Fresh off the Democrats’ losses in the presidential election and for control of the U.S. House and Senate, the longtime chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor party is putting his name in the hat to lead the Democratic National Committee.

Ken Martin, 51, of Eagan, announced his intention Tuesday in a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“I’m ready to get to work to rebuild our party,” he wrote in a caption accompanying the 2:20 minute video.

Martin began his career in the 1990s as an intern for former U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone. He has served as leader of the state’s Democrats since 2011, making him the longest-serving chairman in the party’s history. Martin also serves as vice chair of the DNC and president of the Association of State Democratic Chairs.

“When I took over Minnesota’s Democratic Party, we were deep in debt and disarray, reeling from major losses. But we brought people together, we built a winning coalition and we delivered results,” he said in his video. “Since then we’ve won every statewide election. Twenty-two in a row. “And we are the last of blue wall states still standing. “

Martin, who attended Eden Prairie High School and graduated from the University of Kansas, said he entered politics because he was angry and frustrated with what he saw with politicians. He said Wellstone told him the only way to change an institution is to get involved and shape it from the inside.

“That is why I am running for the chair of the Democratic National Committee,” Martin said in his video. “My motto is to build, to expand, build to last. When the Trump agenda fails Americans, as it most certainly will, they need to know that we have their backs.”

The owners of the CC Club in Minneapolis’ Uptown neighborhood say they are open to selling the famous dive bar in the near future after running it for more than a decade.

Randy Segal, one of the co-owners of the bar, said there have been no formal plans to sell the bar yet. But with both Segal and his co-owner Steve Shapiro recently turning 75 in March, he says he is contemplating retirement.

“With all the stress of running businesses, you get older, and reality hits,” Segal said on Monday.

The dive bar was first opened in 1933 at the intersection of Lyndale Avenue and 26th Street. It developed a legendary status in the city as a place for hipsters and musicians. The bar has seen a lot of music style evolution from rock-and-roll to today’s punk-focused music scene.

Notably, a few songs by the Minneapolis rock band The Replacements were inspired by their time at the CC Club, including the track, “Here Comes a Regular.”

Earlier this year, Segal had mentioned to others that he would look to retire and sell the business to when he turned 75, which happened in March. While there have been no advertisements or formal talks about selling, Segal said he would consider offers.

“It’s the kind of thing where if something came along and it was the right deal, I suppose I’d listen to it,” Segal said.

First opportunity, however, would go to the bar’s workers if they wished to collectively buy the bar, the owner noted. Still, Segal said he wants whoever eventually takes over the club to have knowledge of bars, business and being a manager.

The Salvation Army kicked off its annual Red Kettle campaign over the weekend, but it does not have enough bell-ringers to staff its donation buckets.

The nonprofit is seeking to raise $2 million during its holiday campaign, and a good portion of that comes from coins and dollar bills dropped in red buckets placed outside store entrances and on street corners. To reach that goal, Salvation Army is looking for volunteers to ring bells near the kettles and draw attention to the campaign.

The organization providing struggling families with food, housing and financial assistance throughout the year needs bell ringers to fill 15,000 hours, but so far only 4,000 hours have been reserved.

“Volunteers are the foundation of our Red Kettle campaign, because a kettle with a bell ringer will raise between $80 and $100 an hour — enough to feed three families for a week,” said Salvation Army Northern Division Lieutenant Colonel Randall Polsley. “All the analysis we’ve done confirms that a kettle without a ringer collects no donations, so volunteering as a bell ringer makes all the difference.”

Last year, the Salvation Army tested a new system at select kettles to allow donors to use credit cards and smartphones to make digital contributions. This year Salvation Army will use its “Tap To Give” devices at more Twin Cities locations.

“Many people no longer carry cash with them, and with ‘Tap To Give,’ we’ve made it incredibly easy to quickly make a small donation at the red kettle,” Polsley said.

Revenue during the annual holiday campaign was up last year, but still has not returned to levels prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, officials said. But the need for help continues as families continue to face high prices for rent, food and utilities, they added.

“As more and more people come to the Salvation Army for help, we in turn rely on volunteer bell ringers for their help at this most important time of year,” said Sophie Crowell, volunteer relations director of the Salvation Army Northern Division.