The Morning Report 8/26/08 - Daily Minnesota Political Stories

Top Story: MPR and U of M poll says Minnesota voters would consider third-party candidates.

Agriculture:

• Land values on the rise even for non-prime farmland, MPR

Best of the Blogs and Think Tank Thoughts:

• Pronto Pups and pols aplenty at the Fair, Politics in Minnesota
• Klobuchar Konvention, Mary’s Page - TPT
• DNC 08 Blogger Controversy, True North
• Education lawmakers to converge on the Range Tuesday for crucial hearing, Minnesota Brown
• Even the Mayor agrees that Minneapolis officials haven’t been focusing on their responsibilities, Urban Renaissance Coalition
• Blue’s clues, The Same Rowdy Crowd
• A choice of weapons, Convention Beat - MPR. Photographers have been stopped by private security and police lately on the streets of downtown St. Paul.
• Tinklenberg web ad: ‘politics is about helping people’, MN Campaign Report

Business/Economy:

• Midwest Air squeezing some seats, Star Tribune
• Minnesota corporations make a showing at the convention, MPR - Polinaut
• Touring CNN election exhibit at Mall of America next week, MinnPost
• Delta draws on credit line, AP
• Time Warner Cable agrees to carry Big Ten Network, AP
• Developers propose ‘city within the city’ in N.W. Rochester, Rochester Post-Bulletin
• National Guard construction booming despite industry woes, Finance and Commerce
• Bemidji events center updated designs presented, Bemidji Pioneer
• Home sales hit five-month record, Finance and Commerce
• Minnesota Cup finalists announced, MSP Business Journal
• Wells Fargo CEO reiterates acquisition strategy, MSP Business Journal
• Twin Cities gas prices drop from record, Finance and Commerce

Campaigns-Senate:

• Franken prefers State Fair to hobnobbing in Denver, Star Tribune

Campaigns:

• MPR/U of M poll suggests Minnesota voters would consider third-party candidates, MPR
• Poll: Many Minnesotans would support independents, AP
• Reliably Democratic, state may be competitive, Star Tribune
• Independence candidates back higher gas tax, Bemidji Pioneer
• Penny praises McCain, casts doubt on Pawlenty, Polinaut - MPR
• Fundraising is raising concerns, Chicago Tribune
• Obama’s choice of Biden raises stakes for McCain, Washington Post

Congress-Senate:

• Klobuchar to talk about Obama’s ethics bill , Star Tribune

Education:

• They’re the first to go to college, MPR
• Willmar school officials set ballot for operating levy, West Central Tribune

Elections:

• Meet a Minnesota delegate: Mike Sundin, Star Stribune

Environment:

• UMD renovation project gets LEED Silver, Finance and Commerce

Government-Local:

• After studying preliminary budget, county commissioners say more cuts needed, West Central Tribune
• Duluth council takes steps to ease budget crunch, AP

Media:

• Hometown papers splurge on convention coverage, Wall Street Journal. StPPP owner Dean Singleton, ‘You forget about the P&L for this.’

Opinion-Commentary:

• John Kass: Why the GOP has a crush on Hillary, Chicago Tribune. In re: Tim Penny endorsing McCain, columnist writes, ‘I had the strange feeling that I was in a play about some lefty 1960s coffeehouse in Hyde Park.’

Opinion-Editorial:

• Editorial: Plenty of students, no money for school, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Make the most of open houses, St. Cloud Times
• Editorial: Sacramento stalls on renewable energy, Los Angeles Times

Pawlenty:

• Veep sheet: McCain nearing a VP pick?, Politico
• The Trail, Washington Post. McCain on Leno on Pawlenty as Veep pick.

Public Health/Safety:

• Food stamps in use at farmer’s markets boost sales for farms, provide healthy option for poor, AP

Republican National Convention:

• GOP platform unlikely to spawn major fights as activists focus on electing McCain, AP
• MN GOP candidates grapple with convention roles, AP
• Reality Check - Who pays for political conventions?, WCCO
• Some downtown workers planning to telecommute to avoid any GOP convention snarls, MinnPost
• Unprecedented security expected on light rail during the RNC, KSTP
• ‘Open Arms’ food charity plans around RNC traffic, WCCO

St. Paul/Minneapolis:

• Twin Cities mayors, officers observe DNC, KSTP

Stadiums:

• New stadiums: prices, and outrage, escalate, New York Times

Transportation:

• Minnesota license plates go flat, AP

Z-File: Irresistible Stories Beyond the Purview of PIM

• Research bear recovers after collision with Toyota near Ely, Duluth News Tribune
• What’s in those national delegate goodie bags, anyway?, The Blotter - City Pages
• Slow Food Nation festival opens Friday in S.F., San Francsico Chronicle