Morning Report 8/31/2009

Best of the Blogs and Think Tank Thoughts:

• A tradition at the Fair that’s not on a stick, Politics in Minnesota
• Photos from St. Paul Sotomayor celebration, Politics in Minnesota
• RNC anniversary haunts DFL guv-candidate forum, Minnesota Independent
• Taxpayer victory on eminent domain, Hennepin County Taxpayer Watchdog
• Pawlenty smears stimulus while his top economic adviser tours Minnesota touting its success, Think Progress
• Zero net job growth over two years, SCSU Scholars
• DFL vs. GOP: Who is winning the booth wars?, Dusty Trice
• What are the odds of a GOP takeover of the Minnesota House in 2010?, Smart Politics
• I can hear music (Part 1), Hartbeat – KARE 11

Business/Economy:

• The list grows: 3 more Minnesota banks ordered to straighten out, Finance and Commerce
• Helping power grid work smarter, Star Tribune
• State fairs offer many people badly needed jobs, AP
• Minnesota Department of Commerce shuts down Mainstreet Bank, Pioneer Press
• A bank goes belly-up, News Cut – MPR
• FDIC says St. Stephen State Bank must improve operations, St. Cloud Times
• Wayzata center gets underway, Star Tribune
• ATK expands deal with European defense contractor, MSP Business Journal

Campaigns:

• State fairgoers ignore politically oriented exhibits, St. Paul Legal Ledger Capitol Report
• DFL candidates seek the competitive edge for 2010 gov race, St. Paul Legal Ledger Capitol Report

Congress-House:

• McCollum to host health care reform discussion, St. Paul Legal Ledger Capitol Report
• Bachmannacare in Lake Elmo: U.S. rep meets the people, MinnPost

Congress-Senate:

• Al Franken’s no-recess August, Politico

Crime/Police:

• Gang Strike Force supervisor resigns Minneapolis job, Star Tribune

Education:

• State to probe if public is paying for mosques, Star Tribune
• Charter school threatens to sue MN Dept. of Ed, AP
• 4 new Twin Cities schools will end an era, Star Tribune
• A ‘falling short’ label doesn’t tell whole story of some schools, Star Tribune
• U project looks to future, Star Tribune
• Minn. students grow food for school lunch, AP
• Woodbury’s new East Ridge High School is on the cutting edge – and is designed to stay that way, Pioneer Press

Environment:

• Will one size fit all for landfills?, Pioneer Press
• Groups sue regulators over giant wind farm in Minnesota, AP
• Mechanic’s electric truck gets State Fair debut, MPR

Federal Stimulus:

• City will use $10M in stimulus to repair Camden Bridge, MPR

Health Care:

• Man says insurance agent encouraged lobbying against ‘public option’, MPR
• Regions Hospital named among most ‘connected’, MinnPost

Judicial:

• Supporters of collaborative law want Minnesota to standardize the practice, St. Paul Legal Ledger Capitol Report

Legislature:

• Sen. Marty’s lonely quest for a Minnesota Health Plan, MinnPost

Media:

• New board of directors proposed for Star Tribune, Star Tribune
• Words of uncertainty and despair from old media, MinnPost

Opinion-Commentary:

• Lori Sturdevant: Minnesota can’t thrive by throwing up its hands, Star Tribune
• Jill Burcum: ‘Death panel’ fears: Mayo Clinic refutes them, Star Tribune
• Nick Coleman: Pawlenty goes equatorial on the polar cap, Star Tribune
• Michelle Singletary: Ignoring your census form is a pretty costly decision, Washington Post. Bachmann has ‘preposterous political agenda.’
• Albert R. Hunt: An aspirant of potential for the right, New York Times. Hunt makes case for Pawlenty.

Opinion-Editorial:

• Editorial: Filling the gap in MnDOT funding, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Temp school chief is a plus for St. Paul, Star Tribune
• Editorial: ELCA’s decision took courage, St. Cloud Times
• Editorial: The end of small-town Minnesota?, Mankato Free Press
• Editorial: Mayo advances health reform debate, Rochester Post-Bulletin

Other States:

• Iowa gay marriage drawing out-of-state couples, AP. 36 couples from MN.
• Arts an easy target as many states cut budgets, AP. MN new sales tax skews the average.

Pawlenty:

• Pawlenty sets out criteria for making his big decision, Star Tribune
• Pawlenty downplays report on presidential run, MPR
• Pawlenty’s State Fair visit is part work, part play, Pioneer Press
• Pawlenty to campaign for NJ gubernatorial candidate, AP
• Pawlenty, Klobuchar to speak at deployment ceremony, AP

People:

• Pawlenty names new chief of staff, St. Paul Legal Ledger Capitol Report

Public Health/Safety:

• One year later, RNC protester cases still pending, MPR
• Rochester flight fiasco aids cause of air passengers, Star Tribune
• More wait for child care help in Stearns County, St. Cloud Times
• Xcel faces OSHA charges in ’07 fatal fire, Star Tribune
• Back to the future: New wave of refugees lacks family connections for support, MinnPost
• Xcel named in indictment over Colorado fire deaths, AP
• Bank locks Farmington couple out of house, KSTP

St. Paul/Minneapolis:

• Fixes to historic building may stand, Pioneer Press

Stadiums:

• Plaisted plays big role laying the groundwork at Target Field, Finance and Commerce
• Pawlenty warns against a turf war over ballpark sod, Star Tribune
• Vikings want a Metrodome makeover, KSTP

Technology:

• As Internet turns 40, barriers threaten the openness that spawned e-mail, YouTube and Twitter, AP

Transportation:

• Just how long is rush hour, anyway?, Star Tribune
• Dodge County Farmers Union opposes bypass, Rochester Post-Bulletin

Wisconsin:

• Wisc. cigarette tax to become fifth highest in nation, AP

Z-File: Irresistible Stories Beyond the Purview of PIM

• Chocolate-bacon Conan O’Brien might be a bust for local firm, Pioneer Press
• Kennedy’s dogs will be missed on Hill, Politico