Recent content from Kristen Leigh Painter
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Sun Country reveals new details about IPO, aims to raise more than $200M
The locally-based airline will use some of the proceeds to repay an emergency loan from the government.

$1.3B defamation suit filed against Mike Lindell, MyPillow
Dominion Voting Systems' federal lawsuit over Lindell's repeated and discredited claims that Dominion helped steal the 2020 election comes after weeks of warnings from the company.

Hormel CEO frustrated by lack of COVID-19 vaccine access for workers
Snee said some states have placed a priority on meatpacking workers, but he is 'incredibly frustrated' overall.

Delta sets up rapid COVID-19 test at MSP for flights to Amsterdam
Delta will offer rapid COVID-19 tests to meet a new requirement from the Dutch government.

Hormel makes its biggest deal ever, buying Planters for $3.3 billion
It's the biggest deal Hormel has ever made and will add more than $1 billion

Sun Country Airlines is going public, will list on Nasdaq
After a transformation, Sun Country reaches a turning point in its ownership.

Accident at Louisiana salt mine leads Cargill to accelerate a closing plan
Cargill planned to begin closing the Avery Island salt mine later this year, but will do it sooner.

Lindell: Twitter ban won't stop his claims of election fraud
Twitter 'permanently suspended' the Minnesota-based promoter of election conspiracies and pillows.

Sun Country sees travel rebound ahead, plans 16 new routes
The Minnesota-based leisure airline is banking on the vaccine distribution and rapid COVID testing to jumpstart air travel again.

MyPillow's Lindell shrugs off distancing by retailers, presses election fraud claim
Mike Lindell said Tuesday he continues to believe voting machine maker, other countries swayed Trump's loss.

How Sun Country, other airlines will handle the new negative-COVID rule on international flights
If you go out of the country and hope to come back after Jan. 26, you'll need to show a negative COVID test result.

General Mills withdraws support from those who voted against certifying election
The Minnesota-based food company suspends politician donations to any member of Congress who voted to undermine the Electoral College results.

UnitedHealth Group to buy Change, a health tech firm, in $13B deal
The deal, one of the largest by UnitedHealth, gives a substantial boost to its OptumInsight business.

Edina native and CEO of online grocer named entrepreneur of the year
Nick Green co-founded Thrive, following his mother's healthy eating advice from his childhood.

Edina native and CEO of online grocer named entrepreneur of the year
Nick Green co-founded Thrive, following his mother's healthy eating advice from his childhood.

On the day the U remembered Borlaug's Nobel Peace Prize, another food innovator won it for 2020
It has been 50 years since Norman Borlaug received the Nobel Peace Prize for developing a high-yield, disease-resistant wheat that saved an estimated billion human…

Three more restaurants defy COVID restrictions, face sanctions
The Interchange in Albert Lea, Cornerstone in Monticello and The Pour House in Clarks Grove have joined a growing list of eateries defying the order.

Courts may decide if Cargill, Nestle can be sued over child labor
U.S. Supreme Court justices may step into a clash over human rights and the reach of U.S. companies in foreign countries.
Ninth COVID-19 inmate death in Minnesota prisons
70-year-old man is the fifth inmate to die of the virus at the Faribault prison.

Cargill temporarily idles Canadian beef plant due to COVID-19 outbreak
The outbreak in Guelph, Ontario, adds to a new series hitting North American meat plants.

General Mills continues riding the stay-at-home wave, prepares for post-pandemic life
The Golden Valley-based food maker still posting sunny earnings results as Americans eat at home, but is eyeing a return to normal.

Former Cargill CEO Ernie Micek dies at 84
Ernest "Ernie" Micek had a knack for multiplying time — or at least that's the only way those close to him can explain all that…

Delta Air Lines permanently eliminates international change fees
The Atlanta-based airline is expanding its flexible rebookings as it hopes to lure customers back during uncertain times.

Fanatics buys Winona-based WinCraft, maker of clocks, can coolers and snack bowls with sports logos
The deal gives the nation's top sports apparel maker a deeper reach in licensed products.

Minnesota organic dairy farmers hope to regain ground under Biden
Organic Valley's CEO is cautiously optimistic for industry despite the loss of powerful Rep. Collin Peterson.

Cargill argues in front of Supreme Court in child labor case
A 15-year-old lawsuit alleges Cargill and Nestlé abetted child slave labor on cocoa farms in W. Africa.

Cargill makes another investment in fast-growing wellness sector
Cargill is hoping to quickly ramp up its ability to offer its food and beverage customers ways to incorporate functional wellness attributes into products.

Cargill loses title of largest private company in U.S.
The Minnetonka-based agribusiness was supplanted by Koch Industries on the Forbes annual list.

Hormel Foods reports lackluster results as COVID continues to takes its toll
Shuttered restaurants and closed schools continue to dampen sales for the Austin, Minn.-based food company.

This week could be busiest for airports since the pandemic began
Passenger volume at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is expected to be 65% below last year's Thanksgiving week.

Jennie-O partners with football star Thielen's turkey giveaway
Player's foundation helps to provide 2,000 birds to Salvation Army this year.

In a major slimdown, SunOpta sells its organic ingredients business
Edina-based organic products firm sells off ingredients business.
Minnesota food companies rejoice: Cereal's not just for breakfast anymore
With many not rushing to the office during the pandemic, breakfast cereal is back in vogue, and Post Consumer Brands and General Mills are reaping the benefits.

With rituals upended, Minnesotans rethink Thanksgiving
Sarah Branion's seven-year Friendsgiving streak is coming to an end.With her extended family all living in Minnesota where she grew up, she and her family…

Amid high stakes and record early turnout, Minnesota voters reflect as polls close
Minneapolis turnout surpasses 2016 as line stretches four blocks in Farmington.

Home bakers bought more butter, lifted profits at Land O'Lakes
Land O'Lakes benefited from COVID lockdowns.
Minnesota's biggest companies open their wallets to political candidates, and risk
Political giving is a two-edged sword as companies often lose control of where their cash goes.

General Mills office workers will stay home through May 2021
The decision, announced this week, affects its office workers throughout North America, including 3,500 at its Golden Valley HQ.
Big local companies, U, others form group to tackle food challenges
Called MBOLD, the coalition is focused on sustainable growth of the food industry.

Pilgrim's Pride will expand Cold Spring plant
The chicken processor will add 130 jobs at the plant when the addition is complete next spring.

Hall of fame bartender Lenny Daniels dies at age 98
His wide lens and warm heart helped his reputation as a genuine listener who drew people of all ages.

Sun Country downsizes HQ staff, 18 receive notices
Most jobs were eliminated by attrition, but 18 employees were directly affected as airlines across the globe are suffering due to the pandemic.

LeBron James latest athlete to be on Wheaties boxes
General Mills will feature NBA star's social-justice, athletic accomplishments.

Delta to retire another 17% of its plane fleet earlier than planned
Airline reacts to financial pressure from pandemic.

As workers wait for more federal aid, Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport's long-term fate rests with Delta
Few industries have been more devastated by the global health crisis than aviation.

With $68 million in funds, Minnesota's Revol Greens to expand in Texas
The Owatonna-based lettuce company is bringing its indoor greenhouse model to the Lone Star State and California.
General Mills continues to grow in pandemic, executives aim to make it last
The Golden Valley-based food company says it's capitalizing on a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity to get new customers.

Dozens protest at General Mills HQ over company's plant on West Bank
The activists say the foodmaker's factory supports Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory.

Delta will resume long international flights at MSP, first with Amsterdam
Delta will resume flying route four times a week, starting on Oct. 25. MSP is now averaging 288 daily departures, down from 500 a year ago.
Cloquet Carlton County Airport gets $1.2M grant to expand pilot training facilities
The expansion is expected to reduce program's five-month wait time by more than half.

Cargill joins regenerative agriculture movement, sets goal for 10 million acres
Cargill says it can help farmers reduce risk in crucial early stages of regenerative farming practices.

Delta won't furlough flight attendants, ground workers
The airline says it may still have to reduce its pilot corps.

Key for General Mills is to keep market-share gains from pandemic
As the health crisis wears on, consumer behavior appears to be moderating.

Changing your flight plans? No charge, the big airlines now say
The pandemic-induced collapse in travel demand hastened end of roundly disliked charge.

Why Minnesota-based Sun Country is outperforming rest of airline industry
Decisions made in March, such as flying cargo for Amazon, are paying off.

Hormel's sales soar at grocery stores, drop at restaurants
As Americans settle into life during a pandemic, Hormel's product mix is being reshaped.

Hormel offers two-year college benefit to employees' children
The benefit is offered to employees' children in an effort to combat racial inequality.

What a Crystal man did with a sudden windfall in his account this spring
Front-desk clerk stunned to find $150,000 in PPP funds in his account.
Delta says it will keep middle seats blocked for the rest of the year
The dominant carrier at MSP is operating at a lower capacity in hopes of limiting the spread of coronavirus.

General Mills sets goals to elevate Black managers, executives
The food company's plan reflects a larger reckoning in Corporate America over the lack of diverse representation in upper managements.

In a test, Delta checks passenger temps at LAX
The airline will disallow anyone with a temp of 100.4 and above from flying.

Cooped-up Minnesotans dig out their in-line skates or go buy new ones
Cabin fever, shuttered gyms and nostalgia for the 1990s are leading to a resurgence of the sport that began in Minnesota 40 years ago.

In a downsized airline industry, focus shifts to leisure travelers
Perks and amenities are no longer the focus — health and safety are.

LSG Sky Chefs to cut 278 workers at MSP in October
The reduction is another effect of the downturn in air travel caused by the coronavirus.

Swissport's layoff of 114 at MSP draws a critical eye
Plane refueler Swissport took COVID-19 relief funds but still laid off 114 workers.

Three restaurants at MSP make permanent job cuts as air travel remains weak
Aero Service Group could lay off 92 workers by mid-September unless passenger traffic increases at the airport.

Coronavirus is changing food demand by the week, General Mills says
Executives of the Golden Valley-based food company said they have been in closer contact with U.S. retailers than ever before, with its plants at full capacity.
Delta, Sun Country cut flight schedules more deeply because of coronavirus
Delta and Sun Country, two leading airlines at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, on Wednesday announced deeper cuts to their flight schedules as more people avoid…

There's plenty of food to go around, and Minnesota stores are getting it in
The crush of grocery shoppers has been bigger than what is seen at Thanksgiving, but trucks keep rolling up with more.
Sun Country scrambles to get passengers out of Aruba and Costa Rica after borders closed
The Minnesota-based airline has stopped flying passengers into those countries and is trying to reach customers still there to ferry them out.

Working from home to avoid coronavirus: I admit, I miss people.
If new to telecommuting, be prepared for a few challenges.

Delta makes deepest-ever cutback: Flights slashed 40%, Europe dropped
It became clear to executives that cuts the airline announced on Tuesday wouldn't be enough.
Sun Country's call center is swamped as passengers scrub spring break plans
March is usually the busiest month for the Twin Cities airline, and the virus is disrupting its passengers' plans.

Whitney MacMillan, former leader of Cargill and descendant of its founder, dies at 90
MacMillan was the last member of the family that owns Cargill to run the company.
Delta takes dramatic steps to cut its losses from coronavirus slowdown
The world's most profitable airline is reducing global flights by 15% and asking workers to take time off.