The longest federal government shutdown might be coming to an end. Between SNAP benefits and Thanksgiving travel, we talk about what that might mean for Minnesota. Plus, John O’Sullivan of One Minute Tours tells us about what Big Beef doesn’t want you to know. Finally, contributor and MPR Newsroom Coordinator Denzel Belin reviews “Primary Trust” at Guthrie Theater. Find out why it got a rare Denzel standing ovation. 

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Minneapolis Public School teachers were set to go on strike starting today, but the Minneapolis Federation of Educators Union managed to reach a tentative agreement with Minneapolis Public Schools over the weekend. Host Sean McPherson is joined by Contributor Hans Buetow and Executive Producer Anna Weggel to break down what we know about the tentative agreement and whether or not Minneapolis educators are likely to end up in the same spot again when the new contract expires. The team also talks about how a project at the U of M is working to undo past harms of racial covenants on home deeds in the Twin Cities, and how Target is now mandating all employees to smile at you if you get within 10 feet of them.

Learn more about the stories discussed in today's episode: 

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According to crowdsourced data on the website Deflock.me, there are over 300 Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras in the metro area. Most of these are made by a company called Flock Safety, and they allow law enforcement to use photos of license plates to track drivers every time they pass by one of these cameras. The legality of ALPRs continues to be fought over in our courts, so we talked to ACLU Minnesota Attorney Alicia Granse about what these cameras are doing in our cities and how they could be regulated ethically. But before we dig into that story, Racket Co-Founder Em Cassel joins Sean McPherson to let you know about all the can't-miss events happening this week in the Twin Cities. 

Check out the events mentioned in this episode: 

Read more about the stories discussed in this episode:

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The Twin Cities team watched the “Purple Rain” musical, and the takes may be sacrilegious, but we promise they’re from the bottom of our sequined hearts. Plus, James Norton of ⁠⁠Heavy Table⁠⁠ joins Sean McPherson and contributor Denzel Belin to talk about the return of Chi Chi’s. Is it as good as you remember? Or were you just seven? We also celebrate some good news in the cities. 

Read more about the stories discussed in today's episode:

Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, or email us at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠. You can also call or text us at 612-217-0637.

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Learn more about the sponsors of this November 7th episode:

⁠Xcel Energy⁠ - ⁠Subscribe⁠ to learn about upcoming programs and volunteer opportunities.

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Incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey won a third term in Minneapolis, and State Representative Kaohly Her unseated incumbent Mayor Melvin Carter in St. Paul. Host Sean McPherson is joined by contributor Tane Danger and producer Tiffany Bui to break down the election results, talk about the doctors' strike that happened today, and share tips from the internet on where to trip acid in the Twin Cities.

Read more about the stories discussed in today's episode:

Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at [email protected]. You can also call or text us at 612-217-0637.

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Shout out to everyone counting votes! We’ll have another episode out later today about results. In the meantime, John O’Sullivan (One Minute Tours) joins contributor Winter Keefer and host Sean McPherson to suss out the vibes of this election. Winter also tells us about the veto-rama at Minneapolis City Hall. Mayor Jacob Frey has used his veto power more than any of his recent predecessors, and council members have hit right back. Can anyone agree? Finally, our grocery store milk is probably coming from the same place (with different pricing). 

Read more about the stories mentioned in today's episode:

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If you haven't done so yet, go out and vote! Today's election is set to be one of the most impactful in a decade for the Twin Cities. Minneapolis's mayor and all 13 city council seats are on the ballot, and St. Paul's is voting for mayor and two ballot measures. Host Sean McPherson is joined by Contributor Winter Keefer and Creative Producer Adam Sage to go over how you can make sure your voice is heard. They also talk about Twin Cities food shelves you can support, as SNAP recipients may not be receiving their November disbursements, and how U of M researchers are using AI to detect and track wildfires.

Voting resources:

Check out and consider donating to the food shelves mentioned in today's episode:

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Tomorrow, St. Paul and Minneapolis residents will vote for new mayors. Like their cities, each race has its own quirks and styles. Contributors Tane Danger and Winter Keefer join the show to break down what’s on Twin Citizens’ ballots and look at some of the more contentious races. Plus, producer Tiffany Bui tells Sean McPherson what’s worth leaving the comfort of your warm homes for this week. 

Check out the awesome events we talked about in this episode:

Read more about what we talked about:

Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at [email protected]. You can also call or text us at 612-217-0637.

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It's more than just Target – several major employers have recently announced layoffs in the Twin Cities. Host Sean McPherson is joined by improviser extraordinaire Tane Danger and Trivia Mafia Co-Founder Chuck Terhark to talk about what this means for our cities. The team also gets into Chuck's experience organizing the infamous Zombie Pub Crawl in Minneapolis, where to go Trick-Or-Treating tonight, and the legacy of Jack Jackman, the longtime Co-Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, who recently passed away.

Read more about the stories discussed in this episode:

Cargill laying off 80 more employees at Minnesota headquarters [Star Tribune]

Target cutting 800 jobs across Minneapolis and Brooklyn Park, raising concerns about broader economic slowdown [MPR News]

WCCO staff among those impacted by widespread Paramount cuts [Bring Me The News]

Minnesota preparing to cut as many as 100 state health workers, inspectors amid federal shutdown [Star Tribune]

Whatever happened to Minneapolis’ Zombie Pub Crawl? [Star Tribune]

Twin Cities Halloween Guide [City Cast Twin Cities]

R.I.P. Former Spokesman-Recorder Publisher Wallace ‘Jack’ Jackman [Racket]

Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at [email protected]. You can also call or text us at 612-217-0637.

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How would you feel if you went inside a restaurant, only to find ANOTHER one nestled inside? Em Cassel, co-owner and editor of Racket, did exactly that at French Hen and found great pizza. Em also tells Sean McPherson and producer Tiffany Bui why “just finding a house” isn’t a silver bullet to the homelessness crisis. Plus, we’re side-eyeing a Rattiest City ranking, which puts Minneapolis at number nine. 

Em also tells Sean McPherson and producer Tiffany Bui why “just finding a house” isn’t a silver bullet to the homelessness crisis, and we’re side-eyeing a Rattiest City ranking which puts Minneapolis at number nine. Plus, we talk about how our ad partners at Xcel Energy are joining forces with the Minnesota Wild to support and grow youth hockey in the area. Find out more about the Community Power Play program (including how to apply) here!

Learn more about the stories discussed in this episode: 

Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at [email protected]. You can also call or text us at 612-217-0637.

For more Twin Cities news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Twin Cities.

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