Franken is among the senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee who are raising concerns about Google's virtual monopoly of online searches. The company is accused of ranking its own services and companies higher than its competitors.

The Minneapolis-based discount retailer has launched an online charitable partnership with the Washington, D.C.-based Family Equality Council. Target says the partnership is unrelated to the 2010 political donation given to a group that supported Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer, who openly opposed gay marriage.

However, when questioned about bringing tech jobs to the area -- Eric Schmidt says Google doesn't have any future plans in Minnesota. The company says its web-based tools have provided more than $1 billion in economic value to the state.

Walmart is the second big-box chain to stop selling all Amazon Kindle tablets and e-readers in its stores, Reuters reports. Target booted the electronic devices from its shelves about five months ago.

Louis Johnston, chair of the Department of Economics at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, says merging the two Minnesota-based companies could be a win-win for the state's economy. (Photo Courtesy: MinnPost illustration by Christopher Henderson)

Minneapolis-based Target and Richfield-based Best Buy closed roughly 200 stores on the east coast because of Hurricane Sandy on Monday. Eden Prairie-based Supervalu closed about 20 of its Acme Market stores.

Michele Bachmann has taken some flack in the press from none other than her former campaign manager, Ed Rollins. When reporters pointed out that Rollins has had a history of sharp remarks about his former employers, Bachmann responded: “I guess I should have done that Google search."

Minneapolis-based Target is teaming up with Richfield-based Best Buy to test a tech-support program. The Denver Post reports more than two-dozen Target stores in the Denver metro will start featuring Best Buy’s Geek Squad agents this fall. One store in the Twins Cities will also take part in the pilot project. The trained technicians will offer in-store gadget repairs to home-theater delivery and installation.