Finding a Green Way to Govern

There will be a public meeting on December 4, at 7 pm at Matthews Center (2701 East 24th St) for Xcel Energy and concerned Seward residents about power poles treated with pentachlorophenol. To learn more, please see the press release from the neighborhood below: *** SEWARD NEIGHBORS CONCERNED ABOUT NEW PESTICIDE-TREATED UTILITY POLES INSTALLED IN MINNEAPOLIS RESIDENTIAL AREAS Residents of the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis have raised concerns about the offensive odor and potential health risks of new power poles being installed by Xcel Energy throughout the city of Minneapolis, and specifically in the Seward neighborhood. The new power poles are treated with a chemical mix of fuel oil plus pentachlorophenol pesticide and its by-products, including dioxin, one of the most toxic chemicals known to science. These poles are replacing older, damaged poles in residential areas. Hundreds of these poles have already been installed. Up to 600 more are slated for installation in Minneapolis...

A very disturbing and false rumor has been circulated recently that inaccurately indicated that our Elections Director, Cindy Reichert, was improperly carting around 32 absentee ballots "in the trunk of her car for days." You can read and see for yourself here and here that this story is not only false, but more or less invented by someone, apparently, from the Coleman campaign team. I do not know if this was the intent of the Coleman campaign and other prominent Republicans (including Governor Tim Pawlenty), but this oft-repeated falsehood serves to undermine public confidence in the recount process, and by extension the democratic process itself. More importantly, this rumor impugns the integrity of a City employee with whom I have been honored and privileged to work for the past three years. My staff and I have had the opportunity to serve with Ms. Reichert on a number of issues, mostly regarding Ranked Choice Voting. She ran the automatic recount on a judicial primary r...

Yesterday, the Minneapolis Bicycle Advisory Committee formally supported Representative Phyllis Kahn's bill 4245 , which would require bicyclists to stop at stop signs only when there is right-of-way that they must yield to other road users (including cars, pedestrians and other bicyclists). It would also enable cyclists to proceed through red lights, after stopping, again only if there are no other road users with right-of-way. The Committee made some great suggestions to Rep. Kahn, including looking into an age limit on exercising this privilege, for many of the same reasons that we don't give driver's licenses to people under a certain age. They also recommended that she ensure that the language in the bill matches the existing traffic statutes. The fact that the City group empowered to represent the bicycle community has formally supported this bill will help Cam's efforts to get it listed as a support item on the City's legislative agenda.

2008 marks the 90th anniversary of the 1918 Armistice. To honor this historic event I invite to join me at a special event. Partners in Peace Celebrating the 90th Anniversary of Armistice Day 7 PM, Tuesday, November 11, 2008 Brit’s Pub 1110 Nicollet Avenue Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403 Please click here for more details, and to RSVP. Veterans, family, friends and interested parties are invited. We’ll be in Brit’s Pub’s Long Room, adjacent to their main bar on Nicollet Mall across from Peavy Plaza. There will be drink specials and a complimentary buffet, as well as a few speeches and period music. This is an informal event though, so there will be plenty of time to chat and socialize. We will pay special tribute to our allies in Peace and to some of America’s forgotten veterans, the mariners of the United States Merchant Marine. Merchant mariners were first to volunteer for service after the peace in Europe was shattered in 1939. They were the first to be lost at sea in WWII, first to b...