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City Cast Twin Cities

🫦 The state of sex work

April 3, 2026 · Anna Weggel and Sean McPherson edited the City Cast Twin Cities newsletter this week. Feedback? Email [email protected].

Good morning, Twin Cities! Tiffany here. If you’re looking for a sign of spring amid the slush, park staff have officially announced that all Minneapolis lakes are ice-free! If you’re curious about the status of a lake near you, the University of Minnesota Duluth has an ice thaw tracker.

Today’s Must-Know

“Minneapolis is pretty slutty”

The Sex Workers Outreach Project is a groundbreaking local guild providing resources to sex workers in the Twin Cities. Executive Director Andi Snow joins the show to talk about the state of sex work and how SWOP is advocating for members’ rights in a legal gray area. According to Snow, sex work includes both legal (e.g. strippers) and criminalized (i.e. prostitution) practices, and SWOP aims to fortify the rights of both. “From my extremely biased perspective, I think that Minneapolis is pretty slutty,” Snow said. “We’re kind of like underrated baddies right now.” [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities]

  • Union or guild? Snow said the guild engages with hundreds of sex workers a year. Snow also emphasized that SWOP is not a union, but an organization for independent contractors. “ It's really important for us to protect those in our community who need this work to survive,” they said. “So that [union] status would actually be really harmful to our community members who either have legal status issues, criminal status issues.”
  • Lost jobs: Snow also said the project is supporting workers after the sudden closure of The Seville Club in Minneapolis, which they said was “one of the best” clubs in the city. “There’s absolutely no job security,” Snow added. Workers have started a GoFundMe, and the creator, Caroline Wilson, wrote that staff were notified at 4 p.m. on March 30 that they had until midnight to clear their lockers. [Bring Me The News]
  • “On Wednesdays we wear pink”: At the height of Operation Metro Surge, SWOP began hosting “gun club” midweek to teach members how to safely handle guns. Some wanted a firearm for their own safety, or just to demystify using guns. [MPR News]

What the Cities Are Talking About

Under scrutiny: The Star Tribune reports that 30 complaints have been filed against Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara since he started the role three years ago. That’s far more than any of his recent predecessors. The details of the latest complaints aren’t public, but the timing is crucial. His term ended in December, and Mayor Jacob Frey has been in no rush to nominate him again. [Star Tribune]

Race to watch: Clint Combs at the Spokesman-Recorder has a nice recap of the recent Hennepin County Attorney debate forum. There was a lot of talk about how candidates would handle investigations into ICE agents. Current head attorney Mary Moriarty also talked about how her relationship with police chiefs has soured since she pursued charges against state trooper Ryan Londregan for fatally shooting Ricky Cobb. [Spokesman-Recorder]

A crowd of protestors with signs, one of which is an animated version of Liam Conejo Ramos' bunny hat
A protest sign with Liam Conejo Ramos’ bunny hat at a February anti-ICE protest in Northeast Minneapolis. (Adam Sage / City Cast Twin Cities)

Not the end: The lawyer representing Liam Conejo Ramos’ family says the federal government is trying to detain him and his dad again. Liam and Adrian Conejo Arias were freed from a Texas detention center by a judge earlier this year. The five-year-old reportedly fell ill and lost weight in detention. [MPR News]

Shakin’ it up: There’s a new cocktail bar on Grand Avenue in St. Paul. Iron Ranger turned its overflow space into The Vermilion, which focuses on cocktails and whiskey. Jess Fleming reports a patio is coming, too. [Pioneer Press]

Blank Space, baby: Do you want to see Taylor Swift at Allianz Field? How about the next best thing, a tribute band covering her songs? The stadium is launching the Great Lawn Concert Series at the end of May, which will feature tribute bands playing on the green space. [Pioneer Press]

What to Do

Friday, Apr 3

Saturday, Apr 4

Sunday, Apr 5

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The Twins' home opener is today – if the weather allows! They take on the Tampa Bay Rays. Our friends at Racket ranked the new food, and I can’t wait to try Niko Niko Boba’s dirty soda.

— Tiffany

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