Greater East Side : Featured Stories

One hundred and two years ago, a tough-minded mother of seven sued the city of St. Paul. Her grievance? Not being allowed to vote for school or library board officers, despite a specific guarantee in the Minnesota constitution.            

In declaring 2016 the Year of Music, the City of St. Paul showcases all of the music genres, schools, initiatives and venues thriving throughout the city as economic drivers and cultural amenities.

New research reveals the catalytic role that libraries and museums are playing in rebuilding troubled neighborhoods. These important  "anchor institutions" are helping drive economic, educational and social efforts in their neighborhoods.

A Hmong pop-up dinner, electrifying art exhibition, architecture tour of an already iconic brewery and the opportunity to laugh out loud with the nation's funniest Native American author are on our to-do list for arts and culture in February.

MSP is in the midst of a redevelopment boom that has touched nearly every part of the Twin Cities. Here are 10 projects opening in 2016 that will further transform our neighborhoods and communities. 

This month’s feature highlighting arts, entertainment and culture not to be missed in MSP brings into focus the region’s most notable dance company, photographic visions of Minneapolis’ past and an art sale for all to enjoy.    

As the rapid proliferation of urban farms, CSAs, community gardens, hyper-local farmers’ market stalls and farm-to-fork restaurants shows, MSP’s urban agriculture ecosystem is only getting stronger.  

All of these homegrown breweries are located on or near major bikeways, making for convenient — and safe — access. String two or three of these bike-friendly breweries together for a pedal-powered, DIY brewery tour.  

Twin Cities community developers aim to create more public spaces in lower-income neighborhoods as common assets for all to enjoy.

Youth programs with a focus on urban agriculture cultivate good health, leadership skills, community development and economic independence.

The 2014 Minnesota Healthy Communities Conference introduced participants to innovative community health projects that explore links between community development and the health of low-income people.

According to a recent panel discussion, we need to own our cold climate and our ingenuity in order to attract new talent, continue fueling the innovation at the heart of our economy, and create a new and authentic national identity. Shall we call ourselves the North?  

Creative collaborations on St. Paul’s East Side, throughout Little Africa in St. Paul and along West Broadway in North Minneapolis are helping small businesses thrive while sparking economic vitality and community pride.

The Twin Cities is a leader in bicycle use and a major innovator in bicycle design and technology. The seven inventions profiled here have, or will have, an impact on the local and global cycling industry. And the pace of innovation shows no sign of slowing down.    

We recently sat down with Shawn Combs Walding, MnDOT’s Transit Advantages Coordinator for the Twin Cities Metro District to discuss alternative transportation in the Twin Cities, what local entities can do to promote transit use, and how easy it really is to be car-free.