The Morning Report 2/15/08 - Daily Minnesota Political Stories

Top Stories: LRT: Alternatives to U tunnel on the table, Legislative committee passes tough auto emission standards, Minneapolitans likely to pay soon for street repairs, Wind helps power downtown Duluth government center,Bill would give lawmakers power to call special session, Secret criminal cases may at last see light of day.
Agriculture:

• Wheat markets should watch Minneapolis, Inside Futures

Best of the Blogs and Think Tank Thoughts:

• MN transportation: There’s polls and there’s reality, mnpACT!
• Gov. Pawlenty’s State of the State focuses on taxes, True North
• Is Franken really the “front runner” for the DFL US Senate endorsement?, Inside Minnesota Politics
• MN US Senate: Coleman & Franken tied in new poll, Smart Politics
• State budgets and the kitchen table fable, Growth & Justice
• Durenberger on chances of VP Pawlenty, The Political Animal - Pioneer Press
• Outdoors and Arts score, Mary’s Page - TPT
• Norm Coleman in for a tough race: Statistically tied with Franken in race for Senate, MN Publius
• Independence Party tries to stay strong in a partisan age, MN Monitor
• Barack Obama and the Iron Range, MN Blue
• “Governor’s veto pen is a job-killer,” The Uptake
  

Business/Economy:

• Caribou quarterly loss widens, Dow Jones News Service
• Polaris recalls nearly 100,000 ATVs due to fire concerns, AP
• State tax policies are the real culprits in property tax hikes, MinnPost
• Homeowners in distress, Chicago Tribune. Jesse Jackson says, “A bridge collapses in Minnesota, a levee collapses in New Orleans; [the federal $168 billion stimulus package] doesn’t address any of the infrastructure ills at all.”
• Auction-bond failures roil munis, pushing rates up, Bloomberg. Municipal bond auctions in trouble.

Campaigns:

• Indiana Muslim running for Congress wants to combat ignorance about his faith, AP. Ellison advises candidate to emphasize broad concerns such as the economy, the war in Iraq and global warning…”These things don’t have any particular religion or color or race,” Ellison said.
• Clinton camp may regret largely turning its back on caucus states, Washington Post

Congress-House:

• Oberstar, Obey among top 20 in securing earmarks for states, Duluth News Tribune

Congress-Senate:

• Senate amendment could save Beltrami as much as $2 million, Bemidji Pioneer

Crime/Police:

• Secret criminal cases may at last see light of day, Star Tribune
• MN tribe revokes daycare license after sex assault at casino, AP
• New jail in Crookston to be dedicated, AP
  

Education:

• What’s next for Minnesota’s education policy?, MPR - Midday [includes audio]

Environment:

• Outdoors tax or not? You decide on Nov. 4, Star Tribune
• Wind helps power downtown Duluth government center, West Central Tribune
  
• Key lawmakers in Ohio, Wisconsin seek changes in Great Lakes pact, AP. Minnesota and Illinois only two of eight states to ratify pact; proposed changes would undo complex deal.
• Anticipation mounts for Monson Lake State Park plan, West Central Tribune

I-35W Bridge Collapse:

• Fund for bridge victims clears first legislative hurdle, AP

Labor:

• Duluth mayor may reconsider community service plan derailed by labor talks, Duluth News Tribune
• Union leaders call on governor to take leadership in addressing state’s problems, Workday MN

Legislature:

• Legislative committee passes tough auto emission standards, MPR
• Bill would give lawmakers power to call special session, MPR
  
• Outdoors, arts amendment heads to ballot, AP
  

Opinion-Commentary:

• Dennis Lien: For almost a decade, Pioneer Press. State’s commitment to the outdoor habitat and environment.
• Kent Kaiser: When bashing caucuses, also look at primaries’ downside, Star Tribune
• Chris Niskanen: Tired of seeing our outdoors die? I am, Pioneer Press
• Michael Gerson: Hillary’s unappealing path, Washington Post. No valentine to MN: State not “where they represent the broad electorate in this country.”

Opinion-Editorial:

• Editorial: What can state do to help ailing economy?, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Recognizing state’s key resource base, Bemidji Pioneer
  

Public Health/Safety:

• Handgun is found in locker at Brooklyn Junior High, Star Tribune

St. Paul/Minneapolis:

• Minneapolitans likely to pay soon for street repairs, Star Tribune

Transportation:

• LRT: Alternatives to U tunnel on the table, MPR
• Molnau out of the hot seat?, KSTP
  
• Poorly rated Hastings Bridge takes another wallop, Star Tribune
• Lindstrom, Minn., business owners upset by MnDOT plan to split U.S. 8, Pioneer Press
  
• Decision time draws near for Arden Hills project, Star Tribune
• ‘Severe’ pothole outbreak possible, KSTP
  

Z-File: Irresistible stories beyond the purview of PIM

• The Wall Street Journal crossword. Number 75 across: “Minnesota’s state fish”
• Wintertime, and fishing is easy, New York Times. Some icehouses are “McMansions on ice;” features a photo of a 10-by-28-foot icehouse on “Mille Lacs Lake” that has a full kitchen, an indoor toilet, a sound system and two TVs. [Shame on the New York Times for missing the boat (must be the ice). It's Lake Mille Lacs, not Mille Lacs Lake. And it's swimming with Number 75 Across. -- PIM Staff]
• The man behind Obama’s message, Los Angeles Times. David Axelrod, Obama’s chief strategist, is described as the most powerful political consultant not on a coast.
• Japanese show what it takes to dazzle the culinary judges, Washington Post. Chefs debone turtles, skin blowfish and slice livers of anglerfish… “They do not believe that success is measured by cash, they measure it by giving happiness to eaters.”