P.J. Fleck is ready for the lamentations of the women

Your daily Minnesota news roundup starts … NOW.

Democrat Matt Little and Republican state Sen. Eric Pratt are vying to replace Rep. Angie Craig in the Second Congressional District following her unsuccessful bid to be the DFL’s nominee for Senator. Little was the most progressive of the slate of DFL candidates while Pratt lines up comfortably in the GOP’s mainstream, largely backing Trump while marking out a few differences over issues like the war in Iran. Dig a little deeper into each candidates’ positions here.

While Minneapolis Public Schools is hashing out proposals that would shutter up to 16 schools in an attempt to “right size” the populations at different facilities, almost 700 students who have applied for enrollment or transfers are still waiting nearly a month after the school year started. 

State Sen. John Hoffman was shot nine times by Vance Boelter the same night that he shot and killed Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, her husband and their dog, and Hoffman’s wife Yvette, who was shot eight times, has now responded to Boelter’s attorneys’ claim in his state trial that their client was “reasonable force while attempting a citizen’s arrest.”

“He pleaded guilty in federal court. This should be over. This should be done. This is a clown show,” she said. 

Related: Man who killed Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman sentenced to life as family describes trauma, loss

Every state approaches taxes a little differently, and it’s possible that Minnesota could take some tips from our neighbor to the east. In Wisconsin, county sales taxes are used to keep property taxes lower. With property taxes set to hit record highs in the Land of 10,000, such a tax structure is being studied by the state.

The Minneapolis Downtown Council is pushing to make Nicollet Mall the centerpiece of the city, with almost 100 events that convert the street to pedestrian-only traffic this year. They’re also eying the upcoming NFL Draft in 2028, which Minneapolis will host, as an opportunity for improvements to the mall.

A giant cow sculpture by the same artist who created the massive loon on the corner of Snelling and University Aves. near Allianz Field is coming to Macalester thanks to a donation from a Mac family. The statue was commissioned to honor the school’s faculty, which has some people asking if it wouldn’t make more sense to honor them by, for example, paying them more.

After making an early spring appearance this year before being stomped out, avian flu is back in Minnesota. It’s been confirmed in numerous commercial and backyard flocks for a total of more than 260,000 birds potentially affected. 

“We never completely just wash our hands of this and walk away,” said Minnesota Board of Animal Health Assistant Director Shauna Voss. “We continue to prepare for the next thing.”

Protip: You might want to wash your hands completely, if you’re dealing with bird flu.

And finally in your Minnesota news roundup: The Gophers pulled off a 27-24 upset over 23rd ranked Washington on the road this past weekend, making them 1-0 in Big Ten play and 3-1 overall. Linebacker Maverick Baranowski — which, by the way, if you name your kid that they’re definitely becoming a linebacker — met Head Coach P.J. Fleck coming across the field. Fleck embraced him, then took a swipe of blood from Baranowski’s face and painted it down his cheeks like Conan the Barbarian.

The post P.J. Fleck is ready for the lamentations of the women appeared first on MinnPost.

Originally reported by MinnPost by Steve McPherson. Read the full story at the source.