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If you're not familiar with the story of the "Rochester 19," there's some background information here, and here, and here.
Now, here is a resolution the Rochester City Council approved on Wednesday. It affirms, among other things, that "workers and working families (should) have sustainable jobs" that provide for themselves, and that employers should be "good corporate citizens" by providing those kinds of jobs.
DOCUMENT: City Council resolution (pdf)
From Rochester City Hall...
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: March 6, 2007
Contact: Donna Bussell
Mayor’s Office
City of Rochester
(507) 285-8080To celebrate National Dental Assistants Week, dental offices across the country will be participating in various activities to promote the professions of the dental assistants. Mayor Ardell F. Brede will participate in a Mayoral proclamation signing ceremony at Rochester City Hall in the Atrium on Tuesday, March 6, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
What dental assistant's represent are the men and women that support excellent patient care from assisting the Dentist in a clinical setting to having managerial skills to support the entire dental staff.
Dental Assisting is a job that practitioners stay with for on average of 11 years. A recent survey of dental assistants at the American Dental Assistants Association found that 12.6% of the respondents have been with their current practices for over 16 years!
Dental Assistants thrive on efficiency, dedication, safety, continuing education, infection control, and volunteerism in the access to care programs available in our local and state areas. Dental Assistants are the backbone to the Dental Profession.
1989: The Cold War ends. A cry for freedom in Tiananmen Square. And Rochester resolves that its downtown is finally going to be interesting!
This article I unearthed from the archives today sounds just so familiar. You know, not that much really has changed in the last 18 years. Except for that "elegant ... teal and pink pillars" part. There's progress for you.
Been downtown lately ? You're in for a surprise
By PAULA MARLOW Thu Jun 08 00:00:00 GMT 1989 page e0 story by MARVisited downtown Rochester lately? If not, you're in for a big surprise.
``If you think about what this city looked like last May to where it is today, the face is totally changed in the downtown area,'' said Dick Granchalek, executive vice president of the Rochester Chamber of Commerce. The end result, he added, is ``more of a degree of optimism'' toward the downtown's future.
Some have called this the renaissance of the downtown. But Walter Hanson, owner of The Nordic Shop, offers what is probably a more accurate description. ``I would say it's more of an evolution,'' said Hanson, who is also president of the Downtown Business Association. ``Cities that are thriving, that are growing, tend to go through an evolutionary process like this.'' The downtown never died, he added, but instead feels the effects of trying to keep up with ``constant change.''
And change it has. Three major projects are prominent on the downtown's new profile. First is the $44 million Centerplace, a threebuilding complex developed by two developers, Gus Chafoulias of Rochester and William Maddux of Minneapoils. Huge, elegant windows arch above the classy 95,000square-foot Galleria, a shopping mall serving as home to a host of new upscale and specialty stores and a six-screen movie theater. First Bank Centerplace, a nine-story office building, and the 213-room Radisson Hotel complete the Cen-l>H terplace package. A second hotel, the 197-room, nine-story Kahler Plaza, adds to the downtown's changing character. Linking it all together are skyways that run from the Marquette Bank Building across Second Street to the Radis-l>H son, over Broadway to the Galleria, First Bank Centerplace and the Kahler Plaza, and finally to the Mayo Clinic.
Simultaneously, the city has repaved Broadway, updated and street-scaped the downtown sidewalks, and constructed a public access parking ramp next to the Ra-l>H disson.
It's all designed to entice Rochester natives and visitors alike to explore the new downtown, and ``to bring some activity outside the hours of 8-to-5,'' said Doug Knott, downtown development administrator. To encourage that, the Gal-l>H leria offers weekday hours of 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Currently, a dozen shops are open, with about 95 percent of the 85,000 square feet of gross leasable space committed or under negotiation, according to Dean Miller, president of Centerplace Management Corp. Stores will open their doors at their leisure; some will wait as long as early fall.
On the first level of the four-level mall, shops include Plus Woman, Games by James, City Looks by the Barbers and House of Forrester.
The second level, which can be entered from the skyway, is home to Black's Photography, Wild Wings, Gap Kids, Pappagallo Ladies Fashion, Hers Ladies Fashion, Juster's, Sunglass Hut, The Gap, and Chicos.
The third level consists mainly of a something-for-everyone food court: LeeAnn Chin, The Gourmet House, Sizzilin Chicken, Bloomer's Ice Cream, Sam's Subs, Gerber's BBQ and Everything Yogurt and First St. Pizza. For those with other tastes, Michaels Restaurant and Lounge is connected to the Galleria on the first level.
Also, the theater ticket offices line one side of the third floor. Shops include Paper Post Cards and Gifts, Minnesota Mercantile, Athlete's Foot and game room Bal-l>H ly's Aladdin's Castle.
The six theaters fill the fourth floor, which creates an elegant environment of its own with teal and pink pillars and faux marble flooring. Tuxedoed, white-gloved ushers add to its ``grand theater'' atmosphere, as does the Cafe de etoiles, which offers wine and desserts. (The more conventional hot buttered popcorn is served from a centrally located concession stand.)
Other Galleria shops include Gifts Express, Opti-World, Just Grand and Left Field.
The Galleria isn't the only new experience downtown. Kahler Plaza shops include Callaway Galleries, Sherwood's Ladies Clothing, Weber and Judd, Ultra Gucci Shop, Shirl's Gifts and Souvenirs, Dean Witter, The Dove, AAA Travel, The Gallery, Corporate Travel, Phar-l>H oah's, Northwest Airlines, TCBY Yogurt and Plaza Cafe. At First Bank Centerplace, Aladdin Travel, Silhouette Shoppe and Lair Shoes have found their homes. The Radis-l>H son offers two fine dining restaurants, McCormick's and Meadows, and Hardee's now offers its fast food at a downtown Second Street location.
All of this did not come without a price, paid most heavily by those depending on the downtown for their livelihood. At times, regular downtowners gazed not in wonder but in bewilderment at the seemingly endless construction.
Business owners were especially hard hit, as street and building construction discouraged shoppers. ``The people who have been down here for years have gone through a difficult period in maintaining their businesses,'' Granchalek said. ``The construction has been extremely tough. We have even lost some of those people as chamber members, as they needed to make an even greater commitment to keeping their doors open.''
But now, Hanson says, hopes are high for a bright future. ``Anyone that does something in a positive manner downtown is only going to help everybody,'' he says. ``Certainly what Gus (Chafoulias) has done is very positive.''
However, the changes don't mean the downtown will leave behind its independent spirit. It's unlikely the businesses will turn into a downtown ``mall,'' all open the same hours. ``That's been discussed since 1974 when we moved here,'' Hanson said. ``I'm not sure how close that will ever come, mainly because there are so many diverse businesses and services in the downtown.''
But in response to the Galleria and people's changing shopping habits, he said, ``I think that as a whole you're going to find that shops are staying open longer and more days.''
Though the darkest days for the downtown may be over, questions still remain. Once the initial novelty wears off, will the downtown draw enough people to keep its new businesses afloat? Will visitors find their way from the Galleria to the doors of the streetside businesses? The city will need to draw not only its clinic visitors, but also the regional crowd currently found at area malls, other out-of-town visitors through its convention and tourism business -- and, of course, city residents.
In all cases, education and promotion are the keys, Granchalek believes. And that's what the ``Rochester . . . Something Special'' campaign is all about. Besides reminding Rochester residents of their hometown's many amenities, it's aimed at educating them enough to ``sell'' the city to its many visitors. ``It's so that when that visitor asks, `Is there anything to do in Rochester tonight?' we don't end up with the cab driver saying, `Nope, nothing to do in this town. Pretty boring,' '' Granchalek says.
On a broader basis, the changes downtown are making it much easier to bring conventions to the city. According to the Rochester Convention and Visitors Bureau, the skyway system and additional opportunities for downtown entertainment are two strong enticements the community can now offer. And with convention business comes money. The bureau estimates that in 1988, convention visitors spent $15.8 million in the community. The next key step -- which is in the planning stages -- is the extension of the skyway to the Civic Center.
For the moment, however, the downtown is ready to show its new face with pride. ``Look at what we have for a city of 60,000.'' Grancha-l>H lek said. ``We're the envy of many, many communities our size.''
Eminent domain reform has been a hot topic in Minnesota — and nationally — the past year or so.
Here's a summary of a new report issued by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis that says use of eminent domain for private development projects "usually results in zero-sum gain and may actually hinder the area's development."
According to the report,
“When governments interfere in the private market, whether it be a market for apples, cars or property, the likely result is greater economic inefficiency and less economic growth. The reason is that even the most well-intentioned policymaker cannot comprehend or replicate the complex interactions of buyers and sellers that occur in free markets.”
Instead of taking property from one party and handing it to another, the report says, local governments "should focus on creating a business environment conducive to risk-taking, entry and expansion rather than attempting targeted economic development through eminent domain or other means.” That means doing things like providing tax incentives or withdrawing regulations that might stifle private initiative.
Perhaps fortunately for us, Rochester and Olmsted County have not used eminent domain powers for private development projects. That's not to say the city has kept its hands out of real estate speculation, though. Two recent examples I think of include the Time Square/Broadway Plaza project, where the city offered the former library site, on the corner of Broadway and First Street Southwest, to two competing bidders; and the current assemblage of land for the Biobusiness Center on First Avenue Southwest. The city is negotiating with property owners to purchase land for that project, and earlier this month agreed to pay $3.2 million for two parcels valued at $1.55 million. (The purchase agreement includes money to help the parcels' owner relocate to new property, and an incentive for the owner to get out on time.)
Here are some web links if you care to read more deeply on this:
The frontiers of that-which-may-be-regulated have taken a big step — or perhaps make that a teeny, tiny step — forward in Berkeley, Calif.
The city is regulating industrial production of nanoparticles, as reported in this article from Sunday's New York Times.
According to the article, "the largest particle subject to (the) regulation is roughly 800 times thinner than a human hair." Kind of gives you a new perspective on the proposed smoking ban.
Somehow, reading this sent my mind skipping back over recent P-B history to this article by former staff writer Josh Lynsen, which in turn prompted this anonymous satire sent to me later. (No, I am not really the author.)
Any guesses as to the real author?
LINK: Teeny-Weeny Rules for Itty-Bitty Atom Clusters (New York Times)
FILE: Quality of water or life? (pdf) (from P-B archive)
FILE: Clean air vs. human needs debated (pdf) (goofball e-mail)
The latest design ideas — nearing final — for the downtown Rochester Peace Plaza were presented today to the Downtown Alliance board.
Highlights:
I've posted a document containing all of the conceptual drawings. (Thanks to Yaggy Colby for the pics.) The last page displays a construction schedule.
This work would go out for bid later this month. Estimated completion date is around Halloween.
DOCUMENT: First Street Plaza drawings (pdf)
UPDATE! Here's the news story.
I've not only fallen behind in blog-posting, I've been delinquent in my reading as well. Here's an interesting back-and-forth on the DM&E issue, from late December, between Leigh Pomeroy and a new blogger on the scene, Patrick Dempsey.
Pomeroy argues that the recent U.S. Appeals Court decision, favorable to DM&E, is only a "minor setback" for project opponents, because the case was really just a delaying tactic — a tactic allowing forces to gather, as Pomeroy says, for the real fight to come on Capitol Hill.
(As an aside, the "P.R. machine ... running full-bore" that Pomeroy cites is a little curious. The only unsolicited reaction I received following the Appeals Court decision came from the Rochester Coalition. Nothing from the DM&E, the Farm Bureau, the energy co-ops....nothing in my mailbox from any of those groups.)
Dempsey, who commented on Pomeroy's site, lays out on his own blog a series of "falsehoods" and "truths" about the project which seem pretty reasonable, but it's hard for me to comment how accurate they are. If they're true, he has access to information I don't.
Examples? For now, I'll just take on the first claim, regarding private financing. Listen to this snippet from my interview with DM&E President Kevin Schieffer, after he spoke to the Rochester Rotary Club in August. Schieffer here says about the same thing I always get — that the project won't proceed without private financing, and that he'd be violating either private agreements or common sense (or both) by telling me what's brewing, with whom, and for how much. (When I'd be happy with just a simple 'yes' or 'no.')
Does that make Schieffer shifty or amazingly disciplined? You be the judge...
- LINK: Analysis: Appeals Court ruling only a minor set-back for DM&E opponents (Vox Verax)
- LINK: December 28, 2006 - DM&E issues (Patrick Demsey presents...)
- DOWNLOAD: Schieffer at the Rochester Rotary, Aug. 24, 2006 (mp3)
Hi. I'm back. Too rusty at this to offer commentary — or even an accompanying picture — for now.
Attached you'll find a copy of Olmsted County's proposed Smoke-Free Workplace ordinance, which I think is due for official release sometime in the next several days. We don't do things official around here, much. At least I don't think we did.
DOCUMENT: Smoke-Free Workplace ordinance (pdf)
I'm going to be up front and warn you that not much will be happening here between now and Dec. 26. (Oh, like anything much has been happening here recently up to now?)
The next two days are going to be awfully busy with writing for the newspaper and finishing — nay, starting — my holiday shopping, and I'll be away from the office after that.
Watch for me on the tube Thursday night. My pre-Christmas trip this year is to that holy-of-holies, Lambeau Field, where my dad and I should be distinguished wearing our matching #44s. (No cheese hats.) I'll be the one with the beard.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you all.
I've thrown loads of words on newsprint in my time, but today, a thought of mine is publicly displayed, not black-on-white, but white-on-black.
Huh?
I'll explain. Let me take you back to Monday, around noon. My trip to work from home takes me across North Broadway at 13th Street — in other words, the route you'd follow to go from Assisi Heights to Silver Lake — where, I noticed a couple of weeks ago, the lane designations have changed.
Used to be, the left lane was for left turns and straight-ahead traffic. Right lane was for right turns only.
Now — and this is a real improvement, let me tell you — the straight-ahead traffic goes in the right lane. There's a new sign to that effect posted along the approach to the intersection.
Improvement it may be, but I've still had a hard time getting used to it. You can't just break a six-year-old driving habit in a day.
That's why I don't fault the other driver — the gray-haired gentleman in the Chrysler minivan — for nearly running me off the road and into the side of the dentist's office. And I try not to fault him for laying on the horn for half a block, for tailgating me the length of Silver Lake, the whole way madly gesturing as if trying to stab a fly on his middle finger, or for careening across my bow when we finally reached the four-lane at Seventh Street.
It's hard retraining deep-seated habits — in this case all the more so, because the old, faded pavement arrows have remained sort of visible at the North Broadway intersection.
So I called Keith Ruona, in the traffic division of the city's Public Works Department, to report the problem. He listened seriously, asked a few questions, and I hung up confident the problem was going to be solved at least by spring.
But they went out and painted it today. Awesome.
I'm sure rapid response is available even to non-journalists. If you observe a serious road problem that needs fixing, feel free to e-mail Keith (kruona@ci.rochester.mn.us), or call him at 287-7999, ext. 3098.
What's a year-end without dozens of trite and low-cal (but valuably space-filling — we reporters like to take time off with our families, too, you know) best-of lists in every publication you see?
We at the P-B are no different. We'll be seeking readers' votes again this year on which story, among the many thousands we did over the last 12 months, was the best. And the second-best. And third-best. And so on.
Here's the list of stories from my beat that I submitted for the ballot. Items presented in no particular order. (I'm working on assembling links for all of these, so be patient, please.)
