Hennepin County Board to hold hearing on renaming of Lake Calhoun

by MinnPost staff 10/17/201710/17/2017

Big meeting tonight. The Star Tribune’s David Chanen reports: “The controversial renaming of Lake Calhoun takes another step forward Tuesday, as the Hennepin County Board holds a public hearing on the issue. … The County Board’s hearing, and its vote sometime in the next few weeks, are the next steps in the state-mandated process to change the name of a body of water. The board’s decision will be forwarded to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and then to the U.S. Board of Geographic Names for final approval.”

Changing face of northern Minnesota agriculture. The Duluth News Tribune’s Janna Goerdt reports: “Shrimp, wine and hemp. … Minnesota farmers are more likely to grow commodity crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat, but some people aren’t satisfied with traditional farming. They want to branch out, grow something new, see what it’s like to raise a quirky crop. Like shrimp or prawns, wine grapes or industrial hemp, all in Northeastern Minnesota. … ‘There is a trend in Minnesota among farmers, that they love to push the boundaries, and experiment with what we can and cannot grow here,’ said Karen Lanthier, member services coordinator with Minnesota Grown. The 30-year-old organization helps member farmers and growers market their products.”

Chilling. The Forum News Service (via the Pioneer Press) reports: “A 23-year-old woman who admitted to beheading a Hibbing man after an alleged sexual assault received forgiveness from the victim’s family but a maximum sentence from the judge. … Kayleene Danielle Greniger, 23, was sentenced Monday to more than 30 years in prison for her role in the June 2016 slaying of 20-year-old David Alexander Haiman. … Greniger twice admitted in court that she used a machete to decapitate Haiman after her boyfriend, Joseph Christen Thoresen, lured the victim to the rural Ball Club area of Itasca County. … Weeping and struggling to speak, Greniger repeatedly apologized but told District Judge Lois Lang that she wasn’t seeking empathy or forgiveness.”

Go ahead, pick a different state. See if we care. The Star Tribune’s Erin Golden reports: “While other states have taken extreme measures to land Amazon.com’s new headquarters — mailing gifts to the company’s CEO, producing videos, writing letters and offering billions in tax incentives — Gov. Mark Dayton said Tuesday that Minnesota is deliberately taking a different tack. … The governor said the state’s proposal, which will be sent to the Seattle-based online retailer this week, focuses on Minnesota’s workforce, educational opportunities and transportation systems, but does not put a dollar amount on how much the state would pitch in to get Amazon. Instead, Dayton said the pitch outlines the state’s existing incentive programs, but doesn’t make any pledges to set them aside for the company or even add up the full list of available incentives.”