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
BACKGROUND
SACA Food Shelf community market open four days a week
SACA Food Shelf, 3905 California St. NE, lists community market hours of 2 to 6 p.m. Mondays, noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays, so the market is open today, Thursday, November 12, until 6 p.m. Friday hours are 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. by appointment only. The market is closed Wednesdays. Donations are accepted Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Schools & Youth
ONGOING
Voters approve Columbia Heights schools operating levy, unofficial results show
Voters approved the Columbia Heights Public Schools operating-levy referendum November 3, according to unofficial results posted by the Minnesota Secretary of State. The question received 5,982 “Yes” votes (56.14%) and 4,673 “No” votes (43.86%), with all 12 precincts reporting.
The Secretary of State’s page describes the question as a referendum revenue authorization, which it says is a property tax increase.
Anoka County says election-night results are unofficial and are proofed and reviewed after the election; results become official once the canvassing board approves them. The School Board’s agenda for its meeting Tuesday, November 10, included resolutions certifying the November 3 results; the outcome of that meeting has not been published.
ONGOING
Columbia Academy and Highland hold conferences today; Fall Choir Concert tonight; Highland Turkey Bingo Friday
Columbia Academy, 900 49th Ave. NE, and Highland Elementary School, 1500 49th Ave. NE, each list conferences today, Thursday, November 12, from 3 to 6:30 p.m., according to the Columbia Heights Public Schools calendar.
The Columbia Academy Fall Choir Concert is tonight from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Columbia Heights High School, 1400 49th Ave. NE. The Highland PTO holds Turkey Bingo at Highland Elementary on Friday, November 13, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
- Columbia Academy conferences: Thursday, November 12, 2026, 3 to 6:30 p.m.
- Highland Elementary conferences: Thursday, November 12, 2026, 3 to 6:30 p.m.
- Fall Choir Concert: Thursday, November 12, 2026, 7 to 8 p.m.
- Highland PTO Turkey Bingo: Friday, November 13, 2026, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
- Source: Columbia Heights Public Schools calendar
ONGOING
Craig, Medearis and Palmer win School Board seats, unofficial results show
Cristin Craig, Jessica Medearis and Laura Jean Palmer were elected to the Columbia Heights School Board November 3, according to unofficial results posted by the Minnesota Secretary of State. Medearis received 5,578 votes (28.88%), Palmer 5,300 (27.44%) and Craig 4,588 (23.75%); Adam Davis received 3,759 (19.46%). ABC Newspapers reported the same totals.
The School Board’s agenda for its meeting Tuesday, November 10, included a resolution certifying the results of the School Board general election; the outcome has not been published. Anoka County says election-night results are unofficial and become official when the canvassing board approves them.
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 16.
LEGO Brick Builders, for ages 6 and up, returns Tuesday, November 24, with building from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the same room. The library’s Adult Book Club next meets Wednesday, November 18, at 10:30 a.m. to discuss “The Mighty Red” by Louise Erdrich. No registration is required for the book club.
ONGOING
Library offers ECFE art class for young children today
ECFE at the Library: Art meets today, Thursday, November 12, from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Columbia Heights Public Library’s Community Room (Room 100), for children ages 3 to 7 with a parent or caregiver, according to Anoka County Library listings.
Two licensed teachers, a children’s teacher and a parent educator, support the class, which includes parent and child time as well as a group time with stories, songs and activities. No registration is required.
ONGOING
Adults can design their own tarot cards at the library tonight
The Columbia Heights Public Library hosts Design Your Own Tarot Card, an adult art program, tonight, Thursday, November 12, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Community Room (Room 100), according to Anoka County Library listings.
The session covers the history of tarot, from an Italian card game to a mystical practice, then has participants sketch designs, line them in pen and ink and color them with markers. Participants leave with up to three cards and protective sleeves.
A separate library program, An Evening of Poetry with local poets Anita Pelayo Rivera and Ruben Rivera, scheduled for Wednesday, November 18, is listed as canceled.
ONGOING
Library schedules winter yoga class November 30, teen card writing December 1 and clay snow people December 12
The Columbia Heights Public Library, 3939 Central Ave. NE, hosts Winter Pause & Reflect, a gentle restorative yoga and guided reflection class, Monday, November 30, from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Community Room (Room 100). Registration is required. No prior yoga experience is necessary, and participants are encouraged to bring a blanket.
On Tuesday, December 1, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., teens can drop in to make handmade cards for clients of the Anoka County Community Action Program’s Senior Kinship Program and earn up to 1.5 volunteer hours; registration is listed as required. On Saturday, December 12, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., a family program has participants sculpt snow people from clay; it is drop-in, first come, first served for the first 60 attendees, and finished pieces are fired and returned about three weeks later.
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 mobile cameras and covering fixed-location cameras with black trash bags, and the seven cameras installed by Flock remain in place until their removal can be scheduled. Taxpayers still bear $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 City Council meeting materials 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 and that vehicle owner and driver information is not available on Flock or Axon. They say, “We do not currently share any ALPR information captured by Axon.” The materials give a 30-day automatic deletion period for data on Flock’s cloud service and say Axon plate-reader data is also deleted automatically, without stating a period.
The presentation establishes the equipment and rules at the time it was prepared. 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.
No committee members, first meeting date, decision on whether meetings will be public or description of the members’ role over existing Axon equipment or future proposals has been announced.
ONGOING
Council resolution opposes Anoka County drone program without city consent
Resolution 2026-071, in the City Council’s October 26 meeting packet, opposes carrying out a county-wide Drone First Responder program without meaningful consultation and consent from affected cities, and expresses disappointment that the county communicated an opt-out option without a clear way to use it.
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 under local policies.
At the October 27 Anoka County Board meeting, Commissioner Mandy Meisner said the City Council had passed a resolution related to the Sheriff’s Office’s Flock camera pilot project and was disappointed there was no clear communication on how to exercise an opt-out option, according to the county’s board briefs.
ONGOING
Draft minutes record IT director’s answers on City AI plans, including on-premise “Coeus”
Draft minutes of the City Council’s October 5 work session, included in the packet for the Council’s November 9 meeting, say Council Member Laurel Deneen asked whether there were concerns about AI and City data. IT Director Jesse Hauf replied that the City uses City network logins to access AI and has a separate business account, and that some information cannot be used for AI models.
Asked about power use for the City to have its own AI, Hauf said the server goes into a low power state when it is not being used, and that one purpose of the project is to track utilization and how much hardware it would take to run a generative AI model, the draft minutes say.
The IT division’s budget presentation for that session listed “Support City-wide adoption of AI” and “Develop on-premise AI ‘Coeus’” among its 2027 technology projects, with a proposed 2027 IT operating budget of $1,077,200, up $45,200, or 4.38%, from 2026. The projects are part of a proposed budget, not an adopted one.
The Sustainability Commission’s agenda for its Tuesday, November 10, meeting listed a discussion of sustainable practices in the City’s IT department, presented by Hauf. Minutes of that meeting have not been published.
- Work session: October 5, 2026 (draft minutes)
- Proposed 2027 IT budget: $1,077,200
- Sustainability Commission agenda: November 10, 2026
- Sources: City Council packet, November 9, 2026 (draft October 5 work session minutes); City Council work session packet, October 5, 2026 (Information Technology 2027 Proposed Budget); Sustainability Commission agenda packet, November 10, 2026
ONGOING
Library moves ahead with two new self-checkout stations
The Columbia Heights Library Board voted unanimously October 7 to move forward with a bid from Bibliotheca for two new self-check stations, according to draft minutes in the packet for the board’s November 4 meeting. Bibliotheca, the library’s current self-check provider, bid $19,699; TechLogic bid $19,325.
Staff recommended Bibliotheca, the library’s current self-check provider, citing familiarity, ease of use, customization, system integration, training and future adaptability. A self-checkout station update was on the agenda for the board’s November 4 meeting; minutes of that meeting have not been published.
ONGOING
City’s list of paid bills includes $24,718 for DJI Matrice drones
The list of claims in the packet for the City Council’s November 9 meeting includes a check dated October 22 to Vertex Unmanned Solutions for DJI Matrice drones, batteries, lights, speakers and controllers, in two line items of $12,359 each, totaling $24,718.
The entries are charged to the General Fund; the list does not describe how the drones will be used. The full list of claims, totaling $1,509,419.82, was on the Council’s November 9 consent agenda for review; the Council’s action has not been published.
City, Roads & Planning
ONGOING
Rachel James elected mayor; Brie LaPlante and Tom Kaiser win council seats, unofficial results show
Council Member Rachel James was elected mayor of Columbia Heights November 3 with 5,546 votes (69.86%), defeating Mark Miernicki, who received 2,361 votes (29.74%), according to unofficial results posted by the Minnesota Secretary of State, with all eight precincts reporting.
For the two at-large City Council seats, Brie LaPlante received 4,815 votes (39.51%) and Tom Kaiser 4,128 (33.87%). Judah Scharnhorst received 1,663 votes and Robert Rogne 1,492. ABC Newspapers reported the same totals for the Council race.
The City Council was scheduled to canvass the returns at a special meeting Monday, November 9, under Resolution 2026-076; the Council’s action has not been published. Anoka County says election-night results are unofficial and become official when approved by the canvassing board.
ONGOING
Council approves Oertel Architects contract for new Municipal Service Center
The City Council approved a nearly $1.7 million architectural and engineering contract with Oertel Architects on October 26 for a new Municipal Service Center, with all members in favor, ABC Newspapers reported.
ABC Newspapers reported that the City has received a $2.5 million state appropriation and $850,000 in federal funding authorization, and that an additional congressional funding request remains pending. The center is planned for the former SACA building property, where the City is finalizing details of the purchase.
ONGOING
Council hires new contractor to finish 2025 alley project
The City Council voted unanimously October 26 to award a $148,850 contract to Goodmanson Construction to complete the 2025 concrete alley project, ABC Newspapers reported. The original $1,072,501 contract went to Equity Builders & Construction Services, which had hired Goodmanson as a subcontractor.
ABC Newspapers reported, citing the Assistant City Engineer’s staff report, that Equity ceased operations and was barred from further government contracting, and that the City had paid Equity $804,389.97 by the time payments were frozen in February.
ONGOING
Mayor Amáda Márquez Simula wins House District 39B, unofficial results show
Columbia Heights Mayor Amáda Márquez Simula, a DFL candidate, defeated Republican KT Jacobs for Minnesota House District 39B, the seat being vacated by DFL state Rep. Sandra Feist, ABC Newspapers reported. Márquez Simula received 14,638 votes (75.95%) to Jacobs’ 4,595 (23.84%), according to unofficial results posted by the Minnesota Secretary of State.
Still Developing
The latest confirmed movement, the open question and the next checkpoint.
OPENSeptember 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.
AWAITING RECORDSBusiness 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.
AWAITING RECORDS4510 Taylor Street Habitat proposal
Draft minutes of the Economic Development Authority’s September 8 meeting record unanimous votes approving the sale of 4510 Taylor St. NE to Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity for $1 and a $35,000 forgivable loan for a new single-family home. The agreement sets a substantial-completion deadline of December 31, 2027. The City Council’s November 9 consent agenda listed accepting those September 8 minutes; the Council’s action has not been published. The Planning Commission’s November 4 agenda included a review of the sale for consistency with the Comprehensive Plan; its finding has not been published.
Still unresolved: Council acceptance of the September 8 EDA minutes and the Planning Commission’s consistency finding have not been published.
Next checkpoint: Published minutes of the Council’s November 9 meeting and of the Planning Commission’s November 4 review.
September 8 minutes on the November 9 Council consent agenda.
OPENPolice 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.
OPENSeptember 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.
OPENManny 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.
OPENEarly-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.
OPEN2027 city budget and levy
The City Council voted 5-0 on September 28 to adopt a proposed 2027 budget and city 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.
OPENHighway 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.
OPEN800 53rd Ave. NE former Medtronic property
The Economic Development Authority’s November 2 agenda included developer Yellow Tree’s draft redevelopment concept for the roughly 12-acre former Medtronic campus at 800 53rd Ave. NE; the staff report says no EDA approvals were needed at that stage. Staff say Yellow Tree intended to submit a Planned Unit Development application for the Planning Commission’s December 1 meeting, with a Council first reading December 14 and a second reading January 11, and also intends to submit a tax increment financing application.
Still unresolved: Whether the application has been filed, and the EDA’s November 2 discussion, have not been published.
Next checkpoint: Published minutes of the November 2 EDA discussion and the December 1 Planning Commission hearing.
EDA packet posted October 30.
OPEN4300 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.
OPENColumbia 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.
OPENUNCONFIRMED3923 Jackson Street NE foreclosure
Not confirmed against the source as of November 12, 2026: all details (the foreclosure notice could not be read today). 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.
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