10/19/2023 -- Coney Barrett at U of M, Shut Down of Feeding Our Future Non Profits, New St. Paul Zoning

Politics

Amy Coney Barrett Speaks at U of M while Students Protest

The Summary: During an event at the University of Minnesota, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett discussed topics such as ethics, national unity, and the literary and legal influences in her life. The event was briefly interrupted by a small group of student protesters.

Mild Questioning: Coney Barrett, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump in 2020, largely avoided hot-button issues like abortion and affirmative action. Since her appointment, she has issued key votes that overturned Roe v Wade and struck down affirmative action.

Code of Ethics: In response to a question about adopting a code of conduct for the Supreme Court, Justice Amy Coney Barrett expressed support for the idea, emphasizing the court's commitment to the highest ethical standards. The question comes on the heels of allegations of Justice Clarence Thomas accepting lavish gifts from conservative donors.

Students Protest: In the lead up to Coney Barret’s speaking engagement, nearly 700 students signed a petition demanding the U of M rescind their invitation. At the event, an estimated 200 protestors gathered outside Northrop auditorium and a small group made their way into the event where they interrupted the interview chanting, “Not the court, not the state, the people will decide their fate."

Legal

Minnesota Attorney General Seeks Shutdown of 23 Nonprofits Accused of Fraud in Federal Meals Programs

The Summary: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's office is taking legal action to close down 23 nonprofits accused of defrauding federal meals programs, following the Feeding Our Future investigation.

Feeding our Future: The Feeding Our Future investigation, initiated last fall, has led to the indictment of 60 individuals who are alleged to have engaged in a $250 million fraud scheme, misappropriating federal funds intended for hungry children to finance extravagant lifestyles.

Why the delay? The delay in seeking the dissolution of the accused organizations came as a result of the attorney general's office lengthy investigation that included site visits and bank record reviews to rule out any legitimate charitable purposes.

Local Government

❯ New Zoning in St. Paul Approved: The St. Paul City Council has approved a zoning change to permit multi-family dwellings on lots previously designated for single-family homes, aiming to address the city's housing shortage. The Twin Cities area currently has an 80,000-unit housing shortage.

❯ Taxpayers Double Billed: Ramsey County is issuing refunds to approximately 700 residents and businesses after a glitch in their electronic payment system led to double billing, totaling $3.75 million, for property taxes paid online between September 29 and October 2. The error impacted 678 taxpayers who were charged twice in the same amount.

Aviation

❯ Sun Country Adds Flights: Sun Country Airlines is expanding its service with new nonstop flights from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to Montreal and Toronto starting in June, as well as introducing seasonal nonstop service to eight U.S. destinations, adding to its total of 98 nonstop destinations from the Twin Cities.

❯ Delta Walks Back Rewards Cuts:  Delta Air Lines is making adjustments to the changes announced in September to the SkyMiles rewards program, which were criticized for making elite status more challenging, costly, and exclusive. Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in the announcement: “What's been most clear to me is how much you love Delta and the disappointment many of you felt by the significance of the changes”

Sports

🏒 Wild Win: Marc-Andre Fleury made his first start of the season and led the Minnesota Wild to a 5-2 victory against the Montreal Canadiens, receiving a standing ovation in what might be his last game in Montreal.

⚾ Twins Awards: Two Twins pitchers, Sonny Gray and Pablo López, have been named finalists for the Rawlings Gold Glove award in the American League. Additionally, Twins shortstop Carlos Correa is also among the Gold Glove finalists.

🏈 Gophers Prepare for Iowa: The Minnesota Gopher football team is traveling to Iowa City this weekend to face the #24 Hawkeyes in a game that features an over/under total set at 32.5 points. A recent report by ESPN named the Gophers one of the five most disappointing teams in college football.

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Quick hits

Headlines From Around The Twin Cities

❯ Rep. Dean Phillips missed Nevada's presidential primary filing deadline and won't be on the ballot. (Star Tribune)

❯ Minnesota GOP is pushing for more people to vote early, something that Republicans have lagged behind Democrats in the past (MPR)

❯ New owners plan to redevelop the former St. Paul Sears building on Rice Street with ambitious, community-focused projects (Yahoo Finance)

❯ Hamas terrorists have murdered a former St. Paul school teacher named Noi Maudi (WCCO)

❯ Governor Tim Walz joined UAW autoworkers on the picket line in Plymouth (KSTP)

❯ Unprecedented amount of homeless families in the Twin Cities are seeking shelter (KSTP)

❯ YWCA Minneapolis members advocate for a public buyer to prevent the closure of downtown and Uptown fitness centers (Star Tribune)

Things To Do

Keeping You Busy This MEA Weekend ✔

🌅 Bde Maka Ska Pavilion Opening: On Friday, October 20, the new Bde Maka Ska pavilion will officially open to the public. The new gathering spot includes two buildings hosting a restaurant and market by Pimento Jamaican Kitchen, Indigenous art exhibits, and the return of naval artifacts that were originally part of the space before its renovation.

🍺 2023 Cider Fest Kicks Off – (Oct 21): Minneapolis Cider Company is hosting CiderFest 2023 bringing together 16 cideries from across the Twin Cities and Midwest. Tickets cost $50 and give you access to unlimited samples of cider from your favorite local and regional cideries. In between samples of cider, you can enjoy multiple food trucks and live music the event offers. Buy tickets here.

🎥 Twin Cities Film Fest: The 2023 Twin Cities Film Fest, running from October 19 to 28 at ShowPlace ICON Theatres in St. Louis Park, MN, offers attendees the opportunity to experience over 120 films both in person and through online streaming. Viewers can buy individual movie tickets or festival passes. Before going, check out Axios’ “What to Watch” guide for the film fest. View Schedule. Buy Passes.

🎃 Twin Cities Halloween Events: There are plenty of spooky Halloween events that have already kicked off across the Twin Cities metro. Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine has put together a comprehensive list of all spooky themed events taking place between now and the end of the month. Check out the full list here.

The Final Word: Trivia for a $10 gift card!

Sunday is National Apple Day, a fruit we’re especially proud of in MN. The Honeycrisp was famously developed by scientists at the U of M in 1960. Question: Which Minnesota orchard made the first commercial delivery of the Honeycrisp to grocery stores in 1997?

Reply to this email with your answer. One person with the right answer will be drawn on Sunday and will receive a $10 gift card to a Twin Cities coffee shop of your choosing.

-Patrick