Time to wash that tote. Minneapolis' 5-cent fee for shopping and carryout bags is back in effect, beginning Oct. 1.

State of play: The city ordinance that requires grocery stores and other retailers to charge customers who don't bring their own bags began in January 2020 — but the city delayed enforcement until now, largely due to the pandemic.

• The measure includes a number of exemptions, including produce and flower bags, farmers' market vendors, and customers who receive benefits from federal and state food assistance programs.

The big picture: A growing number of cities and states have adopted policies aimed at reducing single-use plastics in recent years. But concerns about germs during the pandemic slowed or paused implementation of many bans and fees across the nation.

Zoom in: Minneapolis and Duluth both had fees on the books as of 2020.

• Efforts to enact a statewide fee have failed to muster support in the Legislature. DFL lawmakers supporting that proposal expect to introduce it again next year, a spokesperson told Torey.

The other side: Grocers and other retailers opposed the local fee push, citing concerns about enforcement and effects on businesses if shoppers head to other cities without them, such as St. Paul.

The bottom line: Want to avoid paying up? Bring your own bag.

Hungry? Here are some new places in the Twin Cities dining scene — and some familiar ones that reopened.

The Copperfield: The Mendota Heights diner and bar that opened Sept. 4 serves everything from coffee and grab-and-go meals to an upscale supper menu.

Surly Pizza Upstairs: Surly Brewing Company's second-floor restaurant serving New Haven-style pizza reopened Sept. 10, after 10 months. They‘ve kept fan favorites and added new items like the Clocks Ticking pizza, with pineapple, prosciutto and jalapeño.

Dakota: The renowned Minneapolis jazz club underwent a full renovation during the pandemic, including a revamped Southern-inspired menu with shrimp and grits, fried chicken and duck breast. Opened Sept. 10.

KJ's Hideaway: This music venue and restaurant took over the basement of the historic Hamm's building in downtown St. Paul. You may recognize the spot as the former venue The Artists Quarter. Opened Sept. 17.

All Saints: This Northeast restaurant's "veggie-forward" menu offers a variety of vegetable-based main dishes with seasonal ingredients. There are some meat dishes too. Opened yesterday for dinner, with brunch options to come.

"I always believed, it's just another virus. I was wrong. I will be the first to admit: If I had taken the vaccine, I believe that I may have gotten sick, I probably wouldn't be in the hospital. If I was in the hospital, I probably wouldn't be on the ventilator."

Go deeper via the Minnesota Reformer.

🙅🏾‍♂️ DFL state Rep. Cedrick Frazier of New Hope says he will not run for the open Hennepin County attorney seat next year. (Statement via Twitter)

🍺 St. Paul soccer bar Black Hart will require proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test after 4pm on Minnesota United FC match days. (Twitter)

🏗️ Demolition of the Midway Shopping Center has finally started, 16 months after rioters burned the St. Paul site. (Star Tribune)

🍽️ St. Paul Grill, which suspended service in March 2020 due to the pandemic, will reopen Oct. 8. (Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal)

💰 The Hennepin County Board approved $13 million to help pandemic-hit business and workers and $1 million to collect more data on hate crimes. (Release)

As he campaigned across the state this summer, GOP gubernatorial candidate Scott Jensen gave props to one of the state's most recognizable — and controversial — Republican figures: MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell.

• "All we can do is hope that Mike Lindell reaches some success in terms of getting rid of [ballot] machines," he said in one such instance, at an August event in St. Paul.

The big picture: The "Big Lie," the false claim from Lindell, former President Donald Trump and other Republicans that the 2020 election was "stolen," threatens to undermine the results of future elections and faith in democracy.

• There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in 2020, and Lindell has been sued by a voting machine company over his comments.

What he's saying: Jensen, a frontrunner for the nomination, appears to have gone farther than other top GOP gubernatorial candidates in publicly expressing support for Lindell.

• But in an interview with Torey last week, the Chaska doctor said his comments were not necessarily an endorsement of Lindell's theories related to 2020.
• "Anyone with lawsuits I wish the best of luck," he said, claiming that he's not familiar with the details of Lindell's efforts because the two haven't discussed them personally.

He said he does want to see paper ballots used in 2022 — something Minnesota already does.

• Ballots are filled out by hand by voters and fed through tabulating machines.

Full story.

Loral I Delaney was known as a world-champion trap shooter and respected dog trainer.

But the Ramsey native, who died recently at age 83, also performed for sports shows with a bear. The Star Tribune reports:

"As a teenager, Delaney had been part of a water skiing act in which she stood at the top of a pyramid of skiers. Wanting to ratchet up the act's 'wow'' factor, she trained the bear to ride a surfboard with her, along with a Chesapeake Bay retriever and a golden retriever.

'The two dogs sat in front of the bear; the bear stood on his hind legs holding the rope, and I stood behind the bear,' she once recalled. 'It was a pretty big hit.'''

Worthy of your time: The full obituary