Wedge LIVE!

John's conversation with Council Member Robin Wonsley, who's running for re-election to the Minneapolis City Council in Ward 2.

Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgelive Join the conversation: https://twitter.com/wedgelive Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

There's a saying that sometimes one man's trash is still another man's trash. That other man is Henry LaBounta of the East Isles neighborhood. On land or in the lakes, Henry is picking up trash. Whether he's walking his dog on Hennepin Ave, out in his kayak on Lake of the Isles, or donning waders at the shoreline, he's filling up buckets and buckets of garbage. Discarded fast food containers, hypodermic needles, dead animals -- he's keeping meticulous statistics about what and how much he's collected. In this episode, we talk about how Henry's weird obsession has grown into something more. He's applying for grant money and collaborating with neighborhood organizations. We talk about the importance of intervening in the trash cycle early, before it ends up in the street and gets washed into our lakes and waterways; infrastructure and street maintenance fixes; how keeping a place clean can discourage more litter; and how local government and people like you can help.

You can contact Henry at cleanlakesmpls@gmail.com and find more information by searching for "Friends of Lake of the Isles" on Facebook.

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Luna Zeidner was campaign manager for Sheila Nezhad's 2021 run for Minneapolis mayor. But where did she go? What did she learn? And where is she now? John and Luna rehash painful memories from 2021 and its fallout; talk about why she felt the need to take a step back; and explore how she's reengaging in politics, finding hope in the present, and trying to fall in love with Minneapolis all over again. This episode also features: plenty of hot takes on the 2023 election.

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Three people who attended last Saturday's Minneapolis DFL Ward 10 convention give their firsthand experience of what it was like when Nasri Warsame's campaign stormed the stage and forced Council Member Aisha Chughtai's delegation of supporters out the back door. John Edwards (delegate in precinct 10-1) is joined by Josh Martin (citizen journalist who was seated in the visitors section) and Devin Hogan (former Minneapolis DFL chair who assisted with operation of the convention).

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Forest Eidbo was elected to the city council in Crystal, Minnesota in 2022. He was inspired to run for the part-time, $600/month position after his council member voted against a resolution supporting Pride Month. We talk about all the familiar local issues from a suburban perspective -- streets, stop signs, trash, property taxes, trees, public safety, and the surprising volume of constituent phone calls.

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John and Josh Martin have teamed up for the 2023 city election year to cover Minneapolis DFL conventions in all 13 wards. In this episode we recap what's happened so far (aside from Ward 5, whose convention endorsed incumbent Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw after we recorded). What did we learn in wards 3 and 12? Why was the Ward 5 convention cancelled? Josh takes his pundit hat off in Ward 8 (his home ward). John remixes Mayor Frey's "state of the city" address to a classic song. We ponder crime stats and what Mayor Frey is calling the "downtown rebound." Will Josh take the mayor's advice and return to work in the office downtown on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays? We talk about the what's next for the Charter Commission on government structure (more appointment power for the mayor?). John celebrates the unanimous Planning Commission decision to legalize corner stores. The city's rent stabilization work group produced an unwanted result for rent stabilization opponents, but it did serve as a successful delay tactic. At John's urging, Josh reveals a piece of himself and forms a bond with the audience.

Follow Josh Martin on Twitter: @JoshMartinMpls

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John's conversation with Marcus Mills, who's running for Minneapolis City Council in Ward 3. Marcus is also the winner of a recent contest and the prize was coming on the Wedge LIVE podcast. Congratulations, Marcus.

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For this very important episode about transit funding, John has a conversation with Peter Wagenius, legislative director at the Sierra Club North Star Chapter. You may have heard about the Minnesota House version of a transportation bill that passed with a .75% metro area sales tax. Peter explains why a sales tax targeted at the metro area is the smart way to fund transit and how legislative inaction going back to 2013 has left us playing catch up. That ongoing source of revenue for transit is essential to fully funding reliable, frequent bus rapid transit service in the Twin Cities region. As the Minnesota Senate takes up their version of a transportation bill with just a .5% sales tax, you and your suburban friends and family need to be calling your state senators. Transportation is Minnesota's number 1 source of climate pollution. We know electrification won't save us. Vehicle miles traveled are rising faster than our population. Car dominance is creating equity and livability concerns. With the DFL controlling the House, Senate, and the Governor's office, Peter says now's the time: "Climate, equity, public health, it's all served by making this happen."

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John's conversation with Council Member Elliott Payne, who's running for re-election to the Minneapolis City Council in Ward 1.

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John's conversation with Jonathon Stalls, author of "Walk: Slow Down, Wake Up, and Connect at 1-3 Miles Per Hour." It's a book about the power of walking: for physical, mental, and community health; to forge human connection; as a force for creativity; as a way to stay connected to nature; and as a human right that needs to be defended politically. Join Jonathon for a book talk and/or a walk at Magers & Quinn on Friday, April 21. There's also a walk on Franklin Avenue on Saturday morning, April 22. Details here: https://www.intrinsicpaths.com/walkbook Buy the book: https://www.moonpalacebooks.com/item/Dh7d12j5Brl-Q8SGlfd9SA Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgelive Join the conversation: https://twitter.com/wedgelive Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

John's conversation with Council Member Aisha Chughtai, who's running for re-election to the Minneapolis City Council in Ward 10.

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John is joined by Melody Hoffmann from Southwest Voices for a conversation about the city's last minute changes to the Bryant Ave South reconstruction project. Other topics: a shortage of farmers markets, money in local politics, the latest outrages affecting the people of the lakes area, a dramatic reading of comments from the Bryant Avenue reconstruction meeting, and Melody's vegetable characters (possibly related to Christian fundamentalism).

You can find Melody's work at https://southwestvoices.news

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John's conversation with Council Member Jeremiah Ellison, who's running for re-election to the Minneapolis City Council in Ward 5. Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgelive Join the conversation: https://twitter.com/wedgelive Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

In an episode inspired by Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges, John is joined by Andi Snow of SWOP Mpls (Sex Workers Outreach Project) for a conversation about sex work, the distinction between sex work and "trafficking," and the policy agenda her group is advocating for here in Minneapolis and across the state of Minnesota.

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John is joined by Jason Garcia and Taylor Dahlin for a fond look back at more than 100 episodes of the Wedge LIVE podcast - and a look forward at some of the challenges facing Minneapolis in this year's city council election.

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John's conversation with Katie Cashman, who's running for Minneapolis City Council in Ward 7.

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John's conversation with Kate Mortenson, who's running for Minneapolis City Council in Ward 13. Incumbent Ward 13 Council Member Linea Palmisano has been invited on the podcast and is welcome anytime.

You don't have to wait until November to have an impact. Minneapolis DFL precinct caucuses are happening citywide on March 14. Get out there and become the only kind of person these candidates care about right now - a delegate to a DFL ward convention:  https://minneapolisdfl.org/

Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgelive Join the conversation: https://twitter.com/wedgelive Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

Today's episode features John's conversation with Soren Stevenson, who's running for Minneapolis City Council in Ward 8. In the coming weeks, we hope to schedule a conversation with City Council President Andrea Jenkins, who is running for reelection in Ward 8.

You don't have to wait until November to have an impact. Minneapolis DFL precinct caucuses are happening citywide on March 14. Get out there and become the only kind of person these candidates care about right now - a delegate to a DFL ward convention:  https://minneapolisdfl.org/

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

John spends significant portions of this episode unsuccessfully goading Conrad Zbikowski, Ward 3 candidate for Minneapolis City Council, into attacking his opponent, incumbent Michael Rainville. We talk about public safety failures, Conrad's unapologetically pro-housing agenda, rent control, homeless encampment response, zoning for complete neighborhoods where everyone has a grocery store, Conrad's campaign strategy (bring in new people or focus on reliable caucus-goers?), and much more.

Most importantly, here are John's preferred lines of attack on Michael Rainville:

Michael Rainville spent the 1990s building his credentials as a  neighborhood leader by tossing the possessions of homeless people into  the Mississippi River (as reported in the Star Tribune). After a  particularly chaotic and violent July 4 in 2022, Council Member  Rainville told a white audience he was going to a Mosque to scold Somali  elders about the behavior of their children, without regard for the  fact he had no idea whether any of their children were actually  involved. He bragged to the same audience about his February vote  against funding the Office of Violence Prevention. While emphasizing the  need to hold OVP accountable, Rainville has repeatedly cast doubt on  the findings of the Minnesota Department of Human rights regarding MPD's  racist and abusive policing practices. While serving as the City  Council representative to the Minneapolis Planning Commission in 2022,  Rainville delayed approval of a Hennepin County affordable housing  project and raised crime as a reason to oppose it. Rainville has been  described by David Brauer as a "sentient Minneapolis Police Federation  door decal." (barely sentient?)

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We're at the next step of 2040 Plan implementation in Minneapolis. This time it's not about the scary things like density and building height. At the risk of oversimplifying, this isn't about how big you can build a given property, but about what that property is used for. Is this neighborhood solely residential? Are commercial uses allowed? If yes, what kind? Dry cleaning? Child care? How many square feet? What about parking lots? 

Planners at the City of Minneapolis have put forward a proposal to match the objectives that were laid out in the city's long range plan five years ago. John is joined by Brit Anbacht and Evan Roberts, two volunteers from the group Neighbors for More Neighbors (of which John is also a co-founder), to talk about the changes we need to make to our zoning code in order to create complete neighborhoods -- places where a grocery store, a coffee shop, or a haircut, is a 5 minute walk instead of a 15 minute drive. They praise the draft proposal for having 50% more commercially zoned land than we had before, but say that going from 3% to 4.5% isn't enough. Brit laments the fact that a gas station is their only source for walkable groceries; and suggests that if we're going to allow a 4-6 story apartment building on a transit route, it should include an option for ground floor retail. As we add population, we should be allowing spaces that meet basic human needs closer to where we live. Evan talks about the American tendency to use zoning to over-segregate uses in a way that reinforces car-dependency; and asks why the zoning code should favor churches over other uses? John makes fun of Evan's accent. Do all New Zealanders speak in a way that makes everything sound like a sexually oriented use ("sixplex" sounds like "sexplex" and "pawn shop" sounds like "porn shop")?

The comment period for this phase ends March 26. The city's survey is here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FMGPJ33

In addition to this survey, please contact your council members before and after the comment deadline. The actual council vote may not happen for several months.

The proposed land use rezoning map: https://minneapolis2040.com/implementation/land-use-rezoning-study/

The proposed land use table: https://minneapolis2040.com/media/1927/lurs-uses-allowed-table-draft-handout.pdf

All of this and future updates can be found on https://minneapolis2040.com

Get updates from Neighbors for More Neighbors: https://moreneighbors.org/blog/

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John is joined by former TV weatherman Aaron Shaffer (@AShafferWX) for a conversation about the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board's long term plan for the area around Cedar Lake and Lake of the Isles (Cedar-Isles). We talk bathroom politics; rain gardens and water quality; scarce pedestrian space; ADA accessibility; the fate of the  trails through the wooded northeast corner of Cedar Lake; two-way bike   routes; commuter traffic vs recreation; and the far-too-wide parkways  devoted to car traffic that make it so much harder to implement fixes to  the aforementioned safety and environmental issues. John suggests that,  instead of fighting over these things during every planning process for  corner of the park system, the MPRB should develop consistent policies (similar to the city's transportation action plan and street design  guide) that set expectations for how parkways, bikeways, and pedstrian  trails are designed. We also talk about the terrible process (the CAC or "community advisory committee") that MPRB uses for public engagement  which tends to limit feedback to a select few who show up to three hour meetings week after week.

Read the guide Aaron created to know which are the key issues to comment on: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yJ5rr2vFrLmoNVGY8KGb0CiNL20IYPpt5SICPhriux0/edit?usp=sharing

The comment period on the MPRB's Cedar-Isles Plan is open through March  10. Read the plan and comment:  https://www.minneapolisparks.org/park-care-improvements/park-projects/current_projects/cedar-lake-lake-of-the-isles-cedar-isles-master-plan/  

You can also contact your Minneapolis Park Commissioner directly: https://www.minneapolisparks.org/about-us/leadership-and-structure/park-board-commissioners/

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With zero degree weather having cancelled our plans for winter sports, John and lifestyle producer Paula Chesley head indoors to spend time with award winning cats at the Saintly City Cat Club's 45th Annual Championship & Household Pet Cat Show. We hear the stories of cat show participants from all over the country, visit with a few vendors, Paula becomes notorious on the convention hall for spilling soup on a grand champion, and we witness the crowning of the king and queen of cats. That's right -- not only does the St. Paul Winter Carnival crown a human king and queen, they also crown a king and queen of the cats. 

https://www.saintlycitycatclub.org/cat-show

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It's an election year in Minneapolis. All 13 wards are voting for who  will represent them on the City Council. With incumbent Andrew Johnson  leaving office, there's an open seat in Ward 12. I had conversations  with three of the candidates vying to replace him: Aurin Chowdhury,  Jerome T. Evans, and Luther Ranheim. We talked about public safety,  police accountability, housing and zoning, rent control, transportation  and much more.

You don't have to wait until November to have an  impact. Minneapolis DFL precinct caucuses are happening citywide on  March 14. Get out there and become the only kind of person these  candidates care about right now - a delegate to a DFL ward convention:  https://minneapolisdfl.org/

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

It's an election year in Minneapolis. All 13 wards are voting for who  will represent them on the City Council. With incumbent Andrew Johnson  leaving office, there's an open seat in Ward 12. I had conversations  with three of the candidates vying to replace him: Aurin Chowdhury,  Jerome T. Evans, and Luther Ranheim. We talked about public safety,  police accountability, housing and zoning, rent control, transportation  and much more.

You don't have to wait until November to have an  impact. Minneapolis DFL precinct caucuses are happening citywide on  March 14. Get out there and become the only kind of person these  candidates care about right now - a delegate to a DFL ward convention:  https://minneapolisdfl.org/

Listen: https://anchor.fm/wedgelive
Join the conversation: https://twitter.com/wedgelive
Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive
Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

It's an election year in Minneapolis. All 13 wards are voting for who  will represent them on the City Council. With incumbent Andrew Johnson  leaving office, there's an open seat in Ward 12. I had conversations with three of the candidates vying to replace him: Aurin Chowdhury,  Jerome T. Evans, and Luther Ranheim. We talked about public safety,  police accountability, housing and zoning, rent control, transportation  and much more.

You don't have to wait until November to have an  impact. Minneapolis DFL precinct caucuses are happening citywide on  March 14. Get out there and become the only kind of person these  candidates care about right now - a delegate to a DFL ward convention:  https://minneapolisdfl.org/

Listen: https://anchor.fm/wedgelive
Join the conversation: https://twitter.com/wedgelive
Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive
Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

John is joined by Wedge LIVE lifestyle producer Paula Chesley for a special miniseries featuring the stories of real people, not just surviving, but thriving through a Minneapolis winter. This time we're featuring the artists and participants in the Art Shanty Projects. Music, meditation, climate awareness, winter fashion, froga (frozen yoga), bathwater ice sculpting -- this episode has something for everyone.

You can see the Art Shanty Projects at the Lake Harriet bandshell Saturdays and Sundays January 21 – February 12, 2023, 10am-4pm. For more information: https://artshantyprojects.org/

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With city councils in both Minneapolis and St. Paul on the ballot in  2023, John has a conversation with St. Paul Councilmember Mitra Jalali  about the issues that will define this election year. What is the  conversation we should be having on public safety? What accounts for the  different approach and results in the Twin Cities when it comes to  homeless encampments? Are there lessons for Minneapolis in the St. Paul  rent control experience? We talk about how Mitra's relationship to the  internet has changed since her first election in 2018, how to get beyond  empty campaign rhetoric, and the reality check candidates should give  themselves before running for office. Plus, a discussion of what John is  calling perhaps the most well-crafted issues section on a local  candidate website that he has ever seen:  https://mitrajalali.com/community-issues

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John is joined by Grammy-nominated transportation organizer José Antonio  Zayas Cabán (Our Streets Minneapolis) for a conversation about the push  for municipal sidewalk clearing. In a northern city with significant  annual snowfall every winter, how seriously do we take our commitment  that each of our neighbors should get where they're going with bodies  unbroken? We talk about the cost to do it right, the skepticism, what it  looks like in other places, why the city council voted down funding for  a pilot project in the 2023 budget, and the impact to the city's  transportation and climate goals if we accept the failed and dangerous  status quo. We finish the episode by congratulating José on his Grammy  nomination and talk about some of his musical inspirations, including  his experience as a young pedestrian growing up in Puerto Rico. 

About Montreal's sidewalk clearing program: https://montreal.ca/en/topics/snow-removal-sidewalks-and-streets  

Our Streets Minneapolis' push for municipal snow removal: https://www.ourstreetsmpls.org/muni_sidewalk_plowing  

José's Grammy nominated work: http://joseantonio-zayascaban.com/release/el-pais-invisible/  

Recommendations:
Movie - Finding Forrester
Music - "Alondra de los Bosques"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihf0KsNpMKc&ab_channel=BorinkenTv
Book - "How to Hide an Empire"
https://www.moonpalacebooks.com/item/pAG4rDFNcoxGxSfx850BTA
Book - "Empire of Borders"
https://www.moonpalacebooks.com/item/UEvoORypFGoyiCFb5_nA0Q  

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John is joined by Josh Martin (aka "the new new Larry Jacobs") for an introduction to another Minneapolis City Council election year. Why should you get off your butt and pay attention? Will we rehash the crime-themed election of 2021 or find a new theme? What are the big issues? Which wards are especially key or likely to be competitive? Please share this episode with your friends so they can get pumped about Minneapolis Election 2023!

Content warning: Any lip smacking you hear in this episode was caused by Josh pounding can after can of lime LaCroix.

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John is joined by biostats grad student Jonathan Kim for a conversation about rent control. Jonathan's claim to fame is that he spent 2022 serving on two very high profile volunteer work groups for the City of Minneapolis: one to come up with a recommendation on rent stabilization policy and the other on citywide redistricting. We talk about what swayed him towards the more aggressive version of rent control policy, some of his potential concerns, and his assessment of how effectively the work group operated. On redistricting, Jonathan explains why the Cedar-Isles-Dean neighborhood is probably out to get him. He also describes his work group volunteerism as a hobby, a relaxing break from statistics. John argues that's a "sick, sad" way to spend your free time. 

For a more thorough discussion of the basic policy considerations of rent control, listen to our December episode with Jennifer Arnold.

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This episode features endless frustration about fake environmentalism weaponized against something that's unquestionably an environmental good, with guests Adam Wysopal and Alex Schieferdecker. Adam provides an update on the 2040 Plan lawsuit, initiated in 2018 by a group of rich southwest Minneapolis residents unhappy that their neighborhoods would no longer be reserved exclusively for single-family homes. Last last month, an appeals court upheld one part of the district court's decision (regarding the assumed full build out of the plan) while also telling the lower court judge that his decision lacked "findings on the necessity and scope" of the relief provided to the plaintiffs. Alex says it's a mistake to assume a full build out of the housing portion of the 2040 plan, because that's just not how it works. He also wonders if the judges will also assume full implementation of the aggressive transportation and climate policies in the plan. The three of us agree that the courts are poorly suited to resolving these complicated city planning issues. John argues these are political questions, and Minneapolis did a good job answering them with a robust, years-long political process involving policy experts, elected officials, and city residents. John asks Adam if he can sue to stop the city of Lakeville over their comprehensive plan, considering the traffic and environmental impact of the average new Lakeville resident are significantly greater than for Minneapolis. We are more than four years into this lawsuit to stop a ten year plan. No telling how many more years of transparently bad-faith legal arguments the courts will have to hear before it's resolved.

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John is joined by Wedge LIVE lifestyle producer Paula Chesley for a miniseries featuring the stories of real people, not just surviving, but thriving through a Minneapolis winter. For this episode recorded January 1, 2023, we're at Lake Harriet narrating people jumping into a hole in the ice as if it's the Rose Parade. We speak with first timers, longtime ice dippers, and skeptical observers who live in the neighborhood. Then we head over to Embrace North, a sauna and ice bath facility in Linden Hills which helped organize this event. Paula ventures into the sauna for more conversation and gets the story from the founder of Embrace North, the self-styled Sauna Papi. From Guatemala, to California, to Minnesota -- Luis Leonardo talks about how he turned his dread of winter into a business and a community.

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In 2021, Minneapolis voters approved a ballot question giving the go-ahead for a rent control ordinance. In 2022, the City Council and Mayor Frey formed a Rent Stabilization Work Group to make policy recommendations. Those meetings began in September and wrapped up last week. A majority of the work group (14 of 25) voted for a policy recommendation that, if placed on the ballot and approved by voters in 2023, would be the most strict in the country.

We start the episode with a ten-minute check-in with Jimmy Harris about his experience as a renter and tenant organizer -- and the precarious housing situation facing many Minneapolis renters. Then, a conversation about rent control policy, and the city's Rent Stabilization Work Group, with Jennifer Arnold, co-director of the tenant advocacy non-profit Inquilinxs Unidxs por Justicia (IX). The headline is the proposed 3% cap on annual rent increases, but there's a lot more to it. In addition to giving us the perspective of rent control advocates, Jennifer explains key concepts like rent banking, inflation adjustment, exemptions for affordable housing or new construction, and how rent control would be enforced. We explore the issue of "vacancy control" -- and how "decontrol" would interact with the city's current lack of just cause eviction protections.

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It's our not-quite monthly appointment with Dr. Melody Hoffmann, PhD. Melody starts us off with the farmers market report. We talk about the massive fire that destroyed a 25-unit, 100 year old apartment building at 24th and Lyndale in the Wedge -- and whether city hall failed to properly intervene to stop a public safety threat that neighbors had been predicting for months. We talk about a failed effort to put $200,000 in the city's 2023 budget for a municipal sidewalk snow clearing pilot. John makes the case that the dream of a dense pedestrianized, climate-friendly city, where people drive less, falls apart if it's not safe for people to use the sidewalks all year long. John expresses skepticism about the crime-fighting impacts of MPD's Operation Endeavor, the results of which are being celebrated on the TV news. During the underwhelming gift guide portion of the episode, we find out if Melody's use of the phrase "neighbor-friend" is actually a euphemism for something a bit more intimate.

You can find Melody on Twitter at @MelodySWV and https://southwestvoices.news

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John is joined by Abigail Cerra for a conversation about a proposal for a  new police oversight commission in Minneapolis. Cerra is the former  chair of the Police Conduct Oversight Commission, a body that hasn't met  for most of 2022 due to the failure of the mayor and city council to  appoint new members. We talk about the draft creating the new commission  and its several glaring flaws; Cerra's experience; why she resigned  from the PCOC; and how the old commission was ignored by city leaders  and denied direct access to city data. Cerra says this is an opportunity  to fix those problems -- so that the city's next police oversight  commission has the political independence, resources and authority to  engage in meaningful oversight.

The proposal will be voted on (approved, amended, delayed or rejected) by the city council this Thursday, December 8.

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John is joined by Logan Carroll (a recent third place finisher for a prestigious journalism award) for a conversation about what our otherwise vibrant local news scene is lacking. He says we're missing stories that take the long view, that offer depth and accountability. He wants journalism that creates a greater understanding of what's happening at city hall. We look at Logan's 6 month analysis of local news stories. Who is producing the most coverage? What gets talked about? Who gets quoted and who doesn't? Are local outlets following the money in the city budget? We talk about the value of deeply reported, labor intensive, expensive local news stories -- and how the market isn't producing them. We end the show with Logan's pitch for a deep-pocketed non-profit to fund an entity that fills the gap.

You can contact Logan at LoganCCarroll@gmail.com.

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John is joined by an excessively large panel of pundits to analyze Tuesday's election results, the Democratic wave across Minnesota, Mary Moriarty's historic and crushing victory in the race to become Hennepin County's top prosecutor - and what it might mean for Minneapolis in 2023 and beyond. On the panel: Jason Garcia, Taylor Dahlin, Dianna E. Anderson, and Josh Martin at the results desk. You won't want to miss Taylor's live reports from the election night parties of all the losing candidates. Dianna talks about the significance of last night's results to the LGBTQ community. Mike Norton makes an appearance from Amsterdam, where he challenges the incoming DFL Senate majority to make good on the party's pledge to legalize cannabis. In addition to his role as Minneapolis DFL vice chair, Mike owns Baja Ontario, the company whose THC edibles fueled this episode.

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This week on the Wedge LIVE podcast, John is joined by candidates for Minneapolis School Board At-Large: Collin Beachy, KerryJo Felder, and Sonya Emerick (We weren't successful in our attempts to contact candidate Lisa Skjefte). We talk about why they want this low pay/high stress job; the candidates' leadership experience; what they're looking for when they hire the next schools superintendent; what's behind declining enrollment numbers and how to reverse them; the Minneapolis Public Schools budget crisis; and more. We close each episode with three recommendations from the candidates.

More information on how to vote in Minneapolis: https://vote.minneapolismn.gov/

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This week on the Wedge LIVE podcast, John is joined by candidates for Minneapolis School Board At-Large: Collin Beachy, KerryJo Felder, and Sonya Emerick (We weren't successful in our attempts to contact candidate Lisa Skjefte). We talk about why they want this low pay/high stress job; the candidates' leadership experience; what they're looking for when they hire the next schools superintendent; what's behind declining enrollment numbers and how to reverse them; the Minneapolis Public Schools budget crisis; and more. We close each episode with three recommendations from the candidates.

More information on how to vote in Minneapolis: https://vote.minneapolismn.gov/ 

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This week on the Wedge LIVE podcast, John is joined by candidates for Minneapolis School Board At-Large: Collin Beachy, KerryJo Felder, and Sonya Emerick (We weren't successful in our attempts to contact candidate Lisa Skjefte). We talk about why they want this low pay/high stress job; the candidates' leadership experience; what they're looking for when they hire the next schools superintendent; what's behind declining enrollment numbers and how to reverse them; the Minneapolis Public Schools budget crisis; and more. We close each episode with three recommendations from the candidates.

More information on how to vote in Minneapolis: https://vote.minneapolismn.gov/ 

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After getting laid-off from her job as a college professor during the great recession a decade ago, a Minneapolis woman with a fear of bikes and strangers, takes a 420-day bike trip around the perimeter of the country with her spouse, accepting invitations to stay in the homes of strangers along the way. I met Anne Winkler-Morey at Open Streets on Franklin Avenue several weeks ago and was taken by her story. Who doesn't fantasize about leaving it all behind, escaping the political despair, facing your fears, and having an adventure? Anne is the author of Allegiance to Winds and Waters: Bridging the Political Divides of the United States. We talk about the shallow culture war politics that divide our country, the hundreds of people she met, and the conversations that convinced her our divisions are manufactured. I ask if there's anything to be learned for Minneapolis in this moment. Anne describes how common it was to be invited into strangers' homes. She talks about the physical toll, the heat stroke, biking through rain, the importance of shelter. And what we owe to each other as it relates to the commons, public spaces, and food deserts. For answers to questions like "how did her spouse's bike end up dragged under a car?" and "why did Anne toss her bike in the woods?" you'll have to read the book.

From Anne's website:

"Allegiance to Winds and Waters mixes the angst and hilarious misadventures of an unlikely bicyclist, poignant stories of the strangers she meets, and acute observations of a historian and social activist." -https://annwinklermorey.com

Anne is also the founder of the Minneapolis Interview Project: https://turtleroad.org/ 

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John is joined by Jason Garcia and Josh Martin for a reaction to the results of the 2022 Minneapolis primary election. Though this episode premieres two days after election day, Josh announces results as if in real time, accompanied by breaking news music. We ponder the meaning of Rep. Ilhan Omar's surprisingly small margin of victory; Mary Moriarty's comfortable first place finish in the Hennepin County Attorney's race; Don Samuels and Martha Holton-Dimick's failure to win in North Minneapolis, despite touting their community connections; and the geographic strengths and weaknesses of the candidates. John suggests Ryan Winkler's loss can be attributed to never finding a lane -- being neither the progressive choice nor a bomb throwing law and order type. Jason announces results from Meg Tuthill's front yard. John wonders if Don Samuels was making a Nixonian dog whistle on law and order by using the phrase "exhausted majority" during his triumphant concession speech. We take a fond look back at the video highlights from the Tad Jude campaign, aka Batman's police friend.

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John and co-host/producer Paula Chesley begin by storming the main beach at Lake Nokomis doing "person on the beach" interviews. Then we're joined by local artist and activist Patrick Scully and his friend Wendy Morris for a conversation about a different beach: Twin Lake's hidden beach. For decades it's been unofficially a place where it's ok to swim naked -- until the police show up. Patrick tells a story of a 1977 police raid of the beach and how he barely escaped arrest (after a police officer maced himself). He talks about his 2012 legal battle with the City of Minneapolis for being naked on the beach. Wendy tells us about the time in 1998 -- enduring a hot summer, pregnant, and feeling the urge to swim naked -- that Patrick took her to visit Twin Lake. Two women warned her it would be dangerous to visit the "gay beach." We talk about the American cultural hostility to nudity on beaches compared to other countries and the Minneapolis Park Board's recent action to legalize toplessness for women. 

Camera work and chauffeuring by the indispensable Conrad Zbikowski.

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John is joined by Melody Hoffmann from https://SouthwestVoices.news, who is finally off podcast probation, for our regular "Monthly with Melody" conversation. Topics include: a a very brief farmers market update from an unprepared Melody; Mayor Frey's choice for Community Safety Commissioner, Cedric Alexander; the burgeoning movement against 5G towers in the Kingfield neighborhood; and we dissect John's thesis that "Fear is ruining Minneapolis politics, mainstreaming offensive and/or oddball characters, attracting more context-free local TV news coverage, and causing more and more people to believe things that aren’t true."

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John and co-host/producer Paula Chesley climb down a 90-year-old staircase to visit Longfellow Beach, an unsanctioned beach on the Mississippi River. Experts will advise you not to swim in it. It's full of agricultural runoff and bacteria -- and the currents might carry you off. Paula gets out the pH test strips to see how the river water compares to kimchi, a substance that is apparently safer to swim in than the river. Paula recounts some river beach history and reveals her rating system for beach quality. John denigrates Minneapolis beaches as places where you can hurt your feet on rocky sand and ingest dirty water. We're joined by Andrew From, a Longfellow neighborhood resident, who tells us more about this lowkey, out of the way, local beach. Andrew talks about his spouse from Montana who thinks it's just fine to get in the river as long as you don't submerge your head. We talk about City Council member Michael Rainville's racism (regarding his comments made a day before our recording). I question Andrew's fashion sense for wearing a "Mini Apple" t-shirt and ask if anyone from Minneapolis has ever called it that. Note: Camera guy Conrad tripped and fell backward over a log, but he's fine now.

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The first in our Beachcast series of episodes. John and co-host/producer Paula Chesley are joined by Minneapolis Parks Commissioner Tom Olsen at his favorite beach: Hidden Beach on Cedar Lake. We discuss planned  improvements (including an amphitheater) and past changes to Hidden Beach -- and beach politics in the Kenwood neighborhood. We talk about  park issues, including bathroom availability, public drinking, nudity, crime, and mansion owners encroaching on the lakeshore (which is legally  park board property). We track down the mysterious Mudman and ask him  about the history of the Andrew J. Foss Memorial Mudhole, named for its first caretaker. The Mudman tells us about the benefits of submerging  your body in the mud: natural sunscreen and insect repellent. John suggests it's also a way to hide your heat signature from the Predator. Paula conducts a heartwarming child interview at the mudhole. We ponder the question: Is Minneapolis a beach city? 

Camera work and chauffeuring by the indispensable Conrad Zbikowski.  

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What if instead of a dog grooming station or a cable TV subscription, your landlord or condo association provided you with free transportation? John's guest is Molly Burns-Hansen from Move Minnesota, who is seeking out tenants, landlords, condo associations, and neighborhood groups in order to sign buildings up for Metro Transit's residential transit pass program. It's just $14 per month to provide an unlimited ride transit pass to every unit in a building (or several buildings, with a minimum of 10 units per contract). We talk about how expensive and stressful car ownership is -- and how surprisingly cheap it is to provide transit. Molly has some early data on the program and how satisfied residents who've received the transit passes have been. We go off on tangents: Molly talks about how people with disabilities are disproportionately reliant on transit and expresses irritation that the "disabled" conversation has been hijacked to argue against transit improvements on Hennepin Avenue. John explains his philosophy that transit is freedom, how confused he is by Metro Transit's "downtown fare zone," attempts to interpret Molly's dream about Michael Rainville and the state of Ohio, and goes off on a tangent about how the pretend environmentalists suing to stop the city's 2040 Plan are the equivalent of climate deniers.

If you have interest in this transit pass program -- as a resident, building manager or otherwise -- contact Molly by email: mollybh@movemn.org

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Following the City of Minneapolis' recent loss in Hennepin County District Court, John is joined by Matthew Melewski -- a lawyer with experience in Minnesota land use and environmental law -- for a conversation about the ongoing four year legal battle over the Minneapolis 2040 Plan. We review the arguments, the law, the fake environmentalists behind this lawsuit, and anticipate the next 18 months of appeals. That's right, there could still be 18 more months of this. John takes issue with the district court judge assuming a full build out of the plan. Then wonders how a judge, in a case all about zoning, can put forward the "undisputed fact" (not actually a fact) that Minneapolis has abolished the construction of new single family homes (you actually can still build single-family homes in Minneapolis). Matthew explains why he doesn't think the city will respond to their setback in court by making an environmental case for the plan -- despite the eagerness of 2040 Plan proponents to engage in that debate. 

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John is joined by Melody Hoffmann (@MelodySWV from https://southwestvoices.news) for a Saturday night special report on location from the streets of Uptown. All with a goal of answering the question: what is the relative  aliveness of Uptown these days? We start in LynLake and move west  towards Uptown proper. We visit local art such as the Uptown Trolley Ball, assess the 29th Street "shared street," climb a local parking  garage for a bird's eye view of Hennepin Avenue, endure an extended cameo from neighborhood board president Jason Garcia, we interview a  person on the street about the local dating scene, and much more. 

Cinematography by Conrad Zbikowski.

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On the series finale of the Pedal Pod: There's an empty seat in the pod-mobile. John faces the prospect of podcasting without a partner in conversation. Increasingly desperate, he picks up Mike Norton, logistics tycoon and Lakewood cemetery tour guide. As we pedal up and down Lyndale Avenue, we talk about the disgruntled reaction to Mike taking on his new role as vice chair of the Minneapolis DFL, his 2021 attempt to unseat Ward 13 Council Member Linea Palmisano, and we disagree on how likely it is that Ward 13 will turn to a progressive. John makes a case that the one and only issue in Minneapolis politics for the foreseeable future will be police. We also talk about the unbearable heat of south Florida and Singapore. Wedge neighborhood board president Jason Garcia makes a cameo and gives us Mueller Park bathroom news. Uptown icon Ryan Brown splays himself out on the street in front of our vehicle (which you'll want to check out on YouTube about 13 minutes in). As usual, this episode includes all the live music, generator noises, squealy brakes, and interruptions you've come to know and love.

In a chance meeting, we ran into the man who built the Pod Mobile (it's quite a ride!). His website: https://blackbirdbikes.com/

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"Pedal-Powered Podcast Week" does something we never intended: stretch into a second and final week (we promise). That's what happens when you record six hours of conversations at Open Streets on Lyndale Avenue. Today's guest is Commissioner Marion Green, who represents district 3 (which includes the Wedge, Southwest Minneapolis, Downtown, and St. Louis Park) on the Hennepin County Board. Some of our topics: Lyndale Avenue safety improvements that have been years in the making, the county's recent investments in affordable housing and addressing homelessness, whether the work of the county board is more collegial than the city council due to having fewer members spread across a much wider geography, the power of cities and counties to move much faster than our logjammed state legislature, Marion's life before moving to Minneapolis 23 years ago, and we agree there's nothing like going on a walk to de-stress and get your mind working. Marion summons the courage to become the first guest in Wedge LIVE podcast history to ask for the episode to end.

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The pedal-pod rolls on. Before we have a chance to really get to know our first guest Brian Mitchell (@BrianMitchL), John decides he's found a better guest in J.D. Duggan (@JDugganMN). J.D. is a journalist with Finance & Commerce who bears a striking resemblance to Bill Lindeke. We talk about the state of local journalism, why it seems that the only jobs remaining are with local business magazines, whether J.D.'s friends think he's gone corporate, Mayor Frey's job performance and where he goes from here, an assessment of Ward 2 Council Member Robin Wonsley, rent control policy in the Twin Cities, J.D.'s hair, and the period in his life where he dressed up as a superhero to deliver pizzas in the greater Wedge metro area.

If you were disappointed to have the Brian Mitchell segment cut short, read the piece he wrote about giving up his car: https://streets.mn/2022/04/21/pandemic-for-good-how-i-was-able-to-sell-my-car/ 

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We continue the Pedal-Pod series, recorded on location at Open Streets  on Lyndale Avenue -- everyone's favorite summer street festival in  Minneapolis. John boots failed Ward 13 candidate Mike Norton out of the  pod-mobile so he can pick up a winner: Aisha Chughtai, who represents  Ward 10 on the City Council. We talk about bike earrings, Aisha's status  as "the bus lady," whether she's able to summon optimism about the  future, the debate over Mayor Frey's pick to be city coordinator,  frustrations over the government structure "trump card," a look ahead to  the 2023 election, rent control. John asks Aisha to name her favorite  council colleague outside of her own progressive faction (the answer  just might surprise you). We look inward to reveal what's irritating  about ourselves. Finally, we end the conversation by saying hello to  Wedge neighborhood president Jason Garcia.

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The first installment of a many part series recorded during the Lyndale Avenue edition of Open Streets Minneapolis on June 5, 2022. We haven't Open Streets on Lyndale in June since 2019. To mark the occasion, John has borrowed a four-wheeled recumbent bicycle with side-by-side seating, and transformed it into what he's calling "the world's first pedal-powered podcast." Our first two guests are Ash Narayanan, executive director of Our Streets Minneapolis, and Elissa Schufman, a transportation advocate and board member at Our Streets (the non-profit organization that organizes Open Streets Minneapolis events). We talk about the history and significance of Open Streets, how this event has shaped the way we think about street projects, the future of Hennepin and Lyndale Avenues, and much more.

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John is joined by Melody Hoffman (@MelodySWV) for the first in a series of monthly appearances called "Monthly with Melody" (note: the monthly nature of Melody's appearances is currently probationary). Melody gets John up to speed on all the news he missed while away. John spent last week visiting Chicago, enjoying their transit system and sampling the original Uptown. John explains why commemorating the second anniversary of George Floyd's murder feels off. We talk about last week's remarkable public hearing where city of Minneapolis staff testified against Mayor Frey's nomination of Heather Johnston to be city coordinator. Current and former staff described the racism they face in the workplace and how Johnston, currently the interim coordinator, has failed to correct a longstanding problem within the coordinator's office. We talk about the ongoing saga of the Hennepin Avenue reconstruction approval and why we just need to approve those full-time bus lanes already.

Melody's article on the Heather Johnston public hearing: https://www.southwestvoices.news/posts/council-vote-on-interim-city-coordinator-position-delayed-after-unprecedented-public-testimony

Support Southwest Voices: https://www.southwestvoices.news/memberships

Plug: Look for the Wedge LIVE podcast at Open Streets on Lyndale Avenue this Sunday, June 5 where John will be piloting what he's calling "the world's first pedal-powered podcast studio."

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A conversation about the struggle for reproductive justice in Minnesota with Shayla Walker, executive director of Our Justice, an organization providing support and resources to people seeking access to abortion. With the US Supreme Court indicating their intention to overturn the right to an abortion, Shayla says the demand for those services in Minnesota is going to increase several times over. Shayla talks about the legal effort to overturn restrictive anti-abortion laws in Minnesota through the state courts, and how those laws mean our state isn't the refuge we like to think it is. We talk about how that Planned Parenthood in your neighborhood isn't necessarily providing much beyond an abortion pill. Long waits for appointments, long distances to travel, legally mandated 24 hour waiting periods, are just some of the barriers. What should we expect from local elected leaders to increase access to these health care services? Founded in 1967, before Roe v. Wade, Shayla says Our Justice was mutual aid before mutual aid was a thing. You can learn more and support Our Justice at https://ourjustice.net

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John is joined by Melody Hoffmann (@MelodySWV) for an episode recorded smack in the middle of four lanes of traffic on Lyndale Avenue (27th Street intersection) in south Minneapolis. Did we capture any usable audio? Listen to find out. This episode is best experienced on YouTube.

Special thanks to Conrad Zbikowski (@ConradZbikowski) for his behind the camera work. This episode would not have been possible without his technical wizardry.

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John is joined by Peter Wagenius, legislative director for the Sierra Club Northstar Chapter, for a conversation about the history of dedicated transit space on Minneapolis streets and similarities with today's debate over bus lanes on Hennepin Avenue. We talk about what makes our transportation planning decisions so key to combating climate change. Peter recalls his experience, while policy director under former Mayors Rybak and Hodges, of the planning process for a series of bus lanes (most prominently Marquette and 2nd) and the Green Line to St. Paul (Washington and University Avenues). The common threads when it comes to dedicating lanes for transit on our streets: overstated doomsaying about parking, pushback from powerful interests, fierce opposition from Lisa Goodman, near on the council, and the eventual success of those projects. "When the City Council decided, 12 times, [to dedicate lanes to transit], it was successful afterwards. We had no regrets." Peter talks about Republicans' latest talking point against transit: Covid-19. John mentions he's heard that one before -- from our new Public Works director when she argued against immediate implementation of full time bus lanes on Hennepin Avenue. We talk about how unprecedented it would be to have a new department head, after years of work and public engagement, begin her tenure by discarding a staff recommended design at the last moment. John admits to enjoying the transportation options at Orlando-area theme parks. Peter seems not to understand what EPCOT is.

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After 60 episodes the Wedge LIVE podcast is taking it to the next level, and we're extending an opportunity to bring your product or service along for the ride. Whether you're a realtor, a local bar/restaurant, or a cat owner looking to have your cat's birthday announced on the air -- we're here to meet your advertising needs. Contact newsroom@wedgelive.com.

Tired of having local news delivered through your eyeballs? Open your ear holes for the Wedge LIVE podcast. Join host John Edwards, a less compelling version of Chuck Todd, for hard hitting interviews with newsmakers and power brokers. This is just like the tweets, only worse, and harder to digest. Coming soon!