Podcasts about met council

www.commsolutionsmn.com- It was a big week as we lost George Foreman, Kitty Dukakis, and Val Kilmer. The former and the latter gave us so much in the realm of entertainment and it's sad to see them go. President Trump has been lighting it up this week. He enacted the tariffs, had the stock market tank, over 75 nations rushed to negotiate, and the tariffs are on a 90 day pause. China is now in the spotlight as it is trying to fight back, but doesn't have the financial strength to hold out. We'll see how long it lasts. Tim Walz took our $18 billion surplus to a projected $6 billion deficit. That is some of the worst financial mismanagement ever. Not one to learn a lesson, Walz just released his budget, and boy, is it a doozy. He also wants to expand the sales tax to some services that currently don't have one (like having your taxes done). He also wants to increase a healthcare surcharge on HMOs. There is also an anti-fraud provision included. In an effort to "fully fund education" he's cutting funding of some things, like text books, to non-public schools. He's not willing to cut the tax for our seniors on social security. We're one of a handful of states that still do that. Despite the cost for Southwest Rail doubling, it's still full steam ahead. These omnibus bills need to be done. Why won't the Republicans stand up and stop all of this spending? MN statutes say that bills should be single-issue, but they don't write them that way and the courts won't uphold the law.  

Jason talks to State Senator Scott Dibble about a recent audit of the SWLRT project. Is it time for the Met Council to go? It's clearly not working. Then, Jason talks about the Governor's latest out-of-state rally. Is he on the way out the door?

Hour 1: Jason talks with State Sen. Scott Dibble about criticisms of the Met Council and what could/should replace it. Then, do you agree with him that March wasn't exactly filled with "Madness"? The Final Fours were duds!

[@5 min] Alright...This week, we go Inside the Huddle with Elena Villalón! The Cuban-American soprano returns to OBS 6 years after she first joined after winning the Met Council auditions. Later this month, she makes her Detroit Opera debut in Handel's "Rinaldo." [@36 min] And then…a Listener Mailbag on a song recital! Oliver, is this your doing? This is Opera Box Score, not Lieder Anzeigetafel! [@42 min] Plus, in the ‘Two Minute Drill'…will a certain podcast be designated as an enemy of the state for not showing blind allegiance to the chairman? Stay tuned and find out..unless we've already been scrubbed from the internet. GET YOUR VOICE HEARD operaboxscore.com facebook.com/obschi1 bsky @operaboxscore

On "The Lead" - where is Minnesota's population growing? Jason talks with Todd Graham from the Met Council about their survey. Then on "Page 2" would you pay big money to see Def Leppard at the Fair? (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

Send us a textWhat if a city could grow rapidly without losing its charm? Join us as we unpack this with Sarah Van Asten, a dedicated candidate for City Council in Dayton, Minnesota. Sarah shares her strategic vision for managing Dayton's expansion while preserving its unique character and economic vitality. By highlighting critical areas like understanding Met Council policies and prioritizing community needs, she offers insights into innovative solutions for balancing growth with sustainability, including resource sharing with neighboring cities to ensure fiscal responsibility.Maintaining safety without compromising privacy is a delicate balancing act. Discover how Dayton's Police Department has managed to keep crime rates low and how community watch programs could amplify these efforts. We look into the FLOCK camera system, examining its role in law enforcement and the accompanying privacy concerns. The conversation is an eye-opener on how technology can impact both public safety and personal privacy, urging us to find a middle ground that respects individual rights while keeping communities secure.Could agritourism be the key to Dayton's distinct identity? Explore how this city can leverage its agricultural heritage to boost economic development and create jobs. We also tackle pressing infrastructure issues, such as water systems and internet access, essential for supporting current and future residents. As traffic congestion and road safety remain challenges, we discuss strategic collaboration with authorities and creative funding solutions. Finally, Sarah addresses the complex relationship with Hennepin County, advocating for a fair distribution of resources while ensuring the community gets the services it deserves.Support the show Thank you for listening to this episode of HuttCast, the American Podcast. We hope you enjoyed today's discussion and gained valuable insights. To stay updated on our latest episodes, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on your preferred listening platform. Don't forget to leave us a rating and review, as it helps others discover our show. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for future topics, please reach out to us through our website or social media channels. Until next time, keep on learning and exploring the diverse voices that make America great.

www.commsolutionsmn.com- The first presidential debate is drawing nigh. It's looking like President Biden may end up being the nominee, but what about vice president? Kamala Harris remains unpopular and doesn't seem to help Joe Biden's struggling poll numbers at all. Amy Klobuchar alway outperforms in Minnesota. Why? Why do more Minnesotans vote for her? Why can't Republicans lay a glove on her? She votes along party lines with Joe Biden every time, just as she did with Barack Obama. Will the Republican strategy change with Royce White or are we in for another six years of straight Democrat votes? Well, we made it through  another session of the Minnesota Legislaturere. It was bad, but it could have been a lot worse. Once again, they shoved a whole bunch of stuff into one bill, never mind that bills are supposed to ony be one issue. The Dems cut off debate mid-stream (even as amendments were being added by the Republicans) to pass their swampy omnibus bill. They are willing to break the rules to get their way. That should scare everyone. They put restrictions on Uber and Lyft drivers. This affected many independent contractors and their businesses. They passed a bill that would study the restructure Met Council leadership from appointed to elected... not that it would change anything anyway. We did get a few wins. The bonding bill didn't pass. The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA bill) didn't pass. Religious exemptions were added back into the Human Rights Act, and Ranked Choice Voting was DOA... for now. Conservatives have to take back either the House or the Senate in order to keep these awful bills away. We are too close to going down and we have to stand.

Discipline records from the Minneapolis Police Department show that about a dozen officers were disciplined for actions during unrest following George Floyd's murder in 2020. And the state Legislature would take the responsibility for building future light rail projects away from the Met Council and assign it instead to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

It's been a tough time for public transportation. Passengers are slowly coming back to Metro Transit buses and light rail trains after a steep drop during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the average number of riders is still just over half of what it was in 2019, according to Metro Transit. Safety remains a top concern. Passengers in the Twin Cities say it's not unusual to see people openly using drugs or smoking on the trains. Riders and transit staff have been harassed and even assaulted.Reported crimes were up by a third in 2023 compared to 2022, and though assaults are rare and crime has declined in recent months, certain routes continue to attract trouble.In February, a man was shot during a robbery on a light rail train on the Green Line in St. Paul. In early March, a rider was treated for injuries after being stabbed on a Green Line train. Earlier this year, a man died of a drug overdose on the Green Line. He had been found unresponsive when the train pulled into a stop late at night in front of the State Capitol.MPR News host Angela Davis talks with two Metro Transit leaders about how the transit system is addressing safety and expanding some routes.Police and security staff have stepped up their presence. More official staff are starting to ride buses and trains, including outreach workers to connect people with services and TRIP agents, who give directions, explain rules and check for fare compliance.Guests:  Lesley Kandaras has served as Metro Transit's general manager since July 2023. She joined the Metropolitan Council in 2012 as a senior project coordinator and in 2019 moved to Metro Transit, a division of the Met Council, to serve as senior manager-policy development.  Ernest Morales III started as Metro Transit police chief at the beginning of 2023. He spent most of his career with the New York City Police Department, including stints as a deputy inspector and as commanding officer in a transit division in the Bronx. Before moving to Minnesota he served as first deputy police commissioner in Mount Vernon.   Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.  Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.    

The Met Council says its planned Blue Line light rail extension project will add up to 13,000 rides per day on the route and cost close to $3 billion.And teacher union representatives and school district leaders in St. Paul are engaged Friday in their last scheduled mediation session before a possible strike.Those stories and more in today's evening update. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Following an announcement that Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic will step away from leadership due to a recurrence of cancer, Senate DFLers elected Erin Murphy as the next majority leader. The legislature created the Metropolitan Governance Task Force during the 2023 session to study options for reforming the governance structure of the Metropolitan Council, a policy-making body, planning agency and provider of essential services for the Twin Cities metro area. The task force has completed its work, and the report has been forwarded to the legislature. Senator Eric Pratt, R-Prior Lake, co-chair of the task force, joins Capitol Report moderator Shannon Loehrke to assess the success of the panel's efforts.Lawmakers have been meeting with their respective caucuses to decide on priorities and strategies for the 2024 legislative session. House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth joins Shannon to talk about some of the Republican goals for the 2024 session.One of the most unique civil war artifacts on display in the State Capitol is a flagstaff that barely survived the Battle of Gettysburg, and now symbolizes the joining of the North and the South.  Historian Brian Pease explains.

Even tires might be injurious to the climate. At one point our boarder system must have worked. Why did we stop doing what worked? Met Council is being asked for money to study a hyperloop between Minneapolis and Rochester. Why does the unelected Met Council get to dish out money. Johnny Heidt News.Heard on the show:Officer-involved shooting under investigation in WillmarGolf courses opening early amidst unseasonably warm weatherKing Charles III has cancer and is receiving treatment, Buckingham Palace says Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Even tires might be injurious to the climate. At one point our boarder system must have worked. Why did we stop doing what worked? Met Council is being asked for money to study a hyperloop between Minneapolis and Rochester. Why does the unelected Met Council get to dish out money. Johnny Heidt News. Heard on the show: Officer-involved shooting under investigation in Willmar Golf courses opening early amidst unseasonably warm weather King Charles III has cancer and is receiving treatment, Buckingham Palace says Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam and Jordana have a spirited debate about investing in an unproven hyperlink in Minnesota. 

President Biden and more confusing audio. Are the Cargill's up to the development of a new harbor? A new bill in CA would replace governors on your car. Rev Tim joins us with his view on Mary Moriarty. Johnny Heidt with guitar news. Reusse with his weekly sports report.Heard On The Show:Southwest Light Rail whistleblower sues Met Council over alleged retaliationTroubled north Minneapolis liquor store's license transferred to We Push for Peace founderThe latest on immigration, refugees and international travel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

President Biden and more confusing audio. Are the Cargill's up to the development of a new harbor? A new bill in CA would replace governors on your car. Rev Tim joins us with his view on Mary Moriarty. Johnny Heidt with guitar news. Reusse with his weekly sports report. Heard On The Show: Southwest Light Rail whistleblower sues Met Council over alleged retaliation Troubled north Minneapolis liquor store's license transferred to We Push for Peace founder The latest on immigration, refugees and international travel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Metropolitan Council President Charlie Zelle joins Chad to talk about engaging with train and bus riders this week to learn about what they can still improve with Metro Transit. Plus, Charlie is very open and honest about security concerns many in the public still have about Metro Transit.

www.commsolutionsmn.com-  Ramsey County is trying to pass a $842 million budget, and there is no expense spared. It's 750 pages of endless spending to the tune of almost $1 billion. They have huge personnel costs, as they have well over 4,000 employees. There is all sorts of state aid and federal aid, mixed with bonding, to meet the demands that they have laid out. Ramsey County has hundreds of millions in debt. That's a ton of extra money that its residents are paying just in interest payments. Ramsey County doesn't care. You're just an open wallet to them, and most governing bodies have the same attitude. We also discuss the $535 million funding gap for Southwest Light Rail. Hennepin County and the Met Council decided to get together for a little "Let's Make A Deal" to cover this endless financial sinkhole. Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We've launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don't forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

www.commsolutionsmn.com- Just about everyone agrees that the Met Council is way too powerful. They threaten cities with litigation if they don't fall into line. So what glorious ideas are both Republicans and Democrats agreeing upon to fix this problem? Dismantle their authority? Of course not! We're going to elect them! People don't know who their county commissioner or park district representative is, and yet they will make an educated decision regarding their Met Council rep? Both parties in our legislature are making excuses as to why they can't strip the Met Council of its power over our counties and cities. There is little political will to make significant reforms over just changing the window dressings. The legislature is rushing this through, wanting some elections as early as 2024. Who will be ready to run? Only the people they are already grooming. We also discuss a recent meeting one of us attended in a room full of lefties regarding John Marty's bill for single payer healthcare in MN. It's interesting how they tried to control the crowd and guide their thought process to accept a single-payer solution. There's just a little bit of pressure. Tune in to see how the other half lives! Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We've launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don't forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

Dr. Shoshannah Frydman, PhD, LCSW is the executive director of Shalom Task Force. Dr. Frydman is a trauma-informed therapist and advocate who has worked in the field of domestic abuse and family violence in the Jewish community for close to 20 years. Dr. Frydman co-chairs the UJA Taskforce on Family Violence, and was recently appointed to the New York City Mayor's Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence COVID-19 Response Group. Dr. Frydman previously served as the managing director of Family Violence and Social Services at the Met Council. Dr. Frydman received her MSW from the University of Maryland School of Social Work and her PhD at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York/Hunter College Silberman School of Social Work. _____________________________________________________ Shalom Task Force https://shalomtaskforce.org/ Call, Text, Chat- 888-882-2323 Thehotline.org 800.799.SAFE (7233) The Community has Power, and the Power of Community | Shoshannah D. Frydman | The Blogs (timesofisrael.com) https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-community-has-power-and-the-power-of-community/ JOWMA Podcast: Love Shouldn't Hurt with Anna Sherman, RP MFT https://anchor.fm/jowma/episodes/Love-Shouldnt-Hurt-with-Anna-Sherman--RP-MFT-e1eqv73 Mishpacha Article: Shattered https://mishpacha.com/shattered/ _______________________________________________________ This podcast episode is sponsored by the Lev Initiative: Everyone deserves to be safe. The Lev Initiative provides mental health support to those impacted by intimate partner violence, also known as domestic violence. We take a holistic approach to help survivors of any age find ways to heal and thrive. Our virtual and in-person services include crisis and individual counseling sessions, support groups, psychotherapy, community-sensitive emergency housing, and linkages to a variety of community resources. The Lev Initiative is brought to the community by The Jewish Board in partnership with UJA-Federation. For more information, contact us confidentially at lev@jbfcs.org or 646-273-1800. Are you interested in sponsoring the JOWMA Podcast? Email digitalcontent@jowma.org for more information. _______________________________________________________ Become a JOWMA Member! www.jowma.org  Follow us on Instagram! www.instagram.com/JOWMA_org  Follow us on Twitter! www.twitter.com/JOWMA_med  Follow us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/JOWMAorg/ Stay up-to-date with JOWMA news! Sign up for the JOWMA newsletter! https://jowma.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9b4e9beb287874f9dc7f80289&id=ea3ef44644&mc_cid=dfb442d2a7&mc_eid=e9eee6e41e

Underway from the Minnesota State Fair, we aren't even a week into the Minnesota State Fair and producer Dave Harrigan is one entry at the Minnesota State Fair away from being on a ‘wanted' poster. We transitioned into talking about the Southwest Light Rail Transit as well after hearing the Met Council has paused funding amid some stalemates in the process. After that we asked Adam a variety of questions in this State Fair edition of Ask Adam Anything.

The Met Council said they have reached a deal with Hennepin County to fund the project. The line, which will connect downtown Minneapolis with Eden Prairie, Minn., has been plagued by construction delays and cost overruns. High temperatures are forecast to reach well into the 90s Tuesday and Wednesday and even triple digits in some spots. The heat index will be into the triple digits. This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Music by Gary Meister.

Rep. Frank Hornstein, Chair of the House Transportation Finance and Policy committee, joins Chad to speak about the deal between the Met Council and Hennepin County to cover the funding gap for Southwest LRT and why it doesn't mean much yet until he hears a completion date for the project.

R-rated comedies are making a bit of a comeback this summer. What are the greatest dirty comedies of all time? Chad starts with that topic before Rep. Frank Hornstein joins to share his thoughts on a reported deal between the Met Council and Hennepin County to cover the funding gap for Southwest LRT.

Representative Frank Hornstein joins Chad to talk about the Southwest LRT builder firing back at the audit of the troubled project, failures from the Met Council and much more.

Cliff Schecter starts off the show today; Twitter competitors spike in number; Eagles and Steely Dan head to Xcel this fall; QAnon figure dies after accident in Minnesota; economic issues in Waseca; Met Council failed to enforce agreements with contactors according to reports.

www.commsolutionsmn.com- The Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line just got a huge financial shot in the arm from the Federal government. It is only a 10-mile line, and $240 million alone is coming from the Feds. $120 million a piece have come from Ramsey and Washington counties. That is such a short route, and it stops in so few places. It will serve such a small segment of the population, but that doesn't stop them from building it anyways. All this in a time where more people are staying home for one reason or another. They are looking to open the Gold Line in 2024, and they want to create bus-only bridges and lanes. You'd think that Republicans might stand up and put a halt to all of this spending and forced redevelopment, but they aren't. They seem to join in with the Democrats and vote to spend, spend, spend. They know it's part of a bigger agenda, but they refuse to stand up for individuals and small businesses that are being bullied by large corporations and government working together. For instance, Rochester is looking to put together a 3-mile BRT line to please Mayo clinic, complete with a 13 acre Transit-Oriented Development site. Southwest Light Rail is 10 years over schedule and double under budget. Metro Transit is cutting routes, because they are so empty. We've got to stop this madness. We also discuss Wells Fargo's recent plan to consolidate office space. Corporations are entering into a new era where more people are working from home, AI is replacing jobs, and fewer people are working at all. Having all of these big office buildings are no longer tenable for big corporations, so what's next? We discuss. Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We've launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don't forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

An elementary school teacher in Shoreview apparently enjoys the confusion in the kids that wonder if she is male or female. Are you going to take the Anoka eco challenge? Johnny Heidt with guitar news.Heard on the show:Help raise funds for LaDavionne's ExpensesAuditor's Office on SWLRT project: Met Council wasn't fully transparent on costs, didn't hold contractor accountableWhere's the mail? Rep. Craig talks about ongoing delivery issueCredit Suisse shares tank after Saudi backer rules out further assistance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

An elementary school teacher in Shoreview apparently enjoys the confusion in the kids that wonder if she is male or female. Are you going to take the Anoka eco challenge? Johnny Heidt with guitar news. Heard on the show: Help raise funds for LaDavionne's Expenses Auditor's Office on SWLRT project: Met Council wasn't fully transparent on costs, didn't hold contractor accountable Where's the mail? Rep. Craig talks about ongoing delivery issue Credit Suisse shares tank after Saudi backer rules out further assistance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Met Council will vote Wednesday evening on a contract with a security company to place guards at six bus and light rail stations. Metro Transit announced on Tuesday it will close the shelter at the Uptown Transit Station in Minneapolis until it has security there. The number of riders dipped significantly during the pandemic. Recently there's been a lot of talk about safety problems on buses, trains and in the stations, including assaults and drug use. These troubles are not helping Metro Transit recruit drivers and get ridership back to pre-pandemic levels. Drew Kerr is Senior Manager of Communications for Metro Transit and he joined MPR News guest host Tim Nelson to talk about the Metropolitan Council vote and the plan to close stations.

www.commsolutionsmn.com- I'm not sure that anyone can explain how property taxes are figured out, but we're going to give it a shot. You get the county, the city, and the school district, all with their hands in the pie. There are 47-some classifications of properties, despite there being four main classifications (residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural). But as with all things, government makes everything more complicated. Also, your home value is not tied to how much you pay. Your taxes do not move up and down with your home value. They figure out how much money they need, and break it up among property owners based on your property. Leave it to government to confuse the issue further, with a number of levies for each government body. Schools have operating levies and deferred maintenance levies. Hennepin county has the general levy, but also a Railroad Authority levy and a Housing Authority levy. Why don't they just take the money and split it up afterward? We take a stab at some solutions for a simpler way of figuring out and assessing property taxes. Maybe we're on to something? We also discuss Tim Walz's strange behavior in rushing to sign an executive order where the state of Minnesota will not assist another state when an adult bring a child into the state for gender-affirming care, even if it's illegal in the state they are coming from or the adult has no legal right to bring the child to Minnesota. They are refusing to get involved, even if the adult is breaking the law (i.e. non-custodial parent or other adult bringing a child without parental consent). Our state government has lost it's ever-lovin' mind, and we're all suffering for it, despite the fact that 49% of the state didn't vote for these clowns. Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We've launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don't forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

www.commsolutionsmn.com- Property ownership is a bedrock of American society. It has been ingrained in the fabric of our great country since before the beginning. Yet, government has found a way to confiscate our property, despite what the constitution says. Government came up with eminent domain as a way to take that property back. They would just take what they wanted, when they wanted it. Then laws were tightened after the Kelo v New London case at the Supreme Court. This was a terrible decision that set lawmakers to tightening up the laws around eminent domain. Minnesota statutes state that there are certain situations in which the government can take your land. What does it mean when a property is blighted? What is "public use"? Of course these are defined very vaguely, so that the government still has the greatest opportunity to get what they want. The growing fascism in this country (and the world) has brought government and business together to take from the people, so that we are completely dependent on them. It's time for local governments to take action to further protect property rights by narrowing the scope under when eminent domain is allowed. We've got some ideas on how to start. We also discuss how the schools are losing touch with all common sense. With the recent blizzard, Robbinsdale schools closed for three days way too early... but the State High School Girls Hockey Tournament went forward as planned that night. Ummmm...? Our schools are in trouble and they don't seem to be getting any better. They are drifting further into propaganda and losing their neighborhood feel. Somebody help? Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We've launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don't forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

www.commsolutionsmn.com- Today we focus on counties. The Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) has an updated legislative agenda, looking to states and the Federal Government for funding and support. Now we all know that money comes in a one-time payment, and because the county scrambles for the free money, they are left having to pay for these things forever after. We see county government taking on Health and Human Services, roads, transportation, housing, law enforcement, and more. It's a huge burden, but some of it is brought on by bigger government and these unfunded programs. AMC is proposing to lower property taxes by getting more money from the state. Wait, what? That's our money too. They want the state to spend more on equitable housing, regardless of what the market calls for. They also call for a state-wide, multi-modal transportation system. Where is it dense enough to support this? It's one desired hand out after another. There is a whole bunch of lobbying going onto get their hands on your money, and as long as these humongous omnibus bills there's a good chance it'll get funded. We take some time to discuss the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Jason compares this one to his memories of the 2010 Hatian earthquake. Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We've launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don't forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

www.commsolutionsmn.com-  Here we are wrapping up 2022 and on the precipice of 2023. This is the end of season six, and season seven is on the way in. And after six seasons, things are more out of control than ever. Our job is far from finished. Brooklyn Center is in some serious trouble. They have thirty-six police officers and are trying to get to forty-nine. They have three out of five detective positions filled. They are working with groups like We Push For Peace and Freedom Fighters to lower crime. There are record-setting numbers of homicides in Hennepin County and they are charging fewer people for the violent crimes they commit. Aggravated assaults have increased from 41 to 91 since 2017. Robbery is up 108%, and carjackings 200%. The city council doesn't seem to have a clue what the crime stats actually are in the city, and the mayor-elect, April Graves did not mention one single thing about public safety on her campaign website. There was a whole lot of woke talk though. This city is out of control, and they continue to promote even more of the policies that are producing the results that caused them to vote out Mayor Mike Elliot for April Graves. They don't even have a street crimes department. Neither do they know what their police department needs. No wonder they are caught flat-footed. Their municipal liquor store lost $51,000 last year (no. 1 in the state) because of theft and riots. 1,700 people stole from them on the night the Daunte Wright incident happened. They are also trying to get Met Council money to transform their downtown area into an opportunity site without fixing any of the issue that make that city a mess. And guess what? It's full of every lousy woke thing you can think of. We also discuss the recent DWI arrest of former Hennepin County Commissioner, Mike Opat and his attempt to get out of it by dropping his own name. Being part of the government club, do you think his sentence was a harsh one? I bet you know the answer already. Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We've launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don't forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

This episode is sponsored by Esther & Jerry Williams in honor of all those who support Shalom Task Force.If you are in crisis please reach out to the Shalom Task Force Hotline at 888-883-2323.On this episode of 18Forty, we have a deeply moving conversation on the topic of red flags in relationships. We speak with Esther Williams and Dr. Shoshannah Frydman from Shalom Task Force, and one person who extricated herself from an abusive relationship. The dynamics of relationships, whether healthy, unhealthy, or anywhere in between are complex, and we set out to better our understanding of the signs of relational abuse. Whether or not you have personally struggled with the issues we discuss here, we are all better off when we are more informed about the what and why of relational health, so tune in now.In this interview, we discuss:- What are the signs of an unhealthy relationship?- How can we foster understanding and awareness of the dynamics of healthy and unhealthy relationship dynamics from an earlier age?- What are the steps one can take to extricate themself or heal from a challenging relationship?First interview starts at 10:35The Shalom Task Force, Inc (STF) is a non-profit community organization that aims to combat and prevent domestic violence and foster safe and healthy relationships and families. The STF focuses on helping those in the Jewish community that may not have access to traditional services and that need culturally sensitive programming. The STF runs a free, anonymous hotline that helps individuals find the services they need, provides assistance through legal services, supportive counseling, and referral information, and offers prevention and psychoeducational workshops, trainings, and community programs to increase awareness of relationship abuse and promote healthy relationships.Dr. Shoshannah Frydman, PhD, LCSW is the executive director of Shalom Task Force. Dr. Frydman is a trauma-informed therapist and advocate who has worked in the field of domestic abuse and family violence in the Jewish community for close to 20 years. Dr. Frydman co-chairs the UJA Taskforce on Family Violence, and was recently appointed to the New York City Mayor's Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence COVID-19 Response Group. Dr. Frydman previously served as the managing director of Family Violence and Social Services at the Met Council. Dr. Frydman received her MSW from the University of Maryland School of Social Work and her PhD at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York/Hunter College Silberman School of Social Work.Esther Williams is the President of the Shalom Task Force and a past board member and executive vice president of the Orthodox Union.References:Shalom Task Force“Dealbreakers Talk Show #0001” on 30 Rock18Forty – Teshuva Series National Domestic Abuse HotlineThe Patient“The Quick Shift: Orthodox Jewish Women's Early Marital Sexual Experience” by Shoshannah D. Frydman “Tradition and Transition. Orthodox Women's Experience with Kallah Classes and Early Marital Intimacy” by Shoshannah D. Frydman The VowThe Greatest Average American by Nate BargatzeThis Is UsThe NCSY boxShalom Task Force Guides and Educational MaterialsI'm so Confused, Am I Being Abused? Guidance for the Orthodox Jewish Spouse and Those Who Want to Help by Lisa G. TwerskySpeak by Laurie Halse AndersonWhy Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men by Lundy BancroftInvisible Chains: Overcoming Coercive Control in Your Intimate Relationship by Lisa A. Fontes No Visible Bruises: What We Don't Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us by Rachel Louise Snyder

Jennifer Brooks from the Star Tribune wrote a wonderful column about Adam and Abby Duininck. He's a Democrat who used to work for the Met Council. She's a Republican who used to work for a Congress member. How do they make it work?

Minnesota is a state blessed with abundant outdoor spaces. Pristine lakes, rocky shores, towering pines, dancing prairies, there is a never-ending, always-changing kaleidoscope of nature that beckons us to explore.   But not everyone feels welcome.   Historically, outdoor recreation has been a white, wealthy, able-bodied and male-dominated realm. Here in Minnesota, about 20 percent of Minnesotans identify as people of color. But according to a Department of Natural Resources study, people of color make up only five percent of state park visitors.   What can be done to encourage all Minnesotans to enjoy our rich landscape? Is there a way to make communities of color feel safe and welcome in traditionally white outdoor spaces? What kind of innovative programs are already addressing this disparity?   Outside in MN Duluth groups push to make outdoor sports more diverse Angela Davis Minnesota looks to address disparities in outdoor recreation APM Research Lab How Minnesotans feel about local parks and other outdoor recreation areas On August 31, at a special In Focus, live at the Minnesota State Fair, MPR News host Twila Dang tackled these questions and more with two outdoor equity experts. Guests: Anthony Taylor works tirelessly to connect Black people and communities of color to nature-based outdoor experiences and active living. He has led equitable outdoors efforts as Adventures Director for the Loppet Foundation and as SVP Equity Outdoors for YMCA of the North. He continues this work to make Minnesota's green spaces welcoming and accessible to all through his work at the Met Council, The Cultural Wellness Center and various other municipal, state and community partners.  Asha Shoffner is an educator, adventurer, disrupter, auntie and the founder of Fiwygin Outdoors and the BIPOC Outdoors Twin Cities Facebook group. Asha also works for the city of Saint Paul as an environmental and outdoor education coordinator.  To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

Minnesota is a state blessed with abundant outdoor spaces. Pristine lakes, rocky shores, towering pines, dancing prairies, there is a never-ending, always-changing kaleidoscope of nature that beckons us to explore.   But not everyone feels welcome.   Historically, outdoor recreation has been a white, wealthy, able-bodied and male-dominated realm. Here in Minnesota, about 20 percent of Minnesotans identify as people of color. But according to a Department of Natural Resources study, people of color make up only five percent of state park visitors.   What can be done to encourage all Minnesotans to enjoy our rich landscape? Is there a way to make communities of color feel safe and welcome in traditionally white outdoor spaces? What kind of innovative programs are already addressing this disparity?   Outside in MN Duluth groups push to make outdoor sports more diverse Angela Davis Minnesota looks to address disparities in outdoor recreation APM Research Lab How Minnesotans feel about local parks and other outdoor recreation areas On August 31, at a special In Focus, live at the Minnesota State Fair, MPR News host Twila Dang tackled these questions and more with two outdoor equity experts. Guests: Anthony Taylor works tirelessly to connect Black people and communities of color to nature-based outdoor experiences and active living. He has led equitable outdoors efforts as Adventures Director for the Loppet Foundation and as SVP Equity Outdoors for YMCA of the North. He continues this work to make Minnesota's green spaces welcoming and accessible to all through his work at the Met Council, The Cultural Wellness Center and various other municipal, state and community partners.  Asha Shoffner is an educator, adventurer, disrupter, auntie and the founder of Fiwygin Outdoors and the BIPOC Outdoors Twin Cities Facebook group. Asha also works for the city of Saint Paul as an environmental and outdoor education coordinator.  To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

Recorded live from the recent JCon Conference, tune in TONIGHT at 10PM EST on the 710 WOR Mind Your Business broadcast – and across America on the iHeart Radio Network – to hear from David G. Greenfield, CEO of Met Council, as well other impactful leaders such as Kalman Yeger, New York City Council Member and Shea Rubenstein, Founder of JCon Conferences. Tune in to hear how a leader can guide his team, then step back and watch them succeed and grow, while making a positive impact on their customers. Other Hot Topics Include: Importance of collaboration in business. The power of leaders communicating effectively

Hennepin County and the Met Council are in agreement that the Blue Line Extension light rail will go right up the gut of County Rd 81, but who else is in agreement? This story goes back decades to the Bottineau Boulevard Partnership, where all the cities on the line, Hennepin County, Target Corp, Olympus, North Memorial Hospital, and others all had a special club to get this project approved and built. One huge catch... the residents don't want it. It doesn't matter how much the people protest it, government knows better. They will push this through by hook or by crook (probably by crook). This has been a debacle since the beginning. The county spent millions of dollars to do impact studies, plan the project, and begin selling it to the public. They never talked to the BNSF railroad who was not willing to sell their line (ruh-roh). Maybe that should have come first. Needless to say, even that isn't enough to stop these knuckleheads. Oh no, because it is racist to not have light rail to connect affordable housing to work, never mind that most people don't live of work near a light rail line. It's time to give you an update on this dumpster fire of a project. We also talk some of the recent primaries that have captured our attention and Governor Walz's veto record. Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We've launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don't forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

Numbers are still down on trains and buses and the Met Council says it's a chicken-or-the-egg situation when it comes to safety. How can they increase numbers? We discussed.

Nachum Segal interviews David G. Greenfield, CEO and Exec. Dir. of Met Council, and presents great Jewish music, the latest news from Israel and Morning Chizuk with Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser.

Metro Transit wants to promote their initiative to create more opportunities for minority vendors and contracts with the agency. The program is called the Metropolitan Council Underutilized Business (MCUB)

www.commsolutionsmn.com- Southwest Light Rail is back in the news. This is a project that just will not die. It's way over time and over budget, but that doesn't stop our unaccountable Met Council from pushing it forward. $2.7 billion is the new projected cost for the project, and there is no consideration for the inflation we've all incurred (or that inflation is nowhere near its peak). Now they want an independent audit to decide if all the cash has been spent wisely. We don't need an audit to say that there's tons of waste, but they will never ask the question "if" this should still be done at all. This project has been bungled from the Met Council, to the Legislature, Hennepin County, and down to the local governments. People like Rep Ryan Winkler acknowledge how expensive it's already been, but used that as an excuse as to why it has to be finished. Sen Melissa Franzen says that we must protect their investment by finishing the project. That doesn't even make sense! Protect the money by spending more money? Governor Walz wants the audit, but has more money set aside for Southwest in his budget. Our government is dead set on making this unsustainable boondoggle a reality, no matter the harm it causes the everyday resident. I guess that it's more important to look fashionable than to do your job to protect the people. We also take a look at the new redistricting plans that were released by the state. It's not all bad? Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We've launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don't forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

www.commsolutionsmn.com-  You know how we say that regional government has it's tentacles everywhere? Enter the Central Mississippi Regional Planning Partnership. Everyone thinks about the Metropolitan Council in the Twin Cities, but most of the state is under regional government through the Minnesota Association of Development Organizations (MADO). The Central Mississippi Regional Planning Partnership fills a void that's not covered by MADO or the Met Council. They have come up with a bold vision for a "complete region", based on the always errant population forecasts. These bold visions always ask for additional walking and bike paths that are interconnected with regional trails. They push life cycle housing, urbanizing our small towns. They try to sell "placemaking", where they center development around certain planning concepts, like mixed use development, transit, and cloistered communities. This group is meant to consolidate government and increase its power. It is not interested in diverse voices. We need to make government local again. That's the only way we have a say in our future. We also give you an update on the "Hutch" Hutchinson drunk Driving debacle. Guess what? Apparently he says that he wasn't driving... it was a cab driver! I guess the case is solved. Don't worry, he won't see any repercussions. Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We've launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don't forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

www.commsolutionsmn.com- The Metropolitan Council keeps pushing metro cities around, incorrectly projecting growth and trying to make cities build high density housing and transit systems in the middle of a changing model. The Thrive MSP 2040 plan not only forced metro cities into unwanted development, but it also contributed to changes in Greater Minnesota, as the Minnesota Association of Development Organizations (MADO) took many of these ideas for their Develop MN Plan, help cities and towns in writing comprehensive plans, and rolling these ideals down to their ten Regional Planning Organizations. Well, it's time to begin planning for 2050! The Met Council believes that the Metro area will grow to 4 million people by 2050! Who do they source for all of this growth? Themselves, of course! Keep in mind that they are never, ever right. They also say that the white population will level off and decline. They are proposing that the majority of growth with be with the minority populations due to migration. They are projecting huge job growth, despite there already being 11 million unfilled jobs in the U.S.A. They will try to push more high density housing in order to make room for all of the migration that they are projecting. They want to run transit through all of the areas that haven't seen any growth because they are already fully developed. How do we stop this from destroying Minnesota's cities? We also discuss the failing economy under a failing president. Inflation and a suffering supply chain are teetering on the brink. Interest rate increases are being discussed alongside tapering the purchase of our Treasury Bonds. Combustion engines are going away, and we don't even have a good alternative yet. Everyone had better take cover! Of course we have to update you on the lingering mystery that is the Robbinsdale Public Schools School Board appointment. What happens when they get to pick one of their own? This may have been one of the least transparent processes we've seen, but we've got a name... and a completely expected agenda. Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We've launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don't forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

Deb Barber serves the residents of Carver and Scott County (District 4) at The Metropolitan Council, a position she was appointed to by then Governor Dayton in 2015 and again in 2019 by Governor Waltz. She chairs the Transportation Committee which along with the Land Use Committee is one of the most visible and out-front positions of the Council. Some of the topics we discussed are; What exactly is Met Council? What work do they do for us? How does the Council work with the county and the various cities of Carver and Scott County? How does that work fit in with the rest of the Metro? What does our future look like? Deb is clearly a very competent, committed public servant and I enjoyed our conversation very much. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Poor Jews and the rising Jewish Poverty rate in New York is the subject of a special Talkline with Zev Brenner Jewish New tYear broadcast. David Greenfield, former Councilman and talk show host and CEO of Met Council on Jewish Poverty talks about the various services available including food, therapy services and rent relief for tenants and landlords. This podcast is powered by JewishPodcasts.org. Start your own podcast today and share your content with the world. Click jewishpodcasts.fm/signup to get started.

Even with Cuomo out of office, our state still faces a housing crisis. This week, The Supreme Court has issued a temporary injunction against the  "Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act," also known as the New York State's Eviction moratorium. This immediately suspends the eviction protections for tenants included in that law. Up to 40 million Americans could face eviction due to the ending of the eviction moratorium. For some, it's fifteen months worth of back rent- and in more expensive cities like NYC or Portland where rents have skyrocketed after the 2008 mortgage crisis, that can mean up to $31,500 - due immediately. As the Delta variant surges with 619,000 deaths in the last 30 days and hospitals filled to breaking point from Florida to Texas (including 90,000 hospitalized children in the last week alone), the pandemic is certainly not over. And with only 71% of adults vaccinated and children under 12 ineligible for a vaccine, it won't be ending any time soon either. Tonight, we hear from State Senator and NYC-DSA member Jabari Brisport about the plans from the DSA Socialists in Office in New York State's legislature to fight for housing as a human right - and the right for all of us to stay at home during COVID 19. Here are resources via the Met Council on Housing on what to do if you are facing eviction: DO NOT SELF-EVICT! DO NOT MOVE OUT! It is extremely important to remember that evictions proceedings are long and there are other anti-eviction laws in place.How can you protect yourself now?1)  Apply for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP): If you apply for this program, your landlord cannot move forward with your eviction. This is the strongest protection we have to keep people in their homes.2) Sign up for the federal CDC moratorium: The federal government has extended its moratorium to October 1st. It is not as strong as the NY State Eviction Moratorium but if you sign the CDC declaration of hardship, it will provide you with a defense in court if your landlord tries to evict you3) Join your building's tenant union, or reach out to CASA, Crown Heights Tenant Union or Met Council on Housing for housing help, resources to start your own tenant union or you can also call 311 for available city resources. We here at RPM stand in solidarity with tenants across the country. 

www.commsolutionsmn.com- Can you name your county attorney? Each county has one. Too many county attorneys across the United States have decided to take on the jobs of defense attorneys and legislators. How can they just decide not to prosecute certain crimes? Our cities and counties are becoming less safe as they turn criminals back out into the streets. They will tell you that it's only low-level offenses, but that's not true. It's shoplifters, car thieves, rioters, and in some cases, even violent crimes like murder. We are seeing these county attorneys go soft on crime in Hennepin, Ramsey, and St Louis counties, among other Minnesota counties. Attorney General, Keith Ellison, has taken over prosecuting police in certain cases. Los Angeles County's George Gascon is letting almost everyone go, and the police are fighting him every step of the way. These criminals learn that crime pays, and continue to violate the law, rather than letting the justice system deter criminal acts down the line. Ultimately, this makes all of us less safe, and feeling less secure in our communities. These cities need to fight back, and some are starting to. In this episode, Jason attempts to take the "Travel Behavior Inventory" from the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Met Council. Big shock... what a scam to track and trace where you go and how you get there. How far will we get into the inventory before we refuse to go any further? Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We've launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don't forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

www.commsolutionsmn.com- Tax money is flying all around the state. It's going to feed transportation, housing, transit, roads, and more. There are, however, strings that come along with all of it, in order for the state to get things done their way. Rural areas and small towns are getting decimated in the process. Roads are handled differently depending on what type of road is being fixed. There are a number of different taxes that feed into that. There's the gas tax, the motor vehicle sales tax, and tabs. Then the state breaks that up among state aid roads, state highways, and trunk highways. Is there a better way to fund these projects across the state? There's way too much reliance on bonding when it comes to funding projects. Cities need to start looking ahead and planning for their future. Saving in advance saves constituents millions of dollars. Hidden taxes like special assessments, franchise fees, and debt service eat up so much money that residents don't even realize they are paying. We see the same things happening across the state. The problem is that you have regional planning organizations (i.e. Met Council, MADO, counties, etc) driving these changes down to the cities they oversee. If you listened to the last episode, you know that these staff planners are all trained with the same concepts in the universities. What do these rural areas and smaller cities need to do to keep their character intact, yet move into the 21st century? We also discuss the newest round of Governor Tim Walz's lockdowns, and how they don't seem to based in science. He goes after bars and restaurants because they don't have anyone to stand up for them. It's all meant to use fear to make people feel safe, because he's doing "something". Shouldn't we do the right thing? All of this posturing is meant to cover over that they don't have a plan, besides staying locked down. Where is the voice of the opposition in St. Paul? Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

Theresa Robbinson, Emily Scott, Jasmin Smith, and Matthew Schneeman discuss a new report from the Metropolitan Council on Housing showing a rise in the number of NYC tenants who cannot pay their rent; the police killing of a man who claimed responsibility for the fatal shooting of a right-wing protestor in Portland; and Russia's coronavirus vaccine. Matt also interviews the hosts for a podcast series he's working on called "A Year From Now."

www.commsolutionsmnm.com- In a previous episode, we discussed a group called the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE). After their collaborating with GARE, the city of Golden Valley came up with a racial equity plan. This is the trendy thing to do in many cities across the nation, including in Minnesota. Equity is a hot buzzword being pushed by the Metropolitan Council and the Minnesota Association of Development Organizations (MADO). It is listed all throughout the Met Council's Thrive MSP 2040 plan and MADO's DevelopMN 2019 plan, and is working its way into local comprehensive plans. Books like White Fragility have really hurt this nation, because they feed into the false white privilege dogma that finds its origins in cultural Marxism's critical race theory. These people are out to make all white people into one of two kinds of racists: 1) those that admit it, throw themselves on the mercy of the woke, and become virulent antiracists themselves, or 2) Those who refuse or are too daft to acknowledge their racism. This second group needs to made to recognize their racism, according to the first group. Golden Valley created the Rising Tides Task Force out of their equity plan. Their purpose is to drive equity across the city. They are hiring a racial equity coordinator to a six-figure salary. The want to change city services, staff/elected official/volunteers, events, and opportunities to be more culturally sensitive. It's important to see what Golden Valley is doing here, so that you are prepared to recognize it in your own city. Also, our favorite ex-mayor is running for school board in District 281. Be afraid... be very afraid. Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: Community Solutions Music From the Podcast! You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

Guests Monsignor Kevin Sullivan of Catholic Charities and David Greenfield CEO of Met Council.

May 1 Rent Strike https://popularresistance.org/tenant-advocates-call-for-mass-rent-strike-on-may-1/ Those interested in organizing their buildings should consult the Legal Aid Society (212-577-3300), Legal Services NYC (917-661-4500) or the Met Council on Housing (646-542-1920). Additionally, the Met Council on Housing encourages prospective strikers to text “Rent Strike” to 33339 (use “Huelga de Renta” for Spanish). #peoplearerevolting twitter.com/peoplerevolting Peoplearerevolting.com https://flipboard.com/@unrelatedthings/people-are-revolting-9mp6ipe2y

As a former legislator and current law professor and now the CEO of the largest Jewish charity serving the poor in North America, the Honorable David Greenfield shares his advice on: Lessons from the corporate world, as applied to the non-profit sector How to motivate 1000’s of staff and volunteers to be passionate for your cause Tips on how to deal with pressure. And more... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

www.commsolutionsmn.com-  Well, we are in the middle of an indefinite lockdown, and I think we are all losing track of time. That’s OK, because according to the federal government and the state of Minnesota, money is flowing like water! It’s true and you are able to get your hands on some of that green yourself... or maybe not. Business are able to line up for emergency cash to keep their bills and employees paid, but who’s getting it? Big retailers like Sears, JCPenney, and J.Crew are on life-support. In the recent federal stimulus bill, $300 Million was given to the Social Security Administration to keep the bureau running. $50 Million went to the Institute of Museum and Library services.  $75 Million was earmarked to PBS. How is that essential? $1 Billion was sent to Amtrak. $350 Million was spent in refugee assistance and resettlement. Free video conferencing and phone calls were legislated for inmates. How necessary is all of this? Minnesota has also passed four of their own bailout bills. They authorized the Met Council to buy protective equipment for Metro Transit employees. They allowed for local governments to get around compliance with open meeting laws. And they spent a ton more. We also discuss all of the recent authoritarian behavior from local governments and state governments against religion. We have seen too many instances in Michigan, Kentucky, Florida, and other states that have outright forbid people of faith from getting together at all, even with safe social distancing. These stories are a direct infringement upon the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and in some cases state constitutions as well. If we do not have rights now, during this time… Then we really do not have rights at all, for our rights do not protect us when things are going well, but are rather here to protect us when things are falling apart. Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

www.commsolutionsmn.com- Today, on Episode 150 we welcome the original, the standard bearer, Mayor Mark Korin to the show! Mayor Korin has quite the tale to tell. He never intended to be mayor, but like us, local politics found him. The hubris of local politicians in Oak Grove, MN awakened something in him that compelled him to get involved. (Sound familiar?) He started on an advisory commission, got onto the city council, and eventually became mayor. He took on some city staff that thought that they ran the city instead of the council. He then went on to take on the Met Council, reduce taxes, and make Oak Grove a great place to live. We talk to Mark about his time in office and that there is a different way to run local government than what almost every other city in Minnesota seems to do. We also pry into his future plans. You don't want to miss this episode! We recorded this episode before the Iowa Caucus... and while we're still not exactly sure who won, we're as close as we're gonna get. At any rate, we gave predictions. Guess how we did? One of us did slightly better than the other.  Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

www.commsolutionsmn.com- In cities and small towns all over the nation, we see urban planning concepts popping up like developing high density housing, bike paths, and traffic calming measures. There are a number of groups that are pushing for these changes everywhere. One of the main groups advocating for these changes in communities everywhere is The Congress for the New Urbanism. They are a well-funded group that pushes a philosophy of higher density, sustainable development, and the war on cars. They set policy that groups like the Met Council, MADO, and The League of Minnesota Cities adopt and foist on cities that don't suspect that some think tank that knows nothing about their city is giving direction on how to bring (and teaching how to sell) these out-of-touch cities into the new era of enlightenment. You didn't even know this was happening. In this week's Local Lowdown, we discuss the recent DWI arrest of Val Johnson, the sitting mayor of New Brighton. Will her conscience get the best of her and cause her to resign? Are you kidding? We also tell you all about an 85 question student survey that is launching today (2/6/19) in ISD 728 (Elk River, Zimmerman, Otsego, Rogers) that is full of super invasive questions about drugs, sexual orientation, and gender identification. After hearing the questions we present to you, you may want to make sure your child opts-out. But hey... this is the school board you elected. I wouldn't re-elect a single member that didn't come out against this, but hey... that's just me.  Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify, or go out to the PodBabble Podcast Network!  

How a kid from the Bronx, humble beginnings, a rebel, succeeds as an educator, encourages and supports philanthropy, progresses in real estate, and with the Met Council, works to provide housing for the elderly. Jerry Spitzer describes his journey.

Guest Cameran Bailey, Solar Techical and Planning Advisor with the Met Council. RIP Mac Miller. Elon Musk. National trends in sustainability.

The Friday Roundtable commences with Rep. Nick Zerwas and Bryan Miller to discuss the met council, chat about legislation at the capitol, and the bonding bill.

Ted Lillie and Margaret Martin summarize the week of 3/19 in the 2018 Minnesota State Legislative session. 1st Deadline week. The MNLARS fix is in. Minneapolis is the 3rd most expensive city in the country, Governor's supplemental budget, tax conformity. Met Council reform. Music is "Ditch Diggin" by the Jingle Punks (copyright free). Recorded live on Facebook 3/22/2018 in North St. Paul, MN.  #mnleg

Justice and Drew discuss humans vs. robot cars, the "high occupancy" lane, Met Council turning to Uber, and more in addition to chatting with Sen. Paul Gazelka about MNLARS.

Justice and Drew talk North Korea, Met Council, and more before they're joined by SE Cupp to talk harassment culture.

Families who have lost children who died on the Red Hill and Lincoln Alexander Parkways spoke to city council's public works committee yesterday, urging that barriers would save lives. Guest: Treena Williams, mother of Kristine Williams.

Justice & Drew are joined by Kevin Terrell from the Center of the American Experiment to discuss the Met Council and more. Plus, they also discuss swastikas in St. Cloud, St. Paul Airbnb problems, and more.

Our first guest cancelled! Fortunately, Metropolitan Council Chair Adam Duininck was able to come on the show. We talked about major transit plans for the region, how the council operates and some recent controversy.

Ari Lieberman of the Hebron Fund, Willy Rapfogel CEO of Met Council on Jewish Poverty, and Ira Weissman, President and Founder of www.truthaboutdiamonds.com is cautioning shoppers about impulse buying of diamonds on Cyber Monday.

Mark Botnick in charge of Mayor Bloomberg's Jewish Outreach Adam Dichter Asst man editor of the Jewish Week, Eileen Marcus Chief of Staff of Met Council, Tal Muscal , Lufthansa's Public Relations Director in Israel

Contact the Met Council on Housing at 212-979-0611 Mon., Wed. or Fri. from 1:30 to 5 pm.