The Morning Report 7/24/08 - Daily Minnesota Political Stories

Top Story: Bush to address RNC Sept. 1; Pawlenty VP speculation reignited.

Agriculture:

• County ag expo vision is growing, Red Wing Republican Eagle

Best of the Blogs and Think Tank Thoughts:

• Strib guild says ‘yea’ 210-27, Lambert to the Slaughter
• Generations Part 2; the SNL divide, Minnesota Brown
• How blue is Minnesota? Not 7 U.S. House seats blue, Smart Politics
  
• Norm Coleman: He brought hockey back!, mnpACT!
• Fiddle while Rome burns with another 2 Million Dollars down the hole, Urban Renaissance Coalition
  
• John Kline: ‘Don’t you want oil?’, MN Campaign Report
• ‘Legal’ in Minnesota doesn’t pass muster in New Mexico, Wright County Republican
  
• KSTP still cruisin’ for a bruisin’ on the Range, Minnesota Brown
• Davis to MPR on late tax payments: it’s ’something that has come in the mail,’ Bluestem Prairie
• Gay couples organizing for lawsuit to challenge Minnesota’s marriage statutes, Minnesota Independent
• Minnesota Senate race: ‘I’m not sure how Franken gets out from under this,’ The Political Animal
  
• Convention cops: St. Paul PD releases updated list of police agencies signed up for RNC duty, Minnesota Independent
• Pawlenty not engaging in VP talk, Mary’s Page - TPT
  

Business/Economy:

• Northwest Airlines posts $377 million loss in second quarter, AP
• NWA still faces fuel headwinds, Pioneer Press
  
• Ford to keep St. Paul plant open until 2011 despite losses, AP
• Minnesota tech firm to play key role at Olympics, Finance and Commerce
• SimonDelivers customers out of pre-paid service, money, KSTP
• Fed report: Upper Midwest economy grew in June, MSP Business Journal
  

Campaigns-Senate:

• Coleman, Franken turn up the heat in latest campaign ads, MPR
• Franken describes ‘kitchen table tax relief’ during Rochester stop, Rochester Post-Bulletin
  

Campaigns:

• Congressional candidate late paying taxes, MPR
• Obama to visit Minnesota in early August, AP
• U.S. House candidates dogged by tax liens, UPI
  

Congress-House:

• Bachmann never came down to earth at ANWR, The Big Question - Star Tribune
• House takes up Oberstar’s bridge bill, AP
  

Crime/Police:

• Big police settlement raises bigger question, Star Tribune

Education:

• Loans, logic and access, Macalester Today
• Local library system sees more use of resources, plans to add technology, St. Cloud Times
  

Health Care:

• Blue Cross, Fairview at impasse over doctors’ fees, Pioneer Press

Labor:

• Star Tribune newsroom labor deal ratified, Star Tribune
• Starbucks baristas union drive comes at key time, City Pages
• Blast from the past: IWW comes to MOA, TC Daily Planet
  

Obituary:

• Todd Johnson of St. Paul, Pioneer Press. PIM offers its condolences to the family of this young political expert.

Opinion-Commentary:

• Dave Mindeman: The Independence Party — the party of what might have been, MinnPost

Opinion-Editorial:

• Editorial: State salary caps should be repealed, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Per diem to jurors falls short of thanks, St. Cloud Times
• Editorial: IHS audit shows lots of problems, Bemidji Pioneer
  

Pawlenty:

• Pawlenty’s stock soars in GOP veepstakes, Star Tribune
• A governor for veep? It’s been a long time, MinnPost
• Pawlenty campaigning for McCain in Mich., MPR
  

Public Health/Safety:

• Drunken, inattentive drivers taking major toll on Burnsville’s cops, Star Tribune
• Bemidji pharmacy linked to OD via Web, Star Tribune
• Duluth mayor pulls plan for emergency fees, AP
• Excel Dairy still violating air quality, MPR
• Pepper tip helped salmonella hunt continue, AP. MN Department of Health led the way.
  
• ‘Team Diarrhea’ helped state crack salmonella case, Star Tribune
• Reservation makes seat belts a primary offense, Minnesota News Network
• Federal raid shakes a Northfield neighborhood, KSTP
  

Republican National Convention:

• 3rd RNC march to be ‘more militant’, Star Tribune
• Anti-war protesters to protest on last day of RNC, AP
  
• Bush will address GOP convention on opening night, Star Tribune
• The militancy of the painted face, News Cut - MPR
• RNC could bring increase in prostitution, KSTP
  
• Police look to make personal contacts with protesters to soften disruptions at GOP convention, AP
• In race to be green, GOP unveiling bio-plastic discount cards, MinnPost
• Lack of public defenders could mean trouble during RNC, KSTP
  

St. Paul/Minneapolis:

• Minneapolis council to discuss discrimination lawsuit, MPR
• Meet Minneapolis adds, promotes staff members, Finance and Commerce
  

Z-File: Irresistible Stories Beyond the Purview of PIM

• Japanese, Mongolian scientists recover complete skeleton of young dinosaur, AP