Item World: Local news and views

P.O.S.' positive outlook A month after kidney failure forced him to cancel a national tour, Twin Cities hip-hop star P.O.S. reports that he has several donors lined up and expects to receive a transplant sometime in January, he said in a video update posted on YouTube. Clearly touched by the outpouring of support for his YouCaring medical fund ($36,000 and counting), the artist alternately known as Stef Alexander, 31, seemed to think he owed everyone this update (see it at startribune.com/a1907). He even provides an inside look at the home care he has endured, including the dialysis machine he planned to take on the road. "That's why I canceled the tour, because that machine hurts," he complains. Fortunately, he happily reports, "It's working; my energy is up," which reconfirms his commitment to take part in the Dec. 14-16 Doomtree Blowout VIII at First Avenue.

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

More Kennedys The Hubbards are betting big on the Kennedys. Again. St. Paul's Hubbard Broadcasting has announced that its Reelz Channel is helping develop "After Camelot," a sequel to the miniseries "The Kennedys," which turned into a game-changer for the fledgling cable outlet. The History Channel originally produced the series, but turned gun-shy after Kennedy partisans campaigned to keep it off the air. Reelz CEO Stan E. Hubbard snapped it up, and it wound up bringing record viewership and Emmys to his movie-oriented channel. The new project, which will track the family from 1968 to the present, is based on a book by J. Randy Taraborrelli. No word yet on whether Katie Holmes will reprise her role as Jackie Kennedy.

NEAL JUSTIN

Monkees business Three out of four Monkees ain't good. At least, that was the case last week at the sold-out State Theatre when three of the original PreFab Four -- Davy Jones died of a heart attack in February -- performed. It marked the first U.S. tour that Michael Nesmith has done with the group since 1969. He added a distinctive country-rock twang but, frankly, the vibe at the State wasn't as spirited as when Jones, Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork carried on at the Minnesota Zoo in 2011. While Dolenz tried to be the life of the party and Jones was honored with a series of video tributes, Tork and Nesmith seemed blasé. Nesmith did summon some silliness of old when he sang like a Moog synthesizer on "Daily Nightly." Eschewing his trademark stocking cap, he made one concession to show biz: his loafers were as sparkly as a Michael Jackson beaded glove.

JON BREAM

Black Friday comes Organizers of the wildly popular Record Store Day have started something similar for Black Friday, with independent record shops across the nation offering limited-edition releases from My Morning Jacket, Bob Dylan, Nirvana, Norah Jones, Bettye LaVette and dozens more. Minneapolis collector-label Secret Stash Records is putting out a 7-inch by Prophets of Peace, who will reunite for a live in-store performance at the Electric Fetus in Minneapolis at 2 p.m. Friday. Hymie's Records has an in-store set at 3 p.m. Sunday by Indiana's Murder by Death. Other stores, including Fifth Element, Treehouse and Eclipse, will also have special stock and sales.

Stolen notes You'd think Richfield saxophonist Jason Weismann would have better karma. After all, he pulled a pregnant woman out of a burning SUV following a 2010 car crash. But last week someone stole a bunch of his compositions from his VW station wagon in Roseville. He found his car window broken. Missing was a canvas bag that contained sheet music for about 45 unfinished original compositions in a three-ring binder. "I'm beyond tears," Weismann told I.W. "It's like losing your kids." Two saxophones in his trunk were not taken. In the future, he'll scan the latest version of his compositions -- even if unfinished. Meanwhile, he is offering a reward for his sheet music. He can be reached at jason@thewgroup.biz.

JON BREAM

Eye on the prize You can't see the Oscars won by the Coen Brothers or Diablo Cody -- they don't live here anymore. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis took their Grammys when they moved to California. But you can touch Louise Erdrich's National Book Award. She's displaying the honor, which she won for her novel "The Round House," at her Minneapolis bookstore, Birchbark Books, 2115 W. 21st St. "I'm going to keep it there so anybody who wants to knock on it for good luck, or whatever, can do so," she told I.W. after picking up her prize last week. "Maybe I'll bring it to the Red Door Gallery in Wahpeton [N.D.] that my mom and some really committed people started. Then I'll bring it to the Turtle Mountains" in northern North Dakota.

ROHAN PRESTON

Home work After six weeks on the road together, the members of Motion City Soundtrack and Now, Now sounded bittersweet about ending their tour at home Sunday night with a sold-out show at the Varsity. "It was one of my favorite tours of all time; I didn't get homesick till yesterday," said Now, Now singer/guitarist Cacie Dalager. Motion City frontman Justin Pierre was put on the spot by his girlfriend. While introducing "Antonia," he mentioned that the tune was a request from her boss. "So I think a 4 to 5 percent raise might be in order after this," he added.

Kickstarting art The latest Kickstarter project to generate local buzz is Public Functionary, a Minneapolis gallery that will share space with Permanent Art & Design Group and fine-art printer Eric Rectenwald. Tricia Khutoretsky, the curator behind the project, is asking for a hefty sum, as crowd-funding goes -- $30,000. "If we ask you for something, we will always offer something amazing and inspiring in return," she said. "We are not owed anything simply for existing." A free, family-focused event is on tap Saturday, when kids will be encouraged to color on the walls (11 a.m.-5 p.m., 1400 12th Av NE.).