News & Views of Phillips Since 1976
Friday December 19th 2025
Challenging Responsibility part two
Interview with Amy Koehnen of Ebenezer Senior Living, Part Two
By DWIGHT HOBBES
Ebenezer holds fast against COVID-19, operating its business of caring for people with exactly that – care. The alley concludes its conversation with Amy Koehnen, Minneapolis Campus Administrator.
You have your hands at the wheel.
I personally believe in being professionally hands-on. Early on, I went to each site, seven days a week. I keep my fingers in it.
No sooner did things become reasonably manageable than the Omicron variant arrived. How do you cope with the curve balls this virus throws us?
We made sure staff were vaccinated or given an approved accommodation. Otherwise they couldn’t be employed at Ebenezer sites. Every weekday at 9, 9:30 we do calls to pass along information, ask questions.
February 24, the Minneapolis rescinded mask requirements. Except for city owned or managed buildings. Where did that leave Ebenezer?
March 13, Governor Tim Walz declared a state of emergency. The Department of Motor Vehicles was open, the day before, when my son got his driver’s license, it was terrible. Human beings were coughing all over each other. Ebenezer had our assisted living and nursing homes shut and lock their doors. Signs said, “No visitors.”… Read the rest “Challenging Responsibility part two”
Random alley news April ’22
By LINDSEY FENNER
All Youth Programs and Sports Are Free This Summer at Phillips Parks: The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has made activities free for ages 17 and under in Minneapolis neighborhoods within “census-designated Areas of Concentrated Poverty (ACP).” This includes activities in East Phillips Park, Phillips Park, Peavey Park, and Stewart Park in the Phillips neighborhoods. Other area parks with waived fees for youth include: Central Gym, Elliot Park, Painter Park, Powderhorn Park, Whittier Park. The program applies to 17 parks throughout Minneapolis through at least the end of 2022. The funding for this project comes from a gradual increase in the Park Board property tax levy and City of Minneapolis allocations from the American Rescue Plan Act, the COVID-19 Stimulus funding passed by the Biden administration in 2021.
How it Works:
Visit minneapolisparks.org/register to browse all MPRB programs online via the ActiveNet platform. People can also drop by or call their local recreation center to ask about upcoming programs and sign up.
Youth program registration will be free for anyone with a Minneapolis address on their ActiveNet account at one of the 17 sites.… Read the rest “Random alley news April ’22”
Minneapolis Edible Boulevards is Looking for Participants!
By MICHELLE SHAW
So much to share this month! First, a huge shout out to our youth coordinators who have been working with us since December through a Minneapolis Green Zones grant: Janicea Comey, Timya Jones and Julius Rennie. They’ve done a lot of work connecting community members with fresh produce through community garden mapping. They’ve also created a directory to promote plant-based businesses that are BIPOC and woman-owned. If you live in one of the Southside Green Zone zip codes of 55454, 55404, 55406 or 55407 (or your business is there), have a plant-based business or offer vegan options, and would like to be included in the directory, please contact minneapolisedibleboulevards@gmail.com.
Have you ever thought about growing food for your home (or business, community space, place of worship, what have you) and also creating a space where community members can share what you grow? Then Minneapolis Edible Boulevards is for you! If you’ve never planted a garden before, that’s okay. We can teach you! If you know how and just need help with soil testing (and a few bags of organic soil on the side!), we can help with that too. We’re looking for participants who are interested in gardening long-term, so the City can see one new way of growing food with safety at the helm.… Read the rest “Minneapolis Edible Boulevards is Looking for Participants!”
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