Around MN: Chipotle struggles after firing 450 undocumented workers in Minn.

Posted at 7:51 AM on May 22, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Chipotle struggles after firing 450 undocumented workers in Minnesota
Businessweek: "The 1,260-store burrito chain fired about 450 Minnesota workers who couldn't confirm the validity of their work documents. The firings affected store operations and resulted in a temporary increase in labor costs to train new workers, Chipotle said in a filing."

Also on Minnesota Today
Gambling insiders doubt wisdom of Minnesota bet on e-gambling
Pioneer Press: "Minnesota is betting big that bringing technology to small-dollar bar gambling will draw a surge of new players whose wagers will help build a $975 million football stadium for the Vikings." MPR News: The e-pulltabs will arrive in establishments around the state in September.

High winds and heavy rain events eroding farmland
Daily Globe: "A wind advisory issued for today and a forecast for potentially heavy rains as early as Wednesday have the potential to wreak even more havoc on eroding topsoil across southwest Minnesota's farmland."

State's program a better measurement of Minn. schools, education official says
Duluth News Tribune: "The Minnesota Department of Education released new ratings today to gauge student achievement in an attempt to accurately portray school performance -- something the No Child Left Behind law failed to do, officials said."
MPR News: "The state system considers academic growth and other factors when assessing schools, not just one set of test scores. It identifies a narrow group of the highest- and lowest-performing schools for all to see, not just a broad list of who failed and who didn't. It also removes many of the toughest sanctions for low performance."
[MAP] Minnesota schools: MMR Ratings 2012

Best Buy's interim CEO snags big pay package
Star Tribune: "Corporate governance experts say G. Mike Mikan's pay is overly generous, given his lack of retail experience."

Pipe fight underway in Hudson
Hudson Patch: "A court fight is brewing between Left of Center and the City of Hudson after local cops changed the way they are enforcing the city's drug paraphernalia ordinance."

Buffalo on the loose

KEYC: "An update for you on those wayward buffalo in Northern Iowa. Some are still on the loose and have made it into Minnesota."

Couple says 'I do' over family graves
Austin Daily Herald: "Wedding bells rang out this weekend over the least likely place imaginable. Diane Waller and Randy Kjarland gave their vows during a 3 p.m. wedding ceremony Saturday set beside their parents' graves in Oakwood Cemetery. ... 'How cool is that?' Waller, the bride, said."

Soudan Underground Mine tours resume Saturday
Duluth News Tribune: "The park closed after a March 2011 fire deep below the surface that took several days to completely extinguish."

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Daycare disaster; Paul delegates deliver; Solar eclipse

Posted at 7:45 AM on May 21, 2012 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Overcrowded day cares 'a recipe for disaster'
Star Tribune: "When care providers take too many children, dangers multiply. Several sites of child-care deaths had been cited for capacity violations."

Ron Paul has Texas-size influence in Minnesota GOP
MPR News: "An overwhelming majority of the Minnesota delegation to this summer's Republican National Convention will be going to Tampa, Fla., as Ron Paul delegates. The Texas congressman had a huge influence on last weekend's Minnesota GOP convention in St. Cloud. Beyond nearly sweeping the national delegates, state Rep. Kurt Bills, Paul's endorsed candidate to take on Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar this fall, won the GOP endorsement over two other Republicans." Star Tribune: "The eclectic Texan's triumph at the state Republican convention was discouraging to longtime activists." Christian Science Monitor: Ron Paul 'bloodless coup' in Minnesota takes most delegates. Now what?

Bills to take to the road in school bus to campaign for U.S. Senate
Princeton Union Eagle: "He and his family, explained Bills, intend to 'rattle around' the state in the bus campaigning. Indeed, the back of the bus may get an upgrade from a church group to make it more comfortable for Bills, his wife Cindy, and the couple's four children, the candidate explained."

Ely firefighters catch a break from weather
Duluth News Tribune: "More than an inch of overnight rain helped firefighters make significant progress Sunday toward extinguishing a wildfire that earlier had threatened the city of Ely."

Klobuchar defends Democratic approach on budget
MPR News: "Sen. Amy Klobuchar's opponents accuse her of letting spending get out of control, but she points out that she has supported some big spending cuts."

Minnesota same-sex marriage fight re-energized -- on both sides
CNN: "Minneapolis is a conflicted city. It's home to one of the largest gay pride festivals in the Midwest and was once dubbed the 'gayest city in America' by The Advocate magazine. The metropolitan area is also home to the conservative power base of Rep. Michele Bachmann."

Farm prices continue to rise
Mankato Free Press: "Agricultural property values in Blue Earth and Nicollet counties continue to shoot up while homes and businesses stay the same or fall slightly in value."

Wine country comes to rural St. Peter
Mankato Free Press: "After watching the first grapevines planted three years ago, Kent Schwickert spent the weekend welcoming customers for the first time to Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery near St. Peter. "

Congress cranks up heat on Minnesota HMO/Medicaid Probe
KAAL: "Congress sends follow up questions and requests state documents. All of this is connected to a Congressional investigation into Minnesota's 4-billion dollar Medicaid program."

Hill of Three Waters
Minnesota Brown: "An unofficial understanding has long existed between the various mining companies and local Ojibwe people that allowed the three-way watershed to remain untouched. The location's mystical, spiritual power has been recognized by centuries of peoples, quite possibly an eon's worth. It shows a rare point where the watershed breaks three ways: north to Hudson Bay, south to the Mississippi River and East to the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway."

Beautiful solar eclipse!
Astro Bob: "It cleared just in time here in northern Minnesota for a great eclipse experience. My friend Jim joined me for a jaunt to Island Lake north of town, where we set up a couple small telescopes along a pleasant stretch of sandy beach."

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Long day ahead for firefighters near Ely

Posted at 8:00 AM on May 18, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

"This thing isn't over yet." Firefighters brace for long day near Ely, expecting high winds and warm temps. Dan Kraker reports there are 75-100 firefighters in Ely that will combat the fire which has subsided significantly since yesterday when it threatened the town.

Firefighters mop up near Ely

MPR News: Firefighters were able to stop a fast moving wildfire just outside the town of Ely on Thursday. The Highway 1 Fire started when a power line snapped.

Several small fires quickly grew into a 216-acre blaze. Superior National Forest District Ranger Mark Van Every says the fire got to within a couple of hundred yards of Ely.

"It was a very close call," he said. "The fire was moving very rapidly, spotting ahead of itself, being pushed by the wind, you can see by the shape of the fire, it's a classic wind driven fire, it starts here and it gets pushed in a large cigar shape, and it was being pushed directly towards that southeast end of town."

Van Every says a quick response from several large water-dropping aircraft stationed nearby likely saved some homes from being destroyed. He says firefighters today will work to contain the fire's perimeter, and then work from the outside in, extinguishing any hot spots.

Also on Minnesota Today
Health care reform: GOP preps plan for ruling on law
Politico: "House Republican leaders are quietly hatching a plan of attack as they await a historic Supreme Court ruling on President Barack Obama's health care law."

Government support could shift for farmers
MPR News: "Over the last several years prices for soybeans, corn and other crops have increased, bringing in big revenues for Darwyn Bach and other farmers. But despite some years of increased profits, Bach still received a $4,500 check from the federal government."

Parts for Minnesota Power wind turbines blow through Twin Ports
Duluth News Tribune: "The latest installment of a growing wind energy center on the plains of North Dakota is moving through the Duluth port this week as Minnesota Power ramps up its renewable energy efforts."
The DNT is also reporting that the Duluth mail-processing center will remain open

Op-Ed: Dayton turned his back on compromise, Minnesotans
Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen writes in the Star Tribune: "Bipartisan deal in Legislature offered needed tax relief and jobs."

Op-Ed: Mining policies threaten national security and economy
H. Sterling Burnett writes in The Hill: "Instead of utilizing our more than $6.2 trillion worth of key mineral resources to our advantage, we've allowed confusing, outdated regulations deter investment in U.S. mining to the point that we're now 100-percent import dependent for 19 key minerals."

Op-Ed: Citizenship to Go
New York Times: "The real problem with citizenship laws is not their manipulation by lawmakers or entrepreneurs, much less by mythical 'anchor babies.' The problem is more fundamental: the age-old, irrational linkage between citizenship and birthplace."

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Whooping cough concerns; Underappreciated Modernist designs; Sen. Bills?

Posted at 8:00 AM on May 17, 2012 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Whooping cough cases on the rise in Minnesota
Pioneer Press: "Minnesota health officials say the state is dealing with a rising number of whooping cough cases this year."

Preservationists aim to halt Peavey Plaza redesign in Minneapolis
MPR News: "Brackish, green water fills the reflecting pool at Peavey Plaza in downtown Minneapolis. Two of the three pumps that circulate it have stopped working. The third hasn't been turned on since last year. The fountain's iconic metal columns are dry and a bronzy tinge can be clearly seen." New York Times: "The plaza has become another battleground in the wars being fought around the country between preservationists determined to save what they see as underappreciated Modernist designs and cities and developers pushing to move on."

Vying for Klobuchar's seat, Bills says he can make 'tough decisions'
MPR News: On Friday, Republicans are expected to endorse a candidate to run against DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar. MPR News is looking at what each of the candidates is proposing to do about the nation's budget deficit. The three Republicans in the race all say government spending is out of control. Each is promoting a balanced budget, but none thinks taxes need to go up. Instead they all insist cuts and spending and regulations cuts are the best approach to ending deficit spending. This week we've heard from Dan Severson and Pete Hegseth. Today, it's state Rep. Kurt Bills' turn.

New Blue Cross network ranks Mayo Clinic in Tier 2
Post Bulletin: "Blue Cross ranked Mayo Clinic more costly than some of the other health systems covered by the plan, so the clinic gets a Tier 2 ranking instead of Tier 1."

For first time in U.S., minority babies now in majority
Star Tribune: "Census estimate marks a first for the nation, serving as harbinger of change to come."

Superior woman's 'ex-husband sale' stops traffic
Duluth News Tribune: "A public display of anger over love gone wrong -- or a celebration over a marriage ended -- caused traffic delays on North 21st Street in Superior on Wednesday."

Minn. apple crop mostly survives untimely frost
AP: "The sudden cold snap that interrupted Minnesota's warm spring five weeks ago doesn't appear to have been as big a disaster for the state's apple crop as first feared, but it still has left some growers hurting and worried."

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Duluth casino contract invalid; Redistricting bills; 50 years of spending

Posted at 7:57 AM on May 16, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Interior Department calls Duluth's casino contract invalid
Duluth News Tribune: "The city of Duluth's efforts to hold on to a casino revenue-sharing agreement with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa have been dealt another blow."

Workers authorize strike at 8 Twin Cities hospitals
Star Tribune: "Workers at eight Twin Cities hospitals could be off their jobs later this month in a temporary strike over a new contract."

$628K sought for redistricting costs
AP "The Minnesota court panel that settled the latest round of political redistricting is now being asked to cover more than $628,000 in legal bills for the Democrats, Republicans and citizens who joined the lawsuit."

Mankato woman, 21, drowns in Blue Earth River
Mankato Free Press: "A woman and three of her friends got on their inner tubes, floated away from the sandy shores of Rapidan Dam Park and started what was going to be a lazy trip down the Blue Earth River on a warm May afternoon."

Hegseth seeks Medicare, Social Security overhauls
MPR News: "Delegates to the state Republican convention will endorse a candidate for U.S. Senate later this week. MPR News is looking at what each of the candidates is proposing to do about the nation's budget deficit."

Duluth School Board begins laying off teachers
Duluth News Tribune: "Six non-tenured teachers were laid off Tuesday by the Duluth School Board in a 5-1 vote.The layoffs include four special education teachers, one English teacher and one social studies teacher."

Engaging teens in pregnancy prevention may be paying off
MPR News: "In the sex education classes teens take in Minnesota schools, abstinence has been touted as the only 100 percent effective way to avoid pregnancy. But survey statistics don't give abstinence the credit."

Chisago Lakes fishing tournament goal? Kill the carp
Pioneer Press: "The Chisago Lakes Lions Club has a solution for the common carp that are muddying area waters: catch as many as you can, and kill them."

Paul campaign lays out delegate strategy
Politico: "On a call with reporters this morning, Paul campaign chairman Jesse Benton laid out the campaign's strategy for winning delegates going forward and stressed that Paul's supporters won't cause problems at the Republican convention in Tampa this summer."

Mystery donor gives $7 million to Coleman group
USA Today: "An anonymous donor gave $7 million to the American Action Network, a conservative group that spent millions to aid Republicans in the 2010 midterm congressional elections, according to tax returns the organization is filing with the Internal Revenue Service."

Lawmakers react to end of session
KAAL: "Democratic Governor Mark Dayton and state legislators kept Minnesota under budget, adjourned on time, and without a government shutdown. But besides a Vikings stadium deal, lawmakers were quick to blame one another on a relatively slow session."

Majority in poll: Retire Fighting Sioux nickname
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "A month before the electoral showdown over the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux nickname, a new statewide poll shows likely voters inclined toward allowing the university to retire the historic name and logo."

Goodhue County Public Health building evacuated after OSHA complaint
Rochester Post Bulletin: "In an ironic development, Goodhue County officials have been forced to begin evacuating 21 employees from the Goodhue County Public Health building after receiving a list of health concerns from the Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Division (OSHA) in St. Paul."

50 years of government spending, in 1 graph
Credit: Lam Thuy Vo / NPR
Planet Money: "Of each dollar the federal government spends, how much goes to health care? How much goes to defense? How much goes to other programs? And how has spending changed over time?"

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Dolphins depart; Social media restrictions for teachers; Ron Paul's party

Posted at 8:10 AM on May 15, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Dolphins will leave Minn. Zoo after getting state money to fix up exhibit
MPR News: "Visitors to the Minnesota Zoo only have a few months left to see the two dolphins there. The animals will be sent to other aquariums while the zoo's Discovery Bay building is under renovation, and they will not be coming back."

Moorhead Schools approve new social media policy for teachers
WDAY: "The district says it encourages teachers to use social media, but they need to serve as positive ambassadors for the district. In the event of an investigation, teachers may be required to give the district access to his or her personal social media sites."

Poll: Minnesotans supportive of stadium and Dayton, but don't want it built with public funds
KSTP: "Though Minnesotans remain divided on what to do about the Minnesota Vikings, a plurality now for the first time supports building a new stadium."

Minneapolis City Council prepares to consider Vikings stadium
St Cloud Times: "Now that Gov. Mark Dayton has signed the $975 million Minnesota Vikings stadium bill, it's Minneapolis City Council's turn to get the ball."

Poll: Obama up big in Minnesota
The Hill: "President Obama has a big lead over Mitt Romney in Minnesota, according to a Survey USA poll released on Monday." The same poll also found that a majority in the state support same sex marriage.

Dayton gets last word as he vetoes reworked GOP tax cuts
Star Tribune: "Some had hoped he'd sign bill as thanks for GOP stadium support."

Senjem: Session successful, governor vetoes disappoint
Mankato Free Press: "Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem says the 2012 legislative session was largely a success, Mankato still has a good chance to get civic center upgrade funding, and Mark Dayton's veto pen was the session's biggest disappointment."

Best Buy's Richard Schulze: Stereo seller to retail giant
MPR News: "In 1966, Best Buy was a stereo specialty retailer called Sound of Music, founded by Richard Schulze in St. Paul."

Op-Ed: State GOP is returning to sound principles
Star Tribune: "Ron Paul supporters have encouraged much of this internal restoration."

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The cure, not the controversy; Asian carp find new route north; GOP rift

Posted at 7:15 AM on May 14, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Susan G. Komen participants focus on the cure, not the controversy
Pioneer Press: "Plenty of people wore pink at Sunday's Susan G. Komen Twin Cities Race for the Cure, focusing on eradicating breast cancer and celebrating its survivors and not on the recent divisions created over the foundation's ongoing funding of Planned Parenthood."

Asian carp may have found a Minnesota back door through Iowa
MPR News: "There's a back door for Asian carp to sneak into Minnesota, and fisheries officials are worried that the invaders might have found it already."

Op-Ed: How do you take your Tea?
Lori Sturdevant: "Republicans leave the Capitol more divided than many realize, including their funders."

It's more than partisan at the Capitol. It's personal
NewsCut: "It's not particularly difficult to see why so many legislators have called it quits at the Minnesota Capitol this session, often citing the changing atmosphere of partisanship there."

Mayo Clinic team returns from Mount Everest
Post Bulletin: "Team members had stayed at a base camp until a week ago, then they began a 50-mile trek, intending to do 10 days of research. They left the mountain a couple days early for reasons related to the effort of the North Face."

Gaylord, Minn., school's strategy pays off
Star Tribune: "Over the past eight years, the rural school about 60 miles southwest of the Twin Cities has dramatically raised reading scores, most notably among elementary students who are learning English, about one-fourth of the student population."

4 years + 4 majors + 4.0 = Path to success for St. Scholastica grad
Duluth News Tribune: "When Brock Erdahl walked across the commencement stage with 570 undergraduate classmates from the College of St. Scholastica on Sunday afternoon, he was recognized as a quadruple major."

Restaurant Report - Tycoons in Duluth
New York Times: "If you're going to open a restaurant celebrating millionaires, Duluth, Minn., is a surprisingly appropriate place to do it: at the turn of the 20th century, the city had more of them per capita than any other in the country."

Western Wisconsin leg of CapX2020 transmission project approved
Winona Daily News: "State regulators have approved plans to build a $202 million, high-voltage transmission line in western Wisconsin that will serve as the last leg of the CapX2020 transmission line, a 700-mile series of lines bringing lower-cost power from the Dakotas."

Op-Ed: Mitt Romney, the unlikable candidate
Daily Beast: "It's been a long time since the country elected a man as personally unappealing as Mitt Romney. Will Americans overlook their deeply held conviction that he's a jerk?"

'War on women?' Yes, no and a sidestep
Star Tribune: "With women's votes emerging as a major battleground in the 2012 presidential election, the three women in Minnesota's congressional delegation are carving out distinctly contrasting roles."

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The beginning of the end of coal?

Posted at 3:41 PM on May 11, 2012 by Dan Kraker (2 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Arrowhead, Environment, Utilities

Yesterday on All Things Considered I reported how the Minnesota Department of Commerce is pushing for the closure of five coal-fired electric generators in northern Minnesota by the end of the decade.

Minnesota's Commerce Department wants Minnesota Power to shut down one of its three coal-fired generators at its Taconite Harbor Energy Center along the North Shore of Lake Superior in Schroeder.

That recommendation from Commerce came after the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission ordered Minnesota Power to study the economics of closing some of its coal units. It was the first time the PUC had ordered a so-called "baseload diversification study." The PUC has since also asked Interstate Power and Light and Otter Tail Power for similar studies. It wants Otter Tail to evaluate retiring its Hoot Lake coal-fired power plant.

Tough new environmental regulations are increasingly making older and smaller coal-fired generation stations uneconomic. Many utilities are turning instead to cheap and much cleaner burning natural gas. Xcel has already converted two Twin Cities area coal plants to natural gas. Midwest Generation just announced it will close two Chicago area coal plants sooner then expected rather than retrofit them.

So is this the beginning of the end of coal? Bloomberg Energy Analyst Rob Barnett published a report this week that declares the "twilight of coal-fired power" in the U.S. Barnett says a proposed new EPA carbon dioxide standard rolled out last month "effectively bans the construction of new coal-fired power plants" in the U.S.

Still, Barnett says we'll still have coal-fired power in the U.S. for decades to come. It will just make up a smaller chunk of our electric generation. Already, coal's share of generation capacity has shrunk from 52% to 40% since 2000.

Minnesota Power's plans mirror that trajectory. The utility now derives about 95% of its electricity from coal. But next year that share will drop to 75%, and utility Vice President Al Rudeck says that will drop to 50% by 2025.

But the company also announced this week it will spend nearly $400 million dollars on environmental upgrades at its giant Boswell power plant in Cohasset. As Rudeck describes, the utility will invest more heavily in wind, hydro, and gas, but coal will still provide the base of its generation.

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Investment in Vikings unlikely to pay off; Walleye opener; Accretive answers

Posted at 8:00 AM on May 11, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

After years of wrangling, new Vikings stadium nearly a reality

MPR News: "The decade-long debate over a new, publicly subsidized Vikings stadium reached a conclusion Thursday, along with this year's legislative session, at the State Capitol. The Senate passed final legislation to build a $975 million stadium in Minneapolis by a vote of 36-30."

Wilf: 'We're here to stay'
Star Tribune: A video recap of VIkings stadium debate and post-vote reaction.

Duluth News Tribune: 'Skol, Vikings' heard 'round the Minnesota Capitol
Star Tribune: "Dayton deserves much of the credit, but he wasn't alone."
Field of Schemes: The deal "shows that if team owners ask for the moon and the stars, they can usually count on being bargained down by only a couple of lesser planets."

Minnesota Vikings set to get new stadium, investment unlikely to pay off
Wall Street Journal: "The deal makes Minnesota, population 5.3 million, the latest small market to shell out big bucks for a major sports stadium, despite evidence that such investments rarely pay off for taxpayers in purely economic terms."

LA Times: "This stadium is the best interest for the state," said Sen. Julie Rosen, a Republican from Fairmont who was lead sponsor of the bill. "This investment from three partners is the best for this state."

Sen. Scott Newman, a Republican from Hutchinson who opposed the bill, predicted it would pass. He said the state should be spending its money on things like healthcare and education.

"I know it happens across the nation, but it saddens me to think that our citizens believe that this is a wise expenditure of tax money," Newman said.

Also on Minnesota Today
Dept. of Commerce: Minnesota Power should close old coal plants
Duluth News Tribune: "The Minnesota Department of Commerce has come to the same conclusion as environmental groups, although for different reasons, that some of Minnesota Power's oldest coal-fired power plants should shut down sooner rather than later."

Fishing opener: Early spring may be good for fishing, bad for fish
Pioneer Press: "Among the reasons: A mild winter followed by an early-spring heat wave forced ice off lakes with record-breaking haste, allowing fish to spawn and recover before anglers could try to hook them."

Anglers see visions of walleyes
Duluth News Tribune: "John Chalstrom was in his leech office Thursday afternoon dealing hundreds of the wriggling black creatures into 50 waiting Styrofoam containers."

Accretive to comply with Franken's query, CEO says
Star Tribune: "Accretive Health CEO Mary Tolan has pledged to fully respond to questions that Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., posed last month about the company's debt-collection tactics and patient-privacy practices at Fairview hospitals."

Motoring in Moorhead
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "As Bill Cullen started his bike here, a wave of Bike Night passersby circled around his 1925 Harley-Davidson and 1921 sidecar to hear the purr of the engine."

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Reservation homelessness persists; Ron Paul joins Minn. GOP convention

Posted at 8:03 AM on May 10, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Study: Reservation homelessness persists
MPR News: "Housing improvements over the last several years have not led to fewer homeless people on Minnesota's Indian reservations."

Minnesota Vikings one step closer to new stadium
MPR News: "Only a state Senate vote stands between the franchise and the $975 million stadium the Vikings would move into ahead of the 2016 season. The House passed the stadium plan early Thursday by a 71-60 vote."

Ron Paul to speak at Minn. GOP convention
Capitol VIew: "Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul will speak at the Minnesota Republican Convention in St. Cloud on May 18."

ACLU Minnesota sues voter ID advocacy group over failure to disclose nonprofit status
MSNBC: "The Minnesota Voters Alliance, the group suing state and local officials over allegations of fraud in Minnesota elections, was accused Wednesday morning by the Minnesota branch of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of not registering as a nonprofit organization."

Bullying is common factor in suicide deaths of two teens in southeastern Minn.
MPR News: "Two southeastern Minnesota teenagers have killed themselves in the past two weeks. While the cases are very different, the suicides prompt an outpour of grief and discussion about bullying."

Ax won't fall on rural post offices
CNN: "The U.S. Postal Service is backing off a previous plan to close thousands of post offices, and will instead cut hours at 13,000 rural facilities in an effort to save $500 million a year."

After questions on tactics, Accretive cuts forecast
New York Times: "Despite a surge in revenue in the first quarter, Accretive Health on Wednesday lowered its earnings estimate for 2012 because of the loss of an important contract amid accusations that the medical debt-collection company had used overly aggressive tactics."

Angry opponents of N.C. amendment call for moving Democratic convention from Charlotte
News Observer: "North Carolina voters have spoken. Now it's other people's turn. And, around the country, many of them are so mad at Tuesday's results on Amendment One that they're calling for the Democratic National Convention to be yanked out of Charlotte."
More same-sex marriage coverage from Minnesota Today including:
KARE11: Obama's same sex marriage support fuels Minn. debate
Analysis: Obama gambles with same-sex marriage move
Romney pushes back at reporter for asking about same-sex marriage

Garlic Mustard taking over the metro
KARE11: "It sounds delicious but cities around the metro and residents are fighting against it. Garlic Mustard is just one of many invasive plants that is taking over parts of the Twin Cities."

Green groups threaten EPA with lawsuit
MPR News: "Several environmental groups are trying to force the federal government to impose pollution controls at Xcel's Sherburne County power plant."

MAP: Wisconsin property in the path of the St. Croix River Crossing Project
Patch: "At least one Houlton farmer is upset about the St. Croix River Crossing Project and what it will do to farmland that has been in his family for generations."

Mayor highlights efforts to fight blight in Duluth
WDIO: "City officials say blight and nuisance properties diminish quality of life and community pride. Today Duluth Mayor Don Ness highlighted the city's efforts to keep neighborhoods looking clean, safe and livable."

Waconia set for Governor's Fishing Opener
KSTP: "Gov. Mark Dayton plans to attend Friday's community picnic in Waconia, then fish Lake Waconia at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, and fish again later Saturday morning."

Minnesota's odd laws debunked
WDAY: "Websites and books are full of lists of Odd Laws. But just how many of them are still on the books or even existed at all? In the first of a two part series, we look at Minnesota's Odd laws."

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Farmers market overload; BWCA land swap; 'Bigotry's last gasp'?

Posted at 8:00 AM on May 9, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Does Minnesota have too many farmers' markets?
Pioneer Press: "At six farmers' markets each week, Jessica Gilbertson stands behind her white cooler poised to sell meat and eggs. But when customers trickle in, and she nets $50 in sales, she's left wishing she spent that time on the tractor."

Despite Chicago mayor's intervention, Minnesota AG says she won't back off Accretive probe
Pioneer Press: "Attorney General Lori Swanson is vowing to press on with her investigation of Accretive Health despite the mayor of Chicago asking her to rein it in until she has met executives to discuss concerns about the company's collection practices."

Cravaack introduces BWCAW land swap bill
Duluth News Tribune: "Just days after the Minnesota Legislature approved a plan to trade state land in the Boundary Waters for federal land outside the federal wilderness, U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack has introduced the deal in Congress."

Bonding bill includes funds for affordable housing
MPR News: "The bonding bill Minnesota lawmakers passed Tuesday includes more than $35 million for affordable housing."

Bonding bill heads to governor without Mayo Civic Center funding
Rochester Post Bulletin: "A nearly $500 million public works bill that includes funding to expand The Hormel Institute in Austin is headed to DFL Gov. Mark Dayton."

Scale of Goodhue County wind project questioned
Rochester Post Bulletin: "A 78-megawatt wind-power project proposed for Goodhue County that has been trying to get a state permit since late 2008 has been stalled by organized and determined local residents who have spent six figures fighting it."

Zacc Harris and his modern vision
State of the Arts: "If the Twin Cities jazz scene were in one large building, Zacc Harris would be room-hopping.In one room he's in a trio playing jazz standards. Down the hall, he's in the band Vital Organ, a classic jazz combination of guitar, drums and the Hammond b3."

Twins win one but still having abysmal season
Yahoo! Sports: "As the only team in all of Major League Baseball to still be at single-digits in wins, the Minnesota Twins are breaking the hearts of their most faithful fans and becoming the laughingstock of the sports world."

Op-Ed: Same-sex marriage amendments: bigotry's last gasp
Ana Marie Cox: "It's cold comfort to gay couples in North Carolina and Minnesota today, but mainstream America accepts marriage equality."

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Vikings: House vote unworkable; The other side of the bridge; Catholic marriage campaign

Posted at 8:00 AM on May 8, 2012 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Vikings bill passes House
News Cut:

The Minnesota House of Representatives passed the Vikings stadium bill after nine hours of debate on a 73-to-58 vote. Here's the entire bill. The major changes were:

** State will share in naming rights income and will cap state portion of construction costs. The Vikings do not like this provision.

** Provides a 25% payment of the TOTAL SELLING PRICE to the state if the Vikings sell. That percentage is reduced 1% each year. The original bill called for a payment of the PROFIT only.

** The Vikings, rather than the stadium authority, would be responsible for operating overruns once the stadium is running

Capitol View has the vote count.

Vikings lobbyist Lester Bagley says new team contribution needs "to be worked out." He called the $105 million increase as "not workable."

— tomscheck (@tomscheck) May 8, 2012

Also on Minnesota Today
Fortunes of Wisconsin landowners take turn with St. Croix River bridge
Star Tribune: "Standing in his western Wisconsin farm field on a recent morning, Ed Gillstrom pointed to where a new four-lane highway will wipe out some of the 95 acres where he grows hay for his cattle. 'To take and wreck anything this beautiful because Stillwater wants a bridge ...,' said Gillstrom, his voice trailing into the wind. 'That whole bridge project is about as crooked and political as anything can get. They've got all the politicians in the country telling me what's good for this land.' The Gillstrom family and a half-dozen other landowners in lightly populated St. Joseph Township now know with certainty that they will see, within four years, a major transformation of their rural way of life.

Catholic Church a powerful force in marriage amendment debate
MPR News: "Minnesota law already prohibits gay marriage. But Catholic bishops have made passage of the amendment a top political priority this year, so much so that the Catholic Church is putting a lot of money and prayers into the effort to pass the marriage amendment."

On Game Day, bonding bill games cease
Star Tribune: "A $496 million bill crafted by a bipartisan rump group sailed smoothly through the House on a 99-32 vote, with every DFLer in the chamber joining a majority of Republicans in voting yes. A similarly positive reception for the bill is expected in the Senate later in the day."

Wisconsin Gov. candidates Barrett and Falk compete for labor votes
WPR: "Democratic candidates for governor Tom Barrett and Kathleen Falk are making late bids for labor votes, ahead of Tuesday's recall primary." WPR has this take on the Democratic candidate's final debate before today's vote.

Critics of war on invasive carp decry cost, environmental impact
MPR News: "For about two decades, several species of fish commonly known as Asian carp have been creeping up the Mississippi River and its tributaries, gobbling up food native fish need to survive."

Sensers' text messages show a family grappling with tragedy
Star Tribune: "A thick printout containing hundreds of text messages sheds little light on what happened when Amy Senser struck and killed a man on a Minneapolis freeway ramp last summer."

Twin Ports VA clinic to begin expansion this week
WPR: "The largest Veterans Administration outpatient clinic in northwestern Wisconsin is going to get even bigger, starting this week. It's gearing up to serve the growing number of veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq."

The county that picks presidents
National Journal: "Welcome to the molten core of the political universe, the hottest battleground in the biggest battleground state. Since 1960, Hillsborough County has called every single presidential election except for one--and there's no reason to think that voters here won't do it again."

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Walleye opener 'pretty darn normal'; Bear kills dog; MN GOP fiscal woes

Posted at 3:45 PM on May 7, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Top stories from Minnesota Today this afternoon
Bob Collins is live blogging the Minnesota House debate on the Vikings stadium.

U of M to clamp down on executive severance pay
Duluth News Tribune: "University of Minnesota leaders are looking to tighten up the way departing executives are paid."

Minnesota walleye preview: 'A pretty darn normal opener'
Park Rapids Enterprise: "Anglers can talk about the early spring, ideal water temperatures and whether the fish have recovered from spawning, but the opening day of walleye season in Minnesota always comes down to getting out there and learning firsthand what the fish are doing."

Dog killed by bear in backyard of Sherburne County home
KARE11: "A dog was killed by a female bear in the backyard of a residence in Livonia Township Monday. Sherburne County Sheriff Joel Brott says the bear and her three cubs were in the backyard eating out of a bird feeder."

Minnesota House passes bonding bill
Star Tribune: "The Minnesota House has signed off on a $566 million bonding bill that would fund construction and preservation projects across the state."

Hennepin County gun permits up 54 percent In 2012
WCCO: "Applications for gun permits were up 54 percent from last year over the first four months of 2012, according to a report released Monday by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office."

Minnesota Republican Party lays out 'serious concerns' about financial management
Star Tribune: "The Minnesota Republican Party Monday reported officials found 'questionable decision-making and a lack of accountability' among the 'serious concerns' in the party's financial management over the past several years."

Microsoft's Gates allowed to increase stake in Ecolab
Biz Journal: "Ecolab Inc. moved on Monday to allow Microsoft co-founder and Chairman Bill Gates to increase his ownership stake in the St. Paul company to as much as 25 percent."

'Antiques Roadshow' in Minneapolis
MinnPost: "What's the highest-rated show on PBS? Not 'Masterpiece' or 'Frontline,' but 'Antiques Roadshow,' where people show experts stuff from their attics and learn that it's worth a fortune -- or not. For anyone who has ever hoped the painting found in Aunt Martha's trunk was a lost Vermeer, 'Roadshow' is TV crack."

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Red Bulls return; Nolan gets DFL nod; Graduates face grueling job hunt

Posted at 7:37 AM on May 7, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Last of Minn. Nat'l Guard Red Bulls return home
WCCO: "The last of the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 34th Infantry Division -- the Red Bulls -- returned home to Minnesota Sunday."

Body of fallen soldier escorted to Rochester
KAAL: "It was an emotional homecoming for the family of Sgt. Nicholas Dickhut. 'They took him off the plane and I thought 'Oh my god he's home,'" said Dickhut's aunt Elaine Ferguson.

Vikings' stadium vote Monday could be biggest day in team history
SB Nation Minnesota: "After a decade of trying, the Minnesota Vikings will finally have a stadium bill reach the floor of the Minnesota legislature on Monday. One way or another, it will be a historical day."

Nolan gets DFL endorsement in the 8th District
Northland News Center: "DFL Party Chair Ken Martin says Nolan has a strong campaign and that the party is looking forward to work with him in his race for the 8th District congressional seat currently held by Congressman Chip Cravaack."

Amid vast acres of dying birch trees, residents planting the seed to restore North Shore forests
Duluth News Tribune: "The forest along Lake Superior's North Shore has been drastically changed by humans over the past century. Now, people are making a growing effort to change it back."

New procedure for teaching license draws protest
New York Times: Dozens of students "have refused to send Pearson two 10-minute videos of themselves teaching, as well as a 40-page take-home test, requirements of an assessment that will soon be necessary for licensure in several states," including Minnesota.

SMSU grads reach end of 'chapter'
Marshall Independent: "'Be adventurous. Being adventurous is part of being alive on this earth,' Thomas Jackson, a 1985 SMSU alumnus, said. 'Be honest. Be kind. Be humble.' He also urged students to be ready to offer a hand to the people who come after them."

Bemidji State graduates told to 'keep up your optimism'
Bemidji Pioneer: "Nearly 950 graduates walked across the state at the Sanford Center Friday afternoon, catching one dream and moving on to the next. 'Everyone who is successful must have dreamed something,' said Trustee of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Alfredo Oliveiva, quoting from an Indian proverb."

College graduates likely to face long job hunt
Wall Street Journal: "Graduating college students face a mixed job market at best this year, and most will leave school without an offer in hand, despite an uptick in hiring by on-campus recruiters."

North Dakota using facial-recognition software when taking driver's license photos
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Before Randy Wilson stepped in front of the camera at the DMV last Thursday, he was told to remove his glasses for his driver's license photo."

Twins no bargain, but tickets are
Star Tribune: "After just two seasons at their new digs, the Twins are drawing far fewer fans and even scalpers are having trouble breaking even."

Twins hold hitters-only meeting in effort to escape funk
Pioneer Press: "At one point not long ago it appeared the Twins' offense was just a couple of clutch hits away from being very, very dangerous. Now, quite suddenly, every hit is a challenge."

Finding Minnesota: Minnow shots down the hatch
WCCO: "The Corral Supper Club in Nelson, Minn., celebrates the fishing season with Friday night shots - with a splash of minnow."

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This week in Minnesota

Posted at 11:58 AM on May 5, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

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Arts Around MN: Split Personalities; Homegrown; Marc Johnson-Pencook

Posted at 3:58 PM on May 4, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Washington Gallery, an artist cooperative in Duluth, MN will be displaying an exhibit titled "Split Personalities" through the month of May. The exhibit is a collaborative effort by local artists Brett Grandson and Evan Unverdorben. The title comes from this collaboration, and from the different medium used in the exhibit. Unverdorben will be exhibiting his work in abstract painting, and Grandson will be presenting his landscape photography. The studio will be open for the public every Saturday and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. until May 27.

To check out music happenings in Duluth this weekend, the annual Homegrown Music Festival is continuing to celebrate local music acts until Sunday, May 6th.
"The Homegrown Music Festival is Duluth's annual showcase of rawk and/or roll devil music," organizers contend. "It began as a simple birthday party with a handful of bands and a bunch of beer. Now it's a complete bureaucracy, run by a volunteer steering committee and a fiscal agent, featuring about 150 musical acts, along with a few filmmakers and other artists."

Every day this weekend there will be a different act at many different venues throughout Duluth and the surrounding area. The event provides the chance to check out the local music talent, and to witness a diverse amount of musical styles.

In Robbinsdale artist Marc Johnson-Pencook is exhibiting his work at Robin Gallery throughout May. The opening reception is this weekend on Saturday May 5th from 4:00p.m.-8:00p.m.

"For this art show I have put together a cross section of my black and white artwork from the past five years along with some older pieces that represent my personal landmark work," says Johnson-Pencook. "My drawings can be organized into 'series' and 'sequential' art. A lot of my single composition belong to a running series ;( skeletons, bugs, musician portraits).The book illustrations fulfill my challenge of creating sequential art.

"I have always loved comic art and film making as storytelling devices. Illustrating a book creates a decision making process of pacing the pictures in a strategic way so that they work in conjunction with the words and decorate the readers' mind with images. So for this month of May I share my imagination with you."

Robbin Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11a.m. - 4p.m. and Thursday evenings from 5:30p.m.-8:30p.m.

-- Lis Pedersen, contributor, Minnesota Today

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Mining debate about trust; Twins fall to major league-worst; Drought diminishes

Posted at 8:00 AM on May 4, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Op-Ed: Trust at heart of copper mine debate
Sam Cook asks in the Duluth News Tribune: "If things go badly years down the road, what are the chances that a mining company can be held financially responsible?"

Cook's reflection came after this week's forum on the PolyMet project and proposed copper-nickel mining in the Arrowhead region of the state. You can listen to the entire forum here.

Minnesota Twins GM Terry Ryan: 'You can't feel sorry for yourself'
Pioneer Press: "General manager Terry Ryan doesn't seem inclined to dynamite his team less than a week into May, but he wasn't defending it much a day after the Twins fell to a major league-worst 6-18."
Boston Herald: Twins manager Gardenhire says his team played like Little Leaguers
Unrelated
Big League Stew: "The British are whining, the British are whining -- about some Minnesota Twins fans stealing the anthem of one of England's professional soccer clubs, Leeds United."

Now that some parts of the state have had a months worth of rain in the first three days, the drought is starting to diminish. Climatologist Mark Seeley discussed a comprehensive resource for tracking "recent rainfall totals and resulting impacts." in the state. See for yourself at the Puddles Page.

Last defendant in racial beating sentenced
Brainerd Dispatch: "The second defendant in a Feb. 6, 2011, racially-motivated attack in downtown Brainerd will serve more than five years in prison for the crime."

Dayton OKs wolf hunt, license increases
MPR News: "The governor's decision disappoints some environmental groups. Steve Morse of Minnesota Environmental Partnerships says both bills were peppered with unfortunate new policies, along with measures that Gov. Dayton badly wanted."

High tech classrooms in northeast Minnesota redefine distance learning

MPR News: "A school district collaborative in northeast Minnesota is using high tech video technology to link classrooms with others in the region."

Minnesota schools find it harder to shorten their school weeks
MPR News: "People in the Sleepy Eye Public Schools District in southwest Minnesota watched with interest in recent years as 11 rural districts switched to four-day weeks."

Dayton vetoes bill that would weaken teacher seniority
MPR News: "Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed a bill Thursday that would have forced school boards and teachers unions to consider teacher performance when making layoff decisions, rather than just seniority."

For one Vikings' fan, new stadium is personal
"It's not about the Super Bowls we've lost."

AP: "Supporting the Minnesota Vikings is Larry Spooner's lifelong passion. He has been camping out at the Minnesota Capitol with his purple van, trying to help the Vikings win more support for a Metrodome replacement in downtown Minneapolis."

Minnesota Senate fails to override fireworks veto
Pioneer Press: "State Sen. Michael Jungbauer took to the Senate floor Thursday, May 3, in an unsuccessful push to legalize the kinds of aerial and high-powered backyard fireworks that are readily available across state lines in Wisconsin or the Dakotas."

Who Built The 405? Oberstar wades into California political skirmish
BuzzFeed: "Who Built The 405?: Former Minn. Rep. Jim Oberstar says it's Berman. This is what they're fighting about in L.A.."

Minnesota business lets customers drive a tank
WDAY: "There are certain perks in this life that a select few will ever experience - being a billionaire, hitting a game wining shot as millions watch. How about driving an army tank and blasting through cars and buildings?"

Minnesota to lift burning restrictions Monday in 13 more counties
Star Tribune: "State burning restrictions are being lifted next week in 13 more Minnesota counties."

Post Bulletin: "Finding shoes for the nation's tallest man takes more than a trip to the mall." (h/t: @CathyWurzer)

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Ron Paul's candidate for Senate; Crystal Sugar talks on; KFC drug raid

Posted at 7:55 AM on May 3, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Ron Paul could play big role in Republican pick for Senate race

MPR News: "The three candidates seeking the GOP nomination include former state Rep. Dan Severson, Minnesota Army National Guard Capt. Pete Hegseth and first-term state Rep. Kurt Bills of Rosemount, who has Paul's backing. Severson and Hegseth say Minnesota Republicans should be concerned about that because Paul's anti-establishment brand of politics would make Bills an unviable candidate to run against Klobuchar in the general election. But the state GOP convention is expected to attract many of Paul's supporters, which could help Bills win the endorsement."

Kasson police chief confirms investigation into girl's death
Post Bulletin: "Rachel Ehmke took her own life on Sunday. Her parents, Rick Ehmke and Mary Ehmke, believe bullying triggered her suicide. Kasson Police Chief Ken Schuck said today that the Dodge County Sheriff's Office is investigating what role harassment may have played in Rachel's death."

Mining Q&A draws hundreds to Duluth
Northland News Center: "From jobs, to water quality, to wild rice, all were topics of discussion Wednesday during a question and answer session on mining."

Severe storms sweep through Faribault, southern Rice County
Faribault Daily News: "Severe storms raked through Faribault and southern Rice County Wednesday night, setting off tornado sirens as a rotating wall cloud was identified by Skywarn spotters."
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: Wind gust of 74 mph reported in Wahpeton overnight

Rancher loses lease after he refused to give up opposition to quarry plan
West Central Tribune: "A rancher who voiced opposition to plans by the Strata Corporation to develop a quarry in Big Stone County will not have the lease renewed for the land where he grazes his cattle."

Union: Crystal lockout negotiations to resume June 8
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "American Crystal Sugar Co. and the Bakery Worker's union will resume talks on June 8."

Worthington KFC raided by Buffalo Ridge Drug Task Force
Worthington Daily Globe: "As part of an ongoing investigation, the Buffalo Ridge Drug Task Force executed three search warrants Wednesday morning, seizing small quantities of marijuana and cocaine, along with other items."

Republicans split on stadium as they try to convince skeptics they're serious
MPR News: "Republicans in the Minnesota Legislature are trying to build support for a stadium financing plan that was initially panned by DFL lawmakers and the Minnesota Vikings."

Editorial: A misguided GOP stadium ploy
Star Tribune: "Plan to use bonding needs a lot of work in a short time period."

Fargo elementary students shaken up by abortion protest images
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Some Clara Barton Hawthorne Elementary School children were reportedly traumatized Wednesday by seeing graphic posters displayed by anti-abortion protesters at the corner of 25th Street South and 13th Avenue."

Quist, Parry to fight it out in primary
New Ulm Journal: "Allen Quist announced Monday that he plans to file for Minnesota's 1st Congressional District primary election on Aug. 14, forgoing his prior decision to wait for the continuation of the Republican endorsing convention."

Bachmann to endorse Romney
CBS News: "Former GOP presidential candidate Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., plans to endorse the party's presumptive nominee Mitt Romney at a campaign event in Portsmouth, Va., on Thursday, Romney campaign officials say."

After primary losses, legacies of debt and strained reputations
New York Times: "Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House who dropped out of the race on Wednesday, is a stark example of how the dream of being president -- or at least a candidate with benefits -- can be dashed."

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How we get around in Minnesota

Posted at 8:51 AM on May 2, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

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Troops return; Wilderness reopened; Fergus Falls veggie mandate

Posted at 7:49 AM on May 2, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Emotions high as troops return
Austin Daily Herald: "Goosebumps and tears filled the community room at the Austin Armory Tuesday afternoon as more than 30 National Guard soldiers saw their families and friends for the first time in nearly 10 months."

Parts of BWCA to reopen today
MPR News: "Much of the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness that was burned in last year's Pagami Creek wildfire will reopen to the public starting today."

Students won't have option to turn down fresh fruits, veggies
Fergus Falls Journal: "Come next fall, students who typically get canned peaches and green beans on their plates will see fresh varieties. And they will no longer have the option of not taking them."

Amy Senser case in the hands of the jury
KARE11: "The fate of Amy Senser, accused of killing a Twin Cities chef in a hit-and-run-accident, is now in the hands of a jury."

Tornado touchdown reported near Sedan
Pioneer Press: "In central Minnesota, a trained weather spotter reported a brief tornado touchdown at 4:48 p.m. Tuesday near Sedan, Minn., according to the National Weather Service office in Chanhassen. Sedan is about 20 miles south of Alexandria. However, no significant damage was reported."

Heavy rain, hail pounds Central Minnesota

St Cloud Times: "Heavy rains, wind and hail pounded parts of Stearns, Benton and Sherburne counties Tuesday evening. A severe thunderstorm moved into Central Minnesota about 5 p.m. dropping heavy rains, hail as big as a golf ball and some tornadoes."

Occupy protesters march down Nicollet Mall
WCCO: "Nicollet Mall was a sea of loud protesters and police as the Occupy Minnesota movement took part in May Day activities on Tuesday."

Tea party speakers sound off
Brainerd Dispatch: "In typical freewheeling fashion, a truck driver, a politician, a soldier and a high school student each addressed a crowd of more than 50 to criticize big government and the direction in which they see the U.S. heading."

Behind the scenes at Caribou Coffee

KARE11: "Inside the Caribou Coffee Headquarters in Brooklyn Center, three guys are single handedly taste testing every batch of beans they've ordered or may order if it passes the strenuous test they call Cupping."

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Paint by partisanship; The third Dakota; Radar love

Posted at 7:55 AM on May 1, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Visualizing presidential campaign contributions throughout Minnesota
MinnPost: "We've mapped 2012 first-quarter presidential campaign contributions in Minnesota. Each dot on the map represents a $20 contribution to a candidate, grouped by ZIP codes."

Legislature seeks progress on bills as deadline nears
MPR News: "Gov. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders continue to negotiate on three issues: a Vikings stadium, a tax bill and a public works bonding bill. Legislative leaders are now set to task as the constitutional deadline to adjourn, May 21, draws near."

In fight over Obama health law, a front in Minnesota
New York Times: "The state has sought advice from consumer groups, labor unions, doctors and hospitals, employers, insurance companies, agents and brokers, and American Indian tribes.But one notable group has been missing from the process: Republicans, who control both houses of the State Legislature."

State's immigration tide shifts back to Mexico
Star Tribune: "Those leaving cite immigration crackdown, economic slowdown."

Rochester soldier killed Sunday in Afghanistan

Rochester Post Bulletin: "Nicholas Dickhut, 23, of Rochester, was killed in action Sunday while serving with the U.S. Army in the Kandahar province of Afghanistan, according to his mother Jacqueline Carson, of Rochester." MPR News: "I don't even want to think about the fact that he's never coming home," Carson said. "All the plans that he had made and all the things we talked about, it's just never going to happen. I really thought he was going to make it. I really did."

Minnesota corn farmers planted 3 million acres last week
Pioneer Press: "Minnesota farmers poured into their fields last week, planting more than 3 million acres of corn in what looks to be the largest corn crop in state history."

Crystal says union's cost estimate of labor struggle too high
AG Week: "American Crystal Sugar Co. officials deny new union claims that a labor lockout has more than doubled processing costs for 2011 beets. They acknowledge costs have increased ... and say the company is seeing its replacement hires as a possible permanent workforce."

Minn. legislature struggles to find session's end
KSTP: "The Minnesota Legislature will stick around into May to try to reach agreement on tax breaks, state-financed construction projects and a Minnesota Vikings stadium plan."

Superfan says pass stadium or become 'the third Dakota'
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Larry Spooner loves Vikings football so much he has taken more than 40 days of vacation over the years to ask legislators to approve a new stadium."

Minn. Republican Party says it reached deal with landlord to avoid eviction from headquarters
Star Tribune: "Party chairman Pat Shortridge says Monday night that the confidential agreement with Hub Properties will be finalized in a week. It came on the eve of a court hearing where the landlord's eviction notice was to be heard. Shortridge says the hearing won't happen now."

New radar promises more detailed pictures of coming storms
Rochester Post Bulletin: "The new Doppler radar promises to give forecasters more detailed information about storms as they develop, in turn providing more information to local communities about severe weather headed their way."

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Cravaack critics; Lutherans oppose marriage amendment; ER bill collector

Posted at 7:45 AM on April 30, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Op-Ed: Numbers fail to support claims of Cravaack's critics
Duluth News Tribune: "U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack may not have been the one to paint the target that's on his back this election season -- but he provided plenty of paint."

Minnesota Vikings asking for stadium taxpayer subsidy of $77 per ticket
Forbes: "If the bill for the Minnesota Vikings new stadium passes the cost to taxpayers will be $77.30 per ticket, per game, for 30 years, according to an analysis by state senator John Marty, who submitted his findings to his colleagues yesterday."

St. Croix River bridge: Muck sucks up money for project
Pioneer Press: "The price tag for the new St. Croix River bridge could run as high as $676 million - a figure almost three times as much as the $234 million spent replacing the Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis."

Northland Lutherans oppose Minnesota marriage amendment
Duluth News Tribune: "Northland-area Lutherans are opposed to amending the Minnesota Constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman."

Even in the ER, Fairview patients faced bill collectors
Star Tribune: "Patients describe aggressive tactics they encountered at Fairview hospitals."

Accretive Health chairman has debt-collection history
Chicago Tribune: "The chairman of the Chicago-based company under fire this week in Minnesota for its debt-collection practices in some hospitals has a history in the business that includes a separate run-in with the attorney general in that state."

Amy Senser expected to testify at her trial today
AP: "Amy Senser is expected to take the stand this morning in her own defense during her trial in Hennepin County District Court. Senser, the wife of former Minnesota Viking Joe Senser, is on trial for three counts of criminal vehicular homicide."

Minnesota Gov. Dayton signs bill to encourage more school revenue from forest trust
Duluth News Tribune: "Gov. Mark Dayton late Saturday night signed into law legislation that changes how 2.5 million acres of state forestland is managed across northern Minnesota."

Two sand mine permits tabled in Buffalo County
Winona Daily News: "The Buffalo County Zoning Board of Adjustment has tabled a permit for new frac sand mines. The three-member board voted 2-1 this week to delay action on a permit for a Gilmanton mine for up to 60 days while awaiting results of a state Hwy. 88 study."

Richard Bellman, lawyer who fought discrimination in zoning, dies at 74
New York Times: "Richard Frederick Bellman was born in Minneapolis on Feb. 20, 1938. He graduated from the University of Minnesota, did graduate work in political science at the University of Chicago and returned to the University of Minnesota to earn a law degree."

GOP firm's 'CEOs' in the dark
Star Tribune: "Men listed as chief executives of a company created to handle 2010 recount debt are dumbfounded that their names were sent to the state."

Election 2012
Details of Romney's economic plan keep evolving
USA Today: "Surrogates for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney frequently point to a 59-point economic plan released last year in response to criticisms that the campaign has been short on specific proposals."

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This week in Minnesota

Posted at 12:23 PM on April 28, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

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Legislative endgame; Dayton vetoes abortion bill; Apartment boom

Posted at 8:00 AM on April 27, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Tying together gambling, stadium a dicey prospect for lawmakers
MPR News: "For now, the fate of the Vikings new stadium in Minnesota still rides, at least partly, on racehorses." WCCO: "In football terms, you could call it 'fourth and long' when it comes to lawmakers approving a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings."

Stadium bill maneuvering offers a refresher course in legislative politics
MinnPost: "Among other things, the ongoing stadium debate is offering Capitol onlookers a refresher course in several political realities -- that no legislative committee is necessarily benign, that there's no free ride for controversial legislation and that things aren't always what they seem."

There is news about the team and not where they play. Statewide: In other non-stadium Vikings news, draft picks restore order

Dayton vetoes abortion clinic restrictions
Pioneer Press: "Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed a bill that would impose licensing requirements on Minnesota clinics performing 10 or more abortions a month."

Bachmann plans to back Romney 'all in good time'
USA Today: "Newt Gingrich is making plans to do it next week. Rick Perry did so last night. And Michele Bachmann is indicating she'll do so, too, on her own time frame."

Hunting, livestock main topics of Duluth wolf conference
MPR News: "With a proposed wolf hunting season nearing approval in the Minnesota Legislature, state wildlife managers and others are meeting in Duluth for an annual conference on wolves in the Great Lakes region."

Woman who caused Delta flight quarantine identified as Red Wing resident
Republican Eagle: "A phone call asking for medical advice for a Red Wing woman returning from Uganda resulted in a two-hour quarantine for Delta flight Thursday afternoon."

New suburban flight: Apartments take off
Star Tribune: "A rental-housing construction boom in the core cities is migrating to the suburbs, but location is crucial."

Scientists seek tiny particles in the big woods
Duluth News Tribune: "Preparations for a $283 million international experiment to solve mysteries of the universe have reached an important milestone in the woods of northern Minnesota."

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Racino rebirth; Minnesota Medicaid scrutinized; Experimentation at Homegrown

Posted at 7:45 AM on April 26, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Dayton says he won't negotiate on LIFO
MinnPost: "Gov. Mark Dayton today said that as the Legislature heads into its final days he is open to compromise on any issue except the proposal to end seniority-based teacher layoffs in Minnesota."

Sen. committee adds racino plan as it approves stadium bill
MPR News: "In a surprise maneuver, supporters of putting slot machines at Minnesota horse tracks tacked a racino plan onto the Vikings stadium bill on Wednesday." West Central Tribune: "The Vikings stadium got 'another first down' Tuesday, proclaimed the chairman of the state Senate committee that kept the bill's recent momentum going."

Will rank and file lawmakers support the stadium?
MPR News: "It's been nearly two years since voters decided to put Republicans in charge of the Minnesota House and Senate, while at the same time electing a Democrat as governor."

Chris Coleman asks senators to keep St. Paul alive
Star Tribune: "St. Paul mayor, while supporting a stadium in Minneapolis, is seeking a share of the largesse."

Congress puts Minnesota Medicaid on the hot seat

Pioneer Press: "Minnesota's national reputation for being a leader in health care took some hits in Congress with more questions about whether the state manipulated the rate certification process in the Medicaid program to wrongly obtain federal dollars." MPR News: "At issue during a congressional hearing was $30 million that the HMO UCare -- one of four large insurance companies that provide services for Minnesota's Medicaid program -- returned to the state last year."

Accretive falls as Minnesota sues over debt collection practices
The Boston Globe: "Accretive fell the most since its May 2010 debut as a public company after Minnesota's attorney general, Lori Swanson, sued the Chicago company, alleging it put debt collectors in emergency rooms and at patients' bedsides in violation of federal and state debt-collection and privacy laws."

Minnesota Legislature OKs new oversight for state school trust lands
Pioneer Press: "Moments after the Minnesota House overwhelmingly approved a measure changing oversight of state school trust lands, Republicans and Democrats shook hands and exchanged hugs. On the House floor. At center aisle."

Kurt Bills gains advantage for GOP Senate endorsement
MInnPost: "In the contest to be the Republican challenger to Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a last-place presidential contender may decide the outcome. Based on the strength and organization of Ron Paul's Minnesota campaign, the odds are tipping in favor of the candidate Paul has endorsed."

Red Sox complete sweep of Twins, 7-6
Bring Me the News: "Boston beat the Twins, 7-6 to complete a three game sweep at Target Field. Just a day after Ron Gardenhire said he needed more from his starting pitchers, Liam Hendriks lasted just four innings. The Twins get a day off before starting a three game series against the Royals tomorrow."

Don Draper's free night in Rapid City
CNN: 'To the Don Drapers of the world, the Howard Johnson hotel brand would like to say this: We're sorry and your next stay is on us,' the company said in announcing a 'Mad Men'-inspired promotion."

First nestlings at day 3

Penelopedia: "A moment before this photo was taken, they were all flopped down, but my camera made a little chime as it turned on, and the sound triggered their gaping reflex. They went from flopped to this position in the blink of an eye."

Cook County News Herald turns 121
WTIP: "The Cook County News Herald is truly a treasury of moments in time. In this edition of WTIP's historical series 'Moments in Time', Jay Andersen, a former News Herald editor, interviews the current editor, Rhonda Silence, about the history of the newspaper."

Homegrown starts off with experimentation

Duluth News Tribune: "The annual Homegrown Music Festival kicks off Sunday with a couple of hours of recycled drone music featuring a new mallet piano and an electric khoto with a bridge made from an old snowmobile."

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PolyMet CEO frustrated with permit delays; MN-02 DFL candidate forum

Posted at 7:30 AM on April 25, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

PolyMet CEO frustrated with permit delays
WDIO: "Phase 1 of PolyMet is $350 million dollars. CEO Joe Scipioni said that's like an investment of almost $1 million dollars a day, for a year. 'That's what our region is missing out on, while we wait for permits.'" Greg Seitz with Friends of the Boundary Waters responded to the WDIO report, "PolyMet's permits have been delayed because of the inadequate draft Environmental Impact Statement for the mine proposal that was put out in 2009. The Environmental Protection Agency gave the review the lowest grade possible. The mine would have caused violations of Minnesota water quality standards for 2,000 years, and the company did not provide any information to assure Minnesota taxpayers that we won't get stuck with a multi-million dollar clean-up bill."

Join an online candidate forum today at noon with the candidates seeking the 2nd Congressional District DFL nomination.

Members of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party will gather Saturday in Rosemount to endorse a challenger to Republican Incumbent Rep. John Kline.

Dems think Rep. Kline is weaker in new 2nd District

MPR News: Minnesota's redrawn 2nd Congressional District has a trio of Democrats weighing a challenge to incumbent U.S. Rep. John Kline, a Republican who could be more vulnerable than he has been in past elections.

Dakota County Commissioner Kathleen Gaylord, former DFL state Rep. Mike Obermueller of Eagan, Minn., and Northfield City Council member Patrick Ganey have announced that they will challenge Kline, who has represented the sprawling district south of the Twin Cities for 10 years.

In the recent round of redistricting, the 2nd District lost conservative ground in Carver and Le Sueur Counties to the south. It gained solid Democratic turf to the north, picking up parts of South St. Paul and West St. Paul.

Kline declined to comment. But the changed district lines have the three Democrats optimistic about their chances.

Vote analysis: Rep. John Kline voting record "far-right"

GovTrack: "Kline is a far-right Republican according to GovTrack's own analysis of bill sponsorship. Use this chart to compare Kline to other members of the House of Representatives on leadership and ideology."

"We must continue to fight Washington's big government tax-and-spend approach that is burdening our children and grandchildren with insurmountable debt. And I will continue to fight for you on the front lines of these important battles to repeal ObamaCare, eliminate the over-regulations that are smothering America's businesses, and stop the Big Labor movement that is leading to unprecedented abuses of power," -- Rep. John Kline, speaking to Republican delegates (MinnPost).

Also on Minnesota Today
Vikings stadium plan takes on an 'air of inevitability'
Star Tribune: "Measure passed one Senate panel and was headed to another, paving the way for a possible final vote soon."

GOP debating whether to call back delegates in congressional contest
Post Bulletin: "Republican officials want resolution in choosing a candidate to back for the 1st District Congressional seat held by Democratic Rep. Tim Walz. Mower County Republicans Chairman Dennis Schminke said a primary fight would be bad for the party's efforts to defeat Walz."

Rep. Kline fights Obama's bid to cap student loan interest
Star Tribune: "U.S. Rep. John Kline, who heads the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and is the House's point man on education issues, is among the Republicans in Congress reluctant to extend the current rates, a move that would cost about $6 billion per year in additional subsidies."

Red Cliff band to help recover 70 barrels from Lake Superior
Duluth News Tribune: "A report released by Red Cliff in 2006 indicated that pollutants might be in the barrels. Citing Army Corps and Honeywell Munitions records, the Red Cliff report said chemicals ranging from PCBs to mercury, lead or even uranium could be in the barrels."

Dayton under fire for vetoing E-Verify requirement
MPR News: "Republican lawmakers are criticizing Gov. Mark Dayton's veto of an immigration enforcement bill. The bill would have required the state to run names of new state employees through a federal database called E-Verify to check their work authorization in the United States."

Duluth School Board to request levy
Duluth News Tribune: "The Duluth School Board will move ahead with plans to ask taxpayers for more money for classroom operations next fall."

Attorney general: Investigation of Fairview debt collector shows illegal use of patient data
MPR News: "The state attorney general's office's released the results of an investigation into Fairview Health Services' relationship with a debt collection company accused of violating federal and state patient privacy and debt collection laws."

Senate turns back effort to ban payments to 'pray the gay away' therapy
Hot Dish Politics: "On a bipartisan 27-40 vote, the Senate Tuesday turned back a move to ban government reimbursement for reparative or conversion therapy to 'pray the gay away.'"

Minnesota Senate sends fireworks bill to governor
Hot Dish Politics: "Gov. Mark Dayton will soon decide whether Minnesotans can purchase and use more powerful fireworks."

Sen. Dave Thompson Discusses Frustrating Session: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com

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Vikings rebirth; Cleaning Lake Pepin; Mines in space

Posted at 8:00 AM on April 24, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Vikings stadium plan gets another chance at Capitol
MPR News: "The Minnesota Vikings appear to be gaining ground again in their effort to get a $975 million stadium in downtown Minneapolis, now that the House Ways and Means committee has grafted a dead stadium bill from last week onto a new plan to legalize electronic pull tabs and bingo." Pioneer Press: The bill "would use $550 million in public money to build a stadium for the Minnesota Vikings on the site of the Metrodome is on its way to the floor of the House."

Hunting. fishing license fee increases pass senate
Union Eagle: Minnesota Senate "passed its game and fish bill, one including proposed hunting and fishing license fee increases."

Lake Pepin sediment study ready for comment
Rochester Post Bulletin: "The long-awaited draft study of how to slow the sedimentation of Lake Pepin quantifies how farmers and cities must reduce the amount of soil they send into the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers."

Bolander wins bid for Stillwater bridge test shafts
Pioneer Press: "Crews late this spring will begin boring test shafts into the St. Croix River for structural-load testing that will provide information for the designers of the new bridge south of Stillwater."

Rev. Bradlee Dean: GOP warns St. Cloud State Republicans about hosting pastor
AP: "Minnesota Republican officials are threatening the St. Cloud State University chapter of College Republicans with sanctions if they host a fiery pastor."

Minnesota House passes amended fireworks bill
Star Tribune: "The Minnesota House voted Monday to allow Minnesotans to buy and use more powerful aerial fireworks, but only during a five-week fireworks window in June and early July."

Veepstakes: Tim Pawlenty makes more sense than you might think
Swampland: "Republican insiders say the first priority in selecting a running mate is to 'do no harm.' Nobody embodies that mantra better than Pawlenty."

Twins' improvement on the field hasn't translated to more wins
Pioneer Press: "The Twins are one of the majors' better hitting teams and showing flashes of the defense that was once their trademark, major improvements over last season, when they lost 99 games.Yet they're still finding ways to lose."

Op-Ed: No reason to delay mineral lease decision
Mesabi Daily News: "The Executive Council is waiting for the Legislature -- which is totally dysfunctional this year -- to act on something that isn't even needed before it can allow mineral leasing rights for four companies that have already had their bids accepted for nonferrous exploration."

Gizmodo: Space miners poised to snatch Iron Range jobs.

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1st District GOP divided; Otter Tail police drone; The Twinkie subsidy

Posted at 7:21 AM on April 23, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

1st District Republicans divided between Quist, Parry
Mankato Free Press: "Vigorously unanimous in their desire to beat Democratic Congressman Tim Walz, the delegates at the 1st District Republican Convention Saturday were deeply divided over who could accomplish the task." Politics in Minnesota: "Neither candidate managed to pass the 60 percent vote threshold needed to automatically win the endorsement in the all-day contest, nor were they willing to concede the close race, which never strayed from more than a 25-vote margin between the two candidates." Rochester Post-Bulletin: "At first, Parry, a state senator from Waseca, appeared to have the advantage. He led Quist by 19 votes on the first ballot. But as the evening wore on, Parry's lead eroded. After 10 hours and 15 ballots, Quist took the lead and held it. The swing in support came after the former state representative from St. Peter challenged Parry to a debate where each candidate asked each other five questions. Parry declined. Quist asked the delegates, 'Why would you want to endorse a candidate to debate Tim Walz when that candidate is afraid to debate Allen Quist?' Parry responded that the focus needs to be on beating Walz. He took Quist to task for waving list of questions in front of stage while he was addressing the delegates." AP: "Delegates will reconvene in another two or three weeks."

Duluth, St. Louis County retirees see six-figure pensions
Duluth News Tribune: The Public Employees Retirement Association of Minnesota confirms that 17 retired Duluth or St. Louis County "workers receive pensions of more than $100,000 a year."

FAA releases lists of drone certificates, Otter Tail County denied
EFF: Otter Tail County sought a certificate to be able to fly a drone, the small county in the northwest part of Minnesota was denied.
Next Gov: "Why, does Otter Tail County, Minn., located 60 miles southeast of Fargo, N.D., and 178 miles northwest of Minneapolis, with a population of 57,000, need its own drone? I called and asked, but no response yet."

Duluth cafeterias line up for local farmers' food
Duluth News Tribune: "If the beef you eat at a local hospital or college cafeteria this week tastes a bit fresher, credit your good fortune to more than two decades of a small but growing advocacy for locally grown foods."

The Twinkie subsidy
Grand Forks Herald: "Out of the $260 billion taxpayers spent on agricultural subsidies between 1995 and 2010, $16.9 billion went toward four common food additives: corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch, and soy oils."

Editorial: Student debt is nearing a tipping point
Post Bulletin: "Youth is a wonderful thing, but those of us who sometimes look back wistfully upon early adulthood have at least one reason to be glad that we're a bit further along in our life's journey."

Grow yourself a six-pack
New York Times: "Hop vines thrive in full sun to partial shade, and in fertile, well-draining soil. Other than that, they don't require much care."

Ineffective Liriano gets rocked as Rays trample Twins
ESPN: "The Minnesota Twins are becoming concerned with Francisco Liriano's struggles."

The Kadunce River at sunrise. Although this year's spring runoff was minor, it still caused the rivers to flow. Usually, there's a rock bar at the mouth of this river. (permalink) Photo courtesy of Bryan Hansel.

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This week in Minnesota

Posted at 10:59 AM on April 21, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

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Few substantive differences emerge among 8th District DFL candidates

Posted at 7:37 AM on April 20, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Three DFLers debate in Duluth to challenge Cravaack

MPR News: "Three DFLers are vying to run against the freshman, state Sen. Tarryl Clark, former congressman Rick Nolan, and former Duluth City Council President Jeff Anderson. Each tried to make a distinct case at a candidates' forum in Duluth on Thursday night. In front of a crowd of about one hundred people at the College of St. Scholastica, all three voiced their support for a single-payer health care system, reduced spending on the military, and for increased investment in infrastructure, including the proposed Northern Lights Express rail line between the Twin Cities and Duluth. ... They also all support controversial copper-nickel mines in the region, as long as sufficient environmental safeguards are in place. Anderson, who grew up in Ely, spoke most plainly about his support for mining."

Duluth News Tribune: "If the just more than 100 people at a 90-minute forum were looking for distinction among the three Democratic candidates hoping to unseat U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack, it was hard to find Thursday night." The Northland News Center also has a story about the forum.

Also on Minnesota Today
U.S. Senate candidates share concerns, priorities
Bemidji Pioneer: "The four candidates seeking the Republican endorsement for U.S. Senate all agree that Amy Klobuchar needs to be replaced, but their main areas of concern varied, covering national debt, Obamacare, foreign policy and the size of government."

USA Today finds old Minnesota lead plant sites
KARE11: "Two sites in the Twin Cities are among 400 such locations nationwide noted in a special investigation published by USA Today on Thursday morning. The probe identified potential pollution sites at old factories that the article claims did not get enough reaction from government authorities."

Rukavina letter threatens Pequaywan Township over mining vote
Duluth News Tribune: "State Rep. Tom Rukavina says he was only about half serious when he sent a scolding letter to the Pequaywan Township board threatening to take away the township's share of taconite tax money after town supervisors voted for a resolution critical of copper mining."

Republicans link Dayton's likes with bills he won't
Pioneer Press: "Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton chastised Republican lawmakers Thursday, April 19, for tacking some of his veteran/public safety initiatives onto a money-management bill he opposes."

Student loan interest rates loom as political battle
New York Times: "The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that a one-year freeze on the interest rate for subsidized Stafford loans would cost $6 billion. 'Bad policy based on lofty campaign promises has put us in an untenable situation,'" said Rep. John Kline (R-Minn).

N.F.L. Warns That Vikings Could Move
New York Times: "N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell will fly to Minnesota on Friday to warn state lawmakers that if they do not help the Vikings build a new stadium, the team will be forced to explore other options, including leaving the state."

Yanks' four homers cost Twins in the Bronx
MLB.com: "Considering their past struggles in the Bronx, it would be easy for the Twins to take solace in splitting their four-game series against the Yankees."

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New abortion regulations; Food stamp cuts; TSA mission creep

Posted at 7:38 AM on April 19, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Minnesota commissioner to testify before U.S. House hearing over HMO payment
Pioneer Press: "Questions about the financing of Minnesota's Medicaid health insurance program will be a key part of an upcoming congressional hearing."

Dayton: Negotiations with GOP going south
MPR News: "DFL Gov. Mark Dayton says end-of session negotiations with Republican legislative leaders are headed in the wrong direction."

Abortion bills pass Minnesota House, Senate
Hot Dish Politics: "If a woman is going to take an abortion pill like RU-486, she should do it in the presence of a doctor, the House voted Wednesday. Representatives were less open, however, to an amendment that would have required a physician presence every time a man pops a Viagra."

A Vikings stadium 'Plan B' moves forward
Star Tribune: "There may not be an agreement this spring to build a new Minnesota Vikings stadium, but legislators may be preparing a Plan B. A proposal to authorize electronic bingo and pull tabs, along with sports-themed tip boards, will go before the House Taxes Committee on Thursday."

Jack Jablonski leaves rehab center for a new home
KARE11: "After three and a half months of physical therapy at the Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute in Minneapolis, Jack Jablonski gets to go home."

Wolf hunt caught in Minnesota legislature
MPR News: "A spat between two influential state senators has put on hold a bill that would allow the hunt, proposed after the federal government removed the wolf from the list of endangered species in January."

Farm bill cuts would hit food stamps
Program aids 46.5 million with low incomes
Forum of Fargo-Moorhead: "Complying with GOP mandates to reduce spending, the House Agricultural Committee voted Wednesday to cut $33 billion over 10 years to the nation's cornerstone nutrition program." Grand Forks Herald: Minn., N.D., Reps on opposite sides of farm bill cuts

Conflicted Catholics: Consciences wrestle with church actions on marriage amendment
MinnPost: "Lisa Vanderlinden grew up a Roman Catholic. She went to a Catholic college, married in the church and taught at a Catholic high school. Six years ago, Jason, the youngest of Vanderlinden and husband Brent's four sons, came out as gay."

Twin Cities population to grow more diverse, elderly by 2040
MPR News: "The population of the Twin Cities metro area will grow, age and become more diverse by the year 2040, according to a new report released Wednesday by the Metropolitan Council."
Winona Daily News: 2 area cities challenge census data reporting less residents

61 acres to be added to Voyageurs National Park
Duluth News Tribune: "In its largest purchase ever, the Voyageurs National Park Association has bought a 61.55-acre property on behalf of Voyageurs National Park."

For elders with dementia, musical awakenings

NPR: "Henry, an elderly Alzheimer's patient in an American nursing home, recently became a viral star. In a short video that has been viewed millions of times online, he starts out slumped over and unresponsive -- but undergoes a remarkable transformation as he listens to music on a pair of headphones."

Op-Ed: The TSA's mission creep is making the US a police state
Guardian: "The out-of-control Transportation Security Administration is past patdowns at airports - now it's checkpoints and roadblocks."

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Rowdy tax rally; UND considers American Indian portrayals

Posted at 7:30 AM on April 18, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Top picks from Minnesota Today:
Duluth tax rally gets rowdy
Duluth News Tribune: "More than 50 protesters on the steps of Duluth's Judge Gerald Heaney Federal Building on Tuesday afternoon called on Congress to adopt the Buffett Rule, while an earlier gathering at the Rainbow Senior Center turned into more of a verbal confrontation between left and right."

No pay raise for elected officials -- again
Star Tribune: "The consequences of underpaying elected officials are increasingly apparent. This year and in the last several years, good legislators have chosen to end their public service prematurely because they find the $31,140 annual salary insufficient."

Former Rochester School Board member: Scrap tenure
Post Bulletin: "A former Rochester School Board member traveled to St. Paul on Tuesday to urge the governor to sign a bill scrapping the state's teacher seniority system."

'The good, bad and ugly:' UND exhibit reviews use of American Indian names and images
Grand Forks Herald: "The exhibit at UND's Memorial Student Union, part of the annual Time Out dedicated to Indian culture, history and traditions, is Richie Plass' way of speaking out on a long-running dispute over how Indians are portrayed."

Study finds link between 3M-made chemical and cancer
Saint Cloud Times: "A chemical made by 3M Co. found in drinking water is 'more probably than not' linked to cancer of the testicles and the kidneys, according to a panel of scientists."

A more predictable result for the Yankees against the Twins, 8-3
MLB.com: "After being ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the top of the third inning of Tuesday's game, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire had plenty of time to talk with left-hander Francisco Liriano."

City responds to Bemidji Township's letters regarding annexation
Bemidji Pioneer: "The city of Bemidji rejects the idea that there is a dispute with the orderly annexation agreement necessitating the need to delay review by the state Office of Administration Hearings."

Obama's home state advantage
Smart Politics: "As electoral map gurus put forth their latest projections, here is one tidbit to consider: the major party nominee from the most populous home state has won nearly twice as many presidential elections in U.S. history (32) as the nominee with the smaller home state population (17)."
More Election 2012 coverage

More top stories from MPR News:
Minn. Senate passes fireworks bill
Investigating the CEO is about protecting the company
Teachers hope to boost test scores with fresh air, food, mints
Aircraft company bringing more than 200 jobs to Duluth
Vikings' Bagley: There is no next year
Senate rejects attempt to raise game and fish fees

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Stadium bill rejected; Twins beat Yankees; Loons return early

Posted at 7:30 AM on April 17, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

House committee rejects Vikings stadium proposal
MPR News: "The Minnesota Vikings have run into some of their most serious opposition yet in the decade-long drive to get a new home for the NFL franchise in Minnesota on Monday night, as a key state House committee rejected their proposal for a nearly $1 billion downtown Minneapolis stadium."

Some Minnesota lawmakers ready to adjourn, some want more time
Detroit Lakes Online: "Every issue in front of the Minnesota Legislature is optional as it prepares to adjourn in a few days, a couple of weeks or on its mandatory May 21 last day."

Fate of Minnesota schools' integration aid hangs in limbo
Star Tribune: "Lawmakers' dispute over how to use $108M may jeopardize funds."

White Bear Lake couple identified among cruise victims
KARE11: "Two bodies recovered from the wrecked Costa Concordia cruise ship have been formally identified as Americans Barbara and Gerald Heil from White Bear Lake, Minn."

Yankees knock around Pavano early, but the Twins get to Garcia often
New York Times: "As a Yankee, Carl Pavano tormented hometown fans, managing only 26 starts and 9 victories from 2005 to 2008. He has been healthy since leaving the Bronx, and on Monday night, he dispensed more anguish to those same fans, this time wearing another uniform." Twins 7, Yankees 3
Minnesota Twins beat New York Yankees | ESPN

Trout fishing opener lures anglers to the water
Post Bulletin: "Opening day of the regular trout fishing season is a mini-celebration in southeastern Minnesota, a chance to keep trout you might catch, meet friends, see wildflowers and savor spring. Saturday was such a day."

Tea Party launches committee to fight Roch sales tax
Post Bulletin: "A campaign to defeat a proposal to extend Rochester's city sales tax took center stage at this year's Rochester Tea Party Patriots rally Monday."

Walz has huge fundraising edge in 1st District race
Winona Daily News: "Whoever emerges from the Republican Party to face Democratic Rep. Tim Walz will be at a financial disadvantage in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District. Campaign reports filed over the weekend show Walz, a third-term congressman, with considerably more money than possible rivals Allen Quist and Mike Parry."

Duluth citizen patrols, police stress safety first
Duluth News Tribune: "Duluth Police Information Officer Jim Hansen said you can't predict what any one individual might do, but he is confident that the patrol members in Duluth know what is expected of them. 'We just call if we see something and stay out of it,' Morgan Park's Timothy Olson said."

Brothers mourn sibling's death on Mendota Bridge
Pioneer Press: "There were 14 siblings five years ago. Now there are only four. Two of their names are Fali and Issa Prosper, two orphaned brothers in mourning once again."

Lakewalk sewage overflow tank gets to work
Duluth News Tribune: "The big, ugly, view-blocking concrete bunker along the Lakewalk in downtown Duluth did its job Monday by stopping 2.5 million gallons of a mix of raw sewage and rainwater from flowing into Lake Superior."

Mid West Music Fest: Three days, 15 venues, 120 acts
Winona Daily News: "The 2012 lineup features more than 120 artists performing on 17 stages across Winona. Artists come from around the Midwest, with musicians hailing from as far away as Oklahoma City, Okla., Duluth, and Madison, Wis. About 20 to 30 acts are from Winona."

Three semifinalists named in Winona State president search
Post Bulletin: "The search for a new Winona State University president has been narrowed to three semifinalists, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system announced today."

GOP derails Senate 'Buffett rule' taxes on wealthy
AP: "Senate Republicans derailed a Democratic "Buffett rule" bill Monday forcing the nation's top earners to pay at least 30 percent of their income in taxes, using the day before Americans' taxes are due to defy President Barack Obama on one of his signature election-year issues."
Election 2012 coverage from Minnesota Today

Warm spring brings loons back to MN early
AP: "Transmitter data confirm that the unusually warm spring is bringing loons back to Minnesota almost three weeks earlier than usual."

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This week in Minnesota

Posted at 8:00 AM on April 15, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

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Last call at the Capitol; DFL endorsements test campaigns; Real estate rebound

Posted at 5:59 AM on April 16, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Weekend tornadoes leave 'a royal mess' in Midwest
USA Today: "Parts of the Midwest were picking up the pieces and tallying the damage Sunday after scores of tornadoes roared through the Plains over the weekend, leaving five dead, dozens injured and homes reduced to rubble." Updraft: Minnesota narrowly dodges severe weather bullet

Issues in the Minnesota Legislature: What is moving, what is not
Inforum: "As state lawmakers face the end of the 2012 session, most issues remain unresolved."

Barnes, Graves win DFL endorsements for Congress
Politics in Minnesota: "Brian Barnes and Jim Graves both won DFL endorsement at a pair of conventions this weekend. Graves, a luxury hotel owner, beat two other DFLers to get the party's nod to challenge incumbent GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann in the 6th Congressional District."

More buyers are seeking homes in 'shadow market'
Star Tribune: "With inventory at historic lows, many Twin Cities house deals are happening behind the scenes, long before the properties hit the market."

U.S. will pay $2 million to Minn. Chippewa in settlement
New York Times: "In one of the largest financial settlements made to American Indian tribes, the federal government said this week that it had ended dozens of lawsuits by agreeing to pay tribes more than $1 billion for the mismanagement of funds and natural resources that the government holds in trust."

Paul supporters chosen as delegates in three congressional districts
Pierce County Herald: "Supporters of Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex) won delegate slots at three Minnesota Congressional District conventions Saturday."

Bachmann warms to idea of Romney endorsement
Capitol View: "Rep. Michele Bachmann, a former candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, says she is 'very seriously looking at an endorsement for Mitt Romney.'"

Titanic centennial: Duluth woman who survived wreck remains an enigma
Duluth News Tribune: "First-class Titanic passenger Constance Willard of Duluth was nothing if not eccentric and, given the little information anyone has learned about her since April 1912, a mysterious woman as well."

Lake Minnetonka reveals a new trove of shipwrecks
Star Tribune: "Archaeologists are scanning the bottom of one of Minnesota's largest lakes for unknown shipwrecks, and have already found some."

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What's happening Minnesota? This weekend in arts and culture

Posted at 3:40 PM on April 13, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

This weekend marks the opening of an exhibit titled "Luke Holden's Heavy Flow" at the independently owned Ochre Ghost gallery. It will display the artwork by local artist Skid Mark. The exhibit opens Friday, April 13th and will continue until April 19th. The exhibit will include all new artwork in watercolors, collages, and prints. Ochre Ghost is a gallery located downtown in Duluth, Minnesota that focuses on the efforts of emerging artists in the area. The gallery is unique because it is devoted to representing the underground art that is created by young talented individuals.

To find out more about this event and so much more, check out Ennyman's blog.

On Friday April 13th there will also be an opening at Prøve Gallery, which is another independently owned gallery located in Duluth that features experimental and contemporary artwork. The show is titles "Sanctuary" and will be premiering installation work created by the owners of Prøve Gallery,

For a more theatrical experience, check out Yellow Tree Theater located in Osseo, Minnesota for a performance of The Glass Menagerie.

The Glass Menagerie 60 trailer. from Yellow Tree Theatre on Vimeo.

More arts and cultural listings from around the state on Minnesota Today.

-- Liz Pedersen

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Volunteer cops; Oil production record set in N.D.; Red Scare

Posted at 7:45 AM on April 13, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Nest Labs blasts Honeywell as uncool in lawsuit response
Pioneer Press: "A high-tech startup being sued for infringing on Honeywell's thermostat patents is blasting Honeywell in U.S. District Court in Minnesota with a defense that can be summed up thusly: 'We're hot, and you're not.'"

Duluth mayor says his first experience stage diving is likely his last (with video)
Duluth News Tribune: "Mayor Don Ness celebrated Trampled by Turtles Day with a feat of athleticism, shades of which likely haven't been seen since 1992 when he and his Duluth Central teammates finished third in the Class AA state boys basketball tournament."

Michele and Marcus Bachmann's 'ex-gay' clinic's practices described by undercover filmmaker
HuffPo: "Although Marcus Bachmann has continually denied that his Christian counseling clinic practices so-called "pray away the gay" therapy, yet another prominent LGBT activist is testifying to the contrary."

Ellison fires back after West makes Communist allegation
MPR News: "At an event in Florida, Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) told an audience, 'I believe there are about 78 or 81 members of the Democrat Party that are members of the Communist Party,' West said, 'It's called the Congressional Progressive Caucus.' While the CPC includes the most liberal members of Congress, none belong to the Communist Party although Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, has described himself as a socialist before. 'Calling fellow Members of Congress 'communists' is reminiscent of the days when Joe McCarthy divided Americans with name-calling and modern-day witch hunts that don't advance policies to benefit people's lives,' said Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) and fellow CPC co-chair U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva in a statement."

Ellison also took his defense of the CPC to MSNBC.

N.D. oil production sets record in February
Grand Forks Herald: "Output is up 60 percent from February 2011 and 114 from February 2010. North Dakota remains third among states as production averaged 558,254 barrels per day."

Moorhead Police force benefitting from volunteer officers
WDAY: "Volunteer cops have passed out more than a million dollars' worth of parking tickets, saving the city thousands of dollars. A couple dozen volunteers are lightening the load of professional officers, in more ways than one."

Winning wheel of Dutch gouda sells for $8,400 at Wisconsin auction
Pioneer Press: "A 24-pound Dutch cheese named the best in the world at an international competition held in Madison last month has been auctioned for $8,400, or $350 per pound."

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Best Buy investigates Dunn relationship; Stillwater bridge delay?; Twins win

Posted at 7:45 AM on April 12, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Best Buy board investigating Dunn's conduct with female staffer
Star Tribune: "Best Buy's board of directors is investigating allegations that former CEO Brian Dunn, who abruptly resigned Tuesday, used company resources to carry out an inappropriate relationship with a female employee, the Star Tribune has learned."
More Best Buy coverage from Minnesota Today.

MPR News: Maintenance and utility relocation costs could delay St. Croix River Crossing

Twins savor first win of season
MLB: "The Twins didn't make it look easy, but they came away with their first victory of the season against the Angels on Wednesday at Target Field."

Big alternative energy projects move ahead amid challenges
New York Times: "Plans for enormous projects are beginning to move ahead. One such project, by Clean Line Energy, which develops high-voltage transmission lines, would create enough capacity to take 3,500 megawatts of wind power from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota to Illinois and states to the east."

Dumpster diving: Trash sorting gives students insight into sustainable living
Bemidji Pioneer: "Caleb Countryman grinned from ear to ear Wednesday afternoon as he held up a bright blue plastic canteen a classmate found minutes earlier in the trash. It looked brand new."

Romney works to address 'gender gap'
New York Times: "Mitt Romney moved Wednesday to ... narrow the gender gap he faces against President Obama -- but his campaign immediately found itself squeezed between its intensifying efforts to appeal to women and its need to avoid alienating conservatives."
More Election 2012 coverage from Minnesota Today.

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Drone resister; 30 years of calling the Dome home; Primer: Copper-nickel mining

Posted at 7:30 AM on April 11, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Voter ID
Lawsuits likely before and after Voter ID balloting
MPR News: "Only days after the Legislature approved a proposed constitutional amendment that will ask voters this November to require that Minnesotans show photo identification at the polls, groups that oppose the measure vowed to fight it in court."

Drones
First man arrested with drone evidence vows to fight case
US News and World Report: "The tiny town of Lakota, N.D., is quickly becoming a key testing ground for the legality of the use of unmanned drones by law enforcement after one of its residents became the first American citizen to be arrested with the help of a Predator surveillance drone."

Best Buy
CEO Brian Dunn leaves Best Buy over 'personal conduct'
MPR News: "Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn is leaving the company amid an investigation into his personal conduct."

UnitedHealth vet Mikan asked to steady Best Buy
Star Tribune: "Though he brings financial bona fides as the company's interim CEO, analysts don't see him in the job permanently."

Red River
Field drainage affects Red River Valley flooding, new study shows
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Tile drainage of farm fields has been cast as a villain that aggravates flooding in the Red River Valley and held out as a great hope for better managing runoff to minimize flooding."

Lake Superior, invasive species
Salties bring no new invaders, thanks to 'swish and spit'
Duluth News Tribune: "The first saltwater ship of the 2012 season left the Twin Ports on Tuesday afternoon with a load of wheat bound for Belgium, and there's some good news on what the Arubaborg probably did not leave behind. Invasive species."

Occupy Minnesota
City Hall confrontation between Occupy protesters and Mayor Rybak has a '70s vibe
MinnPost: "Tuesday afternoon's session was not a meeting about putting up tents in Minneapolis.This, rather, was an old-fashioned protest gathering with an opportunity to shout at the mayor and the police chief about allegations of police brutality."

History
Metrodome: Home sweet storm home
Historically Inclined: "Never mentioned among the pantheon of great ballparks, Minnesota's former home to Major League Baseball is also celebrating a milestone anniversary in 2012, albeit with no fanfare. Utilitarian at best when it opened 30 years ago this month, the Metrodome made early-season baseball sufferable in the North Star State, where April showers are always cold and often white, but its weatherproof, space-aged charm was soon eroded by carpet burns, trampoline bounces and vanishing pop-ups."

Mining
MPR News Primer: Copper-nickel mining
MPR News: "Mining runs deep in the culture and economy of northern Minnesota. So why are people drawing battle lines over plans to build copper-nickel mines in the Iron Range? It's a new kind of mining for Minnesota and there are plenty of potential rewards -- and risks."

Op-Ed
Kurt Zellers: GOP offers its best ideas for jobs
Star Tribune: "The governor should take them seriously. After all, he invited them."

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Catholics object to portrayal of pope; GOP debt; Potato chip Jesus

Posted at 7:30 AM on April 10, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Catholics object to portrayal of pope in Holocaust play at UMD
Duluth News Tribune: "A controversial play scheduled at UMD next week critical of Pope Pius XII for not doing enough to stop the Holocaust has raised the ire of some local Catholics who are calling the event 'hate speech.' The 1963 play "The Deputy" is part of the 19th annual Baeumler Kaplan Holocaust Commemoration held at the University of Minnesota Duluth to raise awareness of the persecution of Jews and others by the Nazis before and during World War II. Fr. Richard Kunst, a Duluth priest and papal historian, said he spoke with UMD Chancellor Lendley Black briefly Monday and asked him to cancel the play. Other Catholics also have contacted UMD."

Tragic day in Brooklyn Park, as police seek man in triple homicide
Pioneer Press: "The man outside the Brooklyn Park day care seemed suspicious. It was before sunrise Monday, April 9, and a mother had just dropped off her toddler. She wanted to know if everything was OK. So she called. Someone answered the phone at DeLois Brown's home-based day care. But the line quickly went dead." MPR News: "No arrests have been made yet in connection with the killing of three adults at a home-based daycare in Brooklyn Park. Police are searching for a thin, black man in his mid-twenties who was seen fleeing on a BMX bike from the quiet residential neighborhood where the deaths happened."

Fighting the Nimrod-Lyons State Forest "Jeep" wildfire

Brainerd Dispatch: "Firefighters are battling a wildfire that has already burned more than 1,400 acres in north-central Minnesota."

Danger extremely high for fires in SE Minnesota
KAAL: "The high winds and dry conditions kept fire fighters busy Monday with a number of grass fires. One that got away fast, a fire in High Forest Township near Stewartville. As a precaution, some homes were even asked to evacuate."

Area orchard owners hoping cool weather doesn't chew business to the core
Winona Daily News: "With temperatures threatening to drop into the 20s both overnight Monday and late tonight into Wednesday, Eric Rogich said he will be 'hoping and praying and watching' at Southwind Orchard near Dakota, Minn."

Peterson: Obamacare not all bad
Marshall Independent: "U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., is well aware that Republicans are already running ads against him for his decision to not vote to repeal Obamacare. ... But he can't help but wonder how this summer's campaign will be shaped if the Supreme Court votes it down this summer."

Redistricting reboot: Where is Faribault now?
Fairbault Daily News: "Starting after the 2012 elections, our congressional representative will come from the 1st Congressional District, not the 2nd Congressional. Congressman Tim Walz (DFL-Mankato) is the incumbent in the First, Congressman John Kline (R-Lakeville) is the incumbent in the Second."

Souhan: Twins offense has been downright offensive
Star Tribune: "Minnesota was supposed to be able to hit, but it hasn't happened so far."
More on the Twins rough start to this season on Minnesota Today.

Op-Ed: Gas prices are nothing to complain about
MPR News: "It's time to be indignant about indignation. Each time gas prices rise, shrieks are heard in the land as if somewhere in the Constitution there's a right to cheap and plentiful fossil fuels."

Obama campaign to oppose proposed amendment to ban gay marriage
Poliglot: "The Obama campaign has announced its opposition to the marriage amendment that will be on the November ballot in Minnesota that would restrict marriage only to opposite-sex."

National GOP worried about state of Minnesota organization
Politico: "The Minnesota GOP is so deep in debt it has stopped paying the lease on its headquarters, the Iowa and Nevada parties are in transition after disastrous caucuses, and Ohio Republicans have been in a state of open warfare for months."

Newport woman says she found Jesus image in her potato chip
Pioneer Press: "Jesus Christ has made yet another appearance on a potato chip.At least that's what Newport resident Carol Isaak believes. The night before Easter, Isaak, 67, decided to snack on some potato chips."

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Sailboat tragedy; Homeless in Moorhead; Rural doctors struggle

Posted at 7:30 AM on April 9, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

'Horrible tragedy' leaves 2 siblings dead, third hospitalized
Bemidji Pioneer: "Two children died after falling into a frigid lake, and a third is listed in critical condition after first responders pulled the siblings Friday afternoon from Clearwater Lake. The children were in a small sailboat with their father, Dan Risland, when it toppled in strong winds. He reportedly told authorities that he attempted to get the children to shore, but struggled in the wind and current."

Moorhead homeless shelter is seeing increasing amounts of people
WDAY: "A Moorhead homeless shelter is seeing a startling number of people seeking shelter.Churches United has had 2333 stays in overflow housing since November. Nearly 17-hundred by men. 643 by women. And 11 stays by families."

Duluth training program for rural doctors feels money pinch
Duluth News Tribune: "A medical residency program in the heart of Duluth that trains future doctors to work in rural areas is being squeezed by decreasing funding and increased regulation, its director said."

Wildfire burns 1,000 acres in Wadena County
Saint Cloud Times: "Firefighters are battling a wildfire that has already burned about 1,000 acres in north-central Minnesota.The fire started Sunday about 4 p.m. near Lyons State Forest near Nimrod. Wadena County emergency manager Scott McKellep says no injuries were reported as of late Sunday night."

Farm bill faces austere future
MPR News: "Farmers may face some uncertainty by harvest time as Congress grapples with rewriting the farm bill before it expires in September. On the table are big cuts in federal farm spending."

Move up fishing opener? Not all resorters are game
Star Tribune: "Moving Minnesota's fishing opener up a week might sound like a great idea for walleye-hungry anglers, but not everyone is thrilled. 'It will be a nightmare for us and a nightmare for resorters,' said Tom Neustrom of Grand Rapids, a fishing guide. 'What are they thinking?' He said that anglers long ago booked trips for guides and resorts, and changing the dates would be 'a mess.' Jay Schelde, owner of Pike Bay Lodge on Lake Vermilion and president of the Lake Vermilion Resort Association, agreed. 'I don't think it will help anybody,' Schelde said. 'It's way too short notice.'"

12 arrested at Occupy MN demonstration
KARE: "Twelve people were arrested Saturday night during an Occupy MN demonstration in downtown Minneapolis." MPR News: "Police spokesman Sgt. Steve McCarty said officers warned the group at Peavey they were violating city ordinances and blocking public access and to leave. McCarty said demonstrators marched through the area of Hennepin Avenue and 5th Street at about 10 p.m. He said they blocked intersections and impeded an ambulance on an emergency call. McCarty said that's when officers arrested the 12 protestors. Demonstrators say they moved to the side to let the ambulance pass. In a release, Occupy protestors say they were marching peacefully when officers 'attacked' them."

Race-specific groups take aim at academic disparity
Star Tribune: "With Woodbury High's 'Be the Dream,' staff and students tackle racial issues head-on."

Ex-pastor in court today for sex charges
Grand Forks Herald: "A former Lutheran pastor in Lake George, Minn., southwest of Bemidji near Itasca State Park, faces an omnibus court hearing today in Park Rapids on 15 counts of criminal sexual conduct involving a boy."

Gov. Dayton's child care unionization order is nullified
Star Tribune: "A Ramsey County judge ruled Friday that Gov. Mark Dayton exceeded his authority in ordering a union election for certain in-home child-care providers."

GOP lawmaker says weak job numbers show need for federal job program reform
The Hill: "House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-Minn.) said Friday that the weaker-than-expected employment picture in March is more evidence that Congress needs to streamline and reform the various federal job-training programs."

Cattle rustler faces jail time
Pierce County Herald: "Cattle rustling in southwestern Minnesota could land an eastern Minnesota man in jail."

Plans continue for Minnesota's newest park -- La Salle Lake State Recreational Area
Grand Forks Herald: "With the help of a handful of Hubbard County citizens, the vision for Minnesota's newest state park is slowly coming into focus."

Skateboarding fans raising money for 'Target Field' of parks in Cloquet
Pine Journal: "About 150 people attended a pancake breakfast at the Cloquet Senior Center on Saturday morning, paying $5 apiece to raise money toward a concrete skate park planned for a section of the city's Athletic Park."

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This week in Minnesota

Posted at 9:04 AM on April 7, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

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Walleyes, northern pike begin spring spawning runs

Posted at 4:31 PM on April 6, 2012 by Tom Robertson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Environment, Lakes, Northwest Minnesota, Outdoors

AP photo

Bemidji area fishing guide Paul Nelson says walleyes, northern pike and perch have begun their spawning runs in many northern lakes.

Fish spawning activity is heavily dependent on weather. In a recent outdoors column in the Bemidji Pioneer, Nelson said cool temperatures following ice-out on area lakes this year put most of the fish in a holding pattern. But the subsequent warm-up now has fish actively spawning in lakes and rivers.

Now is the time of year that DNR fisheries workers are out stripping eggs from walleye so the fish fry can later be stocked in area lakes.

Nelson reports that crews have begun that process on the northeastern corner of Lake Winnibigoshish. Apparently most of the walleye were not "ripe" when they were captured in the nets. Warmer temperatures will quickly change that.

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Minnesota cities in watercolor

Posted at 8:35 AM on April 6, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Cartographers at Stamen have released a series of map visualizations that provide a re-imagined view of cities. Here's a look at cities around the state in Stamen's Watercolor overlay.

Stillwater

Moorhead

Duluth

Rochester

St Cloud

Minneapolis

St. Paul

What are your favorite views of Minnesota with the mapping tool? Share them in the comments.

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Turbine projects motionless; Water park illnesses grow; Apartment construction up

Posted at 7:45 AM on April 6, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Resort owners have mixed feelings about plans for earlier Minnesota fishing opener
Duluth News Tribune: "Legislators are proposing to move the Minnesota fishing opener a week earlier. While most anglers probably would welcome getting on the water sooner, reaction in the tourism industry is mixed."

Alternative energy: North Dakota's prairie winds waning
Grand Forks Hearld: "North Dakota's once-booming wind energy sector is waning because of the sluggish economy, continued transmission bottlenecks and the prospect that federal tax credits will expire at the end of the year."

Moorhead waitress gets to keep $12,000 tip
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "After the story prompted national headlines, authorities here said Thursday that police will return to the waitress the $12,000 left behind in cash by a Fryn' Pan customer."

Metro home building on the rise
Star Tribune: "Demand for apartments is fueling an increase in building in the metro area, especially in Minneapolis and inner-ring suburbs."

Lee Byberg gears up to take his second shot at Peterson
MinnPost: "In 2010, a historically good year for Republicans nationally, Peterson beat Byberg by more than 17 points in a district that leans to the right. His advisers are planning a different outcome this fall."

Number of crypto cases linked to Northland water parks continues to rise
Duluth News Tribune: "The number of confirmed and suspected cases of a waterborne disease outbreak linked to Duluth's Edgewater Resort and Water Park continues to rise."

Limited resources drive library systems in Arrowhead Region to merge
Lake News Chronicle: "Structural reorganization is the name of the game at libraries here in Lake County as a merger between the Arrowhead Library System and the North Country Library Cooperative will go into effect July 1."

Report: Minnesota native who wrote 'Three Cups of Tea' mismanaged nonprofit
Pioneer Press: "'Three Cups of Tea' author Greg Mortenson will remain the face of the charity the Minnesota native co-founded, despite his having to repay $1 million after an investigative report released Thursday concluded he mismanaged the organization and misspent its money."

So long, Southgate Bowl
Perfect Duluth Day: ":Since the Southgate Bowl in Cloquet is shutting down to make way for a Walgreens, it seems fitting to pay tribute. Best wishes to Gerry and Rose Pollard, who opened the place in the 1970s."

From MazdaSpeed3Ftw on YouTube: "A compilation of time lapses on my spring break trip to the north shore of Lake Superior. We visited Grand Marais, Grand Portage, the Gunflint Trail, and made numerous stops along the way."
Thanks to JP Rennquist for sending.

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Warning sirens fail tests; Asbestos dump protest; Dance of the Dust Devil

Posted at 7:45 AM on April 5, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Police say Native Mob busts lead to lull in gang-related crime

MPR News: "Law enforcement officials are tracking a drop in gang activity in some tribal communities that they say is the result of a sweeping take-down of Native Mob gang leaders earlier this year."

Voters to decide photo ID question on Nov. 6
Bemidji Pioneer: "The Legislature approved the Republican-backed constitutional amendment proposal Wednesday, the Senate 35-29 and the House 72-57. The vote fell along party lines other than Republican Sen. Jeremy Miller of Winona's 'no' vote."

Magnetation prepares second plant
WDIO: "The second Magnetation plant on the Iron Range will be producing concentrate in May. Workers in are in the home stretch of prepping the $50 million dollar project."

On stadium cost, Vikings owners may not have much skin in the game
MPR News: "Team officials call that part of the deal 'private money.' But that doesn't mean team owner and East Coast developer Zygi Wilf will necessarily foot the bill.Instead, it appears the Vikings will employ a hallmark of real estate deals, and do much of their financial lifting with other people's money."

Test finds problem with warning sirens
WDIO: "Wednesday's warning siren test in Duluth turned up some problems." KAAL: "Albert Lea will test civil defense sirens on Thursday after they failed to work on Wednesday."

City Board of Adjustment approves frac sand washing facility
Winona Daily News: "A new silica sand washing and processing facility is coming to Winona. The city's Board of Adjustment on Wednesday unanimously approved a permit for Robert Hemker's washing and processing facility on Frontenac Drive in the east-end industrial park."

Landfill neighbors protest plans to dump asbestos at site
Post Bulletin: "Living less than a half-mile away from the Vonco/Veit landfill, Bill Ryther and his wife, Bonnie, are concerned about plans to allow friable asbestos to be disposed of at the site."

Diver, Defoe to face off for tribal chair
Pine Journal: "Incumbent Fond du Lac Tribal Chair Karen Diver will face former Tribal Chair Peter Defoe in June's General Election."

Walz on hand as Obama signs STOCK Act
Winona Daily News: "U.S. Rep. Tim Walz stood behind President Barack Obama's left shoulder Wednesday as Obama signed a bill banning federal employees and lawmakers from engaging in insider trading."

Duluth Obama For America office celebrates grand-opening
Northland News Center: "The office on West Superior Street will serve as the hub for campaign activity in the Duluth area and is the third OFA Minnesota office to open in the state."

Bemidjians take disrupted cruise in stride
Bemidji Pioneer: "Our ship, the Azamara Quest, had suffered an engine room fire, leaving us adrift late last week in the South China Sea, less than a third of the way into a 17-day cruise. Nearly all of the 1,000 people aboard, including 10 of us from Bemidji, were safe, although a crew member was seriously injured."

Minnesota's tick season is crawling to early start
St Cloud Times: "Start checking for ticks.A mild winter and early spring have led to both earlier-than-normal tick activity and a quick start of tick-borne disease season, according to a report Wednesday, from the Minnesota Department of Health."

Fighting Sioux nickname ballot language OK'd
Grand Forks Herald: "Secretary of State Al Jaeger today released approved ballot language for the referred measure concerning UND's Fighting Sioux nickname. The issue will be one of several measures on the June 12 primary election ballot."

Former area priest returning to US to face molestation charges
WDAY: "A former Fargo-area priest is being extradited to the US from the Philippines to face child sex abuse charges."

Legislative races come into focus
Alexandria Echo Press: "When the legislative lines were redrawn to reflect population changes, Douglas County's political landscape changed."

Isobutanol, lifeline for struggling ethanol plants?
MPR News: "The former Agr-Energy plant in Luverne will end production of the corn-based fuel. Instead, it will start making another type of alcohol called isobutanol that can still be sold as fuel, but is largely used to make plastics, solvents and other products."

VIDEO: Dust Devil forms after controlled burn near Gentilly, Minn

WDAY: "A fairly large dust devil formed in a burned field about five miles south of Gentilly on Wednesday afternoon. It lasted more than three minutes and broke up after reaching a gravel road."

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A murky IRRRB; Ojibwe opposition to Wolf hunt; 'Intelligent Design' in Bemidji

Posted at 7:05 AM on April 4, 2012 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Ranger seeks IRRRB transparency
MPR News: "Three years after opponents of the Iron Range coal gasification plant had triggered a critical state report of Excelsior Energy with public documents, the Duluth News Tribune reported that the company still hadn't followed through on promises to build energy plants on the Iron Range. But despite tens of millions of dollars in state, federal and IRR investment in the company, the public still could not access their yearly audits or other financial documents because of the provision exempting IRR from public records requirements."

Diver crushes competition in Fond du Lac primary
Duluth News Tribune: "Incumbent Chairwoman Karen Diver enjoyed a commanding victory in the primary election Tuesday for leadership of the Fond du Lac Band."

Mitt Romney's Wisconsin win means the end of the end
Washington Post: "That sound you hear? It's the fat lady singing."

Duluth's Gauthier warns of Ojibwe court challenge over wolf hunting
Inforum: "Minnesota House members approved a bill Tuesday that moves next month's fishing opener up a week and establishes a wolf hunting and trapping season on the same dates as deer hunting season."

DFL has set its sights on Rep. John Kline's seat
Star Tribune: "When the new political maps came out, Democrats rejoiced that they had a better chance than ever to knock off Rep. John Kline, R-Minn. Just one problem: They lacked a Democratic candidate."

Institute of Creation Research: Intelligent Design concept presented at Bemidji seminar
Bemidji Pioneer: "The inclusion of Intelligent Design in schools' studies of life origins is overdue, said the superintendent of Bagley schools."

I-35E toll lanes get OK from Ramsey County Board
Pioneer Press: "Adding toll lanes to Interstate 35E north of downtown St. Paul has support from the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners."

To understand U.S.-Dakota conflict, historians resort to 'truth recovery'
Mankato Free Press: " Recent articles and letters to the editor in The Free Press demonstrate the raw emotions and conflict that surround the U.S.-Dakota War 150 years ago. Controversy over a poem on a proposed marker in Mankato, disputes over what artifacts to put on public display, and letters pointing out atrocities leading up to and during the war show the variety of views. So when the Minnesota Historical Society curators set out two years ago to begin planning their exhibits and activities surrounding the anniversary this summer, they used a 'truth recovery' process to sift through the facts and emotions in an attempt to portray events from all angles."

Brown County has high rate of obesity, drinking
New Ulm Journal: "Brown County has very few low birth-weight babies, low teen birth rates, and high clinical care but higher than average obesity and drinking rates, according to a 2012 County Health Rankings released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute."

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Vanishing grassland; Ponzi payback; Voter ID likely on November ballot

Posted at 7:45 AM on April 3, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Vanishing grasslands threaten pheasants and other wildlife
Marshall Independent: "The DNR says some 300,000 CRP contracts will expire this year alone, and the loss of protected grasslands like this stands to have a negative impact on wildlife like pheasants, prairie chickens and grassland songbirds."

Teen Challenge is asked to give back $2.3 million in Petters gifts
Star Tribune: "Receiver and trustee Doug Kelley asserts the donations were actually proceeds from the Petters-run Ponzi scheme and should be returned to reimburse investors and creditors who lost money when the $3.65 billion fraud collapsed in 2008."

Panel reaches deal on Minn. voter ID bill
AP: "A proposed constitutional amendment requiring Minnesota voters to present photo identification at polling places is on the cusp of reaching November's ballot."

Former Duluth woman pleads guilty to voting while ineligible
Duluth News Tribune: "A former Duluth woman pleaded guilty Monday to voting in the 2008 general election while ineligible."

Immigration raid arrests 56 in Minnesota
MPR News: "In raids across the country last week, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested more than 3,100 immigrants, many of whom had previously been convicted of serious crimes. The operation included 56 arrests in Minnesota."

Health rankings: Steele, Olmsted rank high
MPR News: "Cass County in north central Minnesota was last in health outcomes for the second year in a row, according to the rankings issued by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute."

At Capitol, debate crackles over legalizing fireworks
Star Tribune: "Bills to expand the sale and use of consumer fireworks are moving ahead at the Minnesota Legislature, triggering criticism from firefighters, cities and hospital burn centers."

Minnesota Legislative retirements
Storified by Rachel Stassen-Berger: "A round up of retirements looming at the Minnesota Legislature."

American Crystal employees alter lifestyles during lockout
AP: "The daily protests by union workers outside the American Crystal Sugar plant in Moorhead, Minn., have become sporadic, and nine months into the company-imposed lockout, the only hint of the ongoing contract dispute Monday was a pro-union poster someone had nailed to a wooden stand."

Op-Ed: American Crystal Sugar strikes back
American Prospect: "In the lockout era, winning union representation is not a one-time thing."

Op-Ed: Real debate behind the media circus
New York Times: "If you wander among the more than 300,000 words -- the equivalent of a few novels -- that the Republican candidates have uttered in the debates alone this cycle, you will find more than the habitual chest-thumping, flag-waving, support-our-troops fare on the question of America in the world."

Newport Labs sold, Employees assured operations will continue as normal
Worthington Daily Globe: "Newport Laboratories has been acquired by Merial Limited, the animal health division of Sanofi, a global and diversified health care conglomerate."

Grand Rapids students' energy-efficient vehicle wins first prize in national mileage contest
Duluth News Tribune: "Born in a high-tech Grand Rapids High School classroom, the Cure won first place in the Eco Marathon's 'urban electric' category... The car used the least kilowatt hours of battery electric power as it completed the 6-mile course, all while keeping up an average speed of at least 15 mph."

Future of Lake Superior commercial fishing unclear
WTIP: "Joe Duffy has spent the better part of his 70 some years fishing on the Big Lake. He's from Red Cliff, a reservation on Lake Superior's South Shore--in the heart of the Apostle Islands. A lot of things have changed in Joe's lifetime...so much so, he wonders if commercial fishing on Superior will survive."

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Million-dollar inmates; Property tax appeals jump; Buffalo Bill's Duluth

Posted at 7:45 AM on April 2, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Property tax appeals jump
Duluth News Tribune: "Hundreds" of Duluth and St Louis Co. residents "have successfully fought to have their property values lowered by a combined $117 million since 2007, while other residents have gotten refunds of about $2.2 million since that time."

Minnesota's million-dollar inmates
Star Tribune: "Two forces -- an aging prison population and rising health costs -- threaten to crush the state's corrections budget."

Study shows deer population reducing valuable North Shore trees

MPR News: "The white-tailed deer is one of Minnesota's most iconic and abundant wild creatures. They lure thousands of hunters into the woods every fall and are adored by children and wildlife lovers. But the deer are taking a toll on our forests. A new study released today documents the drastic impacts deer are having on the forest along the North Shore. Nearly 20 years ago the conservancy fenced off three half-acre blocks of forest along the North Shore to keep deer out. It left three adjacent blocks untouched, where deer are free to browse. Since then, White has worked to document the differences between the two areas."

New Ulm man runs without a party, or campaign contributions
New Ulm Journal: "Jerry Pagel said he's running because he believes partisan politics resulting from extremism by both major political parties have crippled state government."

People in hoodies rally in downtown Duluth to honor Trayvon Martin
Duluth News Tribune: "Simultaneous demonstrations were held Saturday afternoon in cities around the nation from Sanford, Fla., to Duluth."

Karlstad clergy united in faith
Grand Forks Herald: "Karlstad, a town of 760 in the southeast corner of Minnesota's most northwest county -- Kittson -- has eight churches, the equivalent of one for every 95 residents. Every year they get together for Palm Sunday."

In email to constituent, Senate Majority Leader bemoans lack of corporate power at MN capitol
Bluestem Prairie: "It's the Feast of Fools, but a February email exchange just posted on a southern Minnesota DFL elist yesterday (and reposted here with permission) is no joke."

1940 Census a bonanza for Minn. family history diggers
MPR News: "Professional genealogists like Paula Stuart-Warren and and her amateur counterparts are anxiously awaiting Monday's once-every-10-year data dump. If you know where your relatives lived, you can find out who lived there, where they were born, where they worked and even how much money they made."

Buffalo Bill Cody, his little sister Helen, and their connection to Duluth
Perfect Duluth Day: "Buffalo Bill Cody financed the Duluth Press Building in the friendly West End. There also used to be a Cody Hotel in West Duluth named after Buffalo Bill, and he is also the namesake behind Cody Street in West Duluth."

Early grape budding threatens 2012 crop if frost returns
Grand Forks Herald: "The record-shredding warm weather in North Dakota could be trouble for grape growers in the state this year, officials said."

Minnesota's warm winter cools heat expenses
Star Tribune: "Lower natural gas prices also factor into the equation, but nevertheless, some consumers can expect their total bill to be about $200 less than last year."

Republicans retreat on gay marriage
Politico: "Just a few years ago, House Republicans were trying to etch their opposition of gay marriage into the Constitution. Now? They're almost silent."

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Underground city; Water park woes; Budding concerns over early spring

Posted at 9:00 AM on March 31, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

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Murphy resigns as Beltrami County administrator

Posted at 10:50 AM on March 30, 2012 by Tom Robertson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Government, Northwest Minnesota

Beltrami County Administrator Tony Murphy has resigned. Murphy, who served in the key post for more than a decade, submitted his resignation letter Thursday afternoon to commissioners.

"Over a period of time, the County Board and I have reached a mutual decision to separate," Murphy wrote in an email sent to department heads.

The resignation took some county commissioners by surprise, according to the Bemidji Pioneer. Beltrami County Board Chairman Quentin Fairbanks declined to comment on Murphy's tenure with the county, when asked by the newspaper.

In the letter, Murphy said he's received a job offer within Minnesota and is also considering other job options.

He said he's proud of what the county accomplished during his administrative tenure. That includes construction of a new law enforcement center, as well as new judicial and administrative buildings and expansion of the county jail.

Murphy's last day with the county will be May 1.

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Warm weather worries anglers; Water park illnesses spread; Sen. Telemarketer

Posted at 8:00 AM on March 30, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Gophers crushed by Stanford in NIT Championship
ESPN: "Stanford forced two turnovers to open the second half to take a 10-point lead and stayed up by double figures the rest of the way. The Golden Gophers turned it over 22 times."

Anglers worry warm weather could kill Minnesota fish
Echo Press: "Minnesotans expect temperatures in the 70s, maybe reaching the 80s in places, when April debuts Sunday, but the continued warm weather worries anglers."

Number of suspected illnesses increases in Duluth water park outbreak
Duluth News Tribune: "The number of suspected cases of a waterborne disease linked with Duluth's Edgewater Resort and Water Park has risen to 41, a state official said on Thursday."

Mergansers make their home on Lake Marquette
Bemidji Pioneer: "A pair of common mergansers finds Lake Marquette the place to call home this season. Many of the waterfowl spring migrants have returned to the Bemidji area and all are displaying their courtship splendor."

Best Buy: 5 Twin Cities stores among 50 to be closed
Pioneer Press: "To survive the future, Best Buy is returning to its past. The struggling electronics giant will close 50 U.S. big-box stores and lay off an additional 400 corporate employees as it refocuses its business on smaller stores."

Senator by day, telemarketer by night
Planet Money: "Most of our lawmakers are moonlighting as telemarketers."

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Bonding bill blues; The big payback; Another good year for farmers

Posted at 7:47 AM on March 29, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Bonding bill cheers and jeers
Hormel Institute passes another hurdle toward legislative funding
Post Bulletin: "Plans to expand the cancer research center in Austin got a major boost this morning with the Senate Republicans' $496 million bonding bill, setting aside $13.5 million for the project."

Bonding bill sidelines Duluth
Northland News: "The Senate Capital Investment Committee released a $496 million bonding bill which shows no support for Duluth Projects."

Mankato leaders, legislators decry Mankato exclusion from bonding
Mankato Free Press: "Senate Republicans unveiled a bonding bill larger than proposed by their House counterparts, but Mankato's request for $14.5 million in civic center funding was not included."

Senate says no to sports complex
Marshall Independent: "The Minnesota Senate on Wednesday delivered a third strike to Marshall's proposed $12.9 million regional amateur sport complex, leaving the project off its bonding proposal and sending sports facility supporters back to the bench."

Winners and losers in Senate bonding package
KAAL: "On Wednesday, the Minnesota Senate released its version of the bonding bill. They want to spend $496 million dollars on mostly infrastructure and building projects, including the Hormel Institute and the Mayo Civic Center."

Also on Minnesota Today
Feds threaten to cancel casino deal
Duluth News Tribune: "The city of Duluth's efforts to reclaim a share of gambling revenue from the Fond-du-Luth Casino were further complicated by a letter Mayor Don Ness received Wednesday morning."

Rochester parents won't pursue challenge of 'Tango' book
Post Bulletin: "The parents of a Gibbs Elementary School student who sought to remove the book 'And Tango Makes Three,' the story of two male penguins who raise a chick together, have decided to not refile their challenge."

House, Senate leaders reach deal on shifting $430 million from state reserves to pay back schools
Pioneer Press: "Minnesota House and Senate leaders have reached an agreement to start paying back the $2.4 billion owed to public schools in the state."

Pepper balls acquired to calm potential jail riots in Mille Lacs County
Princeton Union Eagle: "There hasn't been a riot inside the Mille Lacs County Jail for decades, but the Mille Lacs County Sheriff's Department is adding a pepper ball weapon to the department's arsenal in case a jail riot should occur."

Wildlife managers worry over funding
Bemidji Pioneer: "Randy Prachar knows what it's like to pinch pennies, but the longtime wildlife manager for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says things now are reaching a breaking point."

Sappi Workers in Cloquet to vote on strike
Northland News: "Maintenance and Boiler Operators could be going on strike soon at the Sappi Paper Mill in Cloquet."

Farmers enjoy strong year despite price drop
MPR News: "Farmers had another strong financial year in 2011 according to study of about 2,400 farms across the state."

New preservation guidelines for St. Anthony Falls historic area
MPR News: "In a city without a defining monument -- like the Gateway Arch or Golden Gate Bridge -- the downtown riverfront has become Minneapolis' front door to the world."

Lodge pool closes after report of illness
Brainerd Dispatch: "The pool at the Lodge at Brainerd Lakes was closed Monday night after a person with a confirmed case of cryptosporidiosis, a water-borne intestinal disease, was linked to the Baxter motel pool, a Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) epidemiologist said."

Duluth's aging infrastructure catching up with city
WDIO: "On the surface most people in Duluth have no problem with their water, but infrastructure down below is causing more and more problems for the city."

Growth in Chinese language classes underscores national trend
Minnesota Public Radio: "When Tang Beiyi leaves Minnesota, she'll leave hundreds of Mandarin-speaking kids. The Chinese program at Willmar High has grown popular since its start in 2006, so much so that a group of students will head to China today."

Olmsted County Board views 17 redistricting options
Post Bulletin: "The new boundaries are required to level the population in each of the seven districts as a result of the 2010 U.S. Census."

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What's wrong with the Minnesota River?; Capitol tone in three Tweets

Posted at 7:50 AM on March 28, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

St. Peter Security Hospital director removed
Mankato Free Press: "The short-lived and controversial tenure of Minnesota Security Hospital CEO David Proffitt is over."

Waterborne disease outbreak is traced to Duluth water park
Duluth News Tribune: "An outbreak of a waterborne diarrheal disease has been linked with Duluth's Edgewater Resort and Water Park, a state health official said on Tuesday."

What's wrong with the Minnesota River?
Redwood Falls Gazette: "For years experts have addressed the water quality issues of the Minnesota River by stating it is not where it needs to be. While one would consider much of that expertise anecdotal, the reality of the river's water quality is closer to becoming officially determined."

Great Lakes residents clash over water levels
AP: "U.S. and Canadian officials are considering an audacious and costly effort to control the freshwater seas' ups and downs in a way they never have before. A panel of scientists and engineers will release Wednesday a five-year study of options ranging from minor tinkering to a massive, $8 billion engineering project that would invite comparisons to the Panama Canal or the Hoover Dam."

Editorial: Raise fees to bolster hunting, fishing
Star Tribune: "Minnesotans have repeatedly renewed their commitment to the state's valuable natural resources over the years. With approval of the proposed increases in license fees, their elected representatives in St. Paul can help ensure that the state's hunting and fishing habitats will not be ignored this time."

Minnesota bill would make users' private social network sites off-limits to employers
Grand Forks Herald: "Conservative and liberal Minnesota legislators are combining efforts to stop a business practice they say invades job applicants' privacy. The bill includes all social networking sites where users can make a profile and control who sees it."

Billionaire Taylor's net worth stays steady, Forbes reports
Mankato Free Press: "Mankato businessman Glen Taylor's net worth has stayed steady at $1.8 billion, ranking him as the 719th wealthiest person in the world and 256th richest in the United States."

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Giant mine project advances; Watching the watchers; VP TPaw?

Posted at 7:45 AM on March 27, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Giant mine project near Ely takes step forward
Duluth News Tribune: "Twin Metals formally announced Thursday that it has instructed its engineering contractor to draw up plans for an 80,000-ton-per-day mine and processing plant -- an operation that would be one of the largest private enterprises in state history."

A closer look at the role of neighborhood watch programs in local communities
WDAY: "With the national uproar over the Trayvon Martin case, many people are questioning the true role of a neighborhood watch. Seventeen year-old Martin was shot and killed by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood crime watch captain, who claims he felt threatened by Martin who was unarmed."

State works to cut haze in northern wilderness areas

MPR News: "Today, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency takes another step in a long-running effort to clean up the air over some of Minnesota's most cherished places. The MPCA's Citizens' Board will consider submitting a state plan to reduce air pollution to the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The Regional Haze Rule is part of a nationwide attempt to return clear skies to the largest national parks and wilderness areas, including the Grand Canyon, Lake Superior's Isle Royale, and other treasures. The plan also aims to rid the air of pollutants that contribute to heart attacks, asthma, and other health problems. EPA officials have indicated they likely will approve it. But the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service, the agencies responsible for the national parks and wilderness areas, have criticized the state's plan and say it doesn't cut pollution enough."

Minn. timber harvest down 25-30 percent since 2006
AP: "Northern Minnesota's logging industry is suffering along with the rest of the national wood products industry, but leaders of trade groups say loggers who've held on so far are likely to survive."

Op-Ed: Allow logging of downed
Ely Echo: "Let's face the facts, 90 percent of the BWCAW goes unseen from visitors. If it's not viewable from the water, a campsite or portage, people don't see it."

Housing squeeze tight for Minnesota's low-income families
MinnPost: "The dramatic decline in home values over the last several years has not resulted in improved access to affordable housing for the people who need it most - extremely low-income families."

Moorhead taking action to boost housing starts
WDAY: "During the middle of the last decade Moorhead saw over 300 housing starts per year, but since the 2009 flood that number is closer to 100."

Minority groups oppose new Minneapolis ward map
Star Tribune: "Indian and Hispanic representatives argued that proposed alterations of the electoral map would dilute their voting power."

St. Cloud rolls out new precinct map
St Cloud Times: "Some St. Cloud residents will vote at new locations, based on changes to the city precincts map."

Dayton criticizes GOP health insurance exchange efforts
Pioneer Press: "As the U.S. Supreme Court began its historic review of the federal governments sweeping health care overhaul, the political debate in Minnesota over how to implement the law heated up at the state Capitol."

The veepstakes: Finding Romney's mini-me
HuffPo: "Marco Rubio, it's said, can deliver Florida and some of the Hispanic vote; Bob McDonnell, similarly, is a fellow technocrat who can probably deliver the key swing state of Virginia; Tim Pawlenty has crossover appeal to Democrats; Susana Martinez could close the 'gender gap.'"

Brainerd Parks and Rec closes skate park due to vandalism
Brainerd Dispatch: "Fans and users of Jaycee Skate Park will have to find another place to skate board come Tuesday, with the Brainerd Parks and Recreation Board coming to a unanimous decision to close the skate park until further notice."

New food shelf site provides space to meet hunger needs
Bemidji Pioneer: "In addition to its main site, the Bemidji Community Food Shelf has about a half-dozen storage locations sprinkled throughout the area."

Faribault mill weaves new chapter
Star Tribune: "Under new ownership, the Faribault Woolen Mill Co. is continuing its rebirth as the nation's only fully integrated textile manufacturer, boosting its workforce and landing a contract to produce blankets for J.C. Penney Co."

U of M grad workers vote down unionization
MPR News: "Results released Monday show University of Minnesota graduate assistants have voted down an attempt to unionize over pay and working conditions." MN Daily: "About 68 percent of the 4,400 eligible graduate student workers cast votes in last week's election."

Crop disease challenges bean farmers
AgWeek: "Area dry bean and soybean farmers will face some new, or at least expanded, challenges this growing season.Dry bean producers are confronted with anthracnose, a little-known disease that can hammer both yields and quality."

Duluth councilors approve controversial furniture purchase
WDIO: "Duluth city councilors approved a proposal to spend more than $90,000 to refurnish a space in the city hall basement. It'll be used by 21 employees, according to Dave Montgomery, the city's Chief Administrative Officer."

Lake levels are ... up?
WWJ: "According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), all of the Great Lakes are higher than they were last year in March, and Lake St. Clair is 4 inches higher."

Water experts say it's time to clean Great Lakes
USA Today: "Emerging technologies, new federal programs and global volunteer efforts are aiding in cleaner water, but there still is work to be done."

Op-Ed: Deep thought is dead, long live deep thought
Scientific American: "Alan Jacobs posted a technology article for The Atlantic titled "Jobs of the Future: A Skeptic's Response." In the article, he voices his doubts that a skillset promoted by the internet and social networking would usher in a new wave of future employment."

By the numbers
Number of snakes in a Coon Rapids Home: over 300
The Pioneer Press reports the Coon Rapids City Council could determine if the local resident may continue to "keep living with more than 300 snakes in his house."

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Battle over invasives emerges in court; Santorum waits for Wisconsin

Posted at 7:45 AM on March 26, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Invasive species war spills into court
Star Tribune: "As efforts to fight zebra mussels and other invasives heat up, some argue that a Minnesota birthright is at stake: Unfettered access to lakes and rivers."

Santorum ignores pressure to bow out to Romney
New York Times: "The race isn't over until the people of Wisconsin sing," Mr. Santorum said. "We need you to sing a week from Tuesday."

Fresh and local salad greens feed students in Willmar
West Central Tribune: Willmar High School students enjoy year-round veggies. "The greens came from the Willmar Community Greenhouse located at the MinnWest Technology Campus. Operated by the school district and staffed partly by volunteer students, the greenhouse is providing fresh vegetables and salad greens for the district's food service program."

Like fresh produce? Buy yourself a share
Duluth News Tribune: "CSA farms, which sell shares to consumers for a summer's worth of produce, grow in popularity."

Family's move puts Rep. Chip Cravaack in a political bind
Star Tribune: "He campaigned against Oberstar calling the Democrat out of touch."

Marilyn Hagerty: Messages are good, bad and ugly when you go viral
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "You are a dolt and the main reason why North Dakota is viewed as being a backwoods dump. The Olive Garden is the McDonald's of dining...A touch of Europe? Ha! Why don't you take a vacation and visit New York or San Francisco and see what real people eat?"

Meet the worst bike lane in the Midwest
Twin City Sidewalks: "I'm sure the battle for 'worst bike lane in the Midwest' is a contentious one. The USA is riddled with terrible bicycle infrastructure, from sea to shining sea."

BNSF warns of rail yard dangers following discovery of body
Grand Forks Herald: "Notifications of relatives of the person found dead along railroad tracks in the BNSF Railway yard in Grand Forks Saturday morning weren't complete yet Sunday, a police sergeant said."

St. Paul Saints stadium backers want Lowertown's artists on their team
Twin Cities: "While the St. Paul Saints hope for $27 million from the state to build a new ballpark in Lowertown, team owners are promising to get creative with their artsy new neighbors should the money come in for the new digs."

Sparks don't fly as candidates meet
Duluth News Tribune: "U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack got a visit Thursday from a group of Ely high school students and their chaperone, who just happens to want Cravaack's job."

Look like John Goodman? The Coens have a job for you
Star Tribune: "Ever wondered what size pants John Goodman wears? Here's hoping you haven't, but just in case, that capacious bit of trivia -- 56-inch waist -- just crossed our desk in a press release about the latest production by Joel and Ethan Coen."

American Spirit leaves winter layup

Duluth Shipping News: "She battled a thick fog but the American Sprit had no trouble getting through the Duluth Harbor, under the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge and out to Lake Superior on her way to load iron ore pellets in Two Harbors."

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This week in Minnesota

Posted at 10:32 AM on March 24, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

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Duluth leaders join call for public water investment

Posted at 2:58 PM on March 29, 2012 by Dan Kraker (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Arrowhead, Government

In Duluth, to get an up-close look at the city's aging water infrastructure, just drive down 4th Street in front of Whole Foods Co-op. You'll be detoured around a huge crater in the street, where the city is replacing a collapsing manhole.

Photo courtesy of Whole Foods Co-op

The city of Duluth maintains hundreds of miles of underground water pipes and tunnels, dating back to the early 1900s. City utilities workers repair over 100 water main breaks a year. Last December Duluth was highlighted in a documentary called Liquid Assets Minnesota, which highlighted the pressures on an aging infrastructure. When the film was released, Duluth Mayor Don Ness said that "as a nation, we have neglected our water system and we're paying the price in the form of very expensive water main leaks and breaks."

Now Ness, along with Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and other leaders across the country, has signed on to an open letter urging the Obama Administration and Congress to reinvest in public water systems.

The letter highlights the findings of a new report called Public Water Works! by the group Corporate Accountability International. According to the report, U.S. public water systems face a $23 billion per year investment gap.

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Counties leery of juvenile detention facility; Senate eases shutdown pain; Fighting fire in drag

Posted at 7:45 AM on March 23, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Counties still leery of juvenile detention facility
Fairmont Sentinel: "Martin and Faribault counties are talking with the Youth Services International facility in Elmore, but local youth will not be housed there until further notice. YSI Academy houses at-risk youths ages 13-19, and had been the holding facility for local juveniles finding themselves in trouble with the law. But recently there have been reports of non-violent offenders, such as runaways or truancies, being housed with students from Ramsey County who have been sent to Elmore for violent crimes."

Boat dealers happy with unseasonal temps
WPR: "The unseasonably warm weather has been a boon for lakeside communities. Boat retailers are reporting a double-digit increase in sales."

Senate votes to keep parks and lottery running during shutdown
MPR News: "Republicans in the Minnesota Senate passed two bills Thursday that are aimed at easing the impact of future state government shutdowns.One measure would keep state parks open, while the other would make sure the State Lottery and horse racing tracks continue operating."

Feds critical of how Minnesota polices haze over parks
Star Tribune: "They say Minnesota's rules don't go far enough to reduce pollution-related haze over areas such as the BWCA and Voyageurs."

Loyal customer protests Kmart closing
New Ulm Journal: "Braving light rain and cool temperatures, an elderly New Ulm resident spent the day outside Thursday, protesting the pending closure of New Ulm's Kmart across the street from the store with home-made signs."

DNR, tribe reach deal on walleye spearing limit
JSOnline: "The state and the Lac du Flambeau band of Lake Superior Chippewa have reached a deal that keeps a three-walleye daily bag limit on most lakes where tribal members exercise their treaty rights to spear fish."

Hotelier Jim Graves considering run against Bachmann
Political Animal: "Graves lives in Minneapolis, but touted his St. Cloud roots. Born and raised there, he attended St. Paul's Elementary School, graduated from Cathedral High School and received a bachelor's degree at St. Could State University. He started his career as a sixth grade teacher at Holy Spirit Elementary."

Minnesotans are driving less, MnDOT says
MinnPost: "In what might be viewed as the silver lining to the economic black cloud, Minnesotans apparently are driving less."

Once-obscure wine regions: Minnesota
Napa Valley Register: "The remarkably cold winters in northern U.S. states would kill most French varieties, so in the last 20 years, special French-American hybrid varieties have been developed that, though a bit unusual at first taste, can make appealing wines."

The Brick offers refunds after first show
Star Tribune: "Concertgoers said sightlines, security and other logistics wrecked the Brick's opening."

Rain dampens concerns for fast spreading wildfire
Brainerd Dispatch: "The Brainerd lakes area received about 1.61 inches of rain in Monday's downpour and has added to that total with .06 inches on Wednesday and .01 inches as of Thursday afternoon, the Department of Natural Resources reported."

Sedan firefighters combat car blaze on St. Patricks Day in drag

Minnesota waterfalls raging from recent snowmelt (with videos)
Duluth News Tribune: "Can't make it up the North Shore this month to see the waterfalls running high from melting snow? Then check out these videos, shot earlier this week, of the show being staged by the rivers at three state parks: Gooseberry Falls, Tettegouche and Judge C.R. Magney."

Highway 94 in Collegeville, MN By speedreed66

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Plane crash kills 3; Duluth Metals' 100 year copper-nickel project; Santorum's sweater boom

Posted at 7:45 AM on March 22, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Plane slams into field near Glencoe, killing 3
Star Tribune: "Pilot, his wife and his mother, along with three pets, died in a fiery wreck near Glencoe."

Duluth Metals sets Bechtel parameters for 100 year mine
Mineweb: "Duluth Metals' huge copper-nickel-pgm-gold resource on the Duluth complex in northern Minnesota moves on a stage with top engineering company Bechtel being given the parameters on which to base" a Pre-feasibility Study.

Pequaywan Township resolution cold to copper mining
Duluth News Tribune: "Pequaywan Township north of Duluth has become the third township in the region to pass a resolution asking for a go-slow-or-don't-go approach to copper mining."

Minnesota landowners worried that mining companies will use eminent domain to take their property
Oakdale Patch: "At the request of a constituent who owns land in northern Minnesota, Rep. Nora Slawik sponsored a bill that would eliminate mining companies' ability to take land through eminent domain."

Rukavina amendment sets allocation of copper-nickel mining taxes
Duluth News Tribune: "Rep. Tom Rukavina of Virginia was successful in adding an amendment to the tax bill outlining how copper-nickel mining taxation will be allocated to cities, counties and schools similar to how taconite taxes are distributed."

Lawmakers debate funding for Southwest light rail
MPR News: "Gov. Mark Dayton has made expanding light rail in the southwest metro a top priority this year. But House transportation leaders this week failed to include the light rail line from Eden Prairie to downtown Minneapolis on a list of recommended projects."

Janesville farmstead gets brunt o f tornado damage
Mankato Free Press: "The Martin Sexton farmstead received extensive damage to a large machinery shed, hog building and farm equipment. A grain bin was flung into a wooded area and two large evergreens were plucked from the ground, one falling onto a garage."

Bachmann calls for GOP unity
Michele Bachmann: "At this point, we would be better off if we could unify around a candidate, whoever that candidate may be," she said. "I will back whoever the people choose. But I think it's important for us to unify and unify quickly."

Bomb blasts and nature: Not a good mix along Minnesota Valley State Trail
Star Tribune: "The Air Force Reserve recently told trail supporters that the route needs to be moved because a bomb disposal training site has been added to the reserve's property, making the trail location unsafe because of the potential for flying fragments and unexpected bangs and booms."

Superior view of ice
OPB: "According to a report published last month in the Journal of Climate, the 5 percent of the Great Lakes' surface that froze over this year puts the average amount of ice covering the lakes at a decline of 71 percent over the past 40 winters, with Lake Superior's coverage alone declining a whopping 79 percent."

Republicans want Romney to close the deal
National Journal: "Hoisting his newest trophies -- a landslide win in Illinois and an endorsement from former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush -- Mitt Romney came to this Baltimore suburb on Wednesday for a victory lap aimed at bringing the marathon Republican primary to a close."

Rick Santorum campaign a boon to sweater vest maker
Politico: "Rick Santorum's campaign has been a boon for the sweater vest industry.The presidential hopeful's campaign spent nearly $100,000 in February to buy sweater vests from Bemidji Woolen Mills in Bemidji, Minn., according to campaign finance reports released Tuesday."

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House passes Voter ID amendment; MN-08 DFL candidate debate; BWCA smog

Posted at 7:39 AM on March 21, 2012 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

House GOP passes voter ID amendment

Capitol View: "Republicans in the Minnesota House passed a proposed voter ID constitutional amendment early this morning on a 72 to 62 party line vote, after nine hours of debate.If the Senate follows suit, the question will appear on the statewide ballot in November." Hometown Source: Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake, proposed the bill said during floor debate, "We don't say close enough is good enough." Pioneer Press: "Democratic Rep. Steve Simon of St. Louis Park said voting requirements should be changed by laws that the Legislature can amend, not by a constitutional amendment that could only be altered by voters. 'Amending the constitution should only be done when absolutely necessary to accomplish a goal - not because you can, not because it feels good, not because you have the votes, not because you feel passionately about an issue. That's not good enough,' Simon said. While 16 other states require voters to show photo IDs, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Simon said only one other state, Mississippi, has set that requirement in its constitution."
MPR News Primer: Voter ID
Minnesota Today: Voter ID news

DFLers Nolan, Anderson and Clark debate

TPT Almanac: "The top three Democrats who want to represent congress from Minnesota's 8th District joined Cathy and Eric on the couch. Rick Nolan, Jeff Anderson and Tarryl Clark faced off."

Rep. Cravaack talks oil, politics, PolyMet
TPT Almanac: "Last week we heard from his DFL challengers and this week Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-8th District) sat down at the Almanac table with Cathy and Eric."

Superior police captain Chad La Lor resigns
Duluth News Tribune: "The separation comes after La Lor was accused of providing untruthful testimony during a Police and Fire Commission hearing in November."

No answers yet in death of 27-year-old Fargo man found near railroad tracks
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Family and friends of a 27-year-old Fargo man whose body was found Monday along the railroad tracks between Glyndon and Hawley, Minn., said Tuesday that Jared Nilles was a good-natured theater lover who left many friends behind."

Faribault City Council tries to close smoking loophole by banning "tobacco sampling"
Faribault Daily News: "The administrative mess that would come with introducing regulation was deemed too much. A ban settles the issue, which councilors believe the state will get involved with in the future. Tobacco sampling uses a sort of loophole in the Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act, which prohibited smoking in many indoor places statewide -- even though the Freedom to Breathe Act, added in 2007, expanded those restrictions, according to a report from the Minnesota Department of Health."

Environmentalists take on MPCA over pollution in BWCA and northern parks
MinnPost: "The view in the BWCA isn't what it used to be. The air, vaunted as some of the cleanest in the world, is growing more polluted. Sunsets and sunrises are dimmed by haze."

Wadena, Minn., seeks aid as residents, businesses leave
West Central Tribune: "'Wadena is losing residents and businesses, city leaders told a Minnesota Senate committee Monday in seeking state aid to rebuild facilities lost in a 2010 tornado. 'We have been planning for 21 months,' Mayor Wayne Wolden told members of the Senate committee that recommends public works project funding. 'This is the time to complete this.' Four businesses have closed in the past six months and it is hard to attract new ones, he said, partially because amenities such as offered in a community center and swimming pool were destroyed."

Op-Ed: Protect Minnesota's environment and mining, too
Rep. Mindy Greiling writes in the Star Tribune: "For years, companies have routinely understated the cleanup costs of nonferrous metallic mineral mines. Often it takes years after these mines have shut down for the damage they inflict to become apparent. To get out of these exorbitant costs, the companies will simply declare bankruptcy and leave the taxpayers holding the tab. For instance, in Montana, the Zortman-Landusky Mine left residents with a $33 million bill. In Colorado, Summitville Mine's tab is $185 million and growing. In South Dakota, unpredicted acid drainage problems and failed containment liners left local streams unable to support aquatic life. The company declared bankruptcy in 1999 and left taxpayers on the hook for millions of dollars in cleanup costs."

Op-Ed: Bills should broadly deter shutdowns
Star Tribune: "It's better to spare all from the pain than to exempt some."

Michigan event puts electric snowmobiles to the test
Highwire: "Each year in early March, teams of college students from across the country converge on Houghton, Michigan to compete in the Society of Automotive Engineers Clean Snowmobile Challenge."

Marshall hotel owner urges caution on development
Marshall Independent: "He's not against economic growth or development in Marshall, Scott Hicks said, but plans to bring growth to the area need to take the survival of existing businesses into account."

Farm Family of the Year
Albert Lea Tribune: "Andy Bakken is the fifth-generation in his family to work on the farm and has spent the last 13 years doing so. Bakken and his wife, Jody, have used the farm as an opportunity to teach their four children responsibility and the difference between right and wrong."

Don Shelby leaves MinnPost for news aggregator Bring Me The News

The prom and the porn star
News Cut: "Mike Stone, allegedly from Oakdale and allegedly a senior at Tartan High School (I've been unable to confirm this), has been asking porn stars on Twitter to be his date for the senior prom."

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Sand mining ban; Gone are the days of good government?; Warm weather gamble

Posted at 7:45 AM on March 20, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Winona residents praise ban on sand mining
MPR News: "Residents in Winona, Minn., applauded the council's decision to temporarily ban any new or expanded silica sand mining or processing operations within city limits.Four other cities and five counties in southeast Minnesota have passed moratoriums on silica sand mining in recent months."

DFL files ethics complaint against Senator Michel
Uptake: "The fallout from the affair between Senator Amy Koch and her staffer Michael Brodkorb leads to an ethics complaint against a Senator Geoff Michel."

How Minnesota won the women's hockey title
Slapshot: "A matchup between the nation's top two women's hockey teams and Western Collegiate Hockey Association rivals set the stage for an intense battle in the N.C.A.A. championship game Sunday night, and the Minnesota Gophers walked away with the championship title, winning 4-2 over Wisconsin."

Minnesota gets D corruptibility grade, says State Integrity Investigation
City Pages: "​Minnesota is in the middle of the pack when it comes to the potential for government corruption, according to a new study by the Center for Public Integrity, Public Radio International, and Global Integrity."

Farmers gamble on warm weather, start planting early
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Mike Bergeron beat the calendar, planting spring wheat in the last days of winter, nearly a month before he usually does such seeding."

Minnesota House votes for board to run trust lands
Pioneer Press: "The Minnesota House opted Monday, March 19, to approve a shift in control of 2.5 million acres of school trust lands in northern Minnesota from a state agency to a new board in hopes of generating more money for schools."

Op-Ed: Public has right to know how tax dollars are used
Duluth News Tribune: "The bill would require the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board to make public more information than it has been about clients seeking public money."

Report: Twin Cities rental market tightest in a decade
MPR News: "New housing data shows shows the Twin Cities rental market is the tightest it's been in a decade, with rents on the rise."

Russell Means to discuss Wounded Knee takeover at Augustana
Argus Leader: "Widely known for leading the 71-day armed takeover of Wounded Knee on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Reservation, Means' talk is called 'Wounded Knee, Before, During and After,' and coincides with the Center for Western Studies' 44th annual Dakota Conference."

AFL-CIO registers PAC to fight "right-to-work" amendment
Capitol View: "Minnesota's unions have formed We Are Minnesota, a fund meant to raise money to oppose a proposed constitutional amendment that would make union membership and the payment of union dues voluntary for all workers."

Freakonomics - Conspicuous conservationism
Minnesota Today guest editor Steve Boland: "Interesting story of what people will spend to have other people *see* that they are green, rather than just being green."
Reading a story that you think other Minnesotans will find interesting or important? Become a guest editor and share your links.

Finding Minnesota: Somerskogen Sugarbush

WCCO: "Almost all of us love this warm March weather, but not maple syrup farmers. Why? Because when maple trees bloom, the sap stops. But in Minnetrista, the sap is still slowly flowing. And that's a good thing."

A ride in the park

Rice Creek Trail ride in Fridley from Yamihoo. (h/t Fridley Patch)

Where in the Boundary Waters Should I Canoe?
Boundary Waters Blog: "No matter how many times I've been on Boundary Waters canoe trips it's still a tough decision to decide where to go. Who I'm paddling with, how much time I have and how energetic I'm feeling all make a difference in what route I'll choose."

Chef's night off at Kitchen in the Market
Eat Drink Life Love: "It's the most fun you'll have in a kitchen ... probably ever. You'll eat fantastically and learn a lot too. The evening also benefited Renewing the Countryside, a local non-profit organization that champions rural communities through farming, business and other creative initiatives."

Foggy Night from David Cowardin on Vimeo.

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GOP seeks to unseat Walz; An online Ojibwe dictionary; Vote on UAW at U of M

Posted at 7:45 AM on March 19, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Republicans say they have a shot at unseating DFL U.S. Rep. Tim Walz

MPR News: "As the November election approaches, Republicans in Minnesota think one of their best chances for recapturing a congressional seat is in southern Minnesota's 1st District. Republicans insist the incumbent there, U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, a Democrat, is out of step with his constituents. State Sen. Mike Parry and former state Rep. Allen Quist are seeking the GOP endorsement to take on Walz in November. So it's a busy time for the candidates, with political organizing meetings taking place across southern Minnesota, including the Le Sueur County Republican convention a couple of Saturdays ago, where about 100 people were present."

Former Star Tribune publisher, arts patron John Cowles dies at 82
MPR News: "John Cowles Jr., who published the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper in the 1980s and grew to become a key arts patron in the Twin Cities, has died. He was 82 years old."

Urban farms a tough row to hoe for Minneapolis City Council
MPR News: "The Minneapolis City Council this week takes up a controversial set of proposed ordinances designed to encourage urban agriculture."

We're not from around here, are we?
Star Tribune: "The land of 'ya sure, you betcha,' isn't quite as filled with native Minnesotans as it used to be, according to U.S. Census data."

Is the retirement age increasing?
Tom Gillaspy: "While there is some evidence that some workers are delaying retirement, for many workers, the reality is very different and retiring earlier than expected becomes a necessity."

Team helps create online Ojibwe People's Dictionary
Pioneer Press: "Gerri Howard was loath to let a digital recorder capture her voice for a new kind of dictionary. A fluent speaker of Ojibwe on Minnesota's Leech Lake Reservation, she didn't like how she sounded on playback."

Minnesota legislators tread softly around possible Brodkorb lawsuit
Pioneer Press: "Michael Brodkorb once was the bane of Minnesota Democrats, a savvy and aggressive operative whose scorched-earth approach to politics ... powered his rise to dual roles as deputy chairman of the state GOP and chief spokesman for Senate Republicans."

Path to end of Minnesota legislative session still fuzzy
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Minnesota's legislators want to go home for the year in a month, or a little more, but the crystal ball showing how to get there is murky."

Minnesota to vote on rescinding immunity for lawmakers facing drunken driving arrest
Fox9: "The provision, found in the state constitution, allows lawmakers 'privilege from arrest' when they are pulled over by police."

In vote this week, graduate workers take sides on union backed by UAW
Minnesota Daily: "Despite previous failed attempts, union proponents at the University think organizing with the United Auto Workers will be the key to forming a union this time around. ... If a union passes, students who aren't members will be required to pay UAW because they benefit from contract negotiation."

Minnesota DNR hires manager for wildlife habitat program
Echo Press: "A veteran Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) biologist has been selected to manage the state's wildlife habitat program."

UMD development could make campus more livable
Duluth News Tribune: "Developer of the Woodland Middle School site says prospects for retail and restaurant development will depend partly on 'grand entrance' option at UMD."

Do digital gadgets increase our appetite for news?
NPR: "One in every four Americans receives their news digitally from mobile devices, which are helping to expand the consumption of journalism across multiple sources, according to a new report released Monday."

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This week in Minnesota

Posted at 9:00 AM on March 17, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

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No smoke near Pagami Creek since January

Posted at 4:50 PM on March 15, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Arrowhead, Outdoors

MPR News Dan Kraker: "Superior National Forest District Rangers and Ron Stoffel, the Wildfire Suppression Supervisor for the DNR, say they have not heard any reports of smoldering or burning in the Pagami Creek fire area. Superior National Forest District Ranger Mark Van Every says there hasn't been any smoke reported since January. But with the remaining snow cover melting fast, he says they could potentially see some smoldering activity soon."

That contradicts a report lacking attribution from the Northland News Center that was featured on Minnesota Today's morning update.

Related
Minnesota Today: Boundary Waters News

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Brodkorb's affair; Frac sand setbacks; The vanishing Eelpout

Posted at 7:33 AM on March 16, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

What's this Michael Brodkorb story all about?
Brodkorb asserts other staffers had affairs with government officials, weren't fired

MPR News: "Attorneys for former Senate Republican caucus spokesman Michael Brodkorb said Thursday that they would pursue legal action against the Senate for firing Brodkorb because he had an affair with his boss, former Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch."

MPR News: What are both sides claiming?
Since Brodkorb was fired on Dec. 16, 2011, the Senate has maintained that he is an "at-will" employee, meaning he can be let go at any time. Brodkorb's boss, Koch, stepped down as Majority Leader, so his services as her chief spokesman would no longer be needed, the Senate contends. Like all new employees of the Legislature, Brodkorb signed a document when he was hired acknowledging his "at-will" status. Brodkorb's lawyers say he was fired illegally. They say the only reason Brodkorb was terminated was for having an intimate relationship with Koch. Brodkorb's lawyers also say his personnel file did not contain a record of poor work performance.

Minn. House passes bill to tap reserves to pay back schools
Star Tribune: "The House approved a Republican-backed measure to use state reserve funds to pay down debts to public schools following a debate that previewed some of the themes that may reappear in Legislative elections in November." MPR News: "The future of the legislation is unclear. The Senate has not yet taken up a companion bill, and the governor has publicly criticized the measure as not fiscally responsible. Dayton, too, is concerned about cash flow problems. He accused Republicans last week of using the issue to try to 'remedy themselves' for November. 'It sounds good. Everybody wants to repay the schools. It shouldn't have been borrowed from them in the first place. It wouldn't have under my proposal,' Dayton said. 'But to try to bail the legislators out before the election on the backs of fiscal responsibility for all the citizens of Minnesota I think is very inappropriate.'"

Lawmakers take aim at hospitals over life and death decisions
KAAL: "A growing number of parents say hospitals make them feel pressured to let their babies die rather than face a life with disabilities."

Chris Cook trial: Jury acquits Vikings cornerback of assaulting girlfriend
Pioneer Press: "As the court clerk rose to read the verdicts, the defendant, Minnesota Vikings cornerback Chris Cook, bowed his head. A man sitting in the gallery, a fan, clutched a football he'd brought into the Minneapolis courtroom."

Winona passes 1-year moratorium on frac sand mining
MPR News: "Winona city officials held an emergency meeting this week and passed a one-year moratorium that temporarily bans any new or expanded silica sand mining operations within city limits."

Town of Gale denies frac sand mine rezoning
Winona Daily News: "The town of Gale Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to deny a rezoning application that would have allowed building a frac sand mine."

Op-Ed: Minnesota eyes cut to fat program
Brainerd Dispatch: "If SHIP funding is cut or dries up, it should be recommended that people adopt their own health and wellness programs. One option most Minnesotans might wish to engage in (at minimal cost) is walking around their own neighborhoods and meet the folks on their block. Another option available to everyone is getting up off the couch and riding a bike on the beautiful Paul Bunyan Trail. Another healthy consideration is to take a kid fishing and eat the healthy catch with the family."

Op-Ed: Sen. Secretary conflict of interest in Brodkorb dispute
Clucking Stool: Cal "Ludeman has a huge conflict of interest here. He's playing with house (well, actually the Senate's and by extension the taxpayers') money to hire a lawyer to protect the Senate Republican caucus and himself. ... Cal Ludeman ought to be the last person in charge of this litigation."

Future looks rosy for Cloquet mill
Pine Journal: "Construction is expected to start in April on a conversion at the Sappi mill in Cloquet that Project Director Mike Schultz said will add at least 20 years to the life of the mill."

Fewer Eelpout found in area lakes
Grand Forks Herald: "The eelpout or burbot, that beady-eyed freshwater cod widely known as the "ish of fish" for its unsightly appearance, doesn't get a lot of attention, but fisheries managers in Minnesota and North Dakota say the species is in decline."

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Pagami fire concern lingers; Mineral rights bill stalls at Capitol; Minnesota museum month

Posted at 7:45 AM on March 15, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

This post initially contained an item by the Northland News Center that reported the Pagami Creek fire was still smoking. MPR News followed up on that report and found a different story. Dan Kraker reports, "Superior National Forest District Ranger Mark Van Every says there hasn't been any smoke reported since January. But with the remaining snow cover melting fast, he says they could potentially see some smoldering activity soon." -- Updated at 5:04pm

Former Sen. Majority Leader Koch, Brodkorb affair confirmed
Star Tribune: "The revelation of an Amy Koch-Michael Brodkorb relationship comes in wrangle over his termination." Star Tribune: "'Despite Mr. Brodkorb's efforts to disrupt the work of the Senate in the current legislative session, to distract members of the Senate, to extort a payment from the Senate and to try his so-called claims in the media, the Senate will not allow that to succeed,' Cal Ludeman, the secretary of the Senate, said."

Landowners won't get help fighting mining leases from Minnesota Legislature
Duluth News Tribune: "Legislation that would give northern Minnesota landowners more power to say no to mining companies that own the mineral rights under their land appears dead at the state Capitol."

May is Minnesota museum month
New York Times: "The country's first monthlong, statewide celebration of museums. It is the creation of several Twin Cities museum administrators, who expect it to become an annual event."

Senate panel vote on Vikings stadium delayed indefinitely
MPR News: "Supporters of a bill that would finance a new $975 million football stadium for the Minnesota Vikings suffered a setback Wednesday." Pioneer Press: "Gov. Mark Dayton minced few words Wednesday, March 14, as he called on House and Senate leaders to end the "theater of the absurd" surrounding the Minnesota Vikings stadium proposal and move the bill to a final vote." Star Tribune: "After nearly two hours of debate and testimony, the Senate Local Government and Elections Committee abruptly opted against a vote on the bill, after several members from both parties expressed significant concerns about it. Bill sponsor Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont, insisted however that the postponed vote was not a setback."

Obama signs St. Croix Bridge bill
MPR News: "President Barack Obama has signed legislation authorizing a replacement for the aging Stillwater Lift Bridge.The approval grants an exemption to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to build a new, four-lane bridge over the St. Croix River. The project is estimated to cost as much as $676 million."

St. Paul teacher accused of bias
Pioneer Press: "The families say Timothy Olmsted repeatedly disparaged their children, who are black, and made them sit at the back of his classroom."

iPads for St. Louis County schools
WDIO: "The St. Louis County School Board approved a new three year technology plan on Monday. And the plan calls for providing iPads for every high school student, starting in 2014. But next fall, all 7th and 8th graders will get to start using theirs."

Moorhead chief says plant fire worst he's seen in 20 years, damage could be in the millions
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Duysen said the fire was likely started by a pulp dryer on the west end of the building. He likened the dryer to a 'big oven' used to dry wet newspaper. The recycled newspaper is used to make the egg cartons."

Disappointment over graffiti covering Rochester park
KAAL: "On a warm day like we had Wednesday, many families headed outside enjoying parks and playgrounds. But people in a Southeast Rochester neighborhood arrived at theirs to find it vandalized, but for the parks department, a cleaning trip to Joyce Park is nothing new."

Faribault Woolen Mill tries to secure spot on National Register
Faribault Daily News: "Councilors approved a letter supporting the mill's application to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places this week. If the mill secures the designation, it will give it a national scope and open the door for state and federal Historic Preservation Tax Credits."

Minnesota's most influential plants? Arboretum wants input

MPR News: "The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum wants you to nominate your pick for the '10 Plants That Changed Minnesota.' The new initiative, which will include education at K-12 and college levels, is led by Mary Meyer, a professor of horticultural science at the University of Minnesota."

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Worker shortage; Spammy study in Neveln, Merging music and Lake Superior

Posted at 7:45 AM on March 14, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Shortage of workers looms
Alexandria Echo Press: "Survey shows manufacturing firms are confident of future. Minnesota's manufacturers remain confident in their firms' futures, as solid revenue, profitability and capital expenditure projections hold steady for the second year in a row."

Magnetation bill dropped in Minnesota House
Duluth News Tribune: "Legislation that would have waived the environmental review process for the proposed Magnetation pellet plant in Itasca County was shelved Tuesday in favor of a compromise bill that offers faster environmental permitting for up to three pilot projects in the state."

Fun in the sun at citywide ski meet
Pine Journal: "Cloquet's annual citywide ski meet turned into a festival of spring Sunday, complete with half-naked skiers and water-skiing."

Hormel Foods to study breakfast protein deficiency at Neveln
Austin Daily Herald: "That's why researchers are looking into protein intake at Neveln. Scientists figure first-graders are still honest enough about what they eat that any data collected will be reliable, as opposed to older, possibly more food-conscious survey participants."

Outdoors groups back higher fishing, hunting fees

MPR News: "More than 60 outdoors and environmental groups want lawmakers to raise the state's hunting, fishing, and boating fees.They say the move would bring in more money for the state's Game and Fish Fund which is projected to run a deficit next year."
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Public invited to flood recovery 'thank you' event with former President Clinton Saturday morning
Grand Forks Herald: "The city of Grand Forks is inviting the residents of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks to a special thank you to former President Bill Clinton Saturday for his efforts and support of our community's flood recovery. Clinton will be in Grand Forks for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Convention."

Faribault School board goes from $1.3M to $400K in cuts
Faribault Daily News: "After a harsh list of cuts from the Faribault Public School Board last week board members came up with the possibility of a total number that might be less painful for the schools.

Northland group tries to save Superior family from foreclosure
WDIO: "Hundreds of people are trying to help a Superior family who is at risk of losing their home. Krystal and Chris Dunbar bought this house in 2007 but in 2009 Chris lost his job. They were unable to make full payments and fell behind."

Willmar retailers say they are seeing uptick in sales as economy grows
West Central Tribune: "Nationwide, a stronger job market is strengthening the economy, and retailers are reaping the benefits. ... In the Willmar area, businesses are starting to see that upward trend reflected in their own sales figures."

Tycoons' Rathskeller is no ordinary basement bar in downtown Duluth
Duluth News Tribune: "The Rathskeller, in the sub-basement of Duluth's old city hall at 132 E. Superior St., has a pre-Prohibition theme with an air of exclusivity that nods to a time when secret societies were en vogue."

Musician seeks to merge music and Lake Superior
Ashland Current: "Washburn musician Marlin Ledin plans to sail Lake Superior this spring, summer and fall, recording the sounds of the lake and making music aboard his sailboat, Voyageur."

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'Minnesota ice': starting over in Minnesota

Posted at 2:42 PM on March 12, 2012 by Michael Olson (4 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

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Tribes oppose wolf hunt; Federal cuts reach home; When mom goes viral

Posted at 7:45 AM on March 13, 2012 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Some Ojibwe tribal members object to wolf hunting, trapping

MPR News: "Some Ojibwe in Minnesota are worried about the fate of the state's wolf population.State lawmakers are considering a hunting and trapping season for wolves, which were removed from the federal endangered species list last year."

Before wolves may be hunted, science, faith and politics clash in Wisconsin
New York Times: "The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Game Commission, which represents 11 tribes of the Ojibwe (also known as the Chippewa, or Anishinaabe) in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan, opposes the hunt on the basis of religious principle and tradition."

NYT: Scientist John Vucetich studies wolves on Isle Royale
A collection of blog posts and observations from a season of scientific study on Isle Royale.

Minneapolis copes with a smaller slice of federal funding
Star Tribune: "Minneapolis feels effects of federal cutbacks to money for programs that serve a wide range of people."

Right to Work debate riles Minnesota Capitol
St Cloud Times: "Minnesota Republican senators got a taste Monday of the fight over labor rights that gripped other Midwestern statehouses in the last year, with a committee narrowly passing legislation to curb union power even as hundreds of demonstrators chanted and yelled just feet away."
Minnesota Today: Right to Work debate

Minnesota's Game and Fish Fund faces shortfall
Bemidji Pioneer: "Minnesota's Game and Fish Fund is projected to be in the red as early as July 2013."

Cravaack: PolyMet review to be released in Oct.
MPR News: "8th District GOP Rep. Chip Cravaack says the controversial PolyMet precious metals mining project in northeast Minnesota is on track to have a draft environmental review released to the public this October."

'Sled Dogs to St. Paul' musher Frank Moe talks about journey
WTIP: "After spending a week on the trail and travelling more than 350 miles, Moe arrived at the state capitol on Monday, March 8th. Moe is back home in Cook County now, and he stopped by the WTIP studios on Monday, March 12th to talk about the experience and why he did it."

Minnesota ranks highly on happiness
Gillaspy Demographics: "Gallup and Healthways have released the 2011 Gallup-Healthways Well Being Index for states, metropolitan areas and congressional districts, and once again Minnesota ranks near the top."

U of Minn. professors clash with stem-cell company
Star Tribune: "Two University of Minnesota ethicists have set off a firestorm by raising questions about a controversial Texas stem-cell company."

Swedish institute to collaborate with ICC on biomass research program
Grand Rapids Herald-Review: "Biomass could be the saving grace for northern Minnesota's timber industry and Itasca Community College is poised to adapt to this new demand - now with help from Swedish researchers facing a similar shift in focus."

Finding Minnesota: Marine Art Museum

WCCO: "Water is a crucial part of Minnesota's culture. With all the lakes and rivers, our state claims more shoreline than Florida, California and Hawaii combined. So it's fitting that priceless paintings of water from some of the world's greatest artists are on display in the river town of Winona. Names like Van Gogh, Renoir and Matisse can be found at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum. In fact, the collection includes what may well be Vincent Van Gogh's first oil painting."

Op-Ed: When mom goes viral: Marilyn Hagerty, 85, is talk of social media
Wall Street Journal: "Some people pursue celebrity. Others stumble into it as they are rushing off to bridge club."

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'Right to work' amendment debate, silica sand mining on hold, fewer sites in BWCA

Posted at 7:39 AM on March 12, 2012 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

BWCA wildfire aftermath includes campsite closures
AP: "Rangers had hoped to have most back in operation when paddlers returned. But standing scorched trees known as snags and burned latrines raise safety and sanitation issues that still must be addressed, spokeswoman Kris Reichenbach said."

Puzzle of baby found in river weighs on sheriff
Star Tribune: "Months after 'Angel' was found in the Mississippi, authorities are still looking for answers. Services for the infant girl will be in April."

With SE Minn. silica sand mining on pause, groups organize
MPR News: "Silica sand mining is a divisive topic in southeastern Minnesota. Local officials have held town hall meetings with residents, met with environmentalists and industry leaders, and passed moratoriums on mining so they can study the practice that has already swept parts of Wisconsin." Star Tribune: "Hydro-fracking spawns a new Minnesota industry - and fears about its effects."

Walz calls for campaign finance reform
Winona Daily News: "Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., plans to make his 2012 election finances an open book -- and he hopes groups that donate to political campaigns will do the same. Walz is a co-sponsor of a bill that would require corporations, super political action committees, and unions to report campaign donations."

Minnesota Senate committee takes up "Right to Work"
Pioneer Press: "The state Senate's Judiciary and Public Safety Committee will take up a proposed constitutional amendment this morning that would forbid contracts requiring workers join unions or pay union dues."

Appraiser's work for St. Louis County under scrutiny
Duluth News Tribune: "Jan Jackson and her family are responsible for assessing more townships than any other appraisers in St. Louis County."

Limiting invasive species in Minnesota waters is one issue state lawmakers agree on
St Cloud Times: "From electric barriers to a proposed research center at the University of Minnesota, aquatic-invader legislation is gaining traction at the state Capitol. Millions of state dollars are almost certain to follow."

Faribault Daily News: "There is a natural tension between cities and counties and the state when it comes to revenue production -- while the state can levy sales and income taxes, it can also manipulate other funding steams that impact cities like the Homestead Market Credit and Local Government Aid. 'It's frustrating every time you see a bid, and there is sales tax. Especially on capital purchases,' said Faribault City Councilor Dave Miller. 'You think we add it all up, we could get a cop or two.'"

Dayton: Vikings stadium bill has '50-50' chance at Capitol
MPR News: "Gov. Mark Dayton said Sunday while he supports a new Vikings stadium, he's not sure it will win approval at the Legislature."

Tight G.O.P. primaries suggest less-predictable south
New York Times: "The Deep South base is not as predictable as it once was. National polling companies have found a volatile contest in Alabama and Mississippi, a near toss-up among the three leading candidates. And indeed the primaries represent a rather neat slicing of the Southern electorate at the current moment."

Ham radio space helps sway couple to buy North Dakota home on ebay
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "James Stiles doesn't hunt, fish, bird watch or yet dig for dinosaur bones -- the typical hobbies that draw people to North Dakota. He's moving to the state to increase his stock as a ham radio operator."

By the numbers
Report: Great Lakes ice down 71 percent since 1973
AP: "A published report says the amount of ice covering the Great Lakes has declined about 71 percent over the past 40 years, a drop that the lead author partly attributes to climate change."

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This week in Minnesota

Posted at 7:00 AM on March 10, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

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Brew pub brawl, Rep. Franson stays put, Bieber's snake slithers into Owatonna

Posted at 7:45 AM on March 9, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

A battle brews over beer laws
Star Tribune: "Craft beers are hugely popular, but brew pubs' market is limited by age-old Minnesota rules."

Good mining times predicted on the Range
Duluth News Tribune: "Top officials of Ohio-based Cliffs Natural Resources held their annual community forum Thursday and said their three taconite plants will continue to churn out pellets at near record clips with stable work forces and solid demand from steelmakers."

Franson refuses demands to resign: 'I have great support'
Capitol Chat: "Protesters' chants for Rep. Mary Franson to resign Thursday only strengthened her resolve to remain on the job. She offered her third apology for a video that some found offensive to Minnesota's poor. But the Alexandria Republican said 'I have gotten great support.'"

Mankato hosts national curling competition, finals on Saturday
Mankato Free Press: "Ten women's and 10 men's teams have been competing for the past week at Caledonia Community Center with finals matches slated for Saturday."

Grand Forks Herald restaurant critic Marilyn Haggerty's review of the new Olive Garden in Grand Forks became Internet-gold as Fark, Reddit, Gawker and other meme-generating sites picked up the 85 year old's assessment of the new culinary offering. When Haggerty's daughter encouraged her to log onto Facebook and read the comments about her review Haggerty replied: "I'm working on my Sunday column and I'm going to play bridge this afternoon, so I don't have time to read all this crap," reports the Grand Forks Herald.

Vikings stadium: North suburbs' Chamber of Commerce calls process 'unfair'
Pioneer Press: "For days, Ramsey County commissioners Tony Bennett and Rafael Ortega have accused key state leaders of holding their proposal for a Vikings stadium in Arden Hills to a tougher standard than the plan for a site just east of the Metrodome, which has gained the governor's blessing."

Wilf likely to make money off new stadium
MPR News: "It's hard to know exactly how much the Vikings owners will benefit from a stadium, in part because the NFL doesn't disclose football's financial secrets, and because the Vikings won't discuss it."

Former N.D. newspaper owner resigns at Minnesota weekly over plagiarism allegations
Grand Forks Herald: "Jon Flatland, a past North Dakota Newspaper Association president and past owner of Finley, N.D.'s Steele County Press, is accused of copying other writers' work during his 28-year career."

A brew fest raises its frothy head in Winnebago
Mankato Free Press: "The city of Winnebago will become Sudsville for a day this summer.The Faribault County community aims to bolster its visitor traffic with its first-ever Craft Brew Fest featuring more than 20 brewers and upward of 50 beers."

Northern lights put on great show in Northland skies overnight (with video)
Duluth News Tribune: "Good things came for those who waited to see the northern lights in Northland skies overnight."

Justin Bieber's snake finds a home in Owatonna
Faribault Daily News: "The yellow and brown reptile that goes by the name Johnson, you see, had already reached stardom after he joined teen singing sensation Justin Bieber on the red carpet for the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. Now, after a fortunate chain of events, the famous pet has moved to the Owatonna-based zoo."

By the numbers
Annual value of animal agriculture to Minnesota: $8 billion
A new report puts the number of animal agriculture jobs in the state at nearly 35,000.

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"Bully" police chief, no mail for dangerous trailer park, solar storm

Posted at 7:45 AM on March 8, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Hockey officials, parents place greater emphasis on reducing injuries, concussions
MPR News: "As Minnesota's top high school hockey teams take the ice at the Xcel Energy Center during the State Boys' Hockey Tournament this week, there is greater emphasis to reduce the kind of play that can lead to concussions and other serious injuries."

Virginia, Minn.: The police chief who can't be canned?
Star Tribune: "Employees and bosses in Virginia, Minn., insist Police Chief Dana Waldron is a bully, but attempts to fire him have failed for more than a year."

Postal Service stops delivery to local trailer park, citing danger
Post Bulletin: "Effective Wednesday, the U.S. Postal Service suspended mail delivery to a southeast Rochester trailer park, citing danger to carriers from loose dogs, and other problems."

Op-Ed: A misguided Minnesota anti-sharia bill
Star Tribune: "State Sen. Dave Thompson, a Lakeville Republican, introduced a bill this week only to withdraw it a few hours later. In between, area Muslim leaders called a press conference in which they, along with key Christian and Jewish leaders, denounced the bill for what it was: veiled anti-Muslim bigotry."

Massive solar storm speeds toward Earth
AP: "The largest solar storm in five years was due to arrive on Earth early Thursday, promising to shake the globe's magnetic field while expanding the Northern Lights."

Bradford Cox stands by his hour long rendition of "My Sharona" at the Cedar Cultural Center
AV Club: "After Pitchfork reported on local recaps of the show, which described the experience as bizarre and sort of uncomfortable, the Deerhunter frontman called the publication up to explain a few things."

Determination - and a Minnesota twist - bring violinist Midori to town
Orlando Sentinel: "World-renowned violinist Midori was almost the concert that got away -- until the Orlando Philharmonic, aided by a mystery donor, a local charitable foundation and a fortuitous Minnesota connection, stepped in."

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Wolf hunt advances, dissing Minneapolis, brewing in Bemidji

Posted at 7:30 AM on March 7, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Bill to allow wolf hunting clears Senate committee
MPR News: "A Minnesota Senate committee Tuesday approved a bill for a wolf hunt that would start in the fall. Farmer and hunting groups testified in support of a season for wolf hunting."

Santorum takes North Dakota despite Paul's presence in Fargo
Grand Forks Herald: "Despite a final personal pitch from Libertarian Ron Paul, it was former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum who took home the most votes in North Dakota's statewide Republican caucuses." Politico: "Mitt Romney's weaknesses show no sign of going away. He struggles in the South and with evangelical voters. He's not conservative enough. He loses among rural voters and with voters down the economic scale." More 2012 coverage from Minnesota Today.

Survey: Many Minnesotans still without insurance
MPR News: "A new report shows that the portion of Minnesotans who have health insurance has not recovered from losses that occurred during the recession that ended in 2009. Minnesota's uninsured rate in 2011 remained essentially unchanged at 9.1 percent, despite improvements in the state's job picture."

Fargo man challenging North Dakota's ban on gay marriage
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Lenny Tweeden plans to take his case to allow gay marriage to North Dakota voters."

Crowdsourced funding for Bemidji micro-brewery
MPR News: "Tina Hanke and Justin "Bud" Kaney are standing in a community kitchen at Harmony Food Cooperative, getting ready for the day in a few weeks when they and a partner, Tom Hill, plan to start brewing beer on a commercial scale. Hanke cracks open one of their craft beer specialties, a bottle-conditioned 'rye Saison,' describing it with appreciation as "a little bit more bubbly of a beer, almost like a champagne quality."
Join an online chat with Minnesota's beer makers Thursday at 11:30a.

Duluth school board discusses plan to save $4.8 million
Duluth News Tribune: "The district proposed several budget ideas to the School Board on Tuesday night during a planning session meant to help put together the fiscal year 2013 budget. The board will vote on a final list March 20, which will reconcile about $4.8 million in reductions."

Minn. lawmakers back bill to fight Asian carp
MPR News: "With Asian carp spreading up the Mississippi River, members of Minnesota's congressional delegation are introducing legislation designed to counter the invasive fish."

17 men charged with soliciting prostitutes in Rochester
Rochester Post Bulletin: "Seventeen men have been charged with prostitution-related offenses in Olmsted County District Court following a police sting aimed at clients of prostitutes in Rochester."

Op-Ed: DFL is stuck in the mud of teacher seniority
Lynnell Mickelsen: "So there I was, in late February, a lifelong, die-hard progressive DFL mom from Minneapolis, sitting in the governor's office with Rep. Branden Petersen, a die-hard conservative Republican dad from Coon Rapids."

Op-Ed: Racial justice is not a monopoly of the Left
Cafe con Leche Republicans: "Republican Congressional Candidate Chris Fields (R-MN) caught my attention for a variety of reasons. First, Mr. Fields seems genuinely intent on reaching out to the black community."

Op-Ed: Deflating the bloated public pension myth
Star Tribune: "The pension facts in a new report by the National Institute on Retirement Security warrant a look as well. They blow the myth of cushy retirement payouts to public employees at taxpayer expense."

Howler's Jordan Gatesmith has some choice remarks for Minneapolis
Local Current: Gatesmith: "There's this band called the 4onthefloor, for example, and the gimmick is that they play, you know, they have four kick drums, and they all play the kick drum on the floor, and they're like Mumford & Sons crap. ... Nothing will happen outside of Minneapolis for them." The comment section on this one is lively.

Minnesota legislative notebook: DNR says it should keep school land duties
Grand Forks Herald: "Minnesota's natural resources commissioner does not want to give up his job of managing 2.5 million acres of land, mostly in northern Minnesota that support schools across the state."

Sled-dog trek highlights fight in DFL over Iron Range projects
MinnPost: "On Thursday, environmental activist Frank Moe, a former DFL state representative from the Iron Range, will finish a 350-mile sled dog trek from Grand Marais on the steps of the state Capitol. He will bear petitions with thousands of signatures calling for a moratorium on mineral mining."

The aging of the BWCA visitor
NewsCut: "Is it a problem that the average age of a visitor to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is approaching twice that of the average age in the 1960s?"

Caitlin Robertson -- "Like Pure Snow"

(h/t Perfect Duluth Day)

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Gov. Walker pushes mining in Superior, silver carp moves north, Ron Paul's North Dakota

Posted at 7:30 AM on March 6, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Gov. Walker visits Superior to tout mining proposal
Superior Telegram: "'We're not the badger state because we have all these animals around,' said Gov. Scott Walker. 'We're the badger state because our heritage involves mining' and if any state can streamline the process, to return to mining, it should be Wisconsin."

Dreaded carp netted in Mississippi near Winona
Rochester Post Bulletin: "An 8-pound silver carp, an invasive species known for its wild leaps out of the water when startled, was netted by a commercial fisherman Thursday on the Mississippi River near Winona, making it the furthest north one has been found."

Bill aims to slash price of county property site by $120,000
Duluth News Tribune: "Though the city had agreed to a purchase price of $150,00 and did not request the new legislation, the bill was introduced by state Reps. Tom Rukavina and Carly Melin.

Dayton vetos gun bill
Capitol View: "In his veto letter to the Legislature, Governor Dayton said he vetoed the bill because most major law enforcement agencies raised issues about the bill. Dayton said he appreciated the efforts to craft the bill to ease worries by law enforcement but said their concerns 'must be honored.'"

On Super Tuesday, Ron Paul zeros in on North Dakota
AP: "In a state that typically receives more in federal spending than it pays in taxes, unabashed small-government cheerleader Ron Paul has done the most campaigning, drawn the largest crowds and attracted the biggest share of political donations among Republican presidential candidates."

Super Tuesday: Four things to watch for
NPR: "Super Tuesday 2012 is finally here, with Republican presidential preference contests -- a mix of primaries and caucuses -- occurring in ten states from sea to shining sea."

Strong Super Tuesday turnout expected in Oil Patch
Dickinson Press: "Caucus sites in the Oil Patch are expecting strong turnouts for Super Tuesday today following visits by two Republican candidates and an emphasis on energy policy from all four."

Editorial: Surprises in store at caucuses?
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Active Republicans and those identifying themselves as Republicans, even though they are not Republicans, are cranked up for what promises to be a very interesting day at caucus sites across the state."

Amateurs are new fear in creating mutant virus
New York Times: "Over the past decade, more amateur biologists have started to do genetic experiments of their own. One hub of this so-called D.I.Y. biology movement, the Web site DIYbio.org, now has more than 2,000 members. 'I worry about the garage scientist, about the do-your-own scientist, about the person who just wants to try and see if they can do it,' Michael T. Osterholm of the University of Minnesota said last week at a meeting of biosecurity experts in Washington."

Strengthening rural Latino start-ups
MPR News: "More than any other racial or ethnic group in the United States, Latinos are entrepreneurs, and that tendency has been increasing. Nearly a quarter of all new entrepreneurs in 2010 were Latino, according to the Kauffman Foundation, which has been studying the topic for many years."

Senate to choose an insider trading bill
New York Times: "Senate leaders, eager to avoid a freewheeling, unpredictable debate on Congressional ethics, are considering simply accepting a House-passed bill to ban insider trading by lawmakers. This approach would kill two provisions previously passed by the Senate and would, in the eyes of some, weaken the measure promoted as a way to restore trust in Congress. One Senate provision at risk would regulate a booming industry that collects "political intelligence" from political insiders for the use of hedge funds, mutual funds and other investors. The second would give prosecutors powerful new tools to pursue public corruption cases."

Stillwater bridge: MnDOT tweaks new bridge cost estimate
Pioneer Press: "The estimated cost of the St. Croix River Crossing Project has dropped by several million dollars in revised figures from the Minnesota Transportation Department."

Op-Ed: Gaffing his way to victory
Weekly Standard: "Mitt Romney is leading the league in gaffes. We know this because the media are counting. The Week lists his '9 worst clueless-rich-man gaffes.' The Wall Street Journal trumps that with 'Romney's Top 10 Wealth Gaffes.' The Christian Science Monitor refers to the 'Mitt Romney gaffe monster.'"

Op-Ed: Poorly told political fortunes
New York Times: "This presidential race has been all about upended expectations. At the mile marker of Super Tuesday, it's worth pausing to look at how frequently we've erred and how much we've learned."

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Upgrades slow at Minn. nuclear plants, anti-mining musher heads for St. Paul, remembering Kubly

Posted at 7:55 AM on March 5, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

State's 2 nuclear plants will get post-Fukushima upgrades
Star Tribune: "Yet some U.S. nuclear critics question whether the actions are sufficient, pointing with skepticism to the purchase of off-the-shelf pumps and backup generators, rather than more expensive equipment designed for nuclear power plants."

Wabasha-Kellogg school will be site for radiation testing
Rochester Post Bulletin: "If there's a major problem with the Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant, up to 3,500 people from that area might come to the Wabasha-Kellogg school to be checked for radiation and, if it's found on them, decontaminated. The school has agreed to be the second radiological reception center for a larger accident at the plant north of Red Wing along the Mississippi River, said Brenda Wodele, county emergency management director."

Anti-mining crusade mushes through Duluth

Duluth News Tribune: "Frank Moe, a former Minnesota legislator, will leave Duluth today to deliver petitions expressing concern about a new form of mining in Minnesota. He'll be traveling by dog sled."

Al Quist, Mike Parry jockey for delegates at county conventions
Mankato Free Press: "Former state Rep. Allen Quist on Saturday won double the delegates of state Sen. Mike Parry at the Blue Earth County Republican Convention, the event which sends the second biggest contingent to the endorsing convention that will choose the challenger to Democratic Congressman Tim Walz."

Locked in struggle for wrestling supremacy
New York Times: "Augsburg, in downtown Minneapolis, boasts 11 wrestling championships, including nine since 1995. Wartburg, located here in a town so small the residents proudly note the stoplights, counters with eight titles, including six in the past nine seasons. Theirs is a zero-sum relationship."

Ron Paul to be in Fargo on Super Tuesday
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Texas congressman Ron Paul plans to return to Fargo and possibly Bismarck this Tuesday, a state GOP spokesman said Sunday. North Dakota will be holding its party caucuses, along with contests in nine other states, as part of Super Tuesday."

Duluth has doubled its seasonal snowfall in the past week
Duluth News Tribune: "Remember how, a couple weeks ago, there were patches of bare ground in Duluth and continuing talk of the "un"-winter of 2011-12? All that seems like a distant memory now. Lake-effect snow bands dropped several more inches of snow on Duluth and locations along the North Shore today, pushing weekend snow totals well in excess of a foot in some locations. That's on top of the nearly a foot of snow that fell Wednesday. And a few inches fell the previous Sunday, too. In all, Duluth has more than doubled its seasonal snow total in the past week."

Gov. Dayton's crucial days may lie just ahead
Star Tribune: "Any second term likely hinges on his persuasive powers at the Capitol." Gov. Dayton joins the Daily Circuit this morning at 9a.

State Rep. Mary Franson apologizes for comparing food stamps to feeding the animals
Hot Dish Politics: "State Rep. Mary Franson has apologized and removed a YouTube video that compared Minnesota's food stamp program to 'feed(ing) the animals.'"

How to handicap the Super Tuesday contests
Smart Politics: "Santorum vote totals are averaging nearly five points higher than the final polling numbers in primary and caucus states."

Voter ID drive part of quiet, well-funded national conservative effort
AP: "A proposed constitutional amendment to require a photo ID for Minnesota voters is part of a surge of similar legislation nationwide, much of it springing from a conservative organization that's well-known to politicians but operates largely out of public view."

Jewish group cites Torah in campaign against same-sex marriage ban
MPR News: "The group Jewish Community Action says the proposed state amendment to define marriage as between a man and woman conflicts with Jewish tradition."

State's budget gains tied to lower health care spending
Pioneer Press: "Health care costs usually are budget breakers.So, it was a bit of a surprise last week when state officials said a key driver of Minnesota's improved budget outlook was lower-than-expected health spending."

St. Croix bridge supporters hail long-awaited approval
MPR News: "U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat, and Republican U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann met in Stillwater this morning to celebrate the passage of legislation that allows for a new bridge connecting the city to western Wisconsin."

Minnesota state Sen. Gary Kubly dies
Worthington Daily Globe: "One of the old-style Minnesota state senators, not into partisan bickering, has died.Sen. Gary Kubly, DFL-Granite Falls, died in a St. Paul hospital Friday after suffering a medical problem Wednesday morning. He was diagnosed with Lou Gerig's Disease in 2010 and his health gradually failed."

Voice for rural Minnesota falls silent
Marshall Independent: "Sen. Gary Kubly loses battle with Lou Gehrig's disease, dies at age 68."

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Surfin' Superior and other stories that mattered this week

Posted at 7:47 AM on March 3, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

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Romney: Oil Patch for all, Pres. Clinton join ND Dems, Who is Pete Hegseth?

Posted at 8:00 AM on March 2, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Romney holds up Oil Patch as a shining example during Fargo campaign stop
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "In a brief campaign stop here Thursday morning, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney railed on the policies of Democratic President Barack Obama, while emphasizing North Dakota's prosperous Oil Patch as a shining example of what the rest of the nation could be like."

Pres. Clinton to deliver keynote at ND Democratic convention
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "North Dakota Democrats are aiming for a comeback in 2012, and they've landed a star attraction to help make that happen."

Klobuchar gets stronger challenger
The Hill: "Army National Guard Capt. Pete Hegseth (R) on Thursday morning announced he will run against Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), giving Republicans an upgrade in the race." MPR News: "Some GOP insiders predict Hegseth will finally bring some attention and money to the Republican side of the Senate race." MinnPost: Hegseth on Kloubuchar and why she is popular, but doesn't deserve to be reelected. "Because she talked a good game to get elected and people haven't paid enough attention to how she has voted. I don't like representation that says one thing, then goes to Washington and votes another way, and then comes back and hopes that nobody was looking or paying attention. ... She campaign heavily on deficits and debt but has voted six times to raise the debt ceiling and the debt has almost doubled during her term. She voted for TARP, for the $837 billion bailout of Wall Street. She voted for Obamacare. Hegseth opposes all of those things."

Also on MN today
Faribault students learning spelling a new way
Faribault Daily News: "A spelling program that focuses on phonetics and patterns, was implemented in the elementary schools last school year. ... The program involves students working with cards and sorting vocabulary words according to sounds or spelling or letters used."

Voter ID bill advances amid questions
Capitol View: "A proposed constitutional amendment to require voters to show a photo identification at the polls has cleared another hurdle in the Minnesota Senate, despite lingering questions about what the new process would actually cost."

Worthington builds on bioscience niche
MPR News: "On the edge of town, not far from the many livestock farms near Worthington, the employees of Newport Laboratories work to kill the microscopic bugs that sicken farm animals."

Vikings stadium plan faces tough road in Legislature and with Minneapolis City Council
MPR News: "State lawmakers are now waiting for more specifics of the Vikings stadium plan that was announced Thursday by Gov. Mark Dayton and other stadium supporters." MPR News: "The new Minnesota Vikings stadium deal unveiled Thursday faces a hurdle at the Minneapolis City Council, where a majority of council members have opposed similar stadium plans in the past. The major sticking point for a number of council members is the Minneapolis City Charter."

House passes bridge bill after an earmark debate
New York Times: "The House overwhelmingly approved legislation Thursday to allow construction of a new $700 million bridge between Minnesota and Wisconsin, a project that has drawn comparisons to earmarks and required a Congressional exemption from a landmark environmental law." More Stillwater Bridge news from MN Today

Trail conditions in best shape yet this winter
Timberjay: "Spring may be on the horizon, but the winter recreation season is just getting underway in earnest across the region as recent snowfall has trail conditions in the best shape of the winter."

Video of waves, surfers on Lake Superior during Wednesday's blizzard
Duluth News Tribune: "When the weather is at its worst, conditions are at their best for surfers who regularly brave the frigid water of Lake Superior whenever high winds kick up big waves."

Apple Valley Zamboni driver charged with DWI had blood-alcohol level of 0.32, police say
Pioneer Press: "The Apple Valley man who allegedly drove a Zamboni while drunk in January had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.32, according to charges filed this week in Dakota County District Court."

Michelle Obama to visit Minn.
Capitol View: "First Lady Michelle Obama is scheduled to be in Minnesota on March 16 to raise money for President Obama's presidential campaign. Mrs. Obama is scheduled to hold the fundraiser at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis."

By the numbers
0: The numbers of binding delegates that will be awarded during North Dakota's Super Tuesday Caucus

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Understanding age, partly cloudy budget forecast, NCAA benches "Fighting Sioux"

Posted at 7:45 AM on March 1, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Mayo's living lab learns real life lessons about aging

MPR News: "Two-thirds of Minnesota counties have populations older than the national average. It is a trend that has broad implications for everything from the state's budget to health care.Molly McMahon, a designer for Mayo Clinic's Center for Innovation, wants to know how aging changes a person's life."

Romney to stump in Fargo
Grand Forks Herald: "Vibrant growth and the nation's lowest unemployment rate have made North Dakota the beacon in a country still recovering from a crippling recession." Gingrich is the only GOP candidate who hasn't visited the state. North Dakota's GOP caucus is non-binding. Here's a look at the Super Tuesday nomination contests from Real Clear Politics.

Fairmont officials look for efficiencies
Fairmont Sentinel: "City, county and school officials gathered Wednesday to discuss ways they can share services and save money.Turns out they're already sharing more services than most people probably realize."

With budget surplus in hand, Dayton wants session to focus on jobs

MPR News: "With the state budget appearing to be on track, Gov. Mark Dayton and GOP legislative leaders say they want to focus the rest of the legislative session on jobs." Politics in Minnesota: "The budget surplus can largely be attributed to a $230 million decrease in spending, mostly due to lower-than-anticipated enrollment in the state's early Medical Assistance expansion provided under the federal health law for single adults." MPR News: "The outlook for Minnesota's economy remains positive but not great." Duluth News Tribune: "Even without big bucks, policymakers were happy that they are not facing a deficit, as they did last year when they were forced to plug a $5 billion hole in the state budget."

Job challenge: Grow more entrepreneurs

Ground Level: "Cities and counties in Minnesota are doing what they can these days to encourage entrepreneurism. Especially in rural areas, small startups are viewed as the best hope for economic growth in a sluggish economy that may keep bigger, established companies from building a new plant or opening a new office. The goal is to nurture existing and would-be businesspeople at home rather than looking outside for jobs, often a futile endeavor. Fostering that entrepreneurial spirit can be difficult. A January report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, in fact, suggested that self-employment in the region has declined since the start of the recession.

Minnesota House passes bills beefing up prosecutor protection
Pioneer Press: One bill "would lift an existing restriction banning county attorneys and assistant county attorneys from carrying firearms while on the job. They still would have to go through the same process of getting permits to carry as any other Minnesotan."

PolyMet plans to turn farmland into wetlands
Statewide: "PolyMet Mining Corp. has announced plans to restore farmland in Minnesota to wetlands. Environmentalists caution that not all wetlands are created equal."

Moratorium: Fillmore County will take up to one year to study silica sand mining concerns
Bluff County News: "Fillmore County joined the list of those in southeastern Minnesota with moratoriums on silica sand mining issues."

Mining program could come back to U
MN Daily: Rep. Tom Rukavina DFL-Virginia "introduced the bill to bring mining back to the University and to prepare Minnesota students for mining engineering jobs -- a sector with employment opportunities on the rise."

NCAA: Don't bring Fighting Sioux name to playoffs
AP: "University of North Dakota teams risk forfeiting any post-season games if their teams, cheerleaders or band wear or display the school's Fighting Sioux nickname and American Indian head logo, an NCAA official said Wednesday."

Snow day fun in Duluth

News Cut: "During the spring flooding in the Red River Valley last year, I was taken with the people who went water skiing in the roadside ditches.It's only fair, then, that we give equal time to the other side of the state and a different season. Today in Duluth, someone went skiing behind a Jeep." The Duluth News Tribune has a couple of videos from around the city that captures the storm .

By the numbers
Rank of Minnesota in a national well-being survey: 3
Pioneer Press: "When it comes to well-being, we're No. 3.So says something called the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, a massive national survey on health, happiness and quality of life that ranked Minnesota as the third-best state in the country." North Dakota leads Minnesota, Hawaii tops the list.

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Sand mining moratoriums expand, winter wallop, rosy budget forecast

Posted at 8:00 AM on February 29, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Fillmore, Houston counties OK yearlong sand mining moratoriums
Winona Daily News: "Houston and Fillmore counties both passed yearlong frac sand moratoriums Tuesday, adding their names to a growing list of area counties seeking time to study the issues that surround the booming mining industry."

Leap Day Storm
Northland watches a winter wallop
Duluth News Tribune: "It's official: Duluth will not break its record for the least snowy winter on record. Now that we have that out of the way, we can sit back and enjoy the biggest snowstorm in more than two years."
DNT: Closings around the Arrowhead

No travel advised north of St. Cloud
St Cloud Times: "The Minnesota Department of Transportation has issued a no travel advisory for U.S Highway 10 north of St. Cloud.Travel is difficult because of heavy and blowing snow and lack of visibility."
Big Story Blog tracks the weather all day.

Forum editorial: This storm is not off the charts
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: Conversation overheard among newcomers spending their first winter in Fargo-Moorhead: "This is the 'toughest weather' place in the nation? I don't see it. Hasn't been all that cold, not much snow. I don't see it." Well, today first-winter residents can "see it."

Also on MN Today
Rosy budget forecast doesn't solve everything
Star Tribune: "State leaders who spent years draining reserves and borrowing money to patch up leaky budgets will get a sober reminder Wednesday that it will take years before the state's finances fully recover. The strengthening economy has many legislators feeling upbeat before the state economic forecast is released Wednesday, but it's tempered by the knowledge any new surplus must immediately go to restore budget reserves and repay money owed to public schools."

Job challenge: Grow more entrepreneurs
Ground Level: "Cities and counties in Minnesota are doing what they can these days to encourage entrepreneurism. Especially in rural areas, small startups are viewed as the best hope for economic growth in a sluggish economy that may keep bigger, established companies from building a new plant or opening a new office."

Minnesota, Wisconsin close to restoring tax reciprocity deal
Winona Daily News: "Lawmakers and state officials in Minnesota and Wisconsin are close to finalizing an agreement that would allow residents who live in one state and work in the other to file just one income tax return beginning next year."

MPCA rules to cut haze in BWCA, Voyageurs Nat'l Park
MPR News: "The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is working on rules aimed at reducing haze in Voyageurs National Park, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, and Isle Royale."

Do bike paths promote bike riding?
The Atlantic: "A recent study of Seattle residents found that those living near bike paths had an increased likelihood of riding, but saw no effect for bike lanes. Then again, a study in Minneapolis reached the opposite conclusion."

Stillwater bridge plan faces hurdle in the House

The U.S. House is expected to debate today and vote Thursday on a bill to allow a new $700 million, freeway-style bridge across the St. Croix River. Both the bill's sponsor, Republican Michele Bachmann, and its biggest opponent, Democrat Betty McCollum, are part of a lobbying effort to sway the final outcome, which could end decades of debate over what to do about the aging Stillwater Bridge."
KARE11 counts Minn. lawmaker votes.

Op-ed: The truth about sulfide mining
Greg Seitz: "We have heard a lot from PolyMet, Twin Metals and other companies proposing this new form of mining in our state that they will practice 'environmentally safe mining,' but they have not presented a single piece of evidence to back that claim up."

Radinovich runs for 10B seat
Brainerd Dispatch: "Radinovich, 25, said he would emphasize jobs, education and care for seniors. He said he would work to fix Minnesota's budget rather than relying on accounting gimmicks that deny school districts adequate funding while cutting local government aid and increasing property taxes."

Council wants to consider domestic partnership registry
Northfield News: "A municipal ordinance registry is the only government-issued documentation same-sex couples can access in the state, according to Outfront Minnesota.Currently, nearly 20 Minnesota cities offer domestic partnership registries."

Brainerd High School dance cut short after complaints of "grinding" on the dance floor
Brainerd Dispatch: "BHS Principal Andrea Rusk. Rusk said the small group of about 20 students was acting inappropriately, such as "grinding" on the dance floor and being disrespectful. Rusk said when a song came on that the group of students didn't like, they sat down on the floor."

By the numbers
Amount of tax on a meal in Minneapolis: 10.775%
That includes state/city sales taxes and a downtown restaurant tax. The Star Tribune reports on a study that finds it is the highest in the nation.

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Restricting abortions, ending hockey fights, preparing for ice-out

Posted at 7:45 AM on February 28, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Minnesota anglers begin removing ice houses
WDAY: "Anglers in Lakes Country today are heeding the forecast of nasty weather on the way. Minnesota requires ice houses be removed within the week, and with both snow and wind on the way, waiting may be an unwelcome way to end the season."

With oversupply and slowing demand, ethanol industry lurches in wake of lost subsidy

MPR News: "After predicting they would survive the end of a major federal subsidy without problems, it looks like officials at the nation's ethanol producers may have been too optimistic."

Two bills increase abortion regulation
Pioneer Press: "It takes aim at a videoconferencing program instituted last year by the local branch of Planned Parenthood that's intended to give patients in rural parts of southern Minnesota easier access to medication abortions."

St. Croix bridge bill likely to get House vote this week
Capitol View: "Long-delayed legislation to authorize a new, highway-style bridge to take the place of an aging river crossing in Stillwater could receive a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives as soon as Wednesday."

Plan closes tax loopholes, gives schools $2B
Pioneer Press: "Two DFL state lawmakers on Monday announced a plan to close corporate tax loopholes to pay back the $2.2 billion Minnesota owes schools."

Lawmakers weigh compromises on voter ID bill

MPR News: "A bipartisan bill to protect the integrity of Minnesota's elections would create a new voter verification system without requiring photo identification cards or changing the state constitution. Republican lawmakers are weighing the compromise to address criticism of the proposed constitutional amendment that would allow voters to decide if Minnesotans should show a photo ID at the polls. Legislators also are uncertain about the makeup of the next Legislature, which would have to fill in the details should voters approve the amendment."

What info is on my license's magnetic strip?
WCCO: "'Everything that's on the front, except the picture, is on the magnetic strip,' said Bruce Gordon, director of communications for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety."

Junior hockey on cusp of a revolution: trying to stop fighting
New York Times: "The increased recognition of the long-term dangers of brain trauma, across all sports, has forced hockey's leaders to consider ways to reduce blows to the head."

U.S. Supreme Court won't get involved in Asian carp fight
Chicago Tribune: "The U.S. Supreme Court announced today it would not take up Michigan's case against the Army Corps of Engineers to try to stop Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes."

'Unity Rally' to be held in Duluth
WDIO: Area groups and individuals "have signed a letter, pledging to stay away from the 'Supreme White Alliance' rally on Saturday. They said the discriminatory groups thrive on publicity and conflict. To keep that to a minimum, they're asking other community members to stay away."

Moorhead schools to get assistant principals
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "The new positions, expected to cost $300,000 to $325,000 altogether, will help Moorhead schools meet two mandates from the 2011 Legislature."

GOP US House members in Super Tuesday states withholding endorsements
Smart Politics: "Republican U.S. Representatives from Super Tuesday states have endorsed presidential candidates at half the rate (27 percent) of pre-Super Tuesday states (53 percent)."

Unions unhappy with proposed changes to City of Duluth hiring process
Northland News: "Unions working with the City have come out in opposition to the proposed changes saying they go above and beyond streamlining the hiring process and, in turn, weaken the system and cut down transparency."

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Bemidji angler's catch: a rod, walleye and eelpout

Posted at 1:02 PM on February 24, 2012 by Tom Robertson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Northwest Minnesota, Outdoors, Sports & Recreation

Bemidji Pioneer Photo/Monte Draper

A Bemidji man pulled up the catch of a lifetime on Wednesday while ice fishing on Lake Bemidji.

After setting the hook on a bite, veteran angler Burnie Trepanier pulled from the ice hole a 28-inch walleye, an eelpout and a winter fishing rod and reel -- all at once.

Trepanier told The Bemidji Pioneer that as he was pulling the catch up, he initially thought he might have hooked a giant northern pike or a big muskie.

But after a long battle, the first thing he pulled out of the hole was a rod and reel tangled in his line. Next came the walleye and a tangle of braided line.

"And then up came about a 6-pound eelpout. I couldn't believe my eyes," Trepanier told the newspaper.

What's unclear are the chronicle of events that led to the strange catch. Trepanier theorizes that someone lost the rod and reel after a walleye bit on the line. He thinks the eelpout bit on his sucker minnow and then got tangled in the line and the fishing pole.

Trepanier says there's no way to know how long the walleye had been dragging the pole on the lake bottom. The hook was rusted and the jig was faded, but the fishing pole and reel were in good shape.

Trepanier says he plans to have the rod, reel and the two fish mounted.

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When a tent becomes a castle, eagles vs turbines, problems with marriage

Posted at 7:25 AM on February 24, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Senate passes bill that expands use of deadly force

MPR News: "A bill that would allow citizens more freedom to use deadly force is now on a fast track to Gov. Mark Dayton. The Senate passed the bill Thursday with bipartisan support in a 40-23 vote after heated debate. The bill gives gun owners significantly more latitude to use deadly force for self defense. The bill creates a presumption that anyone who uses deadly force while in a home or dwelling does so believing themselves in danger of harm or death. It expands the definition of dwelling to also mean a hotel room, tent, car or boat. Dayton has not said if he will veto the bill, but was concerned with police opposition."
The Uptake: Police opposition to Minn gun bill doesn't worry author

Controversial Goodhue wind farm environmental impact plan rejected
MPR News: "The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission rejected a developer's plan to protect eagles and other wildlife that might be harmed by a controversial wind farm project in the southeastern region of the state."
Pioneer Press: Concern over migrating eagles may kill Goodhue windmill project

Racial disparity runs deep
Duluth News Tribune: "Racial disparity is broad, systemic, historic and persistent in Duluth, but an array of efforts are under way to bring more equity to people of color."

Charter school segregation target of new U of M report
Huffington Post: "Charter schools often promise to bring greater equity to education, but a new brief starts with the assumption that they fall short in delivery -- and provides recommendations to fix the alleged injustice."

Sales increase, but Hormel's first quarter earnings drop 14%
Austin Daily Herald: "The company reported fiscal 2012 first quarter net earnings of $128.4 million, down 14 percent from earnings of $148.8 million a year earlier. Sales totaled $2.04 billion, which was up 6 percent from fiscal 2011."

Superior's arch could make comeback
Superior Telegram: "A century ago, an arch honoring local Civil War veterans stood 90 feet above Tower Avenue and Broadway Street. Built in 1900, a decorative arch with four gracefully curved steel shafts and an ornate top was placed at the corner to welcome members of the Grand Army of the Republic to the city."

Redistricting fallout continues
Capitol View: "The biggest question is what GOP House Majority Leader Matt Dean intends to do. Dean has been paired with Rep. Carol McFarlane, R-White Bear Lake. McFarlane told MPR News that she's not sure whether she's going to run again."

St. Paul downtown ballpark pitch gets warm reception at legislature
MinnPost: "The contrasts between the push for a new baseball park for downtown St. Paul and a Vikings stadium couldn't be greater."

Kids on Field Trip Find Body in Eden Prairie Park
Fox9: "A group of Oak Grove Middle school students stumbled across a dead man with a gunshot wound to his head on a Thursday field trip in Eden Prairie, Minn."

Op-Ed
Robert Franklin: Straight talk about the marriage commitment

Today, as 29 years ago, it isn't gays and lesbians who threaten marriage as an institution.

Look at the statistics: Half of U.S. marriages end in divorce. About 40 percent of children are born outside of marriage, more than half among mothers under 30.

For the first time, the 2010 census found that fewer than half of U.S. households include a married couple. About 7.5 million opposite-gender couples live together unwed, up 50 percent in a decade.

The focus on defining marriage in the face of all this suggests that the constitutional amendment isn't so much about preserving the institution as it is a revolt against a growing acceptance of gays and lesbians in American culture (and, cynics might say, about getting out the social-conservative vote).

It's like: "The house is on fire! Call an architect!" (Star Tribune)

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Voter ID advances while alternative considered, state budget a drag on Moorhead

Posted at 7:30 AM on February 23, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Voter ID
Minn. Senate committee passes photo ID for voting
AP: "A state Senate committee has approved a constitutional amendment asking Minnesotans to decide whether voting should require a photo ID despite objections from Secretary of State Mark Ritchie that it will be difficult to implement and increase federal government oversight of the state's elections."

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie offers Voter ID alternative: electronic poll books
MinnPost: "Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie has proposed an alternative to the Voter ID plan now being considered by Republicans in the Legislature."

Wisconsin man refuses to vote after finding veteran's ID no good at polls
Journal Times: "A local man wasn't allowed to use his veteran's card to vote in Tuesday's primary and he's pretty steamed about it."

Editorial: A voting solution in search of a problem
Star Tribune: "Don't enshrine major election change in state Constitution."

Op-Ed: Voter ID opponents try, try again
Jeff Davis: "At almost every turn their objections have been disproved, yet they persist."

The Rochester Post Bulletin hedges in its editorial on Voter ID.

League of Women Voters releases a documentary on Voter ID.

Related
KAALTV: Winona State holds Voter ID forum

Redistricting and Election 2012
Court map more competitive than partisan maps
MinnPost: "Incumbents will have to fight to save dozens of legislative seats. Mike Dean, executive director of Common Cause Minnesota, calculates that the new district boundaries set the scene for competitive races in at least 51 House seats and 26 seats on the Senate side."

Martin announces for House District 10A seat
Brainerd Dispatch: "Hours after new political lines were drawn, Kurt Martin, the 54-year-old owner of a Brainerd technology company, announced his candidacy for the House District 10A seat which would represent much of western Crow Wing County. He'll seek the endorsement of House District 10A Republicans."

Also on MN Today
MN Today contributor Don Reeder writes: "Residents worry the state's budget deficits would eventually have a negative impact on local school funding and taxes."
Moorhead council aims to attract more residents to city
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "We're a better town. I believe that. I'm not going to back down from Fargo. We're the best town in the metro," Councilman Mark Altenburg said Tuesday. "We've got better schools, we've got better community, and we're 20 years ahead in terms of flood protection."

Minnesota teachers must prove they can do the math
Star Tribune: "Dayton signs bill requiring instructors to pass a basic skills test to get licenses."

Duluth peace activists urge public to ignore white supremacy group's planned rally
Duluth News Tribune: "Local peace activists are urging the public to completely ignore next week's visit by the Supreme White Alliance."

Report affirms lifesaving role of colonoscopy
New York Times: "This study puts that argument to rest," said Dr. David A. Rothenberger, a professor and deputy chairman of surgery at the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center. He was not part of the study."

Twin Cities banks getting better, Fed says
Pioneer Press: "Minnesota's community banks are in significantly better shape than they were a year ago but they still have a long way to go to get back to the profitability they saw in the last decade, the Minneapolis Fed's Ron Feldman said Wednesday at a media briefing."

T-Mobile urges U.S. to block Verizon's spectrum purchase
New York Times: "These joint-marketing agreements will turn these rival companies into partners, rather than competitors," Senator Al Franken, Democrat of Minnesota, wrote in a letter to the commission this month. "I fear this will ultimately mean less competition, less choice, and higher prices for consumers."

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Racists to rally in Duluth, redistricting reverberations, small town rhymes

Posted at 7:43 AM on February 22, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

White supremacy group plans Duluth rally
Duluth News Tribune: "The white unity rally will be held at the Duluth Civic Center and could last up to three hours, a local organizer said."

Redistricting
New political boundaries drawn for Minnesota
MPR News: "New congressional districts released today by a special court panel put DFL Rep. Betty McCollum and Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann in the same district. Along with the congressional map, the panel released the new political boundaries the Minnesota Legislature."

Michele Bachmann catches break in Minnesota congressional map
Politico: "Bachmann, a third-term congresswoman who waged an unsuccessful bid for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination, will run in a Republican-friendly district in the suburban Twin Cities area that will actually be slightly safer for her than her current one."

Subtle changes in the 1st and 2nd Districts
Pioneer Press: "The south suburban 2nd District will shift southeasterly. ... The 1st District, meanwhile, will still run across southern Minnesota, though it will lose Wabasha County and two counties and part of a third in the southwest to the 7th District covering western Minnesota."

New boundaries create open seats in Central Minnesota
Saint Cloud Times: "A state judicial panel released the new boundaries as part of the once-a-decade redistricting process, creating several new Central Minnesota legislative districts without an incumbent lawmaker residing in them."

Editorial: Credit judges for fair representation
Star Tribune: "Minnesota should give them a permanent role in redistricting."

Range retains similar legislative delegation
Minnesota Brown: "The 8th CD is largely unchanged, with Rep. Chip Cravaack still here. Iron Range and Duluth legislative incumbents are largely protected, though the orientation moves west (not south as I had suspected). Rep. Carly Melin absorbs a lot of Itasca County precincts."

Ripple In Stillwater: Redistricting poses tough choices for Bachmann's political future
Ripple In Stillwater: "In a fundraising email to supporters ... Bachmann charged the five-judge redistricting panel responsible for the 'injustice' of placing her in the same district as DFL Congresswoman Betty McCollum with 'liberal bias.'"

Redistricting data show a rise in minority populations throughout Minnesota
MNpublius: "The Census, of course, doesn't tell us anything about political affiliations. But there are certain proxies we can use. For example, minority groups tend to lean heavily toward the DFL."

Cloquet area residents plan rally to highlight Cravaack's absence from 8th District
Pine Journal: "As new redistricting maps are made public in Minnesota on Tuesday, a group of Cloquet area residents will be bringing attention to the fact that no matter how the lines are drawn, Rep. Chip Cravaack does not live in Minnesota's 8th District."

Also making news
Foley revives police department, appoints interim chief
Saint Cloud Times: "City Council members voted to re-establish the Foley's police department Tuesday by a vote of 4-1.Mayor Gary Gruba voted against the motion."

NikeeJS raps in praise of small town life

MPR News: "When the rapper Nikee JS started recording rhymes at 14, his lyrics relied mostly on beamers and bling. But 12 years later, he's flipped the script. Instead of rapping of fast cars, flashy jewelry and champagne, Nikee JS now draws inspiration from the cornfields of his native Jackson. He aims to bring a small-town sensibility to the rap scene."

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Minn. Congressional Districts redrawn

Posted at 1:20 PM on February 21, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

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Fighting Sioux nickname lingers, redistricting maps out today

Posted at 7:30 AM on February 21, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Fighting Sioux

UND Fighting Sioux nickname battle refuses to die

The controversy over the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux nickname refuses to die. You almost need a scorecard to keep track of the twists and turns in the nickname saga. Lawsuits have been filed, laws passed, laws repealed, the nickname's been retired, it's been reinstated -- all because nickname supporters refuse to give up."

UMD fans again warned over 'offensive' chants
Duluth News Tribune: "For the second time in three years, fans' chants at Bulldog hockey games draw complaints. This time, North Dakota players are targeted."

Redistricting
New battle lines: Minnesota political redistricting maps out Tuesday
Pioneer Press: "The new lines, which will reflect population changes over the past decade, are almost certain to create several districts that have two or more incumbent lawmakers and others with none."

Bachmann to run, regardless of map
Star Tribune: "She said any boundary changes - which can broadly reshape the political landscape - won't affect her plans."

Will new redistricting map bring Minnesota more competitive US House Races?
Smart Politics: "History says no: Gopher State elections in redistricting years ending in '2' have been the second least competitive, behind only years ending in '6'"

The Daily Circuit takes up redistricting at 9:12am this morning.

The Big Story Blog follows the story all day and explains the implications of the maps that are expected to be released this afternoon.

Also on MN Today
Fatal crashes near Alexandria
Alexandria Echo Press: "In the space of three hours, five lives were lost in two separate crashes near Alexandria today."
Alexandria Echo Press: Victims names released

Bachmann wants Medicaid rates to get closer scrutiny
Pioneer Press: "Following word last week of a federal investigation into how Minnesota finances its public health insurance programs, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann said Monday that more audits might be needed for the Medicaid program."

Stillwater-based political blogger keeps ire stoked
Star Tribune: "From the ashes of a house fire several years ago that destroyed most everything he owned, Karl Bremer saved a flame-licked carbon copy of a letter he wrote in August 1974 to Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey."

Bremer's most recent post takes a look at a favorite topic of his, the Stillwater Bridge.
More truth, less 'truthiness' needed in St. Croix River Boondoggle Bridge debate
Ripple In Stillwater: "One would expect a certain amount of truthiness from lobbyists for this boondoggle. But members of Congress--specifically Michele Bachmann and her Wisconsin colleagues--now have employed the tactic in an effort to railroad a House vote through as a 'noncontroversial' measure."

Ron Paul: Don't tell farmers what to raise, sell
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, continued his push for the Republican presidential nomination on Monday when he spoke to voters here."

Priest's suicide saddens Fargo diocese
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "The Fargo Catholic Diocese is reeling from the apparent suicide of a 45-year-old priest on Valentine's Day in the rectory of Nativity Catholic Church."

Northern lights dance across the Northland sky (with video)
Duluth News Tribune: "The northern lights put on quite a show over the Northland from Saturday night into early Sunday morning."

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Oil field danger, human trafficking in Minn., Bong's tale takes flight

Posted at 7:09 AM on February 17, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Widow of oil worker hopes others won't take decision to work in oil fields lightly
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Cathy Ries has some blunt advice for anyone thinking of going to North Dakota's oil fields to make extra money: 'Don't.'"

Minnesota: A human trafficking battleground
KARE11: "The FBI ranks Minnesota as the nation's 13th largest center for human trafficking of children."

Minnesota House passes bill stripping seniority as key factor in teacher layoffs
Pioneer Press: "Proponents of basing teacher layoffs on performance rather than seniority got a big victory Thursday, with the Republican-led Minnesota House passing a bill that would end the practice of using experience as the deciding factor when schools have to let teachers go."

Chairwoman says Fond du Lac Band made 'great inroads' in 2011
Duluth News Tribune: "The year 2011 was a successful one for the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa on economic, community and cultural fronts, Chairwoman Karen Diver said Thursday, hours before delivering her annual State of the Band address."

McCollum grills Salazar on St. Croix River crossing
Hot Dish Politics: "U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, who has been swimming upstream to stop a $700 million 'mega' bridge across the St. Croix River, took her fight Thursday to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, where she got a chance to cross-examine Interior Secretary Ken Salazar."

Fishing for eelpout continues to grow in popularity
Bemidji Pioneer: "The ice conditions are good on most lakes in the Bemidji area. Temperatures were near or above freezing during the day most of the week but the temperatures were cold enough overnight to re-freeze any melting on the lakes."

Bong's tale takes flight
Superior Telegram: "The story of America's Ace of Aces, Maj. Richard I. Bong, was more than a decade in the making."

CEC closes out alpine, Nordic ski seasons
Pine Journal: Esko's trio of downhill speedsters turned in a respectable finish for Cloquet-Esko-Carlton at the 2012 Minnesota state Alpine ski meet Wednesday afternoon at Giants Ridge in Biwabik, Minn."

Washington County Fair owes $120,000 for back taxes
Pioneer Press: "The fair paid sales taxes until 2002, said Dan Dolan, who has been president of the Washington County Agricultural Society since 2006. At some point before the 2002 event, fair officials were told they no longer needed to pay them, he said."

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Happenings: Anti-valentines, Land by Hand, Still Life with Iris

Posted at 2:03 PM on February 16, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

By Elisabeth Pedersen, contributor, MN Today

Keeping the love alive in Minnesota
Valentines day may be over, but this weekend presents many opportunities to celebrate, or in some cases, to "anti-celebrate."

On Friday, February 17th at 10:00, Tycoons Alehouse will be celebrating the 8th annual Anti Valentines show.

This event is 21+, and it ideal for individuals who prefer beer to chocolate. Duluth Tycoons states how they "proudly pour award-winning Fitger's Brewhouse Beer from a fully stocked bar." This celebration is also in recognition of Duluth's weekly magazine for "art, music, and swearing," Transistor.

Transistor plays a crucial role in Duluth's arts and culture scene by providing a weekly calendar, quirky comics, and sarcasm. The Anti-Valentines show will feature performances by local groups Crew Jones, and the Uptown Boys.

Land by Hand: Fiber Artists Explore Place opens in Mankato tonight that will be featuring original work by Minnesotan artists.
- Image credit: Jill Lynn
The themes of this show are natural landscapes, and historical traditions. The artists in this show demonstrate their work in various media with an emphasis on fiber art. Each piece of work is unique to the artist, but they also reflect a larger sense of the environment that surrounds us. The landscape of Minnesota is inspirational in various aspects, and this show allows the opportunity to view the diverse perspectives that each artist has of their surroundings. This event supports Minnesotan artist, and upholds artistic traditions as a way to provide a sense of community and culture. The show opens Thursday, February 16th and goes from 12:00p.m. until 4:00p.m. and will remain on display through March 28th, 2012.

Yellowtree Theatre, located in Osseo is a place "where good stories live," and this weekend the stage lights will warm Still Life with Iris a play written by Steven Dietz.

Yellowtree Theatre explains, "set in the magical land of Nocturno, Still Life with Iris is a fantastical adventure chronicling a little girl's search for the simplest of things: home." It is an educational, entertaining, and inspiring play that involves Poe's literary figure Annabell Lee, and the iconic Mozart as companions in Iris's adventures and trials. It is an excellent play for the young, and the young at heart. Yellowtree Theatre is an exceptional venue that can be seen in the aesthetic quality of the venue itself, as well as the brilliant performances they put on with each show.

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Santorum finds friends in Fargo, Chippewa band settle dispute from 1800s

Posted at 7:30 AM on February 16, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Different approach, same message from Gov. Dayton: Work together
Bemidji Pioneer: "Gov. Mark Dayton took a kinder, gentler approach in his Wednesday night State of the State speech, but his message still was the same as in recent public comments when he harshly criticized Republicans." MPR News: "In a speech that was part conciliatory and part confrontational, Gov. Mark Dayton outlined his priorities for the legislative session, and politely asked legislative leaders to pass his job creation plans." Star Tribune: "The DFL governor, who just last week called Republican leaders "too extreme to lead," asked them to pass his bonding bill, vote on a Minnesota Vikings football stadium and vacate the State Capitol for several years to accomplish a major overhaul of the aging structure." MPR News live blog coverage of DFL Gov. Mark Dayton's State of the State address.

Santorum goes after Obama in Fargo, N.D.
MPR News: "Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum drew a crowd of hundreds at a campaign stop in Fargo, N.D. Wednesday evening." Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Candidate holds up Sioux jersey and says 'I sort of like that logo.'" Santorum releases federal tax returns showing rise in wealth in 3 of 4 years AP: "Santorum, 53, has sold himself in the Republican primaries as both a Washington outsider and a social conservative, stressing his family's coal-mining background and his appeal to religious and working-class voters. His personal finances tell a different story."

Six Chippewa bands to split $28 million federal payout
Duluth News Tribune: "Congress moves to settle an 1800s land transaction that took timber and farm land from Chippewa reservations."

Potter, Pottinger lead women's division at national curling tournament
Bemidji Pioneer: "The Cassie Potter and Allison Pottinger rinks share first place heading into Wednesday's action at the National curling tournament as each team owns a 6-1 record."

Whooping cough cases cause one Northland school district to cancel classes
Duluth News Tribune: "After enduring absentee rates of 25 percent to almost 33 percent for days, the South Shore school district administrator decided it was time to close down for a few days. The culprit, Clendon Gustafson said: whooping cough."

MN Voter Photo ID Passes In Senate Committee
UpTake: "A Republican backed Minnesota constitutional amendment passed in its first Senate committee vote today. The amendment would require a photo ID to vote in a Minnesota election."

Politics, cost derail sex offender policy overhaul
Politics in Minnesota: "Key Republican legislative leaders hoped to push fundamental changes, but that now looks unlikely."

Sen. Paul stalls Klobuchar bill on synthetic drugs
Star Tribune: "A broadly popular bill by Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar to outlaw synthetic recreational drugs across the nation has run into an increasingly common obstacle in the U.S. Senate: the objection of a single senator."

Moorhead City Council member says city should step in on Bluestem
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "In hopes of pushing for more events there, a Moorhead council member wants the city to join talks between the Fargo School District and Bluestem Center for the Arts to fix the finances of the performing arts facility in south Moorhead." The Mayor says city "has no place in discussion."

Ron Paul to visit North Dakota this week
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "A second Republican presidential hopeful will be visiting North Dakota this week.Ron Paul will be visiting Williston on Sunday, according to North Dakota Policy Council Director Brett Narloch."

Field of study: Twins continue to analyze Target Field's dimensions
Star Tribune: "The Twins haven't been afraid to tinker with Target Field during its infancy. After the inaugural 2010 season, the club removed the black spruce trees from behind the center-field fence and hung black mesh off the batter's eye behind the bullpens to improve the hitting background."

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Mayo loses whistleblower case, frac sand road repairs, income disparity

Posted at 7:49 AM on February 15, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Dayton going for hopeful in State of the State address
Pioneer Press: "Gov. Mark Dayton will emphasize making Minnesota a better place to live by creating jobs, using education as a workforce development tool and making government more efficient in his second State of the State address today."
Follow the Big Story Blog today for coverage throughout the day and instant analysis as the speech begins at 7:00pm. MPR News will carry the address live on-air and online.
Today's Question: In your view, what's the state of the state?

Whistleblower wins case against Mayo Clinic
Rochester Post Bulletin: "The U.S. Department of Labor has found that Mayo Clinic discriminated against a Rochester employee who made legally protected safety complaints."

Who pays for road damage from frac sand trucks?
Winona Daily News: "Commissioners agreed that relying on the state's aggregate tax isn't viable -- county projections show it would not generate enough money to cover the significant repairs expected. Commissioners instead began to look at a road use agreement, which would require mining companies to pay to upgrade the roads their trucks use."

Minnesota GOP wants to phase out statewide business property tax
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "A Minnesota Republican tax priority is lowering and eventually eliminating a statewide property tax on businesses, but Democrats say they are funding the tax cut with money from poor, disabled and elderly renters."

Data: Examining income trends around Minnesota
MinnPost: "It turns out that incomes across Minnesota vary greatly, but there are some definite patterns in the variation."

NCAA imposes sanctions on WSU basketball
Winona Daily News: "The NSIC plans to nullify the Winona State University men's basketball team's first 13 conference games of the season after discovering that Grant Johnson was ineligible to play. The ruling means WSU's hopes to host the regional playoff tournament are now in serious doubt, though the Warriors, currently ranked third in the country for Division II, will still likely make it to the postseason."

Tenacious local group wants new route for CapX 2020
Saint Cloud Times: "When Xcel Energy wouldn't take the landowners' proposed route change to the state Public Utilities Commission because it didn't have unanimous landowner support, the E-5 landowners took the rare action of taking it to the commission themselves."

Battle is on over 2.5 million acres of school trust land in northern Minnesota
Duluth News Tribune: "Natural vs. economic resources is at the center of the debate over control of Minnesota's 150-year-old school trust land."

Minnesota Vikings commit to staying for 2012 season
Pioneer Press: "The Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday cemented their intent to remain in Minnesota by announcing they will not file a league-required 'intent to relocate' by today's deadline."

Occupy movement plans Midwest regional gathering
AP: "Organizers of Occupy protests around the Midwest will gather next month in St. Louis, pledging to emerge from a "winter lull" as a bigger and stronger force. Occupy Midwest Regional Conference will start with a gathering at 7 p.m. March 15 beneath the Gateway Arch, organizer Chuck Witthaus said Tuesday. A mass occupation will continue through March 18, but not on the Arch grounds. Organizers aren't disclosing the location."

Decision time for researchers of deadly bird flu
Reuters: "Michael Osterholm, policy director at the Minnesota Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance and an NSABB member, has limited hope for what one meeting can achieve. 'Nothing will be solved in one meeting,' he said. 'This is a complicated issue that requires a great deal of international input. It is not a simple yes or no ... We have no margin for error here.'"

The new MinnPost is here
A redesigned MinnPost is now live. They're now using an open source platform, Drupal, to publish online content.

Minnesota Scenes

"Captured at sunrise on a -2F morning along Lake Superior just south of Grand Portage, MN. I'd seen several images made of this location before, but wanted to create a unique perspective. Putting on my insulated hip waders I waded out into the frigid water with my tripod, knowing that once I pulled it from the water it would freeze up instantly. Just as I found the composition that felt right the sun began rising behind the clouds of fog that had been created during the frigid night. I continued shooting until my toes could take no more, then waded back out, with water instantly freezing the bottom of my boots to the first dry pebbles along the shoreline" -- Ryan Tischer © 2012 - All Rights Reserved.
View more photos

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Legacy fund water studies reveal early findings, protesters block mining trucks, budget crunch

Posted at 8:00 AM on February 14, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Photo by Blue Corgi via Flickr
Study: Minn. groundwater contamination levels low, but chemical health risks unknown

MPR News: "A new study finds Minnesota groundwater is contaminated with low levels of chemicals, but the chemicals are not as widespread in groundwater as they are in lakes and streams. This is the first study to examine groundwater across the state for "chemicals of emerging concern." Researchers tested 40 shallow wells around the state for 92 contaminants. They found 20 different contaminants. One or more chemicals were found in about one-third of the sampled wells. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency scientist Sharon Kroening said the chemicals come from products like plastics, medications, detergents, insect repellents and fire retardants."

MPR News: "A new report is giving Minnesotans a first look at how their tax dollars are helping improve water quality in the state. The six state agencies receiving Legacy Amendment money for clean water projects reported their progress in some of the 18 different categories, including mercury in fish and phosphorus discharges from wastewater treatment plants. But for many of the categories, it's too early to know whether progress is being made."

Take a deeper look at Minnesota's ground water with MPR's Ground Level.

Minnesota's black middle class is shrinking

MPR News: "Erica Kantola considers herself part of the middle class, even though she has a modest income.But for Kantola, an enrollment services specialist at Inver Hills Community College in the Twin Cities, her status has less to do with how much money she makes than what she can do with it."

In Minnesota, health care, farmers may feel budget squeeze
Star Tribune: "Budget proposals would reach all walks of life."

Political rhetoric, state and federal budgets will impact residents
Faribault Daily News: "Political negotiations, state of state addresses, presidential budgets and bonding bills -- what does all the rhetoric mean to a factory worker in Faribault? In pure dollars, a lot."

Protesters block mining trucks in Winona

KARE11: "In the heart of downtown Winona, there is an explosive issue brewing underground, and above it.Monday afternoon, dozens of protesters blocked trucks carrying specialized sand into a processing plant. The sand is used in the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing or 'fracking.'"

Target: Paper no more?
Star Tribune: "Target's apparent penchant for plastic comes at a time when retailers are increasingly focusing on ways to reduce their environmental impact. The Retailers Industry Leaders Association, which last month elected Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel as its chairman, recently issued its first ever report on sustainability."

Duluth School Board considers range of possible budget cuts
Duluth News Tribune: "The School Board saw the first draft of possible cuts, generated by labor management groups and other staff, which will also be presented at community meetings this week where other ideas will be sought by the district."

Mayor Rybak: The best plan for Vikings, at the fairest cost
Star Tribune: "Minneapolis can do this using only taxes that are already collected."

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Bon Iver wins at Grammys, legislating via amendment, Ron Paul's border strength

Posted at 7:30 AM on February 13, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Grammys 2012: Bon Iver thanks the 'talent that's not here'
LA Times: "The easygoing folk pop band Bon Iver was named best new artist, and the act's mastermind, Justin Vernon, used his time on the Grammy podium to thank 'all the non-nominees who never will be here.' While the likes of Kanye West have endorsed Bon Iver, the Midwestern act was competing against bigger names such as rapper Nicki Minaj and electronic sensation Skrillex. Like Arcade Fire's album of the year win last year, Bon Iver's nomination and win is a victory for the independent community."

Duluth News Tribune: "Michael Baker, a 1975 Duluth Central High School graduate who went on to become a drummer to some of pop's biggest stars and Whitney Houston's music director for two decades until her death Saturday, doesn't talk much about the adversity in her life. In an interview last May, he said simply that he'd 'seen it all' during every stage in her career. On Sunday, he again accentuated the positive and concentrated on the joy that Houston brought to millions, calling her a sweet person who brought beauty to the world. 'She was really, really a wonderful person,' Baker, who has a home in Woodbury, Minn., told the News Tribune in a phone interview from Los Angeles, where he arrived Sunday afternoon. 'I would just say that she was someone who brought something incredibly special to the world.'"

Dayton vetoes civil lawsuit bills, blasts GOP leadership
MPR News: DFL Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed the first bills sent to him this session on Thursday, and he used the occasion to blast Republican legislative leaders.

Legislators respond to property tax complaints
St Cloud Times: "Property owners are peeved about rising tax bills this year, rural lawmakers and a prominent business leader in Central Minnesota say. The blowback has at least two local legislators, Rep. Sondra Erickson, R-Princeton, and Sen. Dave Brown, R-Becker, rethinking the votes they cast last year."
More legislative news from MN Today

Schlienz admitted shooting, blamed it on courts
Duluth News Tribune: "In one of the first calls he made at the St. Louis County Jail, 42-year-old Daniel Schlienz explained to a friend in his hometown of Grand Marais why he shot Cook County Attorney Tim Scannell and Grand Marais resident Gregory Thompson on Dec. 15, blaming it on frustration with the court system."

January tax collections below forecast
Capitol View: "Minnesota Management and Budget says general fund revenues were $107 million below forecast in January. The agency says revenues are $45.5 million less than forecast for the fiscal year that runs from July 1 to June 30. The latest revenue forecast details the state's tax collections for the past month."

Proposed amendments to Minnesota's constitution carry GOP dreams
Forum Communications: "Minnesota Republicans look to the state Constitution as a way to enact some of their pet policy dreams. In some cases, the constitutional amendments are ways to get around Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton, who would not approve of their policy choices."

Warm winter extends ferry season between Bayfield and Madeline Island
Duluth News Tribune: "If a resident of Madeline Island wants to catch tonight's 7:30 showing of "Star Wars: Episode I" in 3-D at the theater in Ashland, they'll have to plan on a 15-hour commitment."

2012
Rick Santorum's plan to derail Mitt Romney
Politico: "Rick Santorum's campaign is eyeing a pair of swiftly approaching Midwestern primary states as its best -- and perhaps only -- opportunity to deal a mortal blow to Mitt Romney and permanently transform the Republican presidential race into a one-on-one duel to the finish."

O Canada: Ron Paul excels in northern border states
Smart Politics: "The vote for Paul is nearly double in states bordering Canada compared to the rest of the nation for both caucuses and primaries during the 2008 and 2012 election cycles."
More from the campaign trail from MN Today

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Hot times in old Duluth this weekend

Posted at 10:00 AM on February 10, 2012 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Arts

By Elisabeth Pedersen

This weekend is an exceptionally lively time for the Duluth art scene which includes a musical opening, a CD release show, a diorama, and then some.

The much-anticipated opening of the Tony Award winning musical Spring Awakening opened on Thursday. The New York Times has called this musical "A groundbreaking jolt of genius." The Renegade Theater Company is holding it at Teatro Zuccone in Duluth. The concept of this musical developed from a controversial play written in the 1891 by Frank Wedekind, which portrays confusion and misunderstandings of adolescence. This play has recently been adapted into a rock n' roll musical that delves into the lives of teenagers who live in Germany during the late 19th century. It transports the audience to a time of tension and frustration that is not so distinct from our own era by exploring the ideas of desire, loss of innocence and idealism, and how to grow with strength in a world filled with harsh realities. The struggles with sexuality and morality that the adults and teenagers face in Spring Awakening brings perspective to the way we view ourselves, and the values within our own society.

Art Hounds also included Spring Awakening in their weekly arts review.

The annual Diorama-Rama always marks a motivating time of the year by inspiring anyone with a creative knack to try their hand in creating their very own diorama. This year it takes place tonight at Sacred Heart Music Center. It is an event that is stimulated solely on community support and efforts. Anyone can take place in it simply by making a diorama that includes anything their heart desires, and then bringing it to Sacred Heart Music Center. Whether your expertise is in lighting, carving, painting, or even coloring--the Diorama-Rama has a place for you. Entertainment will include musical guests The Black-Eyed Snakes, Cockfight, DJ 45, and Dan Anderson. Also, Bridget Riversmith, a local Duluth artist, will be displaying animations for the audiences viewing pleasure.

If you are unable to join the fun on Friday at sacred Heart Music Center, Keri Noble will be performing there Saturday.

Her music is brilliant, wonderfully touching, and would be the perfect way to spend time with friends.

Also Saturday: Martin Zellar's CD release show that will be taking place at Pizza Luce with special guest Charlie Parr. The show will begin at 10:00p.m. It will be a lively performance that will please all who enjoy folk acoustic jams.

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Anti-racism campaign moving beyond billboards, Duluth

Posted at 5:14 PM on February 9, 2012 by Dan Kraker (13 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Arrowhead

The Un-fair Campaign has made quite a splash since it was unveiled only two weeks ago. The campaign is intended to raise awareness about "white privilege" -- institutional racism that gives white people unearned advantages over others simply because of the color of their skin.

But its provocative billboards have sparked a backlash in Duluth and beyond. A Facebook group called the "Stop Racist Unfair Campaign" has attracted hundreds of members critical of the campaign's tactics.

Other parts of the country are also taking note. KPCC, the major public radio station in Los Angeles, aired a 40-minute segment on the campaign on the Patt Morrison Show.

Organizers are now moving on to its second phase, a series of discussions, speeches and films scheduled around Duluth. They aim to encourage dialogue and move beyond the soundbites featured on the billboards.

The first event take place at 7 p.m. tonight, with the screening of a video talk called "Power, Privilege and Difference" by sociologist Allan Johnson, at the First United Methodist Church. Others, including a series of three community dialogues facilitated by the St. Paul Foundation as part of their Facing Race Initiative, are scheduled throughout February and beyond.

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County attorney says fed's gang bust won't fix problem

Posted at 11:04 AM on February 13, 2012 by Conrad Wilson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Law enforcement, Tribal issues

At least one county attorney is concerned that a mass bust of alleged gang members will amount to a short lived victory.

In a statewide bust last month, federal authorities charged 24 people said to belong to a gang called the "Native Mob." Charges included attempted murder, drug trafficking and racketeering.

Arrests were made in the Twin Cities as well as on the Leech Lake, White Earth and the Mille Lacs Indian reservations.

"The indictment that was unsealed ... I think is a pretty important indicator as to the efforts we are taking in Minnesota at all levels to enhance public safety," U.S. Attorney B. Todd Jones said at the time of the arrests.

But Mille Lacs County Attorney Jan Jude, whose office assisted in the investigation, has doubts about how big a dent law enforcement put in the gang problem.

"Certainly a big bust like that should have an impact," she said. "I don't have a lot of faith that it's going to have a long-term impact. I think that there are people that are going to fill those shoes very quickly."

Jude said serious felonies have quadrupled since 2007 on the tribal land in Mille Lacs County, resulting in hundreds of cases. She said most of the repeat offenders her office prosecutes also come from the reservation.

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Duluth: not as romantic as Mickey Mouse

Posted at 11:50 AM on February 9, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

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Baby's near death renews call for vaccinations, Essar growth spurs pollution concerns, seed scarcity

Posted at 7:00 AM on February 10, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Mother warns parents to vaccinate after baby's near death

WCCO: "A Minnesota mother is pushing all parents to vaccinate their kids after a case of whooping cough put her baby in intensive care for nearly a month. 'This didn't have to happen and we're so, so fortunate that we have a happy ending but it could have been so much worse,' said Emily Stevenson."

Residents still concerned as Essar plans to ramp up
WDIO: "Folks came to learn about the permit on Thursday at the Nashwauk-Keewatin High School. It would allow the company to ramp up their taconite production at the plant site in Nashwauk. Currently, they're permitted for around four million tons per year. They'd like to go to 6.5 million tons."

Same-sex Fargo couple denied marriage license, but hope others are spurred to action
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "'Guess why we're here?' Lenny Tweeden wryly asked Cass County Treasurer Charlotte Sandvik as he stepped up to the courthouse counter on Thursday afternoon."

Seed scarcity could stall corn farmers eager to plant
MPR News: "After a year of extraordinary profits pushed by high corn prices, Minnesota farmers are looking forward to planting season. But their hopes of another strong season may be threatened by a growing scarcity of seed corn."

Reinert to governor: Put Vikings stadium in Duluth
Duluth News Tribune: "State Sen. Roger Reinert is throwing a fourth-down Hail Mary pass with just seconds left on the clock today as he sends Gov. Mark Dayton a letter suggesting a new Minnesota Vikings football stadium be built in Duluth." Also from the DNT: "So far, Reinert is on his own. No other Duluth official has signed the letter. And the Vikings hadn't heard of the plan until Thursday afternoon. ... 'We're three weeks into a 10-week legislative session and we are running out of time to start vetting new sites,' said Vikings VP Lester Bagley."

Ground Level: "We love it on the Iron Range," 27-year-old Catherine Branville said. "Both of our families are from here and we knew eventually we wanted to come back this way. We needed the right opportunity and job. The store went up for sale and it all ironically fell into place. It gave us the opportunity to come back for a reason. We both have Scandinavian heritage, so the store was an interesting fit for us."

Property taxes could rise if a constitutional supermajority amendment is adopted
Minnesota Budget Project: "Our report warns that restricting legislators' ability to raise taxes would make it harder to provide the services that residents want and value. Policymakers would look for ways to fund services that don't need supermajority votes. Past experience has shown that the inability to raise taxes at the state level in Minnesota leads to more pressure on tuition, fees and property taxes."

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Sanford Health plans major expansion in Bemidji

Posted at 3:38 PM on February 9, 2012 by Tom Robertson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Healthcare, Northwest Minnesota

Plans are moving ahead for a big expansion of Sanford Health's medical campus in Bemidji. A regional planning board approved the expansion this week, according to a story in the Bemidji Pioneer.

The expansion plans include a 20,000-square-foot orthopedic center, a 24,000-square-foot surgery center and a 40,000-square-foot cardiac center.

Sanford officials say the expansion is part of a commitment made when Sanford Health and North Country Regional Hospital merged last spring. Sanford agreed to invest $75 million into the Bemidji community, including a $5 million gift to the North Country Regional Health Services Foundation.

The expansions mean some patients will no longer have to travel to Fargo for certain procedures.

The plan also includes a 12,000-foot medical supply building and a new parking area with nearly 800 spaces.

The campus exansion may require the reallignment of Bemidji's Hannah Avenue to the west. A portion of another roadway, Pine Ridge Avenue, will be vacated as part of the plan.

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Fears of a fiery spring, Nolan wins big, Cravaack and Kline STOCK Act holdouts

Posted at 7:30 AM on February 9, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Dry landscape is raising fears of a fiery spring
Star Tribune: "All but the extreme southeast corner of Minnesota is experiencing some degree of drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. In south-central and southwest Minnesota, as well as in the Arrowhead region of northeast Minnesota, the drought is labeled 'severe.'"

Congressional candidate Rick Nolan wins big in Minnesota caucus poll
Duluth News Tribune: "Candidates Jeff Anderson and Tarryl Clark likely are to stay in the 8th District race through the primary. Former U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan of Crow Wing County held a strong lead today in the 8th Congressional District as the final votes cast by DFL caucus participants from Tuesday night was tallied." Nolan was the only candidate who pledged to abide by the results of the poll.

STOCK Act expected to pass final Congressional hurdle today
MPR News: "In just weeks, the bill went from having fewer than a dozen co-sponsors to 280. Six of Minnesota's eight House members now support the bill -- Republicans Chip Cravaack and John Kline are the two holdouts."

Analysis finds $55M shortfall in Minneapolis stadium plan
MPR News: "As stadium planners winnow down the potential locations for a new football stadium in downtown Minneapolis, new questions are cropping up about the city's plan to pay for it."

Group asks candidates to support Asian carp fight
WSJ: "Environmental activists Tuesday challenged President Barack Obama and the Republicans hoping to unseat him to support a hotly debated plan to protect the Great Lakes from an Asian carp attack by cutting off their Chicago-area connection to the Mississippi River watershed."

Global financial fraud case goes to trial in Minneapolis
Star Tribune: "Prosecutors said investigators uncovered a highly structured ID-theft ring with local roots."

Un-Fair debate sparks dialogue in Duluth
Duluth News Tribune: "We can get caught up in the lingo," commission member Sheryl Boman Schneider said. "The bottom line is how we deal with disparities and disproportionality" for people of color in Duluth.

University of Minnesota regents to decide how to handle Steve Sviggum's new legislative job
Pioneer Press: "The University of Minnesota Board of Regents is about to chart a course for reaching a position on Regent Steve Sviggum's new Senate job."

Northshore Mining fined over dust
Northland News Center: "Northshore Mining is paying up for having exceedingly high dust levels.Cliffs Natural Resources has agreed to pay a $240,175 civil penalty to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and to increase air measurement practices."

Historic Pachyderm studio space will be rejuvenated
Local Current: "Though the space is still viewed as hallowed ground amongst rock historians, Pachyderm Studios down in Cannon Falls, Minnesota has weathered some tough times over the past few years."

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Santorum sweeps, Nolan on top in 8th with Anderson close 2nd

Posted at 7:30 AM on February 8, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Santorum swoops in to win Minnesota

Duluth News Tribune: "Northland Republicans joined those caucusing across Minnesota on Tuesday night in giving a strong nod to former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum to take on President Obama in November." MPR News: "Santorum supporter Ed Bird turned out at the Coon Rapids caucus because the candidate is the most conservative of the field, he said. 'I think he's absolutely got more conservative values,' Bird said. 'He's a good religious person, a strong person of conviction.'"

Photos from the night.

Nolan DFL frontrunner, Anderson close
Duluth News Tribune: "DFL loyalists across Northeastern Minnesota gave their early nod to Rick Nolan to try to retake the 8th Congressional District from freshman Republican Chip Cravaack, although former Duluth City Councilor Jeff Anderson was showing strong support in Duluth and the Iron Range. Nolan, of Emily in Crow Wing County, was the favorite among DFL party regulars and activists heading into Tuesday night's precinct caucuses. With about two-thirds of the straw polls counted, Nolan had 1,088 votes to Anderson's 642, with about 200 for former State Sen. Tarryl Clark and nearly 200 undecided."

GOP caucuses put issues to real test
Star Tribune: "Supporters of a proposed constitutional amendment to require voters to have a photo ID made their point Tuesday."

Nationally, Romney's bad day is Santorum's best
AP: "Republican Rick Santorum is looking to capitalize on a string of stunning victories that snapped his four-state losing streak and raised new questions about front-runner Mitt Romney's clout with conservatives."

Washington Post: Tuesday was an embarrassing night for Mitt Romney, and nowhere was that more true than in Minnesota.

This was a state where the former Massachusetts governor had nearly everything going for him:

* He won the state in the 2008 presidential race by 18 points.

* He had the backing of the state's two most high-profile Republicans, former governor Tim Pawlenty and former senator Norm Coleman. This is in contrast to his last two wins in Florida and Nevada, where the most high-profile Republicans kept their powder dry.

* And unlike the Missouri primary, which he also lost on Tuesday, Newt Gingrich was on the ballot in Minnesota, potentially stealing votes from Rick Santorum.

But despite all that, with nearly half of the vote in, Romney is in a distant third place, far behind even second-place Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) and taking only about one in every six votes in tonight's Minnesota caucuses.

Op-Ed: Mitt Romney has reason to be concerned
National Review: "Mitt Romney's campaign will have lots of explanations for their man's poor showing tonight. ... What Romney won't be able to explain away is just how much more poorly he did tonight in those three states than in his 2008 showing -- when he lost the GOP nomination for president."

Legacy funds being used to cover cuts in conservation
Star Tribune: "Critics say the shift is a misinterpretation of voters' will in passing amendment."

St. Paul district, teachers' union tout deal
Pioneer Press: "The St. Paul district and its teachers' union will make a joint push for smaller classes - if they can line up the dollars to hire 66 extra teachers."

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Minnesota Votes: 2012 Caucuses

Posted at 7:05 PM on February 7, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Politics

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Minnesotans have their say in the Republican Presidential race

Posted at 4:45 PM on February 7, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

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Caucus Day 2012: Ron Paul doubles down on Minnesota

Posted at 7:30 AM on February 7, 2012 by Michael Olson (14 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) waits backstage before he speaks to supporters in St. Cloud, Minn. AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast

Presidential hopefuls vie for bragging rights in caucus

MPR News: "There are no delegates up for grabs at the Minnesota Republican Party caucuses, only bragging rights. The straw poll also is non-binding, so the results will have little to do with how Minnesota's delegates will eventually be allocated at the Republican National Convention in August."

National Journal: "When former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty was campaigning for the Republican nomination, he frequently joked about hailing from the state that elected liberal icons such as Eugene McCarthy, Hubert Humphrey -- and here comes the punch line -- Al Franken, the comic-turned-senator. But running alongside the state's progressive streak is a conservative insurgency that is personified by Pawlenty's one-time rival for the White House, Rep. Michele Bachmann, and that helped the GOP in 2010 take over both chambers of the Minnesota legislature for the first time in nearly four decades. The heavy influence of the conservative and tea party movements make Minnesota's caucus on Tuesday one of Newt Gingrich's best and possibly only hope for an outright win in the month of February, which mostly features contests in states favoring Mitt Romney. Gingrich allies point to exit polls in Florida, where he lost badly to Romney but siphoned support from the most conservative voters, the strongest tea party supporters and voters who consider abortion the most important issue."

Searching for a win, Paul makes Minnesota caucuses a beachhead in Republican nominating race
Washington Post: "Ron Paul has invested days of campaigning and money for television ads ahead of caucuses in Minnesota, where he's hoping he can eke out the first win of his Republican presidential campaign."

Ron Paul, reeling from Nevada loss, enters crucial stretch
LA Times: "This is the mystery of Ron Paul, or one of them, anyway: how a 76-year-old Texas congressman who bears a slight resemblance to Mr. Magoo and sounds like he's running against Woodrow Wilson can draw some of the biggest, youngest and most ardent crowds of campaign 2012."

Rep. Paul: "Freedom Is a Young Idea"
Wall Street Journal: "'There is a good reason why young people are more open to it ... Freedom is a young idea,' Mr. Paul told a sizable crowd in St. Cloud. "Young minds are not muddled up' by conventional wisdom and the media, he added."

As campaign heads to Midwest, Romney turns his focus to Santorum
New York Times: "Even as Mitt Romney tries to fend off the continuing challenge from Newt Gingrich and focus his attention on President Obama, he is now being forced to deal with another rival."

Ron Paul rallies St. Cloud-area supporters
St Cloud Times: "Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul rallied supporters in St. Cloud on the eve of the Minnesota caucuses, urging support for a non-interventionist foreign policy and for 'sound-money' monetary policies he says would boost the middle class."

Q&A: Minnesota's precinct caucuses
MPR News: "At Minnesota's precinct caucuses today, voters begin the long process of choosing candidates who will appear on the 2012 ballot in November. Whether you're a Democrat, Republican, Independence Party-backer or Green, here's a quick guide to Minnesota's caucuses."

Also on MN Today
Minnesota Power files report on coal plants
Duluth News Tribune: "Minnesota Power filed a report with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on Monday that looks at how the utility might generate electricity into a future with new federal pollution regulations and aging coal-fired generators."

Red River flows well above average despite driest winter on record
Forum of Fargo-Moorhead: "The Red River's volume of water is flowing at more than twice its long-term average this winter despite months of abnormally dry weather."

Landowners dispute snowmobile trail
Saint Cloud Times: "After her child had a near miss and her dog died, Tanya Pufahl became more vocal in the small group of residents upset about the snowmobile trail just outside her front door in Rice."

MillerCoors buys Crispin, Mpls. maker of hard cider
Star Tribune: "The Minneapolis company, launched in 2008, is the country's third-largest hard cider producer."

Minnesota storm chaser killed in Oklahoma collision with wrong-way driver
MSNBC: "Storm chaser Andy Gabrielson survived the hunt for tornadoes for more than 10 years, but driving home Saturday afternoon after two days of chasing storms in north Texas, he could not avoid a wrong-way driver on an Oklahoma highway, The Weather Channel reported."

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Ron Paul's slow and steady campaign, teens organize in support of gays, ticks head north

Posted at 7:30 AM on February 6, 2012 by Michael Olson (4 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Ron Paul outraising Mitt Romney in Minn. and nine other states
Smart Politics: "The Texas Congressman has netted more large donor money than Romney in 10 states including Tuesday's caucus state of Minnesota. Although Mitt Romney raised more money than Ron Paul by more than a 2:1 margin through the end of Q4 2011, the Republican outsider's 50-state fundraising strategy has seen him pull ahead of the party's frontrunner in the money game in several states across the country."

Paul generates enthusiasm in Minn.
New York Times: "With a solid third-place showing in Nevada and ardent grass-roots support expected to help him in caucuses in Colorado and Minnesota, Mr. Paul is likely to command greater attention for his inimitable mix of doom-saying and doses of folksy, homespun humor."

Poll: Minnesota GOP presidential nomination a toss up
Capitol View: "According to the Democratic polling firm, Rick Santorum has a slight lead with 29 percent of the vote. Mitt Romney has 27 percent of the vote, while Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul follow with 22 percent and 19 percent respectively." AP: "Minnesota Republicans are now "among the most conservative party activists in the country," said Chuck Slocum, who led the Minnesota Republican Party in the mid-1970s. And that could pose problems for front-runner Romney, fresh off a commanding win in Nevada and eager to extend his winning streak."

Romney camp expects Santorum to do well in Minn
New York Times: "Rick Santorum and Representative Ron Paul of Texas have pockets of support in states that have yet to vote. The Romney campaign believes that Mr. Santorum has the potential to do well on Tuesday, both in the Minnesota caucus and in the Missouri nonbinding primary."

Pioneer Press: "A memorial service has been set for the White Bear Lake couple still missing after their cruise ship ran aground and partially capsized off the Italian coast more than three weeks ago. The service for Jerry and Barb Heil will be 10 a.m. Feb. 18 at St. Pius the X Catholic Church in White Bear Lake. 'We again would like to thank everyone for all the prayers, cards and support you have shown us,' an online statement from the family said."

One town's war on gay teens
Rolling Stone: "In Michele Bachmann's home district, evangelicals have created an extreme anti-gay climate. After a rash of suicides, the kids are fighting back."

Disease-carrying ticks move deeper into Minnesota's Arrowhead
Duluth News Tribune: "A decade or so ago it was unusual to see a tick-borne illness diagnosed in someone from north of Duluth," Dr. Timothy Burke, infectious disease specialist at Essentia Health, said. "But now it's a fairly routine thing."

Barn Raising in Viking, MN
WDAZ: "People in a small community are pulling together in a big way. Volunteers from Viking, Minnesota and surrounding areas are joining to fulfill a cancer victim's wish."

Cravaack pushing legislation to protect area mines
WDIO: Rep. Chip Cravaack "got an amendment attached to a transportation bill closing loopholes in 'Buy American' provisions for U.S. Steel. Cravaack said local and state governments have been able to get around the rule by dividing projects into smaller segments."

Apps hold big promise for ag
Ad Week: "Like a growing number of agriculturalists, Rick Swenson uses his cellphone for more than talking."

Freight train derails in southeast Minnesota
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Nineteen cars left the track when a Canadian Pacific freight train derailed along the Mississippi River," near Red Wing.

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High levels of mercury found in North Shore babies, MN-03 DFL forum, Brodkorb's odds

Posted at 7:30 AM on February 3, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

High levels of mercury found in North Shore babies
Star Tribune: "One in 10 babies along Minnesota's North Shore are born with unhealthy levels of mercury in their bodies, according to a new report on contamination around Lake Superior, the first to look for the pollutant in the blood of U.S. infants."

MN-03 DFL candidate forum
DFL candidates Sharon Sund and Brian Barnes join an online MPR News forum today at 11:00am to discuss their positions on the issues facing Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District. Rep. Erik Paulsen currently represents the district that serves the western suburbs of Minneapolis.

Union fight brews with right-to-work push in Minn.
AP: "Republicans pulled Minnesota into an explosive issue Thursday by introducing legislation to make union membership optional, setting the stage for a fight that has triggered boycotts by Democratic lawmakers and large protests in other states."

No contract yet; city workers strike imminent
Timberjay: Twenty-five "Ely city workers weren't walking a picket line as of presstime on Thursday, but the possibility of an imminent work stoppage hung in the air nonetheless."

Legal experts: If Michael Brodkorb sues over Senate firing, chances of prevailing could be slim
Pioneer Press: "Labor law experts interviewed by the Associated Press cited a number of barriers to any claim by Brodkorb, chief among them the Senate secretary's assertion that he signed an agreement acknowledging he was an "at-will" employee, which means he would be subject to firing at any time."

Ron Paul to stage town hall at Mayo H.S. Saturday
Rochester Post Bulletin: "Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul will make a stop in Rochester on Saturday in advance of Tuesday's caucuses."

Santorum to visit to Minnesota
WDIO: "Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum is set to visit three Minnesota cities on February 5, including Eden Prairie, Bemidji and Lake Waconia."

Innocuous building near stadium is key hub for regional communications
MPR News: "The quest for a new Vikings stadium has inadvertently cast attention on a little-known building in downtown Minneapolis that plays a crucial role for anyone who uses the Internet."

146 animals seized at Bigfork property
WDIO: "With help from the Star of the North Humane Society, 146 animals were seized. The court documents said there dogs, horses, chickens, a goat, rabbits, and pheasants."

Warm temps energize Jewel's baby bears
Northland News Center: "Just 12 days old, the cubs are moving around in their den earlier than researchers expected and are considerably more vocal than black bear and internet phenom Lily's, cubs were."

St. Paul artist using homemade postcards to help save Postal Service
Pioneer Press: "Peter Kramer is determined to save the U.S. Postal Service - one postcard at a time. The St. Paul artist and accomplished architect is so passionate about the cause that he's come up with 'Postcards to Save the Post Office,' a collection of more than 120 one-of-a-kind postcards."

Peter Kramer - Postcards to Save the Post Office
and
Kathy Wismar - paintings and ceramics
February 4 - March 4, 2012
Opening Reception in St Paul: Saturday, February 4; 5-7 PM at the Grand Hand

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Voter ID, electronic pull tabs, Duluth Pack goes to Washington

Posted at 7:30 AM on February 2, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Constitutional Amendment requiring Voter ID has a long road to the ballot
MPR News: "A proposed constitutional amendment to require Minnesotans to show photo identification in order to vote is facing a rough road at the State Capitol. Amendment opponents packed a Senate hearing on the measure Wednesday and dozens took turns to criticize the bill, providing most of the five hours of testimony."

"Very simple, very easy, you walk in, take out your wallet, you produce your photo ID, you say I am who I am, and then you vote," said Rep. Kurt Zellers, R - House Speaker.

"If we're going to do constitutional amendments, let's do constitutional amendments that help people and not attack people," said Rep. Tom Rukavina DFL - Virginia.Northland News Center

The pros and cons of electronic pull tabs

KARE11: "Supporters for a new Minnesota Vikings stadium say electronic pull tabs could fund the state's share of the project and generate $72 million a year, but at what cost?"

Minnesota bill to end teacher seniority sparks debate
Fargo Forum: "A bill introduced in the Legislature to end the use of seniority in determining teachers' job security is getting mixed reviews from administrators and teachers in Moorhead and Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton schools."

Target Center deal bound to a 'mistake'
Star Tribune: "Minneapolis took over the arena 17 years ago, and now it's become a sticking point for a Vikings stadium."

Mayo researchers find possible link between anesthesia and ADHD
MPR News: "Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have found an increased incidence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder among children exposed to anesthesia more than once before age two."

Romney stumps in Minnesota
Mitt Romney riding high in Minnesota visit

MPR News: "Still riding high from his decisive win in Florida's Republican primary, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney didn't seem bothered a bit when a supporter of same-sex marriage threw glitter on him at the beginning of his Minnesota rally."

'Poor' quote by Romney joins a list critics love
New York Times: "Mr. Romney's aides cannot always bring that well-known level of discipline to one crucial aspect of the campaign: their candidate's seemingly endless ability to utter remarks that, to the delight of his critics, sail onto political blogs, YouTube and Twitter."

Duluth Pack shines in D.C. spotlight
WDIO: "The President of Duluth Pack spent the morning on Capitol Hill talking about his effort to produce 'Made in America' products. The opportunity gave him the chance to show off some of Duluth's most successful wares."

Bakk: Senate must explain Brodkorb legal situation
Hot Dish: "Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk has asked Senate Republicans to explain who gave Secretary of the Senate Cal Ludeman the authority to hire a lawyer to defend the Senate against any legal action from Brodkorb."

Federal election filings show Faribault contributors
Faribault Daily News: "Federal Election Commission campaign filings were due on Wednesday and a look at the data reveals lopsided fundraising so far in the First District congressional race."

DFLer Sund stumps for support at Southdale Library
Minnetonka Patch: "'Fairness' was the theme of the evening as prospective 3rd District Congressional candidate Sharon Sund spoke to a small crowd at Edina's Southdale Library."

Minnesota's Fiscal Disparity tax redistribution explained
MPR News: "The program, known as Fiscal Disparities, shifts tens of millions of dollars of property tax base between communities in the metro. Some cities, counties and school districts gain tax base, while others lose it."

Anishinaabe photographer Travis Novitsky
WTIP: "In this interview with photographer Travis Novitsky, he discusses his love of photography, his influences, his favorite subjects, the process he uses to achieve his amazing results and the role photography plays in his life on the Grand Portage reservation in far northern Minnesota."

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Wolf Center says new Liam Neeson film full of 'scat'

Posted at 10:45 AM on February 2, 2012 by Dan Kraker (11 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Arrowhead, Environment, Outdoors

Liam Neeson prepares to fight off wild wolves in a scene from "The Grey." (Photo courtesy Open Road Films via AP)

"The Grey" is the new thriller starring Liam Neeson, who leads a stranded group of oil-rig roughnecks to safety in the remote Alaskan wilderness while being stalked by a vicious pack of rogue wolves.

The film is doing quite well in theaters, taking in nearly $20 million through this past weekend.

But the International Wolf Center in Ely isn't thrilled with the action flick. In the Center's blog Wild Bytes, Jo Tubbs, the International Wolf Center's board chair, calls the movie "dark, depressing, and as accurate a portrayal of wolf behavior as King Kong was about gorillas."

The Center is nominating The Grey for its first ever Scat Award, in the Scare Tactics and Silly Information categories. The educational center's main complaint, according to Tubbs, is that wolves in the movie are portrayed as killers, "when the incidence of wolves killing humans in North America is so rare as to garner huge headlines."

She says only two cases have been documented--a 2005 killing by wolves in Saskatchewan, and a 2010 death near Chignik Lake, Alaska.

There are now about 3,000 wolves in Minnesota. The state's Department of Natural Resources took over management of the wolves last Friday after wolves in the Great Lakes region were removed from Endangered Species list.

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Swany Flour mill fire cause unknown, Magnetation: Minn. pollution rules burdensome

Posted at 7:30 AM on February 1, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Freeport's Swany flour mill fire's cause unknown
St Cloud Times: "Investigators have been unable to determine what caused the fire that destroyed the Swany White Flour Mill, a Central Minnesota landmark. The Dec. 27 fire caused $850,000 in damage, according to the State Fire Marshal's report released Tuesday."

Fire marshal report

Also on MN Today
Magnetation criticized for scouting sites beyond Range
Duluth News Tribune: "Iron Range officials this week expressed frustration with Magnetation Inc. over the company's threats to build an iron ore pelletizing plant in another state. But company officials say Minnesota's tough pollution rules are forcing them to look elsewhere. State Rep. Tom Rukavina and St. Louis County Commissioner Keith Nelson say they are upset that the company is considering building the $300 million plant somewhere other than the Iron Range, especially after Minnesota invested heavily in helping Magnetation get started."

Ely city workers poised to strike
WDIO: "Employees for the City of Ely could go on strike at any time.Ida Rukavina, a representative with AFSCME, told Eyewitness News the city has asked employees to start contributing more to health insurance."

Stealth donor gives millions to GOP candidates, causes
MPR News: "As lawmakers, candidates and political action committees release required reports this week on their 2011 campaign fundraising and spending, a person most Minnesotans have never heard of will likely show up as a major Republican donor."

Mitt Romney heads to Minnesota amid talk of Michele Bachmann endorsement
Boston Globe: "Aides to Romney and the Minnesota congresswoman have been in conversation in recent days about securing the candidate's endorsement by the Tea Party favorite and forceful public speaker, The Boston Globe has learned. Not only would it add to the impression of Romney consolidating the GOP base after rebounding in Florida from his South Carolina loss, but it could help Bachmann by earning her an ally to help her pay off her lingering campaign debt."

Romney wins Florida, candidates eye Minnesota
KAAL: "'A month ago we would've probably expected that Minnesota wouldn't have been a particularly big deal,' says political analyst, Shane Baker. ... Baker says Minnesota could alter the momentum for any of the candidates."

Electronic pulltabs gain favor for stadium
Star Tribune: "New revenue estimate that grew by $32 million is key."

Panel opposes child care union dues deductions
Bemidji Pioneer: "Heather Falk successfully pleaded with a Minnesota House committee Tuesday to ban deducting union dues from state child care assistance funds.'Nothing should come from those low-income families,' the Cloquet in-home child care provider said."

One week in, partisan divide is deep at the State Capitol

KARE11: "'The gloves are off. University of Minnesota political analyst Larry Jacobs says 'we're seeing the sharp knives coming out.' Just a week into the legislative session and the partisan divide at the State Capitol is deep."

Superior police officer accused of misconduct resigns
Duluth News Tribune: "A 20-year-career in law enforcement ended Jan 24, when Master Police Officer Daniel E. Hawkin II resigned from the Superior Police Department."

Stillwater school cuts could include elementary band, free all-day kindergarten
Pioneer Press: "A budget committee of the Stillwater Area School District has finalized a list of about $12 million in recommended cuts."

Diversity in St. Paul school choice mix
Star Tribune: "In St. Paul, 20 percent of seats would be saved for students in need."

Apple Valley man accused of driving Zamboni while drunk
WCCO: "'The coaches noticed he was off the mark quite a ways, bumping into the boards and having trouble maneuvering the machine and thought they need to call someone for help,' said Randy Johnson, Apple Valley's Parks and Recreation Director."

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Minnesota wrestles with U.S.-Dakota War 150 years later

Posted at 2:45 PM on January 31, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

150 years later, war's wounds still cut deep
Captured Sioux Indians in fenced enclosure on Minnesota River below Fort Snelling.
Photographer: Benjamin Franklin Upton (1818-)
Minnesota Historical Society Photograph Collection 1862-1863

Star Tribune: "A 150-year-old loop of rope, knotted into a hangman's noose, sits in a climate-controlled case in the underground archives of the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul.

Some say it should be burned, buried or returned to the hands of the Dakota people.

Others argue it should be displayed, like piles of shoes at Holocaust museums, as a powerful artifact to help people confront the grim story of the U.S.-Dakota War, which erupted in Minnesota in 1862 and ended with the largest mass execution in U.S. history.

The noose, and just what to make of it, is one sign of the historical reckoning looming this year as Minnesotans wrestle with how to mark the 150th anniversary of one its ugliest, yet often overlooked, episodes."

Coalition raises $830K for gay marriage ban
Fox9: "Minnesota for Marriage, a coalition of groups working to pass a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, says it raised $830,000 for its campaign last year."

$40K In Cattle Stolen From Minnesota Farm
WCCO: "The hunt is underway in western Minnesota for a steer thief.Police said someone stole 26 steer over the weekend in Madison, Minn."

After years on run, Maplewood man sentenced for $860,000 in fraud
Star Tribune: "More than three years after fleeing the continent upon conviction, a Maplewood man has been sentenced in federal court in Minneapolis for stealing more than $860,000 from people's bank accounts."

Bachmann presidential campaign ended 2011 in debt
Capitol View: "Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann's presidential campaign committees ended the year owing a total of about $447,000, according to Federal Election Commission reports."

St. Paul teachers reach tentative contract deal
AP: "St. Paul Public Schools and its teachers' union have reached a tentative contract agreement with assistance from an outside mediator."

Minnesota's aerial moose count starts
AP: "Recent snowfall in northeastern Minnesota is letting researchers finally get going on their annual aerial survey of the region's struggling moose population."

iPad version of Kevin Kling children's book free today
Star Tribune: "Big Little Brother is a children's book by iconic Minnesota storyteller Kevin Kling that chronicles the experience of being an older brother with a younger, but larger sibling."

Arts Week on Midday: design for abandoned places

Midday: Marianne Combs hosts "Arts Week" on Midday, with today's co-host, architectural historian Larry Millett.

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Mayor Ness targeted for anti-racism campaign, beet lobby power, rampant walleye violations

Posted at 6:20 AM on January 31, 2012 by Michael Olson (2 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Anti-racism campaign brings backlash to Duluth Mayor
Northland News Center: "I've been getting really threatening and ugly emails from all over the world," said Duluth Mayor Don Ness. Those messages, says Mayor Ness, have come from White Supremacist groups."

Inside Congress, no one beats the beet lobby
Star Tribune: "American Crystal Sugar has become one of the country's most powerful lobbying groups, doling out cash contributions to lawmakers at levels approaching big-business groups like the American Bankers Association. And it's all for a single objective: To guarantee tariffs and price supports allow sugar beet farmers to make money, even if it drives the cost of sugar above the global market."

DNR sweep of lake nets scores of violators
Pioneer Press: "Conservation officers with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recently swept through Lake of the Woods, revealing an eye-opening number of violations among walleye fishermen."

Romney campaign swings though Eagan
MPR News: "Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney has scheduled a campaign stop in Minnesota on Wednesday. Romney, a former governor from Massachusetts, will hold a campaign event in Eagan on Wednesday afternoon. He's making the appearance with former Gov. Tim Pawlenty at the FreightMasters building in Eagan."

Candidates vie for 8th District DFL endorsement
Duluth News Tribune: "Across the 8th Congressional District DFLers do have a pretty heated race for U.S. Congress. Former Duluth city Councilor Jeff Anderson, former St. Cloud area state Sen. Tarryl Clark and former 6th District Congressman Rick Nolan of Crosby."

Minn. lawmakers watch transportation bills closely
MPR News: "Minnesota and other states may lose federal highway funding under legislation that could be introduced by House Republicans as early as this week to renew spending on the nation's infrastructure - highways, bridges and transit."

Pine County Sheriff offers new details of misconduct probe
KARE11: "The Sheriff of Pine County, Minnesota is offering more details of an internal department probe of alleged misconduct that could eventually lead to criminal charges."

Mankato TV anchor, infamous for impaired newscast, is charged with DWI
Pioneer Press: "A KEYC-TV anchor who was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, two weeks after what some suspected was a drunken newscast, has been charged."

Fight cuts short hip-hop concert to honor military
St Cloud Times: "A hip-hop concert planned to honor the military was cut short Saturday night after fights broke out."

Increase in snowy owl sightings
WDIO: "Snowy owls are fairly common around the Northland during the winter months. But as of late, these Arctic birds have been spotted over a thousand miles from it's tundra home. Wildlife Manager, Martha Minchak, says these are food stressed owls just searching for a meal."

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Psychiatric hospital turmoil, Santorum stumps at Pizza Ranch, free speech in Little Falls

Posted at 7:45 AM on January 30, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Group fighting marriage amendment raises $1.2 million
MPR News: "The largest group working to defeat a proposed state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage said it has raised more than $1.2 million in cash and in-kind contributions."

Search suspended for cruise ship victims

KARE11: "Bill Sonntag has been waiting for more than two weeks for any news about his friends Jerry and Barbara Heil. The Heils are from White Bear Lake and remain the only Americans still unaccounted for after the Costa Concordia ran aground January 13."

St. Peter psychiatric hospital is in turmoil
Star Tribune: "Most of the experienced psychiatric staff have either quit or been fired at the security facility in St. Peter."

Twin Cities courtrooms ramp up security
Pioneer Press: "Security in courthouses was being examined across the Twin Cities before a gunman shot a prosecutor and a witness last month at a northern Minnesota courthouse.But now, local politicians are paying more attention to pleas to improve safety."

Santorum campaigns in Luverne
MPR News: "Santorum's trip comes one day before the Florida primary. He has decided to stop campaigning in that state and start campaigning in other states. He's making campaign stops in Missouri, Minnesota, Colorado and Nevada over the next two days. Santorum took a break from campaigning over the weekend to be with his child in a Philadelphia hospital. Santorum is the first candidate to make a campaign stop in Minnesota in the lead up to Minnesota's Feb. 7 precinct caucuses. Texas Congressman Ron Paul made a stop in the state in November."

Minnesota indictment unlikely to dismantle American Indian gang
AP: "Members of the Native Mob gang have shot rivals in Minneapolis, sold drugs in Duluth, and thrown boiling water in a person's face in Crow Wing County. Authorities say they've also assaulted an informant on the White Earth Indian Reservation and shot up houses from Cass Lake to Mille Lacs."

Mayo, Minn. communities targeting immigrant health
MPR News: "In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, researchers at the Mayo Clinic are working with more than a dozen community organizations to keep immigrants and refugees from developing common diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity."

Duluth panel pushes for ranked-choice voting
Duluth News Tribune: "Ranked-choice voting could be on the ballot in Duluth if city councilors follow the recommendations of a task-force report delivered to them recently."

Yard sign restrictions challenged in Little Falls
KAAL: "It all started when a citizen was told to remove her signs of protest from her front yard. Robin Hensel's yard was a beacon of billboard material protesting the government and the War On Terror." Hensel says "the city told her the signs had to go because city code only allows one sign per yard."

WITC gets set to train future Kestrel employees
WDIO: "In the last two weeks Superior has announced the possibility of more than 1,000 new jobs coming to the area. But beneath the city's excitement for employment a local college is getting ready to train a new workforce, especially for Kestrel Aircraft."

If not a casino, what's Plan B for Minneapolis' Block E?
Star Tribune: "Ten years after Block E opened with promises to bring crowds to downtown Minneapolis, the storied building has become a ghost town."

Proposed Stillwater fire station in spotlight
Star Tribune: "The fire station proposal has upset some residents who have questioned the need, and because property taxes would be increased to pay for it.But city leaders argue that overall fire response times have worsened as the city has grown to the west."

Thin ice may cause vehicle bans
Fox9: "Ramsey County officials told FOX 9 on the phone Sunday that if trucks and cars are banned from County lakes, people would be able to take an ATV or possibly a snow mobile out to get their ice houses off the lake -- at their own risk of course."

Chance of spring flooding down 40 percent for New Ulm
New Ulm Journal: "New Ulm has a high probability of dodging spring flooding altogether this year, according to the National Weather Service. Similarly, cities along Minnesota's rivers have reduced flooding chances this spring."

St. Scholastica Celebrates 100 Years
Northland's News Center: "It's a mile marker of a birthday for the College of St Scholastica."

Wis GOP works through recall signatures
KARE11: "From now until Tuesday volunteers all over Wisconsin will pour through one million signatures collected to recall Governor Scott Walker."

Grand Rapidians challenged to build 1,000 "snowfolk" in three weeks
Grand Rapids Herald Review: "The challenge to build 1,000 SnowFolk in three weeks continues with the Great Itasca SnowFolk Festival. With the recent arrival of additional snow, participation is building for this community and family-friendly event."

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Where people and landscape meet

Posted at 8:18 AM on January 28, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

A Woman Walks On Ice - 2011 by Kip Praslowicz

"This one says a lot about just living in this area to me, because you can't really take this picture in New York City" -- Duluth photographer, Kip Praslowicz.

The Playlist: "Duluth-based street photographer Kip Praslowicz shares his approach to portraits, and candid scenes in the community."

Thanks to JP Rennquist for the heads up on The Playlist's profile of Praslowicz.

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5 things that mattered in Minnesota this week

Posted at 4:09 PM on January 27, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

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Marketing firm may bring 200 jobs to Bemidji

Posted at 12:48 PM on January 27, 2012 by Tom Robertson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Economy, Northwest Minnesota

There may be good news on the jobs front in Bemidji. Skybridge Marketing Group, a Minnesota-based firm, has tentative plans to expand its business in the city, adding up to 200 new jobs.

Details of the expansion are expected to be finalized next month, according to Dave Hengel, the newly hired Joint Economic Development Director in Bemidji.

Hengel told the Bemidji Pioneer the company chose Bemidji over Park Rapids, Detroit Lakes, Fargo, Grand Forks and the Twin Cities. Skybridge has its headquarters in Greenfield near the Twin Cities, and also has an office in Winnipeg, Canada.

"When you are able to bring in good corporate citizens to the Bemidji community, the economic pie increases and everybody benefits," Hengel told the newspaper.

Many of the new jobs are expected to be customer service oriented in a call center environment.

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Unions, wolves and beer

Posted at 7:45 AM on January 27, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

'Right to work' issue heats up in Minnesota
Pioneer Press: "Efforts to make Minnesota a "right to work" state are ramping up, with business interests and labor leaders clashing over whether forbidding contracts that require workers to pay union dues will spark economic growth."

Smooth sailing predicted for Bachmann
New York Times: "Unless her district is changed dramatically, it's tough to see her losing her seat in Congress," said Nathan L. Gonzales, an editor at The Rothenberg Political Report, a nonpartisan newsletter. St Cloud Times: "DFLers said Bachmann's failed effort to reach the White House came at her constituents' expense, and will dog her bid for a fourth term."

Duluth school district faces multi-million dollar deficit
WDIO: "William Gronseth, the district's Interim Superintendent told Eyewitness News cuts are unavoidable.Gronseth explained the school district faces a budget deficit somewhere between $3 and $4 million. He said if it's not addressed this year, it will only grow over time."

Sen. Franken makes web ad for marriage equality group
MinnPost: "Sen. Al Franken is the latest celebrity to make a web ad promoting marriage equality in a campaign sponsored by Americans for Marriage Equality."

Some opt-out of Un-Fair Campaign about white-advantages
Northland News Center: "While the campaign has been endorsed by some entities and leaders as Mayor Don Ness, others such as the College of St. Scholastica have decided to opt-out."

Group standing up to recent hate crimes in Rochester
KAAL: "Afraid to live in their own homes, five Rochester families are still affected after vandals damaged their property in November. Since then a group has shown their support, saying these racially-motivated acts aren't okay."

DNR takes over wolf management

MPR News: "Officials with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources say they are ready to oversee the wolf population and will consider a 'conservative' hunting season, perhaps by next fall." Pioneer Press: "A 'pent-up demand' to hunt wolves is driving plans for a fall hunt for the animal, several officials who support the plan said Thursday."

Cost of Minnesota government shutdown still climbing
Star Tribune: "More claims by idled contractors are foreseen. Some may be large."

Mayo Clinic seeks increased mental health cultural awareness
Post Bulletin: "An estimated 50,000 people have immigrated from war-ravaged Somalia to Minnesota since civil war broke out in the east African country in 1991, and mental health providers at Mayo Clinic in Rochester recognize a need for more culturally appropriate, inclusive care."

Homelessness growing problem in Duluth
Northland News Center: "Homelessness in Duluth is on the rise in recent years and a record number of people have sought shelter within the last few months."

Meet the candidates: MN-08 Rick Nolan

Rick Nolan: "Stopping pollution is not rocket science, its about political will."

Red River Valley flood risk recedes even lower
AP: "The risk of significant flooding in the Red River Valley is down from recent years and even lower than last month's forecast due to the lack of snow, forecasters said Thursday -- bolstering hopes the region may be spared a fourth consecutive battle this spring."

Sioux Falls population up 1 percent, city reports
Argus Leader: "The city has released its estimate of the year-end population of Sioux Falls. The estimate of 156,300 is a 1,600-person increase from last year or a 1.0 percent annual increase."

Zebra mussel class is now in session
Star Tribune: "The first of 21 classes statewide was held in Chanhassen."

Minnesota man says 'hidden' traps are killing pets
WCCO: "A Northern Minnesota man is concerned that hunting dogs are becoming the hunted." Trapper Jon Reynolds wants some bait traps "moved off the ground -- where fishers and raccoons can still get them but dogs can't. Twenty-five other states have that type of regulation, but Minnesota does not. And because of what happened to" his dog "Penni, Reynolds now refers to body grips as 'hidden killers.'"

Small breweries ready to tap into market - or fall flat

MPR News: "Small beer-making operations have been popping up all over the city -- and around the state. At least 10 new breweries opened in Minnesota last year, from Castle Danger Brewing on the North Shore to Olvalde Farmhouse Ales near Winona."

Researchers untangle link between hunger and obesity
MPR News: "The picture of hunger in the America is changing. In the past, hunger may have conjured up images of gaunt faces or rail-thin children. Today, some people who struggle to feed their families are actually obese."

Organic Prairie becomes part-owner of Cannon Falls meat plant
Post Bulletin: "Organic Prairie has secured an organic meat processing plant by becoming co-owner of Lorentz Meats in Cannon Falls. ... This is the first time it has owned part of a processing facility."

Judge to hear arguments on limiting type of abortion in ND
Valley News Live: "A Cass County court hearing set for Friday afternoon could spell the end of the availability of medicinal abortions for the entire state of North Dakota."

Ice skating with Zoo Animal

Local Current: "'Well, this is the probably the cutest thing I've ever done,' Holly Newsom wrote while posting a new North Shore Sessions music video for her song 'Dream On.' We'd have to agree. The song is off her new EP, Departure, which comes out next month.

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Bachmann runs again, Somalia transfers restored, Native American remains under Pamida

Posted at 7:25 AM on January 26, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

After failed presidential bid, Bachmann aims again at 6th District

MPR News: "U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann announced today that she will seek re-election in the 6th District. With one exception in 2008, the third-term congresswoman has won past elections by safe margins, but that could change as the state redraws congressional district lines. Bachmann explained that she's running again for Congress because of her strong opposition to President Barack Obama's agenda. Speaking to reporters in Washington, Bachmann said she wants to repeal the federal health care overhaul Congress passed in 2010 and to overturn the Dodd-Frank Act, legislation that adds more government oversight of financial institutions - both of which she vigorously opposed during her presidential campaign."

"Congresswoman Bachmann has worked extremely hard on behalf of Republican principles for the past three terms in Congress. She continues to fight for limited, Constitutional government, personal freedom, traditional values, and a strong and secure America. We are thankful to have her on our side and confident in what she will continue to accomplish on our behalf in Washington" -- MNGOP Chairman Pat Shortridge (release).

"I don't think there's a lot of common ground that we see with Michele Bachmann," he said. "Her positions are really of the mainstream. They don't represent the people of the 6th District and frankly she hasn't represented the people of the 6th District for the last year as she's run for president" -- State DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin, MPR News.

Bachmann by the numbers
Amount that Bachmann clues have netted Jeopardy! contestants over the past year: $1,200 (Smart Politics).

The questions:
1) "In 2011 this congresswoman from Minnesota's 6th district gave a State of the Union rebuttal on behalf of the Tea Party."

2) "Michele Bachmann gave her biological children this schooling; the state wouldn't let her do it with her foster kids."

A) What is home schooling?

Also on MN Today
Cash lifeline to Somalia: Restored but precarious
Star Tribune: "Amid heightened scrutiny from banks and federal regulators, Minnesota's Somali money transfer shops are fighting to stay alive."

Babbitt residents stunned after man allegedly stabs 3-year-old girl, then is shot by police
Duluth News Tribune: "Authorities say a Babbitt man stabbed 3-year-old Natalee Lynn Walker twice before carrying her out of their home shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday. He was later shot by police as he pointed a knife at the child in a threatening manner."

Pamida's closing brings back discussion of burial site
MPR News: "Skeletal remains were uncovered during construction of an addition to the store in 1988. Now, some members of the Indian community say the store's closing is an opportunity to restore honor to a site that was occupied by their ancestors for thousands of years."

Native Americans allege systemic racism in Carlton Co.
WDIO: "Protestors accused attorneys and authorities in Carlton County of arresting and charging more Native American people with crimes because of their race."

State pushes forward with Medicaid waiver
Politics in Minnesota: "DHS officials have been quietly working on a plan to set aside federal rules governing state's MA program."

DNR would let wolf hunters kill 400
Star Tribune: "The proposal is designed to manage, not reduce, the population." MPR News: "Hunters could use firearms, archery equipment, and muzzleloaders. Calls and bait would be allowed, with restrictions."

OccupyMN protesters arrested in downtown Minneapolis
WCCO: "We are disappointed that US Bank chose to ignore thousands of signatures and their customers cries for help as the foreclosure continues to rip apart our communities." said activist Ben Egerman.

Twin Cities broker accused in $3.3M mortgage fraud
Business Journal: "The owner of a Maple Grove real estate company has been charged in a mortgage fraud scheme that the state says cost lenders $3.3 million."

Arrowhead considered for new Magnetation plant
WDIO: "Magnetation is the company that takes old iron ore tailings and turns them into concentrate. That concentrate is used to make steel. They have one plant running in Keewatin, and are building two more."

Business groups poise for development in unmanned aviation industry
MPR News: "The FAA in 2012 will establish six test sites for unmanned aircraft. North Dakota hopes to get one of those sites, and a group of Minnesota businesses is organizing to take advantage of the growing industry."

Photos: Snow show will go on, but not the judging
Pioneer Press: "Dusty Thune of St. Paul sculpts a polar bear out of snow in downtown St. Paul's Rice Park. ... His Winter Carnival creation, made with snow from Lake Elmo, won't be officially judged because the snow-sculpting contest was canceled because of the lack of snow."

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Prison lockdown, bumpy start at Minn. Legislature, hookah moratorium

Posted at 7:30 AM on January 25, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Federal gang investigation locks down Minn. prisons

Federal Gang Investigation Locks Down All Minn. Prisons: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com

Virginia Police Chief Waldron suspended
Northland News Center: "The action comes following harassment and retaliation claims against Waldron."

Marshall seminar aims to raise awareness about Somalia, terrorism
Marshall Independent: "Presenters at Tuesday's all-day seminar, 'Understanding the People of Somalia,' spoke to law enforcement personnel about an alarming trend of radical imams recruiting and radicalizing American-raised Somalis to be suicide bombers for the Al Queda-affiliated Somali terrorist group Al Shabaab."

Eden Prairie OKs registry for domestic partners
Star Tribune: "Council members said the move was consistent with values outlined in the 'Eden Prairie Manifesto.'"

State of Union listeners hope for an end to D.C. gridlock
Star Tribune: "Small businesses said they want Obama to kill talk of raising taxes on the wealthy. Manufacturers want better-educated workers. And educators said they want Obama to boost federal financial aid for students."

Klobuchar: How two-year degrees can help fuel the economy
Sen. Klobuchar: "This year I invited Kevin Kopischke, president of Alexandria Technical and Community College, to join me at the State of the Union speech on Tuesday evening."

Minnesota lawmakers react to State of the Union
KARE11: "The President delievered the annual State of the Union address Tuesday night to a joint session of Congress. Here is some State of the Union reaction statements offered by Minnesota lawmakers."

Obama's tone is getting better, but still not quite there
MNpublius: "Overall, I think Obama is making progress in the right direction. When dealing with the topics of inequality and fair taxation, I think he makes a strong, clear case for why reducing inequality is all about American values."

Minnesota Legislature has bumpy start
Pioneer Press: "Bipartisanship at the Minnesota Legislature lasted about an hour Tuesday."

Dayton wants resolution and a 'people's stadium'
MPR News: "Gov. Mark Dayton said Tuesday he hopes a deal for a new Vikings stadium can be hammered by the end of next month."

Jerome Christenson: With a slip just one step away, remember those who have fallen
Christensen writes in the Winona Daily News: "At one time or another, life gets slippery for everybody.As politicians convene in St. Paul to make policy and promises, we might want to remember that, just in case they need a reminder."

Edgy posters, billboards come out against racism in Duluth
MPR News: "A 2010 survey found Duluth residents viewed the city as less hospitable to racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants, young adults without children, and talented college graduates looking for work than other comparable cities."

Hunters upset after dogs killed by traps
Star Tribune: "After several deaths since fall, the DNR will consider tightening the rules to reduce risk of dogs getting caught in body-gripping devices."

Sartell-St. Stephen school district saves on project
Saint Cloud Times: "The district sold $9 million in bonds this month at an interest rate of 1.86 percent, business manager Steve Wruck said. The district was anticipating repaying the bonds at 3.2 percent. It reduces the cost to the district by $900,000, Wruck said."

Deal with Caterpillar means jobs for Superior
Duluth News Tribune: "A global alliance between an industry giant in heavy equipment manufacturing is helping a Superior-based company grow."

Gronseth to fill Duluth superintendent vacancy
WDIO: "The Duluth School District announced current Interim Superintendent William Gronseth will fill the current superintendent vacancy. The Duluth School Board made that decision at a public School Board meeting Tuesday and is entering into contract negotiations."

FF teachers still without contract
Fergus Falls Journal: "Fergus Falls District 544 negotiations between teachers and the school board are among 184 negotiations taking place across the state of Minnesota. There are 338 school districts in Minnesota."

Faribault City Council passes hookah moratorium
Faribault Daily News: "Councilors unanimously passed a moratorium, essentially a temporary ban, on licensing and planning for tobacco products shops Tuesday night."

Winona home prices down
Winona Daily News: "Home sales in Winona and Goodview rose 14 percent in 2011, according to the Southeast Minnesota Association of Realtors, leading some to believe the housing market is well on its way to recovery.Others aren't so sure."

Timberwolves' Kevin Love to sign four-year contract extension today
Pioneer Press: "Timberwolves all-star Kevin Love, facing the prospect of becoming a restricted free agent after the season, is expected to sign a four-year, $62 million contract extension today, according to a person with close knowledge of the situation."

Wild ends road skid, enters break with victory
Post Bulletin: "There were plenty of motivating factors Tuesday for the Wild: to enter the All-Star break inside the top eight in the West, to leap over the rival Colorado Avalanche, to end an 11-game road malaise."

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Drinking winter away, Dome home, Dutch join new Poet plant

Posted at 3:15 PM on January 24, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Study indicates Mid-westerners like to binge drink
Image from The Atlantic

The Atlantic: Binge drinking varies from one in ten adults (10.9 percent) at the low end of the spectrum to more than one in four (25.6 percent) at the high end. There is something of a binge drinking belt across the north of the country, running westward from New England, Pennsylvania and Ohio to Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and Montana. Alaska ranks high too, suggesting that long, cold winters might play a role, though tropical Hawaii is in the top tier as well.

Board, union at odds over contract
Owatonna People's Press: "After negotiating teams from the Owatonna school board and the teachers' union failed to reach a compromise on a new two-year contract, a mediator will now be brought in to bring the two sides together."

Dayton: Metrodome can work for Vikes
Big Story Blog: "Gov. Mark Dayton this afternoon said the Metrodome site can still be a viable option for a new Vikings stadium and that team owners and lawmakers would meet Wednesday to talk about the newest turn in the stadium debate."

Poet, Dutch company will team to build cellulosic ethanol plant
Argus Leader: "The Sioux Falls-based company is working with Royal DSM, a technology company from the Netherlands, which will contribute enzyme and yeast technologies to the venture. Poet CEO Jeff Broin said the companies had been in talks for six months. The Department of Justice will need to approve the partnership."

2 women removed from rural Bemidji, Minn. home after deputies find 50-55 dogs
Bemidji Pioneer: "Two women were removed from a residence Monday afternoon after law enforcement officials found between 50 to 55 dogs and some cats at two mobile homes located in the 4500 block of Grant Valley Road Northwest, south of Grass Lake and west of Bemidji."

New Ulm, Sleepy Eye look at four-day school weeks
Mankato Free Press: "Faced with budget deficits and cuts, New Ulm and Sleepy Eye school districts are both eyeing four-day school weeks."

Legislature gavels in
Op-Ed: Minnesota's sex offenders -- dealing with the worst in a better way
Star Tribune: "The convening of a new legislative session wouldn't be complete without more or less far-fetched hopes of greater bipartisan harmony. Yet on one particularly toxic issue, Minnesota's leaders really have begun a calmer, more constructive discussion worth noting and encouraging."

Gridlock still haunts the halls of the Capitol
St Cloud Times: "With every legislator up for re-election this year, Republicans grappling with divisions in their ranks and the potential for more constitutional amendments on the ballot, there are plenty of potential landmines, threatening the quick and quiet session legislative leaders want."

Lawmakers discuss start of '12 legislative session
New Ulm Journal: "Sen. Mike Parry, during his stop in New Ulm for his campaign for Minnesota's 1st District, said he was hearing the most support he has ever seen for racinos, specifically to fund a new stadium."

Legislators list priorities for '12
Marshall Independent: "Minnesota politicians get back to work today, and local lawmakers say they are focused on putting more Minnesotans in that exact same situation: back to work."

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Lawmaking time, fighting racism in Twin Ports, Beargrease alternative emerges

Posted at 7:35 AM on January 24, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

State Legislature Reconvenes
Gov., legislators share goal to get Minnesotans back to work

MPR News: Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders agree that job creation will be their shared priority for the 2012 session, which gets underway Tuesday.

DFL leaders: Our Minnesota agenda
DFL: "Jobs are our priority. Our state does not want distractions" (Star Tribune)

Our view: Minnesota Legislature back at it
Duluth News Tribune: "On Tuesday, they return, Minnesota's 67 state senators and 134 House members; they get back to the task for which they were elected: lawmaking. They didn't do it so well last year when a budget battle reinforced partisan divides and led to the state's longest-ever government shutdown."

Dayton to Vikings: Metrodome site is only option this session
Star Tribune: "Gov. Mark Dayton told the Minnesota Vikings on Monday that the only workable site this year for a new stadium is the Metrodome, apparently bringing the team's long search for a new home back to where it started."

Legislators hope for short session
Capitol Chat: "Part of the reason a short session is predicted is so those running for re-election can campaign. And with new district maps to be released Feb. 21, that could speed things up even more as lawmakers feel the need to check out their new districts."

Local leaders ask state for more flexibility
Ground Level: "Leaders from Minnesota's cities, counties and school districts have banded together to plead for more flexibility from the state to let them try new ways of delivering local services."

Local officials, legislators prepare for new state session
The Faribault Daily News reports that mandate reform is a pressing issue. "More than 85 percent of Rice County's activity is mandated by the state -- and after trimming staff consistently for nearly four years, resources are now strained because while mandates remain in place, funding does not."

Dill's bill on Minnesota wolf season gets first hearing Thursday
Ely Echo: "Just as the state begins to take over management of Minnesota' wolf population, a local lawmaker will be holding a hearing in St. Paul. Rep. David Dill (DFL-Crane Lake) has put together a bill to allow wolf hunting and trapping seasons starting this year."

Legislative session will start with a bang
MinnLawyer: "Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Good Thunder, introduced a bill that will enhance penalties for assaulting or causing the death of a prosecuting attorney and a bill that will authorize county attorneys to carry firearms on duty. Both will be discussed in a house floor session Thursday afternoon."

Big Story Blog: What will Minnesota's 2012 Legislature deliver?
More Legislative news from MN Today.

Also on MN Today
St. Croix bridge bill clears Senate
MPR News: "The U.S. Senate Monday night passed a bill authorizing a replacement for the aging Stillwater lift bridge over the St. Croix River. The bill, sponsored by DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar, passed the Senate with no debate under a procedure known as unanimous consent that is used for legislation considered uncontroversial."

Franken responds on internet piracy bills
"If we don't protect our intellectual property, international criminals - as well as legitimate businesses like payment processors and ad networks - will continue to profit dishonestly from the work these Americans are doing every day," wrote Sen. Al Franken. "And that puts these millions of jobs at serious risk." (Capitol View)

Twin Ports coalition launches anti-racism campaign
Duluth News Tribune: "A new anti-racism campaign focusing on what white people can do to help reduce racial disparities in the Twin Ports will make its public debut today."

Tim Pawlenty, Mitt Romney's attack dog
Washington Post: "Belatedly, Pawlenty has found his venom sac. And on Monday morning, he poured it on Newt Gingrich during a conference call with reporters."

Rep. Ellison: Time to get corporate money out of politics
Rep. Ellison writes in HuffPo: "Saturday marked the second anniversary of the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission Supreme Court decision. This decision allows corporations to use their general treasury funds to pay for political advertisements that expressly call for the defeat or election of a candidate."

Sleep-malady drugs now in short supply in Twin Cities
Star Tribune: "The sudden shortage is disrupting the lives of hundreds of patients."

Bilked by agent, family loses nest egg
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "On a dairy farm in Barnes County, Keith Radke's parents toiled for 25 years to save for retirement and send their son to college. They were proud, frugal people who paid their bills on time and skipped vacations to milk the cows, he said."

Canceled Beargrease opens door for revival of another sled-dog race
Duluth News Tribune: "The cancellation of this year's John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon has prompted two Gunflint Trail businesses to revive the Mail Run Dog Sled Race, which was an annual event along the Gunflint Trail in the late 1970s before the Beargrease began."

New reports cast doubt on bio-cremation process, Cloquet Council votes 'no'
Pine Journal: "Reasons cited by Councilors for voting against the bio-cremation resolutions ranged from disputed scientific evidence regarding proper operational standards and the possibility that prions could be released into the sanitary sewer system (if inadequately treated) and from there into Lake Superior."

Norman County East now waits for Ulen-Hitterdal's decision to merge programs
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Faced with dwindling enrollment that threatens to wipe out some sports by attrition, the Norman County East School District will look to a partnership with neighboring Ulen-Hitterdal to bolster its ranks."

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Jennie-O fined after worker loses arm, public comment on Essar air permit, fight ends awards show

Posted at 3:00 PM on January 23, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

OSHA seeks fines from Wilmar-based Jennie-O
Journal Sentinel: "The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is seeking $318,000 in fines from Jennie-O Turkey Store Inc. after an employee at a northwestern Wisconsin slaughterhouse lost his arm in an industrial accident."

Essar Steel Minnesota air permit open for comments
Duluth News Tribune: "The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has a draft air-emissions permit ready for public review for Essar Steel Minnesota's iron-ore mining and taconite-pellet-production facility in Nashwauk. A public hearing is set for Feb. 9."

Jack Jablonski leaves hospital for rehab facility
KARE11: "Injured Benilde-St. Margaret's hockey player Jack Jablonski is ready to begin the next phase in his recovery from an incident that left him paralyzed."

Rybak embraces DNC's anti-Romney messaging
MinnPost: "Early last week, when it looked like Mitt Romney would waltz through the South Carolina Republican presidential primary, the Democratic National Committee hosted a press call to criticize Romney for not releasing his tax returns."

Will MPR's "Daily" show make news more interesting and fun?
BrauBlog: "With my philistine credentials established, I'm tentatively pleased with the news that 'Midmorning' and the 11 a.m. of Gary Eichten's 'Midday' will be subsumed by the new 9 a.m.-noon 'Daily Circuit,' beginning Feb. 21. Though the name is awkwardly generic -- one click above "MPR NewsQ" -- several overdue changes are afoot."

TC Hip Hop Awards cut short due to violence
The Current: "For the second time in its six-year history, the TC Hip Hop Awards is making headlines, not for its overwhelmingly positive purpose, which is to unite disparate artists across the spectrum of Minnesota hip-hop, but instead because of fights started by a small segment of its attendees."

By the numbers
Pounds of honey Alexandria's Randy Scott makes a year: 1,000 to 1,500 (Dairyland Peach).

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A fresh legislative start, Bachman's return, midge life, Wisconsin's wolf hunt

Posted at 7:40 AM on January 23, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

The Minnesota Legislature begins a new session tomorrow. Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove and House majority leader Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, highlighted their priorities in a Star Tribune editorial.
Excerpt

We are 20 years behind in streamlining government, and Minnesota taxpayers are paying for it every day. This session we will continue our push to make government more effective for the people it serves and those who pay for it.

From local government mandate relief and outcome-based spending to consolidation of administrative and back-office functions, our reforms will seek out and eliminate waste.

We will also support a great idea we received while out on the road: require city and county governments to present budget and spending information in an easy-to-understand format designed to educate taxpayers and engage citizens in local government spending decisions.

In 2011, many good reform ideas were put on hold as we grappled with the budget (and the snow). Today we're pledging to make 2012 the year of reform.

This is not a partisan agenda. It's Minnesota's agenda -- an agenda we can't let rest.

Zellers also joined Cathy Wurzer on Morning Edition.

Sen. Koch considers running again

WCCO: "In her first television interview since she stepped down as Minnesota's Senate Majority Leader, Amy Koch is rethinking her decision not to run for reelection after admitting she had an inappropriate relationship with a Senate staffer."

Gingrich surge may put Minnesota in play in GOP battle
KARE11: "Front runner Mitt Romney conceded his road to the GOP nomination will be longer, and tougher than originally projected. At the very least it will extend the nominating battle into February, giving Minnesota's February 7 precinct caucuses more significance."

Winter bug may offer climate clues
Star Tribune: "Diamesa mendotae, a cold-hardy but delicate insect also known as a midge, is very real and may provide a measure of how the state's climate is warming, and what effect that might have."

Ely bear Jewel birth to at least 2 cubs
Duluth News Tribune: "Jewel, a 3-year-old bear whose den near Ely has been under video surveillance this winter, gave birth to at least two cubs" Sunday morning.

Bachmann calls for repeal of Roe. vs. Wade at Minn. anti-abortion rally
MPR News: "Rep. Michele Bachmann made her first appearance in Minnesota since dropping out of the Republican presidential race on Sunday at an annual anti-abortion protest."

In Vikings stadium game, St. Paul is likely loser
Pioneer Press: "One facet of a Minneapolis stadium plan, the proposed debt forgiveness for the Target Center, would create an uneven playing field for Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul leaders say. The two arenas compete for national acts."

A rocky first year for St. Paul Central Corridor construction
MPR News: "The first year of major construction on a future light-rail line in St. Paul suffered from communication lapses, haphazard planning, and inattention to community concerns -- and that's according to the government agency that manages the project."

Moorhead member of 'Miracle on Ice' team fights to get hockey jerseys returned
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "The opening line of the Hall of Fame letter addressed to Bill Christian reads: 'On behalf of the Hockey Hall of Fame, may I personally thank you and your son Dave for donating these sweaters to the Hall.' But Dave Christian maintains it was a loan, not a donation."

Cravaack gives back unused expense allowance
Duluth News Tribune: Rep. Cravaack "returned $90,000 in leftover expense allowance from 2011. ... The amount returned amounts to about 7 percent of Cravaack's $1.3 million office budget for 2011."

Op-Ed: Amy Klobuchar knows which side her bread is buttered on!
Cafe con Leche Republicans: "Most Minnesotans don't want for 'big brother' to control the internet! Both Franken and Klobuchar stood firm behind the MPAA, and, while other members of Congress wisely listened to their constituents and withdrew their support."

Wolf hunting to begin in Wisconsin
WDIO: "Some Wisconsin residents will be able hunt problem wolves as early as next week according to the state DNR.This comes after wolves were removed from the federal endangered species list last month."

Floodplain update nearing long-awaited end
Faribault Daily News: "The five year process to digitize flood insurance maps and update flood ordinances is finally nearing its conclusion. And Faribault is on track to update those items to meet the federal standards necessary to remain in the national flood insurance program."

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Somalis make strides in Faribault, free speech protest, bleak prospects for stadium

Posted at 3:31 PM on January 20, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Three Rivers bridging homeowner gap through Somalis
Faribault Daily News: "A local nonprofit is attacking a statewide problem: The staggering home ownership gap between whites and minority populations. And four years in, it's starting to make strides -- especially in Faribault's burgeoning Somali population."

Groups in Duluth protest Supreme Court ruling favoring corporations
Duluth News Tribune: "Protesters said they want to pass a constitutional amendment firmly establishing that money is not the same thing as free speech and that only people, not corporations, are entitled to constitutional rights."

Snowy Friday triggers nearly 500 crashes statewide
KARE11: "Snow enthusiasts were cheering Friday morning as a beautiful blanket of fluffy snow fell on the southern half of the state."

Stadium prospects growing bleaker
Politics in Minnesota: "Despite the best efforts of advocates for a new Minnesota Vikings stadium, a series of deadlines to advance a bill for a new professional football stadium have been undone by a steady stream of delays."

Sommerfest moves to U as Orchestra Hall gets a redo
Star Tribune: "Music festival will take place at Ted Mann this year."

Video of this morning's subzero sunrise over steaming Lake Superior
Duluth News Tribune: "Lake Superior sunrises can be particularly beautiful on subzero mornings, as steam rises off the open water under the colorful sky. But if you don't want to brave the cold weather, here's a video of this morning's sunrise."

Eichten a thief, of the dial
Midday host and producer Gary Eichten has worn many hats during his 40-plus-year career at Minnesota Public Radio, including news director, special events producer and station manager. And now he can add another name to the list: 89.3 The Current DJ. Gary joins The Morning Show's Jill Riley to talk about his career in radio and play some of his favorite songs.

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Eichten Day, Santorum's sweater vests, Sviggum's conflict, elusive walleyes

Posted at 7:30 AM on January 20, 2012 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Happy Gary Eichten Day!

MPR's Gary Eichten signs off for the last time

KARE11 :Venerable public radio personality Gary Eichten is hanging up the headphones for good this week, after more than four decades behind the microphone at MPR.The long-time host of MPR's Midday show will make his final appearance on the air Friday, so he can spend more time with his family and do some traveling."

Gary Eichten reflects on a lifetime on the radio

MPR News: "Minnesota Public Radio host Gary Eichten reflects on his 45-year career in radio, as he approaches his retirement on Jan. 20, 2012."

Gary Eichten and the craft of journalism
BrauBlog: "The most sincere tribute co-workers can give a retiring colleague is that, as his workdays draw short, everyone looks like their dog died. The MPR newsroom air was thick with wistfulness Wednesday, the day before the day before Gary Eichten's last broadcast."

'Made in Bemidji': Santorum campaign has local touch
Bemidji Pioneer: "Thursday the first batch of 25 special edition grey Santorum sweater vests were shipped to the candidate in South Carolina from the Bemidji Woolen Mills, which next week will start production on another 1,000 sweater vests - a backlog a previous company couldn't fulfill."

Editorial: Conflict is clear in Sviggum's two roles
Star Tribune: "Serving as a U regent and top legislative aide doesn't mix."

Chairman's spending decisions on insiders helped lead to GOP debt
MPR News: "A Republican leader with 25 years of hard-earned respect from the party that prides itself on fiscal discipline, awarded contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to consultants, lawmakers, candidates and party insiders over the course of nearly 30 months as state party chairman, contributing to the financial wreckage the party is trying to fix today."

Mankato area, state post job gains
Mankato Free Press: "Job gains in the Mankato area the past year rose 2.3 percent asMinnesota¹s unemployment rate dropped to 5.7 percent by the end of December." More on new statewide jobs numbers here.

Essar Steel financing in place
WDIO: Essar North American President Madhu Vuppuluri has "announced that the final financing is in place now, for the $1.1 billion dollar taconite facility."

AG sues health care service firm for alleged patient privacy violations
MPR News: "Personal health data on thousands of Minnesota patients was shared with a debt collection company that shouldn't have access to such information, Attorney General Lori Swanson said Thursday."

Ecolab is cutting 500 jobs in wake of merger
Business Journal: "Ecolab Inc. said Thursday it is eliminating 500 jobs and will incur one-time charges of $480 million over the next two years as it restructures the company in the wake of its purchase of Nalco Holding Co."

Local e-book demand up at library system

St Cloud Times: "It appears Kindles, Nooks, iPads and other tablets and e-readers were left under more Christmas trees than ever. And the recipients have been downloading library books by the thousands since the holidays."

Are walleyes key to Ely tourism? Ely Echo: Last summer was particularly difficult for people who were attempting to catch walleyes. From Shagawa to White Iron to Birch to Basswood, fishing was tough. And that made for unhappy customers at area resorts.

Resort owners want the DNR take a look at how stocking programs are working and make changes where they are not. But the DNR measures the success of its stocking program on the results of gill net testing, not how many are put on stringers or caught and released.

Still, new Tower area fisheries supervisor Edie Evarts heard loud and clear on Tuesday that people were not happy with what happened in 2011.

"It happened statewide, fishing was slow. So there were probably a lot of yellow perch that were competing with people's baits," said Evarts. "We don't know that but when you see a trend that's statewide, it's not like all of the walleyes disappeared from all the lakes."

Dogs rescued from home of alleged Warroad hoarders
KARE11: "Police Chief Wade Steinbring confirmed to the Warroad Pioneer that the animals had been kept indoors for nearly 3 years, and that the basement of the home occupied by a male owner and his female companion was filled with an estimated two to three feet of feces."

Op-Ed: Who owns my ticket?
New York Times: "We call on the Federal Trade Commission, along with state attorneys general, consumer-protection agencies and legislators, to investigate the growing threat of restrictive paperless-ticketing practices for live events. Perhaps the threat of an investigation will spur the industry to reform itself."

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Medical mistakes, hockey fights, MN-08 DFL endorsement moot?

Posted at 7:00 AM on January 19, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Wrong surgery cases hit a high
Star Tribune: "An annual report shows Minnesota hospitals, while disclosing more, still struggle with preventable mistakes."

8th District will be political battleground this election

MPR News: "Only one DFLer running in the 8th District, former U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan has made an iron-clad promise to abide by the party endorsement and not run against a fellow Democrat in a primary election."

With future of fighting in USHL in doubt, sides split on how integral it is to hockey
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "'If you make big hits in this league, you are getting barked at and big guys will take you out,' said Stoskopf, a forward for the Fargo Force. 'Junior hockey is more of a watch-what-you-do league. You will pay a price.' The price is fighting."

Report crunches numbers on proposed stadium sites
MPR News: "The options are being translated into dollars and cents in a way that they haven't before. Projections show the Metrodome may be the best deal for taxpayers, and another Minneapolis site near Linden Avenue the best for the Vikings."

DECC pitches Canal Park casino
Duluth News Tribune: "Officials say city should be ready for new gambling options if the Legislature loosens restrictions statewide."

Courthouse security measures evaulated in wake of shooting

MPR News: "One month after a courthouse shooting in Cook County, several courthouses around the state have either added security or are considering doing so."

State worker severance packages scrutinized
Pioneer Press: "Minnesota lawmakers today will begin looking into the issue of payments for unused sick and vacation time to retiring state employees."

Candlelight vigil for couple aboard cruise ship
MPR News: "Family and friends at a candlelight vigil Wednesday evening prayed for the safe return of Barbara and Jerry Heil of White Bear Lake. The couple have been missing since Friday, when a cruise ship ran aground along the coast of Italy."

Minnesota Opera appoints conductor as music director
Star Tribune: "The Minnesota Opera has appointed Michael Christie as music director, beginning with the 2012-13 season.Christie joins an opera leadership that includes Allan Naplan, president and general director, and Dale Johnson, artistic director."

Dayton appoints Moore, Vajgrt
Worthington Daily Globe: "Gov. Mark Dayton Wednesday announced the appointment of Gordon Moore and Terry Vajgrt to fill two vacancies in the Fifth Judicial District Court system."

Larson Boats still afloat
Star Tribune: "Minnesota's fishing opener may still be four months away, but production is humming at Larson Boats' sprawling manufacturing complex 100 miles northwest of the Twin Cities."

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Teacher contracts moving slowly, cellphones in Rochester schools, bonding bill banter

Posted at 4:00 PM on January 18, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Minnesota teacher contracts being settled more slowly, union says
Pioneer Press: "Teacher contracts across Minnesota are being settled at a much slower pace than they were two years ago."

Op-Ed: Minnesota graduate assistants deserve a voice at work
HuffPo: "University administrators have exercised numerous opportunities to have their say against unionization."

Rochester school board lifts ban on cellphone use
Rochester Post Bulletin: "On Tuesday, the Rochester School Board agreed to lift the prohibition against the use of cellphones during school, bringing district policy more in line with the reality of cellphone use in the schools. The vote was 7-0."

A session like no other
Politics in Minnesota: "The 2012 legislative session should be unlike any in recent memory. That's in part because there is no budget deficit to erase."

Who is MintPress and why are they doing all this hiring?
BrauBlog: "MintPress's home page reflects a site that pays attention to the Middle East, but is not fixated on it. Staff bylines included reflections on Martin Luther King's legacy, Ron Paul's media coverage, and a possible recall of Montana congressmen who backed the controversial National Defense Authorization Act."

DPS Reports On 1st 10 Road Deaths Of 2012
WCCO: "The Minnesota Department of Public Safety reports that, of the first 10 people killed on the road, eight were not using their seat belts."

Deer hunters concerned about coyotes killing deer
Fergus Falls Journal: "Many hunters blame the coyote population as a major reason for a drop in the deer population. 'That's one factor, but not the only factor,' said Don Schultz, wildlife manager at the Fergus Falls Department of Natural Resources (DNR) office."

Bonding Bill
Winners, losers in Dayton's $775 million bonding plan
Finance & Commerce: "Among those that didn't make the governor's list: the $67.7 million Interchange transit hub at Target Field, and a major renovation of the oldest building on the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus."

Dayton's plan: Few specifics for northwestern Minnesota
Grand Forks Herald: "The bonding proposal Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton introduced Tuesday comprises $775 million in projects spread across the state, but few specifically aimed at the northwest."

Op-Eds
Editorial: Bonding sets table for state prosperity
Star Tribune: "Dayton should emphasize investment, not short-term jobs."

Editorial: Bonding for a ballpark in St. Paul
Pioneer Press: "The governor recognized the strong case St. Paul has made for a regional ballpark. When legislative leaders consider the proposal, we think they, too, will recognize the strong public purpose it serves."

Another acronym with deplorable consequences
Pharyngula: "Along with SOPA and PIPA, our government is contemplating another acronym with deplorable consequences for the free dissemination of information: RWA, the Research Works Act. ... It's purpose is to guarantee that for-profit corporations retain control over the publication of scientific information."

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Reps. Bachmann and Ellison join on SOPA/PIPA, continued bonding bill reaction, Foley's cops

Posted at 7:30 AM on January 18, 2012 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Wordpress.com is among the organizations opposed to proposed Internet regulations.
The Stop Online Privacy Act (SOPA) and Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) are in the spotlight today as opponents to the measures, including Wikipedia and Google, blackout their websites to protest the proposed legislation that would give the U.S. Government more power to regulate the Internet. The lobbying effort pits Hollywood against Silicon Valley. It is also making for unlikely alliances among some Minnesota lawmakers.

Politico: "Google and First Amendment scholars like Harvard's Lawrence Tribe argue that SOPA would squelch free speech by giving private parties power to effectively cripple sites that allegedly -- but not conclusively -- steal copyrighted content. The simple filing of a complaint, they say, would exert huge pressure on the Internet ecosystem to blacklist an accused site. They also say it would give the feds dangerous new powers to go after sites for political reasons. "Nonsense, supporters say. The bills, they say, are narrowly crafted to target overseas sites that are 'dedicated to theft of U.S. property.' Web companies are resorting to hyperbole and hysteria to maintain the status quo, backers argue."

Support: Sens. Klobuchar, Franken
Oppose: Reps. Bachmann, Ellison

Today's Question: Where do you stand on the Stop Online Privacy Act?
Poynter rounds-up blacked out websites.

Bonding bill
Gov. Mark Dayton's proposed $775 million bonding bill continues drive a significant portion of news coverage around the state.

Langseth: Not enough for flood projects in Dayton's proposal
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "State Sen. Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon, said Dayton's proposal of $20 million for flood hazard mitigation doesn't come close to meeting the state's needs. 'We're not going to be able to do much with that,' said Langseth, who remained in the Senate this term to make sure flood needs were met. 'I'd like to have quite a bit more than that.'"

Dayton's bonding proposal gives nod to civic center, prison
St Cloud Times: "St. Cloud has cleared one hurdle that prevented it from getting state bonding money in the past for its civic center expansion -- a recommendation from the governor."

MPR News: "Republican legislative leaders were quick to criticize Dayton's proposal, but they appeared to be moving at their own, slower pace on a bonding bill. House Majority leader Matt Dean of Dellwood isn't convinced that a bonding bill is needed this session. 'We're not constitutionally obligated to a bonding bill. We passed a bonding bill last year, and certainly we have the capacity to do so again, and our bonding committee is working hard, but we have had sessions in the past where we have not passed them,' Dean said. 'We are not obligated to do so, by any means.'"

Initial local reaction can be found here, the Daily Digest runs additional reaction this morning. To keep tabs on proposals and reaction follow MN Today's "legislature" stories.

Also on MN Today
Foley eyes police options, plans Benton meeting
St Cloud Times: "The city of Foley will examine proposals for restarting its police department and using community service officers while it tries to restart discussions with Benton County for law enforcement protection."

UND coach apologizes to NDSU for 'racist blowhards' remark
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Veteran University of North Dakota women's basketball coach Gene Roebuck this morning apologized to North Dakota State President Dean Bresciani over remarks he made at a UND booster luncheon last Friday."

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Harrowing escape from Costa Concordia, Dayton's wishlist, ex-Fargo Police Chief on trial

Posted at 3:30 PM on January 17, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Lakeville woman, sister had harrowing escape from ship
Star Tribune: "A Lakeville woman and her sister were among survivors from the sinking Costa Concordia. A White Bear Lake couple are still missing, as five more bodies were recovered Tuesday."

Dayton's wish list
MPR News: "Gov. Mark Dayton has unveiled a wish list of public works construction projects that includes regional civic centers, a St. Paul ballpark and a southwest corridor light rail line." Fox9: "The governor says bonds for construction projects around Minnesota would create up to 21,700 new jobs." Duluth News Tribune: "Gov. Mark Dayton today released a $903 million construction plan that includes money for a water pumping system for the Lutsen ski resort and its neighbors." Austin Post Bulletin: Dayton's proposal includes the full $35 million requested by the city of Rochester to expand Mayo Civic Center. The remainder of the $77 million civic center project cost would be funded through a 3 percent increase in the city's lodging tax. The governor also included $13.5 million to expand the Hormel Institute in Austin, which would create an estimated 125 high-paying jobs."

Alcohol suspected in death of 18-year-old left in cold car in Rochester
Star Tribune: "Underage drinking is suspected in the death of an 18-year-old father-to-be who was left sleeping in a cold car overnight in Rochester, Minn., police said Tuesday."

Trial underway for former Fargo Police Chief accused of racial discrimination
WDAY: "The trial for a former Fargo police chief, accused of racial discrimination, is underway in California."

Nine reasons the Michele Bachmann campaign fizzled
Des Moines Register: "How did Michele Bachmann drain the reservoir of good will she once enjoyed with Iowa caucusgoers? The native Iowan bolted out of the starting gate to 22 percent support in The Des Moines Register's Iowa Poll in June, just one percentage point below poll leader Mitt Romney."

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Power line work to include helicopter and implosives

Posted at 10:47 AM on January 18, 2012 by Tom Robertson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Arrowhead, Environment, Northwest Minnesota, Utilities

A sign at a rest stop near St. Cloud warns travelers of work on the CapX2020 powerline. Similar work is being done between Cass Lake and Grand Rapids this week. (MPR Photo/Nathaniel Minor)

People traveling on U.S. Highway 2 between Cass Lake and Grand Rapids may notice some unusual construction activity this week.

Utility companies constructing the CapX2020 high power transmission line are using a helicopter and implosive devices on the project. That phase of the work is expected to continue through April.

The helicopter will fly close to new transmission structures near Highway 2 in Cass and Itasca counties. The aircraft is being used to install conductor wire along the power line corridor.

Construction crews will also use implosive connectors to splice transmission conductor joints. The spit-second detonation creates a flash and a loud boom.

A video of the process is posted on the CapX2020 web site.

Project safety manager Eric Hamm is advising travelers not to stop and gawk at the work.

"Stopping along the road or work area increases the likelihood of vehicle accidents and may distract workers, making their jobs more dangerous as well," said Hamm.

Power company officials say similar work on the 230kV transmission line will happen early this summer at the other end of the line, between Wilton, west of Bemidji, and Cass Lake.

Company officials say the new line will improve electric service reliability and support growth in the region.

The project is owned by Minnkota Power Cooperative, Minnesota Power, Xcel Energy, Great River Energy and Otter Tail Power Company.

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Fond du Lac expansion, Dayton pushes farm runoff measure, seed shortage

Posted at 7:30 AM on January 17, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Lakeville woman, sister had harrowing escape from ship
Star Tribune: "A Lakeville woman and her sister were among survivors from the sinking Costa Concordia. A White Bear Lake couple are still missing."

Fond du Lac Band wants to expand downtown reservation
Duluth News Tribune: "City Attorney Gunnar Johnson fired off a letter Friday detailing the city's objections to a proposed expansion of the land the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa governs in downtown Duluth."

Dayton to take lead on effort to reduce farm runoff in Mississippi River
Star Tribune: "Minnesota will be the nation's first test site for a novel federal program designed to stem the flow of agricultural pollution that is strangling some of the country's great waterways, including the Chesapeake Bay, the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River. Gov. Mark Dayton is expected to announce Minnesota's leading role in the project at the Capitol on Tuesday morning, with Tom Vilsack, the U.S. secretary of agriculture and Lisa Jackson, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, at his side."

Voter photo ID legislation introduced as constitutional amendment
MPR News: "Gov. Mark Dayton rejected a Republican-backed bill last spring that would have required Minnesotans to show photo identification to vote. In his veto letter, Dayton noted that the measure would have forced local governments to spend money and that it did not have broad bipartisan support."

Citizen-lobbyist wants Legislature to be more open
Area Voices: "Rich Neumeister has prowled the Capitol's halls for years fighting for public access and recently took on controversial departures of two state officials. He concluded that in both cases, 'with these decisions happening within the Legislature, the public may never know why.'"

Minnesota mother: "You don't get paralyzed from falling"
Yahoo! Sports: "An official report from a game in which a Minnesota high school hockey player may have been paralyzed has drawn aggressive scorn from her mother after referees claimed that she "fell unaided" to the ice."

Seed shortage: A reality for spring planting?
Red Wood Falls Gazette: "Some estimates show seed amounts down 25-50 percent over past years, and those who deal in corn and soybeans may have some concerns to deal with when they go to get their seed."

Yeast experiment hints at a faster evolution from single cells
New York Times: "Our ancestors were single-celled microbes for about three billion years before they evolved bodies. But in a laboratory at the University of Minnesota, brewer's yeast cells can evolve primitive bodies in about two weeks."

American Crystal calls union offer 'stunt'
AP: "American Crystal Sugar Co. has rejected a proposal to end the cooperative's lengthy lockout of its union employees at plants in northern Minnesota and North Dakota.The company posted a statement today calling the union's proposal a 'publicity stunt' by its leadership."

2012 John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon cancelled
News-Chronicle: "After long deliberation, the John Beargrease Board of Directors regretfully announced the cancellation of the 2012 race."

Superior lands 600 aviation jobs
Superior Telegram: "Kestrel Aircraft Company wants to revolutionize general aviation, and Superior is the place it's going to happen."

Best Buy realigns leadership team
Minneapolis/St Paul Business Journals: "Struggling Best Buy Co. Inc. said Monday it was taking two of its top executives and tweaking their job descriptions, naming one president of U.S. operations and the other president of international operations."

Minnesota DNR hopes to raise hunting and fishing license fees to stem red ink
Duluth News Tribune: "Minnesota's Game and Fish Fund, which pays for most fish and wildlife management in the state, is headed into the red. One item in a recent presentation by Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Tom Landwehr carried an ominous heading: 'Bankrupt Game and Fish Fund.'"

Rep. Keith Ellison on Rev. Martin Luther King Day

Midday marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a discussion about race and religion in America. Jan. 16 is by presidential proclamation Religious Freedom Day. Why is this day important?

Cloquet man injured in drunk tractor driving incident
Pine Journal: "A St. Cloud man was arrested Jan. 6 for driving a tractor while intoxicated after a Cloquet man, who was apparently a passenger, fell off the tractor."

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More Minn. waters deemed "impaired," state's largest air polluters identified, crop yields down

Posted at 7:30 AM on January 13, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Search the map on the MN PCA site

More Minnesota lakes, rivers added to impaired list

MPR News: "Minnesota is adding another 500 lakes and stretches of river to its list of impaired waters.

"This new list brings the total number of impaired rivers and lakes to more than 3,600. Impaired means the waters have excess nitrogen, phosphorus, mercury, bacteria or other pollutant to support activities like swimming or fishing, or even to provide healthy habitats for fish and wildlife.

"Listing these lakes and rivers is the first step in attempts to fix them. But some critics say the state isn't doing what it takes to clean up the pollution. Once they're on the list, the state works with local governments and citizen groups to design clean-up plans.

"So far, researchers have found that about 40 percent of Minnesota's waters are impaired."

Northland sites among top Minnesota emitters of greenhouse gases
Duluth News Tribune: "Coal-fired powerplants and taconite processing are the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Northeastern Minnesota, according to a new list of the nation's largest sources of carbon dioxide, methane and other gases."
Map: Largest producers of greenhouse gases in Minnesota [pdf]

USDA: Minnesota fall crop yields down
Pioneer Press: "Minnesota farmers already knew it, but today the USDA made it official: The fall harvest was disappointing."

Ikea's rooftop solar array will be the largest in Minnesota
Star Tribune: "The project, to be built this summer, is one of five solar power projects in four states that Ikea announced Thursday. The new projects and others now underway will put solar arrays atop 37 of its 44 U.S. locations, Ikea said."

Dayton names panel to map fixes for ailing transportation system
Pioneer Press: "Saying Minnesota's transportation system is deteriorating, Gov. Mark Dayton on Thursday announced a task force to look for ways to reverse that trend."

Dayton to mull over competing stadium plans
KARE: "Governor Mark Dayton said Thursday he'll spend the next week pondering three competing Vikings stadium options, in anticipation of recommending a single plan to lawmakers when they return to the Capitol January 24."

Referee report riles Privette parents
Fox: "Jenna Privette's parents say they are livid after seeing a report from the referees who were on the ice when the 18-year-old suffered an injury. An incident report obtained by FOX 9 News on Wednesday afternoon says the teen was not checked behind, despite what her family says they saw."

Bill Janklow, a four-term governor of South Dakota, dies at 72
New York Times: "Bill Janklow, a four-term governor of South Dakota with a colorful and brash persona whose political career ended abruptly when, as a congressman, he was convicted of manslaughter for killing a motorcyclist while speeding, died on Thursday in Sioux Falls, S.D. He was 72."

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Falling foreclosures, North Dakota man camps, Howler wows hipsters

Posted at 7:30 AM on January 12, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Solar energy finds a home on Iron Range
AP: "The sun continues to shine on Minnesota's fledgling solar panel industry even as high-profile bankruptcies in the business capture headlines and as China muscles in on markets."

Number of foreclosures falls in Minn.
MPR News: "The number of Minnesota properties with a foreclosure filing fell last year.Foreclosure activity dropped by more than 14 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011, compared to the same period in 2010."

Union leaders request meeting with sugar company
AP: "Union leaders for locked-out American Crystal Sugar Co. workers say they have asked a federal mediator to lead another round of negotiations with the company."

Hopkins nursing home is charged with neglect in death
Star Tribune: "A Hopkins nursing home has been charged with neglect by state health officials in the case of a resident who died after being hospitalized for dramatic weight loss."

Dunn County man camps to ease housing crunch
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "It will soon be easier for oil workers in Dunn County to find a place to call home, in a time when an oil boom has drastically affected housing availability." The paper reports that five camps are underway.

Students question where the state's education grant money is going
WDAY: "Some students say too much of the state's education grant money is heading to 'for-profit' schools"

KVLY denies Huebner claims of bias
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Attorneys for Valley News Live deny allegations that station managers discriminated against a former longtime anchor, and they're standing by the 26-year-old they promoted to replace her." The "response says TV anchor's replacement, Goetz, drew more male viewers."

Repairing the Republican brand
Politics in Minnesota: "GOP officials debate whether a deeper inquiry into Sutton-era party finances would help or hurt."

Shakopee enters Vikings stadium competition

KARE: "Shakopee Mayor Brad Tabke walked into Governor Mark Dayton's office Wednesday and delivered his city's pitch for a Vikings stadium.He said the southwest metro community, which is already home to Valley Fair and Canterbury Park, is well situated to handle the influx of Vikings fans on game days."

Review: Howler -- America Give Up

The Current: "Before their first full-length was released, Howler had already received high praise from far-flung places. Famed British music weekly NME named Howler the third-best new band of 2011; and the BBC and The Guardian heaped more positive excitement -- and expectations -- on the young Minneapolis band."

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BWCA cell tower appeal, growing Duluth, winter's return

Posted at 7:59 AM on January 11, 2012 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

AT&T asks appeals court to allow tower near BWCA
AP: "AT&T is asking the Minnesota Court of Appeals to overturn a judge's decision barring it from building a 450-foot cellphone tower with flashing lights that would be visible within parts of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness."

Pederson calls for simpler vendor bidding rules
Saint Cloud Times: "A St. Cloud legislator is echoing a local business's contention that state officials set unfair ground rules for vendors vying for a contract to supply food to the Department of Corrections and other state agencies."

Tevlin: Aw, c'mon, Gary. You're really retiring from MPR?
Star Tribune: :So, will the man who has interviewed just about every prominent Minnesotan over the past four decades miss being out of the loop? 'Damn right,' says Eichten, who turns 65 in two weeks. 'But it's time. It's the right thing to do.'"

Ness lays out plan to increase Duluth's population to 90,000
Duluth News Tribune: Duluth Mayor Don Ness "unveiled what he called his 'prosperity agenda' to an audience at the Kitchi Gammi Club on Tuesday afternoon, saying the keys to growth will include new and better-paying jobs, access to affordable housing and a well-trained work force."

Shakopee launches fourth-quarter drive for Vikings stadium
Patch: "With deadlines from Vikings owners to come up with a stadium deal that would keep the Vikings in Minnesota, Mayor Tabke and other Shakopee officials are running their own version of the two-minute drill."

Deputies called; Dusso, Rohne resign
Austin Daily Herald: "It wasn't a meltdown like many predicted, but the Lyle Public School board meeting had some fireworks. Board members were at odds once more."

Now supplying 10 percent of nation's domestic crude production, North Dakota's output more than just a drop in the bucket
AP: "North Dakota oil drillers have surpassed a milestone of half a million barrels of oil a day, the state's top oil regulator said Tuesday."

Old Man Winter comes out of hibernation
Updraft: "Well, it is about time we tap into some colder air north of the border. Ten days into the new year and the temperatures are running close to 15 degrees above normal. ... Daylight has already lengthened and Old Man Winter has to play some catch-up. That begins today."

High-tech devices leave cellphone users vulnerable to spies
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Spy technology is now available to the average person who wants to glean cellphone information, read private emails and track someone's location using global positioning systems. And increasingly, experts say, the technologies are being used by spouses and partners to track, harass and stalk."

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Unemployment disparity, suburban court safety, recreation industry blues

Posted at 7:15 AM on January 10, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

African-Americans three times as likely to be unemployed in Minn. than whites
WCCO: "Unemployment in the United States currently sits at 8.5 percent -- the lowest it's been in three years. That statistic, however, does not ring true for Minnesota's African-American community."

Hennepin Co. judge reassigned after citing security concerns

KARE: "Hennepin County District Court Judge Lloyd Zimmerman has been reassigned after publicly voicing concern over lack of security, and what he called dangerous conditions at suburban court facilities.:

Op-Ed: Judge is right: Suburban courts aren't safe
Sue Lantto writes in the Star Tribune: "Those of us who work in them know that the safety concerns raised by Judge Lloyd Zimmerman are warranted."

Wis. DNR: Mining bill could cost millions
WDIO: "The state Department of Natural Resources says proposed legislation that would change the way it reviews mining proposals could cost the agency millions of dollars per year. The Republican bill is designed to kick-start an iron mine in far northwestern Wisconsin."

Anoka-Hennepin's 'controversial topics' proposal draws more criticism
MPR News: "Leaders of Minnesota's largest school district are still wrestling with whether to replace a controversial sexual orientation policy with a new policy that has also drawn plenty of criticism. More than 30 people spoke at a district school board meeting Monday night in Coon Rapids that was set up to address the topic. There was no consensus from the public on how the board should act, and board members themselves seemed just as unsure."

Brown winter shuts out snowmobile recreation, businesses

MPR News: "Every January, snowmobiles are typically everywhere in much of Minnesota -- bouncing along ditches and trails, pulled on trailers or parked at hotels and restaurants. But this year is different."

Critics of taxes for Vikings stadium in Arden Hills gather signatures
Pioneer Press: "A $1.1 billion proposal to build a Minnesota Vikings stadium in Arden Hills took it on the chin from two nuns who were out for a stroll along Mississippi River Boulevard. "Mr. Wilf can pay for his own stadium," said Baya Clare, a Sister of St. Joseph."

USDA to shutter 260 offices, including Minneapolis
AP: "They wiped out the entire Midwest," says one deputy district manager.

Minnesota's weird, warm winter: FAQs
Big Story Blog: "Paul Huttner is a smart voice on Minnesota weather matters. He's been writing about the warm, weird winter on his blog. And this afternoon he answered some Frequently Asked Questions."

Food for Thought: Two more schools join food assistance program
Winona Daily News: "Food for Thought is set to expand early this year, allowing more elementary students in Winona in need of supplemental meals on weekends and holiday breaks to receive assistance."

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GOP finance investigation, Ely schools in red, refreshing Hamms

Posted at 2:45 PM on January 9, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Campaign finance board to investigate complaint on GOP finances
Pioneer Press: "The Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board has launched an investigation into possible reporting violations by the state Republican Party, a local watchdog group said today."

Ely school budget in red: by $405K
Ely Echo: "A closer look at the Ely School District's 2011-12 budget produced a rather distressing surprise: the district is on course to spend over $400,000 more than it takes in this year."

Flood map change triggers false flood insurance mandates
ThisWeek: "City leaders say some Farmington homeowners are being falsely informed by their mortgage lenders that they must purchase expensive flood insurance.Farmington City Engineer Kevin Schorzman said if homeowners haven't needed flood insurance in the past they don't need it now."

Schmaltz hero: The story of the Hamm's Beer Bear

MinnPost: "The Bear was a sportsman -- he was occasionally even shown logrolling, a lumberjack's sport and one common to Minnesota's early history. But, as sportsmen go, the Bear wasn't a very good one. His cartoons would frequently end with the Bear humiliated, either by his own incompetence or by duplicity on the part of the various animals whom he played opposite in some sort of intramural forest league."

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Grim outlook for Beargrease race, St. Croix bridge an "albatross," woman leads Mass

Posted at 7:02 AM on January 9, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Outlook not good for Beargrease sled dog race
WDIO: "The possibility this year's Beargrease Sled Dog Race will go ahead on schedule is looking bleak, due to the continued lack of snow. Officials say if things don't look a little whiter by next Monday the race could be shortened, postponed or worse canceled."

McCollum: St. Croix River Crossing is an albatross
Rep. Betty McCollum writes in the Star Tribune: "I oppose the bridge as planned because there are many other needs."

Woman makes stand at altar by leading local Mass
St Cloud Times: "Mary Frances Smith realizes what she is doing is shocking to some or blasphemous to others.Smith risks being excommunicated by the Catholic Church for celebrating Mass on Sunday at St. John's Episcopal Church in St. Cloud."

Grand Forks homeless shelter overflowing with demand
WDAY: "Although we've had a mild winter--it hasn't made things easier at the Northland Rescue Mission. The shelter is housing at least 115 more people than it can hold."

Mankato parks workers aren't giving up on skating rinks
Mankato Free Press: "It's been a frustrating winter for people who like to skate on outdoor rinks and for the people who create them, but Mankato parks workers aren't yet ready to throw in the towel and open the municipal swimming pool instead."

Minnesota's new GOP chair thinks ideas can trump turmoil
Star Tribune: "The man riding to the rescue of the state's Republican Party may be the best-connected political figure you've never heard of."

Thornton back in at LCCMR
Political Animal: "The top staffer of a state office that helps funnel Minnesota lottery proceeds to environmental projects has not been terminated. Or was never terminated. Or has been un-terminated. Or her termination has been suspended."

Racino odds go up as Minnesota Senate changes leaders
KSTP: "Senator Dave Senjem is now in as Majority Leader. And, Senator Claire Robling is a new Assistant Majority Leader. Both Senjem and Robling are huge proponents of Racino gaming as a possible revenue source to build a new Vikings stadium."

News anchor, anti-abortion activist to be the 'face' of Minnesota anti-gay marriage amendment
Washington Independent: "Kalley King Yanta, a former anchor for a Minneapolis-based television station and an anti-abortion-rights activist, has joined the Minnesota for Marriage group to anchor videos intended to convince Minnesotans to vote for the anti-gay-marriage amendment on the ballot in 2012."

Minnesota has put certain tax cuts on autopilot
MinnPost: "On July 1 this year, Minnesota's highway fuel tax will go up a half-penny to 28.5 cents a gallon, the last of seven phased increases that began in 2008. Absent legislative action, it won't go up again -- ever. Before you raise a cheer, let's consider what that may mean for the safety, comfort, efficiency and even the cost of driving in the long run."

What in the name of winter is going on?
Mankato Free Press: "So brown grass allows the daytime temperatures to rise higher than would happen with a sparkling blanket of white snow. The lack of snow also means there isn't much melting and evaporation, processes that consume energy that otherwise can feed higher air temperatures."

WGTN-TV 3 makes the move to live streaming
Worthington Daily Globe: "Snowbirds heading out of the area for the winter no longer have to worry about missing little Johnny's basketball game, and citizens wanting to peek in on the Nobles County Board meeting without showing up at the Government Center are in luck."

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Minn. hawala to re-open with small money transfers

Posted at 2:24 PM on January 6, 2012 by Minnesota Public Radio (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

By AMY FORLITI, Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A money transfer business that sends remittances from Minnesota to Somalia says it will re-open Friday to allow transfers in small dollar amounts.

Garad Nor is head of Tawakal Money Express. He says he'll re-open at 5 p.m. Friday and allow transfers in amounts up to $500 - for emergencies only.

Fifteen Minnesota hawalas stopped accepting wire transfers to Somalia last week because the bank that handled most of the transactions closed their accounts. The bank feared it was at risk of violating rules designed to clamp down on terror financing.

Nor says customers have been begging him to re-open so they can help relatives in the Horn of Africa.

Nor says he has accounts with banks in other states, and will be able to send the money.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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Chlorine leak at Prairie Island, Bachmann's next move, fracking rush is on

Posted at 7:40 AM on January 5, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Prairie island nuclear plant declares alert due to chlorine leak
Republican Eagle: "Operators at Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant declared an alert at 3:53 a.m. today after workers discovered sodium hypochloride, commonly known as chlorine bleach, leaking from a tank in the screen house. The chemical is used to treat water that is brought into the plant for cooling."

Bachmann's next move
Voters assess Bachmann's future in 6th District
MPR News: "Michele Bachmann's decision to drop out of the contest for Republican presidential nominee brought mixed reviews from her constituents in Minnesota's 6th Congressional District."

Saint Cloud Times: "Kay Wolsborn, a political scientist at the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University, said: 'It's all about redistricting at this point. 'Everything's on hold to see: What are the demographics of the district she would run in?' Steven Schier, a political scientist at Carleton College in Northfield, agrees. 'The lines have to be drawn in the right way for her to stay in the House,' Schier said. 'She needs a reliably conservative district in order to win.'"

New York Times: "'There seems to be a pretty widespread sense that Bachmann has been giving serious consideration to not running,' said Larry Jacobs, a political science professor at the University of Minnesota, based onhis conversations with Republican figures around Mrs. Bachmann's Stillwater base."

The maps right now
AP: "The Minnesota GOP plan would keep all eight of the state's members of Congress in their current districts, while the DFL's plan would make significant changes. Most controversially, it would put Minnesota's only two female representatives -- Republican Michele Bachmann and DFLer Betty McCollum -- in the same district. A McCollum aide has criticized that proposal as 'bizarre.'"

Fracking fights
Winona County Board to decide on 'fracking' moratorium next week
Rochester Post Bulletin: "Questions linger among concerned citizens, even as applicants argue that all the county's requirements have been met."

The rush is on!
Jim Riddle: "With five more sand mine applications submitted to Winona County, it is clear that the sand rush is on. ... Let's slow down and be thoughtful. It is in all of our best interests."

Bluffs, frac sand mines and taxes
Joe Morse: "Protecting the Winona county bluffs consumed much time and energy from staff, citizens and elected officials in recent years. How could frac sand mines affect the bluffs so important to the county's identity? The unanswered questions mount up."

Also making news on MN Today
Why Best Buy is going out of business...gradually
Forbes: "Electronics retailer Best Buy is headed for the exits. I can't say when exactly, but my guess is that it's only a matter of time, maybe a few more years."

Foley's deal with private company for security put on hold
Saint Cloud Times: "A plan by Foley leaders to save money by having the city patrolled by a private security company has been blocked by the Peace Officers Standards Training Board on the advice of the Minnesota Attorney General's Office, according to an announcement by the city Wednesday night."

State GOP: New day, old troubles
Politics in Minnesota: "A number of difficult questions remain about the state of GOP finances. Last week's revelation that the party is likely on the hook for more than $2 million in unpaid bills -- roughly twice as much as previously thought -- coupled with the resignation of Secretary/Treasurer David Sturrock, further complicated matters. Many activists would like to see a full-blown audit of the books so that there's confidence moving forward regarding the exact state of the party's finances. But as Republican National Committeeman Jeff Johnson, who helped lead an internal review of the books, pointed out at Saturday's gathering, outside audits aren't free. "It won't be cheap," he warned."

Former Strib editor stood on principle, and larger than life
Eric Ringham: For the generation of young reporters and editors who entered the journalism business during Watergate, Chuck Bailey was the perfect editor in chief. He came from the East Coast and brought with him an air of old money. He could wear a bow tie and make it work.

8th District DFL congressional field narrows with Fanning out
"As much as I don't like it, and as much as I think voters don't like it,elections keep starting earlier and earlier. And it's getting more and more expensive. ... We just came to the conclusion that we didn't have the resources to make it work by the February caucuses,'' Daniel Fanning told the Duluth News Tribune.

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Traffic fatalities in Minn. at lowest numbers since 1944

Posted at 8:07 PM on January 4, 2012 by Minnesota Public Radio (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

By Rupa Shenoy, MInnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, MInn -- Better traffic enforcement, education, and engineering have led to the lowest number of deaths on the roads last year since 1944, the State Department of Public Safety says.

Preliminary reports show 349 people died in traffic accidents last year, the department says. Officials expect the final figures will show 11 percent fewer deaths than those in 2010 and 38 percent fewer deaths than in 2001.

Traffic deaths had increased every year until 2001, said Donna Burger, DPS director of traffic safety.

"Since that time we took on an initiative called Toward Zero Deaths. It's a collaboration with Minnesota Department of Transportation and Minnesota Department of Health — so it's education, enforcement, EMS and engineering all working together," Burger said.

That comprehensive approach, as well as faster emergency response and safer cars, eventually brought the number of traffic deaths down, Burger said.

Around 80 percent of traffic deaths in 2011 were motorists and 11 percent were motorcyclists. Thirty-two pedestrians and four bicyclists also died.

Burger says there were nearly 25,000 drunk driving arrests in 2011, down more than 5,200 from the year before. She says the number of fatalities related to drunk driving isn't yet available.

The statistics also showed the safest months on Minnesota roads in 2011 were January, March and April. The greatest number of people died in October, July and August of that year.

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Fanning drops out of MN-08 race, fighting anti-Somali bigotry, growing bold ideas locally

Posted at 4:12 PM on January 4, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

DFL'er Daniel Fanning drops out of Congressional race
WDIO: "Democratic candidate for Minnesota's 8th Congressional district, Daniel Fanning, told Eyewitness News he's withdrawing from the race."

Minnesota must battle against anti-Somali bigotry
"Somalis weren't involved in 9/11 but are bearing the brunt of the reaction," writes Hussein Samatar in the Star Tribune.

MN Today contributor Don Reeder highlights an editorial from Winona Daily News on the need for bold ideas in state and local government. "Too often, we've seen state government pass along unfunded problems to local government and schools -- and then, with tremendous audacity, scold the locals when they raise money to pay for the solutions."

Twin Ports researchers get five-year contract to study Great Lakes environmental issues
Duluth News Tribune: Researchers will look into the possibility of converting older bulk carriers, many of which were built in the 1950s, to run on natural gas. "These ships are going to have a problem in their current state with what is coming down the road" for air emission standards, Michael Parsons tells the paper. Parsons is a professor who will lead the study. "Converting to natural gas would make them some of the cleanest ships on the lakes."

Also making news:
Duluth News Tribune: Duluth superintendent sill without a license

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The value of nature, the cost of an oil boom, returning sanity to the election process

Posted at 2:00 PM on January 3, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

U of M economist measures nature's benefits with dollars

Scientists in Minnesota are trying to do something that may be impossible: put a dollar value on nature.

Nature performs many important functions that benefit humans -- not just offering beauty but cleaning water, taming floods and pollinating crops. Some researchers think it's time to put a dollar value on those natural processes.

University of Minnesota economic researcher Steve Polasky is building on ideas first presented in the field of applied economics back in the 1960s. The idea is kind of a merger of ecology and economics to identify services that nature provides, and assign a monetary value to those services.

Virginia police chief says tensions high after return to work
Duluth News Tribune: "Dana Waldron, Virginia's chief of police, spent the past year facing off against the city council and the Police Civil Service Commission after a grievance and a "no confidence" vote were filed by police officers in his department."

Oil boom severely straining North Dakota economy

The oil boom has padded state coffers and brought record growth to the western part of the state, but it's also thrown the economy out of equilibrium. MPR News

What's next in the world of action sports distance jumping?
Minnesota's Levi LaVallee beat his own world record in snowmobile jumping. More from ESPN

Local view: Return the election process to what the founders envisioned
Thomas B. Wheeler: "Is there anything more fundamentally American than voting to elect our president? If so, how did we ever arrive at the present presidential primary process?"
More on the 2012 election and the Iowa caucuses over at the Big Story Blog.

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Drones as law enforcement tool, Mayo Clinic job growth, Bachmann staffer defects to Paul

Posted at 7:59 AM on December 29, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

North Dakota, federal officials weigh in on drones as law enforcement tool
"Law enforcement officials in the Fargo-Moorhead area said they haven't used unmanned surveillance aircraft to search for wanted criminals, but they aren't closing the door to the idea," reports the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead.

Schlienz may have died from rare, aggressive ailment
Duluth News Tribune: "If Daniel Schlienz died of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), as his sister said she was told, it probably happened fast, medical experts said."

Mayo Clinic projects mean bright future for jobs
Post Bulletin: "Mayo Clinic poured hundreds of millions of dollars into building projects this year, creating a ripple effect that should benefit the Rochester community for years."

Nowthen approves protection contract with Anoka County sheriff after all
Pioneer Press: "The sheriff is sticking around town after all in Nowthen. After coming up with a different way to pay for the roughly $318,000 cost, the Nowthen City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a two-year contract with the Anoka County sheriff's office."

Farming practices threaten corn crop
Time: "One of the nation's most widely planted crops -- a genetically engineered corn plant that makes its own insecticide -- may be losing its ability to kill a major pest, and scientists fear potentially risky farming practices are spurring the rise of insects immune to the hybrid's sophisticated weaponry."

Sheriff revises timeline on inmate's request for help
Duluth News Tribune: "As St. Louis County Sheriff Ross Litman backtracked on when he said Daniel Schlienz first requested medical attention in the county's jail, family members and a friend of the dead man gave more detailed accounts of his illness going back to Christmas Eve."

ND coal groups to pay $500K for lawsuit challenging Minn.
North Dakota utilities and coal interests agreed to pay up to $500,000 of the state's cost in challenging a Minnesota law that restricts imports of coal-generated electricity. (MPR News)

Bachmann's Iowa campaign chairman defects to Paul
AP: "Michele Bachmann's struggling presidential campaign saw her Iowa chairman defect Wednesday to rival Ron Paul's side, an embarrassing blow that came as some called for her to leave the race to free up her supporters for other candidates."

Romney jabs at Paul, who strikes Iowa chord
"Both candidates appear to have benefited from a decline in support for Newt Gingrich, who has been buffeted by negative advertisements from Mr. Paul and outside groups working on behalf of Mr. Romney," reports the New York Times.

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Senjem's record, Stillwater school cuts, Iowa hogs political spotlight

Posted at 7:15 AM on December 28, 2011 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Senjem is new Senate Majority Leader
The 37 members of the Minnesota Senate's Republican caucus Tuesday chose Senator David Senjem, R-Rochester, as the new Senate Majority Leader (MPR News). Rochester Post Bulletin: "Senjem served as minority leader from 2007 to 2010, helping the caucus reclaim control of the Senate last year for the first time in 38 years. He stepped aside to allow Koch to lead the caucus, and took the position of assistant Senate majority leader." Mankato Free Press: "There was an awful lot of discussion," said Sen. Al DeKruif, R-Elysian, about Tuesday's day-long meeting. "When you have something like that happen in mid-term, you have a lot to talk about. ... We had some healing to do. We wanted to understand a few things."

Key votes taken by Senjem on MPR's Votetracker.

Schlienz requested medical care day before dying
Daniel Schlienz, "who was in a highly supervised area of the St. Louis County jail in Duluth, initially put in a request to be seen the night of Dec. 25 after complaining of illness, but was not given immediate medical attention, Sheriff Ross Litman told the News Tribune."

Stillwater schools plan $2 million in cuts - then $8 million more
"The Stillwater school district is considering cutting about $2 million from its budget for the second half of this school year, then aims to cut another $8 million for 2012-13," reports the Pioneer Press.

NTSB: No distress signal before fatal helicopter crash
Post Bulletin: "Jose Obergon, the chief investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, said there was no distress signal or other warning before the Bell 206 helicopter crashed and burned in a wooded area about 12 miles northeast of Palatka, Fla. 'It looked like a normal flight,' Obergon said."

Fire destroys iconic Freeport flour mill

"Swany White flour mill, widely known for architecture and operations from another era, burned Tuesday," reports the Saint Cloud Times.

Developers seek to build large wind farm in western Wisconsin
"Developers have applied to the Public Service Commission for a permit to build a large wind farm in western Wisconsin, the first application of its kind in more than two years," reports the Wisconsin State Journal.

Red Cliff's national park is a tribal first in U.S.
"In a first for the U.S., the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is creating Frog Bay Tribal National Park on nearly 89 acres of its reservation and opening the lakeshore property and its views of the Apostle Islands to the public," reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Hudson man cited in Walker recall petition incident
Pioneer Press: "Western Wisconsin volunteers collecting signatures for the effort to recall Gov. Scott Walker have allegedly again been met by aggressive opponents."

Fond du Lac band buying WKLK radio in Cloquet
Duluth News Tribune: "The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is expanding its voice again, this time with the purchase of radio stations WKLK in Cloquet and WMOZ in Moose Lake."

Iowa has hogged first place in our political line too long
The Atlantic: "This state with far more hogs than people has hogged its place at the front of the political line far too long. It is past time for the Hawkeye State to practice the manners that Iowa parents and teachers have been teaching Iowa children for generations: Take turns."
Comprehensive Iowa caucus coverage from MN Today.

Warm weather and wind creating thin ice, sinking ice houses

Why more boozy?
"Upper Midwesterners drink more. Could it be our northern European roots? The weather? Yes," reports the Star Tribune.

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Mille Lacs fishing woes, Williston strip club boom, disparity grows between voters and congress

Posted at 7:59 AM on December 27, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Possible Mille Lacs walleye limits raise eyebrows, concerns

Walleye fishing on Lake Mille Lacs is a pretty touchy subject. The lake is fished by Indian bands as well as non-tribal anglers, and conversations about fishing there can quickly descend into questions over fairness and finger pointing over who gets what (MPR News).

Strip clubs welcome oil workers to North Dakota boom town of Williston
AP: "Most cities work to enhance entry points like transportation hubs with landmarks or other items as a matter of public pride and to market the communities to potential businesses. But first impressions may be beside the point in Williston, where the economy is exploding and jobs at the Bakken and Three Forks oil formations outnumber the takers.

"While the exact ratio isn't known, there's no question that with the influx of mostly male oil workers, Williston is testosterone heavy."

Congressional net worth more than doubles since 1984
Washington Post: "The net wealth of members of the U.S. House of Representatives has increased over the years, with income in 2009 more than double that of 1984, but American family wealth has been stagnant."

Chaos at Mall of America ends in at least 9 arrests
KSTP: "At the height of the incident, Police say anywhere from 50 to 200 people were running through the mall trying to start fights and creating trouble on what is already a very busy shopping day."
More on YouTube here and here (videos include offensive language). For a perspective from across the pond read the Guardian's coverage.

Locked in St. Paul vault: $4.5 million photo album
Housed in a St. Paul bank vault, 19th-century river photographs could find a new home soon," reports the Star Tribune.

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MnDot fined for flood-related worker death, Minn. climber reaches McKinley, letters to Santa

Posted at 7:54 AM on December 23, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

MnDOT district penalized for safety violations in Struck's death
"The Mankato MnDOT district has been penalized $30,000 for serious safety violations involving the death of a worker clearing floodwaters last spring," reports the Mankato Free Press.

Grand Marais climber reaches McKinley for second solo attempt
"After waiting out some weather, Lonnie Dupre flew 60 miles from Talkeetna, Alaska, to an elevation of 7,200 feet at a base camp on North America's highest mountain," reports the Duluth News Tribune.

Officials celebrate significant F-M diversion milestone
"A long road still lies ahead before the preferred diversion option comes to fruition, but officials paused Thursday to commemorate what they unanimously called a major milestone along the way," reports the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead.

Bishop offers victims apology
"The St. Cloud diocese learned about sexual misconduct allegations against former deacon Michael Weber in the 1990s, and diocese reports indicate that two vicar generals have met with his victims, according to a statement from Bishop John Kinney," reports the St Cloud Times.

New plan to fill foreclosed homes in Hennepin County
KARE11: "While the numbers are down, Hennepin County still has nearly 4,000 foreclosures. Real estate experts say distressed properties have accounted for about 30 percent of home sales statewide in recent years. County officials say the more foreclosed homes off the market and occupied, the better."

State receives $14M more in heating assistance funds
Pioneer Press: "Minnesota received an additional $14.1 million in federal heating assistance Thursday, just in time to continue processing requests from cash-strapped households who need help keeping the lights and heat on this winter."

Minn. GOP
Editorial: Full story untold, Minn. Senate is reeling
West Central Tribune: "Legislative Republicans have been the driving force behind the proposed constitutional amendment to restrict marriage to between one man and one woman. The Koch affair will not help the marriage amendment effort."

Michael Brodkorb: Admired, feared and, above all, Republican
Pioneer Press: "Michael Brodkorb cut his teeth with entry-level tasks like donning a chicken suit at a Democratic campaign event, but he buttered his bread with insightful strategies and incisive attacks that made him a crucial asset to Minnesota Republicans for more than a decade."

Should the media report Brodkorb rumors in Koch scandal?
MinnPost's David Brauer: "City Pages editor Kevin Hoffman makes the competing case for headlining the question: 'We decided to 'go there' because the public was already going there (as you know from watching Twitter). I don't think reporters have the luxury of playing dumb in this day and age.'"

Also on MN Today
The Worthington Daily Globe featured Letters to Santa 2011 from students at Prairie Elementary and St. Mary's including this one:

Dear Santa,
How are you? How is Mrs. Claus? I have been a good boy. Please bring me a talking parrot.
Thank you Santa,
Love, Charles

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Vigil supports injured Lake City officer, lockout prayers, a waste-filled holiday

Posted at 7:59 AM on December 22, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Candle light vigil for injured officer in Lake City
KAAL: "There is an ever growing amount of support for officer Shawn Schneider as he continues to fight for his life. Out of respect for the family, details on Shawn Schneider's condition are not being released. ... Minnesota State Patrol is one agency taking over policing duties while Lake City officers take time to cope with Monday's shooting. One of the officers helping out declined an interview but says at least three troopers are in town for both day and night shifts. And he said as long as they're needed, they'll stay on as well."

American Crystal Lockout: Ending a fight in God's house
Company executives and labor leaders attend prayer service that focuses on ending the lockout at American Crystal
"There were prayers, hymns, scripture and some tears Wednesday during a worship service at United Lutheran Church in Grand Forks aimed at reconciliation in the long-running labor dispute between American Crystal Sugar Co. and its 1,300 locked-out union workers, reports the Grand Forks Herald. "It certainly can't hurt to have the Lord involved in helping us whenever there is a problem," said Joel Stola, a Beltrami, Minn. beet farmer.

Minnesota court upholds Chippewa tribal ruling against gaming company
Post-Gazette: "A Minnesota court has recognized a Chippewa Indian tribal court judgment of more than $19 million against Gaming World International of Lawrence County and its owner, Angelo Medure, paving the way for tribal lawyers to pursue Mr. Medure's assets in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida."

Strong farm economy rolls along

The nation's struggling economy is making tentative steps toward recovery, but it still has quite a ways to go to catch the high-flying agricultural sector (MPR News).

Juhl acquires Valley View wind
ReNews Americas: Juhl Wind has acquired the $22m Valley View wind farm in Minnesota.

Cities feel pinch of federal community block grant cuts
"Cuts to the block grants program were cited in a recent report by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office, which noted that the number of vacant properties in the United States had jumped to 10 million from 7 million in 2000, threatening to attract crime and cause blight," reports the New York Times.

Ground Level: Minnesota households with 'real' broadband access: 57 percent

Minnesota is running faster when it comes to the availability of high-speed Internet access, but the goal keeps looking further and further away.

Former top Koch staffer raised concerns about her conduct months ago

Between December of 2010 and November of this year, Cullen Sheehan was the top staffer in the Minnesota Senate. He was Amy Koch's chief of staff, helping to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Senate. Sheehan is also the first person to report an inappropriate relationship between Koch and a male staffer (MPR News).
MinnPost: Stadium politics played role in Koch and Brodkorb dismissal, insiders say
More on rebuilding the Minn. GOP

Best Buy has hard time filling online Black Friday orders (Biz Journals)

Obama buys game at Best Buy
Best Buy purchase a sign of warming to gaming?
Complex: "The President could have easily bought the game online, so maybe his public purchase is telling of a shift in his opinions on gaming. He hasn't exactly been kind to games in the past."

Cuddyer: Thank you ... and you ... and you
Michael Cuddyer is joining the Colorado Rockies after leading the Twins for the last 11 years. He says this transition is tough and as he says goodbye to Minnesota he took a moment and blogged his appreciation for Twins fans: "You have all accepted my family and me as one of your own since day one of my career as a Twin. Whether you were a Cuddy Buddy, attended a Twins Unplugged event, supported one of my family's causes or were just a casual fan who cheered at the game, thank you."

What helps the Vikings' potential draft position?
Daily Norseman: "One more loss will clinch a top three selection for the Vikings, which seems like a given at this point, as sad as that is."

Is ex-reporter Christine Clayburg paying TV journalists to help clients tell their good news stories?
MinnPost's David Brauer: "I called Clayburg to find out if this was so. I asked if she paid people working in Minnesota newsrooms today. There was a pause. 'We can put you in touch with somebody if that is a story they have a particular passion with,' Clayburg replied."

Editorial: Welcome back, partisan politics
Marshall Independent: "The United States Congress has taken divided politics to a new level. And that's saying a lot for this cast of characters. Five days ago it appeared a deal was done to prevent American workers' taxes from going up on Jan. 1 - appeared. Today, we're back on shaky ground."

Holidays hit hard for family of man slain at Proctor bar
Duluth News Tribune: "Renee Anderson swallowed hard, but held her tongue when she heard a defense attorney on Wednesday ask the court to reduce the bail of the man accused of killing the best man she ever knew -- her father -- so that the defendant could be home for Christmas with his family."

A holiday of waste
LA Times Columnist Lazarus: "So keep in mind that we generate about 25 percent more waste during the holiday season, from Thanksgiving to New Year's -- that's a million tons a week of extra stuff. What do I mean by that? I mean about 125,000 tons of plastic packaging; what I mean is about 744 million holiday cards that are sent; what I mean are about 8,000 tons of wrapping paper used on presents. That's the equivalent of about 50,000 trees." (Marketplace)

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Ely backs off tax hike, Duluth superintendent unlicensed, Mankato miracle

Posted at 7:59 AM on December 21, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Under pressure, Ely scales back proposed property tax hike
Two weeks ago, dozens of angry Ely residents confronted city leaders about a proposed 27 percent increase in the city tax levy. On Tuesday night, city leaders responded to the pressure by presenting a revised budget that trimmed the levy increase down to 14 percent, aimed at raising $1.6 million (MPR News).

Foster missing superintendent license
"Duluth school district Superintendent I.V. Foster has been working in Minnesota without a license required for his job, reports the Duluth News Tribune. Duluth School Board members declined to comment if this is why Foster was placed on paid administrative leave Monday.

Questions raised about firing of director of Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources
Pioneer Press: "The head of a Minnesota state office that helps direct how lottery proceeds are spent for special environmental and natural resources projects was fired last week, prompting questions about the legality of the firing and accusations that House Republicans orchestrated it for political purposes."

Mankato economy bests outstate rivals'
Mankato Free Press: "At least as far as retail and service sales are concerned, a combined Mankato and North Mankato has joined Rochester, St. Cloud and Duluth to become among the largest trade centers in Greater Minnesota."

Abandoned mines hold potential to capture wind energy
"A study released by the University of Minnesota Duluth's Natural Resources Research Institute shows that water-laden pits and ponds have the potential to store wind energy by using a process developed in Europe in the late 1800's," reports the Northland News Center.

More young people see opportunity in farming
AP: "A Wisconsin factory worker worried about layoffs became a dairy farmer. An employee at a Minnesota nonprofit found an escape from her cubicle by buying a vegetable farm. A nuclear engineer tired of office bureaucracy decided to get into cattle ranching in Texas."

Minn. GOP
Dayton's response to Koch's resignation, election set

"Minnesota Senate Republicans have set next Tuesday as the day they will elect a new Majority Leader. That's the person who will replace Senator Amy Koch, who resigned suddenly last week amid controversy," reports WCCO.

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Mining lobbyist joins citizen panel, sheep stirs St. Paul, Polica's first album

Posted at 3:11 PM on December 20, 2011 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Prime Therapeutics adding 300 jobs in Eagan
Prime Therapeutics, an Eagan-based company that manages pharmacy benefits for health insurers, plans to hire 300 additional workers (MPR News).

Mining lobbyist appointed to citizen oversight committee
The Cucking Stool: "On Monday, Iron Mining Association President and registered lobbyist Craig Pagel from Duluth was appointed as a citizen representative to the Fisheries Oversight Committee by DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr."

ND oil unit approved near Killdeer, could produce 43M barrels
"North Dakota regulators have approved a huge new oil production unit north of Killdeer," reports the Forum of Fargo Moorhead.

Bullets fired at township hall in Carver County
"Bullets were fired twice in recent weeks and struck the Hollywood Township Hall in Carver County, authorities said Tuesday.In addition, a township employee found rifle shells in the family's mailbox months ago, officials said," reports the Star Tribune.

Sheep on the lam lassoed in St. Paul
Pioneer Press: "If you count sheep, don't leave out the one in custody in St. Paul.Animal Control got several calls during a 20-minute span last Tuesday morning about a sheep on the lam south of the Mississippi River, said Bill Stephenson, St. Paul Animal Control supervisor."

Polica releases new album

The Current: "Local band Polica seems to just keep gathering steam. Sold out shows, tours with high-profile artists, and blog love across the world ...Until now, there's only been a handful of tracks to keep us satisfied until the Valentine's release day of their debut Give You the Ghost in 2012."

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Duluth leaders oppose gay marriage ban, Zups rebuilds, the year in beer

Posted at 7:59 AM on December 20, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Duluth City Council weighs in against state amendment to make gay marriage illegal
"The Duluth City Council has weighed in against a proposed constitutional amendment that would make same-sex marriage illegal in Minnesota," reports the Duluth News Tribune.

The Year in Beer in Minnesota

It's been a big year for microbrews in Minnesota. The number of microbrewers in Minnesota continues to expand and recent changes to local laws make it easier for microbrewers to introduce their beers to new customers. So why is this all happening now? And what is the economic impact of this small but growing industry?

Minn. GOP sorts out what's next for leadership
Minnesota's Republican state senators huddled behind closed doors throughout the day Monday as they continued to manage the political and public relations fallout of last week, when Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch was forced to step down (MPR News).

Secret GOP meetings spelled Koch's end as majority leader
"Leaving a meeting at the Minneapolis Club last Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch thought she was bound for a social event in St. Paul. Instead, sources say, Deputy Senate Majority Leader Geoff Michel hustled her into a nearby meeting room," reports the Star Tribune.

One lawmaker's response: 'I will insist on the proper sanctions'
Capitol Chatter: "Most senators have been quiet about the news, but Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, said he was disappointed. 'Our employees deserve to work in a place that does not tolerate inappropriate behavior,' he said. 'I do not condone these wrong doings and will insist on the proper sanctions.'"

Willmar, Minn., Sen. Gimse considers run for Senate majority leader
West Central Tribune: "Saying he would be a 'calming voice' and provide 'decisive leadership' during a time when the Republican Party is in turmoil, Sen. Joe Gimse said he's considering making a bid to be Senate majority leader."

Jungbauer lobbies for Senate majority leader job
Politics in Minnesota: "In the rapidly-developing race to replace Amy Koch as the Senate's majority leader, GOP Sen. Mike Jungbauer has taken to the web to push his candidacy for the chamber's top job."

Amid leadership tumult, Minnesota Senate faces $2.2 million budget cut
"On top of losing their leader and top spokesman last week, Senate Republicans are also facing the challenge of cutting about $2 million from the budget," reports the Pioneer Press.

Duluth school superintendent placed on leave amid investigation
Duluth News Tribune: "Duluth school district Superintendent I.V. Foster was placed on paid administrative leave late Monday as an investigation was initiated into allegations against him."

Willmar, Minn., City Council backs Utilities Commission on management study
"The Willmar City Council took no action Monday night on a request to take charge of an investigation into management and personnel problems at the Willmar Municipal Utilities," reports the West Central Tribune.

Zup's starts to rebuild Babbitt store
Ely Echo: "A major fire struck the Babbitt Shopping Center on Sept. 24. 'It's going to be a precast building,' said Ed Zupancich. 'We hope to have the building up by the middle of February and be open by the middle of May.'"

Central Minnesotans donating more in 2011
"Commitments for future charitable giving signal a rebound from leaner years, according to a report issued Monday," reports the St. Cloud Times.

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Baiting the eagles, the Fox News primary, nuclear waste in Minn?

Posted at 3:00 PM on December 19, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

A look at what is making news around Minnesota.

Police surround Lake City home after officer shot
Law enforcement officers from local, county and state agencies are creating a perimeter around a house in Lake City after a police officer was shot in the head this morning (MPR News).

Man faces charges in NE Minn. courthouse shooting
A 42-year-old Grand Marais man was charged Monday with attempted murder for allegedly opening fire on the Cook County prosecutor and a trial witness at the courthouse last week (MPR News).

Minnesota Sun newspapers will be acquired by rival ECM
"ECM Publishers, the community newspaper chain former Gov. Elmer L. Andersen founded, will acquire the rival Minnesota Sun Newspapers, ECM and Sun owner American Community Newspapers announced Monday afternoon," reports MinnPost's David Brauer.

Eagle baiting alleged in ongoing wind farm debate
"Carl Denkinger, an agricultural specialist with the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, has investigated six complaints of eagle baiting in the past month within the 32,000-acre wind project footprint," reports the Rochester Post Bulletin.

Bloggers mull the future of the Minn. GOP
The path forward
Let Freedom Ring: "If a snapshot were taken right now, people would undoubtedly predict that the Republican Party of Minnesota was heading for a steep cliff. That's a fair assessment. While it's a fair assessment, it isn't a fait accompli."

So now what do we do about the MNGOP?
"About the Koch kerfuffle: calm down. People make mistakes; sometimes they do the wrong thing," writes Mitch Berg. "Conservatives know this (although Republicans don't always)."

Also on MN Today
FOX News moderators insert themselves at GOP Debates more than any other outlet
"A Smart Politics content analysis of the 10 Republican presidential debates conducted since September finds that those moderated by FOX News rank 1-2 for the amount of time consumed by moderator questions, comments, and admonishments," writes Eric Ostermeier.

Lake Superior region eyed as potential nuclear waste storage site
"The likely death of a planned nuclear waste site at Nevada's Yucca Mountain has left federal agencies looking for a possible replacement." The Washington Post reports the Lake Superior region of Wisconsin and Minnesota is attractive since due to "having little to no seismic and volcanic activity."

Utility dispute casts shadow on Minnesota solar project
"A 600-kilowatt community solar project" in Willmar "could become a casualty of unspecified personnel issues within a rural Minnesota utility," writes Dan Haugen with Midwest Energy News.

Editorial: Complete review of Willmar's Municipal Utilities is needed
West Central Tribune: "The recent turmoil at the Willmar Municipal Utilities has now boiled over onto the public stage as its General Manager Bruce Gomm was placed on paid administrative leave Monday pending an investigation of 'activities disruptive to utility operations.'"

A dysfunctional City Council in Moorhead?
Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "The City Council here has repeatedly found itself divided when it comes to passing major issues this year. A special meeting Monday will bring the divide to light once again as the council attempts to pass its 2012 budget."

MnDOT to pay contractors at least $1.2 million for stoppages during state shutdown
Saint Cloud Times: "The Minnesota Department of Transportation will pay contractors at least $1.2 million -- and possibly much more -- for work stoppages caused by this summer's state government shutdown."

As sediment flows downriver, resentment builds upriver
"Already hamstrung by tight budgets, communities across much of Minnesota are bracing for what could be an $843 million bill - this one aimed at reducing the amount of sediment reaching Lake Pepin on the Minnesota-Wisconsin border," reports the Pioneer Press.

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Strange bedfellows oppose wind energy, rebuilding Minn. GOP, Duluth gay marriage vote

Posted at 7:30 AM on December 19, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Wind projects prompt fight in Congress over subsidies
"Fused together by political necessity," farmers Ann and David Buck "have been joined by an improbable mélange of worried farmers, subsidy-averse Tea Party activists and environmentalists worried about the potential effect on bald and golden eagles that nest along the river gorge," reports the Star Tribune.

Minn. counties struggle to pay for empty jail cells

In the last decade, a boom in jail construction and dropping crime rates have left thousands of jail cells empty around Minnesota. The combination has left many counties in the state trying to figure out how to make money on this unused space (MPR News).

Duluth city councilors push for vote on gay marriage issue
"The issue of gay marriage will come before the Duluth City Council tonight when Councilors Jeff Anderson and Sharla Gardner introduce a resolution opposing an amendment to the state Constitution that would allow Minnesota to legally recognize only opposite-sex unions," reports the Duluth News Tribune.

Minn. GOP looks for path forward
Minn. GOP left shaky after Sen. Koch steps down
Republicans in the Minnesota Senate are reeling following Sen. Amy Koch's announcement Thursday to step down as majority leader, after GOP senate leaders confronted her about allegations that she engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a male staffer (MPR News).

State GOP staggered by debt, scandal
"Beset by big debts and sudden scandal, Minnesota's Republican Party is in the throes of extraordinary turmoil on the cusp of a pivotal election year," reports the Star Tribune.

Sen. Geoff Michel on Koch, Brodkorb's resignations
WCCO: "After Sen. Amy Koch and Senate Republican Caucus spokesman Michael Brodkorb announced their resignations, rumors have swirled around a possible inappropriate relationship between the two. Sen. Geoff Michel is now the interim leader of the Minnesota GOP, Esme Murphy reports."

Senjem considers run for majority leader
Rochester Post Bulletin: "Rochester GOP Sen. Dave Senjem said on Sunday he is considering running for Senate majority leader.'I am considering it. I am getting a fair amount of encouragement -- a number of calls over the last several days to do it,' he said."

Also on MN Today
Lake Superior research center making progress in Superior
"A Lake Superior research center is acquiring its first lakeshore facilities as the University of Wisconsin Regents approved leases this month with the city of Superior," reports the Duluth News Tribune.

South Dakota Hutterite colony to build in Traill County despite protests
"Despite protests from some neighbors, a Hutterite colony likely will start construction in the spring in southern Traill County," reports the Forum of Fargo Moorhead.

Oil boom leads to demand for more officers
"North Dakota's economy continues to churn, but energy isn't the state's only boom industry. ... Lake Region State College sets new record with 92 law enforcement graduates in 2011," reports the Forum of Fargo Moorhead.

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Ring, count, count count...ring!

Posted at 5:01 PM on December 19, 2011 by Dan Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Arts

Betty Fletcher Mast remembers she had a week to organize a handbell choir in an African village.

While traveling with her husband on business years ago, she looked for something to do. When someone suggested that she teach young people to ring bells, she latched on to it.

To make a long story short it worked, even though a local photographer documenting the event nearly derailed the final performance. He arranged the performers by height -- shortest to tallest -- disrupting Betty's placement of ringers.

It's a memorable but by no means singular challenge faced by Betty over more than 50 years of leading ringers.

Another came when she took a group of Minnesota boys whohad never seen the ocean to a national handbell convention in Maine.

Betty remembers the boys wanted to stop. One after another they ran into the water -- with their clothes on.

Dampened ringers.

Betty Fletcher Mast has led boys, girls, men and women ringers. Here she is admiring her novelty bell collection from around the world.

She also founded a touring group called the Ding Dong Dollies, ringers who dress in ethnic costumes from around the world.

As a ringleader, you should pardon the expression, Betty has had quite an impact.

One of her early students, Cammy Carteng, now leads her own group, the Plymouth Church handbell choir in south Minneapolis.

The reason Cammy's ringers aren't looking at the camera is they're busy.

Counting. Then ringing.

Unlike piano players who can touch all the keys for the pieces they perform, ringers are assigned a note or two or three and wait their turn.

Ringers with the busiest parts are responsible for several notes so their hands fly as they place bells on padded tables and grasp the next one with gloved hands.

Gloves so as not to tarnish the polished copper and tin bells with nasty body oils.

The metal recipe for making the bronze bells is 80 percent copper and twenty percent tin, more or less.

That doesn't really do much to explain, though, the science and art of making the bells.

Statewide readers can take an affordable Web trip to the Whitechapel bell foundry, in London, England, the world's oldest handbell manufacturer, to get a feel for the process.

A trip to hear ringing is much closer, often a nearby church. Scads of houses of worship around Minnesota feature handbell choirs.

But not all. You not only need a dedicated director and corp of ringers willing to take on the peculiarities of the music.

You need some cash. It can cost upward of $50,000 to buy a five octave set of bells.

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New sexual violence stats, Bixby Energy fraud, brown Christmas?

Posted at 7:37 AM on December 15, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

CDC report reveals new info on frequency of sexual violence
About 22 percent of Minnesota women have been raped in their lifetime, and more than 48 percent of Minnesota women have experienced sexual violence other than rape, the CDC estimates (MPR News).

Bixby Energy Systems Inc. has admitted that former officers and agents defrauded investors of as much as $7 million, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Wednesday.
"The Ramsey-based alternative energy company was charged by federal prosecutors with one count of securities fraud. The company agreed not to contest the allegation in what's known as a 'deferred prosecution agreement,' government lawyers said, reports the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal.

Champlin man identified as victim in in Army helicopter crash
KAAL: "He was a husband, a father-to-be, and an Army officer. And now, his untimely death has prompted a military investigation. 32-year-old Chief Warrant Officer Lucas Sigfrid of Champlin was killed when his helicopter crashed during training. Three others died as well."

Hundreds pack hearing on NW Wis. mining bill
"Supporters of a bill that would scale back the state's rigorous permitting process to kick-start a northwestern Wisconsin iron mine pleaded with legislators during a hearing Wednesday to pass the measure, calling the mine an economic god-send that will save the depressed region." (AP)

Synthetic pot used by 1 in 9 teens: Use not nearly as high in Winona, principal says
"One in nine high school seniors have used synthetic marijuana in the past year, according to a study released Wednesday by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. That doesn't, however, accurately reflect use of the drug by Winona's seniors, according to Winona Senior High School Principal Kelly Halvorsen," reports Winona Daily News.

In N.D. town where sugar is king, lockout hits hard

Hillsboro, N.D. -- Stalled labor talks between American Crystal Sugar Co. and its factory workers are taking a toll in Hillsboro, N.D., a town of 1,600 between Fargo and Grand Forks where the sugar beet factory is the largest employer.

About 1,300 union workers at five sugar beet factories in the Red River Valley have been locked out since Aug. 1 when they rejected a contract offer (MPR News).

Duluth music festival names new director
"Walter Raschick, better known as DJ Walt Dizzo, was the assistant volunteer coordinator for Homegrown for the last two years and has also written band profiles for the festival's field guide," reports the Duluth News Tribune.

St. Louis County Board support for PolyMet copper mine stalls
Opponents of the PolyMet copper mine proposed near Hoyt Lakes won what may be a short-lived victory Tuesday when the St. Louis County Board failed to act on a resolution supporting the project," reports the Duluth News Tribune.

Archdiocese: Communion host turned blood-red due to fungus, not miracle
A fungus - not a miracle - caused a Communion host to turn red this summer at a South St. Paul church, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis said Wednesday," reports the Pioneer Press.

Paul Douglas hunch: Brown Christmas
Douglas blogs on the Star Tribune: "2006: last year we had a 'brown Christmas', with less than 1" of snow on the ground in the Twin Cities. My hunch is that - this year - for the first time in 5 years, we will not have a white Christmas. Hope I'm wrong..."

Neil Johnson catalogues the 'Resorts of Minnesota'
A new book celebrates the history and heritage of Minnesota's many resorts. "Resorts of Minnesota" author Neil Johnson spent a year traveling around the state visiting family-run resorts and gathering their stories (MPR News).

Close the lock campaign kicks off
True North: "When the Mississippi River lock and dams close Dec. 5, as they always do come winter, the one at the Ford dam should stay closed after ice- out until the state and the federal governments adopt some kind of prevention strategy to slow the spread of the odious Asian carp."

Construction boosts NewYork Mills economy
"Even construction of one building would be welcome news for New York Mills," reports the Fergus Falls Journal. "But when there are two construction projects going on, it's an especially uplifting morale boost for economic development."

DEDA approves grant application for Duluth bayfront development
"If the grant application proves successful, the authority could be on the hook to match dollar for dollar any state funds awarded," reports the Duluth News Tribune.

Bachmann on the two man race
"People say this is a two man race and I would agree. But the one man is Newt Romney and the other man is Michele Bachmann." -- Michele Bachmann

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The incredible sound of a lake freezing

Posted at 12:10 PM on December 14, 2011 by Tom Robertson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Lakes, Northwest Minnesota, Outdoors

Lakes can sound like a symphony this time of year when winter ice begins to thicken.

If you've never heard the sound before, check out this video. It was posted on YouTube a few days ago by videographer Tracey Hays, a resident of Two Inlets Lake, near Park Rapids, Minn..

Hays shot the footage in front of Bear Paw Resort, which she and her husband purchased six years ago after moving from Ohio.

"Photography is my hobby and I love sharing these kinds of unusual things," Hays said. "The sound coming off the lake that day was just awesome. I think it's because we have no snow cover, and the sound really carried and was just perfect."

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Grid frustration, Emmer and liberal bias, Mille Lacs walleye shortages

Posted at 8:00 AM on December 14, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Property owners frustrated by power grid update

A massive power grid update under construction through the state is causing consternation for some homeowners in its path (MPR News).

Walz breaks with Dems and votes for GOP tax extension bill
Capitol View: "Along mostly partisan lines, the House passed a bill Tuesday evening to extend the payroll tax cut another year. DFL Rep. Tim Walz was one of just 10 Democrats to defy the party and support the measure, which passed 234-193."

Emmer says Hamline reneged on job offer because of faculty opposition
"Former Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer is accusing Hamline University of caving to faculty opposition" to his political views, reports the Pioneer Press. "Emmer said the school should admit it did not honor the agreement because staff did not want a conservative like him teaching there."

Pawlenty supporters can't help but second-guess his decision to drop out of presidential race
MinnPost: "Given the 'Who's in first today?' nature of the race among Republican presidential candidates, old supporters of former Gov. Tim Pawlenty can't help but ask the question 'What if?'"

NFL expected to vote on possible contribution toward Vikings stadium
"Vikings owner Zygi Wilf and state legislators could learn today how much NFL teams are willing to finance Minnesota's quest for a new stadium when the league's 32 owners debate whether to continue subsidizing projects for their brethren," reports the Pioneer Press.

Minn.'s frigid climate a selling point for data storage industry

On the sixth floor of a Duluth office building, rows of black computer servers store huge amounts of information. One of two data centers for the big regional health system, Essentia Health, the site stores thousands of medical documents like MRI images and digital mammograms (MPR News).

DNR considers lowering walleye harvest on Lake Mille Lacs
There's a chance the Department of Natural Resources could lower the number of walleye coming out of Lake Mille Lacs next spring (MPR News).

Michele Bachmann's certainty is her greatest strength, biggest weakness
Washington Post: "In politics and in her personal life, Michele Bachmann is defined by a striking certitude. Throughout her long-shot bid for the Republican presidential nomination, the 55-year-old congresswoman has portrayed herself as a leader who doesn't waffle. Who upholds bedrock beliefs."

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Police using drones, budget surplus credit, dry winter, the 'King of K Street'

Posted at 7:50 AM on December 12, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

High-level surveillance first U.S. case of civilian arrest via Predator drone
"The use of a Border Patrol high-flying drone in the arrest last summer of members of the Rodney Brossart family at their Nelson County farm is a first such use of a well-known military unmanned aerial vehicle to apprehend a civilian, according to a news report," writes the Grand Forks Herald.

Dayton, state lawmakers want credit for budget surplus

Much of the $876 million surplus has little to do with the actions taken in the past year. Instead, state budget officials credit accounting changes and unexpected revenues from the federal government (MPR News).

Possible cuts to heat assistance spark unease
"State not sure if Congress will OK more funding," reports the Saint Cloud Times.

Low snow winter leaves Duluth high and dry
Duluth News Tribune: "Through Sunday, Duluth had received just 4.3 inches of snow this season -- 17.7 inches below average. The National Weather Service reports that the last time Duluth saw less snow to start a season was the winter of 1962-63, when just 3 inches fell through Dec. 11."

I'll drink to that: the making of the Twin Cities microbrew revolution
MinnPost: "The Twin Cities are seeing a boom" in new micro breweries, "and it seems that some beer-focused liquor stores are having trouble finding shelf space for all the new creations from local microbreweries, as well as craft beers."

Bachmann: Gingrich the "King of K Street"
CBS News: "I'm the only proven consistent constitutional conservative in this race on issue after issue," Bachmann told CBS' Bob Schieffer. "Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, it is very clear that there's not a dime's worth of difference between the two of them."

Drazkowski same-sex marriage claim misleading

PoliGraph: Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, fired an early shot in the Red Wing Republican Eagle. Those who argue that banning same-sex marriage will be bad for the economy are wrong. ... Drazkowski's claim is misleading.

Ford plant sits on 122 prime acres
"There's no consensus just yet on what the site -- one of the last substantial tracts of land left for development in the Twin Cities -- should become. That, too, depends on the extent of the site's pollution," reports the Star Tribune.

Studies pin river troubles on farm drainage
"The millions of tons of sediment getting into the river is emerging as the keystone issue facing the river basin. The impacts on the Mississippi, Lake Pepin and the river basin's contribution to the Gulf "dead zone" are sweeping," reports the Lacrosse Tribune.

St. Paul cashing in on impound lot auctions
"City failed to notify owners of nearly $250,000 in refunds they were entitled to on vehicles sold this year," reports the Star Tribune.

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BWCA land exchange, food-borne illnesses investigated, Clay County bong battle

Posted at 8:00 AM on December 9, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Sell or swap? DNR considers Boundary Waters land exchange

Minnesota DNR officials will unveil a plan Friday in hopes of fixing a long-standing problem involving state land inside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (MPR News).

Dozens ill after attending events at Duluth ballroom
"The Minnesota Department of Health is investigating the outbreak of a food-borne illness reported this week by people who attended two events at the Greysolon Ballroom in Duluth on Saturday," reports the Duluth News Tribune. "The health department has identified more than 40 people who reported becoming ill after eating at the ballroom and 'we suspect there could be more,' said Doug Schultz of the department's communications office."

Metro E. coli cases linked to romaine lettuce
"At least two Minnesotans, including one who had to be hospitalized, are among 60 people nationwide sickened in an E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce," reports the Star Tribune.

Residents question need for 1.8% levy increase in St. Louis Co.
"The idea may make you cringe, but property taxes are on their way up for many homeowners in Minnesota. Thursday, St. Louis County residents ask questions about those increases in a government mandated 'Truth in Taxation' hearing," reports the Northland News Center.

Clay County looks at ban on drug paraphernalia
"Clay County commissioners will discuss a proposed ordinance to regulate drug paraphernalia later this month," reports the Forum of Fargo Moorhead. The proposal has been met with resistance among some in the business community.

Loss of Legacy funds angers arts groups
"More than a dozen Twin Cities groups that received Legacy Amendment-funded grants through the Minnesota State Arts Board in past years were stunned this year to find their applications rejected on what some say are technicalities," reports the Star Tribune.

Mpls. City Council critical of Rybak's stadium plan

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak got a warm reception when he pitched a Vikings stadium plan at the Capitol on Tuesday, but received a chilly homecoming when he presented the plan to the Minneapolis City Council Thursday morning (MPR News).

Officials: Not to worry - city buses will run
"Unfinished negotiations for a city transit contract next year seem to have unsettled Mayo Clinic, which sent a message to staff members on Thursday warning of potential service disruptions," reports the Post Bulletin. "But bus riders need not worry, say parties directly involved in the negotiations."

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60 Schwan workers to lose jobs, signs of invasive carp spreading, North Dakota as 'Petrostate'

Posted at 3:00 PM on December 8, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Another round of Schwan layoffs
"Approximately 60 Schwan Food Co. employees were notified Thursday that their position with the company has been eliminated.Schwan said the moves, which will affect employees in the company's Marshall and Bloomington offices, are part of a cost-reduction initiative," reports the Marshall Independent.

Tests suggest Asian carp spread north of key dam
AP: "Minnesota officials say tests have detected signs of Asian carp north of the Coon Rapids dam on the Mississippi River, the last major physical barrier to their spread northward."

Are Tea Partiers racists?
"There is consistent and strong evidence of a correlation between racial negativity and Tea Party identification," MinnPost quotes University of Minnesota Prof Howard Lavine.

Duluth dives into Minnesota's gay marriage debate
Next year, Minnesota voters will decide whether to approve a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. About 200 opponents of the amendment rallied Wednesday afternoon at the University of Minnesota Duluth," reports John Meyers in the Duluth News Tribune.

Op-Ed: To city and school elected officials: Thank you
"Local elected officials are not thanked enough," writes Paul Groessel in Sun Newspapers. "They spend a lot of time outside of their full-time jobs and away from families. They sort through issues that you don't have to worry about. The majority of their time is spent doing thankless, unrecognized work."

North Dakota: The rise of an American Petrostate
"North Dakota is suing Minnesota, alleging the Land of 10,000 Lakes is discriminating against it because it is black. Lignite black. Lignite coal black. The lawsuit contends that the Next Generation Energy Act," writes Abe Sauer in The Awl. Sauer also provides and interesting glimpse into the Bakken Oil operations.

Disability a focus as school bullying protections grow
"Nearly all states now have laws prohibiting school bullying, but just 16 offer specific protections for those with disabilities," concludes Disability Scoop.

Op-Ed: Let's send a stronger message to school bullies
Alexandria Echo Press: "Minnesota needs to take a tougher stand against bullies. A new law would help do it. It's being proposed by Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson and it's patterned after one passed in North Dakota on a bipartisan basis earlier this year."

From B student to bully target
"14-year-old Jasmine Gonzalez went from being a cheerleader for football and basketball and a B and C student at the middle school in Charles City, Iowa, last year to being an F student and an outcast in Albert Lea this year," writes Tim Engstrom in the Albert Lea Tribune.

Minnesota Scenes
A view from downtown St. Paul by Josh Ebbers via Flickr.

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Pull-tab support, gay marriage challenge for Catholic bishops, crow wars

Posted at 8:00 AM on December 8, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Dayton: Electronic pull-tabs for stadium are best option so far
Gov. Mark Dayton says he thinks the recent hearings in the Minnesota Senate are helping build consensus about the best way to finance a new Vikings stadium (MPR News).

Op-Ed: Lutheran leader confronts state's Catholic bishops over gay marriage
"Church leaders should embrace, engage all, says the former presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America," from the Star Tribune. The commentary is from Herbert Chilstrom, former presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Chilstrom challenges his Catholic "brothers" to allocate 30 hours to have 15 one-on-one conversations with gays and lesbians. "Thirty hours are a pittance compared to the time you are investing to promote adoption of the marriage amendment. Use the time, not for confession, but to listen to them describe what it is like to live in our culture in Minnesota."

Sutton admits signing agreement for gov recount legal fees, failing to tell other party officials
"Party officers and insiders have maintained that the state GOP is not legally required to pay back nearly $500,000 in legal fees racked up during the 2010 gubernatorial election recount," reports Politics in Minnesota.

Minnesota cattlemen happy that TB is controlled and they can sell anywhere
"Minnesota cattlemen are celebrating the reopening of markets nationwide after tuberculosis found in one cow six years ago hurt their sales. Gov. Mark Dayton today issued a proclamation proclaiming TB free day for the state's cattle industry after 58 herds were destroyed," Forum Communications reports.

Rich around the world snapping up Minnesota firewood at $40 a box, plus shipping
Pioneer Press: "We Americans might depend on places like Saudi Arabia for the gas we burn in our cars. But guess where a well-heeled Saudi goes if he wants some white-barked birch logs, like the kind you see in designer magazine layouts, to burn in his fireplace."

Company hired to roust Rochester's roosting crows
"Rochester is calling in professionals to roust roosting crows from downtown," reports the Post Bulletin. "The details of the plan are similar to an announcement several weeks ago except now, instead of saying Mayo Clinic will be hiring the professional company, the city is doing it."

Minnesota Sounds and Voices: Ignore 'The Birds,' embrace the crows

As they do with the coming of winter every year, thousands upon thousands of crows -- maybe even millions -- have started to swarm, caw and roost each night in downtown Minneapolis. They're likely attracted by the city's warmer climate compared to the countryside (MPR News).

Group: North Dakota among 'filthy 15' states
"An environmental advocacy group issued a report Wednesday ranking North Dakota among the nation's "filthy 15" in emissions of toxic pollutants from coal-burning power plants," reports the Forum of Fargo Moorhead.

Occupy Duluth changes tactics after breaking camp
"About 15 people connected with the Occupy Duluth movement hopped on a bus Sunday night for a 24-hour trip to Washington, D.C.," reports the Duluth News Tribune.

Bachmann book sells just 3,000 copies in two weeks
Michele Bachmann's weak poll numbers may be showing up in slow sales of her memoir, Core of Conviction. In the two weeks since the book was released, it's sold just 3,000 copies despite a media blitz and numerous book-signing events by Bachmann (MPR News).

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Crows flock to cities for warmth, food, safety

Posted at 4:27 PM on December 7, 2011 by Dan Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

If you're a crow, this is your moment.

You've just scored supper to tide you over on a cold winter's night. And for the moment, the horde of crows just beyond the peak of this rooftop in a south Minneapolis neighborhood aren't pestering you for a taste.

Horde is an understatement. And the expression, "murder of crows," also doesn't quite capture the crowd that has gathered. We are talking thousands. Half an hour after this photo was taken &mdsh; at about 4:50 p.m. a few days ago — treetops in the neighborhood were completely dotted with black clumps of feathers.

Why do crows flock to cities in the winter?

We supply some thoughts on that here. University of Minnesota ornithologist Bob Zink says the picture changes dramatically in early spring when crows get ready to have nestlings. They fly off to find their own territory.

One reason not mentioned in the story as to why crows flock to the city in the winter time: No one is shooting at them. I can verify growing up on a Minnesota farm that crows were favorite targets. And I can also verify all it took was one, usually wildly inaccurate, shot to send them cawing and flying away.

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PolyMet protest, MnDOT slams alternative Stillwater bridge pitch, Obama looks to Warroad

Posted at 8:00 AM on December 7, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

The Duluth News Tribune reports: The timetable to finish the environmental review for the proposed PolyMet copper mine in Northeastern Minnesota has slowed again as the company works with state and federal agencies to figure how the mine can meet environmental regulations.

The revised state-federal Environmental Impact Statement probably won't be completed until the second quarter of 2012, Brad Moore, PolyMet's vice president of environmental and government affairs, told the News Tribune on Tuesday.

That's months later than predicted in October by state and federal officials, including U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack, who said the EIS would be ready by January.

MnDOT thumps 'Sensible Stillwater Bridge' plan
"State transportation officials Tuesday again slammed a plan for a smaller alternative to the proposed $690 million St. Croix River Crossing, saying that the lower, narrower bridge would have a significant environmental impact and could delay the start of construction until 2019," reports the Pioneer Press.

Labor Department errs in Cargill contract amount
The Star Tribune reports: "The agribusiness giant has closer to $60 million in federal contracts, not the $550 million previously stated by the U.S. Labor Department."

Local bloggers publish book: The Madness of Michele Bachmann
"As Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann tours the nation promoting her new memoir, three local writers are hitting the market this week with a book that offers a totally different picture of the 6th District congresswoman's life," reports the Pioneer Press.

Bachmann says questions of bias delay Trump debate decision
Rep. Michele Bachmann "said 'one concern' about participating was an announcement Trump made that he is close to endorsing a candidate. Trump has also hinted that he might yet run as a third-party candidate against the Republican nominee," reports ABC News.

President Obama: I think about a company based in Warroad, Minnesota called Marvin Windows and Doors. During the recession, Marvin's competitors closed dozens of plants and let go hundreds of workers. But Marvin didn't lay off a single one of their four thousand or so employees. In fact, they've only laid off workers once in over a hundred years. Mr. Marvin's grandfather even kept his eight employees during the Depression.

When times get tough, the workers agree to give up some perks and pay, and so do the owners. As one owner said, "You can't grow if you're cutting your lifeblood - and that's the skills and experience your workforce delivers." For the CEO, it's about the community: "These are people we went to school with," he said. "We go to church with them. We see them in the same restaurant. Indeed, a lot of us have married local girls and boys. We could be anywhere. But we are in Warroad."

That's how America was built. That's why we're the greatest nation on Earth. [video/transcript]

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A brain 'going bad,' Duluth fracking boost, mixing Red Bull with the St. Paul Cathedral

Posted at 8:00 AM on December 6, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Derek Boogaard: a brain 'going bad'
In the final part of a three-part look into the death of former Wild player Derek Boogaard, the New York Times asks, "Did hockey cause a degenerative brain disease?"

'Fracking' means new business for Duluth port
"The Moezelborg arrived Sunday morning loaded with bags of ceramic proppant, also called ceramic sand, for use in a controversial process to increase production of oil and gas wells," reports the Duluth News Tribune.

Minn. GOP tries to pull party together, organize for future

"As the critical 2012 presidential election year approaches, the Minnesota Republican Party is in disarray, trying to unravel the after-effects of the 2010 election, which saw the GOP capture the Legislature but lose the governor's race," writes MPR News' Tom Scheck.

Utne Reader - but not magazine's staff - relocating from Minneapolis to Topeka
"Founded by Eric Utne in 1984 as a sort of Reader's Digest of the alternative press, the magazine has seen a circulation decline to about 115,000." Now reports the Pioneer Press. Ogden Publications "plans to cut the magazine's editorial budget in half, from $500,000 to $250,000."

The Saint Cloud Times reports: The Waite Park mail processing center continues to be one of four locations in Minnesota that could be closed as the U.S. Postal Service plans major cutbacks to help the agency avoid bankruptcy next year.

However, while the postal service made an announcement on Monday that it was moving forward with a proposal to change service standards, no decision has been made about individual facilities, according to Peter Nowacki, a Minneapolis-based spokesman for the USPS.

"The postal service announced today that it was going to the Postal Regulatory Commission for an advisory opinion on changing delivery standards," Nowacki said. "It's a system-wide move and we don't know when any final decision will come. We don't have one yet."

Union accepts Dayton's offer for American Crystal negotiations
Governor Dayton recently proposed new talks between the American Crystal and it's locked-out workers. Hot Dish Politics posts a response from union, "We whole-heartedly accept Governor Dayton's offer to resume contract negotiations with American Crystal Sugar and to continue them until a deal is reached."

Op-Ed: Governors could push talks along
"Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton's offer to host contract talks between locked-out workers and American Crystal Sugar Co. management should be welcomed by both sides," writes the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead editorial board. "The recent history of the talks suggests that an honest broker can help close the gap."

Minnesota court upholds gun ban
News Cut writes: "A lifetime ban on handgun ownership by people who have committed a crime of violence does not violate the Constitution, the Minnesota Court of Appeals has ruled."

Conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly endorses Michele Bachmann
"Social conservative Phyllis Schlafly has endorsed Michele Bachmann for president and is urging Iowans to caucus for her," Bachmann's campaign tells The Des Moines Register.

Vikings, commission fighting over Metrodome lease
The Pioneer Press reports: "The Metrodome roof collapse that forced the Vikings to move two games last season automatically extends their lease another year, contends the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission.Nonsense, counter the Vikings."

Crashed Ice daredevil sporting event coming to St. Paul's Cathedral Hill

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180 in Minn. to lose post office jobs, stadium divides news editorials, Ventura on being provocative

Posted at 4:00 PM on December 5, 2011 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Grand Forks Herald: Duluth, Bemidji, Rochester, Waite Park Grand Forks and Devils Lake mail processing centers part of Postal Service planned April 2012 cuts
MPR News reports 180 jobs will be lost in Minnesota alone.
MPR News FAQ: U.S. Postal Service cuts

Join the conversation on MPR News' Facebook page.

North Country Food Bank needs bigger, better location
The impact of Crookston-based North Country Food Bank is being felt on a larger scale these days," reports the Crookston Times, "with the NCFB's addition of North Country Food Shelf earlier this year and its rental of a back bay of Valley Technology Park two of the most obvious signs of its vital place in the region."

Pro fighter from Apple Valley gets 60 days jail for assaulting wife
HometownSource reports: "A professional mixed martial arts fighter from Apple Valley was sentenced Wednesday to 60 days in jail for a violent attack on his wife in June in which she was choked and punched repeatedly in the head and face."

Op-Ed: Vikes show creativity, commitment
The Minnesota Vikings, opines the St Cloud Times, "are committed to working with public partners to examine most any suggested solution. And they are creative in offering some solutions themselves."

Op-Ed: Why the stadium idea will fail again
Albert Lea Tribune: "Frankly, the best option would be if the billionaire owners and the businesses that befriend the NFL the most would pay the full price tag, just like Jerry Jones did in Dallas. Then owners could build in the suburbs all they want. The public portion only would be donating the contaminated land in Arden Hills that used to be an Army dump and improving the transportation infrastructure.

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Ely mayor trusting mining industry "up to a point," taxing Minn. skinny, gouged at MSP

Posted at 7:35 AM on December 5, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Ely mayor putting trust in mining industry "up to a point"

CBS News: Once a big supplier of iron ore to the U.S. steel industry, the mines of Ely closed in 1967 as demand for American steel dropped. Today the town relies on 250,000 tourists drawn to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area every year.

"It's a big part of our community. It's what brings a lot of people here," said Ely Mayor Roger Skraba. But, "Does it produce all the money Ely needs to function? Absolutely not."

And while mining can be a boom and bust industry with a sketchy environmental history, Skraba is willing to take a chance.

"I trust the mining company up to a point," he said. "Up to a point. Like I trust the government up to a point. I have to trust somebody."

Punched Out: the life and death of a hockey enforcer
"The toll on Derek Boogaard's life as a hockey enforcer was physical and mental" reports The New York Times in an expansive multi-media series.

Op-Ed: The case for taxing soft drinks
"We drink a lot of it. With a tax, we'd drink less. We'd be healthier. The state would make money," opines Roger Feldman in the Star Tribune.

MF Global collapse has Minnesota farmers bracing for impact
"The shock waves from the collapse of commodities trading firm MF Global Inc. are hitting hard across rural America, where farmers, ranchers and agricultural business owners are nervously waiting to learn how much money they've lost," reports the AP.

Delta's hold on MSP costs travelers
"Fares out of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport featuring competition between Delta Air Lines and low-cost carriers have been 27 percent less expensive than those on Delta-only routes, according to a new study" reports the Star Tribune.

Test of health care exchanges begins today
Minnesotans will be able to test drive the state's future health insurance marketplace when several prototypes of insurance exchanges are made available online Monday for public review (MPR News).

With former deacon accused of sexual abuse, St. Cloud Diocese listens to accusers
The Catholic Church in St. Cloud has called for healing after allegations of sexual misconduct by a former deacon, and the St. Cloud Diocese held a public meeting on Sunday at which church officials wanted to hear from the community about other potential victims (MPR News).

5 DFLers vying for Senate seat vacated by Pogemiller
The bid to narrow the field for the Northeast district is one of two primaries Tuesday. The other is in south Minneapolis reports the Star Tribune.

UND Fighting Sioux name dropped as Gov. signs bill
North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple has signed a law allowing the state's flagship university to shed its 81-year-old Fighting Sioux nickname. The measure signed Wednesday will let the University of North Dakota satisfy an NCAA request that it drop the name or risk sanctions (AP).

Bachmann hopes organizational strength will pull her through Iowa

As Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann prepares for the Iowa caucuses Jan. 3, her campaign is hoping what she lacks in popular support she may make up with her campaign organization in the state. Much of the coverage of the race has revolved around candidates' standing in the polls. But the caucuses tend to be much more of a test of a candidate's organizational strength, rather than a popularity contest. The caucuses will be the first voting of the 2012 GOP presidential nomination process to determine who will take on President Obama next year (MPR News).

Bachmann on God, marriage
"The choreographed repetition of modern presidential campaigns can turn the most personable candidate into an endless loop of talking points. But any close observer of Bachmann's political career would be hard-pressed to dismiss her as two-dimensional" reports the Huffington Post..

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Cougar shot, surprise budget, Wilf's timing akin to Favre's last season?

Posted at 7:45 AM on December 2, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Lawsuit settled over treatment of disabled residents in state-run institution
A federal judge gave final approval Thursday to a settlement reached between the State of Minnesota and 300 developmentally disabled former residents of a state-run institution (MPR News).

Minnesota man who shot, killed cougar felt he had no choice
"The man who shot a cougar in Jackson County on Sunday said Thursday that he and his companion had little doubt they should kill it because children live nearby and horses are kept on the property. That does not appear to be a legitimate reason to kill a mountain lion under Minnesota law," reports the Pioneer Press. Map: Cougar sitings in Minnesota since 2007

Understanding the Minnesota budget miracle
"Christmas has come early in Minnesota. After an intense battle over government spending shut down its government for 20 days this summer, the state now is forecasting an $876 million surplus over the next two years. That's a huge surprise," reports the Washington Post.
Surprise! Minnesota expects $876 million surplus (Pioneer Press)
Surprise $876 million state surplus raises Capitol spirits (Star Tribune)
Budget surplus gives state officials wiggle room in legislative session (MPR News)

Minn. economy promising, but recovery will be slow

The state's job market is definitely recovering, Minnesota budget officials say, but recovery will continue at a crawl (MPR News).

Sex discrimination lawsuit filed against New York Mills-based Lund Boats
The U.S. Department of Labor filed a lawsuit against Lund Boats in New York Mills today, alleging the sexual discrimination of more than 200 women (East Otter Tail Focus).

Put a rock in the house at Duluth ice bar (with video)
With the precision of craftsmen, Chris Swarbrick and Paul Madsen put the finishing touches Wednesday on Canal Park's newest tourist attraction, built almost entirely from ice (Duluth News Tribune).

New state trail in Washington County aiming for instant popularity
A major new state trail planned for Washington County will open next year to instant popularity, funneling thousands of cyclists, runners, walkers and horse riders to the St. Croix River (Star Tribune).

Commission seeks comments on Great Lakes environmental report
The International Joint Commission is seeking public comment on a draft report describing changes in the health of the Great Lakes over the past quarter century (Duluth News Tribune).

Bachmann guns for Gingrich

Wilf, Minnesotan's most hated?
The New York Observer writes: "Just as The Observer was writing up the news of Zygi Wilf's brand spanking new $19 million condo, the Minnesota Vikings owner was sending emissaries down to the capitol in St. Paul to request millions in taxpayer dollars to help fund a new stadium for the abominable team. His timing was as bad as late-career Brett Favre."

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Bemidji has new police chief

Posted at 4:01 PM on December 1, 2011 by Tom Robertson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Law enforcement, Northwest Minnesota

Bemidji has a new police chief. Mike Mastin, 36, replaces former chief Gerald Johnson, who retired in September after 32 years with the department.

Mastin, who's been with the Bemidji Police Department for a decade, was sworn into the top spot on Thursday. He's been serving as interim chief since Johnson's retirement.

Mastin tells The Bemidji Pioneer he's been listening to officers and staff about ways to improve the department. He says a string of recent retirements have left a very "youthful" department.

Mastin says he's open to integrating more new technology into the department. He also wants to see more community based policing, and he says he'll encourage officers to become more involved in the community.

Mastin is originally from Detroit Lakes. He has a degree in criminal justice from Bemidji State University.

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Coyotes, casino on the rocks, Cravaack's first year in office

Posted at 8:00 AM on December 1, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

County places bounty on coyotes; breaks 45-year hiatus

Starting today, Chippewa County will pay $10 for every coyote killed in the county. It's the first time in 45 years a bounty will be offered on the animals in Minnesota. But county officials say it's necessary to curb a population that's grown out of control (MPR News).

Table set for budget battle round two
Thursday the state's economic forecast will be released. It's expected to show Minnesota is facing a nearly $1 billion deficit. That's lower than last session's $5 billion deficit, but either way, many agree it's still bad news as the economy is slowly recovering (KAAL).

Op-Ed: It's no-win for cities in Minnesota
No matter how they try to spin it, Republican lawmakers in the Minnesota Legislature are responsible for coming tax increases and/or deep cuts in the budgets of Minnesota cities (Forum of Fargo Moorhead).

More on the state budget all day on The Big Story Blog.

Ramsey County explores new stadium funding, including local tax on liquor, entertainment, others
As Minneapolis makes a move on a new Minnesota Vikings stadium, Ramsey County officials are quietly looking at new funding options - such as taxes on booze and hotels - to keep their Arden Hills location competitive (Pioneer Press).

Duluth casino on the rocks
"Last week's ruling from a Federal judge, that stopped payments to the city from the Fond du Luth Casino, could have serious consequences for the future of gambling in downtown Duluth. Lawyers are going over the contract with a fine tooth comb and the result could be the closure of the Fond du Luth casino," reports the Northland News Center.

Congressman Chip Cravaack: a look back at his first year in office

"As Congress struggles to overcome gridlock after gridlock, the freshman Republican's stance remains the same: jobs are best created by the private sector, not the government," reports Northland News.

Stick a fork in Cravaack?
National Journal casts a gloomy forecast for Rep. Chip Cravaack re-election prospects. "His largely party-line voting record is at odds with the prairie populism of Minnesota's Iron Range, a region that has traditionally seen a role for an active government. Cravaack already is facing a field of credible Democratic challengers, and if his district isn't dramatically altered, he would be running in one of the most Democratic seats held by a Republican."

Frank Moe backs Fanning in MN-08
Former state Rep. Frank Moe, DFL-Bemidji, is backing Daniel Fanning's campaign for Congress in Minnesota's 8th District. Moe, who served in the house between 2003 and 2009. He is currently an outdoor guide in Grand Marais (Capitol View).

Five DFLers on ballot in free-for-all SD 59 primary (Politics in Minnesota)

Perfect Duluth Day posted Trampled by Turtles' video covering the Pixies. They do the song justice, but the striking part of the video is how they incorporated fan photos of the lyrics.

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Free lunch demand grows, uninsured kids, Romney-Bachmann ticket?

Posted at 8:00 AM on November 30, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

More students seeking free school lunch
Requests in Minnesota have gone up by more than 5 percent. Other states are seeing double digit increases. "These are very large increases and a direct reflection of the hardships American families are facing," said Benjamin Senauer, a University of Minnesota economist who studies the meals program. (New York Times) [Map]

Minn. health administrator pushes back on study indicating increase in uninsured kids
A new study reports that there were more than 10,000 fewer children with health insurance in 2010 than 2008. These findings are reflecting of the rising number of adults without health insurance. It's one of the wider reported stories across the state this morning. But, Stefan Gildemeister, interim director of the Health Economics Program for the Minnesota Department of Health, "is not convinced the report paints an accurate picture of health insurance coverage in the state," reports the Bemidji Pioneer. "With everything we know about coverage in Minnesota - Minnesota provides broad health coverage for children," he said. "I am skeptical about the numbers because I'm not aware the eligibility rates of children have changed." The state department of health will be releasing its own survey soon.

Cravaack bill that limits airport searches for military personnel passes House
"The changes would eliminate pat-downs and boot removal for most military personnel, unless intelligence reports directed otherwise, and eliminate the need for them to take off their military jackets, belt buckles and medals," explains the Duluth News Tribune. The bill passed unanimously.

Sens. Franken, Klobuchar work to restore heating assistance to last year's levels. (KARE11)

Vikings stadium rests in rural lawmakers hands?
Forum Communication's Don Davis writes, "In a Forum Communication survey of rural lawmakers earlier this fall, most said they were skeptical of stadium chances." It's unclear if that's has changed. Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk sized up the dynamic. "Rural members are going to have to do some very heavy lifting. ... I don't know of any senator from Minneapolis who will vote for this."

Chanhassen says no to Walmart.

Spending spurs effort to disband Greenwood Township reports the Timberjay.

"Homeless is my Address ... Not My Name" portrait exhibit opens in Rochester.

Vice President Bachmann?
It is difficult to cobble together a path where Rep. Michele Bachman gets the GOP nomination. That task is harder as her standing in Iowa has diminished significantly. But Time's Jay Newton-Small looks at Bachmann as a potential Romney-Bachmann ticket. "Throughout the summer and fall, Romney has hardly needed to attack any of his rivals; Bachmann has done it for him. When Rick Perry was rising in the polls, it was Bachmann who went after him for supporting an HPV-vaccine mandate. When Herman Cain was on the ascent it was Bachmann who shot down his '9-9-9' plan and his 'inconsistencies.' And on Tuesday Bachmann "abruptly canceled scheduled events in Iowa ... to do nine conservative and Christian radio programs. Her No. 1 topic? Newt Gingrich's soft stance on immigration. Which candidate does this most help? Mitt Romney." Sounds Palinesque.

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Invasive species aren't always pests

Posted at 12:03 PM on December 1, 2011 by Dan Kraker (4 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Arrowhead, Environment, Research, Water

The havoc that aquatic invasive species like zebra mussels have wreaked on the Great Lakes and beyond has been well documented. They reproduce faster than rabbits, suck up plankton off lake floors, starving native species, and clog water intake pipes.

Zebra mussels, along with nasty critters like sea lamprey and those great flopping river acrobats Asian carp, have given invasive species a bad rap -- often very deservedly so. But new research suggests that the most recent Great Lakes invader may actually help their new home.

The "bloody red shrimp" was discovered in Lake Michigan in 2006. They've spread to all of the Great Lakes except Lake Superior. Like zebra mussels, they likely hitched a ride from the Black and Caspian seas in eastern Europe in the ballast tanks of ocean-going freighters. Requirements for ships to exchange ballast water at sea have since slowed the introduction of non-native species to the Great Lakes.

New research shows that the little crustacean, so named for its bright red spots, has become food for native species like yellow perch and alewife.

Mike Yuille, a graduate student at Ontario's Queens University, tells UPI that "forecasting how an invader will affect the growth and production of a specific native fish species is very relevant to conservation groups and government agencies hoping to conserve those fish." Yuille's findings will be published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research.

But the relationships among native and non-native species are complex. Yuille's research also suggests that round gobies have incorporated the shrimp into their diet. Gobies are another aquatic invasive species, also brought over to the Great Lakes from far eastern Europe in ballast water.

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Cruising for transportation funds, Vikes big on TV, invasive melodies

Posted at 2:53 PM on November 29, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Minnesota's transportation system needs more money
Just three years after the passage of a major state transportation funding bill, Minnesota transportation advocates are beginning a public education campaign for another increase in funding to address what they see as major unmet needs (MinnPost).

TV ratings frame stadium debate
Both the Vikings and stadium critics are using the team's high television ratings to argue the merits of using public money for the project (Star Tribune).

Farmington city council plans big budget cuts
In a complete reversal from last summer's proposal of a nearly $1 million increase in the tax levy, Farmington City Council members gave the nod to $162,500 in cuts from the proposed 2012 budget (Farmington Independent).

Minnesota judge puts NBA court proceedings on hold
A Minnesota federal judge has put the legal fight between the NBA's players and owners on hold to give the two sides time to finish their collective bargaining agreement (AP).

Study: More young jail inmates using prescription painkillers
The youngest men booked into the Hennepin County Jail are increasingly testing positive for prescription painkillers, while there's a drop in cocaine and methamphetamine use, according to a new federal study (Star Tribune).

Covering the Anti-Romney: a five-month week-by-week media analysis of the GOP field
Mitt Romney has been mentioned in the most broadcast reports among the Republican field for just four of the last 22 weeks (Smart Politics).

A group of fisherman-musicians have pooled together a set of folksy songs to encourage anglers to ensure they aren't contributing to the spread of invasive species. Too bad none of them sound like Bon Iver covering Bob Dylan's "With God on Our Side."
Bon Iver - "With God On Our Side" (Bob Dylan Cover) by TwentyFourBit.com

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Cornbread Mafia pardon, student athlete collapses, the problem with Congress

Posted at 7:45 AM on November 29, 2011 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Ex-Cornbread Mafia member gets presidential pardon
As state and federal investigators came through the front door of a barn in Minnesota during a bust of the "Cornbread Mafia" in October 1987, Les Berry Jr. went out the back with six others and nearly escaped. Now after a conviction and prison time, his slate has been wiped clean by a presidential pardon this month.

Berry, a former U.S. Marine, was a farm worker in west-central Minnesota for the "Cornbread Mafia" for about three weeks when the raid occurred. He slipped out of the barn and made his way to a small Minnesota town, bought a 1972 Chevy Impala and drove east with six others before being caught. (AP)

In flood aftermath, Moorhead tries to kick-start housing market

The city of Moorhead and the state of Minnesota have spent $60 million since 2009 to buy homes along the flood-prone Red River and replace them with permanent levees and floodwalls (MPR News).

Moorhead City Council: Community program funds may get ax
The City Council was presented a budget plan Monday that would end community partnerships such as those with the Humane Society and FirstLink but retain current police and fire staffing levels (Forum of Fargo Moorhead).

Army Corps to restore fish barrier power setting
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Monday that it is restoring a higher power setting on an electric barrier designed to prevent Asian carp and other fish from using a Chicago-area waterway to migrate between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River systems (AP).

Minnesota wind farm suit forwarded to high court
Consumer groups challenge regulators' permit approval (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).

Minn. utilities don't want more coal power from ND

North Dakota -- a big coal producer -- wants Minnesota to drop its restrictions on electricity generated by coal. But utilities in Minnesota are already conforming to the new energy goals, and they say they aren't interested in buying additional coal-based electricity (MPR News).

Minnesota appeals court rules cop's spotlight on man was lawful
A spotlight is not unconstitutional.More specifically, when a Minneapolis police officer turned her squad car spotlight on a couple of men, that did not amount to an unlawful seizure (Pioneer Press).

Anoka high school student dies after basketball collapse
Students at Anoka High School are mourning the death of a 16-year-old classmate who collapsed Saturday night while playing basketball (KARE11).

Delta to start using jets at Minn. Range airport
Delta will replace its 34 passenger turbo-prop planes with larger jet-powered aircraft on Thursday. The new 50-passenger jets will make the 45-minute flight from Hibbing to Minneapolis twice a day (MPR News).