Streets.mn Podcast

Saint Paul author Naomi Kritzer is notable for her ability to infuse her works with a strong sense of place - in particular, several novels set in the Twin Cities! Producer Sherry Johnson sits down with Naomi to talk about her process.

• The Four Sisters Overlooking the Sea
• The Year Without Sunshine - text or audio
• Will Tell Stories For Food | Naomi Kritzer's blog
• Liberty's Daughter

Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.

This episode was produced, edited, and transcribed by Sherry Johnson; and was engineered by Ian R Buck. Many thanks to Naomi Kritzer for coming on the show. We're always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at [email protected].

Find the full transcript on our website.

Minnesota's 2025 legislative session was chaotic from start to finish. Let's chat with our favorite advocacy organizations about what we accomplished this year, and what was left on the table.

• Refresh your memory of what we were trying to accomplish this year in our Legislative Agenda episode.
• Sierra Club
• BikeMN
• Neighbors for More Neighbors
• Our Streets

Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.

This episode was hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, and was transcribed by Stina Neel. Many thanks to Lincoln Wells, Joe Harrington, Peter Wagenius, and Erik Noonan for coming on the show. We're always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at [email protected].

Find the full transcript on our website.

In today's book club episode, Parker Seaman and Jeremy Winter discuss When Driving Is Not An Option by Anna Zivarts, in a conversation moderated by Sherry Johnson.

• When Driving Is Not An Option, Island Press
• Anna Zivarts presentation in Rochester
• A 40-Year Fight to Get Speed Bumps
• Katie Cashman riding on Hennepin with Wedge LIVE!
• Next book: Bowling Alone

Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.

This episode was co-produced by Parker Seaman and Sherry Johnson, and was engineered, edited, and transcribed by Ian R Buck. We're always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at [email protected].

Find the full transcript on our website.

There's a new bike share in town! The Minneapolis Cargo Bike Library offers free one-week checkouts of various types of cargo bikes. One month after launching, we sat down with its founder to find out how it's going!

Note: if you are listening within two weeks of our publish date, the Cargo Bike Library has a specific donation ask. Two of the library bikes were stolen from a locked garage, and they are raising funds to cover the insurance deductible. Here is the donation page for that specific fundraiser. Below you will find their long-term links.

• Cargo Bike Library website
  • Waiver
  • Donate
  • Merchandise
• E-bike Commuter Assistance Program

Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.

Many thanks to our guests Laura Mitchell and Erik Noonan! This episode was produced and edited by Stina Neel, and was engineered and transcribed by Ian R Buck. We're always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at [email protected].

Find the full transcript on our website.

Metro Transit has started rolling out their microtransit service areas, starting in Roseville and Woodbury. Jeb Rach has experience in both areas, let's check in on what the experience is like!

• Metro micro
• Transit to Trails podcast episode

Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.

This episode was hosted, edited, and transcribed by Ian R Buck. We're always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at [email protected].

Find the full transcript on our website.

Harry and Clementine Robinson were one of a handful of Black families who owned homes more than a century ago in what is now the whitest part of Minneapolis. When reporter Eric Roper moved into the same house where the Robinsons lived, he became determined to find out who they were and what happened to them. The Minnesota Star Tribune produced a six-part podcast series covering his findings. We have the first two episodes for you here, and if you want to listen to the rest of the series, you can find the link below.

• Ghost of a Chance full series
• Episode 1 guide
• Episode 1 transcript
• Episode 2 guide
• Episode 2 transcript

Ghost of a Chance comes to us courtesy of the Minnesota Star Tribune. It was reported by Eric Roper and produced by Melissa Townsend.

Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, used by permission of its creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.

We're always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at [email protected].

Hydrogeologist Greg Brick discovered that the ground water under downtown Minneapolis is way warmer than it should be. Let's dig into how he found that, and why it's important.

• Greg Brick's website
• Atlas Obscura article with pictures of Greg exploring Schieks Cave
• Peer-reviewed book featuring a chapter by Greg
• Minnesota Spring Inventory (MN DNR)
• John Snow

Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.

This episode was edited by Sherry Johnson, hosted by Ian R Buck, and was transcribed by Stina Neel. We're always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at [email protected].

Find the full transcript on our website.

Anna Zivarts recently visited Minnesota and gave presentations related to her book When Driving Is Not An Option. We have a recording of her Rochester talk, and an exclusive interview with her on the podcast!

• When Driving Is Not an Option, Island Press
• Week Without Driving
• Email Parker about the Streets.mn Podcast Book Club!

Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.

This episode was produced by Regina Burstein and Sylvie Hyman, edited by Parker Seaman, hosted and engineered by Ian R Buck, and was transcribed by Stina Neel. We're always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at [email protected].

Find the full transcript on our website.

We made a lot of progress at the state level in the last two years, but this year has shaped up to be a weird legislative session, and we find ourselves playing defense. Let's find out what some of the most prominent urbanist organizations are focusing on in 2025!

• Getting involved with Neighbors for More Neighbors
• Getting involved with Sierra Club
• Getting involved with BikeMN

Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.

This episode was hosted and edited by Ian R Buck, and was transcribed by Stina Neel. Many thanks to Lincoln Wells, Evan Roberts, Peter Wagenius, and Erik Noonan for coming on the show. We're always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at [email protected].

Find the full transcript on our website.

The Twin Cities is improving our transit access to ski hills! Let's compare it to another metro area with nearby ski opportunities: Denver!

• MVTA Route 412 (Buck Hill)
• Southwest Transit 686 bus
• Transit to Trails podcast episode

Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website.

This episode was hosted, edited, and transcribed by Ian R Buck. Many thanks to Ian Gaida for coming on the show. We're always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at [email protected].

Find pictures and the full episode transcript on our website.