Around MN: money for burned trees, coal project suspended, end of history

Posted at 8:07 AM on September 28, 2011 by Michael Olson
Filed under: Around MN

Range DFL lawmakers: Feds should pay for burned trees
It's not clear how the value of the trees could be figured, however, since they could never be harvested for commercial use because they lie within a federal wilderness, off-limits to logging. But the lawmakers said that's part of the problem (Duluth News Tribune).

Also on MN Today
Environmentalists cheer end of coal project
After more than four years of struggling through regulation difficulties and opposition efforts, the Boiler No. 4 coal conversion project was indefinitely suspended Tuesday at the New Ulm Public Utilities Commission's meeting (New Ulm Journal).

Local officials sought repeal of homestead credit
Local government officials throughout Minnesota are busy these days trying to explain a major change in state tax policy to residents who are angry about rising property taxes (Winona Daily News).

Crowd to Walz: U.S. going wrong direction
One thing was clear Tuesday morning as Rep. Tim Walz walked into Austin's Hy-Vee to greet his constituents -- people were upset about the direction the country is heading.

(Austin Daily Herald)

Cravaack opposes high speed rail to connect Duluth to Twin Cities
The project would cost about $750 million. Backers said the federal government could pick up 80 percent of the tab. However, Cravaack said he doesn't support spending money on a venture that can't pay for itself (MPR News).

Survey: Increased hiring expected in area
More than one-third of employers participating in the Minnesota College Job Outlook 2012 said they plan to increase hiring. Combined with similar results predicted last fall, it's the first time since 2007 that back-to-back hiring increases are predicted for recent or impending graduates with four-year college degrees (Saint Cloud Times).

A steady drain of collegians from Minnesota, but why?
About 14,500 Minnesota high schoolers who graduated in 2010 chose colleges in other states, while 10,600 students from other states chose a school in Minnesota (Star Tribune).

Abortion foes criticize GOP allies for failing to uphold cloning ban
Angered that a 2009 ban on spending state funds on human cloning was dropped from state spending bills during final budget hearings, the state's largest anti-abortion group is targeting some of its traditional allies (MPR News).

Superintendent: Floodwood School Principal on Paid Administrative Leave (WDIO)

CSS hosts forum searching for middle ground in politics (WDIO).

The end of history
Wabasha museum owner: It's time to be done
Buses don't stop at the Arrowhead Bluffs Museum anymore; they all go straight to the casinos. Riverboats don't bring loads of people willing to drive up to the farm, sitting atop a bluff west of Wabasha.
And the last time Les Behrns had a school group visit his homemade museum, it just wasn't the same."

Kids have no interest in history," he said Wednesday. "They pull out their phones and start texting right away"

(Winona Daily News)