‘Cover Stories’ Archives
COMMENTARY: The City Says “NO” to our Efforts to Clean Up Air Pollution and to Seek a Better Future for East Phillips
By Carol Pass, Chair, East Phillips Improvement Coalition, EPIC. In spite of their continuing rhetoric about ”˜equity”', the City of Minneapolis is rapidly moving forward with their long-hidden plans to intensify the air pollution and traffic congestion problems of what has become known by area residents as the “Intersection of Death”, 28th St. and Cedar Avenue South, with its dangerous, toxic and foul-smelling air, its numerous massive and unsightly trucks, its impossible traffic congestion and its many nearby families with children and several ethnic daycare centers. The Ways and Means Committee of the City Council voted Monday, June 15th, 4 to 1 with one abstention to approve the intensification of these problems and on Friday, June 19th, in a 10 to 3 decision the City Council followed suit, in spite of the many letters, petitions and loud protests of your neighbors and many area organizations. The Back Story: Last November the East [...]
Dream Come True: New National Center for Norway in America
“Color it Indigo,” said Dewey Thorbeck, NH Architect, to portray water”'s mutual significance and beauty in Norway”'s fjords and Minnesota”'s deepest lakes. The vivid, eye-catching use of Indigo also recalls the strong cultural affinity of Norway and Minnesota. Welcome to Franklin Ave. and Ventura Village NH.By happenstance, Indigo”'s traditional meanings---service to humanity, integrity, sincerity, intuition, and perception---are fitting with the NH “Peace Initiative” and hope to enhance conversation culture, and contemplation. Indigo”'s deep midnight blue also suggests concentration and meditation.The opening of another cultural center on Franklin Avenue, being adjacent to Mindekirken””the Norwegian Memorial Lutheran Church at the west end of the American Indian Cultural Corridor, enhances this area as a “go to” location for the richest of cultural traditions, insights and education. BY ELIZABETH PLAETZ LORI, [...]
The Phillips Aquatic Center: A Jewel of equity and collaboration
By State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Jeff Hayden, DFL-Minneapolis; state Rep. Karen Clark, DFL-Minneapolis; Minneapolis City Council Members Abdi Warsame and Alondra Cano; Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Members Brad Bourn, John Erwin, Meg Forney, and Scott Vreeland; Evan Hall, Midtown Phillips Neighborhood Association board chair; Carol Pass, East Phillips Improvement Coalition board chair, and Denny Bennett, Minneapolis Swims board president. Minneapolis, the City of Lakes, has a dirty little secret. With one of the highest state drowning rates for children of color in the nation, Minneapolis has no public, community-accessible indoor pools offering year-round swimming instruction. Unfortunately, in Minneapolis, the opportunities to learn to swim, and reap the many health benefits that can come with swimming regularly, are too often reserved for those with means. On Wednesday, April 1, 2015 six of our nine Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) Commissioners voted [...]
