The Topline

The Topline: Snow-free Thanksgivings and lethal cantaloupes

BY: - November 27, 2023

Welcome to The Topline, a weekly roundup of the big numbers driving the Minnesota news cycle, as well as the smaller ones that you might have missed. Satellite data from the National Weather Service shows there wasn’t a spec of snow on the ground anywhere in Minnesota on Thanksgiving this year. The latest time that […]

The Topline: Turkey insurrection?

BY: - November 20, 2023

Welcome to The Topline, a weekly roundup of the big numbers driving the Minnesota news cycle, as well as the smaller ones that you might have missed. Minnesota Management and Budget released its latest revenue update last week. It showed that for the fiscal year starting in July, government receipts are running about half a […]

The Topline: Vaccines, solar power and bigfoot

BY: - November 13, 2023

Welcome to The Topline, a weekly roundup of the big numbers driving the Minnesota news cycle, as well as the smaller ones that you might have missed. The CDC recently released new data on vaccination rates among America’s kindergartners. Note that these aren’t COVID-19 shots, but rather the regular slate of childhood vaccines — polio, […]

U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer

The Topline: Tom Emmer ends a nine-decade drought

BY: - November 6, 2023

Welcome to The Topline, a weekly roundup of the big numbers driving the Minnesota news cycle, as well as the smaller ones that you might have missed. A recent Washington Post investigation found that rates of homeschooling are up dramatically across the nation, accelerated in large part by the COVID-19 pandemic. In Minnesota, 39% more […]

The Topline: Everything in the universe, including Minnesota

BY: - October 30, 2023

Welcome to The Topline, a weekly roundup of the big numbers driving the Minnesota news cycle, as well as the smaller ones that you might have missed. The 3rd District congressman mounting a quixotic primary challenge against President Joe Biden recently told The Atlantic his net worth is in the ballpark of $50 million. Financial […]

The Topline: Minnesota’s earthquake capital

BY: - October 23, 2023

Welcome to The Topline, a weekly roundup of the big numbers driving the Minnesota news cycle, as well as the smaller ones that you might have missed. The good news: I got a lot of great ideas for data investigations from readers earlier last week.  The bad news: I haven’t had a chance yet to […]

Drug addict holds syringe

The Topline: New data on the overdose crisis

BY: - October 16, 2023

Welcome to The Topline, a weekly roundup of the big numbers driving the Minnesota news cycle, as well as the smaller ones that you might have missed. The state of Minnesota took in $400 million more than expected during the first quarter of fiscal year 2024, according to a recent memo from Minnesota Management and […]