Ever since Mayor Chris Coleman introduced his 2015 budget in August, I’ve been anxious to learn more about the details of the Mayor’s proposal for a new $42.5 million “8-80 Vitality Fund”. Last week a list of projects were posted online in preparation for the City Council’s October 8th budget review session. I shared the list with streets.mn readers in my post, “Saint Paul’s 8-80 Vitality Fund Can Help Saint Paul Work for Everyone” (October 7, 2014). But I still had a lot of questions about the details, so I headed down to City Hall to listen in on the Council discussion. The majority of the time was spent reviewing the Palace Theater renovation project and the newly prepared list of projects to be funded with the remaining $9.5M Continue Reading
A new goal to construct and renovate bus shelters in low-income neighborhoods has been met with skepticism rather than excitement from some community members.Metro Transit announced through Metro Council last week that they are the recipients of a $3.2 million Ladders of Opportunity grant — part of which will be used to construct and renovate bus shelters in Minneapolis and St. Paul by the end of 2015. Officials said with more and better shelters, they hope to increase ridership, and improve safety and comfort.“The goal is to install up to 150 new shelters, add amenities such as heat and light at up to 75 existing locations and to replace 75 to 100 shelters in Minneapolis that were privately owned and maintained until earlier this year,” said Metro Transit Public Relations Specialist Drew Kerr.Kerr said that the grant will be combined with a local match of $815,000 from Metro Transit, contributions from state legislature, and money left over from the Green Line Project. Altogether, he said, they should have $5.8 million to fund shelter improvements.According to the Metro Council website, that money will be focused on Racially Concentrated Areas of Poverty (RCAPs), a term that refers to areas where more than half the residents are people of color, and more than 40 percent of the residents have family incomes less than 185 percent of the federal poverty threshold.Kerr said Metro Transit has identified north Minneapolis and east St. Paul as areas to focus on. Continue Reading
On Wednesday, October 8th, at 10:00 am, the Saint Paul City Council Budget Committee will review Mayor Chris Coleman’s proposed 8-80 Vitality Fund. If approved, the fund will invest $42.5 million in infrastructure projects designed to promote economic development by enlivening Saint Paul’s streets and public spaces. The idea for the fund was inspired by Gil Penalosa’s presentation at the Great River Gathering last May, where he urged Saint Paul to embrace a bold vision of a city that works for everyone, from 8 year olds to 80 years olds. Continue Reading
It was nice to be spoiled by the lovely sun and some warmth so late in the season, but last week’s chill and rain told me two things: one is that I have to go into some warm coffee shops and bookstores for the 2015 Saint Paul Almanac Literary Festival. The second is that we have to hope and pray for great weather for the Saint Paul Art Crawl this weekend! Continue Reading
It’s beginning to feel and look a lot like fall in the Twin Cities! The first weekend of October is ushering in cooler temps and a lively roster of events to ease you into the season. Scroll down for the lineup and see Pumpkins, caramel and more; Twin Cities fall fun for fall-themed events taking place this weekend. If you know of an event fit for TC Weekend or upcoming holiday/seasonal events, use our calendar to upload the event, or send an email to tcweekend@tcdailyplanet.net. Minneapolis Underground Film Festival, October 1 -5The Minneapolis Underground Film Festival, now in its 7th year, is back with an exciting lineup of original and provocative work. The fest is hosted and sponsored by The Film Society of Minneapolis at St. Continue Reading
Earlier this week, news surfaced that the Kellogg Ave-3rd Street bridge connecting Lowertown and Dayton’s Bluff is structurally deficient. The bridge, built in 1982 by MnDOT, has four vehicle lanes, the outer two largely supported by concrete cantilevers with pier supports built in the middle. Continue Reading
This weekend looks to be a beauty with warm temperatures and a vibrant array of events to help you enjoy the start of fall. In addition to the weekend picks below, don’t forget to check out Pumpkins, caramel and more; Twin Cities fall fun for fall-themed events taking place this weekend!Let us know how you will spend the weekend by sending your photos and comments to tcweekend@tcdailyplanet.net or #hashtag the name of the event, and we’ll add them to our story. If you know of an event fit for TC Weekend, use our calendar to upload the event or use the email address above. Black Master Storytellers Festival: “Straighten Up An’ Fly Right,” September 25-27The 23rd Annual Black Master Storytellers Festival: “Signifyin’ & Testifyin,’” kicks off this week with the inspiring and uplifting theme, “Straighten Up An’ Fly Right.” The three-day storytelling celebration begins with an opening ceremony on Thursday, a “Liar’s Contest” at the Ames Elks Lodge on Friday, and closes Saturday with the Grand Finale at the Minneapolis Central Library’s Pohlad Room. Find the schedule of events and other details at BlackStorytellers.comAll events are free and open to the public. Rauchfest IV, September 27Harriet Brewing presents Rauchfest IV, an outdoor beer, art, food and music festival. Festivities include craft beer, food trucks, local art and two stages with live music. Harriet Brewing will brew a single batch of Rauchfest, a smoked Oktoberfest Lager, for the festival.Noon – 5pm3036 Minnehaha Ave Harriet Brewing, Minneapolis Free admission this year! Urban League Family Day, September 27The Minneapolis Urban League is celebrating its 25th year of Family Day by transforming north Minneapolis streets into an urban festival, marketplace, and resource fair. Continue Reading
Sept. 22 marks the official start of fall, offering a bounty of colorful fall foliage, apple orchards, corn mazes, and an endless wave of pumpkin flavors! Below we’ve highlighted an assortment of festivities in the Twin Cities (and beyond) to help you get the most out of the season. Please share with us your favorite thing about fall by taking our poll below! <a href=”http://polldaddy.com/poll/8320869/”>What do you enjoy most about fall?</a>Looking for Halloween and Dia del los Muertos events? See: Creeps, crawls, candy and more: Halloween highlights in the Twin Cities. Also, if you know of great upcoming holiday or seasonal events, spread the word by using our calendar or send an email to paigeelliott@tcdailyplanet.net.Fall AttractionsTwin Cities Harvest Festival and Maze 8001 109th Ave N, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445 | 952-992-9326Weekends: 10am – 6pm; Admission: $12 per guest. Continue Reading
Back in the day, when I practiced law, I frequently appeared before a judge who really didn’t like my (juvenile, poor, wrong-side-of-the-tracks) clients. On one memorable day, I began my protest with, “The law says …” Continue Reading
Last week was a big arts week for Saint Paul, with the first three readings of the 
