15:16News StoryPolice Officers Federation leaders addressing the press about a month since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. From left: Sherral Schmidt, vice president of the Minneapolis Police Federation; Bob Kroll, president; Rich Walker, director; Anna Hedberg, director. Photo by Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer.Minneapolis Police Officers Federation President Bob Kroll called the video of the police killing of George Floyd “horrific,” but he denied the police department needs fundamental change or that racism is common in its ranks.“Our job is to respond to the crimes...…15:16News StoryPolice Officers Federation leaders addressing the press about a month since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. From left: Sherral Schmidt, vice president of the Minneapolis Police Federation; Bob Kroll, president; Rich Walker, director; Anna Hedberg, director. Photo by Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer.Minneapolis Police Officers Federation President Bob Kroll called the video of the police killing of George Floyd “horrific,” but he denied the police department needs fundamental change or that racism is common in its ranks.“Our job is to respond to the crimes...WW…

15:16News StoryPolice Officers Federation leaders addressing the press about a month since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. From left: Sherral Schmidt, vice president of the Minneapolis Police Federation; Bob Kroll, president; Rich Walker, director; Anna Hedberg, director. Photo by Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer.Minneapolis Police Officers Federation President Bob Kroll called the video of the police killing of George Floyd “horrific,” but he denied the police department needs fundamental change or that racism is common in its ranks.“Our job is to respond to the crimes...…15:16News StoryPolice Officers Federation leaders addressing the press about a month since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. From left: Sherral Schmidt, vice president of the Minneapolis Police Federation; Bob Kroll, president; Rich Walker, director; Anna Hedberg, director. Photo by Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer.Minneapolis Police Officers Federation President Bob Kroll called the video of the police killing of George Floyd “horrific,” but he denied the police department needs fundamental change or that racism is common in its ranks.“Our job is to respond to the crimes...WW…

9:32News StoryMinneapolis Parks Police pulled a man out of a tent and arrested him for refusing to leave a homeless encampment, which was ordered closed because of safety concerns. 21 activists and residents were arrested while most people moved to other parks voluntarily. Photo by Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer.Minneapolis Parks Police arrested 20 activists and residents of a homeless encampment on the east side of Powderhorn Park Monday for refusing to leave, after the park superintendent deemed the park too dangerous for habitation and gave residents 72 hours to vacate.“Our focus was on...…9:32News StoryMinneapolis Parks Police pulled a man out of a tent and arrested him for refusing to leave a homeless encampment, which was ordered closed because of safety concerns. 21 activists and residents were arrested while most people moved to other parks voluntarily. Photo by Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer.Minneapolis Parks Police arrested 20 activists and residents of a homeless encampment on the east side of Powderhorn Park Monday for refusing to leave, after the park superintendent deemed the park too dangerous for habitation and gave residents 72 hours to vacate.“Our focus was on...WW…

6:00News StoryMick Sharpe teaches firearms training and other self-defense courses geared toward progressive-minded people in Minneapolis. Photo by Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer.Mick Sharpe begins each of his gun permit classes by telling his students his goal is to talk them out of buying a gun.“I don’t believe we’re made safer by more guns,” he cautions.Even so, his new business keeps growing.Driven by pandemic-induced anxiety, rising violent crime, civil unrest and fears of political extremism, the number of gun owners is soaring in Minnesota and across the country. Last year,...…6:00News StoryMick Sharpe teaches firearms training and other self-defense courses geared toward progressive-minded people in Minneapolis. Photo by Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer.Mick Sharpe begins each of his gun permit classes by telling his students his goal is to talk them out of buying a gun.“I don’t believe we’re made safer by more guns,” he cautions.Even so, his new business keeps growing.Driven by pandemic-induced anxiety, rising violent crime, civil unrest and fears of political extremism, the number of gun owners is soaring in Minnesota and across the country. Last year,...WW…

12:06BriefPhoto by Will Jacott/Minnesota Reformer.A state ban on rent control passed out of the Senate Local Government Policy Committee on a voice vote Tuesday with Democratic-Farmer-Labor members calling for the Legislature to respect local control, while Republican members saying Minneapolis must be stopped from “self-destruction.”The move comes as the Minneapolis City Council to put the issue before voters on the November ballot. Under state law, cities may only enact rent control if approved by a majority of voters in a general election.The bill is authored by Sen. Rich Draheim,...…12:06BriefPhoto by Will Jacott/Minnesota Reformer.A state ban on rent control passed out of the Senate Local Government Policy Committee on a voice vote Tuesday with Democratic-Farmer-Labor members calling for the Legislature to respect local control, while Republican members saying Minneapolis must be stopped from “self-destruction.”The move comes as the Minneapolis City Council to put the issue before voters on the November ballot. Under state law, cities may only enact rent control if approved by a majority of voters in a general election.The bill is authored by Sen. Rich Draheim,...WW…

9:02News StoryAvivo Village brings the concept of a tiny home community indoors for a homeless shelter for 100 people in Minneapolis. Photo by Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer.Inside a former publishing warehouse in Minneapolis’ trendy North Loop neighborhood, an entire tiny house community is being built to shelter 100 people experiencing homelessness.By the time it opens next month, street names will be added to the rows between the structures, each with four to eight individual rooms painted green, blue, yellow and gray.“The colors will create kind of neighborhoods,” said Emily Bastian,...…9:02News StoryAvivo Village brings the concept of a tiny home community indoors for a homeless shelter for 100 people in Minneapolis. Photo by Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer.Inside a former publishing warehouse in Minneapolis’ trendy North Loop neighborhood, an entire tiny house community is being built to shelter 100 people experiencing homelessness.By the time it opens next month, street names will be added to the rows between the structures, each with four to eight individual rooms painted green, blue, yellow and gray.“The colors will create kind of neighborhoods,” said Emily Bastian,...WW…

6:00News StoryPolice prepare to open fire with tear gas and non-lethal rounds on a group of demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.More than a hundred people have been charged with arson and other crimes related to the riots following the police killing of George Floyd. The city of Minneapolis has begun settling lawsuits for police misconduct during the protests.But Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo has not disciplined a single officer for any misconduct during the protests and riots following Floyd’s death — not for blinding...…6:00News StoryPolice prepare to open fire with tear gas and non-lethal rounds on a group of demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.More than a hundred people have been charged with arson and other crimes related to the riots following the police killing of George Floyd. The city of Minneapolis has begun settling lawsuits for police misconduct during the protests.But Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo has not disciplined a single officer for any misconduct during the protests and riots following Floyd’s death — not for blinding...WW…

8:44BriefHouse Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, addressed reporters on Oct. 19, calling for the state to fully reopen amid the pandemic. Photo by Ricardo Lopez/Minnesota ReformerHouse Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, on Monday that would make it a misdemeanor to disseminate personal information about a police officer such as a home address, personal email address or photograph of the officer’s home or car if it could threaten his or her safety. Daudt’s proposal also increases the penalty for assaulting a police officer to a felony.The move comes eight months after the police killing...…8:44BriefHouse Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, addressed reporters on Oct. 19, calling for the state to fully reopen amid the pandemic. Photo by Ricardo Lopez/Minnesota ReformerHouse Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, on Monday that would make it a misdemeanor to disseminate personal information about a police officer such as a home address, personal email address or photograph of the officer’s home or car if it could threaten his or her safety. Daudt’s proposal also increases the penalty for assaulting a police officer to a felony.The move comes eight months after the police killing...WW…

Minneapolis voters could decide this fall to limit rent increases in a city where more than half of residents are renters.City Council President Lisa Bender along with Council Members Jeremiah Ellison and Cam Gordon announced on Thursday their plan to put a charter amendment on the 2021 ballot to give the city the power to control rent increases. Voters in November will also be electing a new city council and mayor and could be deciding on another initiative to dismantle the police department and replace it with something else.Over the past several years, the City Council has passed a slew...…Minneapolis voters could decide this fall to limit rent increases in a city where more than half of residents are renters.City Council President Lisa Bender along with Council Members Jeremiah Ellison and Cam Gordon announced on Thursday their plan to put a charter amendment on the 2021 ballot to give the city the power to control rent increases. Voters in November will also be electing a new city council and mayor and could be deciding on another initiative to dismantle the police department and replace it with something else.Over the past several years, the City Council has passed a slew...WW…

17:26BriefThousands of President Donald Trump’s supporters storm the U.S. Capitol building following a “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images.The city of Minneapolis confirmed it is investigating complaints against two employees who may have traveled to Washington, D.C. last week to attend the pro-Trump rally which led to a violent siege of the U.S. Capitol.The city said it is prohibited from disclosing the identities of the employees at this time under state law.“The city takes complaints against its employees very seriously,...…17:26BriefThousands of President Donald Trump’s supporters storm the U.S. Capitol building following a “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images.The city of Minneapolis confirmed it is investigating complaints against two employees who may have traveled to Washington, D.C. last week to attend the pro-Trump rally which led to a violent siege of the U.S. Capitol.The city said it is prohibited from disclosing the identities of the employees at this time under state law.“The city takes complaints against its employees very seriously,...WW…