UST in the News for Dec. 4, 2012

Holiday Shopping

“$773 average holiday gift budget for Twin Cities families,” KMSP, Nov. 14, 2012. “Holiday gift spending is getting close to pre-recession levels, according to the annual University of St. Thomas Holiday Spending Sentiment Survey, released Wednesday.”

“Study Says Holiday Spending Expected to Increase,” KSTP, Nov. 14, 2012. “Holiday shoppers are ready to spend.”

“Professor: Consumers getting comfortable, spending more,” KMSP, Nov. 14, 2012. “Experts say the percentage of shoppers planning to spend more on gifts this year ...  could be enough to help keep the recovery on track.”

“Survey: Twin Cities holiday spending to approach pre-recession levels,” Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, Nov. 14, 2012. “The collective mood of Twin Cities shoppers is almost back to pre-recession levels this holiday season, according to the University of St. Thomas 11th annual Holiday Spending Sentiment Survey.”

“Survey: Twin Cities Families To Spend More This Holiday,” WCCO, Nov. 14, 2012. “Minnesotans more optimistic about their financial situation are expected to spend big this holiday shopping season.”

“5 new holiday truths for retailers,” Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, Nov. 23, 2012. “Thanksgiving weekend remains the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, although consumers are changing when, where and how they buy their gifts.”

“Black Friday shoppers get a jump on holiday bargains,” Pioneer Press, Nov. 23, 2012. “The deals were hot, but the weather was not, as the earliest start yet to Black Friday shopping was dogged by wet snow and icy winds.”

“More confident shoppers return to spending,” Star Tribune, Nov. 25, 2012. “A stronger economy is reflected in optimistic holiday forecasts. Shopping got underway this weekend with consumer confidence at a five-year high.”

Tommie Sports

“Beyond Bounds: Late-Bloomer Keaton Wendroth Squashes Injury Bug,” WCCO, Nov. 15, 2012. “Junior Keaton Wendroth knows the exact date he finally overcame the second injury that contributed to keeping him out of the collegiate cross country scene.”

“Coach Glenn Caruso on his 10-0 St. Thomas football team: 'We use the word family a lot,'” Pioneer Press, Nov. 16, 2012. “Have you noticed how successful football teams with first-name nicknames have been in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference?”

“Souhan: Fresh faces keep Tommies football on a roll,” Star Tribune, Nov. 17, 2012. “Glenn Caruso called for a long pass in the first quarter Saturday. Interception. ‘That was no one's fault but mine,’ Caruso said.”

“National championship volleyball at Hope pits Knights against Tommies,” Grand Rapids Press, Nov. 17, 2012. “Two years ago, the Knights of Calvin became the first team from their conference to win the NCAA Division III national championship.”

“Tommies reach DIII volleyball final,” Star Tribune, Nov. 17, 2012. “Tommies reach DIII volleyball final.”

“St. Thomas wins NCAA Division III volleyball championship,” Pioneer Press, Nov. 17, 2012. “The St. Thomas women's volleyball team saved its best for last Saturday night, Nov. 17, erasing a two-set deficit in a dramatic 3-2 victory over Calvin College in Holland, Mich., to win the NCAA Division III championship.”

“St. Thomas’ winning Division III athletic programs happy where they are,” MinnPost, Nov. 21, 2012. “In 2005, at the request of several trustees, the University of St. Thomas hired an outside consultant to explore the ramifications of leaving NCAA Division III in athletics.”

“St. Thomas' Glenn Caruso on injuries: 'I don't believe in luck,'” Pioneer Press, Dec. 1, 2012. “Two in the books. Three wins to go. The unbeaten and fourth-ranked University of St. Thomas football team is 2-0 in the NCAA Division III playoffs and just three wins from winning the first national title in school history.”

“Beyond Bounds: Kia Johnson Wins Nat’l Titles & Nat’l Scholarships,” WCCO, Dec. 1, 2012. “Turns out, Kia Johnson has her older brother — and that B+ she got back in elementary school — to thank for the deluge of success she’s enjoyed lately.”

Real Estate

“Twin Cities housing market shows signs of improvement,” MPR, Nov. 21, 2012. “New national and regional real estate numbers continue to point to a recovering housing market.”

“Eagan makes way for outlet mall by '14,” Star Tribune, Nov. 26, 2012. “A new $100 million outlet mall with nearly 100 stores was approved last week by the Eagan City Council and could open by November 2014, becoming the first major outlet mall to be within the metro area rather than on the periphery.”

“New report sees continued Twin Cities housing market recovery,” Pioneer Press, Nov. 29, 2012. “A new snapshot of the Twin Cities real estate market shows continued rising home prices as the market recovery continues.”

“Sellers are inching back into the housing market,” Star Tribune, Dec. 3, 2012. “Encouraged by improving sales, Twin Cities homeowners who have stayed on the sidelines are shedding their hesitancy. It could be a pivotal step in the recovery.”

Minneapolis False Security Alarm

“Minneapolis: Target headquarters declared clear after shots-fired report,” Pioneer Press, Nov. 16, 2012. “Police responded to a report of possible shots fired at Target's downtown Minneapolis headquarters Friday, Nov. 16, but they found no evidence of any shots fired.”

“Sound of Tool Mistaken for Gunfire at Minneapolis Building,” KSTP, Nov. 16, 2012. “Minneapolis Police say they didn't find any evidence of a shooting Friday at a downtown office building after responding to a report of possible shots fired.”

“False alarm: Police find no evidence of gunshots near Target HQ,” Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, Nov. 16, 2012. “Police searched a downtown Minneapolis building near the Target Corp. headquarters Friday after receiving reports of possible gunshots, but said they couldn't find evidence that shots had been fired.”

Other Headlines

“Good Question: Can A State Secede From The Union?” WCCO, Nov. 14, 2012. “It’s an extreme version of taking your ball and going home — more than 700,000 signatures have appeared on 50 petitions from each state calling to secede from the union.”

“How much is too much for Vikings personal seat licenses?” KARE, Nov. 14, 2012. “Governor Dayton fired the first shot, noting personal seat license to help partially fund the Vikings share for a new People's Stadium amounts to a ‘Rich People's Stadium.’”

“Report: Racial inequalities rife in Minn.'s juvenile justice system,” MPR, Nov. 14, 2012. “Christian Bonner was 14 when St Paul police first arrested him for fighting in school.”

“Residents from All 50 States Request to Secede from U.S.,” KSTP, Nov. 14, 2012. “Since the election last week, the government website ‘We the People,’ has been flooded with hundreds of thousands of signatures on online petitions.”

“‘Freed Speech’ Pushes Civility In Politics, Life,” WCCO, Nov. 15, 2012. “A lot of people talk about the nasty state of political discourse in this country, but now someone is actually doing something to make it better.”

“Target 3Q Profit Grows 15 Pct, Tops Wall Street,” WCCO, Nov. 15, 2012. “Target is on a roll. The Minneapolis-based retail chain reported a 15 percent increase in net income during the 3rd quarter on Thursday, exceeding the expectations of Wall Street.”

“Editorial: Tax reform in Minnesota: key themes,” Pioneer Press, Nov. 17, 2012. “We talked last week with experts close to the coming tax reform debate in Minnesota.”

“Student entrepreneur brewing up a new business,” Star Tribune, Nov. 17, 2012. “BreAnna Fisher, a University of St. Thomas senior, swept the regional competition against 30 other student entrepreneurs late last week at the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) in New York City.”

“Pardon people, not turkeys,” Star Tribune, Nov. 19, 2012. “Under President Obama, the odds of clemency or commutation are shamefully slim.”

“Buying local isn't a radical idea,” Star Tribune, Nov. 25, 2012. “My name is Neal. And I'm not a shopaholic. I buy many of my clothes at thrift shops. Others in the family cruise the MOA.”

“Save your relationship from holiday stress,” KMSP, Nov. 27, 2012. “Ah, the holidays. 'Tis the season to move into the relationship danger zone.”

“Would winning millions really make you happy?” KARE, Nov. 29, 2012. “ Lines at the gas station can only mean one thing. Those ping pong balls pinging your way could mean more than a half billion dollars.”

“Ice sheet melting accounts for 20% of sea level rise since 1992,” Los Angeles Times, Nov. 29, 2012. “The loss of ice covering Greenland and Antarctica has accelerated over the last 20 years, shrinking three times as much as in the 1990s and contributing substantially to sea level rise, according to a comprehensive new study of ice sheet loss conducted by 26 laboratories around the world.”

“Editorial: In Jerry Kill's battle, life lessons emerge,” Star Tribune, Nov. 29, 2012. “Gophers football coach is helping demystify epilepsy.”