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City Cast Twin Cities

City Cast Twin Cities

🚙 Hennepin Ave. is finally reopening

October 29, 2025

Hey, Twin Cities! Tiffany here. If you’ve been wondering why we have a mic in our logo, wonder no more. Our first podcast episode launched today.

It’s hosted by radio legend Sean McPherson (this title makes him blush, so we make sure to use it often), with a rotating cast of smartypants contributors, as well as us producers! Get ready for hot takes, news, best happy hours, and other stuff you’ll want to tell your friends. We’ll be with ya every weekday! You’re gonna want to listen and subscribe.

What the Cities Are Talking About

Constructions are displayed on a crosswalk in front of the intersection of west 26th street.
Mostly open streets at West 26th Street and Hennepin Avenue. (Tiffany Bui / City Cast Twin Cities)

Huzzah! Hennepin Avenue in Uptown is back

After 18 months of giant pits in the road, weird detours, no parking, and backed-up traffic, construction on Hennepin Avenue will be done by Halloween. That’s better than a bagful of candy. The result? The project makes way for the future Metro E Line, and adds protected bike lanes and wider sidewalks. [Bring Me The News]

  • Business impact: Since construction began, business owners feared road closures would mean fewer customers at a time when Uptown is already losing storefronts. Nadine Schaefer of Namaste Cafe says business has been down 40 percent during the nearly two years of construction. [WCCO - CBS]
  • Memories of the art fair: Will the Uptown Art Fair ever return? A 60-year tradition, the fair was moved to Bachman’s in August and rebranded as the SoMi Art Fair. Organizers cited the new design of Hennepin Avenue and “soaring production costs” for the change. [Uptown Association]
  • Local rec: As an Uptown resident myself, I recommend people come out and grab bubble tea at Tii Cup. They also serve alcoholic boba at L2, their lounge on the second floor, and host karaoke on Thursdays. My faves: the popcorn chicken with garlic, Golden Milk Tea, and the strawberry matcha shot.

Also Worth Your Time

Minor fire, big problems: A fire at St. Paul’s Skyline Tower, the city’s largest affordable housing complex, displaced 1,500 residents Monday night. No injuries were reported, but more than 100 units have water damage as the fire triggered the building’s sprinklers, knocking out power. Many immigrants call Skyline Tower home. [Pioneer Press]

Sanctuary city policies: Progressives on the Minneapolis City Council are working to strengthen the city’s separation ordinance, which limits city police cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Council members honed in on this ordinance after the Lake Street raid in June. [MinnPost]

  • Listen to today’s episode of City Cast Twin Cities to hear a discussion about these policies. [City Cast]
An image with the headline "The End Times" that features a photo of Benjamin Percy on the left and Stephen King on the right with the text "Benjamin Percy and Stephen Kind are teaming up to bring you The End Times, a short novel told in monthly newspaper issues"
Benjamin Percy and Stephen King want you to subscribe to their fictional newspaper. (Courtesy of Benjamin Percy)

Scary good news: Minnesota author Benjamin Percy’s latest work is a collab with Stephen King, and it’s not a book. Each chapter of “The End Times” is a newspaper you can receive monthly. The story’s main character is a woman who revives an old printing press after a pandemic wrecks civilization. [Minnesota Monthly]

Strike incoming: Minneapolis teachers have voted to strike, with the date TBD. The union wants smaller class sizes, limits on caseloads for special education teachers, and higher pay. [Sahan Journal]

Beanu Reeves: Katherine Erickson’s crop art version of the “Speed” movie poster, featuring Keanu Reeves, and re-naming the movie “Seed” is too good not to be shared. That’s why a kind soul made sure to show him the work while getting Reeves’ autograph in New York. [Star Tribune]

What to Do

Wednesday, October 29

Thursday, October 30

Friday, October 31

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I love a good seasonal pop-up. Can you guess where this reaper goes after a night of collecting souls? Reply to this email with your answer. See you tomorrow!

A fake grim reaper Halloween decoration with a glowing green face leans on the side of a haunted house.
Where is this creepy reaper? (Tiffany Bui/City Cast Twin Cities)

— Tiffany

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