Wedge LIVE!

Melody Hoffmann of Southwest Voices drives us to the new Uptown Little Caesars. Along the way we discuss the state of Uptown and Minneapolis' unraveling police chief situation. Plus we miss our turn and jump a curb while trying to steer clear of the medians on Hennepin Avenue. This is the first episode of the podcast that takes place partly inside an automobile.

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

My conversation with Kevin Chavis about his campaign for Hennepin County Board in District 3.

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

I'm joined by Taylor Dahlin and Commissioner Jason Garcia for reaction to the resignation of Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara and a rundown of the action at the DFL state convention in Rochester over the weekend (which they both attended). Episode sponsored by Klob Undies.

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

After years of engagement and political wrangling, Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis are ready to approve a new design for Lyndale Avenue South between Franklin and Lake. Because the street was last reconstructed in 1934, the road surface and infrastructure underground are long overdue for a replacement. But reconstruction also gives us an opportunity for pedestrian, bike, and transit improvements on a corridor that includes the most dangerous intersection in the state of Minnesota. Julie Johnson, a senior community organizer with Move Minnesota, and Jeremy Winter, a Wedge-based volunteer agitator for "Livable Lyndale," join me for a conversation about what's at stake.

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

Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

Not the usual kind of episode. We wanted to present for you the full audio of Davis Moturi's remarks to the Minneapolis City Council from Wednesday, May 13th.

If you live in Minneapolis, you've surely seen and read plenty about what happened to Davis Moturi. After moving into a new home in south Minneapolis, Moturi was terrorized by his next door neighbor for about a year.

Moturi, a Black man, made dozens of calls to police regarding threats, violence, racial slurs, and more – to no avail. That all culminated in late 2024, when Moturi was shot by that neighbor, John Sawchak, while doing yard work. 

Sawchak wasn't arrested until 5 days after shooting Moturi.

This audio is unedited and is mostly Moturi speaking – but you will hear the voices of city council members towards the end, with comments and questions.

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

My conversation with state Rep. Dan Wolgamott of St. Cloud about his campaign for Minnesota State Auditor.

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

My conversation with Christin Crabtree about her campaign for an at-large seat on the Minneapolis School Board.

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

My conversation with Zack Filipovich, formerly of the Duluth City Council, about his campaign for Minnesota State Auditor.

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Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

My conversation with Council Member Aurin Chowdhury about the latest from city hall. In the face of a mayoral power grab on budgets, appointments, and street layouts - are the walls closing in on the Minneapolis City Council? We talk about the recent onslaught of pundit criticism of the city council; her aspirations for a day when she isn't openly cussed at by colleagues during meetings; her thoughts on Cop City - aka, the police training facility proposal; and her plan for a moratorium on new data centers - a pause so the city can figure out how to regulate this exploding industry. And we ponder the question, is it ever ok to gift hamsters to a love interest?

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

Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

My conversation with Ben Schierer, former mayor of Fergus Falls, about his campaign for Minnesota State Auditor.

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

Wedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee