Central Business District Association Regroups

The Grand Rapids Central Business District Association (CBDA) initiated three new projects at a re-organizational meeting on Wednesday. One was to explore hiring a marketing person for the downtown area. The second was to re-engage in developing directional signage for the downtown business area. And the third was to investigate the revised Minnesota Mainstreet Program as a vehicle for helping to further invigorate downtown.  Smaller groups were formed to initiate plans for each of the projects and report back at the next meeting in January.

The CBDA, which had not been meeting regularly, had been brought together earlier for a focus group on the Grand Rapids Comprehensive Plan process. The people participating in that focus group agreed to revive the Central Business District Association. Ed Zabinski facilitated a brainstorming that included discussion of the Central School area and the difficulty for pedestrian connections within downtown caused by MNDOT's management of the state highways. 

The group will meet again on Wednesday January12th, 2010,  from 7:30 to 8:30 at the Grand Rapids City Hall.

something Original's Holds Grand re-Opening

FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 5th {5 - 8 pm} SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 6th {11 - 4 pm} WINE... CHOCOLATE... ART... Yes, it's been almost 6 months since we've moved, we're settled in and brimming with goodies and we're ready to celebrate with YOU! We invite you to RELAX & ENJOY your shopping experience this weekend, stop in quick or stay for awhile, come alone or bring a friend!! INDULGE in munchies, chocolates & wine, or try a cup of our new PEACE coffee as you shop the beautiful and unique jewelry, knit goods, pottery, wall art, blown and fused glass, furniture, home decor and so much more, made by more than 70 area artists. Meet the ARTISTS, we'll have many artists coming and going for this event!   Check out our new "Fair Trade" goods, meaning that the artist in a foreign country is paid a fair wage for their work.  You can feel good about making a purchase to support these artists! SIGN-UP to win a "something ORIGINAL" $50 gift certificate!!! VISIT often to be the first to see our new inventory!! We look so forward to seeing you!! Sincerely, Stephanie & Sheri 218.999.5432 something ORIGINAL, inc. 28 NW 4th Street (across from Old Central School & next to Lakes Area Credit Union) Grand Rapids, MN 55744

something ORIGINAL, inc. | 28 NW 4th Street | Suite A | Grand Rapids | MN | 55744

  

something Original, inc Offers Classes

Are you looking for something FUN to do on a hot or rainy day, or just
because you've always wanted to? Bring yourself or call a friend and
sign up today...

BEADING...

Just a reminder, we have spots open for Tammy's beading classes THIS
Saturday! Don't miss out on this great opportunity to learn how to
create a unique wire wrap pendant that will be the focal point of a
necklace and earring set.

date: THIS SATURDAY {JULY 17}
time: 12 - 2 or 2 - 4 pm {sign up for EITHER or BOTH}
fee: only $20 for registration & $15 for materials!

PAINTING...

Have you ever wanted to EXPERIMENT and PLAY and LEARN with watercolor
to create something? anything? Now is your chance, sign up to paint
with Donna on...

date: WEDNESDAY  {JULY 21}
time: 5 - 8 pm
fee: only $20 for registration & $5 for materials!

GARDEN ART...

Have fun with cement and create your own garden art. Lynne of
Northwoods Emporium will demonstrate how to work with the cement and
paint the leaves after they have cured. Sign up today and you'll
create and bring home a 10"-12" cured cement leaf, ready for your
garden or home.

date: SATURDAY, AUGUST 14th
time: 10:00 am
fee: only $30 includes all materials!

BE UNIQUE, SHOP AT something ORIGINAL, inc.

WE JUST RECEIVED THE NEWEST DESIGNS FROM:

SUSAN OXMAN {SHE Designs}
KULA {by Kara}
and so much more!

IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO ADD A BREATH OF FRESHNESS INTO YOUR SUMMER
WARDROBE OR HOME, STOP IN TO SEE ALL THE NEWEST JEWELRY, GIFTS and
ART!

YOU'LL FIND GREAT GIFTS for Birthday, Hostess, Wedding, Anniversary,
Thank you, Anytime...

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU!!

MON - FRI {10 - 5}

SATURDAY {10 - 4}

Something Orginal, Inc
28 NW 4th Street, Suite A
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
218.999.5432

Grand Rapids Community Internet /Library Sponsor Internet Classes

Two series of classes on using the Internet sponsored by Grand Rapids Community Internet and the Grand Rapids Area Library are included in this fall's ISD 318 Community Education classe schedule. One 10 week series for the general public will be held in the evening,. It will include classes on everything from basic email to creating a blog to using advance search techniques to get exactly what you want from the Internet and other online databases. The second 8 week series, directed specifically at local businesses, will be held Tuesday mornings from 7:30 to 8:45 AM. It will focus on how to use the internet to promote a business and deliver service to customers. Both you will be held at the ISD 318 Administration Building computer lab. To register call ISD 318 Community Education at 218-327-5730 or online at www.getlearning.org. You can download the Community Education Class Catalog for full description of both series and other class offerings.

Business Roundtable to meet February 9

From Ed Zabinski -

This is an invitation to join us for the February meeting of the Business Roundtable.  We'll meet at 7:30 am next Monday, February 9, in the Sawmill Inn's Bicentennial Room.  

We are privileged to have Mary Kosak of Blandin Foundation lead a discussion about Invest Early, a collaborative program of area school districts and child development programs.  A front-page story in this past weekend's edition of the Grand Rapids Herald-Review described a presentation made by Jim Hoolihan, Blandin Foundation president, as part of a three-person panel that informed a rare joint session of the Minnesota Legislature last Wednesday about the proven benefits that investing in our youngest citizens can bring.  Invest Early has received acclaim for their pioneering work in this area, and after three years of data-gathering, the program managers can describe the return on their investment.  Please join me in hearing about this nationally-acclaimed program. 

 

Some of you know that Tom Osborn, the Business Roundtable founder, is on winter hiatus.  I am happy to help Tom during the next couple of months to organize the meetings and send out the notices.  If this message is coming to you in error, please forgive me.  Reply by e-mail and I'll remove your name from whatever list this is that Tom provided. 

 

You will also note that I'm not nearly as proficient as Tom in summarizing meeting notes.  Thanks to Tom, we had five presenters at January's meeting, all of whom described their perspective about the state of health care in Itasca County: John Kutch and Steve Feltman from Grand Itasca; Dan Margo of Itasca Surgical Center; Jeff Stampohar of Deer River Hospital; and Bret Skyles of IM Care all presented their opinions.  The discussion was cut short by the end of our self-imposed 60-minute, so there's no doubt we'll check with that sector of our community later this year.

 I hope to see you next Monday. 

 

Ed Zabinski

218-259-6227