How restaurants are coping
Slowing the virus’ spread
City’s schools close
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March 19– April 1, 2020 Vol. 31, No. 6 southwestjournal.com
Settling an unsettling case
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City of Minneapolis awards Terrance Franklin’s family $795,000
O C I A L I S T A N
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Coronavirus pandemic reshapes life in Minneapolis Top left: Lowry Hill Meats owner Erik Sather provides an order for curbside pickup. Top right: Haytham Mehdawi of DoorDash departs from World Street Kitchen with a delivery. Bottom: Krishna and Jon Crabtree chat with Peter Allen at a social distance in East Harriet. Photos by Michelle Bruch
By Michelle Bruch, Zac Farber and Andrew Hazzard
Local life lost all normalcy this week, as the arrival of COVID-19 prompted local governments to declare a state of emergency and shutter schools and gathering places. Residents of the high-rise Lake Point Condominiums tried to figure out how to take the elevator without spreading germs. Butter Bakery Cafe checked on staff who signed up for unemployment, and changed the layout so takeout customers couldn’t touch much of anything. The Jones-Harrison Residence traded group bingo for solo Sudoku, with residents dining one per table or in private
rooms. The Semple Mansion postponed five weddings. Spread primarily through respiratory droplets related to coughing and sneezing, 77 confirmed cases of COVID-19 had reached Minnesota as of March 18, including 28 in Hennepin County and six cases statewide through community transmission. The Minnesota Department of Health has a 1,700sample backlog and has been forced to ration tests for the new coronavirus; the actual number of cases is likely significantly higher. A Minneapolis police spokesperson said SEE CORONAVIRUS / PAGE A10
By Michelle Bruch
Moments before he died on May 10, 2013, Terrance Terrell Franklin, age 22, hid from police in a basement at 2717 Bryant Ave. S. and talked to his friends. Responding to his urgent Facebook message, Bamnet Woldegabriel drove to the Wedge neighborhood and called him. There was absolutely no way she could get to him, she later said in a court deposition. She saw police surrounding the entire area, holding big guns. What the heck is going on?, she asked him. Franklin said he would be in jail for a long time. They exchanged “love you”s, and he asked her: Are you going to wait for me? Are you going to talk to me? He heard dogs coming into the house, and her phone went blank. Starting with broken glass, a SWAT team’s house search led to a struggle that ended when police shot Franklin in the head, neck and torso. Police carried two officers to the front yard with gunshot wounds to the legs. Franklin’s father sued two officers, the police chief and the City of Minneapolis in 2014 for excessive force and wrongful death. The case settled on Feb. 11 for $795,000. More than $428,000 of the settlement went to legal fees. Of the remaining funds, $250,000 will be paid to Franklin’s minor son starting at age 18, $16,500 to his son’s mother, $70,000 to his father and $10,000 each to his mother and two siblings. SEE FRANKLIN / PAGE A19
District’s plan scrutinized as deadline nears School Board intends to vote in April despite coronavirus By Nate Gotlieb
The Minneapolis School Board still intends to vote next month on a plan to remake the district, despite the state-mandated school closure stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. Superintendent Ed Graff and School Board chairwoman Kim Ellison have set the Comprehensive District Design (CDD) vote for April
28. District buildings will be closed until at least April 6, though officials are gearing up for a longer closure. Graff and Ellison might delay the CDD vote another two weeks to May 12 if the pandemic forces them to significantly restrict public feedback or cancel meetings. SEE SCHOOLS / PAGE A18
Students and parents protest a plan to remake Minneapolis Public Schools on March 10 outside the school district headquarters. The plan is set for a vote in April, despite the schools closure stemming from coronavirus. Photo by Nate Gotlieb
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A2 March 19–April 1, 2020 / southwestjournal.com
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Married couple Zye and Albert Kurniawan and their daughter, Victoria, stand outside their new storefront, Young Man, at 38th & Nicollet. Photo by Andrew Hazzard
Open now KINGFIELD
Young Man fulfills couple’s American Dream For Albert and Zye Kurniawan, opening their own restaurant on Eat Street is the realization of an American Dream. Ten years ago, the Indonesian couple immigrated to the United States, mostly working in Japanese restaurants in New York. In 2018, they moved to Minnesota and launched the Don Oishi food truck, which served Japanese fusion food in Downtown Minneapolis and at local breweries. Now, the couple is opening their own brick and mortar restaurant, Young Man, in the former Dragon Wok space at 38th & Nicollet, where they will mainly serve food inspired by their native Indonesia. Young Man is planning to open its doors in April should the restrictions on dine-in restaurants due to coronavirus be lifted. For now, they are serving takeout orders from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. They describe the cuisine as a fusion of Hawaiian and Balinese fare. Bali, one of the more famed islands of Indonesia, is known for satay and gado gado, a mixed vegetable and sauce dish. Indonesian classics like nasi goreng, a fried rice dish served with chicken and vegetables, will also be available. “We want to introduce people to our Indo-
nesian type of food,” Zye Kurniawan said. The restaurant will also feature some old favorites from Don Oishi, like their gyoza and takoyaki. The couple found the old Dragon Wok location online and, as big fans of the restaurant scene on Eat Street, they jumped at the opportunity. “It’s a really cool area,” Zye Kurniawan said. They didn’t waste much time, quickly getting set up and adding their own kitchen equipment and signage, not an easy task with their 5-month-old daughter, Victoria, in tow. Young Man comes from the label Albert got stuck with when he first started working in kitchens in the U.S. “They didn’t know my name, so they just said, ‘young man,’” he said, laughing. The new awning features the famed Biggie Smalls lyric “It was all a dream” and the Kurniawans say opening Young Man feels like they’re living their own dream.
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With Mayor Jacob Frey and Gov. Tim Walz ordering all restaurants, bars and coffee shops to halt in-person service during the coronavirus pandemic, many Southwest Minneapolis restaurants are scrambling to put together plans for takeout service and for helping their employees. On March 16 Frey declared a state of emergency and ordered all restaurants, bars and coffee shops to close by noon March 17. A similar statewide order made by Walz closed those businesses and fitness clubs, spas, museums and skating rinks statewide through March 27. The governor also signed an executive order that will suspend payments by impacted employers into the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund and will allow workers to start receiving benefits as soon as they stop working. Carrie McCabe-Johnston, who co-owns three destinations for food and drink in Southwest Minneapolis with her husband, Jasha Johnston, said they are evaluating what their offerings will be now that restaurants are limited to takeout and delivery. The couple owns Nightingale at 25th & Lyndale and Mortimer’s at Franklin & Lyndale, both of which they are planning to keep open. Tilt Pinball Bar, which is more of a drink-centric establishment, will close. At Nightingale, the plan is to offer takeout food options, with a focus on familystyle meals people can pick up, bring home and heat. “I think the family meals will be the best offering we have,” McCabe-Johnston said. The menu for those meals will change daily, but will include a main dish, salad and sides; a vegetarian meal will be available each day, too, McCabe-Johnston said. In addition to family meals, Nightingale’s takeout menu will include staples like the burger, Reuben sandwich and chicken wings. But a likely reduction in staff means they won’t be able to offer the full menu, she said. Not being able to give staff the hours they need is a big concern for their businesses, McCabe-Johnston said. Some employees have told them they don’t want to work during the crisis, while others need the hours. She is
Grand Cafe will be offering take-home dinners for two and bag lunches during the restaurant closure ordered by state and local officials amid the coronavirus outbreak. File photo
hopeful the takeout business will be robust enough that the restaurant is able to give hours to all employees who want them. It is unclear if or in what form the state and federal government will provide relief to workers and owners of small businesses. “It’s just all very confusing right now,” McCabe-Johnston said. Grand Cafe at 38th & Grand is offering $30 take-and-bake meals for two during the shutdown and will be donating a lunch to local people in need for every dinner for two sold, the award-winning restaurant announced on social media. The cafe will also be selling bagged lunches for $7. “We’re currently developing more ways to stay safely connected to our community,” the restaurant wrote in a post. Common Roots Cafe at 26th & Lyndale has created a new delivery option for
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southwestjournal.com / March 19–April 1, 2020 A5
Broders’ Cucina Italiana will remain open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily for takeout or delivery during the shutdown. Restaurateur Molly Broder is pictured in this file photo.
customers amid the outbreak. The cafe is accepting online orders for bagels and other food options and will be offering contactfree delivery service for anyone within a two-mile radius. Customers can give directions on where the food will be dropped and Common Roots will call when the order is there. All orders need to be placed by noon the day before delivery and they will take orders up to five days in advance. “We want to meet the needs of the community. If there are options you’d like to see, ask,” the restaurant wrote to customers. “Like everyone, we’re trying to figure things out.” Broders’ Cucina Italiana and Pasta Bar at 50th & Penn will both remain open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily for takeout or delivery during the shutdown, the family restaurants announced on social media. People can order by phone or through the new Broders’ app. Revival at 43rd & Nicollet is remaining open for takeout and delivery orders through DoorDash and has an ample supply of fried chicken, according to employee Karina Vazquez. The restaurant is rotating front of house staff as takeout personnel. “The hope is people help support the servers doing takeout through tips,” Vazquez said. Boludo at 38th & Nicollet will still be serving empanadas and pizza for takeout. Some restaurateurs are still trying to figure out what they’ll be able to offer. Matthew Kazama, owner of Ramen Kazama at 34th & Nicollet, wants to provide some sort of carryout dish during the outbreak, but he doesn’t think his signature item is a good fit. “Ramen is not the best takeout food,” he said. The fresh noodles, piping hot broth and delicately cooked eggs are best eaten immediately, he said. Right now, he and his staff are trying to come up with a rice-based dish
We deal with insane things every day at our jobs. This is a resilient group of people and we’re going to get through this. — Sarah Webster Norton, executive director, Serving Those Serving
that works well as a carry-out item on the fly. But he doesn’t plan to open his restaurant back up until he does. Kazama said he is concerned about his workers during the shutdown and is encouraging them to apply for temporary unemployment benefits while the restaurant is closed and plans to bring them back when the shop reopens. “I want to support my employees, that’s the most important thing,” he said. Ramen Kazama’s neighboring shop, Ichigo Tokyo Crepes, is remaining open for takeout and delivery, the restaurant announced. Some restaurants are opting to wait out the virus entirely. Victor’s 1959 Cafe at 38th & Grand and Kyatchi up the street at 38th & Nicollet both have said they will close during the shutdown and hope to be back soon.
Concern for workers
Many restaurants will have to lay off staff or reduce hours significantly during the shutdown, which has industry members deeply concerned about the financial and mental well-being of workers. Sarah Webster Norton, executive director of the service industry advocacy group Serving Those Serving, said there is great grief and sadness among Minnesota restaurant workers right now. “Right now, people’s No. 1 concern is finances and a close second is mental health and anxiety,” Webster Norton said. Her organization focuses on providing their Employee Assistance Program via Sand Creek Workplace Wellness to provide referrals to assistance programs and mental health services. There are 33 restaurants participating in the program, including Iron Door Pub and Black Sheep Pizza in Southwest. Restaurant workers, Webster Norton said, are already a stressed-out workforce and losing jobs and hours due to the crisis could push workers to a breaking point. Serving Those Serving believes the shutdowns are the right call but that the consequences could be devastating for the industry. The group says any wage-related assistance to restaurant staff should be based on W2 filings that include declared tips, not just hourly wages that don’t reflect their typical earnings. “We deal with insane things every day at our jobs,” Webster Norton said. “This is a resilient group of people and we’re going to get through this.”
“Ramen is not the best takeout food,” said Matthew Kazama, owner of Ramen Kazama at 34th & Nicollet. The noodle shop is closed as Kazama and his staff work to develop a ricebased carry-out dish. File photo
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In the coming months, Minneapolis plans to start adding more bus-only lanes and protected bike infrastructure and to begin converting large, undivided streets from four lanes to three lanes in an effort to improve safety and mitigate climate change City officials want Minneapolitans to make 60% of their trips by transit, walking or biking by 2030, and on March 9 the city released a plan aimed at making that goal a reality. The Transportation Action Plan (TAP), a 10-year endeavor that reimagines the way people and goods move around Minneapolis, is the transportation sequel to the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan. But the changes under the TAP will be recognizable more quickly, officials say. City Council President Lisa Bender (Ward 10) said right now many residents can choose between a 10-minute drive or a 45-minute bus ride, and they understandably choose to drive. “In order to realize this vision, we have to invite people to walk, bike or take transit,” she said. The city wants 25% of all trips in Minneapolis to be via transit by 2030, compared with 13% of trips from a 2010 baseline. City officials want 75% of Minneapolitans to live within a quarter mile of a high-frequency transit network by 2030; today, only 47% of residents live a quarter mile from highfrequency transit. Minneapolis streets represent 22% of the city, and officials want to leverage that space to accomplish policy goals around climate, equity and safety. “What we do in that right-of-way means so much to people’s daily lives,” Public Works Director Robin Hutcheson said. The draft plan lays out 55 strategies and 283 actions to accomplish city goals across seven categories: walking, biking, transit, technology, freight, street operations and design. The city has not put a price tag
PEDESTRIAN NETWORK
We’re looking to reshape the transportation system to address climate change. — Kathleen Mayell, Minneapolis’ transportation planning manager
on the plan, and officials don’t intend to do so. Funding from the state and federal government and other agencies will likely contribute to the implementation. “A good plan thinks big,” Hutcheson said. “Our climate goals won’t be met without boldness.” Ashwat Narayanan, executive director of the pedestrian and cycling advocacy group Our Streets Minneapolis, said the organization is impressed by the scope and detail of the plan. “We really like that there’s a specific mode share goal,” he said, referring to targets to shift people from driving to transit, biking and walking. The TAP does have some shortcomings from Our Streets’ perspective, Narayanan said. The organization opposes traffic enforcement, by traditional police or automated cameras, for fear poor and minority communities will be disproportionately fined and stopped. Our Streets is also pushing for the city to include municipal winter sidewalk clearing in the TAP. Currently the TAP only lays out proposals to continue a pilot program to clear sidewalks at intersections. “If the city really wants Minneapolis to be a place people are walking and rolling throughout the year, it really needs to clear ice and snow from our sidewalks,” Narayanan said.
BIKE NETWORK
Left: The pedestrian priority network identifies 282 miles in Minneapolis where public works will make sidewalk, intersection and signal timing improvements designed to make it easier to get around on foot. Right: Current low-stress bike lanes and trails are shown in green. The routes where the city will build new protected bike infrastructure are shown in blue. Submitted images
southwestjournal.com / March 19–April 1, 2020 A7
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Long-term goals
Minneapolis has set a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% from 2006 levels. Emissions from on-road transportation account for 24% of greenhouse gas emissions in the city. TAP sets a goal of reducing vehicle miles traveled within the city from 2.37 billion in 2018 to 1.87 billion by 2030. “We’re looking to reshape the transportation system to address climate change,” said Kathleen Mayell, Minneapolis’ transportation planning manager. That will rely on under-construction projects, like Southwest Light Rail Transit and Orange Line bus rapid transit (BRT) on Interstate 35W, and planned projects, like the B, D and E Line arterial BRT routes. While Metro Transit has seen ridership drop on local bus routes, there has been growing use of light-rail and bus rapid transit. The Metropolitan Council’s March ridership report showed local bus ridership dropped 8% from 2018 to 2019 even as the Green Line and A Line BRT route each saw annual ridership increase 3%. The C Line BRT, which opened in June 2019, had 1.2 million rides in its first six months in operation. The plan also lays out desires for highfrequency transit routes along the Midtown Greenway (connecting the Lake Street stations of the Blue and Green light-rail lines), along the Nicollet-Central corridor and along the West Broadway corridor (connecting Downtown Minneapolis to northwest suburbs). What form those lines take is still to be determined, though Hutcheson said nothing has changed in regard to the city’s desire for a streetcar on the Nicollet-Central corridor. The plan also calls for a large expansion of a low-stress protected bike network for cyclists and scooter-riders, with a goal of adding 136 miles of protected bike lanes on city streets, on new separated trails and on neighborhood greenways. All four-lane undivided streets in Minneapolis will be evaluated for three-lane conversions, which officials say have the potential to greatly reduce traffic crashes in those corridors. To measure success, city officials plan to track statistics on safety, greenhouse gas emissions, vehicle miles traveled, the number of people switching from driving to transit and the number of people living near high-frequency transit. Those numbers will be updated in the yearly “Your City, Your Streets” report, and public works will submit a formal progress report every two years.
People drive today, and they will continue to drive. This plan is about choices. —Robin Hutcheson, director, public works
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While the city wants to significantly decrease the amount of single-occupancy vehicle trips, officials know residents will still use cars. Their belief is that if people can travel by other means, it will decrease vehicle traffic. “People drive today, and they will continue to drive,” Hutcheson said. “This plan is about choices.”
Immediate actions
Bus-only lanes will be piloted on three new corridors in 2020, and at least one city street that is currently a four-lane undivided road will be converted to three lanes. Protected bike lanes will be installed on 1st Avenue South, 2nd Avenue South and Grant Street West this year. “We’re planning to act quickly to improve our streets and not always wait for a reconstruction project [by focusing] on paint and lower-cost improvement options to make change,” Mayell said. City officials plan to develop an official curbside management policy that aims to reduce conflicts between drivers, pedestrians and cyclists at drop-off points in 2020 and will also update the complete streets strategy, which prioritizes street users from walkers, bikers, transit users and people in cars. A draft of the action plan was presented to a City Council committee on March 9, which opened a 45-day public comment period. Residents can submit comments on specific actions and strategies at go.minneapolismn.gov. Four public open houses are planned, including a 5-7 p.m. March 24 event at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center in Kingfield. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Hutcheson said the city is developing the ability to host the open houses digitally.
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City lowers speed limits in safety push In an effort to reduce traffic-related serious injuries and deaths, the City of Minneapolis will be reducing speed limits on municipal streets. Speed limits will be reduced from 30 mph citywide to 20 mph on neighborhood streets and 25 mph on arterial streets, city officials announced March 12 in coordination with St. Paul. “We know that by reducing speed limits, we can help make our streets safer for people who can’t afford cars, for kids who walk home from school and play in our streets — for everyone who uses our streets to get around,” Mayor Jacob Frey said. The new limits will go into effect on a street-by-street basis as signage is installed. Busy arterial streets like Hennepin Avenue South will see their signage changed to 25 mph on a rolling basis. After busy streets have their signage changed, the city will install 20 mph “gateway signs” on residential streets at
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city borders. More than 1,000 signs will be installed by the fall. The move will not impact Hennepin County roads like Lyndale Avenue South and West Lake Street or state highways running through Minneapolis. The reduced speed limit is part of the Vision Zero Action Plan, a three-year policy and infrastructure effort to eliminate severe injuries and deaths on city streets. A person hit by a vehicle moving 35 mph is three times as likely to be killed as someone hit at 25 mph, officials say. There are more than 25 arterial streets in Southwest Minneapolis that will have 25 mph limits, including 36th Street, 44th Street, 50th Street, Blaisdell Avenue, Nicollet Avenue, Penn Avenue and Xerxes Avenue. A full list of arterial streets can be found at visionzerompls.com
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A8 March 19–April 1, 2020 / southwestjournal.com
PUBLISHER Janis Hall jhall@swjournal.com CO-PUBLISHER & SALES MANAGER Terry Gahan tgahan@swjournal.com GENERAL MANAGER Zoe Gahan zgahan@swjournal.com EDITOR Zac Farber 612-436-4391 zfarber@swjournal.com STAFF WRITERS Nate Gotlieb ngotlieb@swjournal.com Andrew Hazzard ahazzard@swjournal.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Michelle Bruch Ed Dykhuizen Jenny Heck Emily Lund Sheila Regan Helen Sabrowsky EDITORIAL INTERN Becca Most
Wedge couple builds straw home Energy-efficient house will sequester carbon
By Andrew Hazzard / ahazzard@swjournal.com
Married couple Katie Jones and Peter Schmitt met in Minnesota’s first passive house, and today they are in the process of constructing their own highly energy-efficient home on their Lowry Hill East property. Their Uptown Strawhouse — or Strohhaus am Radlweg (the passive house they met at was the Concordia Language Village German camp) — will be built on the site of their current garage using straw bales as a base, which will not only make the home energy efficient but will actually sequester carbon. Passive houses meet a voluntary energy efficiency standard that drastically reduces the building’s carbon footprint and requires little energy to be heated and cooled. The structures have triple-paneled windows, continuous insulation and are airtight. Jones and Schmitt are well-versed in energy efficiency. Schmitt works for U.S. Solar and Jones is an engineer who works for the Center for Energy and Environment (CEE). The roof of their new home will host 20 bifacial solar modules that allow light to pass through and reflect up off the metal roof to capture more energy. “We get that not everyone is going to build a
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More challengers, more debate I don’t know much about Sen. Jeff Hayden’s record representing Senate District 62 and I know even less about his recently announced DFL challenger, Omar Fateh (See Feb. 20 issue, page A7). I do know that District 62 will be better served if both candidates take this race seriously and pursue it through to the August primary. That means, among other things, going out of their way to organize and participate in public discussions of issues important to this district and our state. This requires candidates (including the eventual winner) doing their homework so they can answer questions and present solutions. Seeing it through to the primary means they will have to engage the general public (not just party activists) in their agenda. That should bring debates and door knocking. Bottom line: Candidates, District 62 voters, Minneapolis and Minnesota all will be better off. Sadly, vigorous debate and campaigning is all too rare in Minneapolis races for the Legislature. In 2018, there were as many lawn signs in my neighborhood for Texas U.S. Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke as there were for candidates for our own Legislature. Do we really care more about a distant Senate race than who represents us in St. Paul? I hope not.
house like this,” Schmitt said. But they do want to show people it’s possible. The couple bought a triplex at 22nd & Bryant in 2014, and in early March they were granted approval by the Minneapolis Planning Commission to tear down their garage and build a two-story, 1,344-square-foot passive home using straw bales. The idea of a straw bale building dates back to the Great Plains. The homes are constructed with a wood frame that is raised like a barn structure and lined with tightly bound straw bales for insulation. The straw bales are then sealed with plaster. The result is a structure that is extremely energy efficient, fire-resistant and highly soundproof. Because straw is a natural material, the building will sequester carbon from the air. The two had been planning to construct a passive home for years and were waiting for city zoning code to comply. They originally thought the structure would qualify as an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), but they learned triplexes were not eligible for that designation. Working with their architects and city planners, they eventually applied for a cluster development permit.
Debates leading up to the November general election were almost as scarce as the lawn signs. We did get plenty of mail. But there were relatively few opportunities for the public to see, hear and question the candidates about issues, live and in person. Here’s to having more primary challenges for incumbents. That may be the first and best step toward restoring public debate over candidates for the Legislature in Minneapolis. Bill Blazar Lynnhurst
Joining the dark side As much as I would like to champion activists’ efforts to improve safety on Lyndale Avenue South, I can’t. (See “Protests continue on Lyndale,” Feb. 20 issue, page A1) Is reckless driving on Lyndale a problem? Absolutely. Is it a singular problem? Not even close. I’ve seen more reckless driving on Portland Avenue. The reciprocal contempt pedestrians, cyclists and drivers have for one another in Minneapolis is because we are so much alike — angry, overscheduled and sleep-deprived. None of us has responsibilities, only rights. This means if anyone of us is not accommodated, we become enraged. Each of us wants traffic calming for the rest of Minneapolis. But when expected to comply with traffic-calming measures, we will elect to opt ourselves out every time. I so wish I could see the iPhone footage of any safe street activist moving about Minneapolis, running late for work, racing to class, picking up his kid or trying
Katie Jones and Peter Schmitt are constructing a straw bale house on their Wedge property that will be ultra-efficient and sequester carbon. Jones learned techniques last year during a straw house build in Washington state. Submitted photo
Originally the goal was to just build a passive house, but even those structures can have components and materials that have a substantial carbon footprint. SEE STRAW HOUSE / PAGE A9
to get to the airport. Would “calmed” be an applicable description of their movement? Probably not. And, sorry, car-free householder; you’re not automatically qualified as part of the solution. Are you crossing Lyndale mid-block, against the light, texting, drunk or wearing a visionobstructing hoodie? Maybe all at the same time? I have news for you. You’re part of the problem. Activist Abigail Johnson has put us on notice. Protests will become more animated going forward. Not to worry! On protest days, I abandon the already inexcusably unreliable No. 4 Lyndale bus and drive to work. If Lyndale is reduced to two lanes, I am prepared to fully join the climate-changing dark side and drive to work five days a week. Lyndale Avenue South is never going to see zero deaths until we have an honest discussion about the role each of us has in keeping ourselves safe and keeping each other safe. Right now, we are not having that discussion. Rodney Woolfolk East Isles
CORRECTION An article on page A3 of the March 5 issue about City Market closing its 38th & Nicollet store misidentified the shop's location.
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southwestjournal.com / March 19–April 1, 2020 A9
City to reopen Nicollet at Kmart site By Nate Gotlieb
The City of Minneapolis has cleared the final hurdle in its decades-long quest to reopen Nicollet Avenue at Lake Street. The City Council has approved an agreement to buy out the lease of the Kmart that blocks Nicollet Avenue between 29th and Lake streets. The $9.1 million deal will allow the city to demolish the buildings on the site, reopen the street and seek requests for proposals for development. “We have wanted this for a long time,” said David Frank, director of the Community Planning & Economic Development (CPED) department. A 2005 land-use and development plan said restoring Nicollet was the “highest priority goal” for the area. Kmart has occupied the Whittier site since 1977, serving a neighborhood with one of the highest concentrations of poverty in Minneapolis. Products on the shelves include everything from toiletries and appliances to clothes and furniture. Customers say prices are often cheaper than at comparable stores. City visions of reopening Nicollet date back at least 20 years. Today, the city envisions the stretch being part of a future streetcar line that will run between Lake Street and Central Avenue in
You need only look at Google Earth to see what a barrier this superblock has become to the neighborhood. We will be reconnecting the neighborhoods by reconnecting this grid. — Robin Hutcheson, director, public works
Straw homes are constructed with a wood frame that is raised like a barn structure and lined with tightly bound straw bales for insulation. The straw bales are then sealed with plaster. The result is a structure that is extremely energy efficient, fire-resistant and highly soundproof. Submitted photo
Northeast Minneapolis. The Minneapolis 2040 plan calls for mixed-use development of between four and 15 stories on the site, which Frank said was appraised at $20 million in 2019. The city purchased the 2.3-acre site immediately next door to the Kmart, which was once home to a Supervalu store, for about $5.3 million in 2015. It purchased the roughly 7-acre site on which Kmart sits in 2017 for $8 million, though the store still controlled the lease through 2053. Frank said the negotiations that led to the latest agreement started in earnest after Sears Holdings Corporation’s 2018 bankruptcy. That’s when former Sears CEO Eddie Lampert purchased about a quarter of the company’s stores, he said. (The store’s corporate owner, Transform Operating Stores, declined to comment for this story.) The $9.1 million payment will come from the city’s Streetcar Value Capture Fund, which is intended to help with the development of the streetcar line. The city plans to demolish both buildings on the site later this year. Public Works Director Robin Hutcheson said some of the benefits of reopening the street include creating connections with the future Orange Line bus rapid transit line and the Midtown Greenway. “You need only look at Google Earth to see what a barrier this superblock has become to the neighborhood,” she said. “We will be reconnecting the neighborhoods by reconnecting this grid.” She said the city plans to engage the public, including people who live and work in the area, about ideas for redeveloping the street. She also said the city would be performing an evaluation of the bridge over the Midtown Greenway immediately behind the Kmart site and will do any work necessary on the bridge in partnership with Hennepin County. The Kmart store on the site will close no later than June 30, Frank said, adding that workers heard the news the morning of March 5. The city will work with the state Department of Employment and Economic
A $9.1 million deal allows the City of Minneapolis to demolish the buildings on the Kmart site, reopen Nicollet Avenue and seek requests for proposals for development. File photos
Development to make sure those employees are aware of available dislocated worker services. Juan Fernandez, who has shopped at Kmart for 20 years, said he wished the city could keep the store open and open the street at the same time. Standing in the Kmart’s checkout line the morning after officials announced it would be closing, both Darrell Pfaffendorf and Curtis Walker said they wish the store would stay open. “A lot of people that don’t have a lot of money shop here,” said Pfaffendorf. He was buying four spice containers, each priced at 64 cents, which he said would cost him $1 a piece at a dollar store. Elton Johnson said it’s “all well and good” if the city is going to improve the area, but “if you’re going to make it a bike trail, it’s not worth it.” Alfred Perkins, a longtime Minneapolis resident, said he’ll miss Kmart but that he thinks the reopening and redevelopment of the street will be a better change. He suggested adding a park to the site. Whittier Alliance board chair Jen Kader said the organization has advocated for decades for the reopening of Nicollet and wants to see community members involved in the project. She said people would love to see affordable housing and climate-smart features in any new development and that there is some trepidation about gentrification forcing out small businesses. “We have moniker of the ‘international neighborhood,’” she said, adding that the area benefits from having immigrant-run businesses and a “spirit of entrepreneurship.”
FROM STRAW HOUSE / PAGE A8
“I wanted to think more sustainably,” Jones said. That’s when they discovered the idea of the straw bale build. Jones went to Washington state to attend a seminar and home build with Andrew Morrison, a leading national expert on the subject. Morrison has consulted with their architects on the project and will come to Minneapolis to help train the construction crew. Finding architects and contractors for the project wasn’t easy. Eventually they found Precipitate Architecture’s Elizabeth Turner, a passive house certified consultant based in the North Loop. Turner had never done a straw bale design before and said they did a lot of collaborative meetings to get everyone up to speed on the design. “It’s kind of fun to start a project at the beginning, not really being sure it’s possible,” Turner said. To make the project possible, they needed the right contractor, and eventually found Minnesota-based Ryan Stegora, a certified passive house consultant. He had never done a straw house before but
Frank said the idea of keeping services available in Minneapolis, including affordable places to buy things, will be a “key part” of what the city looks for when evaluating development proposals. He said the city acknowledges that Kmart has been an asset to the community for the people who work and shop there. “This will be a change, but it’s a change we think has good long-term benefits for the immediate neighborhood and for the city,” he said.
was intrigued by the challenge right away, Schmitt said. With a design team and builder lined up, they needed to find materials. Turns out there’s an app for that, “Hay Map,” which matches shoppers with local hay and straw providers. They’ll need about 800 “small square” bales for their house. They’ll make the exterior plaster with a mixture of hydraulic lime, sand and water. Stegora and his crew won’t be the only people working on the project. Jones, Schmitt and their friends will also be contributing their time and labor to the build. They want it to be a bit of a community process. “I like the idea of family, friends and neighbors being part of our build,” Jones said. Currently, they are planning to tear down the garage in April and start construction in late July or August. They are hoping the house will turn into a bit of an exhibit of energy efficiency. “We’re happy to show what we’ve learned with folks who are wanting to do this,” Jones said.
A10 March 19–April 1, 2020 / southwestjournal.com FROM CORONAVIRUS / PAGE A1
the virus has caused a spike in the city’s middle-of-the-night 911 medical calls. In the hours after the City of Minneapolis ordered restaurants and other public places to close, paper signs appeared in nearly every shop door announcing new hours, takeout, delivery or closure. Minneapolis attorney Davis Senseman is helping small businesses find a way to ethically close down and connect staff to unemployment income. “It became clear that beyond maybe a week, maybe 10 days, they would not have any money to pay their staff,” Senseman said. “How can we make sure that there is a business for them to come back to?” As of press time, businesses are still on the hook for rent, health insurance, utilities and sales tax payments that are due in the coming days. Senseman urged the public to keep supporting businesses and lobby for small business assistance. “We’re definitely on the edge,” said Dan Swenson-Klatt, owner of Butter Bakery. He’s reaching out to vendors, insurance companies and his landlord, trying to figure out which payments can be delayed and which can be put on hold. His food supply chain is strong, but he’s not sure how to get enough compostable to-go boxes. Still, he’s grateful for the community. “I had a neighbor say today, ‘I’m happy to volunteer and deliver to people who can’t get out of the house,’” he said.
Homebound
“It’s easy to stay 6 feet away from people when you’re on a bicycle,” said Fulton resident Dale Hammerschmidt. He and Mary Arneson have biked every day for five years — 1,872 days as of March 17 — and they don’t plan to stop now. They’re using the extra time at home to bake bread, read pharmacochemical literature on the virus, watch the Golden-crowned Kinglet in the yard, answer questions on the platform Quora and ponder the environmental impact of a population that stops leaving the house. “How do we do this?” asked East Isles mom Laura Murphy, who is testing out virtual happy hours with friends and finding new ways to do playdates. On St. Patrick’s Day, neighbor kids wore green and walked around the block, without getting near each other. She’s interested in the concept of expanding a quarantine to include a neighboring household. And her friends agree: “I can’t believe how
READ THE LATEST ONLINE Please keep checking our website, southwestjournal. com, for up-to-date news on how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the Southwest Minneapolis community.
much my kid loves a virtual playdate,” she said. Through FaceTime, her daughter chats with a friend while she colors and plays on the swings. And she’s taken morning telelearning sessions through Temple Israel’s Early Childhood Center, reading books and learning to make playdough. The Jones-Harrison Residence has stopped all visitors, with the exception of end-of-life visits. Instead, family members are dropping off crossword puzzles and setting up FaceTime visits through an online appointment calendar. Jones-Harrison President Annette Greely said her staff is trying to avoid creating panic while being “super respectful of what this virus can do.” A Chinese study cited by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control has shown elevated risk for people over age 60, with a fatality rate of about 15% for those over 80. Staff ask that everyone be mindful of how the coronavirus affects the older population and take care to quarantine themselves as necessary. At Lake Point Condominiums, Rodgers Adams said residents are trying to decide how often to sanitize door handles and elevator buttons, how to interact with the front office, how to distribute mail and newspapers, and when to allow plumbers inside. “There is an amazing number of issues that nobody ever thought about in the daily experience of living here,” he said. Cecil Smith, chair of the Minnesota Multihousing Association, said landlords’ No. 1 concern is trying to make communal living as safe as possible. “At my properties, we’re beefing up cleaning, but it’s clean until somebody touches it,” he said. The second concern is the economic impact, he said, and immediate access to unemployment and federal aid will help. “There is a lot to think about,” he said. “Two weeks ago, nobody could have imagined today.”
The helpers
“We’re taking it one day at a time to feed people and keep everybody safe,” said Lorrie Sandelin, director of Joyce Uptown Foodshelf. She requested monetary donations through the organization’s website, joyceuptownfoodshelf.org, which features a volunteer signup for packing meals and distributing food. “We’ve always been here, and we will continue to be here through this storm,” said Pat Anderson, enterprise and program director at Sabathani Community Center. With added safety precautions, the Sabathani food shelf will remain open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Anderson requested donations of canned goods, rice, meat, dairy and snacks for kids home from school. “Usually we think dinner,” Anderson said. “Now it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner
and healthy snacks.” Neighborhoods like Whittier and Windom are creating spreadsheets and questionnaires matching neighborhood needs with volunteers. Kingfield is asking residents to buy gift cards to help shops with cash flow, and the neighborhood group is creating a network with a contact on every block. A metrowide support group is available through Facebook at tinyurl.com/covidtwin-cities. “If things do progress and people find themselves in a tough situation, we can activate neighbors who are ready to help,” said Kaley Brown, executive director of the Whittier Alliance. Provision Community Restaurant is packaging meals for pickup in the lobby at 2940 Harriet Ave. S. for free, no questions asked, from 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Public safety
Minneapolis police are already seeing a “noticeable” increase in 911 medical calls related to the coronavirus, spokesperson John Elder said at a March 17 press conference. Officials asked people not to call 911 just because they suspect they have COVID-19. “The goal is to reserve 911 for true emergencies,” said Marty Scheerer, chief of Hennepin County’s Emergency Medical Services department. “It’s kind of back to 1950s-type medication and treatments for this disease. There’s not a lot we can do for you.” To limit exposure, Hennepin County is reducing the number of first responders answering calls. A firefighter crew may come unaccompanied by an ambulance or police officers. “Our response levels will change based on call volume, staffing and the type of emergencies,” Scheerer said. Emergency responders will arrive wearing masks, goggles, gowns and sometimes scrubs. The county has “many thousands” of N95 masks, Scheerer said, but to conserve the supply, crews are being asked to use an N95 mask up to five times before discarding it. “We’ll be keeping our distance away from you, standing at the doorway or only sending one responder in to talk to you at a time,” Scheerer said. “Many, if not most of us, will contract the virus.” Hennepin County Sheriff Dave Hutchinson said no inmates have yet tested for the virus, and sick inmates are being isolated. “If it gets worse, we’ll release people who are non-violent,” he said.
Local government response
Hennepin County has closed public libraries and service centers. “These are unnerving times,” said board chair Marion Greene, who represents Southwest Minneapolis. “We’re working as fast as we can to respond as best as we know how.”
FLATTENING THE CURVE
The goal of community mitigation is to (1) slow acceleration of the number of cases, (2) flatten the curve by reducing the burden on the health care system and (3) reduce the overall number of cases and health effects.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are recommending several steps to slow the rate of transmission. A major goal of these steps is what epidemiologists call flattening the curve, or attempting to slow the spread of the virus to prevent the health care system from exceeding its capacity. The idea is to increase social distancing to mitigate the rate of transmission so that hospitals are not overwhelmed and will avoid shortages of beds and ventilators. About 15% of COVID-19 patients need hospital-level care and 5% need to be treated in an intensive care unit, according to the Minnesota Hospital Association. Hospitals in the Twin Cities metro have about 500 total ICU beds and 450 respirators. For up-to-date health information, please check the MDH (tinyurl.com/mdhcoronavirus) or CDC websites (tinyurl. com/cdc-coronavirus) or call the MDH’s coronavirus hotline at 651-201-3920. Here are some strategies being recommended by the MDH and the CDC. • Practice social distancing by keeping at least 6 feet between yourself and others. • Cancel or postpone smaller events in smaller venues that do not allow for social distancing of 6 feet per person. • Stay at home if you are sick and call your health care provider’s office before you go in. You can get a free telemedicine visit for upper respiratory infection symptoms through M Health Fairview at OnCare.org. Officials ask you do not call 911 just because you think you may have COVID-19. • Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly for at least 20 seconds and clean heavily used surfaces frequently. • People in high-risk groups, including older people and those with underlying health conditions such as heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, are more likely to develop a serious COVID-19 illness. If you’re in one of those groups, stock up on food and medical supplies, avoid crowds and stay home as much as possible. • Cancel interstate and international travel. • Develop a preparation plan to stay at home in case of an illness in the household or disruption of daily activities due to the virus including: » Consider acquiring a two-week supply of food, prescription and overthe-counter medications and other essentials. » Establish plans to telework if possible and to adjust for closures to child care facilities.
The marquee at LynLake Brewery, which temporarily shut down the taproom. “The brewery itself will continue production so that when all of this clears up, we can have an awesome summer on the rooftop,” states the business. Photo by Michelle Bruch
» Share emergency plans with family, friends and colleagues.
southwestjournal.com / March 19–April 1, 2020 A11
By declaring a state of emergency, Hennepin County will allocate $2.5 million to pay for supplies for county emergency response personnel. The county board also approved an emergency action giving the county administrator’s office $3 million to acquire emergency quarantine housing for COVID-19 patients who are experiencing homelessness or otherwise lack a place to quarantine. The county will look for an apartment building or motel with private units and separate bathrooms. In King County, Washington, officials have already spent more than $19 million on such housing. Mayor Jacob Frey’s emergency declara-
tion in Minneapolis, which the City Council is expected to approve after this issue goes to press, provides Frey additional powers and authorities that will allow him to approve contracts for the city on public health matters, implement rules limiting the number of people allowed to congregate in a building and authorize aid and assistance for response and recovery plans. The city also suspended water shutoffs for a month, and Frey is urging the Hennepin County Sheriff ’s Office to halt eviction enforcement in Minneapolis for at least two weeks. “We foresee that the impacts of COVID-19 will last beyond a [14-day] suspension, especially for our lowincome workers, especially for those in the hospitality industry,” Frey wrote in a letter to Hennepin County Sheriff Dave Hutchinson.
Testing for COVID-19
Randy Miranda found himself weighing the need to stock up over-the-counter medications at the Walgreens in CedarIsles-Dean. “I’m trying to decide whether I need it or not,” he said. Photo by Andrew Hazzard
One Whittier resident, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of social and professional stigma, spent a week voluntarily selfquarantined after her college-aged daughter was suddenly forced to return from a semester abroad program in Florence, Italy. Her daughter returned to the U.S. on March 2, when only Italy’s Lombardo region was under quarantine, and has not shown symptoms. But her mother was troubled by the initial lack of guidance from American authorities for people returning from affected countries. “In Italy it was becoming such a big deal and yet here it was nothing, and when she got off the plane they didn’t even talk to her,” she said. “No tests, No, ‘Here’s what they want you to do.’” With limited tests available, MDH is currently prioritizing hospitalized patients,
Bulk foods and food demos have been halted at the East Isles Kowalski’s. Photo by Zac Farber
health care workers and people in congregate living. The department reported 77 positive cases out of 2,762 patients tested statewide as of March 18. “We want to make sure we are testing individuals with the highest likelihood of having COVID-19,” Minnesota Infectious Disease Division Director Kris Ehresmann said. Tested or not, the state asks all patients with fever or acute coughs and shortness of breath to self-quarantine for at least seven days. That means isolation from household contacts as much as possible, and fellow
household members should limit their own public activity for 14 days and monitor their symptoms as well. Patients should remain self-quarantined until 72 hours after the fever resolves without medication and respiratory symptoms improve. Patients should seek care if symptoms become severe, and call ahead to a health provider when possible.
HOW HAVE YOU BEEN AFFECTED? Please email your tips or personal stories to editor@southwestjournal.com.
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A12 March 19–April 1, 2020 / southwestjournal.com
COVID-19 closures ‘surreal’ for families, educators Minneapolis Public Schools closed March 17 for extended break
By Nate Gotlieb / ngotlieb@swjournal.com
The first day Chip Jenne’s daughter was kept home from her Windom magnet school, the first-grader already missed her friends. Gov. Tim Walz closed all Minnesota public schools between March 18 and March 27 because of the coronavirus pandemic, though districts were able to close earlier if they wished. Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) closed to students on March 17. Educators are expected to prepare for “distance learning” during the break; the pandemic could keep schools closed for weeks or months. The governor said classes must resume in some form on March 30, though MPS won’t resume until April 6 because spring break is scheduled for the week of March 30. Jenne, who picked up reading materials from Windom Dual Immersion School on March 16, the day he pulled his daughter out of class, said the school has provided access to online education activities but that it’s hard to replicate the first-grade experience. “School at that age is about being with other kids,” he said. Across Southwest Minneapolis, students,
parents and educators said the days leading up to the closure were unlike anything they had ever experienced. They said closing schools was the right thing to do, though they recognized the unknowns that come with it, including the prospect of missing the rest of the school year and milestones like graduation. Almost all said they’d miss school and the social interaction that comes with it and that they appreciate educators’ efforts to keep students engaged. “It just feels surreal to have to worry about some of this stuff and go through it all,” Kenwood Community School parent Kirsten Eitreim said. Eitreim, who has two kids at Kenwood, said her daughter emptied out her desk on March 16 in case it ends up being the last day of the school year. She said her kids are coming to terms with the fact that the break won’t be all fun and games, noting the piles of homework they brought home. Burroughs Community School parent Jess Khan has tried to replicate the school schedule as much as possible for her kids, who have been at home since last week.
Minneapolis Public Schools Senior Food Service Coordinator Todd Waldeland hands out lunches on March 17 at Roosevelt High School. The district is distributing no-cost meals to students at 20 sites during the coronavirus closure. Submitted photo
“We’re surviving a lot on FaceTime and Google Docs,” she said. Washburn High School parent Dawn Nelson told her twin 12th-grade daughters to clean out their school lockers on March 16. She said Washburn teachers are working hard to get materials online and that the school has surveyed families about the technology they have available. Nelson’s daughters were scheduled to leave March 21 for a study-abroad trip in France, which has been canceled. She also has a daughter in college who scrambled to get home from a study-abroad trip in Argentina. Former Southwest student Sophie Nall, who graduated in 2018, returned to Minneapolis March 11 from a study abroad trip in Malta. The island country is near Italy, which has been the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in Europe.
Nall, who is studying theater at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, said it’s great to be home and that she doesn’t feel as much anxiety as she did while in Europe. She has been quarantined in her bedroom since returning and has had limited contact with her younger brothers and family. “It’s been not the worst-case scenario, but not ideal,” she said.
‘The most unproductive day’
In a March 17 interview, Washburn 11th-grader Nathaniel Genene said much is still unclear, from online learning plans to when students will take Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and ACT tests. SEE SCHOOLS ON BREAK / PAGE A15
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southwestjournal.com / March 19–April 1, 2020 A13
Southwest religious services move online By Becca Most
Sitting in the library of First Universalist Church, Rev. Jen Crow grinned into a camera at the start of the South Uptown church’s first virtual service on March 13. The service was held a few hours after Gov. Tim Walz requested faith groups cancel in-person gatherings during the coronavirus outbreak. “Hey, we’re trying this new thing, come on in,” Crow said. “Just like church, we’ll wait for everyone to trickle in and arrive.” A stream of names appeared next to the Facebook Live video as congregation members logged on. Crow greeted her parishioners by name. “You don’t have to find parking, maybe that’s one plus, right?” she joked. “You made it in; no snow to tromp through.” First Universalist is one of many religious organizations across Southwest Minneapolis that made the quick shift to online worship over the weekend, with thousands of local residents practicing their faith and staying in touch with their community on Facebook Live, Zoom and other streaming and nonstreaming video platforms. “I hope you feel as if I’m looking into each of your eyeballs,” Rev. Lisa Wiens Heinsohn told the congregation of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Linden Hills in a recorded Vimeo message. “We are experiencing lots of things, reading the news constantly and feeling scared and disappointed and isolated. … I’d like to invite us to let all of that drop for a bit; let’s become very present to each other.” For Rabbi Michael Latz, of the Shir Tikvah congregation in Lynnhurst, transitioning
Southwest religious congregations have gotten creative in holding services online. Clockwise from top left: Bethlehem Lutheran Church streamed to YouTube; Rev. Lisa Wiens Heinsohn, of St. John’s Episcopal Church, posted on Vimeo; First Unitarian Society broadcast to Facebook Live; Rev. Jen Crow, of First Universalist Church, experimented with both Facebook Live and Zoom. Submitted photos
from in-person worship to virtual has been a challenge, but one that his congregation has taken seriously. Latz started hosting a nightly virtual story hour for people in the synagogue on March 16. On the first night, he said, about 100 people tuned in to listen. Some parents told him the story hour helped get their kids to bed on their first night of “physical distancing.”
“I think people are rightfully scared,” he said. “But what I’m seeing in my own community and from other people is an incredible generosity of spirit.” Latz said staff members have been on call to talk with members who are feeling anxious and lost. He said he’s seen many members of his congregation show up for each other in this time of crisis.
A family in the synagogue had to postpone their son’s Bar Mitzvah but had already paid for the catering order. Latz said the family put most of their food in containers and shared it with friends and with local food shelters. “This is a moment that will test who we really are,” he said. “There are a lot of folks who are going to be really impacted by this, and we have to join together to ensure that everybody is cared for in our society.” For Nettie Smith, a member of the Minneapolis Friends, the transition to digital worship is a bit more complicated. Many of the members of Minneapolis Friends are older and not familiar with video technology like Zoom. Much of the Quaker service is designed for silent worship, which also poses challenges. Although the group still held two services on Feb. 15, Minneapolis Friends encouraged members who had health problems or were sick to stay home. Only 25 people attended the services, and worshippers were encouraged to sit 6 feet apart and use hand sanitizer when entering or leaving the space. “It seems like there’s an opportunity in all this, to turn to a deeper wisdom,” Smith said. “We’re trying to think of ways to stay connected and also think about who’s the most vulnerable, not just from a health point of view but from a spiritual point of view — just [address] the need to feel connected.” Smith said the Minneapolis Friends are planning to meet via Zoom for midweek worship and Sunday worship for the indefinite future.
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A14 March 19–April 1, 2020 / southwestjournal.com
Editor’s note: Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Trax Burgers and Bar is temporarily closed.
T
here’s a new burger-and-shakes operation in town, but never fear: It won’t put White Castle out of business. In fact, you could probably dine at the Castle for an entire week for the cost of a single patty here. Surgeons ought to be on call to provide the arm and a leg your tab may cost you; yet still patrons will flood the street, pleading for a table, because of that real estate requisite — location, location, location. Trax Burgers and Bar is situated aside the Target Field light-rail station, serving the ballpark behind it and the new Fillmore music hall next door. It’s a cozy, 80-seater done in warming copper hues and clad with oriental-style rugs, sporting a compact menu orchestrated by longtime Twin Cities chef David Fhima (currently operating Fhima’s Minneapolis). That’s probably why you may not find the proverbial ballpark hot dog on the food list, but you will discover bone marrow — one of the few kitchens in the entire state to feature that foodie-forward delicacy, $14, on the app list (mostly $10-$16). New Yorkers will know the drill. A primer for flyover land: A roasted shank bone is split to uncover a trickle of creamy, rich, ivory marrow to spoon onto toasts (three puny slices provided here). Decorate it, if you like, with a spot of highly flavored, crunchy bacon jam and a sweet-sour spritz of
TRAX BURGERS & BAR
On track to succeed broiled Meyer lemon. Gives you braggin’ rights at the water cooler tomorrow. Or order ghost wings, chicken meatballs or a Scotch egg. That single, sausage-coated egg, a typical bar snack in the British Isles, will run you a sticker-shocking $10 here. Never mind. It’s the burgers that will fly off the griddle, leading off with the best of the bunch, the Wagyu Marrow number at (ouch) $18. It showcases a tasty blend of brisket and ribeye topped with Gruyere, sweet-tingly strands of pickled onions, a swipe of cheesy Mornay sauce, a slim trickle of bone marrow, bits of Nueske’s bacon-onion jam and a hint of truffle aioli — all piled onto a generic bun and abetted by a handful of house-made chips. Yes, it was cooked properly and properly delicious. The Chili Grind burger ($13; others $12-$18) features, this time, a brisket/short rib blend visited by cheddar, bits of Anaheim chili, a scoop of interesting anti-tomato-sweet chili and a bacon aioli. Another best-seller, according to our accommodating server, is the Drunk Chicken sandwich, which provided a thick, ideally juicy slab of crunch-coated white meat accompanied by bourbon butter, wispy strands of sweet coleslaw and also-sweet-andcrispy bread-and-butter pickles. These compo-
sitions exhibit Fhima’s magic touch, offered in too-fleeting hints, however, rather than fullfrontal displays of flavor. A Caesar salad runs $14 but is yours for $5 if ordered in tandem with, say, a burger. And it’s a work of art. A fan of gem lettuce, leaves still attached to its core, lounges atop a plate dressed in a light, filmy, IPA-spiked Caesar dressing, studded with sturdy, dice-size, garlicenhanced croutons, a lively lemon zest and flutter of Parm, anchovy optional. It’s a bit ungainly but decidedly gorgeous and generous enough to share. We also shared a Brussels sprouts composition that’s a real winner: a heap of robust nuggets tossed with a sweet and vinegary mustard sauce, snowy flakes of brown butter powder and — the winning trick — a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds. Other sides to consider include fries, mac and cheese, tempura cauliflower, tomato bisque and more, $5-$14. Desserts? Choose between two ice creambased flamboyances, $8. Or follow our example and split one of the quartet of shakes on offer. Best of the bunch: the All Grown Up, spotlighting Woodford Reserve Bourbon, pecan praline, maple syrup, Ghirardelli caramel and whipped cream, $12. Nice local beer list, too.
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southwestjournal.com / March 19–April 1, 2020 A15 FROM SCHOOLS ON BREAK / PAGE A12
All Washburn juniors were supposed to take the ACT on March 24, and IB and AP tests are generally in May. Those tests have not yet been canceled. High schools are also figuring out grading procedures for the third quarter of the academic year, which is supposed to end March 26. Genene said March 16 was probably “the most unproductive day of school I’ve ever seen,” adding that a lot of kids were absent. He said he’s been surprised by how many students are taking the break to give back to their community through activities such as a student-led food drive. As required by Gov. Walz’ order, MPS began a meal service for students on March 17, handing out lunches and snacks at 20 sites throughout the city. Staffers also handed out enrichment packets to families who wanted them. On March 18, the district began providing child care for students 12 and under who have parents in health care or emergency services, as Walz mandated. The district said it’s not publicly sharing the sites where it’s providing that care. The district held a press conference on March 17 to announce some of the measures outlined in this story, but did
not provide a way to watch the press conference for members of the public or journalists who could not — or did not wish to — be physically present.
‘Whirlwind of emotion’
At Southwest, guitar program director Ruth LeMay spent March 16 checking out equipment to students who wanted it. She said the day was a “whirlwind of emotion” for students, though they know the closures are important. Band and orchestra teacher Reid
Crime
Wixson spent much of his day photocopying music, and he delivered instruments to students afterschool. He said he’s disappointed to miss the spring musical, “A Chorus Line,” which the school postponed after one performance. Wixson said the hardest part of the closure is the uncertainty around when it will end.
Two armed robberies in two hours in Bryn Mawr The Bryn Mawr neighborhood saw two armed robberies within a two-hour span on March 16. Burglars broke into a home in the middle of the night, threatening two people at gunpoint. Police say the burglars took credit cards, “a few guns” and a “significant amount of cash.” The burglars entered the home on the 1000 block of Thomas Ave. S. through a ground-level garage around 3 a.m., demanding personal belongings and cash. Neither of the two victims was injured. About two hours later, ten minutes before 5 a.m., a man riding his bike on the Cedar Lake Trail was robbed at gunpoint of his cell phone, wallet and cash. The robber first followed the man in his car. When the man tried to escape, the robber got out of his car with a handgun and demanded the man’s phone and money. The man was not injured. Both incidents are under investigation by the Minneapolis Police Department. “The police department is taking these incidents seriously,” wrote crime prevention specialist Torie Stone in an email to area residents. “As the first line of defense, please ensure all doors, including garages, entry doors, windows, and vehicle doors, are locked.”
MPS will share additional information through its normal channels, including emails, robocalls and social media. More information on the district’s response to the pandemic is at tinyurl.com/mpscovid.
The Kenwood Elementary School playground was empty on March 16, the last day before the district closed schools through at least April 6. Families and educators said March 16 was a day unlike they have ever experienced at school. Photo by Kirsten Eitreim
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A16 March 19–April 1, 2020 / southwestjournal.com
By Nate Gotlieb / ngotlieb@swjournal.com
Wedge organics program inspires state bill Rep. Frank Hornstein seeks funds for multifamily-building composting
A grassroots push to start an organics-recycling drop-off site in Lowry Hill East has inspired a Southwest Minneapolis state representative to seek funding for similar efforts statewide. A bill from Rep. Frank Hornstein (District 61A) would provide $5 million for organicsrecycling projects targeted at people who live in multifamily buildings. Hornstein, who wrote the bill with leaders of the Lowry Hill East effort, said the funding would make it easier for multifamily-building residents to recycle organics, something many can’t currently do. “This opportunity to do something really beneficial for the environment and the planet should be available for people who live in multifamily buildings,” he said. Organics recycling is the process of reusing food scraps and other biodegradable items, such as egg shells, paper towels and pizza boxes. The recycled materials are often made into compost, though food scraps can be used as animal feed. Organic materials comprise about a third of the waste stream, Hornstein said. When landfilled, they generate methane, a potent greenhouse gas. In Minneapolis, the city offers weekly curbside organic-waste collection for people who live in one- to four-unit buildings but not for residents of five-plus-unit buildings. There are seven city-run organics drop-off sites, including two in Southwest Minneapolis,
Former Elliot Park resident Kathryn Jordan testifies at the state Capitol in favor of a bill that would fund organics-recycling projects targeted at residents of multifamily buildings. Rep. Frank Hornstein of Southwest Minneapolis authored the measure. Submitted photo
but they aren’t necessarily convenient for everyone, especially people who don’t have a car. That lack of access inspired former Lowry Hill East resident Katlyn Flannery to start a drop-off site in the neighborhood. In 2017, Flannery got funding from the Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association (LHENA) to pay for commercial hauling. The Wedge Community Co-op provided space for the bins. Within three months, Flannery said, the bins were consistently full. The Whittier Alliance in April 2018 sponsored a second drop-
off site at the Wedge Table, and the Lyndale Neighborhood Association subsequently sponsored a third site at Zion Lutheran Church. A fourth drop-off site, sponsored by Minneapolis College, has opened in Loring Park. “I don’t think we realized how popular it would be,” Flannery said. LHENA Community Outreach Manager Scott Melamed isn’t sure how many people utilize the four sites, but he said over 1,200 are signed up to use the bins at the Wedge Co-op. Hauling there costs about $1,200 a year.
Flannery said having readily available funding for drop-off sites would make it easier for community groups to start them. She and Kathryn Jordan, who has used the bins and helps run the program, said that working on it has been an empowering experience. “It’s a lot of work, it’s a lot of time [and] it requires a lot of passion, but every success is that much more meaningful because it’s coming from the community directly,” Jordan said. It’s unclear how many Minnesotans recycle organic waste, but in Minneapolis, at least 46% of one- to four-family households are signed up for curbside pickup. Those families diverted over 23,000 tons of organic material in 2018. State law requires that metro-area counties recycle or organics recycle 75% of their waste by 2030. Residents of one- to four-family homes in Minneapolis can request an organicsrecycling cart from the city online at tinyurl.com/mplsorganics. Residents of five-plus-unit buildings in the city aren’t eligible for curbside collection but can use LHENA or the city’s drop-off sites. A list of those is online at tinyurl.com/ mplsdropoff, and residents can sign up for LHENA’s program at thewedge.org/organics. There is no cost. LHENA plans to add drop-off sites in additional neighborhoods, Melamed said.
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southwestjournal.com / March 19–April 1, 2020 A17
By Andrew Hazzard / ahazzard@swjournal.com
Parks provide outlet amid virus shutdown
Susan McGuire and Kristine Smyth took their weekly walk around Lake of the Isles on Tuesday, March 17. City parks are some of the only gathering spaces available to people amid the coronavirus pandemic and related shutdowns. Photo by Andrew Hazzard
Park Board closes rec centers, cancels events
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board closed its community recreation centers on Tuesday, March 17, in an attempt to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, but the city parks have become a place of refuge for residents, a place they can relax and exercise amid the many closures. “This is where we can go,” said Susan McGuire as she and a friend walked around Lake of Isles. Parks and trails throughout Minneapolis remain open to the public, and the MPRB is encouraging residents to go outside to relax and exercise while maintaining social distancing practices by keeping at least 6 feet of space from others when encountering other park users. “There’s a lot of open space out there and it’s a great place to be,” MPRB spokesperson Dawn Sommers said. McGuire and her friend Kristine Smyth met years ago while living in Southwest Minneapolis, and the two walk around Lake of the Isles once a week. The morning of March 17, they greeted each other with elbow bumps instead of hugs. With cafes, restaurants and gyms closed, the parks are the place they can meet friends and socialize in the open air at a safe distance.
TWO POWERFUL DRAMAS about racial discrimination in housing in the Twin Cities
Tangletown resident Melanie Ferris brought her two children and dog Jack to the Lake of the Isles dog park March 17 to get some exercise and play. She said she’s very supportive of actions the state and city are taking to promote social distancing and is glad the parks are still available. “Everything they can do to slow the spread is good, and I appreciate that we can still be outside,” Ferris said. The nonprofit Loppet Foundation has closed The Trailhead at Theodore Wirth Park, but is keeping its cross country ski trails open to the public and will continue grooming trails through the weekend, according to marketing and sales director Jon Friedell. “We’re hoping people will still get out and ski and enjoy the outdoors,” Friedell said. The Loppet Foundation and the International Ski Federation had to cancel the 2020 Coop FIS Cross Country World Cup races scheduled to take place at Theodore Wirth Park March 14-17 due to the coronavirus.
Rec centers to close
The rec centers, and programming hosted by the MPRB, including RecPlus child care and youth sports, will cease operation through April 5, according to officials.
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The closure applies to all 47 rec centers, ice arenas, the Kroening Interpretive Center and the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden Visitor Center. “It’s a very fluid situation and we’re really monitoring what the Minnesota Department of Health and Minneapolis Public Health is recommending,” Sommers said. At this time, board of commissioners meetings, including a planned March 18 meeting, remain scheduled. The MPRB is encouraging members of the public and media to watch the meetings on public access television, live on the City of Minneapolis website or on YouTube afterward in an effort to promote social distancing.
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A18 March 19–April 1, 2020 / southwestjournal.com FROM SCHOOLS / PAGE A1
They also may hold the vote during an online meeting. State law allows school boards to hold meetings via telephone or other electronic means during a health pandemic; generally, a board must ensure that people available at the regular meeting location can hear discussion and testimony. “There are ways for us to continue the work of the district,” Ellison said. “I think it’s important that we do so.” The School Board had been planning to vote April 14 on the CDD, which includes changes to school programming, attendance zones and grade configurations. Many parents had already asked for additional time to study the plan and provide feedback. They had also asked MPS for more information on the plan’s benefits. On March 17, a multi-school parent coalition that had called for a delay reiterated its position. “Moving forward with the vote — especially at a time like this — without thorough input from impacted communities is a betrayal of your duties as public servants,” KidsFirstMPLS wrote. But Hale Elementary School parent Shilad Sen said families have historically argued against change at the expense of equity. “Delaying a month likely means delaying a year,” he said. “Our families not being served by Minneapolis Public Schools cannot and will not wait.” Ellison said MPS and School Board members have been listening to community feedback. She hasn’t seen the final draft of the plan, but senior staff assured her they have made changes based on community feedback. “They will be able to answer a lot of the questions that people have,” she said. MPS has said the CDD has the potential to increase academic achievement, ensure compliance with federal laws and eliminate policies and practices that disadvantage lowincome students and students of color. Goals include reducing racial segregation and ensuring that all students have access to a good school in their neighborhood. The main strategies include drawing new attendance zones and centralizing magnet schools and high school career and technical education (CTE) services. Elementary and middle school students would begin attending new schools in fall 2021 under the plan. The district would not require already enrolled high school students to change buildings, but incoming ninthgraders would start at their new “community” high school that fall.
Magnet concerns
At the School Board meeting on March 10, when the CDD was less than six weeks away from a final vote, dozens of parents asked MPS for more information and said the changes would have negative effects. Testifying to the board, Whittier International magnet school parent Monica Mesa said that the school would have higher concentrations of students in poverty and students of color, which would run contrary to district goals of reducing racial segregation. At Whittier, which currently draws students from across Minneapolis, about 80% of students are students of color and about 80% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch; that’s typically used as an indicator of poverty. Under the latest CDD model, about 93% of students would be students of color and about 86% would qualify for free or reducedprice lunch. Mesa asked the district to adjust Whittier’s proposed boundaries and try to keep as many current staff members there as possible. Windom Spanish Dual-Immersion magnet school parent Jose Agustin Mejia said Hispanic families feel welcomed at the school. The CDD would make Windom a community school and would send elementary-aged immersion students to other buildings. Mejia said Hispanic families at the school may seek options outside of MPS because of the CDD. Abdullahi Aden, a bilingual program assistant at Armatage Montessori magnet school, said Somali parents there are unhappy with the CDD, because they would lose their busing there. He said Somali families like Montessori education and that Armatage’s Somali students exit the English-learner (EL) program faster than at other schools. Somali parents at the K-8 Clara Barton Open magnet school in East Harriet have also spoke out against the plan, which would shrink Barton’s busing zone. Parents at Green Central Park community elementary school, located just east of Interstate 35W and home to about 30 Southwest Minneapolis students, said the CDD could cause imbalance at what’s already an integrated school. Green Central had 300 students as of Oct. 1, and about 94% were students of color. But parents there said defining diversity simply by looking at the number of white kids compared with kids of color is too simplistic. About half of Green Central students are Hispanic, and there are also Somali students
Silvia Ibanez, a parent of students at Barton and Windom schools, is among the parents who has asked the school district to slow down its redesign process. Photo by Nate Gotlieb
and students from other ethnic backgrounds. Graff said he recognized the diversity among MPS’ students of color but that he’s trying to create a plan that reduces the number of “racially isolated” schools, as designated by the state. Those are schools with concentrations of students of color that are significantly above the districtwide average. School Board member Bob Walser, who represents the Chain of Lakes and Downtown, said K-8 schools are important to students who are homeless and highly mobile. At past meetings, he has encouraged Graff to look into expanding K-8 options, instead of only offering K-5 and 6-8 configurations. Walser has also cited research by Lake Nokomis Community School parent Nicole Nafziger, a food scientist by profession, who found that middle school students in K-8 buildings are disciplined at lower rates and report higher levels of school satisfaction. MPS middle schoolers perform similarly on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment regardless of the type of school, when factors such as poverty are incorporated, Nafziger found. In arguing for a 6-8 model, MPS leaders have said the district doesn’t provide the same level of offerings to students in other models, something parents have disputed. The district has also said it would cost
millions to install similar programming found in 6-8 schools in non-6-8 models.
Board rally
Scores of parents rallied against the plan outside of MPS’ North Minneapolis headquarters before the School Board meeting on March 10. Once inside, they traded chants with parents affiliated with the Advancing Equity Coalition, a group of parents and organizations that includes Integrated Schools Minneapolis and the J.D. Graves Foundation, which some parents criticize for its funding of charter schools and education-reform organizations. “Our kids can’t wait!” the Advancing Equity Coalition chanted, to which the dozens of parents responded, “Show your work!” Over a dozen parents affiliated with the coalition spoke in support of the plan at the meeting. When asked for his reaction to the public comments, Graff said he recognizes that the CDD has generated much conversation and that the district continues to hear from stakeholders. MPS plans to make a final draft of the plan available to the public on March 27. For the latest CDD updates, visit mpls.k12.mn.us/cdd.
southwestjournal.com / March 19–April 1, 2020 A19 FROM FRANKLIN / PAGE A1
Interim City Attorney Erik Nilsson said in a statement the case had been heavily litigated, and additional litigation was not in the best interest of anyone, including Franklin’s family, MPD and the officers involved. The president of the police union voiced “complete and utter disappointment” with the settlement. “It seems instead of punishing violent offenders, the City Council is in the business of rewarding violent offenders. This payment only assists with promoting and perpetuating violent acts towards the citizens and visitors of this great city and violence towards Police Officers,” Lt. Bob Kroll said in a statement. The Minneapolis Police Department deferred comment to the City Attorney’s Office. “No amount of money is ever going to change the hurt that I had to deal with and watch my family go through,” said Rev. Marlon Bell, Franklin’s uncle. “Justice hasn’t been served.” He said it’s hard to watch the city’s Police Federation continue to stand by the officers’ actions, and he said the police narrative, that a highly trained SWAT team would lose control of a gun, doesn’t make sense. “The settlement acknowledges that they know there are some loopholes, in my opinion,” he said. Everyone knows what would happen if someone grabbed an officer’s gun, he said. “That was never something he would do, because he was all about life. He had a young child,” Bell said.
The man
“I just wish they knew the person, not the person that was portrayed on the TV and in the news,” Bell said. “He made a lot of dumb mistakes, I will give you that, but Terrance was truly a good person. And he definitely had a head on his shoulders and he had a future to look forward to.” Bell, who is associate pastor at New Beginnings Baptist Tabernacle, said Franklin grew up attending the Kingfield church that hosted his funeral. Everyone called him “Mookie” from the time he was young. Woldegabriel told attorneys she’d been encouraging Franklin to enroll in school or get a job. She found his application to Dunwoody College in her car. He previously worked at Olympic Steel and Edina Couriers, she said. “He used to sing all of the time, rap and stuff,” his mother, whose name was redacted, told the Franklin legal team in a deposition. A YouTube video of Franklin’s funeral shows guests at the cemetery rapping Franklin’s track called “The Dopest.” His ReverbNation bio says “this 22yr old star is ready to shine.” At the time of his death, Franklin was on probation for stabbing a Sentyrz grocery store employee in 2011 after staff tried to stop him from stuffing items into his backpack, according to court documents. Age 20 at the time with a GED, Franklin told the court he’d been treated for a mental or nervous condition in the past, although not recently. He pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree assault. Franklin tried to help his siblings stay on the “right path,” his mother said in her deposition. “Even though, you know, he had a past criminal history, but he still would tell his brother, you know, to be a better person than what he was. Don’t make the same mistakes I did,” she said.
The chase
After nearly six years of litigation, much more is known today about what occurred on May 10, 2013. And much remains in dispute. The following is drawn from firsthand accounts in court documents: The original 911 call came from a maintenance tech at Greenleaf Apartments at 2743 Lyndale Ave. S., who noticed Franklin and thought he seemed familiar. There had been a burglary about two weeks earlier, and staff member Shawn Keohen suspected Franklin had jumped a fence to enter an unlocked ground-floor unit. Franklin was dating a woman whose grandmother lived in the
building, and they were hanging out in the community room the night of the burglary. Keohen called 911 and told police a burglary suspect was in the parking lot. Franklin sat in the parking lot in a PT Cruiser, rolling a blunt, with girlfriend Anquanette Hollman and her two children in the backseat. Sgt. Katherine Smulski blocked the parking lot exit with her squad, and two other officers confronted Franklin. With his gun drawn, Department of Corrections Officer Dave Schiebel told Franklin to stop the car and raise his hands and said if he continued to drive toward Smulski, he would shoot him. Franklin drove toward the exit, and as another officer moved to line up a shot, Hollman yelled not to shoot, there were children in the car. Smulski got out of the way and Franklin hit the squad door, slamming it shut as he exited the parking lot. An officer later documented a scuff mark on the squad and no damage to the PT Cruiser left bumper. After driving a couple blocks, Franklin pulled over and ran. Hollman, who had been dating Franklin for about three months, said this wasn’t normal behavior for him, and she couldn’t understand why he was acting this way. Keohen called 911 again when he saw Franklin running into and out of Flanders Bros Cycle, and chased until he lost sight of him in an alley. Police began to set up a perimeter, and Keohen passed out surveillance screenshots of Franklin. A SWAT team stationed in a van at a downtown parking ramp responded to the scene. At least one SWAT member recalled Smulski nervously saying on the radio that Franklin had tried to hit her or run her over. Inside the perimeter, James Bickal was returning home from work to find police searching backyards and looking in garbage cans. He opened the door to his screen porch, and noticed the rug was askew and the glass was broken on his back door. Police asked permission to search his house with a dog.
The basement
The following account comes from court depositions and officers’ initial statements to MPD, which were provided between three and 20 days after the shooting. Prior to giving statements, six SWAT team members, with the exception of the two injured officers, met together with an attorney. A team of five SWAT officers entered the Bryant Avenue house. Officer Mark Durand moved the selector of his MP5 submachine gun into the semiautomatic position, which allows the gun to fire once per trigger pull. Durand thought he heard a noise in the basement, and Sgt. Andrew Stender yelled that Franklin had nowhere to go and he needed to come up now, or he was going to get hurt. The police dog Nash ran downstairs and emerged with a cat in his mouth. (The normally vocal cat didn’t make a sound for a few days, but seemed fine, the owner said.) Officers followed Nash downstairs, and he started growling and pulling at Franklin, who was behind the water heater. Nash held Franklin’s clothing, causing his elbows to be pulled down and back. Stender commanded Franklin to show his hands, and said Franklin stared back at him and twisted from side to side. Thinking he might have a gun, Stender said he punched him in the face as hard as he could, and as Franklin continued to stare without responding, he struck his flashlight over Franklin’s right eye. Stender asked if anyone had a Taser, and no one said they did. With Nash still attached to Franklin, Stender placed Franklin in a headlock as he tried to pull away. Officer Michael Meath said he delivered several knee strikes to Franklin’s stomach and chest, but Franklin lunged forward like a “football player” and Meath fell backwards. Officer Lucas Peterson said Franklin punched him in the face with a wild swing and charged at Peterson and knocked him into a wall. Peterson attempted to take Franklin to the ground by grabbing his dreadlocks, ripping hair out of his head.
Durand said Franklin tackled him into the dryer. As he was falling, Durand said Franklin had his finger in the trigger of the MP5 he was carrying. Durand screamed: “He’s got a gun, he’s got a gun,” and then two shots went off. Meath said it felt like someone had struck a baseball bat to his right hip, and Muro said he felt a sharp pain in his right hip. Peterson said Durand appeared to be pinned down by Franklin, and Franklin had control of the MP5 and was preparing to shoot Peterson. Peterson said he trapped the barrel of the gun with his bulletproof vest, reached out in the darkness for Franklin’s head and shot him several times. Meath also fired his handgun, seeing Peterson on top of Franklin apparently struggling over a gun. Bickal watched from the window next door, and when his neighbor heard shots, she hit the floor. She had instructed her kids to stay upstairs and get on the floor. Later, she asked police to personally tell her kids it was all over. Upon hearing shots, more officers entered the house. Schiebel said he put on gloves and checked Franklin for a pulse. Durand draped the MP5 strap over Schiebel’s shoulder while he helped carry injured officers outside, telling him this was the gun that caused the injuries. Police secured tourniquets while waiting for ambulances to arrive. Sgt. Michael Strauss went down to the basement and asked Durand if he was okay, and recalled Durand saying, “It was my gun, Sarge.” Franklin’s autopsy documents gunshot wounds to the right scalp, right ear, right temple, right side of the neck, right arm, right armpit and right side of the back. His body had blunt force injuries to the head and trunk and abrasions to the upper and lower extremities that include an animal bite to the right arm. During a deposition taken in 2015, Muro said he was wounded in the upper part of the right thigh, and he still limps and feels pain after walking for a long time. Meath said it was the most traumatic experience of his life. A Hennepin County grand jury did not find sufficient evidence for probable cause for criminal charges against the officers.
Franklin family legal argument
Franklin’s estate pointed to Peterson’s 13 excessive force complaints, costing the city $700,000 since he joined the force in 1999. Peterson described one 2002 incident in his deposition. Attempting to arrest Christopher Burns during a domestic assault call, Peterson said Burns tried to grab his gun, and Peterson placed him in a neck restraint hold, a trained use-of-force technique at the time. Burns’ fiancée and young children watched Burns suffocate and die. Their lawsuit alleged that Burns was handcuffed at the time. The city approved a $300,000 settlement. Judges repeatedly ruled in favor of Franklin’s estate over the course of six years of litigation. In 2016, U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank denied the city’s motion for summary judgment and denied qualified immunity to the officers. Officers may use deadly force if a suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious physical injury, but the facts are disputed in this case, Donovan wrote. Franklin’s legal team said an iPod Touch video shot from across the street on Bryant contradicts the timeline of at least one officer, who said Franklin was killed within seconds of the MP5 firing. A consultant who enhanced the audio reported that after hearing “officer shot,” about 30 seconds later he can hear voices including: “Come out (unintelligible) … put those hands up now.” The consultant also detected the phrase “let me go.” The attorneys said the time gap between the MP5 discharging and officers shooting Franklin could be up to 72 seconds, “an eternity” in this situation. If Franklin had truly grabbed a gun and shot two cops, the attorneys said, all of the armed SWAT team members would have killed him immediately. There was no blood on the MP5 at a bloody scene, providing circumstantial evidence that Franklin didn’t have the MP5 when he was shot, Donovan wrote.
I just wish they knew the person, not the person that was portrayed on the TV and in the news. —The Rev. Marlon Bell, Terrance Franklin’s uncle
The city’s legal argument
The city appealed to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. The city said no reasonable jury would be able to discern anything meaningful from the garbled video. Official immunity is broadest when officers act in emergency situations and high-risk circumstances, the city said, and the plaintiff would have to prove malice. In this case, officers were dealing with a suspect fleeing arrest, fighting with officers and allegedly shooting a gun. DNA analysis on the MP5 by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said Franklin’s DNA matched the predominant DNA found on the trigger and magazine. Predominant DNA on the grips and stock matched Schiebel, and an unidentified man’s DNA dominated the foregrips. In 2017, a panel of judges dismissed the city’s appeal for lack of jurisdiction. In a 2-1 decision, the judges highlighted the district court’s earlier finding that “the estate raised a genuine dispute as to whether the officers’ story was true.” Whether each officer reasonably believed Franklin posed a sufficient threat depends on what occurred, a determination the court could not make based on evidence presented. The dissenting judge argued there was court precedent to use deadly force in similar situations, including a case with a toy gun where helicopter footage showed a suspect might have attempted to surrender or lost his balance. In 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals declined the city’s request to rehear the case, and later that year the Supreme Court denied a petition to review the case. The parties reached a binding settlement on Feb. 11, 2020, after a nearly six-hour settlement conference attended by Police Chief Medaria Arradondo and City Council President Lisa Bender.
The response
Council Member Andrea Jenkins told constituents that the tragic events in 2013 “represent a dark day in the history of this city.” She said the settlement does not in any way reflect the value of a human life. The shooting led to significant changes in the MPD, she said, including standard-issue body worn cameras and policies that limit officer chases that put public safety at risk. “It is my hope that this settlement brings some closure so that the family and the officers can begin to move past this tragedy,” Jenkins said. Following the case, Chief Janeé Harteau asked the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to investigate all officer-involved shootings. Harteau said in a deposition she had been thinking about the change earlier in the year to improve public perception, but no agreement was in place at the time of Franklin’s shooting. In 2016, MPD revised its policies to emphasize de-escalation and the “sanctity of life.” “This is the thing I want to say,” Franklin’s mother said in her deposition. “There’s not enough money in the world to bring my son back. … It’s just never closure. It gets better with time, but it’s just — it’s just not. … I lost my son to a devastating tragedy. He didn’t die from no illness or anything like. This just doesn’t justify justice.”
Southwest Journal March 19–April 1, 2020
A writing nook of her own Windom author turns detached garage into book haven
By Sheila Regan
W
indom resident Nicole Kronzer’s first young adult novel, “Unscripted,” comes out April 21, and she’s already at work on her next book inside her detached garage on Wentworth Avenue — in a space she’s created as her personal writing nook. When Kronzer realized she wanted to build a writing space, she and her husband, Dan, went looking on Nextdoor, where they found the names of three contractors recommended by neighbors. The first two contractors visited their Portuguese Colonial home and listened to their idea — they initially wanted to build a sunroom atop their tuck-under car garage — and then announced that the plan was crazy and too expensive. SEE WRITER’S GARAGE / PAGE B3
Nicole Kronzer had the detached garage outside her Windom home remodeled into a cozy space where she can write her books in peace. Photos by Todd Hafermann
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southwestjournal.com / March 19–April 1, 2020 B3
Nicole Kronzer sits inside her converted writer’s garage. Photo by Sheila Regan
FROM WRITER’S GARAGE / PAGE B1
The third contractor was Dan Hanson, of Hanson Remodeling. “Dan came around and said, ‘It’s pretty expensive, but I’ll write it up,’” Nicole Kronzer said. After receiving the quote, the Kronzers agreed it was out of their price range. They went through a few other ideas, including building a sunroom behind their house, which was still prohibitively expensive, and building an additional floor on top of their house — also impossible. Then a member of the Hanson Remodeling team, Julie Durand (who’s since moved on
from the firm), suggested working with the unattached garage, which Kronzer had already been using as a writing space in the summer. “Well, you’ve got that little building,” Durand told Kronzer. “It already exists. What if we just winterize it?” The project’s total cost was about $70,000, including two built-in bookshelves, six new windows, a new door and screen door, a heating/cooling system, a new roof, and a new hardwood floor and subfloor.
A space to write
Kronzer wrote her first (as yet unpublished novel) in summer 2015 in the detached garage next to her house.
Kronzer’s youngest of two daughters was three at the time, and was finally able to safely navigate the slide in the backyard. “When she stopped pitching herself headfirst off of things, I thought, ‘I can write now,’” she said. When the Kronzers moved in more than 15 years ago, the detached garage had windows and a door, but no screens or ventilation. The Kronzers made screens and put down decking. They painted the walls and pulled down sheetrock from the ceiling. The family used the garage space as a playhouse for the kids, and Kronzer used it as a writing space during the summer months, sitting in an Ikea chair and writing
by hand in a notebook. During the winter, she had to move into her bedroom. “I hate working in my bedroom,” she said. “It’s dark, which is great for sleeping but not great for writing.” The family affectionately had been calling the garage “the Burrow,” after the Weasley family’s magical house in Harry Potter.
Working with what they had
Hanson said using the existing garage structure provided an opportunity to create Kronzer’s ideal writing space without changing the roofline of the main house, which would cause the project’s cost to balloon. SEE WRITER’S GARAGE / PAGE B4
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B4 March 19–April 1, 2020 / southwestjournal.com FROM WRITER’S GARAGE / PAGE B3
The work involved reinforcing the garage’s structure, which was somewhat compromised. Hanson’s team needed to do shoring and additional concrete work. “We insulated it and redid the walls,” he said. They also put in an air conditioner with a mini-split system, providing both heating and cooling. “It allowed us to create a cool space to focus on her writing,” Hanson said. “It allows her to go all year with nice windows, a writing space and a sitting space for her kids if they want to come join her.” The goal of the design was to create a kind of oasis for a writer to be able to focus away from the distractions of daily life. The Burrow, which is about 14 feet by 20 feet, is brightened by six windows. The vaulted ceiling and cool natural wood finish on the walls gives it “a cabin-y feel,” Hanson said. His team created custom cabinets for Kronzer’s books and supplies; on one side of the garage she has shelves full of her favorite novels (all autographed), which she peruses when she’s searching for inspiration. A shelf on the other side of her desk holds her books without autographs, novel drafts and supplies. “It feels like you are stepping into a little portal,” Hanson said. “It’s very cozy and warm.”
Perfect timing
Kronzer signed with her agent in early February 2018. She found a publisher by June of that year, signed a contract in November, and started revisions with her editor in late January 2019, just as she was moving into the Burrow. The novel is about a summer improv theater camp rife with toxic masculinity. “I had everything set up except I hadn’t put anything up on the walls,” she said.
“It feels like you are stepping into a little portal,” contractor Dan Hanson says. Photo by Todd Hafermann
southwestjournal.com / March 19–April 1, 2020 B5
The Kronzers’ Burrow, which is about 14 feet by 20 feet, is brightened by six windows. Photo by Todd Hafermann
“I opened up my computer. I checked my email for the first time out here, and there was the first email from my editor saying, ‘Here are the changes I want you to make. You have five weeks.’” It was as if her writing nook had been waiting for her to be ready. “The heat was on, the furniture was here and then I worked
on the book for five solid weeks,” she said. Before writing “Unscripted,” Kronzer spent a year revising that first unpublished book, and sent it off to agents, but didn’t get signed. “Someone said to me— as soon as you start querying agents, write your next book,” she said. She took that advice, and began writing, “Unscripted.”
The book takes place in a fictional summer camp, where kids from all the country learn comedy and theater improvisation. The main character, who dreams of being on Saturday Night Live, gets into the camp’s top improv team, only to find that she’s the only girl. The boys are rude and sexist, and her coach turns out to be an inappropriate monster. It’s a
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B6 March 19–April 1, 2020 / southwestjournal.com
The tile maker’s art An ancient craft with a modern touch
By Susan Schaefer
H
ave you ever heard cat paws prancing upon your roof ? No? Well, back in Victorian Britain, when most roofs were created from that iconic fired red clay, the nightly frolicking of rooftop cats gave rise to the word tile. Seems the ruckus evoked the French word, “tuile,” which itself is originally from the Latin word “tegula,” meaning a roof tile.
Cat antics aside, the provenance of tiles extends far back into pre-recorded history. Evidence of some form of ceramic tile can be traced 25,000 years into the past. There are fine examples of Egyptian tiles dated to 4,700 B.C. During modern archeological digs worldwide, ancient Greek and Roman painted tiles continue to be unearthed. From the 12th to 16th centuries tile making was a high art — laborious and intensive. Potters traveled far and wide, often using local clays, which they cut, shaped, carved, molded, dried and glazed with materials such as lead ore. Then they fired. Expensive and lavish, tiles were used in religious and royal architecture, eventually decking the mansions and palaces of gentry and rich merchants, out of reach for the average folk. Tile making faded from use somewhat during the 1600s, but hand-painted glazed tiles again became the rage the next century — the Dutch Golden Age — when legendary Dutch merchants uncovered the ancient artifacts during their global conquests. Soon, Holland’s fabled artisans handily replicated the techniques, restoring the glory of this art. During the aforementioned catsprancing-on-rooftops Victorian era, the porcelain manufacturer Herbert Minton revived encaustic tile making and developed dust-pressing, a common modern manufacturing method. This mass production process finally created an affordable product available to the masses.
A Kenwood restoration
Let’s fast forward to a more recent time – a home restoration by Southwest Minneap-
Howard and Stephanie Fink looked through dozens of photos of old Craftsman fireplaces to get ideas. They worked closely with Josh Blanc, owner of Clay Squared, to create this original fireplace. Photos by Sarah Whiting Photography
olis residents Howard and Stephanie Fink. In 2004, in order to accommodate their growing family and visits from their grandparents, the couple were seeking “an older house with three to four bedrooms, spaces that felt homey with good flow between the common areas and easy accessibility to the main floor,” Howard Fink says. They scored a beauty, moving from a
smaller Armatage house to their current spacious Kenwood residence. “The first things we saw when we walked in the house were high ceilings, lots of windows, alluring stained oak dining room entries and a buffet with stained glass mosaic windows,” Fink recounts. They were smitten. The location — close to Downtown, Uptown, restaurants and the
lakes and trails — cemented their decision. Fink, a self-confessed perfectionist, undertook a precise and loving renovation that included the living room with its remarkable Craftsman-looking fireplace. The fireplace woodwork had been totally painted, and as with many remodeling projects, secrets lay beneath the surface. “Under the beige paint were layers of
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southwestjournal.com / March 19–April 1, 2020 B7
Ian Cunningham poses by a family plaque alongside the fireplace mantle of his elegant Lake of the Isles home. Photo by Susan Schaefer
grey, red and yellow,” he recalls, “and the fireplace was covered in really ugly fourinch square brown tiles.” Once the entire room had been painstakingly restored — bringing the woodwork to its original glory, replacing the little French bookcase doors they had found in the attic and commissioning mantle sconces to mimic two others in the house — “the fireplace stood out as an eyesore.”
Quest for ceramic authenticity
Fink initially considered removing the fireplace’s unsightly brown tiles and sandblasting the bricks underneath. Upon further thought and consideration, he decided to replace the old tile — an endeavor that set him on a quest worthy of the Holy Grail. From the beginning he knew he wanted a
Craftsman look to honor the original style. “I looked through about a half dozen books of photos of old Craftsman fireplaces to get ideas about patterns,” he explains, “measuring every aspect of our fireplace, drawing ideas out on graph paper, plotting where every tile would go.” Conferring every step of the way with wife, Stephanie, the two “ultimately agreed on a design that used horizontal rectangular-shaped tiles of the same dimensions as the bricks underneath, with a very specific row of vertically oriented tiles for the bottom row (called a soldier’s row).” Then, they envisioned tile mosaic inserts designed to imitate the stained-glass mosaics over their dining room buffet. Fink wanted these tile mosaics to have mullions (a slender vertical decorative element that forms a division between units of a
Cunningham installs glass and ceramic subway tiles in a tight bathroom space. Photo by Susan Schaefer
window) and for the background “to look like you were looking through a window.”
Customer/craftsman collaboration
While looking for tile ideas online, Fink came across the Handmade Tile Association website and noticed an exhibit the organization was holding at the Edina Art Center. It was there he met Josh Blanc, owner of Clay Squared. Sold on the idea of tying the living and dining rooms together, Fink sketched out his precise ideas and brought them into Blanc’s shop. “Josh seemed to appreciate my detail orientation. He is a craftsman/artist who both knows the creative process and can provide guidance for thinking about the project in the context of the style and era of our house.”
Fink had found a collaborative and kindred spirit. The key to any renovation project is active communication between the customer and the craftsman. Clay Squared operates a business model that encourages not only collaboration but also provides practical client educational tools to ensure success. Blanc explains that his company “has created a series of learning tools and visual aids to help homeowners navigate the process of designing a tile project for their home. We provide items like planning guides for kitchens, bathrooms and fireplaces. … We also offer a sample program so homeowners can take out sample tiles and design boards to see how they look in their home.” Indeed, the Finks provided the high amount of backgrounding and knowledge SEE TILE / PAGE B8
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“Our appeal for working with Margi is she had such a vision,” Cassie Jones said. “It’s sort of exciting to have someone so excited to work on it.” Gardening Angel will maintain the Joneses’ yards going forward. While off-duty, MacMurdo-Reading can’t resist pulling the occasional weed as she walks by. “It’s my favorite yard,” she said. “It was a really fun project.”
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Boxwoods line the sidewalk, intermixed with golden arborvitae shrubs. MacMurdo-Reading also had boxwoods planted at the edge of the upper lawn to act as a natural fence. She redesigned the plantings in the terraced back yard, with a line of boxwood atop the back wall and the lower terrace with more golden arborvitae,
Gardening Angel Garden Design HOME 032119 S3.indd 1
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Profile written by Nancy Crotti, a freelance writer.
1/23/19 9:34 AM
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B8 March 19–April 1, 2020 / southwestjournal.com FROM TILE / PAGE B7
that Blanc believes contributes to a superior final project. They brought in pictures of two dining room glass mosaics, scaled to the size they wanted the fireplace insets to be. “Josh helped Stephanie and me pick colors for the grapes, branches, leaves, mullions and window glass from samples in the shop,” Fink says. “Then he created representative and abstract versions of the mosaic.” Fink says that no explanation was too troublesome for Blanc, who believes each client deserves rapt attention and knowledge. The resulting tiled fireplace (installed by Hohn & Hohn Inc.) is the centerpiece of the Fink home. “Every time I look at the fireplace,” Fink states, “I’m just as happy with it as the day the tile was installed. We think it is beautiful.”
Setting it right
Once the project is scoped, and the tiles selected and made, the next critical step is installation. The East Isles-based tile contractor Ian Cunningham understands better than most just how critical tile setting is. This unassuming craftsman is a veritable Tile Jedi — an Obi-Wan Kenobi in work boots, flannel shirt and blue jeans wielding his saber, a specialized tile saw. Tile is as lovely as it is tricky and unforgiving. Whether custom or commercial, tiles are a combination of clay, minerals and solvents that are shaped and sized and then heated to very high temperatures. Most are then glazed, adding a non-porous element that’s usually impermeable and therefore good for all areas, including kitchens and baths, foyers and countertops. But before they’re set in grout, they are fragile and breakable. This is where Cunningham’s art background and “good eye” set him apart from general contractors. Graduating from the University of SEE TILE / PAGE B9
The tile mosaic inserts of grape vines were designed to imitate the stained-glass mosaics over the Finks’ dining room buffet. Photo by Sarah Whiting Photography
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This polished wood sculpture is another of Cunningham’s fine art projects.
FROM TILE / PAGE B8
One of the stone sculptures gracing the home fireplace, showcasing Cunningham’s fine art background. Photos by Sarah Whiting Photography
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Minnesota with a fine art degree in 1978, Cunningham still recalls with great pride his senior show exhibit at the Weisman Art Museum. And for good reason: Gracing the downstairs of the stately Lake of the Isles mansion he inherited from his father and shares with wife, Michelle, sons, Jared and Ethan, perky Portuguese Water Dog, Rio, and cuddly cats, Rocky and Monty, Cunningham’s sensual sculptures testify to his artistic appreciation and ability. “My first job was when I was 14,” he recalls, “laying tiles in a South Minneapolis duplex with a highly complex entryway. The general contractor couldn’t believe how easily I figured out the pattern, working the
uneven surfaces to a final, smooth perfection.” And he was still a teen. Tile installation is demanding work, much of it spent on all fours on cold, hard floors or squeezing into tight bathroom spaces working around immovable objects like the porcelain throne. Working with irreplaceable custom tiles requires dexterity and skill to get it right the first time. Staying in business full time for almost 50 years, primarily through word-ofmouth, is an indication of the quality and desirability of Cunningham’s work. One recent project drew an amazed response from a fellow craftsman for the precision and speed with which Cunningham installed a tricky bathroom backsplash with a complicated pattern in just three hours. “The cabinetmaker looked at me,” Cunningham says with a grin, “and exclaims it would have taken him three days, not three hours, to nail it!” Such talent remains in high demand. Cunningham says a majority of his projects over the past years have come from one contractor, St. Paul-based Joe Hamel. With no website and only a flip phone, it’s safe to say the force truly is with Ian Cunningham. He gladly takes calls at 612-822-0304.
Tile: the frequent frontier
In 2018, more than 3 billion square feet of ceramic tile were installed in the United States. Besides being beautiful, ceramic tile is a desirable surface: strong, colorfast, hygienic and flame-resistant. It doesn’t conduct heat or electricity, won’t absorb odors or emit hazardous chemicals, never swells or contracts in extreme temperatures and is easy to clean. And when it comes to floors, ceramic tiles are popular because of the large variety of choices, the cost effectiveness and the easy maintenance. Just beware of prancing cats!
B10 March 19–April 1, 2020 / southwestjournal.com
Creating a wellness refuge A backyard sauna can offer health, social benefits
By Andrew Hazzard / ahazzard@swjournal.com
F
or people making their home a refuge, a backyard sauna can help reduce stress, and Southwest Minneapolis is full of experts ready to help people create that sanctuary.
“Twenty steps into your backyard is an escape,” said local sauna enthusiast Glenn Auerbach. Auerbach, a Kenny resident, literally wrote the book on building your own sauna. The founder of the “SaunaTimes” blog published a do-it-yourself guide, “Sauna Build, From Start to Finnish,” that breaks down the best size and style of projects for any individual. Auerbach has been a sauna evangelist for years and says the demand today is higher than ever before. He built his first backyard sauna in his old home at 35th & Aldrich in 1991 and built another at his Kenny home in 2003. Today he is part of the sauna community that gathers at Sauna Village, formerly known as The Yard, at 47th & Nicollet, run by Stokeyard Outfitters. The most common questions he gets from people looking to build their own sauna are about setback requirements, wood versus electric stoves and the ideal room size for the hot room. When taken as a do-it-yourself project, saunas can be built for between $6,000 to $7,000, he said. “The other thing about the DIY build is it’s very empowering,” Auerbach said. People can work with friends or relatives
John Pederson, co-founder of Stokeyard Outfitters, takes a cooling bath after a session in one of the mobile sauna units at Sauna Village, his company’s experience center and sauna showroom in Tangletown. Photo by Andrew Hazzard
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on the project and complete it at their own pace. And unlike tiling your own bathroom, a sauna doesn’t have to be the most aesthetically pleasing thing in the world, it just needs to be well-insulated with a good stove. “It can be perfect with its imperfections,” he said. A good sauna creates, and harnesses, good heat and good heat is kind of hard to describe, Auerbach said. But there is a word for it, at least in Finnish — lampömassa — which roughly translates to dense heat. Think about a cast iron skillet versus a cheap frying pan, he said, both get hot, but one delivers consistent, quality heat. Many sauna advocates recommend woodfire stoves made by Kuma, but there are a range of electric and hybrid options that can give effective heat. Wood-fire Kuma stoves sell for around $1,800 but will last a lifetime and require little to no maintenance. Other wood-fire or electric stoves can go for around $500 but may need more upkeep. If people can afford the wood-fire stove, they should get it, Stokeyard Outfitters’ Teke O’Reilly said. For those less inclined to do-it-themselves, there are local professionals who will handle the work for them. Eric Bongard, of Voyageur Custom Saunas, specializes in building custom, mobile sauna units. Bongard has seen the sauna trend take off in recent years. Originally, he specialized in creating custom ice-fishing shanties but decided to go full time on saunas in 2017. In 2019, he made and sold 22 custom units. This year, he’s on track for 40. He sells his saunas across North America, sending the units as far as British Columbia and has done several jobs in Southwest Minneapolis. Bongard sends any potential local customers to Stokeyard Outfitters flagship venue Sauna Village in Tangletown, where people can try out his units and get quality tips on how to maximize their sauna experience. Many of the people who come to Sauna
Village are either already thinking about getting their own unit or start to once they experience it. “It gets the wheels turning,” John Pederson, co-founder of Stokeyard Outfitters, said. Mobile sauna units start around $9,000 and can cost up to $20,000 depending on the size and the type of stove and wood used in the process. In-home builds cost much more, with a starting point around $50,000, Bongard said. The mobile units are constructed from aluminum, which means, aside from scraping out the ash panel, there is essentially no maintenance for the saunas. The average backyard mobile unit is 7 by 12 feet, or 96 square feet, which is smaller than the 120-square-foot structure size that would require a city permit to build. The wheels on the structures mean there are no setback violations either. Nonmobile backyard saunas have general shed setback requirements. Many of Bongard’s clients had hot tubs before. Hot tubs range in price from about $3,000 to $15,000 but require regular maintenance and treatment throughout their lifetime. Saunas largely do not require maintenance besides splitting wood. Proponents argue that saunas also provide health benefits hot tubs lack. “The hot tub experience is pleasure, whereas this is wellness,” O’Reilly said. As a more affordable option, Stokeyard Outfitters sells sauna tents. Ideal for camping or setting up for occasional weekend use, the SnowTrekker sauna tents can get up to 200 degrees and create an authentic sauna experience for $2,000 or less. “They’re the real deal,” O’Reilly said. The backyard sauna can turn a yard into a social venue, and proponents say they will bring crowds of family and friends together for fun and meaningful connections. “Most people are buying saunas for the health benefits. That said, they do make a great gathering spot for their friends,” Bongard said.
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Kenny resident Glenn Auerbach is the founder of the SaunaTimes blog and the author of a book on building your own sauna. He believes a backyard sauna can offer a place of escape, wellness and social gatherings for any home. Photo by Andrew Hazzard
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B12 March 19–April 1, 2020 / southwestjournal.com
Unsung Architecture
By Adam Jonas and Wynne Yelland
The home of your dreams
I
n Daniel Pinkwater’s 1977 children’s book “The Big Orange Splot,” Mr. Plumbeam changes his cookie-cutter home into a colorful spectacle uniquely his own. “My house is me and I am it,” he tells his neighbors. “My house is where I like to be and it looks like all my dreams.” “The Big Orange Splot” explores neighborhood context, identity and the balance between conformity and non-conformity in a wonderfully silly way. Mr. Plumbeam infuriates his neighbors by suddenly changing their familiar streetscape, but as they listen to Plumbeam’s reasoning for his renovation, they open their minds to their own revelations, in turn modifying their homes to fit their dreams — from castles to onion domes to hot air balloon-inspired abodes. The resulting assemblage dramatically alters the character of the entire neighborhood and redefines the context for the next home on the block. Imagine how disrespectful it would be to design a cookie-cutter home next to several with big orange splots on the roof! Or, then again, would it? The topic of “appropriate” context has often emerged in conversations with clients over Locus Architecture’s 25-year history. Some clients passionately feel their home should “blend in” while others are emphatically
A SPECTRUM OF ARCHITECTURAL BLEN A blended bungalow
committed to living in a home of “their dreams.” We believe that good architecture can be found across this spectrum. An architectural awards program called, literally, “the BLEND Awards” is an example of one end of the spectrum. That program, launched by the Fulton Neighborhood Association in 2007, encourages “newly remodeled or constructed homes to blend into the fabric of Minneapolis and St. Paul neighborhoods.” Part of the entry submittal requires applicants to include photos of the front facade of a handful of adjacent homes to convey the immediate context. In 2013, our firm won a BLEND Award for a renovation in Linden Hills that “blended” into the neighborhood in an abstract way, while still expressing the distinct personalities of its two owners. The front of the home retained its original bungalow quality, scale, shape, dormer, porch and window sizes. Where the home deviates from the original, it does so with expression of its green design features, access to sunlight, and even the personalities of the owners’ cats. The side gables grew and eschewed symmetry; we located new windows based solely on the functions taking place behind them — showering, reading, sleeping, eating. We clad the asymmetrical roof in metal (a more sustainable alternative to typical asphalt shingles) and pitched it at an appropriate angle to accept future
A gl
This Linden Hills bungalow blends into its neighbors by retaining original qualities of scale (1.5 stories), shape (gable roof and front porch) and materials (lap siding) near the front entrance. In contrast, its side facade (pictured) shifts toward modern with window locations based on interior functions and a vibrant color choice. Submitted photos
Rod Helm R E A L T Y
G R O U P
2431 West 22nd Street, Minneapolis | $2.195M Remarkable new construction in the heart of Kenwood featuring a tremendous attention to detail and a comfortable, usable layout. Some of this home’s many special features include a 3-car garage and screened porch with wood-burning fireplace.
952-924-6246 | rhelm@cbburnet.com Helm Rod SWJ 031920 4.indd 1
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photovoltaic panels. The bold colors on the narrow lap and shake siding were chosen by the homeowners to provide a striking contrast to the black, brown and white landscape (“context”) we Minnesotans share six months of the year. Somewhere in the middle of the seamless-
surprising spectrum is a renovation we designed on Minnehaha Creek. After the home’s owners worked with Quigley Architects on a more traditional front porch facing Minnehaha Creek, they asked us to reimagine the home’s backside — ridding it of a warren
of past additions, niches and corridors — and opening the house to a back patio and garden. Their desire to live in a modern, open plan was matched with a sleek aesthetic of glass, aluminum and natural wood — a palette that was integrated into the existing brick, yet clearly
NDING
lassy addition
A metal-clad add on
ssy addition strikingly contrasts the brick mass at the back of home near Minnehaha Creek. Warm tones from Ipe wood and tones from aluminum tie the new and old together.
Formal and material contrast is amped up with a metal-clad modern addition to an original Dutch Colonial in Linden Hills. The dramatic difference is softened from the street with landscaping.
distinct from the original architecture. “Our joke is that we have the mullet house,” quipped the owner, “but we are so pleased with it. We use the porch all summer and the modern back room and kitchen all the time.” On the far end of the blend-bold spectrum we see overt contrast. Another Linden Hills project began with a Dutch Colonial meticulously restored by our clients in every detail. When it came time to expand their living space, they asked for something stripped of ornament — a contrast to the complexity of the existing home. We conceptualized our remodel by thinking about the Midwestern agrarian vernacular, which so often has buildings assembled over time with striking contrast in shape and texture — like a century old wood farmhouse or barn alongside a metal grain bin. “We were drawn to materials and forms contemporary to this era as a compatible contrast to our century-old home constructed of materials and forms of its era,” reflected the owner. “The diversity of this approach in combination with others making different choices is what keeps the neighborhood character dynamic.” As with many of our more modern additions, the initial shock of the project softened with the addition of thoughtful landscaping and the passage of time. “Our street is us and we are it,” the neighbors in “The Big Orange Splot” tell newcomers. “Our street is where we like to be, and it looks like all our dreams.” As we look at the variety of homes in Southwest, we see stories more than style. Looking past architectural labels — bungalow, Dutch Colonial, prairie, Georgian — a home provides a glimpse of its occupants’ personalities, from strict traditionalists to progressive eclectics. Before deciding what you like or don’t like about Mr. Plumbeam’s home down your block, ask for a tour and get to know the people behind it. You never know, they might inspire you to dream. Adam Jonas and Wynne Yelland are architects at Locus Architecture at 45th & Nicollet in Kingfield. Visit locusarchitecture.com to learn more.
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B14 March 19–April 1, 2020 / southwestjournal.com
Tending your rock garden Minnesota, with its hard winters and short growing season, is a great place for rock gardens By Shannon Wadman
W
hen I moved to East Harriet in fall 2001, I arrived on a plane with my nearly 2-year-old son, a small suitcase and two giant boxes of plants extracted from my garden in Seattle.
Primula kisoana (background) and mixed Saxifraga (foreground) grow in Shannon Wadman’s East Harriet rock garden. Photos by Shannon Wadman
Our new yard was overgrown, so the plants had to live in my mother’s garden until we could clear some space for them. The following spring I found a multitude of beautiful rocks buried in the backyard. It was obvious that they were intentionally placed and part of a garden that had not been tended in some time. A garden without its gardener is quickly reclaimed by Mother Nature. Initially, I placed them around the edges of my growing garden beds as points of interest. It wasn’t until I joined the Minnesota Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society (NARGS) years later that I started to appreciate how much more they could contribute once I allowed them to be an integral part of the landscape. Having gardened in the Pacific Northwest, I garden in Minnesota with an intense zone denial. This means that I have killed a lot of plants, probably more than I have successfully grown. I am always on
the hunt for something unusual to try. A gardener friend of mine once mentioned that if I wanted great plants, then I needed to join NARGS. “Those people know plants,” she said. Minnesota, with its hard winters and short growing season, is a great place for rock gardens. Classically, rock gardens have been filled with diverse species of miniature conifers and alpine plants, although more common garden plants can work as well. Indigenous alpine plants grow high up in the mountains above the tree line. The short alpine growing season lasts about three months, and plants need to grow, bloom and set seed before they freeze again. As a result, these perennial plants tend to put out abundant flowers in a short period of time. Often the small plants are so covered with flowers that the leaves cannot be seen. The prime blooming season is April through June, but by learning to creatively combine a variety of small plants in a vertically inclined, rocksculptured garden design, one can create a tapestry of color and texture that looks beautiful year round.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Fords and Chevys 6 Trick 10 Electric guitarist’s need 13 “When __ we three meet again”: “Macbeth” opening line 14 Baseball card transaction 15 “You think I did it?!” 16 Sweetened, as something harsh to hear 18 Had a bite 19 Culturally pretentious 20 Coffee container 21 __ nerve 23 Daisy __: Li’l Abner’s wife 24 Variety, idiomatically, with “the” 27 Amazes 29 “A,” in pilot shorthand 30 Bulova competitor 32 Give a hoot 34 Credit in a footnote 38 Loaded bakery item
59 What the starts of 16-, 24-, 38- and 47-Across make? 63 Ltd., across the pond 64 Sooner State natives 65 Jump for joy
41 Surrender, as land
66 In the past
42 “Star __: The Rise of Skywalker”
68 Brainy bunch
43 Molecule parts 44 Recipe instruction 46 Aid in crime 47 “Don’t make any sudden moves” 52 “No more sharing,” briefly
67 Rump
9 Batted first 10 Stradivari’s tutor 11 Central idea 12 Cake serving 14 Singer Amos 17 Pair in a pint 22 Appease 24 Hot 25 Makes on the job
DOWN
26 Cassini of fashion
1 Black tea from India
28 “No more for us”
2 “Star Trek” lieutenant 3 Worked closely with a partner on a task 4 Skin care brand
30 Noir sleuth 31 “__ been wrong before” 32 Zin cousin 33 Broadcast
55 Island in “Jaws”
5 Camera initials
56 Bethesda research org.
6 Old Paris coin 7 Horse morsel
36 President pro __
57 Mythical man-goat
8 Shelley’s “__ to the West Wind”
39 Bed size
58 Cacophony
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35 “Time for me to split” 37 Hallelujah trio?
40 Life-changing household arrival 45 Pop star Swift 46 Tennis great Arthur 47 First name in 1970s gymnastics 48 Cyberchatting 49 __ de Mayo 50 Oversized keyboard key 51 Feels poorly 53 Thinks (over) 54 Photo-sharing website, familiarly 57 Prix __ menu 60 ’50s presidential nickname 61 Aunt in Acapulco 62 Great fielding play, say Crossword answers on page B20
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southwestjournal.com / March 19–April 1, 2020 B15
Rock gardening offers the opportunity for experimentation in the face of limited space and climate change.
The majority of alpine plants grow in areas that have loose, gritty, well-draining topsoil. Growing in between rocks serves to protect the crown of the plant from disturbance and rot as the snow melts, but they develop very long root systems that help them survive exposure to extreme seasonal temperature changes. In learning about alpine plants and rock gardening I have gained a wealth of knowledge from my fellow NARGS members — not just about plants but, more importantly, about soil. Proper soil, it turns out, is everything. Soil is not glamorous, but if you want to be a successful gardener growing alpine and other rock garden species, then you cannot have enough knowledge about soil. The interplay between soil and water is critical to plant growth and reproduction but also for plant resistance to extreme temperatures, insects and diseases. We cannot control the weather, but in a climate like Minnesota, providing the proper below ground dynamics can make all the difference between success and failure in growing something new or something that might be marginally hardy. If you want to visit a rock garden to see what all the fuss is about, you have a variety of local options. MN-NARGS volunteers donate countless hours to help maintain a beautiful rock garden at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Closer to home, the Peace Garden in East Harriet was re-designed in the 1980s by MN-NARGS member and renowned gardener Betty Ann Addison. These are wonderful places to appreciate the potential of rock gardening in a large space, but a lot of space is certainly not required. Even a sunny Uptown apartment balcony can support an array of blooming alpines, succulents and dwarf conifers in troughs. Trough gardening can also be adapted
to incorporate other hot garden trends such as xeriscaping, fairy gardens and bonsai. Educational opportunities also abound since small troughs made from lightweight materials can be easily transported. Styrofoam shipping boxes can be sculpted, painted or coated over with a thin layer of hypertufa material to look like rocks. MN-NARGS has used these types of troughs to promote rock gardening at the Minnesota State Fair; stop by the booth this fall to ask questions or get to know some great gardeners. As city dwellers we tend to eschew the broad expanses of turf and cookie-cutter landscapes that have come to represent the stereotype of Midwestern yards. However, as the population grows, living spaces will continue to shrink, and as the climate becomes more volatile, even our modern city lifestyles will need to adapt. What will not change is the fundamental human desire to possess an outdoor space that can provide sanctuary from the stresses of our modern world. No other style of garden offers more opportunity for experimentation in the face of limited space and climate change than rock gardening. Though creating a rock garden is different from making other sorts of gardens, the techniques and methods involved aren’t difficult. Learning the basics of rock gardening can unleash your creativity and allow you to build a garden space packed with a diversity of different plants using less space, water, fertilizer and maintenance time than it takes to grow with a similar number of plants in a large perennial border. Beauty on a budget. What is not to like? Go on and give it a try. Shannon Wadman, an East Harriet resident, is the webmaster and former director of the Minnesota Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society.
Solidago, or goldenrod, blooms in the fall and has a large native relative familiar to many. Welch Forsman Associatees SWJ 031920 V3.indd 1
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B16 March 19–April 1, 2020 / southwestjournal.com
Open the DOOr... Seeds, bee houses tO new pOssibilities and spring tips By Meleah Maynard
W
hew! It’s March, so we get to start growing things again. As always, we’ve got loads of seeds in our Little Free Seed Library. In case you don’t already know, we use the top shelf of our Little Free Library for seed sharing in the spring and fall. If you’d like to pick up or drop off some seeds, the library is located on our boulevard at 45th & Washburn in Linden Hills.
If you have seeds to share, please bring them in their original packets or label them in envelopes or baggies so people can clearly see what they are. A huge thank you to whoever dropped off a whole bunch of great seeds recently, all seemingly harvested from their own garden and neatly labeled, including tall purple allium, yellow meadow rue, butterfly weed, blue Baptisia, bottle gentian, Short’s aster, Grandpa Ott’s morning glories and clematis integrifolia (a bush-type). We always appreciate seed donations so we can keep the library stocked, but we are especially grateful this year because our biggest source of donated seeds is no longer able to get them and pass them on to us. Because of that, I’ve been writing to seed companies to see about getting some donations. Several responded positively, but only Renee’s Garden actually sent some, asking only for the price of shipping, which I happily paid. Sharing seeds is one way I try to make the world a little brighter. If you feel the same, please come on by with some seeds to share, and take some home for yourself !
Wake up, little bees
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Did you store a native bee house in a garage or shed for the winter? If you did, don’t forget to bring it outside in early spring. As I wrote in my September column, this is the first year I’ve overwintered a bee house so I’m learning along with you. Here’s what to do: When you first start seeing early spring flowers, bring the bee house outside and, if you haven’t already, put it in a cardboard box or plastic container with a small hole cut in the top or side. Find a spot where the box will be protected from rain and wind and give the bees some time to wake up and fly out of the box through the hole. They’ll be looking for a new place to stay, so have
When you first start seeing early spring flowers, bring the bee house outside. Photos by Meleah Maynard
another bee house ready and waiting for them, if possible. Be patient, it may take several weeks for all of the bees to leave.
A few spring tips
Believe me, I want to run out into the muck and start planting as much as you do, but try not to do that. Walking on, and digging in, wet soil harms its structure, making it more apt to become hard and compacted. If you can pick up a handful of soil and wring moisture out of it, it’s too wet to work with. Don’t despair. There’s plenty of other stuff to do: Take off tree wraps, cut back perennials and grasses that you left up all winter, prune shrubs (not the ones that will bloom on last-year’s growth like lilacs, mock orange, forsythia and witch hazel), toss out dead annuals that are still hanging around. Do not decide until way into June whether your hardy hibiscus is dead or alive. It can take a long while for those to come up. Maybe order up a couple of yards of compost and/or manure and have it delivered to your driveway. That way, you can take your time breaking your back (and the backs of your loved ones) hauling it over to top off planters and garden beds. It’s stinky, dirty work and I really enjoy it because I know how happy our plants will be. My husband, Mike, um, not so much. Meleah Maynard is a Minneapolis-based writer and editor who blogs at Livin’ Thing — livinthing.com.
License: MNBC708131 The Little Free Seed Library is stocked and ready.
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Stop what’s bugging you How to know when you have pests and what you should do
R
ick Standish, the owner of Bryn Mawr-based Professional Pest Control, has seen his fair share of infestations over the past 34 years.
He once spent more than two weeks trying to catch a single rat that terrorized a family, ate their garbage and ran around their home. Despite hiding traps under
By Becca Most
debris and planting bait, the rat eluded capture every time, until one day Standish was in the house when he saw it. “I came in and saw him run from the
living room and hide behind a radiator … and I sure wasn’t going to let him get by me that time,” he said. SEE PESTS / PAGE B18
Exterminator Rick Standish, owner of Bryn Mawr-based Professional Pest Control Company, took over the company from his father, John Standish. Photo by Becca Most
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Some of Standish’s staples are rodenticide, cement, a couple of tubes of caulk, foam sealant and insecticide (which he mixes with water and disperses in a metal tank). Submitted photo
FROM PESTS / PAGE B17
After setting up snap traps around the heater and spraying the rodent with an oil-based insecticide, he was finally able to grab the rat when it got irritated and tried to run away. “I even took a picture with him because I was pretty darn happy to finally get him,” he said. It’s one of the stories that he can never forget. As the weather gets warmer, insects and animals that have remained relatively dormant over the winter will soon be coming out of the woodwork … and possibly into your home. With more of them entering houses to
have babies in the spring, it’s important for homeowners to keep an eye out for signs that they may have a critter afoot. Some of the most common pests Minneapolis exterminators see are mice, ants and raccoons. Standish and other local exterminators offered tips for identifying and ridding your house of varment while avoiding getting scammed.
I sure wasn’t going to let him get by me that time. — Rick Standish, owner, Professional Pest Control Company
What to look for
If you don’t see a roach dashing across the floor or a squirrel sitting on your counter, the indication you have pests is mostly in what they leave behind. For roaches, it could be droppings that look like coffee grounds on your wall
or floor. For bedbugs, it could be a dark peppered pattern under your mattress. For mice, it could be chew marks on food in your pantry.
Mice usually stay out of populated areas and spend most of their time hiding in places homeowners can’t see, said Standish said. This could be in the little gap under the pipe where the dishwasher line runs, in kitchen drawers and cupboards or under an unfinished shelf in the basement. If you can’t see the critter or evidence that it’s been there, another sign is sound. “People say, ‘In the middle of the night, we hear this scratching in the wall or ceiling,’” Standish said. “That would tell you you have mice.” For bats, you would hear a characteristic squeaking or chirping sound, usually accompanied by scratching or fluttering, said Sean Francis, of Francis Animal
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What you can do
Standish holds the rat it took him more than two weeks to catch. Submitted photo
and Pest Control in Faribault. Bats like to get into attics, and if they are there long enough, you can sometimes smell ammonia from their droppings — especially when it’s humid.
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Usually, if you have mice, it’s not enough to set out traps around your house (though, if you do, make sure to put them in areas where mice frequent — behind the sink, in cabinets or under the stove). Many mice get into the house through small openings in your home’s foundation, which can be along an air-conditioning line or vent or underneath a porch or deck. Mouse traps, though easy to set, don’t necessarily get to the root of the problem. And when it comes to closing mouse entry points, it’s not always simple. Most exterminators examine the perimeter of the house and close holes by hand with a cement mixture, which can be tricky to do yourself, especially if a gap under a porch is only a couple of inches wide. “I mean, I get on my belly, and as tight as it is, if I can fit, I’ll go,” Standish said. If you can’t fit, he recommends prying up the deck boards to get a closer look at your home’s foundation. Homeowners can also trim back tree branches from their roofs, which can stop squirrels and racoons from getting in, and they can look for areas on their house with rotted wood, which can attract insects, Francis said.
Another problem homeowners face is getting unwanted visitors that come in through their cat doors, he said. “People get a racoon in the house or a skunk in the house,” Francis said. He recommends closing the door at night.
Exterminator red flags
Standish said you should look to hire exterminators who offer guarantees. A sign of a bad exterminator is if they try and get you to sign on a long-term contract, said Dennis Siebert, owner of Arrow Pest Control in Lowry Hill East. Usually exterminators who come back regularly every couple months, especially for something like mice, are not getting to the root of the problem, he said. “If they won’t warranty it, that’s another sign,” said Francis. “If they say, ‘I need half down and half at the end of the job,’ that’s pretty common. But if they require you to pay all upfront, that’s when you should watch out.” Another thing to look out for is if exterminators ask you to pay in cash and don’t charge you for sales tax or give you a receipt, he said. “There’s a couple companies that have been caught for not paying taxes,” he said. “I know of a couple right now that are not in business anymore because of it.”
EXTERMINATOR HORROR STORIES Dennis Siebert, owner of Arrow Pest Control in Lowry Hill East, once caught 253 mice in a single house. He caught 70 of them, he said, just while setting up the traps in the house. Sean Francis, of Francis Animal and Pest Control, once entered a home with such bad bedbugs that the floor around the mattress looked like a grease stain. He said he’s also gone to houses with roaches so bad they are falling off the cupboards and ceilings onto people’s heads. Rick Standish took over Bryn Mawr-based Professional Pest Control from his father, John. He remembers hearing a story about how his dad visited a house where mice had colonized the curtains and burrowed into the couch cushions. He said his father even saw some mice peek their heads out of holes in the couch when he walked through the door.
3/6/20 4:04 PM
B20 March 19–April 1, 2020 / southwestjournal.com
Dateline Minneapolis
By Steve Brandt
Where is the 38th Street signage?
W
hile Minneapolis leaders are working to put East 38th Street on the map as a cultural corridor, the Minnesota Department of Transportation has subtly erased the street from the consciousness of those using Interstate 35W. The 38th Street bridge purportedly has been completed since the summer of 2018 and has even hosted two sit-down community dinners since. But something symbolic is missing. Drive I-35W and nearly every bridge carrying motorized traffic over the freeway has a small green sign in each direction identifying the crossing street. But come to 38th and those signs are missing. The first time I inquired, one year after the supposed bridge completion, MnDOT’s 35W@94 project team told me that there was a design issue with bolts and that the agency was working up a new set of plans. That struck me as odd, considering that bridge identification signs are small, a foot or so high and about a yard long, and MnDOT has installed them all over the state. Moreover, such signs went up on other bridges reconstructed by the massive project, such as those at Franklin and at 28th Street, as they were completed. So I waited a bit to renew my inquiry and this time MnDOT’s response was that it needed a freeway closure to install the signs. As it happens, both directions of the freeway were closed for two nights in October to remove falsework from the 40th Street pedestrian bridge, just two blocks away. A week earlier, there was a short closure for just the southbound lanes. Then there was a weekend closure in both directions in early November. A northbound 35W closure occurred Feb. 21-22. Then MnDOT’s argument shifted again. “It’s less about traffic and more about contractor convenience,” the agency’s Steve Barrett, MnDOT’s resident construction
The bridge over Interstate 35W at 38th Street is missing the small green sign identifying the crossing street. Photo by Steve Brandt
engineer for the project, told me. In other words, there’s no contractual requirement that the bridge sign be installed until the end of the project. That’s officially scheduled for fall 2021 but then there will be another year of intermittent closings for roadside stormwater work into the fall of 2022. The signs may seem like small potatoes, but it comes atop what I’d label construction fatigue. The ramp closures, lines at remaining ramps, detours and construction noise take a toll on south Minneapolis. Maybe it would be easier to take if there were more a tangible payoff. But in the
third year of two entrances and an exit for my neighborhood being blocked off, we’re still waiting for most of the concrete improvements the project promised. So far the project has rebuilt a bevy of bridges — Franklin, 26th, 28th and 38th — but what’s been produced essentially duplicates what was there before. It’s good to renew infrastructure but what we’ve gotten to date hardly offsets the scale of disruption. The big-ticket improvements mostly lie well off in the future, with the exception of the Lake Street transit station, scheduled to open in April.
The reconfigured connection of 35W with 94 westbound won’t happen until late next year, another 18 months off. The 31st Street ramps, and three-quarters of the 35th-36th Street ramps won’t be complete until the same time frame. Ditto for the opening of the two new exits in the Lake Street area, one southbound to Lake and one northbound to 28th Street. Moreover, access in south Minneapolis will get even worse for a while. You won’t be able to enter 35W northbound starting this summer for 18 months at either 35th or 46th streets, meaning no access in that direction between Diamond Lake Road and downtown. That’s for lane construction, an example of the complex staging that affects project timing. The one noticeable traffic improvement produced so far is the elimination of the merger across two southbound lanes of 35W to the 35th Street exit. That could be a white-knuckle experience, even for those of us who’ve done it a few thousand times. For the non-motorized public, the 40th Street foot and bike bridge is finally up to modern engineering standards for width and feels less like a cage. But that’s not much gain to date for a whole lot of pain that affects travel habits across the west metro area. For perspective, contrast this project with the equally complex Crosstown Commons project finished in 2010. That $288 million project added 25 new bridges, 63 lane-miles of roadway and expanded the maximum width of the common segment of 35W and Crosstown Hwy. 62 from six to 12 lanes. But it finished in four construction seasons or 43 months. By contrast, 33 months into the $239 million 35W constructaganza, we still have 33 more months before all the construction ends. In other words, we’re only halfway there. Let my people go.
Park Board superintendent’s house This column advocated in January that the rent for the park superintendent house be raised to a market rate — and that the rent
be devoted to renovating substandard areas of the house. I’m glad to report, after more than three years of harping on the issue,
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Moments in Minneapolis
By Karen Cooper
Sunshine Society offered kindness to strangers
T
he Sunshine Society got its start in New York City and then spread west, exactly like the rising sun. Founded in 1896, the Sunshine Society’s Minnesota division was established in 1901. It was a social service campaign that lasted for decades, based on the simple notion of providing good cheer to those in need. What a compassionate idea, this movement to help strangers with generosity and kindness. It was newspaperwomen who began it and ran it, using the megaphone of their jobs to share the opportunities for thoughtfulness. In Minneapolis, Miss Eva Blanchard of the Minneapolis Journal ran the Sunshine Society for over 50 years. The schoolchild in need of some clothes that did not shame him or lacking a coat in winter — these acts of kindness were easy to support. The family without a home, the bright child who needed a scholarship — such stories came to Eva Blanchard
and she sent them out to the growing network of the Sunshine Society members, and they made miracles happen. The society was organized in circles, small groups that met to solve social problems. The circles often had 30 members, who rotated in and out. Over time, a circle would completely replace its members but the work never stopped. Lake of the Isles Circle was one of many. It was in existence from at least 1910 until 1937, doing good works and helping people who needed it. Its members would gather and sew for the Red Cross or local hospitals. They made baby clothes for new babies who had little. Before the Second World War, clothing was not as cheap and abundant as it is now. Many people only had one good outfit, and the poorest had ill-fitting castoffs to wear, if not outright rags. In 1910, the group cared for a family through
the winter. What was it like to be destitute back then? The Star Tribune reported on a paralytic father of five, “confined to his bed for five years … covered with an old wolf skin,” and supported financially by his one-handed wife. The Sunshiners sent the family coal and clothes and promised to install a double-pane window for the man to look outside. As the Sunshine Society grew, the projects got bigger. The group bought an old hotel in Excelsior and used it as an old folks’ retreat. It provided two weeks of pleasant surroundings, rest and good food to destitute elders. The Lake of the Isles Circle made certain that the pitiful rooms these seniors called home would still be there after their vacations. We don’t know where most of the Isles Circle Sunshiners lived. One we know of was a widow named Julie G. Burnet. Her husband was Ralph W. Burnet, and they still have descendants in Minneapolis. Their home was
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at 2601 Euclid Place. Hosting Sunshine circle meetings was only a small part of Julie Burnet’s philanthropy. She was also a board member of the Maternity Hospital and a founder of the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis. She was one of the many women of her era who took responsibility for her good fortune by sharing in meaningful, personal ways. The Sunshine Society in Minneapolis peters out in the 1960s, as that older generation of socially responsible women aged. Times changed. But in its era, the Sunshine Society was truly effective at promoting uncounted acts of kindness by thousands of helpful, concerned women.
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612.821.1100 or 651.690.3442 www.houseliftinc.com
11:56 AM
License #BC378021
612-861-0188 www.SylvestreMN.com #BC001428
CALL MCQUILLAN: WE’LL TURN UP THE HEAT!
Sylvestre SWJ 031920 2x3.indd 1
Lift SWJ 041612 2cx3.indd 1 3/17/20 House 4:45 PM
4/5/12 3:00 PM
PAGE 2 ONLY
FREE SECOND OPINION ESTIMATE MATCH CALL 612.888.8207 TODAY! COME SEE US 2:54 PM 1/2/20 AT THE HOME FAIR!
McQuillan Brothers SWJ 010920 2cx2.indd 1
(And get your free roll of toilet paper!)
Mention this ad to receive
$20 off
any plumbing or drain cleaning!
Remodel • Design • Build
612-924-9315
763-425-9461
www. tjkplumbinginc .com
2nd Stories • Additions • Kitchens • Basements Baths • Attic Rooms • Windows
www.fusionhomeimprovement.com MN Lic#: PC644042
MN License #BC451256
SWJ 031920 Classifieds.indd 3 TJK Plumbing SWJ 030719 2cx2.indd 2 1
3/17/20 4:51 PM 1/9/19 11:04 3/5/19 10:01 AM
Fusion Home Improvement SWJ 021314 2cx3.indd 1
1/31/14 10:44 AM
612.888.8207
MCQBROS.COM
CALL MCQUILLAN: WE’LL TURN UP THE HEAT! Although Minneapolis’ older homes tend to need more specialized care, you can keep your treasured classic warm and safe with exceptional heating service from McQuillan Bros.
SUPER SAVINGS FOR VINTAGE HOME OWNERS!
$49
*
Preseason Inspection
TRIP CHARGE WAIVED*
$75 OFF
*
Any Service Call
$29
*
Water Quality Test
on Service Call
*Coupons not valid with any other offers or discounts.
FREE SECOND OPINION ESTIMATE MATCH 612.888.8207 McQuillan Bros SWJ 012320 FP.indd 1
1/15/20 10:55 AM