T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
www.mplsobserver.com
Vol. 2, No. 48
July 21, 2003
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THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Traffic Cops Cracking Down
* Protesters Crash U of M Regents Meeting
* If It's Round, It Belongs to Honeywell
* Bridges Now Off-Limits to Homeless
* Planetarium Opening in Doubt
Plus: Hire a director, then create the department; peeing for the cameras; back talk on Lake Street development; metamorphosis in a pail; and how Tim Pawlenty's making Jesse look awfully smart.
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TRAFFIC COPS CRACKING DOWN
City traffic cops are writing tickets at unprecedented rates as part of an effort that looks suspiciously like a revenue-raising exercise, but one that city officials claim will make neighborhoods safer.
The number of traffic citations has increased nearly four-fold between March and May, reflecting a council budget decision that more than doubled the number of traffic cops (from 10 to 22), notes Robyn Repya in the Southwest Journal (http://www.swjournal.com). Police wrote 645 tickets in March and 2,450 in May. The council budgeted $875,000 for the additional traffic cops, said city spokeswoman Sara Dietrich, and expects the additional cops to write enough tickets to pay their salaries. But she noted that it's too early to tell if the city's going to make a profit on the move, as there can be as much as a 60-day delay between writing a citation and receiving the fine.
Tenth Ward council member Dan Niziolek, chair of the council's Public Safety and Regulatory Services Committee, said the city is more interested in improving safety than raising revenue. "We're starting to see us as a city get more aggressive dealing with livability [issues]," he said.
PROTESTERS DISRUPT U OF M BOARD MEETING
About 25 protestors crashed the University of Minnesota Board of Regents meeting July 11 to voice their opposition to the university's involvement in a controversial astronomy project.
IF IT'S ROUND, IT'S OURS
Honeywell, the former Minneapolis company that for many years tussled with anti-war protesters over its weapons-manufacturing business, has another battle on its hands. But this time it's all about thermostats.
BRIDGES NOW OFF-LIMITS TO HOMELESS
Homeless people are finding their shelter options narrowing as city and state maintenance crews are buttoning up the bridges.
PLANETARIUM OPENING IN DOUBT
With funding options in limbo, the new Minneapolis planetarium may not be designed in time to open when the new dowtown library is christened.
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The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media, L.L.C. ©2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406; www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe, send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list and refund the unused portion of your subscription.
Editor: Craig Cox
Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow
Equine consultant: Nora Cox
Perspective: Martin Cox
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