Hennepin Avenue Tree Destruction
Kudos to the Hill & Lake Press for enlightening readers on the proposed elimination of Hennepin Avenue trees to accommodate the city’s redevelopment plan to include: fewer and narrower car lanes; 24/7 bus lanes (with no 24/7 service); new bicycling lanes (within blocks of existing lanes); wider sidewalks; the elimination of street parking; and, in this neighbor’s judgment, deliberately destroying 155 trees—I counted them— which is not necessary or defensible!
An article in the November 30 issue of the Star Tribune reported that Hennepin County’s decade-long emerald ash borer crisis is worsening. The story reported that Minneapolis is replacing about 5,000 trees each year due to the death of ash trees. Dutch elm disease and oak wilt also kill thousands of trees each year in Minnesota forests, woodlots, and urban areas.
Trees are prone to diseases and die from natural causes. However, to summarily destroy healthy trees is unconscionable. Even if the final plan includes planting new trees, it will take 20-30 years for them to reach maturity. In the meantime, who or what will consume greenhouse gases? Clean the air? Filter your water? Cool down your life? Even save it?
The final redevelopment design is in progress. The time to act is now. If you oppose Hennepin Avenue tree elimination, please sign Save the Trees on Hennepin Avenue petition at https://chng.it/TLdK9YcDhM. Together, let’s send an emphatic message to Minneapolis Public Works and city officials that we will not tolerate chopping down 155 adolescent and mature boulevard trees in order to construct a 12-block concrete and asphalt transportation corridor.
Sandra Nelson | East Isles
Thank you, Marty Carlson
I appreciated the article that Marty Carlson wrote for the most recent issue of the Hill & Lake Press. Thank you for everything you do.
Sara Peterman | Lowry Hill.
Heartfelt Welcome to Uptown Balloons!
We would like to officially welcome Uptown Balloons to the corner of 25th and Hennepin Avenue South where we operated Tuthill’s Balloon Emporium for nearly 30 years from 1978 until 2009.
The owners, Ana and Edwin Plaza, are very creative and have previous experience in the balloon business.
There is a helium shortage due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the new owners have beautiful solutions to this crisis!
We are thrilled to see this tradition continue in our community!
Please stop in, welcome, and support Ana and Edwin as they settle in on 25th and Hennepin.
And thank you to the Corner Balloon Shoppe for their 13 years on the avenue.
Meg and Dennis Tuthill | Lowry Hill East (Wedge)
Edward C. Prescott, Local Nobel Prize Winning Economist, Died 11/6/22 at age 81.
Edward and Jan Prescott and their children Ned, Wynne and Andy lived for decades in East Isles.
Ed was a volunteer youth soccer coach, and enjoyed walks around Lake of the Isles, hiking, and worldwide travel.
Ed received his Ph.D.in Economics from Carnegie Mellon University. He taught at the University of Minnesota for 23 years.
In 1981 he joined the Minneapolis Federal Reserve as a consultant and later was an employee there.
In 2003 Ed joined the faculty of Arizona State University, thereafter residing with Jan in Paradise Valley.
Ed shared the 2004 Nobel award in economics with Norwegian economist Finn E. Kydland.
More about Ed at https://www.whitneymurphyfuneralhome.com/prescott-edward-christian/ with news article links there. Also see https://www.minneapolisfed.org/article/2022/edward-c-prescott-economist-mentor-revolutionary-thinker , https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2022/11/09/edward-prescott-economist-nobel-dies/ plus a Wikipedia article exists about Ed. Good people, Ed and Jan.
The Hill & Lake community sends sincere condolences to the Prescott family.
Linda Schulz | East Isles
Today I hear America Singing! Nov 9, 2022
Not keening
for lost rights and liberties
but celebrating
the power of the people
the power of peace
rejecting the dividers
the liars and deniers
Singing in one voice
throughout the land
for
liberty
respect
decency
justice
reconciliation
singing an old Country song
for the power of the people
for the lovers
not the haters
for the best in us
not the worst
singing to the Republic
for which we stand.
One nation. Indivisible.
Shannon King | Lowry Hill East (Wedge)
