The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

John Hines' 17 year-run with Clear Channel and what Clear Channel was before it was Clear Channel ended this morning -- a Monday, go figure -- when he was told he was being removed from his morning job at KTLK (100.3-FM). Hines was a standard at Clear Channel's country music K102 until this past March when he shifted over -- by his choice -- to add a little mainstream professional sheen to ratings-deprived KTLK, an all right-wing talk station.

So this time it's the Native Americans going after Tom Barnard. I'll watch with amusement to see if Clyde Bellecourt can extract even an ounce of pain from the Twin Cities' most dominant entertainer (and, in my opinion, most potent "new media" political pundit). But based on historical precedent, I'm be betting heavily that Barnard will dismiss any protest Bellecourt can muster with the sangfroid of a grazing water buffalo flicking a buzzing gnat away from his big, muddy rump.