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from Gov. Dayton's office professing shock that Vikings owner Zygi Wilf had been involved in a civil racketeering suit filed by former business partners carries plenty of questions. That the governor had his office issue a statement instead of facing the media with what the Star Tribune today calls his "harsh critique" allowed the governor to avoid an uncomfortable question: "

Dayton's contention seems clear: If Wilf ripped off business partners in New Jersey, what are the chances the deal he got for a new stadium from the taxpayers of Minnesota is similarly rigged?

The stadium bill's other big-name cheerleader -- Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak -- 

 he's "surprised" to learn of Wilf's legal troubles.

Do Minnesota politicians not know how to use Google? Absent a proper background check, a simple Google alert would've alerted the leaders as recently as April 2012 that the Wilf's New Jersey empire 

had been the target of a 21-year old lawsuit and a two-year-long trial. 

Legislature passed the public financing portion of the stadium plan,

 a plan we now know hasn't worked so far.

By then the trial in New Jersey had been going on for 112 days.

In his opening statement -- in 2011 -- the attorney for the Wilfs' former business partner said the brothers "looted and misappropriated tens of millions of dollars" in what amounted to "organized-crime-type activities" in their bookkeeping for the apartment complex, the Newark Star-Ledger reported.

That's the sort of language that typically would get the attention of anyone about to do big business with the family.

Vikings season starts with tight security rules at the Metrodome

Maybe if newspaper people hadn't worked so gosh-darned hard over the years not to change a thing about telling stories, there wouldn't be so much caterwauling this week about 

Jeff Bezos of Amazon buying the Washington Post

. The decline of the newspaper is portrayed -- mostly by newspapers -- as one of one technology eclipsing another. It's more than that and 

 from former Post reporter Kara Swisher (now of All Things D) makes that argument (h/t: Than Tibbetts):

What does all that mean? Sportswriting is a perfect example of the problem facing traditional journalists. This is how the mainstream media traditionally tells a game story:

Not awful. But not that interesting. Not anymore.

. See, I can't actually quote it because we're a pretty old-school newsroom ourselves, but I would argue it's a more creative, interesting, funny way to tell a story than the formulaic style of newspapers that set the journalism standard for decades.

It might well be that Bezos gets that and will push to make daily journalism be less "boring" and risk averse. But I doubt it.

Incidentally, Daily Circuit will discuss some of this, perhaps, in a segment this morning on the billionaires who are buying newspapers.

In Wilson, Wis. -- between Hudson and Menomonie -- Dave Anderson and his wife, Pam Dixon have developed a new niche farm. It's a brewery. And a pub. But only two times a month, the 

 says. Even skydivers drop in for the occasional brew.

Friday is StoryCorps day, thank goodness.

Today, NPR provides the story of a young man who was shot and paralyzed in Chicago, and the mother who wouldn't give up when things looked bleak.

"I'm not really too scared that it will happen again because it made me appreciate life more," he said. "It gave me a second chance to make better decisions. Before I got shot, we really didn't express our feelings to each other that much. We really didn't hang out that much. We didn't talk about everything like we do now, so it brought us closer."

5) NOT ALL HEARTLESS CROOKS ARE HEARTLESS 

Somebody broke into an agency that helps sexual assault victims in San Bernadino, Calif. There's no sign on the building so they didn't know what it was they were breaking into.

Corporations don’t give to charity: Why the most profitable companies are stingy

. Written by former CEO of NPR. (Slate Magazine)

Wisconsin: 'i (heart) boobies!' bracelet ban continues to ignite debate

 The Science Genius program is bringing hip-hop into the classroom and challenging students at nine New York City public high schools to rap about science. Finalists from each school faced off at the Science Genius B.A.T.T.L.E.S. (Bring Attention to Transforming Teaching, Learning and Engagement in Science) competition earlier this summer, 

Are the new security rules during Vikings games excessive?

 - First hour: Friday roundtable panel discusses why Minnesota can't get its sex offender policy right, how adverse childhood experiences will impact healthcare policy, and what Minnesota's educational and economic gaps mean for the future of the state.

Second hour: How to counsel parents of premature babies with birth defects or other serious health issues.

Third hour: Billionaires who buy newspapers.

 (12-1 pm): A debate from the Aspen Ideas Festival: "Is America Suffering from an Entitlement Epidemic?" The speakers are Doug Holtz-Eakin and Bill Galston.

 - Plans to Reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on the Horizon | Compensation Finally Comes to Family of Henrietta Lacks | The Collective Experience of PTSD

 -- Live coverage of President Obama's news conference.

- Is there room in the hyper-masculine hip-hop world for gay artists? Minneapolis rapper Kevin "Kaoz" Moore thinks so. He'll talk with MPR's Nikki Tundel.

Valerie June's musical style has been called part spiritual, part pop, and now even part blues. She calls it organic moonshine roots music. The Tennessee singer-songwriter explains it all and talks about her new album, Pushin Against a Stone.

NewsCut

Sports

Bob Collins

Author

The questions surrounding the Wilfs, it's time for journalists to change how they tell stories, the brew farm,  rapping scientists, the people who don't give up, and not all heartless crooks are heartless.

5 x 8: Why didn’t Minnesota leaders know about Wilf’s legal woes?

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