🚲 Why are we still fighting about bike lanes?

Lyndale Avenue's Real Debate Hasn't Even Started

The Minneapolis City Council will be voting this week on whether to approve the county’s final design for Lyndale Avenue's reconstruction in South Minneapolis, and people are still fighting about whether to put a bike lane on it. The bike lane is currently a part of the plan, but Star Tribune columnist Eric Roper says that arguments over whether to include it are missing the point. [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities / Star Tribune]

• Construction's hidden cost: Many businesses are wary of the impact that up to three years of road construction could have on their bottom line, especially after witnessing local businesses struggle during reconstruction of Hennepin Avenue recently. Roper points out that the construction will be happening on Lyndale regardless of whether a bike lane is built, and the real focus of debate should be on how the government can help support businesses that are impacted by the project. [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities / Star Tribune]
• Have we tried this before? The Minneapolis City Council had approved funding to assist businesses through the reconstruction of Hennepin Avenue, but that program was cut before those funds were ever disbursed. In St. Paul, the state legislature approved $250,000 to assist businesses along Arcade Street through reconstruction. Grants of up to $5,000 have been offered to small businesses in the area. [Pioneer Press / 🎧 City Cast Twin Cities]

Your street, your say: St. Paul is planning on renaming Cesar Chavez Street, and the city wants input from West Side residents on what to call it. There will be three listening sessions at Neighborhood House between now and the end of the month where residents can provide their ideas on what to rename the street. [Spokeman-Recorder]

Congrats, grads! Two people incarcerated in Minnesota recently became the first incarcerated people in U.S. history to graduate with a law degree from an American Bar Association-accredited law school. Maureen Onyelobi and Jeffery Young were able to earn their degrees through a collaboration between the Minnesota Department of Corrections, the Mitchell Hamline School of Law, and other partners. [Minnesota Department of Corrections]

Free childcare? Advocates have launched a statewide campaign for free universal childcare in Minnesota. The Childcare for All campaign plans to build support among legislators throughout this summer and the fall elections in hopes of introducing legislation to fund childcare at the state level next year. [MPR News]

Get crawling, Twin Cities: In an exercise of free will, I organized a bar crawl through seven locations in Northeast Minneapolis this past weekend, and you can too. Steal my route, or pick a handful of spots in your neighborhood and invite everyone you know. Your results may vary, but highlights from my crawl include having a stranger buy everyone a round of shots at 331 Club, and tearing up the dancefloor at Shaws Bar while a live band played "The Twist."

Evidence loading…: Defense attorneys for the "Minnesota 15" anti-ICE protesters say they haven't seen much of the evidence that Department of Justice prosecutors plan to use against them. Prosecutors say they haven't been able to provide the evidence yet because it "takes several days" just to load terabytes of Signal chat data onto hard drives. The judge overseeing pretrial matters and the defense have both expressed concern that some of the chats were collected without a proper warrant, but defense attorney Jordan Kushner said they would need access to the evidence to find out. [Unicorn Riot / 🎧 City Cast Twin Cities]

Tuesday, July 14

• 🍕 Pizza Nights at the Farm | Farm at the Arb, MN Landscape Arboretum
• 🆓 Roots of Resilience: Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities | Crosby Farm Regional Park
• 🆓 Na Eng presents The Art of Saving Democracy | Magers & Quinn Booksellers
• 😂 The Life-Changing Magic of County Government | Bryant Lake Bowl Theater
• 🆓 Bike Mom Friends | Perennial Cycle
• 😈 Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical | Lush Lounge & Theater
• 🎶 Lyle Lovett and His Small Large Band | State Theatre

Wednesday, July 15

• 🇵🇷 Bombazo with Maria Isa and Alexis Santos | Rice Park
• 🤡 Queer Clown Connection | Queermunity
• 🆓 Summer Deep Listening | The Cedar Cultural Center
• 🔮 Intuitive Tarot Reading | Hewing Hotel Rooftop
• 🎬 The Beirut Trilogy | The Main Cinema
• 🆓 Book Launch: Sea Salt Eatery | Moon Palace Books
• 🎹 Pearl & the Oysters | Turf Club
• 😂 Erica Rhodes | Acme Comedy Co.

• Audience & Growth Analytics Director at Minnesota Star Tribune | $175k – $190k per year
• Marketing Director at First Avenue & 7th St Entry | $80k – $95k per year
• Senior Strategist of Executive Communications at University of Minnesota, Office of the President | $90k – $100k per year
• Community Solar Garden Program Administrator at Minnesota Department of Commerce | $69k – $101k per year
• Social Media Manager at Minnesota Wild / Minnesota Sports & Entertainment | $65k – $80k per year