Best Buy reinventor steps down. Catherine Roberts at the Star Tribune has a piece on current Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly surrendering the reins in June: “Hubert Joly in June will turn over leadership of Best Buy to Corie Barry, currently chief financial and transformation officer, after leading a turnaround lauded by Wall Street and employees. … The Richfield-based company already has met financial goals set for fiscal year 2021 and Joly is a new grandfather, which he said made him decide this was the right time to put his succession plan in place.”
Show and tell off. WCCO-TV has a report on Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Amy Klobuchar releasing her tax returns and encouraging the president to do the same: “The Minnesota senator released her 2018 tax return Monday. She’s previously released 12 years of returns, dating back to the first year she ran for federal public office. She says it’s because she believes in ‘transparency and accountability.’“
Ephesians 6:11. Alleen Brown at The Intercept looks into an organization called Shield616 and how it assisted Twin Metals in donating body armor and more to the Ely police: “Twin Metals’ donation is an example of a quiet alliance between police and extractive industries in communities across the U.S. With protests breaking out, local governments — leveraging their police forces — are steeling themselves to fight back, leading to cycles of recriminations. In Duluth, Minnesota, for example, the police department recently purchased $84,000 worth of riot gear; that move itself sparked a protest. Shield616 helps local governments defray the costs of heavy-duty police gear — with extractive industries that work in their areas sometimes footing the bill.”
Freshmen report card. Mark Zdechlik at MPR News checks in with the newest members of the Minnesota delegation 100 days in: “[Rep. Angie] Craig said she got to know Republican Rep. Peter Stauber from northeastern Minnesota’s 8th District, and found they both have kids with special needs, which lead them to collaborate on legislation to increase special education funding. ‘Pete and I have become, what I would say is, good friends and we want to work together,’ Craig said.”
Beyond the hype. Peter Beinart of The Atlantic dissects the core argument of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s speech to CAIR: “Rather than living ‘with the discomfort of being a second-class citizen,’ Omar argued, American Muslims should ‘raise hell, make people uncomfortable’—just as African Americans and other discriminated-against minorities have. In so doing, they would inspire others to rally to their cause, because ‘once you are willing to stand up for yourself … then others will show up for you.'”
Powerless in Greater Minnesota. KIMT reports there are still 400 homes in Greater Minnesota without power following last week’s storms: “Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services says about 400 homes remain without power. The co-op says electricity was restored to another 800 accounts by late Sunday evening and 250 power poles had been set in place. About 274 workers are now tackling the problem of repairing power lines downed in the recent winter storm, with dozens of extra crews coming from other co-ops and contractors.”
In other news …
Great timing: “Major revamp of Hennepin Avenue begins Monday, expected to last 4 years” [KSTP]
RIP: “Hmong war hero Youa True Joseph Vang of St. Paul dies at 83” [Pioneer Press]
Hooligans: “1 arrested as Canal Park crowd tips over light, forces street closure” [Duluth News Tribune]
Rich (and flavorful) history: “How Saint Paul’s El Burrito Mercado Grew From a Mexican Grocery Into a Mini-Empire” [Eater – Twin Cities]
Sunday sermon: “In first night here, Dave Chappelle thanks Minnesota for sending ‘wild’ politicians to D.C.” [Star Tribune]
When the world gives you Armageddon: “Want to Escape Global Warming? These Cities Promise Cool Relief” [New York Times]
A daughter’s memoir: “Lessons from David Carr” [NewsCut]
What is, and isn’t, public data when it comes to your vote: “MN court: Voter fraud group must be allowed voter data” [MPR]
Bringing up the rear: “Coachella twerk-off: Watch Lizzo butt up against Janelle Monáe onstage” [City Pages]
