Hot Dish 10.10.24

By Rochelle Olson

Good not Friday morning. It’s Thursday for those accustomed to hearing from me on the final weekday. All part of our plan to keep you alert.

Now that we’ve got that bit of disappointment out of the way, Hurricane Milton ripped the roof off Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., overnight. At least four deaths have been reported and danger remains from a possible storm surge. Two million are without power.

‘’We’ll let you know when it’s safe to come out,’’ Sheriff Chad Chronister of Hillsborough County, home to Tampa, said on Facebook.

Officials in the counties of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota and Lee urged people to stay home, warning of downed power lines, trees in roads, blocked bridges and flooding. The Minnesota Twins spring training facility is in Lee County. Expect to hear much more about voting changes in states affected by Helene and Milton.

But to whomsoever left a dog tied to a fence in chest-deep water, not cool.

Hard pivot here to the PBS Frontline episode featuring Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance’s paths to vice presidential candidacies. I started to watch late after returning from our Lakeville Town Hall, intending to hit pause and go to bed, but I stayed with it for the hour. As with all Frontline productions, it’s high quality, even-handed and informative. Fascinating is a word I’d use. They show the political journey and evolution of both men without judgment. They also dig up lots of old photos. Walz is markedly thinner these days and Vance’s beard serves him well. I had forgotten that Vance and Vivek Ramaswamy were in the same law school class at Yale and were relatively friendly, bonding over their Ohio roots.

HERE WE VOTE: Secretary of State Steve Simon is launching ads to remind Minnesotans they have three ways to vote in the Nov. 5 election. The Here We Vote campaign is a part of an outreach and education effort to get Minnesotans to reclaim their No. 1 spot in voter turnout. Come on, man. Let’s go. (That’s me, not Simon.) Here’s Simon, “It’s incredibly important that every eligible Minnesotan knows they can exercise their right to vote by mail, early in-person, or in-person on Election Day,” he said, encouraging Minnesotans to make a plan to vote on or before election day. Go to mnvotes.gov, the one-stop shop for election information.

OVERDOSES DOWN: Jessie Van Berkel reports that overdose deaths are down in Minnesota for the first time since 2018. Mary DeLaquil, the state’s lead overdose mortality epidemiologist, said, “I really would like to think that it’s the start of a downward trend in general.” The drop in deaths was particularly notable in greater Minnesota, which saw 21% fewer deaths, compared to a 1% dip in the seven-county metro area. DeLaquil said she’s unsure what’s behind that difference, but hopes telemedicine is increasing access to help in rural communities. Deaths dipped 8% last year, as the availability of the opioid overdose-reversing drug naloxone and medications for opioid use disorder spread. Where’s Jeremy Drucker, the state’s director of addiction and recovery for the past two years? He’s on temporary reassignment in the gov’s office.

WHERE’S WALZ:

Nothing official. America’s Sweetheart was in Arizona on Wednesday for the start of early voting in that swing state. He left Tucson late and was wheels down in Minnesota just after midnight. Michigan will be the focus for both presidential campaigns in the next couple days. Walz heads there Friday.

If you want more Walz, reporter Jp Lawrence has the story about a Mankato football rivalry.