subject:"\[Mpls\] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer"

RE: [Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-08-08 Thread Dean Zimmermann

In reaction to the story about the salary increases for top City employees.
 
Craig: although if one reads this paragraph about the salary increases very
very very carefully it is clear that you have stated it correctly.  But if
one reads it quickly, a person might get the impression that  Colvin Roy,
Zimmermann, Schiff, Zerby, Lilligren and Johnson Lee voted in favor of the
salary increase, when just the opposite is true. 
 
Read just the red part of the quote below and see what kind of impression
you get. 
 
Your story said, "Zerby's move to block the implementation of the salary
increases lost on a 7-6 vote, with council members Sandra Colvin Roy, Dean
Zimmermann, Gary Schiff, Zerby, Robert Lilligren, and Natalie Johnson Lee
voting in favor and Barbara Johnson, Paul Ostrow, Scott Benson, Lisa
Goodman, Barret Lane, and Don Samuels voting against".
 
Perhaps you might have said, Zerby's move to block the implementation of the
salary increases lost on a 7-6 vote, with council members Sandra Colvin Roy,
Dean Zimmermann, Gary Schiff, Zerby, Robert Lilligren, and Natalie Johnson
Lee voting against the salary increase and Barbara Johnson, Paul Ostrow,
Scott Benson, Lisa Goodman, Barret Lane, and Don Samuels voting for the
salary increase".
 
 
Peace,
 
Dean Zimmermann
Mpls City Council - Ward 6
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
C: 612-388-1311
W: 612-673-2206
H: 612-724-3888
2200 Clinton Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN  55404
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.

2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract


Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-08-07 Thread Craig Cox


THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Council Approves Pay Raises for Appointed Officials
* School Bus Drive Receives Lifetime Safety Award
* At War with PEACE
* Cab Fares Could Rise Under Proposed Plan
* Roundy's Comes to the Aid of Little Earth Food Shelf
* Car-Sharing Service Announces Three New Hubs
Plus: North Side voyeurs, a passionate Snapshot, the law against loud 
dogs, recalling 'Murderapolis,' and the real value of 'fringe' 
candidates


Go to: 

--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285

Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.

2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract


Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-07-24 Thread Craig Cox


THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Neighborhood Group at Odds with City Over NRP Funds
* North Loop Residents Balk at 12-Story Condo Plan
* Eastgate Shopping Center to Be Razed
Plus: McManus' legacy, Lake Street fishing, Aquatennial costs, and a 
letter from the mayor


Go to: 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285

Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.

2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract


Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-07-17 Thread Craig Cox


THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Police Department Launches Latina Leadership Program
* Celebrated Local Pig Dies
* Eastern Portion of Lake Street Reconstruction Approved
* Patrick's Cabaret Welcomes Back Patrick Scully
* Building a Bridge Between Neighborhoods

Go to: 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285

Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.

2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract


Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-07-10 Thread Craig Cox


THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Heller to Sell Last of West Bank Holdings
* Park Board Will Trim Lake Calhoun Sailing Village Proposal
* North High Offering Summer Construction Trades Program
* Edison Arena, Hockey Program in Financial Trouble

Go to: 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285

Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.

2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract


Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-06-26 Thread Craig Cox


THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Council Committee Deals Blow to Lagoon Project
* The Last Gun Shop in Town May Soon Close Its Doors
* Hollywood Theater Impasse Could Be Over
* Park Board Reverses Permit Policy for Political Candidates
* Samuels Steps Down as President of PEACE Foundation
Plus: Working out a compromise on Lagoon

Go to 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285

Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.

2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract


Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-06-20 Thread Craig Cox


THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Cameras Ready to Catch City Drivers Running Red Lights
* Downtown Walgreens to Close
* Security Guards Get Union Contract
* Somali TV Network Launched
Plus: Downsizing our school district

Go to: 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285

Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.

2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract


Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

RE: [Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-06-13 Thread Dennis Plante


Excerpts from the MPLS Observer:

MTN Drops Suspension of Hodges and Flowers

(June 13) Less than a month after suspending commentators Booker Hodges and 
Al Flowers for alleged threats made against City Council Member Don Samuels, 
MTN officials last week revoked the suspensions and Hodges and Flowers will 
be back on the air again next Sunday.


Its an absolute joke, said Hodges.

An MTN appeals committee on Friday viewed the allegedly offensive tape 15 
times, said Hodges, and were unable to confirm the remark that led to the 
suspensions. Nowhere in there did I say we need to kill the house nigga, 
Hodges said.



Excerpts from the May 25th Spokesman Recorder Editorial by Shannon Gibney:

During the broadcast in question, Hodges said, Ultimately, all the things 
that we sit here talking about, whether it be economic development, which is 
job creation, people like Council Member Samuels...its simple. We as a 
people, one, must unite. We have to learn from like Nat Turners mistake, 
and we have to kill the house ni**as, we got to kill em, and thats what 
were doing on this show. We trying to kill the house ni**as. And we have to 
get in power. You have to understand, as long as we have to go begging to 
somebody, we are never going to get where we need to be.


Hodges asserts that he was not actually encouraging viewers to kill Samuels 
or anyone else; he says that he was speaking euphemistically, that Samuels 
knows this, and that Samuels and his supporters (whom he claims mainly 
reside in the Rybak camp) are exploiting the situation for political gain.


Im competitive. When Im playing sports, I say I want to kill my 
opponent, says Hodges. Does that literally mean that I want to kill them? 
No, but its a figure of speech. I dont think [Samuels] has any valid 
concerns. If you look at his statements, he never says, I feel Booker or Al 
is going to kill me. He says, I feel threatened by the statements.


I think people should be able to make statements like that, and they do 
make statements like that. I wasnt trying to advocate killing someone at 
all  and people who know me know that.
I feel that MTN staff  there was more pressure put on them than a 
submarine at 2,500 feet in the ocean  by Gail Plewacki [City of Minneapolis 
communications director], who Im told threatened their budget, Mayor Rybak 
and Council Member Samuels.

Both Samuels and Plewacki deny these accusations.

Basically, the speech that I felt broke the law was the threatening nature 
of You have to kill the house ni**a  I think [Hodges] said it about four 
times, said Pam Colby, MTN executive director. I felt that that was where 
it crossed the First Amendment, and it moved into threatening speech.


Since 9/11, our country has less tolerance for threatening speech of any 
kind. I think intent is another topic. But thats how it comes across, that 
its threatening speech, said Colby, who added that she has received calls 
(both in support and critical) about The Real State of the City Address for 
months.


Hodges said, I apologized to Don. I said, Look man, if youre threatened 
by those statements, cool, but you still got to answer for the Big House.


Dennis Plante Writes:

Which one is the truth?


Dennis Plante
Lind-Bohanon


REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.

2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract


Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-06-12 Thread Craig Cox


THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* MTN Drops Suspension of Hodges and Flowers
* North Side Kowalski's to Close
* Grant Will Help Local Research Firm Develop Biomass Market in 
Northern Minnesota

* Park Board Candidate Alleges Free Speech Violation
* Lagoon High Rise Gets Planning Commission Approval
* Park Board Begins Negotiations with De LaSalle Over Football Field
* Local Think Tank Gets National Civil Leadership Award
* Online High School to Open in September
Plus: Remembering Frenchy Belair, selling anti-freeze, a modest 
proposal for a new golf community at Fort Snelling, and the 10-ton 
cure in the garden


Go to: 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285

Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.

2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract


Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in the Minneapolis Observer

2005-05-23 Thread Craig Cox


THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Historic Maternity Hospital to Get Grant, TV Exposure
* MnDOT Planning Expansion of I-94 Commons
* Controversial Stormwater Utility Billing System Will Get Further Study
* East Lake Plans Marketing Campaign
* City Bans Evening Buses on Nicollet Mall
* Former Mayor Arthur Naftalin Dies at 87
* United Nations Leader to Speak Here June 1
* Grand Opening Celebration of Greenway's Second Phase Set For June 25
* Car-Sharing Service Now Accepting Members
Plus: Trials of an urban tailor, remembering the Marigold Ballroom, 
splitting up the DFL, and hopes for a civil dialogue in the 5th Ward


Go to: 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285

Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.

2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract


Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-05-16 Thread Craig Cox

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* McLaughlin Claims Victory at DFL Convention
* Lagoon Highrise Will Not Require Environmental Study
* Sabri Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison
* House Will Support Public Safety Tax--for a Price
* MCTC Basketball Star Named Top Division III Player
Plus: Thursday afternoon in Loring Park, rules against rats, LGA 
circa 1975, and conservatives against gambling

Go to: 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-05-09 Thread Craig Cox

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Council Committee Approves Loring Hill Construction Moratorium
* Green Party Endorses Six Candidates for September Primary
* First Amendment Watchdog Sues U of M
* African American Museum Opens on North Side
* Stadium Plan Threatens Bicycle Freeway
* Seward School Wins State Chess Championship
Plus: IDS really is the tops downtown, loitering umpires, stamping 
sidewalks, the beauty of small yards, and the uneasy future of the 
Greens

Go to: 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-05-02 Thread Craig Cox

DISCOUNT LUMBER YARD OPENING ON NORTH SIDE
St. Paul-based Lampert Yards is set to launch a new retail concept on 
the economically strapped North side.

CITY'S PUBLIC SAFETY SALES TAX PLAN A NON-STARTER AT CAPITOL
The City Council's decision in February to ask the legislature for 
authority to levy a so-called public safety sales tax is dying a slow 
death at the capitol, reports Scott Russell in the Skyway News.

SURPRISE: CITY REPEALS A MONEY-MAKING ORDINANCE
Often criticized for padding the city general fund with excess 
regulations, the City Council on Friday did an about-face, repealing 
an ordinance that has been a dependable cash cow over the years.

ALLEGED SERIAL BURGLAR ARRESTED
A 33-year-old man suspected in several burglaries and car thefts in 
South Minneapolis has been arrested.

NO ENDORSEMENT FOR CITY COUNCIL FROM 8TH WARD DFLERS
As expected, 8th Ward DFLers did not endorse a City Council candidate 
at their convention at Martin Luther King Park on Saturday. After a 
sixth ballot that had Elizabeth Glidden winning 43 percent of the 
vote to Jeffrey Hayden's 42 percent, the gathering adjourned, setting 
the stage for a packed primary election in September.

All this and more at 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-04-25 Thread Craig Cox

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* New Booting Ordinance Passes Committee
* Somali Business Group Organizing Taxicab Co-op
* Last Remnant of City's First High School Will Be Razed
* Four New Bike Routes Planned for North Minneapolis
* A Bridge for Bikes
* Letting the voters decide on a new Twins stadium
For all this and more: 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-04-18 Thread Craig Cox

CITY WILL SUE TIME WARNER
In a closed session on Friday, the City Council agreed to file a 
lawsuit against Time Warner, owner of the city's cable franchise. The 
lawsuit is in response to the media company's refusal to dedicate 25 
percent of the city's channel capacity for public access use.

COUNCIL APPROVES HENNEPIN THEATERS DEAL
On a 9-2 vote, the City Council on Friday approved a controversial 
agreement that would turn over management of its three downtown 
theaters to a group controlled by media giant Clear Channel.

WALKER LIBRARY WILL FIX ROOF
The Walker Library will finally get a chance to patch its leaky roof, 
though it may still face the wrecker's ball.

For all this and the latest in local city election news, go to: 


--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

RE: [Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-04-11 Thread David Brauer

> Well,  I checked out the link to the Observer
> http://www.mplsobserver.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=112  and once
> again the MPRB (park board) is in the news.  They are fighting the city
> over the stormwater fees.  

The original stories are at:

http://www.swjournal.com/articles/2005/04/06/news/news05.txt (the overall
story)
http://www.swjournal.com/articles/2005/04/06/news/news06.txt (the
governments story)
http://www.skywaynews.net/articles/2005/04/11/news/news03.txt (Downtown
angle - more resident beneficiaries here)

There's a homeowner chart, too, but it isn't online. I'll see if we can add
it tomorrow.

David Brauer
Kingfield
Editor, Southwest Journal and Skyway News

REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.

2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract


Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

Re: [Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-04-11 Thread Elizabeth Wielinski

Well,  I checked out the link to the Observer 
http://www.mplsobserver.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=112  and once 
again the MPRB (park board) is in the news.  They are fighting the city 
over the stormwater fees.  I guess the fight is over who's budget will 
take the hit.  As usual the citizens will ultimately pay but now we get 
to pick up the tab for the MPRB to hire another consultant.  If the 
city and the MPRB want to have these "turf wars" the least they could 
do is quit involving expensive outsiders.

Liz Wielinski
Columbia Park
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-04-11 Thread Craig Cox

This Week in The Observer:
* Restructuring the School Board?
* Minnesota Teen Challenge to Move Northeast
* 450 Rally Against Sexual Violence
* Park Board Challenges New City Storm Sewer Fees
* Coldwater Spring Site to Be Sold
For these stories and more, visit: 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-04-04 Thread Craig Cox

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* CPED Senior Staff Get Raises After Tense Debate
* Mill City Museum Wins Award for Architectural Excellence
* City Will Cut Affordable Housing Program in 2006
* Hodges Wins DFL Endorsement for 13th Ward Council Seat
* City Exploring New Convenience Store Regulations
Plus: Swindles in Southwest, poetry at Eloise Butler, a green roof on 
City Hall, and the Gophers' stadium games

Go to: 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-03-20 Thread Craig Cox

CONVENTION CENTER WORKERS ALLEGE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
Two African American workers at the Minneapolis Convention Center 
have filed complaints with the city's Human Rights Department 
alleging a pattern of racial discrimination by Convention Center 
management.

CALHOUN SQUARE RENOVATION MAY CLAIM NEARBY HOMES
The developer in charge of the dramatic makeover of Calhoun Square 
may be expanding the project's reach a bit farther than Uptown 
neighbors had imagined.

WHOLE FOODS COMING DOWNTOWN?
For years, downtown residents have been waiting for a full-service 
grocery store. Soon they may have three.

For these stories and more, visit 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-03-13 Thread Craig Cox

GRANT WILL HELP CITY STUDY EFFECTS OF SMOKING BAN
An $85,000 grant from the anti-smoking group MPAAT will allow city 
officials to study the overall impact of the coming smoking ban.

HOTELS BEGIN NEW CONTRACT TALKS WITH UNION
Five years after more than a thousand hospitality workers walked off 
the job over pay issues, local hotels are back at the bargaining 
table with a confident and aggressive union.

CITY MAY CREATE RIVERFRONT DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
City officials are exploring whether to create a separate development 
agency to focus exclusively on the riverfront, reports Bill Clements 
in Finance and Commerce.

STONE ARCH BRIDGE WILL GET LIT AFTER ALL
The plan to light up downtown's historic Stone Arch Bridge for the 
Fourth of July celebration looks like it could happen--just one year 
late.


FOR THESE AND MORE STORIES, VISIT 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-03-07 Thread Craig Cox

NRP AND CITY REACH AGREEMENT ON CONTROVERSIAL FEES
The Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) and the city's 
development arm have reached an agreement that will end what some 
neighborhood groups have called outrageous administrative fees 
connected to NRP contracts.

WALKER LIBRARY SOLUTION REMAINS IN LIMBO
A decision on the future of the leaky Walker Library will not be 
forthcoming until April, at the earliest, after members of a joint 
City Council-Library Board task force last month could not agree on a 
solution.

HUMAN REMAINS FOUND ON NORTHEAST CONSTRUCTION SITE
A crew working at a Northeast Minneapolis construction site last 
month unearthed human bones and triggered a visit from the state 
archeologist.

For these stories and more visit 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer, 2/28/05

2005-02-27 Thread Craig Cox

CITY'S BUSIEST NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY WILL CLOSE FOR RENOVATIONS
East Lake Library, the city's busiest branch library, will close 
April 30 for a major renovation.

SOUTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AT ODDS WITH PARK BOARD
Two Park Board initiatives have attracted criticism by Southeast 
Minneapolis residents concerned about long-term usage of park land.

LOWRY BRIDGE REOPENING AFTER MYSTERIOUS MISHAP
The seven-month mystery of the leaning Lowry Avenue bridge has not 
exactly been solved, reports Kerry Ashmore in the Northeaster, but 
county officials are confident enough that the century-old bridge is 
ready once again for traffic.

FOR THESE AND MORE LOCAL NEWS AND OPINIONS>> 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-02-13 Thread Craig Cox

PEEBLES' MID-YEAR REPORT HIGHLIGHTS DISTRICT SUCCESSES
Schools Superintendent Thandiwe Peebles last week presented a 
mid-year "State of the District" report to the Minneapolis School 
Board that stressed the changes she's initiated since taking the helm 
last year and cautioned against a "quick-fix" mentality.

NEIGHBORHOOD AIMS TO CHANGE HOLLYWOOD THEATER PLAN
A Northeast neighborhood group has come up with a new plan for 
refurbishing the vacant Hollywood Theater.

WHITNEY HOTEL WILL SHIFT TO CONDOS
The struggling Whitney Hotel, part of the city's historic Mill 
District, will be transformed into high-end condominiums.

For these stories and more>> http://www.mplsobserver.com
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-01-30 Thread Craig Cox

COUNCIL APPROVES RITZ THEATER PROJECT
The City Council on Friday gave final approval to the Ritz Theater 
project, including a deferred loan of $100,000 to close the final 
financing gap.

STATE SENATE OK'S PLANETARIUM, SIX OTHER CITY BONDING REQUESTS
The State Senate on Saturday voted to approve seven of the city's 
priority bonding requests, including the Central Library Planetarium 
and money for the Midtown Exchange, the Schubert Theater, the Lowry 
Avenue Corridor project, the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, the J.D. 
Rivers Center predesign, and the Colin Powell Youth Leadership Center.

A LOTTERY GAME FOR THE CITY'S PARKS?
The Park Board could collect more than $100,000 a year from instant 
lottery games under a bill proposed by State Rep. Paul Thissen 
(DFL-Mpls.).

FOR THESE STORIES AND MORE>> www.mplsobserver.com
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-01-23 Thread Craig Cox

Booting Issue Seems Headed for Compromise
City officials are bent on reaching a compromise with parking lot 
owners, drivers, and towing companies on the controversial booting 
issue.

Pioneering Gay Church May Move to Make Way for Housing
Spirit of the Lakes Church, one of the city's first gay-friendly 
congregations, will move late next year to make room for 40 units of 
affordable housing that church officials hope will be a home for GLBT 
seniors.

Plus: Raves and Rants, Great Moments in Lawmaking, Back in the Day, 
and more>> www.mplsobserver.com
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285

Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If 
you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn 
E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-01-16 Thread Craig Cox

Burroughs Teacher Convicted of Attempted Murder
On December 17, Hennepin County District Court jury found Burroughs 
Community School teacher Jeffrey MacDonald guilty of attempted murder 
and making terroristic threats.

New Lake Street Training Center Set To Open
People in search of jobs, business skills, or educational 
opportunities will soon have a one-stop center for training at 
Bloomington and Lake.

'Betwixt and Between' on Public Safety Funding
The city is, as Council Member Scott Benson so aptly put it last 
week, "betwixt and between" in its efforts to shore up its public 
safety budget at a time when the state government insists on slashing 
local government aid.

FOR THESE STORIES AND MORE >>  www.mplsobserver.com
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2005-01-09 Thread Craig Cox

PROPOSAL MAY SEEK TO BAN LEAF BLOWERS
Two South Side council members are working on an ordinance that would
ban or sharply regulate leaf blowers.

PARK BOARD CONSIDERING FOUR NEW RESTAURANTS
The Park Board has contracted with a local consulting firm to
investigate the feasibility of opening restaurants at as many as four
parks, reports Scott Russell in the Southwest Journal.

LAWMAKERS VOW TO PASS U OF M STADIUM BILL
Legislative leaders from both parties last week vowed to pass a bill
funding a new football stadium on the University of Minnesota campus.

ZIMMERMANN IN LIMBO
Sixth Ward Council Member Dean Zimmermann, whose ward boundaries were
shifted by redistricting last year, thus placing him in the 9th Ward,
may take as long as another month before he decides whether to move
to a new ward or challenge incumbent 9th Ward Council Member Gary
Schiff.

BARB JOHNSON'S DEBT-REDUCTION PLAN
With the city struggling to pay down a massive debt incurred by the
Sayles Belton administration in the 1990s, recent budgets have been
heavy on cutting and light on innovation. The answer, according to
Council Member Barbara Johnson (Ward 4), is to make a deal with the
state legislature.

ALL THESE STORIES AND MORE @ www.mplsobserver.com
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The MInneapolis Observer

2004-12-19 Thread Craig Cox

TROUBLED PARK COULD GET MAKEOVER
A Northeast park that has been called one of the worst in the city
will finally be getting a makeover-though not exactly what the
neighborhood requested.

FUNDING CUTS TRIMMING CHILD CARE OPTIONS
Parents in Hennepin County will have 100 fewer child care slots in
2005, according to a report released earlier this month by the
Greater Minneapolis Day Care Association. A total of 22 centers are
at risk of closing because of government budget cuts.

HOLLYWOOD THEATER REMAINS IN LIMBO
Nearly 18 months after awarding exclusive development rights to a
Columbia Heights developer, the future of the Hollywood Theater
remains very much in limbo.

FIFTH PRECINCT COP AWARDED MEDAL FOR WHITTIER HEROICS
Fifth Precinct Officer Matthew St. George has been awarded the Medal
of Commendation for risking his life to stop a robbery and assault
last month in Whittier, reports Robyn Repya in the Southwest Journal.

DEVELOPER CONSIDERING FIRST GREEN-ROOF CONDO PROJECT IN CITY
A local developer is considering plans to construct the city's first
housing project with a so-called "green roof."

HISTORICAL SOCIETY CELEBRATES LOCAL MUSIC WITH NEW WEB SITE
The Minnesota Historical Society has created a new Web site dedicated
to the music of Minneapolis from the mid-1970s to the present.

For these and other stories, visit www.mplsobserver.com
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2004-12-12 Thread Craig Cox

ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY ARRESTED IN DRUG BUST
Assistant City Attorney Laura Nolen and her husband were arrested
with three others after a November 19 raid at her South Minneapolis
home and charged with illegal possession of cocaine and child
endangerment.

CITY PLANS FIVE-YEAR RENTAL UNIT INSPECTION PROGRAM
Beginning next month, city inspectors will launch a five-year program
designed to inspect every rental unit in the city and bring it up to
code.

NURSES UNION GAINS MOMENTUM AT HCMC
Nurses at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) took a big step
forward in their unionizing efforts when the Hennepin County Board on
November 23 voted to allow organizers to use a streamlined voting
system.

CITY PREPARING TO APPROVE FIRST WOMAN FIRE CHIEF
The City Council's Public Safety and Regulatory Services Committee on
December 15 will hold a public hearing on the nomination of Bonnie
Bleskachek as Fire Chief.

For these stories and more, visit www.mplsobserver.com
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2004-12-05 Thread Craig Cox

CITY WILL MAKE THE CALL ON SNOW EMERGENCIES
Next time the city declares a snow emergency, you're going to hear
about it in a phone call.

SCIENTIST REBUFFED BY MPCA WILL SPEAK HERE JAN. 22
Professor Tyrone Hayes, the University of California-Berkeley
endocrinologist whose views on agricultural pollution have drawn a
snub from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, will have a chance
to speak to a Minnesota audience after all.

BICYCLE CRASHES RISING
Increased bicycle commuting in the city has led to a dramatic
increase in car-bike accidents, reports Robyn Repya in Skyway News.

CAR-SHARING SERVICE SET TO LAUNCH IN SPRING
An innovative Twin Cities car-sharing program has received government
funding and is slated to launch the service in the spring.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
The venerable Citizens League has introduced a one-stop online
clearinghouse for local public affairs events. The Community
Connections Calendar at http://ccc.localevents.net features dozens of
events that League president Sean Kershaw says often get overlooked.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2004-11-28 Thread Craig Cox

BURROUGHS SCHOOL TEACHER FACES TRIAL FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER
A teacher at Burroughs Community School has been arrested and charged 
with the attempted murder of his estranged wife, reports Robyn Repya 
and Bob Gilbert in the Southwest Journal.

MORALE, TIGHT BUDGETS, FORCE MASS EXODUS FROM CPED
A dozen high-level managers from the city's Community Planning and 
Economic Development (CPED) department have either left the agency or 
are planning to leave it in the weeks ahead, creating what some 
observers say is a critical "brain drain" downtown.

UNIVERSITY STUDENT WILL HOST CAMPUS POKER TOURNAMENT
A University of Minnesota student is capitalizing on the popularity 
of poker by organizing a tournament in his dorm--even though it's 
against University rules to gamble on campus.

Read these stories and more at www.mplsobserver.com

--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2004-11-21 Thread Craig Cox

UPTOWN BORDERS WORKERS RATIFY UNION CONTRACT
Capping a two-year union organizing campaign, employees at the Uptown
Borders Bookshop on Monday voted to ratify a contract proposal with
Ann Arbor-based Borders Group, Inc.

PHASE II OF THE MIDTOWN GREENWAY OPENS
The Midtown Greenway, the innovative bicycle path that runs along the
29th Street rail corridor, is moving eastward.

DEPARTMENT OF GOOD NEWS . . .
It's not often that we are able to clearly connect decisions in City
Hall to specific results, but we learned last week that the City
Council had, in fact, made the right call in last spring's wrenching
debate over the recycling contract.

COUNCIL WILL NEGOTIATE WITH HENNEPIN THEATER MANAGERS
The City Council on Friday voted to negotiate a 30-year agreement
with the current managers of the city's three historic theaters.

CITY PENSION FUND DIRECTOR SCUTTLES MERGER TALK
The ongoing puzzle over the city's employee pension obligations
became slightly more puzzling Monday, when the executive director of
the Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund (MERF) told a City Council
panel that it was unwilling to support a merger with the city's two
other pension funds.

For all these stories and more, visit www.mplsobserver.com
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2004-11-14 Thread Craig Cox

THE MOUSE THAT ROARED
According to Hennepin County election officials, Disney icon Mickey 
Mouse briefly led the field for the District 3 Soil and Water 
Conservation commissioner in the November 2 election. The celebrity 
mouse couldn't maintain his momentum, however, and eventually slipped 
to fifth place, 83 votes behind eventual winner Daniel Jones, another 
write-in candidate. As expected, Mickey did beat out longtime nemesis 
Donald Duck, who garnered a mere 11 votes.

INDEPENDENT RADIO STATIONS BAND TOGETHER
Tired of being considered by listeners as just another subsidy of 
Minnesota Public Radio, 12 independent public radio stations across 
the state have banded together to create a marketing campaign 
designed to tell listeners their story.

CITY CAN HELP SOLVE THE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT CRISIS
The much maligned School Board paid a visit to City Hall last week 
and may have come away with a new partner in its effort to rebuild 
the public schools.

FOR THESE STORIES AND MORE, VISIT US AT  www.mplsobserver.com

--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2004-11-07 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 4, No. 14
November 8, 2004
**
THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Council Passes Historic Stormwater Management Plan
* Controversial Uptown High Rise Gains Approval
* Citywide Wireless Plan Takes First Step
* Walker Library May Get Its New Roof After All
Plus: Waiting for Prince (circa 1984), Ecuadorans in Northeast, bread
laws, and the next campaign
**

COUNCIL PASSES HISTORIC STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
In what city leaders called a historic step toward cleaning up city
lakes and the Mississippi River, the City Council on Friday approved
a new stormwater management billing and credit system that they say
will bring local property owners into the process of cleaning up the
environment.

CONTROVERSIAL UPTOWN HIGH RISE GAINS APPROVAL
Developers received approval from a divided City Council on Friday
for a six-story, 82-foot-high condominium on East Calhoun Parkway.

CITYWIDE WIRELESS PLAN TAKES FIRST STEP
The City Council on Friday authorized city staff to take the first
steps toward developing a system that could bring broadband wireless
Internet access to the entire city.

WALKER LIBRARY MAY GET ITS NEW ROOF AFTER ALL
Fans of Uptown's leaky Walker Community Library got some good news
last month. The push to raze the library and rebuild it as part of a
mixed-use development could prove too costly to implement.

For these stories and more, go to www.mplsobserver.com
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

Re: [Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2004-11-01 Thread Chris Johnson

Craig Cox wrote:
T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 4, No. 13
November 1, 2004

CITY CONSIDERING NEW FEE FOR STORMWATER RUNOFF
City officials next year may begin charging city residents for the
amount of storm water that runs off their property into the city's
drainage system.
Sounds like a good idea on the surface.
But implementation seems problematic. How can the fees be fairly calculated?
The article talks about hard and impervious surface area, rain gardens and
so forth.

Does this mean that corner property owners get double-taxed, just because the
city owns sidewalks on 2 sides of their property?

What constitutes an impervious surface? I've got lots of brick pavers and
turf stone in my yard. It's a hard surface, but the water mostly drains
through it to the sand underneath. I've also got a rain garden, but how does
the city qualify what constitutes a rain garden and what does not? I've made
a great deal of effort and investment over the past 4 years to reduce the
run-off from my yard, but will that be recognized in my storm water fee?

Doesn't this mean someone will have to come measure each and every property
and the size of various surfaces and structures? How is that practical or
cost effective?

If they can solve those kinds of questions and problems in a fair and
equitable manner, that would be great. I doubt that will be the case.

Chris Johnson - Fulton
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2004-10-31 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 4, No. 13
November 1, 2004
**
THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* City Considering New Fee for Stormwater Runoff
* Somali Vote Could Be Blunted by FBI Tactics
* Horst to Open New Organic Café, Bar, and Retail Store
* Eleven City Schools Recognized for Student Achievement
Plus: So long to Saks, Charles Stenvig's last 
campaign, and an 11th hour endorsement for good 
government
**

CITY CONSIDERING NEW FEE FOR STORMWATER RUNOFF
City officials next year may begin charging city 
residents for the amount of storm water that runs 
off their property into the city's drainage 
system.

SOMALI VOTE COULD BE BLUNTED BY FBI TACTICS
Somali community leaders are concerned that 
stepped-up FBI scrutiny will keep local Somali 
voters away from the polls.

HORST TO OPEN NEW ORGANIC CAFÉ, BAR, AND RETAIL STORE
Eco-friendly entrepreneur Horst Rechelbacher 
plans to open a new bar, restaurant, and retail 
store featuring organic products designed to 
promote wellness.

ELEVEN CITY SCHOOLS RECOGNIZED FOR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Academic achievement will be translated into real 
cash for 11 city schools, thanks to a 
collaboration between the Cargill Foundation and 
the University of Minnesota's Center for School 
Change.

ALL THESE STORIES AND MORE >> www.mplsobserver.com
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

RE: [Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2004-10-24 Thread Gregory Luce

[In the Observer]:

The move.  . . amended the city's licensing ordinance to require [in part]:

* that landlords may not cash or deposit any application fees
collected for a unit until that unit has been rented.

[Me]:

A friendly correction:  a landlord under the ordiance may not negotiate
(i.e., cash, deposit etc.) an application fee until all prior applicants
have been rejected, or all prior applicants have been offered an apartment
but refused to take it.  In other words, a landlord has to process each
application completely--and the apartment must remain available-- before
cashing or depositing the next application fee for that apartment.  That's
quite different from, as the sentence in the Observer implies, cashing all
application fees as soon as the apartment is rented, or not being able to
cash or deposit any application fee until the apartment is rented.  I'm sure
that's not what the Observer intended to say, so just piping in to get it
more clearly stated.

[Again in the Observer]:

Schactman, a member of the city's Rental Dwelling License Board of 
Appeals, said after the meeting that the ordinance represented "some 
progress," but added that the one-day time limit for returning 
application fees was not something they had discussed with council 
members. "It was not what we agreed to," he said.

City attorney Henry Reimer explained to Schactman and other property 
owners that the one-day time limit kicked in only after the tenant 
was informed he or she would be rejected for the unit.

[Me]:

The only 'one-day time limit' in the ordinance relates to the choice tenants
have in how application fees are returned to them.  Under the ordinance, a
landlord must provide on an application form a choice for the tenant to make
in how the application fee is returned, if at some point it must be
returned.  There are three choices (and, with the exception of the 'one
business-day's notice,' they mirror state law):  destroy it, return it by
mail, or retrieve it upon one business-day's notice.

The onus is on a tenant who, once informed of the rejection, must provide at
least one business-day's notice that he/she is coming to get the fee.  I
don't read the ordinance to suggest that the landlord has one day to get it
back to the tenant--they just have to have it ready to be picked up within a
day after being notified that a tenant is coming to get it.

Gregory Luce
St. Paul




REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
before continuing it on the list. 
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract


Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2004-10-24 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 4, No. 12
October 25, 2004
**
THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Council Moves to Curb Rental License Application Abuse
* Peebles Hurting Morale, Critics Charge
* Eastgate Makeover Gets Neighborhood Approval
* Health Partnership Boosts Options for Jordan Residents
* Southeast Neighborhood Debuts Rainwater Resource Program
Plus: Downtown's candid cameras, school closings in the past, and
Pawlenty's big tax increase
**

COUNCIL MOVES TO CURB RENTAL LICENSE APPLICATION ABUSE
The City Council on Friday passed a measure that advocates say would
protect renters from "predatory" landlords who charge exorbitant and
often nonrefundable application fees.

The move, sponsored by Council Members Gary Schiff (Ward 9), Paul
Zerby (Ward 2), Don Samuels (Ward 3), and Dean Zimmermann (Ward 6),
amended the city's licensing ordinance to require:
* that landlords disclose to applicants the criteria on which they
are being judged;
* that landlords allow the applicants to choose the method by which
their application fee would be returned should they not be accepted
for the unit;
* that landlords notify all applicants within 14 days after their
application was rejected and explain the reasons for the rejection;
* that landlords refund the application fee of any applicant who was
rejected for any reason not listed in the written criteria and that
the refund be made within one business day after the applicant had
been notified of his rejection;
* that landlords may not cash or deposit any application fees
collected for a unit until that unit has been rented.

The action was taken in response to complaints by people who often
are expected to pay exorbitant application fees for apartments with
no idea of the criteria used to judge the applicants and no guarantee
that a unit was even available. "It's an issue of affordability, an
issue of access, an issue of justice," said Schiff. "People are
paying immense fees just to apply for an apartment in this city."

Schiff and other council members have been working with tenants'
rights groups as well as property owners for the past several months
to try to hammer out a measure that would be satisfactory to all
sides in this issue. Friday's outcome left some property owners,
including Steven Schactman of Steven Scott Management, feeling less
than delighted.

Schactman, a member of the city's Rental Dwelling License Board of
Appeals, said after the meeting that the ordinance represented "some
progress," but added that the one-day time limit for returning
application fees was not something they had discussed with council
members. "It was not what we agreed to," he said.

City attorney Henry Reimer explained to Schactman and other property
owners that the one-day time limit kicked in only after the tenant
was informed he or she would be rejected for the unit. That relieved
some of the property owners, but Schactman remained slightly
skeptical. "I don't think this is going to solve the problem, but
we'll see," he said.

The ordinance will go into effect December 1.
PEEBLES HURTING MORALE, CRITICS CHARGE
New Schools Superintendent Thandiwe Peebles has driven several
administrators and some teachers away from the district with her
"shaming and blaming" approach to school reform, according to
critics. The situation has become so serious that some employees have
been requesting the School Board rescind its decision to hire the
former Cleveland administrator.

EASTGATE MAKEOVER GETS NEIGHBORHOOD APPROVAL
Upscale condos and retail stores, including a new Lund's grocery
store will be replacing the aging Eastgate Shopping Center at
University and Central in Northeast Minneapolis.

HEALTH PARTNERSHIP BOOSTS OPTIONS FOR JORDAN RESIDENTS
Community leaders in the Jordan neighborhood are collaborating with
North Memorial Health Care to provide new care options for the
troubled North Side neighborhood.

SOUTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD DEBUTS RAINWATER RESOURCE PROGRAM
With the city now charging property owners for the cost of managing
stormwater runoff, homeowners in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood are
experimenting with innovative ways to capture and control rainwater.

***
FOR THESE AND MORE LOCAL STORIES AND FOR THE FULL OCTOBER PRINT
EDITION OF THE OBSERVER, VISIT www.mplsobserver.com
***
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract
_

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2004-08-02 Thread Craig Cox

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Southside Neighborhood Group May Sue to Stop Highway Project
* U of M to Offer Degree in GLBT Studies
* Neighborhoods Protesting City Fees for NRP Administration
* Newest City Park Named for Former Commissioner
Plus: More condos on the river; so long, Eastgate; literacy and 
crime; and celebrating the hospitable linden tree
**

SOUTH SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP MAY SUE TO STOP HIGHWAY PROJECT
The Kingfield Neighborhood Association (KFNA) last month voted to 
explore a lawsuit that would stop the controversial I-35W Access 
Project.

"If we don't do it, no one else will," KFNA board member Sean Wherley 
told Robin Repya in the Southwest Journal.

The group argues that the Access Project--which will widen Lake 
Street and add several new freeway ramps between 28th and 38th 
streets--will bring more traffic, noise, and pollution to the 
neighborhood. The City Council approved the concept in January and 
will vote on the specifics of the state-sponsored project this fall.

U OF M TO OFFER DEGREE IN GLBT STUDIES
The University of Minnesota will begin offering a minor degree in 
gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender studies this fall, reports 
Mehgan Lee in The Minnesota Daily.

The program, which will include a three-credit introductory course as 
well as 15 upper-division courses, will be administered through the 
university's Women's Studies Department. The university becomes the 
12th major college in the country to offer such a program.

"I'm very pleased to see the university is one of the leading 
institutions as far as getting this program in place. It shows a 
certain level of dedication to GLBT students on campus," said Lucian 
Patino, co-chairman of the Queer Student Cultural Center at the 
university.

NEIGHBORHOODS PROTESTING CITY FEES FOR NRP ADMINISTRATION
Neighborhood groups are battling the city's planning department over 
what they contend are unprecedented administration fees that are 
cutting into their Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) funding.

Those fees--ranging from 2 to 7 percent of NRP grants--have 
neighborhood activists fuming and city officials on the defensive. "I 
understand that the city is tight for money," Debbie Nelson, a 
staffer for the Victory and Cleveland neighborhoods, told Gail Olson 
in the Northeaster. "But neighborhoods are not going to lie down and 
take this raiding of NRP."

Lee Sheehy, director of the Community Planning and Economic 
Development Department, argues that the city has been subsidizing NRP 
with free administration services, but can no longer afford to do so. 
"In the past year the staff of CPED has been reduced by 25 percent, 
including a number of layoffs," Sheehy said. "I understand the impact 
of limited resources, and I'm sympathetic to neighborhoods. The 
budget cuts, which have had such a significant impact, are not of my 
making and not of the neighborhoods' making. The amount of money 
available for the city's highest priorities--housing, jobs, economic 
development--have shrunk. We're not using fees to grow our staff. The 
costs of administration are absolutely appropriate."

NRP director Bob Miller said he supports CPED's desire to recover 
extra administrative costs, but admitted that neighborhoods are not 
happy about it. "The neighborhoods are seeing this as a new charge 
back against them when they're being strapped for dollars," he said. 
"We're seeing a number of cases where the contract has been rejected 
[by the neighborhoods] because they did not think the fee was levied 
appropriately."

It is simply a case of the city trying to control a program that was 
established to be independent, said State Rep. Joe Mullery, chair of 
the NRP Policy Board. "People don't understand that NRP is not a city 
department," he said. "[The legislation] maintains neighborhoods can 
do administration and implementation."

The fees, which apply to all NRP-funded activities after May 1, have 
pushed several neighborhood groups to consider writing their own 
contracts for NRP-funded services in order to avoid doing business 
with CPED. "I don't think CPED has the capacity to do all this work 
they think they should do and charge fees for," said Nelson. "For us, 
all they did was take a boilerplate contract and stick our name on 
it."

NEWEST CITY PARK NAMED FOR FORMER COMMISSIONER
The Park Board on August 20 will dedicate its newest park to former 
commissioner Ed Solomon.

Bounded by East 58th Street on the north, East 60th Street on the 
south, Cedar Avenue on the east, and 13th Avenue South on the west, 
the new Edward C. Solomon Park features open fields, wetlands, and 
hilly wooded areas, according to the Longfellow-Nokomis Messenger.

Solomon served as commissioner of the Fifth Park District from 1996 
until his death in 2002.

For more, visit our Web site at www.mplsobserver.com
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2004-06-21 Thread Craig Cox

* Council Will Delay Decision on Smoking Ban
* Fine Line Owner Threatens to Move Club
* Suburban World Gets New Owner
* Neighborhood Group Will Spend NRP Money to Expand Library Hours
* 35W Access Project One of Nation's Most Wasteful, Study Says
Plus: City Hall's first female plumber, scuba diving in the lakes, 
two cheers for the Hiawatha Line, banning bland food, and a tree 
story with a close call and a happy ending

All stories online at www.mplsobserver.com
--Craig Cox
Hiawatha
--
Craig Cox
Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285
Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-10-13 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 3, No. 10
October 13, 2003

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* City-HUD Disagreement Threatens Heritage Park Progress
* Parks Superintendent Proposes $4 Million Budget Cut
* Struggling Calhoun Square Could Be Up For Sale
* Final Defendant Convicted in Dinkytown Riot
* County Goes Green With Biodiesel
* City To View Final Sears Proposals This Week

Plus: Kucinich at Roosevelt, remembering the sixties, unwanted train whistles, bicycle abuse, and the trouble with citizen activism

CITY-HUD DISAGREEMENT THREATENS HERITAGE PARK PROGRESS
The much-maligned Heritage Park housing project is struggling against yet another legal impasse, this time between the city and the federal government.

At issue, reports Shannon Gibney in the Spokesman-Recorder (http://www.spokesman-recorder.com), is about $7 million in federal Housing and Urban Development funds needed to complete construction of 38 public housing units in the controversial Northside complex. HUD contends that, despite awarding these "moving to work funds" to the city in each of the past four years, it has no obligation to continue such funding. Indeed, argues HUD attorney Harold Rennett, these funds were never meant to be used for construction.

The 770-unit Heritage Park, the result of a 1995 desegregation lawsuit against the city, has suffered several delays in the past year and was scheduled for completion in May 2005--before this latest court case.

U.S. District Judge Harold Rosenbaum will hear arguments in the case on Friday, October 17. His ruling will determine whether those 38 public housing units will be built.

PARKS SUPERINTENDENT PROPOSES $4 MILLION CUT
Park and Recreation centers would cut hours, beaches would close, and the number of fishing docks would be cut, and 15 full-time park keepers jobs would be eliminated as part of a $4 million budget cut proposed by Superintendent Mary Merrill Anderson.

STRUGGLING CALHOUN SQUARE COULD BE UP FOR SALE
Calhoun Square, once the city's signature urban retail spot, may be up for sale.

FINAL DEFENDANT CONVICTED IN DINKYTOWN RIOT
The eighth and final defendant in the April 12 Dinkytown riot was convicted last week.

COUNTY GOES GREEN WITH BIODIESEL
Hennepin County's fleet of diesel vehicles, including snowplows, road pavers, and ambulances have begun running on biodiesel fuel.

ADVERTISEMENT**
Wanna have some fun?? Kaleidoscope Kids' Place, an after-school program in the Phillips neighborhood, is seeking fun-loving volunteers to serve 1-3 hours one day a week for Kids' Place, an after school program that serves K-6th graders. Many volunteer opportunities exist at Kaleidoscope -- adults and older teens are invited to get involved with children in the Phillips community by serving snacks, playing games, assisting with homework and classroom activities, and just having fun! One-time group opportunities are also available. If interested, please contact Molly Willson at 612/871-9268 or mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media, L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406; www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe, send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Michael Buelow and Bob Cooper

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***
Craig Cox
Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com

Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-10-05 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 3, No. 9
October 6, 2003

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Black Leaders Allege Police Brutality in NAACP Fracas
* Local School Gets Left Behind
* County's Landmark Methadone Clinic Will Close
* Local Artist Featured in International Exhibition
* Heart of the Beast in South Korea
Plus: Putting up stop signs, more community summits, protecting Vikings fans, lutefisk for a Yankee fan, and the joy of political warfare

BLACK LEADERS ALLEGE POLICE BRUTALITY IN NAACP FRACAS
A skirmish at a September 27 meeting of the local NAACP chapter has black leaders calling for an investigation and may endanger the city's fragile police-community mediation effort.

As Isaac Peterson III reports in the Spokesman-Recorder (http://www.spokesman-recorder.com), police were called to the scene after NAACP officials became concerned about the presence of a dissident member of the organization, Alfred Flowers, whom they felt was creating a disturbance. Flowers reportedly opposed the organization's proposed endorsement of David Jennings as new Minneapolis Schools Superintendent.

But when the officers arrived, eyewitnesses said, Flowers had already left the building and was standing on the sidewalk talking on a cell phone. When police approached him, he reportedly told them he was speaking with Urban League CEO Clarence Hightower, who was on his way to the meeting. In the ensuing confrontation, police kneed Flowers in the stomach, put him in a choke hold, and arrested him.

"When I got here, he [Flowers] was just walking along the sidewalk," said Richard Lot. "He was leaving the premises. This guy [a police officer] got out of the car and grabbed him. They had this man and they were beating him. They kneed him in the stomach and were trying to force him into the car."

Flowers was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center, where he was treated for whiplash and several sprains and released. He later returned after coughing up blood.

The incident, only the latest in a series of controversies at the local NAACP chapter during the past year, sparked the resignation last week of president Albert Gallmon and may cripple the city's already hobbled police-community mediation efforts. Flowers was a member of the mediation panel. "Mediation is in jeopardy," said activist Ron Edwards, another member of the panel. But Council Member Natalie Johnson Lee (5th Ward) said she wasn't certain what the effect might be. "It could either damage it or strengthen it. It depends on how you utilize this incident.

Johnson Lee and State Representative Neva Walker have requested a meeting with Mayor R.T. Rybak to discuss the matter.

*
SUBSCRIBE!
It's just $12/yr.
Go to www.mplsobserver.com for details.
*

LOCAL SCHOOL GETS LEFT BEHIND
The Bush administration's new education initiative, the so-called No Child Left Behind Act, is leaving a pretty good Minneapolis school in the dust.

COUNTY'S LANDMARK METHADONE CLINIC WILL CLOSE
Citing state budget cuts, the Hennepin County Board last month voted to close its 34-year-old Methadone maintenance clinic.

LOCAL ARTIST FEATURED IN INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION
Local visual artist Tony White will have his work featured as part of a traveling exhibition of Native American art.

HEART OF THE BEAST IN SOUTH KOREA
Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater recently visited Gwatcheon, South Korea, to participate in the Gwatcheon Hanmanguk International Theater festival.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media, L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406; www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe, send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: David Brauer, Janet Gendler

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***

RE: [Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-09-29 Thread David Brauer

Friendly correction here: the library folks have a contingency list of
Central Library items that could be delayed **IF** fundraising runs
short.right now, they are short of a November goal, but such a gap is
possible, not certain. So I would amend the Minneapolis Observer's item to
read:

FUNDRAISING FOR NEW LIBRARY FALLING SHORT
A fundraising shortfall could force the new downtown library to open without
several of its planned features, reports Sarah McKenzie in the Skyway News
(http://www.skywaynews.net).

Library officials say the project is about $4.3 million short of its
fundraising goal, which **MAY** will delay the completion of certain
features in the children's library, the Athenaeum and special collections,
Teen Central, and a fourth-floor staff area. The shortfall **MIGHT** will
also delay completion of four fireplaces and prevent the purchase of about
$680,000 in public art.

City taxpayers are footing $125 million of the library's construction costs,
but the project requires another $15 million in private funds, of which only
$3.7 million has been raised. "It's certainly a challenge," said Colin
Hamilton of the fundraising efforts, "but it's possible."

The effort has been hindered by a sluggish economy and by a glut of other
fundraising projects this year, including the new Guthrie Theater and the
Walker Art Center expansion. There also has been some confusion about the
new library's future after talk of delaying or abandoning the project
emerged last winter. 

[Brauer again]
We are not above our own errors. In the original Skyway piece, we referred
to the Central Library Implementation Committee voting on a list of possible
cuts/delays. They actually discussed the list, which has been compiled and
updated for the past several months, but no vote was taken.

There are other wrinkles. Even if fundraising falls short, items could be
leased instead of purchased (though that might raise operating costs down
the road. Anyway, the full story can be found at:
http://makeashorterlink.com/?S53A52A06

The fundraising shortfall was accurate as of mid-September. If anyone from
the library system has an updated figure, could they let the list know?

David Brauer
Editor, Skyway News and Southwest Journal
Kingfield 

REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.


Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-09-29 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 3, No. 8
September 29, 2003

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Fundraising for New Library Falling Short
* Park Board Considering Riverfront Marina
* Somali Community Lobbying to Save Language Program
* Minneapolis, St. Paul Vying for Slice of Biotech Market
* Twin Cities a Sperm-Friendly Environment, Scientist Says
Plus: The end of public peeing, speaking up for civil liberties, celebrating "lockdown day," and the real problem with Dave Jennings

**

FUNDRAISING FOR NEW LIBRARY FALLING SHORT
A fundraising shortfall could force the new downtown library to open without several of its planned features, reports Sarah McKenzie in the Skyway News (http://www.skywaynews.net).

Library officials say the project is about $4.3 million short of its fundraising goal, which will delay the completion of certain features in the children's library, the Athenaeum and special collections, Teen Central, and a fourth-floor staff area. The shortfall will also delay completion of four fireplaces and prevent the purchase of about $680,000 in public art.

City taxpayers are footing $125 million of the library's construction costs, but the project requires another $15 million in private funds, of which only $3.7 million has been raised. "It's certainly a challenge," said Colin Hamilton of the fundraising efforts, "but it's possible."

The effort has been hindered by a sluggish economy and by a glut of other fundraising projects this year, including the new Guthrie Theater and the Walker Art Center expansion. There also has been some confusion about the new library's future after talk of delaying or abandoning the project emerged last winter. 

PARK BOARD CONSIDERING RIVERFRONT MARINA
The Park Board will ask the state legislature for $3 million to build a new marina near its new riverfront headquarters.

SOMALI COMMUNITY LOBBIES TO SAVE SANFORD SCHOOL PROGRAM
Somali community leaders met last week with Minneapolis School District officials in an attempt to save the English as a Second Language program at Sanford Middle School.

MINNEAPOLIS, ST. PAUL VYING FOR SLICE OF BIOTECH MARKET
A recent national survey placed the Twin Cities squarely in the lower tier of cities attracting biotech companies, but that hasn't stopped Minneapolis and St. Paul from aggressively competing against each other for an advantage in the market

** 
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media, L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406; www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe, send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list and refund the unused portion of your subscription.  
Editor: Craig Cox 
Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker 
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow 
Equine consultant: Nora Cox 
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Michael and Kathy Fraase 

*** 
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper! 
***

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-09-15 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 3, No. 7
September 15, 2003

Subscribe ($12/yr)!! It's easy. Just visit our Web site (http://www.mplsobserver.com).

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Benson Downplays Historic Domestic Partners Law
* National Geographic Program Profiles 'U' Vet Students
* Northside Arson Highlights Fire Department's Challenge
* Charter School in Disarray After School Board Vote
* Class War in Lowry Hill?
Plus: Faux Nazis in Stevens Square, Walker Library in flux, North Country Co-op gets the dough, and the politics of fire.

BENSON DOWNPLAYS HISTORIC DOMESTIC PARTNERS LAW
With little fanfare, the city council last month approved three amendments to city law that essentially rewrites the definition of family in Minneapolis. And despite the historic nature of the measures, the amendments' author, Council Member Scott Benson (11th Ward) says he was not surprised by the outcome.

The amendments, which prohibit discrimination against domestic partners in several areas, including housing, and recognizes domestic partnerships registered in other cities and states, passed unanimously. And they required little lobbying, he says, because they were "reasonable" adjustments to city ordinances. "I don't think there is a reasonable way to oppose these ordinance changes without betraying your own bigotry," Benson says. "It doesn't cost anything, so what could your objection be?"

Benson has received e-mails generated by the Minnesota Family Council in opposition to the changes and admits that radical Republicans in the legislature will certainly try to make an issue out of it, but he doubts that they will be effective. "What really is their argument? 'Don't give 'those people' the ability to more easily register their domestic partnerships because we hate them'? It seems difficult to make much political hay out of that."

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PROGRAM PROFILES 'U' VET STUDENTS
Two third-year veterinary medicine students at the University of Minnesota will be featured in an upcoming National Geographic Explorer program.

NORTHSIDE ARSON HIGHLIGHTS FIRE DEPARTMENT'S CHALLENGE
A case of arson in the Camden Neighborhood is highlighting the challenge the Fire Department is facing in an era of budget cuts.

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***
Craig Cox
Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com

Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!

Re: [Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-09-08 Thread Chris Johnson

Craig Cox wrote:

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 3, No. 6
September 8, 2003

POLICE UNION CHIEF BLAMES COUNCIL, OLSON, FOR COP-COMMUNITY TENSION
Don't blame the cop union for the ragged relationship between
Minneapolis police and the black community, says Police Federation
chief John Delmonico. The real problem is the police chief and the
city council.

This is classic Delmonico. The guy has no shame and oodles of chutzpah.

It's not our fault! The bullies, thumpers and racists among the police
force couldn't possibly be causing the civilians to get upset with the
police department. No, it's the police chief [with whom most citizens
will never interact] and the city council [who probably never engage in
citizen arrests] who are the problem.

Sheeesh.

I had a nice conversation with an officer the other day about my garden
that he admired. I've also been bullied by a different officer. Maybe
if the Police Federation stopped covering for the bad apples, the police
chief and city council could get rid of them or straighten them out.

Chris Johnson
Fulton
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-09-08 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 3, No. 6
September 8, 2003

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Council Members Identify Favorites for Police Chief Job
* Local Architecture Firm Reaching for the Sky
* Dowling Gardens Rescued
* Police Union Chief Blames Politicians, Olson, for Cop-Community Tensions
Plus: The rise and fall of "buzz marketing," blood money, bells on bicycles, and the Gopher stadium delusion

COUNCIL MEMBERS IDENTIFY EARLY FAVORITES FOR POLICE CHIEF JOB
The city council will not make a decision on who will replace retiring Police Chief Robert Olson for several months, but a few internal candidates are emerging as favorites.

Council Member Lisa Goodman (7th Ward) favors Deputy Chief Sharon Lubinski, reports Scott Russell in the Southwest Journal (http://www.swjournal.com), while CM Gary Schiff (9th Ward) supports Deputy Chief Lucy Gerold. CM Paul Zerby (2nd Ward) has two favorites: First Precinct inspector Rob Allen and Fourth Precinct inspector Tim Dolan.

Council Member Dean Zimmermann wouldn't name any names, but suggested that he'd prefer that the new chief understand the realities of life for minorities. "I think it would be good if they had some of the characteristics of being a person of color, a woman, or gay," said.

He could get his wish. Of the four internal candidates mentioned, only Dolan is a white male heterosexual. Lubinski is a lesbian and Allen is gay.

Mayor R.T. Rybak will host a public meeting Tuesday, September 9, to hear responses to his selection criteria for the new police chief. The meeting will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. in the City Council Chamber, room 317 at City Hall, 350 S. 5th Street.

LOCAL ARCHITECTURE FIRM REACHING FOR THE SKIES
A subsidiary of the local architecture firm that designed the Minneapolis Convention Center is planning a South Korean tower that would be the world's largest skyscraper.

POLICE UNION CHIEF BLAMES COUNCIL, OLSON, FOR COP-COMMUNITY TENSION
Don't blame the cop union for the ragged relationship between Minneapolis police and the black community, says Police Federation chief John Delmonico. The real problem is the police chief and the city council.
__
BACK TALK
__

.. . . AND NO MORE MULLETS, EITHER
Enjoyed your piece about the sartorial splendors of the Fair ("It's Just My Opinion, But," 9/1). I have to say that in 15 years of fair going, this was the first time ever I
did not spot a single pair of zubaz (remember them?). It must mark the end of an era (but what one?)
--Maria Rubinstein

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-09-02 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 3, No. 5
September 1, 2003

Subscribing ($12/yr.) is now easier than ever. Just go to www.mplsobserver.com and pay by credit card!

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Synergy Academy Closing May Spark Lawsuit
* Policy Group Exploring Ways to Save Urban Trees
* Proposed Middle School Would Replace Historic Victory Garden
* Minneapolis Cop Finds T-Rex
* Local Co-op Wins Workplace Award
Plus: Good seats at the Pantages, Barret Lane and J. Lo, Mezzrow's best restaurant values, and State Fair therapy

SYNERGY ACADEMY CLOSING MAY SPARK LAWSUIT
The decision by the Hennepin County Board to drop its funding of Synergy Academy, the pilot out-of-home placement program for black families, has sparked an angry call for a lawsuit and a boycott of the county's African American Men Commission.

Writing in Insight News (http://www.insightnew.com), Al McFarlane calls County Commissioner Mark Stenglein's unwillingness to support Synergy a "deceitful betrayal" of the black community and another example of the county's inability to support solutions created and implemented by the black community. In response, he calls for a boycott of the African American Men Commission, a project Stenglein has helped fund at the county level, "unless Hennepin County changes its policies and practices that kill a program like Synergy Academy."

Stenglein and other county officials argue that the county can no longer afford to support Synergy, which they say has not attracted enough referrals and suffers from too much turnover. But MacFarlane and others counter that the county's own policies discourage referrals. "Both Stenglein and the county must accept responsibility for failing to place children in the facility," he writes. "They must also own up to the history of working with and problem-solving for white social services business and using a double standard for black people because it is refusing to extend the same support for a black agency."

MacFarlane also raised the possibility of a lawsuit against the county, which he says would seek "relief from the history of racial bias in out-of-home placement that has resulted in the routine termination of parental rights of black parents and the subsequent placement of their children in white homes," which he calls a "cottage industry [that] serves as an incubator for programming black boys in particular for a lifetime of incarceration."

POLICY GROUP EXPLORING WAYS TO SAVE URBAN TREES
A City Hall task force working to find ways to preserve our urban "forest" is considering a citywide ban on paving any existing boulevards.

PROPOSED MIDDLE SCHOOL WOULD REPLACE HISTORIC VICTORY GARDEN
Supporters of the 60-year-old Dowling Community Garden in South Minneapolis are marshalling opposition to a school board proposal that would build a new middle school on the site.

MINNEAPOLIS COP FINDS T-REX
Minneapolis police officer Dan Wells, an amateur paleontologist, has unearthed the bones of a Tyrannosaurus Rex in Montana.

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-08-25 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 3, No. 4
August 25, 2003

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* New Development Planned for Historic Mill
* University Unions Moving Closer to Historic Strike
* SMBQ, R.I.P.
* The Twin Cities as Game Board
* City Center to Get a Makeover
* Conference Highlights Role of Somali Women
Plus: Freedom Rider, 40 years later; R.T. and R.O.A.R.; Highway 55 revisited; and reaping what Pawlenty has sown

NEW DEVELOPMENT PLANNED FOR HISTORIC MILL
The historic Pillsbury A Mill across the river from downtown Minneapolis is the site of a proposed retail and housing development that could spark new activity in the long-dormant St. Anthony Main district.

UNIVERSITY UNIONS MOVING CLOSER TO HISTORIC STRIKE
With negotiations bogged down, two unions representing more than 3,000 University of Minnesota employees are moving closer to an unprecedented strike.

SMBQ, R.I.P.
Tissues at the end of each row for blubbering mourners, an open casket oddly shaped like a contrabassoon case, people in black telling jokes about death and double-reed instruments. That was the scene Saturday evening, August 16, at Augsburg College's Sateren Auditorium, a full house with late-comers sitting (and sometimes rolling) in the aisles. The sad and hilarious occasion: the South Minneapolis Bassoon Quartet's last concert, played as a funeral.

THE TWIN CITIES AS GAME BOARD
The University of Minnesota Design Institute is inviting people to get better acquainted with the Twin Cities with the help of a B.U.G.--a Big Urban Game.

CITY CENTER TO GET A MAKEOVER
The much-maligned City Center retail complex downtown will be getting a much-needed renovation beginning in January.

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-08-18 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 3, No. 3
August 18, 2003

Check out the new Web site. Now you can subscribe online with a credit card!

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Park Board Exploring Citywide Wireless Network
* Public Radio Publication Launches New Wine Magazine
* Local Health Center Cited for Innovation
* The Ethics of Public Safety
* St. Thomas Law School Set to Open August 18
* Domestic Partners Ordinance Advances
Plus: Mike Tyson explained, bathroom anarchy, the real Dean, sprinkler woes, and local solutions to the power crisis.

PARK BOARD EXPLORING CITYWIDE WIRELESS NETWORK
The Park Board August 13 passed a resolution to explore the creation of a citywide network that would eventually allow anyone working on a wireless-ready computer within two miles of a rec center to hook up to the Internet.

As Scott Russell reports in Skyway News (http://www.skywaynews.net), Parks Commissioner John Erwin came up with the idea after purchasing a wireless-ready computer and realizing the potential for wireless at the parks. "Since Minneapolis has a network of recreation centers unlike any other city, it allows us to reach the entire city with existing technolgy," he said. (Most homes in Minneapolis are located within six blocks of a park.)

Wireless Internet is already accessible at certain coffeeshops around the city, and an informal group of computer users in the Loring Park Neighborhood has created a network that allows wireless access throughout the park. But a citywide network faces several obstacles, not the least of which are the capital and operating costs of such a system. Don Siggelkow, the Park Board's assistant superintendent of finance, said the board would need to decide whether to charge for the service or offer it as a public service and whether a free service would conflict with businesses offering similar services for a fee.

Parks Department staff will try to answer those and other questions as they put together a feasibility study in the weeks ahead.

PUBLIC RADIO PUBLICATION LAUNCHES NEW WINE MAGAZINE
The company that publishes the member magazine of Minnesota Public Radio is launching a national wine quarterly.

LOCAL HEALTH CENTER CITED FOR INNOVATION
Fremont community Health Services (FCHS) is one of three finalists for a statewide award celebrating nonprofit innovation.

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***
Craig Cox
Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com

Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-08-14 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 3, No. 2
August 11, 2003

To subscribe ($12/yr.), hit 'reply' and we'll set you up. Thanks.

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Revamped NRP Will Get Less Money, More Input
* Bryant Lake Bowl Seeks Community Support in Rent Dispute
* Burlesque Returns to Downtown
* Nightclub Contest Offers Free Breast Implants
* Meeker Island Dam Gets Historic Designation
* Community Garden Celebrates 60 Years of Growing
Plus: Resources for Latino families, remembering George Delmonico, Jesse's political legacy, how to bury your dead, and shaking up the schools in the post-Cheryl Johnson era

REVAMPED NRP WILL GET LESS MONEY, MORE INPUT
When Mayor R.T. Rybak reveals his 2004 budget Thursday, it will feature sharp cuts in the city's Neighborhood Revitalization Program and a call for citizens to get involved in other ways.

The 12-year-old program, which was designed to pump $20 million a year into city neighborhoods and give residents a real voice in how that money was spent, will receive less than $11 million in 2004, Rybak told Scott Russell in the Southwest Journal (http://www.swjournal.com). Lean financial times have forced the city to reshape NRP, but state aid cuts are not the only reason the city is re-evaluating the program, the mayor said. He argued that it has not done enough to build affordable housing.

Rather than using NRP solely as a financial tool for cleaning up neighborhoods, Rybak wants the program to spark citizen involvement in "larger, citywide spending decisions," he said.

But NRP executive director Bob Miller doubts that issues that don't directly affect residents and their neighborhoods will attract the kind of participation NRP sparked. "There will be policy wonks and there will be residents and advocates who will be happy to do it," he said. "That is because they get paid for it or they have a special interest in it. But it will not be the mom and pop down the street; it is not going to be the normal everyday resident who gets involved in that."

BURLESQUE RETURNS TO DOWNTOWN
Burlesque, which is making a comeback across the country, has returned to Minneapolis with the opening of Le Cirque Rouge de Gus (Gus's Red Circus).

NORTHSIDE ACTIVISTS PUSH FOR TARGET-SUPPORTED TRUST FUND
In the latest attempt to force reparations from Target after the local retail giant closed its West Broadway store, Northside activists have proposed that the company establish a fund to support economic development in the area.

NIGHTCLUB CONTEST OFFERS FREE BREAST IMPLANTS
Having trouble getting the ladies to show up at your bar. How about offering free breast implants?

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-07-27 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 3, No. 1
July 28, 2003

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Heritage Park Appointment Stirs Criticism
* Local Hospitals Rank High in National Survey
* Mayor Rips Plan to Use Park Police in Schools
* Strike Looming at University of Minnesota
* Domestic Partnerships Take Center Stage
Plus: Scott Benson's executioner's song, a pathway to peace at Lake Harriet, feeding the multitudes, and the case for--and against--new council elections

HERITAGE PARK APPOINTMENT STIRS CRITICISM
The city's appointment of a coordinator for the controversial Heritage Park housing project has come under attack by a Northside council member.

Natalie Johnson Lee (Fifth Ward) claimed that the decision to place Kim Havey in charge of the project is another example of City Hall cronyism. "There was no process," she told Isaac Peterson III in the Spokesman-Recorder (http://www.spokesman-recorder.com). "It was not an open process, it was not a fair process. People weren't even asked."

Mayor R.T. Rybak and MCDA executive director Lee Sheehy selected Havey, Johnson Lee argued, because of his "coziness" with Rybak and Seventh Ward CM Lisa Goodman, and overlooked a black candidate who worked in the city planning department who was recommended by Johnson Lee and Third Ward CM Don Samuels. "She was more than willing to do it; she was not asking for any additional money, and felt that she would be more than qualified and able to do it," Johnson Lee said. "At some point in time, Lee Sheehy decided that it should be Kim Havey, never ever looking at [my candidate's] resume or her qualifications, until I pushed the issue."

Sheehy created another position for the woman, whose job in city planning was being eliminated, but Johnson Lee said the gesture doesn't mask the city's discriminatory hiring patterns. "It's just the way I've seen the value placed on African Americans in city hall . . . that leads me to be very concerned," she said. "The way that the current structure that the mayor's setting up and some of the individuals in city hall are setting up, you will generally see that city hall is continuing a pattern of having no directors of color, except for the Civil Rights Department, and very few supervisors or management of color. Which is not reflective of the city and how it's evolving."

Rybak denied that any cronyism was involved in the choice of Havey. He said Sheehy had to find someone within the current city workforce to take on the extra responsibility of the Heritage Park project and "with the very tight financial concerns that we have right now, he made the choice that he thought was the best within the City's employ."

LOCAL HOSPITALS RANK HIGH IN SURVEY
Three local hospitals were ranked among the nation's best in a recent survey by U.S. News and World Report.

MAYOR RIPS PLAN TO USE PARK POLICE IN SCHOOLS
The perennial debate over the city's dual police departments has once again emerged after the Park Board floated a proposal to station its police officers in public schools.

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer, 7/21/03

2003-07-21 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 48
July 21, 2003

Subscribe!!! It's easy.

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Traffic Cops Cracking Down
* Protesters Crash U of M Regents Meeting
* If It's Round, It Belongs to Honeywell
* Bridges Now Off-Limits to Homeless
* Planetarium Opening in Doubt
Plus: Hire a director, then create the department; peeing for the cameras; back talk on Lake Street development; metamorphosis in a pail; and how Tim Pawlenty's making Jesse look awfully smart.

TRAFFIC COPS CRACKING DOWN
City traffic cops are writing tickets at unprecedented rates as part of an effort that looks suspiciously like a revenue-raising exercise, but one that city officials claim will make neighborhoods safer.

The number of traffic citations has increased nearly four-fold between March and May, reflecting a council budget decision that more than doubled the number of traffic cops (from 10 to 22), notes Robyn Repya in the Southwest Journal (http://www.swjournal.com). Police wrote 645 tickets in March and 2,450 in May. The council budgeted $875,000 for the additional traffic cops, said city spokeswoman Sara Dietrich, and expects the additional cops to write enough tickets to pay their salaries. But she noted that it's too early to tell if the city's going to make a profit on the move, as there can be as much as a 60-day delay between writing a citation and receiving the fine.

Tenth Ward council member Dan Niziolek, chair of the council's Public Safety and Regulatory Services Committee, said the city is more interested in improving safety than raising revenue. "We're starting to see us as a city get more aggressive dealing with livability [issues]," he said.

PROTESTERS DISRUPT U OF M BOARD MEETING
About 25 protestors crashed the University of Minnesota Board of Regents meeting July 11 to voice their opposition to the university's involvement in a controversial astronomy project.

IF IT'S ROUND, IT'S OURS
Honeywell, the former Minneapolis company that for many years tussled with anti-war protesters over its weapons-manufacturing business, has another battle on its hands. But this time it's all about thermostats.

BRIDGES NOW OFF-LIMITS TO HOMELESS
Homeless people are finding their shelter options narrowing as city and state maintenance crews are buttoning up the bridges.

PLANETARIUM OPENING IN DOUBT
With funding options in limbo, the new Minneapolis planetarium may not be designed in time to open when the new dowtown library is christened.

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-07-14 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 47
July 14, 2003

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Group Working to Patch Cop-Indian Relations
* Venerable Community Garden Gets a Helping Hand
* School District Cuts Teachers, Class Sizes to Increase
* U Of M Anti-Riot Policy Challenged
* Affirmative-Action in Grocery Shopping
Plus: Beer to go, literate Minneapolis, stinky water, the Target surveillance vote that wasn't, finding the herb garden, and debating the future of Lake Street

GROUP WORKING TO PATCH COP-INDIAN RELATIONS
An ad hoc group of Indians and police officers are working together to create a new relationship between Native Americans and the Police Department.

The American Indian Safety Council has been meeting twice monthly since January to develop programs and strategies to mend Indian-cop relations that have been severely strained by several high-profile cases of alleged police misconduct, reports Jon Lurie in The Circle (http://www.thecirclenews.com). The group, which includes two Minneapolis police officers and a dozen-or-so people from the Indian Community, was created by elders of the Little Earth housing project to change the way cops perceive Indians. "Our goal is to make the police see we're not just a bunch of drugged-out, poor alcoholics," said one elder. "We're good people and we want them to know that."

The group has worked with the Police Department to get cops on horseback to come to community events (they're more approachable than other officers) and has sponsored free summer movie-and-discussion nights at the East Franklin Avenue Community Safety Center, which have drawn both youth and elders. The council also plans self-defense classes taught by police, a citizens' patrol, and a public safety communications network.

"Anytime you get to know people as individuals, you can begin to develop a relationship, see them as family," said Lt. Kris Arneson, one of the two police officers on the council. "These folks have become my friends, and I appreciate them letting me into their lives."

VENERABLE COMMUNITY GARDEN GETS A HELPING HAND
The Como Corner Garden, a fixture at 22nd and Como in Southeast Minneapolis for a dozen years, recently received a contribution from an unlikely source--a neighboring chemical company.

SCHOOL DISTRICT CUTS TEACHERS, CLASS SIZES TO INCREASE
Less than three years after city voters agreed to renew a special tax levy that generates some $40 million a year to reduce class sizes in Minneapolis schools, the district is laying off 465 teachers and forecasting increased class sizes in most schools next year.

U OF M ANTI-RIOT POLICY CHALLENGED
A new University of Minnesota policy designed to prevent student riots of the sort that have rocked Dinkytown the past two years may be unconstitutional, say local legal experts.

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-07-07 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 46
July 7, 2003

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Activists Storm Mayor's Office Demanding Action on Brutality Complaint
* Three Developers Vying for Nicollet Hotel Site
* Northeast Residents Balk at Lupient Park
* A Phoenix on East Lake Street?
* Hop Aboard, Tickets Optional
* Local Grade School Teacher Wins National Award
Plus: Parking changes, gays and war, Linda Berglin on MinnesotaCare, new Midtown Market, Don Samuels for mayor, growing grass, and the proper size of a loaf of bread.

ACTIVISTS STORM MAYOR'S OFFICE DEMANDING ACTION ON BRUTALITY COMPLAINT
Northside community activists interrupted an executive committee meeting June 25 to demand action against police officers who allegedly beat a black teenager, reports Dwight Hobbes in Insight News (http://www.insightnews.com).

The group, which included long-time civil rights leaders Matthew Little, Spike Moss, and Ron Edwards, demanded that Mayor Rybak investigate the beating of Little's 14-year-old grandson. "We're tired of this and we want something done," said Moss.

Rybak agreed to meet with the group at his regular noon open house, where Moss demanded that the top black attorney in the Hennepin County District Attorney's office be assigned to investigate the case, that the officer be fired if found guilty, and that the officer who evicted the youth's mother from the Fourth Precinct headquarters be fired as well.

Rybak distributed a two-page document describing steps he is taking to deal with police-community relations. "The only fair way to treat the citizens of Minneapolis and the majority of cops who are doing the right thing is to have better tools to identify the cops who violate procedure or simply show lack of respect on the street," he said.

THREE DEVELOPERS VYING FOR OLD NICOLLET HOTEL SITE
Three major local developers are preparing to submit plans for a transit, housing, and retail project on the site of the old Nicollet Hotel adjacent to the downtown library.

NORTHEAST RESIDENTS BALK AT LUPIENT PARK
Northeast Park Neighborhood residents will christen their year-old water park Jim Lupient Water Park July 12, but they're less certain about expanding the Lupient brand to the entire Northeast Park.

A PHOENIX ON EAST LAKE STREET?
The developer of West River Commons, which was destroyed by fire June 24, says he is committed to rebuilding the project.

HOP ABOARD, TICKETS OPTIONAL
Light-rail officials announced last week that the new train, which will begin operation between downtown and the megamall, will employ a "barrier-free proof of payment," in which riders pay their fare and climb aboard without showing any proof of payment.

CITY CHANGING PARKING METER ENFORCEMENT
City officials last week announced new restrictions on short-term parking meters and stepped-up enforcement of existing parking rules at all city meters.

CONFERENCE WILL HIGHLIGHT GAYS AND PEACE MOVEMENT
Spirit of the Lakes Church will host a conference July 26 to explore peace and justice issues among the GLBT community, reports Queue Press (http://www.queuepress.com).

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media, L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406; www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe, send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Karen DeSplinter and Brian Melendez

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-06-30 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 45
June 30, 2003

This is preview issue of The Observer highlights some of the stories covered in this week's digest. To subscribe to the full-meal deal ($12/yr.), just hit 'reply' and we'll set you up. Thanks.

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* New Coalition Seeks to Stop Guthrie Demolition
* Wells Fargo Attacked for Alleged Predatory Lending Practices
* Cub Foods Set to Lease Northside Target Space
* Ordinance Would Limit City Immigration Enforcement
* Who Ya Gonna Call? Mold Busters?
* Surveying the Surveillance Downtown
Plus: Gay pride, circa 1973; Al Sharpton on the Target controversy; Library Board cracks down; the urge to transplant; and signs of a shifting political tide.

NEW COALITION SEEKS TO STOP GUTHRIE DEMOLITION
Just when you thought the Guthrie's move had become inevitable, a new group is moving to stop it.

The Historic Guthrie Preservation Coalition has hired a Connecticut-based consultant to study possible alternatives to demolishing the theater, which the neighboring Walker Art Center wants to use for garden space. As Scott Russell reports in the Southwest Journal (http://www.swjournal.com), the group is looking for potential tenants outside the Twin Cities to take over the space. The coalition, which includes SavetheGuthrie.org, the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, and the Minnesota Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians, hopes to convince the Walker to save the 1960s-era theater for its marvelous acoustics and intimate concert setting--an argument that so far has not swayed officials there or on the city council.

"The overall thrust is to build the kind of public support that will convince the Walker that the Walker itself is better off preserving what I think is one of their most important pieces of art, rather than destroying it," said coalition member and former city council member Dore Mead.

Walker Art Center administrative director Ann Bitter said the museum has worked closely with neighborhood coalitions and is not likely to be swayed by the reuse argument. "Our intention is to go forward with demoing the Guthrie and developing our garden. If in the meantime they come up with another use, we of course would look at it," she said. But, she added, "I can't see us changing our minds on this subject."

WELLS FARGO ATTACKED FOR ALLEGED PREDATORY LENDING PRACTICES
Citing abusive lending practices, a national advocate for low-income families has launched a campaign against Wells Fargo Mortgage.

CUB FOODS SET TO LEASE NORTHSIDE TARGET SPACE
Target officials have announced that they have reached terms with a Cub Foods franchisee to lease the former Target store on West Broadway in North Minneapolis.

ORDINANCE WOULD LIMIT CITY IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT
In a move challenging the priorities of the U.S. Justice Department, the city council's Health and Human Services Committee last week approved an ordinance that would limit the involvement of the city in immigration law enforcement.

WHO YA GONNA CALL? MOLD BUSTERS
A Minneapolis nonprofit has developed a new set of inspection standards to help the construction industry fight mold-related damage claims.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media, L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406; www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe, send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Sarah Farley, Sue Herridge, Betty Tisel

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-06-23 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 44
June 23, 2003

This is a preview issue of The Observer. To subscribe ($12/yr.) just hit 'reply' and we'll set you up. Thanks.

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Council Member Hints at Target Boycott
* NRP Money Is a Real Mystery
* State Auditor Shuts Down Southside Housing Agency
* City's First Gay Bookstore Closes
* Dunn Brothers Going National
* Former Council Member Will Lead League of Women Voters
Plus: Calling 911, arresting the President, a male beauty contest, letting Emilie read, weeding the lettuce, and drinking with the Shriners.

COUNCIL MEMBER HINTS AT TARGET BOYCOTT
Angered by Target's recent decision to close its North Minneapolis store, Fifth Ward council member Natalie Johnson Lee is hinting at a potential boycott of the retail giant's other stores.

Johnson Lee told Insight News (http://www.insightnews.com) that Target must accept some responsibility for the "economic hole" that will be left by the August 2 closing, and if the company doesn't, she may promote a boycott of the retailers 43 Twin Cities stores. "If the community does not shop from them until they rectify this problem, Target will not get my money--if they cannot support my community, then we cannot support them."

Johnson Lee also said she is investigating Target's claim that it contributes $2 million a week to local community projects. "We want to know how many dollars of that money was spent on the North Side of Minneapolis," she said. "We want them to double to triple their commitment if they are leaving."

NRP MONEY IS REALLY A MYSTERY
The future of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) is up in the air partly because of legislative action at the state capitol, according to city officials, and partly because nobody seems to know how much money is in the fund that finances the program.

STATE AUDITOR SHUTS DOWN SOUTHSIDE HOUSING AGENCY
Citing "improper payments," the state auditor's office has shut down one of the city's largest nonprofit housing agencies.

CITY'S FIRST GAY BOOKSTORE CLOSES
A Brother's Touch, the city's first "devotedly gay and lesbian" bookstore, closed its doors last month after 20 years in business, reports Dylan Hicks in City Pages (http://www.citypages.com). A victim of chain bookstore dominance and the mainstreaming of gay culture, the store (one of only about 40 remaining in the country) had seen its sales sag in recent years as it lost its unique niche, said founder Harvey Hertz.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media, L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406; www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe, send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-06-16 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 43
June 16, 2003

This is a preview edition of The Observer. To see a sample issue, visit www.mplsobserver.com. To subscribe ($12/yr.), just hit 'reply' and we'll set you up.
--The Editor

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* MAC Vote Will Set New Airport Noise Map
* Park Board Restores Some Programs
* North Side Community Explores Target Options
* Grocery Store Roulette to Continue
* Decision Puts Local Business at Odds with Neighborhood
* Park Board Restores Some Programs, Services
Plus: Library futures, the Mother of All Co-ops shops for a building, geraniums get their due, and have the cops finally gone too far?

MAC VOTE WILL SET NEW AIRPORT NOISE MAP
The Metropolitan Airport Commission will vote today on air traffic projections that will inform a controversial new airport noise map. But the projections--and the process--has anti-noise activists seething.

As Scott Russell reports in the Southwest Journal (http://www.swjournal.com), the MAC's environmental and planning committee on June 4 approved air traffic assumptions that will help the commission draw the new noise map, requested after 9/11 sent traffic plummeting nationwide. The agency projects a 3.6 percent annual increase in air traffic through 2007, plus a fleet of larger, but quieter, planes. The projections will help the MAC determine eligibility for the agency's home sound insulation program.

But the South Metro Airport Action Council (SMAAC), a community-based anti-noise group, criticized the MAC process as being too hasty and lacking public review, and the city's MAC representative, Dan Boivin, said he is negotiating a deal that would allow adjustments to the noise map after two years,if the projections prove too conservative.

Meanwhile, the new Noise Oversight Committee, created last year to replace the 30-year-old Metropolitan Aircraft Sound Abatement Council, which Northwest Airlines abandoned in 2000 after accusing it of being too activist-oriented, has yet to hold its first meeting and has essentially been shut out of the process.

Chad Leqve, manager of MAC's Aviation Noise Program, said the Oversight Committee will have an instrumental role to play in drawing the new noise map, which he said should be ready by the fall.

PARK BOARD RESTORES SOME PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
The Park Board last week voted to restore a half dozen popular programs and services it had earlier cut in response to expected state funding cuts.

NORTH SIDE COMMUNITY EXPLORES TARGET OPTIONS
Community leaders on the North side are exploring the potential of buying the Broadway Avenue Target store, which is scheduled to close August 2.

NETWORK TV HIGHLIGHTS LOCAL COP PROGRAM
The CBS Evening News last week lauded the Minneapolis Police Department's Bait Car Program as one of the nation's most successful anti-car theft projects. The report, by correspondent Cynthia Bowers, noted that the program cut car thefts in the city by 37 percent in its first six months.

GROCERY STORE ROULETTE TO CONTINUE
Local grocery shoppers will barely be adjusting to new Rainbow ownership when another new player will be moving into the area.

DECISION PUTS LOCAL BUSINESS AT ODDS WITH NEIGHBORHOOD
A city planning commission zoning decision has put a long-time North Loop business at odds with its neighbors and a potential housing development.

CITY'S FIRST FOOD CO-OP RAISING MONEY TO BUY BUILDING
North Country Co-op, Minneapolis' first food co-op, is working to ensure its survival by buying its building.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media, L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406; www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe, send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Medora Woods

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-06-08 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 42
June 9, 2003

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* City Vying with St. Paul for New Allina Headquarters
* Local Coalition to Join New 'Freedom Rides'
* City Studying 'Nuisance Night Court'
* Volleyball Popularity Sparks Neighborhood Crisis
* New Cop-Community Mediation Team Selected
Plus: Pogroms in Whittier, Playboy fans on campus, the first freeway noise barrier, a Prospect Park history, gardening in the mud, and the beauty of disorderly conduct.

CITY VYING WITH ST. PAUL FOR NEW ALLINA HEADQUARTERS
Allina Hospitals & Clinics is scouting locations in Minneapolis and St. Paul for a new corporate headquarters, a move likely to spark a bidding war between the two cities for the company's 900 jobs.

The Phillips Neighborhood-based health care provider, the state's second largest, hopes to consolidate its headquarters employees in a single 235,000-square-foot campus, reports Scott Smith and Sam Black in The Business Journal (http://twincities.bizjournal.com), but has ruled out building a new headquarters campus.

Allina management has already held talks with St. Paul city officials, who are keen to bring the company to its revitalized downtown. "We have made it eminently clear to them that we very much want them in St. Paul and are willing to work aggressively with them to make that happen," said Martha Fuller, director of St. Paul's Department of Planning and Economic Development.

And while the St. Paul approach is likely to include some financial incentives for the company, Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak said there will be no significant financial help from Allina's home city to convince it to stay. The city will help the company locate a new site and provide some assistance, but will not provide major funding. As much as he wants Allina to stay in town, Rybak said, "We will not give a direct public subsidy to them."

Rybak has been a staunch of opponent of public funding for private enterprise, basing much of his 2001 mayoral campaign on the city's many corporate giveaways, including the controversial Target subsidy.

Allina reportedly is considering several sites in the two cities, the most promising of which are the Rivertown Trading building in the St. Paul Midway area and the Stinson Technology Center in Northeast Minneapolis. The company hopes to move in 2005.

LOCAL COALITION TO JOIN NEW 'FREEDOM RIDES'
A coalition of labor unions, religious groups, and other advocacy organizations are recruiting members from the local immigrant communities to participate in a national campaign for immigration reform modeled on the 1960s-era "freedom rides."

CITY STUDYING 'NUISANCE' NIGHT COURT
A proposed "Nuisance Night Court" would force graffiti artists, prostitutes, drunks, and other blemishes on our otherwise orderly society to pay the price of their misbehavior.
..

VOLLEYBALL POPULARITY LEADS TO NEIGHBORHOOD CRISIS
A group of Ecuadoran volleyball players is sparring with the Park Board and Powderhorn Park residents over a neighborhood recreation program that has become way too popular.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media, L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406; www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe, send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Ken Avidor

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-06-02 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 41
June 2, 2003

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* City Needs a New Message, Study Says
* Workers Vote to Unionize at Walker Health Center
* Bryant-Lake Bowl Owner Eyeing Northeast Theater
* Library Cancels Its Earthquake Insurance
* Car Dealer Gets Name on Northeast Water Park
Plus: Pentel out of the running, Dinkytown arsonist out of school, and the
importance of paying attention

**

CITY NEEDS A NEW MESSAGE, STUDY SAYS
A new study commissioned by the city's convention and tourism agency found
that only Chicago and Denver rank above Minneapolis as a popular convention
destination. Trouble is, the city's not doing enough to get noticed.

The $250,000 study by the New York-based FutureBrand surveyed potential
visitors from across the country and learned that the city's profile was so
low nationally that most people never even considered visiting. "Nobody
knows about Minneapolis," FutureBrand's executive director Joanna Seddon
told Andrew Tellijohn in The Business Journal
(http://twincities.bizjournals.com). "Minneapolis can change that."

The study noted that meeting planners who have held events here consider
the city to be friendly, service-oriented, and safe. They've also been
impressed by the local restaurants and hotels, and by the convenient
airline service. But, as Greg Ortale of the Greater Minneapolis Convention
and Visitors Association puts it, the city needs to do a better job of
telling that story. "We're suffering from 20 years of Willard Scott talking
about the cold," he said. "Everybody assumes that International Falls is a
mile away."

WORKERS VOTE TO UNIONIZE AT WALKER HEALTH CENTER
Despite a strong anti-union campaign, workers at Walker Methodist Health
Center last week voted to form a bargaining unit with AFSCME Council 14.


BRYANT-LAKE BOWL OWNER EYEING NORTHEAST THEATER
Kim Bartman, owner of the popular Bryant-Lake Bowl, wants to put some life
back into a Northeast landmark.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Theresa Carr, Alan Shilepsky

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
TEMPORARY REMINDER:
1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject 
(Mpls-specific, of course.)



Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-04-06 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 34
April 7, 2003

This a preview of this week's Observer. Check out a sample issue at www.mplsobserver.com. If you're interested in subscribing ($12/yr.) just hit "reply" and we'll set you up. Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Parks, Public Works Cuts Will Affect Many
* Pawlenty Plan Would Tap Property Tax for LRT
* Protesters Snub Fine, Plead Not Guilty
* Fire and Police Cuts Will Hurt Diversity
* Barbara Johnson for Congress?
Plus: The Pawlenty Precedent, toilet laws, cell phone buddies, and the power of dimness.

**

PARKS, PUBLIC WORKS CUTS WILL AFFECT MANY
Budget cuts in the parks and public works departments will total nearly $10 million this year and city residents will see their effects in many ways.

As Scott Russell reports in the Skyway News (http://www.skywaynews.net), the Park Board March 19 unanimously approved a package of budget cuts totaling $3.5 million that would cut everything from chemical toilets and the annual New Year's Eve party to summer teen jobs programs and Loring Park's Berger Fountain. The department also instituted a hiring freeze that may be felt most acutely during the next big storm, says Michael Schmidt, assistant superintendent for maintenance. "We are down one full forestry crew. That is going to hurt," he says. "With tree planting and Dutch Elm Disease, if there are any storms that require cleanup, I don't have the ability to pull in a group of seasonal tree trimmers to take care of the problem."

A proposal to cut $6.2 million in the public works department is similarly harrowing, says director Klara Fabry. The department won't be able to fix traffic lights and potholes as quickly and will drastically curtail preventative maintenance on public plazas, bridges, and streets. "This is not sustainable," Fabry says. "It will cost you a lot more to manage the asset if you are not doing any kind of preventative maintenance."

Fabry says she is considering a proposal that would bill property owners for street and bridge maintenance. The fee would be similar to what residents pay for garbage and recycling services. 

PAWLENTY PLAN WOULD RAID PROPERTY TAX FOR LRT
The Pawlenty administration and its Republican allies in the legislature are forging a plan that would tap property tax revenues from homes and business along the Hiawatha LRT line to pay for the line's operating costs.

PROTESTERS SNUB FINE, PLEAD NOT GUILTY
In what may be the first of several judicial showdowns between anti-war activists and prosecutors encouraged by an agitated governor to raise the cost of protest, 25 protesters have plead not guilty to petty misdemeanor and trespassing charges.

FIRE AND POLICE CUTS WILL HURT DIVERSITY
As much as state and city budget cuts are crippling public safety, diversity in the police and fire departments have also become a casualty.

** 
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media, L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406; www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe, send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list and refund the unused portion of your subscription.  
Editor: Craig Cox 
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker 
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow 
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox 
Perspective: Martin Cox 
Thanks to: John Kalbrener

*** 
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper! 
***

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-03-23 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 32
March 24, 2003

This is a preview of this week's Observer. Check out a sample issue at
www.mplsobserver.com. To subscribe ($12/yr.), just hit "reply" and we'll
set you up. Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Fire Department May Need Suburban Help
* Does Burning Trash Equal Renewable Energy?
* Fine Line Set to Reopen in Early May
* Selvaggio to Study Regional Philanthropy
* You Are What You Read
Plus: Color-blind at MIA, mediation blues, remembering Wally Karbo, a
lesson from the Republicans, and faith in a seed.

**

FIRE DEPARTMENT MAY NEED SUBURBAN HELP
Fire Chief Rocco Forte is negotiating agreements with nearby suburban fire
departments to help maintain response times in the face of a 7 percent
budget cut and the loss of 50 firefighters.

"Realistically, our worst-case scenario contingency plan could be our
every-day working plan," Forte told Scott Russell in the Southwest Journal
(http://www.swjournal.com). Though the department has always been able to
call on suburban firefighters to help out during particularly large fires,
Forte is pushing for "automatic aid" agreements that would allow the
closest fire rigs--suburban or city--to respond to blazes. "It erases the
lines," he said.

Fire chiefs in Richfield, Edina, and St. Louis Park each have said they
were open to such an agreement, but firefighters union president Tom
Thornberg said he doubts any local department has the resources to share:
"Everyone is going--'Do we have enough to take care of ourselves, let alone
helping out the other community?'"

The move is just one of many Forte is considering during the current budget
crunch, brought on by an expected $21 million cut in local government aid
proposed by Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty. Forte is also cutting the
number of firefighters on each rig and has even proposed selling corporate
sponsorships of fire trucks. The union is lobbying for a false-alarm fee
and a quarter-percent city tax to shore up police and fire department
budgets. "We are trying to open doors we have never dreamed of before,"
said Thornberg. "Anything we can do to save jobs and staff rigs adequately."

DOES BURNING TRASH EQUAL RENEWABLE ENERGY?
The downtown trash burner, which emits neurotoxic mercury and
cancer-causing dioxin, would be designated a "renewable energy source"
under a bill currently moving through the state legislature.

FINE LINE SET TO REOPEN IN EARLY MAY
The Fine Line Music Cafe, scorched last month by an ill-advised
pyrotechnics display, is taking the opportunity to renovate and is
scheduled to reopen in early May.

SELVAGGIO WILL STUDY PHILANTHROPY
Project for Pride in Living founder Joe Selvaggio has been awarded a
one-year, $100,000 fellowship to study philanthropy in the region, reports
Mark Anderson in Finance and Commerce (http://www.finance-commerce.com).


**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***

TEMPORARY REMINDER:
1. Send all posts in plain-text format.
2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible.



Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-03-16 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 31
March 17, 2003

This is a preview of this week's Observer. To check out a sample issue of
the e-weekly, visit www.mplsobserver.com. If you like what you see, please
consider subscribing ($12/yr.). Just hit 'reply' and we'll set you up.
Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* New Central Library May Not Be Built
* University Opens Health Clinic to Uninsured
* Scully Returns With Gay Men's Dance Group
* Rybak Rallying Opposition to Noise Insulation Cuts
* Students Plan Walkout When Bush Invades
* Metro Transit Goes Hybrid
Plus: Sabo brings home the bacon, library chief takes a pay cut,
remembering Ferris Alexander, and disarming the White House

**

NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY MAY NOT BE BUILT
Minneapolis Public Library director Kit Hadley will deliver a set of
recommendations designed to salvage plans for a new downtown library when
she meets today with the city council's Ways and Means Committee. The
meeting comes at a time of mounting pressure to kill the $140 million
project because of city budget constraints.

As Ellen Nigon and Bob Gilbert note in the Skyway News
(http://www.skywaynews.net), the mayor and the city council are
contemplating whether to issue the bonds required for the project even as
the old library becomes a pile a rubble. The problem, they explain, is that
the city and the Library Board may not be able to afford the debt service
on the $140 million project. The city council recently approved budget cuts
of $55 million and may have to cut another $80 million in the next two
years. The Library Board this year faces a $25 million operating shortfall.
"Because of the severity of the proposed LGA cuts to the city, everything
has to be on the table, including the library," said Rybak.

In November 2000 city voters overwhelmingly approved a $140 million
referendum to build the new library, but that money does not include
operating expenses--a key sticking point, according to the mayor. "We
cannot build the Central Library and all the community libraries in the way
we have envisioned them," Rybak said. "Compromises will have to be made."

Among those compromises could be a less ambitious design, no new
planetarium, community library cutbacks, or even a merger with the Hennepin
County library system. Scrapping the new library altogether is not an
option, said Second Ward Council Member Paul Zerby, but he's not sure what
the solution might be. "The old library is being demolished, the books are
over in the old Federal Reserve Building, we got a $110 million referendum
passed, and every year we wait will make it that much more expensive to
build," he said. "I cannot conceive that we are in a situation where we are
going to stop everything. But how we get out of this I do not know."

UNIVERSITY OPENS HEALTH CARE CLINIC TO UNINSURED
The University of Minnesota last week opened a new medical clinic in the
Phillips Neighborhood designed to meet the health care needs of people
without health insurance.

SCULLY RETURNS WITH GAY MEN'S DANCE COMPANY
The creative force behind Patrick's Cabaret is creating a new dance company.

RYBAK RALLYING OPPOSITION TO NOISE INSULATION CUTS
Ending a long silence on the airport noise issue, Mayor R.T. Rybak last
week encouraged city residents to pack today's Metropolitan Airports
Commission (MAC) meeting and speak against Northwest Airlines' plan to cut
the number of homes covered by the MAC's noise insulation plan.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Robert Pickering, Erik Riese

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***

TEMPORARY REMINDER:
1. Send all posts in plain-text format.
2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible.



Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-03-09 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 30
March 10, 2003

This is a preview of this week's Observer. To check out a sample issue,
visit www.mplsobserver.com. To subscribe ($12/yr.) just hit 'reply' and
we'll set you up. Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* City's First Bike Freeway Faces Some Stop Signs
* Council Should Prepare for Post-Olson Regime
* Bookstore Union Stymied in Negotiations
* Coalition Launched to Fight Predatory Lending
* Nicollet-Lake Opening in Doubt
* FBI Taking Names on Campus
Plus: A Wellstone school, a bus on the loose, the price of ammo, great
moments in lawmaking, when the mayor packed heat, and working overtime at
the MCDA.

**

CITY'S FIRST BIKE FREEWAY FACES SOME STOP SIGNS
The $2.7 million bicycle "freeway" from Cedar Lake to downtown Minneapolis
is encountering some unexpected obstacles from city public works officials.


The Cedar Lake Trail section of the dedicated bike route, which begins in
Hopkins, was designed to run along a railway trench north of downtown
before rising to street level at Washington Avenue and eventually
connecting with West River Road. But as Scott Russell reports in Skyway
News (http://www.skywaynews.net), bicycling advocates are lobbying to keep
the route in the trench all the way to the river, a route they say would be
more efficient and safer. "It is our premier and first bike freeway," said
Billy Binder, a member of the Minneapolis and Hennepin County bike advisory
committees. "Why wouldn't that be given the gold standard for biking?"

Public works officials concede that the street-level route would pose
certain traffic and safety issues, but they argue that altering the route
would cost the city as much as $500,000. The current design "better served
the growing North Loop neighborhood," said Donald Pflaum, a Public Works
traffic engineer. "We are not building the at-grade crossing to prevent a
future trench alignment," he added. "You can do both."

And because 80 percent of the trail is being funded by the federal
government, Pflaum said the city can't change the design without
jeopardizing the funding. "You have to do what you say you are going to
do," he said.

COUNCIL SHOULD PREPARE FOR POST-OLSON REGIME
Police Chief Robert Olson will not be reappointed when his contract expires
at the end of the year, said city council vice president Robert Lilligren,
and it's time Mayor Rybak began dealing with real police-community issues
rather than blaming the council.

BOOKSTORE UNION STYMIED IN NEGOTIATIONS
Employees at the Uptown Borders bookstore, who in October voted to unionize
the fervently anti-union chain, are still trying to get the company to sign
on the dotted line.

COALITION LAUNCHED TO FIGHT PREDATORY LENDING
A local coalition of banks, housing advocates, and public agencies last
week announced a statewide campaign to fight so-called "predatory lending"
practices.

CAMPUS ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUP GETS FBI ATTENTION
A meeting last week of the Student Organization for Animal Rights was
interrupted by three FBI agents.

NICOLLET-LAKE OPENING IN DOUBT
A $100 million retail and housing project that would have reopened Nicollet
at Lake Street is in doubt after the Minneapolis Community Development
Committee last week voted against extending the rights of the project's
lead developer.


**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Peter Jessen, Mike McAneney, Sara Strzok

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***

TEMPORARY REMINDER:
1. Send all posts in plain-text format.
2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible.



Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-03-02 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 29
March 3, 2003

This is a preview edition of The Observer. Check out a sample issue at
www.mplsobserver.com and if you're interested in subscribing ($12/yr.),
just hit 'reply' and we'll set you up. Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Guthrie May Have to Wait Two Years for State Money
* City DFLers at Odds Over Early Elections
* Johnson Lee: No Regrets
* Anti-War Protesters Arrested at Quarry Mall
* University Dean Receives Social Justice Award
Plus: A mayor's life, kidnappers afoot, Loring Park squirrels, and a
political quiz for Republicans.

**

GUTHRIE MAY HAVE TO WAIT TWO YEARS FOR STATE MONEY
The Guthrie Theater's proposed $125 million riverfront complex will get no
state funding this year and may not see any state help until at least 2005.
The delay, Guthrie officials say, may jeopardize the entire project.

Despite supporting the theater's $35 million request during his campaign,
Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been forced to put the Guthrie and other state
bonding projects on hold because of the state's $5.5 billion budget
deficit, said his spokesperson, Leslie Kupchella. "It's not realistic given
current budget restraints," she told the Skyway News
(http://www.skywaynews.net).

Guthrie spokesperson James Morrison said the delay would drive up the cost
of the project and could threaten some of the $90 million the theater has
already raised from private donors, whose pledges were contingent on state
support. "How long can you string along the private-sector investment in
this project?" he asked. "There are a lot of competing projects in this
community for private donations."

The legislature last year passed a $24 million bonding request for the
project, but it was vetoed by Gov. Jesse Ventura. In February, Pawlenty
unalloted $2 million that had been approved for the Guthrie's project
planning. Still, Morrison is confident the deal can get done. "If the
government were to take up the $350 million capital projects vetoed during
the last session and add $1 billion to this amount, the [borrowing] would
still be less than the legal cap of 3 percent of the state's operating
budget," he said.

CITY DFLERS AT ODDS OVER EARLY ELECTIONS
Local DFL solidarity was again evident at the State Capitol last week, as
State Representative Phyllis Kahn introduced a bill that would force the
city of Minneapolis to hold new city council elections this November.

DESPITE CONTROVERSY, JOHNSON LEE HAS NO REGRETS
Fourteen months into her term, Fifth Ward Council Member Natalie Johnson
Lee has moved from the "assessment" phase to one in which she is "ready for
anything."

ANTI-WAR PROTESTERS ARRESTED AT QUARRY MALL
Two anti-war activists leafletting outside Rainbow Foods at the Quarry Mall
in Northeast Minneapolis were arrested February 23 for trespassing.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Jeanne Anderson, Stephen Eisenmenger, Mark Plenke

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***

TEMPORARY REMINDER:
1. Send all posts in plain-text format.
2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible.



Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-02-23 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 28
February 24, 2003

This is a preview edition of The Observer. Check out a sample copy at
www.mplsobserver.com and if you're interested in subscribing ($12/yr.),
just hit 'reply' and we'll set you up. Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* DNA Controversy Stifles Hennepin County Courts
* Lake Street Redevelopment Group Forming
* St. Thomas Developer Fined for Permit Violations
* Neighborhood CleanSweep Will Be Refocused
* Council Member Seeks to Protect the Bill of Rights
Plus: Norm gets multicultural, the homeless consider storming the
governor's mansion, a sweetheart deal for a local cop, and an exercise in
cheap sloganeering.

**
DNA CONTROVERSY STIFLES HENNEPIN COUNTY COURTS
As many as 60 people accused of serious offenses have had their court dates
postponed indefinitely as a result of a new state-imposed DNA test.

The suspects, accused of murder, rape, and other violent crimes, are
awaiting the resolution of a three-year-old dispute involving the
trustworthiness of the DNA test, a dispute that now sits in the hands of
the state Supreme Court.

"Every week a trial is set and then delayed," Hennepin County Attorney Amy
Klobuchar tells Leyla Kokmen in City Pages (http://www.citypages.com).
"What's different with this is that it is so broad. It [affects] cases
statewide, not just Hennepin County."

The state began using the new DNA test, which requires only very small DNA
samples, in 1999, but defense attorneys have challenged the accuracy of the
test and the manufacturer has refused to release the test's underlying
chemistry. As a result, no one has been able to independently verify the
test results. "Basically what the state wants to do here is say, 'Trust
us,'" said assistant state public defender Steve Russett, who is appealing
the 2001 murder conviction of Tony Allen Roman Nose in which DNA evidence
played a vital role. While prosecutors argue that the test has been proven
reliable, the courts have thus far agreed with its critics. Still, nobody
knows when the Supreme Court will issue a ruling.

Meanwhile the courts are getting clogged. "There will be a glut of trials
for the six months following the issuance of a decision," Klobuchar said.
And that could seriously affect a court system already stretched thin by
budget cuts. Those violent crimes will eventually go to trial, said
Hennepin County District Court chief judge Kevin Burke, but lower-level
cases will likely be stacking up. "Something's going to have to give," he
said.

LAKE STREET REDEVELOPMENT GROUP FORMING
Hennepin County has created a citizens task force to guide it through the
planned reconstruction of Lake Street from Lyndale Avenue to the river
beginning in 2005.

ST. THOMAS DEVELOPER WILL PAY FINE FOR ENCROACHMENT
Opus Corporation, which is developing the University of St. Thomas'
downtown expansion, has agreed to pay a $20,000 fine after it neglected to
apply for the appropriate permits.

NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN SWEEP WILL BE REFOCUSED
The popular CleanSweep events held annually in many neighborhoods will be
refocused, according to a measure passed Tuesday by the Transportation and
Public Works Committee.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***

TEMPORARY REMINDER:
1. Send all posts in plain-text format.
2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible.



Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-02-16 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 27
February 17, 2003

This is a preview issue of The Observer. To subscribe to the full-meal deal
($12/yr.; see sample issue at www.mplsobserver.com), just hit 'reply' and
state your intentions. We'll be happy to set you up. Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* R.T. Rybak: Part-Time Crime-Fighter
* Awada's World: How Minneapolis Would Fare
* Air Cargo Facility Won't Be a Problem, MAC Rep Says
* Feds Arrest Local Student-Loan Slackers
* Car-Sharing, Anyone?
* Dispatch from the Front
Plus: The quarter-million dollar meeting room, gagged by the NAACP, the
real enemy in the Third Ward, shamelessly misquoting Tom Heffelfinger, a
proper Orange Alert, and thinking outside the box on LGA.

**

R.T. RYBAK: PART-TIME CRIME-FIGHTER
Last week, the city council passed a resolution that would allow the city's
Bomb Disposal Unit to provide services to other cities around the state,
the latest in a series of moves by city officials to push public safety to
the forefront of the city's agenda.

As G.R. Anderson notes in City Pages (http://www.citypages.com), Mayor
Rybak and city council members have shifted the city's priorities in a very
public way at the capitol, and have found common cause with suburban and
outstate Republicans who dominate the legislature. Early in the session, a
city delegation visited a House Judiciary Committee hearing to lobby in
favor of continued funding for the Minnesota Gang Strike Force. In his
testimony, Rybak said the city was "focused, first and foremost, on public
safety."

This may come as a surprise to advocates of affordable housing or
transportation or neighborhood economic development, who sent Rybak to City
Hall to champion their views. But, according to State Senator Larry
Pogemiller, this shift in priorities is nothing but a last-ditch attempt to
boost the city's stock among conservative power brokers at the capitol and
save Local Government Aid to the city. "It's a strategy right out of the
Republican playbook," Pogemiller said. "Show you can streamline government.
Then make fighting terrorism on a local level a political priority because
it's in vogue. How prepared can you be? Is that the major issue for the
city? Heavens, no."

Rybak conceded as much after the hearing, saying affordable housing
continued to be a high priority for his administration. But the sales job
was clear: "We have to do these things, to make some recognize we're here
to make our state safer. With a different group, in a different climate,
would our emphasis be different? Sure."

And, indeed, back at City Hall, the mayor is now intent on slicing $12
million out of the police department's budget and shutting down the popular
Community Crime Prevention/SAFE program. "I think there is fat in the
police budget, and I am going to go after that hard," Rybak told Ellen
Nigon and Robyn Repya in the Skyway News (http://www.skywaynews.net). He
argues that CCP/SAFE's work overlaps similar community work done by the
Neighborhood Revitalization Program. But he may get an argument from
neighborhood groups and police officials, who believe the program is one of
the most effective in the city. "No one wants to cut SAFE," said Deputy
Chief Rick Schultz. "It's crime prevention. How we define that service may
change. No one wants to see SAFE disappear in its entirety."

Nobody, that is, except our crime-fighting mayor.

AWADA'S WORLD: HOW MINNEAPOLIS WOULD FARE
State auditor Pat Awada's proposed cuts to Local Government Aid would
severely hamper fundamental city operations, according to a statement
released last week by the city.

AIR CARGO FACILITY WON'T BE A PROBLEM
A major international air cargo facility currently being studied by the
Metropolitan Airports Commission and other agencies is more than a decade
away and should not pose a noise problem, according to the city's MAC
representative.

FEDS CRACKING DOWN ON STUDENT-LOAN SLACKERS
Federal marshalls last Thursday arrested four people as part of a local
crackdown on student-loan delinquency.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox

***
Fight media cons

[Mpls] This week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-02-09 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 26
February 3, 2003

To subscribe ($12/yr.), hit 'reply' and we'll set you up. Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Target Center Will Snatch NRP Funds
* Fired Indian Health Board Doctors Open New Clinic
* Local Film Buff Hopes to Revive St. Anthony Main Theater
* Group Studying International Air Cargo Facility
* City Will Market Its Bomb Disposal Services
Plus: R.T.'s police problem, Pawlenty's $475,000 name change, and
remembering when men ran the city.

**

TARGET CENTER WILL SNATCH NRP FUNDS
Already facing a dramatically slashed budget, the Neighborhood
Revitalization Program (NRP) this year will also lose money to a decidedly
non-neighborhood facility: Target Center.

As David Brauer reports in the Southwest Journal
(http://www.swjournal.com), the downtown home of the Minnesota Timberwolves
faces a $1.2 million budget deficit this year, the result of the same
legislative tax reforms that have busted the city's budget. That means the
arena's $1.6 million mortgage this year will have to come out of the city's
estimated $3 million NRP budget, said city finance director Pat Born.

The Timberwolves and Target Center's other major tenant, Northwest Health
Clubs, paid $1 million less to the city than in 2001 because of those
property tax reforms, Brauer explains, creating a fund deficit. And because
bonding debt must take precedence over NRP allocations, the city will have
to dip into the NRP fund if the mortgage payments fall short. The situation
could become more dire if the budget-strapped state legislature reneges on
its promised $750,000 annual payment.

The city already allocates $500,000 a year for arena improvements, but has
balked at making substantial changes to upgrade the facility because the
lease does not require it. Seventh Ward Council Member Lisa Goodman has
suggested selling the facility to Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor to get out
from under the $75 million obligation, but no negotiations have taken place.

FIRED INDIAN HEALTH BOARD DOCTORS OPEN NEW CLINIC
Three doctors fired last year in a controversial purge at the Indian Health
Board (IHB) will open their own clinic Feb. 11.

LOCAL FILM BUFF HOPES TO REVIVE ST. ANTHONY MAIN THEATER
A local film buff and his partners are trying to revive the five-screen St.
Anthony Main Theater by delivering a mix of mainstream, art, and
independent films.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***

TEMPORARY REMINDER:
1. Send all posts in plain-text format.
2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible.



Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-02-02 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 25
February 3, 2003

This is a preview issue of The Observer. To see a sample of the real deal,
visit www.mplsobserver.com. To subscribe ($12/yr.) just hit 'reply' and
state your intentions, and we'll set you up. Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Phillips Energy Co-op Launched
* The Lost Lock and Dam
* State May Mandate City Elections in November
* How Healthy Are We, Anyhow?
* Citizens' Group Proposes February Gas Boycott
* Franklin Avenue Primed for Development, Says Builder
Plus: Garage logic at City Hall, affordable housing on Block E, checking
your weapons at the airport, remembering the ERA, chef wars, and spending
R.T.'s political capital.

**

PHILLIPS ENERGY CO-OP LAUNCHED
The city's first energy cooperative is being launched in the Phillips
Neighborhood.

As Joel Haskard reports in Pulse (http://www.pulsetc.com), the Phillips
Community Energy Cooperative is in the process of signing up members and
studying the feasibility of several energy-related programs--including a
biomass plant that would generate energy for the neighborhood. The co-op is
an initiative of the Green Institute, which runs the popular ReUse Center,
at Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue, and Deconstruction Services, a recycled
construction materials service, and is funded by a $250,000 grant from Xcel
Energy's Conservation Improvement Program.

Green Institute executive director Michael Krause calls the co-op an effort
to help people save money and have more of a say about their energy costs.
"The co-op will democratize critical energy decisions, and give more people
greater control over their energy futures," he says.

For more information, go to http://www.greeninstitute.org.

THE LOST LOCK AND DAM
A National Park Service historian who discovered the remains of the first
Mississippi River lock and dam in Minneapolis is working with neighborhood
groups to turn the site into an interpretive center.

STATE MAY MANDATE CITY ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER
Minneapolis State Representative Phyllis Kahn has introduced a bill in the
legislature calling for new city council elections in November.

HOW HEALTHY ARE WE, ANYWAY?
The results are in from Hennepin County's annual health survey, and locals
seem to be in pretty good shape, reports The Alley.


**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Michael Krause and Niel Ritchie

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***

TEMPORARY REMINDER:
1. Send all posts in plain-text format.
2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible.



Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-01-26 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 24
January 27, 2003

This is a preview issue of The Observer. To see a sample issue, check out
the Web site at www.mplsobserver.com. Subscriptions are $12/yr.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Neighborhoods Bark as City Hall Moves to Slash NRP
* Midtown Farmers' Market to Be Unveiled
* Park Board and MCDA at Odds in Community Garden Tiff
* Pawlenty Hedging on No Tax Increase Pledge?
* University Med School Student Debt Called Worrisome
* Piper Jaffray Suitors May Include Dain
Plus: Downtown bike racing, camping out at the government center, Natalie
Johnson Lee's State of the Union, the art of wrestling, and the power of
neighborhoods.

**

NEIGHBORHOODS BARK AS CITY HALL MOVES TO SLASH NRP
Mayor R.T. Rybak and three city council members on January 10 proposed a
budget-cutting resolution that could cut more than a third of the 2003
budget for the Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP). The move,
according to David Brauer in the Southwest Journal
(http://www.swjournal.com) triggered a resolution from a group of
neighborhood organizations and a sharp response from leading council
members.

The community response, authored by representatives of 35 city neighborhood
organizations, demanded that the council allocate $33 million for community
development in 2003 and that one-third of that amount be set aside for the
NRP budget. The neighborhoods also demanded that they control the
designated funds and that the NRP continue as an independent agency rather
than be consolidated in the city's new planning and economic development
agency.

This sparked a testy retort from three influential council members, who
argue that the neighborhood demands "are so far from the reality we face in
this financial climate that we need to address them immediately so that no
one will be forced to reject this resolution if and when it comes before
the council." The council members, Barret Lane (13th Ward), Lisa Goodman
(7th Ward), and Scott Benson (11th Ward), noted that the largest source of
community development funding comes from federal Community Development
Block Grants, which account for about $18.5 million a year. This money,
however, cannot be applied to neighborhood projects. Indeed, they note,
two-thirds of the city's $33 million for community development is
ineligible for NRP use. And if that $11 million was guaranteed to the NRP,
no money would be left for other projects.

Lane, Goodman, and Benson go on to point out that because the city last
year used a $4 million community development levy to support an NRP budget
that had been eviscerated by tax reform legislation at the state level, the
program now has to compete with other essential services for general funds.
"With state Local Government Aids cuts a real possibility, we must preserve
our ability to fund basic services in the general fund (police, fire, and
public works) before funding community development," they wrote.

The city's precarious budget situation, they add, requires that the NRP,
like every other city department work toward the most efficient structure
and cost-effective operation. Demanding that the agency remain an
independent entity, they argue, makes no sense. "The purpose of NRP was to
redesign city services and better integrate neighborhood planning into all
city planning and development decision-making," they conclude. "Now, NRP
has become more about the money, not the planning, and that's unfortunate."

About 30 neighborhood activists met with Rybak and council members January
16, but were unable to get officials there to back off from their
budget-cutting intentions. Rybak said flatly that he would not guarantee
$11 million to NRP and Goodman reiterated that "the money simple isn't
there."

The next day, however, Deputy Mayor David Fey e-mailed neighborhood
activists, reassuring them that city officials have no intention to
eliminate the program. "The resolution doesn't address NRP at all," he
wrote, "except to clarify that NRP funding is part of total community
development funding . . . that can be supported within its property tax
policy."

MIDTOWN FARMERS' MARKET TO BE UNVEILED
Mayor R.T. Rybak and Ninth Ward Council Member Gary Schiff will host an
open house February 18 to introduce the new Midtown Public Market, an
outlet for fresh vegetables, baked goods, and other products at the
intersection of Hiawatha Avenue and Lake Street.

PARK BOARD TRUMPS MCDA IN COMMUNITY GARDEN TIFF
The Park Board last month adopted a resolution supporting community gardens
now threatened by the Minneapolis Community Development Agency's (MCDA)
aggressive building program.

PAWLENTY HEDGING HIS NO TAX INCREASE PLEDGE?
Governor Tim Pawlenty toured North and South Side businesses January 10,
seeking support for his budget plan, an

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-01-19 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 23
January 20, 2003

This is a preview issue of The Observer. To subscribe to the full-meal deal
($12/yr.),  just hit "reply" and state your intention, and we'll set you
up. Thanks.


**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Remembering Melissa--Sort of
* Cable Transfer Imminent
* City 'Stings' Hurting Business, Say Bar Owners
* Beyond Foster Care
* Reaching for the Stars
Plus: Sex (offenders) in the city, Third Ward reticence, fed up with the
feds, yearning for yellow, and two cheers for the free market.

**

REMEMBERING MELISSA--SORT OF
When police officer Jerry Haaf was gunned down in the Pizza Shack on Lake
Street in 1992, it took less than a month for the City Council to approve a
suitable memorial--the Jerry Haaf Parking Ramp near City Hall. More than
five months have passed since officer Melissa Schmidt was killed in the
line of duty, and the city is just getting around to the matter of a
remembrance.

"I was disappointed it has taken this long," 10th Ward Council Member Dan
Niziolek told Scott Russell in the Southwest Journal
(http://www.swjournal.com). "I don't know why it fell through the cracks.
It is now moving forward." Niziolek is part of a five-member group created
last month by Police Chief Robert Olson to determine an appropriate
memorial for the slain officer, a process that already has been thrown off
balance by some not-entirely-welcomed suggestions.

The CARAG neighborhood last August passed a motion asking the city to name
the City Hall LRT stop in Schmidt's honor, an idea squashed by the state
Department of Transportation. Later, Second Ward Council Member Paul Zerby
suggested renaming the Fifth Police Precinct or the Downtown Command after
Schmidt, calling it "an absolutely appropriate memorial." Olson was less
enthused, however, saying it was "a bit unusual" to name a police precinct
after a person.

Olson said he'd like to come up with a recommendation for the City Council
to consider by the end of the year. Meanwhile, the Minneapolis Public
Housing Authority will dedicate their own memorial--a plaque that will hang
in the headquarters of the police unit working in public housing at 2123
16th Avenue S.--on January 30.

CABLE TRANSFER IMMINENT
The City Council last week approved the transfer of the city's cable
franchise from Time

CITY 'STINGS' HURTING BUSINESS, SAY BAR OWNERS
Undercover operations designed to prevent underage drinking is keeping
teens out of local bars, but it's beginning to annoy the people pouring the
drinks.


**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Burl Gilyard, David Jensen, Allie Shah, Adam Shinbrot

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
___

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2003-01-12 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 22
January 13, 2003

To subscribe ($12/yr.) just hit "reply" and we'll set you up. Thanks.


**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Stupid Budget Tricks
* Airport Noise vs. Lead Poisoning?
* City's Anti-Terrorism Plan an Open Book
* MCDA's Vanishing Act
* Legislators Seek to Trump City's Benefits Law
* Fourth Precinct Cop Wins International Award
Plus: Remembering Mark Hopp, counting crows, courting labor, and lamenting
the death of conservatism.

**

STUPID BUDGET TRICKS
The Pawlenty administration has invited the best thinking of Minnesotans to
help him and the legislature figure out how to solve the state's $4.5
billion budget deficit. But if the rants from last week's suggestion box
are representative of our state's capacity for critical thinking, the new
governor may have to look elsewhere for inspiration.

Among the constructive tips conveyed to the Department of Finance's Web
site (http://www.finance.state.mn.us/suggestions.html) were predictable
right-wing blathering about the revenue-enhancing potential of state-run
casinos and the evils of light rail, unions, school teachers, cushy
prisons, and wasteful bureaucracy. Dozens of thoughtful citizens called for
running the government like a business (presumably not Enron) and balancing
the state's checkbook at the kitchen table, like every frugal family must
do. Beyond the talk-radio rhetoric, though, emerged a precious collection
of budget-enhancing epiphanies that will no doubt humor Pawlenty and his
crew as they face the daunting chore of coloring the red ink black without
raising taxes.

Some of the more noteworthy:
* "English is the national language. I do not want my tax dollars to go to
accomidate (sic) every language there is out there."
* "Eliminate any newsletters that are currently being published by any
state agency."
* "Toll booths at Iowa and Wisconsin border."
* "At [the] very least allow Bars (sic) to remain open until 3:00 a.m. or
later."
* "Why not authorize the use of the heart symbol [on vanity plates]? I
would think that the amount of vanity plates would increase greatly. Also,
you could increase the number of characters to 8."
* "Another very easy place to save money is to throw nothing away. Some
states are selling their 'junk' on eBay."

Given the quality of these and most of the other suggestions, we might add
another good way to save money: Shut down the Web site that's collecting
this drivel.

GROUP LAUNCHES ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CAMPAIGN
Is lead poisoning of children in North Minneapolis a less important issue
than airport noise on the South side? According to a North side activist
group, government's answer during the past decade has been a resounding,
"Yes!"

AND, NO, YOU CAN'T USE THE COPIER
City officials are revamping their disaster plan to deal with post-9/11
terrorist fears, but there seems to be a little problem with
confidentiality.

MCDA DISAPPEARING, CRITICS SAY
Already facing imminent consolidation and certain budget cuts, the
Minneapolis Community Development Agency (MCDA), according to some
neighborhood leaders, has virtually disappeared from the neighborhood
development scene.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Catherine Christian
***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
___

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-12-29 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 20
December 30, 2002

To subscribe ($12/yr.), just hit 'reply' and state your intentions. We'll
be happy to set you up.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* City Seeks to Block Cable Transfer Plan
* Expanding Block E?
* Vegetarian Institution Will Become Blue-Collar Bar
* Right-Wing Think Tank too Partisan?
* Segregation City
* Local NAACP Head Resigns
Plus: Honeywell and the Axis of Evil, in search of the perfect steamer,
Chief Olson's next job, cushions on Minnehaha, waking the gardener within,
and a New Year's greeting from 1932.

**

CITY SEEKS TO BLOCK CABLE TRANSFER PLAN
Time Warner Cable, already in hot water with the city over alleged
franchise violations, now finds itself stymied locally in its bid to
consolidate its holdings nationally.

City officials are blocking a request from the cable giant to transfer the
city's cable franchise to a new company about to be created by the merger
of Time Warner Entertainment and Comcast. They say Time Warner has failed
to convince them that the as-yet unformed corporation is capable of
managing the operation.

In a December 18 letter to Ways and Means Committee chair Barbara Johnson,
chief information officer Karl Kaiser and city coordinator John Moir
counseled the committee and the City Council to deny the request, which
they said could lead to "dire consequences" for city cable subscribers.

Time Warner has not proven that the still-unformed company is "financially
qualified" to manage the city's cable franchise, Kaiser and Moir argue. And
because Time Warner continues to balk at fulfilling current conditions of
its contract with the city, there is little reason to rely on the company's
assurances that the transfer will be painless.

The city has been wrangling with Time Warner on this request since
September, claiming the company has provided insufficient and inaccurate
information about the transfer, has refused to pay the city's costs to
study the proposal, and has refused to clean up current franchise
violations.

The move came as a result of a recent restructuring of AOL Time Warner in
which the company's cable unit, Time Warner Entertainment, was merged with
Comcast, another major cable provider. To consolidate the two companies'
cable franchises, the federal government requires city approval. But if the
city does not act by January 4, 2003, federal regulators will consider it a
done deal.

EXPANDING BLOCK E?
Block E developer Dan McCaffery, whose chain-heavy retail fortress on
Hennepin has been blamed for the continued suburbanization of downtown, is
looking for new territory.

VEGETARIAN INSTITUTION WILL BECOME BLUE-COLLAR BAR
One of the city's first vegetarian restaurants will close in February and
be replaced by a Chicago-style bar and restaurant, reports Scott Russell in
the Southwest Journal (http://www.swjournal.com).

AXIS OF EVIL
Rank of Honeywell among U.S. arms dealers that have illegally sold weapons
to Iraq: 1
--Source: the German newspaper Die Tageszeitung

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Center of the American Experiment (CAE), the thriving local right-wing
think tank from which Governor-elect Tim Pawlenty selected 5 of his 13
transition advisors, should be required to surrender its tax-exempt status,
writes Rob Levine in City Pages (http://www.citypages.com).

SEGREGATION CITY
The Twin Cities area now boasts the third-largest income gap between whites
and blacks in the nation.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Katharine Krueger and Kevin Lynch

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
___

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-12-22 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 19
December 23, 2002

To subscribe ($12/yr.), just hit "reply" and state your intentions, and
we'll set you up. Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Employees Allege Discrimination at Medical Center
* Local Peace Activists Travel to Iraq
* Gang Crackdown Expected After Edwards Killing
* African American Men Commission Swears In 100
* City Drafts Legislative Priorities
Plus: Minneapolis as the center of the knowledge industry, Jon Bream on
Lorie Line, meditation as a crime-stopping tactic, and a 21-gun salute at
Fort Snelling.

**
EMPLOYEES ALLEGE DISCRIMINATION AT MEDICAL CENTER
Eight current or former employees of Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC)
filed suit last month against the hospital, charging racial discrimination.

The lawsuit alleges that hospital administrators condone a work environment
in which racial slurs are ignored or inadequately challenged, reports Koran
Addo in One Nation News (http://onenationnews.com). Hospital
representatives said they "take any and all allegations of this kind very
seriously."

HCMC chief executive officer Jeff Spartz said he was unaware of any
institutional discrimination at the hospital, noting that some 22 percent
of the workforce is African American, a number expected to rise to 30
percent by 2007. But a hospital worker who asked not to be named said the
numbers have nothing to do with the patterns of discrimination. "It doesn't
matter how many of us there are. If this place was 50 percent black, it
would not mean that discrimination doesn't exist. It isn't right. The
problem is a lack of education and awareness."

The suit is the second in two years filed against the hospital. Last year,
two African American security guards went to court, charging that HCMC
"maintains a generally racial hostile environment for racial minority
employees, patients, and visitors."

LOCAL PEACE ACTIVISTS TRAVEL TO IRAQ
Two Minneapolis peace activists spent two weeks in Iraq earlier this month
as part of an international team hoping to normalize relations with the
Iraqi people and counter the current U.S. appetite for war.

GANG CRACKDOWN EXPECTED AFTER EDWARDS KILLING
The murder of 11-year-old Tyesha Edwards has sparked a renewed push by
local police to crack down on gangs.

AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN COMMISSION SWEARS IN 100
A hunderd supporters of Hennepin County's African American Men Commission
swore their commitment to the project December 7.

LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES DRAFTED
The City Council's Intergovernmental Relations Committee has drafted a list
of priorities for the 2003 legislative session.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Sam Bergman

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
___

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-12-15 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 18
December 16, 2002

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Affordable Housing: The Downside
* Uptown Carolers Spread Anti-Shopping Gospel
* Guthrie Will Pay More, Get Less of Riverfront Spot
* Drug Use on the Rise at U of M
* Wetlands Controversy Ends at Lake of the Isles
Plus: Penny's dream, downtown's dangers, Biernat's education, and a 12-step
program for sports addicts.

**

NORTH SIDE ACTIVISTS CHALLENGE CITY ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVE
North side community leaders last month asked the city to delay
consideration of an affordable housing initiative they say will further
concentrate poverty and crime in their neighborhoods.

The proposal, which would decrease the size of buildable lots in the city
by 30 percent, is designed to allow the Minneapolis Community Development
Agency (MCDA) more flexibility in selling or developing condemned property,
was approved by the Zoning and Planning Committee November 22. But,
according to the Camden Community News (http://www.camdenews.org), North
side residents were shut out of the public hearing process, and petitioned
the council to delay the vote.

Some 65 percent of the affected lots are located on the North side, where
crime and poverty already are major issues. And though residents there
support affordable housing initiatives in general, they say it should be
spread throughout the city--not confined to struggling neighborhoods like
McKinley, Hawthorne, Jordan, and Folwell. "These neighborhoods have the
highest level of poverty, crime, and affordable house, and the fewest
natural amenities," said McKinley Neighborhood director Nancy Beals. "The
current segregation of the poor/low income in certain areas of the city
would be continued, confirmed, and sanctioned for many years to come."

The Community Development Operating Committee on November 25 voted to table
the measure until a new Third Ward council member is elected.

UPTOWN CAROLERS SPREAD THE ANTI-SHOPPING GOSPEL
A group of anti-consumerist singers regaled shoppers at Calhoun Square and
The Gap last week in the first of a series of holiday performances designed
to counter the holiday shopping daze.

GUTHRIE WILL GET LESS, PAY MORE FOR RIVERFRONT SPOT
The City Council last month approved a renegotiated land deal with the
Guthrie Theater that will cost the theater $1 million more for less land.

DRUG USE ON THE RISE AT U OF M
Drug use has increased among University of Minnesota students in the past
three years, according to results of a survey released last week.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant and correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
___

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-12-08 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 17
December 9, 2002

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Civil Rights Chief Under Fire Over CRA Flap
* County DNA Testing Has MCLU Concerned
* Indian Education Group Split Over Spending Claims
* WAMM Celebrates 20 Years of Peaceful Hell-Raising
* University Towers Coming Down
Plus: Honoring Natalie Johnson Lee, remembering Dave Ray, the straight dope
on a local "terrorist," what firefighters really do, and understanding the
corporate tax dodge.

**

CIVIL RIGHTS CHIEF UNDER FIRE OVER CRA FLAP
City Council leaders, grumbling about the clumsy redesign of the Civilian
Review Authority (CRA) may be shifting their ire from the Police Federation
to a City Hall insider who should be an ally.

As G.R. Anderson Jr. reports in City Pages, last month's decision by the
council to approve a watered-down version of the much-maligned CRA had
council members seething over the performance of Civil Rights Department
director Vanne Owens Hayes, whose job it was to bring the redesign plan to
the council.

Second Ward Council Member Paul Zerby complained that the council didn't
receive the plan in time for the city to request specific action at the
legislature in order to implement it and that Hayes' recommendations
ignored significant components discussed at length during a summer's worth
of task force meetings. "The plan as brought forward completely guts the
intent [of the task force report]," he said.

Council vice president Robert Lilligren (Eighth Ward) called Hayes'
recommendations "unsatisfactory," and complained that Hayes "tends to
respond with the status quo. It's not surprising, because she is within the
system."

For her part, Hayes argues that CRA redesign is really up to the council
and that she has only been following its directions. "I pride myself in
doing things right and doing them professionally," she told an October 30
meeting of the Health and Human Services and Public Safety and Regulatory
Services committees.

Hayes will now embark on a lengthy implementation plan designed to
integrate the new CRA into her Department of Civil Rights, a prospect that
clearly pleases few council members.

COUNTY DNA TESTING HAS MCLU CONCERNED
A Hennepin County paternity testing program that collects DNA samples may
threaten the privacy of local African American men and children, says the
head of the Minnesota Civil Liberties Union.

INDIAN EDUCATION GROUP SPLIT OVER SPENDING CLAIMS
Advocates for improved Indian education are feuding over an alleged misuse
of funds, reports Daune Stinse in The Circle (www.thecirclenews.org).

WAMM CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF PEACEFUL HELL-RAISING
Women Against Military Madness celebrated its 20th anniversary in October.

UNIVERSITY TOWERS COMING DOWN
A familiar feature on the skyline of the east bank of the Mississippi will
soon vanish.


**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406.
Subscriptions: $12/yr. To check out a sample issue, visit
www.mplsobserver.com.

**
___

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-12-01 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 16
December 2, 2002

This is a preview issue of The Observer. To check out the real thing, visit
our Web site (www.mplsobserver.com) and click on "sample copy". To
subscribe ($12/yr.), just hit "reply" and we'll set you up. Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Price Contemplating Run in Third Ward
* Pawlenty May Reconsider Northstar Line
* Foreign Students at U Scrambling to Comply with New Rules
* A New Gang in Town?
* Libraries Will Shorten Hours in 2003
* Cross-Country Ski Race Set for February
Plus: The mayor's muffled ROAR, media soldiers, the language of LRT, tied
up at Ground Zero, standing up for Somalis, and how to eat a tamale.

**

PRICE CONTEMPLATING RUN IN THIRD WARD
Community activist and Green Party candidate Brother Shane Price says he
will probably run in the December 30 runoff election for the Third Ward
City Council seat vacated by Joe Biernat.

Price, who finished second to Biernat in last November's election, told One
Nation News (www.onenationnews.com) he was not concerned about published
reports claiming that a minority candidate (Price is African American)
could not win the race. "Urban whites have to stop seeing themselves [as
different] from urban blacks who have the same values," Price says. "Both
work hard, pay taxes, and raise families. Yet urban whites tend to keep
thinking it's always a white person who is going to save them. We have to
get them behind an issue or righteous cause, as opposed to getting behind
skin color."

He will, however, have to raise some cash and scale back his current
commitment to Hennepin County's African American Men Project. And he will
have to motivate black voters to come to the polls. "I've got to ask myself
if the people on the west side of the river are going to come out," he
says. "I'm there with them when there is a problem with the schools. I'm
there with them when there's a problem with the police. But, when it comes
time to vote, the community usually forgets."

If he chooses to run, Price could face a crowded field that may include
DFLers Diane Hofstede, a member of the Library Board; Kari Dziedzic, chair
of the city's charter commission and daughter of former council member Walt
Dziedzic; and Michael Rainville, advertising sales director of the Greater
Minneapolis Convention and Visitors Association and cousin of Fourth Ward
Council Member Barbara Johnson. Independent Valdis Rosentals, a
historic-renovation designer, has also indicated he would run.

PAWLENTY WILLING TO RECONSIDER NORTHSTAR LINE
Governor-elect Tim Pawlenty may be softening his opposition to the proposed
Northstar Commuter Rail line.

FOREIGN STUDENTS SCRAMBLING TO COMPLY WITH NEW IMMIGRATION RULES
The War on Terror continues to hit home at the University of Minnesota,
where international students and their advisers are scrambling to comply
with new federal monitoring requirements.

THERE'S A NEW GANG IN TOWN
Minneapolis police have their eyes on a new collection of young thugs that
may or may not yet constitute a gang--but are causing plenty of havoc on
the Southside.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Online technical assistance: Christopher Pollard
Equine consultant and correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
___

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-11-17 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 15
November 18, 2002

This is a preview issue of The Observer. To check out what our subscribers
($12/yr.) receive, visit www.mplsobserver.com and take a look at a sample
issue.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Warehouse District Eateries Disappearing
* City Leader Anxious about Pawlenty, Legislature
* Library Board Recommends Budget-Cutting Options
* Playing with Guns
* Art Institute Modifies Expansion Plans
* Lake Street Arts Center in Jeopardy
Plus: Remembering Bob Short, moving the library, counting sperm, clarifying
our foreign policy, and celebrating downtown's demise.

**

WAREHOUSE DISTRICT EATERIES DISAPPEARING
The downtown Warehouse District, once home to some of the city's most
successful restaurants, is rapidly transforming into a drink and dance zone.

The recent closing of the Pickled Parrot continues a trend that includes
the demise of Nikki's Café, Linguini & Bob, and several other restaurants
on the north end of downtown, notes Andrew Tellijohn in the Business
Journal (twincities.bizjournals.com). The character of the Warehouse
District has been changing since the Target Center began bringing sports
fans to the neighborhood in 1990, but has accelerated since construction
began on Block E. The area now, says Brent Erickson of United Properties,
is "really an entertainment area. To be successful you have to either be a
really strong destination, like D'Amico Cucina, or you have to cater to the
crowd that is showing up to mingle."

But other factors have also contributed to the change, including a general
economic downturn and the havoc created by light rail and Block E
construction downtown. Still, says Nikki's Café owner Nikki Reisman, the
area no longer attracts upscale diners. "It's just a different crowd," she
says. "Despite Block E, the caliber of the clientele has been, I think,
diminished."

CITY LEADERS ANXIOUS ABOUT PAWLENTY, LEGISLATURE
As you might expect in a city run by Democrats, a fair bit of concern is
emanating from City Hall in the wake of the Republican electoral sweep on
November 5.

LIBRARY BOARD ANNOUNCES BUDGET-CUTTING OPTIONS
The Library Board last week recommended six specific proposals to balance
its 2003 budget, which is expected to be cut by $1.5 million. The measures
include:

DON'T POINT THAT THING AT ME!
Two Minneapolis men were arrested recently near the University of Minnesota
campus and charged with making terroristic threats--with toy pistols.

LAKE STREET ARTS CENTER IN JEOPARDY
A plan to transform the former Antiques Minnesota building on Lake Street
into a "neighborhood multi-cultural arts center" is in jeopardy after the
Minneapolis Community Development Agency (MCDA) last month refused to fund
the project.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Online technical assistance: Christopher Pollard
Equine consultant and correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Phyllis Kahn

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
___

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-11-11 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 14
November 11, 2002

This is a preview copy of The Observer. To check out a sample copy of the complete weekly edition, visit www.mplsobserver.com. And if you're interested in subscribing ($12/yr.), just hit 'reply' and we'll set you up. Thanks.

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* City May Crack Down, Cash In on Violations
* New Program Gets Kids Closer to School
* University Regents Reject Vikings Stadium Proposal
* Council Approves New, Cleaner Buses for Mall
* City Planning Urban Ski Race
Plus: Remembering Harry Davis, early-morning crack break, smashed windows in Linden Hills, Penny on the Wellstone machine (circa 1992), and Minneapolis as political bantustan.

CITY MAY CRACK DOWN, CASH IN ON VIOLATIONS
As part of the mayor's already spare 2003 budget proposal, the city plans to levy an additional $1.7 million next year in fines for speeding and nuisance violations.

As Mike Mosedale reports in City Pages (www.citypages.com), the city inspections department will hire two new "finders" next year to scour the neighborhoods looking for unrepaired homes and businesses. Construction permits for such work is projected to generate some $300,000 in 2003. Special assessments for graffiti removal will bring another $530,000. But city officials argue that the increased enforcement is not specifically designed to enhance the city's bottom line. "I know it sounds like a 'gotcha' program, but that's not what we're trying to get at," said inspections department director Merwin Larson. "We're just trying to impress on people the importance of doing things according to code."

The city is also planning to crack down on speeders, projecting an additional $900,000 in traffic violations revenue for next year. Deputy Police Chief Greg Hestness said this, too, will be "revenue neutral," with the additional revenue covering the salaries of an additional 12 officers put on traffic detail. But a new statewide program to collect that revenue promises to add significantly to the city's coffers. A computer system called the Violations Bureau Electronics System (ViBES) was introduced last month in an effort to improve collections of delinquent fines. The program has been operating in Ramsey County since March and has helped collect some $2.7 million.

"The quantities we're bringing in are significantly increased," said Vicki Grasslee, an accounting supervisor at Ramsey County District Court, "and I only see it going up in the future."

NEW PROGRAM GETS KIDS CLOSER TO SCHOOL
Responding to tougher school attendance requirements and a citywide affordable housing crisis, an innovative program is finding housing for low-income families close to their kids' schools.

UNIVERSITY REGENTS REJECT VIKINGS STADIUM PROPOSAL
The University of Minnesota Board of Regents last week rejected the Minnesota Vikings initial proposal for a joint football stadium on campus.

COUNCIL APPROVES NEW, CLEANER BUSES FOR MALL
The City Council last month approved a $2.9 million plan to order eight new environmentally friendly circulator buses for the Nicollet Mall.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media, L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406; www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe, send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Online technical assistance: Christopher Pollard
Equine consultant and correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-11-03 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 13
November 4, 2002

This is a preview issue of The Observer. Check out a sample issue at
www.mplsobserver.com and if you're interested in subscribing ($12/yr.) just
hit 'reply' and state your interest and we'll set you up. Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Vikings-Gophers Stadium Deal Looks Doubtful
* Kenwood Mom Helps Kids Grieve
* Activists Protest Strib for Shoddy Protest Coverage
* Lift a Pint for the Poor
* Local Girl Scouts Reach Out to Hmong Teens
Plus: Remembering a Nicollet Island donkey, selling riverfront air,
exploring Ron Edward's Minneapolis, recalling Mondale, and celebrating
routine revolutions

**

JOINT VIKINGS-GOPHERS STADIUM APPEARS DOUBTFUL
University of Minnesota officials last week cast further doubt on the
feasibility of constructing a joint Vikings-Gophers football stadium on the
Minneapolis campus.

University chief financial officer Richard Pfutzenreuter, who leads the
university stadium team with general counsel Mark Rotenberg, last week
announced a November 27 deadline for a stadium agreement, according to a
report in the Minnesota Daily (www.mndaily.com). Meanwhile, the University
Faculty Senate voted overwhelmingly against the stadium proposal, echoing
the informal sentiments of a number of Student Senate representatives.

The deadline is the last day that agenda material can be mailed to the
Board of Regents before its December meeting, Pfutzenreuter said. "It's got
to be done or we're not moving forward. We'll already be past the December
1 deadline that the law required, and I'm not going to short the public or
the (regents) on that document and put it out the day before or the day of
that meeting."

Last spring the State Legislature gave the two parties a deadline of
December 1 to come up with a memorandum of understanding for the joint
stadium, but talks have been progressing slowly as university officials and
Vikings negotiators hash out issues of revenue sharing, parking, and
maintenance responsibilities. Meanwhile, community leaders have raised
concerns about the proposed stadium's architectural compatibility with the
surrounding community and university faculty leaders question the stadium's
academic benefits and the political costs of such a state-backed project in
an era when the university's budget requests have been regularly trimmed by
the Legislature.

"We do not want this counted against academic endeavors," said Dan Feeney,
Faculty Consultative Committee chairman.

Vikings stadium consultant Lester Bagley would not speculate on the chance
of reaching an agreement under the new deadline, but said the negotiations
are on track. The university's Mark Rotenberg was slightly less sanguine.
"The jury is still out," he said.

KENWOOD MOM HELPS KIDS GRIEVE
Spurred on by the death of a sorority sister who left children behind,
Cathy Peel has created Camp Blue Sky for Kids, the Twin Cities' first
bereavement camp.

ACTIVISTS PROTEST AT STRIB FOR IGNORING PEACE MARCH
About 45 peace activists protested outside the offices of the Star Tribune
on Wednesday, criticizing the paper's thin coverage of the October 26
anti-war march and rally in St. Paul.

LIFT A PINT FOR THE POOR
A curious, but thirst-quenching partnership is quietly raising money for a
local homeless shelter.

NICOLLET ISLAND DONKEY DIES, MAY BE MEMORIALIZED
Sheba the donkey, a celebrated Nicollet Island resident during the '70s and
'80s, has died. And her artist owner would like to erect a statue in the
donkey's honor.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Online technical assistance: Christopher Pollard
Equine consultant and correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
___

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@;mnforum.org
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-10-27 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 12
October 28, 2002

This is a preview issue of The Observer. To check out the full-text
edition, go to www.mplsobserver.com. If you're interested in subscribing,
just hit 'reply' and state your interest and we'll set you up. Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* City Will Borrow Money to Pay Pensions
* New Park Board Foundation Will Seek Larger Gifts
* Mortgage Discrimination Remains Alive and Well
* Beat Legend Ferlinghetti Highlights Poetry Festival
* Borders Staff Votes to Join Union
Plus: Bette Davis as Phyllis Kahn, garage logic, talking to the Vikings,
and the Wellstone legacy

*


IT'S OFFICIAL: CITY WILL BORROW MONEY TO PAY PENSIONS
For the first time in its history, the city next month will sell bonds to
raise money to cover its pension fund obligations.

As Scott Smith reports in The Business Journal
(www.twincities.bizjournals.com), the city will borrow $35 million this
year and $130 million over the next five to six years to erase deficits in
two of its retirement funds: the Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund and
the Minneapolis Police Relief Association. The move, made necessary by poor
investment returns and an unexpected rise in the number of retirees, will
allow the Council to hold the increase in 2003 property taxes to 8 percent,
rather than the estimated 32 percent increase necessary to fund the pension
plans without borrowing.

NEW PARK BOARD FOUNDATION WILL TRY TO ATTRACT LARGER GIFTS
The Park Board earlier this month approved a proposal that would create a
new foundation designed to attract major financial gifts for city parks,
perhaps in return for naming rights.

STUDY SHOWS MORTGAGE DISCRIMINATION ALIVE AND WELL IN TWIN CITIES
The Twin Cities ranks as the 13th-worst metropolitan area in the country
for mortgage discrimination, according to a new study by the Association of
Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN).

BEAT LEGEND FERLINGHETTI HIGHLIGHTS POETRY FESTIVAL
Venerable Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti highlighted the first Minnesota
Poetry Festival October 18-19 at the Ted Mann Concert Hall.

BORDERS STAFF VOTES TO JOIN UNION
By a vote of 15 to 6, employees at the Borders Bookshop in Uptown on
October 18 became the nation's first Borders staff to unionize.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Online technical assistance: Christopher Pollard
Equine consultant and correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Karl Roe

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
___

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@;mnforum.org
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-10-20 Thread Craig Cox

T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 11
October 21, 2002

This is a preview issue of The Observer. To see a complete sample issue,
visit www.mplsobserver.com, where you can also learn how to subscribe
($12/yr.).

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Money Transfer Services on the Brink
* Foreign Student Population Down at the U
* Local High Schooler Leads Statewide Council
* New Bike Trail Will Connect Bryn Mawr with Downtown
* We're Number 1--Again
Plus: The dangers of activism, the lure of bagels, and the betrayal of the
library referendum.

*

MONEY TRANSFER SERVICES ON THE BRINK
The federal government last month admitted that it had wrongly seized the
assets of two Somali businessmen who operated money transfer services, but
while that case remains to be settled, the options of Somali immigrants
desperate to send money home continue to dwindle.

Only two money transfer companies remain in business to serve the thousands
of Somali immigrants in the Twin Cities, notes David Schimke in City Pages
(www.citypages.com), and even they are having difficulty staying in
business. The firms transfer money through local banks, but since 9/11 few
major banks will work with them, explains Amal Express owner Yakub Issa.
"We handle up to a million dollars a week," Issa says. "It's too much for
small banks. They don't have the mechanisms or security in place to move
swiftly. So we get behind, our customers get frustrated, and we lose money.
I don't think we will be able to work with these smaller banks for more
than one or two months without going out of business."

The city's other major money transfer business, Dahab-shil, which has
closed five of its six offices during the past year, has been working with
Wells Fargo, but that relationship is scheduled to end October 31, and the
bank has apparently shown no inclination to renew its contract. "If nothing
changes, says Dahab-shil manager Mohamed Nor, "the flow of money will stop
and people back home won't have anything."

THAT'LL TEACH 'EM
Twin Cities Indy Media (www.twincities.indymedia.org) reports that local
activist William Harris and two friends were allegedly roughed up by
plainclothes police officers October 12 while--what else?--posting flyers
for the October 22 Day of Protest Against Police Brutality.

FOREIGN STUDENT POPULATION DOWN AT UNIVERSITY
Enrollment of international students at the University of Minnesota has
declined by more than 20 percent over last year, heightening concern among
school administrators that the so-called war on terror is hitting closer to
home than they would like.

WASHBURN HIGH SCHOOLER ELECTED TO STATEWIDE POST
Henry Williams, a Washburn High School senior, has been elected president
of the Minnesota Association of Student Councils. Williams, 17, is the
first city student to win election to the post in 11 years.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Online technical assistance: Christopher Pollard
Equine consultant and correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Bob Cooper, Michael Welch

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
___

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@;mnforum.org
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-10-13 Thread Craig Cox


T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 10
October 14, 2002

This is a preview issue of The Observer. To see a sample copy of this
e-weekly, visit www.mplsobserver.com and consider subscribing ($12/yr.).
Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Art Institute Expansion Irks Some Neighbors
* U.S.A. Still OK, Says Man Wrongly Tied to Terrorists
* New U Medical School Dean No Diva
* Carlson School Gets High Marks
* Cornel West to Speak at Pilot City Conference
Plus: Syl Jones, C.J. and the vast African American conspiracy, Paul
Wellstone's dwindling political base, a city girl goes country, and
Time-Warner's cable grab.



ART INSTITUTE EXPANSION IRKS SOME NEIGHBORS
Critics of the proposed Minneapolis Institute of Arts expansion are
charging that the city is ignoring its own comprehensive plan in approving
the project.

The 65-foot-high, 117,000-square-foot addition will cut into on-street
parking, block out the morning sun for nearby residents, and lead to
increased museum traffic, reports Scott Russell in the Southwest Journal
(www.swjournal.com). And though the $50 million project apparently violates
no specific zoning codes, some critics believe it flies in the face of the
city's long-term vision, which calls for such projects to "occur in a
manner most compatible with the surrounding area."

"The city has defined clear directives regarding the growth of major
institutions, and has established definitive objectives to buffer
residential properties," says Paul Smith, a city zoning inspector who lives
across the street from the proposed expansion. "[The Institute] has decided
to present a plan that is the antithesis of the city's Comprehensive Plan."

But Planning Commission Chair Judith Martin argues that the proposed
project does not violate the plan, which she says relates more to
institutions like the University of Minnesota than the Institute of Arts.
"Minneapolis, like any other city, if it is going to succeed, has got to
change," she says. "The changes are going to come in many and complex ways.
Not everybody is going to be happy with every change they see. That is the
reality of life in the city."

The Zoning and Planning Committee earlier this month delayed action on an
appeal by critics of the project, hoping that the museum and nearby
residents could reach a compromise. The committee will take up the matter
again on October 29.

U.S.A. IS STILL OK, SAYS BUSINESSMAN ERRONEOUSLY TIED TO TERRORISTS
The West Bank businessman whose money-transferring company was shut down by
the federal government in the wake of 9/11 is just now getting back on his
feet--and remains a big fan of America.

NO DIVA HERE
The University of Minnesota Medical School's new dean, Dr. Deborah Powell,
is one of only nine women to hold that position at the nation's 125 medical
schools.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Online technical assistance: Christopher Pollard
Equine consultant and correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Janet Gendler, Erik Nelson, and Biff Robillard

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
___

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-10-06 Thread Craig Cox


T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 9
October 7, 2002

This is a preview copy of The Observer. To check out a sample issue, visit
www.mplsobserver.com. To subscribe, just hit 'reply' and state your
interest, and we'll set you up. Thanks.
--The Editors

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Local Arts Venues Bemoan Tougher Visa Rules
* Civilian Review Authority: R.I.P.?
* Council Shelves Proposed New Business Parking Plan
* Coming Soon: Catholic Talk Radio
* Dialogue Strained at First Cop-Community Gathering
Plus: Gambling on pull-tabs, waddling across Hiawatha, blaming Wellstone,
and stumbling through history.

**

LOCAL ARTS VENUES BEMOAN TOUGHER VISA RULES
The "war on terror" is making life difficult for some local arts venues,
and raising larger questions about the homogenization of the culture.

As Mecca Bos-Williams reports in One Nation News (www.onenationnews.com), a
recent Walker Art Center performance by the Omar Sosa Septet was marked by
the absence of Cuban singer Martha Galarraga, who was delayed by federal
security checks. The crowd reportedly jeered and hissed when told of
Galarraga's visa trouble by performing arts curator Philip Bither, who
encouraged those in attendance to contact their elected officials.

Before 9/11, arts organizations routinely received visa clearances for
international performers in a couple of months; today, a six-month wait is
not uncommon. And that makes life tougher at the Walker and other venues.
Three African performers traveling from London to St. Paul's Penumbra
Theater were pulled off their plane and held for questioning, forcing the
theater to juggle its schedule.

"What's going on here in our country is really making people from some of
these other countries question whether they want to come here at all," said
Alison Loerke, an artists' representative. "And, it's got huge implications
for the arts and the economy."

CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD: R.I.P.?
The future of the much-maligned Civilian Review Authority, created more
than a decade ago as a place for citizens to bring complaints against
alleged police misbehavior and recently thrown into budgetary limbo, is
officially awaiting a recommendation by the city's Civil Rights director.
Unofficially, it seems dead in the water.

NEW-BUSINESS PARKING PLAN SHELVED
The City Council last month shelved a plan to attract new businesses
downtown with discounted parking rates.

FIRM WILL LAUNCH TWO CATHOLIC RADIO STATIONS
Listeners to local AM radio will find a new Catholic presence on the dial
with the recent acquisition of two small stations by a Wisconsin-based
nonprofit.

DIALOGUE STRAINED AT FIRST COP-COMMUNITY GATHERING
The police department's new Community Engagement Project met with plenty of
skepticism at its first Advisory Council meeting last month, reports
Shannon Gibney in the Spokesman-Recorder (www.spokesman-recorder.com).


**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Online technical assistance: Christopher Pollard
Equine consultant and correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: David Brauer, Michael Byrd, Allison Jensen, and Gene Martinez

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
___
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

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-09-29 Thread Craig Cox


T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 8
September 30, 2002

This is a preview issue, folks. Check out a sample issue at
www.mplsobserver.com. To subscribe to The Observer ($12/yr.), just hit
'reply' and state your interest and we'll set you up. Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Minority Contractors Charge City with Aiding Discrimination
* Vikings Stadium Plans Have Southeast Community Leaders Worried
* Northeast Gallery Survives Multiple Disasters
* New South Side Group Will Fight I-35W Access Project
* Say Cheese! Park Board Cracks Down on Football Ringers
Plus: Time Warner's payment problem, mediation and the Ashcroft factor,
saying so long to the Greens, and remembering Inno Suek.

***

MINORITY CONTRACTORS CHARGE CITY WITH AIDING DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES
The city may be complicit in the systematic squeezing of minority
businesses and workers from government contracts, according to testimony
heard at a September 19 City Council Health and Human Services Committee
meeting.

As Dwight Hobbes reports in Insight News (www.insightnews.com), a number of
black business people related stories of bid-rigging and other examples of
discriminatory practices by government-funded construction contractors and
challenged city officials to enforce their own civil rights ordinances. "We
spoke with probably a hundred African American contractors over a series of
three meetings this summer and they shared various stories, some horrible
stories, of not receiving contracts, of being run off project sites, of not
being paid after completing their contracting," said Larry Blackwell, a
consultant to the Community Collaborative, a minority business advocacy
group.

Part of the problem, according to Alice Smoot Gentry, the city's manager of
the Small and Underutilized Business Program, is that the program needs
updated computer software to adequately monitor potential discriminatory
practices by contractors. But there are political problems, as well, said
activist Ron Edwards. Two years ago, the Council received a report
recommending that the city's Civil Rights Department take action against
the general contractor at the Minneapolis Convention Center project for
alleged discriminatory practices, but nothing was done. "If you don't turn
the right knobs in an election year, the process gets stopped," Edwards
said.

Committee chair Natalie Johnson Lee (Fifth Ward) said she would ask the
Civil Rights Department for a full report on the issue. "We have to look at
what systems we currently have set up within the city to support this
ordinance," she said. "We have the ordinance but if our departments are not
even utilizing it, we got a problem."

VIKINGS STADIUM PLAN HAS SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY LEADERS WORRIED
Community leaders in Southeast Minneapolis are sounding alarms about the
fast-track process for approving a new Vikings stadium on the University of
Minnesota campus, reports Mike Mosedale in City Pages (www.citypages.com).

PERSEVERANCE AS AN ART FORM
Rosalux Gallery, Northeast Minneapolis' newest art spot, has only been open
for seven months, but already has become the stuff of legend--not so much
for its collection as for its resilience.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Online technical assistance: Christopher Pollard
Equine consultant and correspondent: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Steve Brandt, Donna Cassutt, Catherine Leighton

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
___
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

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-09-22 Thread Craig Cox


T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 7
September 23, 2002

Preview copy, preview copy, preview copy. To check out a sample of the
full-meal deal ($12/yr.) go to www.mplsobserver.com and click on "sample
copy".

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Pro-Palestinian Posters Spark FBI Search in Dinkytown
* Uptown Borders May Become First in Nation to Unionize
* Park and Golf?
* RiverLake Greenway Construction Finally Underway
* The Mystery of the 24th Street Bridge Solved
Plus: Laying down the law on fireworks, crossing the street on a Tuesday,
an osprey siting, remembering Jerry Haaf, Biernat and the city's ethics
problem, and how the mayor still gets to be the mayor--even when he's in
St. Paul.

**


PRO-PALESTINIAN POSTERS SPARK FBI SEARCH OF DINKYTOWN BUSINESS
Disturbed by pro-Palestinian posters in a Dinkytown tobacco shop, Hennepin
County Sheriff's deputies last week called in state FBI agents to search
the business during an eviction process.

"When you think you're looking at hate messages, you don't know what else
is there," Sheriff's department spokeswoman Roseann Campagnoli told Brad
Unangst in the Minnesota Daily (www.mndaily.com). "Because of that, (the
sheriff's deputy) then asked for some back-up resources to help him search
the property."

The posters, displayed in the tobacco shop's windows, were furnished by a
university student group and called the creation of an Israeli state
unjust. "What does that have to do with an eviction?" said shop owner Nizar
Alsadi, who was being evicted for nonpayment of rent for the space he's
leased during the past six years. The FBI search yielded nothing, and
Alsadi was not arrested.

UPTOWN BORDERS MAY BECOME FIRST TO UNIONIZE
The 20 employees of the Uptown Borders Book Shop will vote October 18 on a
proposal to join Local 789 of the United Food and Commercial Workers. If a
majority approves the move, the store will become the first Borders in the
country to successfully unionize.

PARK AND GOLF?
A local development firm wants to turn a downtown parking ramp into a
unique golfing experience.

_
RAVES, RANTS, AND OTHER CONSIDERED OPINIONS
_

IT'S JUST MY OPINION, BUT . . .
The mayor and his Ethics Task Force have done yeoman's work in clarifying
and detailing just what's expected of people serving Minneapolis citizens
when it comes to ethical behavior. Conflicts of interest are to be promptly
and properly registered, outside employment that "interferes with public
duty" will be explicitly prohibited, and evidence of fraud will be promptly
reported. A new Ethical Practices Board will be on hand to review possible
ethical violations.

What was ironic, to me, was to see this big ethics process hauled out
proudly before the public the very same week that Magistrate Judge Arthur
Boylan ruled that Council Member Joe Biernat's now very public confession
that he had illegally accepted free plumbing could be admitted as evidence
in his upcoming extortion trial. Here you have this marvelous piece of
"process-speak" designed to foster trust between citizens and City Hall and
you look over at Biernat's situation and you can't help but notice that no
amount of ethics codes or training sessions or independent review panels
would have saved poor old Joe from the pickle he now finds himself in.

I don't pretend to know what went through Biernat's head when he was
offered--not once, apparently, but twice--free plumbing work from his
friends down at Local 15, but my guess is that he wasn't thinking about
filling out some ethics checklist when the bill for the work somehow never
showed up in the mail. The first time, back in 1993, he might have imagined
himself to be the fortunate recipient of some small favor--the sort of
favor council members routinely are supposed to receive for their hard work
on behalf of particularly important constituents. The second time, in 1999,
the quid pro quo was apparently quite clear. Still, would Joe have
consulted some ethics worksheet on his bulletin board to see if he was on
the straight and narrow? I would doubt it.

My sense is that the people we voters send to City Hall arrive there with
certain tools, among which may or may not be a functioning ethical compass.
For those who are so equipped, the new ethics guidelines will serve as a
kind of street map of their hometown. For the rest of them, it's simply a
hastily scrawled map of a foreign country.
--Craig Cox

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-09-08 Thread Craig Cox


T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 5
September 9, 2002

This is a preview issue of The Observer. To subscribe to the full-text
version ($12/yr.), just hit 'reply' and state your intentions, and we'll
set you up. Thanks.


**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Understanding Spike Moss
* Can the Schools Reach Indian Students?
* McKinsey Gets Moving
* Making Bus Stops Safer
* Contaminated Lots a Boon to Developers
* Convention Center Expansion Paying Off
Plus: Criminal containment zones, Ethiopian journalism, a Culpepper siting,
fall crop report, and memory and forgetting on 9/11.

**


UNDERSTANDING SPIKE MOSS
The recent conflagration in the Jordan neighborhood may have set back
police-community relations a bit, but it did shed some helpful light on
Spike Moss's own relations with the cops.

Moss, the omnipresent City Inc. activist who always seems to show up when
racial tensions are simmering, actually is a longtime supporter of Police
Chief Robert Olson and an ally of Deputy Police Chief Greg Hestness.
"[Olson] has always been supportive, offering cooperation from the top,"
Moss tells Britt Robson in City Pages (www.citypage.com). "I knew he was a
workable chief from our first meeting."

Hestness says, "Spike and I go back a long ways. We had a similarly
successful relationship back when Kevin Brewer was shot [in the Cottage
Grove neighborhood in August 2000] and he did some street work that helped
keep a lid on hostilities. His grapevine is very effective."

Moss has even won over Third Ward Council Member Joe Biernat, who patrolled
the streets with Moss and his crew one night after the fracas. Biernat had
opposed the idea of citizen patrols prior to his evening stint on the
street, but came away with a different view. "Having participated in the
process, I have done an absolute about-face on this," Biernat says. "I
think this sort of citizen participation is essential. . . . I'm not sure
they should be called patrols, but whatever you call it, it is effective."

All this mutual back-slapping, however, does not guarantee peace on the
North Side, Moss tells Robson. "Right now, we are in the most dangerous
time in the history of the black community in Minneapolis," he says. "And
when it goes, it could last anywhere from a week to two weeks. And people
like myself and others probably won't be able to do anything about it."

DISTRICT STRUGGLING TO SERVE INDIAN STUDENTS
Parents of Indian students are pressuring school superintendent Carol
Johnson for answers to problems in the schools that have led to an Indian
dropout rate of 85 percent.

MOVING AHEAD WITH MCKINSEY
Last month, the City Council's Community Development Committee voted 5-1 to
set in motion the recommendations of the McKinsey Report overhauling the
city's planning and development departments. Despite the vote, reports
Kevin Featherly in the Skyway News (www.skywaynews.net), plenty of
questions remain about the process.

RESIDENTS WORK FOR SAFER NORTH SIDE BUS STOPS
Responding to drug activities at a North Side intersection, a coalition of
agencies, churches, and nonprofits is working together to make school bus
stops a safe place for young students.

EXPANDED CONVENTION CENTER PAYING OFF
Despite concerns that the Minneapolis Convention Center's $200 million
expansion is adding to an already glutted national convention center
market, early returns show the move is paying dividends.

**
AND NOW WE'RE ON TELEVISION, TOO!!!
See firsthand why none of us ever went into TV as a career. Tune in to The
Minneapolis Observer on MTN cable channel 17 Sunday nights at 8:30 for
news, weather, and sports with a Minneapolis perspective.
*
_
RAVES, RANTS, AND OTHER CONSIDERED OPINIONS
_

IT'S JUST MY OPINION, BUT . . .
The trouble with history is that it's so, well, historic. I'm reminded of
this fact as we slouch toward 9/11, all full of gravitas and pathos in
remembrance of that cloudless blue nightmare one year ago. The newspapers
and TV news machines are already churning out various shades of
gut-wrenching photographs, profiles, reports, and analysis, while our
political leaders solemnly take their place in front of the flag for the
emotional photo-op.

All this is fine, of course. What happened a year ago Wednesday deeply
affected millions of people around the country, people who still need to
grieve, to mourn, to howl from the rooftops with rage and vengeance. Like
Pearl Harbor before and the U.S.S. Maine before that and the Alamo before
that, Americans need to remember. It's historic.

But Wednesday may require some forgetting, as well. I wa

[Mpls] This week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-09-02 Thread Craig Cox


T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 4
September 3, 2002

This is a preview copy of The Observer. To subscribe to the full-meal deal
($12/yr.) simply hit 'reply' and state your intentions, and we'll set you
up. You can check out a sample issue at www.mplsobserver.com. Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Mediator: We Can Work It Out
* Amazon on the Ropes
* Beautiful Libraries; No Staff
* Too Much Affordable Housing?
* Whitewater Park Moving Ahead
* Melissa Schmidt LRT Stop?
Plus: Abbott Hospital at 100, local playwright hits it big, Lowry Hill and
Lyndale burglaries, a princess on Franklin, $7,000 manhole covers, an ode
to tomatoes, and two cheers for major league baseball.

*


WE CAN WORK IT OUT, SAYS FEDERAL MEDIATOR
Federal mediator Patricia Campbell Glenn, who arrived in town after the
uprising in the Jordan neighborhood last month and received a chilly
reception from some black activists, says mediation has worked in other
cities and can work here.

Glenn told Shannon Gibney in the Spokesman-Recorder that, despite
skepticism from activists like Spike Moss, the process will include ample
representation from the black community and will result in a workable
solution to recent tensions. "Mediation is a methodical process. Ultimately
the aim would be a written document that both parties could live with," she
said.

And to concerns that city officials would control who represents the
parties in the process, Glenn stressed that it's the community--not the
mediator--who sets the parameters. "That is the responsibility of those
people in the leadership," she explained. "Historically, we define leaders
as people who represent other people's viewpoints. We never define
leadership for a community."

But longtime black activist Ron Edwards said the mayor is playing too big a
role in defining the debate in this case. "The mayor and his administration
have been trying to control all aspects of this deliberation," Edwards
said. "The mayor wants to get 'the right kind of people' on this mediation
panel, which means people they can control."

Glenn presented her thoughts on the issue to the full City Council on
Thursday, and Fifth Ward Council Member Natalie Johnson Lee said she
believes her colleagues will vote to work with Glenn. "We're at the point
now where we have to respond as a city; we have to act," she said. "We must
put forth a real effort, and I think that mediation is the first step
toward that."

AMAZON FACING TOUGH TIMES
Three years after making national headlines with its suit against online
powerhouse Amazon.com, the venerable Amazon Bookstore Cooperative is
struggling for survival.

BEAUTIFUL LIBRARIES; NO STAFF?
Minneapolis voters in 2000 approved a $140 million referendum to build a
new Central Library and improve its community branches, but Mayor Rybak's
proposed budget allocates $1.8 million less than the Library Board
requested this year, a bit of ironic fiscal reality that may force
significant cuts in service.

RIVER WHITEWATER PARK PLAN MOVING AHEAD
Whitewater enthusiasts and other interested citizens met last month with
officials from the state Department of Natural Resources, the Weisman
Museum, and the Army Corps of Engineers in the latest round of talks
designed to determine whether a whitewater park should be built on the
Mississippi River downtown.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Deputy Assistant Senior Managing Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Online technical assistance: Christopher Pollard
Equine consultant: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
Thanks to: Dennis Shapiro

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
___
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

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-08-25 Thread Craig Cox


T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 3
August 26, 2002

Here are some highlights from this week's Minneapolis Observer. To
subscribe to the full-text edition ($12/yr.), just hit "reply" and we'll
set you up. Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Planetarium Gets Council OK
* Park Board May Close Six Ice Rinks
* Airports Commission Challenged on New Runway
* Bisexual Resource Center Opens
* Police Department Reaching Out to Latinos
* Doctors Without Borders Coming to Town
Plus: Bad arts coverage on its way, giving up on Franklin Avenue, a Latin
renaissance at Orchestra Hall, the myth of weed barriers, cynical community
leaders, and recalling the war against Dutch Elm.

*


PLANETARIUM GETS COUNCIL OK
The City Council August 9 voted to appropriate $900,000 to prepare the new
Central Library for a rooftop Planetarium--even though funding for the
project is in limbo.

As Kevin Featherly reports in Skyway News (www.skywaynews.net), council
members argued that spending the money--even in a time of tight
budgets--made financial sense, because there is a reasonable chance that
the Legislature next year will come through with the $30 million necessary
for construction. "If we don't do this today, this is the death knell to
this wonderful project," said 11th Ward Council Member Scott Benson.

But Second Ward Council Member Paul Zerby argued that the city should wait
until after the November election to better gauge the project's future at
the Capitol. His was one of four votes against the measure, joining Robert
Lilligren (Eighth Ward), Natalie Johnson Lee (Fifth Ward), and Barbara
Johnson (Fourth Ward) in opposition.

PARK BOARD MAY CLOSE SIX ICE RINKS
Budget cuts and declining interest may force the Park Board to close six of
the city's 31 ice rinks this winter.

AIRPORTS COMMISSION FACES RUNWAY CHALLENGE
A Bloomington company is challenging the Metropolitan Airports Commission
over its planned north-south runway.

RESOURCE CENTER FOR BISEXUALS OPENS
The three-year-old Bisexual Organizing Project has opened an office and
resource center designed to serve the needs of the local bisexual community
and raise that community's public profile.


**
AND NOW WE'RE ON TELEVISION, TOO!!!
See firsthand why none of us ever went into TV as a career. Tune in to The
Minneapolis Observer on MTN cable channel 17 Sunday nights at 8:30 for
news, weather, and sports with a Minneapolis perspective.
*

The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Associate Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Occasional research assistance: Martin and Nora Cox
Online technical assistance: Christopher Pollard
Thanks to: Carolyn Shroeder Caing, Elaine Eschenbacher, Christia Fieber,
Lynn Marasco, Andy Mickel, and Laura Sether

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
___
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

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-08-18 Thread Craig Cox


T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 2
August 19, 2002

This is a preview issue of The Observer. To subscribe to the full-text
edition ($12/yr.), just hit 'reply' and state your interest, and we'll set
you up. Thanks.


**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Renters' Group Challenges NRP
* Hennepin Avenue May Go Two-Way
* Former City Controller Lands at 'U'
* Firepower Increasing Among Local Gangs
* Solar Homes in Holland
Plus: Disappearing mailboxes, the invincible Rose Tillemans, black pride,
and the joy of local politics.

***
RENTERS' GROUP CHALLENGES NRP
A citywide tenants group contends that the 12-year-old Neighborhood
Revitalization Program has unfairly favored white homeowners over renters
of color and is calling for the program's elimination unless that pattern
changes.

Research compiled by the Tenant Issues Working Group (TIWG) reportedly
shows that between 1993 and 2000 only 12 percent of those receiving NRP
financial assistance were people of color, writes Britt Robson in City
Pages (www.citypages.com). "What's so frustrating is that everyone agrees
this is a problem and that something needs to be done about it, but then
nothing is proactive in that direction and the onus is put back on the
tenants' advocates to change it," says TIWG member Gregory Luce. "So that's
what we're trying to do."

But Jim Graham, a Ventura Village landlord, argues that homeowners are more
stable and committed to their neighborhoods than renters and should be
encouraged by the city to make improvements to their property. "Owning
property stabilizes a community and gives people more of a vested stake,"
says Graham. "We have programs that encourage renters to buy property in
the neighborhood. But overall it is more difficult to get renters involved
than to get homeowners involved."

But Luce and TIWG remains determined to force NRP to fulfill its
legislative charter, which requires that the program address the needs of
renters, people of color, and lower-income residents. The group, he says,
is considering filing suit against the agency to push those changes. "What
the law says NRP must be doing is not what NRP has been doing. It is our
job to call attention to the fact that they have to change."

HENNEPIN AVENUE MAY GO TWO-WAY
More than 20 years after the city slapped one-way signs on Hennepin Avenue
downtown, the 10-block thoroughfare may be going two-way.

FORMER CITY CONTROLLER LANDS AT 'U'
Former city controller Kathleen O'Brien has landed on her feet six months
after leaving City Hall, accepting a high-profile job at the University of
Minnesota.

FIREPOWER INCREASING AMONG LOCAL GANGS
There may not be more guns on the streets these days, according to recent
police reports, but they're packing a lot more punch.

DISAPPEARING MAIL BOXES
Between March and July the post office removed or relocated 127 of the
city's familiar blue mail collection boxes.

SOLAR HOMES IN HOLLAND
Eight new solar-powered townhomes are under construction in the Holland
Neighborhood.

*
Craig Cox
Editor
The Minneapolis Observer: A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com

Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
___
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

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-08-11 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 1
August 12, 2002

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* The Suddenly Popular Sears Building
* Fired Indian Health Board Doctors to Start Clinic
* Local Artists Will Visit Iraq
* MPCA Targets Local Gas Stations
* Park Board Will Build New Headquarters
Plus: A quicker AIDS test, bombing Southwest, a picture of prostitution, gardening between the lines, and notes from a cop-basher.

***

SEARS BUILDING SUDDENLY POPULAR
After years of waiting for a developer to come in and transform the abandoned Sears complex on Lake St., the South Minneapolis landmark suddenly has prospective tenants lining up.

As Scott Smith reports in The Business Journal (www.bizjournals.com), the suitors now include Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Hennepin County, and an unidentified grocery store. These prospective tenants could absorb as much as 200,000 of the 1.1 million square feet of space in the building.

Abbott Northwestern is coveting the warehouse space and another patch of parking lot on 28th St. for a new parking ramp, a parcel valued by the city at $5.2 million. Hennepin County is reportedly prepared to pay $3 million for the tower's top three floors. The mystery grocer wants 50,000 square feet on the first floor. So, with no developer in sight (Bloomington-based United Properties held the rights to develop the property for six months earlier this year without submitting a plan), city officials must weigh a piecemeal development approach that includes tenants and ready cash against an overall developer's vision for the complex.

Some are concerned that such a piecemeal approach will make it more difficult to attract a developer for the overall project, but Abbott Northwestern spokesman Eric Eoloff argues that the public interest could be better served by the city taking the offers on the table. "I think the community is saying that, if you have active tenants that want to move in, then do it."

City officials are expected to make a decision on the matter this fall.

FIRED INDIAN HEALTH BOARD DOCTORS TO OPEN CLINIC
Three doctors at the Indian Health Board who were fired last winter after an internal political battle will open their own clinic just a few blocks away.

LOCAL ARTISTS WILL TRAVEL TO MIDDLE EAST
A Minneapolis artist is organizing an art exchange with Iraqi and Palestinian artists later this summer in an attempt to create a peaceful intercultural dialogue.

ABANDONED GAS STATIONS WILL BE TESTED FOR TOXINS
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is testing seven abandoned gas stations in the city for potential contamination of soil and groundwater.

PARK BOARD WILL BUILD NEW HEADQUARTERS DESPITE COUNCIL SNUB
Park Board officials say they will go ahead with their plan to buy a new headquarters building despite the City Council's refusal last month to back the project.

Editor: Craig Cox
Associate Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Occasional research assistance: Martin and Nora Cox
Online technical assistance: Christopher Pollard
Thanks to: Stephanie Hollmichel, David Motzenbecker, and Michael Ryan

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
***

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-07-28 Thread Craig Cox


T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 1, No. 48
July 29, 2002

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Stadium Not a Priority, Says Rybak
* Panel Suggests Downtown Parking Changes
* Lake Street Getting Wider?
* Affordable Housing vs. Community Gardens
* Day Care for Your Dog
Plus: Selwyn Ortega's 10 grand, Dave Pirner's mea culpa, Loring Park's
virtual block club, a gardener's ode to blue butterflies, and Chief Olson's
friends at the Justice Department.

***

RYBAK: STADIUM IS NOT A PRIORITY
With St. Paul suddenly out of the running (walking?) for a new Twins
stadium, media attention in recent weeks has turned once again to our fair
burgh and a mayor who has been characterized as a suddenly avid supporter
of the ballpark--a position that contradicts his stance during last fall's
mayoral campaign.

But Mayor R.T. Rybak contends that the ballpark talk remains low on his
agenda. "The media coverage of the ballpark has been such that I'm
constantly asked about it, and there are seemingly endless stories about
this topic when very little is happening, so reports you get in the media
are not an accurate reflection of how I'm spending my time," Rybak told The
Observer.

The mayor said he is focused almost exclusively these days on budget issues
and the reorganization of the city's development agencies. And, though he
said he'd like to keep the Twins in town, it can't be done at the expense
of other, more pressing, needs. "I believe a ballpark would help keep the
Twins operating here but it's also clear that there are far larger issues
with baseball," Rybak said.  "Funding for this needs to come from places
that do not affect larger needs, ie. delivering basic services, housing,
etc., so the kinds of revenue I could see would be those that would not be
here if there wasn't a ballpark (ie. if ramps around the would-be ballpark
are almost empty on weekends, I could see gameday parking revenue from
ramps going to the project because that would be new money.)"

Rybak said he believes Minneapolis remains the most cost-effective site for
a new ballpark, but adds that no city can do this project on its own.
Hennepin County must be a partner in any proposed development. And to
charges that he and Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat are ready to
roll over to make the stadium happen, Rybak argues that they have their
eyes wide open. "They--and I--have the appropriate skepticism about
numbers/threats, etc," he said. "I, and they, have also made it quite clear
that there can't be any progress on this until the ownership is clarified."

PANEL RECOMMENDS DOWNTOWN PARKING CHANGES
Responding to reports that up to half of downtown meters are occupied by
nonpaying vehicles driven by people with disabilities, an advisory
committee has recommended major changes in the city's parking policies.

LAKE STREET MAY GET WIDER
Lake Street will be widened by some 40 feet for several blocks near
Nicollet Avenue, according to a tentative agreement between developers and
area planners.

CITY ANNEXING COMMUNITY GARDENS
Community gardens have become an unintended victim of the city's affordable
housing crisis.

**
AND NOW WE'RE ON TELEVISION, TOO!!!
See firsthand why none of us ever went into TV as a career. Tune in to The
Minneapolis Observer on MTN cable channel 17 Sunday nights at 8:30 for
news, weather, and sports with a Minneapolis perspective.

**
The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Associate Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Nora Cox, Laine Bergeson, Chris Dodge, Mark
Engebretson, Tim Herwig, Leo Mezzrow, Sarah Wash
Occasional research assistance: Martin and Nora Cox
Online technical assistance: Christopher Pollard
Thanks to: Sheila Cracraft Fehler

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
___
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

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-07-21 Thread Craig Cox


T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 1, No. 47
July 22, 2002

This is a preview issue of The Observer. To subscribe to the full-meal deal
($12/yr.), simply hit "reply" and state your intentions, and we'll set you
up. To see a sample copy, BTW, go to www.mplsobserver.com. Thanks.
--The Management

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Local Playgrounds Unsafe?
* New Parking Ramp Could Spare Guthrie--for Now
* Johnson Lee's Secretary Problem
* Cops Concerned About Latino Gangs
* Park Board Will Step Up Leash Enforcement
Plus: Northstar Corridor hopes, Block E bathrooms, mohawks forever, 'Fast
Eddie' for County Commissioner, Roger Moe discovers Uptown, boulevard
gardens, and what a great time to be an anarchist.

***

LOCAL PLAYGROUNDS UNSAFE, SAYS NATIONAL STUDY
Playgrounds at Minneapolis parks have been rated "dangerous" in a
nationwide survey. But the Park Board disagrees.

The survey, conducted by volunteers for the United States Public Interest
Research Group (USPIRG) and the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), rated
more than a thousand playgrounds around the country using CFA standards set
a decade ago, according to Robin Repya in the Southwest Journal
(www.swjournal.com). And local playgrounds fell short in the area of
padding--or "inadequate surfacing," in the parlance of the report. Anything
less than nine inches of wood chips, pea gravel or rubberized tile won't do.

But Park Board officials contend the survey was flawed. "We really disagree
with the report that was done," said Park Board information officer Emily
Ero-Phillips. She said the park maintenance staff are trained to monitor
such things and that the volunteers who provided the data for the survey
didn't do the job.

Still, she added, the staff is checking each of the playgrounds cited in
the survey and will make any changes that are required.

NEW PARKING RAMP COULD SPARE GUTHRIE--FOR NOW
While the City Council continues to hedge about demolishing the Guthrie
Theater, citizens can be consoled by the fact such delays will at least be
financially beneficial.

PROGRESSIVE MINNEAPOLIS
When Irvington, New Jersey, mayor Wayne Smith journeyed to City Hall
recently to meet with Fifth Ward Council Member Natalie Johnson Lee, he was
hoping to get some tips on how to transform his city into one as
"progressive" as ours. But, according to One Nation News
(www.onenationnews.com), Smith may have departed less inspired than he'd
hoped after listening to some of Johnson Lee's travails.

**
AND NOW WE'RE ON TELEVISION, TOO!!!
See firsthand why none of us ever went into TV as a career. Tune in to The
Minneapolis Observer on MTN cable channel 17 Sunday nights at 8:30 for
news, weather, and sports with a Minneapolis perspective. This Sunday, see
part two of our chat with 11th Ward Council Member Scott Benson.

*

The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Associate Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Nora Cox, Laine Bergeson, Chris Dodge, Mark
Engebretson, Tim Herwig, Leo Mezzrow, Sarah Wash
Occasional research assistance: Martin and Nora Cox
Online technical assistance: Christopher Pollard
Thanks to: Kristen Larson, Shirley Parker, Nicole Reich, and Annie Young

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your
neighborhood newspaper!
***
___
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

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-07-15 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 1, No. 46
July 15, 2002

This is a preview issue of The Observer. To subscribe to the full-text version ($12/yr.) e-mail us at the address above and we'll set you up. To see a sample issue, visit our Web site at www.mplsobserver.com. Thanks.

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Development Ban Irks Developers
* McDonald on McKinsey
* Light Rail for University Avenue?
* Park Board Angered Over Council Budget-Cutting
* Mill Ruins Road Project on Hold
Plus: R.T. in love, the subway that never was, the garden path, and the end of the stadium debate.

***

DEVELOPMENT BAN IRKS DEVELOPERS
Developers and business owners on the east side of downtown and in the north loop are criticizing what appears to be a hastily considered moratorium on development passed at the City Council's June 21 meeting.

The move, promoted by Seventh Ward Council Member Lisa Goodman, bans all new development in the areas for as long as 30 months, while the city completes its master plan for that part of town, according to Kevin Featherly in Skyway News (www.skywaynews.net). But after hearing from business owners and others whose plans have been suddenly derailed, two council members who joined the unanimous vote--Ninth Ward Council Member Gary Schiff and Fifth Ward CM Natalie Johnson-Lee--are having second thoughts. "I thought there was greater [moratorium] need than what I've since discovered," says Schiff. "I regret having voted for it."

But Sixth Ward CM Dean Zimmerman has no such regrets. "We're interested in making sure that we don't do any developments that are going to have to be redone because they don't fit very well with the light-rail configurations," he says.

Schiff said he hoped to get the moratorium rescinded at the next City Council meeting.

MCDONALD ON MCKINSEY
Former 10th Ward council member Lisa McDonald has been fairly quiet since she lost her mayoral bid in last September's primary, but last week's presentation of the long-awaited McKinsey report on restructuring the city's development agencies had her firing with both barrels.

LIGHT RAIL FOR UNIVERSITY AVENUE?
The Central Corridor Coordinating Committee, representing the city of Minneapolis, Hennepin and Ramsey Counties, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation, last month recommended constructing a light rail line along University Avenue as part of its review of a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS). As Linda Picone notes in the Seward Profile, the recommendation is not binding but will form the basis for a number of community meetings in the months--and yes, years--ahead.

PARK BOARD ANGERED OVER COUNCIL BUDGET-CUTTING
In the first volley of what promises to be a season of budget-cutting battles, the City Council last week recommended cutting the Park Board's levy by 6.1 percent, a move that will "virtually eliminate" the department's capital projects program.

PROMISES, PROMISES
Politicos are making much of Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Pawlenty's decision to rule out any tax increases if elected in November, so what will they make of Booker T. Hodges IV?

**
AND NOW WE'RE ON TELEVISION, TOO!!!
See firsthand why none of us ever went into TV as a career. Tune in to The Minneapolis Observer on MTN cable channel 17 Sunday nights at 8:30 for news, weather, and sports with a Minneapolis perspective.
*

_
RAVES, RANTS, AND OTHER CONSIDERED OPINIONS
_

IT'S JUST MY OPINION, BUT . . .
There was good news and bad news last week, when St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly and his stadium-seeking knuckleheads announced that they would no longer entertain the idea of bilking local taxpayers to build a ballpark for Carl Pohlad and his baseball company.

Editor: Craig Cox
Associate Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Nora Cox, Laine Bergeson, Chris Dodge, Mark Engebretson, Tim Herwig, Leo Mezzrow, Sarah Wash
Occasional research assistance: Martin and Nora Cox
Online technical assistance: Christopher Pollard
Thanks to: Robert Ramstad

***
Fight media consolidation! Support the independ

[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-07-08 Thread Craig Cox

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 1, No. 45
July 8, 2002

This is a preview edition of The Observer. To receive the full-text version ($12/yr.), just hit 'reply' and we'll set you up. Check out a sample issue at www.mplsobserver.com.

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* The Riot That Wasn't
* No Parking Deal for Block E Movie House
* Take That, J Robinson
* Protesters Gear Up for Chiefs of Police Conference
* Smoke-Free, Bingo-Free
* Before the Deluge, a Word About Food
Plus: No more bike licenses, nudity at Lake Nokomis, shooting at cops, dog days in the garden, and enough with the fireworks, already.

***

THE RIOT THAT WASN'T
Nearly two years after the city locked down the southern part of Nicollet Mall to protect attendees at the International Society for Animal Genetics conference and arrested 65 protesters, the final court case has been settled. And like all the rest, charges of rioting didn't stick.

Ben Tsai on June 24 plead guilty to a single charge of jaywalking. The $100 fine was suspended, reports Mike Mosedale in City Pages (www.citypages.com). The plea saved the city from having to endure an embarrassing trial in which undercover police behavior would have come under some scrutiny. "That would have been one of the more interesting things to find out," says attorney Jordan Kushner. "What exactly the police did and whether it violated any laws."

It also saves assistant city attorney Lee Wolf from having to prosecute another jaywalking case.

NO PARKING DEAL FOR BLOCK E MOVIE HOUSE
The city's innovative "Do the Town" parking program, which for years has helped downtown businesses compete with suburban stores by offering free parking, will not include Block E's new 15-screen theater complex.

TAKE THAT, J ROBINSON
Women's sports at the University of Minnesota are not taking money out of the pockets of the men's athletic department, according to a recent report by the National Women's Law Center. In fact, the University isn't allocating enough money to women athletes.

PROTESTERS GEARING UP FOR CHIEFS OF POLICE CONFERENCE
A local "welcoming committee" may organize a counter-conference during the October 5-9 gathering of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

SMOKE-FREE, BINGO-FREE
Every week for more than 20 years, the Minneapolis American Indian Center (MAIC) has been offering bingo to a loyal batch of players--and smokers. But last month those smokers finally ran afoul of the Minnesota Indoor Air Act.

WALTER MOSELY AT LUCILLE'S
Celebrated novelist and screenwriter Walter Mosely will speak at Tuesday's Insight/KMOJ Public Policy Forum at Lucille's Kitchen, 2013 Plymouth Ave. N. Call 588-1313 for more information.

[Mpls] This week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-06-30 Thread Craig Cox


T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 1, No. 44
July 1, 2002

This is a preview issue of The Observer. To subscribe to the full-text
edition ($12/yr.) just hit 'reply' and we'll set you up. To view a sample
issue, go to www.mplsobserver.com. Thanks.

**

THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Park Board: Things Go Better With Coke
* Black Candidate Files Discrimination Complaint Against State GOP
* Ford Bridge Gets a Makeover
* New Central Library Will Be 'Planetarium-Ready'
* No More Fireworks in Camden
Plus: Minneapolis history, Jesse's future, faith-based funding, iguanas in
Whittier, turning on red, repelling mosquitoes, and a sad farewell to Grain
Belt beer.

***

PARK BOARD LOOKS TO SOFT-DRINK DEAL TO INCREASE REVENUE
In an ongoing effort to increase revenue, the Park Board last month agreed
to investigate a more lucrative beverage contract. But the results may not
go down too well with park users.

As Scott Russell reports in the Southwest Journal (www.swjournal.com),
commissioners were presented several options for the new contract,
including increased advertising (on vending carts, scoreboards, and
baseball fences, etc.) and beverage sponsorships (logos on youth sports
uniforms, park vehicles, lifeguard boats, etc.). An enhanced beverage
contract would bring more than $225,000 into Park Board coffers, a 170
percent increase over the current $82,750 Coca Cola deal.

Having sparked a small tempest with an earlier proposal to turn over its
Lake Harriet concession stand to Dairy Queen, Park Board commissioners are
prepared to move cautiously on the matter. Commissioner John Erwin calls
the parks "an oasis" from advertising. But board president Bob Fine is more
than willing to consider an expanded advertising presence. "If someone is
going to give us a lot of money, we ought to look at it," he said.

The board's Administration and Finance Committee will discuss a new Request
for Proposals for the beverage contract at its July 3 meeting.

CANDIDATE CHARGES STATE GOP WITH DISCRIMINATION
An African American City Council candidate who ran as a Republican in
November has filed a discrimination complaint against the State Republican
Party, alleging racist, sexist, and discriminatory practices.

FORD BRIDGE MAKEOVER BEGINS NEXT WEEK
The long-delayed rehabilitation of the Ford Parkway Bridge will begin next
week, reports Jane McClure in the Longfellow-Nokomis Messenger. The
project, which will widen the 75-year-old span, replace railings, and add
bicycle lanes and viewing platforms, will take about 30 months to complete
and cost about $20.2 million.

NEW LIBRARY WILL BE 'PLANETARIUM-READY'
The New Minneapolis Central Library Implementation Committee on June 18
endorsed a plan that would allow for a planetarium to be built on the roof
of the new Central Library.

25-YEAR FIREWORKS CELEBRATION COMES TO AN END
A quarter-century tradition will end this week when the Fourth of July
comes and goes without Showboat Days in the North side neighborhood of
Camden. The popular festival featured one of the city's largest fireworks
displays and at its height boasted everything from a neighborhood parade
and polka bands to helicopter rides and fishing contests.

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT DEADLINES SET
Folks thinking about closing off their street to celebrate National Night
Out on August 6 must notify the City Clerk's office by July 9 to get free
barricades. From July 10 to 23, there will be a $15 fee for the barricades.
After that date no applications will be accepted. Last year, more than
35,000 people celebrated National Night Out with more than 850 block
parties around the city. To get an application for your free barricades,
call the City Clerk's office at 673-2215.

**
AND NOW WE'RE ON TELEVISION, TOO!!!
See firsthand why none of us ever went into TV as a career. Tune in to The
Minneapolis Observer on MTN cable channel 17 Sunday nights at 8:30 for
news, weather, and sports with a Minneapolis perspective. This week, check
out part two of our interview with 11th Ward Council Member Scott Benson.
*

The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media,
L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406;
www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without
the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe,
send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list
and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Associate Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Nora Cox, Laine Bergeson, Chris Dodge, Mark
Engebretson, Tim Herwig, Leo Mezzrow, Sarah Wash
Occasional research assistance: Martin and Nora Cox
Online tec

Re: [Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-06-26 Thread Eva Young


At 07:43 PM 6/25/02 -0700, Pamela Taylor wrote:
>Folks,
>
>Some of the remarks in my post were meant to sound
>stupid because they are (ie some of my best friends
>are white, etc.).  They sound stupid when White folks
>tell us Black folks that.
Personally, I've never been into these navel gazing type seminars of this
sort.  In my experience the best way to work beyond these types of issues
is to work together on a common goal.  


>I know there will never be a summit on White folks
>issues, that will never happen.
>
>And why can't people (except one) respond on list? 
>When discussing Black folks, it would not be a
>problem.  When the color White is put out there, the
>forum is mute.  No one wants to go there.  Therein
>lies the problem.  That is why IMHO there is no need
>for a summit.  It is an excuse for folks to go round
>and round an issue without coming to any real
>conclusion.
Well I didn't respond to this one offlist the last time.  I'll agree with
this point though -- it would be nice if folks did post on list about this
-- in a way that effects Minneapolis.  

>And as long as there are various races living in
>Minneapolis, it is a Minneapolis issue, like it or
>not.
>
Hey, I think if folks didn't want to deal with various races, they wouldn't
live in Minneapolis.  I've always felt that racial and ethnic diversity is
a strength.  

>--- Pamela Taylor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> Dear List,
>> 
>> I don't mean to sound racist, and I hope that I do
>> not
>> get censored by the List Manager because I am not
>> trying to offend anyone, and it would be
>> unjustified. 
>> I am merely going to state a truth.  
Now Pam, give me a break -- ofcourse you are trying to stir things up.  

>> It gets me that we are always having meetings and
>> summits that deal with race relations and the
>> African,
>> African-American, Native American and other minority
>> communities.
>> 
>> It seems obvious to me that we need a summit dealing
>> with white people and their problems living on this
>> planet with people who don't look like them.  Why is
>> there never anything or anybody that is up front
>> enough to state that out loud and call for some
>> action?  
So do ALL white people have problems living with people who don't look like
them?  


Eva
Eva Young
Near North
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

Re: [Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-06-25 Thread Paul Kuettel


Hi All!

I was deeply disturbed with the sentiment expressed in Pam Taylor's post and
sent her an off-list reply.

I am also deeply worried about how much water I am gonna need to pump out of
my basement.  But the static is lessening on the AM radio, so according to
my personal forecasting system, we are in the clear.

'CCO is a real hoot during "Weather."

If Pam wants to share my reply with the list, that would be fine by me.

It's time we started facing this issue head-on.

Cheers!

PK

Far Distant Falcon Heights
Suburb of the State Fair
Reluctant Home of the St Paul U of M campus (just what do they "experiment"
with in those "Experimental Fields"? )




___
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] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

2002-06-24 Thread Pamela Taylor

Dear List,

I don't mean to sound racist, and I hope that I do not
get censored by the List Manager because I am not
trying to offend anyone, and it would be unjustified. 
I am merely going to state a truth.  

It gets me that we are always having meetings and
summits that deal with race relations and the African,
African-American, Native American and other minority
communities.

It seems obvious to me that we need a summit dealing
with white people and their problems living on this
planet with people who don't look like them.  Why is
there never anything or anybody that is up front
enough to state that out loud and call for some
action?  

Put that topic front and center on the table and
discuss it.  I would like to hear how we can deal with
those issues.  I am tired of hearing about "my people"
and the changes we must go through to accommodate
white folks problems.

Some of my best friends are white people (no kidding)
so I know they are not all bad.  I would like to hear
from some people on this issue.

Pamela Taylor
(Who celebrates Black History Month 24/7 365 days a
year because being given permission to do so in
February is a joke, from Tampa)  

--- Craig Cox <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> T H E  M I N N E A P O L I S  O B S E R V E R
> A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
> www.mplsobserver.com
> Vol. 1, No. 43
> June 24, 2002
> 
> 
> COMMUNITY SUMMIT
> The city will hold the first in a series of
> "Community Summits" on
> diversity issues Thursday, June 27, at Mondale Hall,
> University of
> Minnesota Law School, 229 19th Ave. S. from 5 to 8
> p.m. The summit will
> focus on "issues concerning people of African
> descent," including
> community/police relations, jobs and employment
> opportunities, community
> building, health, economic development, and youth
> issues. The summit is
> free and open to the public. A light meal will be
> served. To reserve a
> seat, call Lolita Moreno 673-2582 or 673-3012.
> 
> 

__
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup
http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com
___
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

1 2 >

1 - 100 of 137 matches

Mail list logo