Lowry Avenue Bridge Update

By Mary Ann | Published: December 21, 2011

Lowry Bridge workDecember 7, 2011 — A new bridge is taking shape over the Mississippi River between North and Northeast Minneapolis. Beginning this week, the contractor will install the Lowry Avenue Bridge arches.

“The arches are the exclamation points on this marvel of modern infrastructure. When this process is complete, we’ll have the signature connection between North and Northeast Minneapolis that has been envisioned from the start, and will be a staple of this region for 100-plus years,” said Hennepin County Commissioner Mark Stenglein.

The contractor will begin by lifting the south arch, alternating pieces between the east and west banks of the river, followed by lifting the north arch. A crane will lift each of the 22 pieces – nine pieces per arch and four connecting pieces – into place. The arches will eventually form a basket handle design, but the process is detailed and tedious work, and it will be some time before a recognizable arch is visible.

“The arches are the exclamation points on this marvel of modern infrastructure.”

- Hennepin County Commissioner Mark Stenglein

Weather permitting, work will continue throughout the winter, with the following milestones:

  • Late December – The first four segments, base pieces weighing approximately 130,000 pounds each, will be installed.
  • Early January 2012 – The segments reaching out over the Mississippi River, which weigh approximately 70 – 80,000 pounds each, will be installed.
  • Mid-January 2012 – The last piece of the arch will be lifted into place. More information about the installation of this piece will be communicated closer to the date.

The next steps will involve installing the cables and lights, starting in February 2012.

Information from: The Hennepin County Website

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City of Minneapolis News: Promise Neighborhood Grant Brings Millions to North Minneapolis

By Mary Ann | Published: December 21, 2011

Minneapolis City leaders applaud the U.S. Department of Education’s announcement today that $28 million in funding is being awarded to the Northside Achievement Zone, which will provide a significant boost to efforts to help Northside children succeed and thrive.

The award is one of five Promise Neighborhood Implementation grants awarded in the country this year. The grant will be used to ensure children and youth growing up in Promise Neighborhoods have access to great schools and strong systems of family and community support. The goal is to prepare them to attain an excellent education and successfully transition to college and a career.

The Promise Neighborhoods program aims to address significant challenges faced by students and families living in high-poverty communities by providing resources to plan and implement a continuum of services from early learning to college and career.  Plans include a range of services from improving a neighborhood’s health, safety, and stability to expanding access to learning technology and Internet connectivity, and boosting family engagement in student learning.

Minnesota’s achievement gap is consistently among the largest in the nation, with arguably the most significant impact hitting in north Minneapolis. Through the coordinated effort of more than 60 organizations and schools in the Northside Achievement Zone, the gap will be closed and replaced with a culture of high achievement.

To learn more, visit: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/promiseneighborhoods/index.html.

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Tornado Resource Phone Numbers of Organizations that may be able to help

By Mary Ann | Published: December 21, 2011

For folks who couldn’t  make it to the Resource Fair held on December 17,  you can also get help by calling these organizations who may be able to help with home repairs:

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City’s public website gets extreme makeover

By Mary Ann | Published: December 20, 2011

The City of Minneapolis website has received a major facelift. Beginning Monday, Dec. 19, visitors to www.MinneapolisMN.gov will see a more dynamic website with a better design that is easier to navigate and more accessible for people with disabilities. Behind the scenes, the website redesign will also help City staff work more efficiently because of a streamlined process to update content on the web.

The redesign process has been a significant undertaking for the City of Minneapolis and is the culmination of almost two years of work, first with a redesign of the City’s Intranet and now the public website. Approximately 13,000 pages, 50,000 documents and 160,000 links have been converted to the new website format. There are many highlights to the redesign including:

  • www.MinneapolisMN.gov is now more accessible for people with disabilities and those who speak other languages. The new site complies with Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act Guidelines, utilizes Google Translate, and allows for adjustable text size for people with low vision
  • A cleaner layout with better use of white space and more photos
  • More options to highlight popular content and special programs
  • New menu at the top of each page with drop down navigation and more options to choose from
  • A list of all departments at the top of every web page
  • More consistent left-side navigation
  • Increased presence of 311, City Council and Mayor’s office on the homepage
  • Better promotion of City jobs, Minneapolis 79, social media, email subscriptions and language resources
  • Breadcrumbs that show where you are on the site
  • Home → Public Works → Sidewalks

Visitors to the new website will notice that the redesign has changed the web addresses to many of the City’s web pages. Web addresses to department homepages likewww.minneapolismn.gov/311 and pages like www.minneapolismn.gov/snow remain the same, but many others will change. Users will want to visit the City’s website, find the pages they’re looking for, and update their bookmarks.

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City of Minneapolis News: New year brings a change in utility bill calculation

By Mary Ann | Published: December 19, 2011

Your monthly Minneapolis utility bill includes charges for your tap water, storm and sanitary sewer, and garbage and recycling pickups. Beginning in January, you will see a change in the billing for the costs of water and sewer services.

Typically at the start of the new year, people would see an increase in the volume rates charged for sewer and water services (a cost that’s based on how much you use). However, this year there’s a new fixed rate component added instead of an increase in the volume rate. Most homes will see a change that adds about $5 in fixed rates per month, but no increase in the volume rate.

Until now, the amount customers paid for water and sewer service was based solely on the amount of water used during the month. However, there are more costs involved than just producing the water itself. The City must maintain the water distribution system and sewer lines that service all homes and businesses at all times, and a decrease in water usage does not decrease the costs to operate these systems. During times when citywide water use is low, there is less money available to maintain and operate these critical systems. This change reflects the fact that these services require fixed maintenance, and adding fixed rate fees will allow the City to manage these services more effectively.

Find your 2012 utility rates at www.minneapolismn.gov/utility-billing or call 311.

Dec. 19, 2011

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Hennepin County Information: Thin Ice Dangers

By Mary Ann | Published: December 19, 2011

The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office is urging people to stay off of the ice on area lakes and other bodies of water due to thin ice conditions.

Last week, many small lakes in Hennepin County had 4-5 inches of ice, the recommended minimum thickness for walking and small group activities.  Rain and recent warm weather have diminished the ice and it is too unstable for any activity.

Please be aware of safety information:

  • Most victims of fatal accidents on the ice in Hennepin County have been children.  Parents and guardians should keep children away from thin ice on rivers, ponds, creeks, and lakes. When your child is near the ice or the water, you should be near your child.
  • The early part of winter has traditionally been the time of year when children are at risk for ice accidents because of the holiday schedule over the next few weeks. With the upcoming holiday break, children will have more time on their hands to explore outside.
  • Small bodies of water such as ponds are especially a hazard now since they are the most likely to have a thin layer of ice.  A dusting of snow or frost may give thin ice the appearance that it is safe when it is not.
  • Remember to keep your dog on a leash this time of year. The Sheriff’s Office has responded to drownings and near-drownings involving pet owners who put themselves in jeopardy chasing after a dog that wandered onto thin ice.
  • If families plan to enjoy indoor water recreation at hotels or other locations, create a water safety plan to prevent drownings.  More drownings in Hennepin County take place in swimming pools and hot tubs – compared to natural bodies of water.  Non-swimmers and weak swimmers should consider wearing life jackets even in an indoor pool. Active supervision by an adult is still needed.

For more information about ice safety, the DNR has tips online.

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Digital billboards will alert drivers when a Snow Emergency is declared

By Mary Ann | Published: December 19, 2011

The City of Minneapolis is adding another tool to help folks learn when a Snow Emergency is declared in Minneapolis. New this year, a dozen digital billboards around town will alert drivers to when a Snow Emergency is declared, thanks to a partnership between the City and Clear Channel Outdoor. The new alert system adds to the many existing ways the City already works to help folks learn when a Snow Emergency is in effect.

Throughout this winter, ads to encourage people to sign up for Snow Emergency alerts will appear on the dozen Clear Channel Outdoor digital billboards in Minneapolis. Once a Snow Emergency is declared, the ads will be replaced with ones that tell drivers that a Snow Emergency is in effect, and to call the Snow Emergency hotline to find out where to park.

The City currently has many tools people can use to find out when a Snow Emergency is declared. They include text and email alerts, automated phone calls, a Snow Emergency hotline, Facebook, Twitter and the City’s website. This new tool will help reach drivers who may not have gotten the news.

When enough snow falls, a Snow Emergency would be declared and drivers will then need to follow Snow Emergency parking rules so plow drivers can do the best job possible. Failure to follow the Snow Emergency parking rules can result in a ticket and tow.

There are many ways to learn about a Snow Emergency

Towing and impounding vehicles is expensive, so it’s in everyone’s interest to help drivers follow the parking rules and avoid a ticket and tow.

Minneapolis offers residents, workers and visitors a number of tools to help people learn when Snow Emergencies are declared and what to do when they are. We’re advising drivers to put several of these tools to use, not just one or two. The more ways they have to learn about a Snow Emergency, the less likely they’ll be towed because they didn’t know one was declared.

  • Call the hotline – By calling the automated 612-348-SNOW hotline, folks can find out if a Snow Emergency has been declared. The hotline will include information on parking restrictions that drivers need to follow to avoid tickets and tows. The hotline includes information in Spanish, Somali and Hmong.
  • Check out the City’s website – Go to the City’s snow page to find out whether a Snow Emergency has been declared and for a wealth of information on Snow Emergencies in many languages. Also, check out the street lookup, which lets you put in an address or a neighborhood to see where you can park during a Snow Emergency.
  • Mail – Every fall, a Snow Emergency informational brochure is mailed to every household in Minneapolis.
  • Phone alerts – Minneapolis uses a phone alert system to notify residents when Snow Emergencies are declared. It is an automated notification system that can place thousands of calls per hour. To add additional numbers beyond just your home number, sign up on the City’s website.
  • Email alerts – You can also sign up to get Snow Emergency alerts automatically emailed to you.
  • The media – News releases are sent to the media so TV, radio stations and other news outlets can inform their viewers, listeners and readers that a Snow Emergency is in effect.
  • On cable – Tune in to cable channels 14 and 79. These channels will have information in several languages when a Snow Emergency is declared.
  • Facebook – “Like” Minneapolis Snow Emergency on Facebook.
  • Twitter – If you have a Twitter account, just follow us. Both the Twitter and Facebook pages will tell fans and followers when a Snow Emergency is declared.


Non-English Snow Emergency information

Information on Snow Emergency is also available in other languages on the City’s website. If you know anyone who primarily speaks Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Oromo, Vietnamese or Lao, you can direct them to the City’s website for information in their language on Snow Emergency and much more.

Dec. 7, 2011

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Minneapolis reduces pet license fees

By Mary Ann | Published: December 19, 2011

The City of Minneapolis is reducing pet license fees in an effort to get more people to license their pets.
Beginning January 2012, the annual license fee for a spayed/neutered pet drops from $30 to $25.  A $15 discount was also created for those individuals with limited incomes or those receiving public assistance.  This new license type mirrors the existing discount for seniors age 65 or older.

Pet licensing is a major component of Minneapolis Animal Care & Control’s mission to create safe and healthy communities for people and pets, and it’s also the law. City ordinance requires the licensing of all dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets.

There are many benefits that come with licensing your pet. Licensed pets that stray away from home are three times more likely than unlicensed pets to be returned safely to their owners. If a licensed stray pet is picked up by Minneapolis Animal Care & Control or brought to the Animal Shelter, the animal gets a free ride home. Stray cats and dogs that come to the shelter without a visible license tag only have a 50 percent chance of going home.

Licensing your pet also helps other pets. Pet license fees pay for:

  • Basic veterinary and emergency care for all stray animals
  • Bite, animal cruelty and dangerous animal investigations and enforcement
  • Efforts to find homes for stray and abandoned animals
  • Enforcement of laws to ensure safe communities for people and pets

Licensing your pet is quick and easy. You can apply through the City by going online, calling 311, or visiting Minneapolis Animal Care & Control or the Minneapolis Development Review.  Pet Licenses can also be purchased at two veterinary clinics – Westgate Pet Clinic and Minneapolis Veterinary Hospital – as well as with Chuck & Don’s Pet Food Outlet.

For more information visit the Minneapolis Animal Care & Control website.

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MPRB News Release: Minneapolis School Release Day Activity Guide now available

By Mary Ann | Published: December 12, 2011
Looking for activities to keep kids busy while they’re out of school? Check out the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s School Release Day Activity Guide. The guide lists extended hours for recreation centers, ice rink warming houses and winter recreation areas, as well as field trips, camps and other activities across Minneapolis during Minneapolis school release days Dec. 26-30, Jan. 2-6, 16, 23 and Feb. 20.For kids looking to spend their days outdoors, School’s Out Camps at the Wirth Winter Recreation Area teach kids the basics of how to cross-country ski, snowboard and tube. Winter Break Nature Camps offer nature education and sledding, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing opportunities.

Other activities offered while school’s out include field trips, art classes, games and more fun at recreation centers citywide.

During school release days, recreation centers, ice rink warming houses and winter recreation areas offer extended hours. All recreation centers and ice rink warming houses will open at noon. The Wirth Winter Recreation Area will be open for cross-country skiing, snowboarding and tubing from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Cross-country ski passes and rentals will be available at the Wirth Par 3 Clubhouse from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Columbia Manor from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Click here to view the School Release Day Activity Guide. Visit ActiveNet to sign up for an activity today!
CONTACT: Tyler Stearns
Communications Intern
612-230-6414 | tstearns@minneapolisparks.org
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City of Minneapolis News Release: Minneapolis Leads the Nation in National Night Out Participation

By Mary Ann | Published: December 12, 2011

The people of Minneapolis once again lead the nation when it comes to National Night Out activities to build community and keep our neighborhoods safe. For the fourth time in the past five years Minneapolis placed first in the nation for the number of National Night Out gatherings held in the city, among cities with populations greater than 300,000, according to the National Association of Town Watchwhich sponsors the annual awards.

More than 60,000 Minneapolis residents gathered on Aug. 2 at a record 1,173 events in all 83 neighborhoods of the city to celebrate National Night Out. An improved, easier to use online registration process, the quality customer service from 311, and the hard work of the City’s Crime Prevention Specialists are just a few of the reasons for an increase in participation this year. Minneapolis’ effort, which was coordinated by the Minneapolis Police Department, resulted in activities ranging from small get-togethers in yards to elaborate events in parks and on blocked-off streets.

Since 1989, Minneapolis has placed first in the nation 10 times, and second place seven times among the largest cities in the country.

National Night Out is a crime prevention effort that aims to reduce crime by encouraging neighbors to get to know one another. When people know one another, they are more likely to watch out for one another and call police about suspicious activity. National Night Out activities help build and maintain Minneapolis’ extensive network of neighborhood watch block clubs by giving people an opportunity to get together with neighbors, meet new people and discuss issues.

Major sponsors of Minneapolis’ National Night Out were Target Corporation, Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America, Castle Building and Remodeling, Mill City Museum and Cub Foods. In addition to the major sponsors, 144 local businesses supported block events.

Visit the City’s website for more information about Minneapolis’ National Night Out.

Dec. 8, 2011

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