Re: [Mpls] North Minneapolis is a Red Light District
Scott, This is an issue we deal with on a daily basis in Central. It is extremely frustrating and I'm not sure how to deal with it, but know you are not alone. You seem to be doing the right things by not allowing people to feel comfortable doing this in your neighborhood and calling it in when you can. Let's see how our new City Council and mayor choose to deal with this and take it from there. Mr. Rybak, Mr. Biernat and Mr. Lilligren how do you plan to address this? Matthew Dufresne, Central Scott McGerik wrote: This morning, at about 9:15 AM, I had the displeasure of dealing with yet another prostitute and her client. As I was opening the window shades to let in the beautiful morning sun, I noticed a female riding a mountain bike being followed by a male in a silver Ford Contour. They stopped in front of my garage, which is a favorite hiding spot as they are partially blocked from view, where the female, entered the car and proceeded to perform oral sex upon the male. I went out there and told them to leave, but when they just stared at me, I called the 911 and logged a call. Unfortunately, the police did not arrive in time to catch the perpetrators, so I canceled the call to the the police. Witnessing prostitution or finding the evidence of prostitution is a weekly occurance for me. Every day that I come home from work, I walk along the street to pick up the ever present trash that is blowing down it and, at least once a week, I find a used condom during this clean up. Scott McGerik Hawthorne/Minneapolis ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Plugged driveways and pedestrian intersection crossings.
Great idea Neal. I've had the same problem before with similar feelings. This seems to be an issue that can and should be easily remedied, especially in an area like Mpls. where this ice is so common. CMs, prospective CMs and ditto for the Mayor and prospective mayor, what do you say about trying to implement something like this. It will obviously cost something, but I think that many of us would be willing to have our taxes rise by a few dollars to help take care of some of these livability issues. Matthew Dufresne, Central Neighborhood [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I enjoy the variation in weather that our Minnesota seasons provide. However, I don't appreciate having snow plowed into my driveway, especially if it should happen soon before I need to leave for an important appointment. On such occasions, there is no time for me for get help and I must remove the snow very carefully with small shovelfuls, at a time in my life when I am about twice the age of a person who might be told to hang up the snow shovel for good. For some time now, a snow plow attachment has existed that has a gate that can be lowered temporarily when the snow plowing vehicle approaches a driveway. This attachment blocks the flow of snow from the curb end of the plow until the plow has passed beyond the driveway. The result is that there is very little plowing residue left in the driveway entrance and the home owner only needs to remove the precipitated snow, if not done beforehand, not the heavy, packed snow that the plow leaves. This snow plow attachment also works at public crosswalks where many people have difficulty climbing over mounds of snow in order to cross the streets. In addition it would remove the danger of children sliding into the path of a vehicle when they might be on a crosswalk mound while waiting for a vehicle to pass. Why hasn't the City of Minneapolis been using this procedure? I would guess that to do so would be unnatural in the Minneapolis City Hall where improvements in basic services may be deferred in order to bring about grandiose schemes that should have a lesser priority, if implemented at all. But I will give the denizens of City Hall some help. The name and address of the manufacturer of the attachment that I have described is as follows: Root Spring Scraper Co. 527 West North Street Kalamazoo, MI 49007 616-382-2025 Let us all think carefully about how we are going to vote on November sixth. Neal E. Simons Prospect Park ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Strib poll and racial tension
Bill and the rest of the group, Do you feel that Non-European immigrants, Such as the Somali or Hmong, would have the same feelings towards African Americans and advantages of white privilege that other Europeans may have had in the past? How do you all feel about what African Americans might be feeling towards the Somali community as well as other immigrants from other African countries? Maybe there is room for discussion here on race relations as they start as a new immigrant and how we as an already established community (the City of Minneapolis) may positively effect where this challenging issue may go in the next decade and generation. Respectfully, Matthew Dufresne Central [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On the relationship between Black and new immigrant communities there is a famous Malcolm X quote. On witnesing some newly arrived Eastern European children at the airport, all dressed in native clothing he said such pretty little children. The first English word they're going to learn is nigger. America has a long history of immigrants leapfrogging over the Black community. Racism has always been a way of proving you are a real American. Many immigrant communities may even object to being called white but have no objection to white privelege. I speak of communities but of course each individual makes his own choice on this issue. Irish and Italian are now clearly white, others have attained white status if not name. Perhaps this is what the 44-year old woman was refering to. Bill Cooley ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re:[Mpls] Affordable Housing
I wanted to add my two cents in here, but I'll try to make it short and sweet. I believe that everyone has a right to decent and affordable housing. I don't believe too many people disagree with that idea. What concerns some, typically middle to upper class folks, has more to do with how renters and/or lower income individuals/families live or how they behave. So now it becomes more of a class issue and values issue between these two groups. To preface my background; I grew up for a good part of my life as a renter and on welfare due to various life circumstances. I'm neither proud nor ashamed of that fact. It's just my life experience. Then, 2 years ago, my family and I were lucky enough to be in the position to purchase our own home in Central Neighborhood. My personal attitudes have never changed as to how I took care of my home (meticulously, being a rather anal-type of person with a very orderly mother) either as a renter or a homeowner, although I probably do put a bit more time into trying to make my home look more like who I feel I am, which as a renter I was not able to do many times. What I have come to learn is that what the fear of affordable housing is has more to do with the fear that those who live in it will not or do not take care of it as well as others might like them to. I believe that there are enough examples of this for all to agree on and at the same time there are as many reasons behind why people chose to live the way they do that are just as valid. I believe we could bridge this gap for the most part if we would be able to get more people to take more pride, ownership and responsibility in their homes whether they be apartments, townhomes, single family homes etc...When our values start to come together the things like class, race, ethnicity, culture don't seem so far apart. Until we reach that point we will continue to have the very debate we are having right now though and each side will feel equally right and virtuous. This will take some time and flexibility on the part of us all, but we can do it if we so chose. Matthew Dufresne Central Neighborhood ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] Community Policing for Mpls?
I have only been on this chat line for a few months so forgive me if this issue has already been worked over, but how do you all feel about idea of having the Minneapolis Police Dept. begin following a truly community based model of community policing? I would also be very interested to see what the candidates for Mayor and City Council have to say on this issue. If elected or re-elected, would you not only support, but push for, community policing in Minneapolis? I feel that it would be a win-win situation. The police dept. could do a better job, the citizenry would be much more involved, we would know and trust our officers and they of us, crime would most likely go down considerably and maybe we could avoid some of the issues that have plagued the dept. and the City of Minneapolis for so long. I'm not quite sure why Mayor Sayles Belton or Chief Olsen have not worked towards this up to this point, but maybe it's time to try something different since what they have done before doesn't seem to do the job the way many of us would like to see it done. I don't think this is asking too much or being too unreasonable. Maybe it's time to make it a priority for our elected officials so that they do implement it? So let the discussion begin. Respectfully, Matthew Dufresne Central ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Police, prosecutors, judges and graffiti
Mpls-Issues tip: PLEASE trim the previous message when responding. The redundant characters make tough reading for Digest subscribers and needlessly lengthens download times. --- I agree that graffiti is a real problem for the City of Minneapolis and we all need to pitch in and take care of it. I was at the Neighborhoods USA (NUSA) Conference in Phoenix, Arizona last May (2000) and came across a great program the the residents of the City of Phoenix had put together. It was very simple but involved the work of various residents, local businesses, the police dept. and others. Basically all they did was paint over graffiti within hours of it being put up. This had the immediate effect of slowing graffiti to less than 90% of what it had been previous to them starting this program. The reason that tagging is so popular is that others can see it and identify it. When you take this away from them you take away their will to do it in the long run. If any of you are interested in learning more about it I can give you further contact information. On another note, I would disagree with Mr. Sabri about getting rid of the SAFE units. They are our only true connections between the community and the police dept. We really do not have community policing other than what the SAFE program offers us. The SAFE program has proven its effectiveness time and time again and I really feel that we should move to true community policing model. If we did, you would see much happier police officers who interacted with residents, much less in the way of misunderstandings between the community and the police dept., less police brutality and racial profiling etc...This all comes from knowing and working side by side with those you serve. *I would challenge Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton, all of our Council Members, Chief Olsen and the Minneapolis Police Dept. to move towards true community policing. Then and only then will we see a real change in crime, community/police relations and a better level of well being for all the citizens of Minneapolis.* Until we do that though we must maintain the SAFE program, work to make it bigger and better and continue to demand that our representatives work towards true community policing. In the mean time, call your friendly neighborhood SAFE team, stay involved and keep up the good work. Respectful, Matthew Dufresne Central Neighborhood ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] CNIA's NRP funds frozen again
FYI: I spoke to Robert Miller and Robert Cooper, of NRP's Citizen Participation office, and was told that CNIA's funds were once again being frozen (or already had been as of last Friday?), due in part to ongoing inconsistencies and the latest claim by the current CNIA board that $110,000 of funds had gone missing. This is very upsetting to me to see our neighborhood organization continue to go down the crapper because of poor judgment and leadership by various current board members and staff (A side note: I believe that the people involved have good intentions for the most part but are very misguided in their thinking and actions). I know that this is not new news, but I would be interested to hear from those of you who have weathered similar challenges in your respective neighborhoods and how you were able to overcome them. I don't want to see Central Neighborhood and its residents continue to suffer while a few misguided individuals take the rest of us down a very bad road. I know that we can make it through this challenge but I feel that we really need the support of our other neighbors and neighborhoods to make it out in one piece. We have our annual meeting coming up on May 22nd and there are a number of issues to be brought up. any ideas on how to bring them up in a positive and constructive way. Is there anyone out there who would be willing to observe our meeting and/or act as a friendly, volunteer mediator of sorts? We can use all the help we can get. Thank you in advance for your ideas and support. Let's hope that we will not have to repay it in the same way further down the road. Respectfully, Matthew Dufresne Central ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Ventura Village Meeting
Rob, Congrats on your successful thwarting of Basim Sabri and his strong-armed techniques. That is no small feat. Keep up the good work and keep control of a neighborhood where it belongs, in the neighborhood's hands and not in the back pocket of a developer. Matthew Dufresne A not so fortunate Central Neighborhood resident ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Alert for Minneapolitans Driving to St Paul
My mother always taught me that if you weren't doing something wrong, you wouldn't normally have something to worry about. And if you were doing something you shouldn't be, then maybe you better rethink what you were doing. Just a thought. Matthew Dufresne Central ferma001 wrote: Heads Up - Minneapolis residents who drive to St Paul should be warned that St Paul is using unmarked police vehicles in the vicinity of the bridges and other crossovers from Minneapolis. Mid-day, today, I noticed two motorists just beyond two bridges were stopped. The St Paul vehicles are dark colored sedans - they do not have top light bar and no police markings. One bridge was the Lake Street, the other the Ford bridge. John Ferman Harriet Avenue Kingfield Neighborhood Minneapolis Ward 10 Pct 10 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] Twin Cities Community Garden Fair-April 7th
For all of you gardeners, block beautifiers and green thumbers and everyone else here is something to put on your calendars. Matthew Dufresne Central Neighborhood Please pass this information on to any and all community gardening friends: TWIN CITIES COMMUNITY GARDEN FAIR, sponsored by the Sustainable Resources Center - Urban Lands Program, Perdita Butler (for more information, call Perdita at 612.872.3297) Pick up tips from Master Gardeners, learn about native plants, find a summer youth gardening program for your children, sign up for a plot at a community garden, see a play about your lunch and then satisfy your appetite with tasty snacks at the Twin Cities Community Garden Fair, held Saturday, April 7 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Brackett Community Center, 38th Avenue South at East 28th Street in Minneapolis. The Twin Cities Community Garden Fair is presented free of charge by Sustainable Resources Center's Urban Lands program. Fair activities include: * A slide talk on "Small Space Vegetable Gardening" presented by Hennepin County Master Gardeners. * In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater performing its youth-centered puppet show, "What's for Lunch?" which follows the adventures of a chicken sandwich traveling from farm to school lunchroom. * Garden questions answered by Master Gardeners, representatives from the Minnesota Horticultural Society, the Minnesota Native Plant Society, Sustainable Resources Center's Lead-Safe Landscaping and Home Gardening projects, community garden coordinators from St. Paul and Minneapolis, youth garden directors and many others. * A booth where visitors can locate community gardens near their homes, or learn how to start a new community garden. * Seeds and tips on how to grow them. -- Vicky Vogels Community Outreach Coordinator Minnesota State Horticultural Society Tel. 651.643.3601, Ext 209 Fax. 651.643.3638 800.676.MSHS www.northerngardener.org Please pass this information on to any and all community gardening friends: TWIN CITIES COMMUNITY GARDEN FAIR, sponsored by the Sustainable Resources Center - Urban Lands Program, Perdita Butler (for more information, call Perdita at 612.872.3297) Pick up tips from Master Gardeners, learn about native plants, find a summer youth gardening program for your children, sign up for a plot at a community garden, see a play about your lunch and then satisfy your appetite with tasty snacks at the Twin Cities Community Garden Fair, held Saturday, April 7 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Brackett Community Center, 38th Avenue South at East 28th Street in Minneapolis. The Twin Cities Community Garden Fair is presented free of charge by Sustainable Resources Center's Urban Lands program. Fair activities include: * A slide talk on "Small Space Vegetable Gardening" presented by Hennepin County Master Gardeners. * In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater performing its youth-centered puppet show, "What's for Lunch?" which follows the adventures of a chicken sandwich traveling from farm to school lunchroom. * Garden questions answered by Master Gardeners, representatives from the Minnesota Horticultural Society, the Minnesota Native Plant Society, Sustainable Resources Center's Lead-Safe Landscaping and Home Gardening projects, community garden coordinators from St. Paul and Minneapolis, youth garden directors and many others. * A booth where visitors can locate community gardens near their homes, or learn how to start a new community garden. * Seeds and tips on how to grow them. -- Vicky Vogels Community Outreach Coordinator Minnesota State Horticultural Society Tel. 651.643.3601, Ext 209 Fax. 651.643.3638 800.676.MSHS www.northerngardener.org
[Mpls] Mpls: A Dirty City
I would like to address an issue that I believe to be fairly important; lack of a clean city. It is especially apparent at this moment given all of the trash, sand, mud etc. that has been uncovered with the spring thaw, but it is not a new issue. Clean and tidy living quarters have always been a sticking point for me, being rather "anal retentive", and I do not feel that the City of Minneapolis or its citizens as a whole have done a very good job at keeping it as such. I think that when we are surrounded by clean and well kept surroundings that we tend to keep them that way and generally act better. The reverse is also true in that when our surroundings are shabby, dirty and run down that people tend not to care as much and thus do not bother showing pride in their surroundings which many times leads to less-than-desireable effects. This isn't to say that all of Minneapolis looks like a rat-hole, but I believe that we can all think of many places around Minneapolis that have trash on the streets and boulevards and unkempt yards and businesses. This trash issue is both a cause and a symptom of larger issues such as lack of civic and public pride, crime, hopelessness, a movement away from personal and community responsibility and a lack of personal and public leadership. Unfortunately, we are all guilty of this to a certain extent. It would be easy to point fingers at certain groups or officials and say that "they" are the ones responsible, but the reality is that we all play an important role in the communities we live in and how we form and maintain our communities. I would like to see a real effort both by city officials and the Minneapolis public to clean up our city and keep it that way. It may seem difficult at times but if each of us would pick up around our homes and neighborhoods and the city would make an on-going and concerted effort to clean the streets, enforce our city trash ordinances and provide a good example for its citizens, I believe we could have a very positive effect on our wonderful city in a very short time. So let's give it a real effort and I am sure we could reduce certain crime and livability issues to a noticeable extent. And finally, the best part about cleaning up the city is that we can all take part in and pride and responsibility for its success. It's a win-win situation for everyone. No one is excluded and everyone benefits. I am interested to see what others think and feel about this. Respectfully, Matthew Dufresne Central Neighborhood ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Re:East Lake Hotel
In reply to Tim Connolly's reply to Eva, I would just like to say that there are many more people in the neighborhood who feel strongly about putting a hotel/motel on this location. Although, not everyone is so inclined to put their necks out there for some of the spiteful and vindictive people that seem to be out there to hack off at will. I do not believe there is anything wrong with not wanting something in your backyard or even in your neighborhood if you feel that it is going to adversely affect you or your family. This is a normal defense mechanism we all have and use and people need to be able to express their concerns and trepidation's with those around them. It would be pretty unlikely for others to support us in our causes if we half-heartedly expressed them. It is only when others truly feel your concerns that they can share them and work with you towards alleviating them. I believe that the people in the neighborhoods that surround 2nd and Lake have seen more than their fair share of the prostitution, crime, filth and poverty that we have in our city and don't care to see any more. We feel that this hotel/motel will only add to problems we already face and we have the right to feel so. I'm proud to be a NIMBY on this given subject because I feel that it can only lead to more problems for the area. I feel that the city, neighbors and investors can come up with a better solution to this empty lot than a budget motel no matter how you gloss it up. If the people who feel strongly about having this hotel/motel are really in support of it, then maybe they should try offering to put it in their backyard. It never seems quite as nice when the shoe is on the other foot, does it? Respectfully, Matthew Dufresne Central Neighborhood ___ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
