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Minneapolis bookstore devastated by water main break

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Minneapolis bookstore devastated by water main break


A beloved local bookstore, the Paperback Exchange, is facing an unimaginable loss after a water main break flooded their South Minneapolis store early last Thursday morning

The store, which was preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary this spring, now finds itself in the midst of a crisis.

“It was so colorful and bright and just a warm place to be, and now, it’s just empty, you know,” said Rachel Pedersen, Manager of the bookstore.

Pedersen said they rushed to salvage as many books as they could, saving a majority of the ones upstairs. But downstairs, the situation was much worse.

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“The back wall is where the water main burst. There was about a four-by-five-foot hole in the wall where the main burst and just completely flooded,” Pedersen said.

Thankfully, no one was working in the basement at the time. The water submerged the entire basement from floor to ceiling, leaving books in piles of mud and debris.

“Unfortunately, the basement is where we put rare, valuable stuff that was hard to sell upstairs — overstock. One-in-a-million type of stuff, stuff you’ll never see again… 50 years worth of collecting stuff, you know, and stuff that’s irreplaceable, really,” Pedersen said.

In total, Pedersen estimates that over 100,000 books were lost in the basement alone. She said the owners, who have managed the bookstore for 30 years, are now dealing with the loss of their business, as well as personal losses. The same water main break that devastated the store also affected their home.

“They lost their car, their whole basement, and they’re struggling with insurance too,” Pedersen said.

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Despite the overwhelming challenges, the community has rallied together in support. Local schools have shown their compassion by leaving Valentine’s cards on the doors of businesses impacted by the flood.

“It was one bright spot, you know, in a really hard time for us, and we’re so happy to see that,” Pedersen said.

Though the future remains uncertain, Pedersen stays hopeful.

“It’s been hard, but, you know, just gotta keep going forward, and we’re so thankful to everyone who’s been helping us,” Pedersen said.

Paperback Exchange will be hosting a book fair at Fat Pants Brewing Company in Eden Prairie on March 2nd, from 12 PM to 5 PM. This event will serve as a way for the community to support the store during this challenging time.

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Hundreds of Minnesota, Wisconsin schools closed on Friday due to cold

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Hundreds of Minnesota, Wisconsin schools closed on Friday due to cold



Hundreds of schools in Minnesota and Wisconsin have closed or shifted to virtual learning on Friday amid dangerous cold.

Anoka-Hennepin, Minnesota’s largest school district, and St. Paul Public Schools are among those closed for the day. Minneapolis Public Schools already planned to be closed for a teacher work day. The full list of closings is below.

All of Minnesota is under an extreme cold warning, the National Weather Service said, and WCCO has issued NEXT Weather Alerts. Temperatures won’t get above zero until Sunday, and wind chills on Friday morning will dip into the 40s below zero.

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Minnesota protesters call for an economic blackout day without work, school, and shopping. Here’s what to know.

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Minnesota protesters call for an economic blackout day without work, school, and shopping. Here’s what to know.


On Friday, Vanessa Beardsley is inviting her community to come hang out with cats and drink coffee at her Minnesota business, Catzen Coffee — but they won’t be able to spend any money.

Catzen is participating in a January 23rd economic shutdown, in which activists are calling on Minnesotans to close their businesses, not report to work or school, and refrain from shopping in protest of ICE’s presence in the state.

Beardsley said she “immediately” knew she wanted to “stand in solidarity with our fellow businesses and our state,” but didn’t want to completely close her doors. “We are not doing business,” she said, “but we will be open for people who just need a space to come and hang out.”


a large fluffy gray cat on a couch

Big Joe, one of the cats at Catzen.

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Vanessa Beardsley



It’s unclear how widespread participation in the blackout will be or what impact it may have on ICE operations. Local news site Bring Me The News has compiled a running list of more than 200 businesses that have posted on social media that they will be participating. The shutdown, prompted by ICE officer Jonathan Ross’s fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, has been endorsed by a slew of regional labor unions, whose demands include ICE leaving the state and no additional federal funding for the agency.

“Working people, our schools and our communities are under attack. Union members are being detained commuting to and from work, tearing apart families,” Chelsie Glaubitz Gabiou, the president of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, said in a statement. “Parents are being forced to stay home, students held out of school, fearing for their lives, all while the employer class remains silent.”

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ICE didn’t respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

In a statement, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said that the Trump administration’s immigration operations “have resulted in countless dangerous criminal illegals being removed from the streets.”

“Making American communities safer will create an environment in which all businesses can thrive in the long term and their customers can feel safe,” Jackson said.

“ICE gets beat up by stupid people, from leadership in Minnesota,” Donald Trump said in a speech at Davos this week. “We actually are helping Minnesota so much, but they don’t appreciate it. Most places do.”

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In addition to the larger shutdown, there’s a march set to run through downtown Minneapolis at 2 p.m. CT. The state is expected to be under extreme cold warnings and extreme cold watch throughout the day on Friday, which might also keep Minnesotans home. Some local businesses are also opting to stay open, but planning to donate a share of — or all — of their profits to related causes.

“I understand why people are choosing to participate in the January 23 blackout, and I support those decisions,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said in a statement to Business Insider. “At the same time, our small businesses, especially immigrant-owned businesses, are under a lot of pressure right now, and they could really use our support. However you choose to show up, I hope we keep our neighbors and local businesses in mind.”





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Missing 7-year-old girl from Zimmerman found safe

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Missing 7-year-old girl from Zimmerman found safe



A 7-year-old girl for whom an Amber Alert was issued Wednesday night in central Minnesota has been found safe.

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The Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office first notified the public of the missing girl in Zimmerman around 8:20 p.m., asking residents to check their homes and surrounding areas. Around 1 a.m., the sheriff’s office said she had been found safe.

Authorities have a suspect in custody, and the sheriff’s office said it will release more information on what happened to her later. 

The Zimmerman/Livonia Fire District said hundreds of people came out to look for the girl Wednesday night.



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