’s Holidazzle DIY demonstration features Third Daughter Restless Daughter. Wone and Youa Vang will be doing a cross-stitching demonstration. You can watch the demonstration or participate by purchasing the cross stitching kit at www.holidazzle.com/craft.

How to Holiday

We’ve got holiday resources for you at Holidazzle.com, including a music playlist, where to find classic holiday and winter movies, a recipe collection and more. Make Holidazzle your stop for preparing to celebrate wherever you are.

Catch us on YouTube

All of Holidazzle’s virtual content is on Holidazzle.com, and you can also find our videos on our new YouTube page using the keyword “Minneapolis Holidazzle”. Xfinity customers, find The Holidazzle Show on YouTube with the Xfinity X1 voice remote. Say “Minneapolis Holidazzle” into your Xfinity X1 voice remote, and you’ll find all available episodes ready for viewing.

Share your #Holidazzle memories with us

We want to hear from you this holiday season! Share your favorite Holidazzle photos and videos with us by using the hashtag #Holidazzle on Instagram.

Visit www.holidazzle.com or follow Holidazzle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to enjoy this year’s virtual content.

Hennepin Gallery Reopens with Digital Exhibit Exploring Cultural Heritage

Via a December 2 e-announcement from Hennepin County:

A return to art! Hennepin Gallery reopens with digital exhibit exploring cultural heritage

Cultural heritage is explored in vivid color by two artists in Hennepin Gallery’s latest exhibit opening December 1, Principles of Posterity.

The Hennepin Gallery, closed due to COVID-19, is reopening with an online exhibit to share the two artists’ works and statements about their process and practice. View the online exhibit.

Both Mayumi Amada and Marlena Myles share their cultural heritage through a variety of materials, representing their sense of place, identity and home. The juxtaposition of personal perspectives in their artwork creates an open middle ground to consider commonalities.

The artists both present complex ideas and themes but do so in a way that invites audiences in with relatable materials and storytelling.

Artists’ statements

Mayumi Amada “I am Japanese – my cultural heritage informs my work. Living away from my home country and looking at it from a distance, I find many valuable characteristics in Japanese culture: In the ways of thinking, in the sense of value, and also in the arts, design, and in architecture."

Marlena Myles “I am a Native American (Dakota, Mohegan, Muscogee) digital artist located on my traditional homelands here in St Paul, Minnesota. I use my art to celebrate the language and culture of my Dakota people, as well as help the public understand and relate to the significance of our oral traditions, history and representation through Native Art.”

 

Online activities

To immerse audiences in their work more fully, Mayumi Amada and Marlena Myles have created interactive hands-on elements that visitors can engage with at home:

• Video workshops – Accompanying the artist’s work are accessible video workshops. Each artist provides a tutorial that uses paper and other materials found at home.
• Downloadable templates and coloring pages  

Forecast Public Art and Hennepin County Multicultural Arts Committee (HCMAC) Partnership

Forecast Public Art and HCMAC have partnered over the past 13 years to bring artwork from a variety of cultures to the Hennepin County Government Center. Forecast Public Art, a non-profit arts organization, activates, inspires and advocates for public art that advances justice, health, and human dignity.

The exhibit is sponsored by the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Department and Hennepin County Multicultural Arts Committee, and is a project of Hennepin County Communication and Engagement Services.

Look for more news on the Hennepin County website at hennepin.us/news.

The Great Northern 2021: January 28 – February 7

Via a recent e-announcement from The Great Northern:

The Great Northern is proud to announce its 2021 original programming, occurring across ten days in coordination with legacy winter events City of Lakes Loppet, Saint Paul Winter Carnival, and the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships.

“The 2021 festival will include conversations, arts and cultural programming, and activities designed to create human and environmental connection,” said Kate Nordstrum, executive and artistic director of The Great Northern. “We examine our changing climate creatively—through walks, art, music, writing and storytelling. These poignant and visceral experiences will hopefully personalize the issue for attendees and inspire them to become advocates in their own networks and communities.”
 
With a mission essential to the wellbeing of the Minnesota community, particularly during this challenging and socially isolating time, The Great Northern will continually evaluate best practices related to COVID-19 to ensure a safe experience for all. All events have been designed in full compliance with safety guides put forward by the Minnesota Department of Health and are subject to change.

The full schedule of 2021 original programming is now available at thegreatnorthernfestival.com. 

Help Shape the Future of Hennepin, First Avenue Northeast

Help shape the future of Hennepin, First Avenue Northeast

Hennepin County is developing a plan for roadway improvements on Hennepin and First avenues (County Road 52) between Main and 8th streets in Minneapolis and is seeking feedback.

The project team will be looking at all modes of transportation in the area, including driving, walking, biking and rolling.

Visit the project website to take the project survey and explore the virtual tour. Your feedback will help share the future of Hennepin and First.

Participate in a community listening session on December 10. Register to participate.

Coimatan Announces December Initiatives to Promote Local Small Businesses

Article by Becky Fillinger 

Vasiliki PapanikolopoulosMinnesotans Unite is now Coimatan. We talked to founder, Vasiliki Papanikolopoulos, about the successes of the organization and upcoming holiday events.

Q:  When we spoke earlier this year you had just formed Minnesotans Unite - to help bring business to local retailers and create a network of support among small merchants. The organization has been renamed Coimatan. Why the name change? 

A:  Minnesotans Unite started with a focus on retail small businesses like you mention, and when we joined forces with the national effort Save The Eats to also support culinary small businesses, my team and I were running two parallel initiatives with two different names. When Save The Eats came to a close, it was an opportunity to bring it all together under one roof, so we merged Minnesotans Unite and Save Twin Cities Eats into Coimatan. Coimatan is inspired by the word community in both English and Greek (and as I am Greek-Cypriot-American/Minnesotan, it was an ode to both cultures). 

Q:  We're still in the pandemic - which may stretch throughout 2021. What have you learned in the months since you started the organization? Any successes to share with us? 

A:  Starting Coimatan in the midst of the pandemic has been challenging in some ways and easier in other ways. I have learned quite a bit - the most important being that I must meet others where they are, including both consumers and business owners. With the pandemic, priorities are constantly in flux and focus is dispersed, so creating value throughout the pandemic's evolution and its impact is top of mind. To date, we have partnered with over 50 small businesses, and to me that means at least 50 small business owners (some have co-owners) that we've successfully connected with. These small business owners trust us to bring about a collective movement to shop local and I don't take that responsibility lightly.

Q:  Is Coimatan creating holiday buying opportunities with local small businesses?

A:  The short answer is yes, two opportunities! Recently, we released a Shop Local Bingo, where those who call B-I-N-G-O receive prizes from our participating small businesses in an interactive game and leave knowing some fun facts about small businesses. The second opportunity is A Night In to Celebrate, where we've gathered retail and culinary small businesses and local talent for what we hope to be a heartwarming and entertaining night in for guests.

The longer answer is that the Coimatan philosophy aims to promote shopping local beyond just Small Business Saturday or on a holiday - shopping local in our mind is a conscious lifestyle that contributes to the community and builds connections to our neighbors all year round, whether we are buying the next morning's coffee or on the search for a cool bathroom towel.

Q:  Are there other opportunities to learn more about your organization or the businesses you support?

A:  Oh, yes! Our website contains all the information about our participating businesses and the over 100 BIPOC small businesses we've created a directory for, as well as upcoming events and experiences. Facebook and Instagram are two easy ways to also learn more about Coimatan and the latest from our participating businesses, all in one place.

Q:  How may we follow your news?

A:  People may subscribe to our newsletter to stay in touch - we just sent a newsletter introducing A Night In to Celebrate, and our plan is to continue building it out as the place where we share upcoming events, experiences, product launches, and most importantly local business stories.

The Mill City Times Interview: Professor Joseph Underhill, Augsburg University

Article by Becky Fillinger

Professor Joseph UnderhillProfessor Joseph Underhill heads up the River Semester at Augsburg University, a truly unique educational experience. He has taken students out on the Mississippi River for the past fifteen years studying the impact of human activity on the river ecosystem and meeting with guest lecturers and local activists in communities all along the expanse of the river. We talked to him about the program and how all of us can stay more connected to our precious river resources.

Q:  Please tell us about River Semester at Augsburg University. Did you design the program?

A:  The River Semester is a unique research and educational expedition that travels, primarily by canoe, down the length of the Mississippi River. When I moved to the Twin Cities in 1998 to teach at Augsburg, I began looking for ways to get students out on the river. This started in 2000 with a 5-day trip that was part of an expedition organized by the Audubon Society. Twenty years later, the program now spends 100 days traveling from the Headwaters at Lake Itasca down to St. Louis, Memphis, New Orleans, and ending at the Gulf of Mexico. We take around 20 people in four large Voyageur canoes, camping, cooking meals, conducting field research, holding classes, visiting sites, and hearing from guest speakers.

The program runs in the Fall term from approximately August 30th to December 10th. Students in the program take a full semester of courses in a range of disciplines, primarily in Environmental Studies and interdisciplinary Social Science. The River Semester is a regular part of the programming offered by Augsburg University’s Center for Global Education and Experience (CGEE). 

Over the course of the fall term, participants paddle for around half the time, camping on islands or campsites on shore, and covering three main sections of the river - the Headwaters (Lake Itasca to Bemidji), the Upper Mississippi (Twin Cities to the Driftless region), and the Lower Mississippi (from Vicksburg to the Gulf of Mexico, including a stretch of the Atchafalaya River). The remaining time is spent in field research at locations along the river, with transit in vans between different river stretches and field stations. There are more extended layovers in the St. Louis area, and in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.

In addition to their learning of course content, students gain leadership skills and a greater sense of self-confidence, resilience, and vocational discernment. By stripping away the protections and forms of insulation found in “normal life," the students are made directly and intimately aware of the variability of the weather, with increased appreciation for what climate change can really feel like. The upside of these challenges is that they provide frequent opportunities for participants to experience the hospitality of residents and “River Angels” along the way. Over the years we have been hosted by numerous churches, homes, and organizations. This experience - so different from dominant discourses around animosity, danger, and polarization these days - provides some basis of optimism about human kindness. The program sees this as one of its main values, and many students noted how pleasantly surprised they were to receive such generous hospitality.

Q:  Will the program be offered in 2021?

A:  Yes, the next expedition will be in the Fall Semester of 2021, with the next group of students heading up to Lake Itasca on September 1st. We have future trips planned on an annual or biannual basis, depending on the level of interest and student demand. We are currently recruiting the next crew, with students coming from all over the country. Any undergraduate students interested in applying should go to www.augsburg.edu/river to start their application, and they can contact me (underhil@augsburg.edu) to discuss options and find out more about the program.

We've had some international guests as well, from Germany, Israel, Jordan, Portugal and Norway, and see more potential for involving international students and researchers on future trips, since interest in the Mississippi River extends well beyond our borders.

Q:  You're a proponent of experiential and interdisciplinary learning. River Semester is a first-class example. Do you consult with other universities or corporate entities (or other organizations) on the benefits of this type of learning?

A:  We work with a number of amazing partners in bringing this opportunity to our students, and lots of folks are seeing the value in this kind of applied, hands-on learning combined with a rigorous academic course of study. We work with Wilderness Inquiry - a national leader in outdoor learning - as our outfitter, and are connected to several networks in higher education that do work on rivers and with these kinds of experiential, immersive programs. These include the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM), and a newly formed group of river studies schools and programs, organized in collaboration with the River Management Society. We see this kind of teaching and learning as crucial to preparing students to navigate the challenges of the 21st Century, and to acquire the kind of synthetic knowledge and integrative skills needed to tackle the complex environmental and political problems we are currently facing.

We've also received support from companies like Pentair, to support the participation of students of color in STEM education, which reflects the value they see in this kind of education. I do get questions from other faculty about setting up these kinds of programs. I haven’t done any paid consulting on this, but there is a fair amount of interest out there in developing similar programs for undergraduates. 

Q:  One core area of your expertise is environmental politics. What can a person do locally - politically - to address environmental issues?

A:  Well, in the Twin Cities we are blessed with a rich array of organizations - like the Mississippi Park Connection and the Friends of the Mississippi River - that do great work on behalf of the river and communities living along it. I definitely recommend that folks join and support these organizations and contact your local legislator to find out what river-related legislation is in the works. We've had great strides in improving water quality in the Mississippi, but we still have a long way to go. And there are ongoing issues of environmental injustice with BIPOC communities still bearing the brunt of the effects of pollution and forced removal from traditional homeland along the river. I'd say pick a project, a specific topic and roll up your sleeves and get to work. There's no great mystery to it - it's just a matter of prioritizing the stewardship of the world around us, which most definitely includes the Mississippi River. Change comes slowly, but it does come. 

Q:  Since most of us cannot enroll in River Semester, how might we immerse ourselves in learning more about the Mississippi River?

My recommendation is first to spend as much time along or on the river as you can, whether that is walking, biking, boating, or just sitting on a bench by the shore. There is always something to learn, something new to observe, and there is always some peace and solace to be found there as well. If you're so inclined, and have the resources, there are plenty of river tour companies, including some of the big paddle boats that offer cruises. The Paddle Share program in the Twin Cities is another really innovative way for folks to get out on the water. And there is endless reading one can do, including travelogues, histories, and fiction. A few good sources to start with include Calvin Fremling's Immortal River, Gwen Westerman and Bruce White, Mni Sota Makoce, Eddy Harris' Mississippi Solo, John Anfinson's The River we have Wrought, and John Mcphee's "Atchafalaya" in his book The Control of Nature.

Q:  Your program is so impressive! How can we follow news about you and the River Semester programs?

A:  During our expeditions we post on Facebook, Instagram, and the River Semester YouTube channel fairly regularly, with updates on our latest encounters and adventures along the way. You can check out those pages for examples of what we've done in the past, including some nice videos made by past students on the trip.

River Matters: Doug Snyder, Executive Director, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization

Doug Snyder provides an overview of the changes over time to the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities and his organization’s role in the efforts to clean up and revitalize the Minneapolis Riverfront.

Meandering Through Time: An extended history of the 1982 Thanksgiving Day Fire

With Michael Rainville Jr., Hosted by Brianna Rose

The tragedy of the fire was followed by the gratefulness that no civilians were hurt and the realization of what could have been. If the fire happened one day before, there would have been many casualties from the thousands of workers in the buildings and in their vehicles during rush hour.

Related: When Firefighters Saved Downtown - The Minneapolis Thanksgiving Day Fire