[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

[Craig Cox]

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 1, No. 45
July 8, 2002

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THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* The Riot That Wasn't
* No Parking Deal for Block E Movie House
* Take That, J Robinson
* Protesters Gear Up for Chiefs of Police Conference
* Smoke-Free, Bingo-Free
* Before the Deluge, a Word About Food
Plus: No more bike licenses, nudity at Lake Nokomis, shooting at cops, dog days in the garden, and enough with the fireworks, already.

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THE RIOT THAT WASN'T
Nearly two years after the city locked down the southern part of Nicollet Mall to protect attendees at the International Society for Animal Genetics conference and arrested 65 protesters, the final court case has been settled. And like all the rest, charges of rioting didn't stick.

Ben Tsai on June 24 plead guilty to a single charge of jaywalking. The $100 fine was suspended, reports Mike Mosedale in City Pages (www.citypages.com). The plea saved the city from having to endure an embarrassing trial in which undercover police behavior would have come under some scrutiny. "That would have been one of the more interesting things to find out," says attorney Jordan Kushner. "What exactly the police did and whether it violated any laws."

It also saves assistant city attorney Lee Wolf from having to prosecute another jaywalking case.

NO PARKING DEAL FOR BLOCK E MOVIE HOUSE
The city's innovative "Do the Town" parking program, which for years has helped downtown businesses compete with suburban stores by offering free parking, will not include Block E's new 15-screen theater complex.


TAKE THAT, J ROBINSON
Women's sports at the University of Minnesota are not taking money out of the pockets of the men's athletic department, according to a recent report by the National Women's Law Center. In fact, the University isn't allocating enough money to women athletes.

PROTESTERS GEARING UP FOR CHIEFS OF POLICE CONFERENCE
A local "welcoming committee" may organize a counter-conference during the October 5-9 gathering of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

SMOKE-FREE, BINGO-FREE
Every week for more than 20 years, the Minneapolis American Indian Center (MAIC) has been offering bingo to a loyal batch of players--and smokers. But last month those smokers finally ran afoul of the Minnesota Indoor Air Act.

WALTER MOSELY AT LUCILLE'S
Celebrated novelist and screenwriter Walter Mosely will speak at Tuesday's Insight/KMOJ Public Policy Forum at Lucille's Kitchen, 2013 Plymouth Ave. N. Call 588-1313 for more information.