Andy Fenelon
@andyfenelon.bsky.social
Minneapolis transit rider. Associate Professor University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Interested in housing, health, public policy, and coffee.
The Luminary Loppet: far superior to Groundhog Day as a middle-of-winter celebration event.
My favorite winter event in Minneapolis was tonight! Thousands of illuminated ice sculptures on Lake of the Isles. It’s pure magic.
February 8, 2026 at 4:23 PM
The Luminary Loppet: far superior to Groundhog Day as a middle-of-winter celebration event.
You should absolutely visit. And if you’re like me, you might just want to move here.
February 5, 2026 at 1:41 PM
You should absolutely visit. And if you’re like me, you might just want to move here.
Reposted by Andy Fenelon
I wrote a song for our immigrant neighbors here in Minnesota.
Pardon my rusty guitar skills—it’s been over 10 years since I wrote my last song, but this moment called for music.
youtube.com/shorts/B7Csu...
Pardon my rusty guitar skills—it’s been over 10 years since I wrote my last song, but this moment called for music.
youtube.com/shorts/B7Csu...
In a Minnesota Winter by Heather Randell
YouTube video by Heather Randell
youtube.com
February 4, 2026 at 7:53 PM
I wrote a song for our immigrant neighbors here in Minnesota.
Pardon my rusty guitar skills—it’s been over 10 years since I wrote my last song, but this moment called for music.
youtube.com/shorts/B7Csu...
Pardon my rusty guitar skills—it’s been over 10 years since I wrote my last song, but this moment called for music.
youtube.com/shorts/B7Csu...
January 28, 2026 at 10:29 PM
Reposted by Andy Fenelon
From a friend who works at an MPS school with hundreds of families in hiding:
"The thing REALLY needed is money for rent/utilities/cell phone bills. It looks like there is a lot of money raised but across 5 schools it’s not enough with February rent coming due."
givebutter.com/rent4mplsfam...
"The thing REALLY needed is money for rent/utilities/cell phone bills. It looks like there is a lot of money raised but across 5 schools it’s not enough with February rent coming due."
givebutter.com/rent4mplsfam...
Rent Relief for Minneapolis School Families
By Mpls Families
givebutter.com
January 27, 2026 at 3:07 PM
From a friend who works at an MPS school with hundreds of families in hiding:
"The thing REALLY needed is money for rent/utilities/cell phone bills. It looks like there is a lot of money raised but across 5 schools it’s not enough with February rent coming due."
givebutter.com/rent4mplsfam...
"The thing REALLY needed is money for rent/utilities/cell phone bills. It looks like there is a lot of money raised but across 5 schools it’s not enough with February rent coming due."
givebutter.com/rent4mplsfam...
I grew up in California and knew little about Minneapolis until I visited for a conference in 2015. I immediately knew it was my place, and it took 8 years to finally get here. I truly believe it is America’s greatest city, all things considered. People are starting to see why.
literally everything i’ve seen this month makes me want to move to twin cities and build a life there
January 26, 2026 at 2:45 PM
I grew up in California and knew little about Minneapolis until I visited for a conference in 2015. I immediately knew it was my place, and it took 8 years to finally get here. I truly believe it is America’s greatest city, all things considered. People are starting to see why.
Tired: City of Lakes
Wired: the City that De-Ices
Inspired: Woke Hoth
Wired: the City that De-Ices
Inspired: Woke Hoth
Infinite respect to Woke Hoth Guy, who freestyled a two-minute Federalist paper.
January 25, 2026 at 4:15 PM
Tired: City of Lakes
Wired: the City that De-Ices
Inspired: Woke Hoth
Wired: the City that De-Ices
Inspired: Woke Hoth
Since 1950, only 1 state has ranked in the top 5 for life expectancy every year
January 19, 2026 at 7:04 PM
Since 1950, only 1 state has ranked in the top 5 for life expectancy every year
How much of this Greenland thing can be blamed directly on the Mercator projection?
January 18, 2026 at 8:32 PM
How much of this Greenland thing can be blamed directly on the Mercator projection?
Reposted by Andy Fenelon
The Minnesota Population Center at the University of Minnesota (@minnpop.bsky.social) is hiring a postdoc in Population Health. Happy to chat about the MPC, UMN, and the Twin Cities, which are all awesome in my humble opinion!
pop.umn.edu/training/pos...
pop.umn.edu/training/pos...
January 12, 2026 at 2:54 PM
The Minnesota Population Center at the University of Minnesota (@minnpop.bsky.social) is hiring a postdoc in Population Health. Happy to chat about the MPC, UMN, and the Twin Cities, which are all awesome in my humble opinion!
pop.umn.edu/training/pos...
pop.umn.edu/training/pos...
A tornado comes in a whirlwind and tears apart a community - I can think of no better metaphor for ICE upon hearing the siren
January 7, 2026 at 7:06 PM
A tornado comes in a whirlwind and tears apart a community - I can think of no better metaphor for ICE upon hearing the siren
Me on January 1st 2025 vs. me on December 31st 2025. It’s been a long year.
December 31, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Me on January 1st 2025 vs. me on December 31st 2025. It’s been a long year.
Reposted by Andy Fenelon
In my past life (read: pre-kids and tenure track job), I sang in a band. We recorded this 10 years ago for npr’s Tiny Desk contest.
youtu.be/LaW64S85gBI?...
youtu.be/LaW64S85gBI?...
"A Little More" by Gin Mill Jane
YouTube video by Gin Mill Jane
youtu.be
December 13, 2025 at 4:22 PM
In my past life (read: pre-kids and tenure track job), I sang in a band. We recorded this 10 years ago for npr’s Tiny Desk contest.
youtu.be/LaW64S85gBI?...
youtu.be/LaW64S85gBI?...
Rode the E Line today with my three-year-old for the opening. Great line and I could see it rivaling the B and D ridership
December 6, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Rode the E Line today with my three-year-old for the opening. Great line and I could see it rivaling the B and D ridership
First real winter bike commute.
December 5, 2025 at 5:33 PM
First real winter bike commute.
Reposted by Andy Fenelon
While we wait to see what is going on, please note that you can still get most of what is in MEPS microdata from IPUMS: meps.ipums.org/meps/
December 2, 2025 at 3:28 AM
While we wait to see what is going on, please note that you can still get most of what is in MEPS microdata from IPUMS: meps.ipums.org/meps/
Reposted by Andy Fenelon
I moved to Minnesota in June 2023 during a day when the air smelled like a campfire. When I’ve asked longtime Minnesotans about the increasingly severe smoke during our summers, they all say it was never a problem until a few years ago. And wow, this graph has got the receipts.
November 14, 2025 at 9:17 PM
I moved to Minnesota in June 2023 during a day when the air smelled like a campfire. When I’ve asked longtime Minnesotans about the increasingly severe smoke during our summers, they all say it was never a problem until a few years ago. And wow, this graph has got the receipts.
Just occurred to me: Fall has the same hours of daylight as Winter, and Spring has the same hours of daylight as Summer
November 3, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Just occurred to me: Fall has the same hours of daylight as Winter, and Spring has the same hours of daylight as Summer
Trend that seems like it would have a simple explanation, but I'm not sure does - pedestrian deaths among US children:
1970 - ~2,400 deaths (4.2/100K)
1990 - ~950 deaths (1.8.100K)
2005 - ~380 deaths (0.6/100K)
2023 - ~260 deaths (0.4/100K)
1970 - ~2,400 deaths (4.2/100K)
1990 - ~950 deaths (1.8.100K)
2005 - ~380 deaths (0.6/100K)
2023 - ~260 deaths (0.4/100K)
October 30, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Trend that seems like it would have a simple explanation, but I'm not sure does - pedestrian deaths among US children:
1970 - ~2,400 deaths (4.2/100K)
1990 - ~950 deaths (1.8.100K)
2005 - ~380 deaths (0.6/100K)
2023 - ~260 deaths (0.4/100K)
1970 - ~2,400 deaths (4.2/100K)
1990 - ~950 deaths (1.8.100K)
2005 - ~380 deaths (0.6/100K)
2023 - ~260 deaths (0.4/100K)
This is great - the federal government supports both homeowners and renters. But support for low-income renters through rental assistance is a direct expenditure always on the budget chopping block.
In contrast the homeowner support is hidden in the tax code and people think it's just the default.
In contrast the homeowner support is hidden in the tax code and people think it's just the default.
Think federal government housing aid is focused on low-income families & largely funded by the Department of Housing & Urban Development?
Think again.
In new work @urbaninstitute.bsky.social, we provide a comprehensive account of the US government's many housing supports, which go far beyond HUD 🏘️
Think again.
In new work @urbaninstitute.bsky.social, we provide a comprehensive account of the US government's many housing supports, which go far beyond HUD 🏘️
How Does the Federal Government Support Housing?
The federal government supports the US housing market through dozens of initiatives administered by several agencies—in total, spending hundreds of billions …
www.urban.org
October 29, 2025 at 6:08 PM
This is great - the federal government supports both homeowners and renters. But support for low-income renters through rental assistance is a direct expenditure always on the budget chopping block.
In contrast the homeowner support is hidden in the tax code and people think it's just the default.
In contrast the homeowner support is hidden in the tax code and people think it's just the default.
The coveted 60 degree bike commute during peak foliage.
October 28, 2025 at 4:15 PM
The coveted 60 degree bike commute during peak foliage.
Flagship state universities with urban campuses in large cities*
HI CA WA AZ NM NE TX MN OH KY
Flagships that are in the state’s largest city:
WA HI UT NM MN OH VT
Did not expect it to skew so heavily west of the Mississippi
*subjective
HI CA WA AZ NM NE TX MN OH KY
Flagships that are in the state’s largest city:
WA HI UT NM MN OH VT
Did not expect it to skew so heavily west of the Mississippi
*subjective
October 17, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Flagship state universities with urban campuses in large cities*
HI CA WA AZ NM NE TX MN OH KY
Flagships that are in the state’s largest city:
WA HI UT NM MN OH VT
Did not expect it to skew so heavily west of the Mississippi
*subjective
HI CA WA AZ NM NE TX MN OH KY
Flagships that are in the state’s largest city:
WA HI UT NM MN OH VT
Did not expect it to skew so heavily west of the Mississippi
*subjective
A list of reasons for this in order of importance:
1. Even density. Few high-density neighborhood centers.
2. Streetcar corners. Fewer long main drags.
3. Ease of parking. You’d think this would be #1, but it’s downstream of 1 and 2
4. Winter (minor)
But I think we have the bones for walkabillity
1. Even density. Few high-density neighborhood centers.
2. Streetcar corners. Fewer long main drags.
3. Ease of parking. You’d think this would be #1, but it’s downstream of 1 and 2
4. Winter (minor)
But I think we have the bones for walkabillity
…it is really shocking how there is almost no culture of walking to things here compared to a lot of MSP’s peer cities. Whether people here drive, bike, or take transit, almost everyone seems to consider it a major inconvenience to have to walk more than two blocks on either end.
October 12, 2025 at 2:38 PM
A list of reasons for this in order of importance:
1. Even density. Few high-density neighborhood centers.
2. Streetcar corners. Fewer long main drags.
3. Ease of parking. You’d think this would be #1, but it’s downstream of 1 and 2
4. Winter (minor)
But I think we have the bones for walkabillity
1. Even density. Few high-density neighborhood centers.
2. Streetcar corners. Fewer long main drags.
3. Ease of parking. You’d think this would be #1, but it’s downstream of 1 and 2
4. Winter (minor)
But I think we have the bones for walkabillity
Reposted by Andy Fenelon
Was in Northeast by the river and North Loop and both were *hopping*. It’s like I say about Uptown: it was once an epicenter but if you look at all the new smaller epicenters that have sprung up in the last 15 years, it explains a lot of the falloff beyond “someone fucked something up.”
Just took a rare weekend walk across downtown Minneapolis because the light rail stations are all closed after US Bank Stadium and I truly cannot comprehend why anyone would want to live downtown. Absolute dead zone.
September 28, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Was in Northeast by the river and North Loop and both were *hopping*. It’s like I say about Uptown: it was once an epicenter but if you look at all the new smaller epicenters that have sprung up in the last 15 years, it explains a lot of the falloff beyond “someone fucked something up.”
This weekend, my son and I took the B-Line to Downtown St. Paul to the Science Museum. It took about 40 min from Nicollet.
On the way back we took the Green Line. To my surprise, it took about the same amount of time - 43 minutes to downtown MPLS.
Why? The Green Line waited at several red lights.
On the way back we took the Green Line. To my surprise, it took about the same amount of time - 43 minutes to downtown MPLS.
Why? The Green Line waited at several red lights.
September 23, 2025 at 7:07 PM
This weekend, my son and I took the B-Line to Downtown St. Paul to the Science Museum. It took about 40 min from Nicollet.
On the way back we took the Green Line. To my surprise, it took about the same amount of time - 43 minutes to downtown MPLS.
Why? The Green Line waited at several red lights.
On the way back we took the Green Line. To my surprise, it took about the same amount of time - 43 minutes to downtown MPLS.
Why? The Green Line waited at several red lights.