Northeast Minneapolis' Central N.E. Restaurant to Open July 16

Morrissey Hospitality announces Central N.E. will open Thursday, July 16th to serve the Minneapolis community. Located in the heart of NE Minneapolis at 700 Central Avenue NE, this new restaurant will be serving elevated American cuisine made from scratch and innovative cocktails made with Minnesota spirits.

Central N.E.’s carefully crafted menu features a variety of small plates that offer a smattering of delicious bites in perfect portions before diving into other dishes to further tantalize your taste buds. The open kitchen allows for the culinary to infuse seamlessly with the dining room and bar. The counter seating even allows for a front row seat into the culinary orchestra.

“Morrissey Hospitality is thrilled to be in partnership with Andy and Mary at Central N.E. Their passion for the neighborhood and business aligns with our passion for providing high quality food, drinks, and authentic hospitality. The Northeast neighborhood is animated and energetic, and we look forward to being a part of this community and add more energy to the neighborhood,” said Elizabeth Morrissey-Brown, Principal at Morrissey Hospitality.

“The mouthwatering craft cocktails or the vibrant dining and bar space might draw you in to Central N.E., but the familiar flavors, warm ambiance, and friendly service is what will make you a regular,” said Elizabeth.

Central N.E. owners, Mary and Andy Cohen, are excited to open their new restaurant. “We are very pleased to serve the NE neighborhood and beyond with our new concept - Central NE. We are excited about both food and beverage menus, created with the neighborhood in mind and executed with the experience and expertise Morrissey Hospitality brings to the table. We look forward to welcoming diners and hope that this spot will be a place for the neighborhood to enjoy for years to come.”

Central N.E. will open with their dinner menu available for in-store dining and take out which includes gluten friendly and vegan friendly items. Central N.E. has hopes to expand into brunch and lunch service in the future.

Call (612) 354-7947 for reservations, https://www.central-ne.com

Hours Of Operation:

Restaurant / Kitchen / Bar/ Patio:

Sunday & Monday    closed

Tuesday – Saturday   4:00 pm – 8:00 pm

(take-out also available via website or phone # above)

Kid Cann: The Kingpin of Minneapolis

Article by Michael Rainville, Jr.

September 8th, 1900, Râmnicu Sărat, Romania. Eva Blumenfeld and her husband Phillip welcome their first born, Isadore, into the world. Two years later, the young family packed their bags and set sail for America. Eventually landing in Duluth, the Blumenfelds settled in North Minneapolis in 1902, and the rest is history.

Isadore Blumenfeld a.k.a. Kid CannGrowing up in Cedar Riverside and Near North, Isadore and his family bounced from house to house as his parents tried to make ends meet. At fifteen, Isadore dropped out of school for the last time and picked up a gig as a paper boy on Newspaper Row in Minneapolis in order to help his parents financially support his two younger brothers. After using his charm, wit, and persistence, he rose the ranks and eventually acquired the paper routes that went through the wealthier areas of town.

The older he grew, the bolder he became with his moneymaking schemes. The first time he was arrested came in 1920, at nineteen-years-old, for being in a “disorderly house,” probably for partying too loud. One month later, he was caught pickpocketing outside of the Armory during a Norwegian church event. Three years later, some of Isadore’s acquaintances were involved in a deadly bank robbery in St. Paul. When the police tracked down the getaway car, they found it parked in front of a familiar house. The only two people inside were not directly involved with the robbery and murder, but because of an already notorious reputation, Isadore and his friend James Pierce were arrested. Isadore was eventually acquitted, but when the police booked him, he gave them the name “Harry Bloom” one of his many aliases.

In April of 1924, Isadore Blumenfeld was once again making headlines when he shot and paralyzed Charles Goldberg in front of the Vienna Café on Nicollet Avenue. As the story goes, Isadore, his friend Robert Royan, and a cab driver Abe Percansky were arguing over a woman. Punches started being thrown and a crowd quickly grew. The cab driver pulled out a gun since he was outnumbered, and Isadore immediately took it from him. In the midst of the scuffle he shot Charles Goldberg, a bystander who was trying to break up the fight. The bullet severed Charles’ spine, and he was paralyzed from the chest down. While giving his statement to the police at the hospital, he said he was only trying to calm everyone down and that it was all an accident. After slipping into a coma, Charles succumbed to his injuries nine days later.

Isadore admitted to the shooting, but he had a friend in the legal world. Growing up in the same area of North Minneapolis as Isadore and other eventual gangsters, Floyd B. Olson was in the middle of his second term as Hennepin County Attorney. The murder was ruled an accident and Isadore did not have to serve any time.

At some point during his late teens and early twenties, Isadore earned the nickname Kid Cann. He claims he earned it in the boxing ring, but other say it was because he could always be found sitting on the can when crimes and murders he was associated with took place. He adamantly denied that explanation, so that means it was probably true, right?

Kid Cann and his bothers ventured into the bootlegging business in the 1920s. Supplied with whiskey from Canada, rum from Louisiana, and moonshine from stills in Stearns County and in a forest near Fort Snelling, Kid Cann became the king of liquor in the Twin Cities and upper Midwest. Doc Ames, a former four-time mayor of Minneapolis, can be partially credited with Kid Cann’s success. When he was in office during the turn of the 20th century, he fired over half of the police force, appointed his own brother as chief of police, hired an infamous gambler to be the new chief of detectives, and replaced the fired officers with criminals and gangsters. Operating in a city where politicians and the police force backed his business, Kid Cann would frequently supply Al Capone’s Chicago Outfit with illegal booze. Once prohibition ended in December of 1933, Kid Cann and his brothers bribed and conned their way through city hall once again and became extremely influential with distributing liquor licenses in Minneapolis.

During the peak of the Gangster Era in the United States, the Twin Cities was full of corruption and crime. St. Paul’s long line of crooked police chiefs meant St. Paul was a sanctuary for gangs, such as the Barker-Karpis Gang, and Minneapolis was being run by Kid Cann. Fortunately, this meant that not too many gangs wanted to step on Cann’s toes and mess with his territory.

Kid Cann pushed his luck in other states as well. He was caught transporting Cuban rum in Louisiana, but never showed up to his court date and charges were dropped. Two years later in 1933, he was charged with laundering the $200,000 ransom ‘Machine Gun’ Kelly received from kidnapping an oil business owner. The federal government traced the money to Hennepin State Bank in Minneapolis, took him in for questioning, and transported him to Oklahoma City where the kidnapping took place to await the trial. Kid Cann used his influence yet again when Minneapolis Police Chief Joseph Lehmeyer traveled down to Oklahoma City to testify in favor of Kid Cann. Cann’s charges were dropped.

1936 photo of Kid Cann and his legal team smiling after he was acquitted of the murder of journalist Walter Liggett.

Headline about that acquittal.

One of Kid Cann’s more infamous crimes was the murder of former New York Times writer and investigative journalist Walter Liggett outside his home in Minneapolis. Liggett was making waves in the Twin Cities journalism scene by exposing crooked cops and politicians, including many articles on the corruption of former Hennepin County Attorney and governor of Minnesota at the time, Floyd B. Olson. As brave it is to call out politicians on obvious corruption, Liggett’s fate was sealed. He was shot five times in the back. As her husband’s murderer drove off, Edith got a glimpse of his face and was convinced it was a smiling Kid Cann. All it took for Kid Cann to be acquitted of all charges was an alibi from his barber. Even though her husband’s killer, whoever it was, was never convicted, she insisted Governor Olson played a roll in the hit.

Kid Cann’s last major Minneapolis crime came in the early 1950s when busses were replacing streetcars. As a holder of 16% of the Twin City Rapid Transit Company and part-owner of Mid-Continent Development & Construction, Kid Cann caused the downfall of one of the best streetcar systems in the nation. Kid Cann and others convinced the company that diesel busses were the up-and-coming, preferred mode of transportation that would usher in a new, successful age for the city. Cables and tracks were uninstalled and sold to two companies for a fraction of their value. One of those companies was Kid Cann’s Mid-Continent Development & Construction. To no one’s surprise, it took many years for the authorities to uncover what he did, and he was acquitted of all charges.

Kid Cann's grave marker

After serving five years of prison time for transporting a prostitute across state lines, he was ordered to never live in Minneapolis again. He did not seem too upset and moved down to Miami and went into business with famous mobster Meyer Lansky. Even though the court ordered him to never live in Minneapolis, he still frequently visited his family and friends multiple times a year. He never made headlines again until his last trip back to Minneapolis in 1981 when he died of heart disease at Mt. Sinai Hospital at the age of eighty. There are many stories and tall tales of Kid Cann, but his life is still a mystery. To put it in his own words, “ninety percent of what was written about me is bull[crap].”

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -   

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.

The Mill City Times Interview: Kim and Naviya LaBarge of Naviya's Thai Brasserie

Article by Becky Fillinger

We have periodic requests from our readers for ideas on take-out food for the perfect summer picnic. We spoke to Kim and Naviya LaBarge of Naviya's Thai Brasserie in Linden Hills for some inspiration. 

Q:  Please give us a selection from your menu for a perfect picnic in the parks.

A:  The limited menu we are currently working with dictates two choices for an ideal summer picnic: Fresh Organic Tofu Spring Rolls and Fresh Chicken and Shrimp Spring Rolls. These are gluten free and the tofu choice is vegan. Lake Harriet is right around the corner, so you won’t be waiting long to eat!

Q:  While we’re talking, tell us how Thai food and the five flavors of food impact your cuisine and the health of your diners.  

Fresh Shrimp & Chicken Spring RollsA:  In traditional Oriental medicine, it is believed the human body is made up of five essential elements. Associated with each of them is a category of flavour derived from natural foods. When the five elements are in balance the body is in good health. When any of them is deficient or excessive, the harmony of the body is disturbed.

One way to ensure good health is to include in the diet a balance of natural foods representing the five flavours; salty, sweet, sour, bitter and pungent (spicy hot). Because Thai cuisine utilizes all five, almost to an equal degree, it is revered as a health-enhancing cuisine. The five major organs; liver, kidney, heart, lung and spleen and interconnectedness of five primary flavours. Because a high percentage of ingredients used in our recipes are fresh ingredients and not canned, processed or frozen, we have opportunity to use varying proportions to achieve surprisingly different results. This coupled with the differing strength of herbs, spices and vegetables (remember fresh picked) including different sections of the crop and using multiple local sources, we have many variables allowing us to create many distinctive tastes just by manipulating all the above. For example; the bitter flavour comes largely from dark green vegetables and herbs and is present in most recipes, by using the remaining 4 flavours can be adjusted to achieve many results suitable to your taste palette. Always use your taste buds to adjust the recipe as this is the key to all of the above, based on using fresh ingredients. 

Q:  What item do you wish more people would try from your menu?

A: If vegetables are the cornerstone for you when selecting dishes while dining out, we are here to serve you. We have always segmented the vegetables we buy for flavour and shop our suppliers accordingly. Natural sugar content is significant to Naviyas as we cook our vegetables by caramelizing, cooking over extremely high heat in a cast iron wok, until the skin on the bell peppers split, slightly charred imparting a natural smoky, sweet, woodsy flavour to the end result, while combined with your sauce and protein cooked in the same manner, well...you get my meaning! For an abundance of vegetables, choose Holy Basil Supreme! Healthy eating! For you vegan diners, the Coconut Lemongrass Soup is made from scratch for every order, starts with vegetable stock and is true vegan. We do not cut corners, and once you try our food I know you’ll be a regular customer!

Coconut Lemongrass Soup

Q:  What are your hours? 

A:  Weekdays, noon to 8PM, weekends, noon to 9PM. We have patio seating and takeaway for those picnics.  We’re at 2812 West 43rd Street. Our telephone number is 612-276-5061. Please also follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Come visit us!

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - 

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. 

July 10 Ward 7 Update from Council Member Lisa Goodman

Public Hearings on Revised 2020 City Budget

The City Council’s Budget Committee will hold two public hearings, July 14 and 22, on proposed revisions to the City’s 2020 budget. The City is facing approximately $156 million in projected revenue losses because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Revised budget proposal

Mayor Jacob Frey presented the second phase of his revised budget proposal to the City Council’s Budget Committee July 9. The proposal avoids mass layoffs of City employees by relying on existing spending freezes, use of cash reserves, program cuts and furloughs. The budget also prioritizes preserving housing, economic development and racial equity work that will benefit the communities of color who have been hit hardest by COVID-19.

Frey’s Phase 1 response to the impact of COVID had included spending and hiring freezes and has saved approximately $58 million to date.

Public hearings

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

• Tuesday, July 14 at 6:05 p.m.

• Wednesday, July 22 at 10:00 a.m.

The City Council is scheduled to hold a budget markup July 17 and vote July 24 on a revised 2020 budget.

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

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

Public Hearings for Proposed Charter Amendment Creating New Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention

The Minneapolis Charter Commission is seeking public comments on a proposed amendment to the City charter related to the future of public safety. People can submit their comments online or provide them directly to members of the commission at a public hearing July 15 or July 21.

The proposed amendment, submitted by the City Council, proposes removing the Police Department from the charter and adding a new Community Safety & Violence Prevention Department. Under State law, the Charter Commission is required to review and submit its recommendation(s) on the proposed amendment before a ballot question can be presented to voters.

The virtual public hearings will take place

• Wednesday, July 15 at 5:00 p.m.

• Tuesday, July 21 at 6:00 p.m.

Participation instructions will be published on the City’s website. If you’re interested in speaking at either or both of the public hearings, you can pre-register using the online registration form.

Other ways to comment:

• Using the online public comment form.
• Emailing councilcomment@minneapolismn.gov.
• Mailing comments to:The City Council voted June 26 to advance the proposal as a ballot measure to be considered by Minneapolis voters.
• Minneapolis Charter Commission City Hall – Room 304 350 S Fifth Street Minneapolis, MN 55415

Under state law, the Charter Commission has at least 60 days to complete its review and submit its recommendation to the City Council. 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

The Hennepin County Response to Homelessness

Hennepin County is the government entity that is the lead agency for addressing the topic of homelessness.  The remainder of this newsletter is a republishing of Commissioner Marion Greene's newsletter where she shares detailed information on what is being done by Hennepin County.

Shelter Available Today

As of today, there are 50 private rooms available for families with children at People Serving People and St Anne’s and we want to get all families out of encampments and inside as soon as possible.

At both People Serving People and St. Anne’s, families can find safe shelter from the elements, staff trained in trauma informed care and connections to quality childcare, healthcare, education and housing services. Additionally, as a right-to-shelter community for families with children, the county will work with families to make shelter arrangements even if these agencies no longer have rooms available

Responding to Families

We continue to implore all families with children to contact the Hennepin County shelter team at 612-348-9410 to arrange to get them into one of these safe places today. Outreach workers on the ground in city parks are aware of this and have helped connect some families to shelter. We want all to come inside and avoid the risks that are present at encampments. Please share this information broadly so we can help get more families out of harm’s way.

Immediate Response to COVID-19

We know that the COVID-19 pandemic is particularly threatening to our most vulnerable neighbors. As soon as the Hennepin County board issued our emergency declaration in mid-March, we expanded the entire shelter system to be CDC-guidelines-compliant, we also expanded it on a massive scale to shelter significantly more people, and we took immediate action to protect just under 600 of the most vulnerable (older people and people with comorbidities). We responded to the urgent need by asking willing Hennepin County employees to work in and run new shelters. Hennepin County shelters now operate 24-hours a day and offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner so residents have a safe place to reside full-time. 

These enormous efforts are the reason we have not seen widespread outbreaks in our homeless community as many other urban centers across the country have experienced. Hennepin County is spending almost $3 million per month for this response.

In addition, at the time of the civil unrest in Minneapolis, Hennepin County participated in the state-led effort to move about 130 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness from the Sabo Bridge, Stevens Square and Cedar encampments (also offered to folks on the Greenway) to two area hotels leased and managed by Avivo and Start Today.

Current, Ongoing Supports

Hennepin County in partnership with the city is deploying our Healthcare for the Homeless team to provide health supports to people at encampments across the city. Our Homeless Access and non-profit outreach teams are similarly working in encampments. They attempt to connect people to openings in housing, shelter and other services.

County and city staff and services have Are currently overextended at levels previously unheard of after standing up, staffing and maintaining hundreds and hundreds of new units of protective and isolation space since the days that followed the State of Emergency Declaration while also converting our entire homeless and housing system to be responsive to COVID-19.

On May 13 Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis communicated to the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) that we could not safely stand up any additional hotel sites. This was before the murder of George Floyd and the resulting uprisings stretched our shelter system even further

Making Shelters Safer

These actions taken together have led to the largest and safest shelter system we have ever had in Hennepin County. Today, including the state’s most recent encampment evacuation to hotel sites, there are:

• Approximately 1,130 spaces in use for single adults experiencing homelessness in Hennepin County.
• Two-thirds of these spaces are individual separate rooms.
• All of these spaces are available for guests to use 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Three months ago, there were:

• About 930 emergency shelter beds for people experiencing homelessness in Hennepin County
• All of these beds were in congregate settings with as many as 130 people in one room in the largest setting
• Only 180 spaces were available 24/7

Additionally, our family system still operates under a right-to-shelter for families with children and we have more than sufficient capacity to serve and shelter families

Testing for COVID-19

Mass testing at both our family shelter and one of our hotel sites recently found zero COVID+ test results for guests and staff. As of last week there had been a total of ~100 COVID+ cases among people experiencing homelessness in Hennepin County (as per MDH). While there is still a long road ahead of us, positive cases among people experiencing homelessness stayed flat thus far and have been declining steadily in recent weeks.

This effort has required unprecedented levels of funding. Hennepin County and partner staff have volunteered to be redeployed from their traditional work to offer support and step into roles they’ve never had before. This response has stretched our capacity and that of our nonprofit partners to a level that is unsustainable without additional support.

Helping People Keep the Homes They're In

The economic impacts of COVID-19 are further threatening to exacerbate these challenges. To prepare for the risk of thousands of people newly threatened with homelessness, Hennepin County recently announced $15 million for rental assistance for low income households who cannot afford their housing costs due to COVID-19.

Please help us share this resource widely: https://www.hennepin.us/rent-help.

Protecting People in Encampments

These unprecedented efforts still fall short of meeting the extraordinary need in our community. There are very real public health risks that are unavoidable in large, concentrated encampments that must be considered in our collective response to this situation. As described above, we will continue to deploy our Healthcare for the Homeless team to provide health supports to people at Powderhorn Park and other encampments across the city. Our Homeless Access and outreach teams will similarly continue to work tirelessly to connect people to services and the shelter and housing that is available.

The county and city’s previous experience with large encampments has taught us that the larger encampments get, the more dangerous they become. That is especially true for those staying within them. This was true before factoring in the global pandemic that requires social distancing to keep vulnerable individuals and our community safe.

What the City of Minneapolis is Doing

The City of Minneapolis has been a close partner of the county’s in this work. If you would like information specifically about the City’s overall homeless response system and encampment response the city’s webpage here: http://www2.minneapolismn.gov/cped/housing/WCMS1P-081097.

Underpinning: Lack of Affordable Housing

Our region’s lack of affordable housing does the most harm to people with very low incomes—those making 30% of the Area Median Income (or about $30,000 for a family of four). People of color are disproportionally represented in this group and even more disproportionately represented in who experiences homelessness. In Hennepin County:

• About 74,000 households live in this income bracket.
• We have only about 14,000 units of subsidized housing in Hennepin County that are affordable for them.
• About 95% of people experiencing homelessness have incomes at or below this level, including many who are working full-time jobs.

The math is simple, people can’t afford housing and there is not enough of it.

Immediate and Long-term Solutions – In ‘Normal’ Times

Every year, the county invests about $134 million, primarily state and federal funds, to support a range of affordable housing and shelter response strategies. This funding allows us to:

• Provide shelter for 9,000 people experiencing homelessness
• Help more than 7,500 residents who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness maintain or access permanent housing
• Support 15,000 people in supportive housing
• Create or preserve about 975 units of affordable housing

As I mentioned above, from the beginning of the year to the end of May, our community has moved more than 700 people in Hennepin County directly from homelessness into permanent housing. This work makes a difference for the people served but unfortunately it is not nearly enough.

Increasing Supportive Housing

Last year the Hennepin County board adopted a new strategy to proactively drive construction of 1,000 new units of housing affordable to those with the lowest income, including housing specifically designed for people who are chronically homeless or medically fragile.

This is an innovative 10-year strategy that the we estimate will cost the county $90 million and require continued investment from state and city funding partners. We have already awarded $6 million to fund seven new supportive housing projects which will create 212 physical units of housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness and people with severe addictions.

Partnership

If you’ve read this far, it is clear how closely Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis are collaborating, and partnership with the State of Minnesota is woven through this work as well. Here is the list of joint initiatives the city and county are working on that the state hopes to join:

• Funding for additional outreach at encampments to connect people to shelter and housing
• A park board request: Funding for incidental expenses at encampments: bathrooms, handwashing stations, showers, medical services and security
• Capital and operating support for emergency shelter: dormitories at the State Fair Grounds (or other state-managed location), excess quarantine housing identified by the State Emergency Operations Command (SEOC), or other new shelter locations including but not limited to hotels
• Response to the City/County joint request to the SEOC for staffing support, either re-assigning state workers as the County has done, or new staff for hotels and shelters
• Purchase of hotels using federal CARES Act dollars or bonding across the state and region, a long-term investment in shelter and housing that would supplement this strategy that the City and County are jointly pursuing
• Support for longer term shelter needs for culturally appropriate shelter and medical respite shelter

Further Ways to Help

People often ask ‘what can I do to help,’ so here is an answer, to the best of my ability. These challenges require all of us working together with the urgency that the moment requires. Here are a few things you can do right now to help.

1. Keep advocating: Join forces with established efforts to increase housing stability in our community. Check out the Homes for All Campaign, MN Coalition for the Homeless, and the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Please continue to reach out to your state and federal representatives, as well as your city and county elected leaders and let them know we need immediate funding and action to address homelessness in our communities.
2. Volunteer: Many organizations lost volunteers when the pandemic started. Organizations need volunteers now more than ever — you are likely connected with your local non-profits but otherwise Handsontwincities.org is a good place to start.
3. Donate: Nonprofits who are providing shelter and essential services to people experiencing homelessness are facing dire financial constraints at a time when their services are more needed than ever. Hennepin County is doing everything we can to increase funding, but your donations are badly needed, too.
4. Educate: In order to take decisive and effective action together, having a sound understanding of the challenges we face together is crucial. The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a good resource to help educate your friends, family, and neighbors on solutions to end homelessness. You can also find great statistical information for Minnesota at Wilder Research. 

Thank you again for your passion for this work. It requires good faith collaboration and strong partnerships across government agencies, the public and private sectors and, especially, community and people with lived experience of homelessness. And to reiterate, shelter and encampments are not acceptable solutions; only housing is.

The City’s Response to Homelessness

Minneapolis has experienced an unprecedented growth in homeless encampments since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are several large encampments citywide with the largest currently at Powderhorn Park in south Minneapolis. There are roughly 100 encampments throughout the city, most of which are small in size.

Response

The City is working with Hennepin County to help connect people experiencing homelessness to housing, shelter and services while preserving dignity and respect. The response includes:

• The City has placed more than 15 hygiene stations throughout the city including portable toilets, handwashing stations, used syringe containers and trash receptables.
• The City Health Department is coordinating public health services at large encampments.
• Officers from the Minneapolis Police Department Homeless and Vulnerable Persons Initiative deliver food and water and help people access resources.
• The City works with contracted outreach providers to connect encampment residents with services, shelter and housing.
• The City and County will work with community partners to secure federal COVID-19 funding to expand outreach and rapid rehousing services and expand long-term culturally appropriate shelter capacity.

Affordable housing

Housing ends homelessness, and the City and County have significantly increased investments in affordable housing development in 2019 and 2020, with priority for housing serving people experiencing homelessness.

• Since 2006, the City has provided more than $68 million to help develop more than 900 units of supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness.
• About 290 new units for people experiencing homelessness will close on financing from City and County, State and/or Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) funding programs and start construction in 2020.
• We are working with partners to prevent evictions during this time of crisis. The City made $3 million available for Emergency Housing Assistance for people who have lost income due to COVID.
• The County has made $15 million available for Emergency Housing Assistance through CARES Act funds. Applications for County housing assistance are currently being accepted.

Find out more on the City website.

COVID-19 Situational Update as of July 8

• There are 5,048 cases in Minneapolis and 190 deaths. The City is sharing Minneapolis-specific daily case counts and demographics through a public facing dashboard at www.minneapolismn.gov/coronavirus/dashboard.
• Young adults continue to account for more than 50% of cases. Social exposures and contacts are increasing as more facilities open. This is the second week that cases in young adults have spiked.
• Congregate living facilities in Minneapolis continue to see new cases among residents and, while accounting only for 9% of confirmed cases, account for 72% of COVID-19 deaths.
• There are 39,589 cases in Minnesota out of over 692,000 tests completed. There have been 1,485 deaths from COVID-19 in Minnesota. There are 12,703 cases and 789 deaths in Hennepin County.
• There are over 11 million confirmed cases worldwide, with more than 3 million cases confirmed and 131,857 deaths in the US alone. The US remains the country with the highest number of cases and deaths by a significant margin.
• CDC and the Minnesota Department of Health have issued testing criteria to include all contacts with a known exposure.
• As of June 10, Minnesota has entered Phase III of the Governor’s Stay Safe MN order which allows bars and restaurants to offer indoor dining at 50% capacity with tables spaced six feet apart. Pairs of people may sit at a bar if they maintain the appropriate distance from others. Pools may open at 50% capacity and gyms may open at 25% capacity.
• Mayor Frey’s Emergency Regulation requiring that masks be worn in indoor public spaces in Minneapolis is still in effect.
• The state’s Community Resiliency and Recovery Work Group has released a survey to gather information about the impacts of COVID-19 on traditionally marginalized communities. They would like to hear from Minnesota’s Black, Asian, Latinx, Indigenous, immigrant, and refugee communities to understand how COVID-19 is impacting these groups and how the state can better support them. Please consider sharing the survey link with your constituents.

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.

Case investigations: The Health Department is conducting over 50 case investigations and contact follow-ups for individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 per day. 86% of all cases reported in Minneapolis have been interviewed, 9% are lost to follow up (insufficient contact information or non-returned calls), 2% refuse the interview, and 3% represent new cases not yet interviewed or cases in long-term care facilities which are investigated by the state health department. Currently, the MHD has 25 investigators, including six non-MHD enterprise staff. Of case investigations conducted, 37% were done in a language other than English.

Testing: The testing team is beginning to plan for a community testing event at Sagrado Corazon church in south Minneapolis. This will be planned with the church and its community partners, as well as the Minnesota Department of Health. This community testing event will focus on the Latinx community; however, it will be open to all. The MHD is in conversation with community groups and Healthcare for the Homeless about coordinating testing for individuals sheltering at or near Powderhorn Park.

Personal Protective Equipment: The Health Department continues to receive requests for masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer. Last week, we distributed 2,730 cloth masks and 191 bottles of hand sanitizer. Much of what was distributed went to supporting safe practices as people congregate at and around the George Floyd memorial site at 38th and Chicago. The remainder was distributed in response to various community requests across the city. Broadly, we continue to seek to balance the needs of clinics and health care providers with the needs of other priority populations including low-income individuals, BIPOC communities, low-income multi-family housing properties, faith communities, people experiencing homelessness, and community-based organizations.

Health inspections: Health inspectors completed a sweep of 24 bars in downtown, Uptown, and Dinkytown. Nine bars were closed. The 15 open bars all had COVID-19 plans in place. Health inspectors stressed COVID-19 safety messages. Additionally, COVID-19 plans are reviewed at all routine health inspections. The Park Board opened 20 wading pools on July 4, and the MHD is reviewing COVID-19 plans at the pools as they inspect.

Homelessness response: The MHD continues to work closely with others across the City enterprise, the State, County, and the Park Board to respond to the urgent and long-term needs of the unsheltered homeless population. Tent encampments of various sizes can be found at approximately 38 parks across the city, including more than 560 tents at Powderhorn Park. Health Department staff are coordinating different health care needs at the encampment such as wound care, harm reduction, mental health, HIV and hepatitis testing. In addition, the MHD is providing on-site services such as hand washing stations and syringe drop boxes to help maintain safe and hygienic environments.

Food security efforts: Unemployment, disrupted transportation services, and public safety concerns are significantly impacting food security for individuals and families across the city. Multiple City departments are collaborating to provide leadership and support for emergency food relief efforts.

Food retail: Health inspectors completed a final walk-through of the temporary Cub Foods community market on Lake Street. The 13,000 square foot space, which includes grocery and pharmacy services, opened on Wednesday, July 8. The temporary market on West Broadway has started construction and is scheduled to open in late July. Cub is offering shuttle service from these two locations to nearby stores for those who seek a larger selection of food and goods.

Free food distribution: Demand at food shelves and free food distribution events continues to increase. City staff are co-hosting a weekly food distribution at Powderhorn Park for 600+ Latinx households and a growing number of other community members. As needs are identified among food shelves and community groups, the MHD is making connections to available resources such as state and county funding opportunities. Staff are also convening partners to help foster collaboration and address barriers such as the need for language translation at pop-up events.

Community engagement: A pilot effort is being proposed which will provide COVID-19 education and help address social isolation among Somali elders in public housing high rises. Financial support will be provided to a community-based group working with this population. If the pilot program moves forward, both the Health Department and Neighborhood and Community Relations will be involved.

Heat emergencies The Health Department is connecting with area hospitals to maintain situational awareness on hospital use related to extreme heat. Community spaces usually available for people to cool off, such as libraries and park buildings, are not available this year. Several strategies are being vetted to cope with extreme heat events including mobile cooling shelters using busses and development of emergency cooling site plans with the Park Board.

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

MNHS Announces Plans for Historic Sites and Museums in 2020, including the Mill City Museum

Via a July 10 e-announcement from the Minnesota Historical Society:

The Minnesota Historical Society is working on plans to welcome back visitors to the Minnesota History Center, to Mill City Museum, and for tours at the Minnesota State Capitol later this year. 

Earlier MNHS announced that Split Rock Lighthouse and Jeffers Petroglyphs will once again be open for visitors beginning July 15. Birch Coulee Battlefield, Lower Sioux Agency, Marine Mill and Traverse des Sioux are already open to the public. 

While the remaining MNHS historic sites and museums will not have regular open hours for the rest of the year, staff at a number of sites are working on limited offerings including programs that could accommodate guests onsite. View an open/close grid.

In order to ensure the health and safety of guests, staff and the community, MNHS is limiting the number of daily visitors at Split Rock Lighthouse and Jeffers Petroglyphs. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased online or through the box office at 651-259-3015. A limited number of tickets will be available for walk-ups.

New protocols designed to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19 can be viewed on the health and safety procedures page of each website, which can be found on our visit page.

MNHS is following recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control, and will adjust reopening plans as necessary.  

For more information, visit our website at mnhs.org/covid-19.

About the Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical Society is a nonprofit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs and publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories and connects people with history.

The Mill City Times Interview: Dr. Julia Ponder, Executive Director, The Raptor Center

Article by Becky Fillinger

We’re lucky in the Twin Cities to share our environment with so many eagles, hawks, kestrels, falcons and owls. We’re also lucky to have a world class Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota. We talked to Julia Ponder, Executive Director, about the programs and other ways the public may interact with these magnificent birds.

Q:  When was The Raptor Center (TRC) started at the University of Minnesota?

A:  The Raptor Center at the U was founded in 1974 and moved to its current building in 1988. More information on our history can be found here. If there’s a research question about raptors – anywhere in the world – we will be asked for our input. 

Q:  I read in your bio that raptors are sentinels for infectious diseases and environmental contaminants. Can you tell us about this?

A:  Raptors are sentinels on several levels. They can be sentinels for issues that impact individuals, populations and ecosystems. Like humans, raptors are at the top of the food chain where bioaccumulation of contaminants can have profound effects on health. The classic example is DDT, which pushed the peregrine falcon population towards extinction in the United States before being banned. Another on-going issue is lead toxicity in eagles. We have recognized this to be a problem for decades and have contributed to research showing that spent lead ammunition from deer hunting is the major source. Other researchers looked at these results and asked the question, "If eagles are getting lead poisoning from scavenging carcasses, what about humans eating venison harvested with lead ammunition?" Turns out, studies demonstrated the presence of lead - a highly toxic substance - in ground venison packages prepared for human consumption.

Dr. Julia Ponder

Q:  How did you become interested in raptors?

A:  Raptors have long captivated human attention - they capture our imagination with their majesty and power. I have always been fascinated by birds and committed to conservation. Like so much of the rest of the world, I am just fascinated by raptors - I can't tell you exactly when it started. I feel extraordinarily lucky to have been able to combine my love of birds, raptors and conservation into an amazing professional career.  

From The Raptor Center on Instagram: “Just because we have to wear masks doesn't mean we can't look good while doing it!"

Q:  How may the public interact with TRC during the COVID-19 shutdown? 

A:  We’re trying to continue our interactions with the public as possible. That includes programs, volunteering and supporting our mission. Follow us on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. We have many outreach program options, both virtual and at "your" location (outdoors). Check out our program where you can invite a raptor to your Zoom meeting! Right now, we have limited ability to train new volunteers and can only use a portion of our current volunteer group. That said, it is always good to let us know of interest in volunteering. Things do change, and rapidly, these days. The Raptor Center is very dependent on philanthropy with 60% of our operating budget coming through gifts. During COVID-19, with many of our earned revenue programs shuttered, philanthropy is more important than ever to us. We look forward to interacting with you again in person!

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - 

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. 

July 8 Newsletter from Council Member Steve Fletcher

Ward 3 Friends -

My regular Wednesday coffee hours will be cancelled this week and next while the Charter Commission takes up the Council's proposed public safety charter amendment for this year's ballot. Then, starting on Thursday, July 23, they will move to THURSDAYS at 5:00 P.M. for the foreseeable future. 

I encourage you to read the proposed charter amendment and submit public comment to have your voice heard (more info below). There are also two scheduled public hearings: next Wednesday, July 15 at 4:00 P.M. and Tuesday, July 21 at 6:00 P.M.

We are also amending the 2020 Budget this month to address revenue shortfalls due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Public hearings on that amended budget will be held on July 14 and July 22; more details on those are below as well.

I look forward to continued discussion with you on both of these critical items and more in the weeks to come.

En Avant,

Steve

Comments Sought on Proposed Changes to the City Charter

The Charter Commission holds its first public hearing July 15

The Minneapolis Charter Commission is seeking public comments on a proposed amendment to the City charter related to the future of public safety. People can submit their comments online or provide them directly to members of the commission at a July 15 public hearing.

The proposed amendment, submitted by the City Council, proposes removing the Police Department from the charter and adding a new Community Safety & Violence Prevention Department. Under State law, the Charter Commission is required to review and submit its recommendation(s) on the proposed amendment before a ballot question can be presented to voters.

The first of two virtual public hearings takes place at the next Charter Commission meeting, 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 15. Participation instructions will be published on the City’s website.

Other ways to comment:

• Using the online public comment form.
• Emailing councilcomment@minneapolismn.gov.
• Mailing comments to:

Minneapolis Charter Commission
City Hall – Room 304
350 South Fifth St.
Minneapolis, MN 55415

(Virtual) Coffee With Your Council Member

I have normally held 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.

Due to the Charter Commission meetings and Public Hearings, meetings are cancelled for the next two weeks. Then please join me for my coffee meetings on their new regularly occurring time on Thursday nights: 

Wednesday, July 8 -- CANCELLED

Wednesday, July 15 -- CANCELLED

THURSDAY (new regular day), July 23, 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 David.Zaffrann@minneapolismn.gov to RSVP.

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 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.

Training Opportunities From Minnesota Peacebuilding Leadership Institute

Introduction to Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience for Cultural Competence - 2 hour online training

When terrible things happen, like COVID-19, racism, police brutality, our peace is stolen from us. Most people want to build peace back into their lives and community.

These 2-hour online trainings are partially funded by the City of Minneapolis’ Office of Violence Prevention to promote racial trauma healing, resilience, and restorative justice for all who live, work, and/or play in Minneapolis.

Pay-what-you-can up to $30 Click to register:

• Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 2pm – 4pm CST                          
• Friday, July 17, 2020, 10am – 12pm CST
• Tuesday, July 21, 2020, 2pm – 4pm CST                          
• Thursday, July 23, 2020, 10am – 12pm CST
• Tuesday, July 28, 2020, 2pm – 4pm CST                          
• Friday, July 31, 2020, 10am – 12pm CST

This 2-hour online training teaches basic concepts, models, and strategies of the 5-day Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience - STAR Training. STAR is a research and practice-supported community education training integrating neuropsychology, trauma healing and resilience, restorative justice, nonviolent conflict transformation, and broadly defined spirituality for increasing cultural competence. All are welcome to join us. Space is limited to 30. 

This training is for everyone: laypeople, paraprofessionals, and licensed professionals. This training is not only for “staff.” Training objectives: 

1. Learn and reflect on the various types of trauma and common responses to psychological trauma for increased racial healing and equity.

2. Learn and reflect on the links between unhealed trauma and cycles of harm and violence experienced by all people.

3. Learn and reflect on the basic STAR trauma healing and resilience models and associated practices for increased racial healing and equity.

4. Explore ways to apply trauma healing, resilience, and restorative justice practices toward building peace within your sphere of influence.

Mill District resident co-founds OnUp Protein Water

Via a July 6 Press Release

Twin Cities startup OnUp Protein Water helps athletes recover from hot summer fitness activities with a refreshingly delicious protein and electrolyte water.

OnUp Protein Water, a women-owned Twin Cities startup, is focused on helping people stay healthy and refreshed in the summer heat.

“Our fundamental belief at OnUp is that exercise is an important part of your day that allows you to be better at the rest of your day," said Erin Hoekstra, co-founder of OnUp Protein Water and a resident of the Mill District. “Getting the right recovery is key, especially during the summer when you lose water and nutrients through sweat.”

“As athletes ourselves, we were seeking a beverage that had everything we wanted and nothing that we didn’t,” added Ilene Rauscher, co-founder of OnUp Protein Water. “We knew that we needed protein after a workout, but chugging a thick, chunky shake just isn’t refreshing. We also didn’t want something with piles of sugar in it. We couldn’t find anything that tasted delicious and had the nutrition profile we wanted, so we created our own.”

Co-founders Erin Hoekstra (left) and Ilene Rauscher

OnUp is the perfect recovery beverage for people, whether they are training for a virtual marathon, going for a walk, returning to the gym, working in the yard, or doing yoga in the park. OnUp is packed with 22g of whey protein, the right amount to trigger muscle repair. It also has sodium and potassium, the two electrolytes that we sweat out in the highest quantities, but are needed to help the body absorb and use the fluids that we drink. OnUp has 0g of sugar, nothing artificial, and is available in four refreshing fruit flavors.

OnUp is available at Kowalski’s, Lakewinds, Linden Hills Co-op, Fresh & Natural, Tim & Tom’s Speedy Mart, and lululemon Mall of America. It is also available at gyms throughout the Twin Cities and online with free home delivery in the Twin Cities and a money back guarantee.

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

About OnUp Protein Water

OnUp Protein Water was launched in the Twin Cities by co-founders Erin Hoekstra and Ilene Rauscher in Summer 2019. At OnUp, we believe that exercise is an important part of the day that allows you to be better at the rest of your day. We strive to bring a clean-tasting and refreshing protein recovery to all workouts and to inspire you to go onward and upward to a better you. OnUp is a refreshingly delicious recovery beverage that rehydrates with filtered water, replenishes with electrolytes, and repairs with 22g whey protein. For more information, visit www.onupwater.com, Instagram or Facebook.

Chef Jamie Malone Opens New Spanish-style Restaurant, La Pistola, at Eastside

La Pistola Walk-Up Seafood and Ham Bar at Eastside Draws on the Cuisine of Spain

La Pistola is the new offering of award-winning Chef Jamie Malone. The carefully curated menu is available to order online for takeout while preparations begin to reopen its patio and dining room.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Eastside Eat + Drink is flinging open the doors of its street-side bar for a new twist on a Pop-up, La Pistola, a Walk-up Seafood and Ham Bar, patterned after the amazing gastronomy of Spain.

After placing your order for such delicacies as Lobster and Fries with Alabama White Sauce, White Anchovies with Sourdough Bread or Hand-Sliced Magnalista Ham with Bread, Butter and Sea Salt - patrons will be given a map of nearby parks where they are encouraged to dine al fresco. In addition, sweets such as Lemon Blueberry Ice Box Cake and beverages, ranging from a selection of wine by the bottle to Violet Lemonade, are available. Classics like the Smash Burger with Fries and Flatbread Pizza with Tomato, Olive, and Caper are perfect for an evening picnic with friends and family.

Full menu ​LAPISTOLAMPLS.COM

Upper Harbor Terminal & Affordable Housing

By Dennis Paulaha, PhD, Written for The Great River Coalition, Diane Hofstede President

The Minneapolis politicians managing the Upper Harbor Terminal project on 48 acres of city-owned land in North Minneapolis with one mile of frontage on the Mississippi River are asking for ideas from the public as to what people think is the best thing to do with the property.

Unless new ideas are able to change current plans, it looks like more than half the acreage will be used by private developers, or a single private developer, to build somewhere around 300 rental units, with the promise of making some of them “affordable”, along with a number of retail stores and restaurants.

A little less than half the land, the part that borders the river, is to be used as a park with an outdoor amphitheater that would be managed or owned by First Avenue Enterprise Limited.

On the surface, it doesn’t sound like a bad plan, but when you look a little deeper, it looks like one more example of the City of Minneapolis handing the city’s valuable resources over to private developers.

Are There Alternatives?

As an economist, one of my main complaints is that both the city and the private developer are focused on the construction of rental properties as an answer to both the affordable housing problem and the racial inequity problem in Minneapolis.

Given that we now know the single most important cause of racial inequity throughout the country is the differences in accumulated home equity, such a project will continue the rent-for-life downward spiral of African-Americans in Minneapolis.

Looking at what other cities are doing with city land, the current Upper Harbor Terminal Plan seems not only shortsighted, but lacking a goal that would benefit either the African-American community, lower income families in general, or the overall economy and health of the City of Minneapolis.

The Hunters Point Naval Shipyard project in San Francisco is just one example. Instead of building rental units, they built condos, hundreds of which sell for $500,000-$600,000, which, because it is San Francisco, are considered affordable housing.  if the Upper Harbor Terminal project followed the San Francisco model, building condos instead of rental units, the prices, because it is Minneapolis, not San Francisco, would be lower. Doing so would allow a number of families who are on the margin to become owners instead of renters. Which would not only help those families, but, according to the research, it would change the entire future of their children, their grandchildren, and add to the economic vitality of Minneapolis.

Doing so would not solve the racial inequity problem, the poverty problem, or the affordable housing problem on its own. It would, however, take at least some steps in the right direction.

Another example of a big city project is the Essex Crossing development in New York City. It is on the lower Eastside. It is also built on the idea of affordable condos. And it has a community garden, which is something North Minneapolis residents have suggested.

In other words, there are legitimate and better alternatives to guide the partnership between the City of Minneapolis and private developers. Condos and community gardens instead of rental units and an amphitheater is just one.

Preserve Minneapolis Announces 2020 Virtual History Tours

Via a July 3 e-announcement from Preserve Minneapolis:

We are excited to announce its first-ever virtual walking tour schedule.

This is the organization’s ninth year exploring the city’s architectural and cultural treasures with the public.
 
The first tour is July 11 and features the brew houses of Lowry Hill East, documenting our city’s brewing history through those who built houses in the newly developed Lowry Hill and Sunnyside suburbs of the late 19th century.
 
Join experienced architects and historians as Preserve Minneapolis visits nearly every corner of the city’s historic neighborhoods, buildings and landmarks. These tours reveal hidden stories of the past that has shaped Minneapolis from its earliest days.

Tours cost $5 plus a $1 transaction fee. Register online
 
July 11
Brew Houses of Lowry Hill East
The first families of Minneapolis brewing in the 19th century were the Glueks, Muellers, Orths and Heinricks. After the breweries consolidated around 1890, the second generation desired to live among the new middle class in the newly developed Lowry Hill and Sunnyside suburbs.
 
July 14
Closing Time: Saloons, Taverns, Dives and Watering Holes of Minneapolis
Bars, taverns, saloons, and speakeasies have been part of the cultural, social, and physical landscape of downtown Minneapolis since its founding. Drawing from the 2019 book “Closing Time,” this tour will cover more than a dozen downtown spots virtually, some closed for decades, some still waiting to reopen.
 
July 16
Milwaukee Avenue Historic District
A 1970s public agency’s renewal plan called for demolishing approximately 70% of the 46 houses in the 35 block Seward West neighborhood, including all of the houses on Milwaukee Avenue. However, a neighborhood organization, the Seward West Project Area Committee (PAC), thwarted that plan.
 
July 18
Warehouse District
The Minneapolis Warehouse Historic District is the state's largest commercial district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The tour will discuss the overall history of the district, the history and architectural styles of individual buildings, and the architects who designed them.
 
July 23
East Lake of the Isles Residential Home Tour
The development of the Lake of Isles neighborhood occurred between 1886 and 1911. It was closely tied to the development of the Minneapolis Park System. Hennepin Avenue to the east acquired a major streetcar line in 1891. This encouraged major commercial development on Hennepin and residential development on the east shore of Lake of Isles from 1905 – 1915. This tour will explore the architectural styles popular during this development period.
 
July 26
Alphabet Streets: Discovering Prince’s Minneapolis Through Place
By the time Prince was 18, he was a fully realized and accomplished artist who could walk into the Sound 80 studio in Minneapolis's Seward neighborhood and write, produce, record, sing, and perform all the instruments on his demo tape, and then land a major recording contract with Warner Brothers by the time he was 19. As we visit his Northside and Southside residences, the schools he attended, the locations where his first band started and practiced, and recording studios where he worked as a session musician while still a teenager, we'll learn how the Great Migration brought Prince's ancestors to Minnesota, why Prince attended various schools throughout Minneapolis, and how growing up in this city produced the specific experiences which enabled his musical career.
 
July 30
Lowry Hill
The tour will explore sixty homes on Lowry Hill. We will see the works of 24 architects and several master builders. The tour will touch on the history of Lowry Hill and Thomas Lowry Park. We will talk about individual architects, master builders, and some of the original owners. We will interpret the variety of architectural styles represented here.
 
Aug. 8
Dinkytown: Forever Young
John Pillsbury’s decision to locate the University of Minnesota on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River in 1858 set the stage for Dinkytown’s destiny as a dynamic commercial district that has inspired generations of people to explore new ideas and try out new personas. This tour will explore Dinkytown’s early commercial years, signature buildings, legacy businesses, and its role in the student protests of the 1960s.

Aug. 16
Tangletown
Explore the winding streets, impressive homes, and creek environment of the neighborhood originally known as Washburn Park. Learn about landmark sites such as the Washburn Water Tower, the Harry Wild Jones House, Washburn Memorial Orphan Asylum (where Justice Alan Page Middle School now stands), and the Minnehaha Creek, parkway, bridges, woods, and trails.
 
Aug. 18
Northside Former Synagogues and Neighborhoods
This tour will explore the early 20th century former synagogues and other institutions that were at the heart of the predominantly Jewish community of the Near North Side and their present uses today.

Aug. 22
Como-Harriet Streetcar Line
Enjoy a virtual exploration of the abandoned and reconstructed Como-Harriet Streetcar Line. We will begin our tour in Uptown and finish at 44th & France. Along the way, participants will catch glimpses of the route, both as it looks today and how it appeared to long-ago passengers. The tour will include remnants of the original Twin Cities Rapid Transit streetcar line, the former Lyndale Hotel site, the Museum’s car barn, and the Linden Hills business district.
 
Aug. 25
Nicollet Mall
Nicollet Avenue has been Minneapolis’ main shopping street for more than 100 years. In the 1960’s, to compete with suburban shopping malls that were drawing customers away from downtown, eight blocks of Nicollet were closed to automobile traffic. On this virtual walking tour, we will investigate the histories of the Mall itself and of 15 buildings and spaces that face the Mall, including the IDS Crystal Court, Dayton's, the Loring Greenway, and Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Aug. 29
Downtown Public Art
The City of Minneapolis has long maintained a vital program of public art. Public art has been part of civic projects dating back to the completion of the City Hall in 1906 with its majestic Carrara marble statue. This tour will touch on important examples within downtown Minneapolis associated with many important historic and contemporary buildings in Minneapolis.
 
Aug. 31
Lakewood Cemetery: Creating a Landscape of Memory
This tour explores the grounds and monuments of Minneapolis’ most fabled cemetery, including two outstanding buildings designed by Minneapolis architects in collaboration with nationally noted designers: the 1910 Byzantine Revival Chapel and the 2012 Garden Mausoleum.
 
Sept. 10
Red Cedar Lane and Environs
Red Cedar Lane, once chosen as the “Best street in the Twin Cities” by Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, is a beautiful secret — easily missed as you drive by its narrow intersection with Upton Avenue near Minnehaha Creek in South Minneapolis. On and near Red Cedar Lane you’ll see several houses designed by William Gray Purcell, in association with Frederick Strauel.
 
Sept. 12
Nicollet Island
In 1866 – one year before the city’s incorporation – a referendum that would have made Nicollet Island a public park failed. Instead the island developed as a microcosm of the city, with its own industrial, commercial and residential zones. Then in the 1970s and 1980s, the city succeeded in making much of the island into parkland after all. The tour takes in the entire 40-acre island, from the south tip overlooking St. Anthony Falls to the intact 19th century neighborhood at the north tip.
 
Sept. 14
Architect Avenue
Learn the unique history of this tucked away little-known street in the farthest northeast corner of the City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County. What is the connection to Minneapolis Streetcar magnate Thomas Lowry? Why is the street called Architect Avenue and who were the architects?
 
Sept. 20
The Sunnyside Addition – Minneapolis’ First Streetcar Suburb
In the early 1890’s, the area bounded by Franklin Avenue on the north, 24th Street on the south, Hennepin Avenue on the west, and Lyndale Avenue on the east was farmland. It became Minneapolis’ first and best streetcar suburb. Visit the Sunnyside Addition with us. View historical photos, see what is here, and understand why we fight for the preservation of its historic architecture.

June 2020 by the Numbers

Downtown real estate market update from Cynthia Froid Group:

July 2 Ward 7 Update from Council Member Lisa Goodman

Hello to everyone.  You may have noticed that we are sending out our newsletter on Thursday this week as our office is closed Friday, July 3, in observance of the Fourth of July, holiday weekend. No matter what you are doing to acknowledge and celebrate the long holiday weekend, I hope you can take some time to rest and relax and as always, in everything you do – please be safe!

As we reported last Friday, the Minneapolis City Council voted to move the question about the future of the Minneapolis Police Department and the idea of creating a new department called, Community Safety & Violence Prevention onto the Minneapolis City Charter Commission. This starts the process for the people of Minneapolis to vote on this idea.  The Charter Commission is now tasked with gathering public input and determining if this initiative should be on the ballot this fall.  Under state law, the Charter Commission has at least 60 days to complete its review and submit its recommendation back to the City Council.  The article below this message tells how you can share your public comments with the Charter Commission.

How to Share Comments with the Charter Commission on the Proposed Police Reorganization

Information on this and a way to comment is available at this web page: http://www2.minneapolismn.gov/charter/public-safety

Additional information (also found on that web page) is below.

Public Safety Transformation

The City Council has proposed an amendment to the City Charter to be referred to voters in November. If approved by voters, that amendment would create a new Community Safety & Violence Prevention Department and remove the Police Department from the Charter. 

See the proposed amendment

The proposal has been referred to the Charter Commission for its review as required by state law. The deadline to submit a ballot question this year is August 21.

Learn how the Charter can be amended and view current proposals for amendments.

You may submit comments for the record on this proposal. Your comments will be included in the public record and shared with the Charter Commission.

Your data will be added to the public record.

Information you provide is subject to the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. This law classifies certain information as available to the public upon request.

COVID-19 Situational Update as of Noon, July 1, 2020

• There are 4,732 cases in the city of Minneapolis and 187 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 information on the total ICU count for the state and Minneapolis.
• Minneapolis saw more than 300 confirmed cases this past week, a 35% increase after five straight weeks of declining case counts. We have seen a significant increase in the proportion of cases in younger adults. The proportion of cases occurring among those under 35 years old increased from 43% the week of May 30 to 66% the week of June 21.
• Congregate living facilities in Minneapolis continue to see new cases among residents and while accounting only for 9% of confirmed cases, account for 73% of COVID-19 deaths.
• There are 36,716 cases in Minnesota out of over 617,000 tests completed. There have been 1,445 deaths from COVID-19 in Minnesota. There are 11,892 cases and 776 deaths in Hennepin County.
• There are over 10 million confirmed cases worldwide, with more than 2.6 million cases confirmed and 127,485 deaths in the US alone. The US remains the country with the highest number of cases and deaths by a significant margin.
• CDC and the Minnesota Department of Health have issued new testing criteria to include all contacts with a known exposure. MDH recommends COVID-19 testing for anyone involved in recent mass events that occurred across the state beginning May 25. Free testing was offered through June 24 in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
• As of June 10, Minnesota has entered Phase III of the Governor’s Stay Safe MN order which allows bars and restaurants to offer indoor dining at 50% capacity with tables spaced six feet apart. Pairs of people may sit at a bar if they maintain the appropriate distance from others. Mayor Frey issued an Emergency Regulation requiring that masks be worn in indoor public spaces in Minneapolis.
• The state’s Community Resiliency and Recovery Work Group has released a survey to gather information about the impacts of COVID-19 on traditionally marginalized communities. They would like to hear from Minnesota’s Black, Asian, Latinx, Indigenous, immigrant, and refugee communities to understand how COVID-19 is impacting these groups and how the state can better support them. Please consider sharing the survey link with your constituents.

Health Incident Command updates

As the Minneapolis Health Department (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.

Case investigations: The Health Department continues to conduct over 30 case investigations and contact follow-up for individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 per day. 86% of all cases reported in Minneapolis have been interviewed, 10% are lost to follow up (insufficient contact information or non-returned calls), 2% refuse the interview and 2% represent new cases that we have yet to speak with. Currently, MHD has 21 investigators, including five non-MHD enterprise staff. Of case investigations conducted, 43% were done in a language other than English.

Testing: MHD staff continue to support state-led testing as local public health liaisons at long-term care facilities in Minneapolis. On June 23, staff supported testing at the Minneapolis Apartments; 214 residents and 53 staff were tested. MHD staff will be supporting MN National Guard testing at two long-term care facilities next week (July 9 and 10). As well, we are working with community partners and clinics on how to support ongoing testing efforts and requests for community testing.

Personal Protective Equipment: Last week, we distributed 5,117 cloth masks and 271 bottles of hand sanitizer. As the volume of requests increases, we seek to balance the needs of clinics and health care providers with the needs of other priority populations including low-income individuals, BIPOC communities, low-income multi-family housing properties, faith communities, community clinics, people experiencing homelessness, and community-based organizations. From a public health standpoint, we are looking to increase distribution of resources based on data telling us where new COVID-19 hot spots are occurring.

Communications and outreach: With the significant uptick in confirmed cases among young adults and increased reopening of bars, restaurants, youth sports, and other social gatherings, there is renewed emphasis on the need to wear face masks and practice physical distancing. Health Department staff are working with the City’s Communications team to develop key messages geared at encouraging young adults to wear cloth face masks. These messages will be incorporated into a variety of communications strategies including a short video featuring Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx.

Health inspections

o Health inspectors are canvassing more than 20 bars located in Downtown, Uptown, and Dinkytown, including three bars that were linked to recent clusters of confirmed cases among young adults. Inspectors are reviewing businesses’ COVID-19 preparedness plans and offering guidance for table layout and other strategies to prevent the spread of the virus.

o Health inspectors and Business Licensing staff are also supporting adult entertainment venues in implementing appropriate safety and mitigation strategies for employees and customers. Written guidance on developing COVID-19 plans was provided to business owners and managers.

Homelessness response: MHD continues to work closely with others across the City enterprise, the State, County and the Park Board to respond to the urgent and long-term needs of the unsheltered homeless population. Tent encampments of various sizes can be found at approximately 35 parks across the city, including more than 400 tents at Powderhorn Park. Additional encampments of note include approximately 55 tents at a city-owned lot on 23rd/14th, about 15 tents at 26th/14th , and 30 tents between 12th/14th along the Midtown Greenway. Health Department staff are coordinating on-site services such as hand washing stations and syringe drop offs to help maintain safe and hygienic environments.

Housing supports: The economic impacts of COVID-19, coupled with the already limited supply of affordable housing options, pose a challenge to many individuals and families. To prepare for the risk of thousands of people newly threatened with homelessness, Hennepin County recently announced $15 million for rental assistance for low income households who cannot afford their housing costs due to COVID-19. Please help share this resource widely: https://www.hennepin.us/rent-help.

Food insecurity response: The Health Department, in partnership with other City staff, is convening, coordinating, and assisting community groups in addressing urgent food access needs, especially in the areas hardest hit by grocery store closures resulting from the civil unrest. We are actively supporting community-led pop-up food distribution events happening across the city. This week, City staff hosted calls with operators of these events to share information about funding opportunities, identify needed support and resources, and encourage new collaborations. Staff are also working with the University of Minnesota Institute on Environment to co-develop GIS maps identifying current grocery, local food and hunger relief assets and gaps. This information will be shared with City leaders soon to aid in advocacy and decision-making. We are also actively participating in conversations with retail partners to help establish and promote temporary grocery services, including Cub’s temporary grocery and shuttle service on Lake Street (launching July 8) and in North Minneapolis (launching later in July).

Community engagement: The COVID Community Engagement team managing the work of the Shared Power Advisory Committee (SPAC) has conducted a hotwash (consisting of 3 meetings) to determine what worked, what needs work, and what could be carried forward to ensure that the City continues to center equity and elevate the voices of underrepresented communities in its response and recovery efforts. Over the next four weeks, individual interviews will be conducted with City staff and SPAC membership to gather more complete data about the model. In the meantime, the BIPOC Impact Report, charged to the Health Department from the SPAC, will also be a focus of staff work.

Public health leadership: Commissioner Gretchen Musicant will participate in a national roundtable call, “The path to Zero: Suppressing COVID-19 through Testing, Contact Tracing and Supported Isolation” on July 2. Commissioner Musicant and three other public health officials will discuss proposals about testing and contact tracing for COVID-19. The roundtable is sponsored by U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Bill Cassidy, Lisa Murkowski and Tom Carper.

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

Mayor Frey, Chief Arradondo Roll Out Tighter Rules on Officer Body Camera Review and Reporting

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Medaria Arradondo have announced the first of what will be a series of new public safety policy reforms. The new policies, driven by Arradondo and approved by Frey, effectively tighten rules for officer body camera review and reporting by preventing Minneapolis officers involved in critical incidents – including the use of deadly force – from reviewing body camera footage prior to completing an initial police report for the critical incident. The updated policies are designed to better capture officers’ perceptions and factors believed to exist at the time an officer acted.

The policies also provide clearer direction to supervisors regarding immediate on-scene communications, remove past barriers on such communications, and clarify time requirements for reporting.

Read more here.

City Leaders Provide Update on Violence Prevention Efforts, Ongoing Recovery Work and COVID-19 Response

Officials from the City of Minneapolis shared updates on violence prevention efforts, COVID-19 response, ongoing building recovery work, and the status of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights investigation among other topics.

Watch the recorded video on the City’s YouTube channel.

Office of Violence Prevention Launches Web Presence

The City of Minneapolis Office of Violence Prevention has a new web presence describing its work within the City’s “transforming public safety” content. The office uses a community-focused public health approach to address the roots of violence, intervene at the first sign of risk, and lead healing in its aftermath.

The Office of Violence Prevention approaches violence prevention with this these things in mind:

• Violence is not inevitable. As with other health conditions, we can prevent and treat violence, and we can heal from it.
• Violence has roots in social, economic, political and cultural conditions. These can include:
  • Oppression.
  • Limited economic opportunities.
  • Community disinvestment.
  • Community disconnectedness.
  • Poor housing conditions.
  • Harmful norms around gender and masculinity.
  • Classism.
  • Racism.
• Violence takes an unequal toll on communities of color and on specific neighborhoods in Minneapolis. Violence prevention must include work to dismantle structural racism.
• Everyone has a role to play in creating communities that don’t include violence. It takes all of us to make our communities safe, healthy, hopeful and thriving.

Participate and learn more

• Tune in to KMOJ 89.9 FM to hear Office of Violence Prevention Director Sasha Cotton discuss the office’s work 1-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 8.
• Take this survey to help guide the City’s violence prevention priorities for the next three-five years.
• Comment on the proposed charter amendment establishing a new Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention and removing the Police Department as a charter department.
• Read about Office of Violence Prevention initiatives.

The Office of Violence Prevention formed in 2018 building on Health Department violence prevention work since 2006. The work has been a national model for other cities across the country.

“20 is Plenty” Speed Limit Yard Signs Available July 6

Minneapolis and Saint Paul are in the process of implementing new, lower speed limits to support safer streets. Slower speeds on local streets make travel safer for everyone no matter how you get around.

The new speed limit starting this fall will be 20 mph in both cities unless otherwise signed. To help get out the word about the new speed limits and the importance of slower speeds for safety, the City has yard signs available for community members.

You can pick up your “20 is Plenty” yard sign at any Minneapolis fire station. Signs will be available from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays July 6 to July 24 while supplies last. Due to COVID-19, signs will be available outside the stations for no-contact pickup. Signs come with metal stands. Find your nearest fire station here.

You can learn more about new speed limits here.

Voters are Encouraged to Vote by Mail this Election Year

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is encouraging voting early by mail, and Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services supports this and other CDC and Minneapolis Department of Health recommendations to make sure every voter in Minneapolis can safely cast their ballots this election year. 

Early voting begins for State primary and special election – Council Ward 6

Early voting has begun for the Aug. 11 State primary and special election – Council Ward 6. Ballots may be cast early by mail or in person at the Early Vote Center, 980 East Hennepin Ave. Requested mail-in ballots are now being mailed to Minneapolis voters.

Changes to voting by mail

Any Minnesota voter can vote early; no reason is needed. However, due to a recent court action, some of the requirements for voting by mail have changed. These affect witness requirements and the deadline for returning your ballot. Currently, these changes only apply to the State primary.

• If you are registered to vote at your current address you will not need a mail ballot witness for the Aug. 11 State primary.
• If you have moved, changed names or need to register for the first time, you will need a witness to sign your mail ballot envelope.

For the State primary, a voter’s ballot will count as long as it is postmarked on or before the day of the primary (Aug. 11) and is received in the mail no later than two days after the primary (Aug. 13). This is a change from previous election law requiring mail ballots to be received by the day of the primary. Please note that if voters deliver their ballot in-person to the Elections & Voter Services office, it still must be returned by 3 p.m. on the day of the primary.

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

Voting at the Early Vote Center

The Early Vote Center, 980 East Hennepin Ave., makes early in-person voting 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 (closed Friday, July 3). 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.

Election judges needed

Election judges are needed for the State primary Aug. 11 to serve voters in local polling places. Election judges are paid $17.15 per hour for their service, which includes training. Depending upon schedule and preferences, people can choose which elections they work in, and whether they want to be at a polling place close to where they live or anywhere else in Minneapolis.

Serving as an election judge provides an opportunity to learn about the election process and is an important service to our community. Judges who are fluent in a second language are especially needed to provide additional language support in the polling place, including Spanish, Somali, Hmong, Oromo, Lao, Vietnamese, Russian and American Sign Language.

Find out more about this opportunity at vote.minneapolismn.gov/judges or call 311.

Voters can save time by taking these three steps

1. Make sure you’re registered to vote, or pre-register at least 21 days before the election. Voters can register or check the status of their registrations at vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/register.
2. Download and complete the absentee ballot application form in advance, and bring it when you go to vote. Find the request form at vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/bymail.
3. Look at a sample ballot ahead of time; even bring it to refer to when you go to vote. Find your sample ballot at vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/ballot.

What’s on the ballot?

Minneapolis voters will cast ballots for the following primary races:

• U.S. senator.
• United States representative (District 5).
• School Board member at large.
• Council member (Ward 6 only).

State law allows voters to bring materials into the polls to help complete their ballots, and the sample ballot is the best tool available for this purpose. By downloading and printing their sample ballots (which are customized to their specific ward and precinct), voters can practice marking their ballots. They can bring this marked-up sample ballot as a reference to the voting booth when completing their official ballots. This is the best way to reduce the time spent waiting in lines.

Find sample ballots for all 134 Minneapolis precincts here: vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/ballot.

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 Budget 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 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.

Fourth of July Reminder: Be Safe with Fireworks, Keep 911 Open for Emergencies

Fourth of July fireworks are part of Independence Day celebrations, and the noise complaints and safety issues they can generate lead to high call volumes at 911 call centers across the country. That’s why the City wants to make sure folks stay safe during fireworks season and know what to do if they have fireworks-related complaints.

Fireworks safety

• Read, understand and follow the instructions on each device before using.
• Use fireworks with close adult supervision.
• Choose a safe place to use fireworks. Fireworks should only be ignited outdoors and away from animals, buildings, storage tanks, brush or combustible materials.
• Anyone acting in an irresponsible manner or who appears to be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs should not handle or discharge fireworks.
• Keep fireworks away from small children and store them in a cool dry location away from sources of ignition (heat and flames).
• Never ignite fireworks inside another container such as a bottle or can.

What’s legal, what’s not

• Non-explosive fireworks are legal in Minneapolis. Examples include sparklers, cones, tubes that spark, snakes and party poppers.
• It is legal to use these types of fireworks in your yard or on your sidewalk.
• Fireworks that explode or take off are illegal in Minneapolis. Examples include firecrackers, bottle rockets, missiles, roman candles, mortars and shells. Besides being illegal, these types of fireworks are upsetting to veterans with PTSD and to pets, especially dogs.
• It is illegal to use any fireworks on public property including roads, alleys, schools and parks.

When to call 911

For fireworks-related issues that pose life safety threats or fire hazards, residents should call 911 for police, fire or medical help.

Examples of calls that should go to 911 include:

• A person injured by fireworks.
• Airborne fireworks landing on a building or wooded area posing a fire risk.
• The size of a fireworks gathering and unruly behavior beginning to pose a threat to others.

Find tips on calling 911 here.

Make noise reports online

Instead of calling 911 for Fourth of July noise reports, people are asked to make noise reports online (link here, or search “fireworks” on the City website); the reports will be reviewed during normal business hours. Noise reports can also be made through the 311 mobile app, to minneapolis311@minneapolismn.gov or by calling 311. You can also text “fireworks” to 311898 to enter a fireworks complaint on the City’s website.

Reducing the number of noise complaints to 911 will allow emergency calls to be answered as quickly as possible. On a typical Fourth of July evening, Minneapolis 911 receives hundreds of calls per hour, most of which are related to fireworks noise complaints. On an average day, Minneapolis 911 receives 80-100 calls per hour. Because of the volume, police officers cannot be dispatched to each fireworks noise incident around the Fourth of July but calls will be prioritized to ensure public safety.

Residents should note that Minneapolis 311 is closed July 3 and 4, but reports can be made 24/7 online, on the 311 app or at minneapolis311@minneapolismn.gov. City staff will review the complaint during normal business hours when offices open again and may follow up with the property owner the complaint references.

Find more fireworks safety tips here.

Minneapolis Parks Foundation and People for Parks Announce Consolidation

New People for Parks Fund at the Minneapolis Parks Foundation carries forward 42-year grassroots legacy and provides greater opportunity to align philanthropic support with the community’s vision

The Minneapolis Parks Foundation and People for Parks today announced that the organizations will be consolidated, effective July 1, 2020. With the consolidation, People for Parks will be dissolved and its remaining assets transferred to the Minneapolis Parks Foundation to seed the newly created People for Parks Fund. The core work of People for Parks will continue through the Minneapolis Parks Foundation’s People for Parks Fund, including grant-making and fundraising events. In addition, two People for Parks Board Members have been appointed to the Minneapolis Parks Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Founded in 1977, People for Parks identified and directed $2.5 million to Minneapolis parks through grant making, fundraising events, and fiscal agency. Its work originated with Dutch elm disease and grew to include support for the Lake Harriet Bandshell rehabilitation, Wabun universal access play area – the first of its kind in Minneapolis – and the nature playscape at North Mississippi Regional Park, as well as numerous neighborhood park projects throughout Minneapolis.

In creating the People for Parks Fund, the Minneapolis Parks Foundation is making a commitment to support People for Parks’ best-known and most impactful activities, including grants, the Poster for Parks show, Root Beer Run, and donor recognition program through pavers and benches at the Lake Harriet Bandshell and the plaza at Bde Maka Ska.

“The Minneapolis Parks Foundation is honored to be entrusted with People for Parks’ legacy of service to Minneapolis. Its history of grassroots, community-based support complements the Parks Foundation’s mission to transform lives by aligning community vision and philanthropic investment,” says Tom Evers, Executive Director of the Minneapolis Parks Foundation. “Under one roof, we’re even better able to support our parks through a full range of giving options. Every gift of any amount is meaningful, and now we’ll have more ways for people who love and value Minneapolis parks to make an immediate difference in their community.”

"We are thrilled to unite with the Minneapolis Parks Foundation and embark on this new chapter in our decades-long legacy of supporting our city's exceptional parks,” says outgoing People for Parks Board Member Steve Bailey, who along with Jay Halvorson, has been appointed to the Parks Foundation Board of Directors. “The donors, volunteers, board members and staff members of both organizations will now be able to expand their work and gain even more opportunities to make a positive impact on our public parks and the community members who enjoy them. By working together, we will help ensure Minneapolis continues to have the best public parks in the nation."

People for Parks Fund and Advisory Committee

The primary purpose of the People for Parks Fund will be to make grants into the Minneapolis parks system. In addition to seed funding from People for Parks, and the Minneapolis Parks Foundation will contribute annual supplemental funding. Further support will come from donor contributions made to the Fund through the Parks Foundation and fundraising events.

In 2020, an Advisory Committee comprising two former People for Parks Board Members and two current Minneapolis Parks Foundation Board Members, along with additional community appointees, will develop the People for Parks Fund grant criteria and process as part of the initial start-up phase of the Fund.

Beginning in early 2021, the People for Parks Fund Advisory Committee will recommend and guide an annual process for setting grant priorities for the year, a timeline for seeking proposals, distributing a set amount of funds annually, define and produce fundraising activities for generating new funds, methods for tracking results, and capturing stories about the impact of each year’s funds from each grant.

Report Fireworks Complaints via 311 - Multiple Methods Available

Via the City of Minneapolis e-news and website:

Fourth of July fireworks are part of Independence Day celebrations, and the noise complaints and safety issues they can generate lead to high call volumes at 911 call centers across the country. That’s why the City wants to make sure folks stay safe during fireworks season and know what to do if they have fireworks-related complaints.

.

Instead of calling 911 for Fourth of July noise reports, people are asked to make noise reports online; the reports will be reviewed during normal business hours. Noise reports can also be made through the 311 mobile app, minneapolis311@minneapolismn.gov or by calling 311. You can also text “fireworks” to 311898 to enter a fireworks complaint on the City’s website.

.

Reducing the number of noise complaints to 911 will allow emergency calls to be answered as quickly as possible. On a typical Fourth of July evening, Minneapolis 911 receives hundreds of calls per hour, most of which are related to fireworks noise complaints. On an average day, Minneapolis 911 receives 80-100 calls per hour. Because of the volume, police officers cannot be dispatched to each fireworks noise incident around the Fourth of July but calls will be prioritized to ensure public safety.

.

Read more