The EcoVillage Snowman

Post and photo by the Hawthorne Hawkman.

While the connection might seem tenuous at first, this picture of a snowman in the Hawthorne EcoVillage was the most inspiring sign of neighborhood progress I've seen in quite some time.  Telling the whole story from start to finish would take far too long.  For the sake of people new to NoMi, here's a 3-sentence history lesson:

The EcoVillage area, with 31st Ave N and 6th St N at its center, was once among the most crime-ridden parts of the entire city.  Only a few years ago one resident said, "It wasn't a matter of if we were going to get shot, it was only when."  Now the development area is thriving.

So I was driving through an intersection that was once an epicenter of violent crime.  The formerly vacant house that was on the corner was frequently broken open, used for all sorts of unsavory activities, and eventually driven quite literally into the ground.  After its demolition, PPL built a home that is certified by Minnesota Green Communities and a whole host of other environmental and health organizations.  And the home was built by Mitchell Construction, a locally- and minority-owned business.

But I knew all of this already, so why did the EcoVillage snowman represent such progress?

A Garden With My Name On It

Post and photos by the Hawthorne Hawkman.

Anyone glancing at my Twitter feed can tell I'm on vacation this week.  And I'm largely taking a break from blogging while I'm away.  I sent The Deets an account of hotel toilet paper, but that's been the extent of it.  But before I left town, I distributed some trees from the EcoVillage Tree Nursery, and moseyed on over to the community garden by the Bangkok Market.  Our partners at EJAM (Environmental Justice Advocates of Minnesota) were kind enough to reserve a plot for me, and thoughtful enough to populate it with hot peppers.  They're not the hottest peppers one can find in a seed catalog, but they'll give me a start in learning how to tend these plants.

The peppers also serve as a reminder that even when one takes time to rest, the seeds we plant in our community continue to grow.

(Blogging from Culver City, CA)

PPL Needs EcoVillage Volunteers This Week!

Post by Jeff Skrenes, Hawthorne Neighborhood Council Housing Director, photo contributed by PPL.  This post originally appeared on the Hawthorne Voices blog, but has been re-posted here at the request of PPL.


PPL Building Project-Hawthorne EcoVillage
Support efforts in North Minneapolis to build and renovate affordable housing for those in need in the community in response to the foreclosure crisis. PPL’s Housing Development dept. is renovating a house at 3023 N. 4th St. as part of the Hawthorne EcoVillage project. Volunteers needed! Construction/carpentry experience welcome but not required.

Where: 3023 N. 4th St., Minneapolis
When: Thursday 11/4, 9-5
Friday 11/5, 9-5
Saturday 11/6, 9-1

Construction experience is welcome but not required. Skilled supervision, tools, materials and snacks provided. Volunteers are asked to bring a bag lunch and work gloves.

For more information or to sign up, please contact Julie Huck, PPL Volunteer Mgr., at 612-455-5111 or email Julie Huck.

Giving Away Hula Hoops at the Habitat Closing Ceremony

Post, photos, and video by the Hawthorne Hawkman.

First off, I have to admit a bit of irony here on NXNS.  I set out to blog about the North High Polars football games basically to tell a feel-good story about the youth in our community, and to give myself something to blog about on a regular basis that wasn't controversial.  I specifically said that I did NOT want to get steeped in school/education politics.  And yet, if I had not started down that road, then when the proposal to close North High came about, I certainly would have approached that issue with less vigor.

And now my last seven posts in a row have focused on North High in one way or another.  Their final football game is tonight, and I may or may not get to that depending on how an evening meeting goes.  I still have a write-up of Monday's community forum to finish as well.

So here's a break from the North High posts.  At the closing ceremony for Habitat week in the Hawthorne EcoVillage, I gave away ten hula hoops to kids in the neighborhood.  I'm looking for ways to make more hoops and get them donated to schools or parks in the area.  Thing is, the supplies, especially the tape, are not cheap.  And making them can be fairly labor-intensive.  If anyone has ideas or wants to help, please contact me.