Minneapolis, MN
City Of Minneapolis Renews Push To Implement Speed Cameras Program
MINNEAPOLIS — More than 16 years after the Minnesota Supreme Court put the kibosh on Minneapolis’ “photo cop” program, the technology might be making a comeback.
Speed cameras play a major role in the city of Minneapolis’ plan to end traffic deaths and severe injuries by 2027, but only if the Minnesota Legislature allows for it.
The Minnesota Department of Transporation is also interested in the technology.
Contrary to popular belief, speed cameras and red light cameras are not unconstitutional in Minnesota. However, in 2007, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that Minneapolis’ Photo Co program violated a state law that requires all Minnesota traffic regulations to be uniform.
A bill introduced in the Minnesota Senate by five Democrats last year would have authorized state and local authorities to use speed safety cameras for traffic enforcement.
Minneapolis officials hope to get the bill to the finish line this session, which begins Feb. 12.
Under Senate File 2026, the owner or lessee of a vehicle that is caught going above the speed limit by a camera system is guilty of a petty misdemeanor and must pay a fine of up to $80.
Exceptions include if the vehicle was stolen at the time of the violation. Police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, and other authorized emergency vehicles are exempted if they are “in the performance of official duties at the time of the violation.”
Why speed cameras?
A 2022 MnDOT report found that crashes in work zones are increasing statewide, and “simply lowering the posted speeds will not change driver behavior, because drivers will reduce speeds only if they perceive a need to do so.”
Between 2018 and 2020, Minnesota recorded 7,403 work zone crashes. Of those, 122 of the crashes caused a death or a serious injury to either a worker, driver, or someone else, authorities said.
And Minneapolis officials say that between 2017 and 2021, an average of 150 people each year suffered life-changing injuries or were killed in traffic crashes on the city’s streets. In 2021, speeding was a factor in 65 percent of fatal crashes, according to officials.
The Federal Highway Administration says speed cameras can reduce injury crashes by up to 47 percent on busy streets. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives automated enforcement its highest effectiveness rating.
Speed cameras also eliminate the need for “officer interaction,” a Minneapolis report noted. The city said it will prioritize equity and privacy in any speed camera program it implements.
Nineteen states and Washington D.C. use cameras to reduce speeding. The technology is deployed through:
- “Fixed units,” or one stationary camera looking at one location
- “Point-to-Point” units, where multiple cameras are used to capture average speed over a certain distance
- “Mobile units,” or portable cameras mounted in a car or trailer
Critics of camera enforcement technology cite privacy concerns, particularly around the photographs taken for evidence. Opponents also say the cameras can cause people to suddenly slam on the brakes when they spot one at an intersection, potentially causing a crash.
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis construction workers call on developers to take stand against ICE
Minneapolis, MN
Fan behind Anthony Edwards’ orange bracelet has beaten cancer
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The story behind Anthony Edwards wearing a bright orange bracelet since last season has received a positive development, after Timberwolves fans learned Luca Wright has beaten leukemia.
Anthony Edwards, Luca Wright connection
What we know:
Last January, the 6-year-old Minnesotan met “Ant” for the first time following a game against the Detroit Pistons, proclaiming him to be his favorite player, and asking him to wear a bracelet that symbolizes leukemia awareness, resilience and support for those affected. During the interaction, the fan had created a sign with a to-do list: “1. Beat Cancer. 2. Be The Next MJ.”
Leukemia is a type of cancer that spreads throughout the bloodstream, infecting bone marrow and a person’s lymphatic system by rapid production of abnormal white blood cells that can’t fight infection.
Since then, the Wolves’ MVP has worn a bracelet that proclaims, “Love Like Luca” on it for every game he has played, vowing to wear it “until he hangs up his sneakers.”
Ant has gone on to explain how the gesture connected with him given that he lost both his mother, Yvette, and grandmother, Shirley, to cancer when he was 14 years old. The No. 5 jersey he wears currently is a tribute to them both.
Luca bracelet latest
Dig deeper:
More than a year later, Wolves fans have received the update they hoped for – now 7-year-old Luca has beaten his cancer.
What’s next:
Ant has since responded to the news with his own social media video, calling it “God’s gift” and saying, “Let’s do this Luca.”
No word yet on whether he intends to keep wearing the bracelet, though he’s previously said he has a stash of replacements near the team bench should one ever be broken.
The Source: Information provided by the Minnesota Timberwolves public relations department.
Minneapolis, MN
Family of Minneapolis brothers killed by cousin says their deaths were preventable:
A Minneapolis family is struggling to make sense of a tragedy that has left them heartbroken.
Family tells WCCO 14-year-old Xavier Barnett and 23-year-old Akwame Stewart were killed Monday.
The brothers were very different, but equally loved. Barnett was a good student and athlete. Stewart was a painter, creative and thoughtful. Two brothers, loved and full of promise, gone.
Police say the accused shooter is their cousin, 23-year-old Eddie Duncan.
Court records show Duncan was released on bail Monday on charges of fleeing law enforcement and possession of a gun modified with an “auto sear switch.”
Court records also show Duncan was ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation, but not until next month, on March 24.
Deasia Freeman, Barnett and Stewart’s sister, says this loss could have been prevented.
“They all failed us. We got two innocent lives gone for no reason. Didn’t do nothing to nobody,” Freeman said.
Family members say the system and Duncan’s family let them down.
Freeman says Duncan’s family saw the warning signs and still bailed him out
“If you knew this man was thinking like this, y’all should have kept him in there and he should not even have bail,” she said.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says they noted Duncan was a public safety risk and asked for a high bail, much higher than a typical request.
“In Minnesota, there is a constitutional right to bail, and the bail amount is set by the Court. Our office noted a public safety risk with Mr. Duncan and asked the judge to set bail at $70,000, or $35,000 with conditions; both of which are higher than we would typically request in this scenario. The judge set bail in that amount. Mr. Duncan posted $35,000 bail with conditions of release, as is allowed under the Minnesota Constitution, and was released from custody. Our thoughts are with all those impacted by yesterday’s violence. This was a terrible tragedy for this family and our community,” a spokesperson for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said.
For Freeman and her family, the hardest part isn’t just the legal process but living each day without their brothers.
Even in the heartbreak, she says the memories of the good days, the laughter and love they shared will carry them through.
“I wish I could get just one more phone call from them asking me where I’m at,” Freeman said as tears rolled down her face.
Court records confirm Duncan left the scene of the crime and fled to nearby Brooklyn Center. There, a search warrant says Duncan “fired a gun at officers, striking two squads,” when police arrived. That’s when officers returned fire, shooting and killing him.
Three officers have been placed on critical incident leave as the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension leads the investigation into Duncan’s fatal shooting.
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