Dear John,

I hope you’re doing well. I’m on a deadline today, so I’m going to get right to the news. A couple pieces I came by this week are actually a year old. They’re still worth reading (and Mercury is in retrograde until June 22).

Enjoy the rain this weekend and the summer solstice.

Here’s what we’re reading, watching, and listening to this week:
 

1. MPLS Mayor

Sheila Nezhad came out on top of the Minneapolis mayoral race in the DFL convention. She picked up 500 more votes than Frey in the final round. Read more on the mayoral race in the Star Tribune. See vote percentages by candidate.

2. MPD

MPD reports exclusively to Mayor Frey. To date, no MPD officers have been reprimanded for violence against protesters and civilians last summer. Read the story that’s now national news in USA Today.

3. Protesting

Our First Amendment rights to protest have been under attack for years. Nationally, there has been a huge rise in right-wing extremists attacking protestors against police brutality with their vehicles. This piece was written a year ago, though it could have been yesterday.

4. Line 3

“Enbridge needs Minnesota for its new pipeline. But Enbridge has not shown that Minnesota needs the pipeline. I would therefore reverse,” wrote Judge Peter Reyes in his dissenting opinion. Read about the court ruling in Enbridge’s favor. We also flagged this detailed MPR news piece about what happens with the old dirty Line 3 pipeline that’s left in the ground.

5. Rent Stabilization

After weeks of canvassing in the heat, housing advocates on Tuesday turned in more than 9,000 petition signatures to the Ramsey County Elections Office. Read the latest on the campaign for rent stabilization in St. Paul in the Pioneer Press.

6. Juneteenth

Juneteenth is now a federal holiday, yet some of the same politicians who voted for Juneteenth are actively working to disenfranchise Black voters. Read columnist Jameelah Nasheed’s op-ed in Teen Vogue on how the recognition of Juneteenth is not a substitute for actual change and Congresswoman Cori Bush’s succinct message on Twitter.

7. Colorado

Huge win in Colorado. Read about the state passing a public option and Prescription Drug Affordability Board this month.

8. Pride

The history of Pride we should all know. This piece on Pride is a year old but worth reading again.

9. Hugs

They’re really, really good for us. As the pandemic winds down, hopefully we are all getting more of them. Read about hugs and wellness in the New York Times.

10. Inside

I haven’t seen it yet, but my partner is raving about the Bo Burnham Netflix special created during quarantine diving into social media culture. Have you seen it? Let me know what you thought. Read about Burnham’s special and watch the trailer.

That’s a wrap. Have a great weekend. 
- Kenza Hadj-Moussa