Cana Island Lighthouse Door County Wisconsin Lake Michigan Great Lakes Upper Midwest
Cana Island Lighthouse stands as one of the most iconic and picturesque landmarks in Door County, Wisconsin, offering breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and the rugged shoreline of the Great Lakes.
#DoorCounty #Wisconsin #Lghthouse #architecture #minnesota #photography #travel #travelphotography
Hey there MSP! I’ll be at the Tesla protest tomorrow in Golden Valley, 11-noonish! Come on by!
And wherever you are, betcha there’s one near you too: https://actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/teslatakedown
Saint John's University Abbey Collegeville Minnesota
During my visit as part of the 2017 Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener in St. Cloud, I had the privilege of exploring the remarkable Saint John's University Abbey, a masterpiece of modern architecture and spiritual symbolism.
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/saint-johns-university-abbey-interior-wayne-moran.html
#StJohns #architecture #church #Abbey #minnesota #photography #travel #travelphotography
State by State Pending and recently passed #AntiProtestLaws: #Minnesota
SF 1501: Heightened penalties for protesters who block #traffic
Would heighten penalties for protesters who intentionally “interfere with” or “disrupt” traffic that is entering, exiting, or on a freeway or a roadway on airport property. Under the bill, intentional traffic disruption on freeways or airport roadways would be a gross misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $3,000 fine. The relevant provisions are identical to HF 329 / SF 728.
Full text of bill: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF1501&ssn=0&y=2025
Status: pending
Introduced 17 Feb 2025.
Issue(s): #Traffic =Interference
SF 1363: New penalties for pipeline protesters and supporters, and protesters who block traffic
Would create new civil and criminal liability for funders and supporters of protesters who peacefully demonstrate on pipeline or other utility property. Any person or entity that "recruits, trains, aids, advises, hires, counsels, or conspires with" a person who trespasses onto a “critical public service facility, utility, or pipeline” would be civilly liable for any damages committed by the trespasser under the bill. They would also be guilty of a gross misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $3,000, if they fail to make a reasonable effort to prevent the violation. Additionally, the bill would make the person who trespasses onto the critical public service facility, utility, or pipeline strictly liable for civil damages. Similar provisions were introduced as SF 1493 in the 2023-2024 session. The bill would also make it a gross misdemeanor to obstruct traffic on a freeway or on a public road within airport property, with intent of obstructing or otherwise interfering with traffic. As written, the offense could cover protesters who even momentarily delayed cars on a freeway while demonstrating on the side of the freeway or on an overpass. Similar provisions were introduced as SF 1285/HF 1967 in the 2021-2022 session.
Full text of bill: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF1363&ssn=0&y=2025
Status: pending
Introduced 13 Feb 2025.
Issue(s): Civil Liability, #ProtestSupporters or Funders, Infrastructure, Traffic Interference, Trespass
HF 329 / SF 728: Heightened penalties for protesters who block traffic
Would heighten penalties for protesters who intentionally “interfere with” or “disrupt” traffic that is entering, exiting, or on a freeway or a roadway on airport property. Under the bill, intentional traffic disruption on freeways or airport roadways would be a gross misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $3,000 fine. A nearly identical bill was proposed as HF 1967 / SF 1285, introduced in 2021.
Full text of bill: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?f=HF329&y=2025&ssn=0&b=house
Status: pending
Introduced 13 Feb 2025.
Issue(s): Traffic Interference
HF 367 / SF 180: New civil liability for street protesters
Would allow third parties or the government to sue protesters if they interfere with traffic on certain public roads. Under the bill, someone who intentionally “interferes with” or “obstructs” passage on any “public highway” would be civilly liable for damages and attorneys fees. Any injured person, private entity, or state or local government could bring such a lawsuit, though the bill provides that the government cannot bring both a civil suit and criminal charges for the same conduct. “Highways” in Minnesota include many two-lane roads with stop signs and stoplights. As such, protesters whose demonstration paused or delayed traffic on certain roads could face costly litigation by, for instance, a company that claimed it was “damaged” by the delay.
Full text of bill:
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF367&y=2025&ssn=0
Status: pending
Introduced 13 Feb 2025.
Issue(s): Traffic Interference
SF 708: BARRING PUBLIC BENEFITS FOR PROTEST-RELATED OFFENSES
Would broadly disqualify a person convicted of an offense during a protest from receiving #PublicAssistance. Any "offense related to the person's illegal conduct at a protest, demonstration, rally, civil unrest, or march" would disqualify the person from a range of benefits, including #FoodAssistance, education #loans and grants, and #unemployment assistance. Under the bill, a person convicted of even a misdemeanor that is deemed somehow "related" to their participation in a peaceful protest could face permanent disqualification from such benefits. The same bill was introduced as SF 935 in 2023.
Full text of bill: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF0708&ssn=0&y=2025
Status: pending
Introduced 27 Jan 2025.
Issue(s): Limit on Public Benefits
SF 702 / HF 2808: New civil immunity for drivers who hit protesters
Would shield from civil lawsuits drivers who hit street protesters in certain situations. The bill provides that anyone who unlawfully obstructs a roadway cannot sue a driver for any injury, loss, death or damage they suffered if the driver was seeking to “retreat or escape” from the roadway obstruction and believed they were in immediate danger of injury. An identical bill was introduced as SF 5500 in 2024.
Full text of bill: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF0702&ssn=0&y=2025
Status: pending
Introduced 27 Jan 2025.
Issue(s): Driver Immunity
#FirstAmendment #CriminalizingDissent
#Authoritarianism #Fascism #Clampdown #CriminalizingProtest
#CharacteristicsOfFascism #USPol #AntiProtestLaws #PipelineProtests #HeatherHeyer #UniteTheRight #DrivingDownProtestors
Saint Paul Minnesota It's a River Town
There is no doubt about it, Saint Paul Minnesota is a river town and it gets its character and personality from the mighty Mississippi that runs through it.
This image is from a recent outing with the "shudder to think" photography group.
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/st-paul-mn-skyline-robert-street-bridge-wayne-moran.html
#SaintPaul #StPaul #minnesota #Mississippi #river #cityscape #bridge #nature #landscape #photography #travel #travelphotography
I visited Robert Haus, a national neon treasure two days ago in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
I have known him online for years, and he moved from Alaska so now he is slightly easier to visit.
Robert has probably the best collection of historic neon artifacts, especially when it comes to old bending equipment, transformers, catalogs, and other difficult to find oddities. "Neon Archaeology" is his thing and his blog catalogs his journeys,
https://www.novioljourneys.com/
His setups were impressive- he has very comprehensive radio and electrical knowledge around neon bombarding systems. FOCI is lucky to have him around. I gave him some hand pulled tubing to play with in exchange for some coffee beans he roasted and some really old rare electrodes. It was so nice to meet him and his wife.
Happy we could be in HandsOff! Minnesota. The Green LRT was "standing room" and couldn't take-on more passengers before it even left downtown Minneapolis (sorry, everybody else!).
The protest was beautiful and peaceful. I saw a total *2* uniformed officers, both troopers, who stood between the 25,000 protesters and the 12 counter-protesters with megaphones.
But then a brass band positioned itself in-between and all we heard was sweet protest songs
At the #HandsOff rally in St Paul, #minnesota , the speakers explicitly expressed their support of the LGBTQ+ community and our transgender friends and neighbors. We are not perfect, but we see you and support you.
#TransRights #transdayofvisibility
Packed up my rolly-walker and went over to the rally at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul today. No camera on me bc I didn't know what kind of protest it was going to be, but it was packed! Easily 10k!
If I did have a sign it would've said, "It's So Bad Even The Spoonies Are Marching"
Edit: over 25K according to AP/MPR!
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/04/05/hands-off-protest-trump-musk
This is at the Minnesota state capital today. At 11 a.m., people started showing up around 9 am. For the hands-off protest.
#handsoff #minnesota #handsoff2025
Sharing to @resistancerallies,
@teslatakedown, h/t @ai6yr
Pics from today’s HandsOff protest in St. Paul!
#HandsOff #Resist #SaveDemocracy #TeslaTakeDown #Protest #USPolitics #StPaul #MN #Minnesota
We will be at the State Capitol today for #handsoff2025 and will update.
We will be at the State capital today.
This Saturday night at 6 pm I'll be playing with "my" band (let's face it, it's j.bell's band, I'm just lucky enough to be in it).
It'll be my last show for almost 2 months, and it couldn't come at a better time. If you want to join me for a beer and some rockin', show up at River Siren brewing in Stillwater. You'll be the first person to come to a show due to Mastodon!
Almost time to blow off some steam! #Minnesota #LiveMusic #LocalBands
The U.S. Department of Agriculture canceled almost half of food shelf orders from Minnesota farmers under the federal Commodity Credit Corporation. It was for distribution to its statewide network of food banks, shelves and meal programs. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/03/29/minnesota-food-shelves-worried-as-usda-cancels-truckloads-of-food
“A Wholly Inaccurate Picture”: Reality Cop Show “The First 48” and the Wrongly Convicted Man
—
Edgar Barrientos-Quintana spent 16 years behind bars wrongly convicted for a shooting featured on “The First 48.” The Minnesota attorney general’s office effectively alleged that the show shaped the case instead of the case shaping the show.
https://www.propublica.org/article/first-48-reality-tv-police-minneapolis-wrongful-conviction-barrientos-quintana?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post
University of Minnesota graduate student was seized by ICE on campus.
We’ve had growing crowds every week at the MSP #TeslaTakedown in Golden Valley, MN: 100-some, then 200-some, then ~350–380…. This weekend is supposed to be a really big one worldwide — every dealership, big crowds, really get some attention — but tomorrow’s weather forecast in MN looks kind of dismal.
I worry…but then I know we’re not so easily deterred. Let’s show them how it gets done here in Minnesota.
There are 4 Minnesota locations to protest, and many more worldwide. Find them here, and please show up if you can! https://www.teslatakedown.com
My son recently launched a #WeatherBalloon with a #camera and some instruments. This #photo is from about 30km up just before the #balloon burst. It's really cool that you can begin to see the curvature of the #Earth from this height and see the darkness of #space. I was on an airliner in this area on the same day and saw some of the same clouds and frozen rivers & lakes my son captured in his photos.
& 
