Southwest Connector

The Wilson’s back porch was opened up through careful deconstruction by a Better Futures crew. (Photo submitted)

Why throw away a house when parts can be reused?

From early 20th Century thrift to building cabins from contractor cast-offs, building materials reuse had long been an informal norm. But in a more recent world, entire houses have been thrown in the … more

By Margo Ashmore | 4/6/23

Twin Cities ranks 24th nationally for EV-friendliness

The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metropolitan area ranks 24th nationally for EV-friendliness, mainly prompted by a strong EV ownership mindset, the overall favorable infrastructure, the growing … more

4/4/23

“You’re talking about our children breathing. You’re talking about our children living past 25 and not having heart issues that we don’t understand where they got them. It’s our future and our children,” said Jolene Jones on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at the Roof Depot site.

Residents speak: No city project at Roof Depot Site

For the Indigenous people and allies living in south Minneapolis, the Roof Depot conflict is an issue of life or death. And they can back it up with data.Their decade-long fight to stop a city-run … more

By Tesha M. Christensen | 3/23/23

Plan aims for zero-waste future

The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners wants to cut waste. And according to a recent county report there is roughly 2.8 trillion pounds of waste produced in the county every year. That is over … more

By Cam Gordon | 3/16/23

Michele Rae, RPh, MA, NBC-HWC is the founder of The Center Within, LLC and author of “Living From the Center Within: Co-Creating Who You Are Becoming.” She provides holistic coaching designed to accelerate and support personal, professional, and organizational transformation.

Healthy beliefs, healthy life

Limiting beliefs, whether you are aware of them or not, can self-sabotage your health. What are limiting beliefs? They are a state of mind or belief about yourself, how the world works, ideas, or how … more

By Michele Rae | 3/16/23

Protestors attended the Jan. 26 city council meeting to show their support for the community plan for the Roof Depot site, as well as the Feb. 23 meeting. There was no public comment during the meetings, and city council members approved demolishing the Roof Depot building and continuing with the plan to build a new public works facility there. (Photo submitted)

Mayor Frey – what are you hiding?

At the corner of 28th St and Longfellow Ave in East Phillips neighborhood, south Minneapolis, the Roof Depot building quietly awaits its unknown fate.The city wants to demolish the Roof Depot to … more

By Daniel Colten Schmidt | 3/1/23

While the mighty gush of Minnehaha Falls usually fills the park with a constant roar, the drought of 2022 saw a complete standstill to the water flow through the creek. Similar but less severe droughts stopped the creek flow in 2000, 2009, 2012 and 2021. What does this year hold for the waterfall and winding creek?

Can Minnehaha Creek be restored?

Leaves rustle in a dry creek bed, tiny fish drift ever so slightly in stagnant pools of murky water. Drips slip past and quietly fall over the limestone cliff. While the mighty gush of Minnehaha … more

By Russ Henry and Sean Connaughty | 3/1/23

Occupation at the roof depot site broken up

Over a hundred Minneapolis Police Officers and 50 squads shut down an eight-block radius around the Roof Depot site at Longfellow and 27th on Tuesday evening, Feb. 21, 2023, at about 6:15 p.m., and … more

3/1/23

Cassandra Holmes at the Roof Depot site on Tuesday evening, Feb. 21, 2023. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

PROTESTING CITY’S PLANS FOR ROOF DEPOT SITE

Over a hundred Minneapolis Police Officers and 50 squads shut down an eight-block radius around the Roof Depot site on Tuesday evening, Feb. 21, 2023, at about 6:15 p.m., and forcibly removed … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN | 2/22/23

Michaela Neu has been working as Green Minneapolis Project Coordinator since April 2022. “The urban tree canopy is an essential component of urban infrastructure that keeps our cities livable and economically vibrant - just like our transit systems or stormwater management systems,” Neu said.

Building a greener Minneapolis

Green Minneapolis is dedicated to advancing the vibrancy of Minneapolis through parks and greening. The non-profit (81 South 9th Street Suite 260) conducted a study focused on establishing an urban … more

Chloe Peter | 11/3/22

Kate Marnach holds a Trick or Trash box, a candy wrapper recycling program that her shop, Zeroish (2309 W 50 S. ), takes part in. The program will be back closer to Halloween and community members can drop off wrappers for recycling.

LIVING SUSTAINABLY ONE SMALL STEP AT A TIME

According to the Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, limiting the earth’s warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius would require reducing greenhouse gas emissions by a minimum of 45% by 2030 and … more

Chloe Peter | 9/21/22

Carol Dungan submitted a statement on behalf of the Standish Ericsson Neighborhood Association Board, and then said she had a personal note for the MPRB board members. “I am deeply offended at the way some board members have addressed our community,” she said. “The misinformation coming from this board is unchecked and we deserve better. I would like you to consider giving us an apology for the op-ed that appeared today [in the Star Tribune].”

Is lake unsafe due to pollution from golf course?

The Hiawatha Golf Course Master Plan is heading to a public hearing, another meeting in a long line of contentious meetings since the course flooded in 2014 and the public learned how much pumping is … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN | 8/2/22

Writers and editors celebrate the launch of “We Are Meant To Rise: Voices of Justice from Minneapolis to the World.” Left to right: Tess Montgomery, Samantha Sencer-Mura, Carolyn Holbrook, David Mura, Anika Fajardo, and Suleiman Adan. (Photo by Terry Faust)

Diversity of Twin Cities highlighted in anthology

Carolyn Holbrook loves to bring people together to discuss difficult issues. As an educator, author and advocate for the healing power of the arts, she has spent much of her life doing just that. … more

By Jan Willms | 7/28/22

‘CLIMATE STORIES FOR JUSTICE’ PART OF FRINGE FESTIVAL

Change Narrative, an organization bringing creative climate programming that balances science with art, empathy, and emotion led by Jothsna Harris, announces “Changing the Narrative: Climate … more

7/27/22

East Cedar Lake beach will remain natural. A formalized event area and a concert area with natural materials is proposed, and some new soft surface trails will be added. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

No new structures on Cedar or Lake of the Isles

There are no new permanent structures in the revised master plan for Cedar Lake and Lake of the Isles.That means no picnic pavilions. No new bathroom facilities. No rental kiosks. These items were … more

By Tesha M. Christensen | 7/13/22

Judson Church shines on

Hope comes in many sizes and colors these days. And although it is a four-letter word, it can also be spelled in five letters: SOLAR. It’s not every church in south Minneapolis that invested in … more

By Beth Waterhouse | 7/13/22

Open Streets returned in 2021 to two miles along Lyndale Ave. on Sunday, June 5, 2022.

AN OPEN LYNDALE

In 2011, Our Streets Minneapolis hosted its first event on two miles of Lyndale Avenue. Since then, over 575,000 people have attended Open Streets events. After a pause in 2020 and a scaled down … more

6/16/22 | 1 comment

"We are committed to helping communities build connections through conversation and we will do our best to help however we are able," said Chelsea Rowles.

LIVING ROOM CONVERSATIONS

How can people have hard conversations that will bring them together versus driving them apart? In a city that is engaged in tough conversations about policing, race and more, Chelsea Rowles suggests … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN | 5/30/22

Standish-Ericsson resident Roxanne Stuhr said, "One of my biggest rewards comes from guiding people through the process of creating their own individual take on an effective system and seeing them be proud and excited of their contribution." (Photo by Penny Fuller)

Guardians of our freshwater

What thoughts or images come to mind when you hear “freshwater”? Do you see a sparkling lake, hear water lapping against the shoreline, feel it tickling your toes? Is it a gurgling creek … more

By PENNY FULLER | 5/30/22

Xe Moua (left), with sisters Youa, Linda and Anna Yang of North Minneapolis, fish for bass in the Kenilworth Channel between Lake of the Isles and Cedar Lake on May 15. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

A SANCTUARY IN THE CITY

Soon, a light-rail train will stop in one of the most natural areas of Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board (MPRB) is considering how to plan for the future of Cedar Lake and Lake … more

By Tesha M. Christensen | 5/24/22