Wedge LIVE!

A conversation with Council Member Jamison Whiting about the Minneapolis City Council's vote to eliminate the Office of Community Safety. OCS was created in 2022 in the wake of an election where the city's voters rejected one charter amendment calling for the creation of a Department of Public Safety and approved another amendment giving Jacob Frey strong mayor powers. Whiting says getting rid of OCS would short-circuit the city's efforts at providing alternative responses to police, and would concentrate too much control of public safety in a mayor's office that doesn't have the bandwidth to manage it. Critics of OCS say it's too costly (over $2 million annually), confusing, and adds an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy. The council's 9-4 vote, if it held, would be veto-proof and includes members from both ideological wings of the body. As of the recording of this episode the mayor had not yet signed or vetoed the council's action.Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgeliveJoin the conversation: https://bsky.app/profile/wedge.liveSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wedgeliveWedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

A conversation with Abdihakim Ibrahim, former school board member in St. Louis Park, now running for the district 3 seat on the Hennepin County Board.You can scroll back in the feed for our July 14 episode with incumbent Commissioner Marion Greene.Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgeliveJoin the conversation: https://bsky.app/profile/wedge.liveSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wedgeliveWedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

We are walking across the Mississippi River for groceries with Scott from Prospect Park. Along the way we learn what it's like to shop for loose carrots and loose powders at the Seward Co-op.Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgeliveJoin the conversation: https://bsky.app/profile/wedge.liveSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wedgeliveWedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

Steve Simon is spending a lot of time preparing for federal threats to this year's election while running for a fourth term as Minnesota Secretary of State. We talk about potential federal interference; how he balances being both a politician and the state's top election official; and what it would mean for a Republican in era of Trump-style election denialism to replace him as Secretary of State. We also talk about why the world would be a better place if there were more dads falling asleep on the couch to the sound of WWII documentaries.Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgeliveJoin the conversation: https://bsky.app/profile/wedge.liveSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wedgeliveWedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee

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?Watch: https://youtube.com/wedgeliveJoin the conversation: https://bsky.app/profile/wedge.liveSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wedgeliveWedge LIVE theme song by Anthony Kasper x LaFontsee