Morning Report 2/3/2010

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BEST OF THE BLOGS

• Caucus night: Seifert wins; Kelliher, Rybak too close to call, Politics in Minnesota
• Engbrecht won’t challenge Parry in the fall, Politics in Minnesota
• House, Senate GOP see fundraising numbers drop in 2009 compared to last non-election year, Politics in Minnesota
• The precinct caucus: A typewriter in a Twitter era, Politics in Minnesota
• Many questions remain about DFL gubernatorial field as endorsement process begins, Politics in Minnesota
• Bachmann contest draws the most political cash, Politics in Minnesota
• The 2009 year-end GOP gubernatorial candidate reports: Fun, games and names, Politics in Minnesota
• To the ‘losers’ of the 2010 Minnesota gubernatorial straw polls…, Smart Politics
• Caucus winners and losers - spinning begins now, mnpACT!
• Emmer Wins Huge! – Well, in my precinct at least, Residual Forces
• Home Cookin’ for Seifert, The Political Animal
• The Liberal Lexicon 2: Tax Relief, Speed Gibson
• Tara Mack: ‘positive and focused’ amid the filth, mnpACT!
• Peterson fears EPA air action, Capitol Chatter
• Tim ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do next’ Pawlenty is heading back to New Hampshire, Hot Dish Politics
• Franken warns Roe v. Wade may be in danger, Hot Dish Politics
• Langseth: Let’s try it again, Capitol Chatter
• No favorite in 2012 GOP presidential race, The Fix - Washington Post. ‘Semi-dark horses like Pawlenty have plenty of room to run.’

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BUSINESS / ECONOMY

• Northwest Airlines code officially retired, AP
• Thomson buys Super Lawyers, MSP Business Journal
• MSP post office losing round-the-clock service, Star Tribune

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CAMPAIGNS

• Advice coming on corporate role in MN politics, AP
• Walz challengers have small fundraising totals, Rochester Post-Bulletin
• Dayton clarifies campaign staff size, Polinaut - MPR
• 14th Democrat to join Minnesota governor’s race, AP

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CONGRESS - HOUSE

• Bachmann critical of health reform, offers ideas for change, Rochester Post-Bulletin
• Obama retreats from goal of cap-trade bill, Wall Street Journal. Peterson introduces bill to ban EPA from regulating greenhouse-gas emissions under the Clean Indoor Air Act.

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CONGRESS - SENATE

• Business leaders interested in Franken jobs plan, MPR

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CRIME / POLICE

• Mpls. settles police brutality lawsuit, KSTP

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EDUCATION

• Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school district faces cuts, growing class sizes, Pioneer Press
• Minnesota auditors review alternative education programs, AP

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ELECTIONS

• Governor’s race comes into focus, Star Tribune
• A tight race for DFL and a GOP runaway, Pioneer Press
• Caucuses identify front-runners in Gov. race, KSTP
• Olmsted County DFLers back Rybak, Rochester Post-Bulletin
• Turnout is light at Rochester GOP caucus, Rochester Post-Bulletin

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ENVIRONMENT

• Xcel Energy clients can buy $1 energy-saving bulbs, AP

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FEDERAL STIMULUS

• Federal stimulus money will help rebuild the Lowry Avenue Bridge, Star Tribune

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GOVERNMENT - LOCAL

• Stearns County backs off salary debate, St. Cloud Times
• Excelsior raises dock fees, KSTP

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HEALTH CARE

• Health care clinic opens inside Twin Cities school, KSTP

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OPINION-COMMENTARY

• Craig Cox: Why replace a perfectly fine Metrodome?, Star Tribune
• Derek Larson: Pick a governor, not an extremist, St. Cloud Times
• Clarence Page: Our census reflects our confusion, Chicago Tribune. Bachmann backs down ‘a tad.’

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

• Editorial: Budget woes cry for bipartisan solutions, Star Tribune
• Editorial: In politics, is law-breaking just a ‘goof’?, Winona Daily News

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OTHER STATES

• Los Angeles might expand red-light camera program, Los Angeles Times

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PEOPLE

• U of M president takes leave after surgery, AP

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PUBLIC HEALTH / SAFETY

• MN woman rejects settlement in song-sharing case, AP
• RNC 8 hearing packs courtroom, TC Daily Planet
• Expansion of sex offender program in Moose Lake is Pawlenty’s largest bonding proposal, MinnPost

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ST. PAUL / MINNEAPOLIS

• MPR might sue over Central Corridor, MPR
• Repair it or raze it? City set to discuss fate of St. Paul police annex building, Pioneer Press

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Z-FILE: IRRESISTIBLE STORIES BEYOND THE PURVIEW OF PIM

• Minneapolis chef wins Pork Board competition, AP
• The stadium-naming game, Wall Street Journal