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Sen. Mary Kunesh reacts to the attendees all around the rotunda. Original Article

Attorney General Keith Ellison speaks at the ERA rally in the Capitol Rotunda on March 12. Original Article

Supporters chant in support of an Equal Rights Amendment in the Capitol rotunda March 12 in St. Paul, where advocates urged lawmakers to put the proposed constitutional amendment before voters. Original Article

Supporters of an Equal Rights Amendment gather in the Capitol rotunda March 12 in St. Paul, holding signs reading “ERA NOW” during a rally backing a proposed amendment to the Minnesota Constitution. Original Article

Supporters rally for an Equal Rights Amendment in the Capitol rotunda March 12 in St. Paul, where advocates urged lawmakers to put the proposed constitutional amendment before voters. Original Article

Supporters of an Equal Rights Amendment to the Minnesota Constitution rallied at the Capitol on March 12, urging lawmakers to advance a proposed amendment that would ask voters to guarantee equal rights under state law. The rally in the Capitol rotunda drew advocates from across Minnesota, along with elected officials including Attorney General Keith Ellison, Sen. Mary Kunesh and Rep. Zack Stephenson. The proposed amendment, introduced by Kunesh and Rep. Leigh Finke, would place a constitutional amendment question before voters. Supporters say Minnesota is lagging behind other states in adding equal-rights protections to its constitution. ...

The Oak Grove City Council on March 9 approved a $567,676 bid from Knife River Corporation North for the city’s 2026 Street Improvement Project, including Nightingale Knoll Trail work. The contract was approved 4-0, with Council Member Paul Tradewell absent. According to the meeting packet, the bid was below the engineer’s estimate of $598,610. City Engineer Chuck Schwartz said the street work includes the south end of Zion Parkway, the adjacent section of 223rd Lane NW and the neighborhood south of Lake George. He said Pines Third Addition is included in the trail portion, which totals $56,018.20 and will be paid through a separate trail fund. ...

CAVA, a chain restaurant known for its Mediterranean-style bowls and pita wraps, is expanding with a new location in Blaine at 12351 Ulysses St NE. The restaurant has hundreds of locations in other states, but has not opened a Minnesota location until now. The location is near the National Sports Center, where development is underway on the 105th Avenue redevelopment project. In an email, a spokesperson confirmed the Blaine location, alongside another forthcoming location in Minneapolis. ...

The Columbia Heights City Council unanimously approved a first reading of a charter amendment that would shift oversight of the police department from the mayor to the city manager. City Manager Aaron Chirpich said the city’s Charter Commission had been working on the proposal for at least a year. The amendment would change how police oversight is defined in the city charter. Chirpich said the charter currently states that the mayor has appointment, control and direction over every police officer in the city, language he said is overly broad and does not reflect how modern police departments operate. ...

The St. Francis City Council voted 4-1 on March 2 to request inclusion in Anoka County’s hand-counted post-election review for the 2026 election, saying the move would help demonstrate the integrity of the city’s elections. Council Member Sarah Udvig cast the lone dissenting vote. Anoka County currently conducts post-election reviews in eight randomly selected precincts, although state statute requires only four. Mayor Mark Vogel said St. Francis is requesting inclusion in the process to further demonstrate confidence in how ballots are counted. ...