Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily digest of important, overlooked, and/or interesting Minnesota news stories.
All the Devils Are Here
When it comes to political sideshows, it takes a lot to upstage Jennifer Carnahan, but the guy in pajamas might have done the trick. He heckled candidate Keri Heintzeman at a recent debate in Baxter, MN, until he was ejected from the building, and he’s just one of the many colorful characters in Michelle Griffith’s story in the Minnesota Reformer about the race for the Republican nomination in Minnesota Senate District 6.
The frontrunners to replace creepy Justin Eichorn, who was arrested last month after allegedly sexually soliciting a detective posing as a minor, all have familial ties to other politicians. I’ll just quote Griffith’s headline—“A House Rep.’s wife, a senator’s son and a congressman’s widow want to replace the arrested senator”—since I couldn’t put it better myself (except to add a serial comma, per Racket house style).
It is not what you’d call a race of outsiders. Carnahan is the widow of Jim Hagedorn; her affection for him has only grown since his death. Heintzeman, mentioned above, is the wife of state Rep. Jim Heintzeman, and rounding out the trio is Josh Gazelka, the 31-year-old son of former Minnesota Senate majority leader Paul Gazelka.
The winner will run against “cigarette-smoking, pickup truck-driving” Denise Slipy, the DFL candidate, who has an uphill battle ahead of her: Eichorn won his seat in 2022 by 27 points. I gotta say, even setting my obvious political biases aside, Slipy seems like the only person here I’d want to spend more than 30 seconds in a room with.
We LOVE This Kid
Elena Easley is an eight-year-old Swiftie in Cambridge, MN, who’s become a Chiefs fan thanks to her idol’s current beau. Like lots of kids, she enjoys playing football, and like lots of girls, she has to put up with teasing from stupid boys. One day she came home in tears because a boy told her girls can’t play football, and Sam Stroozas’s story for MPR News lets you know what happened next.
Mother and daughter set a TikTok video about the incident to the Cinematic Orchestra’s “To Build a Home,” requesting examples of women in sports. It got over three million views and snagged Elena an invite to a pro women’s game from the Kansas City Glory. “Nana Olavuo, a linebacker for the Glory, has developed a friendship with Elena,” Stroozas writes. “She calls her the team’s good luck charm and calls her on FaceTime before every Glory game.” Elena plans to play tag football this summer, and hopes to one day play professionally. Oh, and also, the photos for this story are just so cute.
Josh Duhamel Lives in Minnesota Now, I Guess
Anyone out there care what Josh Duhamel is up to? Well, according to Parade Magazine, which still exists, the former star of whatever he was the star of and former husband of Fergie is now living off the grid right here in Minnesota. Hooray for us?
Duhamel (I have never put the three vowels in his name in the correct order without looking up the spelling and I never will) tells Parade, “Part of the reason I built my place out in Minnesota, deep in the woods, is it’s removed from everything,”
And the magazine is impressed with his efforts. “Over 15 years, he bought a plot of land and transformed it.” according to the story. “He went from having to wash dishes in a nearby lake to creating a fully functioning residence, a place for him and his family to spend time away from the hustle and bustle of daily life in the industry.”
And what better way to celebrate “getting away from it all” than having your publicist contact a national magazine for a full spread on your new life? The 52-year-old Duhamel lives with his wife, Audra Mari, a quite-certainly-not 52-year-old former pageant finalist from Duhamel’s home state of North Dakota, along with their one-year-old Shepherd and 11-year-old Axl, Josh’s son with Fergie. Oh, and I guess Duhamel also has an upcoming action movie called Off the Grid, so this is all some kind of promo tie in.
So there you have it. Don’t let anyone say Racket doesn’t keep you posted about Josh Duhamel’s whereabouts.
Two Allergic Students Walk Into a Cat Cafe
Since it’s Friday, let’s end today’s Flyover with a bit of fluff—and dander as well: this very cute review in the Mac Daily of the St. Paul cat cafe. Catzen Coffee, from two students afflicted (as many of us are) with cat allergies.
Callisto Martinez and Ella Stern begin by discussing their preparations for the review: “Ella had taken her CVS-brand Allegra before our visit and forgotten her Flonase. Cal was more prepared, bringing along their fancy Zyrtec, CVS-brand Flonase, and eye drops. They neglected to take their eye drops, but they graciously shared Zyrtec with Ella.” (I’m a Xyzal man myself, though I use the generic levocetirizine. Recommended.)
Not to spoil the ending, but Martinez and Stern make many new feline pals without suffering too much, and they like the coffee, too. Anyway it’s a very cute little story and if I, who am canonically uninterested in pets, enjoyed it, you will probably love it.
Oh, and while we’re talking about cats, look at this fella. Have a great weekend everyone!
