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David Walcher of Urban Boatbuilders instructs Masyn May to lace ribs to the frame of a canoe. Urban Boatbuilders teaches youth how to build boats through paid internships. Gretchen Wilbrandt of Urban Boatbuilders says they seek to let companies know they have employable youth. She cites COVID, global wars, and a mental health crisis as stressors that can make youth feel hopeless.
How can the community help youth succeed?
Mayor proposes 8.1% property tax increase
Ezra Young, 17, of Roseville works in the SPRAYFINGER area next to the Uptown VFW during the LynLake Street Art Series on Saturday, July 13, 2024. “This is not just a grubby alleyway anymore. It’s art,” Young said. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
STREET ART TOUR
From dirty alley to street art gallery
SWBA Directory 2024-25
Medicare Annual Update on Oct. 9
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is partnering with MN Senior LinkAge to host a free class to help people learn about Medicare. “Medicare Annual Update” on Wednesday, Oct. …
GreenRoom fellows practice dancing and performing together at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts on Friday, July 19, 2024.
Maia Maiden leads Ordway theater fellowship for budding artists
Tears streamed down 62-year-old Myra Curry’s face as she sat in a circle receiving praise from her cohort fellows. One after the other, people took turns telling Curry how proud, and inspired …
Hennepin History Museum’s staff welcome all visitors: (Left to right) executive director John Crippen, archivist Michele Pollard, and curator Alyssa Thiede. (Photo submitted)
Masks, puppets and plenty of free parking
Propped up alongside Sky, Prairie, Moon and Woods and with arms extended, River’s giant, blue face stares down at passersby, perhaps hoping one stops and hears stories about the Mississippi …
Nancy Eustis
Volunteer of the year
Nancy Eustis was named Volunteer of the Year at the Kenwood Senior Living, 825 Summit Ave. She has lived at The Kenwood since 1997. Eustis has volunteered throughout the community in many ways. …
Alzheimer Assn offers classes
The Alzheimer’s Association Minnesota-North Dakota chapter is offering a series of classes for The Empowered Caregiver designed to provide dementia caregivers with helpful tools and ways to …

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Sep 2024 Connector

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Mindful Creativity
Howard Quednau Shepards and Charlatans, 2023 Wood, styrene, plaster, paper, acrylic
MCAD faculty biennial exhibit
The Gallery at Minneapolis College of Art and Design will spotlight the art and research undertaken by faculty in the 2024 MCAD Faculty Biennial. Some fifty faculty members are participating in an …
Jackie Lannin planned to give buttons to friends and wear one to work.
Craftivism
On July 30, artistic members of Twin Cities Indivisible met at Sue Scott’s home in Edina for a Craftivism Happy Hour. Craftivism is the practice of using craft projects to support social causes …
WACSO: Heffelfinger Fountain at the Rose Garden
Heffelfinger Fountain at the Rose Garden. I’ve been coming to this fountain since I was a little kid. We’re pretty lucky to have such cool places to hang out at in this city. …
WACSO: Dog treats.
Dog treats. I’ve seen this guy handing out treats to all the passing dogs around Lake Harriet for years. I guess that makes him dog’s best friend. (Illustration by WACSO)
Drew (at left) and Jacob Wesson explored public safety in Minneapolis in their award-winning documentary.
Washburn twins earn film award
By Tesha M. Christensen   Creating a five-minute documentary about public safety in Minneapolis was “eye-opening” for a pair of 18-year-old twins from Washburn High School. …

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COLUMNISTS
 We can do more for the opioid crisis
We have a growing problem that not a lot people understand. Behaviors are happening on the streets and in schools that are unprecedented. Principals, teachers, and behavioral specialists can't …
Tommie Beevas
The CCCA would harm marginalized communities
The Black community has faced many hurdles, yet we have shown remarkable resilience and unity in rebuilding and strengthening our neighborhoods. When I came to America from Jamaica as a young …
Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice steering committee.
Minneapolis for a lifetime? Debatable
I recently attended my first Minneapolis Advisory Committee on Aging meeting. I am convinced that in the city of Minneapolis elders/seniors don’t exist. There is such a thing as the …
Youth community journalist students from the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation’s Youth Community Journalism Institute at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul with Minnesota House Rep. Maria Isa Peréz-Vega (District 65B).
The power of community journalism
Healing begins with opportunities, and opportunities promote growth.  That's why we developed the Youth Community Journalism Institute at the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation . We want to …
Larry LaVercombe is a writer, filmmaker, and activist, born in Detroit and arrived in Minneapolis in 1975. He lived in a treehouse in San Diego before getting an MFA from the USC Film School. He writes most days, and as Team Larry he has been selling residential real estate in Minneapolis for 26 years.
Here’s what’s happening locally
The two biggest questions in local real estate are: 1) How is the Aug. 17 new rule about real estate commissions going to affect us? 2) What is going on in real estate? Regarding the second question: …

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Rebuild Repair Recycle
Marigolds, hollyhocks, cosmos, and black eyed Susans. These are just a few of the late-summer flowers bursting into bloom right now. While many are cutting them for bouquets, farmer Maddy Bartsch is …
The Kenilworth Tunnel is expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2025. On July 31, 2024, Met Transit reached a major milestone when the lowest element of the tunnel was done. In September, …
Jessica Miller still shrieks sometimes when a spider jumps on her, but the south Minneapolis environmental entomologist has found that makes her more approachable when she’s teaching classes on …

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Home & Garden
Jon Trappe
Talking lawn care with U of M
People are getting back into our yards and gardens, with pent-up demand following a long winter. University of Minnesota Extension Educator Jon Trappe has tips for yards that accomplish multiple …
A rain barrel collects roof runoff so you can save the rainwater for later use. Reroute downspouts away from pavement and onto grass, a rain barrel or a rain garden. (Photo courtesy of the University of Minnesota Extension)
A watershed moment
What is a watershed? What is our local watershed called? Where does it begin and end?  What is the largest watershed in the U.S.? According to board chair of the League of …
Larry LaVercombe is a writer, filmmaker, and activist, born in Detroit and arrived in Minneapolis in 1975. He lived in a treehouse in San Diego before getting an MFA from the USC Film School. He writes most days, and as Team Larry he has been selling residential real estate in Minneapolis for 26 years.
How real estate agent commissions will now affect us
You’ve heard, I’m sure, about the court ruling and the decision by the National Association of Realtors: Buyer’s agents will no longer receive a “standardized” 2.7% …
Jill Carmody is a senior manager at the Habitat for Humanity’s Minneapolis ReStore. They are both a drop-off site for leftover paint products, and a retailer for the Amazon brand of recycled paint. Carmody said, “PaintCare has made it easy for people to recycle their left-over paint, which is the right thing to do for the environment.”
Recycle your left-over paint with PaintCare
Did you know there’s an option for recycling leftover paint in Minnesota? That’s right, recycling, not just disposing of leftover paint. Since 2014, the non-profit PaintCare has been …
Patricia Neal works with children to tend their neighborhood sponsored garden.
Local model for an urban CSA
“Four years ago, I realized we needed a model for an urban CSA,” says Craig Neal, founder and chief gardener of the Neighborhood Sponsored Garden (NSG) located in a backyard on Beard Ave. …

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Living 50+
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has kicked off a new program, Cycling Without Age, aimed at helping older adults with mobility issues enjoy time and connect with others in …
Knute Nelson and Walker Methodist, two esteemed leaders in the aging services field, have successfully merged, marking a transformative step forward in their shared commitment to enhancing the lives …
In an exciting development for the local television landscape, “Inside Senior Living,” a groundbreaking docu-series, has announced its partnership with PBS North. The series, set to …

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AWARD WINNING NEWSPAPER

20 AWARDS FOR TMC PUBLICATIONS IN 2023

TMC Publication's three newspapers earned a total of 20 awards at this year's Better Newspaper Contest. Congrats to the winners! NEWS1) First Place, Sports Story - Eric Erickson, “Unforgettable …
Voices Against Violence
Dr. Catherine Barrett
‘Oppressive’ experience:’ 57 hearings, 80 court orders, 12 parenting time schedules
What do you do when 11 judges and referees, 20 therapists, 12 mediators, two parenting consultants (with 37 directives), one custody evaluator, and one guardian ad litem haven’t been able to …
Police officer Paul Elmstrand, officer Matthew Ruge and firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth
Violence Free Minnesota issues statement on Burnsville Police and EMT domestic violence homicides
Violence Free Minnesota issued the following statement on Tuesday, Feb. 20 to call attention to the full circumstances around Shannon Cortez Gooden's murder of two police officers and an EMT in …
Christmas Eve luminary supports Domestic Abuse Project
For 25 years, the warm glow of hundreds of luminaries have lit Dupont/King’s Highway on Christmas Eve. The annual event not only brings neighbors together, but it has raised over $50,000 for …
Dani's daughter sent her teddy bear with her mom on Oct. 2, 2023. “I couldn’t stop thinking about how my daughter would take the news that her mom wasn’t coming home for a month,” said Dani.
Domestic abuse victim jailed
During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a Minnesota judge ordered a victim to jail for not forcing her daughter to see her father. Dani* was ordered to serve 30 days in jail on Oct. 2, 2023 or …
Thi Synavone works as the executive director at Standpoint. (Photo submitted)
FROM THEIR STANDPOINT
Thi Synavone came to the U.S. in 1979 as a Laotian refugee. After living in many states, her family settled in Minnesota in 1988. Synavone said that growing up, domestic and sexual violence was never …

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Neighborhood organizations
Neighborhood news - Sep 2024
20th ANNUAL AUTUMN BREW REVIEW Minnesota’s longest-running craft beer festival, Autumn Brew Review, will take place this year on Oct.12, 2024, from 1:30 to 5 p.m. This premier craft brew …
Neighborhood News - Aug 2024
LAKE CLEAN-UP East Bde Maka Skat thanks the neighbors who helped out at the July Bde Maka Ska Cleanup. The next one will be Saturday, Aug. 24 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet on the lake footpath off …
Elise Moore (left) and Valerie Blomberg met at Disco Death Records recently to talk about vision and planning for the upcoming year. (Photo submitted)
Lowry Hills East
NEW BOARD MEMBERS The Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association (LHENA) is excited to announce the election of its new Board of Directors and Executive Committee. The updated list of board members and …
Neighborhood News - July 2024
BIKE TRAILS OPEN The reconstructed South Cedar Lake and Minnesota River Bluffs trails are now open for public use from the Midtown Greenway in Minneapolis to Shady Oak Road in Minnetonka. The …
Neighborhood news - June 2024
E-waste Collection Event JUNE 29 What do old cell phones, aging computers, and obsolete chargers have in common? They are all part of the e-waste problem in the U.S. According to a 2023 study, …

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Opinion
Michele Rae, RPh, MA, NBC-HWC is the founder of The Center Within, LLC and author of “Living From the Center Within: Co-Creating Who You Are Becoming.” She provides holistic coaching designed to accelerate and support personal, professional, and organizational transformation.
Wellness and spirituality
Recently I have been invited to become a course director for the Integrative and Functional Medicine fellowship at the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute. The topic for my course for the …
Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice steering committee.
On becoming an octogenarian
UPDATE REGARDING DEWAYNE TOWNSEND AND MARCEA MARIANNI'S NEW REALITY Text message from Marcea July 3. DeWayne passed away around 10 p.m. July 2. An important voice and significant presence is no more …
Anna Bonavita is a former physicist with a passion for culture, cuisine and environment. Born in a small village in Bulgaria but swept up in the waves of globalization, she claims several countries as the source of her cultural identity. Her travel nonprofit, Esperienza, provides small-scale, immersive experiences. She is also the founder of the Italian Cultural Center of Minneapolis/St. Paul, the Italian Film Festival, and The Communal Table.
Italian travel: Think differently
This time of the year many of us begin to dream of traveling to distant places. As Baby Boomers, we often possess both time and money to allow us to make yet another memorable trip to (where …
Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice steering committee.
Reconnecting, streaming, thinking in pictures
RECONNECTING WITH STORIES AND JOURNEYS From time to time I need to remind myself what I am tasked to do  when it comes to writing Stories and Journeys. I am tasked to write what I’m …
Authors at the 2023 Twin Cities Book Festival in St. Paul.
You’re invited to (support) the Twin Cities Book Festival
The Twin Cities Book Festival is Minnesota's largest gathering of readers and one of the region's premier art events. It also might be the best-kept secret in the country . Presented annually by …

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HENNEPIN AVENUE
Amazing Thailand has struggled without street parking for customers in front of their building at 3024 Hennepin Ave. S., especially as they’ve shifted business to takeout, says general manager Korawan (Yin) Muangmode, second from left, shown with her brother and family, owners Dee and Kulsatreet Noree with Yindee and Sandee (age 4), and head chef Khamsouk Pathilath (left). (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
Hennepin Ave design: Helpful or hurtful?
If the proposed reconstruction plan for Hennepin Ave. passes, Kristin Traynor says The Corner Balloon Shoppe will be moving from 2455 Hennepin Ave. “I have an extremely diverse group of …
Hennepin for People has drawn people together at various events to inform and educate on the project. (Photo submitted)
Hennepin for People supports city’s proposed plan for Hennepin Ave. South
As woman of color, Wedge resident Chandra Lalla says she knows how “our streets don’t serve everyone well.“For generations, city streets were built solely with car travel in mind, …
Corner of Lagoon and Hennepin, looking south, in 1938. (Minnesota Historical Society)
True progress on Hennepin requires a business plan
Small businesses are the lifeblood of any community. They provide distinctive character to a neighborhood and are the engine that drives a local economy. Without local businesses, there is no local …
COMPETITION FOR SPACE ALONG S. HENNEPIN
By Tesha M. Christensen In a one-way presentation on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022, city staff acknowledged that there are competing desires for E. Hennepin Ave., and they can’t all be addressed …
BUSINESSES SUBMIT LETTER TO CITY
In all, 115 Uptown businesses collectively asked the city to conduct “a more thorough analysis, update studies and ultimately begin to incorporate the views, suggestions, and proposals of the Hennepin Avenue business community into a new plan for Hennepin Avenue that is truly inclusive for all.”
George Floyd Memorial Square
Rise and Remember 2024 (Photo by Jill Boogren)

RISE AND REMEMBER 2024

On May 25, Singer Kashimana and Brass Solidarity led a joyful procession from the solidarity fist at 38th St. and Chicago Ave. to the Say Their Names cemetery, where 400 candles were placed around …

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