Rebuild Repair Recycle | Southwest Connector

They wanted to save the boulevard trees along six blocks of 29th Ave. and they came together to do just that. Then they celebrated together at Arbeiter Brewing. (Photo by submitted)

Residents along six blocks of 29th Ave. S have banded together to save 40 ash trees. “These are public trees that the whole community benefits from,” observed Loey Colebeck. “Many … more

By Tesha M. Christensen | 1/2/25

A second run leads to a home run

Longfellow resident Mary Haugh got a second run at life and decided to give vintage homes a second life, too. After surviving an aggressive form of cancer in the prime of her professional marketing … more

By Tesha M. Christensen | 11/29/24

The Minnesota Toy Library is for parents, grandparents, educators, occupational therapists, and mostly, for kids, to come and choose toys that are fun and that help them learn. MTL Executive Director Rebecca Nutter said, “We can’t just keep consuming things. We need to do better.” (Photo submitted)

Minnesota Toy Library opens third metro location

The Minnesota Toy Library (MTL) is a toy lending program for families with children ages birth to five years. Members can check-out up to five toys at a time, and take them home for 2-4 weeks. And … more

By Margie O’Loughlin | 11/29/24

Aaron Blaser, owner of the Curioso Coffee Bar in Seven Points mall, said he has a “guarded optimism” about Uptown’s future. He believes in its potential “to be a real point of interest,” and thinks that having street construction wrap up will make a big difference.

Uptown: Reimagined

With significant street construction coming to an end along Hennepin Avenue from 31st to 28th Streets, Uptown is ready for a renaissance – French for rebirth. “I think we’re on the … more

By Brian Gabrial | 11/20/24

Pianocycle founder Zero One is a music maker and mathematician, as well as a piano recycler. "Pianos often have high sentimental value. Even if your family piano can’t be played anymore, we ensure that it still leaves a legacy," said One.

Reuse, replay, or recycle your old acoustic piano

It’s one thing to cull outgrown or unused clothes from your closet, but what do you do with a piano that’s outlived its usefulness in your home? Pianocycle is a Public Benefit Corporation … more

By Margie O’Loughlin | 10/30/24

Holding harvested marigold blossoms, farmer and educator Maddy Bartsch said, “We’re land stewards really, those of us who are working to develop our local fiber system.”

Three Rivers Fibershed connects people with local fiber

Marigolds, hollyhocks, cosmos, and black eyed Susans. These are just a few of the late-summer flowers bursting into bloom right now. While many are cutting them for bouquets, farmer Maddy Bartsch is … more

By Margie O’Loughlin | 9/18/24

The Green Line Extension crosses the Kenilworth Channel on a bridge and then dips underground to travel under Cedar Lake Parkway. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Constructing a tunnel

The Kenilworth Tunnel is expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2025. On July 31, 2024, Met Transit reached a major milestone when the lowest element of the tunnel was done. In September, … more

By Tesha M. Christensen | 8/21/24

Ericsson resident Jessica Wyn Miller (right), an entomologist, leads a Bug Club adventure into the world of bugs near her Minnehaha Creek-side home. She has found that her work as an artist intersects with insects.“I got excited for aquatic insects when I found out they reflect the health of a water," she recalled.

She hated bugs – so she decided to become an entomologist

Jessica Miller still shrieks sometimes when a spider jumps on her, but the south Minneapolis environmental entomologist has found that makes her more approachable when she’s teaching classes on … more

By Tesha M. Christensen | 7/24/24

Joel Albers and Eric Johnson, both Seward residents, are working to save the historic Bethany Church from being demolished. They think the community will regret destroying a historic structure.

Activists rally to save historic Seward Church

For 70 years, Eric Johnson has lived in the shadow of Bethany Church, but that shadow may soon disappear if the building’s current owner, Augsburg University, moves ahead with plans to demolish … more

By Iric Nathanson | 7/24/24

What can one person do to help birds avoid collisions with windows? Close your curtains at night, especially during the migration season, to reduce light spread. Make sure outdoor light is directed downward and use minimally. And consider using window markings.

Make the Twin Cities more bird-friendly

Cradling the Mississippi River on either side, the Twin Cities are a critical, yet hazardous, resting place for migrating birds. An estimated 40 million birds migrated through the Mississippi River … more

By Margie O’Loughlin | 7/18/24

3rd Precinct building reuse

The city held an open house on June 10 at the Minneapolis American Indian Center at 1530 E Franklin Ave. to share a city proposal to use the former 3rd precinct police station building at 3000 … more

7/18/24

Drew Kerr, a Linden Hills resident who works for Met Transit, stands near the closed main intersection at Upton and 43rd. It will be fully closed for about 10 weeks as the city completes a water and sewer project at the same time as Met Transit does work on the E Line. After the city’s work is finished, the intersection will be partially closed. Local businesses have maps available to show where customers can park.

Fast, frequent, all-day service

Street projects on Hennepin Avenue from Lake to 26th, West Lake, France and Upton mean that getting around southwest Minneapolis is challenging right now, but traveling by bus will get faster when … more

By Tesha M. Christensen | 5/15/24

A rain barrel collects roof runoff so you can save the rainwater for later use. Reroute downspouts away from pavement and onto grass, a rain barrel or a rain garden. (Photo courtesy of the University of Minnesota Extension)

A watershed moment

What is a watershed? What is our local watershed called? Where does it begin and end? What is the largest watershed in the U.S.? According to board chair of the League of … more

By Margie O’Loughlin | 5/15/24

As the city prepares to tear down the old Kmart building, it considers how to reconnect Nicollet Ave. Over 500 residents attended an open house on Oct. 10, and 1,200 people responded to a survey by Oct. 12.

What do people think?

The long process of reopening Nicollet Ave. at Lake St. took another step forward this month. City planners released design concepts for the public areas planned for the 10-acre site where a surface … more

By Cam Gordon | 10/19/23

Lyndale Ave South reconstruction

Hennepin County is working to build a Lyndale Avenue for today and tomorrow. The county is partnering with the city of Minneapolis, Metro Transit and others to continue improving safety for all users … more

9/9/23

Motorists can’t cross Lyndale at 25th anymore, but pedestrians and bicyclists can use the median to pause while crossing. Last summer, the two lanes in either direction were changed to one lane in either direction with a center turning lane. The pilot project was deemed successful as crashes and injuries have been reduced.

Lyndale safer since 4-to-3 conversion

The reduction of traffic lanes on Lyndale Ave from 31st St. to Franklin Ave. has improved safety and will remain in place. Called the “4-3 Lane Pilot Project,” Hennepin … more

By Cam Gordon | 7/21/23

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