‘Environment’ Archives
Vote, Then Take a Hike!
Vote, Then Take a Hike Part 3 in a series of articles about the 2021 municipal elections, brought to you by the League of Women Voters of Minneapolis When did you last enjoy a park? Did you have a picnic? Did you watch a little league game or take a knitting class? Minneapolis parks offer any activities a creative mind can imagine. The many facets of the park system are overseen by nine commissioners elected by YOU. One position for each of six park districts and three at-large positions are up for election this fall. Meeting monthly, these commissioners are responsible for maintaining park properties, developing new sites to equitably serve residents”™ needs, and proposing policies that govern the use and safety of the 180 park properties, 55 miles of parkways, 12 formal gardens, seven golf courses, and 49 recreation centers in our city. They also appoint the superintendent who implements the board policies, overseeing the budget and staff of more than 600 [...]
Eat Your Leafy Greens!
By MARY ELLEN KALUZA Summer is in full swing, and our local farmers markets are bursting with the first produce of the season. For several weeks now, enterprising farmers with hoop houses have been supplying us with breathtaking spinach, stunning kale, lovely arugula, and delicious Hakurei turnips, with their yummy greens (a great twofer vegetable!). Fresh vegetables at the local farmers markets are almost always less expensive than in grocery stores, not to mention far more nutritious, as they haven”™t languished in a far-off warehouse for weeks before reaching our refrigerators. Most vegetables start to lose nutrients the minute they are picked, and can lose 50 percent or more in less than a week. So, buying directly from the farmer who was up pre-dawn picking those leafy greens gets you the maximum goodness for your dollar. WHY EAT GREENS? Greens are probably the most nutrient packed food group. They are a great source of important minerals (iron, [...]
Random alley news
By LINDSEY FENNER City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County make Juneteenth an official holiday: They join a growing number of municipalities making June 19, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, an officially observed holiday. Because Juneteenth falls on a Saturday this year, City and County offices will be closed on Friday, June 18 in observation of the holiday. Check hclib.org and www.minneapolisparks.org for Juneteenth celebrations and events. Free membership is coming to Quatrefoil Library: Quatrefoil Library, the community center and resource for LGBTQ+ materials at 1220 East Lake Street, is offering free membership starting June 1. Quatrefoil Library has over 30,000 books, thousands of DVDs and movies, podcasts, and countless other pieces of media. The library has been open for curbside service only during the pandemic, but will start offering in-person hours this summer. Visit their website to learn more: www.qlibrary.org. Emergency [...]
