Choosing a new countertop An award-winning porch addition Revamping tiny bungalow bathrooms E! INSID New plants for 2015 March 12–25, 2015 Vol. 26, No. 6 southwestjournal.com Renters challenge new rules at Lake & Pleasant apartments By Michelle Bruch / mbruch@southwestjournal.com Natasha Villanueva (left) and Anain Lozano carry a petition advocating for tenants to continue paying bills through checks or money order, rather than only online. Photo by Michelle Bruch ‘For us, by us’ Black Advocates for Education is an urgent voice for Minneapolis’ black students SEE RENTERS / PAGE A14 A push for paid leave By Sarah McKenzie / smckenzie@southwestjournal.com By Dylan Thomas / dthomas@southwestjournal.com Shortly after it was reviewed by a panel of primarily African-American educators in late February, Minneapolis Public Schools leaders decided to recommend against use of “Mission 2: Flight for Freedom,” a slavery simulation computer game, in district social studies classes. A statement issued by the panel stated the game ran the risk of “being misunderstood and insensitive at Stewart the least and disrespectful and racist at the most” — echoing concerns raised first by parents and community members but quickly It’s not uncommon for tenants at 3019, 3023 and 3027 Pleasant to see notes from the landlord taped to the doors. A few recent notes from QT Properties caused alarm for some renters, however. One letter imposed a February deadline for enrollment in online bill pay. The office would no longer accept payments or repair requests in the drop box, the letter said. “The problem here is many people living here don’t have Internet, and many people don’t have [a bank] account,” said apartment resident Anain Lozano. “Many people don’t know how to use email.” Another letter from the landlord notified residents that starting in January, there would be a fee to park in a surface lot behind the buildings. The new charges prompted two residents to challenge the mid-lease changes in housing court, and a judicial officer ruled in the tenants’ favor. Tenants said another letter taped to doors said kids are prohibited from playing outside in the yard; rental staff told the Southwest Journal there is no such restriction. A general manager at QT Properties declined to answer questions about billing and parking. picked up and amplified by Black Advocates for Education, a young, social media-savvy organization that has been a watchdog on issues of race and equity in the city’s public schools. It’s a hallmark of BAE’s tech-enabled activism that the protest involved a “Twitter storm” of online messages targeting @MPS_ News and @MPS_MichaelGoar, accounts operated by the school district and interim Superintendent Michael Goar. Chris Stewart, one of BAE’s founders and a former Minneapolis School Board member, called the episode the latest “example of quick success” for an organization that didn’t even exist a year earlier. Explaining the need now SEE BAE / PAGE A20 Leaders at all levels of government in Minnesota are pushing for paid leave policies for workers to allow them a chance to take time off for family responsibilities and other challenges. U.S. Sen. Al Franken is supporting legislation called the Healthy Families Act, which would allow workers the chance to earn paid leave to use when they become ill, need to care for a sick relative, get preventative medical care or cope with the impact of domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault. He recently visited Common Roots Café, 2558 Lyndale Ave. S., to recognize the café’s owner Danny Schwartzman for bucking trends in the restaurant industry by allowing employees paid sick days and paying employees above the minimum wage. Franken also met with Jes Eiklenberg, a single mother living in St. Paul who was fired from a restaurant in Stillwater in January for calling in sick with the flu. Franken noted that about a third of Amer- ican workers don’t have paid sick leave. “[Paid sick leave] creates a more loyal workforce, which means you have less turnover. You have less training costs, which means you have better service because [employees] are happier,” Franken said. The Healthy Families Act, introduced by Democrats in the House and Senate in midFebruary, would allow businesses with at least 15 employees the opportunity to earn up to 56 hours or seven days of paid sick leave each year. “As the lead Democrat on the Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety, one of my top priorities is to fight for policies that support workplace fairness,” Franken said. “The Healthy Families Act, which would give our workers the opportunity to earn paid leave, is essential to protecting the middle class and those aspiring to join the middle class.” Franken’s office also cited information from SEE PAID LEAVE / PAGE A13 southwestjournal.com / March 12–25, 2015 A3 News By Dylan Thomas / dthomas@southwestjournal.com Graduation rates rose in 2014 With Washburn High School leading the way, graduation rates increased in all seven of the city’s traditional public high schools last year. An annual report on statewide graduation rates released Feb. 24 by the Minnesota Department of Education showed Minneapolis Public Schools’ four-year graduation rate rose nearly 5 percent, to about 59 percent in 2014 from about 54 percent the previous year. Washburn experienced the biggest jump, with 79 percent of students graduating on time in 2014, an increase of more than 15 percent over the previous year. Linda Conley, who last year served as Washburn’s interim principal, credited a combination of programs that provided extra support to students behind on credits, including afterschool tutoring, end-of-semester “cocoa and cram” sessions and opportunities for credit recovery during the school day. Most important was the collaboration between administrators, teachers and counselors, Conley said. “I’d say the biggest thing was that as a school community we were beginning to take a good look at our (student) data, which helps us focus our direction,” she said. Teacher on special assignment Michelle Terpening said a $15,000 grant from the Shultz Family Foundation allowed Washburn to add tutoring sessions this year. About 80 students show up twice a week after school and another 50 to 60 to two morning sessions, Terpening said. The statewide graduation rate of about 81 percent in 2014 was a slight improvement from 2013, when about 80 percent of high school seniors graduated in four years. The Education Department aims to reach a 90-percent graduation rate by 2020. In Minneapolis, Patrick Henry High School boasts the highest four-year graduation rate (86 percent in 2014), followed by Southwest (85 percent), Washburn, South (73 percent), Edison (62 percent), Roosevelt (58 percent) and North (42 percent). District considers ‘revolutionary’ busing plan What if Minneapolis Public Schools ran its transportation system more like MetroTransit, with school buses circulating throughout city rather than driving school-specific routes? That’s just what district leaders are pondering as they consider options for squeezing more schools’ start times into the 8 a.m.–8:30 a.m. window, which a recent survey found families overwhelmingly prefer. It’s a change the district has termed “revolutionary,” but it won’t be implemented until fall 2016 at the earliest. A revolution is what it will take if the district aims to shrink the nearly three-hour difference between the earliest morning bell and the latest, Meredith Fox, executive director for planning and accountability, said. “All of the wiggle room in our (transportation) system is gone,” Fox said. She said a team of national consultants who examined the district’s current busing scheme — one that requires tiered bell times across the district — determined it’s operating at near peak efficiency. There are few options to increase flexibility other than adding more buses and drivers “which we just don’t have and don’t want to do because we’re already spending more than $30 million a year on transportation,” Fox said. Instead, the district is investigating a system of six circulator routes and — “this is a big question mark,” Fox added — potentially even transfer points where students would hop off one school bus and onto another. To make it work, the district would need some type of studenttracking system, maybe a bus card students to swipe when they board, she said. “That’s a big project unto itself,” she continued, which is part of the reason the district put off any changes to elementary and K–8 start times for at least one more school year. Some high schools and middle schools may yet see bell-time adjustments next fall, but those won’t require a major transportation system overhaul. Fox said that overhaul would have major implications not just for families but also daycare providers and after-school programs across the city, so the district plans to move forward cautiously and in cooperation with parents. “We want to move in this direction and we think it has great promise for the district,” she said. To read more about the results of the bell-time survey, go to mpls.k12.mn.us/start-times. Fundraising through an ‘online garage sale’ Minneapolis Public Schools parent Erin Sjoquist in February launched Exchange4Good.com, an “online garage sale” to raise money for schools. The aim is to find new homes for gently used toys, books, electronics and other items while giving schools a new format for fundraising. The site operates like a consignment service, and when donated goods sell the profit goes to the school of the buyer’s choice. “It’s really around reusing, recycling and raising money,” Sjoquist said. She said Exchange4Good takes a 17-percent fee off the sale price to cover advertising and processing costs, but the other 83 percent goes to the school. Donations to the site are taxdeductible. Sjoquist is testing the site at a handful of schools in Southwest Minneapolis, but may expand the service if she gets a positive response. Haney, Zeb SWJ 031215 6.indd 1 2/24/15 2:17 PM CALL SHANNON — SHE’S THE LOCAL EXPERT! 26 Shannon Plourde Realtor® 612.298.4623 shannon@shannonplourde.com Each office is independently owned and operated. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. If your home is currently listed with another broker, this is not intended as a solication of that listing. Plourde, Shannon SWJ 031215 6.indd 1 3/3/15 3:09 PM Outstanding Service, Outstanding Value Dr. Kordie Reinhold Dr. Peter Hinke Dr. Chas Salmen We welcome new patients! 4289 Sheridan Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55410 www.lindenhillsdentistry.com (612) 922-6164 Linden Hills Dentistry SWJ 031215 6.indd 2 3/10/15 8:44 AM A4 March 12–25, 2015 / southwestjournal.com By Michelle Bruch / mbruch@southwestjournal.com Brandy Dressen, co-owner of Carver Junk Co., with her daughter Delainey. Photos by Michelle Bruch 48TH & CHICAGO Now open Carver Junk Company Carver Junk Co. started out as a hobby. On impulse, Brandy and Chad Dressen signed a lease at an old fire station in downtown Carver, Minn. to start an occasional store with restored antique furniture. Today it’s Chad’s full-time vocation, clocking 60-70 hours per week, complete with a new store at 48th & Chicago open Thursday thru Sunday. The shop includes a tractor wheel converted into a table, standing on a pipe taken from a farm’s water well. A former work bench is refinished for use as a high-top dining or bar table. An old warehouse cart is repurposed into a coffee table. “It’s kind of like putting makeup on, modernizing something and bringing it back to life,” Chad said. They’re careful to use durable paints that will hold up on furniture over time, and they sell milk paint, which is a nontoxic paint Spectacle Shoppe SWJ 031215 6.indd 1 3/9/15 4:23 PM This is the year — make the move! Contact me for a free market assessment. Call or text at 612-827-5847 christopherfriend@edinarealty.com www.christopherfriend.edinarealty.com Friend, Christopher SWJ 011515 6.indd 1 made with milk protein, limestone, clay and natural pigments. They partnered with Minneapolis Chandlery to create candle scents like “leather and rose” for the store, sold in jars leftover from Brandy and Chad’s former wedding rental business. Monthly DIY craft workshops called MakeMN will start in late April. Brandy and Chad aren’t afraid to pile on new challenges — when they signed a store lease in Carver two-and-a-half years ago, they closed on a new house the same day, one hour earlier. And while caring for a firstborn baby girl, now age seven months, they opened their new store at 4748 Chicago Ave. in mid-December. “We’ve been on the lookout for a place here in Minneapolis. We love this neighborhood,” Brandy said. “We couldn’t really pass it up.” 1/12/15 2:28 PM 48TH & NICOLLET Now open All About You Catering & Deli A longtime caterer has replaced the hot pink Cupcake Caramel awning with his own logo (created by a friend) for All About You Catering & Deli at 4747 Nicollet Ave. Alongside the catering kitchen, Joel Frampton offers a front-of-the-house deli full of “healthy alternatives,” such as sandwiches with roasted salmon and oven-baked chicken cooked in the style of his grandmother Fern. Instead of chips, Frampton offers better-foryou sides like chopped coleslaw, sautéed Brussels sprouts, or potatoes tossed with olive oil and parmesan. He also carries salads, soups and his own bakery recipes for mojito bars and chocolate chip cherry cookies. Everything is made from scratch, he said, including the salad dressings. “In the kitchen, I’m like a scientist with the soups,” he said. “I don’t use any recipes, I just throw things together.” Frampton previously spent 12 years as a flight attendant, and he’s worked as a manager of Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar at the State Fair for 19 years. He started catering at age 16, and today his catering business Joel Frampton has opened a deli and bakery in the former Cupcake Caramel storefront at 48th & Nicollet. incorporates traditional silver service and fresh flowers. Frampton plans to add sidewalk seating this spring. southwestjournal.com / March 12–25, 2015 A5 Realtor® and Lakes Area Homeowner for Over 30 Years 612.229.5415 Visit JimGrandbois.com KENWOOD Now open HMM Design Collaborative A new architecture firm is using gaming industry technology to give clients a virtual experience of their projects. Mathias Mortenson of HMM Design Collaborative said the technology is becoming more cost-effective, and it allows people to wear goggles and virtually walk through a new house or restaurant design. Mortenson is a member of the Mortenson Construction family, and he and his older brothers started working in the family business at age 15. “When we all were able to drive, we would drive ourselves to construction sites,” he said. He’s been involved in a wide variety of projects, working as a draftsperson on a war veterans memorial in San Francisco, estimator at the Mall of America, and construction coordinator at Target Field. Quintessential Linden Hills Charm 3816 Abbott Ave S | Listed at $739,900 Beautiful all brick jewel near Lake Calhoun in the heart of Linden Hills. “I’ve spent time on both the design side and the construction side,” Mortenson said. “I have this strange, equal alliance to both sides that is kind of unusual. There is often a big gulf between the two.” Mortenson said he enjoys taking on projects of any size. “Especially with old houses, for instance, every project is a puzzle to be solved,” he said. One recent puzzle: A renovation of a twostory Minneapolis house with eight different levels throughout. Spotless condition, meticulously maintained inside and out. This home features hardwood floors, formal dining room, eat-in kitchen, main floor family room, main floor bath, living room, sun room and a wonderful deck. Lower level family room, den, bath and private screened porch and walk-out to back yard. 3 bedrooms up including a master suite. Attached garage. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Grandbois, Jim SWJ 031215 6.indd 1 3/6/15 10:21 AM Jane Paulus doesn’t just have her picture sit on bus benches. She sells houses FAST. • Went pending first day on the market • Great location, steps to Lake Harriet • Original character to the house 612-702-5694 | janepaulus@edinarealty.com Paulus, Charles SWJ 031215 6.indd 1 Araya Jensen’s Wind and Willow Home showroom at 48th & Grand carries her line of colordipped housewares. RE/MAX Results 48TH & GRAND Now open 3/4/15 3:29 PM Wind and Willow Home The Wind and Willow Home showroom is now open regular hours at 319 W. 48th St., offering workshops in weaving, block printing and “Selling on the Internet 101.” Araya Jensen displays wooden bowls and spoons that she dips in synthetic rubber to make seasonal designs (ice cream was the inspiration last summer), and she ships them to stores as far as Australia and Thailand. Jensen started creating the merchandise after she was laid off from work as an interior designer during the recession. She couldn’t find color-coordinated spoons for gift baskets she was putting together, so she decided to make them herself. “I put them on Etsy, and within a month I started getting wholesale requests,” she said. “I grew up DIYing pretty much everything. We’d see something we liked and then we’d make it.” The former chiropractic office on 48th became a DIY project as well, remodeled by Jensen and her husband. They put up walls inlaid with wooden polka dots, created a rope screen to partition the workshop area, and freshened the studio and basement with more than 40 gallons of paint. Jensen never expected to be working in such a bright, sunny space. She was outgrowing her chilly basement workshop when she passed 48th & Grand and saw the For-Rent sign in the window. “I imagined a warehouse space with no light,” she said. “I’m amazed to have all that natural light.” PENDIN G 4933 1st Avenue South • Offered at $425,000 This beautiful home sold quickly in multiple offers. If you’re interested in buying or selling, contact us today. 612.817.2805 team@mattengengroup.com MattEngenGroup.com real estate redefined. Engen, Matt SWJ 031215 6.indd 1 3/2/15 1:10 PM A6 March 12–25, 2015 / southwestjournal.com Denny Bennett Mortgage Lender NMLS# 543275 612-804-0488 • denny@dennybennett.com Bennett, Denny SWJ 031215 6.indd 1 3/11/15 12:17 PM Peace Coffee is now a “Public Benefit Corporation,” a designation that formalizes goals to operate as a socially-minded company. Photo by Michelle Bruch 22ND STREET & 1ST AVENUE In the spotlight keeping it real since 1998. Located on the Far East side of Calhoun Square. ChiangMaiThai.com (612) 827-1606 Chiang Mai Thai SWJ 031215 6.indd 1 3/11/15 9:13 AM Peace Coffee Peace Coffee is among the first companies in Minnesota to formally file as a “Public Benefit Corporation” (PBC). PBCs place “public benefit” among their primary objectives, and the new status allows more flexible use of profits than only dividends for shareholders. “The decision for us was just an additional acknowledgement of something that has been present in the company since our founding,” said Kate Hoff, vice president of development for the Whittier-based Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, which is Peace Coffee’s parent company. “We really wanted to be part of it.” Hoff explained that at many corporations, delivering profits to shareholders is the “No. 1 reason for being.” If executives decide to dramatically increase staff wages at the expense of profits, they risk being sued by shareholders. “It gives the company some protection,” Hoff said. “There should be more public ways to recognize businesses that are doing good things in addition to making money.” Other local companies first in line to file as a PBC include Sunrise Banks and Finnegans (all of the beer’s profits go to charity). Each company files a public annual report detailing how proceeds help achieve public benefit as defined by the company. Peace Coffee’s designation marked a significant moment for Mark Ritchie’s last day in office as Secretary of State. Ritchie helped found the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy in 1986. IATP in turn founded Peace Coffee 10 years later, to demonstrate a successful fair-trade company that could pay farmers fairly and grow organic beans sustainably. “All of the values inherent in our nonprofit work we were able to apply to a for-profit venture,” Hoff said. Noted Storefronts at 50th & France will display 2313 West 50th St, Mpls (50th & Penn) 612.250.9249 transform4good.com PAIN: fix it. WEIGHT: lose it. PERFORMANCE: refine it. STRENGTH: build it. DOUBT: eliminate it. artwork in the windows by art students and professionals in a March 21 art crawl. From 3-5 p.m., patrons can meet the artists inside each store and view more of their work. For more information, visit 50thandfrance.com. Rustica’s Stephen Horton and Barbara Shaterian are turning over the business at 3220 W. Lake St. to Greg Hoyt, co-founder of Dogwood Coffee. Horton said in a statement that he needs some time away after 10 years, though he’ll remain as a consultant for the coming year. Hoyt said he isn’t planning any major changes. “How can you improve on something that’s already amazing?” he said. A Bank of America branch is slated to open in May at 2700 Hennepin Ave., featuring drive-up ATM service. Spokesperson Diane Wagner said the new financial center will employ a personal banker, banking financial advisor, small business banker and mortgage loan officer. A new Giordano’s restaurant is slated to open in the same building, and the opening date is not yet finalized. TRANSFORM: here. Got a buzz tip? Email Michelle Bruch at mbruch@southwestjournal.com Transformation Training SWJ 031215 6.indd 1 3/5/15 4:29 PM southwestjournal.com / March 12–25, 2015 A7 By Sarah McKenzie / smckenzie@southwestjournal.com City joins White House effort to train people for tech jobs Minneapolis is one of 20 regions in the country to participate in a new White House TechHire initiative focused on training people for the fastgrowing technology sector. Mayor Betsy Hodges joined President Barack Obama at the National League of Cities’ Congressional City Conference in Washington, D.C., on March 9 as he announced details of the initiative. “Now, we tend to think that all these tech jobs are in Silicon Valley, at companies like Google and eBay, or maybe in a few spots like Austin, Texas, where you’ve seen a tech industry thrive,” Obama said. “But the truth is, two-thirds of these jobs are in non-high-tech industries like health care, or manufacturing, or banking, which means they’re in every corner of the country.” The country has about 5 million job vacancies and more than half are in the high-tech sector, according to the White House. The jobs also pay 50 percent more than the average private sector wage. The 20 regions kicking off TechHire have over 120,000 vacant technology jobs. “As technology changes the way we interact as individuals, it is also shaping our work environment and shifting the nature of skills needed to fill today’s jobs,” Hodges said. “While Minneapolis does enjoy great economic momentum with just a 3 percent unemployment rate, we know that not all share in that momentum.” She said the TechHire project is a good opportunity to close the unemployment gap between white people and people of color. TechHire will focus on helping job seekers acquire high-tech skills through universities and community colleges along with coding boot camps and online courses. Three local accelerated training programs — Prime Digital Academy (primeacademy.io), IT-Ready (creatingfutures.org/it-ready-students) and Concordia University (bootcamp.csp.edu) — will expand to provide training for 300 people this year for entry-level software jobs. The Nerdery, a custom software design and development company, launched Prime Digital Academy in December 2014. It’s an 18-week accelerated learning program that focuses on foundational software engineering skills. Concordia University’s Bootcamp, which also launched in 2014, is the first IT coding bootcamp offered by an accredited university for college credit. It’s a 12-week program designed to train students for jobs as junior developers in local businesses. IT-Ready got its start in Minneapolis in 2012. It’s a program of the Creating IT Futures Foundation, which focuses on helping unemployed and underemployed people with limited IT experience train for jobs in the industry. More than 60 employers and apprenticeship partners have committed to support the training programs. “Our partnership will continue to increase accessibility of the programs by making funding available for qualified students who would other- Local training programs will help get 300 people ready for entry-level software jobs this year. wise be unable to afford to attend,” Hodges said. Minnesota has more than 120,000 tech workers with a payroll near $10 billion, according to the Minnesota High Tech Association. The jobs have an average salary of $79,200. Within 10 years, the state is expected to have 200,000 technology jobs — not including those in healthcare. The TechHire initiative also includes a $100 million grant competition from the Department of Labor for innovative ideas to get more under- 22 yrs. Fully Insured represented people — like women, people of color and veterans — into tech jobs. “At a time when we all lead digital lives, anybody who has the drive and the will to get into this field should have a way to do so, a pathway to do so,” Obama said. a chance to win $500 The Quest for 5 clues in all Morrissey’s Magical Medallion Lawn Mowing Cleanup / Dethatching Aeration / Seeding 612-345-9301 Sat, march 14 - noon Snow Removal Fertilizer & Weed Control Gutter Cleaning Begin your Quest at Morrissey’s Irish Pub at noon on Saturday, March 14th. Grab a beverage & receive your first clue. peterdoranlawn.com Peter Doran SWJ 031215 H12.indd 1 3/10/15 1:08 PM Then continue on to our good friends and neighbors at: Bryant Lake Bowl (for clue 2), Muddy Waters (for clue 3), Tinto Cocina + Cantina (for clue 4). Then return to Morrissey’s for your 5th and final clue. With all 5 clues in hand, let the Quest begin! May the luck of the Irish be with ya! 913 West Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55408 · (612) 465-8555 · morrisseysuptown.com Morrissey's Irish Pub SWJ 031215 H12.indd 2 3/10/15 2:52 PM MoveWithMichael.com Are you I am your neighbor ... and that matters! thinking about a move? Michael Kaslow Real Estate Professional • 2013 and 2014 Super Agent by Mpls/St. Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business Monthly • 2014 Edina Realty President’s Circle • 2015 Edina Realty Master’s Circle • Member of Exceptional Properties 612.619.6855 michaelkaslow@edinarealty.com The 2015 Spring market is going to be strong. It is important to start the conversation now in order to be prepared to list your home. You want your home to stand out from the competition, so give me a call and let’s get your plan in place. 5318 S. Lyndale Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55419 Kaslow, Michael SWJ 031215 H3.indd 1 3/6/15 10:08 AM A8 March 12–25, 2015 / southwestjournal.com PUBLISHER Janis Hall jhall@southwestjournal.com CO-PUBLISHER AND PRESIDENT Terry Gahan tgahan@southwestjournal.com GENERAL MANAGER Chris Damlo 612-436-4376 cdamlo@southwestjournal.com EDITOR Sarah McKenzie 612-436-4371 smckenzie@southwestjournal.com ASSISTANT EDITOR Dylan Thomas 612-436-4391 dthomas@southwestjournal.com STAFF WRITERS Michelle Bruch mbruch@southwestjournal.com Eric Best ebest@southwestjournal.com CONTRIBUTING WRITER Olivia Mirodone CLIENT SERVICES Zoe Gahan 612-436-4375 zgahan@southwestjournal.com Mattie Eslinger 612-436-4386 meslinger@southwestjournal.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dana Croatt dcroatt@southwestjournal.com SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Valerie Moe vmoe@southwestjournal.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Amanda Wadeson awadeson@southwestjournal.com DISTRIBUTION Marlo Johnson 612-436-4388 distribution@southwestjournal.com CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 612-825-9205 classifieds@southwestjournal.com By Jim Walsh ‘We’d give the ball to Prince’ W hen Gene Anderson saw the photo of Prince’s junior high school basketball team flying around the Internet last week, he said, “I’ve had that photo for 40 years. I might’ve even taken it, I can’t remember for sure.” What Anderson does remember for sure is his days as basketball coach at Bryant Junior High, the feeder school for the former Central High School that, in the early and mid-’70s, was located at the current Sabathani Community Center at 310 E. 38th St. No school basketball team existed at Bryant at the time, until Anderson helped launch an after-school intramural program. “In 1968 they were having some trouble at Central High School as a result of some of the crap that was going on in this country,” said Anderson, 73, a grandfather of three who taught for 32 years in the Minneapolis school system and now lives in Taylors Falls with his wife Marion, who once upon a time ran Guse Hardware and wrote and published The Guse News, a lively and informative one-sheet straight outta the corner store on 46th and Bryant. “What was happening in the Minneapolis Public Schools then was that all the athletics money went to the senior highs, and the junior highs didn’t get anything. But yet, 13- and 14-year-olds have all that energy and they needed something to do. We came up with a play-off situation and all that, and the kids just loved it.” Eventually, Anderson and crew outgrew intramural play and wanted to play other schools in Minneapolis — though no money existed to support a team. “Somehow we came up with the money and I contacted Folwell and Sanford and some of those other schools, and they all had similar experiences going on. So we all put together traveling basketball teams and that’s what you see in this picture,” said Anderson. The picture’s most famous ballplayer is Prince, which is why it went viral last week, and why members of Prince nation are undoubtedly lusting after Bryant #3 throwback jerseys right about now. For added clickbait, the Deadspin article that blew up the Jon Bream-penned StarTribune clip came with the headline, “Prince was once an afro-rocking, coach-hating high school basketball player.” Coach-hating? “I don’t know who said that, but I never saw that. I never felt that at all,” said Anderson. “He had a little The 1971 Bryant Junior High basketball team included (front row, right-toleft) Russell Gary (4), Herb Wilburn (14), Joey Wilburn, Prince Rogers Nelson (3), and (back row) Greg Boone (20), Calvin Anderson (31), Duane Nelson (21), and Paul Mitchell (12). bit of an attitude, but what junior high kid doesn’t? In my estimation, he was a normal junior high kid and he was with a bunch of guys who were really good guys. “But on my little basketball team, when we needed to kill something, we’d give the ball to Prince. He could dribble like crazy. He’s a real good athlete. He just didn’t have the size that some of those other kids did, but he was quick, and he was really smart. He didn’t have to study too hard to do junior high work; he’d do it once and he had it. I always said, ‘Make sure you put your education before music,’ and he was like, ‘Yeah, sure.’” In addition to being one of the first photos of Prince, the yearbook photo is historic for the fact that it includes future members of Central’s 1975-76 basketball team, long regarded as one of the best high school basketball teams in the state: Greg Boone, who was runner-up to Kevin McHale for Mr. Basketball in 1976; Prince’s late half-brother Duane Nelson, a smooth Puma-wearing shooting guard; the equally smooth Wilburn brothers; Russell Gary, who played football for Nebraska and was an all-pro defensive back in the NFL with New Orleans and Pittsburgh, and others — Larry Travis, Matt Bolden, Kenny Trawick, Gary Fisher — whose names roll off Anderson’s tongue like he coached them yesterday. “They all hung together, and Prince hung with those kids all the time, but he was kind of his own guy. He was already starting a little band, and [Time member and Flyte Time and Jam and Lewis co-founder] Terry Lewis from North High School — he won the 100-yard-dash in the state tournament — he and Prince and all those guys were starting to form up and getting together to jam, even in junior high.” In terms of a budding genius’s initial inspiration, it’s hard to beat the combination of a high school basketball powerhouse made up of peers and the music of the day (Parliament-Funkadelic, Ohio Players, Al Green, Earth, Wind & Fire, Marvin Gaye, Wild Cherry, Stevie Wonder), all of which led to a career as Minneapolis’s most well-known and influential musician — the fruits of which Prince’s old coach has never partaken in. “I’ve heard his music but I’ve never seen one of his performances,” said Anderson. “The only other time I’ve ever talked about this is one night when ‘Purple Rain’ was about to come out, some guy from the New York Times called me at home and said ‘I heard you had Prince in school, what was he like?’ I said, ‘If you’re looking for dirt, you’ve come to the wrong place because he was a good kid.’ He was a smart kid. He was a very smart kid and he pretty much paid attention to business in school.” beyond me. This simple fact has me puzzled. Why are they being asked to learn math that in six decades of life I’ve never needed? In fact, outside of science and engineering or university mathematics teaching, I can’t imagine where these sorts of calculations are useful. This prompts me to wonder: just what is the agenda of mathematics education in this fashion and at this level? This curriculum, as directed by the Legislature and implemented by Minneapolis Public Schools, certainly has nothing to do with utility. I wonder if it has to do, in part, with submission: you (student) will do these problems in this way because the powers that be so decree. The lesson is not about mathematics, it’s about power. But I think there’s more. When I graduated from the University of Wisconsin I read in my program that the commencement speaker was a statistician. I sighed and resigned myself to a stretch of boredom. Jim Walsh lives and grew up in East Harriet. He can be reached at jimwalsh086@gmail.com Voices PRINTING ECM, Inc. NEXT ISSUE DATE: MARCH 26 News deadline: March 18 Ad deadline: March 18 Puzzled by math curriculum 37,000 copies of the Southwest Journal are distributed free of charge to homes and businesses in Southwest Minneapolis. Sorry to say I can no longer help my sons with their math homework. They are sophomores at Southwest High school and the math they’re doing is way The Southwest Journal, 1115 Hennepin Ave, Mpls, MN 55403 phone: 612-825-9205 © 2015 Minnesota Premier Publications, Inc Subscriptions are $32 per year SEE LETTERS / PAGE A11 NEW LISTING AT 4136 EWING AVE S Classic Linden Hills Tudor that is loaded with all the character and charm one would expect in the area! $450,000 Call today to schedule a walk through. Or ask Dave for a market evaluation of your home… Selling SW Since 1985! DAVE ANDERSON PRINTED WITH SOY INK ON RECYCLED PAPER EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS SINCE 1985! Anderson, Dave SWJ 031215 masthead banner.indd 1 952-924-8724 direct | 612-750-2209 cell www.realtorDA.com 3/4/15 1:26 PM southwestjournal.com / March 12–25, 2015 A9 Viewpoints By Tane Danger The Orth House, which was recently demolished, has been the subject of social media drama. File photo A bad sign N ormally, my job is to get people to tune in to public policy topics that to the casual observer, might seem boring or dry. The company I co-founded, The Theater of Public Policy, uses improv comedy to deconstruct issues and advance civic dialogue, particularly on a local level. So it feels more that a bit unusual for me to suggest that we have gotten too wrapped up in an episode of byzantine public policy and city politics. That some of the players involved have gone so far as to be beyond satire. And that things are pretty bad if the improv comedy guy is the one telling people to grow up. For more than a year, a tempest has been brewing in a Minneapolis hot-dish pan. A 19th century house in the Wedge neighborhood, became the focal point in an unending debate over development, historic preservation, property rights, and who gets to decide the true character of any city block. Throw in a reality television star, the crucible of local politics, and a throng of Internet trolls and this tater tot hot dish turned radioactive. Originally designed and constructed by master builder T.P. Healy, the former home in question suffered many fires over the years and was eventually converted to a 16-room boarding house. (Take a moment to appreciate that there was still a boarding house in Minneapolis, a type of business that seems more at home in a time of separate twin beds for married couples than the era of Airbnb). More than a year ago, the owner submitted an application to demolish the old house. He wanted to sell to developer looking to build a 45-unit apartment building on the site. After months of bureaucratic reviews and multiple legal challenges, both the City Council and the courts said there was not adequate justification to halt the demolition. At this point, you’d be forgiven if you found this a sad, if altogether un-newsworthy tale. Yet as the bulldozers moved in on this Healy house last week, the temperature was turning up online. Facebook and Twitter pundits, led by HGTV television personality Nicole Curtis, focused their energy and vitriol squarely on Minneapolis Council Member Lisa Bender. To read Curtis and her ilk, you might think Bender filled the house with orphans, tied the whole thing to a train track, and laughed maniacally, stroking her long curling mustache as the steam engine approached. What else could justify the commenter on Curtis’s various posts to call to bulldoze Bender’s own house? Or cut the brake lines on her car? Or “bend-er over” and sexually assault her with a wrecking ball? If you’re thinking that nothing justifies calling for someone’s sexual assault, good news! You’ve passed the bare minimum threshold for being a member of civilized society. Some will argue it’s not the role of a reality television show host to offer civility lessons to Internet commenters from as far away as Florida and Pennsylvania. Demonstrating and facilitating adult civic discourse isn’t something we should ask of HGTV show stars. That’s clearly a job best left to an improv comedy show host. We have had Council Member Bender on The Theater of Public Policy twice, where live on stage I have asked her about the tensions between historic preservation and new development. She has answered the questions of any audience member who attended. And through entirely unscripted theater, our cast poked at both Bender’s positions and those of her opponents. Both events were civil affairs (I’ll leave how far short they fell of entertaining to others). No audience member raised their hand to suggest inflicting bodily harm on Ms. Bender. None of the cast’s unscripted scenes were threats of violence or implications of sexual impropriety. Perhaps that’s because it is harder to debase oneself and one’s opponents when you actually have to look them in the eye, as opposed to taunt them from behind a keyboard. But had any of that kind of rhetoric arisen from the audience or my cast, I would have felt my role as a host (and as a human being) would be to stop it, call it out as beyond the pale, and apologize. So if a small local comedy show (with a fan base numbering in the dozens) and its untrained, unpolished, and arguably unfit host can set some standard of decency for the kinds of conversations it wants to inspire and facilitate, certainly more well-known, prominent, and powerful people can do the same. If Nicole Curtis and her backers have the resources to bring a camera crew to Minneapolis City Hall for some dramatic television, and she can offer to fund Bender’s next council seat opponent, certainly she can offer some example of how to have an adult, respectful political disagreement. Because who wants to live in a world where the local improv comedy team has to be the mature ones in the conversation? Tane Danger is the co-founder of The Theater of Public Policy, a 2014 Bush Fellow, and a Masters of Public Policy Candidate at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. He lives in Minneapolis. MORE ONLINE To read City Council Member Lisa Bender’s thoughts on the Orth House controversy, go to southwestjournal.com and click on “A call for civility and cooperation.” A10 March 12–25, 2015 / southwestjournal.com News RIPPLE EFFECT: HOW WILL TARGET LAYOFFS IMPACT CITY? By Sarah McKenzie / smckenzie@southwestjournal.com Target’s plan to shed 3,100 jobs is certain to have a significant impact on downtown and the region’s economy. The corporation is downtown’s largest employer and the state’s fourth largest company. Its bullseye brand is ubiquitous in the city. Target announced plans March 10 to layoff 1,700 employees and permanently close 1,400 vacant positions, said Molly Snyder, a spokeswoman for the corporation. “While today’s news is difficult, it’s important to know that we will continue to make investments in our business and team — particularly in areas such as digital, personalization, data and analytics, and engineering — to position Target for future success,” she said. “Our goal is to treat all affected team members with the respect they deserve. Therefore, Target will provide each individual with a comprehensive package including more than 15 weeks of pay plus additional severance based on years of service.” Laid-off employees will also receive career outplacement support, access to free executive education courses and a portion of their benefits coverage paid by Target for the next six months, Snyder said. “Today is a very difficult day for the Target team, but we believe these are the right decisions for the company,” she said. “We will continually review opportunities to control cost and fuel growth.” The reboot plan was announced by Target leaders at a meeting March 3 with investors in New York City. Target Chairman and CEO Brian Cornell said the new roadmap comes after a “thorough, strategic review” of the corporation’s business and the “changing retail landscape.” “We’re focused on our future and building the capabilities that will take us further, faster,” he said. “Redefining Target will require a renewed emphasis on prioritization and innovation, and above all else, putting our guests first in everything we do.” Before the cuts, Target had about 10,000 employees based at its Minneapolis headquarters. Government and business leaders have expressed sympathy for those who will be impacted by the layoffs at Target, but spoke with optimism about how downtown will weather the major restructuring of its largest employer. Gov. Mark Dayton and Lt. Gov. Tina Smith met with Cornell to discuss the layoffs March 9. The governor has raised concerns about the cuts and suggested other states might recruit laid-off workers away from Minnesota. After the meeting, Dayton said Cornell assured him that Target is committed to the state. Dayton’s family opened the first Target store in Roseville in 1962, but is no longer affiliated with the retailer. The layoffs come as many new high-end rental developments have recently opened downtown and more are in the pipeline. A renovation of the Nicollet Mall is also nearing fruition and Downtown East is poised for a major transformation with the new Vikings stadium, Wells Fargo towers and the Commons. Mayor Betsy Hodges called Target a “great Minnesota company” and noted that “all great companies go through ups and downs.” “Target is resourceful and resilient, and I know that it has the ability to weather this setback,” she said. “My thoughts are with Target’s talented employees at this challenging time.” Hennepin Theatre Trust CEO Tom Hoch, the new chair of the Minneapolis Downtown Council/DID board of directors, said Target and its employees are “a cherished and important part of our community.” “The loss of so many jobs is surely devastating for employees and certainly impinges on the vitality of our downtown,” he said. “But, the overall health of Target is also important and all of us in Minneapolis both want and need Target to be vibrant and successful. Every single member of our community — business, government, schools, cultural organizations — is behind Target as they forge their path to improved performance.” Carl Runck, director of development at downtown-based Ryan Cos., said overall downtown’s Central Business District has about 160,000 workers and new companies are on the way. “Despite this news, the inflight of knowledge workers wanting to work and live in downtown BY THE NUMBERS: 10,000 Target employees downtown before cuts 13,000 Target employees throughout Twin Cities (including downtown) before cuts 1,700 Employees laid off 1,400 Vacant positions eliminated $2 billion Anticipated cost savings from restructuring 1962 Year first Target store opened Minneapolis is a trend that is here to stay,” he said. “Dozens of companies including Be The Match, Aimia, Young America, Weber Shandwick, Eide Bailly (among others) have recently chosen to relocate downtown to attract and retain top talent. Downtown’s other largest employers including Wells Fargo, US Bank, and Ameriprise continue to grow and invest here.” He predicted downtown’s newest housing developments would be “minimally affected” by Target’s layoffs. “Nearly half of residents in the new generation of projects are reverse commuters who work at employers in the suburbs and opt to live downtown for its amenities and active lifestyle,” he said. “Apartment and condo communities downtown are not solely dependent on proximity to Learn SpaniSh FROM AN EXPERIENCED PRIVATE INSTRUCTOR CBD employers.” Fritz Kroll, a real estate agent with Edina Realty’s downtown office, said he’s also hopeful the residential real estate market will remain strong. “In my experience, Target employees are the most likely to live downtown,” he said. “They tend to be urban, from other cities, and can afford to live in the city. There are many other companies that are hiring, and I hope that many of those laid off can find other jobs downtown.” As for downtown retail, Andrea Christenson, vice president at commercial real estate firm DTZ, said she anticipates retailers closest to Target’s headquarters on the south end of Nicollet Mall will be most impacted by the job losses, including the Target store at 9th & Nicollet. Overall, she predicted the changes at Target would have a “negligible” effect on downtown retailers because residents make up an increasingly larger chunk of the shoppers downtown. “You hate to see these jobs go away, but we have a diverse economy,” she said. As for its reboot, Target will focus on continued growth in digital sales and prioritize style, baby, kids and wellness as its key merchandise categories. Those four categories accounted for more than a quarter of Target’s sales in 2014, according to a statement released by the company. It will also focus on launching more of its smaller urban stores, TargetExpress and CityTarget. Target has 1,795 stores in the U.S. The changes are expected to save Target $2 billion over the next two years, according to Target leaders. “While we’re in the early days and there’s no doubt that transformation can be challenging, we’re taking the steps necessary to unleash the potential of this incredible brand,” Cornell said. “I’m encouraged by our early momentum, and am confident that by implementing our strategy, simplifying how we work, and practicing financial discipline, we will ignite Target’s innovative spirit and deliver sustained growth.” We pay top dollar in town for your... • LANGUAGE • CULTURE • Quality Used Vinyl, CDs & DVDs Michael O’Connor, MA 612-922-2640 www.SpanishMN.com mjoc07@gmail.com O'Connor, Michael SWJ SPEC 2015 VBC.indd 2/23/15 10:00 1 AM Get an additional 20% if you choose store credit over cash. 952/926-8177 Electric Fetus DTJ 021215 6.indd 1 Lund Food Holdings SWJ 031215 9.indd 1 3/6/15 Harvey's 3:21 PM Dog Walking SWJ NR2 VBC.indd 4/5/10 1 2:56 PM 2/10/15 4:09 PM southwestjournal.com / March 12–25, 2015 A11 FROM LETTERS / PAGE A8 What a surprise to find the speaker fascinating, engaging and thought-provoking. Through examples sometimes comic, sometimes frightening, he challenged the graduates to be very skeptical of mathematical data by showing many clever ways it can be presented so as to distort its real meaning. That day, I gained a window into mathematical understanding that is still useful to me many years later. But that kind of critical understanding appears to be the polar opposite of the forced march to conformity that I see in my sons’ homework. No wonder so many people were hoodwinked into impossible mortgages during the housing boom: they never learned the math skills to understand the papers they signed. How many voters today comprehend the numbers involved in the Vikings stadium — or the impact of an $8-an-hour minimum wage? More practically, how many high school students have the mathematical and analytic skills to understand the risks and benefits of college debt — a calculation of immediate significance and long-term consequence? These days the mainstream media for the most part “reports” whatever politicians say without challenge: “so-and-so said this will cost/save x-million dollars over five years.” How can we as citizens evaluate such a statement? While my son’s math teacher makes an eloquent case for the beauty of pure mathematics, my sons and their peers are not gaining mathematical tools for citizenship. They are not learning to comprehend or critique the numbers that fly at us all from politicians and hucksters. There is, I believe, a citizenship deficit today. Far too often in our political discourse argument overwhelms or ignores data. The tools for living democracy include a critical understanding of the significance of numbers. As a humanist, I appreciate a love of mathematics, but as a citizen, I want understanding. SPRING MARKET IS HOT! Here’s what we listed & sold in the last 2 weeks TOM MECKEY MARCIA McLEAN BRANCH MANAGER / REALTOR tom@tommeckey.com REALTOR marcia@marciamclean.com Bob Walser D JU ST LIS NS NE TR W UC TIO CO 1804 W. 49TH ST 5908 EMERSON AVE S 3005 W. 70 1/2 ST LYNNHURST NEIGHBORHOOD KENNY NEIGHBORHOOD RICHFIELD | TOTAL RENOVATION $564,900 $319,000 4 Beds | 4 Baths 4 Beds | 2 Baths SWMPLSHOMES.COM SWMPLSHOMES.COM SWMPLSHOMES.COM IN SO 7 D LD AY S BE S FO OL RE D PR IN T $625,000 3 Beds | 2 Baths IN SO 8 D LD AY S Thank you to Commissioner Marion Greene and the entire Hennepin County Board for taking a strong stand to protect clean indoor air in our county. Your vote to prohibit the use of e-cigarettes wherever smoking is currently prohibited ensures that everyone’s right to breathe clean indoor air is preserved. As a public health researcher, I am impressed with the commissioners’ recognition that prevention is the essence of sound public health policy. Preventing unwanted exposure to the aerosol of these unregulated products means we are protecting the most vulnerable among us, including children, pregnant women and those with chronic illnesses. Hennepin County has long been a leader in passing healthfocused policies. The clean indoor air ordinance that the county passed in 2005 helped set the stage for a statewide law that has prevented illness and saved many lives. I applaud the county board for once again voting to safeguard the health of Hennepin County citizens, workers, and visitors. TE N D TE LIS JU ST A thank you to county leaders for taking a stand on e-cigs PROPERTY SHOWCASE Deborah Hennrikus Gratitude for the SWJ I’ve just finished reading the most recent issue of SW Journal (vol 26) and realized that every time I read the Journal I feel deep gratitude for this place I call home. I appreciate the coverage you give to things happening in our school district, our arts community, and events that make us an entertaining city 12 months of the year! Thank you for helping us celebrate Minneapolis with the great work your team does with the paper. 4905 ZENITH AVE S 5605 HEATHER LANE 5518 PLEASANT AVE S FULTON NEIGHBORHOOD EDINA WINDOM NEIGHBORHOOD $815,000 $489,900 $442,500 4 Beds | 4 Baths 4 Beds | 3 Baths 4 Beds | 4 Baths SWMPLSHOMES.COM SWMPLSHOMES.COM SWMPLSHOMES.COM Bethany Johnson LET US HEAR FROM YOU State your opinion in 250 words or fewer. Letters must be signed and include a mailing address and neighborhood; please include a telephone number where we can reach you. Letters may be edited, and we can’t guarantee they will be published. NOW AT 50TH & FRANCE 3926 W. 49 1/2 ST., EDINA, MN 55424 E-mail (preferred): journaleditor@southwestjournal.com Fax: 825-0929 By mail: Letters to the Editor, 1115 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55403 SWMPLSHOMES.COM 952.777.4039 Meckey, Tom SWJ 031215 V2-3.indd 2 3/10/15 8:52 AM A12 March 12–25, 2015 / southwestjournal.com News From substation to ‘aquarium’ to home office hub By Michelle Bruch / mbruch@southwestjournal.com A Kingfield couple (he’s an architect, she coaches entrepreneurs) plans to buy a former NSP substation at 33rd & Garfield known as the “Garfield Aquarium” and convert it into four residences and a co-working hub. In a second phase of the project, they would use the open space on the lot to build six apartments surrounding a garden between the buildings. New structures along the alley and fronting Garfield would match the height of the aquarium, and a bungalow on the north side of the lot would stand one-two stories. They’re also considering public art, fruit trees along the south wall, a historic designation for the building, and beehives or a greenhouse on the roof. “We’re making a place the community can continue to connect,” said Aaron Parker, who has a purchase agreement to buy the building. In the co-working area, Parker envisions serving Bull Run coffee, providing business development trainings, and offering video or recording technology that people may not have at home. “Our preference, because of our community orientation, is really to provide that local service to people who home office in the area,” Parker said. “It’s not a front door to somebody’s house, and it makes sense to use it that way. ... I don’t think it’s as good for the neighborhood to have it just be residential.” “It’s not about the building, it’s about the neighborhood,” said Karen Parker. Aaron Parker’s firm has done eight projects for the American Swedish Institute, and his architectural work includes Humboldt Greenway residences in North Minneapolis, higher-ed buildings like the Drake University Law Library, and government buildings like the U.S. Embassy in Chile. He also worked as co-leader of teams that prepared small area plans for Uptown and Lake Street/Midtown Greenway. The Garfield Aquarium would be his first project as developer. In order to build the project as currently envisioned, the new owners would need the city to rezone the site from R2B to OR1, which is a “neighborhood office residence district.” The project would include parking for five vehicles, with parking under the new development. Aaron noted that the site is near bike paths and bus routes. He said people are increasingly foregoing cars to rely on biking and mass transit, and some millennials don’t want to spend the money to own a car. In a March 3 meeting designed to solicit feedback from the neighborhood, some residents raised concerns about parking. Next-door neighbor Lisa Lewis said that in the “here and now,” most people do own cars and need a place to put them. Some said parking is already a problem, and they are nervous about adding new residents with only five spaces allocated for them. Some residents also expressed concern about the zoning change, which would be permanent even if the development falls through. Other residents said they were happy the building would be preserved. Linda Alton works as a facilitator and strategic planner, and said she hops between several public workspaces. “I think you’re on the edge of something terrific,” she said. EST. 1914 Uptown Man Knows Old Homes Central Air Conditioning for Homes with Radiators SAVE $ 1,000 on a Whole House Retrofit Air Conditioning System Must be installed by 5/28/15 Offers not valid with any other offer. Must present at time of service. • Specially designed for homes with radiators • Eliminate noisy and inefficient window A/C units • Ultra quiet operation • Small ducts fit seamlessly throughout vintage homes • Matches any decor — outlets customized for each room (color match and wood options available) • Increase the safety of your home by never again needing window A/C units • Enjoy the comfort of central A/C while increasing the value of your home • Retrofit A/C system featured on This Old House UptownHeatingAndCooling.com • (612) 424-9349 • (651) 304-6481 Uptown Heating SWJ 031215 4.indd 1 3/11/15 11:15 AM A plan to restore the “Garfield Aquarium,” a former NSP substation at 33rd & Garfield, would convert the lot into residences and co-working space. Photo by Michelle Bruch Residents were encouraged to submit feedback on the project to Mark Hinds, executive director of the Lyndale Neighborhood Association, at mark@lyndale.org. The Lyndale Neighborhood Association looked at the building when it came up for sale, but couldn’t afford to take it on. “We would love to, but we didn’t want to spend two years raising half a million dollars,” said Hinds. The building is already well-known to the neighborhood. In 1996, neighbors hid the former NSP generator behind paintings of fish, and called it the “aquarium.” According to a Lyndale Neighborhood News story by Jennifer Arnold: The building caught the attention of Steve Lick when he moved in nearby. It reminded him of the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, and he imagined covering the boarded windows with fish. With the help of the Lyndale neighborhood group, Lick and artist Leisa Luis created a community “paint by number” project (telling kids to paint magenta on every space numbered “4,” for example). They took design ideas from kids, who created the smaller imaginative fish and suggested cultural elements like the eel with a Native American beaded pattern. An annual “Fish Fest” at the aquarium each summer celebrates the public art. Last year, there were fish tacos from Cafe Ena and live music by Tom Hunter’s blues band. southwestjournal.com / March 12–25, 2015 A13 FROM PAID LEAVE / PAGE A1 the Institute for Women’s Policy Research noting that if all workers had access to paid sick leave, emergency room visits would decline by 1.3 million visits a year and save $1.1 billion annually. President Barack Obama’s 2016 budget proposal includes $2 billion to encourage states to establish paid family and medical leave programs. The Department of Labor is also using a $1 million grant this year to help states and cities launch feasibility studies for paid leave policies. The paid-family leave proposals, backed by Democrats, face an uphill battle in the GOPcontrolled Congress. The United States is one of the few industrialized nations without paid family leave laws. Canada provides 15 weeks of paid maternity leave, according to the Department of Labor. The United Kingdom allows mothers to take up to 52 weeks of maternity leave, including 39 weeks of paid leave. At the state level, a new coalition called Minnesotans for Paid Family Leave is pushing for legislation that would allow all workers in the state a chance to take a paid leave of absence from their jobs to care for loved ones. Legislation introduced by Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL-Golden Valley) and Sen. Katie Sieben (DFL-Cottage Grove) would allow Minnesota employees the opportunity to take a paid leave with a percentage of their wages up to six weeks to care for family members. Doran Schrantz, executive director of ISIAH, a member of the coalition pushing for the Paid Family Leave Act, said workplace policies haven’t kept up with changing family dynamics as single parents lead more families and most two-parent households can’t afford to have one full-time caregiver at home who isn’t earning a paycheck. “Families have the same responsibilities to each other now that they have always had. We care for new babies. We care for sick children. And we care for elders in their senior years,” she U.S. Sen Al Franken recently met with Common Roots Cafe owner Danny Schwartzman and Jes Eiklenberg to discuss paid sick leave policies. Photo by Sarah McKenzie said. “Our workplace policies haven’t kept pace with our changing way of life, and that means many workers are forced to choose between caring for loved ones and bringing home a paycheck to meet basic needs. Nobody benefits when workers have to make that choice.” Only about 12 percent of American workers have the option of taking a paid family leave from their jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. About 60 percent of the country’s workers are covered under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which allows for unpaid leaves. The act covers private-sector employers with 50 or more employees, public agencies and public and private elementary and secondary schools. However, about 50 percent of workers covered by FMLA can’t afford to take an extended unpaid leave, according to the Labor Department. Peggy Flanagan, executive director of Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota, said parental leaves have a big impact on families. “When parents can afford to take the time they need to bond with a new baby or care for a seriously ill child, we strengthen families and we all benefit,” she said. The City of Minneapolis will consider a new paid parental leave policy in coming weeks, said Kate Brickman, communications director for Mayor Betsy Hodges. In December, the City Council’s Executive Committee asked city staff to research parental leave policies and report back with recommendations by the end of the first quarter. Two Minnesota cities — St. Paul and Brooklyn Park — have adopted paid leave policies. The City of St. Paul’s policy allows four weeks of paid leave to mothers of newborns and two weeks paid leave for the non-birthing parent. Adoptive parents are eligible for two weeks of paid leave as well. The City of Brooklyn Park allows employees to take one week of paid leave to care for babies — both mothers and fathers. Parents also can take an additional week of paid leave after the end of the 12-week unpaid leave allowed under the Family and Medical Leave Act. A14 March 12–25, 2015 / southwestjournal.com FROM RENTERS / PAGE A1 “I prefer to discuss everything directly with the tenants,” said Fernando, who has previously declined to print his last name. Nine renters met in an apartment and decided to visit the rental office together, hoping for power in numbers. To spread the word beforehand, Lozano and volunteers from the Lyndale Neighborhood Association knocked on every door at 3019, 3023 and 3027 Pleasant Ave. About 15 renters, including kids, visited the rental office on March 2 to discuss their concerns about paying online. Staff responded by saying the billing change would only apply to residents upon lease renewal, according to Jennifer Arnold, lead organizer of the Lyndale Neighborhood Association. Fernando declined to discuss the issue, and said staff explain terms directly with tenants. “People have options, it is a free market,” he said. “We comply with all Fair Housing laws.” HOME Line Managing Attorney Mike Vraa said landlords can’t mandate changes in payment mid-lease. He said he doesn’t think current law prevents them from requiring payment online for new leases, however. “At some point they’re going to alienate their market,” he said. “I’m not sure how much the landlord is going to gain by doing it this way.” Vraa said he’s seen some landlords ask tenants to take rent money directly to the property’s bank. That way tenants don’t need a bank account, he said, and staff still have the benefit of easily resolving questions over late payments and don’t have to directly handle money. Council Member Elizabeth Glidden said the online billing issue is “quite concerning” to her. “We have a large number of residents who are unbanked,” she said. Arnold said she’s talking to staff at Legal Natasha Villanueva (right) and Anain Lozano door knock at Pleasant Avenue apartments. Photo by Michelle Bruch Aid about whether a discrimination case might apply to the issue. Another area of concern at Lake & Pleasant relates to rules about the yard. Lozano and resident Maria Guadalupe said signs were posted on exterior doors saying kids should not play in the yard or hallways. One neighbor playing ball with his son in the yard was asked by staff to stop, they said. The women said kids typically play in a yard across the parking lot they believe is not owned by QT Properties. “Our apartments are very small,” Lozano said. “Why do the kids have to be all the time in the apartment?” When asked whether kids are prohibited from playing outside on the property, Fernando said that is not the case. “Kids are kids,” he said. “They have to be under supervision.” A lease started in November says children are not allowed to play in hallways, stairways or entryways, but says nothing about the outdoors. Vraa said it’s safer for a landlord to prohibit everyone from using outdoor space, rather than only kids, which would be deemed more discriminatory in court. It’s more common to see rules about outdoor activity in high-traffic areas, he said, where landlords are worried about kids running out in the street. He said the issue also crops up if many teenagers are hanging out on a property, which some landlords view as more dangerous. Another letter to tenants prompted legal action early this year. QT Properties staff wrote that beginning in January, they would start charging each unit for parking in the lot, with monthly fees of $25 for the first vehicle and $50 for the second. In response, Guadalupe and Lozano SHOP ONLINE OR IN OUR NEWLY REMODELED SHOWROOM BLOOMINGTON ON SITE VISIT OUR NEW SHOWROOM FOR FRIENDLY, HELPFUL SERVICE ONLINE CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR THE LOWEST PRICES IN THE METRO Freeway Ford SWJ 031215 H2.indd 1 9700 Lyndale Ave S, Bloomington, MN 55420 952-888-9481 FreewayFord.net 3/11/15 10:27 AM southwestjournal.com / March 12–25, 2015 A15 RESOURCES FOR RENTERS • HOME Line offers free legal advice to renters in Minnesota: homelinemn.org • Legal Aid offers free legal assistance to low-income people: mylegalaid.org • Landlord and Tenant Rights and Responsibilities, from the Minnesota Attorney General’s office: ag.state. mn.us/Consumer/Handbooks/LT/ Default.asp Worth driving to St. Louis Park for these prices? Heck, i t ’s w o r t h re n t i n g a truck! • United Renters for Justice meets regularly at the Lyndale Neighborhood Association community center at 3537 Nicollet Ave: 612-824-9402 x 12 sought help from Legal Aid and filed a rent escrow action in Hennepin County Housing Court. They argued that the landlord was denying parking as established in the lease, and endangered tenants by requiring them to park blocks away from the building. In a Feb. 4 hearing, Housing Court Referee Amy Draeger made a judgment in favor of the tenants and ordered the landlord to immediately issue them one parking permit. Although the judgment impacts Lozano and Guadalupe, it doesn’t alter the parking charges for the other units in the complex, Arnold said. The parking lot is nearly empty, Lozano said, as people now park on the street to avoid extra charges. Lozano and Guadalupe said they don’t think anyone else will challenge the parking fees, because most other tenants don’t want to cause trouble and risk eviction. Guadalupe said it is difficult for Latinos to find new apartments. Many apartments require a social security number from applicants, she said. “When you knock on the door, most people feel scared,” she said. “I think many people don’t know about their rights.” Lozano said some people are so nervous about the possibility of eviction they don’t want to ask for basic repairs. Glidden said she’s heard those worries anecdotally before. “The fear of retaliation is very common for making complaints about necessary repairs and health and safety issues,” Glidden said. “I’ve heard about it multiple times, and I think it is a very real piece of the atmosphere out there. It’s especially concerning right now, knowing that it’s such a tight rental market.” She said Regulatory Services staff are meeting with Corcoran and other neighborhood groups on tenant issues. “Over the past year in particular, a number of neighborhood groups are doing what is really hard work to engage with tenants who may not have typically been the subject of doorknocking to this extent,” Glidden said. QT Properties’ buildings at 3019 Pleasant, 3023 Pleasant, 3027 Pleasant and 3032 Pillsbury are not on the city’s “Good Cause” list, which uses a scoring system to restrict some properties from obtaining additional rental licenses. Violations at the buildings over the past two years included trash removal, bedbug extermination, repairs to units and propped doors. Glidden said she wonders if the city’s “Good Cause” list doesn’t always track with the variety of legal concerns a tenant might have. Glidden said the city could augment resources already given to HOME Line and Legal Aid, perhaps helping Spanish and Somali speakers access advice. She said she’d like to find ways for the city to be more responsive to tenants. “I’m pretty confident we’ll see additional action from the city on this topic,” Glidden said. 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A department-wide rollout for the technology is slated for late 2015. “My understanding is they have really been helpful,” Loining said. “In numerous incidents we have not just the visual, but the recorded audio, which is always helpful.” He said Southwest-area schools haven’t received any additional bomb threats since January threats were aimed at Southwest and Washburn High Schools. The threats are still under investigation, he said. Also under investigation is a Jan. 31 incident in which a car holding suspected shoplifters struck an officer in the Cub Foods parking lot at the 5900 block of Nicollet. The officer shot at the vehicle one time, police said, and the vehicle fled. The officer is back to work and recovered fully, Loining said. Loining said the precinct is seeing a pattern of burglaries in apartments, storage lockers and laundry rooms. Teen sentenced to 14 years in prison for robberies A Hennepin County District Court judge sentenced Antonio Deshawn Timberlake, age 17, to more than 14 years in prison for his role in four robberies in Southwest Minneapolis and Edina. Timberlake pleaded guilty in adult court to aggravated assault and robbery for incidents including a March 2014 robbery and stabbing in Armatage. In a memorandum, Judge William Koch shared some of Timberlake’s background, writing that “we cannot ignore his youth or his circumstances.” “In this case, the court is confronted with a 17-year-old defendant who was 16 years old at the time he engaged in an extended crime spree resulting in six victims and terrorized a community,” Koch wrote. “Unbeknownst to anyone at the time of the crimes rocking the southwestern portion of Minneapolis, one of the youthful perpetrators (and perhaps both) had a history of mental illness, drug use, and a chaotic childhood marked by involvement with the juvenile justice system — first as the focus of protective services due to situations beyond his control and influence; and then the subject of juvenile justice matters responding to his escalating behavior.” In three of the incidents between June 2013 and March 2014, Timberlake and other youth followed victims off the Route 6 bus and assaulted them and attempted to rob them, according to court documents. All three victims went to the hospital, two of them with lifethreatening cuts or stab wounds. A TOUCH OF GREECE IN THE HEART OF MINNEAPOLIS At a sentencing hearing March 2, Timberlake offered a “simple apology” to victims for his actions, according to court documents. In Koch’s sentencing memorandum, he said Timberlake’s mental health and supervision crashed at about the time of most of the offenses. He hadn’t attended school for months, Koch said, and in March 2014, two close family members died and a cousin was shot. “The three violent March robberies, while not excusable, seem in part to be triggered by a perfect storm of negative factors and influences in Mr. Timberlake’s short life,” Koch said. Timberlake will serve a minimum of twothirds of his sentence in prison, Koch said, with a maximum one-third on supervised release. At a minimum, he would be 27 when released. “This is an old enough age that he will have matured, yet a young enough age where he can work to rebuild his life,” Koch wrote. Co-defendant Navarr Jodia Ross, age 19, pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and abetting first-degree aggravated robbery related to an incident involving Timberlake in March 2014 at the Southdale Center parking lot. He was sentenced to 68 months in prison in December. Juvenile court records are private for another 13-year-old suspect. The judge said he received community impact statements from residents, and he applauded an Armatage community meeting that drew several dozen people last year in response to the incidents. 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Transit advocates say transit funding has been flat for a decade, even as more people opt to make it part of their daily lives. “It’s a big conversation and a priority at the capitol this session,” Lars Negstad, a strategic campaign coordinator with ISAIAH, said. “The need (for transit funding) is big and growing, and it’s a need that, from our perspective, you need new revenue to fix it.” Over the past decade, bus ridership rose 14 percent in the metro area and 25 percent in the rest of Minnesota, Negstad said. Metro Transit users logged more than 84.5 million individual trips in 2014, the highest total in more than three decades, the agency reported in January. Gov. Mark Dayton in January proposed a transportation funding package that would invest $6 billion over a decade into roads, bridges and transit, including $280 million per year in additional revenue for Twin Cities and suburban transit funded though a half-cent sales tax increase in the seven-county metro area. A different transportation funding proposal from Senate DFLers includes a three-quarter-cent metro sales tax increase and would raise $351 million annually for transit, local roads and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. Negstad said the existing quarter-cent sales tax was “instrumental in building out the lightrail system,” but that money is dedicated to capital expansion and operation of transitways as opposed to regular bus and light-rail operations. House Republicans, meanwhile, have pitched a much smaller transportation funding package that includes no new revenue dedicated to transit. The $750-million package includes $200 million for local roads and bridges taken from the state budget surplus. “For the time being, the House is reluctant to raise any revenue around transit,” Sen. Scott Dibble, co-author of the Senate transportation funding bill, said. On March 2, Dibble (District 61) and Rep. Frank Hornstein (61A) both started their commute to the capitol on a Metro Transit 6 bus from Southwest Minneapolis to downtown. As the bus pulled away from the Uptown Transit Center, Hornstein argued transit users are “less stressed, safer and save tons of money” compared to those who drive to and from work. Hornstein said a strong transit system is also crucial to the local economy because it’s one factor in attracting younger workers who are less likely to own cars. The 6 bus was standingroom-only by the time it passed the Walker Art Center, and many of the riders appeared to be in their 20s and 30s. REVOLUTIONARY SPORTS Summer Programs Sen. Scott Dibble, left, and Rep. Frank Hornstein chatted at a Minneapolis light-rail station as both commuted to work at the state capitol. Photo by Dylan Thomas “I’m the only bald guy on this bus,” Hornstein quipped. He and Dibble exited the bus downtown and transferred to a Green Line light rail train for the second leg of their commute to St. Paul. Both said that busy schedules and long days at the capitol could make relying solely on transit tough. Instead of busing home some nights, Hornstein opts to carpool with Rep. Jean Wagenius, a DFL colleague who represents an adjacent district. Dibble said he usually commutes by transit only once every two weeks or so during a legislative session, but will sometimes bike to the capitol. He acknowledged Hornstein was the more dedicated bus rider. But, Dibble added: “When we’re not in session, I almost never use my car.” THIS IS WHAT A HEART ATTACK FEELS LIKE TO A WOMAN. 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Make the Call. Don’t Miss a Beat. To learn more, visit WomensHealth.gov/HeartAttack US Dept of Health SWJ 2011 NR4 Filler 4.indd 1 4/26/11 5:02 PM A20 March 12–25, 2015 / southwestjournal.com FROM BAE / PAGE A1 for a voice like BAE’s, Stewart, who is director of outreach and external affairs for Education Post, said: “There are no great guardians of black students in the policy sphere of Minnesota.” The group’s founders describe BAE as a “for us, by us” social justice movement. One of them, University of St. Thomas law professor Nekima Levy-Pounds, said BAE exists “to frame the issues from our own perspectives as AfricanAmerican parents and community members.” “We’re unapologetic about being black, about raising concerns on behalf of black children and about being direct in our activism and advocacy for what it is we’re asking for,” Levy-Pounds said. That directness is nearly the opposite of ‘Minnesota nice,’ and although BAE has won a diverse group of supporters it also offended some with its blunt rhetoric. Stewart’s Twitter account was even blocked by @MPS_News for a time, meaning he couldn’t follow or view tweets from the district. After inquiries were made during the reporting of this story, a district spokesman said the blocking was unintentional and had been reversed. Stewart professed to find it humorous, adding the district was “not the first or the best” to attempt to ignore him. “To be fair, the Commissioner of Education (Brenda Cassellius) has also blocked me,” he said. Highlighting disparities BAE coalesced last summer around former Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson’s decision to launch the Office for Black Male Student Achievement with just $200,000 in funding — far too little and a “setup for failure,” said Levy-Pounds. Johnson later added $1 million to the office’s budget, and the district maintains it was “standard operating procedure” for the office’s director, Michael Walker, to draft a formal request and plan for the funds before the full amount was allocated. Then, at the start of the school year, controversy erupted around the awarding of a $385,000 contract to Community Standards Initiative, a group led by African-American community activists Al Flowers and Clarence Hightower. The contract was cancelled in October when it became clear the group would not be able to fulfill its goals of working with families to close the achievement gap. BAE framed the controversy as symptomatic of a situation where education leaders and policy makers engage with just a small group of black leaders instead of the wider community. It launched a Twitter campaign using the hashtag “#JimCrowJr” criticizing the district for lacking Law professor Nekima Levy-Pounds, second from right, spoke on a panel at the University of St. Thomas law school in downtown Minneapolis in March. Photo by Dylan Thomas transparency in the awarding of the CSI contract, while at the same time highlighting racial disparities in academic proficiency and graduation rates. “When we started looking at Minneapolis Public Schools, started looking at the statistics, started looking at the uneven allocation of resources, started looking at the proficiency rates amongst the different schools, we said this is reminiscent of the of the Jim Crow era,” LevyPounds said, referring to laws that codified racial segregation in the South after the Civil War. It was intended to point out examples of institutional and cultural racism, Levy-Pounds said, but to former Superintendent Johnson, who grew up in Selma, Ala., the tweets felt like a personal attack. In an interview in January, Johnson said, “It felt vile, it felt ugly and it was so hurtful to me.” “I thought it was an inappropriate term, knowing what Jim Crow meant,” Bill English of the Coalition of Black Churches said. “… I lived through rigid segregation, so I’m very much familiar with Jim Crow.” English said, in his experience, “using emotionally laden terms is not effective” when trying to address issues around race. Despite that disagreement, he said he respects and admires BAE’s advocacy, viewing them “co-collaborators.” ‘Facebook exploded’ While English is a regular and vocal presence at School Board meetings, he doesn’t engage as much in the online debate. (“I’m not the greatest social media person, because that’s not my media,” he said. “I’m of another generation.”) But the CSI controversy highlighted how BAE’s members can speak directly to their peers in Generations X, Y and Z. The acronym BAE mimics a teen slang term — a reference that might sail over even some 30-somethings’ heads. And when Levy-Pounds showed up to an October School Board meeting to protest the CSI contract, she brought a young man in a Kermit the Frog costume, evoking a popular Internet meme. The meme’s “But that’s none of my business” punch line is used to humorously or ironically express disdain. “When we did the Kermit memes, Facebook exploded,” she said. But do memes and tweets sway district decision makers? Although BAE and former School Board Chair Richard Mammen exchanged open letters on the CSI contract, Mammen said he lacked “an informed perspective” on BAE. Also on the receiving end of the “#JimCrowJr” tweets was School Board Member Rebecca Gagnon, who said “being inflammatory and hostile, pushing people’s buttons” was not an effective way to carry on a dialogue. Gagnon said BAE criticized her involvement in the CSI contract online, but no members ever attempted to have an in-person conversation about it. • Personalized One-on-One Dental Care aker Cosmetic • FREE Dental Implant & Family Dentistry Consultation Providing exceptional dental care to families for over 25 years! • Dental Services for All Ages SOUTHDALE MEDICAL CENTER 6545 France Ave. S. Suite 571, Edina 952.926.7696 marthabakerdds.com Baker, Martha DDS SWJ 112014 H18.indd 1 Formerly Emergency Foodshelf Network Beautiful SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES using locally native plants NEW LISTING 11/10/14 12:27 PM A spectacular property that blends original charm and grace with an outstanding renovation/addition with light-filled spaces throughout. 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They’ve also asked the School Board to reinstate its Equity and Achievement Committee, which was recently eliminated in a consolidation of board committees. Stewart said they don’t plan to alter their audacious style of advocacy. “We think what we’re saying is really serious, even though it’s not always scholarly in the way that we say things,” he said. “We think it’s important to call out injustice. It’s that simple.” southwestjournal.com / March 12–25, 2015 A21 News By Dylan Thomas & Michelle Bruch Spring forum focuses on organics recycling The expansion of residential organics recycling in Minneapolis is the focus of the Lynnhurst Environmental Committee’s March 14 Spring Forum. Three guests are scheduled to discuss the arrival in August of curbside organics pickup in some parts of the city not already served by a pilot composting program. The citywide rollout of organics recycling won’t be complete until 2016, and the city hasn’t yet decided in which areas the service will be added first. The scheduled guests are Minneapolis Recy- NEIGHBORHOOD SKETCHBOOK cling Coordinator Kellie Kish; John Jaimez, an organics and recycling specialist with Hennepin County Environmental Services; and Minnesota Composting Council Board Member Anne Ludvik of Specialized Environmental Technologies and The Mulch Store. Also expected at the meeting are Linden Hills residents already served by a pilot organics-recycling program. The spring forum is 9 a.m.–11:30 a.m. at City Church, 1501 W. 54th St. Minnesota FoodShare seeks donations to boost local food shelves Southwest food shelves join 300 in the state collecting extra food this month as part of the annual Minnesota FoodShare campaign. Last year’s drive raised more than $8 million and more than 4 million pounds of food. Nokomis Heights Lutheran Church at 5300 10th Ave. S. is hosting a March Madness drive in an effort to raise more than $3,300 for Community Emergency Services. They’re linking the food drive to the NCAA bracket — the more wins you pick, the more you give. Other local participants include The Aliveness Project at 38th & Nicollet, Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 4100 Lyndale Ave. S., Lynnhurst Congregational United Church of Christ at 4501 Colfax Ave. S. (their “Pack the Pews” weekend is March 22), Incarnation Catholic Church at 3817 Pleasant Ave. S., Joyce Uptown Food Shelf at 3041 Fremont Ave. S., Sabathani Community Center at 310 E. 38th St., and Simpson Food Pantry at 2740 1st Ave. S. A March 15 collection at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, 5025 Knox Ave. S., will benefit food shelves including Community Emergency Services. Minnesota FoodShare recommends donating high-quality, nutritious food such as flour, couscous, applesauce, dried fruit, 100 percent fruit juice, lentils, peanut butter, vegetable oil, dried herbs and coffee. Minnesota Foodshare reports that 1 in 10 Minnesotans experiences food insecurity on a regular basis, which is more people than attended Vikings home games during the 2014 regular season. Whittier Alliance hosts annual meeting Five at-large seats on the Whittier Alliance Board of Directors will be filled at the neighborhood organization’s annual meeting March 26 at Whittier International Elementary School, 315 W. 26th St. Neighborhood residents and business and property owners are eligible to vote in the board election and on a proposed reallocation of funds in Whittier’s Neighborhood Revitalization Program plan. The agenda for the annual meeting also includes presentation of the Good BY Fulton awards grants to local groups Farmers market youth art and bully prevention workshops will soon appear in Fulton, using funds from the inaugural year of the Fulton Small Grants Program. The Fulton Neighborhood Association is using $500-$2,000 grants to support programs that focus on youth education or enhanced community engagement. Out of seven applicants, four grant recipients include Simply Jane and ArtAble at 54th & Nicollet, which received $1,900 to provide free painting and youth art at the Fulton Farmers Market and Fulton Fall Festival. Southwest High School Music Boosters will use a $1,700 grant to support a student concert at Lake Harriet, and broaden exposure for guest artists. Lakes Martial Arts, which holds evening classes at Pershing Park, will use $993 for bullying prevention workshops. Students in Action, which works in 300 schools across the U.S., received $500 to develop community leaders. At Southwest High School, students meet weekly to plan service activities, and they take leadership training courses at the University of Minnesota. East Harriet Farmstead Neighborhood Association (EHFNA): Board meets 1st Wednesday monthly at Walker Methodist, 3737 Bryant Ave. S. (Health Service door) Kingfield Neighborhood Association (KFNA): Board meets 2nd Wednesday monthly at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, 41st & Nicollet. Stevens Square Community Organization (SSCO): Board meets 3rd Thursday monthly at the Loring-Nicollet Community Center, 1925 Nicollet Ave. S. East Isles Residents Association (EIRA): Board meets 2nd Tuesday monthly at Grace-Trinity Community Church, 1430 W. 28th St. Linden Hills Neighborhood Council (LHiNC): Board meets 1st Tuesday monthly at Linden Hills Park, 3100 W. 43rd St. Tangletown Neighborhood Association (TNA): Board meets 3rd Monday monthly at Fuller Park, 4800 Grand Ave. Fulton Neighborhood Association (FNA): Board meets 2nd Wednesday monthly at Pershing Park, 3523 W. 48th St. Lowry Hill Neighborhood Association (LHNA): Board meets 1st Tuesday monthly at Kenwood Neighborhood Center, 2101 W. Franklin Ave. West Calhoun Neighborhood Council: Board meets 2nd Tuesday monthly at 6 p.m. at The Bakken, 3537 Zenith Ave. S. Hale Page Diamond Lake Community Association (HPDL): Board meets last Monday of the month at 5144 13th Ave. S. Lowry Hill East (Wedge): Board meets 3rd Wednesday monthly at Jefferson Elementary School, 1200 W. 26th St. Kenny Neighborhood Association (KNA): Board meets 3rd Tuesday monthly at Kenny Park Building, 1328 W. 58th St. Lyndale Neighborhood Association (LNA): General membership meetings are on the 4th Monday monthly at Painter Park, 34th & Lyndale. Neighbor and Business awards. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for voter registration, a resource fair and social hour. The annual meeting runs 6:15 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Business and property owners who wish to vote must pre-register in person at the Whittier Alliance office, 10 E. 25th St., prior to the annual meeting. For more information on the meeting, proof-of-residency guidelines for voters and the proposed NRP plan change, go to whittieralliance.org. SOUTHWEST NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP MEETING TIMES Armatage Neighborhood Association (ANA): Board meets 3rd Tuesday monthly at Armatage Park, 57th & Russell. Bryn Mawr Neighborhood Association (BMNA): Board meets 2nd Wednesday monthly at Bryn Mawr School, 252 Upton Ave. S. Calhoun Area Residents Action Group (CARAG) meeting: Board meets 3rd Tuesday monthly at Bryant Square Park, 3101 Bryant Ave. S. Cedar-Isles-Dean Neighborhood Association (CIDNA) meeting: Board meets every 2nd Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m. at Jones-Harrison Residence, 3700 Cedar Lake Ave. East Calhoun Community Organization (ECCO): Board meets 1st Thursday monthly at St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church, 3450 Irving Ave. S. Kenwood Isles Area Association (KIAA): Board meets 1st Monday monthly at Kenwood Neighborhood Center, 2101 W. Franklin Ave. Lynnhurst Neighborhood Association (LYNAS): Board meets 2nd Thursday monthly at 6 p.m. at Lynnhurst Community Center, 50th & West Minnehaha Parkway. Whittier Alliance: Board meets 4th Thursday monthly at the Whittier Recreation Center, 425 W. 26 St. Windom Community Council: Board meets 2nd Thursday monthly at Windom Community Center, 5821 Wentworth Ave. A22 March 12–25, 2015 / southwestjournal.com By Dylan Thomas / dthomas@southwestjournal.com Helmet? Yes. Car? No. Minneapolis Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator Matthew Dyrdahl says he walks the talk Now that Matthew Dyrdahl, hired by the city in February to lead planning for bicycle and pedestrian projects, is settling into his new role, it’s time to ask him the tough questions, like: What do you think about bike helmets? “I enjoy wearing a helmet,” Dyrdahl responded brusquely midway through a Feb. 24 phone interview. “Next question.” There was a brief pause followed by the sound of hearty laughter pulsing over the phone line. Dyrdahl, 33, only Minneapolis’ second-ever bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, is well aware of his predecessor’s controversial choice to ride bareheaded like a Copenhagener. Sure, Dyrdahl continued, there’d been “a time or two” when he’d checked out a bicycle from the Nice Ride bike-sharing system and pedaled off without a helmet. Not everyone carries head protection when a commute blends a bus ride, cycling and walking. “I think that will stop now, just because of my position,” he said. But here’s the true test of a bicycle and pedestrian coordinator’s bona fides: What about a car? More online Go to southwestjournal.com to read an expanded version of this story. Dyrdahl got rid of his almost a year ago. “Part of the reason I don’t have a car is because I want to make sure I underDyrdahl stand the issues I’m working with,” he said. “So, (I) walk the talk in this work.” “Not owning a car, you have a different perspective, and you can really relate to people who might not have a choice to bike or walk,” he continued. “I value that personally, and professionally I think it’s a good thing, as well.” When Dyrdahl ditched his car he picked up a new set of wheels. A Brompton folding bike fits in the storage compartment of a Jefferson Lines bus, and that means he doesn’t have to bum rides up north to Nisswa, where his mother lives. His day-to-day bike is a red and black Trek fx 7.5, a commuter model he sometimes used to ride from his apartment in Northeast to his old job in at the Minnesota Department of Health in St. Paul, where he was the active transportation coordinator in the Physical Activity and Nutrition Unit. That’s a 12-mile commute, one way. “If you do that both ways, it’s about two hours of physical activity without trying,” he said. “That’s something we try to promote in this work.” A Minnesota native, Dyrdahl grew up in Coon Rapids, graduated from Blaine High School and attended St. Cloud State University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in community development and went on to receive his master’s in planning from Florida State University. After his stint in Tallahassee, Fla., Dyrdahl’s first job brought him back to Minnesota, where he worked as a transportation planner for the Headwater Regional Development Commission in Bemidji. He moved to Minneapolis when he started working at the state health department in early 2012. As the active transportation coordinator, Dyrdahl worked with cities across the state on improvements to encourage more bicycling and walking. During his three years in that role, he said, there was “a fairly dramatic increase in the number of Bike Friendly Communities officially recognized by the League of American Bicyclists” in Minnesota, including the cities of Bemidji, Grand Marais and Litchfield. He is also a league-certified bicycling instructor. In an interview after Dyrdahl’s hiring was announced, Director of Public Works Green Dry Cleaning & Wet Cleaning FREE LOANERS! 65 1- 2 3 1 -63 33 Let us customize your dog’s day. Dog walking • Pet sitting/boarding Dog play groups • Field trips theurbandog-mpls.com Steve Kotke said he was looking for a bicycle and pedestrian coordinator who was at the “cutting-edge” of designing cities for cyclists and walkers. What does that mean to Dyrdahl? He said he’s excited by the city’s recent push into the area of protected bikeways, designs that physically separate motorized and nonmotorized traffic. They should encourage “more people who aren’t currently comfortable riding right next to cars” to choose bikes for day-to-day transportation, he said. “We have a fantastic, world-class trail system in Minneapolis, and I think if we really connect those trails with places people go on a daily basis — such as grocery stores, parks, (the) library, work — I think Minneapolis will really be in a position to be the best cycling city in the nation,” he said. On the pedestrian side of things, he continued, a top-priority for Minneapolis continues to be improving snow removal from sidewalks during the winter. But he said encouraging people to walk year-round requires a greater focus on the built environment, on destinations and the experiences of walkers as they move through the city. “It’s not just looking at infrastructure but making sure people have places to go,” he said. 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Met Council would also reimburse the Park Board for staff time up to $250,000 for current and future light rail projects, including approximately $21,500 for staff time and nearly $150,000 for the anticipated costs of the board’s engineering studies on tunnel options. The agreement would put an end to the dispute between the board and council over the $1.6 billion project, which would extend the Green Line from downtown Minneapolis to Eden Prairie. The Park Board withdrew pursuing alternative tunnel alternatives options due to $115 to 140 million in additional costs, including $75 to $90 million for construction and $40 to $50 million for delays. A tunnel could also trigger the municipal consent process over again and affect President Barack Obama’s recommendation of funding the project for the 2016 federal budget, according to the resolution. “While a tunnel option has been determined to be feasible and the least impactful channel crossing alternative, the board may consider a tunnel to be not prudent because it results in costs of extraordinary magnitude,” said Park Superintendent Jayne Miller to the board. “The time required for additional review under Municipal Consent results in additional costs of extraordinary magnitude and threaten the viability of the SWLRT project.” According to Section 4(f) of the Federal Transportation Act, a transportation project that uses parkland can only move forward with a proposed route if there’s no “feasible and prudent” alternative. On top of that, however, some planning is necessary to minimize adverse environmental effects. Under the agreement, the Park Board and Met Council assert that a tunnel option would not be “prudent.” The Park Board would get a formal role in light rail projects to voice its concerns earlier, much like the city and county. Unlike most park departments that are part of the city, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is independent and isn’t included in Municipal Consent under state law. Met Council staff will use some of the board’s engineering work in its examination of the project’s impact on parkland. The board anticipates receiving a $148,800 reimbursement from Met Council, which is half the cost of two engineering studies into the feasibility and prudence of tunnel options. Met Council is expected to approve the agreement March 11. The two parties jointly announced the agreement in late February. Commissioners air grievances on SWLRT The board voted 6-3 to approve the memorandum of understanding (MOU) after several amendments and impassioned speeches. A couple Park Board commissioners used the opportunity to criticize years of SWLRT decisions. Commissioner Anita Tabb, who joined fellow commissioners Meg Forney and Annie Young as the board’s dissenting voices, criticized the project’s process for a lack of public engagement, poor leadership from several public entities and increasing costs. “That we’ve gotten to this point in the Southwest LRT project, I think should be a Harvard case study in how not to run government,” she said prior to the vote. “The Park Board is the only entity that has had the backbone to ask for a process that is fair and right.” She described Gov. Mark Dayton’s recently proposed $3.77 million cut to the Park Board’s budget over concerns of project delays as a “temper tantrum.” On a lack of Legislature support and increasing pressure on the board, Tabb said she was “incredibly Give a Gift to the People and Park You Love Find your next SW Minneapolis Home Find Us on the Corner of Wooddale Ave & Valley View Road in Edina Adopt a refurbished bench or engrave a brick paver at Lake Harriet and leave an impression that lasts for years to come! SnuffysMaltShops.com BUY ONE REGULAR BURGER GET ONE $3 OFF! 5” x 5” paver with three 12 character lines — $75 5” x 11” paver with four 12 character lines — $125 Benches with no engraving — $1,000 Benches with 37 character engraving — $1,250 www.swmplshomes.com Meckey, Tom SWJ 021215 H18.indd 3 disappointed and disgusted.” Forney echoed her dissent and tried to send the agreement back to staff for additional work, citing a disjointed relationship between the two entities. “This process has been flawed the entire way,” she said. “Trust has been eroded completely here.” President Liz Wielinski and commissioners Brad Bourn, John Erwin, Steffanie Musich, Jon Olson and Scott Vreeland approved the resolution. Musich and Wielinski said they felt more optimistic for the next light rail project on the horizon, the Bottineau Blue Line extension to Brooklyn Park, which has a 2018 construction start. “While this doesn’t make us 100 percent happy I think we’ve got a good agreement,” Wielinski said. “I know we’re going to have a better relationship going forward with Bottineau... I think that we’ll have a much better outcome there.” Meanwhile, a lawsuit was pending in federal court when this issue went to press alleging that the Metropolitan Council didn’t do adequate environmental review before it secured approvals for Southwest LRT. 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Kramer, former dean of the College of Education, Leadership and Counseling at the University of St. Thomas’ downtown Minneapolis campus, hopes his reflections and insights from living with ALS can help other people frame their lives and learn to focus on what’s important. He has collaborated with MPR’s Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer on a series of radio conversations exploring how he has adapted to his new life after being diagnosed in 2010 with the neurodegenerative disease that causes muscles to weaken. The two have also teamed up on a book project called “We Know How This Ends: Living While Dying,” which will be released in April by the University of Minnesota Press. SEE EMBRACING LIFE / PAGE B6 B2 March 12–25, 2015 / southwestjournal.com Focus Sing-along Photographer Alec Soth returns with “Songbook” By Dylan Thomas / dthomas@southwestjournal.com If not forgotten, the American songbook of a previous century lingers, today, only Antonio dressed in a Stetson and a wool-lined Wrangler jean jacket, holding a at the edges of our national consciousness. The sheet music is tucked away in greatburning cigarette in his lips while a young woman nuzzles into his shoulder; his ALEC SOTH: grandma’s old piano bench. smooth chin is just sprouting its first dark whiskers, but he stares back at the camera Katy Perry is a long way from Cole Porter, but although the tune has changed with brash confidence. Then we’re in the bedroom with Dave and Trish of Denver, SONGBOOK again and again, the popular themes of American life and song endure: religious Colo., who are dressed like they’ve just returned from a wedding reception and kiss WHEN: Through April 4 faith, the pursuit of wealth and happiness, our unity, our individuality, risk, love. The while hidden behind the brim of her organza hat. WHERE: Weinstein same themes suffuse “Songbook,” the latest monograph by Magnum photographer Soth is alert to moments of serendipity, like when a skywriter paints “JESUS” in Gallery, 908 W. 46th St. and Minneapolis native Alec Soth. smoke above one of those forlorn Kissimmee motels. Two teenage boys, their bodies As with previous projects “Broken Manual” and the reputation-making “Sleeping toned by summer football practice, stride across a parking lot, and Soth’s shutter INFO: 822-1722, by the Mississippi,” “Songbook” finds Soth once again roaming the byways of opens at the exact moment they’re almost identically posed. weinstein-gallery.com America with car and camera. In the small towns, suburbs and cities he visits, there’s There’s another type of Soth photo, one that excavates the uncanny from the a sense that the economy sets the tempo of life, from the allegro of the North Dakota oil boom to the duff of everyday life. A white clapboard house in Georgia looks like it’s about to be swallowed up by a largo of Kissimmee, Fla., where he finds near-homeless families sheltering in the cheap motels ringing mountain of kudzu vines. A cliff diver’s leap into a river near Kaaterskill Falls, N.Y., is framed in such a the Magic Kingdom. way that it’s almost impossible for the eye to resolve. Will he be dashed on the rocks or plunge safely Soth took some of these photos while on assignment (it was New York Times Magazine that sent into the water? him to the oil fields near Williston, N.D., back in 2012) and others while role-playing as a small-town Soth provides the diving board, but that’s your leap to take. photographer and reporter duo with pal Brad Zellar for the LBM Dispatch, the newspaper of record for their travels. All were shot between 2012 and 2014. The Weinstein Gallery is showing selections from the monograph here in Minneapolis while Alec Soth concurrent “Songbook” shows are staged at Fraenkel Gallery in San Francisco and Sean Kelly Gallery crisscrossed in New York City. In the gallery, the large-scale, black-and-white prints are accompanied by a minimal America for amount of text — nothing more than labels that follow a simple formula: subject, location. the making of “Songbook,” In a video interview posted on the Fraenkel Gallery’s website, Soth said: “I’ve started stopping at thinking of photographs as being like a diving board, and you can just sort of bounce off it into one point in this pool of meaning.” Kissimmee, Fla., When one of his photos runs in a magazine, he continued, the headline and body of the story to photograph confine the image’s meaning to “one little pool.” But when they’re untethered from any explanation of the work of a skywriter. the why or how, these photographs float into a space of free-association. Submitted “What ‘Songbook’ is about for me is keeping it really wide-open,” he said. photos Supply your own lyrics, in other words. While in the past Soth has sought out oddballs and outcasts, here he zooms-in on quintessentially American experiences, like a high school prom in Cleveland. He shoots from the middle of a sweaty dance floor, a jungle of bare limbs and glistening faces, so close that we can follow the teens’ darting glances. Soth has a remarkable ability to shrink the space between the camera lens and the human body, placing the viewer in intimate proximity with his portrait subjects. There’s the young man from San southwestjournal.com / March 12–25, 2015 B3 By Linda Koutsky A creative corner in Plymouth J ust a few blocks from Highways 55 and 169 is a nondescript office and industrial park that unless you work in the area you really wouldn’t notice. I’ve flown past it going 55 miles an hour countless times and never wondered what was even in those buildings. But these days you just never know what’s around the corner. I needed fabric the other day and thought about my options. Sewing isn’t really my thing, but I always seem to need fabric every now and then. Like most creative supply businesses, a lot have consolidated or closed. The pickings get slim — and ordinary. So I Googled “fabric stores” in the Twin Cities and found Blue Bamboo. They cater to quilters, but welcome everyone. According to their website, they specialize in Asian and batik fabrics. I wasn’t looking for either of those but thought I’d head over and take a look anyway. Blue Bamboo is so tucked away on the side of an industrial building you’d never even know it’s there. And that was fine with them because they started out as an online fabric store. But when so many local customers began picking up their fabrics they decided to go bricks-and-mortar. The bright, clean, expansive warehouse space is filled with custom-made shelves that hold bolts of fabric. I stood in awe as the entire color spectrum blended through the space from yellow to green to blue to purple then red right before my eyes — all in neatly rolled bolts of fabric. A special section by the door held new arrivals — monochromatic marbled fabrics in every color For First Time Clients 12865 Industrial Park Blvd., open Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; mybluebamboo.com ANCHOR PAPER EXPRESS 12855 Highway 55; open Monday– Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; anchorpaper.com The color spectrum circles the warehouse at Blue Bamboo. Photo By Linda Koutsky and shade imaginable. Fabric is available by the yard or in cute little precut packages of varying sizes. Since the store is geared for quilters, all the printed patterns are small and most fabrics are cotton — there’s no upholstery or curtain sheers here. I didn’t think I liked batiks, but they were out-of-thisworld gorgeous! I had no idea they could get that much color and detail and layering in a batik. It completely changed my mind on what I thought of the process. Other fabrics include Australian aboriginal abstracts, bright and cheerful Charley Harper illustrations, holiday themes, novelty prints, and lots and lots of small patterns. They carry really beautiful and unusual fabrics — nothing ordinary here. Display racks are filled with patterns for quilts, pillows, table runners, tote bags and Follow Linda on Facebook 110 Bank Street SE, #301 massage, yoga, acupuncture and tai chi 2717 E. 42nd Street Suite A, Mpls 612-860-9728 • bewellnessmn.com Be Wellness SWJ 092514 H18.indd 1 purses. Buy a pattern or take a class. Follow Blue Bamboo on Facebook for upcoming events and classes. Just across Highway 55 in another industrial building is Anchor Paper. 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They’re showcasing comics that feature minority voices at book shops — the first one in February was standing room only. And they’re launching free workshops called “Through Our Eyes” that teach teens the basics of film production. A recent “Through Our Eyes” screening at The Third Place Gallery was packed with more than 100 people. The teen participants came from places including Jordan, Minn.; St. Paul and Linden Hills, and their film shared a bit of their struggles, their artistic talents and their hopes for the future. “A lot of stories are absolutely unique to individuals,” said Kevin Vollmers, executive director of Gazillion Strong. “But it’s very striking to me that there are some similarities and overlaps despite the fact that teens are coming from completely different backgrounds. ... How each of them were seeking their own identity countered the traditional narrative.” The teens took quick lessons in storytelling, filming, editing and video distribution. Then they developed interview questions and documented one another’s stories. “What we were able to do in those eight hours was really amazing,” said Eleonore Wesserle, facilitation director of Line Break Media, a partner in the project. The resulting video includes the story of Mark, who said his mom is preparing to relocate to Texas. Mark will stay behind with three older kids, while he works three full-time jobs. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I live by that,” he said. “I always find myself in some kind of crappy situation, but I always find a way out.” A Jordan High school student named Cole is transgender, born a female, and today lives as a male. He said he grew up seeing abuse, alcoholism and drugs. “I didn’t want to be like those people, and I didn’t want to go down the wrong path,” he said. “I think, personally, that I can make a difference in this world, and that’s partially the reason why I’m here today, so I can learn how to put my voice out there through filmmaking and really show people that it’s OK to be different than the normal norms in society. ... It’s OK to be who you want to be.” Gazillion Strong is looking to expand “Through Our Eyes” and another program called Comics from the Margins nationally, perhaps starting with Portland. At Comics from the Margins, authors and comic book connoisseurs talk to teens about comics in which the central character is a person of color, LGBTQ, adoptee, foster child or disabled. Upcoming dates include March 21 at Ancestry Books in North Minneapolis and April 18 at Moon Palace Books off Minnehaha Avenue. Vollmers lives in the Seward neighborhood. He was adopted from Korea at the age of 7 by a Minnesota family, and he has become a voice for adoptees who is quoted in media outlets like the New York Times. He founded Gazillion Voices, a subscription-based monthly online magazine, to help amplify adoptee voices. He also hosts Gazillion Voices Radio on KFAI, which covers issues ranging from adoption and A youth film project called “Through Our Eyes” draws a crowd for a February screening at The Third Place Gallery. Photo by Gazillion Strong GAZILLION STRONG What: Develops resources and tools that aid marginalized community members — such as adopted people, foster alums, LGBTQ, immigrants and people of color — to speak and advocate for themselves and others Who: Founded by Kevin Vollmers, a Seward resident and adoptee advocate Upcoming events: Comics from the Margins, March 21 at 2 p.m., Ancestry Books, 2205 Lowry Ave. N. Writers of Color Showcase, April 8 at 7 p.m., Aster Cafe, 125 Main St. SE Comics from the Margins, April 18 at 2 p.m., Moon Palace Books, 2820 E. 33rd St. Website: wearegazillionstrong.org race to performance and social movements. He recently interviewed Korean adoptee Adam Crapser, who was adopted twice by families who never finalized his naturalization, and now has a wife and children and risks deportation to Korea. Vollmers wants conversations about adoption to expand beyond the adoption community. Adoption intersects with much broader issues, he said, like war, immigration and struggles to balance an identity between cultures. Locally, black youth can identify with adoptee experiences if they grow up in foster care, he said, or grow up in white families. “If people can see themselves in each other’s lives, they can identify with each Kevin Vollmers at a recent fundraiser for his new nonprofit, Gazillion Strong. Photo courtesy of Erin and Troy Photography other, and it’s through identification that people are motivated to do something together,” Vollmers said. Gazillion Strong keeps a list of projects in the wings that need additional donor funding. One such project is a film that profiles Ethiopian adoptee Aselefech Evans, who travels to Ethiopia with her daughter to visit her biological family. Another project would expand Gazillion Voices magazine to Korea. Long-term, Vollmers anticipates opening a brick-and-mortar home for Gazillion Strong. He has no qualms about juggling so many ventures at the new nonprofit. “If you’re not busy and you’re running the place, there’s something wrong,” he said. southwestjournal.com / March 12–25, 2015 B5 Grows on trees By Eric Braun Top 10 to-do’s for new parents W hen you have a newborn in the house, who wants to spend their limited non-baby attention span on financial planning? Answer: Nobody. Unless you’re a financial-planning geek, in which case you’ve got this wrapped up already. Go ahead and watch Better Call Saul and sleep soundly tonight. Well, maybe not soundly — you’ve got that newborn. For everyone else, it’s important to realize that your finances will change now that you have a child. (Sounds obvious, but new parents sometimes miss the obvious.) Maybe your income is slated to remain the same, but you’ll be adding child-care costs. Maybe one spouse is taking a break from work — keeping down child-care bills but reducing income. Whatever your child-care situation, you’ll also have costs related to diapering, clothing, feeding, health care and toys, as well as one-time costs including strollers, car seats, a crib and so on. And that doesn’t even cover saving for college (mnparent. com/saving-for-college). A excellent resource for getting a grip on how much your budget will be affected is BabyCenter’s First-Year Baby Costs Calculator (babycenter.com/baby-cost-calculator). A rough estimate shows you’re probably looking at about $10,000 in costs that first year and a quarter of a million dollars to raise the kid. Most of us would plan pretty carefully for an expense that size, yet most new parents go relatively unprepared into that good night. Luckily, a few simple steps can dramatically decrease financial worry and set you on a healthy path — and much of it can be checked off in the months before Baby is born. But don’t worry if you didn’t get to any of these done before your joyous noisemaker arrived — or even before her first few birthdays. It’s always a good time to reassess your family’s financial health. Make a will. Name a guardian, and make an estate plan if you need to. A will is super-important even if you think you don’t have enough assets to warrant one. Get life insurance. For most consumers, term life insurance is the best option, but do some research to figure out whether term or whole is better for your family. No one wants to think about dying, but suck it up: You don’t want to leave your family in a lurch. Get disability insurance. If thinking about death is hard, consider this sad fact — or happy one, depending on your point of view: During your working years you’re more likely to become disabled than to die. So get income-replacement insurance (often available through employers). Sign up for a dependent-care account. If you (or your spouse) have this option through work, you can put up to $5,000 per year (pre-tax) toward qualified child-care expenses such as daycare and before- or after-school care. And that can save you a bundle in taxes. Assess your tax implications. There are lots of benefits available to parents, and it may be that a dependent-care credit on your taxes is more valuable than that before-tax dependent-care spending account. If you use a tax preparer, he or she can help you figure out which choice is right for you. If you’re a do-it-yourselfer when it comes to taxes, try running the numbers both ways with an online calculator: Many will let you run the numbers for free, even if you don’t end up filing through their service. Save for retirement. Most new parents should save for retirement before saving for college. (Roth IRA s can be used for retirement and college.) Start w as littl ith e as Set up a savings account. You could $25 also call this your emergency-spending account. I know, I know: You’re saving for retirement, you’re paying an arm and a leg for child care, can you really sock more away? Answer: Sock it. You really do want to have six to months of savings just in case. Save for college. But first be sure to have emergency savings set aside, plus a healthy retirement-savings plan. Get out. Make a line item in your budget for regular date nights. You’re going to need them for your sanity. And sitting up bleary-eyed in bed, streaming Hulu on the iPad is not a date. This special adult time is a good opportunity to discuss many of the items on this list — though you’re more likely to recount stories of cute things your baby did. Eric Braun is a Minneapolis-based writer, editor and dad of two boys. He’s currently working on a financial literacy book for young readers. Learn more about his other published works at heyericbraun.com. Send comments or questions to ebraun@mnparent.com. You can get there. We can help. Visit www.MN529today.com or call Chris McLeod 952-830-3127 Reassess your healthcare plan. Not all plans are created equal. If you have two working parents, compare plans to see which is more affordable — and best — for dependent or family coverage. You might be surprised what you find. MN College Savings Plan SWJ NR3 V2.indd 1 1/6/15 12:21 PM B6 March 12–25, 2015 / southwestjournal.com FROM EMBRACING LIFE / PAGE B1 Wurzer has formed a special bond with Kramer and his wife Evelyn Emerson as they have explored what it means to truly live in the face of death. Wurzer said Kramer has been an inspiration as she has grieved the recent death of her father after he battled dementia. “The story is all of us are given a choice about what we are going to embrace in our lives,” Kramer said. “All of us know we are going to die. If you look at those two realities, then the question is do you embrace life as you die? Or do you embrace death? I feel that I have been very lucky that I can talk about embracing life.” Here are highlights of a recent conversation with Kramer and Wurzer. Q: How do you feel now that the book is complete? Wurzer: I feel gratified — a great sense of gratitude that we’ve reached this point and that the University of Minnesota Press thought there was value in this story. Writing a book is difficult — your whole soul gets poured right out there in front of God and everybody. I am happy we can see that all of our efforts have come to fruition. It’s right in front of us, which is really wonderful. Kramer: I am musician and when I finish something I always feel a certain sense of letdown. I have to really fight that. When we sent in the most workable version of the book, I really did feel letdown. I didn’t want to stop working on it. … More online To listen to an excerpt of a conversation with Bruce Kramer and Cathy Wurzer, go to southwestjournal.com. It’s interesting now that since we’ve turned in the book I have had the chance to do a little more blogging. Kramer There are parts of it I wish I could include in the book. … I really think what lead up to — the time Cathy and I have spent together, the deepWurzer ening of a friendship — the book represents all of that. That part of course, I feel enormous gratitude. … One of the things that has interested me so far is how young people have reacted to [the book.] I kind of thought this is a book framed by a dying man. The fact of the matter is that the younger people who have had access to it, they’ve talked about how much it has helped them to think about the meaning of their own lives — what they want to do with the time that they have. That is also quite gratifying. … I don’t look it as a project anymore — projects have beginnings and endings. What I see with this is the potential for it to become more of a movement that people begin to really use some of this to frame their own lives and help others that they love. It just seems that in 2015 we keep being pushed and encouraged to be very superficial — to really not deepen meaning. We keep turning back to a consumer and materialistic culture for a sense of meaning yet in the end, that sense of meaning is meaningless. Something like this asks people to really deepen their own thinking about what makes a well-lived life, and we all know that this life is temporary. We know there is an BOOK LAUNCH EVENT What: A celebration for “We Know How This Ends: Living While Dying” by Bruce H. Kramer with Cathy Wurzer. MPR News host Kerri Miller will lead a conversation with Kramer and Wurzer. When: Wednesday, March 25, 6:30 p.m. (doors open), 7 p.m. (program). Books will be available for purchase Where: O’Shaughnessy Education Center Auditorium, University of St. Thomas, 2115 Summit Ave., St. Paul More info: WeKnowHowThisEnds.brownpapertickets.com ending to it. We know we’re not going to get out of it alive. What would you say are some of the key gifts you’ll cherish from this experience working together? Kramer: To me the key gift is that when you look at the receipt of a diagnosis like ALS, the neurologist that diagnosed me honestly believed that he was giving me a death sentence. And yet when you look at the work that Cathy and I have started to do and then the friendship that Cathy, Ev and I have developed, you see this juxtaposition of something that says, ‘you’re dying,’ but at the same time, the experiences we’ve had say that we’re living — and we’re living beautifully and we’re living in ways that have touched us both. I prefer to focus on that side of it. The dying part is a given. All that it has done is to allow me to focus on the gifts — the unseen gifts that ALS has brought, and one of them is this wonderful friendship with this wonderful person (Cathy) to my left that has really enriched all of our lives — Ev and my life together. Wurzer: Most of my friends and co-workers when I first got into this project thought, ‘boy — what a downer.’ It’s about death and it’s all about darkness, sadness. And yes, there has been sadness talking about death, dying and diagnosis. During the course of our conversations, my father was diagnosed with dementia and he died a year ago March 2. During our conversations, Bruce was almost like my dad’s voice. It was really interesting because I would talk about my dad and what was going on. Bruce prepared me for my dad’s death better than anybody could have really, which was a huge gift. Bruce is absolutely correct — the friendship all three of us has had against the backdrop of what most people would think is dark and sad is actually this bright, brilliant loving relationship. My life will never be the same because of Bruce Kramer and Ev Emerson. It has been so enriched and deepened in such a wonderful way that I never thought possible. You talk about ALS turning you inside out? What do you mean by that? Kramer: We all work so hard at putting up boundaries — facades. We construct a public persona that people often have a hard time deconstructing in their private life so that we think that is what we are about. But when you have ALS there is no lying We Carry a Large Assortment of Designer Watches Now is the time to spruce up your home In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre shorten curtains · duvet covers recover cushions · pillows and so much more! Offering performances, residencies and touring shows. 50% OFF Any Watch Battery Replacement Most battery replacement regularly priced at less than $10.00 including tax. Exp. 04-08-15. 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There’s no such thing as hiding the fact, and so all of those boundaries get put on to the inside and there you are — you’re pretty well laid out for people. The public and the private merge and become one. That turning the inside out is the loss of those facades and a real focus on being honest and being truthful. Remember that’s coming from someone who had to play the politics of leadership. University politics can be pretty brutal, believe it or not. There just isn’t space for playing those games anymore. So being Murray's SWJ 011614 H2.indd 1 turned inside out has been another gift. In being more honest with myself, I find myself being more honest with others. I say ‘I love you’ a lot more. I cry a lot more, and there’s nothing wrong with that. What do you hope comes from the release of this book? Wurzer: The space (for readers) to do their own reflecting on their own lives, and also not to fear death. I know that sounds strange because we don’t know what’s beyond, and that can be a very fearful thing. Bruce is one of the most joyful people I have ever run into even against this backdrop of impending death. I have also had to change my personal views about death and dying because of our conversations. Also watching Bruce and Dad on parallel paths, I don’t have that fear of dying anymore. It’s a part of life. … It can be very beautiful. well with birth and life even though life can be extremely challenging and hard. I think one of the things that ALS has helped me to realize is that those challenges only get harder. In many ways, each iteration of living is going to be more difficult, and yet we prepare for that. Then we hit the reality of our deaths and suddenly this great fear is thrown up. We love our lives. We love it when a baby is born, but there is this tremendous fear of this unknown thing — death. One of my favorite cartoons is two babies in womb. One of them asks the other one: ‘Do you think there is life after birth?’ In a way it kind of points to the way we see death. What death has done for me is it has allowed me to focus so much more deeply on the things that mean more to me than anything else in life. If you take that as a gift, it’s a wonderful gift. As I think of these final months of my life and the fact that death is sitting in the room with me all of the time, and yet what death has become is a way of looking at life that is so much more joyful. Just having my kids come over and hangout — I’m so happy to have them here. Before I would have been happy, but I don’t think it would have meant as much to me. To me one of the things that I hope that comes out of this is the message we don’t have to fear. We’ve been given this great gift. By avoiding it, we’re probably avoiding one of the most wonderful parts of our life. It’s not about what happens after. What happens afterward is going to happen whether I believe it or not, it’s about what we do with this life right now. So in the long run, what I see is the greatest possibility is the idea that we can live fully as human beings and that’s the message that comes out of the book. Kramer: We are given three things we know we can count on — there is birth, there is life and there’s death. We generally do pretty 1/9/14 2:35 PM B8 March 12–25, 2015 / southwestjournal.com #mplswishlist Sharing your dreams for the city presents the summer 2015 Writing Contest Judged by author and teacher Allison Wyss Allison Wyss’s stories have appeared in [PANK] Magazine, the Southeast Review, the Doctor T. J. Eckleburg Review, Juked and elsewhere. She also teaches at the Loft and writes a column on craft for the Writers’ Block. CHANCE TO BE PUBLISHED* ALSO WIN A $100 GIFT CARD TO BRODERS’ AND A $150 LOFT GIFT CERTIFICATE A St. Paulite’s wishes for Mpls In honor of the Loft’s upcoming Pitch Conference held November 13–14, 2015, write a poem (45 lines or less) or story (fewer than 800 words) that includes someone or something taking a risk. Submit your entry online at https://www.loft.org/contest (include contact information and a 1-2 sentence bio) • Deadline is April 15, 2015 * Published in the The Journal, Southwest Journal and Minnesota Good Age Loft Literary Center DTJ 022615 4.indd 1 Journal reader Chris Brummund would like to see more community events at sports venues. File photo 2/23/15 4:37 PM I love this project and hope it keeps going. I’m a St. Paul resident, but commute to work via bike or Green Line to my office on the edge of downtown Minneapolis by the Dunwoody College. Here are the things I see every day and dream about: • The Armory: I visited the city of Toronto a few summers ago and went to the Saint Lawrence Market. I was blown away by all the food and craft vendors there and immediately thought, “They could do something like this in the Armory building in Minneapolis.” With all the new office and residential development in the area, I believe it will have the population density and traffic to succeed. The thing with an open market space is that you can put anything in it: year-round farmers market, local crafts, permanent dining, artist studio/booths. • Plaza Potential: I often venture to 2nd Avenue in the summer to get some food truck grub and always end up sitting on Canadian Pacific Plaza to eat. That large amphitheater seating with the shady trees is always full of other people who had the same idea I did. As I look around downtown, there are many of these beautiful plazas that are largely unused because there’s nothing to draw people there. What if we start partnering more food trucks with property owners so they can park their truck right on the plaza (much like the Dandelion truck that is always in front of the IDS Center on Nicollet). I see Government Plaza and The 5th Street Towers as prime opportunities for this. • Bikeway Improvements: Between both the Greenway in Uptown and Cedar Lake Trail downtown, I count only one business that opens up to the bike trail. As much as I love these trails, they sometimes feel too much like an interstate highway: it’s hard to actually access all the businesses you pass by. Let’s take down all those chain link fences on the Cedar Lake Trail downtown to give trail users more two-way access. Let’s also encourage developers to add retail space on the trail level when they build up these apartment buildings. I feel like Dock Street Flats wasted a good opportunity. • Open up these “Peoples’ Stadiums” to the people: If we’re going to put a large amount of public money into new stadiums, let the public get as much use as possible. Start regularly showing “movies in the park” at Target Field during the summer nights. If there’s a big Twins road trip, have a night where folks can go right onto the field with their picnic blankets. Make sure they bring back Rollerdome to the new football stadium. Have days in the winter where people can also access the field level and play on it like it were a public park. Chris Brummund Please do something about those wind tunnels! I wish we could figure out how to reduce/slow down cold winter winds downtown. I feel like non-decidious trees and shrubs, combined with artsy wind turbine walls, mechanical kite flying robots if they exist, etc. Basically anything that would look good and reduce the cold winter winds would be amazing and dramatically improve street life/activity. Riley Curran Kingfield SHARE YOUR WISHES WITH US! We’d love to hear your visions/ideas for the city. Send them to smckenzie@ southwestjournal.com, post them at Facebook.com/SWJournal or tweet them using the hashtag #mplswishlist. southwestjournal.com / March 12–25, 2015 B9 Ask the Veterinarian By Olivia Mirodone Tips for a lethargic cat Q My cat Jazz has been having difficulty jumping lately and doesn’t want to walk down the stairs to his litter box. I think he might have arthritis. Is there something that can be done for him, or is he just getting old? Arthritis is a very common condition in cats. In fact, research shows that 90 percent of cats over 12 years of age suffer from some degree of arthritis. Arthritis is a chronic degenerative disease of the joint in which the cartilage of the joint is damaged. Cartilage covers the ends of bones and helps cushion the joint and allows it to glide smoothly. When cartilage is damaged, a series of inflammatory changes occurs, eventually leading to destruction of cartilage and the underlying bone. Cartilage contains no nerves, so if your pet is showing any signs of pain, the source of it is the underlying bone. Signs of arthritis include: reduced jumping, more matting over the back (because it is more difficult to bend to reach the lower back), resistance to being brushed (because it hurts to press on a sore back or legs), irritability, lameness and sometimes inappropriate urination (because getting to and from the litter box is more difficult). As the occurrence of these symptoms is gradual, and usually happens in senior cats, pet owners naturally think that their kitty is simply getting old. Many times it is not until advanced symptoms, such as limping, or other signs of debilitation occur, that owners seek help from their veterinarian. Your veterinarian can often diagnose arthritis based on a physical exam and radiographs of the suspected joints. Arthritis is almost always painful, and once established, it does not go away. In fact, it usually gets worse over time. Chronic pain, even mild, will affect your cat’s disposition and quality of life. Fortunately, with the advances in the medical and pharmaceutical fields, there are many options for treatment. In more advanced cases a combination of the following therapies will be employed. Environmental changes are often needed to accommodate cats with reduced mobility. Some tips include: low profile litter boxes, placement of steps to ease the cat’s access to his favorite spots, moving the litter box from the basement to the floor where the cat spends most of her time, and heating disks or pads (when supervised). Weight control is extremely important. Overweight cats are predisposed to arthritic changes and simply getting them to a good weight may greatly reduce the severity of their clinical signs. Cats that do not have kidney disease will often benefit from a switch to a high protein, low carbohydrate diet. It is easier to make a low carbohydrate canned diet than a dry-food diet, so many veterinary nutritionists recommend canned food exclusively for cats. For cats that will eat only dry food, you could consider Young Again, a Minnesota Company that makes high-protein dry cat foods. There are many options for medications when weight loss is not enough. Nutritional supplements such as Glucosamine and omega fatty acids can be very helpful. Dasequin is the brand name of a joint supplement for cats that you can sprinkle on their food. At Westgate Pet Clinic, we have found that cats respond well to injectable glycosaminoglycan (Adequan). These injections are given in the muscle or under the skin and are administered as an initial series of six shots and then every four to eight weeks as maintenance. Most cats will start to show improved mobility after just a couple of injections. Acupuncture is also very helpful for cats with arthritis and they tolerate the acupuncture treatment quite well. For cats that are still having pain and mobility issues from arthritis, your veterinarian may prescribe a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (like Onsior), a medication for chronic pain called Gabapentin, or opioids in severe cases. Despite the progressive nature of arthritis, many things can be done to ensure that you kitty will live a long and comfortable life. Dr. Olivia Mirodone is a veterinarian at Westgate Pet Clinic in Linden Hills. This column rotates among vets at Westgate. Email your pet questions to drhershey@westgatepetclinicmn.com. Spring is on the way! Contact me today for a no obligation home evaluation. 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Millet has made a name for himself combining his years as Pioneer Press’ architecture critic and love of mystery novels with several Sherlock Holmes books. He’ll also be appearing at the Cathedral of Saint Paul on Sunday, March 22 at 2:30 p.m. to talk about the highly regarded architect of the cathedral, Emmanuel Masqueray. Where: Mill City Museum, 702 S. 2nd St. When: Thursday, March 12 at 7 p.m. Cost: Free Info: millcitymuseum.org 50TH & FRANCE ART CRAWL Submitted photos THERE ARE OTHER WORLDS “There Are Other Worlds,” the first project of art collective Free Black Dirt, was met with sold-out shows when it premiered in 2012. The play, set in 1999, tells the story of Amri Akenyemi, a mother, activist, yogi and convict who goes through a journey of mending relationships with her teenage daughters. The performance features aerial arts, music and poetry to tell a relevant, yet complicated story. “There Are Other Worlds” also raises questions of justice in the era of the Prison Industrial Complex. The businesses at 50th & France are hosting the fourth annual Art Crawl with local and student artists. Local businesses will have art on display and guests will have a chance to meet artists and view in-store exhibits. Several celebrity judges, including style expert Grant Whittaker, salon owner Denny Kemp and blogger Nicole Trigger, will also name the “Best Of” works of art. Do a little shopping and take a walk around participating stores, from Red Cow to Fashion Avenue, to enjoy some local art. Where: 50th & France When: March 21 from 3 to 5 p.m. Cost: Free Info: 50thandfrance.com Where: Intermedia Arts, 2822 S. Lyndale Ave. When: March 19 to March 21 Cost: $10 to $25 Info: intermediaarts.org Classic TaeKwonDo Studios Summer Camp • Full Days — Pay only for days you need: $45/day 7:30am–5:45pm Family Business since 1907 • Great Activities — Beaches, Parks, Science Museum, Arboretum, Wave Pool, Batiking and other crafts Boots, Jeans, Hats, Apparel, Belts, Gifts, Horse Supplies SALE on Levi’s® 514™ & 511™ Slim Jeans Take $5.00 Off • Organic/healthy meals and snacks Boot Clearance Rake up to 50% Off • TaeKwonDo Class Reserve Today — Space is limited 413 West Lake Street, Mpls. • 612-825-2459 www.classictkdstudios.com www.SSaddle.com 612-810-2051 Park FREE in our lot located by the alley side of the store Mrs. Carolyn Boston, teaching for over 38 years Mon-Fri 9:30am-6pm • Thursday till 8pm • Saturday till 5pm Schatzlein's Saddle SWJ 031215 H12.indd 2 2/27/15 11:30 AM Quality CoNStruCtioN, CuStoMer SAtiSfACtioN & Trust. 612.821.1100 or 651.690.3442 www.houseliftinc.com 4330 Nicollet Avenue South, Minneapolis House Lift Remodeler SWJ NR2 6.indd 1 5159 Bloomington Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN License # BC 378021 6/10/13 3:28 PM Classic TaeKwonDo SWJ 031215 H12.indd 1 3/4/15 10:57 AM southwestjournal.com / March 12–25, 2015 B11 100+ St. Patrick’s Day: Our picks The Minneapolis Institute of Arts’ “100+” exhibition features a photograph for every year since the museum’s founding. The work, selected from more than 12,000 images, reveals a timeline of the MIA’s history and a snapshot into a century of curating art. The “+” comes from the collection, which pre-dates the building and the MIA. This exhibition is a unique opportunity to celebrate a museum that Minneapolis residents have treasured for decades or to bring first-time guests to appreciate a breadth of art and history. EVERYBODY’S IRISH 5K Where: Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2400 3rd Ave. S. When: March 19 through Oct. 18 Cost: Free Info: artistmia.org If you’re looking for a more low-key St. Patrick’s Day, or simply want to offset your beer consumption, then a charity run around Lake Calhoun might be just what you need. Everybody’s Irish 5K is a festive, non-competitive race to raise money for Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. For Northeast and downtown residents, look out for the Get Lucky 7K and half marathon on the same day, which begins in the Mill District and runs along the Mississippi River’s east and west banks. These morning excursions may just be the perfect way to celebrate with family and friends or to get in the mood for a night out. COUCHTRIPPIN’ TOUR Where: Lake Calhoun Park, 2510 W. Calhoun Pkwy. When: March 14 at 9:15 a.m. Cost: $20 to $40 Info: busybodypromotions.com Lagunitas and O+ Festival are once again hosting a “CouchTrippin’” tour across the country, bringing bands and beer along the way. Soulful indie rockers Delta Spirit and local up-and-comers Hippo Campus are set to perform at the Minneapolis stop of the tour at Aria. Artist Josh Reisz will also be creating live art at this 21-and-up party. Expect a sizable lineup of taps from Lagunitas. ST. PATS BAR CRAWL If you’re more inclined to the modern festivities of St. Patrick’s Day, look no further than the St. Pats Bar Crawl. In its second year, the crawl hits several lively hotspots in downtown Minneapolis, including The Pourhouse, 508 Bar & Restaurant, Brothers, Jackson’s Hole and The Depot. There’s an early check-in from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the crawl will end around 6 p.m., so crawlers can move onto another pub, grab dinner or call it quits. Tickets include admission, gift cards for beverages, drink specials, a St. Pats medallion and other prizes and activities. Where: Downtown Minneapolis When: Saturday, March 14 from 12 to 6 p.m. Cost: $12 to $25 Info: mydrinkon.com ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE Perhaps the most historic tradition of Minneapolis’ St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, the parade has been a family-friendly mainstay for nearly 50 years. Floats, musicians and other festivities will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Nicollet and 11th and finish around 5th. The host, the Saint Patrick’s Day Association, has a long list of sponsoring pubs and restaurants if parade-goers want to continue the festivities on what is sure to be a busy bar night. If you’re looking for the pub experience, here are a few of our picks: Kieran’s Irish Pub or Dan Kelly’s Pub in downtown, Morrissey’s Irish Pub in Uptown or George and the Dragon in Lynnhurst. Where: Aria, 105 N. 1st St. When: Thursday, March 12 from 7 to 11 p.m. Cost: Free, but first come, first serve Info: lagunitas.com Where: Nicollet Mall between 11th and 5th streets / When: March 17 at 6:30 p.m. / Cost: Free / Info: mplsstpats.org CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Cavern effect 5 Cornfield call 8 “Frozen” studio 14 Amorphous mass 15 “Say again?” 16 Mercedes-Benz sedan line 17 Disapproving cries from bleacher “birds” 18 Prefix with meter 19 “I do” setting 20 *Ornamental flower with clustered blooms 23 Wall St. index 24 Steeped brew 25 Badlands bovine 29 “Green Eggs and Ham” guy 31 Marshmallow-filled snack 33 “I do” 36 *Blab about one’s romantic life 39 Brainchild Swiss folk tale suggested by the ends of the answers to starred clues 8 Tenth: Pref. 38 Elton John’s title 9 Crane who fled the Headless Horseman 40 Linked while walking, as friends 41 “Dancing With the Stars” move 66 Online form entry 10 Hit very hard 67 __-fi 44 Circle of friends 42 Law school newbie 11 Snooze 68 Ireland, in poetry 45 H2O, to a toddler 43 *Luxury car until the 1930s 69 Sonnet features 12 Peoria-to-Cincinnati dir. 49 Burrowing rodent 70 1930s N.L. home run king Mel 13 French designer’s initials 53 Put into law 46 Like deadpan humor 47 Bringing up the rear 48 Tail movement 71 __ avis 21 Shipbuilding wood 22 Hedy of Hollywood 52 Sculpted figure 55 “The Marriage of Figaro,” e.g. DOWN 26 Use up cash 56 Knack 51 Had a meal 1 Flows back 27 Persian Gulf ship 58 Rolls of money 54 Comment from Fido 2 Kids’ party performer 28 Nice __: prude 59 Agitated state 3 Twaddle 30 Teeny parasites 60 Funny Dame 4 Think constantly about something 32 At the minimum setting 61 Big __, California 33 “Goodness me!” 62 Hearth remains 5 Food on the trail 34 Twin Cities suburb 63 “Yo!” 6 Review of books? 35 Like a run-down motel 7 Unbroken 37 Go after, as a mosquito 50 “Speak up!” 57 *Former PBS science show with a fruit in its title logo 61 African desert 64 Beat it 65 Body support for the end of 57-Across, in a Crossword Puzzle SWJ 031215 4.indd 1 Crossword answers on page B12 3/9/15 2:01 PM B12 March 12–25, 2015 / southwestjournal.com Community Voices By Ryan Stopera A tale of two cities T here have been several articles written lately on gentrification in Minneapolis. The City Pages recently cited a study published by Governing Magazine claiming that Minneapolis is the third fastest gentrifying city in the country. A map in the study measuring patterns across Minneapolis showed that over half of the city has areas where home values were in the bottom 40 percent of the metro in 2000, while the median home values and percentage of adults with bachelors degrees rose to the top third percentile by 2013. Most recently the Atlantic praised our city in “The Miracle of Minneapolis” for its mix of “affordability, opportunity, and wealth.” This data and its implications have led to debates about the changes happening in our city. For some, gentrification can be exciting and create new opportunities, for others it can be the beginning of an anxiety-ridden struggle to keep up. There is a loss of culture, welcome spaces and, often, a place to live. Historically gentrification has led to the displacement of people from their homes. Take the Rondo neighborhood in St. Paul, for example. The construction of Interstate 94 forced 608 families, mostly African American, out of their homes with no options for relocation. The gentrification that exists today is slightly more responsible, more complex and more nuanced. Although families are not currently being displaced by the economic progress of Minneapolis, they face tight budgets with a rising cost of living. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Minneapolis has one of the worst affordable rental markets in the Midwest, with average rent for a two bedroom recently surpassing $1,000 a month, and the vacancy rate idling below 3 percent. A 2012 report by the U of M stated that, “68 percent of female-headed households in rental housing are paying costs that exceed 30 percent of their income.” This is not a result of people not working hard. Productivity has drastically increased over the past 40 years, while wages have stagnated. Contrary to national praise, Minneapolis has some of the country’s worst racial disparities in education, employment, housing and low-level arrests. Students of color are being suspended • We should look at the social capital we have in our residents and invest in a future that creates a positive change from the inside out. — Ryan Stopera at significantly higher rates than white students, leading them down the school to prison pipeline. By falling behind in underfunded schools and communities early in life, it is nearly impossible to reap the benefits of the utopian Minneapolis that others enjoy as adults. This dichotomy creates a city where some residents thrive, and others struggle to simply survive. I interviewed a senior director (who asked to keep his name confidential due to license requirements) at a major financial services company in town to ask him about his perspective on life in Minneapolis. As an upper level employee for a multinational company he stated, “My job affords me the ability to live a comfortable lifestyle.” This level of comfort is a result of his income increasing 475 percent in the 10 years he has been employed there. Like many successful people in Minneapolis he finds himself seeking housing in one of the rapidly developing areas of the city in Uptown. “I am moving to the Uptown area in the spring,” he said. “I chose Uptown because several friends live there and love it, the proximity to a variety of restaurants and entertainment, and the feeling of living in the city while still having access to parks, lakes and the Greenway.” Minneapolis has been good to him, and has rewarded him for his hard work. But do these opportunities exist for everyone? I also interviewed Cecilia Guzman, who is a cleaning worker for some of the newly developed apartments in town. Cecilia reported working Lights or power out, circuit troubleshooting if you are a fan of courage, then you are already a fan of Special Olympics. • Storm damage repair, 24 Hour Emergency service volunteer, support, coach or compete. • Electrical panel upgrades, fuse to circuit breaker panel • Ceiling fan and bath exhaust fan installation & servicing specialolympicsminnesota.org 763-544-3300 Harrison-Electric.com for five days a week without pay for a month at a time, and stated, “I went a month, then two months, and I finally told my boss I can’t work for free.” After months of not receiving compensation for her work, and going through the stress of trying to keep up with her bills with no income, she decided to leave. “I was afraid but my friend told me about CTUL,” the Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha, who teach lowwage workers about their rights and train them to organize. “I told my story, and after seeing other workers leading their fight, I went to court and won $1,200 in recovered wages.” When I asked Cecilia, the 15-year resident of Central Neighborhood, what she likes about Minneapolis, she ironically said, “I like when the weather is nice in the spring, and I also like the cold. I really only have time to go to work, and church on Sundays with my family.” The mother of two lives with her children, husband, and another family in a four-bedroom house. We discussed what she would do if she had a job with fair wages, and was paid on time. Cecilia said she would simply, “Find a dignified place to live to improve the lives of my children and improve their well-being. The way we live now is not dignified.” So what does all of this mean? Economic progress and growth is good for communities. Nobody wants to see boarded up homes and businesses going bankrupt. The question is how do we create a city that all of us can live in and enjoy? We must invest in leaders in communities of color that exist right here, support local business development, affordable housing construction, and innovative ventures such as renewable energy projects. The Clean Energy Partnership in Minneapolis holds great potential for Minneapolis to continue to be a national leader in addressing climate change. This is an opportunity to create green jobs for frontline communities that are the most directly affected by climate change, such as North Minneapolis where children have the highest rates of asthma in the state. We must support the thousands of workers in Minneapolis fighting to pass $15 minimum wage at the city level, so that lower-income families have more support in paying for rent and basic needs, which would subsequently stimulate the local economy. We should look at the social capital we have in our residents and invest in a future that creates positive change from the inside out. Because in the words of Paul Wellstone, “We all do better when we all do better.” Ryan Stopera is a social worker and community organizer in Minneapolis. He is on the board of directors of MN Neighborhoods Organizing for Change and the Lyndale Neighborhood Association. Ryan is also working on clean energy programs to create jobs in lower income communities around the city. In his free time he enjoys rock climbing and cycling. Average Sale Price in Southwest Minneapolis — Feb 2012 — $260,000 Feb 2015 — $325,000 Do you know what your house is worth today? Join a health MoveMent Minneapolis Downtown YMCa 30 South Ninth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55402 (P) 612-371-9622 (W) minneapolisymca.org CROSSWORD ANSWERS Find us at TodandLarry.com wanted Special Olympics SWJ 2010 VBC filler.indd 6/22/101 Harrison 2:08 PMElectric SWJ 112014 VBC.indd 11/19/14 3 11:17 AM Health & Wellness Coaches •Workfromhome •Part-timeorfull-time •Makeanextra $500-$5,000 permonth •GetCertifiedwithour trainingsystem TodandLarry.com (612) 925-0000 ContaCt nathan Fears Tod Teeple & Larry LaVercombe healthcoach32@gmail.com We live here. We work here. 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