Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis neighborhood associations encourage residents to use less or no salt this winter

Published

2 years ago

January 7, 2024

Minneapolis neighborhood associations encourage residents to use less or no salt this winter

MINNEAPOLIS — As temperatures drop, ice becomes more of a problem on Minnesota roads and sidewalks. But the salt that we put down is a big pollutant of our waterways, harming aquatic species and contaminating drinking water.

Soon after Henry LaBounta moved from California to Minneapolis, winter walks with his dog, Shiner, began to give him pause.

“I saw a lot of salt on some of the sidewalks. We end up walking in the street sometimes,” LaBounta said.

Besides salt being harmful to the paws of pets, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says just one teaspoon of salt pollutes five gallons of water, forever. LaBounta is also an East Isles Neighborhood Association board member and has spent hours bettering the environment near Lake of the Isles.

“We are so happy to be here and living so close to Lake of the Isles. What a beautiful lake! And it just kills me to think eventually, will we kill the whole lake if we use enough salt over the next years,” he said.

Thanks to a grant from the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, people living in East Isles and the Wedge neighborhood can pick up free traction grit at Frattalone’s Hardware & Garden on Hennepin Avenue. Residents must live in the neighborhood and sign up by Jan. 18 to claim the bag, while supplies last. Otherwise, bags are available for purchase at most hardware stores.

MORE NEWS: 100+ volunteers put out cold weather gear for those in need at Twin Cities parks

“The grit has gotten way more popular now that the word has gotten out about it, with the association doing some free giveaways,” Marne Detmar, an employee at Frattallone’s Hardware & Garden said.

Though the traction grit doesn’t melt ice, it’s a more environmentally friendly alternative to salt. It can also be swept up and reused. Detmar said many people use too much salt, which doesn’t make ice melt any faster. It’s recommended to use one grain of salt every 3 inches.

“You see great big piles, and you really only need to use a couple of crystals to do what you need to do,” Detmar said.

The most important step in ice removal is getting ahead of the formation by shoveling snow early and often.

“Anything we can do to protect that beautiful resource is worthwhile for sure,” La Bounta said.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency hosts Smart Salt training for companies and local community leaders and elected officials. The goal is to teach proper salt application and reduce overall use.

Kirsten Mitchell

Kirsten Mitchell joined the WCCO team as a reporter in November of 2021. A Saint Paul native, Kirsten is proud to tell stories in her home state. She graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (Go Gophs!) and interned at WCCO during her time there.

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Minneapolis, MN

Minnesota Cost Of Living: Most And Least Expensive Places Ranked

Published

6 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

Minnesota Cost Of Living: Most And Least Expensive Places Ranked

MINNESOTA — The cost of living varies widely across Minnesota, with new data from Niche highlighting a sharp divide between Twin Cities neighborhoods and smaller communities across the state.

The Niche rankings are based on a mix of housing costs, income levels, taxes, and everyday expenses like groceries and gas, using data from the U.S. Census, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Tax Foundation.

Many of the highest-cost areas are concentrated in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and nearby suburbs, while the most affordable places are largely found in rural and small-town Minnesota.

15 Most Expensive Places To Live In Minnesota

Niche places several Twin Cities neighborhoods and suburbs in its second-highest cost-of-living tier. No Minnesota locations ranked in the highest tier.

Among them:

Macalester-Groveland (St. Paul)
King Field (Minneapolis)
St. Anthony Park (St. Paul)
Downtown East (Minneapolis)
East Harriet (Minneapolis)
Summit Hill (St. Paul)
Bryn Mawr (Minneapolis)
North Loop (Minneapolis)
King Field (Minneapolis)
Edina
Linden Hills (Minneapolis)
Fulton (Minneapolis)
Lowry Hill (Minneapolis)
East Isles (Minneapolis)
Lynnhurst (Minneapolis)

15 Most Affordable Places To Live In Minnesota

At the other end of the spectrum, Niche identified a number of towns with significantly lower costs of living.

These communities are spread across southern, western, and northern Minnesota and tend to have smaller populations and lower housing costs.

Among the most affordable places:

Luverne
International Falls
Pipestone
Caledonia
Jackson
Windom
Redwood Falls
Ely
Breckenridge
Blue Earth
Lake Crystal
Austin
Sleepy Eye
Mountain Iron
Thief River Falls

The data underscores a familiar pattern in Minnesota: higher costs in the metro area and more affordable living in smaller towns, often with trade-offs in access to jobs, amenities, and services.

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Minneapolis, MN

Red Sox at Twins lineups: Crochet Day in Minneapolis

Published

18 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

Red Sox at Twins lineups: Crochet Day in Minneapolis

After a ruff start, the Sox are still a sad 6-9 but are only two games out of first place. Tonight, we ball behind Garrett Crochet to help close that gap in a wide-open AL East (and AL in general). Game’s at 7:40 p.m. and the Sox will face Bailey Ober, who’s had a tuff start to the season himself. Here are the lineups:

Given the venue, I’d like to add: Fuck ICE. Or maybe I’ll just let the Boss do it:

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Minneapolis, MN

FBI Investigating Confrontation at Anti-ICE Protest in Minnesota – Minneapolis Today

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

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FBI Investigating Confrontation at Anti-ICE Protest in Minnesota – Minneapolis Today

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The violent clash at an anti-ICE protest in Minnesota leaves behind damaged evidence of the confrontation.Minneapolis Today

The FBI is investigating a physical confrontation that occurred during an anti-ICE protest at the Whipple Federal Building in Minnesota over the weekend. Several protesters were arrested, with three facing assault charges and one charged with obstruction. A video posted on social media showed a protester, Savannah Hernandez, being knocked down during the incident.

Why it matters

The Whipple Federal Building has been a site of ongoing protests against ICE operations in Minnesota, and this latest incident highlights the tensions and potential for violence at these demonstrations. The FBI’s involvement suggests the incident is being taken seriously as a potential violation of civil rights or other federal laws.

The details

The confrontation occurred during a protest called ‘Bye Bye Bondi,’ referring to former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. The Whipple Building has been the headquarters for ICE operations in the area, and protests have continued at the site since federal officials increased their presence in Minnesota in December. Savannah Hernandez, a contributor for Turning Point USA, posted a video showing her being knocked down by protesters, some of whom were chanting that they were ‘ANTIFA.’

The incident occurred on Saturday, April 12, 2026 during an anti-ICE protest.
Four people were arrested at the end of the demonstration.

The players

Savannah Hernandez

A contributor for Turning Point USA who was filming the protest and was knocked down by protesters.

Pam Bondi

The former U.S. Attorney General whose firing was referenced in the name of the protest, ‘Bye Bye Bondi.’

Hennepin County authorities

Local law enforcement who arrested four people at the end of the protest, with three facing assault charges and one charged with obstruction.

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What they’re saying

“OK, so I have all this on camera, it’s fine, and because we’re Minneapolis, you can’t press charges against any of these people either. Anyways, so yeah, there we go, there we go guys, there we go. Minneapolis incredible, what am I going to do?”

— Savannah Hernandez, Turning Point USA contributor

“This is now the second time I have been mobbed and assaulted for filming a protest on U.S. streets. Today these Minneapolis protesters were chanting that they were ‘ANTIFA’ and proved it, by mobbing and beating me for reporting on a public protest.”

— Savannah Hernandez, Turning Point USA contributor

What’s next

The FBI investigation is ongoing, and authorities will determine if any federal charges will be filed related to the incident.

The takeaway

This confrontation highlights the ongoing tensions and potential for violence at protests against ICE operations in Minnesota. The FBI’s involvement suggests the incident is being taken seriously, and it raises questions about the ability of journalists to safely cover such demonstrations in the future.

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