Tyler Quattrin and Hannah Brueske reporting from Pig’s Eye homeless encampment since before 8 a.m. A tense stand-off between protesters blocking entrances and police and demolition crews subsided quickly, and the mood is calm. People are moving out at their pace: www.twincities.com/2026/08/05/s...

St. Paul: Volunteers, city crews move people out of Pig’s Eye homeless camp

St. Paul Fire Department personnel and volunteers worked individually to move people out of the Pig’s Eye homeless encampment Wednesday.

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Council Member says her support for dismantling the Pig’s Eye encampment was conditioned on the city/county being ready to house residents as they’re displaced. Today, she says that condition has not been met…

Frederick Melo, Reporter (TwinCities.com, Pioneer Press)@frederickmelo.bsky.social · 19h ago

When Pig’s Eye encampment is cleared Wednesday, where will dozens of residents relocate? To the Randolph Avenue encampment, mostly. Some say brace for an influx of new residents off James/Randolph/Shepard Roas www.twincities.com/2026/08/04/s...

When Pig’s Eye encampment is cleared Wednesday, where will dozens of residents relocate? To the Randolph Avenue encampment, mostly. Some say brace for an influx of new residents off James/Randolph/Shepard Roas www.twincities.com/2026/08/04/s...

St. Paul prepares to clear homeless encampment amid questions

On July 8, citing a growing number of fires, fatal overdoses and reported sexual assaults, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her announced plans to close the city’s three largest homeless encampments on a rolling...

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Something is coming… The Mystery Countdown has begun! First National Bank will never be the same! www.twincities.com/2026/07/30/s... Story by the rather productive @tylerquattrin

St. Paul: First National Bank Building owners tease mystery countdown

The building’s iconic first sign has been mostly dark since 2024.

twincities.com

BEDS: Probably more than you think, and depressingly, they’re mostly full. PLANNING: A city/county/state meeting on encampment clearing with Mayor Her unfolded Thursday with raised voices. PROTESTS: Continuing. DEADLINE: Wednesday. www.twincities.com/2026/07/31/s...

Frederick Melo, Reporter (TwinCities.com, Pioneer Press)@frederickmelo.bsky.social · 5d ago

BEDS: I called/counted shelter beds across St. Paul. They’re mostly full. PLANNING: A city/county/state meeting on encampment clearing with Mayor Her unfolded Thursday with at least one state rep leaving early in frustration. DEADLINE TO CAMP CLEARING: Aug. 5. www.twincities.com/2026/07/31/s...

BEDS: I called/counted shelter beds across St. Paul. They’re mostly full. PLANNING: A city/county/state meeting on encampment clearing with Mayor Her unfolded Thursday with at least one state rep leaving early in frustration. DEADLINE TO CAMP CLEARING: Aug. 5. www.twincities.com/2026/07/31/s...

St. Paul: Shelter providers scramble ahead of Aug. 5 deadline to clear homeless camps

Throughout St. Paul, emergency shelter providers are preparing for next Wednesday, when the city of St. Paul plans to clear its largest homeless encampment on the city’s East Side.

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On University Avenue in St. Paul, Lutheran Social Service's new "Center for Changing Lives" will house 18 young people, ages 16 to 21, and their children while providing resources to other young families www.twincities.com/2026/07/28/l...

Lutheran Social Service opens resource center for homeless youth, families

The LSS Center for Changing Lives – University at 709 University Ave. in St. Paul — is a $7.5 million project of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota. Construction began last year.

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Fire at the Pig's Eye encampment destroys at least a pair of tents www.twincities.com/2026/07/30/p... Story by Hannah Brueske

Fire erupts at St. Paul encampment less than a week before city sweep

Though the fire department said the fire destroyed at least 5 or 6 tents, residents say all items affected belonged to one man named Tony.

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First National Bank plans a "mystery countdown" reports Tyler Quattrin www.twincities.com/2026/07/30/s...

St. Paul: First National Bank Building owners tease mystery countdown

The buildings iconic first sign has been mostly dark since 2024.

twincities.com

Pearson's Candy to close on West Seventh Street, reports @tylerquattrin www.twincities.com/2026/07/30/p...

Pearson’s Candy to close longtime St. Paul factory, cutting about 80 jobs

Pearson’s Candy factory has been a fixture in St. Paul since it started production in 1957.

twincities.com

Back when she was a City Hall staffer, Her sometimes greeted a male co-worker with a butt grab in front of his friends and family, more than twice. As mayor she asked a female officer in the locker room to judge her breasts. Her hasn't always respected boundaries. www.twincities.com/2026/07/30/s...

St. Paul Mayor Her can be rollicking, personable, inappropriate, according to accounts

On April 1, an attorney for St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry informed the city that Her had sent “inappropriate and … unlawful text messages” to a city employee, and that litigation is “reasonably for...

twincities.com

After years of battles with Payne-Phalen neighbors and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Northern Iron Foundry on St. Paul's East Side will close by the end of the year. 86 jobs lost; 50 of them United Steelworkers www.twincities.com/2026/07/30/n...

Embattled foundry Northern Iron to close on St. Paul’s East Side

Phased lay-offs of 86 workers will begin Oct. 1 and continue through the end of the year.

twincities.com

A year-long online subscription to the Pioneer Press is $1. The next person who asks me to send them a copy of an article so they can get around a paywall will be told "No." You have been warned. Prepare yourself. I'm putting a little attitude on that "no" too so get ready. checkout.twincities.com

Council Member Molly Coleman: "The public needs clarity now on the current relationship between the mayor and the police department. We must know whether public safety has or will be compromised...The lack of transparency related to this matter...is unacceptable." www.twincities.com/2026/07/30/s...

St. Paul City Council wasn’t notified of investigation of Mayor Kaohly Her

The St. Paul City Council was never notified an investigation involving the mayor was underway.

twincities.com

Can we still Fringe Festival? 104 hour-long shows are on their way to the Twin Cities next week. You read that right. Next week! Prepare to laugh and cry: www.twincities.com/2026/07/28/2... Let lead @PioneerPress Fringe Reviewer @jaredography guide you in this theatrical wilderness/palooza...

2026 Minnesota Fringe Festival: Your guide to the 104-show performing arts fest

Running from Aug. 6 to 16, this year’s schedule includes shows selected via a random lottery from more than 500 applicants.

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University Club of St. Paul will host a free event tonight (Wed July 29) with Na Eng, St. Paul author of the action kit "The Art of Saving Democracy." Jen Ford Reedy's "Please Be Good At Philanthropy" was eye-opening. Who knew how hard it was to give away money? www.twincities.com/2026/07/29/t...

Frederick Melo: Two books from St. Paul-based authors probe philanthropy, democratic action

The books take a look at the reality of giving and effective activism.

twincities.com

WEINER WEDNESDAY JOKE TO COPS BACKFIRES ON MAYOR: St. Paul opened a sexual harassment investigation on Mayor Her after she shared an image of an officer swaddled like a baby and the text: "When she wraps you up in her blanket after you gave her a good weinering" www.twincities.com/2026/07/28/s...

Ramsey County accepted $1 million from the city of St. Paul's housing funds (derived from metro-wide sales tax from 2023) today to open up more shelter beds. Will it be enough? Camps begin closing Aug. 5, displacing at least 200 people, and some say twice that... www.twincities.com/2026/07/28/w...

With camp closures looming, Ramsey County begins $1M effort to add shelter beds

To fund the effort, St. Paul tapped into its Local Affordable Housing Aid, housing dollars derived from a metro-wide sales tax that took effect in October 2023.

twincities.com

After letting passenger behavior go off the rails, Metro Transit has won awards for cleaning things up. Winning back passengers is a whole different story. The train has gotten better — but how to convince folks? www.twincities.com/2026/07/25/m... Story by Boston transit rider Hannah Brueske

Is Metro Transit safe? It won a recent safety award but bad experiences hard to shake

Metro Transit continues to wrestle with rider perceptions, especially on light rail lines.

twincities.com

State Rep. Leigh Finke is on team "Stop the Encampment Closures." Mayor Kaohly Her is on team "Here's why the camps are unsafe and unsustainable and must be closed." And you? www.twincities.com/2026/07/27/f...

Forums, protests planned on St. Paul homeless encampment closures

A community listening session will be held Tuesday to discuss St. Paul’s plans to close the encampments, beginning with the Pig’s Eye Regional Park camp which has more than 120 residents off Fish Hatc...

twincities.com

Frederick Melo, Reporter (TwinCities.com, Pioneer Press)@frederickmelo.bsky.social · last wk.

Clear the encampments, they're dangerous for residents! Don't clear them -- people live there, and it's not clear where they'll go next! Whatever feeling you're feeling, you're not alone, and here's where and when to feel it: www.twincities.com/2026/07/27/f...

Clear the encampments, they're dangerous for residents! Don't clear them -- people live there, and it's not clear where they'll go next! Whatever feeling you're feeling, you're not alone, and here's where and when to feel it: www.twincities.com/2026/07/27/f...

Forums, protests planned on St. Paul homeless encampment closures

A community listening session will be held Tuesday to discuss St. Paul’s plans to close the encampments, beginning with the Pig’s Eye Regional Park camp which has more than 120 residents off Fish Hatc...

twincities.com

Here’s a look at the status of 9 social justice/equity initiatives that rolled out under Mayor Carter. Given a difficult budget climate, which ones will continue under Mayor Her? www.twincities.com/2026/07/26/s...

St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her inherits (and in some cases, parts with) Carter’s social programs

Her has already put voters and property taxpayers on notice that the 2027 budget will be an especially difficult one due to inflation and other pressures.

twincities.com

Do you like scary movies? “Somewhere Quiet” is a worthy slow boil mystery-thriller, with ambiguous culprits to the end, and a few fumbles in my humble opinion. Please 🙏 leave a comment — it helps with the algorithm. I’m serious (and thankful!) 🥹 frederickmelo-ojvgu.wordpress.com/2026/07/23/s...

Will Trump declare a national emergency just before the mid-terms? Steve Bannon, the president’s former strategist, says absolutely…https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-will-declare-a-national-emergency-before-midterms-bannon-20260724-p60iaq.html

By @MaraGottfried and @tylerquattrin: Ramsey County, Catholic Charities secure another 49 shelter beds as a district council asks for a 90-day breather on the planned Aug. 5 encampment closure. “Stop the sweeps”? www.twincities.com/2026/07/22/s...

Amid concern over closure of St. Paul’s largest homeless encampment, 49 more shelter beds secured

People who gathered at city hall called for a moratorium on evictions from homeless encampments.

twincities.com

Third time today trying to upload this link… new Hamline-Midway Library in 29 pictures. Geez, Blue Sky, post this already! www.facebook.com/share/1EWyU8...

St. Paul City Council will discuss the mayor's planned encampment clearings at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, and then host a special public hearing (where you, the public, can be heard!) at 4:30 p.m. www.twincities.com/2026/07/16/s... That's next Wednesday, July 22, not yesterday when y'all stormed the mic

St. Paul City Council to host public hearings on clearing encampments

The special hearing will take place in council chambers at 15 West Kellogg Boulevard, during or after the council’s regularly-scheduled weekly meeting.

twincities.com

The @maryedivine.bsky.social is the best obit writer in the Twin Cities. Fight me.

Frederick Melo, Reporter (TwinCities.com, Pioneer Press)@frederickmelo.bsky.social · 3w ago

How a U of M studio art/sculpture student took Ax-Man Surplus "to a more creative place." Remembering David Gray, 77, a tinkerer who held multiple patents and became Ax-Man's second owner: www.twincities.com/2026/07/16/d... An obituary by @MaryEDivine

How a U of M studio art/sculpture student took Ax-Man Surplus "to a more creative place." Remembering David Gray, 77, a tinkerer who held multiple patents and became Ax-Man's second owner: www.twincities.com/2026/07/16/d... An obituary by @MaryEDivine

Obituary: Former Ax-Man owner David Gray was inventor, sculptor, philanthropist

Gray, 77, held multiple patents and took Ax-Man Surplus “to a more creative place.”

twincities.com

AIR QUALITY NO BUENO! STORY: www.twincities.com/2026/07/15/c... St. Paul Parks and Rec alert: www.stpaul.gov/departments/... Lowertown Sounds - CANCELED! Como Pool, Highland Park Aquatic Center, and Phalen Beach are closed. All outdoor sports, Fitness in the Parks, Lunch on the Lawn cancelled...

Heavy smoke from wildfires creates unhealthy air. Much of Twin Cities in ‘hazardous’ category Thursday morning.

Over 100 wildfires are burning in Canada, and winds are carrying smoke southeast.

twincities.com