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Kristi Noem, Corey Lewandowski Spotted Canoodling in Wayzata
It's not often that we get to link to TMZ here in the Flyover. But then, it's not often that Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski are spotted "spending some quality time together in Minnesota," as the tabloid puts it.
Noem, the current special envoy for the Shield of the Americas (ugh), and Lewandowski, the pundit/lobbyist/former Trump campaign manager/slimeball, were spotted riding bikes around Lake Minnetonka Tuesday. They grabbed an outdoor perch at The Grocer's Table before pedaling to CōV, "where they were clearly enjoying each other's company—laughing and leaning toward one another," as TMZ puts it. This intimate encounter took place in the same Twin Cities metro Noem terrorized while overseeing Operation Metro Surge earlier this year—romantic!
There have been rumors about these two for years. In a March House Judiciary Committee hearing, Noem was asked if she'd had sexual relations with Lewandowski while heading the Department of Homeland Security; she called the question "tabloid garbage." I mean, if the shoe fits...
Busy Baby Tariff Trouble
Busy Baby's Beth Benike (say that five times fast) made national headlines as one of the small business owners who was royally screwed over (not the exact words she uses in those stories) by Trump's tariff schemes. The Star Tribune's Dee DePass caught up with Benike (gift link), who has since received a $50K tax refund for her troubles—money that helps, sure, but in no way undoes the damage our genius president caused.
Benike had just inked contracts with Target and Walmart last year that would have let her expand her Oronoco-based baby-gear business when she had to leave a shipment from China at the port due to unexpected fees. She had to make cuts to her business while she scraped together the funds to free her imports, and she almost had to shut down her company.
So yes, even though Busy Baby and other Minnesota-based businesses like Arctic Cat and Hormel are getting refunds after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled many of Trump's tariffs are not allowed, the costs for a small biz can be far greater than what they're recouping. The refund “matters enormously for our cash flow right now, but it doesn’t come close to recovering what the tariffs actually cost us," Benike tells the Strib.
RIP Ahmed Ali Egal
Over at Sahan Journal, Mohamud Farah has a lovely remembrance of Somali musician Ahmed Ali Egal, who died in Minneapolis last week at the age of 76.
"Known for his soulful melodies that bridged cultures and inspired generations, he was also a gifted songwriter and musician," Farah writes of Egal, who was born in eastern Ethiopia and immigrated to Minnesota 30 years ago. He was drawn to music from a young age and became famous throughout the '70s and '80s. Thousands gathered in Burnsville over the weekend to pay tribute to the recently departed singer.
Those who have expressed their gratitude for Egal include Dahir Hassan Abdi, Somali ambassador to the U.S., and State Rep. Mohamud Nur (DFL-Minneapolis). “He preserved our heritage, celebrated our traditions, and brought generations together,” Nur says. “His legacy will live on through the songs he gave us and the countless lives he touched.”
Come to Racket's Fifth Birthday!
Racket is turning five years old in about a week—but then, if you read the annual report I PAINSTAKINGLY COMPILED for you earlier this week, you already know that.
What you don't yet know, and what I'm about to reveal to you right now, is that we're celebrating this milestone with a print compendium of some of our favorite Racket stories from the last half-decade. The book celebrating Racket's first five years will be available for $20 at our upcoming birthday party on Friday, August 28, at Arbeiter Brewing Co. in Minneapolis. (Beginning the following day you can pick up a copy next door at Moon Palace Books.)
But don't feel obligated to buy a book! We just want to see your lovely faces at our annual gathering. You can RSVP on Facebook if you're into that; if you're not, just plan on dropping by between 5 and 9 p.m. on the 28th. There'll be beer, there'll be food trucks, there'll be free koozies and stickers; there'll be laughs and merriment and perhaps even brief remarks from whichever Racket staffer draws the short straw.
We love you all! Thanks again for joining us on this dumb, fun journey.
