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taraandchicken.bsky.social
Tara
@taraandchicken.bsky.social
240 followers 730 following 970 posts
Policy wonk, chaos gardener, friend to the animals, sewist, urbanist, person-in-charge-of-paint-and-tiling in this old house, parent. St. Paul, MN
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taraandchicken.bsky.social
Saint Paul sidewalk update: Yikes. Be careful out there!
December 18, 2025 at 7:20 PM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
Immigrant businesses in my neighborhood are knock-only now. ICE has turned grocery stores into speakeasys. Spending at these businesses both puts money into the hands of neighbors that need it AND takes money from oligarchs who would otherwise pocket the cash. 🚫Amazon et al.
jchavezmpls.bsky.social Jason Chavez @jchavezmpls.bsky.social · 10d
This holiday season, we ask you to take action. Shop at immigrant-owned businesses in Minneapolis: buy groceries, share a meal, purchase gifts, and spend time in our vibrant commercial corridors.

Your presence matters. Your support matters. 1/
Minneapolis City Council Members Ask Community Members to Shop at Immigrant-Owned Businesses Amid Federal Immigration Enforcement This holiday season, we ask you to take action. Shop at immigrant-owned businesses in Minneapolis: buy groceries, share a meal, purchase gifts, and spend time in our vibrant commercial corridors. Your presence matters. Your support matters. We can help our immigrant neighbors and keep our communities strong during this difficult time.  With the increase in federal immigration enforcement actions in our community, we are seeing unspeakably traumatic and life-changing events; families are being torn apart, neighbors are being disappeared, and communities are being left to pick up the pieces.    Our office has been on the ground in our wards talking with residents and community members, working to connect impacted families with resources. One of the things we hear repeatedly is that our local businesses are facing a significant strain and chilling effect from the ongoing federal immigration enforcement operations. Our local immigrant-owned businesses are dealing with employees and coworkers in fear of being abducted, and their main clientele is so scared to leave their homes. Some local immigrant-owned businesses have seen upwards of an 80% decrease in customers.   Together, we can stand up for our immigrant neighbors, and with your support, we can show our local immigrant-owned businesses that we know they make our city great. The diversity of our commercial corridors is the fabric of who we are as a city; they make Minneapolis vibrant and welcoming. We are resilient and rich in culture, art, and shared community because of them.    Signed by proud Immigrant and children of immigrant council members,  Aisha Chughtai – Minneapolis Council Vice-President   Jason Chavez – Minneapolis Ward 9 Council Member  Aurin Chowdhury – Minneapolis Ward 12 Council Member   Jamal Osman – Minneapolis Ward 6 Council Member 
December 16, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Reposted by Tara
twincitiesgeek.com
Weekend giveaway!

This year's Klingon-language Christmas play is onstage now at the Mounds Theatre. Enter by 7:00 p.m. Sunday for your chance to win a free ticket! #TwinCitiesGeeks twincitiesgeek.com/2025/12/ente...
Enter to Win a Free Ticket to “It’s an Honorable Life” at the Mounds Theatre
Each winter, Star Trek fans descend on St. Paul's Historic Mounds Theatre for a Christmas story performed in Klingon.
twincitiesgeek.com
December 12, 2025 at 4:11 PM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
No such thing as bad weather, only bad modes! Kiddo and I went to Obbs for dinner. No car required.
Child skis on a highway pedestrian overpass in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is night, but all the highway light reflecting off the snow create a pretty bright scene. Child skis down a neighborhood sidewalk.
December 10, 2025 at 2:36 AM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
Yay! Looks like St. Paul made the snow cutoff, at least in the East Side. No wintery mix! ❄️ 🌨️
December 9, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Reposted by Tara
joshnorthsouth.bsky.social
My dad had a massive heart attack this spring in northern WI and had to come to Minneapolis for weeks of surgery and after care. Most of his nurses and care staff were Somali. In his words "They are so lovely, they took such great care of me. I just think the world of them."
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 17d
Trump: "I want to see people that contribute. I don't want to see Somalia ... the horrible things they're doing to Minnesota, it's incredible."
December 9, 2025 at 3:33 PM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
I am oddly comforted by this. People are asking a librarian to see the source material. All is not lost!
December 9, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Reposted by Tara
tctrekkiespodcast.bsky.social
Twin Cities Trekkies will return next Friday, December 12 with an episode dedicated to talking with a few people involved with the annual It's An Honorable Life (Klingon version of It's a Wonderful Life), which starts this Friday, 12/5 at the historic Mounds Theater in Saint Paul!
December 3, 2025 at 4:05 PM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
On this day of rapid transit celebration honoring the first day of the E Line, I would like to point out that The Historic Mounds Theater is directly on the Gold Line! Yay BRT!!! 🚌 🎭 🎄
A flier for the play It's An Honorable Life, A Star Trek Fan Production. It's got Christmas graphics featuring Klingons, a Ferengi and a blond lady (who is a Q). Also red shirts flying in the background. Playing Dec. 5-Dec. 21. The Mounds Theater is in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
December 6, 2025 at 5:46 PM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
MN weather alert: Definitely back to "good softshell" out there. If shoveling or skiing, can probably move down to "light jacket."
December 5, 2025 at 7:22 PM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
Happy opening night of the best annual holiday show in the Twin Cities
A flyer for It's An Honorable Life at The Historic Mounds Theater in St. Paul, MN. The artwork shows a Klingon family and a Ferengi singing in front of a Christmas tree. Another Klingon and a blond woman stand with them. In the distance a bunch of people in red shirts appear to fly towards them. The show is a Star Trek Fan Production. It is playing on weekends from December 5th through the 21st with one Thursday show on December 18.
December 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
Does anyone on here actually listen to Cities 97 such that you listened today? They do have actual humans sometimes right? Did those actual humans mention anything today about The Debacle?
December 3, 2025 at 10:25 PM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
Is now a good time to remind radio listeners in the Twin Cities to donate to The Current? Or Radio K? Or KMOJ?
December 3, 2025 at 4:10 AM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
St. Paul Eastside YMCA is all abuzz this morning as this renegade bird stages a sit-in, shutting down the pool, stumping the staff, and drawing crowds to the glass to gawk. No word yet on the bird's demands.
Bird relaxing on rafters. Top loop of long pool thingy visible. It is a good two feet below the bird. Zoomed out shot of the bird in the rafters in the pool area. Staff visible holding a long pool pole thingy and very much not reaching the bird which is indicated with an arrow.
December 2, 2025 at 1:36 PM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
Hearing that accent come out of the Pope is soooooo weird.
December 1, 2025 at 11:18 PM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
A+ timing for the first significant snow of the season. Minnesota has rarely delivered such flawless weather for dragging out the holiday decorations on Thanksgiving weekend.
Christmas tree decorated and lit. Behind it, a carefully observer can see snow on the evergreens outside the window.
November 30, 2025 at 6:59 PM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
Went to see Souvenir at The Gremlin tonight. A+ performances. A+ costume design. Only on through Sunday so go now. 🎭 🎶
November 29, 2025 at 5:53 AM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
Amazing local theater anyone? This show has been my favorite holiday tradition since I first went in 2022. It is peak Twin Cities Theater Scene. Just weird and fun and joyful. Please enjoy the Klingon child, Zuzu, describing the main character, her father. tinyurl.com/IAHL2025
November 27, 2025 at 2:24 AM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
Good news. We appear to have beaten 6-7 here at our house. We did it by both parents buying all the way in. We adults found every opportunity to say "6-7" for like three days. That shut down the whole operation. 6-7 is no longer cool.
November 26, 2025 at 3:19 PM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
The dog and the birds have conspired to destroy the yard and they are all very pleased with themselves. #urbanchickens #diggingestdog #chickensky
Four chickens (Dark Wing, Grey Duck, Fancy Pants, and Todd) take a dust bath in a giant hole just outside the dying garden in Saint Paul, MN. Another (Night Slayer) walks along the top of the garden fence. A sixth (Goldie) is just there.
November 23, 2025 at 4:57 PM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
Everyone is all excited to see Lina Khan in the Mamdani transition team, but I'm not. I need that nerd bitch suing oligarchs, you know? Political staff nerds are important, but not as important as nerd bitches with the skills to sue oligarchs. Where do I donate to get Lina Khan doing that again?
November 22, 2025 at 3:59 AM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
Had a meeting at Wilder in Frogtown and learned about this delightful little trail en route. It's giving Mid-century Milwaukee Ave. 10/10. So very amazing (except for getting spit onto Dale with no reasonable way to cross. That wasn't awesome.) 🚲 🚸
Map of a section of St Paul with a four by three block area circled between Dale and Western, just north of the highway. A trail, not a road, wanders east/west through the neighborhood. A paved trail. Some houses visible on the right. Park to the left (playground equipment is there, but outside the frame). Other parts of this trail have homes on both sides.
November 20, 2025 at 10:29 PM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
This whole Nuzzi/Lizza/etc situation is giving Carmen and I think we should all leave the opera house before Act IV. Nothing nice happens in Act IV, you guys.
November 18, 2025 at 9:55 PM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
The Chicago mix at the original Candyland in Saint Paul (and presumably in the two other locations) is unmatched in snack excellence. The glee induced by the environs is an added bonus, not counted in the popcorn score.
November 15, 2025 at 3:13 AM
taraandchicken.bsky.social
As part of my Self Sufficient Kid Project, I let my middle schooler and friend take the bus downtown to the farmer's market yesterday. They got on the wrong bus home and they figured it out. Taking the bus to the farmers' market is anti-fascist. Kids deserve the chance to be anti-fascist too. 🚌 🫛🥦🍅⛹️‍♀️
streets.mn Streets.mn @streets.mn · Nov 7
"The longstanding farmers market has opened a year-round indoor market at the former Black Dog Cafe, located at 308 Prince Street. The soft opening was held on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2. The new indoor market in Lowertown, open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m."

streets.mn/2025/11/06/s...
Saturdays at the St. Paul Farmers Market
Expanding local food access, the St. Paul Farmers Market launched a new Lowertown indoor market (308 Prince St.), open weekends, 9 AM to 1 PM, supplementing its outdoor site and Bachman’s sat…
streets.mn
November 10, 2025 at 4:07 PM