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OPINION EXCHANGE | Ballot initiatives can make for a stronger democracy in Minneapolis

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OPINION EXCHANGE  |  Ballot initiatives can make for a stronger democracy in Minneapolis


Opinion editor’s note: Star Tribune Opinion publishes a mix of national and local commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

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The dream of American democracy is a government where we all have a voice in our communities, and we all work together to build the kind of world we want to see. Unfortunately, it rarely feels that way for many of our residents here in Minneapolis. Too often, residents ask elected officials to pass laws and implement programs to address social problems and improve the city, only to see city leaders cave to corporate lobbyists and business interests.

Ever since I joined Minneapolis City Council, I have seen constituents fill the council chambers to voice their concerns or support for a wide range of issues — often issues they’ve worked on for years with little help from their elected officials, and sometimes with the city as the main obstacle. Their frustration, at times, is gut-wrenching. I feel that frustration too, as my ability to help them as a council member is often hampered by the city bureaucracy and a lack of political will by some of my colleagues or the mayor that I alone cannot overcome.

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But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Eighty cities across Minnesota give residents the right to bring their ideas to the ballot via ballot initiatives — encompassing more than 1.75 million of our fellow Minnesotans. In fact, only 25% of home rule charter cities deny ballot initiatives to their residents, and Minneapolis is one of them.

If you’ve voted in a recent city election, there is a good chance you’ve seen a citywide question on your ballot. But right now, the only type of questions that can make it to the ballot are charter amendments. This restriction in our charter prevents residents from bringing a whole host of important questions to the ballot.

The council is currently considering introducing a charter amendment that would lift the restriction on ballot initiatives and referendums. If passed, it would give the people of Minneapolis the power to bring forward ballot initiatives and put their solutions directly on the ballot, so their neighbors can vote on important policies impacting their lives. It would also allow them to use the same process to have a referendum on a policy passed by City Council. If, for example, the council passed a policy people didn’t like, Minneapolis residents could collect signatures to bring the policy to the ballot for a vote.

Our neighbors across the river in St. Paul trust their residents with this tool. A few years ago, when communities in St. Paul were frustrated with a trash pickup policy passed by the City Council, people collected signatures to bring a referendum to the ballot, which opened up dialogue and brought this crucial issue to a vote in which residents could have the final say.

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Years ago, in Minneapolis, neighborhood restaurants were prohibited from selling cocktails. There was little support for this law, but people were stuck with it. Luckily, since the law was in the city charter, it was placed on the ballot and it was struck down. But there’s no reason the ability for residents to have a say in our communities should be limited to matters in the city charter.

People in neighborhoods across the city often feel powerless in their ability to affect meaningful change. Allowing ballot initiatives would give residents a powerful tool to bring their concerns forward. Instead of struggling to have their voices heard by a select few city officials, residents would be encouraged to talk to one another. Encouraging those conversations, even when there’s difference of opinion, fosters democracy and strengthens the bonds of community.

I ran for office to be a voice for working-class people in City Hall. But I don’t just want to give voice to their concerns. I want to lift up their solutions. From the $15 minimum wage and the East Phillips Urban Farm to sidewalk plowing and bus lanes, many of our city’s most popular ideas came directly from our residents. We can join the 80 other cities across the state and finally allow ballot initiatives and referendums in Minneapolis, putting power in the hands of the people, lifting up even more of their solutions.

By legalizing ballot initiatives and referendums, we can empower Minneapolis residents to advocate for their communities at the ballot box. We can empower working-class people to debate their political priorities and proposed solutions, then have the chance to make those proposals reality. That’s what democracy should look like — and it’s what democracy can look like, right here in Minneapolis.

Robin Wonsley represents the Ward 2 on the Minneapolis City Council. A public hearing on the proposal discussed in this article is set for 1:30 p.m. Monday during the meeting of the council’s Administration & Enterprise Oversight Committee in Room 350 of the Public Service Center, 250 S. Fourth St. A related commentary on the subject — “Initiative and referendum in Minneapolis? Interesting proposal. Five concerns.” — was published Friday.

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Minneapolis, MN

Man killed over Louie Vuitton bag, suspect was on bond for suspected carjacking, charges say

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Man killed over Louie Vuitton bag, suspect was on bond for suspected carjacking, charges say


Minneapolis police are investigating a homicide on Feb. 24, 2026.  (FOX 9)

A man is dead after a witness said he refused to give up a Louis Vuitton bag while being robbed by multiple men at gunpoint. 

Abdirahman Khayre Khayre, 20, is charged with second-degree murder and first-degree robbery for the incident that happened on the evening of Feb. 24 in Minneapolis. 

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READ MORE: Man fatally shot in south Minneapolis apartment building

Fatal Minneapolis shooting after robbery 

The set-up:

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Minneapolis police responded around 10:42 p.m. on Feb. 24 at the Abbott Apartments, located on the 100 block of East 18th Street in the Stevens Square neighborhood of Minneapolis.

Officers then found a dead man in the lobby who had been shot multiple times. 

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A witness to the shooting said he and the victim arrived at the apartments to “hang out” with Khayre, according to the criminal complaint. 

The witness said he became suspicious when Khayre he left the room multiple times and “appeared to be stalling.”

The robbery:

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The complaint states the witness reported three men then came into the room and yelled “Give me everything.” The men were armed with Glock handguns that had extended magazines as well as an AR-style rifle.

They then stole two guns from the witness, and one of them was handed to Khayre.

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When the men demanded a Louis Vuitton bag from the victim, he refused, leading to a fight between them all.

The shooting:

The witness said when he walked toward them, Khayre pointed the witness’ stolen gun at him and racked it. 

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The witness then got out of the room, ran toward the lobby and heard multiple gunshots. He then saw two of the men flee out the back of the building, but didn’t see what direction they went in.

The victim was then found dead. 

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The aftermath:

Khayre was then identified by the witness in a photo lineup, according to the criminal complaint. 

Police say video footage corroborated much of what the witness reported.

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Khayre was on conditional release for a suspected carjacking at the time of the shooting, according to the complaint. 

The Source: This story uses information gathered from a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County and previous FOX 9 reporting. 

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Minnesota’s Iranian community: Mixed emotions on US-Israel strike

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Minnesota’s Iranian community: Mixed emotions on US-Israel strike


The local Iranian community in Minnesota is expressing mixed emotions following the recent joint U.S.-Israel strike on Iran.

Local reactions to the strike

What we know:

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The strike resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to President Donald Trump and Iranian state media. Many Iranians in Minnesota feel this could lead to freedom for their country.

Nazanin Naferipoor shared that her sister in Iran was initially happy about the strike, believing it might bring about freedom. However, communication has been cut off since the strike began, leaving many worried about their loved ones.

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The other side:

Hamid Kashani from the Minnesota Committee in Support of a Democratic Iran expressed mixed feelings about the strike. While he hopes for change, he is concerned about the potential loss of innocent lives.

Fazy Kowsari emphasized that the attack targeted the government, not the religion, and criticized the political motivations behind the strike.

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Upcoming rally at Nicollet Mall

Why you should care:

A rally is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at Nicollet Mall and 11th Street. Organizers view the U.S. strike as a rescue operation for Iranians held hostage by the regime, rather than an act of war.

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Ex-MN Twins Pitcher Sentenced For Shooting His In-Laws

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Ex-MN Twins Pitcher Sentenced For Shooting His In-Laws


AUBURN, CA — Former Major League Baseball pitcher Dan Serafini was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering his father-in-law and attempting to murder his mother-in-law in a 2021 ambush-style shooting at a Lake Tahoe-area home.

A Placer County jury previously found Serafini, 51, guilty of fatally shooting 70-year-old Gary Spohr and seriously wounding Spohr’s wife, 68-year-old Wendy Wood, on June 5, 2021, at their home on the lake’s west shore. Wood survived the attack but died a year later.

In a statement obtained by The Associated Press, Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire said that Spohr and Wood were loving grandparents and detailed how Serafini’s crimes had affected the couple’s family members and friends.

“The impact of this attack has extended far beyond the immediate victims, deeply affecting family members and the broader community, and highlighting the lasting harm caused by deliberate violence,” Gire said.

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On the day of the shooting, Serafini’s wife, the victims’ daughter, had taken the children to the lake to visit their grandparents.

Prosecutors said the deadly ambush stemmed from a dispute over a $1.3 million investment in a ranch renovation project. The victims had reportedly contributed the money.

In one text message shown in court, Serafini wrote, “I’m gonna kill them one day,” referencing a dispute over $21,000, prosecutors said.

He also sent other threatening messages, including “I will be coming after you” and “Take me to court,” according to ABC10.

Jurors also found Serafini guilty of several “special circumstance” sentencing enhancements, including lying in wait, use of a firearm, and that the attack was willful, deliberate and premeditated. He was also convicted of first-degree burglary.

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Prosecutors had also charged Serafini with child endangerment, saying he put his infant and toddler sons at risk by having a gun in the home. Jurors found him not guilty on that count.

The case also involved a second defendant, 33-year-old Samantha Scott, who pleaded guilty to being an accessory in February, according to the New York Post.

A left-hander, Serafini was a 1992 first-round pick for the Minnesota Twins. He also played for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies, pitching for six MLB teams over seven seasons.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.





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