From Oaxaca to Texas at Colita PAGE B3
Get Out Guide.
Wax those skis, it’s Loppet time
PAGE B10
PAGE B1
January 24–February 6, 2019 Vol. 30, No. 2 southwestjournal.com
e h t In ark d Stevens Square streetlights in need of repair
By Andrew Hazzard / ahazzard@southwestjournal.com
Walking the streets of Minneapolis’ most densely populated neighborhood at night, it’s easy to feel alone. The blocks of brownstones surrounding Stevens Square Park cast a uniform shadow over the sidewalks, shadows that grow longer in the many locations where streetlights sit unilluminated. Lighting in the area has been a prominent issue
in the past couple years, where on any given night between 15 and 30 street lights are out across the Stevens Square neighborhood, according to residents tracking the issue and reporting outages to 311. The lighting issues are amplified by winter’s darkness, which can create an eerie feeling when walking the streets at night in Stevens, and the reconstruction of Interstate
Stevens Square residents on block patrol took a survey of non-functioning streetlights in the neighborhood on Jan. 14. Photo by Andrew Hazzard
SEE STEVENS SQUARE LIGHTING / PAGE A11
Planning Commission approves three Southwest-area projects Approvals include new Linden Hills commercial building
Seeing green As more shops sell hemp, legislators weigh future of cannabis in Minnesota By Michelle Bruch
By Nate Gotlieb / ngotlieb@southwestjournal.com
The Minneapolis City Planning Commission approved plans for three projects in Southwest Minneapolis at its first meeting of 2019, held Jan. 14, including two residential projects. The nine-member commission approved plans for a six-story, 91-unit apartment building in Lowry Hill East and plans to add 40 units to a supportivehousing facility in Stevens Square. It also approved plans for a three-story commercial building in the heart of Linden Hills. The approvals come after a year in which the commission approved plans for over 1,700 housing units in Southwest Minneapolis, including plans for the 739-unit Calhoun Towers project. SEE DEVELOPMENT / PAGE A15
A six-story, 91-unit apartment building was one of three building projects in Southwest Minneapolis that the Planning Commission approved on Jan. 14. Rendering by DJR Architecture via City of Minneapolis
Hemp products range from shoes to massage oil to Strawberry Haze smokable flowers at the shop 419 Hemp, named to be notably just short of 420. The business at 722 W. Lake St. is owned by Justin Trott, a licensed hemp grower in the state’s industrial hemp pilot program who said he offers cannabis flavor without the THC high in marijuana. His products stand in 100 Minnesota stores, and he said he gets a phone call from another store every day. Under the federal farm bill signed in December, hemp is no longer considered a controlled substance, allowing states to set up permanent growing programs and farmers to access crop insurance and federal grants. “My insurance company was a lot happier,” Trott said. “Banks are still a little leery.” The cannabis industry is rapidly changing in Minnesota. While hemp-derived CBD, or cannabidiol, is increasingly available in stores, the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy warns that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated most health claims SEE CANNABIS / PAGE A10
ED
GARBAGE
DISPOSAL
LEAKY OR CLOGGED
SINKS & PIPES
GARBAGE
LINES
DRIPPING
FAUCETS
LEAKY OR CLOGGED
DISPOSAL
GAS
GAS
SINKS & PIPES
No Hot Water? DRIPPING
WATER
SOFTENER GAS
DR
LINES
FA
WATER
We’ll be at SOFTENER your door in 4 hours or less LEAKY OR CLOGGED GAS DRIPPING WAT LINES FAUCETS GARBAGE GARBAGE LEAKY CLOGGED GAS DRIPPING DRIPPING WATER W DISPOSAL SINKSOR&LEAKY PIPESOR CLOGGED LINES GAS FAUCETS SOFTE
GARBAGE
GUARANTEED! GARBAGE LEAKY GAS DISPOSAL DISPOSAL SINKSOR&CLOGGED PIPES SINKS & PIPES LINES DISPOSAL
LINES FAUCETS FAUCETS SOFTENERSO No Hot Water? with no additional charge!
SINKS & PIPES
o Hot Water?
LINES
DRIPPING
FAUCETS
WATER
SOFTENER
We’ll be at your door No Hot Water? No Hot No Water? Hot Water? No Hot Water?
GUARANTEED! We’ll bebe atat your be door atdoor your 4door or 4 hours lessor or We’ll atWe’ll your door inin4 hours less We’llbe your inhours 4orinhours lesle
e’ll be at your door in 4 hours or less GUARANTEED! GUARANTEED! GUARANTEED! GUARANTEED! with no additional ch UARANTEED! with no charge! with noadditional additional with no additional charge! charge!
th no additional charge! Hero Plumbing Heating & Cooling SWJ 012419 FP.indd 1
with no additional charge!
1/14/19 4:00 PM
southwestjournal.com / January 24–February 6, 2019 A3
By Andrew Hazzard / ahazzard@southwestjournal.com
LINDEN HILLS
GoodThings to absorb Bibelot in Linden Hills
ER 50th & France Office SWJ 011118 6.indd 1
curry
Bibelot owner and founder Roxy Freese, left, stands with GoodThings owners Tyler and Sharon Conrad. The Conrads bought two of the four Bibelot locations when Freese announced her retirement, including the Linden Hills shop. Submitted photo
Those seeking gifts, clothing and home decor in Linden Hills will be able to shop in a familiar space this spring. GoodThings, a gift shop chain based in White Bear Lake, will buy two of the four Bibelot shops, including the location at 44th & Upton. In November, Bibelot owner Roxy Freese announced she was retiring and would be closing her four locations while looking for potential buyers. GoodThings, which has three locations in White Bear Lake and one in Maple Grove, began working on an offer right away, according to a press release. The mother and son ownership team of Sharon and Tyler Conrad plan to take over the shop in Linden Hills and Bibelot’s original location along Grand Avenue in St. Paul. Bibelot locations in Northeast and St. Anthony Park are scheduled to close. The decision to keep open the Linden Hills and original Bibelot locations was easy for the Conrads after discovering the two neighborhood shops were the top performing Bibelot stores and had a loyal following among locals, Tyler Conrad said. “We wanted to bring the best of Bibelot and the best of GoodThings and bring them together,” he said.
GoodThings is planning to invite current Bibelot employees to apply for roles at the new GoodThings stores. A transition from Bibelot to GoodThings will occur slowly over the next several months. The Linden Hills shop, currently running a Bibelot “retirement sale” will remain open and is currently dubbed Bibelot GoodThings. Tyler Conrad said GoodThings will begin bringing in their merchandise on Feb. 1. The store will accept Bibelot gift cards through Feb. 28. “That way we keep everybody employed and we keep the customers coming in,” he said. To celebrate the merger, the stores will host an April 13 spring brunch event, which Conrad said is a GoodThings annual tradition. A grand re-opening of the stores as GoodThings locations is planned for September. Tyler Conrad said his mother Sharon and Freese go back many years and that both are historic “retail divas” in the Twin Cities. GoodThings originally opened in 1973 and like Bibelot offers a blend of gifts, home decor and clothing. “I am truly delighted that GoodThings will be combining much of the Bibelot tradition with their own as the move into the future,” Freese said in a press release. “It is truly a wonderful fit.”
favor with any date
1/4/18 9:39 AM
gingerhop.com 612.746.0304 201 e hennepin
(or if not, at least you’ll have an awesome meal.)
JShields @ cbburnet.com Bibelot will continue its retirement sale at the Linden Hills location through Feb. 1, when GoodThings will begin to bring its merchandise into the space. Photo by Andrew Hazzard
952-221-1723
Cheers to a
Fabulous
2019!
A4 January 24–February 6, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
Clear Aligner Orthodontics Simple cases
Get the smile
Dr. Nelson is an Invisalign Preferred Provider.
BEFORE
AFTER
as low as
The Hasty Tasty taking winter hiatus
Complex cases $3800
LynLake smokehouse and cocktail bar The Hasty Tasty has shut its doors for the winter, but the restaurant is planning a comeback, according to the restaurant’s owner. Owner Mike Veazey told the Southwest Journal the restaurant will be closed for January and February but hopes to reopen this spring with some new ideas in tow. “The Hasty Tasty is not dead, we’re just taking the winter off,” Veazey said. Veazey said the team behind The Hasty Tasty, which opened in late 2017, hopes to do some traveling in the South to find new flavors and sources of inspiration for the smokehouse. The plan is to restart regular restaurant service in March or April, he said. The plan is to keep the space at the corner of Lake and Lyndale. While the restaurant takes a hiatus, Veazey said there will be occasional pop-up offerings from local food trucks in the space.
$400
you’ve always wanted!
LYNLAKE
• Free consultations • Free whitening included • Offering ClearCorrect, Exceed, and Invisalign All cases are a flat fee and include retainers, impressions, and all office visits.
BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT AT NICOLLETDENTAL.COM OR CALL 612-866-8550
CASEY NELSON, DDS
6101 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis nicolletdental.com • 612-866-8550
TAKE YOUR RUNNING TO THE NEXT LEVEL. NEW RUNNER? We’ve got your back. RECREATIONAL RUNNER? We’ve got you, too. ULTRA-MARATHONER? We’ve definitely got you!
Mark Johnson (pictured) is the owner, a runner, personal trainer and resident of Southwest Minneapolis. Monthly Gym Membership | Personal Training | Nutrition Services Run Coaching | Recovery Services with Normatec® Compression
4940 W 35th Street St. Louis Park, MN 55416
612.719.0186 | performancerungym.com
Ashes to Ashes (MINUS THE FLAMES)
The Hasty Tasty closed its doors this month, but the owner says they plan to come back in the spring. Photo by Andrew Hazzard
LINDEN HILLS
AQ Fit Lab A new gym that specializes in interval training through group classes is now open in Linden Hills. AQ Fit Lab launched this month in at 44th & Drew. The gym specializes in a unique mix of high-intensity interval training, cardio and strength workouts. “AQ” stands for Athletic Quotient, according to Anne Mezzenga, one of the gym’s owners, and the gym hopes to raise the AQ of its members through its classes. The goal of AQ Fit Lab is for the gym to look different every day. The interior of the gym is constantly changing. The walls are lined with boxes to jump upon, bars to hang from, rowing machines to pull on and kettlebells to swing. There are bikes, treadmills and jump ropes to keep the heart rate up, and TV screens where people can track their progress and get competitive if they want. Classes at the gym are all one hour long and feature a warm up, 25–40 minutes of interval cardio and strength work and a cool down. The workouts, Mezzenga said, are designed to be scaled for a variety of fitness levels. “We don’t want anything to be the same, that’s when fitness gets boring,” Mezzenga said. AQ Fit Lab is owned by Mezzenga, her
husband Logan Bautch and Mark and Tim FunkMeyer. They all live in the neighborhood and say they want to the gym to be a place that builds a sense of community. Mezzenga and Bautch also own Linden Hills CrossFit next door, and Nordeast CrossFit in Northeast. “It’s very much meant to supplement the CrossFit business,” Mezzenga said. Mark FunkMeyer, who is running most of AQ Fit Lab’s day-to-day operations and leads several fitness classes, said he’s already seeing a lot of variety in the gym’s clientele. The former Minneapolis Public Schools teacher had previously taught CrossFit next door. The difference at AQ Fit Lab is it provides a slightly less competitive atmosphere, is more cardio based and uses no barbell weights for lifts. “We’ve tried to take a little bit of the intimidating nature out of it,” he said. Both styles of fitness can create a sense of community via their class formats, the owners say, which keeps people coming back. AQ Fit lab offers five to six classes each weekday and one a day on Saturdays and Sundays. The gym offers a free week of classes for newcomers and sells classes in packages starting at $26 for a single class.
We honor pre-plans and memberships from societies. For more info or to plan ahead, call 612-724-3621.
READY TO GO GREEN?
3131 Minnehaha Avenue S. Minneapolis, MN 55406
612.724.3621 • BradshawFuneral.com
AQ Fit Lab owners Logan Bautch and Anne Mezzenga, left, and Mark and Tim FunkMeyer, stand in the entryway of their new gym at 44th & Drew. Submitted photo
southwestjournal.com / January 24–February 6, 2019 A5
KINGFIELD
Local baker selected to World Cup team Kate Goodpaster, of Patisserie 46, is one of three bakers who made the Team USA team for the 2020 Coupe du Monde. Photos by Isabel Subtil
For the second time in five years, a baker from Kingfield’s Patisserie 46 has been selected to represent the United States in competition baking’s biggest showcase, the World Cup. Kate Goodpaster, lead viennoiserie pastry chef at Patisserie 46, is one of three bakers nationwide to be named to Team USA for the Bakery Coupe du Monde, which will take place in Paris in 2020. Her selection comes after a yearlong process in which 22 bakers from across the nation applied and were screened through two rounds of tryouts that tested the bakers’ creativity and execution. “I was super excited and proud, but I knew I had to get to work training,” Goodpaster said. She follows the path of her mentor and Patisserie 46 chef and owner John Kraus, who won a bronze medal at the 2015 World Cup. Goodpaster, 31, grew up in St. Paul and said baking with her mother was always a favorite activity. Her friends and neighbors would benefit, too, as she’d often bake cookies for her whole school bus. She got more involved in the craft during her senior year at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter and picked up a job a bakery after graduation. “I didn’t think immediately it would be my career,” she said. Goodpaster got her teaching certificate while working at Butter Bakery Café at 37th & Nicollet, but she ultimately decided to pursue baking full time and went to The French Pastry
School of Chicago. She met Kraus at the end of 2013 and jumped at his offer to return to Minneapolis and work at Patisserie 46. To prepare for the competition, Goodpaster is working on practicing her techniques at home and in quiet periods at the bakery. “I’m pretty fortunate to be able to do my dayto-day work with my training in mind,” she said. She helped Kraus prepare for the competition in 2015 and said he has been a source of wisdom for her in the application and preparation process. “Five years ago, Kate told me that she wanted to be on the team, and she made it,” Kraus said in a press release. “I’m over the moon. It’s going to be a great growing experience for her as a professional and also as a human.” In the World Cup competition, each of the three team members have a specific role. Goodpaster will be specializing in the viennoiserie category, the same department she overseas at Patisserie 46. Viennoiseries are baked goods make from yeast-leavened dough, such as croissants. She said all three team members will have to work together to place well in competition, and that there will be opportunities for the three to meet up and practice before the Couple Louis Louis Lesaffre regional qualifier this year. The top 12 teams in the world will move on to the Coupe du Monde in 2020. Her favorite thing to bake? A plain croissant. “It’s seemingly simple but very complex,” she said.
A croissant prepared by Goodpaster at Patisserie 46. The pastry chef said the seemingly simple croissant is her favorite food to bake. Brazil Law Group SWJ NR2 6.indd 1
12/6/18 12:28 PM
A6 January 24–February 6, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
$50 OFF with a deep clean from The Maids and Mr. Clean . ®
®
$20 OFF your first and $30 off your third clean. New customers only. Not valid with any other offers.
It’s no surprise Mr. Clean trusts only one cleaning service to be an exclusive partner.
By Dylan Thomas / dthomas@southwestjournal.com
Most bicycle crashes occur on a small number of streets
✓ Certified by Mr. Clean ✓ 100% satisfaction guarantee ✓ Bonded and insured ✓ No-contract cleanings ✓ Customized cleaning plans ✓ Flexible scheduling
Call now for a free, no-obligation estimate
Maids.com
Mr. Clean brand and image trademarks are used under license from The Procter & Gamble Co.
Maids International SWJ 012419 6.indd 1
1/16/19 9:47 AM
Dr. Brad Isaacson Dr. James Dau
Same d ay crowns availabl e! As your local dentist in South Minneapolis, we truly understand the impact of a healthy, beautiful smile. 4831 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis | 612-822-2324 tangletowndental.com
Between 2007 and 2015 Minneapolis averaged 15 crashes per year in which a bicyclist was killed or seriously injured, according to the Vision Zero Crash Study released in January. Eighty-one percent of those fatal and severe crashes occurred on just 3 percent of Minneapolis streets, mainly at intersections, according to the study, and the vast majority involved motor vehicles. Those streets, including much of Lake Street and a multi-block stretch of Lyndale Avenue between downtown and the LynLake intersection, are among Minneapolis’ busiest, accounting for 10 percent of all vehicle miles traveled in the city. That’s just some of the data city leaders are examining as they work to eliminate all deaths and severe injuries resulting from crashes by 2027, a goal set by the City Council in 2017. That was the year Minneapolis officially became a Vision Zero city, joining more than 30 other cities across the country that have pledged to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries. The Vision Zero Crash Study builds on a pedestrian crash study released in 2017, adding more detail about crashes involving motor vehicles and bicycles, including where, how and why those crashes occurred. Both studies will inform a Vision Zero Action Plan currently under development that will set out specific steps to improve the safety of Minneapolis’ most vulnerable road users, pedestrians and bicyclists. Both bicyclists and pedestrians are overrepresented in crashes compared to motorists, and they are more likely to die or be severely injured in a crash. “This Vision Zero study gives us a focus on where to go to make improvements,” traffic operations engineer Steve Mosing told members of the City Council’s Transportation and Public Works Committee, where the Vision Zero Crash Study was presented Jan. 22. The study identified “high-injury networks” — streets that rank among the most dangerous for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians. They include portions of Lake Street, Franklin Avenue, Lyndale Avenue South, Hennepin Avenue and Broadway Avenue. Noting that many of those busy streets are the same transportation corridors targeted for denser residential development, City Council President Lisa Bender said it would be “irre-
sponsible” for the city not to take action to make those streets safer. Bender said there is a “lessening of fear” around the sorts of changes that may slow motor vehicle traffic or remove parking. Although almost any proposal to add a bike lane or remove a motor vehicle lane will meet some resistance, Bender said she is hearing “a lot of positive feedback” about those same changes from her Ward 10 constituents. “We’re reacting to decades of streets being designed for cars to move quickly through our neighborhoods,” she said. The study highlights not just dangerous streets, but other factors like speed and road design that can lead to more serious crashes. More than 60 percent of crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists on Minneapolis streets also involve a motor vehicle making a right or left turn. Studies show four-lane streets without a median are the least safe for pedestrians, a finding that is reflected in the busy, wide Minneapolis streets — many actually county roads — that show up on the city’s crash maps. A 2011 study by a AAA researcher linked higher speeds to an increased likelihood of a pedestrian’s death or severe injury in a crash, rising from 13 percent at 20 mph to 40 percent at 30 mph and 73 percent at 40 mph. Public Works Director Robin Hutcheson said city staff are collecting before-and-after data on streets that have recently undergone four-tothree conversions or other similar changes and aim to present their findings to the council soon. Despite a recent uptick in traffic collisions involving pedestrians, a decade of crash records shows Minneapolis streets are relatively safe compared to similarly sized cities, Mosing said. Still, Minneapolis isn’t quite as safe as St. Paul or the metro area as a whole, and the rate of traffic fatalities per 100,000 people is higher here than in New York City. Both the 2017 pedestrian crash study and the Vision Zero Crash Study will help shape Minneapolis’ next transportation action plan. The successor to the Access Minneapolis plan will set out specific strategies to achieve the transportation goals outlined in Minneapolis 2040, the 10-year update to the Minneapolis comprehensive plan adopted by the council late last year.
City hosts Community Connections Conference Attendees of the Feb. 2 Community Connections Conference will have the opportunity to talk with city elected officials about racial equity, give their input on the future of Minneapolis transportation and learn more about a new system of neighborhood engagement. Those are just a few of the highlights from the agenda for the 8th-annual conference, dubbed “Together: Mobilizing for a Better Minneapolis.” The free event is focused on community engagement and connecting Minneapolis residents to neighborhood and city leaders. This year’s conference will also include a legal clinic. Attorneys from the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, The Advocates for Human Rights, the Volunteer Lawyers Network and MidMinnesota Legal Aid will be available to discuss immigration, housing and family law topics. Among the scheduled workshops is a presentation on Neighborhoods 2020, what some are calling the next-generation model of neighborhood engagement in Minneapolis. Other workshops targeted to neighborhood organizations
include a panel on how to engage renters and “Awesome Neighborhoods in 120 Seconds or Less,” a series of brief presentations on the work of successful neighborhood groups. Crime reduction, water quality, immigration, housing and the 2020 Census are among the other workshop topics. The conference’s closing session is a community conversation with Mayor Jacob Frey and members of the City Council on the city’s Strategic and Racial Equity Action Plan. More than 100 different community groups and public agencies are scheduled to exhibit at the conference. The Department of Public Works will be sharing details of the city’s Vision Zero effort to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries as well as the next 10-year Transportation Action Plan, currently under development. The event runs 8 a.m.–4 p.m. at the Minneapolis Convention Center, 1301 2nd Ave. S. Go to minneapolismn.gov/ncr/conf for more information or to register. Attendees are eligible for a free Metro Transit trip to the conference.
southwestjournal.com / January 24–February 6, 2019 A7
Team Larry Leadership change at Metro Transit Brian Lamb was general manager of Metro Transit when it was named Transit System of the Year in 2016. The new Metropolitan Council chair has chosen to replace him. Submitted photo
! s l l i H inden
L e l g o ust Go
J
Locally Owned — Community Focused
Larry LaVercombe Linden-Hills.com
612-925-0000 | TeamLarry.net | larry@larrylavercombe.com
For the first time in 15 years, there will be a new manager in charge of the region’s bus, train and light rail system. New Metropolitan Council Chair Nora Slawik announced Jan. 14 she would not reappoint Brian Lamb general manager of Metro Transit, a department of the regional planning organization that he had led since 2004. Slawik’s pick to replace Lamb was Wes Kooistra, who most recently served as Met Council’s regional administrator. “While we welcome Wes, we cannot forget the hard work and many successes of Brian Lamb,” Council Member Deb Barber said in comments delivered at the end of the Jan. 14 Met Council Transportation Committee meeting. “Brian brought a perfect mix of passion, knowledge and leadership to his long career at Metro Transit. He oversaw an organization that was recognized as Transit System of the Year in 2016. He will be missed by all.” Both the Metro Green Line light-rail transit route and the A Line rapid bus service opened during Lamb’s tenure. He led the department as plans for the Southwest and Bottineau light-rail line extensions were developed. Lamb was not in attendance at the Transportation Committee meeting. Attempts to reach him for comment were not successful. Met Council Communications Director Kate Brickman said she couldn’t speak for Lamb but added it was her understanding his final day at Metro Transit would come at the end of January. Lamb’s sudden ouster raised questions for some, including Aaron Isaacs, a retired facilities planning manager for Metro Transit who in a post written for the website streets.mn described Slawik’s decision as “incredibly stupid.” Isaacs, who started at Metro Transit in 1973, was both a coworker to Lamb and, for several years in the 1980s, his supervisor. He retired in 2006, two years after Lamb returned to Metro Transit as general manager. “He was extremely good at his job,” Isaacs said in an interview that took place two days after the decision was announced, describing Lamb as a “self-taught” transit expert who “learned all the nuts and bolts of the organization” on the job. “What Brian did do was to build up a very good staff of knowledgeable, capable people, and that momentum is going to go on for a while,” Isaac said. “Whoever comes in will have a hard time of reversing that quickly.” Responding to questions about Kooistra’s experience, Brickman noted that as regional administrator he oversaw all of the work of Met Council’s transportation division. She esti-
mated Kooistra “spent 90 percent of his time” on transit issues in his previous role. “He is intimately familiar with everything Metro Transit does and how it’s related to the rest of organization,” she said. “… With a background in finance and policy, he’ll be able to focus on those issues full time.” Adam Duininck, who served as Met Council chair 2015–2017, said it wasn’t widely understood that, prior to the personnel shifts under Slawik, Lamb reported to Kooistra. And he said Slawik’s decision to change things up shouldn’t be taken as “a snub” of Lamb. “It’s more of a question of who’s a good fit, not that you can’t do the job,” Duininck said, adding that every new Met Council chair has an opportunity to evaluate the skills and leadership qualities of their deputies and “put people around you who will balance out.” He said Kooistra had “a lot of great, diverse experience leading during tough times.” Speaking at the Jan. 14 Transportation Committee meeting, Council Member Jennifer Munt said she had “never worked with a finer manager than Brian Lamb.” “I will miss him,” said Munt, who represents District 3 in western Hennepin and northern Carver counties. “He earned my respect time and time again. And like I suspect his employees feel, I would walk through fire for him.” Lamb also was praised by District 6 Council Member Gail Dorfman, who represents parts of Hennepin County, including a portion of Minneapolis. “Being head of Metro Transit is a really big job. He did it really well,” Dorfman said. “He was respected internally and externally and across the nation for the work he did, and we will miss him here.” Slawik plans to appoint Meredith Vadis to Kooistra’s former regional administrator position. Deputy regional administrator since 2015 and the Met Council’s communications director before that, Vadis would be the first woman to serve as regional administrator if confirmed. Gov. Tim Walz appointed Slawik to succeed Alene Tchourumoff, who stepped down from the post Nov. 30 to take a position with the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis focused on community development and engagement. A former mayor of Maplewood and seven-term state representative, Slawik was named Walz’s pick for the Met Council in December and was sworn in Jan. 9. Walz is expected to name 16 additional Met Council members by early March. State law sets a deadline of March 6 for their swearing in.
NEED PRIVACY? OUR PRIVATE EVENT ROOM IS JUST THE TICKET FOR any occasion.
•
4959 Penn Avenue South Minneapolis, Minnesota 55419 612.354.2130 www.TintoKitchen.com
Sylvestre Remodeling SWJ 012419 6.indd 1
•
1/7/19 10:31 AM
A8 January 24–February 6, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
PUBLISHER Janis Hall jhall@southwestjournal.com
CO-PUBLISHER & SALES MANAGER Terry Gahan tgahan@southwestjournal.com
GENERAL MANAGER Zoe Gahan zgahan@southwestjournal.com
EDITOR Dylan Thomas 612-436-4391 dthomas@southwestjournal.com
STAFF WRITERS Nate Gotlieb ngotlieb@southwestjournal.com
Andrew Hazzard ahazzard@southwestjournal.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Michelle Bruch Jenny Heck Sheila Regan Carla Waldemar Sarah Woutat CREATIVE DIRECTOR Valerie Moe vmoe@southwestjournal.com
CLIENT SERVICES Delaney Patterson 612-436-5070 dpatterson@southwestjournal.com
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Micah Edel medel@southwestjournal.com
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Brenda Taylor btaylor@southwestjournal.com
DISTRIBUTION Marlo Johnson 612-436-4388
By Jim Walsh
Poem for Mary Oliver
T
he great poet Mary Oliver passed away last week, an occasion that saw the world flooded with breathtaking poems of nature and celebrations of love, life, mystery and the power of paying attention. This would-be poet was inspired to binge-read Oliver’s poetry and wisdom, and binge-view some of her readings and interviews, well into the night and early Friday morning. I’ve thought about Oliver often over the years, mostly whenever I’ve found myself in a quiet place and at one with solitude and nature. Poems are often prayers, and Oliver was fond of the Rumi quote “There are 100 ways to kiss the ground,” which of course means that there are myriad ways to pray and to forge our connection with the universe, our creator and fellow humans. Similarly, she began her 2008 collection “Red Bird” with the Vincent Van Gogh quote, “I always think that the best way to know God is to love many things.” “Tell me, what is it you plan to do/with your one wild and precious life,” is Oliver’s most quoted lyric, from “The Summer Day,” an ode to carpe diem and the journey itself that I’ve always liked to think inspired Dan Wilson’s “Free Life” and Craig Wright’s “Wild Life,” two songs that likewise make the case for not wasting our gifts and time. Oliver’s “Wild Geese” has always filled me with hope, and on the day she died, the last verse (“Whoever you are, no matter how lonely/ the world offers itself to your imagination/calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting/ over and over/announcing your place in the family of things”) put a silly grateful smile on my face as I watched a magnificent murder of crows rise on the wind en route to another dreary Minnesota winter sunset. “To read Mary Oliver was to slow down,” went the headline in the Boston Globe, and more than anything, Oliver saw big miracles in little things. Her death and her passion for seemingly small moments reminded me of my last and most profound such moment, which I thought she would appreciate. Just how much I only found out the night Oliver died, when I discovered a poem that she’d obviously been waiting to gift me with at the right time.
distribution@southwestjournal.com
ADVERTISING sales@southwestjournal.com 612-436-4360 PRINTING APG
NEXT ISSUE DATE: FEB. 7 News deadline: Jan. 30 Ad deadline: Jan. 30
This would-be poet was inspired to binge-read Oliver’s poetry and wisdom, and binge-view some of her readings and interviews, well into the night and early Friday morning.
from you, whoever and wherever you are, letting me know that you and all is well, and a great calm washed over me. Much like how Oliver connected with all living things via her words, I felt the hummingbird’s visit to be something of a sign, and one to pause for — if only long enough to write about it here. Turns out Oliver had her own hummingbird story. She, like dozens of other poets from Emily Dickinson to Pablo Neruda, wrote several odes to hummingbirds. In the early morning the day after she died, I discovered the following in Oliver’s “Thirst,” which lives on along with the late, great poet’s many beautiful words, reprinted here with great reverence, respect and joy. As for life, I’m humbled, I’m without words sufficient to say how it has been hard as flint, and soft as a spring pond, both of these and over and over,
Mary Oliver near her home in Cape Cod in 1964. Photo by Oliver’s lifelong love Molly Malone Cook. Submitted photo
Two days after my son’s wedding, I took my Christmas morning coffee out back by the pool of my niece and nephew-in-law’s home in Los Angeles, where we were celebrating my grandniece’s first Christmas. I was alone for the first time in a couple of days, thinking about my lad and his new bride, catching some precious California sun with my eyes closed, wondering about far-flung friends and family and love and marriage, when the sound of a small drone fluttered in front of my face. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! I opened my eyes to see a hummingbird a few inches from my face, checking out my nose with its beak to see if I was food or sweet hummingbird juice. It fluttered there for a moment, hovered and titled its head at me in greeting as I gasped hello, then off it went on the warm Christmasin-California breeze. It was short and sweet, and a little research told me later that hummingbirds are a sign of love and luck and the bringers of healing and joy, with the message of the hummingbird spirit animal being the very Oliver-like, “The sweetest nectar is within!” In that magical moment (and, yes, this was before I’d visited Med Men, the very civilized, helpful and perfectly legal neighborhood marijuana store around the corner) I decided right then and there that the hummingbird was a messenger
and long pale afternoons besides, and so many mysteries beautiful as eggs in a nest, still unhatched though warm and watched over by something I have never seen — a tree angel, perhaps, or a ghost of holiness. Every day I walk out into the world to be dazzled, then to be reflective. It suffices, it is all comfort — along with human love, dog love, water love, little-serpent love, sunburst love, or love for that smallest of birds flying among the scarlet flowers. There is hardly time to think about stopping, and lying down at last to the long afterlife, to the tenderness yet to come, when time will brim over the singular pond, and become forever, and we will pretend to melt away into the leaves. As for death, I can’t wait to be the hummingbird, can you?
Jim Walsh lives and grew up in South Minneapolis. He can be reached at jimwalsh086@gmail.com.
32,000 copies of the Southwest Journal are distributed free of charge to homes and businesses in Southwest Minneapolis.
Southwest Journal 1115 Hennepin Ave, Mpls, MN 55403 phone: 612-825-9205 © 2019 Minnesota Premier Publications, Inc Subscriptions are $39 per year
PRINTED WITH SOY INK ON RECYCLED PAPER Davis Fran SWJ 012419 masthead banner.indd 1
1/21/19 3:35 PM
southwestjournal.com / January 24–February 6, 2019 A9
Dateline Minneapolis
By Steve Brandt
Bringing history out of storage
V
olunteer Marcia Sullivan got lucky in trying to pin down a museum identification for what turned out to be an Army Air Corps aviator helmet from World War II. A visitor to the Hennepin History Museum with a military background helped her not only to identify its era but also some of its accessories. That saved her from having to rely solely on Google and fragmentary info on file at the museum. Sullivan, who lives downtown, is one of 15–20 volunteers who are helping the 80-yearold museum in the Whittier neighborhood get a better handle on its collection of an estimated 25,000 three-dimensional items. The effort is a year old, and it’s about one-fourth of its way through the collection. A separate inventory of its additional thousands of two-dimensional items, such as letters and photos, is expected to get underway in the spring. “We’re making an effort to gain control of our physical and inventory collection,” said Alyssa Thiede, the museum’s collections manager and curator. “Volunteers help us every step of the way.” The museum’s collection grew without consistent documentation. An index card from the late 1930s might hold scant information. In the 1950s, the amount recorded grew to a manila folder with the donor’s name and more information — if known. “For some parts of our history, things would get left on our doorstep,” Thiede said. The volunteers currently are working their way through storage boxes of apparel that can range from fine gowns to military uniforms.
David Copperud of Golden Valley, a retired social studies teacher, felt a little out of place when he showed up and volunteers were working their way through cataloging women’s clothing. But he found his National Guard background helpful in assessing a Vietnam-era field jacket. He hit the jackpot for more detailed identification when he found dog tags in a pocket, giving the name of Capt. William Mozey Jr. as the uniform’s owner. The jacket still held pocketsized cards with information such as the Geneva Convention rules for handling prisoners. Copperud’s connection to this artifact is more than academic. In 1960, he graduated from high school with a classmate who went off to West Point. He graduated a second lieutenant, shipped out to Vietnam and was dead in six weeks. “That was really a powerful experience on my part,” Copperud said. Determined to avoid killing, he sought out a place in the guard Guard so he could serve in a medical unit. The volunteers are a chatty bunch, working at broad tables, examining items, recording details and condition. “A lot of people are nervous about this sort of thing because they don’t have experience, but I’m here to help them along the way,” Thiede said. After volunteers inventory each item, it goes on to be photographed and returned to museumquality storage boxes. The information is entered in a digital database. That will allow museum workers to search the collection more efficiently. The process will also help Thiede to determine whether an item fits the mission of recording the history of Hennepin County or would more
Volunteer Marcia Sullivan classifies a World War II helmet in the collection of the Hennepin History Museum while Alyssa Thiede, collections manager and curator for the museum, works in the background. Photo by Steve Brandt
properly be offered to another museum. Besides apparel, the volunteers will work their way through other categories of museum holdings: arts and crafts, recreation, tools and technology, personal artifacts, decorative and large artifacts. The museum’s oldest item dates to 1727. That’s certain because the carved wooden
clothing press has the date and a couple’s name carved on it. It’s from Scandinavia, a family handme-down that likely migrated to the county. Such discoveries are why people like Sullivan volunteered to catalog the collection. “I always wanted to know what went on in the backrooms of a museum, and I thought this was a chance,” she said. The most unusual item that she’s handled was a fluting iron for pleating fabric. Cheryl Owens of Uptown, a retired library technician, recalled another item — marionettes. “They were actually kind of creepy,” she recalled. “As far as a hideous thing, the Ronald Reagan and Nancy slippers.” In a collection that includes Tonka Trucks, a coffee roaster, oxen yoke, Nordic Ware bundt pan, streetcar sign, hobbyhorse, slot machine, phone switchboard, doorknob collection and hundreds of other items, it’s hard for individual pieces to stand out. But Thiede’s nomination for the most unusual items derive from the 1894 murder of dressmaker Katherine “Kitty” Ging by socialite and gambler Harry Hayward, a crime that transfixed Minneapolis. The museum has a rocking chair he used, handcuffs he wore, the badge a deputy wore when Hayward was arrested — and a part of the rope that hanged him. Some of the museum’s collection of items are rotating through an exhibit on its second floor that will continue as long as the cataloging project. Thiede is welcoming additional volunteers who want to get their hands — or cotton gloves — on history.
A10 January 24–February 6, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
419 Hemp sales associates Shawn Kretz (l) and Santino Kretz sell a range of hemp products in a storefront adjacent to Lyndale Tobacco at 722 W. Lake St. Photo by Michelle Bruch
FROM CANNABIS / PAGE A1
related to CBD and cautions that sources may not be licensed or tested. Meanwhile, legislators have introduced bills to start a conversation on regulating recreational marijuana and pose the question to voters in 2020. Joining longstanding legalization activists is the new group Minnesotans for Responsible Marijuana Regulation (MRMR) with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on its steering committee. An opposition group, Smart Approaches to Marijuana Minnesota, has become vocal as well, raising concerns about underage use and driving while high. The Minneapolis City Council is on the side of legalization, passing a 2019 policy position to legalize and decriminalize recreational cannabis. “I think people are waking up to the fact that it’s failed policy, it’s a failed prohibition, it criminalizes people of color disproportionately [and] doesn’t do a good job keeping youth from accessing it compared to other drugs such as alcohol,” Council Member Andrew Johnson said at a city meeting.
Hemp hits the market
Art Buddies SWJ 2016 6 filler.indd 1
2/10/16 10:24 AM
$1,000 OFF an EMSCULPT 4-treatment package *Mention this ad when you call to receive the offer.
Model. Not an actual patient.
BEFORE
AFTER 4 TREATMENTS
BEFORE
612-249-0004 spavie.com
AFTER 4 TREATMENTS
SpaVie is the first and only clinic in Minnesota!
Minneapolis startup Kindly Coffee is close to rolling out a cold brew coffee infused with 10 milligrams of full-spectrum hemp oil sourced from the Netherlands. Kingfield founder Daniel Linstroth said hemp oil removes the jitters from the coffee’s caffeine boost. Outside of the world of technology, he said he can’t think of another entrepreneurial opportunity like hemp and cannabis. “From an opportunity perspective, the sky is the limit,” he said. Staff at Spot Spa at 1600 W. Lake St. said they’re looking to add more services incorporating CBD and hemp, and they can’t keep the products on the shelves. Legacy Glassworks at 2928 Lyndale Ave. S. started selling CBD about a month ago, offering products like tinctures and gummies. Nothing But Hemp is now open at 617 W. Lake St., selling edible, topical and vape products with CBD. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration expressed concern in December about products with cannabis that make unapproved drug claims, a violation of law. Because CBD is considered a drug, it cannot lawfully be added to food, according to the FDA. But the FDA gave the green light to hulled hemp seeds, hemp seed protein and hemp seed oil as food additives, so long as companies make no drug claims. Cody Wiberg, executive director of the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy, said he’s watched the CBD industry quickly spring up over the course of two years. The proverbial genie is out of the bottle, he said, and retailers selling products include the grocery store a halfblock from his office and his veterinarian. “We might have to issue a cease and desist order to Jeff Bezos at Amazon.com,” he said. The board has not received any complaints about people being harmed by CBD products, but Wiberg said he worries about illegal misbranding and insecticides in plants. “If products are going to be sold, there should be some testing requirements,” he said. State Sen. Karla Bigham is chief author of a bill that would explicitly make it legal to sell and possess CBD in Minnesota. “We need to acknowledge that this is an emerging industry and not be an impediment,” she said. “… Both sides of the aisle want to see success in agriculture, and I think this is one way we can move on that.”
Hemp farmer John Strohfus is dreaming of hemp Cheerios. He hopes to see exponential growth around the crop. “I think we’re at the point where soybeans were 30 years ago,” he said. “… And CBD is going to actually drive that. I bet you 100 percent more people know about hemp this year than they did last year, and that’s probably because of CBD.”
Legalization debate hits the capitol Recreational marijuana is legal in 10 states and the District of Columbia, and 21 states considered legalization bills last year, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. One Minnesota poll shows that residents are increasingly receptive to the idea. Out of 8,000plus votes cast during a State Fair opinion poll last summer, support for legalized recreational marijuana for ages 21 and older reached 56.2 percent, with 33.9 percent opposed. One bill would take the question before voters in the 2020 general election. Proposed by Rep. Raymond Dehn, passage would amend the Minnesota Constitution to allow a person age 21 or older to grow or possess up to 12 cannabis plants. Cannabis could not be consumed openly in public, and the state would regulate and license sales. Watching legalization reach Michigan in the Midwest, Sen. Melisa Franzen said it’s time to talk about regulating recreational marijuana. She and Rep. Mike Freiberg are preparing another bill that would touch nearly every committee in the House and Senate, addressing questions related to public safety, the tax rate, potency, clean indoor air and minors. “It’s something that we can’t avoid discussing anymore,” Franzen said. Advocates of legalization say marijuana is safer than alcohol, prohibition doesn’t work and laws are disproportionately enforced. A 2013 ACLU report found that Minnesota is among states with the largest racial disparity in marijuana possession arrest rates, with a black person 7.8 times more likely to be arrested than a white person. Opponents of legalization say it would create more driving hazards, harm underage youth and only increase the black market. The group Smart Approaches to Marijuana Minnesota notes that substances today can be much more potent than marijuana was decades ago. Minnesota’s medical cannabis program launched in 2015. The state reported in January that the Minneapolis region contains 5,927 active patients. Out of more than 14,000 patients enrolled statewide, most were treating intractable pain, post-traumatic stress and muscle spasms. Coming from California, where he watched the shift from medicinal marijuana to legalized recreational marijuana, Nothing But Hemp founder Steven Brown said he’s accustomed to seeing dispensaries full of waiting patients, many who never tried cannabis before. “Most of the dispensaries were out of their supply within a day,” he said. For the moment, the Minnesota market is adapting to hemp, now that it’s removed from the nation’s list of Controlled Substances. Linstroth said he was surprised to see the big tent of political coalitions that pushed for the change, with legislation led by U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell. But he wasn’t surprised it happened. “I think the direction in which the country is headed is towards deregulation and legalization, not just of hemp, but cannabis as a whole,” he said.
southwestjournal.com / January 24–February 6, 2019 A11 FROM STEVENS SQUARE LIGHTING / PAGE A1
35W, which led to several additional lights along 4th Avenue South being temporarily shut off and mountains of earth sprouting up on the neighborhood’s east side. Maureen Wells has called Stevens Square home since 1974. She remembers when the neighborhood wasn’t such a safe place. The area has changed drastically over the years, mostly for the better, she said, but the lack of lighting is making it feel less safe again. “It’s not just a matter of aesthetics,” Wells said. With its multi-block historic district of brownstones, the neighborhood just south of downtown is geographically the smallest in the city yet is divided between wards 6 and 7. Wells said she feels the issue wouldn’t have lasted this long in other parts of the city. “This is an easy place for things to sort of slip through the cracks,” said Scott Artley, executive director of the Stevens Square Community Organization.
Who is responsible? In 1991, the city entered a contract with Xcel Energy to install and maintain a historic feeling, decorative lighting system in Loring Park and Stevens Square, according to the Department of Public Works. That 25-year maintenance agreement ended in September 2016, Xcel Energy told the Southwest Journal. Since then, the city said, the utility provider and public works have worked together to provide lighting maintenance and discussing a long-term solution. The lighting failures keep occurring with more frequency and complexity, the city said in a written statement. Public works will need to completely redo the system. “Public works has determined that simple low-cost repairs will not solve the system-wide problems,” the city wrote in a statement. Public works will begin that process with community engagement starting in February, according to the city, and then work to implement a new lighting system through 2021. Ryan SanCartier, a policy aide to Ward 6 City Council Member Abdi Warsame, came to a Stevens Square Community Organization meeting in December to discuss the issue with residents. He said the Ward 6 office put in a formal request to city staff to formulate solutions to the problem by the end of January. “Obviously we don’t want to leave a neighborhood in the dark, and neither does public works,” SanCartier said. Perhaps no one is more familiar with the problem than Dave Delvoye, the safety coordinator of the SSCO and a longtime neighborhood resident. Delvoye has been doing block patrol in the Square for 19 years. Since the lighting problem emerged, he’s diligently tracked which lights are out while on his patrol and maintained a detailed spreadsheet of the outages. After each patrol, he reports nonworking lights to 311. “To me, it’s unclear whose responsible for fixing the lights,” Delvoye said. Depending on the work that’s needed, responsibility falls either on public works or
Xcel Energy, the city said. Wells said she’s seen Xcel Energy crews come out to fix a light only to say they’re not authorized to handle a particular problem. “Is it Xcel? Is it the city? It doesn’t really matter,” she said.
Taking count On most block patrols, it’s just a couple of people walking the streets with Delvoye. But on a light-counting expedition on the warm night of Jan. 14, eight volunteers assembled to walk the streets in yellow reflective vests. “A lot of people are concerned and frustrated about this,” Delvoye said. Stephanie Prosser and Naomi Petrie moved into the neighborhood about two years ago and have experienced the lighting issue the entire time they’ve lived there. Some of the temporary lights, which the city has installed on concrete cylinders that sit atop the sidewalks in places where lights can’t be fixed, have been there as long as they have, and don’t feel so temporary to them. Delvoye had last done an official count in October. At that time, there were 20 lights out east of Nicollet Avenue and another 10 out west of the avenue, in a part of the neighborhood known as Loring Heights. The patrol on Jan. 14 focused on the Stevens Square side. On East 17th Street, three lights were out between 1st Avenue South and Stevens Street. Lights on opposite corners of 19th & Clinton were out. On 19th & 3rd one of the light posts was missing altogether. As the patrol made another loop around East 17th Street, a light at the corner of 2nd Avenue South began to flicker out, but regained life. Delvoye can report those, too, as 311 has an option for “flickering.” As the patrol ended its shift and huddled in the Minneapolis Police Department’s neighborhood substation, Delvoye tallied up the results. The block patrol recorded 14 lights out in the Stevens Square. Delvoye found that of those 14, nine were carryovers from those recorded out in October and five were new; 11 had been fixed since his last count and reports to 311. A survey of the Loring Heights section of the neighborhood on Jan. 21 found 10 lights out, nine of which were not working when last counted in October.
APPOINTMENTS NOW AVAILABLE IN EDINA BE SEEN IN 1 WEEK OR LESS! We offer colonoscopy & all other GI procedures new technology non-invasive Erin Keech, PA
6600 France Ave S, Ste 660 952.368.3800 bhattigi.com
Ahsan Bhatti MD, FACP
Sense of safety While Wells said she’s unsure if the lighting issues in Stevens Sqaure have led to more crime in the area, she’s confident it’s led to more litter. And an increased sense of insecurity. Minneapolis Police Fifth Precinct Inspector Kathy Waite said, while she’s aware of the lighting issue, police have no numbers indicating it has led to more reported incidents in the area. Waite agreed improved lighting can make a place safer. “One of the things we point to when it comes to crime prevention is lighting up an area,” Waite said. For longtime residents like Wells, the feeling of safety has helped create stability in the neighborhood. As the lighting problems persist, she can’t help but feel it’s becoming less safe again. “The sense of safety is sometimes more important that the reality in many ways,” Artley said.
TECH FEST FAMILY EVENT Hours of hands-on science and engineering fun for kids and their grown-ups!
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9 9 a.m.–4 p.m. DOZENS OF PRESENTERS • KID-FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGY DEMOS STEM ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES TO EXPLORE TOGETHER
$9 pre-registered / $12 at the door Get your tickets today at Naomi Petrie helps Dave Delvoye take note of non-working street lights in Stevens Square during a block patrol light survey on Jan. 14. Photo by Andrew Hazzard
theworks.org
A12 January 24–February 6, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
By Mira Klein
Urban farmers seek stability Growing Lots is a working farm tucked into an increasingly dense urban landscape. It used to occupy three sites in South Minneapolis where co-owners by Taya Schulte and Seamus Fitzgerald grew vegetables, operated a community-supported agriculture program, or CSA, and sold produce to local chefs. In 2018 those three sites were reduced to two. Growing Lots lost access to the third site after their Longfellow landlords decided to sell. Schulte and Fitzgerald had been leasing the property for a few years, but for the landowners the process of renting out to urban farmers with a labor-intensive business and slim profit margins got too complicated. Add that to neighborhood development pressure and the outcome became almost inevitable. Fitzgerald certainly wasn’t surprised. “For us, [land] is tenuous,” he said. “It’s hard to get more than a one-year lease. Maybe you’ll get three years if you’re lucky.” Now, Growing Lots is left with two sites. The first is a former parking lot they lease from Seward Redesign, a community development nonprofit. The second is a plot of residential land that they lease for free under the agreement that the farm keeps it tidy. The farm stays operational through a combination short term leases and goodwill — not exactly the stability needed to plan for a longterm urban agriculture strategy. “Urban agriculture” is an umbrella term used to describe a variety of urban food production practices. It can mean everything from a single back-
yard raised bed to a sprawling rooftop garden. It can be on public land or private land, under short-term lease or long-term ownership, operated by round-the-clock farmers or a group of teens on the weekend. In short, urban agriculture can look very different on the ground (or, more accurately, on the soil) from one site to the next. Short term and unstable land access poses a problem for urban farming — particularly for farmers like Schulte and Fitzgerald, for whom farming is their business and livelihood. The thing about farming is that it’s not quick; productive land needs to be cultivated over time. “In general, it takes three years to build up organic matter and turn it into workable soil,” Fitzgerald explained. As experienced farmers, Schulte and Fitzgerald have been able to do their best under precarious circumstances. As business owners, however, one-year leases are not a sustainable business plan. Or a sustainable lifestyle. “If the lots we had were more stable, I’d be making more in-depth investments and amending (the soil) in a way to make it more productive,” Fitzgerald said. “We are in a temporary situation, so we don’t feel secure sinking money in. What we do works for the moment, but it’s minimal.” This is part of the reason why Schulte and Fitzgerald plan to step away from Growing Lots within the next few years so that they can start a more permanent farming project in rural Minnesota. Just as the farm was passed to them, they hope to find some good folks to
Seamus Fitzgerald and Taya Schulte operate Growing Lots, an urban agriculture operation in Minneapolis. Submitted photo
steward Growing Lots when they leave. Even as Growing Lots faces an uphill battle for land access, there is widespread understanding that the Twin Cities are experiencing an explosion of urban agriculture. As Brian Martucci noted in a 2015 article for The Line, this explosion has brought the region “closer to developing a legitimate hyper-local food system than at any point in the previous two generations.”
Thanks to a series of policy adjustments at the municipal level, this agricultural trend has only grown stronger. Homegrown Minneapolis, a city initiative dedicated to promoting local food systems, oversees the city’s Garden Lease program, which rents out vacant and unused public land to urban gardeners. Over the last few years Homegrown SEE GREEN DIGEST / PAGE A15
GIVE YOUR DOG THE GIFT OF RELIEF
kinda small. kinda southern. all comfort food. Certified Animal Massage Therapy
735 E 48th Street, Mpls
Massage relieves tension, stiffness & soreness in your pet!
Call Katy to schedule 651-447-6721 Find us on the web at otganimalmassage.com
Green Dry Cleaning & Wet Cleaning
Winter Hours: Tuesday–Thursday 3pm–8pm, Friday–Saturday 11am–8pm, Sunday 11am–6pm
612-584-1593
www. RAMacSammys .com
RA MacSammys Elbow Room SWJ 012419 12.indd 2
1/14/19 1:28 PM
Environmentally Friendly Family Owned & Operated Since 1950 • No Odor • Non Toxic • No Allergies • Gentle on All Fabrics • All Work Done on Premises
Colonial Cleaners, Inc. GARMENT CARE PROFESSIONAL
612.823.8095
prana.com prana.com
3701 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis www.colonialcleanersmn.com Colonial Cleaners SWJ 020917 H18.indd 1
PRANA PRANA EDINA EDINA th th St.St. 3926 3926 WW 5050 Edina, Edina, MN MN 55424 55424 612.884.6672 612.884.6672
2/3/17 Park 2:39 Tavern PM Lounge & Lanes SWJ 012419 9.indd 1
SWJ 012419 H18.indd 1 1/9/19 Prana 2:47 PM
1/14/19 10:20 AM
southwestjournal.com / January 24–February 6, 2019 A13
By Andrew Hazzard / ahazzard@southwestjournal.com
Stone Arch Bridge repairs fully funded Funding has been secured to fully repair and maintain the Stone Arch Bridge, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Repairs on the 136-year-old pedestrian bridge connecting Downtown to Northeast and the University of Minnesota are likely to begin in 2020, MnDOT spokesperson Kevin Gutknecht said. The repairs, estimated to cost about $15 million, will be paid for using a mix of federal and state funding. The federal government will provide about $12 million via nontraditional transportation alternative funding and the state will pitch in $3 million in matching funds, mostly coming from the rail service improvement program, according to Gutknecht. “This is a really important project,” Gutknecht said. “… It’s a symbol for the city of Minneapolis.” MnDOT had requested nearly $13 million for the project from the Legislature in 2018, which would have allowed for the inspection, final design and construction of the bridge. But the project instead received just $1 million, which allowed for the agency to begin planning for the repairs. Gutknecht said that money is included in the $15 million project cost estimates. Much of the work will be repairing and
replacing mortar between the brick and shoring up the foundation of the bridge, Gutknecht said. It’s unknown at this point whether the repairs will require the bridge to close, he said. Work is projected to continue into 2021. MnDOT typically uses trunk highway funds to pay for capital projects, but the state constitution does not allow it to use those funds for the Stone Arch Bridge repairs. That led the agency to request general-obligation bonds for the project in the past, Gutknecht said. The bridge’s historical purpose as a railroad bridge makes it eligible for rail service improvement dollars. The state bought the bridge from Hennepin County in 1992 and entered into an agreement with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to manage a pedestrian walk and bike path on the bridge’s surface. At the Jan. 16 Park Board meeting, Commissioner Chris Meyer (District 1) celebrated the news. He thanked Sen. Kari Dziedzic (DFL–Minneapolis) and outgoing MnDOT Commissioner Charlie Zelle for work securing the funding. “By doing that, our other projects won’t be competing with the Stone Arch Bridge repairs,” he said.
Repairs on the Stone Arch Bridge, expected to begin in 2020, will be paid for using federal and state funding. File photo
Residents invited to help plan Southwest parks As the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board prepares to move forward with its plan to revamp neighborhood parks across the city, Southwest residents are invited to four park design workshops in the next month. There are 43 neighborhood parks south of Interstate 394 and west of Interstate 35W, and the Southwest Area Master Plan is looking at ways to update every one of them. Most parks have multiple new concepts for residents to consider. People will be able to submit comments and speak directly with planners. The workshops kick off Jan. 31 at Lynnhurst Recreation Center and will be hosted at public spaces across Southwest Minneapolis through mid-February. All the workshops will include children’s activities and refreshments, according to the MPRB. Park concepts will also be posted online Jan. 31 at minneapolisparks.org along with a link to submit feedback.
PARK PLANNING WORKSHOPS All workshops run 6 p.m.–8 p.m. Dates and locations include: Thursday, Jan. 31 Lynnhurst Recreation Center 1345 W. Minnehaha Parkway Monday, Feb. 4 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center 4055 Nicollet Ave. S Thursday, Feb. 7 Whitter Recreation Center 425 W. 26th St. Tuesday, Feb. 12 Jones-Harrison Residence, Centrum Room 3700 Cedar Lake Ave.
Park Board approves Wirth House lease for new superintendent New Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Superintendent Al Bangoura will take up residence in the historic Theodore Wirth Home in Southwest. Wirth designed a number of city parks at the 39th & Bryant home, built in 1911 and located on the grounds of Lyndale Farmstead Park. The home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. Previous superintendents have lived in the home over the years, including previous superintendent Jayne Miller. The Park Board unanimously approved a lease agreement with Bangoura on Jan. 16.
The 13-month lease will charge Bangoura a $1,325 monthly rent based on the “exclusive use” portion of the home on its top two floors. The lease allows the Minneapolis Parks Legacy Society to hold tours on the home one Sunday each month and at specific times during the week. “I am honored and humbled to be able to live with my family in this iconic home,” Bangoura said in a release. “To be surrounded by such history and know the great work that took place in the downstairs administration offices will inspire me every day.”
CARING FOR YOUR PETS SINCE 1973
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR GREAT WINTER SAFETY TIPS FOR YOUR PET! DID YOU KNOW?
Your Home Sold for 100% of Market Value GUARANTEED or I Pay You the Difference For information on my exclusive Guaranteed Sale Program, order a Free Report by visiting: FREE Recorded Message: 1-844-365-8996, ID#1096 or call me direct at 952-848-2542
WESTGATE PET CLINIC HAS 10 DOCTORS AND OVER 175 YEARS OF COMBINED EXPERIENCE!
FREE NAIL TRIM FOR NEW CLIENTS SCHEDULE A TOUR OR APPOINTMENT TODAY!
Jason and seller must agree on price.
Jason Stockwell RE/MAX Results
4345 FRANCE AVE. S. MINNEAPOLIS MONDAY–THURSDAY 7AM - 7PM FRIDAY 7AM - 6PM | SATURDAY 8AM - 5PM 612.925.1121 // WESTGATEPETCLINICMN.COM Jason Stockwell ReMax SWJ 100418 V18.indd 9/14/18 4:13 1 PM
A14 January 24–February 6, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
News
By Nate Gotlieb / ngotlieb@southwestjournal.com
School Board welcomes new members The Minneapolis Board of Education paid tribute to its two outgoing members and welcomed two new members during its Jan. 15 meeting. New at-large members Kimberly Caprini and Josh Pauly joined the nine-member board, which governs the approximately 36,000student district. Meanwhile, the board recognized outgoing members Rebecca Gagnon and Don Samuels for their years of service. Board members Jenny Arneson, Siad Ali and Nelson Inz also took the oath of office after each was re-elected for a new term this past November. Samuels, who served one term, said he came on the School Board because of inequities that persist and that he feels the needle has hardly budged as he leaves the board. “This is a sad situation, and we must be motivated by it,” he said. Gagnon, who served two terms, said funds from the district’s newly passed $30 million referendum should stay in schools. She added that she hopes the board is able to follow through on those commitments. Pauly, a former Minneapolis Public Schools teacher, said the board has much work ahead of it and he’s excited to do his part. Caprini, a longtime active parent, said she wants to inspire her colleagues to see MPS as a district of schools rather than schools within a district. She said she hopes the board is willing to make tough decisions that best fit the needs of all students, especially students who need the most support.
One of the new board’s first acts was electing a new slate of leaders. The board re-elected Inz as chair, Arneson as treasurer and Ellison as clerk while electing Caprini as vice chair. The slate was approved on a voice vote, with one board member, KerryJo Felder, abstaining. The board also approved a resolution directing the superintendent to begin negotiating a new contract with the Minneapolis Police Department by June 30. The contract would begin in August 2020, after the district’s current three-year contract with MPD expires. MPS contracts with the police department for the services of 14 school resource officers, who help with security, safety and student engagement at schools throughout the district. The board voted 7-1 in favor of the resolution, with Caprini abstaining and Felder voting against it. Caprini said she felt like she needed more information before voting on the resolution. Felder said she doesn’t think the district is “doing the deeper work that needs to happen,” and said she was voting no in the hopes of forcing the district to do that work. The board on Jan. 15 also approved 2017-19 contract agreements with its principals and adult-education teachers unions, whose previous contracts expired in June 2017. The district has now come to 2017-19 contract agreements with all of its unions except for its custodial and food service units, according to a spokesman. Negotiations on the next teachers union contract are set to begin in the coming weeks.
New Minneapolis School Board member Kimberly Caprini (above) takes the oath of office on Jan. 15, with her family by her side. New School Board member Josh Pauly (left) takes the oath of office with his wife, Megan, by his side. Photos by Nate Gotlieb
southwestjournal.com / January 24–February 6, 2019 A15 FROM DEVELOPMENT / PAGE B1
The commission also approved plans for the 319-unit, mixed-use Sons of Norway project in East Calhoun, on which Ryan Companies and Weidner Apartment Homes have started construction. Here’s a closer look at the three approved projects.
29 Bryant Apartments Developer: Yellow Tree Development Fast facts: Six stories, 91 units in Lowry Hill East
Yellow Tree’s 29 Bryant Apartments (2924, 2928 and 2932 Bryant Ave. S.) will include 31 studio apartments, 24 “micro” one-bedroom apartments, 30 one-bedroom apartments and six two-bedroom apartments, according to plans submitted to the Planning Commission. Units will range in size from 361 to 433 square feet for studios to over 900 square feet for twobedroom units, according to the plans. The building will have 61 parking spaces on two levels of enclosed parking and amenities such as a rooftop deck, a community garden and a fitness center. The Planning Commission approved three applications for the project, including a conditional-use permit to allow Yellow Tree to build about 15 feet taller than would be allowed by right. The commission also approved the site plan and a variance to allow the building to be about 25,000 square feet bigger than allowed by right. The commission imposed several conditions with its approvals, including one that requires Yellow Tree to mitigate a 27-foot-long blank wall on the north side of the building. Commissioners also discussed requiring ground-floor commercial space, which city staff recommended, but did not vote to require it. Minneapolis-based Yellow Tree, which focuses on urban infill projects, has built several apartment buildings in Southwest and central Minneapolis, including The Whit in Whittier and The Central in the Central neighborhood. The company is also the developer behind two 120-plus-unit projects on Nicollet Avenue just south of Interstate 94, a 65-unit apartment building in Northeast Minneapolis and a planned apartment building near a Blue Line light rail station in the Standish neighborhood. The 29 Bryant building will replace three single-family homes. The site is zoned as a C2 Neighborhood Corridor Commercial District and also as a PO Pedestrian Oriented Overlay District. Yellow Tree plans to start construction on the project in the spring and expects it to be completed in spring 2020, according to its website. One person voiced concern with the project during the public hearing at the Planning Commission meeting. Zack Anderson, who works at the Eye of Horus metaphysical store
FROM GREEN DIGEST / PAGE A12
has worked to make the program more accessible by removing deposit and insurance requirements, addressing some of the issues raised when it was first launched in 2009. The city also expanded the Garden Lease program to make lots available for prospective market growers as well — farmers not just looking to grow produce but to sell it too. The Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan redoubled city support for the Garden Lease program and other urban agriculture measures. And now the Park Board is getting into the urban farming game, too, moving one step closer towards a system for gardening on parksowned land through a recently adopted Urban Agriculture Activity Plan. Outside the city, urban agriculture is increasingly being recognized on a federal and state level. In 2016, the USDA published an Urban Agriculture Toolkit, signaling a major shift in a Department that has traditionally focused exclusively on
south of the project site, said he’s concerned construction noise could drive away business all summer, noting the pile driving he heard this past summer at his home, which is near the Sons of Norway project. “We’re really, really scared that that’s what’s going to happen here,” he said, playing an audio clip of the pile driving on his phone. “... That’s going to kill that corner if we have to have that kind of construction noise all summer.” In response, Yellow Tree co-founder Robb Lubenow said the company does site surveys of neighboring properties prior to any work being done. The company also does on-site monitoring while it’s doing any excavation or anything that has significant vibrations to it, he said.
Linden Building Developer: South Upton Properties Partnership Fast facts: Three-story, multi-tenant commercial building next to Sebastian Joe’s in Linden Hills
The Linden Building (4321 and 4353 Upton Ave. S. and 2720 44th St. W.) will include office, retail and restaurant space, according to plans submitted to the Planning Commission. It will also include a six-car parking lot, 31 bicycle parking spaces and two shower rooms for bike commuters. The project will occupy a parking lot and vacant lot south of the Sebastian Joe’s building, across 44th Street from the Lake Harriet Spiritual Community. The Planning Commission granted several variances for the project on Jan. 14 in addition to a conditional-use permit to increase the maximum allowable height by 10 feet. Sebastian Joe’s co-owner Timothy Pellizzer is listed the contact person for South Upton Properties. This is the second time the Sebastian Joe’s owners have received approval for a commercial project on the site. The commission approved plans for a similar redevelopment in 2015, but Sebastian Joe’s never went ahead with the project, which co-owner Mike Pellizzer attributed to construction costs, the Southwest Journal reported in 2016.
Pellizzer told the Southwest Journal then that the proposed three-story building wasn’t big enough to support the cost of building it. He said they could build the project if they simplified the design, noting plans to invest heavily in the exterior building facade. But he expressed doubt the project would ever happen. Sebastian Joe’s would not comment on the project when contacted by the Southwest Journal this month. Mike Pellizzer and his brothers, Tim and Todd, opened their Linden Hills store in 1988, according to an interview Mike Pellizzer gave to the Hill and Lake Press. Tim Pellizzer told the Planning Commission in 2015 that they had owned the project site for over 25 years and had always wanted to develop it. At the Planning Commission meeting on Jan. 14, no one spoke in opposition to the project. Four people expressed objections about the project in letters to the city before the meeting, with the main concern being limited parking in the area. The project will include five fewer parking spaces than what city code requires, after the commission approved a variance to reduce the minimum parking requirement from 11 to six spaces. City staff recommended approval of the variance, provided the project include the 31 bicycle parking spaces and the shower facilities. Staff wrote in a report they don’t expect the variance will increase congestion in the area or affect surrounding properties. They noted the area’s walkability and the site’s proximity to a bus route, bike parking and shower rooms for bike commuters.
Lydia Apartments Developer: Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative Fast facts: 40-unit addition to a supportive housing facility in Stevens Square
The Planning Commission approved four applications for the project, which will include a six-story addition on the north side of the existing 40-unit building. The project will include minor rehab work to the existing 40-unit building, according to a
The three-story Linden Building will include office, retail and restaurant space along Upton Avenue in Linden Hills. Rendering by Christian Dean Architecture via City of Minneapolis
rural environments. That same year, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture recognized urban farming as within its political mandate and committed to supporting the practice. “Ten years ago there was a sense that (urban agriculture) was a flashy, fleeting interest,” said Valentine Cadieux, board chair of the Twin Cities Agricultural Land Trust (TCALT). But clearly that interest has hung around, and policymakers are catching on. Despite these promising efforts, problems with land tenure remain a major obstacle to truly supporting urban food systems. Fitzgerald identifies this disconnect in the difference between community gardening that focuses on personal use and community engagement and urban farming as a business. For example, the Garden Lease program gives priority to applications from community gardens over market farmers. Tamara Downs Schwei is the city’s Homegrown Minneapolis and Local Food Policy Coordinator. As she explained, this prioritiza-
city staff report, and the updating of common areas. The existing building will continue to operate through construction, the report says. Lydia Apartments provides permanent housing with support services to people with mental illness and people who are recovering from chemical dependency, according to the staff report. Plymouth Church Neighborhood Foundation opened the facility, formerly a nursing home, in 2003, despite opposition from neighborhood groups and a court challenge. Plymouth Congregational Church sits across LaSalle Avenue from the facility. Residents must be formerly homeless, disabled and committed to sobriety, according to the staff report. Beacon gives priority to individuals with serious and persistent mental illness and has on-site support services and case management available to all residents, the report says. All units are efficiencies with full kitchens and baths. Rev. Paula Northwood, acting senior minister at Plymouth, told the Planning Commission the church is very supportive of the project. She added that many Lydia residents are involved in the church and said the church looks forward to working with Beacon to complete the project. Two people testified against the project, including an attorney representing the owner of the Semple Mansion, which is south of Lydia Apartments along LaSalle Avenue. The attorney, Tom DeVincke, said the addition would block the downtown Minneapolis skyline view that can be seen from the mansion’s third-floor ballroom, which is used to host weddings. He suggested moving the addition to the northwest corner of the site from the northeast corner, which he said would maintain the downtown view from the mansion. But an architect for the project, Rhys MacPherson of MSR Design, said moving the addition would shade the Van Dusen Mansion to the north of the site. He showed a mocked-up view of the addition from the Semple Mansion in which much of the downtown skyline was visible. “We’re trying to be really sensible about keeping the premier area of the view available for the Semple Mansion,” he said.
Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative will build a six-story, 40-unit addition to its 40-unit supportive-housing facility in Stevens Square. Rendering by MSR Design via City of Minneapolis
tion policy comes from the tricky terrain of leasing public land for private profit. “We are looking to see more nuance in these tradeoffs,” Downs Schwei said. But as it stands, she continued, “it has been harder for market farmers to access the lots even though they are technically eligible.” Long-term land access impacts the Garden Lease program too. Typical leases range from one to five years, with the possibility that the city could break a lease if they want to use the land for other purposes. That is because the vacant lots are held by city departments with mandates other than urban farming, primarily the department of Community Planning and Economic Development. “Those parcels are being made available on an interim basis while the city is waiting for the right moment to turn them into housing,” Downs Schwei explained. “Sometimes there are two or three adjacent parcels that make a big great urban farm, but also make a big great housing development.”
Fitzgerald understands these competing land interests, particularly when it comes to the need for more affordable housing. This tension is playing out through one of the remaining two Growing Lots properties, because Seward Redesign has plans to eventually turn it into new affordable housing. And Fitzgerald knows that affordable housing is urgently needed. “If they were turning the land into luxury apartments or a Whole Foods, then I’d be angry,” he said. But for urban farming to continue in Minneapolis in spite of development pressures and housing needs, something will have to change. “If we want urban agriculture, we need land for it dedicated in perpetuity,” Fitzgerald said. Next issue, this column will explore some innovative approaches to urban agriculture. Do you have experience with urban farming and tenuous land access? Tell me about it! Email mira.r.klein@gmail.com.
Southwest Journal January 24–February 6, 2019
With The Trailhead complete, the Loppet hosts festival in its own backyard by Andrew Hazzard
L
Top: Racers take off at the start of a cross-country ski race at the 2018 Loppet in Theodore Wirth Park; the course will be reversed this year. Bottom: Festival goers mill around the illuminated displays at the Luminary Loppet on Lake of the Isles and Bde Maka Ska. Photos by Daniel Johnson
ast year, the Loppet Foundation had a lot on its plate. It was playing host to the cross-country ski Masters World Cup and spreading its annual festivities out over two weekends to incorporate Minneapolis’ hosting of the Super Bowl. Now they can focus more on their own event, which for the first time will be hosted right in the nonprofit’s backyard. “This year, I would say, is shaping up to be a little bit more sane,” said John Munger, Loppet Foundation executive director. The opening of The Trailhead in Theodore Wirth Park is a gamechanger for the City of Lakes Loppet Festival, which is celebrating its 17th year Jan. 31–Feb. 3. The new 14,000-square-foot adventure center on the border of North Minneapolis and Golden Valley is the central hub for winter sports in the city and has been bracing itself for the festival by hosting hundreds of prep athletes and recreational cross-country skiers every day this winter. This year’s ski, bike and snowshoe races will start at Bde Maka Ska and end at The Trailhead. Sprinting races, the Minne-Loppet, Junior Loppet and skijoring will all be hosted at The Trailhead. Snow sculptures will line the entryway to the building; the Big Tent, Surly Beer Garden and Vendor Village will all be on-site. “Those things might sound mundane, but those courses for those events down at Bde Maka Ska, were not really good courses,” he said. The new space also came with a lot more snowmaking infrastructure, so while the winter hasn’t been cooperating with planners thus far, they’re confident the courses will be race ready for the festival. “Now this year, it doesn’t matter,” Munger said. “If there’s no snow, all the energy is here, and if there is snow, the energy is here.” With The Trailhead moving the center of the festival a couple miles north, The Loppet is hoping to see many new faces enjoying this year’s event. The Junior Loppet will include racers from the Trail Kids Program, students from nearby Anwatin, Franklin and Northeast middle schools who have been taught to ski on the Wirth Park trails.
“The event will be much more focused on Wirth Park and the neighborhood, and we’re hoping much more of a North Minneapolis event than one focused on Bde Maka Ska,” Munger said.
Reversing course With The Trailhead complete, the typical course of the Loppet’s non-sprinting races has been reversed. Racers will start this year on Bde Maka Ska, work their way north through the lakes and then finish on the hills of Theodore Wirth Park. Munger thinks it will be interesting to see how skiers pace out their energy with the most challenging portions at the end. “The course being reversed is really going to make for a different and I think better experience for the racers,” he said. New racing events this year include the skijoring sprint — that is dog-skier teams mushing through the snow — Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. and the classic ski team sprint, an event that captured Minnesota’s attention in 2018 when Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall won the Olympic Gold Medal in 2018, which will take place Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. Previous years have created situations where planning the race route is a last-second ordeal depending on snow conditions. This year, everything except the exact marathon route has been mapped out for weeks, Munger said.
One for the record books Jim York has been familiarizing himself with the Loppet race course. York, a co-owner of Northern Lites Snowshoes, is trying to find the best spots along the course to set the Guinness World Record. Two years ago, Duluth-based snowshoe runner Eric Hartmark, an athlete sponsored by Northern Lites, finished the 10K Snowshoe Loppet at a 5 minute, 25 second per-mile pace, finishing well ahead of the second-fastest runner. Hartmark, a five-time national champion on the 10K race, is hoping to enter the record books at this year’s Loppet, York said. When Northern Lites reached out to Guinness, they SEE LOPPET PREVIEW / PAGE B12
Expires: 1/31/19
Expires: 1/31/19
Expires: 1/31/19
Expires: 1/31/19
Expires: 1/31/19
Expires: 1/31/19
354 4 . 0 612.44
54 3 4 . 0 612.44 1/8/19 2:28 PM
McQuillan Brothers SWJ 011019 FP.indd 1
1/8/19 2:34 PM
southwestjournal.com / January 24–February 6, 2019 B3
I
Casually elegant By Carla Waldemar
recently ate my way through Puerto Vallarta, from fancy restaurants where they snatched my purse off the floor and reverently placed it on a bespoke stool to sitting on a curb slurping $1 tacos at a pop-up stand. Yearning for more of those vibrant flavors, the night after my return I snagged a rez at Colita. Hair of the dog? Well, not exactly: no charred eggplant tostadas nor cordero tartare south of the border. They’re a couple of don’t-miss culinary fantasies found instead in Southwest Minneapolis, where chef Daniel del Prado took over a gas station on Penn Avenue to create a casually elegant setting similar to the clean design he favors at his original venture, Martina. Softly lit walls are spared of busywork, broken simply by niches of greenery and a living wall of plants behind the busy bar. All around us, the simple wooden two- and four-tops were crammed with intent diners exploring dishes to share. The small-plates menu salutes the regional cuisine of Oaxaca, known for its finesse with food. I once took a cooking class there in which I was required to prepare a mole sauce from a 23-ingredient recipe. Here at Colita, my hardest task is perusing the 23-item menu and trying — trying! — to eliminate a dish or two from my wish list. Our server counseled (wisely, it turns out) that four small plates between the two of us would be ample. The list segues from snacks like chips and guac for $5 to a bone-in smoked short rib at $50. Most items, sized for sharing, fall in the $15 range. And no, you don’t have to pass the fried-cricket test to eat here. Familiar items include a tostadas of three cheeses brightened with black pepper; baked oysters with bacon, crema and Parmesan; and a salad of squash, spinach, chevre and hazelnut mole. There’s even a Kansas City-style pork rib, for heaven’s sake. But trust me (or your server) and explore some of the more original fare on offer. We started with that charred eggplant tostada, served at room temp. It was loaded with meaty chunks of that satintextured veggie along with roasted tomatoes, a nutty hint of sesame, a spritz of lime for brightness and a scatter of creamy burrata cheese to assure we’ve touched all the sensory bases. The tortillas on which they’re built are made from organic Oaxacan corn, hand-ground and grilled to order. The result is a pleasing marriage of tastes and textures. Same goes for the chicken liver memelita. The rich, buttery liver mousse called “eat me” from the confines of its edible bowl of crisp-fried cornmeal. To underline that siren song, it was dressed with sweet-sharp pickled plums, deepflavored blackberries, minty shiso, a trace of hibiscus blossoms and that one-size-fits-all Mexican condiment, Tajin (chipotle, salt and lime). Your bubbe’s chopped liver it’s not. Not everything’s perfect. Encouraged by our server, we next ordered the chochoyotes mole Amarillo. The Oaxacan dish of (as we learned) corn dough bore an ubergrainy texture and (to me, anyway) an off-putting flavor signaling that, despite the efforts of serranos, mint and a scattering of ricotta salata, one bite was enough. A taste of the lamb barbacoa tacos and I was smiling again. The kitchen paired these meaty, richly sauced and smoked ribbons with a counter-intuitive cast of anchovies and capers as well as top-of-mind representatives like onions and cilantro. They play well together. Dessert? Just say si. I love, love, love those wicked little fried strings of dough called churros. This kitchen’s version twirled those lengths into a circle, then added a creamy dipper instead of the customary chocolate. Fine, but not fantastic. Save that descriptive for the truffle that appears to sweeten your bill, composed of chocolate, chile and coconut flakes. Colita’s cocktail guru has fashioned several complicated (in a good way) tipples from white liquors. I chose his version of an Old Fashioned that called upon mezcal, fermented amari and cocoa nib. This is not your girlie drink but rather slow-sipping magic. Or peruse the lists of wine, beer and equally clever alcohol-free creations. And trust your servers: They’re polished and accommodating. So, what’s not to like? Only the slim odds of a reservation anytime soon.
COLITA 5400 Penn Avenue 886-1606 colitampls.com
B4 January 24–February 6, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
Mill City Cooks
Recipes and food news from the Mill City Farmers Market
Vendor spotlight: Sunshine Harvest Farm
S
unshine Harvest Farm is a fourth-generation family farm in Webster, about 40 miles south of Minneapolis. Owner Mike Braucher, his son Brandon, his brother Patrick and the rest of the crew bring a variety of cuts of beef, bison, lamb, pork, chicken and eggs to the Mill City Farmers Market year-round. The Braucher’s beef and lamb are 100 percent grass fed and fed hay in the winter. Their pasture-raised chickens and hogs are fed non-GMO corn, peas, beans, alfalfa, kelp and minerals when they’re not eating grass and bugs! Like all of Mill City’s vendors, Sunshine Harvest Farm never uses antibiotics, hormones or chemicals on any of their animals, believing in sustainable farming and managementintensive grazing on pastures. “Our passion of farming and love of good food is what helped us create our business,” explains Mike. “We work to bring the highest quality food from our farm to your table. As we go through our workday we think about our patrons by name, and it is a reminder to us of how important our work truly is.”
Market sales really are an important part of the Braucher’s business model. Ninety percent of their sales come from directto-consumer retail, including their popular meat CSA and sales at the Mill City and Kingfield farmers markets. The remaining 10 percent comes from wholesale and sales to local restaurants. “We apply healthy farming and business practices so we can develop strong relationships with customers, family and friends who count on us for safe, clean, sustainable and nutritious food,” Mike adds. Even though the Super Bowl won’t be in town this year, you can still bring a local flare to your party by picking up a few things at Mill City’s indoor Winter Market on Saturday, Jan. 26. In addition to Minnesota-grown carrots, radishes, cheeses and salami for crudité platters, get the local ingredients you need for these wild rice meatballs. The market will be open 10 a.m.–1 p.m. inside the Mill City Museum, 704 S. 2nd St. No admission required. Learn more at millcityfarmersmarket.org. — Jenny Heck
Sunshine Harvest Farm attends the Mill City Farmers Market year-round. Submitted photo
WILD RICE MEATBALLS Recipe courtesy of the Mill City Farmers Market. Makes 12 meatballs. Ingredients 1 lb ground bison or beef from Sunshine Harvest Farm ½ cup wild rice, cooked from Prairie Hollow or Sunrise flour Mill 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 2 Tablespoon shallot, minced 1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoon olive oil 1 egg, mixed ¼ cup breadcrumbs ¼ cup grated hard cheese from Shepherd’s Way or Cosmic Wheel Creamery Barbecue sauce for serving
Method Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Gently combine without overmixing until evenly incorporated. Form into small meatballs. (This can be made less messy by getting a bowl of water to dip your fingers in while shaping the meatballs.)
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil to cook meatballs. Cook a few at a time, being careful not to lift them up until they release from the pan. Set them aside, and finish with the rest.
Note: Plan ahead for cooking the wild rice. Hand harvested wild rice will take about 15–20 minutes to cook. Commercial wild rice will take much longer.
When all meatballs are seared, place BBQ sauce in the same pan. No need to wipe out the pan. Cover and bring to a low simmer, then add the meatballs. This can also be done in a crockpot.
You can use cooked quinoa in place of wild rice. Burgers can Cook gently for about also be made with this recipe. 10 minutes. Freezes well.
One Day Design
YOUR STUFF...OUR DESIGN
Odds of a child becoming a professional athlete: 1 in 16,000 Odds of a child being diagnosed with autism: 1 in 110
Interior Re-Design 612.812.1712
onedaydesign@outlook.com
TOP SHELF REAL ESTATE SOLD!! Lovely Kenny neighborhood Rambler! Ted Bergstrom The Minnesota Real Estate Team RE/MAX Advantage Plus www.TedBergstrom.com Ted Bergstrom • Realtor | 612-723-5444 | Ted@TedBergstrom.com Bergstrom Ted SWJ 012419 H12.indd 1
1/16/19 2:21 PM
Some signs to look for: No big smiles or other joyful expressions by 6 months.
No babbling by 12 months.
No words by 16 months.
To learn more of the signs of autism, visit autismspeaks.org © 2010 Autism Speaks Inc. “Autism Speaks” and “It’s time to listen” & design are trademarks owned by Autism Speaks Inc. All rights reserved. The person depicted is a model and is used for illustrative purposes only.
Ad Council - Autism SWJ 2011 NR5 Filler 4.indd 1
4/22/11 4:00 PM
southwestjournal.com / January 24–February 6, 2019 B5
By Sarah Woutat
From field to market
I
am proud to join the Neighborhood Roots team as the new market manager for Fulton, Kingfield and Nokomis farmers markets. I previously was a vendor at both Fulton and Kingfield, so I know the markets well, but from a very different angle. I’ve been a farmers market customer in cities from Portland to New York, shopping as both a layperson and as a farmer, and the Neighborhood Roots markets are some of the best I’ve seen from either perspective. When I bought the property near Princeton that would become Uproot Farm in 2010, I planned to offer community-supported agriculture shares, sell wholesale and vend at only one farmers market. I visited markets across the Twin Cities trying to decide where to sell my vegetables. I knew where I wanted to be after spending a Sunday at Kingfield Farmers Market. It was a vibrant community meeting spot. It also seemed like a market where growers were able to charge a fair price for the work they put into their product. Most importantly, people were really doing their grocery shopping and appeared to have relationships with the producers. I spoke to the manager, and he said there was no room at Kingfield but that they were opening a new market the following season — Fulton Farmers Market. So, in January of 2011 I applied to only one market and crossed my fingers. In early June I attended Fulton Farmers Market for the first time as a vendor and have
been back every Saturday since. As a market vendor I have formed lasting relationships with both customers and vendors, many of which transcend the market space and have become personal, including meeting my partner at the market. As I showed up to sell my plants and produce week after week, behind the scenes was a hardworking team of volunteer board members, various volunteer committees, an executive director and a market manager who worked full time, year-round to make the market happen. They form neighborhood partnerships, find sponsorship for the market, run all of the logistics of the market and do so much more. While I’ll miss being a vendor, I am thrilled to be part of the small team that gets to help make these community events happen 68 times over the course of the season. I have big shoes to fill. Rebecca Noble, the former market manager who departed Neighborhood Roots in the fall, did an amazing job running the show for last past five years. As the new market manager, I look forward to deepening the relationships I’ve made over the last eight years and forming new ones. Stop by and say hi at the Neighborhood Roots Winter Markets taking place at Bachman’s on Lyndale 9 a.m.–1:30 p.m. on the Saturdays of Jan. 26, Feb. 23 and March 23. Stock up on jam, pickles honey, syrup, meat, cheese, eggs, bread, cold-storage produce, artisan crafts and so much more. Enjoy hot food, live music and a mimosa or two while supporting local farmers and makers.
Sarah Woutat, left, is the new market manager for Neighborhood Roots. She is pictured with a friend, Marina Delneri, at her old Uproot Farm booth. Submitted photo
Our Winter Markets are made possible by generous community sponsors, including Hero Plumbing Heating and Cooling, Nicollet ACE Hardware and Augustine Team of Keller Williams. You can support the Winter Markets by purchasing a drink or raffle ticket at the markets. The raffle prize in January is a Power Clear Snowblower courtesy of Toro. One-hundred percent of liquor and raffle sales support the market,
thanks to the in-kind donations from Book Club Restaurant, Lakes & Legends Brewing Company, Lake Wine & Spirits and The Toro Company. You can also help us make the markets happen by becoming a donor, volunteer or vendor. To learn more about getting involved with your neighborhood farmers market, visit our website (neighborhoodrootsmn.org) or inquire in person at the Winter Markets. Just ask for Sarah or Emily. See you there!
B6 January 24–February 6, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
Gadget Guy
By Paul Burnstein
A portable photo printer
I
got to try out a great gift idea from my friends at Verizon, the Lifeprint 2x3 Photo and Video Printer, a photo and video printer that prints on special thermal paper without ink. How do you print videos, you ask? Well, by using the free app for both Android and iOS (Apple), one can see an augmented reality video by viewing the photo through the app. Lifeprint calls this Hyperphoto. So if you wanted to send grandma a photo of yourself, but really wanted her to see a video, you would record the video and let the app do the rest by embedding it in the photo with a small code on the corner. It will print out as a photo, but will be viewable through the app as a video when you hold the app camera over the picture and let it read the code printed on the corner. I would like to point out that you don’t need the printer to download the app. Only one person needs the printer for embedding the videos in photos, and then any person can view the augmented reality video by using the app to view it through. These are small, portable pictures. The pictures themselves print out at 2 inches by 3 inches and are cute, but understandably not the best possible prints available. However, for their size and purpose, they are great. The photos also have a peel apart backing so that they can be stuck anywhere. The photos take about half a minute to print. When you go to print, the app offers to “Print and Share,” and this allows you to share
A video printer? Viewed through a smart phone with the Lifeprint app, still photos become short videos. Submitted photo
the photo with any friends you are connected to on the Lifeprint network. They can then see your photo without having to wait for you to print it and send it to them.
The printer itself connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth (again, both Android and iPhone) so there is nothing to physically connect. The wireless printer itself is about
the size of a large deck of playing cards, making it very portable. By logging into your various social media accounts including Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and more, the app pulls in all of your pictures to make it easy to print them out or pull in from your camera’s own photos and videos. It took me a few minutes to realize that I had the printer upside down, but that is about the total time it took to set up. Once the app is downloaded and the printer is paired to your smartphone via Bluetooth, you are ready to go. The printer charges via the included microUSB charging cable. It does not come with a power adapter, but you can easily use the power adapter that came with your phone or plug the USB into a computer to charge. It also says it will hold a charge long enough to print 20–30 photos on a complete charge. There are a limited number of devices that the company says it is optimized for. You should check here before purchasing: lifeprintphotos.com/ pages/compatibility. It runs $129.99. This would be a fun gift to give to someone that likes physical photos, sticky photos and the ability to share video in a unique way. Paul Burnstein is a tech handyman. As the founder of Gadget Guy MN, Paul helps personal and business clients optimize their use of technology. He can be found through gadgetguymn.com or via email at paul@gadgetguymn.com.
WE’VE BEEN KEEPING KINGFIELD RUNNING SMOOTHLY FOR
YEARS • Tires Brake Repair • Engine Diagnostics • Cooling Systems •
•
• Tune Up Steering/Suspension • And much more!
3610 LYNDALE AVE S, MPLS • 612-827-3838 • PARENTSAUTOCARE.COM
plan a summer
ADVENTURE
Untitled-1 1
1/16/19 1:00 PM
MILLWORK EXPERTS! Update your interior doors and mouldings!
at Minnesota Parent’s 13th annual
Camp Fair We know homes!
Saturday, March 2nd 10am–2pm
Bungalows, Colonial, Craftsman, Mid-Century, Ramblers, Modern and more.
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory
Free admission 612-825-9205 events@mnpubs.com mnparent.com/campfair Camp Fair 2019 SWJ 6.indd 1
and children’s ac
tivities!
612-781-3333 • 2536 Marshall Street NE, Minneapolis Monday–Friday: 8 am –6pm, Saturday: 8 am –4pm
SPONSORED BY
1/21/19 12:22 PM
southwestjournal.com / January 24–February 6, 2019 B7
By Dr. Teresa Hershey
Calming your vet visit worries
S
ometimes people worry about going to the veterinarian for a variety of reasons that are tangential to their veterinary visit, so I wanted to give a veterinarian’s perspective on these situations.
‘I have rescheduled my euthanasia three times and I’m annoying my vet.’ I feel so bad when clients worry about inconveniencing their veterinarian during this really stressful and emotional time. Pet owners in this situation should know that veterinarians understand and don’t care if you book and cancel your pet’s euthanasia multiple times. We understand that there is a lot of guilt associated with making this choice. And it is very common for animals to rally for a day, making it seem like it’s a sign that it’s not time, or possibly even that the animal will get better. Please know that during this very difficult time, it is OK to not be decisive. ‘I can’t afford the treatment my vet recommends, but I don’t want to tell her.’ Veterinarians want clients to be honest about all of the barriers to care. It sometimes happens that I outline a diagnostic and treatment plan for a client and the client is afraid to tell me that the plan is too expensive for them. Either they don’t want to disappoint me or are embarrassed that the bill will have such an impact on their personal finances. If we don’t have a conversation about money at the beginning, then the veterinarian leaves the exam room thinking that they are doing a good job, and the client leaves the exam room feeling a variety of different ways: tricked, mad, embarrassed, inferior. Money can create a lot of stress at veterinary visits. It is both the client and veterinarian’s responsibility to talk about the cost of the visit. If the cost of a veterinary visit is weighing on you prior to coming in, bring that concern up with the other reasons for the visit. Use the words “I am also worried about money right now.” Veterinarians can work with you to make the visit less expensive. For sick animals, that sometimes means doing tests in a stepwise fashion instead of all at once, or it can mean sending lab work out and getting the results the next day instead of the day of the visit. Depending on the urgency of the situation, we may try some treatments first instead of doing some tests. Or we may need to discuss a payment plan like Care Credit. Sharing with your veterinarian any financial constraints you may have will ultimately help with coming up with a plan everyone is comfortable with. Most important, veterinarians understand that health care can be
expensive, and we want to find a good solution that is right for you.
‘My vet doesn’t like my animal.’ Usually this feeling arises when a visit doesn’t go well because the animal became fearful and uncooperative or aggressive at the clinic. Coming to the vet can be a very stressinducing situation for many animals. At Westgate, we try hard to “bribe” our patients into liking us, but there are times that animals are just too suspicious of our good intentions to be cooperative. Veterinarians don’t dislike fractious animals. The only frustration that comes with dealing with an animal that becomes aggressive at the vet is if we don’t have a plan ahead of time about how to manage a nervous animal. The two biggest worries on the vet’s side are if we don’t have enough time booked for the visit or if the client objects to sedatives for their anxious pet. Veterinarians know and have empathy for the fact that uncooperative animals are scared. From a practical standpoint however, a scared animal that is becoming aggressive can seriously injure someone on the veterinary staff. The most important thing is to have a plan in place for the visit ahead of time. If you know that your animal gets anxious at the vet, it is best to have a discussion with the veterinarian before the visit even happens. Then we can plan enough time for the visit, discuss how the animal will get into the clinic with the least amount of stress, discuss whether or not a sedative prior to the visit is appropriate and what type of tests or treatments we think we might need to do. Sometimes for nervous animals, we can only do one thing each visit before it’s time to call it quits for the day. Everyone needs to be OK with
that, and it’s better to not push an animal to the point that its anxiety worsens with each visit. If expectations are managed ahead of time, everyone will leave a visit with a feeling of success.
‘I think my vet doesn’t like me.’ It is important that you find a vet that matches with you in terms of your view on pet ownership and philosophy on health care. Clients and veterinarians have a variety of different views on the best way to manage a pet’s health. If a client who wants to focus on quality of life gets matched with a veterinarian who is focused on extending life, that relationship might become contentious, because the client and veterinarian may have trouble understanding the other viewpoint. Veterinarians encounter a lot of different people, and successful veterinarians try to meet the client at their level and help the client achieve their goals for the animal. But there are times where a relationship is just not a good fit and it’s better to see a different veterinarian. ‘I haven’t given the pills my vet told me to give.’ Unless your pet will readily take pills in a treat, it is a pain to give medications to your animal. Veterinarians understand that. It is important to be honest with your vet about what medications your animal actually received. This is especially important if your animal isn’t getting better. Clients are often nervous to tell their veterinarian that they didn’t give a medication. In the end this negatively impacts your animal’s health. How an animal responds to a treatment is a diagnostic test in and of itself. If the veterinarian believes that their treatment plan failed when in actuality the treatment plan was not
executed, this may lead the veterinarian to make a different diagnosis or assumption about your pet’s condition. Clients will sometimes get irritated at the vet because they prescribed “an expensive pill” that got wasted because the animal kept spitting it out. Your pet will receive the best care if you tell your veterinarian exactly what happened with the medication that was prescribed, and if giving pills isn’t working, we can brainstorm alternatives.
‘My animal stresses me out.’ I have had some clients that I know feel very trapped in a relationship with their pet. Usually it’s because the animal is exhibiting a behavior that the owner really doesn’t like, like reactive barking. When an animal is exhibiting behaviors that really get under the owner’s skin, the owners often make the behavior worse be reacting in an unproductive way, like yelling at the dog that is barking, for example. Now this relationship is no fun for either owner or dog. Relationships, whether human-to-human or human-to-animal, require work and understanding. Talking to a professional is very helpful. For simple problems, start by consulting your family veterinarian. If the problem is more complex, or if there is concern for injury to a person or another animal, your vet may recommend that you see a behavior specialist. It is OK to spend money on counseling. Think of it as buying happiness. Most animals live 10–12 years or more. You don’t have to just live with a situation in which you don’t have a good relationship with your pet. Dr. Teresa Hershey is a veterinarian at Westgate Pet Clinic in Linden Hills. Email pet questions to drhershey@westgatepetclinicmn.com.
We work with all major health & vision plans (including state of MN)
visit us for an eye exam today! 612-827-3857 independently owned & operated 30 + years Yoga Center Retreat SWJ 012419 H12.indd 1
1/16/19 10:30 AM
Pearle Vision SWJ 071218 H12.indd 1
1 W Lake St, Ste 105 Minneapolis pearlevision.com 6/5/18 12:44 PM
B8 January 24–February 6, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
Creative Class
Photos and text by Susan Schaefer
Creatively well-adjusted A
s CEO of Minneapolis, Mayor Jacob Frey technically heads up our city’s Creative Class. Now beginning the second year of his term, Frey’s youth, vitality, fitness and prowess as a marathoner are legendary and obvious — reflected in his trim, upright bearing. What is not so apparent is his pedigree. Not only is his father a well-respected Washington, D.C. area chiropractor, conceivably contributing to our young mayor’s perfect posture, but Dr. Christopher Frey and his wife, Jamie, were also once world-class dance performers. “My parents were both professional modern ballet dancers,” Frey confides. “In fact, my father had a seven-year career in modern dance with two world-renowned companies: Lar Lubovitch Dance Company of Manhattan, and Nederlands Dans Theatre.” Young Frey did not inherit that gene. Jacob Frey is a runner. Full stop. “I was a weird kid,” he begins, “overly energetic and a bit too intense for my own good. But I found an outlet in running. Through running I could burn off energy in a productive way, allowing me to focus more in class.” Frey believes that running provides a direct correlation between hard work and success.
“If you train harder than the guy standing next to you on the starting line, you probably are going to beat him,” he continues. “I remember going for runs with my father beginning when I was nine or 10 years old. The winner would get to grab the newspaper from the mailbox on the way home and hand it to my mother — the true sign of victory. For a solid two years, my father was always the winner. Until one day, after doing quite a bit of training on my own, I kicked my dad’s butt, grabbed the newspaper and handed my mother a sweat-soaked Washington Post!” Frey was elated and hooked. Since then running has taken him around the world. After college he ran professionally, competing for Team USA in the Pan American Games marathon, finishing in fourth place. Part of his local legend is that in 2006, running introduced him “to the greatest city in the world — Minneapolis of course, through the Twin Cities Marathon.” It was love at first sight. For the record, Frey ran that race in 2:20. Shortly after the race, he was recruited by then law firm Faegre & Benson, and as quickly as he runs, he became a full-fledged resident and a respected civil rights advocate.
THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE CREATIVE ARTS IN MINNEAPOLIS ASTONISHES. Estimated at over $4.5 billion in sales, or eight times that of Minneapolis’ sports sector according to the 2015 Creative Vitality Index (CVI), an economic measure used by the city, it has earned our region a lofty place as a national creative mecca. ¶ Behind such stunning statistics toil humans whose creativity and innovation fuel this so-called creative class, dubbed by author Richard Florida. Frequently laboring for the sheer love of their craft, many visual and performing artists, directors, inventors and innovators produce from an inner creative core more likely fueled by passion than personal gain. These makers are marked by an almost holy drive to create — and when their artistry and intent collide, it often yields something extraordinary in its wake.
HOME SWEET HOME RESORT
A beautiful resort nestled on the cliffs of Negril, Jamaica
Pizza & Pasta since 1975
Mention this ad for
15% off your stay with us
Second Church of Christ, Scientist, Minneapolis 1822 Hennepin Avenue • Minneapolis, MN 55403 2ndchurchmpls.org • 612-377-5668
SERVICE EVERY SUNDAY 10:00 am Church Service and Reading of the Weekly Bible Lesson Sermon* 10:00 am Sunday School*
SERVICE EVERY WEDNESDAY
Daily Happy Hours 4–6 pm & 8–10 pm
612-825-6827 jakeenos.com 3555 Chicago Ave. S.
7:30 pm Testimony Meeting* *Nursery care available for the very young
MINNEAPOLIS OWNED AND OPERATED FOR 40 YEARS. 612.437.9308 • hshresort.com TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for consistently earning great reviews
BIBLE LESSONS IN FEBRUARY February 3, 2019 Love
February 17, 2019 Soul
February 10, 2019 Spirit
February 24, 2019 Mind
Second Church of Christ, Scientist, Minneapolis, is one of the hundreds of worldwide branch churches of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston Massachusetts (also known as The Mother Church).
We are a resource of healing and prayer for one another and for the community. Second Church of Christ Scientist SWJ 012419 9.indd 1
1/17/19 4:33 PM
southwestjournal.com / January 24–February 6, 2019 B9
Though Frey might be lacking his parents’ dance DNA, he has inherited a passion for the performing arts. He waxes poetic when discussing a favorite cultural pastime, walking along 13th Avenue from his home in Northeast Minneapolis with his wife, Sarah Clarke, a respected community organizer and lobbyist, to attend performances at the Ritz Theater. “This is really special to do over the summer,” he explains, “to enjoy a meal at North East Social or Dangerous Man Brewing Company, and then attend a play at the Ritz by Theater Latté Da.” Frey practically demurs when asked about his own creative propensities, deferring rather to his athleticism. However, with a bit of cajoling, he admits that he has strutted upon a stage or two, occasionally performing at Black Box theaters during his undergrad days at William & Mary College in Williamsburg, Virginia. However, his thespian inclinations did not continue during his stint at Philadelphia’s Villanova University where he earned his law degree. “No,” he admits, “My time in law school featured my nose in the books.” Yet, he’s still able and willing to croon a sappy Neil Diamond parody for a good cause. He hilariously spoofed Niel Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” at a MinnPost charity roast last year.
Keeping Minneapolis’ innovation meme front and center Lightheartedly, I assure the mayor that although this column normally profiles the art makers, his stewardship of the Minneapolis Creative Class is the fundamental motive for this 2019 inaugural column. In fact, upon pointing out that our column’s Creative Class moniker is attributed to professor Richard Florida, Frey enthusiastically announces that he was seated right next to Florida during Bloomberg Philanthropies’ annual CityLab conference held in Detroit last October. This by-invitation only conference, a collaboration of The Atlantic magazine, the Aspen Institute and Bloom-
berg Philanthropies, tracks urban innovation and creativity worldwide. Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg himself hosted October’s gathering. Along with his good pal and mayoral colleague, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, Frey joined about 25 mayors from around the globe and a roster of urban experts, academics, artists and activists. Detroit’s recent experiences were the focus of a series of site visits, discussions and networking events. The overarching theme of the conference was “opportunity”: creating jobs, workforce development, artistic endeavors, business growth and entrepreneurialism. Certainly Minneapolis’ soaring Creativity Vitality Index (CVI) performance makes a strong case history about leveraging artistic endeavors for job creation, business growth and entrepreneurialism.
Steering the helm Which brings up a good question: What is a mayor’s role in creative/innovation stewardship? “Of course,” declares Frey, “with our high profile bully pulpit, we can be a prominent supporter of the arts. But what’s even more exciting about local government is that we’re able to serve as a laboratory for testing new ideas. Because we’re in direct contact with the people we serve our feedback loops are shorter, so cities can experiment, test new policies and really work in ways that are not traditionally right or left on the political spectrum in order to get things done.” And beyond the realm of purely cultural activities, Frey asserts this includes shepherding things like growing our tech workforce, or exerting leadership on curbing climate change. “Minneapolis is simply at the forefront of innovation,” he remarks. A recent article in The Economist supports the mayor’s claim that Americans in general have long trusted local over state and national government, emphasizing that most local governments are largely non-partisan. There-
fore, Minneapolis can operate with enlightened self-interest to create a politically neutral innovation laboratory. The Economist article actually highlights our metro region: “Today the Twin Cities area is one of America’s most successful, with a rare mix of well-off residents and affordable homes.” Affordability and access are key drivers for creatives seeking regions to settle. Obviously, there is much work yet to do to lower the burden of housing costs, so Frey’s notable focus on affordable housing fits perfectly within his overall cultural leadership. He has been indefatigable in his efforts to address economic disparities by providing more affordable housing, and his efforts have won praise from across the political spectrum. Another area of government guidance comes from working diligently with various city departments to alleviate some of the restrictive policies that impinge on artists’ abilities to showcase their creative endeavors. “The city has a tangle of regulations, fees, and/or permits that basically hamstring the livelihood of artists seeking to host parties, openings, galas, etc. I’ll be looking at adjusting policies like noise ordinances,” he assures. Frey has tackled more nationally prominent issues, too, like the fight for marriage equality that really marked a turning point in his decision to run for office. With parents who were both professional dancers, Frey explains that his father “was one of the only straight males I knew growing up. “The thought that people who loved each other wouldn’t be able to experience that love in the same way as others was just wrong, so I organized the Big Gay Race in the lead up to the ballot amendment that would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman. The second-annual Big Gay Race was just before the final vote and drew about 7,000 people and raised a bunch of money. “We talk about Minneapolis being inclusive, and — as the engine for the rest of the state in that campaign — I really felt it,” he concludes.
The group of friends who Frey met through the Big Gay Race became part of his campaign team when he ran for city council. Equal rights and social justice are also critical issues within the creative community.
All you need is love — or Mayor Oscar the Grouch proposes Frey’s own love story with Sarah Clarke reads like a Sesame Street fairytale. Frey and Clarke first met in a high school auditorium during a Minnesota Young DFL meeting; however, they didn’t get together as a couple until years later. At first they shared a close friendship. In time, Frey knew Clarke was the one. “Prior to our engagement,” he confesses, “I bought a ring that was burning a hole in my pocket. I had plans of a romantic backdrop to the proposal — either in the woods or on the Stone Arch Bridge. Finally, I had my opportunity when she had a night off from work and law school, so I asked her to go for a walk.” Underscoring his extreme practicality and dedication to a green environment, Frey figured he might as well drop off the recycling on the way down their fire escape to go on that walk. He sheepishly continues, “As I was walking to the recycling bin with Sarah, as is normal, she said something so incredibly sweet that I simply needed to propose to her right there.” So, their special moment resulted in the mayor proposing to his future bride in the alley next to the dumpsters. He adds, “This certainly was not the most romantic setting, but it’s how it went down, and she’s the best possible partner I could ask for.” In spite of (or because of) this Oscar the Grouch moment, our city’s head of creative class is actually a very classy guy. He fuses his diverse passions into extreme forward movement — Frey undeniably is a man of action — and with a family of chiropractors at this back, we are assured he’s bound to stay very aligned with his vision and goals.
B10 January 24–February 6, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
Get Out Guide. By Sheila Regan
‘IMAGINE’ Things are going to get a little bit funky at the American Swedish Institute. The institute’s next exhibition, “Imagine,” features Swedish surrealist photographer Erik Johansson. Prepare to have your mind blown by these fascinating, dreamlike digital compositions. While you’re there, you’ll also be able to check out “Witness,” featuring photographs of a postChernobyl Sápmi landscape by Minneapolis-based Stuart Clipper, as well as “Facing the Climate,” featuring humorous and satirical reflections by five Swedish cartoonists.
When: Jan. 26–April 28. Preview party is 7 p.m.–10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25. Where: American Swedish Institute, 2600 Park Ave. Cost: $12. Preview party is $20 ($15 for ASI members). • Info: asimn.org
LAKE HARRIET KITE FESTIVAL
‘BAGGAGE CLAIMS’
Let your inner whimsy fly at the annual Lake Harriet Kite Festival. Come check out the beautiful kites, or bring one of your own to fly. There will also be ice fishing, fat bike riding, snowshoeing and a marshmallow roast. And, for those missing the Art Shanty Projects this year, there will be a mini-Art Shanty festival of performances, activities and art.
An international group of 18 artists explore notions of immigration, freedom, uncertainty and home in “Baggage Claims.” Organized by the Orlando Museum of Art and curated by Ginger Gregg Duggan and Judith Hoos Fox of curatorsquared, the show grapples with our present moment. In a time when there intense political strife regarding immigration here in the U.S. and also abroad, now is a time to look into stories and experiences more deeply, from artists who draw on their own life to create their work. The preview party includes interactive activities by Carryon Homes, the collaborative group that created the multifunctional pavilion outside of the Convention Center last year, as well as a short film on what home means, a playlist about travel and migration created by DJ Chamun, appetizers and a cash bar.
When: Noon–4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26. Art Shanty activities run until 7 p.m. Where: Lake Harriet, 4135 W. Harriet Parkway Cost: Free • Info: minneapolisparks.org/activities__events/events/lake_harriet_winter_kite_festival/
When: Feb. 2–May 12. Preview party is 7 p.m.–10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1. Where: Weisman Art Museum, 333 E. River Parkway Cost: Free • Info: wam.umn.edu
‘GET LUCKY’
‘ROMAN VEROSTKO AND THE CLOUD OF UNKNOWING’ A retrospective of Minneapolis College of Art and Design professor emeritus Roman Verostko, known for his code-generated imagery, or algorithmic art, includes his pre-algorist work, pen and brush plotter drawings, early screen/video pieces, electronic machines, mural projects, artist books and newer editioned prints.
When: Through Feb. 24. Opening reception is 6 p.m.–8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25. Where: MCAD Gallery, 2501 Stevens Ave. Cost: Free • Info: mcad.edu
It hasn’t been a great couple of years for non-profit arts organizations. With extreme financial difficulties or outright closures happening all around town at places like Intermedia Arts, the Soap Factory and Patrick’s Cabaret, it’s more important than ever to support spaces that are doing the work of bringing art to the Twin Cities. In the Lyn-Lake area, Soo Visual Arts Center is a small but mighty non-profit gallery that is supporting artists and hosting wonderful exhibitions, all with extensive open hours for folks to pop in and enjoy the art. Come support their work at their annual fundraiser. It’s a see-and-be-seen kind of event.
When: 7 p.m.–11 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 Where: SooVAC, 2909 Bryant Ave. S., Suite 101 Cost: $60 in advance; $65 at the door Info: soovac.org
southwestjournal.com / January 24–February 6, 2019 B11
City of Lakes
LOPPET FESTIVAL There are two ways to handle the cold and ice of winter: beat it or join it. Sure, you could fly South or huddle under the blankets at home, but isn’t it more fun to get out and enjoy winter activities? There’s plenty to see and do at the Loppet. Info: Loppet.org • Cost: Varies by event. Events are free for spectators.
UCARE LUMINARY LOPPET Enjoy glowing ice art and performances at this luminous event.
SOUTHWEST JOURNAL SNOW SCULPTURE CONTEST Snow becomes art in this family-friendly contest
When: 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2
When: 10 a.m.–3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 2. Awards at 4 p.m.
Where: Lake of the Isles
Where: Bde Maka Ska
CLASSIC MARATHON Participate or watch skiers from all over the country compete in this ski marathon.
t u o t cu
When: 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2 Where: Starts at the North Beach on Bde Maka Ska and ends at The Trailhead in Wirth Park.
PENN CYCLE FAT TIRE LOPPET The one day of the year fat tire riders are allowed on the groomed Loppet Trail, this is a sight to see.
When: Noon, Sunday Feb. 3 Where: Starts at the North Beach on Bde Maka Ska and ends at The Trailhead in Wirth Park. Photo by Perry Nacionales
CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 “Forever” mail attachment 6 Time travel destination 10 __ and chips 14 Deed holder 15 Drink with a polar bear mascot 16 “The __ Ranger” 17 Specialized vocab 18 Workers with antennae 19 Had bills to pay 20 Psych 101 subject 21 Sommelier 24 Range above tenor 25 ’60s pop singer __ Lee 26 Court spot for giving testimony 31 “The Gift of the Magi” author 32 Years and years 33 Litter cry 36 Organic smoke detector 37 Uppercut target 38 Bavaria-based automaker 39 Adorns with Angel Soft, briefly 40 Sandler of “Hotel Transylvania” films 42 Bit of corn 44 One constantly fretting 46 Major road 49 Strips of developed film, briefly 50 Lightweight jacket, and a hint to 21-, 26and 44-Across 53 Proofs of age, for short 56 Hyped-up
57 Hard-to-resist feeling 58 Harriet’s TV hubby 60 Like kitten videos 61 Dark movie genre 62 Africa’s Sierra __ 63 Risked a ticket 64 Boys, to men 65 Gave false hope to
DOWN 1 Fish served “amandine” 2 Bit of kindling 3 Part of A.D. 4 “Little Women” woman 5 Cat, or cat burglar 6 Upright and grand 7 Clearasil target 8 Tennis match segments 9 Nuclear restraint topic
Crossword Puzzle SWJ 012419 4.indd 1
10 Moved like water 11 Hawkeye State resident 12 McCarthy’s friend Mortimer 13 Ibsen’s “__ Gabler” 22 __-bitsy 23 Sea eagles 24 “Worst Cooks in America” judge Burrell 26 “This __ take long” 27 Breakfast chain 28 Thomas Hardy heroine 29 Disreputable 30 Stranded driver’s need 33 City bond, informally 34 Garden locale in a Sistine Chapel mural 35 Like animals in the Serengeti
37 Cookie container 38 Torah holders 40 Choice of two 41 Practice exercises 42 Replaceable joint 43 Chinese appetizer 44 Squeezed (in) 45 Comic book artists 46 Spy plane acronym 47 Construct haphazardly 48 Govt. security 51 Suffix with sock 52 Not fer 53 Longtime seller of Lacoste shirts 54 “The Flintstones” pet 55 Observed 59 Middle of Arizona? Crossword answers on page B12
1/15/19 11:33 AM
Southwest High SWJ 012419 4.indd 1
1/22/19 4:22 PM
B12 January 24–February 6, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
learned the metric-favoring company doesn’t keep a record for fastest snowshoe mile, but they do have slots for fastest 1500 meters, 5K and 10K. On Feb. 3, Hartmark will go for all three. To be recognized by the World Snowshoe Federation, the sport’s governing body, runners are not allowed to snowshoe over ice in record setting events, but York said Guinness has no such restrictions. The plan is for Hartmark to do a recorded 1,500-meter sprint about an hour before the 10K race, then try to set both the 5K and 10K records in one shot. York said a premier winter sports festival like the Loppet with all its resources is an ideal place to try to set the record. “In terms of winter sports events, this is huge,” York said.
FROM LOPPET PREVIEW / PAGE B12
A celebration of outdoor art
Racers glide through the course during the cross-country skate style marathon in 2018. Photo by Daniel Johnson
Teams mold their snow sculptures on the Chain of Lakes in 2018: Photo by Perry Nacionales
The Loppet, of course, is about more than the elite winter athletes. For those inclined more toward recreational activity and partying on the ice, the Luminary Loppet, now sponsored by UCare, returns Saturday night to Lake of the Isles. After the skiers complete their illuminated trek, stick around for the REI Luminary Party, headlined by Minneapolis soul and R&B group Dr. Mambo’s Combo. Free for Luminary Loppet participants, the party is $10 for other attendees. Surly will be serving beer on the ice until 10 p.m. The foundation is also inviting back ice sculptor Trevor Pearson to create instruments out of ice. Percussionist Marc Anderson will play the ice drums, horns, whistles and shakers at a cold concert made possible through a Minnesota State Arts Board grant. Also courtesy of the Arts Board are ice art installations such as IceHenge, IcesterIslanders (like Easter Island Heads, but colder), the Icecropolis and, new for 2019, the Spires, an ice tree forest that attendees will be able to explore. “I think a lot of people think of the luminary as a skiing event, but I really think of it as outdoor art,” said Loppet marketing and communications coordinator Alora Jones.
City of Lakes Loppet Festival Dates: Jan. 31–Feb. 3 Time: Thursday 5 p.m.–9 p.m., Friday 5 p.m.–9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.–10 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Parking: People coming to watch this year’s events are asked to park at the Mortensen parking lot, 700 Meadow Lane N., Golden Valley, which is a short walk from The Trailhead. A shuttle service will also bring parkers to the venue.
Support the Parks You Love
www.peopleforparks.net or call 612-927-2750
CROSSWORD ANSWERS
Crossword on page B11
Crossword Answers SWJ 012419 V12.indd 1
1/15/19 11:32 AM & Rec Board SWJ 012419 9.indd 1 Mpls Park
1/7/19 5:50 PM
southwestjournal.com / January 24–February 6, 2019 B13
By Meleah Maynard
Inside the minds of plants
I
n June when Koko the gorilla was found dead in her sleep at the age of 46, the Gorilla Foundation in California, where she lived, released a statement saying that the western lowland gorilla would be “deeply missed.” For those who didn’t know who she was, they explained: “Koko touched the lives of millions as an ambassador for all gorillas and an icon for interspecies communication and empathy.” It was a loving tribute, but it no doubt upset those who have long been troubled by the humanizing of Koko. Born on the Fourth of July in 1971 at the San Francisco Zoo, the infant gorilla soon became the subject of a controversial language research project being conducted by psychologist Francine “Penny” Patterson. Over the years, Patterson taught Koko to use over 1,000 words of modified American Sign Language and the gorilla became famous for, among other things, her emotional expressiveness, love of cats and ability to enchant just about everyone, including celebrities like Robin Williams and Mr. Rogers. But was Koko really capable of communicating in the way Patterson and others claimed she was? Some skeptical scientists have long said no, arguing that apes simply don’t possess the emotional and mental capacity to communicate on such a complex level. To them, Koko’s perceived abilities were nothing more than a textbook case of anthropomorphism. And if there is one thing scientists of that sort disdain, it is people going about attributing human traits to non-human lifeforms. Holed up in places that clearly must not allow any pets for them to observe and interact with, these scientists are undaunted in their quests to prove human superiority despite decades of research demonstrating the intelligence and emotions of many living creatures — octopuses, chimps, dolphins, elephants and crows, to name a few. Fortunately, there are also scientists out there who get that humans are great and all, but other living things, including plants, can also do amazing things. Monica Gagliano is one of those scientists. An evolutionary ecologist at the University of
Sensitive plants close their leaves when touched — or dropped. Submitted photo
Western Australia in Perth, she studies plants as few others do by exploring questions about their behavior, learning and memory. I heard about Gagliano’s work while listening to an episode of Radiolab’s podcast called Smarty Plants (wnycstudios.org/story/smarty-plants/). Co-hosts Robert Krulwich and Jad Abumrad were jostling with the question: Do you really need a brain to sense the world around you? To remember? Or even learn? Krulwich thought not, but Abumrad disagreed, and the episode unpacked the idea, primarily zeroing in on Gagliano’s work with sensitive plants (Mimosa pudica), which she chose because they can be counted on to respond to stimuli by dramatically closing up their leaves. For her first tests, examining plants’ ability to learn, Gagliano constructed what amounted to a tiny carnival ride that hoisted the sensitive plants up a short ways before dropping them onto a soft, cushy surface. Over and over, dozens
READY FOR A WINTER GETAWAY?
and dozens of times, the plants were dropped and each time they closed their leaves until finally, they stopped — because “the plants realized that was not necessary,” she says, explaining that the plants had learned something. Krulwich was amazed, but Abumrad wondered aloud whether the plants had simply run out of energy to close up. Gagliano had thought of that too, and she’d tested the theory by shaking the plants that were no longer closing up their leaves from side to side rather than dropping them. The plants responded by quickly closing up, so it was not exhaustion they were exhibiting. Three days later Gagliano returned to the lab and started dropping the plants again. This time, they stopped closing their leaves almost immediately, indicating that they hadn’t just learned something, they had also remembered it. Gagliano waited a few more days, and the plants still remembered. A few more days: same thing. At last, she waited 28 days before dropping them again. The result? Gagliano
FREE
BOOK E
NOW
nsure cuddle your pet gets s, while y not cages ou’re away!
Community Gathering Spaces BRYN MAWR 400 Cedar Lake Road S
36TH & BRYANT 3554 Bryant Ave S
believes those mimosa plants somehow remembered what had happened and did not close up on the way down. At the very least, her research makes clear that plants, like animals, are capable of much more than we give them credit for. It makes you think, right? What do plants feel or sense or know when our shovels bite into the soil around them? I shudder to think about what might be going on with them when they somehow sense that pruners — or worse, an electric trimmer — is nearby. Gagliano may not yet understand how plants are learning and remembering, but she is showing the world that they are doing those things. It’s thrilling to imagine what else may be discovered. Meleah Maynard is a Minneapolis-based writer and editor who blogs at Livin’ Thing, livinthing.com. A version of this essay appeared in a 2018 issue of Northern Gardener.
Hero Plumbing, Heating and Cooling is committed to participating in the lives of our community residents, and offers the spaces to be used for meetings, workshops, and more, free of charge. LOWRY 514 Lowry Ave NE
NICOLLET AVE 5450 Nicollet Ave S NOW OPEN!
Pet sitters wanted!
Pets Are Inn
Caring for pets since 1982
Pet Boarding With Loving Host Families
952.837.1877 PetsAreInn.com
Visit CommunityGatheringSpaces.com to reserve a space today
B14 January 24–February 6, 2019 / southwestjournal.com
Classifieds We know homes!
Bungalows, Colonial, Craftsman, Mid-Century, Ramblers, Modern and more. 612-781-3333 • 2536 Marshall Street NE, Minneapolis Monday–Friday 8am–6pm, Saturday 8am–4pm
EXTERIORS
LANDSCAPING
LINE CLASSIFIEDS HOME SERVICES
YOUR LAST ROOF.
1 MONTH
of Snow Removal
MIKE MOHS CONSTRUCTION CO. All types roofing/gutters. Siding, windows/skylights. Honesty and integrity for 50 years! Family owned, operated. Licensed, bonded, insured. #BC005456. Scott, 612-701-2209.
FREE SNOW customers (new contract only)
HERE!
SAME-DAY SERVICE 952-545-8055
PAINTER JIM, SINCE 1982
612-825-9205
www.premierlawnandsnow.com
Small painting jobs wanted. Jim 612-202-5514.
EVER.
Place your Ad
REMOVAL
FREE ESTIMATES!
PAINTING, LAWN & SNOW
TREE TRIMMING • REMOVAL STUMP GRINDING
TINY SANDMAN’S Painting, Lawn & Snow Services for reliable and quality work. Interior Finishing. Free estimates. Michael 612-729-2018. tinysandman.com.
SINCE 1983
quarve.com • (763) 785-1472
Matthew Molinaro
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Classifieds
Mn Bc 006016
Minneapolis resident • Owner / operator Certified Arborist with 21 years experience
Local people. Local references. Tell them you saw their ad here!
licensed and insured
SPRING FORWARD HOME ORGANIZING
612-239-2508
Free consultation; references. 612-377-9467.
www.molinarotree.com
FLOORING
MN-4551 A
Your Local Contractor For Over 40 Years!
Climbing & Bucket Pruning /Removals
Expert High Risk & Crane Removals
INSULATE AND SAVE!
Pest & Disease Management
Trained & Courteous Staff
N TREEInc. ortheast
Sanding • Refinishing • Repair Install • Recoat • FREE Estimates www.earlsfloorsanding.com
612.290.1533
10-time Angie’s List Super Service Award Winner
Southwest Resident for Over 40 Years
• Installation • Restoration • Repairs • Buff & Coat
Questions about Emerald Ash Borer? We can help!
George & Lynn Welles
Certified Arborists (#MN-0354A & #MN-4089A)
612-789-9255 northeasttree.net
(612) 729-9454 T Trimmer T TreesMN.com
Roofing · Siding · Windows Insulation
CALL US TODAY!
612-343-3301 · www.midwestplus.com
*On Settergren’s Referral List*
FOR 39 YEARS
MN # 5276
Commercial & Residential • ISA Certified Arborist • Owner Operated Licensed and Insured • Free Estimates / 24 hr emergency service 25 yrs. Fully Insured
Minneapolis, MN
ROOF SNOW & ICE REMOVAL
www.harlanfloors.com • 612-251-4290
There IS a Difference!
Interior Design Consultants • Stunning Window Treatments Quality Carpet and Flooring
Putting “Wow” in homes like yours for over 70 years!
www.abbottpaint.com
Roofing • Siding • Gutters • Insulation Snow Plowing & Shoveling Cleanup / Dethatching Aeration / Seeding
612-345-9301
Lawn Mowing Fertilizer & Weed Control Gutter Cleaning
peterdoranlawn.com
MAINTENANCE
Byron Electric
LANDSCAPING Custom Artisan
e Lifetim ty n a r r Wa
Locally Owned • MN LIC# BC010277 • A+ Rating from BBB
“We don’t cut corners – we scrape them!”
Hardscapes & Landscapes
TM & © 2012 MGM.
Free Design or 10% off
Licensed | Bonded | Insured
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD COMPANY Rob.olson@topsideinc.net Topsideinc.net
Phone: (612) 869-1177
TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL 612.825.9205
Craftsman
Residential & Commercial
RADIATOR
COVERS
FREE ESTIMATES
612-750-5724
• Painting • Plaster repair • Ceramic tile • Light remodeling • All around repairs
for all projects booked before March 1, 2019
612-225-8753 | dreamandrealitylandscapemn.com
Call Chris: 612-716-0545 CraftsmanRadiatorCover.com
Advertise with us to E X P A N D your business
Design, Install & Maintain: Patios • Driveways Sidewalks • Steps • Plantings Mulch • Perennial Beds
A RATING
612.267.3285
southwestjournal.com / January 24–February 6, 2019 B15
MAINTENANCE
MISCELLANEOUS
PAINTING EXTERIOR • INTERIOR
Our specialty is your existing home!®
Houle Insulation Inc.
CALL TODAY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE ON ATTIC INSULATION • BYPASS SEALING SIDEWALL INSULATION
PAINTING & DECORATING
✓ Bonded and insured ✓ 100% satisfaction guarantee ✓ No-contract cleanings Call now for a free, no-obligation estimate
www.houleinsulation.com
763-767-8412
Serving the Twin Cities since 1977
Wallpaper removal & hanging • Plaster & sheetrock repair • All facets of interior painting • Stripping & “trim” restoration • Skimcoating •
Maids.com Mr. Clean brand and image trademarks are used under license from The Procter & Gamble Co.
612.360.2019
FIVESTARPAINTING.com Accredited BBB member, A+ rating
612-310-8023
LINDEN HILLS PAINTING
Dave Novak
Int/Ext • Paint Enamel • Stain • Cabinets Plaster repairs • Paper • Homes Condos • Decks • Fences
35+ yrs. experience Lic • Bond • Ins
612-227-1844
PLACE AN AD 612.825.9205
REMODELING
grecopainting.com info@grecopainting.com
Free Estimates
TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL 612.825.9205
Interior & Exterior Painting • Insurance Claims Wood Finishing • Exterior Wood Restoration Water Damage Repair • Patching • Enameling
Advertise with us to E X P A N D your business
(612) 221-4489
Remodeling since 1960
HomeRestorationInc.com
Bathroom Remodeling
Your vintage home remodeler
Insured | References
Family Owned for Over 60 Years
homecareincremodeling.com 952.884.4187
Bringing ideas to life
greg@chileen.com
952.401.3900
612-850-0325
edgework-designbuild.com License #BC003681
Your Sign of Satisfaction
952-512-0110
PLUMBING, HVAC
www.roelofsremodeling.com
Create • Collaborate Communicate 612-655-4961 hansonremodeling.com Lic #BC633225
EK Johnson Construction you dream it
Lic. #61664PM
LOCAL BUSINESSES ADVERTISE WITH US
651-337-1738
Licensed Bonded Insured Over 29 Years experience
Call Jim!
promasterplumbing.com
we build it
Lic: BC637388
Living and Working in Southwest Minneapolis
Design/Construction
Specializing in Reproduction Kitchens & Baths
Call Ethan Johnson, Owner
612-669-3486
ekjohnsonconstruction.com
Install a new kitchen or bathroom faucet Garbage disposal repairs & installation Leaky sinks, faucets, showers, toilets & pipe repair
No project is too small for good design
Cross off all your plumbing checklist items
Hot water heaters
inspiredspacesmn.com 612.360.4180
Fix low water pressure Sinks that drain slow
REAL UNFINISHED NATURAL WOOD PRODUCTS AT AFFORDABLE PRICES!
Toilets that are always running Faucet that drips
CallHero.com • (612) 424-9349 Call today and SAVE 2nd Stories • Additions • Kitchens • Basements Baths • Attic Rooms • Windows
612-924-9315 MN License #BC451256
Your NEXT plumbing service Classifieds
Remodel • Design • Build www.fusionhomeimprovement.com
46.50 OFF
$
Local people. Local references. 612-781-3333 • 2536 Marshall Street NE, Minneapolis
Tell them you saw their ad here!
THE BRAMAN BROTHERS PRESENT
CALL FOR PRICING
1740 Eleanor Ave | Highland Park
COMING SOON
$259,900
$249,900 1846 Parker Rd | St. Louis Park
ACTIVE
6220 4th Ave S | Richfield
$205,000 3928 Cedar Ave S | Minneapolis
ACTIVE
$175,000 CONTINGENT
2927 Thomas Ave N | Minneapolis
$1,495,000 660 Hidden Creek Trail | Mendota Heights
$495,000 PENDING
CHARLIE & JOE BRAMAN 612.643.5533 BramanBrothers.com
PENDING
4848 Ewing Ave S | Minneapolis
SOLD