Neighborhood Spotlight. HALE, PAGE AND DIAMOND LAKE PAGE B6
Glammed-out ‘Georgia McBride’ at the Guthrie PAGE B1
August 9–22, 2018 Vol. 29, No. 16 southwestjournal.com
NO CHARGES FOR OFFICERS WHO SHOT BLEVINS Whether or not Blevins fired his gun was ‘irrelevant,’ County Attorney Mike Freeman said By Dylan Thomas / dthomas@southwestjournal.com
The Minneapolis police officers who shot and killed a man earlier this summer as he fled through a North Minneapolis alley will not face criminal charges, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said July 30. Freeman said the officers’ decision to use deadly force against 31-year-old Thurman Junior Blevins complied with state law. He presented video and eyewitness evidence that Blevins was armed with a loaded handgun when he ran from officers Ryan Kelly and Justin Schmidt, and the officers told investigators they fired after Blevins pointed the gun in their direction. Mayor Jacob Frey released footage from the body cameras worn by Kelly and Schmidt the day before Freeman’s announcement. He described the video as “traumatic” but said its release was an important step toward transparency. Freeman announced his decision not to charge in mid-morning press conference on the 20th floor of the Hennepin County Government Center, where he praised the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for conducting a “thorough, professional and expedited investigation.”
Sydnee Brown, Thurman Blevins’ cousin, listened as Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced his decision not to charge police in Blevins’ death. Photo by Dylan Thomas
SEE BLEVINS / PAGE A14
Businesses ride out highway construction
Meet the at-large School Board candidates Five running in Aug. 14 primary
Detours and delays deter customers By Nate Gotlieb / ngotlieb@southwestjournal.com By Sonya Chechik
“There are two seasons: winter and construction.” So goes the common Minnesotan saying. This often holds too true, and most Minneapolitans are used to facing detours in their summer driving. This summer marked the start of the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s three-year 35W@94 Downtown to Crosstown project, and local businesses are feeling the impact as potential customers are re-routed away from their storefronts or simply discouraged from coming out. The project, which includes the reconstruction of two-and-a-half miles of freeway and eleven bridges, has drastically changed how Minneapolitans are getting around. “Honestly, I think all of the major construc-
tion projects around the city are affecting business this summer,” Kylene Guse, one of the founders of Gyst Fermentation Bar at 26th & 1st in Whittier, wrote in an email. “Not only is traffic a real challenge but it’s frustrating — so much that people think twice about how much they really want to go places.” The Guse sisters decide to take a break for the month of July and renovate Gyst instead of pushing through the closure of the nearby 26th Street bridge. “MnDOT works very hard to have as little impact as it can on local businesses during these projects and sometimes these are difficult, complex projects and sometimes we have to close roads and bridges near businesses,” SEE CONSTRUCTION / PAGE A17
Minneapolis voters will decide between five at-large School Board candidates in the Aug. 14 primary. Voters can select up to two of the candidates, with the top four vote-getters advancing to the general election. The top two candidates in the general election will join the board starting in January. The Minneapolis School Board is responsible for governing and managing the approximately 36,000-student district, which has over 5,000 staff and an operating budget around $600 million. The board hires a superintendent, sets district policies and approves the budgets, strategic plan, graduation requirements, union contracts and more. This past year, for example, the board approved $33 million in budget cuts as
Superintendent Ed Graff began work to right-size the district after years of stagnating government funding, overspending and increasing costs. Graff and his team are working on structural changes to further stabilize the district, which they plan to present to the board this year. The Minnesota School Boards Association lists over half a dozen qualities that it says makes an outstanding board member. Those include being collaborative, trusted and able to function as part of a team, being a strong communicator who is willing to listen and being motivated by the best interests of all students (a full list of qualities can be found at mnmsba.org/ Portals/0/RunningForSchoolBoard.pdf). SEE SCHOOL BOARD / PAGE A12
A2 August 9–22, 2018 / southwestjournal.com
southwestjournal.com / August 9–22, 2018 A3
By Michelle Bruch / mbruch@southwestjournal.com
ER 50th & France Office SWJ 011118 6.indd 1
1/4/18 9:39 AM
Suzie Marty, owner of the Everett & Charlie gallery, talks with artist Brian Jensen, the 2018 Uptown Art Fair featured artist. Marty served as a judge at the fair. Photos by Michelle Bruch
43RD & UPTON
Everett & Charlie “There aren’t enough galleries in town. There just aren’t,” said Suzie Marty, owner of Everett & Charlie. She emphasizes that visitors should come to shop seriously. “It’s not a museum,” she said. “… I am supporting artists, and we need to sell things. If we stripped art away from everybody’s lives, we’d have nothing.” She shows work by more than 40 local artists, ranging from watercolors for $30, prints for $100 and original pieces up to $5,000. Artists are on a waitlist to join the gallery, and participants bring in a fresh body of work every two months. “It’s about telling a story too,” said Marty. “I know each and every one of these artists. I probably know their dogs’ names.” When artist Joan Tangren Reynolds offered to share her pastel art, she promptly walked across the street and painted a piece to share. Behind the register is a painting by Kevin Kluever, who selects a frame before he starts each painting. A vintage chair by Amy Rottunda of House Language Studio is reupholstered with a 1947 fabric pattern. Kristi
Abbott collaborated with muralists and tattoo artists for her 7 Warrior Women series, which represents strong women from across the globe. For Marty, the gallery is a natural extension of her background in art and retail. She worked as a gourmet candy and gift buyer at Dayton’s, operated a gift shop in Waconia, and served as an art consultant for local businesses. While meeting a friend at The Harriet Brasserie, she saw a sign in the window advertising a space for lease. “I called the number that night,” she said. “I started calling artist friends, and they said ‘Do it. We’re in.’” Marty is a painter herself — she once ran a business painting murals inside homes — and she plans to paint smaller watercolors at the gallery. “That’s my easel in the window,” she said. The shop is named for her grandchildren. If more grandkids come along, she said she might have to open a second location. Located next to Wild Rumpus in Linden Hills, the gallery hosts art openings, private events, wine tastings and musicians. For more information, visit everettandcharlie.com.
Pastel art by Joan Tangren Reynolds and pottery by Kate Daly on display at the new Everett & Charlie gallery in Linden Hills.
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A4 August 9–22, 2018 / southwestjournal.com
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A customer sips a cold brew colada at Misfit Coffee’s grand opening in August. Photos by Michelle Bruch
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Misfit Coffee Conversation beats computers at Misfit Coffee, now open in the former Urban Bean spot at 2401 Lyndale Ave. S. “The whole purpose is to make it more social and bring more energy into it,” said founder Marcus Parkansky. The three-year-old Misfit Coffee trailer outfitted its new brick-and-mortar space with movable lighting, patio seating and bold custom wallpaper in the bathroom. ( Just don’t get so distracted you forget to wash your hands, they advise.) The Mirage espresso machine is by Kees
van der Westen, who originally created espresso machines as functional sculpture. “This is one of our pieces of art in here,” Parkansky said. Along with standard espresso drinks, Misfit offers drinks like the sassafras blast, which incorporates heavy cream, nitro cold brew, horchata and root beer; the spoonbridge cherry chai with cherry flavor and sparkling water; and the cold brew colada with nitro cold brew and pineapple coconut nectar. On the way out of the shop, grab-and-go growlers are available to fill with cold brew.
Misfit Coffee, now open in the former Urban Bean location, aims to infuse new energy into the space.
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Pimento has learned how to throw a party since opening in 2016. The Rum Bar, now open in the former Lost & Found space next door at 2524 Nicollet Ave., gives the business room to stretch out with a new stage and a new drink menu. Pimento co-founder Tomme Beevas said dancers crowd their “Worldwide Discotheque.” The next one is Aug. 10. “It’s every major pop song from every culture,” he said, explaining they play everything from K-pop to Afrobeat to salsa. They’ve also hosted legendary groups like The Mighty Diamonds, the longstanding reggae trio who were contemporaries of Bob Marley. The Rum Bar’s operations manager is Christopher Greenfield, who created the cocktail menu and a house rum blend. He’s a
veteran of venues like Icehouse and Saffron and holds distinction as Beevas’ wife’s favorite bartender. One Rum Bar favorite is the Steel Bottom, he said, which combines Wray and Nephew rum, a proprietary Dashfire Bitters blend only found at Pimento, lime juice, Red Stripe beer and Red Label wine. More than 20 available rums will include the revived Jamaican distillery Plantation, which is hitting the market this month. Staff are grilling out of a tent in the “back yaad,” the patio that opened last summer. And they’re working with the city’s small business innovation team to find a way to open a more permanent outdoor kitchen and bar. Pimento is preparing to open a second location at the Keg and Case Market in St. Paul.
southwestjournal.com / August 9–22, 2018 A5
A view of Ja’Lisa’s Gorgeous Extensions at 38th & Grand. Photo by Michelle Bruch
38TH & GRAND
Ja’Lisa’s Gorgeous Extensions Ja’Lisa Calaway is busy. She worked multiple jobs while attending college, earned a degree from the University of Minnesota, became a licensed lash and nail tech, opened a storefront at 38th & Grand more than a year ago and is now opening a second location in St. Paul. She’s also working with a realtor to create a safe house for people needing shelter. “Come and see me baby,” she tells friends. “I’m doing 50 other things but I promise I’ll stop and talk to you.” Calaway made her own wigs in college to save money. She started the business two years ago with $1,000, and found herself surrounded by boxes of hair extensions. “I remember telling my grandma, ‘What if all of this hair doesn’t sell?’” she said. Her dad encouraged her to “just do it,” and the effort paid off. “I never expected it to go this far,” she said. At 38th & Grand, staff members offer braiding, washing, styling and lash extensions. Calaway said all of the hair can be colored, cut
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and permed, and she prefers extensions made from real hair for longer-lasting styles. She also provides teeth-whitening services and sells her mother’s “Gorgeous by Ja’Lisa” line of healing oils and lotions. As a side project, Calaway oversees the Facebook group “Ja’Lisa’s Safe Place” for women to discuss issues they are going through. Calaway said she and her family relocated to Minnesota for safety and stayed in a hotel for a time. She’s now hoping to buy a “safe house” as a stopping place for people to “eat and sleep and think for a second, what’s their next move.” “You’d be surprised how many people don’t have a resume or don’t know how to do an interview. Little things like that can help save a person and help them on to the next step,” she said. Ja’Lisa’s Gorgeous Extensions and the surrounding shops are hosting their first annual “Open Doors at 38th & Grand” event noon–6 p.m. Aug. 25. The event will feature live music, sips and bites, puppy treats and games for kids.
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cation at age 87 in reaction to the “yellow” tabloid journalism of her time, aiming to “to injure no man, but to bless all mankind.” Heartfelt has expanded into the former space in Linden Hills.
NOTED: In business since 1975, Rudolphs Bar-B-Que has closed at 1933 Lyndale Ave. “Hey all, the rumors are true. We have decided to close our doors as of yesterday,”
states the restaurant’s web page. “Thank you for 43 wonderful years. Please continue to support all the great independent restaurants in the Twin Cities. We will miss you.”
When its long-running lease ended in Linden Hills, the Christian Science Reading Room relocated to 50th & France. Photo by Michelle Bruch
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After operating in the heart of Linden Hills for more than 30 years, the Christian Science Reading Room has relocated to another bustling spot at 5015 France Ave. S. Public reading rooms have long been a focus for Third Church of Christ Scientist at 42nd & Xerxes, a denomination founded in 1879 with a local presence dating back to the 1890s. The Linden Hills church was constructed in 1953. Between 25 and 35 people typically visit the storefront each week, according to the librarian, and it’s available as a place for prayer and quiet study. “This is a different kind of stop for people,” said librarian Greg Rybak. “It’s a wonderful refuge to study and think and pray,” said Martha Moffett of the Christian Science Committee on Publication. The storefront provides weekly Bible lessons, items to study and purchase and recent issues of The Christian Science Monitor, which is owned by First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston. Founder Mary Baker Eddy launched the publi-
7/31/18 9:49 AM
7/31/18 12:59 PM
A6 August 9–22, 2018 / southwestjournal.com
MINI GOLF & BIG FUN By Dylan Thomas / dthomas@southwestjournal.com
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City Council Member Cam Gordon (Ward 2) presented his proposed charter amendment to a joint committee meeting Aug. 1. Photo by Dylan Thomas
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A charter amendment that would transfer to the City Council some of the mayor’s exclusive authority over the Minneapolis Police Department won council approval Aug. 3, but it is unlikely to go before voters soon. The proposed amendment would strike from the charter language that gives the mayor “complete power� over the department, clarifying that the mayor has “executive� power over police and that the council “may make rules and regulations� for the department. Council members approved the amendment on a 7-5 vote and forwarded a ballot question to the Charter Commission for review. The commission was scheduled to meet Aug. 8, just after this issue went to press. Speedy approval would keep alive the possibility that the question appears on the November ballot, but Charter Commission Chair Barry Clegg cast doubt on that scenario. Clegg said commission members raised concerns in an Aug. 1 meeting that there had been too little time for the public to debate what has proven to be a controversial proposal. Ward 2 City Council Member Cam Gordon introduced the police charter amendment in late June, a week after two police officers shot and killed 31-year-old Thurman Blevins as he fled through a North Side alley. That left just an eight-week window for both the Charter Commission and City Council to agree on the wording of a ballot question and forward it to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office before an Aug. 24 deadline. Clegg said there were also calls for additional research into how similar cities organize oversight of police. “That takes time, we’re not going to compress that into a one-hour meeting,� he said. That much was clear to City Council members before they voted to approve the ballot language on Aug. 3, leading one of the dissenters, City Council Member Lisa Goodman, to ask: “What is the rush to pass this today?�
“It feels like making a point, not like making a difference,� Goodman said. “It feels political, not policy-oriented. And it has served to divide us rather than unite us.� She said there was a “mutual understanding� among council members that change needed to come to the police department but insisted: “This is not the way to do it.� In voting against the charter amendment, Goodman was joined by City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins and council members Abdi Warsame, Linea Palmisano and Alondra Cano. Voting in favor were City Council President Lisa Bender and members Phillipe Cunningham, Jeremiah Ellison, Andrew Johnson, Jeremy Schroeder, Gordon and Steve Fletcher, who tweaked Gordon’s original proposal, crafting the version of the proposed charter amendment that was ultimately adopted. (Council Member Kevin Reich was absent from the meeting.) Mayor Jacob Frey said he and Chief Medaria Arradondo remained “adamantly opposed� to the amendment, adding that Arradondo believed its passage would make his job more difficult. Frey said council members didn’t even have enough information to act. Noting the council had instructed City Attorney Susan Segal to analyze the charter’s current language and clarify the council’s present role in police department oversight, Frey said it would be inappropriate to advance the proposal without that “baseline information.� “Clearly there’s confusion,� he said. “Clearly there’s a lack of understanding both about the present law as well as the implications of this charter amendment if passed.� Council Member Ellison said the issue wasn’t that he and his colleagues didn’t understand their role in police department oversight. “The truth is there is genuine gray area,� he said, adding later that the amendment would “provide that clarity.�
southwestjournal.com / August 9–22, 2018 A7
Team Larry —
Building Community
City investigation into ketamine leak criticized The City of Minneapolis is launching a data practices investigation following the leak of a draft report on the use of ketamine to sedate people who had been detained by police. A draft version of the Office of Police Conduct Review’s report was obtained by the Star Tribune, which first published a story on June 15. The newspaper’s reporting raised questions about interactions between police and paramedics and the ethics of a Hennepin Healthcare study on sedatives. The Minnesota Chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists condemned the investigation in a post on its website, arguing that it “will have a chilling effect on whistleblowers who are sometimes the only access a free press has to the secrets of government malfeasance.” “The damage by the city’s inquisition to the free flow of information and government accountability and transparency outweighs any purported or imagined damage to the city’s information security systems,” read the statement, signed by MNSPJ Board President Joe Spear, editor of The Free Press in Mankato. City Clerk Casey Carl said the investigation was “not some kind of hunt for a leaker,” adding that it will be run out of his office and won’t involve either the mayor or members of the City Council. Carl the city is required under state law to investigate the potential unauthorized release of any private or non-public data. The investigation will focus on how the city can prevent the illegal spread of city data in the future, he added. Carl said both the Star Tribune and the reporter who broke the story, Andy Mannix, were out of the bounds of the investigation. He said he doesn’t know whether or not private or non-public data was even released in the breech. “I do not know, but I suspect,” he said, adding that it was the city’s responsibility to notify individuals who may have had their private data exposed to the public.
Carl said there was a possibility that a city employee or employees could be disciplined for the early release of the draft report. In general, City Council members and their staff are treated as city employees under the law, he added. Carl said St. Paul-based NeuVest would conduct the investigation, which he described as the biggest and most important data-breech investigation undertaken by the city since he joined the clerk’s office in 2010. The company was already working on a $100,000 contract with the city’s human resources department, and Carl said the investigation was “piggybacking” on that contract. The final version of the ketamine report was made public July 26 following a discussion of its findings by the City Council’s Public Safety & Emergency Management Committee. The report describes incidents in which police may have inappropriately influenced paramedics’ decisions to use the powerful sedative. Even before it was officially released, news stories on the draft version of the report prompted Minneapolis officials to call for an investigation into the interactions between police and paramedics. On June 22, the city announced the hiring of Sally Yates, a former deputy U.S. attorney general, to lead an independent review. Separately, Hennepin Healthcare halted an ongoing study that compared ketamine to other sedatives used to treat “excited delirium,” a state of profound agitation that poses a threat to both patients and first responders. The hospital, formerly known as Hennepin County Medical Center, stated that local emergency medical services personnel had been equipped with ketamine since 2008. In response to concerns raised by EMS crews this spring, several months before the leak of the draft report, the hospital contacted the Minneapolis Police Department to clarify that the decision to sedate is the sole responsibility of paramedics. The department issued a memo to officers reiterating that policy in May.
1 percent of all scheduled weekday trips. The move “will help reduce the number of trips that are being canceled at the last moment, after exhausting all available options,” the statement added. Routes 2, 3, 5, 17 and 18 are among those affected. For more information, go to metrotransit.org.
Primary election is Aug. 14 A primary election on Aug. 14 will narrow the races for local, state and federal offices ahead of the general election in November. Only the top vote-getters in the primary will advance to the Nov. 6 election. Offices on the ballot in Minneapolis include U.S. senator and representative, state representative, governor and lieutenant governor, attorney general, Hennepin County commissioner,
Linden-Hills.com
Larry LaVercombe
ONLY P1
Short on drivers, Metro Transit cuts trips Metro Transit announced reduced trips on 40 bus routes beginning July 31. The transit service is facing a driver shortage. The trips will be suspended indefinitely while Metro Transit aggressively recruits to fill about 90 open positions. In its announcement, Metro Transit said the suspended trips amounted to about
Locally Owned — Community Focused
sheriff and at-large school board member. There are no primaries for races with just two candidates. The Minneapolis Early Vote Center opened June 29 for no-excuses absentee voting. It will remain open through Aug. 13 at 217 3rd St. S. For more information, including sample ballots and directions to polling places, go to vote.minneapolismn.gov.
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A8 August 9–22, 2018 / southwestjournal.com
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By Jim Walsh
Vote human, stay human
T
hough it pains me to repeat it, it’s worth documenting in the black and white of our lovable local newspaper the fact that Donald Trump recently called the media “the enemy of the people,” just like Joseph Stalin and many power-mad clowns before him. Welp, as your lovable local newspaper columnist/enemy of the people in these times of fake presidents, battling bots and all-powerful algorithms, I’m here to say that, in advance of Tuesday’s primary election (VOTE Aug. 14!), I am throwing my considerable media-slash-enemyof-the-people endorsement weight behind some of the finest people you could ever hope to know, not to mention very human candidates who understand very human problems: Ilhan Omar for congresswoman; Erin Murphy and Erin MayeQuade for governor and lieutenant governor; Keith Ellison for attorney general; and Angela Conley for county commissioner. All of whom, every last one of them, are voices of the people at a time when we desperately need original, smart, fresh, committed voices of the people that have not been co-opted or robotized and will speak truth to power and hold Trump et al’s feet to the fire. In fact, the most important quality all of the above share might be that they’re more neighbors than candidates — human beings, not cogs or bought tools, but real people with reallife experience and a passion for doing good. Humanity. People. Call me old fashioned, but that’s what I value most these days, at a time when the current combo matrix platter of relentless construction, non-stop citywide development and corporate politics is bearing down on this sensitive citizen’s soul like nothing and as never before. Talking human connection and trust here, dear reader, which I value even more than I did the last time we met here. I’ve been experimenting. As a result of the frayed and suspicious times, I’ve been deliberately asking complete strangers for driving, biking and walking directions (“Doesn’t your GPS work?” Sigh.) all the while doing my damnedest to be genuine and look my fellow peeps directly in the eye. It’s an obvious attempt to connect, strangerto-stranger, because I’ve never lived through a time of so much skepticism and distrust, what with all the new realities and daily doses of creeps and bullies we’re being fed. So in direct retaliation to all the soul-suckery, and as a direct reclaiming of my own humanity, I’ve been making a point of making in-the-flesh contact with the species. I won’t lie: It’s extremely awkward most of the time, awkward as hell in fact, and not for the faint of heart. People are on edge out there, and some are looking for a fight, but more often than not my little chirp to the universe pays off in a warm exchange that can feel like a rope out of this quicksand. I started doing my stranger-no-danger dance in earnest last week after visiting the Apple Store in Uptown, where, as I waited on my daughter’s genius bar appointment, I ruminated on the willful sterility of the place, the same address as the long-demolished Uptown Bar & Grill (3018
Campaign yard signs. Photo by Jim Walsh
Hennepin Ave.), which once hosted legendary bands and made something like a scene happen. At the very same time, the New York City Target store was getting grief for stealing the CBGB’s logo, which is when I started connecting the dots between bulldozed human landmarks, automation and lost human connection. Soon after my boring Apple outing, I hit a hot new restaurant in town, where I ordered food via iPad and a beer via serve-yourself taps and ate my cheeseburger while staring at the TV screens above me, where the analytics-whipped Minnesota Twins, having cut the human heart out of the team in moves straight out of any corporate company playbook, were limping their way to another loss. I was immediately reminded of the location’s former tenant, my friend and former Kings Wine Bar owner Samantha Loesch, who adamantly refused to put TV screens in her restaurant, and also of my buddy Pete, who hilariously referred to one generic bar or another we’d find ourselves ditching out of as “the airport lounge.” Now here we are, moving right along in these airport lounge times and, while it may be fast and convenient with a cool community table in the center and yummy milkshakes and a couple of friendly employees, I felt a lot like I was in “WALL-E,” not a pub. If I have the choice, I like walking into a bar and seeing a bartender, not another machine I’m supposed to stick a card into, and viva la difference and all that, but I dig places and cities with soul. I can name dozens of great bartenders in this town, and part of the draw of their establishments is the idea that when I land there I’ll be sure to find a friendly face. So over the last few days, with the cumulative Apple-robo-beer experience setting me off, I went on a tour of neighborhood joints that feature real bartenders, servers, people. I went back to the Driftwood Char Bar last Tuesday night to hear live local music from my brother Terry’s St. Dominic’s Trio band and to hang with friends, family and neighbors. Beforehand, I visited my friend Matthew Kazama’s wonderful Ramen Kazama restaurant, where the
joint was humming with employees talking to customers and one another, friendly people in an unfriendly time, human beings interacting with other human beings with real human behavior and human feeling and human emotion. I followed that up with trips to the best-kept secret in town, C & G’s BBQ, where the owner and I made small talk about the menu and weather and joked about the new self-serve joint a few blocks away, and to Xin Wong, where the clerks and cooks know me by face if not name, and to C&K Food and Fuel, where owner Martin Onuh and I always engage in a five-minute rant about the local sports scene that regularly leaves me with a smile on my face. The next night I found myself at Harriet’s Inn, where the airport lounge vibe is subverted by a staff clad in shirts that quote William Butler Yeats (“There are no strangers here; only friends you haven’t met yet”), and where my server chatted me up about what I was writing in my notebook and a book his grandmother wrote. The following Sunday night, my brother and I landed at Tilia, where my friend and owner Steven Brown was behind the bar, and where he, upon learning it was my brother’s birthday, helped toast my brother the way bar owners have done since the beginning of time. I could go on — about the various sundry strangers, gas station attendants, baristas, the butcher at the Uptown Lund’s, all of whom gave me crumbs of faith — but suffice it to say that the results of my reach-out week has definitely borne fruit and confirms that people are starved for friendliness, a smile and something like an intelligent connection, no matter how brief. Small stuff and small interactions, maybe, but the sum effect of it all is human and healing and reminds how loudly the heart of this small townbig city beats. Which is why, next Tuesday, amidst all the bulldozing and rubble and robot armies, this enemy of the people is voting for people and humans with all my human heart. Jim Walsh lives and grew up in South Minneapolis. He can be reached at jimwalsh086@gmail.com
southwestjournal.com / August 9–22, 2018 A9
Voices
School Board election With so many important races on the ballot for primary and general elections, I have one more please for you: Vote in the primary for at-large Minneapolis School Board candidates! I will vote for Josh Pauly and Kimberly Caprini for at-large School Board and encourage you to do the same. As a parent of two elementary students, school volunteer and former City Council member, I appreciate the hard work of School Board members and know their role is critical to the success of our school district. I’m supporting Josh, a former Minneapolis Public Schools teacher, and Kimberly, a long-time parent leader, because of their commitment to good governance and equity in our schools. Josh has been a vocal proponent of the importance of good governance for a stable district; Kimberly has consistently advocated for an environment that helps a superintendent succeed, as revolving leadership hurts our schools. MPS, like other districts, faces big decisions in this and coming years. Creating a structurally balanced budget, ensuring the superintendent is given clear goals and objectives and changing school systems that perpetuate significant racial inequities are just a few of these issues. We need school board members who will work together and focus on good governance and planning rather than running from emergency to emergency. Josh and Kimberly will provide this leadership. Josh and Kimberly, the DFL-endorsed
candidates, have earned my vote! Join me in supporting Josh Pauly and Kimberly Caprini on Aug. 14. Elizabeth Glidden, former Ward 8 City Council member, Kingfield
Minneapolis 2040 I live on Lyndale Avenue in an area of mainly single-family and duplex houses. The Minneapolis 2040 plan would rezone our area (including Aldrich and Bryant avenues in that corridor) to allow multiunit buildings up to four stories. Good. This is what we signed up for when we bought near a transportation corridor in a vibrant and growing city. Let’s not turn Minneapolis into a Los Angeles or Oklahoma City by allowing low-density sprawl to be our development model going forward. Dave Griffin East Harriet
Justine Damond From the Sydney Morning Herald, July 24, 2018: “According to the lawsuit, at the time (Minneapolis police officers Mohamed) Noor and (Matthew) Harrity were hired, the city used only one psychological test to determine whether candidates were fit to be on the street, down from five tests in use prior to 2012.” The fact that the city is failing to psycho-
logically screen police officers before hiring is absolutely unacceptable. Someone should inform City Attorney Susan Segal that Justine Damond’s death at the hand of the police was a preventable tragedy. I’m sure it is no news to those of us who care to inform themselves about the system that has given us the “blue wall” that the Minneapolis Police Department is profoundly sick. Until we achieve civilian control of our police force it will remain the “secret police.” Real consequences for the police could be a reality, as advocated by Communities United Against Police Brutality, by requiring personal liability (malpractice) insurance for police officers, through a charter amendment. Joan Hargrave Fulton
Thank you Arriving at the south beach of Lake Harriet as we finished a morning walk, my friend and I were greeted by a large flock of geese strolling and waddling across the grass and sand at the edge of the water. Several yards away, we then noticed a man toting a shovel and bucket, collecting and removing their droppings. Wearing a cap that said only “volunteer,” he did not appear to be a designated Park Board volunteer but merely a good citizen unassumingly taking on an important and not particularly glamorous assignment — or “doing good when no one is watching,” the best kind of good works. We want to give a heartfelt thank you to this
plus
special man whose work will not only enhance the pleasure of swimming at our beautiful beach but protect the health and well-being of the many who enjoy the benefits of this special place. Thank you, sir, for your generous gifts of time and effort. Your quiet actions are much appreciated. Susan Dowd and Seale Lea Lynnhurst
CALL FOR FALL POETRY Too soon, too soon … I know, I know. Our northern summers hardly seem to get going before they’re ready to be gone. And then comes autumn. Deadline for the Southwest Journal’s fall poetry section is Aug. 15. Please spread the word and send your best work to wilhide@skypoint.com. — Doug Wilhide, Southwest Journal poetry editor
CORRECTION The July 26–Aug. 8 Biz Buzz column incorrectly reported Sota Hot and Cold uses coconut milk in all ice creams. The shop provides non-dairy options upon request.
A10 August 9–22, 2018 / southwestjournal.com
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Public Safety Update By Michelle Bruch / mbruch@southwestjournal.com
Judge sentences daycare provider to probation East Isles daycare provider Nataliia Karia, 43, pleaded guilty to attempted murder charges after hanging a 16-month-old child in her care in 2016. Now a Hennepin County District Court judge has sentenced her to supervised probation for 10 years. Probation is a downward departure from sentencing guidelines, which assume prison time. The sentence prohibits Karia from working in childcare and requires her to receive treatment. According to court documents, Karia hung a child with a noose she made from tights at 2712 Humboldt Ave. S. She reportedly told a father arriving at the daycare to “get him down before something really bad happens.” She then fled in her minivan, crashing into other vehicles, dragging a man with her car and striking a bicyclist. Karia is convicted of attempted murder in the second degree, assault and two counts of criminal vehicular operation. The defense provided a letter from Karia that said she was thankful no one died on “that scary day.” She apologized to the parents of the child and the people injured by her car, and she expressed thanks to others who prevented her from jumping off a bridge. “I am sorry these thing[s] happened that day and I pray that nothing like this happens again,” she said. Given the number of victims, the state argued for prison time in the case. One of the crash victims now has a titanium rod in his leg and lost a job as a result of the crash, the state said. The
state also argued that her symptoms were not so severe she didn’t realize what she was doing. Karia’s defense attorneys argued that she had already suffered through 20 months imprisonment, permanent loss of career, life as a felon, shame for the harm she had done and a “scarlet letter of disgrace in the community.” The defense blamed mental illness for her actions. According to her attorneys, three experts concluded she suffered from depression at the time of the crime following years of spousal abuse and sleep deprivation. One doctor said that prior to the incident she showed warning signs of suicidal thoughts and urges to harm her young daughter. The defense also submitted letters from parents who said the action was completely out of character for Karia. Karia’s husband came to Ukraine to find a bride, according to the defense, and Nataliia was one of many women he met through an agency to help him find a wife. The defense submitted audio recordings of the husband in threatening interactions. A doctor and defense expert said Karia’s husband stopped her from seeking psychiatric treatment out of fear she would lose her daycare license, and Karia is now divorcing him. The Southwest Journal could not reach the husband for comment. He told KARE 11 in June that if he was abusive, Karia would have moved out. “Nataliia has no criminal history prior to this offense and this offense was wholly a product of her mental illness,” states the defense.
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Police are highlighting a recent burglary pattern at apartments and single-family homes in an area between Lagoon Avenue, West 22nd Street, Lake of the Isles and Nicollet Avenue. In two of the incidents, suspects entered while occupants were asleep, and the occupants were unaware of the break-ins. A suspect gained entry by opening windows and cutting screens in some cases. In two cases, a suspect stole car keys and took vehicles. Several of the homes left a door or window unlocked, police said, allowing a suspect to enter. Police provided no suspect information. Anyone with information can contact the 5th Precinct Property Crimes Unit at 673-5715.
Police advise the following: • Always lock doors and windows while not at home • Share information about the burglaries with neighbors • Pin windows or add locks • Call 911 to report suspicious activity, including unfamiliar people approaching or looking into homes, cars or garages • Never leave a garage door remote in a vehicle
Map courtesy of Minneapolis Police Department
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southwestjournal.com / August 9–22, 2018 A11
Dateline Minneapolis
By Steve Brandt
Grading Minneapolis’ woonerfs
T
he streets of Minneapolis have changed markedly in the nearly 25 years since residents near Lyndale Avenue South had to turn out several hundred people to block plans to widen the street. Their alternative design was largely followed when the street was redone. Bike lanes have proliferated since, along with color-marked crosswalks for pedestrians and other features intended to tame motorized traffic and encourage other means of getting around. The motor still is king in practice on city streets, although driving has the lowest priority the city’s two-year-old “complete streets” hierarchy. But motorized traffic is no longer quite so dominant. The latest evidence of that can be found in the three shared-use spaces that have cropped up in the past several years in Minneapolis. Also called woonerfs, from the Dutch term, they’re designed to encourage pedestrians, cyclists and slower-moving motorized vehicles to coexist in the same space. The best-executed woonerf is tucked away in a two-block-long passageway once dominated by railcars serving the former Pillsbury milling complex. It’s a half block uphill from Southeast Main Street and its dominating A-Mill, not far from the east end of the Stone Arch Bridge. A second shared-use space lies in another rail corridor on the other side of the river, between South 2nd Street and the downtown riverfront.
It bisects two new housing developments. The third is the city’s revamp of a twoblock-long street in LynLake that overlooks the Midtown Greenway; it’s due to be extended three more blocks in a few years. Here’s what I like and don’t about the three: • The Pillsbury area woonerf does the best job of making pedestrians feel like the street is their space. That’s partly because the abutting mill and elevators in the complex redeveloped by Dominium give the passageway an intimate feeling, one that’s extended to the next block, redeveloped by Doran. The space also uses a variety of surfaces, from poured concrete to paver blocks to crushed granite to define edges and guide drivers. “I make a point of walking through it on my daily pilgrimage to the Stone Arch Bridge,” said Marcy Holmes resident Ted Tucker. Most of the motorized traffic through here, aside from service vehicles, consists of low-speed access to parking garages by residents of the complex. The design negotiated by city heritage preservation officials and landscape architect David Motzenbecker, a Kingfield resident, preserves some of the corridor’s heritage, such as the route by which grain hoppers delivered and dumped their loads to serve the complex. Remnant rails follow the historical rail-switching pattern; rusting artifacts of the mill complex remain, most
notably in the catwalk-spanned dumping pit area. The most arresting feature consists of a row of elongated conical screens that were used to filter in the milling process. The only flaw I found in this privately owned public space is a lack of signs interpreting the history of the complex. • The corridor at Mill City Quarter has excellent signs explaining the history of a rail yard that’s sprouted buildings over the past 20 years of redevelopment. It also scatters railcar axles on the former rail corridor’s margins. This shared-use space was created to satisfy the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s park dedication requirement of land or money for new developments. But some question whether it feels like a woonerf. The car is still king here. By day, workers in nearby offices park here, with their head-in parking maximizing the auto-centric feel of the corridor. By night, the same spaces are open for public parking. The arrangement will make more sense for walkers and cyclists when a planned link from the northeast end of this space connects to riverfront parkway trails along the river as part of the Park Board’s Water Works remake of parkland on the west end of the Stone Arch Bridge. That scheduled 2020 completion will give
pedestrians and cyclists more reason to use this corridor. • Meanwhile, the city’s sole entry in the shared-use street realm lies in LynLake on the two blocks between Lyndale and Bryant avenues on 29th Street. This shared-use street had the most community input and adjoins new housing that has sprung up along the street. This formerly was one of the worst maintained streets in Minneapolis. It has been replaced with twin 8-foot driving lanes, each bordered by a 2-foot noncurbed edge of darker concrete. They create a visually narrower surface. I’ve found few cars parked there during my several daytime visits. Ditto for pedestrian and bike traffic. Visibility has improved with new pedestrian-scale lights. One disappointing development has been the die-off of the saplings planted along the verges of the street, especially in front of Lime Apartments, where one would think that someone would take responsibility for watering. It’s also evident that the curb-less design has some problems. At winter’s end, the thawing turf beside the pavement edge was riven with tire ruts. A moving truck recently was parked not in one of the six pay parking spaces but half blocking the driving lane, overlapping the grass. SEE WOONERFS / PAGE A22
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A12 August 9–22, 2018 / southwestjournal.com FROM SCHOOL BOARD / PAGE A1
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Minneapolis has nine School Board members, six elected from districts and three serving at-large. Up to two candidates can be on the general-election ballot for each seat in districts that hold a primary, such as Minneapolis. Voters in districts 1, 3 and 5, all on the eastern half of Minneapolis, will elect board members in November. Incumbents Jenny Arneson, Siad Ali and Nelson Inz are each unopposed in their bids for re-election to those seats. MPS parents Kimberly Caprini, Sharon El-Amin and Rebecca Gagnon, former district teacher Josh Pauly and perennial candidate Doug Mann are running for the two at-large seats. Here is a look at those candidates, listed by alphabetical order.
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Kimberly Caprini kimberlycaprini.com
Kimberly Caprini became involved in Minneapolis schools over 12 years ago, when her oldest daughter started in the district. Since then, she’s been involved in nearly every school on the north side at one point or another, serving on more than a dozen school and district committees and site councils. Caprini, who works as a navigator for a Northside nonprofit, said her priorities if elected would including everything from school safety and rebuilding parent trust to providing kids with meaningful arts and athletics opportunities. She said other priorities include creating high expectations for all students, accountability of all stakeholders and fiscal responsibility. “I see now where we are in this critical juncture that there is an opportunity to rebuild a base, to create a foundation that was as strong as it was years and years and years ago,” Caprini said. The daughter of a public-school teacher, Caprini worked for years in the service industry after finishing high school. She said her involvement with district-wide issues started when the district began work on a five-year plan to determine attendance and boundary lines. She eventually became one of several co-founders of the Northside Schools Collective, which worked to support North Minneapolis schools and learn more about their needs. Caprini has subsequently served on about five different North Minneapolis site councils and on the district-wide parent advisory council. Caprini first ran for School Board in 2016 and lost in the District 2 race by 201 votes, despite not having the Minneapolis DFL’s endorsement. This time, she secured the DFL’s support with nearly 90 percent of the vote on the first ballot. She also secured the endorsement of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers and Education Support Professionals, which also endorsed Pauly. The union wrote in an open letter that it believes Caprini and Pauly will “bring valuable experience to the board and are willing to make tough decisions in order to expand opportunity to all.” “Kimberly, as a longtime Northside parent activist and Josh, as a former Minneapolis Public Schools teacher, will do what’s right for all of our students,” the letter said. Caprini also has endorsements from eight of the nine current School Board members, including one of her opponents in Gagnon, and about a dozen other current elected officials.
Sharon El-Amin sharon4schools.com
Sharon El-Amin has always been involved in her kids’ education. But the former business owner and mother of three decided to make a run for School Board this spring because of an experience her son had in Spanish class. El-Amin said her son’s teacher was showing the students videos that were unrelated to Spanish instead of teaching the language. She said she was disappointed in the teacher’s mentality when confronted, which was that “no parent in North (Minneapolis) cares.” “That’s not the case in my situation,” said El-Amin, who is president of North High School’s parent organization and a member of its site council. El-Amin said the incident brought her to think about the “systems in school that have been lost.” She talked to friends and parents in other parts of the city, who also noted experiences of their kids not being challenged in school, and she decided to seek a board seat. El-Amin, who announced her candidacy in April, finished fourth among five candidates at the DFL convention in May, earning support from about 11 percent of delegates. But she decided to stay in the race and has been campaigning around the city. She said her priorities are accountability, community and transparency, expressing an interest in raising the district’s curriculum standards and creating more opportunities for community engagement. She added that she’s knowledgeable when it comes to working with budgets because of her business experience and is well versed in working with diverse groups of people. Currently, El-Amin works for the Hennepin County Sheriff ’s Office in a clerical role and serves as the social coordinator for her mosque. Two of her kids graduated from Minneapolis Public Schools and a third is an incoming senior at North. El-Amin’s has endorsements from state Rep. Frank Hornstein and several current and former MPS employees, including North basketball coach Larry McKenzie. McKenzie, who has known El-Amin for over 20 years, said she’s an advocate for kids, adding that she communicates well with administration and staff. McKenzie also said El-Amin has helped get North’s parent group organized and helped improve their work. “She would be an advocate for all peoples’ kids,” McKenzie said. “That’s the type of person we need.”
Rebecca Gagnon rebeccaformn.com
A two-term board member, Rebecca Gagnon began the year as a candidate for the Minnesota House of Representatives. But she transitioned to a re-election campaign for School Board in late March, after failing to secure the DFL endorsement in her house district. Gagnon had initially said she wouldn’t seek a School Board seat in 2018, but she changed her mind when a candidate she had endorsed, SEE SCHOOL BOARD / PAGE A13
southwestjournal.com / August 9–22, 2018 A13 FROM SCHOOL BOARD / PAGE A12
Cindy Booker, dropped out of the race. She is touting her two terms of experience as critical as the district looks to overcome significant funding challenges and make structural changes. “This conversation requires knowledge, history, experience, and a deep understanding of the complexity of education funding and the interconnectedness of our District systems, programs and operations,” Gagnon wrote on Facebook after filing for election. Gagnon was first elected to the board in 2010 and was the top vote-getter among at-large candidates in 2014. She was board treasurer from 2013 to 2016 and chair in 2017 but lost her re-election bid this past January, with her colleagues electing Inz on a 6-3 vote. Gagnon has defended a resolution she carried this spring to restore over $6 million in funding to middle and high schools, despite the recommendation of district leaders to leave the budget as it stood. The resolution, which passed on a 5-4 vote, required district leaders to make approximately $5 million in additional cuts to the district’s central-office budget. Gagnon characterized the resolution as defending secondary schools from deep and devastating cuts and preserving programs that often bring kids to school. But opponents pointed out that the restored funding would benefit a portion of district schools, while all schools could suffer from the corresponding central-office cuts. Others said board members should have voiced concerns about specific cuts to the superintendent earlier in the year. Gagnon subsequently did not receive the endorsement of the teachers union, which came out strongly against the resolution after its passage, and she finished third at the DFL endorsing convention, with 31 percent support. She had said in a teachers union questionnaire that she would abide by her political party’s endorsement but stayed in the race. Gagnon has endorsements from board members Ira Jourdain and KerryJo Felder, and a handful of other elected officials. Jourdain said he’s supporting Gagnon because she’s an involved parent and has experience on the board. “She’s worked tirelessly to build bridges between different communities,” said Jourdain, who’s also supporting Caprini. “I think her presence on the board is still warranted,” he added. “It’s still needed.”
Doug Mann socialist2001.wixsite.com/ mannforschoolboard
Doug Mann has run for School Board in every election cycle since 1999 but has never been elected. He said in an interview that he keeps running because of the issue of teacher turnover. Mann noted Minnesota’s teacher tenure act, which allows for districts to let go of probationary teachers as they see fit, within certain parameters. He said the act contributes to teacher turnover in Minneapolis, which he added has a disparate impact on students of color. Statewide, about 15 percentage of teachers who started between the 2009-10 and 2014-15 school years left the profession after one year, according to a 2017 report from the Minnesota Department of Education. Over 36 percent of teachers who started in 2009-10 had left teaching by 2015-16, according to the report, which didn’t break down departure rates by district. A February report from MPS says the district retained 93 percent of its teachers between 2009 and 2017, excluding retirements. The report didn’t break down retention rates by years in teaching.
Other priorities for Mann include more enrichment opportunities for students and educating special-education students in the least-restrictive environment possible. He said he’s not crazy about separating kids by ability, especially in the elementary school grades, and that teachers should be able to accommodate kids with all types of abilities. Mann is currently working as a pharmacy technician. He has one son who graduated from Minneapolis Public Schools. Mann was one of the plaintiffs in an educational-adequacy lawsuit the Minneapolis NAACP brought against the state in the late ’90s. He later withdrew from the suit because he did not agree with the NAACP’s goal of creating a school-choice plan. He sought endorsement from the Green Party and Democratic Socialists of America for his election this cycle but did not receive either. He received the endorsement from the New Progressive Alliance.
Josh Pauly joshpauly.com
Josh Pauly spent three years teaching at Sanford Middle School in Minneapolis before leaving to start a nonprofit last summer. Next year, he’s hoping to put that experience to use on the School Board. Pauly said the board would benefit from having a member who understands the needs of students and the daily challenges that Minneapolis teachers face. The 31-year-old added that he thinks the board needs the perspective of all community members, including future parents like him. “This is a space where I can help my community,” Pauly said in an interview earlier this year. Pauly, a University of Minnesota graduate, spent two years teaching social studies at Sanford and a third teaching in its Achievement Via Individual Determination program. He founded his nonprofit, called PeopleSourced Policy, last summer, because of a desire to get more involved in the political process after the 2016 election. PeopleSourced Policy aims to crowdsource public policy solutions through both online tools and in-person efforts. The organization has developed games on topics such as city planning and community budgeting that aim to engage and educate people on policy issues. Pauly also serves as executive director of the nonprofit Books on Wings, which provides books to youth in schools with concentrated poverty, in addition to working with PeopleSourced Policy. He also founded an after-school book club and is on the Standish-Ericsson Neighborhood Association board. Pauly said his priorities as a board member would include community engagement, teacherstudent ratios, increasing wrap-around services and reframing the dialogue around the district’s budget. He noted that Sanford, for example, had just one counselor and one social worker in a school of 900 students when he was there, adding that he wants to increase such services. Pauly received the Minneapolis DFL’s endorsement on the first ballot at the convention in May with about 65 percent of the vote. He has endorsements from the teachers union, current board members Ali, Arneson and Inz, five City Council members and a handful of state legislators. Arneson said she’s impressed with the commitment to equity and good governance that both Pauly and Caprini have shown, also praising them for their leadership abilities. Roosevelt High School parent Tina Pfau Gonzales said Pauly was an amazing history teacher at Sanford, adding that he was really engaged and bonded with the kids. “He really understands what’s needed in education,” she said.
A14 August 9–22, 2018 / southwestjournal.com FROM BLEVINS / PAGE A1
He said police officers, including Kelly and Schmidt, were “promptly” available for interviews after the shooting. “These cases tear our community apart,” Freeman said. “No one wins today. A young man is dead, our officers face increasing criticism and scrutiny and the community is devastated.” The county attorney had made it through barely two pages of an 11-page prepared statement when a group of family members and activists took control of the meeting, shouting over Freeman, who left the room. “You have justified police murder since you’ve been in office, Mike Freeman,” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, an attorney and 2017 mayoral candidate. Sydnee Brown, Blevins’ first cousin, said the family was “devastated” by his death. Brown said they anticipated Freeman would not file charges against the officers and were prepared for the news. “I don’t want the media and the world to think we are angry. We’re not angry. We’re more so disgusted,” Brown said. “We’re disgusted by the leaders of the world. We’re disgusted by the leaders of Minneapolis and Minnesota. And at the end of the day, we want the cops arrested within the next 48 hours and prosecuted to the fullest degree of the law, because this is murder.” Michelle Gross, president of Communities United Against Police Brutality, said based on the video the officers clearly used excessive
force in the confrontation with Blevins. Levy Armstrong said the officers’ reaction demonstrated a “hyper-fear of black men with guns.” Before he left the room, Freeman emphasized that his department had a “limited role” in setting police policy, adding that he could bring charges “in only the most egregious cases.” “We are not the guardians for enforcing or making police policy. We do not have the jurisdiction or the authority to discipline police officers who act in a manner which we dislike,” he said. According to the narrative provided by the county attorney’s office, the incident began just before 5:30 p.m. on June 23 with a 911 call reporting a person with a gun near the intersection of 46th & Lyndale. The caller said a man who appeared intoxicated had fired the weapon in the air and into the ground. Responding to the call in their patrol vehicle, Kelly and Schmidt came across Blevins several blocks away at the corner of 48th & Camden. The body-worn camera footage shows Blevins sitting on a curb next to a woman, a young child in a stroller and a dog on a leash. In documents provided by the county attorney’s office, the woman is identified as Olya Weseman, the mother of Blevins’ child. In the video, the officers note as they approach in their car that the man on the curb has a bottle of liquor and matches the description given by the 911 caller. Schmidt then yells “He’s got a gun” and quickly exits the vehicle, followed by Kelly. Blevins runs away down the street as Schmidt and Kelly
follow. The officers order Blevins to drop the weapon and put his hands up, warning that they will shoot. “I didn’t do nothing, bro,” Blevins is heard to say as he flees on foot, denying that he has a gun. Blevins shouts “Please don’t shoot me” and “Leave me alone” as he turns down an alley. Schmidt told investigators he saw Blevins drop the bottle of liquor and then reach into his pocket. Schmidt said he saw the gun and feared for his life, and that’s when he stopped running, aimed and fired at Blevins. Kelly told investigators that he followed Schmidt and Blevins into the alley and at one point thought he saw Blevins’ handgun pointing directly at him, adding that he was “pretty sure” he heard Blevins fire a shot. Kelly also fired on Blevins. An autopsy conducted by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner determined Blevins died of multiple gunshot wounds. He was struck by four bullets. A Smith & Wesson pistol was found near Blevins’ body. Investigators also recovered two cartridge casings they said were fired from the pistol: one at 46th & Bryant, near the location of the original 911 call, and another in the alley where Blevins was killed. Chris Case, a witness who was in the alley during the foot chase, told investigators he saw Blevins pull a gun out of his the waistband of his pants as he was running. But Case said he didn’t see Blevins fire the gun. Freeman said it was “irrelevant” to his charging
decision whether Blevins actually fired at the officers or not. He said it was possible but unlikely that the casing found in the alley came from a cartridge fired earlier near 46th & Bryant. Freeman said “the mere act of turning and pointing a handgun” was “sufficient” for the officers to use deadly force. “We don’t have to prove that he shot at them to conclude our analysis that the police officers were authorized in using deadly force to respond,” he said. Freeman said he made the decision not to charge late in the week prior to his announcement, which took place on a Monday morning. He said he “slept on it” Friday night and concluded it was the right decision Saturday morning. In a joint statement, state Reps. Fue Lee and Raymond Dehn and state Sen. Bobby Joe Champion, all legislators representing the North Side, said their hearts were with Blevins’ family, adding that they would “continue looking comprehensively at our state laws and use-of-force policies to keep both our communities of color and police officers safe.” “It’s not a crime to drink in our society and it’s not a crime to have a gun, but there are many things that could have been done differently — by Thurman Blevins and by Officers Justin Schmidt and Ryan Kelly,” the statement read. “It seems that officers choose other options with white suspects than they do with suspects of color, and we must change that.”
A closer look at the case file By Michelle Bruch / mbruch@southwestjournal.com
Over the course of five weeks, investigators from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension canvassed 424 addresses, interviewed 46 police officers and reviewed hours of surveillance and body camera footage. The following summarizes portions of the investigation.
The police response Thurman Blevins was not the only suspect officers encountered June 23 as they searched for a man who allegedly fired shots into the sky and ground. Officers in a squad on Lyndale approached 46th Avenue North and found a man wearing a gray tank top with a backpack containing a small BB gun. When they received word of shots fired and one down nearby, they released the man from handcuffs without getting an ID, saying he didn’t fully match the caller’s description. The 911 caller identified Blevins by name as the suspect later that night. Officer Justin Schmidt spotted Blevins with a backpack on the corner of 48th & Camden shortly before 5:30 p.m. He was sitting next to Olya Weseman, the mother of his child, with her own daughter in a stroller. Officer Ryan Kelly said Blevins fit the suspect description “almost to a T,” and Schmidt noticed what appeared to be a handle of a gun in his right pocket. Investigators separately interviewed both officers on June 25. “So I drew my firearm because at this point we were only, I estimate ten to fifteen feet away from him,” Schmidt told investigators. “So for my safety I drew my gun, exited the squad and I said put your f---ing hands up.” Schmidt said Blevins’ eyebrows raised in surprise, and he grabbed a bottle and took off running. Kelly said he also drew his gun because he thought Blevins had a hand on the butt of a gun. Blevins wasn’t in a dead sprint, he said. Every time Blevins slowed and turned to look at him, Kelly said he thought he would start shooting. Weseman told investigators that Blevins is scared of police, and she didn’t know any reason for him to run. Kelly kept yelling in the hope that Blevins would stop and take his hand off the gun, he said. “Instead he crosses the street at this point and now I know that we are [in] a, a very bad situ-
ation. Because now he’s leading us somewhere and I don’t know where he’s going,” Kelly said. Schmidt said he asked Blevins several times to put his hands in the air. When Blevins dropped the bottle and reached into his pocket, Schmidt said he threatened deadly force. “I didn’t do nothing, bro,” Blevins said as he ran. “… Please don’t shoot me. Leave me alone.” Schmidt said he saw Blevins pull the gun out of his pocket, and Schmidt stopped, aimed for “center mass,” and fired until Blevins fell to the ground. “To me he had every bit of intent on shooting my partner and I. I gave him numerous chances to give up. And he continued to escalate the situation by first grabbing onto his firearm, then clearing it from his pocket,” Schmidt said. From Kelly’s point of view, he said Blevins’ arm came up, he heard shots, and he saw the barrel of the gun. He said he was pretty sure Blevins got a shot off. Thinking his partner might have been shot, Kelly said he fired until Blevins hit the ground. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said a spent cartridge in the alley would lead one to believe that Blevins fired his gun as well. The National Center for Audio and Video Forensics determined at least 14 shots were fired. The autopsy indicated Blevins was struck by four bullets. A Benjamin Franklin plumbing truck was hit with three bullets. A man standing outside his car discovered that one bullet went through the driver’s side windshield of his Chevy Malibu; he told investigators his girlfriend was in the passenger seat. Both officers said they watched their body camera videos prior to their interviews with state investigators. Schmidt said Minneapolis Internal Affairs provided access to the video about an hour before the interview, and he watched it with his attorney, pausing the video to review key moments. When Kelly reviewed the body camera video, he said he was surprised to discover pitbulls had been chasing him. Some other officers who responded to the scene also reviewed body camera video prior to interviews, and several said the practice is within the bounds of Minneapolis Police Department policy.
The 911 call “I didn’t know all of this s--- was gonna happen,” the 911 caller told investigators after police shot and killed Blevins. Investigators called him at 10:56 p.m. to learn more about what he had seen. The 911 caller wanted to remain anonymous. People said they would kill the person who snitched, he said. He explained that he knew Blevins personally as “June.” Earlier that day, he said he greeted Blevins, who had a bottle of liquor in his hand. “Next thing you know” Blevins shot into the air in the alley at 46th & Lyndale, the caller said. “A drunk dude in the neighborhood with a gun and kids around, hell yeah I was nervous,” the caller said. Blevins had reportedly been angry with a friend of his, Willie, for drinking his liquor, and punched Willie in the face. Blevins fired a second shot into the ground near 46th & Bryant, the caller said. A police report describing the initial 911 call said no ShotSpotter activation was found. The gunshots are not captured on surveillance video, according to Freeman. Freeman’s office said those factors are not significant, because the 911 caller reported being near Blevins, and ShotSpotter doesn’t pick up every block in the city. Investigators spoke with nearby residents who said they didn’t hear the shots alleged in the 911 call. “Nobody heard any gunshots prior to it,” said one resident who spoke with investigators, requesting to remain anonymous in the Southwest Journal out of fear for her safety. “We want people to know the truth. … The family wants justice, we all want justice, and we just want some type of normal policing in our neighborhood. Period.” Investigators interviewed other people who had seen Blevins that day. One woman said she was with him for about 10–15 minutes, and she was present when Blevins punched Willie. She watched Blevins walk off with his “baby mama,” and she described him as a little intoxicated but not bad. She said she didn’t see him with a gun. After midnight on June 24, BCA investigators recovered a gold 9mm casing from the northwest corner of 46th & Bryant, a location
described by the 911 caller. The Hennepin County Attorney’s office said the cartridge case was later determined to have been fired from a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun, the gun Blevins carried. Cartridge casings linked to the Smith and Wesson were also recovered nine days before the shooting at the 4500 block of Bryant Avenue North as part of a burglary crime scene, according to the BCA. A police report stated that on June 14 a man wearing a dark backpack allegedly entered the basement window of a home owned by Weseman, the woman sitting with Blevins when police encountered him days later. A man sleeping in the house told police he heard a window break and confronted a suspect that he couldn’t identify. The suspect fled the scene and pointed a handgun into the sky and fired one round, according to the report. When asked about residents who are skeptical of the initial 911 call on June 23, Freeman’s office said the case is “not a numbers game.” “One person reported seeing a man shooting a gun in the city. Police are required to respond to that and investigate,” the attorney’s office said in a statement. Freeman said in press conference that reckless shooting on the Northside needs to stop, and said he was proud of the 911 caller. A firearms trace by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms indicates the Smith and Wesson gun Blevins carried on June 23 was purchased by Anthony De Lawrance Ruffin in 2014. De Lawrance said he didn’t know his gun was missing until BCA investigators knocked on his door. He said Weseman and his wife are friends.
The aftermath Surveillance video shows that several men attempted to break in to Blevins’ apartment two days after he died. “I’m scared to let my kids play right here,” one resident told investigators. “Up until last week this park was filled with kids. And as a mother my kids are inside right now. And that’s not fair when we pay for a park. But it’s not your guys’ fault, it’s not the police fault, it’s not the neighborhood’s fault, everybody needs to come together right now.”
A16 August 9–22, 2018 / southwestjournal.com
New city program to provide emergency housing for displaced tenants $2 million program will assist around a dozen households By Austen Macalus
The City of Minneapolis will spend $2 million to provide emergency housing for tenants in danger of displacement. The Emergency Stabilization Pilot Program, approved by the City Council on Aug. 3, is aimed at helping residents forced to move within 90 days because of landlord malpractice, such as revocation of a rental license or property condemnation. “We’re hopeful this pilot program is going to provide stable housing options,” said Roxanne Young Kimball, a senior project coordinator with the city’s Community Planning and Economic Development department. Under the five-year program, the city will purchase around a dozen units across North Minneapolis that will be rented to selected households. The measure comes after the city’s battle with Mahmood Khan, a North Minneapolis landlord stripped of over 40 rental licenses last year, leaving nearly 300 tenants in flux. “The tenants in these units are not responsible for their landlord’s failure to comply with licensing regulation or building maintenance,” Young Kimball said. The pilot is open to applicants citywide, but will likely house many former Khan tenants. Around 20 households in Khan’s former proper-
ties are still searching for housing, Young Kimball said. They need to find a new place by Aug. 31. Council Member Jeremiah Ellison (Ward 5), a leading proponent of the program, has worked with former Khan tenants and community organizers for the past few months to address displacement. “It was the exact type of situation that I myself ran (for office) to try to remedy and find unique solutions towards,” Ellison said at a July 25 Housing Policy and Development Committee meeting. “We as a city need to be working hard (so) that our tenants… are having options in the face of displacement.”
Low supply, immediate demand for displaced tenants The city’s lack of rental housing, especially affordable units, only exacerbates problems with tenant displacement, Young Kimball said. “Within this already tight [housing] market, there is also an increase in the number of households that have an immediate need for rental housing,” she said at the housing committee meeting. Last year, renters in the metro area saw around a 2 percent vacancy rate, according to a Star Tribune analysis of an industry review,
which Young Kimball called “extremely low.” A 5 percent vacancy rate is considered by industry experts as balanced. Low vacancy rates, which indicate less housing supply, make it increasingly difficult for tenants to find a new place to live on a quick turnaround. “When vacancy rates are as low as they are it tends to drive rents upward and it also tends to make it more challenging to qualify for a unit,” she said. “There simply are not available units that would be able to serve the households that [are] impacted.” The pilot program offers tenants affordable housing that is increasingly hard to come by, she said, with rent in the units capped at 60 percent of the area median income. Tenants, who are provided a 12-month renewable lease, will also receive financial planning services. Some public comments expressed qualms about the program increasing concentrated poverty in North Minneapolis. Some, including Ward 7 Council Member Lisa Goodman, were concerned about tenants’ financial situation as the program goes along. “I’m worried about what will happen after the rental assistance period ends,” she said. Goodman proposed adding escrow accounts for tenants, a pool of money set
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aside that could offset rent hikes or go toward a down payment after the program ends. “The least we could do is make sure they are prepared to be able to afford these houses,” Goodman said. “And/or, more importantly, be able to develop a good enough rental history that they can potentially get a mortgage and use some of this money as a down payment.” Young Kimball said city officials are still looking into adding escrow accounts. At the conclusion of the program, the city intends to sell the housing units, ideally to the tenants in the pilot. “The hope that is upon the conclusion of a program that tenants will be in a better position and the market conditions will have change so that it will be more feasible to find a good housing unit or potentially to purchase a home,” Young Kimball said.
‘This hasn’t been easy’ The program received widespread support from city officials. “The homes that are being proposed are disproportionately in my ward, in the fourth ward,” Council Member Phillipe Cunningham said at the committee meeting. SEE HOUSING / PAGE A17
4/19/18 4:11 PM
southwestjournal.com / August 9–22, 2018 A17 FROM CONSTRUCTION / PAGE A1
The city’s response
said Dave Aeikens, the MnDOT communications director for the 35W@94 project. Unlike Gyst, most businesses remain open and look for ways to draw in customers. Aaron Meyerring of The Electric Fetus said their business was down 20 percent since the Franklin Avenue bridge first closed last September. He said it remained low due to new construction even after part of the bridge re-opened. Meyerring said they’ve relied on big events to draw in a crowd, such as Record Store Day in April and a weeklong celebration of the store’s 50th anniversary in June. Hassan Warsame, the owner of the BP Gas Station at Franklin & 3rd, a few blocks from the Fetus, echoed Meyerring’s sentiments. He said sales were down nearly 50 percent because of construction. “We lost our business and are still concerned about it and how we can get it back,” he said. Warsame said he made gas prices lower and advertised discounts on items like coffee, donuts and soda. “It did help [sales] a little bit, but if you don’t sell a lot you can’t regain them,” he said. Meyerring said the record store had seen the largest decrease in their nine-to-five crowd. It’s no longer realistic for customers to come from downtown on their lunch breaks or wait out evening rush hour by shopping around. He said the hardest thing about long periods of road construction is that people make alternative routes that might not take them by the business anymore. “It’s not only getting through the construction, it’s getting those customers to come back and have it be part of their routine again when it’s over with,” he said. Both Warsame and Meyerring said they had met with city officials and MnDOT regarding the construction. Aeikens said MnDOT tries to contact as many affected businesses as they can, especially when there are road closures, to talk through detours. “We try to stay in touch with them as we go through and if there’s issues they stay in touch with us,” he said. After customers said they didn’t know if they could still come into the stores, Warsame and Meyerring petitioned for “open to local business” signs to be posted on the road blocks and detour signs. After multiple meetings, MnDOT posted signs at three of the requested locations. “We work very closely with the businesses to try to make sure that they and their customers are able to manage through our construction so people can find them and business is able to continue,” Aeikens said. Warsame and Meyerring also said they’ve contacted the city regarding changes in their taxes. On top of loss of sales from re-routed traffic, both said their businesses have gotten reassessed for higher taxes due to the improvements on the surrounding infrastructure. “[We] are frustrated because we pay a lot of taxes and nobody is supporting [us]. … We have to pay everything and lose everything,” said Warsame. “I have to cover everything.”
Aeikens said MnDOT also works with businesses on things they can do on their own, such as specialized signs, advertising on their websites or emails with instructions to help customers navigate through construction. Electric Fetus has even tried to use construction as a theme in advertising. Every Friday, some of the popular new releases are labeled “construction specials” and can be purchased at a discount in store. “We’re super-fortunate that we have a loyal customer and fan base, this very easily could’ve put a lot of companies under,” Meyerring said. Clinton Market, previously located on Clinton & 19th in Stevens Square, closed due to loss of business from construction. Warsame said many of the Clinton Market customers lived on the other side of the Franklin Avenue bridge. When it closed, they no longer had easy access to the market. Other neighborhood spots remain unaffected by the changes. Management from Whittier’s Tilt Pinball Bar and Spyhouse Coffee said patrons have expressed frustration with construction but that business remains strong. They thanked their loyal customers for keeping them busy. Some businesses even see too much traffic as detours route drivers on roads that previously were less busy. Honeycomb Salon, located at 35th & Nicollet, is one business facing this issue. Millie Rose, a manager at Honeycomb Salon, said there has been a significant increase in traffic on Nicollet. “Because we’re on such a well-traveled corner we’re not really concerned about [accessibility]. For us, it’s more the general frustration with how long it takes to get everywhere and just how crazy it feels,” Rose said. “I’m not quite sure what the city can do about that.” She said many clients have struggled to get to their appointments on time, but Honeycomb’s business has remained steady overall. “There’s definitely an issue of getting here on a planned schedule just because everything takes so much longer,” she said. “There’s so much construction people are just taken aback on where the construction is.” Rose said MnDOT has visited the salon multiple times to talk through closures and detours and provide handouts for clients on navigating in the city. “I know MnDOT has been working hard to be sure that closures and everything have been communicated well, but I still think there’s this level of confusion among (people), at least our clients,” said Rose. Aeikens said MnDOT aims to help businesses through construction as best they can by providing general signage, like what was requested by BP and Electric Fetus, handouts, as described by Rose, and regular check-ins. “I get it. The road’s got to be built. And believe me, I want new infrastructure,” Meyerring said. “All I can really ask for is when you close off access to a business or somebody’s livelihood that you would make it a priority to try to finish that as fast as possible.”
FROM HOUSING / PAGE A16
“I’m really excited for us to have this opportunity for folks.” Ellison sees the program as a smart financial investment. “It’s not a $2 million loss,” he said. “It’s $2 million put into the homes.” He said the aid is long overdue. “There has been historic disinvestment and I think residents in North Minneapolis… are owed some added investment from the city.” But Ellison said there is more the City Council can do to prevent displacement, including passing a tenants’ bill of rights and inclusionary zoning policy to increase affordable housing.
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Mayor Jacob Frey said at the meeting his office is working with the Department of Regulatory Services and the City Attorney’s Office to more aggressively pursue tenant remedy actions, allowing the city to “step into the shoes of tenant where previously they were facing a landlord alone.” Addressing the committee, TeCara Ayler, a former Khan tenant, recounted her experience organizing to help other residents. “This has not been easy,” she said. Ayler said the program will directly help those affected by impending displacement. “We will be able to at least place some of the families in safe, affordable housing,” she said. “It will make it a lot easier for us.” MidwestOne Bank DTJ 080918 V3.indd 1
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A18 August 9–22, 2018 / southwestjournal.com
By Nate Gotlieb / ngotlieb@southwestjournal.com
City eyes climate resilience in comp plan The City of Minneapolis has laid out dozens of steps it can take to become more resilient to the effects of climate change in its draft comprehensive plan, Minneapolis 2040. City planners put forth the suggested actions, which include everything from incentivizing energy-efficiency improvements to improving the pedestrian environment, when they released the plan this past spring. Their hope is to help the city progress toward its climate goals, which include reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050. “The action steps are specific enough to make a commitment to doing something about it,” said Paul Mogush, principal project coordinator in the city’s Long Range Planning division. “They’re not going to be so specific as to name new programs or funding amounts, but it’s acknowledging the importance of doing more.” State law requires municipalities in the Twin Cities to provide the Metropolitan Council with updated comprehensive plans every 10 years. The plans must include elements such as existing and future land-use maps, population forecasts and a discussion of future housing needs, among others. The council doesn’t require any specific climate change-related actions as part of the plans, but it encourages municipalities to think about planning for the effects of climate change. Minneapolis city planners integrated potential actions into the plan in an effort to
continue progressing toward the city’s goals. “We know that cars are a part of the emissions problem, but buildings are a bigger part,” said Heather Worthington, director of long range planning. “So thinking about how we build our cities matters in terms of the environment and carbon emissions.”
14 climate goals The Minneapolis City Council adopted 14 goals at the beginning of the process to draft Minneapolis 2040, including the goal of climate change resilience. The council wants the city to be resilient to the effects of climate change and diminishing natural resources by 2040, the goal says. It also wants the city to be on track to reach its 2050 greenhouse gas-reduction target. Minneapolis hit an initial greenhouse gasreduction goal in 2015, reducing emissions by 17.8 percent that year compared to a baseline year of 2006. But the city will need to take significant additional steps to reach the 80 percent goal, according to Minneapolis 2040. The plan says that the city will need to “drastically” cut greenhouse gas emissions from buildings to hit the target. It notes that buildings accounted for 71 percent of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2015, with commercial and industrial buildings accounting for about two-thirds of those emissions. The plan says achieving such a cut will
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require a transition from relying solely on fossil fuel-derived natural gas for heating. It also suggests action steps to increase the energy efficiency of buildings and to encourage the use of renewable and carbon-free energy. In addition, the plan says that the city will need to reduce automobile trips by 37 percent in order to hit its 2050 emissions goals. That will likely require more trips via walking, biking and transit. Worthington stressed that there will always be cars in Minneapolis, noting the city was built for cars. But she said the city will be more sustainable to the extent it can incorporate different modes of travel, including walking, biking and transit. City planners have put forth dozens of action steps the city can take to encourage biking, walking and transit riding, including improving access to goods and services via such methods. The plan says that residents in many parts of the city currently have no choice but to drive long distances to access goods and services. It designates additional areas for commercial uses in parts of the city where retail demand exceeds supply. “Increasing retail options close to where people live will allow people the option of accessing daily needs without using a car,” the plan says. “This will help achieve the City’s greenhouse gas reduction goal, improve health through increased physical activity, and enrich the quality of life in our communities.” Retail expansion already appears to be changing peoples’ travel behavior in some areas
of the city. At the newly opened Trader Joe’s downtown, for example, one store employee estimated that at least 60 percent of the crew there walks or bikes to work. Downtown East resident Cherie Randall, who has typically drive to Lunds & Byerlys in Northeast to do her grocery shopping, walked the two blocks to the store on a recent weekday morning. “We’re thrilled,” Randall said of the store’s opening. “Here I can buy as needed and prepare more fresh meals.”
A ‘defining challenge’ Minneapolis 2040 also includes steps the city could take to improve its physical environment, stormwater infrastructure and energy and transportation systems. Those steps could include incentivizing shared mobility options, encouraging the creation of publicly accessible open spaces and plazas and encouraging and requiring reductions in the amount of impervious surface area. Overall, the plan says that climate change is a “defining challenge” of this decade and the century. It adds that “we will face threats to our economic livelihood, public health, and supplies of food, fresh water and power” without rapid action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. More about climate change and the plan can be found at minneapolis2040.com/goals/ climate-change-resilience.
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southwestjournal.com / August 9–22, 2018 A19
By Eric Best / ebest@southwestjournal.com
Park Board votes to reduce pumping at Hiawatha golf course Park commissioners voted July 25 to reduce groundwater pumping at Hiawatha Golf Club, a move that will necessitate changing the course’s current 18-hole configuration. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s vote clarifies the direction it would like to see from a community group it tasked with studying potential futures for the South Minneapolis park property, which park officials say isn’t likely to see an 18-hole course in a new plan. The 6-2 vote on the resolution, an amended motion crafted by citywide Commissioner LaTrisha Vetaw, will mean a new plan for Hiawatha will include at least a nine-hole course, though other configurations with more holes may be possible. It also included language making sure there will be some formal recognition of the course’s history of black golfers. “There is a huge legacy that goes along with my community that we will not lose because of anything. I will try everything I can so we can preserve that legacy,” she said. The action affirms a previous board vote to reduce pumping at the course to 94 million gallons a year from 262 million gallons a year, which will dramatically alter the site as wetlands retake some of the property. The Park Board has engaged a consultant, including a golf course architect, to study what course configurations are possible with less land available for golf.
The outlook seems unlikely to Assistant Superintendent of Planning Services Michael Schroeder, who reminded commissioners several times that he does not have a degree in designing golf courses. “When we reduce pumping, it seems to me that it would be very difficult for an 18-hole course,” he said. Other possibilities exist for golf at Hiawatha, he said. The resolution passed by the board means at least a nine-hole course will be included on a future master plan for the site, but Schroeder said some PGA professionals have said a nine-hole course with a three-hole loop could be a desirable option as well. “We’ll be exploring a range of opportunities,” he said. Vetaw’s resolution added a direction to the planning process to include some recognition of the course’s history of black golfers. Schroeder said the board’s consultant team has always included a golf architect and someone who could research the course’s cultural impacts. It’s unclear what interpretive or other opportunities the board and its Citizen Advisory Committee will consider. “I think (the resolution) aligns well with the direction the (board’s community group) and staff would have been moving even without this,” he told commissioners. “I think this does introduce a significant
degree of clarity to the work they need to be doing over the next year.” Several commissioners praised the amended resolution for its compromise between several groups, including golfers who have vocally opposed changing the course, local residents who fear flooding near Hiawatha and others who would like to see the site revert back to a wetland or have another use. “It’s a compromise. It’s what government does, (which) is work with everybody and hear all voices and come up with a solution that may not be perfect but is one that honors the past and looks toward the future,” said District 4 Commissioner Jono Cowgill. Commissioner Kale Severson (District 2) and Londel French (at-large) voted against the resolution. Commissioner AK Hassan (District 3) was absent for the vote. Severson said they shouldn’t take any options off the table for the board’s citizen committee. “I don’t feel like this is a compromise. I feel like this leans one way as opposed to the other,” he said. Recent planning for the course began following a 2014 storm with record rainfall that flooded the course, temporarily shutting it down. Pumping millions of gallons of groundwater and stormwater runoff from the site keeps the course open and protects nearby homes, but staff have said it isn’t a long-term solution for the ecology of the
park. The board has said that Hiawatha Golf Club will remain open in its current state until there’s a new plan in place. Commissioner Steffanie Musich, whose District 5 includes the course, said she’s had “hundreds, if not thousands of conversations” with constituents on the future of the course and homeowners who have seen or are worried about flood damage. “It’s been a long road. It’s been an evolving topic,” she said. Musich said it’s not a “realistic promise” for the Park Board to say residents won’t see flooding if the area sees significant storms. “I cannot stress enough that we want to ensure that homes have the same level of protection they have now from groundwater penetration in the affected area,” she said. The Park Board is at the beginning of what is expected to be a roughly five-year timeframe of redeveloping Hiawatha. Schroeder said the board’s citizen group will come back to the board with its recommended plan for Hiawatha in the second or early third quarter of 2019. Before then, he said park staff will develop concepts for the future of the site based off public and committee feedback. The process will then move to engaging residents, identifying funding sources, planning and designing the park and getting the necessary approvals.
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REMODELING SHOWCASE
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nna and David Linder lived for three years with a cramped second-story bathroom before deciding to do something about it. The master bath in their one-and-half-story Southwest Minneapolis home was about the size of a closet. Its sharply angled ceiling followed the roofline and made life difficult for David, who is six feet, five inches tall. When they were ready for a change, the Linders visited the Southwest Journal’s Home Improvement Fair, where they spoke with a number of contractors, including Bluestem Construction. “David and I were just really, really impressed” with Bluestem, Anna Linder said. The couple presented Bluestem’s lead interior specialist Tamatha Miller with a challenge: Create a light-filled, larger bathroom without infringing on the adjacent
Bluestem managed to maintain all the interesting angles cherished by the homeowners, making it a oneof-a-kind bathroom. Photos courtesy of Bluestem Construction
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bedroom or altering the multi-angled roofline. Miller had faced similar challenges before. “They wanted a soaking tub, a separate shower, a private WC and two sinks,” she said. “When we started to
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REMODELING SHOWCASE meant borrowing a section of wall that holds built-in shelves along the master suite’s sitting area. The company was careful to match the shelves’ oak in the process. Miller made sure that one of the new walls, which forms the now-narrower passage between the sitting area and the bedroom, lined up with the roof ridge line. Doing so left enough space for the couple to walk past it without feeling cramped. The company also opened up the WC ceiling by a few inches so it wouldn’t feel like a closet. While the roofline presented the most obvious problem, maximizing natural light also proved vexing. For the sake of privacy, the couple decided to replace two standard-sized windows behind the soaking tub with smaller awning windows closer to the ceiling. A closet occupies the adjacent wall where new windows were not an option. Miller had an idea for a stand-alone shower enclosed in glass on three sides just outside the WC. The glass allows light from windows on both sides of the house to penetrate the bedroom and bathroom. The shower’s fourth wall and the mosaic backsplash that runs above the vanity and along the adjacent wall behind the tub are made of Carrera marble. Bluestem built a pedestal for the tub out of ipe, a water-resistant, exotic wood also known as Brazilian walnut. The company covered the bathroom floor with a dark gray tile and the bedroom/sitting room with a deep-pile, warm gray-colored carpet. Bluestem also replaced lighting throughout those spaces. The company had a custom cabinetmaker build the quartz-topped vanity and three adjacent floating shelves from quarter-sawn oak. The shelves could have been a few inches deeper, but Anna wanted the top one to meet the end of one of the roofline’s angles. Bluestem also preserved the multi-angled ceiling above the shower. “I have really interesting angles and archways throughout the house,” she said. “I love all the arches and angles and
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things, and to not try to make a shoebox inside of those, it made it much harder for them. That was a real triumph on their part to be able to keep all of those cool angles and still get it in there to be something that we just love.” “That whole design up there was a game of inches,” Miller said. “We were up there all the time.” Miller spent so much time in her home that Anna
missed her during Bluestem’s just-completed remodel of the kitchen. She enjoys showing visitors the one-of-akind bathroom. “I’ve never had anyone come up and not say, ‘Wow, this is really amazing,’” Linder said. “We love it. We really, really are so happy.”
The shower’s fourth wall and the mosaic backsplash that runs above the vanity and along the adjacent wall behind the tub are made of Carrera marble. The company covered the bathroom floor with a dark gray tile.
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News
By Michelle Bruch / mbruch@southwestjournal.com
Dinner on the reopened 38th Street bridge Now that the 38th Street bridge has reopened over Interstate 35W, neighbors will gather for a sit-down dinner — on the bridge — on Thursday, Aug. 16. The evening will feature live music, kidfriendly activities, dinner and conversation. Volunteers at Eat for Equity have started preparing about 200 meals, with a menu loosely based on a southern heritage meal they’ve served at Bonnaroo in Tennessee. The menu includes soda with rhubarb grown from the neighborhood, vegan spreads with veggies grown by the Hmong American Farmers Association, parmesan grits, halal pulled beef or pulled hibiscus, and ice cream sandwiches. Baker’s Field Flour and Bread will bake fresh bread in the community outdoor oven at 38th & Pleasant. Council Member Andrea Jenkins said she’s wanted to see this type of event for years as
Eat for Equity will cater a menu including barbeque black eyed peas and parmesan grits. Photo by Jesse Eustis
part of a broader movement to connect both sides of the freeway. The movement grew out of a debate over whether to locate a dog park
Free drinking water tests available The East Calhoun Community Organization is funding free test kits to check for lead in drinking water. ECCO Coordinator Monica Smith said Flint’s problems with drinking water raised local awareness of the issue. “A lot of houses in the neighborhood are 100 years old and have lead pipes within them,” she said. The City of Minneapolis reports that the state requires extensive testing for lead and copper in the city’s drinking water every three
years, and the city passed the latest test in 2015. Lead that leeches into drinking water is typically due to private lead service piping used in plumbing before 1930, according to the city. Minneapolis controls the pH of water to make it noncorrosive. To pick up test kit materials, contact Monica Smith at nrp@eastcalhoun.org. Property owners who want to know whether their private service line is lead can call the Minneapolis Public Works Utility Connections office at 673-2451.
at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park, she said, and evolved into efforts to unite the city, such as the upcoming event “Celebrate Our Beloved Community” 1 p.m.–4 p.m Aug. 18 at MLK Park. “’Building Bridges’ is this concept that we need to get people from both sides of the freeway talking to each other,” Jenkins said. Marnita’s Table will facilitate a dinner conversation that aims to bring people beyond small talk into meaningful conversation. Topics will include favorite spots in the neighborhood, ways to become involved in the community, and what it means to be welcoming. The 38th Street bridge closed for reconstruction in March. Jenkins said she’s glad to see the reconstructed bridge is better lit and more pedestrian-friendly. The Minnesota Department of Transporta-
tion convened a group of community leaders to brainstorm ideas for a bridge celebration. Along with the aforementioned groups, additional co-hosts include Blackeye Roasting Co, Bryant Neighborhood Organization, Center for Performing Arts, Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization, Lyndale Neighborhood Association, Kente Circle, Kingfield Neighborhood Association, Litin Eco, Sabathani Community Center, Seward Community Co-op Friendship Store, Southside Community Health Services and Xcel Energy. The event on Aug. 16 runs 4 p.m.–8 p.m., with dinner served at 5:45 p.m. For more information, visit the Facebook event page “Building Bridges and Breaking Bread.” Sign up to help prepare food at bit.ly/ volunteere4e.
Hosmer Library to temporarily close Hosmer Library, 347 E. 36th St., will close for renovations Aug. 27, reopening in the spring of 2019. The century-old library’s historic character will remain, and workers will repair the building exterior, skylight and wood windows. An interior renovation will locate areas for children and teens near the front of the building, with a quieter area for computers at the back of the building.
Materials on hold will automatically change to East Lake Library, 2727 E. Lake St. Patrons are also advised to visit Nokomis Library, 5100 34th Ave. S., or Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave. S. Sabathani Community Center will provide space for the library’s Teen Tech Squad, Homework Help and other services for neighborhood students.
NEIGHBORHOOD SKETCHBOOK
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FROM WOONERFS / PAGE A11
Another disappointment is that no entity has stepped forward to assume the programming of the space that was widely desired by those who showed up to brainstorm this street. They envisioned such ideas as markets and street fairs. The project was handed off politically from departing Mayor R.T. Rybak to area Council Member Lisa Bender. Maybe the planned 2021 extension of the concept to three of the four blocks to the west (a fourth was unfortunately vacated by the city) will help the street meet Rybak’s ambition for a “great place for pedestrians.”
Here are three brief follow-ups to my recent columns: • February’s column was about the Park Board’s laxness in adjusting the rent at its superintendent’s mansion at 3954 Bryant Ave. S. Now a group that includes Linden Hills resident Joan Berthiaume is resuming the tours formerly offered of the house before hostility erupted from former superintendent Jon Gurban. Later, his successor, former superintendent Jayne Miller, exercised her option to live there. She vacated it earlier this year. The Minneapolis Park Legacy Society will offer free tours of 75–90 minutes
noon–4 p.m. on these Sundays: Aug. 12, Sept. 9 and 23 and Oct. 7. Superintendent Mary Merrill, with an assist from board President Brad Bourn, helped open the house to Berthiaume’s group while the board mulls the future of a house built for famed superintendent Theodore Wirth. • The April column highlighted the disgraceful condition of King Park’s longneglected sidewalks and the Park Board’s lag in addressing sidewalk repairs at King and 14 other parks. I can now report that King Park has fresh concrete around most of its perimeter, mostly notably where some panels were crumbling to dust.
• Barb Balcolm passed along a note to update the status of her scarecrows, featured in this column last summer. They’ve graced the corner of 46th & Lyndale, where the Tangletown neighborhood resident has gardened with the permission of the property owners for the past 29 years. The home is up for sale, so the scarecrows are in hiding during the marketing. Whether they’ll return depends on the new buyer. Steve Brandt retired from a 40-year career at the Star Tribune in 2016. He lives in Southwest Minneapolis.
southwestjournal.com / August 9–22, 2018 A23
News
By Nate Gotlieb / ngotlieb@southwestjournal.com
Courts can rule on educational adequacy, ruling says The courts can decide if the State of Minnesota is providing students an adequate education, the state Supreme Court ruled in July. The courts can’t create educational policies, but they can decide if the Legislature is fulfilling its constitutional duty to establish a “general and uniform” system of public schools, the ruling said. Such a determination would not violate the separation-of-powers principals laid out in the state constitution, it said. The ruling ends the state’s effort to halt CruzGuzman v. State of Minnesota, a lawsuit alleging the state is depriving metro-area children of an adequate education by allowing segregation. The state had argued the constitution only calls for the state to provide a “general and uniform” system of schools, not an “adequate education.” It added that even if Minnesotans have a constitutional right to an adequate education, the lawsuit would require the courts to define what an adequate education is. That, it said, is the job of the Legislature, not the courts.
In its 4-2 ruling, the Supreme Court noted a past decision that says students have the right to an “adequate” education. It said that the courts have the power to define what constitutes an adequate education and assess if the state is meeting that obligation. “We cannot fulfill our duty to adjudicate claims of constitutional violations by unquestioningly accepting that whatever the Legislature has chosen to do fulfills the Legislature’s duty to provide an adequate education,” Associate Justice Natalie Hudson wrote in the ruling. “If the Legislature’s actions do not meet a baseline level, they will not provide an adequate education.” Associate Justice G. Barry Anderson disagreed in a dissent ruling, which Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea joined. Anderson wrote that for the courts to find inadequacy, they first must define what is adequate. That would require the courts to write the law, a job that is assigned to the Legislature. “Here, we take down a fence constructed
to avoid judicial entanglement with political questions,” Anderson wrote of the majority’s opinion. “I fear we do not fully appreciate the consequences that will follow, not only for the other branches of government but for the judiciary as well.” The organization EdAllies praised the state Supreme Court’s ruling that the judicial branch can decide on educational-adequacy claims. But the group said in a press release the lawsuit risks taking the state in a wrong direction by undermining the choices of families of color. “Too many students of color in Minnesota are not getting the education they deserve,” Tonya Draughn of Uplift MN said in the release. “We won’t fix that by undermining parents of color and taking away schools that are serving their kids well. Instead, we need to empower families of color, and get serious about finding, protecting, and replicating what’s working for their children.” EdAllies also held a press conference at
Friendship Academy of the Arts, a charter school in the Powderhorn community, on the afternoon after the decision was issued. The school’s proficiency rates on statewide standardized tests have generally been on par or above the state average for the past four years. Almost all students at the school are black. Charvez Russell, the school’s executive director, said the conversation needs to be about ensuring kids of color are receiving a high-quality education, not about who’s sitting next to who. “By making integration the bottom line, this lawsuit, what it does is it distracts us from the larger conversation that we need to be having,” he said. Brandie Burris-Gallagher, policy director for EdAllies, said in an interview that the lawsuit is right in that the state hasn’t served all kids well. But she said integration won’t solve all problems, noting that integrated schools often have segregation within them.
Grant boosts school-based mental health care A health clinic servicing public high school students received increased funding from a state grant aimed at addressing youth mental health needs. The School Based Clinic program provides physical and mental health care in seven high schools in Minneapolis. The program, partnering with the non-profit Washburn Center for Children and other mental health organizations, was awarded around $300,000, or around $60,000 annually for up to five years, from the Minnesota Department of Human Services. The grant, approved by the city’s Ways and Means Committee on July 31, went into effect last month. The increase will go toward increasing staff time in schools, including hiring a new halftime position. “It goes right to our mental health programming” said Barbara Kyle, School Based Clinic manager. “It’s helping us provide a little bit more service.” During the 2016-2017 school year, the clinic
saw nearly 4,000 visits, providing services to 482 students, according to Kyle. The clinic, which maintains a $3.2 million budget, currently has one therapist and one intern per school. But recent demand has exceeded its capacity. More and more students are seeking mental health care, Kyle said, forcing counselors to decline taking on new clients. “We keep getting a demand to [increase] the amount of time we are in buildings,” Kyle said. “We have to turn people away.” Approximately one in five teenagers nationally experiences symptoms of a mental disorder. Most youth in need end up not receiving care. “We know that there’s a national health crisis in access to children’s mental health services,” said Washburn Center CEO Tom Steinmetz. Steinmetz said mental health programs tied to schools, like the School Based Clinic, increase accessibility, making it easier for students to access care during the school day, rather than going to an outside clinic.
When schools refer students to outside mental health programs, fewer than 20 percent are connected to services, Steinmetz said. Programs in schools connect around 85 percent of students, according to data collected by the Washburn Center. “It’s dramatically more effective at making services accessible and available to kids who otherwise are falling through the cracks,” Steinmetz said. “It’s reaching the children who have barriers to care.” As the clinic looks to take on more students, Kyle said part of the new funding will help cover students who don’t have health insurance or a plan that covers mental health. The money comes from a grant for schoollinked mental health services, a DHS initiative to support mental health care in local schools. Last year, the department gave out $11 million to more than 900 school programs across Minnesota. “I think it’s a program considered very
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successful by mental health professionals and people who work in the schools,” said Charles Johnson, DHS deputy commissioner. Johnson said school-linked mental health programs are better for the overall school environment. “It’s not just that it’s the right thing to do by kids, it’s also that it decreases the problems that happen in classrooms,” he said. “It really helps kids be more successful in school.” In the coming years, DHS is planning on spending over $11 million annually to support school-linked mental health programs. “We’re trying to expand as much as we can to have a presence in all schools in Minnesota,” Johnson said. This is welcome news for school clinics like Minneapolis, which Kyle said is often lacking resources. “We just would like a lot more funding because our need is so great,” she said. — Austen Macalus
I am thinking of being my own General Contractor for our project - Part 3
Southwest Journal » August 9–22, 2018
s t e g Elvis t n a eleg
COSTUME DESIGNER PATRICK HOLT, AKA TEMPEST DUJOUR, TALKS ‘DRAG FABULOUSNESS’ OF GUTHRIE SHOW
By Eric Best / ebest@southwestjournal.com
R
uPaul Charles’ often-quoted phrase, “We’re born naked, and the rest is drag” is especially relevant for a costume designer. Perhaps no one more so than Patrick Holt. The work of Holt, a University of Arizona theater professor by day and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Tempest DuJour by night, shines — literally — in the Guthrie Theater’s “The Legend of Georgia McBride,” a show that has him designing rhinestone-studded Elvis jumpsuits and mountainous floral wigs that look like they came straight out of “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.” Holt isn’t shy about calling this one of the gayest plays the Guthrie has ever done. “I think what’s great about this play is that people who have never seen drag before will get something from it and people who see drag all the time will get something from it in equal doses,” he said. “I think audiences are obviously ready for (drag).” The coming-of-age comedy-meets-folk tale, which, unsurprisingly, doubles as a drag performance, was written by playwright Matthew Lopez (“The Whipping Man,” “Reverberation”) as an homage to the drag queens who helped his own coming-out process. SEE GEORGIA MCBRIDE / PAGE B11 Top: Drag performers Tracy (Cameron Folmar), Rexy (Arturo Soria) and Casey (Jayson Speters) prepare for a number on stage in “The Legend of Georgia McBride.” Above: Rexy, played by Soria, whips her wig in an energetic lip sync performance. Photos by Dan Norman
B2 August 9–22, 2018 / southwestjournal.com
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ecky Zubick was mulling over what to do with her South Minneapolis back yard. One section had held a vegetable garden, but a number of trees made the space too shady. She considered installing a patio but nixed the do-it-yourself idea. “I knew I wanted to do something. I wasn’t sure what,” Zubick said. “I wanted a place to sit without having to keep moving the lawn furniture when I mowed. It was just grass.” She talked with four landscaping companies before settling on 3 Bears Landscaping for a couple of reasons. One was because owner Brandon Serpette seemed more interested in her project than the other companies’ representatives. The other reason was kismet. Zubick and Serpette had met during the summer of 2017, and she decided to schedule the landscaping job after her house was painted the following spring. “And on the day I was
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supplied with water and Gatorade, exhorting them to drink when the cooler seemed too full. “For us, it was just a lot of fun,” Serpette said. “She took great care of us. It’s everything you could ask for from both sides.” About Landscape Showcase Landscape Showcase is a paid series of profiles featuring local contractors in Southwest Minneapolis. The profiles are written by Nancy Crotti, a freelance writer.
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Overcoming the stigma against muzzles
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ome of us go through life with canine companions that are calm, cool and collected — about anything that comes their way in life. Others of us might end up in a different situation. One or more of our canine buddies might deal with some sort of fearful, anxious behavior over the various things they encounter in life. It might be other dogs, human strangers, small children, thunder, loud noises, territory, rollerblades — the list could go on and on. When fearful anxiety results in aggressive signs such as growling, raised hackles, nipping or biting, it is important to discuss your concerns with a veterinarian. They will help you decide what plan of action is best to try keep pets and people safe. At Westgate Pet Clinic we often will refer clients with concerns over anxiety that results in fearful aggression to a veterinary behaviorist. Because it can take a long time to get in for a behavioral referral, one of the most important things we can recommend to our clients with concerns that their pet may potentially bite is a basket muzzle. There are many situations in which a basket muzzle might be useful. One is the classic family conundrum: crawling baby or toddler presents threat to family canine companion. Unfortunately, I was in this situation myself the moment my firstborn began crawling. For years before I realized that a plastic basket muzzle would do the trick, my family played the game of children in separate room from anxious dog, dog behind baby gate or dog in kennel. It was a stressful game to play, and we weren’t always the best at it. We never had any serious incidents, but we had some close encounters. Even with humane positive reinforcement methods of desensitization and counter-conditioning, even with antianxiety medication for our family dog, we still found that our older elementary school children, and now their friends that were running in and out of the house to play, represented a source of anxiety that prompted aggression from our dog. He was an older middle-aged dog at this point. We were his third adoptive family, and we loved and wanted to keep him. With the birth of our third child, I finally made the trip to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center’s behavior clinic to purchase a plastic basket muzzle. It was the best purchase we ever made for my border colliespringer spaniel mix. He no longer had to deal with separation from the rest of the family when we could not ensure the situation was safe for our kids or kids coming and going through our house. Our kids and kids that came to the house were safe. Our dog even seemed more relaxed, maybe because he sensed we were finally relaxed. It was a win-win for all of us. I wish I had invested in his basket muzzle a long time before I did, but better late than never. Another situation in which a basket muzzle can be very useful is walking a leashed pet that acts fear-aggressive toward other dogs or people. Dogs that are fearful of other unfamiliar dogs or human strangers and act aggressively on leash sometimes miss out on normal, routine walks and exercise because of the stress that ensues for both owner and pet. The growling, raised hackles, lunging and potential for a bite to another dog or person — or to the owner (displaced aggression) — may discourage an owner from ever walking their pet. This type of behavior issue can certainly benefit from a gentle leader head collar or no-pull
952.837.1877 | PetsAreInn.com harness as well desensitization and counterconditioning techniques (another article for the future). A basket muzzle alone won’t help change the situation entirely, but a basket muzzle can ensure that other pets and people are safe while you and your pet are working on behavioral modification techniques with your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist. I personally have seen the basket muzzle work great for fear aggression that is displaced onto an owner. When I first met my neighbor, she never took her dog on walks because every time he saw another dog he would get very worked up and would lunge, bark and pull her, often turning away from the fearful situation to bite her in the leg. We worked with a gentle leader head collar to eliminate the pulling, but what was required to allow her to safely walk him as he learned to be calmer was the basket muzzle. With the use of the gentle leader head collar and basket muzzle, he could safely go on walks and enjoy the exercise and mental stimulation he needed. He never learned to completely relax around other dogs, but the drama lessened, and he even learned to walk happily and calmly side-by-side with my own dog. With the use of the basket muzzle, his world expanded and he even had a dog friend for the first time in many years! Basket muzzles also may have a place in a household where owners are working with an aggressive situation between dogs in the household. Your veterinarian and a veterinary behaviorist can suggest methods to try to work through this type of issue, but a basket muzzle could potentially be a life-saving accessory. Finally, basket muzzles are sometimes necessary for repeat offenders of foreign body obstructions (dog eats sock time after time, rock time after time, etc.). In a busy household where every potentially dangerous item can’t be picked up all the time, it might be a good option for those dogs that have required surgery after surgery for their indiscriminate eating of things that don’t digest well. Basket muzzles are very humane. They are made of a grid pattern that allows a pet to be able to breathe normally and drink from a water bowl as usual, and many have a grid of such a size that even kibble or small treats can be fed through the basket muzzle. The overall shape of a basket muzzle allows a pet to chew food and swallow like normal. Basket muzzles are not recommended for continuous use. They should be removed to allow a pet to eat, play with toys and chew appropriate items. Basket muzzles are made of many different materials, but I prefer the plastic type that is softer and more flexible. I think they are more comfortable for the pet and the person. SEE MUZZLE STIGMA / PAGE B13
Pets Are Inn SWJ 053118 6.indd 1
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B4 August 9–22, 2018 / southwestjournal.com
Sweet eats
by CARLA WALDEMAR
TALK ABOUT PRETTY! Edwards Dessert Kitchen, a new tenant on North Washington Avenue’s restaurant row, is as much a “concept” store as an eatery. Cheers for the renovation of a long-vacant building into a destination for the ’hood’s trendsters to strut (and slurp) their stuff. Picture this: an interior showcasing pale brick arches lit by ceiling spots, rising above a polished wood floor and the window wall’s passing parade. Add in a curvaceous bar anchoring a high-style setting of purple velvety chairs and matte-black lounges, attended by cocktail tables for your Tattersall-spiked designer beverage (cocktails $12; wine and beer, too). If you’re an “eat dessert first” kind of person, step right in. (After all, what’s the point of supping righteously on skimpy salads when you could be hit by a bolt of lightning before you next step on the scale? Might as well enjoy your last few bites on earth.) If that’s not your style, nip over after a meal elsewhere, or après-performance, for the evening’s grand finale. But if you crave a take-home treat, I’ll be honest: You’ll find equally good quality (and in some cases, better) — and more friendly pricing — elsewhere. (Patisserie 44 and Rustica, I’m talking about you.) Will EDK have a future as rosy as its strawberry-red wine sorbet? You tell me. Meanwhile, I’ll tell you. Bars and cookies ($5 each) range from mole-spiked brownies to a salted butter (i.e. regular, right?) chocolate chunk cookies — buttery and boasting a nice crumb but, frankly, generic. The curried scotcheroo involving mango and cashews is a chocolate-frosted improvement on a Rice Krispie bar. A caramel and five-spice snickerdoodle was generic in taste and texture, similar to what comes out of my own oven. Maybe you crave a pudding ($10)? The mocha tiramisu employs a chocolate cake base as its twist, along with the addition of bergamot. Fine, but not life-altering. Didn’t try the vanilla-bean mousse yet, but the miso caramel pudding, with its infusion of soy into the mixture, and set upon a black sesame sponge, to me (and I emphasize that this is a highly personal reaction) was so offtasting that I couldn’t finish it.
Clockwise from top: summer tasting menu; strawberry and creme; banana chips cliffs. Submitted photos
House-made ice creams ($10, meant for sharing) again proved just fine but not better nor more unusual than many another elite venue’s, either in quality or flavor profiles. (This time I’m calling out Sebastian Joe’s and World Street Kitchen’s frozen-goodies annex.) The blackberryraspberry crumble delivered sweet, fruity swirls embedded in vanilla, while the avocado-lime sorbet (I had high hopes) proved overwhelmingly strong on the citrus part of the equation. The menu section called “In our Case” highlights five signature selections ($10 each), and they fare best of all. A hazelnut-chocolate mousse number is attended with rich chocolate sable awakened with a pleasant hazelnut praline crunch, while the hands-down winner of the list (and entire menu) is a tender creampuff filled, gloriously, with a suave and captivating mango-coconut cream and a whiff of lemongrass. There’s also a menu section entitled “Made Just for You” (the others weren’t? $15), featuring a summertime tasting assembly of melon pavlova, stone fruit-cherry tart, yuzu curd and baba au gin, which sounds promising. You’ll find a cheese plate here, too. More savories: A quartet ($10) includes a vegetable quiche, a tartine based on sourdough rye, a ham and gruyere panino and gougere, those savory creampuffs, here filled with smoked salmon and cream cheese mousse. EDK’s open kitchen is in the hands of pastry chef Christina Kaelberer, who studied at the Art Institutes International Minnesota and served as pastry chef of the former Chambers Kitchen, among other positions. Give her a smile as you step up to the counter.
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southwestjournal.com / August 9–22, 2018 B5
By Rebecca Noble
Halfway there
I
t’s hard to believe, but we are officially halfway through the outdoor market season. Minnesota summers go by so fast. Now is the time to shop at the market, connect with hard working local farmers and spend time with your neighborhood community. There is so much to look forward to at the Fulton Farmers Market in August, September and October. Plenty of favorite summer fruits and vegetables are just coming into season. Find sweet corn, watermelons and tomatoes at the market throughout August and September. Our amazing certified organic fruit vendor, Mary Dirty Face Farm, will be bringing grapes, plums and apples to the market. Johnson Family Pastures, a small farm out of Centuria, Wisconsin, will be have pasture raised chicken and pork throughout August and grass fed beef beginning in September. Seasonal veggies like broccoli, cucumbers, green beans, onions and potatoes are going strong. There is no better time of year to cook and eat fresh, healthy, locally produced food. In addition to the local farm products, there are tasty treats and ready-to-eat foods at each Saturday market. Throughout the second half of the season, be sure to check out paleo nut bars from Candor Bar,
herbal teas from Well Rooted Teas, creative and delicious fermented foods from Topos Ferments and vegetable based soups from Jen’s Jars. Come to the market hungry for tasty eats from Potter’s Pasties, Oh Crepe and Twin Cities Paella. There are lots of awesome activities at the market over the next couple of months. Make a date with friends, bring the kids and mark your calendars for the following special events: • Aug. 11: Cooking demo with the Wedge Co-op, 10 a.m.–noon • Aug. 25: Tomato Day! Crafts, cooking demos, tomato activities • Sept. 15: Music with the Roe Family Singers • Sept. 29: Apple Day! Every week, gather around for a volunteer led storytime 9:30–10 a.m. and live music 10 a.m.–noon. Weather permitting, the Hero Heating and Cooling bounce house will be up at the Fulton Farmers Market 10 a.m.–noon throughout the month of September. Huge thanks to Hero for supporting the Neighborhood Roots farmers markets. The Fulton Farmers Market and its sibling markets, Nokomis (4 p.m.–8 p.m. Wednesdays,
FULTON FARMERS MARKET
Saturdays 8:30 am–1:00 pm | 4901 Chowen Ave. S.
GREEN BEAN AND TOMATO SALAD WITH BACON AND PINE NUT DRESSING Adapted from Food & Wine 1989 Ingredients ¼ cup pine nuts 1¼ pound green beans 2 medium beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges 6 ounces smoky slab bacon, trimmed of excess fat and cut into ¼ inch dice 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar ½ teaspoon sugar ½ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Method Preheat the oven to 375. Toast pine nuts in a shallow baking pan in the oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
52nd & Chicago) and Kingfield (8:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Sundays, 43rd & Nicollet), are all run by the nonprofit Neighborhood Roots. Neighborhood Roots farmers markets are made possible by folks like you who generously support the markets with their time and resources.
Mill City Cooks
Cook green beans in a large pot of salted boiling water, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Place drained green beans on plater and place the tomato wedges around the beans. In a small skillet, cook the bacon over low heat until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add the olive oil to the skillet. Stir in vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Add the pine nuts and pour the dressing over the beans and tomatoes. Serve at once.
To learn more about volunteering or financially supporting the Fulton, Kingfield and Nokomis farmers markets, visit neighborhoodrootsmn.org. We’ll see you at the Fulton Farmers Market every Saturday morning from now through Oct. 27!
Recipes and food news from the Mill City Farmers Market
What it means to be Certified Naturally Grown
M
ike Noreen, a 13-season veteran of the Mill City Farmers Market and owner of Burning River Farm, is no stranger to the question, “Is this tomato organic?” In 2006, Mike chose to certify his farm, now located 80 miles northeast of Minneapolis in Frederic, Wisconsin, as naturally grown rather than USDA Organic. Like organic, Certified Naturally Grown farms do not use synthetic chemicals or genetically modified organisms and manage soil and water responsibly. Unlike organic, Certified Naturally Grown is a non-profit and non-governmental organization that relies on peer reviews rather than third-party organizations to inspect its farms. This system encourages farmer-to-farmer networks and reduces paper work and expenses, which was enough to convince Mike at Burning River Farm. On his 15-acre farm, Mike manages insects with row covers, weeds with hand
weeding and disease with crop rotation. He uses compost and cover crops to improve the health and fertility of the soil, growing produce you can feel good about. Burning River Farm specializes in fieldgrown greens and salad mix as well as standard and heirloom varieties of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, potatoes and more. In addition to farmers markets, Burning River Farm has a 200-member community supported agriculture share and several wholesale and restaurant accounts around the Twin Cities. You can pick up the fresh produce you need for the recipe below from Mike and the rest of the Burning River crew 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturdays at the Mill City Farmers Market, 704 S. 2nd St., and 4 p.m.–8 p.m. Tuesdays at Mill City Night Market at The Commons, 425 Portland Ave. S. Learn more at millcityfarmersmarket.org — Jenny Heck
Certified Naturally Grown is a peer-reviewed certification that can be more affordable to producers than USDA organic certification. Submitted photo
GRILLED RATATOUILLE TOAST By market chef Nettie Colón • Serves 4 Ingredients 1 large eggplant 1 bell pepper 2 tomatoes 1 zucchini 1 summer squash 1 red onion 5 garlic cloves, sliced or minced Olive oil for tossing and drizzling Salt and pepper to taste Parsley, thyme and basil Balsamic vinegar Crusty bread, baguette, etc. Goat, feta or ricotta cheese
Method Preheat grill to high. Prep the vegetables: Slice the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2 to 1-inch-thick slices. Slice the bell pepper in half and take out the seeds. Cut the tomatoes in half. Slice the zucchini and summer squash lengthwise into 1/2- to 1-inch slices. Slice the red onion into 1/2-inchthick slices. Peel the garlic cloves. Brush the vegetables with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.
Place on a sheet pan in a single layer and head back out to the grill. Turn grill down to medium high heat. Place the vegetables on the grill to cook until just about al dente with nice grill marks. Try to not overcook as the vegetables will keep cooking even after being removed from the heat. Allow vegetables to cool to room temperature. Once cooled place vegetables on a clean cutting board and rough chop away into bite size pieces. Taste, adjust salt, fold in herbs, and drizzle with a little splash of balsamic. You can serve right away or refrigerate until ready to use. If serving later on, make sure to pull from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving. Flavors will be brighter at a slightly warmer temperature. When ready to serve, slice bread in half lengthwise and warm slightly in the oven if desired. Top bread with the ratatouille, cheese and more olive oil. Cut pieces of bread into toast-size pieces of your liking.
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The most recognizable landmark in the Hale, Page and Diamond Lake neighborhoods just might be a bunny. Mi ss An 11-foot sculpture of a young iss ip Lake rabbit in repose, “Cottontail Hiawatha on the Trail” is a 2002 work by 55 artist Jeffery Barber. It’s located where the busy Minnehaha Creek bicycle and pedestrian trail intersects with Portland Avenue South, and it gets a lot K of local love; typically decorated E CRE A each spring during Easter, it’s H A NEH N hugged and climbed on by I M children year round. Hale, Page and Diamond Lake Nokomis Lake share one neighborhood PAGE HALE organization, the Hale-PageDiamond Lake Community Association, and a common i history. Like other parts of south Minneapolis, much of the area was part of Richfield until its Diamond Lake of the Lake 1927 annexation. Much of the Isles residential development took 62 place during the period between 62 DIAMOND the two world wars, picking up LAKE again during the post-World 77 War II boom. The neighborhood association Taft Lake Powderhorn Mother Bde Maka Ska Lake Lake hosts two annual events, Picnic 62 in the Park and Frost Fest, in 62 MINNEAPOLIS BORDER July and January, respectively, at Pearl Park. Another annual tradition is in the works. The neighborhood hosted its 77 first Brew-N-Stew, a fall arts festival on Chicago Avenue, last October, with plans for making it a recurring event. Named for a former Park Lake Harriet Lake Hiawatha president who died Board in 2002, 45-acre Edward C. Solomon Park is one of the more recent additions to the city’s parks system. Aquired in a 2004 land swap with the Minneapolis Lake NokomisAirports Commission, according to a Park Board history, Solomon Park includes an archery range, but its rolling hills, woods and pond are Diamond Lake mostly undeveloped. A master plan for the park proposes adding a dog park, disc golf course, shelter and walking trail Mother Taft Lake Lake while leaving a large mown field open for kite-flying and other unstructured activities. The former swamp land that Richfield Lake became 13-acre Todd Park now
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Demographics: About 10,835 people live in Hale-PageDiamond Lake. Diamond Lake had a residential population of 5,583 in 2016, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau figures compiled by Minnesota Compass. The median household income was $77,431. Mississippi
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hosts ballfields, a tennis court and playground. First added in the ’60s after the Park Board filled in some of the wetlands, the athletic facilities were renovated in 1991. The Park Board once had plans to dredge Diamond Lake and create a swimming beach, but those plans — developed in the mid-1930s, near the end of the Great Depression — were never executed. The shallow lake collects stormwater runoff from nearby Interstate 35W and provides habitat for birds and 55 other wildlife. Mississippi
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Hale had a population of 3,342 and a median household income of $98,646. Page had a population of 1,910 and a median household income of $114,563. 55
Get involved: The board of directors for the non-profit Hale-Page-Diamond Lake Neighborhood Community Association meets on the fourth Monday of every month. For more information, go to hpdl.org. 62
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southwestjournal.com / August 9–22, 2018 B7
Neighborhood Spotlight. Hale, Page and Diamond Lake
El Burrito opens at 48th & Chicago By Michelle Bruch / mbruch@southwestjournal.com
Suzanne Silva and Milissa Silva-Diaz remember their parents working long hours to run the family business at El Burrito Mercado in St. Paul. Now it’s their turn. “We were ready to do something different and grow, and they were ready to retire. … That’s why they ran,” Milissa said with a laugh. The former Pepitos restaurant space very much remains a family business. Photos of the Minjares family that founded Pepitos hang across from photos of the incoming Silva family. “We have not lost sight of who we are and where we came from,” Milissa said. Though technically retired, their mother Maria Silva still advises on recipes, and their father Tomas is still the handyman in residence at age 73. He built a “wall of love” near the bar filled with family mementos: a rock stamped with the words “I love you” from a grandchild, angel statues that evoke his wife’s license plate, pottery pieces from Mexico and La Virgen de Guadalupe. They received the green light last week to open the doors for service. “I shed a few tears,” Milissa said. “I haven’t had a chance to yet,” Suzanne said. Six of the nine Silva grandchildren are girls, and a theme of women empowerment runs throughout the business. “It’s become more and more symbolic,” Milissa said. Craft margaritas are named for women, such as La Traviesa (the naughty one), a classic margarita infused with a pour of red wine. Frida Kahlo portraits overlook an artesania featuring Mexican artists.
Sisters Milissa Silva-Diaz, left, and Suzanne Silva operate El Burrito Restaurante & Cantina. “We have not lost sight of who we are and where we came from,” Milissa says. Photos by Michelle Bruch
“My mom is a very strong woman,” Milissa said. “… Anybody who knows her will agree.” Since the age of 10, Maria traveled to Minnesota with her family as a migrant worker in the beet fields of Minnesota, often cooking as one of 13 siblings. Tomas sold corn and other street foods in Mexico. “They are the American Dream,” Milissa said. “They had the opportunity to do something more, and we had that opportunity as well.” The menu features St. Paul customer favorites like the enchiladas and mole. One new
dish is inspired by a food stand in Sayulita that the Silva family loves. To make chicharrón de queso, cheese is melted in a pan and cooked to a crisp, served with pico de gallo, pinto beans, salsa and homemade tortillas. Staff envision date nights with dinner-for-two specials. They’ll bring in flamenco dancers, DJs to play Latin crossover Top 40 hits, salsa music and traditional mariachi musicians. Classes will teach customers how to make tamales. After the restaurant is running smoothly, the staff will add a grab-and-go deli stocked with tamales and other favorites. The restaurant will initially open for dinner and expand into lunch service later this fall. Next door, construction is well underway at Parkway Theater, a project by building owners Ward Johnson and Eddie Landenberger. They’re planning a mid-September opening date and an early screening of “Jaws.” Visitors will walk into a lobby to find the old popcorn machine intact, accommodating friendly threats to not mess with the popcorn. The lobby will also hold an upscale bar with cocktails and draft beer. Local candies and chocolates will be available at the register. A portion of the Pepitos restaurant is folded into the theater lobby, and that space will hold classic arcade games and pinball. An Airstream trailer out back will serve as the green room for bands, comedians and other acts. Three hundred seventy-two seats will return reupholstered and repainted, spaced so each seat includes room to stand during live shows.
The renovated Parkway Theater is slated to open in mid-September.
A designer is adding recessed lighting to the ceiling and highlighting Art Deco elements throughout the theater. Although digital technology is on hand, the theater will also screen 35mm prints complete with their original trailers. They’re outfitting the old theater projector with a new venting system and brighter bulbs and adding more surround sound speakers. Johnson said the overall effect brings a different kind of cinematic quality to the screen. “You’re seeing them as they were intended to be seen,” said Patrick Marschke, manager of booking, marketing and events. “… In a movie theater, you can’t look at your phone. And you can’t open up your laptop and check your email.” “The whole mission is to take something classic and restore it to its original glory,” Johnson said.
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B8 August 9–22, 2018 / southwestjournal.com
Neighborhood Spotlight. Hale, Page and Diamond Lake
Hale-Page-Diamond Lake holds annual festival By Nate Gotlieb / ngotlieb@southwestjournal.com
Kiersty Santos grew up played softball in Pearl Park. On July 26, she was back in the neighborhood with her bandmates to play at the annual Hale-Page-Diamond-Lake Picnic in the Park. Santos and her band Good for Gary played pop and dance songs during the festival at Pearl Park. The festival also featured carnival-style games, inflatable bounce houses, food trucks and demonstrations and booths from local businesses. Leaders of Hale-Page-Diamond Lake Community Association estimated that 3,000–4,000 people typically attend the festival. Treasurer Sean O’Brien said the goal is to build community, “which is the most important thing we can do as an organization.” He said the association has been hosting the event for over 20 years.
O’Brien noted the support local businesses and organizations provide for the event through booths, sponsorships and donations. Fat Lorenzo’s, for example, donated pizza while the City of Minneapolis installed water taps at no cost. The event pays for itself, O’Brien said. O’Brien also noted upcoming events that the association is hosting, including its second-annual Brew And Stew fall arts festival, to be held in late September at Todd Park. That event includes local artists, musicians and beer and a stew competition among the food vendors. Other events by the association include the annual Frost Fest winter celebration and the neighborhood garage sale.
Food trucks were part of the fun July 26 at the annual Hale-PageDiamond Lake Community Association Picnic in the Park.
Victoria Johnson (left) and Beck Crain (right) of the Boy Scouts of America’s Venturing program help Ruby Delaney cross an obstacle course at the festival. Photos by Nate Gotlieb
Sara Swenson with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s Neighborhood Naturalist program holds out a snake for a boy to pet.
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Neighborhood Spotlight. Hale, Page and Diamond Lake
Artist, neighborhood paint cargo containers Project freshens up containers at Todd Park By Nate Gotlieb / ngotlieb@southwestjournal.com
Artist Jimmy Longoria first developed a relationship with the Hale-Page-Diamond Lake Community Association several years ago, when he worked with it on a mural at the Aqualand Aquarium Center. This summer, he worked with the organization to paint a pair of graffitied cargo containers at Todd Park. Longoria and his wife, Connie, led volunteers in three days of painting the two containers, which the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board uses to store sports equipment. The group transformed them into bright works of art, despite scorching temperatures during eight-hour days of painting. “The volunteers should be commended,” Longoria said. “They were real heroic.” Longoria is a Chicano artist who was born in south Texas and studied art in Chicago and California. He says his art is recognized for its color, contrast and multiple layers created with hundreds of brush strokes. About eight years ago, Longoria and Connie founded a non-profit organization called Mentoring Peace Through Art, with the goal of preventing gang activity and providing teenagers with employment. The organization worked with teenagers and schools to create larger murals in
The Hale-Page-Diamond Lake Community Association recently teamed up with artist Jimmy Longoria to paint a pair of cargo boxes at Todd Park. Photo by Michelle Bruch
Longoria’s style that would cover graffitied walls. Teenagers in the program worked eight-hour days during the summer, Longoria said. Each had a different role, from manager to painter. Longoria stopped administering the program
a few years ago but has continued with individual projects. That included the Todd Park project. Sarah Sillers, chair of the Hale-Page-Diamond Lake Community Association board, said the project had been many years in the making,
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noting that the Diamond Lake Community Business Alliance had wanted to do it for years. Sillers said the community association put out a call for volunteers to help with the project and that the volunteers worked 10 a.m.–6 p.m. over the three days. She said Longoria painted outlines for people to follow but that he was open to people painting their own ideas, too. Some of the volunteers were out there for all three days, Sillers said, estimating that roughly 25 people worked on the project. One family intended to stay for one shift but ended up staying the entire day, she said. Sillers said feedback on the project has been positive, noting that businesses near 56th & Chicago are pleased. She said the neighborhood association paid for the project but that the business alliance was helpful in spreading word about the project and donating food. Longoria said he wants to encourage the neighborhood to look at other projects, noting that volunteers can do a lot to keep a community vibrant. He said Valspar donated the paint for the Todd Park project and added that he and Connie have been invited by the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, to do a project down there. Visit jimmylongoria.com to learn more about his work.
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DOWN 1 Very minute 2 Beethoven’s “Moonlight,” for one 3 Inveterate critic 4 Back 5 Hindu meditation aid 6 Rest 7 Pinocchio, at times 8 Arachnid’s hatching pouch 9 Verizon subsidiary 10 Generous bar buddy 11 Chop finely
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13 Signify
45 One-legged camera support
18 Oscar winner Kingsley
47 Netflix installment
23 Comes out with
50 Divining rod
25 Take badly?
52 Grew fond of
27 “Hamlet” prop
53 Deep dish
30 Two-time N.L. batting champ Lefty
54 Like a cloudless night
31 One standing at the end of a lane
58 Food sticker
32 A, in Acapulco 33 Acquire 35 Brothers’ keeper? 37 Zodiac critter 38 Toon storekeeper 39 Antiquity, in antiquity
48 252 wine gallons
57 NRC forerunner 59 “Your turn” 60 Bakery selections 62 See __ an omen 66 Prefix with pressure 67 Hack 57 Squeal 58 Part of the fam
41 Perfectly correct 44 27, for Beethoven’s “Moonlight”
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Crossword answers on page B15
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B10 August 9–22, 2018 / southwestjournal.com
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Boy Scout troop celebrates 100 years Troop 33 operates out of downtown By Nate Gotlieb / ngotlieb@southwestjournal.com
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About 75 kids from Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs are part of Boy Scout Troop 33 and Cub Scout Pack 33, based out of Westminster Presbyterian Church. Photos courtesy Mike Hess
A downtown Boy Scout troop is celebrating its 100th year of continuous operation. Boy Scout Troop 33 was founded in 1918 at the Westminster Presbyterian Church downtown and has existed in every year since. The group is getting ready to host its fall kickoff on Aug. 19 at the church, which charters and sponsors the troop. About 75 boys participate in the troop and its affiliated Cub Scout pack, said Mike Hess, who is the pack’s adult leader. He said the troop is unique in that the boys are responsible for leading the programming and the camping trips. “We’ve always pushed it being a boy-led program,” Hess said. “The kids really are responsible for their own success or failures.” Troop 33 was founded in 1918 by an attorney for the Minnesota Loan and Trust Company, according to a history compiled by former troop member Ty Lilja. The troop acquired a lakeside campsite in Wyoming, Minnesota, around 1930, according to Lilja’s history, and has held summer camps there in the years since. Nearly 2,500 boys have participated in the troop and/or the pack over the past 100 years, Hess said. About 325, or over 10 percent, have earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest achievement a Boy Scout can earn. The scouts participate in activities such as camping trips and service projects, meeting weekly during the school year and taking monthly camping trips. They earn “merit badges” to advance through the program by completing different activities. Each June, the boys plan a summer trip to a spot of their choosing. Past trips have included canoeing on the Missouri River, a 100-mile bike ride in northern Minnesota and sightseeing in New York City and the East Coast.
Cub Scout Pack 33 meets weekly during the school year. MNA SWJ 071218 V3.indd 1
7/5/18 3:32 PM
IF YOU GO: Boy Scout Troop 33/Cub Scout Pack 33 2018-19 kickoff When: 3:30 p.m. Aug. 19 Where: Westminster Presbyterian Church (1200 Marquette Ave. S.)
The boys divide into smaller “packs” within the larger troop, with an older boy in charge of each. The packs are responsible for preparing their own meals, including purchasing the supplies for them, when they go on their camping trips, Hess said. Westminster also sponsors a troop for boys in the Hmong community, which former Troop 33 Scoutmaster Dave Moore started in the early ‘80s. Boys from that troop and Troop 33 take a camping trip together each year and spend time at summer camp together. Rising Troop 33 senior Connor Arneson has been in the troop since sixth grade and served as its senior patrol leader two years ago. He said he has learned leadership skills by being a part of the troop, noting the responsibility the scouts have in preparing and executing their own camping trips. “When you’re in charge of 45 kids for 10 weekends a year, plus a whole week for a June trip, you have to learn how to manage a lot of moving parts,” he said. Arneson said he’s made a lot of really good friends through scouting whom he otherwise wouldn’t have met. He added that he’s been to a lot of cool places because of the troop’s annual summer trips and has gained leadership skills by working at the troop’s summer camp. Kids in the troop come from all across Minneapolis and its first-ring suburbs, Hess said, though most of the troop comes from south, Southwest and Northeast Minneapolis. Anyone is welcome to attend the troop’s summer camp, even those kids not enrolled in scouting. The camp holds two, two-week summer sessions for girls and boys each year. Troop 33 is open for boys between the ages of 11 and 18 who have completed fifth grade. The pack is open for kids between age 5 and fourth grade. The pack will have girls in it for the first time this year, after the decision by the national Boy Scouts of America to allow girls into the program. Visit troop33.net to learn more about the troop and sites.google.com/view/pack33minneapolis/home to learn more about the pack.
southwestjournal.com / August 9–22, 2018 B11
By Linda Koutsky
Winning isn’t everything
F
or years I’ve driven past a little nondescript building just north of the Rosedale Mall. The one-story building looks small compared to the area’s big box retailers, but a tall lighted sign out front beacons drivers on southbound Snelling Avenue: Roseville Bingo Hall! A couple weekends ago I coerced my friend the Percolator to go on a bingo outing with me. In the spirit of the game, I’ll tell you about our adventure by the letter.
B
efore you can play, you have to buy score sheets.
I
nk bottles are used to daub your winning numbers.
N
Bingo sessions typically last an hour and 45 minutes, with several games and an intermission. You need your sheets before the start time and you play all the games. Our packets cost $10 each. There were three games per sheet, but most people in line bought several packets to play at once. It’s cash only and there’s an ATM machine available. Read the rules posted at the cashier: Players must be 18 or older, everyone in the party must purchase a bingo package and no splitting of packages is allowed. Show your ID on your birthday and receive a free package!
They are mandatory. But don’t worry, you can buy them there. They come in numerous colors, and some contain glitter to make the games even more exciting. I was familiar with the typical horizontal and vertical winning patterns, but bingo’s gotten a lot more complex since I played as a kid. A straight line or 4-corner wins $50; double bingo, two winning patterns on one sheet, takes $99; “Roseville Red” allows for any of three winning combinations and a $99 prize; and the last game of the evening, Bonanza, covers the entire sheet with a take-home of $1,000.
The bingo hall was quieter than most libraries I’ve been in. This is serious business and not a party. There were several tables with large groups, but most of the hall was filled with couples and singles. Tables were covered with score sheets, but bingo may also be played electronically. Monitors were propped up and gamers touched screens when numbers were called. In between games and during the intermission people talked and went to the cafe that serves burgers, tacos and ice cream. Alcohol is not served.
oise, talking, and laughing are discouraged.
G
ambling, according to the Minnesota Gambling Control Board, may be conducted in the state only by registered non-profit organizations. Turns out, bingo is like pull-tabs. The Roseville Bingo Hall raises money for two organizations: Roseville Hockey and Midway Speedskating. Photos of the teams decorate the lobby. Several volunteers operate the cash register, call Bingo numbers, help customers at their tables and work in the cafe.
O
ver the course of the evening, I never even got three numbers in a row. Perc came close, but just before he yelled “bingo” we noticed the winning pattern wasn’t a straight line. (Be sure to get a pattern sheet for your table.) I realize that bingo is completely a game of chance. It’s actually based on Italian lottery games from the 16th century. We took a chance on trying Bingo for an evening’s entertainment. We had a good time overall, and luckily I was only out $20.
Follow Linda Koutsky on Facebook for more tourist tips
ROSEVILLE BINGO HALL Open 364 days of the year • 2525 N. Snelling Ave., Roseville
LUNCH TIP I miscalculated the distance, so it’s not really near Roseville Bingo Hall, but after our losing streak I took the Percolator for some good strong coffee at Taste of Scandinavia Bakery & Cafe, 2900 Rice St., Little Canada.
BINGO SESSIONS: — Mondays at 1, 3, 7 and 9 p.m. — Tuesdays & Wednesdays at 3, 7 and 9 p.m. — Thursdays through Sundays at 1, 3, 7, 9 and 11 p.m.
FROM GEORGIA MCBRIDE / PAGE B1
“The Legend of Georgia McBride” follows Casey (Jayson Speters), a struggling Elvis impersonator who, after he finds out his wife Jo (Chaz Hodges) is pregnant, is coerced into doing drag when performers Tracy (Cameron Folmar) and Anorexia Nervosa aka Rexy (Arturo Soria) take his time slot at Cleo’s, a Panama City Beach bar run by Eddie (Jim Lichtscheidl), Tracy’s cousin. When their drag revue starts bringing in customers and money to pay his landlord Jason — played by Soria in a sort of straight drag — Casey, a heterosexual man, begins to embrace his drag alter ego Georgia McBride, a name combining the state where his mother was born and the last name of the girl he first kissed. This is the Guthrie debut for Holt, who grew up in North Carolina and has taught theater for the past two decades. He met “Georgia McBride” director Jeffrey Meanza, the Guthrie’s associate artistic director, while Meanza was a graduate student at the University of North Carolina. Holt said when he got the call from the Guthrie to design costumes for the show, it was a no-brainer. “Anyone in their right mind would jump at the chance to at the Guthrie. It’s considered to be at the top of the pyramid of regional
Casey (Jayson Speters) and Tracy (Cameron Folmar) lip sync to “Sisters” from “White Christmas” in Panama Beach-inspired looks.
A pregnant Jo (center), played by Chaz Hodges, meets her husband’s drag alter ego and his drag mother Tracy at Cleo’s, a Panama Beach dive bar whose stage becomes the Guthrie’s McGuire Proscenium. Photos by Dan Norman
(theater) — American theater, period. It was an honor to be asked,” he said. Decades of performing as Tempest DuJour, including a stint on the seventh season of Charles’ reality TV show, prepared Holt for designing Tracy’s over-the-top elegance, but not necessarily Casey’s kingturned-queen transformations. “He is a tricky one. I never in my entire life have met a straight man that does drag. I think he’s sort of a unicorn,” he said. Even in drag, Casey, who goes from denimclad streetwear to glammed-out couture on stage a handful of times throughout the nearly two-hour show, never really loses his masculine features, Holt said, like exposed arms and strong facial features. “We were never going to convince the audience that he was a woman, and that was
never the intention. It was important to always remember who he was under the wig and the makeup,” he said. Tracy, on the other hand, was a different story. Her style, Holt said, is a lot like DuJour’s. Tracy lip syncs to a tongue-twisted Liza Minnelli tune shimmering in red in one scene. Another has her performing “Sisters” from “White Christmas” — whose reprise was lip-synced by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye — as the older sibling with Casey in Panama Beach-inspired outfits complete with an extra-long hot dog. Layered in her looks are moments from drag history. “She’s the drag culture. She’s the magic bag of goodies of this play. She represents what her style of drag is, which is very similar to me,” he said. “She should always look the most grand, the most theatrical. Your eye should always go to her on stage. She commands that.”
Rexy plays new school to Tracy’s old school. The show’s fiery, younger drag queen — a “body queen,” Holt said, who uses her looks to her advantage — is reminiscent of the up-andcoming performers he sees around his current town of Tucson. “She was very easy to me because I know so many Rexy’s,” he said. The importance of the show’s diversity of drag specialties, from campy comedy queens to energetic stunt performers, isn’t lost on Holt. “Twenty years ago when you were doing drag you had to find your lane. (Now) you can be more than one. You don’t have to pick a category. You can be whoever you want,” he said. Even for a drag veteran like Holt, the defiant spirit of the play’s LGBT characters hits home in his own personal and professional lives. In academic circles, Holt said he’s been told to tamp down his drag career, something that’s laughed off like it’s not art. “You have no idea what we do if that’s your opinion. It needs to be respected,” he said. When Casey has to come to terms with being a drag performer, he said, his shame and how the world, including his wife, looks at him are genuinely uncomfortable, but in a good way. Holt said it took him back to growing up and becoming a performer. “We had to hide. We were scared. We wanted everyone to get along and be nice,” he said. But, as Rexy exclaims, “drag is a raised fist inside a sequined glove.” And, in “The Legend of Georgia McBride,” Holt said the audience is going to see plenty of thought-provoking “drag fabulousness.” “This kind of play is important whether you want to embrace it or think about it again or not. We’re giving you something to think about while you’re there for two hours,” he said.
IF YOU GO: “The Legend of Georgia McBride” Where: Guthrie Theater, 818 S. 2nd St. » When: Through Aug. 26 » Cost: $29–$77 » Info: guthrietheater.org
B12 August 9–22, 2018 / southwestjournal.com
Creative Class
Story & photo by Susan Schaefer
Eternal art The universal creative impulse
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Serving people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, HOBT collaborates with SCHOOLS and COMMUNITIES on unique, interactive ART RESIDENCIES that nurture the creative spirit and encourage a sense of joy and wonder. If you are interested in an art residency for your school or organization, visit hobt.org or call 612.721.2535 for more information. In the Heart of the Beast SWJ 2016 6 filler.indd 1
ust after midnight 10 years ago, a young doctor replacing our dear friend and own physician, Maurice Bom, who had just left for holidays, entered our home in the architecturally renowned Ceramique development near the River Mass in Maastricht to sign the death certificate for Martijn, my beloved husband who had just exchanged his limbs for wings after a valiant, almost two-year battle with cancer. He died as he lived, with a smile on his face surrounded by loving, caring people in the familiar surrounding of our own home. This year on the 10 year anniversary of Martijn’s death, I asked my brother-in-law, Janus, to help me plan a low-key yet special commemoration at Martijn’s graveside. Around 20 family and friends gathered at Maastricht’s Oostermas Cemetery under a blazing blue sky. Martijn and I together designed his monument with a local sculptor, Catharina Ramaekers, known for her unique ceramic grave markers. While Martijn was still very much present, together we engaged in a creative exercise that simultaneously diverted his attention from his pain while using art for its widely accepted function as an expression of immortality. Our idea was to make his final resting place an actual garden, complete with a small center bowl to hold water for birds or the occasional small critter that might need a drink on a day such as this anniversary. It may seem odd that we undertook together an act of creativity while Martijn was slowly dying. Indeed, our sculptor Catharina explained that she rarely worked collaboratively with the family members, let alone with the soon to be deceased. And at first she balked at the prospect. But as with most creatives, she soon recognized us as kindred spirits, and working together she turned our rough ideas and drawings into a monument that is said by the cemetery groundskeeper to be the most visited and photographed in a graveyard more known for somber Catholic markers. Among these, except for graves of small children, Martijn’s monument humbly reveals an astounding joy for life and creatures. The centerpiece is meant to mirror our wedding
bands, which were two gold frogs holding a center garnet meant to resemble our twined heart, reflecting the power of relationship — two individuals made stronger by the mutual support of their love. It is said that properly made ceramic sculptures will outlast even granite in the elements. In ceramic clay with special glazing, Catharina transformed the symbol of our wedding rings into a seacolored band, a strong circle transfixed with a ruby sphere, double symbols of eternity. Fused inside glass in the circle’s center is the very first photograph taken of us, under the red umbrella, two people as one who know they’ve discovered their soul mate. Our frog symbols are intertwined, dancing, frolicking in the center of the little fountain bowl. Anchoring each corner of the gravesite are a ceramic cat and bird. We wanted no heavy granite covering over Martijn’s remains, but rather a garden growing up from his very flesh and bones, indicating fully that life and death are undeniably one cycle. From human remains, life regenerates. The day after this 10th anniversary gathering, which took place on what would have been Martijn’s 66th birthday, I took the opportunity to return alone, sitting quietly in fierce sunlight, simply remembering the moments of our life together. Martijn had fallen instantly and deeply in love with Minnesota — from our first home on the banks of Lake Minnetonka in the tiny village of Cottagewood to our final home together in the Seward neighborhood, where he wrote a column for the now defunct Seward Profile called “To Your Health,” focusing on exercise, mediation, body work and diet. From his academic degree in philosophy, he trained to become a shiatsu therapist, and in addition to a thriving, home-based private practice he worked at the former Target Arena club, developing a small but loyal clientele of Lynx and Timberwolves players as clients. The majority of our life together was Minnesota based. Coming from this practical country, the Netherlands, with its advanced and progressive views on individual freedom, SEE ETERNAL ART / PAGE B13
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southwestjournal.com / August 9–22, 2018 B13 FROM ETERNAL ART / PAGE B12
equality and environmentalism, Martijn nevertheless cherished our state’s enviable nature. Most mornings he could be found running along the Mississippi River or, in summer, swimming in our bountiful lakes. Though he left behind the marvels of the Dutch art scene, he cherished particularly the Minneapolis Institute of Art with its diverse, world-class collection and free entry. In 2004 I moved us from Minneapolis to Martijn’s hometown of Maastricht to attend Maastricht Univeristy, for what I thought would be a temporary stay, earning my “Drs.,” a doctoral equivalent in European Public Affairs. Our plan was to return to join the faculty of the Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota, where my former mentor, the adored Barbara Lukerman, head of UMN’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs program, had secured a spot for me. Alas, Martijn’s illness and death ended that hope. I remained in Maastricht for three more years after his death, teaching marketing and influencing decisions at Maastricht University and tutoring English at its Language Center. I also wrote a column similar to this Creative Class column for Maastricht’s online ex-pat publication, “Crossroads.”
I had met Barbara Lukerman when I hired her for the public affairs program I conceptualized and implemented for Cuningham Group Architects, “The Minneapolis Riverfront: Vision and Implementation,” which drew much needed attention to the then neglected riverfront, where fittingly I now live and where Martijn and I married in the then Whitney Hotel. In a previous Creative Class column, I highlighted the strong connections between Dutch and Minnesotan creative sensibilities derived from this early contact I made with Dutch urban designers and architects. In that article I highlighted Julia Roberson, a U of M professor who continues this creative crosscultural exchange, hosting lively tours and lectures in both countries. I am inextricably connected to my dual global homes, not only by authentic admiration for Dutch creativity in arts, urban construction and social systems but by family ties and this patch of earth where the twin of my soul literally pushes up flora and nourishes fauna under a ceramic sphere that symbolizes human kind’s eternal essence through an art form as ancient as human history. I have found inspiration for profiling creative artists in the knowledge that their contributions to our lives are also universal and eternal.
FROM MUZZLE STIGMA / PAGE B3
Introducing a basket muzzle to a pet can actually be a game. You really want them to have a positive association with the basket muzzle so that it is both easy to put on and well accepted by your pet. Using treats or a meal is the first step, ideally timed on an empty stomach for better learning sessions. At first, one might simply have the basket muzzle where the pet can see it while the pet is fed treats or kibble. Next, one can hold the basket muzzle in one hand and offer the treats or kibble to the pet with the other hand. If the pet shows no fear of the muzzle, advance to putting some of the treats or kibble into the basket muzzle. The pet then can reach in freely to get the treats or kibble. Once comfortable with reaching in to get food, the owner can practice attaching the strap, first just practicing the action of bringing the straps around the back of the neck (without actually buckling it) and eventually buckling the strap so that the muzzle is fully attached. (I like the basket muzzles best with a little plastic buckle versus a traditional belt-like buckle, which can take longer to put on.) The rate at which you do these steps
depends on how your dog reacts to the process. Some dogs easily get used to a basket muzzle within minutes, while others need hours or days before they are comfortable. The idea is never to rush it. Always go back to the previous step if they show any signs of anxiety or worry with a new step in the process. If your dog is not especially food motivated, you might be able to do the above steps using a small toy. At all times, act positive about the process. If there is drama about the muzzle once it is on, try to distract your pet with treats or kibble, a walk or run around the block, a car ride (if they enjoy those) or any activity that they like that can be done with the muzzle on. Basket muzzles have a negative stigma in many peoples’ eyes. Some may worry that their pet looks funny or intimidating. A client may worry that it makes their pet look more aggressive or dangerous. Let’s fight that stigma and start creating a positive association with basket muzzles. To me, when I see a dog with a basket muzzle on, I appreciate that the owner is keeping other pets, other people or themselves safe. Working on a behavioral issue that involves aggression is never easy. Let a basket muzzle take away some of the stress.
B14 August 9–22, 2018 / southwestjournal.com
Get Out Guide. By Sheila Regan
SIAMA’S CONGO MUSIC One of the great joys of summer is listening to music at Lake Harriet Bandshell. Could anything be better than good tunes, a view of Lake Harriet and people watching galore? Siama’s Congo Music promises to be a great show for music lovers of all ages. Don’t be afraid to get your body moving to the music as Siama plays rhythms from the heart of Africa.
When: 2 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19 Where: Lake Harriet Bandshell, 4135 W. Lake Harriet Parkway Cost: Free Info: mplsmusicandmovies.com
BUILDING BRIDGES AND BREAKING BREAD Neighborhood organizations and businesses that surround the 38th Street bridge over Interstate 35W will gather in celebration of its re-opening with food, conversation, live music and kids’ activities. The event will feature a community meal with halal, vegan and gluten-free options catered by Eat for Equity. There will also be a discussion facilitated by Marnita’s Table. Get to know your neighbors and congratulate yourself for being done with the annoying detour!
When: 4 p.m.–8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16 Where: 38th & I-35W Cost: Free Info: facebook.com/events/1901481466821843/
‘PREDICTION ERROR’ Beth Dow’s captivating photographs, which sometimes play with your perception, are currently on view at the Minneapolis Institute of Art’s Minnesota Artist Exhibition Project gallery, which highlights artwork by local contemporary artists. The museum hosts a public reception for the show, “Prediction Error,” in conjunction with the Third Thursday event. Have a drink and listen to some music downstairs, then saunter up to the MAEP galleries for Dow’s experiential photography.
When: 6 p.m.–9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16. Where: Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2400 3rd Ave. S. Cost: Free Info: artsmia.org
AUTOPTIC
NAZLI DINÇEL: NOTE TO SELF
Over 120 artists from around the world and right here in Minnesota will be showing off their zines, comics, posters and more at the 2018 Autoptic Festival. It’s sort of like a comic convention but with a big emphasis on printed, handmade and limited edition media, so hopefully you’ll come across some new artists that will delight you. Follow the festival on Facebook for additional information about panel discussions and readings the day before at Moon Palace Books.
See the work of experimental filmmaker Nazlı Dinçel, whose riveting handmade films are both provocatively intimate and deeply critical of western society. Born in Turkey and currently based in Milwaukee, Dinçel’s work as a filmmaker are layered, brutal and fascinating. In total seven short films, all done in 16 mm, will be shown.
When: 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 19 Where: Aria, 105 N. 1st St. Cost: Free Info: autoptic.org
When: 7 p.m.–9 p.m. Monday, Aug. 20 Where: Bryant Lake Bowl, 810 W. Lake St. Cost: $0–12 suggested Info: bryantlakebowl.com
southwestjournal.com / August 9–22, 2018 B15
The Minnesota State Fair Minnesota’s get-together is here, your chance to fall in love with all that’s amazing about our state. Whether you’re there for the rides, the animals, the incredible food, the technology demonstrations or the music, there’s something for everyone at the Fair.
When: Thursday, Aug. 23–Monday, Sept. 3
Where: State Fairgrounds, 1265 Snelling Ave. N., St. Paul
Cost: $11 in advance, $14 at gate
Info: mnstatefair.org
CAMBRIA KITCHEN See cuisine demonstrations by local chefs like Andrew Zimmern, Scott McGillivray and The Sioux Chef’s Sean Sherman at the new state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen in the Creative Activities Building.
When: 9 a.m.–9 p.m. Where: Creative Activities Building, 1342 Cosgrove St. Cost: Free with State Fair admission
EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION’S SPIRIT OF AVIATION Experience a 360-degree virtual reality simulation of flying at this brand new spot, where you can also try out your own aircraft design, build foam gliders and learn about aviation principles.
When: 9 a.m.–9 p.m. Where: Judson & Nelson Cost: Free with State Fair admission
NEW PET PAVILIONS AND OUTDOOR DEMONSTRATION AREA Pets of the State Fair get a brand new location, just west of the former Pet Center, where you will find purebred dog breed booths and a pet surgery suite.
When: 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Where: Pet pavilions, Underwood & Hoyt Cost: Free with State Fair admission
TOWER OF POWER 50TH-ANNIVERSARY SHOW R&B Legends Tower of Power kick off the music extravaganza at the Fair. Going strong since 1968, their free show is one not to miss.
When: 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23 and Friday, Aug. 24 Where: Leinie Lodge Bandshell, 1311 Cosgrove St. Cost: Free with State Fair admission
Photo by miker / Shutterstock.com
if you are a fan of courage, then you are already a fan of Special Olympics.
Your trusted auto service provider since 1949. Exceptional service and 100% customer satisfaction is our focus.
YEARS
volunteer, support, coach or compete. • Tires Brake Repair • Engine Diagnostics • Cooling Systems •
independently owned and operated 30 + years
specialolympicsminnesota.org
• Tune Up Air Conditioning • Steering/Suspension • And much more! •
3610 LYNDALE AVE S, MPLS • 612-827-3838 PARENTSAUTOCARE.COM
Fall into the right hands with Nou Hands 6/18/18 2:34 PM and Bodyworks Massage Therapy
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Swedish • Combination Deep Tissue • Stretching Thai Yoga massage Uptown Wellness Center 2920 Bryant Ave S Suite 107
Call Hannah at 952.994.1560
CROSSWORD ANSWERS
Nou Hands and Bodyworks SWJ 012518 H18.indd 1
1/15/18 1:13 PM
We work with all major health & vision plans (including state of MN)
visit us for an eye exam! 612-827-3857
1 W Lake St, Ste 105 Minneapolis • pearlevision.com Pearle Vision SWJ 080918 4.indd 1
Crossword on page B9
8/1/18 1:31 PM Art Buddies SWJ 2016 V18 filler.indd 2/10/16 1 10:28 Crossword AM Answers SWJ 080918 V12.indd 1
8/7/18 4:32 PM
B16 August 9–22, 2018 / southwestjournal.com
Moments in Minneapolis
By Cedar Imboden Phillips
The view from Dean Boulevard
H
ennepin History Museum has thousands of historic real estate photographs in its collection. While most of these photographs feature the façade of the home, occasionally the files include images taken from different vantage points — in this case, presumably the front steps of the home at 2924 Dean Boulevard (now Dean Parkway). The waters of Bde Maka Ska were just a short half-block away, a major selling point for any potential buyer. The seven-bedroom home was originally filled by the seven-member Selle family. Tragedy hit in 1919 when Harry Selle died of a heart attack, leaving behind his wife and five young children. The Selles continued to live in the home, although they rented out rooms to boarders during the height of the Depression and the early years of World War II. In 1952, the home went on the market. It was, read the advertisement, “in the heart of a wonderful rental district. You have parks, lakes, schools, shopping district, transportation” — all attributes that continue to attract renters and buyers alike to the neighborhood today.
Cedar Imboden Phillips serves as the executive director for the Hennepin History Museum. Learn more about the museum and its offerings at hennepinhistory.org or 870-1329. Image from the collection of the Hennepin History Museum
Classifieds LINE CLASSIFIEDS
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SPRING FORWARD HOME ORGANIZING Free consultation; references. 612-377-9467.
HOME SERVICES PAINTER JIM Small painting jobs wanted. Jim 612-202-5514.
LAWN MOWING – FREE MONTH New contract customers only. Reliable service, quality results. Over 25 years. Shrub and tree trimming. PREMIER LAWN & SNOW INC. 952-545-8055. premierlawnandsnow.com.
CONCRETE WORK Steps, sidewalks, patios, driveways, etc. Licensed, bonded, insured. Call Tom Seemon 612-721-2530.
REFINISHING
PAINTING, LAWN & SNOW
FURNITURE REFINISHING, expert refinishing and repair. 40 years experience, excellent references. Richard, 952-475-3728.
TINY SANDMAN’S Painting, Lawn & Snow Services for reliable and quality work. Interior Finishing. Free estimates. Michael 612-729-2018. tinysandman.com
EXPERIENCED BRICKLAYER
JOHNSON ROOFING
Brick and stone. Residential and commercial. References. 612-309-1054.
Repair, new roofing, many years of experience. Call Greg 763-219-2559
GARDENING
AFFORDABLE GARDENING
BEAUTIFUL GARDENS. Would you like to have more beauty in your yard? We will restore or expand your existing gardens. Experienced gardeners. beautifulgardens.biz. Call Linda 612-598-3949.
Beautiful yard and garden at a more competitive rate. Weeding, trimming, planting, pruning. Minneapolis based. Experienced! 763-232-7745.
YARD LADY / GARDENER
Concrete and step repair. Masonry, Landscape, Driveway, Retainage, Steps, Tuckpoint, Replace. Additions. Aprons. Gary, 651-423-6666.
Clean up, planting, seeding, weeding, mulching with care. Barb at 612-819-3934.
CHIMNEY, CONCRETE, BRICK & STONE REPAIR No job too small. Call Andrew, 612-363-0115
Advertise with us to E X P A N D your business
CONCRETE REPAIR
HELP US BRING JOY TO ISOLATED SENIORS WITH YOUR GIFT!
Gifts for Seniors provides donated gifts and life-affirming personal contact during the winter holidays and year round to isolated seniors in the Twin Cities metro area with the critical support of volunteers, donors, and community partners – people like you.
HOW TO HELP
DECKS & FENCES Troy's decks & wood fences. State lic 581059. 17 yrs in biz. 651-210-1387
Host a Gift Barrel Organize a Gift Drive Individual Shopping Find us on AmazonSmile
giftsforseniors.org | 612-379-3205 info@giftsforseniors.org
TO PLACE A LINE CLASSIFIED CALL 612.436.5070
KEEP SOUTHWEST BEAUTIFUL.
Gifts for Seniors DTJ 2.7x3.5.indd 1
mer 2cx1.indd 1
6/11/18 12:01 PM
11/15/17 2:38 PM
reuse or recycle the bag that came with your paper.
FIND A RECYCLING DROP-OFF SITE AT plasticfilmrecycling.org Recycling fillerClassifieds.indd SWJ 2018 Banner.indd 1 SWJ 080918 1
7/10/18 1:39 PM 8/6/18 1:22
southwestjournal.com / August 9–22, 2018 B17
CONCRETE, ASPHALT
TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL OWEN AT 612.436.4392
Nokomis Concrete When quality counts
Lifetime No Crack Guarantee
10% discount
Patios • Sidewalks • Steps Driveways • Garage Floors All Your Flatwork Concrete Needs
with this ad!
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CONCRETE
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A.PIETIG
4/14/11 12:32 PM
CONCRETE & BRICK PAVING INC.
6/11/18 1:36 PM
DRIVEWAYS, STEPS, PATIOS
Commercial & Residential
612-824-2769 www.gardnerconcrete.net
952.835.0393
Parking Lots • Driveways Patching & Repairs 612-861-6009
Garage Block Repair • Foundation Repair • Buckling Walls Sidewalks • Steps • Aprons • Wall Resurfacing • Wet Basement Repair
apietigconcrete.com
UrbanConcreteWorks.com | 612-202-1069
Urban Concrete Works SWJ 040518 2cx2.indd 1 A. Pietig Concrete SWJ 071615 1cx1.5.indd 7/10/151 8:50 AM
LOCAL BUSINESSES
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CALL 612.436.4392 TO PLACE 4/4/16 AN AD IN SOUTHWEST JOURNAL
G Gardner Concrete SWJ 040716 2cx1.5.indd 1
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11:30 AM
TO PLACE YOUR expand pattern2 2cx1.5.indd 1 American Concrete SWJ 040617 1cx1.5.indd 3/28/17 21:39 PM 8/24/17 3:10 PM
Local Business 1cx1.indd 1
AD CALL OWEN AT 612.436.4392 11/15/17
FOR 38 YEARS
Foley exteriors
ROOFING
STUCCO
EVER.
2:28 PM
*On Settergren’s Referral List*
MN # 5276
SPECIALIST Our mission is to provide the highest level of craftsmanship at a fair competitive price.
612-242-2017
Free Estimates • 612-331-6510 • www.FoleyExteriors.com
YOUR LAST ROOF.
4/3/18 12:12 PM
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H & H Blacktop Services SWJ 040113 3/14/13 1cx2.indd3:51 1 PM
MN# BC215366 • Bonded • Insured • Family Owned & Operated • Free Estimates
Foley Exteriors SWJ 041513 2cx1.5.indd 2
5/8/15 2:10 PM
Brick Pavers, Masonry, Brick, Stone & Foundations
QUALITY SERVICE Since 1949
EXTERIORS
612.822.7959
Residential Nokomis Concrete SWJ 050211 2cx2.indd 1 Commercial Industrial
612-861-HAGE (4243) HageConcrete.com Hage Concrete SWJ 061418 2cx3.indd 1
License L303
Licensed, Bonded, Insured
CONCRETE WORKS
The Original
30 years of experience –
Minneapolis, MN
www.bjorkconstruction.net
HUNDREDS4/8/13 OF 4:36 PM
Roofing • Siding • Gutters • Insulation Licensed • Bonded • Insured
HAPPY CUSTOMERS
Bjork Construction SWJ 072618 2cx2.indd 1
7/24/18 10:23 AM
Custom Brick & Stone
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD COMPANY Rob.olson@topsideinc.net Topsideinc.net
“Repair Masters”
Chimneys • Steps • Walkways Pavers • Fireplaces • Retaining Walls
Phone: 612-869-1177
A RATING
www.twincitiesmasonry.com SINCE 1983
quarve.com • (763) 785-1472 Mn Bc 006016
FLOORING
Owner Operated • Bonded & Insured
612.709.4980
612.702.9210
WWW.SMITHCOLE.COM
Topside Inc SWJ 012518 2cx3.indd 1
Friendly Professional Service
Southwest Resident for Over 40 Years
Twin Cities Masonry SWJ 040617 2cx1.5.indd 1 Quarve Contracting SWJ 020917 1cx2.indd 2/6/172 Smith 2:32 PM Cole SWJ 030818 1cx2.indd 1 3/1/18 9:04 AM
3/27/17 3:08 PM
Your Local Contractor For Over 40 Years!
TM & © 2012 MGM.
e Lifetim ty n a r r a W
(952) 746-6661
Roofing · Siding · Windows Insulation
CALL US TODAY!
replacementwindowsmpls.com
Honesty & Integrity for Over 50 Years • Since 1963 Call Owner Scott Mohs
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www.earlsfloorsanding.com
MN License BC005456 5/18/15 10:05 AM Window Guy SWJ 030818 1cx1.indd Basement 2/15/18 1:00 1 PM
LOCAL BUSINESSES
Window sills, casings & trim replaced, storm windows
Gary 651-698-3156
10-time Angie’s List Super Service Award Winner
There IS a Difference!
Earls Floor Sanding SWJ 012518 2cx2.indd 2
FLAT ROOFING
– Rubber or Tin
harmsenoberg.com
WINDOWS & SKYLIGHTS
1/18/18 8:45 AM
Interior Design Consultants • Stunning Window Treatments Quality Carpet and Flooring
Putting “Wow” in homes like yours for over 70 years!
www.abbottpaint.com
DECKS & PORCHES
612-701-2209 • mikemohsconstruction.com Local Business 1cx1.5.indd 4/27/16 TO PLACE AN AD CALL 612.436.4392
612.290.1533
ADVERTISE WITH US
GUTTERS
4/23/14 2:57 PM
Sanding • Refinishing • Repair Install • Recoat • FREE Estimates
Lic. #BC646746
ROOFING – All Types
Mike Mohs Construction SWJ 050516 2cx2.indd 1
Lic BC441059
FREE ESTIMATES 651-208-8210 BasementWindowGuy.com
Mike Mohs Construction
www.harlanfloors.com • 612-251-4290
5/18/15 10:03 AM
Glass Block and Replacement Windows
Midwest Exteriors SWJ 052115 2cx3.indd 1
“Our quality will floor you.”
A+ RATING
ROTTEN WOOD?
BASEMENT WINDOW GUY
Window Outfitters SWJ 052115 2cx2.indd 1
612-343-3301 · www.midwestplus.com Locally Owned • MN LIC# BC010277 • A+ Rating from BBB
• Installation • Restoration • Repairs • Buff & Coat
we’re the replacement window company!
INSULATE AND SAVE!
1/23/18 3:39 PM
13
Serving the community over1cx2.5.indd 30 years Harmsen & Oberg SWJfor 051718 5/9/182 4:02 PM Top quality at competitive prices 8/24/17 3:42 PM FREE ESTIMATES Committed to customer service
651-690-3956
3:26 PM
Licensed Bonded Insured • Lic. RR 155317
SWJ 080918 Classifieds.indd 2
8/7/18 5:01 PM Pates Roofing SWJ 072717 2cx1.indd 1
7/21/17 Abbott 1:11 PM Paint SWJ 040716 2cx2.indd 1
3/25/16 9:14 AM
B18 August 9–22, 2018 / southwestjournal.com
We know YOUR home!
WE STOCK TRUSTED BRAND NAMES Andersen - Therma-Tru - Simpson - Stallion - Empire - Alexandria - Vector - Larson Trus Joist - GAF Timberline - LP Smart Side - Milwaukee - Paslode - GRK - MAZE - Kreg Pratt & Lambert - Hillman - Do it Best - Channelock - Duckback - Strong-Tie
2536 Marshall Street NE, Minneapolis Monday–Friday 8am–6pm, Saturday 8am–4pm | 612-781-3333 Siwek Lumber SWJ 080918 6cx2.indd 1
8/7/18 3:55 PM
LANDSCAPING
ortheast N TREEI .
1 MONTH
Trained & Courteous Staff Climbing & Bucket Pruning/Removals Expert High Risk & Crane Removals Pest & Disease Management Questions about Emerald Ash Borer? We can help.
nc
612-789-9255 northeasttree.net
TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL OWEN AT 612.436.4392
of lawn mowing
FREE
(new contract customers only) Call Dennis today!
George & Lynn Welles
DECKS LANDSCAPES OUTDOOR LIVING SPACES
Certified Arborists (#MN-0354A & #MN-4089A)
FREE ESTIMATES! 1/22/18 10:49 AM
Northeast Tree DTJ 012518 2x1.indd 2
TREE TRIMMING • REMOVAL STUMP GRINDING Matthew Molinaro
TO PLACE AN AD IN THE SOUTHWEST JOURNAL CALL 612.436.4392
Premier Lawn & Snow SWJ 032416 1cx1.indd 3/10/16 12:45 1 PM
651-344-7770
MNNiceLandscapes.com LICENSE # BC736562
Minneapolis resident • Owner / operator Certified Arborist with 21 years experience
MAINTENANCE
licensed and insured
www.molinarotree.com
7/12/18 1:35 PM
612-345-9301
612.706.8210 FULLY BONDED & INSURED
Matt's Tree Service SWJ 091712 2cx2.indd 1
10:15 AM
START
MN-4551 A
25 yrs. Fully Insured
Snow Plowing & Shoveling Cleanup / Dethatching Aeration / Seeding
FREE ESTIMATES FOR: Tree Trimming · Tree Removal Stump Grinding · Storm Damage
TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL OWEN AT 612.436.4392 8/31/12
MN Nice Gardens SWJ 022218 1cx2.indd 2/20/18 3 4:25 PM
612-239-2508
Molinaro Tree SWJ 2cx1.5.indd 1
952-545-8055
www.premierlawnandsnow.com
SEEING CLEARLY!
Lawn Mowing Fertilizer & Weed Control Gutter Cleaning
peterdoranlawn.com
Our specialty is your existing home!® Peter Doran SWJ 062818 2cx2.indd 1
Byron Electric
Squeegee Bob's SWJ 032615 2cx3.indd 1
3/23/15 5:31 PM
• Painting • Plaster repair • Ceramic tile • Light remodeling • All around repairs
612-750-5724 FOR ADS CALL 612.436.4392
Byron Electric SWJ 052713 1cx1.indd 5/20/13 1 1:13 PM
5/18/15 10:06 AM
www.houleinsulation.com
763-767-8412
Free Estimates
LINDA WESTLING • 612-724-6383
WE CAN
CALL TODAY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE ON ATTIC INSULATION • BYPASS SEALING SIDEWALL INSULATION
Residential & Commercial
• Retaining Walls & Stairways • Landscape Renovation • Paver Paths & Patios • Grading & Drainage • Tree & Shrub Planting Corrections
Yards of Creativity SWJ 052115 2cx2.indd 1
Houle Insulation Inc.
squeegeebobs.com 952-848-7700 Call or go online for a free quote
6/22/18 3:45 PM
Serving the Twin Cities since 1977
PAINTING
Houle Insulation SWJ 010107 2cx2.indd 1
PAINTING
HELP WITH
Outdoor Kitchens
Professional Quality Work
Retaining Walls Landscaping Putting Greens Waterfalls Concrete
Specializing in bookcases, kitchens, vanities, radiator covers and other custom wood works
Serving the Minneapolis Area Since 1994
612-607-9248 elegancecustomcabinetry.com
European Craftsmanship right here in Minnesota.
612-789-2089
LAND & WATER CREATIONS
Exterior Painting Interior Painting Wood Finishing Exterior Wood Restoration
612.267.3285
That Handy Guy Greg SWJ 102314 1cx3.indd 10/3/14 12:03 PM
Licensed & Insured
greg@chileenpainting.com | chileenpainting.com
612-850-0325
PAINTING
Elegance Custom Cabinetry SWJ 020917 2/7/17 1cx1.5.indd 4:21 PM1 MN One SWJ 051718 2cx2.indd 1
5/17/16 2:37 PM
5/14/18 3:01 PM
EXTERIOR & Chileen Painting SWJ 070215 2cx2.indd INTERIOR PAINTING
(612) 729-9454 • Commercial & Residential • ISA Certified Arborist
• Owner Operated
PAINTING & DECORATING
Wallpaper removal & hanging • Plaster & sheetrock repair • All facets of interior 7/2/09 2:58 PM painting • Stripping & “trim” restoration • Skimcoating •
Licensed and Insured • Free Estimates / 24 hr emergency service
MISCELLANEOUS
Trimmer Trees SWJ 071309 2cx1.5.indd 1
1
612.568.1395 PROTECTPAINTERS.com
35+ yrs. experience Lic • Bond • Ins
FOR ADS CALL 612.436.4392
PAINTINGBYJERRYWIND.COM
•
Experienced craftsmen (no subcontractors) working steady from start to finish. Neat and courteous; references and 2 year warranty. Liability Ins. and Workers Comp. for Your Protection.
Accredited BBB member, A+ rating
ProTect Painters SWJ 042315 1cx1.5.indd 4/7/15 1 Painting 1:39 PMby Jerry Wind SWJ 123115 2cx1.5.indd 1
612-310-8023 Dave Novak
(612) 827-6140 or (651) 699-6140
Exterior, Interior & Decorative Painting6/29/15 1:14 PM Staining Decks • Wallpaper Stripping & Wallpapering • Wood Stripping, Refinishing & Cabinets • Plaster, Sheetrock, Texture Repair & Skim Coating • Ceiling Texturing & Texture Removal • Wood Floor Sanding & Refinishing •
LINDEN HILLS PAINTING Int/Ext • Paint Enamel • Stain • Cabinets Plaster repairs • Paper • Homes Condos • Decks • Fences
Novak Painting SWJ 020818 1cx3.indd 12/22/17 1 10:03 AM
12/30/15 9:54 AM
Advertise with us to E X P A N D your business
612-227-1844
grecopainting.com info@grecopainting.com
SWJ 080918 Classifieds.indd 3
8/7/18 3:58 PM Greco Painting SWJ 040518 1cx2.indd4/4/18 1 11:37 Indy Painting AM DTJ 040518 1cx2.indd 13/26/18 expand 2:39 PM pattern4 1cx2.indd 1
11/15/17 3:18 PM
southwestjournal.com / August 9–22, 2018 B19
PLUMBING, HVAC PRO MASTER
REMODELING
TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL OWEN AT 612.436.4392
Local services. Local references. Local expertise.
Plumbing, Inc.
Full-Service Plumber 651-337-1738
promasterplumbing.com Call Jim!
24 Hours A Day 7 Days A Week
(612) 221-4489
Your vintage home remodeler
All Hours
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HomeRestorationInc.com
Tool Icons - Spring SWJ 2013 1cx0.9 3/29/13 filler_#2.indd 10:291AM
Sewer & Drain
Faucets • Floor DrainsBristol Built SWJ 012617 1cx1.5.indd Bathtubs • Showers
1/20/17 1 Home 1:29 PM Restoration Services SWJ 012915 1/14/15 1cx1.5.indd 2:15 PM 1
— Emergency Repairs —
Honest & Dependable
612.821.1100 or 651.690.3442 www.houseliftinc.com
952-922-5509 612-998-8209
License #BC378021
All Hours Sewer SWJ 051718 2cx1.5.indd 1
5/11/18 3:47 PM
EK Johnson Construction
2nd Stories • Additions • Kitchens • BasementsHouse Lift SWJ 041612 2cx3.indd Baths • Attic Rooms • Windows
Remodel • Design • Build
Install a new kitchen or bathroom faucet
Cross off all your plumbing checklist items
Garbage disposal repairs & installation Leaky sinks, faucets, showers, toilets & pipe repair
612-924-9315
4/5/12 3:00 PM
you dream it
www.fusionhomeimprovement.com
we build it
Living and Working in Southwest Minneapolis
MN License #BC451256
Call Ethan Johnson, Owner
Hot water heaters Fusion Home Improvement SWJ 021314 2cx3.indd 1
Fix low water pressure
1
1/31/14 10:44 AM
612-669-3486
ekjohnsonconstruction.com
Sinks that drain slow Toilets that are always running
EK Johnson Construction SWJ 060216 2cx2.indd 1
5/31/16 4:49 PM
Faucet that drips
CallHero.com • (612) 424-9349 Call today and SAVE
46.50 OFF
$
Remodeling since 1960
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REMODELING
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5/15/18 11:58 AM
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7/3/18 1:36 PM
(651) 730-1880 | QualityCut.net
Create • Collaborate Communicate
Quality Cut SWJ 030818 2cx2.indd 1
3/2/18 9:55 AM
612-655-4961 hansonremodeling.com Lic #BC633225
Hanson Building SWJ 061418 2cx2.indd 1
6/1/18 1:05 PM
Lumberyard of the Twin Cities
Bringing ideas to life
Your Sign of Satisfaction
952.401.3900
edgework-designbuild.com
952-512-0110
www.roelofsremodeling.com
License #BC003681
We get you.
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Lic: BC637388 7/28/15 3:01 PM
Roelofs Remodeling SWJ 073015 2cx2.indd 2
Personalized Remodeling Specialists Design/Construction
www.bluestemconstruction.com
Window Shopping made Local
Bluestem Construction SWJ 061418 2cx1.5.indd 1
Lumberyard of the Twin Cities
No project is too small for good design 6/7/18 4:45 PM
inspiredspacesmn.com 612.360.4180
Monday – Friday 7:30am–5pm Saturday 8am–Noon 3233 East 40th St., Mpls • 612-729-2358
2/17/14 3:02 PM HiawathaSOUTHWEST Lumber NEW 2cx5.indd 3 TO PLACE AN AD IN THE JOURNAL CALL OWEN AT 612.436.4392
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M-F 7:30am–5pm, Sat 8am-Noon 3233 East 40th St., Mpls • 612-729-2358 SWJ 080918 Classifieds.indd 4 Hiawatha Lumber NEW 2cx1.5.indd 3
Specializing in Reproduction Kitchens & Baths
5/15/17 2:49 PM
8/6/18 1:22 PM 4/18/17 12:08 PM
NLY P4 THE MICHAEL KASLOW TEAM PRESENTS
pr ice re du ct ion !
301 W Minnehaha Pkwy Minneapolis, MN 55419
4753 Clinton Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
A grand staircase welcomes you to this stunning 2-story home filled with period charm and character. Open and spacious main-floor living area features wood burning fireplace in great room, updated eat-in kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Formal dining room with original woodwork. Rare upper 5 bedrooms include large master with 3/4 bath, updated upper full bath with separate tub & shower. Lower-level family room perfect for game and movie night! Enjoy entertaining on 3-season porch and large patio.
Sought after S. Minneapolis location close to Minnehaha Creek for afternoon picnics & walking/biking trails to City Lakes. Award winning schools, local eateries/coffee shops w/in blocks. Charming Tudor style w/ the period charm & character you love. Nicely updated kitchen open to dining room, large living room w/ gas fireplace, main floor office or bonus room walks out to cozy 3 season porch & large deck for entertaining in fully fenced yard. Large lower FR & great storage.
$799,000 | 5 Bedroom | 3 Bath | MLS# 4957754
$415,000 | 3 Bedroom | 2 Bath | MLS# 4922044
un de rc on tr ac t
Rare opportunity in Historic Victorian on Ramsey Hill. Central air and legal rights to rooftop! Original clawfoot tub and tile in bath. Large patio overlooking peaceful gardens in private courtyard. Great storage in unit and basement.
438 Portland Ave, #7 St. Paul, MN 55102 $500,000 | 3 Bedroom | 1 Bath | MLS# 4967070 Custom-designed walkout rambler with open floor plan and big windows. Custom cabinetry, high-end appliances, granite countertops and informal dining room overlooking large deck. Master suite, great room, two gas fireplaces and new roof.
215 10th Ave S, #314 Minneapolis, MN 55415 Downtown Minneapolis Luxury living in Bridgewater. Sought-after extra large and open floor. Hardwood floors, ceramic tile, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Large owners suite with huge walk-in closet and spa-like bath. Second full bedroom with private full bath. Enjoy morning coffee/ evening reading on cozy porch with views of Gold Medal Park. Executive office with high-end shelving unit. Full access to onsite fitness center, community room, rooftop pool/hot-tub. Large storage unit across hall.
$975,000 | 2 Bedroom | 3 Bath | MLS# 4925349
15256 WOOD DUCK TR NW, PRIOR LAKE, MN 55372 $439,900 | 5 bedroom | 3 bath | MLS# 4979757
mkt-msp.com - 612.619.6855 info@mkt-msp.com
each keller williams office is independently owned and operated Kaslow Michael SWJ 080918 FP.indd 4
7/30/18 2:04 PM