MONTEREY – Another nonstop flight will make its debut this summer expanding on the Monterey airport’s ability to directly reach a metropolitan area, this one in the Midwest.
Sun Country Airlines will begin offering seasonal service between Monterey Regional Airport – MRY – and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport – MSP – from Aug. 8 through Nov. 3 with flights on Thursday and Sunday. MSP is the base for hometown carrier Sun Country Airlines and is Delta Air Lines’ second largest hub.
Sun Country’s MSP-MRY route stands to expand leisure and business travel to the Central Coast and the Midwest with flights between the two points twice a week providing access to both for extended stays.
Monterey Regional Airport Executive Director Mike La Pier said discussions with Sun Country have been ongoing for about three years. He said that the Monterey airport talks to a lot of airlines regularly at gatherings where multiple airlines and airport leaders meet.
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“This is an opportunity to open up the Midwest and a good move for us,” said La Pier. “Minnesota generates more golf rounds than any other state in the union on a per capita basis.”
La Pier described Sun Country as “a good mix of a quality carrier and low air fares.”
But another reason to take note of this new route is the fact that MPS serves a region that includes headquarters for corporations such as Target, Best Buy and Kohl’s which could benefit Monterey County’s conference and business group travel.
“Connecting Minneapolis/St. Paul and Monterey County is a tremendous opportunity for both leisure and business travelers,” said Rob O’Keefe, president & CEO of See Monterey, in a press release. “The connection creates an easy getaway for travelers who want to explore places like Big Sur, Pebble Beach and Salinas Valley. Plus there are a significant number of Fortune 500 corporate hubs such as Best Buy and Target which can benefit from incredibly inspiring meetings and conferences in our destination.”
On the flip side, the state and specifically the twin cities of Minnesota – Minneapolis and St. Paul – offer many outdoor activities and a bustling metropolitan area. The state is also known as the “Land of Ten Thousand Lakes.”
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“If you’ve never been to Minnesota and sat quietly in a canoe on a lake, it is one of the most relaxing experiences … the outdoor opportunities are phenomenal,” said La Pier.
The beginning of the direct link between MRY and MPS will be seasonal, with flights twice a week from August to November. Just as travelers from Minnesota are seeing their weather turn colder, Monterey County is experiencing what is arguably its best weather of the year. Midwesterners can experience Monterey County’s temperate climate and scenic beauty while people from the Central Coast can enjoy Minnesota’s late summer offerings, fall colors and crisp temperatures.
“Minnesotans will be eager to visit Monterey for the scenic California coastline and access to picturesque Carmel-by-the-Sea, the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, and golfers’ course bucket list Pebble Beach,” said Grant Whitney, Sun Country Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer in the release. “Sun Country and our Minneapolis-St. Paul community will warmly welcome visitors from Monterey to Minnesota, where you’ll experience great fall weather, scenic lakes throughout the city, outdoor activity, pro sports and a terrific entertainment and restaurant scene.”
The seasonal route will be a sort of trial run for what has the potential to become an expanded service allowing for a proving ground for the market to see if it can be supported, said La Pier.
The MSP-MRY flights will be on Sun Country’s Boeing 737-800 aircraft. (Sun Country Airlines)
“Every carrier goes through a ‘prove it or lose it’ period to see if the service does well financially,” he said. He added that he is confident that Sun Country will do well in this market.
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Last October, the Monterey Regional Airport announced it had been awarded a $750,000 grant to help it develop its focus on Chicago, which would provide access to another gateway to the Midwest, East Coast and international destinations, while improving access to Monterey County.
“Chicago is going to be a marathon, not a sprint,” said La Pier.
In conversations with American Airlines and United Air Lines, La Pier said the Monterey Regional Airport is on those carrier’s radar as Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is a hub for both American Airlines and United Airlines – two of the four major domestic airlines that serve more than 400,000 passengers a year at the Monterey airport. The other two are Alaska Airlines and Alegiant, and starting this summer, the number of domestic airlines servicing Monterey airport will increase to five to include Sun Country.
La Pier said he is confident service to Chicago will happen but he cannot say exactly when that will be.
The $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation under the Small Community Air Service Development Program will support Monterey airport’s goal of non-stop service to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
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La Pier said the grant is good for five years and he is confident that within that timeframe the Monterey Regional Airport will have service to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
The lineup has been announced for the 2026 edition of Snow & Flurry, set for October 10th and 11th at Underground Music Cafe in Minneapolis, MN. Judge, Merauder, and Arkangel will headline the two-day event also featuring 25+ more acts in total.
Weekend passes are available now, with single-day tickets and daily lineups to be announced later.
Passes are available here.
Line up in order of flyer:
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Judge Merauder Arkangel The Killer Nehemiah Another Enemy Awaiting Eschiel Basic Needs Blistered Spirit Blood Stained Concrete Cudgel Direct Order Dose Enemy Of Man Enervate Ethic Eyes Of Sorrow Fleshless Body Lead Spirit Madman Meantime Neolithic Passion Self Interest Shits Creek Sin Sufrir Skewed What Counts Withdrawal Wrath Of Sanity Velocity
After spending months helping immigrant families weather the economic fallout of federal immigration enforcement operations in the Twin Cities, Smitten Kitten is asking the community for help sustaining itself.
The adult retail store in Minneapolis’ Lyn-Lake neighborhood issued a public plea for community financial support.
The strain comes after months of directing staff and volunteer time, resources and fundraising efforts toward mutual aid work that supported immigrants during Operation Metro Surge.
The store became one of the most visible community aid hubs after the federal operation began. Following the killing of Renee Good, Smitten Kitten began collecting groceries, diapers, toilet paper and other essentials.
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“Nothing is going to change unless we’re going to do something,” said Anne Lehman, Smitten Kitten social media manager and mutual aid advisor.
The store also helped direct efforts toward rent relief for immigrants facing heightened uncertainty and economic hardship.
“People had been hiding out since October. They’re going to need things like diapers, toilet paper and water.” Lehman said. “We ended up opening our store as a donation drop-off stop.”
Community support quickly exceeded expectations.
“It felt like every fifteen minutes someone was pulling up in an SUV that just came from Costco,” Lehman said. “As soon as we got it, it would be gone because of how great the need was.”
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Lehman said that the attention also created safety concerns for staff and visitors.
“We had to move where our stuff was because U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had caught on to what we were doing and tried to intimidate us,” said Lehman.
In response, the store decided to move its operations elsewhere and began to focus on raising money for necessities. According to Lehman, the establishment raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for various needs.
The operation, in part, ended by mid-February, and federal presence in Minnesota diminished. As things began to wind down, so did cash flow at Smitten Kitten.
“There were a lot of weeks where we were cutting it close on payroll,” said Lehman.
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In a social media post, Lehman asked the community to come help support the store by asking for donations, asking people to shop at their store or online.
“We are asking for help, but also all of these things that we’re pouring all of our energy into is not going away,” said Lehman. “If we want to continue doing mutual aid, we have to have a solid foundation of our business as well.”
MINNEAPOLIS — Real Capital Solutions (RCS) has acquired 3701 Wayzata Boulevard, a 308,681-square-foot office property in the Urban West End neighborhood of Minneapolis, for $34 million. Situated on 25.8 acres overlooking Brownie and Cedar lakes, the nine-story asset is 99 percent leased and serves as the headquarters location for several companies such as Tactile Medical, SRF Consulting Group, Regis Corp. and MOBE.
Originally developed as a corporate headquarters campus for Prudential and later occupied by Target Corp., the property underwent a comprehensive renovation and repositioning in 2019. Amenities today include a fitness center, conference facilities, a golf simulator, onsite café, outdoor gathering spaces, a rooftop patio, bike storage and direct access to regional trail systems.
