🌱 Target Workers Threatened Over Pride Products + State Budget Passes

It's Thursday, Minneapolis. Here's a quick guide to the latest headlines, including:

• Why Target is pulling some Pride Month products from its stores.
• Where to attend events this weekend to remember George Floyd.
• How the Twin Cities will honor Memorial Day.

But first, today's weather: Pleasant with plenty of sun. High: 76 Low: 52.

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Here are the top 5 stories in Minneapolis today:

1. Today marks three years since George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer at 38th and Chicago. A candlelight vigil will be held at 8 p.m. in what is now known as George Floyd Square. (GFCM)

2. Target workers are being threatened with violence over the retailer’s Pride Month products, the Associated Press reports. The Minnesota company announced it will remove some of the product line after experiencing “threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work.” (AP)

3. Gov. Tim Walz celebrated the state’s $72 billion budget passage at the Minnesota Capitol Wednesday, the Star Tribune reports. State Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman referred to it as "the best budget in 50 years,” while Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson said it will “be much more expensive to live in Minnesota after these bills actually are enacted.” (Paid source: Star Tribune)

4. Fort Snelling National Cemetery will honor those who have died in service to the armed forces with a Memorial Day program next week. The ceremony is set for Monday at 9:45 a.m., with featured speakers including Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. Amy Klobuchar. (Fort Snelling)

5. Lakewood Cemetery will also honor Memorial Day with a free ceremony and celebration. It is open to the public and begins at 10:30 a.m. at the Soldier’s Memorial. (Lakewood)

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Today in Minneapolis:

• “Work, Ride and Engage With Metro Transit” at the Minneapolis Central Library. (11 a.m.)
• Kickoff to Summer at the Fair returns and runs through Sunday at the State Fairgrounds. (4 p.m.)
• Join a group run as part of “Run Minnesota Thursdays” at East River Flats Park. (6 p.m.)
• Trivia Mafia hosts “Fast” Saga trivia night at Black Sheep Pizza. (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• A new weekend trolley is operating downtown. (BMTN)
• Tickets go on sale today for the Stadium Chef Series at Target Field. James Beard-nominated area chefs will design a five-course meal to be served in the outfield at the June 25 event. (Stadium Chef Series)
• Meet Minneapolis is ranking the most “unique” outdoor dining experiences in the city as patio weather ramps up. (Meet Minneapolis)
• The Minnesota Zoo launches its “Wild Nights” concert series tonight in Apple Valley. (Zoo)

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That's all for today. Patch will be back in your inbox tomorrow with another newsletter.

— Georgi Presecky

About me: Georgi is a newsletter writer and partner content curator. She spent five years on the entertainment beat for FF2 Media covering film festivals across the U.S. Her feature articles have been recognized with awards from the Illinois Women's Press Association and National Federation of Press Women. As editor-in-chief of the Lewis University newspaper, she and her staff earned honors from the Associated Collegiate Press and American Scholastic Press Associations. She began working for Patch in 2019.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Minneapolis Patch newsletter? Contact me at georgi.presecky@patch.com.