Anoka Times

The A Precarious State announced the premiere of its documentary in the house district MN-6, examining the economic and public safety challenges facing the Twin Cities. The announcement was made in a press release.

According to InForum, Precarious State is a forthcoming documentary from veteran journalist Rick Kupchella that investigates the unraveling of the Minneapolis–St. Paul economy and public safety climate over the last five years. Airing on October 2, 2025, across ABC affiliates in Minnesota and neighboring states, the film argues that unlike many U.S. metros rebounding after the pandemic, the Twin Cities have experienced worsening crime, job decline, and business disinvestment. Kupchella frames these challenges as closely tied to the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder in 2020 and the city’s response to it.

According to the Brookings Institution, the Twin Cities economy has underperformed compared with other U.S. metropolitan areas since 2020. Between 2019 and 2023, Minneapolis–St. Paul’s gross domestic product expanded by just 3.2%, while Dallas, Phoenix, and Atlanta posted double-digit gains over the same period. Brookings also reported that downtown Minneapolis office vacancies exceeded 25% in 2023, highlighting reduced investor confidence and weaker recovery compared with higher-performing metros.

According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, job growth in the state has lagged behind the national recovery. From February 2020 to December 2023, Minnesota experienced a net loss of 43,000 jobs, representing a 1.4% decline, while overall U.S. employment grew by 3.7% beyond pre-pandemic levels. State data show that sectors such as leisure, hospitality, and professional services in Minneapolis–St. Paul have not returned to pre-2020 levels, in contrast with recoveries in many other metros.

According to the City of Minneapolis crime dashboard, violent crime rose sharply following 2020, with homicides peaking at 97 in 2021, compared with 48 in 2019. While the number fell to 72 in 2023, robberies and aggravated assaults remain elevated compared with pre-pandemic levels. The same city data indicate these trends coincided with a reduction of nearly 300 police officers since 2020, contributing to public safety challenges across the metro.

A Precarious State website, Rick Kupchella describes the project as the most significant story of his 30-year journalism career, having interviewed more than 20,000 people across several continents. He notes that the film was born out of the central question, “What is really happening in Minnesota today?” and positions the work as an in-depth look at the future of a once strong and vibrant Twin Cities. The documentary is presented as a civic project designed to move public understanding beyond headlines and toward solutions for Minnesota’s economic and social challenges, as per their website.