Shovel Your Sidewalks In Winter

Sidewalks are a critical part of Minneapolis' transportation system and keeping our sidewalks free of ice and snow is the law. For your own benefit and to help your neighbors, people pushing strollers or using wheelchairs, and the many people in Minneapolis who walk, please do your part. Minneapolis ordinance requires property owners to clear sidewalks within 24 hours after a snowfall for houses and duplexes and four daytime hours for all other properties. Failure to shovel your walk could lead to a ticket plus the cost of crews shoveling it.

You can report an unshoveled or icy sidewalk by calling 311 or making an online report at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/snow/shovel/snow_snow.

The City makes free sand available to residents for sanding sidewalks and walkways. Eastside residents can pick up free sand 24 hours a day at the Street Maintenance Facility at 1809 Washington (sand is at the 18th & Jefferson side of property). Don't forget to bring a pail and shovel.

A Green Campus for Northeast Middle School

You may have noticed the recent transformation of the Northeast Middle School parking lot that fronts on 29th Avenue in the Audubon neighborhood. Inspired by Edison High School's Green Campus, Minneapolis Public Schools, Northeast Middle School (NEMS) and the Audubon Neighborhood Association (ANA) have teamed up with Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) to turn a large portion of the school's asphalt parking lot into a sustainably landscaped green space that will more effectively manage stormwater while also giving students a new curriculum resource. (Pictured at left: NEMS parking lot before the project).

Audubon Neighborhood Association applied for a planning grant from MWMO at the end of 2014 to create a water sustainability project that they could implement in collaboration with the school. Once a design was in place to remove 16,200 square feet of impermeable pavement and install a large raingarden, they applied for and received an action grant from MWMO.

The newly completed raingarden will clean stormwater run-off while also providing hands-on environmental learning opportunities for students. For more photos and information about this project, please click HERE. (Pictured at right: NEMS project just completed). 

Organics Recycling Comes to the Eastside

The City of Minneapolis Public Works Department, in partnership with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Audubon Neighborhood Association and Southeast Como Improvement Association, has opened residential organics drop-off locations at Audubon Park, 1320 29th Ave NE, and Van Cleve Park, 901 15th Ave SE.

Residential organics include all food waste, food-soiled and non-recyclable paper, and other compostable materials such as coffee grounds, filters, cotton swabs, dryer lint and popsicle sticks. Yard waste and pet waste are not accepted. Residents must drop off their organic materials in a compostable bag (either paper or certified compostable plastic). Larger items such as pizza boxes and wax-coated boxes do not need to be bagged.

The drop-offs will be open to all Minneapolis residents at no cost. For the first two months, the drop-offs will be open Tuesdays, 4 – 7 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. During these first two months, volunteers will be on hand to answer questions and gather some participant information from residents. Some information gathered will include the participant’s neighborhood, the number of dwelling units in the home of the participant, if he/she rents or owns their home, etc. Following the volunteer-staffed time period, participants will be given the code to the locks on the organics carts to use the drop-off at their own convenience.

The purpose of these organics drop-offs is to engage and educate as many residents as possible on what organics recycling is and how to participate prior to implementing a city-wide program. Information gathered from the drop-offs will be used to develop an effective educational plan for the implementation of a city-wide organics program. Information about the drop-offs can be found on Solid Waste & Recycling’s organics recycling webpage: www.minneapolismn.gov/organics.

Save the Date:

“Little Shop of Horrors” Thursday, March 7 – Friday, March 8, 7 p.m., & Saturday, March 9, 2 p.m., Edison High School, 700 22nd Ave NE.  Edison theater production of a comedy/horror rock musical about an alien plant that tries to take over the world. A benefit for the upcoming Senior Lock-In Party, sponsored by the Tommie Boosters/Edison Parent Group, will follow the Saturday matinee. Gardening Matters 9th Annual Community Garden Resource Fair Saturday, March 9, noon – 5 p.m., Metropolitan State University, St. Paul. The Gardening Matters Resource Fair offers opportunities to learn about the many resources available to home and community gardeners. For further information and to register for the resource fair, go to www.gardeningmatters.org. NE Mpls Royalty Sock Hop Saturday, March 9, 6 – 9 p.m., East Side Neighborhood Services, 1700 2nd St. NE.  Come dressed in 50’s wear for food, music and games. $5 admission includes dinner and dancing. New socks are being collected for Sharing and Caring Hands. NE Network Thursday, March 14, 7:30 – 8:45 a.m., Eastside Food Co-op’s Community Room, 2551 Central Ave NE. This month’s topic is “Affording Healthcare”. RSVP to nenetwork@eastsidefood.coop. Waite Park Spring Gala Saturday, March 16, 7 – 11 p.m., Cedars Hall at St. Maron Church, 602 University Ave NE. This PTA-sponsored event benefits Waite Park School and includes local food, beverages and a silent auction.  Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Visit Waiteparkpta.blogspot.com for tickets and information. 9th Annual Hotdish Revolution Sunday, April 21, 4 – 7 p.m., Cedars Hall at St. Maron Church, 602 University Ave NE. www.facebook.com/HotdishRevolution Metro Blooms Raingarden Workshop Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.,  Audubon Park Recreation Center, 1320 29th Ave NE. This City of Minneapolis sponsored workshop will explore the latest in healthy yard care practices and raingarden design. Cost is $15. To register, visit www.metroblooms.org or call 612-699-2426. Spring WingDing Saturday, April 27, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Audubon Park Recreation Center, 1320 29th Ave NE. This annual Audubon Park neighborhood celebration will include games, activities, food, arts-and-crafts demonstrations and more. Art-A-Whirl Friday, May 17 – Sunday, May 19. http://nemaa.org/art-a-whirl