Thanksgiving will cost more this year for Twin Cities shoppers

1 big thing: A pricey Thanksgiving 

An illustration of a turkey in a bed of cash.

Thanksgiving travel: Busy week expected at MSP Airport

2. Airport prepares for busy week ahead 

3. The Spoon: Stella's shuts doors for good 

Illustration of a snowman with a spoon and cherry as the nose.

4. Chart du jour: Strong Give to the Max numbers 

New jobs to check out

5. What are your unique Thanksgiving traditions?

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Good morning! Three days 'til turkey. Friendly reminder to start thawing your bird if you haven't yet!

Programming alert: This week's newsletter will be a bit shorter than usual as we get ready for the holiday.

Today's newsletter is 662 words — a 3-minute read.

🦃 Nick is getting ready to roast a bird. 

🙏 Audrey is thankful her mom still cooks the whole meal.

🤔 Torey and her husband are considering mixing up the main course with a non-traditional meat.

Today's newsletter was edited by Kayla Sharpe.

Twin Cities

Picture of the Twin Cities skyline with MSP written across it.

Get smarter, faster about what’s happening in your backyard with local reporter Torey Van Oot.

Axios Twin Cities

The end of an era in Uptown

1 big thing: The end of an era in Uptown 

Uptown closures mark the end of an era

2. But, is Uptown really dead?

Longtime Minnesota State Fair CEO Jerry Hammer to retire

3. An institution to depart the State Fair 

4. The Spoon: Cargill's new CEO

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Take your career to the next level

5. Quote du jour: Another reason to wash your hands! 

Illustration of a pattern of stethoscopes.

Thanksgiving road trip recommendation: Decoarh Iowa's

6. 🍺 1 Thanksgiving road trip recommendation to go

🦃 Good morning! We'll get into the Thanksgiving spirit a few days early by expressing gratitude to our members and their support of our local journalism. Join them today.

Weather: Mostly cloudy, but the high creeps up to 37. No complaints here!

Today's newsletter is 845 words, a 3-minute read.

💪 Torey went back to this workout class Sunday for the first time since the election and ... ouch, her muscles are sore! 

👶🏼 Nick is re-installing a baby gate because his 10-month-old is standing. 

💉 Audrey is glad she got her flu shot. 

Twin Cities Democratic Socialists score wins

1 big thing: A different kind of red ripple

2. Stat du jour: Target's pre-Christmas lump of coal

illustrations of a Shopping cart about to wheel over a banana

U.S. Sen Amy Klobuchar to publish new memoir

3. First look: Amy Klobuchar's next book

"Grumpy Old Men" wins best Minnesota movie

3. 🍿 And the best Minnesota-made movie is ... 

4. The Spoon: Never, ever, ever getting T-Swift tickets

Illustration of a spoon and cherry, both with arms and legs, walking. 

Now hiring: New job openings

Four key Minnesota commissioners are stepping down

5. Commissioner musical chairs begins 

6. World Cup: 

6. ⚽ Gooooaaaallll! Where to watch the World Cup

Illustration of a soccer ball on an abstract field. 

🥶 Today will be cloudy and cold, with a high of 24. More snow is possible this afternoon.

Situational awareness: It's Give to the Max Day, an annual “giving holiday” to raise money for Minnesota organizations and schools. Learn more. 

Today's newsletter is 970 words, a 4-minute read.

🚗 Torey is heading to the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities conference in Alexandria. If you're there, say hello! 

🌊 Audrey is watching her closet ceiling collapse from water damage. RIP, leftover moving boxes.

🪷 Nick is enjoying season two of "White Lotus."

The Vikings are the talk of the NFL

1 big thing: 🏈 The Vikings are the talk of the NFL

Patrick Peterson and Cam Bynum celebrate a win 

2. Minnesota nurses threaten another strike

3. The Spoon: Carnahan sitting out 

Illustration of two spoons with text reading "Twin Cities" that changes to "MPLS" and "St. P."

"Cranksgiving" and ShrekFest: Events in the Twin Cities this weekend

4. 🎉 What to do this weekend

Illustration of a calendar spinning on a person's finger like a basketball. 

Seeking employment? 

5. 🔥 Hot Homes: West Bloomington remodel 

🎂 Happy birthday to our Axios Twin Cities member Lori Krenik!

🧊 Temps won't get above 18 degrees today. The normal high for Nov. 18 is 40.

Situational awareness: Yesterday, donors gave $34 million to 6,439 organizations and schools across Minnesota on Give the Max Day. That’s just shy of last year’s $34.4 million record.

Today's newsletter is 800 words — a 3-minute read.

🐉 Nick is eating at one of best restaurants in town: George and the Dragon. 

Your out-of-the-box Thanksgiving traditions

1 big thing: Thanksgiving twists 

Illustration of a pumpkin pie with a happy face.

2. A new news outlet on the Range

Illustration of a location pin icon with a newspaper in the center

3. The Spoon: Best Buy brightens outlook 

Illustration of a spoon of alphabet soup spelling out "The Spoon" 

Free museums and MN Pint Day: What to do Thanksgiving weekend

4. What to do this long (holiday) weekend

Illustration of a cherry pie with "weekend" cut out of the crust. 

Plan your future

5. Last-minute shopping hours

Illustration of a turkey with the Axios logo as a beak.

6. 📸 Caption contest: One Minnesota (bird) 

Gov Tim Walz greets the thanksgiving turkey

 Good morning, Wednesday. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving!

We're thankful to you, our Axios subscribers, for reading our coverage and for all the feedback you give us.

☀️ It's a good day to travel: Sunny, calm and 38.  

Programming alert: We're off the rest of this week. Our newsletters will be back in your inbox on Monday.

But before we log off, we wanted to wish a happy birthday to our Axios Twin Cities member Steven Krikava!

Today's newsletter is 865 words — a 3.5-minute read.

🛠 Nick is thankful that his dad is a handyman and has helped him with so many home repairs and projects.  

👶 Torey is thankful that her in-laws are nearby to serve as awesome grandparents and babysitters for her young son!

❤️ Audrey is thankful for her family, friends, boyfriend, doctors and her mom's cranberry dip.

Today's newsletter was edited by Kayla Sharpe. 

Democratic Socialists in the Twin Cities made small but notable gains in last week's midterm elections. 

What happened: All six of the candidates endorsed by Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America — including four state lawmakers — won their races. 

The results effectively double the size of the DSA-aligned caucus at the state Legislature. One member, St. Paul Rep. Athena Hollins, won a House leadership post last week.

Why it matters: The small but growing cohort of DSA members holding office in Minnesota could push for a wider embrace of the movement's progressive politics and policies, including within the Legislature's new DFL majority caucuses.  

Reality check: Four safe DFL seats in a 201-member body — or one on a local government dais — does not a majority make. Buy-in from more moderate Democrats is needed to pass both state and local measures. 

Yes, but: Samuel Doten, a local DFL activist who leads an independent Democratic Socialists Caucus in Minnesota, says the dynamics will put DSA-backed members and issues "at the table" in a way they weren't before.

"When it comes to the most important...working class issues: public housing, health care, education, all these really fundamental things, I know that the agenda of socialists is going to be there," Doten tells Axios. 

Zoom out: Democratic Socialists have gained influence in public office and polls in recent years, as U.S. Sen Bernie Sanders' presidential campaigns and the 2018 election of U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez brought new attention to the movement.

Nationally, DSA-endorsed candidates scored 66 victories, a win rate of nearly 60%.

Zoom in: All four of the legislators elected in Minnesota last week were running in safe DFL districts in Minneapolis or St. Paul.

Other successful candidates were incoming Robbinsdale City Council Member Aaron Wagner and Ramsey County Commissioner Mai Chong Xiong. 

Flashback: Sen. Omar Fateh, a self-identified Democratic Socialist, made headlines when he defeated a longtime DFL incumbent to win a Minneapolis district.

Three DSA members were also elected to the Minneapolis City Council in 2021. The council's more moderate majority has prevailed on most issues so far. 

What to watch: Hollins, who became a DSA member in 2020 and sought the group's endorsement for the first time this year, says she sees DSA priorities related to workers' rights, including paid family leave and pro-unionization bills, having the best chance of passage under a DFL trifecta.

 "I think there's great opportunities to make big strides there this year," she said.  

Democratic Socialists in the Twin Cities made small but notable gains in last week&#x27;s midterm elections. What happened: All six of the candidates endorsed by Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America — including four state lawmakers — won their races.

Politics

Axios Twin Cities, anchored by Torey Van Oot, Nick Halter and Audrey Kennedy, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard

Thousands of Twin Cities nurses are moving toward a second strike amid an ongoing contract dispute with hospitals.

Driving the news: The Minnesota Nurses Association announced Thursday that members will hold a strike authorization vote on Nov. 30. 

Flashback: Roughly 15,000 nurses walked off the job for a three-day strike in September.

The action, which included staff at more than a dozen hospitals, was believed to be one of the largest private nurses strikes in U.S. history. 

What they're saying: MNA president Mary Turner said hospitals leaders have "failed to solve the crisis conditions in our hospitals and they have failed to settle a fair contract with us." 

The other side: A group of Twin Cities hospitals released a statement saying leaders "will continue to bargain in good faith and work hard to reach a resolution."

"We know the current situation inside hospitals throughout the country is very challenging and a union work stoppage could have disastrous consequences for our patients and the communities we serve," the statement read. 

What's next: If the vote is approved, the union could call a strike with 10 days' notice.

Minnesota nurses threaten another strike

The hospitals say they "will continue to bargain in good faith and work hard to reach a resolution."

Photo: John Autey / MediaNews Group / St. Paul Pioneer Press via Getty Images

Thousands of Twin Cities nurses are moving toward <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a second strike" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2022/09/12/nurses-strike-twin-cities-hospitals" data-vars-content-id="71ea0f8b-a9c8-41eb-931d-9eb788f2ef71" data-vars-headline="Minnesota nurses threaten another strike" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2022/09/12/nurses-strike-twin-cities-hospitals" target="_self">a second strike</a> amid an ongoing contract dispute with hospitals.Driving the news: The Minnesota Nurses Association announced Thursday that members will hold a strike authorization vote on Nov. 30.

News

Longtime Minnesota State Fair CEO Jerry Hammer will retire next spring after more than 50 years working for the Great Minnesota Get-Together.

Why it matters: Hammer has been at the helm of the organization for more than two decades, overseeing massive growth and transformation at one of the biggest state fairs in the U.S.

Most recently, he led the fair through 2020's COVID cancellation and efforts to return to a more "normal" experience post-pandemic. 

Flashback: Hammer got his start as a high school student working in the fair's greenhouse. He joined the operation full time in 1977 and was named CEO in 1997. 

Of note: Hammer lives in St. Paul's Como Park neighborhood, a stone's throw from the fairgrounds, and was known to ride his bike around the 322-acre site, per the Star Tribune.

What's next: The fair's board of managers will begin a search for a successor, per a release. Hammer will stay on through the spring to help with the transition.

Outgoing CEO Jerry Hammer got his start as a student worker in the 1970s.

Jerry Hammer has worked for the Minnesota State Fair since the 1970s. Photos: State Fair/AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images. 

Longtime <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Minnesota State Fair" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2022/08/25/minnesota-state-fair-timing-tickets" data-vars-content-id="8b47ea80-32a1-450a-a1d8-c69badff8ac2" data-vars-headline="Longtime Minnesota State Fair CEO Jerry Hammer to retire" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2022/08/25/minnesota-state-fair-timing-tickets" target="_self">Minnesota State Fair</a> CEO Jerry Hammer will retire next spring after more than 50 years working for the Great Minnesota Get-Together.Why it matters: Hammer has been at the helm of the organization for more than two decades, overseeing massive growth and transformation at one of the biggest state fairs in the U.S.

Things to Do

Four state agency heads — including the face of the state's pandemic response — are leaving the Walz administration. 

Driving the news: Gov. Tim Walz announced Wednesday that Health commissioner Jan Malcolm and Public Safety commissioner John Harrington are not seeking reappointment for his second term. 

Malcolm — who served in the role under two previous governors — directed Minnesota's COVID-19 response. Harrington — a veteran of law enforcement and government — was at the helm during and after George Floyd's murder.

Yes, and: Department of Education commissioner Heather Mueller, who faced scrutiny and calls by Republicans to resign over the Feeding Our Future scandal,  and Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation commissioner Mark Phillips are also stepping down.

Why it matters: Walz will need to appoint new commissioners to help set the policies and political tone for his second term.

Previously announced vacancies at the Department of Labor and Industry and the Department of Revenue mean one quarter of the governor's cabinet positions will be filled by new faces next year. 

The intrigue: Walz's previous picks occurred against the backdrop of a GOP-led Senate, which used its confirmation authority to reject several of his appointees. 

The new DFL-controlled Senate is seen as more likely to approve his nominations, though a narrow majority means the margins could be tight. 

Be smart: Turnover isn't unusual for governors who serve more than one term, notes Brian Bakst of MPR News.

The announcement comes ahead of Gov. Tim Walz's second term.

MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm. Photo: Aaron Lavinsky/Star Tribune via Getty Images

Four state agency heads — including the face of the state&#x27;s pandemic response — are leaving the Walz administration. Driving the news: Gov. Tim Walz announced Wednesday that Health commissioner Jan Malcolm and Public Safety commissioner John Harrington are not seeking reappointment for his second term.

A new independent news outlet covering the Iron Range debuted this month.

The big picture: Iron Range Today, launched by veteran reporters Jerry Burnes and Leah Ryan, joins a growing number of digital publications seeking to fill a void created by cutbacks in local news.

State of play: The Twin Cities is still home to a relatively strong local media scene, as newcomers such as the Sahan Journal, Racket and Southwest Voices join the Star Tribune and other established outlets. 

But cuts and closures in Greater Minnesota threaten to leave residents less informed about news and trends shaping vast swaths of the state. 

What they're saying: Burnes, a Mesabi Tribune alum, told Axios that he'll focus on the stories with impact that other local outlets don't have as much bandwidth to pursue.

"That's the gap I really want to try to fill, to get those deeper dives into the stories ... and help people understand what's happening in their community," he said. 

What to expect: Coverage of politics, mining and the local lifestyle scene that goes beyond the daily headlines.

The flow of content will be slow to start. Burnes is keeping his day job working in communications for an energy cooperative. 

What's next: A newsletter and a potential kickstarter fundraising campaign.

New publication looks to boost coverage in Minnesota's Iron Range

Closures and cuts have hit Greater Minnesota outlets.

Expect a slow flow of content to start. Screenshot via Iron Range Today.

A new independent news outlet covering the Iron Range debuted this month.The big picture: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Iron Range Today," data-vars-click-url="https://ironrangetoday.com/" data-vars-content-id="bfc39e6e-0fb3-46c4-8f9c-e14938166756" data-vars-headline="New publication looks to boost coverage in Minnesota&#x27;s Iron Range" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://ironrangetoday.com/" target="_blank">Iron Range Today,</a> launched by veteran reporters Jerry Burnes and Leah Ryan, joins a growing number of digital publications seeking to fill a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="void created by cutbacks in local news" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/07/04/local-newspapers-news-deserts" data-vars-content-id="bfc39e6e-0fb3-46c4-8f9c-e14938166756" data-vars-headline="New publication looks to boost coverage in Minnesota&#x27;s Iron Range" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/07/04/local-newspapers-news-deserts" target="_self">void created by cutbacks in local news</a>.

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Stories

New publication looks to boost coverage in Minnesota's Iron Range

Longtime Minnesota State Fair CEO Jerry Hammer to retire

Minnesota nurses threaten another strike

Twin Cities Democratic Socialists score wins

Four key Minnesota commissioners are stepping down

Newsletter editions

🦃 Thanksgiving traditions

Uptown upheaval

🦃 Turkey-flation

🏈 Purple pandemonium

🎯 Target's lump of coal