Week of October 5th Weekly Update

Council Member Michael Rainville

October 9th, 2026

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Message from Council Member Rainville

Hello to all my 3rd Ward neighbors,

This week the council continued its department budget hearings and at the Public Health & Safety committee we received reports on encampment closures. During this report we learned that in the last 2 quarters, 800 people have been placed in permanent housing. We also heard the good news that Minneapolis is being given a $3,400,000 grant from FEMA to pay for 15 firefighters.

At the Business, Housing and Zoning committee, we approved a vendor to begin planning the safety improvements for intersections near the planned blue line. For the North Loop this means that whether a light rail train or Bus Rapid Transit system is approved, the intersections of 8^th Ave North at Washington and 7^th Ave North at Washington will be assured of copious pedestrian safety improvements. Public outreach is being planned for early 2027. This will be the opportunity for the North Loop Neighborhood to weigh in on the designs of these key infrastructure improvements.

Here are links to the budget presentations we received this week.

• Fire Department Presentation
• Neighborhood Safety Department Presentation
• 911 Department Presentation
• Emergency Management Department Presentation
• Civil Rights Department Presentation
• Arts & Cultural Affairs Department Presentation
• Community Planning and Economic Development Presentation

A big thank you to the Old Town businesses and residents who put on a pumpkin and candy grab for children at Chute Square last Sunday. A great time was had by all in the beautiful fall weather.

Keep Sunday, November 1^st open for the candy grab hosted by the Sheridan Neighborhood and the businesses along 13^th Avenue NE. The event is from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm along 13^th Avenue from University Avenue to Main Street.

As always Mike, Patrick and I are here to serve you. We can be reached at ward3@minneapolismn.gov. Please report all issues to 311 before contacting us so there is a paper trail and staff are already aware of the issue when we speak with them. You can contact 311 by simply dialing 311, email them at Minneapolis311@minneapolismn.gov or by submitting a 311 Contact Form.

Your neighbor,

Michael

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• 2026 Owámni Falling Water Festival
• Discover Minneapolis Amplified
• Celebrate Latino businesses this weekend and all year round
• Family Gathering Concert Series continues Oct. 10 at Animales Barbeque Co.
• City of Minneapolis Open Streets takes place along Hennepin Avenue this weekend
• Show off your cooking skills at the City of 10,000 Flavors culinary competition
• Reduce the risk of lithium-ion battery fires during Fire Prevention Week
• Shortening approval time for construction permits
• Back to School emergency preparedness

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2026 Owámni Falling Water Festival

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Discover Minneapolis Amplified

Take in local music and art at unexpected small businesses throughout the city with Minneapolis Amplified. The new program brings local artists to neighborhood spots you might not expect, from a hot dog joint to a flower store or auto shop, while supporting the small businesses that make our city special.

The series kicks off Saturday with Dance Agenda and other local artists bringing music and energy to Uncle Franky’s in Northeast Minneapolis.

Minneapolis Amplified: Uncle Franky’s 1- 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 Uncle Franky’s, 729 Broadway St. NE

More events are coming soon, with plans for unexpected small businesses across the city through December.

Minneapolis Amplified is led by Dance Agenda in partnership with the City’s Arts & Cultural Affairs Department. The program is funded by the City of Minneapolis through Minneapolis Forward to support local businesses and bring people together through music and cultural experiences.

Find upcoming events and participating venues on the Dance Agenda website.

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Celebrate Latino businesses this weekend and all year round

Latino Business Week concludes with two family-friendly events: a pop-up market on Main Street and an open house at Mercado Central on Lake Street. Come out this weekend to shop and connect with Minneapolis’ vibrant Latino business community.

Latino Business Pop-Up Market 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 Shop local businesses at a pop-up on Historic Main Street during Cine Latino. Look for vendors across from The Main Cinema and under the Third Ave. Bridge.

Sabores y Colores de Latinoamérica 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11 Explore the flavors and colors of Latin America at Mercado Central. Pick up a passport and visit participating businesses to shop, watch demonstrations, and take part in hands-on activities.

Mercado Central is also featured in a new video highlighting local businesses that received support through the City’s Small Business Resiliency Fund.

Watch the video and find event details.

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Family Gathering Concert Series continues Oct. 10 at Animales Barbeque Co.

Bring the kids for a free morning of live music, creative activities and fun.

Family Gathering Concert Series: Cole Diamond and Line Dancing with School of Rock 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 Animales Barbeque Co., 241 Fremont Ave. N.

The series is produced in collaboration with the Minnesota Independent Venue Alliance and funded by the City of Minneapolis through Minneapolis Forward to support community and economic resilience.

Get event details and see who's performing.

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City of Minneapolis Open Streets takes place along Hennepin Avenue this weekend

The City’s Open Streets events transform city streets into car-free spaces for a day, giving people a chance to walk, bike, roll and enjoy local businesses, events and activities.

This weekend’s event features entertainment, local vendors and activities along the corridor:

Hennepin Avenue between W. 26th Street and W. 34th Street 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11 Hosted by the Uptown Association

Learn more about Open Streets Hennepin.

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Show off your cooking skills at the City of 10,000 Flavors culinary competition

Whether you’re a professional chef or a home cook, the inaugural City of 10,000 Flavors culinary competition is your opportunity to showcase your talent in the kitchen — and compete for a chance to win $5,000.

City of 10,000 Flavors: A Culinary Competition 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10 Minneapolis Convention Center, 1301 Second Ave. S. Free and open to the public

Professional chefs and home cooks will compete in separate divisions. Register to participate in the competition by Thursday, Oct. 15.

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Reduce the risk of lithium-ion battery fires during Fire Prevention Week

From the phone charging on the nightstand to the power tools in the garage, lithium-ion batteries are all around us. Since 2021, there have been at least 225 fires and three deaths attributed to lithium-ion batteries in Minnesota.

“Lithium-ion batteries are in so many of the things we use every day that most people probably don’t even think about them anymore,” said State Fire Marshal Dan Krier. “They’re in our homes, our garages and our pockets. That’s why understanding how to use and charge them safely is so important. A few simple precautions can help keep a convenient piece of technology from becoming a fire hazard.”

For Fire Prevention Week, we're sharing tips to help Minnesotans protect the people and places they care about. Get tips for safely charging devices with lithium-ion batteries.

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Shortening approval time for construction permits

The City of Minneapolis has announced a series of changes to the building permit process. The changes shorten development timelines for developers, business owners and residents. Instead of weeks, the process shortens approval time for certain permits to days. The changes are informed by City staff who work directly with the permitting process, as well as feedback from residents, property owners and contractors about their experiences.

The revised process still requires projects to comply with applicable building codes but removes the building plan review requirement for specific project types. With this improvement, the City expects hundreds of permits each year to be issued, or available for payment, within one to two days of application. Some permits may be available immediately.

Learn more about the new process on the City website.

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Back to School emergency preparedness

The City of Minneapolis wants everyone to be safe, so we recommend four steps from the CDC you can take to help keep your family safe, even when you’re apart:

• Know the emergency plans for schools or childcare facilities your family attends.
  • Every school and childcare center should have a written emergency plan. This isn’t shared widely, but you can ask to confirm the school or childcare center has a current plan.
  • This plan will include information such as how they will contact parents in an emergency, and where children will go if they have to evacuate the facility.
  • Ask how you can contact the school or childcare center during an emergency.
  • Ask how parents or caregivers will reunite with their children.
  • Talk with your children about these plans so they know what to expect if something happens. This will help reinforce the drills that their school runs.
  • Talk to the administrators and safety officials at your child’s school about safety drills.
  • Ask what safety drills are taking place in your child's school or childcare facility.
  • Talk with your child’s teacher or childcare professional about how to help your child see safety drills as empowering instead of scary.
• Help children memorize emergency contacts or have them written in a safe place, like a backpack.
  • Fill out and print a Family Emergency Communication Plan from Ready.gov.
  • Make sure the school has your latest contact information, too, including your child’s emergency information such as medications and allergies.
  • Give a copy of this information to your child’s guardian, too.
• Practice evacuation plans and emergency procedures with children on a regular basis.
  • Practicing is so essential — it builds that muscle memory for when bad things happen and gives you confidence to take action. It puts you in a place to say, “I know what to do."
• Involve your children in preparing for an emergency.
  • Teach them when and how to call 911.

For your family’s emergency plan, get them to help select meeting locations and involve them in making the emergency kit for your home.

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Contact Ward 3

Visit: minneapolismn.gov/ward3
Email: michael.rainville@minneapolismn.gov
Phone: 612-673-2203

City Hall
350 S. Fifth St., Room 370
Minneapolis, MN 55415

For reasonable accommodations or alternative format please contact 311. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 at 612-673-3000. Para ayuda, llame al 311. Rau kev pab, hu 311. Hadii aad caawimaad u baahantahay, wac 311.

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