Brew pub brawl, Rep. Franson stays put, Bieber’s snake slithers into Owatonna

A battle brews over beer laws

Star Tribune: "Craft beers are hugely popular, but brew pubs' market is limited by age-old Minnesota rules."

Good mining times predicted on the Range

Duluth News Tribune: "Top officials of Ohio-based Cliffs Natural Resources held their annual community forum Thursday and said their three taconite plants will continue to churn out pellets at near record clips with stable work forces and solid demand from steelmakers."

Franson refuses demands to resign: 'I have great support'

Capitol Chat: "Protesters' chants for Rep. Mary Franson to resign Thursday only strengthened her resolve to remain on the job. She offered her third apology for a video that some found offensive to Minnesota's poor. But the Alexandria Republican said 'I have gotten great support.'"

Mankato hosts national curling competition, finals on Saturday

Mankato Free Press: "Ten women's and 10 men's teams have been competing for the past week at Caledonia Community Center with finals matches slated for Saturday."

Grand Forks Herald restaurant critic Marilyn Haggerty's review of the new Olive Garden in Grand Forks became Internet-gold as Fark, Reddit, Gawker and other meme-generating sites picked up the 85 year old's assessment of the new culinary offering. When Haggerty's daughter encouraged her to log onto Facebook and read the comments about her review Haggerty replied: "I'm working on my Sunday column and I'm going to play bridge this afternoon, so I don't have time to read all this crap," reports the Grand Forks Herald.

Vikings stadium: North suburbs' Chamber of Commerce calls process 'unfair'

Pioneer Press: "For days, Ramsey County commissioners Tony Bennett and Rafael Ortega have accused key state leaders of holding their proposal for a Vikings stadium in Arden Hills to a tougher standard than the plan for a site just east of the Metrodome, which has gained the governor's blessing."

Wilf likely to make money off new stadium

MPR News: "It's hard to know exactly how much the Vikings owners will benefit from a stadium, in part because the NFL doesn't disclose football's financial secrets, and because the Vikings won't discuss it."

Former N.D. newspaper owner resigns at Minnesota weekly over plagiarism allegations

Grand Forks Herald: "Jon Flatland, a past North Dakota Newspaper Association president and past owner of Finley, N.D.'s Steele County Press, is accused of copying other writers' work during his 28-year career."

A brew fest raises its frothy head in Winnebago

Mankato Free Press: "The city of Winnebago will become Sudsville for a day this summer.The Faribault County community aims to bolster its visitor traffic with its first-ever Craft Brew Fest featuring more than 20 brewers and upward of 50 beers."

Northern lights put on great show in Northland skies overnight (with video)

Duluth News Tribune: "Good things came for those who waited to see the northern lights in Northland skies overnight."

Justin Bieber's snake finds a home in Owatonna

Faribault Daily News: "The yellow and brown reptile that goes by the name Johnson, you see, had already reached stardom after he joined teen singing sensation Justin Bieber on the red carpet for the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. Now, after a fortunate chain of events, the famous pet has moved to the Owatonna-based zoo."

By the numbers

Annual value of animal agriculture to Minnesota: $8 billion

A new report puts the number of animal agriculture jobs in the state at nearly 35,000.

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