The Metropolitan Building’s legacy
Get Out Guide.
Fifty years at Lakewood PAGE B1
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PAGE B10
January 10–23, 2019 Vol. 30, No. 1 southwestjournal.com
The
cocktails are coming Some restaurants seek upgraded liquor license
By Nate Gotlieb / ngotlieb@southwestjournal.com
For Jason Hines, general manager at Blackbird Café at 38th & Nicollet, a full liquor license couldn’t come soon enough. “As soon as the city can get us the license, we’re ready to go,” he said. For Charlie Broder, co-owner of Terzo wine bar at 50th & Penn, the process will take more time.
“We have a lot of planning to accomplish so that when we do release (a liquor program), it’s in the right vision,” he said. Two months after Minneapolis voters approved a referendum that makes it easier for restaurants to obtain full liquor licenses, and serve cocktails if they so choose, about half a dozen
Feet First asks neighbors to ‘Shovel it Forward’
Neighbors join a communal table Wedge residents connect over a shared meal
By Michelle Bruch
A couple of fast-walking former New Yorkers experienced commuter culture shock upon returning home to the Wedge. They noticed people here hopped in cars by default, even for
SEE FULL LICENSE / PAGE A10
Nighthawks bartender Justin Flower prepares a cocktail for a customer on Jan. 7. Photo by Nate Gotlieb
short distances. Drivers making a turn didn’t always look for pedestrians, especially with fewer walkers in the crosswalks. Traffic lights seemed timed to favor vehicles rather than shivering pedestrians. SEE FEET FIRST / PAGE A19
By Andrew Hazzard / ahazzard@southwestjournal.com
When the Wetzel-Curtis family moved to Minneapolis from western Wisconsin last year, it felt like a different world. Coming to Lowry Hill East from a small city in Wisconsin was a big transition — one they liked, Nadine Wetzel-Curtis said, with a more walkable community and lots of people nearby. They heard about the Wedge Community Meal, a free outreach effort launched in November by the Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association, and decided to check it out. “This was a really great way to get to know people in the neighborhood,” Nadine Wetzel-Curtis said. It didn’t take them long to get involved. On Jan. 8, Nadine and her children Isaiah
and Thea prepared a beef chili and brought it to share. “If everybody does a little, nobody does a lot,” Nadine said. The idea behind the Wedge Community Meal is that no one who attends has to do a lot. The meal is free. There’s no agenda or business to be discussed, just a voluntary sign-in sheet and a basket for optional donations. “I really wanted something where you feel like it’s just for you,” said Scott Melamed, LHENA community outreach director. Melamed was hired as a full-time LHENA staffer last year and was looking for organic ways to get Wedge residents together. A meal with no strings attached SEE WEDGE COMMUNITY / PAGE A11
A2 January 10–23, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
southwestjournal.com / January 10–23, 2019 A3
By Andrew Hazzard / ahazzard@southwestjournal.com
LYNLAKE
CBD shop opens in LynLake Steven Brown, left, and Giovan Jenkins, stand in their shop, Nothing But Hemp, now open on Lake Street. Photos by Andrew Hazzard
ER 50th & France Office SWJ 011118 6.indd 1
A store specializing in cannabidiol, a nonpsychoactive cannabis compound commonly known as CBD that is said by proponents to help with several health issues, opened Jan. 2 in LynLake. The business at 617 W. Lake St. is the first brick-and-mortar location for Nothing But Hemp, a store from Twin Cities resident and cannabis industry consultant Steven Brown. “It came down to location,” Brown said of deciding to place his first major shop in the Uptown area. Nothing But Hemp launched Minnesota sales with a kiosk in the Maplewood Mall in November, and Brown said business there has grown steadily each week. He said customers are typically not casual mall walkers but people seeking out the product and wanting advice on how to best use it. “People prefer to look you in the eye, and they have a lot of questions,” Brown said. Some of the first remain: Will this get me stoned? Followed by: Will I fail a drug test? (No is the answer to both). CBD, proponents say, can be used to treat inflammation, anxiety, migraines, chronic pain and seizures. The products do not contain THC, the active ingredient in marijuana that provides users a high. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a CBD-based drug to treat epilepsy, but otherwise has not endorsed the benefits of CBD. Most of the current customers are 45 and older, Brown said, with many using CBD to
help with inflammation and anxiety. In Uptown he hopes to reach a younger market of people in their 20s. Nothing But Hemp’s CBD products come in a variety of forms, from tinctures and topical creams to vaporizers, pills, infused coffee beans and bath bombs. There’s even a whole line of CBD products for pets. Brown originally got into the cannabis industry through his marketing company. He was hired by a cultivator in California to help develop cannabis brands in the emerging legal market, work that connected him to producers on the West Coast. A cousin by marriage wanted to get into the business, too, and they decided to launch a CBD business in Minnesota where Brown lives. Brown said he offers lower prices and betterquality products than the wellness stores and smoke shops that sell CBD products in Minnesota because of his relationships out West, which enable him to buy directly from certified producers such as Siskiyou Sungrown in Oregon. In December, Congress passed a new Farm Bill that legalized hemp, a non-psychoactive species of cannabis used for many purposes from which CBD can be extracted. The signing of the bill has helped clear the runways for CBD sales to grow nationwide. In Minnesota, all cannabis products with less than a 0.3 percent THC concentration can be sold legally due to a 2015 law regulating industrial hemp.
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A4 January 10–23, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
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Zoe’s Café owner Jack McCrery helps a customer behind the counter of his new shop at Lake & Bryant. Photo by Andrew Hazzard
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A new cafe has filled the space of the former Carly’s Coffee at Lake & Bryant in Uptown. Zoe’s Café opened for business Dec. 28 and is serving fresh coffee and baked goods in the building, which has been refurnished and decorated to create a warm, casual environment to chat and work. The owner, Jack McCrery, said he has always had a passion for good coffee. He began working at Dunn Brothers at 19 and developed a taste for the beans and the business. He said he enjoys being able to interact with people “I’m a coffee nerd,” McCrery said. Zoe’s Café is named for McCrery’s mother, and the shop is a bit of a family affair for now, with his siblings helping out behind the counter. As a coffee enthusiast, he hopes to serve roasts that expose customers to a wide range of coffee flavors. He will be rotating in seasonal batches of fresh coffees to serve. “What’s important to me is, number one, cup
quality, and number two, it’s got to be sourced responsibly,” McCrery said. For now, he’s buying his beans from True Stone Coffee Roasters in St. Paul. Zoe’s Café is currently selling baked goods from Salty Tart, as well as some of the McCrery family’s own creations like blueberry scones with lemon curd. He hopes to transition to selling all their own baked goods down the road. The shop has started with coffee and baked goods, but he hopes to add some simple small plates for meals and beer and wine in the spring. Eventually McCrery would like to add a patio space to the shop and add a customized bike rack. He’s aiming for consistent hours, service and creating a non-pretentious environment that retains regulars. Zoe’s Café is open 6 a.m.–10 p.m. weekdays, 7 a.m.–10 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m.–9 p.m. Sunday.
UPTOWN
Columbia, The North Face leaving Hennepin Avenue Next door neighbors The North Face and Columbia will both be closing this month along Hennepin Avenue in Uptown. Photo by Andrew Hazzard
Two major outdoor retailers are leaving their sideby-side stores along Hennepin Avenue this month. Columbia Sportswear and The North Face are both closing their doors in Uptown, the respective chains confirmed. Columbia will have its last day of business on Jan. 20, according to store manager Seth Washington. The North Face told The Southwest Journal the store will be closing in January, but a specific date was not given. Columbia, which opened its store at 3014 Hennepin Ave. in 2010, is currently running Brazil Law Group SWJ NR1 6.indd 1
12/6/18 12:30 PM
an additional 20 percent off all its merchandise until closing, Washington said. A North Face spokesperson said the closure was not related to the reconstruction of Hennepin Avenue last year and noted the brand still has stores in Twin Cities, including a large space at Mall of America. The North Face opened its Uptown store in 2008. The changes will create two large retailer vacancies along the 3000 block of Hennepin Avenue, which also lost Victoria’s Secret in February 2018. That space has yet to be filled.
southwestjournal.com / January 10–23, 2019 A5
WINDOM
Southwest sisters begin selling products on sustainability blog Geevie and Sophia Wood didn’t intend to be selling a line of homemade, sustainably sourced and packaged hygiene and beauty products. It just sort of happened. When the twins launched their blog, Sustainyoself.com, and Instagram in April 2017, they saw it as more of a journal, a way to keep track of tips and products they found helpful in their own waste reduction journey. But it quickly gained steam. Today, Sustainyoself has more than 37,000 followers on Instagram and is selling a collection of small batch, sustainably made deodorant, lip balm and lotion. “It’s kind of like a snowball,” Geevie said. The Woods discovered the zero-waste movement during their freshman year of college in Savannah, Georgia. When they arrived, they found a city with little of the recycling infrastructure they were accustomed to in Minneapolis. They began plastic-proofing their lives and searching for sustainable alternatives to products they used on a regular basis. Living a zero-waste lifestyle, the Woods say, requires a lot of planning ahead, including bringing bags, cutlery, mugs and bottles when on the run. In blog posts and on their Instagram feed, they share their successes and failures in their waste reduction efforts. “We try to be really transparent about when we do create trash,” Sophia said. In addition to posting about sustainable products they enjoy, the sisters began crafting recipes to create natural products they use every day. It started with lip balm, which they make with beeswax from Minneapolis pollinator promotion group The Beez Kneez. Before long, they were creating at home recipes for body lotion bars and deodorant. “We had no intention of selling at all when we started making them,” Sophia said. But when the sisters started posting the products in their Instagram story, followers began to ask if they could buy the items and a business was born. The products are packaged in either glass or biodegradable tubes with compostable labeling and adhesives. A big hit has been their natural, sensitive skin deodorant, which the twins say is a product a lot of people don’t have much luck with. Like all their recipes, the deodorant was a product of trial and error. Eventually they settled on their current formula, which substitutes magnesium peroxide for baking soda. The sisters post the recipes to their products online and encourage people to make their own.
Zuehlke Josh SWJ 050318 6.indd 1
COM
Natural lip balms and deodorants are some of Sustainyoself’s best selling products (top). Twin sisters Geevie, left, and Sophia Wood are now selling their homemade, sustainable products on the blog, sustainyoself.com. Submitted photos
“The purpose of it isn’t to make money,” Sophia said. “It’s to provide people with an option.” Now living in Minneapolis again after transferring to the University of Minnesota, the Woods are hoping to eventually get their products into local co-ops and pop-up zero waste shops. For now, all sales are done online. Geevie and Sophia are both global studies majors with another year-and-a-half of school left. They plan to continue their blog and small-batch shop going forward. “We’d love to live off it in the future,” Geevie said.
LORING PARK
P.S. Steak opens in La Belle Vie space A new steakhouse from Chef Mike DeCamp is now open in the former home of La Belle Vie in Loring Park. P.S. Steak opened to the public on Jan. 7 and seeks to bring a unique twist on the traditional steakhouse with two spaces that give diners a different experience in the same venue, according to a press release. The restaurant space will feature a seasonal menu with a variety of meat cuts that are dry-aged in a display case. The menu will include a rotating selection of game birds, seafood towers and classic steakhouse cocktails, according to the release. The lounge section has been redone in a modern fashion, with live floor plants that create an intimate setting at each table, the news release said. The lounge will serve an abbreviated menu of small plates with a bar menu that features “progressive interpretations of classic cocktails”.
3/9/18 11:56 AM
DeCamp, the executive chef, spent more than 10 years at La Belle Vie as he rose the Twin Cities culinary ranks. Today he is also in charge of the kitchens at Borough in the North Loop and Parlour in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
P.S. Steak will offer a combination of modern dishes and steakhouse classics. Submitted photo
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In Noor case, legal wrangling over squad car tests
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Former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor and attorney Tom Plunkett, a member of his defense team. File photo
As 2018 transitioned into 2019, attorneys representing former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor sparred with the city over a request to independently examine a squad car. Noor’s attorneys ultimately chose not to conduct the tests in late December, arguing that the court had placed too many restrictions on their access to the police vehicle. They also said the back-and-forth with city attorneys forced them to openly discuss aspects of their defense strategy in court. Noor is facing trial on murder charges related to the July 2017 death of Justine Damond, also known as Justine Ruszczyk. Damond, who had called 911 to report a possible sexual assault, was shot and killed by Noor in the alley behind her 51st & Washburn home as she approached the police SUV piloted by Noor’s partner. Riding in the squad car’s passenger seat, Noor allegedly reached across his partner and fired his weapon out the vehicle’s driver’s side window. Damond was struck in the torso and died at the scene. The incident occured shortly before midnight. Noor’s partner that night, Officer Matthew Harrity, told investigators he turned off the vehicle’s headlights as the two drove through the alley toward Damond’s house. Harrity said they were “spooked” by a thump on the back of the vehicle as Damond approached, telling investigators she “came up on the side out of nowhere.” Noor was fired from the department last March, on the same day Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced thirddegree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges against him. An additional seconddegree murder charge has since been added against Noor, who intends to plead not guilty. In an ex parte motion filed Dec. 26, Noor’s legal team requested “access to a squad car to allow the defense the opportunity to independently gather information, make measurements and allow testing and analysis.” The night of the 28th was chosen because the defense team determined illumination from the moon then would be similar to the night of the incident. The court accepted the argument presented by Noor’s attorneys, issuing an order later that
same day that directed the city to grant his defense team access to a squad car for independent tests on the 28th. Deputy City Attorney Erik Nilsson responded in a letter to the court on the 28th, stating the city would not object to providing a squad car for testing. But the letter also outlined several points of concern for the city, including “any destructive testing that would cause damage or alteration to the squad car” and which officers would assist with the testing the vehicle, which the city insisted must remain in police control. The city also asked for the judge to issue an order prohibiting the defense team from “interviewing, questioning or otherwise seeking information unrelated to the squad car” from the officers in charge of the vehicle. The judge then issued an order requiring the city to allow access to a squad car between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. on the 28th “in the area of the Minneapolis Police Department’s 5th Precinct.” But the tests never occurred. A Jan. 2 letter from Noor’s attorneys explained why. One of Noor’s attorneys, Peter Wold, first reached out to the Minneapolis Police Federation about access to a squad car. The union informed Wold that his team, including a potential expert witness, would have that opportunity Dec. 28. Wold learned on Dec. 24 he would need a court order to proceed, according to the written objection added to Noor’s court file. He filed a motion requesting access Dec. 26, and hearing was held the following day. But attorneys from the city weren’t present for the hearing, and the Hennepin County District Court judge overseeing the case, Kathryn Quaintance, didn’t learn of the city’s specific concerns until Nilsson submitted his letter on the morning of the 28th. In their written objection, Noor’s attorneys said the order Quaintance issued that afternoon restricted their testing location to the 5th Precinct and wouldn’t have allowed them to bring the vehicle closer to the scene of the shooting. They complained that Quaintance’s order “gelded the defense investigation.” Noor is next scheduled to appear in court for a pre-trial hearing March 1. His trial is scheduled to begin April 1.
southwestjournal.com / January 10–23, 2019 A7
Commission rejects police charter amendment The Charter Commission voted Jan. 2 to reject a proposed amendment to the city’s charter that would divide authority over the Minneapolis Police Department between the mayor and City Council. Ward 2 City Council Member Cam Gordon, who introduced the amendment in June, aimed to strike language from the charter that gives the mayor “complete power” over police. He proposed to retain executive control of the department within the mayor’s office while granting the council new powers to set rules and regulations for police. At the time, Gordon described the charter provisions in question as “outdated and unwisely authoritarian.” But the Charter Commission found a number of shortcomings in Gordon’s proposed alternative. A report issued by the commission found the proposed amendment contained “contradictory and confusing language.” The commission’s research found little precedent for the change in Minneapolis’ peer cities, and the report raised the possibility that sharing authority between the mayor and 13-member City Council — referred to in the report as the “‘14 bosses’ scenario” — would erase clear lines of accountability. In a social media post, Gordon maintained it should be up to voters to decide whether the council may exercise the same policy-making authority over the MPD as it does the city’s other departments. He described the commis-
sion’s decision as a “double blow against democracy & police accountability.” Gordon initially aimed to place the amendment before voters last November, but that would’ve required the Charter Commission to conduct a speedy review. Instead, the commission chose to extend its typical 60-day review period by another 90 days, the maximum allowed by statute, in part to allow for three public hearings. The commission’s decision pushed the review period beyond the deadline for submitting a 2018 ballot question to the Minnesota Secretary of State. The council can choose to ignore the Charter Commission’s recommendation to reject the amendment, but even then the amendment won’t go before voters until the next election in 2020 at the earliest. A “yes” vote from at least 51 percent of voters is required for adoption. Both Mayor Jacob Frey and Medaria Arradondo, the chief of police, opposed the amendment. The commission’s report echoed concerns raised last year by Frey, who warned the proposed changes would “dilute” accountability for police, hamper the city’s ability to respond in emergencies and create a “ward-byward patchwork” of policies for the department. The report also noted the authority over police currently held by the council, including its role in reviewing and approving the mayor’s nominee for police chief and its legislative power over department budgets.
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Perjury charge brought against landlord Frenz A Minneapolis landlord whose rental licenses were revoked by the City Council in 2017 is now facing a felony perjury charge. Stephen Frenz, 55, allegedly lied on a sworn affidavit in an attempt to have a housing court referee dismiss a tenants’ action brought against him and two of his companies in 2016. The referee ultimately ruled in favor of the tenants, and in a September 2016 order wrote that “Frenz engaged in a deliberate and elaborate misrepresentation” about the number of occupied units in the building, fabricating leases and invoices from a pest control company. Frenz received notice of the charge in a summons and is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 8. Announcing the decision Jan. 2, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said perjury charges are infrequently brought and difficult to prove, but Frenz was “really blatant” in his attempt to lie under oath. “This one I’d like to try myself, because this one’s a winner,” said Freeman, who typically handles just one of his office’s cases personally each year. The 2016 tenants’ action was filed against Frenz by renter-advocacy group IX of Powderhorn Park, also known as Inquilinxs Unidxs por Justicia (Renters United for Justice), on behalf of the residents of 3057 14th Ave. S., who wanted Frenz to address a number of concerns about the property, including inadequate heat, pest infestations and building security. Under state law, the tenants’ action could only proceed if a majority of the 17-unit building’s tenants signed on. According to the criminal complaint, Frenz tried to make it appear as if IX of Powderhorn Park didn’t have a majority of tenants on its side, allegedly recruiting one current and one former employee to sign leases for two of the
building’s unoccupied units, although neither lived in the apartments. A Minneapolis police sergeant investigating the perjury claims found no indication that the name on the third lease was a real person. Freeman said an inspector who toured the property with Frenz noted one of the supposedly occupied apartments did not appear to have anyone living in it. “The apartment was furnished as follows: a bed, a pot on the stove and two pairs of kids shoes,” Freeman said. “Now, any parent knows that wherever kids are there are toys. It was obviously set up to look like people were living there.” Frenz allegedly also contacted a pest control company that worked in the building, urging them to alter and resubmit an invoice for services that listed the three units as vacant, according to the criminal complaint. Frenz’s claims in the affidavit were later contradicted in housing court testimony provided by a controller for The Apartment Shop, Frenz’s Whittier-based company. Not long after the affidavit was submitted, Frenz’s attorneys filed a new version of the document that removed references to the three apartments. They then withdrew from the case. Said Freeman, “In cases like this, it’s time for the county attorney’s office to step up, to insist and support the courts in making sure that truth is presented in court.” In October, Frenz and another landlord, Spiros Zorbalas, settled a class-action lawsuit involving thousands of their former tenants for $18.5 million. The City Council took dozens of rental licenses from Zorbalas in 2011; Frenz purchased the properties, but it was later discovered that Zorbalas maintained a financial stake in them even while his rental license was suspended.
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A8 January 10–23, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
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Andrew Hazzard ahazzard@southwestjournal.com
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By Jim Walsh
Love story
A
s I mentioned in this space last time, my son Henry and his new wife Stephanie were married Dec. 20. It all happened quickly and in old-school fashion, in the living room of the Bryant Avenue house the groom grew up in, with our dear friend Lizz Winstead acting as radical minister of love and Henry’s mother Jean and me acting as witnesses. Talk about modern love and about crossing borders for love. The beautiful couple met via the World Wide Web and playing video games, and for a few years now they’ve been virtual partners in life-and-death battles and civilization-building — which, it turns out, is excellent preparation for taking on the labyrinth of this so-called real life. Cue Rufus Wainwright: “Life is a game and true love is a trophy.” We all met Stephanie for the first time when she accompanied our family to Colombia two years ago, and she quickly became one of our tribe, helping out with Spanish translations and shortly thereafter moving to Minnesota to be closer to Henry and to work at Concordia Language Camps in Bemidji. With Stephanie’s family looking on from Costa Rica via the Internet and with our daughter Helen, Henry’s maternal aunt Barb and his paternal grandfather Jerry and grandmother Ann bearing witness (“A good role model for a marriage for you guys,” said Henry’s mother and my former wife Jean, who has taught me much about love in this life), Lizz handed the young lovers handfuls of emeralds and peanuts. “I like to tell this story at services, about two of my favorite old-timey actors,” she said. “One is Helen Hayes, and she was madly in love with a guy named Charles MacArthur. They were actors, and they met at a bar and they fell in love that night, the first night. They were broke actors, and he handed her a handful of peanuts and said, ‘I love you, I know we’re poor, and I wish these were emeralds.’ They were married for 50 years. On their 50th anniversary, he handed her a bag of emeralds and said, ‘I wish these were peanuts.’” My heart leapt. Tears filled my eyes. Finally, after days of rushing around and executing the wedding plan, it all hit me, standing there in my suit and tie next to my lad: the union, the warmth, the fact that this new love made the darkest and
December 20, 2018: Newlyweds Stephanie Heyer-Walsh and Henry Heyer-Walsh, moments after saying “I do.” Photo by Jim Walsh
longest day of winter feel like a blast of spring. The minister then had the couple fill a keepsake jar with peanuts and emeralds, accompanied by a wish that they return to the magical idea of their love growing emeralds from peanuts to get them through tough times. After that, vows were exchanged (complete with insider gamer jokes and promises to meld South and North American cultures), rings were exchanged, kisses were kissed, toasts were made, dinner and cake was served, champagne was popped, photos were taken, tears were spilled, joy was rampant, and three weeks later, the feeling remains. Is there anything better than young love? At the moment, I can’t think of a thing, and these days, to be in
the young couple’s presence is to be around something beautiful, promising, fun, funny and hopeful. That feeling of love and abundance is what I want to celebrate and hold close today and always, as a way to remind myself and anyone else who might need it about the healing power of love. And, given how much hate and discord is part of our daily planet diet, it says here the world could use as many reminders and examples of LOVE as we can get. There are people reading this who have been with their significant others for decades, years, months, weeks. There are people reading this who are, and always have been, happily alone. There are people reading this who have recently become single, or who have lost their
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1180 Loma Linda Avenue, Orono Gently sloping, East facing half acre site on North Arm Bay. Current home has been a long term rental and is in need of updating, or build your dream home. The boathouse has been recently re-built. 100 feet of hard sand lakeshore.
DAVE ANDERSON
EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS SINCE 1985! Anderson, Dave SWJ 111518 masthead banner.indd 1
Jim Walsh lives and grew up in South Minneapolis. He can be reached at jimwalsh086@gmail.com.
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love, or whose love has gone unrequited, or who have no one and no hope or need for romantic love. Me, I believe in love and I always will, no matter how skeptical my heart gets to humanity’s ills, and I’m lucky to have loved and been loved. These days I feel fortunate to be around new and old couples every week — some who are just starting out, some who have been together forever, some who defy all other makes and models, all inspiring. None so much as Henry & Steph, a couple of crazy kids worth rooting for, whose love positively shines. Cheers…
For a market analysis of your property, call Dave at 612-750-2209. 952-924-8724 direct | 612-750-2209 cell
www.realtorDA.com 11/12/18 9:37 AM
southwestjournal.com / January 10–23, 2019 A9
Voices
Minneapolis 2040 plan If I had $100 for every online wisecrack by Minneapolis urbanists about evil Ward 13 for its strong (but hardly unique) opposition to the Minneapolis 2040 comprehensive plan update, I could fund the city’s new $40 million affordable housing commitment myself — which is weird, because the only people who hate McMansions more than Uptown “plan fans” are the people of Southwest who tried to ban them years ago. I admit to having many dear, kind-hearted, accomplished and staunchly liberal friends over your way, but I prefer we keep all shame and guilt for the 2040 fight squarely on Ward 13. Otherwise, it might land on my own Ward 11, where opposition was as intense as anywhere. Bright red “BULLDOZE” signs were a legal requirement on 58th Street near Todd Park, and equally high-density in (Olde) Tangletown and north Windom. I even saw a few in Kingfield! But only Lynnhurst and Linden Hills are to blame for City Council Member Linea Palmisano, who dared speak the obvious criticisms of the plan and did not echo YIMBY PR about the city’s strategic precision or its vast community outreach. Her views were not shared by any others I met at many 2040 panel chats this summer, except folks in wards 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. (I missed a few. So many gripe sessions. So little time.) Putting brilliant political satire aside for a moment, these have been extraordinarily angry months in Minneapolis. But respect to City Council grande dame Lisa Goodman, who was eloquently unfiltered
at the 12–1 vote, both about the plan’s shortcomings and its vital necessities. In closing, she was remarkably poignant about how tragically mean and shallow the debate became, and I second. These are tense times in my hometown. I still have hope for “One Minneapolis, Version 2,” but only if 30,000 residents can transcend themselves in the scourge of our city, the Half-Quadrant from Hell, unlucky Ward 13. Jim Meyer Page
Neighborhood engagement I just read your description of the “next generation” of Minneapolis neighborhood engagement in the Southwest Journal (“The next generation of neighborhood engagement,” Dec. 27–Jan. 9). I realize that you are a reporter and do not make policy, but the strong methods used by the city to try and change the makeup of neighborhood organizations is wrong and you should be saying so. The city is wanting to put funding for neighborhood organizations contingent on
how those groups widen the participation of groups like renters and various minorities. Historically many groups have not participated in various neighborhood organizations, primarily because of a lack of interest. Tying neighborhood funding to how much representation certain groups have going forward is (unfortunately) a form of blackmail and should be described as what it is. Using threats is never a good idea, unless the people or groups involved are not likely to strongly protest. Maybe a follow-up article with a little different spin would be helpful. Your article was well written, but maybe more feedback from neighborhood groups and unaffiliated residents would be useful.
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A10 January 10–23, 2019 / southwestjournal.com FROM FULL LICENSE / PAGE A1
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proprietors have applied for the upgrade. Meanwhile, others are taking a more gradual approach or are weighing whether they want the license at all. “I don’t imagine that business licensing will be overwhelmed with requests,” said Matt Perry, president of the Southwest Business Association. “I think there will be a lot more normally than what would have happened, but I don’t think there’ll be a huge or overwhelming amount.” Over 440 businesses holding a wine and beer license became eligible for the full liquor license after voters passed the referendum, according to Linda Roberts, interim manager of business licensing for the city. The seven that had applied as of Jan. 7 include Blackbird, Seed Cafe in Calhoun Village, Pizzeria Lola at 56th & Xerxes and La Mesa in Bryn Mawr. The City Council Economic Development & Regulatory Services Committee unanimously advanced Pizzeria Lola’s application to the full council on Jan. 8. Pizzeria Lola co-owner Conrad Leifur said during the committee meeting that the restaurant is planning a minor expansion of its beverage program, adding that he envisions three cocktails on tap. Otherwise, nothing much else will change at the restaurant, Roberts told the committee members. At Blackbird, Hines said owner Todd Zallaps is working on menu of about 10 specialty cocktails while he works on the logistics of setting up the new bar. Hines said customers they’ve talked to are excited about the cocktail program, adding that the new drinks will fit with the rest of the menu. “This new license should bring a better experience,” he said.
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Until November, Minneapolis’ city charter prohibited restaurants outside of commercial zones less than 7 acres in size from obtaining the licenses they needed to serve spirits and cocktails. Neighborhood restaurants could obtain an exemption to the charter from the state Legislature if they wanted to serve cocktails. But that meant a lengthy process that could cost more than $10,000. Broder, whose family owns Terzo, Broders’ Pasta Bar and Broders’ Cucina Italiana, said Minneapolis’ law regarding spirits always seemed archaic to him. With Linden Hills restauranteur Steven Brown and his mom, Molly Broder, he helped lead the campaign this past fall to pass the charter amendment that repealed the “7 acre rule,” as it was known. “The reality of why we wanted to do that is to make it an even playing field for everybody,” Broder said. “… It just seemed like the right thing to do is to help the city evolve in terms of its approach to alcohol.” Broder said cocktails are a great way for restaurants to boost their bottom lines in a time when other costs are rising. He also said his support of the amendment was in part to help bolster the dining culture in Minneapolis. “There’s a lot of really smart, elegant, flavordriven products out there that we would like to focus on,” he said.
Restaurateurs who apply for the upgraded license need to pay a $500 investigation fee plus the difference between their current and upgraded licenses. The process includes a public hearing, either in the community or at a City Council committee meeting, before the council votes on the license. An email from the city’s department of Business Licenses & Consumer Services said the expected turnaround to process a complete application is 40 business days. Each one of the upgrades will include an opportunity for public engagement said Roberts, the interim business-licensing manager. If issues or neighborhood concerns arise at a restaurant, the city has tools for dealing with them, Ward 13 City Council Member Linea Palmisano said.
Keeping up with competition For Broder, he said the interest in pursuing an upgraded license at Terzo is to stay on the same playing field as the local competition. He noted several nearby restaurants, such as Tinto Kitchen and Colita, have cocktail programs. Terzo plans to offer a cocktail program based around the Italian liqueur amaro. He said he expects to apply for the upgraded license in the first half of 2019. “We want our cocktail program to be unique and specific to Terzo,” Broder said. He said his family won’t pursue an upgraded liquor license at the pasta bar. Brown, who owns St. Genevieve and Tilia, agreed that allowing the upgraded liquor licenses citywide will help even the playing field for restaurants. Brown said on Jan. 8 he was preparing to submit applications for upgraded licenses for both restaurants. He said the plan is for St. Genevieve to have French-inspired cocktails and for Tilia to focus on bourbon, including products from small-batch artisan makers. “I think it’s a great angle for us to play that we’re a small place and we support small-batch producers just like us,” he said, adding that both restaurants will serve other liquor products too. Other neighborhood restaurants, both in and outside of Southwest Minneapolis, are planning to apply for the upgraded license, though not necessarily in the coming weeks. Niki Stavrou, owner of Victor’s 1959 Café at 38th & Grand, said she plans on applying eventually but won’t rush. She said she hopes to start a small craft cocktail program at the restaurant sometime in 2019. Heather Bray, owner of The Lowbrow near 43rd & Nicollet, also plans on applying for the license. She noted the large amount of work it would take to get her restaurant ready for serving cocktails, a process that includes retrofitting the bar at the restaurant. Amy Greeley, owner of Bull’s Horn Food and Drink east of Lake Hiawatha, said she expects to start the application process this spring. She said factors contributing to the decision to pursue the upgraded license include customer interest and that she expects other businesses to start doing it. Bull’s Horn will keep its cocktail program simple, Greeley said, adding that she wants SEE FULL LICENSE / PAGE A11
Terzo co-owner Charlie Broder said the upgraded liquor license will help the wine bar compete with nearby restaurants that serve cocktails, such as Tinto Kitchen and Martina. Photo by Nate Gotlieb
southwestjournal.com / January 10–23, 2019 A11
Wedge residents eat and chat at a free community meal at SpringHouse Ministry Center on Jan. 8. Photos by Andrew Hazzard FROM WEDGE COMMUNITY / PAGE A1
or neighborhood organization business to discuss seemed like a good option. “It’s something we could just start,” he said. LHENA held the first community meal in November. Melamed and his girlfriend Alex Beaumont prepared a massive pot of vegetable soup. As it’s grown, more options have been added, and more people have offered to chip in. The meals have all been held at SpringHouse Ministry Center at 28th & Lyndale, located just across the neighborhood border in Whittier. SpringHouse building use coordinator Deb Murphy said Melamed reached out to her about potentially hosting the meals there and preparing them in SpringHosue’s large kitchen. “We were very happy to have the space be used for something of that nature,” Murphy said. The menu on Jan. 8 featured a vegetable soup, beef chili and a curried squash soup. Each meal, they try to shoot for at least one vegan and one gluten-free option, Beaumont said. The crowds have been consistent, with 20–30 people coming to the bi-monthly meals. “It always seems to be some regulars and a few new faces,” Beaumont said.
Isaac Johnson originally came to Minneapolis from Pennsylvania to attend the University of Minnesota. He moved back to the Wedge area a few months ago. He said he’d wanted to get involved in the community for a while, and when he met Melamed and Beaumont at a coffee shop that proved to be the nudge he needed. “I think the core is the conversation and meeting people, and the soup is just a vehicle for that,” Johnson, who prepared the curried squash soup with his partner, said. For longtime area residents like Glenn Crown and Bonnie Bond, both of who say they’ve lived here for about 35 years, the meal has been a welcome gathering and a chance to meet neighbors. “And the food is good,” Crown, who volunteers at SpringHouse through United Church of Christ, added. The last scheduled community meal will take place Jan. 22 at SpringHouse. Melamed told diners that they’re considering bringing the program back in the spring in more of an outdoor, picnic setting. He’s also hopeful that people who have enjoyed the meals will champion the effort going forward. “I would love for it to take on a life of its own,” Melamed said.
Alex Beaumont prepares bread for the Wedge Community Meal at SpringHouse Ministry Center.
FROM FULL LICENSE / PAGE A10
to maintain the restaurant’s feel as a family friendly place. Those in the spirits business also appear excited for the change. Gina Holman, founding partner of J. Carver Distillery in Waconia, was a member of the steering committee that helped advocate for the charter amendment. She said consumers want to see local products on both food and drink menus, noting that many local mixologists are passionate about using locally distilled spirits. “What we’re excited about is that these restaurants now have the option to use these locally distilled spirits,” she said.
‘A positive thing’ Serving cocktails has already benefitted Nighthawks Diner + Bar at 38th & Nicollet, according to Managing Partner Max Thompson. The restaurant received an
exemption from the city charter during last year’s state legislative session. Thompson said the new offerings have helped increase bar sales and have contributed to the restaurant’s being able to offer a “nice” happy hour and a neighborhood night. All of Nighthawks’ cocktails are $9 or less, he said, noting that the restaurant keeps its cocktails in kegs in the basement. “They literally pour out just like a beer would from a tap system,” Thompson said. Thompson said he’s glad the voters approved the change to the city charter that allows for more restaurants to obtain full liquor licenses. It’s a sentiment that many in the community appear to share. “People still need to drink responsibly, and I think servers need to serve responsible, but I think (the amendment) is going to help the economic conditions for a lot of small businesses in the community,” City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins said. “And overall, I feel like it’s a positive thing.” MidwestOne Bank DTJ 121318 V3.indd 1
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A12 January 10–23, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
Public Safety Update By Dylan Thomas / dthomas@southwestjournal.com
Suspect charged in 1991 murder
Murder charge in Lyndale stabbing
20-year-old Belinda Thompson was found dead in her Whittier apartment 27 years ago A break in a 27-year-old cold case led to the arrest and charging in December of a South St. Paul man now linked to a 1991 murder in the Whittier neighborhood. Donald Clifton Jenkins, Jr., 56, is accused of killing Belinda Thompson, who was 20 years old when she was found dead in the bedroom of her apartment Dec. 19, 1991. An autopsy found seven stab wounds to the front of her body and an additional four stab wounds to her back. Now being held in the Hennepin County Jail with bail set at $1 million, Jenkins made his first court appearance Dec. 21 on charges of second-degree murder. He is linked to the murder through DNA evidence and allegedly acknowledged his guilt to investigators. Minneapolis police and the FBI jointly announced Jenkins’ arrest Dec. 18. The arrest followed a yearlong review of the unsolved murder and additional forensic testing of evidence by the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. “We appreciate the tenacious detective work of the Minneapolis Police Department and the FBI on this case and intend to bring Mr. Jenkins to justice,” Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said in a statement released by his office. “Although it does not change what happened to Ms. Thompson, we hope it will bring some closure to her family
who have suffered with not knowing who murdered her for so many years.” Thompson lived in an apartment on the 2800 block of Grand Avenue South. According to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and the criminal complaint in the case, investigators searched the apartment after her death and found a partially open kitchen drawer; inside, one knife appeared to be missing from a set of knives. A bloody knife that matched the set was found tucked into a couch. Investigators also found a wet, bloodstained washrag resting on the edge of the sink in the apartment’s bathroom, according to the criminal complaint. The complaint goes on to say Jenkins was a friend of Thompson’s then-boyfriend and was interviewed by police during the initial 1991 investigation. At the time, Jenkins said he had met Thompson through her boyfriend and that he had been at the apartment before, adding that he had loaned the boyfriend his car. Jenkins told investigators he learned of her death the following day. Police investigated the case until it went cold in 1992. In 2008, the bloody washrag was sent to the BCA for DNA testing. Investigators obtained a sample of Jenkins’ DNA in 2010 after he was
extradited to Minnesota from Mississippi. In an interview with Jenkins, investigators told him the DNA sample would be compared to a sample taken from the washrag. When asked if the samples would match, according to the complaint, Jenkins’ response was, “Let’s find out!” A comparison of the samples excluded 99.1 percent of the population, but not Jenkins, according to the complaint. Jenkins called investigators shortly after the interview to claim he had once cut his knuckle while working on a car at Thompson’s apartment, according to the criminal complaint. Jenkins said he wiped his knuckle on a washcloth. Additional testing in 2018 of the washrag discovered at the scene found an increased likelihood that Jenkins’ DNA was present. Confronted again this year, Jenkins allegedly admitted to the crime, saying, “My DNA is there, I did it,” according to the complaint. Jenkins allegedly told investigators he was “chasing dope” when he went to Thompson’s apartment and didn’t expect anyone to be home. Hennepin County District Court records show Jenkins was convicted in of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in 1993 and the use of a motor vehicle to patronize prostitutes in 1991.
A St. Paul man has been charged with murder after prosecutors say he stabbed and killed another man over an argument about music at a Jan. 3 gathering in the Lyndale neighborhood. Quinten Lavel Osgood Jr., 29, has been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of 33-year-old Anthony Madison, according to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. Osgood made an initial court appearance Jan. 7. Minneapolis police found Madison bleeding at 35th & 1st around 10:45 p.m. Jan. 3, according to a criminal complaint. He was taken to Hennepin Healthcare by paramedics, where he died shortly after 11 p.m. A roommate of Madison’s told investigators they invited Osgood and his girlfriend to their home, and witnesses told police it was a nice evening until the men began to argue over music, according to a criminal complaint. When the argument escalated, Madison reportedly told Osgood to leave. The men began to fight outside and fell to the ground. When the men stood up, Osgood reportedly ran off, while Madison stumbled and collapsed, the complaint states. Investigators have not found the knife. Osgood was being held on $1 million bail at press time, according to court records. His next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 7. — Andrew Hazzard
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southwestjournal.com / January 10–23, 2019 A13
News
By Andrew Hazzard / ahazzard@southwestjournal.com
Compost Buddies searching for new friends When Katlyn Flannery decided she wanted to start recycling her organic waste in early 2017, there weren’t many options for a large-building apartment renter like her. Flannery went to the Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association to see if there was a way for people who live in buildings with more than four units to get access to city organics recycling bins. They said there wasn’t, but she was welcome to come start one. So Flannery joined LHENA’s environmental committee, which launched two programs: an organics drop-off at Wedge Community Co-op and Compost Buddies, a smaller-scale effort to pair those with organics recycling bins to those without. Initially, Compost Buddies was not promoted on a large scale. But the soaring popularity of the Wedge Co-op drop-off is changing that. Today the drop-off at the co-op is at capacity, with about 650 renters who recycle their organics in 10 public bins there. The Wedge Co-op, which Flannery said has been a fantastic partner, has no more space for additional city organics bins. As a result, LHENA is looking for more friends to join Compost Buddies. The idea behind Compost Buddies is pretty simple. Homeowners have bins for organics recycling that are collected weekly by the city.
Katlyn Flannery stands next to the community organic recycling bins at The Wedge Co-op. Photo by Nate Gotlieb
Renters in buildings with more than four units largely do not, and such renters make up the majority of residents in the Lowry Hill East neighborhood, also known as the Wedge. The program pairs renters with willing homeowners who live nearby, and the renters drop their organic materials in their buddy’s bin. When people sign up, Flannery pulls out a map of homeowners and renters who are part of the program and tries to pair people who live within a couple blocks of each other. Those with bins let their buddies know
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via text or email when they’re putting out for collection. Many don’t ever interact in person. “Are you my Kelley?” Bernadette Knaeble asked when Kelley Skumautz sat down for a group interview. Skumautz, who lives in an apartment building, has been dropping her organic waste in Knaeble’s bin for about nine months. While the two communicate regularly via email, they’d never before met face-to-face. Skumautz has been living a zero-waste lifestyle for a while now. She and her roommate keep their organic waste in old coffee tins stored in their freezer. Before getting involved with Compost Buddies, Skumautz faced uncertainty over where she’d drop the materials each week. Now she just walks down the block. “The convenience is key,” Skumautz said. Knaeble, a retired science teacher who is also on LHENA’s environmental committee, said she has composted in her yard for a while but got her curbside organics bin about two years ago. She estimates that most weeks she only takes up about an eighth of the bin, and even after adding the organics from Skumautz more than half the bin is unused. Right now, there are 13 active homeowners participating in the program with another six waiting for a buddy assignment and 17 active renters with another seven
awaiting placement, Flannery said. Ten more people who don’t live in Lowry Hill East have signed up for the program, she said, but as they aren’t close by she hasn’t been able to assign them a role. LHENA has reached out to the city, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and Minneapolis Public Schools about getting another drop-off site in the neighborhood. They’ve talked about a new site at Mueller Park, located on West 25th Street between Colfax and Bryant avenues, or Jefferson Community School at 26th & Emerson, but so far nothing has stuck. They’re hoping Compost Buddies can help fill the demand for organics recycling in the neighborhood. Right now, the city offers public organic recycling drop offs in Southwest at Armatage Park and Martin Luther King Jr. Park. Whittier Alliance offers a similar community drop-off to LHENA’s Wedge Co-op arrangement at The Wedge Table. “We have a clear need,” Flannery said. “There is a gap for organics recycling in the community.” They’re hopeful the Compost Buddies program can expand to other neighborhoods, too. “This is neighborhoods problem solving,” Knaeble said. For more information visit thewedge.org/ compost-buddies.html.
A14 January 10–23, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
A parable of progress Author and architectural historian Larry Millett on the Metropolitan Building By Dylan Thomas / dthomas@southwestjournal.com
Just a few months before the first sledgehammer blow landed on its stone exterior, a 14-year-old Larry Millett made his one and only visit to the Metropolitan Building. It was the summer of 1961, and Millett and his father joined the scores of Minneapolitans paying their respects to the old downtown landmark, then slated for demolition as part of a Minneapolis Housing and Redevelopment Authority plan to remake the seedy Gateway District. They came to glimpse the building’s light-filled central atrium, to walk its glass-block galleries and ride an elevator up to the 12th floor — just beneath the massive skylight — where the future author and architectural historian leaned over one of the ornately decorated wrought-iron railings and gazed at the lobby far below. Millett’s latest book, “Metropolitan Dreams,” tells the story of this vanished wonder, from its rise as the Northwestern Guaranty Loan Building in 1890, at the tail end of an early boom period for Minneapolis, to its fall amid a mid-century fervor for urban renewal. It opened as a monument to the fraudulent financial empire of Louis Menage and closed 70 years later as an anything-but-ordinary office building, showing its age but still admired by many. Millett gave a talk on his new book, published by University of Minnesota Press,
Streetcars on 3rd Street, circa 1890, moving past the recently completed Northwestern Guaranty Loan Building, later known as the Metropolitan Building. Photo courtesy Minnesota Historical Society
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Jan. 5 at Minneapolis Central Library and afterwards sat down for a conversation with the Southwest Journal. The interview has been edited and condensed.
Southwest Journal: What do you think it is about the building that, even today, we tell this story in Minneapolis as almost a parable of progress versus preservation? Millett: I think it’s the touchstone building for that whole Minneapolis parable. And, you know, the same parable really applies in St. Paul, in every other American city. They’ve all done their thing, especially in the downtown areas. There’s something about the building that just sort of radiates, and people look at those pictures (of the Metropolitan) and they say, “Man, I would’ve liked to have seen that.” And not many buildings have that particular quality. It’s the starting point of historic preservation in Minneapolis. Even though it didn’t get saved, it got people thinking about historic preservation where no one was really thinking about it before. Two years earlier they tore down the New York Life building, which was a very fine building by New York architects, and it had a magnificent lobby with a double-helix staircase. That thing went down with hardly a whisper.
southwestjournal.com / January 10–23, 2019 A15
If you’re a Minneapolitan in 1890 and you see this thing, what are you thinking? It was the ultimate coming-of-age building. Minneapolis in 1880 was a fairly small city. The population was 40,000 or something, and it just jumped by huge numbers during that decade. There were like 50,000
buildings built in the city. It was just this enormous growth. So, I think the building, especially in its location — it was in the Gateway, and there weren’t a lot of tall buildings at that time — it really stood out. Everything around it was really low, so it must’ve seemed like a castle in the center of the city. The king’s keep. The fact that it was all built on quicksand —
Financial quicksand. Yeah, it’s a classic American story. Menage, I don’t know how he financed this. It’s not really clear. He probably just leveraged the hell out of it. And then he unloaded the building to another corporation just before the crash (of Northwestern Guaranty Loan Company) occurred. When it came time for the receivers to figure out the assets of the corporation, the building wasn’t among them.
The building was fully occupied at the time of its demolition in 1961. It was a little rough for wear at that point, though, right? Sure. The rents would’ve been relatively cheap. It would’ve been considered what we call today a class C office building. Was it an immensely profitable building? Probably not. Did it have some deferred maintenance issues? Yeah, I’m sure it did. But it wasn’t a dead building by any stretch of the imagination. Some of the buildings (Housing and Redevelopment Authority) took were in effect dead buildings, but they took a lot of going buildings. They took hotels that were still going concerns. They ate it all up. They just hoovered it.
Would some compromises have been made to the Metropolitan Building if it were still standing today?
Ruins of the Metropolitan Building in 1962. Photo courtesy Minnesota Historical Society
You would’ve seen the exterior pretty much the same. Obviously new windows, and that’s not a big deal, because they were simple doublehungs for the most part. They would’ve had to do some tuck-pointing and stone repair, would’ve cleaned it, hopefully, in a good way, and gotten some of the color back. The interior would’ve presented some issues. I’m sure they’d have to sprinkler it, because
View from bottom of the Metropolitan Building’s light court, 1961. Photo courtesy Minnesota Historical Society
any time you’ve got a big atrium you’ve got a flue-like effect in the event of a fire. But you can sprinkle them, you can make that work. The old office space would’ve been substantially redone to one degree or another, depending upon what the uses were. They would not be able to maintain those elevators as they were. They would have to have been electrified and made automatic, and they’d be different cabs from the one they would’ve had. They would’ve replaced the skylight, I hope. It would’ve been a multi-multi-million project, but very doable. I think any historic preservation architect would say, “Oh yeah, give me a shot at that building. I can make it work.”
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A16 January 10–23, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
By Mira Klein
Seasonal recycling program wanes with copper prices Recycled holiday lights aren’t as profitable as they used to be, and it’s putting a dent in the ability of Minneapolis residents to do good with their old and burned-out bulbs. Through a partnership with the Recycling Association of Minnesota, Ace Hardware stores around Minneapolis used to offer a complimentary drop-off service where people could leave their dead bulbs — and purchase some conveniently located replacements. RAM did most of the legwork, providing collection bins to each store and coming around two or three times during the holiday season to collect the old lights, which were sold as scrap metal. “We had a very comprehensive route,” recalled Brita Sailer, executive director of RAM. Sailer knows. She sometimes she even drove the pick-up vehicle herself, traversing the city’s 27 Ace partner sites. But that program ended in 2015 when it became too expensive for RAM to operate. As it turns out, the most valuable part of holiday lights to recycle is not the lights themselves. It is actually the copper wire running through the strand that connects them. But copper prices are down, so metal scrappers and recycling facilities get less payback. Copper prices have fluctuated significantly over the past decade. From a low in 2008 following the global financial collapse, prices climbed steeply until 2010 before starting to decline again. By 2015 — the year the RAM-Ace partnership disbanded — prices had fallen significantly. The program “was no longer sustainable,” Sailer said. “Copper prices went down, the cost of collection went up, and we were stuck there in the middle.” While RAM scaled back its holiday light recycling program in Minneapolis, it was doing the same statewide. Now, instead of facilitating this recycling directly, which RAM used to do through its Recycle Your Holidays program, RAM maintains a Minnesota-wide list of dropoff locations that accept lights. After the RAM partnership ended, a cascade of events ensued. Without RAM as a recycling
partner, Ace could no longer afford to store and recycle the old lights themselves. So the consortium of Ace hardware stores in the Twin Cities decided to end their old holiday light collection all together. Jim Welna, co-owner of Welna II Hardware, an Ace affiliate in Seward, said he remembers the days of partnering with RAM during the holiday season. “[RAM] just made it really easy for us,” he said.
And because it was a group effort, the Ace stores could coordinate advertising for the program as well, upping the number of residents who made the trek to generate some recycling out of such a consumptionheavy time of year. Even though many Ace locations stopped taking old holiday lights altogether, Welna II Hardware still operates its own independent recycling program.
Sue Welna of Welna Ace Hardware hoists an armload of holiday light strands bound for the recycler. Photo by Mira Klein
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“We decided we really wanted to do it, and even if it cost us we were going to pay for it,” Welna said. If they pay for a service to pick up the old lights, it costs Welna II Hardware $1.50 per pound. Some years Welna decides to drop off the lights himself, which he brings to Express Metals in Hopkins. Last year he delivered three 55-gallon buckets of holiday lights over the course of December and January. He made about two dollars in return. Despite the lack of Ace-wide advertising, Welna hasn’t seen a slowdown in the volume of old holiday lights people drop off at his store. But this doesn’t necessarily suggest a trend in the volume of recycled holiday lights around the city as a whole. As Welna speculated, “There are just fewer places to bring them, so places that do still collect are seeing more.” Other recycling operations don’t have to worry so much about the finicky prices of copper when it comes to holiday lights. Hennepin County operates two recycling facilities that will take lights, one in Brooklyn Park and one in Bloomington. Angie Timmons, an environmental educator with the county, explained that the county can afford to absorb the loss on holiday light recycling. “We are in a unique situation where our [lights] are managed through a state electronics recycling contract,” she said. The light strings are just thrown in with all the other electronics cords. A drop in holiday light recycling isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially if it means people are just re-using their old lights more. As Timmons pointed out, this is especially true as more people switch to longer-lasting LED strands. Even so, Minneapolis residents will continue to find old boxes labeled “Holiday Decorations” in the basement containing useless lights from 2005. And when the end of January arrives, countless holiday enthusiasts will still realize that their decorations have reached the end of their lifespan. When that time comes, hopefully Minneapolis residents will find a way to dispose of their once-bright bulbs responsibly.
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southwestjournal.com / January 10–23, 2019 A17
By Andrew Hazzard / ahazzard@southwestjournal.com
Park Board re-elects president, VP for 2019 The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will maintain its leadership structure moving into 2019 after re-electing the board president and vice president Jan. 2. Park Board President Brad Bourn (District 6) and Vice President AK Hassan (District 3) were voted back into their leadership positions by fellow commissioners despite a challenge from Commissioner LaTrisha Vetaw (At-Large) who was nominated for both seats. “I believe we need a change in leadership,” Vetaw said after her nomination. “… I hope that we as a board will work better together in 2019 under whatever leadership we have.” Bourn was re-nominated to the president role by Commissioner Chris Meyer (District 1) and won election over Vetaw on a 6-3 vote. Commissioner Steffanie Musich (District 5) nominated Vetwaw and was joined by Commissioner Meg Forney (At-Large).
Musich said she nominated Vetaw because of her ability to work with other commissioners and MPRB staff. “I believe we need someone who is going to put collaboration amongst commissioners at the center of this dais,” Musich told commissioners. “Someone who puts parks above party loyalties. And I believe Commissioner Vetaw is that leader.” Commissioner Jono Cowgill (District 4) said Bourn had helped lead the MPRB through a banner year and that he deserves another year to serve as president. Despite unanimous votes on key decisions to hire new MPRB Superintendent Al Bangoura and approve a $124 million budget to end 2018, commissioners clashed at the end of the year over issues surrounding a lobbying consultant and representation on the board in long meetings that featured
heated exchanges. On Jan. 2, many commissioners voiced a willingness and hope for more cooperation in 2019. “Together I’d like us to turn the page and look to the future,” Bourn said after his nomination. He said to do that the board should continue its campaign for youth in Minneapolis, including developing full-service campuses for kids, improving youth job programs and waiving activity fees. He called for commissioners, himself included, to put aside their personalities and work together. “I believe our board’s best days are ahead of us,” Bourn said. “… I’d be the first to admit that we’ve often had disagreements on issues, but I think every one of the nine of us here cares for the city of Minneapolis, cares for our parks, cares for our youth and cares for our families.” Vetaw was nominated for board vice president by Meyer. She said that while some
might see the vice president role as limited in power, she believes it to be a crucial job. She told fellow commissioners that some members of the board don’t feel represented because of the way board leadership sticks together, and said change was needed to improve board relations. “If we don’t change it up a little bit, it’s going to get worse,” Vetaw said. Hassan was nominated for a second year as vice president by Commissioner Londel French (At-Large). Hassan said he will continue to push for better youth programs. “I’m willing to work so that everyone has a voice in our city,” Hassan said. He won on a 5-4 vote. Deputy Superintendent Jennifer Ringold was reappointed as board secretary and Brian Rice was reappointed as the legal counsel for the Park Board.
New superintendent may live in Wirth House Incoming Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Superintendent Al Bangoura likely will take up residence in the historic Theodore Wirth Home in East Harriet when he takes office Jan. 20. Bangoura, a Twin Cities native who is moving back to Minneapolis from Charlotte, North Carolina to take the job, has expressed interest in staying in the historic house in Lyndale Farmstead Park while he searches for a permanent home in Minneapolis, according to Park Board President Brad Bourn. Bourn said Bangoura would likely be seeking to live in the Wirth Home for less than a year while his family moves back to Minnesota after his children finish the school year. “I don’t think there’s any intention that he wants to live in the house long term,” Bourn said. On Jan. 2, the Park Board’s Administration and Finance Committee passed a resolution
approving a lease agreement with Bangoura at the home at a monthly rate of $1,325. The resolution will be officially voted on at the Jan. 16 meeting. Previous superintendents, including his predecessor Jayne Miller, have lived in the home. Miller last paid $1,154 per month to rent the home. Deputy Superintendent Michael Schroeder said staffers couldn’t find any documentation determining how the lease area for Miller was quantified. In July, MPRB staff started work to get an updated fair market value for the home. Through the process, they narrowed the 3,085-square-foot home to 1,431 square feet of space deemed to be for “exclusive use” to a private resident. Schroeder said the MPRB consulted Renters Warehouse on finding a proper rent. Renters Warehouse told the MPRB the entire home
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New Park Board Superintendent Al Bangoura is likely to move into the historic Theodore Wirth Home at 39th & Bryant. Photo by Nate Gotlieb
could be rented for $2,200–$2,600, and staff tried to scale that entire price to the “exclusive use” portion of the home. Schroeder said it
would come to $1,016–$1,228. They also considered Miller’s lease and escalated it with the consumer price index for 2018, which came to a rate of $1,325. “We determined just to be safe we would go with the $1,325 per month,” Schroeder said. While home rentals in the East Harriet neighborhood are sparse, a 2-bedroom, 1,500-square-foot home at 34th & Bryant is currently listed at $2,400 per month on Zillow. The home at 39th & Bryant housed legendary parks superintendent Theodore Wirth during his tenure with the Park Board. Many city parks were designed there. After Miller moved out of the building in January, the Minneapolis Parks Legacy Society began offering public tours in the building. Bourn said Bangoura is interested in keeping the house open for public tours in some capacity while he lives there.
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A18 January 10–23, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
Moments in Minneapolis
By Karen Cooper
Competition on the ice
I
n the early years, Minneapolitans were pleased and excited by having successful ice companies right in the city. Icehouses went up in the neighborhoods, shortening the distance to deliver ice on hot summer days. The Cedar Lake Ice Company was the largest and most successful of the ice companies, harvesting from Cedar Lake,
Bde Maka Ska and the Mississippi River. Ice formed quickly in those cold winters. A foot of ice could easily form in four or five days. Even overnight the new ice was thick enough for hockey players to get out onto their “fresh rink.” Originally, sportsmen had great relationships with the ice companies. But by 1901 those living on the shore of Bde Maka Ska complained that
the ice companies had depleted the lake level by 16 inches. That seems unlikely, since some water was also draining into Lake Harriet. The point was made, but even worse, ice boating was ruined for the season. Six different ice companies had claimed most of the lake for their harvesting operations. The clear expanse of ice wanted for a sail across the
lake was blocked. And with as many as 50 ice boats in the Lake Calhoun Ice Yacht Club, there was hardly room to turn around, let alone race. The shore was privately owned — in some places by the ice companies. The neighbors and ice boaters tried to combine forces with the Park Board and Minikahda Club, but the Minnesota Supreme Court affirmed the companies’ right to harvest ice. The people took matters into their own hands. They poured kerosene oil on the ice. The Cedar Lake Ice Company retaliated by laughing that those responsible would simply have to pay more for their unspoiled ice in the summer. And when that didn’t stop them, the ice company started spreading ashes on the ice tracks used by the ice boaters. Eventually, each side agreed to stay to their own part of the ice sheet. But this was resolved only when the ice companies moved to cleaner waters further from the city and stopped harvesting Minneapolis lake ice. The picture shows the east shore of Bde Maka Ska and the Cedar Lake Ice Company’s icehouse at water level. Two unidentified ice yachters race past it. Cold but snowless winters were best for both ice sailing and ice harvesting. No wonder there was conflict. Karen Cooper is a photo-historian at Hennepin History Museum. She recommends the exhibit “History in Focus: Photographs in the Life of Hennepin County” curated by Peg Meier and Dan Dennehy. More info at hennepinhistory.org or 870-1329.
Image from the collection of the Hennepin History Museum
Judge’s ruling puts Commons up in the air A ruling by a Hennepin County judge in December has put the status of a downtown Minneapolis park near U.S. Bank Stadium into limbo. On Dec. 31, Judge Bruce Peterson ruled the city violated its charter by entering into a lease agreement with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to operate the Commons park, a decision that makes it unclear who will manage the space going forward. The ruling came as no surprise to pro se plaintiffs Paul Ostrow and John Hayden, who sued the city on the grounds it cannot operate a park and that the use agreement is unfairly weighted in the Vikings favor. “In our view the law on this has always been very clear,” Ostrow, a former City Council member, said. The city attorney’s office has already stated it intends to appeal. “With due respect for the bench, we believe that the court got it wrong in this case,” City Attorney Susan Segal said in a statement. The Park Board, which typically operates all parks in Minneapolis but has leased this space back to the city, said it will join in that appeal. “The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is responsible for managing parks within the city and that is exactly what the Board did by entering into an agreement with the city for the Downtown Commons,” the MPRB said in a statement to the Southwest Journal. “We believe our agreement with the city is lawful; we disagree with the judge’s ruling and we will be working with our partners at the city on our next steps.” In his ruling, Peterson wrote the charter prevents the City Council from doing what
the MPRB is charged with doing — operating and maintaining parks — and that the city is contracted in this case to operate and manage the Commons. “Neither in its brief nor at the hearing on this matter did the city provide any explanation for this stark inconsistency,” Peterson wrote. Ostrow and Hayden say any appeal of the decision would be frivolous, and that they hope the Park Board will seize the opportunity to create a new use agreement for the site with the Vikings and the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority that will allow them to put revenuegenerating restaurants on the grounds and hold more events in the space to make the park an asset to the MPRB. They said that because the current use agreement was not negotiated directly with the Park Board, it would likely be thrown out in court. “I don’t think there’s any way the Vikings can compel the Park Board to follow the terms of that use agreement,” Ostrow said. The Commons has long been a focus of debate. In 2013, Ryan Companies entered into a use agreement for the Commons with the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority that allowed the MSFA and Vikings to use the space for game days and other events and created an understanding that Ryan Companies would later turn the space over to the city or its “designee.” In 2014, the Park Board adopted a resolution declaring the Commons did not “truly qualify as a public park”. In 2017, the city conveyed the Commons to the Park Board. The same day, the Park Board leased it back to the city, which runs
the park via the nonprofit Green Minneapolis. Funding for the park is gathered from Green Minneapolis, Ryan Companies, the Vikings and parking ramp revenue, and in 2018 the city contributed $750,000 of downtown asset funds to the Commons. The Park Board has approved the use of park dedication fees in the area to be spent on improvements at the Commons. “This is the most convoluted arrangement, and it reeks,” Hayden, a former City Council candidate, said. Hayden said they hope there are no more appeals in the case, and the park commissioners and City Council members will take it upon themselves to hold votes on the Commons instead of letting their respective legal representatives keep fighting the case. “We need the Park Board now to step up for the people’s interest,” Hayden said. The city has argued that the Commons does serve the public interest, and that — other than a half-block of space that was used for security during the Super Bowl — the park was open to the public for all of 2018. The city said the Commons brought in more than $14 million in property taxes in 2018. Park Board President Brad Bourn said that while he voted against the agreement, he believes the Park Board is within its rights to lease the space back to the city for management and that he’ll be advising the board to follow the city’s lead as legal proceedings move forward. He said the MPRB was always interested in the Commons but lacked the ability to recapture revenue on the space.
The future management status of the Commons, a park outside U.S. Bank Stadium, is unclear after a judge ruled the city has violated its charter by operating the space. Photo by Andrew Hazzard
While he feels the lawsuit is well intentioned, Bourn said it’s important to separate the issue from feelings about the Vikings or publicly funded stadiums, adding that no matter who runs the space, covenants on the land will require it to be designated for the Vikings to use on and around game days. He said commissioners will be updated on the situation during a strategy session on Jan. 16. “The city is our partner and we are going to work with our partners, but there’s nobody in the country better equipped to manage public green space than the MPRB,” he said. A court trial is scheduled in the case for May 13. — Andrew Hazzard
southwestjournal.com / January 10–23, 2019 A19 FROM FEET FIRST / PAGE A1 Alex Bowen, left, and Abigail Johnson are launching Feet First, with plans to share shovels and encourage people to get out of cars. Photo by Michelle Bruch
A 2017 pedestrian crash study caught their attention, and they were shocked to learn six of the city’s 10 intersections with the most crashes were within the Southwest Minneapolis neighborhoods of Whittier, South Uptown, Lyndale and the Wedge, officially known as Lowry Hill East. So Alex Bowen and Abigail Johnson decided to do something about it. “Anything within a two-mile radius, we bike and walk first,” Johnson said. “The car is a last resort.” The “Feet First” initiative aims to promote walkable, safe and interesting neighborhoods, starting with a campaign to #ShovelItForward. While the city is stepping up enforcement of laws to shovel 24 hours after it stops snowing, the Wedge would like to see neighbors take the friendlier step of helping each other shovel out. “If the streets aren’t clear, people won’t walk,” Johnson said. “Do the neighborly thing and get out there and shovel.” By emailing feetfirstmpls@gmail.com, neighborhood residents can volunteer to help shovel, access a shovel, or find help for a neighbor.
#FeetFirstMpls Minneapolis staff recently explored the cost to shovel all of the city’s 1,800 miles of sidewalks. But staff recommended against it after seeing the price tag. Clearing the sidewalks would range from about $4.5 million to plow four-inch snowfalls (typical for a snow emergency) up to $20 million for continuous service. Instead this winter, city staff are conducting inspections, issuing warnings and following up with $149 fines if the sidewalk still isn’t shoveled. Aside from shoveling, Feet First is promoting a new social media campaign called #FeetFirstMpls, which encourages people to walk and take photos with the hashtag to become eligible for giveaways. The founders of Feet First, a committee of the Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association, have a lot of other ideas: Street art to slow traffic, business discounts for walkers and bikers, letterwriting campaigns, pedestrian maps to find bike racks and Little Free Libraries or challenges to commute without a car once a week all summer. Wayfinding signage could suggest the lake is a 15-minute walk (rather than a 1 mile distance). Bowen and Johnson have reached out to South Uptown, Whittier and Lyndale neighborhoods for potential collaboration. To generate more ideas, Feet First’s kickoff open house is 10 a.m.–noon Feb. 23 at The Wedge Table with food, a kids’ table, volunteer info and a corner for brainstorming the future of neighborhood streets.
It’s not an anti-car movement. It’s a gettingout-of-the-car movement. — Abigail Johnson, Feet First
Designing ‘Complete Streets’ Bowen and Johnson figure the Wedge neighborhood is the perfect guinea pig for new ideas, where access to jobs, healthy food, parks and retail are steps away. According to Wilder Research, nearly 19 percent of households in the neighborhood don’t have a car. And 31 percent either work from home or commute via transit, walking or biking. “By choice, I don’t have a car,” Johnson said. Walking and biking is up citywide, and it’s increasing fastest in places where the population is growing fastest, according to city counts. Across the city, streets are gradually changing to align with a “Complete Streets” strategy to priori-
tize pedestrians. Hennepin Avenue’s recent reconstruction widened the sidewalk between Lake and 31st streets by six feet on average, adding bike lanes and a mid-block crossing. City staff designed a 24th Street bikeway linking Hennepin and 3rd avenues, and staff expect to convert a Blaisdell Avenue bike lane into a protected bikeway between Franklin and 29th Street in 2019. Reconstruction of Hennepin Avenue from Douglas Avenue to Lake Street is slated for 2023. Hennepin County staff expect to overhaul the Lake & Excelsior intersection this year. As part of the ongoing Interstate 35W downtown-to-Crosstown project, Lake Street reconstruction between Blaisdell and 5th avenues may yield narrower lanes, wider sidewalks and bump-outs at intersections. Most Minneapolis pedestrian crashes happen during the evening commute, peaking on Fridays. About half of pedestrian crashes involve turning vehicles, most often left turns, and often when the pedestrian and vehicle were traveling in the same direction.
‘The car is a last resort’ As a member of the Minneapolis Pedestrian Advisory and Vision Zero committees, Johnson
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said she’s seen research on safety strategies that work, including lower speeds. Streets with 25 mph speeds are underrepresented in pedestrian crashes, and streets with 30–35 mph speeds are overrepresented when compared to their share of miles in the city, according to a city report. But rather than wait for government-led change, Feet First intends to take action now at the community level. “In the meantime, we can test out ideas,” Bowen said. The founders of Feet First say there are lots of reasons to promote walking and biking. It builds community by sending people out to meet neighbors. It promotes health and well-being. It helps support local businesses. And it addresses climate change. Transportation is now the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Minnesota, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, due to reduced reliance on coal for electricity. “It’s not an anti-car movement. It’s a gettingout-of-the-car movement,” Johnson said.
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Leaving Lakewood
Southwest Journal January 10–23, 2019
Lakewood Cemetery President Ron Gjerde retires after 50 years By Andrew Hazzard ahazzard@southwestjournal.com
The mayor of Minnesota’s third largest city left office in December. Ron Gjerde was never elected to head Lakewood Cemetery. It would, after all, be hard for the 180,000 or so residents to vote. But after 50 years spent working at the cemetery, including the past 29 as president, Gjerde retired on Dec. 31 with a seemingly high approval rating, leaving behind a legacy of new architectural marvels and customer service. Gjerde’s career began in December 1969, when the then 17-year-old responded to a classified ad in the Star Tribune seeking a “young, neat appearing man” to do clerical work at an “old established firm near Lake & Henn.” It was the last job he’d take. Lakewood paid for Gjerde to take classes at the University of Minnesota, and he began thinking it could be a place he spent his whole career. “People left and went on to other things, but not me,” he said. Working at a cemetery for so long gave Gjerde the opportunity to meet, and bury, generations of families. Getting to know those families over the years has been a highlight, he said. “All I could do with everyone at Lakewood was try to make their most difficult time a little bit easier,” Gjerde said. SEE LAKEWOOD CEMETERY / PAGE B13 Lakewood Cemetery President Ron Gjerde stands in an old section of the historic cemetery shortly before his retirement. Photo by Chris Juhn
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southwestjournal.com / January 10–23, 2019 B3
Deli-cate balance By Carla Waldemar
“Maven” crept into our lingo from the Yiddish — a word meaning “trusted advisor,” as I strive to be for you when it comes to eating out. It’s that role a trio of owners professes to undertake on the subject Jewish deli food at the new Meyvn (original spelling) in LynLake. I have no idea what their grandmothers cooked for them, but I do know that their combined resumes in the local hospitality industry are long and strong. (Among them, Tim Niver was the cocktail genius at the original Town Talk, then, along with his current partners, invigorated St. Paul with Strip Club, Saint Dinette and Muccci’s Italian.) They’re not averse to planting the flag in hitherto-unexplored culinary terrain in our towns. So, what’s the deal this round? For starters, don’t expect a redux of the venerated Lincoln Del — the closest the city has come to introducing local Norwegians to scary stuff like schmaltz and chopped liver. But bagels, yes, and wood-fired. Because I stopped in for dinner, I’ve yet to taste them. But for the record, my gold standard is the chewy Montreal variety. Instead, we started with matzo ball soup (small plates $5–$13). Of course your bubbe’s is the best, but second to that, this version is, in a word, comforting. The cure-all bowl steams with a clear, herb-enriched broth lapping egg noodles, bits of carrot and such and generous shards of chicken. But the big challenge is, of course, the matzo ball. This kitchen’s is firmly packed, yet yields to a spoon. Latkes? Of course. The menu offers those plump, come-hither potato pancakes served with crème fraiche (in lieu of plain-old sour cream), apple butter and beets. And that’s what we should have ordered. Instead, a special Hanukkah menu touted truffled latkes, which we summoned. Who’s to kvetch?
Me, that’s who. They arrived shaped like dominoes — thin and crisp and not much else. Next, pierogies — here, tinier than the usual format (just because, I guess), stuffed with mild farmers cheese and topped with explosive little bubbles of herring roe for welcome, slightly salty, contrast. Bigger, in this case, would definitely be better. (Okay, so I’m greedy.) It gets even better. The shakshouka — Israel’s answer to morning-after food — is mighty tasty. Feisty, too, roiling with sweet stewed tomatoes sparked with chewy chickpeas and contrastingly savory bits of feta, all lapping a buxom pair of perfectly poached eggs. House-made pita, given a glisten from a brush of oil, accompanies the dish. Share, also, if you’re feeling generous, the two-piece plate of fried chicken — ultra-moist beneath its irresistibly crispy skin, seasoned “Israeli hot” (as the menu notes) with peppers, then cooled with creamy tzatziki, served in way, way too tiny paper cups and short on the usual garlic. It’s also sided with the appealing crunch of “cucumber salad,” which amounts, alas, to a few well-seasoned rounds. Next time I’ll be up for the fried cauliflower, too. And maybe a sandwich ($13–$15, with choice of sides): Reuben, Rachel, pastrami, egg and cheeseburger. And next time, for dessert, maybe the milk and chocolate chip cookies or the carrot cake ($7). Definitely not the maple crème brulee, which arrived at our table in near-liquid form beneath its tepid crust. We had to send it back. I savored my bourbon-based cocktail, garnished with a cheeky Bit-O-Honey on a toothpick, while my companion ordered the Cabernet blend, served in a tiny juice glass. Service is cheery in these digs, a former Mexican restaurant where soft music and softer lighting fills the space between cement floor and HVAC ceiling. Free parking in the rear, a rarity in Uptown. Open from breakfast through dinner. Mazel tov, fellas, but keep on tweaking.
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B4 January 10–23, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
Attainable We
By Mikki Morrissette
A generational shift from ‘me’ to ‘we’
W
hen I was young, the book “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” was a bestseller. It was a 1970s fable, from a birds-eye perspective, of the struggle between conformity and flight and how individual transcendence also requires community and forgiveness. My mother read it. She was a part-time nurse who had returned to college in the days of beehive hair and multicolored pantsuits. She had a husband, two young kids and a house in a bedroom community. At the time, my budding interests involved checking out seven library books every week and studying words from a giant dictionary my parents kept on a shelf alongside an atlas of the world and a red, white and blue encyclopedia set. I also was imprinted with the titles of other books my mother read during those years, such as “On Death & Dying” and “The Phenomenon of Man.” I see them vividly in my mind. I even have her worn version of “Values Clarification” nearby as I write this. Unbeknownst to me, these were shaping moments. An even more obvious moment occurred while I was studying the Holocaust in middle school. My mother introduced me to her humanities professor at the University of Minnesota. He was a Holocaust survivor and sat with me to gently share his story. It was my first interview. Even then, as an awkward, introverted lover of words, I recognized that being entrusted with someone’s personal story was sacred. It
A murmuration of starlings. Stock photo
was about more than doing research or retelling someone’s story. It was about seeing things from a new perspective. Being privy to a new point of view. It shaped my career choices. My writing interests always have been less about getting the news or revealing secrets than going in deep to intersect, for just a moment, with the truth of someone’s life — in a way that is less voyeuristic than intimate. Clarifying with them their values. Transcending the material world by picking up a morsel of what makes a person unique. Not every interview leads to that kind of reveal. But as someone who started asking questions decades ago, I see the threads of what this career has afforded me — namely, a birds-eye view of the ecosystem of which we are a part.
We are impacted by each other — embedded with each other — evolving together in such a fluid way that we are unaware of the entire movement. We tend to see only the periphery of the relatively few individual parts that are nearest us at any given moment. The monthly conversation circle I am a part of recently named a symbol of our ecosystem: We are like a murmuration of starlings, swooping and diving and soaring together. As parts of a whole, every twitch of our wings is precipitated by what happens to the living being on our left and is in turn impacting the one on our right. As our city and state address issues of education, housing, policing, prevention, mental health, infrastructure and more, the symbol of our era might be less the Jonathan Livingston
Seagull of the 1970s “Me” generation as one that reflects a shift in narrative — more aware of its role in the collective. Those of us who have had the luxury of basking in the intellectual pursuits of our parents or of reaping the financial rewards of our predecessors or of feeling emotionally secure in the confines of our individual childhoods are now, finally, beginning to join in discussion with those of different experiences. People emerging today in politics and entrepreneurship and education and healing have finally begun to weave with so many “others” that the deficits and cracks in the structures of our community are being talked about more widely. We are recognizing how our movement together is ailing — that “we all do better when we all do better” has yet to be implemented. As conversation gets louder about the trauma and pollution that is making our collective whole less sustainable — as I talk to people who are “woke” to their role as part of the solution — I feel optimism. Despite today’s frustrations, from my viewpoint, we are becoming more of a “We” generation. Mikki Morrissette is the editor of Minnesota Women’s Press (womenspress.com), which will be hosting on Jan. 15 an event at First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis called “MWP Conversations: Healing in Community.” The event brings together storytellers and experts to offer insights into how trauma affects all of us and solutions that deserve support.
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southwestjournal.com / January 10–23, 2019 B5
Ask Dr. Rachel
By Rachel Allyn
Finding your resilience
“…not only where I learned to love myself, but where I learned to love everyone.” – CLWS ALUMNA
Waldorf education understands that developing human potential requires more than just academics. Come and see for yourself what makes us different. SCHEDULE A TOUR TODAY! Toddler – Grade 8 Learn more at clws.org Celebrating 30 years!
I’ve noticed myself fall into a pattern of becoming lazier and lazier. I’m unmotivated to work out, so now my body doesn’t feel as strong, nor do I fit as well into my clothes. I’ve stopped making healthy choices with food. I used to cook for myself but now I order out or just snack. After work I want to come home and watch TV instead of making plans with friends. This has been happening slowly over the past few years and I feel like I’m falling into a dark hole. How can I find motivation again?
I
f only it were as easy as me telling you to “just snap out of it!” But something deeper has caused this apathy to set in. There is a quote by Elie Wiesel: “The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference.” This captures you right now. You are not in love with your life. And although you are not dead, you are not really living. You are going through the motions and surviving, but certainly not thriving. Whether you have long term, low-grade depression — what psychologists call dysthymia — due to biological factors, years of difficult life circumstances or both, the end result is you lack “joie de vivre,” the French phrase for joyful, spirited, satisfied living. For many people, particularly in American culture, they’re so bogged down in long workdays and caring for others (children, elderly parents) that they have lost their sense of self and what lights them up. To be a healthy human in the modern era doesn’t mean we’ll be joyful all the time. There will always be ups and downs, of course. But it does mean having resilience, the capacity to pick oneself up again. One of my favorite quotes is this Japanese proverb: “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” Understand that life is a cycle of being let down, only to regain hope and vitality once again. Connect to your resilience by giving yourself credit for the changes and transitions in life you’ve already endured.
You want motivation, so start by brainstorming a list of all the things that matter to you, big and small. If that is difficult then look back to when you felt better and recall what mattered to you once upon a time. Because your world has gotten smaller and smaller and you’re stuck in your head, let this list include what matters to you on a larger scale in your community. Do you love animals? The environment? Supporting the arts? Find ways to volunteer or get involved in these larger causes and see if that inspires an inner fire within and reconnects you to a world beyond your TV screen. It is never too late for a fresh start. A depressed mind can get stuck in the past. Envision a new future that feels good from the inside out, as opposed to how it looks on the outside to others. Slowly start exercising and cooking again because you will feel better and because you deserve it. This needs to be a daily practice over time in order for it to become intrinsic motivation. Don’t tackle this alone. Ask someone to join you and encourage you, which is essential to keep you on track. Be gentle with yourself on your path. Some days you’ll nail it and cook yourself a nourishing meal and some days you’ll order pizza. Rather than get trapped in black and white thinking or feel discouraged, adopt this mantra: begin again. Begin. Again.
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B6 January 10–23, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
By Emily Lund
Growing seeds of resistance
Neighborhood Roots vendors, volunteers and staff joined forces to help make infrastructure improvements at Dawn 2 Dusk Farm in June 2018. Photo by Emily Lund
O
Join us at the
LUMINARY LOPPET
LOPPET.ORG/LUMINARY
ur food system is incredibly dynamic and complex. Each meal you make is affected by political, environmental, social, economic and cultural trends. The global challenges we face include climate change, immigration policy, international trade laws, population growth, natural resource management, extreme poverty, conflict and disease, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. These big issues interact and create systems that often exacerbate humanitarian crises, health pandemics and economic exploitation. These systems tend to strip the natural environment while leaving billions of people suffering from chronic nutritional illnesses, including malnutrition, obesity and diabetes. It will take a cultural revolution to resist agricultural systems that fail to nourish the land and its people. The seeds of resistance are planted at home. As artist and activist Ricardo Levins Morales writes, “The seeds of resistance are unlike any other seed mix: best when planted together, they will grow under any conditions at any time of year. Although yields may vary from season to season, tended carefully the harvest is sure to include many complementary varieties, from climate justice and racial equity to trans and queer liberation, dignity for migrants, improved labor conditions and much, much more. Plant some in your community garden!” In 2019, let’s learn how to tend our community garden together. It’s important to remember gardening isn’t an action, it’s an ongoing practice of creating environments that foster growth. Food justice is not an action or position, it’s a practice. How can we practice food justice in a way that nourishes the land and people we care about? There are many ways to practice, and getting involved at your neighborhood farmers market is one of them. Your neighborhood farmers market offers a unique opportunity to practice food justice. Building relationships with your farmers and neighbors is key to building a strong local food system. Every market day, you can learn from each other about everything from seasonal
recipes to indigenous land rights to horticultural science to herbal medicine to the consequences of the Farm Bill. You don’t have to wait until summer to get started. Neighborhood Roots is a nonprofit that runs farmers markets year round in South Minneapolis. Our mission is to bring neighbors together to buy, eat and learn about food. We support local farmers and small businesses, promote vibrant community and effect important changes in food and agricultural policy. Mark your calendars for our upcoming Winter Markets on the Saturdays of Jan. 26, Feb. 23 and March 23. Our indoor markets take place 9 a.m.–1:30 p.m. at Bachman’s on Lyndale. Stock up on root vegetables, gourds, jam, pickles, maple syrup, meat, eggs, cheese and more while supporting three dozen local businesses. Grow those relationships by making the farmers market a part of your weekly routine this year. We operate Kingfield Farmers Market on Sundays and Fulton Farmers Market on Saturdays from mid-May through October, as well as Nokomis Farmers Market on Wednesdays from mid-June through September. Deepen your practice by volunteering at the market. It takes an amazing team of dedicated volunteers to transform parking lots into vibrant community spaces. We need volunteers to help with operations, programming and community outreach. Your time and energy helps support more than 100 local farmers and makers, as well as the thousands of folks who love their neighborhood market. One of our amazing volunteers wrote this about the markets: “Every time you make a local purchase, it’s like tying a tiny thread to your finger that connects you to someone else in the area. That thread is a small part of the web that you create every day, all of the connections you make. Every smile, every donut, every jar of jam — that is what creates community.” Join our community by becoming a volunteer, donor, shopper or vendor this year. Find us on Facebook or visit our website (neighborhoodrootsmn.org) to learn more about market dates, products, programs and volunteer opportunities.
southwestjournal.com / January 10–23, 2019 B7
Mill City Cooks
Recipes and food news from the Mill City Farmers Market
WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE WINNERS OF THE 2018 NARI CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Winter at Bean Market
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ere you as excited as I was to see Napa cabbage at Mill City Farmers Market’s most recent winter market on Dec. 15? Xai Lor and her husband Tongsee Xiong, owners of Bean Market farm, are known affectionately as the “farming wizards” at Mill City Farmers Market. Decades of farming experience in Laos and now Minnesota has given them the know-how to have the latest selection of storage crops like cabbage and sweet potatoes and earliest selection of summer crops. A couple weeks ago, Xai, Tongsee and their daughter Aneedda showed us around their home in St. Paul. Most of their work between December and April takes place here, and it complements the five acres of farmland they rent in Rosemount. Winter at the house is also spent babysitting their granddaughters, reading seed catalogs and coming up with new and inventive ways to improve the farm — like their idea to create cool storage in their garage. Tongsee made their walk-in cooler from simple construction materials: particleboard, 2-by-2s for framing, foam insulation and an air conditioner for cooling and ventilation. A “CoolBot” to trick the air conditioner to go even colder may also be in the future for this cooler. While simple in construction, a cooler like this makes a big difference.
SILVER WINNER GOLD WINNER
“In the summer we have to stop harvesting crops like strawberries when we run out of cold storage space. We leave them unharvested in the field and then they rot,” explains Aneedda. Through the Mill City Farmers Market’s Next Stage Grant and other community resources, the market is hoping to improve and expand these types of DIY walk-in coolers, especially in the Hmong farming community where factors like rented land and access to electricity often make construction a challenge. Tongsee and Xai are interested in mentoring other farmers who are in need of easy, affordable cool storage space, particularly for delicate, high-value crops like flowers and fruit. “My parents love gardening and are really proud of the Bean Market name. This year, all the Christmas presents to me and my siblings say ‘From Bean Market’ instead of ‘Mom & Dad,’” laughs Aneedda as we say our goodbyes. You can find Xai and Tongsee of Bean Market farm and the ingredients you need for the recipe below at the Mill City Farmers Market’s next indoor Winter Market 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 1. Learn more at millcityfarmersmarket.org. — Jenny Heck
XAI’S QUICK-BRAISED CABBAGE This recipe comes from Mill City Farmers Market vendor Xai Lor of Bean Market farm. Serves 4–6 as a side dish. Enjoy with roasted chicken, grilled whitefish or fried tempeh strips and soy sauce to make this recipe your #WeeklyMarketMeal. Ingredients 1 cup dried beans from Bean Market, soaked overnight (soldier beans recommended) 1 Tablespoon coconut, sunflower or vegetable oil 1 large onion, roughly chopped
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated with a microplane 2–3 cloves peeled garlic, finely chopped 1 head of Napa cabbage, roughly chopped Salt or soy sauce, to taste Red pepper flakes, to taste
Method Boil soaked beans for 30–40 minutes until al dente. Drain and set aside. Warm oil in a large pan on medium-low heat. Add onions and saute 2–3 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring often, 2 more minutes. Add cabbage, salt and drained beans and cook for 10 minutes, or less for crunchier cabbage. Season with more salt or soy sauce and red pepper flakes and serve warm.
Entire House Over $750,000 John Kraemer and Sons Nor-Son Custom Builders nor-son.com 612-216-1800
Entire House $250,000 to $750,000 Jkath Design Build and Reinvent jkath.com @jkath_designbuild Highmark Builders
Residential Exterior $100,000 TO $200,000 Mom’s Design Build Mom’s Design Build
Residential Addition Over $250,000 Bluestem Construction bluestemconstruction.com 952-926-0164 John Kraemer and Sons
Residential Addition $100,000 to $250,000 Quality Cut Design Remodel qualitycut.net 651-730-1880 Bluestem Construction bluestemconstruction.com 952-926-0164
Residential Kitchen Over $150,000 John Kraemer and Sons Bluestem Construction bluestemconstruction.com 952-926-0164
Residential Kitchen $100,001 to $150,000
Residential Historical Renovation/ Restoration Over $250,000 Tre-Hus Architects + Interior Designers + Builders trehus.biz 612-729-2992
Residential Historical Renovation/ Restoration Under $250,000 Orfield Design & Construction, Inc. OrfieldDesign.com 952-920-6543 Vujovich Design Build
Residential Interior Element Under $30,000 J Carsten Remodeling Highmark Builders, Inc.
UNIVERSAL DESIGN, BATH macmiller design+build
Residential Bath $75,001 and Over J Carsten Remodeling (tie) MA Peterson (tie) Ispiri, LLC
Residential Bath $50,001 to $75,000 mackmiller design+build DiGiacomo Homes & Renovation, Inc. designbuildmn.com 612-710-7900
Residential Bath $25,000 to $50,000 DiGiacomo Homes & Renovation, Inc. (tie) designbuildmn.com 612-710-7900
Vujovich Design Build (tie)
Quality Cut Design Remodel (tie) qualitycut.net 651-730-1880
Quality Cut Design Remodel (tie) qualitycut.net 651-730-1880
Orfield Design & Construction, Inc. OrfieldDesign.com 952-920-6543
Highmark Builders, Inc.
Residential Kitchen $60,001 to $100,000 Knight Construction Designs, Inc. knightremodeling.com 952-361-4949 James Barton Design-Build, Inc. (tie) DiGiacomo Homes & Renovation, Inc. (tie) designbuildmn.com 612-710-7900
Residential Kitchen $30,000 to $60,000 McDonald Remodeling, Inc. Quality Cut Design Remodel qualitycut.net 651-730-1880
Residential Detached Structure John Kraemer and Sons
Residential Interior Over $150,000 DiGiacomo Homes & Renovation, Inc. designbuildmn.com 612-710-7900 John Kraemer and Sons
Residential Interior Up to $150,000
Residential Landscape Design/ Outdoor Living Under $60,000 Mom’s Design Build
Residential Landscape Design/Outdoor Living Over $60,000 Southview Design Mom’s Design Build
Basement Over $100,000 John Kraemer and Sons Finished Basement Company
Basement $50,000 to $100,000 Refined Homes Finished Basement Company
Residential Project Under $15,000 Closets for Life
Best Newcomer Wise Design & Remodel
Best in Show John Kraemer and Sons
Knight Construction Designs, Inc. knightremodeling.com 952-361-4949 Ispiri, LLC
COTY - NARI SWJ 011019 V2.indd 1
www.narimn.org
1/2/19 11:59 AM
WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE WINNERS OF THE 2016 NARI CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS
WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE WINNERS OF THE 2018 NARI CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Residential Kitchen $60,001 to $100,000
DiGiacomo Homes & Renovation, Inc. • designbuildmn.com • 612-710-7900
Residential Bath $50,001 to $75,000
DiGiacomo Homes & Renovation, Inc. • designbuildmn.com • 612-710-7900
Residential Bath $25,001 to $50,0000
DiGiacomo Homes & Renovation, Inc. • designbuildmn.com • 612-710-7900
Residential Interior Over $150,000
DiGiacomo Homes & Renovation, Inc. • designbuildmn.com • 612-710-7900
Residential Addition $100,000 to $250,000
Bluestem Construction • bluestemconstruction.com • 952-926-0164
Entire House $250,000 to $750,000
Jkath Design Build + Reinvent • jkath.com • COTY - NARI SWJ 011019 2FP.indd 1
@jkath_designbuild
Entire House $750,000 and Over
Nor-Son Custom Builders • nor-son.com • 612-216-1800
Residential Historical Renovation/Restoration $250,000 and Over
TreHus Architects + Interior Designers + Builders • trehus.biz • 612-729-2992
GOLD WINNER SILVER WINNER
www.narimn.org
Residential Kitchen $100,001 to $150,000
Residential Kitchen $30,001 to $60,000 Quality Cut Design Remodel • qualitycut.net • 651-730-1880
Quality Cut Design Remodel • qualitycut.net • 651-730-1880
Residential Bath $25,001 to $50,000 Quality Cut Design Remodel • qualitycut.net • 651-730-1880
Residential Addition $100,001 to $250,000 Quality Cut Design Remodel • qualitycut.net • 651-730-1880
Residential Interior Up to $150,000
Residential Kitchen $60,001 to $100,000
Knight Construction Design, Inc. • knightremodeling.com • 952-361-4949
Knight Construction Design, Inc. • knightremodeling.com • 952-361-4949
HOMEOWNERS CAN TRUST NARI MEMBERS TO BE INDUSTRY LEADERS IN THEIR COMMITMENT TO PROFESSIONALISM, QUALITY AND ETHICS.
Residential Bath $25,001 to $50,000
Orfield Design & Construction, Inc. • OrfieldDesign.com • 952-920-6543 1/8/19 2:40 PM
B10 January 10–23, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
‘PRIME TIME BALLS’
Get Out Guide.
Balls Cabaret, the midnight variety show that has been going strong at the Southern Theater for 25 years, is going prime time in honor of its anniversary. Producer Leslie Ball will be bringing her signature mix of music, theater, puppetry and so much more at the early hour of 7:30 p.m. Afterwards, stay for a reception and reminisce on all the great variety acts that have been presented over the years.
By Sheila Regan
When: Jan. 10–12. Shows start at 7:30 p.m. Where: The Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Ave. S. Cost: $35 suggested donation Info: southerntheater.org
MINNEAPOLIS TATTOO ARTS CONVENTION Show off your tattoos and get a new one at the 10th-annual Minneapolis Tattoo Arts Convention, a touring convention that highlights the artistry of tattoo artists from around the world and also here locally. With live demonstrations and a plethora of tattoo-related jewelry, clothing and artwork, it’s a feast for the eyes for tattoo enthusiasts. The convention also includes sideshow entertainment, including live human suspension.
When: 2 p.m.–midnight Friday, Jan. 11; 11 a.m.–midnight, Saturday, Jan. 12; 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 13 Where: Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, 1300 Nicollet Mall Cost: $20 per day, Three-day pass $40 Info: villainarts.com
‘A DIFFERENT VIEW’ Artist Jodi Reeb creates art from the perspective of bees for her latest project being presented at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. In “A Different View,” Reeb has taken photographs of pollinator-friendly plants and used them to create mixed-media works with an encaustic painting technique, which uses beeswax. The body of work signifies a new direction for Reeb, taking on a hyperrealistic quality while also carrying Reeb’s delicate painting technique and raising awareness about bee colony collapse in Minnesota at the same time.
When: Artist reception is 1:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12. Show runs through March 11. Where: Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Dr., Chaska Cost: Free with gate admission ($15) • Info: arboretum.umn.edu
‘MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS’ The house of Mr. and Mrs. Popper gets a lot more crowded when their Penguin, Captain Cook, and his mate, Greta, decide to start a family of their own. What to do but start a traveling vaudeville act? This story, based on the book by Florence and Richard Atwater and set in Stillwater, offers music, dancing and penguin-y goodness.
When: Jan. 15–Feb. 24 Where: Children’s Theatre Company, 2400 3rd Ave. S. Cost: $15–$74 • Info: childrenstheatre.org
‘TWELFTH NIGHT’ Shakespeare can seem intimidating at times, so the Orchard Theater Collective makes things a bit more welcoming with free snacks. They’ll also have wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages for this performance taking place at the Calvary Church in Uptown. So come and enjoy one of Shakespeare’s funniest and most romantic plays, directed by Craig Johnson and Damian Leverett, and don’t worry about taking things too seriously.
When: Jan. 4–Jan. 19 Where: Glanton Theater, Calvary Church, 2608 Blaisdell Ave. Cost: $25 in advance, $30 at the door Info: orchardtheatercollective.org
southwestjournal.com / January 10–23, 2019 B11
Out There 2019: Transnational / Transdisciplinary
The Walker Art Center’s annual Out There festival brings cutting-edge performance art from all over the world right here to the Twin Cities. Taking place every year in January, it’s the perfect antidote to cold and dreary weather: four weekends of weirdness and wonder, where artists often merge and shift forms and remake the rules. This year’s lineup looks promising. Where: Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Place
Info: walkerart.org
‘JACK &’
Part cooking show, part stand-up routine, this uses comedy as it examines the prison industrial complex. When: Jan. 17–19
Cost: $25
‘BORBORYGMUS’
Rabih Mroué collaborates with Lebanese actor-writer-director Lina Majdalanie and artist-musician Mazen Kerbaj in this dramatic-comic theater piece weaving together personal identities and contemporary world politics. When: Jan. 11 and 12
Cost: $25
‘ZVIZDAL [CHERNOBYL, SO FAR—SO CLOSE]’
An elderly couple refuses to leave their home near Chernobyl, 30 years after the disaster. When: Jan. 24–26
Cost: $25
‘MINEFIELD’ Argentine theater maker Lola Arias returns to the Walker for a documentary piece about the Falklands war. When: Jan. 31–Feb. 2
Cost: $30
THE MANY SIDES OF RABIH MROUÉ
Lebanese interdisciplinary artist Rabih Mroué kicks the festival off with a lecture-performance, called “Sand in Your Eyes” followed by a Q&A and then a reception. You can also check out Mroué’s installation in Gallery 2, “Again we are defeated.” When: 7 p.m. Jan. 10
Cost: Free
Art by Kaneza Schaal. Photo by Christopher Myers
SOUTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL
CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Hypoallergenic wool 7 Chinese way of life 13 Be the victim of a slaying?
BE LOVING AND SHARING TOGETHER! ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL BLAST DAY AT SWHS
14 Taiwanese drink originally made with milk and tapioca pearls 15 Sports cheaters 16 Series of celebratory visits 17 Squeeze (out) 18 Fixes, as a pump 20 Green span 21 Convention 23 Because it fits 24 Cat’s hangout 25 Prominent parade brass 27 The Cuban? 28 Wolf in “The Jungle Book” 29 Kicks back 32 Place for a frozen treat 34 Response to a welcome return
55 In a calm manner
11 “Black Beauty” author
56 Make drinkable, in a way
12 __ Fund: org. supporting girls’ education founded by a 2014 Nobelist
57 Two-day trip, often
a bicyclist passing a parked car 35 By and large 36 Like fishhooks, as a rule
36 Apps with errors
DOWN
39 Avril follower
1 Deeply devoted
40 Stopped lying
2 Guard
42 Drained of color
3 Checkout choice
43 Sharp picker-upper
4 Equal
45 Put under 46 Early Melotone Records competitor
5 __ Fire: 230,000-acre Northern California conflagration of 2018
47 Produce aisle option
6 Bewildered
24 “Sweet Home Alabama” band, familiarly
7 Maguire of “Spider-Man”
26 Four-time Australian Open champ
51 Mother’s Day destination 53 Talk acronym
49 Turn sharply 50 Factor in exit velocity, in baseball
14 Informal discussion 16 Side with a dog 19 Elmore Leonard novel whose title overlaps itself on some covers 22 Step aside
8 Early lesson
28 Carne __
52 Wore thin
9 Boat mover
30 Finger-pointing uncle
54 Life-saving devices, at times
10 Ballet’s birthplace, to Parisians
31 Enjoyed a roll
Crossword Puzzle SWJ 011019 4.indd 1
33 Hazardous area for
37 Pen pals’ plan? 38 “In other words ... ” 41 Dip popular at Easter 43 16th-century council site 44 African country with rich uranium deposits 47 German auto 48 Dock setting
SWHS students accomplished some amazing things on BLAST Day and did a lot of good in their community. Here’s a summary by the numbers: 624 Volunteer shifts covered at multiple organizations and schools including: Feed My Starving Children, Open Arms of MN, People Serving People, ARC, Animal Humane Society, Memorial Blood Center Blood Drive, Lake Harriet Lower School, Bancroft Elementary, Whittier Elementary, Hmong Academy and Trash pickup in the SW neighborhood. 82 Bags of Food were picked up and donated through the GSA/ASL and Art Club 75 Students attended a Spoken Word workshop 2 film festivals were put on by the Film/Media classes 400 Protein Packs were donated to the school and will be donated to the Sandwich Project of Minnesota 150 Blankets donated for the homeless community in Minneapolis 60 Hygiene kits were donated and will be given to the homeless community in Minneapolis. THANK YOU SWHS
Crossword answers on page B12
1/2/19 3:09 PM
Southwest High SWJ 011019 4.indd 1
1/8/19 9:41 AM
B12 January 10–23, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
Enhance Your Everyday
By Carly Ettinger
Starting off on the right foot
W
hether we like it or not, the arrival of January reminds us that we can have a fresh start with fitness. So why not embrace it feet first? From setting strict diets to signing up for pricey gym memberships, we often make abrupt changes at the start of a new year that fail to be a catalyst for sustained improvement. Last year, rather than setting an overambitious resolution, I opted for something simple: take more stairs. I wanted to feel fitter one step at a time. It was one of best decisions I have made and one of the only resolutions I have ever maintained. Modern infrastructure does not promote it, but taking the stairs is incredibly easy to incorporate into daily life. Most of us are on autopilot, opting for escalators and elevators whenever and wherever available. But I became aware of all the times I had to choose the steps instead of a more efficient mode of transport. Call it “stair mindfulness.” From the workplace to a friend’s apartment, from the shopping mall to the parking lot, we have opportunities throughout our day to select the healthier alternative. StepJockey, a U.K.based digital health and property business, encourages its corporate clients to think of the world as a gym that can become “alive” through exercise. If you limit your concept of what the gym can mean to only the physical building itself, you miss out on the playfulness that exercise can offer. As I started my new hobby, I became aware of how stairs can be intimidating. From the awkward glances given to me by those on
downward-moving escalators as I walked up the adjacent stairs, to the former football player revealing that his coach deemed the StairMaster machine as “punishment,” the positivity surrounding stairs is slim. The truth is that stair climbing is one of the healthiest full-body exercises we can do for ourselves. It is especially great for the lower body. According to the Harvard Medical School, stair climbing “burns twice the calories of walking, and it strengthens your heart, lungs, and muscles.” The act of carrying the weight of your entire body vertically is what makes it so gravitationally grueling — and beneficial for our bodies. Harvard Medical School goes on to explain that stair climbing “helps build muscle strength and
new bone. It also strengthens your heart and your lungs and releases heart-healthy hormones.” Increased muscle strength and bone density from this weight-bearing exercise can be an effective method of combating osteoporosis. I also began to appreciate how sustainable stair climbing could be. Its ability to seamlessly integrate into both indoor and outdoor living spaces allowed me to practice just about anywhere, even for only a few minutes. A couple steps at home, a couple hundred at the park and a couple thousand at the stadium, hunting down staircases became an adventure on its own. I also liked that climbing required zero training, set up or specialized gear. Best of all, it is totally free. Over time, I began to enjoy stairs so much
that I took it on as a sport. Yes, stair climbing is an organized sport. Professional athletes compete at the world’s tallest and most iconic buildings, including the Empire State Building, One World Trade Center, the Eiffel Tower, the Taipei 101 and the International Commerce Center in Hong Kong. And if you are curious, elite racers climb anywhere from 1,500 to 3,000 steps, often crossing the finish line in under 15 minutes. Despite burning calves and stale stairwell air, propelling your body upward, straight into the sky, can be truly uplifting. If you are inclined to take on bigger climbs, St. Paul is a hilly hotbed for outdoor, public stairways. In warmer weather, check out the Walnut Street stairway and the Lawton Street staircase. StairMaster machines can offer a remarkable cardiovascular workout and tend to be easier on the joints than physical stairs. Remember to start slow, pace yourself and hold onto the handrails for additional support if needed. This upcoming year, I will compete in my sixth stair climb race for charity. I look forward to continuing this life-changing resolution far beyond 2018. As 2019 begins, I encourage you to embrace your inner Rocky. The view will be worth it. Carly Ettinger is a trend forecaster and writer from Minneapolis. Her experiences living and learning in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and most recently New York have shaped her fascination with studying cultural trends in fitness, food and lifestyle.
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All I could do with everyone at Lakewood was try to make their most difficult time a little bit easier. — Ron Gjerde
typewriter-produced notecards. Lakewood’s digital archives can now tell visitors facts on every person buried there instantly. The way people are buried has changed, too. When Gjerde started in 1969 only about 2 percent of people were cremated. Now, 62 percent opt for a cremation process. That change in practice has made it more likely that there will be space for Minnesotans to rest eternally for years to come. There are about 180,000 people buried in Lakewood across 250 acres, and Gjerde thinks there’s room for another 180,000 more; the cemetery owns an additional 30 acres of undeveloped land.
Leaving a legacy
Gjerde. Photo by Chris Juhn
FROM LAKEWOOD CEMETERY / PAGE B1
Over the years, Gjerde helped plan some of the most high-profile burials in state history, including Sen. Paul Wellstone, his wife Sheila and daughter Marcia; former Minnesota Gov. Rudy Perpich; and the musician Tiny Tim. He was part of the group who planned the funeral of former Vice President and Minneapolis
Mayor Hubert H. Humphrey and recalled switching plans at the last minute from a service planned for thousands of attendees to one with a smaller crowd once President Richard Nixon decided to come and the Secret Service got involved.
Changing times When he first started, Gjerde was quizzed on his knowledge of the cemetery. He said
he would walk the grounds every day to memorize each section. Now Lakewood has its own app, complete with GPS to direct visitors to any grave they want to visit. That’s just one of many technological changes Gjerde has been a part of in the funeral business in the past half century. Part of his initial duties included diligently recording vital details on people interred at the cemetery on handwritten or
Gjerde credited a highly engaged board for the development of Lakewood over the years. Sometimes that meant taking longer than he wanted on a project, like the Garden Mausoleum. Plans for the structure began in 2007 and were tweaked by the board and cemetery staff for years before being completed in 2011. The structure, designed by Minneapolis firm HGA, has been widely heralded for its design. “As a result, we ended up with a beautiful mausoleum,” he said. That mausoleum has been key to one of Gjerde’s passions: bringing people into the cemetery for happy events. The rolling grounds are open to the public, and its “Music in the Chapel” concert series has brought new guests, too. Gjerde was raised in Uptown, and his first memory of the cemetery dates to when he was about 8 years old. He let his pet turtle free in Cemetery Lake. His parents and grandparents are buried there, in a section near Bde Maka Ska. One day he’ll join them there. Although it is known as the final resting place for Minneapolis’ wealthiest and most famous families, Gjerde said one of his biggest priorities has been communicating that Lakewood is a public space and that most of its occupants are regular people. “Lakewood is for all,” he said. “It’s for everyone.”
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