iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 3h

David, re: his first Twin Cities Marathon and slowest marathon ever: “It’s not that I walked any of it, it’s just that if I wasn’t running I was laying on the grass having a drink with friends.” 🍾

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I’m either going to need to get rid of some books or I’m going to need a new house and I think it’s pretty clear what the right solution is.

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Confirming what you've heard, the rumors are true, Midway Diner is delicious and delightful.

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I was rushing to get to a community meeting tonight, stepped weirdly on my back stairs, and fell off the deck onto my stomach at 34+ weeks pregnant. I generally don’t give parenting or pregnancy advice, but a big pro tip is to…not do that.

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Sharing my comments from today’s meeting of the City Council, related to the hiring of outside counsel to represent Mayor Her in the lawsuit brought by Chief Henry. The full audio of the meeting is available here: stpaul.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=....

On April 1st of this year, the City was notified by Chief Henry’s attorney that the Mayor was being accused of engaging in illegal conduct toward City employees, and that litigation was reasonably foreseeable.

Today, one day shy of six months later, the City finally saw fit to discuss the matter in a closed door session with this City Council.

In the six months during which the Council and the public have been kept entirely in the dark by the administration, an external law firm has already been engaged at tax payers expense to investigate the allegations of repeated sexual harassment and other inappropriate workplace conduct by the Mayor.

Neither the Council or the public has been informed of the total cost of that investigation. Neither the Council or the public has seen the report.

While vague media reports have circulated that the report will be made public soon, we’re left with the allegations in the Chief’s 73-page complaint and the investigation summary prepared by an employee of the Mayor herself that finds that the Mayor engaged in “offensive and inappropriate behavior,” “created an uncomfortable work environment” for City employees, and “sent inappropriate text messages” to at least two City employees.

Today, the Council is effectively being asked to write a blank check with taxpayers’ money to a law firm that, frankly, is a law firm that I take great issue with—just minutes, literally minutes, after this body was provided for the first time was provided with any sort of update related to this matter.

This is no way to run a city. The lack of transparency, the refusal to provide the Council with the information necessary to fulfill our duties as a co-equal branch of government, and the lack of respect for the residents of the City is unacceptable. And yet, as the Council President explained, we effectively have no choice in this matter. If we choose not to retain outside counsel today, then we are opening up the City to additional liability and the risk that the Mayor herself could sue the City for refusing to hire outside counsel.

We are in a horrible position and we have very few options. I am incredibly frustrated by the vote that we are being asked to take today. I am incredibly frustrated by the timeline on which we are being asked to take it and the fact that we will be spending unknown sums of money, significant sums of money, defending against claims we know nothing about—despite the fact that our money has already been used to investigate those very claims.

So while I will vote yes for this resolution today, I want to be very clear about the legal limitations that require, from my perspective, that vote—and the immense frustration and disappointment at being asked to take this vote today.

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

My statement on the developing situation regarding Mayor Her.

Allegations are not dispositive, and there is much that we do not yet know about what occurred between Mayor Her, senior members of city leadership, Chief Henry, and other members of the Saint Paul Police Department. The report prepared by outside counsel of the workplace conduct investigation into Mayor Her’s behavior has not been made public. The City Council has only seen the Mayor’s administration’s two-page summary of that report, prepared by a department she oversees. The allegations in Chief Henry’s complaint have yet to be adjudicated in legal proceedings.

There are, however, a few things that we do know. The allegations against Mayor Her that were made public this week are deeply troubling. They must be taken seriously by the public, the legal system, and the City Council. We also know that the Mayor’s administration’s own summary of the investigation says that the Mayor engaged in “offensive and inappropriate behavior,” “created an uncomfortable work environment for City employees,” and “sent inappropriate text messages” to at least two City employees. The Mayor was engaging in this behavior while our City was occupied by federal forces last winter, a moment when we desperately needed steady, focused leadership in City Hall.

Saint Paul city employees—no matter their title—should never question whether they will be treated with professionalism and respect by their supervisors and the city’s leadership. Our taxpayers should be able to trust that their money will be spent on essential services, not on lawsuits brought on by inappropriate workplace conduct. And every single person in our City should feel confident that the highest levels of City Hall are functioning effectively and relentlessly focused on making life better for Saint Paulites.

Any person accused of wrongdoing deserves to have a fair, impartial legal process determine the facts of what happened and assess the appropriate legal consequences. I respect that process, and do not intend to comment on the merits or specific claims in any current or future litigation. However, the existence of a legal process does not mean either the public or the Council is prevented from demanding better. As both a resident of this City and a member of the Saint Paul City Council, it is clear to me that we need and deserve more from our Mayor.

That starts with transparency. The full report from Resolute Law must be released. Just as urgently, the Mayor must explain how she is currently able to lead the Saint Paul Police Department as the chief executive for Saint Paul. A police force that does not have meaningful leadership from the people’s elected representative is not a tolerable or sustainable state of affairs. We need to know—now—what has and will be done to ensure that that leadership and oversight exists.

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Reposted by Molly Coleman

Tony Zombie-ano 🎃 @tonydamiano.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

St. Paul stepped up and passed a 60-day eviction notice ordinance while Minneapolis' was vetoed twice by the mayor and evictions in St. Paul are down 13% yoy while in Minneapolis Evictions are up 7% according to @homelinemn.org

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

PSA to drink some emergen-c and get yourself a stronger immune system than I seem to have, because whatever is going around is genuinely terrible.

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Sharing this once more for anybody in need of a Labor Day weekend deep dive into our response to homelessness in Saint Paul—both where we are now and where we need to get to if we’re truly going to do right by our unhoused neighbors. open.spotify.com/episode/74GG...

open.spotify.com

Housing, Health & Homelessness A Conversation With Community Experts

SPNN Podcast · Episode

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

After a recent shift volunteering at the Kiwanis booth at the State Fair (items for sale: chocolate malt, strawberry malt, vanilla malt), I am deeply reminded of Katherine Lanpher’s description of working at the Pronto Pup booth.

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

IMHO, a member of the Mac-Grove Community Council Transportation Committee put it best: there should be a very high bar that has to be cleared before we turn public right-of-ways into private storage space. We need to dramatically rethink how STP approaches parking—hopefully more to come soon.

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Expanding our drone program while we’re in the midst of a public conversation about policing, technology, and privacy isn’t responsible governance. We need to take the time to get this right and to build an approach that strengthens public trust in government. www.twincities.com/2026/09/02/s...

twincities.com

As St. Paul police seek to expand drone program, 2 council members say ‘no’

The city council plans to vote next week on the police department seeking a federal grant.

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

This episode of The Daily is very interesting and worth a listen, but I think it’s important to push back against the tacit acceptance of judicial supremacy in how the relationship between Flock cameras and the 4th Amendment is discussed. open.spotify.com/episode/2nQg...

open.spotify.com

How Flock Cameras Took Over America

The Daily · Episode

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Desperate to ask the guy in the brand-new, fold-lines-still-visible Sophie Cunningham jersey at the Fair about his love for the WNBA.

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Signs you might be a pushover parent: your two-year-old says he wants to go to the Fair for the second day in a row and you say…yeah sure why not.

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Lauren in Saint Paul @comobelladonna.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Listen to my peers (and FRIENDS) speak smartly on this issue that really does affect all of us in different ways right now. Huge thanks to @mollycoleman.bsky.social and her fantastic team for pulling this together.

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Tom Basgen, Mr. Saint Paul @tombasgen.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

If you have ever liked one of my long form municipal explainers you will absolutely find this podcast produced by @mollycoleman.bsky.social’s Ward 4 office a critical text on homelessness: open.spotify.com/episode/74GG...

open.spotify.com

Housing, Health & Homelessness A Conversation With Community Experts

SPNN Podcast · Episode

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

When I wrote this, I mentioned the many conversations I’ve been having with brilliant members of our community who are thinking harder than anyone about how to address homelessness in Saint Paul. youtu.be/Dx2yKHXDzTo?...

youtu.be

Housing, Health & Homelessness A Conversation With Community Experts

YouTube video by MySPNN

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Okay with the obvious caveat that we’re still waiting for a lot of the Day One reviews to come in, this is my tentative list for this year’s Fair. Feedback welcome, unless it’s on my chaotic approach to capitalization.

State Fair 2026
- [ ] Al Elotay (Baba’s)
- [ ] Hmong corndog (Union Hmong Kitchen)
- [ ] Amazing grain bowl + banana butterscotch barnraiser (Farmers Union)
- [ ] Corn
- [ ] Bison meatball sub (MN Farmers Union Coffee Shop)
- [ ] Tandoori Chicken Quesaratha (Holy Land)
- [ ] Ube Butter Banana French Toast Lumpia (Lumpia City)
- [ ] Moo-sota apple pie (Dairy Goodness Bar inside the Dairy Building)
- [ ] Crack-and-cheese bowl (Jive Turkey BBQ)
- [ ] Ube Cheescake Wonton (Saturday Dumpling Co.)
- [ ] Holey Hamloaf / pancakes (Hamline Church Dining Hall)

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Sam Bergman @violanorth.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Minnesota has far more state, local, and community journalism than just about any other place in the US, and yet, for 12 days a year, all news simply stops and is replaced by relentless, round-the-clock coverage of the State Fair, and I think that's beautiful.

sahanjournal.com

Minnesota State Fair food review: From Hmong corndogs to cheese curd lumpia

Sahan Journal staff ate their way through the best new ethnic foods at the Great Minnesota Get-Together, which starts today.

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Happy State Fair Eve, still waiting for my prize for going to the 2023 Fair more pregnant than any human has ever been.

Woman who is very, very pregnant in a grey jumpsuit holding a bucket of Sweet Martha’s cookies and a glass of milk.

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johnedwinmason @johnedwinmason.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

One more great thing about Dolly. She was a paid-up union member — American Federation of Musicians, Local 257, Nashville. And she had been for 58 years. www.afm.org/2026/08/afm-...

afm.org

AFM Statement on the Passing of Dolly Parton

Today, the entire community of professional musicians mourns the loss of an irreplaceable icon and a generous heart: Dolly Parton. While the world knows her as a global superstar and philanthropist…

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MaryMM @marymm.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

🪣 Please share💧 I'm calling on every resident of Saint Paul and Minneapolis to select one or more boulevard trees and to give them a big, slow drink of water today via jars, buckets or hoses. Our trees are in crisis and you can make a huge difference. ❤️👍🌳🌲🍁

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

After two years of OIT, my toddler got cleared to eat eggs this week. We’re about to go to Al’s Breakfast for his first-ever pancake. I’m very excited.

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Elizabeth Wrigley-Field @wrigleyfield.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Periodic reminder that Minneapolis and St Paul both have a lot more carless households than you think they do, and those households very disproportionately bear the costs and harms of freeways with few of the benefits

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Probably a good sign that going to physical therapy was the right decision when one of your assigned exercises is “stand up from a chair five times.”

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Leaving the ribbon cutting for the Midway Y’s new Center for Child and Family Wellbeing and immediately passing the expanded Kimball Court and the almost-complete office building at United Village makes me feel so excited and hopeful about the future of Midway.

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

I’m going to pass on learning anything about Natalie Harp.

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Matt Privratsky @mattprivratsky.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

“Holding employers accountable to following our city’s laws and respecting the rights of workers is a responsibility this council takes seriously,” said Ward 4 City Council Member @mollycoleman.bsky.social

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Kyle Stokes @kystokes.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Lil neighborhood SCOOPlet: Yet another big chunk of St. Paul's Midway will soon be up for sale. Fairview's moving out of its huge empty admin campus on University Ave "Midway is clearly experiencing long-overdue change and investment," @mollycoleman.bsky.social says >> www.axios.com/local/twin-c...

axios.com

Fairview selling St. Paul Midway campus

It's another redevelopment opportunity for a neighborhood full of cranes.

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

100% correct. And, every time somebody says they want to see Citizens United overturned, I think it would be helpful if they talked through the path they see us taking to get there. What are you going to do about the Supreme Court to make meaningful campaign finance reform possible?

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Wearing a Saints hat to a Twins game so everybody knows I’d rather be in Saint Paul.

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

If you're in Saint Paul and agree with this, I'd consider calling your state legislators—the state needs to add us to the pilot program in order for us to have speed cameras like Minneapolis and Mendota Heights do.

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

I appreciate that one consistency across mayoral administrations is the decision to do the budget address within walking distance of my house.

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

The Saint Paul City Council has voted unanimously to repeal the youth minimum wage ✅

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

And, importantly, our neighborhood votes. Pretty pleased with this turnout in an August primary.

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Bill Corbett @billcorbett.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

I join my neighbors in saying, proudly and loudly, FUCK ICE

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Micah @rincewind.run · 12/08/2026

that’s fucking right

Peggy Flanagan wearing a protect trans kids shirt

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Too much Election Night pizza too fast, I need the rest of the results asap so I can go to bed.

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Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

As a part-time councilmember in Saint Paul, I’ve gotten vaguely used to being told I’m like Trump, that I’m participating in genocide, that I’m killing people, that I should kill myself, that somebody else is going to kill me, etc. But I’ve got to draw the line at people saying I use AI to write 😫😫

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