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City Cast Twin Cities

Sean McPherson

We requested interviews from most candidates running in the major Twin Cities races ahead of the August 11 primary and November general election. Below, you'll find their answers in their own words on the issues facing the Twin Cities, their priorities if elected, and why they're running. We'll keep updating this page as more interviews come in throughout the fall, so keep checking back.

Cedrick Frazier for Hennepin County Attorney

María Isa Pérez-Vega for Ramsey County Commissioner, District 5

Rebecca Noecker for Ramsey County Commissioner, District 5

Some interviews might be edited for length/clarity.

We requested interviews from most candidates running in the major Twin Cities races ahead of the August 11 primary and November general election.

Meet Your Candidates: City Cast Twin Cities' 2026 Election Interviews

Twin City Guides

Hans Buetow

 We're very grateful to welcome back State Representative María Isa Pérez-Vega, who is currently campaigning for Ramsey County Commissioner for District 5. We look forward to connecting and interviewing all candidates who are available in advance of the November 3rd election day. Thank you so much for joining us, Representative Maria Isa.

 So Representative Isa, when you looked at the list of things that were available for you to take on, you were like, "Hmm, county commissioner — that's the ticket, that's the one for me." First of all, what does a county commissioner do? Second, what parts of it drew you into this? Because you could just stay in your current elected position and make change in your community.

 I could just stay, but I'd have to run for that seat again.

 Yeah. Well, I'm the only candidate in this race who has finished their term, and I'll answer your first question — what does the county commissioner do?

The county commissioner does a lot, and it's kind of been one of the levels of government that's not very transparent. But as the direct lead administering human services, and the decisions on ordinances and creating policies to serve the most vulnerable people within the county — for this seat, that's District 5 of Ramsey, which is the St. Paul neighborhoods of downtown St. Paul, the West Side community, parts of Highland Park, Mac-Groveland, West 7th — or if you're an original St. Paul or West Ender — and the East Side's Dayton's Bluff, and other neighborhoods. So it's a collectiveness of someone who is talking about infrastructure development — the county's annual board budget is usually a billion dollars, which is federally funded, state funded, and then funded by our property taxes, which are the highest in the state of Minnesota.

And I know that because I've served in our state legislature for two terms, and I've delivered for Ramsey County. I've delivered to all 87 counties, but I've fought really strongly for our revitalization of downtown. As a lifelong St. Paulite, it wasn't a matter of, "Ooh, which spot is open?" It was, this is an opportunity — Commissioner Ortega has been serving over 30 years and is now retiring, so it's an open seat. And to me, it's about where's the best way that Maria Isa can lead with the people she currently represents and always represents.

Because I'm the chair of the St. Paul Minnesota House delegation, I may not carry a lot of weight within the jurisdictions of other districts, like District 64 or District 67 — but in District 65B, being chair of the delegation, I've been able to facilitate and advise all of those members at the State House on what would be progressive for our overall city. How can we reduce property taxes? What does the infrastructure look like? What are their communities lacking? What county services need more support — children and family services, healthcare? Think about the county — that's healthcare, the Medicaid cuts happening at the federal level, SNAP, nutrition.

All that funding you get from the county is coming from your property taxes, and it's also coming from state and federal funding that's no longer going to be as accessible as it was when I first entered the state with an $18 billion surplus. So, someone who's already delivered millions of dollars for childcare services and housing, who helped approve the $1.3 billion historic housing budget in Minnesota legislation for all 87 counties — I've got to make sure that's going to be delivered, distributed, and accessible for the people of Ramsey County. St. Paul is where I'm from, and this is a large part of the leadership to determine our future — our businesses, our public safety, especially fighting ICE and what we've been dealing with. My background in youth services, working in juvenile detention centers on music initiatives and literacy programs — that's been my influence. So it wasn't about what seat's next, it's about how can I lead better and deliver.

 There's a lot of people who could lead better — everyone who's trying to handle the unhoused population in the Twin Cities, because there is a crisis happening right now, and there's also some finger-pointing. And frankly, Maria, some of that finger-pointing has gone to the county level in a way I didn't expect, because I didn't know much about the county. I knew I lived in Ramsey County mainly when I filled out forms — I thought about living in St. Paul, and that was it. But when I hear about the problems we're having in the city of St. Paul with encampments, what I'm thinking about is that this is a greater metro-area problem that's falling on St. Paul's doorstep. And I'm trying to understand how activists and people who are really focused on these issues at the county level can actually help, because they're being accused of not helping very much at all. So how do you think county-level leadership can step in and improve the situation for unhoused populations in St. Paul and across Ramsey County?

 One of the things is listening to our own neighbors — you can't just make decisions without the source. And I think that's been an issue with all levels of government, local government in particular. When I got the news, as the representative and chair of the delegation, that our mayor had decided to close these encampments, it was a shock. There was no pregame — the county manager, Lynn Baker, didn't know. There was a lot going on. And what I see happen a lot in government, just from being in it and learning, is that there needs to be true partnership across all levels of government instead of pointing fingers to escape accountability.

So I want to mention that right now we're in a time where we have strong partnerships that we've got to put to work, and that's not going to happen with just the leaders. First and foremost is listening to our unhoused neighbors and listening to the frontline workers — the agencies coming from the county and the city. When you talk about the Department of Safety and Inspections, that's a city agency working with mental health and behavioral health resources from the county. So — what I feel has happened isn't a direct attack on one politician or leader in government. It's an overall spectrum of, how are we going to have the creativity to deliver essential services? What we're facing right now is a deficit of those services, and how do we create the opportunities for folks in leadership to make these ordinances happen? That takes action — it takes folks with energy, and folks who come from different lived experiences.

And I want to highlight — this is myself running, but it's with a community that's been working together to become those progressive champions, to secure that funding. I don't know everything, and neither does my colleague. But we need to bring in the voices of people who've experienced unshelteredness, whether it's been for three months or three decades, and that's what it's really going to take — that direct service and impact. That's what I feel the county needs a refresh on. We've got a lot of great leaders at the county already, in Ramsey County. And they need someone to partner with who knows how to create different avenues. And I'd say it's not just about avenues, it's about rhythm — and we've had a lack of rhythm in St. Paul and in Ramsey County. That's not just happening here, it's happening across the country. But when we think about the pits and the peaks, the peaks are finding creative initiatives for infrastructure and building a tax base so we can have funding, because it's more than just a bed. It's more than just a cot. It's more than just creating more shelters. It's actually crossing the full circle of the policy sector — healthcare, right? You can't talk about housing without healthcare. Workforce — you need a job to pay your mortgage and your rent. And youth services — a lot of our young people who aren't sheltered, it's not necessarily that they don't have a cot or a bed, it's whether they feel safe, whether there's cultural competency in that. So I think we need bold leadership that comes with partners at every level of government. And definitely the county has a big hand in that, and that's also why I'm excited to run for this. This isn't anything new to me — it's about culturally connecting, and as someone with a cultural studies background, that's the influence I look forward to bringing to the county board.

 So we talked about rhythm — I love that idea, thinking about our government as rhythm. So let's talk about the rhythm of — let's say you get the votes you need, you're elected. Can you run through your priorities? What's your priority day one? What do you pivot to for month one? And then what's your priority for the first 100 days you're there? What's the rhythm of the things you're going to set up, the things you think need the most attention or tending right now that you can really make a difference with?

 Well, as the candidate with the majority of the county board's endorsement, I've been having conversations with those who are already sitting on the board, about the differences among our county districts, as well as the similarities. What's similar is — and I say "we," because it takes a board, you need four votes — is amplifying, my vote is prioritizing direct services, protecting against the federal funding attacks, and ensuring that those dealing with the aftermath and continuance of Operation Metro Surge are getting support.

And then, for the 100 days — I look at it as, here's a timeline, here's our goals. Let's try to get one through within the 100 days, and if we get one, let's get more. Can we get two birds with one stone, so to speak? So: direct services, and then community input and meeting with community — not saying "here's where I'm at," but going to where our community is at. Going to the spaces, going to where the unsheltered are, going to our juvenile detention centers, where there are kids who need love because they're still kids. Going to the food and mutual aid services that are continuing, and partnering with organizations whose budgets are also getting cut at the federal level. How do we build sustainability for these organizations in the county that offer great services — workforce training, afterschool and childcare programming — so they're not competing against each other between Maplewood and St. Paul, but partnering so we have sustainability there.

And we're going to need to do that through a third major priority of mine, which is increasing the tax base — I'm going to keep saying that. We've got to fund these county projects, and we have to reduce property taxes, or those of us so-called lifelong St. Paulites can hardly afford to manage in the spaces that are our front yards and our backyards. So it's going to take creativity — how can we do things, and what's not working? Let's not circle back to the things that aren't working. If they're outdated, we need to contemporize them. If we're still going into film, are there ways we can collaborate and digitize it? I think about things as an artist, because we know how to make things out of means of nothing — it creates an opportunity, like Basquiat's legendary artwork. Let's do that with county services. We don't have to overthink things, and I think that's an issue — there's this whole status-quo movement to politics, when really the movement is with the people. So: making sure people are engaged, direct services, community input and meeting where the community's at, and making sure we're increasing the tax base so we can fund county projects.

 Let's keep this artist comparison going. Maria and Hans, we probably both know people who are awesome at leading a quintet and would be completely out of their league handling a 15-piece band. Maria, you'll be serving a larger population, and I want to understand how you'll be able to lead this, quote-unquote, "15-piece band." Maybe you've been comfortable representing a smaller population, but now you've got to answer to more people and serve more people. How are you going to scale up to make sure you keep that contact with citizens and individuals?

 Let me get this on the record, and on rhythm, for everyone who may not have been on beat so far. I've served five million people in the state of Minnesota. I've carried legislation — I've served alongside colleagues to get laws passed, with 133 other members in a tied House. You don't get things through to the Senate unless they pass in the House, and the Senate can't get anything through with a one-person majority unless it gets through the House. So when you think about leadership, I prioritize working and pushing in collaborative efforts with those who have the political — the elected — position, and, most importantly, the crowd of people you represent. I think of it as a crowd because I'm an artist, and I'm hearing things, and I'm listening constantly.

So, being able to do that — if I've been able to do that with 133 other people in a tied House, to pass laws that folks said, "You're never going to get any capital investment this year, forget about it. You're not going to get health services after the federal government cut HIV and AIDS healthcare services — you're not going to get that at the state level" — I don't take no for an answer. And then you look at what the Ramsey County Board is: it's seven people, seven elected commissioners representing seven different districts. I'm confident I can handle representing the people who voted for me in District 65B, and it's about those partnerships. I have a great group across all levels of government who have endorsed me and want to continue partnering with me — and none of them have said, "Maybe you should stay in the House." I've heard, "Go for it, we need you at the county level, we need someone to take that action." To me, it's not about the title — representative, senator — it's about where can I get this ball in the hoop so that all the people get enough food in their stomachs and a roof over their heads. That's where I'm going to keep leading.

I also want you to know — I come from a community of activists and leadership that I was born into. I'm a Puerto Rican woman, and I worked hard to make sure our ancestral land and our families and friends were able to get access to emergency essentials. We delivered, through my leadership and partnerships with leaders throughout the state — before I even held elected office — emergency essentials to Puerto Rico during the first Trump administration. So dealing with this federal administration isn't anything new to me. It's actually — why aren't we proactive enough here in Minnesota? Why aren't we proactive enough in county services? We have to be, because I've seen the deterioration of the island of Puerto Rico due to the first Trump administration, and the negligence that's happening now in the water crisis there.

And I also want to talk about organizing a statewide Latino outreach, revamping the Latino caucus — the Movimiento Caucus — in 2022, so we could get a trifecta, so we could have accessibility to healthcare, where everyone in the state of Minnesota who pays taxes has access to it, so our kids can have breakfast and lunch. These are important values and virtues, and I'm part of that leadership. So when you ask what's going to happen as we grow into this, I think — I come from spaces where we were kids trying to figure out how we were going to afford insulin. This isn't David and Goliath to me. It's, let's pull up our bootstraps, let's get the work done, and let's be proactive about what we're dealing with right now, instead of waiting three months for an ordinance so our communities feel safe.

 So, as a lifelong St. Paulite and Ramsey Countian — Ramseyian?

 I wouldn't say that. Let's just say St. Paul. A member of Ramsey — how about "a member of Ramsey," as I'm called by my speaker of the House.

 As a lifelong member of Ramsey — if you have what seems like, based on how you're talking about your work, a rare day off where you're not doing any politicking, where would we find you?

 Oh my goodness. For breakfast, I'm definitely going to catch Lost Fox, or I like Cafe Story too — they've got a really good breakfast sandwich. I also enjoy coffee at the new Cafe Milagro on the West Side — shout out to Ale Diaz, a fantastic queer Latina-owned business in the heart and pulse of our barrio. I'd also like to say I'm going to be popping into the White Squirrel, 620 West 7th, for a good happy hour, or a late-night surprise karaoke, or maybe a DJ set I could hop on. I definitely enjoy a good steak at Mancini's with my dad and my mom. And my daughter is a huge fan of going to Cecil's in Highland Park for a good hot dog, while Mom gets a good bagel pastrami sandwich. Let's see — oh, Cafeto, great coffee, Latina-owned business on the East Side, and Mañana for an awesome pupusa. Crosskey's for some arepas. Boca Chica for a good happy hour. El Burrito—

 You're going to be so full by the end of this day.

 Believe it or not, this is kind of like my campaign life — and honestly, it's not just my campaign life, it's my everyday life. I'm from St. Paul, and when I see a business shut down, it hurts me — it pierces a little bit. And I'm always thinking, "How can I—" Oh, and Run Mit 

 — shout out to Nia. These are folks we've grown up in our neighborhoods with, and been supportive of each other's businesses and families. We're a village in St. Paul, and that's what the county is about — providing access to essential services for the village. So you're going to see me there every day, bouncing around. Vina's in Highland for some pho. I just love our downtown spaces that need to be revamped — Gambit, shout out to all the spots that are giving heart. We're fighting hard to get the boat floating and provide some life jackets.

 Maria Isa, I'm going to go eat about 4,000 calories, as it sounds like you're also doing on your day off. This sounds wonderful. Thank you for your time today. We look forward to talking to everybody who's running for one of these positions, and we appreciate you taking the time to talk about your campaign for Ramsey County Commissioner, District 5. Have a great rest of your day, and thank you for your time.

 Thank you, Sean. Let's get it — Cinco de Maria Isa!

We're very grateful to welcome back State Representative María Isa Pérez-Vega, who is currently campaigning for Ramsey County Commissioner for District 5.

Meet Your Candidates: María Isa Pérez-Vega for Ramsey County Commissioner, District 5

 We are grateful to welcome on St. Paul City Council President Rebecca Noecker, who is currently campaigning for Ramsey County Commissioner for District 5. In fact, she's so busy campaigning that we actually had to meet at an agreed-upon spot because we couldn't get the technology to work for a regular Zoom session. Now, leading up to election day on the 3rd of November, we look forward to connecting and interviewing all the candidates who are available in this election. We're very appreciative of City Council President Rebecca Noecker joining us. Rebecca, thank you for making this work.

 Sean, thank you for making it work. I love being here at the headquarters, and I'm looking forward to the conversation.

 Yes — this is the political interview with the most Trivia Mafia posters behind us. The first question, Rebecca: you've got a job, you've got a cool job, and you're making things happen in the city of St. Paul. But you have this desire to work at a different level — the county level. What prompted you to seek this seat as Ramsey County Commissioner for District 5?

 Yeah, you know, I do love my job. I've been on the city council for 10 years now. I love everything about local government — I love the way you can make a real difference in people's lives. You can work elbow to elbow with your neighbors, figure out what the problems are, and figure out how to solve them. And then you can walk around on a daily basis and see the work you've done and how it's making people's lives better. So I love local government.

But I've also become aware, over the last 10 years on the council, of all the ways in which the city can't do it alone — the ways we need other government partners involved, and in particular the county. The county does all of the human side of our community. So whether we're talking about helping our unhoused neighbors, fighting back against ICE, or bringing property taxes down, all of those things require county partnership. I'm hoping to bring some of the energy, some of the fights, and some of the experience I've built over the last 10 years over to the county, to make it a better partner.

 One prime example of "doing it alone" not working is our unhoused population. Right now at Randolph and West Seventh, and at Shepard and Randolph, we have an increased encampment — a larger encampment — and there are a lot of ways in which this is falling on St. Paul's doorstep. It is St. Paul's responsibility, but I could see a future where there's a much better relationship between county officials, even state officials, to take care of a problem that, at times, I just feel is intractable — not necessarily unsolvable, but certainly not going to be solved with the solutions available right now. So can you talk about how being at the county level might give you the ability to do more to help our unhoused populations?

 Absolutely — and I don't believe any problem is intractable. I believe there are difficult problems, but I'm an optimist, and I think working together, being proactive and strategic, we can solve even the hardest problems. But you're right, this isn't something the city of St. Paul can take on alone. And it's not a problem that developed overnight — this is something that's been going on for decades, because we haven't been investing in the kinds of services and the kind of housing our neighbors need.

We're just up the street from the Shepard-Randolph encampment. I was down there earlier this week talking to my constituents who are living in the encampment, and what they told me was: we want to go inside, and we want to go inside into a space where we can bring our partners, our friends we've made here, our pets, the stuff we've worked hard to get and that's precious to us — and we can't do that in a shelter bed. So when we talk about the services people need, what we really need is supportive housing — apartments where people can live with others, with their pets, with their property, and then services on site, like mental health, chemical health, job training, and other supports. Those are all things Ramsey County has the mandate and the budget to provide, and they need to be provided not just in an emergency situation, which we're in now, but for the long haul.

 They've had that mandate for a while, though. So do you think you being there is going to change it? I haven't seen that mandate impact the lived experience of unhoused people in St. Paul yet. Is it your agenda, with this group of seven people, that's going to change it? Because that mandate is there, and it's still not being met. So what's the difference if Rebecca Noecker is on that commission board?

 First of all, nobody does anything alone, so I think it's really important to note that everything happens in partnership — the things I hope to make happen are going to happen in collaboration. But I'll say everything comes down to leadership. On the county board, there are seven people who are elected to set the policy and direction of the county and to hold staff accountable to making those things a priority. I think my track record on the city council shows that I know how to work with six other people — there are seven council members, same as seven county commissioners. It's a nonpartisan environment, so you really have to build relationships with everybody — there's no finger-pointing at "the other side." And then you're in the details of the work. You're not just signing a bill to allocate a lot of money to something — you're talking with the people you're hoping to help, the people impacted by the problem, your colleagues, other levels of government, figuring out the financing, figuring out the legal parts, and getting it done.

I'm proud to say I have a track record of doing that. The county's most recent expansion of shelter beds was actually something I championed — I led the fight on the winter safe space, which became the seasonal safe space in downtown St. Paul, 64 additional beds, almost right after I got elected, my first year in office. That's an example of how you can work together, even from the city council, to get things done. I feel like on the county board, I'll be able to bring that same style of leadership.

 Let's open up to some of your other priorities. We've talked about the unhoused population, which I think is of paramount importance. But what are your other priorities if you're elected to this office — say, in the first couple of days?

 Yeah, there's a lot I want to do. Let me start with pushing back against ICE and the federal attack on our community. Operation Metro Surge was an intense form of this, but it was going on before Metro Surge, and it continues to this day. We need our local governments to be ready to defend our neighbors, and that takes a couple of forms.

First, I think we need a separation ordinance at Ramsey County that says local law enforcement and Ramsey County staff do not cooperate with the federal government. When you call the sheriff's office, when you come in to get your medical assistance, your SNAP, or your childcare benefits, you're not going to be asked for your immigration status, and you're not going to be reported to ICE. We have a very strong separation ordinance in the city of St. Paul — we worked hard to strengthen it even further during Metro Surge — and I think we need something like that at the county level too. I'd also move to ban masking by law enforcement at the county level. We did that in St. Paul, to make sure ICE and other agents had to reveal who they were; we also required identification. We should do that at the county level too. And the county needs to end its contract with Flock — I led the fight to do that in the city. That's a third-party provider taking our residents' data, which has been shared with the federal government without our police department's knowledge. We can't have that kind of surveillance where we don't own the data and don't know where it's going. So those are a couple of things I'd do immediately to help defend our neighbors against the federal government.

Something else we have to talk about is taxes. As you mentioned, Sean, I'm literally in the midst of door-knocking right now, and what I'm hearing at the doors is that taxes are unsustainable. People on fixed incomes, seniors, low-income folks, working families who are also trying to afford rent, childcare, groceries, and gas — taxes are a huge part of that problem. One of the things we can do is have the city and the county work better together. Coming from the city council, I know exactly what we do well, where we need help, and where there's duplication we could eliminate to bring down the amount we have to spend. But the other thing we need to do is expand our tax base. We need to bring in more businesses, more homes, more people to help shoulder the cost of the services people depend on, which go up in cost every single year.

There are huge opportunities to do that from the county side. The county actually owns critical, high-value parcels that could be put back on the tax rolls. One is at River's Edge, right on the riverfront in downtown St. Paul. There's a really ambitious vision for that site — housing, jobs, a brand-new park right along the river, bringing people down to the river, which is something we've wanted to do for a long time. But it's been sitting there vacant for 10 years, and it was vacant buildings for 10 years before that. We need to move with urgency on getting these properties back on the tax rolls. And then I'd institute a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program. Twenty percent of our properties in the city of St. Paul are totally tax-exempt — hospitals, colleges, faith-based institutions. A lot of other cities and counties in our position have created voluntary programs where those institutions can pay in to help cover the cost of the services they receive. I think that really resonates with our values in St. Paul and Ramsey County — that everyone should have a part in covering the services people depend on.

And the last thing I'll say here — I have a long list of other priorities — but West Seventh Street, right outside the windows where we're sitting right now, is a street that desperately needs investment. There was an actual void in the street — I learned it's not a sinkhole, it's a "void," that's the technical term — right outside of Burger Moe's last year. The street is literally falling apart. The county worked for years and spent $12 million in public dollars on design and community engagement for a transformed West Seventh Street, and then they abandoned the project with a Facebook post and moved the $7.3 million they had allocated to suburban, shovel-ready projects instead. That was one of the last straws that got me to say, I have to run for this seat, because our community deserves better. So I'd work to bring the county back to the table. The city has picked up the pieces — we have a plan to reconstruct the street and put the J Line bus rapid transit on it — but we need the county's investment.

 We're sharing a microphone here, so we can't do really quick back-and-forths, but I have two follow-ups based on your really thorough answer. Let's start here: didn't Chris Coleman try to do the "hey, pretty please, nonprofits, give us some money" thing years ago, and it died on the vine? Wasn't there already an attempt to get some dollars from our nonprofit neighbors, and it didn't work? Why will it work this time?

 This is a good time to be the longest-serving council member, at 10 years, and the elder stateswoman of the council at 42 — because I have a bit of a memory of how this went down. I don't remember the very beginning under Chris Coleman, but I do know that at the very end of his term — maybe this is what you're talking about — the Citizens League did a study of a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program. They talked to the heads of the colleges, the hospitals, the big nonprofits, and came back with a report that said: yes, we think you should pursue this. It's not going to be a silver bullet, because these are voluntary payments — you can't count on them, they won't totally solve your budget woes — but you should pursue it. And their final recommendation was: do it right now, because right now, all these colleges, faith-based institutions, and hospitals have been engaged in this report and are ready to work with you. Don't let it gather dust.

Right after that, we had an election. A new mayor came in with different priorities, a different agenda, and it gathered dust for the last eight years. So as soon as Mayor Her took office, I reached out and said, let's pick up the pieces. She and I have been working together beautifully on this — we're hoping to have a pilot ready in some form by the end of the year. I've been grateful for her partnership, but again, I think this is something that should be countywide.

 Here's the other follow-up, on the first couple of things you said about responding to ICE, including not permitting masked law enforcement officers at the county level. Do you have a partner in Sheriff Bob Fletcher on getting rid of the Flock cameras, and on a lot of the things I feel are a little antithetical to some of the positions I've seen him take? I don't know exactly how it works, but do you think you have a partner who can really change law enforcement at the Ramsey County level?

 Well, just like I believe there's no such thing as an intractable problem, I think everyone is a potential partner. I'll say I've found Sheriff Fletcher to be very helpful on different occasions — I actually sat down with him and a constituent who was working with another constituent, one of my immigrant constituents, who had been unlawfully detained and was facing deportation, and the sheriff was really helpful in that situation. So we've been able to work together in the past. He and I have very different views on a lot of public safety approaches, including Flock, and I've been disappointed in how he's responded to my effort there. But here's the thing about local government: no one can be a permanent enemy — you have to work with people.

So one of the first things I'm going to do, and I've already started — I've met with all the other county commissioners, and I've already met with a lot of frontline staff, because I think the people who actually do the work every day are the ones you should talk to when you're figuring out what needs to change. Policymakers often don't do that, and they end up disconnected from the work. I'm looking forward to sitting down with the sheriff and trying to understand his perspective better, trying to figure out how we can work together. I'll say, ultimately, the county board does control the sheriff's budget, and I think that will give me a bit more influence in those conversations.

 That was diplomatic — right at the end. Sitting this close to you, it's hard to be too aggressive. I've got two more questions and then we'll let you go. You'll be serving a larger population if you're elected to this role, and sometimes there are people who are really good at serving, say, 60,000 people, and come up short when the number gets bigger — they don't know how to reach people and stay connected the same way. How are you going to scale up to make sure you can really deliver that county level of representation — more square mileage, and, most importantly, more people?

 That's a really good question. I've definitely noticed, as I've been door-knocking, that the number of doors you need to hit to run a county campaign is a lot different than a city council campaign. The good news is I'm going to continue to represent a district that's entirely within St. Paul. I've been serving both my ward and the city as council president — for the last decade, and the last year and a half as council president — so a lot of the same neighborhoods I represent now. I don't think I would've taken this on if it meant leaving most of my constituents. So it's my West Side neighbors, which is also my home, downtown, West Seventh — and then adding in parts of the East Side, the Battle Creek neighborhood, Dayton's Bluff, the Highwood Hills area, and also Highland Park and the southern part of Mac-Groveland.

So part of this is just staying connected to all the constituents I already represent, and I've really been trying, during the campaign, to reach out to the new folks I haven't met yet. One of the things I love about local government, even at the county level, is that it's still very local — you're still going to run into your constituents on a Sunday morning at the grocery store when you haven't showered or done your hair yet, and I look forward to that continuing to happen to me. It's very personal, and it's not hard, if you take the time to show up and meet people where they're at.

I'm going to keep doing my community conversations, which happen once a month in different coffee shops, restaurants, bars, rec centers, libraries, and parks across the district. I'll keep doing my downtown action series, every two months, where we hear updates on what's happened to make downtown better over the last 60 days from a variety of speakers — I'm hoping to host that as Ramsey County Commissioner too, and invite my new Ward 2 council member to join me. I've actually invited the current District 5 commissioner to join me at those events every time, and he has yet to come — so I look forward to better collaboration there. And then continuing my newsletter, my social media presence, and just showing up. So much of this is about saying yes — whenever there's an event, a food drive, a clothing drive, a chance to speak to students, which is actually one of my favorite things to do as a former teacher.

 Last question, City Council President Rebecca Noecker — a little more personal. What's a day off in your district? I imagine days off are few and far between right now, but say you land on a day with nothing on the itinerary. What are you up to?

 Okay — well, I guess I can't say door-knocking, since that's my current day off. It's really hard to choose, but I'd say a day off might find me having coffee at Plata Cafe, just down the street on West Seventh — I love that I can always pick up a copy of the Community Reporter while I'm there, and I always run into constituents and people I know. I love to bike — my family and I are avid cyclists, we bike everywhere — so you'd likely find me on the Capital City Bikeway downtown, the Lilydale trail, the Bruce Vento Trail. And if there were a Saints game on that particular day off, we'd definitely bike over the Highway 52 bridge from the West Side to the game, park in the special bike parking, and go in the back entrance — you feel like a celebrity, and all you had to do was bike there.

I'd also probably want to stop into Caydence Cafe and Records, on the East Side, just a little outside my ward — it's a wonderful spot, you can pick up a record and get coffee at the same time, and we've hosted community conversations there. And then I'd say, at the end of the day, there's nothing like standing at the top of the High Bridge on the West Side. Right at Overlook Park behind you is a brand-new community garden, a wonderful gem that's brought so many neighbors together and produces wonderful food — a great spot to check out. But then just looking over the bluff at downtown St. Paul, with the sun setting off to your left, is just perfect.

 St. Paul City Council President Rebecca Noecker, who is running for Ramsey County Commissioner for District 5 — thank you not only for your generosity today, but your spirit of improvisation, since we ended up not being able to make the remote interview work. We appreciate your time today, and again, we'll be trying to connect with all the candidates in this election as we get closer to election day. Thank you for being here, Rebecca.

We are grateful to welcome on St. Paul City Council President Rebecca Noecker, who is currently campaigning for Ramsey County Commissioner for District 5. 

Meet Your Candidates: Rebecca Noecker for Ramsey County Commissioner, District 5

Roseanne Pereira

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To learn and to play mahjong, check out these local spots. As the game’s popularity grows, free community meetups can be found online, such as on this 

rave about walking into it the first time

 on the City Cast Twin Cities podcast (at the 20:33 mark!). It was an experience. The community-focused cafe and Asian-inspired retail boutique in Uptown hosts popular mahjong nights every other Tuesday from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Moona Moono offers three modes of play to fit all levels: Learn to play, Reserve a table, and Join our Pool. Owner Angie Lee explains that for folks who join the pool, “we help them find players across a wide range of play variations including Taiwanese, Hong King, 

whose members teach Mahjong 101, most recently Taiwanese mahjong. The class tickets that participants purchase help fund the university mahjong travel team.

Claire Joseph and Tara Duginske are former law firm partners who share a passion for mahjong, both for the game and the way it brings people together. They founded 

. Players can move through Mahj 101, where they learn the basics, to Mahj 102, where they get more practice play, and on to Open Play where they can play without teacher assistance. There’s also a social league that offers a bit more infrastructure and competition (it includes scoring). The club hosts 

 at a number of local businesses around the metro including 

, Dangerous Man, Bad Weather, and Minneapolis Cider Company. Duginske says in the dark days of winter especially, it’s a great way to get out of the house and be with people for a fun event. The founders are proud of how welcoming and inclusive the club is. ”It’s such a wonderful community,” Duginske says. “I love seeing someone walk in the door who at first looks a little nervous. And they're just taken under somebody’s wing. It’s fantastic.”

 founder, Abbe Blacker, is known to many as the “queen bee” of mahjong and is a popular local instructor of the game. The club’s new storefront in the 50th and France neighborhood offers drop-in days, mixers, and a 4-week beginner class series marketed as “the best most comprehensive way to learn Mahj!” They aim to maintain a low teacher-to-student ratio of approximately 1:8. You can take a look at their current class list 

Fox and Willow Mahj Club - at Josefina’s (Wayzata)

If you play mahj and are near Wayzata, know that the Fox and Willow Mahj club meets Tuesday mornings, 9:30-11:30 a.m. at local restaurant, 

 is a luxury tabletop and fashion boutique shop and even has a 

 including tiles, mats, and racks. In the past, they’ve partnered with 

, Claire Briggs’ “Mahjong with Southern Hospitality” business. Briggs is a Deephaven, Minnesota-based certified mahjong instructor who offers lessons on Lake Minnetonka and around the Twin Cities.

The game of tiles, strategy, and luck has a growing following in the United States – including in the Twin Cities.

Mahjong in the Twin Cities Metro

Mahjong in the Metro

I see you at that grill. Did you know you can grill cheese? 

originated in Cyprus and can be grilled, pan fried, and seared without losing its shape. It’s typically made from sheep and goat’s milk. Pick it up at 

 or at local specialty cheese shops. Here’s a 

, a vendor at the Kingfield farmer’s market as well as the Lowertown St. Paul farmer’s market, offers Rustica, a cheese that also can be grilled, pan fried, or even broiled. Mary Falk, LoveTree’s owner, says, “You can even make shish kabobs with it, your vegetarian friends will love you for it!”

 in Minneapolis, summer Thursdays-Sundays are particularly exciting. That’s when they make their own hand-pulled mozzarella balls, typically 1/3-1/2 lb. each. Come early to get your fresh mozzarella before it runs out. 

 also sells hand-pulled mozzarella on Fridays and Saturdays – check out this 

. Summer is also burrata season, so get it while you can. Unlike mozzarella, burrata’s center oozes creamy stracciatella. 

that makes excellent use of ripe summer tomatoes.

Of course you can’t go wrong with a variety of snackable hard cheeses. Aged cheeses are easier for lactose-intolerant folks to digest, and you won’t have to worry about 

pulling them from the sun after two hours

. When I worked as a cheesemonger, my favorite crowd pleasers were Chӓllerhocker, a nutty Swiss wonder, and Ossau Iraty, a mild hard sheep’s milk cheese from the French Pyrenees. These can be found at Surdyk’s along with 

, a beloved aged alpine style cheese from Wisconsin made only in the summer months.

Feta is traditionally made with sheep’s milk cheese, or sheep and goat’s milk combined. (Both are easier for lactose intolerant folks to digest.) The quality of feta can vary widely. A local shop known to have the good stuff is 

 in Uptown. They have a variety of feta including French, Bulgarian, and Dodoni (a popular Greek feta). Another option for feta variety is 

 near the University of Minnesota at Stadium Village. Both of these places let you taste, so find your favorite feta, and perhaps try it in this recipe for 

 Honey Habanero Quark is a good choice if your picnic idea is cheese and crusty bread or crackers. They recommend serving it with crackers that include dried fruit. Taste the quark when you next visit the 

 in Kimball, WI is also a cheese and crackers option (sold at 

 sells an herb-encrusted goat cheese called The Big Holmes – and for the even more adventurous, there’s Gin Berry, which includes juniper berries and peppercorns, or Black Bear, dusted with ash.

As a former cheesemonger, I pulled together some ideas to make your summer events that much gooier.

Labor Day Picnic Cheese in Minnesota

Labor Day Picnic Cheese

Adam Sage

*This is a free music festival on Nicollet Mall and inside the Dakota. It's a wonderful chance to get to see a show at the Dakota for free as tickets are usually a little pricey for me there. Last year I got to see Davina and the Vagabonds play the closing slot inside the club, and it was one of my favorite shows of the year. I also had the Dakota's pink peppercorn ice cream, which blew my mind. This year I'm looking forward to seeing another one of my favorite artists in the Twin Cities, L.A. Buckner, perform on the outside stage, and I'll head inside to see The New Standards close out the festival. Don't miss this! 

September brings a packed Twin Cities concert calendar, from outdoor shows and fall tours to orchestra performances and free music festivals.

Tips for a Better September in the Twin Cities

Tips for a Better September

Anna Weggel

Tiffany Bui

When are you going? This weekend? Next weekend? Text a pal and pick a date for the park because September is kind of a goldilocks month for getting outside in the Twin Cities. It's not too hot or cold, and it probably won't rain too much. Here in the metro area, it may be your last chance to comfortably wade through the ankle-deep waters of the Mississippi at 

 to look for critters and crawfish and to get a great view of the 

You can also get up close to the Mississippi south of the Twin Cities – if you've been sleeping on 

, try heading over and walking the 3.8-mile 

. You'll get to walk around an island on the river, and it's so gorgeous and secluded that it's hard to believe you're right next to the airport. You might get to see some beavers cutting down saplings and swimming under the Pike Island Bridge as September is a busy month for them preparing for winter. You'll also get to see the 

, or the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers, which is a site of immense spiritual and historical significance to the Dakota people. On a clear day, you can see a distinct line where the brownish waters of the Minnesota clash with the relatively clear waters of the Mississippi. Seriously, make plans this month to get to one of these world-class parks that we have in our back yard. 

 deter you from donning that flannel. I’m ready to let go of summer with these autumnal celebrations. We have an unbelievable number of Oktoberfests; you can don your lederhosen and enjoy giant pretzels at 

, on Sept. 19, will feature live music from Gully Boys and others. For the competitive spirit, there’s a boot chugging contest. If you haven’t had enough hot dogs this summer, Insight Brewing is hosting 

, which promises “hot dogs falling from the sky.” The 

 also hosts their own celebrations in St. Paul.

I have the pleasure of editing each week’s 

 newsletter and when one of our writers, Winter, recently told me she found the lunchbox of her dreams, it’s pretty much the 

. As a mom of school-aged children, I want to challenge myself next year (because I failed big time this year) to shop local for school supplies. If it’s not too late for you to shop for your kids this year, or if you’re young at heart and can’t resist school supply shopping for yourself, check out Winter’s 

, Winter had the best recommendations. And I look forward to spending my money at these local shops next year! 

Explore Twin Cities parks, enjoy fall festivals and Oktoberfests, and shop local for school supplies at unique neighborhood stores.

Your Guide to September 2026 in the Twin Cities

This beloved, family-owned establishment in Northeast has been around since 1973. From spinach pies to pints or quarts of what I consider the best tabbouleh in town (my desert island food, people!), 

 has many affordable picnics and cabin weekend options. In the mood for meat pies filled with pine nuts, ground beef, and lamb, or smoky baba ganoush and pita? Hot tip: their stuffed grape leaves include ground lamb in addition to rice - mwha! So good.

Whenever I’m in the Highland Park neighborhood of St. Paul, I seem to leave 

 with to-go containers of two items – their traditional creamy coleslaw (a guarded family recipe), and their potato salad that’s bright (egg yolks must be involved!) and has notes of mustard and pickle juice. The chunky texture and mix of flavors hits the spot, truly. It’s no wonder, as 

 for decades. The deli’s been around since 1949. With an array of bagels, sliced meats, and in-house baked bread, discover your own picnic go-to to-gos next time you visit.

If I really wanted to impress someone, I would fill my picnic basket with 

,” an artisan elixir made with elderblossom syrup. Add sparkling water or one of the liquors recommended by owner, Mo Kotb, for a refreshing summer drink. (The former Tilia bartender knows his stuff.) Dervish Mazza spreads are familiar, but with a surprising twist, like 

, which takes the fire-roasted eggplant of classic baba ganoush and mixes it with the flavors of tahini, sweet-tart pomegranate, and chermoula herbs. One of my favorites (and a Dervish Mazza bestseller) is 

, where hummus meets Thai chili and sun dried tomato. Here’s a recipe for an 

) that prioritizes personal, engaging service. The friendly staff offers recipes and samples, and they sell dried fruits such as unsulfured apricots, a wide variety of nuts, dates, Middle Eastern pastries, and oh so many olives. You’ll likely discover something you’ve never tasted before. The last time I was there I learned about how the inner kernels of apricots (a sweet, almond-like seed) are eaten as snacks - and of course I was given one to try.

Labor Day weekend will be here before you know it, so let’s eat well on our summer get-togethers while we can.

Easy Minnesota Picnic Delights - Savory Pies, Dips, Salads

Easy Picnic Delights - Savory Pies, Dips, Salads

On a recent trip to Maryland and Virginia, I was bowled over by the treats in Asian bakeries there. This made me want to see what I could find in the Twin Cities. Luckily, I discovered 

 in St. Paul. The light-filled cafe with wooden beams and hanging vines was so enticing that I sat down for some piping hot congee with ginger chicken for lunch and got most of the buns to-go.

Zao’s bakery case includes red bean steam buns, taro twists, and many other delights. If you are uninitiated to the standard offerings at Asian bakeries, check out this 

video on 14 buns you need to try at a Chinese bakery

Responding by email, owner and baker William Ratsamy said the cafe is a family bakery in every sense. “Everything from the recipes (my mom's culinary experience) to the ingredients (from my brother's grocery store) to the design of the space (my architectural background) came from within our family.”

Ratsamy’s recommendations for a first visit are to try “a sesame ball, char siu pork bun, congee and our homemade soymilk. This would fill up your tray nicely. This includes something fried, something baked, something from our kitchen, and a homemade drink that you really can't get anywhere else.”

I can vouch for the slightly, but not-too sweet homemade soy milk which I tried after my congee along with a 

. This is a soft milk bread shaped like an oval, sliced down the middle and filled with buttery whipped cream, then dusted with coconut flakes. In other words, a bun of dreams.

Ratsamy says Zao’s best-sellers are the Spicy Chicken Curry Bun (that has a curry filling), the Pork Steam Bun (minced pork, an egg, and Chinese sausage surrounded by soft white bread), Sesame Balls (chewy, crunchy, nutty, sweet), and Ham Sui Gok (a glutinous fried dumpling).

Many of the baked goods in the case are easy grab-and-go items for a picnic, and for this purpose, Ratsamy’s top recommendation is the 

. It’s a hot dog wrapped in milk bread and arranged into a flower shape before baking. The result is an easy, pull-apart, soft treat that’s pleasing for both adults and kids. (You pull off the “petals”!) My picnic pick? A wilder-looking 

The light-filled cafe was so enticing that I sat down for some piping hot congee with ginger chicken for lunch and got most of the buns to-go.

St. Paul's Zao Bakery + Cafe - Hot Dog Flower Bun, Anyone?

Zao Bakery + Cafe - Hot Dog Flower Bun, Anyone?

Winter Keefer

I recently found the lunchbox of my dreams.

It’s the cutest blue, red, and yellow little zip-up with a perfect cutlery pocket inside. As much as I wanted to gatekeep this find, I’m sharing it with all of you because your kids probably need it more than I do.

So here’s how you get it: If you head to the back corner of 

 in downtown Robbinsdale, you’ll find this lunchbox in a small but mighty children’s section of the store.

Carefully curated by Golden Age Design co-owner Kara Kurth, the store’s selection of children’s items includes high-quality, Montessori-inspired toys and school items. “The kids section was something that we've always really liked to pour into because happy kids make happy parents,” Kurth said.

Carefully curated by co-owner Kara Kurth, the store’s selection of children’s items includes high-quality, Montessori-inspired toys and school items.

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Meet Your Candidates: Rebecca Noecker for Ramsey County Commissioner, District 5

Can You Solve This Twin Cities Crossword?

Mahjong in the Metro

Labor Day Picnic Cheese

Tips for a Better September

Meet Your Candidates: City Cast Twin Cities' 2026 Election Interviews

Meet Your Candidates: María Isa Pérez-Vega for Ramsey County Commissioner, District 5

The Latest

The Latest

Meet Your Candidates: Rebecca Noecker for Ramsey County Commissioner, District 5

Can You Solve This Twin Cities Crossword?

Mahjong in the Metro

Labor Day Picnic Cheese

Tips for a Better September