🗣️ St. Paul’s Kaohly Her is not the quieter mayor

“We can do both”: St. Paul mayor on slowing down ICE and filling potholes

To say St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her stepped into a difficult role is an understatement, and we’re not even talking about the potholes or the city’s slumping downtown. Her joins today’s show and talks about her proudest moment, how she’s changing the mayor’s office, and learning to say “no comment” during active investigations. [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities]

• Being vocal: Her’s style has been characterized as quieter and less brash than her counterpart in Minneapolis. She pushed back on this and pointed to her track record of championing “radical” bills during her tenure in the Legislature. “ I don't know if maybe it's a facet of who I am or a facet of how we are socialized as a country,” she said, referring to her identity as an Asian woman. “We are always hyper-invisible.” But she argues the perception likely comes from the community work she does without media fanfare.
• Separation ordinance: The St. Paul City Council will consider updates to its separation ordinance today, which states that City employees are not obligated to enforce federal immigration policies. Her is concerned that any changes to the city’s separation ordinance, passed in 2004, could impact pending lawsuits. She said her staff is asking the Council to pass other ordinances that achieve the same things, rather than making changes to the separation ordinance itself. In September, the Department of Justice filed suit against St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Hennepin County seeking to block their separation ordinances or similar policies. [Pioneer Press / MPR]

Pulling up: Comedian Dave Chappelle is returning for a one-night show in solidarity with Minnesota. He’ll be performing Feb. 16 at the Grand Casino Arena with the Grammy-winning duo Clipse. I recall one of his last shows here was in 2022, when Chappelle was moved from First Avenue to Varsity Theater due to backlash from his anti-trans comments. [Bring Me The News]

How to help: Your resource for today is The Salt Cure Restaurant Recovery Fund. Hosted by the Minneapolis Foundation, Justine Jones reports the fund prioritizes small businesses to help cover needs like rent or payroll. You can donate to the fund and/or nominate a restaurant you think would benefit. [MSP Mag]

Body cams: Kristi Noem, Department of Homeland Security Secretary, announced all federal immigration agents will be outfitted with body-worn cameras, starting in Minneapolis. “It tends to be good for law enforcement, because people can’t lie about what happened,” President Donald Trump told White House reporters. [Minnesota Reformer]

Stick Season: After playing two sold-out shows at the former Xcel Energy Center, Noah Kahan will be headlining Target Field on Aug. 5. This is the arena’s first ticketed show since 2024. Gigi Perez, a fan favorite from the Minnesota Yacht Club festival, will be the opener. [Star Tribune]

BHM: Our friends at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine compiled a list of community events celebrating Black History Month. Highlights include a new exhibition at the African Museum, Arts and Cultural Center, and a celebration of Black love at the Dakota. [MSP Mag]

Everyone is affected: MPR’s Alex V. Cipolle covers how art organizations like the Children’s Theatre Company and the Minneapolis College of Art and Design have been upended due to ICE activity. These places are in the Whittier neighborhood, where Alex Pretti was fatally shot, but the impact has reverberated beyond that area. People are afraid to leave their homes, a director at Pillsbury House + Theatre told Cipolle. [MPR]

• 🎶 Music Under Glass | Como Conservatory
• 🎮 Mario Kart World Racing Tournament 🆓 | Roxy's Cabaret
• 🎤 Poliça | Icehouse
• 🗣️ You're Not From Here, Are You? 🆓 | Black Hart of St. Paul
• 🎞️ Titanic (1997) 35mm presentation | The Parkway Theater
• 😂 Greg Coleman | Acme Comedy
• 🎷 The Cherry Pit Open Jam 🆓 | Berlin

Thursday, Feb 5

• ♟️ Camdentown Chess Club | The Walker Art Center
• 💿 Record Night: Minnesota Artists 🆓 | Fulton Taproom
• 🎸 In Defense of Our Community: ACLU Benefit Concert | Fine Line
• 🎬 First Thursday Films: Acts of Reparation | Capri Theater
• 🎵 Obi Original and the Black Atlantics 🆓 | Mia
• 🎶 NANI VAZANA with Lev & Olga | The Cedar Cultural Center

• Farm-Llama Trek Animal Care Technician at MN Zoo | $44k - $60k per year
• Manager of Artistic Operations at National Lutheran Choir | $70k - $78k per year
• Farmer Advocate at Hmong American Farmers Association | $55k per year
• Bookkeeper at Magers & Quinn Booksellers | $21 - $24 per hour (PT)
• Forest Pest [Spongy Moth) Surveyor at MN Department of Agriculture | $20.51 per hour