Connect with us

Minneapolis, MN

Lyft and Uber Might End Their Services in Minneapolis

Published

on

Lyft and Uber Might End Their Services in Minneapolis


Could getting from place to place using Uber of Lyft become a thing of the past? If you’re using it to get around Minneapolis, that’s a very real possibility. As NPR’s Dara Kerr reports, both rideshare companies have threatened to exit Minnesota’s largest city. The issue at hand is a city council bill that would require rideshare companies to pay their drivers a minimum wage.

As Kerr writes, the bill has gone through several iterations and has been repeatedly vetoed by Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey. The council then overruled Frey’s veto, with the law set to go into effect on May 1. It’s that date that’s emerged as a flashpoint, with Uber’s senior director of public affairs telling NPR that the city council had “[kicked] Uber out of the Twin Cities.” Which seems like a stretch.

This feels more and more like a high-stakes game of chicken than anything else, with the livelihoods of numerous drivers in the balance. It’s also worth pointing out that alternatives to these companies do exist — including taxis and other startups. Veena Dubal of the University of California-Irvine told NPR, “[I]f they do leave, high road alternatives will take their place.”

Advertisement

The conflict is one that’s long hovered over discussions of the gig economy, namely — to what extent can rideshare companies’ treatment of workers who aren’t technically employees be regulated? It’s been an area of concern for state and local governments around the country, and it’s also led to the creation of a few startups — Revel and Alto among them — that have opted to hire drivers directly.





Source link

Advertisement

Minneapolis, MN

New video shows moments before attack involving Turning Point USA contributor at Minneapolis anti-ICE protest

Published

on

New video shows moments before attack involving Turning Point USA contributor at Minneapolis anti-ICE protest



New video shared with WCCO shows the scuffle in which a reporter says she got hurt outside the Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis on Saturday.

The cases against three people arrested in that fight are now in the hands of the Hennepin County Attorney for potential charges. 

A Justice Department official announced Sunday a federal investigation is being opened into an assault that allegedly occurred during a protest outside the Whipple Federal Building.

Advertisement

Turning Point USA contributor Savanah Hernandez said she was “brutally assaulted by multiple people” for filming and reporting on Saturday’s protest. 

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon quote retweeted a post saying the FBI was investigating the alleged assault on Hernandez, writing “Correct.”

The newly obtained video, recorded by Derek Kosh and Oskar Quentin, shows what they say happened before the altercation seen in the widely circulated clip posted by Hernandez on X. They say it’s important people get the full exchange. 

In one video, you can see Hernandez speaking to people in the crowd, at times smiling as she records. 

In another angle, a woman wearing black tells Hernandez to leave. Not long after that, you see both women pushing and shoving one another to the ground. 

Advertisement

Kosh and Quentin say Hernandez was assaulted and the video shows she was throwing punches, too. Both men say they released the video so the world could get a fuller understanding of what happened beyond the viral clip. 

Saturday’s incident has gotten the attention of Vice President JD Vance, who has called for swift action against those responsible.

In a statement from the attorneys representing the people involved in the altercation say in part, “At this time, we do not know whether any formal charges have been brought against our client… Regarding the recent videos and statement by JD Vance, we cannot say anything, presuming there is an ongoing investigation.”

No charging decision has been announced. 

Advertisement



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Minneapolis, MN

The New York Times

Published

on

The New York Times


A Minneapolis immigration officer has been charged with assault, marking a rare instance in which the state government has filed a lawsuit against an officer for actions taken while on duty. This case is drawing attention due to its implications for law enforcement accountability, particularly in relation to the use of force during immigration enforcement. While officers are typically shielded from lawsuits in the course of their duties, this case raises important questions about the boundaries of law enforcement conduct and the mechanisms for holding officers accountable for their actions.



Source link

Continue Reading

Minneapolis, MN

Charges: Man stole car, fatally ran over owner after dragging him down the street

Published

on

Charges: Man stole car, fatally ran over owner after dragging him down the street


A suspect has been charged after stealing a man’s car, dragging him down the street and fatally running him over in Minneapolis.

Gerald Nicolas Cepeda, 34, is facing one count of second-degree murder.

On Saturday, Minneapolis police responded to 18th Street and Chicago Avenue for a report of a man who was dragged by a car and was lying in the street.

Minneapolis police investigating fatal hit-and-run, no arrests made

Advertisement

Authorities found the man and provided life-saving measures, but he later died at the hospital.

According to court documents, surveillance video showed the man arriving in his white van in the area of Chicago and Franklin avenues while Cepeda was near the bus stop.

The man got out of his vehicle to talk to people on the sidewalk, which is when Cepeda ran over and jumped into the driver’s seat, the criminal complaint notes.

Court records say the man then ran back to his car and stopped Cepeda from shutting the door, but Cepeda drove away while the man was hanging onto the open door.

Cepeda drove for about two blocks, dragging the man’s body along, before quickly turning onto East 18th Street, causing the man to fall from the vehicle and be run over by the van.

Advertisement

Officers found the van a few blocks away with the keys still in the ignition, according to court documents.

The complaint states that witnesses on scene reported Cepeda and the man had a brief argument before Cepeda stole the car.

Cepeda was arrested on Tuesday and told authorities that he was “just playing a joke” and was going to bring the man’s vehicle back. He added that he did not know the man was killed as a result, court records note.

Court documents show that Cepeda had prior convictions for vehicle theft in 2024 and 2025.

His first court appearance is scheduled for Thursday.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending