On this episode of This Must Be The Place, we dig into the past and present of Cedar-Riverside—a neighborhood shaped by immigrants, resistance, culture, and constant outside pressure.

We talk about how Cedar-Riverside evolved from an immigrant gateway, to a counterculture stronghold, and into the community it is today. We break down the architecture, the people, and the real stories behind the skyline. Stories that are too often misunderstood, misrepresented, or ignored.

We also stop everything to address the horrific murder committed by ICE just miles from where we film and record. A woman, a U.S. citizen, who was clearly trying to leave the scene—not fight—was killed.

This was not an accident. This was not an abstraction. It happened here, in our city, and it demands to be named and confronted.

Silence isn’t neutral. We stand with our neighbors, full stop.

Plus: BoomTimes, history, and the kind of uncomfortable local context that actually matters.

Questions or comments?

Reach us at:📧 Email: thismustbetheplacepod@gmail.com

📞 Voicemail: 612.234.1889

00:00 Intro Fvck ICE

01:37 Andrew’s Intro

05:31 Neighborhood watch cedar Riverside

11:59 Riverside Plaza

14:25 Brutalist Architecture and Urban Redevelopment

16:00 Cedar Riverside Counterculture Culture

27:00 Inside the Mcknight Building

33:50 Somali’s as our neighbors

35:12 Chef Casey cooks. Fvck ICE

37:22 Mary Tyler Moore tie in

40:30 history of Somali Refugee to MN

44:54 Still a counter culture and artist mecca

46:15 Tripple Rock RIP

47:23 BooMtImes Stranger Things

52:10 RIP Dick Enrico (2nd wind)

53:20 Adam Palley

Tis the season — and for our money, that means bundling up and heading straight to the historic theater district in Minneapolis. In this episode, we dig into the history, rumors, and mysteries behind one of Minneapolis’ oldest “natural wonders”… which, spoiler alert, is not natural at all — but it is absolutely wonderful.

But that’s not all… We also dive into This Week in MN History, another round of Boomtimes, and the festive (and slightly dangerous?) world of Hanukkah gambling traditions, from dreidels to chocolate coins to the high-stakes art of family bragging rights.

Still nursing a turkey hangover? Not anymore. Shake it off and jump into the holiday season with us on this episode of This Must Be The Place.

Questions or comments? Reach us at:

📧 Email: thismustbetheplacepod@gmail.com

📞 Voicemail: 612.234.1889

This week we dive deep into the history of Saint Paul’s legendary Rondo neighborhood — once the heart of the city’s Black community, full of thriving businesses, churches, and culture — and how the construction of I-94 tore through it, displacing hundreds of families and reshaping Saint Paul forever.

We talk legacy, loss, and what it means for how we build (and rebuild) our cities today. Plus, another installment of This Week in Minnesota History, and of course BooMTiMeS as we keep it coming from the land of 10000 lakes.

Tune in, learn something new, and see your city with fresh eyes.

https://rcodemn.org/

https://www.tpt.org/interstate-94-a-history-and-its-impact/video/tpt-co-productions-interstate-94-history-and-its-impact/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyixQ8l0_18

Questions or comments? Reach us at:

📧 Email: thismustbetheplacepod@gmail.com

📞 Voicemail: 612.234.1889

00:00 Intro (CASEY Messes up sound again until 13min)

01:00 Andrew’s Welcome

06:30 Math is hard

09:30 Neighborhood Watch - Rondo

10:20 Neighborhood watch is a feel

13:15 The sound finally is fixed

13:30 A litany of fuck ups (the story of Rondo)

15:05 History of Rondo

16:50 Great Quote about Rondo

17:30 Minnesotas Black WallStreet (I-94)

25:16 George Herold

28:05 Rondo public resources and archives

30:50 Reconnecting Rondo - ReThinking I-94

34:00 Possible unintended consequences

36:22 KTCA Documentary on Rondo

38:00 Rondo Days

40:02 This Week In Minnesota History

40:25 Winona Ryder, Volsted Act, Calvin Griffith

46:10 Jon Grunseth

49:02 BooMTiMeS

54:44 Play the music

This week on the pod: Kaohly Her shares the deeply personal story behind her decision to run for Mayor of Saint Paul, a campaign sparked by the tragic murder of her close friend and colleague, Melissa Hortman.

In this wide-ranging and emotional conversation, she talks about her journey from escaping Laos after the Secret War to becoming a state representative who’s authored and passed major legislation.

Kaohly opens up about how her refugee experience shaped her values, her commitment to public service, and her vision for a Saint Paul that’s experiential, inclusive, and open for business.

We cover it all, from laughs to tears and everything in between, plus a few detours through BoomTimes, the NBA, The Chair Company, Community Ed, Hmong Village, and the glory days of tube televisions.

Don’t miss this honest and inspiring look at leadership, resilience, and the future of Saint Paul.

https://www.kaohlyforstp.com

Questions or comments? Reach us at:

📧 Email: thismustbetheplacepod@gmail.com

📞 Voicemail: 612.234.1889

00:00 Intro and how Casey messed up audio for the first 9 minutes

01:33 Theme Song

02:17 Kaohly Her - income as a litmus test for politics

06:24 Introducing Representative Her

08:15 Kaohly’s origin story

09:00 FIXED AUDIO - politics is a privilege

10:30 how public schools shaped political future

12:09 RIsk Taker 13:10 What is a Fourteener?

15:30 Hiking a mountain as a life metaphor

16:15 Background as a refugee

19:45 Liberation is tied to one another

21:53 Is Saint Paul Stalled out?

22:38 How do we “unstick”?

26:15 “Either Or” politics.

27:20 St. Paul as a city ready to do business.

29:00 providing needed resources thru snowballing

32:00 how do you get investment in downtown Saint Paul?

35:30 Plan for experiential downtown

37:30 balancing social services with public safety

42:00 Showing up for collaborative work

44:00 Collaborating with School Board

48:45 Dealing with immigration and federal policies around ICE

51:15 Our Police protecting Our residents

54:40 Underdog Story

59:10 Mellisa Hortman’s Murder and why Kaohly is running

01:02:15 Better outcomes thru competition

01:03:40 No Excuses Leading thru Covid, George Floyd and Trumpism

01:08:30 kaohlyforstp.com

01:10:10n BooMTiMeS

01:11:20 Kaohly owns a tube TV with rabbit ears

01:11:51 Live Action with Orchestra “Avatar”

01:12:25 Shohei Ohtani

01:15:10 St Paul Community Ed Hmong Village and Hmong Museum

01:17:55 The Chair Company

01:18:45 The NBA is BACK.

01:20:06 Outro

This week we sat down with Dr. DeWayne Davis, and let me tell you — this one goes deep. We talk about everything from his upbringing and early influences to how those experiences shaped his worldview and his vision for the future of Minneapolis.

Dr. Davis has lived a life. From his personal journey through faith and identity to his work as a pastor and community leader, his story connects the dots between the personal and the political in a way that’s rare and real.

This isn’t a campaign stump speech — it’s a raw, thoughtful conversation about what leadership actually looks like, how cities change, and what it takes to build something better.

If you care about Minneapolis, or just love hearing smart people wrestle with big ideas, this is your episode. Tune in, drop a comment, and tell us what hit you the hardest.

Questions or comments?

Reach us at:📧 Email: thismustbetheplacepod@gmail.com

📞 Voicemail: 612.234.1889 00:00

Intro - a conversation with DeWayne Davis

01:15 DeWayne Davis

02:11 This is DeWayne’s Life

07:10 “Preaching” in the age of social media

07:50 History of engagement thru Sermons as trusted viewpoint

13:10 “Living where People Live”

19:11 Political Capital to invest in Minneapolis

24:40 Gnats vs Mosquitos

25:30 Going up against “The Frey Machine”

26:00 Growing up in Mississippi and a history of American Violence

31:40 Good faith conversations even when you disagree.

33:40 Joe Biden’d debate as the catalyst for running for mayor

36:40 how do you pay for your agenda?

41:10 The idea of false choice

42:35 Rent Control and History of housing

48:00 Expanding the conversation

50:00 Property tax and lack of imagination

52:00 The “WE” in solutions

53:40 Thoughts on MPD

01:04:30 Reallocation and Prioritization in current federal climate.

01:06:06 Accountability and Transparency thru information.

01:10:10 MPLS Public Schools and the idea of 3rd spaces

01:20:30 BooMTiMeS King of Ashes

01:22:04 Backlash Presidents

01:23:40 Agnes Obel and FleetWood Mac Rumors documentary

01:25:55 RIP D’Angelo 01:29:00 VOTE Nov. 4th

This week’s episode takes a deep dive into Powderhorn Park in South Minneapolis. We explore the neighborhood’s unique vibe, culture, art, politics, and architecture—unpacking what makes it one of Minneapolis’s most vibrant and beloved communities.

Shout to the homie Sascha on his upcoming documentary about PowderHorn Park (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8h9hUnWL4Y)

Plus, we share a sneak peek at two exciting upcoming guests: the candidates running for mayor in Saint Paul and Minneapolis, respectively. If you have questions for either comment, email us below.

Questions or comments? Reach us at:

📧 Email: thismustbetheplacepod@gmail.com

📞 Voicemail: 612.234.1889

00:00 Intro

01:10 Andrew's Welcome (Next and the "boner song")

02:55 I'm a dirty Casey

06:30 Upcoming Guest Preview

06:55 Kaohly Her (St Paul Mayoral Candidate)

10:30 Dr. DeWayne Davis (MPLS Mayoral Candidate)

15:12 Send in your Questions

16:00 Neighborhood Watch - PowderHorn Park

18:47 Upcoming Powderhorn Park documentary

19:30 The feel of Powderhorn

24:30 Housing stats

26:30 The park itself

30:45 PowderHorn Art Fair

33:08 George Floyd Square

38:10 May Day Parade

40:30 Porchfest

42:10 Pillsbury House and Theater

43:30 Places we dig (food and other)

45:30 This Week In MN History

47:40 BooMTiMeS - One Battle after another, Weapons, Andrew's TV Picks

55:40 Roll The Music

This week’s episode takes us to Loring Park—one of downtown Minneapolis’ most vibrant neighborhoods, a safe haven for the LGBTQ community, and the epicenter of Twin Cities Pride.

We dive deep into Andrew’s love–hate relationship with “white people music,” then shift gears to talk about Habitat for Humanity and what it was like helping build their new community, The Heights, on Saint Paul’s East Side.

And of course, we wrap things up with a little BoomTimes, where Andrew scoffs at The Summer I Turned Pretty.

Learn more about Habitat for Humanity: www.tchabitat.org

Questions or comments? Email: thismustbetheplacepod@gmail.com Voicemail: 612.234.1889

Is the Twin Cities housing market crashing? Short answer: NO. Don’t buy into the hype from national headlines. Florida and Texas may be skewing the data, but what’s happening here in the Twin Cities is a completely different story.

We break down why our market is still strong—covering everything from our diverse economy, top-rated schools, and unbeatable quality of life, to the persistent lack of housing inventory. Spoiler: it’s definitely not a buyer’s market, and nowhere close to collapsing.

Plus, we take a ride down the iconic Midtown Greenway—one of the nation’s premier bike trails. From Bde Maka Ska to the Mississippi, we explore the history, charm, and current state of this world-class pathway that makes other cities jealous.

And of course… BooMTiMeS and plenty more along the way.

Questions or comments?

Reach us at:

📧 Email: thismustbetheplacepod@gmail.com

📞 Voicemail: 612.234.1889