5/12 We're glad to discover that DHS has paid more than $3 million in bonuses to their hard-working employees

Summary

Garage Logic – May 12, 2026: We're Glad to Discover That DHS Has Paid More Than $3 Million in Bonuses to Their Hard-Working Employees

---

Episode Overview

In this classic slice of “Gumption County” life, the Garage Logic crew—host “The Mayor” Joe Soucheray, Chris Reavers, Kenny Olson, John Height, Matt, and Josh Arnold—dig into the latest example of Minnesota government largesse: the Department of Human Services (DHS) has handed out over $3 million in bonuses, even as fraud allegations swirl. Woven through with the usual blend of nostalgic storytelling, neighborly ribbing, and rigorous skepticism toward public spending, the episode tackles everything from taxpayer-funded gender-affirming haircuts at the University of Minnesota, to the broader erosion of common-sense governance and fiscal accountability.

---

Main Discussion Points

---

1. The Great “Opener” Controversy & Gumption County Geography

• The show opens with Joe recounting complaints from listeners (“GLers”) that the ritual opener (the annual “open the garage” event) was not properly observed last Friday.
• Debate ensues about Gumption County’s mythical location and traditions.
• Nostalgia for simpler times is a frequent theme, with details about local landmarks, old barbershops, and neighborhood customs.

Memorable Quote:
“It hurts to be compared to Karen Bass [the LA mayor], and these local fruitcakes who went to Cuba. Didn’t our local council people go to Cuba?”
— Joe Soucheray (04:39)

---

2. Taxpayer Dollars: Gender-Affirming Haircuts at U of M

• Joe shares his outrage over University of Minnesota's Gender & Sexuality Center using public funds for “gender-affirming haircuts,” along with drag bingo events and protein shakes.
• The hosts question what a “gender-affirming haircut” even is, with some good-natured mocking and storytelling about old-school barbers.
• Broader point: Why should taxpayers fund identity-driven amenities for students or staff?

Notable Quotes:

• “I do not want to pay for someone’s haircut. I don’t think I’m obligated to.”
  — Joe Soucheray (10:28)

• “A gender-affirming haircut is a tailored hairstyle designed to align a person’s outer appearance with their inner gender identity, fostering gender euphoria…”
  — Chris Reavers, reading an AI definition (16:13)

---

3. Nostalgia: Barbershop Tales & Neighborhood Life

• Extended reminiscence about local barbers (“Gus the Barber” and “Butch’s Barbershop”), hardware stores, and the unstructured, independent way kids grew up “back in the day.”
• Audience emails stir more memories of one-cop towns, rinks, fishing holes, and Halloween exploits, contrasting then and now.

Memorable Moments:

• “As a youth, would you leave home in the morning, 8, 9 o’clock, and not come back until the streetlights came on? Of course.”
  — Joe Soucheray (34:33)

• “You really flexed your independence at Halloween. No one was checking on you. Fill two bags...”
  — Joe Soucheray (35:41)

---

4. DHS Bonuses Amid Fraud and Dysfunction (Main Segment)

• The crux of the episode is a scathing examination of Minnesota DHS’s $3.2 million in “achievement award” bonuses (2020-2025), even for staff involved—at least tangentially—in programs riddled with fraud.
• Bonus awards ranged from $1,000 to $3,000, sometimes for “diversity recognition.”
• The crew questions the criteria and accountability, noting whistleblowers went unrecognized.
• Recent shakeups at DHS, including the departure (but not firing) of the commissioner amid a House grilling, paint a picture of bureaucracy more interested in self-congratulation than public service.

Key Segment:

• DHS Bonus Scandal Discussion: [37:06 – 42:05]

• Quote:
  “From 2020 to the middle of ‘25, DHS paid out more than $3.2 million of your money in achievement awards… Does that mean the more fraud you enable, the higher your achievement award?”
  — Joe Soucheray (38:38)

• “Gandhi herself received an achievement award in May 2022. At the time, she was just the assistant commissioner for agency effectiveness. She got a $1,600 bonus for diversity recognition. These people are just fleecing us.”
  — Joe Soucheray (41:04)

---

5. Government Accountability and Skepticism

• Discussion of efforts to combat fraud, such as a new state Inspector General office. Hosts are skeptical—more bureaucracy, more cost, less real accountability.
• Joe laments that a culture of accountability cannot be built on the existing political class.

Quotes:

• “A culture of accountability cannot be created if the people are coming from the same pool of people who currently occupy the state Capitol.”
  — Joe Soucheray (50:08)

• “Every single one of them (elected officials) is responsible. The government in this state doesn’t work.”
  — Joe Soucheray (72:16)

---

6. Broader State & National News, Crime, and Sports

• State-level EBT fraud case discussed: Store owner accused of $1M scheme using food assistance cards.
• Local restaurant closings (The Downtowner Grill, 30 Bales) reflect on shifting economic/civic fortunes in Minnesota.
• Sports: The Minnesota Wild’s hockey playoff struggles, Twins history, and reminiscing about Rod Carew.
• Rising gas prices ($5.09/gal cited), and national/international headlines on the economy and world affairs.

---

7. Pop Culture & Listener Interactions

• “Ilhan Omar Update” (74:13): Discussion of similar, interchangeable campaign ads by MN Democrats, lamenting political messaging as empty platitudes.
• Updates on the “True Minnesota Flag” campaign—listener-submitted sightings and pride stories.
• Lighthearted banter about Survivor, vintage baseball, and Abbey Road.

---

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|----------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:39 | Joe Soucheray | “It hurts to be compared to Karen Bass…and these local fruitcakes who went to Cuba.” | | 10:28 | Joe Soucheray | “I do not want to pay for someone’s haircut.” | | 16:13 | Chris Reavers | “A gender-affirming haircut is a tailored hairstyle designed to align a person’s outer appearance…” | | 28:30 | Joe Soucheray | “Garage Logic must be an outgrowth of this miraculous childhood I had.” | | 38:38 | Joe Soucheray | “Does that mean the more fraud you enable, the higher your achievement award?” | | 41:04 | Joe Soucheray | “She got a $1,600 bonus for diversity recognition. These people are just fleecing us.” | | 50:08 | Joe Soucheray | “A culture of accountability cannot be created if the people are coming from the same pool…” | | 72:16 | Joe Soucheray | “Every single one of them is responsible. The government in this state doesn’t work.” |

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening, Garage Logic Traditions, Gumption County: 02:29 – 09:00
• Gender-affirming haircuts at U of M & public spending: 10:28 – 18:00
• Nostalgic barbershop and neighborhood memories: 18:00 – 36:00
• DHS Bonus & Fraud Scandal: 37:06 – 42:05
• Broader scapegoating, Inspector General office debate: 47:41 – 50:44
• $1M EBT Fraud Scandal: 50:19 – 51:52
• Listener emails, “True Flag” campaign: 70:27 – 71:59
• Ilhan Omar Update & Political Ads: 73:18 – 75:04

---

Tone & Style

• Humorous, sarcastic, and nostalgic: Nods to “the old days,” neighborly ribbing, and repeated expressions of exasperation at current events.
• Cynical about government spending and bureaucracy, especially when it comes to “diversity” bonuses and anti-fraud offices that may duplicate old problems.
• Conversational and improvisational: The hosts often interrupt each other, follow memory tangents, and riff on local/state happenings.
• Community-focused: Audience emails are read aloud and entries in ongoing GL (Garage Logic) polls/campaigns are noted with pride.

---

Conclusion

This episode epitomizes Garage Logic’s blend of small-town sensibility, skepticism of government waste, and affection for traditions—tempered with wary humor about present-day politics and bureaucracy. The $3 million DHS bonus scandal offers a perfect springboard for the hosts’ signature mix of common-sense commentary, bipartisan blame, and affectionate reminiscence.

Final shots:

• Listeners are encouraged to stay alert for government waste, remember the value of real neighborliness, and, above all, “don’t make me pay for your haircut.”

---

Transcript

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

You're listening to this podcast, so I know you've got a curious mind. Here's a helpful fact you might not know yet. Drivers who switch and save with Progressive save over $900 on average. Pop over to progressive.com, answer some questions and you'll get a quick quote with discounts that are easy to come by. In fact, 99% of their auto customers earn at least one discount. Visit progressive.com and see if you can enjoy a little cash back. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates national average 12 month savings of $946 by new customers surveyed who saved with Progressive between June 2024 and May 2025. Potential savings will vary.

[Progressive Insurance Announcer Variant]

You're listening to this podcast, so I know you've got a curious mind. Here's a helpful fact you might not know yet. Drivers who switch and save with Progressive save over $900 on average. They make it super simple. Pop over to progressive.com, answer some questions and you'll get a quick quote with coverage options tailored to your choices or plus you'll see which discounts you may qualify for, like the online quote discount or savings for paying in full. In fact, 99% of Progressive Auto customers earn at least one discount. See if you could save when you switch to Progressive. You'll feel good about making a savvy choice. Visit progressive.com and see if you can enjoy a little extra cash back. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates national average 12 month savings of $946 by new customers surveyed who saved with Progressive between June 2024 and May 2025. Potential savings will vary when you manage

[Grainger Commercial Announcer]

procurement for multiple facilities, every order matters, but when it's for a hospital system, they matter even more. Grainger gets it and knows there's no time for managing multiple suppliers and no room for shipping delays. That's why Grainger offers millions of products in fast, dependable delivery so you can keep your facility stocked, safe and running smoothly. Call 1-800-GRAINGER, click grainger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done.

[Joe Soucheray]

Consultant Here we go. Josh Arnold, Investment Consultant brings you Garagelogic podcast number Nation's Birthday 1776 oh happy birthday. May 12, 202692 degrees. Record high on this day. That was just four years ago. 202228 degrees on this day in 1946. Call Josh Arnold at 952-925-5608 for a free 48 minute consultation.

[Chris Reavers]

Hail the Flashlight King.

[Joe Soucheray]

And now from the Mayor's office above the Boathouse on the east shore of Spoon Lake, it's Garage Logic, with Chris Reavers manning technology corner, Kenny Olson from the crabby coffee shop, John Height in the newsroom, and of course, the rookie here is your FL Light King fireworks commissioner, and the keeper of common sense, your mayor, Joe Susher. I feel it's my duty to report to Glers when I've been admonished by fellow G', ers, including members of the show. I don't count that.

[Chris Reavers]

Oh,

[Joe Soucheray]

and I. I've been taken to the woodshed. Our failure to treat the opener with the dignity it deserves has really stirred up some emotions with people. Well, Matt, I'm gonna tell you what I mean.

[Matt]

I wish you'd explain.

[Joe Soucheray]

For example, Jesse Volbrecht writes, hail the Flashlight King. Hail you, Joe. It's no big deal. The opener can wait until it's convenient enough for you to be around. Like other mayors who wait to put out LA fires until they return from African trips or city council members furthering relations and ideological education in Cuba, your mayoral duties are determined by whatever you've been thinking is most important. Petty things like the traditional garage openers need to be dismantled anyway, because. No, not everyone even has or needs a garage. And besides, garages are just bricks and mortar. P.S. let us know when you've decided to promulgate a new GL flag. Good luck, Jesse. Wow. He knows how to sting a fellow.

[Matt]

A fellow hate.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah.

[Chris Reavers]

Kind of got you there on that one.

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, he's not alone.

[Chris Reavers]

Compares you to Kieran Bass.

[John Height]

Yeah.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah. You know, that hurts to be compared to Karen Bass and then these local fruitcakes who went to Cuba. Didn't our local council people go to Cuba?

[Chris Reavers]

He's. Yeah.

[Joe Soucheray]

And you're. It's Joe. Where is Gumption county located?

[Matt]

Right by Cypress.

[Joe Soucheray]

As best as I can tell, reaching into the 70s, last Friday was almost exclusive to the cities closest to the tallest buildings. Except is Gumption county considered Minneapolis and St. Paul. That's disappointing. If you Google the geographic center of Minnesota, it turns out that it's just a little outside Brainerd. That seems like a far more logical location for Gumption County. They reached a high of 62 Friday. Good luck, Matt. Well, you know, that's never come up, but I can tell you that over the years, the garage door opener always depended on what the temperature was during the broadcast of the show.

[Chris Reavers]

The afternoon.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yep. And it was, you know. I'm sorry. It was the temperature here in the sustainable urban core. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

[Chris Reavers]

Check in with David?

[Joe Soucheray]

No. Let me tell you something. That's where we are. That's where we are.

[Matt]

Might be different in Fort Myers, Florida.

[Joe Soucheray]

Thank you. Exactly.

[Matt]

I'm not there.

[Joe Soucheray]

I'm not there, am I? So it's all Reaver's fault. It's not mine. Rebers was here Friday.

[Matt]

I didn't see that coming.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah, apparently you whipped up something that would have been as easy as possible for you to accomplish and then left. So you weren't here at 1:00 o' clock or 2:00 clock or whatever?

[Chris Reavers]

No, I wasn't.

[Joe Soucheray]

You were dining somewhere?

[Chris Reavers]

Sure.

[Joe Soucheray]

With your. With a. With a. With a family member.

[Chris Reavers]

Sure.

[Joe Soucheray]

Where? And. And so here he. And he. You know, Nolan Re. He probably came out of the restaurant, said, man, it's warm out today. Never occurring to him that it was Friday and that it was over 70. It's not my fault. I was in the southern part of this great nation.

[Chris Reavers]

Was it 70 there?

[Joe Soucheray]

Yes.

[Matt]

Okay.

[Kenny Olson]

Do we have to change the Gumption county constitution to reflect this new policy?

[Joe Soucheray]

Okay, there's. We are the 88th county in the state Before Gumption county was allowed to be in the list of counties, there were 87. We're number 88. I've always imagined it having its own place in your imagination. We're just outside Liberal Lakes, Diversity Ville and Euphoria.

[Kenny Olson]

What's the neighboring county? You told me once. Whimpering, whimpering County.

[Joe Soucheray]

You have a map handy, Matt?

[Kenny Olson]

Two Gumption county maps.

[Joe Soucheray]

Those are the Tabletown, Diversityville. They're all around us. But Garage Logic is oven to itself. Hail the its own community.

[Josh Arnold]

Oh, no.

[Chris Reavers]

See, you don't even get away with it. Even when you miss the opener.

[Kenny Olson]

Liberal Lakes.

[Joe Soucheray]

I'm. I'm of a mind to have the official opener this Friday.

[Matt]

Okay.

[Joe Soucheray]

When it can be given some fanfare and some the proper respect. Yeah, the respect that the Gl ers evidently think was dramatically missing. Well, of course it was missing. It wasn't even mentioned because you weren't here.

[Chris Reavers]

I did. I did provide the best of in the morning.

[Joe Soucheray]

Is that how long it take you to put that together? About five minutes?

[Chris Reavers]

No, I would say 20. Less than an hour.

[Kenny Olson]

Did you see the forecast for Friday?

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah.

[Kenny Olson]

Jonathan, you, House's 5 Eyewitness News forecast. 83 degrees, sunny skies.

[Joe Soucheray]

Why don't we go for it Friday? Okay.

[Matt]

You know, I did look up the map and I didn't find the map directly, but you know how they have those questions concerning Garage Logic?

[Joe Soucheray]

Yep.

[Matt]

The second one in. Is. Is rookie still on Garage Logic.

[Joe Soucheray]

Can I tell you something that I feel strongly about?

[Matt]

Yes.

[Joe Soucheray]

Are we done with that topic? Well, we can be if you have more. I'm more than.

[Kenny Olson]

I mean, we should. We should establish some rules, Joe. On who is where, when is what, the location of the thermometer, all of that.

[Joe Soucheray]

The thermometer is outside the Common Surface Savings and Loan. It's in downtown garage logic.

[Kenny Olson]

What if none of us are here? Well, Frank, what if the mayor isn't here?

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, you know, I've been absent before on openers and the Joe o' Brien who happened to be filling in had the good sense to track me down. Where I was, called me and we had the official opener over the telephone. We don't have people like that anymore who are engaged and pay attention to the show.

[Matt]

They cost too much.

[Kenny Olson]

You remind me of a certain Minnesota senator who always blames her staff.

[Joe Soucheray]

That's right.

[Kenny Olson]

Of taking the blame.

[Joe Soucheray]

That's right. I wasn't here. It's the staff problem.

[Chris Reavers]

And see, that is the difference. Because back in the radio days, a show still had to be put on the radio. And now it's different. You've already lost him.

[Kenny Olson]

We've already lost him. No, Chris, you're wrong. You put a show on last Friday.

[Joe Soucheray]

But I did it.

[Kenny Olson]

Just like you would have if none of us were here on the radio.

[Chris Reavers]

Right. But it wasn't, quote unquote, live.

[Kenny Olson]

You know, I was on your side. But you're talking yourself into guilt is what you're doing here.

[Chris Reavers]

I'll take the blame. I will take the blame on this.

[Joe Soucheray]

As a taxpaying citizen of Minnesota, there are certain things I don't mind paying for. It's part of the deal. It's part of living. No matter where you live, there is a certain reaching into one's own pocket to keep the old machinery working. Right. I do not want to pay for someone's haircut. I don't think I'm obligated to. And I saw an Alpha news piece that the U of M has a sexuality center. I bet they don't have that at the University of South Carolina. The U of M has a sexuality center. And apparently. Well, it's absolutely. It's not alpha. Picked it up from the College Fix. And we spend money on gender affirming haircuts. See, I don't want to do that. I don't care how you wear your hair and I don't care what color it is. But why am I paying for it?

[Matt]

Shouldn't have to.

[Joe Soucheray]

The spending occurs through the Gender and Sexuality center for Queer and Trans Life at the University of Minnesota. That's fine, but I don't want to do that. The Fix filed a public records request for all spending records at the center from July 1. The printer cut out. In total, the center spent more than 55 grand on food and supplies and other services. That doesn't include salaries, benefits, and other payments such as insurance for the three employees of the center. Michael, My C, A, L, L. Riley. Pronouns any and all.

[Matt]

Yeah.

[Joe Soucheray]

Directs the center along with Leighton Hernandez. Dash Offner. Pronouns they and he. They had. They spent 250 bucks for protein shakes, and they have. They have weekly programs. Okay, this is fine. This is fine. Are we paying for this?

[Kenny Olson]

You missed one name. Rick X. Hoops.

[Joe Soucheray]

Hoops.

[Kenny Olson]

Hoops.

[Joe Soucheray]

Hoops.

[Kenny Olson]

Hoops as in basketball.

[Joe Soucheray]

They spent 600 bucks for Pride flags and they have a drag bingo event and. Okay, this is great. And then they, you know, somebody wants the gender affirming haircut. Now, John, can you help me with this? Are we paying for this or do the queer members of the center, do they have to put, you know, they got the Folgers coffee can there and they throw some money in there for the protein shakes.

[John Height]

It looks to me like we're paying for.

[Joe Soucheray]

I don't want to pay for your haircut. I don't really care about your hair. You do what you want.

[John Height]

They've asked the university for some comments, but the comments are not forthcoming from the university about the program.

[Joe Soucheray]

There are states in the United States where I don't think this would come up. I just don't think it would come up.

[Matt]

South Carolina?

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, maybe. Maybe Florida, Texas, I don't know where. I mean, the failed academy is everywhere. You can't get away from it. But the failed academy has less weight on the population in other states than it does here. We spend a lot of money as taxpayers on the University of Minnesota. And I don't want to give away free gender affirming haircuts. First of all, I don't even know what that is. I don't know. What about a haircut would affirm anything?

[Matt]

Is gender affirming like a bad bowl cut or maybe.

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, see, you're thinking like I am. What is it?

[Matt]

What's the style?

[Joe Soucheray]

Whatever it is, kid, you pay for it. Why in the hell do I have to pay?

[Chris Reavers]

Go ahead and be whatever gender you want.

[Joe Soucheray]

Absolutely. If you want multicolored hair and whatever you want to do, that's fine with me, but I'm not paying for it. Can Minnesotans file a class action lawsuit just against the whole state, the schools, the government, the legislation, everything. Can we just file a class action lawsuit and get our money back? Because this is ridiculous. I said at the outset, I said at the outset, I don't mind paying for certain things. I realize I have to pitch in so that we have water. I have to pitch in so that we have highways.

[Matt]

Your fair share.

[Joe Soucheray]

I have to pitch in so we have bridges.

[John Height]

Police.

[Joe Soucheray]

Police and fire and highway patrol and trucks with plows on them, street lights

[Matt]

to steal copper out of.

[Joe Soucheray]

I get all that. That's fine. Well, I think there should be a statewide lawsuit to get. I think we should have a long list of the stuff taxpayers pay for and then we get to cross out. When it comes to gender affirming haircuts, I have my magic marker. I'm drawing a line through it. I'm not paying for it.

[Kenny Olson]

I would like to know just what is a gender affirming haircut? I've seen very, very short hair on women. I've seen very, very long hair on gentlemen.

[Joe Soucheray]

I don't know what it is.

[Matt]

If I look at Kenny right now, I see rural guy that makes it down to downtown Minneapolis and runs into the 90s.

[Joe Soucheray]

You're supposed to wear a mask during your appointment too.

[Chris Reavers]

Oh, you are?

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah.

[Chris Reavers]

According to the AI overview, a gender affirming haircut is a tailored hairstyle designed to align a person's outer appearance with. With their inner gender identity, fostering gender euphoria and self confidence.

[Joe Soucheray]

Wonderful.

[Chris Reavers]

It is a collaborative, Joe, collaborative judgment free process focusing on how a person wants to be seen, whether masculine, feminine, or androgynous, rather than conforming to traditional gender norms.

[Joe Soucheray]

Okay. It might be judgment free. It's not financially free.

[Matt]

It's not judgment free. You're doing. You're conforming the haircut to where what they want you to look like.

[Joe Soucheray]

It just caught my eye and I just thought it was. I heard people talking about it at the NAC Hardware and Lounge, and unanimously, we were all opposed to paying for this. We're not opposed to whatever you want to do with your hair. You do whatever you want.

[John Height]

Can't you get. If you are transgender, non, binary, whatever. Can't you get whatever haircut you want anywhere? Can't you go to a barber shop? Here's what I want.

[Chris Reavers]

Give me the LGBTQ special, whatever.

[John Height]

Take a picture with you if you need to.

[Joe Soucheray]

I used to go to Gus the barber when I was a lad. Gus the barber had a little one stool shop, one chair shop. In Ralph's grocery store and he had the big tent schedule on the wall and there was only one haircut. You got a flat top whether you wanted it or not. That was it. There wasn't even gender affair.

[Kenny Olson]

You just described Butch's Barber Shop. They used to be on 38th and 28th in South Minneapolis. He didn't even ask me what I wanted. He just gave me.

[Joe Soucheray]

There was no asking. You waited your turn, you sat in the chair and you got a flat top.

[Kenny Olson]

He broke out the number four and went to town.

[Joe Soucheray]

Next to the, next to the one stool, one chair barber shop was Hayden's Hardware. And then there was a beauty parlor in there. And then as you walked further in, there was Ralph's Grocery.

[Kenny Olson]

That's funny. There's a barber shop just like that over in Uptown Joe. A little neighborhood barbershop attached to a hardware store.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah.

[Matt]

Describe the smell when you walked by the, the beauty parlor.

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, it's interesting that you say that because it was a smell I never. Cotton too. It was almost sulfuric and kind of the rotten egg smell. And then they're sitting there under those

[Matt]

Star wars helmets and all you saw was those hair dryers that just came down.

[Joe Soucheray]

They're giant thing over your head. And then, you know, she's reading Better Housekeeping or whatever, Home and Garden or

[Matt]

whatever, and then she skirts her way out.

[Joe Soucheray]

And on Saturdays all the women had their hair done and it looked like a Brillo pad when they got done. You couldn't, you'd crack your hand if you touched it.

[Matt]

And the husband would drive and pick them up. And the 10ft that they went from the, the exit of the door to the open Buick Century or whatever it was. What was on their head? The female's head scarf,

[Chris Reavers]

you know.

[Joe Soucheray]

Why. Might be windy.

[Matt]

Might be windy.

[Joe Soucheray]

How did they, where were they going that night?

[Matt]

They were going out.

[Joe Soucheray]

They were going out.

[Matt]

They're going out. Out to dinner.

[Joe Soucheray]

Out to dinner.

[Matt]

Out to dinner. Maybe a couple of them did the massive anticipation at 4:30.

[Joe Soucheray]

So they didn't have 4:30 then.

[Matt]

Oh, did they?

[Joe Soucheray]

That's a modern affectation.

[Kenny Olson]

How did they sleep with that though? Did they have like a hair helmet to sleep?

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, I, I can tell you this. There, there probably was no tossing and turning because you just would have bounced.

[Matt]

And she had the, she had the full nightgown on and the old man had the, the full length pajamas and then the, the button down. They all slept as if they were, you know, in 40 degree below temperatures.

[Joe Soucheray]

But they're, you know, I'm. I'm. I'm reasonably certain. It never occurred to my parents that they wanted the state to pay for that flat top. No, no, that wasn't. That wasn't the state's problem.

[Matt]

Bud's foot in the bill for Mary Helen's hairdo.

[Joe Soucheray]

And they were just as basic. A flat top as you can get. High sides and flat across the top and See you later. It probably cost a buck. Who knows what it. I don't remember what it was.

[Chris Reavers]

Since this is going to be a government entity. How soon till we get haircut fraud in this state?

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, it's already.

[Kenny Olson]

If we're paying for haircuts, it's already fraudulent. It started out as fraud.

[Joe Soucheray]

I had an odd treat that I always wanted to get if I wandered into Ralph's. Okay, but now where the beauty part. I'll get back to the treat. Where the beauty parlor was, I think, emptied out. And we had a connection to the supermarket, meaning me and my buddies, because one of our good friends worked at Ralph's. He had keys to the store that became our band room. John. Where the beauty parlor was. Really, all our stuff was in that room. We could leave it there in the basement. Basement.

[Matt]

Or in the main salon, right off the main corridor.

[Joe Soucheray]

But the treat I always wanted to get. You'd never guess it in your life. And you know me. Look at me. Get in my head, and I'll just limit it to a hot summer day. There was a treat I wanted to get at Rolfs.

[Chris Reavers]

Wasn't black licorice.

[Joe Soucheray]

Nope.

[John Height]

Popsicles.

[Joe Soucheray]

No, it would be in the popsicle department.

[John Height]

It would sickle.

[Matt]

Nope.

[Joe Soucheray]

Nope. But it would be in that giant freezy. Nope.

[Matt]

Probably didn't have them back then.

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, you know, we're not talking 1910. No. I'll just cut to the chase because Reaver's nervous. Raspberry sherbert.

[Chris Reavers]

Oh, I can't rip you for that. Raspberry sherbert sorbet. Oh, yeah.

[Matt]

That would be.

[Joe Soucheray]

Why? I don't know, but that's what it the. Boy, if I was living a good life, I had some raspberry sherbet.

[Matt]

Sherbert would be more refreshing than regular ice cream.

[Joe Soucheray]

Absolutely. Absolutely.

[Matt]

I would agree with you.

[Kenny Olson]

Well, I think to close the segment, Joe, we should quote from the great poet Paul Westerberg, who wrote about this very subject. All right, here comes Dick. He's wearing a skirt. Here comes Jane. You know, she's sporting a chain. Same hair revolution, same build. Evolution.

[Joe Soucheray]

That's it.

[Kenny Olson]

Tomorrow, who's going to fuss. And they love each other. So androgynous.

[Joe Soucheray]

Oh, androgynous. I thought he was on the bus. That's very good. And I'm sure Mr. Westerberg doesn't want to pay for a haircut any more than I do. Joe Just a quick note to tell you about the outstanding experience I had with Precision Door. Precision Garage Door I recently moved down to Lanesboro. I was in need of a new garage door. As a regular listener, I heard the ads and testimonials from satisfied GL ers, but I didn't think Precision served. Southeast Minnesota was pleased to learn otherwise. I booked an appointment with one of Precision's knowledgeable sales experts. He showed up on time. We went through the gallery and model options. I knew what I wanted. My sales guy listened to, nodded his head and said that makes sense and laid out the cost. No upselling, no gimmicks, no pressure to go in a direction I didn't want to. After taking his measurements. Well, I think he meant the measurements of the door and checking to see how long it would take to get my door in stock. We were done. Hassle free consultation that took 30 minutes, start to finish. Fast forward four weeks. This past Monday, my new garage door was installed and it is the envy of my neighborhood. It was such a delightful experience that I had to go enjoy a celebratory cocktail down the road at Harmony Spirits.

[Chris Reavers]

Nice.

[Joe Soucheray]

I love this corner of Minnesota. Lots of GL ers down here, including Dave the Barber in Chatfield. Of course, nothing is perfect. I am saddened to report that the city of Lanesboro is the only one in this neck of the woods flying the abhorrent new state flag. Keep up the good fight. Paul Hoyland Need I tell you more about Precision Door? If you don't need the new door, have them out and do a $79 safe and sound package on your current door. Let them throw the diagnostics at it and tell you what the future of that door is. Book online at Precision Door MN that's one word. Precisiondoormn.com or call Precision Door at 612-263-6985 to schedule your free on site New door estimate with Precision Door. Mishke here joining the GL world to pitch my new podcast, which now comes out twice a week, Wednesdays and Fridays. The show features an extraordinary array of exotic circus performers, forgotten Hollywood starlets, reclusive Fortune 500 CEOs, professional taxidermists. Oh, wait a minute, that's a different promo. Where's the promo for GL ers. Here it is. Let's try this again. Mishke here pitching my new podcast. We're out of time. Could I do it again?

[Chris Reavers]

Reaver's here once again for my guy. Mr. MoneyTalk. Josh Arnold. Does thinking about retirement make you uncomfortable? Well, sometimes the anxiety from wondering if you've saved enough can be overwhelming. But what if I told you that you could ease those tensions in just 48 minutes? Well, Mr. MoneyTalk is going to be able to sit down with you and get you on the right track for your financial future. Josh has navigated it all when it comes to uncertain market and economic conditions. And he'll always provide straight talk, never sugarcoated advice on how to reach the finish line with your retirement goals. Don't let your financial worries give you an ulcer or keep you from calling Josh right now. His 48 minute, no obligation consultation could be just what you need to feel better about your future. Call Josh today at 952-925-5608 and set up your free, yes, free 48 minute no obligation consultation. That's 952-925-5608.

[John Height]

Investment services offered by Josh Arnold Investment Consultant LLC.

[Joe Soucheray]

A security investment advisor.

[John Height]

Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

[Joe Soucheray]

All investments involve risk.

[John Height]

Comments and opinions are Josh Arnold's and do not constitute investment advice.

[Joe Soucheray]

Chris Reavers is a paid endorser. Yeah, yeah.

[Chris Reavers]

Here's a man who spends hours in

[Joe Soucheray]

hardware stores sifting through the nuts and bolts of Life.

[Kenny Olson]

Joe Sushere ProfessionalTurf.com is the answer to your lawn related woes. Log on, get signed up and you're going to be well on your way to having the best track on the block. Let's start with the landscaping division. Now they're going to make that embarrassing front yard of yours and that rainforest in your backyard the envy of the neighborhood. Now pro turf. They're going to show you what the finished job will look like with their digital landscaping imaging software. They do that before they even start their designers. They're all certified by the Minnesota Landscape association and they specialize in everything, virtually everything you can think of. Landscape related. And you can see a lot of their previous work and schedule a free in person estimate on the website professionalturf.com now the weeds, the bare spots, the blights. Have a pro turf lawn tech come out for a free estimate and put together a program for you. A program of liquid and granular fertilizer and weed control products that are going to get rid of the dandelions and the broadleaf weeds and everything else that'll fill in the bare spots, give you the best lawn on the block. It's safe for the environment and it's guaranteed for superior results. Pro turf. They specialize in curb appeal and much improved morale. You can log on to professionalturf.com Kenny,

[Chris Reavers]

I've got an email for you. Loyal town council member Mark Kenny. Great description of Butch's Barbershop. He went with the one style of haircuts. I lived there in the early 80s in that neighborhood and I always went to Butch. Thanks for bringing up a great memory. That's from Mark.

[Joe Soucheray]

Cool. You know, Garage Logic must be an outgrowth of this miraculous childhood I had. It's ridiculous how it was. There was Ralph's grocery with a hardware store in it and a barber shop. The warming house at the hockey rink behind the high school was a caboose.

[Matt]

That's just unreal.

[Joe Soucheray]

The guy who ran the warming house was one of the town elders, Ray Rolling, who had his three fingered glove nailed to the wall of the caboose. He had a cup of coffee. The St. Louis Cardinals. Behind the rink was the lumber company. So all you smelled was fresh cut wood. There was a lake to jump into. Hey, it was. It's just ridiculous. We had one cop, Swede the cop. Oh no, no, no.

[Kenny Olson]

Who took care of the rink, the flooding, Etc.

[Joe Soucheray]

Mr. Albrecht, one of the dads of one of the players.

[Kenny Olson]

Boards. Do you have boards?

[Joe Soucheray]

Oh hell yes.

[Kenny Olson]

Nice.

[Joe Soucheray]

We had one cop, Swede the cop.

[Matt]

Everybody knew Swede walking the beat.

[Joe Soucheray]

Who are you kidding? This, this. Does this exist anymore in this country?

[Kenny Olson]

I think you described what a lot of us. How a lot of us grew up.

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, I, I am right. But I mean even Matthew. How a lot of us grew up. Is it still happening? It probably is.

[Kenny Olson]

Matthew, couldn't you say that about the neighborhood you grew up in? In.

[Matt]

In my time, yeah. Across from St. Paul Academy, which was a playground, especially during the summer. There was nothing organized. There was kids everywhere. There were bad kids too. The leather kids came by and the

[Joe Soucheray]

leather kids, he was the boss. Was that a sexual fetish thing or just.

[Matt]

No, we would say one guy, Mark. I think he was the boss of the bad kids.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah, he's probably a gynecologist today or something.

[Matt]

You know, I don't think he's with us anymore.

[Chris Reavers]

You kind of alluded to it when you were doing your ad. Does it still exist now?

[Joe Soucheray]

I think it probably does, but you got to get a long way from the tall.

[John Height]

Oh, you do?

[Josh Arnold]

Yeah.

[Joe Soucheray]

All right.

[Kenny Olson]

What about your boys, Reivers? Is that the America they're growing up

[Chris Reavers]

in right now in Jordan? I do believe it. And it's one of the reasons we decided to bring our kids to a community like that. Because the town festival, all the kids are playing last night, perfect example. My son had a baseball game down in St. Peter and families were lined up out there and everyone got in the car. It's a lot like that, but you gotta get away.

[Joe Soucheray]

Any fraud?

[Chris Reavers]

Well, of course. Cause we all pay taxes in this state, but do you remember. Okay, sorry, Rick, but you were just mentioning. Is it Dave? The barbershop down in Chatfield?

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah.

[Chris Reavers]

You go down to Chatfield or Harmony on a beautiful. Like today or Thursday afternoon. It's wonderful.

[Joe Soucheray]

Will kids be outside or indoors? On their devices.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, that's just a product of the generation.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah.

[John Height]

Don't you think? It's also a lot of parents that I meet don't. They won't let their kids out of their sight, basically.

[Joe Soucheray]

In the urban areas, you mean?

[John Height]

Well, I know in both. I think even when I go back to Bismarck, I see the same thing.

[Matt]

I think if you're going up to Groveland to skate, I think the percentage of kids that are up there with the pickup hockey game, it's 50. 50 versus parents that are still there with their kids who could probably be there alone.

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, you can't blame the parents, I suppose. It's a shame it's come to that.

[Matt]

It's a shame it's come to that.

[John Height]

When you were Chris's thing got me thinking. When you were a kid, I played baseball, Little League and stuff.

[Joe Soucheray]

So did I. I played for Don Hare.

[John Height]

Not a parent at any of the games.

[Joe Soucheray]

Oh, my old man never saw anything. He went to maybe one high school hockey game. I didn't see much less a practice.

[John Height]

Yeah, my parents never saw a ball game until I played Legion. And by then I was in high school. I was 16.

[Joe Soucheray]

Really?

[Matt]

Wow.

[John Height]

Yeah.

[Kenny Olson]

Yeah.

[John Height]

There were no parents.

[Kenny Olson]

We went to all Ben's practices when he was in town.

[Joe Soucheray]

Obviously, you're a helicopter. Liberal euphoria, parent.

[Matt]

Four minutes of ice time here.

[Kenny Olson]

And plus we're screaming obscenities at them as they're out there playing too.

[Joe Soucheray]

Get your ass together.

[Matt]

And the other parents said, run it down. Your son's on rink two.

[John Height]

Okay.

[Matt]

He's not on rank three right now.

[John Height]

Well, even the Little League thing, that was part of the great thing about Manda we had to walk through. Can you use the word hobo? A hobo jungle to get to the ballparks, which are on the south side of town. So that's part of what you're talking about, being a kid.

[Joe Soucheray]

A kid.

[Josh Arnold]

Come here.

[John Height]

Having that life.

[Matt]

I'll show you something really cool.

[John Height]

But there were other.

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, what was the hobo jungle like compared to a current homeless camp in Minneapolis?

[John Height]

It was, you know, you'd see two people maybe in an area that was three blocks long.

[Kenny Olson]

Plus, they were just winos, if anything.

[Matt]

Yeah.

[John Height]

And they'd look at you and that's about it.

[Matt]

Our experience.

[Joe Soucheray]

Somebody was leaving a pie out for him on a windowsill, probably.

[Matt]

Here's in Highland Park, Little League. There was a guy that lived in the woods, and they would.

[Joe Soucheray]

At the end of the night, like a troll.

[Kenny Olson]

Was it me?

[John Height]

Matthew.

[Matt]

He was the bomb. But they would leave the extra hot dogs out at the end of the night for him to eat.

[Joe Soucheray]

I spent many years at Highland Little League and I don't recall that.

[Matt]

Do you recall that? Thank you.

[Joe Soucheray]

Okay. What years would this have been?

[Matt]

This would have been when Matthew and McLaren.

[Joe Soucheray]

That's not an answer. What years would this have been?

[Matt]

2003.

[Joe Soucheray]

Okay. My time there would have been in the 80s. In the 80s? I know the wood you're talking about.

[Matt]

Yeah. I don't. He didn't set up camp. It wasn't an encampment. It was just. I think he just slept there.

[John Height]

Yeah.

[Matt]

But they knew he was there and they would feed him.

[Kenny Olson]

As a youth, would you leave home in the morning, 8, 9 o' clock and not come back until the street lights came on?

[Joe Soucheray]

Of course.

[Kenny Olson]

Yep.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah.

[Kenny Olson]

And they didn't even ask where we were going or what we were doing.

[Joe Soucheray]

They usually. If it was winter, they knew where I was. Oh, yeah. If. Yeah. Set the rink.

[Kenny Olson]

Yeah. We're either sliding or, you know.

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, in the neighborhood. I bet every neighborhood had a suicide hill. Oh, hell yeah. Had to have one of those.

[Kenny Olson]

And what the hell, let's put a jump right in the middle, you know,

[Joe Soucheray]

And I. I know where it is to this day, and I go by it. I just can't. It's nothing.

[Chris Reavers]

Ours was small.

[Joe Soucheray]

Small. 50ft.

[Chris Reavers]

We called it Death Valley. And off train tracks on the south end of town in Faribault.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah. Death Valley.

[Chris Reavers]

Death Valley. And Kenny described it perfectly. It had a jump at the end of it.

[Matt]

The only big bummer is when you're riding that bike down, you're going that fast and the chain falls off, so you have no brakes. You don't have anywhere to. You're just coasting down there.

[Joe Soucheray]

You know where you really flexed your independence was Halloween. No one was checking on you. No.

[Matt]

You could.

[Joe Soucheray]

You go out all night?

[Matt]

Yeah.

[Joe Soucheray]

Fill two bags.

[Matt]

Yep. The late kids.

[Joe Soucheray]

Then the old lady would wrestle the old man if somebody put a bottle of whiskey in there. Well, why did we go down this road?

[Chris Reavers]

You were romanticizing. Does this still exist?

[Joe Soucheray]

Haircuts, Haircuts. Oh, yeah. I don't want to pay for your haircut.

[Chris Reavers]

You know, even if I go to Butch's.

[Joe Soucheray]

Come on. I'm not paying for any haircut. $800. Come on. Yeah.

[Chris Reavers]

What Rook would you pay for rookie's haircut?

[Joe Soucheray]

No.

[Matt]

He did the one time Schmitty shaved my head at the fair and I almost got divorced.

[Kenny Olson]

I'm the only one here that cuts. I'm the only one that cuts my own hair here, aren't I?

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, that's another thing. We had the home haircut set up that fad for a while. Nobody. That didn't last long.

[Matt]

Just a Tupperware bowl.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yes. And he had the Clippers.

[Matt]

Had the curly and mo.

[Kenny Olson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yes. I had the mole.

[Chris Reavers]

But Matthew still has that. How many does she cut? Everybody or just you?

[Matt]

She cuts mine. She cuts Gabe's. Matthew, if he's home.

[Chris Reavers]

There you go. He's still got the home set up.

[Matt]

Flowy.

[Joe Soucheray]

I am pleased to announce. I am pleased to announce.

[Matt]

What do you got? What announcement?

[Joe Soucheray]

Did I miss that? In addition to providing haircuts for queer people, we paid bonuses to those hard working employees at the Department of Human Services.

[Chris Reavers]

You have got to be kidding me.

[Joe Soucheray]

Oh, no. A lot of bonuses. Bonus money. A lot of bonus money.

[Matt]

The ones that were shushing people.

[Joe Soucheray]

How do they live with themselves? Holy mackerel. Whoa.

[Matt]

All right.

[Joe Soucheray]

Launched in 20, the praise rolled in for the team working on Minnesota's Housing Stabilization Services. This is a Kristen Swanson piece from 5Iowa's News. Launched in 2020, it was designed to help people with disabilities, seniors and individuals struggling with mental illness and substance abuse, to find and keep housing. But in just five years, demand for the Medicaid reimbursed services had created a backlog within the state's Department of Human Services. Employees working on the program were lauded for working overtime to clear it. So they got big bonuses. Grand, two grand a pop, stuff like that. Never mind that nobody was getting any help. The money was being stolen. I think the people that got the bonuses were not the people in charge of writing the checks, but the bonuses were a grand to two grand, and then three Months after the bonus program start, the whole program collapsed because there was too much fraud. Why were they getting a bonus tonight?

[Matt]

Come on, give it back.

[Joe Soucheray]

Only shot we got. And again, we can't do it. But really the only logical answer to this is to start over. But that's, that's not going to happen, I'm sure. Oh, here, here.

[Kenny Olson]

Yeah, yeah, keep going.

[Joe Soucheray]

From 2020 to the middle of 25, DHS paid out more than $3.2 million of your money in Achievement Awards. That was discretionary payments used to recognize outstanding performance by an individual or a team. Does that mean the more fraud you enable, the higher your achievement award, I wonder.

[Matt]

Good question. I don't know how they gauge that.

[Joe Soucheray]

Workers nominated their fellow employees for Achievement awards, which could be anywhere from a grand to three grand. Senior leaders then review the nominations and select the recipients. State payroll Data reviewed by 5 Eyewitness News Investigates show DHS employed about 8,300 workers on average during those five years. Roughly 6% of the total workforce received a bonus. Here's our friend. Faye Bernstein, a current DHS employee who blew the whistle on the agency's grant management practices says Achievement awards are intended to reward individuals who go above and beyond. They're supposed to be a unique thing that you get for a distinct project that you did, she said, adding that in her 20 year career at DHS, she never got one. She never got one.

[Matt]

Interesting.

[Joe Soucheray]

In an emailed statement to 5 Investigates, DHS said the state has expanded the Achievement awards policy to include recognition of staff efforts to prevent fraud, waste and abuse. Well, great. They're getting around to it, huh?

[Matt]

Come on.

[Joe Soucheray]

That's fantastic. The email also added that the nine people working on the Housing Stabilization Services program who got money because that program doesn't even exist anymore, it was so corrupt, they had no role in reviewing claims or making payments in the program. So I don't know what they did, but they got awards so they must have done something.

[Matt]

Cash awards, right?

[Joe Soucheray]

That's right, Matt. During a one on one interview, 5 Awareness news anchor Kevin Doran asked then Commissioner Shereen Gandhi if any DHS employees were ever given any kind of bonus or incentive to get the out. Oh, she said she doesn't recall.

[Kenny Olson]

No, no, no, no, no.

[Joe Soucheray]

She doesn't recall anything like that.

[Kenny Olson]

Huh?

[Joe Soucheray]

But then Gandhi herself. Oh my God. Oh my God. Attack here. Gandhi herself received an Achievement award in May of 2022. At the time, she was just the assistant commissioner for agency effectiveness. She got a $1,600 bonus for diversity recognition. These People are just fleecing us.

[Matt]

What is diversity recognition?

[Joe Soucheray]

That's a good question. You're black, you're different, you get an award.

[Matt]

You're native, you're native.

[Joe Soucheray]

I'm writing you a check. In a leadership shakeup announced earlier this month, Gandhi stepped down as commissioner. She's staying on as deputy commissioner. She stepped down a day before she was going to be grilled about fraud, but Walls pulled the plug on her because either she would have fallen on the sword herself or she would have given Walls up. This is. This is fun, isn't it?

[Kenny Olson]

That whole thing was deck chairs on the Titanic. Come on, man, we're not that stupid.

[Joe Soucheray]

Sometimes these memories we're having of youth are healthy. They're helpful to remember. Things weren't always like this. This is.

[Chris Reavers]

We're a generous state, aren't we, Joe?

[Joe Soucheray]

No, Chris, the word you're looking for is word. Neighborliness.

[Chris Reavers]

That's it.

[Kenny Olson]

We're neighborly. You just stole a crabby story. We're bringing in some guests tomorrow to talk about this very topic.

[Joe Soucheray]

The topic being these bonuses. Oh, good Lord.

[Kenny Olson]

We got a couple good ones lined up.

[Joe Soucheray]

It's wonderful. I've been telling you guys if you need a truck to get to the Rosedale Chev because of their truck work, 75 years worth of experience in the sales force in. Jack Chamote is the GM and Bob Schmidt is the commercial fleet manager. They're GL ers. Got it. So you've got a common bond there. You walk in, you say, hey, where's Jack? Where's Bob? I'm a g ler. He's a g ler. I want a deal here. Let's go. They got the trucks. What color do you want in stock? You know why they're a. To see Lee Deener.

[Matt]

Ask for a Deener when he got it.

[Joe Soucheray]

I did it again.

[Matt]

Where's the diner?

[Joe Soucheray]

I did it again. Rosedale Chevrolet is a commercial and business elite diner. It's a commercial and business elite dealer.

[Matt]

They really are.

[Joe Soucheray]

You get in there, GL ers, because GL ers are waiting to talk to you because you're all one big GL family. They got work ready. Inventory in stock. Now, big selection. The 1500s. The half ton. 2500 is the three quarter ton. 3500 is the full ton. Versatile, low cab forward, medium duties with box upfits from 12ft to 20ft. Cutaway and express cargo vans. You're not going to find these anywhere. They got the trucks. They can get you ready. They're a Dedicated commercial truck sales department with more than 75 years of experience. 35W and County Road C in Roseville. You can't miss it. Rosedale Chevrolet, Rosedale Chev. One word. RosedaleChev.com.

[Grainger Commercial Announcer]

Fraud in Minnesota. It's costing us all. And that's why 5 Eyewitness News is shining a light on fraud. I'm Lindsey Brown and at 5 Eyewitness News, we're digging through records, following the money and exposing who is taking advantage of taxpayers. We don't take easy answers and we won't let fraud go unchecked when tax dollars are misused. You deserve to know because this is your money and we're working hard to protect it. Watch and see the difference. Only on 5 Eyewitness News.

[Joe Soucheray]

It's the end of the world as we know it.

[Chris Reavers]

And he feels fine. Joe Sugiray Hoffman Water and Kinetico are here for you, for your family. Hey, you know what? For your business, they can install a state of the art water treatment system. I've been a customer of Hofferman Water and Kinetico for almost a decade now and it has made an amazing difference in the quality of my water. It will do the same thing for you as well. And right now is a great time to get on that schedule for that free water analysis. You do that one of two ways. Call them up directly at 612-895-2440 or just visit their [e-mail] and you can book your appointment online. Right there you get that free water analysis, they'll come out and they'll give you a water sc. Then based upon that water score, they will give you recommendations on how they can upgrade the quality of the water. Whether you've got really, really hard water, iron rust, it doesn't matter. They can take care of it all. And as long as you're on that website, you can see every single different water treatment system that they have to offer. Whether it's the water softener, the iron rust and odor filtration system or the brand new drinking water system. Or treat yourself to get them all at Hofferman water and Connecticut hoffmanwater.com Once again, they have been proudly serving the state of Minnesota for over 50 years. Please do me a favor and mention that you heard about him here on the Garage Logic podcast.

[Joe Soucheray]

Here's John Height and he's not remote. He's right here.

[John Height]

Thanks, Diener.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yep.

[John Height]

This news is brought to you by North American Banking company Sports Note.

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

Quick.

[John Height]

Of course. The wild now down three games to one. In their playoff series after losing to Colorado last night. Game five tomorrow night.

[Joe Soucheray]

Anything can happen. But that's a tough club to give three chances to win one game.

[Chris Reavers]

Anything could happen. Like losing the next game in Denver.

[Joe Soucheray]

Not necessarily. I don't doubt their heart or their desire at all. I don't know what the hell happened. Well, but Saturday night the Wild were much better. So I don't.

[Matt]

We need to score more goals.

[Joe Soucheray]

I'm confused.

[John Height]

Let's check a hypothesis. Chris Shaw. Rook, what do you think the Wild are going to do?

[Matt]

Score more goals. They're going to win the next game. The next three games.

[John Height]

There you go. Good. You're correct, Chris.

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, they're going to have to or they're done.

[Chris Reavers]

See, the problem is these are probably the two best teams in hockey that are left.

[Joe Soucheray]

And it would be really interesting if the Wild could somehow pull this off because they can beat Anaheim or Vegas.

[Chris Reavers]

Oh, for sure.

[Matt]

Yeah.

[John Height]

In news, a bill to establish an independent office of Inspector general to lead the charge against fraud in state government programs.

[Joe Soucheray]

What action? I'm so proud of our people. It's great.

[John Height]

Pass the Minnesota Senate 66 to 0. Now heads to Governor Tim Walz for signature into law. The House passed the bill on Thursday, 127 5. Senator Heather Gustafson, a dfler from Vadnais Heights, was the chief author of the bill. She says the inspector general answers to no commissioner, no agency head and no single executive. She said the bill will create a bipartisan commission to keep the office from becoming politicized. The bill includes millions to fund the office, including three to six million dollars in startup costs.

[Joe Soucheray]

You gotta start it up, John. Get new computers and office chairs and stuff.

[John Height]

You know, eventually it'll cost 11 to 12 million.

[Joe Soucheray]

I wonder why it'll cost that much a year, John.

[John Height]

Well, 40 full time employees, it looks.

[Joe Soucheray]

40 full time employees. A new wing of the government. I don't trust this at all. Outside intervention is needed.

[John Height]

It could cost even more, Joe. Because this cost doesn't include a potential new law enforcement agency within the Office of Inspector General.

[Kenny Olson]

Wait, wait.

[Joe Soucheray]

This is pathetic.

[Kenny Olson]

It does or does not?

[John Height]

Does not.

[Joe Soucheray]

It does not.

[Kenny Olson]

Yeah, that's the problem.

[John Height]

That would cost another 15 million annually.

[Kenny Olson]

Future inspector general guys not having that enforcement capability makes that office a waste of time. Seriously, if they can't enforce the law, there's no point in having an inspector general.

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, their ringleaders, Omar and Amy, maybe they didn't want an investigative.

[Kenny Olson]

Or the governor.

[Joe Soucheray]

Or the governor.

[Kenny Olson]

Yeah.

[Chris Reavers]

And even when those that may have been involved are asked to turn over records, they can just ignore that request like Omar did a week ago.

[John Height]

The future inspector general and the next legislature would decide whether to start the new unit in 2028. Some lawmakers have questioned whether it would be an unnecessary duplicate work already being done by other law enforcement. Bill co author Republican Senator Michael Crewen of Blaine says the new inspector general's office is long overdue, saying Minnesotans are frustrated and angry and they have every right to be. This new office, he said while it may not be a silver bullet to stop all fraud, is going to be a major tool to create a culture of accountability here in Minnesota.

[Joe Soucheray]

A culture of accountability cannot be created if the people are coming from the same pool of people who currently occupy the state Capitol.

[John Height]

Speaking of fraud, a Minneapolis grocery store owner faces felony charges and what investigators say was a million dollar food assistance fraud scheme. Abdid Waheed Mohammed is accused of using other people's EBT cards to get more than a million dollars to buy items from wholesale stores and then he would later sell them for more money at his own store.

[Joe Soucheray]

See, I would have felt better if you said it was Jim Johnson who tried it because he was looking around and probably thought I'm gonna give this a shot. But no, this was an Abdi somebody.

[John Height]

Abdid Waheed Mohammed oh yeah. EBT cards worked like debit cards for low income families who get government paid benefits. Investigators say Mohammed owned Minnesota Food Grocery LLC near Westlake street in Minneapolis, was seen buying items like energy drinks and baby formula with EBT cards that didn't belong to him. Investigators said Muhammad would then load the goods into vehicles and take them to his Minnesota Food grocery where he unloaded them, placed them on store shelves for resale for more money.

[Joe Soucheray]

That was very innovative.

[John Height]

The court filing says. One woman, identified as ff, told investigators she had not paid for groceries at Minnesota Food Grocery for more than one and a half years after agreeing to let Muhammad use her EBT card. The charging document says between March 8, 2021 and August 10, 2021, Muhammad received $1,141,082 in EBT payments. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.

[Joe Soucheray]

He won't, he'll, he won't get 20. He won't get 20 years.

[Kenny Olson]

He won't get 10 minutes.

[Joe Soucheray]

He'll get a little talking to former

[John Height]

governor Tim Pawlenty has been named the new president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. The trade group said Pawlenty led Minnesota from 2003 to 2011 and previously served as president and CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable. CEIA said IT represents the U.S. solar and energy storage industry and has helped drive growth in solar and storage. Nationwide group said the industry supports hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in investment. In a statement, the former governor said, I'm honored to join SEIA at such a pivotal moment for our nation's energy future. The sun is the safest, most natural and largest nuclear reactor in the world and it provides an abundant source of energy we should be using to its fullest potential.

[Joe Soucheray]

Pawlenty wasn't a crook as far as we know, was he?

[Matt]

No.

[Joe Soucheray]

Seems to have run a little better with Polenti there than this current buffoon.

[John Height]

Star Tribune reporting. A 16 year old boy from Bemidji is accused of shooting his parents and a third adult after he lost his cell phone privileges.

[Joe Soucheray]

Sorry, God, oh my God.

[John Height]

The teen faces four felony charges stemming from the shooting on May 7, including illegal possession of a firearm and three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. Prosecutors are asking for the teen to be tried as an adult in Beltrami County District Court. All victims are expected to recover, however. The teen's mom was discharged from a Bemidji hospital, the dad being treated at a Fargo hospital. The mom declined interview requests Monday, but in a video from inside the hospital, the parents extended thanks for the love and support of well wishers, according to the charges. When officers got to the family's apartment in the Itasca Loop neighborhood of Bemidji, three adults were lying on the ground in front of the building. Mom was bleeding profusely and said she had been shot in the stomach by her son because dad had suspended the son's phone use. First responders applied tourniquets to dad and to another victim who was shot in the leg in the parking lot. The teen fled, hid the pistol, according to authorities. Bemidji police said the hospital was put into lockdown while the victims were treated. Teenager turned himself in two hours later, told police yes, he had retaliated after his parents revoked his phone privilege.

[Matt]

Is that proper protocol if you get your phone privileged?

[Joe Soucheray]

No, it is not.

[Matt]

Shoot a parent in the stomach?

[Chris Reavers]

Nope.

[John Height]

The Downtowner Wood Fire Grill said it will close after 38 years of business in St. Paul, Mo. The restaurant's last day will be Sunday, May 17, the decision due to the owner, Mo Sharif, retiring. The establishment first opened in 1988. It's on West 7th street across from Burger Moe's. When he first opened the Downtowner, it was an old diner he renovated after Grand Casino arena was built. Sharif thanked the City of St. Paul staff and loyal customers for making the journey so special. Despite retiring, he said he'll remain an active part of the community and plans to help out at Burger Moe's along with his son.

[Chris Reavers]

We should mention, by the way, Kenny, you made a stop over the weekend. Our good buddy Todd over at 30 bales. Unfortunately they too have had to have had to shut their doors.

[Kenny Olson]

I ran into a bunch of galers on Saturday night that said they had also stopped in there on Saturday to have their last meal. Yeah, at 30 bales.

[Chris Reavers]

Great place, wonderful food. Unfortunately, just just couldn't survive.

[John Height]

Why don't we take a quick break here and hear from Mr. Olson?

[Kenny Olson]

Been making a list here of all the things that Seafoam will solve for us. If you have creaky doors, either the house, the garage, the truck, the car, Seafoam Deep Creep is going to solve that problem. You find a pair of rusted tools, maybe pliers found out in the driveway after spring thaw. Saw again with the deep creep surface rust prevention. I just recently used it on my plow blade. Just slathered it with Deep creep rough idling. Oh boy. Seafoam Motor Treatment. Here's what you're going to do. That thing's running weird. Dump in a whole bottle at the next fill up before you bring it to your mechanic just to see if that'll solve the problems. And a lot of times it does. If you want to prevent your gas from going bad as it sits in that can in the garage, do the sutch method. Treat the gas in the can instead of the gas in the mower, blower, whipper or saw. It works a lot better that way. Seafoam and its many products, they're made to make our lives easier and our cylinders run better. Whether it's Deep Creep, Marine Pro Transtune or even the legendary Seafoam Motor Treatment, which as we know is a wonderful product in a world of bad gas.

[John Height]

In other news, new numbers show US consumer prices climbed sharply again last month as the 10 week war with Iran pushed energy prices higher. Labor Department's Consumer price index rose 3.8% from April 2025, according to data released this morning. On a month to month basis, April prices rose 0.6% from March as gas prices rose 5.5% during the month. The month over month gain was down a bit from the 0.9% increase from February to March. Labor Department figures showed that gasoline prices are up more than 28% compared with a year ago. However, the AAA motor club listed the average regular gallon of gas above $4.50 this morning. About 44% more than it cost last year at this time.

[Joe Soucheray]

On the way here, I spent 509 a gallon.

[Matt]

Come on.

[Joe Soucheray]

Premium.

[Chris Reavers]

Do you have pay inside privileges?

[Joe Soucheray]

Absolutely. Okay. At two different stations.

[Chris Reavers]

There was a piece I read about this and how, you know, you always add, has your number been hit? And I think we're there because this piece basically alluded to if gas prices don't come down soon, the extra stuff like taking the kids to the movie or whatever that is, that's gonna be gone. Because people are just saying we can't afford to go anywhere right now.

[Kenny Olson]

Did you happen to notice the price on diesel when you filled up this morning?

[Joe Soucheray]

Joe, we don't have diesel at my station.

[Matt]

Last time I saw it, it was 528. Eight for diesel.

[Progressive Insurance Announcer Variant]

Really?

[Joe Soucheray]

I'm not sure we have deal.

[Matt]

I don't think you do at the.

[Kenny Olson]

I retract that question.

[Chris Reavers]

Sorry, Kenny.

[Joe Soucheray]

I did.

[Chris Reavers]

I drove by one and I think it was. It was close to six.

[Joe Soucheray]

I'm gonna look next time.

[Matt]

Hey, in your charming upbringing, did you ever. Were you ever involved in the Sunday afternoon drive?

[Joe Soucheray]

All the time.

[Matt]

Where would they go? You were already in a great place.

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, the rides occurred in the. You know, in winter.

[Matt]

Okay.

[John Height]

Yeah. Researchers presenting today a report finding that a single infusion of HIV fighting molecules could suppress the virus to undetectable levels. Modeled after a treatment for leukemia. The approach could mark the closest researchers have ever come to a one and done treatment for hiv. But it remains years away from widespread availability. According to the scientists, they extracted and engineered seven patients immune cells to carry two molecules that bind the HIV and kill infected cells. One also defends the immune cells from becoming infected. The day the cells were reinjected into their bodies, the patients stopped taking antiretroviral drugs, the standard treatment for hiv.

[Matt]

Right now, serious question regarding AIDS and hiv. Yeah, where are we with Magic Johnson? I mean, he's had a long life.

[Joe Soucheray]

He's fine.

[Matt]

That's what I'm saying. How come so many people were taken out by it? And a guy like Magic is.

[Joe Soucheray]

He probably had the. He probably had the stature to be at the front of the line for treatments, whatever. Okay.

[John Height]

Hamas militants and their allies raped, assaulted and sexually tortured their victims during and after the October 7, 2023 terror attack on southern Israel to maximize pain and suffering, according to a new report. The report presents the most comprehensive body of evidence yet of Sexual and gender based violence against women, men and children describes it as systematic, widespread and integral to the assault. The most important finding is the fact that the sexual violence on October 7 and against hostages in captivity was calculated strategy by Hamas. According to the lead author and human rights expert. That's Igliam Levy.

[Joe Soucheray]

Who was better, Larry Bird or Magic Johnson?

[Kenny Olson]

Boy, there's two different styles there, huh?

[Chris Reavers]

Well, often when they're creating lists for most impactful, they're often always listed together because of the impact that they had on the NBA.

[John Height]

Two Israeli soldiers will spend weeks in military prison for desecration of a Christian object after one stuck a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary in southern Lebanon and the other photographed it. The photo of the soldier, a cigarette dangling from his own mouth, went viral, sparked widespread outrage. It was another act by Israeli forces that was denounced as anti Christian. The first one we talked about on the show when it happened was a soldier wielding an axe against a fallen statue of Jesus on the cross. That soldier was sent to military prison for a time and Israel's military said the soldier imposing with the Virgin Mary Statue will get 21 days in military prison.

[Joe Soucheray]

That's mindful of the answer Paul Lind once gave on Hollywood Squares when the question was, what is the best gift you can give a nun? And he said a carton of cigarettes. Whatever he would answer was hilarious.

[Matt]

Yes, very funny.

[John Height]

President Trump will be joined in China this week by 16 chief executives, including Elon Musk and Tim Cook. White House distributed list yesterday of business leaders who are scheduled to be in Beijing with the president. Trump is slated to depart Washington today and hold meetings with Xi Jinping, China's leader, later in the week. After the White House set its list out, Cisco said its chief executive, Chuck Robbins was unable to attend. The inclusion of Musk is the delegation in the delegation. Excuse me. His latest signs that the world's richest man has restored his relationship with the president. Musk served as a top advisor to Trump, oversaw the administration's effort to overhaul the federal bureaucracy. He departed the administration last May after a falling out with the president. But the two men reportedly have rekindled their relationship in recent months. 3 Seville Road in London's Mayfair district is one of the most.

[Joe Soucheray]

Don't know. Well, it gets horned.

[John Height]

Okay. Most iconic.

[Chris Reavers]

There's pressure.

[John Height]

Well, go ahead. Yeah. He said go ahead. Okay.

[Joe Soucheray]

No, I meant no to say the word.

[John Height]

Yeah, I.

[Joe Soucheray]

Not to play the fog.

[Chris Reavers]

Okay. That's what I thought.

[John Height]

You want me to say it. But then he said if I do then. Anyway, it's an important location in Beatles history. It was the legendary offices of the group's company and record label, Apple, Songs from the lead B album recorded in its basement. And of course, the rooftop was the setting for the group's final public performance in January 1969, as enshrined in the Let It Be and Get Back films when Apple left Saville Row in the early 1970s. Starting the next year, a new ticketed fan experience will open at the location. The Beatles at 3 Seville Row will feature seven floors of Never seen before material from Apple Corp's extensive archives, including rotating exhibitions, a fan store, and the recreation of the original studio where Let It Be was recorded. The rooftop will be open for fans to climb up and visit if they'd like to. While Apple was essentially dormant for decades, in this century it's become an active curator of the legacy via a long series of deluxe archival Releases and Peter Jackson's 2021 Get Back series. Since 2024, Apple Corps and Disney have released David Tedeschi and Martin Scorsese's new Beatles 64 documentary, Michael Lindsay Hogg's Let It Be, and a restored version of the Beatles anthology from the 1980s and 90s.

[Chris Reavers]

Doesn't that the definition, though, of why we have the foghorn? That thing should be listed as iconic, correct?

[Joe Soucheray]

Right. But everything's iconic.

[Chris Reavers]

But everything's iconic. That's the problem.

[John Height]

Iconic is forever banned, no matter what.

[Matt]

Right?

[John Height]

I mean, that's. Just can't use it.

[Chris Reavers]

Is that where you had the kids walking the other way?

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah, I got a great picture of my kids walking across Abbey Road, but they're going the wrong way.

[Chris Reavers]

I love that story.

[John Height]

More than a year into it, if

[Chris Reavers]

anyone was going to do that, it would be you.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah, I screwed it up.

[Kenny Olson]

Maybe they were walking backwards.

[John Height]

Yeah, there you go. More than a year into his tenure as mayor, San Franciscans overwhelmingly are approving of the job Daniel Lurie is doing, according to a new San Francisco Mexico Chronicle poll. The poll, which surveyed 1,077 registered voters in the city, found that 74% of respondents approved of the mayor's performance. That's essentially unchanged from a year ago and far higher than the previous mayor London breed, got in 2024. The latest poll, conducted from April 28 to May 3, included only registered voters. In addition to asking about their overall opinion of the mayor, respondents were asked about his performance on specific issues. On every issue polled in 2025 and 2026, his approval rating stayed constant or improved. Lurie saw notable improvements in his marks on two of the hallmark issues in San Francisco. One, keeping the city clean and two, revitalizing downtown. 71% approved of Lurie's efforts on the revitalizing downtown and 67% approved of his efforts to keep neighborhoods clean.

[Joe Soucheray]

How about that?

[Chris Reavers]

That was a stare down looking at me.

[Matt]

Clean her up, baby.

[John Height]

And Sicilian police are investigating illegal races with horse drawn carts and Kalashnikovs. Horses seized and several people questioned after animal rights activists shared video of races along country roads. A video showed an illegal horse race in Siddaly, silly Sicily, with spectators firing pistols into the air, brandishing rifles. Who's responsible for all this? You're probably wondering.

[Joe Soucheray]

I am wondering.

[John Height]

Well, members of the mafia and all their officers.

[Joe Soucheray]

I see.

[John Height]

They like to do that. And then they bet on them.

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, it's certainly not a very subtle thing they're doing.

[Kenny Olson]

Sounds like fun, actually.

[John Height]

Yeah.

[Matt]

When you're there in the next couple weeks, refrain from betting on any horses or shooting.

[Kenny Olson]

John, did you say chariots were involved?

[John Height]

Yeah, they were chariots. I saw the video. They. They look just like the Roman chariots.

[Joe Soucheray]

And they shoot each other.

[Kenny Olson]

Cool.

[John Height]

No, they shoot them up in the air.

[Kenny Olson]

Celebratory.

[Joe Soucheray]

Up in the air.

[John Height]

And that fella, the airplane, the unfortunate man.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah.

[John Height]

We just found out that they announced this morning, apparently he was committing a suicide.

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, no kidding.

[John Height]

He did it on.

[Matt]

Why would he do that to the poor flight crew and all the responders

[Joe Soucheray]

and because he was selfish.

[Matt]

He was not of right mind.

[Joe Soucheray]

Do we have a name on the guy?

[John Height]

Yeah, we do. He's 41 years old. His name was Michael Mun. And police are asking anybody who had contact with him a day or two before and who know anything about him to get. To get a hold of them.

[Joe Soucheray]

All right, John, thank you.

[Kenny Olson]

What story is that? Why do I not know about Denver

[Joe Soucheray]

where a guy was walking on the Runway. Oh, that guy. Hit him.

[Kenny Olson]

Before you break, Joe, have you ever seen chariot races where instead of a horse, they have a motorcycle and they move all the controls for the motorbike back onto the chariot?

[John Height]

It.

[Kenny Olson]

It is.

[Joe Soucheray]

Never seen that.

[Kenny Olson]

It's an absolute mad house. You gotta Google.

[Matt]

Is somebody driving the motorcycle?

[Kenny Olson]

No, no, no. It's all remote control. It's all, you know, they run the cables and everything.

[Matt]

The harness, yeah. Oh, my God.

[Josh Arnold]

Where.

[Chris Reavers]

Where is that?

[Kenny Olson]

Douglas County Fair this year. Oh, my God.

[Chris Reavers]

Really?

[Kenny Olson]

I don't think they do it in the United States. We're too late.

[Chris Reavers]

Honestly, I wouldn't believe you. Had you said that,

[Joe Soucheray]

you know, I've said that we have to have guys. Well, our lawyer guys are Bradshaw and Bryant, personal injury attorneys. God forbid you're in an accident and get injured. But if you are, and you're like me and many other people, you might not know what to do if you're ever injured. So get ahold of Bradshaw and Bryant. Insurance companies and adjusters can be difficult to deal with, so having someone on your side is important. Mike Bryant from Bradshaw and Bryant and his team will explain your rights, represent you, help you get you through a tough time. I hope you're never in an accident, but if you are, call Bradshaw and Bryant at 800-770-7008. Turn the whole thing over to them. You don't have to worry about it. Let them deal with it. Or go to MinnesotaPersonal Injury.com your case evaluation is on them. And please don't be a part of the problem. Don't text and drive or drive distracted. That's just common sense from Bradshaw and Brya. The earth is not your mother.

[Chris Reavers]

The Joe Sugiray show we are nuts and we are nuts. Mn.com you know you can get them at frats, you can get them at Max Hardware, Lunds and Barleys, Kowalski's markets, Colburn's county market. But now how about this? Through the end of the month of May, get your stock pile up of we are nuts and wearenutsmn.com@quick trip and you are gonna save on fuel. That's right, any participating QuikTrip location. If you are a Quick Rewards member, you are gonna save 5 cents per gallon of gas on a future fuel purchase. Say that five times fast when you purchase any we are Nuts products at participating Quick Trips locations. We know gas prices are out of control right now. So save up, stock up and get your snacks courtesy of we are Not. It doesn't matter if you're looking for the toffee peanuts. In fact, I just did this yesterday. We were down at the St Peter Quick Trip location so I stocked up. Maple bourbon, toffee almonds, the hot nuts, it's all there for you. You can also still order yours [e-mail] and when you place our order, please make sure that you mention that you heard about them right here on the Garage Logic podcast. Hi Joe.

[Joe Soucheray]

Hi. I have the map update. You know, I'm thinking maybe the map update will take a little time out when our man here is abroad, okay? Because I, I have no idea how he is managing to create this crawl or what computer program you'd have to go to. But the crawl is wonderful and there's a fighting chance.

[Chris Reavers]

If we were allowed to do that, we'd screw it up.

[Joe Soucheray]

We really wreck it.

[Matt]

I think I got her.

[Joe Soucheray]

Rob Damon writes, with a flag update. Lester Prairie is flying the true flag. The following flags are flying in Central park in Lester Prairie, Old Glory, the true flag. Powmia. And the American Legion flag. And he sent a photo to go along. There's that one. And Dawn Urban writes. Oh, this is a different matter. I'll get to hers in a moment. And we have one from Julie Diedrich. Albany, Minnesota is flying the true flag. Joe, Albany City hall is flying the true Minnesota flag. Thank you, Julie Diedrich.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, Albany's gonna cause us to have

[Joe Soucheray]

to shift everything and Biden. What is when we had Albany.

[Chris Reavers]

We gotta move everything down one.

[Joe Soucheray]

No, we're going right to the crawler. We don't do that anymore. You see the big flag behind me? You see it back there? That's the big flag.

[Matt]

1,850.

[Joe Soucheray]

Now, Dawn Urban, I picked up her email. She has a question. Joe, do you agree that all elected officials in Minnesota, regardless of party affiliation, should be held accountable for the fraud that has occurred under their watch? Yes, I do. I do. Every single one of them.

[Chris Reavers]

But what about the ones that were sounding the alarm?

[Joe Soucheray]

They didn't sound it soon enough.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, we.

[Joe Soucheray]

We heard from them. Hey, I'm not going to argue with you. I'm going to tell you why you're wrong.

[Matt]

You want to argue, you call Bradshaw and Bryan.

[Joe Soucheray]

Okay, yeah, well, sure, that sounds cruel of me to blame them all, but where were they? What were they doing?

[Chris Reavers]

Raising their hand and getting ignored?

[Kenny Olson]

Okay, you really hit it out of the park this. You're right. This is a nonpartisan blame game here. They're all responsible.

[Joe Soucheray]

They're all responsible.

[John Height]

Yeah.

[Joe Soucheray]

The government in this state doesn't work.

[Kenny Olson]

It doesn't matter who's making the noise right now. You.

[Joe Soucheray]

You.

[Kenny Olson]

All of you on. On the hill.

[Joe Soucheray]

All of you. Only because I gotta vote today.

[Matt]

I gotta vote down 2 South St. Paul referendums for schools.

[Joe Soucheray]

What are they seeking? Money? Okay, enough that.

[Matt]

You know what? Let's go. Just trim up. Trim it up, baby.

[Chris Reavers]

I saw Ilhan got the endorsement.

[Joe Soucheray]

Speaking of Ilhan. Speaking of Ilhan, do you have a. Do you have audio for. For the Ilhan Omar update?

[Chris Reavers]

I thought we were moving on.

[Joe Soucheray]

No, I think. Here is your latest Ilhan Omar report on Garage Logic.

[Chris Reavers]

See, here's the issue with playing. I found I was telling Joe I should start from square one here. I was scrolling and Ilhan's new ad campaign came up last night after she. Well, when did she officially get the endorsement? Was it yesterday?

[John Height]

I think yesterday I saw it, yeah.

[Chris Reavers]

Was it yesterday?

[Joe Soucheray]

I don't know.

[John Height]

This week.

[Chris Reavers]

But the problem is when you play the ad. Cause it's something that appears, it's a pop up on Social. But if you try to play it, you get a bunch of other crap with it. Meaning like an ad and stuff. So I can't control the timing of it. But basically it's the Chuck.

[Joe Soucheray]

So we're not gonna hear it.

[Chris Reavers]

I can't play it. But I will have it for us tomorrow. Cause I'll record it. That way it's clean. But the problem is they're all using the same Playboy. They're fighting for Minnesota, they're going up against Trump and they're trying to keep all of our friends, our new neighbors here. They're all running the same ad.

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, and that appeals to brain dead Minnesotans.

[Kenny Olson]

That's exactly right. To find friends and neighbors.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, immigrant families and things.

[Joe Soucheray]

The friends who are stealing from me.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, that's one way to put it. Yes, but that's their. But you could Jacqueni. In this ad, you could have removed Ilhan Omer and just put in Peggy Flanagan, Angie Craig. It wouldn't have mattered. They all run the same ad.

[Kenny Olson]

That's on purpose. Yeah, they're all using the same copy.

[Chris Reavers]

All by design. We'll have it for you tomorrow.

[Joe Soucheray]

Not plausible that Amy Klobuchar did not know about the fraud. It's just not plausible. Only because they come to us. What are we doing now? From the lineman, Joel. We picked up a rental car and we're leaving Vancouver Washing headed east. They're on their way back to.

[Matt]

They're heading east.

[Joe Soucheray]

The land of 10,000 frogs.

[Matt]

It's the only place they can head.

[Joe Soucheray]

That's right. It's a good catch by you.

[Matt]

Thank you. Appreciate it.

[Joe Soucheray]

Only because they come to us now from the traveling linemans. It was on this day, Joe.

[Chris Reavers]

Today is May 12th.

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, on this day in 1806, a guy named James Shields was born in Ireland. He would be a US Senator for three different states. Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri. After moving to Faribault in 1855, he was one of the first two senators elected to the state legislature. And while in office, he encouraged Irish immigration to Minnesota. Shieldsville in Rice county is named for him. Are you familiar with Shieldsville?

[Chris Reavers]

My brother used to live In Shieldsville.

[Joe Soucheray]

He died in 1879.

[Chris Reavers]

Got a great lake. Lake Nezaska.

[Joe Soucheray]

I wonder if Shieldsville is flying the truth lake.

[Chris Reavers]

You know what? I will be going down there tomorrow. I can alt check.

[Matt]

Did he name it after himself?

[Joe Soucheray]

I don't know. I don't know the answer.

[Matt]

I'm looking it up right now.

[Joe Soucheray]

On this day.

[Chris Reavers]

Matthew, you're a delight.

[Joe Soucheray]

On this day, May 12th in 1994. It was on this day that a 400 pound silverback gorilla named Casey. Casey escaped his exhibit at the como Zoo in St. Paul.

[Chris Reavers]

Really?

[Joe Soucheray]

He caused 45 minutes of havoc before a zookeeper shot him with a tranquilizer gun and returned him to his habitat.

[Kenny Olson]

Wow.

[Joe Soucheray]

I hate zoos. May I ask a question, Casey? Man, the life he could be leading if he was over.

[Kenny Olson]

But then that the old country it became addicted to the tranquilizer.

[Joe Soucheray]

Now he needs a shot everywhere in the day.

[Chris Reavers]

How do you transport a 400 pound gorilla?

[Kenny Olson]

Carry loader.

[Joe Soucheray]

You just get a tractor, okay.

[Kenny Olson]

Drag that some bitch right in the bucket.

[Joe Soucheray]

Just chain them up and drag them back.

[Matt]

They just lost one of their lions as well.

[Joe Soucheray]

Well, you know what? I just. I'm sorry you're anti zoo. I'm so euphorian when it comes to zoo. It's pathetic. On this day in sports disappointment history.

[Chris Reavers]

You mean like last night? May 12th?

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah.

[Matt]

And last night.

[Joe Soucheray]

How about we just do May 11th, 2026 wild lose to Colorado five to two. That included two empty net goals. They weren't crisp last night. That was the problem. They just weren't crisp. That happens. But they got a reel off three straight. Now two of those have to be in Colorado.

[Kenny Olson]

Did you see that hockey stick to the eyeball. Penal.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yes.

[Kenny Olson]

Did you think that was accidental? No.

[Joe Soucheray]

He's a bad dude. And it was the butt end of the stick. And I'm shocked the guy didn't get the misconduct.

[Kenny Olson]

Did his dad also play Mason?

[Joe Soucheray]

Is his name Manson? I don't know. I don't know.

[Matt]

Manson.

[Joe Soucheray]

On this day, May 12th. On this day in 1978, Rod Carew said he'll never again sign with the Minnesota Twins. Wow. Now, did he finish the 78 year with him?

[Chris Reavers]

I would have. I would imagine.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah. He didn't have a big, you know, 77 was his flirtation with 478. Well, he had. Every year he had was a great year.

[Matt]

Kenny Joshmation is indeed the son of former NHL longtime defenseman Dave Mainson. Manson. Manson won the cup with the Avalon in 2022. That Josh did. But his dad was Dave Manson.

[Chris Reavers]

And Rod Crew did play in 152 games in 1978.

[Joe Soucheray]

What did he hit that year?

[Chris Reavers]

He only hit.333. That led the league and that did lead the league.

[Joe Soucheray]

It was the year before he flirted with.400.

[John Height]

Correct.

[Chris Reavers]

And then he did go to the Angels the following season, in 1979.

[Joe Soucheray]

And then when I saw him in the spring of 79, he shook my hand. He had his chewing tobacco chawed his palm, transferred it to me. That's okay.

[Matt]

You got your revenge. When he swallowed that cha running to, did he really. Was it first base or. He was. He was running. He was running to first and he swallowed that water gum. And the cha.

[Kenny Olson]

Is that when you became addicted to chewing tobacco?

[Joe Soucheray]

Right then and there.

[Kenny Olson]

Can you blame him? It got into your bloodstream, into your hand.

[Joe Soucheray]

No, man, I smoke cigarettes.

[Matt]

What do you remember about Rod seeing his closet?

[Joe Soucheray]

He was a neat freak. And if he had a red sweater, he had 10 red sweaters. They were all neatly folded.

[Chris Reavers]

He won seven batting titles and he also hit.366 in 1970 and didn't win the batting title.

[Joe Soucheray]

What was his career batting average?328.328.

[Chris Reavers]

On this day, Joe, today is maybe

[Joe Soucheray]

in 1982, as part of Calvin Griffith's house cleaning, Butch Winegar and Roger Erickson were traded. Both fine players. But Calvin was running a tight ship. And that was just the first year he was yanked downtown to play in the dump.

[Chris Reavers]

My, how things have changed with the twins.

[Joe Soucheray]

I think so. No. Although they're in it. They're in the race. They're in the Central Division. Last place, two and a half games out.

[Matt]

Okay, you're telling me there's a chance?

[Joe Soucheray]

I am telling you there's a chance.

[Matt]

I haven't watched one game. I've never been less interested in the twins.

[Joe Soucheray]

You know, kind of.

[Chris Reavers]

You're not alone.

[Joe Soucheray]

You know who did the let's play hockey last night? Who is it? Derek Shelton. Yeah. Yes. Derek Shelton and a bunch of twins. Yeah. Kind of a bad vibe there.

[Chris Reavers]

Oh, and they lost.

[Kenny Olson]

Oh, you think?

[Matt]

Oh, you know, in all the years, I've never been asked.

[Joe Soucheray]

To Shelton's credit, I thought he did a bang up job. He was yelling and he was fired up. He was good.

[Chris Reavers]

Everybody that covers the team says he's a fantastic guy.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah, he's a good guy. He's got three major leaguers on a major league team. You know, what are you going to do, Chris?

[Kenny Olson]

You don't watch, you don't hate Watch the Twins.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, this is that magical time of the year where I pretty much only listen to them on the radio because we're always driving to or from a game.

[Kenny Olson]

We never miss a game. We always watch it. We have like the whole baseball package. I can watch all the games.

[Chris Reavers]

I 100% will have it on.

[Joe Soucheray]

You have that, don't you?

[Chris Reavers]

Just to complain about them.

[Joe Soucheray]

Thank you. G ellers.

[Josh Arnold]

Yes.

[Chris Reavers]

Rookie doesn't like to watch Anaheim, San

[Matt]

Diego versus the Phillies. What's gonna happen?

[Joe Soucheray]

Does he bunt? Bunt?

[Matt]

B U n T right.

[Chris Reavers]

Please do us a favor and join the over 20,000 subscribers that we have on the Garage Logic YouTube channel where you can watch the show each and every single day starting right around noon. And you can also on that channel.

[Joe Soucheray]

See, you don't have the cell structure to watch baseball.

[Matt]

Nope.

[Joe Soucheray]

You're you.

[Matt]

I can hardly watch the Wild game last night. I gotta get up and walk around you.

[Joe Soucheray]

You're you. You know, your, your life is built on watching things like Survivor.

[Matt]

I could sit for two hours and watch survival. I know you could without lifting a finger.

[Chris Reavers]

What season are we on for survival?

[Joe Soucheray]

50.

[Matt]

Come on, on date night. Let's go.

[Joe Soucheray]

Yeah.

[Chris Reavers]

YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, it's all there. Yeah. I'll see you later. It is time once again that we check in with our guy, Mr. Money Talk. Josh Arnold is with us once again right here in garagelogic. And now is the time for you to do the same. So do not delay, do exactly what I did and pick up that phone and dial 952-925-5608. That number once again is 952-92556. When you call that number, you're going to get Josh and he is there for you for that. Free. Yes, I use the word free. 48 minute financial consultation with absolutely zero obligation. And he will always give you the straight talk, he will never give you the sugar coated advice. And he is on the line with us once again right here in Garage. Roger. Boy, Josh, one of your favorites, Amazon is in the news and boy, they are going all in on sports rights and sports advertising, aren't they?

[Josh Arnold]

Big, big time. Big, big time. And Amazon is generating a lot of money. I mean, there are advertising. Unbelievable. In the last quarter they generate, they reported $17.1 billion in advertising revenue. So that's more than Warner Brothers, Discovery and Paramount combined. And over the course of the last year, so we'll just, I'll say the last 12 months, not calendar year, but the last 12 months, they've gotten over $70 billion in ad revenue and that business is picking up. Amazon is probably number three in terms of advertising revenue behind Google and Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, you know, among other other properties. And Amazon has been coming on very strong in the advertising business and of course they're using their sports right package to help, we'll say to help propel that advertising and getting through sports, their deals that they have with the NFL, the NBA, MLB and hockey as well as the wnba, they're getting through those sports brands and the sports rights, more advertising even flowing through to their other property. Here is another avenue for revenue growth for Amazon. In addition to their retail business which generates the most revenue, AWS, which is the most profitable part of Amazon on in terms of margins and growth. And then you have the advertising business and pretty soon you're going to have the logistics business that is also going to be ramping up its growth. And I do believe that the ramp up even with that supply chain logistics business for Amazon will track pretty much what a the growth in aws. So we really right now have at least four and maybe more revenue drivers for Amazon going forward. You know, you've got with Amazon both we'll say the leisure side and the Internet side. So to me with my focus on Internet related companies, leisure related businesses, real assets and short term trading, Amazon pretty much as you covered in three of those areas with the real estate at home and also the real estate that it leases, you've got their retail, retail business, leisure business and also it's definitely an Internet related company that participates very heavily now in the big name artificial intelligence. Meantime, we'll say speaking of technology stocks today that in the technology area are down significantly. Somebody must have pressed the sell button on selling the chip stocks which have been powering higher over the course of the last month. Today we've seen the chips, the memory stocks all selling off right from the get go as many, many of these stocks came in significantly below with low yesterday. Almost like overnight a bell rang. Well part of that bell that was ringing was the price of oil shooting up and the CPI indicator coming up as well. And again definitely some profit taking ahead of Trump's trip to Chuck with many, many leading corporate executives. We'll report on that over the end of the week.

[Chris Reavers]

Excellent advice as always, Mr. Money Talk. You heard him G ers. Now is the time for you to pick up the phone and to make the call for that free 48 minute financial consultation again with zero obligation. And you do that just like I did by dialing 952-925-5608 where you always get straight talk and never ever sugarcoated advice. Josh, once again, thank you so much for and the chat. Enjoy the rest of your day and we'll talk to you again tomorrow.

[Josh Arnold]

Look forward to it. Thanks Chris.

[John Height]

Investment services offered by Josh Arnold Investment Consultant, llc.

[Joe Soucheray]

A security investment advisor.

[John Height]

Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

[Joe Soucheray]

All investments involve risk. All comments and opinions are Josh Arnold's

[John Height]

and do not constitute investment advice.

[Joe Soucheray]

Chris Reivers is a paid endorser. Everybody talked about it since I first moved to Oregon. The big one. The earthquake that trashed the whole West Coast. Total destruction. Officially calling it the largest natural disaster in American history. I just didn't know what would help me next. So I took it all. Even the gun. It was time. Cello American Afterlife Presented by Pair of Thieves. The number one fiction and drama podcast in America. Listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts available now.