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| |  | Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (left) shakes hands with Police Chief Brian O’Hara (right) at a press conference in 2023. (Stephen Maturen / Getty Images) |
| Is MPD fixing its race-based policing? | With ICE agents running amok, you may have forgotten that Minneapolis’s own police department is still under scrutiny. A nonprofit hired by the city to evaluate changes made by MPD after the murder of George Floyd released its third report, which spans April to September 2025. Effective Law Enforcement for All (ELEFA) reports that MPD has made “measurable and meaningful progress” but has been hindered by a lack of coordination, communication, and resources. [Northeaster / ELEFA] | - Background: Following the murder of George Floyd, the Minnesota Department of Human Rights launched an investigation into the MPD and found that the city and police department have engaged in a “pattern of race discrimination.” In response, Minneapolis and MDHR have a court-enforced agreement to make changes in the city’s policing. ELEFA was hired to check on MPD’s compliance with the agreement. [Northeaster]
- Diving in: The report concludes there’s a lack of coordination and buy-in from city and police leadership that is leading to some misunderstanding among staff. It also notes that MPD is assigning too many tasks to too few people, causing “bottlenecks” in the policy revision process. In a letter attached to the report, MDHR Commissioner Rebecca Lucero wrote that past and present city and MPD leaders “have not collectively acted with the urgency, coordination, and intentionality necessary” to address racial disparities in policing. [ELEFA]
- Interesting: According to the report, MPD solicited feedback from officers on policy changes. But officers often veered into complaining how the policy shouldn’t be revised because it would lead to “unfair investigations and discipline, or other tangential issues.” [ELEFA]
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| | | Everyone’s favorite Scottish nanny is headed to Saint Paul in “a feel-good, family-friendly comedy that delivers” (The Hollywood Reporter). Based on the beloved film, it’s “the lovable, big-hearted musical comedy we need right now” (Chicago Tribune) – one that proves we’re better together. Get tickets now. |
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| What the Cities Are Talking About |
| Pricey cleanup: The St. Paul City Council wants Ford Motor Co. to clean up a hazardous waste dump site in Highland Park. The contamination is leftover from the Twin Cities Assembly Plant, and a full clean-up would cost $71 million. Fred Melo reports the Council is hoping the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will compel Ford to shoulder the costs. The agency, for its part, wants a partial cleanup at $8.8 million. [Pioneer Press] | | Wild (Mid)west: You may have seen a video of alleged bounty hunters arresting a resident in Minneapolis. The men in a van marked as Midwest Bail Bonds are seen pulling a gun on bystanders. Izzy Canizares reports the city is investigating the incident, and explains that bounty hunters are hired by bail bond agencies to arrest defendants who fail to appear in court. [Spokesman-Recorder] | | “Desperation”: The fallout of the war in Iran is hitting home. Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor from White Bear Lake was killed in Kuwait the day after Israel and the U.S. attacked Iran. Gas prices in Minnesota are rising, on average, about 20 cents more per gallon than around this time last year. One Iranian American man living in Minnesota shared his family’s story of escaping the regime, and told FOX 9: “That’s a level of desperation I don’t know how to convey to people.” [Star Tribune / MPR / FOX 9] | |  | Columbia Academy Principal Leslee Sherk stands with students on their commute home after being alerted to ICE agents stationed across the street. (The Washington Post via Getty Images) |
| Suburbs speak out: Twin Cities suburbs are asking for emergency aid to deal with the economic impact of Operation Metro Surge. Northeaster editor Michael McKinney joins today’s show to talk about how at least 21 cities in the greater Twin Cities metro area formed a coalition in response to the “unsustainable” immigration enforcement. [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities / Northeaster] |
| Innovation: Occupational therapist Najma Omar invented a sensory-friendly hijab, which has padding on the inside to quiet loud noises. Omar told reporter Binta Kanteh she was inspired by the needs of her autistic siblings, and her sister was the first to test it. The SereniHijab is set to launch online in early May. [Sahan Journal] |
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| | Tuesday, Mar 10 | | | Wednesday, Mar 11 | | | |
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I visited San Francisco over the weekend and rode in my first-ever Waymo. It was generally a smooth ride, but I’ll wait and see how the robotaxi handles snow. | | — Tiffany |
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