Dear neighbor,  On Monday, May 23, we concluded the 2011 legislative session, the time of adjournment mandated by our state’s constitution.  But as you no doubt know, the legislature, led by the Republican majority party, was not successful in passing a balanced and fair budget agreement for the coming two years.Our state continues to have a historic $5 billion budget deficit stemming from the Great Recession, massive tax cuts for the wealthiest, and disinvestment by Governor Pawlenty in core public services creating additional job loss and stymied economic growth. The state’s fiscal year …

Editor's Note: Elissa Cottle is a Southwest Minneapolis resident who travelled to Washington D.C. as a citizen lobbyist for the group Population Connection, which lobbies on issues of overpopulation, the environment and reproductive rights. She sent Patch a diary of her experiences as a citizen lobbyist. This is the third piece. I returned from Washington, D.C., April 5, and have been working nonstop at three part-time jobs since then. My most important paid job allows me to help support our family of four. Thank you to my great boss for allowing me time to go to Washington April 1-5. April 4…

Editor's Note: Elissa Cottle is a Southwest Minneapolis resident travelling to Washington D.C. as a citizen lobbyist for the group Population Connection, which lobbies on issues of overpopulation, the environment and reproductive rights. While her comments aren't an endorsement by Patch of her specific views on the issues, it's an interesting opportunity to hear about the experiences of a local citizen as they seek to impact government policy. She'll send Patch updates of her lobbying experiences for the next few days. Preview, Day One. By Elissa Cottle It is Sunday night, after 11 p.m., in …

Editor's Note: Elissa Cottle is a Southwest Minneapolis resident travelling to Washington D.C. as a citizen lobbyist for the group Population Connection, which lobbies on issues of overpopulation, the environment and reproductive rights. While her comments aren't an endorsement by Patch of her specific views on the issues, it's an interesting opportunity to hear about the experiences of a local citizen as they seek to impact government policy. She'll send Patch updates of her lobbying experiences for the next few days. By Elissa Cottle Flying to D.C. Friday, I practiced lobbying with the …

Neighbors –Today, the Minneapolis Police Department will announce that a Level 3 sex offender is moving into Armatage neighborhood. The Minneapolis Police Department will release more information shortly, but what we have been told is that the offender is moving into the 55th and Penn area and that his convictions were twenty years ago for two offenses committed against adult women. In addition, we have been told that he is not wanted for any crime.Neither the police, the City, nor your neighborhood organization have legal authority to direct where a released offender may or may not live. But…

Editor's note: Southwest Minneapolis Patch is happy to offer this space to Barbara Melom to talk about the Hats for the Homeless project. If you know of a project that deserves attention, please don't hesitate to contact me. By Barbara Melom The project began in the fall of 2009 when one friend asked another, "Do you think we could get the knitters at church to make 50 hats to bring to the homeless shelter on Christmas Eve?" The other friend didn't pause before she replied "Yes!" The original goal was just 50 hats to bring along on Christmas Eve when a group of people from First Universalist …

I had been eyeing the growing icicles on the southeast corner of my house for awhile, watching as one of the icicles grew to monster size, extending from the roof all the way to the ground. I knew having an ice dam was a possibility. I had heard the term thrown around and thought, "I should look into that." At that point, I was pretty sure it was an ice dam but it was the holidays, I was busy, and, at the heart of it, I hate admitting that I have house problems. On Monday, I came home from an errand and heard a sound coming from the bathroom. It was parts of the plaster wall crumbling to the…