Minneapolis, MN

Readers Write: The election, ranked-choice voting, homelessness in Minneapolis

Published

1 year ago

September 23, 2024

Readers Write: The election, ranked-choice voting, homelessness in Minneapolis

I’ll be voting “no” in November and urge my Bloomington neighbors to do the same. Let’s keep RCV and advocate for the RCV local options bill, which nearly passed last session, to give all Minnesota jurisdictions the choice to adopt it.

Anita Smithson, Bloomington

The writer is a volunteer for RCV Bloomington.

The “Encampment Removal Reporting Ordinance” adopted by the Minneapolis City Council does nothing to end homelessness or encampments (“Murder charge in string of shootings,” Sept. 21). Although it is a compassionate, thoughtful analysis developed by caring city employees, it will increase bureaucracy and increase expensive bean counting but not solve the homeless challenge. It is not structured to record the crime, filth and disruption that is ruining Minneapolis neighborhoods. There will be no record of the harm done to our hardworking, taxpaying residents — the people we want in our neighborhoods — who pay for: road repairs, clean water, safe sewage, trash disposal, city lights, firefighters, officers of the peace, schools and clean, safe parks for all to enjoy. The proposed ordinance provides no record of the residents who sustain our diverse communities but move out of unlivable neighborhoods and leave our city’s tax base because of homeless encampments.

Encampments need to be removed as soon as they start by whatever means needed. Establishing, perpetuating and expanding encampments normalizes them, making them a way of life that helps no one. Many services are needed, need to be created and need to be sustained. If individuals do not want services, then collecting data solves nothing. We must top counting select numbers and eliminate encampments.

George Lundgren, Minneapolis

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Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis man arrested in Manchester after allegedly trying to meet minor for sex

Published

1 hour ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Minneapolis man arrested in Manchester after allegedly trying to meet minor for sex

MANCHESTER, Iowa — A Minnesota man has been arrested in Manchester after police say he attempted to meet someone he believed was a minor for sexual activity.

The Manchester Police Department said Robert Fenn Eselby III, 23, of Minneapolis was arrested Feb. 27 following an undercover investigation.

According to police, Eselby contacted an undercover officer posing as a juvenile through several social media platforms. Authorities said he was informed multiple times that the person he was communicating with was underage.

Investigators say Eselby sent explicit photos and videos and later arranged to travel to Manchester to meet the supposed minor for sexual activity.

Police said Eselby was taken into custody immediately after arriving in Manchester and was transported to the Delaware County Jail.

Authorities also said Eselby allegedly attempted to ask an arresting officer out on a date during the booking process.

Eselby faces one count of grooming, a Class D felony, and one count of disseminating obscene material to a minor, a serious misdemeanor.

Court records show he remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

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Minneapolis, MN

What is a data center?

Published

13 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

What exactly is a data center and why are so many being proposed across Minnesota? Professor Manjeet Rege, chair of Software Engineering and Data Science and director of the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence at the University of St. Thomas, joins us to explain how these massive facilities store and process the world’s data and what the economic, environmental, and infrastructure questions are as Minnesota considers hosting more of them.

Posted March 4, 2026 4:27pm CST

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Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis Ranked Among U.S. Cities With The Most People In Financial Distress

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Minneapolis Ranked Among U.S. Cities With The Most People In Financial Distress

MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis is ranked among the American cities with the most people in financial distress nationwide, according to a recent analysis by WalletHub.

The personal finance website, which defines financial distress as having a credit account in forbearance or with deferred payments, looked at the country’s 100 largest cities without data limitations across nine metrics, including average credit score, change in bankruptcy filings year-over-year, and share of people with accounts in distress.

Minneapolis came in 44th on the list, between Stockton, California, at 43rd and Fresno, California, at 45th, according to the ranking.

Nationwide, the cities with the most people in financial distress were Chicago at No. 1, Houston at No. 2 and Las Vegas at No. 3, the ranking said.

“Getting out of the downward spiral of financial distress is no easy feat,” according to WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.

“You may get temporary relief from your lenders by not having to make payments, but all the while interest will keep building up, making the debt even harder to pay off. People who find themselves in financial distress should budget carefully, cut non-essential expenses, and pursue strategies like debt consolidation or debt management to get their situation under control.”

Read more from WalletHub.

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