ST PAUL, Minn. — From “Childless Cat Lady” to “They’re eating the cats,” Yale University’s list of 2024’s most notable quotations delves into the worlds of presidential politics, entertainment and conspiracy theories while saving room for sports, business and protests against the war in Gaza.

And in a development that can’t make Governor Tim Walz all that happy, he is included in Yale’s list for something he said during October’s vice presidential debate.  

Pop superstar Taylor Swift topped this year’s list by signing an Instagram post in September as “Taylor Swift Childless Cat Lady” while endorsing Democrat Kamala Harris for president.

The remark was a reference to three-year-old comments made by JD Vance, now the Republican vice president-elect, as he described Democrats as beholden to “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too.”

President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump took the next two spots on the list. Biden came in at No. 2 with his recent announcement that he was pardoning his son Hunter. Trump followed with his false claim that, “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs, the people that came in. They’re eating the cats” during his September debate against Harris.

Trump’s comment about Springfield, Ohio, amplified false rumors that Haitian immigrants were abducting and eating pets, repeating inflammatory and anti-immigrant rhetoric he promoted throughout his campaigns.

Trump also came in at No. 5 with “Fight! Fight! Fight!” after an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.

The notable quotations list, compiled each year by Fred Shapiro, an associate director at the Yale Law Library, is a supplement to The New Yale Book of Quotations, which is edited by Shapiro and published by Yale University Press.

“Please note that the items on this list are not necessarily eloquent or admirable quotations, rather they have been picked because they are famous or important or particularly revealing of the spirit of our times,” Shapiro said.

So with no further adieu… here is Yale’s Top Ten. 

1. “Taylor Swift Childless Cat Lady” — Taylor Swift, signing off on an Instagram post, Sept. 10, 2024.

2. “Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter.” — President Joe Biden, official statement, Dec. 1, 2024.

3. “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs, the people that came in. They’re eating the cats.” — President-elect Donald Trump, presidential debate, Sept. 10, 2024, repeating a debunked conspiracy about Haitian immigrants in Ohio.

4. “I’ve become friends with school shooters.” — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, vice presidential debate, Oct. 1, 2024, misspeaking while referring to befriending shooting survivors.

5. “Fight! Fight! Fight!” — Trump after an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024.

6. “Yes they can control the weather.” — Georgia U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, posting on the social media platform X, Oct. 2, 2024, endorsing a conspiracy theory that the government used weather control technology to aim Hurricane Helene at Republican voters.

7. “Some of you (women) may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.” — Kansas City Chiefs football player Harrison Butker, commencement address at Benedictine College, Atchison, Kansas, May 11, 2024.

8. “Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate Harvard’s rules on bullying and harassment?” — New York U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, House of Representatives Education and Workforce Committee hearing, Dec. 5, 2023, questioning now-former Harvard President Claudine Gay on how the university responded to instances of antisemitism on campus.

9. “OMG.” — New York Mets baseball player José Iglesias, title of song released in 2024.

10. “The court reaches the following conclusion: Google is a monopolist.” — U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2024, ruling in an antitrust lawsuit by the U.S. Justice Department against Google. 

WAYZATA, Minn. — Editor’s note: The video above first aired on KARE 11 on Dec. 2, 2024.

The day after Cargill announced it would eliminate thousands of jobs worldwide, nearly 500 Minnesotans learned they’d be among those impacted by the global company’s effort to “restructure.”

The Minnesota-based food and beverage company notified the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Tuesday of its plan to lay off 475 employees who work at its Wayzata Office Center location. The company said the jobs would be terminated as of Feb. 5, 2025.

A statement provided by Cargill said the move comes as part of a “long-term strategy” to continue its 160-year legacy.

“As we look to the future, we have laid out a clear plan to evolve and strengthen our portfolio to take advantage of compelling trends in front of us, maximize our competitiveness, and, above all, continue to deliver for our customers,” the statement read. “As the world around us changes, we are committed to transforming even faster to deliver for our customers and fulfill our purpose of nourishing the world.”

 On Monday, the company announced it would reduce its global workforce by about 5%, equating to roughly 8,000 roles across 70 countries. 

“To strengthen Cargill’s impact, we must realign our talent and resources to align with our strategy,” the statement added. “Unfortunately, that means reducing our global workforce by approximately 5 percent. This difficult decision was not made lightly. We will lean on our core value of putting people first as we support our colleagues during this transition.”

According to its website, Cargill was founded in 1865 as a single grain warehouse in Iowa. Today, it provides “food, ingredients, agricultural solutions and industrial products” to people all over the world.  

Cargill did not disclose which positions were affected.

ST PAUL, Minn. — A Twin Cities company that specializes in removing weeds and invasive plants from lakes has been fined $730,000 after an employee drowned in May while using scuba equipment on the job. 

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry Standards (DLI) OSHA compliance arm says the fine against Columbia Heights-based Your Lake Aquatic Plant Management, LLC is for violating the state’s commercial diving standards. The case involves the death of Joe Anderson, who drowned in May while removing weeds from Lac Lavon Lake in Apple Valley.   

Anderson’s family said in a social media post that he was using scuba equipment and it was his first dive ever. At the time of the investigation, the Dakota County Sheriff’s Department said it was not able to verify the extent of Anderson’s training, including whether he was a certified diver. 

After a thorough investigation, DLI issued findings in November 2024 that supported five willful violations of Minnesota’s commercial diving standard, including:

• Employees did not have the experience or training necessary to perform work safely
• Employees were not trained in CPR and first aid
• An employee was not designated to be in charge of all aspects of the diving operation
• A safe-practices manual had not been developed or maintained
• A standby diver was not available while diving operations took place

“Every person should be able to go to work and come home safely. This was a tragic and preventable loss,” said DLI Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach. “It’s the responsibility of all employers to follow health and safety laws and keep their employers safe at work.”

DLI noted in a news release that the process of aquatic weed removal includes hazards that make employees vulnerable, including physical exertion from pulling, hauling and carrying weeds and bundles; highly variable water conditions, including fluctuating temperatures, visibility, depths and currents; and exposures to adjacent structures and equipment, including docks, dams and boat traffic, plus marine life and vegetation.

Your Lake Aquatic Plant Management has filed a notice contesting the findings and the $730,000 fine. 

The death at Lac Lavon Lake is the second fatal diving-related incident in recent years. Brady Aune of Elko New Market was just 20 years old when he drowned while removing weeds from Lake Minnetonka in June 2022.