Plan an event on your block; Key deadlines are approaching

National Night Out is an annual nationwide event that encourages residents to get out in their community, hold a block or apartment party, and get to know other neighbors. Will your block or apartment gather for National Night Out? There’s still time to plan a simple event. It can be as simple as inviting neighbors to enjoy a potluck meal in someone’s front yard. Help Available. Do you need help planning an event, making simple flyers, connecting with others on your block, or knocking on doors?

Contact Brettina Davis ([email protected]) or Edain Altamirano ([email protected]) by e-mail or at 612-724-7457. The CNO office also offers free photocopies for block meeting flyers any time of the year.

Street Closure. You don't need to block off your street to hold a great National Night Out event, but NNO is the one night each year when you can do it for free! You must register by July 19 to get a free street closure permit. If you register from July 20 through July 27, there is a $100 fee. You will not be able to block off your street if registering after July 27.

Resister your event and find additional planning ideas and resources at http://www.minneapolismn.gov/nno/index.htm

Thanks to all who joined us at the End of School Carnival on Friday, June 10^th!

Our next community event is the Ice Cream Social at Corcoran Park: July 13^th from 6-11pm. There will be music and a bounce house to jump in! Free Ice Cream, Kabomelette food truck will sell food, and games to play! The Movie in the Park (Raiders of the Lost Ark with Spanish subtitles!) will begin at Dusk around 9:30pm. This is a free event and for all ages!

Corcoran Park’s hours have changed to Monday through Thursday from 1-7pm and Friday from 1-6pm. Remember, the Summer Snack and Dinner Program serves food Monday-Friday, Free for kids under 18. The snack is served from 3-3:45pm and Dinner from 5-5:45pm. Come use computers at the Open Computer Lab during open hours.

Other activities include the Bojutsu Japanese Martial Arts, which specializes in using a five-foot staff, for ages 14 and older, on Thursdays from 7-8:30pm and Family Zumba Exercise Dance Class for all ages (youth welcome!), which is Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays, from 5-7 on Monday and Wednesdays as well as 4-6 on Fridays.

Questions? Concerns? Ideas? Contact the Corcoran Park staff at 612-370-4919 or [email protected].

 Community Considers New South High Master Plan Concept

At its May 5 meeting, CNO’s Land Use & Housing committee heard a proposal to develop the vacant land at 19^th and East Lake Street. The proposal would construct a new 2-story, 14,000 square foot commercial building on grade with a Mexican restaurant, additional office and retail space, and a 30 stall parking lot. The vacant, 100-foot deep property is owned by Ben and Margaret Liao and an adjacent 50-foot deep property is owned by the City of Minneapolis. The Liao development team would like to secure the City property as part of the project; both City staff and Council Member Alondra Cano had indicated they would base their own support in part on the CNO Board’s position on the project.

Volunteer at Open Streets with CNO

The Corcoran Neighborhood Organization and the Midtown Farmers Market are thrilled to announce that we will once again be participating in East Lake Open Streets on July 24th from 11am to 5pm. The Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition which is leading the event will be closing down vehicle traffic on East Lake Street to make way for bicyclists and pedestrians from 42nd Ave S. all the way to Elliot Ave. We’ll be holding a special Sunday farmers market as a part of the event, and this year the Midtown Farmers Market will also be hosting a break dancing battle right in the middle of Lake Street!

Our special Sunday market will host some of regular vendors and will be located under the Hiawatha Avenue Bridge at the intersections of East Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue. So be sure to stop by and enjoy our usual market offerings and take in some amazing talent as break dancers take part in a 3 vs 3 battle! In the spirit of the event, we also encourage attendees to bike, walk, skate or take alternative transportation to the event as they support local business, re-imagine Lake Street and take part in this incredible event promoting healthy living.

Volunteers needed! Help inform Open Streets attendees and help them take action to Humanize Hi-Lake by volunteering for a 2-hour shift on July 24; we also need help with set up and take-down, and event planning. Sign up to be a volunteer at Open Streets Volunteer Sign Up

Humanize Hi-Lake! At Open Streets 2015, we kicked off a campaign to “Humanize” the Hiawatha and Lake Street area in partnership Sierra Club, the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition, Lake Street Council, and Longfellow Community Council by gathering signatures on over 500 petition postcards and raising awareness. The City and County responded by investing $90,000 into an engineering study (Hi-Lake Interchange Study. Please join the movement at Open Streets at Lake and Hiawatha on July 24 – our staff and volunteer leaders will be providing information and opportunities to take action and get involved. In the meantime, you can find the Interchange study and more information at the Humanize Hi-Lake Facebook page.

About Open Streets, from openstreetsmpls.org. For the past six years, streets in Minneapolis have transformed to allow residents to experience their city in a whole new way — by bike, by skateboard, however they please. We call this Open Streets Minneapolis, and it has grown from one event in 2011 to eight events all across the city in 2016!

Open Streets Minneapolis is the perfect chance to promote healthy living, local businesses, sustainable transportation and civic pride in Minneapolis. On multiple days throughout the year, we create miles of safe, car-free streets so that residents of all ages can walk, bike, shop, participate in spontaneous play activities, and get to know one another. All Open Streets events are free.

CNO is grateful to all who give to support our work. We cannot do our work without your sustaining support!

Mary Buhr
Stacey Burns
Andrea Cecconi
Jean Emmons
Cynthia Frost
Erika Garcia
Ginny Gelms
Jullonne Glad
Eric and Kimara Gustafson
Susan Hensel
Anne Holzinger
Mary Jansen
Meline Juarez
Matt Kazinka
Gwen McMahon
Kim and Tom Medin
Genevieve Olive
Kelly Savage
Tanya Snyder
Marissa Tappy
Adam and Devin Tomczik
Andrew Zimmer

Events held at Bethel Lutheran Church, 4120-17 th Avenue South, unless otherwise noted. Call

Nokomis Healthy Seniors at 612-729- 5499 to register and for more information.

Ongoing/Weekly events:

For a full list of events and support groups, contact Nokomis Healthy Seniors at the

above phone number.

Tuesdays:

10-10:45 am, Exercise

Wednesdays:

10-11 am: Modified Yoga

Foot Care at Nokomis Square (call for appt.)

Thursdays:

9:30-11:30 am: Nurse Is In (blood pressure checks, coffee, and treats)

Special Events:

Educational Events (1st Thursdays), June 2: Topic: Organics Recycling in Minneapolis, and July 7 from 11:15-Noon

Health and Enrichment Program at Nokomis Square (2 nd Wednesdays), June 8 at 1:30pm

Bingo and Games, June 30 at 11 am

Lunch and a Movie: Bridge of Spies, July 21 (Lunch starts at 11:15 am; movie to follow)

Owning a big ol’ house brings about big ol’ projects.  Unfortunately my latest project was replacing a broken window (after I threw my husband’s size 18 boot into the glass on accident while cleaning….oops).  In frustration I reached out on the Nextdoor app in an effort to find a handyman that could help me out…instead I found an artist! 

Bryce Fairbanks, of  “A Quality Handyman LLC”, came to my rescue!  He not only fixes w
indows, but also does creative work with vintage lighting, woodwork using reclaimed wood, and dreams up unique ways to solve other tough repairs…all while keeping the integrity of the home.

So, after I was impressed with his personality, craftsmanship, and his sidekick canine companion Blanca; I requested an interview for the Corcoran News.

Warmer weather, plant sales, yard projects, window cleaning and garage de-cluttering.  All signs that summer is coming and Corcoran GROWS is ready. 

Thanks to everyone who attended (no matter how briefly) our Springfest event at Corcoran Park.  It was a smashing success with great food, good conversation, inspired music and informative and passionate TedTalks.   But, if you missed it, don't worry—we have several upcoming events to put down in your calendar. 

For years I have wanted a dog. More than anything, I wanted my own dog. I kept asking, and asking, and asking. I even did research on dogs, I wrote essays and papers for school on dogs, and I talked about dogs. All trying to convince my parents to get me a dog, and to show that I was finally responsible enough for my own dog. Finally, for my 12th birthday, my parents got me a dog. My sister, dad, and I, went to three animal shelters looking for the perfect one. At the third, it was almost time for the shelters to close up for the day. Then I saw him; my dream dog. He is a Beagle/Blue-Tick Coonhound mix, and his name is Buddy. I found my new best friend.

This event was very important to me, because I found a new best friend. Buddy makes a very good best friend, because he will always be there for me, whether I’m feeling happy or sad. This is also a good learning experience for me, because I’m learning how to take care of a dog.    

It has a 90% aggregate on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.4 out of 10 rating on IMDB.  Do you realize those numbers are better than Dances with Wolves and many other Best Picture winners?  Could it be that Captain America: Civil War is going to be 'Captain' of the Academy Awards?  I have threatened boycotting before, but an injustice of this magnitude would warrant rioting.

I remember it like it was yesterday…those painful words no fourteen year old should ever hear, “Son, these blockbusters just put me to sleep.”  I was crushed.  How could my dad say this about T2: Judgment Day?  Well, if it is true that you become your parent, watching Captain America: Civil War completed my parental metamorphosis.  I found myself almost asleep – or at least wishing I could sleep – less than halfway through the IMAX 3D showing at Rosedale.  Glancing repeatedly at my watch, I began to feel the weight of the $15 I had shelled out for the matinee.  And why was the screen half the size of the Minnesota Zoo version?  Caution: not all IMAX is created equal.