Federal Agents, SPPD Create More Chaos in St. Paul

Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily digest of important, overlooked, and/or interesting Minnesota news stories.

Feds Were in St. Paul Today

One week after the ICE raid at Bro-Tex in St. Paul, which led to the detainment of 14 people, another apparent federal raid took place in St. Paul, this time on a residential block of Rose Avenue E.

Videos taken by observers and protesters at the scene show St. Paul Police and federal agents firing chemical irritants and rubber bullets at the assembled crowd.

"SPPD was in fine spirits, laughing at the crowd. There was at least one with a gun with a large magazine," Becca Esche, who captured the video above, tells Racket. She says she saw agents take two men from the scene. (And she adds: "Pepper spray sucks but medics are great.")

And speaking of guns with large magazines:

Mayor Melvin Carter was present at the operation and told protesters that he “has questions” but “won’t be able to provide answers from this parking lot," according to the Star Tribune.

Governor Tim Walz issued the following statement on social media: "We are monitoring the situation in St. Paul and working to understand what unfolded. We received no heads up from federal authorities on this operation. While we are always willing to work together on public safety, that is clearly not what this chaotic situation was about."

Southside Pride To Cease Publication After 35 Years

Since 1991, neighborhood newspaper Southside Pride has arrived at doorsteps and news racks and coffee shop shelves, offering a buffet of national and local news, a religious calendar, and opinion pieces, often with a lefty boomer vibe and a colorful dose of humor. Recent articles include a piece on ICE and the No Kings rallies (“What can we do when the ICEman cometh?”), the mayoral race (“City Hall suddenly looks like a hostage situation in a low-budget Lifetime spin-off”), and a skeptical op ed on the chances of an enduring ceasefire in Gaza (“Many are coming to believe we have been on the wrong side of history.”).

But the rumors are true: Longtime owner/editor (and, er, unrepentant Maoist) Ed Felien confirms that, after 35 years, the next edition of Southside Pride will be its last.

"I have a long diatribe on why I'm quitting in the December (and last) edition of Southside Pride coming out December 2," he writes in an email to Racket. "It's all about what I thought I'd learned after doing it for 35 years. It's about my failures to convince our local governments to do the right thing." Sounds like SSP is going out with a bang.

Tina Smith Is in a Fight Club

No, not the “fist fight in a dingy basement” kind of fight club. We’re talking about a new gang in the Senate who are challenging folks like Sen. Chuck Schumer who they feel are taking the Democratic party in the wrong direction. In addition to Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), the group also includes Sen. Christopher S. Murphy (D-CT), Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT), and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). “With views of the Democratic brand at record lows, the group argues that the party must embrace candidates willing to challenge entrenched corporate interests, fiercely oppose the Trump administration and defy their own party’s orthodoxy,” writes Lisa Lerer for the New York Times.

The Fight Club is reportedly unhappy with the candidates Democrats have been supporting/failing to support in critical campaigns, citing Schumer’s unwillingness to endorse NYC mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. Smith and the gang are also annoyed with the party quietly pushing donors to support “meh” candidates like Rep. Angie Craig, who is vying for Smith’s seat when she retires in 2026. “They worry that leadership is using a dated playbook and risks dampening the party’s energy and desire for new kinds of candidates,” notes Lerer.  

Wanna Buy a Triple-Decker Milwaukee Avenue Townhome? What About a Brand-New St. Paul Tiny Home?

Let's round out today's edition of the Flyover with two very cute properties that just hit the market in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

First up, there's a "recently refreshed" three-level townhome on Minneapolis's historic, car-free Milwaukee Avenue. The 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom, move-in ready historical home at 2324 Milwaukee Ave. is listed for $299,900 and boasts updated flooring, a recently remodeled kitchen and bathrooms, a kitchen dining nook, and, of course, the joy of living on one of the city's cutest streets. (Those HOA dues are no joke, though: $586 monthly!)

Then, there's this pint-sized cutie at 475 Beaumont St. in St. Paul. The 1-bed, 1-bath, 460-square-footer, built earlier this year, is teeny and adorable, with high ceilings and an open floor plan as well as a 3,049-square-foot lot to keep ya from feeling too cramped. They're asking $259,000, which could help explain why it's been on Zillow for 54 days? But hey, we're not real estate experts, just avid house oglers. Maybe you could talk 'em down.