Minneapolis Fire Chief to retire after 30 years of service
Minneapolis Fire Chief Bryan Tyner recently announced he will retire at the end of this year. He started his career with the Fire Department in 1995 and was appointed to his current position on December 4, 2020.
“Chief Tyner has given more than 30 years of his life in service to our city, and Minneapolis is better for it,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “He’s never stopped giving back to the community that raised him — and I know he’ll continue to do so in his next chapter.
“Chief Tyner’s legacy is one of vision, compassion, and commitment to keeping people safe.”
The City has started a national search for its next fire chief. For the time being, an interim chief will be appointed and will assume responsibilities upon Tyner’s retirement.
Lowry Avenue to reopen Oct. 24
The stretch of Lowry Avenue from Central Avenue to Ulysses Street NE is set to reopen to traffic on Friday, October 24. “We’ve had a lot of rainy days” which led to delays in construction, Sr. Professional Engineer Amanda Shotton told the Northeaster. “Everything went pretty smooth on this project.”
If the project were pushed out again, it would likely only be a “couple of days into the following week.”
More information can be found at https://www.hennepin.us/lowry-avenue.
Montessori school vandalized
Heartwood Montessori, 229 13th Ave. NE, was vandalized the weekend of October 4 and 5. A playhouse and garden were included in pictures of the damage to the location.
The Parent Involvement Committee at Heartwood has started a GoFundMe page to help pay for the damages at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-rebuild-heartwood-montessori-playground.
Heights resident honored for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
During the October 14 Columbia Heights City Council meeting, Mayor Amáda Márquez Simula and the City Council presented Juliet Kembitskey with a proclamation in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to a 2021 GoFundMe page, Kembitskey received a cancer diagnosis and went through multiple surgeries but never needed chemotherapy.
Minneapolis City Council passes renter protection ordinance
On October 9, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to pass the Slumlord Tier Oversight and Protection ordinance. Under the policy, rental properties with multiple violations on the part of the owner will require a Council vote in order to renew their licenses.
In a press release, Elliott Payne, Ward 1 city councilmember and president of the city council, wrote about approximately “160 licenses covering about 2,250 rental units.” He said they are primarily in areas with “low-income renters, renters of color, and student renters” and present “significant violations impacting tenant health, safety and livability.”
The ordinance goes into effect Jan. 1, 2027.
Street sweeping begins for Northeast neighborhoods
As of October 21, Minneapolis city crews have begun sweeping streets across Minneapolis, a process which helps keep fallen leaves and debris out of storm drains — and, by proxy, lakes, creeks and the Mississippi River. Street sweeping will last for approximately four weeks. Hot pink “No Parking” signs will be posted on streets at least 24 hours before crews begin sweeping. Anyone who parks on the street will need to follow posted parking rules; otherwise, their cars may be ticketed, towed or both.
Visit https://www.minneapolismn.gov/getting-around/parking-driving/street-sweep/street-sweep-map/ to learn when your street is scheduled for sweeping.
Early voting underway for Minneapolis elections
Voters are now able to cast ballots for the November 4 municipal election. Ballots may be cast early by mail or at the Early Vote Center, located at 980 E. Hennepin Ave.
According to the Lower Northeast Neighborhoods Association, early voting “began with the City (of Minneapolis) mailing out 12,640 requested mail-in ballots to Minneapolis voters – a record for a municipal election. Another 351 people voted at the Early Vote Center on the first day.”
People who requested mail-in ballots should allow “up to seven days for their ballot to arrive and plan an equal number of days for returning the completed ballot.” All ballots need to be received by Election Day, Nov. 4, to count. Mail ballots dropped off in-person must be returned to the Elections & Voter Services office, rather than polling places, by 5 p.m. on November 4