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City Cast Twin Cities

City Cast Twin Cities

🏛️ Shutdown shutting down

November 12, 2025

Hi Twin Cities! It’s Adam today. Krispy Kreme is opening a new location in Fridley today, and it's the first time the chain has existed in Minnesota since 2008. I'm not sure Krispy Kreme will be able to fill the donut-hole-sized hole in my heart left by Heights Bakery closing, but I still might fight my way through the long lines expected today to give it a try. [Bring Me The News]

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What the Cities Are Talking About

The top tower of the the white house and a cloudy day with a USA flag waving.
The federal government shutdown could finally be coming to an end. (Anna Rose Layden / Getty Images)

Government Shutdown Ending, What's Next For Minnesota?

On Monday, the Senate passed a critical funding bill to reopen the government, with seven Democrat Senators and one Independent Senator siding with the Republicans. The House is set to vote on the bill today, possibly reopening the government and ending the longest shutdown in history. [The Guardian]

  • Minnesotan Democrats Disapprove: Both progressives and moderate Democrats in our state are criticizing the deal for falling short of securing ACA tax credits that the party was holding out for. Rep. Angie Craig, known as a moderate DFLer, said the Democrats caved only "to get nothing in return." The backlash comes just a week after Democrats notched big election wins nationwide. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan said, "The people were with us, and then this. It's not OK." [Star Tribune]
  • Is SNAP Back? Minnesota issued full November SNAP benefits before the USDA told states they couldn’t distribute early during the shutdown. The state says it has no way to claw back that money, and they won’t try. The new funding bill would keep SNAP running through next year, and Minnesota is urging anyone who needs help to apply. [Minnesota Reformer]
  • Shutdown Deal Attacks Hemp: The bill to reopen the government contains a federal ban on hemp-derived THC products that contain more than 0.4 milligrams of THC. Local producers say this will decimate the market in Minnesota, as what's considered a low-dosage THC drink now would have 10 times the new legal limit. [MPR News]

Also Worth Your Time

In other shutdown news … The Northstar rail line is ending its service in January, and many of the municipalities that it serves are wondering what's going to happen to the infrastructure they helped pay for around the train stations and whether they'll have to pay back federal funds used on the projects. [MPR News]

Big meat has big secrets: Local content creator John O'Sullivan set out to tell a simple story about meat in Minnesota and was met with secrecy, avoidance, and a bit of hostility. On today's episode of City Cast Twin Cities, John shared that he was even threatened with legal action. [One Minute Tours]

Black art in focus: All Things Possible Theatrical and Arts Group just opened St. Paul's only black-owned art gallery over the weekend. The gallery aims to be a cultural hub where members of the community can explore painting, writing, acting, and more in the Frogtown and Rondo neighborhoods. [KSTP]

A man in a plaid shirt overlooks a glass bridge in a building.
City Cast Twin Cities host Sean McPherson struggles to find the bathroom in a Minneapolis skyway. (Adam Sage / City Cast Twin Cities)

Where's the bathroom? Downtown Minneapolis is a bathroom desert, and Urban and Regional planning student Lee Eubanks makes a case for the city to do something about it. Lee says that providing public bathrooms shouldn't be the responsibility of businesses downtown, but that the city should be building self-cleaning bathrooms like in San Francisco, Palo Alto, and San Jose (if you're curious how the functionality works, check out this hilarious and brave piece from John Wilson). [MinnPost]

Get your phone out: At a press conference on Monday, several immigrant rights advocates asked the public for help documenting immigration enforcement actions in the Twin Cities. The advocates reiterated that community members have a first amendment right to film officers of the law, and that photos and videos taken of arrests could be used as evidence in the event that federal officers break the law. [Sahan Journal]

What to Do

Wednesday, November 12

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See you in line at the donut shop! 🫡

— Adam Sage

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