Edelson served three terms in the Legislature as a DFLer representing Edina in the House. Previously, she worked as a therapist and said mental health services would be a top priority for her as commissioner.

Simonetti later acknowledged that she works as an OnlyFans model, under the pseudonym Jennie Kennedy, and previously worked as an escort. She has said she had to make a plan for her and her son to escape an abusive relationship. and that she now has “considerable wealth.”

Edelson made a passing mention to Simonetti’s work under her alias, saying: “There are not two versions of me. With me, you get what you see.”

The District 6 special election in May drew just 11,386 of more than 126,000 registered voters in the district, which includes Edina, Greenwood, Hopkins, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, Shorewood and Wayzata. Nearly 98,000 District 6 voters cast ballots when the seat was last on the general election ballot in November 2020.

District 6 isn’t the only Hennepin County district to feature a competitive board race.

Twin Cities franchisees and business advocacy groups have already voiced their concerns about the potential drive-thru restrictions to the planning commission.

Over 80% of Taco Bell transactions in St. Paul are done via drive-thru windows, according to Zach Zelickson, vice president of Marvin Development, which develops Taco Bell restaurants for Border Foods. A ban on new drive-thrus could limit what can be done with existing restaurants and make customers travel to locations outside the city, he said. In 2022, Border Foods opened a futuristic Taco Bell Defy location with four drive-thru lanes in Brooklyn Park.

“We believe that drive-thrus play a vital role in serving the needs of our communities across Minnesota,” Angie Whitcomb, CEO of Hospitality Minnesota, which represents the state’s hospitality businesses, said in a statement. Drive-thrus provide convenience for busy customers and contribute to the safety of fast food workers, particularly duing late-night hours, she said.

Drive-thrus have been synonymous with America’s fast-food culture since the concept became mainstream in the 1970s. During the pandemic, drive-thrus became even more important, allowing consumers to grab food while COVID-19 restrictions shut down many restaurant dining rooms.

Besides traditional fast food operations, other fast casual restaurants such as Chipotle have begun to add drive-thru lanes.

According to a study released last month by the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, drive-thrus are critical for many businesses. Average monthly visits to studied stores with drive-thrus were down a little more than 4% in December 2022 (post-pandemic) compared to December 2019 (pre-pandemic). However, traffic at stores without drive-thrus declined about 48%.

“[The most pressing issues] are everything from gentrification to community policing to climate change,” he told the Star Tribune. “MCAD’s role is: How do we begin addressing the most critical issues of our time? Frankly that’s got to be part of the work we do in educating the next generation of cultural leaders.”

MCAD’s Board Search Committee will begin a national search for the next president, working with executive search firm Isaacson, Miller, along with the MCAD community.

“We thank President Sethi for his dedication for the past five years, as he led the college through the challenges of COVID, acquired a new building for much-needed student housing, reimagined the campus of the future, and advocated for greater access to an art-and-design education,” said Board Co-Chairs Chris Barry and M.E. Kirwan in a joint statement.

Sethi is the 19th president in MCAD’s 139-year history, previously serving for four years as inaugural director of George Washington University’s Corcoran School of the Arts & Design, and previously holding leadership positions at Santa Fe Art Institute, Memphis College of Art and California College of the Arts.