Politics and Minneapolis: It’s In Our Blood?

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

Why Minneapolis Keeps Making the News

Minneapolis has been front and center of political discourse this decade, from the unrest following the police murder of George Floyd to our response to Operation Metro Surge. Author/U of M professor Michelle Phelps always has thoughtful things to say about the history and culture of the Twin Cities, and when asked why Minneapolis in particular has been at the center of recent racial justice movements, she had much to say. 

“I think the most obvious was that the people of Minneapolis and the broader Twin Cities metro area had built up this muscle memory of resistance,” she tells host Perry Bacon of Right Now with Perry Bacon. “And actually, we can think about 2020 as the culmination of years of organizing efforts, and seeds being planted that then blossomed in 2020.”

But this has been brewing for decades, Phelps says, noting local protests that erupted in the 1960s in response to a lack of racial justice as well as the 1940s, when the city enacted policies that aimed to address racial equity. “Some would trace it even farther back, to our Scandinavian roots of immigration, or the very cold winters and the way that causes people to pull together in moments of crisis,” she notes. 

New Calculator Estimates How Screwed We Are Financially

The Star Tribune has created a budget tabulator (gift link) that promises to help you figure out how far you can stretch a “six-figure income” in Minnesota. While I’m only pulling in a sweet five-figure salary (read all about that here), I still found it fun to toggle the numbers to see what I should have leftover each month if I actually stay on budget. 

According to the approximately 200 people surveyed for the story, making over $100K a year isn’t cutting it anymore. “The essential costs of housing, health care, and transportation are taking up a growing share of income, while the number of non-negotiable expenses seems to grow,” Strib reporters Carson Hartzog and Mike Rice write. Those “non-negotiables,” despite what the comments section will tell you, aren’t $12 coffees and spendy vacations; we’re talking about things people need to buy in order to work and keep their job, like childcare, phone plans, and high-speed internet. 

And if you’re not in the six-figure income range, know that you’re not alone. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in Minnesota was $89,062 between 2020–2024. In 2026, the Center for Rural Policy and Development reported that Minnesota’s median household income ranges from $90,000 to $126,000 in the metro area and $59,000 to $80,000 outstate.

The Story Behind the State Fair’s CHUDMAXER Painting

A painting by St. Paul-based artist Rachel Mei titled CHUDMAXER has been going viral over at Twitter, accruing over 62K likes over the past few days—that’s up 14K from yesterday! The piece, which is currently on display at the Minnesota State Fair, shows a woman enjoying a video game in bed with an empty plate, open Cheetos bag, and pizza off to the side. The inspiration? Mei’s dear friend. 

“Historically she would use the word [chudmaxxing] whenever she wanted to excuse herself from seeing anyone when she felt her worst,” Mei tells Racket via email. “I wanted to paint her during one of these states in a way that shows her in a loving way without romanticizing depression. It’s an honor to be able to see anyone in a state they are not proud of and I like to think of that as an artifact of our friendship.” 

For folks unfamiliar with the term, “chudmaxxing” these days generally refers to relaxing, letting yourself go, and wallowing in laziness. Think “bed rotting,” but just a little more active. 

“The title I’m sure is part of the reason why it’s gotten some attention. The word has a crazy etymology behind it and before recently it was only really used in the parts of the internet you want to stay away from,” she continues. “I wanted to title it something that would rot and serve as a pinpoint in time. Something that me and my friend can look back at and laugh.” 

Supply Chain Woes Thwart Toilet Aspirations

Back in December, $700,000 the city of Minneapolis set aside to add new public restrooms along Nicollet Mall. But at a mid-August meeting, Transportation Planning and Programming Director Kathleen Mayell told City Council that the dream had gone down the drain, as finding vendors that meet the city's requirements—toilets that could withstand the weather, self-clean, and not require utility hookups—had proved too difficult.  

The dream is not dead, however. Trevor Mitchell at MinnPost reports that funds have been moved so they can still be accessed at a later time. “[The presence of a restroom is] a huge determining factor [for where people with GI conditions spend their time],” Tovah Domenick, executive director at the local chapter of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, tells Mitchell.