• The Four Firkins. Minnesota’s first specialty beer store opens Saturday in SLP. Grand Opening on June 14. (via east-lake and MN Beer)
• “The Neighborhood Energy Connection (NEC) (formerly the Saint Paul Neighborhood Energy Consortium) is a nonprofit organization that provides energy efficiency information, services and programs to residents, businesses, and communities across Minnesota.” They provide a lot of info, connect you to a lot of resources, and also provide some for-pay services.
• NextStep: “This site has been designed to provide Minnesota Sustainable Communities Network (MnSCN) members and others with information, access to resources, opportunities for networking, and inspiration on the topic of sustainable communities. NextStep site users have the ability to post information and resources on the site as well as to access the resources and information posted on the site.” Great event listing. Sortable by regions around the state.
• The Sibley Bike Depot is “a non-profit membership-based biking and walking organization. We promote healthy transportation and help new riders through advocacy, classes and the Sibley Bike Depot (a community education, repair and retail facility).” Located at 712 University Ave in St Paul. They have a pretty cool Earn-A-Bike program.
• Matt and Colin are filling in for Taylor at Mediation this week. Matt starts off with a self-pimp of a legislative session wrap up. “If you are a lunch room lady…
• Citizen-penned marriage equality bill introduced in Minnesota legislature. “The bill is modeled after a similar bill that has passed the California Legislature twice, only to be vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger said that the issue was for the courts to decide — and they did.”
• Bob Collins is a Lynx fan! Sunday afternoon’s home opener was a stellar display. Only one game, yes, but the win over Detroit (three Eastern Conference championships in a row) bodes well for the team’s 10th season. I had courtside seats!
• The Uptake on the RNC media walk through.

• Sunday, May 17, is Syttende Mai, Norway’s Independence Day.
• Kids from one school bus stop are biking to school together for Bike Walk to Work Week.
• Minneapolis City Councilmember Ralph Remington on the black experience in America.
• Charles Hallman of the Spokesman-Recorder, who (along with Stephen Litel from DT/SW Journal) provides the best Lynx coverage in town) previews the Lynx going into the team’s 10th season and the WNBA’s 12th season. Home opener is Sunday at 5:00 against the Detroit Shock and will be broadcast on FSN North. FanFest will be happening out on 6th Street from 2-4pm.
• Vandals damage governors’ portraits in the Capitol. Harold LeVander, Elmer Anderson, and Jesse Ventura. Colonel Mustard, in the rotunda, with a marker.
• Mary LaHammer previews her Almanac interview with Jesse Ventura. Dude’s all over the place pimping his new book.
• Sornie: “When I attend the Minnesota State Fair, I love to wander through the ‘varied industry building’ or as I refer to it as ‘people peddling crap that doesn’t deserve shelf-space at the As Seen on TV store at the Mall of America building’.” It doesn’t even matter what the rest of the post is about.
• St Paul Issues Forum is doing happy hour tonight. O’Gara’s. 5-7pm. SPIF is also looking for candidates for their executive committee. Deets at happy hour.
• My favorite Rake blog is Just Passing Through. Guest blogging by all sorts of interesting folks.

I’m listening to the press conference the Lynx held with Candace Wiggins (Stanford) and Nicky Anosike (Tennessee) on Thursday, the day after the WNBA draft. They were our 1st and 2nd round picks respectively, and we picked up Charde Houston (UConn) in the 3rd round.

Let me just say this: Reporters ask some dumb questions sometimes. C’mon Twin Cities sports press corps! Come up with something unique. Or do your homework before you come to the press conference.

The LFO offered season ticket holders a chance to attend the press conference. I couldn’t go, but I would have loved to. That’s a really cool thing for them to do. I have mixed feelings about the overall fan experience at the Target Center, but they’re pretty good about the STH benefits.

Speaking of the press, my favorite Lynx coverage comes from Stephen Litel from Downtown Journal. Turns out he’s now doing WNBA coverage for SLAM Online, too. I’m-a have to make my way down to the press table and introduce myself.

After the Lynx pulled off the draft-day trade for Lindsey Harding last year, I was pretty stoked going into the season. But I didn’t know anything else about our other draft picks so I didn’t really have any expectations around them. And while last year’s 10-24 record doesn’t look great on paper, there were some exciting things on the floor and the record doesn’t at all reflect the improvement over the previous year’s 10-24 record.

But this year. I’m not expecting a championship or anything. Hell, I may even be expecting a lot with a playoff berth. (I’m big on managing your expectations.) I’ll settle for .500 this season. But the addition of Candice and Nicky and Charde and (hallelujah!) a post coach for an assistant (that’s former WNBA player Jen Gillom) is really just so exciting. I watched the Final Four, so at least I’ve seen all three of our picks play once or twice.

I hear the Draft Day party at NBA City was packed. That’s great to see. I know this team and this league doesn’t have the widespread appeal that others do. I suppose it’s like any passion; you want everyone to be as excited about it as you are.

The home opener is a little over a month away, against Detroit. Eeeeee!

Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Lynx.