A Vision Of Hawthorne's Bright, Shining Future

Draft Image Only

Today an image was forwarded of the exciting proposed project discussed in the previous story, click here or see the story right below.

It should be emphasized this image is only a draft, and the final project might look different. In the picture, the world's largest YWCA is to the right, and the commercial development at 800 West Broadway is to the left.

Word of this project is generating excitement not only in Hawthorne, but in north Minneapolis.

World's Largest YWCA Planned For Hawthorne Neighborhood

Margo Geffen presented to the Hawthorne Board recently about a plan to build the world's largest YWCA right here in Hawthorne.

Pictured above is Executive Director Laban Ohito and some members of the Hawthorne Board on the historic night this major development was announced. News of the plan has generated considerable excitement in North Minneapolis but the project has actually been quietly in the works for a while.

The plan has three main features: the world's largest YWCA, a commercial building at 800 West Broadway, and a parking ramp. Here is a breakdown of the plan:

1.) World's Largest YWCA

The YWCA entrance, the Police Safety Center entrance, and the ramp entrance are strategically placed to provide safe, direct, welcoming connections. The running track and fitness rooms have views to a green roof and the Minneapolis skyline.

The YWCA building will match the set back of the new proposed 800 West Broadway setback. This will allow the addition of parallel parking to support the mixed use development without narrowing West Broadway. The south-facing pool will activate the street with light via a 2-story glass wall. The facility will reportedly have two pools.

2.) 800 Building Commercial Development

The existing 800 West Broadway building will be renovated for retail and restaurant on the first level with outdoor dining along Aldrich and Broadway. Proposed office space on the second level will enjoy skyline views.

The 800 building's first structural bay will be removed to provide for a 28 foot, 6 inch wide street section with pedestrian and transit oriented streetscape to provide a safe environment.

3.) Parking Ramp
The parking ramp incorporates safety features such as direct connection to the YWCA, and a Police Safety Center adjacent to both pedestrian and vehicular entrances.

All buildings will be designed to promote sustainability and energy efficiency.

4.) Tours Planned

There will be tours to discuss this plan of the Great Neighborhoods! Development Corporation. Tours are planned for January 28, at 2:30, and February 25, between 10 am and 12:15 pm. The tours will start at the GNDC office on Franklin Avenue, go to the YWCA in Midtown, and will end up at the project site. (800 West Broadway Building)

For questions or to be part of the tour, contact Margo Geffen, Director of Real Estate, Great Neighborhoods! Development Corporation, 1113 East Franklin Avenue #202, Minneapolis, MN 55404-2977. (612) 870-7555.

Email for Margo is margogeffen@greatneighborhoodsdc.com

Laban Ohito Gets Married!

The Executive Director of Hawthorne Neighborhood Council, Laban Ohito, recently married in Manila, Philippines. This blog posting will be updated as more details become available, such as the name of his lovely wife.

Congratulations, Laban.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) application for the NCE Commission

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is accepting applications from residents for one position on the newly created Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission.
The role of the commission will be to shape how the City engages its residents and works with neighborhood and community organizations, as well as oversee programming details and funding for neighborhood revitalization work.

The resident who will be appointed by the MPRB on January 2, 2009 will be part of the 16-member commission. Of the remaining members, eight residents will be selected by neighborhood organizations and seven will be appointed by the Mayor and Council Members of Minneapolis.

The application deadline for the MPRB appointed commission position is December 19, 2008. Applicants are required to be Minneapolis residents who do not hold a current election certificate. Current MPRB employees are not eligible. Applications are available at: www.minneapolisparks.org (click on news item)·

612-230-6400
MPRB Customer Service Area,
2117 West River Road, Minneapolis, 55411
MPRB Recreation Centers

Sincerely,
Annie Young
Citywide Park Commissioner

Family Memory/Scrap Book Event at Farview Park: October 11th

We are still signing up families to participate in next weekends Family Memory/Scrap Book event! This event is by donation and there will be Memory/Scrap Book Making Supplies provided! We still have openings left and we want families to participate in this! LUNCH will also be served. Pizza from Broadway Pizza! And refreshments have been provided from Holiday Stationstores in North Minneapolis.

The details are:
Saturday - October 11th
12:00 - 4:00
Memory/Scrap Book Making event (all of the supplies will be provided, families just bring momentos, photos and their memories!)
Farview Park on 29th and Lyndale Avenue North
For more information or to sign up please contact Brian with All About Family via email: kelley01@visi.com 

Thanks!
Sincerely,
All About Family
http://www.allaboutfam.org
kelley01@visi.com

Keynote Speech, Inspector Mike Martin, Commander Of The Fourth Precinct

Photo By John Hoff

At the September 25 Hawthorne Annual Meeting, Inspector Mike Martin gave the keynote address, which focused on the factors predisposing youth to gang affiliation.

According to Martin, there was a study performed in 1927 by Fredrick Thrasher, and all subsequent studies--often performed at great cost--continue to reiterate with Thrasher learned in the late 1920s. Here are the factors:

1.) Deteriorating neighborhoods.

2.) Inadequate recreation.

3.) Ineffective religion.

4.) Lack of parental control.

5.) Poverty.

Martin discussed each of the factors, touching only lightly on the religion factor. Martin said what's important is "spirituality," a simple sense there are things bigger than yourself which turn you toward moral behavior. He urged residents to try more approaches with kids than simply calling 911 when they are hanging out on corners.

Martin also took questions from the audience, addressing topics like more use of mobile cameras and police/community relations.

Check Out THIS Image!

Blog Image, click for link

Click here to read a blog entry which expresses approval of Hawthorne taking on CitiMortgage, and contains the funny image you see image above!

One can't help but be reminded of something Chairman Peter Teachout said during his annual report: This year, the Hawthorne Neighborhood took a few baby steps. And a scary giant fled in fear."

MinniAppleseed Is Excited To Work With Hawthorne Neighborhood

Photo By John Hoff

Members of the "MinniAppleseed" project met with the Housing Committee on October 1, and answered questions. Though many tough and direct questions were asked, ultimately the idea of a "partnership" was embraced by the Housing Committee. The "MinniAppleseed" project concerns construction of a "passive energy" house, like those which have become increasingly common in Europe.

The members of "MinniAppleseed" are excited to work with Hawthorne, as one can see from this blog posting, click here.

Above, a tree in the heart of the Eco Village area. Behind the tree is 415 31st Ave. N., scheduled for demolition in the near future.

League Of Women Voters Assisted With Board Election

Photo By John Hoff

Here's a photo from September 25 of two members of the League of Women Voters, assisting with the Board Election.

Testifying About The Impact Of Phone Book Dumping

Photo by 612 Authentic

Ed Kohler, pictured to the right, is a popular blogger who often concentrates on urban issues. Click to check out his blog, "The Deets," if you think you can handle it.

(Ed's motto is, "You want The Deets? You can't HANDLE The Deets.")

Ed has done so much research on phone book dumping that he's made himself into something of an expert on this emerging urban issue. Ed came to the Housing Committee Meeting on Wednesday, October 1 to speak briefly about the impact of unwanted phone books, and stated lobbying efforts by the phone book industry were preventing the passage of legislation to prevent unwanted phone books, such as "opt in" instead of "opt out," which is Ed's main thrust on the issue.

Unwanted phone books ("phone book dumping") is now an item on November's agenda of the Housing Committee, so more facts and information will be coming out.

Preparing For The Demolition of 415 31st Ave. N.

Photos By John Hoff

On Friday, a crew from Bauer Bros Inc. was at 415 31st Ave. N., the well-known property in the Eco Village area which was the subject of the lawsuit--now thankfully settled--with CitiMortgage.

The crew's foreman said little of salvage value was left in the house, with the possible exception of a furnace, which was removed. The foreman showed off a list of many houses in North Minneapolis, all of which were scheduled for the salvage of useful items and materials prior to demolition.

Asked when the demolition of "415" would take place, the foreman looked at his list and said, "Currently, it's scheduled for a week from Monday." That would be October 13!

Hawthorne has waited for this a long time!

The "Blue Tarp House" Goes Down

Photo By John Hoff

After standing for more than 100 years, the "Blue Tarp House" at 2957 Lyndale Ave. N. went down in a single afternoon. Trucks were steadily hauling away rubble as of yesterday.

The infamous light blue tarp on the roof had become ragged over the years, flapping in the wind and providing little resistance to rain. The property had become a kind of "negative gateway" to Hawthorne, the first thing people saw when they entered from the north on Lyndale Ave.

But now it's gone. If you want proof things really are transforming in Hawthorne, this might be considered one dramatic piece of evidence.

A Year Of Progress: The Speech Of Chair Peter Teachout, September 25, 2008

Photo By Pam Patrek

Here is the written text of the speech of Chairman Peter Teachout, delivered September 25.

Teachout was dressed in formal attire, of course, but this photo from a Rebuilding Together event is a better likeness of the real Peter we know and love: a man who digs in and gets his hands dirty to improve the neighborhood.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello, I’m Peter Teachout, Chair of the Hawthorne Area Community Council. I haven’t held that position very long, so you’re in luck, that probably means a shorter speech.

I do have a year’s worth of progress to highlight and share with you, but consider for a moment why we are all here. We’re here because this neighborhood is important to us. But, really, isn’t a neighborhood only important because, underlying everything, is the fact that each of us needs a place to feel safe and call home?

So let me tell you about something that happened in my home on Monday.

My daughter, McKenna, is just learning how to walk, and took four whole steps by herself. And the way it happened was I said, “Come to Daddy.” And that didn’t really interest her. But when I held out my cell phone, McKenna was suddenly willing to walk. Actually, she almost ran.

I think our neighborhood is like my daughter who is just starting to walk. Even though there are many in this room who have lived in Hawthorne for decades, in some ways this time is the very beginning of what our neighborhood will become.

We have many empty houses. Who comes to own these houses, who comes to live in them, whether the houses are renovated or pretty much left as they are or knocked down…these next few years will determine the character of our neighborhood for a long time.

The way I look at this community could be the way my daughter looks at walking. We can’t see this neighborhood as full of obstacles. We have to look at Hawthorne as full of opportunity. We have the opportunity to change the neighborhood we live in for the better by capitalizing on our diversity and affordability.

Here in Hawthorne, we take our steps and make our progress through committees. I’m going to tell you about the progress which our four main committees have made.

This year, our Housing Committee has helped Hawthorne establish many new relationships with various city and county departments, the Northside Home Fund, the Housing Preservation Project, and many partner organizations that form the Northside Community Reinvestment Coalition.

Hawthorne is a founding member of the NCRC, which has been engaging banks and financial institutions around the issue of the foreclosure crisis. (Would any Housing Committee members who are here please stand and be recognized?)

You hear about the foreclosure crisis all the time. And it is indeed a crisis as people are in danger of losing their homes. Hawthorne has worked through its partnership with NCRC to prevent foreclosures.

The tireless and passionate work of Housing Director Jeff Skrenes must be credited, here. Jeff is constantly plotting even more ways to reach out to people and prevent foreclosure, and keep people in Hawthorne from losing their property. When you’re talking to Jeff, even casual conversations often turn to in-depth discussion of mortgage issues.

Jeff lives, breathes, eats and sleeps mortgages and our neighborhood has benefited from that kind of focus. National publications like USA TODAY have taken note of Jeff’s work in conjunction with the CitiMortgage lawsuit.

I’ll be saying a bit at the end about that lawsuit. The good news is we sued and we got a settlement and people all over the nation took notice.

I’d like to take a moment to ask Jeff to stand up and be recognized for his heroic efforts on behalf of the Hawthorne neighborhood. Also, Mark Ireland, would you please stand? Mark is the attorney who helped us bring about this victory. (Editor's note: During the actual speech, Teachout made note of the fact Ireland was not present, but acknowledged Ireland along with Skrenes)

I look back on this year and I can hardly believe all this happened in the span of just one year.

In the last year, the Crime and Safety Committee worked with the Police Buy Back Program to help place more police where they are needed. This committee worked to coordinate National Night Out efforts and the Mobile Block Party to help neighbors connect and discuss their concerns for the development of the neighborhood.

All those in the Crime and Safety Committee? Would you please stand and be
recognized?

This year, we helped shut down open air drug markets at certain intersections. We have much work left to do and need help from our city officials. They’ve been helping us and we are very thankful. All those who work for the City of Minneapolis, if you could please stand and be
recognized.

The Crime and Safety Committee is also committed to providing support to community activities and projects like the Hawthorne Clean Sweep. Another innovative project has been the Hawthorne Can-Do Bookaway. This program gives away free books to children and families to nourish and strengthen the young minds in our community.

Bryan Thoa Worra has been a driving force behind this endeavor. Bryan? Could you please stand?

Moving on from the Crime and Safety Committee…and I know it’s hard to move on from that, since these issues are so often on the front burner.

But focusing now on the Environment Committee, this committee continued to do work to promote bike lanes and rainwater gardens and encourage high standards for Hawthorne’s environmental safety for residents. Could the members of the Environmental Committee stand?

This is an extremely active committee. They’re very active with Clean Sweep.

I hope every time I say the words “clean sweep,” people are filled a desire to take charge of cleaning up their block. Clean Sweep is a lot of fun. How often can you take a trophy photo with a blown out tire and some yellow bags of litter?

Of course, one way to be an environmentalist is to use a home that’s already built, instead of going out and building another one. This year, several old and existing homes in our neighborhood were part of the St. Paul and Minneapolis Home Tours, and were promoted as examples of the best in Minneapolis.

Here in Hawthorne, we have houses. We have affordable housing stock everywhere. Tell all your friends. Get them to look around Hawthorne and buy into our neighborhood.

But we have some troublesome properties. Fortunately, this year Hawthorne was able to arrange for the demolition of some of those.

The role of business is essential to our progress. This year, the Hawthorne Business Committee has worked to build connections with the business leaders of the Hawthorne Neighborhood.

We plan to bring more regional and national attention to many of the amazing businesses we have, ranging from the world’s largest lutefisk factory to companies such as Kemps and Diamond Vogel paints and emerging businesses such as Taylor Sound that are working to revitalize our
neighborhood.

The Business Committee has worked hard to establish a new façade improvement program to assist our businesses in providing a great impression for visitors and residents. (Would the member of the Business Committee please stand?)

The Hawthorne Neighborhood Council has continued to support key efforts such as the Hawthorne Huddle with partners like General Mills. We love our partner, General Mills. I have three children and they love their breakfast cereal, and General Mills makes a lot of that stuff. General Mills brings you products like Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Wheaties. When you’re shopping in the store, please remember who our corporate friends are.

Another of our valuable friends is Farview Park. We are enjoying their facilities right now, as we enjoy them many times a year. These facilities help us connect residents and community leaders with each other, where we can discuss issues ranging from education to youth mentoring, to working with the media to the role of the arts and emergency preparedness.

Paul Jaeger has been the force that keeps Farview Park such a useful
resource. Thank you, Paul Jaeger.

While you work and play and enjoy your homes, your Hawthorne Neighborhood Council represents you at key meetings and events, such as the West Broadway Business and Area Coalition—including the West Broadway Alive! Program—and the Northside Marketing Task Force and testimony before the Third Ward CARE meetings and the Minneapolis City Council on key issues ranging from problem properties to the effectiveness of the neighborhood revitalization program.

None of the things I’ve highlighted would have been possible this year, or any other year, without the support of amazing volunteers and community members like those in the audience tonight. Whether this is your first Hawthorne neighborhood event, or your 400th, we need your continued support as we face the challenges ahead.

In closing, I’d like to highlight a challenge we overcome. We filed a lawsuit against CitiMortgage for predatory lending. The lawsuit was unique in the nation. But it was based on established legal precedent about negligent lending.

The suit was recently settled and, as the Star Tribune said on Monday, we made CitiMortgage eat a $200,000 mortgage and we got a piece of property needed for the Eco-Village development for just $18,500, basically the cost of the lot.

I want to point out CitiMortgage has admitted no wrongdoing. But draw your own conclusions about who came out on top.

The Hawthorne Neighborhood took a few baby steps, and a scary giant fled in fear. Can you imagine what our future holds? We could become the place everybody wants to move, and people will wish they had bought property here when prices were so low.

We can do it, working together. This is only the beginning. We are still growing.

It is an honor to be your chair, and to present the highlights of the progress we have made together in the last year.

And now I’d like to introduce Laban Ohito.

A Place To Call "Home" And Feel Safe

Photos By John Hoff

Chairman Peter Teachout put it this way in his annual report: Neighborhoods are only important because, underlying everything, is the need for people to have a place to call "home" and feel safe.

Recognition For Housing Director Jeff Skrenes And Attorney Mark Ireland (We Settled With CitiMortgage! YEAH!!!!!)

Photo By John Hoff

During his Annual Report, HNA Chairman Peter Teachout gave special recognition the the efforts of Jeff Skrenes and Mark Ireland (not pictured) for their work on the lawsuit with CitiMortgage. News regarding a settlement of the mortgage hit the StarTribune a few days before the meeting.

As a result of the settlement, the whole annual meeting had a celebratory and historical feeling. Here is a link to an article about the lawsuit in none other than USA TODAY, click here. This action in the courts was on the radar of the nation, a unique lawsuit based on "predatory lending."

What battles will be next for Skrenes and Ireland? Only time will tell.

The Great Hawthorne CanDo Bookaway!

Photo By John Hoff

Here, Peter Teachout, Jr., age 6, selects a book from the Great Hawthorne CanDo Bookaway! Childcare was provided during the meeting.

More Scenes From The Hawthorne Annual Meeting

Photos By John Hoff

More scenes from the Annual Meeting.

Music To Meet And Greet By

Photo By John Hoff

Music at the Annual Meeting was provided by Steve Haskins and Julie Johnson. They also kindly donated one of their CDs to the door prizes.

Here is Julie's website, click here.

For All That We Have Achieved (The Speech Of Executive Director Laban Ohito

Photo By Pam Patrek

At the Annual Meeting our new Executive Director, Laban Ohito, delivered his speech in formal attire, of course! But the photo above shows him as we so often see him...digging into the messy details, pitching in, not afraid to get his hands dirty. This photo was taken by Pam Patrek during a "Rebuilding Together" event in the Eco-Village.

Here is the text of Director Ohito's prepared remarks delivered September 25.

I want to welcome you all to our Annual Dinner for the year 2008. This is a time for us to celebrate the achievements we have made for the last one year.

For all that we have achieved, we are indebted to all those individuals who dedicated themselves to improving the lives of people who reside in our neighborhood and bettering our community.

They deserve recognition and our lasting thanks for the contribution they made toward improving life for all of us right from the day of our organization's inception. Our special gratitude goes to:

* The City of Minneapolis for funding us through NRP.

* General Mills for continuous assistance.

* Home Depot.

* The McKnight Foundation.

It is with great pleasure that I take this opportunity to let you know that we have a plan to unveil a new strategy for developing the Hawthorne community. The four major goals identified by our Board include:

Affordable Housing--Maintain and expand the supply of safe, affordable housing throughout the community.

Business Development--Help businesses grow in ways which create employment opportunities for lower income persons.

Environmental Conservation.

Safety and Security of the Neighborhood--Help law enforcement agencies in their spirited fight to reduce crime.

Strengthening the Hawthorne Neighborhood is our ultimate objective. We want to continue to expand opportunities that promote neighborhood cohesion, stability, and sustainable development.

Our community development strategy has five inter-related core elements:

* Redevelopment of pivotal properties in target areas within the neighborhood.

* Increasing home ownership: Investing in first time home buyers.

* Strengthening neighborhood organizations. Developing leadership and empowering the neighborhood residents.

* Forging strategic partnerships.

* Making the neighborhood green. Developing pathways and bicycle routes to ensure the safety of our road users.

To achieve these objectives we need to restructure our organization to respond to the current community needs. We are in the process of making the necessary structural changes in the organization.

We have advertised the job of Assistant Director of Community Affairs. Specific Duties and Responsibilities will include:

* Assessing and evaluating community assets and strengths.

* Designing and developing community participation processes.

We want a qualified individual who understands community organizing as a bigger picture, i.e. as a practice that refers to the entire process of organizing relationships, identifying issues, mobilizing around those issues, and maintaining an enduring organization.

Enforcing the law is a tedious process. But enforcing the law in North Minneapolis is a daunting task. In this community, we are lucky to have Inspector Martin who not only loves what he does in the community but is also very passionate about his duties and responsibilities.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming our guest speaker tonight: Inspector Martin.

Hawthorne Neighborhood Association Annual Meeting Had GREAT FOOD!

Photos By John Hoff

Though the September 25 event was billed as the "Annual Meeting," the food almost stole the show. In fact, the food would have easily stolen the show if not for the fact there was such an exciting and participatory election.

But let's get back to the food. A lot of the food was provided by For All Occasions Catering. ("Considerate People...Considerate Service...Consider It Done.") Their baked chicken was so delicious that Executive Director Laban Ohito expressed an interest in getting the recipe.

Other great food was provided by Bangkok Market, located in our own neighborhood. Some of their food included an exotic "shredded papaya salad" which was delicious. The owner of Bangkok Market is in the bottom picture.

"Rebuilding Together" In The Eco-Village

Photos Contributed By An Eco-Village Resident

Many of the faces at Saturday's event were familiar, but there were lots of new volunteers as well. Every worker was welcome, and everybody worked hard.

"Rebuilding Together" In The Eco-Village

Photos Contributed By An Eco-Village Resident

Here are some photos from Saturday's "Rebuilding Together" event in the Eco-Village. It was hard work, but everybody had a lot of fun.

Exciting Progress In The Eco-Village

Photos By John Hoff

Yesterday, a surveying crew was in the Eco-Village near 415 31st Ave. N. They were working for CPED and said they had six properties on their list, one of which was "415."

Hawthorne Business Committee Meeting: 9/19

Join us on Friday, September 19th at 8:30 AM at US Bank, 1030 W. Broadway, for a special session of the Hawthorne Business Committee.

We'd love to update you on several special issues coming up including:

Our upcoming annual dinner of the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council on September 25th at Farview Park that's open to you and your employees.

We'd like to talk with you about the open positions on our board of directors, where we're looking for skilled leaders with an interest in helping to transform our neighborhood into a great place to live, work, learn and play. We could really use your help identifying great people to represent our business community.

We also have updates on the reimbursements for the Step Up Achieve program for the interns many of you hosted, and other news.

If you have the time available this Friday morning we'd love to see you. And if you can't make it, but are still interested in learning more, please let us know by calling (612) 529-6033 or e-mailing our committee chair, Jim Wentzell at JOWSR@aol.com and he'll be happy to share more with you.

Interested in becoming a board member?

Help us make a difference in our city and join the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council Board.

Board Members:
Attend monthly board meetings
Attend all board trainings
Attend special events and functions of the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council
Serve on one or more committee or sub-committee of the organization.
Serve as a representative of HNC when designated by the board.
This takes ca. 5-8 hours a month.

Board members are elected during the Hawthorne Annual meeting for 1 or 2 year terms. This year there are 8 seats that are available to residents and representatives of businesses, non-profits and youth working in the Hawthorne neighborhood.

To have your name formally on the ballot, please contact us by September 19th by 5PM, although it is possible to nominate yourself during the Annual dinner as well. For more details: (612) 529-6033 or lohito@hawthornecommunity.org.

Residential representative of the Hawthorne Neighborhood must live within the borders of the Hawthorne Neighborhood:
East of Emerson Ave. N, West of the Mississippi River, South of Lowry Avenue N. and North of West Broadway Ave. N.

Non-profit organization and business representatives of the Hawthorne Neighborhood must be with businesses or organizations with a physical presence in the Hawthorne neighborhood. Youth organization representatives must belong to organizations that conduct at least 60% of their activities with youth.

Call for Volunteers: Pedestrian/Bike Counts

On Tuesday, September 9th, and Wednesday, September 10th Minneapolis Public Works will be conducting bicycle and pedestrian counts, and we need your help! Volunteers will be asked to count the number of cyclists and pedestrians at several locations around Minneapolis , in 2-hour shifts around the clock. We are in need of volunteers at the following times on each day. We are in particular need of volunteers during the afternoon rush hour, between 4:00 and 6:00 pm :

Tuesday, September 9th

12:00 to 2:00 am

2:00 to 4:00 am

4:00 to 6:00 am

6:00 to 8:00 am

8:00 to 10:00 am

10:00 to 12:00 noon

12:00 to 2:00 pm

2:00 to 4:00 pm

4:00 to 6:00 pm

6:00 to 8:00 pm

8:00 to 10:00 pm

10:00 to 12:00 midnight



Wednesday, September 10th

4:00 to 6:00 pm

Those interested in volunteering may contact Shaun Murphy at shaun.murphy@ci.minneapolis.mn.us or 612.275.5128. Please leave your e-mail address, phone number, a preferred day and time slot, and if desired, a neighborhood where you would like to volunteer. Since these counts are city-wide, we will do our best to place volunteers in convenient locations. Public Works can use up to 100 volunteers, so please pass this e-mail along to friends and family who may be interested in helping.


Background: This is the second annual city-wide count. These important counts will begin to establish trend lines showing the impact of biking and walking on Minneapolis streets and trails. The counts will also measure the impact of several bike lane and path improvements. View our report on last year’s city-wide bicycle and pedestrian count (pdf) to learn more. These counts will include a rare 24-hour manual count at up to two locations. 24-hour counts will help to establish new knowledge about non-motorized travel during the evening and nighttime hours. Minneapolis Public Works is partnering with Transit for Livable Communities (TLC), which will be organizing similar counts on the same day. If you have received a solicitation from TLC as well, please choose the organization for which you will volunteer.

Housing Committee Moved to HNC Offices for Sept. 3rd

As a reminder: due to the park closure until September 12th, this month's housing committee meeting on September 3rd is at the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council Office at 2944 Emerson Avenue North. The meeting takes place from 7 to 9PM. We look forward to seeing you there!

Hawthorne Huddle: September 4th!

Please join us at the Hawthorne Huddle on Thursday, September 4th when we will hear from two non-partisan organizations about the upcoming primary and general elections. Experts from the Minneapolis League of Women Voters and the Citizens League will share information on how to register to vote, as well as discuss the different races this fall and the referenda that will impact our community and state. This is an exciting year, and we hope you join in this important discussion.

The Hawthorne Huddle will be held from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. in the Multipurpose Room at Farview Park, located at 621 29th Avenue North. A continental breakfast will be available at 7:15 a.m.


A G E N D A

 WELCOME Ellen Luger, General Mills Foundation
 SAFETY UPDATE Minneapolis Police Department 4th Precinct Representative
 MAIN PROGRAM TOPIC: Fall 2008 Elections

Panelists:
• Melissa Metzler, Outreach Coordinator, Minneapolis League of Women Voters
• Lee Anderson, Vice Chair, Citizens League

 ADJOURNMENT

Reminder: Hawthorne Annual Dinner: Sept. 25th

This year’s annual meeting will take place at Farview Park on Thursday, September 25th!

The evening will start at 6 PM and our special keynote speaker is Inspector Mike Martin of the City of Minneapolis Police Department who will speak on a variety of issues and his experiences with the city and our community.

This is a free dinner for the community and all residents, businesses and other community stake holders are invited to join us as we take a look at
our year in review and give our annual report to the community. Daycare will be provided that evening for families, but please RSVP by September 15th if possible.

There will be door prizes, entertainment, and other special activities and give-aways.

The annual meeting is also important because this is the opportunity to vote in new members to the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council board of directors. There are seats open in all 4 residential quadrants, as well as at-large and other special positions, including seats to represent business,
non-profit and youth interests in our community.

If you are interested in becoming a board member, there’s still time to apply. Just contact HNC and let us know by calling our office at (612) 529-6033 or e-mail HNC at chair@hawthornecommunity.org.

As A Reminder: No Business Committee Meeting This Friday

As a reminder: There is no Business Committee Meeting this Friday. It was convened last Friday, August 22nd. The next meeting is Friday, September 26th. Thank you!

Hawthorne Visits Nelly Stone Johnson!

On Wednesday, August 27th, the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council was pleased to join the Nelly Stone Johnson School at their open house to welcome new students and families. Our staff promoted the upcoming annual dinner and connected with several other positive non-profit organizations working with Hawthorne families to discuss future ways to meet our community needs. We also handed out free pencils and pencil sharpeners, as well as books and other supplies to the children. Good luck to all of the students and families! Study hard!

Hawthorne REACHOUTABOUT

The Hawthorne Neighborhood Council is making some big changes for 2009 to help non-profit organizations in Minnesota connect strategically with residents, businesses and other stakeholders in our neighborhood of over 6,000 people from all walks of life who want to make this a great neighborhood to live in.

If you're a non-profit organization interested in discussing outreach opportunities in the Hawthorne neighborhood, we'd love to hear from you! Drop us a line at (612) 529-6033 or e-mail our communications director, Bryan Thao Worra at bworra@hawthornecommunity.org!

We still have a very open calendar in 2009 and would love to connect with you about the possibilities!

McKnight 2nd Annual Neighborhood Outreach Gathering

The McKnight Foundation celebrated the innovative outreach efforts of neighborhood organizations in the Twin Cities on August 26th at their headquarters, including a celebratory barbecue at the end of the day.

Among the key programs highlighted this year:

APAC's Alliance for Change was held to judge the scope of the threat MNDot road projects posed to affordable housing in the Twin Cities, especially in the form of manufactured housing. They also worked with CURA to develop a GIS map to identify other communities that may be threatened, and working on their project they developed and documented successful organizing strategies to confrotnt displacement policies.

Harrison Hmong high school summer organizers have used bingo over the last 2 years to help Hmong residents identify top neighborhood concerns, take on safety and park issues and connect Hmong families with Harrison block leaders and board members. They explained how to squeeze 60 Hmong into a room designed for a dozen people and other amazing skills in community organizing.

Lyndale Youth and Family Safety Initiative is a collaboration between Lyndale Neighborhood Association and the Youth Farm and Market Project to address public safety issues facing youth and familines living around Horn Towers. Neighborhood Art on Wheels complements and adds to the initiative by developing connections between community members and the area around Horn Towers and the gardens.

Seward wanted to create a master plan for the Franklin Avenue Corridor that reflects the expertise/knowledge, vision and values of the community. The goal was to engage as many people as possible in different ways and create an organic model of interaction. They used community walks, community-wide meetings and task forces to engage residents over several months of planning. A draft of work to date includes core values documents and vignettes of implementation strategies in each focus area.

Little Earth spoke out against efforts to bring the Phillips burner to their community to keep the pollution the burner would have brought to their community from sickening their children.

West Side Citizens Organization created a project connecting a neighbor who had done fishing clinics all over the country with West Side youth and families to an understanding of our natural environment. Over 200 youth fished, met neighbors and connected with the neighborhood lake. As an incentive, WSCO gave away free fishing poles to youth participants and one free bike, rigged with a fishing pole carrier.

Leadership in Support of Neighborhoods develops the talents of emerging community leaders who are committed to strengthening the Hamline Midway (District 11) and/or Thomad-Dale (District 7) neighborhoods of Saint Paul through a year-long program that combines twice monthly peer sessions, staff support and the design and implementation of a community-based-project. Currently 12 Fellows are participating in the program, organizing projects including: backyard chicken raising, a neighborhood health festival, a folk music festival, a local food group and an environmental issues group.

Harrison Neighborhood Association has worked for years to get a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) for Bassett Creek redevelopment. During this year's presentation, they discussed the nuts and bolts of developing and negotiating a community benefits agreement, and the advantages and potential pitfalls of such a process.

Latinos En Accion. The group works to address the needs of Latina women in Corcoran, Powderhorn Park and Longfellow neighborhoods. The group meets in the Park building each week to share a pot-luck meal, discuss issues facing Latina women, develop basic computer skills such as sending e-mail, enjoy an aeorbics session aimed at improving overall health and plan the next meeting. They also invite speakers on topics of interest such as child immunizations. They have removed access barriers to Powderhorn Park, improved community connections, built valuable skills among group members and encouraged park staff to hire a Spanish speaking staff member.

Longfellow Community Council was the first in Minneapolis to reach a Community Benefits Agreement with old Purina Mills site in their neighborhood and offered insightful perspectives on negotiating an effective CBA in other neighborhoods.

District 7 in Saint Paul is using GIS and GPS technology with community organizing to sustain good communication with residents. They use the technology to quanitfy the results of doork-knocking to organize the community. They partnered with U-Plan, a community planning studio, to help create interactive maps with current GIS data and grassroots field data.

From a Hawthorne neighborhood perspective, which of these would you be interested in hearing about in the future for similar activities within our neighborhood?

Hawthorne Tree Nursery Arrives!

Hawthorne now has a special tree nursery near our EcoVillage project, one of the key steps in creating a livable, ecologically and environmentally sound neighborhood environment. During the groundbreaking ceremony in August, we received visits and support from our community partners as well as Mayor Rybak and City Council member Diane Hofstede! Thanks go to all of our amazing supporters and we look forward to keeping all of you up to date on the next important steps in making the Hawthorne neighborhood a great place to live!

Minneapolis Issues Picnic A Success

On Friday, August 22nd, community residents from across Minneapolis met in the Hawthorne Neighorhood to celebrate community and discuss key issues affecting the quality of life in our neighborhoods. The picnic provided a great atmosphere for friendly conversation.

A big thanks to everyone who came to participate and help make it the success it was!

Annual Meeting: September 25th!

This year’s annual meeting will take place at Farview Park on Thursday, September 25th!

The evening will start at 6 PM and our special keynote speaker is Inspector Mike Martin of the City of Minneapolis Police Department who will speak on a variety of issues and his experiences with the city and our community.

This is a free dinner for the community and all residents, businesses and other community stake holders are invited to join us as we take a look at
our year in review and give our annual report to the community. Daycare will be provided that evening for families, but please RSVP by September 15th if possible.

There will be door prizes, entertainment, and other special activities and give-aways.

The annual meeting is also important because this is the opportunity to vote in new members to the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council board of directors. There are seats open in all 4 residential quadrants, as well as at-large and other special positions, including seats to represent business,
non-profit and youth interests in our community.

If you are interested in becoming a board member, there’s still time to apply. Just contact HNC and let us know by calling our office at (612) 529-6033 or e-mail HNC at chair@hawthornecommunity.org.

Your participation really makes a difference in determining future directions for our organization.

Please be sure to invite your friends and family to come participate. More details will be posted online soon.

Hawthorne visited by national authors

This July, the Hawthorne neighborhood was visited by two nationally acclaimed authors.

New York-based writer Ed Lin, author of the novels Waylaid and This Is A Bust, and Chicago-based Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu, author of The Shadow Speaker and Zahrah the Windseeker came to see our neighborhood.

The two were in Minneapolis to read from their latest books. The authors took a tour of the Hawthorne neighborhood including our EcoVillage project and other local landmarks.

Both found the Hawthorne neighborhood to be quite interesting and look forward to the next time they can come to visit more with the residents and see the best that Minnesota has to offer.

We look forward to future visits from other artists and authors to our community in the future.

Hawthorne Business Committee: August 22nd

As a reminder, due to the August holiday weekend, this month's Hawthorne Business Committee Meeting is this Friday, August 22nd at 8:30 AM at US Bank, 1030 W. Broadway and we look forward to seeing you there.

On the agenda:

Facade Improvement Update. Hawthorne has money available to help you improve your business facade! Find out how.

The new Hawthorne Business Social Hour. We'll soon be convening special gatherings for Hawthorne businesses and professionals, and we'd like your input.

Meet Our New Executive Director. Laban Ohito will be present to meet you and hear your interests and concerns for business growth and development in the Hawthorne neighborhood!

Board Positions available on the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council: Next month's Hawthorne Annual Meeting also includes our board of director elections, and a seat is available for a Hawthorne business representative. Find out how you can get involved to help take the Hawthorne Neighborhood in a great direction.

2009 Strategies: Where have we been, and where would we like to go?

Northside Chess Tournament Followup: What happened, and what's next?

Step-Up Achieve Review: We'll hear about the results from this year's Step-Up Achieve partners and their youth interns, and what's next.

Additional business.

We look forward to seeing you there!

August Board Meeting Canceled

Due to conflicts of schedule, this month's board meeting has been canceled.
The next board meeting is scheduled for September 11th, 2008. For additional questions, please feel free to call us at (612) 529-6033.

Crime and Safety Meeting: Monday at 7 PM

The Hawthorne Crime and Safety Committee Meeting is this Monday at 7PM - 9 PM at Farview Park. Our agenda this month:

Introductions
4th Precinct Reports
August 21st Popsicle Social
Problem Addresses
New Business
Buy Back Contract
Staff Report on NRP Crime and Safety Funds and NRP overall
Adjourn

National Night Out 2008 In Hawthorne!

This week at Hawthorne:

The Hawthorne Neighborhood Council invites the community to the Hawthorne Huddle on Thursday, August 7th at 7:30 AM at Farview Park and welcomes the community to National Night Out on Tuesday, August 5th around the neighborhood.

We look forward to seeing you all there as we celebrate community!

Hawthorne Huddle This Thursday!

Please join us at the Hawthorne Huddle on Thursday, August 7th.

During this time of year, many of us start to think about what is just around the corner -- the beginning of the school year and all the excitement and preparation that entails. Students and the schools that they attend both need the community’s assistance to provide optimum learning experiences for the students. We will hear from representatives of the Minneapolis Public Schools about their priorities aimed at helping students achieve a high level of success at school. We also will learn from the panelists what we all can do to support the schools and the students throughout the upcoming school year.

The Hawthorne Huddle will be held from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. in the Multipurpose Room at Farview Park, located at 621 29th Avenue North. A continental breakfast will be available at 7:15 a.m. We hope you can attend and participate in the discussion.

A G E N D A

WELCOME Ellen Luger, General Mills Foundation

Safety update Minneapolis Police Department 4th Precinct Representative

MAIN PROGRAM TOPICS: BACK TO SCHOOL
Panelists:
Eleanor Coleman, Minneapolis District
Catherine Jordan, Achieve!Minneapolis
Lydia Lee, Minneapolis Public Schools Board Member
Nichole Randolph, Nellie Stone Johnson Community and Parent Liaison
Assistant Principal, Nellie Stone Johnson School

Hawthorne Community Standards

It's been a while since we've talked about the Hawthorne Community Standards that emerged from the late 1990s, but many of the points remain valid and interesting today. From the revised standards (June, 1999):

The Hawthorne Community is working together to build a strong, pleasant and livable community. We as a community in partnership with a variety of stakeholders, have worked hard to develop standards for our community.

Based on information we have gathered from our community, the month Hawthorne Huddle has identified several short-term and long-term steps for improving our community. Our immediate priority is to address those problems that are disrubtive to our community life for the entire commmunity. We invite you to work with us in this endeavor.

Please help us in taking a stand against the following behaviors in our community and in supporting strong implementation of each positive standard.

-Excess noise in our neighborhood. This includes loud car stereos, horn honking and loud parties. We believe that everyone in our neighborhood has the right to peace and quiet, and these activities adversely affect the livability of our neighborhood.

-Litter and garbage around homes and in the streets. This neighborhood is YOUR neighborhood, also. We all have a right to a well-kept neighborhood. Each of us needs to do our part to make it a place we can be proud of.

-Disrespect for people and property. This includes harassing people, yelling obscenities, stealing, writing graffiti and picking fights. We believe all people should be treated with respect, and getting along with people is one of the most important actions we can take to build a stronger community.

-Violence, drugs and crime. Specifically, dealing and using drugs, and carrying and using a weapon. We believe in a violence-free community. We all have a responsibility to be law-abiding citizens and to set an example for one another.

Thank you!

The Hawthorne Huddle, including community residents and participants from Hawthorne Block Clubs, Hawthorne Neighborhood Council, Hawthorne Churches and Clergy, Hennepin County Social Services, Hennepy County Probation Office, Minneapolis Public Schools, Minneapolis Police Department, Community Crime Prevention/SAFE, Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Department, and other community organizations.

This Week At Hawthorne

The July Hawthorne Business Committee meeting is July 25th at US Bank, 1030 W. Broadway at 8:30 AM. Doughnuts and coffee provided! Already we are planning on discussing:

Facade Improvement. If you've been thinking of improving and updating your storefront, we have free funds for you! Learn how to make the changes you've wanted to your exterior through a matching grant of up to $10,000 for $20,000 of facade improvements.

Hawthorne Marketing Program: Hear the latest updates on our marketing efforts to energize Hawthorne businesses! We have world-class businesses as well as many new start-ups in Hawthorne. This is a chance to learn what we're doing to help you succeed.

Northside Chess Match: Find out about the great Northside Live Chess Match
( http://northsidechess.blogspot.com ) that is part of our strategy to connect residents to businesses and the city.

Also: The Northside Chess Match is this Saturday! Stop by the Vogel Sculpture Garden on the corner of 2nd St. N and W. Broadway (across from Johnny A's) and see our fun and exciting festival for all members of the community!

Hawthorne At Third Ward CARE

Welcome Laban Ohito, our new executive director!

Please join the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council in welcoming our new Executive Director, Mr. Laban Ohito!

Mr. Ohito has over 12 years experience in development, leadership and fundraising.
Laban also has a Masters degree in Public and Nonprofit Management and is an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.He has been the Director of Development with the Fort Snelling Tennis and Learning Center and Director of Development with St. Paul/Ramsey County Children's Initiative, among others, including KFAI.

Mr. Ohito has been very impressed with the direction and growth of the neighborhood and wants to work with everyone to continue that tradition and help Hawthorne grow in exciting and positive ways.

Please join our staff and board in welcoming Laban Ohito. Stop in and introduce yourself and answer questions he may have about the organization and our neighborhood.

You can e-mail him at lohito@hawthornecommunity.org or (612) 529-6033 x 202.

Photostudy: Flowers in Hawthorne

Here are some great examples of flowers growing in the Hawthorne Neighborhood this year!

Thanks to everyone who works so hard to make Hawthorne a vibrant and environmentally friendly neighborhood that everyone can enjoy!

Crime Prevention and Family Safety Committee Meeting, Monday, July 10th

Crime Prevention and Family Safety Agenda
Monday, July 10th, 2008
7:00–8:45 p.m.
Farview Park – 29th and Lyndale

Introductions

Approval of Minutes

4th Precinct Updates

Problem Addresses

Old Business:
Northside Chess tournament, July 26th
National Night Out, August 5th
Popsicle Social, August 21st
Annual Meeting, September 26th

New Business:
Police Buy-Back Program Contract Extenstion to 2010.

Adjourn

All About Family BBQ: July 12th

This Saturday, July 12th, at Farview Park (29th and Lyndale Ave. N) from 2-5 PM,is the 3rd Annual BBQ Off organized by All About Family.

It's free to watch, with hot dogs and orange drink for families interested in watching. There is a $25 fee for teams of 2-10 if you would like to compete. It is an exciting family-friendly event. To learn more information about this activity you can contact:

Brian Kelley, Director of All About Family at kelley01@visi.com or visit http://www.allaboutfam.org

Have a great weekend!

July Hawthorne Huddle: Youth Mentoring

With a packed house led by Donna Svendsen of General Mills Community Action, the July Hawthorne Huddle was filled with diverse voices to discuss many issues, particularly focusing on the importance of youth mentoring.

Among our expert panelists this time were Joellen Gonder-Spacek, Executive Director of Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota, Penny Kallas, the director of Community Partnerships for Kinship of Greater Minneapolis, Lori Strong, the executive director and co-founder of Parents With Purpose, Franklin Rich, the Community Outreach Coordinator with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Twin Cities, and Becky Palarzyk and Keisha Blackman from the program department of Bolder Options.

You can visit them online at:
http://www.mentoringworks.org/
http://www.parentingwithpurpose.org/
http://www.bigstwincities.org/
http://www.kinship.org/
http://www.bolderoptions.org/

It was also a great opportunity to meet the Hawthorne staff and board members including Treasurer Jim Wentzell, Communications Director Bryan Thao Worra, Housing Director Jeff Skrenes, and the new Hawthorne Neighborhood Council Executive Director, Laban Ohito.

The next Hawthorne Huddle is scheduled for Thursday, August 7th at Farview Park. We hope to see you there!