City Pages on Aggressive Solicitation

By -
The City Pages blotter has an interesting article today on the public hearing on Aggressive Solicitation last week. I hope we'll see a longer print article on this topic in an upcoming issue, a good follow-up to their recent cover story on "The Neighbors You Don't Know."

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lessons from Mr. Smith's Time in City Hall

By -
  Part 1 - Mr. Smith Goes to City Hall Last year, the city saw an exodus of staff in two of its newest divisions, the office of race, equity and inclusion and the office of performance and innovation, now called The Department of Performance Management and Innovation. Both lost all their staff in 2023. One of those who left in 2023 was Brian K. Smith. In 2016 Smith went from being an outsider fighting city hall to becoming the Director of the new city division aimed at innovation and equity, started by then-mayor Besty Hodges. That ended last year, following a controversial city coordinator appointment, a discrimination complaint, and a lawsuit he and others filed against the city. On July 7, 2023, just a few weeks after retiring from his position working in City Hall, I met with Smith and talked with him about his experience there.  He didn’t expect to get the job when he was hired by Hodges.   “She knew me just like most of the other council members,”...
Read more

Green Party of Minnesota Endorses 4 Candidates for 2026 Election

By -
Image
  MINNEAPOLIS, MN - On April 18th, 2026, at their state endorsing convention, the Green Party of Minnesota (GPMN) endorsed four candidates for the 2026 election: Steven Young and Jane Kirby for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, respectively, Seth Kuhl-Stennes for Secretary of State, and Ngone Niang for the District 39 State Senate seat.    Seth Kulh-Stennes, Steven Young, Jane Kirby and Ngone Niang at the April 18 convention  "People are waking up to the corruption in both the Democrat and Republican parties. Corporate money and special interest money in both parties is  likely the  reason we  don't  have universal healthcare, regulation on toxic chemicals, or superior public schools,” said Green Party of Minnesota Co-chair Rachel Braaten. “It's also the reason we have been funding a genocide abroad, racist immigration policies, and subsidization of the fossil fuel industry.”    “I offer my congratulations to all the outstanding Green Party-endors...
Read more

Banning Sofas and Easy Chairs

By -
I want to clarify my position on an ordinance proposed by council member Hofstede regarding furniture in yards and on porches. The specific proposed amendment adds the following language: Any upholstered furniture not manufactured for outdoor use, including upholstered chairs, upholstered couches, and mattresses placed in any front yard, side yard or rear yard abutting a street or on any opened porch exposed to the elements, shall constitute a nuisance condition .” According to discussions at the committee an exposed porch includes any porch that has a roof and railings but it not fully enclosed with windows or screens. I have listened carefully to the concerns and reasoning behind this proposal and can appreciate the good intentions of those who are supporting and bringing this idea forward, but I can't support this proposal as presented. I am willing to support the portion that restricts the use of upholstered furniture (not specifically manufactured for outdoor use) on lawns an...
Read more