May 19, 2022 eNews

Voting is Open for the Armatage Board Election

Online voting is open now through Wednesday, May 25 at 9:00pm!  Learn about the fabulous candidates running and cast your vote at https://armatage.org/2022boardelection/. Even in an uncontested election, it’s important to weigh in so THANK YOU for voting!

If you need assistance with voting or don’t have computer access at home, please call us at 612-466-0296 – we’re happy to help.  All Armatage residents 18 years and older and designated business and institutional representatives are eligible to vote in the election.

Garden Evolution Workshop

Sat, June 11 | 10:00–11:30am
Armatage Community Center

Don’t miss this fantastic free gardening workshop taught by Hennepin County Master Gardener Theresa Rooney!  Theresa will cover how to adapt your garden as you experience changes in your time, resources, physical abilities or priorities and help you see what options are possible as your garden life changes.

For all levels and free and open to the public. All attendees will be entered to win a native garden kit!  Learn more at https://armatage.org/garden-evolution/

Movie in the Park: Back to the Future

Join the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board and the Armatage Neighborhood Association for Back to the Future at Armatage Park on Friday, June 3, 2022!

Movies start at dusk (~9:30pm) so aim to be at the park early to grab a good seat and stop by the ANA table to say hi!  Don’t forget  your chair or blanket and bug spray.  See the full list of Minneapolis Music & Movies at https://www.minneapolisparks.org/activities__events/music__movies/

Community Connections Conference Saturday

Register now for an exciting day of learning, connecting and community conversation. The City’s free Community Connections Conference happens this Saturday, May 21 from 9:00am – 3:00pm and connects residents of Minneapolis, community groups, neighborhoods and local government. This year’s conference theme is “forward together,” welcoming all communities to reconnect with the City and get involved in moving Minneapolis forward. There’s still time to register on the City website.

Ride the bus or METRO light rail free to the Community Connections Conference May 21 courtesy of Metro Transit. Download your pass from Metro Transit.

Home Help MN

If you’ve fallen behind on your mortgage, property taxes, insurance, association fees or lot rent because of COVID, you can now apply for the State’s Home Help MN program. Visit https://homehelpmn.org to learn more and tap the “Apply Now” button.

Pet Fest Thanks!

HUGE thanks to everyone who attended our first-ever Pet Fest!  Thank to our participating vendors: Andre’s Custom Apparel, People and Pets Together food shelf, Pet-Taxicab, Chiropractor Dr. Andrea Spearl, No Dog Left Behind rescue, Jacob Tapia Photography, Twin Cities Caricatures, True Loyalty dog training. We’re also thrilled to announce that both adoptable dogs with No Dog Left Behind have pending adoption applications!

Thanks also to our wonderful volunteer team!  We are also grateful to the following businesses for their generous prize donations: Zeroish, Sparrow Cafe, Woof Central. Photo credit to Armatage neighbor, Jacob Tapia.

Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI Heritage Month) is an annual celebration in May that recognizes the historical and cultural contributions of those of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. As of 2019, there were about 22.9 million people of Asian or Pacific Islander descent in the United States.

The effort to officially recognize Asian American and Pacific Islander contributions began in the late 1970s, and took over 10 years to make it a permanent month-long celebration. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have contributed significantly to many facets of American culture and society, including science and medicine, literature and art, sports and recreation, government and politics, and activism and law.

If you’d like to explore more about AAPI Heritage Month:

New Electric Carshare Program

The City of Minneapolis, City of Saint Paul, Xcel Energy and HOURCAR just launched Evie Carshare, the first 100% renewably powered municipally owned carshare in the country to provide residents with cleaner and more affordable transportation options.

Evie Carshare will have over 150 all-electric vehicles for one-way trips by the minute, hour, or day around Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Sharing the same system with HOURCAR, members will have access to both one-way Evie Carshare and hub-based HOURCAR services. Learn more about the EV Spot Network here.

Image shows a rain garden in a residential front yard with dappled sunshine coming through the trees and the light brick and tan siding of the home's exterior visible in the background.

Rain Garden Program Info Coming Soon

The Green Team is happy to announce that this year’s Rain Garden Program received additional funding via the State of Minnesota’s competitive Lawns to Legumes Neighborhood Demonstration grant program! This matching grant allows us to help pollinators throughout our neighborhood while sharpening our focus on accessibility and equity with priority given to seniors, renters, and low-income neighbors.

All are welcome to apply and the subsidy and support level will vary. More information will be shared here and at armatage.org later this month (apologies for the delay, neighbors!). You can also email us at anacoordinator@armatage.org to be added to our email notification list. Meanwhile, get inspired and check out our mini gallery of established Armatage rain gardens like this one on Logan Ave at https://armatage.org/programs/rain-gardens/

Fulton & Kingfield Farmers Markets Open This Weekend

May in Minnesota means that farmers’ market season has finally arrived! Fulton Farmers Market launches for the season on Saturday, May 21 and Kingfield Farmers Market on Sunday, May 22.  Swing by to see many of your favorite vendors and meet some amazing new vendors!

City Recommends Wearing Masks Indoors

We’re unfortunately experiencing another uptick in COVID spread and hospitalizations and the Minneapolis Health Department strongly recommends everyone – vaccinated or not – wear masks in indoor public settings like stores, restaurants, theaters, family entertainment centers, schools, meetings, and local government offices serving the public.

Since mid-March, the seven-day new case rate in Minneapolis has increased by 340% from 51 COVID infections per 100,000 people to 227 per 100,000. That puts us in the high community transmission category. We’ve also seen a more than two-fold increase in our seven-day hospitalization rate since mid-March from 1.9 hospitalizations per 100,000 people to 4.8 hospitalizations, which is above the caution threshold. Learn more about the city’s COVID-19 response at www2.minneapolismn.gov/government/programs-initiatives/coronavirus

COVID-19 Vaccines and Testing

Vaccines: if you haven’t been vaccinated or gotten a booster yet, get a free vaccine as soon as you can. Visit mn.gov/vaccine to use the Vaccine Locator Map (more options listed below). Learn more about  boosters here.

Free Rapid Tests: you can now order a 3rd round of free tests at https://www.covid.gov/tests And free rapid tests are also available at https://mn.gov/covid19/  Ordering takes just a couple minutes.

Graphic with a blue background and coral flowers that says "Donate Today. The Armatage Neighborhood Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit."

Enjoy the eNews? Support Our Work

The Armatage Neighborhood Association works to make Armatage a place where all are welcome, empowered, and connected through safety initiatives, community-building events, environmental work, advocacy and communications that keep you informed and engaged.

Big or small, EVERY donation matters!  Give today at www.givemn.org/organization/Armatage-Neighborhood-Association  As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, every donation to the ANA is tax-deductible and eligible for an employer match.