The Morning Report 1/16/08 - Daily Minnesota Political Stories

Top Stories: Bridge victims can’t sue ’60s designer, so focus shifts to others, Thin plates, added weight draw focus, NWA-Delta merger talks confirmed, I-35W bridge not the only one getting a second look, Governor’s wish list gets mixed response, Unemployment figures show Minn. in recession, MnSCU chancellor’s proposal holds tuition increases at 10-year low.

Best of the Blogs and Think Tank Thoughts:

• Disaster by design?, Star Tribune - The Big Question
• NTSB’s findings on bridge collapse have political consequences, MinnPost
  
• NTSB says: A not-so-intelligent design, Star Tribune - Roadguy
• 35W Bridge - design flaw to blame, let’s get Rolvaag!, True North
• Is Minnesota in a recession?, SCSU Scholars
• To revitalize downtown Minneapolis, I’d rather gamble on gambling than shop for more shopping, MinnPost
  
• Campaign Notebook: Set your CD3 to ’spin’, MN Campaign Report
• Minnesota transportation: flaws and fixes, MNPact
• Meal ticket: stolen!, Shot in the Dark
  
• Walz to return pay raise to the U.S. Treasury, MN Monitor
• The Strib has Kersten, the NYT has Kristol, True North
• Planning ahead: Minneapolis leading by example, MinnPost
• GOP’s Ozment to retire from Minnesota House, TC Daily Planet
  

Business/Economy:

• State economist: Unemployment figures show Minn. in recession, AP
• NWA-Delta merger talks confirmed, Star Tribune
• Local ownership urged for energy projects, Star Tribune
• Xcel to build wind farm near Austin, MSP Business Journal
  
• Plans reprise hotels on Lake Minnetonka, Star Tribune
• How might antitrust regulators view a NWA merger?, MPR
• NWA already slim, trim and ready for a merger, Pioneer Press
  
• Cargill to sell MN grain elevator, Reuters
  
  
• Delta in talks with NWA, United, MSP Business Journal
  
• State jobless numbers worst since 2001, Star Tribune
• Wells Fargo 4th-quarter earnings slide 38 percent on increased provision for bad loans, AP
  

Campaigns:

• Lone Republican now in race is top 3rd District fundraiser, Star Tribune
• Craig entitled to his privacy, ACLU argues, AP [Wide privacy... --PIM Staff]
• Minneapolis police officer sues Chief Tim Dolan, Star Tribune
  

Education:

• 17 school districts miss contract deadline, MPR
• Red Wing teachers ratify new contract, Red Wing Republican Eagle
• MnSCU chancellor’s proposal holds tuition increases at 10-year low, St. Cloud Times
  

I-35W Bridge Collapse:

• Thin plates, added weight draw focus, Star Tribune
• I-35W bridge’s problems date to its design, Pioneer Press
• NTSB says design mistake led to bridge collapse, MPR
• Bridge victims can’t sue ’60s designer, so focus shifts to others, AP
• Pawlenty: Reserve judgment on collapse cause, WCCO
• Did engineers seal fate of I-35W bridge?, Pioneer Press
• Transport funding battle still looms in wake of NTSB findings, MPR
  

Labor:

• Organizers: beef-processing plant is using recent immigration raids to bust union, City Pages
  

Legislature:

• Lawmakers collect thousands for expenses, Bemidji Pioneer

Media:

• Murdoch to bury the leder? Rethinks Journal strategy, New York Observer

Opinion-Commentary:

• Sarah Janecek: Hillary’s way is not the feminist way, MinnPost. [Compare: Lori Sturdevant: A political moment for which women have waited, Star Tribune. --PIM Staff]
• Katherine Kersten: News from the crime beat that you’ll be happy to read about, Star Tribune
• Joe Soucheray: Let’s cut our losses, surrender both concourse and tunnel, Pioneer Press. Central corridor light rail.

• Peter Bell: New transit line can’t be all things to all people, Star Tribune

Opinion-Editorial:

• Editorial: NTSB bridge findings beg more questions, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Dealing with the facts as they may be, Pioneer Press
  

Pawlenty:

• Governor’s wish list gets mixed response, Star Tribune

Press Releases:

• Governor’s bonding proposal a good start, Taxpayer’s League

Public Health/Safety:

• Farmers fight off pipeline, Washington Post. Concern about MN pipeline accident that killed two.
  
• Minn. warns 56 businesses on smoking ban, AP

Republican National Convention:

• Average GOP convention-goer to spend $1,600 in Minnesota, AP

St. Paul/Minneapolis:

• Mayor Rybak criticizes Pawlenty’s slow response, MPR
• Minneapolis - One wired city, MNSpeak
  

Transportation:

• Sen. Steve Murphy: Molnau should resign to avoid removal, Star Tribune
• I-35W bridge not the only one getting a second look, MPR
• 36 locally controlled bridges to be reviewed, too, Star Tribune
• Hastings Bridge: new doubts, new fears, Pioneer Press
  
• Fixing bridges not Minnesota’s only transportation problem, MPR
• In fight over LRT funds, sides give a little, Pioneer Press
  
  

Z-File: Irresistible stories beyond the purview of PIM

• Baltimore Sun’s ‘Wire’ portrayal fuels a hot debate, Washington Post
• Secrets of the City: What The Wire reveals about urban journalism, Columbia Journalism Review. [Yeah, we're big fans of The Wire down at the PIM office. Gotta keep the Devil down in the hole...--PIM Staff]
• New Colorado legislator kicks news photographer,AP