MSP Film Society's Virtual Cinema Updates

Via an August 5 e-announcement from MSP Film Society:

August has arrived and MSP Film Society has another jam-packed month of exciting programming available in our Virtual Cinema:

Opening this Friday, August 7 - A THOUSAND CUTS, Ramona S. Diaz's thrilling film about the increasingly dangerous war between press and government; along with OUT STEALING HORSES (Ut og stjæle hester), based on the bestselling novel by Norwegian author Per Petterson. JAZZ ON A SUMMER'S DAY, the classic concert film set at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, will open on Wednesday, August 12.

In anticipation of Fashion Week MN, MSP Film Society is excited to present two fashion-forward docs this month:  MARTIN MARGIELA: IN HIS OWN WORDS, about the mastermind known as the Banksy of the Fashion World, opens on Friday, August 14; followed by HOUSE OF CARDIN on Friday, August 28, which offers a rare peek into the life of legendary fashion designer Pierre Cardin.

"WE THE PEOPLE: REQUIRED WATCHING" continues on Sunday, August 16 with a FREE screening of JIM CROW OF THE NORTH, the Twin Cities PBS original documentary that explores why Minnesota has some of the worst racial disparities in the nation, followed by a conversation with Director Daniel Pierce Bergin, Anthony R. Scott, President of Minnesota's Black Community Project, and Brian Paulson, Senior Program Officer at the Pohlad Family Foundation, on Monday, August 17 at 7pm.

Opening Friday, August 28 is MR. SOUL!, Melissa Haizlip award-winning documentary about her father Ellis Haizlip’s groundbreaking television variety show SOUL!, which ran from 1968-1973 and offered an unfiltered, uncompromising celebration of Black literature, poetry, music, and politics. MR. SOUL! is being presented as part of our "WE THE PEOPLE: REQUIRED WATCHING" series, and will include a FREE Community Conversation on Monday, August 31 at 7pm. Registration will be made available as soon as guests are confirmed.

And on Wednesday, August 19, MSP Film Society presents a special encore screening of the MSPIFF39 Redefined official selection COUP 53, followed by a discussion with Director Taghi Amirani, Editor Walter Murch, and actor Ralph Fiennes on Thursday, August 20.

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OPENING Friday, August 7 - A THOUSAND CUTS 

On June 15, 2020, journalist Maria Ressa was found guilty of cyber libel, setting a ticking clock on the limited time she has to get her story out to the world and keep the fight for democracy alive in this all too familiar tale of an autocratic leader drowning out "fake news." Nowhere is the worldwide erosion of democracy, fueled by social media disinformation campaigns, more starkly evident than in the authoritarian regime of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Ressa places the tools of the free press—and her freedom—on the line in defense of truth and democracy. Ramona S. Diaz's thrilling film follows key players from two sides of an increasingly dangerous war between press and government. As each side digs in, we become witness to an epic and ongoing fight for the integrity of human life and truth itself—a conflict that extends beyond the Philippines into our own divisive backyard.  official trailer  - official website

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OPENING Friday, August 7 - OUT STEALING HORSES (Ut og stjæle hester)

November 1999: 67-year-old Trond (Stellan Skarsgård), lives in self-imposed isolation and looks forward to welcoming in the new millennium alone. As winter arrives he meets one of his few neighbours, Lars (Bjørn Floberg), and realizes he knew him back in the summer of 1948. 1948 – the year Trond turned 15. The summer Trond grew up. OUT STEALING HORSES is based on the bestselling novel by Norwegian author Per Petterson. official trailer  - official website

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OPENING Wednesday, August 12 - JAZZ ON A SUMMER'S DAY

Filmed at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island and directed by world-renowned photographer Bert Stern, Jazz on a Summer's Day features intimate performances by an all-star line-up of musical legends including Louis Armstrong, Thelonius Monk, Gerry Mulligan, Anita O'Day, Chuck Berry, Dinah Washington, and closes with a beautiful rendition or The Lord's Prayer by Mahalia Jackson at midnight to usher in Sunday morning. The 1959 classic is considered one of the most extraordinary and possibly the first concert film ever made. official trailer - official website

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OPENING Friday, August 14 -  MARTIN MARGIELA: IN HIS OWN WORDS

An intimate profile of Martin Margiela, one of the most revolutionary and influential fashion designers of his time. From Jean Paul Gaultier's assistant to creative director at Hermes to leading his own brand, Margiela never showed his face publicly but reinvented fashion with his radical style for over 20 years, through 41 provocative collections. For the first time, the "Banksy of fashion" reveals his drawings, notes and personal items, giving us an exclusive peek to his vision and career. The film features interviews with, among others, Jean Paul Gaultier, Carine Roitfeld, Trend Forecaster Lidewij Edelkoort, Fashion Critic Cathy Horyn and Fashion Historian Olivier Saillard. The score has been composed by the Belgian rock band dEUS.

official trailer

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ONGOING SERIES - "WE THE PEOPLE: REQUIRED WATCHING" 

MSP Film Society presents our community screening and conversation series of films that speak powerfully to systemic inequality, followed by conversations with directors and community leaders discussing ways we can support social justice and anti-racism efforts within our communities.

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FREE SCREENING - Sunday, August 16 - JIM CROW OF THE NORTH

Why does Minnesota suffer through some of the worst racial disparities in the nation? One answer is the spread of racist, restrictive real estate covenants in the early 20th century. Jim Crow of the North charts the progression of racist policies and practices from the advent of restrictive covenants after the turn of the last century to their final elimination in the late 1960s. Roots of racial disparities are seen through a new lens in this film that explores the origins of housing segregation in the Minneapolis area. But the story also illustrates how African-American families and leaders resisted this insidious practice, and how Black people built community — within and despite — the red lines that these restrictive covenants created. A Twin Cities PBS Original. official trailer

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COMMUNITY CONVERSATION - Monday, August 17 at 7:00pm 

MSP Film Programmer Craig Laurence Rice leads a post-screening discussion with Director Daniel Pierce Bergin and Anthony R. Scott, President of Minnesota's Black Community Project, discussing the ways we all can support social justice and anti-racism efforts in our community.

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SPECIAL SCREENING - Wednesday, August 19 - COUP 53 

*MSPIFF39 Redefined Official Selection*

While making a documentary about the CIA/MI6 coup in Iran in 1953, Iranian director Taghi Amirani and editor Walter Murch (Apocalypse Now, The Conversation,The English Patient) discover never seen before archive material hidden for decades. The 16mm footage and documents not only allow the filmmakers to tell the story of the overthrow of the Iranian government in unprecedented detail, but it also leads to explosive revelations about dark secrets buried for 67 years. Working with Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel, Schindler’s List, The English Patient) to help bring the lost material to life, what began as a historical documentary about four days in August 1953 turned into a live investigation, taking the filmmakers into uncharted cinematic waters. The roots of Iran's volatile relationship with America and Britain has never been so forensically and dramatically exposed.

A ticket for the COUP 53 screening also includes an exclusive Q+A with Ralph Fiennes, Walter Murch and Taghi Amirani, which will be available on August 20. official trailer

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OPENS Friday, August 28 - MR. SOUL!

From 1968 to 1973, the public television variety show SOUL!, guided by the enigmatic producer and host Ellis Haizlip, offered an unfiltered, uncompromising celebration of Black literature, poetry, music, and politics—voices that had few other options for national exposure, and, as a result, found the program an improbable place to call home. The series was among the first to provide expanded images of African Americans on television, shifting the gaze from inner-city poverty and violence to the vibrancy of the Black Arts Movement. With participants’ recollections and a bevy of great archival clips, MR. SOUL! captures a critical moment in culture whose impact continues to resonate. official trailer

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OPENS Friday, August 28 - HOUSE OF CARDIN

A rare peek into the mind of a genius, an authorized feature documentary chronicling the life and design of Pierre Cardin. A true original, Mr. Cardin granted complete access to his archives and his empire, and unprecedented interviews at the sunset of a glorious career to filmmakers P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes. official trailer

The Mill City Times Interview: Vasiliki Papanikolopoulos, Founder, Minnesotans Unite

Article by Becky Fillinger

The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for small businesses. Locally, the state has funded small business relief grants and the federal Payroll Protection Program provided some relief for businesses that qualified. Is there any other aid available? Meet Minnesotans Unite. We interviewed the founder, Vasiliki Papanikolopoulos, to learn how we, as community members, can continue to support our local small businesses.

Q:  Please tell us the history of Minnesotans Unite.

A:  Minnesotans Unite is about 4 months old - it started at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic with a mission to support and showcase small businesses. When neighborhood shops began to close amidst the lockdown, we realized there needed to be a way to easily support our favorite places. It began as a platform to purchase gift cards which served two purposes: for the small businesses, they impact their bottom lines immediately, and for consumers, they are something to look forward to. 100% of the gift card purchases go to the small businesses. Now, we’ve built on that and are broadening the ways in which we connect the community with small businesses. These include some exciting product launches in partnership with our participating businesses, as well as with local artists.

Q:  How did you become involved?

A:  Small local businesses and their owners have been hugely influential in my life, and I find them to be community pillars across the world. With larger forces like Amazon and Walmart putting elements of local identity in jeopardy, I’ve always sought out ways to reinforce the value of consuming small and local. This has taken various forms over the years, and Minnesotans Unite has been the latest and most fruitful effort.

Vasiliki PapanikolopoulosQ:  How are you recruiting more small businesses to join Minnesotans Unite? 

A:  Front and center for us is bringing more small businesses into the network who believe in the power of togetherness. We are doing so via direct outreach as well as with initiatives that speak to the resources and support the Minnesotans Unite platform provides small businesses. These initiatives include monthly meetings with business experts, exchange with other business owners, and parallel marketing efforts for their businesses on the one central platform that makes it easy for consumers to support any and all.

Q:  Do you currently live in Minneapolis?

A:  Yes! I’m Greek-Cypriot-American, born and raised in Minneapolis. Eight years ago I moved to Philadelphia for school and then work, and last September moved back home to Minneapolis.

Q:  A bit off topic, but tell us about your position with The Port Global. Greek tech start-ups - exciting! Do you find that Greek companies face similar issues in helping local small businesses survive?

A:  I’m the Director of Marketing for The Port Global. It’s been quite fascinating growing up at the intersection of what seemed like two very different worlds, the US and Greece. As time passes, what we’ve seen is Greece following in the footsteps of what’s trending in the US and what was a strong foundation in Greek culture centered around small businesses is less so now. It used to be, you’d go to the butcher shop, and on the way stop at the shoemaker and maybe even the bookstore. Now, with larger chains and ecommerce, it’s a much different landscape. I’m quite passionate about working in a space where we can play a part in evolving the next generation of Greek startups and businesses.

Q:  If businesses want to join Minnesotans Unite, what steps should they take? Are you looking for individuals to help with the group’s efforts?

A:  It’s quite simple - if you are reading this, as a small business owner who is interested in being a part of the network or as a consumer looking to support the effort, and you are community-driven, we would love to hear from you at hello@minnesotansunite.com. The ways in which to stay in touch with Minnesotans Unite are by following us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as subscribing to our newsletter.

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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: Zev Radziwill and Tom Foerster, Stewards of Bluff Street Park

Article by Becky Fillinger

Who takes care of your local parks? Would you be surprised that many Minneapolis parks have volunteer stewards overlooking their care on a more regular and local basis than the city can provide? We talked to Zev Radziwill and Tom Foerster, neighbors in the Riverview Tower Condos, who became very active caretakers of their local park. 

Tom Foerster (left) and Zev Radziwill

Q:  Tell us a bit about your group.

A:  We call ourselves “West Bank Parks” – and our local group provides stewardship and volunteers for Bluff Street Park, Bohemian Flats, and the Dinkytown Greenway. Tom is in fact the official community Park Steward for Bluff Street Park (BSP). We also offer our park steward expertise and experience to other neighborhood volunteer groups. We have a long-term goal of growing neighborhood volunteer involvement in our city parks and green spaces. Our projects include: 

• Cleanups - Spring and Fall in partnership with both parks 
• Planter boxes on the Northern Pacific Bridge #9 and under the Bluff Street Park sign 
• Small gardens – herbs, peppers and tomatoes  
• “Lily Lane” on Greenway and Bridge Number Nine 
• Future plans: Bike station at Bluff Street Park, East side of Bridge #9; more oak trees along the path and Greenway; more beautification – we’re considering Art at the Bridge Base 

Q:  Tell us about your most recent project. 

A:  The lilies have been our current obsession during these strange times. Planted 5 years ago, these plant beds require re-mulching the entire stretch every couple of years – as well as yearly flower replacements.  This year was the mulching year and it has been quite the adventure.  It took 100 bags of mulch and several days of work to get the lane in good shape. We call the area “Lily Lane” for obvious reasons – the Chicago Apache daylilies are beautifully in bloom now.  Someday, we plan to tackle the other side of the lane as well - but maybe with not as many lilies!

Q:  Why was it important to you to beautify these small plots of land?

A:  We both grew up on farms – Tom in South Dakota and Zev in Washington County. So wanting to see beauty in the land – even “City” land (ha!) – comes natural to us. When we got the sign for Bluff Street Park, thanks to Scott Vreeland and others on the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) – that was the first place Tom applied his skills! And it just progressed to planting and tending the park up and along the Greenway area. Prior to this improvement, the area was just rock and scrub. Tom and many volunteers tackled it head-on! But bottom-line, we want the walkers and bikers – and families and couples – and those just out for a daily stroll, to have some beauty and nature in their lives. This little stretch of our park provides a break from the construction and major urban environments all around it.

Aerial view of Bluff Street Park

Q:  What do you know about the history of the Bluff Street Park area? 

A:  This area was a heavily polluted superfund site at one point – known as the Gasworks. Much of the Cities’ gas street lamps from the late 1800s to 1924 were lit by the coal gasification fuel generated and stored in and around the Bluff Street Park area.   

From 1879 to 1890, this area was home of the F.D. Noerenberg Brewery. (Side note: The same family founded Grain Belt Brewery. Do you know Noerenberg Gardens at Three Rivers Park District? Same family). The people living down at Bohemian Flats worked here and at a sister plant near Middlebrook Hall called the Minneapolis Brewery.

Bluff Street was one of the very first streets in the new Minneapolis – one of the first opened up on this side of the river.

And of course, prior to all this, it was Ojibwe land. They would portage on the University of Minnesota side down along the flats there. There are many native plants and herbs we’d love to see reintroduced throughout this area. 

Q:  What plants are in the park?

A:  When MNDot finished the I-35W bridge construction after the 2007 collapse, they planted a seed mix of non-native turfgrass. Our goal was to get back to native bedrock bluff prairie vegetation, which we completed in 2015. We’ve rescued peonies, irises, tiger lilies and sedum plants from park construction sites and replanted those in the Bluff Street Park as well. The sedum is pollinator friendly - butterflies are also attracted to the plants in the park.

Q:  Who were the members of the original Bluff Street Park Task Force?

A:  Cedar-Riverside neighbors, who had lived in neighborhood for years, were the original task force members - Rosemary Knutson, Arthur Renander, Jerry Clark and Anne Webb. Rosemary’s vision for native prairie grasses and a butterfly meadow has been realized. 

The second generation, now called the West Bank Parks, includes the two of us, Jerry, Rosemary, Matt Langland and Mary Mellen. Matt is a resident of Riverview Tower Condos and longtime neighborhood trails and transit guru – he helps at all clean-up days in the park. Mary is a Riverside Park champion and longtime volunteer in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. Jerry Clark is now 85 and still participating – he most recently painted over some graffiti. Zev is President of the Cedar-Riverside Community Council (CRCC) and Tom is the official park steward. We have a broad level of civic involvement and community-minded spirit in our group.

Q:  Do you have sponsors?

A:  We’re received grant monies from the University of Minnesota Good Neighbor Fund, the CRCC Community grant and from individual contributors. We rely heavily upon individual contributions.

Q:  What advice do you have for readers who might like to be park stewards?

A:  Visit the MPRB Stewards page and tell them that West Bank Parks sent you! We can tell you that it is very rewarding work – you’ll meet many neighbors, see the outcomes of your efforts and will be making a difference in our city.

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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. 

Parkways Reopen to Motor Vehicles Beginning August 3 (With Construction-related Exceptions)

This is a reminder that all Minneapolis parkways closed to motor vehicle traffic and open to trail users will go back to allowing motor vehicle traffic beginning Monday, Aug. 3.

On Aug. 3, workers will begin removing barriers and other traffic control in place at Cedar Lake, Lake Harriet, West Bde Maka Ska and West River Parkways. Most parkways will be open to motor vehicle traffic by Wednesday, Aug. 5, with several construction-related exceptions.

West River Parkway will remain closed in three sections due to construction projects:

• Between 4th Avenue North and the Stone Arch Bridge parking lot for the Water Works project. Trail traffic will be routed onto one lane of the parkway.
• Between 13th and 22nd Avenues South for repairs to the 10th Avenue SE Bridge and Bridge #9, which serves the Dinkytown Greenway trail.
• Between East 33rd and 36th Streets for a sewer improvement project.

Theodore Wirth Parkway is also closed between 29th Avenue North and Golden Valley Road for a road resurfacing project. Please follow posted detours and stay away from areas where construction work is happening.

In late March the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) began closing parkways or park roads adjacent to its most popular trails to allow more space for trail users to follow social distancing practices and limit the spread of COVID-19. Several adjustments were made throughout the spring and summer in response to parkway conditions and demand, as well as efficiently use funds allocated toward maintaining the closures.

At its May 6, 2020 meeting, MPRB Commissioners passed Resolution 2020-202, which granted MPRB Superintendent Al Bangoura authority to spend up to $250,000 on a series of parkway closures enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those funds will be exhausted by Aug. 3.

Please continue to stay at least six feet apart from people not in your own household while using parks and trails. Other guidelines park users are asked to follow to limit the spread of COVID-19 while using parks and trails:

• Bring a water bottle. Most MPRB water fountains are not operational.
• Bring disinfectant wipes or hand sanitizer. Most MPRB restroom buildings remain closed.
• Do not use parks if you feel sick or have COVID-19 symptoms, including fever, body aches, coughing, nasal congestion, runny nose and sore throat.
• Cover your cough with your elbow, don’t cough into your hands.
• Wash your hands immediately before and after visiting a park or trail.

Stay Updated

Visit minneapolisparks.org/coronavirus for more information on the MPRB's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Receive timely email updates by visiting minneapolisparks.org/subscribe, entering your email and selecting the “COVID-19” topic in the “News Updates” section.

Mobile Entertainment Embraces Social Distancing with new ‘Six Foot Bubble™ Tours’

Via a recent Press Release from Mobile Entertainment:

Mobile Entertainment, known for Human on a Stick– the first Segway tour operator in the U.S.an d Minnesota’s top-rated tourist attraction for over 10 years, is launching unique walking tours with professionally-authored and voiced storytelling technology.

Mobile Entertainment adds walking tours in a new tour series, Six Foot Bubble™ Tours, officially launching on Friday, July, 31. 

Six Foot Bubble™ is pioneering tours for a socially-distanced world with innovative audio equipment so groups can still enjoy learning more about wonderful Minneapolis and Saint Paul together. Watch our promotional video here.

For the first time, in addition to being led by a professional Mobile Entertainment tour guide, tourists will be guided by audio narration, either via headphones or a small speaker, produced to make listeners feel like they are reliving history, while keeping a safe distance from those outside their “bubble.” Local celebrities, including the architectural historian and former Pioneer Press critic Larry Millett, collaborated with Mobile Entertainment to produce a lively and informative narration for these tours.

“The idea behind Six Foot Bubble ™ is basically to make something good out of a bad situation,” says Mobile Entertainment Founder Bill Neuenschwander. “We want people to still be able to enjoy the rich history and views of the phenomenal areas of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, while keeping themselves and their families safe.”

There are six new routes that are part of the Six Foot Bubble™ Tours, all with a digital storytelling feature with narrators from unique and distinctive backgrounds. Kicking off the series is a tour of Irvine Park, the first neighborhood in Saint Paul. This tour will guide guests through the heritage preservation district of Irvine Park as well as other nearby landmarks within the broader West Seventh neighborhood, including the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Mississippi Upper Landing. Tours run everyday from 9-1 p.m., and 2-6 p.m., but tourists must make a reservation.

July 31 Ward 7 Updates

COVID-19 Situation Update as of July 29, 2020

• There are 6,751 cases in Minneapolis and 196 deaths. The City is sharing Minneapolis-specific daily case counts and demographics through a public dashboard at www.minneapolismn.gov/coronavirus/dashboard.
• The Health Department is using the Harvard Global Health Institute's COVID-19 Risk Levels dashboard (https://globalepidemics.org/key-metrics-for-covid-suppression/). This color-coded metric looks at a seven day rolling average for new cases. Based on the latest data, Minneapolis is at 18 cases per 100,000 compared to 11 cases per 100,000 for the State. These numbers put both Minneapolis and Minnesota in the orange category, which represents accelerated spread of COVID-19.
• Case numbers for the past two weeks show that six Minneapolis neighborhoods (Central, East Phillips, Elliot Park, Jordan, Lowry Hill, and Whittier) have seen increased case counts which correlate with case increases in the under 35 year-old age group. Data also indicate a slight increase in cases among the 35-44 year-old age group.
• Over the past few weeks, the racial breakdown for the under 35 year-old age group has shifted from over 50% white to about 30% white and 60% BIPOC. This group is experiencing increased exposure in bars and at gatherings of friends and family.
• Congregate living facilities in Minneapolis continue to see new cases among residents, but the numbers have decreased significantly, from an average of 49 cases a week in April and May to six cases a week in June and July. Residents of these facilities account for only 7% of confirmed cases, however they account for 71% of COVID-19 deaths.
• Mayor Frey’s Emergency Regulation No. 12 regarding masks is still in effect. The regulation requires people to wear face coverings in all indoor public places. Last week, the Mayor rescinded Emergency Regulation No. 15 and No. 16 which allowed Adult Day Cares to reopen and eased operational restrictions in licensed congregate care settings. These facilities are beholden to state COVID-19 guidance.
• Mayor Frey’s Emergency Regulation No. 17, signed July 29, 2020, requires all bar areas in restaurants, nightclubs, and indoor spaces of entertainment in Minneapolis to be closed starting August 1. Bar areas that can be converted for seated service will be allowed as long as food and/or beverage services are provided tableside while patrons are seated. The goal is to reduce the spread of COVID-19 among young adults, food service workers, and bartenders. Nine Minneapolis bars have been publicly identified as having outbreaks associated with spread among patrons.

Situational updates: Minnesota

• There are 52,947 cases in Minnesota out of over 993,000 tests completed. There have been 1,589 deaths from COVID-19 in Minnesota. There are 16,881 cases and 810 deaths in Hennepin County.
• Minnesota is currently in Phase III of the Stay Safe MN plan for reopening. This phase allows bars and restaurants to offer indoor dining at 50% capacity with tables spaced six feet apart. Further restrictions at bars are currently in effect in Minneapolis (see above: Mayor Frey’s Emergency Regulation No. 17). Pools may open at 50% capacity and gyms may open at 25% capacity.
• Governor Walz’s statewide mask mandate is still in effect. This requires people to wear face coverings in all indoor public places where people gather and some outdoor venues where physical distancing is difficult.

Health Incident Command Updates

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

Businesses:

o Health inspectors have completed 569 site visit/inspections since indoor dining reopened on June 10. Bars continue to have clusters of positive COVID-19 cases. Health inspectors continue to provide guidance and cleaning instructions to bars with COVID-19-positive employees and patrons. Additionally, inspectors are reviewing COVID-19 plans during all routine health inspections.

o The Health Department is assisting with a joint business recovery effort to distribute 500,000 masks to businesses, prioritizing distribution to BIPOC-owned businesses and those located in BIPOC communities. CPED is leading this effort in partnership with the Mayor’s office, Regulatory Services, and Health.

o In response to requests from business owners, Health Department and Communications staff created new signage clearly stating that the City requires masks in indoor public spaces. Signage is available on the City’s COVID-19 website in English, Spanish, Somali, and Hmong.

Case investigations:

The Health Department is conducting over 50 case investigations and contact follow-ups for individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 per day. Currently, there are 26 investigators, including six non-MHD enterprise staff. Of the 6,751 cases in Minneapolis, 85% have been interviewed, 2% have refused, 8% have been lost to follow-up, and 5% are new cases that still need to be interviewed. Thirty (30) percent of interviews of Minneapolis residents are in a language other than English. The MHD team has conducted 53% of the interviews for Minneapolis residents since May 8.

Community Testing:

o Sagrado Corazon/Incarnation Church: Community testing will be offered from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on August 1 and 15 at Sagrado Corazon/Incarnation Church, 3800 Pleasant Avenue South. This community testing event will focus on the Latinx community; however, it will be open to everyone. The goal is to test 300 persons per day during the 8 hours that testing will be available. Partners include Sagrado Corazon/Incarnation Church, Hennepin Healthcare, the Minneapolis Health Department, and St. Mary’s Health Clinics.

o PICA Head Start: Testing will be available on August 11 and 25 primarily for Head Start families at both the Fraser site (700 Humboldt Avenue North) and the McKnight site (4225 3rd Avenue South). Testing for the community will also be available. Partners include PICA Head Start, the Minneapolis Health Department, and the Minnesota Department of Health.

o The Health Department’s Long Term Care team supported baseline testing at the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority’s Heritage Park site for their assisted living residents on July 23.

Food security:

o The Health Department continues to co-host a weekly free food distribution event at Powderhorn Park (Fridays, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.). The event regularly serves approximately 500-800 people, many from low-income Latinx households that have been heavily impacted by loss of employment, COVID-19, and the closure of retailers along Lake Street. City staff will continue to support this event at least through the end of August and are in the process of assessing long-term food security needs, operations, and options, especially in light of the elimination of a $600 per week federal unemployment benefit.

o Health Department staff, in partnership with other City staff and community partners, are convening calls and conducting outreach with community-led “pop-up” food distribution hosts, The goal is to assess real-time needs, gather feedback on ongoing food security challenges in specific communities and related policy implications, and connect groups to available resources such as PPE and Hennepin County funds. MHD staff continue to coordinate with food banks and other hunger relief organizations to identify, implement, and support food-related community needs.

Homelessness:

o The encampment located on City property at 2601 14th Avenue South was disbanded on Wednesday, July 29. The Police Department’s Homeless Outreach team and community partner, American Indian Community Development Corporation, worked together to clear the property. People living at the encampment were given one week’s notice of this action and were provided with resources for available shelter. Immediately after the property is cleared, CPED and Public Works will fence in the property to prevent future encampments from forming.

o The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board designated the following as sanctuary parks: Riverside, Annie Young, Marshall Terrace, Lake Harriet, Boom Island, and Bde Maka Ska. An additional four to six parks will be named based on proximity to hygiene supports. Park encampments must obtain a permit and cannot have more than 25 tents. Encampments will not be allowed in Safe School Zones. The Health Department continues to work with MPRB to provide health and sanitation services at encampments on park land. Last week, MHD staff provided guidance on the potential environmental impacts and hygiene safety of “pop-up” showers that have appeared at some encampments.

o MHD staff continue to distribute harm reduction supplies, masks, and hygiene kits to community outreach partners for distribution to residents of various encampments.

Personal Protective Equipment: The Health Department is continuing PPE resource distribution efforts. In the past week, MHD staff have distributed over 2,200 cloth masks in response to requests from the community. In fulfilling those requests, staff are balancing the needs of clinics and health care providers with the needs of low-income individuals, BIPOC communities, low-income multi-family housing properties, faith communities, people experiencing homelessness, community-based organizations, food distribution sites, and people engaged in recovery efforts. The Health Department recently received an additional 50,000 cloth masks, which will help in responding to ongoing community requests.

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

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Polling Places Changing Due to Pandemic

To help keep voters and Minneapolis residents safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, 50 of 125 polling places in Minneapolis are moving for the 2020 primary and general election. The changes will help protect people living in residential facilities and provide more space to keep voters a safe distance from elections staff and each other.

Of the 50 polling places being relocated, 16 were in senior homes, high-rises and other residential sites. Another 32 were in areas with limited space that would make it difficult for people to keep at least 6 feet from others inside. Two were moved due to on-site construction.

Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services partnered with Minneapolis Public Schools and the Minneapolis Park & Recreation board to find new locations for voting during the pandemic. In total, 94 buildings will be open for the Aug. 11 primary and Nov. 3 general elections, with 35 in schools and 22 in park buildings. Some buildings will have more than one voting precinct.

Registered voters will receive a postcard in the mail indicating their new polling locations. The Minnesota Secretary of State’s polling place finder can also provide voters their new polling places. These locations will be the same for the Aug. 11 primary and Nov. 3 general elections. All voters choosing to vote in person on Election Day should check the online polling place finder or call 311 to verify their polling place.

Keep safe and vote by mail

Though polling locations will be open for the primary and general elections, the City encourages voting early by mail to minimize direct contact with others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages voting early by mail, and Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services supports this and other CDC and Minnesota Department of Health recommendations to make sure all voters in Minneapolis can safely cast their ballots this election year.

More information on how to vote by mail is available at vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/bymail.

For those going to the polls on Election Day, we will have COVID-19 protocols in place to provide a safe and healthy environment for all voters and election judges. The polling place protocols follow best practices from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, the protocols follow Emergency Regulation 2020-12, which requires people in Minneapolis to wear a cloth face covering when they are in an indoor public space.

Voting at the Early Vote Center

The Early Vote Center, 980 E. Hennepin Ave., makes early voting in person more convenient for Minneapolis voters. It’s especially helpful to people who need language support or other special accommodations, such as curbside voting. And while we are in a pandemic, voting early can help people avoid lines and crowds at polling places on the day of the election.

The Early Vote Center’s hours are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. The center will also have Saturday hours for the last two weekends before the primary. All early voting hours are posted on the Elections & Voter Services website: vote.minneapolismn.gov/events.

EVS Headquarters—located at 980 E. Hennepin Avenue—will be open to serve in-person early voters both Saturdays (Aug. 1 and 8) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Direct Balloting begins Tues., Aug. 4, allowing in-person early voters to directly scan their completed ballot into the tabulator…exactly as on Election Day. New this year, in light of the need for enhanced safety protocols, EVS will be hosting “drive-in, drop-off” ballot service, as shown on this graphic.

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Next Steps for Proposed Charter Amendment that Would Create New Department of Community Safety & Violence Prevention

The Minneapolis Charter Commission has held three public hearings to gather feedback on a proposed charter amendment establishing a new Department of Community Safety & Violence Prevention authored by five City Council members. A decision on whether that proposal will be referred to voters at the Nov. 3 general election must be decided by Aug. 5 to meet statutory deadlines.

The proposed Department of Community Safety & Violence Prevention would have responsibility for “public safety services prioritizing a holistic, public health-oriented approach,” according to the proposed amendment. As a charter department, the director would be nominated by the mayor and approved by the City Council. The director would have non-law enforcement experience in community safety services, including but not limited to public health and/or restorative justice approaches.

The ordinance provides that the City may maintain a division of law enforcement services composed of licensed peace officers subject to the supervision of the Department of Community Safety & Violence Prevention.

The City Council voted June 26 to advance the proposal as a ballot measure to be considered by Minneapolis voters. Under State law, proposals to amend the City Charter must first be reviewed by the City Charter Commission. The Charter Commission has at least 60 days to complete its review and submit its recommendation to the City Council but it may take up to 150 days to complete its review. The statutory deadline for submitting questions on the Nov. 3 general election ballot is Friday, Aug. 21. If approved by voters, the changes would become effective May 1, 2021. A decision by the Charter Commission is anticipated at its regular meeting on Aug. 5.

The Charter Commission also held a public hearing on a separate proposed charter amendment that proposed to eliminate minimum funding level requirements for the police force. That proposal was submitted by a Charter Commission member. At its meeting July 29, the Charter Commission voted not to submit that proposal to voters in November.

Learn more about the proposed charter amendment and submit feedback.

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City Council Adopts Revised 2020 City Budget

The City Council has approved Mayor Jacob Frey’s revised 2020 City budget proposal that addresses roughly $156 million in projected revenue losses because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The mayor and City Council have trimmed the budget through a combination of spending freezes, use of cash reserves, program cuts and employee furloughs. The revised City budget is approximately $1.5 billion.

The first phase of the response to the economic impact of the pandemic included spending and hiring freezes that saved approximately $58 million. The revised budget plan includes plans to offset approximately $100 million in additional revenue losses.

As part of the City Council’s budget markup process, approximately $1.1 million has been shifted from the Minneapolis Police Department to the Health Department for violence prevention efforts. In addition, the City added $100,000 to the budget to support initial community engagement in the co-creation of a vision for a permanent memorial for George Floyd.

The mayor will present a recommended 2021 City budget to the City Council later this summer. Learn more about the City budget at minneapolismn.gov/budget.http://tour.35wat94.com/

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Mayor Frey Moves to Curb COVID-19 Community Spread in Bars and Restaurants

Mayor Jacob Frey has issued an emergency regulation that targets the community spread of COVID-19 in Minneapolis bars and restaurants.

The action orders the closure of bar areas in restaurants, clubs and other indoor spaces starting at 5 p.m. Aug. 1. Indoor table service, including at high tops, will be allowed under the regulation as long as patrons follow the existing state guidance.

The Minneapolis Health Department is reporting a rate of 18 new cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 per day while the statewide rate has remained closer to 11 per 100,000. Public health experts have attributed the higher rate to people congregating at bars, among other reasons. More than 50 percent of new cases in Minneapolis continue to be in young adults under age 35 who report increased exposure in bars and at gatherings of friends and family.

Read more about the emergency regulation.

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National Night Out Recommended Date Changes to Sept. 15 for 2020

The Minneapolis recommended National Night Out date for 2020 is Tuesday, Sept. 15. Residents can find out if their block is already signed up by emailing crime.prevention@minneapolismn.gov. Registered block leaders received notices directly about closing their streets to hold their event, but a block without a block leader could still hold a COVID-19 safe event by spreading out across three or four yards to make enough space for physical distancing.

Event safety in a pandemic

A safe event during a pandemic follows guidelines from the Minneapolis Health Department, Minnesota Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Events are outdoors.
• People keep their masks on when they’re not eating or drinking.
• People keep at least 6 feet from others not in their household.
• Households bring their own food, beverages, utensils, tables and chairs.

National Night Out is an annual nationwide event that encourages residents to get out in the community, holding block parties and getting to know their neighbors to prevent crime. It’s a great way to promote community-police partnerships and enjoy a Minnesota summer evening surrounded by friends and family.

Find out more about National Night Out.

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Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Parkways Reopening to Motor Traffic

All Minneapolis parkways closed to motor vehicle traffic and open to trail users will go back to allowing motor vehicle traffic by Wednesday, Aug. 5.

Schedule

• East Bde Maka Ska Parkway: Thursday, July 30.
• Cedar Lake, Lake Harriet, West Bde Maka Ska and West River Parkways: Barriers and traffic control will be removed starting Monday, Aug. 3.

The funds for parkway closures to allow more space for trail users to follow physical distancing practices and limit the spread of COVID-19 will be exhausted by Aug. 3.

Please continue to follow these safety guidelines to limit the spread of COVID-19 while using parks and trails:

• Stay at least 6 feet from people not in your own household.
• Do not use parks if you feel sick or have COVID-19 symptoms, including fever, body aches, coughing, nasal congestion, runny nose and sore throat.
• Cover your cough with your elbow, don’t cough into your hands.
• Wash your hands immediately before and after visiting a park or trail.
• Note that most MPRB water fountains are not operational, and most MPRB restroom buildings remain closed.

Keep up to date with Park Board news here.

Doug Verdier's July 29 Water Works Photos - Tree Planting

Editors Note: Mill District resident Doug Verdier continues to document the progress of the Water Works project.

The first of many new trees were placed within the Water Works Park site today, July 29. Five Northern Red Oaks were delivered on site and carefully planted along the front of the pavilion on either side of the existing cottonwood. More trees of a variety of types and sizes will  be coming soon, for example: Eastern Red Cedar, Swamp White Oak, White Pine, Sugar Maple and more. 

Trees awaiting placement on the site.

Bobcat carefully picks up and transports tree to its new home.

Holes are prepared to receive the trees that are gently deposited in the ground.

Workers from landscape company ensure that trees are properly placed and straightened before filling in the hole.

Making adjustments.

Getting ready to complete filling the hole with new dirt.

MSPFS Presents Tribute to Rep. John Lewis with MN AG Keith Ellison

Via a July 29 Press Release from MSP Film Society:

To honor of the recent passing of the legendary civil rights activist and Congressman John Lewis, MSP Film Society proudly presents an encore engagement of the powerful documentary “JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE” in our Virtual Cinema as part of our social justice-themed initiative “We the People: Required Watching," followed by a Community Conversation on Monday, August 3rd with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on the influence of Rep. John Lewis’s lifetime commitment as an activist and public servant.

JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE – available now in MSP Film Society’s Virtual Cinema

Using interviews and rare archival footage, JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE chronicles Lewis’ 60-plus years of social activism and legislative action on civil rights, voting rights, gun control, health-care reform and immigration. Using present-day interviews with Lewis, now 80 years old, acclaimed filmmaker Dawn Porter explores his childhood experiences, his inspiring family and his fateful meeting with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1957. In addition to her interviews with Lewis and his family, Porter’s primarily cinéma verité film also includes interviews with political leaders, Congressional colleagues, and other people who figure prominently in his life.

Community Conversation w/ AG Keith Ellison - Monday, August 3 at 7:00pm

Join MSP Film Programmer Craig Laurence Rice in conversation with Minnesota Attorney General and former Congressman Keith Ellison on the influence and inspiration of Rep. John Lewis’s lifetime commitment as a civil rights activist and public servant. Register to join this conversation via Zoom on MSPfilm.org or view it live or at a later on MSP Film Society’s Facebook page.

MSP Film Society presents “We the People: Required Watching” as an ongoing series to highlight films that speak powerfully to systemic inequality. Following each of these screenings, MSP Film Society Programmer Craig Laurence Rice hosts conversations with filmmakers and community leaders to discuss ways we all can support social justice and anti-racism efforts in our community. The films are made available to view through MSPfilm.org, and the Community Conversations follow on Monday evenings at 7pm via Zoom and on MSP Film Society’s Facebook page, where they can also be viewed at a later day. Further program information, including registration info, can be found on MSPfilm.org. 

Doug Verdier's July 27, 2020 Water Works Photos, plus History at Heart Photos

Editors Note: Mill District resident Doug Verdier continues to document the progress of the Water Works project.

Below are the latest images from the Water Works site. There is a lot of landscaping work underway, and the machine that transports soil from the Parkway into the Water Works site is quite something to watch.

The four photos above show crews landscaping a section of the future Water Works Park above the newly constructed promenade that runs parallel to West River Parkway. Top photo shows a load of soil that will be scooped into a hopper (photo #4), and then onto a conveyor that transports the soil to the location where workers spread and tamp it down.

View from First Street of an area being landscaped. The conveyor machinery in the background is on West River Parkway.

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Below, images of an outdoor display called History at Heart on the chain link fencing behind the Mill City Museum. The Minnesota Historical Society sponsored History at Heart around the theme “We are living in a historic moment.” People of all ages inscribed heartfelt messages on wooden heart cutouts and attached them to the fence. Several hundred hearts are visible along the walkway, and many of the messages are quite moving. The display is worth a walk along the sidewalk to see.

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The Mill City Times Interview: Theresa Scarbrough, Photographer

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

Minneapolis is chock full of talented and generous people. We talked to Minneapolis resident and professional photographer Theresa Scarbrough about her influences and how she gives back to our community.

Q:  I read in your bio online that you’re from Chicago. What brought you to Minnesota?

A:  I did grow up in Chicago. I attended Columbia College in Chicago for photography and journalism. After graduating, I moved to Laredo, TX to work as a staff photographer for the Laredo Morning Times. In late 2007 I moved back to Chicago to start freelancing, and moved to Minneapolis in 2018 to be closer to family who retired to northern Wisconsin.

Q:  Who influences you as a photographer? 

A:  I have a few influences. Bruce Davidson who is a street photographer, his 1980's NYC series Subway is a favorite. Garry Winogrand's 1964 series, and Diane Arbus as well. Food wise, I try to follow blogs that cater towards the documentary side, that tell the story of the chef and the origination of the dish.

Q:  You’ve made a very generous offer to Minneapolis restaurants. Can you tell us about it?

A:  The pandemic has affected my business like everyone else, so it really made me realize that we are all in this together and why I wanted to volunteer where I can. I am offering pro bono photography shoots to any interested restaurant to help them with their social media and web marketing. I was thinking of a few hero food shots, but also brand photography behind the scenes and candid portraits of the owners/staff to tell the business’ day to day story.   

Q:  Your list of clients is so impressive.* How did you build your business?

A:  Thank you! I've always kept a blog, networked, and have been a member of photography associations where I have found most of my clients or they have found me.

Q:  We all want to photograph our food these days. Give us some tips for getting the  perfect Instagram photo. 

A:  Natural light is best, so set up by a not too bright window. Most indoor lighting can leave a color cast in the image that doesn't make food look very appetizing!

Q:  How do you judge a great photograph?

A:  I've always been drawn to images that tell a story, are candid, and have beautiful natural lighting.

Q:  How do you stay up to date in your craft?

A:  Photographing as much as I can and researching the subject matter. Each subject has its own set of rules, how to light, style, and what equipment to use.

Q:  How may we contact you?

A:  My website at TheresaScarbrough.com. You can follow me on Facebook or Instagram.

*Client List: Associated Press, Bake Magazine, Cooking Light, Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, Houston Chronicle, Sun Times Group, USA Today, Bartmann Group, Book Club Restaurant, DRAFT Magazine, The Food Network, Google, Grow Marketing, Hopkins & Associates, Intl Brotherhood of Teamsters, Israel Idonije Foundation, Lake Shore Gastroenterology, Lake Society Magazine, Northern Heir, Out Here Magazine, Patterson Publishing, Ripson Communications, TH Productions, The American Legion

Here are some samples of Theresa's work:

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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 and Native American Community Development Institute launch community engagement for The Falls Initiative, convene Native Advisory Council

Friends of the Falls, in partnership with the Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI), announces a community engagement effort for The Falls Initiative. The organizations seek to transform the Upper Lock at The Falls, land that is sacred to the Dakota and other Indigenous communities. This site is known as Owámniyomni, or whirlpool, in Dakota.

The Upper Lock was closed to commercial navigation in 2015, and the Friends of the Falls (formerly Friends of the Lock and Dam) was founded in 2016 to repurpose the site into a world-class destination and interpretive center. The organization supports transitioning ownership of the Lock from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the City of Minneapolis and restoring public access to the riverfront.

The Falls Initiative will advance adopted plans including the City of Minneapolis' Downtown Public Realm Framework (2016); Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board’s Central Riverfront Regional Parks Master Plan (2016); Meet Minneapolis’ Destination Transformation 2030 (2016); and the St. Anthony Falls Heritage Board's Changing Relationships to the Power of the Falls (2014).

In its launch years, Friends of the Falls convened a coalition of stakeholders from over twodozen local organizations. These entities came to acknowledge not only the site’s ecological significance and industrial history, but also its cultural heritage as home of the Dakota people.

Friends of the Falls recognized the need to broaden project engagement and put this missing narrative at the forefront. Early visualizations of the project have been set aside to create space for the untold stories of this site and develop a true shared vision for Owámniyomni, The Falls.

Friends of the Falls welcomes its new partnership with NACDI, and with it, the opportunity to build authentic, reciprocal, and long-term relationships with First Nations people.

“This partnership is historic because it does more than simply seek Native American advice into

decision making for this project. Instead, because of our formal agreement, the Friends and Indigenous Peoples will share decision making and shape and implement this project together,” said Mark Andrew, President of the Friends of the Falls.

The Native American Community Development Institute was founded in 2007 to address the growing challenges and opportunities facing the urban Indigenous community. NACDI is

committed to transforming the American Indian community to effectively respond to 21st-century opportunities. NACDI works to promote innovative community development strategies that strengthen the overall sustainability and well-being of American Indian people and communities.

Core to the engagement effort is creation of a Native Advisory Council. Tribal and Indigenous leaders will be invited to guide the engagement process and counsel the design team, which includes GGN and VJAA architects.

Robert Lilligren, President and CEO of NACDI shares, “We are truly honored to be working in partnership with the Friends of the Falls. It is important that our values are aligned with the Friends of the Falls who recognize the importance for Dakota and Indigenous perspectives and representation for the foundation of this work.”

Opportunities for public feedback during this ideation phase will be available in-person and online through February 2021. Learn more at TheFalls.org.

The Capri Theater: A Bright Future Awaits

Article by Michael Rainville, Jr.

The Capri Theater was once a key fixture along West Broadway, housing many businesses and a popular motion picture house. After years of planning and fundraising, its long-awaited renovation and expansion will be complete this October and it will once again be a catalyst of success for the communities it serves. Let’s take a look at what makes the Capri Theater such a special place.

In 1925, the St. Paul-based architectural firm Buechner & Orth started creating sketches of the soon-to-be Logan Theatre. The firm previously created the Lagoon, Shubert, and Palace theaters, so expectations and excitement were high. In 1927, The Logan Theatre opened on the corner of West Broadway Avenue and Oliver Avenue, across the street from Logan Avenue, and three years later in June of 1930 it would be renamed as the Paradise Theater. The Logan Sweet Shoppe occupied the storefront and medical offices were located upstairs.

Capri Theater, 1930

Capri Theater, 1938

Two years later in 1932, the theater was updated and remolded by famous movie theater designer Jack Liebenberg who helped with the designs of the Hollywood, Varsity, Riverview, and Uptown theaters. Using Art Deco elements, Liebenberg added prestige to the Paradise Theater. The theater now housed 500 seats and had a wonderfully bright and flashy marquee that had over 800 lightbulbs. During this time, the candy store moved out of the storefront and the New Logan Drug Store moved in. On the other side of the theater’s lobby entrance was a barber shop.

The next major renovation came in 1965, again by Liebenberg. The storefronts were removed, the lobby and marquee were moved to the corner of the building and expanded, and the orchestra pit was filled in. The moving of the marquee also saw the changing of the theaters name, this time to Capri. The newly updated Capri Theatre was now on its way to becoming a top venue in Minneapolis.

Prince performing at the Capri Theater in 1979The most notable show to have taken place at the theater was Prince’s very first solo performance. His new album “For You” had recently released and rumors spread around that his first concert would take place at Madison Square Garden. Instead, he put his hometown first, like he did so many times throughout his career. On Friday, January 5th, 1979 at 8pm, Prince took the stage for his first of two concerts with all proceeds going to the Capri Theatre. Tickets were $4 in advance and $4.75 at the door. Even though the sound system wasn’t the best, Prince powered through, unfazed, and performed his heart out for two shows making sure everyone had the time of their life.

In 1993, the Plymouth Christian Youth Center (PCYC) renovated the old theater and transformed it into the Capri Arts & Learning Center. The second floor and balcony were turned into classrooms and the main floor was refurbished to accommodate a dance floor. The PCYC started a “Capri Theater Renaissance” campaign in 2007 in order to further renovate the building so it could better serve the artistic needs of the community. In April of 2009, the $700,000 first phase was complete. Theatrical lighting and a new sound system were installed in the auditorium, the lobby was expanded, and the marquee was updated with modern technology.

From the Capri Theater Facebook page, July 9th photo of the expansion construction

Over ten years after the start of the Capri Renaissance, the project is on the cusp of completion. The $12.5 million second phase will elevate the Capri Theater and usher in a new era of creative arts in North Minneapolis. This round of renovations features a 20,000 square foot expansion that includes the Best Buy Teen Tech Center where community children can learn about the latest technologies, a wood shop and fabric shop, multi-purpose classrooms for community use, the Paradise Community Hall for events and performances, updated seating in the original auditorium, and a plaza that connects the new expansion to the West Broadway communities.

Creative minds can be found all throughout Minneapolis, and with the PCYC’s new Capri Theater opening this coming Fall, it’s only a matter of time before their commitment to the community pays off. Is the next “Prince” going to be a product of the Capri Theater? I wouldn’t be surprised.

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About Michael Rainville, Jr.

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

Reader Opinion: Increase Police Funding

I support increased funding for the Minneapolis Police Department and the Minneapolis Parks Police Department in order to hire and train police officers and public safety personnel, additional funding for crises intervention training, counseling for officers and public safety personnel, incentives for officers to live where they work, Statewide ban on choke holds and neck restraints, & warrior-style training for officers. Minneapolis is a growing community of over 400,000 people, and is experiencing increases in violent activities.  It is unrealistic to not plan for increased education and training of police personal.  The resent tragedies should send a clear message to us all to work together with education, training, and realistic expectations of the public safety needs, and public safety personnel in Minneapolis.

- Diane Hofstede, Former Minneapolis City Council Member

Local Author Carolyn Holbrook to Discuss Her New Book Tell Me Your Names and I Will Testify at Upcoming Virtual Events

Via a July 24 Press Release:

Local author Carolyn Holbrook to discuss her new book Tell Me Your Names and I Will Testify at several upcoming virtual events:

- Virtual launch event: 8/12/20, 4 pm. Register at: z.umn.edu/holbrookzoom Hosted by the University of Minnesota Press. Books available for purchase through Moon Palace Books.
- First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis, 8/18/20, 7:00 pm. Register at: tinyurl.com/MWPThesetimes. Sponsored by the Minnesota Women's Press and St. Catherine University.
- Ramsey County Library, 8/19/20, 7:00 pm. Register at: https://rclreads.bibliocommons.com/events/5ef1215c46ac164500d7d0ca
- Next Chapter Booksellers, 8/26/20, 7:00 pm. Register at https://www.nextchapterbooksellers.com.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

 
Carolyn Holbrook’s life is peopled with ghosts—of the girl she was, the selves she shed and those who have caught up to her, the wounded and kind and malevolent spirits she’s encountered, and also the beloved souls she’s lost and those she never knew who beg to have their stories told. “Now don’t you go stirring things up,” one ghostly aunt counsels. Another smiles encouragingly: “Don’t hold back, child. Someone out there needs to hear what you have to say.”
 
Once a pregnant sixteen-year-old incarcerated in the Minnesota juvenile justice system, now a celebrated writer, arts activist, and teacher who helps others unlock their creative power, Holbrook has heeded the call to tell the story of her life, and to find among its chapters—the horrific and the holy, the wild and the charmed—the lessons and necessary truths of those who have come before. In a memoir woven of moments of reckoning, she summons stories born of silence, stories held inside, untold stories stifled by pain or prejudice or ignorance. A child’s trauma recalls her own. An abusive marriage returns to haunt her family. She builds a career while raising five children as a single mother; she struggles with depression and grapples with crises immediate and historical, all while countenancing the subtle racism lurking under “Minnesota nice.”

Here Holbrook poignantly traces the path from her troubled childhood to her leadership positions in the Twin Cities literary community, showing how creative writing can be a powerful tool for challenging racism and the healing ways of the storyteller’s art.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carolyn Holbrook was founder and executive/artistic director of SASE: The Write Place and now leads More Than a Single Story, a series of panel discussions and community conversations for people of color and indigenous writers and arts activists. She is author of Ordinary People, Extraordinary Journeys and Earth Angels, and coauthor with Arleta Little of Minnesota civil rights icon Dr. Josie R. Johnson’s memoir, Hope In the Struggle (Minnesota, 2019). Her personal essays have been published in A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota and Blues Vision: African American Writing from Minnesota. She is recipient of the Hamline University Exemplary Teacher Award, the Minnesota Book Awards Kay Sexton Award, a Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Next Step grant, a Minnesota State Arts Board Cultural Community Partnership grant, a Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative grant, and was an AARP/Pollen Midwest 50 over 50 honoree. She teaches at Hamline University and in community venues. She is the mother of five, grandmother of eight, and great-grandmother of one.

For more information, including the table of contents, visit the book's webpage:
https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/tell-me-your-names-and-i-will-testify

2020 Census Update and Request for Assistance

Editor's Note - The U.S. Census Bureau is asking everyone to share this information - please pass it on!

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We’re reaching a critical point of the 2020 Census – two things are happening:

1.  The Census Bureau has added a NEW postcard reminder to households that have not yet responded to the census. Non-responding homes will get the postcard THIS COMING WEEK.

• March 12 is when the first 2020 Census mailings were sent - this NEW postcard mailing is due to the impact of COVID-19 on census operations.

 2.  Households that do not respond on their own will soon have census takers visiting in person to ask census questions. Enumerators will begin August 11 to visit homes. 

While Minnesota has almost 72 percent responding – that means more than one in four households has yet to respond.

• For Minnesota counties – the response rates range from over 80% for Carver, Washington and Anoka counties, to under 40% for Aitkin, Cass, Mahnomen, Lake of the Woods and Cook counties.
• For Minnesota cities with over 2k population – the response rates range from over 87% for Andover and Centerville, to under 50% for Howard Lake, Breezy Point, Gaylord and Nisswa. The response in Crosslake is 29%.  
• For tribal areas in Minnesota, response rates range from Fond du Lac at almost 60% to Red Lake at 5.2%.

Groups that tend not to respond – and who have been historically undercounted – include renters, people with low incomes, and ethnic and racial minorities and American Indians.

Response rate info:  2020Census.gov/response-rates - the map is updated daily M-F.

The map includes a link to response rate rankings.

Ways for responding to the 2020 Census: 

• Online – visit 2020Census.gov 
• Phone – call 844-330-2020 – phone lines are open 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. Central – seven days a week.

Why is Goldy Gopher wearing a cape and eye mask? Because he's a census hero! You can be a #MNCensusHero too - complete the 2020 Census!

August 1 Drive-in Movie at Bohemian Flats! Reserve Your Spot Now!

*EVENT IS SOLD OUT*

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board has partnered with North Star Community Rowing to present a community showing of the movie A Beautiful Thing. North Star Community Rowing is a Minnesota non-profit organization that seeks to empower individuals, transform lives, and build community through the sport of rowing. 

Event details:

Date: Saturday, August 1

Time: Movie will start at dusk - approximately 9:15 p.m.

Location: Bohemian Flats, 2150 West River Parkway

Cost: $15 per vehicle. Advance online purchase required. Space limited to 50 vehicles -  follow this registration link.

FM transmitter will be your access to the sound for this movie event. Details regarding sound and tuning into the movie will be confirmed after registering for this event.

Originally headed to debut at SXSW, the much-anticipated documentary feature, A Most Beautiful Thing, narrated by Grammy and Oscar-winning artist Common, executive produced by NBA Hall of Famer Grant Hill, NBA All-Star Dwayne Wade, Grammy-winning producer 9th Wonder, and directed by award-winning filmmaker and Olympic rower, Mary Mazzio.

The film chronicles the first African American high school rowing team in the nation (made up of young men from the West Side of Chicago, many of whom were from rival gangs, all coming together to row in the same boat.)

Aquatennial 2020 Online Content Kicks Off July 22.

The Minneapolis Aquatennial is officially under way with online content that will be updated today through Saturday. You’ll find Aquatennial interactive activities, videos, memories, and more. Aquatennial’s online content can be found at www.aquatennial.com/aqua2020.

Some of the highlights include:

• AquaTivities for all ages, featuring interactive puzzles, a scavenger hunt, BINGO games, card games, Zoom backdrops, origami, and more
• Run the Life Time virtual Torchlight 5K—free to sign-up and can be run any time between now and July 26
• Enjoy a virtual Street Show musical performance by Jeremy Messersmith on Friday from The Dayton’s Project terrace
• Videos and highlights from flagship events, the CenterPoint Energy Torchlight Parade and Target Fireworks
• Take a virtual Alchemy A10 high-intensity fitness class on Friday—your Alchemy coach will lead the workout from the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
• Shop local makers all weekend with the Aquatennial virtual Mpls Craft Market
• Take a paddle share ride on the Mississippi River and enjoy a 10 percent discount using a special Aquatennial code, or have virtual Coffee with a Ranger featuring a St. Anthony Falls lock and dam tour
• Twin Cities River Rats highlight videos
• And more

Follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Below is a schedule of Aquatennial 2020 content. 

Mark your calendars for next year’s Aquatennial, including the CenterPoint Energy Torchlight Parade and Target Fireworks, July 21-24, 2021.

Join the DMNA for August 8 and 9 Community Clean-up Events

Please join the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (DMNA) the weekend of August 8 and 9 to help cleanup around the downtown community. They are hosting two events:

Saturday, August 8, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Sunday, August 9, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Please meet at the Bark Park at 205 Park Avenue to pick up gloves and garbage bags.

The Mill City Times Interview: Bob Rice, Owner of Pow Wow Grounds

Article by Becky Fillinger

Our Native American neighbors were recently featured in local news for their actions in defending their Franklin Avenue neighborhood during the riots following George Floyd's death. Twenty businesses and nonprofits were saved by the actions of community leaders. Bob Rice, owner of Pow Wow Grounds, offered his coffee shop as staging grounds for the AIM street patrols. We spoke to the community leader and businessperson about his coffee shop and his views on the notion of community.

Bob Rice

Q:  Tell us the history of Pow Wow Grounds.

A:  We opened Pow Wow Grounds in 2011. NACDI was looking for someone to run a coffee shop and they knew I had a shop on the North side of Minneapolis. They convinced me to open up at the Franklin Avenue location.

Q:  How did you participate in the AIM patrols during the riots last month?

A:  Pow Wow Grounds was not open for regular business. I offered up the space as a staging area for the community members who were working to patrol our neighborhood. I provided free coffee. This allowed people to have a central space to gather - put plans together for each day and stay connected. Community members from teenagers to those in their 70s helped with the effort. The parking lot of Pow Wow Grounds was also used as a donation site for some time after the rioting.

Franklin Avenue mural honoring AIM and other community members who protected the community during rioting.

Q:  I read that you harvest the wild rice used in your restaurant. Have you been harvesting a long time? Where do you harvest?

A:  I have been harvesting wild rice since the age of 12 - so it’s now been 46 years for me. My father, uncles, cousins and family friends taught me and my brothers how to harvest. Mentoring the next generation is just what you’re supposed to do as a community member. I harvest from McGregor to White Earth East and West from Brainerd to Inger North to South. The family name of Rice is a bureaucratic coincidence. A great-grandfather needed an “American,” or “English” name for some government enrollment records. The Ojibwe family name wouldn’t do.

Philly Cheesesteak on Fry BreadQ:  What are your best sellers? What do you wish more people would try?

A:  My best seller is the Fry Bread Tacos. We make them on Fridays, but I think we will begin to make them more often and also increase making pizza during the week. We pick one day for Philly Cheesesteak on Fry Bread. The Wild Rice Quiche is a favorite. I make about 6 dozen wild rice blueberry muffins during the week, and sell a dozen wild rice yogurt parfaits during the week. The Chicken Wild Rice Soup is a favorite during the cooler months.

Wild Rice Quiche, Wild Rice Blueberry Muffin and coffee

Q:  Do you cater outside events?

A:  Yes, I’m able to offer hominy soups, fry bread tacos, sweet fry bread, buffalo roasts and other items. I can plan a menu with you. We cater many different types of celebrations from pow wows to funerals.

Q:  How can we stay in touch with Pow Wow Grounds?

A:  Visit our shop at 1414 E Franklin Avenue. Call us at 612-545-5598. Like us on Facebook! Try our food and check out our t-shirts too!

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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. 

Central City Tunnel System Construction - Learn More via July 21 Virtual Open House

The City is planning to construct a new stormwater tunnel in Downtown Minneapolis. The new tunnel will be parallel to the existing tunnel located under Washington Avenue between Nicollet Mall and Chicago Avenue and under Chicago Avenue between Washington Avenue and the Mississippi River. The new tunnel will increase stormwater capacity and will reduce possible safety hazards and failure of the existing stormwater tunnel.

The project is currently in the design phase and includes community outreach activities to inform the public on project schedule and staging. The final design for the parallel tunnel is anticipated to be completed in early 2021 and construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in late summer/early fall 2021.

The link to the virtual open house will be posted the morning of July 21, 2020.