It says “major discovery.” Mary Lynn Smith of the Strib reports, “A major discovery by a group of Mayo Clinic researchers may bring scientists closer to predicting and treating Alzheimer’s disease, a debilitating illness that affects millions of people and their families. The Mayo team, which presented its findings at an international conference on Wednesday, has uncovered a new link between a protein and Alzheimer’s that could push research in new directions.”

We look pretty progressive in a New York Times story by Michael Wines. In the context of construction of the new Vikings stadium he writes, “While other states and critics of the Obama administration have howled about complying with its proposed rule slashing greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, Minnesota has been reining in its utilities’ carbon pollution for decades — not painlessly, but without breaking much of a sweat, either. Today, Minnesota gets more of its power from wind than all but four other states, and the amount of coal burned at power plants has dropped by more than a third from its 2003 peak. And while electricity consumption per person has been slowly falling nationwide for the last five years, Minnesota’s decline is steeper than the average.”

It’s them. KSTP-TV is saying, “Authorities have confirmed that the bodies of two people found on Mount Evans in Colorado are that of a father and son missing since going for a hike in April. The Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office said Friday the bodies of Damian and Evan McManus of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, were recovered Thursday.”

At MPR, Tim Nelson writes, “A family friend who lives in the area led a search party who found them about 10 a.m. Thursday. ‘The terrain is extremely, extremely rough. I mean, there’s downed trees and brush and rock, and as a matter of fact the gentleman I talked to yesterday said he was, probably last week or the week before, he was within 50 feet of the one body and didn’t see it’, said Clear Creek Co. Sheriff’s Captian Bruce Snelling, who described the remains as skeletal, partial and difficult to spot.”

The latest in Kevin Love-mania: Chris Broussard of ESPN writes, “The Cleveland Cavaliers are now offering No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins in attempts to trade for Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star forward Kevin Love, league sources have confirmed. The availability of Wiggins could lead to a blockbuster trade that could shift the balance of power in the Eastern Conference and the league as a whole. … News of the Cavs’ change in stance regarding Wiggins in trade talks for Love was first reported by the Lake County News-Herald in Ohio.”

There may be tweaks to a new oil pipeline route. Says the AP, “State officials recommended studying 53 possible adjustments to the route planned by Enbridge Inc. The state Commerce Department says it doesn’t plan to study a complete reroute. The proposed Sandpiper pipeline would carry North Dakota crude oil across northern Minnesota to Wisconsin.” … “Sandpiper” … like a cute little bird.

Today in invasive species: Dan Gunderson of MPR reports, “The recent discovery of zebra mussels in a Becker County lake has forced the state Department of Natural Resources to make some changes in its muskie stocking program. In a couple of weeks, 5-inch-long muskie will be put in Buck’s Mill Pond near Detroit Lakes. By October they’ll double in size and be moved to lakes. But the pond is now considered infested with zebra mussels from an adjacent lake. That limits where the fish can be stocked … .”

Also from Gunderson: “Farmers are fuming over a proposed federal rule change in how wetlands and other waters are protected. Under current Clean Water Act rules, if farmers follow proper farming practices, they don’t need permits for projects like cleaning a drainage ditch. After two Supreme Court rulings muddied the regulatory waters, the EPA decided to change the rule that defines what land use practices are regulated under the act.”

The PR optics are highly problematic in this move. Dan Nienaber in the Mankato Free Press says, “An attorney representing the former Gopher quarterback facing first-degree assault charges is asking a judge to order prosecutors to provide medical evidence. A motion hearing has been scheduled Monday for Philip Nelson, the 20-year-old former college football player accused of kicking Isaac Kolstad in the head after Kolstad was punched during an altercation. Nelson’s attorney, Jim Fleming, wants 11 computerized tomography or CT scans that were taken at Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Mankato between May 11 and May 20.” What? In case the victim is pulling a fast one?

This is good: At City Pages, Aaron Rupar notes an on-line Q&A with GOP gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson. Says Rupar, “Yesterday morning, Johnson, the MNGOP endorsed candidate for governor, held a Facebook ‘Conversation & Coffee’ event live from his party’s new headquarters right in the heart of one of Minneapolis’s crunchiest neighborhoods. Nothing newsworthy about that. But the DFL put Johnson on blast after a softball question from a certain Ed Koeller was answered by Ed’s wife, MNGOP communications strategist Kelsy Koeller.”