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Serving the UMN community since 1900

The Minnesota Daily

Serving the UMN community since 1900

The Minnesota Daily

All content by Elizabeth Smith

McNeil says he is guilty

by Elizabeth Smith
Published August 5, 2015

Former Gophers basketball player Daquein McNeil pleaded guilty Monday to assaulting his girlfriend, though he will serve no jail time for the November incident.    McNeil, a sophomore...

Theft, car damage among recent crime

by Elizabeth Smith
Published August 5, 2015

Two people were robbed at gunpoint early Sunday morning in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood near the University of  Minnesota. Three suspects approached the victims, and one of them pointed a gun at...

Fines for texting and driving to rise for repeat offenders

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 31, 2015

A new law will take effect Saturday to increase fines for drivers who are caught texting two or more times, WCCO reported.   The fine for first time offenders will remain at $50, but repeat offenders...

Neighborhood members want more traffic safety

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 29, 2015

Cedar-Riverside residents are joining together in an effort to help pedestrians feel safe when crossing some intersections in the area.   A group of six residents met last week to discuss traffic...

Dinkytown business owners may help MPD with crime

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 29, 2015

A Minneapolis Police Department service used to investigate crimes citywide might come to Dinkytown businesses.   At a meeting with Dinkytown business owners earlier this month, police introduced...

Dinky shooting injures one

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 29, 2015

A shooting in Dinkytown early Saturday morning left a 24-year-old woman injured. University of Minnesota officials say there is no ongoing threat to students’ safety.   The shooting...

The Knoll apartments advertise on University Avenue, heavily competing with other local developments to draw in new residents in the currently oversaturated housing market.

Student housing strong

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 22, 2015

Apartment buildings now dominate the University of MinnesotaâÄôs skyline in places where, a decade ago, houses and businesses dotted the landscape. Despite the recent surge in housing projects...

Study shows link between phone usage and depression

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 17, 2015

According to a study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, depression may be able to be identified through phone usage. Researchers found a correlation between the amount of time someone...

Homicide increases in Minneapolis

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 15, 2015
The U-area still has the lowest crime rate compared to other neighborhoods.

Prospect Park townhomes to stay, redevelopment avoided

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 15, 2015
Monthly meetings will be held about alternative plans for redevelopment.

Dinky snatches historic title for oldest buildings

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 15, 2015
The designation won’t include height restrictions like in some other historic neighborhoods.

Dinkytown named historic

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 10, 2015

Minneapolis City Council members decided in a unanimous vote Friday to make Dinkytown a commercial historic district. The designation will apply to buildings built during the Streetcar Era, 1899 to 1929....

Minnesota lawmakers want to ban gun shaped phone cases

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 10, 2015

Lawmakers in Minnesota are attempting to ban gun-shaped phone cases.   Reps. Joe Atkins (DFL-Inver Grove Heights) and Dan Schoen (DFL-South St. Paul) will introduce a bill Friday that would forbid...

Pedestrians pass by Restaurant Alma on a Monday afternoon. Restaurant chef Alex Roberts is working with City Council member Jacob Frey to change current zoning codes to repurpose the newly acquired space to create a coffee shop and a small boutique hotel named The Inn at Alma.

City council rethinks hotel ordinances

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 8, 2015

A local Marcy-Holmes restaurant could see an addition to its property in the coming year, should the Minneapolis City Council approve a proposal allowing an increase in smaller hotels throughout the city.    City...

Robberies and assaults reported in Stadium Village, West Bank

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 8, 2015

Police say two people — one of whom was a University student — were robbed and assaulted near the University of Minnesota campus Saturday night.   The victims were walking along...

New University of Minnesota Police Department chief Matt Clark poses in the Transportation and Safety Building on Monday. Clark, who has served on the Minneapolis Police Department for more than two decades, will now lead the 50 members of the UMPD as well as the Universitys Public Safety Communications Center.

New police chief steps into role this week

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 8, 2015

Just more than a month after his hiring announcement, Matt Clark joined the University of Minnesota Police Department Monday as its new chief.   Clark, a 22-year veteran of the Minneapolis...

Two robbed near University campus

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 6, 2015

Two people were robbed and assaulted near the University of Minnesota campus Saturday night, one of whom was a University student. The victims were walking down Washington Avenue near Ontario Street Southeast...

Soccer officials say stadium could find a home in St. Paul

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 3, 2015

Major League Soccer set its eyes on St. Paul Wednesday in an effort to get a franchise to Minnesota. The league was originally looked at Minneapolis as the site for their soccer stadium, the Star Tribune...

Ex-Gophers athlete arrested for violating probation

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 1, 2015

Former University of Minnesota basketball player Daquein McNeil has yet to go to trial for two felony charges made after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend last fall, but he was arrested on Friday —...

Local skater and City of Skate supporter, Carl Forsline, skateboards through downtown Minneapolis nearby Target Field on Friday afternoon. City of Skate, a local organization, advocates for the skating community of the Twin Cities.

Skateboarders push for better parks

by Elizabeth Smith
Published July 1, 2015

Local skate advocacy group City of Skate teamed up with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board two years ago to learn how to improve area parks to better serve the growing needs of diehard skaters.    Now,...

Savers agrees to settlement

by Elizabeth Smith
Published June 25, 2015

The thrift store chain Savers has agreed to pay out $1.8 million to several charities and be more transparent in its business practices to settle last month’s lawsuit filed by Minnesota's Attorney...

City officials explore zoning for shelters

by Elizabeth Smith
Published June 24, 2015

Homeless people living in Minneapolis could find shelter in places other than religious organizations, if a city ordinance passes later this year.   City officials met with Minneapolis residents and...

Pope advocates for global action on climate change

by Elizabeth Smith
Published June 19, 2015

Pope Francis told both his parishioners and the world at large to change their lifestyles in response to climate change in a paper released Thursday. Francis cited the scientific consensus that humans...

Glendale tenant Abdirahman Mohamed expresses his concerns to Minneapolis Public Housing Authority officials during an informational meeting at Luxton Community Center on June 8.

Residents concerned about housing revamp

by Elizabeth Smith
Published June 17, 2015

More than 100 local residents gathered at the Luxton Community Center in Prospect Park last week to express growing concern over the potential redevelopment of 63-year-old low-income townhomes.   Glendale...

As seen from above, a series of rusted metal stairs sit inside of the empty and graffiti-filled interior of the abandoned Bunge Grain Elevator in Southeast Como on May 25, 2015.

Future unclear for Bunge tower

by Elizabeth Smith
Published June 17, 2015

A chain-link fence adorned with calculated placements of “No Trespassing” signs lines much of the Bunge grain elevator’s exterior, along with empty cigarette packs and aluminum cans.   Broken...

Dinkytown one step closer to historic status

by Elizabeth Smith
Published June 11, 2015

Dinkytown could be declared a historic district by the end of the summer. At a public hearing Tuesday, the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation commissioners unanimously voted to approve a staff report, which...

Thefts continue in U campus, nearby areas

by Elizabeth Smith
Published June 10, 2015

There were three attempts to steal University of Minnesota bait bikes — bikes equipped with campus police GPS tracking —three house burglaries and an attempted robbery at the Royal Cigar and...

On the East Bank campus, Pleasant Street undergoes renovation as workers make progress with construction on Monday afternoon. The project aims to widen the street to allow for safer bike lanes and pedestrian crossings, due for completion in September 2015.

Pleasant St. to be revamped

by Elizabeth Smith
Published June 10, 2015

One of the University of Minnesota’s main roads will have a new look come fall.   In addition to the University’s original goal to repave the Pleasant Street Corridor — heavily frequented...

Woman who fell to death identified as University sophomore

by Elizabeth Smith
Published June 8, 2015
The student died after falling 30 feet in an abandoned grain elevator.

Southwest corridor light-rail cuts discussed, Mitchell Street station may be scrapped

by Elizabeth Smith
Published June 4, 2015

A committee of locally elected officials must decide where to cut $341 million from the Southwest Corridor light-rail, according to Minnesota Public Radio.   The proposed budget of the project rose...

Weather transitions crime outside

by Elizabeth Smith
Published June 3, 2015

University of Minnesota police say a change in climate brings a change in types of crime, though the warmer temperatures don’t usually affect the overall number of  incidents.   University...

Cedar-Riverside may see new connections to downtown area

by Elizabeth Smith
Published June 3, 2015

Plans to build a bridge to connect Cedar-Riverside to downtown Minneapolis and a lid over I-35W are generating discussion among neighborhood residents.   Members of the University of Minnesota Metropolitan...

Apartment targets safety after shooting

by Elizabeth Smith
Published June 3, 2015

Management at the Marshall apartments in Dinkytown is taking steps to improve safety after a 20-year-old man was shot outside the complex in the early hours of May 25.   Minneapolis police responded...

Executive order restricts military weapons for local law enforcement

by Elizabeth Smith
Published May 27, 2015

The White House is restricting which military weapons land in the hands of local law enforcement agencies.   President Barack Obama announced  in New Jersey last week that his administration...

Bringing nursing back to its roots

by Elizabeth Smith
Published May 27, 2015

Nurses, professors and retired health professionals gathered in Reykjavik, Iceland, last week for an event centered on improving health care through alternative means.    The first International...

Minneapolis Police Officer Michael Kirchen poses with his bike and helmet rig on Tuesday. Kirchen works with the program Bike Cops for Kids, a service that provides helmets to children while making connections throughout Minneapolis communities.

Mpls. police build relationships with kids

by Elizabeth Smith
Published May 7, 2015

A Minneapolis police officer is getting kids on bicycles while mending relationships between law enforcement officials and communities.   Officer Mike Kirchen and other officers ride bikes throughout...

Daily to add General Manager position

by Elizabeth Smith
Published May 4, 2015

To run more effectively in the evolving media market, the Minnesota Daily is adding a full-time general manager position.   The new position will not have control over any editorial content and will...

Dinkytown rentals owner Tim Harsem testifies on his affordable housing plans at a committee meeting at City Hall on Monday.

City leaders at odds with apartment’s design

by Elizabeth Smith
Published April 28, 2015

A new apartment complex that promises to buck the recent trend of expensive luxury housing is getting pushback from a local neighborhood organization.   Dinkytown Rentals, a company with more than...

Dinky gets closer to new status

by Elizabeth Smith
Published April 23, 2015

Dinkytown is one step closer to becoming historic.   The Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission released a report Monday that said Dinkytown’s four-block core meets most of the...

St. Catherine University first-year physical therapy students Taylor Hutchins, left, and Brittany Lehner grab gloves before picking up garbage and cleaning graffiti near Cedar Avenue in Minneapolis on Wednesday. The event was one of many the Cedar-Riverside Community Collaboration Group planned this week for Earth Day.

Bonding over Earth Day

by Elizabeth Smith
Published April 23, 2015

Cedar-Riverside neighborhood organizations turned Earth Day into a weeklong program aimed at promoting a sense of community among residents.   Neighborhood leaders dedicated the week before Earth...

City aims to diversify neighborhood orgs

by Elizabeth Smith
Published April 21, 2015

A new program that aims to strengthen residents’ voices on neighborhood issues by incentivizing diversity within local organizations could rollout in Minneapolis.    The proposed program,...

Father of Barway Collins’ arrested, body found

by Elizabeth Smith
Published April 13, 2015

Barway Collins’ father has been arrested for his murder, according to MPR. The arrest comes after Hennepin County Medical Center identified a body pulled out of the Mississippi river as that of the...

Keith Peterson cuts branches from a Dinkytown tree on Wednesday. The city is cutting down more than 30 of the nieghborhoods trees that have died from high salt concentrations in the soil and a lack of watering.

Dying Dinkytown trees to come down

by Elizabeth Smith
Published April 9, 2015

Dinkytown residents awoke Wednesday morning to the sound of chainsaws cutting down some area trees that had sported an orange âÄúXâÄù for the past two weeks. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation...

Riverside Plaza tenant Marian Ali becomes emotional while speaking at the Brian Coyle Center in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood  on Friday evening. Ali expressed that she felt unsafe living in the West Bank apartment complex.

City hears Riverside Plaza tenant concerns

by Elizabeth Smith
Published April 7, 2015

Cedar-Riverside community members and Riverside Plaza tenants convened Friday at the Brian Coyle Center gymnasium to formally assert complaints about the apartment complexâÄôs management to city...

Abdi Huk, left, and tenant Samira Sammy, center, lead the crowd in protest chants outside Riverside Plaza on Friday afternoon. About 100 people gathered to protest building management.

‘We need change now’

by Elizabeth Smith
Published March 30, 2015
Riverside Plaza residents protested the apartment’s management Friday, criticizing their living conditions.

Riverside residents protest management

by Elizabeth Smith
Published March 28, 2015
Nearly 100 people gathered for a demonstration Friday.

Area streets could soon get brighter

by Elizabeth Smith
Published March 25, 2015
A survey found that many feel unsafe walking home at night, and groups are taking action.

New intersections to slow drivers and protect bikers

by Elizabeth Smith
Published March 24, 2015
“Traffic calming circles” will be placed at two intersections.

Obama sets aside $15M to combat recruiting

by Elizabeth Smith
Published March 11, 2015
Minneapolis was one of three U.S. cities chosen for a program to end terrorist recruitment.

City ordinance could increase fees for owners of third-tier properties

by Elizabeth Smith
Published March 4, 2015
Minneapolis wants compliance from landlords with high-maintenance properties.
A pedestrian walks over 5th Avenue bridge on Sunday. Marcy-Holmes sent a letter Thursday to MnDOTs transportation commissioner asking for a new bridge to connect 5th Street Southeast.

Marcy-Holmes eyes new bridge

by Elizabeth Smith
Published March 3, 2015
The area’s neighborhood association has asked the state for a new pedestrian bridge to better accommodate an increasing number of cyclists.

Obama vetoes pipeline bill

by Elizabeth Smith
Published February 26, 2015

President Obama vetoed a bill Tuesday that would have approved the Keystone XL pipeline, CNN reported. The veto denied authorization to construct a 1,179-mile pipeline that would carry 800,000 barrels...

Sixth Avenue to get a facelift for bikers

by Elizabeth Smith
Published February 23, 2015
A student group helped design new landscaping for part of the road.

Minneapolis adds new recycling option

by Elizabeth Smith
Published February 18, 2015
The new service will be available to single-family homes, duplexes and triplexes across the city by spring 2016.

Outreach breaks barriers

by Elizabeth Smith
Published February 17, 2015
A program in Cedar-Riverside has helped many neighborhood residents get health insurance.

Obama sends proposal for war on ISIS to Congress

by Elizabeth Smith
Published February 12, 2015

President Barack Obama asked Congress on Wednesday to formally authorize the use of military force in the war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, according to news sources.   “If...

Neighborhoods submit grant requests

by Elizabeth Smith
Published February 11, 2015
Local neighborhood and business associations made $180,000 in requests from the two pools of money.

University area could see scam spike this tax season

by Elizabeth Smith
Published February 9, 2015
IRS-imitating phone scams can be a threat to college students.
New dean of The College of Biological Science, Valery Forbes.

CBS names new leader after long search

by Elizabeth Smith
Published February 2, 2015
Valery Forbes will begin work as the new dean of the College of Biological Sciences in July.

Minneapolis Public High School closes after bomb threat

by Elizabeth Smith
Published January 29, 2015

The Minneapolis Public Schools district canceled school Wednesday at Southwest High School after receiving a bomb threat Tuesday evening.    “The safety of students and staff is our...

Director of Industrial Division Jeff Smith speaks Thursday night in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) voted unanimously to allow construction on the steam plant Tuesday.

State approves steam plant

by Elizabeth Smith
Published January 28, 2015
The U will begin constructing a new heat and electric plant near campus early next month.

University, Pollution control officials discuss Cedar-Riverside steam plant

by Elizabeth Smith
Published January 22, 2015
The Minneapolis Pollution Control Agency will vote next week to grant a permit to the University of Minnesota to begin construction on the plant.
Owner of Schneider Drug Tom Sengupta works at his store on Thursday in St. Paul.  Sengupta will be leaving the store after operating it for over 43 years.

Iconic local shop changes hands

by Elizabeth Smith
Published January 21, 2015
A cancer diagnosis is forcing Tom Sengupta to sell his store of 43 years, but he plans to remain a fixture in the community.

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