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Talkin' Tuj Lub
Here's a fun one from Phineas Pope at MPR News: Minnesota-based players of the Hmong sport tuj lub (pronounced “tuh-LOO") are trying to grow the sport.
Pope popped by a recent tuj lub tourney in Maplewood's Keller Regional Park, where the courts attracted both local and out-of-state players from as far as Oklahoma and Colorado. Here's some of his delightful scene report:
There are four long and narrow tuj lub courts at Keller Park, which were recently renovated in 2025, complete with new colorful artificial turf, field lighting and a shelter area.
“You might bump into a group of people, maybe look like they were picnicking. But you look closely, they’re playing a top spin game,” said state Sen. Foung Hawj, who helped explain the game by comparing it to some other sports.
“It’s like bowling, bocce ball or horseshoes, because they take a little range,” he said.
You've also gotta love the modesty of tuj lub player Xiong Vue, who knocked over a softball-sized top from 70 feet away during the final round of the game: "When asked how often he knocks over the top known as 'the king,' he answered, laughing, 'Oh, no, not often.'”
I'm not sure I understand tuj lub to a T after reading the story, but it looks like a lot of fun, especially thanks to Tom Baker's accompanying photos. If you're a lawn sports fan, maybe you'll want to head to Keller and give toppling those tops a try.
What to Do About OCS?
Back in April, Minneapolis City Council Member Robin Wonsley said that the city's Office of Community Safety "has not been a worthwhile investment" and suggested redirecting funds from that "stalled out" office into violence prevention or other city services.
Now, as the standoff between the council and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey regarding current community safety commissioner Todd Barnette's reconfirmation drags on, even the more Frey-aligned members of the council appear to agree with her. As Axios's Kyle Stokes reports, the frustration with OCS—which will be looking for its third leader in four years if Barnette's reconfirmation bid fails—is shared by City Council members across the ideological spectrum. At a meeting last week, CM LaTrisha Vetaw mused that maybe the solution isn't hiring a new commish, but rather conducting an evaluation of OCS; colleagues Elizabeth Shaffer and Michael Rainville agreed.
Barnette will need council support to keep his post (and his $374,000 salary, the city's highest) past August 2; the council voted 7-6 to oust him again last Thursday. After that point, Frey will have to appoint someone to lead the office on an interim basis... and that someone could, apparently, be Barnette? Good system we have set up here.
Sponsor a Pup or a Cat Through MACC
Now, we here at Racket are firm believers that pet adoption is a very good thing—I think there are a combined five adopted pets residing with our four staffers—so just put that down among our biases when you read the following. On Thursday, Minneapolis City Council voted let MACC establish a “Sponsor a Kennel” program. And it's cool as hell!
"Under this program, individuals and businesses would be allowed to donate money to sponsor a kennel or cat condo for one year," writes Council Member Jason Chavez. "Sponsors would have a personalized plaque posted on the kennels in recognition of their partnership."
Those donated funds would go to things like vet visits, enrichment toys, and other assorted supplies that aren't otherwise covered by the city’s annual budget. (If you're a pet owner, you know that vet visits in particular have been getting outta control expensive in recent years.) A MACC Pack spokesperson says the program will roll out in late June or early July.
Time's Up for Bloomington's Clock Tower
Major south metro landmark news: Bloomington's clock tower will come down later this year, writes Mike Hanks for the Sun Current. The mechanism that powers the tower at 98th Street and Lyndale Avenue has given out, and the freezing and thawing of water that's seeped into the tower over the years has deformed its steel interior.
“We can’t push it down the road any more,” says Bloomington's maintenance superintendent, Tim Behrendt. He expects the tower will be demolished in late summer or early fall, though the city does plan to keep the clock fixture for "possible repurposing," Hanks writes.
