Minneapolis, MN
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.”
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.
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Minneapolis, MN
Mamdani, Minneapolis mayor meeting today, likely to discuss Trump’s deportation policy
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey are meeting on Thursday afternoon, Mamdani said, with expected topics to include the municipal response to President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda.
Frey’s office did not immediately return a message seeking comment about the meeting between the men, both Democrats who lead Blue cities.
“I look forward to getting to know him and also to speaking about the importance of protecting each one of our residents, including the immigrants who call both of our cities home,” Mamdani said on Thursday, appearing at an unrelated event at New York City Hall. The meeting is not on Mamdani’s public schedule.
So far, New York City has avoided the surge of thousands of immigration enforcement agents in the past two months that the Trump administration has unleashed in cities like Minneapolis, which has been beset by street protests, widespread unrest and the shooting deaths of two U.S. citizens by federal agents.
Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, said the enforcement surge in Minnesota was being dialed back and that Minneapolis officials had agreed to let agents detain immigrants at local jails, a claim the city had not confirmed.
Asked at the news conference, Mamdani declined to say why a similar arrangement should not be the policy in New York City.
“I am proud of our sanctuary city policies that we have. I believe that our values and our laws are not bargaining chips. They are not things for us to be ashamed of, and they are also policies that have sought and delivered on keeping New Yorkers safe over many years,” the mayor said. “I’ll let the mayor of Minneapolis speak to the policies there.”
Last year, Mamdani’s predecessor, Eric Adams, tried to return immigration agents back onto the city’s Rikers Island jail complex — from which the de Blasio administration had booted them about a decade ago — but the idea was rebuffed by a judge and never implemented.
Details of the meeting between Frey and Mamdani — such as when, where and who else would be there — were not provided.
“I look forward to hearing about that meeting and the conversation,” said the New York City Council speaker, Julie Menin.
Minneapolis, MN
Unseasonably warm weekend in Twin Cities impacts winter activities
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – With temperatures set to rise into the 40s, many in Minneapolis are taking advantage of the warm weather to enjoy outdoor activities like ice fishing and skating.
Warm weather brings outdoor fun
What they’re saying:
Taro Jelinek spent his Wednesday ice fishing at Lake Harriet, enjoying the sun and nature. “You know, you can sit out in the sun and enjoy the nature. And it’s a great time to do it,” said Jelinek. He noted the comfort of being able to move around without worrying about the cold.
Charlie Broder also took advantage of the conditions, creating an ice rink on the lake. “So this is just what was left over to get clear, and then the wind comes and polishes it, and it stays really nice and smooth,” said Broder.
Ice rink conditions in Maple Grove
Local perspective:
Maple Grove’s Central Park offers a refrigerated outdoor ice rink, but temperatures in the 40s and 50s could impact the ice quality. Zachary Moulton, Recreations Facilities Supervisor, explained, “Some challenges that we will run into is too many days of higher 40s, low 50s. It does certainly take away from the quality of the ice, but we don’t anticipate losing the ice this weekend.”
To maintain the ice, a brine system is used. “There’s, there’s a brine that goes from this building to the floor itself, and when that brine comes back to this building, and it’s below a certain set point, our compressors will kick on to make sure that it’s maintaining its cold temperature,” said Moulton.
Public ice rinks in Minneapolis are expected to remain open until Monday, depending on the weather. However, Maple Grove’s non-refridgerated public rinks may close by Friday due to the warm conditions.
Minneapolis, MN
Duluth police investigate fatal shooting in Lincoln Park neighborhood
DULUTH, Minn. (FOX 9) – A man was found dead after a reported shooting in Duluth on Tuesday, according to police.
Fatal shooting in Duluth
The backstory:
Duluth police officers responded to a shooting in the 400 block of Piedmont Avenue. Upon arrival, they found a man who had sustained apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
In a social media post around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, police requested the public to avoid the area to allow officers to conduct their work. The investigation remains ongoing, and no additional details have been released.
Authorities said the shooting in the Lincoln Park neighborhood is not connected to another fatal shooting that occurred in Duluth just hours later.
Minnesota BCA investigating a deadly use-of-force incident in Duluth. (FOX 9)
Dig deeper:
At around 9:40 p.m., two St. Louis County Sheriff’s deputies shot and killed a man following a traffic stop in the 7900 block of Grand Avenue.
A handgun was located near the driver’s seat, the sheriff’s office said. The deputies were not injured. Officials have not released details about what led deputies to fire their weapons, and the man’s identity has not been released.
As of around 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, authorities said Grand Avenue remains closed from 78th Avenue West to 83rd Avenue West as authorities continue to investigate. The closure is expected to remain in place for the next several hours. Drivers are advised to use alternate routes during the morning commute until further notice.
The Minnesota BCA is investigating the use-of-force incident.
Map of the two shootings in Duluth on Tuesday. (FOX 9)
The Source: This story uses information from the Duluth Police Department, St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota BCA.
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