On standby. Kristen Leigh Painter at the Star Tribune reports the bigwigs at Sun Country are debating whether to go public: “At a Las Vegas aviation summit Tuesday, Sun Country’s chief executive Jude Bricker told Skift, an online travel publication, that’s he’s been pitching investors to gauge their interest in the small airline, a relatively unknown brand outside of Minnesota. ‘We are small, and we are different,’ Bricker told Skift, adding that Sun Country has more work to do before it’s ready to file an initial public offering.”
Leadership changes at local Irish medical device company. KARE-11 has a short piece on Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak stepping down: “A new chapter lays ahead for Medtronic after the announcement Wednesday that CEO Omar Ishrak will be retiring and leaving his leadership post in April of 2020. Along with the announcement of Ishrak’s departure as CEO, the Medtronic Board of Directors unveiled key leadership appointments as part of a multi-year, leadership succession planning process, to enable a smooth and successful transition in leadership across the company.”
Did Crystal Sugar get MNLARSed? Jim Monk at KFGO is following a lawsuit filed by American Crystal Sugar Co. against a Wisconsin software company: “In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, American Crystal says it signed a contract in January with Biwer & Associates of Hartland, Wisc. Biwer was hired to replace an antiquated system that was in use since 1992, but American Crystal says Biwer misrepresented its skills and ability to meet the company’s requirements.”
Well done. WCCO reports on Cargill’s pivot to fake meat: “According to a press release Wednesday, Cargill is investing the money in PURIS, the largest producer of pea protein in North America. The money would allow PURIS to double its pea protein production by retrofitting a plant in Dawson, in western Minnesota. Cargill says the investment will create 90 new jobs in the local economy.”
A serious case of price-gouging? Dana Ferguson at the Duluth News Tribune has a story on a legislator concerned about air ambulance pricing: “Rep. John Huot, D-Rosemount, said he wants the air ambulance companies to be transparent about their prices to avoid price-gouging patients. On Tuesday, Aug. 27, he held a meeting with fellow lawmakers and air ambulance executives to assess what it would mean for them to make public some of their pricing information. A former Life Link employee, Huot said he’d heard from Minnesotans who’d been stuck with surprise bills they couldn’t afford and wanted to address the issue in the Legislature before it becomes more common.”
In other news…
Bridging the gaps: “Stauber announces $10M for St. Louis County bridges” [Duluth News Tribune]
Looking forward to seeing it in the Thanksgiving Day parade: “The Lizzo booty backstory begins in Burnsville” [KARE11]
While you’re there: “Minneapolis Fed debuts at State Fair amid economic turmoil” [MPR]
RIP: “Minneapolis Mounted Patrol mourns loss of police horse Diego” [KMSP]
Um, OK: “State board supports national historic status for old St. Andrew’s Church, posthumously” [Pioneer Press]
Neighborhood was too krauted: “New Bohemia Restaurant Closes In Northeast Minneapolis” [WCCO]
End of an era: “Red Wing pottery business to halt manufacturing this fall” [Pioneer Press]
Targeted: “Walmart to close its St. Paul store on University Avenue” [Star Tribune]
Kind of cruel, actually: “To Mark Fall’s Arrival, Dairy Queen Overloads the Senses with New Blizzard Treat Candles” [AdWeek]
Nerd alert: “Petition · Ticket To Ride Needs To Put Duluth in the Right Place” [Change.org]
My fix for Ticket-to-Ride game is taping a strip of paper that says “StPaul” over where the board says “Duluth”. It’s already in the right place.