The Morning Report - 3/19/08 - Daily Minnesota Political Stories

Top Story: Divided NTSB will not hold a public hearing on 35W bridge collapse; Oberstar critical of decision and will ask for reconsideration; Board’s dissenting opinion in the blogs.

Agriculture:

• Not from Sweden any more: A new generation of immigrant farmers in Minnesota, TC Daily Planet

Best of the Blogs and Think Tank Thoughts:

• Righting the wrong integrity record, Politics in Minnesota
• CD 6 update, MN Publius
• Pawlenty on Veepstakes, Mary’s Page - TPT
• Bush’s Transportation privateers will throw funding at toll lanes for 35W, MN Monitor
• The spending frenzy in St. Paul, True North
• NTSB dissent reveals multiple possible causes of 35W bridge collapse, The Uptake
  
• A nasty little (potential) loophole in CD3, MN Campaign Report
  

Business/Economy:

• St. Paul contract reforms would ensure more minorities, women win bids for city projects, Pioneer Press
• Judge grants class-action in UnitedHealth backdating lawsuit, AP
• Delta to offer voluntary severance payouts to 30,000 employees; further cut U.S. capacity, AP
• Northwest pilots try to keep Delta merger deal alive, Star Tribune
• Bill eliminates tax breaks for businesses, MPR
• Dollar’s fall gives a boost to state’s exporters, Star Tribune
• Insurance claims bill advances, AP
• Housing slump won’t mean tax break in Dakota County, Star Tribune
• Cash crop: Nostalgia helps sell farm themes, Star Tribune
• Minnesotans strike a ‘reverse’ gold rush, KSTP
• Goodhue County home foreclosures jump 50%, Red Wing Republican Eagle
  

Campaigns:

• Eyes are on Minnesota Senate race, Politico
• Franken tells Letterman: ‘It’s helpful to be funny,’ Star Tribune

Education:

• Education secretary announces changes to No Child Left Behind, MPR
• Govt. to give states leeway on school penalties, AP. Education Secretary makes announcement in St. Paul with Coleman.
• Survey says 90 percent of parents want sex ed in schools, MPR
• Thirteen Hennepin County libraries to get extended hours, Star Tribune
• Cuts would hit teachers hardest, Red Wing Republican Eagle
  
• As Osseo schools are closing, other parents feel their pain, Star Tribune
• MnSCU’s board holds off on setting tuition, Star Tribune
• ‘Plan B’ for Duluth schools advances, Duluth News Tribune
• U.S. eases ‘No Child’ sanctions, Washington Post

Environment:

• Big decisions ahead on ATV trails in Superior National Forest, MPR
• MN school bus program helps clear the air, WCCO
  

Health Care:

• Hospitals reuse medical devices to lower costs, Wall Street Journal. Medtronic study found that while new devices showed little or no manufacturing debris, a majority of reprocessed devices had corroded parts and traces of human hair and protein, bringing into question the effectiveness of the reprocessing efforts.

I-35W Bridge Collapse:

• NTSB rejects bridge hearing, Pioneer Press
• NTSB divided over public hearing on I-35W bridge collapse, MPR
• Oberstar criticizes NTSB for nixing public hearing on collapse, AP
• NTSB won’t hold open hearing on I-35W bridge collapse, Star Tribune
  

Judicial:

• Suspended lawyer alleges ethical lapses in Swanson’s office, MPR
• The issue that won’t go away, MPR - News Cut
• More lawyers describe pressure by Swanson to commit what they viewed as unethical conduct, MinnPost
  

Legislature:

• The ‘override six’: Chastised by GOP leaders, they’re feeling confident about re-election, MinnPost
• High-Speed Broadband Task Force established, Session Daily
• Area projects await legislative fate, Mankato Free Press
  

Military:

• St. Paul brigade to be deployed to Iraq, Pioneer Press
• Some young vets struggle to find work, MPR
• Veterans home board oversight, Session Daily
• Protests on 5th anniversary of Iraq War, AP. Students of the U of M vow to shut down military recruiting offices on campus.

Opinion-Commentary:

• Craig Westover: The devil’s not in the details, but sitting in plain sight, Pioneer Press
• Melissa Syvrud: Mental health bill is important , St. Cloud Times
  

Opinion-Editorial:

• Editorial: Lower tuition would be nice, but don’t sacrifice quality, Rochester Post-Bulletin
• Editorial: Rural roads benefit from transportation, Bemidji Pioneer
  

Public Health/Safety:

• There will be blood: New law allows 16-year-olds to donate, MPR
• Inadequate policies and training cited in death of taconite miner, AP
• Product Safety Commissioner speaks at MOA, AP
  

St. Paul/Minneapolis:

• Got some court business? Better check hours first, Star Tribune

Transportation:

• Metro Transit bus, train fares likely to increase, Pioneer Press
• Will the Gov’s transit plans scuttle fed dollars?, MinnPost