CogniLocal Your Community, More Completely.
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CogniLocal

Columbia Heights

Your Community, More Completely.
Wednesday, October 28, 2026 · Permanent link to this edition
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October 29: Comprehensive Plan update meetingNovember 2: Last day of early votingNovember 3: Election DayNovember 5: Library digital assets session
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Today in Columbia Heights

Early voting continues at City Hall through November 2, with hours from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, October 31, and Sunday, November 1
The City Council unanimously approved a statement opposing Anoka County’s drone program without city consent, ABC Newspapers reported
The Park and Recreation Commission reviews proposed 2027 outdoor ice rink locations at 6 p.m. tonight
The high school choir concert is at 7 p.m. tonight; the band concert and a Multi-Language Learner Night are Thursday, October 29
The Hylander centennial merchandise store closes Thursday, October 29
Residents have until November 8 to petition against the proposed EDA levy increase
City IT’s proposed 2027 projects include an on-premise AI system called “Coeus”

NEW: newly reported developments or upcoming opportunities. UPDATE: later substantive information on a covered story. ONGOING: continuing useful information. RESOLVED: the reported issue has ended. BACKGROUND: dated historical context, not a new development or confirmation of current availability. UNCONFIRMED: a story, continuing story or detail that could not be confirmed against its cited source on the edition date; the note under the headline says what is not confirmed. Today and countdown lines carry "(unconfirmed)" for the same reason. All local times are Central Daylight Time.

Community & Culture

ONGOING

English-language learners’ Conversation Circle meets tonight and Monday at the library

The Columbia Heights Public Library holds its Conversation Circle for adult English-language learners on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the History Room, Room 130, according to Anoka County Library event listings. The next sessions are tonight, Wednesday, October 28, and Monday, November 2. The listed Wednesday sessions run through November 25 and the Monday sessions through November 30.

The informal group gives learners a place to practice speaking with help from an English-speaking volunteer. Registration is not required.

BACKGROUND

SACA Food Shelf community market open four days a week

SACA Food Shelf, 3905 California St. NE, says its community market is open to all neighbors who need food assistance, with no paperwork or appointments required, and that people can pick up free groceries as often as needed.

Market hours are 2 to 6 p.m. Mondays, noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays. Friday hours are 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. by appointment only. Donations are accepted Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ONGOING

Library session on planning for digital assets set for November 5

The Columbia Heights Public Library holds a session on succession planning for digital assets on Thursday, November 5, from 11 a.m. to noon, the library says. It covers email and social media accounts, devices, cloud storage, photos and other online accounts, and how to make sure a designated person can reach them.

Registration is required, and 30 seats are available. The library is at 3939 Central Ave. NE.

Schools & Youth

ONGOING

District operating-levy question goes to voters November 3

Columbia Heights Public Schools lists one operating-levy referendum question on the November 3 ballot. The district provides a referendum information sheet in English and Spanish.

The district’s referendum page links to its official resolution, tax-impact information and voting resources. Absentee voting began September 18 at the Anoka County Government Center, and direct balloting, in which voters put their ballots directly into a machine, began Friday, October 16, and covers the final 18 days before the election. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

ONGOING

Four candidates seek 3 School Board seats

Three at-large seats, each carrying a four-year term, are on the November 3 ballot. Columbia Heights Public Schools lists four filed candidates: Cristin Craig, Adam Davis, Jessica Medearis and Laura Palmer.

ONGOING

No school on Election Day, November 3

Columbia Heights Public Schools has no school on Tuesday, November 3, Election Day, according to the announcements on the School Board’s October 27 agenda. The district calendar lists the day as a grading and in-service day.

The Board’s next regular meeting is Tuesday, November 10, at 6 p.m. in the Community Room, followed by a work session Tuesday, November 17, at 5:30 p.m.

ONGOING

Choir concert tonight; band concert and Multi-Language Learner Night Thursday

The Columbia Heights High School choir concert is tonight, Wednesday, October 28, from 7 to 8 p.m. at the high school, 1400 49th Ave. NE, according to the Columbia Heights Public Schools calendar. The fall band concert for seventh and eighth graders and the high school band is Thursday, October 29, from 7 to 8 p.m. at the high school.

Highland Elementary holds a Multi-Language Learner Night on Thursday, October 29, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the school, 1500 49th Ave. NE. The calendar also lists a Columbia Academy PTO meeting Monday, November 2, at 5 p.m.

ONGOING

Hylander centennial merchandise store closes October 29

The last sale of Columbia Heights High School centennial merchandise closes Thursday, October 29, Columbia Heights Public Schools says in its October 22 newsletter. The shirts, sweatshirts, mugs and other items marking 100 years of Hylanders were made with Taho Sportswear, owned by 1983 graduate Mark Aho, and this second round is the last chance to order them.

The district is also selling engraved commemorative bricks for a patio around a centennial time capsule that will be sealed and reopened in 50 years. A 4-by-8-inch brick with up to three lines of text is $100; an 8-by-8-inch brick with custom artwork or a logo is $500.

Arts, Culture & Events

ONGOING

Family Storytime continues Mondays; LEGO Brick Builders returns November 24

Family Storytime, designed for children ages 2 to 5, meets Mondays from 10:30 to 11 a.m. in the Columbia Heights Public Library’s Community Room (Room 100) through December 14, according to Anoka County Library listings; the next session is Monday, November 2. Siblings are welcome and no registration is required.

LEGO Brick Builders, for ages 6 and up, returns Tuesday, November 24, with drop-in building from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the same room; the library provides the bricks. The library’s Adult Book Club next meets Wednesday, November 18, at 10:30 a.m. to discuss “The Mighty Red” by Louise Erdrich.

AI in Your Community

CogniLocal tracks where artificial intelligence and related automated systems are already entering the institutions that serve this community, who is deploying them, what they are being used for and what changes next.

BACKGROUND

Columbia Heights ended its Flock camera network after privacy and data-sharing concerns

The Northeaster reported in June that the Columbia Heights City Council voted unanimously not to renew the city’s contract with Flock Safety. At a June work session, the Council directed staff to end all services with Flock and cancel its contracts with the company as soon as possible, the Northeaster reported.

According to the Northeaster, the City stopped using the cameras by removing flexible-location cameras and covering fixed-location cameras with black trash bags, and the seven cameras installed by Flock were to remain in place until their removal could be scheduled. Taxpayers were still carrying $45,000 in camera operation, installation and data-management costs, and Council Member Connie Buesgens said the City’s request for reimbursement from Flock was denied.

BACKGROUND

Separate Axon plate readers remain documented in 12 police squad cars

A Police Department presentation in the packet for the City Council’s May 4 work session documents 12 Columbia Heights squad cars equipped with Axon Fleet 3 cameras and automated license-plate recognition. The mobile system scans plates while officers drive and can issue alerts for stolen vehicles or active warrants; officers verify an alert with dispatch before acting.

The same materials say the plate readers do not perform facial recognition, vehicle owner and driver information is not available on Flock or Axon, and ALPR information captured by Axon was not being shared. A general slide says ALPR data is stored for 30 days and then deleted automatically, and a retention slide says data is kept for 30 days on Flock’s cloud service before it is deleted automatically.

The May 4 materials establish the equipment and rules at that time. Whether all 12 units remain active, whether access rules have changed and whether the City will publish a separate Axon audit remain unconfirmed.

ONGOING

Police Technology Advisory Committee awaits public appointments

The Columbia Heights Police Department’s new Technology Advisory Committee is meant to offer structured community insight into the planning, implementation and evaluation of police technology, MinneapoliMedia reported in August. Applications were accepted through September 20.

The City has not publicly announced committee members, a first meeting date, whether meetings will be public or what role members will have over existing Axon equipment or future proposals.

UPDATE

Council approves statement opposing county drone program without city consent

The Columbia Heights City Council unanimously approved Resolution 2026-071 on October 26, a statement opposing Anoka County’s first responder drone program, ABC Newspapers reported. The resolution opposes carrying out a county-wide Drone First Responder program without meaningful consultation and consent from affected cities, and expresses disappointment that the county told cities they could opt out without providing a clear way to do so.

The resolution asks Anoka County not to establish a drone dock in Columbia Heights, urges the county to create a public transparency portal for drone deployments and asks it to publicly disclose policies on the collection, retention, sharing and deletion of drone data. It acknowledges the Sheriff’s legal authority to operate in the city and supports exploring a City-operated drone program with data under City control.

ABC Newspapers reported that Mayor Amáda Márquez Simula said the city has operated its own drone program for several years and that the statement is the city’s option because it does not have a legal opt-out.

BACKGROUND

City IT’s proposed 2027 projects include an on-premise AI system called “Coeus”

The City’s Information Technology division listed “Support City-wide adoption of AI” and “Develop on-premise AI ‘Coeus’” among its 2027 technology projects in a budget presentation in the packet for the City Council’s October 5 work session. The same slide lists supporting data retention and ownership through the City’s on-premise distributed datacenter.

The presentation proposes a 2027 IT operating budget of $1,077,200, up $45,200, or 4.38%, from 2026. The materials do not describe what Coeus would do or how City staff would use it. The projects are part of a proposed budget, not an adopted one.

City, Roads & Planning

ONGOING

40th Avenue curb is in; sidewalk gravel and paving scheduled next

Anoka County says the contractor on the 40th Avenue (County Highway 2) reconstruction, between Main Street and University Avenue (Highway 47), completed the installation of class 5 gravel and concrete curb during the week ending October 23.

This week, the week of October 26, the contractor is scheduled to finish installing class 5 gravel on the sidewalk and trail, the county says. Bituminous paving is also scheduled but depends on the weather. The project is scheduled to be completed by November 11.

ONGOING

Rachel James and Mark Miernicki on the ballot for mayor

Council President Rachel James and Mark Miernicki are running for the open mayor’s seat on the November 3 ballot, the Northeaster reported in coverage of a September 17 candidate forum at City Hall hosted by the League of Women Voters of New Brighton Area.

James has served four years on the City Council, the last two as council president. Miernicki, a longtime resident and professional musician, worked 18 years managing school buildings and construction for Minneapolis Public Schools, the Northeaster reported.

At the forum the candidates differed on the Central Avenue redesign and on the former Rainbow Foods site at 4300 Central Ave. NE; both said they oppose Flock license-plate cameras, according to the Northeaster. A recording of the forum is available on the City’s Channel 16 website.

ONGOING

Early voting open at City Hall through November 2

In-person early voting for the November 3 general election continues at Columbia Heights City Hall, 3989 Central Ave. NE, through Monday, November 2, Columbia Heights Public Schools says in its October 22 newsletter. Residents of Columbia Heights, Fridley and Hilltop can vote at their own city's City Hall, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Early voting began Friday, October 16.

City halls keep the same extended hours as Anoka County, the district says: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, October 31, and Sunday, November 1, and until 5 p.m. Monday, November 2. Absentee voting is also available at the Anoka County Government Center, 2100 Third Ave., Anoka.

ONGOING

EDA levy petition period runs through November 8; Comprehensive Plan update Thursday

Residents have until November 8 to petition against a proposed increase in the Economic Development Authority’s tax levy, from $394,800 in 2026 to $416,000 in 2027, a $21,200 increase, according to a City staff letter. After November 8, the letter says, the increase will be approved and included in the City’s budget. The City Council was scheduled to hold a public hearing and vote on the increase, Resolution 2026-70, at its October 26 meeting; minutes of that meeting have not been posted.

City Council members, the Planning Commission and the Comprehensive Plan advisory committee may meet together for a Comprehensive Plan update at 6 p.m. Thursday, October 29, in the Shared Vision Room at City Hall, 3989 Central Ave. NE, according to a quorum notice.

ONGOING

Park and Recreation Commission reviews proposed 2027 outdoor ice rink locations tonight

The Columbia Heights Park and Recreation Commission is scheduled to review staff's proposed 2027 outdoor ice rink locations at its meeting tonight, Wednesday, October 28, at 6 p.m. in the Shared Vision Room at City Hall, 3989 Central Ave. NE, according to the posted agenda. Commissioners are asked to give feedback and recommend moving forward with staff's recommendations. The public may attend in person or through Microsoft Teams.

The agenda also includes an Active Agers 50+ programming update and a summary of the Design-a-Park Day event for the parks system plan. The commission has combined its November and December meetings; its next meeting after October 28 is December 2 at 6 p.m.

Still Developing

The latest confirmed movement, the open question and the next checkpoint.

OPEN

September 14 Madison Street shooting

Police previously reported responding around 6 a.m. September 14 to a report of possible gunshots in the 4100 block of Madison Street NE. They found no victims there but later learned that two people who might have been involved had driven themselves to a local hospital, FOX 9 reported. No arrest, suspect description or condition update has been made public.

Still unresolved: Subsequent police findings and case status.

Next checkpoint: A police or court update.

Source: FOX 9
AWAITING RECORDS

Business microloan recipients

The latest application round had closed. Eligible businesses could seek zero-interest loans of up to $10,000. At a September 17 candidate forum, Council President Rachel James said the forgivable microloan program has supported 30 businesses, the Northeaster reported October 6; the City has not published a list of recipients or amounts.

Still unresolved: Who received funding and how much was distributed.

Next checkpoint: A city announcement of awards or disbursements.

Latest reported movement: October 6.

Sources: MyNortheaster; City EDA materials; Northeaster report on the mayoral forum
AWAITING RECORDS

4510 Taylor Street Habitat proposal

The EDA agenda called for a sale and development agreement with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity and an associated forgivable loan.

Still unresolved: Final public confirmation of the EDA's action on the two Habitat resolutions.

Next checkpoint: Approved EDA minutes or a development-agreement record.

EDA agenda dated September 8.

Source: Sept. 8 EDA agenda
OPEN

Police technology oversight

Applications for the Technology Advisory Committee closed September 20, but appointments and a first meeting have not been announced. The continuing technical question is whether the City’s Axon squad-car plate readers remain active under the configuration described in the May 4 work-session materials after the separate Flock shutdown.

Still unresolved: Committee appointments and the first meeting date.

Next checkpoint: A city announcement of membership or meetings.

Source: MinneapoliMedia
OPEN

September 22 School Board actions

Minutes of the September 22 School Board meeting, approved October 13, show the Board approved the 2026-27 Youth Outreach Officer contract with the Columbia Heights Police Department, renewed its property and liability insurance package (total premium $362,306.22), approved the clerical master agreement for 2026-27 and 2027-28 and approved the 2026-payable-2027 preliminary levy at the maximum. Each motion passed with all members in favor.

Still unresolved: The final 2026-payable-2027 levy the Board adopts.

Next checkpoint: The Board’s final levy action.

Minutes approved October 13.

Sources: September 22 agenda; Board minutes; September 22 School Board minutes
OPEN

Manny Collins murder trial

An Anoka County jury found Jordan Collins Sr. guilty of second-degree murder on October 7 in the death of his son, Manny Collins, FOX 9 and MPR News reported. Sentencing is scheduled for December 2.

Still unresolved: The sentence.

Next checkpoint: The December 2 sentencing hearing.

Sources: FOX 9 report on the verdict; MPR News report on the verdict
OPEN

Early-September Central Avenue shooting

The latest confirmed public account still says three bystanders were wounded, one alleged shooter was in custody and a second shooter remained at large. No newer arrest, charging announcement or victim-status update has been made public.

Still unresolved: Identification of the second alleged shooter, charging decisions and any later victim-status update.

Next checkpoint: A police or court update.

Source: Source document
OPEN

2027 city budget and levy

The City Council voted 5-0 on September 28 to adopt a proposed 2027 budget and preliminary levy that includes a 5.3% increase in the City’s gross tax levy, according to the meeting minutes. The minutes say that combines a 4.1% increase in local taxpayers’ share of the levy with a 9.6% increase in the share paid by the metro Fiscal Disparities subsidy. The Council holds a public hearing on the budget and final levy at its December 14 meeting; MinneapoliMedia reported that the Council may lower the levy before final adoption but may not raise it above the September maximum.

Still unresolved: The final levy and budget the Council adopts after the December 14 hearing.

Next checkpoint: The final budget and levy decision.

Proposed budget and levy adopted September 28.

Sources: City Council minutes, September 28, 2026; MinneapoliMedia
OPEN

Highway 65 reconstruction

ABC Newspapers reported that the City Council unanimously approved MnDOT’s proposed redesign of Central Avenue (Highway 65) between 37th and 53rd avenues NE on September 14. Under the design, much of the corridor south of 49th Avenue would have one general traffic lane in each direction, with roundabouts planned at 46½, 47th, 49th, 51st and 53rd avenues.

Still unresolved: Additional project details are to be negotiated through a memorandum of understanding, and approved September 14 Council minutes have not been posted.

Next checkpoint: Approved September 14 minutes or a memorandum of understanding with MnDOT.

Sources: September 14 City Council agenda; ABC Newspapers report on municipal consent
OPEN

800 53rd Ave. NE former Medtronic property

A comprehensive-plan amendment for the former Medtronic property appeared on the September 14 Council agenda.

Still unresolved: Approval, denial or conditions have not been confirmed in the available meeting record.

Next checkpoint: Published minutes or a later city development record.

A comprehensive-plan amendment was on the September 14 agenda.

Source: City Council agenda
OPEN

4300 Central Ave. redevelopment

A comprehensive-plan amendment affecting 4300 Central Ave. was scheduled for Council action September 14.

Still unresolved: The final disposition remains unconfirmed in the available meeting record.

Next checkpoint: Published minutes or a later city development record.

A comprehensive-plan amendment was on the September 14 agenda.

Source: City Council agenda
OPEN

Columbia Heights schools and enrollment

Columbia Heights Public Schools has 3,275 students enrolled this fall, a 176-student decline from 3,451 last fall, ABC Newspapers reported October 6; Superintendent Zena Stenvik told the paper the decline equates to more than $2.5 million in lost state funding and linked it to Operation Metro Surge. The Northeaster reported in September that enrollment is back to about 3,300, compared with 3,400 before the ICE raids, and described geothermal heating and cooling wells at Valley View Elementary.

Still unresolved: Later enrollment figures, continuing effects on families and the geothermal project’s progress.

Next checkpoint: District enrollment and facilities updates.

Latest substantive local report: October 6.

Sources: Northeaster; ABC Newspapers report on enrollment
OPENUNCONFIRMED

3923 Jackson Street NE foreclosure

Not confirmed against the source as of October 28, 2026: all details; the source (a Star Tribune foreclosure notice) could not be opened on October 28, and this item was carried forward without being rechecked. Check the source before relying on it.

The public notice scheduled a sheriff’s sale for September 29. No sale result or postponement has been published, so the outcome should not yet be treated as complete.

Source: Source document

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