Musician/writer Dylan Hicks and Poet Dobby Gibson at the Northeast Library

Once again the Friends of the Northeast Library will sponsor a very special author talk on Thursday, May 17, 6;30 p.m. at the Library, 2200 Central Avenue Northeast.  The May program is a classic double-header:

Dylan Hicks, is a man of many interests, talents and faces. Readers who know Dylan Hicks are eagerly awaiting his first novel which is set for publication in May by Coffee House Press, a Northeast independent literary force.    Though difficult to categorize, Boarded Windows is already receiving national acclaim.  The novel reflects and spirit of Uptown Minneapolis in the Nineties.

One reviewer, Sam Lipsyte, writes “Do yourself a favor and read this smart, tender book.  The characters will  haunt you with their longing, and inspire you with their sweet, caustic wit.  Dylan Hicks knows his music and his prose is a song in itself.  He’s given light to the shuttered and boarded parts of life.”

The theme of the novel comes as no surprise to the many locals who know Hicks as a songwriter and musician. Earlier this year he released his first album in ten years. The book includes a free download of Sings Bolling Green, a soundtrack to the novel written and performed by Dylan Hicks himself.

Followers of popular culture know that in the past several years Hicks has melded his writing and musical talents as a prodigious writer.   He’s a familiar name as contributor to City Pages, a position he left to focus on Boarded Windows.

A search of the web discloses some intriguing information about Dylan Hicks’ life and interests.  His own website contains a forthright author statement that reveals much about Boarded Windows.  A lengthy conversation  with his colleague Brad Zellar goes into real depth about writing and music.  Zellar concludes with an intriguing observation that “there’s no Minneapolis novel.   Boarded Windows, Zellar writes “is the first book that I can think of that’s really steeped in Minneapolis, that really gets it.”  A question the author may address at the Friends program….

Joining Dylan Hicks on the program is Minnesota poet Dobby Gibson who will discuss his new collection It Becomes You, forthcoming from another independent press Graywolf Press in 2013.  The collection of poems is described as “meditative, lyrical, aphoristic, and always leavened with a wry wit.  The reviewer writes that “through Dobby Gibson’s poems you explore the divergent conditions by which we’re perpetually defined—the daily weather, the fluctuations of the Dow, the growth of a cancer cell, the politics of the day.”

Dobby Gibson’s first book of poetry, Polar, published in 2004, received the Beatrice Award and was a finalist for the 2006 Minnesota Book Award.  He is also the author of a second collection of poetry, Skirmish, published in 2009 by Graywolf Press.

Again, a web search will discover several interviews with Dobby Gibson, reviews and readings of his works of poetry.

The Friends of the Library programs are all free and open to the public.

Farming – Windom Park Style

Founded just last year, Buchanan Street Farms, 2407 Buchanan Street NE, has become a immediate community treasure.  A basic homestead garden, begun as a family plot, the Garden will expand this year into a local, Northeast market gardens with plans to sell once a week on site and at least once a week at one of the several local Minneapolis farmers markets.

Buchanan Street Farms is dedicated to educating children and their parents about the small farm, the environment and the community.  On Saturday, May 5, the Farm will begin a series of five educational programs designed to present information about food, the environment and the community in interesting ways.

Planners of Saturday’s event advise children and parents to be prepared to get dirty (that’s the fun part!) and to take a plant or project home – possibly something for Mom on Mother’s Day?

It’s all free and open.

Check the website and blog and Twitter for the latest from the Farm.

Northeast News

• Local Officials Host Area Town Hall Meeting

Representative Diane Loeffler and newly-elected Senator Kari Dziedzic are planning a series of joint town meetings to hear constituents’ views and ideas.  The first sessions will be Saturday, February and Saturday, February at a variety of Northeast location yet to be determined.    Watch the Windom Park beat in the TC Daily Planet or neighborhood email networks for the details.

Or you may contact Representative Loeffler’s office.  Her legislatiave assistant, Charlotte Antin, can be contact by email (charlotte.antin@house.mn) or phone 651 296 5360.

And start keeping track of your complaints, questions and ideas – not necessariiy in that order!

• MAGIC at the State Capitol

During the interim Representative Diane Loeffler co-chaired the Bipartisan Redesign Caucus.  The Caucus just released a report on findings gleaned from meetings held throughout the state to engage school, city and county officials to identify ways in which the state could foster innovation at the local level.  The report has the support of the Minnesota School Boards Association, the League of Minnesota Cities and the Association of County Commissioners, an unlikely harmonic convergence of advocacy groups that are not always inclined to collaborate.

In her recent report to constituents Loeffler points to a Star Tribune article describing the work of the Bipartisan Redesign Caucus.   Referring to the Bipartisan Redesign Caucus the Strib reporter notes that “the group is pushing a piece of legislation with the catchiest acronym of 2012 — the MAGIC act – short for the Minnesota Accountable Government Innovation and Collaboration Act. Approved by the Senate last year, the bill would allow counties to sidestep regulations and legislative restrictions and come up with their own solutions to problems in a limited number of test cases.”

Watch the MAGIC happen when and if a divided Legislature takes time to listen to the bipartisan ideas for concrete steps that just might create a system that spurs collaboration and promotes inter-agency collaboration.

 

• Ashmores Tell Tales of Northeast History February 11

Kerry and Margo Ashmore, publishers of the Northeaster and North News, will team up to share the stories and history of Northeast with friends and neighbors, old-timers and recent arrivals to this promised land.  They’ll be walking through the history of the legendary Northeast community on Saturday, February 11, 1-2 p.m. at the Northeast Library, 2200 Central Avenue Northeast.

The talk is free and open to the public.  If you haven’t visited the library recently take time to explore what’s new – consider a good read about the city, the immigrants to Northeast or something appropriate to African American History Month to be celebrated all during the unusually long month of February.  You’ve got an extra day, use those 24 hours to spend time with a good book.

• Elementary Students to be Feted at Edison

Another fun evening at the Edison Community Gym, 700 22^nd Avenue Northeast.  It’s the 4^th Annual Elementary School Night, Thursday, February 9. Elementary schoolers (maybe especially Tommies) are welcome to a great basketball game matching the Edison girls against the team from St. Paul Academy and Summit.

Half time treats include the STEP team, dance team and cheerleaders along with the 2011 robot, musical performances and more.

There will be pre-game musical performances beginning at 6:30 with the game starting at 7:00 p.m.  Elementary school students in free – regular admission $6 for adults, $4 for students and free for kids under 7.  Raffle prizes throughout the evening.

Northeast Neighborhood News.

Windom Park Citizens in Action

Windom Park Citizens in Action (WPCiA) will meet Tuesday, January 17, 7 p.m. at the Pillsbury School park addition, 2251 Hayes Street NE (enter on the north side of the building)

The full agenda includes the following items:

1. Representatives of local Minneapolis public schools will offer updates and take questions and comments.  Confirmed guests include School Board vice chair Laura Cavender and Northeast Middle School Principal Padmini Udupa or her assistant principal.
2. Presentation of a written draft of the Neighborhood Action Plan.  The Windom Park Neighborhood will present a draft plan for allocating $563,000 in Neighborhood Revitalization Program funds.  Based on neighborhood input, funds are proposed for safety, parks, transportation and housing initiatives.  Final input will be taken in February with the final report up for a vote in March.
3. Additional items for discussion will be a review of top priorities for future work with the Minneapolis Police Department, committee updates and other news  Free child care.  For additional information contact WPCiA, 612 788 2192 or info@windompark.org.

Mississippi Watershed Management Organization

The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (NWMO) will open soon open their new headquarters at 2522 Marshall Street Northeast in the Marshall Terrace neighborhood.  (612 465 8780) The staff is already on site; the public will be welcomed in late January or early February.  A grand opening is planned for Spring 2012.

The mission of MWMO is 1) to foster stewardship on the Mississippi as it runs through Minneapolis., and 2) to foster stewardship of the land that drains to the river; that land includes all of Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis as well as portions of the cities of Lauderdale, St. Anthony and St. Paul.

The work of the MWMO ranges from educational programs for students, residents and businesses to regular monitoring for water quality and emergency response to immediate threats to water resources in the watershed.

Located on the banks of the Mississippi, the new headquarters will serve as a demonstration of MWMO’s principles of best management practices for supporting water resources and treating storm water.

Some of the features of the headquarters will include rain gardens, bio-swales and porous pavers.  A ramp will allow visitors access to the river itself.  A cistern will collect up to 4000 gallons of rain water for reuse during dry spells. The first floor of the headquarters will feature interactive exhibits, classrooms and other educational resources for students and the general public.

More information about the headquarters opening, options for public access and photos as soon as that information is available, probably late January or early February.  Meantime, check the MWMO website for the latest on the move, funds available for community-initiated water quality projects, and more.  MWMO is actively seeking volunteers to serve on the Citizen Advisory group.  For questions or current update contact Zhenya (Zee) Stone, zstone@mwmo.org.

Author Martin Kihn featured at Friends of Northeast Library talk

Martin Kihn writes about the world he knows – with a twist.  This includes his recent novel, Bad Dog: A Love Story, a touching tale that marks a true departure in Kihn’s  writing style.  Bad Dog follows the trials and triumphs  of Hola, the “most beautiful Bernese Mountain Dog in the world” who clearly lacks the niceties of training, and her “supposed master” who has some troubles of his own.

Kihn will share his unique take on the world on Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 6:30 p.m. at the Northeast Library, 2200 Central Avenue Northeast.

After twenty years of living and working in fast-paced New York City  Kihn moved from NYC to Northeast Minneapolis in October with his wife singer-songwriter Julia Douglass and, of course, Hola  – When asked why the move, Kihn says that his wife is from this area and Hola is taken with walks along the Mississippi and the Stone Arch Bridge area.

Though he is first-and-foremost a writer, Kihn adds that he is also “a digital marketer, dog lover, balletomane and spiritual athlete.”  Born in Zambia, Kihn grew up in suburban Michigan, earned a BA in Theater Studies from Yale and an MBA from Columbia Business School.  In Minneapolis he pursues his writing profession while managing his business career at Fallon.

A prolific writer, Kihn has published in a host of publications including the New York Times, GQ, Us and others.  He was on the staff of several publications and, in the late 1990’s, was head writer for the MTV show Pop-Up Video for which he was an Emmy nominee.

The self-deprecating Kihn admits that most of his earlier writing “could be called satirical or snarky, meticulously researched and office-based.” One of his early publications, affectionately entitled House of Lies: How management consultants steal your watch and then tell you the time (Grand Central 2005) reflects his three years working for a large consultant agency.  Though praised by the press, the book was not well received by professional colleagues who spammed Amazon.com with one-star reviews intended to sabotage the criticism of their trade.

Kihn moved on to produce his most popular book of that “snarky” period,  a  satirical stunt-memoir the premise of which is that a person who is too nice to get ahead in business decides systematically to turn himself into a jerk and reap the rewards.  It was a rage round the globe.

Bad Dog reflects an entirely different side of the writer.  Bad Dog: A Love Story, is the warm story of a troubled man and his badly behaved mountain dog.  It’s described as a “journey of redemption, as together man and dog reclaim their lives by working toward a common goal.”  Much more about Marty Kihn on his website on which Hola even appears in a new video on Kihn’s website.

Martin Kihn’s talk is presented by Friends of the Northeast Library.  Contact the Friends at northeast@friendsofhclib.org

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Northeast Seniors Move Their Site, Expand their Vision

Seniors who need a ride to do some holiday shopping.  Seniors who just want to gather for coffee and conversation.  Seniors who are moving, in need of health care (foot clinics, exercise classes, home visits, post-operation companions).  Seniors who need a ride, legal assistance, help with snow shoveling or housework, pet care, or digital technology.

For Kay Anderson, Executive Director of it’s all about the seniors, their needs and their strengths.

Today Kay is busily re-locating the NE Seniors offices to a vibrant new setting at Autumn Woods, 2580 Kenzie Terrace.  In spite of technology that isn’t quite hooked up yet, phones that are iffy, and a dozen projects that cry out for completion, Kay remains calm and very much at home at Autumn Woods, happy to be in the company of the many seniors she hopes to meet and help in the new site.  She also touts the perks, including security and ample parking as attributes of the new site

Many of Kay’s dreams focus on the potential of technology as a problem-solver for seniors – provided they have access to equipment and some training.  She envisions grandparents skyping with their grandchildren, patients getting their medical tests online, individuals interacting with government agencies, ordering groceries and, most of all, communicating with friends and family members via social media of every stripe.  NE Seniors has space now – all that’s needed are the equipment and the orientation and support that volunteers are willing to offer.

Kay’s energy and spirit breathe life into the new offices at Autumn Woods.  Expect great things – including an open house as soon as the dust has settled.  Reach Northeast Seniors at 612 781 5096 or mail@neseniors.org.  Sign up to receive the quarterly newsletter (print edition) and watch for the online edition of the Northeast Minneapolis Senior Services Directory, now in print and updated online.  It’s one of myriad projects, including revision of the website, that’s in the works!

The Latest from the Greatest (Neighborhood, that is…)

Soup with the Supe

Minneapolis School Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson will be in Northeast on Thursday, December 8, for another of her Soup with the Supe conversations with families and residents of the neighborhood.  The event includes food, student entertainment and free child care for children age 3 and up.  It’s 6-8 p.m. at Northeast Middle School, 2955 Hayes Street NE.  Spanish, Hmong and Somali interpreters will be available.  Free and open to the public.

 

Northeast Seniors on the Move

Northeast Senior Services, for the past three years in residence at Northeast United Methodist Church, has moved to Autumn Woods, 2580 Kenzie Terrace.  They are in the senior building, Suite 2A.  The phone number and email remain the same 612 781 5096 or mail@neseniors.org.

Kay Anderson, Executive Director, hints that an open house for members andneighbors may be forthcoming – details to follow.

Change Comes to President’s Bike Boulevard

What’s happening in Northeast – would you believe proposed road construction!  The current challenge comes from a proposed median at Polk Street and Lowry Avenue.  The proposal and the anticipated President’s Bike Boulevard will be discussed at a special meeting on Thursday, December 15, 6-7 p.m. at Audubon Park Recreation Center, 1320 39^th Avenue NE.

The rationale in support of the change includes slowed traffic on Lowry as well as a safe stopping space for bicycles and pedestrians crossing Lowry at Polk.  Negative impacts would include reduced parking on Lowry and no left turn from Lowry onto Polk/Polk to Lowry.  Motorists would also not be able to travel North-South on Polk at Lowry.

A decision by the City Council on the road changes and the impact on the President’s Bike Boulevard will be made in January.

PACIM Wigilia Dinner

A fundraiser for needy Polish orphanages, the traditional Polish Christmas Eve meal will be held at the Gasthof Restaurant, 2300 University Avenue NE, Minneapolis from 6:00 until 8:00 PM on Sunday, December 11. This community celebration features breaking of opłatek, traditional foods and singing of koledy. Same wonderful menu as last year. Tickets are $35. They can be purchased by mail by sending your check made out to PACIM to Paul Rog, 1213 Monroe Street NE, Minneapolis 55413. Be sure to include the names of the people attending and any special seating requirements you may have. For more information, contact Paul at 612-789-5972.

 

 

 

 

 

Northeast Happenings

“Talk and Taste” – It’s all about urban gardens

“Talk and Taste” is the whimsical title for a Sunday afternoon talk about urban gardens and soil contaminants.  It’s Sunday, December 4, 3:00 p.m. at Children’s Library, Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall.

The talk will be followed at 3:45 by a food tasting featuring restaurants that provide local ingredients for urban diners.  At 4:15 the Student Organic Farm at the University of Minnesota will discuss their work and the intent of the Organic Farm.Time: 3:00pm – 5:00 p.m.

“Talk and Taste” is presented in collaboration with the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture and Gastro Non Grata.

Holiday Rides and More at St. Anthony Shopping Center

Do you need some old – and new – fashioned winter and holiday spirit in your life?  Explore the Holiday Festivities in the Village, the shopping center in St. Anthony Village to be precise.  The center is at 2945 Pentagon Drive, where Kenzie Terrace meets Highway 88 and St. Anthony Boulevard.

The Holiday Festivities are Friday, December 9 (6-9) and Saturday, December 10 (9-4)

Highlight of Friday evening is the chance for a Carriage Ride between the shopping center and Autumn Woods.  Santa will be on hand along with a light display of the ride route.  Local merchants will feature their services and wares.  Stop for a free sample of chai at TeaSource or a taste of products from local vendors at Annona Gourmet.

Bring a donation for the food shelf, ride, sample, and learn about  the shops and friendly merchants of St. Anthony Shopping Center.   Free and open to all!

Snowshoeing on the Riverfront

The longer snow enthusiasts wait, the more eager they are to slap on those skis, skates or, in this case snowshoes, to enjoy the Winter as only a Minnesotan can.  On Sunday, December 11, 1:30-3:00 p.m.   The Mississippi Riverfront Partnership and the Lind-Bohanon Neighborhood Association will lead the pack with the next in their “Great River Outing” series – “Snowshoeing North Miss.”

The Outing is at North Mississippi Regional Park, Carl Kroening Interpretive Center, 4900 Mississippi Court.

If weather permits, it’s snowshoeing – if not it’s a walk in North Mississippi Regional Park, exploring natural wonders and the history of the park.

 

 

Northeast Update – What’s happening in the neighborhood

Q.arma

There’s no way to cover the myriad special holiday events in the studios and workplaces of the artists of Northeast Minneapolis.  The best we can do is a sort of a spot check of each weekend’s happenings.

The Q.arma Building, 1224 Quincy Street Northeast, will hold its Holiday Art Sale on Friday-Sunday, December 2-4.  Hours are Friday 4-9, Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 11-4.

Artists from a variety of artistic media will have their art on display and for sale.  Media including ceramics, metal, wood, fiber art, jewelry, paintings and mixed media will be featured.

Barnyard Dog will play live music during the event on Friday.

More information on Facebook or 612 683 3782.

Holiday Train

Check the timetable – On Sunday, December 11, 8 P.M. the 2011 Holiday Train will pull into Shoreham Yards, 2800 Central Avenue NE .  The train’s arrival is the highlight of the Holiday Train event sponsored by the Canadian Pacific Railway and Northeast Chamber of Commerce to support the food shelves at East Side Neighborhood Services.

The 2011 Holiday Train event, 7-9 PM gives community members the opportunity to donate cash or food to benefit neighbors in Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis and environs.  All are invited to an evening of free live musical entertainment, children’s activities,  horse drawn carriage rides, and refreshments – all to support the three ESNS food shelves that serve over 2000 individuals a year.

ESNS can be reached at 612 781 6011 or www.esns.org.

Northeast Bike Ride

Kickstarter is a fun entrepreneurial website that aggregates support for local projects with energy and vision.

And Kickstarter is the aptly named online vehicle that is just one of the tools that planners are using to solicit financial support for the Northeast Ride scheduled for June 2, 2012.  Goal of the Kickstarter initiative is $15,000; the site will be posted until December 5, 2011.

The Northeast  Ride will take participants through the Northeast Minneapolis Arts district, touring past historic landmarks such as the Casket Arts Buildings and the Grain Belt Brewery as well as along new trails and bikeways that wind through the neighborhoods of Northeast.

Northeast Ride is sponsored by the Northeast Community Development Corporation with the support of MPLS Bike Love, Altered Esthetics and Bicycle Theory.

 

Pillsbury School Readers “Targetted”

Later this week several hundred members of the American Association of School Librarians will be gathering for their annual conference at the Minneapolis Convention Center.  The program covers the rapidly expanding outpouring of books that depict and reflect the diversity in the schools, improving reading skills, all manner of technology, information literacy and the inexplicable joy of reading and learning.  I hope to spend some time learning myself.

Even more, I wish I could organize a contingent of these learning librarians to visit my nearest school library media center at Pillsbury School, 2250 Garfield Northeast in Windom Park.  Pillsbury is a K-5 school in which some 650 emerging scholars are just becoming acquainted with the richness of their school library media center, recently rehabbed and restocked through the generous financial contribution of Target Corporation, the redesign of a national partner organization, Heart of America,  and the contributed services of scores of Target employees.

In a 2010 talk to Grantmakers in Education Reba Dominski, Target’s Director of Community Relations Education Initiatives, describes her corporation’s broad commitment to reading and literacy, the commitment that led to the grant to Pillsbury.  School Principal Laura Cavender saw a need to revamp the twenty-plus year old library – and she saw the possibility of Pillsbury applying to Target Corporation for funding.

The result was a $200,000 grant that spiffed up the media center and added 21^st Century technology including IPads and computers, new furniture and redesigned reading nooks, and a school-wide buzz about what was happening in the school media center.  Most important, the library collection was the focus of the make-over;  over 2000 new books reflect the time and the student population.

I was fortunate to be on hand September 28 for the Grand Reopening of the Library Media Center – and I was not alone!  Some 175 Target employees who had worked on the project were there to enjoy the fruits of their labors.  Mayor Rybak, Councilman Kevin Reich and Senator Amy Klobuchar stood out in the overwhelming mass of parents and siblings, Pillsbury students, neighbors, teachers and red-shirted Target workers.

One of the most touching aspects of that day was the fact that every child, Pillsbury student or sibling, received a generous stack of age appropriate books – and a canvas bag in which to tote their treasures.  Families in need were also invited to share a plentiful bounty of good food.  These same families will continue to receive food, including fresh produce, throughout the school year.

There were cheers and tears, beaming teachers, proud Target employees and above all young folks reading, showing off their new digs to their friends and families.  This was a day to remember – I replay the event and the idea every time I pass the school.

If the librarians visiting from around the nation – and the readers of this post – don’t have the chance to visit Pillsbury, this video snippet:  http://www.kare11.com/news/article/940125/26/Big-library-makeover-for-Minneapolis-school]

captured by television KARE 11 offers an honest and informative overview of the project, their spirit and energy of the students and volunteers,  and its long term impact on a much deserving school.

Sarah Muench, Pillsbury School librarian, also found time to snap some great photos of appreciative young learners exploring their new media center.