Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily digest of important, overlooked, and/or interesting Minnesota news stories.
Locals Tell Target, Amazon Where They Can Their Put $
Minneapolis-based Target Corp. made headlines last week with the announcement that it, like many other U.S. companies sensing the shifting political and cultural tides, is eliminating many of the diversity, equity, and inclusion pledges it made following the 2020 murder of George Floyd. “Many years of data, insights, listening and learning have been shaping this next chapter in our strategy,” reads a heartfelt memo to employees announcing the move. Last month Amazon announced a similar move, with one executive explaining it as the “winding down outdated programs and materials.” (Don't make us tap the Sonic meme...)
At least two Twin Cities groups aren't happy with Target and Amazon.
The nonprofit Twin Cities Pride announced Sunday that it's axing its connection with the big-box retailer. "This year, Twin Cities Pride made the bold decision to part ways with Target as a sponsor, standing firm in our commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion and equity," TCP leaders wrote via Facebook. "This choice means losing $50,000 in funding so we’re calling on you—our incredible community and supporters—to help us fill the gap." Twin Cities Pride is already over halfway to meeting that fundraising goal, Minneapolis Voices reports.
Local radio personality Sheletta Brundidge told Racket over the weekend that she's backing out of a $10,000 deal with Amazon to sponsor Black Entrepreneurs Day. Brundidge organizes the event that lets hundreds of "Black business owners come to the Capitol and lobby their legislators for more funding and resources," but she says Amazon's elimination of DEI initiatives means the online retailer won't be a part of the BED this year, which is scheduled for February 3. Here's Brundidge...
I'm giving away a $5,000 grant to one lucky business owner, feeding everybody, providing free shuttle service for businesses coming from Duluth and Rochester, and with all the marketing, extra security, and paying staff, the event is costly. So I could have used that $10K! I'm not gonna be bought or sold and I'm not gonna sell out my people. These companies can't roll back their DEI then think we are going to roll over and let them speak at our events and address our people for $10K or even $100K. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Dr. Josie Johnson fought too hard for me to let that happen. Not on my watch.
Federal Lawsuit Filed Over Death of Man Inside Olmsted County Jail
Melvin Bush, 59, died "tragically and needlessly" while in custody at Olmsted County Jail in 2023, according to a Monday press release from law firm Storms Dworak. Earlier today Storms Dworak filed a lawsuit on behalf of Bush's family, arguing that the jail's for-profit health care provider, Advanced Correctional Healthcare (ACH), prioritized cost savings over patient care. According to the release...
Bush’s death resulted from acute complications of a perforated duodenal ulcer, a serious and preventable condition that went untreated due to the alleged deliberate indifference of county jail staff and medical staff from [ACH]... The First Amended Complaint alleges that despite Melvin Bush’s obvious and escalating medical needs—including severe abdominal pain, vomiting bile, and abnormal vital signs—ACH staff and jail deputies failed to provide appropriate medical care. Bush’s cries for help and those of fellow detainees on his behalf were ignored, leading to his preventable death just hours later.
In 2023, the Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s Office concluded that Bush died from a “natural medical event" while in custody for allegedly violating a no-contact order. Among the defendants listed in the lawsuit: Advanced Correctional Healthcare, USA Medical & Psychological Staffing, Olmsted County, a registered nurse, and two correctional officers. “We have particular concern about the patterns we have observed in ACH’s care nationwide," Storms Dworak partner Jeffrey Storms says in a statement. "Jail should be a first step towards recovery for someone suffering from addiction, not a death sentence.”
Love Is Blind Unveils Twin Cities Cast and Instagrammers Agree: Our Men Are Hideous
The new, Minnesota-shot season of the hit Netflix dating show Love Is Blind premieres on Valentine's Day, but fans got a sneak-peek at the Season 8 cast earlier today. Did you attend high school with any of these 32 folks, whose ages span 26 to 43? Let us know in the comments. "Among them are three nurses, several former cheerleaders, many world travelers, and more than a few self-described Christmas enthusiasts—no, seriously, they really love Christmas," reads promo copy from Netflix. The top-voted reaction to LIB's Instagram post teasing our metro's singles? "The guys look like they just rolled out of bed and the girls are all 10’s. Tragic. We will be seated." Indeed.
Bob Dylan Roundup
Hey, sorry about all the Bob stuff. Half of Racket's staff (bearded male half) are major Bob-heads, and, ya know, the ol' son of a gun is having a cultural moment right now.
With that out of the way!
Bob is coming home... to Mankato, specifically. Today news dropped that his Never Ending Tour will hit Minnesota for the first time since 2019 on April 4 at Mankato's Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, aka the 6,500-seat hockey complex. Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Friday through Ticketmaster; prices haven't been announced yet, though seats at recent Dylan shows have gone for about $75-$200. You better believe half of Racket will be in attendance for what's being billed as the Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour, named after the fantastic 2020 album. Late fall the online Dylan community was rocked by #WrenchGate, when the inscrutable bard thwacked his mic percussively with a tiny wench during "Desolation Row." What could possibly be in store for Mankato?
In other locally angled Dylan news: Earlier this month, the intrepid reporters at Twin Ports country radio station B105 confirmed that, yes, early last year Timothée Chalamet, who's nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Dylan in A Complete Unknown, enjoyed a beer at Duluth's historic Rathskeller bar.
Which dovetails nicely into Chalamet/Dylan news of a more recent vintage: The actor, pulling double duty as SNL host and musical guest, performed three deep-cut Dylan tracks this past Saturday. Chalamet tore into Bringing It All Back Home garage-rocker "Outlaw Blues," ad-libbed through bewildering New Morning spoken-word track "Three Angels," and concluded the night with "Tomorrow Is a Long Time," a studio outtake from 1963. Concludes Jokermen podcast host Ian Grant, writing in GQ, "Timothée Chalamet isn't Bob Dylan, but he's a hell of a lot closer than any of us will ever be."
