Sen. Majority Leader Tom Bakk gave his opinion of the Black Lives Matter movement during yesterday’s legislative preview at the Humphrey School. The Uptake’s Michael McIntee reports: “Bakk said ‘I think they probably need to do more — the Black Lives Matter type movement — to identify a specific goal. And I haven’t seen anybody really articulate that yet. And the reason I say that is, to keep any kind of a movement alive — remember Occupy Wall Street? Gone, isn’t it? Right, you can’t find it anywhere. You have to have a specific objective in mind and you have to incrementally — to keep the movement alive — bring forth some successes, incremental as they might be, so that the people that are participating in keeping the issue in front of people feel like their time is worth it, that they’re getting some successes. … So I think that means you have to have kind of a long term objective and a long term strategy with some little mile markers in there where you reach some levels of success. Because all it is is a protest with no measurements about how we’re making some incremental success, it probably will fall apart because the people who are trying to participate will feel like they’re wasting their time if they’re not making any headway.’ ”
Speaking of the legislative session, expect SHENANIGANS:
“The only thing standing between Rangers and relief” is Republicans, Dayton says. “I’m very disappointed.”
— Briana Bierschbach (@bbierschbach) February 2, 2016
Dayton said this portends “a lot of political shenanigans” in upcoming #mnleg session. “It’s not very promising.”
— Briana Bierschbach (@bbierschbach) February 2, 2016
A golf simulator? The Star Tribune’s John Reinan reports on a housing lawsuit in the south metro: “More than 30 current and former residents of the Concierge apartments filed a class-action suit in U.S. District Court Monday, alleging that owners of the 698-unit Richfield complex have violated fair housing laws in their attempt to take the development upmarket. … The complex at Penn Avenue S. and W. 76th Street was bought last year by Crossroads Apartments LLC and is managed by Soderberg Apartment Specialists, a company focused on turning around troubled properties. … After taking over last year, Soderberg immediately began a multimillion-dollar renovation of the property, including granite countertops, a golf simulator and a pet spa.”
City Pages’ Mike Mullen offers up a fine piece of service journalism under the headline “When and how to shovel: a guide”: “The Twin Cities is expected to get slammed with varying amounts between Tuesday and Wednesday, with totals ranging from four inches to nearly a foot around the metro area. … This leads to the inevitable, miserable moment the morning after, when bleary-eyed people glance out bleary-eyed windows and wonder. Do I really have to shovel? What if my area didn’t get hit as hard as somewhere else? The answer? Yes. Just, yes.”
This may be the most MPR controversy we’ve ever heard of. Under the headline “The adult coloring book controversy continues,” Kerri Miller writes: “Last week, I let my feelings about adult coloring books be known. If you missed it, here’s the gist: I think real books trump coloring books, if you’re looking for a way to fill your time. … This week, I’m still digging out from under the avalanche of emails and tweets that came my way after I said that. … To that, I say: Bring it on! I love hearing from you about books, whether it’s a ‘You go, girl!’ or a ‘Where do you get off?’ And this pile contained plenty of both.” Oh, my!
In other news…
What did you do this weekend? “A Totino-Grace High School student launched a weather balloon 20 miles into the atmosphere over the weekend and captured incredible footage of the earth’s curvature.” [KMSP]
We’re going to do this to all the headshots we run from now on: “Yearbook photo flap settled with a bald eagle” [MPR]
When’s the last time you heard good news about MNsure? “MNsure tops enrollment goal for first time” [Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal]
Don Rawitsch, one of the inventors of the video game Oregon Trail, did an “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit.
Minnesota campaign finance numbers for last year are out. The Pioneer Press’ Rachel Stassen-Berger is reporting the numbers.
Beargrease update: “Anderson is first Beargrease musher to hit trail back to Sawbill” [Duluth News Tribune]
Congrats to Minneapolis’ Fair State Brewing Cooperative! They were named one of the world’s best new brewers by RateBeer. Some other Minnesota winners in there too. [The Growler]
