Minneapolis is struggling to keep up with a spike in graffiti over the last year.

Why it matters: Graffiti can often look bad, but it also costs a lot for private property owners and government agencies to clean up.

By the numbers: Reports of graffiti were up 16% across the city in 2020, and so far, they're up another 55% in 2021. Check annual data, but note that 2017 is an outlier due to a University of Minnesota graffiti project.

The intrigue: "Tagging" — a repeated name or symbol — often drives graffiti. It accounts for about two out of every three reports, according to city data.

• But political and emotional messages have been driving the increases over the past year, said Michelle Howard, a coordinator for Clean City.
• "A lot of our increase is pertaining to the civil unrest and the protesting and the [Derek Chauvin] trial," she said.
• More than 2,400 reports of graffiti came in during March and April, when the trial was happening.

How it works: Minneapolis Public Works receives reports of graffiti through 311. Then the city sends someone out to photograph the property. If it's on public property, it will issue work orders to remove it.

• But for private property, the process takes longer. Staff sends property owners a letter, giving them a removal deadline. If they don't act in time, the city sends a contractor and then bills them.
• The cost for a contractor to paint over or remove a 16-square-foot graffiti marking ranges from about $74 to $87.

Between the lines: Public Works has limited staff and has been falling behind on processing and compliance, said Angela Brenny, another Clean City coordinator.

• That is why you might be seeing more graffiti, particularly around Lake Street, which was ground zero for civil unrest last year.
• "We get staff pulled off to do other things, but we don't ever get additional staff for backlog," Brenny said.

News you can use: The city has tips on preventing, removing and painting over graffiti here. And free removal chemicals can be picked up at fire department stations.

Of note: The counts don't include commissioned murals such as these.

Now that Gov. Tim Walz has dropped the state's mask mandate, Minnesota businesses are deciding whether to keep their own face covering requirements.

You can take it off: Cub Foods, Walmart, Costco and Trader Joe's have dropped their requirements, according to the Star Tribune. Mall of America will "strongly encourage" them, but they won't be required.

Keep them on: Target, Best Buy, Hy-Vee, Aldi and CVS will continue to require masks, according to the Strib and Bring Me The News.

• Per the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, masks are still required at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, on public transit, in health care settings and in public schools, according to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

And don't forget: The cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul still have their own mask mandates, which override any retailer's policy in those cities.

Kevin Garnett was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday night, and he hinted in his speech that he'll be involved in the community where he spent his first 12 NBA seasons.

What he said: "My only regret with Minnesota is that I didn't get to bring a championship, but ... I look forward to rebuilding Minneapolis and I want to say thank you to the city and to the state."

Between the lines: It's a sore subject, but the team has not retired Garnett's No. 21 due to a rift between KG and owner Glen Taylor.

• Longtime Pioneer Press columnist Charley Walters wrote Saturday that a reunion could be coming once Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore complete their purchase of the Wolves and Lynx.
• "There’s buzz that Alex Rodriguez intends to bring Kevin Garnett ... in as an investor in the Timberwolves-Lynx $1.5 billion purchase," Walters wrote.

• The Brooklyn Center City Council approved a major police overhaul, creating a new public safety department with unarmed civilian traffic enforcement and a mental health response division. (Fox 9)
• The Minnesota Legislature is headed for a special session as negotiations continue on a budget deal. (Star Tribune)
• Did a Minneapolis police officer embellish key information from a trusted informant and ruin a drug case? (Star Tribune)
• A young girl jumping on a North Minneapolis trampoline was shot in the head and very critically injured on Saturday evening. (AP)

The U.S. Coast Guard is giving away this sweet lighthouse that so many of us have visited at the pier in Duluth's Canal Park.

• The catch: You're probably not qualified to take over the 43-foot-tall beauty, which was built in 1910.

What's happening: The lighthouse must be maintained according to the standards for rehabilitation established by the Secretary of the Interior, according to the Duluth News Tribune.

• That would make those eligible federal agencies; state and local agencies; nonprofit corporations; educational agencies; and park, recreational, cultural or historic preservation groups, according to Bring Me The News.

Torey's still on maternity leave, but one of her favorite summer activities is ... mowing her lawn.

• Seriously. For Torey, revving up the Ryobi and pushing it up and down her (admittedly small) yard is super relaxing and rewarding.

But since she's an early riser with often-packed weekend plans, her favorite chore presents her with a conundrum:

• How early is too early to mow on a weekend morning?

We thought we'd ask you all to weigh in. Reply to this email and let us know your "rule" and we'll publish the results of this informal survey in an upcoming newsletter.