Minneapolis, MN
How the Spoon and Cherry sculpture found a home in Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS — It’s recognizable not just in Minneapolis, but across the country, and for good reason.
It’s the center piece of the Walker Art Center’s sculpture garden. And in many ways, it’s become a state symbol. Roughly 600,000 people a year visit the Spoon and Cherry.
“It’s bigger than the sculpture garden. It’s bigger than the Walker. It’s something that has become emblematic of the state of Minnesota in general,” said Siri Engberg, Senior Curator and Director of Visual Arts for Walker Art Center.
Last year the Spoonbridge and Cherry, as its technically called, celebrated 35 years on site. In the late 80’s artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen were tasked with creating something special for the sculpture garden.
“Claus Oldenberg is known for whimsical pop art, infused works that are very much everyday objects and changing them in surprising ways,” said Engberg.
In Chicago, Oldenberg had an idea to use a spoon as a bridge into Lake Michigan. It didn’t work out. But he found a place for the utensil in Minneapolis. His thought was the bowl of the spoon could be associated with the prow of a Viking ship, over the water.
“I think the cherry with the color, the red, that’s what pops it out,” said Vicki Friedman who is visiting with her husband Gary from St. Louis, Missouri.
Van Bruggen thought so too. She’s the one who convinced Oldenburg that the fruit would be “the cherry on top” for his masterpiece.
The cherry weighs about 1,200 pounds. And the spoon portion of the sculpture is nearly 3 tons. It’s made out of stainless steel and aluminum and it took two years to build on the east coast. Then it was shipped by flatbed trailer to Minneapolis. In May of 1988, two cranes finally put the spoon and cherry in its place.
“It’s pretty cool. It shoots water out of the stem,” said Ximena Fernandez, who was visiting the sculpture garden.
The sculpture is a giant fountain surrounded by a wet meadow. Oldenburg designed it that way as a shout-out to the Land of 10,000 Lakes. When the wind changes direction, you feel the mist coming from the stem.
The sculpture needs to be cleaned after a long winter and repainted every so often. But maintaining that shine is what’s helped it become the picture capitol of Minneapolis. People get creative with their photos and some will go to great heights to get a closer look.
“I love it. It’s so unique. I don’t think there’s anything like it in the world,” said the Friedmans.
“It’s neat. You can’t see this kind of merging between art and nature anywhere else,” said Engberg. “The scale of this piece is monumental. Against the Minneapolis skyline it’s kind of an incredible object.”
Again, the Spoonbridge and Cherry is surrounded by a wet meadow with native plants. It’s all designed to help recycle rainwater through the fountain.
Minneapolis, MN
Man convicted of murdering Mariah Samuels set for sentencing Monday after skipping previous court date
A Minneapolis man convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend is set to learn his fate Monday after he skipped his original sentencing date on Friday.
A jury found 51-year-old David Wright guilty of first-degree premeditated murder, first- and second-degree murder and illegal possession of a firearm last week. The premeditation conviction automatically triggers a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Wright was scheduled to be sentenced Friday afternoon, but did not show up to court. The judge asked Wright’s attorney if he was ill or refusing to show up, but the attorney declined to answer on grounds of attorney-client privilege.
Monday’s sentencing is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
Wright killed 34-year-old Mariah Samuels in September outside her home in the Willard-Hay neighborhood of Minneapolis, minutes after she posted about his abuse on social media. Family members said Samuels had broken up with him after a few months of dating. She had a restraining order against him.
Samuels’ sister Simone Hunter called Wright “a dangerous person” who “should never see the light of day again” after his conviction.
Friends and family say Wright acted out throughout the trial, including missing previous court dates and removing himself from the stand.
Both Samuels’ family and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty criticized the court for not doing more to ensure Wright showed up at the sentencing.
“This is why people think they can murder people in front of their dad’s house and get away with it. There’s no repercussions for these things, they don’t care about these women who are dying on a daily basis. And the least that they could have done is demanded that he come over here in shackles like the monster that he is,” Hunter said Friday. “I’m astounded.”
Samuels’ family has also accused the Minneapolis Police Department of not doing enough to keep her safe. Chief Brian O’Hara last year ordered her case to be reviewed and officers to be retrained on domestic violence.
For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A 21-year-old man was killed after a motorcycle crash early Friday morning in Minneapolis, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
Fatal motorcycle crash
The backstory:
The State Patrol responded to the crash at about 1:20 a.m. on April 17 on northbound I-35W at Johnson Street in Minneapolis.
Authorities say a man operating a Suzuki motorcycle was heading northbound on I-35W when it made contact with the left side median guard rail before it continued to head north. It traveled for about another quarter mile before coming to rest on the right side guard rail.
Authorities located the motorcycle’s operator on the left side shoulder. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Crash under investigation
Crash victim ID’d:
The State Patrol identified the motorcyclist as 21-year-old Andrew James Neuberger of Minneapolis. According to a GoFundMe set up for the family, Neuberger is the oldest of seven children.
What led up to the crash remains under investigation.
Minneapolis, MN
Between Minneapolis And Lake Superior Is The ‘Agate Capital Of The World’ With Cozy Charm And A State Park – Islands
For anyone eager to see Minnesota’s state gem, the Lake Superior agate, there’s one destination in central Minnesota not to miss. Moose Lake is a great stop on a road trip up north on Interstate 35 from the Twin Cities to Lake Superior, the cleanest lake in America. The city is also known for its agates, outdoor fun, and water activities at Moose Lake State Park, a hub for outdoor recreation, as well as friendly independent businesses that lend it a relaxed, small-town charm.
Agates are a colorful type of microcrystalline chalcedony quartz, and according to Explore Minnesota Tourism, Moose Lake is known as the Agate Capital of the World. The city is home to the largest Lake Superior agate, located at First National Bank — it weighs 108 pounds. You can view geological displays at the Moose Lake State Park Visitor Center, or even try your luck picking agates at the Soo Line Pit. A permit is required, and it’s best to go after rainfall. Visit in July for Agate Days, an annual festival with a gem and mineral show featuring over 100 vendors, as well as an agate “stampede,” where you may find your own treasure in the gravel.
What to do at Moose Lake State Park
Just a few minutes from town, iMoose Lake State Park was established in 1971 and is a top spot for outdoor recreation in the area. After exploring the rock and mineral exhibits at the visitor center, head outside to enjoy fun activities around the park. You may see wildlife such as white-tailed deer, otters, and butterflies, or birds like loons, waterfowl, bluebirds, and swallows. The park is centered around the peaceful Echo Lake, where you can get out on the water for a paddle. Boat, canoe, and kayak rentals are available if you don’t have your own gear. You can also go for a dip at the lake’s beach or cast a line from the accessible fishing pier, where you may reel in northerns, panfish, largemouth bass, or walleyes.
Hiking is also popular, with about 5 miles of hiking trails through woodland, ponds, hills, and fields. The 1.5-mile Rolling Hills Trail is a great pick for spotting wildlife, while the 0.9-mile West Echo Loop offers beautiful lake views. Keep an eye out for trumpeter swans and other birds on the 1.2-mile Wildlife Pond Trail. Although there are no groomed trails in winter, you can still snowshoe and backcountry ski here.
If you’d like to spend a night under the stars, stay at Moose Lake State Park campground. There are 33 drive-in sites, including 20 electric sites, 2 walk-in sites, and a group campground that can sleep up to 45 campers. Showers and flush toilets are available from Memorial Day to Labor Day, while vault toilets are available year-round. All campsites have a picnic table and a fire ring.
Discover Moose Lake’s small-town charm
One of Moose Lake’s highlights is its welcoming atmosphere and relaxed pace of life. See a movie at the Historic Lake Theater, a friendly, family-owned movie theater that has operated at its current location since 1937. Lazy Moose Grill and Gifts serves breakfast favorites and tasty dishes like burgers, sandwiches, and wild rice meatloaf, earning it a 4.4-star rating on Google with over 1,400 reviews. Kick back and relax with a beer at Moose Lake Brewing Company, where the paio overlooks the lake. The swimming beach at Moosehead Lake is a great way to spend more time outdoors — the beach is sandy and shallow, making it a good option for families with kids.
Moose Lake is located about two-thirds of the way between Minneapolis and the outdoor lake town of Duluth, a port city on Lake Superior. Duluth International Airport is the closest major airport, while Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), the best airport in North America for passenger satisfaction, is about a 2-hour drive away and offers the most flight options. Having a car is the easiest way to explore the area, though Jefferson Lines buses stop in Moose Lake along the route between the Twin Cities and Duluth.
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