Kyle Stokes is MinnPost’s Twin Cities beat reporter, covering everything from local government to housing to transit. He can be reached by email at kstokes@minnpost.com or on Twitter @kystokes.
City Council members hope officials can enforce the ban without issuing a slew of tickets, but opponents are worried that people of color will be disproportionately targeted.
With municipal elections this November, we asked what issues are of greatest interest and concern to our readers. Here are the (unscientific) results.
With council elections coming up in November, MinnPost asked each candidate where they stood on “rent stabilization.” Here’s how they responded.
The incumbents seeking re-election support the 1% hike. The remaining candidates are split.
See who’s on the ballot where you live — and where the candidates stand on several hot topics like rent control, police department spending, sales taxes and trash collection.
After grappling with “what it means to be a white man shot in the struggle for Black liberation,” Stevenson decided to run for office. If he wins, he’ll unseat a pioneering Black and trans politician.
Seattle’s experience with a ban on public pot use could offer lessons to Minnesota cities now grappling with whether to limit pot use in public places, and a possible preview to how enforcing those bans could turn out here.
City Council members advanced a plan to buy 57,000 additional square feet in a building they’re already redeveloping as a First Precinct headquarters.
The advocates’ attorneys said the city’s demands are “extremely atypical” and “feel intimidating.” The City Attorney said there’s nothing abnormal about its requests.
The sign of progress offers some hope to St. Paul neighbors that concerns about accumulating delays – and trash – at the site might soon be addressed.
Council members said they wanted to understand how their vote would connect with a recently announced funding deal for the troubled Southwest Light Rail project.
Minnesota tenants filed more than 400 rent escrow complaints in court last year. Do these complaints get tenants the repairs they want?
The mayor’s decision marks yet another last-minute defeat this year for the Minnesota Uber & Lyft Drivers Association.
City Council members voted 5-2 Wednesday afternoon to override an earlier veto by Mayor Melvin Carter, who raised concerns that the proposal would not generate anywhere near enough funding to serve all the children it promises to serve.
One driver advocacy group is pushing for a city ordinance to boost pay, similar to a statewide bill that was vetoed. Another wants a statewide task force to make recommendations first.
It’s the question of the Ward 8 race, with Soren Stevenson challenging the incumbent from her left. But in a wide-ranging interview with MinnPost, Jenkins said she also thinks it’s a loaded question.
An attorney who successfully sued over St. Paul’s use of special assessments to cover routine street repairs may pursue further legal action if the city continues to forge ahead.
The Duluth City Council is scheduled to hear a proposal to ban marijuana smoking or vaping in city parks and along the Duluth Lakewalk. Detroit Lakes, Alexandria, Lakeville and West St. Paul are also considering limits.
The vote came just days after Mayor Jacob Frey, Council President Andrea Jenkins and other city leaders announced a proposal to house Third Precinct officers at a downtown facility.
A guide — with pictures! — to the various options MnDOT will be weighing for the future of the east-west link between the Twin Cities’ two downtowns.
