Two more women step forward to claim part of Prince’s estate

This might take a while. In the Strib, Dan Browning and David Chanen write: “Two more purported heirs of the late megastar Prince filed a motion in Carver County District Court on Wednesday to intervene in his $100 million dollar-plus estate. The potential heirs are Brianna and Victoria Nelson, the daughter and granddaughter, respectively, of the late Duane Nelson Sr., who was identified in court documents as one of Prince’s half-brothers. Whether he was, however, is at issue. … Some people who know the family have suggested that he was not a blood relative.”

Judging Trump. The PiPress’ David Montgomery on the Minnesota judge who’s on Donald Trump’s list of people he’d consider for filling Antonin Scalia’s Supreme Court seat: “Republican presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump would consider appointing Minnesota Supreme Court Justice David Stras to the U.S. Supreme Court if elected, Trump announced Wednesday. Stras was among 11 names Trump released to the Associated Press with the intent of easing concerns among Republicans that he might not pick conservatives for the top bench.” 

Meanwhile, over at MPR, Bob Collins looks at Stras’ record: “Stras has not been, at least from this non-lawyer’s perspective, particularly flashy or even ideologically driven, at least by the standards of the justice he’d replace. He clerked once for Justice Clarence Thomas, a justice who is an automatic vote for the conservative wing of the court. When he was appointed by then Gov. Tim Pawlenty, I wondered whether he’d reflect that characteristic. He didn’t.” 

But the TSA-grade lines were part of the charm. The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s Nick Halter has State Fair news: “Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar, by far the most popular vendor at the Minnesota State Fair, will operate a third stand on the north end of the fairgrounds starting this year. For the State Fair, getting Sweet Martha’s to open the new location is a wise choice for two reasons: It thins out the crowds at the two existing booths and helps draw crowds to the northern part of the grounds, which will get a complete revamp in 2017 or 2018.” 

This is becoming a familar story. The Strib’s Andy Mannix has a story on the state’s (successful) Challenge Incarceration Program, which officials say lowers rates of recidivism among prisoners: “The only problem, they say, is lack of space. As of mid-May, 166 eligible inmates were stuck on the waiting list. The Department of Corrections is asking the Legislature for $3.5 million to expand the program this year, which Deputy Commissioner Terry Carlson says is critical for addressing prison overcrowding and reducing reconvictions among former inmates. The Senate included funds in their bonding proposals, but on Wednesday, when the Republican-led House introduced its omnibus bonding bill, it made no mention of money for CIP.”

So what is getting done at the Legislature? Animal trusts, writes the PiPress’ Tory Cooney: “Minnesotans may soon be able to rest in peace knowing that their beloved animal companions will be cared for when they are no longer around. A measure allowing animal trusts was passed unanimously in the state Senate on Wednesday and as part of a larger bill in the House last week. The state has allowed people to leave money in their wills for the care of pets, but there’s been no enforcement mechanism until now, sponsor Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis said shortly before the 55-0 Senate vote Wednesday.”

Let’s see if they handle this any better than the NFL. The AP, via WCCO, has this on the class-action lawsuit brought against the NHL over concussions: “A federal judge in Minnesota has denied the NHL’s latest attempt to throw out a class-action lawsuit by former players filed over head injuries. The league had argued that the suit should be tossed because the issues raised by the former players were covered under the collective bargaining agreement with the players’ union. U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson wrote in a 47-page opinion Wednesday that the contract does not pre-empt legal action, in part because the players are retired and no longer subject to the CBA. Nelson also wrote that the subjects of the complaint are not spelled out in the CBA.”

Minneapolis council gets an earful about the city’s proposed mandatory sick leave ordinance, reports the Strib’s Erin Golden: “For more than three hours, 73 people took turns testifying at a public hearing. The full council will vote on the issue next week. Dozens more packed the council chambers and spilled over into a nearby viewing room. Before the hearing, supporters of the ordinance rallied outside City Hall, chanting as they marched to the meeting.”

And across the river, the St. Paul council gets an earful about the city’s proposal to allow six-story buildings along the river bluff outside of downtown, writes the PiPress’ Frederick Melo:  “On Wednesday, critics shot back an earful. In comments before the city council, some said the proposed rules go too far in limiting potential development at riverfront sites such as the former Ford auto plant in Highland Park; others said they don’t go far enough. ‘The balancing act here is protecting what’s probably our primary natural asset’ and supporting the city’s growth and development, said Council President Russ Stark.”