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August 2, 2024
Good news for the Northside!
Daniel Hernandez will be opening a new location for Colonial Market in the old Aldi building. The Grand Opening is expected this December 2024.
I am so grateful for the Hernandez family and David Wellington for working together to bring back a grocery store in that space.
The new Colonial Market will have Grade A fresh produce, a deli counter, restaurant, and ice cream shop.
This is a huge win for the Northside!
Progress is being made on our railroad crossing project and we now have a brand!
Connecting Camden - Creating Vibrant Futures
TKDA, the consulting firm, has made great progress on data collection and potential solutions. Here are some next steps you can expect:
- The Railroad Crossing Elimination grant application has been released and is due by the end of September
- We will be collecting Letters of Support from a variety of stakeholders
- We will be conducting community engagement sessions, stay tuned for more details
The grant application that is due in September will fund the planning and feasibility study for the project. Once that is complete, we will know by spring of 2025 if we received the funding.
Thank you Will Wallace and Angela Williams for giving us a tour of the Nonviolent Peaceforce Hub and Peace Cafe located at Penn & Lowry.
I loved getting to see the work you are doing to make our community a better, safer place.
Check them out here.
I had a great time at the annual Webber-Camden Neighborhood Organization BBQ!
I always love getting outside to enjoy the weather with my Ward 4 neighbors.
Thank you to everyone that organized and volunteered at the event!
The Torchlight Parade was off the charts!
This Aquatennial spectacle is my happy place. It's the largest nighttime parade in Minnesota and I always have a good time. And the icing on the cake? Hanging out with the awesome firefighters of the Minneapolis Fire Department!
I was thrilled to see so many Northsiders living it up at the parade.
If you want to schedule a meeting or phone call with me, reach out to Maggie Kohl via email maggie.kohl@minneapolismn.gov or leave a message at 612-673-2204
If you have questions, comments, or concerns please contact Betsy Brock via her email betsy.brock@minneapolismn.gov or cell 612-257-5242
You can also reach me directly at my email latrisha.vetaw@minneapolismn.gov
As most of you know, I have open office hours every Friday at my ward office at 4205 Webber pkwy.
Please feel free to stop in any time between 10 am to 2 pm or email maggie.kohl@minneapolismn.gov to set up another time.
 Join me at a special community meeting dedicated to addressing key topics impacting North Minneapolis, particularly neighborhoods north of Dowling.
 Date: Wednesday, August 14th
 Time: 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
 Location: North Market, 4414 N Humboldt Ave N, MPLS, MN 55412
Discussion Topics:
Safety and Security
• Tackling speeding issues
• Enhancing policing strategies
Investment and Opportunity
• Insights on city-planned development and investments
Livability Goals for the North Side
Q&A Session:
Have your questions ready! We encourage North Side residents to submit questions ahead of time to help Council Member Vetaw prepare to address your concerns. Send your questions to info@victoryneighborhood.org.
This is a fantastic opportunity to engage with Council Member Vetaw, share your thoughts, and learn about initiatives that affect our community. We look forward to seeing you there!
For any inquiries about the event, feel free to email us at info@victoryneighborhood.org.
See you on August 14th
The applications deadline has been extended for the three NEW Cultural District Arts Fund programs! Now open till August 9, 4:30 p.m.! The Cultural Arts Districts Fund provides financial awards to empower community-based ambassadors, support temporary arts activations, and bolster cultural festivals, events and spaces, all with the goal of building a more inclusive, vibrant, and equitable future for Minneapolis throughout the seven Cultural Districts.
Ambassadors program: Selected ambassadors will be charged with leading community arts efforts in a specific arts district. Awarded funds may be used for any related expenses. ($15k)
The Pop-Up Art & Culture Activations program supports projects that incorporate a primary creative component that leverages the unique specialized skills and creative ambition of local creatives/artists. ($5k)
The Festivals & Cultural Spaces Activation program supports new or existing festivals and cultural centers, community arts centers, galleries and studios, healing arts centers, community celebrations, art markets, art-centered events, art-focused block parties, parks, plazas, streets, and arts educational events. Applicants from all disciplines, including visual, performing, literary, media, culinary, digital and public arts, as well as design, craft and non-traditional mediums, are encouraged to apply. ($16,700)
Apply today here!
With Minnesota's primary election in less than two weeks, the Early Vote Center is extending its hours. Anyone who can vote in Minneapolis on Election Day can vote early at the Early Vote Center, 980 E. Hennepin Ave. See the extended hours on the City website.
Return your mail ballot
All mail-in ballots need to be received by Aug. 13 to count. Many Minneapolis voters have received a mail-in ballot but have not yet returned it. After Aug. 6, the City recommends returning mail ballots in person to avoid a late delivery. Ballots can be dropped off during regular business hours at Minneapolis Election & Voter Services, 980 E. Hennepin Ave., or at the Hennepin County Government Center, 300 Sixth St. S. On Election Day, Aug. 13, completed mail ballots will be accepted until 8 p.m.
Confirm your polling place
Everyone planning to cast their ballots on Election Day, Aug. 13, should check the location of their polling place. Find your polling place on the Minnesota secretary of state website.
See tips to save time voting and read more on the City website.
Mark your calendar: The 2025 Community Connections Conference will be Saturday, Feb. 8.
The conference is a free event that connects Minneapolis residents, community groups, neighborhoods and local government.
Community Connections Conference Saturday, Feb. 8 Minneapolis Convention Center
More information will follow closer to the date.
Minneapolis Animal Care & Control encourages pet adoptions to help more animals find their forever homes and make room in its shelter. Visitors through Aug. 3 will pair up with a staff member or volunteer to help find the right pet for them.
Staff is seeing a spike in animals at the shelter this summer. Just last week, 130 animals were in its care. Staff say that increasing vet care costs and housing insecurity are likely causing more community members to surrender their pets. This increase in surrenders, combined with a lagging adoption rate, have left the shelter full.
Animal Care & Control is open for adoptions:
- 1-5 p.m. Monday-Wednesdays
- 1-7 p.m. Thursdays
- 1-5 p.m. Fridays
- 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays
Minneapolis residents are not charged adoption fees for cats or adult dogs; they just need to pay for a City license. Puppies younger than six months are $250 regardless of residence. Adoptable cats and dogs are already spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated.
Read more on the City website.
The City Trees program is providing low-cost trees to Minneapolis property owners. Since the program began in 2006, the City has helped plant more than 20,000 trees. Minneapolis is one of the country’s greenest cities.
Trees are available year-round to:
- Businesses
- Nonprofits
- Organizations
- Apartment buildings with five or more units
Residents in Minneapolis Green Zones are encouraged to participate and to plant shade trees for the most benefits, including natural cooling during the hotter months.
The Climate Legacy Initiative is funding the City Trees program.
See what tree programs are offered on the City website.
Watch a video and hear from our City Trees team.
The City opened a Narcan vending machine this month. The pilot program provides a free life-saving resource for people in need. It is located outside Fire Station 21 in an area that has seen a high amount of substance use and overdoses. So far this year, there have been 74 suspected overdoses and four suspected fatal overdoses. Between 2017 and 2021, there were 38 opioid-related deaths in the area.
Vending machine details
- Fire Station 21, 3209 E. 38th St.
- 24-hour access.
- Free to community members with no barriers.
Watch the news conference and hear from Minneapolis resident Christopher Burks who was saved by Narcan six times.
Find opioid and substance use resources on the City website.
Recent measles cases in our metro area serve as a reminder to protect yourself and your loved ones from this highly contagious disease.
Measles can easily spread and lead to serious health complications, including death. Vaccinations provide the best protection.
If you are not vaccinated and are notified that you have been exposed to measles, you must quarantine for 21 days to prevent spreading the disease. Quarantine can lead to significant life disruptions.
Read more about the importance of protecting yourself from measles on the City’s website.
Minneapolis has a contract with Aira, an app that helps residents and visitors who are blind or have low vision navigate their surroundings using their phone. The person opens the app on their phone and is connected with a navigator who provides visual navigation support. The Aira app uses smart technology to connect users with human agents who are trained professional guides. The agents access the user’s smartphone camera (or Aira glasses) for a live video feed combined with GPS and maps so they can describe these public spaces and help users maneuver through them and also more richly experience what they have to offer.
The service is now available at Target Center, Minneapolis Convention Center, Nicollet Mall, City Hall, and the City’s Public Service Building and Public Service Center. This contract had been in place since 2019 and was recently renewed with the addition of the Public Service Center and the Public Service Building.
Download the free app and use it for free within any of these locations listed above.
A new City pilot will provide City funding to subsidize rent for artists and arts organizations in vacant storefronts in the Harmon Place Historic District.
This will ensure stable tenants for property owners and furnish essential space for the local creative community. The physical spaces will help artists workshop, develop and present their programming and artmaking to the public, and build community. This pilot is intended to support creative opportunities and increase vibrancy, innovation and sustainability.
The program is open to Minnesota residents, with a preference for Minneapolis residents.
The first round of applications will be accepted through Aug. 30. Applicants from all disciplines including visual, performing, literary, media, culinary, digital and public arts, design, craft and non-traditional mediums are encouraged to apply.
Staff will host a virtual information session Aug. 2.
Read more on the City website.
The Minneapolis City Council has approved a collective bargaining agreement with the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis. The agreement gives Minneapolis police officers a historic pay increase and important reforms. The vote marks the successful conclusion of a nearly 10-month negotiation between the City and the federation.
The contract, which applies to the period Jan. 1, 2023, through Dec. 31, 2025, includes a 21.7% pay increase over three years. The salary bump means MPD officers will be among the highest paid in Minnesota by 2025.
MPD Chief Brian O’Hara praised the City Council’s vote to strengthen and support the police force.
Key reforms and contractual changes include:
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A zipper clause: A common term in collective bargaining agreements that eliminates any prior side agreements that are not attached to the contract. This gives the City, the federation and the public the full scope of what has been agreed to in writing at the start of the term of the contract.
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Increased staffing flexibilities: The agreement gives management more discretion over job assignments and staffing ratios, so that Chief O’Hara and his leadership team can assign officers to areas of the greatest need and make promotions based on candidate readiness, not based on a mandated percentage.
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Employing civilian investigators: The MPD has identified opportunities to assign civilians clerical and investigative work so officers are deployed where they’re needed most.
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Public data requests: Officers will no longer receive automatic notification of the identity of the person requesting public personnel data about them.
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Extending investigation leave time: If there are allegations of severe misconduct, Chief O’Hara will have complete discretion to place the officer on paid investigatory leave and continue the leave for up to 180 days, instead of 30 days. This keeps the officer off the street while an investigation continues.
Find more information about the City’s contract negotiations with the federation on the City’s website.
The City has appointed 15 community members to serve on the African American Heritage Work Group. They will advise the Minneapolis City Council on efforts to document and honor African American history.
The group will focus on the Minneapolis African American Historic and Cultural Context study. It will include research on 25 sites that are culturally relevant or historically significant to the City’s Black community. Three sites from the study will be nominated to the National Register of Historic Places.
Artists, educators, community leaders and planners are among the volunteers selected for the work group. They will begin meeting in late July.
Read more about the African American Heritage Work Group and sign up for an email newsletter on the City website.
Find out about the Minneapolis African American Historic and Cultural Context study.
In recent years, the City’s Health Department has significantly increased the number of clinics and free vaccines provided to community members, especially in diverse areas. The effort is paying off with more people getting vaccinated and a reduction in vaccine hesitancy.
You can help. Get yourself vaccinated against:
- COVID-19
- Flu
- Mpox
- Measles, mumps and rubella
- Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis
The Minnesota Department of Health confirmed measles in three unvaccinated children in the metro in July.
Find a free vaccination clinic near you.
Consider hosting a free clinic in your neighborhood. Clinics can be added to already planned events or can be separate events. Staff and vaccines are provided at no cost. Contact Sebastiana Cervantes for more information and to set up a clinic.
Read more about the City’s vaccine program on the City website.
As part of the Climate Legacy Initiative, the City’s Green Cost Share program is helping Minneapolis residents make weatherization and other energy-saving improvements to their homes.
Owners of single-family or two- to four-unit residential properties can receive funds to make their property more energy efficient through rebates of up to $14,000.
From insulation to air-source heat pumps, the City can help you save money on utility bills and make your home more comfortable year-round.
Minneapolis resident Jamie Laudert received City funds to make her 100-year-old home energy-efficient year-round.
Watch Jamie’s video.
Apply for funds to make your home more energy efficient on the City website.
The Transit Assistance Program offers discounted transit fares for low-income residents, making it easier to commute to work, school, medical appointments and other essential activities. With a reduced fare TAP card, riders pay just $1 per ride, even during rush hour.
Now, qualifying riders can sign up for a TAP card at the Minneapolis Service Center in downtown. With its location near high traffic areas like the Government Center and Metro Transit’s Blue and Green light rail lines, the service center will be easily accessible by thousands.
Minneapolis Service Center Public Service Building, skyway level 505 Fourth Ave. S.
Find out more about the new location on the City website.
Start your enrollment on the Metro Transit website.
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