Wedge LIVE!

In an episode recorded the week before Thanksgiving, we look deeper on a topic that will never get old: Katie Cashman's amazing, unbelievable, nobody-saw-it-coming progressive victory in the Minneapolis Ward 7 City Council race.

Chaz Mayo worked back to back (2021 and 2023) on the campaigns of two different progressive candidates in Ward 7. We talk about the landscape and recent political history; what made 2023 a breakthrough year; what Chaz saw in the 2022 race for Hennepin County Attorney that foreshadowed 2023; how Ward 7 almost didn't have a progressive candidate, even in a year with an open seat due to the retirement of 26-year incumbent juggernaut Lisa Goodman; how remarkable it is that in Ward 7, friendly territory for the All of Mpls/Chamber of Commerce alliance, they still couldn't field a decent candidate. We close the episode getting to know the real Chaz, who studied writing and directing in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Chaz lost touch with his art due to the covid-19 pandemic, but come 2024 will be putting on a big "dream-like" production of Hamlet.

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

Legalizing red light/speed camera enforcement, light rail turnstiles and safety, moderately spicy sambusas, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) reduction, transpo policy bros, energy policy bros, the viability of a train to Duluth, connecting the Midtown Greenway to St. Paul, and incendiary remarks over how easy it is to drive and park in Minneapolis. All these topics and more in my conversation with Rep. Samantha Sencer-Mura who represents Minnesota House district 63A, which overlaps with a good chunk of Minneapolis Ward 12: stretching from Minnehaha Park on the south, the Mississippi River on the east, Hiawatha Ave/Blue Line LRT to the west, and I-94 to the north. 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

It's "morning in Minneapolis" and we're celebrating the results of election 2023. A progressive majority is empowered, but it's not veto-proof. The city's only two open seats without an incumbent (in Wards 7 and 12) were filled by smart young, inspiring women (Katie Cashman and Aurin Chowdhury) running against older white men. We talk about what went right; why the big money interests behind the All of Mpls slate failed; why Andrea Jenkins barely holding on in Ward 8 should be seen as a rebuke of her leadership; why the Star Tribune editorial board needs to learn to feel shame; the importance of recruiting good candidates; and what this all means for the next two year council term and the 2025 mayor/council elections.

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

We're biking Ward 13 with Linea Palmisano, Vice President of the Minneapolis City Council. We talk Bryant Ave politics, what the critics are saying, her relationship with Mayor Frey, her position on housing and the 2040 Plan, and much more.

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

My conversation with Katie Cashman, candidate for Minneapolis City Council in Ward 7. We talk transportation, public safety, downtown tax base, office conversions, Jane Fonda and much more.

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

My conversation with Ward 13 candidate Kate Mortenson. We begin by talking about Bryant Avenue. Mortenson has criticized the reconstruction process and the city's larger street engineering philosophy by using the phrase "social engineering." She explains what she meant by that and what she likes about the street. We move on to other campaign issues like public safety and her case against the incumbent Linea Palmisano. 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

My conversation with Julia Curran, who rented in a triplex owned and managed by Scott Graham for four years, ending in 2011. Scott Graham is now a candidate for Minneapolis City Council in Ward 7.

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

Wise man of Minneapolis (aka Local Politics Daddy) David Brauer is here to tell us how he's feeling just two weeks before election day. Stay tuned to the end for David's City Council endorsements.

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

A conversation with Council Member Elliott Payne recorded while on his bike commute home after a day representing Ward 1 at Minneapolis City Hall. With early voting already underway to elect council members in all 13 wards -- and election day just weeks away -- we talk biking, streets, public safety, and more.

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

This episode was recorded on location with Henry LaBounta, collecting trash and clearing storm drains in the Wedge and East Isles neighborhoods. Henry is passionate about trash and keeping it out of Lake of the Isles. We talk about why this matters, how you can get involved, and some innovative projects happening in Minneapolis that could keep our lakes cleaner.

If you're in the Wedge or East Isles neighborhoods, you are eligible for one of many fabulous gift card prizes. Just email info@eastisles.org with the name and location of your drain/s after adopting one at: https://mn.adopt-a-drain.org/

Friends of Lake of the Isles group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/796514388254895

East Isles Neighborhood Association: https://www.eastisles.org/

Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association: https://www.thewedge.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

A conversation with Zak Yudhishthu about the surprisingly boring end to single-family zoning in St. Paul, Minnesota. Five years after a bitter struggle to pass the 2040 Plan that ended single-family zoning in Minneapolis -- which is still tied up in court by pretend environmentalists -- a similar effort across the river looks sure to pass without much of a fight. The St. Paul City Council is expected to pass the zoning changes at their meeting on Wednesday, Oct 12). We talk about what sets the St. Paul policy apart from Minneapolis and why the politics, even in an election year, are different this time. Zak is the editor in chief of Macalaster College's The Mac Weekly, and a contributing writer at streets.mn and SouthwestVoices.news.

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

A spontaneous unscheduled episode recorded with John's dear old friend Anton Schieffer at Open Streets on Lyndale Avenue.

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

A conversation about Minneapolis bike infrastructure and transportation politics with Elissa Schufman. Recorded on a bike ride from City Hall, through downtown, and along the Mississippi River.

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

A special episode of the Wedge LIVE podcast recorded on bikes in Northeast Minneapolis, with guest Amity Foster.

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 is joined by Melody Hoffman to ponder the Minneapolis City Council race in Ward 13 (all 13 council seats in the city are up for election). Incumbent Linea Palmisano is presenting herself as the steady hand with a familiar track record. Challenger Kate Mortenson calls this a battle of the moderates, and characterizes herself as the solutions-oriented leader with Palmisano as a "manager" of a failed status quo. John pushes back against Melody's contention that we're ethically obligated to talk about perennial candidate Bob "Again" Carney. We talk about the stakes of the 2023 election; why it's important to watch or listen to a debate so you can hear the candidates respond to questions at more length than a slogan on a mail piece; what Mortenson's Bryant Ave positions say about her transportation platform; why Palmisano's careful and politically tangled rhetoric can make it hard to pin down her positions; and how Melody's favorite thing to do lately is force a "hello" on neighbors passing by her home. You can find Melody's work at https://southwestvoices.news 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

A conversation with José A. Zayas Cabán, the executive director of bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organization Our Streets Minneapolis, about the future of Open Streets. The City of Minneapolis confirmed on Monday they're ending the partnership with Our Streets that makes the popular annual series of street festivals possible. We talk about the 12 year history of the event, the work that goes into putting them on, the importance of partnership with the city, why continuing to put the events on for free was unsustainable for Our Streets, and what people can do to keep Open Streets alive into the future. We also talk about whether this is about politics. Just last week, Mayor Frey announced $600,000 in his 2024 recommended budget for the Downtown Council (a group allied with the mayor) to continue putting on a series of underwhelming, sparsely attended block parties called Warehouse District Live. 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

With the City Council candidate filing deadline elapsing while we recorded this episode (5 pm on August 15), John is joined by google docs maven Josh Martin (@JoshMartinMpls) for a rundown of Minneapolis Election Battlegrounds. Please get in your car and drive to the nearest interstate on-ramp, because this episode is performed in the style of Drive Time Radio. We're paying special attention to the races that will decide control of the City Council, specifically candidates in wards 5, 6, 7, 8, and 12. Other topics include: the launch of a progressive PAC trying to influence this year's election, and their new poll showing Mayor Frey to be almost as unpopular as our nationally derided police department; the proposed rideshare ordinance giving Uber and Lyft drivers the equivalent of the Minneapolis minimum wage; and we ponder the question, is legislating via ballot measure a good idea?

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 Alex Burns of Our Streets Minneapolis about the ongoing debate over what to do with I-94 between Minneapolis and St. Paul, which Our Streets says is a "once in a lifetime opportunity to repair a terrible injustice." With the DOT's inclusion of boulevard conversions among the 10 possible alternatives for reconstruction, advocates for freeway removal have something to feel good about. But is it really politically possible? Alex and John talk about: the coalition Our Streets has built to address the historic and very much ongoing harm of a massive urban interstate through the heart of Minneapolis and St. Paul; Alex's recent conversation on talk radio with the very skeptical Jason Derusha; we pick at the Star Tribune's recent editorializing against the idea; notable local examples of the concept of traffic evaporation; the arguments MnDOT is likely to make in favor of the status quo; how THE PANDEMIC CHANGED EVERYTHING, MAN; and much more.

MN Dept of Transportation survey: https://talk.dot.state.mn.us/rethinking-i94/survey_tools/rethinking-i-94-alternatives-survey

Attend a community visioning session in Cedar Riverside on August 5: https://www.twincitiesboulevard.org/join-us-at-a-community-visioning-session-in-cedar-riverside-on-august-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

John is joined by Bill Lindeke, author, MinnPost columnist, prolific tweeter, and lecturer in Urban Studies at the University of Minnesota, for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Read Bill's books:

Closing Time: Saloons, Taverns, Dives, and Watering Holes of the Twin Cities - https://www.moonpalacebooks.com/item/1SqnOF0xZ8uTTlewBdbU_A

St. Paul: An Urban Biography - https://www.moonpalacebooks.com/item/1SqnOF0xZ8vDPBiXoqv9_w

Minneapolis St. Paul: Then and Now - https://www.moonpalacebooks.com/item/RQyeBIGEpWSH3wwMqGOXWA

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

The results are in: the new 3-lane Lyndale Avenue is a big improvement over the 4-lane version. Data collected by Hennepin County regarding their pilot project are impressive. But if you've spent any time walking, biking, driving, just living near Lyndale from Franklin to Lake, you didn't need numbers to convince you. Crashes are down by more than half, pedestrian crossings have nearly doubled at the most problematic intersections, drivers are actually stopping for pedestrians. As a result of this redesign, car traffic has done the unimaginable -- it's moving at the speed limit. John is joined by Melody Hoffmann (https://southwestvoices.news) to talk about these results and what comes next, with the planning for a full reconstruction of Lyndale coming up soon. We also talk about the sudden and unexpected end to the city council's deliberation over rent stabilization policy; the loss of our freedom to exist in public spaces due to our society's inability to cope with larger societal and environmental issues; and Melody's award-eligible Farmer's Market Report.

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 Andrew Johnson, who is calling it quits after 10 years of representing Ward 12 in Minneapolis. We talk about the wildly successful nationally-heralded Wedge LIVE cat tour, wisdom gleaned from a decade of service, public safety, rent stabilization, and whether it's appropriate to talk through an excel spread. We also commiserate about back pain. Be sure to watch on youtube.com/wedgelive to see Andrew Johnson drink from the largest container anyone's ever drunk from on a podcast.

Note that this was recorded one day before the City Council voted to effectively kill this year's legislative process on rent stabilization, a topic that Andrew Johnson and I talked about extensively. My very strong/wrong expectation as of the day of this conversation was that the city was about to have two months of debate among council members and the public about the policy.

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 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.

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

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.

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

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).

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

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.

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 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

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 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.

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

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."

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

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 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.

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 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

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 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.

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 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.

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

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 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/

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

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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Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive
Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

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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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

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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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

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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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

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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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee