On Friday, April 27, the Ward 8 community joined
the Minneapolis Park and
Recreation Board (MPRB) in celebration of Arbor Day at MLK
Park. This year, attendees enjoyed a
festival-style celebration full of tree-themed activities and educational
opportunities, music, food, beer and, of course, new trees! MPRB Arborists
planted 150 trees around the park. The Ward 8 Office participated
in the Ceremonial Tree Planting celebration. This year, Elmer the Elm Tree turned forty years old. The
audience shared cake and sang a special happy birthday led by the Arborators, a
brass band in a tree!
In order to facilitate bus traffic during the I-35W@94
construction project, Portland Avenue will be restriped to provide for a
bus-only lane during rush hour and general traffic during other times. The restriping will require the weekend closure
of Portland Ave starting today. Portland Avenue will close at 7 p.m. Friday, May 4
through 5 a.m. Monday, May 7 from 15th Street to 31st Street.
- To learn more about this project, including all current
traffic impacts and detour routes, click here
to visit the MNDOT website.
- Metro Transit bus routes will be impacted as a result
of construction. For updated route information, and to sign up for Rider
Alerts, click here.
- Follow MNDOT on Facebook at facebook.com/mndot and
Twitter: @mndotnews
- Email the MNDOT project team at: info@35w94.com
- Call the project MNDOT hotline
at: 612-284-6125
- For real-time travel information anywhere in Minnesota
visit http://www.511mn.org/or dial 5-1-1.
The City of Minneapolis set the goals for Minneapolis to move to 100
percent renewable electricity: for municipal facilities and operations by 2022
and citywide by 2030. These goals serve as a strategy to meet the City’s
aggressive greenhouse gas emission reduction and climate change goals by moving
away from fossil fuels. The resolution responds to overwhelming scientific consensus that climate change is a
real and existential threat to human civilization and is caused primarily by
the combustion of fossil fuels. The City opposes the rollback of climate policy
at the federal level and reaffirms its ongoing commitment to the goals of the
Paris Climate Agreement.
These commitments came about with advocacy from the Sierra Club and
iMatter.
The Sierra Club’s Ready For 100 campaign encourages cities to move to cleaner,
cheaper, healthier energy with 100 percent clean, renewable energy for all. Founded by
legendary conservationist John Muir in 1892, the Sierra Club is now the nation's largest and most
influential grassroots environmental organization.
The national youth organization, iMatter, is called to befriend and support young
people as they collectively step into their authentic voices and power to
disrupt the status quo and push local leaders to do what is necessary to end
the climate crisis and transition to a just, sustainable society.
Minneapolis joins Atlanta; Boulder, Colorado; Orlando, Florida; Madison,
Wisconsin; Portland, Oregon; Rochester, Minnesota; St. Louis; Saint Louis Park,
Minnesota; San Francisco; San Diego; Salt Lake City and other cities in 100
percent renewable energy commitments.
The City of Minneapolis is committed to ensuring that all residents and
businesses, no matter their race, income, wealth or credit history, can access
and benefit from renewable energy and energy efficiency. Find more information
about Minneapolis’ action on climate change in the resolution and the City website.
One
of my proudest moments in my early tenure on the Minneapolis City Council came
as chair of the Committee of the Whole Race Equity Subcommittee. On April
25th, 2018 we kicked off the inaugural meeting of the Race Equity Subcommittee of the
Minneapolis City Council, we received presentations from the Manager of the Division
of Race and Equity, Joy Marsh Stephens who provided an overview of the work the
City has accomplished to date as well as the enabling ordinances that allowed
this work to proceed. I want to especially thank my predecessor, Elizabeth
Glidden, for spearheading the creation of the Division of Race and Equity in the City Coordinator’s office.
Also,
thanks to Dr. Rose Brewer, professor
of African American and African Studies at the University of Minnesota, Jeffrey
Hassan Esq., past Director of the African American Leadership Forum and Leslie
Badue, President of the Minneapolis NAACP, for their insightful and inspired
remarks. We had a light reception afterwards that was catered by an African
American woman business owner. We still have a lot of work to do to address the
historical harms perpetrated against communities of color, but we now have the
right people in place to make significant changes.
This past Wednesday
night, a shooting took place at the Little Earth community in the ninth ward which
left six people injured. Every time a tragedy happens in the city, it is important
to reflect on the part we all can play in the fight to end systemic violence. The victims and their families are in my heart and
mind, as well as the entire Phillips neighborhood community. As Council Member
Cano mentioned, “we know that violence at this scale impacts
victims as well as everyone around them.” The details of the incident can be
accessed on the Minneapolis Police Department website.
The City of Minneapolis, Mayor Jacob Frey and Council
Member Alondra Cano, who represents the area, have taken immediate actions to
respond to this tragedy:
- Inspector Sullivan has added an officer to the Little Earth
Beat Team and they will remain in Little Earth on foot for continued presence
and to support community outreach efforts.
- Police Chief Arradondo has authorized funds to extend the hours of
the Little Earth Beat Team and increase the presence and visibility of law
enforcement in the community.
- The Third Precinct Community Response Team (CRT) will have an
enhanced uniformed presence in and around the community.
- The CRT will continue to focus on enforcement related to narcotics
in Little Earth and the surrounding areas. Police Chief Arradondo has
authorized additional funds to support the expansion of CRT activities.
- The MPD Gang Enforcement Team will be increasing their presence in
and around Little Earth focusing on interrupting gang activity.
- Minneapolis Park Police will be patrolling the Cedar Field Park.
- MPD has participated in a Public Safety meeting with Little Earth
leadership to identify and collaborate on specific safety efforts stemming
from this incident.
- $50,000 has been devoted to Collaborative Safety Strategies that
funds new, innovative violence interruption strategies led by residents
and families who live in the Little Earth community.
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