The Morning Report 1/14/08 - Daily Minnesota Political Stories

Top Stories: Is downtown Minneapolis going downhill?, Property tax relief odds fall, Funnyman Franken faces serious challenges in Senate bid, Manufacturers now foot part of the bill for e-waste disposal in Minnesota, Rochester meat company recalls ground beef over E. coli concerns, Politicians urge removing redistricting politics.





Best of the Blogs and Think Tank Thoughts:

• Mark on the mark, Politics in Minnesota
• Norm on MPR, MN Blue
• Who can pick Pawlenty’s plan?, MN Campaign Report
• The Almanac Debate, MN Publius
• Defense Department blog coordinator hired for RNC, MN 2020
• Strib gets an F- for being clueless, True North
  

• Farheen Hakeem will run as a Green, MN Blue
• Ciresi ad buy: more media stunt than serious ad buy, MN Democrats Exposed
• Minnesota’s $157,000 stairway to boondoggle, MNPact
• Exclusive: Campaign Finance Board dismisses yet another Emmer complaint, MN Publius
• Downtown Minneapolis is a retail underachiever: Can these ideas bring shoppers back?, MinnPost
  

Business/Economy:

• Is downtown Minneapolis going downhill?, Star Tribune
  
• Betting on what’s ahead for an area, Star Tribune. Small business expansion in Minneapolis’ North Loop.
• A falling-out between partners, Star Tribune. Developments near U of M headed to court.
• ‘Positive’ mining news coming soon for Range, Mesabi Daily News
• Aviation services firm takes wing in St. Paul, Star Tribune
• Property tax relief odds fall, Red Wing Republican Eagle
• Alliant gets $50M NASA solar-array contract, MSP Business Journal
• States get with uniform lender licensing efforts, United Features Syndicate
• The foreclosure crisis continues to roll on in North Minneapolis, buzz.mn
• Opus gets St. Paul jail site, MSP Business Journal
• U of M Extension to study Lake City retail trade, Rochester Post Bulletin

Campaigns:

• Funnyman Franken faces serious challenges in Senate bid, ABC News
• With shows like these, forget reruns, New York Times. Election the ’show.’
  
• Meet the Candidates: Sen. Norm Coleman, MPR
• Pawlenty back from a weekend of stumping for McCain, MPR
  

Congress-House:

• Kline targets ‘pork’ in Congress, Red Wing Republican Eagle

Education:

• The early bird gets the bad grade, New York Times. Highlights MN schools and U of M.

Elections:

• Earlier caucuses give state a say in nomination, West Central Tribune

Environment:

• Manufacturers now foot part of the bill for e-waste disposal in Minnesota, Duluth News Tribune
• 3M proposes cleanup plan for PFC contamination, MPR

Health Care:

• U of M creates first beating heart organ, MPR

I-35W Bridge Collapse:

• MnDOT defends $157,000 staircase at I-35W bridge collapse site, AP

Judicial:

• Paulose to make $149,000 in new Justice Department job, AP

Labor:

• Judge asked to review Swift raid arrests, MPR

Legislature:

• State bonding goes green, Duluth News Tribune
• Politicians urge removing redistricting politics, Red Wing Republican Eagle

Media:

• Can newspapers survive in a digital world?, Battle Creek Enquirer

Opinion-Commentary:

• Nick Coleman: Giving the heave-ho to Carol Molnau is not a game, Star Tribune
• Dale Powers: Rail line won’t solve all problems, St. Cloud Times
  
• Lori Sturdevant: A political moment for which women have waited, Star Tribune
• Andy Brehm: Republicans must return to their Reagan roots, Star Tribune
  
• Joe Soucheray: Trader Joe for president, Pioneer Press

Opinion-Editorial:

• Editorial: Swanson’s right to join EPA lawsuit, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Better maps, better politics, Pioneer Press
• Editorial: Area needs stronger words of support for mining projects from Sen. Klobuchar, Mesabi Daily News
  
• Editorial: Pawlenty needs to show leadership, Mankato Free Press
  
• Editorial: Wal-Mart’s impact is mixed bag in Midwest, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Is health data plan akin to ‘credit score’?, Star Tribune

Pawlenty:

• Pawlenty releases bonding proposal today, MPR
• Pawlenty rides the Straight Talk Express, MPR
• Divides remain between lawmakers, governor, West Central Tribune

Public Health/Safety:

• Rochester meat company recalls ground beef over E. coli concerns, AP
• Unions, contractors combine efforts to help flood survivors, Workday MN

Stadiums:

• Possible conflict of interest in Twins stadium negotiations, KSTP

Z-File: Irresistible stories beyond the purview of PIM

• Battle heats up over ‘Ice Box of the Nation’ tag, Chicago Tribune
• Extreme travel trivia, Washington Post. Washington Post puts MN-WI border location in “extreme travel?”  Puhleeze.
• Puppy bowl a boon for local shelters, MD Daily Record