This week’s news you can use: Election helpers, fall street sweeps & more!

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This week’s News You Can Use roundup covers everything from online election resources and fall street sweeping info, to health care and heating tips! Read on for details.This Week’s News You Can Use is a one-stop hub of articles and tips from News You Can Use — a section designated for helpful, everyday information –that you may have missed during the week. If you have a News You Can Use tip, please email editor@tcdailyplanet.net to help spread the word!  Election 2014: Voting Resources:Election time is here and there are new online developments to assist in the voting process.Barb Kucera reports on MNVotes, a new website launched by the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, where Minnesota voters can register online, request absentee ballots, find polling places, track absentee voting status and more.  Mary Treacy highlights two websites: MyBallot and State Smart. My Ballot is sponsored by e-democracy.org, and provides voters with a sample ballot and links to other resources. Continue Reading

Dehn vs. Martin in Minneapolis Northside district 59b

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The entire Minnesota State House of Representatives is up for election. North Minneapolis residents in 59B will choose between one-term incumbent Raymond Dehn, a Democrat, and Margaret Martin, a Republican. The district is approximately divided from 59A by West Broadway, with the Tangletown area in 59B and a triangle below Broadway near the western city border in 59A.

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VIDEO: “I never had the opportunity to vote back home”

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This election year, seven individuals are learning more about what it means to do their civic duty, and they’re sharing their stories on video. The Center for Asian and Pacific Islanders (CAPI) started a pilot program to provide training and education for individuals who are either new to the voting process or simply wish to become involved in their communities through civic engagement. The program, which began back in September, is part of CAPI’s larger Voter Education Campaign, which provides resources like free translation and rides to polling places to increase voting participation in communities with typically low turnout. “We need to have less about quantity, but more about quality,” said Sandy Ci Moua, who runs the program. “Because a lot of people that get to the polls … they don’t necessarily feel confident. Continue Reading

Not enough time: Following up on school board candidate forums

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The November election is less than two weeks away, and for the four at-large candidates for the Minneapolis school board, it’s candidate forum time.This past week, on Oct. 20 and Oct. 24, candidates Iris Altimarno, Rebecca Gagnon, Ira Jourdain, and Don Samuels appeared at forums where all of the questions asked came directly from the audience, on the spot, and were not pre-determined.The Oct. 20 forum was sponsored by a handful of southwest Minneapolis neighborhood associations, such as Fulton, Kingfield, and Lyndale, and held at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. Minneapolis City Council member Elizabeth Glidden hosted the Oct. Continue Reading

Hamline’s MPIRG rocks the vote

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Hamline Chapter of the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG) wants to make voting less intimidating for those who have never voted before. The non-partisan organization works on informing and registering college students for Election Day.“In reality, all elections are important. It seems that people think that if we aren’t electing the president that means whatever is on the ballot isn’t going to affect them. That isn’t true at all!” said Lizy Busta, a second year at Hamline University and MPIRG co-chair.This election season, the state of Minnesota is voting for Governor, State House Representative, U.S. House Representative, U.S. Senator, Attorney General and school board members.“All of these people on the ballot have a huge impact on our state, so it’s important to go and vote for who you think will benefit Minnesota,” said Busta. “The President of the United States isn’t the only person that works in the government and it’s important for people to realize that.”In order to help inform college students MPIRG is hosting Voter Awareness Series, with several of this year’s candidates. Continue Reading