If you’re not at the bloginar or observing Yom Kippur, try this on Thursday.

Beyond the Pure: Readings by Writers of Color, is returning to The Carol Connolly Reading Series at Intermedia Arts (”Minnesota’s first and only ongoing series of public literary readings whose mission it is to provide a platform for writers historically excluded from traditional literary settings.”).

Beyond the Pure: Readings by Writers of Color
Thursday, October 9, 2008
7:00 PM at Intermedia Arts
2822 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis
Admission by donation; wine & beer reception to follow

Curated by Julie Bates & Carolyn Holbrook; hosted by Carolyn Holbrook

Featuring:
IBé was born in Guinea, and grew up between Sierra Leone, Chicago, St. Cloud, and the Twin Cities. Quite naturally, he lives in the Middle of the Atlantic…with a mailing address in Minneapolis, MN. Among others, he writes about the African Experience, both in Africa and in America. Bridge Across Atlantic, his first collection of poems, is a small dose of these stories.

BAO PHI has been a performance poet since 1991. A two-time Minnesota Grand Slam champion and a National Poetry Slam finalist, Bao Phi has appeared on HBO Presents Russell Simmons Def Poetry, and a poem of his appeared in the 2006 Best American Poetry anthology. He has performed in venues and schools across the country, from the Nuyorican Poets Café to the University of California, Berkeley. Currently he continues to perform across the country, remains active as an Asian American community organizer, and works at the Loft, where he creates and operates programs for artists and audiences of color.

SUN YUNG SHIN is a 2007 Bush Artist Fellow for Literature and author of the collection of poems Skirt Full of Black (Coffee House Press 2007); co-editor of Outsiders Within: Writings on Transracial Adoption; (South End Press 2006) and author of Cooper’s Lesson (Children’s Book Press 2004), a bilingual Korean/English illustrated book for children. She’s currently working on her second book of poems with the working title The Invisible Choir and a memoir of her immigration and naturalization. Her website is www.sunyungshin.com.

Funds for this activity are provided by the COMPAS Community Art Program through a grant from the McKnight Foundation. The Carol Connolly Reading Series is sponsored in part by The Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts, DreamHaven Books, Patrick’s Cabaret, SF Minnesota, and the University Club of Saint Paul.

Intermedia Arts on: [web] [facebook]

• CANDO has a new website. CANDO = Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization. [Where's the Central neighborhood?]
• The Twin Cities Media Alliance is having its first ever membership campaign. If you join now, you’ll be a founding member (oooohhhh, aaaaahhhhh </Smurfs>). Donations accepted online. You can mail your check to their offices but honestly, if you’re reading this blog, I’m assuming you can manage the online thing. If you want to spread your local independent media love/dollars around, MinnPost would love to take your money, as would the Center for Independent Media which operates MnIndy and its sister sites. Personally, I’m discontinuing my Minnesota Public Radio membership. I’m not sure that indy media is my #1 priority, but I’d consider either (or both) of these two outfits a fair swap for MPR.
• Several bike-related items via Bicycling in Minneapolis:
  1. The West River Parkway and 2nd Street SE bike paths under the I-35W bridge have reopened.
  2. According to this Census 2007 Report (pdf), Minneapolis bicycle mode share increased to 3.8%. That’s up from 2.5% in 2006. We’re still #2 to Portland, which has a bicycle mode share of 3.9%. Y’all are riding your bikes more just because your competitive, right?
• The 8th Annual Twin Cities Book Festival is next Saturday, 10/8, 10am-5pm at MCTC. Exhibit info here. (via @alexisthegirl)

I call it real purrty.

I’ve always loved the beauty of the Stone Arch Bridge and whenever I’m in the area,day or night, I make it a point to walk across the bridge and enjoy the views. 

Uploaded on October 1, 2008
by epmd

With the re-opening of the I-35W Bridge, traffic on I-94 south and east of downtown Minneapolis was supposed to get re-striped so it returns to three lanes. It was temporarily converted to four lanes while I-35W traffic was re-routed along I-94 to Hwy 280.

Lots of folks liked having an extra lane and wanted to keep it. As I recall, MnDOT said no because, particularly on the bridges, having no shoulder is not safe when there’s an accident and there’s also the problem of having nowhere to plow the snow to.

According to Transit for Livable Communities, this is no longer the case. The additional reason they cite is because the shoulder was previously available for bus-only traffic during periods of congestion and of course is available to emergency vehicles as well.

Any plan to turn the temporary shoulder lanes into permanent lanes for mixed traffic clearly runs counter to both statutory and agency goals, which call for both safe transportation and increased transit use in urban areas. I-94 without shoulder lanes is simply not as safe as it was previously; federal design guidelines call for 12-foot lane widths, a 10-foot paved shoulder on the right, and a 4-foot paved shoulder on the left.

Further, our region has a national reputation for its bus-only shoulder lanes, which by encouraging transit ridership, are a proven congestion management strategy. When I-94 is very congested and the buses are stuck in mixed traffic, entire bus trips may be missed because drivers are unable to make a second run.

The bus thing, I’m sure, is the only reason TLC even cares, though the safety and snow reasons are perfectly valid as well.

I don’t typically commute that way, so I don’t have a dog in the fight (technically, though there are wider implications than traffic on any given day). But there are several good reasons to return that stretch of highway to its previous configuration.

TLC staff members were told that MnDOT would extensively study the costs and benefits of returning the shoulders to their previous use, and that there would be an opportunity for public input regarding this decision. As of publication, MnDOT has not communicated the dates for the study to begin or when public input will be solicited.

MnDOT’s “Interstate 35W Bridge - Traffic Impacts” page says:

I-94 lane additions between Hwy 280 and I-35W will stay OPEN while the state studies turning them into carpool/toll lanes or another type of managed lane.

So now the whole thing has to be a huge study? Studies cost money. And, wait, now they might be HOV lanes? Where did that come from?

What a cluster. Just restripe the damn road and get it over with.

Living in the Audobon Neighborhood of Northeast, there is a small downtown area which runs down Johnson Street From 28th to 29th.

There is a good batch of independent businesses -  Audobon Coffee, EMI, Sarah Jane’s Bakery, Rewind, Crafty Planet, POP, A Gift Shop (which I am related to the owners, so I won’t overly promote them for personal reasons), Snap! plus a pharmacy, clinic, barbers and stylists and some others. They have an association that lists them all here.

When the 35W Bridge went down it seemed like that street was too many miles away from the bridge to be affected, but what I didn’t know is that many people traveled down Johnson to get onto 35W and then go over the bridge. People started taking alternative routes and not stopping for Coffee, Donuts and to shop on Johnson Street. The street was also featured in the news, about their plight and the businesses wondering if they would be able to keep operating.

Well even as early as Friday morning when I stopped into Sarah Jane’s Bakery for a donut (or two), I asked if the Bridge opening had helped even though it was only open for one day before that.

She said it did, and they hoped that today was busy as well because they upped their production of donuts for it.

It’s amazing the difference a bridge, a road or any type of construction can cause this much difference to a street and it’s businesses. It’s a powerful lesson, to those who might admire the local independent businesses in their area but might not frequent them enough.

You might want to, because the next time you want that cup of coffee, or a tasty meal they might not be there.

Can you believe it’s been over a year since the 35W bridge collapsed? I’m stuck somewhere between thinking there’s no way that much time has passed and thinking “by year you mean decade, right?” But that is neither here nor there. Now it’s time to get back on the bridge!

Or is it? Bob Collins asked the question over at News Cut, and you can click through to take a Public Insight Network survey for the old MPR.

Personally, I’m kind of excited to drive over it–in the way I’m excited to wear new socks that I really like: I realize it will be completely mundane and exactly the same as all the other times, but the knowledge that it’s new and snazzy will be satisfying. There are built in sensors, for Pete’s sake! Sensors! But I know a lot of people are either unwilling to tempt fate or are simply uninterested in changing their daily driving habits again. The makeshift solution of using 280 worked remarkably well, after all. Better than I thought it would, anyway. How about you? Have you given it much thought?

The other thing people are getting worked up about is the design. Over at MnSpeak, the very first comment on this thread reads as follows:

I wish it were prettier. But whatever, good for them for finishing it on time.

I actually think it’s super pretty. Then again, I’ve always gravitated to understated beauty. Plus it’s all 50s-chic! Check it out (photo is from MinnPost):

As always, please let us know what you think. Do you love it? Do you hate it? Does the technology make you feel safe, or do you think it’s going to go all Matrix on us and destroy humanity?

From the City of Minneapolis Bicycling Update email list, updates on two bikeway closures. One regards downtown traffic during the Marquette/2nd Ave construction. One regards the Washington Ave bridge.

Two bikeway closures are affecting bicycle travel. The first is the reconstruction of Marquette and 2nd Avenues in downtown. A Bicycling Community Advisory (pdf) has been issued by project staff. Sections of the bike lanes are closed on both streets. Work will continue through the end of 2009. Alternative routes are on Hennepin Avenue (bike lanes) and 3rd Avenue (no bike lanes).

At times general traffic lanes will remain open, and bicyclists may use those lanes. Please use extra caution when bicycling through this area. Here are a few tips to keep you safe:

• Ride with the flow of traffic, unless a contra flow bike lane is open.
• Stay visible by not riding in the gutter. Ride where the right wheel of a car would be.
• Follow traffic signals, and signal turns and lane changes.
• Use headlights and taillights after dark.
• If you would rather be on the sidewalk, walk your bicycle. Sidewalk riding is prohibited in the downtown business district.
• Use heightened awareness at intersections, and be particularly cautious around turning motorists. Read more about defensive bicycling.

When Marquette and 2nd Avenues reopen, the bike lanes will no longer exist. At that time Nicollet Mall will be reopened to cycling traffic 24 hours a day. The City Council has directed City of Minneapolis staff to study the possibility of bicycles using the bus lanes on Marquette and 2nd. A recommendation has not yet been made by staff to the Council. For more information on this project, visit the MARQ2 project website.

The second closure is the Washington Avenue bridge over the Mississippi River. Hennepin County has eliminated the bike lanes due to concerns over the strength of the upper deck of the bridge. Because of high pedestrian traffic, bicyclists must walk their bikes through the enclosure. University police are enforcing this rule. Read more about the closure on the University of Minnesota website. A signed detour route using Bridge #9 is currently being developed. The bike lanes on the bridge are expected to reopen in the spring.

The Minnesota Secretary of State’s website has complete results from yesterday’s primary. Warning: data porn. I thanked my polling place volunteers. Did you? Mary Lahammer on the primary’s biggest winners and losers.

If you follow the Minnesota Historical Society on Twitter, you will receive a “this day in Minnesota history” tweet and alerts about other MHS events.

While Northeast Beat the Website has been assimilated by the TC Daily Planet, Northeast Beat lives on in a Ning group! (FYI, Ning is a service providing DYI social networks.) It has 138 members at the moment.

Tom Elko at MnIndy: “McCain connected 35W bridge collapse to Palin’s pork.” Money quote from McCain: “‘Maybe if we had done it right, maybe some of that money would have gone to inspect those bridges and other bridges around the country,’ McCain said at a campaign stop in Ankeny, Iowa on Aug. 4, 2007. ‘Maybe the 200,000 people who cross that bridge every day would have been safer than spending $233 million of your tax dollars on a bridge in Alaska to an island with 50 people on it.’” Zing!

If you enjoy playing the hockey, check out pickuphockeyfinder.com. You can find games and sign up yourself/your friends/a team to play. Ice hockey (indoor), pond hockey, roller hockey, adult, youth, etc.

Opposite of hockey: Are you a surfer? Or at least interested in protecting our beaches and lakefront? Graeme Thickins is helping startup the Minnesota chapter of the Surfrider Foundation.

Webdigs is yet another local real estate brokerage. They’re pimping their use of technology/teh internets and some sort of rebate program. It’s pretty to look at. I haven’t done enough house shopping to know how their user interface compares. Also, having not done much by way of homebuying I appreciate their “How Buying Works” and “How Selling Works” info. And they have a pretty good blog going (which I’m not just saying because they linked us once).

I’m completely RNCed out, but the fallout continues. Y’all know where to go (The Uptake and MnIndy). If you need some handholding, Thinkery’s early-September archive has some most excellent aggregation of independent and MSM coverage. (Yeah, I’m rounding up a roundup. Meta!)

People fret about gas prices, wish they could get away with driving less, but not everyone is hearty, hale, and brave enough to bike. So naturally scooters are the next best thing. We are totally planning on buying a scooter next summer.

Did you know there’s a Holy Land Exhibit in Stevens Square? And that it’s 50 years old? Me neither. It’s not affiliated with the restaurant/deli/imported grocery biz.

Rhubarbarism describes for you the archetypes of Twin Cities cyclists. (Yeah, this one is ancient in internet years, but it’s still funny.)

“The unassuming gazillionaire”: The Strib’s Patent Pending blog talks to Saint Paul native Jawed Karim (PayPal and YouTube co-founder) about his latest project, Youniversity Ventures, which helps fund internet software startups founded by college students.

“If I had 4 days in St Paul…” Where Jen would eat, drink, and shop.

I’m not familiar with Big Quarters, but I want one of their “From the Home of Brown Babies and White Mothers” t-shirts (even though my dad’s the white one). Lake City Browns! w00t! Here, watch one of their music videos. (via MPLSSTPL)

MnIndy’s Paul Demko writes up his experience getting detained while covering the protests

Star Tribune says 818 people were arrested over the 4 days of the RNC, including 396 last night

The UpTake’s volunteer coordinator Suzanne was shooting video of a police-protester confrontation when she got caught up in the melée and was arrested.

Video of WCCO photojournalist Tom Aviles being arrested

What’s your story?

Friendly neighborhood actress lady and blogger extraordinaire Leigha Horton has been blogging the Fringe, since she’s not in a show this year. My favorite part: Audio interviews with folks in line. Of course she knows, like, everyone in line. Follow along. As a theater type person, she asks performers and directors totally different questions than I would ever ask.

Slideshows of official Fringe photos are going up at fringefestival.org.

I was just wondering, and my question was answered: Opening weekend numbers were great! From Thursday through Sunday, 14,215 tickets were sold. Up 10% over last year’s opening weekend attendance which you’ll note was somewhat dampened by that bridge that fell down.

On to the reviews.

The Survival Pages by Malia Burkhart
Malia ponders humanity’s relationship with nature, talks about hosting her own wildlife show, asks the questions we all ask about how we’re killing our planet and what we should be doing to conserve and survive, and goes on this kind of interesting exploration of soil vs dirt. All this is presented with spoken word, some kind of free-form movement that I wouldn’t quite call dance, some recliner acrobatics, video, this really cool thing where she makes her own cocoon, and a bucket of dirt. I didn’t find the story she told to be gripping, exactly, but I really liked the way she presented it. I’m sure every Fringe artist puts a lot of thought into their show, but it was interesting watching the show keeping in mind that every little bit was very carefully considered (having skimmed through her blog dedicated to the development of this show which includes the cut-and-pasting of a rejection of her request for a second projector by the Fringe’s tech director which she is not pleased with). One last showing Friday at 7pm. If you’re looking to try something “different” this is a good option.

JACK by Eric Van Wyk
So this is a reinterpretation of the Jack and the Beanstalk story. The puppets were really cool. He had several different types so it wasn’t just different characters, it was puppets with truly different aesthetics which made for good variety. Some of the puppetry techniques and production elements were pretty cool, like how he portrayed the passage of time with the moon rise and how he portrayed traveling with the scrolling backdrop and how he portrayed the growing of the bean stalk. In some cases, the execution wasn’t entirely polished. The actual story itself was totally meh. I think an 8-year-old would enjoy it quite a bit. As much as I enjoyed it visually, I found myself ready for it to be over, or at least pick up the pace, about halfway through and I really didn’t get the ending. If you have kids, take ‘em. Last night was his first show, so he’s got four more. Coincidentally, this guy went to school in Iowa back in the day with one of my co-workers. I told my co-worker to go see it anyway.

Further miscellaneous observations…