Wedge LIVE!

Ayana Smith-Kooiman is this week's contestant on "grocery shopping with strangers without a car." Will we beat the countdown to catch the 2 bus?

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

Eric Harris Bernstein of the Minneapolis Board of Estimate & Taxation is building a patio on his neighbor's property. He says he has permission. While he works, we talk about his first big vote as a member of the BET: in favor of a maximum property tax levy of nearly 12% for 2027. We talk about his attempts to force action to rein in MPD overspending, the city's future budget outlook, his thoughts on working with Mayor Frey and council members, and why the city needs the state government to get out of the way and allow some creative new revenue solutions for cities and counties. We also talk about his hopes and dreams for his new patio.

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

Elliot Newhouse started riding the bus for groceries in high school and has agreed to share more than a decade's worth of grocery shopping wisdom with us as part of our special series where John goes grocery shopping with strangers without a car.

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

Parker Seaman shows me how to shop at Costco without a car, offering tips on how to bring a 36 pack of Diet Dr. Pepper home to Minneapolis from St. Louis Park on your bicycle's front rack. We discuss whether Parker has a "Dr. Pepper problem" and why he shops this way. Plus we enjoy a couple of Costco hot dogs under harsh warehouse lighting.

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

Blue Delliquanti takes me grocery shopping at a Cub Foods in Edina. Afterwards we walk home to neighboring Richfield, and I become horrified that there are no sidewalks. This is the pilot episode of our new podcast miniseries where people take me shopping for groceries without a car.

In addition to walking for groceries, Blue Delliquanti is a comic artist and writer. You can learn more about their work here: https://www.bluedelliquanti.com/

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

On this special hydration episode, we're towing a bike trailer stacked with cases of water through the tri-neighborhood area, making deliveries with Al from the "Whittier Water Coolers" (aka the Hydration Honeys). This group of neighbors regularly stock water bottles across their network of nine coolers (and counting) to make sure nobody goes thirsty. We talk about why the group was formed, what Al learned seeing a similar efforts in Arizona, and how they fill gaps in a system that fails to meet our most basic human needs.

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

We're talking about Mayor Frey's proposed property tax levy for 2027 with Commissioner Jason Garcia, of the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, and Eric Harris Bernstein, of the Board of Estimate & Taxation. The Park Board is feeling shortchanged by the mayor's suggested 2.5% increase in their levy, at the same time he has proposed a 14.4% increase for the city's portion of the levy. We discuss the mayor's ideas to create savings by consolidating some of the Park Board's internal functions, like human resources, payroll, and IT, into the city - and why the Park Board is skeptical. What would the mayor's proposed cuts mean for the Park Board? Is it likely to pass? Why is the disparity between the city and park board so wide - are the police and fire departments eating all our money? Is this budget battle the best recent example of how an independent, elected Park Board is important to the success of Minneapolis parks? Plus we get a healthy dose of "tax positivity" from Eric.

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

Two youthful-looking podcasters, Taylor Dahlin and John Edwards, infiltrate a teenage scooter takeover in downtown Minneapolis.

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

Taylor Dahlin and Ethan Knight join this episode for reaction and analysis to the 2026 Minnesota primary. Peggy Flanagan cruise to an easy victory over Angie Craig, and will face NFL sideline reporter/Republican nominee Michele Tafoya in the race for the US Senate. Lisa Demuth defeated the pillow man and will take on Amy Klobuchar for governor. A guy we've never heard of will be this year's dangerous MAGA candidate for attorney general. Cedrick Frazier and Anders Folk will advance to the general election to succeed Mary Moriarty as Hennepin County Attorney. And John has collected a series of personal remembrances for a segment called "Diary of an Election Judge." And so much more.

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

Irene Fernando, chair of the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners, joins me for a blockbuster conversation as we walk around Wirth Lake (using only practical effects, no CGI). We talk about what she's been up to in the 8 years since we last spoke; why she's running for a third (and final) term as a county commissioner; Blue Line vs the bus; the county's progress on street designs; what matriarchal leadership means; why she's earned "jeers" from the Star Tribune for using the title "Dr. Commish"; Hennepin County Sheriff overspending; her criticism of Mayor Frey and MPD over handling of domestic violence cases; why she craves stillness; how as a teenager she used an actual physical book called an "encyclopedia" to research Minnesota weather before moving here; and so much more.

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee