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Lyft, Uber threaten exit of Minneapolis after city council forces them to pay drivers more

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Lyft, Uber threaten exit of Minneapolis after city council forces them to pay drivers more


MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Lyft and Uber said they will cease operations in Minneapolis after the city’s council voted Thursday to override a mayoral veto and require that ride-hailing services increase driver wages to the equivalent of the local minimum wage of $15.57 an hour.

Lyft called the ordinance “deeply flawed,” saying in a statement that it supports a minimum earning standard for drivers but not the one passed by the council.

“It should be done in an honest way that keeps the service affordable for riders,” Lyft said. “This ordinance makes our operations unsustainable, and as a result, we are shutting down operations in Minneapolis when the law takes effect on May 1.”

Uber did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but news outlets reported that it issued a similar statement saying it would also stop service that day.

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Both companies promised to push for statewide legislation that would counter the Minneapolis ordinance, and state House Republicans proposed a bill Thursday that would preempt local regulations of ride-hailing services.

Lyft to lay off 13% of staff

The City Council first passed the measure last week in a 9-4 vote despite Mayor Jacob Frey’s promise to veto it. The measure requires ride-hailing companies to pay drivers at least $1.40 per mile and $0.51 per minute for the time spent transporting a rider — or $5 per ride, whichever is greater — excluding tips. In the event of a multi-city trip, that only applies to the portion that takes place within Minneapolis.

Critics of the bill say costs will likely spike for everyone, including people with low incomes and people with disabilities who rely on ride-hailing services. Supporters say the services have relied on drivers who are often people of color and immigrants for cheap labor.

“Drivers are human beings with families, and they deserve dignified minimum wages like all other workers,” Jamal Osman, a council member who co-authored the policy, said in a statement.

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“Today’s vote showed Uber, Lyft, and the Mayor that the Minneapolis City Council will not allow the East African community, or any community, to be exploited for cheap labor,” Osman added. “The Council chooses workers over corporate greed.”

Lyft agrees to $25 million settlement with shareholders over safety-related allegations

Democratic Gov Tim Walz, who vetoed a bill last year that would have boosted pay for Uber and Lyft drivers, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he was concerned because so many depend on those services, including disabled people.

He said he believed the companies would pull the plug, “and there’s nothing to fill that gap.”

Walz added that he hopes the Legislature will seek a compromise that both includes fair pay for drivers and dissuades the companies from leaving.

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Seattle and New York City have passed similar policies in recent years that increase wages for ride-hailing drivers, and Uber and Lyft still operate in those cities.



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Minneapolis, MN

Mamma Mia Brings ABBA Hits To The Orpheum Theatre In Minneapolis

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Mamma Mia Brings ABBA Hits To The Orpheum Theatre In Minneapolis


MINNEAPOLIS (WJON News) — A popular Broadway show will be hitting a Minnesota stage this fall. Mamma Mia! will jump-start the Broadway on Hennepin series at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis from September 15th to the 20th.

Mamma Mia! has been seen in 50 productions in 16 different languages.

The 25th Anniversary production of Mamma Mia! made its return to Broadway last year for a limited run at the Winter Garden Theatre, where it got its start. The show also had a record-setting 14-year run on Broadway and toured from 2000 to 2017 with four different touring companies.

Mamma Mia! has grossed over $7 billion at the box office.

It inspired the blockbuster smash starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, and Amanda Seyfried as well. The 2018 follow-up, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is the most successful live musical movie sequel of all time.

Mamma Mia! is written by Catherine Johnson and directed by Phyllida Lloyd with choreography by Anthony Van Laast. Tickets for the show go on sale at 10:00 a.m. on Friday.

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Child seriously injured after being struck by car while playing in alley

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Child seriously injured after being struck by car while playing in alley


A child was seriously injured after a car hit them in an alley in Minneapolis on Saturday morning.

Minneapolis police say a child was playing in an alley near 29th Avenue North and Lyndale Avenue North around 11:30 a.m. when a car hit them. The child was brought to the hospital with potentially-life-threatening injuries, police added.

The child’s age was not released by law enforcement.

The driver of the car stayed at the scene and is cooperating with law enforcement, Minneapolis police said.

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There have been no arrests at this time.



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Minneapolis man jailed after allegedly stabbing a woman on Pillsbury Avenue

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Minneapolis man jailed after allegedly stabbing a woman on Pillsbury Avenue


A Minneapolis man is behind bars after stabbing a woman early Saturday morning.

According to the Minneapolis Police Department, officers responded to a stabbing around 12:30 a.m. near the intersection of W 24th St. and Pillsbury Avenue. Officers found an adult woman with a non-life-threatening injury consistent with an edged blade.

Authorities said a man known to the woman stabbed her after a verbal argument escalated.

Police arrested a 49-year-old man and is currently at the Hennepin County Jail, pending a second-degree domestic assault charge.

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Police said no one else was hurt. The case remains under investigation.


If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, several resources are available to offer help. For immediate help, contact:

More than 12 million people just in the U.S. are affected by domestic violence every year, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

The organizations listed above can help connect victims to resources like safe shelter, advocacy, legal help and support groups.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline also offers tips for identifying abuse and supporting victims of abuse. CLICK HERE to see those.

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Other organizations that can help include:

Minnesota also has a list of many other resources for victims of crimes that can be found HERE.



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