Racket

Racket is a website created by writers and supported by readers, established by a team of former editors from City Pages (which we miss). We focus on the same bold and entertaining journalism that City Pages was known for since 1979. Our coverage includes news, politics, music, arts, culture, quirky local stories, food and drink, and theater, all featuring plenty of local perspectives. Plus, we make sure our content is enjoyable to read.

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ICE's Only Active University Contract? The U of M.

5 days ago | racketmn.com | Jessica Armbruster

Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily digest of important, overlooked, and/or interesting Minnesota news stories. Did you know the University of Minnesota has a gun range? Did you know the U leases those shootin' lanes out? Did you know that, since 2022, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have honed their sights at said range, making the U of M the only university in the U.S. to actively contract with ICE?
This Week on the Big Screen: 'Pride and Prejudice,' John and Yoko, Michael B. Jordan and Michael B. Jordan (He Plays Twins)

6 days ago | racketmn.com | Keith Harris

Before I put MSPIFF 2025 behind me for good (you can still catch the last Best of the Fest installment tonight), I may as well run down the films I saw in week two, listed in decreasing order of appreciation. Seeds—A gorgeous black and white doc about Black farmers in Georgia that's like slowly turning the pages to an art photography book. Predators—A fair-minded doc about the skeevy Bush II-era crime porn reality show To Catch a Predator and its gross legacy.
Weed Weview Wewards 2025

1 week ago | racketmn.com | Jessica Armbruster

This weekend is 4/20, aka Stoner Christmas. Which means it’s a good time to reflect on the many gummies, drinks, candybars, and more I’ve sampled for this column. This year, I tried 47 different products. Some were great. Some were truly awful. But this edition of Weed Weview Wewards is about bests, and we have some excellent ones this year, including canned cocktails, microdose candies, and NA beer.
Feeding Our Future Fallout: Who Knew What and When?

1 week ago | racketmn.com | Jessica Armbruster

Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily digest of important, overlooked, and/or interesting Minnesota news stories. It was supposed to feed thousands of kids during the pandemic. Instead, the folks behind Feeding Our Future allegedly spent $250 million on personal luxuries. A staggering 70 people have been charged (there have been seven convictions so far), and it looks like we’re just getting started. So, how does something of this scope happen?
Crime Watch Mpls? More like CRYme Watch Mpls.

1 week ago | racketmn.com | Keith Harris

Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily digest of important, overlooked, and/or interesting Minnesota news stories. By the end of the month, new encryption methods will block public access to police scanners. And I’m sure your first response to this news is the same as mine: What is @CrimeWatchMpls going to do?
How Chef Abraham Gessesse Took Over (and Elevated) an Established St. Paul Restaurant

1 week ago | racketmn.com | Em Cassel

In October 2023, Abraham Gessesse became the new chef-owner of Hyacinth, the 7-year-old Italian restaurant on St. Paul's Grand Avenue. Just a year and a half later, Gessesse was named among the semifinalists for a James Beard award for the first time. That timeline might make it sound like there was a dramatic change—that Gessesse stormed into Hyacinth with bracing new ideas, ready to make his mark.
Politicians' Relatives Vie for Ousted GOP Sex Creep's Senate Seat

1 week ago | racketmn.com | Keith Harris

Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily digest of important, overlooked, and/or interesting Minnesota news stories. When it comes to political sideshows, it takes a lot to upstage Jennifer Carnahan, but the guy in pajamas might have done the trick.
Record Store Day Is Upon Us, So Let's Talk About Physical Media in This Week's Open Thread

1 week ago | racketmn.com | Keith Harris

This weekend is Record Store Day, and as always there's plenty happening around town. You can learn all about that in today's Freeloader Friday. Pretty cool that Bootsy Collins is DJing at Electric Fetus eh? So for this week's Open Thread, I wanted to not only ask if you ever attend RSD events or go shopping that day, but also, what is your relationship to physical media in general? How much have you held on to, and how much do you still buy?
Oh, Good: Federal Cuts Shutter Vaccine Clinics

2 weeks ago | racketmn.com | Em Cassel

Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily digest of important, overlooked, and/or interesting Minnesota news stories. The Trump administration cut billions in Covid-related funding last month, using the justification (not that it seems particularly hung up over justifications) that the public health emergency is over.
On the Big Screen: MSPIFF Wraps Up, Other Film Series Rev Up

2 weeks ago | racketmn.com | Keith Harris

We're in the homestretch of MSPIFF, which ends on Sunday. I haven't made as many screenings as usual, due to scheduling conflicts and a wearying depletion of serotonin. Maybe I'll rally this weekend. Here are the films I have seen, ranked according to preference. Only Grand Tour will be screening again, but four films I recommended in my festival preview (Misericordia, Queendom, Checkpoint Zoo, and Manas) are showing over the next four days.