This week’s edition covers stories
from July 31st to August 6th, 2025.
Today’s issue is 884 words, a 9-minute read
Hey folks, Mateo here.
This week, we’re looking at what’s being built, what’s being lost, and what’s being left behind. A new exhibition by artist Salad Hilowle is open at the American Swedish Institute, blending history, identity, and design. In St. Paul, the old Midway Sears site is finally getting a second life with big promises for the community in the future. Meanwhile, Congress is pulling the plug on the CPB, a move that would hit rural communities especially hard and call into question what kind of media future we want. And in sports, the Twins made a flurry of moves at the trade deadline, signaling the end of an era. Let’s jump in.
Swedish-Somali Cultural Exchange
Celebrates Identity and Connection
This past weekend, the American Swedish Institute and the Somali Museum of Minnesota co-hosted the first-ever Somali-Swedish Cultural Exchange Festival, a celebration of shared stories and community. Inspired by the Salad Hilowle: Inscriptions exhibition, which explores the dual identity of a Somali-born, Sweden-based artist, the event was filled with music, dance, art, and food reflecting both cultures. The day invited families to engage, connect, and reflect on the ways Minneapolis continues to be shaped by diverse global roots.
Former Sears Site Brings Life to St. Paul
While redevelopment of the old Sears store on Rice Street remains years away, its sprawling parking lot is already becoming a vital hub for community wellness and celebration. What was once a symbol of retail decline is now pulsing with life. Nearly every day of the week, the lot is booked, not just for parking, but for bike races, bus driver training, art shoots – you name it. Local entrepreneurs set up pop-up markets. Families come out for cultural festivals. And next weekend, the popular Asian Street Food Night Market returns.
The parking lot of a currently closed Sears in St. Paul has become a center for local activity. 📸 Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune
“We weren’t looking to make money,” said Bobby Yang of the Asian American Business Resiliency Network, which owns the site. “We were looking to see how we could elevate our community.”
It’s a temporary use of space with a long-term vision: a community-focused development that includes housing, sports fields, and markets. But even now, the lot is laying that foundation, piece by piece.
Why Losing CPB Hurts
Many of us grew up with PBS, watching Arthur, Mister Rogers, or Sesame Street before we even knew what public media was. These shows didn’t just entertain us; they taught us how to count, how to be kind, and how to see ourselves in the world. For millions of families, especially in communities without easy access to early education, PBS was the classroom.
That mission was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which helped fund public media across the country. Now, CPB is closing after losing federal funding, a decision that puts over 1,500 local stations at risk, especially in rural areas.
📸 @PBS/Instagram
The loss hits more than just nostalgia. It threatens local journalism, emergency alerts, classroom resources, and trusted programming that’s free to everyone. NPR could lose dozens of member stations. Communities that rely on over-the-air access will be left behind. This isn’t just about dollars. It’s about what kind of media we believe everyone deserves, COB helped make public service media possible. Without it, the gap between those who can pay and those who can’t gets even wider.
Twins Hit Reset Button
It’s hard to overstate just how shocking this trade deadline was for Twins fans. In just a few days, Minnesota unloaded 10 Major League players, including longtime fan favorites, key bullpen arms, and the face of the franchise, Carlos Correa. He’s heading back to Houston, the team he won a World Series with, and the Twins are still paying most of his contract. The moves send a clear message: the front office no longer believes that this core can compete.
Losing Correa hurts, not just because of the star power, but because of what it represents. When the Twins signed him, it felt like a new era. Now, that era is officially over.
Also gone: hometown starter Louis Varland, superutility Willi Castro, and three of the team’s best relievers, Brock Stewart, Griffin Jax, and closer Jhoan Duran. That’s a full step backward, and not just for 2025. This looks like the beginning of a rebuild, and potentially a longer one.
📸 Bill Streicher/Imagn Images
Team leadership insists that they have added valuable prospects and payroll flexibility. Maybe that’s true. But for now, the reaction from fans and players has been emotional, and understandably so. After 2023’s playoff breakthrough, many believed this group could still compete. Instead, we’re left with a stripped-down roster, an uncertain identity, and a lot of young names to get familiar with. Buckle up – it could be a rough couple of years.
Stay informed, stay connected.
See you next week!
–
Mateo and the NewPrensa team
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Hi, friend: Mateo here!
I’m a Communications Specialist by day and
biking around the city by night!
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