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The snow plow operators that plowed the street and alley between Newton and 42nd on 2/24/23 should be commended for the great job they did on clearing the snow

It Runs in the Family: A Day with Councilmember Emily Koski

It's odd that we're celebrating dynasties in Minneapolis, when we should be questioning what allows certain families to continue to wield this much power in the city over decades. We say we value diversity and equity in Minneapolis, but how can that be true when we allow puff pieces like this to stand in for a city council member's voting record and actions in office? - Rebecca Donley, Ward 11 Community Member and member of Ward Eleven Allied Voices for Equity (WEAVE)

Here’s how you told us to cover the 2023 city elections

Is there a way you can ask the candidates about the City's pending update of its Climate Plan (adopted in 2013), how it should be funded, and what it should achieve? This is the MOST important issue for many of us here in SW Minneapolis. -Evan Mulholland, SW Minneapolis resident, and environmental lawyer

SWLRT is back in the news & is a hot topic in Ward 7. For 2 interviews now you've failed to ask Ward 7 candidates about it. - Susu Jeffrey, Ward 7 resident

An Interview with Ward 7 City Council Candidate Scott Graham

We can't keep electing status quo-minded long-time residents that haven't learned a new idea in decades and expect forward-looking solutions for current and future residents.  His predecessor strongly felt Woodbury is the model city Minneapolis should be moving toward and he seems to be in agreement.

Also- do we need to better train MPD (according to MPD they're "highly trained" already) or hire 100 new (untrained) police? These two objectives are mutually exclusive. - Kyle, Loring Park

What is Scott Graham’s source for the statistic that 95% of sidewalks are properly cleared and only 5% are an issue? -Taylor Editor's note: Charlie did not ask Graham for the source for this statistic during the interview. We surmised a statistic like that could come from City snow removal citation data.

What does Scott think about the police sweeps of homeless encampments?  People are forced to move while losing IDs, medicine, [and] personal belongings. No real housing option is offered so people move to another encampment. -Peter Zeftel, housing advocate and community health worker Editor’s note: When we talk to the candidates again, we will have this question with us.

Contested City Council Races Coming to Ward 7 & Ward 13

What specifically is Ms Mortenson's position on the The Peoples' Climate Equity Plan as it goes forward to the Mayor's desk?  -Marian

Ward 13 City Council candidate Kate Mortenson is married to David Mortenson, heir to the Mort Mortenson fortune, and CEO of Mortenson Construction, which is one of the biggest construction and real estate developers in the WORLD (U.S. Bank Stadium, Allianz Field, Target Center remodel, various hotels + apartment high rises in Minneapolis, etc.). If elected, how would Kate Mortenson square this ENORMOUS financial conflict of interest when land sale proposals and construction/development bids involving Mortenson Construction come before the Minneapolis City Council? -Anonymous

Cedar-Isles Plan Ignores Nature’s Despair and Parks' Disrepair

What writers like Steve fail to mention when talking about the East Cedar woods is that without an established bike path, you have what's known to bikers as "renegade bike paths" which is essentially the whole woods. I urge readers of this comment to comment **in favor of** the East Cedar woods bike path if you actually want to see a healthy and thriving forest. Otherwise you can be like Steve and his friends and just wish for bikers to not be there without a plan to give them their own space. -Kingfield resident

I agree with the author’s conclusion and echo the request for Park Board members to live up to their campaign promises to increase and protect the urban canopy as one key action to fight climate change. I'm an avid biker and really object to redundant bike paths that invade and compromise the few spots of concentrated healthy forest areas, or require mature tree removal. I agree the park board priority should be to restore the forest first. That green space really sets our city apart. -Terrell Daniels, 40 year Minneapolis resident

As a daily walker on the Cedar Lake pedestrian trail, I want to thank the Park Stewards and Steve for their tireless efforts to remove the invasive plants. It improves the experience by opening the views, allowing a safer environment for the park users. Please pay attention to this important part of park renewal. - Tim, Bryn Mawr resident