Loading ...
Oct
21
You may have read recently that the City of Minneapolis has enacted an anti-idling ordinance, with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improve the air quality of our city. The ordinance restricts cars from idling for more than 3 minutes in a one hour period, and the City has asked neighborhood organizations to help spread the word about the restrictions (website here and flyer here). All questions of enforcement aside, hopefully we will succeed in improving our city’s air quality.
Oct
12
Green Tip: Reduce Your Mailings
Filed Under green | Leave a Comment
Sick of receiving marketing solicitations your never respond to and yellow pages you never use?
Green Tip
Visit Catalog Choice (free), Green Dimes (basic service is free), Opt Out Prescreen (credit and insurance offers), and Direct Marketing Association to have yourself removed from mailing lists.
Visit Yellow Pages Goes Green to stop receiving yellow pages.
Oct
7
NNO 2008 Statistics
Filed Under Uncategorized, community engagement, nno | Leave a Comment
Thank you for helping promote the 2008 (and 25th Annual) National Night Out. Your group’s support was an important part of NNO. I’m happy to report that we had an outstanding NNO this year. Citywide, results included:
· At least 1111 separate, mostly small events.
· More than 62,000 participants (16.4% of the City’s population).
· Participation from blocks in 82 of 83 residential neighborhoods.
· Events on 216 blocks that that didn’t host NNO in 2007.
· 967 pre-NNO planning meetings.
· Collaboration with United Way, which resulted in food collection at 288 or more NNO events.
· Support (often increased) from returning local sponsors Minnesota Twins, Nickelodeon Universe MOA, Qwest, Target and KFAI Radio.
· Assistance from new local sponsors AAA, Minnesota Crime Prevention Association, Litin and MTN.
· Significant contributions from Holiday Stationstores, Roundy’s/Rainbow Foods, General Mills Foundation, The Shout! House and Castle Building and Remodeling.
National Night Out’s impact lasts far longer than one evening in Minneapolis. By bringing neighbors together block by block, NNO helps make a year-round difference in creating community, reducing fear, building leadership and improving safety.
Thanks again for getting helping out! By the way, the 2009 Minneapolis National Night Out is Tuesday, August 4.
John R. Baumann
Operations Manager
Community Crime Prevention/SAFE Central
Minneapolis Police Department
612-673-3447 (office)
john.baumann@ci.minneapolis.mn.us
www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/safe
Oct
7
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Date: October 20, 2008 Time: 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Place: ML King Recreation Center
4055 Nicollet Ave So.
Minneapolis, MN 55409
Purpose: To present information and solicit information on the following license application:
Applicant’s Name: Henpecked, LLC.
Trade Name: Kings
Address and Location: 4555 Grand Ave S
Phone: 612-203-8177
Current License: None. Premises was a retail store.
Requested License: On Sale Wine with Strong Beer, Class D
Nature of Entertainment: : The Class D License permits non-amplified music by one musician, customer singing, ethnic dance in full costume by one dancer, radio, TV, juke box, or taped music, and karaoke.
Off Street Parking: Requirement met.
You are invited to be present and to express your opinions, and/or, present such in writing. You may return your response to:
Department of Licenses and Consumer Services
Room 1-C City Hall
350 5th Street South
Minneapolis, MN. 55415
Oct
3
Dan Swenson–Klatt, the owner of Butter Bakery Café, is passionate about scones—eating them, baking them, and serving them to discerning scone-sumers. He teases head baker Amy Kovacs that she’s his sole scone-making peer. Kovacs is really more of a cakes and éclairs specialist. Isn’t this sounding good already? The Kingfield–Lyndale neighborhood joint is equal parts café, coffee shop, and bakery. Beyond the “pretty stuff,” …read more at http://www.mspmag.com/dining/brunchbeat/113963.asp.
Oct
3
On Sept. 26, 2008 the Minneapolis City Council and Mayor R.T. Rybak approved establishing a Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission and a Neighborhood and Community Relations Department. Because the state legislation that funded NRP sunsets in 2009, City leaders have been working for several years to improve the City’s community engagement system and to find ways to make sure neighborhoods remain a valued part of the City’s culture, serving as a link between City government, residents and businesses. Together the new commission and City department will collaborate to support the ongoing work of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP), partner with neighborhoods to promote resident participation in City decision-making, and support the community engagement work of City departments.
The new Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission, a group of 16 residents will be appointed to oversee the City’s relationship with neighborhoods and community organizations. The commission’s charge is to provide direction to the next phase of NRP and be primarily responsible for the review of neighborhood plans. The commission will also make recommendations to the City Council on allocation of a variety of types of funding to neighborhoods. Neighborhoods will have significant representation on the commission with eight residents selected by neighborhood organizations, five residents appointed by the City Council, two appointed by the Mayor, and one appointed by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. Through the input and work of the Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission, residents and neighborhood organizations will play a key role in enhancing and shaping how the City engages its residents.
The approval of a new City department, the Neighborhood and Community Relations Department, is designed to bring existing staff from different departments together to leverage their expertise to jointly serve residents and promote community participation through the work of neighborhoods and City departments. Department staff will help neighborhood organizations navigate City processes and continue developing partnerships with City departments. Plans call for the department to offer leadership training to residents and develop opportunities for all residents of the City to learn more about civic participation in the City of Minneapolis.
Additionally, department staff, in cooperation with community crime prevention, would work to promote more collaboration between neighborhood groups and block clubs. The department will also be situated to create a forum for neighborhood organizations to share lessons learned and best practices and similarly for City departments to learn from one another’s experiences. The department will begin its work in January 2009 and will use much of the year as a transition period to establish staffing and programming details.
Many successful components of NRP will continue under the new system. Neighborhoods will continue to receive City funding for operations and programs, and as independent organizations, neighborhoods will retain control over their goals, budgets, and work plans. The department will administer the new State authorized funds available for neighborhood operations and programming that will support the next phase of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP). Another of the department’s duties is to provide staff support to the new resident-controlled Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission. Together the commission and department staff will collaborate to oversee and support programming details and funding of the next phase of NRP.
For more information on the City’s Community engagement work, visit www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/communications/communityengagement.asp. The final language of the authorizing resolution for the Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission is made available through the City Council Archives Web page under Official Council Proceedings at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/archives.asp.
Oct
3
The Minneapolis Police Department and Housing Inspections are sponsoring a Rental Property Owner Workshop:
Thursday, October 23, 5-9 pm
St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church
3450 Irving Ave. S
Pre-registration required
Cost: $20 if registered by Oct. 16; $30 thereafter. The fee covers a manual and other materials, a DVD on Housing Court and a box meal.
This 4-hour workshop includes useful information on:
The ABC’s of property management
Dealing with tenant behavior issues
Tenant screening
Effective leases
Housing Court
Working with the MPD and Inspections
Much more
The workshop is particularly helpful for new owners and those owners/managers who are having problems at their properties.
There are more details and a registration form at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/safe/workshops.asp#TopOfPage.
For more information, contact your Crime Prevention Specialist (CPS) in the MPD, e-mail ccpsafe@ci.minneapolis.mn.us or leave a message at 612-673-2812.
Oct
2
Eating for Art–TODAY!
Filed Under art, businesses | Leave a Comment
Thursday October 2—All Day!
What is the Purpose of Eating for Art?
The purpose of Eating for Art is to encourage people to visit our local neighborhood restaurants & to provide funding for community art projects in the Kingfield and Lyndale neighborhoods.
What Types of Projects has the money been used for?
· Walldogs on Nicollet – 10 exterior murals on Nicollet Avenue
· Music at the Kingfield Farmers’ Market and other local events
· Music and Movies at neighborhood parks
· Annual March Community Art Show
· Deck the Walls—a holiday performing arts extravaganza
· Future community art projects designed by community members!
How is Eating for Art organized?
- All neighborhood restaurants were offered the chance to participate: this year 7 locally owned and operated places selected to be a part of the event!
- Each restaurant sets the percentage of sales they will donate; this year all participating restaurants chose to donate 20-31% of the days’ sale!
- The Kingfield and Lyndale neighborhood associations are responsible for organizing and marketing the event to the neighborhood, schools, churches, and the wider community.
- Everybody eats>—in 2007 participants reported a 25% increase in their daily sales!
Questions on the project or how to get involved in community art projects should be directed to:
Sarah Linnes-Robinson, Executive Director
Kingfield Neighborhood Association
612.823.5980 – kfna@email.com
Oct
1
38th & Nicollet Graffiti and Blight
Filed Under businesses, redevelopment | 1 Comment
Julene here at Nicollet ACE Hardware on 38th and Nicollet.
We would like to talk about the old Theison building. The building is disgraceful weeds and garbage everywhere and the graffiti is unacceptable. The Lander group has removed the awnings and anything else that was decent.
I find it difficult to understand the city of Minneapolis and KFNA. A few years ago I was sighted by the city for a few weeds in the back of our building and a while back was forced to replace a large window because it was graffiti etched about 4 inches square. That was after we had paid someone $200.00 to grind it out, then a person called and the inspector had to locate the etched graffiti with a light in order to see it and still required us to replace the front glass to the some of $2000.00.
Fast forward to today and Michael Lander a disgrace to our community his negligence is appalling. We have worked on this corner for years always striving for a better corner, always improving always cleaning and painting. If Michael Lander was a HOME owner instead of a commercial real-estate developer he would have been forced to clean up his building.
I am disappointed that this community would accept Michael Landers delinquency and not require him to step up.
All the neighborhood festivals and events are pointless if we allow this blight to continue.
–Julene Lind, 38th & Nicollet
Oct
1
Concern Over Door to Door Sales/Donation Requests
Filed Under crime | 3 Comments
My neighbor, Amy, said a man came to her house and opened her screen door. Fortunately, the inside door was locked. The man had a case of pop under his arm and held up a card, saying he was from the End Time Apostolic Church. Through the locked door, she told him she wasn’t interested.
She then called the church, located in North Minneapolis, and the representative said they don’t have church solicitors and to call the police about this incident. Our non-emergency precinct number is 612-673-5705.
Both Amy and I think her house was being cased - if her inside door wasn’t locked - he would have entered their house. She wanted me to contact our neighbors with this update.
Please, do keep your doors locked. When I was a counselor at the Minneapolis Sexual Violence Center - I was amazed at the number of crime stats that listed - walked in, door unlocked…
Anne, Harriet Avenue, Kingfield Neighborhood