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City Cast Twin Cities

🔎 Why were RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz in Minneapolis?

May 22, 2026 · — Adam Sage

Hey, Twin Cities! It’s Adam today. Did you know that this is the first weekend of the year that you can rent canoes and kayaks at Lebanon Hills Regional Park? It's a beautiful place to get out on the water, and there shouldn't be too many mosquitos out yet. You might want to stay in the boat though – the water will still be pretty cold for swimming.

You can also start renting watercraft at parks in the Three Rivers Parks District, and Valleyfair's water park officially opens this weekend with a massive expansion if you don't want to go on a lake but still want to get wet.

Today’s Must-Know

Four men and one woman in formalwear stand at microphone with large curtain and flags behind them
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz at a press conference in Minneapolis. (Department of Justice)

Feds Still Focused on Fraud in Minnesota

At a press conference yesterday in Minneapolis, federal officials including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz announced charges against 15 people for allegedly defrauding seven social services of over $90 million. [Department of Justice]

  • Ramping up: Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald said that the charges are "just the beginning" of the DOJ's work to prosecute fraud in Minnesota. He also announced the expansion of a "fraud strike force" to Minnesota and the hiring of 15 additional prosecutors to combat fraud nationwide. [Department of Justice]
  • 'Unprecedented': FBI Co-Deputy Director Christopher Raia said that the speed of the investigations and charges announced today was remarkable, as cases like this typically take years, crediting a surge in personnel and resources to Minnesota that started in December. Later, McDonald declined to answer a question from a reporter about the behavior of immigration enforcement agents during Operation Metro Surge. [Star Tribune]
  • 'Hurts all of us': Dr. Oz and other officials focused their rhetoric on how fraud in public programs harms the most vulnerable. Oz mentioned the closure of the Housing Stabilization Services, and said that "when we are unable to keep these programs alive because of fraudsters, it hurts all of us." He also shouted out conservative influencer Nick Shirley for his videos and called on other people to "do what you can to shine a light on these cases," despite Shirley's methodology and many specific claims being debunked. [Department of Justice]
  • Related: Less than an hour before the press conference, Aimee Bock was sentenced to almost 42 years in prison for her involvement leading the $400 million Feeding Our Futures fraud scheme. [Sahan Journal]

What the Cities Are Talking About

Turning himself in: An ICE agent accused of pointing a gun at two motorists during Operation Metro Surge is expected to turn himself in after Minnesota prosecutors issued a nationwide warrant for his arrest. Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr. faces felony assault charges tied to a February road rage incident on Hwy. 62, where prosecutors say he illegally drove an unmarked SUV on the shoulder before pulling a gun on another driver. Morgan’s attorney says the confrontation unfolded during a “highly stressful” period tied to the federal operation. [Star Tribune]

Farm finally happening: Members of the East Phillips Neighborhood Association have reached a deal with the City of Minneapolis to acquire the Roof Depot site to build an urban farm and community center. The deal will give EPNI control over half of the building (about 160,000 square feet) while the city will use the other half of the building at a training center for Minneapolis Public Works. [Sahan Journal]

Digital rendering of large apartment complex, viewed from above
A rendering of The Heights neighborhood development on the east side of St. Paul. (Courtesy of the St. Paul Port Authority)

One huge heat pump: The City of St. Paul is developing a new neighborhood on what used to be the Hillcrest golf course with a focus on affordability and sustainability. One way the city plans to keep energy clean there is with "one of the largest geothermal energy systems in the country," which will provide heating and cooling for all 1,000 homes and 1 million square feet of light industrial space. [MinnPost]

Cheap lunch: I was excited to learn about some new spots to get good, cheap lunch when I found this Reddit thread, but to be honest the recommendations were pretty weak (we all already know about the $1.50 hot dog at Costco, thank you). For now, my go-to will remain the $8.95 burrito from Maya Cuisine, but send in your recommendations if you know a better deal!

Sponsored Content

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What to Do

Friday, May 22

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Can you spot the cat in this photo? (Courtesy of Tom)

This week's Friday Floof is Maziken the cat! Owner Jennifer S. says what makes Maziken special is "her amazing talent to crash harder than any other cat I’ve had."

If you want to see your furry friend in a future newsletter, you can submit their photo here.

We will be out on Monday for Memorial Day, but we'll have a fresh newsletter and podcast episode ready for you on Tuesday morning. Have a great long weekend, folks!

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