Vikings sue Wells Fargo over signs near stadium

Is that the world’s smallest violin we hear? MPR’s Tim Nelson reports that the Vikings are vewwy upset with Wells Fargo over its big, mean sign: “The Minnesota Vikings are suing Wells Fargo, saying the bank is trying to muscle in on the image of the new stadium the team is building in downtown Minneapolis, which is named for a Wells Fargo competitor. … A suit filed in Hennepin County District Court on Tuesday says the bank and the team struck a deal that allowed Wells Fargo to put 56-foot square roof signs atop each of the two office towers the bank is building near the stadium — since formally named for rival U.S. Bank.”

He’s serious this time. The Duluth News Tribune’s John Myers reports, “Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton today gave Essar Steel Minnesota a deadline to pay back the $65.9 million the company owes the state for breach of a 2008 economic development agreement. … Dayton sent Essar Minnesota President Madhu Vuppuluri a letter, which the governor also made public, demanding the company accept his terms by Dec. 30. … Dayton called his terms the state’s ‘final offer’ to the company which has been negotiating for much of 2015 over when and how much to repay the state.”

Sad news for Minnesota out of Afghanistan. KMSP reports: “The Department of Defense announced Tuesday that a woman from Plymouth, Minn. was among the six airmen killed Monday in Afghanistan. Adrianna Vorderbruggen, 36, and five others were killed when they were attacked by a suicide bomber on a motorcycle near Bargram Air Base. … The Associated Press reports that the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.”

Here’s an angle on Black Lives Matter you don’t see in the news so often. For Hyperallergic, Paul Schmelzer highlights the artists of the movement: “The camp was dismantled by police on December 5, but the movement is redoubling its efforts and ramping up its goals. At the Mall of America, they’ll again call for the release of the tapes related to Clark’s killing; they’ll also protest the decision to have a grand jury hear the case, demanding a more transparent trial over the secretive process that rarely results in the indictment of police officers. In their ranks will likely be some of the local artists who, throughout this tumultuous year, have directed their talents toward helping grow the movement, unifying and healing its members, and presenting compelling counternarratives to mainstream media.”

In other news…

Hmm, who’da thunk it? “Fargo police see trend of cars stolen with keys inside” [Inforum]

In the future, it seems like all involved should just avoid alcohol altogether: “Woman bites off husband’s ear over a beer” [KARE] Life imitates art.

Is there a local angle on the new cover of Time magazine featuring Adele? There is! “Adele’s Time magazine portrait shot by Minnesota-born Erik M. Heck” [Star Tribune]

Dateline, Duluth: “A male experiencing a mental health crisis had chased a young bobcat into the convention center.” [Duluth Police Department on Facebook]