The Morning Report 8/7/08 - Daily Minnesota Political Stories

Top Story: Pawlenty outlines plans for a fresh GOP in Washington.

Agriculture:

• Farmers, lawmakers debate impact of biofuels on food, other prices, West Central Tribune
• Farm bill’s passage is not the end of the line for officials, West Central Tribune
  

Best of the Blogs and Think Tank Thoughts:

• Messerli & Kramer redecorates, Politics in Minnesota
• 35W bridge workers accused in anti-gay assault, Minnesota Independent
• Senate candidates beat path to Rochester, Political Party
• Sound familiar?, The Political Animal
• Education, one more item on the list of things Pawlenty has destroyed in Minnesota, MN Publius
• 7B status update, Minnesota Brown
• Two local news sites nominated for Online Journalism Awards, The Blotter - City Pages
• The early word: Faith on the trail, The Caucus - NY Times

Business/Economy:

• Best Buy to debut its Mall of America store, Pioneer Press
• Sun Country seeks financial help from state, MAC, MPR
• State Revenue Department’s criminal caseload doubles, Finance and Commerce
• European regulators approve Delta-Northwest deal, AP
• Gas meters: Xcel billings get a review, Star Tribune
  

Campaigns-Senate:

• Reality Check: Franken vs. Coleman TV Ads, WCCO
• Lord Faris releases first anti-Franken ad, MPR
• Nothing funny about Al Franken’s race in Minnesota, Wall Street Journal

Campaigns:

• 3rd District candidate Aswhin Madia had lapsed law license, AP
• More evidence Minnesota’s not a McCain swing state?, MinnPost
• Walz faces off with Davis, Day in debate, Rochester Post-Bulletin
• Obama’s Minneapolis fundraiser draws 350 supporters, Pioneer Press
• Drilling debate strikes oil in Minnesota farm country, Red Wing Republican Eagle
  

Environment:

• Plan would cut Duluth ’sprinkling allowance,’ Duluth News Tribune
• Urban trees a victim of municipal budget constraints, Duluth News Tribune
  

Government-Local:

• Western MN counties remain the state’s oldest, AP
• Olmsted County candidate: Home-care citation was politically motivated, Rochester Post-Bulletin
  

I-35W Bridge Collapse:

• 35W bridge worker injured by falling pipe, Star Tribune

Military:

• West Duluth veterans housing gets money, Duluth News-Tribune

Opinion-Commentary:

• Norm Coleman: On energy, we can tackle both supply and demand, Star Tribune
• Lori Fritts and Kris Johnson: Working through the challenges, Pioneer Press
• William Baker, Peter Vang and Gregory Hynan LRT and parking: a view from the street, Pioneer Press
• Charlie Quimby: We know what’s cost-effective. Now what?, MinnPost
  
• Kenneth Brown: State passes the buck, but not the dollars, Rochester Post-Bulletin
• Nick Coleman: From the street, Obama event had GOP feel, Star Tribune
  

Opinion-Editorial:

• Editorial: An ‘incomplete’ for No Child Left Behind, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Confidence and the ECC, Pioneer Press
  
• Editorial: Bacteria to the rescue?, Pioneer Press
  

Other States:

• Convention protesters lose bid to loosen restrictions to be heard when Dems meet in Denver, AP
  

Pawlenty:

• If Press Club was a VP tryout, Pawlenty passed, Pioneer Press
• Pawlenty says Republicans need fresh ideas, Star Tribune
• Pawlenty draws crowd for D.C. speech, dodges VP questions, Politico
• Pawlenty criticizes Obama on energy policy, Pioneer Press
• Pawlenty calls for freshened-up GOP, MPR
• Mr. Pawlenty goes to Washington, MinnPost
• Where’s Pawlenty? Traveling frequently, Pioneer Press
  
• Pawlenty and pastor problems, MinnPost
• Pawlenty addresses ‘who will be picked,’ Politico
• Today on the presidential campaign trail, Washington Post
• The McCain Veepstakes, Wall Street Journal

Public Health/Safety:

• Toxic menace removed, public stuck with the bill?, Whistleblower - Star Tribune
• Community rallies around defaced sculpture, MPR
• Officials on Range see new teen driving laws as ‘overdue,’ Mesabi Daily News
• Franco found guilty on all counts in fatal bus crash, West Central Tribune
  
• Duluth police announce crime reduction strategy, Duluth News Tribune
• In the suburbs, population growth sees a diverse shift, Star Tribune
• Minority populations increase in the suburbs, MPR
• Man beaten by 35W Bridge workers in Mpls., KSTP
  

Republican National Convention:

• St. Paul police use convention to leverage demands, The Hill
• Twin Cities cab drivers to get hospitality lesson before RNC, Pioneer Press
• And to repeat, RNC will be in S-A-I-N-T P-A-U-L, Pioneer Press
• Few Twin Cities bars pay fee to stay open until 4 a.m. during the Republican National Convention, Pioneer Press
  

Z-File: Irresistible Stories Beyond the Purview of PIM

• From ‘Little House’ to big stage, Wall Street Journal