Morning Report 7/15/2009

Top Story: Attorney General Swanson files suit against arbitration firm.

Agriculture:

• Survival getting tough for some organic dairy farmers, MPR

Best of the Blogs and Think Tank Thoughts:

• Campaign finance spotlight: Top 5 donor lists for 2008 DFL and Republican state parties, Politics in Minnesota
• Swanson files suit against national arbitration company, Politics in Minnesota
• July economic update: Revenues below forecast again; FY09 collections 8 percent below a year ago, Politics in Minnesota
• Legislator says company’s exodus shows need for ‘angel investor’ tax credit, Politics in Minnesota
• Big bugs: State websites crash during IT project management hearing, Politics in Minnesota
• Darrin Anderson (18B, Litchfield, DFL): Urdahl has a challenger, Blue man in a Red district
• Pawlenty throws away $72 million, MN Progressive Project
• Party of the rich… Democrats!, SCSU Scholars
• Ramstad NOT running for 2010, The Political Animal
• Would Mayo Clinic have been built?, Let Freedom Ring
• Oberstar pulls in $240,000, Minnesota Independent
• How do politicians use Twitter? A case study of Rep. Laura Brod, Smart Politics
• Four DFLers, so far, won’t abide by party nomination process, Minnesota Independent
• Weisberg: Big news orgs have a stake in web-only papers not working, Romenesko

Business/Economy:

• Developer eyes Richfield site for accessible senior housing, Finance and Commerce
• Whipple Federal Building will get a major makeover, Finance and Commerce
• AG files fraud suit against Minnesota arbitration firm, Pioneer Press
• State lawsuit alleges credit arbitration forum mislead consumers, Star Tribune
• Andersen Windows to cut 250 positions, Star Tribune
• Window maker Andersen plans to eliminate 250 jobs, Pioneer Press
• Minnesota manufactured exports down 19%, MPR
• Group considers appeal over transmission lines, AP
• Wells Fargo quietly sells $600 million in troubled subprime loans, Atlanta Business Chronicle
• Toyota using Cargill bio-fiber in Prius floor mats, MinnPost
• Blaine’s youth soccer event hit hard by exchange rates, swine flu, Pioneer Press

Campaigns:

• Ramstad says he won’t run for governor, Star Tribune
• Who will abide by the DFL endorsement process for guv?, MinnPost
• Seifert talks jobs, change on campaign trail; vows to speak out when views differ from fellow GOP members, West Central Tribune

Congress-Senate:

• Klobuchar, Franken get their turn Wednesday in Sotomayor questioning, MinnPost

Education:

• Law schools help new alums stay afloat in a bleak market, Finance and Commerce
• Enrollment way down in Robbinsdale, Star Tribune
• Community colleges could get boost from federal money, MPR
• Student must repay $350,000, court says, Star Tribune
• St. Paul school board votes to spare Sheridan Elementary; Roosevelt, Longfellow still likely to close, Pioneer Press
• Black-white disparity: How states compare, AP

Environment:

• Boston Scientific building gets LEED Silver, Finance and Commerce
• MN gets $5M for efficient appliance rebates, MPR
• MPCA taking comments on permit for large feedlots, AP
• Robbinsdale Middle School to clean up ’50s landfill, Star Tribune

Government-Local:

• Winona County may challenge Pawlenty’s unallotment, Winona Daily News
• St. Cloud to give administrative citations instead of tickets, St. Cloud Times
• City, county wrestle over emergency-management operation, Rochester Post-Bulletin
• District judge rules for Renville County in tax dispute with co-op, West Central Tribune
• Winona County Board supports county addition despite $7.1 million pricetag, Winona Daily News

Health Care:

• Minnesota’s public hospitals say services in peril, AP
• Minnesota delegation wary of proposed health care reform, MPR
• Minnesota goes electronic on Wednesday with medical billing, Rochester Post-Bulletin
• Rice staff weighs up potential impact of state cuts, West Central Tribune
• ‘What health care reform is all about’, Star Tribune

Media:

• Pogemiller to meet with WCCO over guv’s radio show, MinnPost

Opinion-Commentary:

• Craig Westover: DFL spins tax talk away from the real issues — tradeoffs and reform, Pioneer Press
• Lori Sturdevant: ‘Broken Branch’ still needs fixing, Star Tribune
• Lori Wagner: District must rethink priorities, St. Cloud Times

Opinion-Editorial:

• Editorial: Carefully consider housing data, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Strong-arm union tactics not wanted, Bemidji Pioneer

Other States:

• California’s legislative leaders say budget agreement is near, Los Angeles Times

Pawlenty:

• Pawlenty, Gingrich speaking at U today on health care, Star Tribune

People:

• Landkamer starts new state post, Mankato Free Press
• Attorney Joseph Klein appointed Hennepin County judge, MinnPost
• Prosecutor seeks Washington County post, Star Tribune

Public Health/Safety:

• Appeals court: Bar’s ‘theater nights’ violated smoking ban, AP
• Anoka County Workforce Center in high demand, Star Tribune
• Gas stations requiring ZIP codes to prevent fraud, WCCO

St. Paul/Minneapolis:

• Ruling allowes more Minneapolis cabbies, Star Tribune
• Mpls considers ‘Street Light Fee’ as budget fix, KARE 11

Transportation:

• Hennepin County wants mileage-based fee study, Finance and Commerce

Z-File: Irresistible Stories Beyond the Purview of PIM

• Japan breeds a ramen robot, Mainichi Daily News
• Some City Folk Are Mad as Wet Hens When Chickens Come Home to Roost, Wall Street Journal