Wedge LIVE!

This is part of a series of conversations with 2024 candidates for MN House district 62B to be published ahead of the DFL Convention on Sunday, April 14. This episode features candidate Anquam Mahamoud (https://www.anquam62b.com).

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

This is part of a series of conversations with 2024 candidates for MN House district 62B to be published ahead of the DFL Convention on Sunday, April 14. This episode features candidate Londel French (londelfrench.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

This is part of a series of conversations with 2024 candidates for MN House district 62B to be published ahead of the DFL Convention on Sunday, April 14. This episode features candidate Bill Emory (billemory.org).

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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

John is joined by PeggySue Imihy Bean (President of the Minnesota Chapter of the American Planning Association) and Alex Schieferdecker (also a planner). We're talking about the effort at the state legislature to protect municipal comprehensive plans from bad-faith environmental lawsuits (contact your state legislators!). The group of wealthy pretend environmentalists currently holding up the Minneapolis 2040 plan in court - over too much housing density - could be a sign of things to come for every city in the region. Not only is this potentially costly for cities who can't afford it, it has the potential to distort the process and discourage thoughtful and thorough long-range planning. The world's climate scientists agree that dense pedestrianized cities are good for the environment, allowing people to use less energy and driving less. PeggySue explains how comprehensive plans are already a form of environmental review. And as she wrote in a recent Star Tribune opinion, the tools available for environmental review in Minnesota are intended for specific projects or sites, not for speculative visions of the future, like citywide comprehensive plans. Alex notes that what's missing from the discussion and the court record is that the 2040 Plan isn't solely about housing density - it's about planning for stormwater runoff and a less car-centric transportation system. While a dozen of the state's realest environmental organizations (like Sierra Club) have signed on to fix state law, the plaintiffs in the anti-2040 case were created for the sole purpose of this lawsuit (and are represented by a lawyer who typically represents big polluters). We talk about how the Moorhead, MN and Washington state examples (of places that use environmental review for their comprehensive plans) are bad ones. And much, much more.

It also comes to light during this episode that PeggySue is draining my small business of cash by purchasing her Wedge LIVE apparel through ad links, wiping out my already thin margins - so it's more important than ever to support Wedge LIVE (patreon.com/wedgelive).

PeggySue's Star Tribune opinion: https://www.startribune.com/counterpoint-from-an-urban-planning-perspective-2040-dispute-is-mystifying-worrisome/600348208/

Please only use the direct link to the Wedge LIVE store, never an ad: https://www.etsy.com/shop/WedgeLIVE

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

Melody Hoffman (southwestvoices.news) joins us for a conversation about serious allegations made against a US mail carrier in southwest Minneapolis. Witnesses recount a series of assaults that ultimately ended a beloved neighborhood turkey's life. First, an attack with a shovel. Then a brutal hit-and-run attack with a mail truck.

We also talk about: Uber and Lyft threatening to leave Minneapolis, or the metro area entirely, due to the recently passed pay increase; the war of words between Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty; reopening Nicollet Ave at Lake St where the old Kmart stood; and John reminds people about the race for the MN House in 61A and reflects on his recent conversations with the candidates. Plus, Melody makes friends with the publisher of a Longfellow neighborhood newsletter.

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

Rep. Frank Hornstein is retiring after 20 years representing District 61A in the Minnesota House. So far there are four publicly announced candidates seeking the DFL endorsement. We're having conversations with all of them ahead of the DFL Senate District 61 Convention on Saturday, March 23. This episode features candidate Katie Jones (katiejones.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

Rep. Frank Hornstein is retiring after 20 years representing District 61A in the Minnesota House. So far there are four publicly announced candidates seeking the DFL endorsement. We're having conversations with all of them ahead of the DFL Senate District 61 Convention on Saturday, March 23. This episode features candidate Isabel Rolfes (isabelforhouse.com).

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

Rep. Frank Hornstein is retiring after 20 years representing District 61A in the Minnesota House. So far there are four publicly announced candidates seeking the DFL endorsement. We're having conversations with all of them ahead of the DFL Senate District 61 Convention on Saturday, March 23. This episode features candidate Dylan McMahon (dylanmcmahon.com).

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

Rep. Frank Hornstein is retiring after 20 years representing District 61A in the Minnesota House. So far there are four publicly announced candidates seeking the DFL endorsement. We're having conversations with all of them ahead of the DFL Senate District 61 Convention on Saturday, March 23. This episode features candidate Will Stancil (willstancil.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

Can a community garden an ADA-compliant access ramp to the Midtown Greenway coexist? This week's guest is Jordan Leick, who has looked into Hennepin County's plans to replace a mulch trail with a paved trail that makes accessing the city's world renowned bike trail easy for everyone. The problem? While the chosen location is public land, it's been occupied for decades by a community garden (Soo Line Garden) between Harriet and Garfield Aves in the Whittier neighborhood. We talk about the dubious claims from opponents of the plan; how the county came to acquire the land before transferring it to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board; the current 1.27 mile gap between Uptown and I-35 without access that meets ADA standards; why MPRB exempts the garden from adhering to policies related to ADA access and equity; the problems with an alternative ramp proposal; and how you can get involved to make sure years of planning and more than a million dollars in federal funding aren't flushed away.

Read Jordan's article: https://streets.mn/2023/12/07/soo-line-garden-fight/

Read what the leaders of the Soo Line Garden are saying: https://soolinecommunitygarden.com/stopthedestruction/

Contact MPRB Commissioners who will ultimately decide whether the ramp gets built: https://www.ourstreetsmpls.org/make_the_midtown_greenway_accessible_for_all 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 Julie Johnson and Katie Jones to talk about the "Livable Lyndale" campaign to fix a terrible, no good, super fast, dangerous, hostile to humans, neighborhood street. Right now in 2024 is our once in a lifetime chance to fix a street that hasn't had a full reconstruction since the 1930s. Hennepin County, who controls this street, is scheduled to publish design options soon. They need to hear from you. Final approval of a layout is expected this summer. Don't wait another 90 years to get involved! You'll be dead by then! The time to fix Lyndale Ave is now. We talk about the recent history of activism on the street, inspired by Ted Ferrara, who died crossing Lyndale on foot after getting out of a car; the 2022 4-to-3 lane conversion that worked despite years of naysaying from the county and other opponents; how Lyndale's super wide dimensions make it easier to fit pedestrian, bike, and transit amenities; and how you can get involved. For more information on the Livable Lyndale campaign: https://livablelyndale.org Engage with Hennepin County's Lyndale Ave reconstruction project page: https://www.hennepin.us/residents/transportation/lyndale-avenue-safety

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

I'm joined by Chris Meyer, legislative assistant for Minnesota state Sen. Omar Fateh, to talk about a slew of ambitious zoning reforms to be considered during the 2024 legislative session. You're really going to want to contact your state senators and representatives about these. Eliminating parking minimums, allowing fourplexes by right, requiring cities to allow apartments near high frequency transit, allowing cities to experiment with a land value tax -- and closing the loophole that's allowed rich folks masquerading as environmentalists to spend the last five years trying to have the state courts undo the Minneapolis 2040 Plan. Because Chris is also a member of the Minneapolis Planning Commission, we also talk about a series of reforms he'd like to see taken up in Minneapolis this year: allowing corner stores; making sure triplexes aren't just legal, they're viable; density bonuses for affordable housing; incentivizing more family sized housing units near schools; and more.

***Please listen until the end to participate in the Wedge LIVE podcast's first ever prize giveaway. You must email Chris Meyer -- chrisjohnmeyer@gmail.com -- using the special code phrase played during this episode.*** 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 Antonio Zayas Cabán about Our Streets Minneapolis' new 2024 event series "Imagine," block parties that ask residents to envision better neighborhood streets.

More information: https://ourstreetsmpls.org/imagine_series

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 restructuring of of power at Minneapolis City Hall in 2021 turned out to be a bigger deal than people realized at the time. Now the unelected (judicially appointed) Minneapolis Charter Commission seems ready to give voters another ballot question that would concentrate power in the mayor's office: reducing the number of city department heads subject to a confirmation vote. Potentially affected departments include directors of Public Works, Planning, Civil Rights, Health, Regulatory Services. Josh Martin joins me to talk about why certain members of the Charter Commission feel this change is necessary. We also talk about why we think it's a terrible idea that voters should be giving attention to early, before it sneaks up as a question on your 2024 ballot.

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

Sinkholes, parking lot puddles, and urban cougars may have dominated headlines of traditional Minneapolis outlets this year, but edgy alternative newspersons Melody Hoffmann and John Edwards have ranked even bigger stories among their collective top 10 of 2023. Hard to believe that 40% of Melody's list are stories about structure fires. John ranked one dumpster fire (the tenure of Cedric Alexander). But 2023 wasn't just a year of burning down - it was a year that set the stage for renewal. We also talk about the stories that portend good things for the years ahead.

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 and co-host Jason Garcia speak with Nicole Mason and Christin Crabtree, who are helping to organize a homeless encampment on city owned land, made up mostly of indigenous people, called Camp Nenookaasi. The City of Minneapolis has notified the camp that they will be evicted on December 14, which Nicole and Christin say will make it harder to deliver services and housing to camp residents. We talk about the city's recent history of encampment responses going back to the first Wall of Forgotten Natives back in 2018; and how the city's current practice of evictions is just pushing people from one neighborhood to the next, making it harder to provide services.

Find all the links with information about Camp Nenookaasi and how you can help at: https://linktr.ee/campnenookaasi

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 week we're talking about the earth-shaking results of St. Paul's 2023 election with "longtime political insider" Matt Privratsky. It's a progressive sweep: the first all woman city council in the nation; 6 of 7 members are people of color; and a newly approved 1% sales tax could do more than just fill potholes -- it could completely transform the city's streetscape, providing more options for how to get around. I ask Matt to explain how St. Paul got here. We also play compare and contrast with Minneapolis.

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 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).

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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