Minneapolis Park & Rec Board Commissioner Tom Olsen was just unanimously elected as president. Ditto for newly-elected Commissioner Kedar Deshpande for Vice President.

Almost-BET member EHB would like to correct his sledding record.

"Our current only hope to tax the rich in this city is going down head first on a sled"

It was an honor to be a part of this chaos.

Maybe this year will be better than the last.

Southwest Minneapolis weather report from East Harriet to Kingfield: overnight snow is manageable but it is very cold out. Pedestrians will struggle with unshoveled sidewalks, made worse by blowing snow overnight. Streets are fairly plowed and easily to navigate by vehicle. Bicyclists are tough.

My #minneapoliswx report from East Harriet through the Wedge neighborhoods on Dec. 28. There is a thick sheet of ice underneath most of the snow. It's getting much colder out, the snow is blowing, and my favorite coffee shop closed early. Do with that what you will.

PSA: Peak flu season is in February. It's not too late to get a flu shot. (Hat tip MPR News)

DM me for the baking experiment I did not include in this article because it felt like such a secret reveal only true baking nerds should know about it.

ICY ICY ICY Walk like a penguino!

ICE in Whittier today, per Minneapolis Council Member Jason Chavez

For those following along with Minneapolis City Council business:

Minneapolis has declared a snow emergency. Day 1 parking rules will begin at 9 p.m. tonight, Dec. 10. More: https://www.minneapolismn.gov/getting-around/snow/snow-emergencies/snow-parking-rules/

UPDATE: Susan Tincher was just released at the St. Paul Fort Snelling ICE facilities, per her husband Jim.

BREAKING: Northsider Susan Tincher was taken away by what her husband assumes were ICE agents this morning at 21st Street and Oliver Avenue North around 6 a.m. “No idea where she is,” Jim Tincher, Susan’s husband, shared with North News Tuesday morning. “This is just ridiculous.” More here:

I report on the Northside and in Southwest Minneapolis. You can reach me on Signal anytime @phmelody.143

complaining about paywalls when so many journalists are being laid off and there are fewer market incentives to do great reporting and in-depth investigations, data analysis and features is also wild when everyone understands you need to pay for electronics, streaming services, and utilities

The turkeys of Minneapolis are protecting the land in a way I don't think humans will ever understand

Hyperlocal Pastor Travis Norvell at Judson Church in Kingfield wrote this piece::

Here is a thread on information re: people's rights if they are followed, visited at their home, detained, etc. in multiple languages including Somali:

ICE was confirmed to be outside of Waite House yesterday afternoon, which is close to a Somali mall. The vehicles were not armored tanks, but regular black vehicles. This has not been confirmed by MPD but MPD was there to investigate last night.

Every World AIDS Day I remember and honor my Aunt Jill who died way too young from cancer. She volunteered at the HIV wing in a Chicago hospital in the 1990s and took me to my first drag bar in Chicago. She died when I was barely in college and I wish she was still alive today. I miss her fiercely.

SNOW EMERGENCY IN MINNEAPOLIS. Spread the word! All sidewalks need to be fully cleared by today too.

Bluesky! Bring back Follow Friday with Send Me Suggestions Sunday. Who do you follow?

A detailed investigation into how 3M's innovative technology has been poisoning our drinking water with forever plastic-based chemicals since the 1970s. A great long read. Stellar journalism.

Hello snow storm Saturday on Bluesky. I'd like to follow some more local, fun/funny, smart people on here. Please reply with suggestions

These are incredible photographs

Ope!

New pro-pedestrian bus ad from MNDOT dropped. Reads: "Stop for pedestrians at every corner. Yep...every corner."

I was just informed by my editor that North News broke the news on Jellybean Johnson passing away yesterday. Flowers where they are due to my colleague Azhae'la Hanson

Minneapolis music legacy to dig into this morning.

An update on George Floyd Square:

Me eagerly reading the local elementary school's digital sign, legitimately wanting to know the answer: How many days a week should you read? The answer: 6 7 ☹️😭

What a photo

From this morning's Star Tribune newsletter re: an attempted after action report on how the MPD handled an escalating neighbor conflict that led to the shooting of Davis Moturi in Southwest Minneapolis.

God morgon! (pronounced go'moronn in Swedish) Today the sun got up at 7:07 a.m. and she is setting at 4:46 p.m. Minnesota may see more Northern Lights tonight, per NOAA: www.spaceweather.gov/communities/...

My contribution to the Northern Lights in Minneapolis on Nov. 11 photograph pile. Photos taken in the East Harriet neighborhood.

My colleague Brian Martucci wrote an article about a new affordable housing apartment complex in Uptown which includes family-friendly units (including kid-resistant materials in the apartments). He also reports on how much affordable housing the city has developed in the last 2 years.

Now the election is over and the sun sets at 4:54 p.m.

If you're looking for something to civically involve yourself with, the Minneapolis City Budget is in its editing phases right now.

Jacob Frey has been declared the unofficial winner for mayor by the City of Minneapolis.

Right now

I just put together a pretty data-heavy Southwest Voices newsletter. Here is my mayor blurb that was fact-checked by a rank choice voting expert™️

Hello from DeWayne Davis' campaign party where there are no election results yet.

Per the City of Minneapolis: "This year’s early voting total is the second highest the City of Minneapolis has ever had for a municipal election." Minneapolis has about 253,000 registered voters, roughly 58% of the population. Of those voters, about 9% have already cast ballots.

My first byline with Racket! Read up on one of the most energetic candidates during the 2025 Minneapolis election (And he's not even running for a big ticket seat).

Currently at Uptown/Wedge/Lowry Hill Hennepin Avenue Re-Opening

My mailer haul from yesterday, 10/29/25. Five pieces of election mail. Not complaining, just observing. It was four pieces the previous day. 10/28 had two pro-Frey mailers, 10/29 all progressive mailers including a hand-written envelope from Amber Frederick campaign (Park & Rec).

Community! I’ll be making my first appearance for a candidate forum tomorrow at the Minneapolis Central Library, for a forum hosted by LWV Minneapolis! Candidates from Districts 2, 4, and 6 will be on stage together at 3pm with At-Large and Districts 1, 3, and 5 to follow.

I was given the distinct honor of handing out candy this weekend to trick-or-treaters in Southwest Minneapolis. Here are the hottest costumes: The Descendants (especially the character "Red"), K Pop Demon Hunters (especially Rumi, Mira, and Zoey although I did see some Saja Boys), Scream masks.