Tonic restaurant, etc. promises 'new urban entertainment'

Page 6 The Wedge • Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association Newspaper March • 2004
The Wedge Classifieds
HOUSE CLEANING: HUSBAND AND
WIFE TEAM. Can do odd jobs and maintenance
work. Honest, smoke and drink-free,
dependable and fully experienced. Call
374-1790.
THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE: Stressed out?
Need to relax? Have chronic pain or an
injury, old or recent? Relaxation, Neuromuscular/Deep
Tissue massage and
Myofascial Therapies available. Contact
Healing Traditions at (612) 824-4530, healingtraditions@earthlink.net,www.healingtraditions.com.
BATH & BODY PRODUCTS: We have bath
and body products made of natural ingredients
and will meet all your bath needs
from exfoliating salts and Visit us at
www.hbbathsupply.com and browse
through our wonderful products.
TENDER LEATHER CARE: (612) 396-8525
tenderleathercare@yahoo.com Lanolin-based
protection for footwear, outerwear, bags,
vehicle leather. Wll travel. Take care of your
‘skin’ – gitve it TLC.
KEITH, THE COMPUTER GUY: Troubleshoot,
Install, Consult, Network, Web
Design, References available.
(612) 845-6931.
WANTED PART-TIME Cleaning, Cooking:
Clean apartment, move-outs, organizing,
etc. Big or small jobs. Reasonable
rates. Call (612) 377-5579,
Dial-A-Servant.
ORGANIZE Want help organizing your
attic, basement or junk room? Cheri 612-
708-6028.
PROFESSIONAL PAINTING: Quality painting,
reasonable, reliable, walls, ceilings,
water-damage repairs, textured ceilings,
sheet rock. Neat, clean, 30-years experience.
John, 612-374-1227.
UNCOVER YOUR WISDOM. Discover new
options. Share your vision. Make mindful
choices. Experience your truth. Psychotherapy
for adults, couples and groups.
Mia Bolte, M.A. (612) 701-2027.
STILL MOVES. Small energizing classes,
coaching, counsel for moving your body.
For all seekers of physical, emotional and
spiritual health. Thirty years’ experience.
Morgaine@foxinternet.net. 821-8165.
HANDMADE WEDDING/
ENGAGEMENT RINGS.
Check out the website at www.Jameshuntdesigns.com
or call for free brochure. Jim
Hunt, 623-1123.
CARPENTRY & PAINTING. Interior-exterior.
20+ yrs exp. Reliable, dependable,
licensed and insured. Wedge resident. Dave
Johnson, 770-2235.
CARPENTRY: Remodeling, updates and
general repairs.$250 minimum. Renovation
project featured on Mpls Home Tour. Reasonable
rates, prompt service. Call Jon
Bartelt 612-872-0353. Wedge resident.
LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD HANDYMAN:
Quality repairs, maintenance, painting, light
remodel, windows, cleaning/organizing.
Older home expert. Prompt, reliable, honest.
Brad, 612-377-0467.
MASONRY REPAIR: Save money on
masonry repair, cement steps, blocks,
bricks, foundation, stucco, tuckpointing,
interior basements, 23 years’ experience.
Please call 377-3822.
MASSAGE THERAPY Specializing in Deep
Tissue/Relaxation Massage. Take time Treat
yourself right with an unforgettable massage
from an experienced professional. Call
Elena at 612-865-8771.
DOES YOUR ROOF LEAK? I can remove
ice and snow from roofs and sidewalks.
Need Help? Please Call Me: 612-374-1790.
FOR RENT: 2446 Aldrich So. 2 BR Condo.
$699. Heat pd. New Carpet. Off street parking.
A/C. Available now. 952-935-8792.
WANTED: MEN & WOMEN SEEKING
HOME BASED BUSINESS. Earn $800-
$1200 a month, will show you how. Help
change lives for the better. 612-987-2344”.
MOVING SALE. Dining Room, Living Room
and Futon furniture needs to go. All in excellent
condition. Prices negotiable. Cash only.
Call Peter at 612-824-4953.
WHY BUY NEW when you can repair &
resurface old steps/sidewalks? Mark
377-4368.
DOCUMENT YOUR LIFE I’ll make a
memento you’ll be happy to share. This can
be done in a keepsake binder or on the
internet! Combine your photos, stories and
other memorabilia. Cheri 612-708-6028.
MURAL AND SPECIAL EFFECTS PAINT-
ING Re-create a photo from a special trip
in your home or business. Have an idea on
colors you’d like but want something a little
out of the ordinary? Cheri 612-708-6028.
WHOLE HEALTH SERVICES: Natural
weight-loss, detoxification and personal
training. Lose 10-20 pounds per month! Call
for a FREE consultation: 763-458-3513.
www.wholehealthonline.com
ATTORNEY: FAMILY LAW Including
divorce, paternity, custody and child support;
trial experience. Sliding fee scale to
$150 an hour, set fees available. 377-4547,
Steve Nichols.
SUPERB HOUSE-CLEANING: From Delicate
Detail Work, to Neglected
garages//basements. References, many
Years’ experience. Your Satisfaction Guaranteed.
Deep Cleaning a Specialty. Call
Amina (612) 377-1911
HERBALIFE INDEPENDENT DISTRIBU-
TOR: Call for Products, 651- 649-4798
GREEN ACRES BEEF: Direct from the
farm to your holiday table. Premium federally-inspected
beef sold in quarters, halves
or individually packaged fresh frozen cuts;
including steaks, roast and hamburger, 1lb.
bulk or 1/4-lb. patties. Call 612-871-7937
for a price list.
ATTENTION-TO-DETAIL HOUSECLEAN-
ING: Meticulous organizing; one-time,
weekly, bi-weekly, monthly; 13-years’ experience,
excellent references, reasonable
rates. Susan, 952-881-3895.
HOUSE-CLEANING: Made easy. Quality
work, 8 years+ experience. Will do partials,
weekly, bi-weekly, move-outs pre-paid. Call
for estimate, Brigette, 612-871-4905.
ART & SOUL, faux finishing and inrterior
painting. 20 years’ experience, reasonable,
eco-friendly paints, free color consultation.
Rebecca and Kathy Eckert, 763-531-2237.
YOUR LIFE IS BUSY BUT IS IT FULL?
Unique volunteer opportunity to staff on-site
coffee shop at neighborhood nursing home.
Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Training
provided. Call Jennifer at 612-827-2555,
ext. 142 for more information.
How to Advertise
The first 25 words of classified ads are free to
members of Lowry Hill East Neighborhood.
Limit one free classified ad per month. Nonneighborhood
members’ cost is $5 for the first
25 words. Additional words cost $.22 each.
Cost is per month and must be paid with order.
The Wedge reserves the right to refuse any ad.
Send ads, noting which months to
run and payment if required, to: The Wedge,
1200 W. 26th St., Rm. 107, Minneapolis, MN
55405. Deadline for submissions is the 15th of
the month prior to publication.
Porter's Bar and Grill
Your neighborhood meeting place
FREE BURGER
OR SANDWICH
with the purchase of another at equal or greater value.
Not valid with other discounts or coupons.
11 am to 5 pm • EVERYDAY
Expires 3/31/04
CELEBRATE ST. PATTY’S DAY
MARCH 17 AT O’PORTER’S
HAPPY HOUR 3:30-7:30PM
CORNED BEEF & CABBAGE,
MULLIGAN STEW AND
CORNED BEEF SANDWICHES.
SERVED ALL DAY
IRISH DRINK SPECIALS, IRISH
MUSIC & PARTY FAVORS
KARAOKE 9:30PM-12:30AM
Stop by and You'll Become a Regular too!
2647 Nicollet Ave. S. • Mpls., Mn 55408 • 612-872-0808
email: jkporters@yahoo.com • web: www.porters.citysearch.com
The Hens Come Home to Roost
By Audrey Johnson, Minneapolis
Board of Education Director
We are in the fourth year of
budget cuts, to the tune of nearly
$110 million. In a discussion
with Senator Jane Ranum
recently, she stated this is about
the elections of 2000 and 2002. I
couldn’t agree more. It is about
the “hens coming home to roost”
after two state budget cycles
where sound educational policy
has not prevailed, — despite the
campaign rhetoric of a lot of people
in high places.
By the time you read this article,
the Board will have come to a
decision as to the course of action
around David Jennings’ proposal
to move our district toward a
consolidated system of strong
schools. The Board listened to
and read about the concerns
from thousands of people. People
love their schools and communities.
People, families, staff and
community volunteers work
hard to make their schools successful
places. Why do we have
to change anything? Why do we
have to make such fast decisions
without a lot of time for useful
public input?
After Carol Johnson left, David
Jennings stepped into a very difficult
position: 800 empty classrooms,
a severe decline in
enrollment, and budget projections
of $18-22 million shortfalls.
We were engaged in sensitive
negotiations with the teacher’s
union. We are working with a
severely reduced administration.
A recent audit showed the district
spending more money on
schools than previous years with
a mere 4% of costs going to
administration. Most school districts
operate on an average of
about 8%. That means there are
less people to accomplish more
administrative tasks to comply
with increasing numbers of state
and federal reporting and oversight
requirements, and the
demands of a system in decline,
both in enrollment and
resources. There is enough left in
the reserve fund to pay for about
a day of operation.
Everyone is working harder.
The $187 million that WAS cut
from education last year, stopped
most of the peripheral support
services to our neediest kids. Districts
with high poverty were hit
the hardest. The district continues
to subsidize charter schools,
by state law, through transportation
costs and excess special
education costs. The state
nurtured and fostered charter
school growth and then forced
public schools to subsidize the
competition.
There have been numerous
public hearings held for the last
three years around budget cuts.
The discussions about specifics
didn’t get underway until early
February, and that really isn’t
enough time to allow for the best
process. However, several parents
and community members
have expressed the sentiment
that if no one knew this was
coming, they just hadn’t been
paying attention to what’s been
going on for the last three years.
One thing is for sure, they are all
paying attention now!
Although the public hearings
were crammed with people
whose schools were facing major
changes, we have heard from
many who support the proposed
changes. By their descriptions of
budget cuts at sites across the
city, they are “bleeding out”, cutting
programs, support and staff
until all that’s left is a shoestring
curriculum. We have to take
action to fix this. For the last
three years we have cut and
shifted everything we could.
Now, as a community, we have to
face the reality that we are
spread too thin.
Bad policy in housing, healthcare,
transportation, and education
— coupled with
ever-expanding expectations on
schools, shrinking resources relative
to the needs of children,
increasing state and federal
demands, and political grandstanding
— are indeed the hens
coming home to roost. This
brings to mind the classic Dickens
tale when Scrooge is told if
these “shadows” remain
unchanged, there will be a great
price to pay. Scrooge asks “Are
there no orphanages? Are there
no workhouses?” There will be
prisons, according to the Governor,
at an average cost of about
$50,000 per inmate per year. A
good education is priceless, but
currently it would certainly average
less than $10,000 per year
per student if it were fully
funded.
Our Governor is playing the
political game very well. In his
State of the State address, he
endorsed the idea of money for
new prisons, not money for allday
kindergarten. Sounds like
something Scrooge would have
said before his transformation. It
is also bad policy. Perhaps we
can hope for ghosts to visit the
politicians supporting economically
stupid policy and resource
allocations to help them fully
realize the direction their selfserving
policies are taking us.
Those hens are clucking loudly,
and they look a lot like Tim Pawlenty
and George Bush!
All Board members are deeply
distressed by the conditions
faced in our schools. There are no
easy answers to the complex
problems. Nearly everyone
thinks of themselves as experts
in the area, because they all
went to school. But I would ask
folks to think about a few questions:
What does public education
mean? What do people value
about public education? What do
people want from public schools?
In the coming months, the Board
knows it must get the community
thinking about these questions.
Education must change,
the expectations and the forces
bearing down on the educational
system demand that we face up
to the reality that business as
usual can’t continue. What
schools were when we were kids
and what the world demands
now are completely different. We
are only as strong as our most
vulnerable student. When we
diminish the opportunities in life
for the most vulnerable, we
diminish ourselves as well. That
clucking in your attics and yards
will only get louder if we don’t
start asking and answering the
really tough questions. Democracy
isn’t easy and if people don’t
engage, it will die.
Opinions expressed in this
article are not necessarily those
of the Minneapolis Board of
Education, the Superintendent or
the District.