Kevin D. Hendricks's Blog, page 20

River-to-River Greenway Trail in West St. Paul Moves Forward

I’ve been a big proponent of the River-to-River Greenway Trail in West St. Paul, including a tunnel under Robert Street. I’ve blogged about it, I’ve got the T-shirt, I talk to everybody—seriously, my barber asks about it and just this week I told the bank manager about it while getting something notarized.

This week the West St. Paul city council approved an agreement with Dakota County that’s a big step forward for the trail and tunnel. It’s been a long process, and we were in danger of losi...

West St. Paul in the Headlines: How Our 2018 Candidates Will Do Better

The 2018 election is less than a month away. Here in West St. Paul we’ll be electing a new mayor and three city council seats. I’ve been asking our local candidates some questions to see where they stand on the issues.

Earlier we covered Robert Street debt, Pride flags, and medians and roundabouts. This time I wanted to ask candidates about negative behavior and how that impacts the image of our city. The recent sexism controversy was on my mind (here’s how the candidates have responded to th...

Are National Politicians Talking About West St. Paul?

Maybe I’m self-absorbed, but when I hear some of our U.S. Senators talking, it sounds like they’re talking about West St. Paul. Obviously they’re not, but I hear it. Anybody else?

Minnesota Senator Tina Smith tweeted last week about President Trump’s visit to Minnesota:

“Hope he doesn’t get too comfortable. We may be ‘nice’ in Minnesota but when people like him attack us and our values, we rise up, we fight hard, and we don’t back down.”

She could be talking about West St. Paul with our sexis...

I Never Door Knocked Before 2018: Getting Involved Politically

Before 2018 I was not very involved politically. That’s all changed this year. I’ve become more engaged politically that I ever have before. I want to explain why.

First, let’s talk about what I’ve never done before.

My Political Past

I’ve always been politically aware. I’ve always voted. Always did my research and tried to intelligently vote for every possible office. I’ve even blogged about politics and talked about local candidates.

I had opinions. But that’s about as far as it went.

Befo...

Medians & Roundabouts—Oh My: Where Do 2018 West St. Paul Candidates Stand?

The general election is coming faster than we think. In just over a month, on November 6, we’ll be voting for mayor and three city council seats here in West St. Paul. I’ve been asking our local candidates some questions to see where they stand on the issues.

Earlier we covered Robert Street debt and Pride flags. Now let’s talk about the ever-popular topics of medians and roundabouts (I wrote a post earlier this year pointing out the safety improvements we’ve seen from medians on Robert Stree...

Turning on the Heat 2018

It’s time for the annual charting of when I turn the heat on.

This year is a little earlier than normal (third earliest on record), but it feels like fall has turned colder much faster this year. We had nice weather for a while, then it dropped pretty quick and stayed there.

We might hit 70 on Wednesday, but otherwise the forecast is more of the same (and cloudy).

I struggled through the weekend resisting the call to turn on the furnace, but sitting at my desk typing and having to keep blowin...

Pride Flags: Where Do 2018 West St. Paul Candidates Stand?

With the coming general election on November 6 and the mayor and three city council seats on the ballot, I’ve been asking our local candidates some questions.

Earlier we covered Robert Street debt, so now let’s move on to Pride flags:

At the June 25, 2018 city council meeting, a citizen asked about the possibility of displaying  LGBTQ Pride flags along Robert Street for Pride Month next year. The city council would need to approve such a move. Assuming the logistics can be worked out, would yo...

A Moment in Church: Women, Kavanaugh & Proverbs 31

I had a moment at church last week. The reading was Proverbs 31, and I had to read it to the congregation. Just a few days before, at book club, I listened quietly while we discussed two books on feminism. Proverbs 31 came up and the women in the room expressed frustration with the expectations that passage has put on them.

So, this frustration fresh on my mind, I had to step up to the podium and read Proverbs 31. For those who don’t know, it’s the account of the nearly perfect woman. In many...

Robert Street Debt: Where Do 2018 West St. Paul Candidates Stand?

With the coming general election on November 6 and the mayor and three city council seats on the ballot, I’ve been asking our local candidates some questions.

First, let’s hear about Robert Street debt:

The Robert Street project is now finished, but paying for it is not. Like any major project, bonds were issued and we’ll have an increased debt obligation on the city budget. How will you approach this challenge?

I sent that question to [most of] the candidates on September 5 and gave them Sep...

West St. Paul City Council 2018 Primary Voter’s Guide

A sexism controversy erupted in West St. Paul this spring. Men challenged women who stepped forward to serve, and then sat silently, refusing to explain their issues. Men ignored the concerns women raised.

And something very similar has happened in the primary campaign. Two men and two women are running for the ward 3 city council seat. The men have refused to answer questions. They skipped out on a candidate forum. They haven’t even put forth a platform or taken positions on issues. They’ve...