The Morning Report 7/15/08 - Daily Minnesota Political Stories

Top Story: Election filing closes today: Jesse Ventura out of U.S. Senate race, Priscilla Lord Faris in DFL primary; Reports say Dean Barkley in.

Agriculture:

• Hmong farmers suffer crop losses in storms, MPR
• New regulations for MN feedlots, MPR
• Small grains benefit from warmer weather, AP

Best of the Blogs and Think Tank Thoughts:

• The Ron Paul Revolution reaches Minnesota’s House races, Politics in Minnesota
• DFL: The obstacles to winning, mnpACT!
• Madia raises $692K in Q2, MN Publius
• Oh no, it’s coming! Believe us, it’s coming!, SCSU Scholars
• Range lawmakers decry KSTP story, Minnesota Brown
• You don’t have Jesse to kick around anymore, Ladies Logic
• Franken leads Coleman by 2 points!, MN Publius
• Jesse not running, Mary’s Page - TPT
• I ain’ts guna run 4 Sen8, my thinx, Residual Forces
• The state of things in Senate district 16, Liberal in the Land of Conservative
• Is it really a choice?, SCSU Scholars
• WSJ: Tim Wa….Tim What’s-his-name in fly-over country, Bluestem Prairie
• Bachmann calls to defund Planned Parenthood, Minnesota Independent
• Cummins endorsed as Oberstar’s GOP opponent, Minnesota Brown
• Latest boyhood crush-turned-policy: Rybak’s drinking fountain of youth, Minnesota Independent

Business/Economy:

• Layman fires back over Ironworld, Mesabi Daily News
• Editor’s Note: Why we’re publishing workers’ salaries, Pioneer Press
• Pawlenty commission considering controversial changes to Minnesota’s sales tax system, Finance and Commerce
• Governor’s reform commission to discuss ‘outdated tax code,’ MPR
• Capella CEO retiring; COO leaves, MSP Business Journal
• Alliant Techsystems machine could lighten plane loads, MinnPost
• Midwest Airlines to cut workforce by 40 percent, AP

Campaigns-Senate:

• Ventura out, Barkley in, KSTP
• Ventura out, but ally Dean Barkley set to run for U.S. Senate, MinnPost
• Did Jesse Ventura shock the world? Not this time, Star Tribune
• Ventura says he’s not running, MPR
• Ad wars: Norm Coleman and the power of the puck, The Fix - Washington Post
• Miles Lord’s daughter to challenge Franken in DFL primary, AP
• Franken’s challenge, News Cut - MPR
• Coleman files for re-election, Pioneer Press

Campaigns:

• Money race is close in 3rd District, AP

Crime/Police:

• Minneapolis cop indicted on corruption charges, AP
• Minneapolis officer charged in corruption sting, Star Tribune
• The thin blue line, News Cut - MPR
• Gas prices bite law enforcement budget, but patrols must go on, Rochester Post-Bulletin

Environment:

• Green publishing: turning over a new leaf, MinnPost
• Judge OKs DNR plan to protect lynx from trapping, Duluth News Tribune
• Lack of green is threatening future of the Green Institute, Star Tribune

Events:

• Minnesota businesses step up as sponsors of nonpartisan CivicFest, MinnPost

Labor:

• Leadership urges transit workers to reject contract offer, Workday MN

Legislature:

• Special elections for MN Senate seats on Nov. 4, AP

Opinion-Commentary:

• Dr. Jennifer Holmes: State’s nonsmoking progress helps all, St. Cloud Times
• Carl Leubsdorf: Pawlenty would be risky VP pick, Dallas Morning News

Pawlenty:

• The 99-page solution, The Big Question - Star Tribune
• Conference thrusts Pawlenty into national spotlight, AP

Public Health/Safety:

• Bikes vs. cars: Here’s what the police say, Roadguy - Star Tribune
• MN arts organizations receive outside help, MPR
• United Way needs increasing as business profitability declines, Finance and Commerce
• Plymouth ranked best small city to live in U.S., AP
• Restricting protest, de-regulating police behavior, TC Daily Planet
• Iraqi refugees have new word for home - it’s Minnesota, Star Tribune
• Federal funds to make runway safety upgrades to MSP, Minnesota News Network

Republican National Convention:

• RNC organizers have 10,000 volunteers, Pioneer Press
• GOP convention Host Committee reaches goals for volunteers, fundraising, MinnPost
• Comedians plan political shows during RNC, AP
• When they can’t get a Dylan, Republicans pick up Styx, Pioneer Press
• Want to make some money during the RNC?, KSTP

St. Paul/Minneapolis:

• Is North Minneapolis getting gentrified?, Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
• Friday starts Minneapolis’ official celebration of 150 years, Star Tribune
• Book details the history of Minneapolis’ system of parks, Star Tribune

Stadiums:

• SCSU’s blueprint to a new arena, St. Cloud Times

Transportation:

• Speak up: Central Corridor comments, TC Daily Planet

Z-File: Irresistible Stories Beyond the Purview of PIM

• This gecko discovery just might stick, Marketplace
• ‘U’ has bright hopes in solar car race, AP
• Who moved my cheese?, Chicago Tribune. Life and warfare around the office refrigerator.