Message from Council Member Kevin Reich

I am pleased to announce that the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) will be celebrating the grand opening of their new headquarters at 2522 Marshall Street on Saturday, October 27. This state-of-the-art building on the banks of the Mississippi serves as a palpable demonstration of many of MWMO’s principles of best management practices for supporting water resources and treating stormwater and I welcome you to come explore it. Check out page 3 of the newsletter for more information about the many features of the headquarters.

The MWMO was formed in 1986 by Minneapolis, Lauderdale, St. Anthony, Falcon Heights, St. Paul, the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, and the University of Minnesota. Its mission is to lead and to foster stewardship of the Mississippi watershed with actions that promote civic ownership and responsibility and through measures that achieve diverse and functional ecosystems. As Chair of their Board of Commissioners I have appreciated the opportunity to observe their work firsthand and I’m confident that their projects, programs and outreach will offer significant resources as we move forward in reimagining our Mississippi riverfront and safeguarding our watershed.

MWMO’s work ranges from educational outreach initiatives like educational workshops and the youth employment Green Team program to the ongoing monitoring of water quality to the funding and management of major stormwater mitigation and improvement projects. MWMO has been a partner in developing the Green Campus project, encompassing Jackson Square Park, the Edison High School campus and athletic fields and the Public Works Flood Mitigation Basin in the Holland neighborhood. Click HERE for more details about the scope and progress of Phase I of this project.

~ Kevin Reich

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Contact Kevin Reich
350 S. 5th Street
Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415
612-673-2201
Kevin.Reich@minneapolismn.gov

Election Information & Resources

The upcoming General Election will be Tuesday, November 6. Find general information and resources below to ensure that the voting procedure is as smooth and accessible as possible.

Voter Pre-Registration Deadline – October 16

State law requires Minnesotans to be registered at their current address before they are allowed to vote. Registrations remain current until voters move or change their names. Voters must also re-register if they have not voted in the last four years. The voter pre-registration deadline is October 16. You can pre-register to vote by completing a voter registration application which can be found online at www.mnvotes.org or at Minneapolis or Hennepin County government offices and public libraries.

If you are able to register prior to the deadline your name will appear in the roster at your polling place and you will not have to provide additional information at the polling place on Election Day. If you are unable to pre-register, Minnesota allows eligible voters to register on Election Day as long as they provide proper proof of residence. For more information about voting eligibility requirements, visit www.mnvotes.org.

Voter Registration Lookup

You can use the Secretary of State’s online Voter Registration Lookup at www.mnvotes.org to quickly learn whether you are registered at your current address.

Polling Place Location

Remember, due to redistricting, your polling place may have changed since you last voted. Visit http://www.minneapolismn.gov/elections/index.htm to find out whether your polling place has changed.

Voting Absentee

Will you be absent from your precinct, observing a religious holiday or unable to travel to the polls due to illness on Election Day? If so, visit http://www.minneapolismn.gov/elections/absentee/index.htm for information about how to receive an absentee ballot or to learn how to vote in person before Election Day. You may also go to https://mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/absenteeballotstatus.aspx to track where your ballot is in the process and when it has been successfully counted. In addition, links to additional voter resources such as county auditor contacts and a listing of candidates appearing on a voter’s ballot are also provided.

Preview Your Ballot

You are now able to preview a ballot specific to your precinct before Election Day. To see what will appear on your ballot, visit http://myballotmn.sos.state.mn.us/. 

MWMO Grand Opening

The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization’s new headquarters at 2522 Marshall Street NE will celebrate its grand opening on Saturday, October 27, beginning with a 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting. Tours of the facility will be offered until 2 p.m., offering the opportunity to view the many sustainable design features of the building.

One of the unique elements of this site is that the landscape itself functions as a living laboratory for best practices for stormwater management. Some of the demonstrated methods include permeable pavers, rain gardens, a 4,000 gallon cistern for roof runoff water recapture, a green roof and a filtration basin. In addition, the building materials were deliberately selected to be reusable, recyclable or biodegradable and its energy sources are geo-thermal and solar. The end result is a facility that is truly an example of form as an expression of philosophy.

The event will also include displays and family-friendly activities. For further information, visit www.mwmo.org.

Lowry Bridge Re-Opens

After closing in 2008 due to structural issues, the Lowry Avenue Bridge re-opened this October. This Hennepin County project which is a significant transportation corridor and neighborhood connector between north and northeast Minneapolis features a striking tied-arch design. The Grand Opening event was held Saturday, October 27, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in conjunction with the Mississippi Watershed Management Grand Opening right down the street. 

Festivities included performances by the Edison and Patrick Henry high school marching bands, a ribbon cutting, a Twin Cities RiverRats water ski performance and parade.

Fall Street Sweeping Begins

MinneapolisPublic Works began the task of curb-to-curb sweeping and leaf collection on City streets Tuesday, October 23. Temporary “No Parking” signs will be posted at least 24 hours in advance so streets will be clear of cars when they’re swept. In addition to the “No Parking” signs that will be posted the day before, the City will make about 3,500 automated phone calls each evening to let residents know their street will be swept the next day. 

The City’s website also has an interactive tool to allow residents to find out when the sweepers are scheduled for their neighborhoods: http://www.minneapolismn.gov/publicworks/streetsweeping/.

Green Campus Phase I

MississippiWatershed Management Organization (MWMO) is moving forward with a Green Campus Phase I project in the Holland neighborhood. Stantec, a professional consulting firm, has been engaged to conduct a feasibility study of two areas of the Edison High School campus: the parking lot at 22^nd and Quincy and the gym at 22^nd and Monroe. Landscape architect John Slack has created several preliminary designs that would reduce stormwater runoff in these areas while significantly enhancing their aesthetic appeal. MWMO, Stantec and the First Ward office have been working with Holland NeighborhoodImprovement Association (HNIA), Minneapolis Public School district staff, Edison High School staff and Edison Green Council students to evaluate the various options. For more information about the Green Campus project and to view the various designs and options, click HERE.

St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral’s 125th Anniversary

On Sunday, October 14, St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral in Northeast Minneapolis celebrated its 125^th Anniversary. St. Mary’s was originally established in 1887 as an eastern-rite Catholic community founded by Carpatho-Russian immigrants and was officially received into the Orthodox Church in 1891. When the original building was destroyed by fire in 1904, a new church was built in the Russian Baroque style, based on the Dormition Cathedralin Omsk, Siberia. The architect for the project was Victor Cordela, who also designed the Swan Turnblad Mansion (now the American Swedish Institute) and the Gluek Building in downtown Minneapolis.

St. Mary’s Cathedral, which has undergone significant restoration in the past decade, houses a trove of historical elements and artwork. Some distinguishing features include its soaring dome and the Iconostasis, a carved wall of icons which was crafted in Russia and installed in 1905.

St. Mary’s Cathedral is one of Eastside Minneapolis’ architectural and historical gems, and its enduring relevance and vibrancy speaks to the immigrant heritage that is an integral part of Northeast. For further information about the 125^th Anniversary celebration, go to  http://www.stmarysoca.org/125anniversary/index.html. 

Save the Date:

First Ward Community Forum: The State of Urban Agriculture on the Eastside

Wednesday, October 17, 6-8 p.m., Eastside Co-op Community Room, 2551 Central Ave. NE.
Enjoy dinner at this community discussion about the many facets of urban agriculture. Panel members will include representatives from Buchanan Street Farm, Homegrown Minneapolis, NE Minneapolis’ newest garden center Mother Earth Gardens, California Street Farm, the Northeast Farmers Market, Waite Park community garden, and more. For further information or to RSVP, contact us at 612-673-2201 or kevin.reich@minneapolismn.gov.

MWMO Grand Opening
Saturday, October 27, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., 2522 Marshall St. NE. 
Ribbon-cutting for MWMO’s new headquarters, as well as building tours, family-friendly activities, and more.

Lowry Bridge Grand Re-Opening
Saturday, October 27, 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Lowry Avenue & Marshall Street NE. 
Festivities will include performances by the Edison High School and Henry High School marching bands, water ski performance and parade.

Art Attack 2012
Friday, Nov. 2 – Sunday, Nov. 4, Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson Street NE. 
This annual open studio and gallery crawl features the work of over 200 artists working in a variety of media. For further information, click HERE.

NE Harvest Gathering
Monday, Nov. 19, 7 p.m., Northeast Middle School, 2955 Hayes St NE. 
Associate Justice Alan Page will be the guest speaker at this dinner dedicated to fostering community. Contact neharvestgathering@gmail.com for more information.