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View to a bill: Minnesota billboard moratorium

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View to a bill: Minnesota billboard moratorium


It’s a long shot against a $6 billion industry, but a Minnesota state senator is hoping he can give drivers a more beautiful view. He wants a billboard moratorium so we can all focus on skylines and nature instead of law firms and real estate.

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Blocked view?

Natural beauty:

Catching your eyes on a drive through Minnesota could be a vast, frozen lake; deep, green forest; or clear, blue skies, depending on your route.

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“I mean, [Interstate] 35 North is a great drive,” said Russell Nicolet of Nicolet Law. “There’s a lot of boards. I’m on a lot too.”

Nicolet is also hard to miss. His cartooned bald head, sunglasses, and beard are featured on more than 100 billboards right now.

“It seems to be a good way for people to remember us, kind of associate us with something,” he said.

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Branding boon

Love-hate:

The billboards helped his brand become known throughout most of the Midwest, but he understands commuters can also come down with a case of billboard fatigue.

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And one of the fatigued happens to be a state senator.

“You look at the state tourism posters and the tourism ads, and they show beautiful Northwoods,” said Sen. John Marty, (DFL-Roseville). “They show the skyscrapers of Minneapolis and so on. But somebody who comes into Minnesota flies into the airport. What they see is billboard, billboard, billboard, billboard.”

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Moratorium maybe?

Here’s why:

Sen. Marty authored a bill this year to impose a billboard moratorium — no new billboards and no replacing damaged, old billboards.

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He’s tried this before, though, never successfully.

He also brought a bill in 2021, 2009, 2007, and all the way back to his first legislative session in 1989.

So making a moratorium the law is a tall task. There’s no guarantee it’ll pass. But supporters say if it does, you’re guaranteed a better view.

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“I’m serious about this,” Sen. Marty said. “I think it would make our state more beautiful.”

Not standing alone

Who’s done it?:

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Only four states — Vermont, Maine, Alaska, and Hawaii — have a billboard moratorium in place, but some cities do it.

St. Paul tried to get rid of some billboards 15 years ago, and just last year, R.F. Moeller Jewelers removed billboards from their building.

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They did it to beautify their Highland Park neighborhood, but just across the street, it’s hard to miss Kris Lindahl’s wingspan.

Guaranteed opposition

What if?:

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Lindahl doesn’t like the idea of a moratorium, but he says he’ll adapt if it passes.

And it makes some sense to the man behind the billboard beard.

“You know, billboards can get overdone,” said Nicolet. “And then it does take away from something that we have that’s really special.”

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But Sen. Marty knows the odds are against him. His previous bills never even made it to committee hearings.

He’s hoping the fifth time is the charm.

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Over 840,000 Minnesotans Assist Aging Loved Ones, Shaping Their Daily Lives

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Over 840,000 Minnesotans Assist Aging Loved Ones, Shaping Their Daily Lives


UNDATED (WJON News) — A new report says hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans are caring for a loved one.

The AARP says its report indicates 840,000 Minnesotans are caregivers for adults, providing care for older parents, spouses, neighbors, and other loved ones.

They spend about 480 million hours of care each year, work that would be valued at $11.1 billion per year if it were paid in the marketplace, based on a value of about $23 per hour.

AARP says family caregivers are averaging about 27 hours each week.

More than half, 57 percent, are providing high-intensity care, meaning they spend more hours helping with daily tasks like bathing and dressing, as well as complex medical and nursing tasks like wound care and administering injections.

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AARP says these numbers are why it advocated to help secure Paid Family Leave and Medical Leave in Minnesota, giving family caregivers the ability to be there for their loved ones without sacrificing their jobs.

AARP also helps families navigate caregiving challenges by connecting them to resources.

Thanks For The Memories In MN Adam, SKOL Vikings

With the Minnesota Vikings waiving Detroit Lakes-native, former Minnesota State Mankato Maverick, Adam Thielen today, it’s only natural to go back and revisit his time with the hometown team. Here are some pictures of Adam in purple from his two stints with the Vikings, and his stats during his time with the Vikings. 

Gallery Credit: Getty Images





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Politics Friday: Mike Lindell ‘all in’ for Minnesota’s governor’s race with Trump backing or not

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Politics Friday: Mike Lindell ‘all in’ for Minnesota’s governor’s race with Trump backing or not


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‘No King’s’ Flagship Protest Features Star-Studded Lineup Of Performers

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‘No King’s’ Flagship Protest Features Star-Studded Lineup Of Performers


Millions of people around the country will take to the streets this Saturday in the latest round of “No Kings” protests that aim to denounce President Donald Trump’s subversion of the rule of law and attacks on democracy.

“Masked secret police terrorizing our communities. An illegal, catastrophic war putting us in danger and driving up our costs. Attacks on our freedom of speech, our civil rights, our freedom to vote. Costs pushing families to the brink. Trump wants to rule over us as a tyrant. But this is America, and power belongs to the people – not to wannabe kings or their billionaire cronies,” the NoKings website states.

The flagship event in St. Paul is expected to draw over 80,000 people to the Minnesota capital, including Oscar-winning actress Jane Fonda, legendary folk singer Joan Baez, rock icon Bruce Springsteen, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

It is one of 3,000 events planned nationwide, according to organizers.

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“Our goal is to continue to build a peaceful and nonviolent movement that gets us to the place where we have a healthy, functioning democracy, and communities and state and country where we can all thrive,” Indivisible Twin Cities event organizer Rebecca Larson told Minnesota Public Radio.

Joan Baez (L) Bruce Springsteen (C) and Jane Fonda (R) are among the various celebrity performers and speakers expected to attend the “No Kings” rally in St. Paul, Minn., on March 28.

The rally comes in the wake of Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, which drew widespread national attention and resulted in the deaths of Americans Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents.

Springsteen, who is scheduled to perform at Target Center in Minneapolis later this month, penned a protest song in honor of Good and Pretti titled “Streets of Minneapolis.” He also plans to perform at the rally on Saturday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.

“When you have the opportunity to sing something where the timing is essential and if you have something powerful to sing, it elevates the moment, it elevates your job to another level. And I’m always in search of that,” Springsteen told the publication.

Saturday’s gatherings are the third such mass protests under the “No Kings” banner, the first of which was held last June as a counter-event to Trump’s military parade celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, which also fell on the president’s 79th birthday. The second “No Kings” protest occurred in October of last year.

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Since then, a litany of events has captured the nation’s attention, including immigration crackdowns, government shutdowns, the fight over the release of the Epstein files and the ongoing war in Iran. “No Kings” organizers plan to hone in on Americans’ frustrations with these issues to increase turnout and attention for Saturday’s demonstrations.

“Now, President Trump has doubled down. His administration is sending masked agents into our streets, terrorizing our communities. They are targeting immigrant families, profiling, arresting, and detaining people without warrants. Threatening to overtake elections. Gutting healthcare, environmental protections, and education when families need them most,” the organization states on its website. “The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don’t have kings – and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty.”



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