City of Bloomington, MN 2015 Bloomington Today, 4 Feb 2010

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From YouTube: Bloomington Today: The BUZZ February 4-10

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What’s buzzin’ in Bloomington? New City Manager Jamie Verbrugge takes the helm. Police warn about recent catalytic converter thefts. Plus, hear about a chance to have your story turn into live theatre.

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Welcome to Bloomington today I'm Laurie Schulte thanks for joining us. First, we bring you the buzz for the week of februari forth through the 10th. For the first time in decades, Bloomington has a new city manager and staff members got a chance to talk with him. During his first week of work, Jamie verbrugge II started at Civic Plaza February's. Second, he comes from Brooklyn Park, where he was the manager there. Since 2008 verbrugge II will manage a city staff of 650, full and part-time workers.

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Some of those people got a chance to meet him during a meet and greet event at Civic Plaza. We sat down with for brookey when he was first chosen for the job, and he says employee engagement is just as important as community involvement. I think.

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The employees are absolutely integral to making stronger communities because people trust us to deliver services on a daily basis, but we're more than just the delivery of services. We're actually important pieces in in building strong communities, because we play a role as a connector. We play a role as a facilitator and we play a role in providing services and programs that people really value for.

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Brew gira places mark bernert ssin, who was with the city for 23 years. Turning now to a warning from the Bloomington Police Department, there have been recent thefts that may end up costing you thousands of dollars right.

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Now there's been a rash of catalytic converter, thefts from vehicles, we've had eight reported incidents since the beginning, a December property.

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Crimes detected bill. King says, catalytic converters can be worth between 50 and 100 dollars in the scrap metal market. That's because there's often precious metals inside like platinum or gold. Here's some video of what one looks like you can't see it just by looking at your car because it sits underneath these two pictures show where the catalytic converter is missing from this car King says: you'll know. If your converter is stolen by the loud sound your car will make an exhaust smoke will come up from the middle of your car.

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Instead of behind a catalytic converter, can cost between 300 to 1,000 dollars, but King, says repairs or usually much more because other things are damaged during the theft problem.

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Is when you, when you deliberately cut a catalytic converter off, you preserve the catalytic converter itself, but the exhaust pipes on both sides, the catalytic converter, are now damaged. You can't replace it because the exhaust pipes actually go inside the catalytic converter. So not only are you stealing, the catalytic converter you're damaging the entire exhaust system, King.

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Says they have a few suspects, but this type of theft is a problem across the Metro to prevent this from happening. Kings suggest parking in a garage or an off street parking. That's not an option. He says try to park in a well-lit area. If you like to get around by bike or on foot, you might be interested in an open house coming up for the past year, the city has been working on an alternative transportation plan.

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City workers collected information from residents about what is needed to improve the bicycle and pedestrian network throughout the city, people were asked to point out where there are gaps or barriers in the system. After collecting all that information, a draft plan is now available for review. You can find it on the city's website by searching for the ATP update. If you have a comment, you can write to the email on your screen or come to the open house at Civic Plaza on februari 12.

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A newer business in Bloomington is also doing its part to get people exploring. The outdoors cards like this are given to hotel guests at the radisson blu and they give information about the area. One of the cards you see here promotes the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, it's a short mile and a half from the hotel and they're trying to encourage guests. Not only this is the mall but explore Minnesota well,.

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I think people that come into bloomington or to the mall of america. They want to see what minnesota is all about in minnesota. Besides at 10,000 lakes, they have a great outdoors, which is this, and they have a lot of other areas around here that they can enjoy this.

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Card isn't the only way the Radisson Blu is trying to get tourists outdoors. They also launched blue roots. It maps out four different trails, starting and ending at the hotel. This effort hopes to keep people on track with their new year's resolutions, while also seeing all that Bloomington has to offer. Speaking of the Minnesota Wildlife Refuge, a new walking theatre will be coming there this spring, but producers need your help. First story swap workshops in February will inspire a performance at the refuge. That is part of the creative placemaking initiative.

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Place-Based productions is looking for people with connections or stories about the south loop and Minnesota Wildlife Refuge. This story sharing will help them write the script for a walking theatre audiences will travel from scene to scene along the trail. If you don't think you have something to share producer, Ashley Hansen says you should still come by what.

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We find in these stories swap workshops settings is that it really inspires memories and myths. Legends ideas come to light that you never even knew. Might you know be important to you when we collect the stories to kind of mash them all together? So it's no one person story, that's more of a conglomeration of stories and we look for kind of common themes and narratives that emerge there.

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Will be three story swap workshops on februari, 7th, 24th and 26th? They will be held at the bloomington education and visitor center at the refuge. You don't have to be in the performance to share your story, but Hansen says they hope some people will want to. That is the buzz on Bloomington today for the week of februari forth through the 10th. Thanks for watching.

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