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. 2, No. 3 August 26, 2002
Here are some highlights from this week's Minneapolis Observer. To subscribe to the full-text edition ($12/yr.), just hit "reply" and we'll set you up. Thanks. ********************************************************** THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER: * Planetarium Gets Council OK * Park Board May Close Six Ice Rinks * Airports Commission Challenged on New Runway * Bisexual Resource Center Opens * Police Department Reaching Out to Latinos * Doctors Without Borders Coming to Town Plus: Bad arts coverage on its way, giving up on Franklin Avenue, a Latin renaissance at Orchestra Hall, the myth of weed barriers, cynical community leaders, and recalling the war against Dutch Elm. ********************************************************* PLANETARIUM GETS COUNCIL OK The City Council August 9 voted to appropriate $900,000 to prepare the new Central Library for a rooftop Planetarium--even though funding for the project is in limbo. As Kevin Featherly reports in Skyway News (www.skywaynews.net), council members argued that spending the money--even in a time of tight budgets--made financial sense, because there is a reasonable chance that the Legislature next year will come through with the $30 million necessary for construction. "If we don't do this today, this is the death knell to this wonderful project," said 11th Ward Council Member Scott Benson. But Second Ward Council Member Paul Zerby argued that the city should wait until after the November election to better gauge the project's future at the Capitol. His was one of four votes against the measure, joining Robert Lilligren (Eighth Ward), Natalie Johnson Lee (Fifth Ward), and Barbara Johnson (Fourth Ward) in opposition. PARK BOARD MAY CLOSE SIX ICE RINKS Budget cuts and declining interest may force the Park Board to close six of the city's 31 ice rinks this winter. AIRPORTS COMMISSION FACES RUNWAY CHALLENGE A Bloomington company is challenging the Metropolitan Airports Commission over its planned north-south runway. RESOURCE CENTER FOR BISEXUALS OPENS The three-year-old Bisexual Organizing Project has opened an office and resource center designed to serve the needs of the local bisexual community and raise that community's public profile. ************************************************************** AND NOW WE'RE ON TELEVISION, TOO!!! See firsthand why none of us ever went into TV as a career. Tune in to The Minneapolis Observer on MTN cable channel 17 Sunday nights at 8:30 for news, weather, and sports with a Minneapolis perspective. ********************************************************* The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media, L.L.C. ©2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406; www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe, send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list and refund the unused portion of your subscription. Editor: Craig Cox Associate Editor: Sharon Parker Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow Occasional research assistance: Martin and Nora Cox Online technical assistance: Christopher Pollard Thanks to: Carolyn Shroeder Caing, Elaine Eschenbacher, Christia Fieber, Lynn Marasco, Andy Mickel, and Laura Sether ******************************************************* Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper! ******************************************************* _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
