By LINDSEY FENNER
Ingebretsen’s Nordic Marketplace Named Minnesota’s Family-Owned Small Business of the Year: Friend of the alley newspaper and 100-year old Lake Street small business Ingebretsen’s was honored by the US Small Business Association as part of National Small Business Week in May. Four generations of Ingebretsens have owned the retail business celebrating Scandinavian culture which includes a gift shop and butcher shop, as well as cultural education classes. The current co-owner, Julie Ingebretsen, has been active in mentoring new immigrant business owners along Lake Street. Congratulations Ingebretsen’s!
East Phillips Park Basketball Court Getting Redone: The basketball court will be repaired, resurfaced, and restriped. According to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, the work should be done by June. Eighteen courts, from basketball and tennis to bike polo, are being redone in parks throughout Minneapolis. Check minneapolisparks.org/courtrepairs to see if your favorite court will be impacted. Funding for the project is through the 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan, which increases capital, maintenance, and rehabilitation funding for Minneapolis Parks.
CTUL, Construction Workers, Call on Twin Cities Developers to Join the Fight Against Labor Abuse: Construction workers with Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en la Lucha (CTUL) and allies want the largest Twin Cities developers to join the Building Dignity and Respect Standards Council (BDR). Under the worker-driven council, developers would sign agreements to uphold standards such as safe working conditions and fair pay, as well as workers protections from wage theft, human trafficking, and abuse. The construction industry in the Twin Cities has struggled with human rights violations. According to a 2019 report by BDR, construction workers commonly experience labor abuse such as wage theft, dangerous working conditions, discrimination, retaliation, and labor trafficking. Most recently in May, construction workers building a residential development for the family who owns the Minnesota Vikings, alleged over $100,000 in unpaid wages.
Apply for Mortgage or Other Housing-Related Assistance through June 17: The State of Minnesota is offering assistance for those who have fallen behind on their mortgage or other housing-related expenses due to the pandemic. Housing-related expenses like property taxes, insurance, association fees or lot rent may also be eligible for assistance. Application Period: May 17 – June 17 at 5PM
Applications will be processed as they are submitted. In the event of high demand for funds, the funds may be fully allocated before the date the application period closes. Homeowners are encouraged to submit their applications early in the application period. A submitted application is not a guarantee of funding availability. Visit https://homehelpmn.org/
