New FMR Film About Our Local National Park — Watch the Trailer and Sign Up for the Premiere!

Via an October 31 Friends of the Mississippi (FMR) e-newsletter:

Ask most Twin Citians where our nearest national park is and they'll scratch their head and suggest Voyageurs or perhaps the Apostle Islands. But there is only one national park on the entire length of the Mississippi River whose focus is the great river, and that park is right here in the Twin Cities.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016, FMR is making a documentary about our very own national park, the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. 

The film tells the story of the effort to get Congress to designate the park, explores the meaning of this legacy, and stresses the need for continued stewardship and advocacy on the park's behalf.

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"Hidden Grace: Our Mississippi River National Park" (working title) will air on Twin Cities Public Television in spring 2016 and public screenings are planned as well. If you enjoy the trailer above and would like to be invited to the premiere, just let us know!

Advance Tickets Now on Sale for 'Sounds Like Home' Benefit for People Serving People

Advance tickets are now on sale for the annual Sounds Like Home benefit for People Serving People, taking place November 12 at Triple Rock Social Club, 629 Cedar Avenue.

Come and listen to some great music and support homeless children and their families! 100% of your ticket price goes will go directly towards People Serving People’s programming for homeless children and their families, including early childhood education, one-on-one tutoring, employment services, advocacy, teen engagement programs and more.   Tickets

 

Photos from the Mississippi Minute Film Festival

Held Monday night at the Mill City Museum.

Franklin Avenue Bridge Construction Update from Hennepin County

Franklin Avenue Bridge construction update

October 2015

If you travel across the bridge, you may not be seeing all the             activity that is occurring below the deck. Let's take a closer look                     of some of  this activity that's happening out of the sight of the                typical commuter, cyclist and pedestrian.

Construction actvitiy below deck

One of the main construction activities during the past year has                   been to restore deteriorated areas of the Franklin Avenue Bridge.      Fortunately, the weather has been good lately and allowed crews to            keep moving forward. Last week, crews were busy with restoration work on all five spans         and two of the piers. One of the areas of focus has been the southern half of Span 2.         Crews, tied-off for safety, work high above to remove segments of         concrete in  need of repair. Cofferdams, or dry work areas created in the river, are allowing                 crews to remove and replace concrete on the segments of piers                  below water level.  Crews have to lower the concrete within the         cofferdam. As long as the weather holds up, crews will continue to take               advantage of it. The focus of next year's activity will be on deck             removal and replacement. We will share more information about                  this work in future updates.

Workzone safety

Thank you for slowing down and paying attention in work zones.             Staying alert and dedicating your full attention to driving keeps you              and our crews safe.     Website: www.hennepin.us/franklinbridge

Week 25 at the Mill City Farmers Market

This little girl looks like a seasoned shopper - with her money in hand, she chooses a perfect bunch of radishes.  Don't forget - next Saturday isn't just Halloween, it's the last Market of the 2015 outdoor season.

Below, MCFM Executive Director Martha Archer shares the news that after seven years at the helm, Chef Heather Hartman is retiring from the Mill City Cooks demo kitchen.  Heather will be devoting her full attention to her personal chef service, Farm to Fork.

Gorgeous and delicate geode necklace created by April Barnhart of Aprilierre.

The Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition, a volunteer driven and member supported organization, was the October 24 Community Booth. They're the people who brought us Bike Week and the Open Streets Minneapolis events.

My hat from Barn Swallow Garden continues to be a favorite. So soft and warm!

These pastries from Solomon's Bakery are individual works of art.

Hard to resist an artisan confection from St. Croix Chocolate Company.

Now, THAT's an apple!

The Eddies!

Pam from Prairie Hollow Farm holds out a gigantic Brussels sprout.

Guest chef Beth Dooley served the crowd Maple Squash Soup with Parsnip Walnut Spread on an artisan bread.

Cute and yummy BOO!mallos from Susan at Very Prairie.

Below, a shopper signs up for The Beet, the weekly MCFM e-newsletter.  If you don't already subscribe, you can sign up online. Go to the MCFM website, and you'll see a pop-up in the lower right corner where you can enter your email address.

The goat!

Starting in November, the Mill City Farmers Market moves indoors for their monthly Winter Markets - 10:00am to 1:00pm every second Saturday, November 14 thru April 9 inside the Mill City Museum.  Plus there are 3 bonus dates as noted on the below schedule:

Learn About the Music Programs Offered at MacPhail Thru "Faces of MacPhail"

MacPhail Center for Music recently launched a Faces of MacPhail campaign to highlight students in every program area.

This year’s Early Childhood Music featured student is Rexford, who with his parents are part of the growing number of downtown families. In the below video, Rexford's mom talks about how MacPhail's Early Childhood Music program is a fun part of their Saturday routine, and important to her sons development.

To learn more, see the Rocking with Rexford Student Story on MacPhail's website, and visit the Early Childhood Music page for class information.  The Musical Families II session is currently open for enrollment.

   

Public Comment Opportunities for Proposed 2016 MPRB Budget

Via an October 21 Minneapolis Park and Rec Board e-newsletter:

Superintendent Presents Proposed 2016 MPRB Budget

Public comment opportunities scheduled Nov. 4 and 18, Dec. 2 and 9

The Superintendent’s Recommended 2016 Budget for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) focuses on sound fiscal management, addresses increased park use and demands for programs and services, is responsive to changing demographics and needs of the community, and maintains the park system within available resources.
 
In 2016, of every dollar Minneapolis residents pay for property taxes, eight cents will go to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.
 
The Superintendent’s Recommended 2016 Budget totals $70,973,005 for the general operating fund, $1,743,242 for the special revenue fund dedicated to trees, $8,274,976 for the enterprise operating fund and $21,767,600 for capital project funding.
 
Prior to her recommended 2016 budget presentation to the Board, Miller presented a report on “Closing the Gap: Investing in Neighborhood Parks” that stressed the need to address the growing funding shortfall for neighborhood park capital and maintenance.
 
For full details about Proposed 2016 Budget public comment opportunities, 2016 budget initiatives, and the Closing the Gap report, read the full news release on our website.
 

________________________________________
Budget Presentation
The proposed budget and related documents are available for viewing at www.minneapolisparks.org/budget or by calling 612-230-6400 between 8 am–4:30 pm.
 
Closing the Gap Presentation
The Closing the Gap: Investing in Neighborhood Parks report and related documents to Commissioners are available at www.minneapolisparks.org/closingthegap.

See New Electronic Check-in Before 2016 Elections

Via an October 21 Hennepin County e-newsletter:

Get a sneak preview of new electronic balloting check-in before 2016 elections

Election officials from Hennepin County and the City of Minnetonka will test electronic poll (e-poll) books on Thursday, October 22, from 9 to 10:30 a.m., in the Minnehaha Room in the lower level of Minnetonka City Hall, 14600 Minnetonka Boulevard.

In 2014, the state legislature authorized the use of e-poll books. Starting in 2016, secured tablets or laptop computers will replace the current paper voter check-in process. The technology will help speed up lines at the polls, help election judges through registration, provide cities data on polling place activity and more.

Next year, Hennepin County will train cities and provide training materials for election judges. Cities will store the devices, prepare them for Election Day and train election judges to use them properly.

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

You're invited to: "Living Room Station - Your Home Before You Get Home" a new kind of bus stop at 6th St. and Nicollet Mall

The Living Room Station project asks, why can't a bus stop be as inviting, cozy, social and pleasant as your own living room? Well, it can be!

Living Room Station is The Musicant Group's response to DID and Metro Transit's interest in  testing temporary, experimental prototypes for addressing transit waiting area needs in the downtown public realm. This project is aimed at generating design solutions that can be applied to multiple sites and that can be used by Metro Transit to apply toward permanent installations.

Living Room Station exists at the highest ridership location in Downtown that lacks a shelter, with over 1,000 daily riders and home to the 14 and 94 routes, among others. Our design was created after extensive outreach with riders at the intersection, in partnership with the Youth Coordinating Board's Street Outreach Team. We found that riders most frequently requested: shelter, seating, entertainment, and bus arrival information. We in turn created Living Room Station, a comfortable, inviting, and fun place to wait for the bus and enjoy our Downtown. It is equipped with:

• New seating for 5-6 people
• Shelter from rain
• A clock
• A large-typeface bus schedule
• Free board games, books, and drawing supplies
• Decorative string lighting
• Live entertainment each weekday afternoon from 3:30-5pm

Programming Schedule for Living Room Station

Every weekday between Wednesday, October 21 and Friday, October 30 visitors to Living Room Station will be treated to free programming and entertainment produced by The Musicant Group:

• 10/21/2015 - Wednesday - Just Because: free flowers and card making for families, friends, or yourself
• 10/22/2015 - Thursday - Tea Time: free hot tea and board games while you wait
• 10/23/2015 - Friday - Singing in the Rain: music and umbrella escort from the station to the bus 
• 10/26/2015 - Monday - Pumpkin Carving: decorate the Living Room for the holidays!
• 10/27/2015 - Tuesday - Family Game Night: board games while you wait for the bus
• 10/28/2015 - Wednesday - Singing in the Rain: music and umbrella escort from the station to the bus 
• 10/29/2015 - Thursday - House Party: Live accordion, free apple cider and a good time
• 10/30/2015 - Friday - Trick or Treat at Living Room Station!

For further information

• Full photo album: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.927126044028177.1073741838.353521814721939&type=3&uploaded=12
• For information on Living Room Station: Max Musicant, Founder and Principal, The Musicant Group, 612-670-6717, max@musicantgroup.com
• For information on the broader initiative and the other 3 sites: Ben Shardlow, Director of Public Realm Initiatives, Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District, Office:  612 656 3830 / Cell:  612 702 8056, bshardlow@minneapolisdid.com

Opinion | Working Families Agenda: Dumb Proposal, Good Decision

By Barrs Lewis:

Last Friday we were told that Mayor Betsy Hodges had backed away from what would have been a very dumb labor law regarding scheduling of hourly wage earners but that the mayor would continue to advocate for an earned sick leave benefit for hourly workers. Both are good choices… retreating on scheduling and sticking with earned sick leave.

Read more...

Crime Alert: 2 Incidents Last Week in the Mill District

MPD ACTION ALERT - Case No. 15-385719

CASE SUMMARY:

Incident Location: 0011** 2 ST S

Date and Time:  10/14/2015 9:10:00 PM - 10/14/2015 9:12:00 PM

Primary Offenses:  Robbery Per Agg

Public Information:

The victim was walking on the sidewalk, east bound, next to the park, on 2 ST S from 10 AV S. The victim was walking with her cell phone out and texting. The suspect came running up from behind, and stopped in front of the victim. The suspect attempted to ...

Arrested Parties, if any (name - age / Address AptNo City, State Zip):

NOTE: Any persons arrested in this incident were not necessarily charged with the listed offenses.

NOTE: Asterisks (**) indicate that a street address has been masked, and the incident took place on the “100 block” ,e.g., 0041** Stevens AV S took place on the 4100 block of Stevens Av S. We do not include the full address of incident locations in order to preserve the privacy of victims.

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MPD ACTION ALERT - Case No. 15-383670

CASE SUMMARY:

Incident Location: 0002** 10 AV S

Date and Time:  10/12/2015 1:00:00 PM - 10/13/2015 9:30:00 AM

Primary Offenses:  Motor Vehicle Theft

Public Information:

An auto theft occurred at the above location. Unknown suspect took the victims vehicle without his permission.  The victim still has the keys to his vehicle. ...

Arrested Parties, if any (name - age / Address AptNo City, State Zip):

NOTE: Any persons arrested in this incident were not necessarily charged with the listed offenses.

NOTE: Asterisks (**) indicate that a street address has been masked, and the incident took place on the “100 block” ,e.g., 0041** Stevens AV S took place on the 4100 block of Stevens Av S. We do not include the full address of incident locations in order to preserve the privacy of victims.

New Photography Exhibit, ‘Downtown: Minneapolis in the 1970s,’ Opens at Mill City Museum Nov. 12

Photos show changing urban world of Minneapolis from Nicollet Mall to Hennepin Ave

Quick facts:

Exhibit: “Downtown: Minneapolis in the 1970s,” Nov. 12, 2015-April 3, 2016

 
Opening Reception: Nov. 12, 2015, 6-8 p.m.

 
Place: Mill City Museum, 704 South Second Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401

Cost: Free. Does not include museum admission of $12 adults, $10 seniors and college students, $6 children ages 5-17, free for MNHS members

Hours: Tues-Sat, 10 am-5 pm; Sun noon-5 pm

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The new exhibit “Downtown: Minneapolis in the 1970s” explores the city during a time when the Foshay Tower dominated the skyline and sidewalks bustled with people before skyways overtook the landscape.

Through the camera lens of Mike Evangelist, then a 17-year-old from the suburbs, visitors can experience the vibrant and changing world of 1970s Minneapolis—from busy shoppers on Nicollet Mall and once-great movie houses to a disabled veteran selling pencils. Evangelist recently rediscovered these photos, 40 years after he first took them.

A companion book of the same name, featuring Evangelist’s photos and text by Andy Sturdevant, will be available this fall (MNHS Press, Nov. 1).

Mill City Museum will celebrate the exhibit opening with a public reception on Nov. 12 from 6 to 8 p.m., with remarks from Evangelist and Sturdevant beginning at 7 p.m. A cash bar and food from D’Amico & Sons Cafe will be available for purchase.

"Downtown: Minneapolis in the 1970s" is located in the museum’s Mill Commons, and is free and open to the public during regular museum hours. It will be on view Nov. 12, 2015 to April 3, 2016.

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ABOUT MILL CITY MUSEUM

Built within the ruins of the Washburn A Mill, a National Historic Landmark, the award-winning Mill City Museum chronicles the flour milling industry that fueled the growth of Minneapolis. The story comes to life through the eight-story Flour Tower, Water Lab, Baking Lab and other hands-on exhibits.

The museum is located at 704 S. Second St. in Minneapolis. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. The site is also open Mondays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in July and August. For more information, call 612-341-7555 or visit www.millcitymuseum.org.

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

The Minnesota Historical Society is supported in part by its Premier Partners: Xcel Energy and Explore Minnesota Tourism.

Week 24 at the Mill City Farmers Market

We all woke up to temperature shock Saturday morning, making The Abbey a very popular vendor at the October 17 Market!

Power of Producemembers received sprouting pots compliments of Chipotle. New to the MCFM in 2015, this program has over 700 young members.  That's 700+ little kids that get to taste new fruits and veggies each week and receive tokens to buy their own produce.  Very cool!

Something you don't see every day at the Market...

The distinctive work of Julia Timm, Fresh Mud Pottery.

These Peanut Butter Chocolate Prairieos from Very Prairie are to die for. Sometimes you just have to say "calories be damned" and enjoy a little something wonderful.

Lavender centerpieces from French Nugget - great for any room or the office.

Love the coats on these two little darlings. :) 

Chef Heather Hartman cooking up a batch of soup using celery root, also referred to as celeriac.

Leslie at Bliss Gourmet Foods now offers market bags fearturing waterproof liners and gusseted bottoms.

Paying homage to Don Featherstone, inventor of the plastic Pink Flamingo, who passed away earlier this year.

The goat!

I-35W Bridge to be Red and Yellow on October 24 to Honor 'End Polio Now'

Via an October 9 Press Release from Rotary District 5950:

I-35W Bridge and France Avenue Light Up to End Polio Now on October 24

Minneapolis—The I-35W Bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis and France Avenue in Edina will be lit in shades of red and yellow on October 24 to honor Rotary International’s fight to end polio called End Polio Now.

Rotary International and the Rotary Clubs of District 5950 in the Minneapolis area and central Minnesota have been engaged in a 30-year campaign to eradicate polio worldwide. When Rotary launched its eradication effort in 1985, more than 350,000 children in 125 countries were stricken with polio every year. Since then, polio cases have dropped by 99% to 359 cases in 2014.  As of the end of September, 44 cases of wild poliovirus had been reported in 2015 in two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Africa recently marked one year without wild polio.

Polio will be only the second disease after smallpox to be eradicated. The world is on the threshold of ending polio forever due to the efforts of Rotary and its partners, the World Health Organization, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and UNICEF.

The Minneapolis City Council has declared October 24 as World Polio Day in Minneapolis. The I-35W Bridge will be lit in the End Polio Now branding colors of red and yellow that day to bring attention and awareness to the final push for polio eradication. Lights in the Southdale area of France Avenue in Edina will also be lit in red and yellow on October 24.

For more information, contact Rotary District 5950 End Polio Now Chair Tim Mulcrone at 952-239-1594 or timmulcrone@aol.com.

The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul presents EXTRAORDINARY TALES

If you're one of the many who embrace the spooky season, EXTRAORDINARY TALES opens October 23 at Film Society’s St. Anthony Main Theatre.

Five of Edgar Allan Poe’s best-known stories are brought to vivid life in this visually stunning, heart-pounding animated anthology featuring Sir Christopher Lee, Bela Lugosi, Julian Sands, Roger Corman and Guillermo del Toro. Murderous madmen, sinister villains and cloaked ghouls stalk the darkened corridors of Poe’s imagination, as his haunting tales are given a terrifying new twist by some of the most beloved figures in horror film history.

Some Downtown Streets Closing Saturday for Paving and Zombie Pub Crawl

Two separate events on Saturday, October 17, are prompting some streets to close in downtown Minneapolis.

LaSalle Avenue paving – Crews reconstructed the street this season and are now ready to put down the final layer of asphalt. From Eighth to 12th streets, LaSalle will close to traffic starting at 6 a.m. Crews will work from north to south, opening sections of the street after they’re paved and the asphalt has cooled enough for driving. The intersections of 10th and 11th streets will also be paved and closed to traffic. The intersections at Eighth and Ninth streets will remain open to traffic, and the 12th Street intersection will close at noon for paving. LaSalle and all affected cross streets should be open to traffic by evening, and access to businesses on cross streets will be maintained throughout construction.

And of course...BRAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINS!

Zombie Pub Crawl –  Although the block party runs from 4 p.m. to midnight Saturday in the Warehouse District, the following streets will be closed from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday to allow organizers time to prepare for and clean up after the event.
• First Avenue North from Sixth Street North to Third Street North (full closure, no vehicles allowed).
• First Avenue North from Sixth Street North to Seventh Street North (local access will be maintained).
• Sixth Street North from Hennepin Avenue to Second Avenue North.
• Fifth Street North from Hennepin Avenue to Second Avenue North.
• Fourth Street North from Hennepin Avenue to Second Avenue North.

In addition, all sidewalks along these streets will be closed from building face to building face in the event area. Access will be limited to people who pay the entry fee. Anyone who lives or works within the closure will be allowed access with proper identification.
Although a section of Fifth Street North will close to traffic the Metro Green and Blue line trains will continue to operate on this street during the event.

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A number of construction projects are affecting traffic in Downtown this season. To help drivers know about all of the current and upcoming work, the City has mapped these projects.

Two Downtown Streets to Close Today for Lynx Victory Parade

Via an October 16 e-newsletter from the City of Minneapolis:

To celebrate the team’s third WNBA championship, the Minnesota Lynx is hosting a parade and celebration today, Friday, Oct. 16. Sections of Hennepin Avenue and Seventh Street will close for approximately 90 minutes for the victory parade. 

The parade begins at 11:30 a.m. at 12th Street and Hennepin Avenue. It will head north on Hennepin then take a left on Seventh Street before finishing at Target Center.

Hennepin Avenue, from Seventh Street to 13th Street, will close to traffic from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Seventh Street will close from Hennepin Avenue to First Avenue during this same time. Cross streets will remain open during the parade.

Following the parade, a championship celebration will be held inside Target Center beginning at 12:15 p.m. Both the parade and the Target Center celebration are free and open to the public. For more information visit the Minnesota Lynx website.

Parkway Closures for October 17

The following parkways will be temporarily closed from 8:00am-Noon October 17 for The Big Gay Race:

Main Street - From Hennepin Ave to 6th Ave SE
West River Parkway - From Plymouth Ave to S 4th Street
Plymouth Bridge and Stone Arch Bridge

Event Details

Please note that the duration of the closures is subject to change based on the event's start and finish times.

A complete list of current and upcoming parkway closures is available online.

Job Fair Will Connect Job-Seekers and Employers with Positions to Fill

Via a October 12 e-newsletter from Hennepin County:

The Hennepin County Work and Economic Resource Center will sponsor a career fair on Monday, October 19, from 9am to 2pm, at the ‭Hennepin County Library -- ‭Minneapolis Central, ‭300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis

This is part of a series of events to pair employers looking for workers with employees looking for job opportunities. ‭All participating businesses are actively ‭recruiting for multiple openings, from ‭entry-level to management.

The event is free and open to the public.

People looking for employment can connect with recruiters from these companies:

• Accessible Space
• Advantage Sales & Marketing
• Atlas Staffing
• Best Buy
• Building Resources Corporation
• Coborn’s Delivers
• Comcast
• ConAgra Foods
• CSM Corporation
• CVS (New Hope & Plymouth)
• Delta Global Services
• Doherty Staffing
• Dominos
• DoubleTree by Hilton ‭Minneapolis - Park ‭Place
• Family Dollar
• FedEx Ground
• Hennepin County HR
• HMS Host
• Home Depot
• Hy-Vee
• Knutson Construction
• Labor Ready
• Macy’s
• Minco
• Options Residential ‭Inc. ‭and Options Family & ‭Behavior Services, Inc.
• PICA Headstart
• Pizza Hut
• Satin Touch
• Sheraton Minneapolis ‭West
• St. Louis Park ‭Transportation
• Super America
• Target (West Metro)
• ‭The Hilton Minneapolis
• ‭The Marquette Hotel
• ‭Walgreens

This location is served by several bus routes. ‭To find the best one, visit ‭www.metrotransit.org or call 612-373-3333.

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

Breaking: Pillsbury Sign Installation to Begin Next Monday

Mill City Times has learned through a trusted source that installation of the refurbished Pillsbury Best Flour sign will begin next Monday, October 19. No word yet on when re-lighting will happen.

Sitting atop the A-Mill complex, newly converted into artist lofts by developer Dominium, the sign represents one of only a few national historic landmarks in Minneapolis; in 2014 Lawrence Sign was selected to rehabilitate the iconic Pillsbury’s Best Flour rooftop sign.

In efforts to preserve and revitalize the significant landmark, restoration of the Pillsbury’s Best Flour rooftop sign was a collaborative effort between Lawrence Sign and the City of Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission.

The Pillsbury Company’s 30-foot sign has stood atop the Pillsbury “A” Mill Complex since about 1940, according to city records. It replaced a similar sign that stood since 1920, which featured a large flour bag. The sign remained lit until 2010.

Over the course of 75 years the sign deteriorated. Upon inspection and consultation from the Preservation Commission, Lawrence Sign determined that the letter faces and returns could be rehabilitated instead of replaced. The sign exhibited some degradation and compromise to the structure as a result of rust and weathering, but damage was mitigated with newly fabricated aluminum.

Lawrence also replaced the nonfunctioning neon lighting system with LED lights intended to replicate the original look. Lawrence Sign is an expert at LED lighting applications, utilizing the technology because of energy savings and minimal maintenance requirements.

View the slideshow: