Eric Roper
Columnist
News & PoliticsSince joining the Minnesota Star Tribune in 2009, Eric has covered the Twin Cities metro area, the city of Minneapolis, the state Legislature and Congress. Prior to becoming a columnist, he oversaw the Star Tribune's Curious Minnesota project and helped create the narrative podcast "Ghost of a Chance." He is a graduate of the George Washington University and lives in south Minneapolis. In his spare time, Eric is a hobbyist woodworker and old home DIYer. To follow Eric's work by email, sign up for his newsletter at startribune.com/roperalert.
Latest from Eric Roper
Roper: Minneapolis council picks minority and majority leaders — and they’re both democratic socialists
The new titles for City Council members with similar politics got the new term off to an acrimonious start and reinforced old divisions.
January 7, 2026
Roper: Delayed George Floyd Square decision came at a cost
Minneapolis finally agreed to a street plan after years of debate, but still has major decisions to make about the intersection.
December 17, 2025
Roper: Want to revive Uptown? Grab a ‘passport’ and show Hennepin Avenue businesses some holiday cheer
The “Holidays on Hennepin” program aims to draw traffic to the street after a lengthy road reconstruction.
December 12, 2025
Roper: Remembering ‘king of clubs’ Peter Hafiz, who built a Minneapolis nightlife empire
The namesake of Sneaky Pete’s, and owner of other landmarks like Deja Vu and Gay 90s, died recently.
December 5, 2025
Roper: Someone toppled George Washington five years ago. Are we ready to put him back up?
A statue of the first president never returned to a Minneapolis park after vandalism pushed him off a pedestal in 2020.
December 1, 2025
Roper: Public outcry might give new life to decaying, 136-year-old Minneapolis house
An 1889 home in northeast Minneapolis is in rough shape after years of vacancy. A proposal to demolish it incensed neighbors.
November 23, 2025
Roper: New ‘Ghost of a Chance’ podcast episode illustrates a community grappling with hard history
The six-part narrative podcast about the Robinsons, a Black couple who lived in Eric Roper’s south Minneapolis home, premiered earlier this year.
November 13, 2025
Roper: Jacob Frey can thank the far left for handing him another term
Frey was a vulnerable incumbent. But progressives banked on the wrong guy to beat him.
November 8, 2025
Roper: What a ward-to-ward Election Day bike ride taught me about Jacob Frey’s re-election
A whirlwind tour to precincts across the city illustrated why voters supported the mayor.
November 6, 2025
Roper: Despite critiques, ranked-choice voting is better than the alternatives
Because of RCV, Minneapolis’ mayoral election has produced four top candidates — and voters needn’t worry about spoilers.
November 1, 2025
Roper: How the ‘slate for change’ could upend the Minneapolis mayoral election
An alliance between Jacob Frey’s challengers may prove significant in the ranked-choice election.
October 29, 2025
Roper: Doomsday docs aside, Minneapolis’ lush urbanity makes it a special place to call home
The city blossoms in the warmer months, even when bad headlines drown out what makes it great.
October 14, 2025
