What you need to know about the investigation of MPD. For Sahan Journal, Joey Peters reports: “How is this current investigation different from others the Justice Department conducted in the past? Will the Justice Department look into other police departments? … To answer these questions and more, Sahan Journal spoke with Minnesota interim U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk, whose office is co-leading the pattern or practice investigation with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Special Litigation Section. … We asked what the investigation will consist of, what people should expect, and how people can participate.”
Not gonna get their earnest money back. The Star Tribune’s Randy Furst reports: “One of the metro area’s largest Realtors associations has backed out of a project that it helped launch to remove racial covenants written into thousands of property deeds in the early 1900s. … Officials with the St. Paul Area Association of Realtors notified Just Deeds organizers this spring that they were withdrawing from the project. … ‘Please remove SPAAR’s name, logo and description from the Just Deeds website and other materials created by and for the partnership,’ Joe McKinley, a vice president for the St. Paul group, wrote Just Deeds organizers in an e-mail. … McKinley wrote that the website included statements and content that ‘contradict association positions with respect to homeownership and mischaracterize the real estate industry.’”
St. Paul council puts a cork in wine-only stores. The Pioneer Press’ Frederick Melo reports: “In late April, after more than five months of study and debate, a proposal that would have opened the door to wine-only shops in St. Paul died a quiet death before the St. Paul City Council in a 4-3 vote. … Council Member Jane Prince, whose office had made efforts to study distance requirements between wine shops and liquor stores in cities across the metro, said Friday she was hopeful St. Paul’s distance requirements could be relaxed someday, but it probably won’t happen in the near future.”
From zero state fairs to two state fairs. The Star Tribune’s Rochelle Olson reports: “The Minnesota State Fair on Tuesday unveiled a Memorial Day weekend event that previews a possible return to normal at the fairgrounds later this summer. … The Fair was canceled last year because of the coronavirus pandemic and its fate remains unclear for this year, but State Fair organizers revealed the new ‘Kickoff to Summer at the Fair’ for May 27-31. Entries, chosen at random by lottery, will be capped at 10,000 for each of the seven time slots over five days.”
In other news…
Quite a survival tale: “Heart-lung bypass a COVID-19 rescue tool in Minnesota” [Star Tribune]
Get a vaccine already: “Walmart, Sam’s Club begin walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations” [KSTP]
It takes guts: “Researchers at U of M working to create world’s 1st human organ storage bank” [KSTP]
Look for the sunflowers: “Minneapolis-St. Paul airport offers aid to travelers with hidden disabilities” [Star Tribune]
Never a headline you want to see: “Police In Annandale Address Concerns Over Clown” [WCCO]
Breakin’ architectural ground: “Salmela Architect designs Electric Bungalow in Minnesota” [dezeen]
Ouch: “Bemidji’s Paul Bunyan Requires Emergency Maintenance After Arm Nearly Dislocates” [Lakeland PBS]
