Frederick Melo, Reporter (TwinCities.com, Pioneer Press)
@frederickmelo.bsky.social
A Boston transplant turned longtime City Hall/urban news reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in Minnesota (twincities.com) but my true claim to fame is I wrote this 3-part comic book: https://fredmelosupervillains.thecomicseries.com
Aliens attacking above my Neighbor’s house!!! At least I’m safe tho. Step outside and look through your phone… the lens captures the red better than your eye!
November 12, 2025 at 2:48 AM
Aliens attacking above my Neighbor’s house!!! At least I’m safe tho. Step outside and look through your phone… the lens captures the red better than your eye!
Sonder -- which operates upwards of 7,700 extended-stay hotel rooms in 142 Marriott Bonvoy properties in 10 countries -- closed its doors abruptly this week in downtown St. Paul, Minneapolis, Dubai, Chicago, and everywhere else. Here's why. www.twincities.com/2025/11/11/s...
November 12, 2025 at 1:51 AM
Sonder -- which operates upwards of 7,700 extended-stay hotel rooms in 142 Marriott Bonvoy properties in 10 countries -- closed its doors abruptly this week in downtown St. Paul, Minneapolis, Dubai, Chicago, and everywhere else. Here's why. www.twincities.com/2025/11/11/s...
HALT THAT CONTRACT?: St. Paul issued a request for proposals for a $250,000 research study on historic harms suffered by Black residents. An evaluation committee has scored (but not finalized) vendors. Here's why Council Member Anika Bowie wants a redo: www.twincities.com/2025/11/11/p...
November 12, 2025 at 1:48 AM
HALT THAT CONTRACT?: St. Paul issued a request for proposals for a $250,000 research study on historic harms suffered by Black residents. An evaluation committee has scored (but not finalized) vendors. Here's why Council Member Anika Bowie wants a redo: www.twincities.com/2025/11/11/p...
Where am I? Hint: St. Paul.
November 11, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Where am I? Hint: St. Paul.
Here’s six St. Paul voters explaining Tuesday’s mayoral election. Which one best describes you?
November 10, 2025 at 2:53 AM
Here’s six St. Paul voters explaining Tuesday’s mayoral election. Which one best describes you?
You asked for a precinct-by-precinct map showing where Her won and where Carter won? Thanks to @imanicruzen for providing it! www.twincities.com/2025/11/09/s...
November 9, 2025 at 2:08 PM
You asked for a precinct-by-precinct map showing where Her won and where Carter won? Thanks to @imanicruzen for providing it! www.twincities.com/2025/11/09/s...
Citywide, there's been progress. Como Park is looking lit, literally. But not on Shepard Road. And St. Anthony Park has taken it on the chin as of late. How much did darkened streetlights impact the mayor's race? I have no idea, but this stuff did not help the incumbent, even with progress made...
November 9, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Citywide, there's been progress. Como Park is looking lit, literally. But not on Shepard Road. And St. Anthony Park has taken it on the chin as of late. How much did darkened streetlights impact the mayor's race? I have no idea, but this stuff did not help the incumbent, even with progress made...
Gov. Walz appoints recent federal transportation guru, former Minneapolis Public Works director Robin Hutcheson as chair of the Metropolitan Council www.twincities.com/2025/11/07/g...
November 8, 2025 at 3:28 AM
Gov. Walz appoints recent federal transportation guru, former Minneapolis Public Works director Robin Hutcheson as chair of the Metropolitan Council www.twincities.com/2025/11/07/g...
Attorneys for CVS and property owner Scp 2005 C21 045 LLC said demolition could complicate a sale and future redevelopment. “At the 11th hour, CVS claims that they have inklings of a plan for this property” Coleman responded. “There’s even now no documentation of the possible buyers of the building"
November 6, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Attorneys for CVS and property owner Scp 2005 C21 045 LLC said demolition could complicate a sale and future redevelopment. “At the 11th hour, CVS claims that they have inklings of a plan for this property” Coleman responded. “There’s even now no documentation of the possible buyers of the building"
HER WINS! twincities.com/2025/11/04/v...
November 5, 2025 at 6:31 AM
HER WINS! twincities.com/2025/11/04/v...
St. Paul Public Schools aren’t just printing/distributing pro-levy yard signs and YouTube videos. They’ve also (hired? recruited? drafted?) student callers. When do taxpayers get to see a tally of campaign expenses? Is all of this taxpayer funded? Then why have a “Vote Yes For Strong Schools” group?
October 28, 2025 at 11:34 PM
St. Paul Public Schools aren’t just printing/distributing pro-levy yard signs and YouTube videos. They’ve also (hired? recruited? drafted?) student callers. When do taxpayers get to see a tally of campaign expenses? Is all of this taxpayer funded? Then why have a “Vote Yes For Strong Schools” group?
There’s no word yet on how much money the school district spent on tax levy yard signs, a YouTube video and other promotions, which were prepared separately from the donor-funded “Vote Yes For Strong Schools” campaign. www.twincities.com/2025/10/28/s...
October 28, 2025 at 6:43 PM
There’s no word yet on how much money the school district spent on tax levy yard signs, a YouTube video and other promotions, which were prepared separately from the donor-funded “Vote Yes For Strong Schools” campaign. www.twincities.com/2025/10/28/s...
SAY MY NAME, SAY MY NAME: This park needs a name. Bruce Vento Memorial Hill? The Herb Brooks Horticultural Experience? Sunisa Lee Sanctuary? Prince Rogers Nelson Roaming Natural Prairie? Give it a name… by Nov. 15!
October 28, 2025 at 6:24 PM
SAY MY NAME, SAY MY NAME: This park needs a name. Bruce Vento Memorial Hill? The Herb Brooks Horticultural Experience? Sunisa Lee Sanctuary? Prince Rogers Nelson Roaming Natural Prairie? Give it a name… by Nov. 15!
YAN CHEN for mayor? When it comes to Summit Avenue bikeway, she’s a no. Mississippi River Learning Center can wait. It’s time, she says, to level property taxes and delay new taxpayer-funded projects, from a special school levy to office-to-residential conversions www.twincities.com/2025/10/22/y...
October 22, 2025 at 10:51 PM
YAN CHEN for mayor? When it comes to Summit Avenue bikeway, she’s a no. Mississippi River Learning Center can wait. It’s time, she says, to level property taxes and delay new taxpayer-funded projects, from a special school levy to office-to-residential conversions www.twincities.com/2025/10/22/y...
MIKE HILBORN for mayor? He started for-profit plowing business out of his garage that now employs 45 men, 60% in recovery or previously incarcerated. Rent just went from $17K to $22K monthly. A free-market compassionate conservative has had it. VoteNov. 4. twincities.com/2025/10/19/m...
October 19, 2025 at 2:54 PM
MIKE HILBORN for mayor? He started for-profit plowing business out of his garage that now employs 45 men, 60% in recovery or previously incarcerated. Rent just went from $17K to $22K monthly. A free-market compassionate conservative has had it. VoteNov. 4. twincities.com/2025/10/19/m...
"About 1/3 of the total 6,000-square-foot footprint is an industrial kitchen and prep area. Growers will be able to rent the kitchen to produce value-added items like jam, bread, pickles in a commercially licensed kitchen, rather than at home under a cottage food license..."
October 15, 2025 at 11:58 PM
"About 1/3 of the total 6,000-square-foot footprint is an industrial kitchen and prep area. Growers will be able to rent the kitchen to produce value-added items like jam, bread, pickles in a commercially licensed kitchen, rather than at home under a cottage food license..."
A year after inheriting planning for the county's long-stalled transit line, St. Paul has announced that future bus rapid transit would likely operate in regular traffic rather than a bus-only lane, and that a full reconstruction of West 7th with utility and pedestrian improvements isn’t likely soon
October 15, 2025 at 9:27 PM
A year after inheriting planning for the county's long-stalled transit line, St. Paul has announced that future bus rapid transit would likely operate in regular traffic rather than a bus-only lane, and that a full reconstruction of West 7th with utility and pedestrian improvements isn’t likely soon
Three candidates for St. Paul mayor go head to head in a few minutes at MPR’s UBS Forum. Brought to you by MPR, the Pioneer Press and co-moderated by yours truly. Join our 2 pm livestream, let’s goooooooo: twincities.com/2025/10/14/l... (Will re-air on Politics Friday on MPR)
October 14, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Three candidates for St. Paul mayor go head to head in a few minutes at MPR’s UBS Forum. Brought to you by MPR, the Pioneer Press and co-moderated by yours truly. Join our 2 pm livestream, let’s goooooooo: twincities.com/2025/10/14/l... (Will re-air on Politics Friday on MPR)
HOLY COW! Students -- if you're not at @MNSPJ Intern Night 2025, you're missing out on the news media networking panel of the century! Free to attend, free pizza, free "speed dating" with these editors... and more are being added! MNSPJ.org has details here: www.mnspj.org/2025/10/12/a...
October 14, 2025 at 2:40 AM
HOLY COW! Students -- if you're not at @MNSPJ Intern Night 2025, you're missing out on the news media networking panel of the century! Free to attend, free pizza, free "speed dating" with these editors... and more are being added! MNSPJ.org has details here: www.mnspj.org/2025/10/12/a...
I moved to Providence, RI in 1994, the early years of “Andre The Giant Has a Posse” — which has now morphed into “OBEY”
October 14, 2025 at 12:06 AM
I moved to Providence, RI in 1994, the early years of “Andre The Giant Has a Posse” — which has now morphed into “OBEY”
4 uniformed police officers and 3 civilian TRIP agents on my Green Line train. Say what you will about light rail, and I’ve said much, but it has upped its game when it comes to public safety. I used to call Metro Transit spokespeople and they’d say, “Well, we have cameras…” There’s real eyes now.
October 13, 2025 at 10:57 PM
4 uniformed police officers and 3 civilian TRIP agents on my Green Line train. Say what you will about light rail, and I’ve said much, but it has upped its game when it comes to public safety. I used to call Metro Transit spokespeople and they’d say, “Well, we have cameras…” There’s real eyes now.
CLUES expands into a former First Lutheran Church building in Dayton’s Bluff…and brings in a business incubator offering 3-year contracts to 4 start-up businesses: Spanish immersion daycares www.twincities.com/2025/10/11/s...
October 12, 2025 at 1:54 PM
CLUES expands into a former First Lutheran Church building in Dayton’s Bluff…and brings in a business incubator offering 3-year contracts to 4 start-up businesses: Spanish immersion daycares www.twincities.com/2025/10/11/s...
Took me a bit but yes, Arby’s has the meats, BK has the beef, Sydney Sweeney has the bodacious blue-eyed genes and Fred has the renderings… The future Midway Diner. The four-story TreeHouse office building that will house a French bakery. A 1-acre park lined by Bailey’s Nursery flower gardens…
October 10, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Took me a bit but yes, Arby’s has the meats, BK has the beef, Sydney Sweeney has the bodacious blue-eyed genes and Fred has the renderings… The future Midway Diner. The four-story TreeHouse office building that will house a French bakery. A 1-acre park lined by Bailey’s Nursery flower gardens…
Endorsed by FireFighters Local 21
October 10, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Endorsed by FireFighters Local 21
I just picked my kid up from school on a Metro Transit bus and now I’m heading to Allianz Field on a Metro Transit bus. Ask me anything.
October 9, 2025 at 11:14 PM
I just picked my kid up from school on a Metro Transit bus and now I’m heading to Allianz Field on a Metro Transit bus. Ask me anything.