Minnesota Independent

Pressure mounts for Klobuchar to support LGBT legislation

By Andy Birkey | 04.30.10 | 11:22 am

Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Minnesota Independent file photoThe Minneapolis City Council, as well as hundreds of constituents, are pressuring Sen. Amy Klobuchar to support legislation that would add same-sex couples to immigration reform efforts in the Senate. The pressure follows criticism of Klobuchar from speakers at last week’s LGBT Lobby Day at the State Capitol, where one speaker said her lack of support put her in line with Republicans such as Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Rep. Michele Bachmann.

AM.MN: Suits scare Pawlenty, Minneapolis officials

By Chris Steller | 10.30.09 | 8:30 am

Lawsuit Day often comes before Halloween and Election Day (ask Norm Coleman). Sure enough, Thursday saw a federal judge give President Obama a treat, confirming his U.S. citizenship in throwing out a “birther” suit. In Minnesota,…

Dave Bicking will be kicking ass off a new city council campaign song

By Paul Schmelzer | 10.21.09 | 9:03 am

Quick: What rhymes with Bicking? In South Minneapolis’ city council race, Ward Nine challenger Dave Bicking is rolling out an unconventional campaign tool: the Green Party–endorsed candidate now has a song written about him. And to answer that…

Ward Nine: Schiff, Bicking vie again

By Chris Steller | 09.07.09 | 10:45 am

Voters in Minneapolis’ Ward Nine would be justified in feeling a sense of déjà vu as they scan lawn signs this fall — or when they are handed their ballots on Election Day, Nov. 3. This year’s contest for city council features a rematch between incumbent DFLer Gary Schiff and his Green Party challenger from 2005, Dave Bicking. A third candidate, Todd Eberhardy of the Independence Party, adds a fresh face to the race.

Slideshow: Prop 8 protests in Minneapolis

By Paul Schmelzer | 11.17.08 | 11:13 am

On Saturday, thousands of people across the country — in cities like Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington and New York — marched in protest of California’s Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that overrode a state Supreme Court decision allowing same-sex couples to marry. Here in Minnesota, rallies were held in Duluth, Minneapolis and St. Paul. Around 1,000 people gathered near the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis (curiously, the Star Tribune’s story estimates the crowd size at 700, while its subhead put the count at 500). Speakers included OutFront Minnesota’s Kelly Lewis; Jeremy Hanson, an aide to Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, and Minneapolis City Council Member Gary Schiff, among others. Photographer Tony Webster was there and gave us permission to publish a slideshow of the rally.

Minneapolis adopts sister city based on immigration trend

By Anna Pratt | 09.14.08 | 12:51 pm

Minneapolis recently entered into a “sister city” agreement with Cuernavaca, the capital of Morelos, a small Mexican state that is the homeland to nearly 30,000 immigrants who have resettled in the area. That pre-existing relationship, which is unusual for sister cities, was cemented in a signing ceremony in Minneapolis on Sept. 13.

Minneapolis mayor announces plans to review RNC law enforcement

By Anna Pratt | 09.11.08 | 6:09 pm

UPDATED Mayor R.T. Rybak announced this afternoon that Minneapolis would conduct a series of reviews into the Minneapolis Police Department’s (MPD) actions in Minneapolis during the Republican National Convention, including a standard “after-action report” that will look into related security measures and the development of new policies for dealing with the media. A city council member who has urged a blue-ribbon, multi-jurisdictional review said the mayor’s statement was “good” but appeared to fall short of “a public, independent, transparent process.”