Photo left by Jeffrey Farnam A hint of spring at Lucia’s

Crime .............................................................. 5

Hooping ........................................................... 8

ECCO Report ............................................ 11

South Asian Dining .................................12

CARAG Report .........................................13

By Colette Davidson

This is the second in a two-part series where we take a look at the No Child Left Behind Act in the Minneapolis Public Schools.

When President Bush’s No Child Left Behind education law was passed in 2002, edu-cators around the U.S. caused a ruckus, unhappy with the changes and unmotivated to work with the new system. For Lyndale Elementary School Principal Ossie James, NCLB is all she knows.

“When I started, [NCLB] was evolving. The philosophical discussions were happening,” says James, who began working as the school’s principal in 2000 after a long career as a Speech Pathologist, “no one thought it would come to fruition, but the political landscape was rational for it coming.”

Now, James gets weekly inter-net updates on curriculum and the continually changing education system. Despite feel-ing relatively new to the job, James has an innate confidence and know-how in her position. Still, she says, “it’s been chal-lenging. I’m not sure I knew what I expected. The role of the principal has changed–it’s ever-evolving–it’s a dynamic type of position and there are a myriad of facets to this job.”

One of the challenges for James is to keep students and teach-ers happy while abiding by the laws set by the U.S. Depart-

ment of Education. As NCLB comes up for renewal by Con-gress this year, small, indepen-dent commissions have been given the job of analyzing the existing law and looking for ways to improve it, now list-ing over 75 suggestions for amendment. New evaluations are being made as to whether teacher and administrative per-formance can be directly linked to student progress, thus thrust-ing ineffective educators out of high-poverty school systems. The standards may also be set higher for math and reading test scores, and science may become a required component of testing.

Another possible change is tracking each individual child’s progress from year to year instead of looking at each grade level. James, who still believes that the old tests were only able to identify general trends and not specifics about a child’s level, is in favor of this new aspect of the law. “It’s unfair. Every year, you look at a new set of students. We are penal-ized for kids who aren’t even here anymore,” James says.

What is good about the test-ing, regardless of how it is tracked, is its ability to rate a child’s performance on a given day in order to have something to report to parents. “I wish it were a different kind of infor-mation, though,” says James. The tests are not completely in vain however, she says, because

Covering the Neighborhoods of CARAG and ECCO in the Uptown Area March 2007 • Volume 3, Number 3

inside

By Jacqueline Varriano

Thousands of people drive down Lyndale every day past a building so loud it almost becomes non-descript. The outside, covered in beautiful street art courtesy of the annual B-Girl Be festival, both draws and deflects attention. This building is Intermedia Arts, a multidisciplinary arts center that houses artist mentorship programs, a 117-seat theater, an art gallery, a poetry library and a digital art lab. Plus, it is home to the 2007 Minneapolis 55408 show.

In its 11th year, the multi-media, multi-artist show exhibits work by any artist who meets the fol-lowing criteria: they must be either a resident of 55408, work in the zip code or be a donor, employee or board member of Intermedia Arts.

The 2007 exhibition kicked off on January 25 and is open to the public through March 17. This year, according to Artistic Director, Theresa Sweetland, 47 artists are displaying their work both at Intermedia Arts and Calhoun Square. Over the years, the number has ranged from 40 to as many as 90, vary-

ing from professional artists to first time public exhibitors.

Locally lauded portrait artist, Ben Olson, has been a resident of 55408 for about five years and has been participating in the exhibit since he moved here. You may recognize his beautiful, somewhat haunting paintings of his wife, Emma and himself in a variety of publications and locations, including the cover of American Painter, a solo show at Rogue Buddha Gallery, as well as

Let the powers of 55408 Unite!Intermedia Arts showcases huge talent in small spaces

Photo by Jeffrey Farnam55408: A celebration of the most creative zip code in Minneapolis.

55408 Exhibit continued on page 9

Lyndale Principal’s Goals Exceed the Letter of Education Law

Photo by Barclay HornerLyndale Principal, Ossie James works hard to ensure that her students succeed and take pride in themselves.

CARAG’s Chilly Chili FestMikey and his dad show off the T-shirt he won at CARAG’s Chilly Chili FestWeekend snow didn’t stop about 160 neighbors from trekking to Bryant Square Park for Chilly Chili Fest on February 25th. They enjoyed delicious bowls of hot chili and won raffle prizes donated by area businesses. The event raised $550 for Joyce Food Shelf (1222 West 31st Street). This event is organized by the CARAG Livability Commit-tee and staffed by hard-work-ing volunteers who made the whole day look effortless! Photo by Jill Bode NO ChiLd LEft bEhiNd

continued on page 3

� • UPtOwn nEiGHBORHOOD nEwS mARCH 2007

ruminations

News, Tips & LeTTeRs To The ediToR uptownnews@yahoo.com UNN, 711 West Lake St. #303 Minneapolis, MN 55408 (612) 259-1372

seNioR ediToR Scott Schiefelbein

AssoCiATe ediToR Colette Davidson

AdveRTisiNG Susan Hagler (612) 825-7780 susanhagler@earthlink.net

MANAGiNG BoARd Appointed/Elected Reps: Kay Nygaard-Graham, Chair (CARAG) 825-3637 Gary Farland, Vice-chair (ECCO) 824-6744 Anna Matthes, Treasurer (CARAG) Carrie Menard (ECCO) Jill Bode (CARAG) Ralph Knox, Secretary (ECCO) Volunteer Members: David Peterson Mary Ann Knox

CALeNdAR ediToR Wendy Auldrich

CoNTRiBUTiNG phoToGRApheRs Jill Bode, Jeffrey Farnam, Wendy Hinz, Barclay Horner, Naomi Oshiro, David Peterson

CoNTRiBUTiNG wRiTeRs Kay Anderson, Gary Farland, Sue Lundquist, Kay Nygaard-Graham, Aaron Rubenstein, Mike Rylander, Jacqueline Varriano

GRAphiC desiGN & pRodUCTioN Kelly Newcomer 824-1092

NewspApeR CiRCULATioN CARAG/ECCO Circulation: Bill Boudreau 825-0979

MiNNeApoLis CiTy CoUNCiL Tenth Ward Ralph Remington, 673-2210 ralph.remington@ci.minneapolis.mn.us

CRiMe pReveNTioN speCiALisT Tom Thompson, 5th Precinct SAFE Unit, Sector 2, 3101 Nicollet Ave Minneapolis MN 55408 Serving the neighborhoods of; CARAG, East Harriet, ECCO, Kingfield, Linden Hills, Lyndale, West Calhoun

5Th pReCiNCT CoMMUNiTy ATToRNey Lisa Godon 673-2005

Uptown Neighborhood News reserves the right to refuse publication of articles or advertisements as it sees fit. But we will see fit to publish most things, don’t worry. Copyright © 2006 Uptown Neighborhood News.

Uptown neighborhood news

Uptown Neighborhood News is a monthly publication of Calhoun Area Residents Action Group (CARAG) in cooperation with the East Calhoun Community Organization (ECCO). UNN covers the news of and is delivered free to households within the area bounded by Lyn-dale Ave. S. and Lake Calhoun, between Lake Street and 36th St. W. Extra copies are distrib-uted to businesses in the Uptown area, along Lake Street, and Lyndale and Hennepin Aves. Circulation is 5,100, with a pass-along readership of 10,000. Publication and distribution is near the first weekend of every month. Subscriptions are available for $30 per year, prepaid. Send check to: UNN, 711 W. Lake St., Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55408.

Contributors are area residents who volunteer their time to bring the news of the area to resi-dents. Articles, letters to the editor and story ideas are welcomed and encouraged. The editor reserves the right to edit for length, clarity, relevance to the area, or other reasons. Editorial and advertising guidelines are available. Please contact the editor:

deAdLiNefor submissions to the March issue of

Uptown Neighborhood News is wedNesdAy, MARCh 21.

By Mike Rylander

There is a disturbing trend on the city buses of Minneapo-lis that I feel must be brought to the public’s attention, if it has not been already. In fact, maybe when you read this arti-cle, you will be instantly com-pelled to jump right off your cushy coffee shop couch and, with a brazen attitude of vindi-cation, triumphantly proclaim to your fellow caffeine addicts, “Yes! I am not the only one who notices! I am not the only one irritated!” Or, maybe you

won’t. Maybe, you will instead feel your head begin to slowly droop in shame as you realize, “Wow...he’s talking about me...I’m the one who annoys him...I’m the one who makes this guy’s life slightly less enjoy-able...”

Or, maybe you will just scoff in utter disgust at the actual concept of “riding a city bus.” (“Eww! Buses are icky and they’re filled with poor people who smell like they don’t have a home!”). Well, if this is the case, then I suggest you dis-

continue reading this article and just go about your busi-ness as per norm (living in an “Uptown Condo,” shopping at the Banana Republic & hang-ing out with your Sigma Upsi-lon buddies at Williams Peanut Bar on Thursday nights). Or, maybe you’ll just say, “Uh, duh, dude...this is why we have city buses.” Whatever the case, the trend I speak of is–of course–”City Bus Performance Art.”

Let me explain. Have you ever found yourself seated on a moving bus–pen in hand, New York Times crossword in lap–attempting to conjure up a seven letter word that begins with ‘J’ and means “vividly refreshing,” when all of a sudden you and your concentration hear the rhyth-mic verbal entrance of a new commuter? “Cuz’ my game be tight! My phatty grillz gots some bite! The honies be all up on me like dynamite!”–Do you see where I am going with this?–”Times for me to get paid! Times for me to get laid! Gonna buy me a ballin’ crib and hires me a maid!” That’s

right, my friends–nothing, and I mean nothing, sets the stage for some hip-hop freestylin’ like the number 4 route to New Brighton.

But does it? Now, be sure that you don’t misinterpret what I am saying. I do most defi-nitely feel that hip-hop is an art form and a style of music that deserves respect. Like many others, I appreciate a good beat and thought-compelling street poetry. All I am suggesting is that there is a time and a place for it. In the studio: yes. Mess-ing around with friends: yes. Performing at the 7th St. Entry: most definitely. Sitting next to me on the 6E Southbound trav-eling into the city of Edina: no. Never. Not ever is this a proper forum for flowin’ flava.

All I want to know is, why? Why, why, why are there so many “bad rappers” who feel the urge to release their “art” into the world on a city bus in Minneapolis? What is the moti-vation? Do you really think that the sixty-four other people on the bus are going to erupt

in spontaneous applause after you spit some lines about “how whack your parole officer is?” Do you really think that this is how you are going to be “dis-covered?” Is this how Kanye West got his start? Or Fitty-Cent? Or even the immortal Chuck D? I doubt it. I serious-ly doubt it.

Without any formal research on the subject, I am willing to state that not one famous hip-hop artist was discovered by a record mogul while “spitting flow” on a Minneapolis City Bus. Not a single one. If there is one, tell me, and I will detract all I have said. Until then, can’t we all just commute in peace?

Mike Rylander is a CARAG resident and an actor, writer,

improviser, bartender, dude next to you at the bar. You

may also know him has “The Timberwolves Announcer Guy.”

Mike has a website too – www.mikerylander.com.

You be Killin’ my flow, Yo!The Metro Transit System: Public Commuter Network or Hip-Hop Record Label?

Photo by wendy Hinz

voLUNTeeR wRiTeRs!

Are you yearning to be heard? Do you Love Uptown? The UNN is looking for writers who want to write about books, crime, politics, art. We are also looking for submissions for our Rumi-nations section – do you have reflections on living in this area? We want to hear from you! Call 612.259.1372 or email uptownnews@yahoo.com.

mARCH 2007 UPtOwn nEiGHBORHOOD nEwS • �

they are teaching children test-taking skills, which will be necessary to get through high school. “[The tests] teach chil-dren how to respond in a coher-ent and cogent manner,” says James.

A big problem with the tests is how they address English Lan-guage Learners (ELL). Fifty-four percent of the students at Lyndale School, all of whom are fully integrated in regular classes, fall into this category. All children, regardless of how long they have been in the U.S., are required to take the same test as native English speakers. The only modifications are with the math tests, where teachers are allowed to read the question aloud if a child doesn’t understand. “If a kid has been here one year, they have to pass it,” says James, becoming rattled, “I couldn’t go to Somalia with a college degree and pass a test.” Besides infre-quently reading questions for ELL students, teachers and even Principal James herself are not authorized to look at the tests before or while they are given. “We are like the building proxy,” James says.

With the testing comes the reporting and, like Principal Ray Aponte at Jefferson School, James is often frustrated by the current scoring of students. “If you start at 1426 [for your final school score] and next year, you get 1424, you are penalized for those two points, for a dif-ferent group of students” says James. While some schools may consistently be achieving their desired scores, James isn’t so sure about the majority. “From a statistician’s viewpoint,” she says, “that means everyone isn’t

hitting that number.” When the results come in, James often has to deal with the burden of seek-ing new resources to improve the scores for the following year. Money is often sparse, and with Bush’s proposed education bud-get cuts of over $2 billion dollars this year, being resourceful is a difficult task. “Sometimes, that can be stressful….you have to budget creatively,” she says.

Speaking of creativity, there is an abundance of it at Lyn-dale School. Besides stressing a peaceful and loving environ-ment, the school incorporates arts education into its cur-riculum and sequence of study, which they call, “Core Knowl-edge.” Alongside the usual Art and Music classes, Lyndale ben-efits from the resources within the neighboring community. One example is the Children’s Theater Company, who comes in and works with the third graders on a regular basis, read-ing Greek and Roman mythol-ogy culminating in projects and performances. Whether the second graders are doing an assembly on immigration or the first graders are tap dancing to multiplication, Lyndale School

teachers try to make learning fun. “I depend on the creativ-ity and professionalism of the teachers,” says James, “they’re not spending the whole day on reading and math.”

While James realizes that fol-lowing the rules of standardized tests and NCLB procedures are important, she is just as deter-mined to teach her students life skills that they can carry with them well beyond their fifth grade education at Lyndale. With eighty-nine percent of stu-dents on free or reduced lunch, teaching confidence, diversity appreciation and mutual respect are very important to Principal Ossie James. No U.S. mandated education law can change her ultimate goals for her students.

“I want every one of these stu-dents to be the best possible citi-zens they can be,” says James, “I want them to be responsible, resourceful and humane. I want them to love themselves and love the universe. I want them to know that they matter.”

Colette Davidson is Associate Editor of the Uptown Neighborhood News.

No Child Left Behind Law Anticipates Renewal

Tired of feeling like this???

First National Bank of the Lakeswill get to know your NAME.

Call us to start the process.

612.822.8395

Uptown Office3100 Hennepin Ave. S.Minneapolis, MN 55403

HELLOm y n a m e i s

31-4683213

Hardwood FloorService

Call Now for up to 20% off Floor Refinishing Offer valid through March 31, 2007

We are a complete hardwood floor service with over 12 years of experience and satisfied customers in your

area. Specializing in:

* Refinishing and Recoating * Installation of all wood and laminate * Patching and Custom Borders * Insurance claims and design work

For your free estimate or more information

Call Tim Meyer:612-534-3479 Voice Mail or, 612-382-5749 Cell

* Refinishing and Recoating * Installation of all wood and laminate* Patching and Custom Borders * Insurance claims and design work

NO ChiLd LEft bEhiNd continued from page 1

Photo by Barclay HornerStudents prepare for the many tests they must take under bush’s education law.

By Aaron Rubenstein

Calhoun Pet Supply opened February 10 at 901 West 36th Street, on the southwest corner of 36th and Bryant. It is owned by the husband/wife team of Fuliang “Joe” Zhou and Qing (pronounced “Ching”) Liu. They have owned Kyle’s Market at the northeast cor-ner of the same intersection since 1995. In September 2005, they bought the inventory and equipment from Sam’s Food Mart after it closed; Sam’s was located where the pet supply store is now located.

Calhoun Pet Supply sells pet food, supplies, and toys for cats, dogs, and small animals such as fish, hamsters, birds, guinea pigs and rabbits. It will carry basic fishing supplies starting in April. Zhou said that seventy percent of the product line is premium and thirty percent is regular. Store hours are 10 to 7 on weekdays, 10 to 6 on Satur-day, and 10 to 4 on Sunday. The store will handle special orders, and offers delivery for larger orders and to the Walker Meth-odist residences. The store’s phone number is 612.824.1094.

Some of the brands sold are Solid Gold, Science Diet, Cani-dae, Eukanuba, Precise, Dia-mond, Felidae, Iams, and Nutro. The store has one full-time and one part-time employee; Zhou works there as needed. Zhou said the new business has “had a very good, positive response from the neighborhood.”

Responding to the question of how he came to choose this type of business, Zhou said he “wanted a business to serve the neighborhood.” He and his wife considered opening a gift/card shop and dry cleaning sta-tion. They did an informal sur-vey of Kyle’s customers, Zhou said, “asking them what they want and feedback on ideas.” The first choice, he said, was a combination of take out Chi-nese food and pizza. But the building owner didn’t want a restaurant and there would be a parking issue, he said. Plus, “there are a lot of pets in the area,” he noted.

Zhou lives in Eden Prairie and has two children. The fam-ily used to have a dog and two cats. Now, they are too busy and without pets, he said. Man-darin Chinese is Zhou and Liu’s native language; at home they speak both English and Mandarin–sometimes mixed together.

Zhou and Liu grew up in China–Liu in the city of Hang-zhou, and Zhou in the country-side 120 miles from Hangzhou. Zhou studied English at Hang-zhou University and met his future wife later when working for a travel business. He came to the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul in 1989, right after the Tiananmen Square pro-tests and massacre. His sponsor was a Minneapolis travel agent. Zhou earned a Masters of Inter-national Management degree.

Zhou said his immigration to the U. S. was related to the Tiananmen Square incident. “Many people, like me, thought it was time to leave the coun-try,” he said, “because of the use of force and no future for young people.” He was 32 or 33 years old at the time.

Liu came to the Twin Cit-ies one year after her husband did. She had studied account-ing and worked in small retail in China. She and Zhou were looking to buy a small business in 1995 and came across Kyle’s Market.

Last August, the couple bought a café, Café Max, in the South-dale Office Center at 6700 France Avenue South from a friend. Their son Michael, 21, manages it. It is open for break-fast and lunch on weekdays, primarily for office building tenants.

Aaron Rubenstein is the Zoning Committee Chair.

Calhoun Pet Supply Opens

� • UPtOwn nEiGHBORHOOD nEwS mARCH 2007

CALhOuN SquARE PROJECt AESthEtiCALLY diSAPPOiNtiNG ANd Out Of PLACE

I recently read Aaron Ruben-stein’s article regarding the redevelopment of Calhoun Square. I live at 31st and Hen-nepin and can appreciate the neighborhood concern for this project; and the view from my third floor window.

On Saturday, I took a trip through the mall and reviewed the plans for the upcoming ren-ovation. I was strikingly disap-pointed with the aesthetics of the proposal. Aaron echoed this in his statement “the second rate design [of the project].” At first glance of the plans, one might assume that they were viewing a mock-urban-outdoor-mini-mall-aparments-available-monobeast on the fringes of Eden Prairie Center.

Any resident of Uptown might agree that if they supported a renovation, they would do so on account that the remodel would better reflect the community in which we live and play. Were I to own a 3 bedroom pop-up in Eagan, I might not raise my voice...maybe I would even rejoice and say, “That’s nice, maybe they’ll put in a decent restaurant.”

Regardless, I wouldn’t normal-ly write an email to a newspa-per, but if we’re gambling on an “anchor” for the neighbor-hood, let’s make sure its one that keeps us in the same place.

Phil Birnum, ECCO

…WOuLd SMELL AS SWEEt

I am responding to the let-ter from Kyle O’Hara titled, “A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME.”

First of all, I am befuddled that Mr. O’Hara was “crushed” that an establishment that NEVER saw his patronage was forced to close. It’s a good thing he was able to “move on,” but I fear it wasn’t as easy for the owners of Antoine’s. And trying to misogynistically blame Hurricane Katrina? Get real! If he would stop passing the buck and actually frequent these small businesses, then just maybe they’d have a chance.

Mr. O’Hara touts himself as a “smart guy,” but culture isn’t something you merely get from your morning yogurt. Mysore happens to be the name of a beautiful city in southern India.

I wonder if the good folks that live in:

Big Beaver, Pennsylvania Mianus, Connecticut Ballstown, Indiana Big Lick, North Carolina Climax and Knockemstiff, OhioButts, Virginia (or for you kinky ones out there) Humptulips, Washington etc. etc. etc. go to bed every night fixated on the subtextual sexual implications of their hometown names? Hmmm, somehow I doubt it.

It would do Mr. O’Hara a world of good to pick up an atlas, or maybe (God forbid!), travel outside Uptown so that he can once and for all be rid of his case of tertiary syphilis.

Lorna RockeyCARAG

lettersThe City of Minneapolis has taken a stand on the war in Iraq. Friday, February 26, the Council

passed the Urging the Cessation of War and Combat Operations in Iraq and the Return of American Troops resolution. This resolution, authored by Council Member Ralph Remington, publicly honors the sacrifices made by deployed soldiers and their families. The following points are also highlighted:

• More than 3,000 American soldiers and an estimated 600,000 Iraqis have died.

• An additional 22,000 Ameri-cans have been physically wounded and disabled.

• $378 billion dollars has already been spent, when the Con-gressional Budget Office orig-inally estimated the total cost of the conflict to be between $21 and $33 billion.

• $569 million has been spent by Minneapolis citizens. This money could have funded 47,000 openings in Head Start programs, a year of health insurance for 322,000 children, or more than 26,000 four-year scholarships to public universities.

• This war has caused a strain on the capacity of Minneap-olis’s police and fire depart-ments, as well as the Armed Forces and National Guard.

• Hundreds of other city and union resolutions against the war in Iraq have been passed throughout the United States.

• Elected officials have a duty to act in the best interest of citizens.

Friday’s resolution urges “an orderly, rapid and compre-hensive withdrawal of United States military personnel from Iraq.” Additionally, it calls for compensation and care for returning veterans, non-mili-tary aid to Iraq in order to pro-vide for safety and rebuilding, a plan to continue transitioning security responsibility to the Iraq government, and pursuit of security and stability in Iraq through diplomacy.

As the 274th city within the United States to pass such a res-olution, Minneapolis is under no illusion as to what effect it will have on the current nation-al administration. However, as Council Member Remington told Star Tribune columnist Doug Grow, “I don’t want our silence to be seen as an implicit acceptance of the war.”

Eight other Minneapolis City Council members co-authored and voted alongside Reming-ton at the last City Council Meeting.

To see the entire resolution visit: www.citiesforprogress.org

City Council Member’s Report: Cessation of War Resolution Passes

By Kay Anderson

Al had a heart attack on Fri-day Morning, Jan 26 at 1 a.m. Do not know where that came from. He is very fit and had no symptoms. He is a golfer, skier, kayaker, windsurfer, biker, hiker, home handy man, etc. We use a baby monitor in our house like a burglar alarm. Picks up many sounds in the house.

Al was the WOW factor at the hospital. I happened to hear him gasp on the first floor on my baby monitor. I was on the third floor. I ran down and started CPR and mouth to mouth. When I got a response...

I called 911 and went back to him until they came. The para-medics were dynamite. I give 99.9 percent of the credit to the paramedics. They took over after arriving only 3 minutes from the call. All the timing was perfect. They rushed him to HCMC. I do not know why I remembered CPR...but it came back. However, I could not have succeeded alone. As a teacher, I was required to take the course a few times. I am now going to take a refresher course.

HCMC is fabulous. He was taken care of immediately and they, in addition to the para-medics, obviously saved his life.

He was in an induced coma and a cooling process called Hypo-thermia Protocol. After 24 hours of cooling, it is a slow warm-ing process to come out of the therapy. So, our three daughters and I spent three days speak-ing to him as he lay in a cool then warming coma. He finally returned to us and started ask-ing regular questions.

He made an informed decision to have heart bypass surgery on Monday, February 5. We will have quite a story to tell...it is a journey. He is home and doing very well. Take Care! We all know life is short.

Al had his harmonica with him in the hospital between hypo-thermia and surgery. He enter-tained the nurses (so they say) and it was a substitute for the silly blowing device they gave him to get his breathing strong for the surgery.

His sense of humor is back. I will have some funny stories to tell. Plus....nothing but superlatives for all of the professionals involved in his recovery to health and fitness. He will be back doing his sports in a few months.

HCMC had a paramedic edu-cation class and used Al as the case study. The paramedics used

CPR, breathing tube, shock paddles, IV, and a new device like a toilet plunger. They were thrilled with their success and came up to tell him so. They said some fellow out east used a toilet plunger and saved his father’s life. They showed him the big hickey on his chest from the plunger and said it was a whopper. Uptown is a wonder-ful place to have a heart attack...if you have to have one.

Our life motto: “IT IS OKAY TO LOOK BACK, JUST DON’T STARE.”

Kay and Al Anderson live in ECCO.

Musings on Al’s Adventure

Letters to the Editor Policy:Write to us, provided you write fewer than 250 words! Your letter may be edited and we don't know if it will be published, but we will certainly try to do so. We need to know your name, address, phone number and neighborhood.

Opinions Policy:Please submit your opinion pieces to the edi-tor. We encourage thoughtful essays about anything that’s going on in the neighbor-hoods. On occasion, we will solicit contrast-ing views on one subject and run multiple opinions. We reserve the right to edit for space or clarity, taste and legal concerns.

Upcoming events with Ralph Remington:Come meet Ralph and discuss issues that affect YOUR life.

open office hours

Join Ralph at Gigi’s Café (36th & bryant) on Mon-days from 2-4 p.m. for open office hours. Call the office to reserve your 15 time-slot or feel free to just stop by.

Breakfast with Ralph

March’s Breakfast with Ralph will feature local developers talking about what they see as their role in the community. Come to the Egg & i from 8-9 a.m. (26th & Lyndale) on March 19 to hear from and ask questions of Arnie Gregory (Greco) and Curt Gunsbury (Hotel Uptown).

mARCH 2007 UPtOwn nEiGHBORHOOD nEwS • �

eNFoRCe CURFewHennepin County Ordinance #16 establishes curfew hours for juveniles. Enforcing curfew and truancy is important for keeping our kids off the streets, where they are not supposed to be at certain hours, and in school where they should be. Youth are the #1 victims of crime. Please call 911 if you see violators.

for those under 12 years old:Weekdays: home by 9 p.m.Friday-Saturday: home by 10 p.m.

for those ages 12-14:Weekdays: home by 10 p.m.Friday-Saturday: home by 11 p.m.

for those ages 15-17:Weekdays: home by 11 p.m.Friday-Saturday: by midnight.

Hennepin County Ordinance #16 requires businesses to abide by curfew ordinances & to report violations.

ReNTAL pRopeRTyThe Minneapolis Police Depart-ment will be holding a Rental Property Owners Workshop (RPOW) on Saturday, March 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church (3450 Irving Avenue South). Discussions will form around the topics of tenant behavior issues, working with Housing Inspections and the Minneapo-

lis Police Department, and the ABC’s of property manage-ment. The registration deadline is March 16 and the fee is $20, which includes lunch, a DVD on Housing Court and all print-ed materials from the seminar. Look for registration forms at http : //www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/safe/workshops.asp.

CRiMe dowNSo far, our year-to-date (1-1-07 to 2-5-07) Violent Crime per-centages in the 5th Precinct are down 35.65 percent. Citywide, violent crime is down 20.03 percent, so we are way ahead of the citywide average.

These figures include Rape where we are down 86.67 per-cent (most of the coded rapes in our area are victim/suspect known acquaintance). Rob-bery is down 40.63 percent and Aggravated Assault is down 2.86

percent. Citywide, rape is down 55.36 percent, Robbery is down 28.66 percent and Aggravated Assault is down 1.69 percent.

In property crimes, the 5th Pre-cinct is down as well. Burglary is down 18.85 percent, Larceny is down 20.82 percent and Auto Theft is down 32.47 percent.

Let’s work together to keep this trend going. We can continue to reduce crime. Remember to keep calling 911 with suspi-cious person or vehicle situa-tions. Remove valuables such as cell phones, laptops and iPods from your vehicles. Do not get disappointed by response times. Continue to make the calls. Often times, officers are just a block away.

Tom Thompson Crime Prevention Specialist

5th Precinct

Flat Fees Are In. Commissions Are Out. Check out our new Homefree program, the no-fee way to sell your home. Call or email me for a brochure or visit www.homeavenue.comFirst-time home buyers my specialty.See ALL the listings at www.homeavenue.com

CARRIE BERGUM, Licensed Realtor®

651-334-7538 CELL612-824-2171 HOME OFFICEcarrie@homeavenue.com

HOME AVENUEtM A Better Way To Buy And Sell A Home

www.homeavenue.com

Tax PreparationJack D. Manders

Certified Public Accountant1900 Hennepin Avenue South

Minneapolis, MN 55403

Call Jack at 612-874-7884jackmanders@sihope.com

Skill / Quality / Service

Painting • Wood replacementStains & varnishes • textured Wall repair

Decorative/Faux Finishing

JaSON ScHiFFMaNMaster Painter

612-716-1251

Joyce United Methodist Church31st and Fremont • (612) 823-0537

www.JoyceChurch.org

Worship and Sunday School10:30 a.m.

Open Hearts Open Minds Open Doors

Everyone welcome regardless of age, race, nationality, creed, sexual orientation, income or ability

The Joyce Food ShelfThe Joyce PreschoolWorship Handicapped Accessible

A Reconciling Congregation

safety Notes from Tom

eCCo & CARAG Crime statistics from the 5th precinct

crime & safety

Crime Map GlossaryThis is not all encompassing, but a general guide to inter-preting what some of the crime map symbols mean.

LARCENYLarceny is Theft. This could be shoplifting, theft of a bicycle, theft of personal property where force against you is not used.

buRGLARYBurglary is entering a dwelling/residence/garage/business, etc. This has to be entry to a private location without permission. It does not matter whether it’s entry through an unlocked door/window or breaking the door down to gain entry.

RObbERYRobbery is a person-on-person confrontation with force/weapon or threat of force/weapon used. This could be someone demanding money with a gun/weapon/etc, someone hit-ting/kicking you to get money, or a purse being ripped off someone’s shoulder.

LYNDALE

LAKE STREET

31st STREET

32nd STREET

33rd STREET

34th STREET

CONARIS WAY

35th STREET

36th STREET

HENNEPIN

HOLMES

HUMBOLDT

IRVING

JAMES

KNOX

ALDRICH

BRYANT

COLFAX

DUPONT

EMERSON

FREMONT

GIRARD

CALHOUNPKWY

E.

January 1-31, 2007

Crimes ECCO CARAG

Homicide 0 0

Rape 0 0

Robbery 0 3

Agg Assault 0 2

Burglary 3 5

Larceny 6 23

Auto Theft 1 6

Arson 1 1

TOTAL: 11 46

March 2007 Schedule

Wednesday, March 7, 1 p.M. Meet @ Bryant Square ParkLeader: Christy Devens

Monday, March 12, 7:45 p.M. Meet @ Urban Bean (33rd & Bryant)• CARAG Crime & Safety Committee meets at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 20, 9 p.M. Meet @ Bryant Square Park • CARAG Neighborhood Meeting at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, March 28, 7 p.M. Meet @ Bryant Square Park

CARAG Stroll Patrol Vests are Stored at Bryant Square Park Rec CenterBryant Square Park Hours:Monday-Friday: 1 p.m.-9 p.m.Saturday: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.Sunday: Closed

Get involved! Come for a neigh-borhood walk with us!

Stroll Patrol

� • UPtOwn nEiGHBORHOOD nEwS mARCH 2007

By Kay Nygaard-Graham

“Remember Schlamps?” Mark Hildreth reminisced as we sat down to chat the other day. He explained that it all began in 1945 when Carroll Mohn opened his little fixit shop next door to the old Schlamps just north of Lagoon on Hennepin Avenue. Mr. Mohn could fix anything – radios, TVs, toast-ers, lamps, you name it – and by the mid 1960s, the little fixit shop had outgrown its humble digs. The “go-to” guy needed more space to accommodate his growing customer base, and he began to cast around for a new place to call home. “Remember the Padded Cell?” Mark asked as he handed me a framed photo of the old landmark. It brought back memories. The great Nancy Wilson, Shelly Mann, Terry Gibbs and Paul Desmond to name a few, had all performed here. I realized I was on hallowed ground. Back in the 1950s and 1960s, the place rocked. As fate would have it, the building was for sale and, in 1969, the old Padded Cell became the new (and current) home of Mohn Electric.

By 1977, Carroll Mohn was ready to retire and things

changed again. First, the new owner, Tom Davies hired 18 year old Mark Hildreth, fresh out of high school. It proved to be a smart decision. Mark was competent and reliable. Even old Carroll Mohn agreed that he was “good with customers,” although he kidded him about his long hair.

Over the years, the business gradually began to focus almost exclusively on lamp repair ser-vices and products. Eventually, in 1987, Tom invited his friends Jeffry and Faye Bies to open Shades on Lake in the space next door, thinking the two entrepreneurs would fit well together. That was 20 years ago. The same year that Mark, after ten years and at the ripe old age of 28, bought into the business and became an entrepreneur himself.

Fast forward to Y2000. That was the year Mary Norris had a prophetic dream, and start-ed her online business called chicchandeliers.com. Assem-bling her dazzling creations required frequent visits to Mohn Electric for one thing and then another. The rest is history. Over the years, she and Mark have become friends, so

when Shades on Lake decided to move their lampshade busi-ness out of Uptown last Novem-ber, it was inevitable that talk of some sort of collaboration would come up. Mary now has a new title: Director of Operations and Marketing. She’s quick to add, however, that Mark now has his own title too: Owner & Presi-dent of the new “expanding” Mohn Electric. Not bad for an 18 year old kid just out of high school! (Personally, I still like to think of him as the “go-to” guy).

These days, they’re busy get-ting ready for their month-long Grand Opening this March, and completing plans for their move into the vacated space next door. In addition to reproductions and one of a kind vintage piec-es, Mark plans to add exterior lighting fixtures and services as well as more energy efficient compact fluorescents and LEDs to his inventory. With Mary’s creativity and enthusiasm, it seems as if the circle is complete. And she’s good with customers. Carroll Mohn would approve.

Kay Nygaard-Graham is a CARAG resident and chairs the

Uptown Neighborhood News managing board.

Divine LiturgySunday 9:30 amFr. Paul Paris

(612) 825-9595www.stmarysgoc.org

Greek Orthodox ChurchST. MARY'S

3450 Irving Ave. South (overlooking Lake Calhoun)

Everyone is welcome to attend:

St. Mary's Christmas Choir Concert

Friday, December 8, 20067:30 p.m.

“A Traditional Christmas Concertfeaturing Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’”

We serve the highest quality food!Your satisfaction is our first priority!

Dinner Buffet: Friday and Saturday nights.HourS: Tuesday- Sunday, lunch Buffet: 11 am- 3 pm

Dinner Tuesday-Thursday 5-9:30 pm, Friday-Sunday 5-10 pm

take Out availaBle 612-871-11102819 Hennepin Avenue South (Across from the YWCA)

N O W O P E N

Photos by Barclay HornertOP: One skier was all smiles after crossing the finish line.bOttOM: Skiers warmed themselves by the fire on what was one of the coldest days of the year.

Arctic Air Arrives in time for Loppet

Not your Father’s Little Fixit shop: Mohn electric Lights Things Up

Photos by Kay nygaard-GrahamOwner, Mark hildreth and his new director of Operations and Marketing, Mary Norris posed with the rest of the Mohn gang. from left to right: tom, Mary, harold, Mark, toby and Wesley.

Photos by Kay nygaard-GrahamMary Norris, with her creation “Juliette,” a stunningly beautiful, entirely hand- beaded Venetian glass & crystal chandelier.

mARCH 2007 UPtOwn nEiGHBORHOOD nEwS • �

We are very excited to announce the spectacular GRAND OPENING sale event of our newly expanded

store! You’ll enjoy 20% OFF all our great designer-quality fabric shades, glittering chandeliers, beautiful table lamps, and fabulous bath sconces! Our custom-created fixtures and lighting accessories are on sale too!

Of course, we provide expert lamp repair, custom lamp building and our incredible selection of hard-to-find light bulbs, including decorative bulbs, energy-saving compact fluorescents, commercial, household, and specialty bulbs. We have it all!

We canbuild a lamp

from anything!bring in a

favoritekeepsake!

Got a Passion for Lighting? So do we!

MOHNElectric & Lighting

925 West Lake Street, Mpls., MN 55408OPEN 10:00 am – 5:30 pm Monday – Saturday

612-821-6463

Get a 4/Pack of Sylvania Soft White liGht BulBS

FREE With a $5.00 PurchaSe in our Store.

Serving Uptown Since 1945!

!

No exclusions. One coupon per customer per purchase please. Coupon must be presented to receive offer. Valid through March 31, 2007.MOHN Electric & Lighting, 925 West Lake Street, Mpls, 612-821-6463

20% OFF GRAND OPENING SALEA month-long celebration! March 1st – March 31st

FREEwith purchase

� • UPtOwn nEiGHBORHOOD nEwS mARCH 2007

By Colette Davidson

Remember the ole’ hula hoop? I think back to the eighties, when hot pink leg warmers and jelly bracelets were all the rage, and jump roping was a legitimate Phy Ed class in school. Ah, yes, hula hooping used to be such a fun way to pass the time with my friends in the backyard. Without a care in the world, we would spin our hips in circles until Mom called us in for pea-nut butter and jelly sandwiches and lemonade. Those were the days. Luckily, hula hooping isn’t just for kids anymore and you needn’t take an overdose of nostalgia to try it.

On my first day of “hooping” class with instructor Jessica Reiter, I am told that I will both “get it up” and “find the hole.” After a fairly uneventful winter, I figure my night is looking up. Dragging my filthy mind out of the gutter, I soon learn that these giggle-inducing terms are veritable hooping lessons to be learned. Unlike the hula hooping we used to do as kids, there are techniques and skills involved with the adult version, and an entire art form devot-ed to the practice of it. What started in California years ago is now finally becoming trendy in Minneapolis. Hooping classes are popping up all around the U.S. as well, in D.C., New York and Chicago, and there are doz-ens of Web sites specializing in this new fitness craze. Thus, the hooping phenomenon has been reborn.

My Jefferson Community Edu-cation hooping lesson begins with the basics. I, and five others decked out in our best workout gear, begin with simple stretch-ing to prepare for the workout we will get in our obliques, hips and stomach muscles. Length-ening our spines in a deep stretch, Jess makes several ref-erences to yoga (which she also teaches) and the need to focus on breathing and to free up our shoulder and back muscles. After we adequately loosen our spines, we are ready to hoop.

Everyone grabs their hoops and we are off and spinning. The hoops are bigger than the ones we used as kids because, well, most of us are bigger than we were in the third grade. These adult hoops are made personally by Jess, who learned the tech-nique from a website after get-ting hooked on the sport back in 2004. By wrapping non-slip tape around an irrigation tube, her famous hoops are made. Each hoop should be large enough to hit the shoulder when sitting upright on the ground in order to make one’s hooping experi-ence the most enjoyable. The taller the person, the bigger the

hoop. T h e sma l ler the hoop, the more rota-tions you must make and the harder you must work, which is why Jess often says during the class, “don’t work too hard. If you’re working too hard, you’re doing something wrong.”

Not one to overexert, I make sure to find a nice large hoop with spiraling fluorescent green tape. I start to worry that I will be the first to drop my hoop until Jess tells everyone to get over their fears of hearing the hoop hit the ground and instructs all of us to drop them intentionally. We look around and laugh nervously. I know I feel better. Then, we are back in the 10 o’clock to 2 o’clock hip position, sending the hoops whirling. Much like in driver’s ed, we are told to move our hips either forward and back, from 10 to 2, with our feet at the same angle, or from side to side with our feet shoulder-width apart. Most people who are right handed will spin the hoop coun-terclockwise, while lefties will send it going the opposite direc-tion. Regardless of technique, Jess, with her bright pink hair and bubbly personality, encour-ages us to let go and have fun. After all, the fun of hooping is what drew us to do it as kids.

“People should hoop to try something new and to know that it’s not too late to learn things. Plus, it feels incredible and it’s good for you,” says Jess, “as adults, hooping gives us per-mission to play.”

The new hooping isn’t just spin-ning around in circles. “There are lots of tricks involved,” says Jess. “Getting it up,” actually refers to getting the hoop away from the body and into the air

through lifts. One such move, that I learn in my first class, uses one arm to lift the hoop upwards, while still holding it tight, before spinning it around my head until it is back down spinning around my hips again. I definitely couldn’t do that when I was seven. “Finding the hole” means looking for the negative space between your body and the hoop during waist-hoop-ing, and dipping your hands in that space to find the “hole” of the hoop. “Finding the hole” is a practice in timing and allows you to learn how much space and time there is before the hoop wraps around your body again. Of course, anyone hop-ing to “get it up” must first “find the hole.” After all, hooping is a sport of serious progressions.

After learning the basics of hooping, one can move on to fancy tricks, like throwing the hoop in the air, jump roping with it and, for the most dar-ing, spinning a burning hoop. Jess, who recently hooped for four hours straight for a ware-house party, dreams of hooping for TV commercials or videos. For now, however, she is stick-ing to her two hooping classes per week at the Center for Per-forming Arts on 37th and Pleas-ant and her classes at Jefferson Elementary School and South-west High School through their community education classes.

Jess, who lives in the Lowry Hill East neighborhood, initial-ly became interested in hooping after watching hoopers at the Burning Man festival outside Reno in 2004. She is complete-

ly self-taught, having learned everything from the internet and often from You Tube-type vid-eos with two-inch screens. “The first time I picked up a hoop, I was amazed at how good it felt,” she says. Soon, she was practic-ing tricks in her backyard and teaching friends what she had learned. “I had about twelve people that I was teaching and I realized that it is fun. It isn’t just me.” Two years later, she was teaching hooping classes in Still-water, where she lived for some time. Now, in addition to her classes in the Twin Cities, she also teaches in Hudson, Wiscon-sin at the Hudson hospital. Her Web site, harmonyhoops.com, should be up and running soon.

The question for many people is, what is so great about hooping? While some may imagine the monotonous motion of the hoop boring, Jess assures that there are many things to gain. Besides the thrill of learning new tricks and skills, there are the physical and mental benefits of hoop-ing. Because the hoop is slightly heavier than the old kids’ hoops, weighing in at about one pound, one can burn up to 100 calories in just ten minutes. Since most classes are from 45 minutes to an hour long, well, you can do the math. Not only is hooping good for a cardio workout, it also improves flexibility, balance, and core strengthening of the hips and abs. Jess emphasizes that, for women in particular, hoop-ing can be beneficial because of the mind/body connection.

“Hooping is meditative and healing. It’s also energetic–you

are at the vortex of the spin-ning as you spin away tension. Hooping reaffirms an accu-rate and healthy body image. It helps women, especially, to deal with the body and see yourself for the size you are. You feel a vortex inside the hoop and your body is just the right size for it. Hooping also gives you a lot of freedom to open the hips and joints, which most people are not used to doing.”

I look around the room at my fellow hoopers. Rose Ryan, a girl my age in blue and white polka-dotted tights who is taking the class to “get more coordinated,” is spinning the hoop around her knees, drawing the amazement of the rest of the class. Most of us have our arms up in what Jess calls “dying chicken” or “zom-bie” poses. She encourages us to move them around, to place them in prayer position or from side to side as if we are belly dancing. She tells us to walk around while hooping, and to close our eyes so that we can feel the hoop around our bodies instead of being self-conscious of what we look like. Jess, who was forbidden to dance as a child, spins around in circles in her hoop, helping us to unlock our hips and move freely in our own space. “Hooping is a dance,” she reminds us, “think of your hoop as a dance partner.”

Colette Davidson lives in Lowry Hill East and would like to

thank her mama for her “birthing hips,” which pulled her through

her first hooping experience since the third grade.

work Those hips: Hula Hooping whirls back from the Past

Photos by Barclay HornerLEft: Jess dips into the negative space of the hoop as it

whirls around her body. tOP RiGht: Our photographer takes a crack at hula hooping,

trying to avoid the awkward, “dying chicken” arm pose. bOttOM RiGht: Jess “gets it up” for the class.

mARCH 2007 UPtOwn nEiGHBORHOOD nEwS • �

the upcoming March issue of Mpls. St. Paul Magazine. What keeps a more established artist coming back? “I just think it’s really great for the neighborhood to see that there are all these artists working so close. You may have a neighbor you know, but have no idea is an artist until you come to the show,” Olson remarks. “There’s good energy and an invaluable sense of community.”

The rest of the neighborhood seems to agree, as the opening night festivities drew over 500 people in attendance and over 1,500 people usually make their way through the gallery during the course of the show.

Co-Curator Sergio Vucci reit-erates the major success of the opening. “Full of good food, good music and excellent karaoke,” said Vucci. “It was

basically elbow to elbow for a while, but the proximity didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s spir-its. The work looked stellar and the vibe was great.”

As Jim Pounds of Interme-dia Arts made his way around the gallery, he pointed out the glorious fact that there is no overriding theme to the show. “Pensive and serious to pure whimsy, this show really is just as eclectic as the neighbor-hood,” Pounds boasts.

As you venture through the various rooms, you are greeted by the work of Larry JaBell, a collection ranging from a beautiful papier-mâché young giraffe to a city-scape sculpture constructed of expired HIV/AIDS medication. In another room, one should take some time to check out Jim Bickal’s video titled, “Tearing Down” set to the tune of Wagner’s, “Ride of the Valkyries.” Pounds draws attention to a piece by

relative newcomer Pam Chris-tian named, “Valley of the Wall Dolls,” a mixed media piece of dolls constructed of found items that range from costume jewelry to burrs off her broth-er’s dog; all complete with quite clever names, naturally. Chris-tian’s motto is “Rummage, Reconfigure, Repeat!”

There really is something for everyone at the show and with many of the pieces for sale, there isn’t a better time or place to support a local artist.

The 2007 Minneapolis 55408 show runs until March 17th. Hours: Monday – Saturday, Noon to 5:00 p.m. 2822 Lyndale Avenue Southwww.intermediaarts.org612.871.4444.

Jacqueline Varriano is an ECCO resident wishing her stick figures were a little bit

more “55408” and a little less “mistaken for pile of kindling.”

HIF SWJ 5.93x6.75 house.indd 1 2/16/07 9:55:56 AM

Photos by Colette Davidson

uPPER RiGht: Jess Greenbridge, “two Women.”

MiddLE LEft: dress form by Morgan L’argent, “LEd Obi, Red.” Painting by ben Olson, “Green fiend.”

MiddLE CENtER: Pam Christian, “Valley of the Wall dolls.”

MiddLE RiGht: Kelly Newcomer, “upsilon.”

LOWER LEft: Janna Schneider, “untitled,” (each piece).

SometHINg foR eveRyoNe At mINNeAPoLIS 55408 exHIBIt55408 Exhibit continued from page 1

10 • UPtOwn nEiGHBORHOOD nEwS mARCH 2007

By Gary Farland

Once again, property taxes on residential properties will rise at a rate well above inflation in ECCO and CARAG. Last year, ECCO had an average rise of 10.56 percent and this year, it will be 10.76 percent. In CARAG last year, the average rise was 11.57 percent and this year, it will be 12.09 percent.

Pushing these increases are con-tinual rises in the assessed valua-tions in our neighborhoods. The assessed value used for last year’s taxes increased in ECCO 15.13 percent while that used for this year’s taxes rose 14.21 percent. Similarly for CARAG, it was 15.57 percent last year and 15.04 percent this year. These figures would be higher except that in most cases, the rise is limited to 15 percent.

This year’s average property tax increase is pretty much the same as the City of Minneapo-lis, being at 11.01 percent. How-ever, the increase in the whole of Hennepin County is down to 7.4 percent due to the workings of the Residential Market Value Homestead Credit and the 15 percent limitation in rise of assessed valuations. Many coun-ty properties outside the City have already reached full assess-ments, while City properties are

catching up and have accumu-lated increases.

There are three primary rea-sons for the continual increases in property taxation. The first is that state laws were changed in 2001 shifting more of the property tax burden from com-mercial properties to residential. In 1997, commercial/industrial properties paid 56 percent of the property taxes, while in 2007, they accounted for only 35 per-cent. Second, values of residen-tial properties have increased more than commercial proper-ties, and so they carry more of the burden. Third, the cost of City services paid by property taxes has increased, as well as City pension obligations.

The City did receive a partial

restoration of the Local Govern-ment Aid (LGA) in 2006 that was cut in 2004 and 2005. But, half of the increase was one-time funding in 2006 only, meaning that the City does not have those resources in 2007.

According to a 2005 study by the Citizen’s League, Minneapolis had the highest effective tax rate in the State, and then fell to fifth place in 2006. This rate is the amount of property taxes paid divided by the city’s property

market value. In 2006, Minne-apolis had a rate of 1.32 percent while the Metro average was 1.17 percent. Added to this burden are the higher City sales taxes to pay for the Convention Center and now the Twins stadium.

18

16

14

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

Average MARKET VALUE Percentage Increase

Perc

enta

ge In

crea

se 2006

2007

2006

2007

18

16

14

12

10

8

6

4

2

0ECCO CARAG Minneapolis Hennepin Co.

Average PROPERTY TAX Increase Percentages

Perc

enta

ge In

crea

se

Perc

enta

ge In

crea

se

ECCO CARAG Minneapolis Hennepin Co.

Make a $20 purchase in February or March and ask for your FREE“Power Tools are a Girl’s Best Friend” T-shirt. some exceptions apply

Open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Sat., Sun. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

NICOLLET HARDWARE38th & Nicollet / Minneapolis / 612-822-3121

NICOLLET HARDWARE

Nicollet Ace Hardware presents the ...

Sale!

A KISS MAY BE GRAND BUT IT WON’T FIX THE PLUMBING

A KISS ON THE HAND MAY BE QUITE LONG IN COMING BUT...

7

property Tax increases even higher This year in eCCo and CARAG

Increases in Property Valuations and Taxes

2006 2007 2006 2007Average AverageTaxable Taxable Average AverageMarket Market Property PropertyValue Value Tax Tax

% Increase % Increase % Increase % IncreaseECCO 15.128 14.207 10.562 10.758CARAG 15.575 15.039 11.568 12.091Minneapolis 15.371 13.575 12.193 11.013Hennepin Co. 12.123 9.517 10.011 7.391

Source: Hennepin County Taxpayer Services

Charts compiled by Gary Farland

mARCH 2007 UPtOwn nEiGHBORHOOD nEwS • 11

ECCO bOARd MEEtiNG MiNutES fOR February 1, 2007 (East Calhoun neighbor-hood monthly meeting).

Meeting time: First Thurs-day of each month, 7 p.m. at St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church (public invited).

board Members Present: Ralph Knox (Vice President), Car-rie Menard (Secretary), Elaine Beyer (Treasurer), Tim Prin-sen, Keith Ruddick, Michael Ekholm, Duane Thorpe, Ted Ringsred, Robert Kean, and Gary Farland, Harry Savage (alternate).

Others Present: Gael Ellis (NRP Coordinator), Bill Mor-ton, Beth Diestelkamp, Mark Burgess, Marci and Roberto Fabega, Becky Opdyke, Mike Tutara, Catherine and Curt Gunsbury, Cindy Baumann, Sarah and Dan Klien, Farrell Olsen, M. Danz, Adam Braun, Kim Samvageot, Susan Nack-ers, Abbie Loosen, William Dohman, Eric Ludwig, Nancy Ward.

Welcome and introductions: Vice President, Ralph Knox called the meeting to order, welcomed board members and others, and initiated introduc-tions.

Open forum: There were no open forums for discussion.

Approval of february Agenda and January Minutes: Minutes and agenda were approved.

City Councilman Report: City Councilperson, Ralph Reming-ton spoke about how neighbors can sign up for Ralph’s Reader, a monthly e-mail newsletter.

The public forum of the Uptown Small Area Master Plan was held February 8 at the former Borders Bookstore loca-tion in Calhoun Square.

A Community meeting to dis-cuss The Midtown Greenway was held on Feb 6 at Painters Park on West 34th Street; this was to be a review where the community could give their input.

Calhoun Square is going through a transitional period. The site plan has been approved for some time, but nothing has been happening as far as con-struction is concerned. It may be the softened condo market.

What may go in the space is apartments or two-story retail. The owner of Calhoun Square is Principal Financial, out of Des Moines. They have a huge portfolio and Calhoun square is a small piece of it. The Uptown Business Association, Council-man Remington, the Mayor and others are all interested in what will become of Calhoun Square. ECCO may want to write a letter from the Board to ask for the specifics of the plan.

There is now a beat cop in Uptown, officer Butch Blau-ert. He began the job on Janu-ary 29 and has been with the police force for 15 years. He will work from 9-5 Monday-Friday. There are plans to have additional beat policeman for the summer and evenings.

There has been an extension on the height moratorium for another 6 months in Uptown. A public hearing was set for February 15. Not meant to hurt anyone in the pipeline.

Passed resolution on the war in Iraq last council meeting. Joined by eight others. Council colleagues. 244 other cities.

The City Council is working on a Condo Conversion Ordinance to put a perimeter around con-versions. There are more in our ward than anywhere else in Minneapolis. Uptown is losing certain populations, such as art-ists and students, due to a short-age of affordable housing.

Happy Hour with Ralph is the fourth Friday of every month at the Leaning Tower of Pizza from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Discussions are in free form and non-struc-tured.

Ralph holds an open office at Gigi’s on Mondays from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Please call his office at 612.673.2210 for a fifteen min-ute meeting, or feel free to stop by.

hotel uptown update & questions: Curt Gunsbury, an investor for the Hotel Uptown, met with the Board to keep the neigh-borhood informed about the progress of the hotel. In the last five months, they have clari-fied their plans with budget-ing, materials and planning. The exterior materials of brick, stone and zinc were chosen. It will be an environmentally friendly design. They will use durable materials to produce a warm and vibrant look. For instance, zinc takes half as much energy as copper and is just as long-lasting. The hotel is to look like the original designs of the apartment buildings in the neighborhood. There will be 114 rooms with breakfast service and meeting rooms. It is now 4 feet shallower than what

was presented last summer. The theme of the hotel is the Arts, with gallery spaces in the lobby and throughout the hotel. They are seeking a variance of 7 feet and will present it to the zon-ing committee. They will cut back on the original amount of parking for guest safety, which will not affect the structure of the surrounding buildings. The requirement from the city is 25 percent or 28 spaces; they will have 41 spaces. There will also be valet parking. They are looking to start in the spring or next February. There will be approximately 15 employees. Room rates will be $130-$250 a night. They feel that, due to the location of the hotel, there should be very minimal con-struction inconvenience and should take 10 months to a year to build. Curt Gunsbury will be a part of future meetings as changes and developments occur.

update on uptown Small Area Master Plan:Tim Prinsen, on the steering committee, reviewed that the next Uptown Small Area Mas-ter Plan Community meeting was to be held on Thursday February 8 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the former Borders Books space. This gives those interested a chance to share their thoughts and learn about existing conditions. There have been separate focus breakdowns for different groups represent-ing Uptown, and those will be used in the study of Uptown.

NRP update:Gael Ellis, NRP Coordinator, reviewed the wrap up of Phase 1 and the reallocated Phase II planning projects, ongoing projects and the ECCO NRP budget. A motion was made regarding the plan modifica-tion; it was moved and passed. The current project to be com-pleted is the Gateway Art Park Improvements. The three working on this are Gael Ellis (ECCO NRP Coordinator), Mary Altman (City of Min-neapolis) and Mary Lerman (Minneapolis Park and Recre-ation Board).

Wine tasting Event update:Michael Ekholm, Social and Communication Chair, announced that the Annual Hennepin-Lake Community Wine Tasting Fundraiser will be held on Wednesday, June 13, 2007. This spectacular event is held in the Campiello’s parking lot. It is not only a great time,

but brings out neighbors and visitors to enjoy several wines while supporting the neighbor-hoods. Tickets will go on sale starting May 1. All proceeds go to neighborhood organiza-tions in Uptown. Michael will be looking for four board vol-unteers.

the next meeting is thursday March 1, 2007.

ECCO Neighborhood Meetings

Find out what’s happening in East Calhoun.The East Calhoun Community Organization

(ECCO) meetings arethe first Thurday of each month:

7:00 PM St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church

35th and Irving Ave. South

Upcoming meetings:

Thursday, March 1, 2007Thursday April 5, 2007

East Calhoun Community OrganizationECCO reportECCO meets the first Thurs- day of each month, 7 p.m. at St. Mary’s Greek Ortho-dox Church, 34th & Irving.

All ECCO residents are welcome and urged to attend.

LAKE CALHOUN

Lake St.

36th St.

Hennepin Ave.

Lyndale

Ave

.

KELLY NEWCOMERGraphic Designer, Illustrator

www.kellynewcomer.com612.804.7302

Kelly Newcomer

Graphic Designer, Illustrator,Comic Creator, Fine Artist,

Stay-at-home Mom, CARAG Resident

www.kellynewcomer.com612.804.7302

1� • UPtOwn nEiGHBORHOOD nEwS mARCH 2007

By Scott Schiefelbein

Establishments offering the flavors of the subcontinent are not new to Uptown, but over the past couple of years, there have been some new additions to the purveyors of that region’s cuisine. With India poised to soon become the most popu-lous nation in the world and the economy of the region becom-ing more influential, maybe now is a good time to take another look at how one aspect of South Asian culture – the food – is represented right here in our own backyard.

Marla Jadoonan has been fol-lowing her lifelong passion of feeding people and mak-ing them happy at MARLA’S iNdiAN & CARibbEAN CuiSiNE since August 2005. Her restaurant is located at 1123 West Lake Street and she does all the cooking herself. She says her food is “fresh, healthy and authentic,” with a trace of her Caribbean roots coming through in the way the word “authentic” rolls off her tongue.

Jadoonan’s parents are from India, but she was born and raised in Trinidad. She moved to Minneapolis as a teenager. Although Marla’s serves both Indian and Caribbean dishes, she insists that there is no fusion going on; the two cuisines are separated on the menu and in the kitchen. Whether the food is from the old world or the new, Jadoonan’s goal is to provide home-cooked meals, “Grand-ma’s style.” Her personal recom-mendation is the Dhalpourie Roti, which is a type of wrap that can be ordered with a wide variety of different fillings.

Jadoonan loves Uptown for the foot traffic and the many dif-ferent types of people she gets to meet. She also notes that the

neighborhood is a “destination,” which makes it an excellent location for her business. The restaurant is busiest on week-nights for dinner and on week-ends. Her daily lunch buffet also does well, especially when the weather is nice.

When asked about the preva-lence of buffet-style dining at Indian Restaurants, Marla observes, “Indian food tastes better the longer it sits.” The slow-cooked stews and curries, it seems, are perfectly suited to a steam table. For those who like things spicier than usual, ask that orders be prepared “Indian hot” and it will be that and more; for the truly crazy, ask for “Marla hot.” This pub-lication will bear no responsi-bility for what happens after such a request.

MYSORE CAfé, at 2819 Hen-nepin Avenue, is the newest Indian restaurant in Uptown. Restaurateur Om Parkash opened Mysore for business on January 3 of this year. Parkash also owns Cuisine of India in Rochester and is a partner of New Delhi on 14th and Nicollet in Minneapolis. Until the sum-mer of 2005, Parkash owned Natraj in the space currently occupied by Marla’s. He had originally worked there as a chef, but after a brief time cook-ing at other establishments, he bought the restaurant.

Parkash decided to return to Uptown because he saw the need for a vegetarian restau-rant in the area. Everything that Mysore serves is meat-free and more than half of the items are vegan, made with no animal products whatsoever. Parkash’s expertise is in Northern Indian cooking, but he has hired a chef who specializes in the cuisine of the South. This change of focus accounts for the name, Mysore,

which is a city in Southern India and which Parkash hopes will communicate that his new-est project serves the food of that region. When asked what new customers should try first, Parkash does not hesitate even a moment. “The Mysore Masala Dosai,” (a thin rice crepe filled with hot sauce, potatoes and onions), he says simply and con-fidently.

NAMAStE CAfé occupies the first floor of what appears from the outside to be a large, family home at 2512 Hennepin Avenue. The space, which has a coffee shop look and feel is owned and operated by brothers, Swadesh and Saujanya Shrestha. The Shresthas are from Kat-mandu, Nepal and grew up in the tea business. The establish-ment is called Namaste (which is a Sanskrit-derived word mean-ing, “I greet the divine in you”) because, according to Swadesh, “Every customer is divine to us.” They chose to open their café in Uptown because, after becom-ing used to living in large cities like Katmandu and Berlin, the atmosphere made them feel that they “belong here.”

The brothers have always been interested in food and cooking, but this is their first attempt at

running a restaurant. Their fam-ily background in the tea trade led them to open a Chai Shop on Franklin Avenue (which has since closed) and many variet-ies of Chai and other teas grace Namaste’s separate beverage menu. Their experiences travel-ing and living around the world have influenced the dishes they serve, but the food is definitely reminiscent of the form and flavors of Nepal. They make all the dishes from scratch and make every effort to incorporate natural, organic, local ingre-dients into the food they serve. One especially notable dish is the fried dal soup, which some-how manages to taste light but feel hearty.

Located at 1401 West Lake Street, PASSAGE tO iNdiA is the oldest of the Indian Res-taurants currently operating in Uptown. It opened in February, 1999. The restaurant is owned by Farrooque Chaudhury, who splits his time between New York and Minneapolis. Man-ager, Mohammed Awal proudly states that his customers tell him that Passage to India has the best Indian food in the Twin Cit-ies. The food is that of North-ern India and they prominently feature dishes from the Tandoor (clay oven), including Tikka

Musallam, chicken or lamb, and many types of Nan bread.

According to Awal, business is good at Passage to India, especially on weekends at din-nertime. However, he notes that the first part of the year is a slow time and that there is a certain amount of uncertainty being caused by the Calhoun Square expansion project. Pas-sage to India is working under a month-to-month lease and plans to relocate soon. They would like to stay in Uptown, but have not yet found a venue.

One piece of advice: don’t go looking to try any of these res-taurants on the first day of the work week; all are closed on Mondays. For big appetites or those who enjoy trying a little bit of a lot of things, all but Namaste offer lunch buffets and Mysore also offers an evening buffet on weekends.

Maybe eating at a restaurant won’t make one an expert on geopolitical trends, but hey, it’s a better first step than popping a frozen, curry-flavored pocket in the microwave.

Scott Schiefelbein lives in CARAG and eats anywhere and

everywhere.

Photo by naomi Oshiro Namaste Café greets the divine in its patrons.

By Sue Lundquist

Whether he’s running a busi-ness out of his home in Uptown, working at the local co-op he helped found, or delivering Peace Coffee around the neigh-borhood, Stephen Eisenmenger is one CARAG Board Mem-bers that is dedicated to getting to know the neighborhood he represents.

Stephen grew up in Martin County located in southern Minnesota and he spent 12 years living in Chicago. He has lived in Uptown since 2000 and feels it’s important for residents to help out in their community.

Stephen joined the board this past September to continue his already-established com-munity involvement. Areas of particular interest include the next phase of NRP, and he hopes to be a voice for “green-ing” the neighborhood and getting people to think about renewable resources. Stephen has served as chair of the Min-neapolis Green Party and is still an active member.

Stephen enjoys working with other board members, who he says are all very committed. He is also secretary of the board and has found the note-taking to be more challenging than expected. “It’s very formal and there are legal requirement to the note taking,” he says.

Being a new board member isn’t the only new adventure for Stephen. He and his wife Molly Nutting are two of the 108 founding members of Urban Earth Floral and Garden Co-op that opened at 36th and Bryant this past October. They decided to become involved with the co-op because it was a unique business model for the commu-nity. Memberships are avail-able to anyone for a one-time fee of $95. The co-op is part of

a worldwide co-op so that, as Stephen points out, they can provide a service to “anyone in the world.”

The response from the com-munity has been wonderful. “It’s amazing how many people just walk in the door,” he says. Urban Earth has continued to thrive throughout the cold win-ter months. They’ve recently begun growing herbs and other vegetables. “We want this to become the “Neighborhood Garden Resource,” he says.

Stephen’s full-time job is also located in Uptown, which offers a “great commute.” Since 2004, Stephen and Molly have run a website development company out of their home at 34th and Fremont called FiveFiveFour (www.fivefivefour.com). Their client base is a cross between not-for-profit and capitalists, he says. His other hobbies include kayaking, hiking and biking. Last year, he helped out deliv-ering Peace Coffee for about six weeks during the hottest time of the year.

Sue Lundquist is a CARAG resi-dent and wishes more people in Uptown appreciated the idea of

community.

Photo by David PetersonStephen Eisenmenger

CARAG board Member Profile: Stephen EisenmengerGet to know a little bit about your neighbors who serve on the CARAG Board. Each month, we will feature Board members. They welcome your advice and your help in trying to improve CARAG. When you see them on the street, stop and say hello.

Tasting south Asia in Uptown

mARCH 2007 UPtOwn nEiGHBORHOOD nEwS • 1�

Calhoun Area Residents Action GroupCARAG report

Calhoun Area Residents Action Group711 West Lake St., Suite #303

Minneapolis, MN 55408(612)-823-2520www.carag.org

Email: carag@carag.org

- Bay Street Shoes- Calhoun Square

- The Chair- Comedy Sports

- Comic Book College- Falafel King- Gigi’s Cafe- Ieye Deals

- Jungle Red Salon- Old Chicago Pizza

- Orr Books- Pizza Luce

- Season’s @ Calhoun Square- Shoe Zoo

- SRS Fossils- Uptown Association

- Uptown Vet- Urban Earth Gardens

- YWCA Uptown

CARAG Email ForumGet email updates about

CARAG meetings, events andprograms. Just send an email

to: carag-forum-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .

Monthly Neighborhood Meet-ing Minutes february 20, 2007Subject to Approval at the March 2007 CARAG Meeting

board Members Attending: Rick Bojko (Vice President), Stephen Eisenmenger (Secre-tary), Ellan Meyer, Bill Morton, Dan Qualy, Aaron Rubenstein, Howard Verson (President), Jill Bode, and Anna Matthes (none absent).

Welcome: The CARAG Board is made up of volunteers who also volunteer time on other neighborhood committees and organizations. Scott Engel, the CARAG community coor-dinator, can be reached at 612.823.2520. CARAG is a democratic organization; mem-bership and voting privileges are open to residents, property owners and business owners in the neighborhood.

introductions & Announce-ments: Howard Verson.

Approve Consent Agenda: Howard Verson (Vote).Treasurer’s Report: (Jill Bode) UNN January Net Loss was $1,047.00. Total Equity stands at $4,403.18. CARAG Assets and Bank Accounts stand at $20,608.72. Approved. Approve & Sign Minutes: How-ard Verson (Vote).January meeting minutes. Approved.

Crime & Safety MPd update: Tom Thompson/Marie Przyns-ki. Crime numbers are down in this neighborhood compared to last year. Westrum’s Tavern will close March 1. It is anticipated that Champions Saloon will be accepting a 14 day suspension starting March 1. The Country Bar or The Yukon may pick up business due to these closings. The Bogus Boys gang operates from Champions, the Rollin’ 30’s Bloods gang operates from Westrum’s.

Leaving an unattended car on the street with the engine run-ning is illegal and you will be ticketed. An estimated 70 per-cent of car thefts in Minneapolis are due to people leaving their cars unlocked and running.

MN State Auditor’s Agreed upon Procedures Review Response: (Vote) Unanimous, 9-0. NRP updates: Scott Engel (30 Minutes).- 4+ Unit Loan Program Lottery Procedures (Vote). Approved.- Bryant Square Park Bus Shel-ter Scope of Services (Vote). Approved.- Bryant Square Park Youth Activities Scope of Services (Vote). Approved. (CARAG will partner with Bryant Square Park (BSP) and the Pangea World Theater to provide the-ater activities for youth at BSP during the summer of 2007. These activities will include drama techniques, martial arts, spoken work, music and move-ment. This program will be incorporated into the drop-in youth activities program going on at BSP and modeled after the similar 2006 summer the-ater activities program).- Lyndale Avenue Pedestrian Lighting Scope of Services (Vote). Approved. - Bryant Square Park Public Outdoor Performance Space (POPS), Scope of Services (Vote). Modified Scope of Ser-vices to include amended lan-guage: “Final design to be reviewed and approved by CARAG at a regular monthly

meeting.” Approved. - Chilly Chili Fest: February 25 (Update). - NRP Phase I Evaluation/Sur-vey Results (Update). Results will be presented at March CARAG Meeting.- Committee Updates (Update). Council Member Remington’s Report: (Discussion). Monthly Email Newsletter signup is available. Uptown has a new beat cop on duty from 9-5:30 each weekday. Ralph proposed extending the height moratori-um by six months and it passed Zoning and Planning. Ralph proposed an Iraq resolution that passed with 9 votes.

March 19th Breakfast with Ralph at Egg & I from 8-9 a.m., the topic is Development. Mon-day appointments are avail-able at Gigi’s from 2-4 p.m. Call Ralph’s office to set up an appointment, 673.2210.

Happy Hour with Ralph is the last Friday at Leaning Tower of Pizza.

Questions about Uptown Hotel’s presentation at ECCO and there was no neighborhood opposition. Midtown Land Use Plan will probably pass the city council; Gary Schiff and Ralph have offered amendments.

Restaurant Miami between Col-fax and Bryant on Lake Street has opened.

CARAG by-Laws Review: Rick Bojko (Discussion). Bojko reviewed changes proposed by the CARAG Constitution & Bylaws Revision Working Group at their first meeting, focusing on typographical corrections and updates for clarity and read-ability. There was discussion and feedback. The next meeting is Tuesday, March 6 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Bryant Square Park in Meeting Room B. Con-tact Rick Bojko for questions at rjb5@cornell.edu. The revised bylaws are avail-able at www.carag.org.

Zoning & Land use Commit-tee Report: Aaron Rubenstein to provide text for this report.

Adjourn: (Vote). Approved.

The CARAG Board meets the third Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m. at Bryant Park Community

Center, 31st and Bryant. All CARAG residents are welcome and urged to attend.

LAKE CALHOU

N

Lake St.

36th St.

Hennepin

Ave

.

Lyndale

Ave.

1� • UPtOwn nEiGHBORHOOD nEwS mARCH 2007

uptowncommunityeventscommunity events calendar

visual artsfLANdERS GALLERY3102 Lyndale Ave. S. • 344.1700www.flanders-art.comHours: Tues to Sat, 10 am to 5 pm, Sun noon to 5 pm. Mar 17 thru Apr 28 – Dreams and AllegoriesOpening Reception Sat, Mar 17 from 6-9 pm. A suite of 13 pho-tographs on politics, pop culture and art history by local artist Sean Smuda.

iNtERMEdiA ARtS/SASE2822 Lyndale Ave. S. • 871.4444www.intermediaarts.orgHours: Mon to Sat, noon-5 pm. Thur, Mar 17 Minneapolis 55408. The 11th annual exhibition of mul-timedia, multi-artist works, proves that 55408 is Minneapolis’ most cre-ative zip code. Minneapolis 55408 will surprise and delight audiences, as they discover the unique artis-tic voices this neighborhood has to share! More than 40 artists have come together for this year’s eclec-tic exhibition which includes paint-ing, sculpture, photography, film, web art and more.

OPENiNG NiGht fRAMiNG SERViCES & GALLERY2836 Lyndale Ave. S. • 824.0640www.onframe-art.comHours: Mon, Wed & Fri 8:30 am-5 pm, Tues & Thur 8:30 am-7 pm, Sat 10:30 am-4 pm.Mar 15-April 22 – The Landscape Exposed Works by Maarja Roth. The show opens Mar 15, with a gallery reception with the artist from 6 pm to 8 pm.

book clubsbOOKS & bARS Bryant Lake Bowl • 810 W. Lake St. • 825.8949www.bryantlakebowl.comTues, Mar 13, Doors open at 6 pm, Discussion starts at 7 pm – People’s Act of Love by James Meek, the story of a Russian prison camp escapee who makes his way to a remote Siberian village as he recounts his adventures as impart-ed to the megalomaniac captain of a Czech regiment and a self-reliant widowed mother. We provide an atmosphere for lively discussion of lesser known authors, good food and drinks. Discounted copy of book available at local bookseller, Majers & Quinn.

MYStERY REAdERS’ bOOK CLub Once Upon a Crime Bookstore604 W. 26th St. • 870.3785www.onceuponacrimebooks.comWed, Mar 14, 6:30 pm – Bones by Jan burke.

SiStERS iN CRiMEOnce Upon a Crime Bookstore 604 W. 26th St. • 870.3785www.onceuponacrimebooks.comTues, Mar 6, 7 pm – Arnaldur indridason’s Jar City.

tWiNCitiES NONfiCtiON WRitERS GROuPWalker Library2880 Hennepin Ave. S. • 630.6650www.mpls.lib.mn.usSat, Mar 3, 1-4 pm – We are a newly formed group of writers looking to help each other get published in nonfiction markets – just a bunch of people trying to write right.

WALKER LibRARY bOOK CLubWalker Library2880 Hennepin Ave. S. • 630.6650www.mpls.lib.mn.usTues, Mar 13, 6:30 to 8 pm – Win-ter Brothers: A Season at the Edge of America by ivan doig. The author of “This House of Sky” provides a magnificent evocation of the Pacif-ic Northwest through the diaries of James Gilchrist Swan, a settler of the region. Doig fuses parts of the Swan diaries with his own jour-nal. Newcomers always welcome.

author events MAGERS ANd quiNN bOOKSELLERS3038 Hennepin Ave. S. • 822.4611 www.magersandquinn.comSun, Mar 25, 5 pm – Local author, Alison McGhee reads from her new novel, Falling Boy, a strange and powerful book which tells the story of a small band of tough kids who turn the myth of the superhe-ro inside out as they face down the shadows of childhood.

Thur, Mar 15, 7 pm – Marty Essen, author of Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Conti-nents visits Magers and Quinn for talk, slide show, and book sign-ing. The American couple began crisscrossing the globe with the simple intention of searching for rare and interesting wildlife. Their experiences–from amusing to life threatening–changed their lives forever. Essen has written a book that entertains, informs and poi-gnantly reminds us that we all share a small planet.

ONCE uPON A CRiME bOOKStORES604 W. 26th St. • 870.3785www.onceuponacrimebooks.comSat, Mar 24, Noon to 4 pm – The Fifth Annual Write of Spring! Three dozen Minnesota mystery authors will be on hand to sign books and talk to readers.

theaterbRAVE NEW WORKShOP2605 Hennepin Ave. S. • 332.6620www.bravenewworkshop.comFridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 7 & 10 pm – Pluto; And Other Lies My Teacher Told Me. We’ve engineered an all-new collection of sketches and songs about the role of science and technology in daily life. Cast members have emerged from the lab with concoctions about stem cells, evolution, viral video, con-sumer technology and the fact that we suddenly only have eight plan-ets in the solar system. So, if you’ve been blinded by science, bring your safety goggles & pocket protectors.

bRYANt LAKE bOWL thEAtER810 W. Lake St. • 825.8949www.bryantlakebowl.comMon, Mar 5, 12, 19 and 26 at 8 pm (7:00 doors) – Adventures in Mat-ing presented by Joseph Scrim-shaw. Soup or Salad? Kiss or Slap? Life or Death? YOU play the role of cruel fate in this hit interac-tive romantic comedy! When the dysfunctional couple can’t make simple decisions like ordering red or white wine, the audience votes and the show continues in wildly different directions! With over 60 different scene combinations and multiple endings, you can’t see it all if you only see it once! Described as “drop dead funny” by the Pio-neer Press. Tickets $12/$10. fiRSt uNiVERSALiSt3400 Dupont Ave. S. • 825.1701 www.firstuniv.orgFri-Sat, Mar 2-3 at 7:30 pm – Youth Musical The School for Pirates by Elee Wood and music by Sandy Waterman. The musical is performed by 5th-8th graders and takes place on the high seas where pirates teach us that you should never let others define who or what you are or can be!

PANGEA WORLd thEAtER711 W. Lake St., Suite 101 • 822.0015 www.pangeaworldtheater.orgThurs-Sun, Mar 1-11 at 7:30 pm – Cooking Con Karimi and the Quest for the Secret Ingredient. Mero Cocinero Karimi, Iranian/Guatemalan chef/poet/activist left the world of non-profits to change the world through his cooking on his legendary public-access show. Only problem: he and his other public-access TV hosts are losing their time at the local cable com-pany. Join us as Karimi, with the help of the “live studio audience” in this interactive performance show, tries to cook his way back with the help of the community to find the secret ingredient that will get the station back in the hands

of the people. Food cooked dur-ing the show will be served to the audience at no charge.

musicbRYANt LAKE bOWL thEAtER810 W. Lake St. • 825.8949www.bryantlakebowl.comSun, Mar 25, 7 pm (6:00 doors) – barbara Meyer CD Release. $8 in advance/$10 day of show.

workshopsAuGSbuRG COLLEGEChristiansen Center • 720-22nd Ave. S. • 278.7123www.gardenworksmn.orgSat, Mar 17, 9 am-2 pm – Com-munity Garden Spring Resource Fair. Community gardens provide opportunities to grow food, share traditions between cultures and generations, create habitable envi-ronments and build community. Meet other community gardeners, learn new skills for making your community garden into a valued community asset! Drop-off site for Clean Out Your Tool Shed! (tool donation program), interactive dis-plays and workshops, kids’ activities and great food! Free admission.

SOuthWESt hiGhSChOOL3414 W. 47th St. • 436.4387Sat, Mar 24, 10 am to 3 pm – Spring Home Improvement Fair. Over 60 vendors, food and presentations. Free admission.

St. MARY’S GREEK ORthOdOx ChuRCh3450 Irving Ave. S. • 673.2812www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/safe/workshops.aspSat, Mar 24, 9 am-1 pm – Rent-al Property Owners Workshop (RPOW). Sponsored by Mpls Police Dept. Topics include the ABC’s of property management, working with housing inspection and the MPD, tenant behavior issues and much more. Register by Mar 16, Cost $20. For more info, see Web site above.

get involvedCARAG NEiGhbORhOOd POtLuCK Bryant Square Park • 31st & Bry-ant • 823.2520Sat, Mar 10, 1-4 pm. Now that it’s almost spring, get out and reconnect with your neighbors. Come to a bi-monthly potluck for CARAG residents. The idea start-ed as a gathering for people with kids and an opportunity for the kids to meet and play, but anyone is welcome. Bring a dish to share and a toy or two if you have children.

YOuth fARM EVENt At CEdAR CuLtuRAL CENtER 416 Cedar Ave. S. • 338.2674www.youthfarm.net Thurs, Mar 15, 6:30-9 pm – Wine Tasting Extravaganza for Youth Farm and Market Project. Zipp’s Liquor, Seward Co-Op and the Cedar Cultural Center will be holding a wine tasting event. Come and explore over 150 wines, spirits and beers along with great food in an atmosphere that will be unlike any wine tasting you have been to before. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Youth Farm and Market Project, a local non-profit youth organization dedicated to nurturing relation-ships between urban youth and their families, their communities, and the earth around them by growing, cooking, eating and sell-ing healthy food.

kids & teensbRYANt SquARE PARK31st & Bryant • 370.4907www.minneapolisparks.orgFri, Mar 30, 11 am–4 pm – Shore-view Tropics Water Park Field Trip. Board the bus to Shoreview for an afternoon of enjoyment at Tropics Water Park. Bring a bag lunch or money for concessions. Ages 6-12. Fee $13.

WALKER LibRARY2880 Hennepin Ave. S. • 630.6650www.mpls.lib.mn.usPreschool Story time – Sat, Mar 3, 10, 17, 24 and Wed, Mar 7, 14, 21, 28 at 10:30 am.

WALKER LibRARY2880 Hennepin Ave. S. • 630.6650www.mpls.lib.mn.usFamily Story time – Thurs, Mar 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 from 7-7:30 pm.

seasonal bRYANt SquARE PARK31st & Bryant • 370.4907www.minneapolisparks.orgSat, Mar 31, 10-11am – Spring Fling. Put on your bunny ears, grab your basket and hop on down to the park for the annual egg hunt. A light brunch of pancakes, juice and coffee will be served before the hunt. Free. Must pre-register online or by calling the park office.

PAiNtER PARK620 W. 34th St. • 370.4911www.minneapolisparks.orgThurs, Mar 29, 6-7:30 pm. Flash-light Egg Hunt – Kick off spring break at Painter Park! Bring the family down to the park for din-ner, entertainment and an egg hunt. Cost $5. Everyone must pre-register online at or by calling the park office by Mar 28.

(Editor’s Note: We will run commu-nity event listings every month on this page. Contact uptownnews@yahoo.com to submit your event informa-tion by the 17th of each month to be included in the next issue.)

Picture reprinted from Opening night’s website. “Late in the Season” by Maarja Roth. A Collection of works by Roth is on dis-play at Opening Night Gallery through April 22.

Photo from pangeaworldtheater.orgJoin Mero Cocinero Karimi for an interactive performance at Pangea World theater that includes live cooking demonstrations, music, poetry and amazing improvisation.

mARCH 2007 UPtOwn nEiGHBORHOOD nEwS • 1�

thE WEdGE CO-OP recently awarded grants totaling $50,000 to seven local and regional nonprofit organizations as part of its annual WedgeShare giving program. As part of its mission to promote education about food and environmental responsibility, the Wedge Co-op sought out nonprofits who were non-sectarian and focused on one of the following areas: environmental quality, protection or beautification, natural health and wellness, community involvement and capacity building, or natural food and sustainable agriculture. This year’s grant recipients were the Cornucopia Institute, Farmer’s Legal Action Group, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater, Land Stewardship Project, Local Fair Trade Network, Northside Food Project and Youth Farm and Market Project.

duNN bROS at 1506 West Lake Street recently went through some renovations, opening up a larger space on February 20 for customer seating where Caravan rug store used to be. What was once a tiny area connected to a much bigger Bruegger’s Bagels next door, is now home to stately king and queen chairs, crocheted love seats and long wooden tables. An old piano even sits in the back corner. There is still open access between Bruegger’s and Dunn Bros within the building.

iNtERMEdiA ARtS pre-sents its annual B-Girl Be: A Celebration of Women in Hip-Hop, starting June 28 and going through September 1. Besides the fashion show and performances, the summit will also provide opportunities for visual artists to exhibit works. The deadline for visual artists to apply is March 30, 2007, and applicants must demonstrate an involvement in and knowledge of hip-hop culture. This year’s B-Girl Be gallery exhibition, titled, “The Art of T & A: Truth and Activism,” will focus on cutting edge, multi-disciplinary works that highlight the distinct aesthetics of hip-hop. Visit www.intermediaarts.org for all the application details.

In honor of Spring, bRYANt SquARE PARK at 3101 Bryant Avenue South will hold an Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 31, from 10-11 a.m. The egg hunt will be preceded by a breakfast for all. The event is free but people are encouraged to register at www.minneapolisparks.org. For more information call 612.370.4907.

Over 100 people attended the uPtOWN SMALL AREA PLAN focus group discussions and community meeting on Thursday, February 8.

Participants provided the project consultants with information and feedback to help formulate a plan for the future of the area. A summary of the common themes expressed by the community, as well as maps, photos, and other excerpts from the consultants’ presentations will be available soon.

The next step in the process will be a design charette in which the consultants will set up a temporary studio in Uptown and develop recommendations related to overall urban systems in the study area (i.e. transportation, open space, land use). During the charette, focus groups will be reconvened and there will be a community open house. These events are tentatively scheduled for late March. For more information, contact: Amanda Arnold at Amanda.Arnold@ci.minneapolis.mn.us or 612.673.3242; or Paul Mogush at 612.673.2074 or paul.mogush@ci.minneapolis.mn.us.

iNCOME tAx ASSiS-tANCE fOR SENiORS ANd PERSONS With LOW iNCOME Hennepin County Taxpayer Services and the City of Minneapolis join AARP to assist seniors and per-sons with low income in filling out income tax forms through AARP’s Tax Aide Volunteer Program. The program is the nation’s largest, free, volun-teer-run tax counseling and preparation service. Last year, volunteers at the Government Center and City Hall sites helped more than 5,000 people file their tax forms. The sites together are the largest AARP income-tax assistance center in Minnesota and believed to be the largest in the country. Start-ing now and going through April 16, help will be available at the Hennepin County Gov-ernment Center in downtown Minneapolis (A Level, 300 South Sixth Street and Min-neapolis City Hall, Room 11, 350 South Fifth Street). Hours are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. Con-tact Jill Alverson, Hennepin County Taxpayer Services at 612.348.4084.

UpTowN CULTURe MAkeRs: We want to know about you. Send us your event information and photos for the com-munity calendar. uptownnews@yahoo.com

healthtiREd Of thE WEiGht YO-YO?Simply lose it and keep it off with Slimplicity tm Weight Loss System. Metabolism boost-ers, fat burners, fat blockers and appetitie suppressants work around the clock for a slimmer, healthier, more vibrant you. This is the last weight loss plan you’ll ever need. Find out more, G. Ellis independent Reliv dis-tributor 612.987.2344

ORthOPAEdiC MASSAGEWhen your muscles are knead-ing the best! With over 20 years of Massage Experience & train-ing, we are uniquely qualified & certified to assist you with all of your Tissure issues! Wheth-er you are rehabbing from an injury, Wanting to improve your golf swing, Or if you knead a Really Great Relax-ation Massage, We can help. All your Muscles Knead to start Feeling Better! 612.822.3156 www.orthopaedicmassage.com

remodelinghANdYPROProfessional Handyman Service. Home repairs and improvement – skilled carpentry, restoration, wood and wall repair, doors and windows, to-do lists and more. Licensed, bonded, insured. Call Carl at HandyPro (www.handypro.com) to schedule a free estimate: 612.823.8128.

hARdWOOd fLOOR SERViCETake advantage of up to a 20% discount on floor refin-ishing good through March 31. 12 years experience with refinishing, installa-tion, patching and recoating. Call for additional informa-tion, referrals or estimate. Tim Meyer 612-534-3479 or 612.382.5749

servicesREx’s SittERInsured Pet Sitter & Dog Walker, member of Pet Sitters Int., now offering discount-ed service in your area. $13/ 1/2-hour walk. Call Harry @ 612.269.6608.

tLC hOME CLEANiNG Earth & Life friendly prod-ucts, reasonable rates. Weekly, biweekly, monthly, one time. Experienced, Reliable, thor-ough, trustworthy, careful + detailed work. Ref. Avail. Mary 612.819.5277.

classifieds

CLASSifiEd Ad SALES:

40¢ per word, 10-word mini-mum. Ad and advance pay-ment are due the 17th of the month. Please send a check and ad copy to: Uptown Neighborhood News, C/O CARAG, 711 W. Lake St., Suite 303, Mpls. MN 55408.

Painting & DecoratingFine Craftsmanship Since 1980

Visit us on the Webwww.smithdecoratingltd.com

612-331-1031

®

AS-

NX

GN

-H-1

B

(6/0

6)

IF YOU CAN PERSONALIZE YOUR HOUSE, SHOULDN’T

YOU BE ABLE TO DO THE SAME WITH YOUR INSURANCE?

With our new Farmers Next GenerationSM Homeowners Policy, now you have the options to tailor your coverage to fit your particular needs. After all, we believe you deserve a policy that’s as unique as you are. To find out more about the benefits of our new policy, contact me today.

CARLOS LANDREAU 3212 HENNEPIN AVE

MINNEAPOLIS MN 55408(612) 436-7134

carlos@landreauagency.com

Auto - Home - Business - Life

tidbits small news you might use

Photo by David PetersonRalph Remington addresses commu-nity concerns at the uptown Small Area Plan Community Meeting on february 8.

LYNDALE

God doesn’t reject people.Neither do we.

No matter who you are, or where you are on your journey you’re welcome here.

810 West 31st Street, Minneapolis612-825-3019www.lyndaleucc.org

Never place a period where God has placed a comma.

Sunday Christian Education for all ages 9:15 a.m.Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m.

uptownnews@yahoo.com

1� • UPtOwn nEiGHBORHOOD nEwS mARCH 2007

7 bedroom, 7 bathroom masterpiece! Many grand public rooms suited for executive enter-

tainment. Luxurious master suite, remodeled kitchen filled with conveniences, china pantry,

private solarium, music room, and much more. Carriage house, 3-car garage.

A Masterpiece • 1324 Mount Curve Avenue • $3,750,000

1716 Emerson Avenue S. • $949,000

This 5 bedroom, 4 bathroom Lowry Hill English

Tudor comes with many unique features: a fireplace in

the kitchen, formal and informal living spaces with

gorgeous woodwork, and hand-carved quotations in

the living room. Newly refinished oak floors.

Leanna Privette

Michael Wille

Leslie Walker

Lic #8508

Track 29 is set right onthe Midtown Greenway bike trail.An urban retreat just steps fromthe energy, entertainment, andshopping possibilities of Uptownand Lyndale-Lake.

indoor/outdoor shared great room

heated underground parking

hop on the Greenway here

location + design + price

LOFTSFROM THE$180s - $400s

— Available Now —

Models OpenW-F 12-5 • Sat-Sun 11-5

2818 Aldrich Avenue S.Unit #1 • Minneapolis

Live on the Greenway