Dakota County Commissioner Joe Atkins can find almost any house in Inver Grove Heights without a phone or GPS — a trick that once made his daughter think he was "some kind of savant."

• He's not — he just knows the system that much of Dakota County has used to name streets since the 1960s.

The big picture: Once you learn the alphabetical grid, you can navigate huge swaths of the south metro — and see how the suburbs grew.

How it works: In mile-wide strips ribboned across nine cities, every north-south street starts with the same county-assigned letter.

• It's why, for example, most street names on either side of Cedar Avenue start with a G.

😵‍💫 Kyle's thought bubble: Growing up in this grid felt like living in a dictionary.

• I have always wondered why every street in my neighborhood was named after obscure "J" words like "Jaffna", "Jarosite" … and what exactly is "Jacquara"?

Yes, but: There is a method to the madness: The farther east or west you travel, street names progress alphabetically.

• So Gaslight Drive is west of Garrett Drive, but east of Gladstone Path.

Plus: A numerical grid of east-west streets — based on their distance from the State Capitol — is also used to number houses.

• Before GPS and cell phones, these alphabetical rules helped first responders navigate tangled neighborhoods, Atkins tells Axios.

The intrigue: Street names help trace the county's development.

• Nearly 20% of the parcels built since 2020 are on "A" streets, reflecting Rosemount's swell in housing construction.
• In the 2010s, "E" names were the most popular, reflecting Lakeville's boom.
• The Inver Grove Heights B's were the story of the 2000s — and before that, it was the F's and G's of Apple Valley in the '90s.

The other side: The county's system isn't mandatory, so many cities built out before the grid continue to use their own systems — and Eagan and Burnsville do their own thing.

Zoom out: Washington County also adopted a similar system in 1967, but Woodbury's lack of participation punches a big hole in the grid's continuity.

Click for an Eagan easter egg

The next playoff nemesis for the Timberwolves stands 7'4" and handles and shoots like a guard.

Wolves fans are about to become very familiar with one-of-a-kind hooper Victor Wembanyama, starting tonight in the first game of a best-of-seven series with the San Antonio Spurs.

State of play: The Spurs are heavy favorites, but the Wolves got some great news Sunday night.

• Star Anthony Edwards, whom the team expected to miss "multiple weeks" with a hyperextended knee, was cleared to play and is questionable to make an appearance tonight.
• He suffered the injury just nine days ago.

🚨 A State Patrol trooper was seriously injured when the driver of a stolen vehicle crashed into the trooper's squad car at 80 mph in South Minneapolis. (KSTP)

🏛️ A gun violence prevention package that includes a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines is set for a state Senate vote today. (Background via Axios)

• When asked last week if all 34 Democrats will support the measure, Majority Leader Erin Murphy said, "We will see the votes on the floor." Similar proposals have stalled in the tied House.

📺 Belinda Jensen signed off on a 33-year career as a meteorologist and anchor on Saturday. (Star Tribune)

🏒 The Frost notched a 5-4 overtime victory over Montreal in the first round of the PWHL playoffs.

🗳️ Amy Klobuchar rolled out a package of policy proposals for her gubernatorial campaign, including a slate of anti-fraud measures. (Star Tribune)

The GOP field for governor shrank again on Friday, when Rep. Kristin Robbins suspended her campaign.

State of play: The endorsement battle is essentially a three-way race between House Speaker Lisa Demuth, repeat candidate Kendall Qualls and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell.

Between the lines: Robbins raised a respectable amount of cash, but struggled to gain traction among GOP delegates, in part due to her support of Nikki Haley in 2024.

The intrigue: Robbins said she'll be a "private citizen" in 2027, signaling she still won't run for a Maple Grove Senate seat that could determine control of that chamber.

What's next: The endorsing convention is the weekend of May 29.

🫏 In other campaign news... Dan Wolgamott, a DFL state representative running in a contested primary for auditor, announced Friday that he's rescinding his endorsement of Angie Craig for U.S. Senate and throwing his support behind Peggy Flanagan.

Friction point: Wolgamott cited Craig's votes related to ICE, saying his wife and family experienced "very real and very traumatic" fear and racial profiling during Operation Metro Surge.

• "No amount of regret can undo the trauma caused by ICE in Minnesota," he said, referencing Craig's walk-back of her Laken Riley Act vote.

The bottom line: The reversal underscores how pivotal ICE issue is in DFL primary races.

Why Crag's in El Paso today

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Delta is ending food and beverage service for most passengers on flights under 350 miles.

Why it matters (to MSP travelers): If you're making a quick trip to a destination like Chicago, Milwaukee, or Omaha, you might want to grab a drink or snack before you board.

The good news (for road warriors with frequent upgrades): First class still gets full service.

Worth noting: Flights between 350 and 499 miles — a category that includes St. Louis and Rapid City — will have more drink options moving forward, according to One Mile at a Time.

The "World's Largest Rubber Duck" will land in Loring Park for Twin Cities Pride.

The what? "Mama Duck," the 61-foot-tall, inflatable yellow ducky that's toured the world since its 2014 debut.

What they're saying: Pride organizers said they wanted to bring "something big, bright, and impossible not to smile at" to the annual festival.

• "Some seasons feel heavier than others," they wrote on Instagram. "This year, we're holding space for that—and making room for joy."

Plus: "Sometimes you just need to take a selfie with a 61-foot rubber duck."

📆 This year's Pride kicks off on June 26.