Secret Companies Want More Data Centers. Plus, Yacht Club’s Sibling and Close Races

Secret Companies Want More Data Centers. Plus, Yacht Club’s Sibling and Close Races

Minnesota may be a blue state, but our House and Senate races are looking purple-y. MinnPost reporter Matt Blake tells us how these nailbiter races might affect everything from gun reform to data centers. Speaking of, Eagan is getting sued by a data center owner over their moratorium. The case could set a precedent for other cities looking to regulate these sprawling developments, sometimes shrouded in secrecy. Finally, country music is on the rise; the Minnesota Country Club Festival, sibling to the popular Yacht Club, comes to Harriet Island this week. But the headliners show the definition of “country” is getting blurry. Learn more about the topics discussed in today's episode: ⁠⁠Become a City Cast Twin Cities Neighbor⁠⁠ [https://membership.citycast.fm/twincities] ⁠⁠Minnesota legislative battlegrounds⁠⁠ [https://www.minnpost.com/elections/2026/07/minnesota-legislative-races-2026-battlegrounds/] (MinnPost) ⁠⁠Data center company sues Eagan over development pause⁠⁠ [https://www.twincities.com/2026/07/06/data-center-company-sues-eagan-over-development-pause/] (Pioneer Press) ⁠⁠Making sense of Minnesota Yacht Club’s new ‘country’ offshoot festival⁠⁠ [https://www.startribune.com/making-sense-minnesota-country-club-offshoot-yacht-harriet-island-st-paul-red-clay-strays-treaty-oak/601862969] (Star Tribune) ⁠⁠Minnesota Country Club Festival⁠⁠ [https://www.minnesotacountryclubfest.com/] Learn more about the sponsors of this July 8th episode: ⁠⁠The Cedar Cultural Center⁠⁠ [https://www.thecedar.org/] Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/citycasttwincities/], or email us at ⁠⁠twincities@citycast.fm⁠⁠ [twincities@citycast.fm]. You can also call or text us at 612-217-0637. For more Twin Cities news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Twin Cities. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at ⁠⁠citycast.fm/advertise⁠⁠ [https://citycast.fm/advertise/].

Don't Sleep On Duluth's Art Scene. Plus, Gaelynn Lea On Her New Memoir

What makes Duluth punch so far above its weight in music and arts? Today we head north with Kristi Olson, publisher of the biweekly print zine On the Record, who maps out the Duluth arts scene and shares what's worth catching this summer. Then, Duluth fiddle artist and NPR Tiny Desk Contest winner Gaelynn Lea joins to talk about her debut memoir “It Wasn't Meant to Be Perfect” [https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/gaelynn-lea/it-wasnt-meant-to-be-perfect/9781643756431/], a candid look at music, disability, and life as a touring artist. Learn more about the topics discussed in today's episode: It Wasn't Meant to Be Perfect [https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/gaelynn-lea/it-wasnt-meant-to-be-perfect/9781643756431/] (Gaelynn Lea) On the Record Zine [https://www.ontherecordzine.com/] (Kristi Olson) Duluth Homegrown Music Festival [https://duluthhomegrown.org/] Magic Smelt Parade [https://visitduluth.com/event/run-smelt-run/] (Visit Duluth) Become a City Cast Twin Cities Neighbor [https://membership.citycast.fm/twincities] Learn more about the sponsors of this July 7th episode: The Cedar Cultural Center [https://www.thecedar.org/] Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/citycasttwincities/], or email us at twincities@citycast.fm [twincities@citycast.fm]. You can also call or text us at 612-217-0637. For more Twin Cities news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Twin Cities. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise [https://citycast.fm/advertise/].

St. Paul's Right to Repair Fight, Minneapolis Eyes Drones, and a $2 Burger You Need to Know About

A St. Paul ballot initiative wants to give renters the power to fix what their landlords won't, so we talked to Cole Hanson, political coordinator for the Safe Homes Saint Paul campaign, to break down how the right-to-repair measure would actually work, who's signing the petitions, and whether a $500 cap is enough to make a real difference. Then, Clint Combs of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder joins to unpack why Minneapolis is considering a drone first-responder pilot program, why activists are raising alarms about the company behind it, the lack of cost transparency, and the fact that it's being tested exclusively on the Northside. Learn more about the topics discussed in today's episode: Cole Hanson: St. Paul, give renters the tools to fix what’s broken [https://www.twincities.com/2026/05/10/cole-hanson-st-paul-give-renters-the-tools-to-fix-whats-broken/] (Pioneer Press) Minneapolis Considers Drone Pilot Program for North Minneapolis, Activists Push Back [https://spokesman-recorder.com/2026/06/30/minneapolis-drone-pilot-program-north-minneapolis/] (Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder) Become a City Cast Twin Cities Neighbor [https://membership.citycast.fm/twincities] Learn more about the sponsors of this July 6th episode: BidFTA Online Auctions [https://www.bidfta.com/] Paddle & Portage [https://paddleandportage.com/] The Cedar Cultural Center [https://www.thecedar.org/] Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/citycasttwincities/], or email us at twincities@citycast.fm [twincities@citycast.fm]. You can also call or text us at 612-217-0637. For more Twin Cities news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Twin Cities. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise [https://citycast.fm/advertise/].

'Your City Could Be Better': Sean Hosts The Ultimate USA Trivia Battle. How Much Do You Know?

See if your Twin Cities knowledge serves you well! In the first-ever Your City Could Be Better trivia episode, City Cast CEO David Plotz goes head to head with journalist and historian Alexandra Petri to see who knows more about U.S. history, geography, and celebrities ahead of the country’s semiquincentennial. Sean McPherson, trivia wiz and City Cast Twin Cities host, leads four riveting rounds of questions covering everything from The Declaration of Independence to the hottest college rivalries, and all 13 City Cast cities make an appearance. See how you stack up! Mentioned on the show: * Trivia Mafia website [https://www.triviamafia.com/] and locations [https://www.triviamafia.com/locations?tags=trivia%20mafia%20classic,theme%20nights] * Alexandra Petri's US History: Important American Documents (I Made Up) [https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324006435] * Milwaukee's block of Frank Lloyd Wright - Atlas Obscura [https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/frank-lloyd-wrights-burnham-block] Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now!  [yourcitycouldbebetter@citycast.fm] We’re also on Instagram: @yourcitycouldbebetter [https://www.instagram.com/yourcitycouldbebetter] Looking to advertise on Your City Could Be Better? Check out our options [https://citycast.fm/advertise].

Predatory Housing Scheme, Sean Sherman Decolonizes Food, and Civic Improv

A new chapter in Indigenous cuisine has arrived in Minneapolis. Today, we talk with James Beard Award-winning chef Sean Sherman about Indígena by Owamni, his just-opened restaurant at the Guthrie Theater and what it means to put Indigenous ingredients and culture at the center of a menu. Then, Sahan Journal reporter Joey Peters breaks down how contracts for deed are being used to exploit Somali homebuyers in Minnesota, and what a recent court verdict means for accountability. Finally, Tane Danger reflects on moderating an onstage conversation between Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and City Council President Elliott Payne at the Granada Theater. Learn more about the topics discussed in today's episode: Indígena by Owamni [https://owamni.com/] Indígena by Owamni opens a new chapter for Sean Sherman's Indigenous cooking [https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/06/22/indgena-by-owamni-opens-a-new-chapter-for-sean-shermans-indigenous-cooking] (MPR News) How Contracts for Deed Put Families at Financial Risk [https://www.propublica.org/article/how-contracts-for-deed-put-families-at-financial-risk] (ProPublica / Sahan Journal) Political foes Minneapolis mayor and City Council president partner in unlikely improv show [https://www.startribune.com/political-foes-minneapolis-mayor-and-city-council-president-partner-in-unlikely-improv-show/601862830] (Star Tribune) The Future of Minneapolis show [https://www.dangerboat.net/upcoming/future-of-minneapolis] (Theater of Public Policy) Become a City Cast Twin Cities Neighbor [https://membership.citycast.fm/twincities] Upcoming Theater of Public Policy shows: July 14: Hennepin County with Commissioners Angela Conley, Irene Fernando, and Marion Greene July 28, Infectious Disease with U of M public health expert Dr. Michael Osterholm August 11, Closing the Racial Wealth Gap with GroundBreak CEO Adair Mosley August 25: Global Affairs with Mary Curtin, Thomas Hanson, and Arshad Muhammad September 9: The Future of St. Paul with Mayor Kaohly Her and City Council President Rebecca Noecker *Tickets at dangerboat.net/upcoming [https://www.dangerboat.net/upcoming] Learn more about the sponsors of this July 2nd episode: Vida y Deportes [https://vidaydeportes.com/] Twin Cities PBS [https://tpt.org/] BidFTA Online Auctions [https://www.bidfta.com/] Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/citycasttwincities/], or email us at twincities@citycast.fm [twincities@citycast.fm]. You can also call or text us at 612-217-0637. For more Twin Cities news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Twin Cities. Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise [https://citycast.fm/advertise/].