Street Sweeping Begins October 18

Crews are preparing for the fall street sweeping across Minneapolis. Drivers will need to park out of their way so they can do a thorough job cleaning our roadways.

Minneapolis Public Works will begin the big task of curb-to-curb sweeping and leaf collection on streets throughout the city Tuesday, Oct. 18. During the four weeks of the comprehensive fall street sweep, crews will clean up about 1,100 miles of city streets. To make sure the sweepers can do the best job possible, temporary “No Parking” signs will be posted at least 24 hours in advance so streets will be clear of cars when they’re swept. The first signs will be posted Monday, Oct. 17, and sweeping will begin the next day. Anyone who parks on the street will need to follow street sweeping parking rules or their cars may be ticketed and towed.

Making it easy to follow parking rules: 

• “No Parking” signs – City crews will post “No Parking” signs at least 24 hours before sweeping any streets. Parking will be banned from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the day a street is swept. The “No Parking” signs will be removed as soon as possible after a street has been completely swept to allow people to resume parking. Vehicles not in compliance with “No Parking” signs may be ticketed and towed to the Minneapolis Impound Lot.
• Social media – The City will use Facebook and Twitter to post periodic street sweeping updates and information.
  • Facebook: To “like” the City of Minneapolis Facebook page, go to www.facebook.com/cityofminneapolis.
  • Twitter: To follow the City’s Twitter account, go to www.twitter.com/CityMinneapolis.
• Phone calls to residents – In addition to the “No Parking” signs that will be posted the day before sweepers come through, the City will make about 3,000 automated phone calls each evening to let residents know their street will be swept the next day. There’s no guarantee that the calls will reach everyone, so residents should be sure to check the schedule and watch for signs.
• Interactive web tool – Folks can use a feature on the City’s website to find out when the sweepers are coming through their neighborhoods. The tool will be available by Oct. 14 at www.minneapolismn.gov/streetsweeping. The fall street sweep takes four weeks, and the website will show which week any street is scheduled to be swept. Then, starting on each weekend, the daily sweeping schedule for the upcoming week will display.
• Video

Clean streets mean a healthier environment

Minneapolis is known for its sparkling lakes and waterways, and we want to keep it that way. That’s why protecting and enhancing our environment is one of the City’s top priorities. Street sweeping is one way we work to protect our environment because it keeps leaves and debris from clogging our storm drains and polluting our lakes and rivers. It also helps keep our neighborhoods clean and livable.

Minneapolis streets are swept completely curb to curb once in the spring and once in the fall. Residents should not push leaves, grass clippings, or other debris into City streets – it’s bad for our lakes and waterways, can cause safety hazards, and is against the law. Anything that goes down a storm drain flows directly into our lakes and river, and decomposing plant material in the water encourages the growth of harmful aquatic plants and algae. 

October 10 Job Fair at Central Library Will Connect Job-seekers to Employers with Positions to Fill

Via an October 3 Hennepin County e-newsletter:

The Hennepin County Work and Economic Resource Center will sponsor a career fair on Monday, October 10 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall, 2nd Floor, 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.

The event is free and open to the public. Click here for more information

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

New Feature: Great River Digest

Our city was born on the Mississippi River over 150 years ago. After decades of abuse & indifference, it's once again central to the future of Minneapolis. Stay on top of the the news, events and people impacting our Great River. This week's Great River Digest...

Public Invited to Review Plan to Repair Bridge Between Boom Island Park And Nicollet Island
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) will host an Open House for the Boom Island-Nicollet Island Bridge Repairs project on Thursday, Oct. 6, 6-7:30 pm at MPRB headquarters.

A River at Risk
The Mississippi is North America’s greatest river. But in Minnesota, home to its headwaters, sweeping changes in the landscape are putting water quality at risk.

Mighty Mississippi River faces mounting ecological threats
The greatest river in North America begins in Minnesota. But our pristine stretch of the Mississippi faces mounting environmental threats.

Northern Metal: The present and future
The Northern Metal recycling location at 2800 Pacific St. N. in Minneapolis has been in the news recently because of complaints, then legal action regarding pollution standards.

East Bank Trail offers river views in Northeast
If you’re looking for a new trail to refresh your bike path options before winter sets in, check out the new East Bank Trail in northeast Minneapolis.

Mississippi River: Wildlife making a comeback, but please don't swim
A million people in the Twin Cities drink water pumped from the mighty Mississippi River, and more than 50,000 Minnesota kids play in it every year.

Mississippi River requires agriculture's help to stay healthy
If Minnesotans want to leave a river future generations can enjoy and tap for drinking water, greater contributions are needed from individual consumers and, in particular, a powerful state industry — agriculture.

Report finds a new pollutant — tiny bits of plastics and fiber — building up in the Mississippi
Microscopic fibers and pieces of plastic are accumulating at the bottom of the Mississippi River in the metro area, posing a rising threat to fish and other wildlife and reflecting changes in urban life along its banks.

Next Week: MRP Backyard by the River
What’s in a revitalized Mississippi Riverfront for you? Access to the river via the new Paddle Share program? A cleaner river water body thanks to the population growth of clams? New concert venues with our dramatic downtown skyline? The extension of pedestrian and bike trails adjacent to the shoreline of the longest river in the world? These are but a few of the exciting changes happening at the Mississippi River that runs through the heart of Minneapolis.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (fresh from the oven) as an Educational Tool

By Claudia Kittock

‘What are those?’

‘Chocolate chip cookies, still warm from the oven!’

‘Can I have one?’

‘Of course!’

‘These are really good!  What do I have to do to get 2?’

‘Come to GED and chat with us!’

That was how I started my work at YouthLink. My career has been in education, and I was instantly excited about the GED program there. Tutoring someone to help them earn their GED is gratifying work, and work that helps people move along in their journey through life.

The average dropout can expect to earn an annual income of $20,241, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That's a full $10,386 less than the typical high school graduate, and $36,424 less than someone with a bachelor's degree. In 1970, the United States had the world’s highest rate of high school and college graduation. Today, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, we’ve slipped to No. 21 in high school completion and No. 15 in college completion, as other countries surpassed us in the quality of their primary and secondary education.

Only 7 of 10 ninth graders today will get high school diplomas. A decade after the No Child Left Behind law mandated efforts to reduce the racial gap, about 80 percent of white and Asian students graduate from high school, compared with only 55 percent of blacks and Hispanics.

YouthLink is a day shelter for people ages 16-23. The mission and vision of YouthLink is to support and empower young people on their way to self-reliance. Dr. Heather Huseby, Executive Director, explains that the most important work we do at YouthLink is to help our youth to identify themselves as someone on a journey. Once a young person identifies themself as ‘homeless’ it becomes a much more difficult journey.  Identifying as “Jonnie who wants to be a musician, but is temporarily experiencing homelessness’ is a stronger position, and one that is hopeful, healthy, and realistic.

The GED program at YouthLink is headed by Educational Navigator, Sarah Crompton.  She recruits young people who do not have their diploma yet, tells them about the program, and does an intake interview.  Sarah also trains and supervises a small group of volunteers who tutor the youth.

Once a student is identified, they take the GED practice tests in the computer lab at YouthLink.  There are 4 categories (reasoning and language arts, social studies, science, and math), and are taken one at a time. A passing score for each subtest is 145.  After taking each practice test, the student will get a score that indicates whether they are likely to pass.  If they are not likely to pass, there is a printout of sources that can be used to study, and even pages in those books the student will need to go over.  That is where the tutor comes in.

As a tutor, I may do the intake interview, set up the pretest, go over the test results and/or work on the suggested work with each student. Each person has different needs, different strengths, and different areas of concern.  We work on whatever will help.  As we work, we get to know each other, exchange stories, and discuss how to do well on the GED test.  Taking a test is an entirely different skill than understanding math.  While we work on understanding in all of the test areas, it is also essential to teach and help with test taking skills.

Most of the students I work with believe that they aren’t very smart, and, hopefully leave understanding that just isn’t true. These are tough, resilient people.  As Sarah Compton says, “Seeing youth work toward their educational goals and plan for the future despite the obstacles they face in the present is the highest honor. Working with our youth is an education in fortitude.”  I leave every day inspired and uplifted because of the true courage I see in my students.

If the idea of helping at YouthLink is something you want to consider, there are several ways.

Volunteer—Go to http://www.youthlinkmn.org/get-involved/volunteer/

Financial Donations---Go to http://www.youthlinkmn.org/donations/

Donate Items—Go to http://www.youthlinkmn.org/get-involved/donate-items/

Springboard Fund---Go to http://www.YouthLinkmn.org/donations/

The young people I have met are working to better their lives, to find work, and to further their education.  They dream like every other person of their age and working with them on that dream matters, to them, and to us!

Claudia can be reached at claudia@millcitymedia.org

Scenes from the October 1 Mill City Farmers Market

Marty and Darrold Glanville of Sunrise Flour Mill and Jonathan Kaye of Heritage Breads hosted the annual Bread Festival at the October 1 Market.

Guest speaker Chris Boles of Fire & Flour demonstrated his "Slap and Fold" method of working bread dough.

While there wasn't a baking contest this year, local bakers were encouraged to bring in loaves of their bread to sample, and to share the stories behind the recipes.  We live in a community of talented bakers!

Rays of sun work their way thru the train shed, spotlighting shoppers and vendors:

Kids!

Thank you for being a MCFM Sponsor, Mill City Credit Union!

One of life's simple pleasures - a hot breakfast on a cool morning at the Market. :)

Bagels and breads from Baker's Field Flour & Bread:

Milly the Goat!

Remember - in October the Market hours are 9:00am - 1:00pm. :)