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CM Jenkins with CP Payne, CM Ellison, CM Wonsley, CM Vetaw, CM Osman, Fire Chief Tyner, City employees and members of MBEN.
Dear neighbors,
It’s officially summer in Minneapolis, “how do we know” you ask? Because there are festivals every weekend and road construction everywhere we try to drive. I know, it’s frustrating and yet the work must get done.
I was proud to author and present three honorary resolutions at the City Council: recognizing Juneteenth, 40th Anniversary of Prince’s Purple Rain album, and LGBTQIA+ Pride, respectively. As I wrote about in my most recent newsletter, Juneteenth, observed annually on June 19th, commemorates a pivotal moment in American history. This day is not only a celebration of freedom but also a reflection on the ongoing struggle for equality and justice.
On June 25th, 1984, Prince released his sixth studio album in conjunction with his first full-length feature film. This past weekend Paisley Park and the City of Minneapolis celebrated the anniversary with a series of events, including concerts, panel discussions and a free block party right near First Avenue nightclub.
This coming weekend 400,000 LGBTQIA+ community members and their friends, families and allies will converge on Loring Park for the Twin Cities Pride Festival. Minneapolis is home to one of the largest Pride celebrations in the nation. This year the Minneapolis City Council will have a large contingent in the parade. I hope to see some of out you for the fun and festivities.
This week we are also thrilled to be hosting the U.S. Olympic gymnastic trials. I want to wish all competitors the very best, but I hope you’ll join me in cheering on Minnesota’s own Sunisa Lee and Shane Wiskus!
As many of you are aware, the City Council is deliberating on the new MPD contract. The contract, as negotiated, offers significant managerial controls to provide the police chief with broader authority to make personnel re-assignments, hold officers accountable, hire civilians to do administrative tasks that then free up sworn officers to be able to respond to 911 emergencies. Admittedly, this contract is not perfect. It does, however, reflect 15 of the 22 recommendations offered by “Mpls for a Better Police Contract.” This process and subsequent agreement have had more community engagement and input than any labor agreement in the City’s history. On Tuesday night, the Council hosted a public hearing, and we heard testimony from a broad number of constituents in support of approving this contract agreement. The council will vote on whether to adopt the contract in July.
Congratulations to Project for Pride in Living (PPL) as they broke ground yesterday on their 3030 Nicollet project that will have 100 units of deeply affordable housing with apartments ranging from 1-4 bedrooms. This is a significant project as it will be the first new housing project across from the reopening of Nicollet Ave. I was able to participate in all of the community engagement and design process sessions leading up to this point and advocated for City, State and County investment to make this vision a reality.
July 1st is Somali Independence Day, there will be a host of events marking the occasion throughout the week, find events near you!
Lastly, next week we celebrate the 4th of July! The City of Minneapolis will be hosting fireworks by the river. Have a safe celebration, everyone!
Happy Pride!
Love,
Andrea
CM Jenkins with CM Chavez, CM Cashman, CM Chowhury, City employees, community members and SOGI members.
CM Jenkins with Prince's relatives, Paisley Park employees and executives of the Prince estate.
Plan ahead if you’re heading to downtown Minneapolis this weekend to celebrate with the Twin Cities Pride Festival and Gymnastics City USA.
Streets closing for events
- First Avenue between Sixth and Seventh Streets (in front of Target Center) will close Thursday, June 27 to early Monday, July 1, for Gymnastics City USA events. One of the four lanes will remain open.
- From 9 a.m. until around noon Sunday, June 30, the Plymouth Street bridge, down Main Street to Hennepin Avenue will close for the Twin Cities Pride Festival 5K.
- Sunday, June 30, Hennepin Avenue to Spruce Street will close for the Twin Cities Pride Festival Rainbow Dash.
- Sunday, June 30, Hennepin Avenue between Third Street and Spruce Street will close for the Pride Parade.
Transportation
The Minnesota Department of Transportation encourages visitors to check 511 for updates to any closures due to event traffic or any issues related to recent flooding outside of the city.
- Parking options. There’s parking throughout Downtown. If you’re parking on the street, check signs to be sure of the time limit and hours of enforcement for your parking space. In addition to the many privately run parking facilities downtown, there are several City-owned parking facilities available.
Come early, stay late
Downtown restaurants, bars and other businesses are ready to welcome visitors. Take part in activities, shopping, dining and other entertainment before and after going to events. Enjoy the extra time to experience all each area has to offer and avoid traffic congestion.
Find more details on the City website.
With the State primary election coming up in August, know what you need to do to vote. Early voting begins June 28.
Voters can vote early in person at the Early Vote Center, 980 E. Hennepin Ave. or by mail.
Find more information on the City website.
The City wants to make sure people stay safe during fireworks season and know what to do if they have fireworks-related complaints. Fourth of July fireworks are part of Independence Day celebrations, and the noise complaints and safety issues they can generate lead to high call volumes at 911 call centers across the country. Because of the volume, police officers cannot be dispatched to each fireworks noise incident around the Fourth of July. Reducing the number of noise complaints to 911 will allow emergency calls to be answered as quickly as possible.
What's legal, what’s not
Non-explosive fireworks are legal in Minneapolis. Examples include sparklers, cones, tubes that spark, snakes and party poppers. It is legal to use these types of fireworks in your yard or on your sidewalk. Fireworks that explode or take off are illegal in Minneapolis. Examples include firecrackers, bottle rockets, missiles, roman candles, mortars and shells. It is illegal to use any fireworks on public property including roads, alleys, schools and parks.
When to call 911
For fireworks-related issues that pose life safety threats or fire hazards, residents should call 911 for police, fire or medical help.
Make noise reports online
Instead of calling 911 for Fourth of July noise reports, people are asked to make fireworks complaints online; the reports will be reviewed during normal business hours. Noise reports may also be made through the 311 mobile app or by calling 311 during business hours 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday. You can also text “fireworks” to 311898 to enter a fireworks complaint on the City’s website.
Residents should note that Minneapolis 311 is closed July 4, but the mobile application can be used any time to make a report. City staff will review the complaint during normal business hours when offices open again and may follow up with the property owner the complaint references.
Read more about fireworks safety, how to make a complaint, and when to call 911 on the City website.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will resume hosting its Red, White and Boom! Fourth of July event on the Downtown Minneapolis Riverfront this year.
This year, festivities will take place on the west side of the river, at Water Works and the Stone Arch Bridge parking lot. Live music and food trucks start at 6 p.m. July 4 with fireworks starting at 10 p.m.
Read more on the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board website.
 Students from Folwell Community and South High schools joined artists Constanza Caraballo and Marco Aguero to design and paint murals along 21st Avenue in south Minneapolis:
- Folwell Community School, 21st Avenue and 35th Street
- South High School, 21st Avenue and 31st Street
The new murals are part of the Safe Routes to School program, which helps make travel safer for kids as they go to and from school and around their neighborhoods. The program is part of the City’s commitment to improving infrastructure through innovative, community-driven projects.
Read more about the street murals on the City website.
The City of Minneapolis is committed to reducing climate pollution by 2030. To help accomplish this goal, the Minneapolis Health Department is announcing funding of more than $315,000 for 16 community-led projects related to urban agriculture and preventing wasted food.
As part of the City’s Climate Legacy Initiative, the funding will support efforts to create a fair and climate-resilient food system in Minneapolis.
Each organization’s project is addressing one or more of the following areas:
- Growing food using sustainable production methods.
- Using energy-efficient controlled environments to extend the growing season into the colder months.
- Reducing wasted food through distribution to food shelves, composting and other programs.
Watch the video Creating a Climate Legacy: Funding Homegrown Minneapolis Community Projects.
Read about the 16 community award recipients and their projects on the City website.
Receive guided assistance from volunteers to dismantle, troubleshoot and repair your small household appliances, clothing, electronics, mobile devices and more.
Hennepin County Fix-It Clinic Noon-4 p.m. Saturday, July 13 Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, 5025 Knox Ave. S.
View upcoming Fix-It Clinics.
Learn new ways to choose to reuse.
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Past BBW Kickoff event featuring Twin Cities Skaters
The City of Minneapolis is excited to host its forth annual Black Business Week. It takes place from Monday, July 22 to Sunday, July 28. August is National Black Business Month. To start it off, we’re having a wide range of events and activities. We’ll update with more detailed information soon.
Find more information here.
Legislation passed during the 2024 legislative session allows the City of Minneapolis to resume housing development under the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The legislation allows the City of Minneapolis to move forward with permitting long-stalled multi-unit housing projects.
The Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan was passed in 2019 and was the guiding vision for shaping how the city will grow and change for the next 20 years. This includes historic zoning reforms to allow for a diversity of use in all neighborhoods across the city.
In part due to the 2040 Plan, Minneapolis has seen record-breaking levels of affordable rental housing units produced in the past several years, while also keeping rents at some of the lowest rates in the country.
Read more on the City website.
 Minneapolis Animal Care & Control is now open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. every Saturday. The shelter is also open 1-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and until 7 p.m. on Thursday.
This expanded service is part of an ongoing effort to meet community members where they are and be available for those wanting to adopt pets in need.
Learn about adopting animals, volunteering and supporting Animal Care & Control on the City website.
 Minneapolis is proposing to redevelop the site of the former 3rd Police Precinct to house a new democracy center to expand access to the ballot box and provide a large space for community use. We’re asking residents to give us your input.
Take the survey.
Read more on the City website.
Xcel Energy is convening a new Environmental Justice Accountability Board (EJAB) under Minnesota Public Utilities Commission docket E002/M-22-266. EJAB will continue the Company’s work since 2022 with their Equity Stakeholder Advisory Group, which sought to develop new strategies to reduce energy burden for low-income customers, promote equitable access to energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, and diversify the energy workforce.
Xcel Energy aims to create a board that reflects the diverse racial/cultural/ethnic backgrounds and Tribal affiliations of communities they serve, including both urban and rural parts of its service territory, and includes members with a demonstrated commitment to equity and environmental justice. Experience with energy programs is not required, but they hope to have some members with such experience, especially in programs designed to serve low-income customers. The primary purpose of EJAB is to help Xcel Energy better understand and serve their low-income and BIPOC customers, so they want the EJAB to reflect those voices.
Xcel Energy is accepting applications through July 31, 2024 to serve on the EJAB. For more information and to receive an application form, please email ejab@xcelenergy.com.
This summer and fall, CenterPoint Energy will replace natural gas lines in the Central Neighborhood. The new pipes used are more resistant to corrosion and leakage, helping us continue to provide safe and reliable service to our customers.
The crews will work on select streets from Lake Street E. to 36th Street E. and from 2nd Avenue S. to Chicago Avenue S. They will replace natural gas mains, move inside meters outside by appointment, replace and/or reconnect the service lines to the new main, and restore the areas affected by their work.
Most of the traffic impacts will include sidewalk, lane, parking, and some road closures. While parking will be closed on both sides of the roads where the crews are working, the sidewalk will be closed on one side of the road at a time. The crews will work with residents and businesses on maintaining access to and from their homes, driveways, or parking lots. More information can be found on the project’s web page.
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Billy Hill owns and operates one of Minneapolis’ best barbershops: Urban Touch Barbers. The barbershop, clad in black and gold, offers the best cuts at affordable prices. When Mr. Hill isn’t cutting hair in his shop, he cuts hair for the elderly under his non-profit organization Final Phase. He travels to retirement homes, hospitals, and funeral homes to make sure that everybody has a gorgeous haircut. Thanks to Mr. Hill’s commitment to community and a partnership with Kente Circle Training Institute that equips barbers and hair stylists with valuable information, Urban Touch is a shop focused on improving mental health for Black men and boys through meaningful connection and dialogue.
If you’d like to see how Urban Touch can shape up your hair and your day, check them out: 1401 E 38th Street, 612-721-2113
Council Member Jenkins holds weekly office hours on Mondays at Sabathani Community Center from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Please contact the Ward 8 office to schedule a meeting. |
