Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s stamp is all over Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s announcement today that she will leave office at the end of the month. Media reports (video) aren’t failing to note the parallel to Pawlenty’s decision last month not to seek re-election. Palin and Pawlenty were reportedly the two finalists for the Republican vice-presidential slot in last year’s election, and both governors are said to be gunning for the top of the GOP ticket in 2012.

Want to see Palin’s presentation live — rambling from lame duck governors to supporting our troops to what we can learn from Trig to basketball to her parents’ refrigerator magnet? Check out the video at Daily Kos.

Creaky old timber bridges are being replaced. Rough roads are getting new pavement. Deteriorating regional airport runways are being rehabbed. Twin Cities transit riders will hop on new diesel-sipping hybrid buses. Suburban drivers will ply new interchanges and a freeway extension. And a rusting Minnesota icon, Duluth’s Aerial Lift Bridge, is receiving the final phase of a once-in-a-lifetime paint job. MORE »

This week’s picks

Thursday, July 2

On the radar: There are a lot of people who still get really excited when Soul Asylum perform, and there are a lot of people who think the Roots are even cooler now that they’re Jimmy Fallon’s house band. If you’re among either of those groups, your evening plans are set. It’s also the annual Hmong Freedom Celebration, and this year emcee Tou SaiKo is helping to organize an all-out two-day hip-hop battle associated with the event.

Under the radar: Fringe favorite Allegra Lingo is at the BLB previewing her 2009 show, and if you really want to feel that out-in-the-street rock ‘n’ roll spirit, there’s a battle of the bands going down on “the legendary streets of Richfield.”

Friday, July 3

On the radar: Tonight, glam and spectacle rule: Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza opens in St. Paul, African fashion show ExtraVaaKhangha rolls out at the Graves 601 (relocated from the suddenly shuttered Trocaderos), and Judas Priest tastes Minnesota.

Under the radar: CONvergence will bring sci-fi fans from all over the country to Bloomington, and our peeps at l’etoile will be there to greet them with smiles, syle, video art, and vodka. If you’re looking for a more conventional evening of entertainment, stop by the Celtic Junction for Pop Wagner’s 60th birthday bash; it also serves as a fundraiser for medical expenses Wagner has incurred after a horse-riding injury. MORE »

As the race for the 4th Ward City Council seat begins, the challenges and opportunities facing our neighborhoods are being discussed. I welcome this discussion, and want to respond to some recent comments in this newspaper. MORE »

This weekend downtown Minneapolis will welcome an international showcase of multicolored design when it hosts the 2009 ExtraVaaKhanga fashion show, a three-day celebration of African influence on international fashion. The headlining event is a multi-designer runway show on Friday at 8:00 p.m. at the Graves 601 Hotel. The show gets its name from the colorful khanga, a patterned garment traditionally worn in East and Central Africa, which has been recently adopted by contemporary African designers. MORE »

The number of abortions performed in Minnesota declined in 2008 for the second straight year and marked the lowest number in more than 30 years. Reproductive health advocates said the decline is due to access to birth control and education, while the state’s largest anti-abortion group says programs to persuade pregnant woman from having an abortion were responsible for the decline. MORE »