Tidbits

 

Como Cookout

The Como Cookout is fast approaching!  The 7th Annual Como Cookout will be held on September 20th, from 2 pm until 5 pm, at Van Cleve Park.  We are holding the Cookout on a Sunday this year due to conflicts with the opening of the new TCF Bank Gopher Stadium. 

 

There will be live music, free food (hot dogs, corn, sweets etc.), children’s games and a resource fair for all ages.  Entertainment includes Click 4 Life, a local high school band, The Lions, a band of local youth from Van Cleve Park, our probable headliner - the New Music Machine, and Kidsdance.

 

See you on Sunday!

 

7th Annual Tomato Tastin' Experience
All are invited to stop by SE Como’s own tomato event happening during the Como Cookout on Sunday, September 20th!  The Tomato Tastin’ Experience is like a trip around the world;  Druzba from Bulgaria, Black Krim from Russia, Stupice from Czech Republic, Costoluto Genovese from Italy, Kentucky Beefsteak from the United States, Eva’s Purple Ball from Germany, and Money Maker from England are all varieties of tomatoes, some we have seen in past years at the Tomato Tastin’.  Community & home tomato gardeners can bring a pound or two of tomatoes for this event, however this year the contest portion of the Tomato Tastin’ Experience will not run due to the late date of the Cookout.  Past wining varieties can be found at the Como Green Blog.  Tomato bounty!

 

Bike Safety Seminar and Free Safety Equipment

SECIA received a Good Neighbor Fund Grant from the SAAG to promote bike safety in Como and the rest of the area surrounding the University of Minnesota Minneapolis campus.  There will be a free bike safety seminar at the Como Cookout on September 20th, at 3 pm.  Participants in the SECIA Bike Safety Program will receive free reflective safety gear at the Cookout.  Those who agree to participate in an on-going survey about bike safety will receive free solar powered headlights or LED head and tail light kits.  Our goal is to increase bike safety to help eliminate a common barrier to increased bike usage.  Cycling is better for the environment than driving a car, provides great exercise,  is less expensive and now, thanks to SECIA’s Bike Safety Program, biking will be a little bit safer in the community!

 

Bike Helmets at the U of M
Is your life worth $20?  We think so.  In the U.S., 600 accidents annually result in deaths directly linked to head trauma.  Nearly 50% of bicycle fatalities occur after dark.

Minnesota statute requires all cyclists to illuminate their bikes after dark.  A white front light must be visible from a distance of 500 ft. with a red reflector on the rear.  For better visibility, use a red light on the rear in addition to the reflector. 

 

All University students, staff or faculty can ride safe by purchasing a helmet and headlight set for $20 at the Pharmacy in Boynton Health Service.  Items are also sold separately.  Simply present your U Card.  Call 612-624-7655 to verify the items are in stock.  E-mail your questions to biking@umn.edu.

 

Report Gopher Stadium Problems

SECIA has developed a survey tool to collect data on the impact that the new TCF Bank Gopher Football Stadium will have on the community.  We all know there will be impacts, and by collecting how the stadium and its attendees affect the community, we can better address those issues.  So if you witness something negative, or positive, about event-day activities related to the new stadium, please take a few moments and visit the Good Neighbor Fund Research website located under Stadium Research at www.secomo.org.

 

The actual survey can also be found on the left-side menu at: www.tinyurl.com/Stadium-Survey

 

SECIA’s goal is to capture positive and negative information to inform the decisions made by the University of Minnesota, and the City of Minneapolis, in the future.  Please be civil, as any submissions deemed offensive will be deleted by the system administrator.  If you do not have internet access, please call the SECIA office to lodge your report.

 

Illegal Activity to Report to the City

·               Know what is legal, what is not, and what to do about it:
Parking on lawns is illegal.  Call 311 or 911

·               Charging for parking on private property is illegal.  Call 311 or 911
Drinking in public is illegal.  Call 311 or 911

·               Tailgating in undesignated lots is illegal.  U of M owned lots will allow people to drink alcohol; other than their lots, there are no parking lots around the new stadium that should allow alcohol consumption.  Call 311 or 911

·               Charging for parking in unlicensed lots is illegal.  Call 311 or 911

·               Public Urination is illegal.  Call 311 or 911

·               Sales on the Sidewalks are illegal.  Call 311 or 911

·               A minor in possession of alcohol is illegal.  Call 311 or 911

When you make the complaint call, be sure to provide the following information about the illegal activity: Address, time of day, description of the illegal activity, description of the person engaging in the activity location (front yard, back yard, etc)

 

Thank you to Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association for publishing this list.

 

Report 311 and 911 Calls

The Student Neighborhood Liaisons, in conjunction with SECIA, are asking residents to report their calls (emails) to 311 and 911 through a new survey tool located on the SECIA website (http://secomo.org/drupal/index.php?q=housing).  This information will allow the Liaisons to collect data on emerging trends in the neighborhood, enabling them to respond to the needs of their blocks. 

 

Ranked Choice Voting

This fall, voters will be able to rank their choices for Mayor, City Council, Park and Recreation Board, and Board of Estimate and Taxation.  Instead of just marking one candidate on the ballot, voters will be able to rank multiple candidates in order of preference.  Much like the current system, voters will vote by filling in an oval on a paper ballot.  What is new is that voters can also mark a 2nd and 3rd choice candidate on the same ballot, in the columns just to the right of a voter’s first choice.  This new voting process will combine the Primary and General Elections into a single election so you only have to make one trip to the polls – on November 3rd.  For more information, visit www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/elections.  The SECIA Board, Meeting on October 6th, will also feature a presentation about Ranked Choice Voting. 

 

SECIA Annual Meeting

SECIA will be holding its Annual Meeting on November 4th, the first Wednesday in November.  The meeting will begin at 7 pm at Van Cleve Park, with a half hour social beginning at 6:30 pm.  Items on this year’s agenda include the annual SECIA Board elections (contact the SECIA office if you’re interested in running for a seat on the Board of Directors), presentations on the Como Green Village and the SECIA Stadium Research Project, and a State of SECIA address.  There will also be a community vote to allocate funds to ensure that the SECIA office remains open into the summer of 2011.  Without this allocation of returned program funds, the SECIA office will close next summer.  The SECIA Annual Meeting, as well as all SECIA committee and board meetings, is open to the public.  Any person who owns property or lives in Como is eligible to vote and/or hold office with SECIA.  To prove voting eligibility, we ask that you either bring a photo ID with your current Como address, a utility bill with your name and current Como address, or have someone else with established Como residency vouch for you at registration.  If you have any questions about the Annual Meeting, the SECIA election process or voting eligibility, or about the proposed allocation of returned program funds, please contact James at the SECIA office (612 676 1731 or secomo@secomo.org).

 

Pratt Community Education Fall Classes Begin

The Fall Session of Pratt Community Education will begin the week of October 5.  Classes this session include creative arts, current affairs, dance, fitness and health, home improvement, and more.  You may register by phone, mail, walk-in, or online.  For more information and/or to register please call us at 612-668-1100, or go to our website at www.mplscommunityed.com.  Come join the community of lifelong learners at Pratt Community Education!