So, did they finally run the numbers? At MPR, Mark Zdechlik reports: “It remains to be seen if mainstream Republicans can defeat the right wing of their party at the ballot box. But some business groups are signaling that they’ve had enough of the tea party, particularly its adherents in Congress who insisted upon a government shutdown that, according to economists, cost the economy billions of dollars. Minnesota Business Partnership Executive Director Charlie Weaver, who represents CEOs and other leaders of the state’s largest corporations, said they viewed the shutdown battle as foolish and counterproductive. … The U.S. Chamber of Commerce plans to weigh in against tea party candidates in Republican primary elections.” I suppose this means the money kids won’t be inviting their tea party buddies out to the club for drinks anymore.
To paraphrase Sgt. Schultz, “I see no connection … ”: Lauren Donovan of the Bismarck Tribune reports: “The city of Leith approved a building moratorium and took other steps Sunday night to prevent white supremacists from living on property without sewer and water and squatting in tents and trailers. Law enforcement was only required to remove Craig Cobb from sitting at the city council’s meeting table and to intervene when Cobb told members of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe they were off the reservation and should go back home. Cobb, a hate crimes fugitive from Canada with extremist neo-Nazi views, purchased a home and 12 other lots and is encouraging others to join him in taking over the town. … He said he may rename Leith the ‘Village of the Damned’ when he takes it over. He said residents are ‘evil and nasty.’ “
Also … while roaming the Bismarck Tribune website … Jenny Michael reports: “A Bismarck woman says someone broke into her home, cooked some bacon and drank some beer. Bismarck Police Sgt. Mark Buschena said the 30-year-old woman in south Bismarck reported at 6 p.m. Monday that she arrived home and smelled cooked bacon. She discovered that someone had broken her bedroom window and entered her home. The burglar used the microwave to cook bacon from her refrigerator and took three cans of Bud Light. Buschena said nothing else appeared to be stolen.”
Finally! Someone is putting serious money into our local sports facilities. Says Tim Nelson at MPR: “The Timberwolves and Lynx, the city of Minneapolis and AEG have announced a $97 million deal to renovate the 23-year-old, city-owned basketball and multi-use arena, more than two years after they unveiled the first renderings for the face-lift. Minneapolis is contributing $48.5 million to the project, the Timberwolves and Lynx will be paying $43 million and AEG, the company that operates the arena, will be contributing $5.5 million. Minneapolis is using hospitality taxes that were freed up as part of the Vikings stadium deal. ‘Target Center has been on the property tax rolls. Target Center should be moved off the property tax rolls,’ said Rybak.”
Also from Nelson: “Officials with college football’s Bowl Championship Series were in the Twin Cities over the weekend, considering Minneapolis for the 2017 championship game. … [Michele Kelm-Helgren] said a number of factors drew the attention of BCS officials while they were here:
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The skyway link to the downtown core in Minneapolis, which will let fans get to the stadium without going outdoors
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The two-block park and block-long public plaza in front of the new stadium that could provide event space.
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The 73,000-seat capacity of the stadium when expanded from the regular 65,000 seat venue.
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The transparent roof that could give fans the feel of being outside even in winter.
Kelm-Helgen also said that the College Football Playoffs seem to be thinking about Minneapolis sooner, rather than later.”
So the Mayo Clinic is responsible for Rochester having the highest insurance prices in the state? Elizabeth Baier of MPR says: “When insurance companies decide where to sell health plans, they look closely at what it will cost them. And in Rochester, health care is more expensive than anywhere else in Minnesota because the Mayo Clinic sets the region’s prices. That’s the reality facing southeast Minnesota. Despite the federal Affordable Care Act and the new MNsure health coverage marketplace, Rochester stands as the one part of the state where prices are high and options are few. Live here and you get Mayo’s high quality care. But if you don’t qualify for subsidies, and you have to pay for insurance out-of-pocket, you pay the price.”
Attention, 6th District! The St. Cloud Times alerts readers: “The Minnesota State Patrol will be flooding the St. Cloud area on Tuesday to combat the driving behaviors that are most likely to lead to deadly crashes. Every trooper, supervisor and investigator assigned to the district will be working on the road to increase their presence and to enforce laws on seat belt use, speeding, failure to yield and inattentive driving activity that includes texting and rolling through stop signs. The areas that are designated for increased enforcement efforts are Minnesota Highway 25 in Wright, Sherburne and Benton counties, Minnesota Highway 29 in Swift and Pope counties and U.S. Highway 71 in Todd, Stearns and Kandiyohi counties.”
On the show-biz website The Wrap, Ira Teinowitz checks out Hollywood’s biggest political donors and says: “The Top 20 showbiz donors have already shelled out an estimated $1.45 million collectively this year, according to an analysis provided to TheWrap from the Center for Responsive Politics. Florida music producer Bill Edwards and his wife, Joanne, led the list with $164,800 donated to Republicans, according to the latest figures for the year. But most of the Hollywood money has gone to Democrats. … ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Star Wars’ director [J.J.] Abrams and his wife, Katie McGrath, have given $117,200 — the third largest — all to Democrats. Their contributions include $32,400 to the Democratic National Committee; $10,200 to Minnesota Sen. Al Franken’s re-election effort … Republicans are getting some entertainment money, too — but from media execs outside Hollywood. Hubbard Broadcasting CEO Stanley Hubbard and his wife, Karen, the fourth largest givers, have given $110,800 overall with all but $10,400 donated to Republicans.” When I think “Hollywood,” I think Stanley.
They’re torching the IMAX at ValleyFair. Says the Strib’s Paul Walsh: “The doomed IMAX movie theater at Valleyfair is about to go up in flames as part of a training exercise for firefighters, the amusement park in Shakopee said Monday. The 500-seat theater is slated for demolition within the next few weeks for a yet-to-be-announced park expansion. Fire departments from Shakopee, Savage and Prior Lake will use fog machines and small contained fires to perform search and rescue drills Monday inside the 31-year-old theater at the park, which is closed for the season.”
