Councilwoman Andrea Jenkins and her Ward 8 team have been grinding out new policies amidst the Minneapolis City Council chaos. Scrapping the rideshare ordinance back to the drawing board, Jenkins pushed to give Uber and Lyft more breathing room to pay fair driver wages after fresh labor data threw a wrench in the works. In a statement obtained by Ward 8 News, Jenkins mentioned a unanimous vote to give the policy a second glance. The extension, set for July 1, aims to dial up competition by greasing the wheels for other rideshare services to vroom into the scene. Minnesota's legislature is also shifting gears on a statewide bill, syncing up with the council's moves.
Despite the kerfuffle, Jenkins tries to accelerate community connections, having schmoozed with Sen. Amy Klobuchar to cut the ribbon at a new childcare center, and with Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, celebrating a big win of $850K for housing projects. She gave a shout-out during her trip to DC, rubbing elbows with Senator Laphonza Butler, a history-making politician. Back home, it's all about local growth, visiting Pillsbury House + Theater who are plotting a creative hub makeover in Ward 8.
Minneapolis is also putting its eco-friendly foot forward, with the city's street sweepers ready to scrub clean over 1,000 miles of gritty winter roads starting April 16. The scoop on when and where the brooms hit the streets is posted on the city's interactive map, so locals ain't blindsided by "No Parking" signs. Fines and tows are lurking for the unwary. The green wave doesn't end there; the Solid Waste & Recycling Department has kicked off yard waste season, scooping up compostable detritus on the regular – but hold your horses on the leaf-raking until after mid-April to keep the bees buzzing and butterflies flapping.
Next on the docket, is MnDOT's two-year repair gig on Stone Arch Bridge, starting with a section closure on April 15. They aim to seriously preserve the historic span, and a detour is already baked in via the Third Avenue Bridge. Traffic headaches are to be expected but, hey, at least it's not a full-blown molt. Details on the bridge's facelift can be snagged from MnDOT's digital digs. Meanwhile, the city's in deep with a study on African American heritage, backed by a National Park Service grant, to spice up the sparse historical listings with a story or twenty-five. They’re hustling to paint a richer picture of the black narrative in Minneapolis.
Construction junkies will dig the Hennepin Avenue South makeover, which kicked off on April 1. This isn't an April Fool's joke; it's a complete overhaul from I-94 to Uptown, promising smoother rides for everyone. And for folks eager to dish on public safety, the City's cooking up community safety centers and wants a bite of public opinion at a few side dishes of meetings in the weeks to come.
But the hustle never stops. With National Public Health Week dead ahead, there's a resource fair plus a shout-out ceremony for local health heroes on April 17. And for the neighborhood newbies or the renting veterans, mark June 4 for the Renter Rights Resource Fair – a crash course in dodging poor housing conditions and standing up for tenant rights. For those similar to get civic with it, the City calls on residents to drop truth bombs on the capital budget at a listening sesh or shoot an email. Input goes a long way, especially with projects greater than your front porch. Join the civic party and have your say.
