What South Bend’s Mayor Discussed With Facebook’s CEO During a Special Driving Tour

CITY HALLS | South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg joined Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg for a tour of the Northern Indiana city that was, naturally, posted to Facebook in a live video. Zuckerberg, who some say may be flirting with a potential future run for public office, has been on the road on a listening tour in states where Donald Trump won in November, including Wisconsin and Ohio. Buttigieg, an openly gay Navy veteran, fell short in his pursuit of the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee earlier this year. During Zuckerberg’s tour of South Bend, Buttigeig discussed efforts to ease blight and revitalize the city. They also talked about the intersection of technology and infrastructure, specifically, how South Bend uses the cloud to manage smart sewers. [Facebook; Mashable; The Indianapolis Star]

Can Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges smooth things over with the city’s police chief, Janee Harteau? The two have been clashing via the media and press releases after Hodges last week rejected the police chief’s appointment of Lt. John Delmonico to lead the 4th precinct and has said that Harteau did not inform her of the appointment prior to announcing it. Delmonico had been involved in the “Pointergate” scandal, where the lieutenant was quoted by local media as saying that the mayor, who is white, was making gangs sign with an African-American man in a posed photo. Hodges has said that Delmonico is not the right choice to lead the racially diverse 4th precinct. Hodge’s office said that they’re working to set up a face-to-face meeting. [Minnesota Public Radio]

INFRASTRUCTURE | The Utah Department of Transportation is moving ahead with plans for a $5 million wildlife overpass on Interstate 80. A 13-mile stretch of the highway near Parleys Summit, east of Salt Lake City, has been a hotspot for collisions between vehicles and animals. In the last two years, vehicles passing through the area have killed 122 mule deer, 13 moose, four elk and three mountain lions. [The Salt Lake Tribune]

Montana’s legislative session ended Friday after House lawmakers failed to pass an $80.3 million infrastructure borrowing bill. The chamber also did not approve separate legislation that would have provided $41 million in loans for rural water projects. The state’s Legislature has not passed an infrastructure “bonding bill” during the past four biennial sessions. Gov. Steve Bullock, a Democrat, knocked House Republicans who did not support borrowing for major projects. “It is incomprehensible to me that we walk out of this session again without a general infrastructure bill,” he said. [Bozeman Daily Chronicle]

TRADE | The agency that controls Pennsylvania’s state-run wine and liquor stores is working to lift a 55-year-old embargo the U.S. has in place on Cuban rum imports. A U.S. embargo currently applies to most imports from the Communist island nation, and exports to it as well. If Pennsylvania secures approval from the federal government, the rum shipment to the commonwealth from Cuba would likely be the largest since John F. Kennedy was president. "I don't think that there's a national security risk," state Sen. Chuck McIlhinney said. "It's not like we're sending computer technology or missiles or something. We're talking about buying a rum." [AP via The Morning Call]

PENSIONS | There’s tension building in Texas over what type of retirement plans should be available for public employees. The debate comes as Dallas and Houston are confronting major problems with the finances of public worker pension plans. One bill in the state Senate would allow voters in Texas cities to decide whether to switch new public employees to 401(k)-style plans, which do not guarantee minimum monthly payments. Police and fire officials in Houston and Dallas warn that threats to traditional “defined benefit” retirement plans could cause difficulties recruiting and retaining employees. [The Texas Tribune]

DRONES | More and more employees of the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities may soon be adding “drone operator” to their qualifications on LinkedIn. The agency is increasingly paying for training and licensing for workers as a way to save money in the long-term. A complete aerial survey of a remote site, an isolated airport for example, could cost the agency as much as $100,000. With a drone, that cost could drop to $2,500. [Alaska Dispatch News]

PUBLIC SAFETY | In western Colorado, the Mesa County prosecutor is issuing restraining orders on people who are arrested in Grand Junction’s Whitman Park that prohibits them from returning to the park. On April 19, police arrested 19 people suspected of crimes or infractions in the park, including prostitution, drug activities and disorderly conduct. [Grand Junction Daily Sentinel]

Sorry, Michigan: The venomous brown recluse spider, which normally sticks to more temperate climates, is finding new hospitable territory in the Great Lakes State. [Detroit Free Press]