Inside the Daily Planet, 10/22/08

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Music note: Afternoon delight at the Walkerby Jon Behm, TC Daily PlanetMinneapolis label Afternoon Records turned five years old last Thursday and celebrated the fact by showcasing three of its most promising bands in a free concert at the Walker Art Museum. The lineup of Now, Now Every Children, Crescent Moon is in Big Trouble, and We All Have Hooks for Hands was a perfect indication of the level of talent the fledgling label has produced since founder Ian Anderson launched it in his senior year of high school.Researcher to speak on Wal-Mart, human rightsby Staff, Workday MinnesotaA researcher with Human Rights Watch will discuss “Discounting Worker’s Rights in the U.S.: The Wal-Mart Effect” Thursday at the University of Minnesota.Central Corridor takes huge step with FTA applicationby Jeremy Stratton, The BridgeAfter 19 months of preliminary engineering, the Metropolitan Council submitted its 4,000-page application on Sept. 5 for federal approval to enter into the final design phase of the Central Corridor Light-Rail Transit (LRT) line.She plays with clayby Theresa Bernard, Minnesota Women’s PressLayl McDill goes to work every day in a studio filled with colorful things. With a skylight but no windows in her corner studio space in northeast Minneapolis, she sees bright ocean blues and grass greens in the packages upon packages of polymer clay bricks on her worktables. When mixed together, they form unique patterns of objects like saffron stars or the crimson feathers of a phoenix. Continue Reading

Curbside composting derailed in St. Paul

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Susan Crumb grew up on a farm in southern Minnesota where her family burned, composted, or buried all their waste. She’s still highly conscious of her trash, where it came from, and where it’s going. This is why she was interested to hear about the possibility of curbside composting in St. Paul. “It was really exciting when I learned about composting organics and the fact that food scraps, pizza boxes, drier lint, Kleenex, and all these things that usually go in the trash could actually get composted,” said Crumb, a board member of the Macalester Groveland Community Council. Continue Reading

Minnesota grassroots leaders respond to presidential debate

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During the presidential debates, Americans have had plenty of opportunities to hear Barack Obama and John McCain talk. Then we listen to political pundits talk about the talk. But often political pundits are far removed from the grassroots, and glean their perspective from policy wonks who get their news from other wonks. The Twin Cities Daily Planet asked four local community leaders to respond to the presidential debate and tell us how the policies discussed may or may not affect their work on employment and labor, housing, at-risk families, and energy and green jobs. Add your own comments and responses by clicking on “comment” at the end of this article. Continue Reading

“Our hip, cool nun”

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She stood in the entryway of the Franciscan Sisters Convent in Little Falls. Sister Justina Bieganek looked like a statue in an expectant pose, as much a part of the vestibule as the ridges along the stone vaulted ceiling.Then she broke the stillness with a giggle, and didn’t stop moving for the next five hours. She traipsed up a small flight of stairs, each sure step belying her 96 years. We landed in a private meeting room where she had laid out neat stacks of memorabilia on a Formica table, among them a three-ring binder labeled “Our Hip, Cool Nun.” Orphan Train Celebration
What: 48th celebration of Minnesota Orphan Train Riders of New YorkWhen: Sat., Oct. Continue Reading

Inside the Daily Planet, 10/09/08

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Views and ReviewsManga and anime at MCAD: Taking cartoons seriouslyby Mark Weaver, TC Daily PlanetThe influences of manga and anime are everywhere, even if they’re not always identifiable. Japanese artists often go unnoticed in the US because people often dismiss manga and anime as mere comics and cartoons. Despite this prevailing attitude, manga and anime are making significant and transforming inroads into the cultures and economies of the world. The Schoolgirls and Mobilesuits (SGMS) sessions that ran at MCAD from September 26 to 28 not only responded to the popular aspects of this phenomenon, but also provided a forum for a deeper and more profound look at the influence manga and anime are having over a variety of cultural forms and in various arenas around the world.Theater note: A far-out Juryby Jay Gabler, TC Daily PlanetOff-Leash Area’s The Jury aims to take the audience inside the head of a traumatized and reckless young woman. Dance is not always best experienced from close-up (I’ve been splashed with the sweat of a Nutcracker Prince, and believe me, it breaks the spell), but both Jennifer Ilse and Elena Giannetti can act as well as dance, and together they turn the garage theater into a searing little hothouse of emotion.Music note: Storyhill at the Cedar, as comforting as old friendsby Jennifer and John Hierlinger, TC Daily PlanetAs we rounded the corner to the Cedar Cultural Center we were surprised at the lack of conspicuous buzz. Continue Reading

St. Anthony Park Community Council’s October News Blast

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St. Anthony Park Directory 2009Green Remodeling Backyard Talk (Oct 8)October Commuter of the MonthAnaerobic Digester Recommended for Rock-TennThis Fall, Leave the LeavesSenior Chore Service Will Help With Fall ChoresSingle Hauler Workshop Success and MaterialsMnDOT Sound MonitoringThank You to Neighborhood Cleanup Volunteers
For other neighborhood events, please check out the Park Bugle’s online calendar. ST. ANTHONY PARK DIRECTORY 2009A group of your neighbors, with the help of the St. Anthony Park Community Council, are putting together a directory of St. Continue Reading