Minneapolis Fire Department

Minneapolis Fire Chief John Fruetel: The City Pages entrance interview

John Fruetel is not walking into an easy situation. As newly appointed Minneapolis fire chief, Fruetel is now the head of a department that has experienced dramatic budget cuts over the years, leaving many firefighters to question whether the city has their best interest in mind. As we reported i ... More >>

Lawrence Wajda charged with meth possession in Mpls fire house

Lawrence Anthony Wajda Jr., a veteran Minneapolis firefighter, was charged with possession of methamphetamine Wednesday after police found .5 grams of the drug with him at work. Wadja, who has worked at the department for more than 20 years, faces felony fifth-degree drug possession. "It's unfortu ... More >>

Minneapolis firefighter victorious in wing-eating competition

Dan Nalepka, a rig operator for the Minneapolis Fire Department, helped win a charity wing-eating contest at Buffalo Wild Wings in Roseville earlier this week. The "Wing Challenge" event is an annual competition between Minneapolis and St. Paul firefighters designed to raise food donations for the ... More >>

Stevens Square apartment fire: Origin 'undetermined'

After a weekend-long investigation, the Minneapolis Fire Department has ruled the cause of an apartment fire in Stevens Square "undetermined." According to the department's arson unit, the fire most likely started in the electrical room on the Northwest corner of the building, caused by some sort o ... More >>

John Fruetel appointed to chief of Minneapolis Fire Department

John Fruetel will succeed former fire chief Alex Jackson, who retired earlier this year amid criticism. ​John Fruetel, a longtime Minneapolis firefighter, was officially appointed to chief of the department today after a unanimous vote from the City Council. The appointment of Fruetel (that's ... More >>

Third bridge closed to Minneapolis firefighters connecting North and Northeast

St. Anthony Parkway can't handle the weight of a rig anymore.​Minneapolis firefighters just got word that they can no longer drive rigs down the St. Anthony Parkway Bridge, which connects north and northeast Minneapolis. As if this wasn't troubling enough, that now makes three bridges unusable f ... More >>

Minneapolis Fire Dept. board-up program lost $281,977 in 11 months

Fire Chief Alex Jackson will present the data to a City Council committee today.​A program designed to turn a profit for the cash-strapped Minneapolis Fire Department has been bleeding money since it launched last October, according to city data. Fire Chief Alex Jackson will report to City Counci ... More >>

Firefighter describes fighting south Minneapolis church arson

The fire started in at least three locations.​An abandoned church that burned down Monday morning has been ruled an arson case by the Minneapolis Fire Department. The fire -- which was too advanced for firefighters to extinguish and save the structure by the time they arrived -- appeared to have ... More >>

Minneapolis firefighter who saved referee to be laid off

Courtesy Justin Johnson.After three and a half years, Justin Johnson will be let go from the Minneapolis Fire Department.​It was late November, and Justin Johnson was watching a Thanksgiving youth hockey tournament at Braemar Ice Arena, an Edina rink where he worked part time as an EMT. Toward th ... More >>

Minneapolis cuts 13 firefighters, unofficially lowers daily staffing

The cuts will informally lower minimum daily staffing from 96 to 93.​The already-diminished Minneapolis Fire Department is about to get even smaller. Thirteen firefighters found out yesterday morning that they are being cut from the department, effective next month. Three will be forced into reti ... More >>

Minneapolis fire, police departments face $2.8 million cuts -- at least

Because the additional cuts come midyear, the departments could have to slice deeper to compensate.​The Minnesota Legislature may have finally passed its overdue budget, but that doesn't mean that anyone has to like it. Following the Legislature's cut of $23 million to Local Government Aid, admi ... More >>

Minneapolis Fire Dept. board-up plan failing after six months

If it keeps going at this pace, the program could end up losing the department money.​It's been slightly more than six months since Minneapolis started tasking its on-duty firefighters with boarding up buildings and houses all over the city, and the program is already on track to be a disaster. W ... More >>

Giant plume of smoke rises in Northeast Minneapolis

Photo: Liz BleyThe mysterious plume.​Concerned downtown Minneapolis worker Liz Bley sent us a photo this morning of what appears to be a giant plume of smoke rising over Northeast Minneapolis. Yikes! We called the fire department to track down the cause, and they said there weren't any fires ... More >>

Mark Dayton's budget would save Minneapolis firefighters from layoffs

Firefighters could still be laid off if LGA takes a hit in the final budget.​If the state budget proposed by Gov. Mark Dayton today were to pass, Minneapolis firefighters could avoid layoffs this year. Last fall, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak said the city would be forced to lay off firefighters t ... More >>

Minneapolis Fire Department would lay off eight under GOP plan

Years of cuts have already left the department below industry standards.​If Minnesota Senate and House Republicans get their way, the Minneapolis Fire Department is in for even more bad news. Republicans announced a budget proposal yesterday that recommends cutting Local Government Aid to hel ... More >>

Helena Thompson and her Purest Spiritual Pigs

"The Swine Show" is a unique multimedia experience

Joe Gustafson Jr. faces charges of mortgage fraud

Little Joe Gustafson sold his house to himself.​Little Joe Gustafson, scion of a Northside bail bondsman and notorious former Hell's Angel, is in an increasingly tight spot with the law. Now prosecutors say he committed mortgage fraud.

Minneapolis Fire Department faces perilous future

Cuts have left MFD below industry standards

Heidi's, Blackbird, Patina fire ruled accidental

Heidi's pretty dining room is with us no longer...​WCCO reports that the Minneapolis Fire Department has officially determined that the grease fire in Heidi's that caused the devastating February 18th blaze at 50th and Bryant was accidental. Restaurants are required to regularly clean--and pho ... More >>

STD rates are on the rise in Minnesota

This time in the suburbs

Local firefighter wins Tabasco cook-off

Minneapolis firefighter's Tabasco recipe wins her $10,000.

RNC protestors swarm ceremony, disrupt meeting

Council members get served, but demonstrator gets arrested

Inconvenient Youths

The city says it wants to stop drug dealers by closing convenience stores. But owners see an underhanded form of eminent domain..

Little Earth releases video of MPD incident

The city says it wants to stop drug dealers by closing convenience stores. But owners see an underhanded form of eminent domain..

A Hunk of Burning Love

Minneapolis Fire Chief Bonnie Bleskachek had a way with the ladies--as firefighter Kristina Lemon claims she learned the hard way

MFD: This space still for rent

Minneapolis Fire Chief Bonnie Bleskachek had a way with the ladies--as firefighter Kristina Lemon claims she learned the hard way

Stubbed Out

Despite hefty losses, Minneapolis bar owners can't get anyone to reconsider the smoking ban

Like paper in fire

Despite hefty losses, Minneapolis bar owners can't get anyone to reconsider the smoking ban

Does This Bus Stop at the Capitol?

Rybak frets about transit--but can he do anything?

Burnt Out

A depleted Minneapolis fire department looks for money

Fires and Back Drafts

The politicians, the firefighters' union, and the politics of blame

Reckless Eyeballin'

Longtime civil rights activist and agitator Ron Edwards talks about the city he loves and hates

Spin City

The mayor talks herself into a hole

Case Closed

A 30-year-old lawsuit against the City of Minneapolis finally grinds to a halt

Rank Discord

The cops are reluctant to talk about it. City officials flatly refuse. Who pushed the "mute" button on the most explosive affirmative-action lawsuit Minneapolis has seen in decades?

Off Beat

The cops are reluctant to talk about it. City officials flatly refuse. Who pushed the "mute" button on the most explosive affirmative-action lawsuit Minneapolis has seen in decades?

Smoke Screen

After 27 years, the City of Minneapolis still can't figure out which of its firefighters are Native American

Off Beat

After 27 years, the City of Minneapolis still can't figure out which of its firefighters are Native American

Not His Forte?

Minneapolis's troubled Fire Department gets a new boss with some old baggage

Stepping Out

Minneapolis's troubled Fire Department gets a new boss with some old baggage

Turning the Tables

For 19 years, Larry Blackwell fought other people's discrimination battles. Now he's getting ready for his own.

Slow Burn

For 19 years, Larry Blackwell fought other people's discrimination battles. Now he's getting ready for his own.

Four More Years in Minneapolis?

Race discrimination in the fire department has cost Minneapolis millions, infuriated the courts, and divided the force. Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton's response? Zilch.

Clueless

Race discrimination in the fire department has cost Minneapolis millions, infuriated the courts, and divided the force. Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton's response? Zilch.

Smoke and Mirrors

Race discrimination in the fire department has cost Minneapolis millions, infuriated the courts, and divided the force. Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton's response? Zilch.

THE ACLU JUST SAYS NO TO A POWER GRAB

Taking Liberties

THE MINNESOTA CIVIL Liberties Union's controversial board-packing move last spring--widely regarded as a power grab orchestrated by MCLU founder Matthew Stark and current president Jules Beck--has been condemned as undemocratic by the n

Healers at War

THE STATE BOARD OF MEDICAL PRACTICE

The Little City That Couldn't

THE STATE BOARD OF MEDICAL PRACTICE

Counting Indians

THE STATE BOARD OF MEDICAL PRACTICE

A Firewall of Silence

THE STATE BOARD OF MEDICAL PRACTICE