Finding a Green Way to Govern

While doing some research on the history of marriage in the United States, I learned that in 1958 Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter decided to get married, but because Mr. Loving and Ms. Jeter were different races, their marriage was illegal in their home state of Virginia. So, the couple went to Washington, D.C. and got married, but, after returning home, they were arrested because living together as a married couple was also illegal in Virginia. They were subsequently convicted of violating Virginia's Racial Integrity Act of 1924. A Judge ordered them to leave the state and not return for 25 years or spend one year in jail. They returned to Washington, D.C., but in 1963 took their case to Court. Their case, Loving vs. Virginia, eventually made it to the Supreme Court and resulted in the historic decision that made all U.S.  antimiscegenation laws illegal in 1967. As Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote then: "The freedom to marry has long be...

Our Equity in Employment efforts at the city are getting some national attention. A recent article  in PolicyLink 's "America's Tomorrow" newsletter says, " Minneapolis recently became the first city in the nation to adopt a resolution promoting racial equity in employment." We are expecting to get an update on progress made so far next Wednesday, the 24th, at the Public Safety, Civil Rights and Health committee meeting that starts at 1:30. The agenda and staff report should be posted online here soon. I believe this will be the 7th item on the agenda: “Equity in Employment in Minneapolis and the Region: Receive and file update report on Council Resolution 2012R-456 Supporting Equity in Employment in Minneapolis and the Region.” It will likely include a staff presentation with a first draft of an equity “tool kit.” Time for the committee members to ask questions and discuss the presentation and issue will also be provided. It would be helpful fo...

As you can read here , a location in the Southeast Minneapolis Industrial (or SEMI) area of the Second Ward is at the top of the list of locations Surly Brewing Company is considering for their new brewery and taproom. They will be applying for environmental remediation grants to deal with significant soil contamination of this land, which is fairly standard for the use of industrial land, especially on or near old railroad corridors. I am very supportive of this idea, and have encouraged City Economic Development staff to help in any way we can - though, to their credit, they've needed little encouragement.  Staff are as excited about the prospect of Surly making Minneapolis home as I am.  When  Surly moves to the SEMI area, it will bring a large number of good paying jobs to the Second Ward, increase the vitality of not only SEMI but the University Avenue corridor, and represent one of the first major employers attracted by the Central Corridor LRT. I look forward ...

This is good news: the Minnesota Department of Commerce has rejected Xcel's request to scrap the popular and successful Solar Rewards rebate program.  The Commerce Commissioner's reasons for requiring Xcel to keep Solar Rewards in place sound a lot like the City's position that I wrote about back in August.  Solar Rewards will remain in place for the next three years, though at a smaller rebate subsidy than before. Again, this lack of commitment to solar energy and building a viable, sustainable solar industry in Minneapolis and Minnesota is one of the reasons I think we ought to keep our energy options open .