Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily digest of important, overlooked, and/or interesting Minnesota news stories.
South Minneapolis Flood Fallout
When fire crews responded to alarms at 50th & Penn in south Minneapolis Thursday morning, they didn’t find fire. They found water—lots of it. A water main had burst, and the flooding on the streets was nothing compared to what was going on inside nearby buildings. That included The Paperback Exchange, an indie bookstore that has been open for 50 years and specializes in rare, second-hand, and new books.
Owner Andrew Hersey says the basement flooded up to the ceiling and onto the first floor. “Water and books don’t mix, so it’s hard to say what’s going to happen here,” Hersey tells KSTP. “We had about six inches of water on the main floor, it looks like.” As you can see by these photos sent to Racket, taken by a friend helping with clean up, the damage is staggering.
“A warm thank you for the words of support and concern we’ve received since the flood,” begins a Paperback Exchange Facebook update from earlier today. “Many of you have asked how you can help. We’re grateful to you and will keep you posted on ways the community can lend a hand.”
Other businesses currently closed and/or impacted by the flood include Italian restaurant Terzo, coffeeshop Sparrow Cafe, and Lake Harriet Florist.
Who Will Interrupt the Violence Interrupters?
The Minneapolis City Council agreed Thursday to shelve a proposal that would have shifted violence prevention funding from the city to Hennepin County, capping off a wild and unpleasant week of debate that brought about… actual threats of violence…