After noting Steve Perry's ascension there the other day, political junkies might want to keep an eye on Politics in Minnesota's beta site. There's no doubt PIM could use a fresher look (they're not the only ones) and the beta promises that "the look of this page to change significantly in the coming weeks and months." I like experimenting in public.

Also, ex-Stribber Nick Coleman (who has his own new blog, currently in beta) notes that current Stribber Rachel Blount's anti-Vikes-stadium column is unpaywalled here, via the McClatchy News Service. Other commenters say they've been able to access the column for free on the Strib site, but I haven't duplicated their feat.

Finally, not an update, but a hat tip, to AP writer Pat Condon, who has a sweet piece on former Pioneer Press reporter Steve Scott going native in the best way possible: the former religion writer has become a pastor in western Wisconsin. Scott, who took a buyout in 2006, explains journalism is a calling too, and notes he was "petulant ... pouting ... not very professional" when the PiPress reassigned him to the suburbs. Now, of course, he'd probably be thrilled if his congregants get coverage from one of those correspondents.