Central Park Bandshell T minus 19 days
Bandshell Construction Update
It is hard to tell if the Bandshell is ahead or behind schedule. Today, the irrigation system was installed, and the concrete for the handicap access ramp was also poured. Fill was being spread by the hardworking Sentence to Serve crew. Sentence to Serve are nonviolent offenders who work on community improvement projects. There are mixed feelings about Sentence to Serve labor; on the one hand, working outside is better than killing time in a cell. On the other hand, it is an easy source of cheap labor for communities that can become too easy to use.
The sod is scheduled to be laid on June 29, which seems awfully close to the July 4th dedication. The entire park (one city block) will be re-sodded.
The ghost signs of Red Wing
A Testament to History
Red Wing is unique because it has such an authentic core downtown. This doesn't mean it's frozen in time. Rather, it has to do with having traceable roots. Buildings are typically not torn down; when they can be salvaged and restored, they are.
One of the lasting elements that are easily overlooked are the ghost signs of Red Wing. Sometimes called fading ads or brick-ads, they are remarkable in their staying power. Red Wing has many brick buildings, and there are several examples of ghost signs all over town. You need to look closely to see the Coca-Cola ghost sign. The Hotel Haven sign is pretty much illegible.
The corner shown above is Plum and East 3rd Street (SE corner) in Downtown Red Wing.
The June update of the Central Park Bandshell
Red Wing Central Park Bandshell Progress Update
The Red Wing Central Park Bandshell continues to make progress. The roof is on, but not yet shingled. The foundation work seems to be complete, judging by the dirt fill that was brought in. The back wall will be glass, and the shell walls will be the next significant milestone.
The inauguration of the Bandshell will be on Saturday, July 4th, 2009. The schedule of events is as follows (all times are PM):
3:45-4:30: The Phoenix Theatre will sing selections from their upcoming production of Fiddler on the Roof (free!)
5:00-6:00: Rosanne Cash (free!)
6:45-8:00: Roomful of Blues (free!)
8:45-9:30: Sheldon Brass Band finishing with 1812 Overture, complete with real cannon! (free!)
10:00-??: Fireworks over the Mississippi River (free!)
Eat. Shop. Play. Local.
The Importance of Funding Art and Spending Local
Recently, a letter to the editor of the local newspaper argued for funding art at the elementary school level. Apparently, there has been discussion about reducing the amount of art received in elementary schools due to budget pressures. The typical solution has been to increase the tax levy and ask taxpayers to pay more.
A more sustainable approach is to simply spend local. Every dollar spent locally in a community can have up to three times the multiplier tax return to the community versus buying from an out-of-state big box retailer, all without raising taxes a single cent. Let's use two simple examples:
Example 1: A citizen spends a dollar at a local big-box retailer. Taxes are exchanged for that dollar spent, and the dollar is promptly deposited in an out-of-state bank account somewhere in Four Corners, Arkansas. That dollar is retired as far as the local economy is concerned.
Example 2: A citizen spends a dollar at their local custom frame shop. Again, taxes are exchanged, but this time the local frame shop owner races to their local bank to cover the check they wrote to the local plumber to have their hot water heater repaired. The plumber, in turn, cashes that check to buy a silk suit from Josephsons Clothing Store. Tom from Josephsons then uses that money to buy himself a beer next door at The Staghead Restaurant to celebrate having finally sold that XXXL silk suit.
The same dollar has contributed to the local economy three separate times, each time participating in the overall tax exchange and actively contributing to the cash flow of four different local employers.
Red Wing Downtown Main Street is focused on exactly these types of issues. The Eat-Shop-Play-Local tag-line could include many other action verbs (Buy. Stay. Invest.), but the point is to think about where your money goes after you spend it.
In Our Own Backyard follow-up
In Our Own Backyard: U.S. Poverty in the 21st Century Exhibit Update
A little over a month ago, a prototype of the 2009-2010 traveling exhibit 'In Our Own Backyard: U.S. Poverty in the 21st Century' was unveiled at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota. This was an opportunity to gauge reactions and measure the effectiveness of the message. Think of it as a preseason event before the annual Catholic Charities USA convention in Portland in September 2009.
Things have not slowed down since then. Details have been fine-tuned, and the new website can be found here. The tentative schedule for the traveling exhibit is:
September 24-29, 2009: Portland, Oregon
October 29, 2009: Sacramento, CA
January 21, 2010: San Antonio, TX
February 24, 2010: Atlanta, GA
March 8, 2010: Albany, NY
March 25, 2010: Nashville, TN
April 22, 2010: Cleveland, OH
April 29, 2010: Chicago, IL
Better living through framing
Innovative New Products from Red Wing Framing Gallery
Since the beginning of 2009, Red Wing Framing Gallery scientists have been quietly and diligently working on a number of new products. With the advent of 'digital everywhere' technologies, customers have been eager to use their own images to decorate their environments in ways that reflect their lifestyle and taste. Our challenge is to meet this expectation with innovative and unique products.
Two exciting products are nearing introduction:
Gallery Panel: Targeted at contemporary customers who want a unique and fresh way to present their images, the Gallery Panel is elegant with old-school details but also offers a bold and progressive presentation. Think of it as a harmonious blend of ebony and ivory.
Image Sandwich (I-S): Still in the early stages, this product is a bit further behind in its introduction. The I-S will be a transmissive image that allows light from behind and lays flat on a wall. Early prototypes are promising, though practical size limitations may need to be determined. As a humorous note, I-S Version 2.0 might also function as a PDA. :)
The European marketplace tends to be more aggressive in pushing image technology. Interestingly, some of the best ideas come from European organizations that have been in the image business since the Middle Ages. We aren't above learning from our European counterparts, but it's essential to remain unique and creative.
We will announce new products as they are ready, and teasers are always free and unsolicited.
And please disregard any misinformation.
Who photographs the photographer?
A Paradox
In a village, there is a very special barber. He has a sign in his window that says, “I cut the hair of everyone in the village who does not cut his own hair.” The question becomes: who cuts the barber's hair?
For the past several mornings, I have been getting up at 5 am to try and take a specific photo at sunrise, which is around 5:45 am (are you impressed yet?). This time of year, the sun rises directly to the east of The Eisenhower Bridge over the Mississippi River. At sunrise, the barge traffic begins moving for the day, heading northbound for the Twin Cities.
For those keeping score, The Eisenhower Bridge was dedicated in 1960 and is 1,631 feet long (1/3 mile). It is 35 feet wide (two lanes) and is 65 feet over the river.
The shot I wanted didn't happen today because of low clouds on the horizon. The early barge traffic was already on the move when the sun started to peek out, so things did not coordinate this time.
The shot above is the only shot of merit that I took. Pretty, but not what I needed or wanted.
I went home and then got to work the same morning when my friend Tim emailed me the following photos and asked me if I knew who was on the bridge (look closely). The first photo was taken within a minute after mine, judging by how his sun seems ever so slightly higher (factoring in the difference in height) and the wake from the fishing boat. The second photo was a minute later (I keep a corner of my eye on those oncoming tractor-trailer mirrors).
Above two photos courtesy of Tim Alms,
Back to the barber; we don't know who cuts his hair. It is a self-contradiction.
Does the barber cut his own hair? No, because the barber cuts only the hair of those who don't cut their own hair.
Does the barber not cut his own hair? No, because then the barber would have to cut his own hair, as he cuts the hair of those who don't cut their own hair.
Using an even more complex explanation, the barber is trying to be a part of his own set, those who do not cut their own hair. But the set cannot include the barber because he is the set. This is the contradiction.