SNG Spring Profile 2016 WEB

8/17/2019 SNG Spring Profile 2016 WEB

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S ew a r

d

N e i g h b o rho o d

G r o u p

Spring Quarterly 2016

Services • Community • Arts • Music • Food • Theatre • Crafts • Dance

Seward Summer Favorite:

Garage Sale Days!

Birchwood BOOST

MInnehaha Intersection:

Planning for Safety

Seward’s Own

Garden Party

New Third Places,

Home Improvement

... and so much more!

Discover all

that is Seward

at www.sng.org


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Se wa r d

N e i g h b

o r h o o

d

G r

o u p

The Seward Prole, a quarterly publication

of the Seward Neighborhood Group (SNG),

strives to keep neighborhood residents,

businesses, property owners and organizations

informed of what’s happening in Seward

and assist SNG in building and sustaining

a strong, diverse, and vibrant community.

As a typical Seward endeavor, the Prole

relies on volunteers to plan each issue,

create copy, sell ads, and prepare the

printed edition for mailing. We welcome

your suggestions and would welcome your

time and energy even more.

To get involved, contact us at [email protected]

or Seward Prole, 2323 E. Franklin Avenue,Minneapolis, 55406.

Upcoming Issue and Deadline

Summer Issue 2016

Copy and ad deadline:

May 6, 2016

In homes and businesses:

May 27 - June 1, 2016

If you or someone you know would like a

written translation of the Prole Quarterly,

please contact [email protected] or call

612-338-6205.

Editors & Staff Writers, and Volunteers:

Kate, Kerry, Shell, Bruce • Design: Marne

e-mail:[email protected]

Printer: Print Craft

Discover all

that is Seward

at www.sng.org

Seward Garage Sale Days! Garage sales are the perfect reuse and recycle event, your trash becomes someone else

treasure. Join SNG on May 13th and 14th

for our annual Garage Sale Days. You can sign

up to host a sale at www.sng.org or you can donate

your unwanted items on one of the donation sites below.

Registration fee for the SNG sales

is just $18, for this you get a place

on our printed map, an ofcial garage sale lawn sign, copies of the sales

map and a link on our website. If you don’t want to host a sale remember t

save the date for walking around the neighborhood and enjoying our uniqu

Seward Community.

Do you want to get rid of your items before May? Check out the list below

for ideas of where your “gems” can be dropped off. SNG’s Environment

Committee created this list of places folks can take unwanted household items, in addition to dona

to thrift stores like Savers, Goodwill, and Salvation Army. We hope this list reduces what’s burned at t

Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC), our solid waste to energy facility.

PLACES TO BRING UNWANTED ITEMS:

1. Longfellow-Seward Exchange is a Local Facebook page to post items for free or for sale

embracing the saying “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

www.facebook.com/groups/LongfellowSewardExchange/

2. Free Geek at 2537 25th Ave S. in Seward accepts computer equipment, small applian

cameras, phones & game equipment to build new or recycle responsibly.

freegeektwincities.org

3. Women’s Prison Book Project c/o Boneshaker Books at 2002 23rd Ave S. in Seward

accepts new or used books, especially paperbacks. www.wpbp.org

4. Better Futures MN accepts new and gently used building materials and home improvem

supplies at 2620 Minnehaha Ave.. http://betterfuturesenterprises.com/about-us/

5. Habitat for Humanity’ The ReStore at 510 County Rd D West in New Brighton accepts

new and gently used building materials and home improvement supplies.

restore.tchabitat.org\

6. At Fix-It Clinics hosted by Hennepin County, residents bring in small household applian

clothing, electronics, mobile devices and more to receive free guided assistance fromvolunteers to repair them. www.hennepin.us/xitclinic

7. Twin Cities Free Market is a great way to exchange free items with others by posting an

ad online. www.twincitiesfreemarket.org

8. Consignment Stores are a great way to make a little money for your goods. Some

TurnStyle locations accept housewares and Once Upon a Child accepts children’s toys

and clothes.

9. Craigslist offers an opportunity to post items for free or for sale online.

minneapolis.craigslist.org

10. Junket: Tossed & Found 4049 Minnehaha 612-293-6863

http://shopjunket.com/about-us/

RECYCLE: 1. Eureka Recycling! at 309 Como Avenue (Como & Minnehaha) in Saint Paul accepts clo

& linens for textile recycling. www.eurekarecycling.org

2. Scrap metal recycling facilities will take metal appliances and other metal products

(shelves, lamps, curtain rods, grills) for cash.

THRIFT STORES:

1. The Free Store, Central Lutheran Church 333 South 12th St., Minneapolis 612-870-44

http://centralmpls.org/#/community-ministry/the-free-store

2. Savers Thrift Store 2124 E. Lake St., Minneapolis

http://stores.savers.com/mn/minneapolis/thrift-stores-minneapolis-mn-1032.html

3. St. Paul Goodwill, 1239 University Ave. W, St. Paul, 651-646-0377

http://ges.convio.net/site/PageNavigator/donate/donate_items.html

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Change Is Coming This Summer:Franklin/Cedar/Minnehaha/20th Ave. – Planning for Safety

For at least 16 years the Seward Neighborhood Group and Seward Redesign have been working to make the Franklin/Cedar/Minnehaha inter-

section safer for people in cars, people who walk and people who bike. Three years ago the SNG Community Development Committee and Sewa

Redesign started working with Bob Byers and others at the Hennepin County and Minneapolis Public Works Departments. On February 9, the

community overwhelmingly voted to support a plan at a Community Development Committee meeting that was attended by over fty people.

Everyone agrees it is a problem intersection: • Crashes are roughly double the rate of similar intersections in the city.

• There is high percentage of pedestrian & bicycle crashes.

• In a 10-year study, it is tied as the worst bike/car crash intersection in Minneapolis.

There are a lot of things causing these crashes. Some of the major ones include:

• The intersection is really confusing and drivers are concentrating on guring out which way to go and watching other cars.

• The layout of the left turn lanes makes it hard to see on-coming cars.

• Pedestrians and bicyclists have to cross multiple streets and deal with drivers who are distracted by the intersection design.

• Drivers tend to speed on Franklin between 16th and Cedar where it feels like a highway.

The plan addresses a lot of these problems and makes signicant improvements while staying within a limited budget and taking advantage

of funding that is available now. Details of the plan are available at www.Hennepin.us. Just search for “Franklin Cedar.”

The proposal xes a lot but it is a very complex area and there may be future problems. The county and city staff promised to monitor the potenti

problems and come back to the project with xes if they are needed. Also, the resolution that was passed included strong recommendations for

some additions to address these concerns. The resolution that was passed is available at http://sng.org/community-development-committee/

When will it happen? Construction is planned to start in August this year. The plan is to keep the intersection open during construction.


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birchwoodcafe.com

612.722.4474 • Minneapolis

It takes every farmer we knowto make a waffle this good.

B i r c h w o o d

B O O S T!

Birchwood BOOST As many Seward residents know, the Birchwood Cafe has had a busy few

years, with a successful Kickstarter campaign, remodeling, reopening,

and celebrating 20 years of serving “Good Real Food.” Building on that

momentum, on February 1st, the cafe announced a new giving and outreach

partnership program called Birchwood BOOST.

The new endeavor is rooted in Birchwood’s community spirit and the idea

is to engage their community and give people the opportunity to “be the

change.” “People come here to eat but they also come here to connect witheach other and share ideas, “ said owner Tracy Singleton, “expanding on

that, we hope that BOOST can provide meaningful, intentional support for

organizations working to make the world a better place while enriching our

community at the same time.”

The new program’s goals are to raise awareness and nancial support for

nonprot organizations that are working on issues important to the Birch-

wood Cafe, such as protecting the environment, increasing social justice,

improving food systems, and creating more access to healthy food and

healthful living.

The “Boost” comes through engaging and educating Birchwood Cafe staff

and customers on action steps they can take to make a difference over the

course of a two-month partnership. Through events in the restaurant, people

will be able to learn from, connect to, and volunteer with Birchwood BOOST

partnering nonprots. Participating organizations will be featured in the restaurant’s

social media, newsletters, and in-cafe promotions, and

will receive the proceeds of a voluntary point-of-sale

round-up “Boost” from customers, as well as host a

ticketed ”Booster Club” event in the cafe. Groups for

2016 have already been selected.

Birchwood BOOST will also streamline the restaurant’s

charitable donations. “We do a lot of giving throughout

the year, “ said General Manager Jimmy Layer, “and we

think this is a great way to really focus and have a bigger

impact.“

The rst Birchwood BOOST partner is Climate Generation:

A Will Steger Legacy (http://www.climategen.org), an organization that works to educate

and empower people to engage in solutions to climate change, with a focus on engaging

youth. Proceeds will be directed towards their 11th Annual Summer Institute for Climate

Change Education, to be held June 21-24, 2016 at Macalester College in Saint Paul.

“The changes in our climate have affected our farmers and will have a profound impact

on how our food comes to us,” notes Singleton. “On the heels of the Paris climate talks

and in the midst of our presidential campaign, collaborating with Climate Generation

for the Birchwood BOOST right now makes a lot of sense. We love that this group focuses

both on issues on climate change and of social justice. ”

For more “BOOST” information, please see www.birchwoodcafe.com

The 22nd annual South Minneapolis Housing Fair

will be held April 16th from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm at th

Minneapolis Sports Center - Midtown YWCA, located a

2121 East Lake Street. The Fair is free to the public an

provides home improvement and community resource

information. The theme for this year’s fair is smart

houses, the focus will be on tech options, efciency

and eco-friendly/green living.

In addition to local high-quality building, remodeling a

landscaping contractors, there are booths with expert

on gardening from the University of Minnesota and fro

the city of Minneapolis who will answer your question

on everything from building codes, solid waste and

grafti removal.

Also, we have returning fair favorites; we will again hav

Tech Dump, where you can bring your small electronic

devices for recycling, Elpis Enterprises where kids can

build a bird feeder; fair attendees can make their ownnon-toxic chemical at the Mississippi Watershed

Management Organization booth; and you can view

the Tiny Solar House sponsored by The Minnesota

Renewable Energy Society.

“How-to sessions” are being offered on a variety of

home improvement topics including: the do’s and don

of green remodeling, adding green elements to your

remodeling project, and information on installing sola

The South Minneapolis Housing Fair is an independen

non-prot 501(c)3 that produces the fair to improve

Minneapolis Neighborhoods and their housing stock.

For more information, go to www.housingfair.org.


5/8

Seward Co-op in 3 locations!

Two full service grocery stores

& neighborhood caféwith unique day& evening menus

Frankin Store2823 E. Franklin Ave Friendship Store

317 E. 38th St.

Co-op Creamery

2601 E. Franklin Ave

| www.seward.coop

At Mon Petit Cheri Bakery, building community through

food is their motto. Some of the best experiences andmemories in life often are shared over a meal, or a grea

cup of coffee and conversation. Taking great pride in

sourcing as much local produce and product as possible

you’ll nd the most delicious baked goods, breakfasts,

lunches and now … dinner. Their new dinner hours start

with a Grand Opening this past Valentine’s Day. They wi

be serving local beers and wines for the dinner hours.

Mon Petit Chéri is at 2401 E Franklin Ave. New hours:

Mon – Wed 7 am–4 pm and Thurs–Sun 7 am – 11 pm

(They will be closed from 4 to 5 on Thurs thru Sunday to

prepare for dinner.)

Local. Craft. Small Batch. Lawless

produces spirits for the everyday

person. Their liquor license should

get nal approval from the City Fe

12. They are hoping to open befor

summer. Lawless Distilling Comp

is located at 2619 S 28th Ave.

N E W N

e i g h b o r h o o

d “ T h i r d P l a c e s ! ”

An elaborate, new sushi and

karaoke lounge has openedCome “get your song on” in

one of the private rooms tha

hold 10 up to 35.

Encore Karaoke and Sushi

is located at 2111 E Frankli

Ave.

Believe it or not, spring is coming! Get your garden started early by ordering

plants now! Every year, our school has a Plant Sale. This is a fun event and a

great way to support the school. Just go to sewardplantsale.org to order and

pay online! All prots directly support supplies and activities at Seward

Montessori School!

The plant sale offers a huge variety of plants, including a diverse assortment of

annual and perennial owers, ground covers, and greener, native perennials,

vegetables, herbs and hanging baskets.

The Seward Montessori Plant Sale runs from February 25-March 18. Orders

must be turned in to the school ofce or completed on-line by Friday, March

18. Orders will be ready for pick up at the school on May 5 & 6.

Starting Monday March 7 in City

Council Wards 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10 (and

Monday, March 21 for the entire city),

the City of Minneapolis is offering

more than 1,200 three- to eight-foot

trees for only $25 each. Mark your

calendar now. Order your tree at

www.treetrust.org or call 952-767-

3886.

You must pick the trees up on May

21, 22, or 23 at the Minneapolis

Impound Lot. Trees are available

for Minneapolis property owners

including residents, businesses and

nonprots. Choose from several varieties and sizes of trees, including fruit

trees. First-come, rst-served – order early for best selection. Limit one tree per

property, maximum three properties.

Healthy trees look beautiful in your neighborhood, increase property values,

help clean the air you breathe, absorb carbon dioxide, save on your energy bills

with strategic planting, keep the city cooler in the summer, provide homes for

wildlife and help manage stormwater.

TREES by Joyce Kilmer

I think that I shall never seeA poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the sweet earth’s owing

breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

A Tree Growsin Seward


6/8

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Discover all

that is Seward

at www.sng.org

BETTER FUTURES MINNESOTAMoving to Seward

Better Futures Minnesota, the pioneering nonprot organization that help

guide men — who have faced a variety of personal challenges—to a positiv

productive path through its transformative program is celebrating its

relocation to the “Minnehaha Mile.” The organization’s headquarters and

popular reuse materials retail warehouse have moved to 2620 Minnehaha

Avenue South in Minneapolis. Better Futures Minnesota provides services

that divert material from the landll. They also recycle or reuse materials

that can be salvaged. If you are interested in donating clean and re sellab

building/home materials to Better Futures they can be picked up for a mod

fee or you can drop them off at no cost. No Appointment is necessary.

For a list of acceptable items check out their website

http://betterfuturesenterprises.com/minnesota/donate/

FRANKLIN AVE BRIDGE (COUNTY ROAD 5Update on Summer Closure

Hennepin County is reconditioning the Franklin Avenue Bridge (County Ro

5) in Minneapolis. The bridge spans West River Parkway and the MississipRiver. Crews will rehabilitate this historic structure during two construction

seasons. In 2016, the bridge will be closed to complete the work, the exa

date of closure has not been scheduled. For more information check out

the website at http://www.hennepin.us/franklinbridge

Come to Seward’s Garden Party! Mark your calendars for the 2016 Seward

Garden Tour and Tea Party. Scheduled for

Thursday, July 14, from 6 to 8 pm, this is a

chance to stroll Seward’s most interesting

gardens, pick up tips from the gardeners,

and enjoy an early summer evening stroll.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 on the

day of the event. Enjoy light refreshments

and best yet, support SNG! For additional

information, contact Kerry at 612-338-6295,

ext. 119 or [email protected].


7/8

Seward Residents receiving a Home Energy Squad Enhanced Audit will

have the cost of the energy audit reduced from $70 to $30. Residents

who have previously had an audit are eligible to receive another one if the

prior audit was before February 2013. The energy consultants will come

to your home, evaluate your energy saving opportunities, and install the

energy-efcient materials of your choice: • Door weatherstripping • A water heater blanket

• A programmable thermostat • Refrigerator thermometer

• High-efciency showerhead • High-efciency faucet aerators

• Specialty compact uorescent light bulbs (a-line, bathroom globe and indoor oodlight)

The audit will also include a blower door test to measure your home for air leaks, an insulation inspection of your attic and walls using an

infrared camera and a safety check of the home’s heating system and water heater. The SNG Environment Committee is offering $200 Energy

Conservation Grants to homeowners making improvements recommended by the audit. Participants also have access to utility company

rebates and SNG’s home improvement loans at 2.5% interest. For more information, contact: Doug Wise, at (612) 338-6205, ext. 102 or

[email protected].

The Seward Neighborhood Group is offering home improvement loans

to homeowners and rental property owners to make improvements to

properties with up to four units.

•The SNG Revolving Loan Program is available to both owner

occupied and rental properties; it provides loans up to $12,000

for a term of up to ten years at 2.50% interest. There is no

income limit on the Revolving Loan Program.

•The Interest Subsidy Grant Program is available to owner

occupied properties; it reduces the interest rate on Minnesota

Fix-up Fund loans from 5.75% to 2.50% on loans up to $20,000

for up to 15 years. The Interest Subsidy Grant Program currently

has an income limit of $97,500 (total household income).

•The SNG Emergency Deferred Loan Program provides deferred

loans to owner-occupants of properties in the Seward neighbor-

hood who face emergency home repairs and are unable to

obtain funds to repair the problem. For homeowners unableto make monthly payments, the loans will be repaid when the

house is sold.

For more information on the loan programs, or general home improvement

advice, contact Doug Wise, SNG’s Housing Coordinator, at (612) 338-6205,

ext. 102 or [email protected].

SNG HOME IMPROVEMENT LOANS

AVAILABLE AT 2.50% INTEREST

NEIGHBORHOOD ENERGY AUDITS

& CONSERVATION GRANTS


8/8

Se wa r d

N e i g h b

o r h o o

d

G r

o u p

K e e p u p w i t h

n e i g h b o r h o o d e v e n t s , m e e t i n g s ,

a n d i s s u e s a t T h e F o r u m .

J o i n t o d a y a t :

h t t p : / / b i t . l y / s e w a r d f o r u m

C h e c k o u t S e w a r d ’ s o t h e r “ v i r t u a l ” p r o p e r t i e s a t : h t t p : / / g o o . g l / X a 6 A R

J o i n Y o u

r N e i g h b o r s O n l i n e

a t t h e S e w a

r d N e i g h b o r h o o d O n l i n e F o

r u m !

Discover all

that is Seward

at www.sng.org

Welcome to

the Neighborhood!

SNG has updated welcome kits to

pass out to new neighbors. If you

have new neighbors on your block

stop by the SNG offices at 2323

East Franklin Avenue and pick up

a kit. This is an easy way to stop

by and meet your new neighbors!

Letter to

the CommunityIt seems like I’ve been involved in trying to improve the

Franklin/Cedar/Minnehaha intersection forever. Actually it has only

been about 9 years. It looks like we finally have a plan everyone

can live with that will improve the intersection for everyone --

people in cars, people on bikes, and people walking.

I want to thank a bunch of organizations for making it happen:

• Seward Neighborhood Group and Seward Redesign:

Without the ongoing support and pressure on our local

governments from these organizations, nothing

would have happened.

• The Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition, the North Star Chapter

of the Sierra Club and the Native American Community

Development Institute were great allies in the project.

• Minneapolis Public Works Department for seeing

the need that something had to be done and

agreeing to the project.

• Probably most important, the Hennepin County Public Works

Department. They took this project on as an engineering challenge.

There are too many individuals to thank individually. The most

important person to thank is Bob Byers, the project manager for this

project. His willingness to involve all the stakeholders, have countless

public meetings, show up at open streets twice to talk to people,

listen to ideas and concerns from anyone, and come up with

creative solutions made this project happen.

Finally, and most important, I want to thank all the residents and

businesses who came to the most recent public meetings. The concerns

you expressed made the project better. Thank you especially for agreeing

to take a risk to make the neighborhood safer for everyone.

Sheldon Mains, Serial Shameless Agitator

Coming soon!

OPEN STREETSon Franklin Ave.Sunday, Aug. 21.

Documents

SNG Spring Profile 2016 WEB