Capitol View: April 24, 2007 Archive

Run to the Hill!

Posted at 1:38 PM on April 24, 2007 by Tom Scheck

The Minnesota Street Rods Association held its annual Run to the Hill today and showcased their classic cars on the front lawn of the Capitol. The MSRA holds the annual event to thank lawmakers for passing blue dot and single license plate laws. They also say they appreciate that lawmakers allow non-oxygenated fuel to be sold.

This car on the left (with the license plate "1 of 5 left") is an REO. Ever heard of the band REO Speedwagon (of course you have!)? Well it's named after a car designed and created by Ransom E. Olds (REO) and his car company (which later became Oldsmobile).

This black car with license plate "Cruzer" belongs to WCCO-TV photographer Gordie Leach. It's a 1947 Ford. Looks nice but you should have seen the other car Leach used to own. I sold him my 1995 Volkswagen Golf. It was a two toned, beautiful ride (the tones were green and rust).

There could be a few more hot rods at next year's event. Why? AP says some confiscated hot rods will be sold at an auction in Moorhead:

Confiscated hot rods to be sold at auction

FARGO, N.D. (AP) - A rare collection of hot rods used by former drug traffickers will go on the auction block next month in Moorhead (Minnesota).
U-S Marshal Dave Carpenter says the cars were seized last year when federal agents broke up a drug ring in the Minot, North Dakota, area.
Carpenter says the collection includes about a dozen vintage muscle cars from the 1960s and 70s.
Carpenter says money from the auction will go into a special federal law enforcement fund that's used to fight drug crimes.
He says the cars were seized because drug money was used to purchase and maintain them.
Carpenter says he's driven some of the cars -- and says they're "very nice."

Live from the Governor Office!

Posted at 2:55 PM on April 24, 2007 by Tom Scheck

Governor Pawlenty is inviting radio hosts from Greater Minnesota to broadcast from the Governor's office in May. His office sent this invite to Greater Minnesota radio stations earlier today (note- I deleted personal information to protect the Governor's Office from getting spammed):

An Invitation to Greater Minnesota Morning Radio Day at the Capitol

Who: Your radio station's morning radio hosts are invited to broadcast from the Governor's Reception Room at the State Capitol building in Saint Paul. Bookings will be accepted on a first-come, first serve basis for a maximum of eight different radio stations. If interested, please email Press Secretary, Greater Minnesota, Alex Carey (e-mail redacted).

What: Greater Minnesota Morning Radio Day at the State Capitol. Governor Pawlenty and state agency commissioners will be made available to each participating station for on-air interviews. Stations may also invite legislators to stop by for live interviews.

When: Tuesday, May 8th, 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM.

Where: Governor's Reception Room, 130 State Capitol Building, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Saint Paul, MN 55155.

The Governor's office is installing individual phone lines for each radio station in the reception room, and the cost to each station for the event will be approximately $100. To secure your place, the first 8 stations that respond to this invitation will receive a space and a dedicated phone line for your remote broadcast equipment at this event. Please note, however, each station MUST also have their check for the total cost per station (which we will email you later this week) delivered to the Governor's Office by May 2.

Governor Pawlenty also holds a press call every once in a while with Greater Minnesota reporters. Here are the big questions (rhetorically): Why divide the press corps between geographic lines? Can't we all just get along?

And so it begins

Posted at 5:38 PM on April 24, 2007 by Tom Scheck

Governor Pawlenty and legislative leaders started meeting behind closed doors today to talk about the state budget and other legislative priorities. That means the press corps gets to sit outside of the governor's office and wait for legislative leaders to tell us the details of the meeting. If we're really lucky, they hold the meeting at the Governor's residence. If we're really, really lucky - they tell us something newsworthy.

Today, we weren't so lucky. DFL House Speaker Margaret Kelliher said the discussion was "productive" six times in her five minute talk with reporters. She and the other legislative leaders revealed little else.

For those of you who are interested. The Senate is scheduled to take up a bill that creates a statewide policy for embryonic stem cell research on Wednesday. The Minnesota House is scheduled to take up the smoking ban bill on Thursday and the omnibus tax bill on Friday.