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Essential Minnesota

Minnesota Star Tribune
Minnesota Star Tribune
Minnesota
Operation Metro Surge
ICE
Vance Boelter
Border Patrol
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
Immigration Enforcement
Mental Health
Gun Violence
Minneapolis
Mass Shooting
Trauma
Trump Administration
Renee Good
Minnesota Politics
Feeding Our Future
Minnesota Red Flag Law
Bishop Henry Whipple Building
Annunciation School

Every Friday some of the best reporters in Minnesota dig into one important local story. Host Melissa Townsend brings her distinct curiosity and humor to these weekly deep-dive conversations with journalists from the Minnesota Star Tribune where they break down the facts, the players and the impact. No spin, pretense or A.I. – just great local stories that matter to Minnesota and beyond. It’s what... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes34Founded7 months ago
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PoliticsNewsSociety & Culture

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Artwork for Essential Minnesota

Latest Episodes

We hope you are enjoying your summer!

Longtime political reporter Briana Bierschbach details how the Trump administration has pulled back key support that has helped Minnesota safeguard elections while pushing changes based on unproven allegations that could make it harder for legitimate... more

This week wildfires forced the closure of the Boundary Waters, sent smoke across the Midwest and pushed air quality to hazardous, record-breaking levels. Minnesota Star Tribune reporter Kristoffer Tigue chronicles the evacuation and fire fighting eff... more

This week she capped off an historic month becoming the winningest coach in WNBA history. We go behind the scenes with reporter Cassidy Hettesheimer to Reeve’s early days and the secrets to her success.

Corrections: In this conversation there are tw... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Kristoffer Tigue
Journalist reporting on fires and fire seasons across the Midwest
Minnesota Star Tribune
Episode: Minnesota’s Wildfires: Smoke, the Boundary Waters & Climate Change
Cassidy Hettesheimer
Women's sports reporter for Minnesota Star Tribune
Minnesota Star Tribune
Episode: Lynx’s Cheryl Reeve Breaks One More Record
Briana Bierschbach
Political reporter
Minnesota Star Tribune
Episode: How Minnesota's new flag became a political flashpoint
Jessica Lassenhop
Investigative reporter, ProPublica (former Minnesota Star Tribune)
ProPublica
Episode: The investigation into the OALC church and its abusers
Andy Mannix
Investigative reporter, ProPublica (former Minnesota Star Tribune)
ProPublica
Episode: The investigation into the OALC church and its abusers
Jeff Day
Reporter with Minnesota Star Tribune
Star Tribune
Episode: Bonus: Assassin Vance Boelter Pleads Guilty
Liz Sawyer
Reporter at the Star Tribune covering public safety and law enforcement
Star Tribune
Episode: Behind the fall of the Minneapolis Chief of Police
Chip Scoggins
Journalist at Minnesota Star Tribune and Strib Varsity reporter (prep sports)
Minnesota Star Tribune / Strib Varsity
Episode: The debate over high school transfer athletes
Chloe Johnson
Reporter, Minnesota Star Tribune
Minnesota Star Tribune
Episode: How the ban on mining near the BWCAW was reversed

Host

Melissa Townsend
Host of Essential Minnesota, with strong ties to the Star Tribune and Minnesota public discourse.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 25 ratings
  • Great Minnesota coverage

    As a Minnesotan living in the Twin Cities, this podcast is a good addition to my podcast rotation.

    Quality reporting by the Star Tribune with a wide range of topics and conversations.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jeffrey Leonard
    United States4 months ago
  • Satisfying!

    I live in Minnesota and I love hearing the exceptional reporting about what’s happening right here. Great work Strib!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    News Lover in MN
    United States4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The reporting quality and staying close to Star Tribune standards comes through in conversations.
Listeners appreciate the depth and local focus, especially for Minnesota-specific issues.
People value the no-spin, careful elaboration on complex topics, making it a go-to for staying informed about state affairs.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Minnesota’s Wildfires: Smoke, the Boundary Waters & Climate Change
Q: So when you first heard about these storms going across northern Minnesota, did you think, oh, fire?
No. Fires happen all the time, but these fires exploded because of existing drought and lightning, and they began to spread faster than expected.
Lynx’s Cheryl Reeve Breaks One More Record
Q: What makes Reeve's coaching staff unique, and how does that affect the team's performance?
Hettesheimer noted that having former players on the staff creates strong communication, trust, and a shared understanding of on-court and off-court dynamics, which helps integrate leadership across roles and sustain a winning culture.
Lynx’s Cheryl Reeve Breaks One More Record
Q: What would you say describes Cheryl Reeve in one word?
Cassidy Hettesheimer described her as a transformative leader who blends coaching, business operations, and strategic decision-making, uniting the staff and players behind a common vision.
Mistakes and Mysteries: Inside the manhunt for assassin Vance Boelter
Q: What were the key failures in the law enforcement response during the first hours after the Hoffmans were shot?
The episode highlights a lack of a unified, real-time alert system to inform all lawmakers, systemic gaps in interagency communication, and questions about how commands and information circulated among local and state agencies during the initial hours of the manhunt.
How Minnesota's new flag became a political flashpoint
Q: What do experts say about the design and its reception over time?
Experts highlighted the flag's simplicity and recognizability as strengths, while analysts noted that opinions may evolve as people sit with the symbol beyond immediate partisan reactions.

Audience Metrics

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Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
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Frequently Asked Questions About Essential Minnesota

What is Essential Minnesota about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Explores deeply reported Minnesota stories with a focus on political, civic, and investigative topics, anchored by a veteran Star Tribune journalist. Episodes spotlight state politics, elections, public safety, and major local issues, often featuring reporters and editors from the Star Tribune who provide data-driven context, on-the-ground reporting, and nuanced analysis. Noteworthy is the regular collaboration with multiple Star Tribune journalists, creating a steady stream of informed, no-nuff-spin conversations that connect local events to broader trends. This show is likely to appeal to Minnesota residents and professionals who want thorough insight into how local stories unfold, with a strong emphasis on accountability, governance, and... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Essential Minnesota?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Essential Minnesota:

1. Curious Minnesota
2. Minnesota Today
3. The Daily
4. StribSports Daily Delivery
5. The Ezra Klein Show

How many episodes of Essential Minnesota are there?

Essential Minnesota launched 7 months ago and published 34 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Essential Minnesota?

Recent guests on Essential Minnesota include:

1. Kristoffer Tigue
2. Cassidy Hettesheimer
3. Briana Bierschbach
4. Jessica Lassenhop
5. Andy Mannix
6. Jeff Day
7. Liz Sawyer
8. Chip Scoggins

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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