MACC Adoption Event

Anitra Francis of North Minneapolis holds a 
dog she fostered during a Minnesota Spay 
Neuter Assistance Project clinic outside 
Minneapolis Animal Care & Control. 
The dog was adopted by a NE 
resident and named Mitzy. 
(photo credit: TC Daily Planet)

Minneapolis Animal Care & Control (MACC) is sponsoring “Share The Love”, a pet adoption initiative, throughout the month of February. Go to their website to find and print a coupon good for $10 off the cost of adoption through February 28.

MACC is a full service shelter and adopted 1,408 animals to good homes in 2012. The public is welcome to tour the facility, interact with the animals and explore potential adoption. The facility is located at 212 17th Ave N. and hours are 3-7 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The adoption fee, prior to coupon, is $90 plus tax for dogs and puppies and $60 plus tax for kittens and cats. Minneapolis residents must license their pet at the time of adoption. The animal must be spayed or neutered within 30 days of adoption for adult animals (longer for puppies/kittens). Dogs are vaccinated for distemper and parvo-virus; cats are vaccinated for feline distemper. For further information, contact 311.

I-35W North Corridor Study Open House

The I-35W North Managed Lanes Corridor Study is intended to identify a managed lane concept and improvement strategies along the corridor from downtown Minneapolis to Forest Lake, and determine how improvements could be strategically implemented over time. The study began in November 2011 and is expected to conclude in April 2013. MN DOT is hosting public open houses in February to offer information about the project background, goals and objectives, as well as the alternatives evaluation process and study recommendations. The open houses are scheduled for:

• Tues, Feb. 19, 5-7 p.m., Blaine City Hall, Cloverleaf Farm Room, 10801 Town Square Drive NE, Blaine.
  
  
• Thurs, Feb. 21, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Minneapolis Central Library, Doty Board Room, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis.

Please note that this project is not related to the I-35W/4th St. S ramp project/noise walls in Minneapolis.

5th Annual We Love Our Presidents Walk

(Photo from 2011, by Robin Sauerwein, www.TCdailyplanet.net)

Join your neighbors for the 5th Annual We Love Our Presidents Walk on Saturday, February 16. This walk, which celebrates Northeast Minneapolis’ presidential streets, begins at 10 a.m. at Edison High School, 700 22nd Avenue NE. The 1.5 mile walk will proceed to Eastside Food Co-op for a cocoa stop and then continue on to Northeast Middle School, with presidential and Northeast history related along the way. Pets and stuffed animals are very welcome on the walk, in keeping with this year’s theme of “Presidential Pets”. A chili lunch, trivia contest and other activities will start at noon at Northeast Middle School. For further information and to download details about the “Name the Presidents” and coloring contests, go to www.mynortheaster.com.

2nd Precinct Block Leader Training

Are you interested in organizing your block or apartment building to improve safety, deter crime and increase the livability of your neighborhood? The City of Minneapolis’ 2nd Precinct has scheduled a block leader training for Wednesday, April 10, 6 – 8 p.m., at 2nd Precinct, 1911 Central Ave. NE. This training offers an opportunity to meet your crime prevention specialists and learn how to organize a block or apartment club. For further information and to RSVP, call 612-673-2874.

Metro Paint-A-Thon

Each year, on the first weekend in August, Metro Paint-A-Thon rallies volunteer teams from corporations, congregations and civic groups to paint the homes of seniors and people with disabilities. The program helps homeowners remain living independently in their own homes and improves neighborhoods throughout the Twin Cities seven-county metropolitan area. Applications are currently being accepted for this summer. 

Eligible homeowners must be over 60 or have a permanent disability, own and occupy a single-family home that does not require major repairs in Hennepin county or other specific county within the metro area and meet specific income guidelines. The application deadline is April 12, 2013. Applicants will be notified by July 15 if they are selected for the 2013 Paint-A-Thon or referred to another organization for assistance. For applications and further information, call 612-276-1579 or go to www.paintathon.gmcc.org.

Save the Date:

NE Network
Thursday, February 14, 7:30 – 8:45 a.m., Eastside Food Co-op’s Community Room, 2551 Central Ave NE.
This month’s topic is “The New Face of the 2nd Precinct: Exploring Crime and Safety in Northeast”. The panel will include 2nd Precinct Crime Prevention Specialists Susan Bradshaw and Nicholas Juarez, as well as Hennepin County Parole Officer Blaine Muyres.

Northeast Middle School Wellness Day

Friday, February 22, 4 – 8 p.m., Northeast Middle School, 2955 Hayes St NE.
Have fun and get fit at Northeast Middle School’s Wellness Day. Activities include roller skating, cross country skiing, inflatable jumping games, snowshoeing, swimming and gym games. There will also be 2K and 5K races at 5 p.m. This event is open to all ages. $15 for a wristband that includes dinner or $1 per ticket.

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. The keynote speaker this year will be LaDonna Redmond of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy on the topic “Reconstructing Our Relationship with Land”. Other events include a community conversation about being part of the Good Food Movement. For further information and to register for the resource fair, go to www.gardeningmatters.org.

Message from Council Member Kevin Reich

Looking back on 2012, a significant highlight for the City and the 1st Ward is the Public Safety story. Violent crime and property crime combined (identified as Part I crime) were flat citywide, at levels comparable to the mid-1960s, while burglary fell 6% citywide compared to 2011. The numbers for the 2nd Precinct tell an even better story. Our Precinct led the City in declining rates in Robbery (down 21%) and Burglary (down 6%), as well as the overall lowest Part I crime rate, down 6%. At the same time, the 2nd Precinct also leads the City in officer productivity, with a 66% increase in 2012. A good example of this work was the response to a crime spike in the Logan Park and Holland neighborhoods this past summer. The 2nd Precinct, in concert with strategic partnerships that have been fostered, put in place initiatives that led to an 80% drop in robbery within a couple of months. The ability to respond swiftly and successfully to crime issues speaks to the effectiveness of the leadership and personnel of our Precinct. In terms of leadership, we will see what I expect to be some significant but not disruptive changes for 2013. After 3 ½ years at the 2nd Precinct, Insp. Bryan Schafer will be heading up the 1st Precinct. His successor is Insp. Kathy Waite, who has worked at the 2nd Precinct leading the Investigation Unit, Community Response Team and the Crime Prevention Specialists. Insp. Waite has an impressive management history, most recently with the Special Operations Division, managing the Canine Unit, Traffic Unit and Disaster Strike Team. Additionally, she has been a SWAT Crisis Negotiator since 1999 and has been in charge of managing the Logistics Team for special deployment. In February I am co-hosting an event with the NE Chamber of Commerce and 2PAC to bid farewell to Inspector Bryan Schafer and introduce Inspector Waite to the community. This family-friendly event offers an opportunity to hear about 2nd Precinct crime statistics in more detail, thank Inspector Schafer for his service and learn about plans for the future of the precinct. Stay tuned for more details. ~ Kevin Reich --- Contact Kevin Reich 350 S. 5th Street Room 307 Minneapolis, MN 55415 612-673-2201 Kevin.Reich@minneapolismn.gov