Gov. Tim Walz recently named two new appointees to four-year terms on the Metropolitan Airports Commission’s (MAC) governing board.
James Lawrence (pictured, left), currently the chairman of Lake Harriet Capital LLC, a private investment firm, was appointed commissioner for District C, which includes the west suburban area of the Twin Cities.
Timothy Baylor (pictured, below) the founder and CEO of the JADT Companies, was appointed to represent District D, which includes the city of Minneapolis and some northwest suburban areas.
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Both will serve four-year appointments on the 15-member MAC board of commissioners, running until January, 2025. The board sets policy that directs the MAC, which owns and operates Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and six reliever airports in the Twin Cities area.
Prior to his position at Lake Harriet Capital, Lawrence worked in a variety of finance-related positions, including as Chief Financial Officer of Unilever, a multinational corporation and maker of a wide variety of consumer goods. He was also previously Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of General Mills.
Baylor has led several development projects in the Minneapolis area including land, retail, commercial and luxury housing projects. Through JADT Food Group, Baylor serves as the owner/operator and manager of several McDonald’s restaurant locations in the Minneapolis area. He currently serves on the boards of the Minneapolis Foundation, the North Memorial Hospital System, Meet Minneapolis, and is a member of the National Football League Players Association.
The two new appointees replace Steve Cramer, who had served on the MAC Board for eight years, and Katie Clark Sieben, who had served for four years. Cramer and Clark Sieben were honored for their service during the full MAC Commission meeting on Feb. 16.
The governor also reappointed three current MAC commissioners to another four-year term: James Deal of Ramsey, representing District E; Richard Ginsberg of St. Paul, representing District G; and Donald Monaco of Duluth, an outstate appointee.
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 Spring is around the corner and Holman’s Table, the popular restaurant and lounge at the St. Paul Downtown Airport, is reopening Wednesday, March 3.
Located in the historic airport terminal at 644 Bayfield St., Holman’s Table had closed temporarily during restrictions stemming from the pandemic. The restaurant will now be open Wednesdays through Sundays each week. The hours are:
- Wednesday-Thursday: 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Friday-Saturday: 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sunday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Reservations are highly recommended, but Holman’s Table will take walk-ins too. New specials include a happy hour at Cora’s Lounge, Wednesday-Friday, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. with $5 drinks and snacks.
The restaurant has also added Brunch Libation Boards (pictured: the Mimosa board), fresh seafood featured every week, a double chicken sandwich and new craft cocktails.
Holman’s Table continues to follow measures providing a safe experience for diners and staff in response to the pandemic. Please arrive with a face mask on and a hearty appetite.
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 As Minnesota exits the Arctic outbreak that brought us sub-zero temperatures, Twin Cities-area residents may again notice a change in aircraft sounds from overhead.
The change is tied to sound waves and the weather.
When temperatures were closer to -20° Fahrenheit earlier this month, that chill and lower humidity affected sound waves. Specifically, those conditions influence how sound waves travel through the atmosphere before dissipating, and it’s one reason why the aircraft sounds you hear on a bitterly cold day may vary from the same aircraft on a warmer day.
The cold air also brought an abundance of sunshine. As warmer air returns, the clouds that it brings can reflect sound waves back to the surface, making aircraft sound different. Also, ambient noise generally tends to decrease in the winter, with fewer people active and outside. This can make sounds from aircraft more prominent.
While cold temperatures do allow sound waves to travel farther, there are also some benefits for airport neighbors impacted by aircraft noise. Cold air has higher density which leads to higher performance by jet aircraft. Higher air density improves acceleration, reduces runway lengths needed during take-off, and increases lift and altitude gained as aircraft fly away from the airport.
After reviewing departures during the cold weather, aircraft departures were more than 300 feet higher three miles from the airport during the cold snap than the same aircraft during a hot summer week. That would make aircraft more than a Minnesota Capitol dome above the same flight in hot temperatures.
Further out, at nine and ten miles from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), aircraft altitudes averaged over 1,600 feet higher. That distance would make aircraft more than two IDS Towers (excluding communications antennas) stacked on top of each other higher during the cold snap.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of daily flights in and out of MSP has declined significantly, as fewer people have been flying. The laws of physics, however -- and the movement of sound waves through the atmosphere -- remain constant.
How are you feeling about air travel?
In recent weeks, traveler numbers have shown an increase at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), leading to one of the busiest periods since the pandemic began.
MSP also continues to conduct a survey of travelers, which started in the summer of 2020 and guides the airport on modifications to the MSP travel experience in the COVID-19 era.
Even if you’ve taken the survey before, feel free to respond again, as we’re tracking sentiment over time.
To date, survey results show that travelers continue to be most interested in MSP's safety initiatives, such as the increased presence of hand sanitizer dispensers, the face mask requirement and the airport’s efforts to increase physical distancing. All of those efforts are part of the airport's Travel Confidently program.
Thank you for your continued interest in helping us make air travel as safe and comfortable as possible.
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