The Morning Report 7/23/08 - Daily Minnesota Political Stories

Top Story: Finance & Commerce exclusive: Avista creditors trying to dump massive Star Tribune debt; creditors bring in Wall Street ‘chop shop’ Lazard to shop barrels of red ink; Blackstone plans restructuring.

Best of the Blogs and Think Tank Thoughts:

• To Lower Oil Prices — Let Bachmann rant, mnpACT!
• A Tale Of Two Very Different States, Ladies Logic
• Ron Paul keeps on buzzing, Political Party
• ‘Wanted’ billboards in Maplewood show only black faces, Minnesota Independent
• Do not discuss Norm Coleman’s record — it’s verboten, MN Blue
• Scenes from Day 1, True North
• MoA Starbucks union goes public, The Blotter - City Pages
• Paul casts a larger shadow, The Caucus - NYT

Business/Economy:

• Star Tribune’s debt for sale as woes mount, Finance and Commerce
• Star Tribune land status uncertain, Finance and Commerce
  
• Tracking the changes at the Star Tribune, Finance and Commerce
• Finance & Commerce: Strib bankers trying to dump debt, MinnPost
• Cooks of Crocus Hill finds new recipes for success, Star Tribune
• Developer exits Farmers Market Flats in St. Paul, Finance and Commerce
  
• Up to 400 NWA operations jobs to shift to Atlanta, Star Tribune
• Cleveland-Cliffs planning $104 million renovation to Forbes plant, Duluth News Tribune
• Eagan golf course creates open question on open space, Star Tribune
• Impact of mortgage crisis throughout state, KSTP
• Duluth-area retail developments tempered by tough times, McClatchy News Service
• Taconite plant to receive clean retrofit, MPR
• Imation to close California plant despite rising revenue, profits, Finance and Commerce
• Pentair to close plant in Sheboygan, 350 jobs lost, AP

Campaigns-Senate:

• Lord Faris says Franken’s campaign is faltering, MPR

Campaigns:

• Obama back for private fundraiser, Pioneer Press

Congress-House:

• Bachmann oil drilling plan draws skepticism, MPR
• Bachmann, back from Alaska, urges more domestic drilling, Star Tribune

Crime/Police:

• 5 black cops who sued Minneapolis to get $2 million, Star Tribune

Education:

• Derek Olson named Teacher of the Year, Star Tribune
• New teacher of the year named, MPR
• Political activism leads to self-discovery — and teaching, MinnPost
• Minneapolis is expanding its summer school program, Star Tribune
  

Government-Local:

• Prior Lake-Savage levy will be on ballot, Star Tribune
• Mayor Don Ness unveils reorganization plan, Duluth News Tribune
  

Labor:

• Strib contract ‘NO’ voters speak; are union fissures deep?, MinnPost

Legislature:

• State handcuffs Anoka County’s budget planning, officials grouse, Star Tribune

Opinion-Commentary:

• Sen. John Marty: Cut transit fares to 25 cents, MinnPost
• Katherine Kersten: Are Twin Cities ready for ’sleeping dragon’? Dream on, Star Tribune
• Joe Soucheray: University might be the next avenue we remember fondly, Pioneer Press
  

Opinion-Editorial:

• Editorial: A welcome headline: Violent crime drops, Star Tribune
• Editorial: It’s time for action on bridge funding, St. Cloud Times
• Editorial: Application hurdles for ‘right to carry’ prove effective, Rochester Post-Bulletin
• Editorial: Rybak’s tap-water campaign a bust, Minnesota Daily
  

Other States:

• Demonstrators, city spar over DNC plans, AP
• Committee giving decried, but used by Missouri’s candidates for attorney general, Dolan Media Newswires

Public Health/Safety:

• ‘A safer city’: Mayor Rybak, police chief hail progress in crime stats, MinnPost
• Minnesota DNR shooting for safer venison, Star Tribune
• State asks for public comment on contaminated 3M dump, MPR
  

Republican National Convention:

• Conventional business won’t be as usual, Star Tribune
• Planned Ron Paul rally blossoms into three-day mini-convention, Star Tribune
• Paul backers moving to larger Target Center for Sept. rally, MPR
• GOP convention snub prompts Paulites to steal part of the media spotlight, MinnPost
• Expect longer airport delays during RNC, KSTP
• Rochester officers will assist at GOP convention, Rochester Post-Bulletin
• RNC draws support from law enforcement across state, MPR
  
• Campus hotels full during move-in and RNC, but limited space exists elsewhere, Minnesota Daily
  

St. Paul/Minneapolis:

• Minneapolis fountains poised to make a splash, Star Tribune
• Minneapolis unveils designs for artistic water fountains, KSTP
  

Transportation:

• Metro Transit unveils NexTrip, KSTP
• Life along the light rail attractive option for some, Minnesota Daily
  

Z-File: Irresistible Stories Beyond the Purview of PIM

• Thunder’s Amos Magee steps down from head coaching position, Pioneer Press