Morning Report 3/7/2012

• Plumbers & steamfitters unanimously endorse DFL front runner Rick Nolan, MN Progressive Project
• ‘Hits-for-cash’ bounty scandal rocks Minnesota legislature, The Same Rowdy Crowd
• The Fourth, Shot in the Dark
• Keith the liar, The Cucking Stool
  
• Rothschild book offers business sense for all social justice enterprises, Growth & Justice
  
• Sold down the (St. Croix) river, Ripple in Stillwater
• Cost concerns raised over tax credit, Capitol View
• Only in the best families, Mr. Dilettante’s Neighborhood
• Voter fraud – found one!, mnPACT!
  
• Open letter to the legislative GOP caucuses, Shot in the Dark
  

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BUSINESS / ECONOMY

• Economist sees Rochester as hot spot for job growth, Rochester Post-Bulletin 3/7/12 7:52 a.m.
• Minn. retailers mine their customers’ every move for data, MPR
• Tillable land values rise 23 percent, New Ulm Journal
  

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CAMPAIGNS

• Iron Range native announces candidacy for District 11A race, Duluth News Tribune 3/6/12 11:22 a.m.
  

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CONGRESS – HOUSE

• MN lawmakers back bill to fight Asian carp, MPR
  

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CONGRESS – SENATE

• U.S. Senator Al Franken on the stalled peace process, TC Jewfolk
  

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EDUCATION

• 4-day plan unlikely for District 88, New Ulm Journal
• Minnesota teachers charged with felonies could be suspended without pay in bill that passed state House panel, Pioneer Press 3/6/12 9:32 p.m.
• U of M president will review compensation policy for top administrators, MPR
• School environment improved before lawsuits settled, say students, teachers, MPR
  

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ELECTIONS

• Voter ID backers say 2010 impersonation case is evidence of fraud, MPR
  

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ENVIRONMENT

• Opponents look to stop Renville OHV park plan in its tracks, West Central Tribune 3/7/12 12:00 a.m.
  

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GOVERNMENT – LOCAL

• Happy Birthday, Hennepin County; you look great for 160!, MinnPost 3/6/12 9:10 a.m.
• Stillwater council just not ready for a new summer festival, Pioneer Press 3/7/12 12:35 a.m.
  

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HEALTH CARE

• Jesson attacks GOP ‘Welfare Reform 2.0’ plan, MinnPost 3/6/12 9:46 a.m.
  

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LEGISLATURE

• Legislators aim to unmask severance packages, AP 3/6/12 3:15 p.m.
• MN Legislators introduce controversial birth control bill, WCCO 3/6/12 5:52 p.m.
• Contraceptives debate appears at the Capitol, Pioneer Press 3/7/12 12:32 a.m.
  
• Rep. Cornish: Police swayed Dayton’s veto of gun bill, MPR
  
• Legislators OK unpaid suspensions for teachers, AP 3/6/12 5:04 p.m.
• DFL Sen. Sheran offering shutdown prevention bill, MPR
• Minnesota lawmakers look to blunt pain of future shutdowns, AP 3/6/12 9:11 p.m.
  
• DNR says it should keep school land duties, Alexandria Echo Press 3/6/12 2:52 p.m.
• Disagreement threatens to derail plan to swap school trust lands, MPR
  
• Bill would change Minnesota’s ‘move over for emergency vehicles’ law, MinnPost 3/6/12 9:16 a.m.
  
• What MN legislators have proposed for open-source textbooks, MPR
  
• Minnesota governor to announce Wednesday date of special election to fill Kubly seat, West Central Tribune 3/6/12 2:49 p.m.
• Some lawmakers want rules loosened on donated game meat, MPR
  

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OPINION – COMMENTARY

• Rep. Jeanne Poppe: Revenue forecast offers a mixed bag, Rochester Post-Bulletin 3/6/12 7:08 a.m.
• Steve Murphy: Government by amendment is lazy, risky, Red Wing Republican Eagle
• Paul Ostrow: Vikings stadium proposal is bad public policy and profoundly unfair, MinnPost 3/7/12 5:00 a.m.
  

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OPINION – EDITORIAL

• Editorial: Expand college access for high-schoolers, Pioneer Press 3/6/12 5:28 p.m.
  

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PEOPLE

• Dayton orders flags at half-staff Wednesday for ‘Gary Kubly Day’, West Central Tribune 3/6/12 5:11 p.m.

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PUBLIC HEALTH / SAFETY

• Survey: Many Minnesotans still without insurance, MPR
• Anoka-Hennepin settlement: Healing has only just begun, MinnPost 3/6/12 9:15 a.m.
• Prairie Island nuclear plant terminates ‘unusual event’ notice, Red Wing Republican Eagle 3/6/12 1:41 p.m.
• ACLU sues Minnewaska schools in Facebook incidents, MPR
• Time remains to prepare for state’s aging population, says demographer Tom Gillaspy, MPR
  

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SAINT PAUL / MINNEAPOLIS

• Minneapolis, county get planning grants, Finance and Commerce 3/6/12 3:56 p.m.
• Leo A Daly will design Capitol firefighter memorial, Finance and Commerce 3/6/12 4:53 p.m.
• Art Deco landmark spared from redevelopment in St. Paul, Finance and Commerce 3/7/12 7:20 a.m.
  
• A new park in St. Paul’s future will fill a need in Frogtown, MinnPost 3/6/12 3:14 p.m.
  

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STADIUMS

• Backup Vikings stadium-funding plan weighed, AP 3/7/12 2:24 a.m.
  

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TRANSPORTATION
St. Croix bridge cost estimate lowered by $14M, MPR