Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily noontime(ish) digest of what local media outlets and Twitter-ers are gabbing about.
Chief Arradondo Prep$ for Retirement with Big-Bu$ine$$ $peaking Gig
As MPD Chief Medaria Arradondo prepares to leave his department in historically poor shape, after almost certainly breaking ethical rules to defend its existence, the head-scratchingly celebrated cop appears to be eyeing the future. Specifically, the lucrative private speaking circuit that’ll certainly exalt him as some savior of common-sense police reform. We got a sneak peek of what that pocket-lining existence might look like Monday, when Le Sueur-based Cambria thanked Arradondo for hashing out “important issues facing our community” with the luxury quartz surface company’s executives. (To be fair, working closely with Mayor Jacob Frey would make one an expert on surfaces.) In reaction to Cambria’s tweet, multiple Twin Cities journalists noted that, in their experience, getting face time with the chief has proven extremely difficult. We're not suggesting Arradondo, who's still acting chief, got paid for this engagement, but the optics certainly suggest plans to cash the hell in while Minneapolis continues to reel.
Preview of Our Future Climate Hellscape Drops Tonight
Ho! Ho! …How about a historically terrifying pre-Xmas weather experience? That’s what we’re getting this evening in Minnesota, where we’ll trade snow (normal, nice) for severe thunderstorms, 60-MPH winds, and, in parts of the state, maybe fucking tornados (not normal, bad). “This. Is. Nuts,” according to MPR meteorologist Paul Huttner, which is something you never wanna hear from a meteorologist. The National Weather Service issued its grim forecast, posted below, earlier today; an updated one is expected around 3 p.m. Got hatches? We urge you to batten those suckers down. Got gut-level terror about climate change’s hastening assault? Direct your anger and action in the right places—specifically, here and here.
What Is This, the University of Moneysota?
Things are looking good for U prez Joan Gabel, who’s got a 2022 pay raise on the horizon. How come? "In just under three years, [Gabel] has advanced the University's mission in critically important and strategic ways, and built a clear, measurable road map for continuing this work in the years ahead," said U Board of Regents Chairman Ken Powell meaninglessly. Add in some contractual perks and Gabel would make up to $1 million next year; that’d be up to $1.2 million by 2026, the final year of her contract. Meanwhile U clerical workers, who sought a 5% raise for this year and next to catch up to inflation, were counter-offered 1.5% for 2022 alone."They told us that they did not want to talk about multi-year contracts because they weren't confident in what the financial situation would be because of COVID," said Cherrene Horazuk, president of AFSCME Local 3800, "But they're clearly willing to talk about that for the president's salary."
Police Union Enters Suit to Protect Top Secret Cop Stuff
A state judge has allowed the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis to intervene in an ACLU lawsuit against the city of Minneapolis, the Minnesota Reformer reports. The ACLU is seeking to make records of cops who receive “coaching” for misconduct public, and the judge agreed that the police union had an interest in the outcome of the case. “Why would [the federation] object to the disclosure of data involving petty transgressions?” the ACLU asked in response. The organization believes the union’s concern supports its own contention that “coaching is not just reserved for minor and lower-level infractions but … used to conceal much more serious misconduct that defendants and the federation both hope never come to the attention of the public.”
