8/26/2024 -- State Fair Smashes Attendance Records

Minnesota

New Survey Shows Post-Pandemic Migration Patterns Were Similar To Pre-Pandemic

The Summary: A recent survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis revealed that migration patterns in the Twin Cities, particularly Minneapolis, between 2020 and 2023, were consistent with trends seen before the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the social unrest following George Floyd's murder and the increase in remote work,there was no significant exodus from the city during this period,

Key Insights

- Consistent Movement Patterns: About 64% of Minneapolis residents who lived in the city in 2020 remained there by 2023, just slightly lower than the 65% who stayed during the 2016-2019 period.

- Intra-City Moves: Of those who did move, many relocated to other neighborhoods within Minneapolis, such as Southwest Minneapolis, Nokomis, Powderhorn, or Northeast neighborhoods.

- Stable Housing Market: The demand for housing remained strong, with renters signing leases on 4,800 apartments in the first half of 2024, the highest in a decade.

- Downtown Resilience: Despite challenges, downtown Minneapolis continues to attract visitors, evidenced by the success of major events like the Gymnastics Olympic Trials and Pride Parade.

Dispelling Misconceptions: Misconceptions about migration have been fueled by reliance on population data, which can be misinterpreted due to various factors like birth rates and death rates, but the new findings offer a more accurate picture of actual migration patterns.

Read the Full Star Tribune Analysis

State Fair

Great Minnesota Get Together Off To Strong Start With Record Setting Attendance 🎡

The Summary: The Minnesota State Fair broke single-day attendance records on both Thursday and Friday, with 138,875 and 171,233 visitors respectively. Fair organizers are looking to surpass last year's total attendance of 1.8 million.

Other Highlights

❯ Check out some of the funniest crop artworks at the fair

❯ A Mpls St Paul Mag food critic ranked her top foods from the fair

❯ Senator Amy Klobuchar posted about her excitement to return to the fair

Business

Xcel Energy Reverses Course With Rate Increase Plan ⚡

The Summary: Xcel Energy has modified a prposal to charge customers higher rates for electricity used during peak hours to better reflect the cost of delivery and reduce strain on the electric grid. The plan aimed to encourage customers to shift their electricity usage to off-peak periods.

Pushback and Concerns: The proposal faced criticism from customers and consumer advocates who argued that the significant price difference between peak and off-peak rates could be burdensome. The initial plan would have charged up to seven times more for electricity during summer peak hours compared to off-peak times.

Adjustments to the Plan: Xcel’s new approach makes the time-of-use rate program voluntary rather than automatic for all residential customers. Additionally, the peak period has been shortened and shifted to 7-10 p.m. on weekdays, with a smaller price difference between peak and off-peak rates.

Weather

Heat, Humidity, and Possible Dangerous Storms Incoming On Monday

The Summary: Monday will bring dangerous heat and humidity to the Twin Cities, with temperatures expected to reach the low 90s and dew points in the mid to upper 70s. This combination will create a heat index of 100° to 105°.

Severe Storms Overnight: Severe storms are expected to arrive in the Twin Cities late Monday night, around 2 a.m.–3 a.m. The National Weather Service has placed the area under an "enhanced risk" for severe weather, with potential hazards including large hail, 70+ mph winds, and heavy rain.

Sports

⚾ The Minnesota Twins struggles continued as they lost 2 out of 3 to the St. Louis Cardinals. They currently hold the third and final wild card spot for the playoffs.

🏀 The Minnesota Lynx beat Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Saturday during a game that featured Maya Moore’s jersey being retired.

🏈 The Minnesota Vikings finished their pre-season undefeated after beating the Philadelphia Eagles 26-3 on Saturday. They open their regular season on the road against the New York Giants on September 8th.

⚽ Minnesota United lost on Saturday to the Seattle Sounders by a score of 3-1. With eight games left in the regular season, the Loons sit two spots out of the playoffs.

🏈 Most Minnesota high schools kick off their football season on Friday. In the large class, Edina, Eden Prairie, and Maple Grove are expected to compete for the state title.

Quick hits

Headlines From Around The Twin Cities ✔

❯ A 15-year-old girl was fatally shot inside a Minneapolis home on Saturday (Fox9)

❯ A man has been charged in a shooting that occurred outside of a Minneapolis Mosque (Kare11)

❯ St. Paul’s University Club hosted a wedding that went ‘disastrously’ wrong (Star Tribune)

❯ Two Minnesota hospitals were named to the “Great Hospitals in America” list (Patch)

The Final Word: Am I Un-Minnesotan?

With my social media flooded with state fair content, I saw multiple people post about eating “pronto pups.” I have lived in the Twin Cities for the last 7 years and had never heard of a pronto pup — someone please tell me I’m not crazy.

-Patrick