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Two Cities

This coverage is made possible by a grant from The Saint Paul Foundation.

Two Cities

Two Cities covers City Hall politics in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Karen Boros reports on Minneapolis City Hall. She started her journalism career covering Minneapolis politics for the Sun Newspapers and later became the City Hall reporter for WCCO-TV.

Joe Kimball, a former columnist and reporter for the Star Tribune, reports on St. Paul City Hall. He's also the author of "Secrets of the Congdon Mansion," the bestselling chronicle of the historic Congdon murders in Duluth.

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Minneapolis City Council approves changes to ranked-choice voting

By Karen Boros | 05/24/13

The council also decided to prevent the demolition of a house designed by master builder Theron Potter Healy.

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St. Paul hires engineering firm to investigate deadly landslide in Lilydale Park

By Joe Kimball | 05/24/13

Friday morning, Gov. Mark Dayton visited the Peter Hobart Elementary, the St. Louis Park school attended by the two fourth-graders who died.Northern Technologies Inc. will work to determine what caused the landslide that killed two fourth-graders who were fossil hunting with their class in the park.

RCV sample ballot
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Some getting cold feet over proposed Minneapolis ranked-choice changes

By Karen Boros | 05/24/13

“It’s almost to the point of making me feel uncomfortable, and it’s distasteful that we are voting on a ballot we are going to be on,” said one council member.

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St. Paul to allow selling merchandise from trucks on downtown streets

By Joe Kimball | 05/24/13

Sellers must have a $72 license, can only sell downtown and can't sell used or counterfeit goods.

Tweaking ranked-choice voting
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Tweaking ranked-choice voting: Minneapolis considering three changes

By Karen Boros | 05/23/13

One proposed change would try to speed up reporting of Election Night results. 

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Minneapolis Police Sgt. David Clifford fired for ethics code violation

By Karen Boros | 05/22/13

The reason for his dismissal now has become part of the public record. He was convicted of a felony after assaulting a bar patron last summer.

Minneapolis likely to protect master builder Healy's 'prototype' house
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Minneapolis likely to protect master builder Healy's 'prototype' house

By Karen Boros | 05/22/13

The process has been a short but rocky road in efforts to save the Wedge neighborhood house.

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No bonding bill largesse, but Legislature gives St. Paul and Minneapolis some help

By Joe Kimball | 05/21/13

Minneapolis can use taxes for streetcar plan, St. Paul gets an extended sales-tax benefit and the two will merge arena operations to stop competitive infighting.

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Former Council Member Debbie Montgomery says she'll run for her old Ward 1 seat

By Joe Kimball | 05/17/13

The retired police commander lost her council seat in 2007 to Melvin Carter III, who's now stepping down to take a state education job.

Warehouse District property owners feel shortchanged
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Warehouse District property owners feel shortchanged by Minneapolis' Downtown Improvement District

By Karen Boros | 05/16/13

They want “an acknowledgement that [they’re] over-assessed, under-serviced and definitely under-represented.”

harteau photo
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Minneapolis officials back Police Chief Harteau’s limited comments on Friday events

By Karen Boros | 05/16/13

“She’s doing what a police chief has to do in a tough situation which is, first, get the facts right,” said Mayor R.T. Rybak.

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St. Paul wedding planning event promotes same-sex ceremonies in the city

By Joe Kimball | 05/15/13

After sponsoring the post-gay marriage bill concert Tuesday night, city officials hold a Como Park event to promote those weddings in the capital city.

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Minneapolis prepares for June car-share program

By Karen Boros | 05/14/13

As many as 250 vehicles could be available to residents who need a car on occasion but have no desire to own a vehicle.

harteau
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Minneapolis Police Chief Harteau comments on Friday's 'traumatic events'

By Karen Boros | 05/14/13

“Those events … serve as a reminder of how many split-second decisions police officers make every day …,” she said at the department’s awards program.

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St. Paul to host celebratory concert after signing of gay marriage bill

By Joe Kimball | 05/14/13

After the governor's 5 p.m. public signing at the Capitol, there will be a procession to downtown for the concert at Ecolab Plaza.

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Former school board member Kazoua Kong-Thao to run for St. Paul council

By Joe Kimball | 05/14/13

She joins Johnny Howard, Dai Thao, and Noel Nix on the list of contenders for the Ward 1 seat being vacated by Melvin Carter III.

St. Paul proclaims ‘Freedom to Marry Week’
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St. Paul proclaims ‘Freedom to Marry Week’

By MinnPost staff | 05/13/13

Rainbow flags were put atop the Wabasha Street Bridge to mark the expected state approval of same-sex marriage.

Minneapolis political upheaval signals possible major change at City Hall
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Minneapolis political upheaval signals possible major change at City Hall

By Karen Boros | 05/13/13

Political observers see what one calls “enormous change, transformation and regeneration” in city politics. 

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Dai Thao and Noel Nix to run for St. Paul's Ward 1 council seat

By Joe Kimball | 05/09/13

Thao, an activist and IT manager for the Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery, and Nix, the current council aide, say they'll run in November.

Potholes: Cam Winton makes his case for road repairs
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Potholes: Minneapolis mayoral candidate Cam Winton makes his case for road repairs

By Karen Boros | 05/07/13

The pothole he selected as a bad example was scheduled for repair the same day he decided to hold a middle-of-the-street news conference.

St. Paul Council Member Melvin Carter III
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St. Paul Council Member Melvin Carter III will step down to take state education post

By Joe Kimball | 05/06/13

The City Council can appoint a temporary successor for Carter when he leaves on July 5; voters will then choose a new council member in November.