Lake Street News Brief

www.lakestreetcouncil.org
January 16, 2007

The Lake Street Council's mission is to build a cohesive strategy to ensure the ongoing vitality of the Lake Street Corridor business community.

If you are a business owner or commercial property holder on or within a block of Lake Street, please take our Lake Street Survey today!

Announcements:

Lake Street Council now has "Visit Lake Street USA" tote bags for sale! The bags are 14" x 15" x 5", and you can see a miniature version of the logo on them here. We are selling them for $10 each. So far, they are available at our office, the Produce Exchange in the Midtown Global Market, Roberts Shoes, and will be at the Global Market information desk when it opens. Get yours today! We also have Visit Lake Street buttons, which we will be distributing to Lake Street merchants to wear, instead of selling. See the button design here. Thanks to Northland Poster Collective for putting together this great looking Lake Street merchandise for us.
East Lake Library's reopening is scheduled for March 3rd. Community members are being encouraged to help in planning the opening day celebrations, and to volunteer when the day comes. The first meeting for planning will have on January 18th at 5:30 PM. Contact Pam Nelson at panelson@mplib.org or 612-630-6418 if you are interested, or for more information.
Seward Redesign, in conjunction with the Neighborhood Development Center, is sponsoring a training class for current and aspiring small business owners. The program provides training on starting a business: financing, marketing, and other topics. We also put you in touch with organizations in the community that provide support services for small business. Training consists of classes that take place once per week for 16 weeks: half in a group setting and the other half in one-on-one meetings with the instructor. You will develop a strong understanding of small business management and complete a solid business and financial plan. The fee for the class is based on total household income, and students pay $75-$600 for the classes, with scholarshps available. Contact Brooke Dirtzu at Seward Redesign at 612-338-8729 ext 105 to learn more. Now accepting applications for the class beginning February 6th.
CAPI, at 3702 East Lake Street, is assisting the unemployed and others who have faced barriers to employment. They have the Minnesota Family Investment Program, to assist low income families, and the Refugee Employee Service Program, to help new refugees and immigrants enter the workforce and become self-sufficient. Their computer lab is open Monday - Friday 9 AM - noon and 1 - 4 PM, and their job club takes place Tuesday - Friday from 9 AM - noon. For more information, call Sean Watkins at 612-721-0122 ext. 27.

Upcoming Events:

January 16th: Ending Homelessness and Decriminalizing Poverty

7:00 - 9:00 PM, 2001 Riverside Ave.

A roundtable discussion featuring City Council Member Cam Gordon, Cathy ten Broeke, Coordinator on Homelessness for Minneapolis and Hennepin County, Guy Gambill from the Council on Crime and Justice, Mark Anderson from the Barbara Schneider Foundation and Margaret Hastings from the Decriminalization of Homelessness Task Force.

January 18th: Lake Street Council Board Meeting

7:30 - 9:00 AM, 919 East Lake Street

Get the latest updates on Lake Street Council programs and activities.

January 20th: Free Ink Day, at Midtown Global Market

11:00 AM - 3:00 PM, 920 East Lake Street

Offering hands-on printmaking and creative fun, free to the public.

January 23rd: Doing Business in the EU: Compliance with CE Directives

8:30 AM - 12:00 PM, 1501 Hennepin Ave. (MCTC, Wheelock Whitney Hall - L 3000)
For anyone wishing to sell a wide variety of manufactured goods in the EU. $99 cost, with discounts for MGTA, MIC, MHTA, UCBC, and Chamber members. For more information, see the flyer.

January 25th - March 17th: Minneapolis 55408, at Intermedia Arts

2822 Lyndale Ave. S.

Opening night reception: Friday January 26th at 7:00 PM

"This year's Minneapolis 55408, the 11th annual exhibition of multimedia, multi-artist works, proves that 55408 is Minneapolis' most creative zip code. Minneapolis 55408 will surprise and delight audiences, as they discover the unique artistic voices this neighborhood has to share!"

February 8th: Uptown Small Area Plan Community Meeting
7:00 - 9:00 PM, 3001 Hennepin Ave. (Calhoun Square, former location of Borders)
Featuring a presentation on the existing conditions in Uptown and input gathered at November visioning sessions, followed by an opportunity for those attending to participate in discussions.

February 24th: Quilting Exhibit, at Midtown Global Market

2:00 - 4:00 PM, 920 East Lake Street

A quilter and textile-maker from Minneapolis highlights the contributions of African-American quilters to American history, and brings this lost art to a new generation.

March 2nd - March 25th: Invigorate the Common Well, Episode #1, at Heart of the Beast Theatre

7:30 PM Fridays, 2:00 & 7:30 PM Saturdays, 2:00 PM Sundays

1500 East Lake Street

The “Invigorate the Common Well” performance series combines science, civics and puppet theatre to celebrate Water and to grapple with issues of water quality, quantity, and ownership. Each episode features live performance, installations, music, video, and hands-on practical “labs”. Individual tickets $20, 10+ group rate $15 each. To reserve seats, contact HOBT at 612-721-2535 or info@hobt.org.