“NE Brew District” Expands

The taps at 612Brew will include four beers, with one,  a black ale called Zero Hour, available exclusively at the  612Brew taproom, Broadway Street and Central Avenue NE.  The first batches of beer were being brewed Saturday,  Jan. 12, 2013 at the space which is still under construction,  but will open next month. (MPR Photo/Jennifer Simonson) Two new breweries have opened in the the First Ward, in a major expansion of what is being popularly termed the “Northeast Brew District”. Northgate Brewing, which is located at 3134 California Street NE in the Marshall Terrace neighborhood, introduced their flagship beer, Wall’s End Brown, at Grumpy’s NE at the end of January. Northgate specializes in English sessions beers, which feature an alcohol content below 5%, and they plan to introduce a variety of seasonal brews. Northgate’s brewers don’t intend to open a taproom in the near future, but they do offer growler sales at their location. Visit http://www.northgatebrew.com/ for more information. 612Brew opened their brewery to the public in February. They are an anchor tenant of the newly renovated Broadway Building at 945 Broadway Street NE and their brewery includes a 43-seat taproom. 612Brew has initially introduced four beers, with plans to release a ginger lager in the spring. The taproom also features regular visits from a variety of food trucks. A change in City of Minneapolis ordinance in 2011 to allow taprooms in breweries has spurred significant growth in the craft beer industry, growth that has borne fruit in a number of new businesses for the First Ward. In addition, investment interest continues and the next project could break soon.

Business Spotlight: AccessAbility, Inc.

AccessAbility, Inc. (AAI), a First Ward non-profit organization located in the Mid-City Industrial neighborhood, is celebrating its 65th anniversary of providing services for people with disabilities and others with severe barriers to jobs and community inclusion. AAI provides immediate paid work and training for people who want to work, but due to serious challenges, need added support. This past month, its Project Connect program provided new work opportunities for more than 50 people. It also secured an exciting project for its Day Training & Habilitation program doing retail bag assembly for a local bag manufacturer’s new suitcase shipping product line. Throughout the year, AAI’s Evening Stars program hosts several events for adults with developmental disabilities from all around the Twin Cities area. Most recently, it hosted a Valentine’s Day dinner. To contact AAI about upcoming events, call 612-331-5958 or visit its websites at www.accessability.org and www.aabsi.com.

Mississippi River Green Team Documentary

The Mississippi River Green Team was created through a partnership between Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) and Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board (MRPB). Youth crews spend a summer learning how to identify invasive species, prevent erosion, establish raingardens and prairie plantings, undertake projects to improve the water quality of our river and watershed., and assist in scientific studies. Being on the Green Team offers students the opportunity to have a mentored job experience, learn about environmental careers and acquire new skills. Watch a newly released documentary by John Akre that shows students from North and Northeast Minneapolis, including Edison students, in action on the Mississippi River Green Team.

Edison School News

The Edison Debate Team took 1st Place in the New School Division and was a runner-up for the Spirit of the MN Urban League Debate League award. 11th grader Chue Lor is an Urban Debate League Championships 2012 Novice Division Octofinalist. The Edison Student council took 1st Place in the Citywide Student Government’s Attend to Achieve Challenge. Students created a video to increase awareness of the importance of being in school. When they asked the question, “What motivates you to come to Edison every day?,” the overwhelming response was the teachers. Two Edison student mural designs will be installed at East Side Food Co-op this spring. The contest was open to the entire city and local art community and the two Edison student designs were among seven selected for the project.

2013 Urban Scholars Internship Program

The City of Minneapolis is once again offering its internship program for college students interested in public service careers. The program aims to help young people from diverse backgrounds build their skills for the future, with a focus on careers in public service. Last year eight Urban Scholars were chosen from more than 100 applicants to work in key areas of City government. Students who are enrolled and in good standing at a two- or four-year college or university are eligible to apply. They must also be a permanent resident of Minneapolis, although they can be attending a school anywhere, not just in Minnesota. The 12-week program is a full-time paid internship experience that runs from May 20 – Aug. 9. Interested students should apply online by Monday, March 25 at www.minneapolismn.gov/jobs/jobs_before.

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

Snow Emergency Information

Residents, workers and visitors have a number of ways to learn with Snow Emergencies are declared and what to do when they are. We’re advising drivers to put many of these tools to use, not just one or two. The more ways people learn about a Snow Emergency, the more prepared they will be to do their part, and the less likely they will be to be towed because they didn't know one was declared. ·         Hotline: call 612-348-SNOW to find out if a Snow Emergency has been declared and what parking restrictions are in force. ·         City Website: go to www.minneapolismn.gov  to find out whether a Snow Emergency has been declared. Also check out the street lookup, which lets you put in an address or neighborhood to see where you can park. ·         Phone Alerts: If your landline or cell phone is unlisted, click HERE to sign up for the automated alert system. ·         Email Alerts: Click HERE for more details about receiving automatic email alerts. ·         Facebook/Twitter Alerts: Click HERE for more details about receiving automatic Facebook & Twitter alerts.