POETRY FOR FALL September 8–21, 2016 Vol. 27, No. 18 southwestjournal.com
DESIGN FOR PEDESTRIANS Expanded pedestrian district would boost density and promote foot traffic in Uptown By Michelle Bruch / mbruch@southwestjournal.com
U
ptown’s commercial streets are under scrutiny, and city officials may expand regulations for new development that would promote density, limit the vehicles in view and focus on pedestrians. Under the new rules, a developer could never create a block like the one home to Arby’s at Lake & Emerson. Parking lots would be limited to 40 feet of street frontage. New buildings would rise at least two stories. A new drive-through and a new fast food building couldn’t be constructed. Council Members Lisa Goodman and Lisa Bender are proposing an expansion of the city’s pedestrian-oriented overlay district. The scope of the impacted area includes Hennepin and Lyndale avenues south of Franklin and north of 31st; Lagoon Avenue from Humboldt to Dupont; Nicollet Avenue from 29th to 31st; and West Lake Street from Knox to Interstate-35W. The proposal comes after City Planning commissioners and neighborhood residents voiced displeasure with recent “suburban-style” developments, including a new Walgreens slated to replace Roat Osha at 27th & Hennepin. “We were upset that all we were getting was a one-story, single-use building,” said Andrew Degerstrom, president of the East Isles Residents Association. “If we were in the pedestrian overlay things might be different, and we might actually get something a little bit better.” Minneapolis Principal Planner Brian Schaffer said new regulations are modeled after cities like Portland, Seattle and Chicago, and most are already in use elsewhere in Minneapolis. The following is a rundown of some of the proposed design guidelines:
An expanded pedestrian overlay district would include areas like Franklin & Hennepin. Photo by Michelle Bruch
SEE OVERLAY / PAGE A18 SEE OVERLAY / PAGE A1
Ed Graff ’s first day of school Minneapolis Public Schools’ new superintendent tours the district
By Zoë Peterson / zpeterson@southwestjournal.com
Across Minneapolis, there was a hushed excitement unique to the first day of school. Ed Graff, the district’s new superintendent, attended class Aug. 29, as eager as the students. “The start of the school year is filled with so much excitement, and I want to capture that,” Graff said. “There are stories to be heard every day, and it’s our job to recognize them.” The superintendent began the day with a visit to Heritage Academy’s new principal, Jean Sorensen, and took the bus with students from Lucy Laney Community School. Graff started class at North High School, where this summer, the high school had its largest orientation with 120 attendees. “We’re starting to see a lot of students from the community returning to North,”
Superintendent Ed Graff joined Northeast Middle School students for lunch on the first day of the school year. Photo by Zoë Peterson
said Principal Shawn Harris-Berry. “With the possibility of North closing, some parents didn’t want to take the chance, but now those students are returning to North.”
Last-minute deal for light rail Dayton, Duininck piece together local funds for $1.86-billion SWLRT
By Dylan Thomas dthomas@southwestjournal.com
In 2010, the district threatened to close the school due to low enrollment and poor academic achievement.
Facing a potential idling of the Southwest Light Rail Transit project, Gov. Mark Dayton and Metropolitan Council Chair Adam Duininck cobbled together a plan in August to replace missing state funding and keep the $1.86-billion project on track. The deal means the local share of the state’s largest-ever transportation project is fully committed, and Met Council can now apply for a Federal Transit Administration grant.
SEE FIRST DAY / PAGE A16
SEE SWLRT / PAGE 20
A2 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com
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Ecopolitan’s closure came as a surprise to neighbors at 24th & Lyndale. Photo by Michelle Bruch
24TH & LYNDALE
Ecopolitan Ecopolitan abruptly closed Aug. 22 at 2409 Lyndale Ave. S. A sign on the door stated: “Ecopolitan Restaurant is now closed. The nonprofit corporation that owns it is being dissolved.” A statement issued by workers of Ecopolitan said they were terminated without notice. “When asked about the closure, [owner Adiel] Tel-Oren explained that the decision is in response to legal issues,” said the statement. Tel-Oren, also known as Dr. T, did not immediately provide an explanation for the closure. “Certain things can be expanded upon in
the future,” he said in an email. “I loved that place, I’m so sad,” said Mike Massions, who planned to stop at Ecopolitan in late August and was surprised it was closed. “That was my favorite raw vegan joint in the whole country.” Other businesses continue to operate in the building, including In Touch Massage and Carol Edel’s colon hydrotherapy practice. The sign on Ecopolitan’s door said anyone interested in updates, recipes and special events should drop their email into a box located inside.
Rosie Jablonsky owns Curl Power, a new salon at Nicollet & Franklin. Photo by Michelle Bruch
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said the shop serves a diverse clientele and is very GLBT-friendly. She started working in hair to support her art (she has a background in filmmaking and circus performance), but she’s changed her philosophy a bit over time. On a recent visit to the shop, Jablonsky was creating “mermaid hair” for a Raw Artist event at The Pourhouse. “Hair could actually be my art,” she said. She said the deep self-acceptance involved in the style is part of the reason why she works with curly hair. “It’s so personal,” she said.
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NuWay staff said they invested more than $500,000 into the Snyder Mansion interior and $75,000 into the landscaping at 22nd & Blaisdell. Photo by Michelle Bruch
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Treatment for substance abuse and mental health is underway inside the historic Snyder mansion at 2118 Blaisdell Ave., where the building serves 190 people. The former ballroom is a lecture hall, the “loggia” is a women’s lounge, bedrooms are group meeting rooms and a former nursing home addition provides office space. NuWay’s original plans called for housing on the site. Executive Director David Vennes said they decided instead to use the mansion for outpatient services. “It made more sense to move the whole outpatient [program] over here,” he said. “It’s better for the neighborhood.” Some residents had opposed the original housing plans, saying Whittier already holds a high concentration of supportive housing. The City of Minneapolis recently designated the property a local historic landmark, a measure designed to protect and preserve historic portions of the building. The Whittier Alliance neighborhood organization helped secure funding for a historic designation study. A city report said the 1913 mansion is a rare surviving example of the early-20th century estates once found along Blaisdell, Pillsbury and Stevens avenues. Following the Great Depression, the Snyder family and others relocated to smaller-scale country homes on Lake Minnetonka, according to the study, “where they could get by with fewer servants and a more casual style of entertaining.” Many of the Whittier mansions were
replaced with apartments, commercial buildings and parking lots in the mid- to late-20th century. The home’s original occupants, John Pillsbury Snyder and Nelle Stevenson Snyder, survived the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, according to the study. They had booked a first-class stateroom following an extensive European honeymoon, and they boarded a lifeboat as the ship sank. The Blaisdell home was a wedding gift from John’s father, who said it would be the “finest home in all of Minneapolis.” Vennes said NuWay invested more than $500,000 into the building interior and $75,000 into the landscaping, which includes roses on the corner that are picked by passersby. “Whenever they bloom, they’re gone,” he said. NuWay serves as a bridge for people leaving high-intensity programs like Hazelden and helps them ease back into the community, Vennes said. He said that for about 30 percent of people, 21–28 days in a high-intensity program isn’t enough recovery time. “There is a shortage of extended care, longer-term programming available,” he said. NuWay is celebrating its 50-year anniversary on Sept. 10 with a picnic on the mansion grounds. The community is invited to attend from 3 p.m.–6 p.m.
LAGOON & IRVING
Laguna Luxury Apartments The Laguna apartments opened in June at the southwest corner of Lagoon & Irving. Amenities in the 45-unit building include a dog wash, bike repair station, heated underground parking and private balconies or patios in most units. Laguna was 60-percent leased in midAugust, according to a spokesman for CPM Development. Rates at vacant units currently range from $1,595 for a onebedroom walk-up unit to $4,495 for a threebedroom unit.
The Laguna apartments are now open at the southwest corner of Lagoon & Irving. Submitted photo
southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 A5
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Noted Commerce Bank reports that construction is slated for the fall at Le Parisien, the vacant apartment building at 2309 Lyndale Ave. S. A bank representative said he does not have an estimated date for completion or future occupancy of the building. Commerce Bank took over the property through a foreclosure action and later found moisture intrusion, mold and cracked stucco, according to court documents. Residents left the building in 2015 due to the scope of repairs. Following the city’s discovery that exterior lumber on an apartment project at 3118 W. Lake St. did not meet code for fire resistance, Big-D Construction reports that it is proceeding with removal and replacement of the lumber. Chris Grzybowski, vice president and managing director at Big-D Construction, said in late August that the company had procured all replacement materials, removed half of the exterior doors and windows and completed the removal process on the north side of the building. Big-D’s subcontractor, JL Schwieters, is suing Chicago Flameproof, according to the Star Tribune. Staff at Chicago Flameproof declined to comment, and told KSTP in late July that the company stands behind the lumber. “Since our approval to proceed from the City of Minneapolis on August 17th, we have been mobilizing and working on the project aggressively to meet our schedule milestones with the ownership group,” Grzybowski said in an email. “… We continue to work (6) days a week per City Ordinance for working hours to reach our goals.”
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It’s likely most Minneapolis homeowners will see a higher property tax bill under the 2017 budget proposed by Mayor Betsy Hodges, members of the City Council’s Ways and Means Budget Subcommittee learned Aug. 29. Property taxes could rise on about 60 percent of the city’s roughly 100,000 residential properties, excluding apartment buildings, according to a presentation by Mark Ruff, the city’s chief financial officer. About 35 percent of households would see an increase of 5 percent or more. Council Member Andrew Johnson (Ward 12) called it “surprising” to see nearly 35,000 households in the 5-percent-or-higher category. But Ruff cautioned committee members that those were preliminary estimates based off of Hennepin County data and would be refined in coming weeks. On Aug. 10, Hodges proposed a $1.3-billion city budget for 2017, an increase of about 7.6 percent over the 2016 budget. About 20 percent of the budget is funded directly by property taxes, and Hodges proposed a 5.5-percent hike in the city’s property tax levy for 2017. The city’s property tax levy increased 3.4 percent in 2016. A levy increase of at least 4.9 percent in 2017 was expected after the city struck an $800million deal with the Park Board this spring to pay for road and park maintenance and repairs. The deal’s complex funding scheme leans heavily on new property taxes. Hodges pledged to shrink the coming levy increase if a special legislative session resulted in a boost in Local Government Aid from the state. But Gov. Mark Dayton announced Aug. 18 he had ended attempts to negotiate a special session with legislative leaders. Ruff said general fund revenues were expected to rise just 2 percent after a “nominal” increase in LGA. Those revenues would be generated mainly in two areas, Ruff said: property taxes and sales and entertainment taxes, an increase driven in part by the opening of U.S. Bank Stadium, the new home of the Minnesota Vikings. Revenues are expected to decline in several other categories, including charges for city services, fines and forfeits, the franchise fees paid by utilities and license and permits related
to construction activity — “despite the fact that we have very robust economic activity in the city,” Ruff added. On Aug. 25, the city hit the $1-billion mark in new construction permits earlier than in any previous year. “When you have a budget that needs to increase — just basic inflation without any additional types of enhancements to that budget — and we have revenues which are either flat or declining, it’s going to put more pressure on the tax levy,” Ruff said. Council Member Lisa Goodman (Ward 7) was critical of the amount of new spending in Hodges’ 2017 budget, which includes about $7 million in one-time expenses and $6.7 million in ongoing costs that will be carried over to future budgets, largely related to new staff positions. In her budget presentation, Hodges said those ongoing costs were offset by $2.7 million in “strategic cuts” to city departments. Of the balance, most of the increase is dedicated to public safety, including 15 new police officers. Goodman said she was supportive of hiring additional officers, but questioned the impact other decisions will have on property taxes. “There’s no real explanation for why we need $13 million more in spending other than we want it,” Goodman said. “It’s really not all that complicated,” she said. “The bottom line is there’s $6.7 million of totally new spending, $7 million worth of new one-time spending and we’re having to increase our levy capacity or property tax amount by about $16 million.” Ruff said city property taxes on a home with the city’s median value of $109,500 amounted to roughly $1,100 in 2016, so a 5-percent increase would equal $55. City Council Member Lisa Bender (Ward 10) noted about 50 percent of Minneapolis residents are renters who feel the impact of rising property taxes in higher rents. Bender noted property tax assessments are sent to apartment building owners and aren’t typically shared with tenants, who she said need to be better engaged by the city during budget talks.
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Leila Araghian won a competition with her design for Tabiat Bridge while still a student. Photos by Mohammad Hassan Ettefagh courtesy Minneapolis Parks Foundation
Iranian architect leads off lecture series Iranian architect Leila Araghian, the young designer of Tehran’s landmark Tabiat Bridge, opens the 2016–2017 Next Generation of Parks Lecture Series on Sept. 9. Araghian’s Sept. 9 presentation and conversation with Minnesota Public Radio arts reporter Marianne Combs at Northrop Auditorium is the first of four events in the Minneapolis Parks Foundation’s annual free lecture series, presented this season by MPR in partnership with Walker Art Center and the University of Minnesota Department of Landscape Architecture. Araghian was 26 years old and still a student when she won a competition with her design for Tabiat, which means “nature” in Persian. Iran’s largest pedestrian overpass at nearly 900 feet in length, the bridge has become a popular local gathering place since it opened in 2014. Its popularity has to do with Araghian’s curving design for the span, which weaves together multiple levels and entry points that encourage pedestrians to explore. Viewing platforms invite walkers to pause and take in the view as they cross from one city park to another above a major highway. Araghian is co-founder of Diba Tensile Architecture, based in Tehran. Araghian’s talk begins at 7 p.m. in the Best Buy Theater at Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., on the University of Minnesota campus. The event is free, but those who wish to attend are encouraged to RSVP to reserve a seat. Find the lecture’s Eventbrite page via the Parks Foundation website, mplsparksfoundation.org.
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By Jim Walsh
The rehab restaurateur
A
s an attorney working on prisoner re-entry, fair housing and discrimination cases with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Emily Turner knew the statistics all too well:
Attorney-turnedrestaurateur Emily Turner plans to open her craft grilled cheese sandwich shop All Square in the spring. Photo by Jim Walsh
• Since 1980, the number of people incarcerated in America quadrupled to 2.3 million from 500,000. • African Americans constitute nearly 1 million of the total 2.3 million and are incarcerated — at nearly six times the rate of whites. • The United States is 5 percent of the world population but incarcerates 25 percent of the world’s prisoners. • One in every 31 adults, or 3.2 percent of the population, is under some sort of institutional correctional control. • African American and Hispanic Americans make up 25 percent of the U.S. population and comprise 58 percent of all prisoners. Turner’s reaction? “Can’t look away,” she said last week, sitting in the decidedly comfy confines of a South Minneapolis coffee shop. Then she said it again. “Can’t look away.” So much so that Turner left her job at HUD last month and is now on a mission to launch All Square (allsquarempls.com), a craft grilled cheese shop in the Minnehaha Mile of the Longfellow neighborhood. The joint will be staffed by not “felons” or “ex-convicts” but, as she’s careful to put it, “people with criminal records.” “At the end of the day, I’d love for All Square to just be a really good grilled cheese shop and not have to label them at all,” said Turner, 33, who has degrees in architecture and public policy and received her law degree from Loyola University in New Orleans. “There’s legal issues with being exclusive and discriminatory in hiring, so you can target that population but I can’t say ‘I will only hire you if you have a record.’ It’s kind of fun, though, to think about what an application says, ‘Do you have a criminal record?’ And you say ‘No,’ and we’re like, ‘Sorry.’ “The name ‘All Square’ sort of to me is that a grilled cheese sandwich is square, but also at the end of the day, ‘You’re square,’ like this lifetime punishment is so punitive. I also love the simplicity of grilled cheese.” Wait, are we seriously talking about grilled cheese sandwiches? “If I’m being truthful, I can’t cook, with the exception of grilled cheese,” she said with a laugh. “Anytime people are coming over, they know they’re getting grilled cheese. But they’re really good grilled cheese. “So we had a few friends over and they were joking, ‘You should do a grilled cheese shop.’ And I actually did some research and found out it’s kind of trendy right now, and with my architecture background I could sort of see this love space, a space with really good energy. “So it was really just hanging out there in the ethos, like ‘Who knows?’ And it was this summer that I got really frustrated with HUD, and I was at Sea Salt at the [Minnehaha] Falls and I just thought,
‘What if I did that grilled cheese restaurant? And I hired specifically — I can’t exclusively — but what if I consciously looked to hire people with records?’ Just to send a message, like, ‘Not here. We totally dismiss the idea that this whole swath of the population be demonized and forgotten.’ And, honestly, from that moment on I’ve been obsessed.” A St. Paul native who grew up in a small town in North Dakota, Turner has been a Minneapolis resident for one year. Two years ago, she participated in HUD’s “Emerging Leaders Program,” which set her on a path to All Square, as did her time studying in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans. “I was dating someone in New Orleans who lived in the 7th Ward who was so passionate about criminal justice and the prison systems, it opened my eyes to a whole new world,” she said. “And honestly, one of my dearest friends — he went to Tulane Law School — he murdered someone when he was 18. It was a huge ordeal: Tulane was letting in a murderer, and admittedly I was one of those folks who was (asking), ‘I wonder if I’m ever going to have a class with him?’ I was just shaken by it a little, just that I didn’t know what to expect. “And of course fast-forward now three, four, five years and this man is my dearest friend. I trust him with my life. His story isn’t a matter of ‘This is why it was OK to do it.’ It was a matter of ‘Here’s what I was going through and here’s what happened and here’s where I am now.’ “He really pushed my understanding of what it meant to be someone with a pretty egregious criminal record. It really helped me to contextualize it. These are real people who just mess up, and a lot of people with records didn’t ever mess up. That’s the truth, right? “Also, through this relationship I was in, I got to know very deeply and loved dearly Herman Wallace, who was a member of the Angola Three (three former prison inmates who were put in solitary confinement in Louisiana State Penitentiary in 1972 for the killing of a corrections officer). I know that’s
very controversial to some folks, but he was the most tender, compassionate man I’ve ever met. He was a legal mentor to me, and I’m better every day for knowing him. He was in solitary confinement for 41 years. Ridiculous.” The former prisoners became Turner’s friends and legal mentors, but she knew her work as a lawyer wouldn’t satisfy her desire to do more. In short order, she’s recruited a small board of directors, teamed with superstar chef Sarah Master on a menu, is being mentored by Lowbrow owners Heather Bray and Jodi Ayers and — with a Kickstarter launch party set for 7:30 p.m.–10:00 p.m. Sept. 8 at Café du Nord Craft Spirits — has her sights set on a spring opening date. “What really pushed me to actually do this is the question from my formerly incarcerated brothers and sisters saying, ‘Awesome, it’s great to have an ally, but are you ever going to be an accomplice? Like, what are you gonna do? Are you effectively looking away when you aren’t doing something to mobilize?’ “And that’s a question I want to be able to say, even if it fails, ‘Here’s my response.’ I don’t know if it’s going to work, but I think it could, and more than anything, there’s really good intentions behind it. And at least I’ll be able to look myself in the mirror and say, ‘I tried. I see it, it’s crazy, I don’t agree with it, I think we’re better than this.’ “At its core this grilled cheese shop is so important, but I think the vision behind it, as far as what it can be in a bigger context, is what’s fueling it. There’s issues around housing and mental illness with this population, and the expungement part, as a lawyer, I want to help people clear these records. Those are all the dreams I really can’t wait to bake in, but right now step one is just the bricks and mortars and get up and running.” Jim Walsh lives and grew up in Minneapolis. He can be reached at jimwalsh086@gmail.com
southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 A9
Voices
Railroad safety Twin Cities & Western Railroad (TC&W) would like to express its public gratitude to Minnesota’s congressional delegation in securing a federal grant to help our railroad install Positive Train Control (PTC) technology to comply with federal safety mandates in time for the December 2018 deadline. As the regional railroad serving south central Minnesota’s shippers and utilizing the rail line shared by Northstar Commuter Rail and BNSF Railway to get Minnesota’s producers’ product to the world marketplace, TC&W exists to ensure that the shippers located along our rail line continue to have safe, reliable and economical freight rail transportation. The U.S. Department of Transportation grant will help TC&W install this federally mandated technology, projected to cost as much as $2 million, without having to reduce the funds available in our annual budget for track repair and maintenance, another essential safety function. TC&W especially appreciates the letters of support for the grant we received from Sen. Amy Klobuchar and State Transportation Commissioner Charlie Zelle, and the intense interest of Sen. Al Franken’s Washington, D.C., office in translating our grant request into reality. Ultimately, the State of Minnesota will benefit, as this expensive new accidentprevention technology will make Minnesota
safer while at the same time allowing freight rates to remain competitive for the southcentral Minnesota region and the rural companies we serve. In these days of cynicism about government, we felt it was important for all Minnesotans to know that the state’s congressional delegation was responsive and effective in helping us get the federal help we needed to meet new federal requirements and still continue to serve our shippers cost-effectively. On behalf of all of the shippers TC&W serves, a large thank you to our Washington, D.C., delegation!
Editorial cartoon on Southwest Light Rail Transit submitted by Jerry van Amerongen of Kenwood
Mark Wegner President Twin Cities & Western Railroad Company
Questioning teardowns Jaws struck again in our neighborhood. This time just one block away. The beast is getting closer. Charming houses, well-built and maintained, are labeled by real estate agents and builders as “teardowns.” These modest houses gave Linden Hills, once known as “Cottage City,” its distinct personality and ambience. Neighbors lined up across the street on lawn chairs to watch this sad demolition. A monster “Cat” machine, nearly the size of the house, smashed its way through the entire front. The lovely two-story dwelling lay crunched under heavy steel tracks — a massive pile of boards, pipes, plaster, lath, windows, floors, walls, ceilings, roofing, bricks and concrete. Nothing stopped the monster’s path. Its 10-foot jaws crushed everything like a doll house. A simple nudge of the jaws collapsed
huge pieces of the structure. A shower stall stood precariously in an upstairs bathroom, supporting a thin wall of blue tile. A person once showered there. Who knew the generations of families that called this place “home”? Five dump trucks, lined up along the curb, waited to haul the debris to the landfill. In just a few hours, another important piece of the neighborhood vanished. The demolition itself is not the problem. The replacement that follows is a problem for that neighborhood. A wider, taller, deeper house will be squeezed onto the same lot. It will dwarf the modest neighboring houses, imposing itself on nearby residences, completely out of place in its environment, something like moving the Queen Mary into
the local marina. These mini-mansions are legal according to code. They generate more tax revenue and they conform to the unwritten cultural rule that “bigger is better.” And they are very profitable for businesses involved in their construction and sale. That is exactly why we can expect this practice to continue. Nevertheless, such rebuilding remains ostentatious, pretentious, inconsiderate and un-necessary. In the 1960’s, Minneapolis carelessly demolished its downtown, destroying historic buildings. Are we repeating the same mistake in our residential neighborhoods? Paul Emmel Linden Hills
A10 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com
By Zoë Peterson / zpeterson@southwestjournal.com
Minneapolis wins national award for supporting green business Avestopolis Cleaners literally has a green drycleaning machine — the color green, that is. Tyler Avestini has owned and operated his dry cleaning business in North Minneapolis since the 1990s, before the technology to go green, in an environmental sense, was readily available. In 2012, Avestini became the original recipient of the city’s award-winning Green Business Cost Sharing Program. “Going green was the best thing I’ve ever done,” Avestini said. “ It’s just too bad that there aren’t many businesses like this.” The Green Business Cost Sharing Program is trying to change that and has already reduced air pollution in Minneapolis by nearly 12 tons. The program is a partnership that provides funds to small businesses like dry cleaners, printers and auto body shops that make equipment conversions and adopt new practices to reduce emissions, improving air quality and protecting the health of employees and surrounding communities.
In August, the program was awarded the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ prestigious Model Practice Award. The Green Business Cost Sharing Program was one of only 23 local health department programs across the nation “that demonstrates exemplary and replicable qualities in response to a local public health need.” Patrick Hanlon, an environmental initiatives manager for the city, explained that businesses are eager to participate in the program. “We’d go and meet with the business owners and we found that there was a desire to move toward greener business practices,” Hanlon said. “This will be a resource for businesses to take the next step, whatever that step might be.” This national recognition serves as encouragement, but the impact the program has had on public health is what inspires Hanlon the most. “I think it’s more than just an award,” he said. “It shows that the work is effective.”
Xcel Energy begins the switch to LED streetlights across the state Xcel Energy is rolling out a project to upgrade thousands of streetlights across Minnesota to more cost-efficient and environmental LED lights. “We’re joining the innovation revolution,” Xcel said in a statement. LED lights use approximately 40–60 percent less electricity than standard high-pressure sodium bulbs and have a longer life, which means fewer maintenance and replacement trips. Xcel said communities could expect to save 4-7 percent annually on street lighting bills once the conversion is complete. About 24,000 Xcel-owned streetlights in Minneapolis will be converted to LED, according to Matthew Lindstrom, a spokesman for Xcel. Xcel crews will install LED replacement fixtures, and the company will pay all costs associated with the retrofits, according to a statement. In other words, there are no costs to the community.
The project will take place over the next two and a half years. Weather permitting, conversions will begin in Twin Cities suburbs on Nov. 1, but a date to begin work in Minneapolis has not yet been set. “The installation of LED streetlights in Minnesota is another way Xcel Energy is making investments in technology that improve customer service and our environmental performance,” said Chris Clark, president of Xcel Energy Minnesota, in a news release. “Additionally, LED streetlights will help control costs and enhance safety for the communities we serve and we’re excited to launch the program.” LED lights have the potential to cut general lighting energy usage nearly in half by 2030, saving energy expense and reducing carbon emissions, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Xcel Energy said communities would benefit from improved safety, aesthetics, reliability and environmental performance.
Xcel Energy continues expansion of wind power project Quality, Age-Appropriate Sports Instruction Through Community-Based Partnerships
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Xcel Energy’s new wind power project in southwestern Minnesota, the Odell Wind Farm, will deliver enough energy to power 105,000 homes. The wind farm is owned by Algonquin Power & Utilities Corporation, a Canadian company, and will provide Xcel with clean energy output under a 20-year power purchase agreement. The Odell Wind Farm acquisition is part of an expansion of Xcel’s renewable energy system and is expected to reduce about 368,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. The farm’s 100 turbines will generate 200 megawatts of electricity.
“Adding Odell Wind Farm to our growing renewable energy fleet is one of many ways we’re giving customers the clean energy options they want,” said Chris Clark, president of Xcel Energy Minnesota, in a news release. “This wind purchase is another significant step forward in our goal to deliver 35 percent renewable energy to our Upper Midwest customers by 2030.” The Odell Wind Farm is part of a commitment Xcel Energy made in 2013 to increase its wind capacity by 42 percent by adding 750 megawatts of cost-effective, clean wind energy in the Upper Midwest by the end of 2016.
southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 A11
Minneapolis schools flexing their muscles Superintendent Ed Graff delivers State of the Schools address
By Zoë Peterson / zpeterson@southwestjournal.com
Superintendent Ed Graff may be the new kid at Minneapolis Public Schools, but he’s already leading the in-crowd. At the first State of the Schools event since 2014, Graff on Aug. 26 brought the crowd at Orchestra Hall to its feet with a new narrative: MPS strong. “We’re here today to talk about the state of our schools. And the state of Minneapolis Public Schools is strong,” he said. “Being strong doesn’t mean we’re perfect. We know we have plenty of opportunity to improve.” Graff emphasized supporting students, investing in staff and engaging the community. His address featured inspirational stories of students’ successes, including the 5-percent increase in graduation rates over the past two years. Most notable was the story of Daniela Martinez, a 2016 graduate of Longfellow Alternative High School, a school for pregnant and parenting teens. “Can you imagine trying to balance bottles, bosses and books at the same time? At the age of 15 or 16?” Graff said. “Daniela did. … She said she walked across the stage this spring so she could set an example for her daughter.” Tracine Asberry, a member of the school board, said these are important stories to tell. “It was so emotional to hear the stories of our students and know that our students are being seen,” Asberry said. “We have students that are doing it every day: being brilliant.”
We’re moving in the right direction, and it feels good. It’s what our students deserve. — Tracine Asberry, school board member
Superintendent Ed Graff sings “Purple Rain” with a choir of students, parents and teachers as the finale to the State of the Schools event. Photo courtesy of Minneapolis Public Schools
Graff focused on initiatives such as the Grow Your Own Residency Program, a way for district employees who work closely with students in schools to become elementary school teachers. Two-thirds of the program’s graduates are employees of color. “Keeping MPS’s story strong means making sure students see people at the front of their classrooms who look like them, who build relationships with them and who make
education relevant in their lives,” Graff said. Mayor Betsy Hodges spoke to reaffirm her dedication to the relationship between the community and Minneapolis schools. “Your fate is our fate, and our fate is your fate,” Hodges said. “My pledge to you is to not only continue the partnership we have, but to make it even stronger.” Edison High School’s “green campus” and the district’s partnership with the Park
Board to give students the opportunity to learn to swim were presented as examples of this alliance. “We’re moving in the right direction, and it feels good,” Asberry said. “It’s what our students deserve.” Graff closed by singing Prince’s “Purple Rain” with a group of students, parents and teachers representing more than 20 schools from the district. Everyone in Orchestra Hall was singing along and ended in a standing ovation. “We’re going to be brilliant everyday for our students,” Graff said. “I’m here to move us forward.”
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A12 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com
Southwest High School’s Lakers running drills during practice. Photos by Zoë Peterson
WEIGHING THE RISKS OF FOOTBALL Medical professionals on-site and new recommended rules of play minimize the perceived risk of football
By Zoë Peterson / zpeterson@southwestjournal.com
There’s a push for a new narrative in youth and high school football: the benefits outweigh the risks, including the risk of concussion. Uzma Samadani, an associate professor in the department of neurosurgery at the University of Minnesota and attending neurosurgeon at Hennepin County Medical Center, supports the argument that potential injury from football is preferable to the
sedentary alternative. “Many children who play football have a body that precludes them from engaging in other sports,” Samadani said. “Every single child in America needs to be playing sports, and if they want to play football we should make the sport as safe as possible.” Samadani studies traumatic brain injury and hemorrhage. She also has ties to the NFL. In a recent publication, Sama-
dani reported “serving as an unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant to the National Football League for five games during the 2015–2016 football season.” Samadani agrees with the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics issued to promote safer practices, including rugby-style tackles; no-contact practices; neck muscle strengthening; wearing protective equipment; and having athletic trainers
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at the sidelines during games and practices.
Athletic trainers A grant funded by the NFL Foundation and Vikings ensures high school athletes at Minneapolis Public Schools have access to medical attention on-site this fall for the third school year. Certified athletic trainers from TRIA
southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 A13
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Kelsey Gleich, Southwest High School’s athletic trainer, working with Tywon Nash, 16, who sprained his ankle in practice.
Orthopedic Center are available to athletes at school, in attendance at football practices and on the sidelines at games for all contact sports. A physician also attends varsity football games. The selling point for the NFL-funded program is baseline testing for concussions — a traumatic brain injury. Athletic trainers are qualified to determine whether athletes are safe to continue playing after taking a hit. Athletic trainers work in tandem with physicians to provide preventative services, emergency care, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries. “I think it’s the most fantastic idea,” Samadani said. “The better the care that they’re given, the safer they are.” Kelsey Gleich, the athletic trainer assigned to Southwest High School, said she primarily provides preventative care. “My role is to provide medical coverage that includes hydration, prevention of injuries and helping to treat injuries,” Gleich said. “I try to teach athletes how to manage the daily aches and pains that may not be an injury, so that injuries don’t happen.” Steven Miles, a professor of medicine and bioethics, as well as the Maas Family Endowed Chair in Bioethics at the University of Minnesota Medical School, said the program does not prevent the risk of head trauma. Athletic trainers are able to identify symptoms of concussions, but by the time an athlete is concussed, they have sustained a traumatic brain injury. Even more concerning are the repeated blows and bonks, Miles said. “It is very clear now that it is not the symptomatic concussions, but the repetitive subconcussive hits that are the problem,” Miles said. “Because it is sub-concussive injuries that are the problem, athletic trainers can’t detect the injuries on the field of play.” Although Minneapolis Public Schools ultimately benefit from the extra help, the risks of playing football are much more serious than the sprains and broken bones athletic trainers address most frequently, Miles said. “Most sports that kids play are sports that have risk of various kinds of orthopedic injuries,” Miles said. “But the brain is a special kind of organ because it’s not paired, and it’s an organ that all other life opportunities depend on. Without a brain, you can’t do anything.”
Like riding a bike Aimee Custer, a neuropsychologist and part of TRIA’s sports concussion management team, said preventative measures and the proper treatment of concussions should
prevent long-term brain damage. “I think concussions are a very serious injury but they’re a very treatable injury,” Custer said. “I think the benefits of playing a sport outweigh the risk of sustaining a concussion.” Many argue life is inherently risky, and that encouraging children to play football — to engage in regular physical activity — is therefore in the interest of public health. “There’s risk of concussion playing sports at any level,” said Amy Hamilton, the manager of TRIA’s sports medicine program. “There’s risk of concussion riding your bike.” Miles said that comparison was misleading. Although many activities include a risk of brain injury, comparing bikes to football is like comparing apples to oranges. “The problem is that, in football, the head injuries are repetitive, while most people bicycle without ever experiencing head injury,” Miles said. Brain-damaging injuries often don’t have the symptoms of a concussion and are difficult to detect. These injuries — sustained from less intense hits and bonks — are likely to impair attention, memory and school performance in the short-term, Miles said. In the long-term, repeated brain trauma can cause chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive degenerative brain disease similar to Alzheimer’s. “It doesn’t make sense to me for schools — who are in the business of educating brains — to incentivize students to bang them up,” Miles said.
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‘It’s up to the parents’ Alvin Johnson, the offensive-line varsity coach for Southwest High School, has been playing football for nearly two decades, and continues to play semi-professionally for the St. Paul Pioneers. Johnson hasn’t witnessed or experienced the long-term effects of traumatic brain injury, but knows firsthand that there are serious risks to consider before stepping on the field. As a senior in high school, one of Johnson’s teammates was paralyzed during a game. The next season, as a freshman on the Southwest Minnesota State University team, he saw a teammate die in practice. “He was doing a drill and his eyes just rolled back in his head,” Johnson said. “I try not to worry about it. I just go out and play.” Johnson said life is unpredictable, and so he has decided to assume the risk associated with football. “I love the game. It’s what I look forward to,” he said. “I guess it’s really up to the parents.”
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A14 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com
News
Minimum wage won’t go to a vote in November Supreme Court sides with city to keep two charter amendments off the ballot
By Dylan Thomas / dthomas@southwestjournal.com
The Minnesota Supreme Court sided with the City of Minneapolis on appeals concerning two potential questions for the November ballot. Voters won’t directly decide on either setting a $15 minimum wage or whether police should be required to hold professional liability insurance. In decisions released Aug. 31, the justices struck down a lower court decision on the former and upheld a lower court ruling on the latter. Both issues were fast-tracked to the state’s highest court so a decision could be made before a deadline for printing general election ballots. Hennepin County indicated that deadline was Sept. 2. The public will have to wait to read the full opinions, which will be released at a later date, “so as not to impair the orderly election process,” the decisions state. The Supreme Court heard arguments in both cases on Aug. 30. While there was strong support on the City Council for raising the city’s minimum wage, a majority of Council members heeded the advice of City Attorney Susan Segal and voted against putting a proposed charter amendment on the ballot in early August. Segal said a minimum wage was not a “proper subject” for the city’s charter, and so several Council members instead moved ahead with plans to study a potential ordinance. Petitioners associated with three Minneapolis organizations — 15 Now Minnesota, Neighborhoods Organizing for Change and Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha, or CTUL
Neighborhoods Organizing for Change Field Director Mike Griffin rallied supporters of a $15 minimum wage charter amendment outside City Hall just hours before the Supreme Court issued a ruling blocking the proposed ballot question. Photo by Dylan Thomas
— sued and won a favorable ruling in Hennepin County District Court. The city appealed, and the Supreme Court found the district court had erred in its judgment.
The justices found that state law allows for ordinances to be submitted by citizens via petition, but that “the Minneapolis City Charter doesn’t include such a provision.” The decision
continues: “The Minneapolis City Charter instead vests in the City Council ‘the City’s general legislative and policymaking authority.’” In a separate decision also made in early
Our United States of America Flag which we love and cherish can become faded, worn and unserviceable. The American Legion is tasked to honorably “retire” flags and encourage respect for proper disposal.
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southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 A15
August, the City Council voted to keep off the ballot a charter amendment that would have required all Minneapolis Police officers to carry professional liability insurance. Supporters of the proposal sued to get the question on the ballot and lost in Hennepin County District Court. Considering the appeal, the Supreme Court decided “the proposed liability-insurance amendment is preempted by state law and, therefore, is improper and cannot be included in the Minneapolis City Charter.”
Parties react “We are very pleased that the Minnesota Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, affirmed the fact that the Minneapolis city charter squarely places with the City Council the responsibility for legislating and that state law does not allow legislating through the
A crisis of this magnitude should mandate swift and decisive action. — Anthony Newby, NOC Executive Director
charter amendment process,” Segal wrote in a press release issued after the decision. “This has never been about the merits of a minimum wage increase, but rather the proper process and venue for such a policy to be considered.” Segal also expressed satisfaction with the unanimous decision in the police liability insurance case, highlighting the justice’s ruling that the “proposal should not go on the ballot because it is in conflict with state law.” David Bicking, the appellant in that case and a former member of the police Civilian Review Board, said the proposal was vetted with lawyers and insurance experts to make sure it was tailored to an area of law on which state statutes were “silent.” “We remain 100-percent confident that it is legal in every respect,” Bicking said. “It treats an area of law the state has very clearly not dealt with.” The proposal aimed to reduce cases of misconduct by requiring police to carry additional insurance beyond coverage provided by the city and putting officers on the hook when they violate department rules or the law. “We’re talking about things like kicking someone who is handcuffed and subdued,” Bicking said. “Obviously, (it includes) unjustified shootings, but (also) a whole range of activities where the officer is clearly violating the rules. In
those cases, the city and the taxpayer should not be responsible for (paying settlements).” Bicking said he holds out hope the Supreme Court might reconsider the case based on the extremely tight timeline supporters of the charter amendment proposal were required to meet to submit legal documents ahead of the Aug. 30 hearing. He said the justices’ decision was “political.” “At every level of our government … nothing will be done for police accountability,” he said. “Everything is resisted.” Lt. Bob Kroll, president of the Minneapolis Police union, said the union was “happy to put this issue to rest.” “Hopefully, this will shut down future attempts by this anti-police group,” Kroll said.
Shift in strategy While disappointed in a Supreme Court decision he said “took away a fundamental tool of direct democracy,” NOC Executive Director Anthony Newby said in the wake of the ruling he and other supporters of the $15 minimum wage would turn their attention to getting a city ordinance passed, and soon. They’ll push City Council members to speed up their timeline and consider an ordinance this year instead of sometime in 2017, Newby said.
“A crisis of this magnitude should mandate swift and decisive action,” he said, referring to the wide gaps in wages and quality of living in Minneapolis. The organization had promised a massive grassroots campaign in support of the charter amendment. Newby said that effort would be redirected to pressure City Council members and the mayor to support a $15 minimum wage ordinance. “Elections are happening (in 2017) and we think this will most likely be a decisive election priority for all members of the City Council (and) the mayor’s office,” he said. The local chapter of the Service Employees International Union released a statement Wednesday evening framing the higher minimum wage as a tool to be used against income inequality. “The Mayor and City Council members have a chance to take this energy and use it to craft an ordinance that will make Minneapolis a world class city for all families, something that will begin to close the painful gaps facing our city,” the statement read. “We will be advocating for them to complete that process and pass an ordinance as soon as reasonably possible.”
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A16 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com FROM FIRST DAY / PAGE A1
First period “How’s enrollment?” Graff asked HarrisBerry first thing as he began his tour. Enrollment is up. With 435 students, North is still considered a “small learning community,” but continues to exceed enrollment goals. “Instruction happens everyday, but there’s also a lot of community building,” HarrisBerry said. “When you talk to our students, they’ll say North is like a family.” In the hopes of improving test scores, the school is introducing a new academy that relies on project-based learning for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) instruction. In another effort to prepare students for college, staff will continue to organize college tours with an emphasis on historically black colleges and universities. “Some seniors have been on as many as 30 college tours since their freshman year,” Harris-Berry said. Marquis Holloman, a senior, told Graff he hopes to attend Howard University next fall. “I’ll check back in,” Graff said. Later, Graff celebrated the student’s foresight. “Seniors are college bound,” he said. “Most could tell me where they wanted to go — that’s thoughtful and exciting.”
Second period The superintendent made his next stop at Webster Elementary, a recently renovated school in Northeast Minneapolis, to congratulate Carissa Tobin on her Presidential STEM-teaching award. “It’s all about that feeling when you walk in,” Graff said, moving through the naturally lighted halls. “You’ll notice it’s very clean, very welcoming.” Graff took notes in Tobin’s first-grade Spanish class as students learned to inter-
Superintendent Ed Graff visited Morgan Fierst’s freshman math class at South High School. Photos by Zoë Peterson
pret gestures and cognates. “They say it’s best to stick to Spanish,” Tobin said. “I’m used to working with kindergartners, so this isn’t a problem.” Tobin won the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching for her innovative use of data in the classroom. In addition to teaching math, Tobin collects and analyzes data to track students’ learning and reflect on her teaching. “I want to thank you for your excellent work,” Graff said to her. “I know you won the award last year, but it is worth celebrating.”
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Earlier in the day, Graff visited the district’s central kitchen to learn more about what the district calls “true food”: meals prepared without high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, artificial colors or preservatives. The superintendent joined students at Northeast Middle School for lunch. The school, located near the Lowry Bridge, is focusing on the theme of “building bridges”: the bridge to high school and the bridge to the community. Over chicken alfredo pasta, Graff asked students how the first day was going. “Ten out of 10,” a student said.
Graff took a chance at South High School. “This is my theme song — but just for right now. I wouldn’t go around playing this anytime,” Graff said. “Do you want to hear it?” The superintendent played “Three is a Magic Number” on his phone, and even sang along. The “Schoolhouse Rock!” classic was new to Morgan Fierst’s freshman math class, but a couple kids joined in. “This is the first day of school shyness,” Fierst said. “Right? You never get this back until the next year.” The purpose of the visit was not only to connect with students but also to congratulate
southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 A17
Fierst on her presidential award for incorporating social justice into math curriculum. The school’s math lab — a resource for students hoping to improve their math in a collaborative environment — is just around the corner from a new mural. Its message: “no justice, no peace.” In response to the shooting death of Jamar Clark and the occupation of the 4th Precinct last year, students at South walked out several times. “Making math relevant for students, tying in social issues, is important work,” Graff said. “Thank you.”
At left, Superintendent Ed Graff directs students to buses at the end of the first day of school. Graff admires Lyndale Community School’s new mural, below.
Fourth period A mural on the other side of town, at Lyndale Community School, was the superintendent’s next stop. “This is us,” said Principal Andree James. “We asked the kids what Lyndale elementary means to them. It means reading, it means science, it means music.” The project, completed this summer, was meant to engage students, and convey the importance of arts and diversity in the schools. Laura Flynn, a parent, wrote the grant that made the mural possible. “There was so much great stuff going on inside the school, and we wanted the outside to reflect that,” Flynn said. Fifth period Toward end the day, Graff arrived at Sanford Middle School to see the school’s $20-million expansion. In many ways, the building better meets the needs of students, but the growing school still has locker shortages and layout flaws, according to Emily Palmer, the school’s principal. More notable, Palmer said, is the extended school day — from 8:45 a.m.– 3:45 p.m. — that allows all students to take core classes, an elective and a second language.
“That was a hard-fought battle getting that extra time,” she said. Palmer is proud of the resulting equitable education her students receive.
Dismissed When the final bell rang, Graff deftly pointed students in the direction of their bus, his experience as a teacher shining through. “The day isn’t over until the last kid gets home and shares with their family how the first day went,” Graff said. Reflecting on his own day, the superintendent was excited. “I learned we have some outstanding students, we have some wonderful teachers and we have some great parents who are really excited about sending their students to Minneapolis Public Schools,” he said. However, Graff emphasized that this is only the beginning. “You know, today is for many people the most exciting day of the year,” he said. “I’ve
always said, tomorrow’s going to be even better. So I’m looking forward to building on the momentum and positive energy that we had today.”
A18 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com FROM OVERLAY / PAGE A1 An expanded pedestrian overlay district would include areas like Franklin & Hennepin. Photo by Michelle Bruch
• A building could not downsize to a smaller number of stories. • New buildings would rise at least two full floors in height. • Principal parking lots would be prohibited, with the exception of parking ramps. • New development could rise at least four stories or 56 feet as of right. That holds true for blocks that currently have C1 zoning, where regulations normally allow just twoand-a-half stories or 35 feet as of right. Schaffer said the change would give property owners an even playing field. “There is a desire to make sure these properties are really the same along the entire corridor and have the same height requirements,” he said. “… Buildings that have more density help create that pedestrian traffic.” • At least 40 percent of a public street-facing façade should be glass. • Nonresidential development would not need to provide off-street parking, but would be required to provide bicycle parking. • The first floor of buildings would be located no more than eight feet from the front lot line. Space between the building and the lot line should include amenities like landscaping, tables and seating. “It helps create more interaction between the building and the pedestrian on the sidewalk,” Schaffer said. He said it matches the standard of how buildings were constructed when cities were less auto-oriented. • The main entrance on corner lots should be located no more than 15 feet from the corner. In the Walgreens development at 27th & Hennepin, City Planning commissioners ordered the primary entrance moved closer to the corner, rather than have it front the parking lot. • New development would have a minimum floor area ratio of 1. As explained by the Metropolitan Council, floor area ratio (FAR) is a measurement of a building’s floor area in relation to the size of the lot. Under an FAR of 1, one story would cover the entire lot, two stories would cover half of the lot, and four stories would cover a quarter of the lot. • New development could increase further in density if it hides parking inside or underground, creates a mix of uses or creates affordable housing. • Parking lots would be limited to 40 feet of
street frontage. The space between Intermedia Arts and Hagen’s Auto Body on Lyndale is about 40 feet, for example. So is the space between D’Amico and Specs Optical on Hennepin. An example of too much parking space between buildings would be the Lyndale Avenue lot between Common Roots and the Lyndale Animal Hospital, which has approximately 60 feet of street frontage. City staff considered recommending that no surface parking should front the street at all, based on resident feedback at an open house in May. But Planning Commissioners worried about the implications of that rule, Schaffer said, and they anticipated that some businesses would place primary entrances in the rear. Forty feet is enough space for a two-way drive aisle and one parking bay. • Curb cuts at corner lots would be prohibited. • Drive-through facilities would be prohibited. • Fast food restaurants could only operate in buildings that exist when rules go into effect. • Auto services and gas stations are typically prohibited in pedestrian overlay districts, but minor auto repair shops would be allowed in Uptown so long as all vehicles and materials were stored behind or within the building. City staff cite Autopia at 24th & Hennepin and Lehman’s Garage at 54th & Lyndale as examples where vehicles appear to be stored inside. Schaffer said existing auto businesses and parking lots would be grandfathered in, and substantial expansions or alterations would trigger a more extensive city approval process to allow noncompliance. A gas station’s remodel or general maintenance would not trigger a public hearing, but a gas station
adding square footage or more pumps would see a public hearing. Staff at the Uptown Association and Lake Street Council said they haven’t heard much feedback yet from area businesses. John Meegan, owner of Top Shelf and board president of the LynLake Business Association, said he doesn’t think there are many places in Lyn-Lake where the changes will become an issue. The biggest impact will be seen in new construction, he said. “It’s the way that the world is rolling,” he said. “I’m more concerned about developments being allowed with less parking restrictions. … When winter comes, everyone still drives their cars. Parking at Lyn-Lake is going to be the No. 1 thing.” Developer Steve Minn said transit needs to be more frequent on streets like Hennepin and Lyndale to encourage more pedestrian travel. “Forced density” sends people to locations where they can more easily park, Minn said. “If you don’t have light rail a block out the front door, they won’t do it,” he said. “At the end of the day, people want to own a car.” Minn said pedestrian overlay districts can unintentionally handcuff developers, and he said existing design controls are adequate. “It makes it more complicated to let developers do the things they need to do to make buildings marketable,” he said. Dan Oberpriller of CPM Development said the city should be careful not to undermine parking for businesses. “The last thing you want is a bunch of empty retail,” Oberpriller said. But overall, he added, pedestrian overlay districts have been good for Minneapolis. Fewer parking requirements give small lots more poten-
tial for developers, he said. “Over the long term, it’s probably a good thing and something people have to adjust to,” Oberpriller said. “It’s good urban planning.” Degerstrom said Hennepin Avenue holds far too many curb cuts that exit mid-block to the street. With all the street parking, he said drivers tend to creep out over the sidewalk to check oncoming traffic. “Every single curb cut is an opportunity for a pedestrian to get hit by a car,” he said. “… Right now, Hennepin Avenue is not the most friendly pedestrian environment.” The expanded rules would apply to two existing pedestrian overlay districts in Uptown and Lyn-Lake, making all districts uniform. A separate Nicollet-Franklin pedestrian overlay would not be included. New pedestrian rules would encompass blocks at Nicollet & Lake where city officials are working to promote redevelopment and reopen Nicollet Avenue where Kmart sits today. A Walgreens developer attempted to purchase the Supervalu site at 30 W. Lake St. last year. At the time, council members worried about a singlestory Walgreens surrounded by surface parking. Degerstrom said he’s most excited about provisions that would increase density of new development. Increased density would provide more walking destinations and shorter distances to travel, he said. “Our No. 1 amenity is walkability,” he said. A public comment period on the changes runs through Sept. 30, with comments going to Schaffer at brian.schaffer@minneapolismn.gov. For more information, visit the project website at ci.minneapolis.mn.us/cped/ projects/HennepinLyndaleLakeNicolletPOrezoning.
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southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 A19
News
By Zoë Peterson / zpeterson@southwestjournal.com
Minneapolis math and science teachers earn national awards Two Minneapolis teachers won the highest national honor for math and science teaching. South High School math teacher Morgan Fierst and Webster Elementary Spanish teacher Carissa Tobin have been named recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. “To be an effective educator is to be superhuman,” according to a statement from the presidential recognition program. “This award honors the sacrifices made by educators and their families. It validates the countless unpaid hours, energy, reflection, and commitment needed to engage in the relentless pursuit of achievement for all of our students.” Fierst teaches advanced algebra and Advanced Placement statistics through the lens of social justice. She aims to make math relevant to her students by showing them how the subject allows them to think critically about and engage in the social, economic and
political facets of their community. “My students were a big part of the curriculum,” Fierst said. “It was students who made it happen the first year, and we’ve been doing it since then.” Cultivating relationships with each student is Fierst’s key to developing socially aware mathematicians who understand the subject within a culturally relevant context. Tobin was recognized for teaching first grade math in the Spanish/English Transitional Dual Language Program at Nellie Stone Johnson Community School, where she taught for nearly a decade. She is taking on a new role this school year at Webster as a Spanish teacher. Ed Graff, Minneapolis Public Schools superintendent, visited Tobin on the first day of the 2016–2017 school year. “I want to thank you for your excellent work,” Graff said. “I know you won the award
last year, but it is worth celebrating.” Tobin collects and analyzes data to track students’ learning and reflect on her teaching. President Obama said in a news release that recipients of the award are integral to ensuring our nation’s continued success. “As the United States continues to lead the way in the innovation that is shaping our future, these excellent teachers are preparing students from all corners of the country with the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills that help keep us on the cutting-edge,” Obama said. A total of four honors were awarded to Minnesota teachers. Frances Stang, a science teacher at O.H. Anderson Elementary School in Mahtomedi, and St. Paul Central’s Lisa Houdek were also recognized. Graff described Fierst and Tobin as “outstanding role models who provide passionate, student-focused education.”
Parks and schools making friends The Minneapolis Board of Education hosted its first annual joint meeting with the Park and Recreation Board on Aug. 30. The partnership is an effort to provide equitable access to parks by collaborating and pooling resources. “The beauty of it is, we have a chance now — as the two biggest entities in the city — to serve all the kids in the city,” said Larry Umphrey, interim assistant superintendent for Recreation Services. “It’s going to take some time to start to build this out … but we’re going to work on this fast and furious.” The two groups discussed shared values, including collaboration, equity, inclusive decision-making, community engagement and accountability. In a memorandum, the two boards agreed
SERVING MIN
work toward “a collaborative operational network within the Minneapolis community that builds, refines and sustains a continuum of accessible, inclusive, high-quality athletic and fitness opportunities and facilities available to all children.” Tracine Asberry, a member of the school board, emphasized the importance of establishing tangible goals and a timeline. “We’re using terms that are very inclusive and community-minded, and I love that,” Asberry said. “But I want to know what it will look like, feel like, sound like so that we know this collaboration is really doing what we want it to do.” Improving registration and scheduling systems, prioritizing underserved communities and providing transportation to parks
were some practical suggestions made by the joint board. Kim Ellison, vice chair of the school board, emphasized the importance of providing transportation specifically to pools. “We need to make sure that all students have access to City Swims,” Ellison said. City Swims will promote swimming lessons in Minneapolis and is set to begin in October 2017. The joint board recognized the meeting as a “big step forward.” “We want to answer the questions that have been asked of us for many years about why we don’t work together better,” said Scott Vreeland, a member of the park board. “Now the question is: how can we develop a system that works for everyone?”
Proficiency remains an issue for Minneapolis Public Schools Minneapolis schools are struggling to meet their goal of raising student performance. “We have a responsibility to educate our students,” said Eric Moore, executive director of the department of Research, Evaluation, Assessment and Accountability, at the Aug. 23 school board meeting. Moore presented the results of the 2016 MCAs to the board, reporting flat scores and continued achievement gaps. “I think we’re doing the right thing. We’re looking at the data and having tough conversations,” he said. “Looking at the data is hard.” Despite pockets of success — most notably, students who are not from low-income families and white students are performing above state averages — the board identified several necessary steps to take in order to provide adequate and equitable education to all students. “The diversity in this district is overwhelming in a delightful and overwhelming way,” said Carla Bates, a member of the board. The board discussed providing students with a solid foundation and customizing in later grades to meet the needs of each school. Making sure that all students can read by the third grade is a goal board members are particularly anxious to meet. Superintendent Ed Graff suggested doing so by focusing on the five essential components of reading: phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, reading comprehension and fluency. “Whatever we’re doing, we’re not satisfied. It’s not working,” Graff said. “I want to make sure we’re looking at everyone.” Other recommendations include stabilizing staff; developing common proficiency assessments; funding student support staff; early intervention; and developing a curriculum that reflects all students.
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A20 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com FROM SWLRT / PAGE A1
That $928.8-million federal grant is expected to pay for half the project. The plan involves Met Council, the Counties Transit Improvement Board and Hennepin County partnering to contribute an additional $144.5-million to the project, a 14.5-mile extension of the Metro Green Line between Minneapolis and Eden Prarie. That amount covers the state’s unfulfilled 10-percent share in the project, totaling $135 million, plus an additional $9.5 million in costs chalked up to delays. “I believe this project is in the best interests of the metropolitan region, I believe it’s in the best interests of Minnesota and it is very important that it go forward,” Dayton said Aug. 25, just a day after the plan was hammered-out in an eight-hour meeting in his office. The deal required speedy approvals from all three agencies. On Aug. 31, the Met Council’s policy-making board voted to authorize the agency to issue $103.5 million in certificates of participation next July. The certificates are a form of government financing similar to bonding. That same week, CTIB and the Hennepin County Board, acting as the Hennepin County Railroad Authority, each agreed to increase their contributions to the project by $20.5 million. The deal significantly shifts the responsibility for funding SWLRT onto metro-area taxpayers by reducing the state’s financial stake in SWLRT to just the $30.3 million it had previously committed, an amount totaling less than 2 percent of the overall budget. That’s a fraction of the combined commitment of CTIB, Hennepin County and the Met Council who, with cities along the route, will cover about 45 percent of project costs. Duininck had warned the alternative, to shut down the project, would probably kill SWLRT permanently. Met Council claimed
Both supporters and critics of the Southwest Light Rail Transit project attended an Aug. 25 public meeting hosted by Gov. Mark Dayton. Photo by Dylan Thomas
in August a shutdown was imminent and would cost the agency $5 million, lead to layoffs of 45 project staffers, essentially forfeit the roughly $140 million already spent on SWLRT and jeopardize the agency’s relationship with the FTA, an essential partner in several other major transit projects still in development, including Bottineau light rail (an extension of the Metro Blue Line) and Orange Line bus rapid transit. Dayton said the plan — revealed in a public meeting he hosted Aug. 25 at the Department of Revenue — was the fifth of five options floated to close the funding gap.
Republican lawmakers rejected four previous options raised during the last legislative session, he said. Dayton ended months of negotiations for a special session on Aug. 18 when it appeared Republicans wouldn’t budge in their opposition to funding SWLRT with state dollars. Rep. Linda Runbeck (GOP–Circle Pines) made clear during the meeting at the Department of Revenue that opposition hadn’t softened. Citing an email from Duininck to Dayton that surfaced during an ongoing lawsuit over the project’s environmental review, Runbeck questioned whether the FTA was really willing
to release grant dollars before that case goes to court in September 2017. “We have tremendous questions, we don’t understand the urgency and we think there are flaws in the process,” she said. Responding to questions about the email, Met Council spokeswoman Kate Brickman acknowledged the FTA had pushed back the date it intends to release federal funds for SWLRT to 2017. But Brickman said that was due to an extended environmental review process, not the lawsuit. Brickman noted there were two pending lawsuits when construction began on Central Corridor light rail, the first segment of the Metro Green Line, and as recently as mid-August the FTA said securing all local funding was the only remaining hurdle in the grant application process. August’s last-minute funding deal could ultimately be a placeholder, something to stick in the federal grant application for now and keep the project alive. Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin said the FTA was “very open” to reinserting state funds into the mix if the legislature could agree on a funding solution when it meets again next year. Shifting more of the funding responsibility onto the metro-area agencies could impact other transit projects. CTIB, which collects metro-only tax revenue and directs it into transit, is already adjusting its spending priorities in the wake of Dakota County’s recent announcement it will withdraw from the five-county partnership in 2019. “This is going to stretch CTIB resources, but we have got a situation where we’ve got a project that is teed-up right now that needs action, and we can’t afford to whiff on that project this year,” McLaughlin, a CTIB board member, said.
southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 A21
By Eric Best / ebest@southwestjournal.com
Tyrize Cox named leader of Park Board’s recreation division The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board named Tyrize Cox the next leader of its Recreation Services division. The lifelong Minneapolis resident comes to the board from St. Paul Public Schools, where she most recently served as director of the Office of Family Engagement and Community Partnerships. Prior to that, Cox held posts at Minneapolis Public Schools, the Minneapolis YMCA and Robbinsdale Area Schools. “Her commitment to public service and the communities of Minneapolis will serve
the organization and community well. Tyrize will help further our work in making our outstanding park system accessible and in service to all residents of Minneapolis,” Superintendent Jayne Miller said in a statement. Cox’s job as assistant superintendent puts her at the helm of operations for the city’s recreation centers, golf courses, beaches, ice arenas, athletic fields and more. The division also oversees event permitting and recreational programming. Cox is currently the vice chair of the Minne-
sota Education Equity Partnership, a St. Paulbased organization that advocates for racial equity in education. She also sits on the board of directors of Resource, Inc., a nonprofit that offers employment services, career education and chemical and mental health services. “I’m thrilled to join such a team of experienced and passionate people,” Cox said. “I’m honored to be a part of the greatest parks and recreation system in the country and proud to serve the community I live in.” Cox began the job Sept. 6.
West River Parkway is open A blocked segment of West River Parkway reopened this month after mudslides closed the busy thoroughfare near the University of Minnesota for more than two years. Torrential rains during a June 2014 storm caused a mudslide that blocked part of the road below the University of Minnesota Medical Center with 4,000 cubic
yards of mud and debris. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s repair work on the pass began last July but was slow going with frequent slope failures. Making things worse were several Fairview Health Services buildings sitting near the cliff that are critical for hospital operations. Hennepin County also needed to
keep a section of West River Parkway closed to reconstruct the Franklin Avenue Bridge. After 26 months the stretch between 4th Street South and 24th Street East reopened Sept. 1.
This festival will give you butterflies The city’s annual Monarch Festival will send off the butterflies as they begin a 2,300-mile migration to Mexico. The celebration, which takes place near the monarch-friendly Nokomis Naturescape, will see butterflies from the University of Minnesota Monarch Lab released throughout the day. The family-friendly festival, presented by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and the Nokomis East Neighborhood Association, gives parkgoers a chance to see the monarchs up close and learn from professionals who are working to curb the butterfly’s dwindling population. An all-day stage will feature performances from Ballet Folklorico Mexico Azteca and Aztec dance troupe Kalpulli Ketzal Coatlicue (or “Precious Mother Earth”), along with music from The Brass Messengers and Salsa Del Soul. The Park Board encourages kids to dress up in monarch-themed costumes for an 11 a.m. parade. The Monarch Festival will also have art activities like printmaking and postcard printing. For a schedule of events and more information on the Minneapolis Monarch Festival, visit monarchfestival.org
The Commons fully opens in Downtown East The last block of the new Commons park opened in time for Minnesota Vikings fans and Wells Fargo employees. The western block of the 4.2-acre park on the increasingly popular east side of downtown opened in August. The eastern block, the park’s more programmable half — thanks to a large grass field, opened in July. The Commons’ western block is slightly smaller and is home to one of three buildings of the newly opened Edition Apartments from
Ryan Companies. The area includes trees, landscaping, table seating and rolling hills. Compared to the “energy-packed” eastern block, Council Member Jacob Frey (Ward 3) said, this space across Portland Avenue is for “a respite in the middle of your day.” “It may look like you’re in the middle of the country, but, in fact, you’re in the middle of downtown Minneapolis,” he said in a recent video to constituents. Across the street, the new Wells Fargo
towers are home to up to 5,000 employees, and the other Edition buildings could bring residents to the park. Roseville resident Lisa von Schmidt-Pauli, who visited the park for the first time in late August, said she welcomes the new open space for nearby workers, a family member among them. “I love it. I think it’s awesome we get a touch of green downtown,” von Schmidt-Pauli said.
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A22 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com
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Open Streets Nicollet is Sept. 18 Open Streets returns to Nicollet Avenue on Sunday, Sept. 18, giving cyclists and walkers a chance to take over the roadway between Lake and 46th Street. This is the first year the event extends into the Kmart parking lot at Nicollet & Lake, where a pop-up park will showcase street food, music and kids’ activities. Nicollet Ace Hardware will bring back pony rides and the “unusual petting zoo,” and an “Artist Alley” on the 3400 block will provide space for artists to show their work.
The event is expected to attract more than 10,000 people, and it’s jointly organized by the Whittier, Lyndale and Kingfield neighborhood groups with the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition and the city. An interactive map of the day’s events will become available on the Facebook event page “Nicollet Open Streets 2016.” Open Streets runs from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
American Legion hosts flag retirement ceremony American Legion Post 435 plans a flag retirement ceremony followed by a pig roast fundraiser Sept. 17. Worn, faded and unserviceable flags will be properly disposed of during the ceremony, which is free and open to the public. The flag retirement ceremony runs 1 p.m.–3 p.m., followed 3 p.m.–6 p.m. by the pig roast featuring music from the Potluck String Bang. Tickets to the pig roast are $10 in advance Midwest Mountaineering DTJ 090816 6.indd 1
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at the post, located at 6501 Portland Ave. S., or $11 on the day of the event. Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase. Located just south of the Minneapolis border in Richfield, the American Legion Post 435 draws its membership from both cities. — Dylan Thomas
southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 A23
Public Safety Update
NEIGHBORHOOD SKETCHBOOK
By Michelle Bruch / mbruch@southwestjournal.com
City Attorney’s office seeks alternatives to fees and jail time Reform initiatives in the Minneapolis City Attorney’s office are aimed at making criminal justice more equitable for people of all income levels. Criminal Division Deputy Mary Ellen Heng told a Council committee in August that the roots of one initiative came from staff who noticed deteriorating conditions of people in jail with mental illness. “We want to make sure that the people that are being held in jail are the right people and are being held for the right reasons,” she said. They are looking for alternatives to cash bail for those who live in poverty and alternatives to detention for the mentally ill. They’re also trying new methods to encourage people to appear for court dates without immediately booking them in jail for failure to appear, a practice that takes officers off the street for a couple of hours. “We’re going to be looking at smart things we can do to not only improve the safety of the public but have less of a disparate impact on people just because they don’t have a lot of finan-
cial resources,” City Attorney Susan Segal said. One legislative proposal would eliminate court surcharges for people of low income who receive traffic citations. Segal said a $50 traffic ticket can yield a $75 court surcharge. The city attorney’s office is also exploring sliding fee scales for reinstating driver’s licenses, which can cost $750 for a DUI. “We want people to be able to drive legally and to have insurance,” Segal said. A new virtual “holding tank” in development for low-level offenses would allow the city attorney’s office to review cases and perhaps refer the offender to a diversion program before the citation hits their criminal record. Forty people charged with obstructing legal process as a misdemeanor were referred to a new diversion program this year. As part of the program, they sit down with a Minneapolis deputy chief to discuss the issue that led to the arrest. Some of those who met with officers were arrested while protesting at the 4th Precinct, Segal said.
BY
Lightning may have hit Kingfield house The Minneapolis Fire Department suspects that lightning caused an Aug. 27 fire at the 3700 block of Pleasant Avenue South, according to the Star Tribune. The fire started shortly before 1 a.m.,
and two adults and two children escaped unharmed, according to the report. WCCO reported that a dog woke the family when the fire broke out.
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Southwest Journal September 8–21, 2016
FALL
poetry Page B12
Where We Live
Pet Project Rescue
A JOURNAL COMMITMENT TO HIGHLIGHTING GREAT COMMUNITY CAUSES
Minneapolis resident Marie Chaiart and her husband, Marlon Masanz, with Holly at Urban Tails Pet Supply. The couple adopted the terminally ill dog through the Minneapolis nonprofit Pet Project Rescue, which operates a hospicefoster program. Photo by Nate Gotlieb
Pet Project Rescue specializes in hospice care and spay/neuter programming
On a rescue mission
By the numbers
Marie Chaiart and her husband, Marlon Masanz, had fostered about a dozen dogs before February, when the couple undertook their most ambitious foster project yet through Minneapolis nonprofit Pet Project Rescue. Chaiart and Masanz adopted a terminally ill half-beagle, half-pug mix they named Holly. Pet Project Rescue provided them with funds to cover Holly’s special food, medical supplies and vet visits, allowing them to care for her without worry. “Even though she was sick, we still wanted to give her as much as we are capable of,” Chaiart said. “She just still had a lot of life to live.” For about six years, Pet Project Rescue has been caring for terminally ill animals such as Holly, rescuing them from high-kill shelters and giving them comfortable final homes. The organization also specializes in spay/neuter programming locally and in Mexico. It’s all part of an effort to help animals that other organizations can’t, founder and executive director Maia Rumpho said. “(In) Minnesota, with the number of rescues we have, we can rescue every well-balanced, healthy animal,” Rumpho said. Address: “It’s the ones that aren’t deemed traditionally adoptable that need the help, because that costs a lot more.” P.O. Box 582861
Aggressive with spay and neuter The genesis of Pet Project Rescue came about 10 years ago after Rumpho took a trip to Mexico. She said the poor conditions of street animals there inspired her to start the organization, which began as more of a traditional rescue but has evolved to place more emphasis on spay and neuter programs. “If you aren’t really aggressive with spay and neuter, you can rescue until you’re blue in the face and you’re not going to change anything,” she said. That led to a focus on feral cats in Minneapolis, Rumpho said, since there are fewer stray dogs. Pet Project Rescue helped pass a trap-neuter-return ordinance three years ago, which Rumpho said is more sustainable than euthanizing stray cats. Volunteer colony caretakers set traps for the feral cats and bring them into clinics to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. The caregivers also remove kittens from the colonies so they can be socialized to humans and adopted. The organization has seen good results with trap-neuter-return, Rumpho said. It hasn’t seen a single kitten in six colonies in over two years. Pet Project Rescue has spayed and neutered more than 600 street cats in five years. “We’re removing that very young generation that can be socialized to humans and finding them homes and then we’re stopping the cycle by spaying and neutering,” Rumpho said.
Minneapolis, MN 55458 Contact 927-2750
Website petprojectrescue.com Year Founded 2008
‘Pain free’ On the hospice side, Pet Project Rescue is adopting out between five and 10 animals a year and is expanding. Its traditional rescue adopted out about 50 animals a year. The hospice program costs Pet Project Rescue about $1,500 per year per animal, Rumpho said. “We’re not keeping them alive just to keep them alive,” Rumpho said. “We want them to be pain-free. That’s very, very important in the hospice process.” For Chaiart and Masanz, that’s meant working on getting Holly exercise, making sure she sleeps well and giving her a relaxing environment. The couple has rearranged their furniture to better suit her needs and said she has put on weight since they adopted her. Chaiart and Masanz don’t know how much longer Holly, who is diabetic, nearly blind and has mammary cancer, will live. “We don’t know how it’s going to affect us emotionally when it does happen,” Chaiart said. “But at the same time we’ll be happy to know that she was able to live in a home for the rest of her life.”
200+
Number of animals Pet Project Rescue has rescued in Minnesota, Executive Director Maia Rumpho said.
600
Number of street cats the organization has spayed and neutered in five years.
6
Number of feral cat colonies Pet Project Rescue has fully closed, meaning there has not been a single kitten in more than two years.
5 - 10
Number of animals the organization adopts out each year through its hospice program.
$1,500
Approximate cost of the hospice program per animal each year.
What you can do Volunteer in the trap-neuter-return program. The organization is looking for people to assist with trapping of approved colonies and to transport cats to spay/neuter appointments. Volunteer as a feral cat overnight foster. Volunteers keep the cats in crates for one night pre- and post-surgery. They do not handle them. Become a sustaining donor, attend one of the organization’s events such as its Sept. 18 Flea Market or adopt or foster a pet. You can find information about all opportunities at the Pet Project Rescue website.
About the Where We Live project This project is an ongoing series spearheaded by Journals’ publisher Janis Hall showcasing Minneapolis nonprofits doing important work in the community. The editorial team has selected organizations to spotlight. Nate Gotlieb is the writer for the project. To read previous features, go to southwestjournal.com/section/focus/where-we-live
southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 B27
TJ Day and Carol Jensen pose for a photo in front of U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 28, before the Vikings preseason home opener. Day is known in the Viking World Order as “Sir Purple Kool Aid,” and Jensen is known as “Queene Helgah.” Photo by Nate Gotlieb
Hardcore fans The Viking World Order bleeds purple and gold — and they have the tattoos to prove it
By Nate Gotlieb
S
cott “Skolt” Asplund donned purple face paint, horns and a purpleand-gold shield at the Minnesota Vikings preseason opener at U.S. Bank Stadium. Asplund mingled with his fellow hardcore fans hours before the noon game against the San Diego Charters. He chatted with fellow members of the Viking World Order, a group of more than 250 fans who profess to bleed purple and gold. The group began tailgating at 7 a.m. that morning and continued until kickoff. Members came from across the country and wore all sorts of Nordicthemed outfits, from armor to headdresses and elaborate fur pieces. Group president Syd Davy knighted several new members into the group, and afterwards members sang the team’s song, “Skol Vikings.” “You come together and you end up being great friends with these people,” Asplund said. “We’re not making money doing any of these things. It’s just fans enjoying fans. We’re promoting Vikings spirit, and we love doing that.” Davy founded the group in 1997 and began “knighting” new members in 2007 in order to lobby for a new stadium. The group calls its leaders generals and has an army-like structure, with different divisions. It requires new members to get the support of its generals and get inked with a Viking World Order tattoo before joining. Asplund joined the group in 2009 after meeting other diehard fans through an online Vikings community he helped facilitate. He had started going to all of the games in 2008 and began dressing up in all purple soon after. “If I could get my skin pigmentation to actually be purple, that would just save me time,” he joked. Karl Heinrichs appears to feel the same way. The 44-year-old goes by “Sir Death” in the Viking World Order, a name given to him by another group member. Heinrichs has Vikings-related tattoos up and down his arms, and on game day he dons an elaborate horn mask with long, straight hair. Heinrichs joined the group in 2010 after meeting group members at a Vikings game in New Orleans. He was a vocal member of the fan group that lobbied for a new stadium. His Stillwater house is covered in Vikings memorabilia. “I didn’t have any idea what I was getting into when I started this, but it’s been the most fun I’ve had in my life,” he said. “It’s been quite an adventure over the last seven years.” Sarah Westbrook of Burnsville also joined the group around that time after meeting another early group member and her husband. Westbrook had been a
season-ticket holder since 1998 and said the passion of the fans and excitement of the games appealed to her. “The people I met there are some of the best people I know,” she said. “I consider them my family.” Westbrook coordinates the events Viking World Order puts on at Children’s Hospital. Members don their costumes and host trivia games and dancing. They’ve been hosting the events for the past three years. “For an hour, if we can make a kid’s day and make them smile, then it’s completely worth it,” Westbrook said.
‘Make this place rock’ Larry Spooner of Plymouth has been tailgating at Vikings games for more than 25 years and worked as a vendor at Metropolitan Stadium when he was younger. The 56-year-old served as co-chair of a grassroots effort to build a new stadium after getting involved in the effort in 1997. Spooner said he would arrive at the Metrodome at 6 p.m. on the Saturday night before Sunday games to prepare his ribs. He slept in his car the Saturday night before the preseason opener to ensure he got the tailgate spot he wanted. Spooner said he plans on making 120 pounds of ribs on 15 grills at his house for the team’s season opener. He begins preparing the ribs on the Monday before a Sunday game, using a variety of seasonings to get them just right. Greg “Vegas” Price was among the fans who arguably could match Spooner’s zeal for the Vikings. The 48-year-old Las Vegas cop took a 1:25 a.m. flight from his home city to Minneapolis on the morning of the preseason opener, arriving at 6 a.m. He and his 8-year-old son came straight to the tailgate lot, after a fellow Viking World Order member picked them up. Price said he became a Vikings fan as a kid growing up in West Virginia when the team drafted a player, Carl Lee, from his hometown. Lee hosted a football camp in the town with several other Vikings players, hooking Price on the team. Price has season tickets to the Vikings and said he and his wife will likely come to five to six games this year. The couple makes a trip for every home opener, but Price said he couldn’t resist coming to the first Vikings game in the new stadium. “This was designed so much better than the Dome,” he said. “We plan to try to really make that place rock.”
B28 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com
Steve Berg chronicles the construction of a Minneapolis landmark in “U.S. Bank Stadium: The New Home of the Minnesota Vikings,” his new book from Minnesota Historical Society Press due out Nov. 1. Berg previewed his inside look at the stadium in a conversation that took place the day after he attended the Vikings’ first game at U.S. Bank Stadium, an Aug. 28 preseason face-off with the San Diego Chargers. A former reporter and editorial writer for the Star Tribune, Berg is no super-fan or cheerleader, but he said researching and writing the new book changed him from a stadium skeptic into someone who thinks the $1.1-billion project is “going to pay off in the long run.” (The interview was edited and condensed. To read a longer version of the conversation, go to southwestjournal.com.) Southwest Journal: Tell me how you approached the political history of this project, because public financing for a $1.1-billion football stadium was and is polarizing in this state. Berg: Oh, absolutely. There’s no dodging that
Journalist Steve Berg followed the construction of U.S. Bank Stadium from start to finish. Photos courtesy Minnesota Vikings
THE MAKING OF A STADIUM
Journalist Steve Berg tells the story of U.S. Bank Stadium in his new book By Dylan Thomas / dthomas@southwestjournal.com
fact, and I went into great detail about what it was and what it still is that polarizes us as people. Do we want to compete or retreat? Is it not important for us as a metro region, and by extension as a state, to be a major league region? Is it better to just kind of give a stiff arm to major league sports and opt out, and life will be pretty good even without it? There are a lot of people who believe that. And then there’s the other side that believes we live in an era when people can live wherever they want, and part of what attracts jobs and prosperity are things like the arts and sports and all kinds of other quality of life ingredients. And for better or worse, the NFL is one of those things that puts a city and a region on the map. We face a really acute labor shortage in the coming two decades. Do we want to be in a position to continue to attract the best and the brightest and to offer this array of attractions, like theater, dance, a symphony orchestra, a great music scene, major league sports — all that stuff ? Is that part of the formula? A lot of people decided that (building a stadium) was worth doing. For the biggest cities — places like New York and Los Angeles — it’s not that important. They’re major league cities anyway, with or without (a stadium). And the private sector pays 100 percent (of stadium costs) in those kinds of places. In smaller cities, like Cincinnati and TampaSt. Petersburg and Jacksonville and those kinds of markets, Indianapolis, the public pays almost everything. It’s the mid-sized metro areas like Minneapolis-
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St. Paul and Denver, Philadelphia — Pittsburgh, maybe — (where) it’s some kind of a split. The average for about the last 20 stadiums — that would mean about every stadium Berg built since about 1997, the new era of stadiums — is about half-and-half. And the split on this one is 45 public and 55 private: the Vikings and their sponsors and the league paid 55 (percent) and the public pays 45 (percent). So, that’s a little bit better than average. And that’s how it came out. The market sort of has set that. Is that the best of all worlds? Is it great that medium-sized cities have caved into this halfand-half formula? No, but the alternative is doing without professional sports. And the governor and (former) Mayor (R.T.) Rybak in those days were convinced the Vikings were going to move. Even though they never publicly threatened to move, they were going to go to Los Angeles. And look what happened to St. Louis. I mean, the Rams moved. The Rams failed to pass a stadium in St. Louis and they are now the Los Angeles Rams. They’re going to play here on Thursday night. So this is the question everyone is asking: What did we get for our money?
So, for this half-a-billion dollars that the public invested in this, we got an NFL team that we would not have otherwise had. Because you think they would have moved.
Oh, they certainly would have. The governor thinks so, the former mayor thinks so. You cannot compete.
Rich people think differently than we do. The Vikings were last or second-to-last in stadiumproduced revenues since the mid-90s. They’re just not competitive in a building like the Metrodome. Let’s return to the question of what it’s worth. The economics of the NFL changed in the mid1990s when the league discovered that people and companies were willing to spend huge amounts of money to help sponsor stadiums, and people were willing to spend big money for things like fancy suites and clubs and stuff like that. And so it changed the dynamics of what stadiums were for. Having a set of bleachers — like what the Metrodome really was, an indoors, sort of ugly set of bleachers — just was no longer competitive, financially. So these teams, no matter whether you like it or not, everybody was building these palaces that monetized every nook and cranny of these buildings. If you had a plain set of bleachers like we had, it wasn’t going to be long before you turned into a St. Louis or somebody that the league was going to abandon. The next one is going to be Oakland. Look at all the cities: More than 20 cities built new stadiums between 1996, or so, and now. That’s the reason. Whether you like it or not, what a stadium was for changed, and if they weren’t bleachers anymore, they were these money machines. And for their locales — and this is where you get into whether it’s worth the public expense — number one, yeah, you get to keep an NFL team. You get to stay on people’s mental maps. I’m not a big NFL fan personally, but I was amazed when I went to the game yesterday: 66,000 people in purple jerseys screaming and a television audience that — I mean, it’s bigger than anything else in our state. I don’t particularly think it’s a great thing about us, but you can’t deny that the NFL is this huge, huge thing. It also brought us back on the national stage for hosting big events like the Super Bowl and the Final Four. Those are incredibly lucrative
events for any city to host, and those are going to be coming up here in the next few years. It’s really a majestic gathering place for concerts. We saw Metallica and Luke Bryan here. It’s got school sports and band events. A guy who works there told me there are sometimes eight events a day, big and small, there. I think there’s over 250 high school and small college baseball games that were at the Metrodome and they’re going to happen here at the new place. There are a lot of community events. Everything else. Inline skating. People’s bar mitzvahs will be there. It will be scheduled out. It’s been a magnet for neighborhood revival. There’s been $1.2 billion in investment going into the East Town neighborhood. Now, it’s not only the stadium; it’s the light rail station and the park and all that together that produces this kind of investment. But, boy, anything that manufactures $1.2 billion of investment in housing and offices and businesses, that’s good for the city. It’s a model for sustainable design, too. It’s going to be LEED certified. There are a lot of good green practices that went into the building. And then, maybe finally and maybe most importantly, it’s a job-training bonanza for minority families. These construction jobs: (Mortenson Construction) met and exceeded all their targets for minority hiring and for (employing) women, and it’s going to lift several hundred minority families into the middle class, (both) this construction job and the future construction jobs that come after it that people of color are going to be able to get because they had experience on this job. Those are all pluses that lead me and some others into thinking this was a pretty good decision and it’s going to pay off in the long run. What was it like the first time you set foot in the completed building? What did you notice?
It was completed so gradually that it’s hard to
notice, but the moment that stands out to me was one day it was almost finished and they opened the doors, the five big pivot doors, 95-feet tall. They haven’t even been opened for an event yet, but I think that’s going to happen Thursday night. This is going to sound really hokey, hokier than the rest of my monologue here, but you’re accustomed to passing through major doorways, just standing at thresholds and having things change. Let’s say you’re on the street in New York and you walk into St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and suddenly it’s quiet and dark. You walk out again and suddenly it’s bright and Fifth Avenue is bustling. It’s a change, going from one to the other. When I stood in these big open doorways, I wasn’t sure if I was standing inside or outside. There was so much light coming in on a bright day like today and the plaza was also bright. It was a moment of sensual confusion. Am I inside? Am I outside? I think that’s the real magic of this piece of architecture, is that you, especially standing on that threshold, you’re unsure of: Am I inside or am I outside? It’s so vast in there and so big and so bright. I’ve never quite had that feeling before.
B30 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com
By Dr. Teresa Hershey
The best dog parks are fenced away from traffic and from other people such as joggers and bicyclists.
Dog park safety Q
I have a very energetic German shorthaired pointer. The only way I can wear him out is to run him off-leash. Is it safe to bring him to a dog park?
D
og parks have become very common due to the increased demand by dog owners for places where their dogs can exercise off-leash and socialize with other dogs. This demand is the result of increased enforcement of leash laws and less tolerance for dogs being off-leash in urban areas. The benefits to the dogs are an increase in physical exercise and greater mental stimulation. This off-leash exercise and socialization with other dogs and people helps the dogs to be
healthier physically and better adjusted mentally. The benefits to the owners are greater enjoyment of their pet and the formation of a community with other dog owners. Also, dog parks help society in general because it promotes greater compliance with the law. A major downside to dog parks is the potential for dog aggression or injury to dogs (especially small dogs) through rough play. People need to watch their dog’s behavior carefully for signs of aggression or fear. Some dogs do not enjoy free interaction with other dogs. A dog with its tail tucked and ears back is displaying fear and sometimes will become aggressive because of this fear. If your dog is acting fearful, don’t force
him to be there. It is better to just leave. It is also important to pay attention to the body language of the other dogs at the park. Some dogs push too hard and can bully other dogs. Not everyone that goes to a dog park is “dog savvy”. They may not understand their dog’s body language, or they may be so desperate to wear their dog out that they bring their dog even if he shouldn’t be there. As a general rule, young puppies under six months of age or very small dogs should not go to the dog park because of the potential for injury. Also, the dog park is not a substitute for good training and early socialization. In addition, if you choose to go, be careful with bringing toys or treats. Some dogs will get possessive over toys or food, leading to a fight. Also, be careful with small children at the dog park. Packs of dogs will sometimes charge into people if they are intensely playing. The best dog parks are fenced away from traffic and from other people such as joggers and bicyclists. This keeps the dogs safe and prevents unwanted contact with other park users. Make sure that the park you choose has a fence around the entire perimeter. Some parks are only partly fenced, and trees and brush make up the other boundary. You don’t
want to risk losing your dog at the dog park. Dogs are more susceptible to parasite transmission at the dog park, so please be considerate and pick up your dog’s droppings. A monthly parasite preventative medication is strongly recommended. If you are giving your dog a monthly heartworm pill, like Heartgard, this should help protect your dog against many of the intestinal parasites that can be spread through contaminated soil at the park. Your dog should also be up-to-date on all vaccinations. The bordetella (or “kennel cough”), rabies, distemper and flu vaccines are important considerations for dogs going to dog parks. If you are interested in locating a dog park near you, try the website bringfido.com and look under the heading of “attractions.”
LOCAL DOG PARKS • Lake of the Isles Dog Park Minneapolis • St. Anthony Parkway Minneapolis • Franklin Terrace Dog Park Minneapolis • Minneapolis Airport Dog Park Minneapolis • Alimagnet Dog Park Burnsville • Bloomington Dog Park Bloomington • Elm Creek Reserve Dog Park Maple Grove
southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 B31
Focus
I
CHASING GHOSTS
New work from MCAD faculty in the school’s 2016 biennial By Dylan Thomas / dthomas@southwestjournal.com
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nstitutions of higher learning must look both forward and backward. To prepare a new generation to take charge in the world, professors instill students with the knowledge of generations past. Organizers of the 2016 Minneapolis College of Art and Design Faculty Biennial, the campus-wide exhibition that welcomed students back to school for the fall semester, encouraged the 50 or so participating MCAD faculty members to look back, posing this question: “What artistic ghosts are you chasing?” For studio arts professor Brad Jirka, answering that question meant tipping his hat to artistic forebears — “from the Futurist and Dadaist to the Minimal and ‘shock’ artist” — but also crediting some of the craftsmen who passed on the technical know-how that goes into creations like a 3-D printed interactive sculpture that, constructed of orange plastic and a shiny tin can, looks something like a toy nuclear reactor for a Fisher Price-scale city. Press a button, watch the digital timer count down and, at zero, the spherical “reactor” blows out a cloud of smoke — cute, maybe, but also creepy four years after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Poet and artist Andrea Jenkins, an adjunct faculty member, name-checks Eryka Badu and Harriet Tubman, whom she reflected on while creating a mixed-media installation about the intersection of black 2016 MCAD women, commerce and social justice, a piece also inspired by a December 2014 Black Lives Matter protest that closed FACULTY stores at the Mall of America. A collage of black celebrities BIENNIAL and cut up shopping bags displayed next to a podium piled with handbags and purses hints at the two ways to read Where: Minneapolis the phrase “Bag Lady” in the piece’s title: the empowered College of Art and Design, 2501 Stevens consumer in the mall or the victim of harsher economic Ave. S. realities on the street. Not every participating faculty member makes it so clear When: Through Sept. 25 which “artistic ghosts” she is chasing, but it doesn’t always Info: mcad.edu, 874-3700 matter, as in the case of two very strong video works that would stand out in any context. Jonathan Kaiser’s “River/Object #1” is a short video shot underwater on a rocky streambed that shows a plaster object disintegrating in the swift-flowing current. It evokes the weathering of ancient monuments, and the minnows that flit into the camera’s view and then disappear seem like a metaphor for nature’s essential disinterest in human ambition. An overhead shot of a different river — either in the fall or early spring, judging from the bare trees and snow-covered banks — flows across five video monitors laid next to each other on the gallery floor. Then, a human character appears in the water: artist Ben Moren who, fully clothed, floats on his back downstream. On a flat-screen monitor, Moren is about the size of a videogame character, and his recorded performance becomes about mediating between the digital and natural worlds using his own body. Andy DuCett’s “Walk with Me?” is a much sillier mix of video and performance. DuCett is recorded standing in a storefront window, mirroring the walks of passersby on a busy urban street. Many don’t notice, but when they do catch on to his stalking routine, DuCett’s pedestrian prey typically respond with a laugh. It’s art that creates brief, human, genuine moments. Kate Casanova’s “Planetismal Spectra” is an irresistible object. Maybe the soft-scuplture planetoid — a round mass of white rope, black fabric and shiny silver plastic suspended from the gallery ceiling by a thick umbilical cord — exerts its own gravity, or maybe the cycloptic video screen embedded in the sculpture has a hypnotic effect. It’s both attractive and curiously repulsive, like a plushie monster. Running in conjunction with the biennial, the Faculty Forum Series of lectures, screenings and performances is a chance to check in on the work of MCAD professors like Frenchy Lunning, director of the annual Mechademia Conference on Asian popular culture. Lunning’s Sept. 16 presentation, “Enchanting Ghosts: Ballet manga of the 24 nengumi,” examines the influence of the Year 24 Group of Japanese women cartoonists who, born in the immediate aftermath of World War II, would in the 1970s push the boundaries of emotional expression in girls comics, known as shôjo manga. Closing out the series on Sept. 22 is “Reflectors,” a collaboration between MCAD adjunct faculty member Sam Hoolihan, Brute Heart lead singer Crystal Myslajek and sound artist John Marks described as a “multi-projection and experimental sound performance.” Marks joined Myslajek and the rest of Brute Heart when, in 2012, they composed and performed live a score for the silent German Expressionist film “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” drawing huge crowds to the final edition of that summer’s Walker Art Center music and movies program. “Reflectors” previously screened late last year during the MONO NO AWARE experimental cinema series in Brooklyn.
B32 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com
Bravo, Blanca! By Carla Waldemar
RESTAURANT REVIEW/ Hector Ruiz, the godfather of Latin dining in South Minneapolis (Cafe Ena, La Ceiba, La Fresca, Rincón 38), has done it again. Does this chef never sleep? Thanks to caffeine, NoDoz or (more likely) super powers, he’s just opened yet another sunny-flavored café. But this time, he’s venturing to Central Avenue in Northeast Minneapolis. He’s named it Costa Blanca, after that southeastern stretch of Spain. He salutes its tapas culture in his newest love child, born of Hector’s Latin heritage (his mother ran a small café in Mexico) and his French precision, honed in a Parisian kitchen bearing a Michelin star. In keeping with his Nordeast neighbors, the digs aren’t high-style — a comfy but bland beige setting — but what comes out of that tiny kitchen certainly is: close to 30 tapas ($8–$14) that go far beyond the traditional template of Spanish taperias, where deli-style portions fill a saucer. Not here in Minnesota, where portion control simply means “make sure it fits on the table.” Each plate is easy to share among two to four tablemates. We two came with a list of eight but stumbled away with a doggie bag after number five.
We started with the least complicated, the plato Iberico — a platter of charcuterie to slap onto toasted baguette, including paper-thin, sweet, sweet Serrano ham, circles of chorizo, soria sausage and salchichón alongside ample fingers of nutty Manchego cheese, Basque olives, a hint of truffle oil and drizzle of balsamic. Pair it with one of the wines from Spain and environs, available by taste, glass or bottle. Then on to patatas bravas, the first thing I summon in a taperia. Rarely do they equal those in Spain, but these do and go beyond: nuggets of confit potatoes piqued by a spicy aioli (here, both saffron and citrus-infused). Peasant fare — but not in Hector’s hands. He’s added spicy bites of chorizo, sweet pimiento peppers and artichokes. Divine. Next up, mero: an ivory square of sea bass set atop sautéed leeks and spinach along with — here he goes again — fluff y truffled polenta, all bordered with a rich saffronbutter sauce. We paired it with a plate of pimiento-fried cauliflower studded with fried green olives and joined by citrus peppers, roasted artichokes and again those dual aiolis — good but strong and salty. A little goes a long way. Slumping over my list of must-haves — scallops, roasted mushrooms, squid ink pasta, goat cheese
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croquettes, octopus, lamb chops — we caved. We settled on a dish of paella marinara: saffron bomba rice (more liquid, less crusty than the usual Spanish paella, but tasty) hosting everything from the ocean: tender mussels, sweet shrimp, gentle scallops and calamari rings joined by sweet peppers and a valued squirt of lemon. Oh, wait! Look what’s for dessert! Churros! Three banana-size doughnuts straight from the fryer, plus a dab of whipped cream (his addition) and the essential wicked-rich, deep, dark hot chocolate dipper that’s fueled Spaniards for centuries. It’s their close to an evening at 4 A.M. And my daily breakfast. Bravo, indeed.
southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 B33
Bike Beat
By Annie Van Cleve
Better bike lanes on Blaisdell and Nicollet
G
ood new for Southwest and Downtown residents who travel between their respective boroughs on bike: An improved north-south bike route is taking shape on Blaisdell and Nicollet avenues south this summer. A painted bike lane will be added on Nicollet Avenue South from East 61st Street to East 40th Street. This segment is identified as a bikeway in the Minneapolis Bicycle Master Plan, and a sealcoating project is offering the opportunity to add the painted lane. Meanwhile, one block west on Blaisdell Avenue South, the painted bike lane is being upgraded to become a protected bikeway – also identified in the Minneapolis Bicycle Master Plan – from West 40th Street north to West 29th Street. Together, these two routes will certainly make it easier for people who use bikes to reach jobs and other attractions downtown from neighborhoods like Lyndale, Kingfield, Tangletown and Windom, and vice versa. While it’s certainly great news that a safer and more comfortable bike route will become available in Southwest, there is growing evidence that it’s not just people who bike that benefit from protected bike lanes. In fact, all people are safer when they can travel to their destination on a through street with clearly designated space for each mode. Providing space for cars, bikes and pedestrians on Nicollet and Blaisdell, avenues that run through multiple neighborhoods, means people in cars can better anticipate the behavior of people on bikes. People on foot don’t have to
compete with people on bikes for sidewalk space, as they sometimes have to do where the volume and speed of traffic on streets feels threatening to the average person on a bike. A study of protected bike lanes in the United States published in 2014 by the National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC) surveyed residents from neighborhoods where protected bike lanes had recently been installed. Residents who had driven a car on streets with new protected bike lanes reported a 53-percent increase in predictability of both people who ride bikes and people who drive cars. The Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition recently
collected anecdotes from locals that reinforce the idea that protected bike lanes are also better for drivers. Elizabeth Clark is a Minneapolis resident who said that, as a driver, she loves the protected bike lanes on East 26th and 28th Streets. “I know where to check as I’m turning to ensure that I don’t have a bike coming in my blind spot, and I know that I have plenty of room to pass bicycles without leaving my lane,” Clark said. The NITC survey also found that 59 percent of people surveyed who had driven on the streets with new protected bike lanes reported the time
it takes to drive on the street had not changed. Minneapolis resident Laura Matson lives near the protected bike lanes on East 26th and 28th Streets and commented about her experience driving on these streets. “I don’t have to swerve into other lanes to avoid bicyclists or slow down when I’m stuck behind a bike. The protected bikeways are a real asset in my neighborhood,” Matson said. Annie Van Cleve is a freelance writer, blogger and volunteer with the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition.
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B34 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com
Mill City Cooks
By Jenny Heck
Get to know your urban roots
S
eptember means the end of vacation and back to work for most of Minnesota’s students. However, the youth interns at Urban Roots Farm have been hard at work all summer. Founded in 1969, Urban Roots is a nonprofit organization that offers paid internships grounded in urban food systems to 14- to 21-year-old residents of St. Paul’s East Side. Interns can choose from three different program areas: market garden, conservation and cooking and wellness. “We employ young people on the East Side to give them their first job opportunities and to help cultivate an awareness of food and the environment for future generations,” said Summer Badawi, Urban Roots’ market garden coordinator. Market Garden interns plant, maintain and harvest small-scale crop production at Urban Root’s urban gardens. Interns distribute crops to the community through community supported agriculture (CSA) shares, farmers markets, restaurants, food shelves and more. In addition to promoting active lifestyles and fostering a connection to St. Paul’s parks and green spaces, the internships provide hands-on learning and foster critical life skills around
entrepreneurial thinking, leadership and collaboration. Minneapolis residents can look for Urban Roots’ abundant selection of tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, greens and more fresh produce and chat with the student interns at the Mill City Farmers Market every Saturday in September and October. From November through April, find them at the Mill City Farmers Market’s winter markets inside the Mill City Museum. In addition to growing fresh produce, program participants work to create sales and marketing materials and value-added products. Check out their dried herbs, preserved produce and the latest products the new team comes up with this year! Join the market for a free cooking demonstration every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. to learn creative and healthy ways to cook local produce and other market products. More information can be found at millcityfarmersmarket.org. Need a simple recipe for your Urban Roots produce? Try this easy tomato-cucumber salad with dill. More information about Urban Roots and their community events can be found at urbanrootsmn.org.
MILL CITY FARMERS MARKET The market, located in between the Mill City Museum and the Guthrie Theater, is your destination for fresh, local food! Join Chefs at the Mill City Farmers Market every Saturday from 10:30–11 a.m. for free cooking demonstrations. More information is available at millcityfarmersmarket.org
Urban Roots Farm’s market garden program offers paid summer internships to youth. Submitted photo
TOMATO-CUCUMBER SALAD WITH DILL INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
1 ½ cups diced tomatoes or 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters (from Urban Roots Farm) 2 cucumbers, diced (from Urban Roots Farm) 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon apple cider or red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh dill ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¼ cup feta cheese crumbles, optional (from Singing Hills Goat Dairy)
Place all of the ingredients except the feta cheese crumbles in a large bowl. Toss until well combined. Top with feta cheese crumbles, if desired, and serve immediately. Tip: Cucumbers can be eaten with or without the peel. Keep it on for a boost of vitamin K!
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said has no business here.” The sign 26th & Lyndale. It stated: “Hate in the window this month at Common Roots hung a sign members, and said all are welcome. Pizza and immigrant community & Lyndale BP station and they stand with Muslim, refugee Nicollet, Butter, the 36th signs local shops — including The promoted it nationally. The More than a dozen other group Main Street Alliance the small business advocacy in Oregon, with shops tweeting Nea — posted the sign, and in Brooklyn and a quilt shop market, a Mexican restaurant / PAGE A11 have reached an L.A. flea SEE COMMON ROOTS
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local agenda for Post-Paris: A look at the smcken economy zie@so uthwes tjourna advancing the clean energy l.com mbruch@southwestjournal.com
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westjou Hours before rnal.com while workers the Seward Co-op’s laid out seafood new Friendship customers and took inventor Store opened on walked up Oct. 7, and tried the “People are Redmond locked doors. y, a continuous stream said sity and commuready,” said LaDonn of okra, teff flour neighborhood requests a Sanders-Redmo nity engagem and wellness included cornme Five-hundred nd, the co-op’s ent Diversity in products al, hot sauces, people joined manager. diveroperation. pushed the hiring became a major tailored for African America as co-op owners co-op issue for some within the ns. The Friends “Our commu to hire 70 percent first week people of color. neighbors who of Seward Co-op hip Store at 317 E. 38th disproportionat nity is majority Black on Franklin St. is smaller and Latino, products, than the original apolis,” states ely impacted by employm two groups with a percenta , but it’s designed to hold a petition who are ge devoted ent discrimi signed by The store ended to local preferennearly all the same nation up hiring 61 more than 1,000 people. in Minne ces. Sanders percent people of color, Sanders -
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southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 B35
By Linda Koutsky
Embrace the spirit of trees this autumn
W
hen most people think of the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, they think of flowers — colorful and fragrant plots of roses, azaleas, chrysanthemums and giant dahlias. All that showy color isn’t why I go to the Arboretum, though. I go for the trees. Trails wandering through 1,200 acres of prairie and woods environments are peppered with groupings of graceful elms, weeping pines and even the beautiful bog Tamarack, the only deciduous tree that turns yellow and loses its needles in fall. But you won’t find my two favorite trees on any Arboretum map.
American black walnut My second-to-favorite tree at the Arboretum is an American black walnut. It’s about 5-feet across and 12-feet long but only a couple inches thick. This particular tree was actually cut down decades ago but lives on as a fine craft woodworking library table. The Arboretum was established in 1958. In 1974 they commissioned legendary Minnesota architect Edwin Lunde to design the Education and Research Building, home to the Andersen Horticultural Library named after former governor Elmer Anderson. Anderson and his wife, Eleanor, had the brilliant idea to commission master woodworker George Nakashima (1905–1990) to design furniture, display cases and shelves for a library specializing in plant sciences. A major figure in the American craft move-
Tables and chairs by George Nakashima show beautiful grain and natural edges of the original trees.
ment, Nakashima was known for his tree-slab tables with natural edges that show the actual width of a tree. He also designed a furniture line produced for Knoll in the 1940s. His home and studio in Pennsylvania is a National Historic Landmark. This rare collection of American craft furniture is a wonderful homage to Minnesota’s horticultural heritage; it embodies the spirit of the Arboretum and brings the outdoors inside.
Honeycrisp apple My favorite Arboretum tree isn’t actually seen on their public grounds, but it was invented
there. Honeycrisp Apple trees were developed by the University of Minnesota and introduced in 1991. The tree’s sweet, juicy, crunchy fruit soon skyrocketed to celebrity status and is now Minnesota’s official state apple. It took a long time to grow a tree whose apples are so good. The university has been growing fruit since 1878. Peter M. Gideon, the program’s first superintendent, developed the first apple to prosper in Minnesota’s harsh environment. He named it Wealthy, after his wife. Wealthy apples are still grown today and sold in local apple farms. The university has become a world leader in apples. Not only have they created apples for us, but they’ve also developed varieties that grow around the world. To develop a new apple, the university uses traditional plant breeding techniques to graft one plant onto another. SweeTango’s parents are Honeycrisp and Zestar. It can take up to 30 years for a new apple to reach grocer’s shelves. Until they’re ready for consumers experimental apples are known only by their numbers—Honeycrisp was MN 1711. Every fall, visitors are invited to the Arboretum to taste new experimental apples. A mile west is their AppleHouse that sells giftware, apple products, pies and a changing inventory of 50 different apple varieties that ripen throughout the season. Zestar and MN 1691 and 1837 are available now; Honeycrisps ripen in a couple weeks. Call the hotline at (612) 301-3487 to see what’s available each day. I’m pretty particular about my Honeycrisps. I
LUNCH TIP You can’t go wrong with lunch at the Visitor Center’s Arboretum Cafe, but bring a chunk of white cheddar with you to the AppleHouse and enjoy a nice autumn picnic with your new apples.
BONUS DESTINATION If you’re coming from Minneapolis on Highway 5, Paisley Park will be on the left, at Audubon Road, about 3 miles before the Arboretum.
think they taste better when grown in Minnesota and I like to buy them at the source. After years of trials, I’ve perfected a technique that keeps them fresh for several months: wrap tightly inside two plastic bags then store in the fridge. I’ve cleared my two lower shelves in anticipation, but I’m thinking of getting a second fridge for the basement! Enjoy your apples, the first sign of autumn. And remember: Honeycrisps were made in Minnesota. The Arboretum is located at 3675 Arboretum Drive. Visitor Center hours: Mon.–Sat., 8 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Andersen Horticultural Library hours: Mon.–Fri., 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; weekends, 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. $12.
FALL
B36 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com
poetry A reader recently asked, “What is a poem?” Awful question to put to an English major. The answers are as many and as varied as the colors in autumn woods. But I’ve always liked Archibald MacLeish’s little ditty, with its succinct, fall-like image in the middle: “A poem should be equal to:/ not true/ For all the history of grief/ an empty doorway and a maple leaf/ For love/ the leaning grasses and two lights above the sea/ A poem should not mean/ but be.” Local poets have spent the summer reflecting — on everything from buskers and black-eyed Susans to flip flops and fireflies. This collection ranges from the lighthearted to the serious, with a taste for zebra meat thrown in. Enjoy! Deadline for the Winter issue is Nov. 25. Send your best work to wilhide@skypoint.com
When He Can’t Sleep
He Doesn’t Know It But I’m Listening
A N N E T T E GAG L I A R D I
DAV I D B A N K S
For Jack
The busker banters between songs to the throng of no-one-there, foisting into his four-square-sidewalk-tile void ruminations and convictions about older compositions that could not but resonate as long as minds lend ears (this point, he fears, must be endlessly articulated), but that have become, in repetition, as time-worn as twelve peals of the clock, not fresh like fourteen…
— Doug Wilhide is the poet laureate of Linden Hills and poetry editor for the Southwest Journal
He remembers his grandmother sitting next to him on the couch during nap time, his two year old body restless and jumpy.
Hearing Mirth M E L I S SA S . A N D E R S O N
Out in the woods you can hear a sound slightly louder than your breath. It’s the rippling laughter of earthworms playing tag. Listen: that quiet rumble is the slow chuckle of trees, amused by squirrels and other tizzy creatures that don’t have the sense to just stand still and be. Lean close to the ground, and you’ll hear the rocks cracking each other up, recounting Paleozoic pranks that are still funny.
She would yawn a tremendous open, lion’s mouth yawn and shake her mane of hair that fell around her shoulders, and he would wait for the roar that never came. Instead her measured breath would flow out into the sigh of the breeze through the trees or the swell of the ocean — the earth’s inhalations, it seemed. Years later in Iraq and Iran, as missiles whistled overhead, the roar of tankers and hard scrabble footsteps loud in the night, he puts himself to sleep with the memory of her breathing.
Merriment is everywhere. After all, Gaia herself is sometimes so convulsed by a cosmic joke that she snorts lava right out one of her mountains.
and it is this numeration, more than his bird-lean voice and vinyl-dull execution (vulturing the virtuosity the studio musician picked clean), that might explain the evanescence of his audience as the times they keep, uh…
Horizontal Lines J O H N O ’C O N N O R
Haiku: Lake of the Isles B A R B P R AT T
Where willows hold sway at the lake I know grieving, we weep together
What world has met your eyes? What do you understand? That fence is horizontal. Also, of course, the blue horizon itself. The clouds are horizontal at such times And the ocean’s grey haze And the long pier. Truth does not go full frontal. (It could, but it declines.) Various items distract the gaze: A bikini draws near. You are more than a pile of sand But you will be horizontal yourself One of these days.
Lunch A DA M OV E R L A N D
Where is the hamburger tree? The bacon plant? The filet mignon mignonette? Where is the easy pluck and peel of the fruit to reveal the succulence of the benign-carnivorous?
southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 B37
In city gardens the cultivated ones force-fed with fertilizer bloom in masses, spectacular, unlike you, Suzy, spare, sparse.
Where is the porkberry bush, and the afternoons spent picking in the sun, where vigilant vegetarians hold hands with meat eaters and lay down to enjoy the bounty on the same picnic blanket? Where is the science that conjures the easy morality so that the lamb and the lion may both delight in the warm spray of blood as the flesh of the zebra is torn from its tree branches?
Who will pick you, Suzy? Perhaps the old lady down the street, the one who wears “sensible shoes” while she’s walking around her wildflower garden. Why would she not want you, she who can hardly bend over any more? You, Suzy, are the reward. You grow all by yourself. Or the gay actor who tends his garden during gigs, putting in and pulling up, the soil soothing the seething passions of his Othello in front of a one-eyed audience.
It is time for lunch and some part of me longs for zebra flesh.
Aish* Warrior L AU R I E SAV R A N
To the Person Who Stole My Flip Flops Last Night S C O T T S C H U DY
Aish warrior gets a birthday hair cut when the chemo starts to work and the fire of healing is possible. she does yoga and chanting childbirth and death law and politics while hearing Leonard Cohen’s Halleluja and eating pad Thai and Sushi with a bald head like a monk in no mind’s land. She’s walking in the ruby slippers trying to get back from “aahs” seeing my child, out pops a grandchild seeing my child, out pops a grandchild out pops Buddha and Krishna dancing in the purple rain with purple hair writing pleas at the Kotel Aish warrior, healing all the rivers saying Kaddish, dancing Kaddish praying Kaddish, screaming Kaddish like a medicine spirit. Pick a card, any card to burn the karma like an Aish warrior bald and beautiful on her birthday. *Aish = fire
To he who stole my sacred flops, You’ll find they’ll be a foil. Well trained, they’ll make you think you’re fine Then flip, for they are loyal. They’ll strain what was a healthy calf, They’ll pull a hamstring muscle They’ll catch a sidewalk crack just wrong As they play out their hustle.
Who wants you, you un-rose (no subtlety, no scent)? You un-delphinium (no sky-on-the-ground blue and tall graceful stems)? You un-gladiola (nicknamed “glad,” often found in funeral bouquets)? Who wants you, Suzy, ordinary, common, wild? Who wants you, you who are vibrating with bees while none visit your elegant sterile sisters? It is not those that we want: it is you, Rude Becky, a flower that makes nectar — the food of the world.
And long before you’ve caught their bit They’ll keep on with their biting Until you’ve cramped your mangled limbs And they are finished righting. This morning: post script My loyal breed of flips and flops Escaped from who disgraced them For look, the pair returned to me Exactly where I placed them. These miracles, they must have crawled Or hopped and rolled all nightly To get back to their owner who Accuses others rightly. Too bad my flip flops cannot name The thief in all his glory Or speak to what their owner claims And contradict this story.
Fireflies in Madison DOUG WILHIDE
Up on Observatory Hill they go on and off and on and off again like a brain scan — the little bugs like synapses firing then going dark then firing again — seeking mates, here, above the much-longed-for lake.
Self-Portrait, Age Eight L I SA CA L A M E B E R G
She didn’t draw pictures of herself – didn’t like the way she looked and it wasn’t about her, anyway – She drew flowers with plate-like petals and searing suns, their rays swords unevenly spearing the sky in all directions. Her trees billowed – green clouds impaled on telephone poles, grass growing at their bases in soft tufts. Houses with chimneys and windows swathed in plump curtains belted in the middle. Were there people? Where was she, the hero of the pictures? What did she see in the mirror every morning and night when she washed her face and brushed her teeth? Of that she has no memory, as though she hadn’t ever been there at all.
Or a child who plucks the petals off around the dark eye— “She loves me, she loves me not”— satisfying though not as easy as with the early pale daisy.
In this lively town the patterns repeat: fireflies, the darkness before us, the universe above, with its whirling galaxies that clump together like neurons, or networks, silently processing information; you stand and wonder, here at the border: is this randomness or order?
For Suzy CA R R I E B A S S E T T
Black-eyed Susan, rudbeckia, Common, ordinary, wild. A field flower. Tough. Everywhere. Always.
College town summers have their energies, though they lack the jungle rhythms of autumn, when learning and lust light up the dark beneath the stars, as the past is explained, the future projected, and bodies, celestial and otherwise, arrange themselves in urgent presents. Here, where sex and science come together, the fireflies spark their changing patterns — unaware they are being watched, and are part of something grander, they seek the only thing that matters: the pulse and the power, the possibility of love.
B38 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com
Ask Dr. Rachel
By Rachel Allyn
Chasing that dating high Q
I’m a mess when it comes to dating. I think I’m addicted to it. Actually, I know I am. I love the highs it brings when meeting someone new and finding out if they’re interested. I love the thrill of flirting and joking, and getting to know them via email and texting — and then the excitement of meeting. Then there’s the rush of finding out there’s interest and they want a second date. But inevitably comes the harsh reality — if they get too close, I push them away. When they start showing interest I clam up and find ways to sabotage it. I’ve done this numerous times. Consequently, if someone is not showing much interest, I seem to obsess and desperately search for ways to get them to like me. My mood changes in a heartbeat if I start overthinking why they’re not into me — what did I do wrong? Why won’t they return my texts? Is this addiction? Am I broken? Help! — Shane, with dating always on the brain
I
f it weren’t for the dark you wouldn’t know the light. Without vulnerability you wouldn’t appreciate control. And so it goes in the sport of dating these days — for every low, the opportunity for another high is just a swipe away. You are chasing that high. It makes sense. The excitatory hormones and brain chemicals pumping through you after flirting and meeting someone can pack a powerful punch. Your drug of choice is the dating game. A “game” is certainly what it can become. Those who handle the ups and downs of dating are people who stay a little detached. They treat it as a sport akin to darts, not the Super Bowl. There is nothing wrong with this per se, unless they pride themselves on being a pick-up artist and messing with people’s emotions — which it sounds like you may be doing, albeit unintentionally. It makes sense that the process feels thrilling to you initially. In the beginning the pressure is off and there’s nothing to lose. The other individual is merely a demographic reduced to age, profession, height and hair rather than an actual human with feelings. Plus, you get to play out your fantasies of being your most idealized self — funny, fascinating and desired! (If only
they knew how dirty your house was…) Ask yourself what you’re really trying to accomplish, Casanova. Are you seeking drama in your otherwise mundane life? Looking for a distraction from other things you don’t want to face? Seeking an ego boost? Sounds like you don’t mind the power play when you’re in control, but once they’ve got the upper hand you’re shattered. Conversely, when the rubber hits the road and they want to move forward, you fear commitment because it leads you to feeling exposed. You may associate commitment with a loss of independence rather than a gain of interdependence. You are more comfortable with being the chaser. I’m guessing you had to work hard to pursue your parent’s attention, so it is second nature for you to continue this dynamic today. You believe you must earn and work for attention, but then once it is captured you become bored because this type of affection is unfamiliar.
Listen to the four areas of your body that are experiencing this with you: your head, your heart, your gut and your groin. Your head analyzes, “Does this person jive with me?” Your heart begs, “Choose to adore me.” Your gut whispers, “Protect me.” Your groin exclaims, “Pleasure me.” Which of these are in the driver’s seat and when? Integrate all four of these important systems and you’ll be more self-aware throughout your dating process. Is this addiction? It could be. It could also
be psychological dependence. Maybe this is just a phase in your life because you’re on the rebound or recently had a big birthday and want to defy your age. Are you broken? No. And since you are not broken, you do not need to be fixed. You are not alone in the quest for romance or love, left to deal with broken arrows along the way. Stop overthinking during those moments of perceived rejection. Recognize that much of the time someone doesn’t text you back it’s because of their own complications. Assign yourself a positive mantra, affirmation, visualization or breath to interrupt your thoughts and get out of your head. Speak with a therapist about what is being mirrored back to you with these dalliances. Be honest with yourself and honest with your prospects; there is nothing more respectful you can give someone than directness. Examine what void you’re trying to fill. And if there isn’t one, just try to have fun. One of these times you’ll hit a bull’s-eye. Dr. Rachel Allyn is a licensed psychologist in private practice. Send questions to Rachel@DrRachelAllyn.com.
southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 B39
Ask the Nurse Practitioner
By Michelle Napral
What can be done about chronic back pain? Q
I have pain in my lower back that I cannot seem to shake. Sitting seems to make it worse. But my life is comprised of a long daily commute and eight hours sitting at my desk. I would like to get an MRI to find out what is going on. What are likely causes and cures?
L
ow back pain is very common – so common, in fact, that $50 billion is spent each year on diagnosing and treating the frustrating aches. Sometimes back pain will strike suddenly after an awkward movement, twisting or bending, or back pain may be chronic, stemming from a previous injury. As painful as it may feel, in most cases, back pain will improve on its own. Most people won’t need an MRI for back pain. But there are a few things to consider that will help determine course of treatment.
One back, many parts The back is a complex structure made up of vertebrae, disks, the spinal cord and nerves, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Constant wear on a disk can cause it to weaken and push outward, pressing on nearby nerves. With age, the disk may wear out, allowing the vertebrae to rub together and forming bone spurs that may narrow the spinal canal. In other cases, the vertebrae are unstable and slip forward.
Providers can help diagnose the cause by analyzing the location of pain. For example, if pain radiates into the buttock or down the back of your leg, that could be a sign that there is pressure on a nerve. Most back pain will improve within four to six weeks. Providers usually won’t even request imaging if pain has not been present for six weeks. But if there are signs and symptoms of something unusual, your provider may order an X-ray or MRI sooner. While it may seem counterintuitive, regular physical activity typically helps people with low back pain recover more quickly. Also, a firm mattress usually alleviates pain. Some of our patients also find that sleeping with a pillow beneath or between their knees helps their situation. And do not lift anything over 15 pounds until the pain is resolved. It’s a good idea to ice the painful area for 20 minutes twice a day. Ice reduces swelling and dulls the aching. Heat can also work well for muscle spasms. Surprisingly, you should avoid prolonged sitting because it puts more pressure on the low back than standing or walking. Many employers are offering their office employees desks that enable them to stand for all or part of the work day. Medications like Ibuprofen, Naproxen and Tylenol can be helpful. Sometimes muscle relaxers are prescribed for short periods of time if spasms are the culprit. Many times, we’ll recommend physical therapy where
help muscle spasms. For severe cases, injections can be used to numb the back or reduce swelling. There are rare instances that may even require back surgery.
Pain prevention
patients learn special exercises, stretches and strengthening to help relieve pain. Additionally, spinal manipulation performed by a chiropractor and acupuncture are smart complementary therapies. Even massage can
In health care, we like to say, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” which is true for back pain too! By staying active, stretching and doing strength training, you can often prevent back pain and injuries. If you work long hours at a desk, make it a habit to get up every 45 minutes for a brief walk or period of standing. Increasingly, employers are finding value in offering their employees stand-up desks. Lift using your legs, not your back. When you do sit, make sure you’re in an upright posture. Consider routine core workouts and maintain a healthy weight. If you have persistent back pain, see your provider. He or she can help treat the aches, and determine if you need to be seen by a specialist. In some rare cases, back pain can be life threatening if it’s accompanied by weakness, numbness or loss of bowel and bladder control, so always check with an expert in a timely manner. Michelle Napral is a nurse practitioner at the University of Minnesota Health Nurse Practitioners Clinic, 3rd Street & Chicago. Send questions to nursnews@umn.edu.
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B40 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com
Gadget Guy
By Paul Burnstein
Kid-friendly viewing
O
n Aug.12, New York Daily News published the article “Junk food commercials are eating your kid’s brain.” The article discusses the negative effects that television commercials have on children, creating cravings specifically for the junk foods advertised in the many commercials children watch. At the very end of the article, the author suggests cutting screen time to reduce exposure or moving to commercial-free streaming services like Amazon Video or Hulu.
The article got me thinking about my own kids and the screen-time safety we put into place at home. Having locks on tablets and specific apps is a great start, but we choose not to let our kids use their tablets anytime they want. Screen time is not all of the time. First, I couldn’t agree more that it is important to limit kids’ screen time and not begin screen time until an appropriate age. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests limiting screen time to no more than one or two hours per day.
This is in alignment with what we try to do in our home. With a five and a three year old, they are often watching different programs, and this is where it is handy to have them on tablets rather than buying a TV for each of them [which we would never do]. I also agree strongly with moving toward commercial-free services for kids’ screen time, rather than standard TV. In fact, while I do have live television via antenna in my house, it is not something my kids have access to or watch, and it very rarely used. We did recently watch some Olympics. Go Team USA! And until recently, my kids were not even aware of what television commercials were. In my home, we generally let the girls watch Netflix and YouTube Kids, which is obviously focused on kids. Funny enough, one of my 5 year old’s favorite type of program to watch on YouTube Kids is the unboxing of new toys. Many of these clips do tend to be similar to the commercials that she’s missing out on from television; however, others are more strongly focused on simply playing with the toys. And, fortunately, these “toy casting” clips don’t contain [junk] food promotions, inappropriate advertisements or movie trailers. Netflix also has a kids’ profile that can be set up which limits the type programs available for searching and viewing or even the programs that show up as recommendations. The interface itself is also kid-friendly, breaking into many categories and also listing many shows simply by a recognizable image or character from the show. Netflix’s catalog for children is also quite extensive.
Amazon provides many shows for kids, but as far as I have seen, it is more difficult to create a kids-only environment. They do have a paid program that you can sign up for, and I would recommend testing the program for ease of use and appropriateness before granting children access. Amazon also has the option of adding a pin so that programs cannot be watched at all (or purchased!) without first providing the security pin. This feature can really lock down what is watched on Amazon. Streaming services are a very positive opportunity for monitoring the content a child is watching, and streaming is not a difficult thing to do. There are myriad options available for streaming: smart TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast, Playstation, Xbox, TiVo and many more. As long as you have a device capable of streaming Netflix and/or Amazon, you are off to a good start. Now you can limit exposure to commercials, allow or deny watching of specific programming and control the amount of screen time in general that your kids are watching. The best way to monitor your kids’ screen time is to be an active participant. Paul Burnstein is a Tech Handyman. As the founder of Gadget Guy MN, Paul helps personal and business clients optimize their use of technology. He can be found through gadgetguymn.com or via email at paul@gadgetguymn.com.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Crudités enhancers 5 __ puppet 9 Hot dogs and hams 14 With, on la carte 15 Tartan wearers 16 Lowest deck on a ship 17 Gadget that exercises the wrist 18 Spydom name 19 Crisp 20 Beer made in Johannesburg? 23 Lorry supply 24 Deck wood 25 Chi. setting 28 Citrus suffix 29 Letter before upsilon 31 Ranking 33 One who aspires to be the king of beers? 36 Run out
11 Actor with eight Oscar nominations (and one win)
39 Larter of TV’s “Heroes”
66 They may not be quiet on the set
40 Tip for a dealer
67 Fords a stream
41 Sounds from a brewery?
68 Gps. with copays
12 Cover
69 Paris’ __ Neuf
13 Many a character in “The Americans”
46 “Life of Pi” Oscar winner 47 Justice dept. heads 48 Form 1040 fig.
DOWN 1 Place for pampering
51 Welker of the NFL
2 Polling place sticker words
52 Highbrow
3 Desert hallucinogen
55 Oil once touted by Florence Henderson
4 Use a Brillo pad
57 Toast said while hoisting presidential beer?
6 Evil count of “A Series of Unfortunate Events”
60 Gourd fruit 62 Happy __ 63 Fluency 64 Mesmerizing designs 65 Dark cloud
5 Learned one
42 Feels sore about 43 Monopoly deed word
21 Wizard revealer
44 Sinclair Lewis nominated him for the 1932 Nobel Prize in Literature
22 Coarse file
45 Tiny time meas.
26 Tie up
48 Italian cheese
27 One on a cartoon desert island
49 Takes the stage
30 State with five national parks
53 Energy
32 Trifles 33 Marmalade ingredient
7 Stone measure
34 Nevada copper town
8 Word with bread and butter
35 Beatles girl with a “little white book”
9 Sobriquet
36 Weak spot
10 Los Angeles mayor Garcetti
37 Hatcher’s “Lois & Clark” role
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38 Sandwich spread
50 Overrun 54 Players riding the pine 56 Docile sorts 58 Mythology 59 Circle overhead? 60 Do the lawn 61 AQI monitor Crossword answers on page B18
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southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 B41
Expert Opinion
By Ed Roskowinski
A better home
W
hat makes one home better than another? We all have our architectural preferences. We may prefer the sleek lines of a modern contemporary, the ornate detailing of a Victorian or the homey feel of a cottage-style home. But once you get beyond first impressions, what really makes a home sing quality? One place to start is the functionality of the home. How does the home function for dayto-day living? Is the garage in close proximity to the kitchen counter space, so groceries can easily be brought in and put away? Are spaces used efficiently, or are there rooms or areas that don’t have a real purpose? A home should make your life easier, not more difficult by having inefficient spaces or excess volume that needs heating, cooling and maintaining. A well-designed home is no larger than it needs to be, with every space having a purpose. Even better is a home with spaces that are multipurpose, like a dining area that is comfortable and cozy for everyday family gatherings but can be expanded to seat the extended family for Thanksgiving dinner, or a family room that can be converted into a bedroom when guests arrive into town. The quality and durability of the materials you see and use every day is extremely important. Think about how many times you open and close the silverware drawer in your kitchen or use the faucet in your master bath. Not all products and finishes are created equal, and some research is important to gain an understanding into how products perform over the long haul. This is often something we’re asked to assist homeowners with when they’re in the market for a home or remodeling their current home. We look at cabinetry, flooring, plumbing fixtures, doors and millwork, paint finishes, appliances and lighting, as well as windows and doors. Having remodeled thousands of homes over the past 40 years, we’ve seen many good and poor quality products and finishes. Another area where it’s a good idea to seek counsel is the assessment of the quality and durability of the products you don’t see. This can be everything from the type and quality of insulation in your home to the type and quality of the heating and cooling system.
What we value in a home has changed over time, says Ed Roskowinski.
These are things that can dramatically affect the operating costs of your home as well as the quality of the indoor living environment. We all pay close attention to the MPG rating when we purchase a car, though few consider the fuel efficiency of their home. You can have your home — or potential home — tested for its level of efficiency (an MPG rating if you will). This rating can be compared to other homes, or it can be used in before-and-after comparisons after improvements are made. These days we all want more value from our investments. That’s why we find ourselves trending away from quantity and toward quality. Everyone is talking about being more “green,” and each of us decreasing our carbon footprint. But does this really mean we all have to settle for less? Does having a smaller home really equal less? Take a drive down any American street and you’ll see home sizes vary greatly based on the
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age of the neighborhood. Homes constructed in the 1990s and 2000s are not just big, they’re huge when compared to homes built in the 1940s and 1950s. The average American home swelled from 983 square feet in 1950 to 2,443 square feet in 2010. That’s a 150 percent increase in size! This all came during a time when the average American family size has been on a steady decline. For more than a decade, many in the architectural community have been urging people to build better, not bigger. Now, as the U.S. economy has recovered and environmental concerns rise, that message has begun to go mainstream. Homes are shrinking. For the first time in many years, the average square footage of a new single-family home is falling. Remodel projects include fewer — or at least smaller — additions as people find ways to repurpose existing space. People are finding that a smaller home allows more of the budget to go toward ameni-
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ties, finishes and unique architectural features. Rather than focusing on impressing the neighbors, your home needs only to fulfill your needs. It should reflect your unique personality and inspire you. Now, does that sound like living with “less”? A home that is not only beautiful but functional, durable and efficient is simply a better home. To find a list of professional remodeling companies that work in your area, visit www. narimn.org. The Minnesota chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry is dedicated to finding professional remodeling companies and connecting those companies with homeowners who are looking for a quality remodeling experience. Ed Roskowinski is the owner/general manager of Minneapolis-based Vujovich Design Build Inc. He also serves as president of the Minnesota chapter of NARI.
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B42 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com
Get Out Guide. By Eric Best / ebest@southwestjournal.com
FESTIVAL PALOMINO
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY Jungle Theater Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen gets her Guthrie Theater directorial debut with a modern adaption of Jane Austin’s novel “Sense and Sensibility.” This fresh adaption of the classic story, which will open Artist Director Joseph Haj’s inaugural season, shifts the focus with a uniquely female perspective on the lives of sisters Marianne and Elinor Dashwood. Following the passing of their father, the two must rely on a mix sense and sensibility as they experience love, romance and heartbreak.
Where: Guthrie Theater, 818 S. 2nd St. / When: Sept. 10 through Oc.t 29 Cost: $29–$77 / Info: guthrietheater.org
Trampled by Turtles, Duluth’s venerated music ambassadors, are once again letting their folk flags fly with Festival Palomino, but this time in Northeast Minneapolis’ Hall’s Island instead of out in Shakopee. The three-stage American roots music festival will see performances from Minneapolis’ folk prodigy John Mark Nelson and old-school country duo The Cactus Blossoms, who gained recent attention for appearing on the cast list of Showtime’s “Twin Peaks” revival. The festivities, which were switched lastminute from Canterbury Park, will also feature Andrew Bird, The Arcs (with The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach) and “Two Fingers” singer Jake Bugg.
Where: Hall’s Island, 907 Sibley St. N.E. When: Saturday, Sept. 17 at noon Cost: $48, VIP tickets available Info: festivalpalomino.com
MINNEAPOLIS BIKE TOUR The 10th-annual Minneapolis Bike Tour will have riders enjoying everything the city’s park and byway system has to offer — traffic-free. This year’s event features three fully supported routes — at 16 miles, 25 miles and 32 miles — taking bicyclists around Minneapolis. The tour is great for both individuals and families with stops with drinks and bike mechanics along the route. There will be a post-ride after party with live music, food trucks and a free beer from New Belgium Brewing for participants from 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Where: Boom Island, 724 Sibley St. N.E. When: Sept. 18 from 8 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Cost: $35 in advance, $45 day of Info: minneapolisbiketour.com
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THE THEATER OF PUBLIC POLICY The Theater of Public Policy (T2P2), the Twin Cities’ own combination of “Saturday Night Live” and weekend news shows, is returning for another season with guests from all over the local political climate. T2P2 opens its weekly series with a Sept. 12 show featuring guest Winona LaDuke, an internationally recognized author and activist who has devoted her life to protecting the land and culture of Native American communities. Per T2P2’s usual format, its politically savvy comedians will discuss current events and today’s burning issues then digest it into live improv comedy on stage at Bryant Lake Bowl. On Sept. 19, T2P2 will have state Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-61) and Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin talking about the Orange Line bus rapid transit and other transportation policy questions.
T2P2’S FALL SHOWS: Sept. 26: “Wrong About Everything” podcasters Javier Morillo-Alicea, Brian McDaniel, Carin Mrotz and Amy Koch discuss the Minnesota Legislature
NEMAA FALL FINE ARTS SHOW The Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association is showcasing works from more than 150 of its artist-members as part of its Fall Fine Arts Show. The exhibit, located on the third floor of the Solar Arts Building, begins Sept. 16 with an open reception from 6 p.m.–10 p.m. featuring live music, a silent auction, food from Chowgirls Killer Catering, Indeed Brewing beer and cocktails from Tattersall Distilling. There will also be a Northeast Farmers Market Gala on Sept. 21 from 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. featuring appetizers from local chefs and the market’s vendors. Gallery hours are 5 p.m.–9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and noon–6 p.m. on weekends.
Where: Solar Arts Building, 711 15th Ave. N.E. When: Sept. 16–25 Cost: Free Info: nemaa.org
Oct. 3: “The End of Night” author Paul Bogard talks on the costs of artificial light
TINY HOMES
Oct. 10: Metropolitan Council Member Gary Cunningham discusses racial disparities in regional planning
While many travel over the summer to far and distant destinations, Light Grey Art Lab’s latest exhibition brings us back home. The Whittier-based gallery’s “Tiny Homes” features more than 80 artists exploring and challenging the concept of home, sharing different perspectives on the warm and familiar idea. “Tiny Homes” will have an opening reception on Friday, Sept. 16 from 7 p.m.–10 p.m. during the gallery’s annual fundraiser, which includes a pop-up in the adjacent gallery with original work, zines and more for sale.
Oct. 11: Brian McClung, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s communications director, and Katharine Tinucci, Gov. Mark Dayton’s former press secretary, unpack this election year (this free show is in St. Paul’s Highland Park Library, 1974 Ford Pkwy.) Oct. 17: Robert Kudrle, an economist and professor of public affairs at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, digs into the details of the Trans Pacific Partnership Oct. 24: Sheila Smith, executive director of the Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, and Laura Zabel, executive director of Springboard for the Arts, discuss the economics of art Oct. 31: Ilhan Omar, the DFL candidate for state House District 60B, discusses her candidacy prior to Election Day
Where: Light Grey Art Lab, 118 E. 26th St. When: Sept. 16–Oct. 21 Cost: Free Info: lightgreyartlab.com
Where: Bryant Lake Bowl, 810 W. Lake St. When: Mondays at 7p.m. in September and October Cost: $10 at the door, $12 in advance
Classifieds LINE CLASSIFIEDS
ANNOUNCEMENTS IS RECONSTRUCTIONIST JUDAISM FOR YOU?
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B44 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com
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southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 B45
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B46 September 8–21, 2016 / southwestjournal.com
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southwestjournal.com / September 8–21, 2016 B47
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Stunning discounts at Rug Annex Given the Navabs’ international connections and direct importing, it made sense to devote part of American Rug Laundry’s space to the popular Rug Annex showroom. “People find incredible deals here,” says Far. “Which is as it should be! Everyone should have the pleasure of living with a beautiful rug. They’re part of our human heritage.” The Rug Annex offers everything from handcrafted, 100% wool orientals, karastans, kilims, dhurries, and tufted rugs to machine-made, synthetic fiber rugs and bound carpets. Both contemporary and traditional styles are available. Comments Sam: “There’s a lot of thought behind any rug you buy from us. It’s not just a floor covering.”
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At American Rug Laundry, multi-hued rugs mirror a colorful community. Caring neighbors at 42nd & East Lake You betcha –– American Rug Laundry has been part of the Minnesota business community since 1895. After moving from a first, early location, this historic company with the iconic red sign has continuously anchored the corner of East Lake Street and 42nd Avenue, providing employment to generations of Twin Citians, as well as rug cleaning and restoration to clients throughout the Upper Midwest. “We bought this company sixteen years ago,” explains co-owner Sam Navab, who also owns Navab Brothers Oriental Rug Company in St. Louis Park, in partnership with his brother Far. “We wanted to help our clients conserve their beloved rugs by providing complete services. At American Rug Laundry we do it all –– laundering, mending, reweaving, even total restoration. And you can find incredible prices on beautiful rugs at the Rug Annex.”
For the serious rug buyer or collector, Navab Brothers in St. Louis Park is a matchless resource. Far and Sam’s ongoing mission is to find rugs that, above all, show integrity through the use of authentic raw materials, unique design, and quality craftsmanship. Clients receive the thoughtful attention and consultation they need to select the ideal rug for their circumstances, and each purchase comes with free lifetime cleaning and courtesy repairs, as well as a lifetime trade policy. At any time after purchase, a client can exchange a rug for a different one of equal or greater value.
Serving community, at home and abroad Education and healthcare are causes that are especially close to the heart for Far and Sam. Their donations provide significant support for fundraising efforts at Minneapolis elementary schools, the Page Education Foundation, the Alliance Francaise, and the Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. Also, as a major retailer of handmade Afghan rugs, the Navab Brothers feel an obligation to help alleviate the plight of the people of Afghanistan, through membership in the Partnership for Education of Afghanistan’s Children.
Conserving a trusted brand name
The Navabs knew they were purchasing more than a factory back in 2000. They were taking charge of a regionally known and respected brand. Maintaining the family-owned and operated business meshed with their instincts as rug conservators. “American Rug Laundry is the oldest and largest rug cleaning and Oriental carpet repair facility in the Upper Midwest,” says Far. “People in our community have trusted this company for generations. Clients sometimes bring us the same rug to take care of that their grandparents brought in. We take a lot of pride in that.”
Tradition and technology happily coexist Although the American Rug Laundry brand was going strong, the building and factory were ready for a lift. The brickwork and roof required repairs, and given major advances in cleaning technology in recent decades, the factory equipment definitely needed updating. Thanks to the support of City of Minneapolis/Lake Street Council, which provides low-interest financing for Lake Street revitalization projects, Sam and Far were able to make the necessary upgrades. Now the building is solid, within and without; the eye-catching red sign shines brightly again; and clients are served by a happy blend of state-of-the-art equipment, environmentally sound cleaning techniques, and skilled expertise.
Master weavers, restorers, and artisans on site All rugs, from handmade Orientals to machine-made synthetics, are vulnerable to the ravages of time, temperature, soil, pets, and ordinary wear and tear. That’s why, in addition to people who are experts at laundering and drying, the American Rug Laundry team includes master weavers, dyers, and restorers, whose adroit repairs verge on the invisible. The company takes pride in sending every rug home refreshed and restored to new life.
It’s like sending your rug to a spa From the moment a rug is brought to American Rug Laundry, until the time it’s returned, the team guides it through a number of steps that ensure safety, as well as excellent cleaning. After discussing cleaning and repair options with the client and providing a detailed report, the rug receives an identification tag and is vacuumed and dusted to remove microorganisms. It’s then washed and cleaned using only natural cleansers and purified water, dried in temperature-controlled drying facilities, and if repair is needed, sent to the restoration experts. The rug is then paper-wrapped for delivery.
One team, all colors and creeds When you walk into American Rug Laundry, you may be struck by the diverse, lively atmosphere. Team members represent almost as many ethnic groups as the rugs they work with, and Sam and Far cultivate a family feeling in the workplace. Employees are united by their respect for the individuality of each rug and each owner, and all are fully trained to provide friendly, courteous, and caring service.
americanruglaundry.com • 612-721-3333
Meet Sam and Far. As sons of a renowned Iranian poet, Sam and Far Navab did not grow up with the rug trade. They found their way to it. Or perhaps, by accident or “kismet,” the rug trade found them. Farzan “Far” Navab, came to the United States in 1976 as a student and graduated with a B.F.A. in filmmaking from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. He worked at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in the early 1980s, then accepted Sam’s offer to join him in the rug trade in 1986. Far caught the “rug bug” from Sam and has been a rug enthusiast ever since. Saman “Sam” Navab came to America by a more circuitous route, studying political science and management, first at Cambridge University, then elsewhere in England and India. Eventually, he graduated with a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin, Stout. He has lived in Minnesota since 1977. Sam began his rug career in 1984 as manager of Taher Oriental Rugs at International Market Square and went into business with Far in 1988.
Join the community of “rug bugs.” Whether your beloved rug needs cleaning or repair, or you’re looking for a new addition to home or office, American Rug Laundry is the award-winning resource for everyone in the Twin Cities. Sam and Far invite you to stop by any time for advice, consultation, or to check out the new rugs in the Annex. By supporting this trusted East Lake Street business, you join the wider community of those who love and conserve great rugs, in Minnesota and throughout the Upper Midwest.