St. Louis County plow strike imminent as snow looms in forecast

Talk about leverage. The Star Tribune’s Brooks Johnson reports: “A plow drivers’ strike is coming to St. Louis County, though the timing remains undisclosed. … The Teamsters Local 320 can legally start the strike as of Tuesday morning. Business agent Erik Skoog said the union will release information on any work stoppage as it occurs and won’t have any further comment until then. … The region saw 2-4 inches of snow overnight, and another 2-5 inches are expected by Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service. A storm could drop more than 6 inches on southern St. Louis County Friday into Saturday, with less snow expected farther north.”

Big debate for Sen. Amy Klobuchar. MPR’s Mark Zdechlik reports: “Encouraged by the dwindling number of people sharing the stage, Minnesota U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar said she hopes she and her fellow presidential hopefuls can focus Tuesday night on the needs of rural America in their Des Moines, Iowa, debate. … ‘I hope this will finally happen, that we discuss it,’ she said. ‘Given that we’re in Iowa, and I’m the one on the debate stage that asked to be on the Agriculture Committee and is a senior member who negotiated through three farm bills, and who knows that food just doesn’t magically appear on your table, and that rural education [and] rural health care is not one size fits all.’”

Related: “Why Voters Are Nervous About Amy Klobuchar” [Politico]

This is outrageous. BringMeTheNews’ Adam Uren reports: “One of the country’s leading tribal advocates says she was left ‘humiliated’ by an experience with a TSA agent at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. … Tara Houska says she was going through security at the Twin Cities airport when a TSA agent said she needed pat down Houska’s braids. … ‘She pulled them behind my shoulders, laughed & said “giddyup!” as she snapped my braids like reins,’ Houska tweeted on Monday.”

The High Line you say? The Star Tribune reports: “Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat wants to build a curved promenade of nearly a mile that would span the Mississippi River and put pedestrians just above the dam leading to the St. Anthony Falls spillway. … The proposed ‘Wishbone’ would be the splashiest new development concept for the Mississippi riverfront in downtown Minneapolis in recent history. … ‘Great cities have great public spaces,’ said Opat, who envisions the project as something like New York City’s High Line, the popular 1.45-mile elevated linear park along a former rail line on the west side of Manhattan.”

In other news…

Election 2020: “Minnesota GOP looks to fresh crop of female candidates” [Star Tribune]

Nick Zerwas got a job: “Former lawmaker’s new lobbying job sparks fresh calls for ‘revolving door’ laws” [Star Tribune]

Nice: “Barbies with vitiligo donated to Minnesota Vit Friends support group” [KMSP]

Congrats to the shareholders: “Strong demand, mild fuel prices help Delta earn $1.1 billion” [Star Tribune]

Can’t like those odds: “One in eight Minnesotans drink nitrate-tainted tap water, report says” [Star Tribune]

Did you notice this last night?

Honored as State Teachers of the Year at NCAA Champ FB Game. Given platform to stand up for marginalized and oppressed people. Like many before, I respectfully kneeled during Nat’l Anthem because, “No one is free until we are all free” (MLK). #imwithkap #blacklivesmatter #LGBTQ pic.twitter.com/DimP3pBtBn

— Kelly D. Holstine (she/her) (@kellydholstine) January 14, 2020

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