FINNOVATION Lab + ImpactSKU Launch Virtual Program for Purpose Driven Start-Ups

Via a June 25 News Release:

ImpactSKU announces Companies for Preview Program
10 startups will participate in Twin Cities 1st virtual Accelerator

The 6-week ImpactSKU Preview Program kicks off Aug. 4th and includes programming on such topics as Vision +Purpose, Market Validation + Positioning, Social Impact and Channel Strategy. Throughout the program, participants will have access to a roster of CPG experts. They also will develop pitches for the 2020 Showcase @ Twin Cities Startup Week.

ImpactSKU was scheduled to launch its first cohort in June. But with COVID-19 creating an unprecedented situation, the decision was made to pivot to a virtual program to give the startups a glimpse of the accelerator’s full program. The full program will launch in 2021.

“We are thrilled with the companies participating in the ImpactSKU Preview,” said Connie Rutledge, CEO of FINNOVATION Lab and Executive Director of ImpactSKU. “They are some of the Twin Cities most innovative startups. We believe the programming and mentorship they will get out of the program will help accelerate their growth and provide invaluable support during these volatile times.”

ImpactSKU is for purpose-driven ventures with business models that support environmental sustainability, fair labor practices, ethical supply chains, and healthy communities. By focusing on social impact, the program aims to support entrepreneurs who know that long-term growth is based on business practices that protect the planet’s resources and nurture wellbeing for everyone.

ImpactSKU is a partnership between Austin-based SKU – the nation’s first CPG accelerator and FINNOVATION Lab, supported by two of Minnesota’s great CPG companies: The Stable and 301 Inc., General Mills' venture arm.

Minneapolis-based ImpactSKU has selected the 10 consumer-packaged goods (CPG) startups who will participate in the Preview program. The 10 ImpactSKU Preview companies are:

Atlas Provisions
Atlas Provisions was founded by Sarah Pritzker, who wanted to bring interesting, delicious foods from around the world to U.S. consumers. The company’s Popped Lotus Seeds, available in flavors like Chipolte Lime, Chocolate Sea Salt and Truffle Salt, are made from the ancient lotus flower in India. Atlas Provisions partners with low-income farmers from around the world to introduce new foods to U.S. consumers while providing their growers with new economic opportunities.

Coconut Whisk
Founders Bella Lam and Myles Olson founded Coconut Whisk to help health-conscious families avoid recipe fails by providing easy-to-make baking mixes. The company’s products include mixes for pancakes, cookies and muffins. With every online purchase, the company donates a vegan meal to a kid in need through our partnership with feedOM & Food For Life Global.

Dog Threads
Dog Threads started in the summer of 2014 when Gina and Scott Davis we were looking for a festive party shirt for their dog Thomas to wear to an annual 4th of July barbecue. They created a one-of-a-kind Hawaiian print button-down shirt for him and realized there was a big potential market. Dog Threads sells a wide range of shirts and sweaters for dogs, with matching styles for their human owners. Dog Threads donates a portion of every sale to various non-profit dog rescue programs.

Hippy Feet
In the months after Michael Mader suffered a traumatic brain injury, he developed the idea for a sock company that could help the homeless, recognizing that his fate could have been different if he didn't have a support system around him. He partnered with Sam Harper to launch Hippy Feet, which sells a wide range of socks and t-shirts. Each product sold allows us to provide transitional employment to young people ages 16-24 who are experiencing homelessness.

Humble Nut Butter
Husband and wife duo John and Jess Waller wanted something savory to spread onto a cracker but found that all their options were sweet. This craving lead them to their own kitchen to experiment until they found the perfect balance of flavors to meet their snacking needs. The result was Humble Nut Butter, which is available in Sundried Basic Cashew, Truffle Herb Walnut and Spiced Maple Pecan. In addition to sourcing wholesome ingredients, Humble Nut Butter is committed to building an inclusive workforce.

K Mama Sauce
KC Kye grew up eating spicy Korean food and had a difficult time finding quality Korean food and sauces when he moved to Minnesota. He developed K-Mama Sauce - available in original, spicy and gluten-free - to add an authentic, delicious kick to appetizers, salads, soups, and entrees of any style. K-Mama donates 30 percent of its profits to charity, including local and national organizations that provide affordable housing, promote access to higher education and provide food for the hungry.

Let’s Dish
Darcy Olson started Let’s Dish in 2003 as a retail meal assembly concept, where people can come in to put together meals. What started as a small Express freezer case of finished frozen meals in the front of their stores has become a huge growth opportunity to sell healthy frozen foods, including main dishes, side dishes, appetizers and desserts. Their focus on health and wellness extends to giving back to the community and finding ways to combat hunger.

Mostly Made
Mostly Made was founded in 2015 by Jillian McGary, who struggled to find time to cook nutritious meals for her children while working a full-time job. With no background in food or manufacturing, she began the journey of turning her “cooking hacks” into a brand. Mostly Made sells a line of packaged, non-perishable gluten-free fillings that can be combined with fresh ingredients in minutes to create healthy meals. For every five products customers buy, Mostly Made donates a meal portion to Ronald McDonald Charities.

Panache Apple Inc.
Panache Apple grew out of founder Ameeta Jaiswal-Dale’s love of apples and her desire to bring back heirloom apples alongside dessert apples to promote the sustainable orchards and agricultural practices. She created a line of artisan apple juice infusions in such flavors such as ginger Cheeky Zing, turmeric Samatva Swing, mint Green Vigor and elderberry Bold North to boost immunity, relieve stress and reduce inflammation.

Twiggy Fresh
Growing up in Somalia, Umar Ahmed used a twig from the Salvadora persica tree to clean his teeth. After moving to the United States, he decided to combine his desire to protect the environment with his entrepreneurial spirit to create an eco-friendly alternative to the plastic toothbrush to reduce waste. He launched Twiggy Fresh in 2018, creating a 100 percent natural toothbrush made from bamboo and natural nylon bristles.

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About SKU
SKU was founded in 2011 by lawyer Shari Wynne Ressler and serial entrepreneur Clayton Christopher, founder of Sweet Leaf Tea and Deep Eddy Vodka, with the mission of accelerating CPGs. Since it was founded, more than 40 companies have completed the program. Austin-based SKU has produced wide variety of interesting and successful brands, including Siete Foods, EPIC Provisions, Mosie Baby and Austin Eastciders. A 2016 Forbes magazine column identified SKU as one of the country’s top three accelerators. SKU expanded into New York in fall 2019 with BeyondSKU.

About FINNOVATION Lab
FINNOVATION Lab’s mission is to create a space for intentional and constant cross-pollination of social entrepreneurship concepts, ideas and networks. Through original programming and partnerships, the organization empowers and provides system change leaders with venture service support and access to capital increasing and accelerating their impact. For more information, visit Finn-Lab.com.

Green Partners Newsletter: Virtual resources for exploring ecosystems and online professional development opportunities

Excepts from Hennepin County's June 24 Green Partners Newsletter:

Environmental education resources

Explore the Mississippi River with Big River Journey Online

Big River Journey Online is the next best thing to a riverboat field trip on the Mississippi River! Filled with fun and exciting video clips and interactive learning modules about birds, boats, bugs, water quality and much more, the new Big River Journey Online allows kids to explore the mysteries of the Mississippi from school or home. Kids can peak into an eagle’s nest, spy on a romp of otters, spend time in a riverboat pilot house, imagine a waterfall greater than Niagara on the Mississippi, and solve river crimes.

Each of six learning modules plus a Welcome Aboard module features an introductory video along with topic specific multi-media interactives, videos, games, reading, word-finds and more. Teacher resources include assessments and other “go deeper” opportunities. The program was developed by the National Park Service, Hamline University’s Center for Global Environmental Education, and Mississippi Park Connection. Big River Journey Online is targeted for upper elementary grades and is available for free! 

Project Learning Tree videos

The Project Learning Tree community is creating video demonstrations of some favorite PLT activities that students or participants can easily do at home. These are also great to share with parents for ideas of activities families can do together!

1. How Big is That Tree? (grades 3-5 math): measure tree height and circumference
2. Name That Tree (grades 5-8 science): basics of tree identification
3. Forest for the Trees (grades 5-8 science, social studies): basic forest management
4. Adopt a Tree (grades 3-5 science, ELA): students adopt and observe a tree over time
5. The Fallen Log (grades 2-5 science): students observe all the signs of life and death on and under a fallen log in the forest
6. Tree Cookies (gr. 3-8 science, social studies): students learn tree rings and make a timeline
7. The Shape of Things (K-1 math): students learn about shapes and find them in the forest
8. Looking at Leaves (K-3 science): students learn how observe and compare leaf shapes, textures, sizes, colors, and other characteristics

New online lessons available from Wolf Ridge

As learning remains primarily online for schools, organizations and families, Wolf Ridge continues to release online, standards-based lessons. Students explore Wolf Ridge and their own backyards, experiencing nature from a variety of perspectives including science, history, culture, art, and literature. The following five lessons have been released since our last newsletter.

Geology

If we know how to read them, rocks can tell us a story of how our landscapes were created. Geologic history shows us the shaping forces of our land long ago. Participants in the geology lessonwill learn about the rock cycle and see how geologic forces shaped the land, use a bedrock map, and create a rock cycle model.

Food and farming

Who grows your food? Have you ever met your farmer? Visit the Wolf Ridge farm to meet Sarah who helps grow tons of food. Participants in the food and farming lesson will explore the farm-to-table chain, track nutrition and physical activity for 2 weeks, and gain a better understanding of dietary habits and where food comes from.

Spring Plants

How can close observation and documentation of plant characteristics help us understand their success in ecosystems? Participants in the spring plants lesson will gain an understanding of flowering plants and how features like their shapes and colors help them reproduce, follow a plant in their neighborhood or yard as it grows and changes, make observations of flowering plants in their area, and create nature journal entries for a few of them that documents their features and labels their parts.

Frogs and toads

Go behind the scenes with the pond singers. Before you know it, you’ll be personally acquainted with the frogs and toads around you. Participants in the frogs and toads lesson will learn about what species live in Minnesota and understand their life cycle via metamorphosis, learn how frogs serve as an indicator species where they live, and solve math problems about frog survival rates.

Mysterious animal signs

kWhat is living in your neighborhood? What can we learn about animal behavior from the evidence they leave behind? Join us for this adventure, and don’t forget to bring your powers of observation! Participants in the mysterious animal signs lesson will solve a mystery with naturalists, explore and interpret some animal signs, and use knowledge of the animals to write a story about their interpretation of animal signs.

Boys and Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities responds to increased need in south Minneapolis

The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities have an environmental education grant to help youth learn about natural ecosystems and recycling at their Minneapolis clubs and at the Voyageur Environmental Center in Mound. Due to increased need in south Minneapolis communities, they are placing volunteers to help with sorting and packing food and supply donations at their Southside Village and Little Earth Clubs. Learn more and get involved.

Spark-Y provides victory gardens to inspire a movement of growing healthy good

Spark-Y recently gave away 750 free victory gardens to individuals, families, and organizations in Minneapolis in partnership with the African American Community Response Team (AACRT). The goal of the victory gardens is to inspire a movement of growing healthy food on our decks, homes, and community spaces.

Each victory garden contains a variety of vegetables so that young people and their families can learn to grow their own produce at home. At the request from the community, a Victory Garden site will be dedicated to George Floyd. Spark-Y also developed a series of videos and resources to provide instructions and inspiration for growing your own victory garden.

Three Rivers Explorer Club: outdoors every week afterschool

During the school year, youth at Robbinsdale, Plymouth, Sandburg, and Brooklyn Center middle schools participated in an outdoor afterschool environmental education pilot program called Explorer Club. This youth-driven club taught by Three Rivers Park District educators met weekly in all weather conditions. Activities focused on building relationships and inspiring authentic and positive experiences in nature. Favorite activities included snowball fights, exploring wildlife cameras, fat tire biking, snow sledding, guided plant and animal walks, meeting live animals, playing outdoor games, and building snow and stick forts.

Through spending time outdoors, students created a deeper connection with the natural environment surrounding their schools. Students also had a chance to volunteer at the outdoor “Embrace the North Festival” at Mississippi Gateway Regional Park. In the spring, the Explorer Club moved online and continued to provide weekly lessons plans, providing ideas for students to continue to connect with nature at home.

Youth Environmental Activists of Minnesota (YEA! MN) featured in Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine

Youth with Climate Generation's YEA! MN program were recently featured in the Minnesota DNR’s Conservation Volunteer magazine for their work planning the youth climate justice summit. The summit involved teaching other youth how to effectively talk to elected leaders about climate change. Read the full article. 

MSP Film Society Announces Anti-Racism Series

Via a June 23 News release from MSP Film Society:

MSP Film Society announces the launch of We the People: Required Watching, an ongoing screening series of films that speak powerfully to systemic inequality, followed by conversations with filmmakers and community leaders discussing ways we can support social justice and anti-racism efforts within our communities.

MSP Film Society kicks off We the People: Required Watching on Sunday, June 28 with an encore screening of the MSPIFF39 Redefined closing night film, Women in Blue. The film will be available to screen for free for a 24-hour window on beginning at 11am on Sunday, June 28 at MSPfilm.org. On Monday, June 29 at 7:00pm, MSP Film Programmer Craig Laurence Rice will moderate a discussion with Director Deirdre Fishel, Minneapolis City Council Member Alondra Cano, Civil Rights Attorney and Activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, and former Minneapolis City Council Member Ralph Remington about the ongoing efforts of police reform and women's roles in leadership and community safety.

Women in Blue

Directed by Dierdre Fishel, USA, 2002, Documentary

Offering an unprecedented view into the inner workings of the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD), Women in Blue chronicles a police force—and a community—grappling with racism and a troubled history of police misconduct long before an MPD officer killed George Floyd in May of 2020. The film reveals the limitations of police reform through incremental change and asks questions that apply well beyond the city of Minneapolis: Could increased gender equity and more women—especially women of color—contribute to greater public safety?

MSP Film Society continues the We the People: Required Watching series on Sunday, July 5 with a free screening of Ava DuVernay’s groundbreaking documentary 13th. On Monday, July 6 at 7:00pm, MSP Film Programmer Craig Laurence Rice will present another community-focused conversation that explores the themes of the film and how we can collectively move forward toward a more just and inclusive society.

13th

Directed by Ava DuVernay, USA, 2016, Documentary

The title of Ava DuVernay’s extraordinary and galvanizing documentary refers to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which reads, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States.” The progression from that second qualifying clause to the horrors of mass criminalization and the sprawling American prison industry is laid out by DuVernay with bracing lucidity.

In early June, MSP Film Society partnered with the Knight Foundation, O Cinema, Magnolia Pictures, and FilmNorth in presenting free screenings of remarkable films that directly address issues that we are grappling with today: I Am Not Your Negro,  Whose Streets? and Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am. Following each of these screenings, MSP Film Society Programmer Craig Laurence Rice hosted conversations with community leaders to discuss ways we all can support social justice and anti-racism efforts in our community.  As attendance for these screenings, and especially the community conversations grew, MSP Film Society received continuous feedback from both our community and around the country about the value of these conversations, and immediately endeavored to make this an ongoing series.

“MSP Film Society has long recognized the power of cinema, and the discourse it sparks, to confront the most difficult issues in society,” said Susan Smoluchowski, Executive Director of the MSP Film Society.  “Through critical conversations inspired by each of these Knight screenings, we found a potent way to fulfill our mission and serve our community in a time of need. We are grateful for our partnership with FilmNorth, O-Cinema, the Knight Foundation, and now the George Family Foundation for its generous support, making it possible for us to present We The People: Required Watching as an ongoing series of free screenings of topical, discussion-worthy films, followed by engaging, relevant conversations designed to challenge our assumptions and provide new insight.”

The films presented in this series have been chosen for their focus on the most pressing issues affecting our community, country and world, and because they speak powerfully to systemic inequality and serve as blueprints for affecting change.

“The motive for the conversations that follow the free screenings of these significant films is to bring a real, honest, and meaningful voice to the issues of inequity, race and racism, and its historical and current poisonous effects on the USA,” said Craig Laurence Rice, MSP Film Society Programmer.  “I hope this offering is a positive addition to the viewing experience.”

MSP Film Society intends to make We the People: Required Watching an ongoing film and conversation series, and will announce additional events as they are confirmed. Moving forward, the films will be made available to view for free through MSPfilm.org for a 24-48 hour window and the Community Conversations that follow on Monday evenings at 7pm will be presented via Zoom. They will also be available for later viewing on MSP Film Society’s Facebook page. Further program information, including registration info, can be found on MSPfilm.org.

The MSP Film Society is a dynamic 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to fostering a knowledgeable and vibrant appreciation of the art of film and its power to inform and transform individuals and communities.

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DMNA Set to Engage with Downtown HOA’s

The Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (DMNA) Board of Directors would like to establish a stronger connection with residents living in condos and apartments in the Downtown East and Downtown West neighborhoods.  As such, it is working to establish a Home Owners Association Advisory Group.  This group would help the DMNA better communicate with residents of the downtown community on issues of important concern such as crime and safety and land use development.  The DMNA can also help HOA’s communicate more effectively with leadership at City Hall.

The DMNA is asking downtown HOA’s to designate a board representative to serve as a member of the advisory group. The preference would be for the HOA board president to serve on this group, but will accept a designee offered by an HOA president too.  Please submit the name and contact info to info@thedmna.org.  It is our hope to have an initial meeting with this group of people within the next two months, and possibly quarterly after that.  We are excited about this new initiative, and hope that we get good engagement from downtown HOA’s.

The Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (DMNA) exists to promote the common good and general welfare of the residents, businesses, and employees of Downtown Minneapolis.  Members of the DMNA Board include, Pam McCrea, Chair; Kevin Frazell, Vice Chair; Carletta Sweet, Secretary; Dianne Walsh, Treasurer; Max Erickson; Tomek Rajtar; Laurie Rice; Joey Senkyr; and Joe Tamburino.

Ward 7 Update from Council Member Lisa Goodman

On June 19, 1865 -- two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation -- Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas to report the Confederacy had surrendered two months earlier and that enslaved people were now free.  Here we are on the 155th anniversary of that historic moment and I can’t help but acknowledge how much further we need to advance as a society and at all levels of our government.

Earlier today I saw the following quote from our Civil Rights Director, Velma Korbel, and I was so moved by what she shared, I asked her if I could share it with you.

“Juneteenth is an important day for Black people.  Growing up in the South (Texas), this was a day for fellowship, friendship and spiritual healing.  Juneteenth is also the way Black people celebrate ‘none of us is free until all of us are free’.  The commemoration of Juneteenth is especially important today given where we are in our history.  The demands that Black people are making are not simply about policing; these are the same demands we’ve been making for generations on our journey to full citizenship.”

However you celebrate or honor this important day, as always, please be safe!

Lisa

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COVID-19 Situational Update as of Wednesday, June 17

• There are 4,162 cases in the City of Minneapolis and 181 deaths. The City is sharing Minneapolis specific daily case counts and demographics through a public facing dashboard at www.minneapolismn.gov/coronavirus/dashboard. The dashboard has been updated to provide more data on neighborhood level numbers of cases including new information on the total ICU count for the state and Minneapolis.

• Congregate living facilities in Minneapolis continue to see new cases among residents and while accounting only for 11% of confirmed cases, account for 78% of COVID-19 deaths.

• There are some age differences by race and ethnicity. While a majority of white cases (55%) are 45 and older, cases among Blacks, Asian, and Hispanics are under 45 years of age (over 60% for all).

• There are 31,296 cases in Minnesota out of over 448,000 tests completed. There have been 1,325 deaths from COVID-19 in Minnesota. There are 10,415 cases and 727 deaths in Hennepin County.

• There are over 8.2 million confirmed cases worldwide. There have been over 444,000 deaths globally and over 2.1 million cases are confirmed in the US. The US remains the country with the highest number of cases and deaths by a significant margin. A total of 117,033 deaths have been reported in the US.

• The Minnesota Department of Health is recommending expanding COVID-19 testing due to recent mass events, civil unrest and the response to the civil unrest that occurred across the state beginning May 25, 2020. Free testing is being offered this month in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

• Thousands of people may have been exposed to COVID-19 due to the large concentration of people in one area. Identifying and testing individuals who may have participated in a large public event will improve the ability to identify cases and institute appropriate isolation and quarantine measures.

• Testing criteria for all sites (clinics, hospitals and community settings) include people who have participated in any large gatherings including but not limited to protests, community clean up, and recovery efforts, vigils, neighborhood meetings (both those with symptoms and those who are asymptomatic). This also includes first responders and others who responded to the events.

• As of June 10, MN has entered Phase III of the Governor’s Stay Safe MN order which allows restaurants to offer indoor dining at 50% capacity, and opening of other businesses at different capacity levels. The Mayor has issued an Emergency Regulations requiring that masks be worn in indoor public spaces starting May 26.

Health Incident Command updates

• As the Health Department continues to respond to COVID-19, we are applying an equity lens to all our work in conjunction with partners across the City enterprise.

• The Health Department continues to conduct over 30 case investigations and contact follow-up for individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 per day and has completed over 1,200 case investigations since May 8. Currently, MHD has 21 investigators and has onboarded 10 non-MHD enterprise staff. Of the over 1,200 case investigations conducted, 43% were done in a language other than English.

• The Minneapolis Health Department was involved in two testing opportunities last week in the Cedar Riverside area: we assisted the Community University Health Care Center with testing 77 individuals at the Cedars MPHA properties last Tuesday-Friday. No data on positive cases is available at this time. We also organized testing for residents of Riverside Plaza, Thursday and Friday of last week. 200 people were tested and 15 positive cases were found. We are in the process of contacting each individual to let them know about the outcome of their test. In addition, the Minnesota Health Department started testing at the following sites in Minneapolis last week: Sabathani Community Center, Holy Trinity and New Salem Baptist Churches. 2,042 people were tested at these sites last week, with a positivity rate of 1.2%. MHD staff will assist in these events starting this week which are scheduled for Tuesdays and Wednesdays through June.

• MHD continues to provide sanitation stations including porta-potties and handwashing stations for the unsheltered homeless. We have partnered with Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to place hygiene stations in Powderhorn Park and supported their efforts to place mobile shower facilities for the growing number of people at this encampment. We are also relocating syringe drop boxes to Powderhorn Park in addition to the encampment at 12th Ave. and the Midtown Greenway. We support efforts to ensure that tents are spread apart to reduce the spread of the infection.

• Health Department staff are working with Homegrown Minneapolis and community partners to address food insecurity in the wake of the George Floyd murder and community unrest. Staff are supporting existing food distribution sites such as Holy Trinity Church and Powderhorn Park in South Minneapolis and are identifying additional distribution events. FLP is developing food safety best practices for pop up grocery distribution sites. We are also exploring access to pharmacy services in response to the destruction of several drug stores.

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

Public Hearings Scheduled for July on Revised 2020 Budget

The City Council’s Budget Committee will hold two public hearings in July on proposed revisions to the City’s 2020 budget.

The City faces a significant revenue shortfall as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and needs to make cuts to the City’s roughly $1.5 billion budget.

Mayor Jacob Frey will brief the City Council's Policy & Government Oversight (POGO) Committee on a revised 2020 budget July 9, and staff will present the revised budget to the City Council July 10.

Public Hearings

Engage and share your voice in this process during two online public hearings:

• 6:05 p.m. Tuesday, July 14
• 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 22

You can watch the online meetings and participate in the online public hearings.

The City Council is scheduled to vote July 24 on a revised 2020 budget.

For more information about the City’s budget, visit minneapolismn.gov/budget.

Frey, Arradondo, and Minnesota Mayors Call on Legislators to Fix Arbitration Process for Law Enforcement

Group underscores the urgency of addressing arbitrators’ authority and allowing local government to effectively shift police culture and enhance accountability

 Thursday Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo joined local leaders to call on lawmakers to fix the state’s broken arbitration process for law enforcement officers. Frey and Arradondo have pushed aggressively for the legislature to address the state statute that impedes structural police reforms by giving third-party arbitrators authority to overturn disciplinary and termination decisions in cases of egregious misconduct.

“Without legislation to prevent arbitrators from reinstating officers who engage in the most egregious misconduct, the kind most damaging to public trust, Minnesota local government’s ability to make progress on shifting the culture of policing will remain limited,” said Frey. “If the legislature is serious about deep, structural police reforms, this is the most impactful change they could make.”

Mayors and chiefs highlighted past instances when the process has failed the department and their residents and hamstrung work to shift police culture.

Roughly 50 percent of police terminations in Minnesota are overturned by arbitrators when appealed.

Participants included Frey, Arradondo, Bloomington Mayor Tim Busse, Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott, Golden Valley Mayor Shep Harris, and Richfield At-Large Council Member Mary Supple.

The League of Minnesota Cities, the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, Rochester Mayor Kim Norton, who were not able to attend today’s event in-person, also submitted statements of support.

New Community Coalitions Formed to Advise City Leaders on Recovery Efforts

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey joined City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins and community leaders from across Minneapolis on Monday to announce the formation of the mayor’s Minneapolis Forward: Community Now Coalition. The coalition will help accelerate repair and recovery efforts in Minneapolis. Frey is convening leadership from Twin Cities foundations, businesses and community organizations to rebuild and repair Minneapolis as a stronger and more equitable and inclusive city.

The coalition’s co-chairs include Allison Sharkey, executive director of the Lake Street Council; Felicia Perry, executive director of the West Broadway Business and Area Coalition; and Jonathan Weinhagen, president and CEO of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber.

Frey is also bringing together a Minneapolis African American Commission on Economic Inclusion with community leadership to provide direction and support to the mayor and City leadership. The commission will establish a feedback loop that is rooted in the black community and unfiltered through the lenses of non-black people.

Recovery work includes support for:

• BIPOC/Minority-owned businesses who either owned or leased space in a building that was destroyed or directly impacted and where insurance will not cover the total loss. This includes total destruction, fire, flood, looting, and related property damage that compromised the structural integrity of the building or resulted in an immediate health risk if occupied.

• Owners of real estate that has been destroyed and directly impacted and where insurance will not cover the total loss. This includes total destruction, fire, flood, looting, and related property damage that compromised the structural integrity of the building or resulted in an immediate health risk if occupied.

• Retention of businesses in the community at the start of the response to the murder of George Floyd whether or not the property owner chooses to rebuild or repair the destroyed, damaged, or directly impacted buildings. This includes businesses adjacent to destroyed, damaged, or directly impacted real estate.

• Residences destroyed and directly impacted and where insurance will not cover the loss. This includes complete destruction, fire, flood, and related property damage that compromised the structural integrity of the building or resulted in an immediate health risk if occupied.

• Solutions that implement economic inclusion and stabilize immediately impacted communities.

• Immediate needs such as food and transportation for impacted residents.

• Enhancement of the physical environment in a way that reflects the community that lives and works in these areas today, including public space infrastructure, repair and improvement of pre-existing commercial property, active use of vacant spaces, and capitalization of ideas from the community that was impacted.

Court Orders Minneapolis Police Department to Make Immediate Changes

Hennepin County Court has approved the proposed court order filed by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights that requires the Minneapolis Police Department to implement initial structural changes, as part of the State’s ongoing civil rights investigation. The court has the power to enforce these preliminary measures and failure to comply with the order could lead to penalties. 

Under the court order entered by Hennepin County District Court Judge Karen Janisch, the City of Minneapolis must implement several measures immediately, including banning the use of all neck restraints and chokeholds.

The court order also requires the Minneapolis Police Department to fully comply with the ongoing civil rights investigation by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.

Any Minnesotan who witnesses or experiences violations of the terms in the order should contact the Minnesota Department of Human Rights by calling 651-539-1100 or 1-800-657-3704.

The Minneapolis City Council has also approved the terms.

The Minnesota Department of Human Rights launched an investigation into the MPD June 2 after filing a civil rights charge related to the death of George Floyd. The investigation into policies, procedures and practices over the past 10 years will determine if the MPD has engaged in systematic discriminatory practices toward people of color and ensure any such practices are stopped.

The order specifies that MPD and the City must implement the following measures immediately:

• MPD must ban neck restraints or chokeholds for any reason within 10 days of the effective date of the order.
• Regardless of tenure or rank, any member of the MPD who observes another member of the MPD use any unauthorized use of force, including any chokehold or neck restraint, has an affirmative duty to immediately report the incident while still on scene by phone or radio to their commander or their commander’s superiors.
• Regardless of tenure or rank, any member of the MPD who observes another member of the MPD use any unauthorized use of force, including any chokehold or neck restraint, must attempt to safely intervene by verbal and physical means, and if they do not do so they are subject to discipline to the same severity as if they themselves engaged in the prohibited use of force.
• Only the police chief or the chief’s designee at the rank of deputy chief or above may authorize the use of crowd control weapons during protests and demonstrations.
• The police chief must make timely discipline decisions as outlined in the order.
• Civilian body-worn camera analysts and investigators with the City’s Office of Police Conduct Review have the authority to proactively audit body-worn camera footage and file or amend complaints on behalf of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Department.

The order also commits the City to working with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights on several fronts to build toward systemic change within MPD as part of the long-term investigation.

The City will prepare a report listing all of the State of Minnesota laws that impede public transparency of police data and/or prevent the mayor and police chief and/or impede civilian oversight from disciplining and terminating police officers who do not adhere to Minneapolis Police Department policies and standards. The report is due by July 30.

Minnesotans with information that can further the investigation into the MPD should contact the Department of Human Rights at mn.gov/mdhr or 651-539-1100.

Read the stipulation and order.

Remember to Wear Masks or Face Coverings While in Indoor Public Places

Remember to wear masks or face coverings while in indoor public places

Minneapolis Mayor Frey’s emergency regulation requiring people in Minneapolis to wear cloth face masks or coverings when they are in an indoor place of public accommodation is in effect.

Medical research has indicated that COVID-19 may have a high rate of transmission through respiratory droplets, particularly while indoors, and that wearing a mask can help reduce the risk of community spread. Research has also shown that people who don’t show signs of the virus can still spread it without knowing they have it.

Businesses will not be required to provide masks to customers or employees themselves, though employers shall be required to mandate the use of masks by their staff.

Non-compliance should be reported through 311.

Find more information here.

Donate Homemade Face Masks at Minneapolis Fire Stations for Mask Drive Mondays

Minneapolis residents can deliver homemade masks to their local fire station from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Monday for Mask Drive Mondays. A big thank you to people who already donated 2,400 masks plus 100 more child-sized masks for the Memorial Day mask drive.

Remember to stay 6 feet away from others when dropping off your donation. Note: fire stations are not equipped to take any other donations at this time.

The City plans to distribute the donated masks throughout Minneapolis to residents, organizations and businesses that are most in need, including food shelves, congregate living facilities, small corner stores and shelters.

State's Stay Safe MN Plan Enters Third Phase

Phase III of the Stay Safe MN plan, including a gradual turn of the dial to allow cautious and safe re-opening of indoor dining, gyms and entertainment venues, has begun. 

Occupancy rates will be limited based on risk, with an overall occupancy maximum of 250 people. All critical businesses are required to develop and implement a COVID-19 Preparedness Plan by June 29, and the Department of Health (MDH), Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), and Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) will publish industry guidance by June 15. Under Phase III of the Stay Safe MN plan:

• Restaurants can begin offering indoor dining while maintaining social distancing, requiring reservations, and seating no more than 50% occupancy.
• Indoor social gatherings can take place with 10 people or less; outdoor social gatherings can take place with 25 people or less.
• Gyms and personal fitness, yoga and martial arts studios may open at 25% capacity.
• Indoor entertainment venues, such as theaters and concert halls, can open at 25 percent capacity.
• Recreational indoor entertainment venues, such as bowling alleys, arcades and museums may open at 25% capacity.
• Personal services venues such as salons, tattoo parlors and barbershops may increase occupancy rates to 50% while requiring reservations.
• Outdoor entertainment venues, such as sporting events, concerts and theaters may open at 25% capacity.
• Places of worship can increase occupancy rates to 50%.

Restaurants, salons and barbershops have been able to offer limited service since June 1. Takeout, curbside, and delivery services have been permitted throughout the pandemic in Minnesota.

City of Minneapolis guidance for businesses on opening.

Juneteenth

Excerpt from a June 19 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:

Image from Atlanta Intown Paper

The history of Juneteenth:

On June 19th, 1865, two years 6 months and 18 days after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation into law, Union troops rode into Galveston, Texas to inform the last enslaved African Americans in the United States of their freedom. Juneteenth commemorates the official end of slavery in America and although it has been recognized as an official state holiday since 1980, due to the current focus on racial injustice in America, it is now receiving wide spread acknowledgement as a paid holiday for many large corporations. Across the country, many communities celebrate freedom on both Juneteenth (June 19th) as well as January 1st, in honor of the Emancipation Proclamation.

"Juneteenth is a time to recommit ourselves to the work that remains undone. We remember that even in the darkest hours, there is cause to hope for tomorrow's light. Today, no matter our race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, we recommit ourselves to working to free modern-day slaves around the world and to honoring in our time the efforts of those who fought so hard to steer our country truer to our highest ideals." -President Barack Obama, 2016

Census & Juneteenth events:

The City of Minneapolis believes that our African American communities should be counted in the 2020 Census so that they receive the adequate political representation as well as the proper resources to meet their needs. The census will have a presence at the following events commemorating Juneteenth in Minneapolis:

• Friday June 19^th – Unite & Rebuild www.uniteandrebuildmsp.org, 3pm-8pm, 2500 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55406

• Friday June 19^th  -  Community Festival and Rally, 12pm-6pm, Cub Foods Parking lot 701 W Broadway Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55411 

• Saturday June 20^th –The Staff of Freedom Works is hosting an event and BBQ, beginning at noon, located at the St Olaf Church downtown: 215 S 8^th St Minneapolis, MN 55402

Minneapolis Parks Foundation Announces 2020 Self-Guided Walk & Talks

2020 WALK & TALKS

Expanding on their Walk & Talks series, the Minneapolis Parks Foundation is creating a series of printable self-guided tours. You can enjoy them at a time and pace that's right for you, beginning with two of their most popular: RiverFirst and Winchell Trail. Download your guides.

They are developing further plans for 2020 Walk & Talks. Sign up for their newsletter to stay up to date (scroll down to the end of the News and Events section). They welcome suggestions for topics and speakers for future Walk & Talks. Please forward your ideas to Christine Moir, Development Manager, at 612.354.7513 or CMoir@MplsParksFoundation.org.

Theater Latté Da's At Home With Series: Rodolfo Nieto

Reprinted with the permission of Theater Latté Da

This weekend's AT HOME WITH... checks in on Rodolfo Nieto! You may have seen Rodolfo in such Latté Da productions as A Little Night Music, Candide, Assassins, and All is Calm among others. Read on to find out what Rodolfo has been watching, how he celebrated his birthday, and how he's finding ways to stay creative lately!

Q: Do you have a daily ritual that's keeping you grounded these days?

A: I begin our days by stepping out and walking around our backyard for a few minutes just to take in a little bit of nature. Every few days I’ll have a virtual workout through our local gym, Discover Strength. Then I’ll make breakfast for Clare (my wife) and myself so that we start our days by connecting over a good meal.

Q: What are you reading? 

A: Lots and lots of news, especially since the heinous murder of George Floyd has rocked our city and our nation. I’ve also been spending some time reading municipal documents to better understand some of the levers of our local government.

I also love audiobooks, and am currently listening to, and loving:
How to Be an Anti-Racist written and narrated by Ibram X. Kendi.
Born a Crime by and narrated by Trevor Noah. 
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates is in my queue.

By my bedside, I have:

Moby Dick by Herman Melville (I borrowed it from the library before we went into quarantine, so I’m taking my time with that one).

Scenes de la Vie de Boheme by Henri Murger, in the original French. I was reading this while we were in rehearsals for La Bohème and I still have a few more chapters left for that.

Cervantes’ Don Quixote in the original 17th century Spanish that I started a few years ago. I’m not actively reading that one, but I’m feeling the pull to get back to it.

Q: Which work of art—a book, poem, painting, piece of music—provides some solace for you?

A: Music overall has been the greatest balm. Everyday I will sit down at the piano, or pick up the guitar, and sing, play, and create music for myself. For a long time I’ve wanted to write my own music, and of late I’ve found many lyrics and melodies bubbling to the surface that reflect some of my angst and turmoil, as well as my amusement and whimsy.

Q: What's your go-to, binge-watching tv series?

A: Queer Eye on Netflix (we devoured that, though I could easily watch them all again), Sex Education, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Glow and The Good Place.

We’re trying to catch up on movies that we’ve been meaning to watch for a while, like Roma and Parasite, which were both fantastic!

Q: If you could throw a Fantasy Dinner Party (the only kind of dinner parties we can throw right now!) who would be on the guest list?  

A: The cast of Queer Eye—Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Karamo Brown, and Bobby Berk!  And Trevor Noah, on whom Clare has a crush. With the two of us that would make 8, which is a great dinner party number.  Also, I recognize that the list is all men, so, one of the topics I would love to discuss is masculinity and the various roles of men in a changing western culture. Plus the food, wine, and overall dining experience would be phenomenal.

Q: What are you doing to feel creative or productive during this time?

A: It’s been tough not being able to rush out and be with my community in solidarity during this tumultuous moment because of the pandemic. So instead, I’ve been writing and calling our elected officials to encourage reform, and spending lots of time researching and educating myself on the theme of anti-racist policy. Many friends and colleagues of mine, some of whom have been part of this “At Home With” series, have been very inspiring in that regard.

For my performance bug, I created a live, online concert for my birthday a few weeks ago via Facebook, which was a blast to put together. Clare and I had so much fun creating and performing it  that we’re hoping to present these shows more frequently. In the meantime, I am continuing to study French, Spanish, guitar, diction and elocution, and whatever else catches my interest while I’m at home.

Q: Is there a theater production you've seen that you wish you could stream right now?

A: To Let Go and Fall, Theater Latté Da, 2019. We loved that production, and the music was utterly gorgeous and a beautiful complement to the actors’ fantastic storytelling. Plus, being such a simple production, I think it would be easy to stream and enjoy at home.

Q: Are you cooking?  Do you have a favorite recipe to share?

A: I am cooking all the time, partly because I love doing it (and eating it!) and partly because I hate wasting food, so I will make sure to use all the food that is available to us. For day-to-day recipes I often refer to The Complete America's Test Kitchen Cookbook, which my mother gifted to me some years ago.

Q: Of the roles you've played at Theater Latté Da, which is your favorite?

A: That’s a tie between Leon Czolgosz in Assassins, and Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm in A Little Night Music. I would do either again in heartbeat. The former was an amazing experience because of the show’s dark themes, carnival-like atmosphere, and our killer (pardon the pun) ensemble. The latter was a dream role for me, and every night I had so much fun coming on as a swaggering, arrogant blowhard and singing such wonderful music with our cast.

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, 2019. PHOTO BY DAN NORMAN

Q: Would you share a quote that's especially meaningful to you?

A: This summer I was hoping to walk one of the pilgrimage paths of the Camino de Santiago, but unfortunately that is not possible this year, and being unable to travel is stifling a part of me that wants to go wander.

Recently listening to the audiobook of The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss, for the second time, I encountered a quote that keeps this idea simmering inside:

“No man is brave that has never walked a hundred miles. If you want to know the truth of who you are, walk until not a person knows your name. Travel is the great leveler, the great teacher, bitter as medicine, crueler than mirror-glass. A long stretch of road will teach you more about yourself than a hundred years of quiet introspection.”

Q: Since this is the At Home with...Series, do you have a favorite spot in your home?  Would you be willing to take a picture of it that we could share?

A: I love our backyard, and here’s a photo of me sitting on a bench I acquired from a previous production, playing the guitar, and singing while enjoying the full sunlight of our day.

Historic Walking Tour of St. Anthony Falls from the UMN Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Use this document from the University of Minnesota Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences to soak up a little history while you enjoy a walk along the river:

https://www.esci.umn.edu/courses/1001/1001_kirkby/SAFL/WEBSITEPAGES/PDF%20and%20Word%20Tours/A%20Historic%20Walking%20Tour%20of%20St.Anthony%20Falls.pdf

Excerpt from the document:

This self-guided tour, the most comprehensive on this site, identifies forty historic sites around the area. Some of these sites are now mill ruins; others have become apartments and restaurants. Speaking to the size of the packet, this tour is about three miles long, so prepare appropriately (i.e. dress warm in winter or have plenty of water bottles in summer). The tour will not give you an overview of the history of the falls, which you can learn from both signs you will pass on the trail and this website. However, it will identify and give a little history about the many historical sites around the falls, along with some background on the geology of the falls itself. 

The tour begins and ends at Father Hennepin Park, located near the intersection of Main Street SE and Sixth Avenue SE. Main Street has metered parking, and the tour will take about two hours to complete. However, you can find free parking in the Marcy Holmes residential neighborhood a few blocks to the west.

July 11 Nicollet Island Cleanup + Celebration with FMR

Saturday, July 11, 2020 - 11:00am to 2:00pm, Nicollet Island

Join Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR) and Odell Brewing Company for this island cleanup to "Make it Pretty"! We'll collect trash from the shoreline and from the forested areas of Nicollet Island to prevent pollution and improve water quality in the Mississippi River.

FMR is leading a multi-year restoration of the natural areas on the north half of the island in partnership with the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization and the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board. The restoration plan includes enhancement of degraded forest areas and the creation of new, diverse habitat -- like native prairie and a maple forest. Explore our work on the island while working to keep these newly-restored sites clean!

Odell Brewing Company and Red Cow and Red Rabbit restaurants will be donating $1 to FMR for every pint of Odell beer sold in June, along with $1 for every 6-pack sold at select area liquor stores. Show your support for FMR while enjoying a craft beer!

Ready to register?

Please use the form below or contact Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator Sophie Downey (sdowney@fmr.org, 651.222.2193 x27).

Message from Meet Minneapolis CEO

"Meet Minneapolis stands in solidarity with our city and with other leaders in the Black community in recognizing the need for transforming Minneapolis from the inside out. We support the call for justice for George Floyd. We have spent the last two weeks listening, learning, and reflecting on who we are as an organization and are committed to doing our part in the fight against racism and injustice. We know enormous work is in front of all of us as individuals and community members, and we recognize this work is long overdue. We are ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work. This is our commitment because Black Lives Matter."

- Melvin Tennant, Meet Minneapolis President & CEO

Fun on the Run brings FREE Outdoor Youth Activities to Neighborhood Parks, Starting June 15

Via a June 12 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:

Join friends and neighbors for games, sports and other recreation. Sanitizing and social distancing included!

On Monday June 15, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board's (MPRB) launches Fun on the Run, bringing outdoor recreational games, sports, and other activities for youth to 12 neighborhood parks throughout the city, on a rotating schedule.

All youth and teens are welcome to come by between 1 pm and 4 pm for fun and games at a safe – and social! - distance. All activities are FREE (no registration is necessary) - see the list of activities below. 

MPRB staff sanitize equipment after each use and help ensure participants follow social distancing guidelines. 

Fun on the Run games and activities include: • soccer drills • cornhole/beanbag toss • badminton • football punt, pass and kick

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• jump rope • spike ball • agility challenges • fly ball

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• disc golf • lawn bowling • potato sack races

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Fun on the Run details Who?  Youth and teens When?  Mondays - Thursdays June 15 to August 31 1 pm to 4 pm Where? 12 neighborhood parks throughout the city:   North Minneapolis  Creekview Park - Mondays Farview Park – Tuesdays  Folwell Park - Wednesdays Northeast/Southeast Minneapolis  Bottineau Park - Thursdays  Logan Park - Mondays  Windom NE Park - Wednesdays South Minneapolis   Elliott Park - Mondays  Sibley Park - Thursdays  Stewart Park - Tuesdays Southwest Minneapolis Kenny Park - Wednesdays   Painter Park - Tuesdays   Pershing Park - Thursdays

Author Sue Leaf to Discuss Her New Book Minnesota's Geologist: The Life of Newton Horace Winchell at Upcoming Virtual Events

Via a June 11 News Release:

Author Sue Leaf to discuss her new book Minnesota's Geologist: The Life of Newton Horace Winchell at several upcoming virtual events.

VIRTUAL EVENTS: 

Bell Museum, 4:00 PM, Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020. Register for free at https://www.bellmuseum.umn.edu/events/. The post-talk Q&A will be led by Harvey Thorleifson, director of the Minnesota Geological Survey. The event is co-sponsored by University of Minnesota Press and the Bell Museum. The University of Minnesota Bookstore is the official bookseller.
 

Zenith Bookstore, 7:00 PM, Thursday, June 25th, 2020. For more information on how to access the event, go to: https://zenithbookstore.com. This event is co-sponsored by Cafe Scientifique Twin Ports.
 

Next Chapter Booksellers, 7:00 PM, Monday, July 6th, 2020. To register for the event, go to: https://www.nextchapterbooksellers.com.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

At twenty, Newton Horace Winchell declared, “I know nothing about rocks.” At twenty-five, he decided to make them his life’s work. As a young geologist tasked with heading the Minnesota Geological and Natural History Survey, Winchell (1839–1914) charted the prehistory of the region, its era of inland seas, its volcanic activity, and its several ice ages—laying the foundation for the monumental five-volume Geology of Minnesota. Tracing Winchell’s remarkable path from impoverished fifteen-year-old schoolteacher to a leading light of an emerging scientific field, Minnesota’s Geologist also recreates the heady early days of scientific inquiry in Minnesota, a time when one man’s determination and passion for learning could unlock the secrets of the state’s distant past and present landscape.

Traveling by horse and cart, by sailboat and birchbark canoe, Winchell and his group surveyed rock outcrops, river valleys, basalt formations on Lake Superior, and the vast Red River Valley. He studied petrology at the Sorbonne in Paris, bringing cutting-edge knowledge to bear on the volcanic rocks of the Arrowhead region. As a founder of the American Geological Society and founding editor of American Geologist, the first journal for professional geologists, Winchell was the driving force behind scientific endeavor in early state history, serving as mentor to many young scientists and presiding over a household—the Winchell House, located on the University of Minnesota’s present-day mall—that was a nexus of intellectual ferment. His life story, told here for the first time, draws an intimate picture of this influential scientist, set against a backdrop of Minnesota’s geological complexity and splendor.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Sue Leaf is author of The Bullhead Queen: A Year on Pioneer Lake; A Love Affair with Birds: The Life of Thomas Sadler Roberts; and Portage: A Family, a Canoe, and the Search for the Good Life, all published by Minnesota. She also wrote Potato City: Nature, History, and Community in the Age of Sprawl. Trained as a zoologist, she writes on environmental topics and is editor of the newsletter of the Wild River Audubon Society of east-central Minnesota.

The Mill City Times Interview: Captains Cory Parkos and Greg Hoseth of MPLS Water Taxi

Article by Becky Fillinger

There are many health benefits of getting out on the water – a boat ride can lessen stress, improve focus, enhance creativity, lower cortisol and lead to better sleep. In Minneapolis, we have many options to achieve this state of nirvana – paddleboards, kayaks, sailboats, three-hour cruises, etc. What if you’re just looking for a lunch hour break on the water? Well, we’re also lucky to have quick local access to the totally unique MPLS Water Taxi. They’re back on the river for the 2020 season. We spoke to Captains Cory Parkos (CC) and Greg Hoseth (CG) about the origins of the service and how someone might book a cruise with their service.

Q:  What’s the history of the MPLS Water Taxi?

Cory ParkosCC:  In short, I was looking for the right boat and my future business partner Greg was looking for a Captain. I had heard of electric launches like we now use, but being that there are no manufacturers or dealers in the area, I wasn’t able to test one. I happened to run into Greg at the Boom Island Park boat launch about 6 years ago with a Duffy electric. We exchanged info and not long after met back at Boom Island to test and confirm that electric boats performed fine on the river in the current. It was an even bigger bonus that Greg had modified the electric boat with solar panels!

CG:  I believe we started in 2017. My family had a solar electric boat moored on a buoy on Lake Bde-Ma-Kaska. Someone wanted a buoy really bad and used us as a non-conforming boat to get their spot - so we were evicted. A month later Minneapolis Parks inquired about operating a water taxi. I didn't know much about the river and on one of my outings I ran into Cory. I shared what was going on and Cory was interested in becoming a partner. Cory is the one who knows the river and grew up in the area. He’s a river rat from the beginning.

Q:  Have you always been a fan of boating?

CC:  Growing up, my father had a 16’ Sea Sprite with a 60hp Evinrude motor. He would always take the family, cousins and neighborhood kids for rides. My first boat was a paddle boat in my early teens - since then I’ve had well over a dozen canoes, kayaks, jet skis, runabouts and houseboats.

CG:  My family lived on Lake Minnetonka for ten years and that's where I got my start. We had mostly speed boats with one sailboat. The boats that I have been interested in are more of what are referred to as Launches - low-powered, canoe shaped, which were designed to bring families to their cabins before roads.

Greg Hoseth

Q:  What’s the optimum passenger size for your cruises?

CG:  With the smaller electric launch style boats we use, they are just right for small private parties. A group of 6 friends or a few couples can come out and enjoy the tranquility and healing offered by the Mississippi River. Grab some takeout and have lunch on the river!

Q:  Will you expand beyond your one boat?

CC:  We’re waiting to see how the economy is for the summer. We hope to have two boats going out soon.

Q:  What have you enjoyed most about your taxi service?

CC:  The most enjoyable thing for me is getting people out on the river. I see their enjoyment and appreciation of the Father Of Waters. We cruise downstream to the Upper Lock and see, hear & feel the energy and power of St. Anthony Falls. Or we could go in the opposite direction to the Lowry Ave. Bridge & see the amazing blue heron rookery! Returning downstream you will see an incredible seldom seen view of the city from the river.

CG:  I enjoy when people realize we’re so different from other river tours. We operate electric boats for one-hour cruises and in the near future want to really provide a taxi service to get you to a destination like a taxi. The electric boats have received very positive reviews - no noise and no exhaust. Other attributes are the clean energy with battery regeneration right on the vessel. It's very unique.

Q:  How do we book your tours?

CC:  We offer the one-hour private pleasure cruises by reservation from 10am - 10pm. The boat is sanitized between cruises and we as captains are socially distanced from the passengers. You can book our tours through the website https://mplswatertaxi.com/. You may also call or text me at 612-801-1921. Follow us on Facebook!

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About Becky Fillinger

I’ve been a resident of the Mill District only since July 2019, but have visited the Guthrie, the Farmers Market, restaurants and friends in the area for many years prior to making the leap to Minneapolis. I’ve lived in many places (and climates) in the US and can testify that our cultural events, bicycle and hiking trails, parks and green spaces, museums, diverse neighborhoods and wonderful restaurants put Minnesota and Minneapolis high on my best places list. I’m a member of the Mill City Singers and look forward to our choir practices and performances.

One of my main interests is community - a very broad concept. For me it means bringing people together with common interests to form meaningful relationships. I look forward to reporting on businesses and individuals in our neighborhoods. Feel free to drop me an email at becky_fillinger@hotmail.com with your thoughts and ideas for stories. 

The Mill City Times Interview: Michelle Schroeder, President and Lead Adventure Coach at Backpack The Trails LLC

Article by Becky Fillinger

You would never call Michelle Schroeder a homebody. She has backpacked the last 25+ years – around the globe. A self-described Minneapolitan, we asked her about her inspirations and lessons learned as an entrepreneur and outdoor fitness leader.

Michelle Schroeder

Q:  Tell us where you grew up and your first hiking memory. 

A:  I grew up on 10 wooded acres west of Forest Lake, MN, and spent a lot of time on my great-grandparents' century farm near Hinckley, MN. My first hiking memory is of Gooseberry Falls State Park. I was about 5 years old and we took a hike from the campsite out to the shoreline rocks. I was amazed at the tadpoles swimming around in the pools well above Lake Superior. My two brothers and I would run around the campfire in the evening with our marshmallows on fire, convinced that we had torches and were keeping the mosquitoes at bay.

Q:  What were/are the learning curves of launching and building a backpacking tour company? Do you have a mentor?

A:  I am so grateful for the handful of brilliant, generous mentors I have. I have also had so much moral support from all of my family, friends and acquaintances, a literal cheering squad, and am so humbled by those who continually cheer for me to succeed. It feels great!

The initial learning curves are steep and the newness of being a solo startup business can be very scary and isolating. That said, I thrive on getting out of my comfort zone and relish learning as much as possible at every turn. And after a couple of years in business, I feel like I have hit my stride and have a solid business.  I feel confident, even with COVID-19. I know that I will always figure it out.

Q:  You lead many - maybe all - of the trips. Are you ‘hands on’ in other aspects of your life?  

A:  Yes, I lead all of my trips and will continue to do so until I have enough growth to warrant hiring awesome guides to help out.  

I tend to be hands-on in many aspects of my life. I thoroughly enjoy breaking stereotypes, whether age or gender, and am incredibly happy with the bathroom remodel I did. I went all of the way down to the boards and learned a lot. It was a really empowering experience.

Q:  I read that you tested footwear for Vasque. Tell us about that.

A:  I was a tester for Vasque for a couple of years. I would receive a new prototype and was asked to test it out on the trail, whether it was a water shoe, trail runner or hiking boot. These require quick turnaround on feedback as to fit and function. Sometimes they worked well, and sometimes the fit was off for my specific foot shape, which could make for issues during my hike.  

When shopping for footwear, it’s important to tell the salesperson if you have a wide toe box, narrow heel, and low ankle bone, like I do. Brands are often known for providing a shape that will work well for some and not others.  

Q:  Do you have a particular diet to give you enough energy for the backpacking trips? 

A:  It depends on the length of the trip. If I’m out for a 3-day weekend, I don’t count calories so much. However, if I’m looking at a 7-day trip or longer, yes, I focus on calorie intake to be sure I don’t hit a wall while out there. A person can Google a calorie-calculator that takes into account their weight, length of the hike, strenuousness of the hike, etc.

Backpacking 101 Tour Group

Q:  What or who keeps you inspired?

A:  My backpacking friends as well as my love for nature and beauty keep me inspired to stay fit and prepared to be out on the trail in a moment’s notice. It feels so invigorating to be outside!

Q:  Tell us about being on the board of Border Route Trail Association. 

A:  I fell so in love with the Border Route Trail in Northern Minnesota this past Fall and posted like crazy on the BRTA’s Facebook page. Having seen my passion for the trail, I was recruited by Matt Davis, the Regional Trail Coordinator for the North Country Trail Association (the BRT is part of the broader NCT), to be on the BRTA’s Board of Directors. Matt and I had previously worked together on a statewide environmental conservation Board, so he was familiar with my work.  

I’ve been Secretary on the BRTA Board since February and really enjoy my fellow Board members, most of whom were the original trail builders from the 1970s. There is a lot of history within the Board, it’s a laid-back vibe, but the group also faithfully accomplishes a lot of trail maintenance every year. The BRT is a very difficult trail to access for maintenance, the majority of which is located within a wilderness-designated area of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which means mechanized equipment cannot be used. This is no small feat!

I look forward to helping out in any way I can to bring more hikers and volunteers to the Border Route Trail.  Here is my recent FB Live presentation on the Border Route Trail, a trail I refer to as “Minnesota’s Best-Kept Backpacking Secret,” for anyone wishing to learn more about the trail.

Q:  Many professions have continuing education. How does a professional backpacker guide stay current? 

A:  I take safety on the trail very seriously. Even before starting my business, I became a Wilderness First Responder, which I recertify every two years. I am also a Certified Food Protection Manager from the MN Department of Health, which also requires recertification. In my own time, I read incessantly and learn constantly about new gear, new technology, new trails, brushing up regularly on things like my satellite messenger skills and compass skills. I also scout out other trails before ever taking clients out on them.

Q:  Do you have a staff?  

A:  I have a fabulous marketing consultant, Ginny Galbreth, who has been so important to the development and success of my business. She lives in Bozeman, MT and loves the outdoor world as well. Check out some of her blog work about being a wilderness mom at www.talesofamountainmama.com.

I have a corporate trip in the works and will be hiring another guide who is a firefighter in McMurdo Station in Antarctica when he’s not guiding in the Grand Canyon, Alaska or Colorado. My business model is from more of a teaching angle, but this trip will likely be catered, so I will also be hiring a chef.

An impassable zone in California’s Lost Coast.

Q:  How do we sign up for a guided trip?  

A:  I have several trips already designed and slated on my website www.backpackthetrails.com. I teach 1st-time backpacking trips on the Superior Hiking Trail and organize logistics for bigger trips, such as floatplanes and permits for Isle Royale, as well as tide charts to navigate impassable zones along California’s Lost Coast.  

I also really enjoy creating customized trips for people for anywhere they wish to go in the world. For anyone wishing to know more about how to prepare for a specific trip they have already planned for themselves, or to do things like check on whether their existing gear is trail-worthy, I am also happy to offer consulting. I really enjoy helping people get into the outdoors. Follow me on Facebook and send me a message – we’ll plan it together.

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About Becky Fillinger

I’ve been a resident of the Mill District only since July 2019, but have visited the Guthrie, the Farmers Market, restaurants and friends in the area for many years prior to making the leap to Minneapolis. I’ve lived in many places (and climates) in the US and can testify that our cultural events, bicycle and hiking trails, parks and green spaces, museums, diverse neighborhoods and wonderful restaurants put Minnesota and Minneapolis high on my best places list. I’m a member of the Mill City Singers and look forward to our choir practices and performances.

One of my main interests is community - a very broad concept. For me it means bringing people together with common interests to form meaningful relationships. I look forward to reporting on businesses and individuals in our neighborhoods. Feel free to drop me an email at becky_fillinger@hotmail.com with your thoughts and ideas for stories. 

Friends of The Falls Invites You to Share Your Voice

Via a June 9 e-newsletter from Friends of The Falls 

Share your voice.

Thank you for your interest in The Falls Initiative. Friends of The Falls is pleased to announce the launch of community engagement and discuss the future of the Upper Lock at St. Anthony Falls. Share your voice as we explore ideas and develop concept designs for this riverfront site. 

How can I participate?

Thoughtful and inclusive engagement is especially difficult today, as we must limit group gatherings and respect social distancing protocols. For the time being, we have moved most of our engagement opportunities online. Engage with us throughout 2020 through a series of webinars, round table discussions, presentations to neighborhood associations and digital surveys. We look forward to a time when we can gather together again and envision the future of the Upper Lock.

Start today.

• Visit our website
• Take the Phase 1 survey
• Attend Zoom office hours or another event
• Follow, tweet and like on social media using hashtag #TheFallsMpls

The Mill City Times Interview: Tim Clemens, Founder, Ironwood Foraging Co.

Article by Becky Fillinger

Foraging for wild plants and animals was the main way that people fed themselves up until about 10,000 years ago when cultivation of crops began in Southwest Asia. That’s a good 90% of human history where foraging was our main sustenance. Today, only about 250,000 people worldwide forage as their primary means of sustenance.

Have we forgotten how to forage? Not hardly. Meet Tim Clemens, Founder of Ironwood Foraging Co. Born and raised in Minneapolis, Tim started Ironwood Foraging in 2017 to offer hands-on foraging workshops in the Twin Cities. We talked about his outlook on safe foraging, conservation of rare plants and how to get started.

Q:  Whether good or bad, foraging is happening - says Marla Emery, a research geographer at the U.S. Forest Service who has been studying urban foragers for the past decade. She discovered that about 20 percent of more than 1500 people surveyed in the Northeastern U.S. have foraged at least once in the last five years. Tim, is it your experience that around 20% of urban dwellers are foraging?

A: I don't know if 20% of urban dwellers are actively foraging as a practice, but I'm sure way more than 20% would be interested in it if given the chance. Many people forage as children, eating wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta) from their backyard, crabapples (Malus spp.) from the landscaping at the local playground, or raspberries (Rubus spp.) growing feral in the alleyways. They don't really understand what they're doing, but they're acting upon an ancient and fundamental human urge to identify and collect food from their landscape.

My first foraged eats were from gooseberry in a neighborhood yard when I was around 7 years old. I didn't know what a gooseberry was but something in my mind told me "edible" and it turned out to be a pleasantly tart experience. Of course, this could have been a catastrophe if I had eaten the fruit and seed of the Yew bush (Taxus canadensis), or the deadly toxic berry of lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis). That's why education and guided exposure are so important. As far as adults foraging, I think certain communities participate in foraging more either as part of their cultural heritage or everyday practice. Foraging is practically the national sport of Sweden. The Hmong community also has deep cultural traditions based in foraging for edible and medicinal plants and mushrooms.

Tim Clemens

Q:  Where did you grow up? Who taught you to forage?

A:  I grew up in South Minneapolis with Minnehaha Falls as my backyard. I'm mostly self-taught in foraging for plants and mushrooms - lots of miles hiked and many hours identifying plants and mushrooms with field guides and consulting with experts. My first intentional foraging was during Ojibwe Language and Culture classes at the University of Minnesota. I participated in iskigamiziganing (Sugarbush Camp) to tap maple trees for sap to make maple syrup. That experience charged a battery in me that I hadn't known was there and I've been pouring myself into the foraging life ever since.

Q:  Have you seen an uptick in interest in foraging since the pandemic shutdown from people wanting to learn to be more self-sufficient? Or worry about the food supply chain?

A:  I've definitely seen an uptick in interest since the pandemic began. I've had people tell me that they've always wanted to learn how to forage but never got around to it until now. Foraging is free, inherently socially distant, and provides flavors and aromas that you simply cannot experience unless you're a forager. 

Q:  I saw this passage in an article from 2018 - “There has been talk, with the impending closing of the Hiawatha Golf Course in Minneapolis, of establishing a food forest that can be used to forage for edible berries and plants.” Was a food forest established?

A:  The food forest has not yet been established. I was involved in the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board's Hiawatha Golf Course Community Advisory Committee process as an appointed member of that committee and we decided upon a 9-hole course, but there is no language about the Hiawatha Food Forest. The HFF is still moving forward, though, and we do plan on there being a food forest there someday soon. There have been several fruit trees planted on the non-golf part of the property already.

Q:  How does a person begin to forage here in Minneapolis - any tips or resources?

A:  They should consult a local expert and ask that expert for field guide recommendations. They should also become aware of the foraging laws for wherever they intend to harvest. Minneapolis parks basically say the general public may harvest certain fruits or nuts from certain areas within the park system, as long as it's for non-commercial use. Regional park systems, state parks, and national parks all have their own rules and you should try your best to contact them before foraging. If they're learning on their own, the beginning forager should never eat something based off of one source and should always compare at least three sources to make sure there is a safe and common consensus before proceeding. Always be 100% sure of your identifications and repeat the motto "when in doubt, throw it out." If you have food allergies, make sure the wild foods you want to try are not a trigger for your allergy.

Q:  What is your favorite local foraged food?

A:  That's such a tough question. I feel like I have to quote Henry David Thoreau here, "Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth." I love being surrounded by seasonality. One of my favorite local foraged foods is an edible tree flower that tastes like a floral sweet pea and lasts for about six days. If you miss that short window then you have to wait until next year for them. I also love wild plums and wild cherries. Honestly, the list is too long. Each plant and mushroom is a unique expression of the language of the universe. 

Q:  Is there an app for foragers?

A:  There are no foraging apps, and apps are highly discouraged when deciding to eat something. Apps like iNaturalist can definitely be fun and useful for identification, but never when the desired outcome is to consume anything. 

Q:  Are there plants that are edible but should be avoided because they accumulate heavy metals or other toxins?

A:  Try your best to harvest from land you know hasn't been sprayed recently, don't harvest along train tracks, and do your best to know the history of the land you're foraging on.

Butternuts taste like mild walnuts with a slight butteryness.

Q:  Are there any concerns for conservation of uncommon or rare plants that are edible but should not be harvested? 

A:  Two plants come to mind: the ramp (Allium tricoccum) and the butternut tree (Juglans cinerea). 

Ramps are a slow growing plant with a sweet onion/garlic flavor that takes 5-7 successful years of growth to reach maturity. The specific plants you're harvesting could easily be 30+ years old. Sustainable harvest of ramps must be an intentional practice. Harvesting ramps on public land in Minnesota is illegal. If you're harvesting ramps on private land, do your best to only harvest one leaf per plant and never pull up an entire plant. Europe has vast ramp plantations that are hundreds of years old and the US should follow suit and establish ramp plantations, especially in areas where ramps have been extirpated from their natural range. Ramps are a species of Special Concern in Maine, Rhode Island, and Tennessee. They are endangered in New York. Do your part to make sure that even seven generations from now your descendants will be able to enjoy ramps too.

The butternut tree is a relative of the walnut. Butternuts are native to Minnesota and we may be the last generation of humans that get to enjoy this beautiful tree. Over 90% of all butternut trees in Minnesota have perished since the 1970's with the tree being listed as Special Concern in 1996 and Endangered in 2013. To this day we still do not know where butternut canker fungus came from, there is no cure, and it cannot be prevented. This walnut tastes like banana cream and deserves a statewide coalition of universities, state organizations, philanthropists, citizen scientists, and people like you working together to prevent this unique expression of the universe from existing solely in memory. 

Wild Mushroom Identification is one of the workshops offered by Ironwood Foraging Co.

Q:  Tell us about your business.

A:  My business is called Ironwood Foraging Co. and was founded in 2017 to foster stewardship for our natural places and food security in our communities by teaching people to identify and safely harvest wild foods from fruit and nuts to mushrooms and herbs. Public classes, private tours, and work with organizations are all fundamental to the core of this mission. You can get in touch on Facebook at Ironwood Foraging Co. and on Instagram at @MNforager.

Q:  Where do you take groups?

A:  Currently, I take public groups to public lands in the metro area. Private tours can be in the form of a private land consultation or a smaller group size on public land. My roots are in urban foraging so I also teach within the urban residential neighborhoods of Minneapolis and St. Paul to highlight the food and medicine that is always around us.   

Q:  What is the optimum group size? 

A:  Due to COVID19 I've decreased my group size limits by 40% to 9 attendees per class to stay within recommended guidelines.

Q:  Do you provide information on how to prepare the food that’s foraged?

A:  Some wild foods can be eaten raw as you find them and others require cooking to make them edible. On a foraging walk I do my best to suggest safe, interesting, and delicious preparations for the new ingredients you're learning to identify and safely harvest. As far as recipes, I'll be the first to admit that my cooking skills are nowhere near my foraging skills, which means if I can do it, you certainly can. Making a wild-harvested tea or infused water with herbs or berries is one of the easiest ways to use what you find and they're delicious. A simple sauté of greens and mushrooms with some salt and black pepper is delicious. For home brewing aficionados, many wild edible fruits can be made into wine and several herbs can be used as the bittering agent in beer, like they were before hops were used. There's room to rediscover ancient traditions and craft trendy new recipes all at the same time. 

Q:  How may we hire you? 

A:  If you're interested in learning to forage you can sign up for public workshops on www.ironwoodforagingco.com or email ironwoodforagingco@gmail.com to set up a private land consultation or private foraging walk.

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About Becky Fillinger

I’ve been a resident of the Mill District only since July 2019, but have visited the Guthrie, the Farmers Market, restaurants and friends in the area for many years prior to making the leap to Minneapolis. I’ve lived in many places (and climates) in the US and can testify that our cultural events, bicycle and hiking trails, parks and green spaces, museums, diverse neighborhoods and wonderful restaurants put Minnesota and Minneapolis high on my best places list. I’m a member of the Mill City Singers and look forward to our choir practices and performances.

One of my main interests is community - a very broad concept. For me it means bringing people together with common interests to form meaningful relationships. I look forward to reporting on businesses and individuals in our neighborhoods. Feel free to drop me an email at becky_fillinger@hotmail.com with your thoughts and ideas for stories. 

10 Eclectic Minnesota Album Picks from Hennepin County Library’s MNspin Collection

Via a June 7 e-newsletter from Friends of the Hennepin County Library

Music has always been a form of expression, of joy, protest, grief, love. It can also be a connector across time, distance, and experience. Music can quickly bridge differences and pull us together in times when understanding and empathy are needed most.

MNspin, Hennepin County Library’s online collection of Minnesota music, has introduced audiences to new artists for three years thanks to your generous support. Since its launch, the number of patrons using this FREE platform has grown exponentially, increasing exposure to diverse Minnesota artists and providing music lovers with a rich survey of the local music scene. So far in 2020, Hennepin County Library patrons have downloaded or streamed 17,576 songs, already surpassing the total number of listens in all of 2019!

With the vast variety of music available on MNspin, it can be a bit overwhelming to know where to start, so we asked the MNspin team to put together some recommendations. From hip-hop to Americana, there’s something for every listener in the selections below. Take your music experience to a whole new level today with MNspin!

MRDR PxP by Mayda Infusing her brand of electro-pop with strong doses of R&B and Funk, Mayda creates a unique album showcasing great versatility that will get you up and dancing!                  Sprig of That by Sprig of That Combining the ballads of Americana with instrumental virtuosity against the contemplative rhythms of the tabla, this eclectic trio will bring you to Appalachia, Europe, and India in the most delightful way.               Land of Cloud-Tinted Water  by Katherine Bergman and the Minnesota Percussion Trio Bergman’s expansive soundscape transports you to some of the most pristine regions of our state.               Masquerade by The Gentlemen's Anti-Temperance League Imagine yourself in a Prohibition Era speakeasy or a Roaring 20's Parisian club. This outfit could easily be the band playing there, with elements of swing, jazz strings à la Django, and even cabaret.               My Mom Says I Have a Rich Inner Life by Lunch Duchess Describing this band as a "feminist Baroque grunge band" says it all. Tackling serious emotions with humor, irony, and self-deprecation, Lunch Duchess makes heartache kinda fun!               Mestifonía Mestifonía Harmoniously mixing a myriad of musical styles from across the Spanish speaking world, Mestifonía offers us vibrant and dynamic numbers led by plaintive vocals that will warm your heart!               Pipa Potluck: Lutes Around the World   by Gao Hong and Friends Gao Hong, a Chinese musical prodigy and master of the pipa/lute, gives us Pipa Potluck: a multicultural taste of original songs and collaborations played on pipa, banjo, fiddle, slack key guitar, and oud.               All the Beauty in this Whole Life by Brother Ali Brother Ali, a fixture of the famous Rhymesayer’s hip-hop label, creates an album with dual intent: to reflect beauty and expose the ugliness that blocks us from living lives of meaning.               Stripped Down  by Maurice Jacox From the 50-year mainstay of the Minneapolis music scene, Stripped Down showcases the quieter side of Maurice Jacox, with guitar, vibes, and sax.               Fear Not by PaviElle PaviElle’s Fear Not reflects ten years of deeply personal and autobiographical songwriting, wrapped into an album that’s a return to the days of smoke-filled clubs and artists like Sarah Vaughn and Ella Fitzgerald.

You can celebrate and uplift the amazing talent from across our state with fellow Hennepin County Library patrons and MnSpin listeners. Join the MNspin Facebook group to watch music videos, connect with local musicians, and read in-depth interviews with featured MNspin artists.

Ward 3 Update from Council Member Steve Fletcher

Ward 3 Friends -

Many years ago, I worked for a policy think tank called “Minnesota 2020.” I can tell you that when we imagined the future our name represented, we were picturing something very different than what Minnesota 2020 is turning out to be. None of us chose this moment, but the terrible murder of George Floyd by officers wearing our city’s uniform makes it imperative that we rise to this moment, and make it right. The entire world is watching to see what we do next, and calling for justice. Everything I’ve heard from all of you tells me that we will all do our part to answer that call. 

In the first few nights after George Floyd’s death, the impact and trauma of his death were compounded by a lot of chaos and confusion. I spent several sleepless nights e-mailing and calling with constituents at all hours who couldn’t get through to 911, on nights when MPD was not operating beyond defending their own precincts, and our residents and businesses were left to fend for themselves. I want to thank everyone who stepped up in large ways and small to look out for your neighbors, to report genuinely scary activity, and to raise your voices to express our community’s grief and anger. Some cherished neighborhood businesses will need a lot of support reopening. There’s work ahead. 

I’ve heard from literally thousands of Minneapolis residents (and tens of thousands of people outside Minneapolis, but that’s a different story), and received statements from neighborhood organizations and businesses, suggesting a way forward. The overwhelming sentiment is that policing as we’ve known it is not working, is producing outcomes we cannot morally sustain, and must change.

At the Beltrami Neighborhood Council meeting, after a conversation that echoed the sentiments from constituent calls and conversations I’d been having with everyone I could respond to from my rapidly filling inbox, residents asked me to share my opinions in a more public forum so that the people who weren’t in the meeting would know that I was with them. I committed that I would do that, and went home and wrote a Twitter thread and Facebook post that reflected the sentiment I was hearing from the people contacting me, and that I was feeling. Those of you who follow me on Facebook and Twitter probably saw it. I wasn’t the first in the community or even on the Council to suggest that we should consider disbanding the Police Department, but the post resonated, and prompted a lot of conversation.   

Trying to figure out how to reach everybody can be challenging in a pandemic, when we can’t knock on doors or have face to face meetings in the same way, so I rely on online media, this e-mail list, neighborhood zoom meetings, and the press to communicate ideas to everyone around the Ward. Usually, when I say press, I mean the Mill City Times, the Northeaster, or the MN Daily, which all provide great, hyperlocal coverage and help a lot of people connect to our city government. This week, it’s Time Magazine.  

With such an overwhelming flurry of activity on so many fronts, I know there are a lot of questions, and a lot of rumors circulating. There are two major things that people need to know right now. 

First, everyone should know that structural changes in our public safety organization and infrastructure will take time, and will involve an enormous amount of community input and outreach to achieve. To state it plainly: we are not going to haphazardly cut public safety capacity without a plan for how we’re going to continue to meet our city’s safety needs.  Nobody is proposing that, least of all me. I think the changes our city is considering are significant enough that at least a component of them should be on the ballot for everyone to actually vote on. It’s totally understandable that fear is one of the emotions people are feeling about changes to public safety. We’re going to work through that together, slowly and deliberately, and with a lot of care.   

The second thing you need to know is that change is not optional. Today, the State Department of Human Rights brought forward a temporary restraining order that made the first of many, many changes and reforms that they will likely require of us as part of a broader enforcement action to correct a decades-long pattern of civil rights violations. We are collaborating with DHR, and voted to approve a stipulated agreement today, but make no mistake – this is not an optional process. The people of Minneapolis will have more voice and access to the process if the Council initiates action, rather than waiting for the state to do it to us, so that we can do it in open, public processes.

The third thing you need to know, as a Ward 3 resident or business owner, is that your voice matters in this. No compelling vision of public safety works without participation from the public. We’re going to have lots of opportunities to discuss, to share, to talk through our hopes and our fears, to commit ourselves and each other to the work of social justice and true community safety. 

One such opportunity is tomorrow at 1:00 PM. It’s short notice, so if you can’t make it, have no fear. There is time, and there will be more. I know some people are feeling some urgency about this, so I wanted to have one this weekend. We’ll announce more soon.  

We didn’t pick this moment, but our community can rise to it. Let’s imagine something better than what we’ve had. Let’s imagine something that makes us feel safer than we’ve felt, that we can all collaborate on. Let’s find the courage to support each other and be the city everyone is calling on us to be. Let’s rebuild better than we were before.

Keep in touch. I’m here for your hopes, your ideas, your fears, your critiques – for all of it.  

En avant, 

Steve  

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City Council Signs Off on Stipulation for Court Order Outlining Immediate Changes for Minneapolis Police Department, Framework for Long-Term State Investigation

On Friday, June 5, the Minneapolis City Council approved the terms of a stipulation for a temporary restraining order outlining immediate changes that must be implemented by the Minneapolis Police Department and a framework for systemic change as part of the long-term investigation underway by Minnesota Department of Human Rights.

The Minnesota Department of Human Rights launched an investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department June 2 after filing a civil rights charge related to the death of George Floyd. The investigation into policies, procedures and practices over the past 10 years will determine if the MPD has engaged in systematic discriminatory practices toward people of color and ensure any such practices are stopped.

The order specifies that MPD and the City must implement the following measures immediately:

• MPD must ban neck restraints or choke holds for any reason within 10 days of the effective date of this order.
• Regardless of tenure or rank, any member of the MPD who observes another member of the MPD use any unauthorized use of force, including any choke hold or neck restraint, has an affirmative duty to immediately report the incident while still on scene by phone or radio to their commander or their commander’s superiors.
• Regardless of tenure or rank, any member of the MPD who observes another member of the MPD use any unauthorized use of force, including any choke hold or neck restraint, must attempt to safely intervene by verbal and physical means, and if they do not do so they are subject to discipline to the same severity as if they themselves engaged in the prohibited use of force.
• Only the police chief or the chief’s designee at the rank of deputy chief or above may authorize the use of crowd control weapons during protests and demonstrations.
• The police chief must make timely discipline decisions as outlined in the order.
• Civilian body warn camera analysts and investigators with the City’s Office of Police Conduct Review  have the authority to proactively audit body worn camera footage and file or amend complaints on behalf of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Department.

The order also commits the City to working with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights on several fronts to build toward systemic change within MPD as part of the long-term investigation.

The City will prepare a report listing all of the State of Minnesota laws that impede public transparency of police data and/or prevent the mayor and police chief and/or impede civilian oversight from disciplining and terminating police officers who do not adhere to Minneapolis Police Department policies and standards. The report is due by July 30, 2020.

Minnesotans with information that can further the investigation into the MPD should contact the Department of Human Rights at mn.gov/mdhr or 651-539-1100.

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Minneapolis City Council Statement on Department of Human Rights Action

"George Floyd should be alive today.

Mr. Floyd’s death is just one instance of unthinkable violence against Black men by law enforcement generally and the Minneapolis Police Department specifically. Our community, especially communities of color, has a deep mistrust of law enforcement given the actions of Minneapolis police officers over decades.

We welcome and fully support the Minnesota Department of Human Rights’ robust investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department. We urge the state to use its full weight to hold the Minneapolis Police Department accountable for any and all abuses of power and harms to our community and stand ready to aid in this process as full partners. The City Council’s oversight of the Minneapolis Police Department has been historically constrained by the City Charter and state law and we welcome new tools to pursue transformational, structural changes to how the City provides for public safety. We look forward to doing this critical work with our partners at the state, continuing to support the leadership of city staff including Civil Rights Director Velma Korbel and Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, and ensuring that community voices are fully centered in the process announced today."

Minneapolis Council Members Kevin Reich, Cameron Gordon, Steve Fletcher, Phillipe Cunningham, Jeremiah Ellison, Lisa Goodman, Andrea Jenkins, Alondra Cano, Lisa Bender, Jeremy Schroeder, Andrew Johnson, Linea Palmisano

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Ward 3 Public Safety Town Hall Meeting

No compelling vision of public safety works without participation from the public. We’re going to have lots of opportunities to discuss, to share, to talk through our hopes and our fears, to commit ourselves and each other to the work of social justice and true community safety. 

Please join me tomorrow for a Public Safety town hall meeting: 

Tomorrow, Saturday, June 6 at 1:00 P.M.

Click to join in Microsoft Teams 

Or join by phone at 612-276-6670 and enter the Conference ID: 478 532 185#

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(Virtual) Coffee With Your Council Member

I normally hold regular open community office hours at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesdays, at a rotating neighborhood coffee shop in Ward 3 for constituents to drop by, ask questions, and raise any issues you see in the community. 

While we are practicing social distancing, I am holding my community office hours remotely on Microsoft Teams:

Wednesday, June 10, at 5:00 P.M.

Click to join in Microsoft Teams or by phone: 612-276-6670, 933 303 746#

Wednesday, June 17, at 5:00 P.M.

Click to join in Microsoft Teams or by phone: 612-276-6670, 933 303 746#

Wednesday, June 24, at 5:00 P.M.

Click to join in Microsoft Teams or by phone: 612-276-6670, 933 303 746#

Anyone can join a Microsoft Teams web meeting. A free software download may be required, depending on how you join the meeting (computer, Android or Apple device).

If you have questions or a topic to discuss, email Aurin.Chowdhury@minneapolismn.gov to RSVP.

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COVID-19 Testing for People Attending Protests, Vigils or Events

The Minnesota Department of Health recommends that any Minnesotan who has attended a protest, vigil or community cleanup get tested for COVID-19. COVID-19 can spread easily and quickly in large groups of people who are close together for long periods of time. Even people who do not have symptoms can still spread the virus to others.

If you start to feel sick, get tested right away.

If you do not feel sick, get tested as soon as you can, but no later than five-seven days after the event. If the test is negative and you are worried you might have been exposed, get another test 12-14 days after the event – even if you don’t feel sick.

Get tested

Talk to a doctor or a local clinic, or find testing locations near you.

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Community Resources: Food, Clothing, Financial, Medication

With the loss of grocery stores and other damage affecting people’s access to food, clothing, financial assistance, groceries, medical care and equipment, and medication, the City is compiling this list of resources to help residents.

Note: Information is changing rapidly. Please confirm the locations are still accepting or handing out donations before heading out.

• All Minneapolis food shelves Food shelves help ensure all Minneapolis residents have steady access to food. A map to help you find a food shelf and other food resources is available on the City’s website. More resources are listed below the map.
• Minneapolis Public Schools free meals for kids Daily free food boxes for pickup. Seven breakfasts and seven lunches including fresh produce for anyone 18 and under. All families are welcome. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday now until further notice.
• Free meals for kids app More resources for free meals for anyone under 18.
• MN Food Helpline Online map of food resources Or call phone hotline at 1-888-711-1151 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
• SNAP-EBT emergency food services expanded eligibility Plus online purchasing and delivery through Amazon and Walmart. Participants with questions can call 651-431-4050 or 800-657-3698 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday starting June 1. People who use SNAP and don’t want to leave their homes to get food can authorize a trusted relative, friend or neighbor to pick up and deliver groceries using their electronic benefits card. They must contact their county or tribal financial worker to make the authorization. Minnesotans can fill out an application for SNAP online at ApplyMN.dhs.mn.gov. For help applying or additional food resources, contact the Food Helpline at 1-888-711-1151 or visit Hunger Solutions.
• Food and financial assistance The Minnesota Department of Human Services has temporarily made it easier for people to get and use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which offers monthly food benefits. Information about SNAP and other hunger resources is collected on the department’s new food emergency webpage.
• If you weren’t receiving SNAP or MFIP but your child had free or reduced lunch, you can apply for P-EBT to help buy food for your family. Apply starting noon June 8.
• South Minneapolis food distribution efforts (Note: Some may be pop-up efforts not licensed by the City of Minneapolis.)
  • CANDO (Central Neighborhood Development Organization) Accepting drop-offs at 3715 Chicago Ave., 612-824-1333
  • Simpson Food Pantry, 2740 First Ave. S.; 612-874-7741
  • CAPI (Center for Asian and Pacific Islanders) Food Shelf, 612-721-0122
  • Twin Cities Democratic Socialist of America (TCDSA) are hosting food distribution of hot meals and fresh produce for all southside residents. Northern Sun, 2916 E. Lake St.
• Minneapolis farmers markets
• Clothing, financial assistance, groceries, medical care and equipment, and medication through Hennepin County Call 612-348-3000 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week.Help is available in multiple languages. Residents in need of assistance are assigned a Human Services Navigator to help connect to available services and resources.

• Pharmacy service How to get pharmacy services if your pharmacy has been damaged or closed.

• Pet food The People & Pets Together pet food shelf is open to residents of Minneapolis who need help feeding and caring for pets. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday. No appointment necessary. 3745 Bloomington Ave. S., 612-722-9998.

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Gas Service Assistance From CenterPoint Energy

CenterPoint Energy offers payment plans and other assistance for residents and small businesses that may be struggling financially.

Payment plans

Paying your natural gas bills to the extent possible can avoid accumulating large unpaid balances. To arrange a payment plan based on your specific circumstances, call CenterPoint Energy Customer Service at 612-372-4727 or 800-245-2377.

Suspending disconnections and late payment fees

Since March, CenterPoint Energy has suspended natural gas disconnections for nonpayment and has temporarily waived late payment fees and interest on past due balances.

Other assistance

• CenterPoint Energy has a dedicated webpage with information about various types of federal and county assistance available for customers who need help paying their natural gas bill.
• The Minnesota Energy Assistance Program (EAP) recently received additional funding that allows even more Minnesota households to get help. To find your local EAP service provider, call 800-657-3710 and follow the prompts to enter your ZIP code, or consult a list of service providers by county or tribe available at this webpage.  

Enhanced safety during the pandemic

While working throughout the pandemic, CenterPoint Energy has measures to protect the safety and health of customers, employees and contractors. These measures include: physical distancing, asking permission and reading a safety protocol script before entering a customer’s home or business, using face masks and other personal protective equipment, sanitizing tools, and regularly washing hands with soap or hand sanitizer.

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Want to Donate Food?

If you’re moved to support your community by donating food, the best way to reach hungry people is through food shelves. And the best way to help food shelves is with monetary donations. The dollars go much further through their own purchases, it prevents food donations from spoiling, and it allows the food shelves to purchase specific items that are needed for the community.

Please note that Minneapolis Public Schools has been overwhelmed by the community’s generosity and is not able to accept food donations or supplies at its food distribution sites or schools at this time.

How to donate food

For information on how to support food shelves and meal sites, please visit the Health Department’s food donations page or view the pdf for specific needs shared by food shelves.

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Urgent: Do Not Enter Any Damaged Buildings

Sections of eight parkways or park roads totaling 21 lane miles are closed to motor vehicles and open to pedestrians to allow more space for trail users to follow social distancing practices and limit the spread of COVID-19. Park Board staff estimates this will remain in place until at least the end of June.

Learn more about the parkway availability.

Please do not enter any damaged buildings. This is very dangerous. The City is blocking sidewalks to keep people away from damaged buildings and working with property owners to secure their properties and get emergency demolitions started as fast as possible.

Ward 7 Update from Council Member Lisa Goodman

This has been an incredible week, one like I’ve never experienced in all the years I have served the constituents of Ward 7.  I have received hundreds of emails and phone calls from people expressing themselves and sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings about where we find ourselves today.  There is no question that serious change is required, and I believe that change is beginning starting today.

Between the situation with the City Council working remotely, and all of the City Council Members working diligently to respond to the people they represent, there has not been much time for conversations with my colleagues but it is now time for us to roll up our sleeves and sit down to some very serious discussion on how we move forward. 

The Minneapolis City Council along with the Mayor, the Police Chief and the community need to come together, leaving no stone unturned, and consider every possibility on how we can make deep and lasting, systemic change to protect all the citizens of our great City.  Trust in the police department is at an all-time low and incremental changes will not be enough.

As it stands right now, the police union contract is expired, and our Labor representatives along with the cities Executive Committee were already in negotiations regarding the upcoming police contract.  Given that we do not have legal authority to fire the Union President, the city has been working from an important list of reforms as vetted and suggested by members of the community who have spent decades working on police reform issues.   There needs to be accountability for the actions of individual police officers.  Hearing about the number of complaints against Derek Chauvin throughout his career, it goes without saying that inaction is completely unacceptable.  Our police Chief has fired a number of officers in the past 4 years but the binding arbitration provision in the contract has resulted in the arbitrator reinstating several of these officers, that needs to change. I do believe in individual redemption, however, when your job is to Serve and Protect and you repeatedly violate that oath, you are obviously not fit to work in our city, especially with a gun.

It is very telling when the AFL-CIO and the former Minneapolis Police Chief, Janee Harteau are calling for the resignation of Police Federation Leadership.  Former Mayor R.T. Rybak and Chief Harteau have both spoken out on the battles they have fought trying to get any change in the Police Federation.

Another big structural hurdle that needs to be reviewed is the current system for police oversight by the City’s elected officials.  The Minneapolis City Charter currently has the police department under the direction of the Mayor.  The City Council has limited tools available to us when it comes to police policy.  One of the primary tools we have is our authority over budgets and I know that will be a big part of the conversations as we move forward.  This will be a delicate balance because any cuts made cannot have unintentional consequences that could make problems worse and I definitely do not want to see the City lose any of the newly trained recruits, some of the most culturally diverse classes we have seen.

I am also proud to be a supporter of the many alternative/community policing initiatives the City of Minneapolis has put in place in recent years.  Organizations like Mad Dad’s, Mother’s Love, YouthLink and the DID have proven to be an enormous asset in community policing.  They do amazing work and connect directly with people in the community while offering or connecting them to services they need.  We also need to expand the co-responder program.  This has proven to be incredibly helpful as we have embeded mental health professionals into the work of the police department, providing compassionate responses and direct access to resources to people in need.

An additional place that needs change and reform is at the state level.  There are many state laws that hinder the City’s ability for transparency and accountability.   Examples include prohibiting the city form implementing a residency requirement for city employees and gutting our civilian review process, which truly needs strengthening.  I call upon our state legislature to step up and dig into the changes that can be made at that level as they reconvene for the upcoming special session.  It is important that we all put pressure on them, not our own legislators Dibble, Hornstein, Dehn and Champion as they are leading as they can to do the right thing for systemic change and to provide assistance to our community to rebuild and to maintain access to essential goods and services but all the outside legislatures that will voting on these statewide policies.

Throughout my career I have not been someone that rushes to a solution.  Although we need to move quickly, we must also evaluate all options and make certain we have community support.  We need lasting and effective change to provide safety for all members of the community.  I will continue to listen to my constituents and the residents of Minneapolis, look to other cities and organizations that are engaged in this work and I will have extensive dialogue with my colleagues so we will be able to put forward the best possible plan for lasting change.

Today the city council voted on a stipulation agreement with the state Department of Human Rights. That agreement will put forward a number of policy changes that will be in effect immediately and the police chief will be held accountable to ensuring these policies are enacted immediately.  I fully support this action and all council members voted in the affirmative.  I am including a news article below that breaks down the agreement and contains a link to view the actual stipulation agreement.

It’s important for you all to know that the city’s phone lines have been down for almost a week due to cyberattacks and volume.  We had over 3500 voicemails in just 24 hours, most not from constituents and it has slowed down and shut down city systems.  I am so very sorry if you have called and we haven’t been able to get back to you.  In addition, e-mails are flooding our systems from all over the world.  They come in at a rate of 30 or more per minute and its been terribly hard to keep up and sort through constituents who I want and try to respond to and everything else.  I ask for your patience as we attempt to work thought this and if you don’t hear back immediately, as is our goal and what I work to do every day, I apologize.

I encourage people to continue contacting me with their ideas and I also encourage you all to be in touch with state elected officials as change is required at all levels of government to make real change.  In the past week I have seen our community come together in amazing ways.  I have seen and heard the passion around this work that needs to progress, and I have seen people looking out for each other and stepping up to help the community as a whole.  In this I have hope!

In Peace and Solidarity,

Lisa

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City Council Signs Off on Stipulation for Court Order Outlining Immediate Changes for Minneapolis Police Department, Framework for Long-Term State Investigation

June 5, 2020 (MINNEAPOLIS) The Minneapolis City Council approved the terms of a stipulation for a temporary restraining order today outlining immediate changes that must be implemented by the Minneapolis Police Department and a framework for systemic change as part of the long-term investigation underway by Minnesota Department of Human Rights.

The Minnesota Department of Human Rights launched an investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department June 2 after filing a civil rights charge related to the death of George Floyd. The investigation into policies, procedures and practices over the past 10 years will determine if the MPD has engaged in systematic discriminatory practices toward people of color and ensure any such practices are stopped.

The order specifies that MPD and the City must implement the following measures immediately:

• MPD must ban neck restraints or choke holds for any reason within 10 days of the effective date of this order.
• Regardless of tenure or rank, any member of the MPD who observes another member of the MPD use any unauthorized use of force, including any choke hold or neck restraint, has an affirmative duty to immediately report the incident while still on scene by phone or radio to their commander or their commander’s superiors.
• Regardless of tenure or rank, any member of the MPD who observes another member of the MPD use any unauthorized use of force, including any choke hold or neck restraint, must attempt to safely intervene by verbal and physical means, and if they do not do so they are subject to discipline to the same severity as if they themselves engaged in the prohibited use of force.
• Only the police chief or the chief’s designee at the rank of deputy chief or above may authorize the use of crowd control weapons during protests and demonstrations.
• The police chief must make timely discipline decisions as outlined in the order.
• Civilian body warn camera analysts and investigators with the City’s Office of Police Conduct Review  have the authority to proactively audit body worn camera footage and file or amend complaints on behalf of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Department.

The order also commits the City to working with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights on several fronts to build toward systemic change within MPD as part of the long-term investigation.

The City will prepare a report listing all of the State of Minnesota laws that impede public transparency of police data and/or prevent the mayor and police chief and/or impede civilian oversight from disciplining and terminating police officers who do not adhere to Minneapolis Police Department policies and standards. The report is due by July 30, 2020.

Minnesotans with information that can further the investigation into the MPD should contact the Department of Human Rights at mn.gov/mdhr or 651-539-1100.

Public Works Update on Services

Public Works crews are working around the city catching up and cleaning up.

Garbage and recycling service update Collection crews have caught up from service delays. Crews are unable to return for missed materials. Place extra bags or boxes next to your cart(s) by 6 a.m. on your next collection day. Find your collection day.

South Transfer Station

The South Transfer Station will reopen on Friday. Due to COVID-19, only Solid Waste & Recycling customers who have vouchers can use the South Transfer Station.

Streets

Street crews continue to clean up debris and sweep and wash the streets.

Volunteer cleanup support

Crews continue to distribute bags and gloves to volunteers. We will continue to pick up bagged garbage that has been placed at the corners until at least 2 p.m. Friday.

City equipment repair

We continue to inspect and repair City equipment in the right of way such as street lights and traffic signals.

Situational Update as of 12 noon, June 3

• There are 3,402 cases in the City of Minneapolis and 137 deaths. The City is sharing Minneapolis specific daily case counts and demographics through a public facing dashboard at www.minneapolismn.gov/coronavirus/dashboard. The dashboard has been updated to provide more data on neighborhood level numbers of cases, and other demographic data.

• Congregate living facilities in Minneapolis continue to see new cases among residents and while accounting only for 12% of confirmed cases, account for 79% of COVID-19 deaths.

• There are 25,870 cases in Minnesota out of over 265,000 tests completed. There have been 1,086 deaths from COVID-19 in Minnesota. There are 8,738 cases and 633 deaths in Hennepin County.

• There are over 6.4 million confirmed cases worldwide. There have been over 380,000 deaths globally and 1.8 million deaths are confirmed in the US. The US remains the country with the highest number of cases and deaths by a significant margin. A total of 106,696 deaths have been reported in the US.

• The Minnesota Department of Health is recommending expanding COVID-19 testing due to recent mass events, civil unrest and the response to the civil unrest that occurred across the state beginning May 25, 2020.

• Thousands of people may have been exposed to COVID-19 due to the large concentration of people in one area. Identifying and testing individuals who may have participated in a large public event will improve the ability to identify cases and institute appropriate isolation and quarantine measures.

• Testing criteria include people who have participated in any large gatherings including but not limited to protests, community clean up and recovery efforts, vigils, neighborhood meetings (both those with symptoms and those who are asymptomatic). This also includes first responders and others who responded to the events.

• As of June 1, the Governor’s Stay Safe MN order allows limited access to outdoor dining, salons and youth sports practices. The Mayor has issued several Emergency Regulations requiring that masks be worn in indoor public spaces starting May 26 and one that allows for the streamlining of the permission process for restaurants and bars interested in expanding their outdoor dining venues.

Health Incident Command updates

As the Health Department continues to respond to COVID-19, we are applying an equity lens to all our work in conjunction with partners across the City enterprise.

• The Health Department is conducting over 30 case investigations and contact follow-up for individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 per day and has completed over 780 case investigations since May 8. Currently, MHD has 21 investigators and is onboarding an additional 6 this week. Of the over 780 case investigations conducted, 47% were done in a language other than English. MHD will be training 15 individuals from other departments to begin case investigations by mid-June.
• MHD is working on 2 testing events to take place in the Cedar Riverside area but have been pushed to next week because of the civil unrest. Additional community based testing sites may be added to accommodate those who may have been exposed due to protests, community clean-up and other large community events. The state has a list of testing locations searchable by county.
• The Health Department worked with NCR and community partners to provide an estimated 53,000 cloth masks to protesters over the weekend. Many of these masks came from the MN Department of Health. New research published in the Lancet reinforces the message that cloth face mask use combined with physical distancing can reduce the spread of the virus.
• Over the weekend, Health Department staff assisted with symptom monitoring for 373 people who left the homeless encampment because of safety concerns and are staying in hotels primarily in Brooklyn Center. Start Today and Avivo are providing support services to 173 individuals and suboxone is also being provided by Southside Harm Reduction. In addition, two more hygiene stations have been added.
• Health Department staff have used the COVID Emergency Management structure to address food insecurity, help businesses impacted by property damage, and are working on ways to address community mental health in the aftermath of the murder and community unrest. Many staff are pitching in on their own time as community volunteers engaged in protests and vigils, community clean-up and the provision of food and supplies.

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