The Morning Report 7/16/08 - Daily Minnesota Political Stories

Top Story: Barkley and Lord Faris file for U.S. Senate candidacy; dozens of other races fill up.

Agriculture:

• Hog farmers succumbing to high corn prices, MPR

Best of the Blogs and Think Tank Thoughts:

• The Great Saint Paul Land Grab, Shot in the Dark
• Norm Coleman: faux champion of oversight, MN Blue
• GOP leaning pollster; Franken up by 2, Centrisity
• End of Day’s run, True North
  
• Some more filing news, MN Publius
  
• ‘Safe’ seat or no, Ellison works at community outreach, Minnesota Independent
• MN Senate: Ventura out, Barkley in, Coleman & Franken split in two new polls, Smart Politics
• Bachmann - $2M lady, Residual Forces
  
• Coleman’s out-of-touch record: transportation, MN Campaign Report
• Shoddy journalism, True North
  
• Pawlenty’s ethanol ’success story’ a fairy tale, Minnesota Independent
• The safety in beauty, Across The Great Divide
• Plan to ban industry gifts to docs stalls in Massachusetts, Health Blog - WSJ. MN and VT have gift bans.
• Party at the S.O.B.!, MN Publius
  

Business/Economy:

• Simon says rising costs unravel its delivery biz, Star Tribune
• SimonDelivers tells customers it’s shutting down, Pioneer Press
• Bagged by rising food and fuel costs, online grocery is permanently parking its familiar yellow trucks, MinnPost
• U.S. Bancorp earnings fall 18 percent, Finance and Commerce
  
• U.S. Bank reports slump in earnings, MPR
• Minneapolis Convention Center has new chief, Finance and Commerce
• A new player in the PGA, Star Tribune
• Delta names operating team for merged airline, Finance and Commerce
  
• The Indians are coming!, Wall Street Journal. Cites Essar Global’s purchase of MN Steel.
  

Campaigns-Senate:

• Barkley joins Senate race, Star Tribune
• Senate race gets crowded, MPR
• Eighteen seeking Coleman’s Senate seat, Pioneer Press
  
• Media stakeout at filing HQ awaited word from Ventura, God, assorted politicos, MinnPost
  

Campaigns:

• Day way behind in fundraising race, MPR
• Filings closed, Polinaut - MPR
• Election 2008: Filings force primaries, Bemidji Pioneer
• Flurry of Rochester candidates emerge just before deadline, Rochester Post-Bulletin
  

Congress-Senate:

• Government tardy securing radioactive material, AP. Coleman leading security effort.

Crime/Police:

• Minneapolis officer accused of corruption pleads not guilty, KSTP
• The thin blue line (Part II), News Cut - MPR

Environment:

• Water quality problem? Remove the water, Star Tribune
• Rybak calls for more plug-in hybrid conversions, MPR
  

Government:

• State energy czar leaving post, Pioneer Press

Health Care:

• Banks set their sights on the health savings accounts market, Finance and Commerce
• School nurse burdens by state, AP. MN in the middle of the pack.
  

I-35W Bridge Collapse:

• Prayer service to mark the 35W Bridge collapse anniversary, Pioneer Press

Judicial:

• Winona County prosecutor named to judgeship, Star Tribune
• AG files lawsuit against Illinois debt collector, KSTP
  

Labor:

• Transit workers overwhelmingly reject contract, Workday Minnesota

Legislature:

• Rep. Mark Olson won’t seek re-election, Star Tribune
  

Media:

• Strib labor talks: Thursday, to the mattresses?, MinnPost

Opinion-Commentary:

• Neal St. Anthony: Investing in youth has a measurable economic payoff, Star Tribune

Opinion-Editorial:

• Editorial: Barkley: IP gets a serious candidate, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Lord Faris: Too late to make a difference, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Ventura: He takes a pass on making a bid, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Economy needs new solutions, Bemidji Pioneer
• Editorial: Once with Ventura was enough, Mankato Free Press
  

Other States:

• Union files unfair labor charge against newspaper company amid 13 percent news staff cut, AP

Pawlenty:

• If money talks… does Pawlenty run?, The Big Question - Star Tribune
• Pawlenty raising bundles of cash for McCain, Star Tribune
  

Public Health/Safety:

• Airport doesn’t guarantee noiseproofing for life, Whistleblower - Star Tribune
• Dakota County farmers ask for help after storms destroy crops, AP
• Break-in at Minnetonka gun shop, dozens of firearms stolen, Fox 9
  

Republican National Convention:

• 4,000 drivers will have to park someplace else during the convention, Star Tribune
• Metro officials plan air safety during RNC, KSTP
• Mpls. to consider more rights for RNC protesters, KSTP
• Campus businesses unconcerned about RNC, Minnesota Daily
  

St. Paul/Minneapolis:

• Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder turns 75, TC Daily Planet
• The skinny on the Saints, News Cut - MPR

Transportation:

• Midtown Greenway traffic running (and biking) at record levels, Star Tribune
• Despite gas tax hike, money slows MnDOT, AP
  

Z-File: Irresistible Stories Beyond the Purview of PIM

• Minnesota, meet your new submarine, News Cut - MPR
• On the Chesapeake, there are fragile hopes for the blue crab’s revival, AP
• Time for some campaignin’, Washington Post. Fist jib jab.
• In Paris, burgers turn chic, New York Times