The Morning Report 7/21/08 - Daily Minnesota Political Stories

Top Story: Preparations begin at St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center for the Republican National Convention.

Agriculture:

• Grain elevators reap bumper crop of debt, Star Tribune
• A Minnesota farmer checks his fields, MPR
• MN regulators hold meetings on feedlots, WCCO
  

Best of the Blogs and Think Tank Thoughts:

• The Bargain With Betty candidate test, mnpACT!
• Minnesota 2050 - Part II, Shot in the Dark
  
• “Local, local” takes a hit, Lambert to the Slaughter
• “Peace teams” forming to prevent RNC protest violence, True North
• The $50M Senate race?, Esme’s Blog - WCCO
• Pawlenty gets bad news, Powell ringing endorsement in new Zogby poll, The Blotter - City Pages
  
• Jesus Christ Oberstar, Mr. Dilettante
• Retiring Jaros endorses Stenersen in Duluth’s 7B, Minnesota Brown
• A blow for party unity, MN Publius
• Larry Haws: Legislative Leader Of The Year, Liberal in the Land of Conservative
• How many RNC protesters might we expect?, Minnesota Independent
• Davis misinformation syndrome: there’s something about Brian…., Bluestem Prairie
  
• Strib’s site is stickiest among country’s newspapers, The Blotter - City Pages
  

Business/Economy:

• The new face over at Carlson, Star Tribune
• Pumping up the fitness franchises, Star Tribune
• Rental houses are multiplying, Star Tribune
• Minerals lure developers to Minnesota’s Iron Range, AP
• Twin Ports housing market in limbo, Duluth News Tribune
• Nicollet developers behind on taxes, Finance and Commerce
• Feud over broadcast centers on taconite tax, Hibbing Daily Tribune
• Dinkydome development back on the table, Minnesota Daily
• Scaling down: Regional events center plan modified, Bemidji Pioneer
• Suburbs looking to save on street lighting, Star Tribune
• Asphalt shortage raises the price of roadwork, Pioneer Press
• Xcel dedicates new power plant, MPR
  

Campaigns-Senate:

• Coleman, Franken to share stage, AP
• Democrat who chided Franken won’t pick sides, MPR
  

Campaigns:

• Two Republicans vie for chance to oppose Rep. Tim Walz, MPR
• Race for 2nd District heating up, WCCO
  

Congress-Senate:

• Klobuchar earns admirers, Duluth News Tribune
• Coleman provision to help Language Villages, Bemidji Pioneer
  

Education:

• Judge rules school did not discriminate, MPR

Environment:

• Biodiesel well runs dry in Twin Cities, MPR

Government:

• Official will get $101,000 raise, Pioneer Press

Media:

• Blogging and talking about mainstream media, MinnPost
• Editors in study say shrinking newsrooms damages quality of journalism, AP
  

Opinion-Commentary:

• Amy Klobuchar: Medicare still needs a lot of reform, Star Tribune
• David Strom: Liberal price too high to pay, St. Cloud Times
  
• Joe Soucheray: Welcome to St. Paul … Please enjoy the ordinary, Pioneer Press
• Sky Christina Satterstrom: Park Board erred in closing bike route, Star Tribune
  

Opinion-Editorial:

• Editorial: Fancy fountains, stinky water, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Shoring up Ramsey County 911, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Filings done; voters’ work has begun, Red Wing Republican Eagle
• Editorial: Don’t make jury service burdensome, Bemidji Pioneer
  
• Editorial: Corn debate should be just the beginning, Mankato Free Press
• Editorial: Food: a resource to manage wisely, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Together, we can clean lakes, St. Cloud Times
  

Pawlenty:

• Closed mouths, but open tryouts to make the team, New York Times

People:

• Times columnist uncovers his darkest story, Washington Post

Public Health/Safety:

• Tribal fishing video spawns bigotry, attack on news site, Star Tribune
• Judge: Weise estate won’t be added to cases, AP
• His mission: make new citizens voters, MPR
• No vacation for students helping homeless, Star Tribune
• Leech Lake Tribal Council fires many division directors, Bemidji Pioneer
• In immigration cases, employers feel the pressure, Washington Post

Republican National Convention:

• How real are anarchists’ rumblings? It’s unclear, Pioneer Press
• RNC has hospitals ready for anything, Star Tribune
• ‘X’ about to begin its political makeover, Pioneer Press
• RNC gets the keys; time for an X-treme makeover, Star Tribune
  
• Second banana St. Paul, News Cut - MPR
• Finance chair named for RNC host committee, MinnPost
• Republicans hoping for a grand old party in MN, AP
  

St. Paul/Minneapolis:

• St. Paul’s Rondo Days mark 25th anniversary this weekend, Pioneer Press
• Habitat for Humanity: 10 Minneapolis homes get facelift, Star Tribune
• MIA tries to quell concerns of local artists, MPR
• City of Lakes to hire water ad agency, Finance and Commerce
• St. Paul libraries consider fees for DVD checkout, AP
  
• Happy Birthday, Minneapolis: City Hall event brings out familiar (if forgotten) faces, MinnPost
  

Technology:

• No favor for FiberNet in Hibbing, Hibbing Daily Tribune

Transportation:

• That new bus smell, MPR
• A Twin Cities bicycle boom, Finance and Commerce
• Oberstar wants more investment in roads, bridges, KARE 11
  

Z-File: Irresistible Stories Beyond the Purview of PIM

• Neck and neck out of the gate, Star Tribune
• Bus drivers showcase skills, Bemidji Pioneer
  
• The ‘doctor fish’ are in: Tiny carp nibble away at scaly feet of VA spa’s pedicure clients, AP