Wedge LIVE!

There's a special primary election coming up on January 14th, which will effectively decide which DFL candidate fills the open seat in Minnesota Senate District 60. I'll be speaking with several of the top candidates for the podcast. This episode features Peter Wagenius (https://www.peterwagenius.org).

Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgelive

Join the conversation: https://bsky.app/profile/wedge.live

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive

Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

There's a special primary election coming up on January 14th, which will effectively decide which DFL candidate fills the open seat in Minnesota Senate District 60. I'll be speaking with several of the top candidates for the podcast. This episode features Doron Clark (https://www.doronforsenate.org).

Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgelive

Join the conversation: https://bsky.app/profile/wedge.live

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive

Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

There's a special primary election coming up on January 14th, which will effectively decide which DFL candidate fills the open seat in Minnesota Senate District 60. I'll be speaking with several of the top candidates for the podcast. This episode features Monica Meyer (https://www.monicameyermn.com).

Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgelive

Join the conversation: https://bsky.app/profile/wedge.live

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive

Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

Jake Ameca Luna recounts the harrowing experience of having his boss -- Brenda Short, candidate for mayor of Minneapolis -- announce his firing in the newspaper. Jake didn't find out about it until someone sent him a link to the interview with Brenda two weeks after it happened. In the meantime, Jake had continued performing his campaign duties, and Brenda said nothing about his firing.

Listen: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wedgelive

Join the conversation: https://bsky.app/profile/wedge.live

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive

Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

John is joined by Yasmin Hirsi and Alex Burns of Our Streets Minnesota for a conversation in reaction to the Minnesota Department of Transportation announcing they will not include interstate removal as one of five options for further study when it comes to the future of I-94. We talk about the "up is down, black is white" analysis MnDOT is using (Urban interstate removal causes more air and noise pollution? Urban interstate removal is more dangerous for people biking, walking, and driving? What?).

A recent former commissioner of MnDOT characterized the construction of I-94 this way: “we would never, we could never, build that kind of atrocity today." The historic harms, the racist effect and intent, the ongoing pollution, health and economic impact to people who had no say over I-94's construction or its imminent reconstruction, the flaws in MnDOT's analysis -- are well documented. So how come removal doesn't make the cut for further study?

Our Streets Minnesota is asking people to get involved and contact state and local officials:

https://www.ourstreetsmn.org/2024/12/20/mndot-plans-on-eliminating-boulevard-options-ignoring-elected-officials-and-community/

Recent coverage:

"Little ‘Rethinking’ Went into Rethinking I-94"

https://streets.mn/2024/12/30/little-rethinking-went-into-rethinking-i-94/

"Rethinking Interstate 94 traffic modeling and the status quo"

https://www.minnpost.com/cityscape/2024/12/rethinking-interstate-94-traffic-modeling-and-the-status-quo/

Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgelive

John is joined by Melody Hoffmann from southwestvoices.news for a rundown of 2024's top local stories. Part 2 of 2.

John is joined by Melody Hoffmann from southwestvoices.news for a rundown of 2024's top local stories. Part 1 of 2.

Join the conversation: https://bsky.app/profile/wedge.live

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive

Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

Because way too much local news is happening all at once, John is joined by Josh Martin for an Emergency Episode. We take up urgent issues like the Minneapolis City Council adopting a budget for 2025 - overriding Mayor Frey's veto in the process; Council Member Vetaw horsing around while accusing others of being "unserious"; Josh discloses a conflict of interest; John admits his embarrassment at how excited he was by Council Member Emily Koski's mayoral campaign announcement speech; and we look ahead to 2025 city council candidates, including the weirdest elected official in Minneapolis, Becka Thompson, announcing she will run for office in a place that is not the part of the city she currently represents on the Park Board.

Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgelive

Join the conversation: https://bsky.app/profile/wedge.live

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive

Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

Sen. Omar Fateh is running for mayor of Minneapolis. We talk about his record in the state legislature, the state rideshare law he helped pass, public safety, homelessness, the case against Mayor Frey, and what it's like to be a super chill low-key guy.

Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgelive

Join the conversation: https://bsky.app/profile/wedge.live

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive

Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

We're covering some of 2024's biggest Minneapolis stories in a special crossover episode hosted by Jay Boller and Em Cassel of the Racket Cast podcast. John Edwards is usually your host, but today he's just a guest alongside Taylor Dahlin and Hot Dog Larry Jacobs himself, Jason Garcia -- who spends the whole episode in a hot dog costume.

Thanks to Jay and Em of Racket for hosting, and Jay for editing this episode. Visit racketmn.com for more.

Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgelive

Join the conversation: https://bsky.app/profile/wedge.live

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wedgelive

Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee