Minneapolis, MN
Frey’s manufactured consent: How the city failed George Floyd Square
Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of guest commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.
The community engagement process surrounding the future of George Floyd Square should have been a powerful opportunity for healing, collaboration and learning, centering marginalized voices in a city with some of the deepest racial inequities in the country. Instead, it was weaponized as a political tool for Mayor Jacob Frey, driven by flawed data, biased methodologies and an over-representation of white voices to push a predetermined agenda and bolster Frey’s struggling political career in an election year.
From the start, the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) community survey, intended to evaluate public opinions on the direction of George Floyd Square, was plagued by a lack of transparency and flawed methodology. Of the 6,946 responses, only 5,896 were considered usable, with 1,050 responses — 15% of the data — excluded without clear justification, merely explained away as “non-responses” and “repeat responses.”
Even within the usable data, the survey demographics revealed glaring discrepancies. While 70% of respondents were White, only 38% of Ward 9 residents share that demographic. Black voices, representing 21% of the community, made up just 11% of responses, while the Latino community (29% of Ward 9) accounted for only 10%. These are not just statistical anomalies; they reflect a persistent pattern in Minneapolis, where the voices of people of color are systematically sidelined or erased in public engagement.
What’s more, this survey process not only failed to center local voices but actively invited external influence. Only 18% of respondents were from the immediate George Floyd Square area, while nearly 40% came from outside the surrounding south Minneapolis neighborhoods. This imbalance became even more stark when a CrimeWatchMpls social media post encouraged trolling, leading to more than 2,000 responses flooding in within two days, many with hostile views toward George Floyd Square.
How can this process be considered legitimate when the loudest voices came from external actors with conflicting interests? The lack of respondent verification measures allowed bad-faith responses to skew the data, intentionally silencing authentic community voices.
Worse still, the Community Co-Creation Team (CCT) — meant to amplify local voices — was undermined by a built-in conflict of interest within the city. While the CCT’s role was to guide the engagement project, real power rested with the project team, led by Minneapolis Public Works under Frey. If the CCT’s recommendations didn’t align with city goals, the city’s project team could present its own proposal to the City Council, effectively dismissing community input unless it fit the city’s narrative.
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis salon mixes rock and roll with haircuts: Inside HiFi Hair and Records
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A Minneapolis salon is turning heads by mixing rock and roll with haircuts, creating a one-of-a-kind experience for music lovers.
A salon where music and haircuts go hand in hand
What we know:
HiFi Hair and Records sits on the edge of downtown Minneapolis, marked by a leopard print awning and a vibe that’s all about community through music.
“I tried to model it after a barbershop,” said Jonny Clifford, owner of the salon.
Clifford opened the shop in 2011, inspired by his father who introduced him to music and was battling terminal cancer at the time.
The salon brings together the hum of blow dryers and the sounds of rock and roll, with Clifford saying, “Music is the uniter. Most everyone who is alive today grew up on rock and roll.”
He added a record store the following year, letting customers browse new and used vinyl and CDs while waiting for their appointment.
“I jokingly refer to it as the coolest waiting room in the city,” said Clifford.
The shop is filled with memorabilia from music legends like Elvis, David Bowie and The Monkees. There’s even a wall dedicated to Minnesota’s local music scene.
Clifford said, “We’ve got Bobby V who I think never gets enough credit for his contributions to music in Minnesota.”
Clifford’s journey from punk haircuts to community hub
Why you should care:
Clifford started cutting hair in the early 1980s because he and his friends in southwest Minneapolis couldn’t afford the punk haircuts they wanted.
Now, he not only looks the part—”Ronny Wood, Jeff Beck, Keith Richards, I’m always like old Keith Richards or young Keith Richards”—but he helps others feel like rock stars too.
“People are like make me look like a rock star and that is sort of a universal term right. Everyone wants to look like a rock star,” said Clifford.
His goal is simple:
“If I can make a living and raise my family, pay my bills, have a business and be a part of a community, that is important to me. I win. That’s everything,” said Clifford.
He is passionate about giving a boost to local musicians, saying, “I think they need it more. I love Lady Gaga and The Rolling Stones, but they are doing fine. Our local people haven’t made it national yet. They could use a voice. They could use a boost, and they need to be heard.”
The salon’s rhythm is all about joy, music and community, and Clifford plans to keep it going.
“Til I kick over. I’ll probably be back standing behind the chair. And someone will complain I didn’t finish their haircut,” said Clifford.
HiFi Hair and Records continues to be a place where music and style meet, giving Minnesota’s music scene a little extra volume.
Minneapolis, MN
Edina shooting leaves 1 dead, suspects on run
EDINA, Minn. (FOX 9) – A deadly shooting in Edina sparked a massive police response and forced a lockdown at nearby businesses at Southdale Mall on Wednesday as police are searching for the suspects.
Deadly Edina shooting
What we know:
Edina police responded around 12:30 p.m. to the report of a shooting along West 66th Street near Southdale Mall.
At the scene, officers found one victim with a gunshot wound. Officers tried to revive the victim but say they ultimately died from their wounds.
Local perspective:
Police say the suspects ran from the scene. As a precaution, they advised nearby businesses to go into lockdown. FOX 9 learned that MHealth Fairview also went into lockdown procedures as a precaution.
Aerial video from the scene showed the investigation appeared to be focused around an apartment building across from the mall. Police say the apartment building is described as a transitional housing.
Avoid the area
Big picture view:
Police are asking the public to avoid the area as the investigation is underway. Officers have blocked off West 66th for the time being.
Police say they are looking for more than one suspect involved in the shooting.
What we don’t know:
Police say some people were taken into custody at the scene but it’s unclear what their role was in relation to the shooting.
Law enforcement near the 3300 block of W. 66th Street in Edina. (FOX 9)
Minneapolis, MN
Ellison, Minneapolis, St. Paul update lawsuit against Operation Metro Surge with new data
(ABC 6 News) – Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minneapolis and Saint Paul updated their lawsuit over Operation Metro Surge with new survey data on economic harm.
Researchers at the University of California San Diego conducted two surveys tied to the amended lawsuit. The lawsuit says the federal operation violated the Constitution and caused lasting economic damage.
The first survey was done between February and March and included nearly 1,400 residents. It found workers lost more than $240 million in wages during the operation.
A separate newly released survey of about 900 businesses found more than $600 million in lost revenue. The updated lawsuit from Keith Ellison and the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul adds that new data to its claims.
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