Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily digest of important, overlooked, and/or interesting Minnesota news stories.
'A Ticking Time Bomb': Amber Czech's Death Hits Home for Tradeswomen
Amber Czech was a 20-year-old welder at a manufacturing facility in Cokato, Minnesota. She loved her job, reports Jessica Kutz for The 19th, and taught welding at her old high school during her off days. Last Tuesday, while she was at her work station, a man she worked with picked up a sledgehammer and bludgeoned her to death. "He later told law enforcement he simply did not like her and had been planning to murder her for some time," Kutz writes.
Welding, of course, is a deeply male-dominated profession, as are many trades. And over the last week, women welders, woodworkers, construction workers, and others in the trades have taken to social media to talk about the harassment they encounter at work and the changes that need to be made, according to The 19th. Many have made posts with a variation of "Her name was Amber Czech" or "Hoods down for Amber Czech."
“She did everything that we want these girls to do. She did a high school welding program. She went to a community college,” says Angie Cacace, a North Carolina carpenter and the founder of a mag for tradeswomen called Move Over Bob. “It’s just a sharp reminder that there’s just a lot of work to do and figuring out how to better advocate and make sure that these young women are safe.”
Psycho Suzi’s Ephemera Up for Auction
When a tiki bar closes, a lot of weird decor needs to be rehomed. And this auction for miscellaneous detritus from Psycho Suzi’s, which closed in August of 2023, doesn’t disappoint. If you have a need for a 10-foot-tall fiberglass Easter Island statue, they have you covered. If you’re looking for a Ferris wheel seat or a carousel horse, they’ve got that too. But there’s also some practical stuff, like flamingo-festooned lamps, bar stools, and faux-fur accent pillows. There’s also a curious amount of A&W stuff (the site of the original Psycho Suzi’s, before it moved to Marshall St., was originally an A&W stand). Items include laminated menus, an onion rings poster, and signage. You can see the full collection here, where bidding is active through December 1.
Minneapolis Ranks Fifth in Bike-Friendly Survey
Since 2011, Copenhagenize Index has been tracking bike infrastructure around the world, ranking cities on criteria like safety, usage, reach, policy, and support. The organization released its 2025 findings recently, and Minneapolis made the list, ranking fifth in North America. (A City of Minneapolis press release sent out today helpfully notes that we’re number two in the United States with our nemesis Portland topping the U.S. list.)
Globally, of the 100 cities examined we sat at a not-terribly-impressive #44. “Minneapolis is quickly becoming one of the United States' leading cycling cities. Cycling has been mainstreamed into multiple departments in city hall,” an article on the Bryant Avenue renovation notes. “Over the past years, the city has been using major corridor reconstruction projects as opportunities to put in place safer, greener, and more equitable streets.”
Pearl Jam Sponsored a Zamboni for Two Harbors Youth Hockey
They're calling it the "Jamboni"—according to Minnesota Hockey, Pearl Jam sponsored a Zamboni for Two Harbors Youth Hockey. Check out this adorable photo, which Facebook will not let us embed:
Shoutout to the commenters on that post, though, who've added, "Puts down an even flow," "It doesn't get Eddie Vedder than this," and, "More like Pearl Zam." We would add, uh, "More like Yellow Treadwetter," "The Roenick in Jeremy is implied," and... "Black (Ice)"? I dunno, it's Monday, drop your Pearl Jam/Zamboni jokes in the comments. And shoutout to PJ for doing something cool for a small-town hockey association!
