Politics in Minnesota: The Morning Report 7/13 - Daily Minnesota Political Stories

Top Stories: Mpls in race for hosting the Green Convention next Sept; MN
State will fund Iron Range cancer rate study; DFL primary for Sviggum’s seat now
set for July 24th; Northstar Rail Project sees Senate progress; New study
evaluates extent of 3M pollution
Business:

• Sun
  Country shines on loyalty, Star Tribune.  Sun Country is
  expanding its schedule and adding a frequent-flier plan to attract business
  travelers.
• Lack
  of state money could hold up Minnesota Steel plant, AP
• State
  squelches phone companies, Duluth News Tribune.
  The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has ordered three long-distance
  service companies that were active in northern Minnesota to stop doing
  business in the state.

Congress-House:

• Agriculture
  secretary expresses concerns about House farm bill, AP. 
  While Ag. Secretary Mike Johanns expresses reservations, Rep. Peterson
  supports the farm bill.
• House
  panel passes funding bills for Hormel Institute, Rochester
  Post-Bulletin
• Bachmann:
  No to withdrawal, St. Cloud Times

Congress-Senate:

• Coleman
  says long presence in Iraq ‘reality’, Pioneer Press
• Coleman
  won’t support troop pullback, MPR
• Members
  of Minnesota’s Delegation Take Firsthand Look at Middle East,
  Minnesota Monitor

Conventions:

• Minneapolis
  in the race for Green convention, Star Tribune.  Minneapolis
  Green activists announced Thursday that they’re wooing their party for
  Minneapolis in July 2008.

Crime/Police:

• Life
  on the Fourth’s front lines, Star Tribune.  In the Fourth
  Precinct in Minneapolis’ northwest, officers face off with the city’s
  highest crime neighborhoods.
• Fletcher
  says Naylon, other aide on leave, Star Tribune.  The job
  status of the two Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office aides under investigation
  has been changed to administrative leave.

Education:

• 3M
  donation boosts chemistry at MSU, Mankato Free Press

Elections-House:

• DFL
  primary set for July 24 in special election, AP.  The DFL
  endorsed candidate for the House District 28B special election will face a
  primary challenge from a candidate who is studying abroad.
• Pfeilsticker
  must face Moreland in primary, Red Wing Republican Eagle

Environment:

• Eden
  Prairie’s draining issue of pondweed and permission, Star Tribune
• A
  cooler, greener dry-cleaning machine, Star Tribune.  Cool
  Clean Technologies of Eagan makes equipment that cleans by using carbon
  dioxide instead of traditional chemicals.

Judicial:

• 3M
  pollution case: Confidentiality breach is costly for plaintiff’s
  lawyers, Star Tribune.  The inadvertent release of 3M
  documents to regulators and a reporter brings an $86,894 penalty against
  lawyers.
• Abortion
  protesters’ convictions overturned, Star Tribune.   The
  state Supreme Court said signs set up by two men did not endanger public
  safety as the city of Anoka alleged.
• Star
  Tribune union to vote on Ridder, MPR
• Activists:
  Destroy blood samples, Pioneer Press. The state wants to
  keep infants’ blood for study, but two judges say no.
• Olson
  recounts fracas with wife, Star Tribune.  Attorneys expect
  Olson’s case will go to the six-member jury after closing arguments today.

Opinion-Commentary:

• Reed
  Miller, Byron: Walz understands air traffic control system’s importance,
  Mankato Free Press
• Phil
  Krinkie: Legislature can’t control property tax, Bemidji Pioneer
• Nick
  Coleman: How about a slogan for fired workers? ‘This is just wrong’,
  Star Tribune
• Stephen
  Biddle: Either surge or withdraw; the greatest peril lies between,
  Star Tribune

Opinion-Editorial:

• Editorial:
  Continue to value school integration, Star Tribune
• Our
  View: Gov. Tim Pawlenty said Thursday the money is there, but his words have
  a familiar ring to them, AP
• Editorial
  — COOL should be followed, Agri News. 
  The Country of Origin Labeling provision that was
  passed five years ago and never enforced is getting renewed interest in
  Congress these days.
• Editorial:
  Top health officials’ credibility is crucial, Star Tribune

Gov. Pawlenty:

• Pawlenty
  vows to find answers to Iron Range cancer deaths, MPR
• Pawlenty
  resurrects Volunteer Health Care Provider Program, Bemidji
  Pioneer

Public Health/Safety:

• State
  to fund Iron Range cancer rate study, Star Tribune.  State
  officials finally agreed to spend $100,000 to start studying cancer rates
  among miners on the Iron Range.
• Study
  details extent of 3M pollution near river, Pioneer Press
• Duluth
  shelter enters the music business, MPR.  A Duluth battered
  women’s shelter is forced to be more creative with its fund-raising due to
  cuts in government funding. 
• Minnesota
  chooses a new leader in battle against infectious diseases, Star
  Tribune.  On Thursday, Lynfield, 46, was named the new Minnesota
  state epidemiologist, the top infectious disease expert at the state
  Department of Health.
• Homelessness
  and panhandling in Minneapolis, Uptown Neighborhood News. 
  Panhandling is an issue in the Uptown area of Minneapolis, especially as the
  weather heats up for the summer months.
• Human
  services face challenges across Minnesota, Session Daily
• VA
  hires 61 workers to take care of vets, St. Cloud Times
• Medical
  care for Somalis discussed, St. Cloud Times. 
  A forum held yesterday was aimed at narrowing the
  cultural gap between Somali immigrants and health care providers.
• Ordinance
  on underage drinking targets hosts, Star Tribune.   In an
  unusual move to counter its party zone image, Carver County plans to seek
  criminal penalties on property owners.
• Mayo
  Clinic is once again No. 2, Star Tribune

St. Paul:

• New
  trail extensions connect East Side, downtown St. Paul, Pioneer
  Press

Transportation:

• Rail
  funding gets a boost, Star Tribune.  The Northstar rail
  project, seeking nearly $160 million in federal funding, got a boost
  Thursday when a U.S. Senate committee approved $65 million for the commuter
  line next year.
• Snelling-University
  ‘tunnel’ proposal voted down, The Daily Planet
• MnDOT
  to install new bridge pavement, Bemidji Pioneer.  This
  summer, the Minnesota Department of Transportation is installing new
  technology in a number of areas around the state which is designed to help
  increase safety and mobility on bridges and roadways.

Trends:

• Teen
  births hit record low; more have safe sex, Star Tribune
• Study:
  Infant mortality rates too high for Wisconsin minorities, AP