The Memorial Day weekend is nearly here and there's no movement toward an agreement to end the special session. Gov. Pawlenty's gamble to call lawmakers back into session immediately has not generated the pressure he thought it would to get a deal done. The June 30 end of the biennium is the actual deadline, and at this point it's hard to see what will spark an agreement before then.

All that is by way of saying there's not much Capitol news to talk about today. So let me get to a few things I've ignored. Remember last year when KMSP-TV made a big splash by reporting about drinking at the Capitol at the end of the session? They tried to follow up this year, and frankly, didn't make much of a splash this time.

The FOX 9 Investigators didn't see open drinking either. We can't say who drained these wine bottles. We found them in the recycling bins in the Republican office complex in the State Office Building.

On the final night of the session, the ranking Republican finds nothing but pop cans and water bottles in the recycling bins but remember, everyone's on their best behavior this night. Sviggum was even willing to open Republican refrigerators in some representatives’ offices. We found no booze in those refrigerators.

Were other lawmakers willing to do the same?

Reporter: "Steve Sviggum showed us his refrigerator."

James Metzen/President of the Senate (DFL): "Ours are empty. I have to go back to work."

Reporter: "How about when you come back? ' Because last year you had a fair amount of alcohol in there."

Last year, in Metzen's office, FOX 9's hidden cameras caught former Rep. Scott Wasiluk and one of the Senate Secretaries helping themselves to the liquor in Senator Metzen's office.

What about this year?

Yes, what about this year? They found a few bottles in the trash, but nobody caught in the act. I guess that means there was either less drinking or people learned to hide from their hidden cameras.

There's more to report about people who want to run for Gov. Pawlenty's job. Brian Bakst of the Associated Press has this story:

Two more potential challengers to Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty took steps this week toward running; the Independence Party's Peter Hutchinson filed papers Monday forming a campaign committee and DFL state Sen. Steve Kelley scheduled a kickoff event for next week after filing his papers Wednesday.

While the general election is 18 months off, this summer will be decision time for candidates giving the race some thought. They need to leave themselves enough time to woo the party faithful ahead of the March precinct caucuses, which will set the stage for next summer's party endorsing conventions.

Pawlenty hasn't officially said he will run for a second, four-year term. If he does, he has a virtual lock on the Republican nomination.