A paradigm shift in defining “competitiveness”
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Some high-profile journalists in the business press and mainstream media are talking about economic competitiveness in a way that suggests a paradigm shift may be underway. Continue Reading
COMMUNITY VOICES | Homegrown talent has designs on a prosperous North Minneapolis
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Jamil Ford lives and works in North Minneapolis. His relationship goes far beyond that though; he believes that his business, Mobilize Design Architecture, is an important part of creating a prosperous, dynamic and safe community there. His passion is to design beautiful and accessible buildings and housing at busy, blighted or crime-ridden intersections to spur economic development. Prosperity, security and pride, he believes, will follow.Ford is one of those rare guys who had his path mapped out in the 8th grade. He was the kid who was corralling friends to haul logs, lumber and railroad ties to build the clubhouse he designed. Continue Reading
Enough work? Supply, demand and the roots of income inequality
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Income inequality is certainly the rallying issue for many progressives these days. Paul Krugman goes as far as to call it the one issue, the only important one. “Inequality is, indeed, the defining challenge of our time. Will we do anything to meet that challenge?” he asked last December. Continue Reading
Facing income inequality, let’s raise the minimum wage
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It’s easy to get lured into the illusion that you have a limitless amount of choice as a consumer, or that somehow, one person buying free trade or organic food or buying from local businesses instead of big box stores will make an impact on the environment or the lives of workers. Making ethical shopping choices might make you feel better about your own role in the world, but how much change can one person do?The fact is, we actually have very little choice. Even if we avoid the “bad” companies that we hear about on the news or through some social media campaign, many products —from the clothes and shoes we wear to our phones, our appliances — make us complicit in really bad wages and conditions for workers around the world.It’s also really easy to be a hypocrite about buying decisions. For me, it’s pretty easy to boycott Walmart, a store I’ve only shopped at maybe twice in my life. But Target, whose wages for their retail staff are comparable? Continue Reading
COMMUNITY VOICES | The mystery of the unsold Vikings stadium bonds
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According to news reports, contract negotiations between the State of Minnesota and the Viking Football team might be wrapped up as early as next Tuesday, September 24, 2
Minneapolis committee decision may halt Opus development in Dinkytown; House of Hanson in limbo
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A Minneapolis City Council committee on Thursday, July 25, rejected a plan to rezone a portion of Dinkytown for a six-story mixed-use development to replace the House of Hanson and other businesses.After the meeting, the owner of the House of Hanson said she may not close on July 31 as she had announced earlier in the week.The zoning and planning committee voted 3-2 against the rezoning from C1 commercial to C3A that allows mixed-use developments like the Opus six-story proposal. The City Council may make the final decision on Friday, August 2.“I don’t know what’s next,” said Laurel Hanson Bauer, owner of the 80-year-old corner grocery store founded by her grandfather in 1932. “I have to figure out a way to stay in business until I know. If I’m in business, I make money. If my business is closed, I make nothing.”Before announcing her plans to close, she said, council members had indicated to her they supported the rezoning that would permit the Opus project that would displace her business.“Now they’re saying no. Continue Reading
Dinkytown’s House of Hanson to close on July 31
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The House of Hanson, which has been a corner grocery store in Dinkytown for 80 years, will close on July 31, 2013, owner Laurel Hanson Bauer announced on July 22.“I was not ready to reveal my end date, mostly for emotional reasons,” she said in an e-mail. “But I am ready to pull the plug and am closing the doors for grocery sales on July 31st—yep 9 days!!!!”Earlier this year, Bauer signed a purchase agreement with Opus Development, which plans to build a six-story mixed-use business and apartment complex on the site.Since then, residents and businesses have lined up to support or oppose the development—both sides claiming they will do the most to “save” Dinkytown.The development requires approval of a number of variances and rezoning from commercial (C1) to mixed use (C3A) by the City Council, whose zoning and planning committee will hear the development proposal at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 25, in City Hall. Committee actions could go the next full City Council meeting on Friday, August 2.The proposal called “5th Street SE Mixed Use; 1300-1322 5th Street SE and 425 14th Avenue SE” is listed on the zoning and planning committee’s consent agenda and three staff reports have been posted. The city’s planning commission approved the development on June 24. Kristen Eide-Tollefson, whose Book House store was evicted from Bauer’s building, helped create the Save Dinkytown organization to stop the Opus development.“Save Dinkytown will present a 3,000-signature petition opposing rezoning—1,000 handwritten and 2,100 online signatures—with hundreds of comments to City Council Member Diane Hofstede on Tuesday, [July 23]” and to the zoning and planning committee, Eide-Tollefson said.Eide-Tollefson said they will seek a public hearing at the zoning and planning committee. The city DFL convention this summer supported their position against the Opus project.Eide-Tollefson said the council could vote for the rezoning without commenting on the Opus project. Continue Reading
Uptown Minneapolis chick lit, 2015
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When Jessie falls, she falls fast and hard—so of course she had a huge lady boner for the guy she met Friday night at the Buzza, and of course she wanted to talk about it, so on Saturday night I grabbed a six-pack of Big Ginger and went over to Elán to pregame.Jessie didn’t even know the guy’s name, it turned out, but she remembered that he worked at either MoZaic or MoZaic II, and that he’d mentioned a plan to hang out at Stella’s on Saturday. After a Big Ginger and a tallboy of Surly Filthy Rich each, we were feeling good and about to go scout the scene at Stella’s—when Jessie checked her phone and screamed. “Aaugh! That girl from Blue just checked in at Abilene! Should we go there?” I tried to be the voice of reason. Continue Reading
BBB says: Look ahead before leaping into a reverse mortgage
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With the cost of living on the rise, some senior citizens are finding themselves on shaky financial ground. Continue Reading
Gentrification: Am I the problem?
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This week I started a Reporter’s Notebook about a group of families who have to leave their home because their landlord, who took over ownership of their building at the end of last year, has decided to fix up the place. The landlord has given a number of tenants in the building notice to vacate to make way for renovations.The families I talked to are all immigrant families. Their families are back in their home country, so they have come to trust their neighbors, who have become a kind of family to them. Moving means leaving that network, not to mention the stress of finding a new place they can afford to live. The other apartments that the landlord has offered them as alternatives to move into are too expensive for them to afford.One reason I’m especially interested in this story: it’s happening in Whittier, my own neighborhood. Continue Reading