Judge declines to stop sweeps of Minneapolis homeless encampments

Encampment sweeps can continue. The Pioneer Press’ Mara H. Gottfried reports: “A federal judge did not find a legal basis to immediately stop sweeps of homeless encampments in Minneapolis parks, according to a Thursday ruling. … Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid and the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota filed a federal lawsuit on Oct. 19 on behalf of seven people who are living in encampments in Minneapolis or were previous residents. … The lawsuit claims Minneapolis and Hennepin County officials violated the individual’s constitutional rights by evicting them from encampments and destroying their belongings. … U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina Wright wrote in Thursday’s ruling that addressing homelessness is a grave challenge in the best of times, but it’s been further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. She wrote she would not issue a temporary order because the plaintiffs had not met the ‘burden of demonstrating irreparable harm.’”

Not like Trump to breach a contract.  In the Brainerd Dispatch, Andee Erickson reports: “Three days before Vice President Mike Pence’s Monday, Oct. 26, campaign event at the Range Regional Airport in Hibbing, Minn., those representing the campaign signed an agreement with the airport agreeing to adhere to the state’s emergency order rule limiting crowd sizes to 250, even when outdoors. … Once again, President Donald Trump and Pence’s campaign breached such a contract. … The event drew a crowd of at least 650 people, a number that Hibbing police confirmed, as reported in Forum News Service coverage of the event.”

Some national leadership from First Avenue. In Rolling Stone, Amy X. Wang, writes: “Some of Dayna Frank’s earliest childhood memories are of David Bowie, Madonna, and Michael Jackson tearing up concert stages. Her father worked in, and eventually ran, the popular Minneapolis venue First Avenue — and though she went to Los Angeles to work in film and television for a decade, she returned to take over the venue when her father fell ill several years ago. … First Avenue celebrated its 50th anniversary in April. But an even bigger milestone for Frank this year was whipping up the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) — a trade group that more than 2,800 indie venues across the U.S. have now signed on to, coming together under the common goal of staying afloat after Covid-19 took a hammer to the operations of the entire industry. In its seven months of existence, NIVA has lobbied for small-business relief and gotten 2 million music fans to send emails to Congress in support of venue aid.”

Interesting piece that looks at the growing political clout of Minnesota’s Hmong community. In Sahan Journal, Becky Z. Dernbach reports: “The first thing KaYing Yang noticed about Jill Biden during her campaign stop at Hmong Village earlier this month was her mask. … As the wife of Democratic presidential candidate Joseph R. Biden toured the Hmong shopping center, the aspiring First Lady wore a mask decorated in the style of paj ntaub, the floral embroidery patterns traditional in Hmong culture.… Earlier this fall in neighboring Wisconsin, Joe Biden met privately with a Hmong veteran of the Secret War. It’s believed to be the first time a presidential candidate has met with a Hmong veteran as part of a campaign.”

In other news…

With 250-person limit: “UPDATE: Trump rally moved back to Rochester airport” [Rochester Post Bulletin]

Activities and athletics continuing in person: “Osseo Schools To Move 6-12 Grades To Distance Learning” [WCCO]

Musicians say goodbye to City Pages: “‘We wouldn’t be who we are today without them’: Minnesota music community pays tribute to City Pages” [Current]

Staff of City Pages says goodbye: “City Pages is dead. We had a good run.” [City Pages]