Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily midday digest of what local media outlets and Twitter-ers are gabbing about.
Sure, Hann
Republican governor candidate Scott Jensen isn't the only one with a wishy-washy stance on abortion—MN GOP Chair David Hann is now advising the party's candidates to refer to abortion as a "protected constitutional right," the Star Tribune reports. A Friday memo from Hann encourages candidates to back down on their anti-choice stances, instead focusing on more easily packaged concerns: "Since abortion is not on the ballot, let's talk about the ongoing issues that affect Minnesotans every day: crime, inflation, the economy and education," the chair writes. Of course, the messaging shift comes as Dems slam the GOP on abortion in attack ads, and it also means jack shit. Though abortion is a protected constitutional right in Minnesota—one that could only be stripped if the Minnesota Supreme Court overturned the existing law or by a voter referendum—we just saw how quickly those on the right will flip-flop on their pro-choice assurances.
Twins Get a New Look
As you've probably heard, MLB is getting a big-time overhaul come 2023: pitch clocks are in, defensive shifts are out, bases are bigger, and players and fans are not entirely stoked. Now, per a chat with team prez Dave St. Peter in the Star Tribune today, we know that things will also look quite different for the Twins specifically. We're talking logo, branding, and ballpark changes, including a $30 million scoreboard and video screen update at Target Field. St. Peter says it's time for a "step toward the future," something fans who've watched the team suck this season will no doubt agree with—though personally we'd wear whatever if it helped the injury-plagued ballplayers notch a few more Ws. You can still expect to see Minnie and Paul out there in the outfield, though St. Peter says they'll have a slightly different look, too. (A few years back, there was talk of diversifying the duo—maybe it's finally time for that? Or maybe they're gonna kiss. Who can say!) In any case, none of the new branding will be revealed until after this current, painful season ends.
Oh no! A New Restaurant is Bringing the '80s Back?
Sure, '80s cuisine felt adventurous at the time, but looking back it was a hellscape. This is the decade where we “discovered” things like goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and angel hair pasta. Sbarro wasn’t yet a joke, and the butter-toasted buns at Fuddruckers blew our minds. So we were a little concerned when it was announced that a retro-’80s restaurant was coming to West Seventh in downtown St. Paul. Thankfully, it appears that the new spot, Spring Break, is mostly about '80s aesthetics, not eats—think neon colors, Kenny Loggins tunes, and a wall of old MTV videos. Chef Brian Ingram (Hope Breakfast Bar, Gnome Craft Pub, the upcoming '60s-themed Palm Springs-inspired Apostle Club) is helming the project, which, as the name implies, will feature beachy eats; Ingram tells Bring Me the News that there will be “shrimp tacos, oysters, and clam and fish fries.” He’s also hoping to build a sand volleyball court. Given Minnesota’s winters, we sure hope it’s located inside.
Myth Me Yet?
Myth Live’s days may be numbered. In the years since its unlikely beginning as a former Just For Feet, the Maplewood club certainly found its musical niche—a suburban venue that booked metal, hip-hop, and R&B shows that didn’t seem to fit in other Twin Cities clubs. As a business, though, Myth had its problems. It opened in 2005, closed in 2009, and opened again in 2013. And the city of Maplewood was certainly never fond of it. After a March 2019 shooting in the space, the city imposed multiple conditions on the club in order to renew its liquor license. Now, the city seems poised to evict its problem child. Fargo-based Enclave Companies is purchasing the space from GFY (lol, really?) Real Estate, and has plans for a four-story, 241-unit apartment to replace the venue that will come before the city council. But Myth seems to be fighting back, saying that this would violate its lease. "We have 11 years worth of lease options which we will exercise," a representative for the venue told KARE 11. As for the immediate future, there are still three October shows booked, according to the venue’s site, with the latest occurring on the 22nd.
