Mayor Hodges, #pointergate, and social media spying

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The KSTP story with Mayor Hodges doing stylish finger pointing has created a real buzz. But for me the underlying issues of this episode that the public or media are not asking about or may not understand need to be explored. Where did the picture come from? Was it a part of a law enforcement agency or agencies social media monitoring and surveillance activities that the picture was discovered? Or more of a direct question: Is it relevant to and interest of the public to know if an agency is engaging in cyber stalking of people, data collected for unknown purposes and then share with others? Continue Reading

Transpo convo: Gardens in the mist

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The “Transpo Convo” series asks people how they get around the city, how they would like to get around the city, and what could improve their transportation experiences around the city.

When one asks Jeanne Weigum what could improve her transportation experiences around the city, a conversation about public gardening ensues.

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The case of the missing Lyndale bike connection

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On the outskirts of many large, expensive, complicated public works projects, there are often examples of easy little things we could do to improve our cities for very little money. A couple blocks from my humble apartment, the City of Minneapolis is moving ahead with a rebuild of the Hennepin/Lyndale bottleneck that looks to be a real improvementfor pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. Just south of that, though, is another thing we ought to do something about. Continue Reading

Community health overview: Laotian Americans

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According to the 2010 U.S. Census the eight largest Asian American populations in Minnesota are the Hmong, Asian Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino, Laotian, and Cambodian community. Specifically, 27 percent of the total population identify themselves as Hmong, 15.5 percent are Asian Indian, 11.7 percent are Chinese, 11.1 percent are Vietnamese, 4.9 percent are Laotians, and 3.9 percent are Cambodians (See Figure 2). Continue Reading

Reclaiming Grand Avenue

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In considering how to make Cathedral/Summit/Crocus Hill a safe place for everyone to walk and ride bicycles we need to rebuild Grand Ave. Continue Reading

Benches, tables and chairs for a more walkable and welcoming Saint Paul

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As I’ve worked on walkability surveys of routes to Green Line stations over the last few years, one of the issues consistently raised by community members is the need for more benches at bus stops and along major arterials, to provide places to rest, especially for seniors and people who use canes or walkers, and parents with young children. Continue Reading

Odd: Downtown East station blanketed in ads aimed at suburban drivers

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If you hang around the Downtown East/ex-Metrodome Station for a few minutes while waiting for the train, you might begin to notice the advertising saturating the platform . It’s hard to miss, in part because it’s literally on every flat thing, and in part because it’s so incongruous, because it’s all about cars and suburban life. Continue Reading