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The Columbia Heights City Council unanimously approved a resolution Feb. 9 calling for an end to nationwide surges by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection and urges Congress to withhold additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security without what it describes as stronger oversight and enforcement limits. Council Member Rachel James read the resolution aloud as written. It states that the administration of President Donald Trump is carrying out an “assault on communities in the name of immigration enforcement” that is “eroding our constitutional rights and endangering residents.” ...

Sam Darnold won the Super Bowl after the Vikings let him go. At this revelation, Elliot Steeves—watching the Big Game on his phone after missing it live due to a flight back from Puerto Vallarta, where he had been vacationing amid beaches and the Lindo Mar resort—proceeded to hurl a giant bottle of Mexican tequila directly at the screen, damaging it in true football-fan fashion. Darnold went from slinging passes to Justin Jefferson to hoisting a Lombardi Trophy with Mike Macdonald’s Dark Side defense—an annihilator of entire galaxies—alongside Kenneth Walker III and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who, for the record, is not as good as Justin Jefferson. All of this happened while Kevin O’Connell, now alleged rather than proven quarterback whisperer, turned to the impish gremlin known as Nine the Terrible to guide him to the classic 9-8 Minnesota Mediocre record, followed by a general manager getting fired for being really, really bad at drafting players not named Dallas Turner or Jordan Addison. ...

Pancho’s Taqueria in Circle Pines posted to Facebook on Feb. 9 that an employee who had been detained by federal immigration officers was back home with his family. According to the post, the employee had been in the country legally with a valid work visa. Two Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, captured on video, followed him to a back storage area before restraining and detaining him as he yelled for help. ...

Fridley has made a website detailing immigration resources for residents in the city, including guidance on what the police department can and cannot do, as well as a list of frequently asked questions that residents can click for more information. Fridley police do not enforce immigration laws, and also cannot ask about a person’s immigration status, conduct stops and action based solely on race, ethnicity or national origin or share records with federal authorities, the website states. ...

Fridley Mayor David Ostwald sent a letter to multiple state and federal officials calling for a meeting with the City Council to address what he described as a crisis in the community related to federal immigration enforcement. The letter followed a City Council meeting Jan. 26, during which residents spoke about heightened immigration enforcement activity in the city. A summary of that testimony was included with the letter. Ostwald said in a Facebook post that many of the actions residents requested fell outside the city’s jurisdiction, but that he relayed those concerns to the appropriate authorities. ...

The Andover City Council unanimously approved a resolution Jan. 20 expressing concern over state fiscal management and its potential impact on local services amid Minnesota’s ongoing fraud scandal. Mayor Jamie Barthel said misuse of state funds can ultimately shift financial burdens to cities that rely on state aid to provide services. Barthel referenced a letter circulated by Cross Lake Mayor Jackson Purfeerst and signed by hundreds of mayors statewide, saying it reflected the views of those who chose to sign on. ...

When I did a series of Writers Blocks last year that consisted of me making dream Eras tour setlists for several of my favorite bands, I came across something interesting about my music taste. I love a lot of bands that have released small amounts of material. I’m not quite sure why this is, if it’s because I like sad music or because my Autism skews my preference towards entire discographies that can fit in one playlist. Because I don’t find myself extending that preference toward newer artists whose discographies are pending. ...

The Fridley City Council unanimously approved a request for a Community Development Block Grant to support planned improvements at Summit Square Park during its Jan. 26 meeting. Parks and Recreation Director Mike Maher said the project is part of the city’s Park System Improvement Plan and Capital Investment Program. Community engagement held in summer 2025 helped guide the selection of playground equipment and refine plans that include athletic courts, landscaping and other park amenities. ...

The Fridley City Council unanimously approved a request for a Community Development Block Grant to fund improvements at Flannery Park during its Jan. 26 meeting. Construction is planned for summer and fall 2026. Parks and Recreation Director Mike Maher said the Community Development Block Grant program is the federal government’s primary tool for promoting community revitalization and provides annual, formula-based grants to Anoka County. Applications are submitted to the county by Jan. 29 and must meet objectives that include benefiting low- and moderate-income residents, preventing or eliminating slum or blight conditions, or addressing community needs that pose a serious or immediate threat to public health or welfare. ...

The Fridley City Council unanimously approved a bid from Mineral Services Plus for work on four city wells during its Jan. 26 meeting. Public Works Director Jim Kosluchar said bids were opened Jan. 20 for Well Rehabilitation Project No. 26-448. Four bids were received, with the lowest submitted by Mineral Services Plus of Green Isle. The company’s base bid totaled $175,203. That amount was about 11.8% below the final engineer’s estimate of $198,605, Kosluchar said. ...