Happy New Year, Twin Cities! It may be cold outside, but there's still a ton to do around town. Host Sean McPherson is joined by jazz singer and contributor PaviElle French to break down the best ways to stay entertained and make the most of this month in the Twin Cities. PaviElle and Sean also reflect on a scene and an era of the Twin Cities they were both involved in: the late '90s to early 2000s spoken word and poetry scene. Later, Sean is joined by Martin Froger Silva, who is currently living on a remote research base in Antarctica as a digital content coordinator with the University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership.  Check out the things to do around town this month: Cross Country Skiing, Sledding/Tubing, Snowboarding, and Snowshoeing | Theodore Wirth Park Ice Skating | Centennial Lakes Park in Edina 2026 Art Shanty Projects | BDé UMáŋ / Lake Harriet Gingerbread Wonderland | Norway House Stock up for Dry January | Marigold NA Bottleshop Weed Weviews | Racket Sinners | The Capri Theater Museum Nights | Science Museum of Minnesota St. Paul Farmers Market (Indoor) | 308 Prince St., Saint Paul St. Paul Farmers Market (Outdoor) | 290 5th St. E, Saint Paul 6th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Talent Showcase | The Capri Theater Get a straight razor shave | Good Neighbor Barber Shop Dance classes | Zenon Dance School Follow Martin Froger Silva to keep up with his work in Antarctica: https://www.instagram.com/martinfroger/  Learn more about the sponsors of this January 2nd episode: Xcel Energy Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Since we've had multiple documentaries come out regarding the challenges Minneapolis faces and what the path forward should look like for our cities, we're revisiting a conversation we had earlier this year. Coming out of this month's elections where Twin Cities residents voted for new leaders and what the path forward should look like, we thought it was a good time to take a look at the documentaries "A Precarious State," "The Fall of Minneapolis," and "Paradox: Echoes of Reform & the Minneapolis Police" to see what they have to say about our cities and what misinformation they might be spreading. Host Sean McPherson is joined by Producer Tiffany Bui and Contributor Winter Keefer to interrogate these films. Learn more about the documentaries discussed in today's episode: Who’s Bankrolling ‘A Precarious State,’ Rick Kupchella’s New Twin Cities Doomer Doc? (Racket) Paradox: Echoes of Reform & the Minneapolis Police (PBS) A Precarious State (Rick Kupchella) The Fall of Minneapolis (Alpha News) Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

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're revisiting a conversation from earlier this year with ACLU Minnesota Attorney Alicia Granse about what these cameras are doing in our cities and how they could be regulated ethically. Read more about the stories discussed in this episode: Deflock.me - See where all the ALPR cameras are in the Twin Cities You Are Being Tracked (ACLU) ICE Taps into Nationwide AI-Enabled Camera Network, Data Shows (404 Media) She Got an Abortion. So A Texas Cop Used 83,000 Cameras to Track Her Down. (EFF) Kansas police chief used Flock license plate cameras 164 times to track ex-girlfriend (The Wichita Eagle) Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

If you're looking for something outside the box to do on December 25, Sean has spent 15 years curating a list of what’s open that day. Plus, James Norton of Heavy Table gives us the best present you could ask for: last-minute gift ideas. Yes, you can go out and buy them right now! And we close out 2025 with our Twin Cities Year in Review. Listeners told us where they ate the most and cast their vote for Twin Cities person of the year. Learn more about the topics discussed in today's episode: The 2025 Heavy Table Local Food Gift Guide (Heavy Table)  Top 5 Things To Do on Christmas Day (City Cast Twin Cities) Learn more about the sponsors of this December 23rd episode: Xcel Energy Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Lizz Winstead is the co-creator of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, the founder of Abortion Access Front, and a comedian who got her start right here in the Twin Cities. Lizz will be holding her annual Year in Review comedy show at the Parkway Theater on December 27 and 31, and she joined host Sean McPherson to chat about how to find humor in really heavy news stories, how she weaves activism and comedy together, and what makes the Twin Cities arts scene so special. Before that, Sean is joined by jazz singer and contributor PaviElle French for a rundown of the can't-miss events happening this week in the Twin Cities.  Check out the events discussed in today's episode: 12/22 Alicia Witt In-store Performance and Signing | Electric Fetus 12/22 Spending Christmas with Alicia Witt | Dakota 12/23 The Annual Holiday Sing-Along with Dan Chouinard | Crooners 12/24 Hell-a-Dazzle Christmas Eve Brunch with Joel Shapira & Friends | Hell’s Kitchen 12/25 “Violent Night” | Trylon Cinema 12/26 Shrimpnose, BloodSmokeBody and Talia Knight at the Entry | 7th Street Entry 12/26 Bold North Breakaway | Rice Park and Saint Paul RiverCentre 12/26 Pan African Kwanzaa Celebration | Midtown Global Market 12/27 Soul Line Dance with Harris Parks | Sabathani Community Center 12/27 Close to the Tassel: A Progressive Rock Burlesque Revue | Amsterdam Bar and Hall  12/28 KPop Demon Hunters Drag Brunch | Quincy Hall  12/27 & 12/31 The Winstead Files: Lizz Winstead's 2025 Year in Review | Parkway Theater Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Minnesota is home to a thriving pagan and witchy community, and the solstice is a great time to get involved. Dr. Chantel Rodriguez, public historian and host of Minnesota Unraveled, tells us about the largest publisher of New Age books, which calls our state home. Plus, Darius Gillard from MN Opera wants to convince you to watch opera. Check out MN Opera’s “My Name is Florence,” which tells the story of the first Black woman to have a symphony performed by a major U.S. orchestra. The team also celebrates some Twin Cities wins with good neighbors and warm homes. Learn more about the topics discussed in today's episode: Listen to Minnesota Unwraveled’s episode about Llewellyn Worldwide  Check out MN Opera’s production of “My Name is Florence”  North Minneapolis' Food Bank Eatery is on a mission to provide free meals for children (CBS Minnesota) Pam sees the people that others ignore (Southwest Voices) Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Food critic Kirstie Kimball has been to 600 restaurants across Minnesota in the past two years, and she has distilled her findings into a comprehensive list of the top 50 Minnesotan restaurants on her Substack Beyond Beurre Blanc. Host Sean McPherson is joined by contributor and Racket Co-Founder Em Cassel to chat with Kirstie about her methodology for reviewing so many restaurants and to learn why Em hates holiday pop-up bars so much. Later, Sean talks with Anne Laskey, the Cause Marketing and Events Manager at Second Harvest Heartland, about how to help fight hunger this holiday season, and producer Adam Sage joins the conversation to highlight an upcoming winter festival.  Learn more about the topics discussed in today's episode: Beyond Beurre Blanc's Minnesota 50: 2025 (Beyond Beurre Blanc) Kirstie Kimball's methodology (Beyond Beurre Blanc) Get Festive at These Twin Cities Holiday Bars (MSP Mag) Second Harvest Heartland Learn more about the sponsors of this December 18th episode: Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Xcel Energy Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Minneapolis’s season of Love Is Blind might have been a flop, but how bad is the dating scene in the Twin Cities, actually? Contributor Denzel Belin and burlesque performer Keke Boudreaux join the show to discuss living single in Minnesota, as well as the best first date spots. Plus, executive producer Anna Weggel puts ChatGPT to the test to find the perfect gifts for Denzel and Sean.  Read more about what we talked about on the show: We tested AI shopping chatbots. This is what we found. (Star Tribune) Single and Dating? Here is where most singles are living in the US. (Thriving Center of Psychology)  Learn more about the sponsors of this December 17th episode: Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

The Twin Cities is home to one of the most vibrant African food scenes in the country, and today we’re digging into where to eat, from Ethiopian classics to West African stews and vegan favorites. Writer and critic Ali Elabbady joins us to share highlights from his new guide to the best African restaurants in the area, plus tips for first-timers and vegetarians. Contributor Sam Choo makes a passionate case for the often-overlooked Como Zoo, and we break down the newly approved plan for George Floyd Square. Learn more about the topics discussed in today's episode: African Food in the Twin Cities (Explore Minnesota) Street reconstruction approved for George Floyd Square, after years of debate (MPR) Learn more about the sponsors of this December 16th episode: Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

We’re rockin’ around the Christmas tree with holiday tunes by Twin Cities musicians. Contributor, musician PaviElle French, and Racket’s co-owner Keith Harris help decide if these songs are up to Hallmark snuff. Plus, contributor Tane Danger shares weekly event highlights, like weed Christmas cookie baking and a half-scripted, half-improv holiday show.  Check out all the local holiday music played in today’s show.  Learn more about this week’s events: “Our Amazing Holiday Off” at Jungle Theater  Eden Prairie Lion’s 52nd Annual Wild Game Dinner Jane Austen's 250th birthday party at Big Hill Books  Black Nativity at Penumbra Theatre Cornbread Harris & Friends Holiday Blues Show at Hook & Ladder Theater  Obi Original at The Cabooze Winter Solstice Lantern Parade in Powerderhorn Park Celebration of Life for Jellybean Johnson at Shiloh Temple Cannabis Xmas Cookies at HEAL MPLS D Dinner for One at Jungle Theater  Learn more about the sponsors of this December 15th episode:  Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

The Department of Justice is suing Minneapolis Public Schools for a policy that protects teachers from underrepresented groups from being laid off. Host Sean McPherson is joined by contributor Hans Buetow and producer Adam Sage to break down what the DOJ's goals are in this lawsuit. The team also gets into possible snowplow names for MnDOT's 2026 Snowplow naming contest, and some good news in Minnesota schools – recent statewide survey results show our students are trending in a positive direction regarding their mental health, substance use, connection with school and family, and a litany of other issues. Learn more about the topics discussed in today's episode: MnDOT’s 2025-26 Name a Snowplow contest (MnDOT) All 50 of MnDOT’s 2025 Name-a-Snowplow Finalists, Ranked (Racket) Trump admin sues Minneapolis schools over layoff protections for teachers of color (Minnesota Reformer) Justice Department Sues Minneapolis Public Schools for Racial Discrimination Against Teachers (Department of Justice) How many Black male teachers are there in the US? (USAFacts) Survey: Minnesota students faring better compared to a few years ago (Minnesota Reformer) Minnesota Student Survey Reports 2013-2025 (MN Department of Education) Learn more about the sponsors of this December 12th episode: Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Have you ever wondered why St. Anthony Falls is just pure concrete? The Dakota-led group Owámniyomni Okhódayapi is redesigning and restoring the falls to its pre-colonial lushness. President Shelley Buck tells us what the project is doing differently. Plus, if you’re wondering how to stay chic during harsh Minnesota winters, local fashion designer Samantha Rei has some tips. Pooping in downtown Minneapolis is a political problem, and the city just approved extra funds for more toilets. Our guts say thank you.  Read more about what we talked about today: Owámniyomni Okhódayapi Donate to the restoration of Owámniyomni Samantha Rei Check out Samantha’s YouTube, Cinemattire Minneapolis City Council looks to solve No. 1 problem downtown: Where to go No. 2 (Star Tribune)  Learn more about the sponsors of this December 11th episode: Xcel Energy Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST   Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

The President of Augsburg University is condemning ICE after agents took a student from campus without a warrant over the weekend. Meanwhile, advocates in St. Paul are calling on the city council to take action regarding SPPD's violent conduct during a Nov. 25 ICE raid.  Host Sean McPherson is joined by MPR Newsroom Coordinator and Contributor Denzel Belin and Executive Producer Anna Weggel to fill you in on everything you need to know about these two stories. Later, the team is joined by local musician Emmy Woods joins the conversation to talk about a winter clothing drive she's hosting at her show this weekend. The team also opens up the mailbag and shares our weekly artist spotlight: Liz Draper.  Check out this week's featured artist, Liz Draper!  Instagram TIDAL Bandcamp Album release party 12/14 Want us to feature your music on the show? Send in a submission here. Learn more about the topics discussed in today's episode:  Augsburg president decries ICE detention of a student on private campus (Star Tribune)  Community group: St. Paul police use of force against protesters violated policy (Pioneer Press) Community group wants St. Paul City Council to address police actions (MPR) Law enforcement, protesters clash as federal agents make arrests in St. Paul (MPR) Emmy Woods' Winter Clothing Drive for Southside Harm Reduction Immigrant Defense Network Comunidades Organizando el Poder y la Acción Latina (COPAL) Monarca Minnesota Immigrants Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) Learn more about the  sponsors of this December 10th episode: Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Let’s revisit a few conversations from earlier this year including the best theaters in the Twin Cities – criteria include popcorn, comfy seats, and a good urinal — and a chat about the places techies should visit when they come to the Twin Cities. Plus, we discuss a project at the U of M that is working to undo past harms of racial covenants on home deeds in the Twin Cities. Host Sean McPherson is joined by a cast of characters for this one, including contributors Hans Buetow and Em Cassel, journalist Amy Nelson, and Executive Producer Anna Weggel. Learn more about the sponsors of this December 9th episode: Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

We follow the right-wing pipeline that led to Donald Trump’s attacks on Somali Minnesotans, including trying to revoke protected status for some residents. Minnesota Reformer’s Editor-in-Chief Patrick Coolican joins the show to debunk the City Journal article “Minnesota Welfare Fraud: Some Funds Went to Al-Shabaab.” What should we expect from our political leaders, and what can we as Twin Citizens do? Plus, contributor PaviElle French shares some great events, like an elder-led jazz show at the Capri Theater. Read more about the stories we discussed: Kaveh Akbar at Hopkins Center for the Arts Mary Lucia (book release) in conversation with Lizz Winstead at Granada Theater Mark O’Connor’s Appalachian Christmas at Dakota Jazz Club Little Explorers Thursday at the Como Zoo and Conservatory  Chastity Brown at Landmark Center Fashion MSP’s The Experiment at The Whim  Capri Big Band's Music of the Season at The Capri Right-wing reporting on Somali money going to al-Shabaab is not new, still misses the mark (Minnesota Reformer) Minnesota Welfare Fraud: Some Funds Went to Al-Shabaab (City Journal) Learn more about the sponsors of this December 5th episode:  Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

St. Paul managed to pass their 2026 city budget with unanimous 7-0 approval from the city council – meanwhile, the Minneapolis city council and mayor's office are gearing up for what will likely be a long, drawn-out debate over the Minneapolis budget. Host Sean McPherson is joined by contributor Tane Danger and producer Adam Sage to break down what St. Paul residents are getting out of the 2026 budget, and how much it's going to cost. Later, Splendid Table co-creator and managing producer Sally Swift joins the conversation to talk about 30 years of producing the award-winning public radio show, and the team gets into some Twin Cities Wins.  Learn more about the topics discussed in today's episode: Key takeaways as the St. Paul City Council approves its 2026 budget (Star Tribune) St. Paul City Council approves budget, property tax increase (MPR) Investigation of St. Paul police after ICE raid delayed; immigrant defense fund established (Star Tribune) Budget battle brewing between mayor and outgoing Minneapolis City Council (Star Tribune) The Splendid Table Celebrates Thirty Years Tonight at the Fitzgerald Razava Bread Co.  Tori Ramen Hai Hai  Nixta Minneapolis mayor acts to deter possible federal crackdown as Somali community braces for ICE (MPR) Vegan butcher shop in Minneapolis will appear on Guy Fieri's 'Triple D Nation' (Bring Me The News) U of M to license new fruit varieties, including a sequel to the Honeycrisp apple (MPR) NABJ-MN and the CBJ Announce Partnership Supporting Emerging Black Journalists (NABJ-MN) Learn more about the  sponsors of this December 5th episode: Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Trump’s new push for mass deportations is already sending fear through Minnesota’s Somali community, and we break down some of the more offensive comments he threw at Minnesota and its residents this week. Today, host Sean McPherson is joined by contributor Em Cassel of Racket and City Cast producer Tiffany Bui to break down what we know, what we don’t, and how people on the ground are navigating the uncertainty. Then, the bizarre rise of a right-wing AI cartoon that pulled an unsuspecting Twin Cities policy researcher into its orbit, and a long-awaited sandwich shop is ready to make its Minneapolis debut. Learn more about the stories discussed in this episode: Monarca Rapid Response Line  Trump says he doesn't want Somalis in the US, urges them to go back to their homeland and fix it (Star Tribune)  Minneapolis, St. Paul leaders respond to reports of ICE operations targeting Somalis (MPR News) Trump administration to withhold some SNAP funding until Minnesota turns over data (Star Triune) The Racist, AI-Generated Future of Entertainment (Atlantic) Social media AI bot targets Minneapolis attorney and liberal political commentator (MPR News) Long-awaited weed-themed sandwich shop opens in Minneapolis next week (Bring Me The News)  Handroll Sushi, Labubu Macarons, and the Opening of Multiple Bird-Named Restaurants (Racket) Learn more about the sponsors of this December 5th episode: Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

The Whittier Alliance neighborhood organization is partnering with the City of Minneapolis to provide free snow shoveling for residents of the Whittier neighborhood, and 25/hr part-time work for anyone who wants to shovel. Today, host Sean McPherson is joined by independent journalist Katie Thornton and MPR Newsroom Coordinator Denzel Belin to talk shoveling and to learn more about some invasive fish that could threaten the entire Great Lakes fishing industry. The team also breaks down how local organizations in the Twin Cities are recognizing World AIDS Day this year in light of the federal government's refusal to do so.  Learn more about the stories discussed in this episode:  Whittier's Snow Patrol Pilot Program (Whittier Alliance)  The Feds Who Kill Bloodsucking Parasites (New Yorker) Minnesota community raising awareness of World AIDS Day, despite no U.S. observance (MPR) The Red Undie Run (Aliveness Project) Hennepin County HIV Services Red Door Clinic Aliveness Project Youth AIDS Project Annex Teen Clinic Learn more about the sponsors of this December 3rd episode: Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

We’re hardcore into the holiday season, so City Cast producer Tiffany ranks her top three holiday markets you have to visit. We’re joined by Dean Holt, who’s been part of the Children’s Theatre Company’s production of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” since 1994. Dean reflects on the enduring legacy (and now sellability) of the big green guy. Plus, longtime radio producer and contributor Sam Choo talks about “Listeners Like Who? Exclusion and Resistance in the Public Radio Industry”, a book unpacking public radio’s problem with representation. Local musician Carlisle Evans Peck also shares their song, “Lover, I’m An Anthem.”  Read more about what we talked about: European Christmas Market at Union Depot Field and Festival Holiday Market at Wagners Garden Center  Raging Art On at Gamut Gallery  A Handmade Holiday Market 2025 at Bruhaven Craft Co. No Coast Craft o’ Rama at Midtown Global Market  Dr. Seuss’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” at Children’s Theatre Company Listeners Like Who? Exclusion and Resistance in the Public Radio Industry by Laura Garbes  Listen to Carlisle Evans Peck’s New Single "Danse Macabre"  Learn more about the sponsors of this December 2nd episode:  Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

It’s the busiest time of the year, but we’ve got your guide to enjoying December to the fullest. John Munson of The New Standards joins us to talk about returning to the State Theatre for their annual holiday show. After recovering from a stroke, John says he has even more to be grateful for this season.  Read more about what we talked about: Jesus Christ Superstar at the Ordway Music Theater  Sarah Morris and the Sometimes Elves 19th Annual Holiday Show Holidays On Hennepin  Watershed Spa  Red Undie Run Shooters Billiard Club HandsOn Twin Cities Holiday Volunteering Brave New Workshop: The Chaos of the Bells The New Standards Holiday Show Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. 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. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.