Knee Replacement Update

I am pleased to report that the patient is doing well. He had his first day of therapy today and lived to tell about it. All reports that the therapists have been trained in torture techniques by the CIA are incorrect.

I think Mike actually enjoyed his therapy session. Did I mention that his therapist is named Jill?

Think you might have some treasures hidden in the closet?

Garage sale, second hand consignment shop, pawn shop, online classifieds--there are lots of ways to unload your extra stuff and make a few dollars in the process. If you're like me you watched Antique Roadshow tonight (Monday)and thought about making it rich like the surprised people on TV.



If you can't go to the PBS Antiques Roadshow, you can still get the thrill of anticipation at an event next month in Bemidji. Round up your treasures for the Beltrami County Historical Society's "Antique, Art & Craft Fair." The fundraiser will be March 27 and 28 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Bemidji Armory. Antique and art vendors are invited to set up their wares for the two-day event.

On Saturday, March 28, John and Kathy Eggers' Antique Roadshow will be featured from 1-4 pm on March 28. They will appraise your prized possessions for $5 per item.

But if you want to sell your Grandmother's antique quilt or your childhood baseball card collection, now might be the wrong time to do it. According to an article in the business section of last Thursday's (2/19/09) Star Tribune,

Sellers desperate to convert collectibles and antiques into cash are getting a nasty surprise: Prices are way down.

The reason is simple: potential sellers outnumber buyers. Even online auction giant eBay reported that its fourth quarter earnings slid 31 percent. There were plenty of buyers and sellers--86.3 million, but total money transactions fell 12 percent.

How are Bemidji's many pawn shops doing? I haven't polled them, but I expect their business mirrors the rest of the nation: a glut of merchandise and falling prices. Maybe the Historical Society's Antique, Art & Craft Fair would be a good idea after all.

Been Putting Off That Knee Replacement?

My husband put off his surgery for more than a year--until yesterday. I just returned from visiting him after his total knee replacement surgery. He is doing fine--his pain is manageable--but he's like a caged animal. He is an active guy that rarely sits and having to lay flat on his back for three days is almost more torture than the pain in his knee.

Did you know that more than 600,000 knee replacements are done annually world wide? Wondering what happens during a knee replacement surgery? Watch this virtual knee surgery video to find out. It's pretty cool. Interactive too.

Pickin' and Grinin'

He's the fastest banjo picker in the world, he's from England and for some reason he lives on a farm in NW Minnesota. MPR had a story Monday about the World's fastest banjo picker, Johnny Butten. (Listen to Johnny Butten & Newgrass Underground)

Minnesota may seem an unlikely place for a large bluegrass following, but you don't have to be from the south to love (and play) bluegrass. The local membership of the MBOTMA makes sure that Bluegrass is alive and well in Bemidji. They sponsored the bluegrass concert in Bemidji on Saturday night.

A large crowd enjoyed the music of David Davis & Warrior River Boys at the Paul Bunyan Playhouse on Valentines Day. It was cold outside, but the the pickin', southern charm, and comedy of the Alabama band warmed up the crowd.

Miss the concert last week? Get tickets now for Monroe Crossing, who will play Saturday, February 28 at the Paul Bunyan Playhouse. Tickets are vailable at the Headwaters School of Music, Wild Hare Bistro, and Arlen's Barbershop in downtown Bemidji.

The Devil is in the Details

Parents know that having rules and setting limits is a good idea. The challenge is making rules that work. The same can be said for communities.

The land use ordinance is a set of rules that helps us get the kind of community we want. And just like family rules, the details are what makes the ordinance successful. Ultimately, our community reflects the rules;
both when they work


and when they don't.


Fine tuning the details of our local ordinance happens twice a year. If you have ever said, "If I made the rules . . . ." your chance is at hand. The semi-annual ordinance review is currently underway. The review is an opportunity to "fix" mistakes and make changes that better-serve the community.

In the Bemidji area, we adopted an entirely new set of rules in 2007 when joint planning was born. The Greater Bemidji Area Joint Planning Board (JPB) is the local government unit (LGU) responsible for all planning and zoning for three jurisdictions. The JPB was created in 2007 when Northern Township, Bemidji Township, and the City of Bemidji signed an orderly annexation agreement and agreed to combine planning efforts. The JPB planning staff administers and enforces the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance.

The Zoning Ordinance sets out the land use rules for what can happen, where it can happen and to what extent it can happen. The Subdivision Ordinance is essentially the set of regulations for dividing property into parcels and sets rules to answer questions like: how large/small will lots be? where will runoff go? how will the streets be designed? what is the impact to trees, wetlands, surrounding properties? will there be parkland dedication?

A good background in the planning process in Minnesota is presented in the 2002 manual Under Construction . (It was prepared by MN PLanning, a state agency that disappeared in the 2003 administrative reorganization and budget cuts; it was folded into the Department of Administration.)

Authority for planning is granted to subordinate governments from the State. Townships, counties and municipalities are authorized to adopt plans and exercise various growth management and comprehensive planning tools.

• 1939: Authorized townships to plan and regulate land use
• 1959: Authorized counties to adopt planning tools and land use controls
• 1965 Authorized cities to adopt planning tools and land use controls

Community members can view the proposed updates by logging on to the Greater Bemidji Area Joint Planning homepage and clicking on "What's New." You can download a file of the suggested changes and be prepared to comment on them when public input is accepted at the next Joint Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, February 26 at City Hall.

Presidents, Pie, Plants and Pileated

Presidents Day is a holiday for me, so I thought it would be a good day to post some "Bits" that are lighthearted and are not connected in any way, EXCEPT that they all start with "P."


Presidents' Day
The Annual Beltrami County DFL Presidents' Day Dinner will be tonight at the Eagles from 5-7pm. Word is that several Governor hopefuls will attend including my daughter's boss, Senator Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, above.

Pie
I baked a little taste of summer into this strawberry rhubarb pie yesterday. Strawberries from Luekens and rhubarb from our garden. I love rhubarb because it is so versatile. We have two rows in the garden and eat it steady all summer, make sauce, bread, jelly, freeze it for winter and give it away. I have even used the leaves in flower arrangements for the fair. We still never use it all up.

Plant
I picked up some after Christmas bargains including a plant kit of hyacinth bulbs. I put them in the soil on Feburary 8. I hope they bloom by May 1st. Actually, I just hope they bloom. I'll post pictures as they grow.

Pileated
Even though we live smack dab in the middle of town (Bemidji), we are fortunate to have a large yard and a variety of wildlife. Some things are a nuisance; like rabbits and deer (and the woodchucks I mentioned in a previous post) even though they are fun to watch. Birds are just plain fun. This Pileated Woodpecker is one of two pair that frequent our suet block. Notice the Downey Woodpecker perched above, wating his turn.

Hope your day includes some lighthearted bits.

Citizen Advocate

As a government employee, the first rule is to get the politicians quoted in the paper and the second rule is to avoid being quoted yourself. Well, this week I failed both maxims.

As part of my job, I commented at the meeting of the Joint Planning Board about the MN/DOT Trunk Highway 197 Access Management Plan (Paul Bunyan Drive). My comments about the lack of planning for pedestrians and bicyclists ended up in a story about the meeting in The Pioneer on Friday.

Being quoted in the paper did not surprise me--that's what reporters are supposed to do--find the alternative view and present it. What did surprise me is the number of people that called and emailed or stopped me to discuss the story. I even got a call at home and a mention in a post on the Bemidji e-democracy site.

They all wanted to say that they appreciated my comments. The feedback is great, but what would be better is if every one called or wrote to their local elected officials to say: "I want a more walkable and bikeable community!" Citizens are the best voices for influencing policy decisions and if you feel strongly about this issue, please let your voice be heard.

There is plenty of research to support your position. You can Google walkability or active living and you'll find a day's worth of sites to peruse. Here are a couple to get you started.

WalkingInfo provides research, design guidelines and advocacy resources for improving walkability in communities. More links for BicyclingInfo at the bottom of the page.

Design for Health is a project of University of Minnesota, Cornell University, and the University of Colorado that "serves to bridge the gap between the emerging research base on community design and healthy living and the everyday realities of local government planning.” Their image resources include great pictures of bicycling and walking trails, crossings, and bridges, etc. Many pictures are from the Netherlands, the world-renowned capital of bicycling.

You can also watch this blog for information about ordinance updates, active living projects and other opportunities to get involved in planning for Bemidji's future. With any luck YOU, the citizen advocate will be quoted in the paper.

Trees Sprout Overnight in Schoolyard

It seems unlikely that a mixed forest and a prairie grassland would instantly sprout in a schoolyard, but that is what happened last fall at JW Smith Elementary School in Bemidji. It wasn't the magic beans of Jack in the Beanstalk, but the hard work and creativity of Soil and Water Conservation Forester Jerry Stensing who made it made happen. Jerry coordinated a tree planting project to create the JW Smith Minnesota Biomes Project. You can view a slide show that tells the story of the project on the SWCD website. Click on the Projects tab. (Update: the slide show would not open for me with Mozilla, but it worked with Internet Exlporer.)

The intent was to create an outdoor classroom shaped as the State of Minnesota, with trails that follow major river courses, and forest cover that geographically represents the vegetation of Minnesota's biomes.

He had many partners, but a key factor in the success of the project was the City of Bemidji's Tree Preservation Ordinance.

The Ordinance, passed by the City in 2005 (and now incorporated into the Joint Planning ordinance) requires replacement of trees that are lost because of new development. The goal of the ordinance is to preserve mature trees and maintain or increase the City's existing tree cover. The ordinance allows for off-site tree mitigation when development does not allow 100% replacement on the development site.

Jerry took advantage of two development projects to secure trees for the school project. Menards completed their subdivision process more than a year ago and is planning to build a store in Bemidji, but their plans are "on hold" given the current downturn in housing and construction. However, part of their plan and development agreement included off-site tree mitigation. Menards' contribution provided funding to purchase trees.

A second developer--the Bemidji Regional Airport--needed to remove trees to expand their runway. The trees were the perfect size for transplanting and they were moved to the biome project.

Business and government working together to preserve our trees and provide an outdoor classroom. Was there magic involved? Well, maybe a little.

On the Cover of ......Womens's Press

Congratulations to local artist Paula Swenson whose work is featured on the cover of this month's Women's Press magazine. Swenson's painting "Be Here Now" represents a "self-portrait of sorts" and features her signature vibrant colors.

I am lucky to own one of Paula's paintings--this bright vase of daisies and goldenrod. I purchased it at the Uptown, (before it was the Wild Hare Bistro).

You may have seen the mural that graces the north exterior wall of the Wild Hare building. That's Paula's work too. It's just one example of the wonderful art that enriches our downtown. I hesitate to make a list because I can't name them all, but the Sculpture Walk, Gallery North, Bemidji Community Arts Center, and all the businesses that host artists, are places that make downtown Bemidji a great destination for viewing and buying art.

Got Local?

Many people are talking about local foods--eating local, buying local and growing local. If you listen to KAXE on Wednesday mornings, you will hear Scott and Maggie and their interviews with local producers.

The City of Bemidji has had a free community garden for anyone's use for several years. It was located behind Northview Manor, a senior apartment building on the north side of town. This year may be the first time for many years that the City will not be providing a garden. The property was sold to a private firm and community members are no longer be able to use it. The City is currently looking for a new site. Unfortunately, one was not found in time to till last fall. Here are some requirements for a new site:

• City owned
• Access to City water
• Easy to get to
• Safe from vandals
• Reasonably good soil

The picture above is of my brother in his community garden spot in Littleton, CO. We both like to garden and come by it naturally from my mom who was a dedicated gardener. At my house, I grow flowers and my husband grows veggies including parsnips, which I love. I am always surprised at the number of people who have never eaten them. At the grocery store I have had the checkout ask me how to cook them. Here is my favorite way to fix them.

Cut 3 or 4 strips of bacon into 1" pieces and sauté until crispy. Pare parsnips, quarter and cut into 3" to 4" sticks. Add parsnips to pan with bacon and cover. Fry/steam until parsnips are tender-stirring occasionally. (Parsnips can be par-boiled first if desired.) You may have to add a bit of water during cooking. You can also add onion wedges for flavor. Enjoy!

If you are interested in local buying and growing, you may want to attend an upcoming one day conference, "Got Local? Farmer/Buyer Networking" on February 9th in Bemidji. The event will be held at BSU Crying Wolf Room from 10-4pm. It is presented by the Renewing the Countryside and you can register on their web site. More information is available from Margaret Schnieders at margaret@rtcinfo.org.

Multimodal, walkable, bikeable, oh my!

A pedestrian walking near Northwest Technical College, Bemidji 1/22/09

There is a lot of talk these days of making community streets Complete Streets. This movement is meant to provide streets that are usable for ALL users--pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, people with disabilities--and motorized users. According to the Complete Streets Coalition, studies show that complete streets encourage walking and bicycling for health:

One study found that 43 percent of people with safe places to walk within 10 minutes of home met recommended activity levels, while just 27% of those without safe places to walk were active enough. Residents are 65% more likely to walk in a neighborhood with sidewalks.

One low-cost way to create more opportunities for non-motorized users is to re-stripe existing streets. The downtown plan prepared for the City of Bemidji by RDG Planning shows how Minnesota Ave. downtown could be re-striped to accommodate parking on both sides and a bike lane painted on both sides and still have two driving lanes. Obviously, some of our streets are VERY wide.

Narrowing the streets has the added benefit of calming traffic and making intersections safer for pedestrians. I encourage you to download the plan (it is a pdf of a PowerPoint presentation they made in November) and see their great ideas for our community.

There are a lot of sections and ideas in the plan and I will likely have a few more blog entries based on the ideas in it! The final plan will be ready in February and come before the City Council for adoption. Check it out.

Didja Know?

There is a lot of information available for citizens on the City of Bemidji website. For example, you can see:

• What animals are in the city pound.
• The most up-to-date news in the Manager's weekly newsletter. This week's edition features a story about the waste water treatment facility.
• The Bemidji City Park Draft redevelopment plan.
• The newest "Video Tour" of the City that was filmed last summer.

I hope you will take a look around the website. You can even leave a comment.