MINNEAPOLIS — The lights are on, and the ink is flowing inside Ink Lab in Uptown Minneapolis. It’s the first day back for artists after someone intentionally set several garbage fires.

“Back in the shop we got here this morning and power cleaned,” said Erica Bessler on Friday.

David Dettloff, who owns Ink Lab, was finally able to watch the surveillance footage that shows exactly what happened early Monday morning.

In the video, you see a man walk up to a dumpster and look inside before setting it on fire.  You can see the large flames quickly spread, scaling up the building and melting everything in its way.

“What mostly struck me is how casually this guy is coming back here and lighting a fire,” said Dettloff. “It’s that easy to destroy a building and mess with a bunch of people’s lives.”

The fire left six people without a home, shut down businesses for days, and put one man behind bars.

Five trash fires were set by the same man, according to a report by the Minneapolis Fire Department.

Rose Opstad lived in the building. We caught up with her as she gathered her belongings. Her home was deemed uninhabitable.

“It was incredibly intense very scary,” Opstad recalled. “All I was faced with was a hallway full of smoke and flames coming through the door.”

Adding fuel to the frustration of the folks who own shops there: An emergency homeless shelter could move in right across the street.

InkLab’s owner worries a proposed shelter directly from his Lake Street shop could also mess with people’s lives.

“If people like me and those who run businesses along this block keep fighting to make this area better have nice retail stores and decent restaurants for people to visit, we can keep Uptown an exciting environment,” he said.

Dozens shared his sentiment at a meeting earlier this month.

“It doesn’t make a lot of sense to put an emergency shelter in the middle of a retail space, it’s not like we’d do that in the Mall of America,” said one neighbor.

The developer behind the plan said it “will not be detrimental to or endanger the public health, safety, comfort or general welfare.”

Another planning commission hearing is set for mid-August.

Until then business owners in this buzzing neighborhood, will be left with some burning questions.

2024 FUTURES CHAMPIONSHIPS- MINNEAPOLIS

Davide Harabagiu highlighted night 3 of competition in Minneapolis swimming to a 52.95 in the 100 butterfly. That was just off his personal best of a 52.75 from Settecolli in Rome last month. Harabagiu swims collegiately for Minnesota but originally hails from Italy.

Also highlighting the night was Annike Parkhe who swam to a 58.85 in the 100 fly, the only swimming under the 1:00 mark. Parkhe has a best time of a 58.58 that she swam for 13th during prelims of US Olympic Trials last month. She finished 16th in semifinals in a 59.02.

Finishing behind Parkhe in the 100 fly was Grace Rabb who swam a 1:00.28. Later in the session, Rabb earned a win touching in a 2:32.69 in the 200 breast. Rabb, a Florida commit, swam a best time in the 100 fly as her previous best was a 1:01.36. Her 200 breast best time stands at a 2:32.39 from May.

The final winner on the women’s side was Katie McCarthy who won the 400 free in a 4:15.81. McCarthy was 34th in the event at US Trials in a 4:14.90 and has a best time of a 4:14.89.

The men’s 400 free was a battle as Jiarui Xue earned the win in a 3:59.16 touching just ahead of Chase Maier who swam a 3:59.24. Xue has a best time of a 3:59.00 and is committed to Princeton while Maier dropped a huge best time as his previous best was a 4:05.01.

Sirui Wang won the 200 breast in a 2:17.24, almost a five second drop from his previous best of a 2:22.05 from May. He was a 2:22.65 in the event at the last summer.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Minneapolis City Council members are asking the public for feedback on a new public safety model that they hope will restore trust in public safety services. 

Officials say the Public Safety Beyond Policing Action Plan is based on an outline of a community safety system that will include “preventative, restorative and response services beyond policing.”

What we know

City leaders say they are moving to codify the Public Safety Beyond Policing Action Plan after the Minneapolis Safe and Thriving Communities Blueprint that was announced last year. 

READ MORE: Minneapolis leaders lay out a new plan for community safety

The first draft of the Public Safety Beyond Policing Action Plan was presented earlier this week. City officials say public comment and feedback on the 10-year plan will be taken for 45 days.

An overview and briefing detailing the progress of the Safe and Thriving Communities Report was presented during Wednesday’s Public Health and Safety Committee (PHS).

Public engagement and comment sessions will also be held in front of the PHS committee before the final adoption of the plan, which is expected to happen in the fall of 2024.

What they’re saying

Minneapolis officials say “there has been little or unclear movement on implementation by the administration” since the last city-wide community safety plan last year.

A news release announcing the latest policing plan said there are concerns over a “lack of seriousness” about the city implementing a new comprehensive safety system.

Vice Chair of the Public Health and Safety Committee and City Council Member Robin Wonsley said the following in the same news release: “Council is serious about realizing the comprehensive public safety system that our residents have asked for since May 2020. We can have a city where there are a multitude of preventive, responsive, and restorative services to meet our public safety needs efficiently and equitably. The Safe and Thriving Communities Report and the Public Safety Beyond Policing Action Plan includes a clear ten-year guide to make this vision a reality.” 

Public Health and Safety Chair and City Council Member Chavez said “Ward 9 is home to one of the most diverse communities in the whole state and residents are deeply engaged in leading on public safety work. Residents are tired of empty promises and slow progress when it comes to their safety needs. The time to act is now and the Council is ready to continue to lead on keeping all of us safe.” 

Minneapolis City Council President Elliot Paynes released a statement saying “This is the City Council flexing our oversight responsibility. The administration put forward a plan with the Safe and Thriving Communities report and we are making sure the promise of this plan is fulfilled with transparency and with the input of our community at the center of it.”

Background

This is the latest development after the Safe and Thriving Communities plan was announced last year. Advocates say it took a “holistic approach” to public safety. 

That plan came after the development of a plan was requested by Mayor Jacob Frey in 2021.

City officials say they are currently in phase one of implementing the Safe and Thriving Communities plan.

The Minneapolis City Council also approved a new police contract earlier this month that includes a nearly 22% pay raise for officers over the next three years.