Kingfield Neighborhood Association

Free COVID-19 Vaccine (+$100 Gift Card Incentive to Get it now)

By

Any Minnesotan age 12 years or older who receives their first dose of their COVID-19 vaccine between now and Sunday, Aug. 15 can get a $100 Visa gift card. After you get your dose, you can claim your gift card on this state website starting Wednesday, Aug 4. The offer is limited to the first 24,330 Minnesotans who qualify, so be sure to get your vaccine soon! To find a vaccine clinic near you, you can use the state’s Vaccine Connector website or its Vaccine Locator Map. You can also contact your health care provider or your local pharmacy.

Remember to ask for a Pfizer vaccine for children ages 12 to 17. The Pfizer vaccine – which is approved for people 12 and older – is available at some state vaccination sites as well as some County vaccination sites (which are also offering $50 visa cards to those who get vaccinated).

In addition, the City offers free vaccines every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Park Avenue United Methodist Church (3400 Park Ave) – no insurance, appointment or ID required. Or, to find the vaccine clinic closest to you, you can also text your ZIP code to 4388829 (GETVAX) or call 1-800-232-0233. Accrued sick and safe time hours can be used to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and recover from any side effects. Learn more about the City’s sick and safe time ordinance here.

Most Minneapolis Rec Centers Reopening!

By

38 recreation centers are open for scheduled programming; all recreation centers expected to reopen in the fall

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has been following a phased approach to reopening recreation centers this year after closing due to the pandemic. Five more recreation centers reopened this month: Morris, Painter, Peavey, Pershing, Van Cleve.

In total, there are currently 38 recreation centers are open with the following conditions:

  • Recreation centers are only open for scheduled programs.
  • Drop in visits are not allowed.
  • Registration is required for all programs so that the MPRB can perform contact tracing in the case of a COVID-19 outbreak.
  • Onsite registration may be available on a limited basis, but preregistration is advised.
  • Masks are required for unvaccinated visitors and staff.
  • Masks are encouraged for vaccinated visitors and staff.

All recreation centers are expected to return to regular hours and operation this fall. Use the link below or minneapolisparks.org/register to browse and register for scheduled programs:

Recreation Center Programs

The following recreation centers are currently open for scheduled programs:

Armatage, Bottineau, Central Gym, Creekview, East Phillips, Elliot, Farview, Folwell, Fuller, Harrison, Hiawatha School, Keewaydin, Kenwood, Lake Hiawatha, Lake Nokomis, Linden Hills, Luxton, Lyndale Farmstead, Lynnhurst, Matthews, McRae, Morris, North Commons, Northeast, Painter, Pearl, Peavey, Pershing, Phillips, Powderhorn, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Sibley, Stewart, Van Cleve, Waite, Webber, Whittier, Windom Northeast.

The following recreation centers remain closed, but are expected to return to normal hours and operation this fall:

Audubon, Brackett, Bryant Square, Corcoran, Kenny, Logan, Longfellow, Loring, Windom South.

Water Restrictions Continue in MPLS but Trees still need 1 inch of water every week

By

trees

During our drought, remember that trees – especially young trees – need watering any time it doesn’t rain an inch in a week. Under the sprinkling restrictions, tree watering is allowed with a dripping hose, bucket or tree watering bag as needed.

Minneapolis yard and boulevard trees need an inch of water every week all through the summer-fall season. Lack of water can make trees vulnerable to insects and disease and cause permanent damage to young and old trees alike. Trees up to five years old are especially susceptible. The Park Board plants and mulches boulevard trees but relies on residents or businesses nearby to water them.

An effective way to water a tree is to turn on a slow stream of water (just so the hose is weeping) for a few hours. Watering in the evening is most effective since it minimizes evaporation, and trees tend to take most of their water during the night. Watering one tree weekly costs only about $3 for 23 weeks – the entire summer-fall season. For people who lose track of when they last watered a tree, a good way to remember is to water trees on the same day trash is picked up.

Taking care of our trees means protecting our Minneapolis quality of life. Healthy trees are beautiful, increase property values, help improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gases by absorbing carbon dioxide, save energy, keep the city cooler, provide homes for wildlife and help manage stormwater. If you have space in your yard to plant a tree, consider getting one going so it can get a start on providing shade and making a better quality of life in your neighborhood. The larger the tree, the larger the benefits.

Share this video and spread the word about helping our urban forest

Healthy trees are an important part of our quality of life in Minneapolis, but they need our help. Share this short video about some of the benefits of our urban forest and how we can help.

For information on tree care and the urban forest, call the Park Board’s Forestry Department at 612-313-7710, email or visit www.minneapolisparks.org/trees.

National Night Out; A statement from KFNA

By

National Night Out (NNO) is an event that takes place every year on the first Tuesday in August. Minneapolis leads the nation for NNO participation, and Kingfield often leads the City for participation. According to the City website, holding an NNO gathering gives you and your neighbors:

  • A reason to have a social gathering with your neighbors
  • A chance to get to know each other
  • Time to build important relationships with our neighbors that keep your neighborhood safe

With its roots in “community policing”, NNO was conceived of as a way to also connect police to the community. In Kingfield, this has looked like individual blocks inviting police officers to stop by their NNO event if the block wanted to invite them. KFNA has independently supported NNO events (without connection to MPD) over the two decades. The value that this event brings to neighbors cannot be overlooked.

We believe NNO events in Kingfield create the sort of community-based safety we know is cultivated by neighbors knowing each other, knowing each others’ kids and dogs, and being connected on our blocks and throughout our neighborhood. In this spirit, National Night Out is a community-building and safety strategy that KFNA supports regardless of its historical involvement with the police.

So in the spirit of connecting with neighbors, and in the spirit of creating a community where all neighbors feel welcomed and safe, KFNA will be visiting all block parties that registered their block party for NNO at the  City of Minneapolis (we access a list of these directly from the city) AS WELL AS all blocks that want to instead register as a site for the National Night Out for Safety and Liberation AND provide you block party address directly to us by emailing .

KFNA will be visiting all registered parties with cookies provided by our amazing neighborhood partners Butter Bakery Café (thank you, Dan!)and Sun Street Breads  (thank you, Solveig!)

 

 

 

Minneapolis Water Restrictions Start Wednesday 7/21

By

Minneapolis is now under a drought warning per the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Citywide water sprinkling restrictions go into effect Wednesday, July 21, until further notice.

The Mississippi River has reliably provided the City of Minneapolis with drinking water for over 150 years. Public Works is confident in its continued ability to produce sufficient quantities of high-quality water for Minneapolis residents. The restrictions outlined below are consistent with other metro cities and will help reduce demand on the Mississippi River during this ongoing drought. You can also find details on watering restrictions here.

water-restrictions

Know the Restrictions

  • Sprinkling lawns is NOT allowed from noon to 6 p.m. on any day.
  • On calendar days that are even numbers (examples: July 26 or Aug. 18), the even side of the street CAN sprinkle lawns outside of the noon to 6 p.m. time window. Examples: 1238 Oak St. or 2574 Cedar Ave.
  • On calendar days that are odd numbers (examples: July 27 or Aug. 19), the odd side of the street CAN sprinkle lawns. Examples: 1247 Maple St. or 2561 18th Ave.

Know the Exceptions

  • Bushes and flowers may be watered with a hand-held hose as needed.
  • Vegetable gardens and new sod (first two weeks from placement) may be watered on any day but not during the prohibited afternoon hours of noon to 6 p.m.
  • Trees may be watered with a dripping hose, bucket or tree watering bag as needed.

Other Tips for Using Water Responsibly

The City also encourages residents and business owners to follow other responsible water conservation practices whenever possible. Here are some suggestions:

  • Water during the coolest part of the day to avoid evaporation.
  • Water grass only when it needs it. Most lawns only need an inch of water a week.
  • Install low flow shower heads and faucet aerators.
  • Take shorter showers using low flow showerheads instead of baths.
  • Turn the faucet off while you shave or brush your teeth.
  • Load dishes into the dishwasher without rinsing them.
  • Run the dishwasher only when it’s fully loaded.
  • Fill the sink to wash dishes by hand instead of letting the water run.
  • Use a large pan to clean vegetables rather than letting the water run.
  • Only wash full loads of laundry.