Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis City Council considering cutting off-duty police from city-owned parking ramps
Minneapolis City Council considering cutting off-duty police from city-owned parking ramps
There is a push in the Minneapolis City Council to remove police from contracts regarding city-owned parking ramps.
The contract includes millions of dollars for off-duty police, but has now been put on hold by the city council.
Some city council members think that cutting off-duty police from the parking ramp contract is a necessary cost-saving measure in the budget.
Others say it puts the public at risk because city ramps need extra protection on busy downtown weekends.
Parking ramps aren’t cheap to operate, with an expected five-year contract at $182 million.
The city pays a private company to operate approximately 18,000 parking spaces in 15 city-owned parking ramps, most of which are located downtown.
Off-duty police are hired to keep those ramps safe, especially on weekends. But, Minneapolis City Council member Katie Cashman wants to change that.
“I believe that we’re not managing these contracts as effectively and efficiently as we could to be supporting our city budget,” Cashman said. “Nearly a million dollars annually in off-duty police time that our parking contract is paying for, which I think better traffic control or the private security firm that we already work with should be doing this work.”
Council member Robin Wonsley says the city faces a tight budget year, and cutting police patrols in the ramps can be offset by using a private security firm, which also works the ramps.
“This just seems very much like a financial oversight, somewhat poor financial planning on the city’s part,” Wonsley said.
Council member Linea Palmisano says that not completing the contract right away could cost parking ramp employees their jobs.
“And, putting people’s livelihoods in a risky position is not really worth it,” Palmisano added.
Others on the city council think cutting police in those ramps is a mistake.
Council member LaTrisha Vetaw said, “That makes people feel safer. That makes a person feel like their car won’t be stolen if they see a police officer near a parking ramp. Or, it’s dark outside and you come out at two o’clock in the morning and you see a police officer.”
City administrators say the money that pays for off-duty police does not come from taxpayers in the general fund, but from the parking ramp fees.
The contract was not approved and is likely to be taken up sometime within the next two weeks.
Minneapolis, MN
Robbinsdale police chase ends with driver arrested after hitting fence in Minneapolis
Authorities say a pursuit that started in Robbinsdale early Sunday morning ended with the driver being arrested after crashing into a fence in Minneapolis.
ROBBINSDALE, Minn. (FOX 9) – Authorities say a pursuit that started in Robbinsdale early Sunday morning ended with the driver being arrested after crashing into a fence in Minneapolis.
Police chase ends in crash
What we know:
Robbinsdale police spokesperson John Elder said the incident started at around 1:40 a.m. Sunday. Officers attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation. During the stop, the driver had been suspected of drinking alcohol.
Police say the driver fled officers, and a pursuit was initiated. It went into Minneapolis, where the driver crashed into a fence near the 1200 block of West River Parkway.
Driver arrested
According to Hennepin County Jail records, a 50-year-old Montrose man was booked into the Hennepin County Jail at about 3:15 a.m. Sunday. He was arrested by Robbinsdale police on probable cause fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle.
What we don’t know:
The alleged drunk driver has not yet been charged. The incident remains under investigation.
Minneapolis, MN
Air quality alert issued for western, southern Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A weekend air quality alert has been issued for much of Minnesota, with health officials warning that ozone pollution could pose risks for residents.
Air quality alert covers majority of MN
What we know:
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued an alert for western and southern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, Brainerd, Alexandria, Albert Lea, Marshall, Worthington, Rochester, Hinckley, St. Cloud, Winona, Ortonville, Mankato, East Grand Forks, Moorhead, and the Tribal Nations of Upper Sioux, Mille Lacs, Prairie Island, Leech Lake, and White Earth.
The alert runs from noon Saturday, June 6, through 11 p.m. Sunday, June 7. Ozone levels are expected to reach the orange AQI category, which is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.
High ozone levels are expected during Saturday and Sunday afternoons, with conditions improving after sunset and again Sunday morning before rising in the afternoon.
Health officials recommend moving outdoor activities outside the afternoon hours to reduce exposure.
Why you should care:
Unhealthy ozone levels can aggravate lung diseases like asthma, emphysema, and COPD. Symptoms may include difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, throat soreness, wheezing, coughing, or unusual fatigue.
People at higher risk include those with asthma or other breathing conditions, children, teenagers, people doing heavy outdoor activity, and some healthy individuals who are more sensitive to ozone.
Precautions and pollution reduction tips
What you can do:
Everyone should take precautions when air quality is unhealthy. Limit or postpone physical activity, avoid busy roads and wood fires, and keep relief inhalers handy if you have breathing conditions.
To help reduce ozone pollution, officials suggest reducing vehicle trips, filling up gas tanks at dawn or dusk, using public transportation or carpooling, postponing use of gas-powered lawn equipment, and avoiding backyard fires.
Ozone is produced on hot, sunny days when volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides react with sunlight. The current weather forecast of mostly sunny skies, warm temperatures, and low humidity is creating ideal conditions for higher ozone levels across the region.
The Source: Information from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Minneapolis, MN
Prince event signals Minneapolis’ first step to economic recovery
As an estimated 10,000+ Prince fans make a trip to downtown to honor his life, legacy, and music, Minneapolis city leaders are hopeful it can also serve as the first step to the city’s economic recovery.
Six months after the beginning of Operation Metro Surge, Meet Minneapolis estimates the eight-week-long federal immigration effort disrupted more than 70 million in wages in the hospitality industry – impacting the more than 4,600 people employed at hotels, restaurants, shops and more.
“Today is about turning the page,” said Melvin Tennant, CEO and President of Meet Minneapolis. “(It’s about) letting people know firsthand with their own eyes that things are really wonderful in downtown Minneapolis.”
Tennant says the hurt of Metro Surge came as Minneapolis had just begun to rebound from COVID-19. Hotel occupancy in 2024-2026 had just crossed 55% citywide.
This summer marks the return of many large scale events, including the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship, Special Olympics USA Games, WWE SummerSlam, and multiple outdoor World Cup related events.
“It’s absolutely vital for us to recover,” Tennant said.
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