Drayage Brokersin Minneapolis, MN

China recently raised duties on U.S. goods to 84 percent, and President Donald Trump hit back with a 125 percent tariff on Chinese imports.

William Bornhoft, Patch Staff

|Updated Fri, Apr 11, 2025 at 1:14 pm CT

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — President Donald Trump’s escalating trade war puts about $3.6 billion in exports and 26,530 jobs on the line for Minnesota businesses and industries, according to the U.S.-China Business Council.

Trump pulled back on some tariffs Wednesday, leaving a 10 percent across-the-board tariff in place, but delaying more punitive taxes for 90 days with a lone exception. China increased its duties on U.S. goods to 84 percent in response to the tariffs, and Trump stuck back by raising the duty on imports from China to 125 percent.

The stock market quickly responded to the announcement, with stocks surging to one of their highest gains since World War II.

In 2023, U.S. exports to China amounted to $144.9 billion and supported almost 1 million jobs. The tariffs have divergent effects on states, even within industries. The hardest hit are those that produce soybeans, semiconductors, pharmaceutical preparations, and crude oil, the top U.S. exports to China.

China is Minnesota’s second-largest goods export market, accounting for $3.6 billion in exports in 2023, or 13 percent of the state’s global goods exports.

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Trade with China supports tens of thousands of Minnesota jobs, particularly through exports of oilseeds, medical instruments, and educational services.

Minnesota’s top 5 goods exported to China in 2023:

Other top exports from Minnesota to China include medical equipment, meat products, resins and synthetic fibers, industrial machinery, and plastic products.

Nationwide

Of the $144.9 billion in exports in 2023, $125 billion was for products grown, produced or manufactured domestically, and the remainder was for foreign goods re-exported to China, according to the U.S.-China Business Council report.

More than 931,000 U.S. jobs are supported by exports to China, outnumbering those supported by the next two Asian markets combined, the report said. Agriculture and livestock exports to China support more U.S. jobs than any other sector by a wide margin.

The report noted that U.S. exports to China dropped by 4.3 percent in 2023 due to stunted economic growth in China, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and strained U.S.-China relationships, as well as long-standing barriers such as tariffs. Soybeans, other oilseeds, and grains fell by $7 billion.

“Challenges in that sector worsen if other producers continue to become more competitive or if these products are targeted in a future tariff spat,” the report said.

Exports of semiconductors have also fallen by several billion dollars, or 52 percent since the peak in 2021. Oregon was among the hardest hit states by the national decline in this category.

The full 2024 report on U.S. exports to China is available online.

Ten Thousand ThingsMinneapolis, MN

DESCRIPTION

Notice: Audition Call Type: EPA

AUDITION DATE

Sunday, April 27, 2025

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM (C)

BREAK: 2:30PM - 3:00PM

AND

Monday, April 28, 2025

10:00 AM - 3:00 PM (C)

APPOINTMENTS

Please sign up for a 5-minute in-person audition slot here https://calendly.com/caitlin-t...

Audition form to fill out prior to arrival or for a virtual submission. Includes headshot and resume upload: https://docs.google.com/forms/...

CONTRACT

SPT

$789 weekly minimum (SPT 8)

SEEKING

Equity actors for roles in Ten Thousand Things 2025-2026 Season (see breakdown).

We would be delighted for actors of all abilities, disabilities, ethnicities, cultures, and gender identities to audition with particular encouragement to global majority and gender-expansive artists. TTT employs diverse, inclusive, and gender imaginative casting for all roles as culturally appropriate to the telling of the story. The genders of the characters and the genders of the artist do not need to match, though for story-telling, the gender of the characters may need to be explicitly legible to the audience.

PREPARATION

Required: Verse monologue, no more than two minutes. Additional if actor desires: we would be happy to also hear a contemporary monologue and/or short song of your choice, a cappella or self-accompanied, as long as it fits within the five minutes. *No accompanist is on site. A capella singing reflects the minimal instrumentation used under performance conditions.

LOCATION

Bottling House Theater

79 13th Ave NE

Minneapolis, MN 55413-1070

Free parking in the lot west of the building. Studio on 2nd floor; elevator accessible.

PERSONNEL

See breakdown for production-specific personnel.

EXPECTED TO ATTEND:

Caitlin Lowans, Artistic Director, director of Two Gents and Most Happy Fella

Anna Schloerb, Interim Production Manager, Ten Thousand Things

Joy Dolo, director Men on Boats

OTHER DATES

See breakdown for production-specific dates.

OTHER

www.tenthousandthings.org

If you are unable to attend the in-person audition video submissions will be accepted. To submit a virtual submission please fill out the form at the following link: Audition form to fill out prior to arrival or for a virtual submission. Includes headshot and resume upload: https://docs.google.com/forms/...

An Equity Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this audition.

Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to attend every audition.

Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions.

BREAKDOWN

TEN THOUSAND THINGS 2025 - 2026 SEASON

TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA

by William Shakespeare

First rehearsal, Monday, August 25, 2025

First community performance: Wednesday, September 24, 2025

First public performance: Thursday, October 9, 2025

Closing: Sunday, November 2, 2025

NOTE: This production plays with the ending to achieve a celebration of friendship and the power of admitting when you've changed. Actors with experience in heightened text, physical comedy, rapid and magical switching of characters, and general silliness are encouraged to audition.

SEEKING:

Julia/ Sir Thurio/ Outlaw (F, 20s-40s): strong-willed, adventurous. In love with the idea of love.

Silvia/ Sir Thurio/ Panthino/Outlaw (F, 20s-40s): is her own north star.

Valentine/ Sir Eglamour (M, 20s-40s): Eager to see the world. Changes his mind but admits when he's wrong.

Proteus/Outlaw (M, 20s-40s): Clever, Always tries to get what he wants. Loves his friend but only to a point. Will sing a love song.

Duke/ Lucetta/ Speed/ Launce/ Host/ Outlaw/ Sir Thurio (any gender, any age) Doubles two clowns, two fathers, a maid, a pompous suitor, and others. Ideally a fantastic physical comedian who loves to utilize voice and physicality to create razor-sharply delineated characters.

MEN ON BOATS

by Jacklyn Backhaus

First rehearsal Monday, January 5, 2026

First community performance: Wednesday, February 4, 2026

First public performance: Thursday, February 19, 2026

Closing: Sunday, March 15, 2026

NOTE: While all named characters historically were cis men, the theatre's artistic vision for this production is a re-imagining of MEN ON BOATS that looks to explore and explode ideas of masculinity. Women, non-binary/gender expansive, and Native actors are encouraged to audition for all roles.

SEEKING:

John Wesley Powell – one-armed leader of the expedition

William Dunn – hunter and trapper

John Colton Sumner – former soldier, current explorer

Old Shady – Powell’s older brother, Civil War veteran

Bradley – lieutenant, spilling over with youthful energy

O.G. Howland / Tsauwiat – printer and hunter / a Ute leader

Seneca Howland / The Bishop – O.G.’s quiet little brother / married to Tsauwiat

Frank Goodman / Mr. Asa – British, so excited / a desert settler

Hall – mapmaker, old soul

Hawkins – the cook

MOST HAPPY FELLA

by Frank Loesser (musical)

First Rehearsal, Monday, March 30, 2026

First community performance: Wednesday, April 29, 2026

First public performance: Thursday, May 14, 2026

Closing: Sunday, June 7, 2026

SEEKING:

Tony: (M, 55-70s) A grape farmer who immigrated to the US. Warm and genuine but also insecure at times.

Rosabella (F, late 20s-30s) Lost in love and work, she needs to experience and explore her dreams

Cleo & others (F, late 20s-40s) Nonplussed, self-confident, funny. A true friend with a strong personality and a clever mind.

Joe & others (M, late 20s-30s) foreman of the vineyard. Unable to settle down. Hardworking. Avoids hard conversation

Marie & others (F, 40s-50s) Tony's strong-willed younger sister who will fight to protect her brother at all costs.

Herman & others (M, 30s-40s) Likable happy-go-lucky ranch hand. He is easy-going, the "good guy," and not easily rattled.

TRACK #7 (M, 20s-50s) Possesses strong musical abilities and able to take on many different physical and vocal characters

SALARY

SPT $789 weekly minimum (SPT 8)

UNION

AEA

Air pollution and poor water and soil quality are ongoing issues that non-white and lower-income Minneapolitans disproportionately face.

While Earth Day is just one day in the year, Minneapolis’s environmental justice activists say it is still worth celebrating.

The first national Earth Day celebration on April 22, 1970 was introduced by Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson and meant to teach Americans about the environment and eventually led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Celebrating the once-groundbreaking national holiday is now a choice for many Americans with privilege from environmental harms, Mike Harley, the executive director of the Twin Cities’ Environmental Initiative, said.

“It’s another opportunity for us to spread the word, to engage people, to help put opportunities for action in front of people and to elevate issues that sometimes slip to second-, third- or fourth-tier concerns for many Americans not living on the front lines of environmental harm,” Harley said.

The Environmental Initiative is running an Earth Day fundraiser for environmental justice organizations.

Air pollution, poor water quality and food insecurity are among the prominent environmental injustices residents, particularly non-white residents, face in Minnesota and Minneapolis, according to the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. These issues can hurt residents’ short- and long-term health.

In Minneapolis, these areas with the worst environmental injustices are known as the two green zones, where diverse neighborhoods face some of the worst pollution in the city.

Leslee Jackson, a board member for North Minneapolis’ Green Zone, said fighting for environmental justice in her community is a lifelong commitment throughout her education and career.

“The people and their wellbeing and their health, everything is connected and without one, you can’t have the other,” Jackson, who grew up in North and South Minneapolis, said. “So, giving back to the earth as a steward on this land to educate others, I’m happy to do that in this place.”

Green Zones in North and South Minneapolis are typically lower-income, primarily non-white areas that are disproportionately hurt by environmental issues like poor air, water or soil quality.

Natalie Rademacher, a spokesperson for the Minneapolis American Indian Center, said food insecurity and air pollution are two environmental issues that Indigenous residents have historically been harmed by.

“A lot of people in boarding schools were pushed onto reservations and were cut off from a lot of these traditional foods that our ancestors ate, like wild rice and bison, walleye, things like that,” Rademacher, who is Ojibwe, said. “Being cut off from these healthy foods and our ways of life led to a lot more processed foods.”

The Center, located in the South Minneapolis Green Zone, provides opportunities for Indigenous residents to live healthier lives, Rademacher said. It has a cafe that offers healthy, traditional indigenous foods and exercise programs to the local community.

Jackson said she wants to see more city funding go toward fighting food insecurity for Green Zone residents.

Jayda Pounds, the city’s sustainability program coordinator who works with the Green Zone boards, said the program aims to create and support specific resources and events, like free trees and watering services, to reduce the environmental harm for residents.

Pounds said that continuing education on things like how to grow food in urban areas is crucial for improving the quality of life for Minneapolis residents.

“We know that we need to continue the education, the push for making sure that our resident voices are heard and that the work doesn’t end just because (Earth Day) is over,” Pounds said.

For University of Minnesota students, simple habits like proper recycling and turning off unused lights can build a commitment to sustainability, according to Tim Ekblad, the director of the sustainability committee for the University’s College of Science and Engineering student board.

Ekblad, a third-year student studying environmental engineering, said the sustainability committee exists to encourage students to practice sustainability year-round.

“It’s important because it shows people a different way of thinking that they most likely would not be thinking about if the committee wasn’t there,” Ekblad said.

Earth Day offers the chance to celebrate environmental justice workers and bring people together for a common cause to spark a stronger commitment to the environment, Jackson said.

“It is an important day,” Jackson said. “But every day is Earth Day when you do this work.”

For Minnesotans craving warmth after a chilly stretch, it's a weekend forecast worth celebrating.​

William Bornhoft, Patch Staff

|Updated Wed, Apr 16, 2025 at 9:35 am CT

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — After a soggy end to the workweek, the Twin Cities can look forward to a warm and mostly sunny Easter weekend.

The weather will be perfect for egg hunts, family walks, and soaking up some long-awaited spring sunshine.

Saturday will bring highs in the mid-50s with clear skies, and Easter Sunday could reach the upper 50s before a slight chance of showers moves in late, according to the National Weather Service.

For Minnesotans craving warmth after a chilly stretch, it’s a weekend forecast worth celebrating.

Here's the full NWS forecast from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport:

Find out what's happening in Minneapolisfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today: Increasing clouds, with a high near 61. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph.

Thursday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 3pm. High near 67. South southeast wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday Night: Showers and thunderstorms before 1am, then a chance of showers. Low around 45. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming north northwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52. North northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. North northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 36. North northwest wind around 5 mph becoming east after midnight.

Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 58. East wind 10 to 15 mph.

Sunday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. East northeast wind around 10 mph.

Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 57. East northeast wind around 10 mph becoming north in the afternoon.

Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 39. North northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south southeast after midnight.

Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. South southeast wind 5 to 15 mph.

After a quarter-century, the Minnesota Wild will soon have a new naming rights sponsor for what's now called Xcel Energy Center. The Minneapolis power company signed a new partnership with the NHL team that doesn't include naming rights for the St. Paul arena.

Xcel Energy Inc. (NYSE: XEL) and the Minnesota Wild are not renewing the naming rights agreement to the team's arena in downtown St. Paul, following a 25-year run.

A new partner is expected to be announced before the start of next season, according to a Tuesday news release announcing the change.

The naming rights deal for "The X" was worth $3 million a year according to the Sports Business Journal. It was signed in 2000, just before the Wild's inaugural season and shortly after the Xcel Energy brand debuted following the merger of Northern States Power Co. and Denver-based New Century Energies.

A new naming rights deal could be worth significantly more per year than Xcel's deal. Lenovo last year signed a 10-year, $60 million naming rights deal to rename the former PNC Arena, the home of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes and N.C. State University men's basketball.

“We are extremely thankful for our 25-year naming and team marketing rights partnership with Xcel Energy,” Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold, said in a statement. “Xcel Energy has been an incredible supporter of our team since our inaugural season, and we look forward to continuing to collaborate with them on a number of unique community initiatives as part of our new, long-term partnership.”

Despite the naming rights going away, the two parties are not completely separating. Instead the Wild are moving forward with Xcel as a "major community and business partner," according to the release. As part of the new partnership, Xcel will provide financial assistance to those facing barriers to enter the sport and make investments to improve local hockey rinks and facilities.

“Twenty-five years ago, the Minnesota Wild and Xcel Energy were new brands in the region. Today, these two brands have become embedded in our community and our culture,” said Xcel CEO Bob Frenzel. “This new chapter with the Wild extends our commitment to the region and will serve to expand access to the sport of hockey."

The news comes as St. Paul seeks $400 million to renovate the arena and two other downtown St. Paul venues. The figure represents half of the funding for the proposed $769 million project that would direct $569 million to the improvements at the Xcel Energy Center. The arena was built in 2000 for $173 million, and has not received any major renovations or upgrades since.

No decision on approving the funding has been made, but DFL state Sen. Sandy Pappas, chair of the Capital Investment Committee, told MPR in March that the timing for the request "isn't very good."

Minnesota is facing a smaller-than-expected surplus in the near term and a projected deficit after 2027 of as much as $6 billion unless the state adjusts its finances.