Uptown safety status: driver on Hennepin just exited his vehicle, approached me and said, "I just got out of the car to make sure I wasn't tripping. That's a big dude." This made me feel uncomfortable.

Blotter: guy on a tall bike singing country music turned the wrong way down Lake Street

Twofer

Yesterday Chairman Martin unified the most densely populated congressional district in Minnesota with nothing but a dream and a peasant army.

Fire trucks vs street parking is the only correct way for a fire department to get involved in the planning of streets.

You will never have to protest Josh Martin because he'll know what you want before you do.

The Minneapolis council president is working as an afternoon DJ at a brewery when he should be focused on scheduling a third, fourth and fifth denial vote for Todd.

All the bike trails that have been closed for what feels like the majority of the time I've lived in Minneapolis are now open. I'm on a journey of rediscovery because I forget where they take me.

Ilhan Omar is DFL endorsed for reelection to congress after her opponent recognizes long odds and immediately skedaddles before a vote can happen.

Both me and the person running this convention are confused by the fact that Latonya Reeves used her speech as a candidate at this DFL convention to say she's not seeking the DFL endorsement.

Political insiders say you usually don't want to be nominated for endorsement by the guy who spent the morning making himself the convention's main jackass.

Ilhan Omar opponent Latonya Reeves nominated for DFL endorsement by a guy who has repeatedly come to the mic asking to kick out the "communist party" members among us. Reeves then gives a speech denouncing the "nonsensical purity tests" that have pushed people to vote Republican.

Peggy Flanagan, here in person, gets enthusiastic reception at CD5 DFL convention. Guy speaking on behalf of Angie Craig inspires a lot of turned backs.

They say every dollar invested in free parking translates to an additional dollar put into leaving your car on the street.

From left to right: nationally renowned animal educator, Minneapolis Park Commissioner, DFL power broker, founder of Taylor Dahlin dot com.

I'm sitting here on the floor of another DFL convention, connecting dots, putting together all the key players. It's finally dawned on me that the reason I get weird scammy professional networking emails from Latonya Reeves is because she thinks I'm Jamie Edwards of SD61.

This victory is dedicated to the brave Mujahideen fighters of the Josh Martin Caucus.

Josh Martin is your new DFL CD5 chair.

Me and Dad

Tim Peterson coming to the mic for repeated attacks on the Communist party is my favorite part of the CD5 DFL convention. Is the Communist party a thing? Does he mean the DSA?

Always looking for someone to say something I haven't heard a million times before at a political convention. So I was glad to hear Hennepin County Attorney candidate Anders Folk say his grandmother was Raspberry Queen 1939 in Hopkins.

I just came here to see Josh Martin anointed. But I arrived too late to see Scott Graham having his moment.

"100 Mile Garage Sale" is perfect for those who hate the neighborhood garage sale and wish it was just a long drive. www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/ne...

After having his burgundy Jeep Grand Cherokee stolen, Minneapolis Park & Rec Commissioner Dan Engelhart becomes the reluctant bearded face of the car theft epidemic. youtu.be/ZTVXX_dfAHQ?...

Before Wedge LIVE was a podcast it was just puppet shows reenacting covid-era telephone public hearings. www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcLU...

TOMORROW: It is my hope that the walls of the CD5 DFL convention will be covered with large posters promoting the candidacy of Josh R.R. Martin for chair of CD5. We need the beard. We need the weird hat. And remember to sign the back of your ballot.

Sorry I couldn't cover today's Real Big Parking News. I was finishing my 4 part podcast series on the men who want to be Minnesota state auditor.

Partly bc Minneapolis detoured into crime/police politics for much of his tenure, Frey added hardcore NIMBYs to his coalition. Which is a little counterintuitive if you only know him as the mayor who grabbed credit for the 2040 plan.

I made so many memories at this CB2 (Crate & Barrel Part 2). That was the gritty authentic Uptown of my youth.

Volume up to hear the tiniest cat call.

it's the first night of the free friday night parking in uptown!! SOUND OFF: how are you celebrating this bounty?

Uptown safety status: guy just passed me on the sidewalk and said "hey man you're really tall... [giggling, unsure what to say next] that's awesome." Made me really uncomfortable.

Proper etiquette for Uptown's Free Parking Fridays is like buffet rules. Remember others are waiting to enjoy the bounty. Get into a parking spot, use a reasonable amount — maybe 30 seconds at most — then move to the next spot. Don't just plop your car down all night and deprive others.

There is actually an interesting collage of projects cobbled together on these corridors (not SS4A). This is the big one: www.minneapolismn.gov/government/p..., but there is also an HSIP project on several intersections around Nicollet/Blaisdell.

Bumpouts in progress.

We need a mayor who will give Uptown the attention it deserves. "Free Parking Fridays" is a joke. It solves nothing. We need "Porch Decoy Thursdays" to send a message that "if I don't call police, my mannequin will."

Look for me at future city council meetings holding signs that say "BRING HIM BACK!" and "DENY TODD AGAIN!"

This is from the Council Member Jamison Whiting's "scorecard" of his votes. Tell Whiting whenever I see him that the idea of "scoring" your own opinions is hilarious. This is more like an "explanation."

May 16

I didn't realize our Recovery Bike friends had a plan to save this house. I wish them luck. recovery.bike/johncookhouse/

I understand the tax revenue argument for data centers, but I wish people would stop pretending large buildings full of computer servers are about creating a "vibrant and attractive" downtown.

I have been called a "pain in the ass" more times than I care to count, but never in such a complementary manner!

The endless loop of monthly denial votes for Todd Barnette can only continue through August, when the holdover period ends for his expired appointment. Though as someone who enjoys the comedy of this, I can't imagine Mayor Frey lets me have the joy of a third denial in June.

Here's the "nuh uh" response letter from the pro-Barnette minority of the city council. First half denounces Council President Payne for his earlier memo outlining reasons the majority denied Barnette's reappointment. lims.minneapolismn.gov/File/2026-00...

It's time to put the monthly denial of Todd Barnette in my calendar.

All of C David George Incorporated was like, "please sir let us maintain your empire, we're ready to mow, we're ready to put out the fires!" And he said no, we're burning it all down. That dream died with him.

The Minneapolis City Council voted for a two week delay before taking action on a demolition permit application for this house at 948 18th Ave NE so that the house will have enough time to fall down all on its own. lims.minneapolismn.gov/File/2025-01...

Minneapolis City Council in disarray: I had to skip through almost an hour of today's council meeting to get past an endless series of honorary resolutions.

If Council Member Palmisano is saying that Todd Barnette is incapable of answering on the spot questions, maybe he's not qualified to be the city's highest paid employee leading all public safety departments. Let Todd live his life. Stop the humiliation. youtu.be/w7k3wtbDuw0?...

Usually when an executive branch appointment is rejected by the legislature, the mayor/governor/president seeks out an acceptable alternative candidate. But mayor Frey has decided to humiliate Todd Barnette until the city council relents out of secondhand embarrassment.