MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Chef Yia Vang’s new restaurant Vinai officially opened its doors on Tuesday.

Named after the refugee camp where his parents met, and where he was born, Vang calls the restaurant a ‘love letter’ to his parents who taught him to cook.

Vang still utilizes their methods and recipes and considers the space another opportunity to share his Hmong culture with the Twin Cities.

FOX 9 previously spoke with Vang about his upbringing, and the opening of his Union Hmong Kitchen location on Lake Street in Minneapolis.

Vinai is located in northeast Minneapolis, next to Young Joni.

MINNEAPOLIS — A new security team is now assigned to Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis, with the goal of making downtown less dangerous.

From Washington Avenue to Grant Street, all along Nicollet Mall, there will be notice an electric golf car with two friendly faces inside.

“We enjoy what we do, “said Calvin Williams. Williams and Michael Beech are officers with Unparalleled Security. Their job is to engage with people along Nicollet Mall. 

“Getting to know a lot of the regular people who are here day to day a lot of business people downtown to people who just like to hang out and enjoy the scenery,” said Michael Beech,

The work use to be done by Minneapolis Police Reserves, but with their shrinking numbers, the Downtown Improvement District decided to contract it out.

“It’s providing a Nicollet security presence, unarmed with a lot of training, de escalation, Narcan training, crisis intervention, basic first aid, youth engagement,” said Shane Zahn.

The goal is to make everyone feel welcome while making sure they are no problems.

“We basically try to deescalate any situation that we come across like we help people that is hot and homeless,” Williams said.

Welfare checks are a big part of their job. Officers are connected by radio to all buildings and businesses along Nicollet Mall and can be dispatched to any spot where there might be trouble.

Unparalleled Security also works with community partners, 21 Days of Peace, Mad Dads, and Hennepin County social workers all work together to keep Nicollet Mall safe.

This added level of prevention was needed since the number of people coming to the area has increased from last year.

Minneapolis hotels set a revenue record with hotel demand and occupancy; a lot of that traffic passed through Nicollet Mall. Both officers are trained to address the needs of young people and others down on their luck.

“Giving them the resources from if they need somewhere to stay, clothing anything like that if they need someone to talk to. Sometimes a friend just helps,” Beech said.

The pilot program will run through September.