The Daily Digest: 8-7-06

Posted at 10:32 AM on August 7, 2006 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

Pat Lopez, with the Star Tribune, looks deeper into Amy Klobuchar's job as Hennepin County prosecutor.

The Fargo Forum's Don Davis has a story on how MN's ethanol industry is booming.

The industry may be booming a little bit more now that gas prices look like they'll be going up..

MPR's Laura McCallum has a story on the state senate contest between Geoff Michel and Andrew Borene and whether Edina is trending DFL.

Dan Kenney, the new head of the ballpark authority, will be on MPR's Midday program at 11 am today. Welcome back from vacation, Mr. Eichten. Here's some homework for readers to do before the show..

The Washington Post's David Broder writes that the Bush Administration is going to be pushing health care standards:

Leavitt told a session of the National Governors Association's annual meeting that "in a matter of weeks," President Bush will sign an executive order setting the new requirements. He promised that by year's end, a majority of the 100 largest private employers will sign similar contracts with the hospitals and doctors they use to care for their workers.

This idea may come up on Tuesday when HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt and Governor Pawlenty talk consumer driven health care at this event:

Aug. 8. 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. HEALTH CARE SEMINAR - The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce hosts a seminar on "Consumer-Driven Health Care Plans: Making them work for you and your employees." U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt and Gov. Tim Pawlenty plan to participate.

Pawlenty talked politics with ABC's "The Note" and says it could be a tough year for the GOP

"It seems to me there is going to be a very challenging national or congressional environment for Republicans. But voters can distinguish what's going on in Washington and what's going on in there local or state areas and that is certainly true in Minnesota where the majority of people say the country is going on the wrong track, but our state is going on the right track - so that is a hopeful sign for governors and local officials," Gov. Pawlenty told The Note.

The Star Tribune says health care costs are hurting Duluth's budget:

The Washington Post also has an interesting story on the transformation of the nation's welfare system:

A decade after the government set out to transform the nation's welfare system, the limits on college are part of a controversial second phase of welfare reform that is beginning to ripple across the country. The new rules, written by Congress and the Bush administration, require states to focus intensely on making more poor people work, while discouraging other activities that might help untangle their lives.

By Oct. 1, state and local welfare offices must figure out how to steer hundreds of thousands of low-income adults into jobs or longer work hours. They also must adjust to limits on the length of time people on welfare can devote to trying to shed drug addictions, recover from mental illnesses or get an education.

The New York Times has a story focusing on Republican efforts to make immigration an issue in battleground areas:

Several immigration hearings are being held far from the border with Mexico, in districts where Republican lawmakers are engaged in competitive races for the House, including Evansville, Ind.; Concord, N.H.; and Glens Falls, N.Y. Hearings are also being held in Dubuque, Iowa, where Republicans are fighting to hold on to the seat being vacated by Representative Jim Nussle, and in Hamilton, Mont., where Senator Conrad Burns faces a tough challenge.

Rasmussen has a poll saying more Americans are identifying themselves as Democrats than Republicans.

The Washington Times has a story saying Democrats are restraining from using "culture of corruption" as an election issue. But I'm not so sure about that. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi raised the corruption issue last week when she was in Minnesota.

The Mankato Free Press says the new president of the National Association of Counties is from Blue Earth County.

Pawlenty has a conference call to discuss his new position at the NGA this morning.

Mike Hatch talks renewable energy this afternoon.

Finally, Alan Fine (the GOP candidate in MN's 5th who bought his kid a puppy) is holding a fundraiser where he'll play the piano:

On Tuesday, August 15, Republican Endorsed Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives, Alan Fine, will be performing some of his original music compositions and possibly singing a song or two. A policy discussion will follow the concert addressing issues important to Minnesotans.

The doors open at 6:30pm, the concert will begin just after 7:00pm and a policy discussion will follow at approximately 7:45pm. The event is free and open to the public. The press is encouraged to attend.

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Comments (1)

Minnesota's biofuel industry is certainly booming, and that's good news. Another article I read today noted that 5.5% of the gas stations in Minnesota offer E85 as well as gasoline. Campare this to the .05% E85 availablity nationally (some state still have no E85 pumps open to the public). We lead the nation in biofuel use, and the distribution of E85 outlets in Minnesota was well planned, with 260 outlets spread eavenly around state and the metro areas. That number should rise to 300 stations by years end, I'm told.

Posted by Bob from ALAMN | August 7, 2006 12:44 PM

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