High Quality
Open the downloaded document, and select print from the file menu (PDF reader required).
Commentary
............................................2
Book Review
...............................................4
Crime & Safety
......................................5
CARAG Report
.......................................10
ECCO Report
...........................................13
Calendar
.......................................................14
May 2008 • Volume 4, Number 5
inside
Photo (left) by Jill Bode
The Spirit of American Youth Rising from theWaves. See story page 9
latin Trifecta
“No-Match” = No Jo?
Just In Time For Summer, Indio RestaurantOpens With Fresh Mexican Flair
By Bruce Cochran
From the wife-husband team of Erin Ungerman and Hector Ruiz comesthe third installment in their Latin restaurant trilogy. At 1221 West LakeSteet, Indio, a Mexican themed restaurant is their finest work yet. Tak-ing advantage of its central location within Uptown Row, it boasts highglass windows on three sides which give it multiple sidewalk exposures–great for watching the world go by. Metered parking is available as wellas a pay lot behind the restaurant and outdoor seating will be availablemid-May out back.
lake Street Construction
The Sequel
Why are they tearing up Lyndale and Lake again?
There’re actually justtearing up the south side of Lake this time.
Will traffic be a mess again?
Hopefully not. East of Lyndale construction on Lake will be more con-tiguous this summer and hopefully that will make traffic run smootherthis summer.
Wheels of Steal
Your Community-Supported News Source • Covering the Neighborhoods of
CARAG
and
ECCO
in the Uptown Area
Photo submitted by Intermedia Arts
Design by Emily Harris. Mural artworkby Lady Pink and Siloette.
Minneapolis55408
at Intermedia Arts. (see page 14)
Heads Up. It’s Opening Day On bike Thievery.
Workers, Restaurant Struggle withQuestion of Employment Eligibility
By Scott Schiefelbein
On March 31, D’Amico & Sons, a restaurant located at 2210 HennepinAvenue South terminated 15 employees who had received “No-Match”letters from the Social Security Administration (SSA). A no-match letteris a document informing an employer or employee that there is a discrep-ancy between the records submitted by the employer and the records onfile with SSA.
Photo by Bruce Cochran
A demonstraion in front of D’Amico, on April 26, at the Uptown location.
D’AMICO
pge
8
INDIO
pge
8
wHEElS
pge
4
SEQUEl
pge
12
By Bruce Cochran
There’s a saying in Montana,“you don’t have to be faster thanthe bear, you just have to befasterthantheslowestpersoninyour group.”Survival isall about think-ing like the bearto increase yourodds (Exhibit A).The same could be said for pre-venting bike theft. In additionto the regular inventory of bikeriders, this summer brings abumper crop of global warmingfighting commuters. This willprovide an increasing selectionfor thieves. And the way thatsome people lock their bikes,bike thefts are as quick as donein the time it takes you to readthis sentence. So if you prefernot to ride “one-way” I sug-gest you think like the bear todecrease your chances of beinga victim. Bike thieves will fol-low the path of leastresistanceandgo afterthe easiesttarget.The fol-lowingtips areall inthemathThe more expensive your ride,the more you have to do to pre-vent theft. This list is certainlynot everything that can done.But keep in mind any bike(ExhibitC) can bestolen if someonewantsitbadly enough.In fact, in D.C.and New Yorkcriminals havebeen known to back into ameter with a truck where a bikeis locked just to dislodge the U-lock. So cherry pick from thislist for a few tricks that workfor your bike.
Paperork-Shmaperork
Call it what you want, but mostrecovered bikes by the policerarely are claimed because of lack of registration. So, theMinneapolis Police Depart-ment asks you to register yourbike:• Operation Identifica-tion (OPID) is a13-digit num-ber assignedto you tomark yourvaluablesandmake it
2
•
Uptown neighborhood news
May 2008
UPTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Uptown Neighborhood News
is a monthly publication of Calhoun Area Residents ActionGroup (CARAG) in cooperation with the East Calhoun Community Organization (ECCO).UNN covers the news of and is delivered free to households within the area bounded by Lyn-dale Ave. S. and Lake Calhoun, between Lake Street and 36th St. W. Extra copies are distrib-uted to businesses in the Uptown area, along Lake Street, and Lyndale and Hennepin Aves.Circulation is 5,100, with a pass-along readership of 10,000. Publication and distribution isnear the first weekend of every month. Subscriptions are available for $30 per year, prepaid.Send check to: UNN, 3612 Bryant Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55409.Contributors are area residents who volunteer their time to bring the news of the area to resi-dents. Articles, letters to the editor and story ideas are welcomed and encouraged. The editorreserves the right to edit for length, clarity, relevance to the area, or other reasons. Editorialand advertising guidelines are available. Please contact the editor:
NEwS, TIPS & lETTERS TO THE EDITOR
uptownnews@yahoo.comUNN, 3612 Bryant Avenue South,Minneapolis, MN 55409612.259.1372
SENIOR EDITOR
Beth Seth
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Phyllis Stenerson
ADVERTISING
Susan Hagler612.825.7780susanhagler@earthlink.net
MANAGING bOARD
Appointed/Elected Reps:
Ted Ringsred,
Chair
(ECCO)612.824.6474Anna Matthes,
Vice Chair
(CARAG)Jill Bode,
Treasurer
(CARAG)Gary Farland,
Secretary
(ECCO)Ralph Knox (ECCO)Kay Nygaard-Graham (CARAG)
Volnteer Member
Mary Ann Knox
CAlENDAR EDITOR
Wendy Auldrich
CONTRIbUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jill Bode, Bruce Cochran, Kay Nygaard-Graham, Beth Seth, Phyllis Stenerson
CONTRIbUTING wRITERS
Kay Anderson, Wendy Auldrich, Jill Bode,Bruce Cochran, Mary Ann Knox, AaronRubenstein, Beth Seth, Phyllis Stenerson,Jessica Fox-Wilson
GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRODUCTION
Bruce Cochran
NEwSPAPER CIRCUlATION
CARAG/ECCO Circulation:Bill Boudreau 612.825.0979
MINNEAPOlIS CITY COUNCIl
Tenth WardRalph Remington, 612.673.2210ralph.remington@ci.minneapolis.mn.us
CRIME PREVENTION SPECIAlIST
Tom Thompson, 5th PrecinctSAFE Unit, Sector 2, 3101 Nicollet AveMinneapolis MN 55408Serving the neighborhoods of;CARAG, East Harriet, ECCO, Kingfield,Linden Hills, Lyndale, West Calhoun
5TH PRECINCT COMMUNITY ATTORNEY
Lisa Godon 612.673.2005
Uptown Neighborhood News reserves the right to refusepublication of articles or advertisements as it sees fit.But we will see fit to publish most things, don’t worry.Copyright © 2008 Uptown Neighborhood News.
letters To The Editor Poicy
Write to us, provided you write fewer than 250 words! Your letter may be edited and we don't know if it will be published, but we will certainly try to do so. We need to know your name, address, phone number and neigh- borhood. Send to uptownnews@yahoo.com by the deadline each month.
Opinions Poicy
Please submit your opinion pieces to the editor. We encourage thoughtful essays about anything that’s going on in the neighborhood. On occasion, wewill solicit contrasting views on one subject and run multiple opinions. We reserve the right to edit for space or clarity, taste and legal concerns.
commentary
letters
Issue with The UNN Apri2008 Issue
I demand an apology from theeditor. How dare you print such agraphic crime scene photo on thefront page of the April edition of the UNN. The picture clearlyshows the image of a traumaticevent. The editor should have atleast blurred out the area wherethe rack and papers once enjoyedtheir precious but precarious life.It’s an image that will forever beburned into my mind.As for the in-tir-net thing, evenwith Minneapolis Wi-Fi, I can’ttake the intirnet to the bathroomwith me. And, to be frank, thepaper comes in handy when theCharmin runs out.
-Bob Davis, 34th and Humboldt Ave. S.
There have been a number of let-ters, phone calls, and comments atpublic meetings, about CARAG’srole in, and perceived oppositionto, the proposed redevelopmentof Calhoun Square. I believe mostof them are misguided or untrue.As the chair of CARAG’s ZoningCommittee, I am very familiarwith the issues and history. I amwriting this piece, however, toexpress my own views and opin-ions—not those of CARAG. I amresponding, in part, to Greg Nord-lie’s letter (April UNN), which hesent to the CARAG Board as wellas UNN.Calhoun Square is a big real estatedeal executed by huge global finan-cial companies that seek to make aprofit and sell. We live here for thelong run and have an importantstake too.
Swim better, faster,
smarter.
Offer valid May 12 - June 16, 2008.
15% Off
All Private and Total Immersion
TM
Swim Instruction
The YWCA of Minneapolis has some of the most experienced and quali
ed swimming and safety instructors in the Twin Cities.
On Your Schedule. At Your Pace. To Reach Your Goals.Our Instruction:
— Youth and Adult Swim Lessons - All Levels— Parent/Child Lessons— Private & Semi-Private Swim Lessons— Otters Youth Swim Team— Water Fitness Classes— Adult Swim Team (Masters) Swimming — Total Immersion
TM
Swim Instruction andTriathlon Training — American Red Cross Certi
cation Courses
Start Swimming Today! Contact Any of Our 3 Locations:
Downtown (612) 215-4157Midtown (612) 215-4342Uptown (612) 215-4224
ywcampls.org
The YWCA of Minneapolis is proud to offer Minnesota’s
rst and onlyTI-licensed program in the state.
Learn more at ywcampls.org/ti
UNN file photo
Visually encrypted UNN Lab photo in question
CARAG wants A Good CahounSquare Project To Succeed
Photo by Bruce Cochran
Two important things: CARAGwants to see a good, if not great,Calhoun Square project that isvery successful. And CARAG isnot responsible for the ill-health of Calhoun Square and the develop-er’s difficulties in getting PlanningCommission approval.
SQUARE
pge
6
May 2008
Uptown neighborhood news
•
3
.
livin’Sma
Spring Cleaning,Green Cleaning
By Mary Ann Knox
When the temps approach 60degrees and beyond, we begin tothrow open the windows to addsome fresh air to our winter hous-es, and then we open up our patiosand porches. Thoughts turn tospring cleaning. How about clean-ing without toxic chemicals? Is itpossible? Our mothers and grand-mothers did it, but these days, prod-ucts made of petrochemicals andother toxic compounds we cannoteven decipher are widely available.Gradually, we are becoming awareof what the convenience may becosting us. First we realized CFCswere harming the ozone layer, andwe phased them out. We continueto learn that many of the com-mon products we all use may notbe so good–for our health, and forthe environment. According tothe EPA, fumes from householdcleansers, paints and varnishes inthe typical home make the indoorair two to five times more pollutedthan the air outside.Cocamidopropyl betaine. Methyl-paraben. Phenoxyethanol. Surfac-tants? Phenols? What the heck arethey, and do we really need them?But how to avoid them? It’s noteasy. There are few reliable stan-dards to instruct consumers inweeding out toxic compounds ineveryday products. Many com-panies now tout their brands as“green” or “natural” or “environ-mentally-friendly,” but there isno consistent or regulated reviewof product labels in this regard.Some corporations add things tolabels that cannot be verified, andsome are outright lies. Even acompany that many trust–SeventhGeneration–has admitted that adishwashing detergent labeled asbiodegradable is NOT biodegrad-able. (It has promised to revise theformula.)The Federal Trade Commissionis due to review its green mar-keting guidelines in 2009. Con-sumer Reports lists certifyingorganizations, and is a good sourcefor advice on the efficacy of com-mercial products. The Green Sealcertifies a wide range of productsfor environmental attributes.If you want to use commercialproducts, educate yourself aboutwhat’s in them, and of any poten-tial harmful effects to you or tothe environment. Read the labels.We can learn about the toxic com-pounds, just as we have learned tolook for trans fats and sugar in ourfood labels.
Avoid These HarmfuThings
• Corrosives. Some of the mostdangerous chemicals in thehome, such as lye, hydrochlo-ric acid, phosphoric acid andsulfuric acid–the active agentsin many drain cleaners, ovencleaners and toilet cleaners. Canburn the skin, cause internalburns if ingested, and explode if used incorrectly.• Chlorine bleach. Irritating to thelungs and eyes. Contains traceamounts of organochlorines–extremely persistent and toxicchemical compounds known tocause cancer in animals, amongother serious health problems.Never mix with ammonia, as itforms a potentially deadly gas.• Ammonia. Many home recipesand commercial products con-tain ammonia, but it is a strongeye and lung irritant and shouldparticularly be avoided by any-one with asthma or other lungsensitivities. Poisonous whenswallowed. Found in floor,bathroom, tile and glass clean-ers. Never mix with chlorine, asit forms a potentially deadly gas.• Phosphates. Naturally occur-ring minerals used in automaticdishwashing detergents as awater softener. In lakes andponds, can cause algae bloomsthat kill aquatic life. Look for“phosphate-free” dishwashingdetergents, try a homemade rec-ipe of half borax and half wash-ing soda instead, or skip thedishwasher and use a dishpanand regular dish soap instead.• Petroleum products. Manysurfactants (cleaning agents)are refined petroleum productsthat are linked with healthproblems. Seventh Generationestimates that “the averagehousehold contains 63 differ-ent synthetic organic chemicalproducts which total approxi-mately 10 gallons of potentiallyhazardous petrochemicals.”• Nonylphenol ethoxylates(NPEs). Found in laundrydetergents, stain removers, cit-rus cleaners and disinfectants.Toxic to aquatic plants andanimals.• Butyl cellosolve (also known asbutyl glycol, ethylene glycol,monobutyl). Poisonous whenswallowed and a lung tissueirritant. Found in glass cleanersand all-purpose cleaners.• Diethanolamine (DEA) & trieth-anolamine (TEA). Can producecarcinogenic compounds, whichcan penetrate the skin whencombined with nitrosomes, anoften-undisclosed preservativeor contaminant. Found in suds-ing products, including deter-gents and cleaners.• Antibacterials. Found in avariety of household cleaners.May cause skin and eye irrita-tion. Overuse of antibacterialproducts might also contributeto the emergence of antibioticresistance.• Disinfectants. Catchall term fora variety of active ingredients,including chlorine bleach, alco-hol, quaternary compounds,and pine oil and ethyl alcohol.The EPA regulates them aspesticides and all have somehealth effects. Most can alsocause problems in waterways bykilling helpful bacteria. Foundin a variety of household clean-ers; many products that carrythe “antibacterial” label are alsodisinfectants.• Fragrances. May cause wateryeyes and respiratory tract irri-tation. Found in a variety of cleaners and air fresheners.• Naptha. Can cause headaches,nausea and central-nervous-system symptoms with overex-posure. Found in furniture andfloor polish and glass cleaners.Instead, look for cleaners that donot contain those ingredients, ormake your own. Lots of simplecleaning solutions can be madefrom common household items.Keep these natural cleaners in thehouse:
DEADlINE
f um Ju u f t U n n
TUESDAY,MAY 2OTH.
Raph Remington’s Report
• Baking soda. A mild, naturalabrasive; can be used for clean-ing without worrying aboutscratching surfaces.• White vinegar. A mild acidicproduct; won’t destroy surfaces;works great for soap scum.• Lemon juice. Nature’s bleachand disinfectant; a great naturalstain remover and deodorizer.• Borax. A natural laundry addi-tive and booster.• Club soda. A great stain remov-er.Get yourself some spritzer bottles,and mix up your own glass andall-purpose cleaners. Use yournewspapers to wash widows andmirrors. Ditch the paper towelsand use rags or towels that can bewashed and re-used. You will savemoney, protect your own healthand avoid potential negativeimpacts on the environment. Allpart of the livin’ small mission.
Resources
Consumer Reposts guide: www.greenerchoices.orgProduct information: www.house-holdproducts.nlm.nih.govGreen Seal: www.greenseal.orgIf you live small and want to talkabout it in this space, let me know.(maryannknox@visi.com).
Mary Ann Knox lives in CARAG, and has plenty of vinegar on hand at all times.
TJ waconia Peads Guityto Fraud
Two owners of TJ Waconia pledguilty to fraud after the City of Minneapolis joined three NorthMinneapolis neighborhoods, theFamily Housing Fund, GreaterMetropolitan Housing Corpora-tion and local residents in suit fora fraudulent real estate schemewhich has worsened the foreclo-sure crisis in North Minneapolis.From 2003 to 2006, TJ Waconiapurchased and flipped 140 NorthMinneapolis homes, 88 in threeneighborhoods of Folwell, Web-ber-Camden, and McKinley. TJWaconia’s systemic, targeted, andintentional overvaluation of thesehomes used fraudulent apprais-als to falsely inflate property val-ues in north Minneapolis. Of 140TJ Waconia homes, at least 108are vacant and 89 have been soldthrough foreclosure.Hennepin County Judge Rob-ert A. Blaeser ordered 141 of TJWaconia’s homes, those in NorthMinneapolis, to go into receiver-ship and Minneapolis has beennamed the managing body.
Staiizing ForecosureHit Neighorhoods
With Council Member Reming-ton’s full support, the Minneapo-lis City Council has approved the
Minneapolis Advantag
e loan pro-gram, a $500,000 pilot program tostabilize neighborhoods hardest hitby foreclosure.
Minneapolis Advan- tage
offers a $10,000 zero percentinterest loan that is forgivable overfive years to anyone buying a singleor two family home in which theywill live within targeted neighbor-hoods. The $10,000 loan is to beused for closing costs and downpayment assistance for propertiesthat are within an eligible neigh-borhood and either on the City’svacant and boarded properties list,on a block with a property thathas been foreclosed, or are cur-rently nonhomesteaded. This pilotprogram will be reevaluated insix months to determine program
Your ECCO/CARAG Neighborhood Realtor & Lender Team!
Providing 1st Class Realtor Services & Home Financing Programs “in One Location”
Lance Fraser
Lakes Area Realty
lance@lakesarearealty.com
651-230-1648
Josh Hennesy
Prime Mortgage
A Division Of The Business Bank
josh@prime-mortgage.com
612.716.1187
1428 W 28th St Uptown
(Next to Isles Buns Coffee)
performance, access market con-ditions in eligible neighborhoods,and make recommendations forchanges. The Council has theopportunity to renew
Minneapo-lis Advantage
if it deems it appro-priate. A link is currently beingdeveloped within the City website
REMINGTON
pge
4
advertise with us...
SUSAN HAGLER
AdvertisingSalesRepresentative612.825.7780susanhagler@earthlink.net
Add a Comment